Don’t worry. This is natural for many people. In 1885, Hermann Ebbinghaus
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2. We need more
3. The mountains acted as a natural
4. The movie we wanted to see was sold out so we
5. If you
6. Those interested in the position should
7. A survey of the British diet
8. We had a very productive meeting because I felt we
9. Technological innovation
10. Summer vacation is coming, but I can’t
3 . Sitting in the garden for my friend’s birthday. I felt a buzz (振动) in my pocket. My heart raced when I saw the email sender’s name. The email started off: “Dear Mr Green, thank you for your interest” and “the review process took longer than expected.” It ended with “We are sorry to inform you…” and my vision blurred (模糊). The position—measuring soil quality in the Sahara Desert as part of an undergraduate research programme — had felt like the answer I had spent years looking for.
I had put so much time and emotional energy into applying, and I thought the rejection meant the end of the road for my science career.
So I was shocked when, not long after the email, Professor Mary Devon, who was running the programme, invited me to observe the work being done in her lab. I jumped at the chance, and a few weeks later I was equally shocked—and overjoyed—when she invited me to talk with her about potential projects I could pursue in her lab. What she proposed didn’t seem as exciting as the original project I had applied to, but I was going to give it my all.
I found myself working with a robotics professor on techniques for collecting data from the desert remotely. That project, which I could complete from my sofa instead of in the burning heat of the desert, not only survived the lockdown but worked where traditional methods didn’t. In the end, I had a new scientific interest to pursue.
When I applied to graduate school, I found three programmes promising to allow me to follow my desired research direction. And I applied with the same anxious excitement as before. When I was rejected from one that had seemed like a perfect fit, it was undoubtedly difficult. But this time I had the perspective (视角) to keep it from sending me into panic. It helped that in the end I was accepted into one of the other programmes I was also excited about.
Rather than setting plans in stone, I’ve learned that sometimes I need to take the opportunities that are offered, even if they don’t sound perfect at the time, and make the most of them.
1. How did the author feel upon seeing the email sender’s name?| A．Anxious. | B．Angry. | C．Surprised. | D．Settled. |
| A．criticise the review process | B．stay longer in the Sahara Desert |
| C．apply to the original project again | D．put his heart and soul into the lab work |
| A．demanding | B．inspiring | C．misleading | D．amusing |
| A．An invitation is a reputation. | B．An innovation is a resolution. |
| C．A rejection can be a redirection. | D．A reflection can be a restriction. |
Humpback whales (座头鲸)are among the world’s most endangered whales. The main threats humpback whales face are strikes from ships and getting caught in fishing and waste equipment. Recently, scientists have developed a technology-powered mapping tool to prevent ships from hitting whales in areas off America’s west coast. The system is called Whale Safe. It uses equipment placed in the ocean to identify the presence of whales in the surrounding area.
Whale Safe was recently launched to the north in San Francisco Bay. There is a problem in the bay with ships hitting whales. Wildlife officials reported that a humpback whale washed ashore in the San Francisco Bay with injuries suggesting the animal was killed in a ship strike. It was the fifth whale to be killed by a ship strike in the area in 2022. However, the actual number of whales killed by ships is likely much higher because the bodies of the dead animals are rarely discovered.
The system uses three methods to identify and protect several different whale species. First, it uses flotation devices — known as buoys (浮标) — to record sounds the whales make. Second, it uses computer model s to process current and historical ocean data to pre dict where the whales are most likely to be. Third, it permits trained observers and citizens to report whale sightings through a mobile app. The tool also records shipping activity and ship speeds. The collected data isthen sent by satellite to scientists who examine it and seek to provide guidance to ship operators.
The Whale Safe project is supported by the Marine Mammal Center and the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory. Officials from the Marine Mammal Center say they have plans to expand the system to other areas where whales face a high risk of being hit by ships. “The system combines the latest technology with thoughtful conservation efforts to create a solution to reduce risk to whales. This is where technology meets Mother Nature for the benefit of marine life,” said Jeff Boehm, a leader of the Marine Mammal Center.
1. What is the new tool intended for?2. Why was Whale Safe recently launched to the north in San Francisco Bay?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
The system collected data by buoys, computer models and trained observers and citizens, then sent data to ship operators.
4. What suggestions could you give on protecting marine animals (海洋动物)?(In about 40 words)
There is a drive within all of us to create and express ourselves through art. This drive comes from a need to achieve a balance within ourselves. Art refers to the theory and physical expression of creativity found in human societies_and cultures. Its major fields include literary arts, performing arts (e. g. theater and dance) and visual arts (e. g. drawing, painting, photography, film and sculpture).
Art is essential to our culture because it provides us with a deeper understanding of emotions. Through art, we learn to feel joy in times of happiness and we see pain and despair in times of suffering. Creating art allows us to slow down and experience a full range of our emotions, while viewing others’ art can release the emotions within us and allow us to explore our feelings. This can help us heal and grow, and succeed both personally and professionally.
Art encourages critical thinking and promotes communication. Throughout the entire process of creating and appreciating art, we need to make decisions. We use logic and reasoning to find meaning in what we see or create. Art is a medium to share thoughts, ideas and visions that may not be expressed in other ways. Through art, we gain a better understanding of past and present cultures. Yet more importantly, there are no language barriers in art and therefore it is universal.
Art also enhances our lives. The process of experiencing art engages both the body and the mind and provides us with time to reflect. That’s why art is a necessity, not a luxury. It can make a community more beautiful and a workplace more interesting. Our homes reflect our personalities through the art we choose to display. Art can inspire us, make us happy and even motivate us.
We need to express ourselves through art. When we take a closer look at our world and begin to see the art and creativity in it, it can soothe, enrich or encourage ourselves. Art is beautiful , and beauty is an aesthetic quality.
1. What drives people to create and express themselves through art?2. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Art helps people gain a better understanding of past and present cultures, and the language barriers make it difficult for people to appreciate art.
3. What is the passage mainly about?
4. What is your favourite art form? And why?(In about 40 words)
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3. After 30 years, the town has changed
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5. When important festivals approach, we will
6. Every time I go out for a walk, I use this app to
7. To become an astronaut, you must be
8. Scientists are concerned that it’s difficult for animals to
7 . In the middle of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, Amanda Barrows carefully placed a wooden nightstand(床头柜) on the ground. She attached a sign reading, “Take a poem, leave a poem.”
“It’s completely unexpected,” said Barrows, a park ranger (管理员) by day and a poet by night. “I’m really taken aback by the outpouring of support.”
Barrows has always considered herself a writer, so she enrolled in a class called Poetry for the People. The final project of the class is to find a way to “bring poetry into the community”.
At first, Barrows struggled to land on an idea. Eventually, she realized that she could fuse her love for parks and her love for poetry. A coworker gave Barrows a weathered nightstand. She thought it would be the perfect tool for her project.
She filled the drawer at the top with fresh paper and pens and added a box at the bottom for poems. To get the ball rolling, she asked her close friends to add their favorite poems to the drawer for people to take away.
The poetry nightstand reminded her of Little Free Libraries. That project features bookstands stationed across the city. People can leave and take books from little libraries. She only had a single nightstand to work with, so Barrows decided that she would leave it in a park for four days before moving it to a new location. San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department manages about 220 parks, and Barrow’s goal is to bring the poetry nightstand to all of them.
Since the project started, people have added a wide range of writing. Barrows shares most of the submissions on social media. Some are clearly composed by kids, while others are more refined. People have also written poems in various languages. “I love to see different people’s handwriting and share their personal words,” Barrows said.
The instructors of Poetry for the People said the nightstand fulfilled the main purpose of the project. Other students in the class wrote poetry on sidewalks with chalk. Another gave out poems disguised as parking tickets. Tanea Lunsford Lynx, a guest instructor for the class, says the project is “an invitation to slow down”. She believes that the old-fashioned nightstand stands out in a city that is filled with new technology.
Barrows says she intends to “keep this going indefinitely,” and she hopes others will build off the project and contribute their own creativity. “It really is a community project,” Barrows said. “It belongs to all of us.”
1. Why did Barrows put the nightstand in the park?| A．To share poetry submissions. | B．To follow Little Free Libraries. |
| C．To advertise a poetry class. | D．To complete a required task. |
| A．Combine. | B．Reveal. | C．Strengthen. | D．Clarify. |
| A．It has involved 220 parks. | B．It is popular on social media. |
| C．It improves people’s handwriting. | D．It makes poetry reach more people. |
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When we think of green buildings, we tend to think of new ones — the kind of modern, solar-paneled masterpieces. But the US
An enormous amount of energy and
The oldest homes tend to be the least energy-efficient, mainly due to the tiny cracks and gaps that expand over time and let in more outside air.
10 . Four Ways to Improve Your Mental Health in the Coming New Year
1. Practice optimism
Now, let’s get real: Being an optimist doesn’t mean you ignore the stress of daily life. Who can do that? It simply means that when crummy (糟糕的) things happen, you don’t blame yourself unnecessarily. If you face a challenge or obstacle, you’re more likely to see it as temporary or even positive, allowing you to learn and grow. Optimists also believe they have control over their fate and can create opportunities for good things to happen.
2. Start volunteering
A prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi tell us, “It is in giving that we receive.”
Turns out he was scientifically right. Studies have shown that volunteering stimulates the reward centers of the brain. Those feel-good chemicals flood our system, producing a sort of “helper’s high.” There are physical benefits, too: volunteering minimizes stress and improves depression. It can reduce the risk for cognitive impairment. It can even help us live longer.
Even if you have little time to offer, just the act of giving has been shown to improve our health, possibly by temporarily reducing our sense of pain.
3. Be grateful
The benefits of thankfulness is backed by science: counting our blessings protects us against anxiety and depression and boosts optimism, having less problem behaviour.
One of the best ways to make thankfulness a part of your life is to keep a daily journal. Before you go to bed, jot down any positive experience you had that day, no matter how small. That sense of appreciation can broaden to others in your life and bolster optimism and better mental health.
4. Bolster your social connections
“People who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community, are happier, they’re physically healthier, and they live longer than people who are less well connected,” said Harvard psychiatrist Robert Waldinger in his popular TEDx talk.
The proof for this comes from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which tracked 724 Boston men for more than 75 years and then began following more than 2,000 of their offspring and wives.
1. Which of the following is NOT the recommended way to improve mental health?| A．Be optimistic. | B．Help others without expecting rewards. |
| C．Show gratitude. | D．Cut off social connections. |
| A．To be optimistic, one had better ignore the stress in life. |
| B．Voluntary service benefits a person mentally, but not physically. |
| C．Every night, write down your every gratitude in the day however small it may be. |
| D．The less you’re socially connected, the healthier you will be. |
| A．Practicing optimism. | B．Starting volunteering. |
| C．Being grateful. | D．Bolstering your social connections. |
