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 . Getting older means greater maturity and wisdom.
Music has a great power to cause strong emotions and intense pleasure.
Finally, music contributes to keeping our thinking skills sharp. It makes our brains work hard in unique ways to understand the rhythm and melody.
In conclusion, music is a powerful tool to fight against aging-related emotional and cognitive problems. It is an enjoyable and social activity, available to anyone regardless of their background or previous musical experience.
| A．Music can also open forgotten doors to our memories. |
| B．Recalling happy memories can lift our mood on a bad day. |
| C．Even passive music listening can help elderly adults think better. |
| D．This helps people feel better when they are depressed or anxious. |
| E．However, it often involves a series of physical and mental challenges. |
| F．The ability to form new memories is essential for processing information. |
| G．Thus, this accessible intervention should become a major policy priority for healthy aging. |
In our weekly staff meeting, our editor Ashley was not pleased with the quality of our reporting. “Our readership is way down. We need better stories for this Thursday’s school newspaper. Does anybody have any ideas?” she said.
I handed her my article about our basketball team beating Deerfield High School the previous night by one point. “Sports stories are fun,” she said, “but not good enough for the front page. We need something to really get people ‘s attention.”
After our meeting, we left the newsroom together and heard someone screaming, “Perry is missing!” Perry was a big red parrot and had been our school mascot (吉祥物) for ten years. He played an important role in students’ lives, both in and out of class. He had also been a constant presence at school events, inspiring a sense of unity among students.
Everyone gathered around Perry’s empty cage, heartbroken. Suddenly, a student from the crowd came over and showed me a photo. “You’re a reporter for the school paper, right? I happened to take this yesterday,” he said. In the photo was a Deerfield High School basketball player with something large hidden under his shirt around the size of a parrot.
“He must have stolen Perry to get back at us for winning the game!” Ashley cried. We hurried back to the newsroom, agreeing to run the photo on the front page with the headline “Deerfeld Stole Perry.” “This is just the story we need. Everyone will read it,” Ashley said confidently.
After she left, I took a closer look at the photo. The clock in the background read 4:15 pm, but our game against Deerfield hadn’t started until 4:30 pm. Why would the boy have taken Perry before we even played? An uneasy feeling came over me that we might have falsely accused someone.
I went to Perry’s usual caretaker to ask if he knew Perry was missing. ”He’s not missing. He’s retired. He’s ready for some quieter days,“ he said. Learning the truth, I immediately told Ashley and suggested writing a story to say goodbye to Perry.
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。
To my surprise, Ashley insisted on reporting the “Deerfield Stole Perry” story.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On Thursday, the paper came out with the headline “Bye-Bye, Perry” on the front page.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Mom, I’m ready to go,” called Jason.
Every Saturday, Jason looked forward to going to Chinatown to shop for food because his mom let him pick his favorite snacks: roast pork buns and bubble tea.
The streets in Chinatown were crowded with cars and pedestrians. His mother could not find the same exotic vegetables in the local supermarkets, so they always came here to shop. What fascinated Jason was tasty roast pork, even the whole pigs hanging on big hooks in the windows, their skins roasted to a glistening brown. Jason’s mouth would water just looking at them.
As they passed the newsstand carrying Chinese newspapers and magazines, Jason spotted an old man sitting on the sidewalk. His hair was long, white, and messy. The face beneath was lined, dirty, and unshaven. Frayed and torn clothing wrapped around his thin frame, and in this kind of cold weather, he even wore sandals, his feet blue with cold. He banged an empty can against the sidewalk. As Jason walked by, he could smell a musty odor and pinched his nostrils together. The old man reached out and touched Jason’s left leg. Instinctively, Jason gathered all his strength to jerk(猛拉) his leg away and kick the old man’s hand heavily. Frightened, he hurried to catch up with his mother without looking back.
“Mom, the old man touched me,” he cried, “He touched me with his dirty hands. It’s disgusting! And he smelled too.”
Jason’s mother glanced back at the man with a look of understanding and said gently, “Jason, he can’t help it. He’s homeless. He didn’t mean any harm.”
Mom’s words made Jason look back at the old man with regret, who now was looking up at other passersby, still banging his can.
On their way home, Jason asked, his voice filled with concern. “Why is that old man homeless? Where does he sleep?”
“I don’t know. It’s tough to be homeless, especially in this cold weather. He did look quite weak,” his mother replied.
Mom’s words made Jason’s regret deepened. He confessed his heavy kick to his mother, who reminded him that it was crucial to acknowledge his mistake and try to make up for it.
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。
The next day, with his mother’s help, Jason decided to do something.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hearing this, the old man looked at them with watery eyes.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . The invention of rubber surgical gloves is celebrating its 135th anniversary in 2024!
Believe it or not, this little tool
Hospital procedures
Whenever I see gloves anywhere, I couldn’t help but think of this
| A．seen | B．made | C．tested | D．confirmed |
| A．sympathy | B．love | C．curiosity | D．thankfulness |
| A．Instead | B．Besides | C．Indeed | D．Otherwise |
| A．allow | B．cause | C．promise | D．require |
| A．developed | B．discovered | C．controlled | D．cured |
| A．succeed | B．graduate | C．resign | D．retire |
| A．achievement | B．courage | C．legs | D．hands |
| A．happened to | B．occurred to | C．answered for | D．waited for |
| A．check | B．clean | C．count | D．fashion |
| A．Original | B．New | C．Extra | D．Regular |
| A．response | B．attitude | C．sensitivity | D．addition |
| A．usually | B．actually | C．carefully | D．nearly |
| A．said | B．known | C．reported | D．announced |
| A．belief | B．identity | C．purpose | D．quality |
| A．story | B．record | C．work | D．memory |
6 . Researchers have identified a growing threat to astronomy from the sunlight reflecting off communication devices in space. One such device, a communication satellite called BlueWalker 3, is currently one of the brightest objects visible from Earth, matching the brightness of Procyon and Achemar, two of the brightest stars in the night sky.
“BlueWalker 3 is visible in both dark sky and urban skies, though in urban settings this will be limited to when BlueWalker 3 passes overhead,” said Dr. Jeremy Tregloan-Reed, a co-author of the study at the University of Atacama in Chile. “Large constellations (星座) of bright artificial satellites in low Earth orbit pose significant challenges to ground-based astronomy,” the study’s authors wrote.
Tregloan-Reed said a large reflective brightness means that when a satellite crosses the detector of a telescope, it leaves a mark that can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove. This could lead to loss of data from the affected pixels (像素). But he said space-based astronomy also faced challenges from such satellites, noting that observations by the Hubble telescope had increasingly been affected by marks from Starlink satellites. Besides, the team notes the radio frequencies used by BlueWalker 3 are close to those used for radio astronomy, raising the possibility that such satellites could cause interference.
While BlueWalker 3 was folded when it was launched last year, once in space it opened up to reveal a huge surface area that reflected sunlight. Tregloan-Reed added that even if all the reflective brightness of all satellites was reduced to below the level visible by the naked eye, “the sky background glow will increase due to the accumulative effect of having hundreds of thousands of satellites from various operators from many countries in low Earth orbit. It is disastrous!”
BlueWalker 3, built by AST Space Mobile, is just the first one to be launched. The company is planning a constellation of satellites nicknamed BlueBirds, consisting of over 100 similar satellites and aimed to provide satellite network service for the whole world. You can imagine how bright the night sky will be at that time!
1. What can we know about BlueWalker 3?| A．It threatens the sunlight. | B．It was invented by Dr. Jeremy. |
| C．It is brighter than Procyon and Achernar. | D．It is visible in urban skies when passing overhead. |
| A．earth orbit | B．space observation |
| C．radio frequency | D．satellite communication |
| A．It has potential drawbacks. | B．It is bound to be accomplished. |
| C．It is irreplaceable for astronomy. | D．It provides network service for the world. |
| A．BlueWalker 3—A Bright and Dark “Star” | B．BlueWalker 3—The Most Valuable Satellite |
| C．The Night Sky—Glowing with BlueWalker 3 | D．The Night Sky—Heavily Polluted by BlueWalker 3 |
7 . In the 7th grade, I was a naughty boy. Ms. Dinos pulled me aside for a fateful chat. What she had to say was simple—I was a follower with the potential of a leader, and what I needed was some new friends and some time to grow up. She suggested to my mother that I repeat the 7th grade. After a pout (噘嘴), a plea and a prayer, I made a deal, “give me the summer and I’ll show you!”
That summer, I made it my business to do just that. By the following school year, I was awarded a medal that valued my efforts. Two of those three friends she warned me of eventually became alcoholics—one an ex-con (前科犯), the other a woman-beater. Ms. Dinos saved my life.
Twenty years later, Ms. Dinos and I were reunited on the internet. However, she didn’t remember the event at all. Right then it hit me. That event that meant so much to me was just a singular moment in her well-lived life. And I learnt that Ms. Dinos had since become a famous garden designer, for she had a gift for planting seeds.
It was only months after reuniting with Ms. Dinos that an old student of my own popped up online. She informed me of the moment that I inspired her. According to her, I once shared a drawing of mine with the class. That student was so moved by the drawing that she wanted to learn to do the same. That picture ignited in her a passion that she later turned into a career. My own little seed was planted and now has grown.
Now understanding what I do about the power of planting seeds, I take every opportunity: share what I can with as many young people as possible. I offer bits of wisdom or words of encouragement, but sometimes just a smile—it goes a long way. I know that one day, when they’re ready for it, that seed I planted will he there, ready to grow.
1. How did the author respond to Ms Dino’ suggestion?| A．He ignored the advice. | B．He accepted it willingly. |
| C．He begged for another chance. | D．He decided to change schools. |
| A．Ms. Dinos could recall the event vividly | B．Ms. Dinos had become a famous leather |
| C．the author had the same feeling as Ms. Dinos | D．the author was surprised by Ms. Dinos’ reaction |
| A．Invited. | B．Unfolded. | C．Sparked. | D．Displayed. |
| A．Seeds need planting. | B．We are all gardeners. |
| C．Pictures perform miracles. | D．Ms. Dinos predicts the future. |
8 . 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. |
9 . Whenever you pick up an apple and prepare to eat it, you may notice a small sticker attached to the fruit with a row of four or five numbers on it.That string of numbers is something called a Price Look-Up (PLU) code.
From the code, you can also know what specific variety of a particular fruit or vegetable you’re going to enjoy — whether it’s a Honeycrisp apple or a Shamouti orange. And it may tell you the size of the fruit or vegetable.
A volunteer committee developed PLUs in 1988. One important reason why PLUs were invented was to enable supermarkets to tell the difference between conventionally grown fruits and vegetables and higher-priced organic food. As organic produce was being introduced then, cashiers often wrongly sold it at the conventional price.
| A．The function is fairly simple. |
| B．PLU codes have a long history. |
| C．You probably think organic food is healthier. |
| D．The appearance of PLUs helped solve this problem. |
| E．Besides, it shows where the fruit or vegetable comes from. |
| F．The future of fruit and vegetable stickers is still uncertain. |
| G．You can use the PLU search app to know what a particular one means. |
10 . Hardit Singh is a high school student from Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute in Waterloo, Ontario. His science project, called Speculor, won second place in the 32nd European Union Contest for Young Scientists.
Hardit said he thought about people who struggle to get eye care after his friend couldn’t get it for a long time. “If this can happen in a richer and more developed area like Waterloo, what could the conditions be like in other poorer areas?”
In Canada, most people have to pay for their own eye care, although some provinces cover some of the costs. That means either paying a monthly fee for an insurance (保险) plan or taking money out of your own bank account whenever you need something like an eye appointment and a pair of glasses. “Our primary healthcare system doesn’t incorporate eye care right now, so it becomes expensive,” said Hardit. “This is a problem that should be solved.”
Hardit’s project is an imager named Speculor, which is an electronic device (设备) that eye experts use to record and examine images of eyes. Speculor uses artificial intelligence (AI) — through a smartphone — to determine which patients require further screening. It’s portable (便携的), which means a doctor can take the device to the patient so the patient doesn’t have to travel. It costs about $300, which is far less than other medical devices, which can cost up to $5,000.
A lot of exploration went into developing the project, said Hardit, so he used the Latin word “speculor”, which is a verb that means to watch, examine and explore, when naming the device. He said Speculor summed up the point of his project, not to mention the entire spirit of science. Hardit won € 5,000 in prize money from the competition. He said he planned to save some of it for university. “I have become a lot more interested in physics, so I think that’s what my next goal is for the future,” Hardit said.
1. Why did Hardit Singh have the idea of inventing such a device?| A．His friend’s experience inspired him. |
| B．He was influenced by an important contest. |
| C．His struggle to get eye care caused him much trouble. |
| D．He felt worried about children’s conditions in poor areas. |
| A．Improve. | B．Analyze. | C．Research. | D．Include. |
| A．He is rich but mean. | B．He is creative and caring. |
| C．He is strict and responsible. | D．He is talented but unfortunate. |
| A．A high school student invents an eye care device |
| B．The device Speculor attracts more and more attention |
| C．The medical conditions in Canada have improved greatly |
| D．A new project provides surprising results |
