1 . Ever thought making a baby cry or even chasing after cheese would become a widely celebrated festival? Check out the most unusual, unique festivals from around the world.

Las Bolas de Fuego, El Salvador

Each year on 31st August, residents of Nejapa gather around to throw fireballs in memory of the 1658 El Playon volcanic eruption. Participants divide themselves into two teams to paint their faces like skulls and begin the festival by throwing fireballs at each other. Though dangerous, Las Bolas de Fuego has been running for more than 100 years now.

Viewing: Free Entry

Underwater Music Festival, Florida

Florida Underwater Music Festival held in July has been running for more than 25years, welcoming divers all over the world with the aim to create awareness for coral preservation. The event houses ocean-themed songs streaming live from underwater speakers along with musician-divers playing odd instruments giving a visual treat for all.

Participation: Ticketed Event

Boryeong Mud Festival, South Korea

200 kilometres from Seoul, Boryeong is widely popular for its mud. cosmetics (化妆品). What began as marketing event in 1998 later turned into a famous festival, drawing in millions of visitors every year. The annual festival held in July runs ten days straight housing a series of activities such as mud pools, mudslides and mud skiing.

Participation: Ticketed Event

Lopburi Monkey Banquet, Thailand

With the aim to bring good luck to the area and its people, the Lopburi Province prepares a grand feast made up of 4,000 kilograms of fruits and vegetables that feed 2,000-3,000 macaque monkeys every year. The festival first occurred in 1989, run by a local businessman who thought of this unique way to pay gratitude to monkeys and also bring in tourism — luckily for him and the monkeys, it worked!

Viewing: Free Entry

1. How do people in Nejapa celebrate Las Bolas de Fuego?

A．By painting volcanoes.

B．By throwing fireballs.

C．By running races.

D．By making faces.

2. What is special about Underwater Music Festival?

A．It has various themes of music.

B．It treats visitors to sea food.

C．It is held in the water.

D．It is free of charge.

3. What do the last two festivals have in common?

A．They are held in autumn.

B．They boost local tourism.

C．They last for a whole week.

D．They charge no entrance fees.

2 . When we think about what makes humans different from other animals, the word “conscience” often appears. Conscience is the feeling you get when you assess (评估) if you’ve done something “correct” or “wrong”. It is with the help of our conscience that we understand the moral principles we hold. This motivates us to act on them and therefore helps us assess our character and behavior. Eventually, it helps us judge ourselves against those principles, in terms of how well we follow them. Accordingly, you avoid certain desires (i. e., eating in class) and follow the behavior that is considered correct or “right” (paying attention to what the teacher is teaching) .

Consciousness, on the other hand, reflects how aware you are of your surroundings. A good way to understand this is to think of the human mind as an iceberg, as proposed by Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. The part of the iceberg on the surface represents your conscious awareness. It refers to all the things you are aware of and can easily describe. For instance, right now, while reading this article, your conscious mind is helping you make connections. The deeper level of the iceberg is your unconscious mind. It refers to aspects that you are unaware of, including your fears, violent motives, and strong desires that are hard to describe.

Many researchers, like Freud, propose that morality or conscience develops when a child internalizes (内在化) the rules that their, parents set when the child was growing up. However, some psychologists, like Paul Bloom, argue that morality is something we are all born with. Bloom argues that all babies are born with a sense of fairness. The claim came from studies of adopted children with genes, who were twins and separated at birth. If they possessed the “gene” to be kind, they would continue to be kind, despite being brought up in different family environments.

So, which opinion is true? We truly don’t know. While there is more evidence in the studies claiming that conscience is developed through learning and socialization, the newer ideas of it being genetically acquired from birth look promising as well!

1. What is a function of conscience?

A．It motivates us to act quickly.

B．It keeps record of our behavior.

C．It assesses our moral principles.

D．It helps us tell right from wrong.

2. In which situation does your unconscious mind work?

A．You apply what you learn to practice.

B．You appreciate the beauty of poetry.

C．You have a fear of public speaking.

D．You describe violent scenes in a book.

3. What may Freud agree with?

A．Genes affect kids’ consciousness.

B．Kids acquire conscience with age.

C．Genetic studies promote his theory.

D．Parents should set strict rules for kids.

4. What may be a suitable title for the text?

A．New theory uncovers the secret of our mind

B．What helps tell human being from animals?

C．Is conscience gained at birth or with age?

D．Consciousness improves our moral level

3 . In a highly technical world, there is something quite magical about the timelessness of the public library. And the impact and importance of libraries extends across decades, centuries even, dating back to 4th century BC in Athens.     1     They serve as community cornerstones and giving free access to books, resources, and information.

A study by Pew Research Center found that 94% of Americans agreed that having a public library improves the quality of life in a community, and 95% said that libraries give everyone a chance to succeed and promote a love for reading.     2     Here are a few of the reasons why they are so important.

Libraries promote education.

Beyond the free access to books and computers, many libraries also offer valuable services including tutoring, learning camps, and homeschooling resources. Many libraries host STEAM events for kids where they get to experience life as an astronaut, learning about the solar system and working together to build robotic, space-related projects.     3    

Libraries build a sense of community.

    4     So, whether you join a monthly book club or read book submissions from local authors, you’re broadening your horizons, making connections, and learning from other members — ones who you may have never crossed paths with otherwise.

    5    

Original documents are digitized and maintained at libraries. This helps preserve the nation’s cultural heritage, as well as provide an opportunity to better understand others’ points of view. If you ever get the chance, visit the New York Public Library to explore its database of over 1,800 newspapers, magazines, and journals, all published between 1740 and 1940.

A．Libraries preserve history.

B．Libraries restore valuable documents.

C．Also they can work well for homeschooling families.

D．But the impact of public libraries is greater than expected.

E．Libraries are gaining popularity among young people today.

F．Libraries can break down barriers and bring people together.

G．Over time, libraries have developed into what we know them as today.

4 . I love watching football games and couldn’t help but notice how many footballers chew gum while playing! I always thought of it as a choking danger, so why would they risk it?

When we chew something, the receptors in our mouth that sense taste and pressure from the jaw movements start firing and sending electrical signals to the brain. These electrical nervous system signals move to the brain, which works to understand these signals. This added brain activity places the mind in a more attentive state, which is why focus and concentration are improved.

Additionally, chewing gum has been reported to decrease stress and anxiety levels. The brain activity stimulated (刺激) by chewing gum occurs mainly in the prefrontal cortex, the front part of the brain responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation. When chewing gum, the prefrontal cortex is activated, leading to the release of a “feel-good” neurotransmitter called dopamine (多巴胺). Dopamine is known to promote a sense of pleasure and reward, helping to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety.

So does this mean that the harder you chew, the better the focus levels? Yes…to an extent. Chewing harder gum does boost attention more than softer gum. Similarly, chewing flavored gum is better for cognitive (认知) functioning, as it activates more receptors in the mouth than chewing flavorless gum.

With lower stress levels and better focus, athletes have better decision-making abilities in the middle of the game. It also helps them keep their anxiety levels in check during big games. Chewing gum does give your body a little boost, lifting up your spirits. That explains why athletes prefer chewing gum while playing a sport. But for the sake of safety, you’d better chew just one piece to reduce the choking risk.

1. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 1 probably refer to?

A．Chewing gum during games.

B．Suffering from sports injuries.

C．Swallowing gum for pleasure.

D．Choking while watching games.

2. How can chewing help improve focus?

A．By affecting digestive system.

B．By releasing high pressure.

C．By adding muscle strength.

D．By stimulating the brain.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．Gum proves a healthy snack for athletes.

B．Chewing gum benefits mental health.

C．Dopamine contributes to better focus.

D．Brain activity helps relieve anxiety.

4. What is the author’s attitude to chewing gum?

A．Hopeful.

B．Supportive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Uncaring.

5 . Barbara Spiecke, now a research scientist at the University of New Hampshire, is deaf. As an undergraduate, she was surrounded by a mix of deaf and hearing colleagues. Luckily, she could use American Sign Language (ASL) - English interpreters provided by the university. It was a crucial support, but not without its challenges. ASL signs for complicated scientific topics don’t exist or haven’t yet been widely adopted. So, during her presentation, a large part of her focus was devoted to signing in a way that was most likely to avoid translation errors. The result was an accurate but awkward presentation.

Spiecker hopes other deaf scientists won’t have to go through the same thing. So, she co-founded an organization, Atomic Hands, in 2018 to light “wonder and curiosity” in STEM. She had a goal: to create videos teaching scientific concepts using both ASL signs and English closed captioning (字幕). Along the way, Atomic Hands and other organizations have boosted the visibility (可见度) of STEM-related signs, promoting community involvement to improve, and standardize them.

Since the foundation of Atomic Hands, a newer set of ASL signs for states of matter that visually explain the connections between them has gained broader acceptance. Atomic Hands did not create the signs—they came from the community—but the organization is sharing them via its online videos.

Spiecker encourages other scientists to experiment with new signs and to offer feedback, good and bad. “When I teach, I constantly remind them that the new signs I show them are not concrete,” Spiecker says. “If they don’t like it, let me know, and I’ll use a different sign.”

Spiecker’s goals also go beyond ASL. At last year’s Ecological Society of America conference, she presented a lecture on opportunities to diversify science communication, such as improving virtual access to conferences or creating audiobooks alongside printed products. Too often, she said, organizers only offer accommodations when it benefits the majority.

1. What troubled Spiecke as an undergraduate?

A．How to communicate with her deaf colleagues.

B．How to find a good ASL-English interpreter.

C．How to understand those complicated topics.

D．How to make her presentations get across.

2. What did Spiecke intend to do with Atomic Hands?

A．Create accessible STEM content.

B．Promote the quality of education.

C．Involve people in scientific research.

D．Invent a sign language for STEM study.

3. What can be learned from Spiecker’s words?

A．She is open to advice on the signs.

B．She loves teaching the deaf STEM.

C．She is doubtful about her present work.

D．She plans to adopt a new sign language.

4. Which of the following can best describe Spiecker?

A．Caring and creative.	B．Humorous and ambitious.
C．Generous and smart.	D．Determined and proud.

6 . It’s fair to say that many parents focus a lot of energy — and worry! — on protecting their small kids from risky situations. But this past weekend, reporter Ellen Barry published a piece about a growing movement in Britain: people are bringing risk into the playground experience.

    1     It contrasts with sheltering kids with the less demanding facilities typical of playgrounds. As Barry puts it, including limited risk into our kids’ playtime may be taking a step toward healthier child development. He cites a sign posted outside the Princess Diana Playground in London’s Kensington Gardens.     2     They are intentionally provided, so that your kids can develop an appreciation of risk in a controlled play environment.

    3     Communities in Australia, Canada, and Sweden are making similar changes to their playgrounds. They want kids to learn and grow by facing challenges they can handle, Barry reports.

Controlled risk at play time — where, after all, the children are still under close supervision (监护) — would seem a good addition to the free-range child movement. In that initiative, it’s suggested that free-range kids take walks in nature or ride public transportation on their own.     4    

Besides, considering child development from an evolutionary (进化的) view offers more backing. Our long journey through time and nature has made us who we are today, with behaviors, thoughts and bodies shaped.     5     Looking at this bigger picture helps us understand why people make such a choice.

A．Kids learn best while playing.

B．More exploration is expected.

C．It says it’s okay for kids to take some risks.

D．Limited-risk playgrounds begin to catch on.

E．The idea is to help kids become tough and strong.

F．Generally, they are encouraged to get outside and acquire independent skills.

G．It is therefore important to let kids do things that match how they naturally grow.

7 . When Chui-Lian Lee and Valentina Gomez started on their academic journeys as textile (织物) developing and marketing majors at the Fashion Institute of Technology, they were eager to learn more about the clothing industry. Some of the things they ended up learning shocked them. They found out that roughly 11 million tons of textile waste end up in landfill each year, and the chemicals and gases that emerge during decomposition pollute the earth.

Every single class that they joined, they’d go through the impacts and it’d be like, “Okay, cotton has this large of a water footprint and people are turning to organic cotton, but that’s not really a solution because of these reasons.” Or “People are looking at recycled polyester (涤纶) but that’s not great because it still releases microplastics.” As every solution they learned about came with drawbacks, they both wound up feeling really frustrated.

It wasn’t until the two joined a class on the application of biotechnology to the manufacturing of clothing that they realized there could be a more environmentally friendly option for the fashion industry. Lee and Gomez learned that they could use specially engineered proteins to create a fiber that avoids plastics and degrades (分解) naturally, and then the idea for Werewool was born. “By changing how we are creating the fibers that make up our clothing, we can change the entire life cycle of our clothing and their end-of-life impacts on the environment, avoiding pollution from plastics,” Lee explains.

The early-stage biotech company focusing on developing biodegradable fibers for the textile industry initially started as a research project that involved many sleepless nights in the lab. After winning the H&M Global Change Award in 2020, the project launched into a company. Over four years and 4.5 million dollars in funding later, Werewool now has 12 employees and has begun working with brands to develop clothing out of their protein-based fibers, with the hope of launching products in 2025. By 2030, 125,000 tons of fiber is expected to enter the market, which is about 390 million shirts.

“Our goal has always been to make the fashion industry friendly to nature,” says Lee.

1. What surprised Lee and Gomez when they learned about the clothing industry?

A．A wide range of textiles are produced every year.

B．There are many poisonous chemicals in clothing.

C．Clothing industry brings harm to the environment.

D．The textile waste is quite difficult to break down.

2. Why are organic cotton and recycled polyester mentioned?

A．To present features of organic clothing.

B．To introduce methods of recycling textile waste.

C．To show they’re not good options for sustainability.

D．To explain it is essential to reduce the water footprint.

3. What can we learn about Werewool according to the passage?

A．It has a bright prospect.	B．It funds research on textile waste.
C．It proves to be highly profitable.	D．It pioneers in plastics decomposition.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Werewool Makes Fashion Green

B．Breakthroughs in Applied Biotechnology

C．Lee and Gomez’s Academic Journeys

D．New Protein-based Fibers Hit the Market

8 . One day I typed into ChatGPT all about my upset feelings and it instantly responded, offering a list of practical advice. Nowadays millions of people are already turning to ChatGPT and specialist therapy (治疗) chatbots for convenient and inexpensive mental health support.

Some experts say this is a boon. After all, AI, undisturbed by embarrassment and burnout, might be able to express empathy (同理心) more openly and tirelessly than humans. But others worry about the consequences of people seeking emotional support from machines that can only pretend to care. Some even wonder if the rise of so-called empathetic AI might change the way we interact with one another. Indeed, empathy is one of our species’ defining qualities, developing as it did in pace with social interaction.

One recent analysis about empathy looked at 52 studies published between 1980 and 2019, which shows that the empathiser must first be able to recognize how the other person is feeling. They must also be affected by those emotions and differentiate between themselves and the other person, grasping that the other person’s feelings aren’t their own while still being able to imagine their experience.

On the first point, in recent years, Al-powered chatbots have made progress in their ability to read human emotions, most powered by large language models (LLMs) that work by predicting which words are most likely to appear together based on training data. In this way, LLMs like ChatGPT can seemingly identify our feelings and respond appropriately most of the time. But when it comes to the other criteria, AI still misses the mark in many ways. Empathy is interpersonal, with continued feedback helping to perfect the empathiser’s response, which also requires some degree of intuitive (直觉的) awareness of an individual and their situation.

All of this helps to explain conversations like the ones I had with ChatGPT. At the end of the day, despite talking to multiple chatbots online, I did what I knew I had to do all along: I picked up my phone and called a friend.

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

A．Trap.

B．Prize.

C．Blessing.

D．Challenge.

2. What does the recent analysis show about empathy?

A．It calls for clear communication.	B．It starts with emotion identification.
C．It rules out individual difference.	D．It depends on rich imagination.

3. What can AI do according to paragraph 4?

A．Provide data-driven feedback.	B．Recognize one’s real desire.
C．Update large language models.	D．Predict one’s behavior by intuition.

4. What does the author think of ChatGPT?

A．Its development should be sped up.

B．Its intelligence is winning more favor.

C．Its application should be strictly managed.

D．Its artificial kindness is no match for humans’.

9 . The HSK is a globally-run standardized test of Chinese language ability for non-native speakers. Whether you seek to ensure qualifications for scholarships or gain an advantage in the job market or a related academic field, an HSK pass will serve you well. But, of course, many learners also find an exam to be an excellent source of motivation!

Working with the Chinese Testing Centre, we are delighted to announce that our Institute will continue to offer opportunities for interested candidates to sit 2024 HSK Exams which will be in-person exams only. The next offline exam will take place on Sunday, 19 May.

Please visit HSK Exams Official Page to register. A recent passport photo is required when completing the registration form. A standard 2-inch identification photo no larger than 100kb must be sent to info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk after you register the exam online.

Your admission ticket can be printed in the exam registration system after the registration closes. On the exam date, you MUST bring your admission ticket and the identification document, or you will not be able to sit the exam on the day.

Examination Fees:

HSK offline	HSK1	HSK2	HSK3	HSK4	HSK5	HSK6
Standard	£10.00	£20.00	£30.00	£40.00	£50.00	£60.00

Please note that if you want to book more than one exam level, you need to go through the booking process for each item you wish to book and pay correspondingly. For postage and packing, extra £3.00 is required for each level.

1. What benefit will an HSK pass bring?

A．Qualifying for scholarships.	B．Getting a dream job.
C．Having academic exchange.	D．Improving examination skills.

2. What is a necessity when you register for the HSK?

A．A recent passport photo.	B．A standard 2-inch ID photo.
C．A printed admission ticket.	D．An identification document.

3. How much do you pay if you want to book HSK3 and HSK4 with postage and packing?

A．£33.00.

B．£43.00.

C．£70.00.

D．£76.00.

10 . Quiet Parks International (QPI) have got every reason to award Quiet Trail to the Niobrara National Scenic River this year, making it the other Quiet Trail in the world after Cuifeng Lake Trail, Taiwan. Kalli Kieborz, Director of Niobrara Council, received the award for their assistance in managing and protecting its natural resources, including natural quiet, since 1997.

This Award concluded a two-year process that included exploring the full length of the river to collect qualitative and quantitative acoustic (听觉的) data. Gordon Hempton, cofounder of QPI, stated, “Our testing process is very exact. Beyond collecting standard acoustic data, each team member must agree unhesitatingly that natural quiet existed throughout the testing period. The river’s splendid geologic landscape, unusual atmospheric conditions and outstanding wildlife all contributed to a positive outcome.”

The Niobrara River is notable for its beauty, ecological importance, and recreational appeal in the northern Great Plains, U.S.. Six major ecosystems meet in the Niobrara National Scenic River valley, resulting in a special mix of more than 160 plant and animal species. “It is filled with unique, even one-of-a-kind opportunities for the curious and adventurous visitors,” said John Ricks. Nebraska Tourism director.

“97% of the U.S. population faces noise pollution from sources like flights and highways. In fact, the more quiet we have, the more we can see and hear about the world, so we are thrilled to be able to offer it at Niobrara National Scenic River. From a quiet starry night to peaceful natural escapes, it uncovers what cannot be enjoyed in many other places,” stated Susan Cook, another director.

Areas like the Niobrara National Scenic River offer an opportunity to showcase quiet, unspoiled areas in a noisy world. Today, as people’s life is overloaded with noise, the intentional seeking-out of quiet areas is on the rise and with it, the opportunity to engage new travelers in visiting the beautiful, yet still largely hidden treasure of the wild.

1. Which of the following best describes the testing process?

A．Flexible.

B．Reliable.

C．Simple.

D．Loose.

2. What is a consequence of ecosystems meeting in the valley?

A．Ecology imbalance.	B．Biodiversity enrichment.
C．Species competition.	D．Tourism boost.

3. What does Susan Cook highlight in paragraph 4?

A．The joy of winning the award.	B．The outcome of noise pollution.
C．The activities of enjoying quiet.	D．The value of natural quiet.

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

A．To call on efforts to reconnect with nature.

B．To inform the recognition of a quiet river.

C．To display the challenges of protecting ecosystem.

D．To stress the need to escape busyness of modern life.