1 . Shanya Gill, 12, a seventh-grader at Miller Middle School in San Jose, spent more than a year developing a fire detection (探测) device.
Last summer Shanya was sad after a fire happened in a restaurant in her California neighborhood. So the middle-schooler got straight to work.
“I had never really experienced something like that before,” she said of the early morning fire at Holder’s Country Inn, which was reported, to have started in the kitchen. No one was hurt, but the restaurant was demolished. “It hit close to my heart because it was part of my community.”
Shanya created a tool that uses thermal imaging (热成像) to detect when a heat source (来源) — such as a gas burner — is left unattended for10 minutes. Her goal, she said, was to design an early warning system that is better than a standard smoke detector.
Shanya recently won the top prize at the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge in D.C., in part for her fire-detection device. Judges were impressed by her fire detection system, featuring a thermal camera and a Raspberry Pi, a small computer board.
Creating the prototype (原型) was not easy, Shanya said. “I had really big difficulties with my project, and almost all of them were related to code (编码),” she said. “I had two designs, and my first design completely failed.”
While Shanya is pleased with her final prototype, she is now working to improve it. She is in the process of trying to find something more affordable than the Raspberry Pi, which starts at around $35, and she is also working to improve the code. Her plan is to bring the product to market and give out the money to organizations that support people who suffer from fires.
Shanya’s success at a young age has made her excited about her future career in science. She hopes to continue creating products that help people.
“I want to follow what I love and try to create a positive impact,” she said.
1. What does the underlined word “demolished” in paragraph 3 mean?| A．Damaged completely. | B．Decorated well. |
| C．Sold out. | D．Built up. |
| A．To repurpose restaurants. |
| B．To win science competitions. |
| C．To replace smoke detectors in homes. |
| D．To identify unattended heat sources early. |
| A．The cost of materials. |
| B．Code-related problems. |
| C．No community support. |
| D．No experience in invention. |
| A．Bring it to market. |
| B．Use it in her school. |
| C．Keep it for personal use. |
| D．Use it for further research. |
As I thought about the answer to a question, my teacher Miss Jackie’s voice suddenly cut through my thoughts, announcing (宣布) the school play.
With excitement, she said, “Jenna, you’ve been chosen for the lead role in the school play,’ The Girl in the Garden’!”.
Me, in a school play? I couldn’t believe it. How could I deal with this? I shared the news with my best friend Mia, who was super happy, but I wasn’t. I didn’t let on to Mia how I truly felt. I believed she’d worry about me. Instead, I told her how excited I was to be part of the play. What a lie that turned out to be!
Returning home, I was full of the upcoming play. The more I read my lines, the more nervous I became. The next school day, I intended to tell my teacher my unreadiness (没预备). However, before I could, Miss Jackie spoke up.
“Jenna, there’s exciting news for you! We’ve invited special guests, including members from the local theater. This could be a big opportunity. You need to be perfect!” she said.
Those words got me thinking. What if this was my breakthrough? What if I could truly shine?
On the day of the play, I was really nervous. As I observed the auditorium (观众席) filling with people before the show, fear overtook me. I hurried outside and sat down on a bench by the school lake for comfort. Before long, a tall person’s shadow (影子) fell over me.
It was Miss Jackie,
Seating herself, she spoke softly, “Jenna, you don’t need to be perfect. I realize I put too much pressure on you. You don’t have to go through with the play if you’re not ready. But I believe you deserve (值得) a chance to shine.”
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。
As she rose to leave, I took her hand.
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The play began.
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1．写信目的；
2．你的优势；
3．期待答复。
注意：写作词数应为80左右。
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Hanfu, the traditional Chinese clothing, has become increasingly popular as a symbol of Chinese culture,
Rian Neves, a 29-year-old Brazilian, is a hanfu lover. Six years ago, he traveled thousands of kilometers to China where he experienced a
To deal with his loneliness, Rian made Chinese friends
In 2019, Rian and his friends saw a group of youngsters dressed in hanfu in Hangzhou.
Rian decided
5 . Kids can create a stand-up comedy act (单口相声) to perform for family and friends or at a school or community talent show. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Get inspiredA good first step in stand-up is watching other comedians.
To begin writing jokes, start brainstorming topics. Think about who your audience will be and what will be relatable to them.
Once you have several jokes written, you can add them to a stand-up routine, called a “set.”
Once you’ve created your set, it’s time to practice. You can perform in front of a mirror (镜子).
Once you feel comfortable with your stand-up material, it’s time to perform!
| A．Open your set with a joke. |
| B．But for beginners it’s best to keep it short. |
| C．Or you can record yourself and play it back. |
| D．Some people like to perform jokes in public. |
| E．A party with friends can be a good place to start performing. |
| F．With an adult’s help, you can find some kid-friendly comedians online. |
| G．When you have an idea for a joke, approach it like writing a brief story. |
6 . “What are your plans for next fall?”
It’s a question that high school seniors start to hear quite often at the beginning of the school year.
At Sheboygan South High School, the 300 or so seniors scheduled to graduate each year used to get the question far later — in an interview survey as they were leaving high school. About 80 percent of respondents (调查对象) would check the box “four-year college.” The responses, it turns out, were quite misleading.
In reality, only about 45 percent of the school’s graduating seniors went to four-year colleges in the fall. Between 5 percent and 10 percent went to two-year technical colleges, 1 to 2 percent enlisted in the military (军队), and the remaining graduates entered the workforce.
“A good number of students were undecided,” said Steve Schneider, a school counselor at the school. “I think they figured: If I put that on the survey, it gets everyone off my back.”
Luckily, that was over ten years ago. Now, Sheboygan South students get those questions much earlier. Starting from freshman year of high school, all Sheboygan South students are assigned (分配) to an advisory group (by grade level) with about 20 students to each adviser-teacher, who remains with them for all four years. The program centers on a planning process for life after high school. Students learn about their own skills and preferences, all the possibilities open to them, and how best to prepare for those opportunities.
“Crazy beneficial” is how Brenda Binversie, a parent of four children, describes this planning process. The program wasn’t in place for her oldest daughter, but she said it provided timely help for her second daughter, “She likes to act without planning,” Binversic said. “The process really helped her see what she needed to do to get where she wanted.” That daughter is now a senior in college studying food science.
1. Why did the author raise the question in paragraph 1?| A．To make readers think about it. |
| B．To bring up the topic of this text. |
| C．To discuss it in the following paragraphs. |
| D．To express his doubts about future planning. |
| A．They agreed with reality. |
| B．They didn’t show students’ real thoughts. |
| C．They were beyond many people’s expectations. |
| D．They showed that students were poor at future planning. |
| A．How Sheboygan South’s new program works. |
| B．Why Sheboygan South started the new program. |
| C．The benefits of Sheboygan South’s new program. |
| D．People’s responses to Sheboygan South’s new program. |
| A．It is more beneficial for younger kids than older ones. |
| B．It has helped more students get into college. |
| C．It was helpful for her second daughter. |
| D．It should start as early as middle school. |
7 . My mom has been and will always be my biggest inspiration. She is a single parent of eight, and I have no idea how she survived. Throughout the years, my mom has
Even when doctors
Mary’s frequent hospital visits definitely upset her, but my mom never showed
My mom gets us to realize that no matter how
| A．scared | B．overcome | C．warned | D．cheered |
| A．delight | B．embarrass | C．discourage | D．facilitate |
| A．questioned | B．instructed | C．wondered | D．recommended |
| A．occasional | B．limited | C．numerous | D．rare |
| A．in spite of | B．rather than | C．apart from | D．due to |
| A．signals | B．predictions | C．symbols | D．signs |
| A．creation | B．judgement | C．gesture | D．strength |
| A．enabled | B．persuaded | C．prevented | D．suggested |
| A．Nevertheless | B．Therefore | C．Besides | D．Hence |
| A．frequently | B．hardly | C．possibly | D．actually |
| A．blame | B．favor | C．inspire | D．respect |
| A．put up | B．took up | C．broke up | D．gave up |
| A．gradually | B．properly | C．terribly | D．instantly |
| A．cruel | B．tough | C．official | D．smooth |
| A．performance | B．acceptance | C．entertainment | D．support |
8 . Yawning sends out certain messages-it can be either “oh, this movie is so boring” or “I probably need to get some sleep”. But did you know that a yawn can also help your brain to cool down when it is overheated?
A new study, led by. Andrew Gallup from Princeton University and Omar Eldakar from the University of Arizona, both in the US, has indicated that yawning could be the brain’s natural way of regulating temperature. People yawn more often when the temperature outdoors is lower than their body temperature but are less likely to yawn when it is hotter outdoors, according to Sciencedaily.com.
The research team did an experiment on 160 people, 80 in summer and 80 in winter, to examine how often they yawned at different air temperatures. The study found that people yawned more often in winter than in summer. Scientists say that when the air temperature is lower outside the body, there is heat exchange between the overheated brain and the cool air. But when the air temperature is higher than or equal to the body, people are less likely to yawn because the hot air they breathe in will make the brain even hotter.
When people yawn, their jaw is also stretched (拉伸), which enhances blood f low and may also help cool the brain.
The study showed that the amount someone yawned could be related to the amount of time they spent outside. The longer people spent outside in summer, the less they yawned. Nearly 40 percent of participants yawned within their first five minutes outside, but after that the percentage was reduced to less than 10 percent.
However, the result was the opposite in winter. The number of people who yawned increased when they spent more than five minutes outdoors. But the change was only slight compared to summertime.
According to Gallup, this is the first report to show that yawning frequencies change depending on season. This could help us to better understand the way our brains work. It may also help us understand the reason why frequent yawning can sometimes be a sign of brain disease.
1. What happens when people yawn?| A．Their brains feel cooler. | B．They avoid feeling bored. |
| C．Their blood flow slows down. | D．Their brains feel more energetic. |
| A．The longer people spend outside in winter, the less they yawn. |
| B．People have different yawning frequencies in different seasons. |
| C．Yawning is designed to help the body cool down in hot weather. |
| D．There’s a bigger change in yawning frequencies in winter than in summer. |
| A．Yawning reduces the risk of brain disease. |
| B．Stopping yawning halfway harms the human brain. |
| C．It’s better to stay indoors more if they yawn a lot. |
| D．Yawning often means something is wrong with the brain. |
| A．People yawn more in cold weather. | B．People yawn when they feel exhausted. |
| C．People yawn so their brains can get a rest. | D．People stop yawning when they move outdoors. |
9 . Tobias, a 35-year-old Belgian musician, has become popular on social media for his excellent grasp of the Shanghai dialect. He has been sharing his everyday experiences, which he
In the videos, he speaks
Tobias did not bury his nose in textbooks or
Tobias said he did not expect he would
| A．acts | B．delivers | C．competes | D．votes |
| A．approaches | B．habits | C．platforms | D．communities |
| A．likes | B．dollars | C．medals | D．chances |
| A．ancient | B．sweet | C．modern | D．fluent |
| A．understand | B．write | C．create | D．practise |
| A．advancing | B．searching | C．recording | D．observing |
| A．testing | B．reviewing | C．selling | D．posting |
| A．notes | B．comments | C．reports | D．replies |
| A．interrupt | B．assess | C．conduct | D．appreciate |
| A．materials | B．methods | C．objectives | D．resources |
| A．secretly | B．slowly | C．happily | D．bravely |
| A．fun | B．work | C．fame | D．show |
| A．stick to | B．contribute to | C．focus on | D．rely on |
| A．advantage | B．opportunity | C．honor | D．option |
| A．authority | B．history | C．custom | D．culture |
10 . French schools once prized the nutritional value of wine. So commonly was it served to children that in 1956 the government banned wine in school canteens—and even then, only for the under-14s. France was the world’s biggest wine producer last year. A bottle of wine has long been to the French meal what fast driving is to the German motorway: an ordinary habit, national right and personal pleasure.
No longer. In 2022 roughly 10% of French people drank wine every day, down from half in 1980. Back in 1960 the French drank an average of 116 liters of everyday wine per person. Between 2000 and 2018 that shrank from 28 liters to just 17. A glass of wine is an increasingly rare sight at the lunch table.
What is going on? It is not simply price. A bottle of Bordeaux can still be found in a French supermarket for under €3. Some village co-operatives sell local produce straight from the vat for €l.90 a liter—less than fresh orange juice. A better explanation is that a beer-drinking trend is challenging Mediterranean habits. The French now tell polls that they prefer beer to wine. Beer accounts for more than half of all alcohol bought in French supermarkets. Even in southern France, some cafes serve imported Belgian or German beer on tap.
Most important, a health-conscious younger generation is drinking less. A quarter of French 18- to 34-year-olds say they never drink alcohol. Fully 39% of under-35s say that they do not drink wine, next to only 27% of the over-50s. Le dry January has entered the national vocabulary. No- and low-alcohol drinks are spreading. A younger generation is rejecting old Mediterranean habits. In an attempt to “speak to Generation Z by adopting its codes”, Pernod Ricard, a drinks giant, runs a marketing campaign with the slogan “Drink more…water”.
Of course, consumption of high-quality wine remains strong. But the decline of cheaper stuff has wider consequences for France. Last summer the government allowed €200m to buy surplus low-end wine that producers could not sell. In some areas, farmers are tearing off lesser vines (葡萄藤) altogether. Less alcohol may improve health, but not necessarily the mood or landscapes of rural France.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Serving wine to French children has been banned. |
| B．Drinking wine is as dangerous a habit as fast driving. |
| C．Wine consumption has long been a practice in France. |
| D．Nutritional value of wine is widely recognized in France. |
| A．Health concern. | B．Challenge from beer. |
| C．Economic decline. | D．Shortage of wine supply. |
| A．A season of poor grape harvest. |
| B．A period when the weather is dry. |
| C．An organization advocating drinking water. |
| D．A campaign calling for less wine consumption. |
| A．Consumption of low-quality wine remains unchanged. |
| B．Production of high-end wine is lower than that of low-end wine. |
| C．Farmers who produce more wine are awarded by the government. |
| D．Not all French people benefit from the decline of wine consumption. |
