1 . Four Art Study Abroad Programs in 2024

Whether you love art history, dance, photography, writing, or beyond, here are the top art programs to attend in 2024.

The 6-week Gap Year Course in Italy | Art History Abroad
Program length: 6 weeks in summer
Price: $10,000

If you’re interested in studying artists, criticism, and painting techniques during periods like the Renaissance and styles like baroque, Romanesque, and modern art, then this program is for you. It prides itself on not simply teaching art but also culture and an appreciation of beauty.

Creative Internships (实习) in Australia with ABI | ArtBound Initiative
Program length: 1 month
Price: $3,250

If you’ve ever had an interest in pursuing a career in the creative industry, consider an internship opportunity with ArtBound Initiative. Interns can work in exciting overseas locations while getting one-on-one career coaching from professionals.

The Irish Arts and Culture Program | Irish Gap Year
Program length: 1 semester
Price: $17,000

Explore your own areas of interest as you work side by side with local Irish artists, photographers, writers, and musicians, learning about Ireland’s rich cultural and artistic heritage. Your hands-on experience goes hand in hand with day trips to galleries, museums, and castles, and at the end, you’ll have the opportunity to exhibit your works at the Le Cheile Art Expo.

Creative Semester in France | Berridge Programs
Program length: 1 semester
Price: $16,500

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced performer or artist, your interests and talents will be nurtured by industry professionals. During your time here, you will work on improving your skills which will end with a feature film or creative performance.

1. Where should you go to obtain career guidance according to the text?

A．France.

B．Australia.

C．Italy.

D．Ireland.

2. Which program enables participants to display their works?

A．The 6-week Gap Year Course in Italy.

B．Creative Internships in Australia with ABI.

C．The Irish Arts and Culture Program.

D．Creative Semester in France.

3. How much should an artist pay to improve his performing skills?

A．$3,250.

B．$10,000.

C．$16,500.

D．$17,000.

2 . In the northernmost edge of Colombia sits the coastal town of Acandí. Access to the town is only by water or air; there is no road that leads there. The residents there are faced with the struggles of balancing livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.

In the past, traditional community fishing methods, passed down by the elders, focused on the reasonable fishing and management of resources. However, the introduction of large-scale trawling vessels(拖网渔船) decades ago gradually depleted the area’s fishing resources, leading to damage to marine(海洋的) life seriously.

Jesús Antonio Julio Cuestas, who serves in the region’s conservation and management of marine resources, stresses the bad impact of these developments and calls for new fishing techniques. “Fishing and conservation co-exist as long as we have good management practices and reasonable use of our fishing resources,” says Cuestas. He and other officials actively monitor fishing activities in Acandí. Each morning, they visit the fish markets to gather data on fishery resources—including prices and sizes—to monitor the state of the local fishing industry.

Along with Cuestas, the fishers work to reduce their impact on the marine ecosystem. By changing fishing methods and adopting new practices, they aim for a more balanced approach to fishing. “This year the local fishermen have not used the trawl net s that were causing the death of the leatherback sea turtles,” explains Cuestas proudly. Changes include the efforts of boats to protect the seagrass that serves as feeding grounds for marine life and an end to fishers throwing net s where turtles lay their eggs.

This marine reserve in Acandí, Cuestas believes, is their greatest treasure. He attaches great importance to working together with local residents to improve the quality of life while preserving the marine ecosystem. By doing so, he imagines a picture where individuals from the fishing community can pursue various careers, such as engineers or lawyers, proudly stating that they are the products of the fishing tradition in Acandí.

1. What does the underlined word “depleted” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Reused.	B．Restored.
C．Explored.	D．Reduced.

2. Why does Julio Cuestas call for new fishing techniques?

A．To cut down on the costs of fishing.

B．To improve the income of local residents.

C．To promote the well-being of marine wildlife.

D．To spread traditional community fishing methods.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The aim of the changes to fishing methods.

B．The efforts to preserve marine ecosystem.

C．The results the trawl net s have brought about.

D．The impact of fishers on the local environment.

4. What is Julio Cuestas’s attitude towards Acandí’s future?

A．Confident.	B．Uncaring.
C．Concerned.	D．Doubtful.

3 . Our dog Bree is a Staffy cross. She ________ more like a cat than a dog. Unlike other dogs, she will very happily eat up her dinner ________ what is being offered. She does not hang around us waiting for pieces to fall her way.

That is, of course, unless I am making toast (烤面包) for my breakfast. She always makes her way to the ________ and sits very straight and tall at my feet as though to say “Look at what a good girl I am!” as soon as she catches a ________ of bread toasting. I ________ her, broke off a little bit of crust (面包皮) and fed it to her before ________ some spread to my toast. This became our “thing” — if I was having toast she’d join me for breakfast. She seemed ________ and I didn’t think a little crust would ________ her. Unfortunately, the day came when I fed her a piece of toast with a generous ________ of butter and jam. Clearly, she thought it was ________ as she now turns her ________ up at dry crusts and will only eat toast topped with a tasty spread.

This incident ________ me of a smart Chinese proverb: It is ________ to pass from a poor life to a rich one, but difficult to go back in the other direction. When it comes to ________ children, we should watch out for this. ________, they might be spoiled (宠坏) easily.

1.

A．changes

B．behaves

C．works

D．looks

2.

A．regardless of

B．in case of

C．because of

D．in search of

3.

A．bedroom

B．yard

C．study

D．kitchen

4.

A．sound

B．moment

C．smell

D．word

5.

A．forgave

B．praised

C．ignored

D．trapped

6.

A．applying

B．adapting

C．sticking

D．pressing

7.

A．injured

B．annoyed

C．satisfied

D．confused

8.

A．touch

B．please

C．impress

D．ruin

9.

A．spread

B．offer

C．act

D．meal

10.

A．strong

B．delicious

C．small

D．hot

11.

A．ears

B．eyes

C．nose

D．neck

12.

A．reminds

B．frees

C．clears

D．warns

13.

A．usual

B．possible

C．great

D．easy

14.

A．training

B．raising

C．helping

D．moving

15.

A．Therefore

B．Anyway

C．Otherwise

D．Instead

4 . Thousands of emperor penguin chicks across four colonies in Antarctica are believed to have died because of record-low sea ice levels that caused a catastrophic breeding (繁殖) failure in late 2022, according to new research.

Analysis of satellite images showed the break-up of the stable sea ice and the disappearance of the colonies at a time when chicks had not yet grow n their waterproof feathers. Scientists have said emperor penguins face an uncertain future under global heating because they are so dependent on sea ice.

The research said that the breeding failures in the Bellingshausen Sea never happened before, as it was the first time multiple colonies across a large region had all failed in a single season. “It’s a worrying story,” said Dr. Peter Fretwell, a researcher with the British Antarctic Survey and the lead author of the research. “The sea ice loss has been far quicker than we imagined.” Many parts of the region had near-total loss of sea ice. Fretwell estimated as many as 7,000 chicks may have perished. “In some cases it’s possible the sea broke up into smaller floes (浮冰) or under the feet of the penguins,” he said. “If immersed, the chicks will drown. If they get back on to the ice floes, they will freeze because of lack of their waterproof feathers.”

Dr. Barbara Wienecke, a senior research scientist at the Australian Antarctic Division, said“They still have their down y plumage (全身茸毛). If the ice breaks out before they can safely enter the water, the plumage becomes so wet that the chicks die of exposure. It’s extraordinarily upsetting to think of this happening.”

Both Wienecke and Fretwell said predictions of the future for the penguin species may have to be revised, with the risk potentially greater than previously feared. Fretwell said: “It’s only by changing our behaviour and the amounts of fossil fuels we use will we completely change the situation for these emperor penguins, and many other species. How bad it gets is still up to us.”

1. Which can describe the situation of the emperor penguin chicks?

A．Promising.

B．Alarming.

C．Hopeless.

D．Inspiring.

2. What do we know about the chicks according to the passage?

A．They are dying of food shortages.

B．They are finding new habitats for breeding.

C．They have learned how to swim in the ice water.

D．They don’t have the kind of feathers protecting them.

3. What does the underlined word “perished” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Appeared.

B．Adapted.

C．Escaped.

D．Died.

4. What does Fretwell want to convey in the last paragraph?

A．Fossil fuels are to blame for the destruction.

B．We should change our behaviour to save the penguins.

C．We should not fear the potential risk as it can be removed.

D．More research should be done to ensure the positive changes.

5 . People tend to use trees for papermaking. But maybe electronics (电子) engineers are missing out on something here. “It turns out that two major building blocks of wood have a lot of electrical qualities,” says Magnus Berggren, a professor at Linköping University.

His team has been working to make parts for electronics from the forest. Right now, they’re focusing on two materials of trees. The first material is cellulose, which can make energy. Lignin, the second material, can store that energy, just as a battery does. The team has found when pressed, cellulose can produce electricity.

Some device must then store the electricity until it’s needed. Batteries can do this. But batteries aren’t very green. They have harmful materials. That’s where lignin comes in.

Batteries cause electrons to flow from one place to another, which can produce electricity. In a typical battery, one material must give electrons. The other must accept them. Lignin can do both. A weak acid (酸) encourages lignin to produce electrons. “With a metal wire (金属线) to guide those electrons, you’ll have electricity,” says Berggren.

Berggren’s team use this quality to create its new lignin-based battery. Typical batteries use a metal wire as a path to guide the flow of electrons into or out of the device. But since Berggren wants to make a battery of the forest, he looks for a natural way. Once again, he turns to cellulose.

This natural material can serve as a wire-like path for electrons. To make it work well, Berggren lines them with another chemical known as PEDOT, which isn’t from a tree. But when PEDOT is added to cellulose, they can conduct electricity like a wire. “With a weak acid, now you have a battery,” Berggren says. “And two of its three materials come from the forest.”

Berggren can imagine one day having mobile phone batteries made largely from forest products. Tree-based electronics might also be useful in lighting.

1. What is cellulose used to do in the study?

A．Act as a weak acid.	B．Collect rainwater.
C．Produce electricity.	D．Make quality paper.

2. Which best describes the new battery?

A．Well-received.

B．Eco-friendly.

C．Harmful.

D．Heavy.

3. What can we expect of tree-based electronics?

A．They may change farming practices.	B．They might save a lot of wood.
C．They would serve the elderly.	D．They could light the rooms.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A Green Way to Make and Store Energy	B．An Attempt to Raise Power Production
C．Practical Suggestions on Planting Trees	D．Recent Advances in Mobile Phones

6 . Easy Solutions to Stress

Does stress often wear you down? It’s almost impossible to totally avoid stress, but the following tips will help you to get it under control so that it doesn’t take over your life.

Rely on other people

Studies of both animals and humans show that social contact can help you better respond to stress.     1     Avoid people who always need something without giving back or who are always short with you.

    2     Leave the house 15 minutes early for appointments, set up a system for paying your bills, refill your daily supplies a week ahead of time and buy birthday cards whenever you see ones you like. A little advance planning can spare you a lot of headaches!

Keep a journal

Reflect on your day, your emotions and your personal goals. While writing them down, include everything that stresses you, so you can start to recognize what your problems are and take appropriate action.     3    

Cut your to-do list in half

Most of us set the bar too high. After you’ve written your to-do list, decide what’s most important to you in the long run, then cut the list in half.     4    . For example, hire a neighbourhood teenager to water your garden or skip cooking and order takeaway.

Laugh a little

    5     Laughter also helps keep your heart, lungs and muscles healthy and build up your resistance (抵抗力).   Plus, it’s nearly impossible to stay tense while you’re laughing. Therefore, find cartoons, videos or TV shows that make you laugh.

A．Avoid last-minute rushes.

B．Make detailed plans for daily activities.

C．Writing is also a great way to relax and put things in order.

D．If you can’t cut out certain tasks, try to have someone else do them.

E．As we all know, laughter is the best medicine for both your body and mind.

F．So establish a network of people you can turn to and ask for some helpful advice.

G．When you laugh, you send chemicals called endorphins (内啡肽) to your brain that ease pain and promote your feeling of well-being.

7 . When Arvin Kuipers, who graduated from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in 2017 and loves Chinese culture, asks his patients to stick out their tongue so he can diagnose(诊断) their illness, many are confused.

Kuipers, 30, practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, said, “In TCM I need to do face and tongue diagnosis. That’s strange for people in my country.” One elderly woman had been visiting him occasionally for advice, but her first experience with TCM surprised her. She had never experienced acupuncture (针灸) or any other TCM treatment. “She came in, and I examined her face and tongue,” said Kuipers. “I told the patient her kidneys were not doing well and that she wasn’t getting proper sleep.” The woman was shocked by his insight and asked if he had been spying on her. “Actually, it was easy to diagnose her condition when I saw the dark rings under her eyes. Her energy levels were also very low at the time.”

Kuipers opened his TCM clinic in September. Most of his work involves performing acupuncture, cupping as well as tuina — a TCM massage that patients in the West like the most, he said. In some cases he also gave his patients traditional herbal medicines.

Kuipers usually makes a cup of Chinese tea to calm his patients if they are nervous about the acupuncture needles. He also explains to them the meridian (经络) system, which is a central concept of TCM, yin and yang, and other concepts. “In TCM, good health requires balanced yin and yang, so practitioners not only pay attention to a patient’s illness, but also to his or her overall physical condition,” said Kuipers. “TCM is also a different culture and offers a new perspective, instead of being a curing method.”

As of early April, Kuipers has treated more than 200 patients, many of whom come to his clinic every week. “TCM does work, and works well. My patients really feel better with it, so I value it, and when my patients feel better I also feel better.”

1. What can we learn from the elderly woman’s story in paragraph 2?

A．The elderly woman trusted TCM treatment in the beginning.

B．TCM is very different from the treatment in her country.

C．The elderly woman used to visit Kuipers a lot for TCM.

D．The elderly woman was shocked at her kidney s not doing well

2. Which TCM treatment is most welcomed by the patients in the West?

A．Tuina.

B．Acupuncture.

C．Cupping.

D．Herbal medicines.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．Why Kuipers’ patients are fond of Chinese tea.

B．How Kuipers explains meridian system to his patients.

C．How Kuipers applies Chinese culture and treatments to patients.

D．Why Kuipers pays little attention to overall physical condition.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To praise Kuipers for his TCM treatments.

B．To stress the value of teaching foreigners TCM.

C．To show the popularity of TCM with patients in the Netherlands.

D．To tell the story of Kuipers practising TCM in the Netherlands.

8 . The degree to which you leave traces (or data) of your online activities is referred to as your digital footprint.     1     What you usually leave behind include the remains of a campfire, your dinner scraps, and the path you carved in the woods while hiking.

In some cases, there’s a legal use for your digital footprint, such as website owners and advertisers collecting information about your online habits and purchasing preferences to better accommodate your needs.     2     Perhaps the biggest risk people face online is having their identity stolen. Besides identity theft, criminals can gather enough information about a person to target him for fraud (欺诈).

    3     Here are some steps you can take to minimize it.

Don’t use your primary email address when creating online accounts. You can create one-off email addresses to make it harder for someone to develop a picture of all the sites and services you use. Another step for you is not to over-share.     4     So you can restrict your social media posts to friends or close contacts only. Finally, don’t let websites sell your data. Increasingly, websites are adding privacy tools that prevent you from having your personal information sold to advertisers or shared with partners.     5    

A．You’re leaving an “active” digital footprint or a “passive” one.

B．You’ll need to look for these controls right now, if they exist at all.

C．You probably don’t need your personal life to be completely public.

D．It’s similar to the evidence you might leave behind after going camping.

E．In the case of your digital footprint, the evidence you leave behind is data.

F．It’s inescapable to leave some sort of digital footprint after your online activity.

G．But the data can also be used by hackers, criminals and other immoral actors.

9 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Flames in kilns (窑) around China    1     (burn) since the Xia and Shang dynasties. Along the way, porcelain (瓷器) was born.

Porcelain is made by heating raw materials, often a mix between China stone     2     clay, in a kiln at a temperature as high as 1,200 degree Celsius. Temperature is key    3     making porcelain. Going through the fire of reinvention at a high temperature bestows (给予) porcelain with greater strength and a feast of colors.

Celadon produced in Longquan, Zhejiang province, a technique passed down for more than 1,600 years,    4     (be) a typical example of caftsmen’s pursuit of the perfect green glint (闪耀). It takes 72 steps    5     (produce) Longquan celadon’s jade-like green. Plum green and light green, or tianqing, are two colors of the best quality.

Porcelain has also been a carrier for cultural exchanges. Along with China’s silk and tea, porcelain was one of the commodities    6     (trade) worldwide. As it travelled around the globe through the ancient Maritime Silk Road, porcelain enjoyed great    7     (popular) among royal families and upper classes in Europe.

Porcelain began as a practical utensil and    8     (grow) into pieces of art. Even when shattered (打碎) into pieces and buried deep in mud,    9     (culture) values attached to porcelain would never dissipate.

As a memory    10     can be felt with both hands, porcelain is touchable history.

10 . I spent all of my 30s saying yes. Saying yes to things I wanted to do, but a lot of the time saying yes to things I didn’t_________. This was a_________technique. I thought it would accelerate (加速) people’s opinion or me: the woman who could do it all.

At the time, I thought I was_________it. I was making new friends and developing new interests. I joined the board of my children’s school and_________my days with around 20 other activities to do.

And then several events_________everything: pandemic restrictions (疫情限制), serious medical problems and losing my job. All these helped me see how_________I was.

All at once, I_________how good it felt not to be_________every second of every day. For the first time, I could carefully choose how I spent my days. Having to say yes turned into the beauty of choosing to say no.

Looking back, the_________to say yes and smile was my choice. I felt obliged (有义务的) to say yes, from driving people to the airport to exchanging a carpool (拼车) day, from attending charity events to seeing family every Friday night. I__________wanted to solve everyone’s problems and offered good__________. I was everyone’s cheerleader, but forgot how to cheer for myself along the way.

But saying no is being my own__________. And it’s not saying no to caring for family and friends, or helping someone out when they’re in need. Instead. it’s a small change in mindset (思维模式), taking a__________before agreeing. I take a breath, and check my energy and ability__________jumping in.

Most importantly, I tell my kids there’s nothing__________with saying no. To give of yourself is important but to save yourself is important, too.

1.

A．like

B．know

C．get

D．believe

2.

A．time-consuming

B．problem-solving

C．people-pleasing

D．eye-catching

3.

A．killing

B．finishing

C．absorbing

D．fixing

4.

A．valued

B．packed

C．wasted

D．counted

5.

A．promoted

B．cost

C．fixed

D．changed

6.

A．disappointed

B．embarrassed

C．professional

D．tired

7.

A．appreciated

B．realized

C．wondered

D．forgot

8.

A．busy

B．upset

C．amazed

D．confident

9.

A．power

B．pressure

C．pleasure

D．reason

10.

A．seldom

B．never

C．sometimes

D．always

11.

A．choices

B．materials

C．solutions

D．details

12.

A．cheerleader

B．boss

C．director

D．helper

13.

A．leave

B．chance

C．risk

D．pause

14.

A．after

B．while

C．before

D．by

15.

A．interesting

B．wrong

C．unbelievable

D．strange