Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) will soon test a new oven for making chocolate chip cookies. A spaceship carrying the cooking equipment and other supplies was launched on Saturday from the Wallops Flight Facility in the United States. The shipment, weighing 3,700 kilograms, reached the space station on Monday. The goal is to explore the possibility of making freshly baked cookies for space travelers.
American company Nanoracks designed and built the oven and helped with organizing the flight to the space station. Hilton Double Tree hotels supplied the cookie dough (生面团) the astronauts will use.
In the past, space station crews have created their own pizzas using a thin, fiat piece of bread known as flatbread. Astronauts have tried other creative ways to make food, such as creating salads from vegetables grown in the space station. Results have been mixed.
The cookie baking will be a slow process. The oven can heat just one cookie at a time. The test could take weeks before the astronauts have chance to try out freshly baked cookies.
Five unbaked cookies have been in a space station freezer for several weeks. Each is in its own individual clear bag made out of silicone. The oven can heat foods to temperatures as high as 177°C. That is twice the temperature of the U.S. and Russian food warmers on the space station. The oven uses electric heating elements.
Mary Murphy is with Nanoracks. Murphy says she expects a baking time of 15 to 20 minutes for each cookie when the oven is heated to about 163°C. She adds that the smell of baking cookies should fill the space station each time a cookie comes out of the oven.
The oven’s first use will be the real test. Without the force of gravity, the astronauts do not know exactly how the cookie will look. Three of the space-baked cookies are to be returned to Earth for testing.
1．Why were the cooking equipment and other supplies sent to ISS?| A．To promote the products from Hilton Double Tree hotels. |
| B．To find possible ways to make freshly baked cookies there. |
| C．To test the equipment’s cooking efficiency for of baking cookies. |
| D．To discover the potential of making bread by using a special dough. |
| A．They must be heated to over 177℃. |
| B．They were no different from those on the earth. |
| C．All the foods were brought with them from the earth. |
| D．Not all the planting experiments on ISS were successful. |
| A．Environmental-friendly. | B．Energy-efficient. |
| C．Far-reaching. | D．Time-consuming. |
| A．A newly-invented cooker is widely used on ISS. |
| B．A new oven is to be tested to make cookies on ISS. |
| C．Dessert-lovers will soon enjoy cookies coming from ISS. |
| D．Astronauts have found creative ways to make food on ISS. |
Two years ago, my 11-year-old son sat me down for a talk. “Mom, it’s time.” he said. “Hear me out: It’s time we got actual TV. And you need an iPhone.”
This funny conversation two years ago marked a shift in our relationship. Perhaps for the first time, I began to really listen to my son’s opinion about our home technology. Since his reasoning was sensible and his suggestions within budget, I took his advice and was pleasantly surprised with the results.
I’d known for a while that my son understands technology better than I do. On airplanes, he grabbed my phone to put it in airplane mode. He wired the speakers in our house. After something was stolen from our front yard, he picked out, set up, and now monitors our security camera. When my computer died. I took him shopping with me.
As a teenager now, he has a busy social life, with skateboarding, basketball, and online gaming with his friends. I see our time together decreasing and our shared interests shrinking. That’s why I jumped at the chance when a friend mentioned writing technology reviews. I’m a writer, but I’d need a partner who has more tech knowledge than me. When I presented the idea to my teen, he immediately accepted
It’s changed our relationship in surprising ways. Where he used to get annoyed quickly at my technical ignorance, he’s learned to be more patient and explain things to me in a way that I can convey to an unknowing audience. The parent-child dynamic is not only changed; it’s even slightly reversed—he’s leading me. I’m asking him for help and advice. My son has risen to the occasion. He’s taking it seriously, and to watch him mature in this way is an honor. As someone who’s not much of a reader, he now searches instruction book. Without any prompting, he’s even emailed and called, yes, made an actual phone call to customer service or tech support when sample products weren’t working as expected.
I never imagined being a tech reviewer, but it’s proved to be a valuable way to learn from, work with and enjoy time with my teen.
1．What did the writer think of her son’s advice?| A．It was unaffordable. | B．It was beyond reach. |
| C．It sounded reasonable. | D．It sounded surprising. |
| A．Prove her son’s better mastery of technology. |
| B．Describe their close parent-child relationship. |
| C．Give examples of her son’s interest in airplanes. |
| D．Express her satisfaction of her son’s timely help. |
| A．Unrealistic. | B．Opposite. | C．Negative. | D．Common. |
| A．Her son’s patience with their relationship. |
| B．Her son’s attitudes to some unknown audiences. |
| C．Her son’s growth and serious attitude to the work. |
| D．Her son’s desire to change the parent-child dynamic. |
A rising star from Virginia has secured the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” for his groundbreaking creation — a bar of soap designed to battle against skin cancer. At just 14 years old, Heman Bekele emerged as the victor of the 2023 Young Scientist Challenge, standing out among the ten finalists with his innovative creation known as the Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS).
Bekele’s brilliant concept centers on the development of a soap that is not only affordable, but also has the potential to reactivate the body’s natural defenders of the skin to stop skin cancer. In Bekele’s own words, “Curing cancer, one bar of soap at a time. ”He always has endless passion for biology and technology, and the Young Scientist Challenge just provided him with the perfect platform to display his ideas. Reflecting on his inspiration, Bekele shared that his childhood played a significant role in shaping his innovative thinking. Having witnessed people work tirelessly under the sun, he couldn’t help but wonder how many were aware of the risks associated with constant sun exposure.
“I wanted to make my idea not only scientifically exceptional but also accessible to a broad audience,” Bekele expressed during an interview with the media. He received invaluable guidance from Deborah Isabelle, a product engineering specialist, who connected him with other scientists to aid him in reaching his ambitious plans.
During his presentation, Bekele passionately expressed his vision of turning the soap into “a symbol of hope, accessibility, and a world where skin cancer treatment is within reach for all.”
Over the coming five years, Bekele longs to perfect his invention and establish a nonprofit organization devoted to distributing his innovative creation to more places including undeveloped communities, offering hope and a practical solution in the fight against skin cancer.
1．What made Bekele an instant hit?| A．Starting a soap fashion. | B．Overcoming skin cancer. |
| C．Being the youngest scientist. | D．Creating a soap against skin cancer. |
| A．His concern for others. | B．His adventure in childhood. |
| C．His enthusiasm for technology. | D．His interest in medical knowledge. |
| A．Obtain official approval. | B．Visit undeveloped areas. |
| C．Increase the availability of the soap. | D．Update the facilities of production. |
| A．Inspiring and modest. | B．Humorous and positive. |
| C．Creative and considerate. | D．Curious and independent. |
In the animal world, speed is king. Fast animals have a leg up in outrunning other animals, which puts them high on the food chain. It would seem that all animals would go for speed, but then there’s the sloth (树懒). While a lion can go from 0 to 60 miles an hour in only five seconds, it takes a sloth all day to cover no more than 50 meters.
Sloths live entirely in trees on a diet of leaves. And for this, they are extremely rare. While most of the land world is covered in trees, there are very few vertebrates (脊椎动物) that call the tree home. The aim of a 2016 study, says Jonathan Pauli, a University of Alabama professor of forest and wildlife ecology, was to help uncover why sloths are indeed so unique. “Among vertebrates, this is the rarest of lifestyles”, says Pauli. “When you picture animals that live off plant leaves, they are almost all big-things like deer. What’s super interesting about sloths is that they can’t be big.”
For their research, Pauli and his Wisconsin team studied wild sloths at a field site. When the researchers measured the energy use of sloths, they found a wildly low burning of as little as 110 calories of energy a day. And for this, they take the cake: it is the lowest measured energetic output for any mammal (哺乳动物).
“The measurement was intended to find out what it cost sloths to live over a day,”says Pauli, who adds that a diet of little but leaves lacks nutritional value and the animal’s small size doesn’t allow for overeating-so sloths need to find ways to make the most of their diets, which means using tiny amounts of energy, dramatic control of body temperature and living at an extremely slow pace.
Their reward? A wonderfully widespread ecological system to call their own, one slow inch at a time.
1．Why is a lion mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To admire lions’ speed. | B．To state sloths’ weakness. |
| C．To confirm lions’ lead position. | D．To highlight sloths’ uniqueness. |
| A．The lifestyle of sloths. | B．The diet of vertebrates. |
| C．The species of rare animals. | D．The energy use of creatures. |
| A．Break down. | B．Keep on. | C．Stand out. | D．Grow up. |
| A．Their slow pace is a balanced choice. |
| B．They are in face of possible extinction. |
| C．Their slow pace decides a tiny appetite. |
| D．They suffer a lot against natural enemies. |
From the day we’re born, curiosity becomes a primary driving force that motivates us to explore unknown ideas and territories in search of answers and stimulations. Human beings have an inborn desire to close the “curiosity gap” every day.
A recent study found that curiosity can be a highly effective way to lead people to make smarter and healthier lifestyle choices. Evan Polman, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said, “Our research shows that fueling people’s curiosity can influence their choices by turning them away from inviting desires, like unhealthy foods or taking the elevator, and toward less inviting but healthier options, such as buying more fresh produce or taking the stairs.”
To prove the positive potential of the curiosity gap, Polman and his team conducted a series of experiments designed to test how curiosity affected the choices people made positively. In each study, arousing curiosity resulted in noticeable behavior change. For example, in one of the experiments, Polman increased the number of participants who chose to watch a video of academic nature by promising that they would reveal the secret behind a magic trick at the end of the video.
The results of the field studies on curiosity were particularly convincing to Polman. In one field study, the researchers created a 10 percent increase in the use of stairs in a university building by posting trivial (琐事) questions near the elevators and posting the answers in the stairwell. In another, they increased the purchase of fresh produce by placing a joke on the posters describing the fruit or vegetable.
Polman was surprised by the degree that taking advantage of the curiosity gap could motivate people to automatically make healthier lifestyle choices. He concluded, “Our results suggest that using interventions based on curiosity gaps has the potential to increase participation in desired behaviors for which people often lack motivation. It also provides new evidence that curiosity-based interventions come at an incredibly small cost and could help push people toward a variety of positive actions. ”
1．What did a recent study find about curiosity?| A．It fuels people’s desires. | B．It lowers people’s buying. |
| C．It benefits people’s health. | D．It determines people’s lives. |
| A．Supporting a finding. | B．Raising a research topic. |
| C．Arousing scientists’ interest. | D．Displaying negative evidence. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Unclear. | C．Approving. | D．Dismissive. |
| A．How to stay curious | B．The magic of curiosity |
| C．How to make health choices | D．The two sides of curiosity gap |
The brain is often seen as the most important organ of us humans. It controls our thoughts, emotions, memories and even our movements. However, what many people often forget is that the brain and the body are closely connected.
Studies have shown that regular exercise can significantly improve cognitive functions such as memory, attention and problem-solving abilities.
Exercise increases the production of proteins that promote the growth and survival of neurons (神经元), thus ensuring better brain functions. Moreover, exercise has a positive impact on mood and mental well-being. It helps release some natural mood boosters that make us feel more positive and happy.
As for the exercise varieties, it’s not just about aerobic(有氧的) exercises like running or cycling.
| A．It even strengthens creativity. |
| B．Actually the body deeply affects the brain. |
| C．The brain also has great impacts on exercise. |
| D．An exercise lover is unlikely to suffer depression. |
| E．Walking and jogging do good to mental functions too. |
| F．Strength training has also been shown to benefit the brain. |
| G．The links between the brain and the body cannot be overstated. |
Grand Canal is one of the great engineering wonders built by ancient Chinese. “It bears witness
In ancient times, the Grand Canal
Grand Canal had inspired the name of Chenchen, one of the three mascots (吉祥物) of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou. Chenchen, coming from the Gongchen Bridge,
The Hangzhou section of the canal covers
Visitors
A Firefighting Drill
At the beginning of this year, my daughter Helen spent a month in the hospital fighting for her life. Since then, she has had to deal with the disease as well as many side effects. She has met each challenge, disappointment and setback with courage.
With her 16th birthday approaching, Helen dreamt of a party and campfire at the beach with friends, relatives, and her beloved dog, Ginger. It took a while, but I finally found a good beach that allowed dogs and campfires and had easy access. However, a week before her party, Helen’s disease worsened.
Our friend Ian called the night before the party and turned our plans upside down. The small beach we’d selected and the surrounding beaches would host a 30, 000-person event on the party night and would be closed. It was a disaster because we had researched no other nearby beach would work.
Helen had her heart set on having her dog and a campfire at the beach, but as usual, she didn’t complain. In her young life, she’s dealt with much worse things than a destroyed birthday party. She sat down and began to quietly cry. After a while Helen decided she’d rather have the party at our home so she could have her dog and a campfire. We called the invitees with the changed plans.
How to design a party at home with dogs and campfire was a challenge. It occurred to us that we could make full use of our yard. Ian’s wife Jayme came first with some small signs, which read: “Welcome to Campbell Beach, where dogs and campfires are welcome. Where the beach is small and the waves are so far away, you must close your eyes to see them, but not so the love for Helen and her little dog. Happy Birthday, Helen!”
An hour later, Ian arrived with a loaded truck.
Helen and her friends couldn’t wait to play on the sand.
Why Boundaries at Work Are Essential
What is a boundary, you ask? A boundary is a limit defining you in relation to someone or something.
Letting co-workers know you are not comfortable shaking their hands or hugging them at a holiday party, especially with Covid at this time, is another example of setting a physical boundary. It is often easier to understand a physical boundary. Emotional or mental boundaries may be subtler (更微妙的).
Emotional boundaries are related to our feelings and how something or someone’s behavior affects us. For example, if a boss treats you disrespectfully by yelling at you or a colleague frequently interrupts you in meetings, you are likely to feel hurt, embarrassed, and perhaps angry. Understandably, by having a courageous conversation with both your boss and co-worker about their behavior, the impact it has on you, and your expectations regarding future behavior, you are setting healthy emotional boundaries for yourself at work.
Sometimes we set a boundary that is a combination of both a physical and emotional one.
Mental boundaries are related to our beliefs, values, cultural norms, ethics (道德), and standards. For example, you value a workplace culture that treats employees and clients with respect and dignity and acts ethically. After six months, you realize that company leaders are repeatedly behaving in ways not consistent with this.
| A．Why are boundaries important? |
| B．However, they are equally, if not more, important. |
| C．Therefore, we need to tell the difference between them. |
| D．Setting a boundary in the above example may be quite helpful. |
| E．Boundaries can be physical, mental, emotional, tangible, or intangible. |
| F．Your values and ethical standards don’t match with your company’s, which likely will lead to internal conflict. |
| G．Such boundaries often involve being asked to do more than we feel capable of for an extended period of time. |
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