1 . We’re living in stressful times. Stress, anxiety, and depression are on the rise. Even worse, resilience (适应力) is on a downturn. The dip is especially noted in teens and young adults. Some students are often overwhelmed by fear of failure.
Kids need resilience if they are to live mentally healthy lives. Resilience helps us deal with stress and adversity. It helps us recover from difficulties. Resilience makes us more willing to try new and challenging things. It’s a helpful trait (特性) to have as an adult or a child, with so much stress in the world. Resilient kids recover more easily from setbacks, bouncing back (重整旗鼓) if they fail.
As parents, we want to raise “resilient kids” but how exactly do we do that? Are they just born with it or not? The good news is that resilience is not a “trait” that children do or do not possess. It is shaped by our experiences. But it doesn’t come easy. Kids have to earn it. Nature offers many chances for them to do so.
The effect of nature on the mental well-being of children has been well-documented. In one study, two groups of children were observed: one group attending a nature preschool; the other group attending play-based, non-nature preschools. The study showed that the nature preschool group made significantly greater growth in factors relating to resilience than children in the non-nature preschool group.
As parents, we see nature teaching our kids to be more resilient every day. When you take your children on a long hike, a child may be hungry, tired, and thirsty at times. But a hike is a commitment. Yet there’s a reward waiting at the end, perhaps a view or maybe a chance to cool off in a refreshing waterhole. Even when they are tired, kids have to keep going, putting their needs aside until the hike is over and they can earn the reward. And the reward feels so much more earned. That’s resilience.
1. What does the underlined word “dip” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Decrease in resilience. | B．Influence of depression. |
| C．School stress. | D．Social anxiety. |
| A．How to raise resilient kids. |
| B．How to overcome difficulties. |
| C．The mental health problems of children. |
| D．The importance of resilience on individuals. |
| A．Nature can positively influence resilience. |
| B．Children play harder outdoors than indoors. |
| C．Resilience skills can hardly be learned at a young age. |
| D．Children in play-based schools are more resilient than others. |
| A．To give a definition of resilience. |
| B．To suggest suitable rewards for children. |
| C．To teach parents how to hike with children. |
| D．To explain how children navigate challenges during the hike. |
2 . The first animal Tracey Parsons rescued was a baby bird she found jumping in and out of the road. It had lost its mother. Parsons was seven. She kept it in her bedroom, where it flew around the room. She went to the library to learn how to feed it. The bird started following her around. In the morning it would fly up to her bed and sing beautiful songs. “I’ll never forget it,” she says.
Parsons, who is now 35 and runs a clothes shop in Blackheath, London, doesn’t know how many animals she’s saved since then. Thousands, she estimates. “I like animals,” she says, “because they’re pure and reflect the beauty of nature. And they don’t have their own voices, so someone has to be their voice.”
Any time an injured bird or animal is found in the area, odds are it will find its way to Parsons’ home. People bring them to her front door all the time. Around Blackheath, people know Parsons as “the bird lady”. The local farmers’ market donates scraps (剩饭) for her to feed the ducklings.
She spends thousands of pounds a year on feed and medication. Once the animals are rehabilitated (康复), Parsons releases them into the wild or takes them to wildlife sanctuaries (保护区) if they’re not able to live independently.
“I’ve known Tracey for more than 10 years,” says her friend Diane Blackwell. “She paddles (划船) into freezing pond water to rescue ducklings. She’s rushed to my place to rescue a badly injured fox at 10 pm. She doesn’t have an off switch for her rescue work.”
When asked which animals stand out in her three-decade-long career as a wildlife rehabber, Parsons tells a seemingly unbelievable story. One day in 2019, Parsons was at her shop. When she opened the curtain she saw an injured fox. It ran away, but returned the next day, and every day after that. He’d jump in her lap, and follow her around. People think foxes are aggressive (富于攻击性的), but that’s not true, she says. “They’re adorable, loving creatures.”
1. What can we learn about Parsons’ rescue attempt at age seven?| A．She found it challenging and dangerous. |
| B．She found a dying duckling outside her room. |
| C．She regarded it as a memorable experience. |
| D．She brought a baby bird to a wildlife sanctuary. |
| A．She wants to protect animals. |
| B．Animals can recognize human voices. |
| C．Every animal has its own unique voice. |
| D．She thinks wild animals may threaten humans. |
| A．She has devoted herself to saving animals. | B．She is supported by local people. |
| C．She feels tired from her work. | D．She cares little about her friends. |
| A．It was badly injured. | B．It was a rare species. |
| C．It was friendly to her. | D．It was found in her shop. |
3 . The Department for International Trade(DIT) is a government department working with businesses based in the United Kingdom to sure their success in international markets. Here are some events to be held by DIT.
The International Business Festival-Future Transport
What could new technology in travel mean for businesses? Hear the latest information from the Government’s centres for autonomous vehicles. The event will also predict near-future developments in transport.
LOCATION: National Exhibition Center, West Midlands B401NT, the United Kingdom
PRICING: 80 pounds for a festival pass and 40 pounds for a day pass.
TEL.:0121-7804141
The International E-Commerce Workshop
This workshop will enable you to develop your digital skills, raise your global brand presence, and allow you to test new markets with minimal investment. You will learn how to develop a strategy on online routes to markets and identify multi-channel and B2B online opportunities.
LOCATION: East Midlands Business Ltd., Unit 5 Merus Court, the United Kingdom
PRICING: Free
TEL.: 0658-1714889
The International Business Festival-Urbanization Cities
Examine the considerable leadership and governance challenges that must be overcome if cities are to fulfil their potential as engines for growth. Find opportunities in a changing world, meet future partners, buyers, investors and develop relationships.
LOCATION: Exhibition Centre Liverpool, Kings Dock, L3 4BX, the United Kingdom
PRICING: 105 pounds for a festival pass and 50 pounds for a day pass. A 20 percent discount is available until the end of April.
TEL.: 0289-6032899
1. Which number should you call if you have some questions about the event of future transport?| A．0658-1714889 | B．0789-1056888. | C．0121-7804141. | D．0289-6032899 |
| A．Exhibition Centre Liverpool. | B．East Midlands Business Ltd. |
| C．Kings Dock, L3 4BX. | D．West Midlands B401NT. |
| A．105 pounds. | B．21 pounds. | C．10 pounds. | D．40 pounds. |
4 . How would you feel if moving to a new town meant losing track of your friends? What if the only way of getting news from far away friends was writing letters that took ages to be delivered?
Nowadays, we can move around the world and still stay in touch with the people that we want to remain friends with.
This doesn’t mean that we should throw the baby out with the bath water, though. Technology has changed the way we make friends, but the meaning of friendship and our longing for friends remain the same.
| A．The Internet helps us make more friends. |
| B．But smiling photos can hide real problems. |
| C．This was how things worked not very long ago. |
| D．However, does the Internet really bring people closer? |
| E．However, are the “friends” you make online really your friends? |
| F．No one would choose to live without friends, even if he had all other good things. |
| G．Social media lets us see what our friends are busy with and maintains our friendships. |
5 . Bill Gates and the president of General Motors have met for lunch, and Gates is going on and on about computer technology. “If automotive technology had kept pace with computer technology over the past few decades, you would now be driving a V-32 instead of a V-8, and it would have a top speed of 10,000 miles per hour,” says Gates. “Or, you could have an economy car that weighs 30 pounds and gets a thousand miles to a gallon of gas. In either case, the sticker price of a new car would be less than $50. Why haven’t you guys kept up?”
The president of GM smiles and says, “Because the federal government won't let us build cars that crash four times a day.”
Why is that funny (or not funny, as the case may be)? Human beings love to laugh, and the average adult laughs 17 times a day. Humans love to laugh so much that there are actually industries built around laughter. Jokes, sitcoms and comedians are all designed to get us laughing, because laughing feels good. For us it seems so natural, but the funny thing is that humans are one of the only species that laughs. Laughter is actually a complex response that involves many of the same skills used in solving problems.
Laughter is a great thing — that’s why we’ve all heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” There is strong evidence that laughter can actually improve health and help fight disease. In this article, we’ll look at laughter — what it is, what happens in our brains when we laugh, what makes us laugh and how it can make us healthier and happier. You’ll also learn that there’s a tremendous amount that no one understands yet.
1. What’s the best title of the passage?| A．Laughter |
| B．The joke between Gates and the president of General Motors |
| C．Why do we laugh? |
| D．Laughter and health |
| A．Computer technology has developed quickly during the past few decades. |
| B．Automotive technology has developed as fast as computer technology according to Bill Gates. |
| C．The president of GM thinks it is impossible to build cars worth less than 50 dollars. |
| D．If cars were less than 50 dollars, a large number of accidents would happen per day. |
| A．situation comedies | B．tragedies | C．body language | D．fictions |
| A．introduction of an article about Microsoft |
| B．introduction of an article about laughter |
| C．article about health |
| D．introduction of an article about General Motors |
6 . How to Make Friends at a New School
Starting with a new school can be difficult. Everything seems to be different, and you don’t even know where to go for your own classes.
Remember to be nice to the people you meet at your new school. If you think that you will say something that may make them feel sad, do not say anything and just nod your head if they talk to you. Also, remember to be as helpful as possible!
Believe in yourselfA smile goes a long way. When you walk in the halls, don’t keep your eyes on the floor. Raise your head and make eye contact with other people.
You like it when people use your name, and so do other people.
| A．Be friendly to others. |
| B．Making new friends can be hard, too. |
| C．Join after-school activities like |
| D．Never change what you are to try and fit in. |
| E．If you see someone you know, smile or say “Hi”. |
| F．People may become angry if you just begin by saying ”Hey“ each time. |
| G．Don ‘t sit at the back of the classroom where other people don’t notice you! |
7 . With a relatively small population, pandas are not out of the woods or the bamboo forest just yet. The biggest threat to the wild panda population is habitat loss. And while around 34%0f its wild habitat is protected, these areas are still vulnerable to natural disasters, such as wildfires. To protect panda habitat, the Digital Panda System, developed by the Sichuan Forest and Grassland Administration and Chinese technology giant Huawei, was used effectively across forest and grasslands in Sichuan Province
The instant reporting system helps to detect wildfires in hard-to-reach areas, alerting fire departments so they can react quickly, as well as monitoring wildlife. Meanwhile, another smart technology-facial recognition could help identify individual pandas more accurately. Each panda has a unique facial structure and hair pattern. To the human eye, their fur-covered faces all look the same, but computer programs are able to distinguish the differences.
The system collects data from over 600 cameras, drones (无人机) and satellites, which it stores in the cloud. Researchers use this data to monitor, track and study wildlife as well as detect wildfire hotspots. Because the cameras are used in remote areas where there is little or no electricity, the system is solar-powered and uses microwave transmission (传送), which doesn’t require cables (电缆).
The system assists 140,000 forest rangers, grassland managers, conservationists and researchers in Sichuan. In its first five months of operations, it detected 651 wildfire hotspots, reducing forest fires by 71.6% compared to the same period the previous year.
Despite its name, the Digital Panda System offers protection to more than just pandas. The system covers the Sichuan section of the newly established Giant Panda National Park. The park is home to most of China’s 1800 wild pandas along with a further 8,000 animal and plant species. In the future, the digital panda system could be extended across the sections of the national park that lie in Shanxi and Gansu provinces, creating more success stories for other endangered species.
1. Why was the Digital Panda System built?| A．To record wildlife population. |
| B．To protect wild pandas from losing habitat. |
| C．To increase forest and grassland coverage. |
| D．To provide pandas with more bamboos as food. |
| A．Computer programs identify pandas by size. |
| B．The data collected is mainly stored in cameras. |
| C．Smart technology plays an important role in its operation. |
| D．The system fails to collect data in areas without access to electricity. |
| A．To prove the effectiveness of the system. |
| B．To show the various functions of system. |
| C．To illustrate the data collection process of the program. |
| D．To compare the advantages and disadvantages of the system. |
| A．The system aims at saving pandas only. |
| B．The system has already gone into service nationwide. |
| C．The system is likely to benefit other animals facing extinction. |
| D．The system offers protection to all the species in Sichuan Province. |
8 . Sasha Masakowski remembers being six years old, seated at the piano next to her father — the well-known jazz guitarist, Steve Masakowski.
“He’d play harmonies in the background on the guitar, and he’d encourage me to improvise (即兴演奏),” Sasha recalls. “He’d tell me to play something using just the white keys or just the black keys, and I’d make up music.” She says she was a little composer playing along with her dad in their New Orleans home. “I love those memories,” she adds.
As Sasha got older, though, her interest in jazz began to flag. Sasha went to a local arts high school and focused on musical theater. Steve admits to hoping his daughter would develop a love for jazz.
The father’s expectation was eventually met when the daughter rediscovered jazz music. Sasha says she admired a guy in the jazz department and on the day they met, the first thing he said was, “I’m such a big fan of your dad’s!” She says the experience helped her realize that her father and his music were, in fact, cool. Finally, Sasha decided to study jazz instead of musical theater at the University of New Orleans, where her father headed the Jazz Studies Program.
Now, Sasha and Steve love playing together and they treasure the common language jazz gives them. Both compose music, but while her father is more focused on traditional jazz and teaching, Sasha likes to produce music with more electronic trends than Steve’s. Despite different interests, Steve’s pride in his daughter is clear. Today, Sasha is known for her musicality and her ability to improvise. “Improvising scares a lot of singers, but for me I feel like a little composer again at the piano next to my dad. I love it in large part because of him,” Sasha says.
1. What do we know about young Sasha?| A．She was well-known as a jazz guitarist. |
| B．She learned to compose when she’s little. |
| C．She was good at improvising on a piano. |
| D．She performed with her father worldwide. |
| A．Her preparation for a university. |
| B．Her admiration for a jazz student. |
| C．Her going back to jazz and her father. |
| D．Her studying at a local arts high school. |
| A．The style of her music. |
| B．Her preference for the piano. |
| C．Her opinion about improvising. |
| D．The teaching method she sticks to. |
| A．Love of music leads to a career of uncertainty. |
| B．Jazz deepens the bond between father and daughter. |
| C．A daughter’s musical choice is made by her father. |
| D．A musical family brings joy to millions of people. |
9 . If you are looking for something to kill time, these events may be your choices.
Susan at Tango
Susan learned keyboard, guitar and dance from an early age and never stopped practicing singing. Since graduating with a degree in journalism, her work experience in the documentary industry has given her a unique perspective on the art of music. She sings English, Portuguese, Spanish, French and other multilingual songs, the pursuit of authentic music expression. She won’t let you down.
Morandi Prints Authentic Exhibition
It will be held at the Raffles City Beijing for two months. This exhibition will feature Italy. There are 80 prints by the famous artist Morandi. This exhibition presents the excellent works of international art masters in a fashionable and trendy way of exhibiting, bringing fashionable visual impact and a comfortable and relaxing viewing experience to the visitors.
Roundabout Book Fairs
All books at Roundabout Book Fairs are donated. Thanks to all the volunteers for sorting and pricing the books. Bring your unwanted books with you on the day to donate if you would like to help. You may see them in the next book fair. And the proceeds will help the children with blood diseases.
Walking Line
EGG Gallery is proud to announce that during this year’s Beijing Gallery Week, it will present artist Zhu Lan’s solo exhibition “Walking Line”. This exhibition will introduce her new works in recent years. When looking at Zhu Lan’s works, aside from the fascination of the paintings themselves, the viewers are able to feel the process of creation. These are pictures that run through the artist’s life: every hour, every minute, slowly moving as the ink and lines stretch out.
1. Which event offers you the chance to enjoy music?| A．Roundabout Book Fairs. | B．Walking Line. |
| C．Susan at Tango. | D．Morandi Prints Authentic Exhibition. |
| A．A fair of donated books. | B．A book reading activity. |
| C．An art exhibition. | D．A concert of foreign singers. |
| A．Her love for reading. | B．Her life experiences. |
| C．Her creation in music. | D．Her future expectations. |
10 . From releasing my talented and amazing conservation friends, hundreds of harmless Zebra Sharks, into the Pacific Ocean to racing against the fastest two-legged animal in the world, the ostrich, there was no shortage of extraordinary photography opportunities and plenty of laughs along the way.
In the past, I've focused on the outcomes, but this year I want to focus a little bit on the people who made it all happen. This time of year is not only about celebrating success, but saying thanks to all of those who helped make these episodes possible. When something looks easy, it usually means there are a bunch of talented people behind the scenes making it happen.
Although our shows feature me and my photography, the episodes were produced by my company. Every shoot had at least one camera operator and an all-round field operation person. Otherwise, I'd have been bumbled(笨手笨脚)around, trying to film myself while also taking photos. Dante Fernandes has been in the field with me for six years, putting up with every possible weather situation and countless seasickness situations than you can imagine.
Depending on the shoot, we were also supported by a lot of other people, such as drone(无人机)pilot, Daina Buchner, who flew drones to capture beautiful shots for the Shark Week episode, and the people who were on camera with me, like Mermaid Linden. I was so lucky to have so many biologists, field guides, camera operators and sound operators. The entire team at Discovery helped me a lot, especially our executive producer Christina Bavetta, who watched every single rough shot and helped us be even better at what we did with her incredible insights and production notes.
So as you watch the show this year, don't just enjoy the beauty and humor of these adventures, but also give a thought to all the people behind the scenes who made it happen.
1. What is the author?| A．A host. | B．A guide. | C．A biologist. | D．A photographer. |
| A．To attract more audiences. |
| B．To recall the process of work. |
| C．To thank the people involved. |
| D．To show how to make the episodes. |
| A．Relaxing. | B．Challenging. | C．Well-paid. | D．Regular. |
| A．By offering some useful advice. |
| B．By teaching how to write notes. |
| C．By flying drones to take pictures. |
| D．By telling stories on camera. |
