1 . The Canadian town of Churchill is well-known for its arctic (北极的) wilderness. This town of extremes is home to about 900 year-round residents. However, 500, 000 tourists, more or less, flood here throughout the year.

In this setting, there’s a special find in a simple shipping container just outside the town. It’s a new project called Rocket Greens, led by the Churchill Northern Studies Centre(CNSC). Rocket Greens has successfully demonstrated the possibility of planting fresh, leafy produce regardless of seasons or weather conditions.

Erin Greene, a Churchill resident since 2015, became one of the first subscribers to Rocket Greens’s CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. “When I first moved here, it was very hard to get good-quality fruits and vegetables. We would never get fresh herbs and never see things like Swiss chard or kale,” recalls Greene, who says she now maintains a healthier diet and has become more self-sufficient as a result of the program.

In addition to Rocket Greens, CNSC has set up a seeding project for community garden support. This involves planting seedlings during the late fall and early spring that have been distributed to local community members free of charge in summer. Due to the short growing season and the challenging agricultural conditions, this seeding project offers a head start. “Community members can receive plants at no charge. It’s an educational tool to learn how to seed a field properly and how to grow your own food in your own home,” explains Dylan McCart, director of CNSC. This year’s seeding program will include a variety of crops such as peas, corn and peppers to make up for the traditional vegetables that are typically planted during Churchill summers.

“Considering the challenges of operating in a remote location like Churchill, we were one of the first ones to be able to do it, so it’s great that we were able to have that vision at that time. And it’s still successful today,” McCart says.

1. Why are so many people attracted to Churchill?

A．They want to live in the wilds.	B．They like to enjoy the unique scenery.
C．They can taste fresh produce from the locals.	D．They wish to become members of Rocket Greens.

2. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Erin Greene?

A．To advertise the lifestyles of locals.	B．To show the diversity of local food.
C．To prove the difficulty of living there.	D．To illustrate the effects of the program.

3. Which can best describe the seeding project?

A．It adds fuel to the fire.	B．It teaches a man to fish.
C．It pulls a rabbit out of the hat.	D．It kills the goose that lays the golden egg.

4. How does McCart feel about the seeding project?

A．Curious.

B．Relieved.

C．Astonished.

D．Proud.

3 . The Chinese Students and Scholars Association in the UK held a Spring Festival gala (庆典) on Wednesday in London to count down to the Chinese New Year. More than 900attendees, including representatives from British universities and education institutions, as well as Chinese students and scholars, joined to enjoy a feast of Chinese culture.

This year’s Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, and 2024 is the year of the dragon based on the Chinese zodiac. The dragon is considered by the Chinese people to represent dignity, prestige, and fortune.

The festival gala, with a theme of “Soaring Dragon’s Spring Melody”, featured Chinese folk music, dance, singing, martial arts performance and more.

During the event, Zheng Zeguang, China’s ambassador to the UK, made a speech to the attendees, highlighting major accomplishments achieved in the past year and stating China’s future development focuses.

He pointed out that China will determinedly pursue high-quality development and Chinese modernization to advance the great rejuvenation (复兴) of the Chinese nation. China will also call for an equal and orderly multipolar (多级的) world as well as for inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, Zheng noted. “Our motherland has bright prospects for future growth,” he said.

The ambassador praised Chinese students and scholars for being hardworking and behaving in a controlled way, saying that the number of Chinese students in the UK has significantly increased due to the transformation of China. “I hope you will carry on the tradition of patriotism. I hope you will ai m high and work hard. I hope you will unit e and help each other, as well as make friends widely. I hope you will grow into the backbone of the nation in the near future,” he said.

Alistair Fitt, vice-headmaster of Oxford Brookes University, extended warm wishes of good fortune and prosperity in the year of the dragon and expressed hope for progress in Sino-British relations. “I am very sure that our two great nations will continue to expand all of our very successful relationships,” he said.

1. What does the underlined word “prestige” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．The condition of being strange and alone.	B．The condition of being respected and admired.
C．The condition of being large and frightening.	D．The condition of being followed and monitored.

2. Why has the number of Chinese students significantly risen in the UK according to Zheng Zeguang?

A．Advertising activities have been organized well in China to promote British universities.

B．Chinese students are most attracted by the scenery in the UK.

C．The education fees in the UK have been reduced.

D．Great changes have taken place in China.

3. What does Alistair Fitt mainly express in the last paragraph?

A．His suggestions.

B．His surprises.

C．His arrangements.

D．His expectations.

4. What is the best title for the news report?

A．Spring Festival gala brings joy to Chinese students in UK

B．Chinese students in UK count down to Chinese New Year

C．Warm wishes of good fortune expressed in year of dragon in UK

D．China’s ambassador to UK states China’s future development focuses

4 . Interlibrary Loan is the service that the Osterhout Free Library offers for free to our patrons (顾客). You can use Interlibrary Loan to borrow an item (books, DVDs, music CDs, etc.) from within the continental 48 states if it is unavailable in the Luzerne County Library System.

How to request an Interlibrary Loan item
·To request an Interlibrary Loan item, you must either call the Osterhout Free Library, or come to our Information Services Desk.
·You must know exactly what item(s) you would like. We do not accept requests for general topics, for instance, “I would like books on antique cars.”
·Be sure to check the Luzerne County Library System’s catalog before asking Interlibrary Loan for an item.
Interlibrary Loan Processing
·When a patron requests Interlibrary Loan items, they are allowed to request more than one item, but there is a maximum of 5 requests in the system per patron.
·When the item comes in, the patron will be contacted via phone to ask him/her to pick it up. If the item is not able to be obtained, the patron will be notified via e-mail.
·If you wish to renew your Interlibrary Loan item, you must call us at least one week before the due date.
Interlibrary Loan Penalties (处罚)
·Interlibrary Loan overdue fees are $0.50/day per item.
·The following actions will result in an additional $3.00 per item fine:

(1)Returning an Interlibrary Loan item to any library other than the Osterhout Free Library.

(2)Returning an Interlibrary Loa n item without the paperwork with the due date.

1. What is a must when you borrow a book from Interlibrary Loan?

A．Renewing the book 3 days in advance.	B．Specifying your desired book.
C．Visiting the Osterhout Free Library.	D．Giving priority to Interlibrary Loan.

2. What’s a privilege for patrons of the Osterhout Free Library?

A．Being reminded of an unavailable item by e-mail.

B．Borrowing at least 5 items at a time.

C．Being given unlimited renewal of an item.

D．Having a free delivery service.

3. How much fine will you pay for just an item’s delayed return for 2 weeks?

A．$4.	B．$6.5.
C．$7.	D．$3.5.

5 . Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday in the US. Some other countries have their own versions of Thanksgiving.

Brazil

Legend has it that Joaquim Nabuco, Brazil’s first ambassador (大使) to the US, enjoyed the American holiday so much that he persuaded his government to set up a similar day of thanks. Dia de Acao de Gracas is also celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November to give thanks for the fall harvest. The Brazilian holiday ends with a colorful and noisy carnival(狂欢节) and parade.

Japan

Japan’s version of the holiday, called “Kinro Kansha no Hi” or Labor Thanksgiving Day, is observed on November 23. It originated from an ancient rice harvest festival called Niiname-sai. Later, the holiday’s purpose was to celebrate the rights of workers. Today, Labor Thanksgiving Day is mainly observed with small acts of community service. Children often mark the occasion by handing out thank-you notes to firefighters, police officers, and other frontline workers.

Canada

Thanksgiving in Canada is a low-key affair with no big parades or retail sales. The holiday mainly focuses on families and friends getting together for a meal. While many parts of the country get the day off, it is an optional (可选择的) holiday in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. As a result, the celebrations often take place the weekend before the holiday.

Ghana

Ghana celebrates its version of Thanksgiving in August or September. As the story goes, the Ga settlers arrived in Ghana in the 16th century after facing lots of hardships during their travels across Africa. They celebrated their first harvest in Ghana with a feast, and a tradition was born. Before the festival, there is a month-long ban on noise, especially drumming. Similar to Thanksgiving, Homowo is a festival of food.

1. What probably led to the birth of Dia de Acao de Gracas in Brazil?

A．The development of agriculture.	B．A demand from Americans in Brazil.
C．A government official’s suggestion.	D．The influence of traditional Brazilian culture.

2. What can be learned about Japan’s version of the holiday?

A．It begins with an exciting carnival.

B．Rice sales are a big part of the holiday.

C．Celebrations can take place before Labor Day.

D．It encourages kids to express gratitude for hard work.

3. In which country can you best enjoy the quiet before its Thanksgiving?

A．Canada.

B．Ghana.

C．Brazil.

D．Japan.

6 . Starting a daily running routine needs determination. Looking back on my old running routine, it wasn’t so much the passion that affected my sticking to a regular schedule — but it was the environment. There had to be no rain pouring down, there had to be not many people on the basketball court and the ambient (周围的) temperature had to be just right. Or maybe I was just making an excuse for myself not to get up at 5 in the morning?

I was quite successful at doing so when I was 15 and when it was summer. When I was overweight, I ate more snacks than the actual full meals in a day, and I hardly got off the sofa. One summer day, I decided that it was time to put a stop to the idea that I was just the fat kid. I didn’t want to put in that box anymore. There was a tipping point (临界点) where inspiration happened, and discipline (自律) just took over from there. I needed to make sure that I ran 10 laps of the park a day — this was the contract (契约) I made with myself that summer. And if I achieved that, I knew I’d be closer to my goal of being just a kid with normal weight.

Ten laps, six days a week — sometimes no breakfast, hardly a bite at dinner, one snack a day—this lasted two months. I’d lost over 30 pounds that summer, which was roughly a quarter of my body weight. Some days, I didn’t have the motivation. But the contract I made with myself kept reminding me — if I’d break it, would I even bother making future self-contracts anymore? There were sleepy days, and there were days when I should have rested my trembling knees, but discipline won over them all.

1. What do we know about the author’s past running routine?

A．It was made by the author’s parents.	B．It mainly depended on the environment.
C．It referred to many people at site.	D．It failed in the end.

2. What can we infer from the fact that the author was overweight?

A．The author didn’t live a healthy lifestyle.

B．Summer is a season for people to be fat.

C．Good eating habits could make one put on weight.

D．Getting up late made him a fat kid.

3. Why did the author keep the contract that made with himself?

A．He felt looked down upon when he was fat.

B．He couldn’t find a right word to describe his size.

C．He made up his mind to achieve his goal of losing weight.

D．He was too fat to find the right size of clothes or shoes.

4. What can be the best title for the passage?

A．My Running Routine Was Affected by the Environment.

B．It Was Unpleasant to Be Overweight.

C．I Made a Contract on Running.

D．Discipline Helps Achieve My Goal.

8 . We’ve had weather forecasts for decades. Forecasting our near-term health is far tougher. Yet knowing early that we may be coming down with the flu could be very helpful. The good news is that wearable technology, such as smartwatches, is beginning to provide such information. The smartwatch-like systems contain sensors that collect data.

Jessilyn Dunn is a biomedical engineer at Duke University in Durham. Her team asked 49 volunteers to wear wristbands before and after they received a cold or flu virus. At least once per second, these wristbands recorded heart rates, body movements skin temperatures and more. After analyzing the data, Dunn’s team found that in nine out of very ten volunteers, there were signs of developing illness at least a day before symptoms (症状) appeared.

The early warning, says Dunn, can head off severe symptoms that otherwise would send some people into hospitals. And knowing you’re sick before you have symptoms can warn you to lie low so you can reduce the chance of spreading your disease.

However, these systems aren’t yet ready for the real world, notes virologist Stacey Schultz-Cherry. “This is exciting but also very preliminary (初步的),” says Schultz-Cherry. “Much more work is needed before this approach can be rolled out on a larger scale.” One challenge is that many infections (感染) have analogous symptoms. Actually, besides viruses, many other things also lead to signs of a cold or the flu. Examples, Schultz-Cherry notes, include food poisoning and seasonal allergies (过敏反应). Likewise, heart rates also respond to things that have nothing to do with infections. Examples include exercise and scary movies.

Researchers expect continued improvement in prediction accuracy (准确性). Future models will show signs of developing illness. And researchers will adjust those models by analyzing how well they predict effects on thousands of people.

1. What did the research find out about wearable technology?

A．It tended to give wrong information.

B．It helped give early warnings of disease.

C．It kept track of people’s use of smartwatches.

D．It was likely to make people lead a stressful life.

2. What’s the advantage of smartwatch-like systems according to Dunn?

A．They can reduce the harm caused by illness.

B．They will remind people to keep away from sick people.

C．They can give people the confidence to fight against illness.

D．They will encourage people to develop good living habits.

3. What does the underlined word “analogous” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Clear.

B．Similar.

C．Mental.

D．Serious.

4. What can we infer about the systems from Schultz-Cherry’s words?

A．They can predict disease with high accuracy.

B．They can be used for checking various infections.

C．They may influence the normal heart rate of people.

D．They have a long way to go before being widely applied.

9 . A key part of protecting endangered species is figuring out where they’re living. Using environmental DNA, or eDNA, to track species isn’t new. For a few years now, researchers have been using DNA in water.

Two teams of scientists — one in Denmark led by Dr Kristine Bohmann and one in the UK led by Dr Elizabeth Clare — came up with the same question at about the same time: Could they identify the animals in an area from DNA that was simply floating in the air? DNA in the air is usually so small that it would take a microscope to see it. “I thought the chances of collecting animal DNA from air would be slim though much time had been spent on it, but we moved on,” said Bohmann who was trying to think of a crazy research idea for a Danish foundation that funds far-out science.

One team collected samples from different locations at Denmark’s Copenhagen Zoo, and the other at Hamerton Zoo Park in the UK. Clearly, they both chose the zoos. “We realized we have the Copenhagen Zoo,” Bohmann recalls. In fact, both the zoos in the UK and Denmark were almost like the zoos that were custom-built for the experiments: The animals in the zoos were non-native, so they really stuck out in DNA analyses. “If we detect a flamingo (火烈鸟), we’re sure it’s not coming from anywhere else but the zoo,” Bohmann says.

In the laboratory, by comparing their samples with examples of DNA from different animals, the scientists succeeded in identifying many different animals at the zoos.

Neither team knew that the other team was working on a similar experiment. The two were nearing submission to a scientific journal when they discovered about the other experiment. Rather than compete to rush out a publication first, they got in touch and decided to publish their findings as a pair. “We both thought the papers are stronger together,” says Clare.

“The next step is to figure out how to take this method into nature to track animals that are hard to spot, including endangered animals,” says Bohmann.

1. What did Bohmann initially think of the experiment?

A．It could be a failure.

B．It wouldn’t take long.

C．It wasn’t original.

D．It would cost much.

2. Why did the scientists look for animal DNA in the zoos?

A．They raised many rare animals there.	B．The zoos were specially built for them.
C．They could collect enough animal DNA.	D．They could recognize animals confidently.

3. How was the two teams’ relationship when they learned of each other’s work?

A．Competitive.

B．Inseparable.

C．Cooperative.

D．Casual.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Research Teams Test DNA in Nature	B．DNA in the Air Helps identify Animals
C．Different Zoos Conduct DNA Studies	D．eDNA Protects Endangered Animals

10 . Study Abroad Scholarships to Apply for in 2024

Found the perfect study abroad program, but don’t know how to pay for it? Fortunately, here are some study abroad scholarship opportunities for students looking to take their studies overseas!

Trenchard Cox Scholarship

All you have to do is write two 400-word reasoned descriptions: one on a work of art you love and one that you hate. The scholarship, established in memory of Sir Trenchard Cox, awards the winner an Art History Abroad 2-week summer course in Venice.

Requirement: At least 16 and no older than 18 years of age

Deadline: March 1, 2024

Arcadia Abroad Scholarships & Financial Aid

Did you know that Arcadia Abroad provides financial aid to around 70% of students who apply for it? It values equity, diversity, and inclusivity when awarding scholarships. Students who apply for scholarships will need to write a 300-word essay.

Requirement: Must be included in an Arcadia Abroad program

Award: $ 500-$ 2,500

Deadline: February 1, 2024

AIFS Study Abroad Scholarships, Grants & Financial Support

We believe a study abroad experience is an important part of well-rounded university education and we are committed to providing financial help to as many students as possible. AIFS also offers internship (实习期) and study abroad + internship mixed programs to support the development of personal and professional skills.

Award: $ 500- $ 5,000

Deadline: June 1, 2024

American Association of University Women(AAUW) Fellowships & Grants

The AAUW supports women searching for a variety of graduate academic opportunities. There are no barriers (障碍) to full participation in this organization. Preference is given to those who show great interest in the advancement of girls and women.

Requirement: Women only

Award:$ 2,000- $ 50,000

Deadline: November 15, 2024

1. What is required to apply for Trenchard Cox Scholarship?

A．Being over 18 years of age.	B．Fluency in English and Italian.
C．Two 400-word essays on artworks.	D．A member of the Art History Abroad summer course.

2. Which of the four scholarship programs ends the earliest?

A．Trenchard Cox Scholarship.

B．Arcadia Abroad Scholarships & Financial Aid.

C．AIFS Study Abroad Scholarships, Grants & Financial Support.

D．American Association of University Women(AAUW)Fellowships & Grants.

3. Who is most likely to receive the AAUW Fellowships & Grants?

A．A freshman suffering economically.	B．A graduate needing internship abroad.
C．An art student from a developing country.	D．A female student devoted to women education.