相关试卷

Linda   talking with her mom in the living room. 

Sylvia   a small circle of friends. 

 Ben often  his homework first after school?

My grandpa    notebooks. 

He   to visit Beijing. 

Cindy   bananas for breakfast. 

Jane   two huge farms. 

The bad news  Lucy  sad. 

That seems very easy, but   it's really difficult. 

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Physical exercise is good for our mind, body and spirit. Today, working out through online videos is becoming very popular. Since the Internet is widely used, it's very easy for us to do so. That means we can work out anytime anywhere.

One of my friends, Lin Fei, followed short workout videos to do daily exercise. "With live programs, I feel like working out with my friends, which encourages me to hold on to the last minute," she said. Another friend of mine, Michael, told me that workout videos let him feel so comfortable. "I have a fear of working out at the gym (健身房) because I don't like being watched by others. Working out at home makes working out much more enjoyable," he said.

With their examples, I decided to give it a try. When I told my plan to my elder sister, a P. E. teacher, she reminded me that workout videos could be helpful but might still carry some problems.

"Without being with someone in person, you will be less willing (愿意的) to work out to your best. Working out at the gym allows you to have advice in real time and get pushed harder," my sister said to me, "Well, if you really want to have a try, first, choose proper programs or videos. That's very important. And then ask your friends for advice. Their experiences can give you a good insight into what you can expect. Anyway, don't be addicted (沉迷的) to it. You should try different ways to work out to be healthy."

At her suggestions, I finally followed an online workout program with personalized help that was held for three months. After the first period of training, I felt it very practical and helpful when I put in the right amount of work along with a strong will. Compared with going to the gym, using online videos to work out is a much cheaper and time-saving choice. But it can be difficult sometimes when I'm too lazy or too busy to stick to it.

Many Chinese expressions include words about directions or positions such as "dong (east)", "xi (west)", "zuo (left)" and "you (right)". What's the origin (渊源)?

Up or down

We use shang cesuo to mean "go to the bathroom" and xia chufang to mean "go to the kitchen". Why? In ancient times, Chinese houses were laid out in a certain way. The gate of the house would face south, with the bathroom in the northeast of the house and the kitchen in the southeastern part.

On maps, the north is usually at the top, while the south is at the bottom. In Chinese, we talk about "the north" as shang and "the south" as xia. So people would say they were going "up" to the bathroom and "down" to the kitchen.

Left or right

We say "yijian xiangzuo" when having different opinions. Why is it not yijian xiangyou? Most people are right-handed. They feel uncomfortable when they see someone using the left hand to write or eat. This was true in old times as well. So, "left" was used to mean "being different", such as yijian xiangzuo. Then can you guess the meaning of pangmen zuodao?

East and west

When going shopping, Chinese people say "mai dongxi", instead of "mai nanbei". Why?

A commonly accepted idea is that in the Tang Dynasty, there were two popular markets in Chang'an, the national capital (都城) at the time. One was called the East Market, and the other the West Market. When shopping, people usually went to the East Market first, and then went to the West Market. As time went by, people started to describe shopping as mai dongxi.

What do we do during those long hours online? For most, it's watching short videos or laughing at Internet memes (梗). In fact, experts say this "junk content" makes our brains lazy and slow. They even named this problem "brain rot"—like a plant rotting (腐烂) from too many bad things!

Watching fun short videos and memes is like eating a bag of chips. It's easy, requiring no effort, and tricking us into thinking we're having fun. Why don't you play basketball, learn to cook, or read a book when you can just lie on the sofa?

The more time we spend on our screens, the less real-life joy we experience. It makes us miss out on the wonders of the real world. Over time, we feel like our lives are getting more and more boring.

It's time to bring back "voluntary fun". Go outside with your friends or family and enjoy the beauty of nature. Bathe in the warm sunlight. Brighten your day with pleasant birdsong. Just don't let your screens take over your free time, and leave your brain "rotting"!

A. If so, you're not alone.

B. Breathe in the fresh air.

C. Once you start, it's hard to stop.

D. But we get this kind of fun too easily.

E. However, this "easy fun" comes at a price.

F. While these seem fun, they don't truly relax us.

Scientists say they have discovered the oldest DNA on record. It was found in the teeth of mammoths that lived in northeastern Siberia up to 1.2 million years ago. A mammoth was a kind of early elephant that lived during the Ice Age. This discovery may lead to a greater of the long-dead species (物种) than before. The researchers say they recovered (恢复) DNA from the remains of three mammoths. The remains were discovered in the 1970s. But poor research conditions then prevented scientists from and removing the DNA.

People discovered the of the three mammoths near the Krestovka River in Siberia. It was about 1.2 million years old. Another, from near the Adycha River, was 1 and 1.2 million years old. The, from near the Chukocnya River, was around 700,000 years old. "The discovery has been the oldest DNA ever recovered so far," said scientist Love Dalen of the Center for Palaeogenetics (古遗传学) in Sweden. He was the of the research project which was recently described in a study in Nature.

However, DNA can be destroyed over time. With new research methods, scientists are to recover even older DNA. As these methods further develop, Dalen said he thinks it should be possible to work with DNA that is up to three million years old. Such methods could lead to a greater knowledge about a number of older species. They can provide information for us. Then the way new species formed will no longer be a (n) thing to us. And the knowledge on DNA is believed to be of high value on uses.

What exactly are pre-made dishes? A 2024 notice from the government gives the answer. They are pre-packed foods made from vegetables, meat or other ingredients without preservatives (防腐剂). They go through factory processing, like mixing, frying or boiling, and need heating before eating. But not all prepared foods are pre-made. For example, dishes from central kitchens which are used by many big restaurants or simply cut vegetables are not in this group. That's why Xibei said its dishes weren't pre-made.

Pre-made dishes have both advantages and disadvantages.

To fix the problems, the government is taking action. China's new standard for pre-made dishes will soon ask for public ideas. Experts say transparency (透明度) is the key. Restaurants must tell customers clearly if they use pre-made dishes. Later, Luo said he wasn't against pre-made dishes and he even chose them when he's busy. He just thinks people have the right to know what they eat.

One evening, on their way to a university, Einstein said, "I'm so tired. I wish I could avoid giving my lecture tonight, Hans, but I don't want to let my audience down."

"I know what to do," said Hans. "I can give the lecture for you. You can trust me. I've listened to your lecture so many times that I've learnt it by heart. No one knows you at this university, so they won't find out."

So, they changed places. At the university, Hans was guided to the front of the hall. Einstein took a seat, listened to Hans give his lecture without difficulty, and joined in the applause at the end.

However, before Hans left, a man shouted, "I'd like to ask you a question." He then asked a question so difficult that Hans had no idea what he was talking about. Einstein turned pale. "Oh no!" he thought. "Now we're in trouble." But Hans just laughed and said, "That's such an easy question that even my driver can answer it. Hans, please..."

Einstein stood up and answered the question perfectly. They left the university, with Einstein driving. A little later, Hans offered to drive. "No," laughed Einstein. "It's a pleasure to drive a genius like you, Hans."

Being in social relationships may be the2 kind of brain exercise. Relationships with friends and family are the key to our mental health,3 social activities are good for the brain. This means even4 with friends at weekends is an excellent brain exercise.

Scientists say that laughing can exercise many parts of the brain. When we hear a5, we try to work out what is funny, and laugh. Each step makes us use different parts of the brain. Laughing is also6 for relaxing. When we relax our body, we feel calm.

Finally, brain research suggests that people should never7 learning because learning is brain exercise, too. Activities such as learning to play an instrument or cooking are8 useful, because they require the body and brain to work together in new ways.

It's not necessary for us to9 all of them. However, it's important to do them more often. All these skills of exercising the brain have many10. They make the brain much smarter and slow down memory loss.

A: Hi, Mike. The Spring Festival is coming.

B: I'm going to stay here with my parents but I want to send some gifts to my grandparents in Tianjin.

A: Of course. Hot pot packed in bags is the first choice. It's very popular and convenient.

B: Great idea.

A: Many brands are OK, such as Xiaolongkan, Haorenjia, and Mingyang.

B:

A: In Hong Qi Chain, Wu Dong Feng or any other supermarket.

B: Thanks a lot. I think my grandparents must like my gifts.

A: You are welcome. Speaking of hot pot, how about having some this evening?

B: Let's go.

A. Sounds nice.

B. I wonder where I can buy it.

C. Are there any Chengdu products?

D. How are you going to spend the vacation?

E. Can you give me some advice on the brands?

Jane Goodall was a famous scientist who loved animals very much. She her amazing work with chimpanzees in Africa. Jane dreamed of studying wild animals from a young age. Her famous research began in 1960 and in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. There, she lived among the chimpanzees and paid attention to their every action.

Jane's discoveries changed how we think about animals. She found that chimpanzees make and use tools, just like humans. This finding because it shows that humans are not so different from other primates (灵长类动物).

Throughout her life, Jane showed for the natural world and fought hard to protect it. Sadly, Jane Goodall passed away in 2025 at the age of 91. But she will live on forever in our hearts.