相关试卷

—________ I'll carry it for you.

Final exams were approaching, and everyone in school was excited about vacations. We were dreaming of far-off destinations, our minds filled with images of thrilling adventures.

After school on Friday, on my way home, I ran into my best friend. Enthusiastic about the vacations, I asked him about his plans. His eyes twinkled brightly as he replied, "I'm going to visit my grandparents with my parents for a week."

"Don't you ever get tired of going to the same place year after year? I remember, every year, your family takes 7 to 10 days off to head back to your native village," I asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Oh, not at all! That's the absolute best time of the year for me! Being with my folks in the village is just amazing." His face beamed with joy as he continued, "In the village, I get to meet so many wonderful people, and everyone there is so kind and welcoming. Our neighborhood crew is tight! We're always hanging out together, you know? Just running wild, chilling by the lake, or bouncing between each other's houses. Honestly, I know what really matters about these village trips. It's not the cool places we see — it's spending time with the people I love. That's the real treasure of life."

His words made me recall my own grandparents. I realized I hadn't seen them for years. But still, it's a pleasure to be there. … we had big long gardens and a big multi-story house.

The next day, over breakfast, I mustered up the courage and asked my parents, "Can we visit grandparents this summer after exams?" Dad replied hesitantly, "Oh, that's unexpected." Mom was surprised. "Well, you know it gets really hot there this time of year." After a short pause, Dad gave a small sigh and met my hopeful gaze. "However," he said, "if you perform well in exams, we'll make the trip."

For the next six weeks, I threw myself completely into my studies. My mom was amazed by this sudden transformation in me. Soon came the long-awaited exam results.

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。

Paragraph 1: I rushed home and immediately handed my parents my score card and a note with "PLEASE."

Paragraph 2: I saw my mom had tears in her eyes when leaving them.

The famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven did not inherit much musical talent from his ancestors, according to a new study. Researchers say the findings are a good example of how (we) DNA doesn't determine what talents will be developed in life.

The researchers examined Beethoven's DNA using a hair sample (collect) during a separate study last year. Their goal was to explore his genetic predisposition(倾向) for music, is closely tied to musical ability. (do) this, they compared Beethoven's DNA with that of nearly 14,500 other individuals in database. With his genetic information, they calculated a polygenic(多基因的) score a sign of his predisposition for musical talent.

"Interestingly, Beethoven, one of the (well-known) musicians in history, had an unremarkable score for general musicality — (rank) around the top 10% of people based on modern samples," said Tara Henechowicz from the team.

The authors who published the study in Current Biology said it would be wrong to conclude that Beethoven had little talent, but it does highlight the problems in making predictions based (pure) on DNA.

"The mismatch between the DNA-based forecast and Beethoven's musical genius (provide) a valuable teaching moment because it demonstrates that DNA tests cannot give us a final answer about a given child will end up being musically gifted," said Ms. Henechowicz.

At noon, we rested on a bank.2 the scenery, we barely realized the approaching danger. Then three large3 emerged from the forest: a huge mama bear with two babies. They were less than 100 feet away across the river, far closer than the recommended4 distance.

I could feel5 reached deep into my stomach. Time stood still. Then, I grabbed the bear spray (喷雾) and we walked downriver to6 ourselves. "Hey, bear!" I said, "We are not here to7 you." At that moment, I thought the mama bear would8 across the river, covering the 100 feet in seconds. Although I knew how to use the spray, I didn't think I could use it9.

To our surprise, the mama bear10 drank water from the river. When one baby wandered just a few steps away, she quickly11 him. Just like their12 appearance, they were gone, disappearing into the forest. We returned to our boat, lost in13.

This encounter14 me, making my daily concerns seem insignificant in the larger context of our planet. The experience, the fear, and my15 as a human have changed my perspective on the world forever.

ItalyComunica, a communications company, is selling 13.5-ounce cans of "pure air from the most beautiful lake in the world" for roughly $11 (€9.90) each. They feature a dark blue label with an illustration of a boat cruising through the water. "Open it whenever you need a moment of escape, tranquility, or simply beauty," instructs the website. "Only those who visit Lake Como can want to buy our souvenir; memories are not bought but lived."

Sitting at the base of the Alps, Lake Como is a large body of water in Italy's northern Lombardy region. Many celebrities own second homes in the surrounding area, and numerous movies have been filmed there.

Clever businesspeople have been selling similar products for decades. In mountain towns and other high-elevation destinations, "oxygen in a can" is sometimes marketed as an antidote (缓解物) to altitude sickness, despite little scientific evidence to support that claim. Any benefits from canned air are likely due to the placebo (安慰剂) effect, experts say.

Alessandro Rapinese, the mayor of Como, says that he would rather vacationers bought silk scarves, which the region is known for, or other souvenirs. However, he adds: " Just make sure to take beautiful memories of this area as well."

A. It's the best souvenir option.

B. It has become a popular vacation destination.

C. Souvenirs have a long and fascinating history.

D. These little items serve as reminders of their vacation.

E. If someone wants to take some air home, that's perfectly fine.

F. The cans are marketed as "luxurious" souvenirs on the product website.

G. This is not the first time canned air has been marketed to tourists, though.

Researchers led by academics at Imperial College London studied data from the UK Biobank study on more than 26, 000 people who had completed intelligence, reasoning, reaction time and memory tests. They then examined how participants' sleep duration, quality, and chronotype affected brain performance. They found that those who stay up late and those classed as "intermediate" had "superior cognitive function", while morning larks had the lowest scores. Going to bed late is strongly associated with creative types. Artists, authors and musicians known to be night owls include James Joyce and Lady Gaga.

But while politicians like Barack Obama famously seemed to thrive on little sleep, the study found that sleep duration is important for brain function, with those getting between seven and nine hours of shut-eye each night performing best in cognitive tests. Prof Daqing Ma, the co-leader of the study, added, "We found that sleep duration has a direct effect on brain function, and we believe that actively managing sleep patterns is really important for boosting and safeguarding the way our brains work. We'd ideally like to see policy interventions to help sleep patterns improve in the general population."

Some experts, however, urged caution in interpreting the findings. Jessica Chelekis, a sleep expert at Brunel University London, said there were "important limitations" to the study as the research did not account for education attainment, or include the time of day the cognitive tests were conducted in the results. The main value of the study was challenging stereotypes around sleep, she added.

With roughly 90% of trade relying on shipping, quieting the ocean through reductions in shipping itself is untenable . While efficiency improvements of shipping may cut noise, experts say more is needed. That is why technologies like modified propellers (螺旋桨) and noise-reducing materials are being developed to help humans and marine life coexist.

Much of the underwater noise a ship produces comes from its propeller. Spinning blades (桨叶) create low pressure, causing the water to boil and produce bubbles, a process known as cavitation (空化现象). When those bubbles collapse, a low-frequency noise is produced, disrupting the movements of marine lives.

One solution, being developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia, integrates flexible polymers (聚合物) into the metal propeller blades, allowing their tips to bend and twist. This movement prevents bubbles from forming and thereby reduces the noise the blades produce. Based on simulations, the design could reduce cavitation noise by 20 decibels. Dr Jaiman says researchers intend to start testing a model next year.

Cavitation can also be reduced by increasing the number of bubbles, rather than reducing them. Researchers at MARIN, a Dutch research institute, have blown bubbles onto a propeller's blades, which can dampen the resulting noise. Model-scale tests of this system showed a 12-decibel decrease in low-frequency noise. But shipping noise does not come only from the propeller, with roughly 20% coming from engines and generators. To reduce this, MARIN researchers have experimented with a bubble screen generated from tubes positioned in belts around the outside of the ship. These bubbles prevent noise from spreading.

Six months earlier, Amina had fled her war-torn homeland. When she finally reached this small town in a country whose language she barely spoke, she felt more out of place than ever. That first week, she had hardly left her tiny apartment. But on the eighth day, driven by a restlessness she couldn't shake, Amina laced up her worn running shoes and stepped outside.

At first, she ran to escape — from the memories, from the pitying looks of her new neighbors. But with each day and each mile, something began to shift. The rhythmic pounding of her feet became a way to process the hurt she'd endured and the challenges that lay ahead. Weeks later, Amina had explored every street of her new town. She started recognizing faces on her runs: the elderly man waving from his porch, the smiling mother pushing a stroller. One day, to her surprise, she found herself waving back.

Now, as Amina pushed up the last hill of her route, she realized how far she'd come. Running had become her lifeline, a way to bridge the gap between her past and her present. When she approached the entrance of her apartment building, she noticed her English teacher, Mrs. Thompson, standing with several other runners from the community. They held a banner reading, "Walnut Grove Running Club."

Mrs. Thompson stepped forward, smiling warmly. "Amina, we've seen you running every day. We wondered if you'd like to join our club."

Amina felt a lump form in her throat. She nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Yes," she said, her accent still thick but her voice strong. As the group cheered and welcomed her, Amina realized she had been running through more than just physical borders. With each step, she had been crossing the boundaries of fear, isolation, and hurt.

AlITrails

AllTrails is a great exercise app as it encourages you to get out into nature instead of hitting up an overpriced gym. With detailed trail maps that guide you through numerous outdoor activities, you'll be working up a sweat in no time while taking advantage of natural beauty!

Rocket Money

Cutting back on spending is the most popular New Year's resolution globally, every year. This user-friendly app simplifies everything that comes along with budgeting and expense tracking, while also helping you manage subscriptions and bills. With features like automated bill negotiation and credit score monitoring, you can think of Rocket Money as your personal financial assistant.

Imprint

Want to cut doom-scrolling but not ready to drop your phone? Imprint is here to help. The app takes big ideas from the world's greatest thinkers and breaks them down into simple, visual snippets that you can actually remember. Whether you want to master essential topics, or just have a few fun facts to throw into your conversations, Imprint makes learning quick, and easy!

Duolingo

This language app really is one of the best for sticking to your goals. From the way it gamifies your progress to the user-friendly interface, Duolingo makes leaning a new language both easy and enjoyable! There's just one major setback for Hong Kongers: the app only offers Cantonese lessons for Mandarin speakers, so if you're hoping to pick up some of the local language, you'll have to look elsewhere.

A team led by researchers at the University of Washington has created a headphone prototype (原型) that allows listeners to create just such a "sound bubble (音泡)". The team's artificial intelligence（AI) combined with a headphone prototype allow the wearer to hear people speaking within a bubble with a programmable radius (半径) of 3 to 6 feet. Voices and sounds outside the bubble are quieted an average of 49 decibels (分贝), even if the distant sounds are louder than those inside the bubble.

"Humans aren't great at perceiving distances through sound, particularly when there are multiple sound sources around them," said senior author Shyam Gollakota, a UW professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. "Our AI system can actually learn the distance for each sound source in a room, and process this in real time, within 8 milliseconds, on the hearing device itself."

Researchers created the prototype with commercially available noise-canceling headphones. They affixed six small microphones across the headband. The team's neural network - running on a small onboard embedded computer attached to the headphones - tracks when different sounds reach each microphone. The system then lowers the sounds coming from outside the bubble, while playing back and slightly enhancing the sounds inside the bubble.

The system has been trained to work only indoors, because getting clean training audio is more difficult outdoors. Next, the team is working to make the technology function on hearing aids and noise-canceling earbuds, which requires a new strategy for positioning the microphones.

A Fish on the Baseball Field

My parents always hoped I'd play baseball. You would be amazed at how much they loved baseball. They actually met in line to buy hot dogs at a baseball game. Also, my dad was the star pitcher (投掷手) on his high school team, which happened to go all the way to the state championship!

You might think that with a family history like that, baseball would just be in my blood and I'd be naturally talented at it. Unfortunately, you'd be wrong. When I was little, my dad got me a plastic bat and ball and a mini catcher's mitt (棒球手套). I could throw OK, but no matter how much I tried, I could not catch or hit at all!

Last year, my friend Ollie was super excited to join a baseball team. Then my parents decided baseball would be the best thing for me, too. Before I could say "Thanks, but no thanks", they had signed me up!

Don't get me wrong. The experience wasn't terrible. Our coach was nice and the kids were great. Even though I never became good at baseball, I did improve. But the very best part of the whole experience — the silver-lining part — was something completely unexpected.

After every baseball practice, Ollie's grandmother would take us to the community pool on the way home. Ollie was more interested in playing in the pool than swimming. I, on the other hand, could not get enough of swimming.

Ollie usually ended up leaving the water to hang out with his grandmother while I stayed in for a few more minutes with a girl named Isabel, a member of the swim team. We often challenged each other to see who could hold her breath underwater longer or who could get to the other side of the pool faster.

One day, Isabel said, "You are a natural little fish. Do you want to join our swim team?" She looked at me with expectation.

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。

I was hesitant (犹豫).

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I arrived home, I nervously told my parents about the swim team.

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1.讲座内容；

2.讲座反响。

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。

（参考词汇：校友 alumnus）

An Impressive Lecture on Chinese Cultural Heritage

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We are on a hike on the plains of Tibet to observe Tibetan antelopes, a species once faced serious threats from illegal hunting and habitat (lose). Valued for their fur, they were mercilessly hunted and killed. Besides, some of their habitats gave way new roads and railways. In the 1980s and 1990s, their population dropped sharply by over 50%.

In order to prevent Tibetan antelopes from (die) out, the Chinese government set up the Changtang National Nature Reserve and took a series of measures, such as building bridges and gates on the plains (help) them move freely and safely. Moreover, volunteers like Zhaxi, our local guide, were asked to conduct round-the-clock patrols(巡逻). Zhaxi considers land sacred, believing protecting the wildlife is important not only for the animals but also for the people there.

These efforts proved to be (effect). Starting from 2015, Tibetan antelopes were no longer an(endanger) species. However, the government continues the protection programs, as the species still faces some threats.

We should realize that although great progress (make) in protecting wildlife in the past years, much remains to be done. We must learn to live in harmony with nature if we want to (true) save our planet.

"I was aware of how5 the media (媒体) are," Fran says, "They can make up stories and directly shape people's6." She7 in a community where the media description did not match what she experienced in her life at all. So she decided to choose journalism (新闻) as her8 at college.

Now a professional and popular journalist, it was the sense of9 for social issues from a young age that led Fran to follow a10 for journalism. Fran has created her own award-winning online opinion and analysis series to help the youth11 present affairs. She's also12 for her work on SBS's The Feed and Channel 10's The Project.

Besides her13, Fran is a14 for giving a voice to those who feel unheard. She's an ambassador (大使) for Plan International, an organization to15 equality for girls around the world.

●Low times matter.

We'd all love to be happy 100% of the time, but that's not realistic. "Let's not forget that if we didn't experience low times, we'd never fully appreciate the highs," says clinical therapist Kate Morris-Bates, the founder of InsideOut Wellness.

●

The University of California's study found that on rainy days, people remembered details better than on sunny days when their memory was less accurate. "People having negative emotions (情绪) are more focused and thoughtful than those having positive ones," explains Kate. "Research shows that we are less likely to make mistakes in our memories when we are in a bad mood."

●Negativity makes us focus.

If we are too optimistic, there's a chance we can leave ourselves open to danger. Kate says that if a situation has a big risk, a pessimist (悲观主义者) is more likely to think about the worst. Then we should think if we are using our optimism or pessimism well.

How can you handle your anger? Rather than refuse it, be open to the emotion. Use it to understand what makes you angry and improve your response. One way of doing this is to keep a journal. Every time you feel angry, write down your feelings in whatever form comes to you — single words, full sentences, or even simple drawings. It will help you to understand them better.

A. Anger leads to action.

B. Sadness improves memory.

C. Here are some tips for you.

D. This allows you to be true to your feelings.

E. What is possible, however, is to rethink negative emotions.

F. She suggests that first we should always check our responses to a situation.

G. Therefore, it's important to recognise and accept your thoughts and feelings.

A student in Rasgon's lab noticed that male mosquitoes would sometimes feed on blood in a tray covered by a thin artificial membrane (人工膜) when researchers took away water. Rasgon wanted to know if thirsty males would try to get blood from a person, so he stuck his hand in cages containing male mosquitoes. Hydrated males mostly ignored him, but dehydrated males would land and examine his skin. One even bit him but hardly got into the first layer of the skin. "I was shocked," says Rasgon.

Male mosquitoes' long, tubelike mouth parts aren't able to bite skin deeply enough to draw blood. But a wound caused by Rasgon's cat allowed him to test whether males could get blood another way. Sure enough, a dehydrated male mosquito drank blood from the open wound.

In another experiment, male mosquitoes that were genetically engineered to be unable to sense wetness didn't take blood meals more often when lacking water. Those findings suggest that males may go for blood to satisfy their thirst.

One earlier research paper showed that blood was harmful to male mosquitoes. Scientists thought all male mosquitoes didn't have the ability to break down blood. But in Rasgon's experiment, male mosquitoes fed only blood lived as long as those that didn't get blood, and even a little bit longer.

The National Health Service suggests that adults should eat no more than 6 grams of salt daily. For children, the amount varies by age. Specifically, kids aged one to three should have 2 grams per day, and older children aged seven to ten can have up to 5 grams. It is important to note that some food packaging only shows the sodium (钠) content. Do not mistake it for the salt content. To get the salt amount, multiply (乘以) the sodium by 2.5. Adults should limit their sodium intake to 2.4 grams a day, which is equal to the recommended 6 grams of salt a day.

Overeating salt can cause high blood pressure. It causes the body to hold water, increasing blood pressure and putting stress on organs. Moreover, it leads to water retention. However, too little salt intake is harmful. A study found that adults who ate less than 2 grams of salt a day were more likely to have heart disease than those who had around the recommended 4 to 5 grams.

Luckily, these days, most pre-packed food has nutrition labels on the back to tell us how much salt is in the product. Besides, many foods also show the salt content on the front of the packaging. The salt content can be different in branded foods such as pizza, bread and soups. Thankfully, the Change4Life Food Scanner can aid you to find out how much salt is in a product by using its app on your smartphone to scan the barcode (条形码). You can also use the traditional method of avoiding adding salt on the dinner table. Always taste a dish first. If necessary, add salt carefully.

Three years after graduating from school, Armand bought his first bakkie (箱式轻便货车), a Toyota Cab. Besides camping, Armand also enjoys driving through scenic landscapes. He doesthis regularly to satisfy his desire to be in nature.

His love of nature means he avoids busy places and settles down in quieter places. However, he doesn't mind if he comes across someone out in the middle of nowhere; they're likely to share the same interests.

Verneukpan, now one of Armand's favourite camping sites, was next on the schedule — a route that would finally take him past Augrabies, Vioolsdrif, the Richtersveld and Port Nolloth. Armand's journeys aren't carefully planned. He simply sets daily goals and refuses the usual routes. "Nothing stops you from hitting the road nice and early. Explore the world and enrich your journey instead of following a preplanned route."

Although Armand mostly camps alone, he's not completely alone. His sheepdog, Buks, goes along. Buks, Armand's campsite commander, has a specially-fitted seat on the back seat of the bakkie. When Armand arrives at his destination for the day, he grabs a beer and takes a walk with Buks to explore the surroundings. The camping chairs follow, and then Armand takes in the scenery. "Camping in nature is the perfect escape because it provides peace while refreshing your soul," says Armand.

Long-billed Bush Warbler

Lost: 1977| Found: 2022

This songbird once existed in such large numbers in the river valleys of Kashmir that some said it could be heard all day long — until changing agricultural practices threatened its habitats. After 45 years of secret, in 2022, the birdwatcher James Eaton found a warbler in a potato field.

Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon

Lost: 1896| Found: 2022

For 126 years, this pheasant-like bird was considered all but lost on its homeland of Fergusson Island, a mountainous land off Papua New Guinea. Recently, an international team of scientists, guided by local hunters, finally took a photo of the pigeon.

Dusky Tetraka

Lost: 1999| Found: 2022/2023

In late 2022, researchers returned to the same location in the rainforest of Madagascar, where the dusky tetraka had last been seen in 1999. Going down in the rainforest, they finally tracked the songbird hunting in the thick undergrowth along a river.

Urich's Tyrannulet

Lost: 2005| Found: 2021

This flycatcher, observed only three times since its discovery in Venezuela in 1899, seemed to disappear completely after 2005. However, in 2021, a team led by the bird expert David Ascanio took unique photos and the first recording of its call.