1 . Double rainbows are one thing, but a double aurora (极光)? They can happen, though some kinds are rare. One particular red-and-green aurora is especially confusing. Now, images taken by amateur astronomers may help reveal its secrets.
Citizen scientists living in Canada and Finland used cameras to document an unusual combination of auroras in the night sky. Physicists have studied those images to learn what may have caused the unusual light show.
Alan Dyer was outside his home in Strathmore, Canada, when the dancing Northern Lights caught his attention. He grabbed his camera and started filming. "I knew I had something interesting," says Dyer. At first glance, the double aurora looks like a floating slice of watermelon. The green aurora is well-understood. The fruity looking red st rip is more mysterious. Scientists have known about these red auroras for decades. But there's no agreement on how they form. One idea is that Earth's magnetic field can heat up certain areas of the atmosphere. That heat could knock particles (粒子) around, like in proton (质子) rain.
Researchers had seen these two types of auroras occur together before. But it was always mysterious, says Toshi Nishimura, a space physicist at Boston University. After looking at satellite observations along with the images taken by Dyer and others, Nishimura and his team concluded how the two phenomena might be related. The key is the thin rays in the red aurora. They mark the paths of electrons falling through the Earth's magnetic field. That means electron rain appears to cause the red aurora, just as proton rain causes the green one. Both get powered by the solar wind. But the electrons carry less energy than the protons, so they make for a more reddish color.
Electron rain might not be the only way to produce the stable red auroras, though. The results show that what's going on is more complicated than researchers had thought. The auroras Dyer saw could be danger zones for radio communication and GPS systems, says Nishimura.
The citizen scientists who took the photos were a critical part of the new findings, Nishimura says.
1. Where is the text probably taken from?| A．A news report on astronomic discoveries. |
| B．A blog about sky phenomena. |
| C．A review of aurora research. |
| D．A brochure of aurora tours. |
| A．They are fully understood by scientists. |
| B．They were first spotted by Alan Dyer. |
| C．They are related to Earth's magnetic field. |
| D．They are generated from proton rain. |
| A．The path it travels along. | B．The energy particles carry. |
| C．The wavelength of rays. | D．The source of solar wind. |
| A．Photography drives scientific research. |
| B．The double aurora is a threat to GPS system. |
| C．Satellite observations lead to aurora discoveries. |
| D．Citizen scientists help explain the double aurora. |
2 . Orienteering (定向越野) involves running, jogging or walking, and using a map and compass to move between places. It’s a great way to have fun outdoors with friends and family. The aim is to move between points, called controls, in a certain order in the quickest time. Events are usually held in parks, fields or forests but they can also happen in towns and cities and even school playgrounds. People can take part either as individuals or as a team.
Beginners’ events will have easier controls to find and cover less distance — perhaps a mile or two. For experienced orienteers, the length of the course could be much longer and take in hills and rough ground.
Orienteers are given a “control description sheet” to help them find each point. This sheet has details of features to look for, like paths and rivers, and a code that must match the code at each control. You will either mark your sheet at each control or check in with an electronic card.
When you start orienteering, you will learn map-reading skills. A helpful tip is to keep your thumb on the spot that shows your location on the map. Keep it the right way round: the features in front of you on the ground should be in front of you on the map.
Orienteering maps can have five or six colors. Black areas show human features, like buildings; brown shows the contour (轮廓) lines (height of the land); and blue shows water, such as lakes and rivers. White and green together show woodlands; yellow areas represent grass and open areas. On orienteering maps, a course consists of a triangle, circles, a double circle and sometimes connecting lines. The triangle is the start, the double circle is the finish, and all the circles in between are checkpoints.
As you run between points by what you hope is the quickest route, you can take in the scenery around you and have a great time choosing your path and trying to finish in a fast time.
1. What can we learn about orienteering at the beginning of the text?| A．Its route is random. | B．Its result is distance-based. |
| C．It groups orienteers by age. | D．It integrates various skills. |
| A．Tricks of saving time. | B．The use of control description sheet. |
| C．Methods of checking in. | D．The importance of codes. |
| A．To track progress. | B．To mark the finish point. |
| C．To maintain direction. | D．To highlight checkpoints. |
| A．Geographical features. | B．Difficulty levels. |
| C．Routes for competition. | D．Stages of the orienteering race. |
3 . Matt counted his new year gifts one more time as he tucked a robot-shaped eraser into each envelope. He prepared gifts for everyone for the next day's party.
When Matt got to school the next day, he saw a new girl in his classroom. She stood near Ms. Robins and looked around shyly. "This is Dorothy," said Ms. Robins. "Will someone volunteer to show her around today?" Matt raised his hand. He liked helping new kids feel welcome. "Thanks, Matt," Ms. Robins said. "Now let's get busy with our work so we're done in time for the party." That's when Matt realized he didn't have a gift for Dorothy. No one else would have one either. He felt a sad lump in his stomach.
As he showed Dorothy around, he was careful not to mention the party. At lunchtime, he walked Dorothy to the lunchroom, still worried about what would happen at the party. Dorothy had brought a packed lunch, so Matt showed her where she should sit and went back to his usual seat. While eating, Matt suddenly remembered that kids often included candy hearts with the new year gifts they exchanged. An idea popped into his head. He whispered it to the kids around him. Soon everyone at the table was nodding and whispering.
When they were back in the classroom after lunch, Matt told Ms. Robins about their plan. Ms. Robins agreed with a nodding smile. It was math time, so Matt invited Dorothy to study with him. He made sure Dorothy sat with her back to the room so she wouldn't notice her new classmates passing around an exquisite paper bag Ms. Robins prepared to collect their candy hearts.
Before long, it was party time. They played games and then had cookies and juice. Finally, they passed out their gifts. The room buzzed with happy chatter. Matt saw the sad look on Dorothy's face as she glanced at other kids' desks overflowing with envelopes.
"Here's your gift, Dorothy," Matt said, placing the paper bag in front of her. "It's from everyone."
Dorothy stared at the beautiful bag full of "hearts".
"We wanted you to have a special New Year's Day too," said Matt.
"Thank you," Dorothy said, smiling at her new classmates. "It really is a special day!"
1. Why did Matt feel a sad lump in his stomach?| A．He was guilty for forgetting about Dorothy. |
| B．He was worried that Dorothy would be angry. |
| C．He was afraid Dorothy wouldn't like the party. |
| D．He was concerned that Dorothy would feel left out. |
| A．Keeping the party a secret. | B．Gathering candy hearts as a gift. |
| C．Inviting Dorothy to study together. | D．Including candy hearts in every gift. |
| A．Innovative. | B．Considerate. | C．Modest. | D．Generous. |
| A．A Hearty Welcome | B．A New Year Tradition |
| C．The First Day of School | D．The Reward of Kindness |
4 . If you’ve ever walked around the streets of a Chinese city and seen sticks of brightly colored fruit shining in the winter sun, chances are that you’ve been at a tanghulu stall.
Tanghulu dates back to the Song Dynasty when it was a favorite with the Chinese imperial family. Legend has it that when a princess in the court fell sick, a doctor suggested she eat hawthorn (山楂) fruit fried in brown sugar every day for two weeks. On her recovery, the doctor became famous.
Nowadays it’s perhaps the most popular street sweet in China.
| A．So what is tanghulu |
| B．Why is tanghulu so popular |
| C．While traditionally made with Chinese hawthorn |
| D．Tanghulu attracted more and more people’s attention |
| E．And the snack found a permanent place on China’s streets |
| F．At the cost of just ten yuan, there’s not much stopping you from trying it |
| G．You’ll often see street vendors with their long bamboo skewers of shiny candied fruit |
5 . Need to dash to other campuses? College members can catch the free Imperial campus shuttle bus.
The College Shuttle Bus is available for staff and students, providing free transport between the South Kensington, White City and Hammersmith campuses on weekdays, in line with teaching, learning and research duties. Pre-booking is required; you should make your booking online no later than midnight prior to when you’re travelling.
Key information
●Travel timings are approximate: Although we do our best to adhere to the timetables, London traffic is frequently subject to delays.
●Want to track where your bus is: Download the Safezone app to get live GPS tracking.(tap the three horizontal lines in the top left and select “Buses”)
●Who can travel: Staff and students who need to travel between campuses. This is not a commuter service —if you live locally, you will need to use public transport to travel to campus.
●Booking my journey: Pre-booking your journey is essential.
Note: If opening the booking app in Safari, please turn off the Privacy setting “Prevent cross-site tracking”.
●What you’ll need: Along with confirmation of your reservation, you will need to show your College ID when boarding.
Timetable | |||
Red Route departure times | Green Route departure times | Yellow Route departure times | |
Hammersmith White City South Kensington White City | 8:00 8:10 8:45 9:20 | 8:30 8:40 9:15 9:50 | 9:00 9:10 9:45 10:20 |
Hammersmith White City South Kensington White City | 11:00 11:10 11:45 12:20 | 11:30 11:40 12:15 12:50 | 12:00 12:10 12:45 13:20 |
Hammersmith White City South Kensington White City | 14:00 14:10 14:45 15:20 | 14:30 14:40 15:15 15:50 | 15:00 15:10 15:45 16:20 |
South Kensington Campus
London SW72AZ,UK
tel:+44(0)2075895111
1. What do we know about the campus shuttle bus?
| A．There is no charge for riders. | B．It runs between four campuses. |
| C．You can take it 7 days a week. | D．24 hours’ advance booking is needed. |
| A．Download the Safezone app. | B．Land a local job. |
| C．Turn off the Privacy setting. | D．Show your College ID when boarding. |
| A．the Red Route bus at 8:00 | B．the Red Route bus at 8:10 |
| C．the Green Route bus at 8:40 | D．the Yellow Route bus at 9:00 |
6 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell about true friends. | B．To start a discussion. |
| C．To encourage online friendships. | D．To summarize(总结) the text. |
| A．In any case. | B．In public. | C．In person. | D．In advance. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
| A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
| C．It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
7 . Lion dance is a valued tradition deeply rooted in South China’s Guangdong province and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asian countries. Historically, this art form was only practiced by men. However, a unique team consisting entirely of teenage girls stands out among all the male groups — they are the Nanxing Hexingtang Women’s Lion Dance Team from the town of Ren he in Guangzhou.
Nearly every village in Guangzhou has its own lion dance team. Yet as of 2018, Hexingtang had only male participants. As there was a decline in the number of young people practicing lion dance, it accepted a few young girls. The journey was far from smooth for the girls. They were once hired to perform for a family on the first day of Chinese New Year. When the family realized that it was the girls who would be performing, they erupted in anger and chased them away. Then Hexingtang decided to formally establish a women’s team to make the female lion dance leagal. They customized flags and banners printed with “women’s team”, crafted pink and purple lion heads, which are rarely seen in male lion dance, and even fashioned a lion head looking like the image of the female general Mu Guiying, a famous figure in Yue Opera.
It was hoped that after the girls won awards and proved themselves, they might be accepted by more people. Their breakthrough came in 2021 when the girls beat all-male teams and won the first prize in a competition in Guangzhou’s Baiyun district. The following year, at the 16th Guangdong Provincial Games, the girls once again got the top prize in the junior group, representing Guangzhou. Since then, they have continued to win awards. In the recent Maofeng Mountain competition just before Spring Festival in Guangzhou, the team performed a routine titled “Tramping Over Mountains and Hills Step by Step”, which mirrors the growth journey of these girls themselves as they navigate through numerous challenges. Behind this near-perfect performance is girls’ dedication and hard work.
Lion dance is not easy, especially for girls, as it demands significant strength and mastery of martial arts movements. However, girls possess unique advantages and can cultivate a distinctive style. Girls typically have a keen understanding of music, performing perfectly in both lion and instrument roles. Furthermore, their superior physical flexibility allows them to complete difficult moves. Most importantly, their sensitivity enables them to capture the expressions and behaviors of lions.
1. What do we know about lion dance?| A．It is a tradition rooted in all Asian countries. |
| B．Only men could practice lion dance in the past. |
| C．Every village in Guangzhou has its own lion dance team. |
| D．It’s easy for people to practice. |
| A．made. | B．bought. | C．painted. | D．had. |
| A．They performed for a family on the first day of Chinese New Year. |
| B．They performed a routine titled “Tramping Over Mountains and Hills Step by Step”. |
| C．They won the first prize in a competition in Guangzhou’s Baiyun district. |
| D．They won the top prize in the junior group at the 16th Guangdang Provincial Games. |
| A．They can complete difficult moves with superior physical flexibility. |
| B．They have great strength and master martial arts movements. |
| C．They have a keen understanding of music, performing perfectly in different roles. |
| D．They can capture the expressions and behaviors of lions with sensitivity. |
8 . In the heart of a harsh winter, Ma Yuxing and his family found themselves caught in an unexpected blizzard as they returned to Xinjiang after the Spring Festival. The storm forced them to leave the highway and seek shelter in Guazhou Coupty, Gansu, where the local community’s warmth would soon thaw their cold predicament.
Amidst the snowstorm, local authorities rapidly transformed schools and gymnasiums into temporary shelters for stranded (受困的) travelers like Ma and his family. Despite the freezing temperatures and growing demand for accommodation, the people of Guazhou sprang into action, providing food, warmth, and medical assistance to everyone in need.
The generosity of the Guazhou residents knew no bounds. Local citizens, like Wang Yang, opened their homes to strangers, embodying a spirit of communal support and hospitality. The local governmen, along with various organizations and businesses, coordinated effectively to distribute essential supplies and ensure the safety and comfort of all stranded individuals.
This story of snowstorm turned unity highlights the kind nature of the Guazhou community, a testament to human kindness in the face of natural disaster.
1. What caused Ma Yuxing and his family to seek shelter in Guazhou County?| A．They were on holiday in Guazhou. | B．They were visiting relatives in the area. |
| C．They were stranded due to a snowstorm. | D．They decided to move to Guazhou. |
| A．They ignored the travelers’ plight. |
| B．They provided temporary accommodation and essentials. |
| C．They charged a small fee for their services. |
| D．They offered jobs to the stranded individuals. |
| A．They are kind to others’ suffering. |
| B．They provided accommodation to the strangers. |
| C．They are selfless and warm-hearted. |
| D．They are well-prepared for natural disasters. |
| A．in different | B．warm-hearted | C．unfriendly | D．selfish |
9 . Microsoft won’t renew the contracts (合同) for dozens of news production staff working at its MSN website and plans to use AI to replace them. The roughly 50 employees were informed that their services would no longer be needed beyond June 30.
The Microsoft spokesman said in a statement, “Like all companies, we analyze and make judgments on our activities and services on a regular basis. This can result in increased investment in some places and, from time to time, rearrangement in others. These decisions are not the result of the pandemic.”
MSN will use AI to replace the production work its journalists had been doing. That work includes using an automated system (自动化系统) to identify trending news stories from dozens of publishing partners and to help improve the content by rewriting headlines or adding better accompanying photographs or slide shows.
“I spend all my time reading about how automation and AI are going to take all our jobs — now it’s taken mine” one of the terminated contractors said. “But with fewer human beings to monitor the technology, AI may not be fully familiar with strict editorial guidelines and could end up letting through inappropriate stories.”
MSN has experienced a number of changes since its launch as Microsoft Network in 1995. Once it offered original content and links to news, weather and sports. In 2013, it rolled back original news content and began cutting employees. By 2014, it launched are designed version that partnered with other news sites, paying them to redistribute their content. Today, the news service relies entirely on those partnerships with no original news content of its own. Selecting and editing stories rather than actually generating them made it easier for MSN to increasingly rely on an automated editing system.
1. On what basis did Microsoft make the decision to cut employees?| A．Pressure from competitors in the industry. | B．The proposal that AI engineers put forward. |
| C．Difficulties the pandemic has brought about. | D．Analysis and assessment made by the company. |
| A．Developing an automated working system. | B．Bettering the content by revising headlines. |
| C．Shooting photos to go with the news story. | D．Finding out the inappropriate news stories. |
| A．fired | B．trained | C．chosen | D．promoted |
| A．A well developed distribution strategy. | B．Money saved from cutting on employees. |
| C．Are designed version with no original news. | D．The technical cooperation with other websites. |
10 . Ways the Pandemic Has Changed Our Relationship with Food for the Better
Some of food-related behavior changes have the potential to become new habits with long-term benefits. Here are five eating-related behaviors that might be kept after the pandemic.
1. Eating family meals togetherFor the first time, some kids now have two parents home for weeknight dinners.
Some families are making time to get kids involved in the kitchen.
People are trying tofu and homemade veggie burgers and finding out that, with the right recipes, these foods can be delicious. Alternatives to animal protein benefit the health of individuals and our planet.
Problems in the food supply chain that-have been significant during the pandemic have prompted people to seek local sources of food.
Eating is one of the most basic ways we take care of ourselves, and recent things have people rethinking how they define fitness. Take pride in both big and small changes you’ve recently put into practice.
| A．Indeed, people tend to think differently about vegetables. |
| B．In contrast, kids of frontline workers may eat more meals away from their parents. |
| C．Sales of local produce and community-supported agriculture programs have increased greatly. |
| D．Don’t lose heart if it seems every kid but yours can cook nicely. |
| E．However, it might be too hard for overworked parents. |
| F．They might tum into brand new habits with benefits in the long run. |
| G．This doesn’t mean you need to become vegetarian, but you can start thinking about meat differently. |
