1 . Robotics/Artificial Intelligence (AI) Competitions for High School Students
Robotics and AI competitions are a great way for high schoolers to dive into modern technologies. Here are four of them.
MATE ROV Competition
Location: Houston, Texas
Awards: VR headsets
Competition Date: March to June
MATE ROV Competition challenges students to design and build remotely operated vehicles, and its purpose is to see who can design a vehicle that will help monitor ocean health, provide clean energy, or just help keep our oceans healthy for the future.
RoboRave
Location: Lorrach, Germany
Awards: Small cash prizes
Competition Date: November
RoboRave is a robotics competition that welcomes participants to compete in various challenges like firefighting. The competition’s unique aspect lies in its international reach, bringing together enthusiasts from around the world to celebrate robotics education and hands-on learning.
Agorize AI Challenge
Location: Virtual for initial phases, then in Paris, France for the final award ceremony
Awards: A trip to the destination of your choice, iPad, Apple TV
Competition Date: September
In this project, you can work in teams of 2-5 people to present an idea for how we can use AI-technologies to impact a specific field, like marketing, healthcare, etc. You’ll send in your initial application in a 3-5 slides presentation, and if your team makes it pass this phase, you’ll have the opportunity to include more information about your product features.
OpenCV AI Competition
Location: Online
Awards: Certificates, cash, free courses
Competition Date: December
In your project, you can either work individually or in teams of three using computer vision technologies. OpenCV AI Competition suggests project ideas related to robotics, agriculture or education, but you’re not limited to these areas.
1. Which of the following mainly welcomes the entries for oceanic conditions?| A．RoboRave. | B．MATE ROV Competition. |
| C．Agorize AI Challenge. | D．OpenCV AI Competition. |
| A．It is held every month. | B．It offers online training. |
| C．It is a global competition. | D．It promises a national tour. |
| A．They allow teamwork. | B．They provide free courses. |
| C．They fund their winners. | D．They need presentations at first. |
2 . If you are crazy about paintings, you shouldn’t miss the following four famous masterpieces which have stood the test of time.
The Arnolfini Portrait
Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, an oil painting on wood produced in 1434, in which a man and a woman hold hands with a window behind him and a bed behind her, is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces in the National Gallery, London. This painting is as visually interesting as it is famed. It is also an informative document in fifteenth-century society, through Van Eyck’s heavy use of symbolism—while husbands went out to engage in business, wives concerned themselves with domestic duties.
The Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh painted The Starry Night, oil on canvas, a moderately abstract landscape painting of an expressive night sky over a small hillside village, during his 12-month stay at the mental hospital near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France between 1889 and 1890. When the Museum of Modern Art in New York City purchased the painting from a private collector in 1941, it was not well known, but it has since become one of Van Gogh’s most famous works.
The Harvesters
The Harvesters is an oil painting on wood completed by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in 1565. It depicts the harvest time which most commonly occurs within the months of August and September. Nicolaes Jonghelinck, a merchant banker and art collector from Antwerp, commissioned this painting. The painting has been at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City since 1919.
Guernica
Guernica, a large black-and-white oil painting, was painted by the Cubist Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso in 1937. The title “Guernica” refers to the city that was bombed by Nazi planes during the Spanish Civil War. The painting depicts the horrors of war and as a result, has come to be an anti-war symbol and a reminder of the tragedies of war. Today, the painting is housed at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofaí in Madrid.
1. Which of the following paintings was produced earliest?| A．The Arnolfini Portrait. | B．The Starry Night. |
| C．The Harvesters. | D．Guernica. |
| A．It was painted on wood in oil. |
| B．It wasn’t widely recognized before 1940s. |
| C．It described the painter’s life in hospital. |
| D．It was given away to the museum by a private collector. |
| A．Pieter Bruegel the Elder. | B．Vincent van Gogh. |
| C．Jan van Eyck. | D．Pablo Picasso. |
3 . The National Library of China (NLC) consists of NLC Ancient Books Library, NLC South Area and NLC North Area.
• The NLC Ancient Books Library provides research services based on general ancient books, rare books in foreign languages, chronicles and genealogies, and temporary thematic exhibition services.
• The NLC South Area provides professional services based on documents in foreign languages as well as special collections in Chinese and foreign languages, and display services of the National Museum of Classic Books.
• The NLC North Area provides services for the public, mainly including loan service and reading service of Chinese documents, electronic resources, audio-visual resources and children’s services.
Rules and Regulations
* By presenting NLC reader’s card, readers aged 13 and above can enter the open-stack reading area of the NLC and readers aged 16 and above can enter the closed-stack reading area.
* Children aged 15 and below can enter the NLC Children’s Library. Children before school age entering the Children’s Library shall be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adults (one adult for one child) can enter the NLC Children’s Library with valid certificates.
* Personal books, periodicals and newspapers are not allowed in the Library. Bags and other articles can be stored in the lockers for free. Please eat and drink in the designated areas, and do not bring tood, colored or sugary drinks into the reading area.
Opening Hours:
♦ Ancient Books Library: Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00—17:00
♦ South Area: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00—17:00
♦ North Area: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00—17:00
♦ Children’s Library: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00—17:00
1. People can go to ________ to enjoy thematic exhibitions.| A．the NLC North Area | B．the NLC Ancient Books Library |
| C．the NLC South Area | D．the NLC Museum of Classic Books |
| A．Children must be accompanied by an adult. |
| B．Readers with bottled water can’t be admitted. |
| C．Readers should show their cards or certificates. |
| D．Primary pupils can enter the closed-stack reading area. |
| A．At 11:00 a. m. on Monday. | B．At 9:00 p. m. on Sunday. |
| C．At 8:00 p. m. on Saturday. | D．At 10:00 a. m. on Thursday. |
4 . If you have been wanting to learn Spanish, or perhaps you once took a Spanish course in college and want to improve your skills, but are too busy to take more lessons, you might have thought about using an app.
Pimsleur
The Pimsleur app offers an audio-based method for learning foreign languages. Its program includes core lessons, role-play speaking challenges, practice activities and games, as well as cultural and historical facts. The Pimsleur system states that you’ll learn the language in just 30 minutes a day without boring grammar lessons or mindless repetition.
Babbel
Babbel is a popular app that is based on conversational skills. Its program is based on real-life conversations about useful topics, and it uses speech recognition technology to help you improve your pronunciation. The app provides you with grammar tips and lots of review activities, and it also tracks your learning progress so that you can see how you are improving.
Duolingo
Its program is made to be game-like to make it fun. It claims to adapt to your own learning style so that you can have lessons that can meet your specific needs. It also offers rewards to keep you motivated (有积极性的). Duolingo includes reading, writing, speaking, listening and conversation practice. People enjoy this method because they feel like they are playing a game instead of working.
Beelinguapp
It is a clean, user-friendly app that focuses on learning a language by reading. It places Spanish and another language side by side using different stories, so you can build awareness of how the language works and listen to a native speaker read your favorite stories. You can choose different text genres (类型) and create flashcards to keep track of everything you learn.
1. What do Pimsleur and Duolingo have in common?| A．They both focus on grammar learning. |
| B．They both use relaxing ways to interest users. |
| C．They both reward users for their learning progress. |
| D．They both provide one-on-one instruction for beginners. |
| A．Developing their interest in science. |
| B．Making friends with native speakers. |
| C．Getting better grades in Spanish exams. |
| D．Mastering expressions in daily communication. |
| A．Beelinguapp. | B．Pimsleur. | C．Duolingo. | D．Babbel. |
5 . Kangaroo Kids
Fall Jump Rope Workshop
Invited: All skill levels, kids ages 6 and up
Skills Taught: Single / Long Rope, Speed, and Double Dutch (交互花式跳绳)
Learn new skills with nationally recognized jumpers!
Jumpers must be willing to learn and have fun!
Saturday, November 9, 9:00-16:00
North Laurel Community Center
9411 Whiskey Bottom Rd • Laurel, MD 20723
Participant Fee: $55 by 10/21 ($65 after 10/21)Judge’s Clinic Fee: $25 by 10/21 ($35 after 10/21)
How to Register (register by 10/30)
Use our online registration system for all event registrations, T-shirt orders; and lunch orders. Please register and pay at http://registration. kanagrookids.org/FallWorkshop. First-time users will create a user account to register for the Fall Workshop as a participant. Please create only one user account per household. All members of a family will be part of one account.
NOTE: PLEASE REGISTER AS EARLYAS POSSILE, ASPACE IS LIMITED.
T-shirt OrderWorkshop T-shirts: $18, order by 10/18. Shirt Size (please circle during order): YS/ YM /YL/AS/ AM /AL
Jump ropes, T-shirts, shorts, tennis shoes, and water bottles will be available for sale at the event on November 9. There will be instructors helping adjust the length of your jump ropes.
Lunch OrderSubway lunch (sandwich or salad, fruit drinks and cookies): $8, order by 10/30.
Workshop Hours: 9:00-12:00 and 1:30-4:00
Lunch: 12:00-1:30
1. What is the early bird participant fee?| A．$25. | B．$35. | C．$55. | D．$65. |
| A．Bring their own lunch. | B．Create one registration account. |
| C．Register for the same instructor. | D．Adjust the length of their jump ropes in advance. |
| A．10/18. | B．10/21. | C．10/30. | D．11/9. |
6 . With graduation time around the comer, it’s a bitter-sweet moment for everyone involved.
Leaving school with style
It was inevitable that I would leave my school in London where I had spent most of my time. That day, we wore something a bit different from our usual suits and uniform and we all sat down and watched a high-light video of the last two years, including inspirational messages from our teachers and some funny photos. Two weeks later, we attended our school prom (毕业舞会), where we could dance and say a final goodbye to our teachers and friends.
Coming out strong
The graduation ceremony is one of the most memorable parts of school life in Kazakhstan. At the official farewell, teachers and parents expressed their wishes for our future and cracked some jokes about the graduates. Then students danced “the last waltz at school”. One or two days later, the graduating students went to the after-party event, involving fresh air, camping and having cozy chats by campfire. There is a tendency not to spend money on after-parties. Instead, many choose to give it to charities.
Filled with traditions
There are many traditions in the graduation ceremony in the United States. On the graduation ceremony day, four hundred of us sat on the football field and listened to speeches before we got to “walk”—went up for our diplomas and shook hands with the principal. We were dressed in formal clothing, went out for dinners and then danced the night away. There was usually an after-party at some-one’s house.
1. What are we least likely to wear in graduation ceremony in London?| A．Hanfu. | B．Costume. | C．Uniform. | D．Unusual clothes. |
| A．Spend lots of money. | B．Communicate with others. |
| C．Sleep in the restaurant. | D．Donate money to the school. |
| A．Graduates will have some parties after the ceremony. |
| B．Graduates will watch a video together in the ceremony. |
| C．Graduates’ teachers and parents will express their wishes in the ceremony. |
| D．Graduates and their friends and family will walk together after the ceremony. |
7 . DISCOVER WEEDON ISLAND’S ANCIENT PAST
If you are interested in archaeology, experience hands-on archaeology at Weedon Island Preserve, one of Florida’s exceptional archaeological sites. AWIARE offers one-week camp focused on archaeology for kids entering Grade 1 and 5. Students will learn about the basic archaeology through hands-on, interactive classroom projects, outdoor activities, and a visit to an archaeological site in the Tampa Bay area.
Day 1-2 Followed by engaging icebreaker activities and team-building exercises, participants will attend the speeches delivered by the world-known archaeologists. Dr. Robert Austin and Dr. John Arthur will respectively give speeches about the site and local history of the Tampa Bay area. The days will conclude with basic training on excavation techniques and tools, setting the groundwork for hands-on involvement in the archaeological exploration ahead.
Day 3-4 Participants will explore local historic sites long-covered by plants and learn how archaeologists survey sites using direct measurements, digital cameras, careful notes, and hand-held GPS units. This trip will also provide an opportunity to learn more about the environment in which these sites were created.
Day 5-7 Participants will be involved in assisting AWIARE researchers in excavation, recording data, screening sediment, and collecting artifacts, bone, and samples. What’s more, You will also help sorting and processing artifacts from the excavation and other sites in the Tampa Bay area.
Date: August 10-16, 2024
Time: 9: 00 am-5: 00 pm
Expedition cost: $300 per participant, which includes daily lunch at the AWIARE Research Station. Return campers receive a 20% discount.
Registration is now open for the Hands-On Archaeology Camps.
1. Who can be the target audience for the camp?| A．Students in primary school. | B．Kids interested in UK history. |
| C．Tourists interested in Weedon Island. | D．Undergraduates majoring in archaeology. |
| A．Help improve the site’s environment. | B．Help reconstruct ancient objects. |
| C．Assist professional excavations. | D．Explore vegetation-covered local historic sites. |
| A．$240 | B．$480. | C．$600. | D．$720. |
8 . The Best Places for Camping Near Portland
Lost Lake
With 148 campsites, Lost Lake has plenty of room for everyone who wants to go camping near Portland. In addition to a place to park up for the night, the park also has numerous trails to explore, a public boat launch and a fishing dock(码头). But there are no electrical connections available.
Price: Tent sites range from $29- $32 depending on their location.
The Vintages Trailer Resort
Located in the heart of the Willamette Valley, camping in a vintage trailer can be a lot of fun, offering a unique lodging experience. It is a pretty luxurious experience, with terrycloth robes, pour-over coffee, and breathtaking views of the neighboring vineyards. There are plenty things to do in the surrounding valley, but primarily it is one of the nation’s top wine-producing regions.
Price: Each trailer varies.
Beaver Campground
Located in between huge old maple trees and sycamores(悬铃木), Beaver Campground makes a great place to stay. The surrounding forest is a great place to explore, and as the campgrounds are small, with only 24 campsites, you will really feel as though you are in the middle of nowhere.
Price: Between $20- $100 a night.
Oxbow Regional Park
One of the most picturesque places to go camping, the perfect place for swimming, rafting, fishing and much more, the park offers 74 drive-up campsites, each of which comes with a picnic table, fire pit, and cooking grill, and there are also 12 RV sites.
Price: $22 a night
1. What can you do in the Lost Lake?| A．Swim in the lake. | B．Use your rice cooker. |
| C．Take part in water activities. | D．Explore the surrounding forest. |
| A．Lost Lake. | B．Beaver Campground. |
| C．The Vintages Trailer Resort. | D．Oxbow Regional Park. |
| A．Beaver Campground charges the most. |
| B．Price ranges from place to place. |
| C．All places carry out the same pricing policy. |
| D．Oxbow Regional Park enjoys the lowest price. |
9 . Animal volunteering abroad is the perfect opportunity for animal lovers who want to do something good while traveling. Here are several programs.
Leatherback Turtle Ambassador
Our main mission is to protect endangered sea turtles such as the leatherback sea turtle and the green sea turtle. By working with locals and environmental education programs, we will be able to educate people on the importance of protecting the valuable sea ecosystem.
Location: Limon, Costa Rica
Requirements: Age: 18-50; Language skill: basic English
Fee: 266€ per week
Wildlife Shelter Carer
Every year, hundreds of thousands of native animals are injured or become sick, often because of interaction with people or pets. Our wildlife shelters have rescued sick, injured native wildlife and loved them back to health to be returned to the natural environment. Since we receive no funding from governments, the shelters rely on the donations of volunteers and the public.
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Requirements: Age: 18-50; Language skill: fluent English
Fee: 706€ per week
Thai Elephant Sanctuary
Our program helps domesticated elephants rescued from a life of working on the streets or logging and provides care to rescued elephant population. The program has won numerous awards for its ethical contribution to the assistance of Thai Elephants. The team have rescued dozens of elephants and given them shelters in beautiful, open spaces.
Location: Phetchaburi province, Thailand
Requirements: Age: 18-50; Language skill: fluent English
Fee: 647€ per week
Force-free Horse Sanctuary Assistant
Are you passionate about horses and eager to make a positive impact on horse welfare? Join our incredible Force-Free Horse Sanctuary Program, where you’ll become part of a devoted team caring for our beautiful horses. Through positive reinforcement and force-free horsemanship skills, you’ll help improve the lives of these magnificent animals.
Location: Atajate, Spain
Requirements: Age: 14-50; Language skill: basic English or basic Spanish
Fee: 392€ per week
1. Which program costs least per week?| A．Leatherback Turtle Ambassador. | B．Wildlife Shelter Carer. |
| C．Thai Elephant Sanctuary. | D．Force-free Horse Sanctuary Assistant. |
| A．Advocate protecting sea animals. |
| B．Attend to animals in poor condition. |
| C．Adopt endangered animals as your pets. |
| D．Acquire complicated horsemanship skills. |
| A．Limon, Costa Rica. | B．New South Wales, Australia. |
| C．Phetchaburi province, Thailand. | D．Atajate, Spain. |
10 . There is no better way to explore the Great Wall in China than by hiking or walking along it. Here we recommend three most popular hiking routes for you. Take your time and feel the history coming to life.
Route 1: Jinshanling-Simatai (West)
This route is also called Jinshanling Great Wall hiking. It is definitely the best hiking route if you want to see the original Great Wall. It includes some ruined sections as well as some breathtaking scenery with the Wall snaking along the mountain ridges into the distance.
Distance from Beijing: 1.5 hours by road Wall conditions: half ruined
Time needed: about 3 hours on the Wall Length: 5 kilometers
Difficulty:＊＊＊＊
Route 2: Mutianyu-Simatai
Mutianyu is the best fully restored section of the Great Wall with convenient access from Beijing. Simatai is the most spectacular wild section of the Wall but this route is the most visitor-friendly. An overnight stay in a hotel at Gubei Water Town will allow you to have a relaxing tour of the Simatai Great Wall section.
Distance from Beijing: 5 hours by road Wall conditions: totally ruined
Time needed: two days Length: 10 kilometers
Difficulty: ＊＊＊
Route 3: Jiankou-Mutianyu (Wild Hike)
The experience will be extraordinary. When you reach the mountain ridges, you have conquered the most challenging Great Wall section. What's more, there are no crowds around you-it's just you, the mountains, the ruined wall, your guide, and the history behind these ancient ruins.
Distance from Beijing: 2. 5 hours by road Wall conditions: partly ruined
Time needed: about 4 hours on the Wall Length: 7 kilometers
Difficulty: ＊＊＊＊＊
If you love a hiking trip with pleasant surprises and no disappointments, just pick one from the above routes.
1. What elements are included in the above three routes?| A．Equipment and scenery. | B．Length and ticket prices. |
| C．Distance and time needed. | D．Time and weather conditions. |
| A．It includes a night’s stay to relax. | B．It covers the most original section. |
| C．It offers a full view of the Great Wall. | D．It provides best sites for taking photos. |
| A．A novel. | B．A brochure. | C．A course plan. | D．A book review. |
