1 . With the arrival of winter, the world is covered in a sheet of shining snow, and it brings an invitation to take part in exciting snow sports. Beyond the great wonderland and the great joy of sliding down hills, attending winter sports offers many physical, mental, and social benefits.
Taking part in winter snow sports is an excellent way to stay physically active during the colder months. Whether you’re skiing down a mountainside, or skiing along peaceful paths, these activities provide a full-body workout. Downhill skiing, for example, is known as a way to burn a lot of calories, making it an effective cardiovascular (心血管的) exercise. The combination of cardiovascular fitness and strength training can help keep a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular health, and keep overall physical health.
The connection between outdoor activities and mental health is well-established, and winter sports are no exception. The fresh mountain air, the amazing snowy hills, and the excitement of rushing down the hill all help to improve the feelings. Snow sports also get you in natural sunlight, which helps increase vitamin D levels.
Winter sports offer more than just personal physical and mental benefits—they create chances for social interaction (交流) and community building. Whether you’re hitting the hills with friends, joining a ski club, or taking a family snowboarding trip, these activities form a sense of friendship. Shared experiences on the mountain create lasting memories and strengthen social ties, developing a sense of belonging and connection.
The benefits of winter snow sports spread far beyond the excitement of downhill drops. Winter activities not only keep you physically fit but also benefit your mental well-being and provide chances for social communication.
Winter wonderland is waiting for you, promising a season full of joy, health, and unforgettable experiences. So, when the snow arrives, consider putting on your skis and enjoying the benefits winter sports bring to your body and mind.
1. What is the benefit of downhill skiing?| A．Keeping fit. | B．Reducing stress. |
| C．Improving athletic ability. | D．Building friendships. |
| A．Attending winter sports has lots of fun. | B．Social interaction is very important. |
| C．Winter sports are good for relationships. | D．Outdoor activities improve mental health. |
| A．To give advice on winter sports. | B．To teach methods of doing winter sports. |
| C．To encourage people to join in winter sports. | D．To introduce different kinds of winter sports. |
| A．The Beauty of Winter Snow Field | B．Pleasure Created by High Speed |
| C．Winter Snow Sports and Mental Health | D．The Benefits of Winter Snow Sports |
2 . Membership Levels and Benefits of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
$70 Individual/ $40 Student·Free year-round ALL ACCESS admission
·Invitation to members-only hours
·Free access to members-only lectures, programs and Saturday Members Tours
·Discounted tickets to MFAH Films
·Discounted parking at an MFAH garage (车库)
·12% discount when eating at Le Jardinier
·15% discount at Cafe Leonelli
·10% discount at the MFA Shop
$95 Double
All the Individual/Student benefits for two adults, plus:
·Invitation to the annual Members’ Holiday Party
$115 Family
·Benefits extended to all children 18 and under living in the member’s household
·Discount on children’s art classes at the Museum’s Glassell School of Art
·Invitation to family art-making programs just for members
$350 Supporting—Best Value
·Ten free ALL ACCESS admission passes for guests
·Invitation to special ArtSmart programs
·Free admission to 12 art museums throughout Texas, including the Blanton Museum of Art, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Chinati Foundation
·Two single-use guest passes for daytime previews
$800 Sponsor (赞助商)
All the Supporting benefits, plus:
·Unlimited ALL ACCESS admission for accompanying guests
·One free exhibition list of your choice
·Four single-use guest passes for daytime members’ previews
·Two free passes to MFAH Films
$1, 500 Benefactor (捐款人)
All the Sponsor benefits, plus:
·Invitation to Leadership Circle reception with private exhibition viewing
·Three free “staff-pick” lists
·Four free parking passes for the MFAH parking garages
·Six single-use guest passes for daytime members’ previews
·Invitation to special Behind-the-Scenes experiences
1. What can you do as a student member?
| A．Eat at Le Jardinier at a discount. | B．Attend ArtSmart programs. |
| C．See MFAH films for free. | D．Experience Behind-the-Scenes. |
| A．$40. | B．$70. | C．$115. | D．$350. |
| A．$115 Family. | B．$800 Sponsor. |
| C．$1, 500 Benefactor. | D．$350 Supporting—Best Value. |
Hanfu has experienced large
During the Spring Festival, many performers and tourists in Luoyang, Henan province,
The sales of horse face skirts are rising. Caoxian county is one of the major hanfu production
Data from e-commerce platforms (电商平台) show a great increase in the search for hanfu since January. Among the various hanfu styles, the horse face skirt has become
Zhang Mingqiang, the general manager of a factory, expressed both happiness and concern due
1. What does the man think of his job?
| A．It is tiring. | B．It is boring. | C．It is easy. |
| A．Treating injured lions. |
| B．Attending to baby animals. |
| C．Dealing with special animals. |
| A．Take a higher degree. | B．Receive specific training. | C．Raise a pet. |
| A．A student. | B．A doctor. | C．A zookeeper. |
1. What is an effect of lack of sleep on teenagers according to the new study?
| A．Lower spirits. | B．Bad health. | C．The poor academic performance. |
| A．Too much screen time. | B．Lack of exercise. | C．Too much homework. |
| A．By reading a book before sleeping. |
| B．By listening to music before sleeping. |
| C．By drinking hot chocolate before sleeping. |
| A．Offer sports classes. | B．Shorten the school day. | C．Delay school start time. |
1. What does the woman intend to do?
| A．Get photos digitized. | B．Develop some photos. | C．Beautify the photos. |
| A．$200. | B．$100. | C．$50. |
| A．It is lighter. | B．It is cheaper. | C．It is stronger. |
7 . “A moth (飞蛾) to a flame” is often used to indicate an inescapable attraction, yet it is a strange example of animal behavior that continues to confuse people today. Scientists have raised a number of theories over the years to explain why. One holds that insects flying at night are following their nature to fly toward the brightest spot in their field of vision, which they mistake for the sky. Another suggests that insects are trying to warm themselves with the heat produced by the light. The most popular theory, though, is that insects are confusing lights with the moon or other celestial bodies (天体) that they normally use to navigate (导航).
To find out the real reason, the team carried out a first set of experiments in an insect flight area. The researchers used eight high-speed infrared (红外线) cameras equipped with motion-capture technologies to track 30 insects from three moth and two dragonfly species. They also flew lab-raised insects from six different insect orders that were too small for motion-capture technology, including fruit flies and honeybees, to make sure different insects all showed similar responses to light. Working with co-author Pablo Allen of the Council on International Educational Exchange in Monteverde, Costa Rica, the researchers put heavy cameras, lights and tripods in two field sites to gather behavioral data from insects in the wild.
The team was able to confirm that insects were not beelining to the light but rather circling it as they tilted (倾斜) in an attempt to turn their backs toward it. This behavior, known as a “dorsal light response”, normally helps insects to remain in an unchanging path of flight that is properly lined to the horizon (地平线). Artificial light that arrives from a point source causes them to fly in unpredictable patterns as they try to turn their backs to what they are mistaking for the sky.
Now research might have finally solved the mystery mentioned first: artificial light confuses insects’ ability to turn themselves to the horizon, confusing their sense of what is up and down and causing them to fly in circles.
1. Which theory about a moth to a flame is accepted by most people?| A．They follow their nature to fly. | B．They are blind to artificial light. |
| C．They mistake artificial light for celestial bodies. | D．They are attracted by the warmth of artificial light. |
| A．To show the study is comprehensive. | B．To introduce the purpose of the study. |
| C．To estimate the cost of the research. | D．To stress the challenge faced by the researchers. |
| A．Flying slowly. | B．Sticking. | C．Responding. | D．Going straight. |
| A．They can fly beyond the horizon. | B．They can follow a steady flight path. |
| C．They can turn their backs toward lights. | D．They can circle the light source upside down. |
The basketball court was filled with eager students and cheerleaders were waving their pompoms at the stands. Excited cheers could be heard from all sides of the court. My teammates and I got fully prepared for our basketball competition. Our hearts were pounding in expectation of the competition ahead.
“And let’s all welcome the Blue Team!” the emcee (主持人) announced through the microphone. All of us marched in proudly as everyone cheered at the top of their lungs. “And welcome the Red Team!” the emcee announced, and the Red Team came in. We were astonished to see that the Red Team was filled with tall and strong members! We were trembling with fear as we walked slowly towards the centre of the court. As we were short of teammates, our confidence in winning wavered (减弱).
The judge threw the ball and the other team quickly caught it! The ball danced between their hands. Our defence seemed to be in slow motion compared to the Red Team’s swiftness. Soon, the other team scored!
We were losing the match as time passed. To make matters worse, our star player, Tom, even tripped and fell, hurting his ankle! We were losing hope as our best player was gone. Just then, our captain called for a time-out. On the bench, our captain announced that this would be his last match. “Come on! Don’t give up! I want to win one last trophy (奖杯) before I quit. Let’s do it!” he insisted, giving us a wide smile. Hearing this, our team held our fists tightly. We were focused on winning this match and making our captain proud! The judge threw the ball once more. I jumped as high as I could and caught the ball. I ran as fast as lightning and scored. Our opponents were nervous but they still scored a few goals to catch up. A few minutes later, we were neck to neck, locked in a tie.
注意：1．续写词数应为150个左右；2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Whoever scored this one goal would win the competition!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The crowd erupted into deafening applause.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9 . Four best day trips from Amsterdam: the ultimate travel guide
Broek in Waterland: a village fit for sea captains
If you’re looking for a getaway from the big city, Broek in Waterland is the definition of a peaceful Dutch town. With a small population of about 2,500, this village has quiet streets and picturesque nature. Its standout feature is its traditional wooden houses, with more than 80 of them considered National Heritage Sites.
Travel time by car from Amsterdam: 14 minutes
Giethoorn: Venice of the Netherlands
A picture-perfect landscape, Giethoorn is an almost entirely car-free village, replaced with boats and, of course, bicycles. You don’t want to miss a boat tour around this scenic town or a pleasant hike around the area.
Travel time by car from Amsterdam: 1 hour and 26 minutes
Marken: a former island in the Zuiderzee
Marken was separated from the Dutch mainland in the 13th century by a storm, turning it into an island in the Markermeer lake. Residents of the town built wooden houses on artificial hills to prevent more flooding damage. To this day, these picturesque homes remain a popular cultural attraction. On your walk, you can visit the comfortable town harbour or enjoy the scenic route of fields, forests and the lakeshore.
Travel time by car from Amsterdam: 27 minutes
Gouda: the birthplace of iconic Dutch cheese
Which came first, the cheese or the city? For Gouda, the city is the namesake for this world-famous cheese. The city is quaint(古色古香), but the centre is full of shops, restaurants, bars and cafés. Check out the weekly Markt (market) on Thursdays and Saturdays to see thousands of flowers of every color and buy some to take home, and the first Fairtrade Street in the Netherlands at weekends, where all street food is sustainably produced and sold!
Travel time by car from Amsterdam: 1 hour
1. Which city takes visitors the longest time to reach from Amsterdam by car?| A．Broek in Waterland. | B．Giethoorn. | C．Marken. | D．Gouda. |
| A．On Sundays. | B．On Tuesdays. | C．On Thursdays. | D．On Mondays. |
| A．They feature traditional wooden houses. | B．They’re surrounded with an artificial lake. |
| C．They’re listed as National Heritage Sites. | D．They have a small population in the country. |
10 . “Leftover roast potatoes? There’s no such thing!” shouted people on social media when I shared a suggestion for using up remaining potatoes. This response is common whenever I propose ideas for ingredients (食材) considered “delicious” or a treat: wine, Easter eggs and cream. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and all that—but the way we handle leftovers has to change. Because of my work creating recipes, I am constantly dealing with leftover food. I live alone, work from home and enjoy the challenge of transforming leftovers into new culinary delights.
During lockdown, I witnessed in people a growing understanding of having to make do with what was already in the cupboards, fridge and freezer. This led to an increasing confidence around making substitutions and understanding food-safety issues (such as the difference between “best before” and “use by”). I learned everything I know about food safety during my professional life.
While sharing food with neighbors, friends and the wider community is one way to deal with remaining ingredients, managing random bits and open packets requires a different approach. So in May 2022, I started a series on social media called Rollover Leftovers, showcasing daily short videos of my home cooking. Simple concepts such as refreshing rock-hard bread, freezing leftover chips or creating a “clear out the fridge” tray bake gained millions of views — a much bigger audience than I would expect for anything using tricky methods or fancy ingredients.
Use your imagination and trust yourself, and you’ll discover that leftovers can be a joy, not a chore. And if you find you have the leftovers of a great big turkey but are fed up with the sight of it, or you have more cranberry sauce than you could possibly eat alone, why not try joining forces with neighbors or friends? Not so much bring a bottle as bring a loaf, because a post-Christmas leftovers sandwich is truly the best bite of the year. Isn’t it?
1. What do people think of the author’s suggestion for leftovers?| A．It is impractical. | B．It is typical. | C．It is valuable. | D．It is irresponsible. |
| A．The new trend in cooking. | B．The concern about food safety. |
| C．The importance of professional life. | D．The change of household appliances. |
| A．It teaches cooking principles. | B．It is a community programme. |
| C．It focuses on fresh ingredients. | D．It has gained great popularity. |
| A．Reserve it in a bottle. | B．Share it with neighbors or friends. |
| C．Put it in the fridge for the next meal. | D．Use it to make sandwiches for charity. |
