A.Last year. | B.Five years ago. | C.Six years ago. |
2 . The teenage years are a transformative period marked by great physical, psychological, and emotional changes.
Understanding and managing social emotions can help develop teenagers’ identities. Teenagers experience a wide range of emotions from social interactions, which significantly influences their self-understanding and social awareness. In the process, they learn to understand, and appropriately respond to both their own emotions and those of others.
In academic settings, social emotional competencies like self-regulation, motivation, and social awareness directly impact a teenager’s ability to learn, participate, and engage in school activities.
Learning social emotions involves a combination of personal experience, guidance, and formal education.
A.What exactly are social emotions? |
B.The journey into mature emotion is quite easy. |
C.Social emotion learning for teenagers is essential. |
D.Central to this phase is the concept of social emotions. |
E.This helps shape their own personal principles and beliefs. |
F.Families play a crucial role in modeling and developing these skills. |
G.Moreover, social emotional skills are closely linked to mental health. |
3 . Pickleball, which combines elements of badminton, Ping-Pang, and tennis, has two characteristics that make it a good choice for older adults. It’s slower than other racket (球拍) sports, and it’s easier to learn.
With a play area about a quarter the size of a tennis court and a plastic ball that doesn’t bounce as high or as fast as a tennis ball, you don’t have to run as much or as quickly. The bats are lighter and shorter than tennis rackets, making them easier to swing and control. There are fewer rules than tennis.
Plus, pickleball is more social than many types of exercise and it’s fun. In one study, participants rated pickleball 150 percent higher for enjoyment than walking. “People are finding it’s not boring,” says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer at the American Council on Exercise, who has played pickleball for more than 20 years. “It’s not something they’re doing just because they should, but because they enjoy it and want to do it.”
Pickleball is an effective workout, and like walking, you can adjust the intensity to your preferences. A friendly doubles match can qualify as proper exercise. A competitive singles match is likely to be tighter.
And pickleball offers plenty of health pluses. After six weeks of playing an hour of pickleball three times a week, older adults improved their cardiorespiratory (心肺的) fitness and blood pressure, according to a study published in 2018 in the International Journal of Research in Exercise Physiology. Another study found that the activity may keep you mentally sharp. “You’re making a lot of quick decisions while engaged in a physical task,” says study author David Bolton, PhD, assistant professor at Utah State University in Logan. “It is effectively training cognitive (认知的) ability.”
But it is not without risks of getting injured. Don’t just hit the court and go right into having a game. A warm-up is the best defense against injury, so take at least 5 minutes to prepare your body.
1. What is one of the reasons for the popularity of pickleball among older adults?A.Its slow pace. | B.Its great intensity. |
C.Its complex rules. | D.Its cheap equipment. |
A.It is demanding. | B.It is enjoyable. |
C.It is beneficial. | D.It is practical. |
A.Making quick decisions. |
B.Training cognitive ability. |
C.Brain activity during physical exercise. |
D.The proper frequency to play pickleball. |
A.Pre-workout preparations. | B.The rules of this exercise. |
C.Comments on this game. | D.Disadvantages of pickleball. |
4 . Four best day trips from Amsterdam: the ultimate travel guide
Zaanse Schans: a picture-perfect town of windmills
A trip to the Netherlands would be incomplete without seeing windmills-and there’s no better way to see them than in the historical town of Zaanse Schans. This quaint village gives visitors an accurate impression of Dutch living in the 17th and 18th centuries. From cheese and dairy factories to traditional windmills and historical museums, you’ll live, breathe, and experience the old Zaan style of living. Classic!
Travel time by car: 21 minutes
Transport fees: €4 for adults, €1.5 for children
Marken: a former island in the Zuiderzee
Residents of the town built wooden houses on artificial hills to prevent more flooding damage. To this day, these picturesque homes remain a popular cultural attraction. On your walk, you can visit the cosy town harbour or enjoy the scenic route of fields, forests, and the lakeshore.
Travel time by car: 27minutes
Transport fees: €4.5 for adults, €1.5 for children
Dordrecht: a historic trading port
Dordrecht is the oldest city in Holland (we mean the old province of Holland and not the so-called “country”!). There are plenty of cultural spots, including seven churches and several historical monuments-turned-museums.
Travel time by car; l hour and 5 minutes
Transport fees: €9.5 for adults, €2 for children (2-6 years old)
Schiedam; home to the world’s tallest windmill
While there are windmills all around the Netherlands,Schiedam has the tallest traditional windmills of all, standing at 26.6 metres. Schiedam is also known for being the Netherlands’ gin (杜松子酒) capital, with the city producing the most jenever (also known as Dutch gin) in the country. There are multiple bars museums where you can check out the production process.
Travel time by car: 55 minutes
Transport fees: €9 for adults, €3 for children
1. How much should a couple pay for a trip at least?A.€3. | B.€8. | C.€9. | D.€9.5. |
A.Zaanse Schans. | B.Marken. |
C.Schiedam. | D.Dordrecht. |
A.They’re both islands. |
B.They both produce Dutch gin. |
C.They’re both featured in windmills. |
D.They’re famous for wooden houses, |
5 . Thanksgiving is a time of year when we get together with our families and celebrate peace over a giant feast including roast turkey and pumpkin pie.
There are many reasons why the pumpkin pie is made for Thanksgiving, one of which is related to the season. In the USA, Thanksgiving sits at the beginning of the fall season, and this is celebrated over a feast made up of seasonal food. Pumpkins are harvested in North America and Canada during the fall; therefore, being a seasonal crop, it is in richness at this time.
In 1621 some of the earliest American settlers came across pumpkins for the first time and were new to eating it. Early recipes (食谱) describe ways of cooking pumpkins, which would have included hollowing out (挖空) a pumpkin and filling it with milk and honey. They would have then roasted this on a fire. It became a tradition for the Native Americans to bring the pumpkins to the settlers as gifts, and they showed them how to cook and prepare pumpkins.
Pumpkin pie recipes began to appear in English-written American cookbooks in 1670. Some recipes included adding apples for added flavor (味道). Most recipes have continued to follow the basis of using pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, salt, butter, and so on.
The biggest pumpkin pie in the world was made on September 25, 2010, at the New Bremen Pumpkin Fest in Ohio. To make this large pie, 2,796 eggs, 525 pounds of sugar, and 1,212 pounds of canned pumpkin were used. After baking, the total weight of the pie was 3,699 pounds.
The pumpkin pie was a creation made with the help and guidance of Native Americans and is an important part of celebrating Thanksgiving.
1. Why are pumpkins used to celebrate Thanksgiving according to Paragraph 2?A.Pumpkins are in season in autumn. |
B.People relate pumpkins to being rich. |
C.People in North America love eating pumpkins. |
D.Pumpkins stand for people’s wish for a happy life. |
A.The celebrations on Thanksgiving. | B.The history of early American settlers. |
C.The early recipes for making pumpkin pie. | D.The origin of cooking pumpkin on Thanksgiving. |
A.To show the pumpkin pie was extremely big. |
B.To describe the good taste of the pumpkin pie. |
C.To stress the difficulty in gathering pumpkins. |
D.To explain the process of making the pumpkin pie. |
A.Growing Crops for Thanksgiving | B.Eating Pumpkin Pie at Thanksgiving |
C.The Biggest Pumpkin Pie in the World | D.Traditions of Celebrating Thanksgiving |
6 . The Grammys celebrate the best in music; but behind every songwriter, performer, and producer that makes it to that stage are music teachers and educators who inspired them from a very young age. That’s why the Grammy Awards also hands out a Special Music Award, which recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to music education.
This year, the award went to Annie Ray, the performing arts department chair and orchestra (管弦乐队) director at Annandale High School in Fairfax County, Virginia—a community with many poor people. With the creation of the Crescendo Orchestra, she works to make music accessible to all students, particularly those with disabilities. Additionally, she created a parent orchestra, in which 200 caregivers learn to play the same instrument as their child every year.
Ray took home both a $ 10, 000 prize and a matching prize for her school’s music program. In an interview following the Merit Award ceremony, Ray credited her pupils for this award. “This is the students’ award,” she said. “I’m just lucky enough to have been a part of their journey and their process and to have been taught by them.”
Now, Ray will use the prize money to buy instruments—something the school has struggled to do. She also plans to create an ongoing scholarship for students who want to become musicians and music educators when they graduate.
For Ray, the moment appears to come full circle, since it was a music teacher who first changed her life at age 5. “The reason I am here is because a teacher changed my life and made me want to be a music educator,” she said. “The work is hard, but it is truly rewarding, and there’s nothing else like it.”
1. Who is the Special Music Award intended for?A.Songwriters. | B.Music teachers. | C.Music performers. | D.Music producers. |
A.To let parents learn about music. |
B.To provide students with access to music. |
C.To make more money to support the community. |
D.To enable disabled students to become musicians. |
A.She helped her students a lot. | B.Her students appreciated her teaching. |
C.Her students had a great talent for music. | D.She won the award thanks to her students. |
A.Creative. | B.Easy. | C.Worthwhile. | D.Boring. |
7 . As Spring Break kicks off across the city, it’s an opportunity for families to explore the museums Houston offers.
Asia Society
Travel to Asia this spring break, without leaving Houston and without a passport. A center-wide treasure hunt helps guests learn about the arts and cultures of China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. Those who complete the hunt earn a prize! Admission (入场费) is $ 15 for ages 13 and up, $ 9 for ages 7 to 12.
Holocaust Museum
The museum has special Spring Break hours, including being open on Monday, which other museums don’t offer. Visitors can experience the museum’s four permanent (长期的) galleries and the featured exhibition (展览) The Kinsey African American Art&History Collection, celebrating the achievements and contributions of Black Americans from 1595 to the present day. Admission is $ 22 for adults and free for children and students aged 18 and under.
Houston Zoo
Check out the new dinosaur exhibition at the zoo, where kids and adults can discover what these giant, prehistoric animals were like, take in keeper talks to learn what it’s like to look after the zoo’s animals, and explore the ongoing exhibits that bring wildlife up close. Admission starts at $ 34.70 for adults and children above 12 years old, $27.70 for kids 3 to 12.
Museum of Fine Arts
Join museum educators and artists to explore art-making activities inspired by Multiplicity: Blackness in Contem porary American Collage and experiment with new materials, tools, and processes to create your own works of art. Daily gallery activities, coloring sheets, colored pencils, and knowledgeable educators help families discover and explore art. The museum is closed on Monday. Admission is $ 24 for adults and $ 20 for kids 13 to 18.
1. What happens to visitors experiencing Asian cultures?A.They go hunting after the visit. | B.They leave Houston and head for Asia. |
C.They are given a prize for finding treasures. | D.They don’t need passports when going abroad. |
A.Only kids are allowed in. | B.It offers hands-on activities. |
C.It holds keeper talks every day. | D.Visitors can visit it on Mondays. |
A.Asia Society. | B.Holocaust Museum. | C.Houston Zoo. | D.Museum of Fine Arts. |
8 . Four Festivals From Around The World
It seems every country has its inviting events on the annual calendar. Here we’ve boiled down the options to add to your bucket list.
Boryeong Mud Festival, Republic of KoreaThe extensive beneficial qualities of the mud in Boryeong coastal region have prompted wellness-related lines, as well as an entire coastal festival. The festival celebrates the natural benefits of this precious resource with a dose of pops, beach fun and street food, drawing visitors from around the world to get messy and learn about the region’s resources.
Rock Oyster Festival, EnglandRock Oyster Festival is a summer event on the Cornish coast. With musical performances from the huge names, the three day festival also showcases some of the best chefs and restaurants from around Cornwall as well as cooking demonstrations. Big shots in the food world like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Olia Hercules and Andi Oliver share their stories, while over at Mussel Beach, there’s a celebration of live fire cooking in all its glory.
Copenhagen Photo Festival, DenmarkCopenhagen Photo Festival showcases s international contemporary photography in a stunning, dramatic setting at the water’s edge. The Festival Centre and exhibition park are located in an urban coastal wilderness, formerly an industrial shipyard site. With the theme “Entanglement” for the 2024 edition of the festival, it encourages people to think relations on all the ways we are co-dependently connected.
Noosa Festival of Surfing, AustraliaNoosa is an iconic surf spot on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Big waves crash on to the sunny and expansive beaches, backed by bars, cafes and the Noosa National Park. The annual festival is a homage to global surf culture and talent. Exhibitions, art shows and live music punctuate the moments between the actions on the water, while lighthearted activities such as dog surfing competitions accompany the more serious contests.
1. Which festival is most likely to appeal to people who are health-conscious?A.Boryeong Mud Festival. | B.Rock Oyster Festival. |
C.Copenhagen Photo Festival. | D.Noosa Festival of Surfing. |
A.Take part in a cooking contest. | B.Meet masters in food industry. |
C.Visit an industrial shipyard site. | D.Make alive fire cooking freely. |
A.Free food is available. | B.Celebrities are invited there, |
C.They provide live music shows. | D.They take place in coastal areas. |
9 . The teacher asked, “Is everybody ready?” I
I had taken it as a (n)
The teacher said, “Hands on home keys. Eyes on books. Ready, type!” Suddenly, the room was alive with 30 electric typewriters’ keys
Now years later, I’m a novelist. I’m so happy that I took that class and learned how to type. It has helped me write countless
A.certainly | B.slightly | C.willingly | D.hardly |
A.library | B.class | C.service | D.organization |
A.psychological | B.legal | C.advertising | D.optional |
A.Otherwise | B.Meanwhile | C.However | D.Therefore |
A.edge | B.purpose | C.time | D.track |
A.equal | B.senior | C.crucial | D.resistant |
A.straightly | B.similarly | C.precisely | D.mindlessly |
A.passed | B.fixed | C.taken | D.struck |
A.keep up | B.turn up | C.back down | D.come down |
A.admit | B.make | C.express | D.analyse |
A.decision | B.profession | C.shelter | D.grade |
A.enjoyed | B.suggested | C.avoided | D.regretted |
A.plays | B.stories | C.sayings | D.poems |
A.document | B.case | C.computer | D.room |
A.exchange | B.sympathize | C.compare | D.fight |
10 . Here is something you need to know before your trip to Grenada.
When to Go
With an average annual temperature of around 25°C, the year in Grenada is divided into two seasons. The dry season is from January to May, and the rainy season is from June to December. The weather is hotter from June to November and cooler from December to March. Hurricanes occur during the rainy season.
What You Need
●A valid passport book and evidence of return/onward travel arrangements are required to enter Grenada.
●A valid passport means it doesn’t expire within 6 months after your return date.
What You Can Do in Grenada
There are so many fun and amazing things to do in Grenada. If you love beaches, you can find your joy in the Grand Anse Beach and the Levera Beach. And for nature lovers, Mount Qua Qua, Royal Mount Carmel Waterfalls and La Sagesse Nature Center are places you are sure to visit. You can’t miss Fort George and Fort Frederick built long ago, which have been standing for centuries. What’s more, if you like eating chocolate a lot, you can also come here in May to be part of the Grenada Chocolate Festival.
Safety & Security
Grenada is very safe but it’s always sensible to exercise caution regardless of where you’re traveling. Exercise these precautions while in Grenada.
●Stay in well-lit and populated areas after dark.
●Don’t leave money, credit cards, cameras and other electronic devices unattended, especially on the beaches or in vehicles.
●Most hotels provide a safe in the room. Lock important things, like your jewellery and passport in it.
1. In which month can you go to Grenada if you want to avoid hurricanes?A.In December. | B.In November. | C.In June. | D.In March. |
A.Fort Frederick. | B.Grand Anse Beach. |
C.La Sagesse Nature Center. | D.Royal Mount Carmel Waterfalls. |
A.Leave your passport on the bus. | B.Avoid using cameras in the hotels. |
C.Keep your valuables in a hotel safe. | D.Stay in less crowded outdoor areas at night. |