In my childhood, under the influence of my el der brother and my peers in the neighborhood, I tried a number of outdoor activities. Of course, I was not so taken by all of them. whether I was doing them for the first time or continuously. However, fate had its own plans in store. You never know when an outdoor activity will change my life.
The name of this activity is “fishing”. About ten years ago, I didn't really like the idea of sitting on the bank of a lake or river, spending long hours under the sun's ultraviolet rays, which can cause sunburns and skin damage, and anxiously anticipating some fish to be kind to take my bait(诱饵). In fact, I used to think of this outdoor activity as some kind of “hide-and-seek-game” that is popular with most young kids, except that it was much harder because I could see my “prey (猎物)” only after catching it.
However, all that changed when I paid a visit to my aunt in the countryside during a summer holiday. I was finally convinced by one of my cousins to accompany him to a nearby lake in order to do some fishing practice with him. In fact, he even assured me that fish would eat my baits. So I agreed and went to the lake expecting to catch some fish. Before throwing my fishing line into the water, my cousin did some tricks attaching some sort of food to my fishing pole.
Learning to fish in a river or lake can be challenging for the beginners like me. The act of dropping a line is easy, but being a successful fisher is hard. That's why they call it fishing but not catching But with practice and patience, it can become easier over time. Patience is essential in lake fishing. It may take some time to find the right spot or lure (鱼饵) that will attract fish.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
My cousin had to repeatedly remind me to keep patient.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When we finally left the lake, I had caught three fish!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . Must-read New Fiction Books
We all have a few tried-and-true fiction favorites, but there’s something special about a brand-new, hot-off-the-press novel. Whether it’s your favorite author’s new release or a new writer’s first work, great fiction books make the perfect escape from ordinary life. That’s why we’ve rounded up a list of the best new books released in February.
Age of Gold by Jerry Lapoor
Jerry Lapoor’s latest action-packed novel unfolds like a crazy movie. This thriller begins when a wealthy man’s car gets out of control. But when the dust settles, the rich man is nowhere to be found. How and to where does he disappear? With an exciting plot that will carry you from old-money houses to small agricultural villages, Age of Cold will take you on an unforgettable ride across a vast land.
City Under One Sky by Rachel Young
In the book, Young presents a crime story set in a small town. Detective Sara Kennedy has been sent to investigate a case. But soon after arrival, Sara gets snowed in with the 205 townsfolk living in the same apartment building. Who is hiding the key to the crime? And is there anyone she can truly trust? The appealing story, strange but distinctive characters and unexpected plot are just a few of the reasons why City Under One Sky gains its popularity.
Lady by Jess George
Lady is an irresistible fiction from Jess George. The story of Mary’s fresh start at adulthood is shot through with themes of family, race and discrimination, womanhood and the immigrant reality of feeling torn between cultures. Though struggling with life in London as an African, Mary jumps at every chance to stand on her own feet.
1. What will impress the readers in Age of Gold?| A．The thrilling plot. | B．Traditional cultures. |
| C．The family conflict. | D．Crazy characters. |
| A．She is trapped in the snow. | B．She is to investigate a case abroad. |
| C．She hides the key evidence. | D．She has trouble discovering the truth. |
| A．Self-reliance. | B．Gender equality. |
| C．Domestic violence. | D．Cross-cultural communication. |
1. What did the speaker’s father expect him to do?
| A．Work as an artist. |
| B．Take up a regular job. |
| C．Follow in his footsteps. |
| A．His brother. | B．His cousin. | C．His sister. |
| A．He found a job. | B．He opened a shop. | C．He got an award for painting. |
| A．Set up a studio. | B．Make much money. | C．Design best-selling products. |
1. How long will the speakers go on holiday?
| A．Two days. | B．Three days. | C．Seven days. |
| A．It’s hard to book hotels. |
| B．The weather is not good. |
| C．She can’t book flights in April. |
| A．It is cheap. | B．It is nice. | C．It is uncomfortable. |
1. Why does Daniel value the watch so much?
| A．It is rare. | B．It is expensive. | C．It is meaningful to him. |
| A．Sara. | B．Peter’s aunt. | C．Daniel’s sister. |
The Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo, once struggling to sustain its
The man behind
After witnessing the helpless and hopeless expressions of the animals, Shen’s team set about making changes.
This zoo has emerged
7 . For nearly as long as the modern computer has existed, it has been used to forecast the weather. First used during World War II to simulate (模拟) nuclear weapons, computers were soon adopted to simulate the future state of the atmosphere, creating the modern discipline of weather prediction. Although that discipline has grown ever more complicated and now produces reliable forecasts several weeks in advance, its approach remains the same: using large amounts of calculating power to solve equations (方程).
Over the past year, artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to change that. Tech companies including Google and Nvidia have trained AI models to predict the weather up to 10 days in advance, with an accuracy equaling or even topping traditional models — and with far less calculation overhead. Rather than solving equations, these AI models predict the near future based on patterns learned through training on 40 years of past weather, which is recorded by the traditional model of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the world’s top weather agency. Once trained, the AI models can work out a forecast on a computer in 1 minute rather than taking 2 hours to run on a supercomputer.
ECMWF has already begun to produce its own AI forecast, and other weather agencies are eager to catch up. The new models aren’t perfect. They struggle to predict certain essential features—hurricane intensity, for example. But AI forecasters will only improve as they begin to learn from direct weather observations collected by sensors, not just data already passed through existing models. Besides, their speed could allow agencies to run them over and over, as they capture in the atmosphere the full spread of uncertainty, be it necessary or unnecessary for weather prediction.
No one expects traditional weather prediction to disappear. Another branch, climate models, an extension of weather forecasting, for example, rely on equation solving just as traditional weather models do. But in the long term, the output of climate models may itself become training data for a climate forecasting AI, which might ultimately do a better job than the traditional models.
1. How do AI models predict weather?| A．By running on a supercomputer. | B．By recording traditional models. |
| C．By working on the existing data. | D．By making massive calculations. |
| A．They may be overly operated. | B．They may be slow to respond. |
| C．They may confuse natural disasters. | D．They may bring unfair competitions. |
| A．They lack accurate data. | B．They need intensive training. |
| C．They work in a traditional way. | D．They determine weather forecasting. |
| A．How Can AI Aid Atmosphere Study? |
| B．Should We Trust AI to Predict Hurricanes? |
| C．Weather Forecast Is Having an AI Moment |
| D．Tech Giants Are Competing in Data Collection |
8 . Why volunteer with STA Travel?
It’s a sad truth that many well-intentioned volunteer projects can be mismanaged for profit rather than helping. We will only work with projects that have a positive impact, satisfying the needs of the host communities while also meeting the desires of travellers to make real contributions, train their mind to think creatively, and gain skills for future study and work.
We support projects in more than 30 countries. Whether you’re looking to teach English, work with communities, animals or clean up our planet, there’s something for everyone.
Our featured voluntourism projects
Teach Children in Nepal
Join the project lasting over three weeks to assist with English lessons and homework and choose to stay at a shared volunteer house. Optional activities include a trip to Pokhara, the second largest city in the country and cooking demonstrations.
Thai Elephant Conservation
Experience one of our best-selling volunteer projects which offer a peaceful home to more than 30 neglected and previously abused elephants — with options ranging from seven days to four weeks. Play an important role by preparing food, feeding them and assisting in maintenance of the park.
Make a Difference in Indonesia
Work alongside local communities to arrange beach clean-ups and monitor and nurse newborn animals in their living areas for four weeks. There are also two-month options including teaching in local schools and community visit opportunities.
Experience Borne o & Conserve Orang-utans
This one-month project is designed for volunteers to experience and help with rehabilitation (复兴) of orang-utans in Sarawak, which are large arboreal animals and the only great apes in Asia. What’s more, take part in a long adventurous walk into the rainforest to meet the Iban and experience a unique stay in traditional longhouses.
1. What is the feature of STA Travel?| A．Its services are all over the world. | B．It provides free training for volunteers. |
| C．It focuses on domestic communities. | D．Its projects leave a far-reaching influence. |
| A．Teach Children in Nepal. | B．Make a Difference in Indonesia. |
| C．Thai Elephant Conservation. | D．Experience Borne o &Conserve Orang-utans. |
| A．Taking part in adventurous walks. |
| B．Bringing harmony between man and nature. |
| C．Tracking wild animals in their living places. |
| D．Arranging clean-ups in traditional longhouses. |
Ten miles away stood a house with shiny red walls, a green garden and an apple tree. A young girl’s face would be seen reflecting from one of the large glassy windows. Her name is Maggie. Her eyes were sparkling and on her face there was a smile which could light a million candles. She seemed to be longing for a chance to play like a young child, but she had no strength in her legs because she and her family met with an accident, in which she lost both her legs.
But her spirit was strong. She would be inspired by seeing birds fly. The flying eagle would make her want to fly. She was lonely. She longed for a true friend who would talk to her and teach her to fly or at least tell her stories about soaring into the blue sky.
One evening, Maggie slowly rolled her wheelchair to the giant window and looked out to the many houses that lay across the road. Suddenly she heard someone singing and then could see an old man in a pilot suit singing in glory. The beautiful sound and the melody made the little girl happy. Suddenly he stopped and gazed up toward her. “What are you staring at?” he said angrily. “You think I’m a circus clown? (马戏团小丑)” “No, Sir. I was just listening to you. You sing very well,” she said. “I don’t need your praises. I don’t need anyone!” he shouted. He started to walk to his house and shut the door. Tears rolled down from her apple-red cheeks as the man shouted at her. She was lonely.
Next morning, Maggie pushed her wheelchair across the garden to the stone road as little children played hide-and-seek around her. Suddenly out of nowhere a loading truck came rumbling across toward her. Terrified, she tried to move away from its path but the wheels of her chair were stuck. “Oh my,” she thought as the truck came in her direction fast, with the driver unaware of the obstruction in front of him. She screamed loudly but in a split second she was pulled out of her wheelchair by someone and fell on the ground. She closed her eyes and shivered as the truck passed her whistling. As she opened her eyes, she could see a man standing beside her.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
She gazed up to him and immediately recognized him as the man she saw singing last night.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Maggie got to know his name was Ken and that he was a retired pilot.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . 41-year-old Tracey Matayian is one of those Maasai women who fought hard to become the first-ever Maasai female referee. In an interview, Matayian said during her formative years, she couldn’t hide her passion for football and would join local boys every time she saw them play, which resulted in her being called names by other girls and occasionally getting scolded by her parents for keeping too much male company.
Matayian later joined a teachers’ training college. After graduating from college, she worked with Compassion International and would often encourage children of both genders to play football.
“It was then that I got an opportunity to referee a game between Rongai Football Club and Compassion International. There was no other referee at the time and since I was readily available, I went ahead to referee the match,” she recalled. Matayian added that after the game, she was eager to do more than just play and train the young children as she was also cultivating a lively interest in refereeing.
She would later help form football teams for both boys and girls from the local clubs. “The game occupies them as they get to spend time in the field, especially during the period they were home due to COVID-19. Football is a game of rules, and thus it ends up drilling discipline and character into young boys and girls,” said Matayian. She added that many of the youths were previously living an aimless life on account of laziness, but through football she has managed to occupy them.
Nevertheless, her efforts to follow her passion have not gone without challenges. Her dress code was criticized all the time. “This became a big issue for some people. They always complained that I was not respecting our culture by wearing shorts. But I have no option, since that’s the official dress code for the game. I often explained this to my beloved people, but it took a long time for it to be accepted by my community,” notes Matayian.
1. How did things go when Matayian first played football?| A．She was popular with local boys. | B．She was abused by other girls. |
| C．She was turned down by the referee. | D．She was driven out of her college. |
| A．Motivated. | B．Tense. | C．Exhausted. | D．Relieved. |
| A．How football is transforming the local children. |
| B．How COVID-19 is impacting the community. |
| C．How children overcome their laziness naturally. |
| D．How crucial discipline and character are. |
| A．She was trying to change some football rules. | B．She was getting soft with local people. |
| C．She was working hard to gain acceptance. | D．She was promoting local culture. |
