An exhibition titled Symbiosis of the Chinese Zodiac (生肖) opened at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama on Dec 19 and would run until Jan 20.
Sally Huang,
The exhibition
The lead institution applying for the project was Beijing Normal University,
The opening ceremony was joined by representatives from both countries, such as the Chinese ambassador to Panama and the vice-minister of culture in Panama.
The ambassador expressed some
Self-criticism (自我批评) is a mental habit of negatively analyzing and judging ourselves and our actions. If we don’t find a way to overcome self-criticism, we won’t be able to live a happy and satisfying life.
Thought stopping is one of the best secrets of how to overcome self-criticism. Interrupting your thoughts helps you change how you think about yourself, thus helping you feel better.
Another strategy is to replace negative self-critical thoughts with positive realistic statements. For instance, if you set a goal, be realistic about it by giving yourself enough time to achieve it. In fact, having a constant desire to achieve immediate success can ruin your confidence.
Another secret is to let go of the need to be perfect. It’s all right to set high standards for yourself.
| A．Be realistic |
| B．Focus on strengths |
| C．It’s normal to feel like that everyone has a better life than you |
| D．Remember it’s from your mistakes that you get to improve yourself |
| E．If you’ve been stuck in negative thoughts, here’s what you need to do |
| F．It’s important to note that changing your negative thought patterns can take time |
| G．However, falling short of your goals and expectations can make you feel worthless |
A new study warns that more than a fifth of all reptile (爬行动物) species are threatened with extinction, which may have a bad impact on the planet.
The largest ever analysis of the state of the world’s reptiles, published in Nature, has showed that 21% of the reptile species are facing extinction. The study says from lizards to snakes, such a loss could have disastrous impacts on ecosystems around the world.
Although many reptiles live in dry environments such as deserts, most species occur in forests, where they suffer from threats such as logging of land for agriculture.30% of the forest-dwelling reptiles are at risk of extinction, compared with 14% in dry habitats. Hunting is also a major threat to reptiles, especially turtles and crocodiles, many of which are at risk of extinction. Another major contributing factor is the introduction of invasive species.
“If we removed reptiles, it could change ecosystems fundamentally, with unfortunate knock-on effects, such as increases in pest insects,” said Neil Cox, co-leader of the study. “Biodiversity, including reptiles, supports the ecosystem services that provide a healthy environment for people.”
Our hope is that this first-ever assessment of the world’s 10,000-plus reptiles helps put them in the spotlight and goes some way to highlighting this diversity, and just how much we have to lose. As well as controlling rats, mosquitoes and other pests, reptiles deliver many other benefits. “They help spread seeds, especially in island environments,” said researcher Hoffmann. “We’ve also achieved many medical advances from studies of reptiles.”
The results of the study are not all doom and gloom. Scientists have found, surprisingly, that if they set out to protect places where threatened birds, mammals and amphibians (两栖动物) live together, they’ll meanwhile protect many more threatened reptiles.
1．Which is the main concern raised by the new study?| A．The overpopulation of reptiles. | B．The loss of reptiles. |
| C．The sharp increase in reptile species. | D．The disastrous influence of reptiles on nature. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Their benefits. | B．Their habitats. |
| C．Their living habits. | D．Their health problems. |
| A．Disappointing. | B．Odd. | C．Satisfactory. | D．Amazing. |
Sarah was not an early riser. But what made the annoying early morning hours bearable was the comforting smell of fresh coffee floating in the air. Her favorite coffee shop was just a few minutes away from her apartment.
One sunny morning, Sarah rushed to get dressed. Having a job interview, she felt anxious, afraid to be late. She grabbed her car key, dashed out of the door and made her way to her familiar coffee shop as usual. As she joined the line of cars at the drive-through, the smell of roasted coffee beans and the thought of the first taste of coffee were her little daily luxury. The line inched forward, and soon, Sarah found herself at the drive-through window. She reached for her purse to pay, but before she could hand over her credit card, the coffee shop assistant smiled and said, “Your coffee has been covered by the car ahead of you.” Sarah was taken aback. “Really?” she asked, feeling astonished and grateful. The assistant nodded. The unexpected act of kindness put a smile on her face, making her upcoming interview feel a little relaxing.
As she exited the drive-through, Sarah glanced in her rear view mirror (后视镜) at the next car approaching the coffee shop window. An idea began to come into her mind. Maybe she could do the same and brighten someone else’s morning. She decided to return to the coffee shop. Inside, she approached the cashier and said, “I’d like to pay for the coffee of the person in the car behind me.” The assistant smiled and nodded again.
As Sarah eventually left the coffee shop, Sarah couldn’t help but wonder how the next driver would react. A wave of satisfaction washed over Sarah as she witnessed the continuation of the coffee chain. She knew she had just initiated a chain of generosity and kindness.
1．What can we learn about Sarah from the first two paragraphs?| A．She led a life of luxury. | B．She used to get up early. |
| C．She was nervous about the interview. | D．She was new to the coffee shop. |
| A．To find out who paid for her coffee. | B．To order herself another cup of coffee. |
| C．To see what was exactly happening there. | D．To buy coffee for the driver behind her. |
| A．Ambitious. | B．Content. | C．Awkward. | D．Suspicious. |
| A．A chain of coffee shops. | B．An unforgettable interview. |
| C．The kindness from an assistant. | D．The power of paying it forward. |
| A．By train and by car． | B．By train and by bus． | C．By plane and by coach． |
| A．Liverpool． | B．London． | C．Brighton． |
| A．In the canteen． |
| B．In the Common Room． |
| C．In Room 501． |
| A．A teacher． | B．A new student． | C．The man’s mother． |
| A．He was hit by a taxi. |
| B．He hurt his head. |
| C．He fell ill with heart trouble. |
| A．She called the doctor. |
| B．She checked Tom carefully. |
| C．She took Tom to the hospital. |
Dressed in a kachhad, a traditional Nepalese clothes, Umesh Balal walked into his meetings at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) on climate change in Dubai with a sense of determination.
Balal, who has physical disability, was there to publicly
As a student, Balal was
The more Balan
And it is even harder for people with
In an interview, Balan said, “
| A．control | B．achieve | C．support | D．measure |
| A．ignored | B．studied | C．respected | D．issued |
| A．anxious | B．particular | C．worried | D．curious |
| A．sold | B．lent | C．introduced | D．awarded |
| A．brought | B．knew | C．complained | D．quarreled |
| A．affected | B．prepared | C．organized | D．admitted |
| A．devoted | B．changed | C．limited | D．helped |
| A．comparing with | B．coping with | C．differing from | D．resulting from |
| A．warmer | B．cleaner | C．poorer | D．quieter |
| A．confidence | B．calmness | C．honesty | D．crisis |
| A．rights | B．disabilities | C．degrees | D．advertisements |
| A．objection | B．attention | C．access | D．gratitude |
| A．Fortunately | B．Secretly | C．Similarly | D．Naturally |
| A．forced | B．ordered | C．warned | D．allowed |
| A．occupy | B．want | C．cheer | D．blame |
The Most Impressive Chinese Virtue
An exhibition titled “Symbiosis of the Chinese Zodiac (生肖)” opened at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama on Dec.19 and would run until Jan.20.
Sally Huang,
The exhibition was included in the project Painting Our Canals (运河), which
The lead institution applying for the project was Beijing Normal University,
The opening ceremony was joined by representatives from both countries, such as the Chinese ambassador to Panama and the vice-minister of culture in Panama.
The ambassador expressed some
First-year college students often are expected or required to live in dormitories. In the rest years, it’s usually up to those students to decide whether to live on or off campus.
But some schools don’t provide an option and require four years of on-campus living for full-time students. Living on campus has been shown to increase retention (保留) and attendance rates among freshman and second-year students, according to a 2021 report. There are exceptions, however. At some colleges, students may be freed from the requirement if they are, for instance, commuters (通勤生), fifth-year seniors, at least 23 years of age or legally married.
Residential housing at colleges is not limited to shared rooms and bathrooms. Alternatives include flats, apartments, Greek houses or living-learning communities for students with shared interests. On-campus students also have access to services and resources such as residence life staff who can help if a housing issue arises. When students live in a community, they are forced to live with different people, learn more about themselves and about the others, and tell each other their stories.
On the other hand, off-campus living provides students with more independence, as they are not constrained by school housing policies. Off-campus students gain more real-world experience in areas like paying their own bills, finding renter’s insurance, cooking their own meals and negotiating or reviewing contracts. If students are choosing to live off campus, they should really think it through and talk to someone that lived off campus. Do their homework and look at all the costs before they make that decision. Make sure, too, that they are choosing people that they can live with.
At first glance, off-campus housing can appear less expensive. But the additional expenses outside of rent — like utilities, groceries, Internet access, cable and furniture — are often overlooked. To reduce off-campus costs, some students choose to overpack houses or apartments, sometimes with four or five people in a two-bedroom house. Unlike off-campus housing, the total cost of living on campus is typically all-inclusive, coveting rent, utilities, furniture, Wi-Fi and a meal plan.
1．Why do some colleges require all the students to live on campus?| A．To keep them stay longer on campus for classes. |
| B．To make sure all students can live in shared rooms. |
| C．To make as much profit as possible for the colleges. |
| D．To monitor all of their students as easily as possible. |
| A．They should find someone to take care of them. |
| B．They should fully develop the ability to live alone. |
| C．They should learn all aspects of off-campus living. |
| D．They should seek accommodation through an agent. |
| A．Overlook. | B．Overconsume. | C．Overestimate. | D．Overload. |
| A．Residential Housing At Different Colleges |
| B．Choice Between Housing On Or Off Campus |
| C．Accommodation Situation For College Students |
| D．Different Living Experience On Or Off Campus |
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