1 . It is no secret that play-based learning improves the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children. Researchers now believe that certain board games, like Chutes and Ladders and Monopoly, can also help enhance their math skills.
The team at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile, came to this conclusion after analyzing the results of 19 studies. They were conducted between 2000 and2023. All but one of the studies focused on the relationship between math skills and board games.
In these studies, kids aged 3-9 played board games under the supervision (监督) of teachers or trained adults. The 20-minute sessions were held twice a week for about six weeks. In some cases, one set of kids (the intervention group) played number-centric board games, while the other (the control group) played board games that did not require math skills. in other studies. both the intervention and control groups played number-based games. They were, however, given different games, like Monopoly and Dominoes.
The participants’ math skills were assessed before and after each study. The researchers looked for improvement in four key categories. They included the ability to name numbers and demonstrate simple number knowledge-such as “nine is greater than three.” Changes in the kids’ abilities to add and subtract and their interest in math were also noted.
The results of the study were published in the journal Early Years on July 6, 2023. It revealed that playing board games helps improve the children’s math skills in over half of the four areas. Additionally, nearly a third of the children in the intervention groups scored higher on math tests than those in the control groups.
The researchers hope their findings will inspire the creation of new board games specially designed for classroom learning. Meanwhile, boost your math skills by organizing a game a night or two with family and friends this summer—it all adds up!
1. What’s the researchers’ attitude towards the relationship between play-based learning and children’s well-being?| A．Negative. | B．Indifferent | C．Doubtful. | D．Positive. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By asking questions. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By providing definitions. |
| A．The improvement of social and emotional well-being in children. |
| B．The creation of new board games for classroom learning |
| C．The introduction of play-based learning in schools. |
| D．The use of board games for physical development |
| A．The benefits of play-based leaning to children. |
| B．The solution to improving children’s math skills. |
| C．The results of a study on board games and math skills |
| D．The need for new board games for classroom learning. |
2 . Eric Ashby’s fascination with nature began at an early age. His first article, Bird Photography: an Ideal Hobby for Boys, was published when he was just 16 and illustrated with photographs that he’d taken.
His interest in photography had been sparked four years earlier in 1930, when the wildlife photographer Cherry Kearton came to Southsea, Ashby’s home town, to present a show of his work. The 12-year-old Ashby saw the show and immediately started saving his pocket money to buy a camera for filming wildlife in the nearby New Forest. But Ashby’s films did not reach the public due to the World War II.
In 1953, he and his wife Eileen moved to Badger (獾) Cottage, in the heart of the New Forest. It was here that Ashby perfected the techniques that would make him famous through the new medium of television. His patience and technical knowledge allowed him to film badgers at their holes during daylight — the first time this behaviour had ever been captured on camera.
In 1961, at the age of 43, Ashby finally got his big break, when the BBC showed his 45-minute film The Unknown Forest. The film had taken four years to make and received a very positive response from viewers. The nature writer Richard Mabey was hugely impressed and remarked that the film “changed the standards for home-grown wildlife documentaries”.
After the film was shown, he was given the nickname “the silent watcher”. The nickname not only stuck, it became the title of his second film.
In 1963, Ashby made the first British wildlife film in colour, although it took four years before The Major appeared in its full glory, as the BBC did not broadcast (播放) in colour until 1967.
He was awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Cherry Kearton Medal and Award in 1975 and in 1992 received an MBE. He died, aged 85, on 6 February 2003, but his legacy lives on.
1. What does the underlined word “sparked” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Revived. | B．Inspired. | C．Assessed. | D．Increased. |
| A．Unique scenes and the new medium TV. | B．Animal knowledge and new standards. |
| C．The positive response from viewers. | D．The recommendation from a nature writer. |
| A．The Major took Ashby 4 years to make. | B．The Major was not broadcast on BBC. |
| C．The Major was another success for Ashby. | D．The Major was the first color film in the UK. |
| A．An Award Winner | B．A Silent Watcher | C．The Life of a Badger | D．The Story in a Forest |
3 . El Nino is a weather pattern that brings hotter temperatures and less rainfall than usual. It is caused by warmer surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean leading to a change in wind movements. Warmer ocean temperatures lead to more rainfall over that part of the ocean and less rain over Northern Australia.
An El Nino weather pattern has been declared in Australia for the first time in seven years and experts say people should get ready for extreme heat. The Bureau of Meteorology（欧洲气象局） said the country would sweat through hot and dry weather for the rest of 2023 thanks to El Nino and another weather pattern called a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, or IOD, which relates to ocean temperatures.
Both weather patterns have already brought hotter and drier weather to southern and eastern Australia while making heatwaves, droughts, bushfires and having effects on coral reefs much more likely.
Australia’s last El Nino was in the summer of 2015 before cooler, wetter La Nina weather took over. The Bureau said it was very likely El Nino would last the whole Australian summer.
“When a positive IOD and El Nino occur together, their drying effect is typically stronger and more widespread across Australia,” the Bureau warned.
The news comes after an unusually long period of warm spring weather, with some places recording temperatures 15°C higher than the average. A disastrous fire warning was announced for the NSW south coast on Tuesday as firefighters battled against the fire in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.
Senior Leeturer in Climate Science at the University of Melbourne Dr Andrew King said the recent hot weather “is a warning of the kind of extremes we’re likely to see more of over the next few months”.
1. What information can we get from Paragraph 1?| A．Something about El Nino. | B．Ways to avoid El Nino. |
| C．Reasons of global warming. | D．Areas tending to have El Nino. |
| A．happens every 7 years | B．occurs only in Australia |
| C．causes extreme weather | D．is often accompanied by IOD |
| A．Southern Australia will suffer the most. | B．More places of Australia will be affected. |
| C．This El Nino will last for the whole year. | D．It will become wetter and cooler next year. |
| A．Things could be worse. | B．People have got prepared. |
| C．Extreme weather will pass. | D．El Nino will become weak. |
4 . ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK TOUR
Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) spans over 415 square miles. It contains more than 300 miles of hiking roads and one of the most amazing sights and landscapes (风景) that Colorado has to offer in summer and winter. It’s a perfect place to take a day vacation just for yourself.
Ride by the Iconic Flatirons and the City of BoulderYour tour kicks off in Boulder which is hidden in a classical little valley near the Flatirons. This community is home to over 100,000 people and features booming tech, food industries, and world-class University of Colorado.
Have a Tasty Picnic Lunch at Rocky Mountain National ParkThere’s nothing better than enjoying a meal with the Rocky Mountains in the background. With the unbelievable beauty of the area, it offers plenty of opportunities for taking photos. People have chance to see local wildlife. It’s no wonder that nearly 3 million people visit this national park every year.
Go for a Scenic Ride down Trail Ridge RoadThere’s no better way to discover the Rocky Mountains than taking a scenic (风景优美的) ride down Trail Ridge Road. Stretching for 48 miles, it gives you the chance to enjoy the Rocky Mountains in leisure.
Finish with a Ride Through Estes ParkTaking a ride through Estes Park is the best way to end this tour. This town is well known for being the main base of RMNP and provides an unbelievable view of Prospect Mountain.
1. Where does the tour begin?| A．In Boulder. | B．In Prospect Mountain. |
| C．At Trail Ridge Road. | D．In Estes Park. |
| A．Cook a meal with family. | B．Ride a horse. |
| C．Take photos. | D．Hunt wildlife. |
| A．A sports website. | B．A news report. |
| C．A travel magazine. | D．A geography textbook. |
5 . As a research scholar at the Indian Institute for Science Education and Research, I once monitored birds that inhabited grasslands in Daying Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area in Northeast India. This habitat forms a part of one of the most bio-diverse places on Earth. Yet despite their ecological importance and uniqueness, most grasslands are classified by the Indian government as “wastelands”.
Ecosystems throughout the world are suffering from the effects of unchecked habitat loss and climate change. While all types of ecosystems—forests, grasslands, oceans, wetlands and deserts—feel these effects, there is evidence of bias (偏好) towards the conservation of forest biodiversity. This bi as hurts the preservation of other ecosystems, including the grasslands that make up 24 percent of the Indian landmass. These grasslands are home to important biodiversity and support the livelihoods of millions of people, yet are defined in India by their value in being turned into forests for fighting climate change.
Apart from being costly, the move overlooks the ecological and social value of grasslands by turning them into mono-culture forests, which do not provide the same ecological benefits. Yet, grasslands could be equally good at storing carbon.
India and other countries with substantial grasslands need to recognize, support and prioritize evidence-based scientific attempts that focus on grasslands by establishing grassland-specific restoration efforts, as well as by mapping their extent and the ecosystem services they provide for humans. The time is ripe for abandoning outdated labelings like “wastelands”.
Already, communities like the Todas and the Idu Mishmi people are protecting grasslands in India through collective action and local stewardship (管理), which are helping them connect with the grasslands. With the aim of preserving the richness of nature, the government must restore greater rights to local communities to manage grasslands. Grasslands are an important feature of an ecologically sound India, one that must be preserved for that value above all others.
1. What does the author want to stress in the second paragraph?| A．Forests are hotspots of biodiversity. | B．Deserts badly affect local ecology. |
| C．Climate change threatens ecosystems. | D．Grasslands need equal conservation. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Unclear. | C．Negative. | D．Favorable. |
| A．Government officials. | B．Local communities. |
| C．University researchers. | D．International agencies. |
| A．Stop Treating Grasslands as Wastelands | B．Take Active Steps to Limit Grasslands |
| C．Recognize the Polluted Grasslands | D．Transform Grasslands into Forests |
6 . Wildlife Preservation Volunteer Programs
Elephant Preservation Volunteer Program in Nepal
This program is suitable for active volunteers who love animals and want to care for the well-being of elephants. No experience is needed as you’ll be working closely with placement staff. The elephant shelter takes in elephants that have medical issues and require care.
Volunteers are accommodated in a local hotel. You should expect to share a room with one other volunteer.
Marine (海洋的) Preservation Volunteer Program in Croatia
This program is suitable for physically fit volunteers who are experienced divers (潜水员). You will use your diving skills to collect marine waste from the bottom of the seabed. You will work within a team on sorting waste out and handing it to the recycling centre.
Volunteers will be accommodated in a hotel. Local workers will clean the accommodation throughout the week.
Victoria Falls Wildlife Volunteering in Zimbabwe
This program is suitable for animal-loving volunteers who want to contribute to protecting amazing creatures and their habitats. Activities include animal tracking, camping out on the reserve and supporting other partner organizations.
Volunteers are accommodated within private rooms at the preservation centre. The accommodation has an open-air area where volunteers can socialize.
Amazon Jungle Preservation Volunteer Program in Peru
This program is suitable for volunteers who care about the environment, like working hard and don’t mind getting their hands dirty. It’s a great opportunity if you’re looking to reset your life by getting out of your comfort zone. You’ll also be developing personally and professionally.
Volunteers are accommodated in local people’s houses. There are running showers but you can expect water to he cold.
1. What do the programs in Nepal and Zimbabwe have in common?| A．They need experienced volunteers. |
| B．They are suitable for animal lovers. |
| C．They include dirty work in the field. |
| D．They require camping out on the reserve. |
| A．They work on the seabed all the time. |
| B．They help to keep the environment clean. |
| C．They are taught diving skills after arrival. |
| D．They lead a team to explore the marine creatures. |
| A．Elephant Preservation Volunteer Program. |
| B．Marine Preservation Volunteer Program. |
| C．Victoria Falls Wildlife Volunteering. |
| D．Amazon Jungle Preservation Volunteer Program. |
People face all kinds of problems in life. There are personal crises, such as illness, loss of a loved one, abuse, bullying, job loss, and financial instability. People have to learn to cope with and work through very challenging life experiences. In those experiences, resilience is the key factor for people to overcome challenges.
Resilience is the ability of people to feel better quickly after something unpleasant. Resilient people do experience stress, setbacks, and difficult emotions, but they tap into their strengths and seek help from support systems to overcome challenges and work through problems. Resilience empowers people to accept and adapt to a situation and move forward. It is the core strength people use to lift the load of life.
Kids confront any number of challenges as they grow — from starting school and making new friends to adverse experiences, such as bullying and abuse. Building resilience can help children manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Young people need help learning to develop resilience in a stressful world. It isn’t as easy as telling them to try again. They need social support. Parents can help children develop resilience through positive behaviors and thoughts, such as setting realistic goals, maintaining a daily routine, encouraging self-discovery, accepting change as part of life and so on. Young people live up or down to the expectations that are set for them and need adults who love them unconditionally and hold them to high expectations. Most importantly, how parents model resilience for young people is far more important than what they say about it.
Building resilience is a process by which people use flexibility to reframe thought patterns and learn to tap into a strengths-based approach to working through challenges. With resilience, a person may feel equipped to manage stresses. Resilience is not a long-lasting state but resilience can be learned.
1. What is resilience?2. Why do people need resilience?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
What parents say plays a more important role in helping young people to develop resilience.
4. What can you do to build your resilience?
8 . A new study by scientists at Utrecht University concludes that about half of global wastewater is treated, rather than the previous estimate of 20%. Despite this promising finding, the authors warn that treatment rates in developing countries are still very low.
Humans and factories produce vast quantities of wastewater per day. If not properly collected and treated, wastewater may severely threaten human health and pollute the environment.
The authors use national statistics to estimate volumes of wastewater production, collection, treatment and reuse. “Globally, about 359 billion cubic metres of wastewater is produced each year, equivalent to 144 million Olympic-sized swimming pools,” says Edward Jones, PhD researcher at Utrecht University. “About 48 percent of that water is currently released untreated. This is much lower than the frequently announced figure of 80%.”
While the results show a more optimistic outlook, the authors stress that many challenges still exist. “We see that particularly in the developing world, where most of the future population growth will likely occur, treatment rates are falling behind,” Jones explains. “In these countries, wastewater production is likely to rise at a faster pace than the current development of collection and treatment basic facilities. This poses serious threats to both human health and the environment.”
The main problem, especially in the developing world, is the lack of financial resources to build basic facilities to collect and treat wastewater. This is particularly the case for advanced treatment technologies, which can be extremely expensive. However, the authors highlight potential opportunities for creative reuse of wastewater streams that could help to finance improved wastewater treatment practices.
“The most obvious reuse of treated wastewater is to increase freshwater water supplies,” Jones states. Treated wastewater reuse is already an important source of irrigation water in many dry countries. However, only 11% of the wastewater produced globally is currently being reused, which shows large opportunities for expansion.
“But freshwater increasing is not the only opportunity,” says Jones. “Wastewater also has large potential as a source of nutrients and energy. Recognition of wastewater as a resource, opposed to as ‘waste’, will be the key to driving improved treatment going forward.”
However, the authors stress the importance of proper monitoring of wastewater treatment factories, accompanied by strong legislation (法律) and regulations, to ensure that the reuse of wastewater is safe. The authors also acknowledge public acceptance as another key barrier towards increasing wastewater reuse.
1. According to the author, the meaning of treating wastewater lies in ________.| A．encouraging new scientific findings |
| B．estimating volumes of wastewater production |
| C．ensuring human health and protecting the environment |
| D．measuring how much wastewater is produced globally per day |
| A．equal | B．harmful | C．useful | D．friendly |
| A．treated wastewater can’t be used as irrigation water |
| B．wastewater production in developing countries is falling |
| C．the treatment of wastewater is more serious than estimated |
| D．public recognition plays an important role in wastewater reuse |
9 . How to Deal with FOMO in Your Life
FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” is becoming increasingly common and can cause significant stress in your life. It applies to anything from a party to a promotion at work and affects just about anyone. It always involves a sense of helplessness that you are missing out on something big.
With social media becoming popular, FOMO has become more obvious. As more research on FOMO is conducted, we are getting a clearer picture of how it affects us.
Moreover, one study found that the fear of missing out was linked to a greater smartphone and social media usage.
Rather than trying to connect more with people on social media, why not arrange to meet up with someone in person? Making plans with a good friend, or doing anything social that gets you out with friends can be a nice change of pace.
| A．It can help you to shake that feeling that you are missing out. |
| B．The idea that you might be missing out on a good time is not new. |
| C．Rather than focusing on what you lack, try noticing what you have. |
| D．The picture is not pretty, as there are many negative effects of FOMO. |
| E．Smartphone usage was related to fears of negative evaluations by others. |
| F．Smartphone and social media have made the FOMO phenomenon worse. |
| G．Understanding where the problem lies can be a great first step in overcoming it. |
10 . Have you ever enjoyed a trip to a zoo, but wondered whether it is acceptable for humans to keep so many treasured animals in cages. You are not alone. Many people concerned about the fate of zoo animals and feel conflicted about the very existence of zoos. However, there is no reason to worry.
Most zoos around the world provide the highest level of care and cleanliness for their animal residents. In fact, animals in zoos often experience far healthier lives than they would in the wild due to the access to medical care.
Zoos provide opportunities for people of all ages to view and connect with animal life that they would otherwise not encounter. By interacting with wild life, people can gain a greater appreciation for the animals of the world. Zoos offer educational experiences through which people can learn why it is so important to protect and maintain the diversity of animal life on Earth.
Zoos also function as places where these often rare or endangered animals can be studied. By keeping and raising animals in cages, extensive research can be conducted on the animals to help scientists understand them. This scientific understanding, in turn, contributes to conservation efforts around the world. Because zoos are a safe place for animals to be observed, scientists are able to make important discoveries about their lives.
While it is true that not all zoos are as well maintained and equipped, there is growing international pressure for universal regulations that will ensure the monitoring of all public zoos. This type of legal support will allow the world’s zoos to continue their important research programs, many of which are adjusted toward breeding programs designed to make more endangered species come in. Breeding programs are essential to continue certain species which are nearly wiped out from the wild, and zoos are the ideal place for these programs to promote the increase of the animals. In this manner, zoos contribute to restoring balance in the wilderness by giving endangered species a second-chance at survival.
If you visit a top-ranking zoo, you will enjoy viewing animals in a habitat designed to support their health. You can rest assured that by supporting such zoos as a visitor, you are also supporting valuable science and conservation efforts. Your interactions with the animals and exhibits might educate you further about creatures in parts of the world you haven’t been exposed to.
When people are inspired, they tend to take action more readily, and zoos are an inspiring example of this truth. Zoos provide an unforgettable experience in appreciating animal life and take concrete action towards advocating for their future.
1. According to the passage, most zoos ________.| A．worry about the fate of rare and treasured animals |
| B．create ways for people to observe and learn animals’ life |
| C．provide poor care and unclean environment for the animals |
| D．educate people to try their best to control the diversity of animals |
| A．public zoos around the world are all monitored |
| B．only the endangered animals should be kept in zoos |
| C．visiting zoos contributes to protecting endangered animals |
| D．Top-ranking zoos allow visitors to study animals’ habitats |
| A．critical | B．cautious | C．supportive | D．anxious |
| A．Are Zoo Animals Healthy? | B．Are Zoos Really Bad News? |
| C．Why Should We Study Animals? | D．Should Animals Be Kept in Cages? |
