1 . Teen Writing Contest at the Morgan Library & Museum

How does money impact our behavior? The Morgan Library & Museum’s exhibition Medieval (中世纪) Money, Merchants, and Morality explores mainly how the newly widespread use of money in medieval life transformed society, often challenging and conflicting with the moral beliefs of the community. Choose an object from the Selected Images on the exhibition page and write a diary entry from the opinion of a character in the image.

Winners receive a $100 MasterCard gift card!

Entry rules:

▲Identify the title of the Medieval Money artwork that inspired you in your submission.

▲Participants can submit up to two diary entries per person. Character limit is 3,000 per entry.

▲Awards will be given in two age groups: Middle School (Grades 7 to 8) High School (Grades 9 to 12)

Entries will be judged by a group of Morgan Library & Museum staff for originality, creative choice of opinion and style.

Written work should be submitted in a format (格式) readable by Google Drive and/or Microsoft Word. Submissions must be written in English. Content will be published on the Morgan’s webpage and via our social media channels.

Morgan Teen Writing Contest Guidelines:

◆Participants must live, work, or go to school in one of the five areas of New York City.

◆Participants must be between 13 and 19 years of age as of the date of entry.

◆Contest ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on Sunday July 10,2024.

◆Limit two entries per person, per email address.

◆Winners will be informed on Friday, July 29,2024.

◆The Morgan requests a photograph of the winner to post with their writing.

1. What does the writing contest focus on?

A．Money and behaviors.	B．Characters and images.
C．Art and opinions.	D．Exhibition and inspiration.

2. What is the writing style for the contest entries?

A．A news report.	B．An inspiring poem.
C．A personal diary.	D．An artwork review.

3. What do we know about the writing contest?

A．Winners will be awarded in cash.

B．The entry will be judged by famous writers.

C．Participants should write in their native languages.

D．Submissions should be emailed before the deadline.

2 . A complete chicken egg estimated to be around 1,700 years old is believed to be the only of its type in the world, after scientists found it still had liquid inside.

It was discovered during a dig in Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire between 2007 and 2016, with researchers saying at the time that it was a “genuinely unique discovery”. During the course of the dig, archaeologists broke three other eggs which released a “terrible smell”, but a fourth egg remained undamaged. It is the only complete egg ever found dating back to the Roman times.

Now, a micro scan has found that the egg still contains the yolk (蛋黄) and egg white, and it is believed to be the only complete egg from that period. The recent work has been carried out by conservator Dana Goodburn-Brown, who took the egg for further analysis at the University of Kent.

Edward Biddulph, senior project manager at Oxford Archaeology, who oversaw the dig, said, “It produced an amazing image that indicated that the egg, apart from being complete — which is incredible enough — also held its liquid inside. We were absolutely blown away when we saw the contents in there, as we might have expected them to have leaked out.”

It has also been taken to London’s Natural History Museum, where Douglas Russell, the senior director of the museum, was consulted about how to conserve the egg. Mr Biddulph said, “As we found out when we visited the Natural History Museum, it appears to be the oldest known example in the world.”

The egg is now being housed at Discover Bucks Museum in Aylesbury while work continues to discover how to extract (提取) the inside without breaking the delicate shell.

“There is huge potential for further research and this is the next stage in the life of this remarkable egg,” Mr Biddulph said.

1. Why was Edward Biddulph shocked at the egg?

A．It was badly preserved.	B．It could be blown away.
C．It kept liquid contents inside.	D．It was still good enough to eat.

2. What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?

A．The egg will be broken for further study.

B．The egg will be on display in the museum.

C．More studies will be carried out about the egg.

D．More efforts will be put into studying the egg shell.

3. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Secret of an Ancient Egg Has Been Revealed

B．An Ancient Egg Reveals the History of Buckinghamshire

C．An Egg Is Said to Be the Oldest Complete One in the World

D．An Amazing Egg Is Still Full of Liquid 1,700 Years Later

4. What is the text?

A．A news report.	B．A biology essay.
C．A technical invention.	D．A geographical discovery.

3 . Climate anxiety is appearing as a serious mental health concern, particularly among children, teens, and young adults, with symptoms ranging from frustration to constant anxiety.

A recent global survey illustrates the depth of anxiety many young people are feeling about climate change, with nearly 60% admitting feeling worried. Signs of climate anxiety include: They feel helpless about climate change.     1     They actively check climate news and weather forecasts. They experience physical symptoms such as headaches, shortness of breath, and racing heartbeats.

So how do we cope with climate anxiety? The first step is to understand that our reactions are normal.     2     However, you can learn to deal with it. You are experiencing climate anxiety because you care about what is happening to our planet; that’s a good thing.

Next, try to find small reasons to be hopeful. Our natural preference is to focus on the negative, and when it comes to climate change, this can be unbearable. We may destroy the future, thinking about all the ways climate change could ruin our lives.     3    

It can also help to remember that you’re not alone.     4     Fortunately, there are ways to cope. Connecting with other like-minded people who are working to fight climate change can help you feel less alone. A variety of organizations are taking climate action, and many are made up of people just like you.

    5     Get involved in activism can help you feel like your efforts are making a difference. Whether it’s writing to a politician or participating in marches, and get involved is an important step toward climate wellness.

A．Don’t forget to take action.

B．You have many people to turn to.

C．They worry extremely about the future.

D．This can lead to feelings of powerlessness.

E．They need support from others a great deal.

F．The climate crisis is alarming and overwhelming.

G．Many people are struggling with these feelings.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Located in Lichuan, Hubei proince, Tenglong Dong is one of the world’s largest caves. The cave     1     (list) as the 74th longest cave of the world and the third longest in China with a length of 53,210m. The cave offers extraordinary big passages and one of the     2     (tall) cave entrances on earth, 74m high and 64m wide. The cave     3     (it) is a huge passage, only slightly smaller than the entrance.

The cave is entered at one point by a huge river,     4     (call) Qingjiang River, a branch of the Changjiang. This river first drops     5     almost 10m high waterfall, right before it enters the cave. Here a path was built about 20m above the water,     6     (enter) the river cave. The water deepens and calms down, while it is narrowed by the cave     7     (wall).

The first written mention of the cave is from the Qing dynasty. The cave was     8     (original) named Dong Po or Shui Dong     9     means Water Cave, probably in the meaning river cave. It was renamed     10     the unique name Tenglong Dong, after a Chinese evergreen about flying dragons (龙). And of course, there are mountains in the cave, caves in the mountains.

5 . My heart raced as I read Noelle’s message. She was ______ that someone had shared her private news, something she’d only told a few. Shame wished over me; I was the one who had let it ______ . Despite knowing it wasn’t right, I’d told someone outside her inner ______ .

Noelle’s ______ seemed to spread to many people, giving me the chance to stay unknown. “I’m so sorry this happened to you,” I ______ .“It’s terrible that your trust was betrayed (背叛).” Her response was quick: “Thank you.”

Later that day, ashamed of both my actions and my cover-up, I approached Noelle. “Noelle, I need to ______ something,” I said, my voice trembling. “I was the one who shared your ______ news. I’m so sorry for not coming clean earlier. I was afraid of damaging my reputation, but I realize now that being ______ is far more important.”

Noelle ______ me, her expression mixed with surprise and disappointment. “I appreciate your honesty,” she said ______ “It hurt deeply when that news got out. But I forgive you. ”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I ______ her for her grace (大度). Though I didn’t know if she would share my ______ with others, I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders. By ______ truth and seeking forgiveness, I had ______ myself from shame and strengthened my honesty. Our friendship ______ , a proof to the healing power of honesty and grace.

1.

A．happy

B．excited

C．exhausted

D．upset

2.

A．slip

B．end

C．disappear

D．exchange

3.

A．mind

B．world

C．circle

D．field

4.

A．message

B．post

C．text

D．story

5.

A．regretted

B．declared

C．typed

D．Sighed

6.

A．confess

B．distinguish

C．add

D．reveal

7.

A．special

B．important

C．personal

D．business

8.

A．careful

B．positive

C．modest

D．truthful

9.

A．called in

B．agreed with

C．pointed at

D．looked at

10.

A．nervously

B．softly

C．coldly

D．cautiously

11.

A．honored

B．thanked

C．admired

D．rewarded

12.

A．mistake

B．secret

C．fault

D．apology

13.

A．establishing

B．discovering

C．choosing

D．exploring

14.

A．separated

B．freed

C．distanced

D．discouraged

15.

A．changed

B．celebrated

C．formed

D．continued

6 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The art competition at school was always a highly anticipated event. This year was no exception, with students from all grades eager to showcase their creative talents. Among them were two friends, Jane and Sally.

Jane had a deep passion for art, but she often struggled with expressing her ideas on paper. She would spend hours in front of a blank canvas (画布), trying to capture the perfect image in her mind, but her efforts often fell short. Sally, on the other hand, was naturally talented and her artworks were always praised by teachers and classmates.

As the competition drew nearer, Jane worked harder than ever, staying up late into the night to perfect her piece. Sally, however, seemed to take it all in stride (大步走), casually sketching and painting without much effort. She often teased Jane about her lack of talent, making jokes that were meant to be light-hearted but stung Jane deeply.

On the day of the competition, Jane’s heart was filled with both excitement and fear. She had worked so hard on her piece, but she knew that it still paled in comparison to Sally’s effortless creations. As she set up her canvas and began to paint, she could feel Sally’s eyes on her, mocking (嘲笑) her every move.

Halfway through the competition, Jane encountered a difficult obstacle. She couldn’t seem to capture the essence of her subject the way she wanted to, and her frustration mounted. She looked around at the other students, seeing their confident strokes and vibrant colors, and she felt a pang of defeat. She wanted to give up, to throw away her brush and walk away.

But just as she was about to do so, she caught sight of Sally. Sally wasn’t laughing or mocking her now; instead, she looked at Jane with a mixture of surprise and concern. It was as if she realized that her words had hurt Jane more than she had intended. And in that moment, Jane found a new resolve. She wasn’t going to let Sally’s words or her own doubts defeat her. She was going to finish her piece, no matter what.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150个左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

With renewed determination, Jane returned to her canvas.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She heard her name announced as the winner of a special recognition award for perseverance and dedication.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . What would you do if you walked up to a robot with a human-like head and it smiled at you first? You’d likely smile back and perhaps feel the two of you were genuinely interacting. But how does a robot know how to do this? Or a better question, how does it know to get you to smile back?

While we’re getting accustomed to robots that are expert at verbal (口头的) communication, thanks in part to advancements in large language models like ChatGPT, their nonverbal communication skills, especially facial expressions, have fallen far behind.

The Creative Machines Lab has been working on this challenge for more than five years. In a new study, the group unveils Emo, a robot. To train the robot how to make facial expressions, the researchers put Emo in front of the camera and let it do random movements. After a few hours, the robot learned the relationship between their facial expressions and the movement orders — much the way humans practice facial expressions by looking in the mirror. This is similar to our human ability to imagine what we look like when we make certain expressions.

Then the team ran videos of human facial expressions for Emo to observe them one after another. After training, which lasts a few hours, Emo could predict people’s facial expressions by observing tiny changes in their faces as they begin to form an intent to smile. It can not only make a wide range of facial expressions but also knows when to use them.

“I think predicting human facial expressions accurately is a revolution. Traditionally, robots have not been designed to consider humans’expressions during interactions. Now, the robot can integrate human facial expressions as feedback,” said Yuhang Hu. “When a robot makes co-expressions with people in real-time, it not only improves the interaction quality but also helps in building trust between humans and robots. In the future, when interacting with a robot, it will observe and understand your facial expressions, just like a real person.”

1. Why does the author ask questions in paragraph 1?

A．To stress the sincere interaction.

B．To show curiosity about robots.

C．To get readers engaged in the subject.

D．To prove the power of smiling.

2. How do researchers train Emo to make facial expressions?

A．By making it force a smile.

B．By asking it to look in the mirror.

C．By recording its expression at random.

D．By employing a way of self modeling.

3. What can the robot Emo do?

A．Interact with humans like a friend.

B．Prepare facial expression in advance.

C．Read the mind of humans in an active way.

D．Recognize and respond to real-time human expressions.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．Emo Robot Makes Quick Facial Reactions

B．Robots Can Smile at Human Beings Now

C．Emo Robot Reads Human Mind Exactly

D．Robots Can Interact with You Naturally

9 . During my daughter’s first year at school, her teacher dismissed our concerns about her shaky pencil hold by saying: “Don’t worry, handwriting is on its way out. By the time she’s in year 12, they’ll all be typing or voice-dictating their exams.”

Fast-forward 12 long school years and that now grown-up girl is in her final high-school exams. And of the many hours of articles and long and short answers, every single page, line, word and letter will be handwritten. Every single primary-school teacher undertook at the start of each year to fix her handwriting but it never changed.

My high school had company typing classes. It was so boring but I say that typing is the very best thing I learned at school. In all my work—as a health professional, a writer and an online teacher—being able to type efficiently, quickly and exactly has been invaluable. As a writer, I can type reasonably accurate notes during an interview, all while looking at the person I’m speaking with. As writing rates have been inactive or going backwards, I’d have a much harder time if I couldn’t type so well.

A group of friends who went to high school says that I’m fortunate to have had compulsory typing lessons, as some schools only offered it to girls, and some friends deliberately shunned the subject in order to avoid gender-based opinions that they wanted to become a secretary.

You might be thinking that none of this will be an issue for much longer, given how far voice recognition tech has come and how ChatGPT can produce writing within seconds. In fact, the increased availability of AI will perhaps mean that handwritten exams will be around for even longer, as seeing someone put pen to paper is one of the few ways we have of promising original work.

Efficient handwriting and fast and correct typing are skills that perhaps should be more highly valued by educators and employers. Learning to hand-write and type might be boring but I predict that they’ll still be important skills even when today’s little ones are in year 12.

1. What does the example of the author’s daughter prove?

A．Handwriting isn’t out of date.	B．His concern turned out true.
C．Students like voice-dictating exams.	D．Adults can’t fix their handwriting.

2. Why was the author grateful for learning typing at school?

A．It earned him a big come.	B．It made him work more effectively.
C．It brought more job chances for him.	D．It helped him survive his hard life.

3. What does the underlined word “shunned” in paragraph 4mean?

A．Put up with.	B．Keep away from.
C．Take advantage of.	D．Get used to.

4. What does the author think handwriting may ensure?

A．The application of AI.	B．The value of education.
C．The originality of our works.	D．The efficiency of exams.

10 . Announcing ETC’s Ninth Annual Student Contest for International Education Week!

International Education Week (IEW) is a joint project between the US Department of State and the US Department of Education. It was created in an effort to help people from different countries understand each other and cooperate with each other through education and exchange. All ETC (Education Travel & Culture) students are highly encouraged to make cultural presentations in their host communities as part of IEW.

Where and when does it take place? IEW occurs November 18~22, 2024. You can present in school, at after-school clubs, at your local nursing home, etc. ETC encourages all students to participate in IEW and offers a contest for which the top 3 presenters win amazing prizes.

How can you get involved? Begin planning your presentation now. Ask teachers, your coordinator (协调人), or your host family where you might be able to make your presentation. Make your presentation and take lots of pictures of the event including the materials that you used. Complete the application form and have one or more adults complete the recommendation form. Be sure to submit the forms no later than December 1st.

Submit forms and pictures to:
Kara Peterson—Administrative Manager
27014 N.178th Ave Surprise, AZ 85387
E-mail: Kpeterson@edutrav.org
*1st Prize: A free trip to New York City! (ETC Trip in March, 2025, tickets not included)
*2nd Prize: $200 Gift Card
*3rd Prize: $100 Gift Card

All participants will receive a shirt! And the winners will be announced on December 15th.

1. What is the purpose of IEW?

A．To motivate students to make an impact.

B．To encourage students to speak up bravely.

C．To boost the wellness of students around the world.

D．To promote international understanding and cooperation.

2. When is the deadline for the application?

A．November 18th.	B．November 22nd.
C．December 1st.	D．December 15th.

3. What is the common gift for all participants?

A．A free trip.	B．A shirt.
C．A gift card.	D．A film ticket.