Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky
On the distant world of Kiln lie the ruins of an alien civilization. A great mystery awaits humans: who were the builders and where are they now? These questions become realfor Professor Arton Daghdev, exiled(流放)from Earth to Kiln's off-world labour camp due to his mistake. Facing the planet's dangerous ecosystem ,Arton fights for survival.
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
A sci-fi classic in a brand-new edition. From a high Babylonian tower that connects a flat Earth to the sky above, to an alien language that challenges our very sense of time and reality, Chiang's unique imagination invites readers to question their understanding of the universe and their place in it.
War Bodies by Neal Asher
In a world ruled by robots, the Cyberat face a rebellion(叛乱)when the human Polity arrives. Piper, raised as a weapon, seeks help from the Polity after his parents are caught by enemies. As war worsens, Piper must face the puzzling technology implanted in his own body. It could either end their fight or cause serious consequences. The future of civilization hangs in the balance as the battle unfolds.
In the Lives of Puppets byTJ Klune
In a strange little home built into the branches of a forest live three robots. Vic Lawson, a human, lives there too. The day Vic repairs an unfamiliar android labelled"HAP"， he learns of a shared criminal past between the robots--a past spent in hunting humans. The robots, once hidden and safe, are now exposed.
Virginia's McAfee Knob is one of the most famous spots along the Appalachian Trail , offering a beautiful view of forests and valleys. Thousands of hikers visit it each year to take in the scenery. Recently, a new agreement was reached to protect much of this view forever. Two conservation groups, theAppalachian Trail Conservancy(ATC) and The Conservation Fund, have bought 850 acres of land from six different owners below the Knob. This area, now called the McAfee Vista Preserve, will not only maintain the view but also help restore wildlife habitats.
Heather Richards from The Conservation Fund expressed joy at the completion of the deal. She praised the cooperation between the organizations involved and the landowners for their commitment to conservation.
McAfee Knob is extremely popular, with around 50,000 visitors annually. It is so iconic that when Google featured the Appalachian Trail in the Doodle on their homepage in October, they used an illustration of McAfee Knob. However, this popularity has led to some challenges. For instance, there have been concerns about garbage attracting bears and the need for better management of visitor numbers and facilities.
This recent acquisition is part of ongoing efforts by the ATC to protect views along the trail. Over the past four years, they, along with partners like The Conservation Fund and the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club, have purchased about1,300 acres from various landowners.
However, the funding for this purchase has raised some controversy(争议). A significant part of the money came from the Mountain Valley Pipeline project, which has faced opposition due to its potential impact on the environment. Despite initially opposing the plan, the ATC entered into an agreement with its developers to receive funding for conservation efforts.
The ATC also received support from other sources, such as the Virginia Outdoors Foundation's Forest CORE Fund and donations from members of both the ATC and the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club.
For people living with dementia(痴呆)，a new program offers a supportive path to building social connections and reducing loneliness through music. Led by the Institute for Therapy through the Arts,Musical Bridges to Memory(MBM) is a12-week program designed to bridge relationships between people with dementia, their families, and the greater community that serve them through live musical interactions, training, and research in music-based approaches.
MBM gags participants in weekly sessions, which include interactive performances and training in communication skills to improve caregivers'relationships with loved ones living with dementia. According to a 2022 study that examined MBM's impacts, this music-based therapy(疗法)can increase social engagement between caregivers and their loved ones despite ongoing declines in cognitive(认知的) health.
Research shows people with dementia benefit from interventions that control their preserved cognitive and functional abilities. Music taps into our implicit memory(内隐记忆)，linking us to past experiences and emotions without the need for conscious awareness. This is especially true for music that is personally meaningful to us, such as a favorite song, which can promote brain plasticity and cognition.
Neurologist Dr. Ronald Devere notes,"Musical understanding,musical emotion, and musical memory can survive long after other forms of memory and cognitive function have disappeared. " Even as cognition declines,music can help to promote connection and shared communication--making it an efficient tool to support people with dementia.
In addition to improving communication,MBM positivelyimpacts mood and alleviates the caregiver's burden. Caregivers who participated in this program reported significant reductionsinodistress(痛苦) as a result of improved communication through music. In short,the program's positive health impacts extend beyond individuals with dementia to their families and loved ones because it facilitates communication and social connection,particularly in cases where verbal language is no longer possible.
These findings add to decades of research that demonstratesmusic can positively impact our health, and they provide further insights into the benefits of the MBM program to people with dementia and their caregivers. They also correspond with other community-based interventions to useo music to promote healing.
Educational optimists predict that AI will soon provide amazing efficiencies and progress in teaching and learning. But are efficiency and machine logic what our students need most?
It's certainly true that Al is a wonderful new tool dramatically transforming human life. Al is improving in speed and scope to recognize patterns in extremely complex data sets of all types, allowing it to make predictions about what might come next, be it a purchase of a customer, a word in a sentence , a sound in spoken language , or countless other processes. AI can answer specific complex questions or perform complex calculations at a rate impossible for the human mind to comprehend, let alone compete with. It can also create images and speeches which not only imitate reality but surpass it to meet programmed standards of excellence.
However, although these may be helpful to adults seeking to improve productivity, it is necessary to follow G. K. Chesterton's advice that children should not be subjected to educational projects and ideas younger than they are. Allowing students to avoid traditional learning methods with AI will have uncertain and potentially harmful results. The same could be true of educators'dependence on AI for student assessment and lesson planning. In education at least, it is quite possible that AI will work against natural human development and provide not a shortcut to human formation but a short circuit.
Despite AI's influence,traditional learning and writing assignments are crucial for promoting learning and cognitive development. Homework,similar to music practice, teaches discipline and skills essential for personal growth and future success. Deceptive(欺诈的)practices harm genuine learning，spoiling students' competitiveness in an AI-dominated job market. Reliance on AI-generated content weakens critical thinking and creativity,damaging students'intellectual growth. Moreover, it devalues the role of teachers in guiding students 'development. In contrast, real engagement with homework cultivates invaluable human qualities essential in an AI-driven world,ensuring students'competitive advantage and overall development.
Have you ever changed jobs or moved to an unfamiliar city, only to find yourself wondering how to connect with new people? However, a connection is a part of what it means to be human. When we do it well, our lives are far more fulfilling. Here are a few tips to help you build and strengthen connections with people.
Be your real self
You can't go wrong with being yourself. Pretending to be someone you aren't can lead your relationships to be built on lies and cause confusion in the future. They forget that being themselves is how they make genuine connections.
Respect people's boundaries
It's likely that when you get to know someone new, you'll discover their limits quickly. In order to build a meaningful relationship with that person, you must respect the boundaries. Otherwise,the connection will be killed.
Move past the surface level
Meaningful connections move past the basics of small talk. Yes, the first time you meet someone, you can cover surface-level facts. What are their values? What types of goals do they have for the future? What are their biggest hopes and dreams? These are all questions that give more insight into who they are and how we can connect with them.
One of the best ways to learn how to connect with other people is learning to be present. And don't just be present mentally. Use your body language to show that they have your full attention. If you aren't facing the person who's speaking, they won't feel like you care about connecting with them.
A. Stay focused on the present. B. Be genuine with your admiration. C. Building relationships can be tough. D. Don't push them to share things that they don't want to. E. It can also reduce stress and awkwardness for both of you. F. People make such a mistake when they desperately want to fit in. G. However, after you've been talking for a while, try to go deeper. |
Frank Herbert's 1965 novel Dune is widely considered one of the best sci-fi books ever written. It is also one of the first to take environmental concerns1 .
"It's really calling attention to the2 to think ecologically," says Gerry Canavan , co-editor of the history of science fiction. "Prior to that moment, people just weren't thinking in that way. "
Herbert 3 to find a publisher for Dune, facing 23 rejections before it was finally 4 by Chilton Book Company. As the book gained5 -winning two most prestigious(有声望的)prizes in science fiction and eventually selling around 20 million copies6 -it began to affect pop culture.
Dune7 the environmental movement, which Herbert largely embraced. "I'm 8 to be put in the position of telling my grandchildren，
Sorry, no more world for you. We have 9 all the resources,'" Herbert said at the first Earth Day in 1970.
Herbert was one of the earliest to10 renewable energy ,installing(安装) his own solar collector and windmill. He believed that understanding the11 of human actions could reduce environmental damage.
The 12 for Dune came from Herbert's visit to Oregon's sand dunes in1957, where he13 efforts to stabilize the landscape from local people. His novel serves as a cautionary tale about humanity's relationship with the environment and the disastrous effects of14 resource exploitation(开发). Dune challenges readers to consider the impact of their actions on the planet and serves as a 15 of the importance of sustainable living.
Li River, one of China's most famous scenic areas, was listedone of the world's top ten watery wonders by National Geographic magazine. was evenconsidered one of the world's 15 best rivers for travelers.
(originate ) in Mao'er Mountain in Xing'an county northeast of Guilin, Li River winds its way southeast for about 437 km , passing through Guilin, Yangshuo, Pingle,Zhaoping, and finally( meet) Xi River in Wulin. It boasts (拥有)the largest and most beautiful scenic area in China and attracts thousands of visitors each year.
The 83-km-long waterway from Guilin to Yangshuo is like a masterpiece. The landscape (decorate) with rolling hills, steep cliffs, fantastic caves, as well as leisurely boats. A poem says, "The river is a green silk ribbon, and the hills lare jade hair-pins".
Cruising(航游 ) on Li River is always a ( please). You can breathe the fresh air, feel gentle breeze appreciate the wonderful landscape on both sides of Li River. In spring, (feel) the mizzle (细雨) fall onto their faces, tourists may stand on the front of a boat, is truly a wonderful experience.
Mostly, the cruise starts from Zhujiang Wharf(码头). After about anb. ( hour ) drive from Guilin city , a cruiser will then take you to Yangshuo, a beautiful ancient city, to start a wonderful journey.
注意：1. 写作词数应为80个左右;2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Conflict and Compromise
It started out as a simple hike in the Utah canyon(峡谷)lands on a warm Saturday afternoon. For Aron Ralston, atwenty-seven-year-old mountaineer and outdoorsman, a walk into the remote Blue John Canyon was a chance to get a break from a winter of solo climbing Colorado's highest and toughest peaks. He'd earned this weekend vacation， and though he met two other climbers along the way, by early afternoon he had finally found himself in his element: alone, with just the beauty of the natural world all around him.
It was 2:41 pm. Eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot(狭缝) canyon , Aron was climbing down a wedged boulder(巨石) when the rock suddenly came loose.
Before he could get out of the way, the falling stone pinned his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall.
And so began 4 days of suffering for Aron Ralston. With little water and food, no jacket for the painfully cold nights, and the terrible knowledge that he'd told no one where he was headed, he found himself facing a lingering death-trapped by an800-pound boulder 100 feet down in the bottom of a canyon. As he eliminated (淘汰) his escape options one by one through the days, Aron faced the full horror of his situation: By the time any possible search and rescue effort would begin, he'd most probably have died of dehydration (脱水),if a flash flood didn't drown him before that.
What does one do in the face of almost certain death? Using the video camera from his pack, Aron began recording his grateful good-byes to his family and friends, thinking back over a life filled with adventure, and documenting a last will with the hope that someone would find it.
注意： 1. 续写词数应为150个左右;2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Aron was growing weaker with each passing day.
Luckily, the rescue team found Aron.
