1 . During winter in the Northern Hemisphere (半球), many countries have experienced freezing temperatures. Some have claimed that the cold weather can endanger the electricity supply — namely, in the form of wind turbine (涡轮机) failure. But as long as they’re weatherproofed, that isn’t the case.

People started kicking off loudly about wind power and winter back in 2021 when Texas experienced historically low temperatures, and with them, a massive power failure. Blame was quickly placed on iced-over wind turbines — and it turned into quite the political debate about the use of renewable energy — but the problem wasn’t with wind power itself. The turbines simply weren’t prepared for such low temperatures.

“The primary issue with the wind turbines in Texas is that such extreme cold weather was not expected based on the historical record of weather, and therefore the developers didn’t weatherize the wind turbines,” Michael Howland, MIT professor of environmental engineering, said. “Wind turbines operate in much colder locations than Texas, and dealing with icing is very straightforward and common through weatherization.”

According to international design standards, wind turbines should be able to operate down to temperatures as low as -20℃. However, wind farms operate successfully in places where it can get much colder than that, like the North Sea, Finland, and Sweden, the latter of which recently experienced a less-than-mild -41.6℃. In countries such as these, wind turbines are designed with what’s known as “cold-weather packages”.

Swedish power company Skellefteå Kraft has created one such package that’s designed to stop ice from even getting a chance to stick to the blades (叶片). “It involves covering the wind turbine’s blades with a thin layer of carbon fibre which is heated when necessary to prevent ice from forming,” the company website explains. “Ice sensors then detect when there is a risk of ice formation and start the de-icing system.”

Thanks to these features, turbines can keep on running in temperatures that would certainly put the rest of us off work. The events in Texas suggest that, with the recent small increase in super cold winters, specialized weather packages might end up being a more widespread necessity.

1. What do we know about Texas in 2021?

A．It lacked enough wind turbines.

B．It valued the renewable energy more.

C．It prepared well to fight low temperatures.

D．It experienced a great failure of electric power.

2. Why did the wind turbines fail in Texas?

A．Developers weatherized turbines.	B．Wind power had limitations.
C．The weather was unexpectedly cold.	D．Turbines were designed for warmth.

3. What is the author’s attitude to specialized weather packages?

A．Critical.

B．Objective.

C．Optimistic.

D．Doubtful.

4. In which section of a newspaper might the text appear?

A．Lifestyle.

B．Culture.

C．Business.

D．Technology.

2 . How to gain happiness? Aristotle, a famous Greek philosopher (哲学家), believed that happiness is achieved through the development of certain virtues, stressing a balanced lifestyle.     1    .

Balancing Personal Strengths and Relationships

Aristotle combined virtues like modesty, honesty, and sociability into one principle: balance knowing yourself with getting along with others. Modesty (谦虚) involves recognizing both your true strengths and weaknesses clearly.     2    . Honesty means being true in your expressions. Sociability stresses the necessity of making and keeping friends.

Managing Emotions and Actions

    3    . Aristotle said it’s normal to feel emotions like anger, but the key to happiness is how you handle these feelings. Justice (公平) involves treating others fairly and balancing one’s needs with the needs of others. Strength involves facing fears and carefully considering risks before acting, which helps you achieve your goals confidently.

Practicing Kindness and Tolerance (宽容)

Generosity, tolerance, and grace are virtues that Aristotle considered to be part of kindness. Generosity isn’t just about giving things to others, but also about doing so thoughtfully.     4    . Grace combines a sense of humor with the seriousness required in certain situations, helping to keep a pleasant and supportive presence around others.

    5    . He teaches us that happiness is not just about seeking pleasure or avoiding pain, but about developing a balanced character. By developing these virtues and finding a balance in everything we do, we can lead truly happy and satisfying lives.

A．Aristotle stressed the importance of knowing oneself

B．This principle combines self-control, justice, and strength

C．Such realistic self-view makes you more confident and happier

D．Tolerance involves excusing others’ mistakes while keeping self-respect

E．In short, Aristotle’s approach to happiness is about finding balance in life

F．Here’s a simple explanation of his ideas designed for high school students

G．A person who knows how to be happy needs to develop a balanced sense of justice

3 . The Ninth Yearly Student Review Competition

We invite you to play critics and write an original review for our Ninth Yearly Student Review Competition. You can choose to review whatever fits into a category of creative expression. But this year we’ve added a new requirement: What you review must have appeared in the first half of 2024. With this new rule, we hope to encourage students to help shape the cultural conversation about today’s world.

Here’s what all the participants (参赛者) need to know

·The review must be 450 words or fewer, not including the title.

·You must be a student aged 13 to 19, and all students under 18 must have parents’ or guardians’ permission to enter.

·The review should be written by yourself.

·Your review should also be original for this contest.

·Submit (提交) only one entry per student. And while many of our competitions allow students to work in teams, for this one you must work alone.

New for 2024

·As part of your submission, you must also submit an “artist’s statement” that describes your process. These statements, which will not be used to choose winners, help us to design and improve our competitions.

·All entries must be submitted by 11: 59 pm, August 1st, 2024, using the competition form at the bottom of this post.

1. What can be a topic for the competition?

A．Books of Shakespeare.	B．An ancient building.
C．An old famous movie.	D．The latest dress fashion.

2. Which of the following will result in being refused?

A．The review has 400 words.	B．The participant is aged 16.
C．The review is written by a team.	D．The review isn’t published anywhere.

3. What is the “artist’s statement” used for?

A．Determining winners.	B．Perfecting the competition.
C．Encouraging teamwork.	D．Introducing the participants.

4 . More than 100 dolphins were found dead in the Amazon River during a severe drought and record-high water temperatures. The conditions in which the animals were found have caused fears that the rising global temperatures may be passing the tolerance level for vulnerable (易受伤害的) species.

The dead bodies of animals appeared at Lake Tefé, a branch of the Amazon River, alongside thousands of dead fish. Experts believe that the low river levels, added to the unbearable water temperatures, contributed to the dolphins’ death.

The Amazon River dolphin is native to South America. It is also known by the locals as boto, and can be pink or gray. Scientists noted that roughly eight of every 10 deaths are pink dolphins, which could represent 10% of their estimated population in Lake Tefé.

“The past month in Tefé has seemed like a science-fiction climate-change description,” Daniel Tregidgo, a British researcher living in the area, told The Guardian. “To know that one has died is sad, but to see lots of dead bodies, knowing that this drought has killed over 100 dolphins, is a tragedy.” The International Union for the Conservation of Nature classifies botos as endangered, and there are only six existing freshwater dolphin species left in the world.

The effects of the drought are also felt by the populations living on the edges of the river. The level of the Amazon River has fallen by 30 centimeters each day over the past two weeks. Since most food and fuel supplies are transported by boat, there are concerns that this could drive up prices and cause food insecurity. The drought has also impacted fishing, an activity that provides food and income for many families in the region.

The Amazon has historically been known for its biodiversity, as it is home to 10% of all the wildlife species we know about. Sadly, it now seems to be front row to the effects of global warming, affecting both endangered species and vulnerable communities. Now, the community is preparing for more droughts over the next couple of weeks, which could result in more animal deaths and further hardships for the region.

1. What’s the function of the figures in paragraph 3?

A．To call for urgent rescue.

B．To present the research result.

C．To show the severe situation.

D．To analyze the types of dolphins.

2. What can be inferred from Tregidgo’s words?

A．The disaster was really a shock to him.

B．The locals took no measures to tackle the drought.

C．Removing dead dolphins put researchers in trouble.

D．The massive deaths mainly resulted from high temperatures.

3. What is a consequence of the drought according to paragraph 5?

A．Food shortage.	B．Dolphins’ sickness.
C．Rising demand for food.	D．Work-family conflict.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Dolphins Are in Danger of Extinction

B．Dolphins Can’t Survive High Temperatures

C．The Death of Dolphins Alarms the Public

D．A Severe Drought Kills over 100 Dolphins

5 . Nick Dunlap, a 20-year-old sophomore (大二学生) who plays golf for the University of Alabama, won the American Express tournament at the PGA West golf course in La Quinta, California.

Dunlap’s score was one stroke (杆) better than South African professional Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who finished second. But despite defeating a host of pro-golfers, he won’t be able to take home the $1,512,000 prize because he is an amateur golfer. Instead, runner-up Bezuidenhout will receive the first-place prize. The three players who tied for third place will be paid as if they finished in a three-way tie for second place.

“I’ve learned so much today, and I’m so grateful to be here,” Dunlap said in an interview posted by the PGA Tour page on X, formerly Twitter. “To see some of the people rooting for me was really special.”

Dunlap is the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since 1991, when a young Phil Mickelson won the Tucson Open. Dunlap is also the youngest amateur to win a tour event since 1910. Dunlap’s big win is just the latest in a string of successes that indicate a bright future for the golfer from Huntsville, Alabama.

With his win in the US Amateur championship last year, Dunlap joined Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win both that famous tournament and the US Junior Amateur championship, which Dunlap won in 2021.

The win also qualifies Dunlap to turn professional at any point and join the 2024 PGA Tour with automatic membership through the 2026 season. If he retains his amateur position through the conclusion of the 2024 tour season, he has 30 days after the end of the 2024 season to declare himself a professional for the 2025 season, or 30 days after the end of the 2025 season to declare himself a professional for the 2026 season.

1. What made Dunlap fail to win the big prize?

A．His age.

B．His skill.

C．His fame.

D．His identity.

2. What can we know about Dunlap from paragraph 4?

A．His fame starts to rise.	B．He has a promising future.
C．His victory means a lot.	D．He has priority over other players.

3. Why does the author mention Tiger Woods in paragraph 5?

A．To present the other amateurs.	B．To demonstrate Dunlap’s strength.
C．To introduce another great golfer.	D．To state Woods’ role as a role model.

4. What does the underlined word “retains” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Obtains.

B．Keeps.

C．Reveals.

D．Switches.

6 . プロジェクトセカイカラフルステージ!feat. 初音ミク(Project SEKAI Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku)is a rhythm game jointly developed by SEGA, Craft Egg, and Crypton Future Media, and produced by SEGA Games and Craft Egg’s subsidiary Colorful Palette. It is also known by the abbreviations “プロセカ” and “PJSK (Beer Barbecue)”.

About the Project SEKAI

The Project SEKAI Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku primarily takes the real world area near Shibuya, Japan as its backdrop.    1     ,singing songs created by various creators as virtual singers. The other stage, “SEKAI”(“world”), originates from the realm of thought, where numerous songs are also created. One of the main characters, “Shino Ichigo”, serendipitously encounters Hatsune Miku here.

In addition to Shino Ichigo, the game features other characters with their own aspirations.Initially released, five distinct groups emerged, each with their own “aspirations”, “worlds”, and “musical styles”. The developers also mentioned the potential addition of new groups in the future. Furthermore, unlike previous rhythm games LoveLive and BanG Dream, which feature a predominantly male or female cast, PJSK includes both all-female and mixed-gender groups.

Game Features

Regarding the storyline, players will navigate between the ”real world“ and the ”world“. The storyline dialogue scenes feature Live2D technology, and players can unlock new clothing, songs, and other elements as they progress through the story. Additionally, characters featured in 3DMV can be freely customized, and clothing purchased in the real world will be showcased in 3DMV. Players can appreciate the vivid and beautiful 3DMV with their favorite characters or designs.

    2    

As for the gameplay, commands will appear in a top-down format, coordinating with rhythm and various commands to create combos. During gameplay, the background will showcase 3DMV animations produced by SEGA Games for players’ enjoyment. However, considering the impact of the songs themselves, some tracks will be presented in the 2DMV format.

The game features three types of notes: single tap (TAP), flick (FLICK), and hold (HOLD).    3    The difficulty of songs ranges from the easiest ”Easy“ to the most challenging ”Master,“ divided into five stages, allowing players to freely select a difficulty level that suits their play style.

The design style of the game’s musical score is highly reminiscent of SEGA’s arcade rhythm game CHUNITHM, featuring intertwined long-hold sliders and notes of varying widths.    4    The game features a “Virtual Live” mode that enables players to engage in real-time concert experiences within the game. During this mode, players can wave their support sticks by tapping the screen, freely adjust their viewpoint by sliding or tilting the device, and collaboratively support other players using a variety of methods, including changing the color of their support sticks or utilizing gifts, actions, and expressions.

Worldview

In the “Project SEKAI”, Shino Ichigo and others accidentally stumbled into the “world” and encountered six virtual singers.    5    . People gain entry to the world via untitled tracks. These songs, devoid of lyrics or melodies, coalesced simultaneously with the world. Only those imbued with profound yearnings will encounter “untitled” tracks. Upon the world’s possessor discovering their authentic aspirations, the Untitled transform into a song, known as the group’s “group song” (colloquially).

A．Notably, some songs in the game will be divided into ”original ver. “ (virtual singer ver. ) and ”world ver. “ sung by both virtual singers and original game characters.

B．Virtual singers manifest in distinct guises and inhabit distinct worlds, aiding individuals in discerning their authentic aspirations

C．When it comes to the 3DMV and songs, PJSK combines 3DMV with popular VOCALOID tracks, which widely attract various players.

D．Judgment criteria differ, such as the ability to simultaneously hold a unique-shaped long HOLDs with multiple fingers but not to swipe through dense single TAPs.

E．Virtual singers, such as Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin·Len, Megurine Luka, MEIKO, and KAITO,are portrayed as being the same as how we perceive them in the real world

F．In the tangible world, the virtual singer Hatsune Miku, along with Kagamine Rin·Len, Megurine Luka, MEIKO, and KAITO, is collectively referred to as “Hatsune Miku and her partners”

G．In terms of songs, PJSK has featured a wide selection of highly popular VOCALOID tracks and collaborates with renowned VOCALOID composers (VOCALOID P) to release original songs.

7 . New Space Missions in 2024

ESA’s Hera mission

The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to launch its Hera spacecraft in October on a mission to return to an asteroid (小行星) system visited by NASA’s DART spacecraft in 2022. Hera is designed to collect data on the targeted system, called Didymos. The spacecraft is expected to closely examine the physical properties of Didymos and measure detailed effects of DART’s crash.

Europa Clipper

NASA hopes to launch its Europa Clipper mission in October. This orbiter is designed to carry out close examinations of Jupiter’s moon Europa. Specifically, the mission will look for signs that the icy moon might hold the right conditions to support life. NASA says the orbiter will fly in orbit around Jupiter and perform repeated close flybys of the icy moon.

Boeing’s Starliner test flight

NASA and Boeing have said they plan to launch the first crewed test flight of the company’s Starliner spacecraft. NASA says it is targeting May 2024 to have Starliner ready for flight. The launch date is to be set later.

The spacecraft completed its first unscrewed flight test to the International Space Station (ISS) last May. But Boeing has experienced several technical difficulties with Starliner during the mission and has worked with NASA to fix the problems as it prepares for the planned crewed flight.

SpaceX Starship test

SpaceX, another NASA’s partner, has been successfully using its rockets and spacecraft to transport astronauts and materials to the ISS since 2020. But the company will be seeking a successful test flight in 2024 for its super-heavy Starship spacecraft.

SpaceX experienced two failed Starship tests in 2023 — one in April and the other in November — which resulted in explosions. The April explosion caused major damage to the launch structure in the state of Texas. SpaceX has said it has been examining the issues related to the explosions and plans to carry out another test of Starship as soon as possible. But it will have to wait until the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completes its investigation of the launch site damage and approves a new test.

1. Which of the following plans to collect data about Didymos?

A．NASA.

B．FAA.

C．SpaceX.

D．ESA.

2. When is Europa Clipper scheduled to launch?

A．In April.

B．In May.

C．In October.

D．In November.

3. What do we know about SpaceX Starship?

A．The date for its third test flight is unclear.

B．It has succeeded in sending astronauts to the ISS.

C．The reason for its first failure has been identified.

D．Its second test flight damaged the launch structure.

8 . Conventional chemical fertilizers (化肥) aren’t among the most eco-friendly substances in the world. Not only do they pollute the environment if they get into waterways, but they also reduce nutrients in the soil over time. What’s more, they’re relatively expensive.

Seeking a greener and more sustainable alternative, some farmers have started applying nitrogen-fixing bacteria (固氮细菌) to their crops. These bacteria absorb nitrogen gas from the atmosphere and turn it into ammonia in the soil. That ammonia provides the plants with nutrients, restores poor soil, and boosts the plants’ natural defenses against pest insects.

One problem with the bacteria, however, is the fact that they are very sensitive to heat and humidity (湿度). This means they don’t stand up well to being shipped out to farms from a central source.

With these drawbacks in mind, Asst. Prof. Ariel Furst and her colleagues at MIT have created a method of coating the bacteria in tiny “metal-phenol network” (MPN) shells (外壳). The shells contained organic compounds called phenols, which are generally regarded as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.

This new coating technology could make such bacteria more widely available than ever before. On one hand, these coatings don’t block the bacteria’s growth or functions. On the other hand, they do provide protection from heat and humidity. The coated bacteria can even be freeze-dried, then shipped and applied to crops.

Furst’s team created 12 different MPNs which comprised metals such as iron, manganese, aluminum and zinc, all of which are considered safe for use as food additives. When these MPNs were used on nitrogen-fixing bacteria, all of them were found to protect the bacteria from temperatures of up to 50℃ and from relative humidity of up to 48%.

Furst is now commercializing the technology through a company she founded, called Seia Bio. “When we think about developing technology, we need to intentionally design it to be inexpensive and accessible, and that’s what this technology is.” she said.

1. Why are conventional chemical fertilizers mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To lead in the topic.	B．To show their advantages.
C．To provide an example.	D．To explain how to use them.

2. What can we learn about nitrogen-fixing bacteria?

A．They prefer high temperatures.	B．They are insensitive to humidity.
C．They reduce nutrients in the soil.	D．They are environmentally friendly.

3. What does the underlined word “they” in paragraph 5 refer to?

A．MPN shells.	B．The plants.
C．Chemical fertilizers.	D．The coated bacteria.

4. What does Furst expect of the new coating technology?

A．It may help farmers to ship crops.

B．It can be widely applied.

C．It might be accessible to more companies.

D．It will limit the growth of bacteria.

9 . If your hearing begins to decline, your risk of falling may rise. Though it’s not exactly clear how hearing loss increases the risk, it’s known that falls are the top cause of death from injury among people 65 and older.

Now, new evidence shows that restoring hearing through the use of hearing aids may be protective, especially when people wear them consistently, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

“We found, quite significantly, that individuals that wore hearing aids compared to those that didn’t, did show a significantly lower prevalence (发生率),” explains Laura Campos, the study’s lead author. “They reported fewer falls, and their scores on a fall’s risk questionnaire showed they were at lower risk.”

As part of the study, Campos and her team surveyed about 300 people with hearing loss about their use of hearing aids and asked about their previous falls. The researchers also accounted for factors that could affect fall risk, such as the use of medication that can cause dizziness.

Overall, people who wore hearing aids had about a 50% reduced odds of experiencing a fall, compared to non-users. And the reduction was even greater among those who wore hearing aids at least four hours per day. “The effect size is pretty significant,” Campos says. “These consistent hearing aid users had even lower odds of falling.”

However, one challenge is that many people who get hearing aids don’t use them every day or stop using them altogether. “A lot of people don’t like them,” says Catherine Jewett, 67, who started wearing a hearing aid on one ear about four years ago. “For some people, the sound amplification (放大) can be hard to adjust to, and others are self-conscious of how they will look with hearing aids,” Jewett adds she feels safer when she wears her hearing aid since she can hear the sounds of a car, for instance, when she’s crossing a street.

1. How did the researchers conduct the study?

A．By making observations.	B．By carrying out experiments.
C．By asking questions.	D．By referring to previous studies.

2. What does paragraph 5 mainly tell us about the study?

A．Its purpose.

B．Its process.

C．Its finding.

D．Its subjects.

3. What is Catherine Jewett’s attitude to hearing aids?

A．Doubtful.

B．Positive.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Unknown.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Selecting Proper Hearing Aids Does Matter

B．People With Hearing Loss Need Special Care

C．Restoring Hearing Is a Long and Complex Process

D．Wearing Hearing Aids May Cut the Risk of Deadly Falls

10 . The National Heritage Responders is a volunteer network of around 100 experts in cultural heritage conservation from around Puerto Rico. They assist individuals and institutions in figuring out how to save important objects and buildings after disasters. Their crisis hotline has been busier than ever in recent years because of more frequent and severe weather brought on by climate change. In 2023, there have been around 70 calls so far, up from fewer than 10 in 2008, when the hotline first appeared.

Ann Frellsen, the Atlanta-based book and paper conservator, is a longtime heritage responder volunteer with more than three decades of experience in helping out cultural institutions after disasters. She was among those sent to Puerto Rico over several visits starting a couple of months after two hurricanes hit it in 2017.

After providing initial support via the phone, Frellsen and her team came in to help La Casa del Libro and other local institutions in crisis with equipment, supplies and advice. In fact, much of the advice the hotline provides is via phone or video-chat; volunteers are sent out into the field in certain cases, on an as-needed basis.

“There were no stoplights and signs on the highways because they’d all been blown away,” Frellsen said. She added that figuring out how to reach the more than 20 institutions that needed assistance in Puerto Rico was challenging—not to mention the on-the-job hazards.

When Frellsen isn’t heading into disaster zones to help save artifacts (文物) from fires, hurricanes and floods, she trains others in the heritage conservation field to do the same. Some of the participants may eventually take the test to become National Heritage Responders. But at this moment, they are deep in a hands-on training exercise, based on an imaginary situation cooked up by Frellsen and her co-trainers.

1. What can we say about Puerto Rico?

A．It calls on people to keep in contact.	B．Natural disasters are increasing there.
C．It works hard to build highways.	D．The weather is really nice there.

2. What can be learned about the National Heritage Responders?

A．It teaches individuals how to protect themselves.

B．New volunteers can join it with no tests required.

C．Victims all over the world can contact it by hotline.

D．It sends experts to the disaster areas when necessary.

3. What does the underlined word “hazards” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Dangers.

B．Skills.

C．Trainings.

D．Rights.

4. What are Frellsen and her team busy doing at present?

A．Taking various tests.	B．Entering a new disaster area.
C．Conducting a practical exercise.	D．Restoring priceless artifacts.