1 . Go Sledding (滑雪橇) around Baltimore

From steep slopes (陡坡) to gentle hills, there’s no shortage of local sledding rides in the Baltimore area. Here are a few of the favorites.

Leakin Park

1901 EAGLE DRIVE

There’s a sweet slide behind the Crimean Mansion off Eagle Drive — also known today as Friends of Orianda House — which is accessible and also one of the best-kept sledding secrets inside city lines. The Winans Meadow area is super scenic year-round, but especially so when it snows.

Baltimore Country Club

4712 CLUB ROAD

The golf course is a legendary sledding destination, but make sure to be aware that the steep slope here is nicknamed “Adventure Hill” for a reason. No small number of green hands have rolled down here. As one Reddit commenter said, “It left me hurt many a time as a kid” — words no doubt that frighten some but also attract more than a few.

Herring Run Park

3800 BELAIR ROAD

The 375-acre northeast area may be the top spot in the city for the variety of hills to choose from. Created by the Olmstead Brothers more than a century ago, the stream valley park is also home to fox and deer, which you might just spot wandering about in their winter coats. Visitors can enjoy the benefit of sufficient parking for private vehicles.

Federal Hill

300 WARREN AVE.

It’s an obvious destination, given its picturesque view overlooking the Inner Harbor, for sledding and building snowmen and snowwomen. The hills here are very steep, however. Just be careful not to rush out onto Key Highway or into the back of the American Visionary Art Museum.

1. Where is the destination with easy access to parking lot?

A．At 1901 EAGLE DRIVE.	B．At 4712 CLUB ROAD.
C．At 3800 BELAIR ROAD.	D．At 300 WARREN AVE.

2. What do Baltimore Country Club and Federal Hill have in common?

A．They enjoy beautiful scenery.	B．Sledding there is challenging.
C．Visitors can interact with animals.	D．They are perfect for building snowmen.

3. In which part of a website does the text probably come from?

A．Travel.

B．Environment.

C．Health.

D．Culture.

2 . Is nearby neighbor better than a faraway cousin? An American lady, Anna Lane, believes it’s true. Her kind neighbors once helped her out when she was in a big trouble.

Mrs. Lane was living alone in a city in Texas, US. The woman is 75 and still could do a lot of housework herself. However, she was too old to cut the grass in her garden. Then a big trouble found her. The grass in her garden grew more than 18 inches high and it broke the law in her city. As a result, she was in danger of paying lots of money!

Luckily, her neighbors, the Adams brothers, heard the news about her on TV. They decided to do something to help her. “We haven’t met her yet, but she’s 75 years old and she needs some help,” said Sam Adams, one of the boys. “That’s the least we could do.”

The Adams brothers took their machines and came to Mrs. Lane’s house to help cut the grass without telling her. Once they got started, other neighbors saw what was going on and joined them.

Together they worked hard in the sun and finished cutting all the grass in about two hours. When Mrs. Lane saw what her neighbors did for her, she was surprised and moved to tears. “I cannot believe this,” she said “They were so kind to spend two hours helping me and I didn’t even know their names.” As for the Adams brothers, they said they would always be ready to help her.

1. What can we know about Mrs. Lane?

A．She was 70 years old.	B．She could do little housework.
C．She was living with her children.	D．She could not cut her grass by herself.

2. Why was Mrs. Lane in danger of paying lots of money?

A．She broke the education law in her city.

B．The grass in her garden was more than 18 inches high.

C．The news about her on TV was made by her.

D．She didn’t pay enough money to her neighbors.

3. Who cut the grass?

A．The Adams brothers.	B．Sam Adams and Mrs. Lane.
C．The Adams brothers and Mrs. Lane.	D．The Adams brothers and other neighbors.

4. How long did it take them to finish mowing the whole lawn?

A．For about two hours.

B．For about 18 hours.

C．For about 70 hours.

D．For about 75 hours.

5. What do you think of Mrs. Lane’s neighbors?

A．Warm-hearted.

B．Cold-blooded.

C．Well-educated.

D．Bad-tempered.

3 . San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum’s Imagination area encourages creativity, language development, emotional skills, and artistic expression. Get into the rhythm with percussion instruments or become a storyteller in the Puppet Theater.

Money Sense

Explore San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum’s new Money Sense exhibit supported by PNC Foundation! Step into the world of financing and banking to introduce your little one to mathematics and finances!

Puppet Theater

The Puppet Theater is the ideal place for children to develop speaking and listening skills. Communicating with puppets gives children the confidence to express their ideas and feelings through the roles they take on. Parents let their kids take the lead and showcase their creation.

Thank you to Imagination area supporters: The Stanford Family, Price Philanthropies Foundation, The Linden Root Dickenson Foundation, KPBS, and the Jordan Ressler Charitable Fund.

Visit Us

320 North Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025

Museum Hours

Monday: CLOSED

Tuesday — Saturday: 9:30 am — 4:30 pm

Sunday: 12:30 pm — 4:30 pm

Admission

Members (and children under the age of one): Free

Children & Adults: $11.50 per person

Group Rate (10 or more people): $10.00 per person. Must book ahead.

1. What is the purpose of the Money Sense exhibit?

A．To teach history.	B．To introduce finances.
C．To improve kids’ physical health.	D．To help kids learn about animals.

2. What benefit can children get from the Puppet Theater?

A．Learning about nature.	B．Enhancing sports skills.
C．Understanding technology.	D．Developing speaking skills.

3. What is the admission fee for a group of 12 adults?

A．$100.

B．$115.

C．$120.

D．$138.

4 . Adapted from Shanghai writer Jin Yucheng’s Mao Dun Literature Prize winning novel, Fan Hua (Blossoms), the series — which primarily takes place between 1993 and 1994 — follows the jouney of Ah Bao, an ambitious everyman who takes every chance and rises to become a legendary figure in the city’s most upper-class commercial circles. Aside from emphasizing his ability to seize opportunities in the stock and foreign trade markets, the plot also follows his delicate, and romance-like relationships with three women.

The enthusiasm the drama has stirred up has led to tourists flooding to the show’s locations, such as the Fairmont Peace Hotel, which is where he rents a luxurious room to do business, and Huanghe Road, which was lined with the most high-end restaurants in the 1990s. Other examples include fans waiting in long queues outside restaurants to order a plate of fried pork chops with rice cakes, a traditional Shanghai dish that Boss Bao always orders. The drama’s popularity even extends to its soundtrack. Steal One’s Heart, a song used to set the heartbreaking atmosphere in a particular scene gains newfound popularity.

Considered by some critics as a love letter from the director to Shanghai, the city shot through the lens arouses a feeling that is both familiar and fresh. While showing landmarks like the Bund and the Oriental Pearl Tower, the drama also presents Shanghai’s cityscape in a brighter and warmer manner, as if the city has been polished by the memory of someone who loves it deeply.

Buxiang, a phrase that means “keeping silent” and which represents the concept of keeping a low profile in the Shanghai dialect, is one of the most frequently heard phrases in the drama. However, the show’s popularity has caused the phrase to become a hit, as some fans on major review sites like Douban, where the drama has received a rating of 8.5 out of 10, have commented.

1. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the book Fan Hua?

A．The novel once won Mao Dun Literature Prize.

B．Its hero Ah Bao born from a wealthy family became a legend.

C．The novel focuses on Ah Bao’s ability to catch opportunities.

D．Ah Bao’s relationships with other female characters are vividly described.

2. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?

A．Why is the drama so popular among tourists?

B．What do some critics think of the drama?

C．How do people show their love for the drama?

D．What kinds of food are mentioned in the drama?

3. Which of the following can be used to describe Shanghai presented in the drama?

A．Popular but hard to understand.

B．Familiar but somewhat different.

C．Bright but dark at heart.

D．Warm but distant in some way.

5 . Hit Chinese Variety Shows in 2023

The year 2023 saw a wide variety of TV and Internet shows in China, offering to audience not only amazing entertainment but also new insight.

The Big Band 3

Each week, bands competed in different groups, and via votes cast by the audience and six celebrity judges, five bands earned the title of the “Hot 5” by the end of the season.

Become a Farmer

The farming-themed reality show Become a Farmer took Chinese social media by storm in the first half of the year, shining a spotlight on agriculture — a crucial part of Chinese culture. The word “farming”, however, may be unfamiliar to many young urban Chinese citizens. In an effort to connect these individuals with the agricultural industry, the 50-episode variety show tackles the topic by inviting 10 young men from various fields to experience life on the farmland. It offers insights into farming practices and modern agricultural production.

Infinity and Beyond 2023

With a shocking viewership, the music cultural program Infinity and Beyond 2023 emerged as a resounding success both on TV and on the Internet in the first half of this year. Featuring a star-studded cast, the show improved cross-strait connection and covered classic and popular songs dating back to the 1970s.

Divas Hit the Road — Silk Road

This season saw some Chinese actresses and actors embark on a journey to Saudi Arabia, Croatia and Iceland. They explored the beautiful landscapes and diverse cultures of these countries and learned about the collaborative projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative. They have dipped into the local customs and traditions of the places they visited.

1. What is special about Become a Farmer?

A．It has cruel competition rules.	B．It focuses on agricultural industry.
C．It invited ordinary people as the judges.	D．It captured widespread attention online.

2. In which show can we appreciate the culture of other countries?

A．The Big Band 3.	B．Become a Farmer.
C．Infinity and Beyond 2023.	D．Divas Hit the Road — Silk Road.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．Become a Farmer got the highest mark.

B．The Big Band 3 performed pop music mostly.

C．Infinity and Beyond 2023 made a contribution to cross-strait connection.

D．Divas Hit the Road — Silk Road offered collaborative projects related to WHO.

6 . STEM Competitions for Students
NSTA ExploraVision

Are you interested in what the future holds? Consider Explora Vision’s STEM (science, technology, engineering & mathematics) competition. Working in teams of two to four, students will research a particular technology and assess the ways in which it may impact lives moving forward. Participants are required to write a paper and draw web pages communicating their vision.

Grades: 7th-9th and 10th-12th

Competition Type: Regional and national

eCyberMission

You can participate in this competition without leaving the house. eCyberMission is a web-based con test in which participants — working in teams of two to four students — use science, math and technology to solve problems facing their communities. First-place winners receive $1,000.

Grades:9th

Competition Type: Regional, state and national

TEAMS Competition

Held annually, TEAMS invites students to use their engineering talent to contribute to the community. Working in groups of two to four students, participants complete real-life engineering challenges. The competition includes multiple-choice questions, an essay and a design-build component.

Grades: 9th-12th

Competition Type: State and national

The Conrad Challenge

In this challenge, participants work in teams of two to five students to develop products or services in response to key issues facing people around the world. The Conrad Challenge empowers students to take control of their learning and apply it to real-life situations. Winners are eligible (有资格的) for scholarships, patent assistance and aid in creating companies.

Grades: 9th-12th

Competition Type: International

1. What does NSTA Explora Vision’s STEM competition focus on?

A．Engineering innovation.

B．Students’ paper writing skills.

C．New technology shaping the future.

D．Students’ ability in web page design.

2. What do the four STEM competitions have in common?

A．Winners will get a big cash prize.

B．They are all national competitions.

C．Participants are required to work in teams.

D．Participants must solve real-life problems.

3. Which competition involves foreign students?

A．NSTA ExploraVision.	B．eCvberMission.
C．TEAMS Competition.	D．The Conrad Challenge.

7 . Gorgeous Mother’s Day Gift

If you’re stuck for a Mother’s Day gift, why not try something that tugs at the heartstrings? A company that specialises in turning life stories into long-lasting books has developed a simple way to show your mother or grandmother how much they mean to you.

The company has created a full-colour book that captures all your family memories. And it’s a gift that can be enjoyed over and over again by future generations. The company sends you a set of questions by email, and these help you make a personalised book that’s unique to your parent or grandparent

This hardbound (精装的) book is a bargain compared to a private autobiography, which can cost thousands of pounds and take ages to finish.

The company was started by two siblings. After their dad died young and they saw their grandma struggle with Alzheimer’s, they wanted to find a way to save life stories before it was too late. When you buy a photo book, the company will give some money to the Alzheimer’s Society charity. They help you make the book and keep your stories safe until it’s printed.

The photo book costs £149, but you can pay £50 more to get an extra copy for your family and friends. If the person who gets the book doesn’t like it, they can get their money back in 30 days.

As a cheaper alternative, you could get an £11. 99 scrapbook from the Internet and put your own pictures in it to save money. The company also sells different kinds of photo books, like the Mini Hardback Photo Book which is now only £20. 80, down from £26.

1. What does the company create?

A．The Alzheimer’s Society charity.	B．A photo book of family memories.
C．Someone’s private oral biography.	D．A personal story unique to each people.

2. What motivated the founders of the company?

A．Their concern for their family.	B．The popularity of family stories.
C．Their grandmother’s dying wish.	D．Their desire to cure Alzheimer’s.

3. How much will you spend on two copies of the book from the company?

A．£149.

B．£160. 99.

C．£199.

D．£257. 79.

8 . Orienteering (定向越野) involves running, jogging or walking, and using a map and compass to move between places. It’s a great way to have fun outdoors with friends and family. The aim is to move between points, called controls, in a certain order in the quickest time. Events are usually held in parks, fields or forests but they can also happen in towns and cities and even school playgrounds. People can take part either as individuals or as a team.

Beginners’ events will have easier controls to find and cover less distance — perhaps a mile or two. For experienced orienteers, the length of the course could be much longer and take in hills and rough ground.

Orienteers are given a “control description sheet” to help them find each point. This sheet has details of features to look for, like paths and rivers, and a code that must match the code at each control. You will either mark your sheet at each control or check in with an electronic card.

When you start orienteering, you will learn map-reading skills. A helpful tip is to keep your thumb on the spot that shows your location on the map. Keep it the right way round: the features in front of you on the ground should be in front of you on the map.

Orienteering maps can have five or six colors. Black areas show human features, like buildings; brown shows the contour (轮廓) lines (height of the land); and blue shows water, such as lakes and rivers. White and green together show woodlands; yellow areas represent grass and open areas. On orienteering maps, a course consists of a triangle, circles, a double circle and sometimes connecting lines. The triangle is the start, the double circle is the finish, and all the circles in between are checkpoints.

As you run between points by what you hope is the quickest route, you can take in the scenery around you and have a great time choosing your path and trying to finish in a fast time.

1. What can we learn about orienteering at the beginning of the text?

A．Its route is random.	B．Its result is distance-based.
C．It groups orienteers by age.	D．It integrates various skills.

2. Which aspect of orienteering does paragraph 3 mainly focus on?

A．Tricks of saving time.	B．The use of control description sheet.
C．Methods of checking in.	D．The importance of codes.

3. Why do orienteers keep their thumb on their location on the map?

A．To track progress.	B．To mark the finish point.
C．To maintain direction.	D．To highlight checkpoints.

4. What do the colors on an orienteering map represent?

A．Geographical features.	B．Difficulty levels.
C．Routes for competition.	D．Stages of the orienteering race.

9 . The classical gardens of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China date back to the 6th century BCE when the city was founded as the capital of the Wu Kingdom. Inspired by these royal hunting gardens built by the King of the Slate of Wu, private gardens began emerging around the 4th century and finally reached the top in the 18^th century.

Today , more than 50 of these gardens are still in existence, nine of which are regarded as the finest models of Chinese “Mountain and Water” gardens. The earliest of these, the Canglang Pavilion was built in the early 11th century on the site of an earlier, destroyed garden. Designed and built under the influence of the unconstrained (不受约束的) poetic freehand style originally seen in traditional Chinese landscape paintings, they are noted for their excellent connection of skillful techniques, artistic elegance and rich cultural implications. These gardens lend insight into how ancient Chinese constructors harmonized conceptions of aestheticism (唯美主义) in a culture of reclusion (隐居) within an urban living environment.

Garden masters from each dynasty adapted various techniques to artfully model nature by skillfully adapting and using only the physical space available to them. Limited to the space within a single residence, classical Suzhou gardens are intended to be a microcosm of the natural world, incorporating basic elements such as water, stones, plants, and various types of buildings of literary and poetic significance.

These excellent gardens are a proof to the superior craftsmanship of the garden masters of the time. These unique designs that have been inspired but are not limited by concepts of nature have had great influence on the development of both Eastern and Western garden art. These garden groups of buildings, rock formations, calligraphy, furniture, and decorative artistic pieces serve us showcases of the artistic achievements of the East Yangtze Delta region; they are basically the personification of the traditional Chinese culture.

1. What aspect about the classical gardens of Suzhou does paragraph 1 tell?

A．Its history.

B．Its styles.

C．Its size.

D．Its owners.

2. The classical gardens of Suzhou were built ______.

A．in the limited space	B．with the direction of poets
C．near the mountain and water	D．with natural and cultural factors

3. What does the underlined word “microcosm” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Decoration.

B．Reflection.

C．Limitation.

D．Improvement.

4. What is the author’s opinion about the gardens of Suzhou?

A．Beautiful but unavailable.	B．Decorative but impractical.
C．Skillful and influential.	D．Laborious and space-occupying.

10 . A field trip to Pacific Science Center is a time-honored tradition for students of all ages across Washington state. Our hands-on exhibits, shows, and innovative programs ignite students’ curiosity for science in a day of exploration to enhance your curriculum and spark a lifelong interest in science, math, engineering, and technology.

In addition to General Admission, PacSci offers extra experiences to enhance your learning and support your curriculum, including:

Documentary IMAX Movies: During the school year, we offer Teacher’s Choice where teachers can book one of two open documentary slots, if your school is the first to book. Email our School Groups team for a complete list of documentaries.

Daytime Laser Show: Be dazzled by a Daytime Laser Show in our Laser Dome. Packed with 10,000 watts of concert sound, experience a one-of-a-kind show on one of the largest geocentric domes dedicated to lasers!

Planetarium Show: Enjoy a live, immersive presentation in the Willard Smith Planetarium. Blast off to the universe’s outer reaches or explore the planets in our solar system. There is always something different to experience! Seating is limited to 36 students and four chaperones（监护人）.

Pricing

Below is a pricing table for our field trip.

Add-On Experience	Ticket Type	Rate Per Person
IMAX	Field Trip Student	$4
Laser	Field Trip Student	$10
Planetarium	Field Trip Student	$6
	Field Trip Extra Chaperone	$17.95

1. What is special about Pacific Science Center?

A．It has a fascinating collection of art exhibits.

B．It provides students a chance for ancient technology.

C．It is only open to public and private schools.

D．It is a place where students can learn about science.

2. If you are interested in space exploration, which experience will you prefer?

A．Documentary IMAX Movies.	B．Daytime Laser Show.
C．Planetarium Show.	D．General Admission.

3. How much will they pay if 1 chaperone and 10 students watch an IMAX movie?

A．$40.

B．$57.95.

C．$77.95.

D．$117.95.