1 . Seven-year-old Everett Botwright is a bright, imaginative kid. Like many children on the autism spectrum (自闭症), he also
There was only one
The
Kraft Heinz Canada donated $10,000 to autism charities,
The
| A．starts | B．deals | C．struggles | D．agrees |
| A．thrilled | B．annoyed | C．satisfied | D．worried |
| A．engaged | B．interested | C．disappointed | D．involved |
| A．food | B．idea | C．book | D．movie |
| A．goal | B．reason | C．solution | D．problem |
| A．toys | B．boxes | C．cards | D．packages |
| A．still | B．obviously | C．actually | D．probably |
| A．denied | B．received | C．answered | D．issued |
| A．help | B．treatment | C．advice | D．permission |
| A．advertisement | B．photo | C．request | D．video |
| A．local | B．traditional | C．social | D．technical |
| A．broke in | B．took off | C．came off | D．flooded in |
| A．sharing | B．broadcasting | C．composing | D．printing |
| A．sold | B．packed | C．collected | D．delivered |
| A．next | B．classical | C．regular | D．special |
| A．bought | B．designed | C．chose | D．released |
| A．heavy | B．other | C．limited | D．beautiful |
| A．daily | B．final | C．monthly | D．official |
| A．paying | B．translating | C．printing | D．signing |
| A．luck | B．Internet | C．good | D．dream |
2 . Total solar eclipses (日食) have scared people since time out of mind. The first record of one, preserved on a clay tablet found at Ugarit, once a trade city but destroyed later in Syria, is believed from its age and location to describe either an eclipse that happened in 1375 BC or one in 1223 BC. Legendary explanations for eclipses include the Sun being eaten by dogs, frogs or dragons. The reality is not romantic. Why are total ones, like the one coming on April 8, so rare?
Solar eclipses are a special case of phenomena called transits and occultations, in which an intervening (介于中间的) heavenly body stops light from a star reaching an observer. If the blocking body appears smaller in the sky than the star, the result is called a transit and looks like a dark spot crossing the star’s surface. If the blocking object appears larger than the star, the star disappears completely—an occultation. A total eclipse is an occultation.
Solar eclipses may be either of these things, since the apparent sizes in the sky of the Sun and the Moon, viewed from Earth, are almost identical. If the Moon orbited Earth in the same plane as Earth orbits the Sun, eclipses would happen every month, but would be total only in the tropics (热带地区). In reality, the average interval between total eclipses is 18 months, and they may be seen from time to time all over the world. The path of totality across Earth’s surface is narrow and the period short (a maximum of just over seven and a half minutes). Outside these boundaries, the Sun will appear partially eclipsed, looking like a pie that something has taken a bite from.
The Great North American Eclipse, as it has been called, will be a sight to be hold on April 8. But it should also be cherished, because total eclipses of the Sun will not happen for ever. Tidal friction (潮汐摩擦) causes the Moon to move away from Earth at 3.8 cm a year, making it appear smaller and smaller in the sky. In 600 million years or so the last, short totality will occur.
1. What does the clay tablet of Ugarit represent?| A．Some figures of ancient animals. |
| B．The Sun being eaten by some animals. |
| C．Ancient people who were hunting for animals. |
| D．The earliest total solar eclipse recorded. |
| A．By listing statistics. | B．By giving definitions. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| A．Their duration is relatively longer. | B．They take place every month actually. |
| C．They are visible only from a narrow path. | D．They look like a bite taken out of the Sun. |
| A．The moving-away Moon. |
| B．The stronger tide on Earth. |
| C．The smaller attraction of the Moon for Earth. |
| D．The changing distance between the Sun and Earth. |
3 . Trillions of evolution’s wonders, red-eyed periodical cicadas (蝉) that have pumps in their heads and jet-like muscles in their bodies, are about to emerge in numbers not seen in decades and possibly centuries. Crawling out from underground every 13 or 17 years, with a collective song as loud as jet engines, the periodical cicadas are nature’s kings of the calendar. These black bugs with bulging eyes differ from their greener cousins that come out annually. They stay buried year after year, until they surface and take over a landscape.
This spring, an unusual cicada double population is about to invade a couple of parts of the United States in what University of Connecticut cicada expert John Cooley called “cicada-geddon”. The last time these two broods (a group of creatures) came out together was in 1803. Thomas Jefferson, the then president, wrote about cicadas in his Garden Book but mistakenly called them locusts (蝗虫). Usually mistaken for hungry and unrelated locusts, periodical cicadas are more annoying rather than causing great economic damage. They can hurt young trees and some fruit crops, but it’s not widespread and can be prevented.
The largest geographic brood in the nation—called Brood XIX and coming out every 13 years—is about to march through the Southeast, having already created countless boreholes in the red Georgia clay. It’s a sure sign of the coming cicada occupation. “They emerge when the ground warms to 64 degrees, which is happening earlier than it used to because of climate change,” scientists said. “The bugs are brown at first but darken as they mature.”
Soon after the insects appear in large numbers in Georgia and the rest of the Southeast, cicada cousins that come out every 17 years will inundate Illinois. They are Brood ⅩⅢ. “And when you put those two together… you would have more than anywhere else any other time,” University of Maryland entomologist Paula Shrewsbury said. “These two broods may actually overlap—but probably not interbreed-in a small area near central Illinois.”
1. How are periodical cicadas different from their greener cousins?| A．They appear once a year. | B．They look more beautiful. |
| C．They have stronger muscles. | D．They have a longer life circle. |
| A．They are a type of locusts. | B．They have underestimated advantages. |
| C．They are Thomas Jefferson’s inspiration. | D．They only eat young trees and fruit crops. |
| A．The red Georgia clay is more beneficial to them. |
| B．Climate change may be confusing their schedules. |
| C．The adult ones only live 4-6 weeks before they die. |
| D．They are expected to be found throughout the world. |
| A．Strike out. | B．Give up. | C．Flood into. | D．Jump at. |
4 . Since Cynthia Florio was a lifeguard at Tobay Beach in the 1990s, she has watched the ocean approach the shore and draw closer to the dunes (沙丘). It’s what forced Florio, 53, of Massapequa, to take part in the Town of Oyster Bay’s annual dune grass planting event on March 30 — an effort to help stabilize the beach dunes against shoreline erosion (侵蚀).
Along with other volunteers, Florio had spent hours with her daughter, Kyra Florio-Marinello, 15, and her daughter’s friend Tatum Brennan, 15, planting the native plants that were intended to absorb water and prepare the sand against heavy wind. But four days later, a storm on Wednesday hit Long Island and washed the new plants away. “The latest dune planting event drew more than 150 volunteers who planted a lot across 2.7 acres of Atlantic Ocean sand dunes,” said Marta Kane, an Oyster Bay spokeswoman. “The dune grass cost the town $32,000.”
The event, centered on volunteerism, drew some families whose elders were looking to share a message with a younger generation about the importance of protecting the environment. While the outcome resulted in a wave of disappointment, for some volunteers that was coupled with a sense of renewed motivation. Maria Rizzi, 70, of Massapequa, participated in the planting session with her grandson, Andrew Lepsis, 10. She said she would go back for another event with even more family members. “I’d be willing to do it again,” she said. “I’d even talk the older grand kids into coming.”
While the storm swept the new plants away, Florio said Tobay Beach’s appearance aftermath serves as a powerful reminder of the need for more volunteer work on that stretch of sand. “Maybe it will inspire more people to volunteer and understand the need for us to protect our beaches,” Florio said.
1. What is the aim of the dune grass planting event?| A．To protect the ocean from being polluted. | B．To keep the shoreline in good shape. |
| C．To reduce extreme weather conditions. | D．To prevent people playing on the beach. |
| A．Popular but costly. | B．Traditional but complex. |
| C．Creative and economical. | D．Successful and rewarding. |
| A．Interesting. | B．Disappointed. | C．Hopeless. | D．Motivated. |
| A．Great Grass Planting | B．The Best of the Storm |
| C．Spirit Never Washed Away | D．Volunteers Making History Together |
5 . Small changes and gradual habit-building are great strategies for progressing towards large goals. They can include losing weight and increasing physical activity with the ultimate goal of keeping healthy.
Why Step and Not Jump?
If those large goals are so important, why not jump towards them instead of taking baby steps?
Small steps can lead to a good cycle of success bringing success as you establish habits, hit mini-goals, and note your progress. This increases confidence and motivation, making it easier to stay in it for a long time.
How to Take Small Steps?
Break it down. That larger goal may seem far-off and unattainable, but breaking it down into smaller goals establishes a defined path that you can travel. Instead of worrying about what you might do next year(e. g. going on a foreign trip), you can check off the list things you can do today or this week(e. g. going to the gym).
Track your progress. Track your progress to see how well you are doing and where you might improve. Your parents can help with tracking healthy eating, weight, and physical activity.
Adjust as needed. Assess your progress regularly, such as weekly or a couple of times a month.
| A．This is how you can use small steps. |
| B．Keeping a record of progress can increase motivation. |
| C．Things you can do today are good small steps to consider. |
| D．And then you can re vise your goal and path to it as needed. |
| E．Taking small steps can be the best way to hold onto the gains. |
| F．A large goal can be so challenging that it is hard to work towards it. |
| G．Here are some tips on why and how to take small steps to reach big goals. |
6 . Against huge odds, Shikuku Ooko is fighting to save the last remaining ancient forest. When he was in his early 20s, Shikuku Ooko was deeply taken with the Afro-Alpine forests of central Kenya. So much so that he decided to buy 15 acres of woods next to Mount Kenya National Park & Reserve. More than 30 years later Mr. Ooko’s home is one of the few plots still filled with native trees and plants. In contrast, much of the national park has been heavily logged.
The Mount Kenya region is remote and delicate, which makes it difficult to safeguard. Though the Kenya Forest Service has made sustainably managing all public forest plantations its second priority, the burden of conservation has fallen on the shoulders of local individuals such as Mr. Ooko.
In recent years, herders (牧民) have even built animal pens within legally protected areas. “It’s a bit of an annoying sight,” Mr. Ooko says, “when foreign visitors have to pay a high fee to enter the park but then come across huge herds of sheep and cattle in the delicate environment. The laws protecting that environment are in place, but they are insufficiently enforced because rangers (护林员) at each gate are limited.”.
When he’s at home in Naro Moru, Mr. Ooko advocates for tree planting, particularly among kids. “It’s something I grew up doing,” he explains. “When I was young, my dad would give all of us 10young trees to plant and take care of. Somehow, he knew the connections between trees and climate changes.”
It’s a practice Mr. Ooko has kept alive despite continuous challenges with climate and cattle; it is not uncommon for sheep and cattle to destroy the young trees that he and his young friends have planted. “We just keep going,” he says. “It’s something I value, and I think we should plant more.”
1. What can we know about Mr. Ooko’s woods?| A．They were purchased 20 years ago. | B．They suffer from heavy logging. |
| C．They have conserved much wildlife. | D．They have been well protected. |
| A．Because herders need to save cattle. | B．Because herders need wood for fire. |
| C．Because there are too many visitors. | D．Because there aren’t enough rangers. |
| A．He never raises sheep and cattle. | B．He was influenced by his father. |
| C．He donated his woods to the park. | D．He has made a fortune by planting. |
| A．The Challenges from Climate Changes | B．The Introduction to Mount Kenya Park |
| C．The Fight to Save Mount Kenya’s Forests | D．The Connection between People and Nature |
7 . It’s Community Day again!
The event that Map le Estate residents are eagerly looking forward to is just around the corner! As usual, the Map le Residents’ Committee has planned a programme that is designed to promote community spirit. Maple Estate has been celebrating Community Day every month for more than a year. By now, we hope all our residents understand the importance of forming strong bonds with our neighbours. If you have just moved to our lovely estate and have not had the opportunity to know your neighbours, you can do so by joining at Community Day!
August Highlight: Map le Estate Chefs Call all residents who are keen to practice your cooking skills and let your neighbours sample your cooking! You will be the stars of the upcoming event! Visit www.maplerc.sg for more information and to register for this activity. Kitchen equipment and basic ingredients will be provided. You will receive a $50 shopping voucher that you can use to purchase other ingredients from MapleMart the day before the event. Remember to register before 21 July, 2024! We are sure everyone will enjoy the delicious dishes! Time: From 10 a.m.to 6 p.m,6 Aug.,2024 Place: Maple Community Club Entry: Flash your Maple Resident Card |
“My wife and I moved to Maple Estate when we got married. For a few months, we spent all our free time after work doing up our house. Even though we knew that our neighbours were friendly and would sometimes invite us for their gatherings, we were occupied with getting things ready. However, it wasn’t long before we grew curious about the Community Day celebrations. After we started attending them regularly, we met many neighbours. The first time we invited some of them over, we played games that helped us to get to know one another better!”
—Mr. Wang, a Maple Estate resident since 2022
1. What do the Community Day events aim to do?| A．To teach how to cook meals. | B．To develop community spirit. |
| C．To meet diverse needs of neighbours. | D．To make the community cleaner. |
| A．To sign up before 21 July , 2024. | B．To provide basic ingredients. |
| C．To use your own kitchen equipment. | D．To pay a registration fee of $50. |
| A．they spent all their time at work |
| B．they weren’t invited for the gatherings |
| C．they were busy beautifying their home |
| D．they lacked information about the community |
“I wish you good health, happiness and longevity!” The allegro (快板) in the Chinese language resounded in a hall at Prince Sultan University, during a cultural event to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Abdullah Hazmi, a student who is studying the Chinese Proficiency Test(HSK) Level 2, expressed his
Faisal Islam, who
Zhang Xinying, the Chinese dean of the Confucius Institute at Prince Sultan University, said, “It is not only a Spring Festival celebration, but a grand event to bring Chinese culture into the campus, fostering deeper Sino-Saudi cultural exchanges.”
The Confucius Institute has witnessed
9 . Scientists say there has been a major drop in the population of leatherback sea turtles (乌龟) off the U.S. West Coast.
One recent study found a 5.6 percent yearly decrease in the population. Leatherbacks are massive sea turtles dating back to the time of the dinosaurs. The animals can grow up to 1.5 meters in length and weigh as much as 680 kilograms.
The leatherback sea turtles found along the U.S. Pacific Coast are actually born thousands of kilometers away, on beaches in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. The animals migrate (迁徙) 11,000 kilometers across the Pacific Ocean to mainly feed on jellyfish in waters off the U.S. West Coast. Then, they swim back.
Scott Benson is an ecologist with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. “There are birds that go farther, but they fly. There’s a whale shark that might swim a little further, but it doesn’t have to come up for air,” he said.
Scientists say that if nothing changes, the leatherbacks could completely disappear from the U.S. West Coast within 30 years. The population drops are mainly blamed on international fishing activities, the destruction (破坏) of nesting grounds and climate change.
The animals can be killed when they get trapped in fishing equipment. Scientists say the population is also harmed because a lot of turtle eggs are removed from beaches.
Researchers say that while all the world’s leatherbacks are under pressure, the group that migrates for months across the Pacific faces the greatest threats.
NOAA launched an aggressive plan to save leatherbacks in 2015 and is set to release a new action plan this month. The plan is meant to persuade governments and international organizations to join efforts to save the turtles.
1. Which word best describes the present situation of the leatherbacks?| A．Promising. | B．Worrying. | C．Complex. | D．Unstable. |
| A．Sea weed. | B．Other turtles’ eggs. | C．Little sharks. | D．Jellyfish. |
| A．The period of migration. | B．The period of fishing activities. |
| C．The period of being on a beach. | D．The period of laying eggs. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Health. | C．Nature. | D．Education. |
10 . Does forgiveness go against our human nature? To address this, we need to ask a further question: What makes us human? Simply put, people hold two contrasting views on humanity. The first centers on control and power. In an early paper on forgiveness, Droll (1984) wrote that human nature leans more towards aggression (攻击性) than forgiving allows. Those who forgive are against what they’re built for, much to their harm. He believes that forgivers are risking their own well-being as they show forgiveness to others, who might then take advantage of them.
For the second view, we see respect and love, in the sense of serving others, in the work of Lewis, Amini, and Lannon (2001). They present the scientific argument that we need both to receive love from and offer love to others. From this second viewpoint, forgiveness plays a key role in the overall health of both individuals and communities, both physically and mentally, because one of the outcomes of forgiveness, shown through scientific studies, is the reduction of hatred and the reestablishment of harmony.
Given that control and disrespect can affect a person’s psychological (心理的) and relational well-being, the first approach does not seem workable as a way to live. Given that forgiveness has been shown in numerous studies to increase well-being, it follows that the second approach seems more effective, both from the reasoning of philosophy and the supported theories from social science. Even common sense strongly suggests that the will to power over others does not make for harmonious interactions. Consider, how well has slavery (奴隶制) worked as a way of social harmony?
As an important warning, when we take a Classical Realist philosophical viewpoint, that of Aristotle, we see the difference between possibility and actuality. We are not necessarily born with the ability to forgive, but we have the chance to learn and get better at it. The actuality of forgiving, its actual application in conflict (冲突) situations, grows with certain training.
1. What is Droll’s idea about forgiveness?| A．It is a sign of weakness. |
| B．It is a part of human nature. |
| C．It is a threat to one’s well-being. |
| D．It is a natural response to aggression. |
| A．To blame the unfairness of the system. |
| B．To illustrate the harm from over control. |
| C．To stress the importance of management. |
| D．To promote the idea of harmonious interactions. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Objective. | D．Uncertain. |
| A．Born nature. | B．Social upbringing. |
| C．Learned practice. | D．Outside pressure. |
