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For many young adults, what to do after finishing high school is a question that is not easy to answer. For some their path is clear, but for others a number of possibilities lie before them. You are not too sure about the direction you want to take and would like to explore your options. Or maybe you have a desire to travel and experience other countries before settling down to further studies. What to do during your gap year can be tailored to suit your needs, interests and budget. Let's look at a few ideas that can just help you!

 You can become a babysitter in your community or work on an oil field in another country. This can really help you to gain insight into yourself when you decide what you are passionate about.  Choosing a sporting adventure in another country, either playing or coaching will be an amazing experience. In addition, giving back to the community by volunteering in a local charity is also how you would like to spend your time. 

From these experiences, you will learn much more than just how to do a job. Aside from your photographs, your most treasured possession will be that new experiences challenge you and allow you to grow. So whether you are going abroad or going to your local community center, one thing is for certain — a gap year is definitely not just filling a gap. 

A. Perhaps you are one of the latter.

B. Why not apply for a job locally or abroad?

C. How about combining sports with learning?

D. You can find helpful information on some websites.

E. It is a year that can make all the difference to your future.

F. You will look back and know that your gap year has done that.

G. Whatever your reasons, a gap year can be an enriching and exciting time.

As people become more aware of the importance of eco-friendly power sources, we have devoted much time to inventing creative devices. A newly developed paper battery promises to make a big difference to single-use electronics.

The battery is crafted from sustainable materials, which not only strengthens its eco-friendliness but also makes it cost-effective to produce. This combination of biodegradability (可生物降解) and affordability makes it attractive for a wide range of applications. Another standout feature of this paper battery is its flexibility in terms of shape and size. Unlike traditional batteries that are available in fixed sizes, this paper battery can be tailored to meet diverse requirements.

In reality, the paper battery is enough to power an LCD alarm clock. "While it won't be charging up your computer anytime soon, there's lots of potential for low-powered sensors. We present a printed paper battery developed to power single-use disposable electronics and to reduce their environmental impact to the lowest level," write the researchers in their published paper.

The battery is based on a metal-air electrochemical cell. Made from sodium chloride salt-diffused (氯化钠盐扩散的) paper, it can measure as little as one square centimeter, and is based on printed inks. All that's needed, then, is a small amount of water, as little as two drops. This dissolves the salts within the paper, and then activates the battery as they travel. The battery starts producing power around 20 seconds after water is added, according to the experiments carried out by the team.

Although the performance decreases over time as the paper dries out, it can be topped up to some extent with more water. The researchers say they want to improve the efficiency of the battery in the future, and get it working for longer. "With a rising awareness of the e-waste problem and the emergence of single-use electronics for applications, there is a growing need for low environmental impact batteries," write the researchers.

Have you ever walked through a door and thought to yourself, "What was I going to do?" If you have, you are not alone. Psychologists believe that walking through a door and entering another room creates a "mental block" in the brain. This is generally referred to as the doorway effect.

In the early years of brain research, scientists thought that human memory was like a closet, with many sections in which we could store little boxes of experiences from our lives. Boxes would remain there forever, and whenever we had to look into them, we could just go to that particular section and find that box of memory. 

Beautiful as this description of human memory formation sounds, it is not true. Our brain is much more complex than that. Psychological studies suggest that our memories are episodic(情节性的)in general. If you think back on anything, you'll probably quickly realize our memories don't function as clear narratives. Instead, they're more episodic and divided into parts.

A new research led by psychologist Oliver Baumann from Bond University in Australia suggests that it's not so much the doorways that cause a memory wipe, as moving from one location to a significantly different one—it's the abrupt change of scene that prepares our minds for something new. "A good example is moving around in a department store," says Baumann, "Taking the elevator between floors may have no effect on our memory, but moving from the store to the parking lot might cause us to forget something that we need to buy."

Baumann also points out that a busy and perhaps overloaded brain does seem to play some part in this phenomenon. In other words, walking through open doors is thought to reset memory to make room for a new episode. 

The good news is that experiencing such forgettable episodes after entering another room does not tell you anything about your memory and intelligence. So when you enter a room and suddenly forget why you are there, you should not think that Alzheimer's disease is creeping up on you!

For a long time, I kept a selection of books on a shelf next to my bed that I called my "heart books". To qualify for a place on the shelf, a book had to be not only one I loved, but one that mattered. There was one book that never made it onto that shelf, though I read it in high school:Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg.

I can still remember the day I bought it. It was summer and I must have been 14 or 

15. Desperate to get out of my house, I rode my bike into town and walked into the bookstore. I was going through the shelf of books on writing and it caught my eye. I picked it up, read a few pages, and bought it. Then I took it with me to a park, read the first few chapters, and opened my notebook to write.

It's a fairly straightforward writing book. Goldberg's method is simple: you choose a topic, set a timer, and write for 10, 15, or 20 minutes without picking up your pen. Free writing, timed writing, writing topics: anyone who has taken a creative writing class may have encountered these things. It's notearth-shattering. There was nothing particularly new or unusual about the book so I can't say why it attracted me so much. But it changed everything. I went from being someone who enjoyed writing to being a writer.

During my teen years and early twenties, following Goldberg's method was at the core of my identity. No matter where I was or what I was doing, I filled notebooks. When I eventually started writing fiction, I did the same thing. The "I" in my notebooks became someone else, but I held to the same practice.

This writing practice led me to a writing group in Boston. It led me to my current career. It led me, in so many ways, to myself. Becoming a writer allowed me to become so many other things: an activist, a business owner, a farmer, a baker... Writing is where I found my confidence. It was where I became curious about the world. From that, everything else has followed.

Location

St Helena is one of the remotest islands on Earth. The subtropical (亚热带的) British Overseas Territory sits in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,200 miles from the west coast of Africa and 1,800 miles from the east coast of South America.

Size Population

St Helena is only 16 km long and 9 km wide and the population is 5,

000. This is 1/3 the size of the Isle of Wight, and the same size as Disney World Orlando. This is also the same size as San Francisco-yet the island has just 

0.5% of San Francisco's population. With an extremely low-crime community, you can freely explore the island's natural and built attractions in peace.

Climate

As a subtropical island, St Helena's temperature is 15-28℃ all year round. While the four seasons are not recognized on St Helena, the "cooler months" are generally June to September and the "hotter months" are December to March. St Helena is free from extreme weather events, with even thunderstorms only occurring perhaps once a decade.

Accessibility

Until 2017, St Helena did not have an airport and was only accessible by sea. Reaching the island meant a five-day ship voyage from Cape Town, South Africa. However, since October 2017, the island's first and only airport has enabled passengers to reach the island in just a six-hour flight.

1. 介绍国际月季节基本信息；

2. 介绍其亮点。

注意：

1. 词数100左右;

2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear Jim,

Yours,

Li Hua

The first pairs of jeans were designed for blue-collar workers. Over the course of the 20th century, the working-class pants have transformed into fashion icons and become popular around the world. However, each new pair you buy has a much higher cost than

you might think.

Every pair of jeans takes about 

0.7 kilograms of cotton. Growing this much cotton requires roughly 10,000 liters of water, not to mention various herbicides and pesticides, which can pollute groundwater. Typically, plastic fibers are mixed with cotton threads to increase comfort and flexibility. In order to dye the cloth, chemical sprays and several cycles of acid-washing are adopted, discharging toxic pollutants into rivers and even turn them into indigo-blue. Also, there are the zippers, buttons, and rivets made of copper and other metals, whose mining is yet another source of environmental degradation. All in all, the manufacturing(制造) process for a single pair of jeans emits over 33 kilograms of carbon ——the equivalent of driving over 110 kilometers.

Like many globally produced products, jeans are made in poor countries and bought in rich ones. Much of the world's cotton is grown in developing countries, with poor labor practices and few protections for workers. Cotton here is often picked by children or forced labor. And their health may be threatened by poisonous chemicals during production. Because of the fast-paced and rough manufacturing with unnatural materials, today, most pairs last no longer than a year. Like most waste, discarded jeans end up in landfills, where their decomposition releases greenhouse gas. Some governments are pursuing policies to make companies more responsible for worker pay and welfare, but unsustainable practices still run crazy throughout the fashion industry.

1） Who may be the first consumers of jeans?

2） Why are plastic fibers used when pairs of jeans are made?

3）Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.

Jeans are made in poor countries, where workers' health is well protected.

4） What suggestions would you give to reduce the damage caused by jeans? (In about 40 words)

More than a quarter have to enlarge the font size on their mobile phone so they can read it clearly.  Meanwhile, 28% regularly squint(眯眼看) at the screen. And all of them are signs of eye disorder.

"The research has shown our eyes are not designed to be fixed on a single object for a long time, especially smaller laptops or smart devices. Even worse, staring at the screen constantly can lead to dry eye syndrome," says Giles Edmonds, a clinical service director.

Dry eye syndrome is a condition where the eyes do not make enough tears, or the tears evaporate too quickly. Here are some simple solutions to prevent eye strain and irritation, and preserve your eye health overall.

Rest your eyes.

Follow the 20:20:20 rule, looking up from your screen every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.  It in turn reduces eye tiredness.

Adjust your workstation.

Change your screen settings to ensure that the brightness and contrast are balanced correctly, as well as making fonts larger. Also, be mindful of how your workstation is positioned. Adjust your screen ensuring it is 15-20 degrees below eye level and around 50-70 cm away from the eyes.  .

Reduce glare(眩光).

. Try reducing this by attaching an anti-glare screen to your monitor or laptop to avoid external light shining onto the screen. Glasses wearers can also have lenses treated with an anti-glare coating.

A. People should try to reduce the time spent on the screen.

B. One can read his favorite paper books instead of e-books.

C. Half confess they're forced to enlarge images to see them clearly.

D. Another thing to focus on is to make sure your room is properly lit.

E. Looking into the distance helps relax the focusing muscles of your eyes.

F. Reflections on your computer screen can cause glare and lead to eye fatigue.

G. They may feel uncomfortable, painful, tired and even start to itch (发痒) or burn.

A recent global study, which surveyed 10,000 young people from 10 countries, showed that nearly 60 percent of them were extremely worried about the future state of the planet. The report, which was published in The Lancet, also showed that nearly half of the respondents said that such distress affected them daily, and three quarters agreed with the statement that "the future is frightening." This, along with many other studies, shows

clearly that climate change is not just a threat to the environment that we inhabit. It also poses a very real threat to our emotional well-being. Psychologists have categorized these feelings of grief and worry about the current climate emergency, a common occurrence among youth today, under the label of "eco-anxiety".

Eco-anxiety doesn't just affect young people. It also affects researchers who work in climate and ecological science, burdened by the reality depicted by their findings, and it affects the most economically marginalized (边缘化的) across the globe, who bear the damaging impacts of climate breakdown.

In 2024, eco-anxiety will rise to become one of the leading causes of mental health problems. The reasons are obvious. Scientists estimate that the world is likely to breach safe limits of temperature rise above pre-industrial levels for the first time by 2027.

In recent years, we've seen wildfires tear through Canada and Greece, and summer floods ruin regions in Pakistan that are home to nearly 33 million people. Studies have shown that those impacted by air pollution and rising temperatures are more likely to experience psychological distress.

To make matters worse, facing climate crisis, our political class is not offering strong leadership. The COP28 conference in Dubai will be headed by an oil and gas company executive. In the UK, the government is backtracking on its green commitments.

Fortunately, greater levels of eco-anxiety will also offer an avenue for resolving the climate crisis directly. According to Caroline Hickman, a researcher on eco-anxiety from the University of Bath, anyone experiencing eco-anxiety is displaying entirely natural and rational reactions to the climate crisis. This is why, in 2024, we will also see more people around the world join the fight for climate justice and seek jobs that prioritize environmental sustainability. Campaigners will put increased pressure on fossil fuel industries and the governments to rapidly abandon the usage of polluting coal, oil, and gas.

It's now clear that not only are these industries the main causes for the climate crisis, they are also responsible for the mental health crisis, which is starting to affect most of us. Eco-anxiety is not something we will defeat with therapy, but something we will tackle by taking action.

Artificial intelligence is almost twice as accurate as a biopsy(活组织检查) at judging the aggressiveness of some cancers, experts say. Cancer kills 10 million people globally every year, according to the WHO. But for patients the disease can be prevented if detected instantly and dealt with quickly.

A recent study suggested an AI algorithm (算法) was far better than a biopsy at correctly grading the aggressiveness of sarcomas ( 肉 瘤 ), a rare form of cancer. Researchers hope AI will improve outcomes for patients by giving doctors a more accurate way of grading tumours (肿瘤). Because high-grade tumours can indicate aggressive disease, the tool could help ensure those high-risk patients are identified more quickly and treated instantly. Low-risk patients could also be spared unnecessary treatments, follow-up scans and hospital visits.

Researchers say the algorithm could be applied to other types of cancer in future. The team specifically looked at retroperitoneal sarcomas, which develop at the back of the abdomen and are difficult to diagnose(诊断) and treat due to their location. They used CT scans from 170 patients with the two most common forms of retroperitoneal sarcoma——leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma. Using data from these scans they created an AI algorithm, which was then tested on 89 patients in other countries. In grading how aggressive the tumour was, the technology was accurate in 82% of the cases, while biopsies were 44%.

AI could also recognize leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma in 84% of sarcomas tested, while radiologists were able to identify them in 65% of the cases. Christina Messiou, the study leader, said: "We're incredibly excited by the potential of this state-of-the-art

technology, which could lead to patients having better outcomes through faster diagnosis. As patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma are routinely scanned with CT, we hope this tool will eventually be used globally, ensuring that not just specialist centres can reliably identify and grade the disease."

Richard Davison, chief executive of Sarcoma UK, said the results looked "very promising". He added: "People are more likely to survive sarcoma if diagnosed early. One in six people with sarcoma cancer wait more than a year to receive an accurate diagnosis, so any research that helps patients receive better treatment and support is welcome."

"Your mother needs a new heart," my father told me when I called on that December afternoon. An unrelenting optimist, he spoke as if she merely needed to have a part replaced. But, although my two sisters and I knew that our mother had heart problems, this news still made us frozen for a while with our eyes widening in disbelief.

Dr. Marc Semigran of the transplant team reviewed my mother's medical history. She'd had an irregular and rapid heartbeat for most of her life. Her present treatment——the use of a series of cardioversions, or electric jolts, to restore a normal heartbeat——would not work in the long-term. She had an enlarged and weakened heart, as well as a faulty valve.

"With medication," Dr. Semigran said, "you have a 60 percent chance of living six months. You could have a longer life with a transplant, but there are risks. You're at the

top end of the age group of sixty years old. The lungs and other organs must be healthy and strong. While the transplant surgery is actually a straightforward procedure, acceptance by the body is the difficult thing."

My family came together, trying to provide strength and work out what to do. We'd already gone from shock, over our mother's condition, to worry that she wouldn't be a suitable recipient. Despite of the risk, we chose to believe that she would make it eventually.

Word came later in December that she had been accepted into the programme. Dr. Jeremy Ruskin told us one of the reasons she had been accepted was that she had such strong family support.

One Monday in May, at about 8 p. m., my mother received a phone call from the hospital that a heart was available. As she was about to be wheeled off, my father took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. His look said everything about their 42-year relationship.

The heart transplant operation was successful and the conditions could not have been better.

The irony of the transplant process is that one family's loss is another's gain; that tragedy begets fortune. It is a kind of life after death, our hearts beating beyond us. We developed a feeling of love for this new part, of gratitude for the doctors, for the process, and for those people who made a decision just for humanity.

Are you ready to become an international UN Volunteer?

You can contribute your time, skills and knowledge through volunteering with the UN. This is an opportunity to create a positive impact and be a significant force for achieving peace and development. Make a difference to the lives of many!

The first step to volunteer abroad with the UN is to determine whether you meet the minimum requirements. If this is the case, register your profile in our Unified Volunteering Platform. Then, you may apply for assignments that are in high demand or even in highly specialized areas.

The minimum age to serve as an international UN Volunteer is 18 years old. However, there are specific requirements for various categories: UN Youth Volunteers, including University Volunteers, must be aged 18-26, UN Volunteer specialists must be at least 27years old, and UN Expert Volunteers must be 35 years of age and above.

There may also be requirements of relevant professional and academic experience, as well as language proficiency (熟练). Refer to the Description of Assignment for the UN Volunteer assignment for the position you are applying for because different assignments have their specific requirements.

All UN Volunteers must display a commitment to the values and principles of volunteerism and the activities of the United Nations and the UN Charter, and an ability to

work in a multicultural environment and with local partners and communities. They should be prepared to adjust to difficult living conditions in sometimes remote locations. UN Volunteers should be professional, with strong interpersonal and organizational skills.

February 10, the first day of the Year of the Dragon, the crowd in a public square in London burst into cheers. Sixteen dancers performed the Chaoshan Yingge dance, a traditional Chinese folk dance (celebrate) Chinese New Year. In the Chaoshan region of Guangdong province, the dance originated, people believe it brings good luck for new year. This performance(attract) millions of tourists since 2023.

To develop a snack we all know and love, companies have to work out people have an appetite for. Today, companies often ask customers to choose the flavors they fancy on apps, (lbok) out for the latest taste trends. Snack trends also change over time. When supermarkets (encourage) to remove unhealthy snacks from the cashier desk, companies are quick to provide healthier treats.

When he was 7 years old, Francis Kere left his family to attend school because his village did not have one of (it) own. Thirteen years later, he moved to Germany. He dreamed of returning home to build the classroom that didn't then exist. In 2001, Kere completed his first school (build). He then (creative)transformed his village and other communities in Africa. In 2022, he won "Nobel Prize in architecture", the Pritzker Prize.

I was preparing for dinner with my husband when our daughter Rikki stormed into the sitting room and marched to the sofa. I glanced out of the window and saw our neighbor Lexi walking slowly back to her house with her head down, looking so 1 .

"Why didn't Lexi stay longer?" I asked her.

"I don't want to play with her," Rikki complained, "I wish she would stop coming over here all the time. Her dress looks terrible and smells disgusting. Everyone in our class chooses to2 her."

"That's not her3 , Rikki. Maybe she doesn't have anyone to help her." I said.

"You see, baby," her father began to say, "I really know how she felt when you showed your4 to her because I had the same experience when I was a kid. I was the poor kid with hand-me-down clothes, the kid who others looked down on. That5 never goes away." He told her he wanted her to be kind and6 , not judgmental and hurtful. Tears were streaming down her face.

Then we 7 Lexi to come over and have dinner with us. I remembered Lexi coming in all smiles. We gathered together and soon I saw the girls talking and 8 .They had a great time. I could even see a sweet glow in Rikki's eyes.

Rikki began to think 9 from that day on. Lexi came over a few times after that. They became good friends.

Today, Rikki has a heart of gold. She is always the first to welcome those whom

others might 10 and is generous in helping others. I truly believe that day made a major difference in the person she has become today.

How far can a penny go? Right now, one can quickly say that it wouldn't get you that much. Or, to be more specific, it's more of a novelty item now than a currency.

But Ryan Trahan, who is an online media content creator, wanted to prove that a penny can turn into something much more valuable and that the spirit of bartering（以物易物）is still alive and well. His goal will surprise anyone.

In his video, he shared that he would turn his penny into a house. Yes, you've read that right. He will barter his way to a house.

The challenge started as tough as you'd expect it to be because who would trade anything for a penny? The first thing he got was a pen. Then, he traded off his pen for a small dinosaur toy. Luckily, he met a dinosaur fan who was more than willing enough to trade it for a tin of mints（薄荷糖）—or at least what's left of it.

It was a dead end from then on until he met two interesting strangers. Apparently, his campaign of "penny-to-a-house" is gaining attention. It gave him a chance to trade the mints for something of value—gas station earphones.

It snowballed from there. After the earphones, the value of his trade just got bigger when he decided to be creative. He called at a local garage sale and traded the earphones for a vintage Polaroid（老式拍立得）camera. He also gave a shirt, just so he wouldn't feel bad.

However, it wasn't as easy as he thought. Trahan thought he struck gold and that it was easy to exchange the camera into something much more valuable. After all, who doesn't love a vintage camera?

注意：

1. 续写词数应为150左右；

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

The answer, surprisingly, is "not a lot of people".

He got an amazing deal out of the camera for an item that's three times its value, a piece of land.

1. 写信目的；

2. 讲座介绍；

3. 期待回复。

注意：

1. 写作词数应为80左右；

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Dear Tony,

Warm regards,

Li Hua

A documentary titled Across the Straits, which describes the cultural bond between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, went online on January 15,（attract）viewers through the historical and cultural bonds between the two sides.

An actor, from Taiwan, and a hostess, from Chinese mainland, are the hosts of the documentary. Together, they undertake cultural exploration of the Guandi Temple in Dongshan County, East China's Fujian Province.

Guandi Temple, established （honor）the Eastern Han Dynasty warrior Guan Yu, has a history spanning over 600 years. The documentary sheds light on the historical significance of the temple （treasure）by both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

The Guandi culture in Dongshan （possess）numerous distinctive features, not only preserving a series of unique folk traditions terms of cultural heritage but also having a wide-ranging influence on cross-Straits exchanges from a different perspective.

"Countless historical facts and folk anecdotes across the Straits（continue）prove that we share a common history, culture and blood（tie）,"the actor said, adding that Dongshan for him feels like returning home.

"It is a place the people speak the Minnan dialect, share devotion to Guan Yu, and collectively uphold the values of loyalty, bravery, courtesy,（wise）, and trust," the actor was quoted as saying.

We will all experience pain, disappointment, and almost certainly loss and sickness. Yet some people1 by rising to the challenge, while others sink under the weight. What's the difference? I2 clinical psychologist Dr. Robert Puff, host of theHappiness Podcast, who speaks3 about pain and suffering. He explains that4 is an unavoidable physical feeling.5 , suffering comes from the thoughts we have about the pain we are experiencing-for example, "Why is this happening to me?" or "I'll never feel good again." These6 are what cause suffering, and we can choose to7 them.

John O'Leary is the host of theLive Inspired Podcast. When he was just nine years old, John suffered8 burns over his entire body and doctors told him that he had one percent chance of9 . No one expected him to10 . However, after dozens of surgeries and years of treatment and deep inner work, he is a fairly happy,11 man with a beautiful family. He inspires others through his12 as a motivational speaker, author, and life coach. He feels that what happened to him was his greatest13 : the realization that, regardless of our personal and professional challenges, we can navigate and overcome to reveal a14 vision. In John's words, "You can't always choose the path you walk in life, but you can always choose the15 in which you walk."