Very Strange Fish! Some fish don't look like fish at all! A few fish might even remind you of animals on the land. Today, we will read about some of the strangest fish in the sea. | |
Seahorse How It looks: A horse-like head, and an S-shaped body. How Big It Is: They can be as small as a finger.
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Electric Eel How It Looks: It has a long, snake-like body that moves through water. How Bit It Is: Big! An electric eel is longer than most adults. Some grow to be 2.5 meters long.
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Porcupine Fish How It Looks: It has a bird-like mouth. Its body is covered with sharp spikes(刺) for protection. How Big It Is: Some grow to be as long as I metre.
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Twenty years ago, Wang Cuifen took her first bite of kale（羽衣甘蓝). The experience still remains fresh in her memory. "It was awful, bitter and even a bit salty," she said. "What could foreigners possibly want with such a terrible vegetable?"
Today, the kale she grows tastes different. "It's sweet, crisp, juicy and has a pleasant smell," Wang said in early March in her greenhouse, picking a few leaves to eat right away. "I eat a few leaves every day," she added. At 56, Wang is full of energy. She starts her day at 5 am and works tirelessly in her fields until evening, watering, weeding （除草), and taking care of the kale. "It's all thanks to eating kale," she laughed.
Why does kale become so tasty? Wang explains the change is all because of bio-organic fertilizers（有机肥料),which help the kale grow better and taste much sweeter. What makes Wang feel proud is that the kale is safe enough for babies to eat.
Now, kale has become a craze. It has changed from a bitter vegetable to a popular "superfood". You can find kale noodles and dumplings filled with kale in the supermarket. There are also yogurt and vegetable juices with kale. People at home and abroad like it because it's full of vitamins and good for health and the growing need for kale has brought a lot of business opportunities.
As the Year of the Snake neared, a sword-like fridge magnet(磁贴) became a hit in Longquan, China's "hometown of swords" in Zhejiang Province.
Its creator, Zou Qi, is a fourth-generation heir to the time-honored Yuanyuan Sword Workshop. Also, she's one of the few women who make swords.
Born into a family deeply rooted in the art of sword-making, she didn't want to take up this job at first. As time went by, seeing her father aging, she felt a sense of responsibility to carry on her family's tradition. With e-commerce(电商) growing, in 2021, she quit her job and returned to her hometown to learn the sword-making. However, her dad, Zou Jianming, a master swordsmith（铸剑师) with over 40 years of experience, showed great worries about her.
Making a Longquan sword is really difficult, which includes over 2o0 steps. To women, it is a great challenge. ▲ But Zou Qi kept it up. She got burned and her hands got calluses. Still, she was proud when she made her first sword.
Determined to promote the traditional sword-making culture, Zou Qi wants swords to be not only displayed in museums but also integrated （融人) into people's lives as special decorations. She tried putting phoenix（凤凰) patterns on a sword and named it "Phoenix Rebirth". She thinks the phoenix means being strong and starting over. In an interview, she said, "People usually think only men can make swords. But women can add new ideas and pay more attention to details."
①Since technology tends to be expensive at first, Al kitchens are just welcomed in restaurants and other businesses. Over time, prices are likely to fall enough for the home market, changing how we live and eat. Convenience can come at a great cost, so it's important to look ahead at the possible changes Al kitchens will bring.
②Undoubtedly, AI kitchens will bring great benefits. For example, it can take over boring tasks like peeling potatoes, letting people focus on creating new dishes. With AI kitchens, busy families will gain free time to spend together or finish important work. What's more, it can help people eat more healthily, like cutting down on sugar.
③However, cooking is more than just making food. It helps us feel grateful, creative, and connected. For example, when parents and kids cook together, they share stories and learn from each other. Without this, mealtimes might be less meaningful. Children will also miss out on learning science and math through cooking—like measuring the ingredients （食材) or watching bread rise.
④While AI can help with creativity, there are risks to culture. If robots only use popular ingredients, unique （独特的) local dishes may disappear. Also, can you imagine AI kitchens quietly erase the joy of sharing home-cooked meals with neighbors?
⑤What worries us most is that these smart machines sometimes are not so smart. We're not sure if they can find out the food that has gone bad to avoid accidents. What if a robot serves rotten fruit because it can't smell? Who would be responsible if a robot makes someone sick or gets hacked? These questions are as unclear as with self-driving cars.
⑥The kitchen is a special place in homes, neighborhoods and cultures. We should use robots wisely-—having them do boring and challenging jobs rather than allowing them to take the lead. This way, we can enjoy progress without losing the traditional cultures.
Interviewer: How did you get interested in science?
Owen: When I was young, my dad was always telling me interesting facts about the moon, the planets, outer space and so on. I was always interested in how people came to know all those things.
Interviewer: ___
Owen: Doing an experiment is like asking nature a question. You just need to know how to ask the right question! You also need to know how to listen to the answer. It takes a lot of hard work, and you have to keep going when you want to find out something new. It can be very heart-breaking when things don't work out. ___
Interviewer： Does thinking like a scientist make you look at the world in a different way?
Owen: Thinking scientifically makes the world a more interesting and beautiful place. There are all kinds of fantastic things going on, all around us, all of the time, but you have to put in a bit of work to see them!
Interviewer: ___
Owen: First, you should find out your interests. ___Another piece of advice is, don't believe everything you read or hear. Become a detective(侦探), and figure out what is really going on!
A. What is doing an experiment like in your mind? B. How old were you when you finished your first experiment? C. But when you work them out, all the hard work pays off. D. The easiest things to learn about are the ones that you are interested in. E. What advice would you give to teenagers who want to become scientists? |
According to the interview, what qualities does a scientist need? List one of them.(不超过 20个单词) ___
As the school year ended and summer vacation began, Max, Ava, and Sam planned a perfect day at their favorite community park. This tidy little park was their go-to spot for1 and enjoying their free time.
Max rushed ahead with a 2 under his arm, while Ava and Sam followed closely behind, full of energy. It was supposed to be a day filled with laughter and fun.3 when they entered the park, their hearts sank-the once-beloved playground was now covered in 4 candy wrappers stuck in the slide's metal bars, plastic bottles rolling in the wind, and chip bags scattered everywhere. What a 5 ！
"Who would be so careless?" Max muttered, shaking his head. Sam 6 kicked a plastic bottle, sending it flying. "It's not careless but 7 !" Suddenly, Ava's face lit up." We can't just leave 8 like this. Let's form a Cleanup Group'.." she said softly but firmly.
Max and Sam exchanged excited looks."9 idea!" Max said, kicking his football aside. They10 tasks: Max took the playground, Ava focused on the trails, and Sam headed for the fields. With each piece of rubbish 11 ,the park slowly regained its beauty. Their efforts soon caught the attention of other 12 .
Surprisingly, more people joined; a young mom13 the sandbox with her child, an elderly man helped clear the trails, and even teenagers playing basketball 14 .Soon the park was cleaner than ever.
"We should call ourselves the Cleanup Group!" Ava said,15 ."And do this every weekend!" Their small act had made a big difference, not just to the park, but to their community as well.
when three wake up lively meaning |
The 24 Solar Terms are really important in Chinese culture. There are six solar terms in spring. Each term has its own ___.
After Yushui (Spring Rain) and Lichun(Start of Spring), Jingzhe, the Awakening of Insects（惊蟄)，is the ___solar term, and it's a special and important time.___ the day comes, the warm weather ___all the living things on the sleeping earth and spring brings a new and ___beginning.
"What's worse than finding an insect in your apple?" "Finding half a worm in your apple!" the old joke goes. The idea of eating insects is a nightmare for most people, but in fact, not___（每个人)thinks in this way.
It is said that in 80% of ___(国家) around the world, people eat ___(在……之间)1,000 and 2,000 kinds of insects! The United Nation even ___（鼓励) more people to eat them. Why? Because the world ___（人口)becomes larger. The need for food is increasing too. What's more, the farming of cows, pigs, and sheep creates a lot of greenhouse gas.
___（尽管) some people feel sick about eating insects, some Japanese are giving it a try. For example, a restaurant called Ant cicada is ___（有名的）for special cricket (蟋蟀) noodles. Its boss first read about eating bugs in a UN report when he was a student. Since then, because of his love for insect-eating, he has ___（找到)some new friends and he has always wanted to share his love with others.___（最后)，in 2020,he opened the restaurant. He wants to tell people not to be ___(害怕的)of eating insects. If he has his way, people in Japan and abroad will be opening their eyes to the benefits of eating insects.
The mouse, a pet of the mountain god, lived a carefree life in the mountain god's palace. However, it still expected___(see) the outside world. The wise mountain god, knowing the world was full of danger, agreed to let it go,___ with one condition; it must beat the ___(power) elephant before going back to the palace.
The mouse regretted ___(it) decision the moment he arrived at the animal world because it realized ___weak it was compared to the elephant. It tried to ___(quiet) get into the elephant's nose when it was eating, but the elephant sneezed (打喷嚏) and sent it flying. Later, the mouse saw the elephant in a hunter's net (网). It used its sharp ___(tooth) to bite through the net even if they were enemies.
The elephant thanked the mouse and made friends ___it. Later, the mountain god ___(come) to take the mouse back. The mouse said: "But I haven't beaten the elephant yet!" The mountain god smiled and said: "You turn ___enemy into a friend. It is the most perfect victory."
内容要点 | 参考词汇 |
a city of culture | a must-visit; be known for...; …… |
a center of high-tech | the birthplace of ... make life easier; …… |
注意：（1）文章中必须包含海报和表格中的内容要点，参考词汇仅供选择使用；（2）文中不得出现真实姓名、学校等信息；（3）词数80左右；文章开头已给出，不计人总词数，供参考使用。
What Makes Me Proud of My Hometown
As a Hangzhou native, I am so proud of my hometown.
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Strange But True: A father seahorse carries his babies in a pouch(育儿袋)—just like the kangaroo!
