1 . Books That Celebrate Diverse Holidays and Traditions
It’s important to remember there are a diverse set of holidays available to explore. Below are a few books that help introduce children to different holiday cultures and traditions.
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto, illustrated by Ed Martinez
While helping her mother with Christmas celebration, Maria is tempted to try on her mother’s diamond ring. After getting caught up in the joy of the holiday and playing with her cousins, Maria realizes the ring is missing! That’s when she and her cousins come up with a plan to eat all of the tamales, in hopes of finding the ring.
Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford, illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger
This is a story about a little girl named Kayla who wants to see her older brother Khari come home so they can celebrate Kwanzaa together as a family. Khari is stuck at college when a snowstorm hits and his car breaks down. Will he make it home in time for Kwanzaa?
A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
This book is a funny, nostalgic tale of Christmas Eve afternoon through Christmas night in Wales, and is full of unique imagery and poetic prose. It will arouse a sense of familiarity for some young readers while introducing them to different aspects of Christmas traditions.
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frane Lessac
The word otsaliheliga is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. This is an amazing story that describes a journey through the seasons with a modern-day Cherokee family. Cherokee history and traditions are also woven into the story in a very kid-friendly way.
1. What makes it difficult for Khari to return home in time for Kwanzaa?| A．A car crash. | B．Delayed flights. | C．Extreme weather. | D．Academic pressure. |
| A．Traci Sorell. | B．Ed Martinez. | C．Dylan Thomas. | D．Trina Schart Hyman. |
| A．how to find hidden treasures at home | B．how to strengthen bonds with friends |
| C．the lifestyles of different ethnic groups | D．different holiday celebrations and customs |
2 . Kafka was hired in an Italian insurance company on November 1, 1907. He worked there for a year, during which period his letter witnessed that he was unhappy with his working time schedule — from 8 pm until 6 am — as it made it extremely difficult for him to concentrate on his writing. On July 15, 1908, he resigned, and two weeks later he got employed by the Worker’s Accident Insurance Institute. Both in his letter and his diaries, Kafka frequently complained about his life at work.
Though Kafka despaired of his twelve-hour shifts that left no time for writing, he was promoted to the position of chief clerk at the Workers’ Accident Insurance Institute, and he worked from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm. Then he had lunch around 3:00 pm, slept until 7:30 pm, did some exercise and had a family dinner, after which he started work around 11:00 pm (the letter-and diary-writing took up at least one hour a day, and more usually two). “Depending on my strength, inclination and luck, until one, two, or three o’clock, once even till six in the morning.” This routine left him permanently on the verge of collapse. It would be wrong, however, to consider him a long-suffering official depressed by his work or even found it detestable. On the contrary, he was a model official, precise and efficient, who successfully climbed the career ladder.
Kafka is one of the highest regarded writers of the German language, although he achieved little to no fame during his own lifetime. During his lifetime, Franze Kafka burned an estimated 90 percent of his work. After his death at age 41, in 1924, a letter was discovered in his desk, addressed to his friend Max Brod. “Dearest Max,” it began. “My last request: Everything I leave behind me... in the way of diaries, manuscripts, letters (my own and others’), sketches and so on, to be burned unread.” Less than two months later, Brod, disregarding Kafka’s request, signed an agreement to prepare a posthumous edition of Kafka’s unpublished novels. Thanks largely to Brod’s efforts, Kafka’s slim, mysterious works were gradually recognized as one of the great monuments of 20th century literature.
1. Why did Kafka quit the job on July 15, 1908?| A．Because he had to work ten hours a day. | B．Because he found a better job. |
| C．Because he found it affected his writing. | D．Because he hated the job. |
| A．Boring | B．Hateful | C．Enjoyable | D．Satisfying |
| A．He had a preference for writing. | B．He did poorly in his work. |
| C．He was famous when he was alive. | D．He got his works published. |
| A．His talent. | B．His luck. | C．His diligence. | D．His friend’s efforts. |
3 . Nobody knows yet what the best way of removing all that carbon will be, but scientists around the world are developing a new method. The Swiss company Climeworks is building big extractor (抽油烟机) fans to remove carbon.
But other scientists are looking to nature’s carbon cycle for inspiration. They’re looking for ways to improve it, speed it up and help it take more carbon out of the air permanently.
One of those scientists is Professor Luke Mackinder, a plant biologist at the University of York. His research into carbon removal is inspired by ocean algac (海藻). “About half of carbon absorption takes place in the ocean,” he says. “Algae are extremely efficient at absorbin g it.”
In order to do this, his team has studied the genetic code (基因密码) of algae to work out which genes play a vital role in carbon absorption. He believes they have now figured this out. “Now we have a list and we can start thinking about how to bring them together in different living things,” he says. “We place the genes into those of other plants. It’s genetic modification.”
Mackinder anticipates adding them to a range of crops and trees. The resulting increased production could be good for food security. Alternatively, they could help to enhance the influence of climate change. It all depends on what we do with the carbon once it’s trapped in those plants. Eating them would quickly return it to the atmosphere. But if instead we find ways to store it, we could keep it out of the atmosphere for good.
Dave Hillyard, chief administrator of the Carbon Technology Research Foundation that is funding Mackinder’s research, says that it is important to fund work on a wide range of carbon removal methods, because “some will not get the results they’re looking for and some will succeed. There are a lot of opportunities here but very little funding and research going into it.”
1. What is discussed in the first paragraph?| A．An approach to carbon removal. | B．A way to improve big extractor fans. |
| C．A means of joining a company. | D．A method of doing scientific research. |
| A．It is secure. | B．It is effective. | C．It is sufficient. | D．It is accessible. |
| A．They bring about great side effects. | B．They are useless for carbon absorption. |
| C．They help increase food production. | D．They have been put into other plants. |
| A．The government’s permission. | B．More scientists’participation. |
| C．Increasing experimental chances. | D．The input into the research. |
4 . Winter vacations don’t have to be about snow. From scenic coastal journeys to wildlife watching, we have found a trip for every type of winter wanderer. Here’re some hot spots.
Road-trip down Oregon’s scenic coast
One of Oregon’s Seven Wonders, this 363-mile stretch of coastline is filled with landscapes, waves, headlands, and winter storms. There’s no shortage of stops on the scenic route from Astoria to Brookıngs. Visit coastal communities, spot sea lions at Shore Acres State Park, watch dancing lellyfish at the Oregon Coast Aquarıum, and explore 79 state parks.
Enjoy the light show in San Antonio, Texas
From late November to early January, millions of twinkling lights decorate the San Antonio River Walk in an eye-catching display. Riverboats carrying diverse mix of bell choirs, folk groups, and Latino bands fill the air with carols on evenings through late December.
Soak in New Mexico’s natural hot springs
With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, five national forests, and 17 national parks and monuments, New Mexico is a paradise(乐园) of outdoor adventure. After an active day, loosen up your muscles in comfortable mineral springs.
Celebrate New Year’s Day with the mummers in Philadelphia
On New Year’s Day, thousands of brightly costumed people take to the streets of Philadelphia for the annual Mummers Parade, the oldest continuous folk parade in the U. S. The people line the streets of the City of Brotherly Love from JFK Boulevard down Broad Street to watch the mummers (哑剧演员) flood the city in an explosion of color, music, and dance.
1. Where should visitors go if they want to explore coastal life?| A．Oregon. | B．San Antonio. | C．New Mexico. | D．Philadelphia. |
| A．October 26. | B．November 1. | C．December 16. | D．February 4. |
| A．A history book. | B．A travel brochure. | C．A course plan. | D．An art journal. |
5 . With so many options for short, beautiful walks in Queenstown, you are truly spoiled for choice. Here’s a list of local picks that will help you discover the best walks around Queenstown, a walkers’ paradise, for every age and ability.
Tiki Trail
For one of the best views of Queenstown and a decent workout, climb the Tiki Trail up to the Skyline Gondola building. Starting at the base of the Gondola, the Tiki Trail winds its way steeply through trees towards the lookout at the top.
Choose to hike back to Queenstown. Or if the climb has gotten the better of you, sit back, relax and catch a ride in the Skyline Gondola.
Queenstown Gardens
The Queenstown Gardens Trail is a wheelchair-accessible trail just a few minutes from central Queenstown. The flat, easy track has spectacular views of Lake Whakatipu, Cecil Peak, and Walter Peak and the manicured gardens are beautiful year-round.
You could spend hours here exploring the rose gardens or playing disc golf. If you’re tight on time, the loop around the shore of Lake Whakatipu takes less than an hour to complete.
Arrow River Trail
Starting in historic Arrowtown, a walk along the Arrow River Trail is a must-do for any visitor to Queenstown.
The track will have you filling your camera memory, especially in autumn due to the explosion of colours on the trees. From here, you can cross the bridge and walk back along the riverside or go back the way you came. Back in Arrowtown, it’s lovely to walk along the river and amongst the trees before rejoining Arrowtown’s quaint streets to admire the café culture, discover the region’s history or grab a pint in the sunshine.
Ben Lomond Track
Ben Lomond will greet you from the moment you arrive in town. Not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced, this demanding climb is a full-day mission with a spectacular reward.
Walkers aiming for the summit should be fully equipped and allow six to eight hours, depending on the conditions. Be prepared for snow and ice above the bush line from April to November.
1. Which place is a better choice for the disabled?| A．Tiki Trail. | B．Arrow River Trail. |
| C．Queenstown Gardens. | D．Ben Lomond Track. |
| A．Appreciate the rose fragrance. | B．Experience demanding climb. |
| C．Have a bird-eye view of Queenstown. | D．Learn about the local history. |
| A．To compare things. | B．To inform readers. |
| C．To uncover the unseen. | D．To warn readers. |
6 . Hong Kong has the largest collection of high-rise buildings on Earth, many of which have been designed by world-famous architects.
HSBC Headquarters Building
In 1979, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation(HSBC) launched an international design competition for its new headquarters. Foster +Partners, headed by architect Sir Norman Foster, won the competition with an out-of-the-box idea. With a budget of roughly S667 million in the day’s currency, the British visionary had the modular (模块化的) pieces constructed in the US, Japan and the UK before shipping them to Hong Kong for assembly (组装).
The Henderson
Zaha Hadid Architects(ZHA) has revealed plans to replace a multi-story car park in Hong Kong’s central business district with a new 623-foot tower. Like so many of ZHA’s visionary projects, the office tower, completed in 2023,integrates technology with natural environments. For instance, there is a sky garden which is an outdoor recreational space with a running track and a planting network that acts as an effective biological air-purifying filter by consuming pollutants.
Two International Finance Centre
On a clear day, you can see straight across Hong Kong from the offices in Two International Finance Center(2IFC), completed in 2003. Designed by the late Cesar Pelli, the 1,352-foot tower was the tallest in the city upon its completion. It transformed the skyline when it opened with its breath taking height and tapered (锥形的) shape, symbolizing Hong Kong’s rise.
Bank of China Tower
The 1,205-foot tower, completed in 1990,broke records at the time and became an instant landmark as the first tower over 985 feet outside North America. A vision of urban energy, expansion and geometry, the Bank of China Tower(BOC Tower)was designed to resemble a bamboo shoot, symbolizing strength, vitality and China’s emergence as a significant player in international finance.
1. What is special about the HSBC Headquarters Building?| A．It was designed by several architect teams. | B．It was funded by countries across the world. |
| C．Its style was considered to be the most creative. | D．Its design was a winning work of a competition. |
| A．HSBC Headquarters Building. | B．The Henderson. |
| C．Two International Finance Centre. | D．Bank of China Tower. |
| A．They are known for being eco-friendly. | B．They were completed in the same century. |
| C．They used to be the tallest in Hong Kong. | D．They were designed by the same architect. |
7 . Hem an Bekele is not your typical high school student．Rather than spending his free time playing video games or staring at his phone, this 14 year-old from Fairfax, Virginia was calling professors and conducting experiments, all to create a soap that could treat skin cancer, and to make it affordable for everyone who needs it．His work won him the grand prize in this year’s 3M Young Scientist’s Challenge, a competition that encourages kids to think of unique ways to solve everyday problems.
Growing up in Ethiopia, Bekele found in pity that people working outside were likely to end up getting skin cancer．Skin cancer did have cures and was treatable in most cases．However, the average price of skin cancer treatment globally was almost $40,000．Those shocking statistics really inspired him to create a more accessible solution．He started doing experiments and working on different things, and that turned into his bar of soap as a project.
A lot of his research and development started in his family’s kitchen and in his basement．But as he reached the final of the competition, he realized that he did need to do a little bit more outside of just his house．So he reached out to people at University of Virginia and people at Georgetown, and he got a lot of assistance．The number one person would be Deborah Isabelle, who helped him organize and structure his ideas during the finalist competition．Bekele said that he definitely couldn’t have done that all by himself.
Bekele’s award-winning soap is a compound based bar of soap and it’s charged with different cancer fighting chemicals．The color of the soap is a bit of a dark type of white and it has a rough surface, which could be a good exfoliant（去角质剂）．It does have a strong medicine smell and feel a bit stickier．The whole point of it is that even once you wash off the soaps, the medicinal parts will stay on your skin．It can activate the body’s immune cells to defend cancer.
Bekele won 25,000 prize money and he was going to use it to continue research．He said, “I still need a lot of resources to be able to conduct this research, so this money will definitely help me achieve it.”
1. Why did Heman Bekele start working on creating the soap?| A．Because he thought it was a fun project. |
| B．Because he wanted to win a science competition. |
| C．Because he found skin cancer treatment unaffordable. |
| D．Because he wanted to create a unique soap for everyone. |
| A．Well begun is half done. | B．Learn humbly, ask willingly. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. | D．Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. |
| A．What features the soap has. | B．How the soap is used. |
| C．What chemicals the soap contains. | D．How the soap is produced. |
| A．Patient and talented. | B．Friendly and ambitious. |
| C．Cautious and generous. | D．Caring and devoted. |
8 . There was once a jeweler, known for many virtues. One day, the Jewish elders came to him to buy some diamonds to decorate part of the dress of their high priest (神父，牧师), which the Bible calls an ephod.
They told him what they wanted, and offered him a fair price for the diamonds. He replied that he could not let them see the jewels at that moment, and requested them to call again.
As they wanted them without delay, and thought that the object of the jeweler was only to increase the price of the diamonds, the elders offered him twice, then three times, as much as they were worth. But he still refused, and they went away angrily.
Some hours after, he went to them, and placed before them the diamonds, for which they again offered him the last price they had named, but he said, “I will only accept the first one you offered to me this morning.”
“Why, then, did you not close with us at once?” asked they in surprise. “When you came,” replied he, “my father had the key of the box, in which the diamonds were kept, and as he was asleep, I should have been obliged to wake him to obtain them. At his age, a short hour of sleep does him a great deal of good, and for all the gold in the world, I would not be wanting in respect to my father, or take from him a single comfort.”
The elders, affected by these feeling words, spread their hands upon the jeweler’s head, and said, “Thou shalt be blessed of Him who has said: Honor thy father and thy mother, and thy children shall one day pay thee the same respect and love thou hast shown to thy father.”
1. Why did not the jeweler give two elders the diamonds at first?| A．He wanted a higher price | B．He had to get his father’s permission. |
| C．He didn’t have them in the shop then. | D．He didn’t have the key to the container. |
| A．You will get as many honors as you want. | B．Your children will live a rich and respectable life. |
| C．You and your family are blessed by God. | D．Your father will live a long and healthy life. |
| A．A devoted son | B．An honest businessman |
| C．A reasonable price | D．A luxurious dress |
9 . NLB Mobile app — a library in your pocket
The National Library Board (NLB) Mobile app is your personal library, anywhere. anytime. By signing in, you will be able to enjoy the full suite of services available to library members such as borrowing items and reading emagazines and enewspapers. But even if you don’t sign in, you can still:
●Search the library catalogue (目录) and share the title
●Locate nearby libraries based on your current location
●View highlights of library happenings
What do I need to sign in?
You will need a myLibrary ID. If you do not have it, you may create one online or using the app’s login page — tap on the+ button on the top right of the app’s screen.
What if I forget my myLibrary ID or password?
You can retrieve (恢复) your myLibrary ID and password:
●Online with your Singpass or NRIC/FIN number. Once you have signed in, the system will automatically detect if you have a myLibrary ID and display it. It will also let you reset your password if you have forgotten it.
●Via the NLB Mobile app, with your Singpass or NRIC/FIN number. Tap on the+ button on the top right of the app’s screen, then tap on “Forgot your myLibrary ID or password”.
When I try to log in, the app says “Profile already exists”. What do I do?
We are sorry that you are encountering this problem! Here are the steps.
●Go to your phone’s Settings menu.
●Select “Apps” or “Application manager” or “Applications”.
●Tap on“NLB Mobile”.
●Tap on “Storage”.
●Select “Clear Data”.
●Select “Clear Cache”
●Try signing in again. It should work this time. If not, please take a screenshot of the error message and email it to enquiry@nlb.gov.sg.
1. What can users do via NLB Mobile app without signing in?
| A．Reading emagazines. |
| B．Borrowing enewspapers. |
| C．Sharing the title of the items in the library. |
| D．Previewing the books available to borrow. |
| A．Singpass. | B．MyLibrary ID. |
| C．NRIC/FIN number. | D．The physical NLB card. |
| A．decide to voice complaints about the service |
| B．have any questions about the NLB Mobile app |
| C．are unable to clear NLB Mobile data on the phone |
| D．fail to solve the “log in” problem following the instructions |
10 . Community Music Classes
Community Music at Tufts offers a year-long program of Saturday classes for children aged 2 to 18.
| Singing Teens (12-15 year olds) Instructor: Adriana Ausch Class Time: 1:15-2:15 pm $360 per semester Full year course Perfect your singing or pick up a new skill! Learn the basic keys of singing like breath and pronunciation. Each week the class will practice warm-ups and learn a song together; in the second part of the class the students take turns for single instructions. |
| Music Theory and Composition One hour class: 12 noon-1 pm For students aged 9 & up Instructor: Phillip Grannan $335 per semester The primary goal of this course is to develop your child’s creativity — both in composing music and in ways of thinking about music — while filling the basics of music theory. The class is designed for students who have little or no experience with composing and music theory. |
| Violin Class One hour classes: 9 am-10 am, beginning class; 10 am-11 am, level two Instructor: Yank’l Garcia $360 per semester Beginning violin students will improve technically and musically in a group environment that promotes teamwork and encouragement. Solo and group material will be equally emphasized so that students learn how to play by themselves and with other musicians. |
| Group Drumming One hour class: 11 am-12 noon For students aged 9 and up Minimum 4 students Instructor: Lauren Caso $325 per semester Experience the challenge and fun of traditional drumming. Stick and hand techniques will be applied. Songs and chanting may accompany various pieces in this ongoing series. Prior completion of Foundations of Rhythm in World Percussion is highly required for beginners. |
| A．It focuses on traditional songs. | B．It sets a limit to learner numbers. |
| C．It is targeted at inexperienced singers. | D．It offers one-to-one instructions. |
| A．Phillip Grannan. | B．Adriana Ausch. | C．Lauren Caso. | D．Yank’l Garcia. |
| A．Violin Class. | B．Group Drumming. |
| C．Singing Teens. | D．Music Theory and Composition. |
