1 . “Palace, Mountain, Moon?” has been selected by NASA as the Astronomical Picture of the Day for December 25, 2023.

The photo was taken by Valerio, a young photographer of Turin, Italy. It was shot on the evening of December 15, 2023. While he knew about NASA’s competition, he hadn’t considered participating until receiving much encouragement from his social media followers. Soon after, he received the message, “Your image has been chosen as the astronomical photo of the day.” It was incredible!

In a photo like this, nothing is left to luck. The concept came to him back in 2017. Walking on the hills north of Turin, he found several spots perfect for including both the Basilica of Superga Palace and Mountain Monviso. After numerous visits over several months, he identified four spots where Superga and Monviso line up just right.

After pinpointing these locations, he experimented with shooting them at different times. “I knew I needed something special to perfect the photo. The Sun was a no-go, so I turned to the Moon. Its various phases and position s reach an azimuth angle (方位角) of 230 degrees,” Valerio said. With this in mind, he researched the Moon’s phases, marked potential dates on the calendar, and planned the exact moments when the moon could join the queue.

It was very successful, especially because the Moon was in a waxing phase. This meant that in the photo, not only was its crescent (新月) lit up, but so was the left part, its shadowed side. That part is lit by reflected light, also known as Da Vinci’s glow, named after him because he was the one who theorized about why the Moon’s shadowed side is brightened. During the early days of the waxing Moon phases, the shadowed part is visible because the Sun’s light reflects off the Earth and hits the Moon’s shadowed side, giving it a greyish, silvery color. This allowed the light to outline Monviso on the left as well.

1. Why did Valerio send the photo to NASA?

A．He took an interest in astronomical advances.

B．He expected to create an impact on social media.

C．He received broad support from enthusiastic fans.

D．He wished to make his hometown a tourist hot spot.

2. In Valerio’s photo, the three objects ______.

A．shine light on each other	B．stand in a straight line
C．fit each other in size	D．vary from usual in color

3. What did Valerio do to prepare for the perfect photo?

A．Studying how the Moon phase changes.	B．Calculating the Superga-Monviso distance.
C．Analyzing when to adjust the camera angle.	D．Measuring the height of the observation point.

4. What was lit up by the Da Vinci’s glow?

A．The outline of the crescent.	B．The outline of Superga.
C．The dark side of the Moon.	D．The shadowed side of the Earth.

2 . The World-Famous Nine

By Ben Guterson, illustrated by Kristina Kister

Zander’s grandmother owns the most incredible department store in the world. When a string of mysterious accidents start happening at the store, Zander’s grandmother tells him that a monster called Darkbloom may have returned. The monster, which can control people, wants a magical object that disappeared from the store decades ago. Zander notices that walls on many floors contain mysterious symbols and takes them down in his notebook. Will the 11-year-old boy be able to solve the puzzle and secure the object before Darkbloom does? Packed with suspense, fascination, and a family drama, this mystery may remind you of a cross between Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Ask the Author

The Week: What inspired this book?

Ben Guterson: When I was growing up, Seattle had two big department stores. Something about these big buildings held many possibilities for mystery and discovery to me.

The Week: Why is Zander close to his grandmother?

Ben Guterson: I didn’t want Zander to be alone, so he’s got his loving grandmother there to give him some guidance and keep him safe.

The Week: Do you enjoy mysteries?

Ben Guterson: Yes, I like stories with a mysterious feel to them. I don’t think I have ever been drawn to straightforward realism.

1. What can we learn about Zander?

A．He grows up in Seattle.	B．He lives alone at a store.
C．He wishes to be a magician.	D．He wants to defeat Darkbloom.

2. Who will most probably find the The World-Famous Nine fascinating?

A．A kid loving true-life stories.	B．A kid enjoying fictional works.
C．A kid interested in grandma’s dishes.	D．A kid drawn to online store shopping.

3. What is the text?

A．A writer’s profile.	B．An interview outline.
C．A children’s story.	D．A book recommendation.

3 . Do you feel stuck in life and wish you weren’t so terrified of making mistakes? Do you often worry about making the wrong choices and end up not doing anything at all?     1    . Here are 4 reasons you need to stop being afraid of making mistakes:

Perfectionism doesn’t exist

Trying something different or somewhat risky will not ruin your life. You cannot expect everything to be perfect.     2    . Stop worrying about what could go wrong and just go with the flow. Learn to adapt to different situations and try to be more flexible.

Everyone makes mistakes

You might hear this all the time and it really is true. Making mistakes doesn’t mean you are weak or incompetent. It does not mean you’re a failure. On the contrary, it means you are brave enough to go after what you want. Most successful people leave a trail of mistakes before finally reaching their goals.     3    .

    4    

If you keep playing it safe, you will never grow. New challenges will broaden your horizons and open up a whole new world for you. You will discover new skills, meet more like-minded people, and eventually feel more confident. Figure out what you really want, then take it one step at a time. Go at your own pace and don’t worry about what people think. What matters is that you are trying something.

Being bold will get you further

You don’t need to be an outgoing or over-confident person to make bold choices.     5    . Acknowledge that there’s nothing you can’t learn in the process. Get inspiration from people who are already doing what you have always wanted to do in life.

A．Be calm to face mistakes

B．Mistakes can help you grow

C．Just believe in yourself and your own capabilities

D．The key is to keep going no matter what life throws at you

E．That’s not how the world works because nothing is perfect

F．Making mistakes is the ladder of your growth and progress

G．If you want to make the most of your life, you can’t hide behind your fear forever

4 . Fourth Wing, a novel by Rebecca Yarros, gained attention on BookTok, TikTok’s book community, last year. Published on May 2, its sequel (续集), Iron Flame, followed just six months later on Nov. 7, bringing Yarros fame. Yarros released the first two books quickly because she had written part of Iron Flame beforehand. However, she decided to slow down the release of subsequent books.

The rapid release of these books sparked a debate about whether quality is sacrificed for speed in publishing. Yarros faced criticism for mispronouncing Scottish Gaelic words during a Barnes & Noble Q&A event on the sequel’s release day. Critics suggested better preparation, like hiring a Gaelic proofreader (校对员), to avoid such errors. Despite criticism, Fourth Wing soared to the top of the New York Times’ Best Sellers List within its first week, fueled by BookTok’s influence. This phenomenon parallels fast fashion’s trends, reflecting social media’s impact on reading preferences. Yarros’ ability to blend genres and appeal to BookTok’s favorite tropes contributed to the book’s success.

When books become hugely popular, publishers and authors often rush to take advantage of their success, expanding the series quickly. This rush mirrors the fast fashion industry, where items are rapidly produced to meet trends, sometimes sacrificing quality. Rushed publishing, influenced by platforms like BookTok, may result in insufficient time for writing and editing, potentially compromising the overall quality of the books. Despite concerns, popular books recommended on BookTok can still be enjoyed, whether they’re fancy hardcovers or simple paperbacks.

1. What can be learned from the first paragraph?

A．BookTok users demanded a faster release.

B．Fourth Wing was published on May 2 this year.

C．Iron Flame was published earlier than Fourth Wing.

D．Yarros released the first two books quickly due to pre-written content.

2. What advice might the critics give on mispronunciations?

A．Ignoring them.	B．Preparing fully for them.
C．Expanding the release quickly.	D．Releasing statements to defend them.

3. Why are the books recommended on BookTok still popular?

A．Because they produce the series rapidly.

B．Because they prioritize quantity over quality.

C．Because they produce quickly to make profits.

D．Because they make use of the success and meet consumers’ demands.

4. In which part of a website would you most probably find the text?

A．Culture.

B．Life.

C．Science.

D．Technology.

5 . “It’s not unusual for guests to feel emotional when they discover the story behind our food,” says Patrick Navis. “Not to mention when they taste it. One even cried with happiness.” The setting for these tearful scenes? Navis’s restaurant in a Dutch city. Here, the owner and his team create experimental food using herbs, roots, flowers and nuts — some common, others less so.

Most of these ingredients (食材) come from the Ketelbroek Food Forest nearby. To the untrained eye, it’s like an ordinary wood. But there’s one key difference: everything in it is edible. It was set up in 2009 by Dutch botanist and environmentalist Noah Eck as an experiment in slow farming, to see what would happen if the right combination of food plants were left to grow together like a natural forest, without chemicals.

“It’s the first ‘food forest’ of its kind in Europe and we’re one of the few restaurants around the world cooperating in this way,”says Navis.“We have over 400 different species of edible plants we plan our menus around, including some we previously knew little about.” He harvests the ingredients and, with his fellow chefs, works them into beautifully presented tasting menus, served in a dining room hidden in the backstreets of the city,

“To us, fine dining is not about the fame of a restaurant, its location, expensive decoration, fancy cooking and wine list,”says Navis.“It’s about adding value through creativity and using ingredients nobody knows of, which are grown with great attention.” However, he adds, luxury cooking can be about enhancing everyday ingredients, too.

“When looking at cooking in this way, who can argue that caviar (鱼子酱), for example, is more valuable than a carrot grown with specialist knowledge?”

Experimentation is extremely important to Navis. In the next five years, he hopes to open an outdoor restaurant. But for now, the most important thing is to continue focusing on how plants are being grown and the perennial system used in the Food Forest, reducing the need for replanting each season.

1. What can we learn about Navis’s restaurant?

A．It is well received by its guests.	B．It serves food with moving stories.
C．It offers experimental food for free.	D．It is known for its rare food sources.

2. How is Ketelbrock Food Forest different from ordinary woods?

A．It is a natural forest.	B．Diverse plants coexist in it.
C．Plants there take longer to grow.	D．It provides safe food ingredients.

3. What is the key element of fine dining according to Navis?

A．Convenient locations.	B．Expensive ingredients.
C．Innovative menus.	D．Fancy cooking techniques.

4. What does “the perennial system” in the last paragraph probably refer to?

A．The sustainable farming practice.	B．Farming with proper use of chemicals.
C．Natural farming without human intervention.	D．An experimental farm for an outdoor restaurant.

6 . It was dinner time, yet I hadn’t finished my work for the day. Cheery people who were enjoying their holiday time buzzed around me. But with my head down and headphones in, I had interacted with very few of them. The day passed more like a fast-forwarded video than something that I actually fully experienced.     1    

This was my first week living the digital nomad lifestyle. I had left my corporate role and found freelance (自由职业的) writing work online to afford me the freedom to travel.     2     With enthusiasm, I expected my attitude would also change. Instead, the first surprising realization of my travel journey had hit: despite changing my formal suits to casuals, I was the exact same person I had been at home.

I had prepared excitedly, surfing online about digital nomadism.     3    While you might expect finances to be the biggest killer of this lifestyle, unrealistic expectations are the death blow that I hear about most often. After six years abroad, realism is now the primary message I share.

    4     Instead of an office room, you’ll work from a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean or a sunny rooftop in the heart of Marrakesh. Instead of waiting at the coffee machine next to complaining colleagues, your daily coffee run will lead you down dusty cobblestone streets into tiny cafes. These dreams exist and are waiting for you once you clear customs.

But that’s not all that’s waiting for new digital nomads.     5     At-home life and life on the road can at times feel shockingly similar, or, if bad work habits take over, even worse. It’s an important expectation to understand before you set out on your digital nomad lifestyle: your surroundings will change, but you take you everywhere that you go. No matter how ultra-light you pack.

A．And my surroundings looked different.

B．But this wasn’t at a tiring nine-to-five office job.

C．This was a typical day back in my office I managed to escape.

D．New surroundings may also make you fully engaged in your work.

E．Should you choose to become a digital nomad, your environment will change.

F．You’ll still wake up with emails in your inbox and to-dos begging to be handled.

G．Yet somehow I unknowingly over-consumed expectation and under-consumed realism.

7 . With egg shortages already a familiar sight on supermarket shelves, farmers are warning that vegetables and grains could be next, because environmental plans take out large areas of land that are used for food production.

Stephen Holt, who owns 670 acres in Northamptonshire, said farmers were being incentivized (刺激) by the government subsidy to reduce food production in favour of wildlife. He has signed up to an environmental plan which is being carried out in England under the concept of “public money for public goods”.

“Instead of 1,300 tonnes of product, we will produce 900 tonnes of product from our farm,” Holt said. Under the new plan, his input costs will be reduced and he will be paid a guaranteed (有保证的) sum.

“In my view, the huge danger is that there will be a serious decrease in agricultural output,” he said. “We are not helping but we can't have the whole food system of the UK on our shoulders, because everyone has to act in their individual best interests.”

James Williams, who farms in Oxfordshire, said the environmental plans will reduce the risks in his farm business and that he will not be affected by the weather and international markets. “It does mean that we will be taking perhaps 30 per cent of our wheat land out of production for a season or two, or more,” he said. “What has not been mentioned is that if some disaster fell and our imports were disrupted (扰乱), growing wheat to produce bread could not be turned on like a tap. It will take several years and a significant increase in prices to get production back up to today’s levels.”

The UK produces about 60 per cent of its food consumption, including the majority of grains, meat, dairy and eggs. However, seasonal labour shortages have led many British farm businesses to reduce their production by as much as 20-30 per cent since 2020. Egg production has dropped to its lowest level in nine years.

Liz Webster, a farmer in north Wiltshire, said, “There just doesn't seem to be any thought or concern for food security and food supply. They’ve just left it up to the supermarkets.” The farmers’ concerns include imported food produced in countries with lower welfare (福利) standards, and labelling of food origins. “These imports are packaged here, and if they’re packaged or processed here they can have a British flag, which is absolutely dishonest,” Webster said.

1. The word “subsidy” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.

A．ban

B．warning

C．permission

D．award

2. What can we learn from paragraph 5?

A．Reducing wheat production may cause negative impacts.

B．The environmental plans can improve the farm business.

C．The international markets will affect the farmers' interests.

D．A recovery in wheat production will come soon after disruption.

3. What is Liz Webster’s opinion on food safety?

A．Supermarkets are responsible for food safety.

B．The safety of imported food cannot be guaranteed.

C．A British flag on food package ensures food safety.

D．Food safety and supply issues have been addressed.

4. What is the main idea of this article?

A．Seasonal labour is in short supply.

B．Imported food prices are on the rise.

C．Farmers fear food shortage caused by green plans.

D．Government worries about the slow agricultural development.

8 . There isn’t much doubt that one of the most influential people in my life was my grandmother Lizzie Kerns.

My brother Mike started the family custom of moving in with Granny Kerns during our high school years. I lived with her all through my senior year. She lives very close to the school, so I’d come over and eat lunch with her. On game days, I’d come over and take a nap from about four o’clock to seven-thirty, since game time was eight o’clock. I’d just go there, lie on the floor and go to sleep. Granny would come in at seven-thirty and say, “You’d better get up. You'll be playing in half an hour.” We used to shoot free throws every morning at six o'clock. One day I just wanted to sleep in. Granny woke me up and said, “Larry, those other boys are down there. You should be down there with them.” I got up and went to free throw practice.

Mark and I would be at Granny's for supper and later on, just before it was time to go to bed, Mark would say, “Mmm, some popcorn would taste good right now. Larry, what would you think about some popcorn?” Granny wouldn’t say a thing. But the next thing you knew, she’d have that pan out and you’d hear that popping sound in the kitchen.

We started moving in with her because we just didn’t have enough room. It was always a problem. After Mike started it, Mark did it for a while and then me. Later on, Eddie used to eat lunch there every day.

Granny was proud of all her grandkids. Oh, she read everything about me she could get her hands on and she knew I’d signed contracts (合同) for big money, but she never discussed it. None of us got special treatment. Granny loved all of us and that's the way it should be.

I’d have given her anything, but what she really wanted was security. Granny just wanted to know she had enough to get by. She always told me one thing, “I’m not afraid to die. When I get old and can’t do it anymore, I'm not going to be afraid to die.” That showed me a lot. Unfortunately, Granny passed away while I was writing this, so she was never able to see that I dedicated (献给) my book to her.

1. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?

A．Both Mike and the author were lazy and playful.

B．Granny always had a nice way of handling things.

C．The author preferred sleeping to playing basketball.

D．Granny was good at controlling her grandchildren's life.

2. According to the passage, which words can best describe Granny Lizzie Kerns?

A．Strict and tough.	B．Determined and fair.
C．Loving and considerate.	D．Optimistic and tolerant.

3. Why did Granny never mention the author’s success at home?

A．She didn’t take pride in the author's success.

B．She was trying to treat all grandchildren equally.

C．She didn’t know the author had made a good fortune.

D．She was afraid that the author would be too proud of himself.

4. Why did the author feel regretful when writing the book?

A．Granny didn’t know he wrote a book.

B．Granny didn’t know how much she meant to him.

C．Granny died and couldn’t take care of him any more.

D．Granny couldn’t read the book written in honor of her.

9 . Are you an early bird or a night owl? Our activity patterns and sleep cycles could influence our risk of heart disease. New research published in Experimental Physiology found wake/sleep cycles cause metabolic (新陈代谢) differences and change our body’s preference for energy sources.

Researchers from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA classified participants into two groups(early and late) based on their natural tendency to seek activity and sleep at different times. The participants were monitored for a week to assess their activity patterns across the day. They ate a calorie and nutrition-controlled diet and had to fast overnight to minimize dietary impact on the results. To study fuel preference, they were tested while at rest before completing two 15-minute period of exercise: one moderate and one high intensity session on a running machine. Aerobic fitness levels were tested through an incline challenge where the incline was raised 2.5% every two minutes until the participant reached a point of exhaustion.

The researchers found that those who stay up later have a reduced ability to use fat for energy, meaning fats may build up in the body and increase the risk of heart disease. People who are ‘early birds’ rely more on fat as an energy source and are more active during the day with, higher levels of aerobic fitness than ‘night owls’. On the other hand, ‘night owls’ use less fat for energy at rest and during exercise.

Researchers also found that early birds use more fat for energy at both rest and during exercise than night owls. Professor Steven Malin from Rutgers University said, “We found that early birds are more physically active and have higher fitness levels than night owls. Farther research is needed to examine the link between exercise and metabolic adaptation to identify whether exercising earlier in the day has greater health benefits.”

1. What does the underlined word “fast” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Move quickly.	B．Go without food.
C．Exercise regularly.	D．Fall sound asleep.

2. How was the research conducted?

A．By making a survey.	B．By making contrasts.
C．By providing examples.	D．By introducing a concept.

3. What is the characteristic of the “early birds”?

A．Having lower fitness level.	B．Using less fat during exercise.
C．Consuming more fat at rest.	D．Being more active during the night.

4. What is Malin’s attitude to the result of the research?

A．Tolerant.

B．Pessimistic.

C．Indifferent.

D．Uncertain.

10 . A local dog in Moundsville, West Virginia, has captured the admiration of the community by finding over 150 lost disc golf discs at a popular park. Unclaimed (无人认领的) discs will be on sale, with the money obtained going to the park.

Daisy is a four-year-old Labrador Retriever who loves going on walks with her owner, Kelly Mason, at Grand Vue Park. Every day, they walk about five miles through the park. Sometimes, Daisy goes on her own adventure and returns with a souvenir (纪念品).

“Daisy has a nose for finding discs,” Mason told WTRF. “We will be walking through the park and her nose will go up. She can smell them, and she just goes off. She could go off 30 yards through the the high weeds. And here she comes with a disc.”

Since she found her first disc about three years ago, Daisy has got back 155 of them with no plans of stopping anytime soon.

The park recently teamed up with Mason to create a program called Daisy’s Discs.

“Normally when park staff find them or when our park guests find them, all of them are turned into the barn (仓库) area,” says Ben Bolock, the assistant general manager at Grand Vue Park. “Some discs that have names on them, we call them, and people are able to come and pick them up ... they can also make a donation to Daisy’s Discs and that money will fund the Marshall County Animal Rescue League. If discs are found and there’s no name on them and we’ve had them for a long period of time and nobody has claimed them, the park will sell them for a very low amount and that money will go back into the disc golf course.”

1. What do we know about Daisy from the text?

A．She has a talent for finding lost items.

B．She enjoys playing with disc golf discs.

C．She has won a prize for her contribution.

D．She rarely goes on personal adventures.

2. What happens to the lost discs found in the park?

A．They are exhibited at the park.

B．They are donated to local dog shelters.

C．Unclaimed discs are sent to park guests.

D．Discs with owners’ names are returned to them.

3. What is the main purpose of the Daisy’s Discs program?

A．To offer souvenirs to park visitors.

B．To train dogs to find lost items.

C．To raise funds for the local animal rescue league.

D．To encourage people to play disc golf at the park.

4. Which would be the best title for the text?

A．Daisy’s Contribution	B．Lost Discs Recycled
C．Daisy’s Adventures	D．A Dog's Discovery