1 . As much as we like to think about nature embodying balance, the universe is actually filled with imbalance, too. Let’s take the supernova (超新星) for example. Two stars orbit each other. One of the stars is older, called a “white dwarf,” while the other star is a bit younger. Their mutual gravitational interaction (相互引力相互作用) pulls material off the younger star and dumps it onto the surface of the white dwarf. If enough material falls onto the dwarf, the stuff dumped on to the white dwarf begins to “burn”.
If the conditions are right, you always burn up the same amount of material that gets added. If the donor star is dumping too much material onto the dwarf, the burning runs out of control. It consumes not just the new material on the white dwarf’s surface but the whole of the dwarf star itself. So much energy is released so quickly that the star finds itself wildly out of balance. In an instant, it becomes a super-hot ball of unbalanced pressure, BOOM! A supernova is born.
Closer to home, a similar but different kind of process happens in volcanoes. Volcanoes are born when magma (熔岩) from deep in the Earth makes its way slowly to the surface through cracks in the planet’s crust (地壳). The heat from the magma builds up a massive pressure imbalance inside the mountain. It’s that imbalance that drives the BOOM, the volcanic eruption that rips a zillion tons of rocks away and sends ash 15 miles into the sky.
But here’s the thing: Supernova, volcanoes and all those other explosions in the universe are not just awesome sights. They are all essential players in cosmic (宇宙的) evolution. Supernova create a lot of the elements in your body that are essential to life. No supernova, no you. And volcanoes are essential to evolution of the planet, including the cycling of greenhouse gases like CO2 that make Earth habitable. No volcanoes, no you.
1. What does the underlined phrase “the donor star” refer to in paragraph 2?A.The younger star. | B.The older star. |
C.The supernova. | D.The white dwarf. |
A.Hot magma. | B.Burning material. |
C.Unbalanced pressure. | D.Gravitational interaction. |
A.They evolve as players. | B.They create human bodies. |
C.They are awesome sights. | D.They are necessary to life. |
A.Profile. | B.Science. | C.Health. | D.Economy. |
2 . How to Develop a Lifelong Leaming Habit
To be perfectly honest, I used to think the only way to learn was in school, but I was not always a big fan of “conventional learning”, unless it was a course that really interested me. It was not until I expanded my own definition of learning that my lifelong learning journey began. My travelling experiences, the books I read, and even my own missteps — all became a means for learning.
Now I cannot learn enough or get my hands on enough information.
First of all, you can create an objective for your learning. For example, maybe your objective is to reduce your stress levels or find different ways to relax.
Another important way is to start small. If lifelong learning has not been your “thing”, trying to eat this learning elephant in one bite makes it more difficult to stick with.
A.You lose interest in those things. |
B.The most important thing is to make it fun. |
C.Try to finish one thing in fewer steps. |
D.Lifelong learning is like potato chips to me — I want more. |
E.A better way is to break down your learning into bite-sized pieces. |
F.After you have fixed that small habit into place, you can then add to it. |
G.Having an objective not only makes learning beneficial but gives it a purpose. |
3 . The Travel Trends Report for 2024 suggests that engaging in “enrichment travel’ can profoundly impact personal growth and wellbeing by immersing oneself in newt cultures, environments and experiences. The following destinations allow you to explore transformative travel opportunities to rejuvenate body and soul.
Nambin Yoga in Chile
The fascinating Nambin Yoga retreat is in the mountain town of San Pedro de Atacama in Northeast Chile, where it invites guests to experience a seven-day journey including yoga sessions under the sparkling heavens, enlightening stargazing tours, and thoughtfully crafted vegetarian and vegan cuisine.
Rejuvenating in Nevada
Nevada has more hot springs than any other state in the country, with more’ than 300 occurring naturally. For an authentic wilderness experience, venture to Fish Lake Valley; where bathers can soak’ amidst breathtaking views of the mountains in Boundary Peak and enjoy some dark sky stargazing.
Rebooting at Miraval Arizona
Sat within the Sonoran Desert, Miraval offers immersive, technology-free retreats tailored to each guest’s individual needs for a true wellness journey. With innovative program and experts, Miraval empowers guests to design personalized schedule in line; with their wellness intentions, Visitors can gain hands-on experiences like beekeeping and farm work to foster a deeper connection with nature.
Yoga at Aspen Shakti
From June to September the seasoned team at Aspen Shakti hosts open-air Hatha yoga sessions on a picturesque deck, offering something for yoga lovers of all levels. Priced at approximately £. 15 per class, sessions are held from Monday to Friday at 10: 30am, with a portion of earnings dedicated to supporting the Caring for Community Fund mental health program.
1. What can visitors do in both Nambin Yoga in Chile and Rejuvenating in Nevada?A.Do yoga. | B.Observe stars. |
C.Taste cuisines. | D.Admire mountains. |
A.Yoga at Aspen Shakti | B.Nambin Yoga in Chile |
C.Rejuvenating in: Nevada | D.Rebooting at Miraval Arizona |
A.It charges the least. | B.It works at weekends. |
C.It supports charity! work. | D.It offers yoga sessions. |
4 . With the holidays approaching, I sit down at my kitchen table to begin addressing holiday greeting cards.
In front of me are neatly organized piles: red and green cards with shining trees, white envelopes, various colored pens and books of postage stamps. Everything is in place to begin when I’m interrupted by a judgemental “What is that?” from my youngest daughter, Charlotte. Her eyes have just landed on my rather time-worn address book.
My address book is close to 40 years old. Its faded cover was once quite lovely, but now it is crisscrossed with tape (缠满了胶带) , and an elastic band (橡皮筋) just about keeps the bits and pieces of paper together, which are trying their best to escape confinement (束缚) .
“You still use that old thing. You know there are apps for that?”. Charlotte continues.
Written’ on these pages are the names of people who were once important in my life. This includes the names of old friends and contacts for employers and past neighbors. There are people, I came across for a short while and then never saw again, such as a guy who was cycling across Canada to raise. funds for cancer research. And, of course, there are lots and lots of family, contacts.
When I flip through the pages, I wonder what has become of many of the people—I refuse to scratch out any names (even if they have died) . All of these people were once important in. my life, but many of them have been lost to time.
My internal musings finish, I return to the present and respond to my daughter, “Yeah, darling, I know. Why don’t you show me an app to improve this mess sometime?”
“All right, Mom. Maybe next week.”
Just as I thought, she’s already moved on. It’s a good thing I have my contacts down on paper. And no matter what, I will always treasure this old, dog-eared address book as a way to remind me of who I was and the people who shaped who I’ve become.
1. What is the condition of the author’s address book?A.Old but neat. | B.Colorful but loose. |
C.Worn-out and taped together. | D.Messy and disorganized. |
A.She is thankful for it. | B.She is open to it. |
C.She is confused about it. | D.She is uninterested in it. |
A.It might be unreliable. | B.It’s a valuable memory of her past. |
C.It’s too old and worthless. | D.It needs to be digitalized. |
A.Daughter’s Gift | B.My Day Online |
C.A World of Digital Distraction | D.Faded Outside, Rich Inside |
5 . Maps transport us. They make the landscape fit indoors, make us masters of sights we can’t see and spaces we can’t cover. An award-winning book make the grand journeys taken by wild animals fit indoors, too. Where the Animals Go: Tracking Wildlife with Technology in 50 Maps and Graphics by James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti is an engaging volume, gorgeous in its illustrations and text. Its double intent is brilliant, too — to bring each of us closer to the animal world and to highlight fresh ways to think about conservation.
Technology is central to this effort. As Chesire and Uberti explain, a variety of methods including GPS tracking, acoustic tracking, and sunlight-based geolocating have opened. up the scope of the science of animal movement and brought in an era of new precision.
In a stirring passage, Cheshire and Uberti write: “We can see how the lifeblood of the world’s first national park also depends on protecting land outside its borders. And once you see that twice a year some animals are traveling across 23 million acres of state, it’s hard not. to question our reasons for dividing wilderness into so many scraps, each with its own agenda and regulations. Animals use the land as one big, interconnected system. Perhaps we might learn to do the same.”
Cheshire and Uberti hope the book will inspire discourse about the geographic needs of animals. One of their goals for this book is to connect people to the lives and intentional choices of individual animals. People see individuality in their pets; it’s much harder to see in the wild. As a result, to some, animals in the wild may seem like furry robots following a predetermined loop. This is the kind of thinking they hope to shift.
1. What is the function of maps according to the passage?A.To decorate homes. | B.To educate people. |
C.To dominate sights. | D.To display landscape. |
A.To track wildlife with technology. | B.To bring human closer to wildlife. |
C.To begin in a new era of precision. | D.To show their gorgeous illustration. |
A.Human needs to see wilderness as a whole. | B.Animals’ agendas are different from man’s. |
C.We should protect land outside our borders. | D.The survival of national parks lies in protection. |
A.Wild animals have individuality. | B.Wildlife makes intentional choices. |
C.Wildlife follows a predetermined path. | D.Wild animals are as furry as robots. |
On: streets of Chinese cities, young people can
With its harmonious combination of urban and casual style, exquisite (精致的) detailing and traditional charm, the “new Chinese style” of clothing, suitable for all occasions,
On China’s lifestyle-focused social media platform Xiaohongshu, a search for “new Chinese style of clothing” could produce over 2 million results, with the most popular
Analysts say
8 . People always ask me how I got into the sport of weightlifting. I know it sounds weird, but I’m so focused on lifting that everything else
Now, being bipolar (双相情感障碍) is something I’m proud to say. And I would like to
Last year I had a minor meet in Cuba but not feeling motivated, I definitely
At this point, I’m all but
A.works out | B.points out | C.blanks out | D.checks out |
A.erase | B.evolve | C.extend | D.extract |
A.place | B.shape | C.need | D.doubt |
A.fit | B.keep | C.quit | D.join |
A.gradually | B.severely | C.generally | D.changeably |
A.sense | B.case | C.occasion | D.moment |
A.breakout | B.trouble | C.gap | D.failure |
A.reached out | B.left alone | C.picked up | D.bombed out |
A.desire | B.passion | C.anxiety | D.guilty |
A.cheated | B.diagnosed | C.combined | D.covered |
A.bored | B.frustrated | C.worn | D.tired |
A.communicated | B.agreed | C.struggled | D.argued |
A.Eagerly | B.Fortunately | C.Constantly | D.Obviously |
A.ashamed | B.aware | C.capable | D.free |
A.by contrast | B.as well as | C.rather than | D.on the contrary |
A.known | B.experienced | C.educated | D.qualified |
A.relatively | B.formally | C.literally | D.temporarily |
A.spirit | B.confidence | C.patience | D.effort |
A.looks forward to | B.comes down to | C.looks up to | D.lives up to |
A.awesome | B.comfortable | C.exhausted | D.plain |
9 . When I first aspired to become a science writer, I imagined each day would be filled with inspiration and creativity. The reality, of course, is far less enjoyable than my fantasies. Researching a story, for example, often involves reading lots of dry and technical papers before I finally strike gold with the information that I seek.
Most professions, I imagine, include challenging but necessary tasks that sap enthusiasm. But a recent paper from Edward Lai at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and his colleagues may offer us all a way to boost our motivation. It is called the "easy addendum effect", and, as the name suggests, it involves ending each work session with a more pleasant task that will be relatively straightforward to complete.
The strategy was inspired by a phenomenon known as the "peak-end rule", which means we often judge events by the way they finish, rather than the overall experience. In one experiment, Daniel Kahneman and his colleagues asked participants to plunge their hands into water at unpleasantly cold temperatures, the first group simply in 14℃ water for 60 seconds, while the second one were given a further 30 seconds in water at 15℃. Surprisingly, most preferred the second option. It seems their memory of the experiment only focused on the last moments, which was slightly more pleasant in the 90-second set-up.
The research suggests that our impressions of work fall prey to the same preference — and we can use that to our advantage. Lai's team gave participants a series of dull tasks — from flexing their muscles against heavy weights to sorting books into alphabetical order or answering customer complaints. In each case, participants performed the tasks with or without an "easy addendum" attached to the end of the job. Those testing their strength were given a few extra rounds of lighter weights while those answering customer queries with some more straightforward requests.
Much like the ice-bath experiments, there was no logical reason why loading on additional work to an existing task should make it more pleasant overall. But the researchers found that the "easy addendums" significantly reduced the anticipated difficulty and increased participants` satisfaction with their jobs.
Since learning about Lai's research, I have tried applying this strategy to my own work. Writing is still my favourite part of the job, and so this article was a pleasant addendum to an otherwise demanding day of research for another one. By putting these words on the page, I feel far more energised about the work behind me — and readier to enjoy the evening ahead.
1. Which is the author's initial aspiration as a science writer?A.To enjoy a challenging and enjoyable career. |
B.To have a daily routine filled with creativity. |
C.To conduct research and write technical papers. |
D.To strike gold with every story they research. |
A.Weaken. | B.Boost. | C.Inspire. | D.Refuse. |
A.Participants could not bear 14°C longer than those could in 15℃. |
B.Participants were unwilling to be loaded on additional work. |
C.Participants usually cared more about the end of events. |
D.Participants performed the tasks with an “easy addendum”. |
A.No man is content if he or she is given more work. |
B.“Easy addendum” can reduce difficulties in jobs. |
C.One's pleasure comes through suffering in jobs. |
D.“Easy addendum” can increase job satisfaction. |
1. How long does a complete IELTS test last?
A.120 minutes. | B.165 minutes. | C.2-5 days. |
A.Improvement of one's social status. |
B.Access to international job opportunities. |
C.Greater possibility of full-time education. |
A.Speaking. | B.Listening. | C.Writing. |
A.A Japanese wanting to work in the UK. |
B.A student preparing for exchange programs. |
C.A job seeker eager for a position in the government. |