相关试卷

Registration is available at all 30 library locations, the community bookmobile, and online. Those who register in person will receive print materials, including an activity pack for children and teens, and a book bingo card for adults. The program is also available online through the Beanstack website and app, where participants can join virtual reading and activity challenges.

Monster Detective Collective

Uncover the secrets of sustainability with Grant County PUD at the library. From discovering the importance of turning off lights to exploring the magic of renewable energy sources, become a qualified Monster Detective and prepare to save the planet!

Mariachi, Music&Me!

Join Mariachi for performances that feature traditional Mexican music in an interactive format. Audience members will be able to learn about the band's instruments in this unique cultural and musical experience. This all-ages program is both in English and Spanish.

Learn to Play Ukulele

A local musician will lead a high-energy ukulele class at several library locations in August. Ukuleles will be available for use during the program on a first-come, first-served basis. This program is intended for ages 10 and up.

The time for each program is still being determined, so stay tuned for more details!

In the heart of a busy city, between towering glass and steel buildings, stood a small, forgotten community garden, overgrown with weeds and littered with rubbish. For years, it had been an ugly site that residents passed by without a second glance.

Among those residents was Leo, a retired carpenter (木匠) whose hands, once strong and skilled, now trembled (颤抖) all the time, feeling useless. His days were long and quiet, filled only with the memories of his workshop that no longer existed. Across from the garden lived the Garcia family. Young Maya Garcia, a lively girl full of ideas, often looked out of her kitchen window at the sad garden, dreaming of what it could be.

One Saturday afternoon, Leo was taking his usual, lonely walk. He stopped by the worn fence of the garden, staring at a broken wooden bench (长椅) half-buried in weeds. He remembered a time when crafting and repairing benches like that were his specialty. "But now I am too weak to make it," he sighed. He was about to move on when a small voice surprised him.

"It's sad, isn't it?" It was Maya speaking, standing beside him. "My grandma says it used to be very beautiful, with many flowers and vegetables in it."

Leo looked at the girl, then back at the bench. "It just needs some care," he whispered, more to himself than to her. "But who is willing to do it?" he puzzled. Suddenly, a thought began to form in his mind: "What if I tried?" The idea felt both exciting and terrifying.

The next day, Leo returned, carrying his old, dusty toolbox. He decided to repair the broken bench first, then clear the garden. The work was slow and hard. Unexpectedly, an hour later, Maya appeared, holding a pair of her mother's gardening gloves that were far too big for her. "Can I help?" she asked. Leo, surprised by the girl, simply nodded.

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。

Leo and Maya began to work together to restore the garden.   

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A week later, the garden reopened with a small ceremony.

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（1）身心健康的重要性；

（2）保持身心健康的方式。

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。

Health Comes First

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The Luban Lock is a unique Chinese puzzle. It is known its deep link to ancient wisdom and craftsmanship. Named after Lu Ban, a master carpenter from the Spring and Autumn Period, it represents the talent of early Chinese woodworking.

Traditional Luban Locks (craft) in ancient times from hardwoods such as rosewood and pearwood because of their durability and fine grain. In modern times, craftsmen often add decorative elements, including inlaid (镶嵌的) silver wire and carved patterns, (enhance) the puzzle's visual appeal. The surface (frequent) features traditional Chinese designs like auspicious clouds (祥云) and ruyi.

The classic Luban Lock consists of six interlocking pieces. These complex designs not only make the game more      (challenge) but also offer more room for artistic expression. Contemporary designers have created three-dimensional building blocks (inspire) by the Luban Lock, serving as educational tools to inspire (creative) and critical thinking in children.

makes the puzzle special is its structure: it relies completely on mortise and tenon joints (榫卯结构), a technique   (require) no nails or glue. The design reflects the advanced skills of ancient Chinese craftsmen. As a cultural symbol, the Luban Lock stands for wisdom, patience, and unity. By engaging with this artifact, learners gain deep appreciation for China's long-standing heritage.

Last year, a friend invited me to a kickabout — a casual football game. Had we been less close, I might have made2. Instead I turned up, determined to keep far from the ball. To my great3, I enjoyed myself. Rather than hanging around on the4, I got swept up in the game. Since then, kickabout has become one of my hobbies. A year later, our amateur kickabout team has5 from only five friends to 40 members. We meet at our local sports center every other Sunday. What6 me turning up every time? It is the joy of challenging myself, with no7 of being skilled or professional.

Why does it feel so8 to be bad at something? Karen Walrond, the author of the book In Defense of Dabbling, thinks that being an amateur was not always9. Walrond explains that even if you don't make obvious10, you can still benefit in other ways. These benefits often11 into your daily life. For example, although Walrond finds traditional meditation (禅修) challenging, she achieves a mindful state when fully12 in this activity she enjoys.

Focusing on the process helps people13 perfectionism and enjoy the experience. This is the14 I have discovered: You don't need to be skilled at something to love it.15, loving it is all that matters.

What sets the highly successful apart from ordinary people? It's often not talent, luck, or resources. While many people immediately check their phones for emails or social media, top performers follow a different path — a purposeful 5-Minute Morning Routine. This isn't a random morning routine. It's a practical framework to start a day with intention. You may have a try if you are interested.

Before touching any device, make it clear in your mind: "What am I competing for today?" This isn't a long list of everything to be done today, but the single thing you'll try to do better than yesterday. Spend 60 seconds deciding your core goal before any outside information floods in. This method is far more effective than an overwhelming to-do list.

Connect to your why. Take 90 seconds to remind yourself why your goal truly matters: "This workout builds the energy I need for my family," or "This focused work moves me toward my dream."

Identify and manage your distractions. Name the specific things that usually pull you off track, like mindless surfing online. Also, state one concrete action to stay focused, such as, "I'll have a real conversation at breakfast instead of looking at my phone." This turns intention into a clear step.

Take immediate action. Do one small thing right now to show you're in charge. Put your phone in another room, fill your water bottle, or write down your top three tasks. Act before resistance builds. This simple move helps you avoid falling into reaction mode for the rest of the day.

A. Choose before you check your phone.

B. Start by doing something within the first minute.

C. It's their ability to take advantage of new technology.

D. This awareness helps you make a different choice next time.

E. All in all, the specific goals can help you forget your worries.

F. In short, knowing your deeper reason fuels lasting motivation.

G. It's what happens in the first five minutes after the alarm goes off.

AI animated shorts are produced entirely through AI: scriptwriting (脚本创作), storyboarding, character modeling and voice production. Since 2024, creators have used AI to turn novels, comic IPs or original scripts into works with higher visual quality and smoother motion. Douyin alone reported over 75.7 billion total views of more than 30,000 titles, while platforms nationwide established dedicated channels for these productions.

The technological foundation is solid. Since AI image and video generation technology maintains character consistency and produces motion that follows physical logic, even small teams can create hit content at lower cost and in less time than with traditional methods.

This is not merely a technological trend but a social one. Unlike live-action short dramas, AI animated shorts attract young viewers seeking light, immediate and emotionally rewarding content. They watch to relax and satisfy instant enjoyment. Many are willing to pay for quality content, making the industry commercially strong. AI has made "creator" accessible to anyone with an idea. Individual moments or imagined worlds can be visualized in days instead of months.

China's AI animated shorts boom carries distinct local features. Traditional art forms have been brought back to life through AI animation. These works engage young audiences with modern artistic styles, drawing them closer to tradition. Nevertheless, challenges remain, including content similarity, quality control, and copyright issues, which require immediate attention. As Li Wei, a leading media technology researcher, points out, "Platforms and creators must balance innovation with artistic responsibility."

In the long run, creativity is no longer limited by skill or budget. China's AI animated shorts show technology can shape fast, vivid and emotionally powerful cultural products. This is a glimpse of the future of worldwide content creation. The "everyone is a creator" era has arrived, with AI redefining creation, engagement and cultural exchange.

That little hole isn't there to let out the smell or make the lid look well-balanced. It is there to balance pressure. Here's the basic physics behind it: When you drink from the main hole, liquid leaves the cup. If air cannot replace that volume, pressure builds inside and the flow hesitates, which often causes splashing (溅洒).

Lid designers deliberately position the air hole separately from the main opening so that air and liquid follow different paths and do not compete for space. Think of the hole as a tiny opening: It keeps pressure balanced, allowing coffee to flow in a steady stream. Without it, drinking from a closed lid would be much messier.

Coffee lids have developed greatly over time. Early forms were simple and leaky; by the 1970s, the rise of takeaway culture pushed producers to improve designs. Safety also played an important role — burn accidents led to better fit and better flow control. By the mid-1980s, specially designed lids with improved structures reduced spills and offered a better drinking experience. "More recently, changes in materials have been driven by the need to reduce plastic while keeping the same function," packaging expert Stanislav Krykun notes. Environmentally friendly lids now aim to work as well as traditional plastics while causing less harm to the environment.

So next time you lift your takeaway coffee and take that first enjoyable drink, give a nod of appreciation to that tiny hole in the lid. It is not just a simple addition; it is working harder than you think.

Certain threads (线) tie us together unexpectedly. At first, they were simple, like our love for Dungeons & Dragons, horror movies and dark Irish comedy. But we also both love a good cry — and actually, we both remember the first time we cried together, showing our true weakness to each other, as the real start to our friendship. Over time, our friendship deepened through countless creative projects, shared recommendations and our precious movie nights, when we watch together over a warm meal. These small daily habits form a steady, rare friendship between generations that is built not on duty but on choosing each other again and again.

Now I'm 28 and Ken is 60. I'm an "old soul" and Ken is "young at heart". Our friendship gives us a connection that we don't find with peers, so I feel free to be emotional with him. The benefit goes both ways. Ken says I bring back his youthfulness because I treat him as a peer, which brings him indescribable joy. Our unusual friendship is really good for our health.

To find out more about why the relationship between Ken and me is so rewarding, I spoke with a developmental psychologist, Abby Stephan, PhD, whose research focuses on intergenerational relationships. Stephan explains that "inter" means "between", representing mutual influence. Strong intergenerational friendships rely on a wider range of experiences than same-age ones. For younger adults, these friendships have been associated with greater confidence, higher self-esteem and a stronger sense of long-term perspective. For older adults, they can offer a greater sense of purpose and meaning, reduced loneliness and more complex perspective-taking.

However, friends of different generations may be in different life stages, which can affect priorities, energy levels or communication styles. Stephan suggests, "Having a casual conversation about communication preferences, like ways, frequency and time of day, can be really helpful."

Australia might not be the first choice for overseas volunteering, yet it faces unique conservation challenges. Climate change and pollution threaten the Great Barrier Reef, which is home to more than 30 species of whales and dolphins, 1,500 kinds of fish and many endangered animals. Large areas of coral (珊瑚) have been dying off. Human activities also harm Australia's wildlife by cutting down their habitats. GoEco's program invites volunteers to protect the Great Barrier Reef, help its marine species and take practical action to preserve this wonderful natural environment for future generations.

Program Highlights

● Dive and explore the world's largest coral reef (礁) system.

● Work with professional marine experts and experienced guides.

● Suitable for both beginners and fully certified divers.

Program Schedule

What's Included

Shared hotel accommodation, three breakfasts, five lunches, two dinners during the program, plus professional guidance.

What's Not Included

International flights, airport transfers, travel health insurance and visa fees (apply at least 6 weeks in advance).

Li Yue, a Chinese high school exchange student in London, felt a little nervous when Mr. White said to the class, "This Thursday, I want each of you to bring something that matters to you and share it with the class." Li Yue sat quietly, thinking hard about what to bring. Suddenly, she remembered that the Lantern Festival would be the following Tuesday. A bright idea struck her, making her eyes light up instantly.

Thursday came quickly, and the classroom was filled with joy and laughter. Most students brought snacks and small toys to share. When it was Li Yue's turn, she stood up, holding a beautifully decorated wooden box. She opened it gently and took out a flat, folded piece of red paper. With a few quick, skillful folds and pulls, the paper magically turned into a delicate lantern frame. She placed a candle inside and lit it carefully. The gentle flame came alive, bathing the red lantern in warm light that spread throughout the classroom.

"It's incredible! What is it?" Emma, Li Yue's deskmate, asked eagerly. Li Yue smiled and held up the lantern, introducing the Lantern Festival, its traditions of hanging lanterns, guessing riddles and eating a kind of sweet glutinous rice (糯米) balls called yuanxiao, and how red lanterns symbolize hope and reunion in Chinese culture. "And this year, the Lantern Festival is exactly next Tuesday," she said.

Seeing how interested the whole class was, Mr. White walked over with a smile. "This is a wonderful way to connect different cultures," he said to Li Yue. "Would you like to host a Lantern Festival party for the whole grade next Tuesday night? I'm sure it will be fantastic."

Li Yue nodded firmly, her face bright with excitement. "I'd love to!" she replied. The class broke into applause, but as she sat down, a little worry set in — how could she make the party fun and unforgettable?

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。

Li Yue realized that the key solution was getting everyone involved.

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The party took place as scheduled in the school cafeteria.

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（1）分析原因；

（2）提出建议。

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 Jenny,

I'm Li Hua, a student from our school.

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Yours,

Li Hua

There is a saying about the southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou: "Not three feet of flat land, not three days without rain, not a family with three silver coins." But, Tao Huabi, also known as China's " (hot) woman", has well and truly broken the rule the help of an appetizing sauce.

Tao Huabi, born in 1947, is woman behind Lao Gan Ma, literally "Old Mother", a hot and crunchy (脆的) sauce crafted from fried red chili peppers. Open a bottle, you will spot a few peanuts, some crunchy salty beans and shiny oil mixed in.

In China, the sauce is so popular, (give) birth to Lao Gan Ma phone cases, clothing, pencil cases and the joke, according to a state-owned (finance) news organization in China, that when a man gets (marry), it is to two women: his wife and Tao Huabi. Besides, it is also increasingly well-received overseas, especially in the US, where several different versions (appear) in recent years, including Fly By Jing and Momofuku chilli crunch, both of which avoid artificial flavor enhancers in favor of natural flavors.

In 2016, Lao Gan Ma (credit) with helping the historically poor Guizhou achieve 10.5% economic (grow). As for the mother herself, an article described her as the queen of a "red kingdom" of chilli fields.

Feeling particularly pleased with himself, the photographer looked at the image, only to make an astonishing7. There, in the background, easy to8 at first sight, was another bird mid-flight: a strikingly rare woodpecker (啄木鸟), one so seldom seen that many birdwatchers spend years for just a9 of it.

The photographer hadn't noticed the woodpecker at all; without even10, he had photographed a bird much rarer than the one he'd aimed for. This unexpected11 illustrates the concept of serendipity — the experience of12 something extraordinary while searching for something entirely13.

History is often filled with such moments, from scientific breakthroughs like penicillin's accidental finding to everyday14. Sometimes, the most remarkable discoveries happen not through constant15, but through being in the right place at the right time.

To the untrained eye, Qi Gong may seem similar to its better-known cousin, Tai Chi, the ancient art that combines gentle movement with mental focus. It's even integrated into treatment plans in Chinese hospitals.

My daily practice that year brought such noticeable improvements that I set myself a reward: if I stuck with it all year, I'd head to Master Anthony's annual training camp in Costa Rica's cloud forest the following February. It was my first journey abroad in over a decade. I booked the trip to San Jose, where I met Master Anthony and a dozen strangers. We boarded a tiny bus and rode up winding mountain roads to "La Montana Azul" for a week-long camp.

There was no Internet or distractions here, just organic vegetarian meals shared under an open-air shelter. Forest birds sang, and my roofless room even housed a surprisingly large spider, which added a touch of unexpected adventure to the experience.

Online practice had given me slight energy movement, but that week, doing moves like Lifting the Sky, I could distinctly feel my body filling with Qi — the vital life force energy. I felt energized and joyful. That was when everything changed for me. At home, I had a successful career as a self-employed writer. Soon after I returned, at 53, I launched my travel blog.

Dreams do come true. They're just waiting for you to claim them.

A. And I did!

B. I long to explore the world.

C. The place was perfect for the camp.

D. Yet it's actually energy medicine for recovery.

E. Many people turn to Tai Chi for its physical benefits.

F. But in the cloud forest, I decided I wanted more from life.

G. A key thing finally helped me recover during the previous year.

Now Brazilian officials think this expansive town can also be the site of the forest's rebirth. This year, the government set out to test a question that until now has largely been left to researchers: If left alone, can the Amazon forest restore itself? To test this assumption, officials closed off a degraded parcel of land and leased (租赁) it to a private carbon credit company to safeguard and restore. "Some of the tasks will be done by planting trees. But most of the restoration job will be left to Mother Nature. It's called passive restoration. This is opening a new model that may be applied across the state," said Governor Barbalho.

The search for solutions in the Amazon couldn't be more urgent. Rates of deforestation have been dropping since the government made fighting environmental crime a priority, but the destruction hasn't stopped. Nearly 6,300 square kilometers were lost last year, bringing the ecosystem closer to what scientists warn is a tipping point, when the Amazon is no longer able to maintain its own rainy ecosystem. Evidence of its arrival is springing up: dried riverbeds, forest fires, punishing droughts, and increased tree death. Scientists have predicted the forest could experience a broad ecological collapse by 2050, when 10 — 47% of it will be exposed to various disturbances that could activate unexpected ecosystem changes.

But other research has also provided cause for hope. Despite the delicate nature of the Amazon's ecosystem, the forest has also demonstrated a remarkable capacity for recovery. A recent study showed that roughly 72,000 square kilometers of destroyed forest are already in an advanced stage of natural recovery.

The research defines a "distinct brain-related signature" for identifying superagers: You might be one if you're 80 or older and can recall at least nine words 30 minutes after hearing a 15-word list. Superagers' brains also show slower thinning, with only a 1.06% reduction over 18 months compared to the 2.24% seen in their peers (同龄人), and a stronger cholinergic system, which is crucial for memory, learning and motor function. Critically, there's one quality all superagers share: sociability.

This observed sociability has biological roots. Superagers possess more von Economo neurons, a type of brain cell associated with sociability, than their peers, and even more than younger people. These neurons are found in highly social species like whales. "Animals with strong connections tend to outlive and outsmart their peers. It's like the pack culture," says study author Gefen. Additionally, superagers' thicker anterior cingulate gyrus — a brain region linked to motivation rather than memory — suggests that they may be more willing to engage in challenging tasks.

However, this isn't a long-term study tracking participants from youth, so "we can't completely know whether this high level of sociability is helping or not," Gefen notes. While other research suggests lifestyle factors like exercise may prevent up to 45% of serious memory loss, their role in superagers remains unclear. "When it comes to superagers, we have more questions than answers," she adds.

Still, this research could help find future treatments for some brain diseases. Northwestern's ongoing work aims to advance this goal, including investigating what makes von Economo neurons special and their role in disease resistance.

Darkness had fallen before her driver pulled into the rescue base. At 1,500 meters, it was safer from aftershocks and rock slides than lower ground. When she stepped out of the car and was briefed on the villages needing immediate help, the enormity of the task ahead hit her full force.

Lari, Pakistan's first female architect since 1964, was famous for designing modern glass and concrete towers in Karachi. Here, though, she'd design earthquake-resistant homes with stone and wood. In a simple cottage near the camp, she would spend the next four months working with volunteer architects and engineers to help displaced families build new homes, even as temperatures dropped and snow fell.

"You can't imagine the desolation (荒凉)," Lari recalls of those days in the mountains. Her team, often the first to arrive on the scene, were greeted with unexpected hospitality (热情款待), given the circumstances. On one visit, villagers pulled out their best chairs and table rescued from the earthquake. "They'd lost everything," she says. "But they put this damaged table in front of us and covered it with a beautiful patterned cloth. And then they served us their World Food Programme food: biscuits, tea and eggs."

With each passing day, Lari was re-engineering her identity — from "starchitect" to humanitarian. The profession had been good to her, but she had grown disappointed with projects for the rich. And doing disaster-relief work felt deeply right. So she made it her new mission.

While there is no single academic path for all students to follow, we want to help you make choices that will lead you to a successful college career.

A well-rounded education

A good high school education should do more than prepare you for the next level of education or for later employment — it should prepare you to take advantage of future learning opportunities of all kinds. You should gain particular skills and information, as well as a broad perspective on the world and its possibilities.

Choosing high school courses

By taking the most academically demanding courses you can find, you can improve both your chance of admission to a selective college and your performance during the first years of college.

We recommend:

● The study of English for four years: extensive reading of the classics of the world's literature

● Four years of a single foreign language

● The study of history for at least two years, and preferably three years

● The study of mathematics for four years*

● The study of science for four years: physics, chemistry, and biology, and preferably one of these at an advanced level

Various important secondary school subjects, such as art and music, are not specifically mentioned in our recommendations. Leaving out these subjects should not be interpreted as a value judgment. We are concerned only with secondary school subjects proven by data to support college coursework.

*Ideally, math courses should focus on conceptual understanding, promote higher-order thinking, and encourage students to use mathematical reasoning to critically examine the world. Examples include courses in computer science, statistics and its subfields, mathematical modeling, calculus, and other advanced math subjects.

The bell rang. I grabbed my backpack and headed to the library for my favorite after-school activity: Writing Club.

"Today we will share our stories with a critique (评论) partner. It means to give helpful feedback so someone can tell their best story," said Miss Lisa, our writing teacher.

My partner was Penny. I handed my story to her, nervous. I had no problem coming up with great story ideas, but I did struggle with spelling and grammar. Penny didn't look at me or smile as she pushed her story across the table toward me. Why was she worried? She always got perfect scores on her spelling and grammar tests.

I read her story. It was about a dog named Sunny saving a family from a flood.

"Wow, great story," I told her. "I don't have any suggestions. It's perfect!"

"Yours too," she whispered. She didn't even look at me as she passed mine back.

When the club ended, Penny rushed out, dropping a book in haste. I picked it up: Sunny the Brave. My heart sank as the plot matched her story exactly. She hadn't written it — she had copied it. It wasn't fair. I thought about telling Miss Lisa, but Miss Lisa had already left.

Outside of the school, I spotted Penny sitting on a bench, crying. Instead of accusing her, I simply handed her the book. Seeing her tears, I remembered my job as her critique partner was to give helpful feedback. But what should I say?

I kept thinking about Penny and her story. When I got home, I found Mom in the kitchen making dinner with Dad. Dad chopped (切割) vegetables carefully, while Mom added spices (调料) freely. Their dinners turned out delicious. Mom and Dad had different skills, each using their strengths, making them a great team. That gave me an idea to suggest to Penny.

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。

The next morning, I found Penny outside the classroom.

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Penny's eyes widened with hope.

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