1 . Why do farmers grow crops outside in fields when we can arrange them vertically (垂直地)? The idea of vertical farming was first proposed in 1999. It was seen as a way to save space, reduce air miles and transform old and abandoned buildings, like warehouses. In 2021, Fortune Business Insights valued the global vertical farming market at 3.47 billion dollars. Now, however, this industry is under threat, partly due to rising energy costs.
According to the magazine Science Focus, vertical farming gives ten times the yield (产量) of conventional outdoor farming. However, in order for crops to grow using this method, plants are placed in a controlled environment, grown not under the Sun, but under LED lights and watered with recycled water pumped on a closed-loop system (闭环系统).
Unfortunately, energy prices have risen across the globe. Therefore, this reliance on electricity has meant the last few years have not been easy for the industry. Cindy van Rijswick, from the Dutch research firm RaboResearch, has estimated that operational costs for a vertical farm are around 15% higher now compared to 18 months ago. Infarm, Europe’s largest vertical farming company, made around500 employees redundant (被裁员的) in November 2022 because they needed to downsize. They blamed higher operating costs due to energy increases as one reason for the layoffs.
Another issue related to the cost-of -living crisis and affecting vertical farming is the type of produce grown. This includes herbs such as basil, as well as salad leaves and leafy greens. Compared to traditionally farmed plants, like onions and carrots, these products tend to be more expensive, which could lead to reduced demand as consumers become more cautious about their spending.
So, it seems that a future with food grown under LED lights is looking less and less bright.
1. What is the feature of vertical farming?| A．Saving urban land and achieving zero emissions. |
| B．Demanding highly technical and complex control. |
| C．High energy consumption and low output value. |
| D．Making full use of sunlight and water resources. |
| A．By making assumptions. |
| B．By criticizing a typical behaviour. |
| C．By listing specific data and facts. |
| D．By referring to a social phenomenon. |
| A．Vertical farming avoids climate and disaster impacts. |
| B．Vertical farming costs jumped due to higher energy prices. |
| C．Vertical farming grows high-value, cost-effective produce. |
| D．High yield protects vertical farming from market competition. |
| A．Is This the End of Vertical Farming? | B．Is Vertical Farming Highly Efficient? |
| C．Challenges Industrial Agriculture Faces | D．New Trends in Vertical Agriculture |
2 . Hawaii lawmakers are considering legislation (立法) that would require visitors to pay for a year-long license or pass to visit state parks. Josh Green is the state’s governor. He said, “We get between 9 and 10 million visitors a year, but we only have 1.4 million people living here.” He added, “Those 10 million travellers should be helping us sustain our environment.” Lawmakers still debating how much they would charge.
The governor campaigned in 2022 on the idea of having all tourists pay a $50 fee to enter the state. Legislators think this would violate US constitutional protections for free travel. They instead think visitors should pay to enter parks and trails. Either policy would be a first of its kind for any US state. Hawaii’s leaders are following the example of other popular tourist areas with similar fees or taxes. They include Venice, Italy, and Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.
Hawaii State Representative Sean Quinlan is the leader of the House Tourism Committee. He said changes in the activities of travellers are part of Hawaii’s push. He said golf rounds per visitor per day have dropped 30 percent over the past 10 years while hiking has increased50 percent. People are also seeking out isolated places they have seen on social media. The state does not have the money to oversee and protect all these places, he said.
Most state parks and trails are currently free. Some of the most popular ones already charge, like Diamond Head State Monument. That trail leads hikers from the floor of a 300,000-year-old volcano up to the top. It gets 1 million visitors each year and costs $5for each traveller.
A bill currently before the legislature would require visitors over the age of 15to buy a yearly pass to visit forests, parks, trails or “other natural area on state land”. People who live in Hawaii would not need to pay.
1. What does the underlined word “violate” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Break. | B．Establish. | C．Uphold. | D．Perfect. |
| A．The decreasing number of tourists to Hawaii. |
| B．Advantages of Hawaii’s tourism resources. |
| C．The increasing financial burden of Hawaii. |
| D．One reason for wanting to charge tourists. |
| A．None of the attractions in Hawaii charge fees currently. |
| B．The goal to charge fees is to limit the number of tourists. |
| C．Lawmakers are arguing about whether charging fees is legal. |
| D．Charging fees is beneficial for Hawaii’s natural environment. |
| A．A news report. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A law textbook. | D．A promotional brochure. |
3 . Floating Markets in Bangkok, Thailand
One might feel as though they are entering a different world upon visiting a Thai floating market. While some countries in Asia have their own floating markets, none compare to Thailand’s, and the special experience is one you cannot miss while visiting the country.
Long-tail boats, ancient and traditional houses, and shouting vendors (商贩) are the major elements of floating markets in Bangkok. They are excellent options for experiencing the unusual culture and life of Thailand. Here are the top 8 floating markets in Bangkok, where you can experience the chaotic and charming atmosphere.
| Name | Distance from Downtown Bangkok | Open Times | Features |
| Damnoen Saduak | 80 km (50 mi) | Every day from 7 a. m. to 5 p. m | Long-tail boat cruises, remote villages, plantations |
| Amphawa | 90 km (55mi) | 11 a. m. to 9.30 p. m., Friday to Sunday | Thai food, little wooden houses, temples |
| Wat Sai | 23 km (14 mi) | 8 a. m.-6 p. m., Tuesday-Saturday | A mixture of Chinese culture and Thai culture |
| Taling Chan | 12 km (7 mi) | 8 a. m.-6 p. m., Saturday-Sunday | Temples, massages (按摩) on boats, foot massages under trees |
| Bangkhla | 100km (60 mi) | 8 a. m.-6 p. m., Saturday-Sunday | Remote countryside, charm, biking |
| Bang Nam Pheung | 20 km (12 mi) | 8: 30 a. m.-5p. m., Saturday-Sunday | Fruit, food, a nature sanctuary (避难所) |
| Bang Phli | 38 km (24 mi) | 11 a. m.-5:30 p. m., Tuesday-Saturday | Oldest, historical buildings, temples |
| Khlong Lat Mayom | 21 km (13 mi) | 7 a. m.-5p. m., Saturday—Sunday | Food, fruit, boat noodles |
1. Which floating market only opens on weekends with the shortest opening hours?
| A．Taling Chan. | B．Bang Phli. |
| C．Bang Nam Pheung. | D．Khlong Lat Mayom. |
| A．Delicious Thai food. | B．Numerous temple buildings. |
| C．Various massage services. | D．The traditional countryside life. |
| A．It is influenced by Chinese cultural elements. |
| B．Its number of open days in a week is the largest. |
| C．It is the centre of cultural exchange around the world. |
| D．It is a must-see tourist destination for Chinese tourists. |
4 . A humanoid robot can relay video and touch sensations to a person wearing a haptic (触觉内) feedback suit and a virtual reality (VR) headset hundreds of kilometres away, offering away for people to attend events without travelling.
The iCub 3 robot is a 52-kilogram, 125-centimetre-tall robot with 54 joints across its body. Its head contains two cameras where a human’s eyes would be, and an Internet-connected computer where the brain would go. Along with the cameras, sensors covering its body send data to the robot’s “brain”. These sensations are then reproduced on a suit and VR headset worn by a remote human operator.
When the operators react to what they see and feel, the suit’s sensors pick up the movements and the robot matches them. “The key is to translate every signal and bit of digital data that can be sent through the network.” says Stefano Dafarra, who was part of the iCub3 team. There can be a small delay of up to 100 milliseconds to capture and transmit the visual shots, but the operator can case this by moving slightly slower than normal.
The team demonstrated the robot at the Venice Biennale, where it wandered through an exhibition while its operator stood 290 kilometres away in Genoa. Dafarra hopes people will use the iCub3 to attend events remotely, reducing the need to travel. “But at present, a fall could be hugely damaging to the robot, and it’s uncertain whether it could stand up again on its own," he says.
“iCub3 is an interesting robot and offers clear advantages from the previous versions.” says Jonathan Aitken, whose laboratory owns a prior version of the robot. However, he is disappointed that the team wasn’t clear in its research about the data transmission requirements of the new version of the robot. “It would be good to know just how much data was required, and what the upper and lower bounds were.” he says.
1. What’s the principle behind the humanoid robot?| A．It conveys sensations to the wearer and acts accordingly. |
| B．It receives commands from an operator through the Internet. |
| C．The cameras take pictures and then interact with the sensors. |
| D．The computer in the robot processes the data and gives orders. |
| A．Medical consultation. | B．Sports events. |
| C．Outdoor workouts. | D．Virtual tourism. |
| A．It fails to appeal to potential investors. |
| B．Its performance hasn’t been evaluated clearly. |
| C．Its present version still requires to be updated. |
| D．Its transmission of data came across technical problems. |
| A．Humanoid robots with sense of touch catch on |
| B．iCub 3 robot combines with VR to benefit more people |
| C．Humanoid robots let people see and feel things remotely |
| D．New advances in technology enable people to travel at work |
5 . Scientists looking to uncover the mysteries of the underwater world have more valuable information thanks to an international team that has produced a list of species confirmed or expected to produce sounds underwater.
Led by Audrey Looby from the University of Florida, the Global Library of Underwater Biological Sounds working group collaborated with the World Register of Marine Species to document 729 mammals (哺乳动物), fishes, and invertebrates (无脊椎动物) that produce active or passive sounds. In addition, the list includes another 21,911 species that are considered to likely produce sounds.
“With more than 70% of the Earth’s surface covered by water, most of the planet’s habitats are aquatic, and there is a misconception that most aquatic organisms are silent. The newly published comprehensive digital database on what animals are known to make sounds is the first of its kind and can revolutionize marine and aquatic science,” the researchers said.
“Listening to underwater sounds can reveal a lot of information about the species that produce them and is useful for a variety of applications, ranging from fisheries management, invasive species detection to assessing human environmental impacts,” said Looby, who also co-created FishSounds, which offers a collection of fish sound production research records.
The team’s research was published in Scientific Data and involved 19 authors from six countries. “Understanding how marine species interact with their environments is of global importance, and this data being freely available is a major step toward that goal,” said Kieran Cox, a member of the research team.
“Most people are familiar with whale or dolphin sounds but are often surprised to learn that many fishes and invertebrates use sounds to communicate, too,” Looby said. “Our database helps demonstrate how widespread underwater sound production really is across a variety of animals, but we still have a lot to learn.”
1. Why is the data listed in paragraph 2?| A．To show the types of biological sounds. |
| B．To show the sum of documents on animals. |
| C．To show the species of underwater animals. |
| D．To show the number of the sound-producing species. |
| A．Many mammals can live in water. | B．Most fishes cannot make sounds. |
| C．Different species can communicate. | D．Ocean animals can’t get onto the land. |
| A．To document ocean animals’ sounds. |
| B．To set up a free database for scientists. |
| C．To learn how ocean animals communicate. |
| D．To publish the team’s research in Scientific Data. |
| A．To call on people to protect ocean animals. |
| B．To introduce the finding of a research team. |
| C．To list the animals that can produce sounds. |
| D．To describe the mysterious underwater world. |
6 . The first time I had a roommate was during my freshman year of college. Lucky for me, she was great. She was clean and organized. I, on the other hand, was a horrible roommate.
Discuss the rules of your living arrangement. How are we splitting (分摊) rent? What’s our guest policy? Should we create a cleaning schedule? Make your expectations clear. If your roommates say they’re good about “paying rent on time”, for example, what does “on time” mean to them?
Deal with small things directly
If your roommate does something that annoys you, get it solved immediately, says Bayard.
Invite more play into your home
Learn from them
Living with a roommate is a good opportunity to meet someone with a very different background from yours.
| A．Set clear rules |
| B．It might feel awkward |
| C．I left my dirty clothes everywhere |
| D．We can develop friendships in many ways |
| E．Don’t forget to have fun with your roommate |
| F．In this case, you can learn something new from your roommate |
| G．Traditional ways of communication can be limiting and take time |
7 . Strategically adding weak points along microscopic chains called polymers (高分子聚合物) actually makes them harder to tear, researchers report in the June 23 Science. Polymers are used in car tires, and therefore the findings could help reduce plastic pollution as tires wear down over time.
When tires rub against the road, they drop microplastics of rubber and plastic polymers, which pollute waterways and air. Every year, tires release an estimated 6 million metric tons of these microplastics into environment. Stronger polymers that break apart less easily could limit the amount of particles shed annually.
To make such tough materials, Stephen Craig, a chemist at Duke University, and colleagues added molecules called cross-linkers to the polymers. These cross-linkers connected these polymer chains to their many neighbors, and they were specifically designed to break apart easily. At the microscopic scale, the polymers act like a tangle (乱团) of spaghetti with the cross-linkers holding them all together and helping them keep their shape, says Craig’s collaborator Shu Wang, a chemist at MIT. When the team stretched the polymer spaghetti, the individual cross-linkers broke easily, as expected. But the larger tangle material required more force to break than they expected.
The secret to the increased toughness lies in the path the tear has to take, Craig says. The tear goes through the easy-to-break cross-linkers rather than through the tougher polymer chains. Each broken connection follows the path of least resistance but avoiding the long polymer chains means breaking many cross-linkers, which requires more stretching force overall.
This isn’t the first time researchers have used weak connectors to make polymers stronger. But unlike in similar materials, the increased toughness doesn’t come at the expense of other beneficial properties like stiffness (风度). Craig says he hopes the findings will help extend the lifetimes of car tires and plastics, potentially limiting annual microplastic pollution.
1. What benefit does the new material bring?| A．It meets the road standard. | B．It weakens plastic polymers. |
| C．It releases less microplastics. | D．It reduces the cost of car tires. |
| A．It follows the pattern of spaghetti. | B．It is designed to fall apart easily. |
| C．The polymers help keep its shape. | D．The larger tangle is harder to break. |
| A．The weakness of the cross-linker. | B．The strength of the polymer chains. |
| C．The number of the cross-linkers used. | D．The path the tear takes through the material. |
| A．It initially uses weak connectors. | B．It sacrifices stiffness for toughness. |
| C．It lengthens the lifespan of car tires. | D．It removes annual microplastic pollution. |
8 . Waking up at the crack of dawn and going for a run might feel awful when you start trying to make it a habit. Weaving a significant new activity such as this into your regular routine obviously takes determination and time.
One popular idea suggests that it takes 21 days to solidify a habit. People tend to feel extra motivated to start a new habit or kick an old one.
Everyone has a unique habit-building timeline.
The researchers also suggested that habit formation depends on the effort that a person puts into practicing an activity and on the presence of environmental cues that would remind them to carry out the behavior.
| A．The type of activity is also a factor. |
| B．The strategies of activity impact the way. |
| C．People want to form a habit of exercising regularly. |
| D．But how much time is really needed to make that habit stick? |
| E．It might sound easily reachable to make a resolution on New Year’s Day. |
| F．By comparison, it took half a year for people to develop an exercise habit. |
| G．However long it is for any individual, repetition is the key to making it work. |
9 . Ever feel disconnected during a stressful event? That could be your brain protecting you. During traumatic (痛苦的) situations, people might experience an unexpected wave of emotional indifference or feel like they’ve separated from reality and are having an out-of-body experience. These symptoms of disconnect describe dissociation, a defense mechanism that separates threatening feelings and ideas from the rest of someone’s mind. But why do our minds sometimes dissociate when we’re experiencing stressful events?
Typically, the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our “fight or flight” response, activates when a person is in upcoming physical danger. Mammals, including humans, evolved to have this response, as it pushes them to survive by fighting or escaping from danger. Dissociation is another way the nervous system is ready to respond to trauma when fight or flight appears to be too dangerous or impossible.
Dissociation can protect someone in the moment so that they are mentally separated from a situation causing physical pain, emotional pain or both. Oftentimes, victims of abuse report dissociation during the event or having foggy memories of an event after the fact due to dissociation.
Nevertheless, problems can arise if people continue to dissociate even once they’re separated from the intense trauma, as opposed to relying on other coping mechanisms, for example, help from a professional. Many people who continue to dissociate often struggle with daily stress, like meeting work deadlines or speaking with peers. Many feel disconnected in their relationships and may find themselves unconcentrated during what used to be usual interactions or tasks.
But the goal of addressing long-term dissociation isn’t to do away with it. After all, it can be a useful strategy to help survive a dangerous situation. But memories of the traumatic event are often disruptive and painful, so having some distance from that could mean a better quality of life after the trauma.
1. What is the main idea of Paragraph 1?| A．It defines what dissociation is. |
| B．It emphasizes the value of dissociation. |
| C．It lists different symptoms of disconnect. |
| D．It explains why we experience stressful events. |
| A．By erasing their memories. |
| B．By getting rid of their emotional pain. |
| C．By protecting victims from physical pain. |
| D．By distancing the victims mentally from the reality. |
| A．Failing to focus on tasks. |
| B．Meeting work deadlines. |
| C．Having a better quality of life. |
| D．Relying on other coping mechanisms. |
| A．Traumatic events are avoidable. |
| B．Dissociation needs to be handled properly. |
| C．People’s well-being is based on the distance. |
| D．There’re enough coping strategies for traumas. |
10 . Volunteer Art &Architecture Tour Guide for Boston Public Library, Copley Square
The goal is to generate public interest in the history, art, and architecture of Boston Public Library, including its special collections and exhibitions at the Central Library in Copley Square.
ROLE AND EXPECTATIONS
●To conduct public and private group tours of the Central Library’s art, architecture, and exhibitions, answering questions from groups and recording attendance statistics after tours conclude.
●To continue to inform oneself of the art, architecture, history, holdings, and exhibitions of Boston Public Library.
QUALIFICATIONS
● Interest in history, art, and architecture in general, and of Boston Public Library in particular.
● Confidence in addressing and presenting information to large groups; prior guiding or public speaking experience desirable.
●A strong command of the English language is required, and fluency in other languages is highly preferred.
TRAINING
Accepted candidates will be asked to attend tour guide training meetings. New guides are expected to complete training around four months. Progress evaluations will be ongoing throughout the training period, and continue through the first six months of working as a full guide.
REQUIREMENTS
●Minimum commitment of two tours per month (or 24 tours per year).
●Commitment to attending tour guide meetings and enrichment programs for continuing education.
REVIEW
Regular assessments and evaluations will be conducted based on the above criteria to ensure that volunteers meet the necessary qualifications.
Interested candidates should complete the application form below and send it to tours@bpl.org.
1. What does a volunteer tour guide need to do after tours?| A．Ensure safety of the artworks. |
| B．Maintain cleanness of the hall. |
| C．Document the numbers of visitors. |
| D．Answer questions about qualifications. |
| A．4 months. | B．6 months. | C．10 months. | D．12 months. |
| A．Insufficient (不足的) working hours. |
| B．Absence of a second language. |
| C．Little relevant volunteer experience. |
| D．Limited knowledge about exhibitions. |
