A New Shaoxing Opera Show Has a Modern Twist
In a
Six actresses, playing roles from a spirited landlady to skilled swordsmen, spies, and soldiers, deliver a fascinating show
The performers
Animal rescue workers often come up with various ways to get their dogs noticed by potential adopters. Happily Forever After Rescue is no different. Their recent idea is so
It all started when a 7-year-old dog was discovered
Van Gogh was brought to the
After Van Gogh completed ten
| A．clear | B．strange | C．simple | D．creative |
| A．playing | B．wandering | C．hiding | D．drawing |
| A．used | B．blamed | C．arrested | D．supported |
| A．kept | B．covered | C．adjusted | D．removed |
| A．promised | B．earned | C．offered | D．awarded |
| A．gallery | B．station | C．stage | D．shelter |
| A．handed in | B．took over | C．paid off | D．focused on |
| A．produced | B．delivered | C．spread | D．smelled |
| A．digital | B．abstract | C．literary | D．local |
| A．applications | B．adventures | C．masterpieces | D．surveys |
| A．ready | B．happy | C．necessary | D．sorry |
| A．tried | B．proved | C．laughed | D．appeared |
| A．trust | B．money | C．effort | D．pressure |
| A．Fortunately | B．Frankly | C．Sadly | D．Suddenly |
| A．strike | B．benefit | C．satisfy | D．disturb |
How to Stop Failing in Keeping Your New Year’s Resolution(决心)
We have an embarrassing confession: Our New Year’s resolutions for 2024 are nearly identical to those we made for 2023.
But a few weeks in, as January’s cold changed into the warmer days of February, we seemed to have largely failed.
Will we suffer the same failure this year? Absolutely not. But how this time?
Look over your notes and determine what items on it are most important to you. Don’t take too long choosing; often it’s the things that come to you straight away that have the most meaning for you personally.
Create “systems”.
Systems are the ways that you carry out a larger goal. You need to break down large goals into smaller actions that can are easier to carry out.
Ask for others’ support on these goals throughout the year.
If possible, team up and visit the gym or shop at the health food store together. Ask them to speak up if you slip and order a Diet Coke instead of a water,
| A．A year ago, we started strong. |
| B．or forget another goal on your list. |
| C．If you make your larger goals too vague, |
| D．Note down what you have done each day. |
| E．Choose one or two attainable larger goals. |
| F．We scrolled the screen late into the evening. |
| G．if you leave out an important goal on the list for no reason, |
Much like the popular TikTok challenge where kids resist eating snacks, cuttlefish can do the same! Cuttlefish can delay gratification(满足)—wait for a better meal rather than be tempted by the one at hand—and those that can wait longest also do better in a learning test, scientists have discovered.
This fascinating report marks the first time a link between self-control and intelligence has been found in an animal other than humans and chimpanzees. It is published this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The research was conducted by lead author Alexandra Schnell of University of Cambridge, at the Marine Biological Laboratory(MBL), Woods Hole.
“We used a slightly-changed version of the Stanford marshmallow(棉花糖) test in the 1970s, where children were given a choice of taking an immediate reward(1 marshmallow) or waiting to earn a delayed but better reward(2 marshmallows),” Schnell says. “Cuttlefish in the present study were all able to wait for the better reward and tolerated delays for up to 50—130 seconds, which is even comparable to what we see in large-brained vertebrates(脊椎动物) such as chimpanzees(黑猩猩), crows, and parrots.” Cuttlefish that could wait longer for a meal also showed better cognitive(认知的) performance in a learning task. In that experiment, cuttlefish were trained to associate a visual cue with a food reward. Then, the situation was the other way round, so the reward became associated with a different cue. “The cuttlefish that were quickest at learning both of those associations were better at keeping self-control.” Schnell says.
Why cuttlefish have evolved this capacity for self-control is a bit mysterious. Delayed gratification in humans is thought to strengthen social bonds between individuals—such as waiting to eat so a partner can eat first—which benefits the species as a whole. But whether it may also be a function of most animals still remains to be further explored.
1．How does the author lead to the topic?| A．By giving an example. | B．By explaining a definition. |
| C．By quoting a famous saying. | D．By introducing a research result. |
| A．The procedures and result of the experiment. |
| B．The amazing evolution of cuttlefish’s brain ability. |
| C．The background and the researchers in the experiment. |
| D．The comparison between the brains of human and cuttlefish. |
| A．Cuttlefish’s delayed gratification is linked to better cognitive performance. |
| B．The researchers later adapted the experiment for a Stanford marshmallow test. |
| C．Previous link between self-control and intelligence has been found in animals. |
| D．Four sea species have been so far confirmed with the ability to delay gratification. |
| A．Cuttlefish: The Impatient Waiter and Quick Hunter |
| B．A Test Challenging Kids: To Eat Now or To Eat Not? |
| C．Large-brained Vertebrates: Better Self Control Leads to More Rewards |
| D．Delayed Gratification: Quick-Learning Cuttlefish Pass “The Marshmallow Test” |
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. |
Every year, young, talented, and ambitious nature conservationists from all over the world shoot their shot for the Future For Nature(FFN)Award, an honorable international award.
Additional Remarks
For the 2024 Future For Nature Award, we are again searching for natural leaders, who have proven that they can make a difference in species’ survival.
From all applications, 6 to 10 nominees(被提名者)will be selected. These applicants will be asked to provide additional information, which will be used to select the final awardees. Ultimately, three inspiring wildlife heroes are selected as the winners.
Application Process: Apply online—click Apply Now link.
Application Deadline: May 1st, 2024.
1．Which is one of the aims of the Future For Nature?| A．To fund more green groups. | B．To inspire future conservation efforts. |
| C．To increase environmental awareness. | D．To advocate further academic education. |
| A．A male is 16 year old now. |
| B．A female who has financed many families. |
| C．A male who has fluency in written English only. |
| D．A female who is committed to continuing her conservation work. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A brochure. | C．A guidebook. | D．A website. |
搜索
