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It was June, the last day of school. My class of first-graders was feverishly anticipating their summer vacation. To add a joyful flavor, I had some balloons brought in, but for me, this holiday was bittersweet. I'd just moved to this city and couldn't afford to fly back to accompany Dad. He was desperately missing me, for it was his first summer without me.

When switching off the light on my way out, I noticed the balloons near the window. Unsure what to do with them, I grabbed the thirteen strings and stuffed them into the backseat of my car. Their rainbow of colors lifted my spirits and gratefully, I didn't feel so alone.

As the city was still foreign to me, I decided to go for a drive and soon found myself winding down a stretch of road where the trees overhead covered each other. The branches reminded me of two friends stretching out to greet each other. Before long, a retirement home appeared. It was a place with a feeling of forgottenness and I spotted a man sitting alone in the shade outside.

I felt a sudden urge to pull in. But the balloons in my backseat blocked my view-then I knew what to do with them. Opening the door and grabbing one of the strings, I waved to the man, and he smiled. His name was Daniel and he was about Dad's age. When I handed him the balloon, he grinned (咧嘴笑)，"Thanks. It gives a little color to my life." While tying it to his chair, he looked happier than when I arrived. So I smiled, "You're welcome, Daniel. Perhaps I'll see you again sometime."

Unexpectedly, he replied, "Perhaps, but probably not. Visitors are always welcome, but rarely come." His words forced me to slide over an old chair next to his. Then we began chatting about our lives and his voice always reminded me of Dad. I'd thought it would be boring talking with a stranger. But it wasn't; it was enlightening — I had been feeling lonely, and so had Daniel, and so had the residents in the retirement home.

注意：

(1)续写词数应为150个左右：(2)请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。

Then I remembered the other twelve balloons in the backseat.

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Over the next six months, I visited Daniel often.

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1.节目设想；2.设计理由；3.征求意见。

注意：

(1)写作数成80左右；(2)请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。

Dear Tom,

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Yours,

Li Hua

Blind boxes have taken the world by storm, catching the imaginations of collectors and new buyers alike. These mystery boxes, containing (hide) items revealed only after purchase, offer a mix of surprise and exclusivity (独家性). From toys to high-end collectibles, blind box trend attracts anyone seeking excitement or wanting to add something unique to their collection.

The appeal lies in the excitement of not knowing is inside, combined with the desire to complete a set or find rare items. This concept of discovery keeps collectors (come) back for more and has helped transform the blind box industry into a multibillion-dollar market.

For those new the blind box world, starting a collection can be a rewarding experience. Begin by selecting a brand or theme that matches your interests. Many collectors recommend focusing on a specific series, which makes the collection more personal helps prevent unnecessary purchases. Engaging with the community can also enhance your collecting journey. There are countless social media groups where collectors share tips and discuss new (release). Connecting with other collectors (allow) you to trade the same items, find rare pieces, and share in the excitement of each new (add) to your collection.

Whether you're an experienced collector or a newcomer, the world of blind boxes offers (end) possibilities, turning every unboxing into an adventure.

The restaurant has always been the5 of our lives. At fourteen, I started being a vegetarian (素食者), but Mom still found things to6 me and taught me to be creative with vegetables and tofu. When I started high school thirty pounds heavier than everyone in my class, Mom and I designed a7 menu for La Salle Rouge, and Mom let me8 tasty, low-calorie desserts, which became popular later. I9 early on that this was the work I want to do.

It hardly seems10 that I have to walk away from all of that just to do maths, but Mom says it's smarter to have a backup11, and she's made me apply to colleges and check out business majors12 I want to do anything else with my life. But I already know what I'm going to do when I graduate.

First, I'll buy myself a set of knives, which is a must for the best chefs. The second thing is to get13 -— people would know my name and try my14. Now, all I have to do is finish homework and get back into the15.

Recently, my 13-year-old daughter asked me to buy her a $28 phone case. Her old one wasn't broken or worn out; she was just bored of it. However, saying "no" in moments like this isn't easy. The request felt small, but I knew there was a bigger lesson to teach. It's about teaching our children to think critically about their spending. At the same time, we don't want to come across as overly strict or dismissive of their feelings.

In this case, I realized my daughter's request wasn't just about the phone case; it was about her desire for something new, trendy, and exciting. After all, to a 13-year-old, a new phone case might feel like a big deal, a way to express themselves or fit in with their friends. So how do we find the middle ground?

Instead of shutting down the conversation, I used it as an opportunity to talk about wants and needs. I explained that we must prioritize what's essential over impulse (冲动) purchases. I also acknowledged her feelings. "I get it," I told her. Sometimes we just want something new because it feels exciting. This softened the conversation and made her more willing to listen. Instead of a flat-out "no", I suggested a compromise (妥协). I offered her three options: earn it, wait it out or explore alternatives.

It was about guiding my daughter toward better decision-making without damaging our relationship.
 

A. But I didn't stop there.

B. For me, it was a firm no.

C. That conversation wasn't just about a phone case.

D. I promoted the habit of saving for things she wanted.

E. It felt important to her, even if it seemed unnecessary to me.

F. This balancing act can be tricky, especially when parenting teens.

G. Sometimes, the most valuable lessons aren't about the money at all.

Most of us are aware that cows release methane, but wetlands are also a major source of the gas. Wetlands host a community of microbes (微生物), including Archaea, which generate methane as a byproduct when they consume and digest components of organic matter. These microbes grow in oxygen-free environments like wet soils, which typically occur in the wetlands' deeper levels. However, researchers have been surprised to find that quite a lot of methane comes from the oxygen-rich peat (泥炭) and soil near the surface.

To explore this phenomenon, Zhang and her team analyzed peat samples collected from a wetland in the Northeast U.S. One set of samples received oxygen treatment followed by incubation (培养) under oxygen-free conditions. The other samples remained in an oxygen-free environment for the entire study period. Contrary to expectations, the oxygen-treated peats produced a higher amount of methane than the peats maintained under continuously oxygen-free conditions.

To find out why, the researchers analyzed all the microbes found in the peat samples. They found that oxygen stimulated some microbes to break down harmful chemicals, which would otherwise threaten the entire microbial community, including methane-producing Archaea.The result is the creation of far more methane than expected.

Zhang's work suggests that oxygen variability is an important control on wetland methane production. Her team is also exploring further how oxygen variability for different lengths of time, and how different soil chemistries influence microbial methane production.

In the study, researchers looked at all cereals purchased by 77,000 U.S. households over a nine-year period, between 2008 and 2017. They also looked at Nielsen ratings data, which closely monitored all the ads that people in a household saw-both children and adults. What they found was a strong relationship between how much advertising was targeted to kids and how much sugary cereal that households with children bought. By contrast, there was no link to increased purchases when ads targeted adults. And these extensive data also showed that behaviors that were learned in childhood could track into adulthood, which could lead to poor health outcomes over a lifetime.

The study is the first to directly compare the influence of food advertising exposure by children with that of adults. The findings offer novel evidence of how food marketing turns children into the "ultimate weapon" in influencing family spending because they consistently ask their parents to purchase a concept known as "pester power".

The food industry launched the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, a voluntary effort to police itself. The 21 participating food companies made a commitment to cut back on marketing unhealthy foods to children under 12 — later revised to under 13. A new study conducted in 2024 showed that children's exposure to cereal ads on TV programming aimed at kids has dropped dramatically.

But Lindsey Smith Taillie, a food policy researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, says these voluntary efforts aren't making a difference. Advertisements, like kids' eyeballs, are moving online, making it even harder to know what marketing children are being exposed to, Taillie notes.

This was meant to be a healing exercise, one championed by the Finnish biologist Adela Pajunen. Finns, she'd told me, sometimes share their worries aloud to trees or birds. On shore, I spotted a short black alder tree and began to tell the tree my troubles. The leaves rustled (沙沙作响) in response, a sign I interpreted as sympathy.

I had come to Finland to see whether I could bring happiness back to America with me. Finland has topped the World Happiness Report for the past eight years, largely due to free education and universal health care. And the Finns also find happiness in more attainable ways, such as their close relationship with nature and visiting the sauna (桑拿) daily. These activities contain similar goals: Stay present and seek a minimalist lifestyle that relies on the earth.

I followed their lifestyle — visiting the sauna and taking a relaxing forest walk, and happiness came in waves over the next few days. I was optimistic that I could recreate the happiest moments of this trip back home in New York. How hard could it be, really?

As it turned out, happiness was a luxury in America, though I tried hard to live exactly like the Finns. Then one afternoon, I had a breakthrough as I rushed through Central Park and noticed a crowd of people staring at the ground. A cardinal! I stopped to admire the bird's feather before it flew away. This was a win for staying present. I'd been so stuck trying to find the time and money for happiness that I'd missed the point: Quiet the mind, and find pleasure in small acts and observations — like a cardinal taking flight, or talking to trees — right then and there.

As I left the park, I carried out a small but comforting ritual (仪式) I'd developed. I thanked the trees for listening.

The Advisor offers on-demand comments to students practicing public speaking from anywhere.This flexibility benefits instructors, who can be as hands-on or hands-off during practice. While students can operate autonomously with the tool, instructors can also choose to keep track of students' progress.

Criteria

Using machine learning models, the Pops Advisor analyzes the following criteria:

Feedback

The presenter receives feedback on the above four categories. And this feedback is given in the following formats:

• Recommendations

To provide presenters with valuable feedback for the next practice, recommendations focus on specific aspects needing improvement. For instance, the recommendation can be "Your message is clear, but be sure you are grabbing your audience's attention in your introduction to ensure they are listening."

• Speech Metrics (指标)

Useful speech metrics serve as quantitative descriptors on several aspects of the presentation including number of words, total presentation time, speaking rate and vocal fillers percentage.

Pops Advisor can be used in any classroom setting where students are presenting, particularly in the Basic Public Speaking Course. When you are considering what can be achieved by your students toward skill development in a single school semester, Advisor increases the overall development.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows over the murky (浑浊的) river where 17-year-old Mia stood clutching a water sample bottle, its glass surface fogged with condensed (恐惧的) dread. For weeks, iridescent foam (彩虹般的泡沫) had choked Willow Creek's bends — the once-pristine lifeline of her coastal hometown now reeked of metallic bitterness. Her biology teacher's warning echoed through the humid air: "This isn't natural algal bloom — someone's dumping chemicals under moonlight."

Her father's fishing boat "Mariner's Pride" bobbed nearby, its peeling sapphire paint (蓝宝石漆)   mirroring the town's fading fortunes. Mayor Thompson's booming voice from last week's town hall resurfaced: "Sacrifices must be made! This factory will resurrect our economy!" Yet the shorelines told their grim tale — carcasses of silver mullets glistening under cruel sunlight, their gills (鳃) clogged with fluorescent sludge (荧光污泥).

At the weathered oak dinner table, Mia pushed the lab report across cracked porcelain plates. "The toxicity levels here could trigger..." Her voice wavered as spectrometer graphs trembled in her grip. Her father's chair screeched backward. "Enough!" His sunburnt neck corded with tension. "You think I enjoy hauling empty nets (空网)? But without Thompson's factory…" He gestured toward Timmy Wheeler's house where construction workers' laughter drifted through thin walls — the Wheelers had finally replaced their tarpaulin roof.

The grandfather clock's pendulum (钟摆) sliced through silence like a guillotine (断头台). Outside, waves battered the breakwater with unnatural ferocity, their thunderous rhythm syncing with Mia's pounding temples.

注意：

（1）续写词数应为150个左右；

（2）请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Paragraph 1:

Mia's fingers trembled as she stared at the uneaten meal.

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Paragraph 2:

Dawn revealed an unexpected sight.

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