1 . Scotland is packed with beautiful places to visit and you could honestly spend months and months exploring everything this wonderful country has to offer! Next I’m going to take you through some of the best places to visit in Scotland, based on where we have personally visited so far!
Glen Coe
If you asked me where my favourite place to visit in all of Scotland is... I would say, Glen Coe. The whole area of Glen Coe constantly had my face in shock due to the beauty that I was witnessing. It’s just a stream of dramatic mountains, lakes, rugged beauty and more.
Fort William
Fort William is probably one of the most well-known places to visit in Scotland. It’s a popular tourist destination thanks to being home to the UK’s tallest mountain: Ben Nevis. Fort William is also the starting point for one of the world’s most famous train rides: The Jacobite. Harry Potter fans will recognize it as the Hogwarts Express, and this train ride will take you through the beautiful countryside, crossing some iconic Harry Potter filming locations such as the Dumbledore’s Grave and the Glenfinnan Viaduct!
Isle Of Skye
This island feels totally different from other parts of Scotland and is truly rugged and ready! There are many hot spots to explore including the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Glen. I even stayed on a private island with its very own lighthouse, which was one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited and one of the most romantic places stay in Scotland.
Cairngorms National Park
This is the largest national park in the UK so it’s another popular place to visit in Scotland and it’s no surprise why. It’s absolutely beautiful and there’s so much happening at the Cairngorms National Park! From skiing or meeting local reindeers, you’ll not go bored and you’ll be surrounded by beauty the entire time.
1. Which place probably attracts Harry Potter fans most?| A．Glen Coe. | B．Isle Of Skye. |
| C．Cairngorms National Park. | D．Fort William. |
| A．The Jacobite. | B．Local reindeers. |
| C．The UK's tallest mountain. | D．A cool lighthouse. |
| A．A geography textbook. | B．A science journal. |
| C．A travel blog. | D．An autobiography. |
2 . Midway through The Matrix, Cypher feasts on an enormous steak, well aware that his reality is not real, part of a digital program telling his brain that the steak is a construction and that it is “juicy and delicious”. Two decades after the movie made its first appearance, something unexpected arises: The future of reality will not only be virtual but also synthetic (合成的). Cypher’s future meal will be a physical one, synthesized from animal cells.
And the synthesis goes beyond dinner. Starting with components from the natural world, scientists are learning to engineer microorganisms and build biocomputing systems. However, biology has a tendency to evolve in unexpected ways.
Synthesized meat is one case in point. The driving forces behind the meat movement are practical. It has been estimated that cultured (培育的) meat would require 7 to 45 percent less energy and produce 78 to 96 percent less greenhouse gas than conventional animals farmed for consumption. But once we’re able to synthesize meat, theoretically, we’ll have the capability to culture meat from any animal, even those we’d never consider eating today, like dolphins or chimpanzees, which will pose a new regulatory challenge for us.
Using synthetic biology, we can even edit and rewrite life, the technology of which is already in use. In 2021, scientists in some countries announced they had grown monkey embryos injected with human stem cells. Here comes the situation worth considering: such a monkey-human hybrid will demonstrate qualities that are somewhere between humans, on which experimentation isn’t allowed, and animals, which are often raised specifically for research. How will we decide when an animal becomes too human?
Depending on where you stand, the synthetic realities land somewhere between “really exciting” and “critically concerning”. As individuals, we undertake a shared responsibility to make good choices about this coming synthetic technology.
1. What do we know about Cypher’s steak in the movie?| A．It is enjoyed in a virtual world. | B．It is anything but appetizing. |
| C．It is synthesized from animal cells. | D．It is a construction made by himself. |
| A．It is more nutritious. | B．It is more energy-consuming. |
| C．It is more controllable in regulation. | D．It is more environment-friendly. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Favorable. | C．Negative. | D．Positive. |
| A．To popularize synthetic technology. |
| B．To indicate challenges of synthetic technology. |
| C．To stress the importance of synthetic technology. |
| D．To introduce the development of synthetic technology. |
3 . Throughout history, great cities have risen and fallen. Some of them are seemingly lost in time—until artifacts(古物) are discovered that bring them back to life.
Teotihuacán
Located outside of Mexico City, Teotihuacán is thought to have been settled around 400 BC. By 400 AD, it was the most influential, powerful city in its region. Teotihuacán’s real treasure is its massive step pyramids. Much of the city’s history is still a mystery, but some believe that its decline came from changing climate conditions like long-term droughts.
Petra
This ancient city in southern Jordan flourished from the 4th century BC to 106 AD. It was an important place for spice and silk trade routes. It also had a complicatedly-designed water management system. Petra was occupied by Rome in 106 AD, and the trade routes soon shifted(转换). Hundreds of years later, earthquakes damaged the water system and Petra was abandoned.
Pompeii
Endless tales have been told about the tragedy of Pompeii, which occurred on August 24, in the year 79 AD, when the volcano Vesuvius erupted. The entire town was swiftly covered in ash and soil. Everything was frozen in time. The site was unearthed in the 18th century, and the evidence found provided a great detail of insight into daily living in this ancient Italian city.
Ctesiphon
Located about 20 miles outside of Baghdad, Ctesiphon was one of the greatest cities in Western Asia in the 6th century. It was conquered(征服) by Rome, and then by the Byzantine Empire. In 637 AD, it was captured by the Muslims. Many believe that the ancient city was the inspiration for the city of Isbanir mentioned in the Thousand and One Nights folk tales.
1. What do we know about Teotihuacán?| A．It was the most beautiful city of its time. |
| B．Its history needs further exploration. |
| C．It took about 400 years to reach its height. |
| D．Its pyramids were ruined by climate change. |
| A．Teotihuacán and Petra. | B．Teotihuacán and Ctesiphon. |
| C．Petra and Pompeii. | D．Petra and Ctesiphon. |
| A．Teotihuacán was located outside of Baghdad. |
| B．Petra declined because the trade routes shifted. |
| C．We can learn about ancient Italian daily life in Pompeii. |
| D．Ctesiphon has another name of Isbanir in history. |
4 . “It’s incredible. I never thought my dream would come true so soon,” Chinese ballet dancer Chun Wai Chan recalled the scene when he got the news that he was promoted to the principal dancer with New York City Ballet(NYCB), the company’s first Chinese and fourth Asian principal dancer in 74 years.
Born in Huizhou, Guangdong in 1992, Chan has become attached to dance since childhood. However, his parents preferred him to be a doctor or a lawyer in the future. The uncompromising boy then wrote a seven-page letter to his parents describing his resolution to study dance.
Thanks to the sincere letter, Chan finally gained the support of his family, and at the age of 12, he was admitted to Guangzhou Arts School, marking the start of his dream-seeking journey. Chan’s first turning point in life came at the age of 18, when he was a finalist in the 2010 Prix de Lausanne, which earned him a full scholarship to study with Houston Ballet II. Two years later, Chan joined Houston Ballet and became a principal in 2017. There, he gained a reputation as a confident and sensitive performer. In 2020, he appeared as a contestant on the Chinese television show Dance Smash, which gained him a large following.
Chan returned to New York last year, and was finally promoted to the principal dancer with the NYCB in May this year. He attributes his success to his passion, hard work, concentration, perseverance and the pursuit of excellence.
In China, Chan’s success has become a source of pride. News of his promotion to principal dancer was widely circulated, and he has been featured repeatedly in the Chinese media.
After performances, audience members sometimes tell Chan that they have never seen Asian dancers in leading roles. He has been moved to hear young dancers of color say his example has given them hope for their own careers. “I used to think I danced just for myself,” he said. “Now I’m dancing for my family, for the audience, for the whole dance community.”
1. What can we learn about Chan?| A．He is the first Asian principal dancer. |
| B．He is fond of dancing when he was young. |
| C．His parents have supported him from the beginning. |
| D．He gained the popularity in the 2010 Prix de Lausanne. |
| A．Determined. | B．Careful. | C．Thoughtful. | D．Fearless. |
| A．Generous and considerate. | B．Perseverant and talented. |
| C．Warm-hearted and ambitious. | D．Passionate and devoted. |
| A．Because he got a lot of praises from the audience. |
| B．Because he had been promoted to principal dancer. |
| C．Because he realized his dance inspired other dancers. |
| D．Because he received persistent support from his family. |
5 . Patriotic Zhang Weili won her historic fighting championship in Shenzhen on August 31, 2019. The 30-year-old fighter from Hebei Province produced a huge upset to knock out Brazilian Jessica Andrade and became China’s first UFC world champion.
Zhang entered the straw weight bout as a big loser to Andrade, who is tied with the most UFC wins(11) by a woman. However, after a series of devastating knee kicks and punches(重拳), Andrade was floored in the 42nd second of the first round and the challenger was declared winner by TKO. “Last year in Beijing I vowed(发誓)to become the first Chinese champion, and I did it!” said Zhang. “As a Chinese, I feel so proud. Today, I want to dedicate this victory to my motherland,” she added.
UFC boss Dana White declared Zhang “the most vicious woman on the planet right now” and revealed he is already planning the new champion’s next fight in the United States. Zhang appealed to White to smooth out some reasonable concerns she has about a US fight. “Please make sure all my corners can come because last time they couldn’t come for visa issues,” she said. “But all my coaches are here with me, supporting me and I won the belt.”
With six years’ experience in UFC, Andrade has a reputation for crucially seeing off opponents. But Zhang, who is known for her fierce “buzz saw” attacking style, never allowed Andrade to get going. “I think the keys to my win were my calm mindset and the strategy defined by my coaches. All the strategies were practical and predicted every move to help me seize every opportunity,” Zhang said.
She was the first Chinese fighter to even get a title shot from the UFC, which is now pushing hard into a Chinese market where interest in MMA is growing rapidly. Afterwards, Zhang hoped to inspire more young Chinese women to take up MMA and to be a source of inspiration for women, both in MMA and everyday life.
1. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?| A．Andrade is a great opponent. | B．Andrade has 9 UFC wins so far. |
| C．Zhang owed her victory to her efforts. | D．Zhang was afraid of Andrade’s attacks. |
| A．Opponents. | B．Coaches. | C．Relatives. | D．Friends. |
| A．strict teaching of her coaches |
| B．support from her coaches and friends |
| C．her strong body shape and enthusiasm |
| D．her mindset and strategies developed by her coaches |
| A．Women can make a big difference as well. |
| B．Women should not ignore their appearance. |
| C．Women should compete with men to show their abilities. |
| D．Women can change their fate by winning UFC. |
6 . Age has never been a problem for 16-year-old Thessalonika Arzu-Embry. After all, she’s already got her master’s degree.
The North Chicago-area teen started homeschooling at the age of 4. She began having an influence on others soon after. When she was 6 years old, she was an inspirational speaker at an organization called Tabitha House Community Service, which is for people who were forced to leave their homes because of earthquake, flood and other natural disasters.
At the age of 11, she graduated from high school and then earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2013. She completed those classes online as she was traveling for church events and leadership meetings.
She doesn’t stop there, though. The teen plans to focus on aviation psychology (航空心理学) for her further study, a decision inspired by her father who is a pilot. She grew up around airplanes and took fights all the time. Her goal is to use it to help pilots deal with problems that could have deadly results once the plane takes off — a topic that has been in the news lately. For her, it’s a mix of two of her interests.
In her free time, Thessalonika enjoys playing tennis, swimming and being active in her youth group at church. She also has three self-published books, which are on her site. Jump the Education Barrier is written to help students finish college, and in the future aims to help business owners with trends. Her third book The Genius Race is designed to help people to be talents in various areas of life.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about Thessalonika?| A．When she was 6 years old, she started homeschooling. |
| B．She gained her master’s degree at the age of 11. |
| C．She majored in science and technology. |
| D．In 2013 she got her bachelor’s degree through completing courses online. |
| A．Major in aviation psychology. |
| B．Deliver inspiring speeches for church events and leadership meetings. |
| C．Be active in her youth group at church. |
| D．Write another book to help people to be talents. |
| A．It aims to help people to be geniuses. |
| B．It is intended to give students a hand to complete college. |
| C．It is designed to arouse people’s awareness of psychology. |
| D．The author hope to share her own experience with others. |
| A．The Story of Thessalonika | B．To be a talent |
| C．Three Published Books | D．Homeschooling |
