1 . Join the Sydney City Library
1. Create a City of Sydney account and join the libraryExperience greater security and access to our library and other services by joining with a City of Sydney account. Your City of Sydney account uses your email address and a password as the login (登录). You’ll be able to use the same login to access other City of Sydney services.
① Go to the library online catalogue (目录) and select Join
② Select Create an account and follow the instructions
③ When the account is created, select Join the library
2. Join the library without an email addressIf you don’t have an email address you can still join the library.
① Go to the library online catalogue and select Join
② Select Create an account and then the option I don’t have an email
③ Follow the prompts to complete the library membership form
3. Activate (激活) your membershipTo ensure your full membership and collect your library card, visit a branch open for browsing and borrowing. You need to show proof of identity and permanent residential address. Official documents such as a driver licence, student card, bank statement or rates are accepted.
Applicants under 18 years old
A parent or guardian is required to approve your application. They need to visit a branch with you to show proof of identity, including their residential address and medicare card listing your name. For online memberships this proof of identity should be emailed to librarymemberships@cityofsydney. nsw. gov. au
1. What’s the benefit of having a City of Sydney account?| A．You can spend less money. | B．You can borrow more books. |
| C．You can enjoy safer access. | D．You can log in without a password. |
| A．Library card. | B．Email address. |
| C．Identity documents. | D．Bank password. |
| A．A guide. | B．A poster. | C．A report. | D．A notice. |
2 . Nowadays, the term “superfood” has become the nutritional buzzword. Simply put, these superfoods are those that provide large amount of nutrients through minimal calories.
The term “superfood” may have taken the modern food scene by storm.
In an age when we share all kinds of superfoods on social media, ignoring the phenomenon is impossible.
| A．What is driving the trend? |
| B．What are nutritional superheroes? |
| C．They bring appearances to the table as well. |
| D．Superfoods promise more than just a meal. |
| E．No single food can cure all diseases. |
| F．They seem tailormade to deal with these concerns. |
| G．However, its roots can be traced back to early 20thcentury nutrition literature. |
3 . New Jersey Middle School Makes
Students Go PhoneFree
A middle school in Union County, New Jersey, is forcing its students to stay disconnected in class, by prohibiting cellphones. Maxson Middle School Principal Kevin Stansbury put forward the phone ban last week after he noticed some major issues in the school. “Our test scores were down, and discipline was up,” he says. According to him, students were too focused on their phones to pay attention to their lessons. So, he purchased Yondr pouches for the school.
When students come into class each morning, they place their phones in the pouch, which is then locked tightly. So they have no access to phones at all. It can only be opened using a special device at the end of the day. The ban on mobile devices applies not just during class time but during breaks, with the only exceptions being in times of emergency or in cases of students who need such devices to help with disabilities.
Eighth graders who spoke with News 12 NewJersey say that they noticed a change in a matter of hours. “It’s just better for everyone because you’ll understand how it feels to get more work done instead of distracting attention because of the phone,” says student Charlene V. “I was usually listening to music, but today I got to communicate with all my friends,” says student Desiree Duncan.
The program was originally met with resistance from students and parents, so the process was not that smooth. But teachers and administrators say that the program will have a major impact. “Students were talking and laughing and there were no cellphones other than being carried in the pouches,” Stansbury says.
Teacher Nia Cummings says she even noticed students bouncing ideas off each other in class. She says students used to throw in the towel quickly and just rely on their phones to look for answers. She says they now try to figure the answers out themselves. “Everyone is socializing and eating lunch together. That’s what I wasn’t seeing when phone usage was at its worst,” she adds.
Maxson Middle School is currently the only one in the district to use these pouches. Kevin Stansbury also called on all the schools in the community that it’s worth paying close attention to cellphone issues at secondary schools and taking action when necessary.
1. Maxson Middle School put forward the phone ban because students ________.| A．weren’t focused on school work |
| B．were always listening to music |
| C．used phones to cheat on exams |
| D．stopped talking with others |
| A．Opposition from students. |
| B．Teamwork with friends. |
| C．The daily routine at school. |
| D．Effect of the program. |
| A．Students discuss more in class. |
| B．Students finish their work on time. |
| C．Students guess the answers themselves. |
| D．Students check messages during the break. |
4 . Ideally located in the heart of New York Times Square, Yotel New York, a five-star hotel, has comfortable accommodation in a modern design.
The hotel has convenient transportation with an 18-minute walk from Fifth Avenue and Grand Central Station. John F Kennedy Airport can be reached directly from Times Square Underground Station.
All rooms include cozy beds, 54-inch HD TVs with free Sports and Movie channels, and free Wi-Fi. Each room also has luggage storage, and hanging space for clothing. Yotel New York also offers wheelchair accessible rooms and free accommodation for kids under 13.
American breakfast is served in Yotel New York every morning, including fresh juice, corn flakes, buttered toast and scrambled eggs. A selection of salads, sandwiches and hot dishes are offered throughout the day.
Yotel New York is our guests’ favorite part of New York, according to independent reviews. This area is also great for shopping, with popular brands nearby: Apple, H&M, Zara, Burberry and Channel.
Yotel New York is rated for the best value in America! Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other hotels in this city. Come and stay with us!
Prices:
| Room type | Price | Options |
| Twin Room — non-smoking | $125 | Non-refundable Good breakfast $9 |
| Double room — non-smoking | $165 | Non-refundable Good breakfast $9 |
| Queen Room — disability access | $215 | Pay at the hotel Good breakfast included |
1. What probably makes a tourist choose this hotel?
| A．Airport pick-up service. | B．Chinese-style breakfast. |
| C．Good value for guests’ money. | D．A shop with popular brands in the hotel. |
| A．$ 259. | B．$ 339. | C．$ 421. | D．$ 430. |
| A．Advertisement. | B．Lifestyle. | C．Entertainment. | D．Business. |
5 . Many footballers struggle when they leave the beautiful game for retirement in their mid-thirties, with stories that are sad or even terrible. However, in his new book Kicking On! Tony Rickson reveals the footballers who have achieved success after retirement, whether it’s by setting up charities, helping others cope, creating multi-million-pound businesses or going into media, politics or back into the football world.
Tony Adams, a former footballer, set up a charitable foundation more than 20 years ago called Sporting Chance and said it’s one of his greatest achievements. He’s wrong. Despite all the cups he won while captaining Arsenal during a highly successful 22-year career at his only club, and all the times he played for England, it is his greatest achievement. Not just one of them.
As Adams admits in his memorable book, Addicted, he suffered from alcoholism and drug abuse while still a professional footballer. Setting up Sporting Chance was his response, and ever since it’s treated and supported sports professionals suffering from drink or drug problems. The charity’s offer is: “We understand that it takes courage to ask for help, either during or following a career in sport, so when you’re ready to reach out, we’re ready for you.”
Since retiring from playing in 2002, Adams, who has a statue in his honor outside the Arsenal ground, has managed and coached in several countries alongside his charity work. He told The Sun: “What happened in my life with alcohol makes me feel so sad but also grateful that I found a way out of it. I’ve had highs and lows, in and out of football, given up playing and gone into coaching and management. I’ve not had a drink through any of it. My self-esteem (自尊) has come back and I am all right.”
The self-assessment as “all right” also applied to his 2022 appearance in TV’s Strictly Come Dancing, when Adams showed an admirable ability to laugh at himself.
1. What is Adams’ greatest achievement according to Rickson?| A．Setting up Sporting Chance. | B．Captaining the team Arsenal. |
| C．Playing for England all his life. | D．Writing his bestseller Addicted. |
| A．Losing his position on the team. | B．Lack of courage to seek advice. |
| C．Addiction to alcohol and drugs. | D．Tense relations with teammates. |
| A．Adams worked as a coach immediately he retired. |
| B．Charity work made Adams recognized in his circle. |
| C．Adams began his football career at the age of 22. |
| D．Arsenal thinks highly of Adams’ contribution to it. |
| A．A news report. | B．A biography. |
| C．An introduction to a book. | D．An entry of a diary. |
6 . Knowing how many kilometers or miles per hour you’ll likely cover while hiking is of great importance.
If you’re not sure what your average hiking speed is, don’t worry.
It can be worked out as follows. One hour for every 3 miles plus an additional hour for every 600m of ascent (升高). So let’s say you wanted to know how long it would take to hike 6 miles with an elevation gain of 1,200m. That’s 2 hours for the distance and another 2 hours for the ascent, for a total of 4 hours.
| A．Note that’s only your hiking time. |
| B．There’s an easy way to work it out. |
| C．Your hiking speed isn’t an exact science. |
| D．It can ensure that you safely reach your destination. |
| E．But some hiking places do require you to use your upper body too. |
| F．Consider how to increase your hiking speed on and off the mountain. |
| G．One of the best ways to hike faster is to train when you’re not hiking. |
7 . As a worrying number of youngsters take up vaping (电子烟), the Government has announced a crackdown on laws to stop kids from becoming addicted to the dangerous habit.
Disposable (一次性的) vapes are now set to be banned in the UK as part of the Prime Minister’s new legislation (立法) to “stop youth vaping in its tracks”. Recent research shows that one in five teens has now tried vaping, despite it being illegal for under-18s, and half of those who vape between 18 and 24 do so despite having no history of smoking.
Last year, figures showed the number of adults using e-cigarettes in the UK had risen to the highest rate on record at roughly 4.3 million Brits. According to the charity Action on Smoking and Health, almost 1,000 serious adverse reactions to vapes were logged, including five deaths linked to e-cigarettes in the last decade.
And it’s not just over-the-count er vapes at the center of the country’s vaping crisis — fake e-cigarettes with deadly chemicals have sparked concerns. An investigation by the Mirror in 2023revealed one man’s fears for his life after he suffered a collapsed lung as a result of a fake, unlicensed pack of vapes purchased from a corner shop in County Durham.
Alex Gittins,31, thought he bagged himself a bargain but ended up in hospital just hours later. He said: “I noticed an awful chemical taste in the back of my throat, then five to 10minutes later I felt what was like a stitch. I’m lying in A&E thinking I was going to die.”
A regular vaper was told he had just a one percent chance of survival after being left in need of a double lung transplant. Jackson Allard, 22, underwent the life-saving operation on January 1, putting an end to a series of serious health issues.
Medical expert Stephanie Hansen has voice d concerns about the unknown long-term effects of e-cigarettes. She said: “Vaping or e-cigarette use is relatively new, so we don’t necessarily know a lot of the long-term effects of vaping and that’s honestly one of the scariest things about it.”
1. What has the recent research found?| A．20 percent of UK teenagers have once vaped. | B．It’s against the law for teens to buy vapes. |
| C．Vaping is commoner than smoking in the UK. | D．5 people died because of vaping last year. |
| A．To suggest it’s easy to be addicted to vaping. | B．To state vaping ruins people’s health seriously. |
| C．To indicate it’s illegal to buy fake e-cigarettes. | D．To show the number of people vaping is on the rise. |
| A．It remains to be seen in what way vaping affects people. |
| B．It will be long before people know the bad effects of vaping. |
| C．It matters to inform people of the potential danger of vaping. |
| D．It is difficult to prohibit adults from buying e-cigarettes. |
| A．Research into the habits of smokers in Britain. | B．Causes of teens’ addiction to vaping in Britain. |
| C．British health issues drawing public attention. | D．British government prohibiting disposable vapes. |
8 . Will your happiness differ if you are doing a kind action without any expectation of rewards or with an expectation of rewards? A study by University of Sussex, headed by Dr. Daniel CampbellMeikeljohn, tried to answer that question. He and his partners analyzed over 1, 000 brain scans from other studies related to reactions to making a decision based on kindness. They split the studies based on who was making a decision for altruistic (无私的) reasons and who was making a decision due to the expectation of an obvious reward. The results were interesting.
In both instances, the reward center of the brain lit up on the MRI scans (磁共振成像扫描). Yet, for those who made their decision without any rewards, other areas of the brain lit up as well. Specifically, it lit up the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (前扣带皮层区域), which scientists believe plays a role in emotional regulation. Also, it might aid in maintaining excitement related to an event that creates a positive emotional state.
In one study about the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, it is believed that this brain region could be related to depression if it isn’t developed properly or is dysfunctional. The fact that this part of the brain lights up during acts of generosity and caring without expectation of rewards shows that the altruistic individuals are getting more sustainable pleasure than those motivated by rewards. It also could aid in explaining how it helps depressive individuals feel happier after doing a kind deed.
We live in a society, and no man is a lonely island. We all need each other. For those who genuinely desire to help others regardless of repayment, maintaining a balance of helping others and yourself is very important. It is healthy and necessary to be kind to yourself, as well as to others.
1. Why did the author think the results interesting?| A．There are no differences as to the litup area of the brain. |
| B．The reward center of the brain lit up in one case alone. |
| C．The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex makes no difference. |
| D．The reward center of the brain lit up in both cases. |
| A．It might help keep calm. | B．It may make a difference to controlling emotion. |
| C．It can create positive emotion. | D．It has nothing to do with depression. |
| A．Help others regardless of yourself. | B．Treat others and yourself with kindness. |
| C．For the sake of yourself, lend a hand. | D．Practise kindness at all costs. |
9 . Spring breakers don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy life in the sunshine for a week. U. S. News carefully considered everything to bring you the best inexpensive spring break destinations.
Key West
This small island in the Florida Keys is known for its odd residents and best snorkeling (浮潜) opportunities. While you’ll find plenty of spots for partying along rowdy Duval Street, you can also soak up some culture at the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. Plus, Key West offers several budget-friendly vacation rentals, so you can save your cash for bars and boat tours.
Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach is a tried-and-true Florida spring break location that is sure to please the masses. Scope out a spot across the town’s 27 miles of white sand beaches to sunbathe, play volleyball or scan the horizon for bottlenose dolphins. Hotel prices are reasonable if you book your accommodations in advance. Just note: This town bans alcohol consumption on the beach during March, so you’ll have to enjoy your adult beverages elsewhere.
South Padre Island
With hotels offering nightly rates around $200 or less and DJs and celebrities holding court at nightclubs, South Padre Island, Texas, is a hot spring break destination for college students. This South Texas local e is only about 30 miles north of the U. S.-Mexico border, meaning you’ll get to enjoy warm weather without having to leave the country. As an added bonus, the island offers a free public shuttle system, so budget-conscious travelers won’t have to worry about spending money on a rental car.
1. What can tourists do in Key West?| A．Have a good surfing. |
| B．Bath e in the sun on the beach. |
| C．Throw a party anywhere on the island. |
| D．Visit the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. |
| A．The hotel prices are low whenever you go. |
| B．It is a perfect destination for spring vacation. |
| C．You can drink some wine on the beach in March. |
| D．You can see the bottlenose dolphins in person. |
| A．They are budget-friendly. | B．They are alive with wildlife. |
| C．They offer a taste of culture. | D．They offer free public shuttle system. |
10 . What if “looking your age” refers not to your face, but to your chest? Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have developed an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) model that uses chest radiographs (光片) to assess a person’s biological age. More importantly, when it is different from the chronological age (实足年龄), it can signal a link with chronic (慢性的) diseases. These findings mark a breakthrough in medical imaging, paving the way for improved early disease detection and intervention.
The research team, led by graduate student Yasuhito Mitsuyama and Dr. Daiju Ueda from the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, first constructed a deep learning-based AI model to estimate age from chest radiographs of healthy individuals. They then applied the model to radiographs of patients with known diseases to analyze the relationship between AI-estimated age and each disease. Given that AI trained on a single dataset tends to over fit, the researchers collected data from multiple institutions.
For the development, training, internal and external testing of the AI model for age estimation, a total of 67,099 chest radiographs were obtained between 2008 and 2021 from 36,051 healthy individuals who underwent health check-ups at three facilities.
To confirm the usefulness of AI-estimated age using chest radiographs as a biomarker, an additional 34,197 chest radiographs were collected from 34,197 patients with known diseases from two other institutions. The results showed that the difference between AI-estimated age and the patient’s chronological age was positively correlated with a variety of chronic diseases. In other words, the higher the AI-estimated age compared to the chronological age, the more likely individuals were to have these diseases.
“Chronological age is one of the most critical factors in medicine,” stated Mr. Mitsuyama. “Our results suggest that chest radiography-based apparent age may accurately reflect health conditions beyond chronological age. We aim to further develop this research and apply it to estimate the severity of chronic diseases, to predict life expectancy and to forecast possible surgical complications.”
1. What is the AI model used to do?| A．Tell a patient’s chronological age. | B．Estimate an individual’s biological age. |
| C．Develop advanced chest radiographs. | D．Analyze individuals’ workout habits. |
| A．They followed patients for over two decades. |
| B．They obtained data from the same institution. |
| C．They collected a large number of chest radiographs. |
| D．They had face-to-face talks with healthy individuals. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By interviewing their doctors. |
| C．By observing them in their lab. | D．By analyzing causes and effects. |
| A．The research is too complex to be carried out widely. |
| B．The AI model is expected to have a promising future. |
| C．Chronological age matters more than AI-estimated age. |
| D．The research findings have been well received in medicine. |
