1 . The teenage years are a transformative period marked by great physical, psychological, and emotional changes.
Understanding and managing social emotions can help develop teenagers’ identities. Teenagers experience a wide range of emotions from social interactions, which significantly influences their self-understanding and social awareness. In the process, they learn to understand, and appropriately respond to both their own emotions and those of others.
In academic settings, social emotional competencies like self-regulation, motivation, and social awareness directly impact a teenager’s ability to learn, participate, and engage in school activities.
Learning social emotions involves a combination of personal experience, guidance, and formal education.
| A．What exactly are social emotions? |
| B．The journey into mature emotion is quite easy. |
| C．Social emotion learning for teenagers is essential. |
| D．Central to this phase is the concept of social emotions. |
| E．This helps shape their own personal principles and beliefs. |
| F．Families play a crucial role in modeling and developing these skills. |
| G．Moreover, social emotional skills are closely linked to mental health. |
2 . There are many learn-to-read apps that can help children get started with reading. The best reading apps make it fun for children to learn this essential skill, and can help give them a head start over their peers.
FarfariaFarfaria is perfect for children that are fascinated by castles, knights (骑士), fairies and magical folk tales. Readers can explore various subjects and themes through numerous mystical “lands” on a map, which consists of unique stories to develop their reading abilities. Farfaria keeps children engaged through their colorful and mystical stories and instead of games or planned classes, it places reading skills in practical applications.
Hooked on PhonicsWith a proven track record extending more than 30 years, Hooked on Phonics is truly the gold standard for education excellence. Along with worksheets, questionnaires (问卷) and stories, children are taught new lessons via entertaining videos, songs and activities. And to motivate children to read, it has the awards and achievements feature. Parents or teachers can also track children’s progress and even add more children.
ABCmouseThis award-winning reading app has been specially designed for young children, and it’s great for helping children learn letters, phonics, sight words and more advanced reading concepts through educational and fun games, books and puzzles. The software’s distinctive “Step-by-Step Learning Path” has over 850 courses across 10 levels. Furthermore, it allows parents to keep a record of their child’s progress.
NogginThrough fun games, engaging activities and personalized lessons that feature children’s favorite Nick Jr. characters, it helps young children build key foundational skills. Not only does it have a ton of great lessons and games to help children build early literacy, but the app also includes an impressive library of e-books. New books are added each month, so children will never get bored as they enjoy an always-growing library in the app.
1. Which app offers a magic-world-themed learning experience?| A．Noggin. | B．Farfaria. | C．ABCmouse. | D．Hooked on Phonics. |
| A．They both have a long history. | B．They both provide rewards for children. |
| C．They both record children’s learning process. | D．They both divide the courses into different levels. |
| A．It engages children through fun games. | B．It allows children to build their own libraries. |
| C．It encourages children to learn from Nick Jr. | D．It has a growing number of e-books available. |
3 . The final year of high school is one of the most significant transition periods in a young person’s life.
● Focus on a positive target
Our goals are set as either “approach-oriented” or “avoidance-oriented”. Approach-oriented goals focus on a positive target. For example, “I want to work hard to get over 80% in biology.”
● Goals need to be meaningful and freely chosen
Compared to overly generalized goals, specific goals are more likely to be achieved. Specific goals provide more mental reminders to keep you on track and help monitor personal progress towards a goal. The more specific a person’s goal plans are, the better.
● Set goals outside of academic achievement
For the final year of schooling, it’s important to set goals that aren’t only linked to academic expectations. Having goals in other aspects such as leisure and recreation, health and relationships will help enhance your sense of well-being.
| A．Flexibility is of vital importance |
| B．Make sure your goals aren’t too general |
| C．Avoidance-oriented goals focus on avoiding negative outcomes |
| D．It’s important to think about why you set and pursue certain goals |
| E．One of the least enjoyable by-products is the stress associated with the final year |
| F．These goals will assist you in successfully progressing through the final year and beyond |
| G．If you’re experiencing severe stress, there are support contacts and resources available |
4 . I absolutely could have gone my entire life without ever reading Moby-Dick, but unfortunately, I have read it. Twice. I’ve had to read it twice.
I can trace it as far back as middle school — the teachers’ strong desire to push classic literature on students as much as possible. And it makes sense, in some ways. There are benefits to being well read —a larger vocabulary, mental stimulation, concentration and understanding of literary references in the world. But at the same time, being well read doesn’t necessarily mean only reading classics for the sake of reading classics.
This isn’t to say that these classic novels serve no purpose in curriculum (课程) or in the literary world — classics are, in many ways, vital to a well-rounded education in literature. But so are pieces of contemporary (当代的) literature and books from centuries ago that haven’t been recognized classics. So yes, there’s room for classic novels. But right now, there’s too much room for classic novels.
There are also many modern sayings that come from classics — like “Big brother is watching,” from George Orwell’s 1984, “Tomorrow is another day,” from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind and “Hey Boo,” which originally comes from To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s worth something to be well versed in texts that have made an impact on the construct of modern day language. But at the same time, when classic novels are put on syllabi (教学大纲) or inserted into high school curriculum, novels should be selected with care —not just selected because it’s “what everyone in the field reads” —which yes, has been said to me before.
And as far as contemporary literature goes, there seems to be an opinion that it doesn’t offer as much wisdom and has less value and, therefore, we can’t learn as much from it. I’ve found this to be most untrue. After all, we tend to learn best from things that we can connect to, and contemporary literature is often the most relatable. And though it hasn’t had the time to become a classic, the structure and syntax (句法) holds its own. It’s different from classic work, but it’s not less valuable.
So let’s take a step back from the classics. We think that they’re pushing us forward, when, really, they might be standing in our way.
1. Why did the author read Moby-Dick twice?| A．To stimulate her mind. | B．To enlarge her vocabulary. |
| C．To meet her teacher’s requirement. | D．To better understand literary references. |
| A．To prove classics are worth reading. |
| B．To show some classics are out of date. |
| C．To compare classics with contemporary literature. |
| D．To advise schools to include more classics in curriculum. |
| A．They should not be taken lightly. | B．They are not as valuable as classics. |
| C．They are more important than classics. | D．They will surely become classics soon. |
| A．Avoid them entirely. | B．Treat them seriously. |
| C．Promote them at high school. | D．Reconsider their significance. |
5 . My initial exploration of the world of comic books happened through the comic strips (连环漫画) in newspapers. It began with a fondness for Garfield and his adventures, and led to the discovery of a range of comic books like Champak, Tintin, and Archie. They enabled me to enjoy myself in a world without iPads and the Internet — just like so many of my friends who were fond of reading.
While my access to comics as a child was limited to what was printed in the newspaper, this changed once I grew older and started visiting bookstores to buy the books that I wanted to read. Having grown up on a diet of image-heavy books, I found the idea of reading text-only novels quite formidable. As I searched for books that lay somewhere in between, I came across a copy of Bhimayana — a graphic novel (漫画小说). It felt familiar due to its comic-like theme and design. Plus, understanding complex narratives through pictures was relatively easier and more fun. And so, as I grew older, I found myself changing towards graphic novels from childish comic books.
Graphic novels dealt with serious topics in a more interesting manner. They would truly show me what was going on. For example, when I was reading Joe Sacco’s Palestine, I did not have to imagine the ruin caused by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I could actually see it while reading about it.
Fast-forward a few years to when I was given a copy of Jonathan Bloomfield’s Palestine: A Novel. Though I was impressed by the compelling (扣人心弦的) nature of storytelling in his book, I am not sure if I would have been able to visualise and enjoy his text-only version so much had I not read Sacco’s Palestine first. Thanks to the graphic novel, I had a “picture” of whatever had happened, and that made it easier and more fun to understand the details of the overall story.
From black and white strips and colourful comic books to illustrated graphic novels, this type of storytelling has come a long way. While my romance with comic books is still ongoing, in the long run, my love for graphic novels is stronger and here to stay.
1. Why did the author turn to comic books as a child?| A．He found comic books interesting. | B．He had limited access to other books. |
| C．He wanted to be accepted by his friends. | D．He had difficulty reading text-only books. |
| A．Acceptable. | B．Natural. | C．Appealing. | D．Scary. |
| A．It encouraged him to read more text-only novels. |
| B．It introduced him to a compelling style of storytelling. |
| C．It helped improve his understanding of Bloomfield’s book. |
| D．It changed his attitude towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. |
| A．How picture books shaped my life | B．Why I love reading graphic novels |
| C．What made comic books special to me | D．Why I turned to serious novels eventually |
6 . Chaudhary weaves (编织) together lengths of rope and grass collected from the nearby riverbank in her village, skillfully shaping the materials into a gift box while instructing a group of women to follow suit.
The ropes being used were once the lifeline for mountain climbers tackling Nepal’s mountains and were then cast away. Diverse measures to remove such discarded materials have rocketed since 2019, when the government launched Clean Mountain Campaign.Around 140,000 tons of waste were collected on Mt. Everest alone, which were handled accordingly, either securely buried or recycled.
Some waste is now finding fresh life, transformed by skilled hands like Chaudhary’s into items to sell, thanks to an initiative led by Acharya, an owner of a waste processing business and an advocate for sustainable waste management. She has been working with the cleaning campaign, aiming at mountains like Mt. Everest.
“Metal waste goes through the recycling process, but we weren’t capable of recycling these ropes and cooking gas cans,” Acharya says. It didn’t occur to her that the waste which couldn’t be recycled could be reused until she met Rai at an art exhibition and a solution emerged.
Rai, a businessman dealing in craftworks, helped connect Acharya with Chaudhary and her team of craftswomen in hopes of unlocking the economic value of the mountain waste. With flexible hours, the project gives the craftswomen an opportunity to earn money even as they maintain their household responsibilities.
“While this seems insignificant compared to waste in the mountains, it’s a start. We can’t supply sufficient raw material with waste sorting and cleaning processes taking plenty of time and money,” Acharya says, desperate to expand the program to involve more women and treat more waste. But progress has been slow. “We need investment to mechanize the cleaning and processing of waste in the initial phase to provide the crafting team with enough materials to meet their demand,” she adds.
1. What were the ropes mentioned in paragraph 2 initially intended as?| A．Tools for tying up weeds. | B．Villagers’ basic necessities of life. |
| C．Raw materials tor unique artworks. | D．Life-saving devices for mountaineers. |
| A．A journey to the rural area. | B．An encounter with a trader. |
| C．Information from a product launch. | D．Attendance at an academic conference. |
| A．Train more senior technicians. | B．Obtain a better reputation. |
| C．Drop waste washing procedures. | D．Bring in advanced equipment. |
| A．Chaudhary: An Eco-Minded Folk Artist |
| B．Nepali Women Are Turning Garbage into Crafts |
| C．Clean Mountain Campaign Has Already Taken Effect |
| D．A Headache: Mt. Everest Is Heavily Littered with Waste |
7 . Many economists predict 2024 will be the time shoppers tighten their belts. That doesn’t mean people will stop spending, say retail (零售) analysts. But it will change what they choose to buy. With a slowing job market, global consumers are likely to move away from more high-priced purchases and focus instead on smaller, less expensive treats.
The economic uncertainty means that consumers are becoming more discriminating about their purchases, says Ethan Chermofsky, senior vice president of marketing at intelligence platform Placer. ai. “There are the things we decide are necessary, and then there’s another category of things that aren’t necessary but that we consider affordable luxuries, he says. This desire for these “affordable luxuries” is common in difficult economic times. Some economists refer to the phenomenon as the “lipstick index”: a small economic increase led by budget-minded consumers seeking out relatively affordable splurges (挥霍), like small cosmetics (化妆品).
Analysts at Deloitte say consumers will spend on little luxuries like specialty coffees and snacks as well. Additionally, stressed-out shoppers are prioritizing small splurge purchases for wellness and personal care.
As retailers see shoppers turning to little luxuries, they’re offering more and more of them. Target, for example, has staked a flag in what they refer to as “affordable joy”, which includes a selection of self-care and cosmetic products, along with wellness-centric beauty products. Beyond diversifying their offerings, stores are also bringing in luxury-feeling products at lower price points to appeal to more consumers.
Ethan says not every shopper will shift their spending to little luxuries-but even those who are still longing for the “must-haves” of social media will also look to get a deal. They want the feeling of purchasing lower-priced affordable treats. To get these goods, shoppers are likely to tap into the re-sale market for designer items at a more reasonable price. They want things that make them feel good about themselves-they just want to do it without breaking the bank.
1. What can affordable luxuries be?| A．Inexpensive daily necessities. | B．High-end products. |
| C．Reasonably-priced designer items. | D．High-priced purchases. |
| A．The strategies retailers use. | B．The joy businesses offer. |
| C．The competition stores face. | D．The products consumers buy. |
| A．Social-media deals. | B．World-famous brands. |
| C．Second-hand bargains. | D．Budget-friendly pleasures. |
| A．Lipstick Index: Where Does It Lead Us? | B．Must-have Treats: A Future Spending Trend |
| C．Affordable Joy: Will We Fall Into The Trap? | D．Little Luxuries: A Driving Force Behind Consumption |
8 . Blood may be thicker than water when it comes to human relationships and it appears that the same is true of jackdaws (寒鸦) after scientists found they readily switch friends to gain food but stick with family even at the risk of going hungry.
Alex Thornton, a professor of cognitive evolution, said, “We monitor hundreds of wild jackdaws, each of which is fitted with a tiny PIT tag like the chips (芯片) used for pet cats and dogs — embedded in (嵌入) a leg ring. In this experiment we randomly divided jackdaws into two groups — A or B — and programmed a pair of automated PIT tag-detecting devices to provide worms only if individuals from the same group(AA or BB) visited together.” If birds from different groups arrived together — A with B — the feeders would remain closed. Single birds would get grain, but not the more desirable worms.
Thornton said, “The idea was to find out if jackdaws could readjust their social associations. They might have friends in the wrong group. Do jackdaws ditch them and start to hang out with individuals who are in the right group? The jackdaws turned out to be very strategic, quickly learning to abandon friends from the other group so they could get the best rewards. However, they made an exception when it came to their close relations even if they got nothing. What we were able to do here was test the idea: can individuals keep track of the outcomes of past interactions and update their relationships? It turns out they can.”
Thornton said jackdaws were an excellent subject matter as they were clever and had dynamic social networks. “You’ve got individuals coming and going so beyond their strong relationships, and they have lots of other associations. They are similar to human society.” Michael Kings, of the University of Exeter, said, “These results help our understanding-of the evolution of intelligence as they show that being able to track and remember information about social partners can bring benefits.”
1. Which of the following matters most for jackdaws according to the experiment?| A．Their family. | B．Avoiding going hungry. |
| C．Staying away from risks. | D．Their friends. |
| A．Jackdaws on their own got worms. | B．Jackdaws with their family got grain. |
| C．Jackdaws from the same group got worms. | D．Jackdaws from different groups got grain. |
| A．Reward. | B．Abandon. | C．Destroy. | D．Believe. |
| A．To encourage further research. | B．To give possible reasons for the results. |
| C．To explain the significance of the research. | D．To summarize the findings of the experiment. |
9 . Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands are remote, rocky and endlessly fascinating. The wildlife encounters are quietly breathtaking and the scenery is amazing. The chance to experience this special region on an adventure voyage is both an advantage and an inspiration, and now also an opportunity to give back by getting involved in scientific research.
Citizen science — where you help scientists collect data that feeds into important research projects — gathers valuable data for making informed decisions about urgent issues like climate change and wildlife conservation. “It gave the trip more purpose.” is in the words of one citizen scientist.
Becoming a citizen scientist is simple. All of our polar voyage partners operate citizen science programmes on their ships. Fun, interactive and informative, they are completely voluntary and no prior scientific knowledge is required. It’s about sharing new discoveries and deepening your connection to the natural world with small groups of like-minded people.
On a typical citizen science programme, you will usually be invited to participate in at least one session on most days. A typical day might involve a seabird count at 14:00 and a cloud survey at 18:00. Or you might be photographing whales and noting their unique markings. In addition, a citizen science coordinator (协调员) will arrange short lectures.
Take two examples from Polar Latitudes (the first to offer citizen science projects in the polar regions), and their ship the Seaventure: citizen scientists studying cloud formations in Antarctica have provided a great deal of information about how global warming is deeply impacting climate change. Just a few readings taken during the course of each voyage have resulted in a wealth of data. Thousands of whale tail photos taken by citizen scientists, meanwhile, provided data that was crucial to the creation of a 20,000-sq-km slow-down zone to reduce ship strikes.
There are often multiple chances to collaborate (协作) on different projects during your voyage and on-board citizen science coordinators will keep you posted on the projects you can participate in each day.
1. What is an adventure voyage in Antarctica now special for?| A．The chance to contribute to scientific studies. |
| B．The opportunity to experience wildlife encounters. |
| C．The possibility of visiting remote and rocky regions. |
| D．The availability of interactive entertaining programmes. |
| A．By presenting short lectures on the ship. | B．By passing a basic scientific knowledge test. |
| C．By making a citizen scientific research plan. | D．By volunteering to attend a citizen science project. |
| A．Conducting field experiments. | B．Analyzing historical weather data. |
| C．Organizing book sharing meetings. | D．Assisting with animal conservation efforts. |
| A．They require broad scientific knowledge. |
| B．They make a great difference to scientific research. |
| C．They are available on every voyage in the Antarctic. |
| D．They mainly focus on global warming and its impact. |
10 . When Colleen Telfer moved to Monash with her two daughters, none of them expected just how much it would change their lives.
It started with buying the small town’s general store and ended with the Telfers volunteering together at a South Australian fire brigade (消防队).
In the first two years of the store, she would see the Monash Country Fire Service (CFS) engines fly past, located just across the road. Whether they were getting into the trucks at a moment’s notice or coming into her shop for a feed, she got to know the brigade and decided to join them.
Her desire to give back was shared by her 20-year-old daughter, Lara. “When the siren (警报器) would go off, I used to hate missing out,” Lara said. The pair joined in February last year, and about a year later they were joined by Colleen’s youngest daughter, 18-year-old Sophie.
As a senior volunteer firefighter, Colleen’s responsibilities have grown to include driving the brigade’s trucks. “I know it is often male-dominated, but don’t look at it like that. Females are just as good as males in any role,” Colleen said.
In November 2021, Georgie Cornish became the first woman to be appointed chief officer for the CFS. Ms. Cornish said there were still misconceptions that women might find it hard to do some jobs. “Women are sometimes better suited to some of those roles,” she said. “It’s very easy for us to assume that strength is everything we need in a firefighter. It’s not. Sometimes it’s agility and nimbleness (敏捷性和灵活性) that we actually need in the jobs we’re going to.”
Being part of something greater has strengthened the Telfers’ mother-daughter connections in more ways than one. “As a mother, you do worry about your children, but we’re not there by ourselves,” Colleen said. “We’ve always got other firefighters around who can help us.”
1. What did Collee n decide to do after moving to Monash?| A．Sell off her local store. | B．Become a truck driver. |
| C．Join CFS as a volunteer. | D．Set up a volunteer fire brigade. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Uninterested. | D．Thankful. |
| A．Women are more likely to get hurt in fires. |
| B．Women are less interested in physical work. |
| C．Women are well aware of other people’s feelings. |
| D．Women are capable of performing firefighting duties. |
| A．Celebrate women’s contributions to fire safety |
| B．Meet the family fighting fires and misconceptions |
| C．The real challenge of being a professional firefighter |
| D．The continuing rise of female leadership in firefighting |
