1 . Music is arguably the most life-enriching academic subject.     1    . It can bring lots of important benefits to your child’s education, many of which you may not have considered before.

Increase language capabilities

Music and language have a far-reaching relationship. Musical training stimulates the same part of the brain that deals with understanding language. Children who have some exposure to music al education will, therefore, have a greater understanding of tones and how different phrases are arranged.     2    .

Improve hand-eye coordination (协调)

    3    . It takes considerable hand-eye coordination to learn almost any instrument. Those who master their craft are blessed with a unique skill; it’s something that can be applied to other areas of general life. It can also help elsewhere in education, as writing skills and art require the hands and eyes to work together.

    4    

Music is a great way for your child to meet new people and create lasting friendships. If they decide to take up music as an extracurricular (课外的) activity, they’ll be bonding with like-minded children who share their passion. In a time when children are increasingly interested in communicating online and focusing on digital skills, music is a refreshing return to face-to-face contact.

Bring about a sense of achievement

When your child does achieve a musical goal, they get the incredible satisfaction that comes from working hard to obtain something.     5    . Self-trust is one of the most valuable skills a child can have and music is one of the best ways to allow it to develop in your child.

A．Develop social skills

B．Encourage teamwork

C．In that sense, music is a great confidence builder

D．Hand-eye coordination is important in many sports

E．Learning an instrument to a high level is no easy task

F．It activates emotional responses and creativity like no other

G．It can be incredibly useful if your child is learning a second language

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式

Luo Yan and his wife and son travelled back to their hometown for the Spring Festival. Their journey     1    (be) a long and tiring one just a few years ago. However, the high-speed train has made it more convenient for them     2    (go) back home. During the trip, they chatted excitedly, missing their sweet home.

On their arrival, they found Luo’s parents eagerly waiting for     3    (they). Their home had been     4    (special) decorated for the joyous festival.     5     five o’clock on the Chinese New Year’s Eve, the dinner table was already covered with white china plates and     6     (bowl), full of all kinds of dishes. After dinner, they made dumplings,     7     are prepared for the very start of the new year.

With midnight     8     (approach), Luo Yan took his parents, wife and son outside to set off firecrackers. The whole village was lit up with     9    (color) fireworks. All over     10     country, people were celebrating their good fortune, their family’s togetherness, and their nation’s strength.

3 . —I will have to think about it again.
—If you ________, you may lose the opportunity to compete altogether.

A．hesitate

B．wonder

C．continue

D．fail

4 . One thing that has always attracted us is the food taboos (禁忌). There is one that seems to be acknowledged in the West: the idea that seedless (无籽) fruits are dangerous.

For those unfamiliar with this belief, it seems to go like this. The basic function of fruit in nature is to spread the seeds of the plant to ensure the survival of the species. When fruits are seedless, however, it is meant to be a sign that they want to give up their basic function. According to more extreme views, these fruits not only have fewer vitamins and minerals, but also are actually harmful to humans.

In fact, from the view of science, seedless fruits are the result of a biological development. While it is true that this development can be the result of human actions, it also happens in nature all the time. Often, it is a combination of both.

What effect does the absence of seeds have on nutrition (营养)? Well, seeds do often contain nutrients like fibre, which can mean seed-containing fruits are a little bit higher in fibre. They can also contain potentially beneficial nutrients. This, however, will make a difference only when you eat up the seeds, bite them with your teeth and break the seeds in a digestible form.

Then there is the question of popularity. It doesn't matter how nutrient-packed a crop is if people are unwilling to eat it. While the nutritional difference between seeded and seedless is very small, we know that the sale of seedless fruits has greatly increased since seedless forms were introduced to the market. So when seen in this wider viewpoint, rather than being a loss for nutrition in our diets, seedless fruits have been a gain for us human beings.

1. What do western people with extreme views believe?

A．Seedless fruits are the result of a biological process.

B．Seedless fruits could actually do harm to human beings.

C．Seedless fruits could have more vitamins and minerals.

D．Seedless fruits could spread seeds to ensure survival of the species.

2. Which of the following is true according to this passage?

A．Seedless fruits existed due to human actions rather than nature.

B．Biting seeds of fruits can be helpful to your teeth more or less.

C．Seedless fruits have no difference from fruits with seeds in nutrition.

D．Many people choose seedless fruits after its presence at the market.

3. What is the author's attitude towards seedless fruits?

A．Uninterested

B．Positive

C．Negative

D．Cautious

4. Which of the following is the best title of this passage?

A．Well, Seed Or Seedless, That Is a Question

B．Yes, Fruits with Seeds Always Win Your Heart

C．No, There's Nothing Wrong with Seedless Fruits

D．Surprise! A New Study Supports Fruits without Seeds

5 . When Bob Cialdini was a senior in high school, he was really good at baseball. Good enough that a scout (球探) ________ at his last game of the year, and offered him a ________ to play in the minor leagues.

The scout then had a  ________with him. “‘So tell me something. Are you any good at school?”’ Cialdini recalled him asking. “I said, ‘Yes, I am.’ He said, ‘Good enough to get into ________?’ ‘Yes, I am.’”

He pushed Cialdini about his interest in college, asking him if he ________ academic work. When Cialdini said he did, the scout put the contract away.

“He said, ‘Go to ________ because most likely, you won’t get to the major leagues (职业体育总会). But what you’ve told me is that you’re ________ at something you really like. That should be where you go.’”

Cialdini ________ the scout’s advice. Instead of pursuing professional baseball, he went to college. It  ________ : he became a well-known psychology researcher on the science of influence.

Decades later, Cialdini is still ________ by the way the scout looked out for his best ________. Cialdini shared the scout’s  ________ with his students, as they make major  ________ about what to do next in life.

“Don’t just go where your ________ is,” he tells them. “Go where you have the ________ to realize the dream.”

1.

A．called up

B．hanged out

C．set up

D．showed up

2.

A．ticket

B．permit

C．contract

D．prize

3.

A．argument

B．conversation

C．experiment

D．holiday

4.

A．work

B．business

C．position

D．college

5.

A．enjoyed

B．completed

C．continued

D．pursued

6.

A．school

B．baseball

C．training

D．work

7.

A．disappointed

B．quick

C．good

D．creative

8.

A．considered

B．followed

C．sought

D．ignored

9.

A．carried on

B．turned up

C．paid off

D．broke down

10.

A．confused

B．struck

C．amazed

D．annoyed

11.

A．qualities

B．efforts

C．intentions

D．interests

12.

A．advice

B．experience

C．choice

D．success

13.

A．changes

B．decisions

C．breakthroughs

D．mistakes

14.

A．belief

B．purpose

C．dream

D．courage

15.

A．potential

B．time

C．support

D．patience

6 . Biar Kon, a 17-year-old student, whose parents were working in neighboring Sudan, moved to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, to attend school. Once he _______, he needed to get some documents from the Sudanese embassy(大使馆). But when he went to look for the embassy, he couldn’t find it. He asked a few people for _______, and no one knew where it was. Then an older woman tapped him on the back.

The woman told Kon that she had seen him asking questions of multiple people as they _______, and she wondered if he needed money for food, or a place to stay. Then Kon realized that the woman thought he was _______.

They cleared up the _______, and the woman was able to offer her help. The woman’s _______ left a deep impression on Kon. And it inspired him to _______ five years later, when he moved to Boston, Massachusetts. One day, outside a coffee shop, he _______ a man who was begging for change. Kon _______ that moment five years earlier, when the woman in Nairobi had ________ him for a homeless person. So he went up to the man to see what he could do. “He told me why he was on the street—because he made a（n） ________ mistake when he was in high school, and he couldn’t get a ________ now,” Kon recalled. Kon bought the man some breakfast, and gave him a little bit of money.

Today, it’s an encounter he ________. For him, it is a ________ that you never know what people are going through unless you talk to them ________ — the way the woman in Nairobi made an effort to talk to him.

1.

A．worked

B．arrived

C．changed

D．graduated

2.

A．permission

B．comments

C．explanation

D．directions

3.

A．passed

B．watched

C．struggled

D．hesitated

4.

A．awkward

B．homeless

C．careful

D．shy

5.

A．evidence

B．difficulty

C．confusion

D．conflict

6.

A．generosity

B．wisdom

C．responsibility

D．confidence

7.

A．put it aside

B．take it easy

C．kick it off

D．pay it forward

8.

A．persuaded

B．spotted

C．questioned

D．inspired

9.

A．witnessed

B．reported

C．recalled

D．shared

10.

A．praised

B．thanked

C．blamed

D．mistaken

11.

A．common

B．unintended

C．serious

D．similar

12.

A．clue

B．rise

C．job

D．solution

13.

A．creates

B．expects

C．deserves

D．values

14.

A．reminder

B．protector

C．challenge

D．practice

15.

A．secretly

B．actively

C．loudly

D．anxiously

7 . Youth Speech Competition

UNICEF is working towards a world where every child has what they need to survive and develop. But we can’t do it without big ideas from young people — young people who are brave enough to share their brilliant ideas with the world. UNICEF USA and TED-Ed invite young people to create their own talks on the rights of children and the problems young people face around the world.

One winner will be invited to UNICEF USA’s Annual Student Summit to make his/her speech on stage!

Criteria (标准)

Youths aged 10-18 (if you are under 13, you must have a parent or teacher to help you register (报名)).

Must register online.

Your video must be under 2 minutes.

Deadline (截止时间): Your video must be handed in by midnight, January 27, 2023.
Topics of Discussion:
●Migration   ●Sustainable (可持续的) Development ●Values and Beliefs
Prizes

Winners will be announced on February 4, 2023.

One winner will be invited to make his/her speech on stage on UNICEF USA’s Annual Student Summit in Washington, D. C. on March 16-17, 2023!

UNICEF USA will pay for all travel expenses (flights and hotels). The student will be responsible for personal meals and personal expenses. If you are under the age of 18, you will need to travel with a responsible adult chaperone (监护人). UNICEF USA will pay for the chaperone’s travel expenses as well.

How to Register

Create an account (账户) using this link: ed.ted.com/unicefusa.

Once your account has been created, return to the TED-Ed Student Talks page and register!

Once you’ve handed in your registration, allow 2-3 days for processing.

Once you’ve recorded your talk, upload it using the “Upload” tab in your Resource Library on the TED-Ed website.

1. What will UNICEF USA and TED-Ed welcome?

A．Excellent paintings.	B．Brilliant articles.
C．Interesting stories.	D．Creative ideas.

2. What should young people do to take part in the event?

A．Pay an entry fee.	B．Attend a training class.
C．Send a speech video within 2 minutes.	D．Perform on stage in Washington, D. C.

3. What’s special about the event?

A．It has no age limit.	B．It focus on social issues.
C．It provides free meals.	D．It is held every two years.

4. When can we watch the final speech at UNICEF USA’s Annual Student Summit?

A．On January 27, 2023.	B．On February 4, 2023.
C．On April 18, 2023.	D．On March 16-17, 2023.

5. If you want to register for the competition, you need to ______.

A．visit TED-Ed’s website	B．send an e-mail
C．sign up in a library	D．call workers from TED

8 . “When we think of curiosity, we often think of the need for immediate answers,” said Abby Hsiung, Ph. D. , a postdoctoral researcher at the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and lead author of a new research paper. “But we found that when people were more curious, they were actually more pleased to wait.”

“When we watch TV shows or football games, we’re watching that information develop over time, uncertain about how it’s all going to end,” said Hsiung. “I wanted to know if higher curiosity would push people to seek, or to avoid getting an immediate ‘spoiler’ (剧透).”

Hsiung drew inspiration from short cooking videos that are popular on social media. “These videos caught my attention because even though they’re so short, they manage to develop a description and suspense (悬念), so that you’re attracted and curious about how the pizza will all come together.” So Hsiung got out her digital paintbrush and made a lot of 30-second animated line drawing videos that, like the cooking videos, eventually ended up as something highly recognizable, like a hamburger or a dog.

More than 2,000 adults from across the U. S. then watched 25 of these short line drawing videos online. Participants in Hsiung’s study were asked along the way how curious they were, how they felt, and to guess what the drawing would become. Viewers also had a spoiler button to skip ahead to see the final drawing. Hsiung and her team were surprised to find that when people were curious, they refused to hit the spoiler button and kept watching the drawings unfold. It was when people were less curious that they tended to go for an instant answer.

The study also found that curiosity increased at different stages of watching these videos. “We saw higher curiosity during moments when it seemed like the drawing could turn into anything and also when participants were starting to really home in on a single answer,” said co-author Jia-Hou Poh, Ph. D. , a postdoctoral researcher at the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences.

1. What is the popular belief concerning curiosity?

A．It fuels the urge for answers.	B．It leads to endless patience.
C．It stresses the need to wait.	D．It brings the pleasure of waiting.

2. What inspired Hsiung to use her research approach?

A．The evolution the TV shows displayed.	B．The fantasy the short cooking videos shared.
C．The way the short cooking videos developed.	D．The popularity the short cooking videos achieved.

3. What were participants required to do?

A．Make drawings to take a shortcut.	B．Answer some questions while watching.
C．Press the spoiler button to finish the task.	D．Hunt for an answer as quickly as possible.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The influence of patience on curiosity	B．Curiosity delays eagerness for the answer
C．Curiosity arises from the patience of waiting	D．The way to hold back the urge for an answer

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。

Everybody knows that eating carrots on     1     daily basis is good for our eyesight. A new study suggests that grapes are also     2     (benefit) to our eyes. The study     3     (publish) in the scientific journal Food & Function investigated the benefits of regular     4     (consume) of grapes to eye health. Researchers have found that eating just a few grapes a day can improve our vision. This is     5     (particular) so for people who are older. Science has shown that an aging population has a higher risk of eye disease and vision problems. “Grapes have a positive impact     6     eye health in humans, which is very exciting, especially for older people. Our study is the first     7    (reveal) it,” said Dr. Kim, the lead researcher.

The study involved 34 adults and     8     (design) to test the effects of grapes. Half of the participants ate grapes per day; the other half ate a placebo (安慰剂）snack.     9     (conduct) a series of experiments over a span of 16 weeks, Dr. Kim found that people who ate the grapes had increased muscle strength around the retina (视网膜),     10     function is to pass information about light to the brain via electrical signals.

10 . Many people changed residences and are eager to get familiar with their new neighbors. Here’s a quick refresher on making the most of neighborhood relationships.

Begin at the beginning. Building good neighborly relationships starts when you or someone else moves into the area. If a new neighbor moves in, be proactive (主动的) and welcome them to the neighborhood.     1    . Consider taking a plate of cookies or a small housewarming gift. Share your contact information and offer to answer any questions they may have about the community, including your favorite restaurants or the best local service providers.

    2    . Don’t create things that are unpleasant to look at or allow your property’s condition to affect the value of neighboring homes adversely (不利地). Being kind to those around you includes keeping your yard tidy, removing snow from your sidewalks, and collecting trash and recycling bins after the truck has passed.

Be inclusive. If you are hosting a large party, consider extending invitations to your neighbors. During the holiday season, remember the people next door with a card, a homemade goodie, or an offer of assistance. Give without expectations.     3    .

Allow people to be human.     4    , and it’s impossible to know what others are going through. Don’t be too quick to assume a sligh (轻蔑) is personal or intended.

Accept it. If you have tried your best to resolve a conflict without success, let it go. Sadly, some people won’t like you whatever you do. And you aren’t going to enjoy some people.     5    . Be pleasant anyway, and be thankful that you get to live your life and they get to live theirs.

A．Maintain your space

B．Be the first to stop by and say hello

C．It’s easier to accept it and move on

D．Everyone has a bad day now and then

E．Take steps to ensure it won’t happen again

F．Let others know you are thinking of them

G．Some neighbors are more easygoing than others