1 . Hawaii lawmakers are considering legislation (立法) that would require visitors to pay for a year-long license or pass to visit state parks. Josh Green is the state’s governor. He said, “We get between 9 and 10 million visitors a year, but we only have 1.4 million people living here.” He added, “Those 10 million travellers should be helping us sustain our environment.” Lawmakers still debating how much they would charge.
The governor campaigned in 2022 on the idea of having all tourists pay a $50 fee to enter the state. Legislators think this would violate US constitutional protections for free travel. They instead think visitors should pay to enter parks and trails. Either policy would be a first of its kind for any US state. Hawaii’s leaders are following the example of other popular tourist areas with similar fees or taxes. They include Venice, Italy, and Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.
Hawaii State Representative Sean Quinlan is the leader of the House Tourism Committee. He said changes in the activities of travellers are part of Hawaii’s push. He said golf rounds per visitor per day have dropped 30 percent over the past 10 years while hiking has increased50 percent. People are also seeking out isolated places they have seen on social media. The state does not have the money to oversee and protect all these places, he said.
Most state parks and trails are currently free. Some of the most popular ones already charge, like Diamond Head State Monument. That trail leads hikers from the floor of a 300,000-year-old volcano up to the top. It gets 1 million visitors each year and costs $5for each traveller.
A bill currently before the legislature would require visitors over the age of 15to buy a yearly pass to visit forests, parks, trails or “other natural area on state land”. People who live in Hawaii would not need to pay.
1. What does the underlined word “violate” mean in Paragraph 2?A.Break. | B.Establish. | C.Uphold. | D.Perfect. |
A.The decreasing number of tourists to Hawaii. |
B.Advantages of Hawaii’s tourism resources. |
C.The increasing financial burden of Hawaii. |
D.One reason for wanting to charge tourists. |
A.None of the attractions in Hawaii charge fees currently. |
B.The goal to charge fees is to limit the number of tourists. |
C.Lawmakers are arguing about whether charging fees is legal. |
D.Charging fees is beneficial for Hawaii’s natural environment. |
A.A news report. | B.A travel guide. |
C.A law textbook. | D.A promotional brochure. |
2 . I had a great time with the film Turning Red, which follows Meilin, a thirteen-year-old girl who suddenly begins turning into a giant red panda.
The film was set in 2002 when I would’ve been around Meilin’s age. It was a joy for me to watch a film that I could relate to. The film illustrates the push-pull that many immigrant families face: how much of their culture to keep and how much to assimilate(融入). There are beautiful traces of Chinese culture throughout this film, including gorgeous food, time around the table, relationships with extended family, and more.
In the film, women in Meilin’s family suffer a curse(诅咒). As soon as they begin to blossom into womanhood, they transform into a giant red panda whenever they express any strong emotion. Thus, they have learned that emotional repression is the way to go. It was beautiful to watch this young girl choose the different path of emotional wellness instead of holding back her feelings.
It’s not a surprise that the director Domee Shi, who is around my age, chose this plotline. Many people my age are on that similar path Meilin finds herself on. We honor our parents and what they have done for us, but we’re also choosing to be more emotionally healthy and trying to live differently than we were taught.
The part of Turning Red I particularly loved is the ending. Though Meilin’s mom, grandma, and aunts see that it’s possible to integrate their red pandas into their lives, they don’t choose that path. Instead, they choose to bottle their pandas up once again. However, they do get a new perspective on this young, groundbreaking girl. It’s such a sweet reminder that not everyone can go on the same journey toward emotional health, and that’s okay.
If all of them had embraced their pandas, I think the ending would’ve felt incredibly cheese and taken away some of the power of the story. So we get a conclusion that is satisfying and heart-warming without being too much of a fairy tale.
1. Why did the author enjoy watching Turning Red?A.She found a connection with the story. |
B.She followed a life path similar to its director. |
C.She adored the appealing design of the red panda. |
D.She valued its emphasis on the beautiful Chinese culture. |
A.Disturbance. | B.Control. | C.Wellness. | D.Expression. |
A.Bittersweet. | B.Idealized. | C.Realistic. | D.Cheesy. |
A.“Can I embrace my true self?” |
B.“Should I prioritize my family?” |
C.“Can I uncover the curse’s secret?” |
D.“Should I explore diverse cultures?” |
3 . Health, as the old saying goes, is over wealth, so it’s of great significance to keep fit. You can take away our money, our house, or our clothes and we can survive.
Eating healthfully is important to maintain one’s health. I try to avoid foods high in fat like French fries or cookies. I also try to limit the amount of animal protein I consume.
Our muscles must continue to be strong to support our body as we age. Exercise helps the bones build density and helps us maintain our posture.
By eating properly and exercising regularly, I can keep my body at an appropriate weight and can maintain my health. By spending time with my friends, I can keep my mind as well as my body happy.
A.It can also strengthen our muscles. |
B.Take away our health and we will die. |
C.Friends are an important part of one’s health. |
D.These are my three secrets to keeping a healthy lifestyle. |
E.Besides, I always stay away from junk food which lacks nutrients. |
F.By joining in relaxing activities, I can refresh myself to study well. |
G.Instead, I eat lots of vegetables and fruit which are rich in fiber and vitamins. |
4 . HOW TO DO HARD THINGS
It’s an inconvenient truth that the road to success isn’t a secret. Most of us know exactly what we need to do to improve our lives.
First, you need to make sure you know what the hard, but effective thing is in the skill or job that you want to improve.
Figure out your why. Make sure you know why you want to do this hard thing.
Leave the doubts behind. When you’re doing something hard, your brain will try to find ways to stop doing it. You’ll want to look things up or find easy ways of doing the hard thing. Don’t give in to these tempting arguments during your hard work sessions.
If you keep improving yourself by doing hard things, you’ll be getting better at your targeted skill. So don’t spend too much time working around the hard task. Just do the hard thing instead.
A.This should be easy to figure out. |
B.Change your thinking so the hard thing looks good. |
C.But we don’t do those things because they are hard. |
D.Make a commitment and turn the hard thing into a habit. |
E.If you are not clear about it, you’ll lose motivation quickly. |
F.Do whatever you want after or before, but stay focused during. |
G.Life is hard sometimes, and you will have to do hard things at some point. |
5 . There’s been an enormous amount of progress in language-generating AI over the past couple of years. OpenAI’s GPT-3, for example, is a language generator that’s been trained on 570 GB of text, and is able to write convincing essays. Google, of course, is working on language generators too, and its latest one helps you write like a legendary poet.
Google’s new AI tool, Verse by Verse, allows users to compose a poem using “suggestions” from classic American poets. The AI generates these suggestions based on what it’s collected from reading the poets’ oeuvres. That is, the program uses machine-learning algorithms (算法) to identify the language patterns of a particular poet’s work, then applies those to text it generates as the suggestions.
The tool works by allowing users to select from 22 American poets for the suggestions, including legends like Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allen Poe. After a user has selected up to three poets, they then pick the type of poem they’d like to write. The program offers various poetic forms, and even allows users to select the number of syllables per line.
Users then give the program a first line, and AI generates the rest of the poem. The AI makes suggestions line by line, however, making it more interactive than other top language generator s out there. As far as results, they’re interesting, but not nearly as impressive as GPT-3’s writings.
According to Google engineer Dave Uthus, “The system was trained to have a general understanding of what lines of verse would best follow a previous line of verse. So even if you write on topics not commonly seen in classic poetry, the system will try its best to make lines that are relevant. The widely varying degrees of Verse by Verse output quality show that while good lyrical gems (宝石) may occasionally emerge, further work by the AI team remains to be done.”
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?A.To introduce a new AI tool for writing poetry. |
B.To compare different language-generating tools. |
C.To discuss the progress of langauge-generators. |
D.To analyze the latest essays of OpenAI’s GPT-3. |
A.Suggestions. | B.Works. | C.Messages. | D.Patterns. |
A.Collect poems for inspiration. |
B.Give the program a starting line. |
C.Generate different poetic forms. |
D.Compose poems as good as GPT-3. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Objective. | C.Puzzled. | D.Confident. |
6 . Looking back, the memory of doctors, nurses and the conclusion of appendicitis (阑尾炎) was still clear.
All the
When I finally returned to the pool, I struggled with my
Finally, I came to the last event that could
The race started, and I dived in, throwing the pain,
When I saw my time, a wave of
A.Normally | B.Frankly | C.Fortunately | D.Hopefully |
A.motionless | B.disappointed | C.unconscious | D.senseless |
A.experience | B.knowledge | C.muscle | D.honor |
A.option | B.effort | C.fantasy | D.embarrassment |
A.regained | B.fundamental | C.reliable | D.limited |
A.took notice of | B.fell short of | C.was aware of | D.ran away from |
A.attempted | B.applied | C.declared | D.determined |
A.train | B.sponsor | C.qualify | D.instruct |
A.enemy | B.performance | C.failure | D.shot |
A.strength | B.uncertainty | C.depression | D.criticism |
A.taken over | B.knocked down | C.given away | D.cut off |
A.sorrow | B.gratitude | C.confusion | D.relief |
A.overcame | B.understood | C.ignored | D.recognised |
A.benefited | B.resulted | C.originated | D.escaped |
A.see through | B.look over | C.hold back | D.account for |
7 . With a pair of glasses and mild manner, Siew Te Wong could be described as a Malaysian Clark Kent (a fictional character in Superman). This wildlife biologist is a Superman of sorts — a tireless defender of the world’s smallest bear species: the sun bear.
“I often call the sun bear a forgotten species,” Wong said. “When I first started, 20 years ago, no one had ever studied sun bears. Most people did not know that they even existed,” As he studied the animal and realized the threats it faced from deforestation and illegal hunting, he knew the bears were in serious trouble. “The more I learn about them, the more I care. The more I care, the more I worry,” he said. “I have to help them.” Today, Wong’s nonprofit, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center, is the only sun bear sanctuary (保护区) in the world.
Sun bears are found in the rainforests of South Asia, and the small bears play a big role in keeping these woodlands healthy. Many plants and animals depend on them to spread seeds, create nesting sites and control the termite (白蚁) population. Healthy rainforests provide clean air and water to the entire world.
But the sun bear population has decreased by 30% during the last three decades. In 2007, the bear was officially classified as vulnerable (易危的) to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Currently, 44 sun bears live at Wong’s center. All of them were orphaned by illegal hunting or rescued from captivity (囚禁). The center has also become one of the leading tourist destinations in the area. “They can see how special the sun bear is and learn about how their survival is important to ours,” Wong said, “so they can take some action when they go back home.”
For Wong, this work is simply his responsibility. “Sun bears have become part of my family. When they’re endangered, I care for them. When they are in trouble, I speak for them,” he said. “I want to be the voice for the sun bear, to fight for the sun bear, to ensure the survival of the sun bear. But my goal is to save the entire forest ecosystem and that is so important to the survival of mankind. I want bears to live in the forest and not in captivity.”
1. When Wong first started to study sun bears, ______.A.they were paid little attention |
B.they were a great threat to mankind |
C.they were well protected by the local people |
D.they were officially classified as rare animals |
A.The importance of healthy rainforests. |
B.An introduction to the rainforests of South Asia. |
C.A dependent living situation of all species in rainforests. |
D.The role sun bears play in keeping a balanced ecosystem. |
A.To finance this center. | B.To protect species diversity. |
C.To recognize the value of the center. | D.To raise awareness about sun bears’ situation. |
A.How to turn a sun bear center into a tourist destination. |
B.An introduction to a great defender of the sun bear. |
C.A call for stopping the sun bear hunt. |
D.What we can do to save the sun bear. |
8 . Four Must-visit Campsites in Western Australia
Fair Harvest
Playing host to campers looking for a more environmentally-friendly stay, Fair Harvest has an outdoor kitchen made from wood harvested on site and a farm cafe where you can buy fresh produce and home cooked meals. Guests are free to wander in the gardens, go bushwalking in the private forest, or take a class in the on-site yoga (瑜伽) barn — the only campsite yoga studio in the area.
Lucky Bay
In 2017, a scientific study was carried out to discover which Australian beach had the whitest sand and Lucky Bay, in Cape. Le Grand National Park on the southern coast of Western Australia, emerged victorious. Up close, the beach is often frequented by kangaroos bounding at the sand’s edge. The Lucky Bay campground sits right behind the beach and is well-equipped with toilets, showers, barbecues and picnic tables-though campers do need to bring their own drinking water.
Rottnest Island
More commonly a day trip destination, Rottnest is a car-free island best explored by bike and ringed by glorious Indian Ocean beaches. There are options for luxurious glamping (豪华野营) at Discovery Parks Rottnest Island, but those looking for a more traditional camping experience should head instead to the Rottnest Island campground. Here, you’ll find bathroom blocks, a camp kitchen and barbecues, but the highlight is the site’s large population of quokkas, which are close relatives of the kangaroo.
Imintji
Located at the foothills of the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges, Imintjii is a simple yet well-maintained campground that includes washing facilities, fire pits, barbecue shelters,outdoor seating and water taps. It’s a great base for visiting the dramatic landscapes of Bell Gorge, Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge. It’s also one of the few campsites in the world that are famous for their own art center, with works by local artists on sale.
1. What can campers do at Fair Harvest?A.See kangaroos. | B.Buy home-cooked meals. |
C.Admire the whitest sand. | D.Get works from local artists. |
A.Walking. | B.Driving. | C.Taking a boat. | D.Riding a bike. |
A.Imintji. | B.Lucky Bay. | C.Fair Harvest. | D.Rottnest Island. |
9 . Steph Morris is a talented UK artist who specializes in hyper-realistic drawings of sneakers (运动鞋). Her works are so true-to-life that even closeups of the drawings are
When it comes to sneaker
“I’ve always loved sneakers since I was a
While
A.tiring | B.hard | C.relaxing | D.painful |
A.fans | B.stores | C.drawings | D.brands |
A.acting | B.athletic | C.musical | D.artistic |
A.eventually | B.fortunately | C.originally | D.obviously |
A.designing | B.advertising | C.washing | D.wearing |
A.ignore | B.reevaluate | C.discuss | D.maintain |
A.took up | B.threw away | C.sold out | D.turned in |
A.discovered | B.visited | C.loved | D.needed |
A.dreamer | B.kid | C.mother | D.failure |
A.surprising | B.boring | C.natural | D.stressful |
A.sheets | B.answers | C.paintings | D.pairs |
A.working | B.learning | C.talking | D.teaching |
A.missed | B.got | C.made | D.forgot |
A.information | B.business | C.money | D.time |
A.quit | B.find | C.record | D.enjoy |
10 . Our old, artificial Christmas tree was in rough shape by the time we retired it. At least a decade had passed since my wife and I bought the tree, a medium-size fake tree with built-in lights, at a Target in Brooklyn and carried it on the subway to our tiny apartment. Over the years, we dragged that tree from apartment, jammed it onto a moving truck to Los Angeles and later packed the weathered box onto another moving truck, this time to Chicago and our current home. By the end, layers of duct tape (强力胶布) held the box together, the wear and tear of a decade of delivering holiday cheer.
Our little tree looked run down, but it was the only tree our family ever knew. It stands proud and glowing in the background of photos of me and my pregnant wife during our last Christmas in Brooklyn without children. Our oldest was born a month later during a January snowstorm. The tree shows up again in the next year’s photos, this time surrounded by holiday gifts for a boy about to turn 1. Then it appears in photos of our son and his 1-month-old brother, this time with California palm trees just outside the door. And in more recent photos, our tree lights up windows overlooking shining Chicago snow. This year, after much debate, we decided to retire our dear old tree, with its bent branches and the lights that had burned out years ago. Rather than feel depressed, we used the moment to launch a new family tradition: our first real Christmas tree.
So here’s a toast to all your family’s traditions—the old and the new. I hope you enjoy this issue, which we have filled with stories of seasonal joy and holiday cheer. Happy holidays!
1. Where is the author’s present home?A.In Chicago. | B.In Brooklyn. | C.In California. | D.In Los Angeles. |
A.His budget was tight. | B.He was attached to it. |
C.It was in good condition. | D.It was environmentally-friendly. |
A.An editor. | B.A salesman. | C.A delivery man. | D.A home designer. |
A.The finest diamond must be cut. |
B.Out with the old, in with the new. |
C.Old friends and old wine are best. |
D.All things in their being are good for something. |