1 . When we eat some popular kinds of shellfish (贝类海产), we leave behind large amounts of shells.
In the U.S., shells cast aside in restaurants and other businesses are being collected, cleaned and thrown back into waterways.
Communities, environmental groups and governments around the world have had oyster reefs recycled and replanted in recent years. It’s happening in many states of the United States.
| A．And most of them end up in waterways. |
| B．For example, each year in Maryland, about 70 cubic meters of recycled shells are turned into oyster groups. |
| C．The shells form a new living place for sea creatures like oysters. |
| D．The Mullica River is actually home to some of the oysters. |
| E．However, these shells are no longer thrown into waste containers. |
| F．The project has kept about 60,000 kilograms of shells out of landfills (填埋). |
| G．Despite the economic benefits, the main goal is to improve the environment. |
2 . The Last Generation is an activist group in Germany, the name implying that our unsustainability will push us to extinction. To force their government into action, some of the group went on a month-long hunger strike in August 2021. It wasn’t a half-hearted effort: several ended up in hospital.
But I’d like to take the opposite framing. I think we have the opportunity to be the first generation that leaves the environment in a better state.
There are two kinds of optimism: complacent optimism and conditional optimism. Complacent optimism is the feeling of a child waiting for presents. Conditional optimism is the feeling of a child who is thinking about building a tree house, “If I get some wood and nails and persuade some other kids to help do the work, we can end up with something really cool.” The group actually did take bold action, yet I want to address the climate crisis from a different angle.
Yes, my framing seems hard to believe. I’ll explain why. Here I’m using the term “generation” loosely. I am from a generation that will be defined by our environmental problems. I was a child when climate change really began. I will see countries move from being almost entirely dependent on fossil fuels to being free of them. I will be 57 when governments hit the “2050 deadline” of reaching net-zero carbon emissions that so many have promised.
But, of course, there will be several generations involved in this project. There are a couple above me and a couple below me. And we all need to work together to achieve that.
For a conditional optimist, criticism is essential. We need to work through ideas to find the most promising ones. Most innovators have been optimists. But they were also strongly critical: no one would pick apart the ideas of Thomas Edison or Marie Curie more than they did themselves.
Don’t look away from the climate crisis that faces us. Let’s face up to it, not from a place of “damage control” but with a clear vision of the future we can build: one that not only stops warming in its tracks but builds a better world for us, all of us, and the species hat we share the planet with.
1. Why is The Last Generation introduced?| A．To blame them for their action. | B．To remind Germany of its duties. |
| C．To discuss the author’s perspective. | D．To demand urgent action from everyone. |
| A．Belief in kindness. | B．Passive expectation. |
| C．Brief satisfaction. | D．Love of presents. |
| A．Turn to. | B．Identify with. | C．Find fault with. | D．Make an assessment of. |
| A．Envision and engage. | B．Adapt and advance. |
| C．Inspire and Innovate. | D．Explore and expand. |
3 . 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. |
| A．By making a survey. | B．By making contrasts. |
| C．By providing examples. | D．By introducing a concept. |
| A．Having lower fitness level. | B．Using less fat during exercise. |
| C．Consuming more fat at rest. | D．Being more active during the night. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Pessimistic. | C．Indifferent. | D．Uncertain. |
4 . Crossing your legs is an extremely common habit; most people don’t even notice that they’re doing it when they sit down. While you may find it comfortable to sit with one knee crossed over the other, it might be causing health problems that you are not aware of.
A study published in Blood Pressure Monitoring stated that sitting with your legs crossed can increase your blood pressure. The reason for this is that the blood in your legs has to work against gravity to be pumped back to your heart and that crossing one leg over the other increases resistance, making it even harder for the blood to circulate. This causes your body to increase your blood pressure to push the blood back to the heart. You won’t feel any immediate effects, but repeated, drawn-out (持久的) increases in blood pressure can cause long-term health issues. So, planning to sit for a long period of time? Don't keep your legs crossed.
Crossing your legs at the knee can also cause pressure on the major nerve in your leg that passes just below your knee and along the outside of your leg, explains Richard Graves, a medical expert. This pressure can cause numbness and temporary paralysis (麻痹) of some of the muscles in your foot and leg, preventing you from being able to raise your ankle . While the feeling of discomfort may only last a minute or two, repeatedly crossing your legs until they feel numb can cause permanent nerve damage.
So next time you sit down, try to get yourself in the habit of sitting with both of your feet on the floor. Not only will it help your posture and stability, but it will also save your health in the long run.
1. What can we learn about crossing one's legs?| A．It is a very bad social habit. |
| B．It is usually practiced deliberately. |
| C．It can make others feel uncomfortable. |
| D．It can do harm to people's health. |
| A．resist gravity effectively | B．affect your blood pressure |
| C．lead to heart attacks easily | D．improve the function of legs |
| A．health book | B．fashion book |
| C．geography textbook | D．history book |
| A．Give readers some advice. | B．Compare common habits. |
| C．Evaluate effects of an experiment. | D．Introduce research methods. |
5 . Aarrav Anil, the 17-year-old student With a passion for robotics from Bengraluro, invented a smart spoon that can help people with Parkinson’s disease eat with dignity.
Aarrav’s interest in creating a smart spoon came from seeing his uncle Arjun who has Parkinson’s disease struggling to feed himself. This disease affects the brain and leads to involuntary shaking. Hence, food kept spilling out of his mouth and onto his clothing.Aarrav wanted his uncle to be able to eat by himself with dignity.
Aarrav took to his room with microcontrollers, motors,sensors and a 3-D printer. Not everything went smoothly.“It was frustrating not being able to find the tiny electronics parts I needed here in India. I had to order some from China.but they took ages to arrive.”Aarrav said.Through tireless efforts. Aarrav made a first model but the handle was too slippery for his uncle to use so he had to change it.Then the prototype (维形) went to be tested at the RV College of Physiotherapy in Bengaluru.
“I’ve been fine tuning the design based on the college’s feedback — that it needs to be waterproof so that it can be washed without damaging all the electronics inside; and that it must be detachable (可拆卸的) so it can be cleaned and replaced by a fork.” Aarrav said. The trials being conducted at the college are expected to be completed by early 2024 and the results will be published in a medical journal.
Aarrav hopes that his smart spoon will begin to be manufactured on a small scale when the testing is complete.While other smart spoons already exist and two US companies are already producing their own versions,the cost is too high for most Indians. Aarrav’s version is estimated to cost around 580). His hope is that everyone with Parkinson’s disease will have access to a smart spoon.
1. What can Aarrav’s invention help people with Parkinson’s disease do?| A．Maintain their physical balance. |
| B．Boost their mood and relieve stress. |
| C．Feed themselves much more easily. |
| D．Rid them of uncontrollable shaking. |
| A．Its popularity. | B．Its challenges. | C．Its functions. | D．Its application. |
| A．Adjusting. | B．Publicizing | C．Outlining. | D．Simplifying |
| A．Positive and sociable. | B．Ambitious and caring. |
| C．Sensitive and conservative. | D．Intelligent and humble. |
6 . NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
The Stories Behind 3 of the Photos from Our Pictures of the Year
Each year, National Geographic will publish a special issue to showcase some of the impressive images taken around the globe to celebrate the high-quality photography. This year, 49 were selected as the best photos of the year out of millions of images, and the photo editors give a glimpse behind the scenes of 3 images included in 2024 Pictures of the Year annual special issue.
Qanaaq, Greenland//Kiliii Yüyan
Photographer Kiliii Yüyan is no stranger to documenting the daily lives of native peoples and the issues they face around the world. He commits himself to capturing surprising and unique images for each story while his colleague Mallory has quit in their tracks. In his story, two cousins push strollers (婴儿车) across a snowy plain in Greenland on their way to annual dogsled races. The story itself challenges readers to think about how to treat their ecosystem (生态系统) without destroying it and gives more insight into the daily lives of Inuit women.
Canary Islands, Spain//Carsten Peter
It’s hard to capture the speed, texture, and sense of danger of lava (岩浆) flowing from a volcanic eruption, but that’s what photographer Carsten Peter achieved with this image. He documented the 85-day eruption for National Geographic, then returned to focus on the damage and on the scientific fieldwork that had been done once the slow-moving lava had cooled.
Minneriya, Sri Lanka//Brent Stirton
Photographer provided a window into these animals’ lives, which she hopes will increase awareness and stir up sympathy (同情) through the photo. The image was tough to capture not only because Stirton needed to get close to the wild animals for the frame but also because it was a challenging time to work in Sri Lanka. The government was falling apart in economic crisis. “I think there’s an opportunity to show people a side of animals they may have not seen before,” she says.
For more pictures and stories, please click: www.nationalgeographic.com.
1. Whose image cares about people’s life?| A．Mallory’s. | B．Carsten Peter’s. |
| C．Kiliii Yüyan’s. | D．Brent Stirton’s. |
| A．They all take efforts and patience. |
| B．They are all about the environment. |
| C．They all provide a window into animals’ lives. |
| D．They all make a difference to scientific fieldwork. |
| A．A geography magazine. | B．An academic article. |
| C．A photography manual. | D．A photography website. |
7 . In recent times, with the advent of electric cars, the idea to fuel them with solar energy has also gained momentum. Electric cars—even though they run on electricity and don’t use fossil fuels—are still NOT GREEN! People suffer from the misconception that not using fossil fuel means “green”, which is kind of absurd, considering that the electricity we use is generated by burning the very same fuels!
However, what if your car had solar panels that could charge it? Now that would indeed be a green machine! Basically, as much as we would like to incorporate this energy source into our car, the efficiency of currently used solar panels is subject to the fulfillment of different criteria.
Firstly, solar panels occupy a large amount of area. An average car has an area of 10—25 sq. ft. on the roof, which can generate between 50—150 W under ideal conditions. This is hardly enough power to illuminate a light bulb! Also, moderate (适中) temperatures need to be ideal, as extremely high temperatures can reduce the efficiency of the solar panels. Cars must work in all weather conditions, so if a solar panel limits the car’s functionality, it becomes practically useless. More importantly, the cost of the panels and development required to power the electronics using the sun’s energy outweighs (多过) the benefits that solar panels provide.
Most cars today that have solar roofs use the solar energy to power only a few basic functions of the car.While there is still time before we will be able to drive cars fully powered by solar energy, there are some alternatives, such as solar power stations, which are being designed to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for electricity.
Solar-powered vehicles are surely the future, but not the near future. As the cost of solar panels continues to fall and their efficiency increases, things will begin to look much “brighter” for this alternative and sustainable option!
1. Why aren’t electric cars environmentally friendly?| A．Because they won’t work as well as the common cars. |
| B．Because they are not powered by solar energy. |
| C．Because they run on electricity produced by burning fuels. |
| D．Because they cause more pollution to the world. |
| A．Temperatures have little effect on solar panels. |
| B．Powering the electronics costs little. |
| C．A car’s roof generates enough power to light a bulb. |
| D．The performance of current solar panels depends on various factors. |
| A．Most cars have solar roofs. |
| B．Solar energy has been partly used by cars with solar roofs. |
| C．Cars fully powered by solar energy will be driven soon. |
| D．Solar cars will be available in the near future. |
| A．Negative | B．Unclear | C．Doubtful | D．Optimistic |
8 . If you have to describe yourself to someone else, what will you say? It can be difficult to see yourself from the outside, but knowing who you are, namely self-awareness, can help you understand feelings and make friendships closer.
Self-awareness means having a good understanding of our own character, that is, having the ability to see ourselves clearly. If you’re self-aware, you may know that you love playing an instrument because you do well in it and music makes you happy, or that you prefer watching TV on your own because it helps you relax.
Knowing what you like and dislike, what you do well in and what you find difficult allows you to make better decisions about friendships, schoolwork and so on. You learn to trust your own feelings more, which builds confidence. The World Health Organization says self-awareness is one of ten important life skills that help young people live happier, healthier lives. Being self-aware doesn’t mean only thinking of yourself. By understanding your own feelings, you will better understand other people too.
How do you learn to be self-aware? It’s a good way to ask questions. But ask yourself questions that start with “What” instead of “Why”. So if you don’t understand why you keep arguing with a friend, ask yourself what you disagree on instead of why you’re arguing.
Learning to be more self-aware is a skill, which means you learn it as you grow. So be bold and try out new things, like playing a new sport or listening to different kinds of music. Don’t be afraid to dislike something — discovering what you find difficult is a key part of learning more about yourself.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．What self-awareness is. | B．What true happiness is. |
| C．How to find true happiness. | D．How to develop self-awareness. |
| A．it’ll make you think more of yourself. |
| B．it’ll make you attend better schools. |
| C．it’ll help you make more friends. |
| D．it’ll help you understand others better. |
| A．Asking as many questions as possible. |
| B．Discovering what you are not good at. |
| C．Listening to the music you dislike. |
| D．Learning to argue with a friend. |
| A．Self-awareness for a happier life. |
| B．Self-awareness for making friends. |
| C．Self-awareness as a social skill. |
| D．Self-awareness as a future trend. |
9 . Tu Youyou is a Chinese medical scientist, pharmaceutical (制药的) chemist, and educator best known for discovering artemisinin (also known as qinghao su). The discovery of artemisinin and its treatment of malaria are regarded as a significant breakthrough of tropical medicine in the 20th century and health improvement for people of tropical developing countries in South Asia, Africa, and South America.
For her work, Tu received the 2011 Lasker Award in Clinical Medicine and the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology (生理学) or Medicine. The Nobel Committee puts Tu’s work well by writing: “Malaria infects close to 200 million individuals yearly. Artemisinin is used in all malaria-ridden parts of the world. When used in combination treatment, it is estimated to reduce the death rate from malaria by more than 20% overall and by more than 30% in children. For Africa alone, this means that more than 100,000 lives are saved each year.”
In China, Tu is known as a “sanwu scientist”. Tu has spent no time studying abroad, no membership with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and no doctoral degree. The Xinhua News Agency has commented on the significance of Tu’s achievement, “Not only is Tu the first Chinese Nobel laureate (获奖者) in natural science, but also the first Nobel laureate who received all scientific training in China. The award she won made Chinese scientists gain tremendous confidence.”
As part of the programme charged with finding a treatment for malaria, Tu was inspired by an ancient Chinese text which said qinghao was used to tackle intermittent fevers (间歇热) around 400 AD. In the herb Tu discovered a compound, now known as artemisinin, which proved an effective treatment for the infection. Tu herself volunteered to be the first human recipient.
An article Tu Youyou published in Nature in 2011 ended up with an insightful sentence. “It is my dream that Chinese medicine will help us conquer life-threatening diseases worldwide, and people across the globe will enjoy its benefits for health promotion,” Tu wrote.
1. According to the passage, what can we learn about Tuyouyou?| A．She is best known as an educator. |
| B．She received Lasker Award before Noble Prize. |
| C．She received some scientific training abroad. |
| D．She was forced to be the first recipient of the medicine. |
| A．The importance of the Nobel Prize. |
| B．The malaria’s effects on human health. |
| C．The achievements made by Tu Youyou. |
| D．The people’s suffering from infective diseases. |
| A．end with | B．fight with | C．mix with | D．deal with |
| A．Her passion for Chinese medicine. |
| B．Her doubt about Chinese medicine. |
| C．Her dream of getting prizes from Nature. |
| D．Her hesitation in doing medical research. |
10 . Some of the Most Famous Modern Architectures
Barcelona Pavilion (Barcelona, Spain, 1929)
A cantilevered (悬臂式的) roof is the design of Barcelona Pavilion. Although it is quite small, the architect did his best to use luxurious materials. One of the famous pieces of furniture, specially created for the building, is the Barcelona chair.
Villa Dirickz (Brussels, Belgium, 1933)
Villa Dirickz has eye-catching blocky features, glass works and white concrete surrounded by greenery. The villa is equipped with advanced facilities like a cinema. It was ignored till a developer bought it in 2007 and devoted all possible resources to its repairs.
Isokon Building (London, UK, 1934)
The building, consisting of 32 apartments,is still in use today. It also includes staff rooms and a large garage. The apartments have a shared kitchen for people to prepare food freely. A shared gallery is built in the garage to tell people about the history of the building.
Neue National Galerie (Berlin, Germany, 1968)
The museum hosts an art collection that dates back to the early years of the 20th century. Its typical modernist design includes a cantilevered roof and flat appearances. The building is surrounded by a sculptured landscape.
1. What can people do in Isokon Building?| A．See movies. | B．Cook food. |
| C．Enjoy artworks. | D．Buy furniture. |
| A．Barcelona Pavilion. | B．Villa Dirickz. |
| C．Isokon Building. | D．Neue National Galerie. |
| A．They are all from Europe |
| B．They are all old-fashioned. |
| C．They are all huge. |
| D．They are all free of charge. |
