1 . Do you ever get to the train station and realize you forgot to bring something to read? Yes, we all have our phones, but many of us still like to go old school and read something printed.

Well, there’s a kiosk (小亭) for that. In the San Francisco Bay Area, at least.

“You enter the fare gates (检票口) and you’ll see a kiosk that is lit up and it tells you can get a one-minute, a three-minute, or a five-minute story,” says Alicia Trost, the chief communications officer for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit — known as BART. “You choose which length you want and it gives you a receipt-like short story.”

It’s that simple. Riders have printed nearly 20,000 short stories and poems since the program was launched last March. Some are classic short stories, and some are new original works.

Trost also wants to introduce local writers to local riders. “We wanted to do something where we do a call to artists in the Bay Area to submit stories for a contest,” Trost says. “And as of right now, we’ve received about 120 submissions. The winning stories would go into our kiosk and then you would be a published artist.”

Ridership on transit (交通) systems across the country has been down the past half century, so could short stories save transit?

Trost thinks so.

“At the end of the day all transit agencies right now are doing everything they can to improve the rider experience. So I absolutely think we will get more riders just because of short stories,” she says.

And you’ll never be without something to read.

1. Why did BART start the kiosk program?

A．To promote the local culture.	B．To discourage phone use.
C．To meet passengers’ needs.	D．To reduce its running costs.

2. How are the stories categorized in the kiosk?

A．By popularity.	B．By length.
C．By theme.	D．By language.

3. What has Trost been doing recently?

A．Organizing a story contest.	B．Doing a survey of customers.
C．Choosing a print publisher.	D．Conducting interviews with artists.

4. What is Trost’s opinion about BART’s future?

A．It will close down.	B．Its profits will decline.
C．It will expand nationwide.	D．Its ridership will increase.

2 . In the race to document the species on Earth before they go extinct, researchers and citizen scientists have collected billions of records. Today, most records of biodiversity are often in the form of photos, videos, and other digital records. Though they are useful for detecting shifts in the number and variety of species in an area, a new Stanford study has found that this type of record is not perfect.

“With the rise of technology it is easy for people to make observations of different species with the aid of a mobile application,” said Barnabas Daru, who is lead author of the study and assistant professor of biology in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. “These observations now outnumber the primary data that comes from physical specimens (标本), and since we are increasingly using observational data to investigate how species are responding to global change, I wanted to know: Are they usable?”

Using a global dataset of 1.9 billion records of plants, insects, birds, and animals, Daru and his team tested how well these data represent actual global biodiversity patterns.

“We were particularly interested in exploring the aspects of sampling that tend to bias (使有偏差) data, like the greater likelihood of a citizen scientist to take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it,” said Daru.

Their study revealed that the large number of observation-only records did not lead to better global coverage. Moreover, these data are biased and favor certain regions, time periods, and species. This makes sense because the people who get observational biodiversity data on mobile devices are often citizen scientists recording their encounters with species in areas nearby. These data are also biased toward certain species with attractive or eye-catching features.

What can we do with the imperfect datasets of biodiversity?

“Quite a lot,” Daru explained. “Biodiversity apps can use our study results to inform users of oversampled areas and lead them to places — and even species — that are not well-sampled. To improve the quality of observational data, biodiversity apps can also encourage users to have an expert confirm the identification of their uploaded image.”

1. What do we know about the records of species collected now?

A．They are becoming outdated.	B．They are mostly in electronic form.
C．They are limited in number.	D．They are used for public exhibition.

2. What does Daru’s study focus on?

A．Threatened species.	B．Physical specimens.
C．Observational data.	D．Mobile applications.

3. What has led to the biases according to the study?

A．Mistakes in data analysis.	B．Poor quality of uploaded pictures.
C．Improper way of sampling.	D．Unreliable data collection devices.

4. What is Daru’s suggestion for biodiversity apps?

A．Review data from certain areas.	B．Hire experts to check the records.
C．Confirm the identity of the users.	D．Give guidance to citizen scientists.

3 . “I am not crazy,” says Dr. William Farber, shortly after performing acupuncture (针灸) on a rabbit. “I am ahead of my time.” If he seems a little defensive, it might be because even some of his coworkers occasionally laugh at his unusual methods. But Farber is certain he’ll have the last laugh. He’s one of a small but growing number of American veterinarians (兽医) now practicing “holistic” medicine-combining traditional Western treatments with acupuncture, chiropractic (按摩疗法) and herbal medicine.

Farber, a graduate of Colorado State University, started out as a more conventional veterinarian. He became interested in alternative treatments 20 years ago when he suffered from terrible back pain. He tried muscle-relaxing drugs but found little relief. Then he tried acupuncture, an ancient Chinese practice, and was amazed that he improved after two or three treatments. What worked on a veterinarian seemed likely to work on his patients. So, after studying the techniques for a couple of years, he began offering them to pets.

Leigh Tindale’s dog Charlie had a serious heart condition. After Charlie had a heart attack, Tindale says, she was prepared to put him to sleep, but Farber’s treatments eased her dog’s suffering so much that she was able to keep him alive for an additional five months. And Priscilla Dewing reports that her horse, Nappy, “moves more easily and rides more comfortably” after a chiropractic adjustment.

Farber is certain that the holistic approach will grow more popular with time, and if the past is any indication, he may be right: Since 1982, membership in the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has grown from 30 to over 700. “Sometimes it surprises me that it works so well,” he says. “I will do anything to help an animal. That’s my job.”

1. What do some of Farber’s coworkers think of him?

A．He’s odd.

B．He’s strict.

C．He’s brave.

D．He’s rude.

2. Why did Farber decide to try acupuncture on pets?

A．He was trained in it at university.	B．He was inspired by another veterinarian.
C．He benefited from it as a patient.	D．He wanted to save money for pet owners.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．Steps of a chiropractic treatment.	B．The complexity of veterinarians’ work.
C．Examples of rare animal diseases.	D．The effectiveness of holistic medicine.

4. Why does the author mention the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association?

A．To prove Farber’s point.	B．To emphasize its importance.
C．To praise veterinarians.	D．To advocate animal protection.

4 . HABITAT RESTORATION TEAM

Help restore and protect Marin's natural areas from the Marin Headlands to Bolinas Ridge. We'll explore beautiful park sites while conducting invasive (侵入的) plant removal, winter planting, and seed collection. Habitat Restoration Team volunteers play a vital role in restoring sensitive resources and protecting endangered species across the ridges and valleys.

GROUPS

Groups of five or more require special arrangements and must be confirmed in advance. Please review the List of Available Projects and fill out the Group Project Request Form.

AGE, SKILLS, WHAT TO BRING

Volunteers aged 10 and over are welcome. Read our Youth Policy Guidelines for youth under the age of 15.

Bring your completed Volunteer Agreement Form. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have the parent/guardian approval section signed.

We'll be working rain or shine. Wear clothes that can get dirty. Bring layers for changing weather and a raincoat if necessary.

Bring a personal water bottle, sunscreen, and lunch.

No experience necessary. Training and tools will be provided. Fulfills (满足) community service requirements.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Time	Meeting Location
Sunday, Jan. 15   10:00 am — 1:00 pm	Battery Alexander Trailhead
Sunday, Jan. 22   10:00 am — 2:30 pm	Stinson Beach Parking Lot
Sunday, Jan. 29   9:30 am — 2:30 pm	Coyote Ridge Trailhead

1. What is the aim of the Habitat Restoration Team?

A．To discover mineral resources.	B．To develop new wildlife parks.
C．To protect the local ecosystem.	D．To conduct biological research.

2. What is the lower age limit for joining the Habitat Restoration Team?

A．5.

B．10.

C．15.

D．18.

3. What are the volunteers expected to do?

A．Bring their own tools.	B．Work even in bad weather.
C．Wear a team uniform.	D．Do at least three projects.

5 . Is comprehension the same whether a person reads a text onscreen or on paper? And are listening to and viewing content as effective as reading the written word when covering the same material? The answers to both questions are often “no”. The reasons relate to a variety of factors, including reduced concentration, an entertainment mindset (心态) and a tendency to multitask while consuming digital content.

When reading texts of several hundred words or more, learning is generally more successful when it’s on paper than onscreen. A large amount of research confirms this finding. The benefits of print reading particularly shine through when experimenters move from posing simple tasks — like identifying the main idea in a reading passage — to ones that require mental abstraction — such as drawing inferences from a text.

The differences between print and digital reading results are partly related to paper’s physical properties. With paper, there is a literal laying on of hands, along with the visual geography of distinct pages. People often link their memory of what they’ve read to how far into the book it was or where it was on the page.

But equally important is the mental aspect. Reading researchers have proposed a theory called “shallowing hypothesis (假说)”. According to this theory, people approach digital texts with a mindset suited to social media, which are often not so serious, and devote less mental effort than when they are reading print.

Audio (音频) and video can feel more engaging than text, and so university teachers increasingly turn to these technologies — say, assigning an online talk instead of an article by the same person. However, psychologists have demonstrated that when adults read news stories, they remember more of the content than if they listen to or view identical pieces.

Digital texts, audio and video all have educational roles, especially when providing resources not available in print. However, for maximizing learning where mental focus and reflection are called for, educators shouldn’t assume all media are the same, even when they contain identical words.

1. What does the underlined phrase “shine through” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Seem unlikely to last.	B．Seem hard to explain.
C．Become ready to use.	D．Become easy to notice.

2. What does the shallowing hypothesis assume?

A．Readers treat digital texts lightly.	B．Digital texts are simpler to understand.
C．People select digital texts randomly.	D．Digital texts are suitable for social media.

3. Why are audio and video increasingly used by university teachers?

A．They can hold students' attention.	B．They are more convenient to prepare.
C．They help develop advanced skills.	D．They are more informative than text.

4. What does the author imply in the last paragraph?

A．Students should apply multiple learning techniques.

B．Teachers should produce their own teaching material.

C．Print texts cannot be entirely replaced in education.

D．Education outside the classroom cannot be ignored.

6 . “A fish out of water.” “A bike without a chain.” There are many metaphors for culture shock, all of which attempt to describe the unique experience of being far from one’s home country and culture.

Scientists have studied culture shock for over a century. Rather than focus on the purely negative aspects, psychologists describe it as a process of stress and adjustment. The first stage is the honeymoon phase, when we are filled with excitement about being in another country. Eventually, as daily challenges arise, we enter a state of crisis and anxiety, harboring unfriendly feelings about the host culture. The longer we are immersed in the culture, we adjust and recover from those negative feelings. Finally, after some time we adjust even more and fully accept the new culture.

One of the factors that determines how we react to cultural stress is our personality. Not surprisingly, extraverts (外向者) tend to have an easier time adjusting to new cultures. That is because being in a new country means meeting many new people and spending a lot of time around them, and extraverts thrive in these situations. But introverts simply prefer to be alone after spending time in groups, and only have limited energy to spend in social settings.

Cultural intelligence, or CQ, also plays its part. Cultural intelligence is defined as the capability of an individual to function effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity. It has to do with our interest in interacting with people from culturally diverse backgrounds, and our ability to adapt to new cultural context. It is argued that the higher our CQ, the lesser the effect of culture shock on our ability to cope in new situations.

Many effective coping strategies are interpersonal. A recent study found that relating to others with empathy is significantly associated with lower stress levels abroad. The more we are able to take on other people’s points of view, the more positive our interpersonal relationships and thus our adaptation to the stress of culture shock.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．Explaining the quotes.	B．Raising an argument.
C．Introducing the topic.	D．Presenting an example.

2. How will a person feel the moment he arrives in a foreign country?

A．Anxious.

B．Thrilled.

C．Shocked.

D．Grateful.

3. Who will most probably be affected by the cultural shock?

A．An active boy interested in anything new.

B．A shy boy unwilling to socialize with strangers.

C．A quiet girl open to diverse cultural backgrounds.

D．A communicative girl fluent in the local language.

4. What is important for dealing with the cultural shock?

A．Lowering the stress level.	B．Developing self-awareness.
C．Analyzing the cause of discomfort.	D．Understanding others with sympathy.

7 . ONE CEREMONY, SEVERAL FIRSTS

The Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games will be bold, original and unique. On 26 July 2024, Paris 2024 will offer an Opening Ceremony that is certain to join the most memorable moments in Olympic history.

A ceremony outside a stadium

For the first time in the history of the Olympic Summer Games, the Opening Ceremony will not take place in a stadium. Paris 2024 is breaking new ground by bringing sports and the Opening Ceremony into the city, set to be held in the heart of the city along its main river: the Seine (塞纳河).

A ceremony on the river

Taking on a new look, the parade of athletes will be held on the Seine with boats for each national delegation (代表团). These boats will be equipped with cameras to allow television and online viewers to see the athletes up close. Winding their way from east to west, the 10,500 athletes will cross through the centre of Paris.

A ceremony with free admission for many spectators

Holding a ceremony open to a large audience, with no admission fee for most of its spectators, is a major first. Fans won’t need tickets to access the upper quays (码头), but those wishing to access the lower quays will need to buy tickets. Eighty giant screens and strategically placed speakers will allow everyone to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this show throughout Paris.

A ceremony designed for and by athletes

By opening with the parade of athletes, Paris 2024 is breaking with tradition. Athletes will be featured on stage during the introduction to and throughout the ceremony as part of Paris 2024’s constant aim to hold Games created for and by athletes.

1. Where will the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 be held?

A．On the quays beside the Seine.

B．In the city center along the Seine.

C．In a stadium near the heart of Paris.

D．On the eastern and western ends of Paris.

2. What do we know about the admission fee?

A．No admission fee is required.

B．Access to the lower quays is free.

C．Tickets should be bought for the upper quays.

D．Some viewers pay for watching the ceremony.

3. What is the main idea of this text?

A．The history of the Olympics.	B．The procedure of Paris 2024.
C．The novel points of a ceremony.	D．The charging rules of a ceremony.

8 . Each ARTS FIRST festival is a unique annual celebration of the Harvard community's artistic creativity. We invite you to join us for the coming ARTS FIRST. We look forward to welcoming you as we showcase the creativity of the Harvard arts community through performances, art exhibitions and art-making activities. The festival is a public event for Harvard and community members of all ages.

Light Awash in Watercolor

Learn about the materials and qualities of watercolor paint with experts from the Harvard Art Museums Materials Lab. Try your hand at some of the painting tricks used by artists whose works will be in the upcoming exhibition of American Watercolors 1880-1990: Into the Light.

Spineless Artists: Invertebrate Creativity

From webs to cocoons, invertebrates (无脊椎动物) create some of nature's most delicate and beautiful designs. Join Javier Marin from the Harvard Museum of Natural History to learn how insects and other invertebrates dance, inspire fashion and create art, while making your own spineless artists out of craft (手工艺) materials.

Wheel Throwing

Join instructors from the Ceramics Program and great potters from Quincy, Cabot and Mather Houses for demonstrations using the potter's wheel. Then create your own masterpiece!

Knitting and Pom-Pom Making

Join the Harvard Undergraduate Knitting Circle to make pom-poms and tassels out of thread, or pick up a pair of needles and learn to knit (编织).

1. What do we know about ARTS FIRST?

A．It is an exhibition of oil paintings.	B．It offers art courses for all ages.
C．It presents recreational activities.	D．It is a major tourist attraction.

2. Which program will you join if you're interested in drawing pictures?

A．Light Awash in Watercolor.	B．Spineless Artists: Invertebrate Creativity.
C．Wheel Throwing.	D．Knitting and Pom-Pom Making.

3. What can you do together with Javier Marin?

A．Practice a traditional dance.	B．Make handcrafts.
C．Visit a local museum.	D．Feed invertebrates.

9 . Given the astonishing potential of AI to transform our lives, we all need to take action to deal with our AI-powered future, and this is where AI by Design: A Plan for Living with Artificial Intelligence comes in. This absorbing new book by Catriona Campbell is a practical roadmap addressing the challenges posed by the forthcoming AI revolution (变革).

In the wrong hands, such a book could prove as complicated to process as the computer code (代码) that powers AI but, thankfully, Campbell has more than two decades’ professional experience translating the heady into the understandable. She writes from the practical angle of a business person rather than as an academic, making for a guide which is highly accessible and informative and which, by the close, will make you feel almost as smart as AI.

As we soon come to learn from AI by Design, AI is already super-smart and will become more capable, moving from the current generation of “narrow-AI” to Artificial General Intelligence. From there, Campbell says, will come Artificial Dominant Intelligence. This is why Campbell has set out to raise awareness of AI and its future now — several decades before these developments are expected to take place. She says it is essential that we keep control of artificial intelligence, or risk being sidelined and perhaps even worse.

Campbell’s point is to wake up those responsible for AI-the technology companies and world leaders—so they are on the same page as all the experts currently developing it. She explains we are at a “tipping point” in history and must act now to prevent an extinction-level event for humanity. We need to consider how we want our future with AI to pan out. Such structured thinking, followed by global regulation, will enable us to achieve greatness rather than our downfall.

AI will affect us all, and if you only read one book on the subject, this is it.

1. What does the phrase “In the wrong hands” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．If read by someone poorly educated.	B．If reviewed by someone ill-intentioned.
C．If written by someone less competent.	D．If translated by someone unacademic.

2. What is a feature of AI by Design according to the text?

A．It is packed with complex codes.	B．It adopts a down-to-earth writing style.
C．It provides step-by-step instructions.	D．It is intended for AI professionals.

3. What does Campbell urge people to do regarding AI development?

A．Observe existing regulations on it.

B．Reconsider expert opinions about it.

C．Make joint efforts to keep it under control.

D．Learn from prior experience to slow it down.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To recommend a book on AI.	B．To give a brief account of AI history.
C．To clarify the definition of AI.	D．To honor an outstanding AI expert.

10 . We all know fresh is best when it comes to food. However, most produce at the store went through weeks of travel and covered hundreds of miles before reaching the table. While farmer’s markets are a solid choice to reduce the journey, Babylon Micro-Farm (BMF) shortens it even more.

BMF is an indoor garden system. It can be set up for a family. Additionally, it could serve a larger audience such as a hospital, restaurant or school. The innovative design requires little effort to achieve a reliable weekly supply of fresh greens.

Specifically, it’s a farm that relies on new technology. By connecting through the Cloud, BMF is remotely monitored. Also, there is a convenient app that provides growing data in real time. Because the system is automated, it significantly reduces the amount of water needed to grow plants. Rather than watering rows of soil, the system provides just the right amount to each plant. After harvest, users simply replace the plants with a new pre-seeded pod (容器) to get the next growth cycle started.

Moreover, having a system in the same building where it’s eaten means zero emissions (排放) from transporting plants from soil to salad. In addition, there’s no need for pesticides and other chemicals that pollute traditional farms and the surrounding environment.

BMF employees live out sustainability in their everyday lives. About half of them walk or bike to work. Inside the office, they encourage recycling and waste reduction by limiting garbage cans and avoiding single-use plastic. “We are passionate about reducing waste, carbon and chemicals in our environment,” said a BMF employee.

1. What can be learned about BMF from paragraph 1?

A．It guarantees the variety of food.	B．It requires day-to-day care.
C．It cuts the farm-to-table distance.	D．It relies on farmer’s markets.

2. What information does the convenient app offer?

A．Real-time weather changes.	B．Current condition of the plants.
C．Chemical pollutants in the soil.	D．Availability of pre-seeded pods.

3. What can be concluded about BMF employees?

A．They have a great passion for sports.

B．They are devoted to community service.

C．They are fond of sharing daily experiences.

D．They have a strong environmental awareness.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．BMF’s major strengths.	B．BMF’s general management.
C．BMF’s global influence.	D．BMF’s technical standards.