1 . New York Times best-selling author Susan Casey travelled globally, joining scientists and explorers on dives to the deepest places on the planet. She takes us on an interesting journey through the history of deep-sea exploration, from the legends of the ancient world to storied shipwrecks we can now reach on the bottom. Throughout this journey, she learned how important the deep is to the future of the planet, and how necessary it is that we understand and protect it. The Underworld is Susan Casey’s most beautiful and thrilling book, a wonderful show of the natural world.

Event location: The lecture and book signing (签名) will be held at the Linda Hall Library,5109 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

Event time: Thursday, January 14th,7:00 pm-8:00 pm

Book signing: Hard copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of Rainy Day Books. A book signing will immediately follow the lecture.

Admission package (admits one)

Click to order tickets through the Kauffman Center. Admission is $40.00 plus Kauffman ticket fee and includes one hardcover of the book and one admission ticket. Reserved seating.

Please note: Attendees (参与者) will receive their books as they arrive at this event. Your electronic ticket will be needed for event entry and to receive your hardcover of the book as you arrive.

Disclaimer (免责声明): All Rainy Day Books Author Event sales are final and non-refundable.

1. What is the topic of Susan Casey’s book?

A．A show of the heights of the earth.	B．Some discoveries made by explorers.
C．Some measures to protect the ocean.	D．Journey s to the depths of the ocean.

2. What kind of event is it?

A．A lecture and book signing.	B．A discussion between readers.
C．A sales meeting of a new book.	D．A party of celebrating the success.

3. What should attendees do with their electronic tickets?

A．Return them to the Kauffman Center.	B．Get a discount of the book with them.
C．Get hardcovers of the book with them.	D．Exchange them with other book lovers.

2 . I had not visited Eton for many years. When one day passing from the Fellows’ Library into the Gallery, I caught sight of the _________ of my school friend Digby Dolben hanging just without the door among our most _________ contemporaries. I was _________ arrested and as I stood gazing on it, my _________ asked me if I knew who it was. I was thinking that I must be almost the only person who would know him. Far _________ of my boyhood were crowding _________ upon me: he was standing again beside me in the eager promise of his youth.

This portrait-gallery of old Etonians is very _________: outstanding distinction of birth or excellent qualities may win you a place there. _________, how came Dolben there? It was _________ he was a poet; and yet his poems were not known. They were carefully __________ by his family and a few friends. Indeed, such of his poems as could have come to the eyes of the authorities who approved of this memorial would not __________ it. There was another __________— the portrait bears its own certification. Though you might not perhaps understand the poet in it, you can see the soul immersed in deep thought, the habit of stainless (无瑕的) life, of __________, of enthusiasm for high ideals. Such a being must have __________ remarkably among his fellows. When his early death endeared (使价值更高) his memory, loving grief would generously __________ him the glory which he had never worn.

1.

A．statue

B．character

C．portrait

D．theme

2.

A．valuable

B．distinguished

C．familiar

D．gracious

3.

A．wholly

B．partly

C．curiously

D．secretly

4.

A．peers

B．chairman

C．leader

D．companion

5.

A．judgment

B．thought

C．memories

D．behaviour

6.

A．hurriedly

B．freshly

C．anxiously

D．eagerly

7.

A．selective

B．splendid

C．handsome

D．challenging

8.

A．Yet

B．Therefore

C．Thus

D．However

9.

A．because

B．why

C．that

D．what

10.

A．observed

B．captured

C．illustrated

D．guarded

11.

A．operate

B．promote

C．justify

D．permit

12.

A．appreciation

B．reason

C．cause

D．effect

13.

A．devotion

B．ambition

C．imagination

D．symbol

14.

A．brought about

B．stood for

C．stood out

D．brought in

15.

A．interpret

B．grant

C．appoint

D．identify

3 . Ramirez Castañeda, a Colombian biologist, spends her time in the Amazon studying how snakes eat poisonous frogs without getting ill. Although her findings come in many shapes and sizes, she and her colleagues have struggled to get their biological discoveries out to the wider scientific community. With Spanish as her mother tongue, her research had to be translated into English to be published. That wasn’t always possible because of budget or time-and it means that some of her findings were never published.

“It’s not that I’m a bad scientist,” she says. “It’s just because of the language.”

Castañeda is not alone. There is plenty of research in non-English-language papers that gets lost in translation, or is never translated. A research looked through more than 400, 000 peer-reviewed papers in 16 different languages and found 1, 234 studies providing evidence on biodiversity conservation which, because they weren’t in English, may have been overlooked. These included Japanese-language findings on the effectiveness of relocating the endangered Blakiston’s fish owl, the largest owl species.

Some experts argue that for the sake of the bigger picture, scientific knowledge should converge (转换) into one common language. Science is very globalised and becoming more so, so the use of a global language is enormous for that.

Of course, scientists can work with an English partner, or use a translator-but this ultimately strengthens the cycle of dependency on the global north, leading to inequality in international influence. The specific meanings of words can also pose a problem in translation. For example, it is difficult to find in English one single word to describe forest snakes and frogs in the work Castafieda does with indigenous (土著的) communities in the Amazon.

“So we’re losing observations for science, too, ” says Castañeda. “For me, it’s not possible to just have everything translated into English. We need multilingual (多语种的) science, and we need people that feel comfortable doing science in their own languages. It could be possible to switch to a world where, say, Chinese, English and Spanish are the three languages of science, just as English, French and German were the languages of science in the 19th century.”

1. What prevented Castañeda’s discoveries from being more widely known?

A．Poor management.	B．Opposition from her colleagues.
C．Her bad reputation.	D．The language barrier.

2. What’s the consequence of the dominant focus on English in scientific research?

A．Inefficient wildlife conservation.

B．A knowledge gap in the scientific world.

C．A growing interest in non-English papers.

D．Inadequate job opportunities for translators.

3. What does the author want to illustrate by mentioning forest snakes and frogs?

A．The urgency to protect rare species.

B．The need to adopt one global language.

C．The challenges in translating scientific texts.

D．The biodiversity on the South American continent.

4. What is presented in the last paragraph of the text?

A．A potential solution.	B．A theoretical model.
C．A popular belief.	D．A global trend.

4 . Between 1901 and 2023, the Nobel Prizes and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences were awarded 621 times to 1,000 people and organizations. With some receiving the Nobel Prize more than once, this makes a total of 965 individuals and 27 organizations. Below, you can view the full list of 2023 Nobel Prizes and Nobel Prize winners.

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2023

Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier “for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses (脉冲) of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter”

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023

Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman “for their discoveries concerning DNA that enabled the development of effective vaccines (疫苗) against COVID-19”

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023

Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov “for the discovery and combination of quantum dots (量子点)”

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2023

Jon Fosse “for his innovative works which give voice to the unsayable”

The Nobel Peace Prize 2023

Narges Mohammadi “for her fight against the unfair and cruel treatment of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”

The Noble Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences 2023

Claudia Goldin “for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes”

For further information, you can click here.

1. Whose achievement directly contributes to people’s heath?

A．Pierre Agostini.

B．Katalin Karikó.

C．Alexei I. Ekimov.

D．Jon Fosse.

2. What do the last two winners have in common?

A．They make breakthroughs in scientific field.

B．They show concern for women’s condition.

C．They conduct their research in Asian countries.

D．They fight for the freedom of working women.

3. Where is the article probably taken from?

A．A science website.	B．A literary magazine.
C．A research paper.	D．A science textbook.

5 . With such a wide range of platforms and devices available to the everyday reader, the physical book, while not yet extinct, may end up going that way. Why?     1    .

With a rapid increase in digital reading platforms, reading is no longer a common problem for bookworms.     2     They’re designed to simplify the process of reading on the go. You can select a book, track your progress, and even submit reviews. With no need to carry around physical books, readers are much more likely to pick up where they left off whenever and wherever they may be.

Readers can also carry around their favourite books within an e-reader. Common examples include the Amazon Kindle, Onyx Boox, and PocketBook. These hand-held devices offer fantastic portability, readability and variety.     3     They are much smaller and lighter than physical books, making them an ideal option for those always on the go.

Social media has had a great effect on our reading habits. It governs our daily life. With physical books no longer a key form of entertainment for children, it has been replaced with digital alternatives. Social media and video games have replaced the ways in which we traditionally read and tell stories.     4    .

As is known to us all, technology has changed the ways in which we read at home as well as in the classroom.     5     Exposure to the digital potential of reading is introduced at an early age. Virtual learning platforms have also exploded in popularity in recent years. Technology in the classroom is no longer a luxury but a necessity to keep up with the modern age.

A．There are a number of apps out there.

B．Books and lessons are delivered online.

C．We are still reading but just in a different way.

D．Lots of people find it difficult to fit reading into their daily routine.

E．Some e-readers also allow users to access the Internet for various purposes.

F．There’s nothing worse than realizing you have forgotten your favourite book.

G．Here are some ways technology has transformed our reading habits in recent years.

6 . For even the most city citizens, a quick escape into nature is always a welcome breath of fresh air. Try looking for an urban garden nearby — they often hide themselves just around the corner. Click here to know more of the coolest gardens in cities around the world.

Sky Garden

As London’s highest public garden, this social space offers splendid 360-degree views of the city. With a restaurant, observation decks and beautiful plant life, there is something for everyone in this city-center escape from urban life.

The BeltLine

In a massive, 22-mile loop (环线) around the city, the BeltLine connects many Atlanta neighborhoods with parks, trails, restaurants and art shows. Although it is still under construction, the sections that are open to the public act as alternative space to enjoy the outdoors.

Jardins de Rubió i Lluch

This walled, shady garden is in the courtyard of the historic Hospital de la Santa Creu. Decorated with lilac and mandarin trees — and string lights in the evenings — this small garden square is the perfect place to sip a coffee away from Barcelona’s crowded atmosphere.

Dumbarton Oaks

The garden at this historic estate in Georgetown was listed as one of the 10 best gardens in the world by National Geographic in 2014. It has both a formal, carefully manicured (修剪整齐的) garden as well as a naturalistic garden — allowing visitors the ability to choose what they want to see.

1. Where is the passage taken from?

A．A magazine.

B．A website.

C．A newspaper.

D．A book.

2. Which garden best suits people who enjoy overlooking the city?

A．Sky Garden.	B．The BeltLine.
C．Jardins de Rubió i Lluch.	D．Dumbarton Oaks.

3. What do the four gardens have in common?

A．They are all mixtures of entertainment and art.

B．They are all mixtures of urban and rural gardens.

C．They are all good places for people to get close to nature.

D．They are all quiet places for people to enjoy a relaxed dinner.

7 . 阅读下面材料, 在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Exciting action, excellent organization and touching stories of athletes made the just finished 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou a huge success,     1     will benefit the host city and growth of Chinese para sports.

The whole world was     2     (amaze) by the high standards of the event as well as the improvement in the living conditions of people with     3     (disable) with the help of para sports in China. They     4     (live) better lives now thanks to para sports.

The Hangzhou Asian Para Games attracted over 3, 000 athletes from 44 countries, making it the     5     (large) one in the history of the Asian Para Games.

Organizing such     6     big event that went off smoothly     7     losing quality was not easy at all. The organizers will ensure the future use of all the facilities,     8     will keep building more so that more disabled people can enjoy sports.

At the Games, Team China won 521 medals,     9     (include) 214 gold medals. It’s said that it is the most successful Asian Para Games that     10     (hold) so far.

8 . Whenever I order food for delivery, I play a little game to guess how many sets of tableware(餐具)the restaurant will provide with my meal. Sometimes restaurants will throw in two, three or four sets for just one order. But I rarely need any tableware at all, and the waste goes into the trash or collects dust in a kitchen drawer.

Researchers working with Chinese technology group Alibaba tried a simple approach to this problem. Instead of just wastefully doling out tableware, the company required food-delivery customers in some cities in China to pick how many sets of tableware they wanted to receive.The default (默认设置)was set at zero. The result, published today in the journal Science, was a 638% increase in the share of no-tableware orders. If applied across China, researchers found, the approach would save nearly 22 billion sets of plastic tableware. The study doesn’t cover carbon emissions, but it’s safe to say that the impact would be significant. It struck me as a useful reminder of the many low-hanging fruits across the economy that can cut waste, and emissions.

Nudging its customers cost Alibaba nothing more than a few hours of software engineering time and the impact it brought was immense. The concept of nudging comes from the field of behavioral economics known as nudge theory. It suggests that a slight action can encourage good human behavior without the need for policies that limit choice or economic punishment that raises the cost of bad behavior. To nudge customers to eat better, for example, a restaurant might organize its menu by listing healthy options first and bury unhealthy ones at the bottom. More recently, some big companies like Google have also begun to use nudges to advance climate objectives.

Behavioral economics broadly, and nudges more specifically, aren’t without controversy. Some might think it assigns consumers responsibility for addressing environmental challenges. But there is another way to look at it. In the absence of necessary policy—and policy is needed一companies can help encourage a widespread shift of consumer behavior.

And all of that behavioral change can add up. The International Energy Agency found in 2021 that small behavioral changes in energy consumption such as walking instead of driving and adjusting the thermostat could in total shave off 4% of global emissions. The more that companies can do to facilitate such changes, the better.

1. What did Alibaba do with tableware waste?

A．It stopped restaurants from handing out tableware.

B．It withdrew unused tableware from customers.

C．It updated the food -delivery device regularly.

D．It allowed picking tableware at customers’ demand.

2. What do the underlined words “low-hanging fruits” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Easily accessible things.	B．Fast increasing orders.
C．Exceptionally tough choices.	D．Widely accepted strategies.

3. What can we learn about nudge theory from paragraph 3?

A．It brings about economic loss.

B．It results from consumption policies.

C．It indicates small action changes behaviour.

D．It implies bad behaviour impacts economy.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Nudge theory affects behaviors.

B．Good behaviors boost economy.

C．Nudging helps build a greener world.

D．Behavioral economics benefits customers.

9 . It was a regular school day, and the air was filled with the usual sounds of chatter and laughter as students prepared for their lessons. Little did I know that this day would soon take a ________ turn, making it an unforgettable day.

As the bell rang, signaling the beginning of our English class, we entered the classroom, completely ________ of the coming danger. The teacher began the lesson, and we were really ________ our literature lesson when, out of nowhere, a loud fire alarm ________ everything.

Panic spread as we understood how ________ it was. Smoke filled the hallway, and a sharp burning smell hung in the air. The neat classroom turned into a mess as everyone ________ to the door, trying to get away from the coming danger.

In all the chaos, I noticed my ________ Sarah looking obviously scared by her desk. I quickly ________ she needed help. Without hesitation, I rushed over, took her shaky hand, and told everyone to stay calm. We went through the thickening smoke together, and each ________ felt like a really long time.

As we reached the door, it felt hotter, and we knew we had to hurry. With hearts ________, we hurried into the playground where teachers and students were making sure everyone stayed sate.

Outside, we took a moment to catch our breath, ________ by the loud sounds of approaching fire trucks. Seeing parts of the building on fire, a sense of ________ washed over us, knowing that we had made it out unharmed.

After everything happened, I couldn’t help but reflect on the events of that day. ________ it taught me it’s important to stay calm when things get ________ and how helping others during hard times matters. It was a day when ordinary students became unlikely heroes, bound together by the shared ________ to overcome the unexpected challenges.

1.

A．classic

B．dramatic

C．powerful

D．graceful

2.

A．independent

B．tolerant

C．fluent

D．unaware

3.

A．into

B．onto

C．behind

D．against

4.

A．destroyed

B．interrupted

C．buried

D．sheltered

5.

A．formal

B．unique

C．severe

D．awkward

6.

A．hurried

B．delivered

C．jogged

D．hesitated

7.

A．sister

B．mother

C．classmate

D．teammate

8.

A．protested

B．reminded

C．stressed

D．realized

9.

A．flight

B．step

C．wave

D．foot

10.

A．racing

B．debating

C．suffering

D．begging

11.

A．greeted

B．conducted

C．surrounded

D．attracted

12.

A．stress

B．sadness

C．confidence

D．relief

13.

A．Breaking through

B．Going through

C．Making out

D．Working out

14.

A．tough

B．plain

C．various

D．specific

15.

A．contribution

B．ambition

C．determination

D．addiction

10 . 根据短文内容和所给中文提示，在空白处写出单词的正确形式(每空一词)。

With the    1    (发展) of economy, people are    2    (遭受) more and more     3    (自然的) disasters. Due to the strongest typhoon called “Dussuri”, there was a heavy rain in many areas and it caused great losses,    4    (尤其) in the north China. The roads were    5    (覆盖) with water and thousands of houses were     6     (破坏). In case of disasters, we are supposed to keep    7    (镇静的) and try to escape in time.

The bad weather may have something to do with the worsening of environment. People may think that big things must be done to protect the environment. Many forget protecting it begins with small things. For example, it’s a good idea to use reusable bags instead of     8    (塑料的) bags. You can also save electricity by turning off lights before leaving a room. Never use    9    (木制的) chopsticks when you buy takeaway food. All these small things can add up and make a big     10    (差异).