1 . It is challenging to teach children about seasonal foods in a modern-day grocery store (杂货店). Having lots of choices of fresh produce from all around the world means that a sense of the seasons is lost. That’s why I like being part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Every week I receive a share of vegetables that comes from a nearby farm. I do not know ahead of time what I’m getting, nor do I have any say on what comes home; I take whatever was harvested earlier that same day, based on the week’s weather conditions, and use them to the best of my ability.
My kids have had a good knowledge of the supply of certain vegetables throughout the harvesting season. They know what it’s like to eat a lot of asparagus (芦笋) until they’re sick of it, only to move on to dark greens and leafy salads, then eggplants, and tomatoes, and finally the root vegetables that mark the arrival of cold weather.
The funny thing is, when you’ve eaten a ton of something for a few weeks, you’re ready to move on to the next crop (作物) and leave the other behind, but when its time comes the following year, the expectation will return. In this way, a CSA share creates excitement at vegetables that can’t be felt when everything can be bought all the time, as it is in a grocery store.
A farmers’ market can offer similar lessons in seasonality to a CSA, but it differs in that you have more choices about what you buy. A CSA share, however, only offers few kinds of vegetables and sometimes fruits, forcing you to work out ways of using them up. I enjoy this challenge because it tests my cooking skills and introduces my family to new and unusual vegetables. What’s more, it is glad to know I’m supporting local farmers by eating what they want to grow, not just what I’m used to eating.
1. What is special about the vegetables offered by the CSA program?| A．They are free. |
| B．They are cheap. |
| C．They can’t be found in local grocery stores. |
| D．They make the author full of expectations. |
| A．It provides enough supply of vegetables. |
| B．It makes people choose vegetables freely. |
| C．It keeps people’s excitement for vegetables. |
| D．It makes people become sick of eating vegetables. |
| A．It encourages him to support local farmers. |
| B．It helps him learn about the community. |
| C．It gives people more choices of foods. |
| D．It causes local farmers a lot of stress. |
| A．Local food is becoming more popular |
| B．The CSA program is making a difference |
| C．People are encouraged to experience farm life |
| D．Naturally grown food improves people’s health |
2 . Paris is full of cultural significance. Yet, despite its wealth of cultural hotspots and architectural delights, some tourists who explore the City of Light experience “Paris syndrome (巴黎综合征), a psychological condition that often results in nausea (恶心) and increased heart rates. An interesting phenomenon is that Paris syndrome is “most common among Japanese tourists”. Why?
Many Japanese visitors go with a deeply romantic picture of Paris----the beauty of French women, the high culture and art. But when the reality of the modern city of Paris sets in, with its seemingly unfriendly service and confusing public transport, some tourists simply find their hope falling through.
“An encounter with a Parisian waiter who shouts at customers might be laughed off by those from other Western cultures. But for the Japanese —used to a society where politeness is valued and voices are rarely raised in anger-----the experience of their dream city turning into a nightmare (噩梦) can simply be too much,” said Rodanthi Tzanelli, a professor of cultural sociology.
So Paris syndrome should be regarded as an extreme form of culture shock, which is an illness resulting from the loss of meaning when people find themselves in a different symbolic reality, according to Rachel Irwin, a senior researcher. The symptoms (症状) associated with culture shock are similar to those experienced by someone who is feeling anxious. According to the analysis (分析) of Calm Clinic, a mental health resource platform, when someone is experiencing anxiety, signals that are related to the fight or flight response will be sent to the stomach. The signals change the way the body processes food, causing nausea.
Besides, Tzanelli points out that the syndrome is not specific to Paris and nobody can be free of culture shock as long as they go to new places. The syndrome is likely a “general phenomenon”, as younger generations tend to travel to different countries, and are likely to be more aware of what they’ll encounter at a destination. Therefore, they’re unlikely to be bitterly disappointed when they’re there.
1. Why do Japanese tourists experience great discomfort in Paris?| A．Paris lacks real historical and cultural hotspots. |
| B．Paris fails to meet their romantic expectations. |
| C．They find Paris’ public transport less modern. |
| D．They cannot adapt to the local climate. |
| A．How culture influences the behavior of tourists. |
| B．How Japanese tourists react to Paris syndrome. |
| C．Why Paris syndrome particularly strikes the Japanese. |
| D．Why the Japanese value politeness and avoid conflicts. |
| A．People’s inability to adapt to new cultures. |
| B．The methods of overcoming culture shock. |
| C．People’s varied attitudes to different cultures. |
| D．The physical discomfort caused by culture shock. |
| A．To be prepared for new encounters in advance. |
| B．To focus on the positive aspects of a destination. |
| C．To visit new places together with young people. |
| D．To avoid going to unfamiliar destinations. |
3 . The best online jigsaw puzzles (拼图游戏) you can play right now
Magic Jigsaw Puzzles by ZiMAD
Start as a beginner and become a master with this app, which offers 20,000 HD photos-turned-puzzles. If its broad range of difficulty levels isn’t enough, you can jump into rotation (旋转) mode to step up your game, moving pieces in groups, or participate in weekly tournaments to compete with friends. Puzzles come in a number of visual offerings like paintings and animals.
Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Jigsaw Puzzles from Rottz Games
With over 200 million puzzles played, this app is a gamer’s favorite. Rottz Games offers jigsaw puzzles based on 2,400 photos and 35 themes, with difficulty ranging from beginner (9 pieces) to expert (1,300 pieces). Select from their range of scenes including mountain and castle (城堡) landscapes. Or, if none fit your fancy, you can create custom puzzles by uploading images of your own.
Rating: 4.8 out of 5
Washington Post Online Jigsaw Puzzle
The Washington Post offers a new puzzle to play every day with three difficulty levels: easy, normal, and expert. Some of the latest puzzles include a sandy volleyball scene, a cat on a blanket, and landmark structures from around the world, including the Colosseum in Rome and the Sydney Opera House.
Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Jigsaw Puzzles from Easybrain
You’ll find more than 13,000 puzzles on this app, which uses HD quality photos with scores of themes and difficulty ranging from 9 to 400pieces. Select from plenty of categories including animals, art, and more, as well as different difficulty levels. With a daily updated gallery, there will always be a new puzzle at your fingertips.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
1. What is the rating of the app with 20,000 HD photos-turned-puzzles?
| A．4.5 out of 5. | B．4.6 out of 5. |
| C．4.7 out of 5. | D．4.8 out of 5. |
| A．It has more than 2,400 themes. |
| B．It updates its puzzles on a daily basis. |
| C．It offers three difficulty levels to games. |
| D．It allows gamers to create their own puzzles. |
| A．Washington Post Online Jigsaw Puzzle. |
| B．Jigsaw Puzzles from Rottz Games. |
| C．Magic Jigsaw Puzzles by ZiMAD. |
| D．Jigsaw Puzzles from Easybrain. |
4 . Born in 1873 in an old town, the Carival of Viareggio now is one of the most popular events held in Vareggio, Italy. Some of the biggest carnival floats (彩车) in Viareggio are known to the whole world, turning into a kind of symbol (象征) showing peace, unity and love.
The Location And Transportation
The huge street parades (游行) take place on the seaside walkway of Vareggio. To get to Viareggio before the parades, visitors can easily arrive here by direct trains from Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Cinque Terre. The train station is only 10-15 minutes walk from the seaside walkway.
The 2024 Time Plan Of The Carnival
2023 was special because it was the 150th birthday of the Carnival of Viareggio. All stories and cultures of the carnival come from different corners of the world. This is why people call it “a common carnival”. Only a few days after the end of the 2023 carnival, its organization already worked out the dates of the 2024 carnival’s parades, The following is the schedule of the 2024 carnival’s parades.
| Date | Time | Event |
| Saturday, Feb 3 | 4 pm | First floats parade |
| Thursday, Feb 8 | 6 pm | Second floats parade |
| Sunday, Feb 11 | 3 pm | Third floats parade |
| Tuesday, Feb 13 | 5 pm | Fourth floats parade |
| Sunday, Feb 18 | 3 pm | Fifth floats parade |
| Saturday, Feb 24 | 5 pm | Sixth and final floats parade |
The winners will be showed and there will be fireworks at the end of the parades.
1. What is the Carnival of Viareggio famous for?| A．Its carnival floats. | B．Its long history. |
| C．Its famous stories. | D．Its seaside walkway. |
| A．By boat B By plane C.By railway. D. By subway. |
| A．On Tuesday, February 13, at 6 pm. |
| B．On Sunday, February 11, at 3 pm. |
| C．On Sunday, February 1l, at 5 pm. |
| D．D.On Tuesday,February 13,at 3 pm. |
5 . It’s never easy to say “no”, especially when we’re asked by someone close to us, Maybe a friend is asking you for a favor, or a co-worker is asking you to cover their shift for the afternoon
Be kind but forthright. Though you can always just say “no” on your own terms, you might find more success by padding your refusal with positivity.
Offer a brief explanation. Providing a concise explanation as to why you’re refusing a request is one polite way to say “no”. For instance, if you already have other work this week that would prevent you from hitting a pew deadline, let the person know that. You’d better avoid adding too much fluff (无价值的东西) to your explanation.
Know yourself. Knowing yourself and your needs will help you decide if you should say“no”. Have a brainstorming session about areas where you have too much on your plate.
| A．Set healthy boundaries. |
| B．Be honest about your own needs. |
| C．When should you say “no” to them? |
| D．Set boundaries between work and your personal life. |
| E．That can very likely give the other person false hope. |
| F．You can try keeping your voice calm, welcoming and kind. |
| G．How can you stand your ground politely without feeling guilty? |
6 . Take A Scenic Ride On The World’s Steepest Railway For Passengers—If You Dare!
Originally built for mining in 1878, the Scenic Railway is now a tourist ride that can take your breath away! In the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, the former mining railway became a tourist attraction in 1945. It currently holds the Guinness World Records as the steepest passenger train with the steepest railway gradient (坡度).
The gradient of 52 degrees is comfortably viewed from inside an 84-seat, glass-enclosed carriage car. The passenger car travels along on a cable-driven system of rails as it navigates the steep terrain. During the tour, passengers will see the train travel through sandstone cliffs and a rock tunnel next to Orphan Rock.
Orphan Rock was once available for trail climbing. Following rock slides in the 1950s, the trail was partially closed. The trail access was completely closed in 1974 and never reopened due to potential risks.
On the Scenic Railway, you will see stunning views from a slightly different angle than Orphan Rock. The railway is open every day of the year, making the trip along the rails every ten minutes.
Sight-seeing passengers can ride the steepest railway up from the Jamison Valley or travel on the cable car. Either option affords incredible scenic views of the Blue Mountains. The glass roof in the passenger cars allows for a fantastic view from every seat on the train.
Just take a look for yourself!
1. Where might the Scenic Railway originally lead to?| A．A mine. | B．A village. | C．A mountain. | D．A valley. |
| A．It is a rock tunnel. | B．It is out of use. |
| C．It is partially open. | D．It is a 10-minute trip. |
| A．Eco-friendly. | B．Absurd. | C．Demanding. | D．Adventurous. |
7 . Robots have learned to drive on Mars, carry out brain surgery and defeat grandmaster chess players. But when it comes to baking, making tasty desserts is far from a piece of cake. But after multiple failed attempts, US researchers have successfully 3D printed a cherry cheesecake.
The sorry-looking flan resembles a slice of cottage pie, topped with blancmange. Nevertheless, scientists are hopeful that once mastered, 3D printing could replace conventional cooking, allowing food to be tailored to nutritional needs of children, athletes or those on dietary restrictions.
“We have an enormous problem with the low-nutrient value of processed foods,” said Professor Christen Cooper of Pace University Nutrition and Dietetics. “3D food printing will still turn out processed foods, but perhaps the silver lining will be, for some people, better control and tailoring of personalised nutrition. It may also be useful in making food more appealing to those with swallowing disorders by mimicking the shapes of real foods with the mashed texture foods that these patients require.”
In the latest experiment, researchers tried various cheesecake designs, consisting of seven key ingredients: a biscuit base, peanut butter, Nutella, banana puree, strawberry jam, cherry drizzle, and frosting. In early attempts, which involved simply layering up the ingredients, the team found that the cake quickly disintegrated, with jam and peanut butter leaking out onto the work bench.
They discovered through trial and error that a more architectural solution was needed. Walls of biscuit base were required throughout the cake to hold the softer ingredients inside, while internal triangular biscuit supports were necessary to keep the cake upright.
“The study highlights that printed food dishes will likely require novel ingredient compositions and structures, due to the different way by which the food is assembled,” said Cooper. “Much work is still needed to collect data, model, and optimize these processes.”
But the team said that laser cooking and 3D printing could allow chefs to create entirely new food experiences, with flavors and textures placed with millimetre precision. And, because the system uses targeted light for very localized cooking, it could save energy unlike ovens or hobs which heat a large area.
1. Why are robots mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To compare to find the advantages of robots. | B．To show how to use robots to make cakes. |
| C．To introduce the topic of 3D printed food. | D．To prove 3D printers are better than robots. |
| A．It is designed to replace all processed foods. | B．It may help some people with special needs. |
| C．It looks more attractive than ordinary ones. | D．It is appealing to children having sweet teeth. |
| A．Present 3D printed food are not perfect now. | B．3D printing technology needs improving. |
| C．Printed food dishes will be forbidden. | D．Swallowing disorders will disappear. |
| A．It’s time to save energy using 3D printers. |
| B．Without 3D printer the world would be less colorful. |
| C．3D printed food will make chefs out of work in future. |
| D．3D-printed cheesecakes predict ‘personalized nutrition’. |
8 . Four best photobooks in 2023
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
Following 2020’s smash hit Entangled Life, mycologist Merlin Sheldrake return s just in time for Christmas with an amazing illustrated edition. At over 240 pages, Sheldrake’s passion and knowledge leap off every spread. From the microscopic (微观) to the splendid, the colour images create an entertaining experience.
Anna Atkins: Cyanotypes by Peter Walther
Often copied, seldom improved on, the elegant cyanotypes (氰化钾照片) of Ann a Atkins are timeless. First created in the 1840s, cyanotypes use light-sensitive iron salt solution and exposure to sunlight to create beautiful Prussian blue prints. Peter Walther’s book is comprehensive, 660 pages long, and is perfect for Atkins’ fans or anyone keen to learn.
The Earth in Our Hands by Thomas Pesquet
Thomas Pesquet’s breathtaking collection of photographs taken from the International Space Station(ISS)follows in the footsteps of astronaut Don Pettit’s Spaceborne. Pesquet took more than 245,000 images over two missions, with his book including 200 of these. It is the closest most of us will get to being on the ISS — a really immersive read.
Looking at Trees by Sophie Howarth
Sophie Howarth’s absorbing book features 26 of the world’s leading photographers, including Nicholas J. R. White and Anna Beeke. From a framed Hollywood juniper in California to a surreal (超现实的) image of Halfway Gardens in Gauteng, South Africa, Howarth asks us to value trees at a time of environmental challenge. A book you will return to.
1. How many pages are contained in the book Anna Atkins: Cyanotypes?| A．Over 240. | B．660. | C．About 200. | D．Over 26. |
| A．Entangled Life. | B．Anna Atkins: Cyanotypes. |
| C．The Earth in Our Hands. | D．Looking at Trees. |
| A．Value trees. | B．Take pictures. |
| C．Go on a trip. | D．Maintain a good image. |
9 . Bottled water has long been marketed as a safe drink—if it doesn’t come straight from a mountain spring, it’s at least clean and free of chemicals. But a new study demonstrates that bottled water may not be so safe when it comes to microscopic plastic pollutants capable of passing into the bloodstream.
For years scientists have raised the alarm over microplastics, which form when plastics break down into increasingly smaller particles (微粒), ranging from five millimeters down to one micrometer. Previous studies have found that a liter of bottled water can contain tens of thousands of identifiable plastic particles. But they stopped at the one micrometer level due to technological restrictions.
The study used a new technology to find even smaller particles, and detected an average240,000 plastic particles per liter of bottled water. About 90% of the particles were considered nanoplastics, smaller than one micrometer. Unlike microplastics, they are capable of passing through some organs like lungs into the bloodstream. From there they can stay in the heart muscle and other organs, pass into the brain, and even into the bodies of unborn babies.
So far, little research shows what nanoplastics exactly do once they enter the bloodstream. But there is much evidence that chemicals used in plastic production are bad for human health. Even if nanoplastics themselves are not deleterious, they can serve as carriers for the dangerous chemicals, increasing the risk of cancer and impacting key organs such as the heart.
“There is a huge world of nanoplastics to be studied,” said the researchers. Even if nanoplastics make up 90% of the number of plastic particles found in bottled water, they make up far less in mass, they said. However, this fact provides little comfort: It’s the numbers rather than mass that matter; and the smaller things are, the more readily they can get inside us.
1. What does the technological barrier in the previous studies concern?| A．The number of microscopic plastics. | B．The quality of water bottles. |
| C．The distribution of plastic pollutants. | D．The size of plastic particles. |
| A．They are not very likely to pollute bottled water. |
| B．Their number per liter of bottled water is constant. |
| C．They are less potentially risky to health than nanoplastics. |
| D．Their number in springs is larger than that of nanoplastics. |
| A．Large. | B．Useless. | C．Safe. | D．Harmful. |
| A．They are too small to identify. | B．They have easy access to organs. |
| C．They are dangerous regarding mass. | D．They have a higher percentage in life. |
10 . The impact of technology on language is a topic that often causes concern, with many assuming that it is simply ruining it. However, language experts resist such pessimism, noting that there is little evidence to support the view that speech is getting worse. Gretchen McCulloch, in her book Because Internet, focuses on what can be learned about language from the internet rather than talking about its supposed negative effects.
McCulloch compares studying language online to growing bacteria (细菌) in a Petri dish,where trends emerge and disappear quickly, allowing language experts to observe changes that would otherwise take a considerable amount of time. The influence of strong ties like friends or family vs weaker ties on language change is analyzed, with computer simulations (模拟) revealing that having both strong and weaker ties helps spread updates in a community.
The role of social media platforms in language change is also discussed. Twitter, with its mix of strong and weak ties, is shown to drive more language change than Facebook, which is controlled by stronger ties. Emoji is highlighted as a universal digital expression of gestures, not a language. Additionally, there is evidence that the use of internet“innovations”such as“omg”dates back to pre-computer eras.
McCulloch’s book focuses on the birth of a new medium rather than a new language. The rise of mass writing on the internet, characterized by frequent, error-filled, and short-lived communication, challenges traditional ideas about writing’s importance. McCulloch suggests future historians should see this as a return to more casual (随意的) language, paying more attention to the value of tools that improve social interaction online. The book argues against the idea that these changes might lead to the end of “real” writing, advocating for an appreciation of anything that enhances human connection and the enjoyment of each other’s company.
1. How might McCulloch sound in her book Because Internet?| A．Sensitive. | B．Scientific. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Dismissive. |
| A．The development of digital language. |
| B．The difference between social media platforms. |
| C．The influence of the internet on language change. |
| D．The connection between humans and the internet. |
| A．Interpersonal bonds play a role in online communication. |
| B．Formal language is unlikely to improve social interaction. |
| C．The birth of new media has removed writing’s importance. |
| D．Mass writing can make web-based conversations effective. |
| A．How to Achieve Network Effect? | B．Technology, Fear or Convenience? |
| C．What If Faced with Media Terms? | D．Internet Degrades or Helps Speech? |
