1 . As the growth of AI increased last year, writers and illustrators of comic books and animations continue to be particularly concerned about its potential impact on them.

AI can never reproduce the quality of humans when it comes to storytelling, argues Shawnee Gibbs. “This is an incredibly unique medium (comics and animation) that gets its DNA from the collaboration of writers and artists. I can’t imagine that kind of cooperation when you generate stories from AI,” says Shawnee. However, her sister Shawnelle says, “AI will change the industry in ways we can’t even understand at the moment.” She wants to see laws emerge that protect human creators as AI technology evolves.

Rob Edwards is a writer of graphic novels. “A world of writers using AI is a world of unoriginal, recycled, impersonal ideas,” he says. “Right now, there’s a kid out there drawing the next weird but innovative comic book that could inspire millions. My concern is that AI will talk that kid out of it before anybody sees it. If you think the animated movies you watch are predictable now, just wait until computers are writing them.”

One person who has created comic books whose images were all drawn by AI is artist Steve Coulson. He says that using AI to create individual images “can be a pretty simple exercise”. However, he says that when you want to tell a story over multiple images, “it is a tougher nut to crack”, as you have to “enable the system to produce consistent characters, settings, stylings and so on, in order to tell a whole story”.

Despite the growing popularity of all these apps, Jonathan Kendrick says, “AI cannot create an image the way a human mind can. It’s like having a bad writer help you—sure it will get an outline done, but if you need something with emotional weight, an AI isn’t going to get you an Oscar. AI can never surprise us in the way we want our stories and art to be portrayed. Because of this, AI is simply a tool to be used by humans, not to replace them. Otherwise, we sacrifice the originality and creativity that consumers know and love.”

1. What does Shawnelle stress in the second paragraph?

A．The unique nature of comics and animation.

B．The quality of storytelling crafted by humans.

C．The need for legal protection for human creators.

D．AI’s ability to work with humans in storytelling.

2. What does Rob Edwards worry about?

A．AI steals creative ideas from kids.

B．AI prevents people’s inventiveness.

C．AI produces predictable animated movies.

D．AI makes people give up the idea of recycling.

3. What does the underlined part mean?

A．It is rewarding.	B．It is thrilling.
C．It is challenging.	D．It is entertaining.

4. What does Jonathan Kendrick think of AI?

A．It is bad in writing outlines for creators.

B．It will win an Oscar for its originality.

C．It will work just like a human mind.

D．It fails to express feelings in writing.

2 . Research backs up the claim that anxiety can lead to anger. Jesse Cougle, a professor of psychology at Florida State University, and his team studied the frequency of aggression across several different anxiety disorders, according to research published in the journal Depression and Anxiety. The researchers found elevated anger levels across all anxiety disorders.

There are several possible reasons for this link. For one, the very experience of anxiety is a type of emotional arousal that can be distressing. In other words, people with anxiety might have a tendency to overreact in general.

“When someone cuts them off in traffic or when there’s a perceived slight (轻视) or an inconvenience — these can lead to anger because they’re already in a distressed and aroused state.” says Cougle.

Another possible cause might include the temptation to push aside the anxious feelings. “When you avoid feelings, you don’t deal with them so well. Just avoiding anxiety —— not acknowledging it because it’s too scary — can result in anger building up until it’s uncontrollable and it explodes.” says Schneier.

Take social anxiety for example. Those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) tend to avoid conflict and might go out of their way to comfort others. But they also expect others to act in a negative way towards them. Feelings of rejection can lead to irritability (易怒) or behaviors that are aggressive: the exact opposite of the timidity that one might expect of someone with social anxiety. For example, if you put a socially anxious teen in a setting where they can’t judge another’s intention, like a high school dance, and when the teen returns, she scolds at her parents for forcing her to go.

Another overlooked link between anxiety and anger involves lack of sleep. People with anxiety disorders have difficulty falling and staying asleep. Overtime, this repressed tiredness can lead to an irritable outburst.

1. Which is NOT a reason for anger in the passage?

A．Being anxious.	B．Lack of sleep.
C．A positive way towards others.	D．The attempt to push aside anxiety.

2. Which statement is true according to the passage?

A．Inconvenience has nothing to do with anger.

B．If you are refused by others, you may get angry.

C．Schneier thinks avoiding anxiety cannot lead to anger.

D．When someone have difficulty falling asleep, they may overlook anxiety.

3. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．The way to ease anxiety.	B．The cause of anxiety.
C．The need to avoid anxiety.	D．The reasons why anxiety causes anger.

4. In which section of a website can we probably find the text?

A．Mind	B．Technology
C．Culture	D．Opinion

3 . Seven-year-olds, with their increasing attention spans, are ready for more complex chapter books, but they still enjoy shorter stories and funny picture books. See what your second graders think of these tried-and-true read-aloud books.

Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black is a short, silly tale about a bear who is determined to reach some honey with the help of some of his animal friends. With minimal text, this book is a short, quick read-aloud one that appeals to the potty-humor of seven-year-olds.

Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel follows the adventures of a pair of amphibian best friends, Frog and Toad. The stories are silly, heart-warming, relatable, and always a treasure to share with children.

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, published in 1952, captivates readers of all ages with its timeless tale of friendship, love, and sacrifice. The story introduces children to the richness of language and reminds them of the influence we can have on the lives of others even if we feel small and insignificant.

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner, a series originally published in 1924, tells the story of four orphaned siblings who work together to make their home in an abandoned boxcar. The story imparts lessons such as hard work, resilience, and team work all woven into a story that will hook young readers and inspire them to investigate the rest of the series.

1. Which book should you choose if you want your children to improve their language skills?

A．Chicken Cheeks.	B．Charlotte’s Web.
C．Frog and Toad.	D．The Boxcar Children.

2. Which of the four books has a continuation?

A．Charlotte’s Web.	B．Frog and Toad.
C．The Boxcar Children.	D．Chicken Cheeks.

3. What do the four books have in common?

A．They are all humorous.	B．They were published in the 19th century.
C．They are all about adventures.	D．They are all suitable for second-grade children.

4 . Have you heard of “spaving”? It refers to the phenomenon where individuals try to save money but end up spending more than they originally intended due to discounts and special promotions. About six in ten Americans admitted to spaving in a survey of 3,000 respondents. You might also be a victim of spaving.     1    

Create a proper spending plan.

One key roadblock is that people tend to think that their past expenses were lower than they had planned, and assume that their future expenses will also be much lower. As a result, people are more likely to set up an unrealistic budget.     2     And not being able to meet the goals they have set gets them further off track.

Check your opportunity costs.

    3     So when we see a great deal, we get excited and think about how much we will save rather than thinking about the trade-offs. Next time, when considering a great deal, ask yourself whether this purchase is more important than what else you could do with that amount of money.

Compare prices based on units.

In general, the bigger the quantity you're buying, the cheaper it should be per unit. For example, if you're buying a 24-pack of flavored water, the cost per can should be lower than that of the 12-pack.     4     Keep an eye on such cases and make informed decisions.

    5    

As social creatures, humans look to what others are doing as cues about what they should do. So when it seems like everyone is taking advantage of the Labor Day Sale, Black Friday, or Prime Day,   we assume that we should as well, even if we do not actually need anything at the moment.

A．Stop going with the stream.

B．Seek shopping advice from others.

C．This makes people fail, which is discouraging.

D．However, sometimes promotions go against this pattern.

E．Thankfully, it's easy to avoid this spending trap with a conscious mind.

F．The problem with spaving is that it tricks you into buying unneeded items.

G．Often, we don't think about what we're giving up when making a purchase.

5 . Some commonly recommended strategies for managing anger, including hitting a punching bag (拳击袋), jogging and cycling, aren’t effective at helping people cool off. That’s the key takeaway of our new review of 154 studies that looked at how activities that increase versus decrease physiological arousal affect anger and aggression.

Arousal is how researchers describe how energized someone is. When you’re in a state of high physiological arousal, you’ll have increased heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. Anger is a negative emotion associated with high physiological arousal.

In our study, we found that activities that influence arousal levels had a deep impact on anger and aggression. By engaging in activities that decrease arousal, such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, yoga, and mindfulness, you can control, or “turn down”, your angry feelings.

Crucially, our combined study of participants from multiple studies found that activities that help decrease arousal worked across diverse settings, including in the laboratory and in real-world situations, both of line and online, and in both group and individual sessions. In addition, activities that turn down arousal were effective for a wide variety of people—students and nonstudents, criminal offenders and non-offenders, those with and without disabilities.

In contrast’some activities people use to manage their anger amp up (加剧) arousal and increase anger and aggression levels. Jogging, a popular stress-relief activity, actually increased anger in the studies we looked at. The repetitive nature of jogging may cause feelings of monotony and frustration, potentially increasing anger rather than alleviating it. Instead, engaging in ball sports and physical education classes decreased anger.

Likewise’venting (发泄) anger increased anger and aggression. This research helps dismiss the belief that it is good to blow off steam and “let it out”. Skip screaming into your pillow or hitting a punching bag. Save your money rather than going to a room to break stuff with baseball bats. Such activities are of little use.

1. What can we know about the new review?

A．It looked at how to control anger.

B．It was about 154 studies on anger.

C．It focused on the effects of activities on anger.

D．It suggested some ways to reduce physiological arousal.

2. What does the author suggest people do when they are angry?

A．Go jogging	B．Do some yoga.
C．Scream into a pillow.	D．Hit a punching bag.

3. What does the underlined word “monotony” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Boredom.

B．Fear.

C．Excitement.

D．Satisfaction.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards the popular stress-relief activities?

A．Positive.

B．Negative.

C．Doubtful.

D．Indifferent.

6 . European wildcats could be reintroduced to England more than 200 years after they became extinct in the country. The project has been announced by UK wildlife charity Wildwood Trust.

European wildcats are one of the UK’s rarest mammals. The only wild population, numbering fewer than 300 individuals, lives in the Scottish Highlands but they are on the verge of extinction, partly because they have bred with local feral cats (wild-living domestic cats).

Supporters hope to save the species in the UK by reintroducing them to England and Wales, where they died out around 200 years ago because of hunting and loss of habitat. To bring back the species, Wildwood Trust is planning to build 10 new breeding facilities on two sites in Kent and Devon. Kittens bred in captivity but away from humans will then be released into the wild. The University of Exeter is researching places where the animals could be reintroduced.

European wildcats are around the same size as a large domestic cat, but at up to eight kilograms they are slightly adult heavier. They have a tabby-like pattern with thick black stripes on their bodies and a bushy tail and like to live in forests but near open grassland. They’re also famously shy and keep their distance from humans. Laura Gardner, director of conservation at Wildwood Trust, told The Times newspaper that people should not be worried by the thought of wildcats returning to the wild. “We’re not talking about wolves,” she said.

Wildwood Trust says that its project can benefit both the wildcats and the habitats where they live. They are one of the few native predators left in the UK, so a healthy population of wildcats could help to control the numbers of animals they prey on, such as rabbits and rodents. By competing for the same food as foxes, they will also help to reduce fox numbers and restore a balance to nature.

1. What is the aim of the project?

A．To save wildcats from dying out.	B．To ensure wildcats’good habitats.
C．To raise money to protect wildcats.	D．To build some new breeding facilities.

2. What does the author indicate by mentioning Laura Gardner in paragraph 4?

A．Wildcats are very shy animals.	B．Wildcats are not as fierce as wolves.
C．European wildcats are unique animals.	D．Wildcats cannot pose a threat for humans.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Wildcats will threaten the number of other animals.

B．Wildcats and its habitats will be well protected.

C．Wildcats can contribute to ecological balance.

D．Wildcats are one of the few predators left in the UK.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Wildwood Trust Announcing a Plan.

B．Rare Wildcats Making a Comeback.

C．Reintroducing Wildcats Benefiting Us.

D．Wildcats Disappearing From the World.

7 . Kids Plays! 2024

World-class Plays for the Young and Young at Heart

Private Placid (23 to 30 June)

This play relives the life of Private Peter Placid, a young World War I soldier in a prison cell, as he looks back on his short but joyful past growing up in rural Devon.

Proudly presented by OKTO Theatre (UK) for young people aged 8 and above with their families at Regimented Theatre.

Traumatic Tudors (to 9 July)

Learn about the English royalty from the 1400s to the 1600s (with the nasty bits left in) in this production by The Noble Stage Company (UK) at the Monarchs Arts Centre.

For children aged 7 and above with their families. Enjoy a 10% discount with your ACBC credit card.

What the Ladybird Heard (21 to 30 June)

In KidsPlay’s glittering family treat, the woolly sheep, the hairy hog, the fat red hen and the dainty dog provide children 18 months and above with live music, plenty of audience participation and lots of laughs.

Proudly presented by Hair Wax Ltd (UK) and Singapore Youth Theatre at the Apian Arts Centre.

The Gruffalo (22 June to 3 July)

Join Mouse on an adventurous journey through the dark ancient wood in this magical adaptation of the award-winning book by Julia Donaldson. Let your imagination run wild with songs, laughs and fun for everyone aged 3 to 101!

An irresistibly charming play by Short Stories (UK) at ACT5 Theatre.

Enjoy a 10% discount with ticket stubs (票根) of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (20 June to 1 July)

Abba Ltd (UK) proudly presents We’re Going on a Bear Hunt at the Ursine Centre Theatre! Children aged 3 and above will enjoy this fun-filled play as our brave adventurers set off on a quest to find a bear.

1. Where is the text likely to be found?

A．In a storybook.	B．In a diary entry.
C．In a newspaper article.	D．In a magazine for parents.

2. Where can you watch a performance by actors from two countries?

A．At ACT5 Theatre.	B．At Regimented Theatre.
C．At the Apian Arts Centre.	D．At the Monarchs Arts Centre.

3. How can you enjoy a 10% discount for The Gruffalo?

A．By collecting and returning ticket stubs.	B．By watching We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.
C．By buying a ticket with an ACBC credit card.	D．By joining Mouse on an adventurous journey.

8 . Hollywood’s stars born after 2000

Meet the young stars in Hollywood taking charge of their careers like no generation prior to them.

Millie Bobby Broun

The English teen rose to fame for her role as Eleven in the Netflix science fiction drama series Stranger Things, for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination (提名) for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at age 13. She also received several awards for the role.

Iain Armitage

Iain Armitage was seen as a troubled Ziggy Chapman in hit series Big Little Lies, and then entered The Big Bang Theory universe as the lead character in its prequel (前传) Young Sheldon. “I kind of stumbled into acting. I didn’t think, ‘I want to be an actor when I grow up.’ I do theatre reviews and I always thought I was just a great audience member. I loved coming to shows. I don’t watch too much TV, which is ironic.”

Mackengie Foy

After modeling from age 3, Foy started acting at 9, playing an extraordinary part in The Twilight Saga as the daughter of Robert Pattinson and Kristin Stewart’s characters. She went on to play Matthew McConaughey’s daughter in Christopher Nolan’s 2014 space epic Interstellar and soon after became Disney’s pick to lead its live - action The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.

Mckenna Grace

After five years on the job, Grace has a résumé that reads like a Hollywood veteran’s, with nearly 50 credits in TV (Once Upon a Time, Designated Survivor) and film, where she starred in Gifted opposite Chris Evans, portrayed a young Margot Robbie in I, Tonya and played a junior version of Brie Larson in Captain Marvel.

1. Which one best suits people who enjoy science fiction?

A．Big Little Lies.	B．The Twilight Saga.
C．Stranger Things.	D．I, Tonya.

2. What can be known about Iain Armitage?

A．He always dreamed of being an actor.

B．It was a coincidence for him to stumble into acting.

C．He was the lead character in Designated Survivor.

D．It was normal for him to take up the acting career.

3. What is special about Mackengie Foy?

A．She has ever been a model.

B．She has played roles in nearly 50 credits.

C．She earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Interstellar.

D．She was picked to lead a live-action in Captain Marvel.

9 . Four Most Memorable Voice Acting Performances in Movies

Numerous actors have used their voice to help create some of the most iconic (标志性的) characters in the movie industry. Voice acting is an art that requires not only a great voice, but also some serious acting skills.

Let’s take a closer look at our list:

Kevin Spacey as Gerty in Moon (2009)

Winner of an Oscar for his role in American Beauty, Spacey plays the role of Gerty, a robot and only companion of an astronaut about to finish his 3-year mission on the moon in Moon, directed by David Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones.

Pat Welsh as E.T. in E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)

Steven Spielberg showed us the true meaning of friendship in this unforgettable classic, in which Pat Welsh played the role of the gentle alien we have all come to know and love.

Andy Serkis as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002, 2003)

Serkis is known for playing motion-capture (动作捕捉) characters in movies and has undoubtedly reached expert status in the field—with Gollum as his masterpiece. Is there anyone out there who has never mimicked his famous punchline? “My precious…”

Eddie Murphy as Donkey (驴) in Shrek (2011)

It’s safe to say that Eddie Murphy was born to give a voice to Shrek’s Donkey. The Shrek franchise has recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its release and yet, Murphy’s voice stays timeless as ever.

1. Which movie was directed by Duncan Jones?

A．American Beauty.	B．Moon.
C．E. T. The Extra Terrestrial.	D．The Lord of the Rings.

2. When was the movie showing the true meaning of friendship released?

A．In 1982.	B．In 2001.
C．In 2009.	D．In 2011.

3. Who gives a voice to an animal?

A．Kevin Spacey.	B．Pat Welsh.
C．Andy Serkis.	D．Eddie Murphy.

10 . There isn’t much doubt that one of the most influential people in my life was my grandmother Lizzie Kerns.

My brother Mike started the family custom of moving in with Granny Kerns during our high school years. I lived with her all through my senior year. She lives very close to the school, so I’d come over and eat lunch with her. On game days, I’d come over and take a nap from about four o’clock to seven-thirty, since game time was eight o’clock. I’d just go there, lie on the floor and go to sleep. Granny would come in at seven-thirty and say, “You’d better get up. You'll be playing in half an hour.” We used to shoot free throws every morning at six o'clock. One day I just wanted to sleep in. Granny woke me up and said, “Larry, those other boys are down there. You should be down there with them.” I got up and went to free throw practice.

Mark and I would be at Granny's for supper and later on, just before it was time to go to bed, Mark would say, “Mmm, some popcorn would taste good right now. Larry, what would you think about some popcorn?” Granny wouldn’t say a thing. But the next thing you knew, she’d have that pan out and you’d hear that popping sound in the kitchen.

We started moving in with her because we just didn’t have enough room. It was always a problem. After Mike started it, Mark did it for a while and then me. Later on, Eddie used to eat lunch there every day.

Granny was proud of all her grandkids. Oh, she read everything about me she could get her hands on and she knew I’d signed contracts (合同) for big money, but she never discussed it. None of us got special treatment. Granny loved all of us and that's the way it should be.

I’d have given her anything, but what she really wanted was security. Granny just wanted to know she had enough to get by. She always told me one thing, “I’m not afraid to die. When I get old and can’t do it anymore, I'm not going to be afraid to die.” That showed me a lot. Unfortunately, Granny passed away while I was writing this, so she was never able to see that I dedicated (献给) my book to her.

1. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?

A．Both Mike and the author were lazy and playful.

B．Granny always had a nice way of handling things.

C．The author preferred sleeping to playing basketball.

D．Granny was good at controlling her grandchildren's life.

2. According to the passage, which words can best describe Granny Lizzie Kerns?

A．Strict and tough.	B．Determined and fair.
C．Loving and considerate.	D．Optimistic and tolerant.

3. Why did Granny never mention the author’s success at home?

A．She didn’t take pride in the author's success.

B．She was trying to treat all grandchildren equally.

C．She didn’t know the author had made a good fortune.

D．She was afraid that the author would be too proud of himself.

4. Why did the author feel regretful when writing the book?

A．Granny didn’t know he wrote a book.

B．Granny didn’t know how much she meant to him.

C．Granny died and couldn’t take care of him any more.

D．Granny couldn’t read the book written in honor of her.