1 . Every morning in a city in Indonesia’s far east, sleepy teenagers can be seen walk slowly and with heavy steps through the streets on their unwilling way to school.
It is not a scene from some sci-fi movie but a controversial experiment to get the day off to a much earlier start for the sleep-deprived (缺乏睡眠的) teens. The pilot project in Kupang has twelfth-graders at 10 high schools start classes at 5:30 am.
Authorities say the project is intended to heighten children’s discipline. According to parents, though, their children are worn out by the time they get home. Schools in Indonesia generally start between 7:00 and 8:00 am. Teens in their school uniforms are now walking down dark streets or waiting for motorcycle taxis to get to school on time.
“It is extremely difficult and they now have to leave home while it’s still completely dark. I can’t accept this, for their safety is not guaranteed when it’s dark and quiet.” Rambu Ata, a mother to a 16-year-old, said, whose daughter Eureka now has to wake up at 4:00 am to get ready and ride a motorbike to school. “Now every time Eurek arrives home she is exhausted and falls asleep immediately.”
At least one scholar seems to agree.
“It has no connection with the effort to improve the quality of education,” Marsel Robot, an education expert from Nusa Cendana University. “In the long run, sleep deprivation could endanger the students’ health and cause a shift in behaviour. They will only sleep for a few hours and this is a serious risk for their health. This also will cause them stress and they will release their stress by acting out.”
A 2014 study published by the American Academy of paediatrics (儿科学) recommended that middle and high schoolers start classes at 8:30 am or later to allow enough time for sleep. The Kupang rule change was also challenged by local politicians, who demanded the government cancel what they called a baseless policy.
1. What is the purpose of the pilot project?| A．To punish students’ mistakes. | B．To let students learn more knowledge. |
| C．To deprive students of sleep. | D．To strengthen students’ self-control. |
| A．Controversial. | B．Unacceptable. | C．Uncontrollable. | D．Critical |
| A．Students’ safety. | B．The stress of parents. |
| C．Students’ health. | D．The quality of education. |
| A．An Unpopular Move for Teens to Start School at 5:30 am |
| B．Some Problems Existing Among Indonesia’s Teenagers |
| C．An Unsuccessful Experiment Concerning Safety |
| D．The Popularity of a Pilot Project in Kupang |
2 . Four European Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss in 2023
Festival Medieval (中世纪的) de Sedan
For an unforgettable slice of Medieval France, head to Festival Medieval de Sedan in May. Held at the largest medieval castle in Europe, the Chateau de Sedan, the festival brings the spirit of the Middle Ages alive. Exciting tournaments and atmospheric parades take place around the castle grounds. Around 15,000 people come to explore the castle. Just be prepared to climb a lot of stairs!
La Fete de la Musique
There’s music in the air throughout France on 21 June. This is when La Fete de la Musique (Music Day) takes place. The first all-day musical celebration was first held in Paris in 1982 but later became celebrated in 120 countries around the world. During the festival, thousands of musicians gather in the streets, bars, and cafes giving free public performances.
Festival d’ Avignon
Another fantastic French festival not to miss is the Festival d’ Avignon. The annual theater festival is held in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes in Avignon. During this time, Avignon transforms its architectural heritage into various grand performance venues. Tens of thousands of theater lovers of all ages come to enjoy theatre, dance, visual arts, and live music.
Bastille Day
Celebrated nationwide on 14 July, Bastille Day is the biggest and most important festival in the French calendar. It marks the day that Parisian civilians and peasants stormed the fortress (堡垒) and prison of Bastille. This caused events that would end the monarchy (君主制) and start the age of liberty and equality. Celebrations are held all over France, including large-scale public events and parties.
1. Which of the following holidays takes place earliest?| A．Bastille Day. | B．Festival d’ Avignon. |
| C．La Fete de la Musique. | D．Festival Medieval de Sedan. |
| A．Enjoy beautiful music. | B．Explore some castles. |
| C．Make delicious coffee. | D．Learn about the monarchy. |
| A．In May. | B．In June. | C．In July. | D．In August. |
3 . Lonely? You’re hardly alone. That’s the finding of a new study. And that appears throughout industrial nations across the globe. The study linked rising loneliness to a greater use of smartphones and the internet over the same years.
Jean Twenge, a psychologist, took part in the study. Her team has found that since 2012, US teens have been spending less time together face-to-face.
“Smartphones can help keep us connected with friends,” says Twenge. “But they can also make people feel excluded (隔离).” Girls, especially, may feel this way. One reason may be that they like to post more photos and selfies (自拍) than boys. Studies have shown that if those images don’t get a lot of “likes”, it can affect a teen’s mental health.
And there’s “phubbing” a mixture of “phone” and “snubbing (冷落)”. It’s that moment in which a friend or family member takes out a phone and keeps looking at it, paying no attention to everybody else, including you. Phubbing is one way technology can affect you, even when you’re not the one using it.
The new study pulled its data from a survey. Some 1 million 15- and 16-year-old students from 37 countries took this survey in 2000, 2003, 2012, 2015 and 2018. Its questions mostly dealt with education. But they also included six statements about loneliness, such as “I feel awkward and out of place in my school”. Students could strongly disagree, disagree, agree or strongly agree with each statement.
If technology causes loneliness, should we stop using it? “No, not at all,” argues Twenge. “Everybody of all ages is trying to figure out how we can best use these technologies and stay mentally healthy.” Her advice is to “use your smartphone for what it’s good for. Then put it away.” That includes putting it away overnight—ideally in another room.
1. How do girls differ from boys in smartphone use in the study?| A．They need it to stay in style. |
| B．They depend on it to keep in touch. |
| C．They use it as a learning tool. |
| D．They like to post more pictures with it. |
| A．To show the harm of the smartphone. |
| B．To give an example of communication. |
| C．To introduce an embarrassing situation. |
| D．To present a scene with the smartphone. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Uninterested | D．Worried |
| A．The Smartphone—the Focus of a Study |
| B．The Smartphone—a Communication Tool |
| C．The Smartphone—a Friend of Teenagers |
| D．The Smartphone—a Source of Loneliness |
4 . Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual practice from India. The word “yoga” comes from Sanskrit (梵文) and means “to join” or “to unite”, symbolizing the union of body and mind. Today it is practised in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity. Recognizing its universal appeal, the United Nations declared June 2l as the International Day of Yoga in 2014 to raise awareness worldwide of the benefits of practising yoga.
Yoga is an invaluable gift from an ancient tradition. It’s not just about exercise but a way to discover the sense of combining yourself with nature and the world. There is no written record of who invented yoga. Yoga practitioners (从业者) passed down the practising ways to their students. The earliest written record of yoga is generally believed to have been written by Patanjali, an Indian master who lived somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago.
Various yoga types give you many choices. Hatha yoga is the most widely practised type and is perfect for beginners. It is gentle with slow and smooth movements. Kundalini yoga includes a singing-part besides body and mental control. Bikram yoga is practised in a heated room. It is to relax muscles and to sweat to clean the body and remove disease and pain. Ashtanga yoga is taught as a difficult workout where you move quickly from one movement to another to build strength and patience.
In recent years, the World Health Organization has asked countries to help their citizens reduce physical inactivity, which is among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide, and a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and diabetes (糖尿病). Yoga is a proper exercise. It is known for its ability to ease stress and anxiety. It may also help reduce several risk factors for heart diseases and improve a better sleep.
1. Why did the United Nations set the International Day of Yoga?| A．To make Indian culture known to the world. |
| B．To recognize the universal appeal of yoga. |
| C．To improve the practising forms of yoga |
| D．To make the benefits of yoga known. |
| A．An Indian master. | B．The United Nations. |
| C．The Indian government. | D．The World Health Organization. |
| A．Hatha yoga. | B．Kundalini yoga. |
| C．Bikram yoga. | D．Ashtanga yoga. |
| A．To introduce a sport. | B．To tell a history story. |
| C．To present a healthy lifestyle. | D．To encourage culture exchange. |
5 . By day, Robert Titterton is a lawyer. In his spare time, though, he goes on stage beside pianist Maria Raspopova—not as a musician but as her page turner. “I love music, but I’m not a trained musician. I’ve learnt to read music so I can help Maria in her performance.”
Mr. Titterton is chairman of the Omega Ensemble but has been the group’s official page turner for the past four years. His job is to sit beside the pianist and turn the pages of the score so the musician doesn’t have to break the flow of sound by doing it themselves. He said he became just as nervous as those playing instruments on stage.
“The job is a struggle for me because a lot of skills are needed for the job. You have to make sure you don’t turn two pages at once and make sure you find the repeats in the music when you have to go back to the right spot.” Mr. Titterton explained.
Being a page turner requires plenty of practice. Some pieces of music can go for 40 minutes and require up to50 page turns, including back turns for repeat passages. Silent onstage communication is important, and each pianist has their own style to indicate a page turn which they need to practise with their page turner.
But like all performances, there are moments when things go wrong. “I was turning the page to get ready for the next page, but the wind from the turn caused the spare pages to fall off the stand,” Mr. Titterton said, “Luckily I was able to catch them and put them back.”
Most page turners are piano students or up-and-coming concert pianists, although Ms. Raspopova has once asked her husband to help her out on stage.
“My husband is the worst page turner,” she laughed. “He’s interested in the music, feeling every note, and I have to say: ‘Turn, turn!’ Robert is the best page turner I’ve had in my entire life.”
1. Why does Titterton find his part-time job hard?| A．He has to repair the piano. | B．He reads music slowly. |
| C．He has to learn many skills. | D．He is worried about performing. |
| A．Stop. | B．Perform. | C．Teach. | D．Show. |
| A．They are interested in music. | B．They avoided an accident. |
| C．They remember to turn the page. | D．They must sing songs on the stage. |
| A．Technology. | B．Education. | C．Music. | D．Sports. |
Bookroo—Best Book Subscription (订阅) for Ages 0 to 3 | |
| Key Information | Delivery: Monthly. |
| Number: 12. | |
| Price: Price starts at about $20 per month, but there’s a discount (折扣) available; A three-month subscription is $19 per month, a six-month subscription is $18 per month, and a year-long plan is$17 per month | |
| Its Advantages | Books designed for small hands |
| Content to upgrade as kids grow up. | |
| Extra materials included in books. | |
| Its Disadvantages | No choices to return books you don’t like. |
| No way to prevent copies. | |
| Shipping (运费) not included in price. | |
| More Information | With a book plan designed specially for young kids, Bookroo specializes in picking the best books for early childhood. Bookroo is a wonderful choice for your child’s first book subscription plan. Each month comes with three carefully selected books suitable for reading with babies. If you find yourself with a book that you have already had, you can donate it to a local library, and then send Bookroo the proof (证明). You’ll get a $5 discount for your next order. |
| A．$ 17. | B．$ 20. | C．$ 24. | D．$ 36. |
| A．Its books are too large for kids. |
| B．Its shipping costs extra money. |
| C．Its content is only suitable for kids. |
| D．Its books include no other materials. |
| A．Donate it and get a discount from Bookroo. |
| B．Sell it to the local library at a lower price. |
| C．Return it to Bookroo and get a free order. |
| D．Send it to Bookroo and ask for a new one. |
7 . Make the world your classroom!
Travel fuels curiosity, offers fresh perspectives, and gives students the opportunity to discover life beyond their backyards. Our educational tours keep students aged 11-15 interested and actively learning with specially-designed, hands-on activities in exciting destinations.
Explore Italy
Duration: 9 or 11 days
Destination: Venice, Florence, Rome
Italy has always been an icon of rich culture and traditions. This interactive tour includes Italy's top hits. Discover the country's ancient past in sites such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, stare up at Michelangelo's masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel(小教堂), walk across Florence's famous medieval bridge, and take a ride down Venice's winding canals.
Total cost: $3, 519
Hello London
Duration: 7 days
Destination, London
Royal traditions? Check. Picturesque landmarks? Check. World-class museums? Check. Mysterious ring of heavy rocks that's puzzled historians for ages? Check. London has it all. Discover the complex history of this international city at sites such as the Tower of London, which also houses the famous Crown Jewels. Take a day trip to Wiltshire to get a glimpse of Stonehenge, and try to guess how the giant monument first appeared.
Total cost: $3, 085
New York City: The Big Apple
Duration: 5-7 days
Destination: New York
Bursting with an energy all its own, New York City provides a unique look into American life and culture. Explore the very best of the Big Apple, from the bustle of Times Square to the skyline view from the Empire State Building. Get to know one of the most exciting cities even better!
Total cost: $2,746
Click here for more information about: Language &culture in Spain, Rome and Pompeii, Washington D. C.: The Capital Tour...
1. What can you do on the tour in Italy?| A．Visit ancient museums. | B．Appreciate artistic works. |
| C．Experience royal traditions. | D．Enjoy bike riding. |
| A．Explore Italy. | B．Hello London. |
| C．New York City: The Big Apple. | D．Rome and Pompeii. |
| A．a travel magazine | B．a geography textbook | C．an education report | D．an agency's website |
8 . We all know cameras. But have you heard of Google’s new camera? It is a small, smart device, called Clips. It comes with a case that has a clip, but it’s not designed to be worn on your clothing. Most interestingly, it uses artificial intelligence to take photography out of your hands so it can capture moments on its own.
This roughly 2-inch by 2-inch camera, with a three-hour battery life and Gorilla Glass for toughness, is intended for candid moments, like when a child does something cute that may happen too quickly for you to pull out your smart phone.
Onboard the Clips device, it uses machine learning algorithms to help capture scenes. Those algorithms include face recognition. “Once it learns that there’s a face you see frequently, it’ll try to get nice photos of those faces,” said Juston Payne, the device’s product manager. And they also want it to recognize facial expressions, which involved “training it to know what happiness looks like”. The Google team also trained it to recognize what not to shoot—like when a child’s hand is over the lens, or if it is tossed in a dark purse.
The only way to see the images is by connecting the camera with your phone, as it has no screen for viewing or editing.
Did people think it was strange? Yes, Payne admitted. But they said they addressed that by making it obvious what it is. A green light on the front signals that the device is on. Besides, unlike a camera meant to monitor your home, it is not connected to the Internet.
“This product is only possible because of the way that technology has advanced,” Payne said. It was only in the past year or so that they could squeeze the technology down into a device this size. Going forward, we’re likely to get more assistance from the artificial intelligence packed into our apps and gadgets.
1. What does the underlined word “candid” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Touching | B．Brief. | C．Unforgettable | D．Embarrassing. |
| A．It is equipped with tough glass | B．It enables easy Internet access. |
| C．It can be worn on your clothing | D．It allows of hands-free photography. |
| A．The popularity of the Internet | B．The rise of the smart phone industry. |
| C．The advance in technology | D．The reduction in the price of lens. |
| A．A New Digital Camera from Google | B．New Gadgets in the Age of Apps |
| C．Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Life | D．An Alternative Way to Photograph |
9 . Kyle Cassidy and three other members of the Annenberg Running Group were stretching on the grounds of the University of Pennsylvania, waiting for a few slow members to start. The Penn colleagues and other community members meet three days a week for a roughly 30-minute jog and an occasional lecture. It's not your normal exercise chatter—during some runs, one of them delivers a talk; the topics range from the brain to Bitcoin（比特币）.
But on this day last January, it would not be their normal run. The first sign was the man who ran past them very fast. "Probably running a 7:15 pace（per mile）," Cassidy thought admiringly.
Cassidy discovered why the man was so fast at running when another man ran by, yelling "Help! He took my phone!"
Hearing that, the group did what running clubs do: They ran, chasing the suspect down the streets until he quickly hid in a construction site. The runners split up. Cassidy ran around to the far side of the site to cut the thief off while the others wandered the neighborhood hoping he had abandoned the stolen phone in a backyard.
No luck. Then they asked the residents whether they'd seen the guy. When they knocked on the door of one house, they were in for a surprise. They didn't know the thief had already come out of the construction site and was hiding behind a bush by that very house. As the owner opened the door, the suspect suddenly rushed out from behind the bush and right into the arms of the campus police, who had joined the chase shortly behind the runners.
The members of this running group are not passionate（狂热的）runners. But they do understand the benefit of a little exercise. "Running is typically a useless sport where you turn fat cells into heat," Cassidy said. "But occasionally it can be useful, and here was one of those opportunities."
1. What does the running group do at times while exercising?| A．Share ideas. | B．Talk nonsense. |
| C．Help search for lost things. | D．Play with their smartphones. |
| A．Confused | B．Frightened | C．Motivated | D．Impressed |
| A．gave up. | B．stayed up. | C．got separated | D．ran away. |
| A．It's very important to keep fit. |
| B．Exercising can be socially beneficial. |
| C．Whatever you do, you should do your best. |
| D．Teamwork is more important than individual skills. |
