相关试卷

By May 2021, my5 decided it was time to take me away from London for a week of fishing in northeast Scotland. This meant days of tangled lines, grey skies, wind, rain, and mud. For years, they had dragged me along on fishing trips until I was6 enough to resist (抵制). Fishing always felt like a7 to me because I just couldn't do it. I wanted to be inside, lying on the sofa, reading a book8 out in the cold and wet.

But this time was9. I found myself immersed in the gentle rhythm (节奏) of casting the line and watching the fly (钓饵) move through the air. There were walks through the forest to pools, a cup of coffee here and there, breaking for lunch and being10. I was with my family instead of fighting against them,11 the days to last longer.

On that final morning, after a week of fishing, I finally caught my first salmon. I found myself close to12 . Catching that fish made me realize I had control over the way I felt. I have something now that gives me hope when life is at its most13 .That small, shining salmon14 all of this.

I still go fishing to this day. I also read, write, run, cook, swim, talk, and laugh-but fishing is the thing that absorbs (吸引) me most completely. In searching for silence, fishing is my perfect15.

However, once the strangeness becomes a thought of the past, it becomes much easier to talk to potential new friends. Overcome the shyness of meeting new people and be yourself. Start out with a simple conversation like "Hello, I like your coat" or a discussion about the weather. Those icebreakers will give you the time to feel comfortable and help you open the floor for future conversations.

It can be attending a book club or maybe just enjoying a cup of coffee. Making new friendships means learning about someone and sharing stories about each other's life. Think of your new friendship as a plant. In order to grow, you have to water it and provide it with sunlight. If you want to make new friends, you have to be willing to make the effort. Keep in mind that some people are more outing than others and it's okay to be reserved (矜持). But it's necessary to make use of opportunities to develop your newly-found friendship.

One thing to be cautious about, when you meet new people, is to be always genuine (真诚的). If you don't like fishing or running, then don't pretend that you do just so someone will be friends with you. Find people that share common interests and goals and build your friendship. Then you'll find it's much easier to keep friendships.

A. Friendships are quite similar.

B. Friendships are great support systems.

C. In most cases, you are your biggest road block.

D. Be true to yourself and don't be someone that you are not.

E. However, making new friends is much easier said than done.

F. Building new friendships means spending quality time together.

G. Then find a common ground and build your friendship around that.

All oral arguments at the Supreme Court begin the same way: "Mr. Chief Justice, and may it please the court." You can listen to the recording of RBG speaking these words, how at first they came out a little shakily. It was her first time arguing before the court.

To relieve the sickness in her stomach, she had memorized the opening sentence. She told the justices about Sharron Frontiero, an air force soldier whose husband, Joseph, had been denied (拒绝) the same housing, medical, and dental benefits as other military spouses (配偶), simply because Sharron was a woman and Joseph was a man.

Fourteen months earlier, the court had ruled on the case of an Idaho woman denied the right to manage her dead son's estate (财产) because she was a woman. The justices said in the case of Reed v. Reed that the state couldn't naturally assume men were better equipped to handle (处理) an estate than women. But they had left unsolved the broader question of whether discriminating on the basis of sex was almost always unconstitutional. RBG took a deep breath and told the justices they had to finish the job they started.

The state law in Reed case and the federal one she challenged that day in Frontiero v. Richardson, RBG argued, drew on "the same stereotype (刻板印象). The man is or should be the independent partner in a married unit. The woman, in most cases, is dependent, protected from bread-winning experience."

Suddenly, she felt the ground steady under her. These men, the most important judges in the country, were her audience for the next ten minutes. RBG knew so much more about the case and the topic than they did. She had to teach them. She knew how to do that. RBG had been teaching law for almost a decade.

On Friday, the company debuted (首发) a desktop device that sends sound directly to a listener without the need for headphones or a special receiver. Noveto Systems gave The Associated Press (AP) a chance to test its Sound Beamer 1.0 before its debut. The AP's Louise Dixon writes that listening to the device is like something from a science fiction movie. The sound seems so close that it feels like it is inside your ears while also in front, above and behind them.

Noveto expects the device will have many uses. Office workers could listen to music or conference calls without others hearing. People could play a game, a movie or music without waking up others in the same room. However, because the device does not use headphones, it is possible to hear other sounds in the room clearly.

The device uses a 3-D technology that finds and follows the ear position of the listener. It sends ultrasonic (超声的) waves to create sound pockets by the user's ears. Sound can be heard in stereo or 3-D. The 3-D method creates sound on all sides of the listener, the company said.

The demo (样本) version of the device included nature videos of birds on a lake, bees flying and a quiet waterway. Most people trying the technology for the first time just say, "Wow. I really don't believe it. It sounds like a speaker, but no one else can hear it... it's supporting you and you' re in the middle of everything. It's happening around you."

By changing a setting, the sound can follow a listener around when they move their head. It is also possible to move out of the sound beam's path and hear nothing at all.

While the idea of sound beaming is not new, Noveto was the first to launch the technology. Its chief executive officer Christophe Ramstein said a "smaller" version of the device would be put on the market next year.

Roshawn Little is going into her junior year at Eastern, and has been working in this garden for three years now. During the summer, Little gets paid to work Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a. m. until 2 p. m. with City Blossoms, a nonprofit that brings community gardens to schools in urban areas. She believes that working in the garden has taught her to try all sorts of new things, like eating different kinds of vegetables more often. And she's taken those healthy behaviours home with her and her eating habits have encouraged her family to buy more fruits and vegetables.

City Blossoms is one of many groups across the country teaming up with local communities to build school gardens, like the one at Eastern. It works with schools to create learning gardens and trains teachers on how to use them to get students engaged (使参与) and improve academic performance. These gardens are really outdoor classrooms. For example, the gardens can be used for math lessons, like calculating the area of a plant bed or learning the science of how plants grow.

For the students, the experience can be a nutritional eye-opener, which has totally changed their views on where food comes from, and what it takes to produce food. Partner schools have also seen a 12 to 15 percent increase in the number of students passing standardized tests and 94 percent of teachers reported seeing increased engagement from their students, according to an independent evaluation (评价) conducted by PEER Associates.

a practical tool to learn Chinese language and culture

Confucius said: "To educate somebody, you should start with poetry, and finish with music". The North American Guqin Association (NAGA) has developed a new class series that will combine (融合) poetry and music with guqin study and aims to deepen the appreciation of Chinese poetry and guqin culture through the exploration of guqin songs.

Course description

The classes will consist of lectures and practical sessions (课). Students will not only learn how to play guqin and sing poems by famous poets from different Chinese dynasties such as Farewell to Meng Haoran at Yellow Crane Terrace by Li Bai, but also will learn standard Chinese through these poems. At the end of the course, students will be able to sing at least five famous Chinese poems while playing guqin, and will have a broad appreciation of Chinese culture.

Fees and schedules

Please select the appropriate options from the schedule below.

Time: Sundays 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm, 19/1/24, 26/1/24, 2/2/24, 9/2/24

Fee: $150 (one session) or $480 (4 sessions)

Venue (场地)

Union City, CA. Address to be announced after registration (登记). Public transportation is recommended.

Instruments

Instruments can be rented for the full 4 days duration of the course which they can take home to practice with (normal cost $50). NAGA class sponsor will provide discounts for students who want to buy guqins in the class, with prices starting from only $199 (see the description of each model recommended).

Registration

The number of places is limited, and space is available on a first-come-first-served basis, so please register now! Please email your registration form (click here to download) directly to yaji@guqin.org and pay online at http://naga4dayguqinclass.eventbee.com. For more details, please email yaji@guqin.org or call1-415-857-3918.

I grew up in the small town of Willowbrook. During the week, I would go to school, but at the weekends, I played basketball. Playing with friends at the local park became our Saturday tradition. We met every Saturday morning, and though we started as a small group, our laughter and cheers soon drew curious glances from passersby. But not everyone was interested. Some kids rolled their eyes, complaining about us "taking up the court," and a few even walked away when we invited them to play. Still, the idea of expanding our games stuck with me, and slowly, a few more faces started showing up.

As word spread, more students came. Not all of them stayed — some left after realizing they weren't as good as they thought, and others got bored when the competition wasn't serious enough. But for those who stayed, it became special. The park bench filled up, and the court buzzed with energy. We divided into teams, with naturals like Mark and newcomers like Alex.

Alex was a quiet, slightly overweight guy with a shy smile. Even though he hesitated a lot, he still wanted to play. I remember Mark snickering (窃笑), "You sure about this?" Alex nodded, with hesitation in his eyes.

The games grew more intense as more players joined, and the competition heated up. But what truly stood out was the sense of camaraderie (友爱) — at least, most of the time. Alex struggled, out of breath, missing passes. Once, after a rough play, he walked off, embarrassed. I thought he might quit. But he returned.

I paired him with a friend of mine who was more patient. His progress was slow — there were some improvements, then some setbacks. Despite this, Alex kept showing up over the following months. He wasn't the best player, but he wasn't the worst anymore.

Paragraph one:

One Saturday, as the sun rose higher in the sky, the game reached its climax.

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Paragraph two:

After that game, the atmosphere at the park was different.

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1. 介绍你的设计方案；

2. 说明设计理由。

注意：

1. 词数80左右；

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Mind Oasis: A Tranquil Retreat on Campus

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In a workshop in Yingshan County, central China, German scholar Fabian Schrodt carefully pressed paper onto inked clay (黏土) blocks, (recreate) an 11th-century invention from ancient China — Bi Sheng's movable type printing.

His hands-on experience at the Bi Sheng Memorial Hall brought to life the ingenuity of the Song Dynasty inventor. Bi Sheng's clay-type system, which predated (早于) German printer Johannes Gutenberg's metal press 400 years, (recognize) as the earliest recorded movable type printing in human history.

Thousands of miles away in Mainz, Germany, visitors to the Gutenberg Museum have also encountered a similar sense of historic (innovate).

While Gutenberg's 15th-century metal type printing press famously (revolutionize) Europe, Ulf Sölter, director of Mainz's Gutenberg Museum, acknowledges an (early) pioneer. "Bi and Gutenberg's inventions were conceptually similar — namely, breaking down individual works into their individual components — but Bi came up with idea long before Gutenberg," said Sölter.

For Schrodt, who spent an afternoon learning from Wang Kui — an intangible cultural inheritor of Bi's movable type printing — such preservation is extremely (value). "Technological advancements can lead to a degradation (退化) of collective knowledge," Schrodt noted. "Wang's dedication to (preserve) Bi's legacy serves a crucial purpose: ensuring that humanity does not reach a point we possess the technology for interstellar travel but cannot rebuild it once lost, simply because no one knows how."

After retiring from his decades-long career as a tech seller, Toh wanted to3 himself — study medicine. When he told his family this decision, they were all4 at first. They thought Toh was crazy to do such a thing at his age. But after witnessing his great5, they all threw their support behind him.

The journey was6, especially for someone at his age. One of the first7 Toh encountered was finding a program that would admit him, as most were capped for applicants under 35 or 40. Toh applied to medical schools around Asia but was8 by many universities due to age limits.9 Southwestern University PHINMA welcomed him without restrictions.

Besides, Toh faced the challenges of aging, including declining memory,10, hearing, and energy. But Toh wasn't given special11. He persevered through long hours of studying anatomy (解剖学), using flashcards, and12 hospital shifts lasting up to 30 hours. He even repeated a year after failing a pediatrics exam but13 with the support of his family and younger classmates.

Toh's14 inspires both his peers and future generations. His journey is not just a personal triumph but a testament to15 learning and the pursuit of a purpose at any stage of life.

China has been opening its doors wider to international travelers. In 2024, the country expanded its one-sided visa-free policy to include 38 countries, allowing visits of up to 30 days. In late April, China lowered the tax refund threshold from 500 yuan to 200 yuan and raised the cash refund limit from 10,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan. There is no limit on refunds processed by bank transfer.

While top-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai remained popular, destinations including Chengdu, Chongqing, and Zhuhai made the list of top inbound choices. Hotel bookings by foreign tourists in Zhuhai rose 70% year-on-year, while Qingdao and Wuhan saw increases of 60% and 50%, respectively.

China's picturesque landscapes and rich culinary culture have frequently been featured in South Korean TV dramas and variety shows, sparking travel interest. The May Day holiday also coincides with a public holiday in South Korea, encouraging young travelers to visit China. January trips to China rose 77% year-on-year, said Hana Tour.

More foreign visitors are seeking immersive cultural experiences in rural areas. In Zhangjiajie, bookings from the US, Italy, and Spain surged (激增). They actively participate in farming activities, attend ethnic concerts, and book culinary experiences — including market visits, cooking sessions, and food tastings.

A. Visa-free privacy boosts foreign visits.

B. The surge prompted airlines to add China flights.

C. Foreign visitors are exploring beyond major cities.

D. Favorable tax refund policies have also boosted inbound travel.

E. Data shows that inbound travel bookings surged 130% from a year earlier.

F. Many now prefer cities combining modern facilities with traditional charm.

G. Foreign tourists have also shown increasing interest in in-depth tours and diverse experiences.

It is the emotional rollercoaster ride of being a modern group chat member, and I'm not alone in these feelings. Research conducted by Three found 50% of British adults struggle to keep up with the speed of these virtual conversations and feel pressured. But why exactly does this occur?

"When I'm busy and see a ton of messages coming through, I get stressed that I'm missing something big," says Jasmine, 31. "Not participating in a group chat can also be overwhelming because then you've got loads to catch up on and it's turned from reading just one or two messages to a short story."

Besides being overwhelming, there's a lack of real connection, too. "Group chats can make us feel like we're surrounded by people, yet still somehow on the outside," says psychotherapist Abby Rawlinson. "If everyone is chatting and you're not part of the flow — or your message gets no replies — it can awaken the quiet ache of invisibility."

For Madhura, 31, this has felt particularly exasperating at times. "I find messaging in group chats can make you feel like you're not quite on the same page. Group chats can turn friendly jokes into hurtful messages. A group chat may be used to gossip about a friend who's not there. Leaving a group chat can also feel like you're creating an opportunity for those who are left to gossip about you," Madhura says.

"Texting is such a ‘thin' form of communication. In person, you have tone of voice, facial expressions, and eye contact — all the rich human signals that help us interpret meaning. On a screen, you just get the words themselves," Rawlinson explains. "So don't fall into a pit of self-criticism when a message goes without a reply. Group chats can't truly measure your friendships. They're just a tool to stay connected."

"It really shows that it's not just us humans who are writing history, but also these birds are taking notes and documenting our throwaway society," said the nest biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra, who has been researching the influence of the Anthropocene era on birds' nests in Amsterdam's canals. When investigating nests in the canals, he found a variety of old packaging discarded from the early 1990s up to last year.

The Eurasian coot only started migrating to Amsterdam in the late 1980s, and Hiemstra's findings of packaging from 1994 could show the entire lifespan and heritage of the species in the area.

While a bird's nest is usually made from twigs (细枝) and moss, the abundance of plastics has been helpful for birds in the city where natural items are in short supply. Hiemstra said there would likely be a return of natural nests if people focused on re-greening cities and bringing natural water vegetation back, but in the meantime, the birds were successfully working with what they had.

"For the coots, our litter is not a waste product but something very valuable. Finding these materials that were littered 30 years ago, yet they look as fresh as they were just littered yesterday, really gave me the chills. I really hope we can learn something from the birds to re-evaluate how we think about our materials. These plastics are a wonderful material, yet we use them for single use and throw them away," Hiemstra said.

She and her sister, Jodie Bryan, started growing mushrooms at home as they could not find the more special varieties in their local supermarket. "We physically couldn't get the mushrooms we wanted to eat. We changed our diet because our dad was unwell. We wanted to expand from the button mushroom," says Caley.

"We'd seen this stuff online and started growing it for ourselves. But we had so much demand that people's curiosity forced us to start making our own kits. We also supplied fresh mushrooms to anyone who wanted their own kits to grow them at home. It's been phenomenal. The direction it's taken us in is far beyond anything we ever imagined."

The sisters use coffee grounds as a substrate (培养基) and grow fungi (真菌) from wood. Fungi add interest to a garden and benefit the soil. "You can take your kit and put it in the garden where it will then get you more nutrients for your soil," said Caley. "We've installed an outside mushroom bed, and nine different mushrooms can be grown in seven different mediums. We were trying to encourage people with space outside to go outside, but you can also put a couple of logs on your balcony. Or if you've got a small flat, you can grow in your kitchen as well."

Taking soil health into consideration is also in vogue, and fungi are crucial for this. Under the ground, the fungi create a living network called a mycelium. It improves the soil by breaking down natural waste and moving it into the earth, making it richer. It also attracts worms, which loosen the soil and support its biodiversity.

The Exhibition

When Vincent van Gogh arrived in Arles, France, he befriended his neighbor and postman Joseph Roulin, along with his wife and three children. Van Gogh went on to paint several vibrant and expressive portraits of the Roulin family. This exhibition showcases about twenty of them, demonstrating his distinctively forward-thinking approach to portraiture.

Van Gogh: The Roulin Family Portraits also reveals the significance of Van Gogh's close friendship with Joseph Roulin amidst his arrival in a new town and struggles with mental health. The Roulin portraits appear alongside other works — including Japanese prints and Paul Gauguin paintings — that helped shape Van Gogh's work during this period.

Exhibition Times

March 30 – September 7, at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA

Museum Hours 10 am – 5 pm

Last entry 30 minutes before Museum closing. There is no re-entry.

Ticket Information

Adults $34.00 || Youths 7 – 17 $17.00 || Youths 0 – 6 Free

Tickets are available for purchase in advance at mfa.org or by phone at 1-800-440-6975. A $6 per-order processing fee applies to all phone orders.

Entry times are 30 minutes; visitors must enter the exhibition within that 30-minute window. Once inside the gallery, visitors may stay as long as they like.

Make sure to add any free youth tickets to your order at the same time as you add adult tickets.