1 . Scientists from Georgia Tech have developed a new robot named ESTHER (Experimental Sport Tennis Wheelchair Robot), which can move around the court and even return human serves.
The team believes the robot could serve as a training partner (搭档) for professional players in the future, lowering the pressure of training with another human.
The robot is the brainchild of Georgia Tech’s Matthew Gombolay, professor of robotics in the School of Interactive Computing. He wanted to develop a better training challenge than a ball feeder that stays in one place, one that would act like an always on-call partner or even team up with someone in doubles matches. The result is ESTHER, an adapted wheelchair tennis chair that can race to balls at ten metres per second and probably outplay a human.
Mr Gombolay explains: “The wheelchair has the ability to rapidly move around the court and get into position (恰当位置) to hit a ground stroke (击落地球). ESTHER can move up to two metres after a ball is struck to hit a successful return, which is comparable to the longest distance moved by human players for 80 per cent of shots (击球).”
The robot was named in homage to well-known wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer, who held the world No. 1 position in women’s wheelchair tennis for almost 13 years straight.
The team placed a network of cameras around a tennis court and used computer vision algorithms (视觉算法) to help ESTHER recognise an incoming tennis ball. Using cameras from different positions, they could know where the ball is in the air and feed this information to ESTHER. The team reached a breakthrough when they successfully and continually programmed ESTHER to track the tennis ball coming toward it and to hit a return.
ESTHER will now be developed to act as a highly-skilled tennis player.
1. What is ESTHER able to do?| A．Return a shot. | B．Clean up a court. | C．Push a wheelchair. | D．Control a ball feeder. |
| A．In search of. | B．In honour of. | C．As a result of. | D．With the help of. |
| A．They improve its vision. | B．They direct it to the ball. |
| C．They help it stay in position. | D．They picture unexpected things in the air. |
| A．Athletes in wheelchairs | B．An all-purpose robot at home |
| C．Rules are changing for tennis courts | D．A robot moves around the tennis court |
2 . The Olympic Games are old and so are the fans. The median age (中位年龄) of American viewers of the games in Barcelona in 1992 was 39. That increased to 53 for the Rio de Janeiro games of 2016. Overall viewing figures are sinking, too. At the most recent games in Tokyo in 2021, they were a third lower than in 2008.
Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has admitted that the games risk losing connection. To keep connected with society, the Olympics are expanding, adding what Mr Bach described as “youth-based” sports. In Tokyo, climbing, skateboarding and surfing were put on the schedule. In Paris this year, breakdancing will feature for the first time. Undoubtedly the youth will be excited. But if Mr. Bach wants the Olympics to become more relevant to more people, the best idea would be to include e-sports.
So far the IOC has approached e-sports like an uncool dad. An inaugural (首次的) Olympic E-sports Week took place in Singapore in June. But the choice of events puzzled fans. The archery game, for instance, had been downloaded only 100 times before the tournament was announced. The most recognisable event, ”Just Dance“, is not considered an e-sport by fans. The experiment resulted in widespread doubt. Peak viewership was only more than 22,000.
E-sports command a huge audience. Attracting a big audience matters for the Olympics, which have seen the costs of infrastructure (基础设施) in recent years. The inclusion of e-sports would add income from media rights and sponsorship. Besides, the IOC has other reasons for changing its stand. For one, e-sports may bring Olympic glory to a more diverse group of countries and just like traditional sports, it can show three of the Olympic values: excellence, friendship and respect.
1. What can we know from Paragraph 1?| A．The viewing number of the Olympics is reducing. |
| B．The Olympic Games are always popular in America. |
| C．The IOC didn’t realize the problems of the Olympics. |
| D．The median age of Olympic viewers remained the same. |
| A．By focusing on more popular and contemporary events. |
| B．By adding more sports attracting the younger generation. |
| C．By cutting down the number of traditional sports in the Games. |
| D．By hosting the Olympics in more countries with diverse cultures. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Satisfied. | C．Tolerant. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．Differences between traditional sports and e-sports. |
| B．Advantages of culturally diverse nations in e-sports. |
| C．Potential benefits of including e-sports in the Olympics. |
| D．Suggestions on building a safe gaming environment for e-sports. |
3 . Clothes Upcycling (升级改造) Contest 2024
Are you passionate about fashion and the environment? Do you have a creative mind and want to make a positive impact on the planet? Then we have a contest for you!
We are excited to launch the Love Your Chelmsford Upcycling Clothes Contest for secondary school ages(11-18 years), to promote extending the life of our clothes and save them from going to landfills! Upcycling clothes has many benefits including reducing the impact of buying new on natural resources and reducing your carbon footprint.
You have to create clothes from used materials, and transform them into something new and exciting. Each applicant can be one individual person or one group. Applicants can apply multiple times, but only be qualified to win with one submission (提交).
How to Participate:To enter, you must be a resident of Chelmsford and aged 11-18. We will require a before and after picture of your shoes or clothes upcycling project along with a description of the materials and techniques that you used to create your masterpiece (作品). Please send your submission to loveyourchelmsford@chelmsford.gov.uk by June 30, 2024.
Recommended:Show the creation process of your masterpiece and share where everything came from.
Prizes:*Up to 100 applicants will have the option to be listed on our website to sell their upcycled work.
*The most impressive upcycled masterpiece will win a £100 Gift Voucher (礼品券) to shop at Glass Onion, plus there are 5 runner-up prizes of a 183-piece sewing kit.
1. What do we know about the contest?| A．Group work will not be accepted. |
| B．The participants can apply more than once. |
| C．One participant can win more than one prize. |
| D．Winning pieces will be selected on June 30, 2024. |
| A．A picture of the remaining materials. | B．A list of tools involved. |
| C．A description of the techniques used. | D．A video of the making process. |
| A．A £100 Gift Voucher. | B．An amount of cash. |
| C．A free trip to Glass Onion. | D．A 183-piece sewing kit. |
4 . Cyclocross is cross-country bicycle racing. Racers spend only part of a race on their bikes because only part of the two-mile race is smooth. Other parts of the race have the challenge of obstacles (障碍). When racers reach them, they can ride over them, or pick up their bikes and run.
To be a top racer, you must dismount without slowing down at all. To do this, swing your right leg over the bike seat. At the same time, move the bike away from your body. This makes room for your right foot to hit the ground next to your left foot. As your right foot nears the ground, take your left foot away from the bike. Put both feet on the ground and start running!
As soon as you are running, you have to decide what to do with your bike. You may shoulder it or lift it. It’s important to practice both skills. Sometimes you need to run fast and jump over some obstacles. As your feet hit the ground, you reach down and catch the bottom of your bike. Lift up carefully and keep the bike on your right shoulder while you run. Sometimes you may lift your bike. You catch the top of your bike. Then you lift the bike high enough to get over the obstacles and carefully put the bike on the ground.
After you have carried your bike across an obstacle, you will need to remount. As soon as your bike is on the ground, push off with your left leg, swing your right leg over the bike seat, and move into riding position. Remounting can be the hardest skill of cyclocross. You can learn by watching someone who remounts well.
Cyclocross is a great way to stay active and have fun. However, it can be dangerous. Make sure that you are well prepared. Then, you will just need to go!
1. What can we learn about cyclocross from the text?| A．It’s a cross-city bike race. | B．It’s a challenging bike race. |
| C．It’s a no-obstacle bike race. | D．It’s a dangerous running race. |
| A．Get off a bike. | B．Pick up a bike. | C．Get back on a bike. | D．Practice riding a bike. |
| A．To take care of the bike. | B．To jump over obstacles. |
| C．To make room for others. | D．To hit the ground harder. |
| A．The popularity of cyclocross racing. | B．The history of cyclocross racing. |
| C．The records of cyclocross racing. | D．The skills of cyclocross racing. |
5 . Sport plays a huge part in Australian culture. Here are some wonderful sporting events for travelers from all over the world.
Australian Open (January) The Australian Open is perhaps one of the country’s most prized events and biggest summer parties. Hosted in January every year, this two-week tennis event lights up the city and brings the very best tennis superstars to Melbourne along with thousands of fans and a host of world-class singers. | World Surfing Championships (March to May) While summer brings warmer waters, Australia’s autumn comes with the World Surfing Championships, Across the men’s and women’s tournaments (锦标赛), fans can see their favourite players trying their best across a series of events in the surfing capital of Australia, the Gold Coast. |
Uluru Camel Cup (May) If you’re looking for a special Australian event, don’t miss the Uluru Camel Cup. It’s all about a camels’ race to find the fastest camel in Australia. There are several activities that take place over the weekend with delicious food, live music and entertainment. You also have a chance to bet on your favourite camel. | Melbourne Cup (November) The Melbourne Cup is the country’s most famous horse race, which is called “The Race That Stops A Nation”. It’s not all about the racing however, with fashion shows, music, and the best selections of food. This one-day event has become such a big part of Australian culture that it is now an official public holiday. |
| A．Australian Open. | B．Melbourne Cup. |
| C．Uluru Camel Cup. | D．World Surfing Championships. |
| A．January. | B．March. | C．May. | D．November. |
| A．It provides food. | B．It is a public holiday. |
| C．It lasts for a weekend. | D．It has live performances. |
6 . Mathea Allansmith isn’t your typical grandmother, and she’s the oldest woman in the world to have completed a marathon. She was 92 years 194 days old when she triumphantly crossed the finish line at the 2022 Honolulu Marathon, setting up the record for the oldest person to complete a marathon (female).
Mathea, now 93, of Koloa, Hawaii, USA, stays in shape all year round by running six days a week, no matter the weather. Come rain or shine, she covered 36 miles every week, even when she’s on holiday. The retired doctor didn’t take up running until she was 46 years old. After a colleague suggested running two miles per day.
“The Honolulu Marathon is my favourite marathon partly because they don’t close the gate at a certain time which allows even the slowest runners to finish the race,” she said. “It’s one of the best-executed races. Fantastic registration, set up and management makes it a joy to participate in.
Mathea, who doesn’t allow her age to slow her down, says she is happiest when she’s on the road. She enjoys running for miles and waving and saying hello to the people she passes. To stay in shape, Mathea, who runs year around, keeps a steady training routine. “I train year-round but increase the mileage starting 18 weeks before a marathon,” she said.
Mathea says it was her career as a physician that allowed her to understand how her body and mind respond to diet and exercise. “I see the direct connection between moving and health,” she said. It is important to reduce stress rather than ignoring it without a plan on how to do so in the long run. Of course, exercise of any kind is a natural stress reducer. ”
Mathea intends to keep running marathons for as long as she can and would like to attempt the record titles for the oldest person to complete a half marathon (female) and the oldest person to complete a 10K (female) within the next year.
1. What does the underlined word “triumphantly” in the first paragraph mean?| A．Absolutely. | B．Literally. | C．Successfully. | D．Precisely. |
| A．It provides the most awards. | B．It’s easy to break a world record. |
| C．It has the strictest management. | D．It has no time limit policy. |
| A．Her profession. | B．Her hobbies. | C．Her colleagues. | D．Her family. |
| A．achievements | B．ambition | C．independence | D．adventurous life |
Many people would like to watch sport matches. First, you need to know about audience manners.
Most sporting arenas (竞技场) have rules for spectators written on the back of the tickets. Read your ticket carefully before you arrive. Try to reach your seat half an hour before the start of the event and don’t leave when a game is in progress. When you leave, remember to take away your soft drink bottles and other rubbish.
During exciting games, try to control yourself. Don’t criticize the performance of players and coaches. Be careful with your words, since some may cause anger among other people in the audience.
Applause is a special form of body language you can use to communicate with players, but you should do it properly. When players first appear, clap your hands together to welcome them, but don’t go on for too long. After an excellent performance, applaud warmly. If someone fails, your applause will help encourage them.
Applause is not welcome, however, while players need to keep their concentration. Various sports have various rules for the audience.
Enjoying artistic gymnastics silence. But lots of cheering can really help basketball and football players. Snooker and table tennis courtside behavior includes a ban on flash photography. Mobile phones are not allowed in shooting centers.
To be a good spectator, you should take time to learn the game-specific rules and related culture of each event.
1. 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中，每词限用一次，有两词为多余选项| enjoy polite applause cheer special silent photo artistic manner away advance specific |
Title: Good Audience
topic | rules | |
Before games | Sporting arenas | ★read your tickets carefully in ★reach and leave there in time ★take |
During games | Exciting games | ★pay attention to your behavior and be |
| ★use it properly | ||
| ★keep | ||
| Basketball and football | ★you should | |
| Snooker and table tennis | ★forbid taking | |
| Shooting centers | ★Don’t use mobile phones | |
After games | How to be a good spectator | ★to learn the |
2. Where are the rules for the spectators?
3. What should you be careful with during the exciting games? Why?
4. What should you do to be a good spectator?
8 . Competing for a Trip to Soma Bay, Egypt
Soma Bay is a perfect place for sunny relaxation. If you take a trip there, you can also take part in the competition we organize.
The Destination
Lapped by the Red Sea on three sides and with views of sandy beaches and desert mountains, Soma Bay can attract nature lovers most, Spreading across almost 2,500 acres, the Egyptian tourist attraction has an 18-hole golf course designed by Gary Player, a golfing enthusiast, as well as the largest Thalasso spa in Africa. Kiteboarding, diving and horse riding are all on offer, too.
Of Soma Bay’s five accommodation options, a five-star hotel enjoys a fantastic location on the highest point of the Soma Bay peninsula. It has a number of guest rooms and suites with private balconies, as well as four on-site restaurants, You can enjoy beach-side pizza, take afternoon tea, or stop for a drink by the 18th hole. They are all offered by the hotel.
The Prize
With the official permission of Soma Bay, the winner can enjoy a four-night stay in a classic room at the five-star hotel on a half-price basis. The prize includes return economy class flight tickets with overhead cabin luggage from the UK to Hurghada International Airport up to the value of £650 per person, with direct routes available from cities including London, Manchester and Bristol, plus return airport transfers to Soma Bay (UK transfers aren’t included).
To Enter
Answer the following question online at natgeotv,com/uk/competitions:
ON WHICH SEA IS SOMA BAY LOCATED?
Competition closes on 31 October 2023.
The winner must be a UK adult resident, aged 18 or over.
1. What does the five-star hotel offer?| A．Games on a golf course. | B．Tickets for kiteboarding. |
| C．Something to eat and drink. | D．Accommodation on the beach. |
| A．A free stay in the perfect hotel. | B．A return airport transfer to the UK. |
| C．A possible direct flight ticket from Bristol. | D．A first class flight from the UK to Hurghada |
| A．It welcomes children. | B．It covers multiple questions. |
| C．It targets at Egyptian citizens. | D．It ends on the last day of October. |
9 . CWA Photo Competition 2023
Over the last year, opportunities for visits to historical sites have picked up again, and photography offers a wonderful way to experience the sights of archaeology (考古学) around the world. Whether you’ve been looking back at photos from previous holidays, going out to sites near you, or busy working on archaeological projects, we want to see your best photos on a heritage theme. Send them to us for your chance to win first prize in our yearly CWA Photo Competition and have your work showed in the magazine.
The winning image and 3 runners-up will be featured in CWA and at the CA Live conference in London in 2023. The overall winner will get two free tickets to the conference.
Closing date: 1 February 2023
The judges’ decision is final, and the results of prize-winners will be announced by 15 February 2023.
Rules:
☆Entrants (参赛者) can offer no more than 5 images with an archaeological theme — please include details of the place or item photographed, when each image was taken, and your contact information, including a postal address.
☆Entrants must be 18 or over. The competition is open to all photographers.
Professional and nonprofessional photographs will not be judged separately.
☆All photos entered must be done under an individual’s name. By submitting (提交) images you confirm that you are the copyright holder and creator of the images.
Entrants can send your works by email to cwa@world-archaeology.com with the subject line: CWA PHOTO COMPETITION 2023.
1. What subject should the works focus on?| A．Environmental protection. | B．Archaeological findings. |
| C．Local sights. | D．Work experience. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Five. | D．Eight. |
| A．Being a regular reader of CWA. |
| B．Becoming a professional photographer. |
| C．Handing in pieces created by themselves. |
| D．Mailing the works before 15 February 2023. |
10 . As athletes get stronger and faster, the pace of play continues to increase. The burden of making sure games are played according to the rules and that the officiating (裁判) is accurate is now being taken out of human hands and falling more and more into the lap of technology. It’s called the video replay.
The National Football League is expanding its replay system this upcoming season to include pass interference (传球干扰). Major League Baseball now relies on it for safe-or-out and home run calls. If you’ve been watching the FIFA World Cup, you may have noticed that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) played a key role in almost every game. And in the Kentucky Derby, a horse was disqualified for knocking another horse. No one knew why until a video replay confirmed the call and controversy was avoided.
However, many purists—those who want people to follow rules carefully and do things in the traditional way—especially in soccer, argue it’s not the way the game was invented, and that the video replay is tainting the sport. But don’t you want to see the proper application of the rules throughout the games? I know I do. Yes, it can slow the game down, but I feel it is worth it. If technological advancements allow fans watching from home to spot mistakes instantly, those same views need to be available to the officiating crews. Another example occurred in the most recent National Football Conference (NFC) Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints. When obvious pass interference was committed by the Los Angeles Rams player Nickell Robey-Coleman, with just 109 seconds to play, no flag was raised on the field. It weakened the New Orleans Saints spirits. The Los Angeles Rams won a 26-23 overtime victory. The no-call deeply angered the public. The video replay showed the referees had just missed one of the most apparent pass interference calls.
There are no easy answers regarding replay technology and whether it is a curse (魔咒). But for me, keeping the officiating honest and on task is the right step in limiting controversy.
1. What trend in sports can be observed in paragraph 2?| A．The video replay has been widely used. |
| B．League games have become competitive. |
| C．Rules of professional games are becoming stricter. |
| D．People are showing more interest in sports than before. |
| A．Tricking. | B．Promoting. | C．Damaging. | D．Restoring. |
| A．They relied a lot on the video replay. |
| B．They cared too much about details. |
| C．They were definitely stressed out. |
| D．They were terribly disqualified. |
| A．Video replays: high-end technology in sports |
| B．Is technology like VAR a blessing in sports? |
| C．Officiating: a duty that requires honesty |
| D．What do qualified referees really mean? |
