In a small town, there lived a young elementary school student named Timmy, whose lateness had become his worst trait (特点) in his school.
Every school morning, he struggled to get out of bed, often finding himself rushing through breakfast and forgetting important things like his homework or lunchbox. Meanwhile, his classmates would glance at the empty seat beside them, exchanging knowing looks as the clock ticked pa st the start of the class. When Timmy finally arrived, he would often find himself the center of attention, and his cheeks red with embarrassment as he apologised. Deep down, Timmy felt a growing sense of discomfort and shame about his habitual lateness. His teachers and classmates were concerned about the effect of his constant lateness on his studies.
One day, Timmy’s class teacher, Mrs. Johnson, decided to solve the issue. She approached Timmy with a gentle smile, “Timmy, can we talk about something important?”
Timmy looked up and replied, a bit nervous, “Sure, Mrs. Johnson.”
She crouched (蹲下) down to his level, speaking softly but seriously and sincerely, “I’ve noticed you’ve been late for class quite often. Do you know being on time is very important?”
Timmy lowered his head and said, “Yes, but...”
Mrs. Johnson continued, “Being on time helps you not miss out on your lessons. It’s also about respect for your classmates and me. When you’re late, it can disrupt (打乱) the whole class. We all miss you when you’re not here on time.”
Timmy nodded and said, a look of understanding on his face, “I didn’t realize it was affecting everyone. I’ll try to be better, Mrs. Johnson. But I have difficulty waking up and getting out of bed. Every morning when my alarm clock sounded, I hit the snooze (小睡) button, just 10 more minutes. Then 10 minutes later, another 10 minutes. That’s why I am always late for school.”
“Don’t worry. We’re all here to help you,” Mrs. Johnson said, offering a comforting smile.
注意：1.续写词数应为 150 左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
After the talk, Mrs. Johnson, along with Timmy’s classmates, came up with a plan to help him.
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Soon Timmy’s change was obvious.
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2 . 
Zion National Park in Utah has plenty of trails, but Angels Landing may be the most breathtaking. Picture this. You begin the hike on the wide and well-maintained West Rim Trail. It follows the river and then crosses the bottom of the canyon, surrounded by 270-million-year-old layers of rock. Relaxing, right? Just wait for it. The trail then starts to climb via a series of switchbacks (急转弯) leading up the side of the mountain. Then more switchbacks: 21 tighter turns, called “Walter’s Wiggles,” where elevation levels rapidly increase. Your heartbeat is probably rapidly increasing at this point, too.
On top of Walter’s Wiggles, you can stop for a stunning view (perhaps with a marriage proposal) and a restroom stop while you contemplate (仔细考虑) the final stretch of the hike. If you’re afraid of heights, it’s best to turn back now. The last stretch is the real test of bravery.
The last half mile of the hike is what really ranks it as one of the nation’s most dangerous. Angels Landing itself is a fin-like formation jutting (突出) 1,500 feet out of the canyon, and this is where you make the final 500-foot climb. Guardrails and chains bolted (拴住) into the cliff help you keep from tumbling over the extremely steep ledge. You’re literally living on the edge, and you don’t want to trust the “angels” down there to catch you. Once you reach the top, however, it’ll all be worth it: 360-degree views of the canyon make a great backdrop for kicking back and having a meal before you come back down the way you came.
Angels Landing might be dangerous, but thankfully, not too many people have had fatal falls. According to the park website, seven people have died in the 100 years the park has existed. Still, this is a very vigorous hike. If you’re out of shape, bringing young children along, feel ill or prone to fainting, or are just plain afraid of heights, opt for an easier trail.
Angel’s Landing is a great hike for most of the year, besides the cold winter months when the trails could become dangerously slippery. Summer is the most popular time of year — and therefore the most crowded — but it can also get extremely hot, so opt for an early morning hike while the temperatures are still mild.
Sure, it’s dangerous, but there’s a reason this is one of Zion ‘s most popular hikes. If you’re up for the challenge, Angels Landing will definitely deliver rewards.
This article first appeared on Curiosity.com.
1. What geological feature surrounds the hiker during the initial part of the hike?| A．Plenty of trails in the park. | B．Mountain Peaks. |
| C．270-million-year-old layers of rock. | D．Grass Meadows. |
| A．The challenging hike with switchbacks. |
| B．The 360-degree views of the canyon. |
| C．The well-maintained West Rim Trail. |
| D．The river crossing and rock formations. |
| A．If a tourist is afraid of heights, it’s best to turn back onto Angels Landing. |
| B．Seven people have died so far due to slippery trails in winter. |
| C．Bringing young kids along to climb onto Angels Landing will be appreciated. |
| D．Taking a break with the views of the canyon as background is absolutely worth the trip. |
| A．Unveiling the Hidden Beauty: Exploring Zion National Park’s Trails |
| B．Zion’s Ultimate Thrill: The Adrenaline-Pumping Angels Landing Expedition |
| C．Chasing Heights: Angels Landing Adventure in Utah’s Zion National Park |
| D．Angels Landing: Conquering Utah’s Breathtaking and Daring Hike in Zion National Park |
3 . The UK has a rich literary heritage, with cities packed with bookshops, literary landmarks and comfortable cafes. If you love books, try one of these city breaks.
York
Earning a remarkable “bookspiration” score of 9. 4/10, York has claimed the title of the best UK city for book lovers. Having the highest number of reading spots per 100, 000 people among all cities analysed, literary lovers will find themselves spoiled for choice in this city. Home to 20 libraries and 33 highly-rated bookshops, this serves as a significant literary resource for a city of its population size.
Books inspired by York include: The Secret Garden, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre
Bath
Bath comes second, receiving a final “bookspiration” score of 8. 1/10. Beyond its plentiful quiet reading spots, more than seven libraries and 16 bookshops per 100, 000 people, the city also offers sufficient green spaces, perfect for eager readers to dive into their favourite books. It’s a dream destination for those with a preference for Jane Austen’s works. It’s also host to the annual Jane Austen Festival in September, featuring many immersive(沉浸式的)Regency-themed experiences.
Books inspired by Bath include: Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Vathek
Belfast
In third place is Belfast, scoring a respectable 7. 3/10. The Northern Irish city has 18 libraries and 55 charming bookshops to choose from. Serving as the backdrop of inspiration for CS Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, Belfast also has a bookish culture as it plays host to an annual book festival drawing in the nation’s biggest bookworms.
Books inspired by Belfast include: Eureka Street, Mystery Man, The Star Factory
Bristol
Bristol with a score of 6. 8/10 secures fourth place to be a literary lover’s paradise. Thanks to its treasure of bookshops from independent to second-hand, over 17 bookshops per 100, 000 people, the lively South West city makes an incredible destination for book-shopping.
Books inspired by Bristol include: Shadow Dance, Birdcage Walk, Keep Him Close
1. Which city is the source of the inspiration for Wuthering Heights?| A．York. | B．Bath. | C．Belfast. | D．Bristol. |
| A．Rate bookstores of the city. | B．Attend theme-based activities. |
| C．Dive into CS Lewis’s books. | D．Take a South West city tour. |
| A．The best green reading spaces. | B．The highest “bookspiration” score. |
| C．The most attractive book festival. | D．The biggest second-hand bookstore. |
4 . Coming into the town of Santa Catarina Palopó, in the highlands of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, the first thing you notice is the bright colors. Most of the buildings along the main street are eye-catching, in deep, varied hues of blues and greens; interspersed with red and yellow to form complex patterns and designs.
Santa Catarina Palopó was once a sleepy town of 5,000 people, most of them indigenous (土著的) and dependent on agricultural work. As agriculture began to dry up here, decline for the town and poverty for many of its families came. To deal with poverty and stimulate economic growth through tourism, a small but mighty group of laborers, artisans, domestic workers and stay-at-home moms created the Pintando Santa Catarina Palopó project.
The project was initially to paint all 850 homes and buildings in bright colors, in an effort to change the hillside town into a work of art. “We wanted to paint the houses with colors and figures that represent the community,” says the project’s executive director Stephany Blanco. “A range of designs were created so that families can choose designs for their house that are representative of the family.”
One of the most representative characteristics of the region is the blue huipil, a traditional blouse which has been worn prominently by local women since the 16th century. That deep sky blue was chosen as the primary color for the Pintando project, with secondary colors found in the sunsets and the nearby lake to make the design more attractive. As for the designs that would be used, they would also find inspiration in local culture, symbols such as volcanoes, flowers, Mayan-styled butterflies and the national bird of Guatemala.
Each week, local artists, community members and tourists pick up paintbrushes to make buildings colorful. “At first, the idea of the project left many unsure about participating, but now you can see a considerable difference in the town,” Melissa Whitbeck said. “The color of the buildings is believed to improve the quality of life of the people. It uplifts the people’s mood and encourages them to be proud of where they come from.”
1. What problem did Santa Catarina Palopó face?| A．A labor shortage. | B．Poor economic conditions. |
| C．A rapid increase in population. | D．Outdated agricultural technology. |
| A．Building art galleries in Guatemala. |
| B．Creating job opportunities for local artisans. |
| C．Developing local tourism by selling artworks. |
| D．Transforming the town into a cultural destination. |
| A．The nearby lake. | B．Mayan-styled butterflies. |
| C．A type of traditional clothing. | D．The national bird of Guatemala. |
| A．Positive. | B．Uncaring. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Disapproving. |
5 . Technology has blurred the boundaries between work and play, professional and personal, and career and downtime. Whether it’s a digital nomad (数字游牧民) blogging on a Bali beach or a manager checking emails on a Niseko ski lift, people are seamlessly combining work and leisure. The traditional boundary between business and personal travel is fading, giving rise to a new trend known as “bleisure travel.”
Bleisure travel extends beyond the usual practice of bringing a partner to a conference. Professionals worldwide are increasingly adding weekends or even weeks to their work trips, whether they are traveling alone, with a partner, or as a family. According to Jeanne Liu of the Global Business Travel Association, more than one in three business travelers will incorporate a leisure component into at least one of their trips this year. Contrary to expectations, this trend is not limited to entry-level employees; managers and millennials are equally likely to partake in bleisure travel.
Employers are recognizing the benefits of bleisure travel, as it contributes to travel well-being, job satisfaction, and productivity. Taking the opportunity to bring family members along or adding fun elements to a business trip reduces stress and enhances the overall experience. Australians, who face longer working hours and higher travel costs, are particularly receptive to bleisure travel. Guests at business-oriented hotels like Quest St Leonards in Sydney are increasingly opting to have their partners join them for a weekend stay or longer, rather than making quick trips back home.
Richard Tonkin, a general manager who frequently travels for work, always extends his trips to explore new destinations. He carefully researches cities and books bike tours as a way to quickly see the sights and discover places of interest. Tonkin’s wife, Enza, who works part-time, often accompanies him on these trips and explores the local area or indulges in her own activities, such as shopping or visiting galleries and restaurants.
The modern bleisure traveler is typically culturally curious and interested in local cuisine. Hotels like Quest St Leonards ensure their front office staff are knowledgeable about not only popular attractions but also hidden gems and events happening in the area. They provide guests with tailored guides that cater to their specific interests, whether it’s offbeat cafes and boutiques or trendy bars and restaurants.
The main obstacle for most business travelers considering bleisure is time. Paradoxically (自相矛盾的是), while technology enables them to work and play at the same time, it also limits their leisure time. However, as the trend continues to gain in popularity, more professionals are finding ways to strike a balance and make the most of their business trips by incorporating leisure activities.
1. Which of the following is a proper description of modern bleisure travelers?| A．They prefer to travel alone rather than with a business partner or a family member. |
| B．They tend to be curious about local culture and cuisine, and eager to explore the area. |
| C．They are more interested in attending conferences and business meetings than travelling. |
| D．They are more likely to be entry-level employees than company managers or millennials. |
| A．It is primarily embraced by employees with shorter working hours and lower travel costs. |
| B．Limited leisure time gives professionals a chance to strike a balance between work and life. |
| C．Its increasing popularity suggests that professionals prioritize personal experiences over work. |
| D．Family members coming along the bleisure travel will have to follow their partner s schedule. |
| A．They are struggling to accommodate travelers due to limited availability and high demand. |
| B．They are indifferent to the trend and do not offer any specific services for bleisure travelers. |
| C．They are discouraging bleisure travel by offering only business- oriented facilities and services. |
| D．They are training staff to know about local travelling information and offering tailored guides. |
| A．the rise of digital refugees in the workforce |
| B．the benefits of business travel for professionals |
| C．the trend of combining work and leisure travel |
| D．the challenges of balancing work and recreation |
6 . A workday filled with a string of mentally demanding tasks can leave you feeling burned out. After long hours of mentally tracking one thought after another, you're probably more likely to choose a relaxing evening of streaming TV shows than to tackle a tough task on your to-do list or to make time for a creative pursuit.
For some time, researchers have suspected that long periods of mental effort lead to a shortage of glucose (葡萄糖),a key resource that supplies the energy-hungry brain. Experiments in the early 2000s supported this concept —reporting that people experienced a reduction in blood glucose after a mentally demanding task and that consuming a sugary drink could make good sense.
But subsequent work failed to reproduce those findings. Actually, the energy cost associated with thinking can be negligible. One analysis suggests that overworked brains use much less than one-tenth of a small Tic Tac candy's worth of glucose. A team of scientists led by Antonius Wiehler of Pitie-Salpetriere University Hospital, looked at things from a different angle.
To produce mental tiredness, a group of participants were asked to perform over six hours of various tasks that involved thinking. Half were assigned easy things to do and half hard ones. During the experiment, the scientists used a technique to measure the changes of chemicals in the brain. They found that people who had taken on the harder task had higher concentrations of glutamate (谷氨酸) in the LPFC (an area involved in mental processes such as decision-making) than those who had performed the easier one.
Throughout the experiment, participants were asked to make decisions that could reveal their mental tiredness. Participants who were assigned the more challenging task were more likely to choose low-cost and little-effort options, especially towards the end of the six hours.
So, is there some way around this limitation of our brain's ability to think hard? “Not really, I'm afraid ,”said Pessiglione, Wiehler's colleague. “I would remind you that tiredness is indeed a signal indicating you need to stop working to preserve the effectiveness of brain functioning. There is good evidence that the balance of glutamate is restored after a night's sleep."
1. What did researchers find through experiments in the early 2000s?| A．Blood glucose influences the brain's performance. |
| B．Human brains use much of the body's glucose. |
| C．Humans can gain enough energy from daily diets. |
| D．Blood glucose levels fall fast with our emotional changes. |
| A．Sensitive. | B．Insignificant. | C．Immeasurable. | D．Complicated |
| A．Thinking hard consumes a lot of glutamate. |
| B．Mental tiredness leads to people's false sense of time. |
| C．Single-minded people are likely to make wise decisions. |
| D．The buildup of glutamate upsets brain functioning. |
| A．Why does thinking hard wear you out? |
| B．Why do people tend to make a to-do list? |
| C．How does your emotion affect your productivity? |
| D．How do varied leisure activities promote your sleep? |
1. Why does Dad ask the girl to go to bed?
| A．They have a holiday tomorrow. |
| B．She has to go to school tomorrow. |
| C．Her exams are coming up next week. |
| A．Math. | B．English. | C．History. |
| A．Play video games. | B．Review her textbook. | C．Go to sleep. |
8 . Visual Symbols and the Blind
From several recent studies, it has become clear that blind people can appreciate the use of outlines and perspectives to describe the arrangement of objects and other surfaces in space. But pictures are more than literal representations.
This fact was drawn to my attention dramatically when a blind woman in one of my investigations decided on her own initiative to draw a wheel as it was spinning. To show this motion, she traced a curve inside the circle(Fig. 1). I was surprised. Lines of motion, such as the one she used, are a very recent invention in the history of illustration.
When I asked several other blind study subjects to draw a spinning wheel, one particularly clever interpretation appeared repeatedly: several subjects showed the wheel’s spokes(把柄)as curved lines. When asked about these curves, they all described them as metaphorical ways of suggesting motion. Majority rule would argue that this device somehow indicated motion very well. But was it a better indicator than, say, broken or wavy lines—or any other kind of line, for that matter? The answer was not clear. So I decided to test whether various lines of motion were liable ways of showing movement or if they were merely specific marks. Moreover, I wanted to discover whether there were differences in how the blind and the sighted interpreted lines of motion.
To search out these answers, I created raised—line drawings of five different wheels, depicting spokes with lines that curved, bent, waved, dotted and extended beyond the perimeter of the wheel. I then asked eighteen blind volunteers to feel the wheels and assign one of the following motions to each wheel: shaky, spinning fast, spinning steadily, jerking or braking. My control group consisted of eighteen sighted undergraduates from the University of Toronto.
All but one of the blind subjects assigned distinctive motions to each wheel. Most guessed that the curved spokes indicated that the wheel was spinning steadily; the wavy spokes, they thought, suggested that the wheel was shaky; and the bent spokes were taken as a sign that the wheel was jerking. Subjects assumed that the spokes extending beyond the wheel’s perimeter signified that the wheel had its brakes on and that dotted spokes indicated the wheel was spinning quickly.
In addition, the favoured description for the sighted was the favoured description for the blind in every instance. What is more, the consensus among the sighted was barely higher than that among the blind. Because motion devices are unfamiliar to the blind, the task I gave them involved some problem solving. Evidently, however, the blind not only figured out meanings for each line of motion, but as a group they generally came up with the same meaning at least as frequently as did sighted subjects.
1. The author makes the point that blind people___________.| A．can draw accurately | B．may be interested in studying art |
| C．can recognise conventions such as perspective | D．can draw outlines of different objects and surfaces |
| A．drew a circle on her own initiative | B．was the first person to use lines of motion |
| C．included a symbol representing movement | D．did not understand what a wheel looked like |
| A．got better results than the sighted undergraduates |
| B．worked together well as a group in solving problems |
| C．could control the movement of wheels very accurately |
| D．had good understanding of symbols representing movement |
| A．steadily spinning | B．rapidly spinning | C．shaky | D．jerking |
9 . This morning, I was flagged down by an elderly Chinese woman speaking to me in Mandarin. She spoke no English at all. She was
I quickly downloaded a(n)
It was such a lovely encounter (相遇), despite having to
The time spent with her was really special. We chatted through the App, and I was
We said goodbye, and my heart was filled with
| A．injured | B．lost | C．abandoned | D．robbed |
| A．put aside | B．thought carefully | C．taken seriously | D．guarded against |
| A．translation | B．entertainment | C．finance | D．medicine |
| A．teach | B．grasp | C．write | D．speak |
| A．guessed | B．found | C．inquired | D．agreed |
| A．in a moment | B．without any delay | C．at no cost | D．on her own |
| A．trade | B．riddle | C．exchange | D．communicate |
| A．discover | B．assist | C．protect | D．adopt |
| A．asking | B．accounting | C．apologizing | D．paying |
| A．trouble | B．meaning | C．wonder | D．fun |
| A．predict | B．suspect | C．believe | D．ensure |
| A．terrified | B．amused | C．touched | D．astonished |
| A．direction | B．humor | C．achievement | D．belonging |
| A．hope | B．pity | C．sympathy | D．admiration |
| A．sport | B．nature | C．technology | D．society |
1. What are the highest temperatures in Northern India now?
| A．About 35℃. | B．Almost 40℃. | C．Over 45℃. |
| A．About 200. | B．About 1,000. | C．About 2,000. |
| A．Government projects will be done at night. |
| B．Bottles of water will be sold at low prices. |
| C．School days will be reduced. |
| A．Cooler. | B．All the same. | C．Hotter. |
