I love to watch my father paint and I love to hear him talk while he paints. The words always come out soft. As a mason (泥瓦匠) , he doesn’t have a studio, and I’ve always felt a little sorry for him, having to paint in our backyard, which is not exactly picturesque. Dad doesn’t seem to see the backyard when he’s painting, though. It’s not just the canvas he sees either. It’s something much bigger. He gets this look in his eye like he’s gone beyond the yard, the neighborhood, the world.
“A painting is more than the sum of its parts,” he would tell me, and then go on to explain how the cow by itself is just a cow, and the meadow by itself is just grass and flowers, and the sun is just a beam of light, but put them all together and you’ve got magic.
I understood what he was saying, but I never felt what he was saying until one day when I was up in the sycamore tree (梧桐树) . I’d never seen a view like that! I got the feeling that I was flying above the earth. The view from the sycamore was more than rooftops and clouds and wind and colors combined. It was magic. It wasn’t long before I found the spot that became my spot. I could sit there for hours, just looking out at the world. Sunsets were amazing. Some days they’d be purple and pink, some days they’d be a blazing orange, setting fire to clouds across the horizon.
Then came the day. When I was sitting in the branches of my tree, I found two trucks parked right beneath me. Four men came out of the trucks, and started unloading tools, gloves, ropes and saws (锯子) .
Pretty soon they spotted me. One of the men called, “Hey! You’d better come down from there. We gotta take this thing down.”
I managed to choke out, “The tree?”
“Yeah, now come on down.”
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。
Paragraph 1: My heart was crazy with panic.
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Paragraph 2: When I was locked up in my room mourning for the loss of the tree, my father came in with a painting.
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2 . During my teens, I was the champion of the sports day every single year, and my mother won the moms’ trophy (奖杯) every single year. Why? Because she was always chasing me to
We had a very Tom and Jerry relationship. She was the strict disciplinarian; I was the
When I was little, she always caught me, but as I got older and faster, and when speed
Reflecting on those exciting days two decades later, I’ve come to understand that amid the
| A．discipline | B．defend | C．abuse | D．battle |
| A．occasionally | B．slowly | C．constantly | D．awkwardly |
| A．smartest | B．cutest | C．naughtiest | D．youngest |
| A．games | B．groceries | C．belts | D．books |
| A．change | B．protein | C．bonus | D．benefit |
| A．fade | B．slip | C．turn | D．back |
| A．magical | B．annual | C．unusual | D．typical |
| A．dominated | B．disturbed | C．failed | D．seized |
| A．out of place | B．out of breath | C．out of sight | D．out of balance |
| A．ultimate | B．casual | C．military | D．offensive |
| A．motivated | B．stuck | C．buried | D．involved |
| A．holds on | B．stands by | C．turns back | D．steps in |
| A．purchase | B．pursuit | C．crime | D．commitment |
| A．chaos | B．ruins | C．emergencies | D．comedies |
| A．touched | B．bound | C．hurt | D．enhanced |
3 . Handwritten notes in class might seem outdated as digital technology involves nearly every aspect of learning. But a steady stream of research suggests that compared with typing, taking notes with pen and paper is still a better way to learn. And scientists are zeroing in on why.
In a recently published study, scientists found that those writing by hand had higher levels of electrical activity across many interconnected brain regions. They added 256 sensors into a hairnet, which helped monitor 36 students’ brains as they wrote or typed words displayed on a screen. When students wrote by hand, the sensors picked up widespread brain connectivity including visual regions, regions that receive and process sensory information, and the motor cortex (运动皮层) . Typing, however, resulted in minimal activity in these brain regions.
Across many contexts, studies have shown that students appear to learn better when they’re asked to produce letters or other visual items using their fingers and hands. The educational neuroscientist Sophia Vinci-Booher says the recent study highlights the clear tie between motor action and conceptual recognition: “As you’re drawing a letter or writing a word, you’re taking this perceptual (感知的) understanding of something and using your motor system to create it. That creation is then fed back into the visual system, where it’s processed again — strengthening the connection between an action and the images or words associated with it.”
The new findings don’t mean technology is always a disadvantage in the classroom. Laptops, smartphones, and other such devices can be more efficient for writing essays and can offer fairer access to educational resources. But people now increasingly tend to “offload” mental tasks to digital devices, such as by taking a photograph instead of committing information to memory, says Yadurshana Sivashankar at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. “If we’re not actively using these areas, then they are going to worsen over time, whether it’s memory or motor skills.”
1. What is the function of the sensors in the recent study according to Paragraph 2?| A．To record brain activity. | B．To activate brain waves. |
| C．To connect visual regions. | D．To process sensory information. |
| A．One’s motor system boosts his creativity. | B．One’s writing action enhances his perception. |
| C．Learning performance relies on visual memory. | D．Concrete images contributes to comprehension. |
| A．Owe. | B．Link. | C．Shift. | D．Bring. |
| A．Note-taking: the key to a good grade | B．Digital learning: beneficial or harmful |
| C．Typing vs handwriting: efficiency counts | D．Handwritten notes: conventional but effective |
4 . Time management can help you stand out in your studies, shine at work, and feel less stressed. But how can you manage your routine effectively? It’s actually easier than you’d think. By teaching you a few simple tricks, we’ll show you how to transform your time management skills.
Before beginning your work load for the day, prioritize. To-do lists are a great tool, but organize them a little rather than just writing down everything that needs to get done. List tasks under each category. For example, if you need to finish a report for work, that would be an urgent task. If you need to begin another work project, but the deadline is not for another two weeks, that would be an “important, but not urgent” task.
Do not multitask.
Many people assume multitasking is a great way to get more done and manage time wisely. However, focusing on multiple tasks actually makes you less productive. Things will take longer to do, as you’re not giving anything your full attention. Focus completely on one task at a time instead.
Create the right environment to work.
A work environment can help with your overall productivity. There are no strict rules about a work environment, so pick what feels right for you.
Avoid interruptions as much as possible.
Interruptions disrupt your workflow. If you’re in the middle of a task and stop to do something else, it can be hard to get back into work mode. When you’re working on a task, try to complete it before doing something else. For example, if you realize you need to return an e-mail while you’re in the middle of something else, do not stop to return the e-mail.
| A．Do important tasks first. |
| B．List your tasks in terms of importance. |
| C．Instead, set it down somewhere and get to it after you finish the task at hand. |
| D．You will get your work done quicker this way, allowing you to make the most of your time. |
| E．Surround yourself with inspiring decorations that help you feel enthusiastic and passionate. |
| F．If you would like to go for a run after work, but it’s not vital, that would be a “low-priority” task. |
| G．Do your best to avoid interruptions, but do not beat yourself up over the occasional distraction at work. |
5 . Willful ignorance exists in large amount in daily life. People regularly look the other way rather than examining the consequences of their actions. Despite plenty of scientific evidence for climate change, for instance, many people still avoid engaging with facts about global warming.
We wanted to understand how common willful ignorance is and why people engage in it. After collecting data from multiple research projects that involved more than 6,000 individuals, we discovered that willful ignorance is common and harmful, with 40 percent of people choosing “not to know” the consequences of their actions to free themselves of guilt while maximizing their own gains. But we also found that about 40 percent of people are unselfish: rather than avoiding information about the consequences of their actions, they seek it out to increase the benefits to others.
In the experiments, the decisions were made in one of two settings. In the transparent (透明的) setting, decision-makers had information about how their choice would affect themselves and their partner. In an ambiguous (模糊的) setting, decision-makers knew how their choice would matter for themselves but not for their teammate — although they could request that insight.
The overall balance tipped toward selfishness when participants had the option to avoid information. Only 39 percent of people in the ambiguous setting made the choice that ultimately benefited their partner — a significant drop from 55 percent in the transparent condition.
If we can avoid putting a strong moral emphasis on decisions, it may make people feel less threatened and, as a result, be less willfully ignorant. Other research groups have found promising ways to do this. For instance, we could encourage people to think more positively about good deeds rather than guilt-trip them for what they have failed to do. Highlighting recent global achievements, such as healing the ozone (臭氧) layer, can inspire people to keep up the good work rather than feeling like the battle is lost and that the situation is hopeless.
In short, we can encourage one another and ourselves toward more selfless and generous actions.
1. Why do some people choose not to know the consequences of their actions?| A．To make easier choices to be a good person. |
| B．To increase their own benefits more than others’. |
| C．To avoid the influence of consequences on actions. |
| D．To get the most benefits without a sense of shame. |
| A．By focusing less on its morality. | B．By stressing its potential threat. |
| C．By being more positive about oneself. | D．By getting people aware of their actions. |
| A．Culture. | B．Environment. | C．Psychology. | D．Biology. |
| A．The reason for willful ignorance. |
| B．The results of willful ignorance. |
| C．The harmful effects of willful ignorance. |
| D．The influence of willful ignorance on environment. |
6 . Washington D. C. is home to over 70 museums, including 19 free Smithsonian museums and galleries. With each museum boasting numerous must-see exhibits, trying to choose where to start can be a challenge. Here, we’ve broken down a few exhibits coming to D. C. in 2024 you want to make sure you catch:
The National Museum of Women in the Arts
The NMWA has a stunning exhibition called “In Focus: Artists at Work” that highlights the practices and perspectives of eight contemporary collection artists via short documentary-style videos. In addition to other interesting exhibits, this museum is a must-visit in 2024!
Monet: The Immersive Experience
In this multi-sensory wonderland, Monet’s vivid masterpieces are brought to life through 360° digital projections of the French artist’s iconic pieces and his impressionist brushstrokes (笔画). Famous works like The Water Lily Pond, Poppies, Sunrise, and more will turn around the room, completely captivating you as you wander about the open space, or sit and take it all in.
Hirsh horn Museum: OSGEMEOS: ENDLESS STORY
The “OSGEMEOS: ENDLESS STORY” exhibit will be one of the largest displays of the Brazillian twin artists, Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo. The extremely interesting and innovative exhibit reflects the artists’ use of modern styles like street graffiti (涂鸦) and urban art, conveyed using mediums like wood and canvas.
The Rubell Museum’s Alexandre Diop: Jooba Jubba, l’ Art du Defi
It features the work of Franco-Sangalese Vienna-based artist Alexandre Diop. The work is inspired by concepts like colonialism and migration and their impact on themes like ancestry, tradition, and suffering.
1. How does the art come lively to audience in Monet: The Immersive Experience?| A．By documentary-style videos. | B．By digital projections. |
| C．By modern styles. | D．By lifelike artwork. |
| A．The National Museum of Women in the Arts. |
| B．Monet: The Immersive Experience. |
| C．Hirsh horn Museum: OSGEMEOS: ENDLESS STORY. |
| D．The Rubell Museum’s Alexandre Diop: Jooba Jubba, I’ Art du Defi. |
| A．Perspectives of artists. | B．Impressionist masterpieces. |
| C．Street graffiti and urban art. | D．The influence of history on art. |
7 . Researchers have designed a hand-held device that can obtain and change water molecules (分子) from the air into drinkable water using only surrounding sunlight as its energy source.
This atmospheric water harvester (大气层水分收集器) used an ultra-porous (超多孔的) material, known as a metal-organic framework (MOF). It can obtain water repeatedly in the hottest and driest place in North America, Death Valley National Park. The tests showed the device could provide clean water anywhere, addressing an urgent problem, as climate change speeds up drought conditions.
“Almost one-third of the world’s population lives in water-stressed areas. The UN predicts that almost 5 billion people on our planet will experience some kind of water stress for a significant part of the year 2050,”said Omar Yaghi. He is the Berkeley chemistry professor who invented MOFs and is leading this study. “It is very important to take advantage of a new source for water.”
Other kinds of materials, such as salts or hydrogels (水凝胶), cannot operate in extreme weather conditions in an energy-efficient manner. The new MOF-powered harvesters can be a powerful tool to address water shortage issues related to anything from drinking water to agriculture. This technology can also be used to obtain pure water in areas where water is plentiful but not clean.
It’s also extremely efficient at harvesting water, releasing 85 to 90 percent of the water it obtains. It harvested up to 285 grams of water per kilogram of the metal-organic framework in a day, the amount of a cup of water. It’s also smaller than the earlier type but it is even more energy-efficient. It produced 200 grams of clean water per square meter of water vapor, more than three times the water productivity rate of the earlier type.
There will likely be further developments in efficiency and size for this device. Yaghi said, “He can see one day the widespread adoption of household-based MOF-powered water harvesters and community-scale (社区规模的) water harvesters with the help of data science and machine learning. Those can be in kitchens or even next to air conditioners to supply homes with clean water for cooking and cleaning. And some companies are already working on this.”
1. What can we say about the new hand-held device?| A．It helps clean the air. | B．It can handle water pollution. |
| C．It is only suitable in dry areas. | D．It can run without additional power sources. |
| A．To stress the fact of water shortage. |
| B．To show the necessity of the harvester. |
| C．To show the increasing population in water-stressed areas. |
| D．To warn against the harm caused by climate change. |
| A．About 570 grams. | B．About 513 grams. |
| C．About 400 grams. | D．About 360 grams. |
| A．It will be easier to use in the future. | B．It will function best in the kitchen. |
| C．It will have huge market potential. | D．It will help promote technologies in AI. |
8 . The schools located in the East End of Houston, Texas, serve some of the poorest, most at-risk students in the Houston Independent School District. Like many urban areas, Houston’s East End is a “food desert,” where fresh, affordable produce is hard to find, while unhealthy foods from convenience stores and fast food restaurants are widely available. The combination of urban pollution and unhealthy foods have led to diabetes (糖尿病), obesity, and associated illnesses in the East End.
Through a youth-led “Green Ambassador” program rooted in the environmental education curriculum of Project Learning Tree (PLT), students from East End schools are aiming to change their neighborhood. Their goal is to transform their community from a food desert to a food forest that can supply the East End’s residents with fresh, natural foods while also providing food and shelter for wildlife. They’re planting one fruit tree and one community garden at a time, linking their schools and neighborhoods to form a Houston East End Greenbelt.
Emerson Hernandez, a student at Furr High School, joined the school’s PLT GreenSchools’ Green Team in ninth grade. The program sparked a passion to work with his classmates and other participating GreenSchools to transform his community into a thriving green corridor. “Through PLT you’re encouraging people to take action, to do something for their neighborhood. And while you’re doing it, you’re learning all kinds of other things — math, social studies, history, science, and writing,” says Hernandez.
They have planted more than 200 trees all over the East End of Houston, created and tended more than 200 vegetable garden beds in the community, and raised approximately 3,000 pounds of sweet potatoes, and other vegetables that have been donated to area food banks.
“Emerson is such a phenomenal young leader,” says Tamberly Conway, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist at the U. S. Forest Service. “He can speak to adults and peers alike. He’s been an incredible role model. His passion and love shine through. ”
1. How does the author begin the passage?| A．By giving an example. | B．By describing a scene. |
| C．By presenting the problem. | D．By comparing phenomena. |
| A．They donate foods to the community. |
| B．They combine curriculum study with labor. |
| C．They founded “Green Ambassador” program. |
| D．They appeal for community wildlife protection. |
| A．Thoughtful and gifted. | B．Curious and aggressive. |
| C．Pioneering and creative. | D．Responsible and enthusiastic. |
| A．Donation raised by students. | B．Students’ achievements in community. |
| C．Students’ extracurricular performance. | D．Students’ appeal for crop production. |
9 . Many people assume today’s easy long-distance collaboration (合作) should release a flood of creative scientific research—but, strangely, a new study suggests the opposite may be true.
Several reasons have been suggested for an apparent slowdown in new research ideas, but it seems remote collaboration itself may be a limiting factor. For a recent study in Nature, University of Pittsburgh social scientist Lingfei Wu and his colleagues found that teams collaborating remotely produce fewer breakthroughs.
The researchers analyzed 20 million research papers published between 1960 and 2020 and four million patents filed between 1976 and 2020 to assess how “disruptive” they were by analyzing quotations. Highly disruptive studies were those that put earlier work to shame and open new avenues of research; articles that quote them usually don’t also quote earlier studies they build on. Less disruptive studies build on previous work, and articles quoting them typically also quote prior studies.
The researchers found that as the distance between authors’ workplaces increases from zero to at least 600 kilometers, their papers’ being disruptive falls by roughly a quarter. To investigate why, Wu and his team analyzed researchers’ self-reported roles. They found that those working together in person were more likely to focus on conceptual tasks—the kind of work likely to produce new ideas. Researchers collaborating remotely were more likely to do technical work such as data analysis.
The team also found that when researchers were gathering in person, even big differences between individuals’ quotation numbers had little effect on the likelihood of their collaborating on conceptual work. But in remote teams, the chances of researchers jointly producing ideas declined when one had significantly more quotations than the other.
The findings challenge the assumption that merely connecting people online leads to the growth of new ideas. In theory, remote collaboration enables more new combinations of knowledge. However, if new innovation is encouraged, people should be brought together instead of relying on digital infrastructure (基础设施). ”
1. What does the underlined “disruptive” mean in paragraph 3?| A．Creative. | B．Destructive. | C．Unique. | D．Representative. |
| A．In-person collaboration brings about technical work. |
| B．Long-distance collaboration doesn’t benefit new ideas. |
| C．Long-distance collaboration is of great importance. |
| D．In-person collaboration is better than long-distance one. |
| A．online individuals contribute to the discussion |
| B．equipment for remote collaboration is available |
| C．individuals’ quotations in both sides are equal |
| D．researchers’ quotations differ greatly in number |
| A．Researchers collaborate remotely to be more creative. |
| B．Scientists collaborate better when they are farther apart. |
| C．Scientists innovate more while working together in person. |
| D．Researchers make breakthroughs with digital infrastructure. |
10 . USITCC Regional Competition
The Department of Information Technology and Cyber Security in the College of Business is proud to host the U. S. Information Technology Collegiate Conference (USITCC) Regional Competition on October 26-28. The event is open to students majoring in business or computer science.
USITCC is quickly becoming the nation’s top IT competition, networking and career-building event. In one single weekend, student attendees can prove their technology skills in a variety of IT competitions, meet with industry professionals and connect with IT employers providing internships (实习工作) and/or full-time positions.
Competitions & ScheduleDate | Time | Competitions |
Thursday, October 26 | 7-10 p.m. | Security |
7-10 p.m. | Systems Analysis and Design | |
Friday, October 27 | 8-1l a.m. | Application Development |
12-3 p.m. | Office Solutions | |
Saturday, October 28 | 4-7 p.m. | Database |
8-10 a.m. | Security Final Round |
Kentwood Hall, 701 E. St. Louis St., Springfield, MO 65806 is a historic six-story building. Kentwood offers private rooms, two-person rooms, super doubles, and three-person rooms.
Each room is carpeted and offers a bathroom and height-adjustable beds. All rooms have Wi-Fi and a mid-sized refrigerator. All rooms are smoke-free. Basic bedding will include sheets, a light blanket, and towels.
Entry FeeThe early bird rate is $35/person before September 30, and the price will increase to $45/person after that date.
1. What can student competitors expect from the competitions?| A．A job opportunity. | B．Changes of college major. |
| C．A large cash prize. | D．Instructions from professors. |
| A．Smoking areas. | B．Personalized bedding. |
| C．Internet access. | D．Plus-sized refrigerator. |
| A．To introduce a college. | B．To advertise a competition. |
| C．To recommend a hotel. | D．To promote cyber security. |
