1 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make
Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However, many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury.
·Doing too much too soon
One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine.
·
Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.
·Not wearing the right equipment
•Running through pain
| A．Not taking rest days |
| B．If you’re just starting out |
| C．Comparing yourself to others |
| D．Running can be uncomfortable at times |
| E．It’s important not to use the same muscles |
| F．While it may be true that you don’t need expensive equipment to take up running |
| G．Experts suggest increasing your running distance by no more than 10% each week |
2 . At Sho Farm in northern Vermont, farmers Melissa Hoffman and Shawn Smith work hand in hand with the land and its inhabitants, and among them are hundreds of ducks. The ducks at Sho Farm are not being raised to be killed for food. Rather, they are naturally involved in farming operations, helping to manage pests and add fertilizer (肥料) to the soil.
In the beginning, Hoffman, who has a background in organic farming and ecology action, worked with ecologists and biologists to survey the plants and wildlife all around the area. This was “to understand who was living here, so that everything we did was in relationship to the life already here,” he says.
So, at Sho Farm, focus is placed on living harmoniously alongside other life and working with traditional ecological knowledge. Food is seen not as a commodity (商品) but as a relationship with land and life.
The methods of food production at Sho Farm, as well as the farmers’ philosophy of working with rather than against nature, are in sharp contrast to most modern agricultural systems. And that’s the point. “We’ve been talking a lot about the broken food system and the consequences of it to the environment, to wildlife, to the animals in animal agriculture and to human health,” says Hoffman, adding that it’s not just the food system that’s broken. “It’s the relationship between humans, non-human animals, land and nature.”
The ducks play a vital, integrated role on the farm, explains Hoffman, by naturally providing pest control, fertilizer and (fuel-free) land maintenance (维护), just as by-products of their existence. “We noticed where we summered groups of ducks and parts of the food system that were not doing very well. The following year, the food system was efficiently improved,” he says.
It’s a symbiotic relationship that works well. “Animals don’t have to be part of a farm in a commodity sense. They can be part of the farm as a partner,” Hoffman says. “They are wonderful partners.”
1. Why did Hoffman do a survey in the beginning?| A．To get familiar with the surroundings. |
| B．To have a good relationship with other people. |
| C．To live in harmony with other life on the farm. |
| D．To have a good understanding of organic farming. |
| A．The causes of the broken food system. |
| B．The reasons for Hoffman’s farming methods. |
| C．The changes in modern agricultural systems. |
| D．The process of food production at Sho Farm. |
| A．Animals are treated well at Sho Farm. |
| B．Animals are not to be sold for money. |
| C．People and animals play the same role in organic farming. |
| D．People and animals work together and benefit each other. |
| A．Efficient. | B．Modern. | C．Natural. | D．Economical. |
3 . New research led by scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has revealed that the spiny pollen (带刺花粉) of plants in the sunflower family can reduce infection of a common bee parasite (寄生生物) by up to 94 percent. The sunflowers'spiny pollen can destroy a parasite called C. bombi (熊蜂短膜虫), which has been significantly reducing bumblebee populations.
To investigate how sunflowers help bumblebees resist C. bombi, the researchers separated the spiny outer shell of the pollen from the chemical metabolites (代谢物) in the pollen’s core. They then mixed the spiny pollen shells of sunflowers, with the chemistry removed, into the pollen fed to one group of bees.
Another group was fed wildflower pollen with sunflower metabolites and no sunflower shells. The researchers discovered that the bees that ate the spiny sunflower pollen shells had the same response as bees feeding on whole sunflower pollen. These bees had a markedly reduced risk of C. bombi infection compared to those fed sunflower metabolites.
Bumblebees, which are vital pollinators of crops and wildflowers, are experiencing a rapid decline in their populations worldwide. Habitat loss due to urbanization and agricultural intensification is the greatest threat to bumblebees. Climate change is also taking a toll on bumblebees. As temperatures rise, bumblebees are forced to move further north to cooler climates, which can affect their ability to find food and nesting sites. Pesticide use is another significant threat to bumblebees. These chemicals are harmful to them and can damage their navigation and immune systems, leading to reduced reproductive success. Bumblebees play a vital role in maintaining healthy and diverse ecosystems. Understanding how sunflowers protect bees from disease could help us identify other flowers that have similar protective properties. Through this, researchers can work towards developing new strategies to help conserve bumblebees.
1. How does the spiny pollen of sunflowers benefit bees?| A．It protects them from predators. | B．It improves their sense of smell. |
| C．It can be used for their nest building. | D．It helps them resist parasite infections. |
| A．By collecting data. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By referring to previous studies. | D．By surveying experienced farmers. |
| A．Habitat loss. | B．Climate change. | C．The use of pesticides. | D．Environmental pollution. |
| A．It offers a way to increase sunflower yield. |
| B．It draws public attention to the role of ecosystems. |
| C．It provides a new idea for protecting bumblebees. |
| D．It allows people to distinguish between different plants species. |
4 . Humans are pretty unique among life on Earth. As far as we know, we’re the only living species to evolve the higher intelligence, wear clothes, cook our food, and even invent smartphones. But what if humans suddenly went extinct? What other animals might evolve to have the smarts and skills to create large,complex societies as we have?
With modern genetic technology and our understanding of evolution, “we’re pretty good at making short-term predictions. “Martha Reiskind, an ecologist, told Live Science. For example, we can predict that if humans were to disappear tomorrow, climate change would continue to drive many species to adapt to drought. And species living in cold areas would continue to struggle to live as well.
“A big thing will be the concept of convergence.” Dougal Dixon, a geologist, told Live Science Convergence is an evolutionary process by which two unrelated creatures develop similar features in order to succeed in a particular environment. For example, with their sleek (光滑的) bodies and fins, fish are suitable for living in water. However, dolphins have evolved a very similar body plan—and unlike fish, they are warm-blooded, air-breathing animals with a totally different evolutionary background.
One feature that makes humans uniquely good at building is our skillful hands. In order to fill the same role as humans—that is, building cities and heavily modifying our environment—another species would need to develop a similar ability to control objects. Other primates (灵长目动物), like chimpanzees. our closest living relatives, already can make tools in the wild. It’s possible that if humans disappeared, they might replace us.
But any disaster terrible enough to destroy humans is also likely to destroy chimpanzees, which leaves another tool-using candidate to fill humans place: birds. Birds are very brainy. Some birds can use their feet to form wire into hooks. And trained African grey parrots can learn upwards of 100 words and do simple math, including understanding the concept of zero. Birds can also gather in large groups, and some even build group nesting sites.
Of course, all of these are predictions. Scientists have said it’s almost impossible to truly predict how evolution will unfold. As we go further and further out, the prediction is less accurate. And it’s even more difficult to predict whether another species will develop human-level intelligence, Some think that it could happen. Others, however, are less optimistic because they don’t think nature will make mistakes twice.
1. Why does the author mention fish and dolphins in Para. 3?| A．To show how dolphins evolved |
| B．To explain what convergence is. |
| C．To show the advantage of the fish shape |
| D．To explain the feature of animals living in water. |
| A．The ability to make tools | B．The habit of group living |
| C．The ability to do simple math | D．The close relationship with humans |
| A．Sea animals. | B．Chimpanzees |
| C．Birds. | D．Dogs. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Challenging. |
| C．Promising. | D．Uncertain. |
5 . The evolution of butterflies continues very fast. Species with larger wingspans(翼幅) have expanded their range in high-latitude parts of North America as the climate has warmed, while smaller butterflies and those adapted to cold conditions have tended to decline.
Vaughn Shirey at Georgetown University in Washington DC and his colleagues built a computational model to analyse the presence of 90 butterfly species above 45 north in North America from 1970 to 2019.
The team analysed how shifting monthly minimum temperatures over the past 50 years may have affected the ranges of butterflies.
The monthly minimum temperatures increased by 0. 86℃(1. 5°F), on average, across the study region from the 1970s to the 2010s. As temperatures rose, butterfly species with larger wingspans were more likely to spread out into a greater proportion of the study region. But for smaller butterflies, rising temperatures were linked with a a smaller number in the area over which they were found.
“It seems logical to assume that, if species with larger wingspans have the capacity to better travel to new suitable habitats, it gives those species an advantage in a changing climate,” says Yoan Fourcade at the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences in Paris.
Butterflies adapted to warmer temperatures also seemed to have dispersed(分散) more across the study region than those adapted to colder climates.
Climate change has been linked with a fall in some butterfly species, including the monarch （Danaus plexippus）in North America. But some appear to be adapting: a 2022 study found that British butterflies are steadily getting bigger in response to rising temperatures.
1. What is the focus of the article?| A．The impact of climate change on butterflies. | B．The migration patterns of butterflies. |
| C．The size of butterfly wingspans. | D．The smaller number of butterflies. |
| A．Temperatures have little effect on smaller butterflies. |
| B．Smaller butterflies have increased in number. |
| C．Smaller butterflies have reduced in number. |
| D．Smaller butterflies have migrated to colder climates. |
| A．They are better able to travel to new suitable habitats. |
| B．They are better adapted to colder climates. |
| C．They are more resistant to climate change. |
| D．They are more likely to disperse across. |
| A．They are migrating to warmer climates. | B．They are becoming smaller in size. |
| C．They are reducing in number. | D．They are getting bigger. |
6 . Scientists have studied cats’ social relationships—both with other cats and humans—but it can be difficult to tell whether two cats are playing or fighting, says cat behavior researcher Noema Gajdoš-Kmecová.
To assess and classify interactions, Gajdoš-Kmecová and colleagues watched about 100 videos of different cats interacting in pairs. After viewing about one-third of the videos, Gajdoš-Kmecová identified six types of behaviors, including wrestling and staying still. She then watched all of the videos and noted how often each cat displayed one of the specific behaviors, and for how long. By running statistical analyses on the behaviors, she found three types of interactions between the cat pairs: playful, aggressive and intermediate. To confirm the outcome, other members of the team also watched the videos and classified each interaction between cats.
Some clear connections appeared. Quietly wrestling, for example, suggested playtime, while chasing and vocalizations(发声), like growling, hissing or gurgling, implied aggressive encounters.
Intermediate interactions had elements of both playful and aggressive encounters, but especially included prolonged activity of one cat toward the other, such as pouncing(突袭) on or grooming(梳毛) its fellow cat. These in-between encounters could suggest that one cat wants to keep playing while the other doesn’t, with the more playful cat gently pushing to see if its partner wants to continue, the authors say.
This work provides an understanding of cat interactions for the first time, Gajdoš-Kmecová says, but it’s just the start. In the future, she plans to study more subtle behaviors, like ear twitches and tail swishes. Gajdoš-Kmecová also stresses that one potentially controversial encounter doesn't necessarily signal a terrible cat relationship.
1. What did the study focus on?| A．The cats' social relationships with humans. |
| B．The real meaning of the interactions between cats. |
| C．The ways cats communicate with each other. |
| D．The benefits of being a cat owner. |
| A．Researchers determined nine types of interactions finally. |
| B．The frequency and length of certain behaviors were noticed. |
| C．The cats were trained and grouped before they were filmed. |
| D．100 pairs of different cats interacting were watched on the spot. |
| A．The two cats are wrestling quietly. | B．The two cats are grooming each other. |
| C．One cat is pouncing while the other stays still. | D．One cat is running after the other violently. |
| A．A future idea of the study. | B．A data analysis of the study. |
| C．A conclusion of the study. | D．An application of the study. |
7 . In a study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, a team of French researchers at the University of Sorbonne Paris North demonstrated that ants have the potential to act as early stage cancer detectors.
“We knew that ants can be easily trained,” Baptiste Piqueret, who led the study, said. “Furthermore, they have an efficient sense of smell. We then combined these two abilities and tested whether ants were able to detect the smell of cancer or not.”
Tumor (肿瘤) cells produce specific chemical compounds that allow them to be distinguished from healthy tissues. These are known as cancer biomarkers. Animals can be trained to sniff out (嗅出) these chemicals and thus identify when a patient has cancer.
In the present study, worker ants of the species Formica fusca — commonly known as the silky ant —were trained to recognize cancer biomarkers of an extremely aggressive human breast cancer. The urine (尿液）of mice carrying these tumors was collected and presented to the trained ants, alongside urine from tumor — free mice.
After just three rounds of training, where the ants learned to associate the smell of cancer biomarkers with a sugary treat, they spent approximately 20 percent more time near the urine from the tumor - bearing mice than the urine from those who were tumor-free.
In the past, dogs and mice have also been shown to sniff out cancers. But ants would provide a particularly attractive alternative as they are relatively easy to keep, they don't require expensive rearing (饲养) facilities, and it appears that they can be trained to recognize specific odors in relatively few trials.
1. What does the underlined phrase “two abilities” in paragraph 2 refer to?① Ants are cheap to buy. ② Ants can be easily trained.
③ Ants have a good sense of smell. ④ Ants are available all over the world.
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．③④ | D．①④ |
| A．They are different in size. | B．They are different in color. |
| C．They are different in smell. | D．They are different in quantity. |
| A．By doing experiments. | B．By quoting others’ research. |
| C．By collecting published data. | D．By doing online questionnaires. |
| A．To indicate the new trend of medical research. |
| B．To list the achievements made by the researchers. |
| C．To show the advantages of ants as cancer detectors. |
| D．To explain how to train other animals to serve people. |
8 . The kites in Weifang never disappoint. Every year the Weifang International Kite Festival amazes visitors and netizens (网民) with innovative kites, as “paper birds” of unimaginable designs keep appearing in the sky.
The origin of kites in China can be traced back to the Warring States Period when the great Chinese philosopher Mozi in the State of Lu (part of today’s Shandong Province) made the first “wooden kite”. Kites didn’t actually become popular until the Ming Dynasty. By the middle of the Qing Dynasty, artists specialized in kite making began to appear in Weifang. In 1984, the first Weifang International Kite Festival was held.
Kites were used in China for military purposes at the very beginning. They were made to signal and measure distance, providing intelligence to aid moving large armies across difficult terrain (地形). For example, they can be used to calculate and record wind readings, similar to ship flags at sea. Over time, kites became associated with leisure activities, and were often flown during festivals and holidays.
Today, kite-flying is a popular leisure activity in China, and the Weifang International Kite Festival is one of the largest kite festivals in the world. In 2023, 622 kite artists from 59 countries and regions participated in the event. Compared with previous festivals, the 2023 event was highlighted by many innovations by both veteran (经验丰富的) and young kite makers. Zhang Xiaodong, 74, as a national intangible culture inheritor of Weifang kites, he has attended all 40 festivals. In the early days, he only brought traditional kites to take part in the competitions, but this time, he applied sound and light to make the fairy tale of Chang'e flying to the moon come “alive”.
The Weifang kite festival is not only a platform to share kite-making skills, but also a way to enhance friendship between people from different countries. The innovative kites presented in 2023 brought many pleasant surprises to kite lovers all over the world, and brought the people of China and other countries closer. As one netizen put it, “No matter how far away kite lovers go, there is always a ‘thread’ in their heart that can pull them together.”
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The history of kites in China. | B．The popularity of kites in Weifang. |
| C．The introduction to great kite artists. | D．The development of kite-making skills. |
| A．To serve as gifts at festivals. | B．To judge the height of mountains. |
| C．To measure wind speed for sailors at sea. | D．To provide important information for armies. |
| A．It involved more creative kite artworks. |
| B．It became the largest kite festival in the world. |
| C．It contained plenty of Chinese traditional elements. |
| D．It attracted many young kite artists’ wide attention. |
| A．It inspires artists to create a lot of surprises. |
| B．It is a good platform for kite makers to share skills. |
| C．It promotes the spread of traditional Chinese culture. |
| D．It strengthens the bond between kite lovers all over the world. |
9 . Tea originated in China over two thousand years ago. Today, the country owns over 2,000 varieties of tea, differing in taste, sweet and purpose. Some teas, such as Huang Shan, refresh the sense of taste with their special flavor, while others, such as spicy chai, are added with spices (香料) .
China first started exporting tea during the Ming dynasty (1368—1644), and the drink has since come to lead humanity’s drinking habits far beyond Asia. It is the most widely consumed drink on Earth today, aside from water and coffee.
In Chinese mythology, tea was first discovered by Chinese Emperor Shennong (“Divine Farmer”) in 737BC， when a soft wind carried some leaves into a pot of boiling water. However, the oldest dependable evidence comes from ancient plant remains found in 2016 in Xi’an and western Tibet, showing that tea was grown at least 2,100 years ago during the Western Handy nasty when it was most likely used as medicine.
Generation after generation of tea makers experimented with different brewing (冲泡) techniques, leaves, and ceremonies, resulting in today’s tea culture full of life. There’s no doubt that China’s tea culture has become one of the most popular, diverse, and unique traditions in the world.
China is already the world’s largest tea exporter. The inclusion of the country’s traditional tea-making process on the UNESCO list will obviously generate practical benefits for tea makers in the country and across the world as more resources are given to protect and preserve such millennia-old tea culture and technical practices. As additional attention is brought to this traditional technique, the Chinese tea sector will further tap its potential and improve its growth.
As one of China’s oldest cultural practices, traditional tea processing techniques show the spirit of modesty (谦逊), peace, and comity (礼让). No matter your preference for green or dark tea, with milk or without, Chinese tea isn’t just brews. Instead, it is a bridge connecting different cultures and peoples.
1. What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?| A．Chinese tea has a fresh taste. | B．Chinese tea is added with spices. |
| C．Chinese tea has a long history. | D．Chinese tea has a rich variety. |
| A．In about 737 BC. |
| B．Two thousand years ago. |
| C．During the Ming dynasty. |
| D．During the Western Handy nasty. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Objective. | C．Careless. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Chinese Tea Benefits the Globe a Lot |
| B．Chinese Protect and Develop Its Tea Culture |
| C．Chinese Tea Is Included in the UNESCO List |
| D．China Plays a Vital Part in Cultural Diversity |
10 . We are pleased to announce the call for entries for Strokes of Genius by The Best of Drawing! Win prizes and publication by entering this exciting drawing competition, brought to you by Artists Network and Artists Magazine.
How to Enter
★You need to create a free Submittable account in order to download the forms.
★Fill out the Entry Form. This information will be reproduced exactly as submitted if you are selected as a winner.
★Upload a single digital image. Once you have uploaded your image, you will see a payment due.
There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit. You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the form at a later date.
The Submittable platform works best on Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge are not supported.
Deadlines and Notification
Super Early Bird Deadline: May 28, 2023
Entry Fee: $15 for Artists Network Members; $20 for nonmembers
Early Bird Deadline: June 16, 2023
Entry Fee: $25 for Artists Network Members; $30 for nonmembers
Final Deadline: August 20, 2023
Entry Fee: $35 for Artists Network Members; $40 for nonmembers
The final deadline is August 20, 2023 at 11:59 p. m. EST. Winners will be informed by email on or before September 20, 2023.
Prizes & Awards
First-Place Winner: $2,000 in cash
Second-Place Winner: $1,000 in cash
Third-Place Winner: $500 in cash
10 Honorable Mentions: $50 ArtistsNetwork.com Gift Card
Award winners will receive a free Artists Network Membership for 1 year ($99.99 value). Winning entries will be published in The Best of Drawing.
1. What is necessary to participate in the contest?| A．Uploading a family photo. | B．Setting up a bank account. |
| C．Completing an entry form. | D．Registering on Internet Explorer. |
| A．By submitting entries in person. | B．By submitting entries in early May. |
| C．By submitting entries as a professional. | D．By submitting at least two entries. |
| A．Cash prize and a free magazine. | B．$50 ArtistsNetwork.com Gift Card. |
| C．One-year discounted membership. | D．The publication of the winning entry. |
