1 . I was cutting up lettuce (生菜) in the kitchen when I suddenly remembered watching a video about putting the lettuce stub (残余部分) in water to grow a whole new vegetable. So I took out a wide-mouthed mug (大杯) and placed the stub into it, gave it a little water, and placed it by the window.
On a snowy morning, I noticed the first sign. A first small leaf from its heart spread out. A tiny green flag of hope. Beaten, but not defeated. Within days, it was impossible to see the cuts where I had removed the leaves. The growth was explosive. And when I lifted the blossoming head out of the mug, tiny root threads fell down, seeking for the earth. What is growing here? Lettuce or hope?
If I were a lettuce in a similar condition, I’d want to doubtfully assess where I found myself before being devoted to full growth. Yet for this lettuce, my inadequate offering of water and a place by a window was enough for it to decide to reclaim itself again. It grew in a mug of water, in faith. This is the heart of this lettuce: alive, strong and fearless. It deserved a name. I decided to call it Monty.
Monty wanted to grow, as we all do. I think I gave him a little love and freedom. Those two ingredients were all he needed to return to himself. I see joy in this lettuce. The return to self is always an expression of joy, which is life itself. With the right ingredients, this is the tendency of all living things.
Monty still lives in a mug, but I’m going to transplant him outside. He deserves to become his full self. The only problem I see now is my capacity to support Monty. I hope I have enough of a green finger.
I’m surprised to find myself where I am. Maybe Monty is, too. I have the same choice as he does: give in, or start again. The prospect of starting again is discouraging. But my lettuce-friend, Monty, leads the way. I can only hope to be as brave.
1. Why did the author put the stub in water?| A．To hope that it would grow. | B．To decorate the nice mug. |
| C．To play a game. | D．To remove his bad mood. |
| A．The remaining stub. | B．The small leaf. |
| C．The disappearing cuts. | D．The tiny root threads. |
| A．Hesitant. | B．Fearless. | C．Confident. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．Enjoy your own life to the fullest | B．Believe in yourself when in trouble |
| C．Never be afraid to restart yourself | D．Give freedom to the heart in a way |
2 . It’s a race against time, as generations of cultural heritage conservators at the Dunhuang Academy make a great effort to protect the artistic charm of the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, despite erosion (侵蚀) by sand and wind.
The team is devoted to protecting the 45,000 square meters of murals (壁画) and more than 2,400 painted sculptures of the 735 caves of the site, the construction of which spans about a thousand years, from the 4th century to the 14th century. The cultural relics are the product of the cultural exchanges that took place over centuries on the ancient Silk Road. “Our work, repairing murals and painted sculptures, is to better preserve the caves, which promotes the great Dunhuang spirit of inclusiveness to the world and inspires modern people,” says Su Bomin, director of the Dunhuang Academy.
Commonly seen “diseases” affecting the murals include cracking and flaking, as well as erosion that is caused by changes in temperature and humidity of the caves, and the deposition of salts. To restore a mural requires an all-rounder. Restorers should know painting, master the skills of a mason and have some knowledge of chemistry and physics, to be able to recognize the problems and their corresponding causes and deliver a solution. They must also select proper materials and tools, and conduct experiments, before formally carrying out the restoration and evaluating the effect afterward.
The restoration should respect the original work and aim to maintain the status quo of the murals rather than repainting them. When the restorers find some parts of murals missing or fading away, they never repaint them to create a “perfect” appearance in restoration. “Cultural relics are witnesses of history,” explains Su. “When you pursue the so-called intact (完好无损的) look for artistic reasons, you will lose their key meaning.”
Cave conservation is about continuously solving problems. “It needs a long-term research to better preserve the caves, over a much wider time span that goes beyond our lifetimes,” Su says. But at least, they can keep the current look of the murals for as long as possible.
1. What is the main purpose of paragraph 2?| A．To show the popularity of Dunhuang murals. |
| B．To explain the history of the ancient Silk Road. |
| C．To stress the significance of the restoration work. |
| D．To present the ways of protecting cultural heritage. |
| A．Demanding. | B．Well-paid. | C．Interesting. | D．Creative. |
| A．Spotting the faded murals in time. |
| B．Fixing the missing parts of murals. |
| C．Maintaining the current look of murals. |
| D．Repainting to perfect the appearance of murals. |
| A．The Artistic Charm of Mural Paintings |
| B．The Mural Restoration in the Mogao Caves |
| C．The Successful Experiment on Cave Conservation |
| D．The Role of the Dunhuang Spirit in Chinese Culture |
3 . It has been shown in about 20 studies that forest bathing can improve mental and physical health. Spending any time in nature is a great way to improve your mental health, and the ideal amount of time is about 120 minutes a week. That may sound like a lot.
Walking is great for a forest bathing, even if it’s on your way to work or school. Maybe you leave a little earlier and go more slowly, taking a route with more greenery. Perhaps you pay closer attention to the flowers springing through the cracks in the cement or the trees lining the street.
During a meal
If you consider yourself a home chef and regularly cook dinner for yourself and loved ones, maybe it’s time to grow herbs in your kitchen.
In your office
Getting your forest bathing in the office can be good for both you and your work. That could mean going on a weekly lunch walk with a work friend, or taking a break to look out the window or even bringing a plant into your office.
| A．On your daily outing |
| B．Above all, be comfortable |
| C．If you have meetings in small groups |
| D．But you don’t have to do it all at once |
| E．When you have experienced forest bathing |
| F．In fact, forest bathing doesn’t have to take place in a forest |
| G．Once dinner is ready, consider moving the meal outside in mild weather |
4 . Glance in a café window and chances are you’ll see a lot of people staring at screens. Take a closer look, and you’ll find many of them scrolling through social media to check for what celebrities or influencers are doing, and what they look like. Those updates are seemingly perfect.
Don’t compare.
No matter how many followers, comments, or likes you have, if you get trapped in a competitive mindset, it can turn into a bottomless pit because there’ll always be someone who has more positive responses. Try to think of fun times you’ve had and kind things in the real world.
Give your time and attention to people doing inspiring things, spreading uplifting messages and sharing unique and beautiful ideas. Be selective. If someone’s posts make you feel bad about yourself, click unfollow or hide.
See through the façade (假象).
It’s no secret that many celebrities and influencers edit their images before posting such as making their eyes bigger or their nose smaller.
Take time out.
| A．Keep it positive. |
| B．Focus on topics you’re passionate about. |
| C．Even so, it’s difficult to keep it in mind. |
| D．They remind you that where you are is just right. |
| E．That’s why it’s easy for you to get busy comparing. |
| F．You can be authentic though the rest of the world doesn’t show truth. |
| G．Pause and step away when social media makes you full of self-doubt. |
5 . For all of human history, eating meat has meant killing animals. But scientists behind lab grown meat say that’s no longer necessary. They produce meat by growing cells obtained from an animal’s body.
Lab-grown meat, also called “cell-cultivated” or “cultured” meat, is made by feeding a mix of nutrients to animal cells in steel tanks in labs. The idea is to create an alternative to agriculturally raised meat. And unlike other meat substitutes which are made from plant proteins and other ingredients, lab-grown meat is real meat. When ready, the meat is formed into shapes such as sausages or nuggets (块), and looks, smells and tastes like any other grocery store version.
Recently, the U. S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) has given two companies approval to sell lab-grown chicken. The approval launches a new era of meat production aimed at eliminating harm to animals, and reducing the environmental impacts of grazing(放牧) and growing feed for animals. Scientists warn that the typical way meat is produced now, in concentrated animal feeding operations, is a risk factor for the emergence of diseases. Lab-grown meat is more sustainable and can be produced without antibiotics, and without producing greenhouse gas emissions linked to animal agriculture.
“Everything we know about how meat can be made is going to change. But don’t expect to see cultivated meat in grocery stores just yet,” said Uma Valeti, CEO of UPSIDE Foods. Lab-grown chicken is much more expensive, because it cannot yet be produced on the scale of traditional meat.
“To make cultivated meat, energy use needs are high,” said Bruce Friedrich, president and founder of the Good Food Institute, a nonprofit group that promotes alternative proteins. However, the disadvantage of high energy needs will be offset by the reduction in land and water use and other benefits. If cultured meat is produced on a large scale, it could also offer a solution to feeding the world’s growing population.
1. What do we know about lab-grown meat?| A．It is abundant in plant proteins. |
| B．It can be bought in grocery stores. |
| C．It is generated from animals’ cells. |
| D．It tastes more delicious than traditional meat. |
| A．More nutrition consumed by eaters. |
| B．Lower costs for restaurants. |
| C．Improvements in traditional agriculture. |
| D．Positive impacts on climate change and animals. |
| A．It is hard to produce lab-grown meat in quantity. |
| B．The USDA doesn’t approve the sale of lab-grown meat. |
| C．Many people raise doubts about the safety of lab-grown meat. |
| D．Lab-grown meat can disturb competition in the meat industry. |
| A．Balanced. | B．Satisfied. | C．Increased. | D．Exchanged. |
6 . School-based Vocational (职业的) Training in Germany
If you want to do vocational training in healthcare, social services or technical professions, you can do school-based vocational training in Germany.
What is it?
School-based vocational training does not take place partly in a company, but only at a vocational school or a vocational college. Here you are not an apprentice (学徒) in a company, but you learn practically full-time at the school desk.
What does it teach you?
You will find a variety of professions that you can learn at a vocation al school or a vocational college. Offers are available for professions such as nurse, kindergarten teacher and medical-technical assistant. Many—but not all—of the more than 350 officially acknowledged vocational training programs in Germany are school-based.
How long does it take?
School-based vocational training in Germany is usually full-time. The duration and the curricula are fixed for the individual professions, but there are different vacation periods from school to school, which interrupt the training periods.
How much does it cost?
In contrast to in-company training, you will not usually receive a monthly training allowance for school-based training; in many cases, you will even have to pay for this training. If you go to a state vocational school or a college, there are usually no fees. However, this may not be the case with privately run vocational colleges or schools.
Germany’s vocational training system is known for its strong focus on practical skills and employability. According to a study by the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, around 78% of students who completed a vocation al training program found employment within one year of graduation.
1. What can most probably be learnt in school-based vocational training?| A．Planting crops. | B．Taking care of the elderly. |
| C．Driving a vehicle. | D．Mastering a foreign language. |
| A．Attend a state college. | B．Receive an offer. |
| C．Have a full-time course. | D．Apply for a private school. |
| A．Science. | B．Education. | C．Business. | D．Entertainment. |
7 . The exhibit, Digital Dunhuang — Tales of Heaven and Earth, which was held at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, brought to Hong Kong more than 100 exhibits including the visual murals and other related programs that could allow visitors to learn about the art and history of the Mogao Caves in a fun way.
“Dunhuang was an international city, a place where East met West, on the old Silk Road. So the Mogao Caves, which were completed in a period of over 1,000 years, record the ways of life and beliefs of the different peoples that crossed paths there,” explained Fion Lin of Hong Kong Heritage Museum.
Visitors can now get up close and personal with these faraway treasures without having to step into the caves, thanks to the digitization project of the Dunhuang Academy, a pioneer that has made great progress in the digitization and 3D scanning of the Dunhuang treasures.
“Studies have shown that in a cave, both temperature and CO2 concentration level can rise with 15 tourists inside for ten minutes. As a result, the wall paintings are going to eventually fade. Digital technology has helped to strike a balance between sharing the treasures and protecting them,” said Lin.
However, digitization of the caves faces many challenges such as poor lighting and rough wall surfaces. On average, 40,000 pictures have to be taken to cover 300 m2. Great amount of efforts have been made to piece the pictures together. What the exhibition presented is the result of years of hard work.
During the exhibition period, a mini display on Dunhuang music culture was also being held at the Museum for public participation.
1. What could visitors see at the Digital Dunhuang exhibit?| A．The Mogao Caves. | B．About 40,000 Dunhuang pictures. |
| C．Digital Dunhuang wall paintings. | D．Ancient records of Dunhuang. |
| A．It helps Dunhuang become an international city. |
| B．It lets people better appreciate the Dunhuang art. |
| C．It is effective in cutting the CO₂ level in the caves. |
| D．It attracts more tourists from East and West to Hong Kong. |
| A．They are brightly lit. | B．They are very rough. |
| C．It is very hard to protect them. | D．It is impossible for the tourists to see them. |
| A．In paragraph 2. | B．In paragraph 3. |
| C．In paragraph 4. | D．In paragraph 5. |
8 . The atmospheric level of carbon dioxide (CO2)—a gas that is great at trapping heat, contributing to climate change—is almost double what it was prior to the Industrial Revolution. This presents a challenge to researchers attempting to design artificial trees or other methods of capturing (捕获) carbon dioxide directly from the air. That challenge is one a Sandia National Laboratories-led team is trying to solve.
Led by Sandia chemical engineer Tuan Ho, the team has been working on a project using powerful computer models combined with laboratory experiments to study how a kind of clay can take in carbon dioxide and store it. “These fundamental findings have potential for direct-air capture; that is what we’re working toward,” said Ho. “Clay is really inexpensive and rich in nature, which should allow us to reduce the cost of direct-air carbon capture significantly, if this high-risk, high-reward project ultimately leads to a technology. What’s more, it can be used like sponges (海绵) to absorb carbon dioxide, and then the gas will be ‘squeezed’ out of and pumped deep underground.”
Carbon capture and storage is the process of capturing extra carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere and storing it deep underground with the aim of reducing the impacts of climate change such as more frequent severe storms, rising sea levels and increased droughts and wildfires. This carbon dioxide could be captured from fossil-fuel-burning power plants, or other industrial facilities or directly from the air, which is more technologically challenging. Carbon capture and storage is widely considered one of the least controversial technologies, to deal with climate change.
“We would like low-cost energy, without ruining the environment,” said Susan Rempe, a Sandia bioengineer on the project. “Direct-air carbon capture is important for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. We can live in a way that doesn’t produce as much carbon dioxide, but unfortunately, we can’t control what our neighbors do.”
1. What problem is presented in paragraph 1?| A．The constant change of atmosphere. |
| B．The design of artificial trees. |
| C．The rising amount of carbon dioxide. |
| D．The storage of carbon dioxide. |
| A．A computer-aided model. | B．High-reward investment. |
| C．Some low-risk technology. | D．Clay-based carbon capture. |
| A．We need joint efforts to reduce carbon release. |
| B．Carbon dioxide holds the key to air pollution. |
| C．Human activities have ruined our environment. |
| D．Our neighboring countries should take the blame. |
| A．To Capture Carbon Dioxide or Not? |
| B．Can Clay Capture Carbon Dioxide? |
| C．What Carbon Dioxide Can Create |
| D．How Carbon Dioxide Traps Heat |
9 . As ninety approached, many things had changed for Mom except one: She wanted a big birthday party. But because of a fractured (断裂的) hip just 3 weeks before, we could only arrange a small one at the rehab (康复中心) instead of giving her a big celebration in a restaurant.
Mom’s husband, Fred, was also in the facility, admitted to the dementia (痴呆) unit prior to her admission. Mom visited him a few times each week, but these visits distressed her because he was usually asleep and did not respond to her. She often left in tears and was sad for days.
On the day of the party, we decorated the dining room with balloons, and a sheet cake was decorated in her favorite colour. Surrounded by her loved ones, Mom was overwhelmed with happiness. Only one other person could have made this day happier: Fred, her husband of thirty years. Because the party was held in the nursing facility, we had taken him to the party, too. When an attendant brought him into the room, Mom shouted with joy. We positioned them side by-side in their wheelchairs. He sat there with his eyes closed, unresponsive, and the party went on.
A short time later, there was a buzz in the room: “Fred’s awake!” And he was! Mom spoke to him, and he responded. He said, “I love you.” He ate the birthday cake and ice cream. He stayed for the rest of the party. After I sent him back to his nursing unit, the remaining guests were still talking about Fred and his miraculous awakening, just in time to share his wife’s ninetieth birthday. Mom was very happy, crying that his presence was the best gift of all.
God works in strange ways. We were able to give Mom a lovely celebration after all, and with her husband at her side, a happy birthday indeed.
1. Why couldn’t Mom enjoy a big birthday party?| A．Because her husband got sick. |
| B．Because she herself got injured. |
| C．Because she preferred to celebrate it with her husband. |
| D．Because we didn’t want to arrange one for her. |
| A．He was admitted to the rehab after Mom. |
| B．Mom felt disappointed with him. |
| C．He was unconscious most of the time at the rehab. |
| D．He had been married to Mom for nearly twenty years. |
| A．To inspire him to get better. | B．To help us get close to him. |
| C．To celebrate his birthday. | D．To make him keep his wife company. |
| A．Mom’s Unexpected Birthday Gift | B．Fred’s Amazing Recovery |
| C．Mom’s Miraculous Party | D．Mom’s Strange Birthday |
10 . Art Exhibitions On Display Throughout Campus
Next Up Invitational V
On Display November 21 until November 26.
Location: Sikes Hall Showcase
“NextUp Invitational V” is an exhibition of works selected by the Clemson Curates Creative Inquiry team showing twenty-three “up and coming” undergraduate art students in the Department of Art Bachelor of Fine Arts. On view are works selected from over 230 submissions to the Foundations Review, which took place during the spring semester, and includes drawing, painting, and photography.
Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Exhibit
On display November 29 through December 7.
Location: Lee Gallery
This exhibition shows works by seniors in the studio disciplines of drawing, painting, and printmaking. The Lee Gallery exhibits the artworks of graduating students in the Department of Art academic program at the end of each semester. The students featured in the exhibit are honored with an Artist Talk which will take place December 3 from 5 p. m. to 7 p. m. in the Lee Gallery.
Natural History/Critical Condition
On display December 1 until December 3.
Location: College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities Dean’s Gallery
The artists present a reflection on the natural environment that reveals a growing list of environmental concerns facing humanity. The exhibition points to ecological destruction. This exhibit questions the viewer’s capacity and willingness to address the changes taking place. It encourages the viewer to take action before conditions progress beyond our ability to take meaningful action.
Textiles (纺织品) Narratives
On display December 11 until December 16.
Location: Brooks Center for the Performing Arts Lobby
The Clemson Visual Arts welcomes back MFA alumna (女校友)T erry Jarrard-Dimond for a personal exhibition, “Textile Narratives.” The artworks in this exhibition show Dimond’s collection of compositions using hand-dyed, contemporary textiles. Dimond took part in South Carolina Arts Commission’s 50th Anniversary exhibition pogram and received Visual and Craft Fellowship award.
1. What can be known about the exhibition lasting the longest?| A．It includes works of photography. | B．The exhibition takes place annually. |
| C．The art students have won state awards. | D．A programme of art will be held. |
| A．Lee Gallery. |
| B．Sikes Hall Showcase. |
| C．Brooks Center for the Performing Arts Lobby. |
| D．College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities Dean’s Gallery. |
| A．Textiles Narratives. | B．Next Up Invitational V. |
| C．Natural History/Critical Condition. | D．Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Exhibit. |
