-
1、Many people have wondered why children believe in things like Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, thinking that children's minds are easily fooled. However, developmental psychology offers a different perspective.
A study published in Developmental Psychology explores how children react to ideas that go against what they usually think and if they check these ideas against what they expect. This way of checking, known as the "empirical stance," is apparent by the time children reach elementary school.
The study involved nearly 200 children aged 3 to 8 from Chinese schools. Each child was presented with five differently-sized objects made from painted Russian dolls. The children naturally assumed that the smallest doll was the lightest and the largest the heaviest. When asked to identify the heaviest object, most children chose the largest one. An adult then either agreed with the children's choice or made a claim that the smallest doll was the heaviest. The researchers observed whether the children would change their minds or test the adult's claim by comparing the weights of the dolls.
Initially, children seemed to trust the adult's word, with only a small percentage insisting on their original belief. However, when given the opportunity to explore the dolls, elementary school children who had received the surprising claim systematically tested it by comparing the smallest and largest dolls. This exploration allowed them to generate evidence that could deny the adult's claim.
These findings suggest that while children are willing to trust an adult's surprising claims, their acceptance is temporary. By elementary school, they systematically test such claims by seeking new evidence, which they then use to update their beliefs.
The study's implications extend beyond childhood Most adults accept complex concepts, such as the existence of electrons, based on the testimony(证词)of others rather than personal experience.
So while children may learn about the magic of Santa Claus from adults, adults might similarly have something to learn from elementary school children: most of us would do well to adopt an empirical stance more often than we currently do.
(1)、What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?A、The theoretical basis of the study. B、The conclusion of the study. C、The significance of the study. D、The methodology of the study.(2)、Which child's response matches the empirical stance?A、Taylor believes what the teacher, says no matter what. B、Emma assumes the watermelon is sweet and then tastes it. C、Jordan thinks the earth is flat because his father says so. D、Maya suspects there are monsters living in trees as the story says.(3)、What lesson could adults learn from children?A、Learning from their own experience. B、Never trusting anyone. C、Declining complex concepts. D、Counting on others' testimony.(4)、What is the main purpose of the text?A、To highlight adults' role in children's education and growth. B、To clarify a misunderstanding about children's learning ability. C、To advocate for a more empirical approach across all ages. D、To guide adults to help children avoid wrong ideas about the world. -
2、Parkinson's law states: "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." In other words, things become harder to complete when more time is given to complete them as the build-up to the task becomes stressful and frightening.
Parkinson's law is not a scientific principle. Instead, it is simply an observation of a phenomenon many people including scientists have experienced rather than dug into. As first described by CyrilNorthcote Parkinson in a 1955 humor essay published in The Economist, it can explain the expansion of organizations. However, it can also be a helpful way to think about other types of work, including personal productivity.
The complexity of a task tends to grow when more time is distributed for its completion. When you find yourself finishing the task, you might feel a sense of relief but also wonder why the project became so much more of a burden in your mind than it was in real life. The "extra time" that the task requires often isn't related to the task itself — it's mental stress caused by worrying about getting it done.
In Parkinson's original example, a woman's task for the day was just to mail a postcard. As a result of having the entire day to complete the simple task, the amount of work and time required expanded to fill the whole day. The fictional woman spent a half-hour searching for her reading glasses. Writing the postcard took another two hours. More time was spent finding a stamp, writing the address, and walking the postcard to the post office.
One reason why this phenomenon happens lies in how people tend to approach tasks. Research indicates that when people start a new project, they tend to focus on how much time they have available to do it instead of how much time the task would take to complete. While Parkinson's law is a phenomenon that can lead to wasted time and inefficient work, it doesn't have to be a problem if you're aware of it.
(1)、Why does Parkinson's law fail to be a scientific principle?A、It lacks profound research. B、It serves certain enterprises. C、It has shallow implications. D、It aims to uncover an issue.(2)、What does paragraph 3 mainly discuss about Parkinson's law?A、Its present situation. B、Its underlying logic. C、Its mental influence. D、Its unnoticed worth.(3)、What does Parkinson's original example imply?A、Looking for glasses didn't matter. B、Mailing a postcard took two hours. C、Categorizing tasks consumed time. D、Task expands to fill available time.(4)、What might be discussed in the follow-up text?A、Views on deadline setting. B、Modes of task assignment. C、Difficulties in high outputs. D、Tips for time management. -
3、你校正在组织英语演讲比赛。请以"Be the Best Version of Yourself"为题写一篇发言稿参赛,内容包括:
1. 为何要做最好的自己;
2. 怎样做最好的自己。
注意:1. 词数80左右,文章的开头已给出,但不计入总词数;
2. 可适当增加细节,以使行文通顺。
Be the Best Version of Yourself
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
4、阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
For over a thousand years, the ancient Silk Road connected China with Central Asia and beyond, so named because silk was one of the prime goods exported.
Today, for designer Fan Yanyan, silk has once again become a medium of cross-border connection. (inspire) by the mural art in Dunhuang, Gansu province, a key centre along the ancient trade route, she has been designing silk works facilitate cultural exchanges between China and Central Asia.
In 2023, when the China-Central Asia Summit (hold) in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, multiple works of (she) were selected as official gifts for guests. Fan also led her team to (special) design silk scarves for the summit, drawing inspiration from Central Asian elements such as the Aigul flower, which is common in Kyrgyzstan, and the pomegranate (石榴) flower, which was introduced to China via the Silk Road. In October that year, she hosted exhibition themed on Chinese silk art at the National Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Her own silk art centers also serve platforms for exchanges. "I use silk as a medium (present) and express traditional Chinese culture and Silk Road culture through (origin) creations, infusing (注入) them with contemporary meaning," said Fan. "By telling China's stories with unique aesthetics (美感) and attitude, I hope that the world will (well) understand and appreciate our traditional culture."
-
5、Dashrath Manjhi lived in a poor village in India. There, a 300-foot-high mountain stood between the village and all the basic facilities people always1.
Dashrath worked on the other side of the mountain. At noon, his wife Phaguni would bring his2 to him. As there was no road, the3 took hours over the mountain. One day, Phaguni fell down on the way. She4 down several feet, injuring her leg. Hours past noon, she limped (跛行) to her husband. Seeing her tears, Dashrath made a5. He wanted to move the6 himself.
Every day, he would start early in the morning, chip (凿) the mountain for hours, then work on the fields and7 to work on the mountain again. He would scarcely sleep. He finally quit his job, and just8 breaking the mountain.
Then, Phaguni fell seriously ill. The doctor was in Wazirganj, which stood just on the other side of the mountain, but the road9 it was 75 kilometers long. Unable to make the journey, she passed away. Her death10 him. He must make it.
It wasn't an easy11. He would often get hurt by the12 falling from the mountain. He would rest and then start again. After 22 years, Dashrath13 through that last thin wall of rocks. He14 broke the mountain. He carved out a road which was 320 feet long and 30 feet wide. People from 20 villages nearby could use his road. Feeling15, they began to call him "Baba".
(1)A 、prepared B 、built C 、needed D 、offered(2)A 、cost B 、lunch C 、gift D 、thing(3)A 、move B 、ride C 、advance D 、journey(4)A 、slid B 、ran C 、flew D 、dropped(5)A 、difference B 、profit C 、word D 、decision(6)A 、rubbish B 、load C 、barrier D 、house(7)A 、return B 、intend C 、attempt D 、begin(8)A 、depended on B 、called on C 、focused on D 、decided on(9)A 、pointing to B 、leading to C 、relating to D 、adding to(10)A 、hurt B 、caught C 、moved D 、hit(11)A 、task B 、fix C 、routine D 、joke(12)A 、animals B 、rocks C 、vehicles D 、bricks(13)A 、looked B 、pulled C 、broke D 、checked(14)A 、immediately B 、eventually C 、fortunately D 、gradually(15)A 、peaceful B 、delighted C 、excited D 、grateful -
6、In recent years, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have brought both excitement and concerns to various fields. One area where AI is making a profound impact is the medical field, particularly in the domain of diagnostics.
AI-powered diagnostic systems leverage deep learning algorithms to analyze medical images, such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. These algorithms can detect subtle patterns and anomalies that might be missed by human radiologists, potentially leading to earlier and more accurate diagnoses.
However, the integration of AI in medical diagnostics raises complex ethical questions. For instance, who should be held responsible if an AI system misdiagnoses a patient's condition? Should AI algorithms be treated as medical professionals, with legal and liability implications? These questions become even more intricate when considering that AI systems learn from vast datasets of medical information, which might contain biases or inaccuracies.
Furthermore, the adoption of AI diagnostics could impact the role of healthcare professionals. Some argue that AI could enhance doctors' capabilities by providing them with additional insights, while others fear that it might replace human expertise, leading to job losses and a potential decrease in the quality of patient care. Despite these challenges, advocates of AI diagnostics emphasize its potential to improve healthcare accessibility, especially in underserved regions where there is a shortage of skilled medical professionals. AI-powered diagnostics could provide preliminary assessments and recommendations, helping to bridge the gap between patients and healthcare providers.
(1)、What is the primary advantage of AI-powered diagnostic systems in the medical field?A、They analyze medical images using deep learning algorithms. B、They provide additional insights to doctors. C、They replace the need for human radiologists. D、They focus on detecting visible patterns in medical images.(2)、What is a potential ethical concern regarding AI in medical diagnostics?A、The potential for AI algorithms to replace human doctors. B、The legal responsibility for misdiagnoses made by AI systems. C、The reliability of AI algorithms in analyzing medical images. D、The biased data used for training AI algorithms.(3)、How might the integration of AI diagnostics impact healthcare professionals?A、AI could enhance doctors' expertise and skills. B、AI could decrease the quality of patient care. C、AI could replace human doctors completely. D、AI could lead to job losses in the medical field.(4)、What potential benefit of AI diagnostics is highlighted in the text?A、AI diagnostics could bridge the gap in healthcare accessibility. B、AI diagnostics could decrease the quality of patient care. C、AI diagnostics could primarily serve regions with sufficient medical professionals. D、AI diagnostics could replace the need for skilled radiologists. -
7、In my life everything was going well until the time I married. I had always been a very optimistic person and I always believed that I could overcome any challenge or win any person's heart with my perseverance. But unfortunately my marriage failed, and that defeat hit me very hard. I went through a very difficult period of time when I had to decide to move house and I couldn't help complaining that life was so cruel to me. I started losing my faith in life and decided to quit completely and withdraw myself from society.
But somewhere inside, I had a deep feeling of serving needy people. That was because in childhood I was inspired by Mother Teresa and the work she was doing. So after three months of suffering, I decided to do community service every weekend to divert my attention. I joined a non-profit organization I used to support financially in my early career.
I was given a project to teach poor children in the suburbs. I started that activity and on the first day when I reached the location, I walked inside a remote village. There I could see people living in very difficult conditions. They had no access to electricity and they lacked proper road connectivity. But they still enjoyed their lives and lived happily with their surroundings.
My interactions with the kids and parents have taught me valuable lessons about learning to celebrate daily gifts of life. Since that project, I have never looked back. I have met some wonderful and beautiful souls in this journey and they have made me believe that we are making changes and touching the lives of many people.
(1)、Why did the author suffer a lot?A、She was a negative person. B、Her life was full of challenges. C、Her marriage failed. D、She had to move out of town.(2)、Who inspired the author to help people in need?A、Her mother. B、Mother Teresa. C、Her husband. D、A non-profit organization.(3)、What does the underlined word "divert" in paragraph 2 mean?A、Notice. B、Enjoy. C、Judge. D、Switch.(4)、What did the author learn from the project?A、Life in the suburbs is much easier. B、We should treasure our present life. C、Adults should learn from children. D、Everyone needs timely inspiration. -
8、Information for School Activities to Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens are famous for its diverse living plants and a wide range of educational events and activities. Below is the necessary information about planning a school visit to Kew.
Educational Session Prices
Students will participate in the educational sessions in groups of 15. Prices vary based on different situations:
For Early Years Foundation Stage
• Key Stage 4: 45-minute sessions; £35/ group; 90-minute sessions; £70/ group
• Key Stage 5: Half day (1 session); £80/ group: Full day (2 sessions); £160/ group
For Teachers and Adults
• One adult accompanying one pupil: Free:
• Adults above the required ratios: £11/ person
The payment will be due within 28 calendar days of making the booking.
Health and Safety
Required Supervising (监护) Adult-Student Ratio:
• Key Stage 4 1:12
• Key Stage 5 1:6
The group sizes should be controlled if you are visiting restricted or potentially busy areas such as glasshouses and other attractions. The maximum number of students visiting the greenhouses is 15 per group; each group to Kew shops should include no more than 10 students.
Risk Assessment
Standard risk assessment directs you to customize a student-oriented risk assessment. If there is an emergency, do not call 999, contact the nearest staff or call Constabulary on 0208 332 3333.
Planning Your Visit
Your tickets and two planning passes will be sent to you upon the receipt of your payment. You can complete your risk assessment with the passes. Show the tickets and receipt documents to the gates staff on the day of visit.
Recommended Timings
Our gardens open at 10 a.m. You are recommended to spend at least three hours on your visits. The closing times vary while the earliest is 3:30 p.m. We have a fixed schedule for education sessions, which is from 10:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. (except KS5).
(1)、If a group of 12 KS4 students and 2 teachers chooses a 45-min session, how much should be paid?A、£35. B、£46. C、£57. D、£81.(2)、What should one do in case of emergency?A、Refer to the risk assessment. B、Telephone 999 immediately. C、Ask adults for help. D、Seek help from the staff nearby.(3)、What is the purpose of the text?A、To describe the Kew Garden. B、To employ the staff. C、To guide school visitors. D、To introduce the activities. -
9、假定你是李华,你在暑假期间参加了社区组织的"劳动体验日(Labor Experience Day)"活动,负责协助社区清洁公园、整理图书角等工作。请你给外国朋友Chris写一封邮件分享这一活动,内容包括:
(1) 活动的内容;
(2) 感受与收获。
注意:
(1) 写作词数应为80个左右;
(2) 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答:
Dear Chris,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
-
10、阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Hanfu has a long and rich history that dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC -220 AD). The clothing style was influenced by the Silk Road trade and cultural exchange, brought new textile materials and designs to China. It was made using silk, cotton, and other high-quality materials. From the ancient times to the modern era, Hanfu (adapt) to suit changing times and trends.
Hanfu is not just a clothing style, but it also represents the Chinese culture and heritage. In ancient times, Hanfu (reserve) for the upper class, and it symbolized the wearer's social status and wealth. Today, it is worn by people from all (walk) of life who want to showcase their love and appreciation for the Chinese culture.
The Silk Road allowed Hanfu to spread beyond the borders China. It has influenced the traditional clothing of many neighbouring cultures directly led to the development of the Japanese Kimono and Korean hanbok. However, this type of dress declined during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) amid Manchu rule and the (rise) influence of Western fashion trends.
Hanfu has experienced a resurgence (复苏) in popularity in recent years, (drive) by a desire to reconnect with the cultural heritage of China and express sense of national pride. By wearing Hanfu, individuals make a statement about the importance of preserving and honouring the (deep) of Chinese cultural heritage.
-
11、In her first year of college, Karen was accepted into her university's choir (合唱团) program. She tried to1 every rehearsal (彩排), since the choir would be traveling to China and Japan for an international tour.
However, little did she know, her final rehearsal morning would end in a2. Karen overslept and missed the bus to the rehearsal spot.3 set in as she realized her absence might4 the tour. Feeling quite at a loss, she paced anxiously back and forth in the hallway.
Just then, her5, Pam, showed up. They had lived across the hall for months but their relationship had been6. Karen and her friends often ran up and down the halls and screamed with laughter, making a lot of noise. Pam had asked them to quiet down, only to be met with a(n)7 silence, and soon they got back to their usual fun.
Now, standing before the very person whose requests were repeatedly8, Karen was slightly9. Yet when Karen10 the situation, Pam offered simply, "I can drive you there." Karen was humbled by Pam's11.Thanks to Pam, Karen made it to the rehearsal just in time.
12 that day, Karen thinks of Pam's gesture as more than just a car ride, but an act of13.
"Perhaps I didn't14 that sort of kindness but she decided to extend it15 — that reshaped my understanding of kindness through my life," Karen said.
(1)A 、take the form of B 、make the most of C 、put up with D 、make up for(2)A 、debate B 、word C 、flash D 、disaster(3)A 、Panic B 、Discomfort C 、Doubt D 、Dissatisfaction(4)A 、extend B 、change C 、cost D 、expose(5)A 、guide B 、neighbor C 、teacher D 、colleague(6)A 、solid B 、symbolic C 、close D 、tense(7)A 、brief B 、odd C 、total D 、grateful(8)A 、submitted B 、issued C 、dismissed D 、sensed(9)A 、thrilled B 、ashamed C 、content D 、dizzy(10)A 、assessed B 、predicted C 、analyzed D 、explained(11)A 、survival B 、response C 、promotion D 、freedom(12)A 、Counting in B 、Depending on C 、Reflecting on D 、Figuring out(13)A 、forgiving B 、rewarding C 、cooperating D 、conveying(14)A 、spread B 、identify C 、ignore D 、deserve(15)A 、anyway B 、alone C 、instead D 、indeed -
12、Temperatures are rising, and so are mental health risks
Climate change is increasing heat waves, posing growing threats to health. Extreme heat is becoming a severe challenge across the U.S. and globally, with forecasts suggesting one of the next five years could be the hottest on record. Even survivors may face long-term consequences.
How does extreme heat affect the brain? Dehydration (脱水) in high temperatures thickens blood, making it hard for the heart to supply enough oxygen to the brain. The brain, which uses 20% of the body's energy, requires efficient heat release. In hot, damp conditions, sweating fails to cool the body, potentially causing heat exhaustion or a sudden serious illness, which can lead to nerve-related problems.
Extreme heat also worsens mental health: conditions like depression and anxiety become worse. Furthermore, the medicines used to treat the mental illness and sleeplessness also appear to increase mental health weakness to heat.
Those with existing mental health disorders are weakest. Older adults face accelerated serious mental illness that affects memory. Homeless individuals and outdoor workers such as farmers are particularly at risk, as they often lack access to cooling resources.
Action is urgent. Most heat health plans ignore mental health. These can include public awareness campaigns, such as warning people about the mental health risk of consuming alcohol or other drugs during heat waves. Other interventions include establishing community cooling shelters for heat emergencies and increasing monitoring of mental health patients during heat waves. Only through comprehensive strategies can we reduce the mental health impacts of extreme heat.
A. Who is most at risk?
B. The human body works best when at 37℃.
C. How to identify those in danger during heat waves?
D. It disturbs sleep, which further harms one's ability to think.
E. So mental health steps must be added to these heat response plans.
F. Heat waves cause 1,300 U. S. deaths yearly from heat-related issues.
G. Research is needed to better understand health outcomes of a warmer world.
-
13、Experts have long known that reading skills develop before kindergarten, but new research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education suggests they may begin as early as infancy (幼儿期). The study, led by Nadine Gaab, found that developmental trajectories (轨迹) between children with and without reading disabilities start to differ around 18 months of age. It stresses the need for early identification, early intervention, and improved early literacy courses in preschools.
Gaab explained some children enter kindergarten with a less-developed brain for learning to read, and that these differences appear in toddlerhood. "We're currently waiting until second or third grade to find kids who are struggling readers," she said. "We should intervene way earlier because we know the younger a brain is, the more plastic it is for language input."
Gaab and her co-authors worked with 130 participants, starting as early as 3 months old. For over a decade, they used MRI scans to track brain development from infancy to childhood and its relation to literacy skills. Their sample included children from Boston and Canada, combined with data from the Calgary Preschool MRI Dataset.
While other studies track brain development, this is the only longitudinal (纵向的) study that follows brain development from infancy with comprehensive literacy outcomes. "Those other studies had bigger sample sizes, but they were more focused on typical maturation," said co-author Ted Turesky. "We didn't see other studies that started in infancy, tracked brain maturation in the same set of kids for as long, and included academic outcome measures."
The findings suggest that children who struggle with reading may begin school already showing brain differences that affect literacy learning. Gaab emphasized that understanding when and how these differences arise could help improve early screening and support. She believes such basic research can inform education policy and help more children succeed in reading from the start.
(1)、What does the new study find about reading disabilities?A、They emerge after kindergarten. B、They change a person's character. C、They are tough to identify early. D、They appear much earlier than assumed.(2)、What does the underlined word "plastic" in paragraph 2 mean?A、Difficult to damage. B、Easily influenced or changed. C、Capable of remembering things quickly. D、Especially suitable for acquiring new skills.(3)、What about the study does paragraph 3 focus on?A、Its scientific bases. B、Its technology limitations. C、Its significance. D、Its process.(4)、What can be inferred from Turesky's words?A、Large sample sizes guarantee reliable findings. B、The findings may help shape courses in preschools. C、The longitudinal research method adopted is pioneering. D、Typical maturation should be involved in following studies. -
14、By fourth grade, I stood taller than my classmates — and even my teacher, Miss Liston. Unfortunately, my height far outpaced both my coordination (协调性) and academic skills. I became the class clown, struggling with arithmetic, spelling, and reading. Recess (课间休息) was worse: while peers raced through games and sports, I stumbled over my own feet — Clumsy was my middle name.
Each afternoon, Miss Liston concluded the day by reading to the class for fifteen minutes. I'd sigh with relief at the end of another embarrassing day, losing myself in her voice and the story, usually a chapter from a novel. If I could read with ease I could find my way to happier places and times. Miss Liston apparently noticed my absorbed attention. I don't remember how she took me under her wing but by the time I moved on to fifth grade I was reading at an eighth-grade level. My self-image, self-esteem, and life path were changed forever.
In my junior year of college, I dropped out. I took a job as a newspaper reporter, only to discover that while I had a desire to be a journalist, I lacked both the education and talent to succeed. Five years of struggling to craft a single good sentence were enough — I quit writing. But I couldn't survive on hunger or good looks, so I trained as a registered nurse.
One evening, an ambulance delivered an elderly woman who'd suffered a stroke. As I approached, the medical assistant reported: "Seventy-eight-year-old Agnes Liston, found at home by neighbors..." I recognized Miss Liston's slackened face. I smiled softly, "Hello, Miss Liston. It's Tommy Schwarz. Do you remember me?" She stared, her facial muscles twitching faintly.
I learned she'd outlived her family and friends; no one visited during her hospitalization. For three days, I sat by her bedside, reading aloud. She couldn't communicate, but her calm demeanor (举止) suggested comfort. I felt privileged to give back in a direct and personal way to someone who had loved and helped me so much.
(1)、What can be inferred about the author in fourth grade?A、He had a sense of being out of place. B、He didn't get along well with others. C、He preferred to act as a funny clown. D、He was proud of his physical advantage.(2)、How did Miss Liston influence the author's life?A、She inspired his career in nursing. B、She unlocked his potential for reading. C、She taught him to embrace his uniqueness. D、She helped him resolve family conflicts.(3)、Why did the author abandon his career as a journalist?A、He lost interest in current events. B、He was offered a better-paying job. C、He couldn't handle the work pressure. D、He failed to develop essential writing skills.(4)、What made reading to Miss Liston a meaningful experience for the author?A、It reminded him of the joy of reading. B、It helped him reconnect with his childhood. C、It gave him a chance to repay her kindness. D、It allowed him to showcase his nursing skills. -
15、We're happy to introduce News for Classroom Use: a weekly newsletter with a piece of news and activities based on it which you can use as a warm-up, a filler or a wrap-up task. The newsletter might include: discussion questions, tasks around headlines and images, comments to respond to, vocabularies and links to related ESL Brains lesson plans.
How to use the newsletter
The stories covered in the newsletter range from breaking news to more evergreen content which you will be able to go back to according to your students' needs. The newsletter itself has several parts.
INTRO: A short paragraph describing what the news is about. You might need to read it out to students or it may also serve as a reference point to you, depending on the activities that go with the particular piece of news.
ACTIVITY: A task or tasks for students to work on in the classroom.Each newsletter contains a set of questions related to the news. You might ask students to discuss all of them or just some of them. If you teach lower-level students, use the easier questions or just ask students to say what they think about the news. Other activities might include completing headlines, commenting on pictures, reporting what students have heard about the news, etc.
Subscribe to the newsletter
If you are an Unlimited or a Premium user and you're subscribed to our newsletters, the News for Classroom Use newsletter will drop into your mailbox every Wednesday.
(1)、Who is the text intended for?A、News presenters. B、Teachers. C、Foreign students. D、Reporters.(2)、Which is a feature of the newsletter?A、It posts daily updates. B、It prioritizes breaking news. C、It contains real-time comments. D、It offers reusable reading materials.(3)、What activity can be recommended to beginners?A、Rewriting related news. B、Choosing news pictures. C、Expressing their opinions. D、Contributing to the newsletter. -
16、阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。
When I bought my house fifteen years ago, it came with more than just loose floorboards and peeling paint. The previous owner had passed away, and the place still held traces of his life in every corner.
In a dusty closet, I discovered a worn leather briefcase and an old wallet. Then came the boxes in the attic (阁楼): dozens of family photo albums, dating back to the 1940s. Letters and cards were piled high in a shoebox — hundreds of them — many yellowed with time, stamped and postmarked as early as the 1920s.
It was like stepping into a forgotten museum exhibit.
There were love letters filled with poetic longing, birthday cards from grandchildren, and notes penned in the shaky handwriting of old age. I even found his great-grandmother's passport, a marriage license from decades past, and war medals, which were placed neatly in an envelope labeled "Important."
These weren't just documents — they were a life, preserved in fragments.
Curiosity quickly became admiration. The man, though gone, began to come alive through what he had left behind.
I learned he was a craftsman — he made jewelry and worked with leather. There were photographs of a small mountain cabin, clearly handmade, and rolled-up architectural sketches — his blueprints. Another box revealed newspaper articles about the racehorses he owned, along with postcards and photos from sailing trips across the world.
The more I learned, the more I respected this stranger who had once called my house his home.
I knew he had a daughter. Someone from the neighborhood had mentioned she was a free spirit — maybe living on the beach in Santa Monica. I never looked into it.
Life went on, and the boxes were carefully stored in my garage, collecting dust like memories waiting to be remembered.
Then one weekend, while doing some spring cleaning, I came across a stack of children's books. One caught my eye. Inside the front cover was a message written in black ink: "To Lizzy, love Daddy."
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。
That was the moment it all changed — there was a name.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When she answered, I introduced myself and explained why I was calling.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-
17、假设你是李华,你的英国朋友Jerry在来信中提到对中国的唐诗很感兴趣,想让你给他介绍一位你最喜欢的唐代诗人。你决定向他介绍诗人李白,信的内容主要包括:
1. 诗人的基本情况;
2. 诗人的代表作品;
3. 你喜欢他的原因。
注意:1. 字数100词左右;
2. 可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯;
3. 开头语已经为你写好,不计入总词数。
Dear Jerry,
How are you?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
-
18、阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
The "Chinese Bridge" in New Zealand is an event held once a year, which (organize) by the Confucius Institute in Auckland. And it's in (prepare) for the New Zealand Chinese Language Week. Last year, the event took place on September 24 and seventeen students attended it.
Chinese Ambassador (大使) to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong said that he hopes there will be (many) New Zealand youth to join the China-New Zealand language and cultural exchange community, more and more New Zealand youth can become ambassadors of friendship between the two countries.
Jo Coughlan, is the chairperson (主席) of the New Zealand Chinese Language Week Trust, said, "We set up the New Zealand Chinese Language Week as another way (try) to bridge the cultural differences between New Zealand and China."
Naisi Chen, New Zealand government officer, talked her own experience of learning Chinese, "I had very patient Chinese teachers and (pass) the Chinese language tests several years ago. The ability to speak Chinese grounded me well in Chinese culture. I'm looking forward to (hear) from bilingual (双语的) talents who will help further strengthen communication between New Zealand and China."
-
19、The 13-year-old girl Anna Grace is a volleyball manager, a basketball manager, and a theater volunteer, but perhaps her greatest1is the fact that she has beaten cancer twice.
Anna was first diagnosed(诊断)with a rare type of2in December of 2019. A softball player at the time, she told her parents she was experiencing muscle3 in her left arm, only lifting it about eye-level. She had to4 surgery on her left arm.
For the following weekends after the surgery, doctors scanned her5to make sure she was cancer-free and then in August of 2023, doctors6a spot on her lungs. She had another7on September to remove it. Anna said later the first time with cancer, it felt like a learning stage. The second time around, it was a little8to accept the news.
And throughout all of this, Anna has had to9school work and hospital life. Her sufferings with cancer forced her to really10herself because she was out of school for quite a while. Now she has11and has straight As. Anna's father, Eric Bartel, said her journey has inspired him to12 every moment, enjoying time with his loving daughter.
Anna is doing well these days though. She's13in theater and is a coach's assistant. "When you're on14you have to keep fighting, "Anna said. "Always live life to the fullest each day. You're loved. Your life 15 ."
(1)A 、excitement B 、achievement C 、devotion D 、ambition(2)A 、pain B 、cold C 、cancer D 、fever(3)A 、weakness B 、growth C 、recovery D 、relief(4)A 、perform B 、have C 、attend D 、refuse(5)A 、briefly B 、occasionally C 、partly D 、regularly(6)A 、noticed B 、erased C 、ignored D 、marked(7)A 、assessment B 、appointment C 、examination D 、operation(8)A 、harder B 、easier C 、stranger D 、better(9)A 、solve B 、connect C 、abandon D 、balance(10)A 、apply B 、control C 、convince D 、forgive(11)A 、caught up B 、held back C 、dropped out D 、blown up(12)A 、spare B 、appreciate C 、imagine D 、create(13)A 、active B 、graceful C 、dominant D 、cautious(14)A 、vacation B 、trust C 、treatment D 、duty(15)A 、declines B 、suffers C 、matters D 、waits -
20、Volunteering means giving your time and abilities to aid others without expecting payment.
While you won't get paid for your community service, volunteering comes with a lot of other benefits. Here are some ways volunteering can affect you positively.
Volunteering helps you gain related work experience. If you volunteer with an organization in your career field, you can even gain related work experience and technical skills with a somewhat lower threshold (门槛) of entry. College students are usually encouraged to seek volunteer opportunities in their future career field.
There are many aspects of volunteering that can positively influence your health. Studies show people who volunteer on a regular basis are less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers. Giving, itself, is a wonderful feeling. Besides, many volunteer positions involve physical activity, which is another overall health benefit.
You'll broaden your mind. The people we meet often influence us in powerful ways. But it's easy to get into circles of people who all share your personal ideas, more or less. Volunteering can really change this. When you volunteer anywhere, you work with people from different age groups and various backgrounds.
You'll build self-confidence. When you do something you feel is worthwhile and valuable for your community, it gives you a sense of achievement. Moreover, the positive feedback and thankfulness from those you help can strengthen your self-worth.
A. Put simply, it's service to your community.
B. Volunteering can make you become happier.
C. Volunteering can improve your physical health.
D. That may help you feel more satisfied with your life.
E. The specific skills you could learn from volunteering are various.
F. Sharing a common goal with others can create life-changing connections.
G. Their fresh insights and views can broaden your understanding of the world.