Ridley Scott’s famous war film “Napoleon (拿破仑)” is a series of successful battles looking for a better movie to connect them. Once again, Scott’s craftsmanship (技艺) is on show here, but it’s in service of a deeply shallow screenplay. A great actor is reduced to a ghostly presence in the middle of the movie, and his partner, the character who needs to give the film a beating heart, comes off as flat and hollow.
One of the problems is that the film script tries to put a lot of life into the running time of a single film. Naturally, it opens during the French Revolution, as Napoleon climbs up the political ladder of France with his war talents above all else.
Another part of the problem is that Kirby, the leading actress never really understands what to play with Josephine, a mysterious celebrity (名人) who becomes too much of a mirror for Napoleon. She couldn’t give Napoleon a son, which resulted in their break-up.
Was Napoleon the kind of world leader whose own unsafety resulted in killings we have seen in history? That’s here in a few places, but Scott is uninterested in making any sort of statement about Napoleon or men like him. A very just-the-facts approach of “Napoleon” is incredibly disappointing for a filmmaker who usually finds so much depth in the stories he tells. Worst of all, by the time “Napoleon” gets to Waterloo, we don’t know much more about the main character than we did when we came in. That’s a problem.
Having said that, the wonderful war scenes in “Napoleon” may be enough to prove its existence for fans of historical war films. Whether its bloodied bodies breaking through ice or waves of soldiers rushing into battle, “Napoleon” has some fantastic battle scenes. Maybe the point is that Napoleon Bonaparte was only truly alive when surrounded by so much death.
1．How do you understand the underlined word “hollow” in Paragraph 1?| A．Solid. | B．Deep. | C．Empty. | D．Smooth. |
| A．The film successfully covers Napoleon’s whole life. |
| B．Kirby has a good understanding of how to play Josephine. |
| C．People couldn’t know Napoleon better through this film. |
| D．There are some outstanding features of “Napoleon”. |
| A．The successful battle scenes in “Napoleon”. |
| B．The achievements of Napoleon Bonaparte. |
| C．The wars Napoleon Bonaparte fighting in. |
| D．The reason for Napoleon Bonaparte’s aliveness. |
| A．A news report. | B．A film review. |
| C．A historical document. | D．A science fiction. |
Consider what your goals are. Do you want to gain experience for or try out a future career path, do something you enjoy, or simply make money for future college expenses?
You also should consider your specific state’s labor laws. This will help you determine age limits as well as the number of hours you can expect to work per week.
It’s also important to consider the requirements or experience needed for the position as well as the location and schedule. Aside from typical part-time jobs like working as a barista (咖啡馆服务员), delivering pizzas, serving in a restaurant, or working for a fast-food chain, here are some other part-time job ideas for teens: Babysitter, Catering staff, Grocery store stocker or cashier, Receptionist or customer service representative, etc.
When determining whether or not a part-time job is right for you, it can help to weigh the pros and cons before making a final decision. You also should consider your personality as well as your existing time commitments.
Pros | Cons |
Learn to manage money | Have less time for studying |
Gain experience | View workplace negatively |
Have less time for risk-taking | Interfere with activities |
Build life skills | Might create stress |
Acquire work skills | May lead to drug abuse (滥用) |
Signs a Teen Is Ready for a Job
Aside from having the time and the drive to find part-time employment, there are some additional characteristics that may indicatethat you are ready for a job as a teenager:
*Good time management skills;
* Strong communication skills;
* Sense of commitment and good follow through;
*Willingness to be a team player.
1．What can we learn from the text about seeking a part-time job?| A．You needn’t keep your purpose in mind. |
| B．You shouldn’t ignore the law. |
| C．You don’t have to notice the requirements. |
| D．You can’t rely on your experience. |
| A．have some risky life experience |
| B．gain more skills for future living |
| C．taste the pressure of life earlier |
| D．consume less time on school work |
| A．Arriving late for school activities frequently. |
| B．Being nervous about communicating with others. |
| C．Struggling to follow through on projects. |
| D．Being able to work together with others. |
It was a warm Sunday. 16-year-old Stella settled down with a book, enjoying her quiet moment when her friend Bog came over with his 6-year-old sister. “Stella, please! I need you to help to watch Hazel! I have a lecture to attend this afternoon,” Bog begged.
Stella frowned, not thrilled with the idea of babysitting a little girl. However, Bog didn’t offer her any other choice. He dropped Hazel off with Stella and quickly ran away before she could react.
With a heavy sigh, Stella unwillingly turned her attention to Hazel. “Fine, just stay there and don’t cause any trouble,” she grumbled (嘟囔). To her surprise, little Hazel smiled and obediently sat by the table, drawing quietly without making a single noise.
For the next hour, Stella was quietly engaged in reading without being disturbed by Hazel. Gradually, her annoyance disappeared and she got accustomed to the company of Hazel. After a while, Hazel cautiously approached Stella, holding a picture. “Look, it’s you and me,” she said in a low voice. It was a simple drawing of two girls, hand in hand, smiling.
Stella’s heart softened as she looked at the drawing. She felt guilty about treating Hazel impatiently. Setting her book aside, Stella smiled warmly and said, “I love it. Thank you!” Then Stella began to join Hazel to create it together.
Just as they were lost in a world of colors, a sudden phone ringing broke the warm atmosphere. It was a phone call from her friend, reminding her about the long-awaited plan to go skating on the ice rink (溜冰场). Stella’s heart sank because she had forgotten all about it. She was torn between the desire to go skating and her duty to look after Hazel. She was also worried that taking her to skate would prevent her from enjoying gliding (滑) freely on the ice.
As Stella hesitated, Hazel looked up at her with hopeful eyes.
Hazel admiringly watched Stella and her friends gliding on the ice.
I’m Li Hua, a student of Class 1.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
China Post recently issued a special collection of stamps featuring Pingyao, an ancient city in Shanxi Province, to mark its 26th anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The special stamp collection, which
Each stamp in the collection is a window into the world of Pingyao,
The souvenir sheet accompanying the stamps is a masterpiece in
As stamp collectors and history enthusiasts explore these stamps, they are invited to appreciate the architectural wonders and urban planning,
When I first built my website 3 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing.
Naturally, I went to various websites and blogs for
Later, I noticed the
As a kid, I was too thin. As an athlete, I needed to get stronger. So I spent hours designing the right combination of exercises. But when I
I
From
| A．attention | B．relaxation | C．inspiration | D．recognition |
| A．familiar | B．essential | C．similar | D．special |
| A．abandoned | B．tested | C．copied | D．imagined |
| A．temporary | B．harmful | C．serious | D．positive |
| A．trapped | B．disappointed | C．absorbed | D．uninterested |
| A．simpler | B．richer | C．cheaper | D．faster |
| A．impact | B．limit | C．fault | D．purpose |
| A．finally | B．gradually | C．obviously | D．barely |
| A．adding | B．achieving | C．admiring | D．avoiding |
| A．carried on | B．gave up | C．took out | D．set down |
| A．blow | B．gap | C．drop | D．rise |
| A．websites | B．comments | C．articles | D．features |
| A．making | B．removing | C．facing | D．accepting |
| A．responds | B．appeals | C．applies | D．objects |
| A．turn off | B．put off | C．cross off | D．show off |
How to give effective feedback (反馈)
In the ever-evolving landscape of personal and professional growth, feedback serves as a compass (指南针) guiding our journey towards improvement.
Lay stress on behavior, not personality. Your feedback should target how they act, what effects it has on you or how it makes you feel. Remember that you are making no comment on what type of person they are, or what they believe or value.
Focus on improvement rather than criticism. It is expressed in a manner that encourages growth and avoids being negative. To take it a step further, it also provides suggestions for change.
Offering effective feedback to others is a win-win act.
| A．Be timely and specific. |
| B．Adopt a tolerant attitude. |
| C．It’s just like sharing a pizza with a friend. |
| D．So giving feedback is like making sandwiches. |
| E．But you can get better at it after reading the principles. |
| F．However, it can be difficult to give feedback effectively. |
| G．This reduces the risk of making the receiver feel attacked. |
Soda bottles and sour cream containers—these plastics typically arrive at recycling plants mixed together in the same bin. But because they are made of different monomers (单体), they must be sorted into different streams before they can be melted to make new products.
“Until about a year ago, everybody thought the only thing you could do is take a plastic, break it back down to a monomer and then re-form it,” says Sanat Kumar, a chemical engineer at Columbia University. To seek new solutions to old recycling problems, his team had to solve a fundamental chemical difficulty: when different plastics are melted together, their various monomers tend to separate from one another. They have developed a process that allows different kinds of plastic to be recycled together. Their findings, reported recently in Nature, could give new life to many items that end up in landfills.
The new process solves this problem by adding chemicals called universal dynamic cross-linkers (交联剂) to the mix. Just as soap brings together oil and water, which creates a bridge, allowing the oil and water to mix together and form a stable liquid, these cross-linkers(when applied under heat)form covalent molecular bonds (共价键) that attach the diverse monomers together. These materials can then be melted and remade again and again because the cross-linkers can break and re-form their bonds.
The researchers hope the technique could eventually help handle more plastic waste—but it’s not yet cheap enough to be widely used at existing recycling facilities. Still, Kumar wishes it would be one way to help recyclers address the plastic waste crisis. “The plastics problem is huge,” he says, “and you’re going to have to look for multiple solutions.”
1．The difficulty of recycling different plastics together lies in how to ________.| A．re-form them more quickly |
| B．prevent various monomers being apart |
| C．break them down thoroughly |
| D．separate various monomers successfully |
| A．By listing facts. |
| B．By quoting a report. |
| C．By providing examples. |
| D．By making a comparison. |
| A．It still needs some improvement. |
| B．It will solve the plastics problem. |
| C．It has already gained great popularity. |
| D．It has been affordable for most plants. |
| A．Monomers Are Still Important for Plastics Recycling |
| B．The Use of Cross-linkers Outperformed Other Chemicals. |
| C．Multiple Solutions Are Needed for Mixed-Plastics Recycling |
| D．New Chemical Process Offers Hope for Mixed-Plastics Recycling |
Authors are upset after tech companies started using their books to train artificial intelligence without letting them know or seeking their permission. They worry about copyright and loss of income, among other issues.
According to CNN, the system is called Books3, and according to an investigation by The Atlantic, the system is based on a collection of pirated (盗版的) e-books including all genres, from fiction to poetry. Books help generative AI systems with learning how to communicate information.
The Atlantic article notes that some of the text that’s training AI on how to use language is taken from Wikipedia and other websites. But high-quality generative AI requires higher-quality input than what is usually found on the internet — that is, it requires the kind found in books.
Many authors apparently don’t view the use of their books to train artificial intelligence as an honor. Rather, it’s a shortcut that robs them of their due, they say. CNN reported that Nora Roberts, who writes romantic novels, has 206 books in the database — “second only to William Shakespeare.” “The database is all kinds of wrong. We are human beings, we are writers and we are being exploited by people who want to use our work, without permission or compensation (赔偿金), to ‘write’ books, scripts, essays because it’s cheap and easy, ” she said in a statement to CNN.
Not everyone is upset, however, by use of their work to train AI. Ian Bogost, author of some popular books, wrote a column for The Atlantic. Bogost claims that successful art is beyond its creator’s plans, noting that an author cannot accurately predict a book’s audience. “To complain this unexpected use for my writing is to decline all of the other unpredictable uses for it. Speaking as a writer, that makes me feel bad.”
1．What contributes to some authors’ dissatisfaction with Books3?| A．It is unable to train AI. |
| B．It uses their works illegally. |
| C．It fails to improve their income. |
| D．It sells books without permission. |
| A．The reason it was created. |
| B．The high quality it possesses. |
| C．The benefit it has brought. |
| D．The bond it has with Wikipedia. |
| A．Made fun of. | B．Caught up with. |
| C．Taken advantage of. | D．Looked down upon. |
| A．It’s necessary to predict a book’s audience. |
| B．Being involved in Books3 is hardly an honor. |
| C．Good art should be limited to creators’ plans. |
| D．It’s acceptable for books to be used to train AI. |
I always listen to my local public radio station while I’m driving. My focus often changes as I stare out at the road ahead. But I became fully attentive on a recent morning once I realized the entire newscast was dedicated to local wildlife.
There was something about the pack of some 30 to 50 javelinas (野猪) that ruined a golf course near Sedona, Arizona, followed by talk of the recent sighting of a jaguar (美洲虎), a species that ranged across Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, until construction of the border wall blocked the way. Finally, there was an update on Mexican wolf reintroduction efforts in New Mexico and Arizona. The results were mixed: Nine of the wolves had died or been killed recently.
As I sat in my car, listening to the news, I felt helpless, even mournful. What would it take for most of us to understand that the javelinas’ behavior on that heavily irrigated golf course in the desert was a sign that maybe the course shouldn’t be in the desert to begin with? The way I saw it, the javelinas weren’t invading (入侵) the site; they were reclaiming it. After all, the javelinas’ needs—for food and space—are more basic than a few privileged humans’ desire to play golf.
As for the Arizona Mexican wolf pup reintroduction effort that I heard about in the news, for the past 25 years, scientists have been working hard to restore the native wolf population, and yet are unable to remove its greatest threat. Today, almost 250 Mexican wolves are believed to be in the wild, and every year, humans illegally kill one out of ten. The wolf recovery effort is necessary, but it’s extremely difficult because we humans keep getting in the way.
I need to tackle my helplessness, because helplessness leads to no longer wanting to take care of what matters most. Therefore, I think that it must be a good sign that my local news now regularly covers the challenges of coexistence and possible solutions to our problems. That’s progress and fuels my hope.
1．What is the morning news about?| A．Dangers of local wildlife. |
| B．Efforts to reintroduce wildlife. |
| C．Issues of human-wildlife coexistence. |
| D．Distribution of wildlife around the world. |
| A．To meet basic needs. |
| B．To protect the desert. |
| C．To oppose golf playing. |
| D．To attack human beings. |
| A．They are bound to go extinct. |
| B．Humans threaten their survival. |
| C．Their number has greatly increased. |
| D．10% of them have been reintroduced. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Negative. |
| C．Optimistic. | D．Indifferent. |
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