The world’s oceans reached their hottest levels on record in 2021. It’s the third year in
It’s an ongoing pattern. All five of the world’s hottest ocean levels
2 . A few months back, I read a poem about winter created by AI (Artificial Intelligence). It was lovely and even moved me. What a strange thing it is, I thought, to be moved by something that in and of itself cannot be or feel moved. And then I felt a little sick, mainly because something had started snaking through my body quickly. Am I going to be out of a job? Is this writing thing going to be over?
As those questions arrived, I did what I always do — a walk. I busied myself with a pace fast enough to ignore the feeling, and then I released the hounds (猎犬) — the pack of tireless, 2-year-old, yellow dogs living in my head. I removed their leashes (皮带), setting them free on the problem; they went back and forth with a series of what- if tennis balls for 90 minutes. Finally, I arrived home physically and mentally exhausted with a clear answer and new career options to save me from this coming robbery.
When I recovered, I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat at my desk in front of a blank page, one that was staring back up at me, begging me for something. I dropped the panic, and I dropped the hounds. I dropped all the way into my body so as to fumble (探寻) around in the unknown of myself, searching for tiny seeds of beauty, and for a piece of soil rich enough to plant the seeds so I could feel an aliveness, any aliveness, growing, cracking, and rooting within me.
And in this case arose the question: Why do I write? What if I write to face my humanity and that of others? What if I write with the entirety of myself — my mental, emotional, and physical bodies? AI can’t touch me. I don’t know who or precisely what will hire me, but I’ll release the hounds on that one tomorrow. But, for now, I shall write.
1. What can we learn about the writer from the first paragraph?A.He was panicked by the poem. | B.He thought highly of technology. |
C.He had mixed feelings about AI. | D.He was sick of the job of writing. |
A.He took a walk to avoid them. | B.He went hunting in the wild. |
C.He played catch with his dogs. | D.He gave them deep thought. |
A.It conveys no beauty. | B.It lacks soul. | C.It can’t process data. | D.It’s not creative. |
A.Rescuing Writers from AI | B.Will AI Steal My Job? |
C.Ready for AI Storms? | D.Writers vs AI Writing |
3 . Taking proper care of our brain, in addition to ensuring its proper functioning, will help us keep our memory in shape and even prevent some diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Here are some foods that are good for us.
Green vegetables
Green vegetables contain vitamin A, B vitamins and antioxidants (抗氧剂) that help the proper function of the brain and maintain physical health. Vegetables, in general, should be present in at least two servings a day. To take advantage of the nutrients contained in green vegetables, it is recommended to consume them steamed or even raw. If you choose to eat raw vegetables, you need to use appropriate methods to remove harmful things from their surfaces.
Fish
Fish is a source of phosphorus (磷), essential part of the development of nerve cells. For this reason, its consumption is important to guarantee the adequate contribution. We also highlight omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish, which have a protective role against the progression of cognitive decline.
Nuts
In addition to being a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which we have already talked about, nuts provide phosphorus, vitamin E and B vitamins so that they maintain a correct blood supply in our brain.
Fruit
Within this group we highlight red fruits, especially cherries and apples. Red fruits are a source of vitamin C, minerals and antioxidants that are good companions to maintain a healthy memory.
Though these foods are good, consuming too much of them may be harmful to us.
1. As for green vegetables, the author advises us to eat _________ daily.A.at least one serving | B.three servings |
C.no more than two servings | D.no less than two servings |
A.They are good for our brains. | B.They contain the same nutrients. |
C.They are beneficial to the black hair. | D.They are sources of omega-3 fatty acids. |
A.In a history book. | B.In a biography. |
C.In a health magazine. | D.In a novel. |
4 . When it came time for me to look at options for postgraduate study, I decided to go abroad, initially looking at options in both Australia and the United States.
I decided on Australia finally after I spoke with friends, who had experience of studying at the University of Melbourne and living in the city. The people I knew described to me as a place where there were lots of people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds, and where everyone was open-minded and there were discussions happening everywhere. I’m happy to say that ended up being my experience as well.
I joined Lion, one of Australasia’s largest food and drink companies, as part of their graduate program, which was a fantastic opportunity, because it gave me the opportunity to work in a variety of roles, and gain experience across a variety of functions. But the thing with Lion was that they were already a very established business; they already had their processes and structures in place.
When the opportunity came for me to join Culture Amp, I realized it was an opportunity to see a business grow and be part of that evolution. It was just what I wanted. That comes with its own challenges, as new problems appear you might be solving them from the very beginning, rather than having a framework to fall back on, but it also means there’s room to learn and experiment. It made me realize where my interests lie. Here in Australia, there’s a really high tolerance for change in your careers. I think it’s really easy for graduates to feel like they have to “jump” into a role, and then that’s it, forever. But the truth is, your career is a marathon. You can expect to change courses along the way, and allow your interests to open new doors.
1. Why did the author choose to study in Australia?A.Her friends lived there. |
B.She decided to work there. |
C.She liked the culture there. |
D.She wanted to meet new people. |
A.Facing various opportunities. |
B.Lacking challenges. |
C.Demanding new structures. |
D.Offering limited roles. |
A.Learning how to do experiments. |
B.Having a framework to turn to. |
C.Dealing with problems in wise ways. |
D.Experiencing a company’s development. |
A.Uncertain. | B.Objective. |
C.Supportive. | D.Contradictory. |
Team China bagged a total of 383 medals, including 201 gold, 111 silver and 71 bronze,
The first gold of the Games was awarded
The 19th Asian Games, which featured 40 sports, 61 disciplines, and 481 events,
Chinese swimmers Zhang Yufei and Qin Haiyang were jointly awarded the Most
6 . 2023 is zipping along at quite a speed, and London’s already witnessed some great exhibitions. But big treats — including Kubrick, Tutankhamun and William Blake — are still to come.
Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Starry Night Over the RhoneA major exhibition at Tate Britain, which examines how Van Gogh was inspired by British art, and how he in turn inspired British artists. His famous Sunflowers fill the gallery with joy, while a work of a red-haired man with sharp blue eyes stares out intensely at visitors.
The EY Exhibition: Van Gogh and Britain at Tate Britain. Until 11 August 2024, £22.
Glass Master at Kew GardensDale Chihuly creates sculptures out of glass that we would normally think impossible. His bright colourful forms twist and expand as if they are living creatures. Given the organic nature of his work, placing 32 of these sculptures around Kew Gardens feels like a natural fit.
Chihuly at Kew: Reflections on Nature at Kew Gardens. 13 April-27 October 2024, £13.75 (includes general admission to the gardens).
AI at BarbicanMachines are getting smarter — in our phones, in our homes and soon they’ll be driving us around. What does this mean for us? What will a human being look like in the future? Leading researchers and famous artists will take on these massive questions in an exhibition and try to tell us in a way combining technology and art.
AI: More than human at Barbican. 16 May-26 August 2024, £15.
William Blake at Tate BritainThe largest William Blake exhibition in 20 years comes to Tate Britain this autumn, celebrating the work of a singular artistic talent. Blake’s ill-fated exhibition of 1809 held above his family’s shop in Soho, meant that he never received public praise in his time. Tate Britain hopes to change this, by exhibiting over 300 original watercolors, paintings and prints — as well as recreating the tiny domestic room in which Blake created most of his works.
William Blake: The Artist at Tate Britain. 11 September 2023-2 February 2024, £18
1. How many exhibitions can people enjoy at most on 18 August 2024 in London?A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
A.Van Gogh. | B.Dale Chihuly. | C.AI. | D.William Blake. |
A.They are created by famous artists. | B.They reflect hi-tech achievements. |
C.They cover certain elements of art. | D.They explore human nature to a degree. |
7 . Ways to Embrace Solitude (独处)
For many, being alone is something they shy away from because it’s like loneliness. But loneliness and solitude are not the same.
Psychologists even consider solitude as important as relationships and view the ability to be alone as a sign of healthy emotional development.
Enjoy solitary activities
People who enjoy solitude find satisfaction and meaning when getting absorbed in a hobby, reading for pleasure, or getting out in nature. They rarely experience boredom when they’re alone and genuinely enjoy themselves while doing something interesting.
In solitude, buried feelings, memories, or problems can surface. Rather than avoid being discouraged by them, you can learn to engage in the regulation with curiosity, using the private time to explore your feelings without judgment. Accepting and expressing them safely helps you self-regulate and release stress.
Be self-reflective
People who enjoy solitude are willing to self-reflect.
Know when to exit solitude
A.Protect your privacy |
B.Feel and regulate your emotions |
C.They prefer listening to solitude signals |
D.Break your solitude and turn for support |
E.The former is marked by negative feelings |
F.There are skills associated with its capacity |
G.They spend time considering behavior patterns |
8 . It takes Sanduk Ruit about five minutes to change someone’s life. The Nepalese doctor can make a small incision (切口) in his patient’s eye, remove the cataract (白内障) damaging the patient’s vision and replace it with an inexpensive artificial lens. He said, “Some of our younger doctors even do it faster than that.”
In the past decades, Ruit has personally restored the sight of more than 100,000 people across Asia and Africa, and taught his rapid-fire technique to countless other eye doctors in parts of the world. His patients suffer from eye conditions that are mostly preventable. But because of poverty and limited access to public health services, they have been unable to seek treatment. Their stories are all too common in the developing world.
Driven by a belief that the world’s poorest people deserve safe, affordable and high-quality eye care just as much as anyone else, Ruit has made it his mission to root out avoidable blindness.
In 1994,he joined the late Australian eye doctor Fred Hollows, who was his mentor and close friend, in establishing Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology-an eye hospital in Kathmandu devoted to providing world-class eyecare for the people of Nepal. The hospital makes the state-of-the-art lens that is commonly used in treating cataracts or myopia, and exports it to more than 30 countries worldwide.
For the patients who cannot reach urban areas, Ruit and his team conduct mobile eye camps in remote parts of Nepal and neighboring countries. They often trek for days to those areas and clean out structures like tents, classrooms or even stables for use as temporary operating rooms. When the eyepatches (眼罩) come off the day after an operation, it’s an extremely moving moment for all relevant persons. Ruit said that he was so grateful that he could make a difference in so many people’s lives.
1. What do we know about Ruit?A.He refused to do operations for the rich. |
B.He wasn’t mean with his excellent technique. |
C.He joined Fred Hollows in the nineteenth century. |
D.He restored more than a million people’s sight in person. |
A.Making a lot of money. |
B.Obtaining relevant data to write scientific papers. |
C.The desire to make his technique well-known. |
D.The idea that all sick people should get proper treatment. |
A.Kind-hearted and responsible. |
B.Friendly and energetic. |
C.Open-minded and outgoing. |
D.Clever and brave. |
A.Science. | B.Sports. | C.Education. | D.Figures. |
9 . Imagine walking into the depths of the jungle (丛林) to observe the chimpanzees who cal it home. With a click of your camera, you document groundbreaking information about the species. Sounds wonderful, right? Jane Goodall did just that.
When Goodall was young, reading and exploring nature were her ideas of fun. Her mother encouraged her to learn and ask questions. Goodal dreamed of seeing the habitats (栖息地) of her favorite animals like chimpanzees firsthand.
In July 1957, when she was 23, Goodal arrived in Tanzania, East Africa, and journeyed to the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve. She learned early on that studying chimpanzees wouldn’t be easy. To observe chimpanzees up close, she had to gain their trust. That took months. To her, the chimpanzees were complex creatures with lives surprisingly similar to ours.
In October 1960, Goodall was observing chimps. She watched as they made tools out of grass stems to pick ants out of a nest. Until then, people thought humans were the only species that used tools, Because of Goodall’s discovery, chimpanzees are now accepted as intelligent, social animals.
Goodall established the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, to provide conservation and environmental education. In the late 1980s, her focus shifted to something much larger. Deforestation (滥伐森林) and climate change were affecting the world’s natural habitats. The vegetation chimpanzees depended on for food was in danger. Goodall left Gombe to help. The fight she began against habitat loss continues today, through animal reserves and research sites.
Throughout her life, Goodall’s work has protected the lives of people and animals around the world. And she encourages young people to join in this fight for a better world. In 1991, she founded Roots & Shoots. It equips young people to take action on issues that matter. Goodall says that if we all do our part to help, the world will be a better place.
1. What can we learn about young Goodall?A.She enjoyed being alone. | B.She was fond of traveling. |
C.She was crazy about nature. | D.She dreamed of keeping a chimp. |
A.By observing chimps closely. | B.By performing an experiment. |
C.By studying the photos of chimps. | D.By summarizing others’ studies. |
A.To adapt to climate change. | B.To find food for chimpanzees. |
C.To protect the animals’ habitats. | D.To provide environmental education. |
A.Traveling in the Jungle | B.Making a Better World |
C.Building a Better Reserve | D.Living Peacefully in Nature |
10 . Most people aim to get their recommended seven to nine hours of sleep in one long stretch at night. And the technical term for this is “monotheistic sleep (单向睡眠)”
However, we may not have been programmed to sleep in this way.
Now I’m sure you’ve had that experience of a drop in your concentration in the afternoon, where you start to feel a little sleepy.
What this suggests is that we may have been designed to sleep in a biphasic (双向的) pattern, meaning one longer period of sleep at night, and then a short afternoon nap during the day, very much like the nap cultures around the world.
But is napping always a good thing?
So if you are struggling with sleep at night, the best advice is not to nap during the day. Instead, build up all of that healthy sleepiness so that you give yourself the best chance of falling asleep easily, and then staying asleep soundly across night.
A.Well, not necessarily. |
B.And you can also see it in other people as well. |
C.In other words, a single period of sleep at night. |
D.It’s a little bit like snacking before your main meal. |
E.If you are mindful of how often and how long your naps are. |
F.You may think this drop in your concentration is because of a big lunch. |
G.But if you’re not struggling with sleep and you can nap regularly during the day. |