第二部分 阅读（共两节，满分50分）
A
The 2024 "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreigners across the Globe—Calligraphy and Painting Challenge has been officially announced.
This competition invites painting, calligraphy, and Chinese language enthusiasts from all around the world to take part in this exciting event.
Participants are encouraged to submit their creative themes for the contest, with the theme selection process being determined through public nominations.
If you're interested, feel free to submit the theme that you believe fits best with the requirements of the competition.
Here are the requirements:
Who Can Apply
The call for creative themes for the Calligraphy and Painting Challenge is open to any Chinese language enthusiasts worldwide, with no limit to age or nationality.
Submission Dates
Submissions will be accepted from June 15, 2024, to 12:00 PM on June 30, 2024(Beijing Time.)
Announcement Date
The selected theme for the Calligraphy and Painting Challenge will be announced on July 1, 2024, which also marks the official start date of the submission period for works under the selected theme.
Submission Methods
Participants can send their theme and related information to chinesebridge@chineseplus.net. "Chinese Bridge" also accepts direct messages on its official account on Facebook, Instagram, WeChat, and Weibo.
B
Pamela Malhotra has always attached great importance to education. However, life always seemed to "get in the way" every time she tried to finish her bachelor's degree. The single mom was so devoted to working to support her two children that she repeatedly put her own education goals on hold, giving up her college program on two separate occasions over the years.
When he was just five years old, her son Bonifacio Malhotra noticed her struggling to get her degree, and he made a promise to help her. "I remember I just told my mom… one day, it's gonna be you and me," Bonifacio said. "We're going to gain our degrees at the same time." Those words proved to be predictable for the mom-and-son duo, who currently walked across the stage at the university to collect their bachelor's degrees together!
"That promise, he never allowed it to die," said Pamela. "He continuously confirmed that we're gonna do this." Their path to graduation wasn't easy, but Bonifacio stayed true to his promise and helped his mother along the way. The two hold two associate's degrees each, so in the fall of 2021 they registered together in bachelor-level online courses. They both found the classes challenging, but Bonifacio stepped up as the cheerleader his mother needed. "Mom, you've got to keep it going. I know you want to stop. We must keep going," Bonifacio recalled. "The main thing was just trying to get everything lined up and stay on top of all the work."
It took the Malhotras two years to finish their bachelor's degrees, hers in humanities and Bonifacio's in public safety administration. Pamela plans to stay at her job as a coordinator, and Bonifacio has accepted a job at university to help other students succeed in college, too.
Pamela said she was incredibly proud of her son's achievement, and she personally couldn't have reached her lifelong goal without the support of her family, especially him. "Between my son and my daughter, they were my greatest supporter," Pamela proudly said.
C
Towards the end of the 1985 sci-fi classic Back to the Future, the inventor Doc Brown announces "where we're going, we don't need roads as the car lifts into the air". While flying cars aren't yet filling our skies, many are in development. In October the Chinese XPeng X2 successfully completed the first public test flight of its two-seater flying car in Dubai.
The XPeng X2 lifts vertically off the ground using eight propellers (螺旋桨), without the need for a runway, and is therefore suitable for built-up city areas. The vehicle, designed to carry two passengers, is fully electric and its makers say it can rise through the air at around two meters per second and then reach speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. The XPeng X2 is equipped with AI automation — it can be set to self-drive. It learns how to avoid traffic, buildings and people. It does not produce any carbon dioxide emissions during flight and is a step forward in the pursuit of urban green transportation. It is suitable for future low-altitude city flights and is perfect for short-distance city journeys such as sightseeing and medical transportation.
Although the test flight lasted just 90 seconds, according to Dr. Liu, chief aviation specialist at Xpeng Aeroht, the technology is close to being ready for public use, but regulations on flying cars are still some way off. Liu believes that people will be able to use flying cars within limited regulated spaces in just five years. This lines up pretty well with the Chinese government's plan to put flying taxis on the market by
2025. The self-driving function presents further difficulties with regulation and also throws into question public acceptance. Many people are worried about the safety issues around self-driving cars on the ground, let alone vehicles that are flying around above their heads. However, Peng says it is safer for its flying car to be self-driving than to be driven by a human.
There are lots of flying cars in development now around the world and many of them actually fly, like Opener's "BlackFly", SkyDriver's "SD-03''and Klein Vision's "AirCar" — which made a successful 35-minute test flight between two cities in Slovakia in
2021.
D
Researchers at the University of Arizona have been studying the effects of green light therapy on those suffering from migraine (偏头痛). In September, they completed their first clinical study and the results are very encouraging. They found that green light therapy is extremely beneficial to those who suffer from headaches. It not only reduces the intensity of the pain, but it also decreases its frequency by 60 percent, significantly improving patients' quality of life.
According to the Migraine Research Foundation, migraine is the third most common illness in the world, affecting one billion worldwide, including men, women, and children. Additionally, it is the sixth most disabling illness in the world and more than 90 percent of the sufferers are unable to carry on with their normal activities during their sufferings. And when it is actually treated, medication overuse can lead to episodic (偶尔发生的) migraine turning chronic (慢性的).
According to Science Daily, the recent clinical study included 29 patients who suffer from episodic or chronic migraine. They have tried but failed in several traditional therapies including Botox injections and oral medications. In the study, participants spent two hours at home each day staring at a green-light LED. They did this for ten weeks, reporting the number and intensity of headaches they had.
Dr. Patwardhan, co-author of the study, said that the green light discharged by the LED greatly helps those who do not want to take medicine as well as those who do not respond to medications. "The beauty of this approach is the lack of associated side effects," Patwardhan explained. But that's not all. The participants also reported significant improvements in sleep quality and in the ability to perform everyday normal activities such as exercise and work. And none of them reported any side effects.
As the study reveals, green light treatment might be an unprecedented (前所未有的) alternative for migraine sufferers.
第二节（共5小题；每小题2. 5分，满分12. 5分）
You may hear the phrase — dress for success. . But does it matter what you wear for a workout? Listed below are four reasons why you should wear good quality workout clothing.
The Right Athletic Clothing Increases Confidence
The clothing you wear is going to make a difference if you believe it's going to help you perform better. Studies have shown the positive impact of wearing the right clothes for your workplace and this extends to sports and fitness too. . That is to say, if you like what you are wearing at the gym, there is a greater chance you will want to exercise.
Maybe you need a shirt that takes away moisture (水分) from the body so your morning jogs are more comfortable and you can stay out longer. However, a pair of running shoes would not be appropriate on the soccer field. Shoes made for running lack the flexibility and stability required for other sports, thus affecting your performance.
The Right Workout Equipment Adds Protection & Prevents Injuries
You may want a cap to cover your head and protect your face. You might want to use gloves in the gym to protect your hands while using improperly fitted equipment is a major cause of sports-related injuries. .
Well-Fitted Athletic Clothing Improves Freedom of Movement
. A tight shirt can restrict your movement. Even if you are able to swing or make other movements you will be affected if you are aware of the tightness around your body.
A. It will consequently turn pleasing workout into hospital visits
B. Good sports shoes protect your feet
C. Freedom of movement is important in intense sports
D. The Good Clothing Can Aid Possibility in Exercise
E. The Correct Sports Clothing Improves Performance
F. If you know you look great — chances are you will act it out
G. In other words, the clothing you choose influences your performance on the sports field
第三部分 语言运用（共两节，满分30分）
We were silently waiting on the platform in the late afternoon. There he was, my 50-year old 1 with his grey hair and there I was, a teenager girl in my jeans and T-shirt. His aged 2 still clear blue eyes were taking in the scene. I was wondering3 I was going to get through the next two days. "Why did I agree to be with my strange grandpa on a 4 ride from our city to another?" I asked myself.
No one else wanted to be the fellow traveler since my grandfather 5 to take a plane. 6 him, I loved to fly because I wanted to get to the destination as quickly as possible. No matter what anyone told my grandfather about the comfort and safety of flying, he refused to 7 a flight, saying, "It's not just the trip. It's the adventure of getting there. "
With my first step onto the train, the journey was already 8 what I expected. The train was modern and it was filled with 9 travelers. We all smiled and nodded to greet each other.
My grandpa and I seated ourselves in the 10 car. While watching the scenery pass, we could enjoy food and drinks. 11 listening to my music, I became a willing audience and I learned family history that I had never had the time or patience to learn about. I felt I 12 him for the first time. I was 13 for our time together on the train.
In this rapidly changing world, we often 14 important moments. It is necessary for us to 15 and listen to elders who offer a piece of their history or experience.
Life isn't just about the destination; it's about the journey.
第二节（共10小题；每小题1. 5分，满分15分）
Success means different things for different people. Some may equate it with fame, some with wealth and still some with accomplishments. For me, it means (realize ) one's dreams. Whatever your dreams are, you have a goal there and then devote (you) to it. Dreams bring you hope and happiness. In the process of struggling for it, you cry, sweat, complain or even curse, but the joy of harvesting (make) you forget all the pains and troubles you have gone through. So an old proverb says that the (sweet) fruit is one that has undergone the bitterest experience.
There are several keys success. First of all, your goal must be (practice). It is well known that if you set your goal (extreme) high, you will not attain it. Next, you have to make detailed plan of doing it. You can take some (step) to realize it. Since the process is quite tough, you need to be diligent, patient and persevering. Faced with some difficulties or frustrations, you may meet with in the process, don't lose heart. You should repeat over and over that there is nothing you can't overcome. With this will and determination, success is sure to wait for you at the end of the tunnel!
第四部分 （共两节，满分40分）
内容要点如下：
1.表示理解和安慰；
2. 你的建议和理由；
3. 表达祝福。
第二节（满分25分）
I was a bad boy in a village in India. At least I was labeled that way because I had no interest in school or studies. I used bad language, hung around with other "bad" boys, skipped school and ran through the fields. No one thought I would do anything worthwhile with my life. And I'd heard many people in our village talking. "Why bother going to school? These kids end up back on the farms anyway. He'll never amount to anything." My parents and teachers were disappointed with my average marks.
My mother envisioned a different future and knew the value of education to create a better life. By the time I entered the 12th grade, I had taken a good look at myself and realized the life I was creating. The bad boy image troubled me. I didn't believe I was a bad boy. I didn't want to be a bad boy. These realizations forced me to acknowledge that my mother was right — education was my only way out. I worked hard to finish my high school, and then I decided to apply for higher education in university. But this village bad boy faced too many challenges.
Firstly, my family had very limited money. In addition to that, my grades were not good. There was very little chance I'd gain admission to a university. Still, I took a chance and applied. The last day of admissions, I visited the university to check my result. I looked down the list, and there it was, "Parashram J. Patil". Finally, I'd been admitted. Now, it was the last day to pay, so I had to find money to cover my fees.
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。
Para.1 Helpless, I sat outside the department head—Professor Parth's office. Para.2 From then on, things changed. |
