High School Science Exploration Challenge
We are thrilled to announce the first-ever Exploration Challenge for high school students on campus. This challenge calls on you to dive into interesting scientific topics and present your thoughts creatively.
What You Can Do
Choose any science topic that interests you and present what you've learned through one of the following project types:
·Experiment and Report: Conduct a simple experiment and write about your findings.
·Poster or Digital Presentation: Create an informative poster or a digital presentation on science.
·Video or animation( 动 画 片 ) : Produce a video or animation to explain a scientific phenomenon you enjoy.
·Essay or Blog Posts: Write an essay or a series of blog posts with the theme of"Science and Me. "
How to Enter
Submit your projects to our e-mail address science@challenge. com. Please keep in mind your projects are sent as attachment in the e-mail before Aug. 31t.
Judging and Prizes
Projects will be judged on creativity, accuracy, and engagement. Prizes include scholarships, science kits, and opportunities to visit a university science lab. The winners' projects will be displayed in our school science magazine.
Award Ceremony
The award ceremony will be broadcast live on our official account, featuring a demonstration of the top 10 entries along with the stories behind them. It will then be followed by an award presentation and dinner for all.
For detailed rules and more information about the challenge, please subscribe to our official account. We can't wait to see your creations!
I'm a 66-year-old harp(竖琴)student. Others in my class are five, seven, ten. . . I fancy myself a source of inspiration for them, who would say, "If he can do it, I can, too!"
For some years before we stepped on the real stage, our recitals(演奏会)were given online. I could play perfectly—when no one was looking. But those online recitals caused me a kind of stage fright. Something about being watched and recorded, perhaps?Anyway, it was not too serious.
However, last year was a whole new ball game. That spring came with a real stage. An excited crowd. Clapping. Filming. A real recital!Exciting but stressful. I didn't know if I could handle it.
The adorable little performers were delicately dressed in their party-best skirts, with leather shoes hanging beneath too-high chairs, unable to reach the ground. Luckily, I could. We sat among the guests before the show, struck by their excitement. One by one, up and down, my fellow students went—each playing superbly. Then, it was my turn. I thought I was ready.
But I struggled from the start. I kept my fingers moving. Sound still radiated from the strings, but the tune was all wrong. I restarted both pieces three times. When I got totally lost for a few notes in the middle, I thought, "I don't know what this is anymore, but, hey, it sounds kind of nice!"I kept thinking, "Make a joyful noise, regardless!"
That eight minutes was like eight hours. Being the eldest in the room often makes people think you're the best. The truth, especially at that recital, was far different. But I would have awarded myself the gold for chutzpah —start playing a new instrument at 62, and then perform in front of a large audience.
Making music knows no age, and all players are welcome. Looking back, I realize my lengthy life experience has taught me that the show must go on—no matter what is occurring. Life's music is playing!It's my job to just show up and keep trying.
Have you ever seen the Moon rising over your town or city?It can appear very large when it is low on the horizon. Our moon goes through phases(月相)and it looks a little different every day. When the whole moon is lit up, it is called a full moon. When the Moon is entirely dark, it's a new moon. When there is only a thin edge of the circle shining, it's a crescent moon.
When a crescent moon is rising, we can occasionally see a unique event. When the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon are lined up just right, some of the sunlight that hits the Earth can be reflected onto the Moon. This causes most part of the Moon to give off a faint glow, while the rest of the Moon is brightly lit by the sunlight.
This phenomenon is named the Da Vinci glow. It was Leonardo da Vinci, a great artist, inventor and scientist, who explained it for the first time. Sometimes, it is also called "earthshine. "
When Da Vinci wrote about earthshine, he suggested that it might be caused by sunlight reflected from the Earth's oceans. He was almost completely correct, except for one detail: most of the reflected sunlight comes from the clouds in our atmosphere. The reflected light from the Earth is bright enough to light up the side of the Moon that isn't receiving direct sunlight.
The Da Vinci glow is not easy to see. Conditions need to be just right. Due to the angles of light, the Moon has to be very low on the horizon. The best time to see it will be in the days before and after the new moon. During these days, the lit-up edge of the crescent moon is at its thinnest stage. If you observe the Moon before sunrise or after sunset, it may be possible to witness the reflected light from the Earth. For the best experience, choose a location outdoors where there is not too much artificial light. You can use a telescope, but it's not necessary since the Moon will look just as impressive when viewed with the bare eye.
B . 
C . 
D . 
A"spark bird"is the species that inspires someone to start bird watching, namely birding. For Trish Kane, that bird was the cardinal(红衣凤头鸟). Hearing cardinals' calls was an initial step toward over 1, 960 hours of birding, 33 field notebooks and a career change. In her book, Birding to Change the World, Kane charts her transformation from a journalist to an environmentalist
In 2005, a terrible hurricane hit Kane's hometown. After it, she had to cope with the loss of her home. In watching the cardinals and other birds, she found relief. Soon she started bringing her students along. "My students stared at me in disbelief when I told them I had never cared about birds before, "Kane writes. "I suddenly wondered how many creatures would die because of the way we lived. "She decided to pursue an environmentally-conscious career. In 2007, she took a course to study environmental science.
Most of the book focuses on Kane's efforts to preserve Warner Park, an ideal location satisfying birding requirements for her class. She successfully campaigned to stop the construction of a parking lot. Her activism snowballed into a local bird watching and protecting organization. It eventually became part of Kane's doctoral research, and launched a birding class that pairs middle school students with college-student advisors.
The book shows readers that a good knowledge of nature doesn't require a degree. Take Jeremy, a seemingly uninterested boy in Kane's birding class. When reporters joined an outing, the normally quiet Jeremy started talking excitedly about the bunting, a small blue bird. Kane soon learned that he had secretly taken to studying the field guide given to him by his advisor.
At its core, Birding to Change the World is about how people and birds today depend on one another. "For birds, that dependence is concrete. For thousands of years, our species has seen birds as a symbol of liberation, "Kane writes. In her case, it is liberation from the grief and depression that the hurricane brought. "Bird by bird, they carve a new pathway in my life, a joyful pathway. "
As the world's population increases, so does the need for food, especially from animal sources. This urges us to find sustainable ways to feed billions more people in the future. It has a great impact on our health and environment.
Many people are skeptical about reducing meat consumption, but there are many benefits of adopting plant-based diet.Besides, it produces significantly fewer greenhouse gases and requires less land and water than animals. This helps keep ecological balance and promotes better life quality.
This kind of diet is not usually preferred by people who enjoy the taste of animal meat. Just like the resistance some people have towards eating insects, the shift to plant-based diet also requires great changes in how people perceive and enjoy food.
The future of our food supply will depend heavily on our willingness to accept more sustainable eating habits. Options like lab-grown meats are promising. Yet will these food choices become common in our supermarkets?
How we choose to eat in the coming years will contribute to ensuring a sustainable future for you and me.Hopefully, we can balance our nutritional needs with the planet's ability to support us, building a harmonious relationship with our environment.
A. Such diet has been tried by many people.
B. It remains to be seen whether we can make it happen.
C. It is more nutritious compared with animal-based food.
D. Much depends on how such restaurants treat customers.
E. However, adapting to plant-based diet can be challenging.
F. Our choices directly impact the ecosystem and social welfare.
G. A practical solution is plant-based diet including fruits, vegetables and nuts.
As a growing family, we gathered lots of stuff, especially toys. After our first boy was born, friends and family1 him with gifts, flooding our once 2 rooms with many colorful playthings.
3 my son's seemingly countless possessions robbed me of the mood to enjoy life. My spare time melting away, my4 began to mount up.
Then one day, the weight of the mess became too much to bear. I5 !It was time to make a6 . I grabbed trash bags and rushed into my son's bedroom,7 the scattered (散落的)toys on the floor quickly. Then I took those bags of toys immediately to the basement (地下室) . Of course, there was the initial crying over losing his toys, but gradually he managed to8 it.
Days went by. Then weeks.9 , the absence of disorder seemed to promote a deeper sense of appreciation for the toys that10 . With fewer toys, my son had to rely on his imagination, like11 a paper box into a spaceship and going on a fantasy adventure in it. It's been months, and those packed toys are still in the basement
With each passing day, the12 of our minimalist lifestyle became more apparent. Freed from the burden of cleaning up the house, we13 a world where less really became more. Minimalism allows me to see more 14 in life, and my boy is becoming more15 when playing with a reduced number of toys.
注意：(1)每个选项只能使用一次；(2)方框中有一个多余选项。
A. in contrast B. decrease C. rarely D. differ from E. advanced F. carry on G. ancestor H. primitive I. absence J. interact with K. characteristics |
Did you know that when you visit the zoo and see the chimpanzees(黑猩猩) , you are visiting animals related to you?
Humans and chimpanzees have a commonthat existed millions of years ago. Scientists group us together because we share similar, like hands that can grasp things and brains that are large compared to body size.
Humanschimpanzees in that we walk on our feet, we possess language, and we are much less hairy, for sure!Another big difference between humans and chimpanzees is how long we live. Chimpanzeeslive past their 40's. Humans,, can live past our 80's.
As we humans get older, we can still do many of the things we enjoy, such as taking up our hobbies and playing with our grandchildren, but our activity levels may, and we are also more likely to get sick.
Chimpanzees have shorter lifespans, so many of them miss out on the fun that humans may experience in old age. For example, they have less opportunity totheir grandchildren. This may seem sad, but chimpanzees have a different family structure from humans', so theof grandparents does not affect their lifestyle.
Is it cool that humans can live to such a(n) age?Next time you visit the zoo, think about the differences and similarities between you and yourrelatives, and how amazing it is that humans can live for such a long time.
Many Chinese people hold at least one vivid memory of a kite from their childhood days — whether it is an(elegance) diamond-shaped design wandering in the blue sky,a classic bird-shaped kite dancing in the wind.
China's kite has a history of more than 2, 000 years. In former times, people(fly) kites around the Qingming Festival to remember those who had passed away. Nowadays, flying kites is knowna way to attract good fortune and drive away bad luck.
There have been many kite-lovers(devote)themselves to the inheritance(传承)of kite culture. Cao Xueqin, a literary giantwrote the novel, Dream of the Red Chamber, is one of them. He also wrotebook on kites in his later years, recording the techniques of kite making and flying. The book enabled people, especially those with disabilities, (acquire)the skill and make a living.
Over time, kites (play)a significant role in the lives of Chinese people, and have (true) impressed foreign friends. This cultural heritage has been passed down through generations, showing the lasting vitality of Chinese civilization.
Maggie was an average teenager who often felt invisible among her peers(同龄人) . She felt like she was an outsider. School, in particular, was a source of anxiety for her.
When she was depressed, she would hide in her small garden. But the plants there never seemed to thrive(繁茂). It was always a disappointment, and she felt discouraged. "I am just a loser, "she thought to herself.
One day, while visiting a gardening website, Maggie discovered an exciting smart device called"Green Thumb. "It claimed to help even the most inexperienced gardeners grow amazing plants. Interested, she decided to give it a try.
As soon as Maggie received the GreenThumb device and unboxed it, she carefully followed the setup steps, and within minutes, GreenThumb was activated and began to scan(扫描) the garden. Imagine having a cool device that tells you exactly what the plants need —like a personal plant caretaker!It reminds you to water, gives you tips on when to feed your plants, and even warns you about diseases. Green Thumb was just like a friend who always cared and helped.
During a lunch break at school, some classmates began discussing the latest events that had happened. Maggie wanted to share GreenThumb with others, too. But her voice was soon drowned out by louder voices. The conversation soon shifted to music, with each person talking about their favorite song or artist. Maybe they didn't hear her. Or they were just uninterested. She sank into silence, feeling unseen and unheard again. "I'll show you what I can do with GreenThumb, "she said to herself with determination.
Every day after school, Maggie couldn't wait to take care of her garden. She spent countless hours in her garden tending to each plant. At first, she strictly followed Green Thumb's instructions. As time went by, she found her own talent in gardening and added some creative ideas to make her garden unique.
注意：1. 词数150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
To Maggie's joy, her garden became beautiful and lively in a few months. "I saw the pictures online!How did you make your garden so amazing?"a classmate asked one morning. |
