Fill In The Blanks
文意選填相關題目
答案
題目
A.
A. complex
B. when
C. spice up
D. contented
E. urban
AB. feasted
AC. erupting
AD. unloaded
AE. overtakes
BC. took in
BD. which
BE. preferably
Naples is Italy's third-largest municipality. Its history stretches all the way back to the second millennium BC, ___1___ makes it one of the world's oldest cities. When I traveled there, I wanted to explore an area where I could have all my accumulated burdens ___2___. Despite that Naples lives under the constant threat of Mount Vesuvius ___3___ at any time, fortunately for me, the volcano was quiet, as was the beginning of my tour when I paid a visit to Santa Chiara. I wandered through the cloisters and ___4___ the beautiful majolica tiles and frescoes, contemplating how much history this old ___5___ had been since it was built in the 1300s. I then traveled on to the Sansevro Chapel, where I ___6___ my eyes on many awe-inspiring religious artworks and enjoyed a quiet atmosphere. On another day, I ended up strolling through La Pignaescca, the ___7___ street market in Naples. The streets were filled with bustling crowds buying fresh produce for their meals. There was activity around every corner, and the wide variety of fresh seafood for sale was the very ingredient to ___8___ a traveler's trip. Of course, I never visit Naples without eating its most famous dish: pizza, ___9___ one with tomato sauce, basil, and fresh mozzarella cheese placed on top of raw dough that has been stretched to an even thickness baked in a wood-burning oven. Piazza Bellini is an ideal place to kick back at night, and it gave me a wonderful ending to each of my days. I would grab a gelato and find a place to sit, perfectly ___10___ to be in such a splendid Italian city.
B.
A. assembled
B. close to
C. commissioned
D. during which
E. even though
AB. gathering
AC. give
AD. granted
AE. landmark
BC. monuments
BD. spiky
BE. to collect
CD. where
CE. which
DE. that
Few man-made structures are more famous than the Statue of Liberty, one of the most well-known and beloved ___1___ in America. It was given as a gift to the United States from France as a symbol of their friendship. France aided the United States during the Revolutionary War. The two countries shared similar political views and situations in 1865, ___2___ is what led to Edouard Rene Laboulaye suggesting that France ___3___ the United States a symbol of their friendship. Once the basic idea for the statue was ___4___, Bartholdi traveled to the United States in 1965 to determine the best location for the statue. He finally chose Bedloe's island because this location would put the statue at the gateway to America. The noble, goddess-like face, the long, flowing Roman robe, the ___5___ crown, and the large tablet are all features that people on every continent of the world could easily identify.
Another part of the statue most people would recognize, ___6___ they might not know the full story behind it, is the giant golden torch Lady Liberty holds in her right hand. When the idea for the statue was initially proposed in France, it was in fact this flame that first arrived in New York City. They project organizer actually displayed it in Madison Square Park as early as 1876 ___7___ local funding for the project. This would help pay for the massive base ___8___ the proposed figure's feet stand on, while France covered the cost of the actual statue. Eventually, efforts to raise money were successful not only in American but also in Europe. The entire statue could thus be completed, shipped, and ___9___ within a decade, just in time for the hundredth anniversary of American's independence from Britain.
A century later, Lady Liberty underwent some renovations, ___10___ workers removed the old torch from the statue. In her hand was a shiny new torch covered in gold leaf. This has lit the way to freedom ever since. And long may it burn!
C.
A. rage
B. consisted of
C. evolved
D. contributed to
E. innovative
AB. launch
AC. considerably
AD. came
AE. cutting-edge
BC. monopolizing
BD. comprising
BE. piracy
Here's a look at how music listening has ___1___ through the ages. In the beginning there was the phonograph invented by Thomas Edison. Not perfect though it was, it was a ___2___ invention for its time. Around a decade later, German America inventor Emile Berline camp up with an invention, gramophere, that ___3___ bettered the phonograph and made possible the ___4___ of the record player ___5___ a turntable and speaker. It was not until Philips released the cassette tape in the mid-1960s that records ceased ___6___ the music-listening scene. However, the inexpensive and portable nature of the cassette tape ___7___ the rampant behavior of ___8___. Then, in 2007, after the CDs, MP3 players and iPod ___9___ music streaming, which soon became all the ___10___.
D.
A. alike
B. analyzes
C. drastically
D. durable
E. embrace
AB. extended
AC. immense
AD. literally
AE. loyalty
BC. merchandise
BD. option
BE. projections
CD. revenue
CE. temporarily
DE. wanes
Over the past few years, c-store customers' expectations have changed ___1___ because customers are now more comfortable with using mobile apps and other technology. When you ___2___ technology to run your c-store, you can easily and quickly interact with your customers, have the opportunity to meet customers' demands, increase ___3___, and improve convenience store profitability. Here are 4 top tips to boost your c-store profits and improve customer service and ___4___:
Tip #1: Start with Item Level Inventory The best way to control inventory for better profits is at the item level, which helps you better track current stock, sales, and provides better information to make ___5___ for how much you need to order in the future - which all lead to improved profits.
Tip #2: Offer a Variety of Products Shoppers recognize the c-store channel of trade for its convenient locations, ___6___ hours of operation, one-stop shopping, grab-and-go foodservice, variety of ___7___, and fast transactions. From snacks to tobacco, beer, and food services, customers always like to have a variety of choices.
Tip #3: Add Self-Checkout and Curbside Pickup Options When lines form at the check-out, customer patience ___8___. Customers shop at convenience stores to save time, and you can help them by letting them use a self-checkout ___9___.
Tip #4: Save Time and Increase Accuracy with Internet-based Software End-to-end Internet-based convenience store software systems deliver a seamless experience for customers and retailers ___10___. This way, you can capture customer data and identify buying patterns more efficiently.
E.
A. given
B. outreach
C. responsible for
D. accessed
E. caution
AB. vigorous
AC. as
AD. deploy
AE. alert
BC. accounts for
BD. despite
BE. amounts to
Lately there's been a ___1___ discussion in the media and across all corners of the Internet about the speedy development of a vaccine for COVID-19, which ___2___ millions of deaths worldwide. Indeed, the sooner we can create and ___3___ a safe and effective vaccine, the sooner this pandemic can be brought under control. But ___4___ the unprecedented pace at which the various vaccines being developed are moving forward, some concerns about whether the resulting product will be safe are being raised. As with any treatment or medical intervention, every vaccine has potential side effects, and it's unknown currently to what we should stay ___5___. It'll take some time to find out for sure, ___6___ there's just no way to speed up how the human body will respond to a vaccine. This is why vaccines - including the numerous coronavirus vaccines under development - must go through multiple stages of testing before they can be ___7___. While most vaccines take between five to ten years to develop, the coronavirus vaccines have been estimated to be available within 12 to 18 months of the ___8___ of the pandemic. This ___9___ "warp speed" results. Because of the speed, some people think they should proceed with ___10___ when it comes to whether or not they should become an early adopter of the vaccine.
F.
A. access
B. adjust
C. current
D. infant mortality
E. lead to
AB. life expectancy
AC. offset
AD. peak
AE. projected
BC. raise
BD. shrink
BE. some
The world's population is likely to ___1___ at 9.7 billion in 2064, and then decline to about 8.8 billion by the end of the century, as women get better ___2___ to education and birth control, a new study has found. By 2100, 183 of 195 countries will not have fertility rates required to maintain the ___3___ population, with a ___4___ 2.1 births per woman. ___5___ 23 countries - including Japan, Thailand, Italy, and Spain - will see populations ___6___ by more than 50%, researchers said. The study also predicts major changes in the global age structure as fertility falls and ___7___ increases, with an estimated 2.37 billion people over 65 years globally in 2100, compared with 1.7 billion under the age of 20. Researchers said that these "dramatic declines" in working-age populations in countries such as India and China, will both obstruct economic growth and ___8___ shifts in global powers. Countries will have to rethink their immigration policies, and economies will have to ___9___. Some experts suggest that populations decline could be ___10___ by immigration, and that countries with liberal immigration policies will be better able to both maintain population size and support economic growth - even as fertility falls.
G.
A. crust
B. in addition to
C. hardly
D. alone
E. lies
AB. witness
AC. spans
AD. still
AE. insignificance
BC. sparse
BD. for all
BE. invariably
In the remotest corner of the earth ___1___ Antarctica, the world's last great wilderness. Almost all of its land surface is covered with a vast ice sheet. This giant continent ___2___ an area of about 14,000,000 square kilometers, and the ice sheet holds 70 percent of the world's fresh water.
Over 170 million years ago, Antarctica was part of one frozen continent. This enormous landmass ___3___ included today's Africa, Australia, South America, and India. Over time, Antarctica got separated from the other continents with the movements of the earth's ___4___.
Lying ___5___ as if sound asleep, Antarctica actually has one of the toughest natural environments on earth. The average winter temperature inland is about -70 degrees Celsius. Besides, much of this continent is regarded as a desert due to the ___6___ rainfall. It is, therefore, natural, that it has never had a native population, but each summer some 2,000 scientists head for Antarctica to ___7___ for themselves its environment.
___8___ its harshness, the continent's largest industry, surprisingly, is tourism. Antarctica's peculiar beauty ___9___ haunts those who come here. The vastness of its ice shelves and mountain ranges always brings out feelings of their own ___10___ and nature's greatness. However, human activity is inevitably having a negative impact on Antarctica's environment. Also, scientists are very concerned about the atmosphere's thinning ozone layer, a problem that has been serious over Antarctica.
H.
A. checked
B. suffers from
C. wipe out
D. approval
E. favorable
AB. engineer
AC. exclusively
AD. spanned
AE. with regard to
BC. transmitted
BD. accounts for
BE. reproduces
Scientists are trying to genetically modify the world in which we live. They are even trying to ___1___ diseases via genetic modification. For example, researchers have tried to ___2___ mosquitoes to kill malaria parasites. The malaria parasite is carried by the female Anopheles mosquito. When ___3___ to a human, the parasite travels first to the liver and then on to the bloodstream, where it ___4___ and destroys red blood cells. Each year, malaria ___5___ an estimated 250 million people's death. Sadly, there are currently no effective or approved malaria vaccines to have the number of infected people ___6___. To "kill" malaria, scientists are genetically modifying a bacterium in mosquito so that it releases toxic compounds, which are ensured to do no harm to humans but to the mosquito ___7___. They do kill of the malaria parasite, however, making the mosquito incapable of infecting humans with malaria. Despite this achievement, scientists are faced with the challenge of gaining public ___8___ for this genetic modification ___9___ mosquitoes and malaria control. Instead of giving ___10___ response, environmental activists have raised concerns about the release of genetically engineered organisms without any clear knowledge of their long-term effect on ecosystems and human health.
I.
A. develop
B. sarcastically
C. humble
D. proceeded
E. yields
AB. met with
AC. ironical
AD. heralding
AE. dwindled
BC. pursuing
BD. along with
BE. ounce
Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901, in Chicago. As a child, he had a ___1___ beginning, making money by selling pictures he had drawn to his neighbors. In high school, he took classes with a view to ___2___ his interest in art and photography. Later on, he got a job making commercials and cartoons. He started his own company but ___3___ many obstacles and ran out of money. However, there wasn't a(n) ___4___ of the thought of giving up in his mind. Instead, he ___5___ with his brother and a friend to Hollywood in 1923 and established the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. ___6___ Mickey Mouse, Disney's studio also created Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. These characters became very famous, ___7___ the arrival of a Disney family to come. With good ___8___, the company expanded and hired several employees, but again faced hardship in the 1940s, and many of the employees quit. Still, Disney's passion never ___9___. He created many more movies and TV shows, and in 1955, he opened Disneyland, but died ___10___ in 1966, before the second Disney resort was opened.
J.
A. assert
B. aware
C. due
D. undergoing
E. found
AB. characterizes
AC. knowing
AD. alternating
AE. founded
BC. intensely
BD. advocates
BE. unprecedented
In 2020, The Queen's Gambit, a Netflix show about chess, took the world by storm and sparked a(n) ___1___ interest in the cerebral game. What many of chess's new proponents may not have realized, though, is that there is another closely connected activity ___2___ a revival in popularity: chessboxing.
This hybrid sport ___3___ the ultimate thinking game along with the ultimate fighting sport. The ideas is relatively straightforward: Competitors play ___4___ rounds of four-minute speed chess and three-minute boxing. At first glance, the two sports - and, yes, we ___5___ chess is a sport - have little in common. It would be weird to see an average chess player present at the boxing ring, fighting, and vice versa. But ___6___ of chessboxing point out that both individual sports actually involve a lot of strategy and hinge on your opponent not ___7___ what you will do next. The real challenge for chessboxers is to deal with the transition from an adrenaline-fueled boxing ring to an ___8___ focused chessboard and back again.
Chessboxing traces its origins to an appearance in a 1992 graphic novel Froid Equateur, by French director Enki Bilal. In 2013, a Dutch artist called Ispe Rubingh helped ___9___ the World Chess Boxing Organization and took part in the first five chessboxing. Over the next few years, the sport spread like wildfire across Europe.
Nowadays, matches are played all over the world, from Russia and China to India and Iran. Many involved in the sport hope that it will be included in the 2024 Olympic Games, ___10___ to be held in Paris. At the same time, if Netflix is looking for another idea for a show, chessboxing could be a winner.
K.
A. provide for
B. primary
C. chores
D. colleagues
E. witnessed
F. assume
G. reversed
H. initially
I. hardly
J. lies
Jeju, an island off the southern coast of South Korea, usually brings to mind images of lavish living and luxurious vacation homes. However, behind her glazed and extravagant facades ___1___ a storied sea-diving tradition that dates back more than a dozen centuries. Haenyeos, or sea women, are female divers who ___2___ their family by scouring the sea floor for seaweed, octopus, abalone, and other sea life off the coast of Jeju.
This was a profession ___3___ dominated by males. However, with more and more men killed in wars and deep-sea diving and fishing accidents, haenyeos increasingly outnumbered their male ___4___ over time. For the past decades, haenyeos have become the ___5___ source of income in most households, turning local communities into a semi female-dominated society, where traditional gender roles are ___6___. That is, men can be seen looking after young children and attending to other physically-demanding household ___7___, and men marrying haenyeos are even compelled to pay the family of the bride a huge sum of dowry as compensation. Such dominance of females over males, however, is rarely seen outside the domestic sphere. Men still ___8___ leadership roles in society at large. Because of colonial restrictions, haenyeos ___9___ advance to independent business owners. Instead, they are confined to their labor-intensive work of diving and fishing. Jeju may have ___10___ a sharp decrease in the number of haenyeos in recent decades, but they are still quite respected for their contributions. They were included on the list of Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in 2016.
L.
A. immunity
B. spread
C. deadliest
D. shut
E. avoid
F. until
G. blackouts
H. vaccines
I. services
J. since
What killed about one-third of the world’s population? The answer is the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. The 1918 flu is the ___1___ in history, causing about 20 to 50 million deaths. First ___2___ in Europe, the US, and parts of Asia, then it quickly infected people around the world. Without ___3___ and effective drugs, citizens were ordered to wear masks and public places were ___4___. Officials advised people to ___5___ shaking hands and to stay indoors. Even so, bodies were still piling up before the pandemic came to an end.
The flu had quite serious impacts on society. It wiped out many families. Basic ___6___ like garbage collection and mail delivery stopped because there were too many flu-stricken workers. In some places there were even not enough farm workers to harvest crops. The global economy almost collapsed. The flu ended by the summer of 1919 since those who were infected either died or developed ___7___. However, the cause of the fatal flu was not discovered ___8___ 2008, almost 90 years later. Researchers announced that a group of three genes enabled the virus to weaken a victim’s lungs and clear the way for bacterial pneumonia. There have been several other flu pandemics ___9___ 1918 but none caused so much damage. The Spanish flu is also called the “forgotten pandemic” because it broke out during World War I and was covered up by news ___10___ and poor record-keeping. It is the modern day pandemics that bring renewed interest in it.
M.
A. shivering
B. disqualified
C. relived
D. celebration
E. lead
F. flapping
G. furious
H. gaining
I. desperate
J. countered
Elizabeth, my 11-year-old daughter, enjoys swimming but hates swim meets, as she would get horribly nervous. Recently, I invited Elizabeth to join a special swim night held by her own team. She ___1___ that it absolutely was a meet because there would be races and timers. ___2___ as she was, she finally agreed. When the day arrived, Elizabeth was anxious. She was probably the youngest person there and shorter by at least a foot than other kids. She spent all her time by my side, ___3___. Her first race was the 50-meter freestyle. It wasn't fun for her. She didn't have any chance to win a medal. You always hear in sports that the butterflies go away after a while, but Elizabeth's butterflies just kept ___4___.
Then it was time for the T-shirt relay. She seemed to swim faster in the T-shirt and socks than she did when not wearing them. Approaching the halfway mark, she was still in the ___5___. Then somebody noticed that one of Elizabeth's socks had fallen off and was floating in the pool. "She has to get that sock on before the end of the race," a guy told Elizabeth's team, "or you will be ___6___." Everybody on her team started screaming, "Elizabeth!" They yelled, even louder. She still didn't hear them. Meanwhile, a girl in lane two was ___7___ on Elizabeth. It was time for ___8___ measures. A girl on my daughter's team jumped in the pool, grabbed the sock, and swam after Elizabeth. She grabbed Elizabeth's foot. "You have to put the sock on," the girl screamed. Elizabeth treaded water while her teammate put on the sock.
By now, the girl in lane two was about to pass Elizabeth. With the sock finally on, Elizabeth swam her heart out for the last 15 meters. It was close. But Elizabeth beat the other girl to the wall for the victory. There was all the ___9___ and joy. And, for a few minutes, Elizabeth was the hero. It was completely unexpected, ridiculous and pointless. On the ride home, she ___10___ her moment of glory again and again. She told me that if the T-shirt relay was an Olympic event, she is quite sure it should be her team winning the gold medal.
N.
A. available
B. characterized
C. home
D. mix
E. intensifying
F. justice
G. species
H. springs
I. thrives
J. vanturing
Not for faint of heart, Death Valley National Park is the hottest and driest desert set between high, snowcapped mountains in southwestern U.S. The name doesn't do ___1___ to the vibrancy of Death Valley, though. Its colorful and complex geology has long attracted the attention of adventurers.
At first glance, its land is ___2___ by sparse vegetation. Nevertheless, the rocky terrain is amazingly varied, from salt flats and sand dunes to mountains and ___3___. In the morning, the slowly unfurling light paints the marble rock formations in a ___4___ of purple, pink, orange and yellow colors. At night, dry lightning lights up the night sky as coyotes howl both from the north and south, ___5___ the spooky mood. Such vast expanses of open space and striking views can inspire the feeling of ___6___ out onto the surface to Mars.
Despite its barren landscape, a surprisingly lively ecosystem ___7___ in Death Valley. About 140 miles long, it is ___8___ to a wide variety of wildlife: 56 mammals, 36 reptiles, 5 amphibians, 6 fish, and nearly 400 bird ___9___ have been found in the park. Hard-learned, clever adaptations enable desert inhabitants to survive in this eerily beautiful land. For example, bighorn sheep, roaming through canyons, are able to go without water for weeks yet drink several gallons at a time when water becomes ___10___.
Longing for peaceful solitude this winter? A visit to Death Valley National Park will take you to a world of wonder and extremes.
O.
A. ordeal
B. pleaded with
C. catered to
D. characteristic of
E. fled
AB. resolutely
AC. distributed
AD. despite
AE. compensate for
BC. in
BD. captivated by
BE. for all
Percy Bysshe Shelly was one of the great English Romantic poets. Imaginative and emotional, people are still ___1___ his poems today. Born in 1792, Shelley was also a wonderful writer of lyric poetry, a form of poetry usually written in the first person and thus ___2___ personal feelings. His famous work Prometheus Unbound, for instance, is a fine example of what's known as a lyrical drama, a play written ___3___ lyrical verse.
Prometheus Unbound was first published and ___4___ in England in 1820. It tells the story of Prometheus, a Titan who stole fire from heaven and gave it to humans to help ___5___ their physical shortcomings. Although the Greek god Jupiter (Zeus) was greatly angered by this, rather than kill Prometheus for his crime, he decided to chain him to a rock forever so that his ___6___ might never end. ___7___ he had to endure, Shelley's Prometheus never regretted his sacrifice and even ___8___ refused to be set free in exchange for helping Jupiter. Eventually, many of his friends who had ___9___ him to ask for mercy ran out of patience with him, too. By the time Hercules (Heracles) freed Prometheus from his rock, 3,000 years had ___10___! Finally, Prometheus's pain and misery came to an end. As the curtain falls on Shelley's masterpiece, humankind's champion stand unbound.
P.
A. derive from
B. threatened
C. allegedly
D. colonies
E. where
AB. owing to
AC. ideally
AD. coined
AE. at bay
BC. come in
BD. dead
BE. secluded
There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs in the world. They ___1___ many different colors and patterns, but the most familiar in North America is the seven-spotted ladybug, with its shiny, red-and-black body. In many cultures, ladybugs are considered good luck, able to keep danger ___2___. Most people like ladybugs because they are pretty, graceful, and harmless to humans. But farmers love them ___3___ their huge appetite for aphids and other plant-eating pests. One ladybug ___4___ eats up to 5,000 insects its lifetime! Avid eaters aside, ladybugs are colorful and they are colorful for a reason. Their markings tell predators: "Eat something else! I taste terrible." When ___5___, the bugs will secrete an oily, foul-tasting fluid from joints in their legs. They may also play ___6___. Ladybugs lay their eggs in clusters or rows on the underside of a leaf, usually ___7___ aphids have gathered. Ladybugs are most active from spring until fall. When the weather turns cold, they look for a warm, ___8___ place to hibernate, such as in rotting logs, under rocks, or even inside houses. These hibernating ___9___ can contain thousands of ladybugs. The name "ladybug" was ___10___ by European farmers who prayed to the Virgin Mary when pests began eating their crops. After ladybugs came and wiped out the invading insects, the farmers named them "beetle of Our Lady." This eventually was shortened to "lady beetle" and "ladybug." NASA even sent a few ladybugs into space with aphids to see how aphids would escape in zero gravity.
Q.
A. vaccines
B. predators
C. reproducing
D. as such
E. thereby
AB. clotting
AC. perpetuate
AD. as much as
AE. diminish
BC. retrieving
BD. ones
BE. potential
Although mosquitoes spread disease all over the world, there is some hope that mosquito saliva may have some ___1___ use for the treatment of the worldwide killer of humans: cardiovascular disease. Chemicals in mosquito saliva stop human blood from ___2___. Thanks to mosquitoes, new anti-___2___ drugs that ___3___ the risk of heart attacks and strokes may soon be developed. There's even research going on into the possibility of turning mosquitoes into living ___4___. Secondly, mosquitoes help pollinate. Only those females of some mosquito species need a meal of blood to get the proteins necessary to lay eggs. For the most part, male and female adult mosquitoes depend on nectar for energy. While ___5___ nectar, mosquitoes pollinate plants, especially the aquatic ___6___ while they spend much of their lives. They help make these plants thrive and ___7___ them. Lastly, mosquito larva are aquatic insects, and ___8___, play an important role in the aquatic food chain. Mosquito of other larvae eat algae, fungi, and dead bodies of other insects, and they eat all the time! And so efficient they are in consuming the biological waste in nature that they absorb plenty of nutrients, ___9___ making themselves nutritious snacks bars for their ___10___.
R.
A. utterly
B. crossed
C. reverse
D. distinguish
E. commonly
F. realm
G. peculiar
H. presence
I. customary
J. intended
Few historical figures in the world have a creative reputation comparable to that of Leonardo da Vinci. He was a true genius who graced the world with his ___1___ from 1452 to 1519. His natural genius ___2___ so many disciplines that he exemplified the term "Renaissance man." A painter, engineer and scientist, he left a significant legacy not only the ___3___ of art but of science as well. Nowadays, many people know him through his famous paintings Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, but there are some interesting facts about this master that few people know.
First of all, in modern American culture, it's ___4___ to call people by their last names, such as Trump and Biden. However, if you refer to Leonardo da Vinci as Da Vinci, then you are ___5___ wrong. Because his parents never got married, his full name at birth was simply Leonardo. Born in a Tuscan hamlet near Vinci in Italy, he took on the name Leonardo da Vinci, meaning Leonardo from Vinci, to ___6___ himself from other Tuscan Leonardos of his time. Today, the book and the movie The Da Vinci Code are ___7___ held accountable for the widespread use of Da Vinci as his last name. However, in the art circle, he is simply Leonardo.
Another thing many don't know about Leonardo is that he is left-handed. Besides, the hundreds of his notebook pages that have survived time reveal a(n) ___8___ habit of the artist. That is, he often wrote backward, from the right side of the page to the left. In addition, he wrote in mirror script, that is, in the ___9___ direction of normal handwriting, so it would only be readable when the page was held up to a mirror. Some speculate that he did so to be secretive. Only when he was writing something ___10___ for other people did he write in the normal direction. Others suggest that, as a lefty, he could avoid smearing ink on his hand by writing this way.
S.
A. alternative
B. market
C. appearance
D. significant
E. varieties
F. simply
G. recognize
H. instrument
I. involve
J. entirely
Dorayaki is perhaps one of the most well-known and popular Japanese sweets. It is traditionally made of two small round pancakes, sandwiched together by a red bean paste, anko. Fans of the Doraemon series will ___1___ Dorayaki as being Doraemon's favorite food. The creation of the Doraemon series since 1969 has driven Dorayaki into becoming a(n) ___2___ part of Japanese pop culture.
In Japanese, the word dora means "gong," a circular metal disc that makes a sound like a loud bell when struck. The name of Dorayaki is usually believed to be ___3___ due to the fact that the sweet resembles a miniature gong in shape. But there is another more romantic story for its origin that is said to ___4___ the legendary warrior monk called Saito Musashibo Benkei. The story goes that Benkei one day left his gong at a farmer's house where he had been hiding. After his departure, the farmer fried a cake on the ___5___ and thus invented the first Dorayaki.
Dorayaki didn't have the ___6___ of a "round sandwich" originally. Like the majority of sweets in Japan, which have rather "closed" forms with the bean paste ___7___ inside the cake, the earlier version of Dorayaki only consisted of one layer which was folded like an omelet. It was a sweet shop in Tokyo that invented the double layer version and started to ___8___ it at the beginning of the 20th century.
Even though Dorayaki is usually filled with red bean paste, many ___9___ fillings exist today, including cream, custard, chestnut, matcha, and chocolate. There are countless modern ___10___ which may also include toppings. Dorayaki is well-received because it is delicious whether eaten hot or cold.
T.
A. marks
B. meaning
C. potential
D. extensively
E. corresponds
F. popularity
G. dry
H. intentionally
I. signify
J. cast
With the throwing of colored powder and water balloons, Holi has become the most vivid and joyful festival in India. International tour groups that sell trips to the country often ___1___ place photos of Holi celebrations with the pictures of the world-famous Taj Mahal to promote the sightseeing. Although this Hindu color festival originated in South Asia, it has now gained ___2___ all over the world, with Holi events organized across the U.S., the U.K. and other places.
For centuries, Holi has been ___3___ celebrated in the Indian subcontinent. The celebrations can date back to the 4th century AD, as poems document. The festival ___4___ the beginning of spring after a long winter, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. It is celebrated in March, which ___5___ to the Phalguna Month in Hindu Calendar.
On the eve of the festival, large piles of firewood are lit in many places of India to ___6___ the burning of evil spirits. People often throw wood, branches, and ___7___ leaves into the fire. On the day of Holi, streets and towns turn red, green, and yellow when people throw colored powder into the air and sprinkle them on others. Each color carries a(n) ___8___. Red, for instance, symbolizes love and fertility, while green stands for new beginnings. People also splash water on one another while celebrating. Water guns are used to shoot water, and balloons filled with colored water are also ___9___ from rooftops. Later in the day, families gather together for festive meals. It is also common to distribute sweets among neighbors and friends.
However, the joyous traditional festival reveals some ___10___ problems. Some say it has often involved violent crimes due to several incidents of sexual assault and harassment during Holi celebrations over the past few years. It seems that the government of India needs to take some measures to make this festival safer.
U.
A. therefore
B. additionally
C. poses
D. features
E. commercials
F. allow for
G. account for
H. ripe
I. overlooked
J. depicted
It is fairly obvious that the automobile industry has been speaking to men as its target customers. One needs to look no further than most car ___1___, where masculinity is brought into focus. That is, male drivers take center stage, while females are often ___2___ as impressed passengers only. Even in most crash tests, male dummies are used rather than female ones, which ___3___ a heightened risk to female drivers, as the safety ___4___ for cars are designed mostly with men in mind.
However, the timing is now ___5___ for an overdue shift and adjustment. These days, women ___6___ 62% of all car buyers, and influence over 85% of all the purchase decisions in the U.S. “Equal Vehicle for All Initiative” was ___7___ introduced so as to make driving a safer and more pleasant experience for drivers regardless of gender. On the top of the list is to include female dummies in crash tests. For the first time ever, such tests ___8___ various factors such as female physiques and muscle tones. ___9___ , their driving habits and reactions in the event of an accident are taken into consideration. Despite being often ___1___ in the past, dummies modeled after pregnant drivers will be put in place to make safety tests more inclusive. Hopefully, with more advanced technology, accidents can be reduced and safety improved.
V.
A. due
B. subjects
C. guardians
D. conditions
E. live on
F. resting
G. hope for
H. significant
I. violations
J. comprise
In the traditional religions of Africa, life does not end with death. After death, humans continue to ___1___ as spirits. Some African groups believe these spirits dwell underground in a world much like that of the living—but upside down. Other groups believe the sky is the permanent ___2___ place of the dead. For instance, the Bushmen of southern Africa believe that the spirits of the dead go up to the sky and become stars.
Among the spirits, the ancestors ___3___ a special category of their own. As ancestors, they have some extra powers. To become an ancestor is the best that one can ___4___ after death. However, not everyone who dies will turn into an ancestor. For one to become an ancestor, there are ___5___ to be fulfilled while the person is alive—living an upright life and fulfilling all social and religious duties, for example.
Many African groups believe that the spirits of ancestors remain near their living descendants as ___6___ of the family and their traditions. They help in times of trouble as long as their descendants perform proper rituals and pay them ___7___ respect. But they punish people if certain ceremonies have not been performed properly or if there are some ___8___ of community laws.
Ancestor worship also plays a very ___9___ role in the mythologies of some African peoples. For example, the people of Buganda in present-day Uganda say that their first ancestor was Kintu, who came from the land of the gods and married Nambe, daughter of the king of heaven. Another example is the Dinkas of Sudan, who believe they are descended from Garang and Abuk, the first man and woman created by God as tiny clay figures in a pot. For these Africans, the honored dead have become not only objects of worship but also ___10___ of tales and legends.
W.
A. denial
B. advances
C. soothing
D. sheltered
E. undesirable
F. ward off
G. settle for
H. acknowledge
I. sealed
J. prolonged
Throughout history, different cultures have treated death differently, but most believe it is a topic best avoided. The ancient Hebrews, for example, considered dead bodies ___1___, and they paid little attention to the afterlife. By the same token, early American Indians made it a point to shoot arrows into the air in the wake of a funeral to ___2___ spirits. Even the practice of building a tombstone, as some scholars suggest, may have its roots in people's desire to keep spirits ___3___ deep in the ground.
In modern times, many people are still reluctant to ___4___ their fear of death despite the fact that death is a universal life lesson all mortals must take. The ___5___ in medical science seems to make death less fearful. Nevertheless, modern medicine and technology further render this looming specter more ___6___ and mechanical, with many more cases in which the dying wait for death lonely and without dignity. When topics of death need bringing up publicly, most people still tend to beat around the bush, choosing to ___7___ different euphemisms as a coping mechanism, rather than discuss the issue openly. So, children are often ___8___ by adults from the harsh reality of death as well.
Yet, our flight away from confronting death calmly is by no means one ___9___ strategy; instead, it gives rise to more regret and sorrow. Such ___10___ is unhelpful in guiding us to see through the true face of death, but it may even heighten our fear of demise. However much we attempt to stall decease, death will arrive at length. Why not prepare ourselves in advance and brave this inevitable outcome of life?
X.
A. outcasts
B. cash in on
C. genre
D. relatively
E. dominates
AB. invaded
AC. real
AD. occupying
AE. strikes
BC. constructed
BD. template
BE. potentially
Using Karl Albrech Ph.D's Fear Hierarchy as a ___1___, we can see that the ___2___ of zombies covers all the basics: Extinction: This could be simplified as a fear of death, and also expanded to cover the notion of humans no longer ___3___ a major position in the world. Mutilation: None of us want our bodily boundaries ___4___. And that's what zombies desire to do most: to consume the bodies of the living. Loss of Autonomy: The idea of being controlled, overwhelmed, surrounded, or smothered is something recurring in horror fiction. Indeed, the idea of falling into the clutches of a horde of biting and clawing zombies ___5___ a pretty primal nerve. Separation: Abandonment, rejection, or fear of becoming a non-person. That pretty much speaks for itself. Zombies can either symbolize social ___6___, or derogatory cultural norm that desires nothing more than to infect you with its biases. Ego-death: This is something ___7___ personal, and it's similar to separation, except it has to do with fear of disapproval, a lack of a ___8___ sense of lovability or capability.
So zombies remind us of the simple fact that someday we're all going to die and turn into rotten things also. So while filmmakers, writers, and video game developers try to ___9___ the zombie craze, let's not forget the key interest in zombies has to do with self-discovery. Zombie Apocalypse stories tell us something ___10___ about who and what we are.
Y.
A. obsessive
B. ornamental
C. lucrative
D. established
E. lay
F. metallic
G. potential
H. school
I. uncertainty
J. commodities
When it comes to the typical design of a Japanese garden, many people would think of a picturesque view with a wooden, red bridge and a pond beneath it. In the pond are some koi fish with unique red and white patterns. These fish are not for food. In fact, they are ___1___ fish, like the goldfish you are likely to find in restaurants for decoration. They are ___2___ in the eyes of the hobbyists. Believe it or not, the highest price ever for one koi fish is 1.8 million.
The price of koi fish is decided by its color. Red, yellow, white, black and ___3___ are basic colors. These beautiful color combinations fascinated some Japanese farmers in the 17th century and they started breeding in Japan. There are several well-___4___ koi fish competitions in which these show-quality fish will be priced. Bloodlines count most on these occasions. It is because the praised bloodlines can almost ensure future breeding success and ___5___ income.
However, things are never easy for the koi fish breeders. First, koi fish could ___6___ up to 10,000 eggs in one time. It takes a lot of time and energy to keep such a huge ___7___ of fish even though the number will be naturally cut into half in one year. Second, like its close relative, carp, the color of koi fish would change as it grows up. Therefore, koi breeders need to keep those with ___8___ and remove the undesirable ones based on their experiences.
Despite the hard work and ___9___, there are still plenty earnest koi fish breeders around the world, dedicated to breeding favorable colors. Some ___10___ breeders even regularly fly to Japan to participate in the competitions and exchange the breeding techniques. Their endeavor is what makes this industry the one that never fades away.
Z.
A. initiatives
B. accounts for
C. suffering
D. thereby
E. civic
AB. accounts for
AC. acute
AD. dogmatic
AE. additive
BC. having been plagued
BD. alike
BE. suffer
After ___1___ for nearly 20 years, the United Nations Environment Programme proudly announced in August 2021 that no country now uses leaded gasoline for vehicles, ___2___ heralding a new era for health and the environment. In 1922, a certain kind of lead was used as a fuel ___3___. It improved engine performance, and by the 1970s, almost all gasoline in the world included lead. However, the consequences for humans and the environment were quite ___4___. As leaded fuel burns, it contaminates air, water, and soil ___5___. Humans exposed to lead ___6___ heart disease, cancer, and strokes. Lead also ___7___ a variety of developmental issues in children. By the 1980s, most countries had stopped using leaded fuel, but there were still a ___8___ few in the early 2000s. UNEP coordinated with governments and private companies as well as ___9___ groups to find ways to end the use of leaded fuel in those countries. Their success shows that humanity can fix mistakes it has made, which gives hope to those working on other ___10___ related to transportation changes.
AA.
A. hence
B. hypothesis
C. carcasses
D. imagining
E. revitalize
AB. grazing
AC. envision
AD. underneath
AE. prospect
BC. altered
BD. sequence
BE. however
Advances in genetics, however, are making resurrecting lost animals a tangible ___1___. Scientists have already cloned endangered animals and can ___2___ DNA extracted from the bones and ___3___ of long-dead, extinct animals. Geneticists, led by Harvard Medical School's George Church, aim to bring the woolly mammoth, which disappeared 4,000 years ago, back to life, ___4___ a future where the tusked ice age giant is restored to its natural habitat. Proponents say bringing back the mammoth in an ___5___ form could help restore the fragile Arctic tundra ecosystem. They believe that before their extinction, ___6___ animals like mammoths, horses and bison maintained the grasslands in our planet's northern reaches and kept the earth frozen ___7___ by tramping down the grass, knocking down trees and compacting snow. Reintroducing mammoths and other large mammals to these places will help ___8___ these environments and slow down permafrost thaw and the release of carbon. ___9___, others argue that there's no evidence to back up this ___10___, and it's was hard to imagine herds of cold-adapted elephants making any impact on an environment that's grappling with wild fires, riddled with mires and warming faster than anywhere else in the world.
AB.
A. at the cost of
B. replace
C. intertwined
D. complex
E. somehow
AB. precedence
AC. form
AD. as
AE. in favor of
BC. substitute
BD. laid
BE. may well
When it comes to urban planning, the old is regularly sacrificed ___1___ the new. Modern, forward-thinking progress thus frequently takes ___2___ over the safeguarding of historic structures. The latter, however, are often closely ___3___ with the cultural treasure of a city and its people. Many aging buildings are thus social treasures that ___4___ be preserved. Locals, therefore, need to figure out a way to ___5___ find room for both the old and the new. This is exactly what was achieved when property developers in New York wanted to ___6___ a 25-screen movie house for an old theater on 42nd street. Such a large cinema ___7___ obviously made a lot of financial sense. But, on the other hand, the old Empire Theater was famous for its historical significance and beautiful decorations. In the end, a compromise was reached by having the old building ___8___ the entrance to the new mega movie house. This required some moving of the old structure and the Empire was thus raised a whole, and wheeled along a 170-foot track to a new location. Short ___9___ the distance was, it took a whole week to complete this part of the project. It nevertheless proved that the new does not always need to be introduced ___10___ the old. With just a little sweat, both can have a happy ending.
AC.
A. treats
B. oppression
C. decisive
D. rhetorical
E. racial
AB. a series of
AC. is heavy with
AD. as a result of
AE. eloquence
BC. has yet to
Martin Luther King, Jr.'S "I Have a Dream" speech is one of the most famous speeches of all time. What makes this speech so powerful is the heavy use of ___1___ devices throughout. Let's look at some examples.
Anaphora: Anaphora refers to ___2___ repetitions of a phrase. Most notably, the speech ___3___ the repetition of "I have a dream." King also repeats "one hundred years later" to point out America's lack of progress toward ___4___ justice.
Metaphor: A metaphor ___5___ one thing as something else. King uses the metaphor of describing freedom from ___6___ as light. He also refers to Abraham Lincoln's ___7___ action to free Black slaves 100 years earlier as a "beacon light of hope."
Simile: King uses similes to emphasize that equality is like a natural force that ___8___ prevail but is bound to eventually. He also states with ___9___ that we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water.
___10___ these and other tools, the power of King's language matches that of his message. Through this language, his speech still to this day leaves a lasting impression on all those who hear it.
AD.
A. incidence
B. therefore
C. result in
D. shift
E. literally
AB. for example
AC. grim
AD. sustain
AE. depended
BC. excessive
Groundwater is the world's primary source of freshwater. ___1___ referring to water stored underground, groundwater is vital in many parts of the world. Specifically, in places where supplies of water from sources like rivers and lakes are scarce, groundwater is required to ___2___ agriculture and for domestic needs, among other things.
Overuse of groundwater can lead to ___3___ consequences. Groundwater overuse occurs when water is pumped out of the ground at an ___4___ rate. This can ___5___ multiple problems. ___6___, groundwater supplies surface water, which refers to water in bodies such as lakes and streams. ___7___, if groundwater supplies are low, surface water supplies also suffer. Next, groundwater overuse can lead to the ___8___ of a process known as land subsidence. This is when the surface of the ground starts to sink. Naturally, this can cause negative outcomes, especially on land that is ___9___ on to support housing. Finally, groundwater overuse near the coast is dangerous because it allows saltwater from the ocean to ___10___ inland. This is a huge problem because water supplies are then at risk of becoming contaminated by saltwater.
AE.
A. in short
B. concerns
C. suit
D. recent
E. for
AB. composition
AC. substantial
AD. ethical
AE. at heart
BC. for example
As the global population rises, so does the global demand for food. Currently, the meat industry is a ___1___ contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, in ___2___ years, scientists and food workers have been developing substitutes for traditional meat. Meat analogues are one example of such ___3___ substitutes. ___4___, a meat analogue is a food made from plants but made to look and taste like meat. meat analogues are better known by such terms as "plant-based meat" and "vegetarian meat." Vegetarian meat is often soy-based, and its ___5___ sometimes includes dairy products. Some containing no dairy products also exist to ___6___ a vegan diet.
Meat substitutes have been around for a long time. ___7___, tofu has been eaten in China for more than two thousand years. However, the demand ___8___ plant-based meat has grown considerably in the past ten years. This is due to ___9___ over rapid population growth and the damage that the meat industry has been doing to the environment. If you have the best interests of the environment ___10___, consider giving meat analogues a try. You may be surprised by just how tasty these substitutes can be.
AF.
A. perceived
B. contributed to
C. target
D. boost
E. proportions
AB. alternatively
AC. defying
AD. rigorous
AE. cause
BC. true
BD. allegedly
BE. took the credit for
This summer, Norway became the latest country to pass regulations that put ___1___ restrictions on doctored images in advertising and media. Norway's new regulations ___2___ these types of images by requiring social media influencers and advertisers to attach tags to retouched photos. Those ___3___ the new laws could face heavy fines. Images in media often show seemingly perfect people, from supermodels with extraordinary ___4___ to social media influencers with flawless faces. Yet most are not honest depictions, images are edited to erase or minimize any ___5___ defects. The negative effects that image manipulation have on young people's self-esteem are ___6___ documented in a 2016 study, which concluded that exposure to doctored Instagram selfies directly ___7___ lower body image among teenagers. Norwegian lawmakers who passed the regulations have said they want children to grow up with a healthier self-image and a better sense of what realistic bodies look like, which, however, doesn't ring ___8___ to the majority of the people. In fact, research studies on image disclaimers like the ones Norway is requiring have shown they don't do much at all to ___9___ women's self-esteem, and may even increase comparisons by drawing more attention to the edited photos. Such labels also fail to address the root ___10___: "There's an entire system set up to support certain body ideals," says Jacqueline Nessi, an assistant professor in psychiatry at Brown University.
AG.
A. taking place
B. practices
C. proposed
D. mechanisms
E. where
AB. despite
AC. address
AD. pangs
AE. concerning
BC. influential
BD. ward off
BE. complications
We've all felt hunger ___1___, when our bodies tell us to give them the vital nutrients they require. Fortunately, most of us have the resources necessary to ___2___ the discomfort. But what about those who don't? That's ___3___ the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) comes in. Established on October 16, 1945, the FAO plays a(n) ___4___ role in raising awareness of global poverty and hunger issues. As part of its awareness campaign, the FAO has hosted World Food Day annually since 1979. ___5___ what his name might suggest, World Food Day isn't about highlighting the world's most interesting or tasty cuisines. Its purpose is to draw attention to the collective action ___6___ across the globe to stop hunger. For instance, Mongolia organizes its Food Security Conference on World Food Day. The conference highlights the country's biggest food security issues and the research being done to ___7___ them. It also recognizes the contributions of Mongolia's top researchers for their valuable work in developing sustainable food ___8___. Every year, World Food Day organizers declare a theme, like 2016's "Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too." Events that year focused on how the changing climate and the ensuing natural disasters had ruined crops, while also looking at ___9___ solutions for more sustainable agricultural systems. Another theme, 2019's "Healthy diets for a zero hunger world," engaged in conversations about poverty. Not only are millions of people going hungry, but millions more are facing growing health ___10___ because they can only afford unhealthy foods.
AH.
A. which
B. reserved
C. be
D. inclusive
E. vigilant
AB. friction
AC. stance
AD. gauge
AE. them
BC. as
BD. reversed
BE. inciting
Social media platform Twitter accepted a purchase offer of US$44 billion from the world's richest person, Elon Musk, in April 2022. However, the deal has created ___1___ and sparked heated debate. Musk is known to be a vocal user of Twitter with nearly 18,000 tweets, many of ___2___ being controversial. Twitter has worked hard in recent years at being ___3___ and promoting what confounder Jack Dorsey has described as "healthy conversation." Twitter has taken a tough ___4___ against hate speech and extremist views, and has removed posts and banned users who promote such things. However, with Musk's purchase of the platform, it's feared that this might soon be ___5___ under the pretext of promoting "freedom of speech." Musk says he believes social media should allow people to say what they feel without censorship. However, all communities, ___6___ it online or real-world, have rules about good conduct. When people violate these rules in real life by using their freedom of speech as a way to harm others, they are often shunned. Online spaces are beginning to reflect this more and more, ___7___ demonstrated by Twitter's 2021 decision to ban then-US President Donald Trump for ___8___ the Capitol Hill riot. Freedom of speech is a right many people agree should be preserved, but it can be hard to ___9___ the right balance. Musk's takeover is unlikely to have much real-world effect on Twitter, but it might mean that its millions of users must become more ___10___ about fact-checking the things they read.
AI.
A. increasingly
B. certain
C. manufacture
D. besting
E. vying
F. producing
G. essential
H. unveil
I. dominance
J. claiming
Without a doubt, semiconductors, or chips, are ___1___ to the world that we are living in today. Not only are they found in our smartphones, computers, and electronic devices, but ___2___ in appliances, vehicles, and data centers as well. When it comes to ___3___ semiconductors, Taiwan is a world leader in the industry, and one Taiwanese company in particular Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) stands head and shoulders above all the rest, with the company ___4___ more than half of the world's global foundry business by revenue itself. Yet, TSMC does have a slew of rivals challenging its industry ___5___, and one of its biggest competitors Samsung Electronics Co. from South Korea recently announced that it has begun mass production of 3 nanometer chips, ___6___TSMC in the quest to build the world's latest and most advanced chips. At the moment, Samsung is focusing on producing 3 nanometer semiconductors for ___7___ computing applications, but it has yet to expand to mobile processors. TSMC, however, has stated that it will ___8___ its 3 nanometer technology in the second half of this year. The company has claimed that its technology will be different than Samsung's, which will allow it to start making chips for both computing applications and smartphones right away. Industry experts say that both TSMC and Samsung are ___9___ with large companies like Apple and Qualcomm for long-term business, and some wonder if Samsung will be able to ___10___ its 3 nanometer chips with as much cost efficiency as TSMC is likely able to achieve.
AJ.
A. optimistic
B. removal
C. willingness
D. epic
E. iconic
F. historic
G. provide
H. ensure
I. controversy
J. digital
Nearly three years after the tragic Notre-Dame fire in 2019, French authorities said that the cathedral was on track to reopen in 2024. The deadline is set to meet Mr. Macron's ambitious aim to open the ___1___ Gothic landmark, just in time for Paris to host the Olympic Games.
The ___2___ task of reconstruction quickly turned out to be a huge project on logistic, technical, and political levels. First of all, the task force had to tear apart the scaffolding around the cathedral built to clear all the burnt and toxic debris before the restoration started. It took complex and delicate work to ___3___ that failing pieces wouldn't further damage the building. Only when the scaffolding had come down could construction begin. Then, in the process, conservation experts and architects were faced with the tasks of taking detailed scans of the building, and documenting the structure measurements. To solve these problems, they looked to ___4___ technology. With the help of laser techniques, they created 3D models of the cathedral's interior, or a highly accurate spatial map. The models and maps would ___5___ useful information for the rebuilding work. Another issue the restoration encountered was the ___6___ over cutting hundreds of centuries-old trees to reconstruct the roof and spire. The French government decided to rebuild the timber framework exactly as it had been. In doing this, 1,000 ___7___ oak trees in more than 200 forests across the country were chopped down, which raised public concern about deforestation. A petition condemning this tree's ___8___ as “ecocide” has gathered more than 40,000 signatures.
Despite all the challenges, people are ___9___ that the cathedral will be restored to its previous design. The project has elicited a worldwide outpouring of empathy and a wave of ___10___ to help. So far, it has generated a massive influx of $1 billion donations. With such a collective effort, the architectural uniqueness and the rich history of this cultural symbol will continue to impress the world.
AK.
A. advantages
B. pace
C. discount
D. findings
E. taste
F. canceled
G. supervision
H. curriculums
I. get along with
J. adjust to
COVID-19 changed the way that billions of students around the world receive their education. Attending class was previously a normal social experience, but it suddenly became a solitary one as students of all ages remained at home and learned over the Internet.
This was the experience of billions of students under COVID-19, when governments ___1___ in-class education around the world. For families, teachers, and students alike, virtual learning came as a sudden disruption, one that was often difficult to ___2___. But many experts believe that this disruption was merely a(n) ___3___ of things to come.
Virtual learning offers certain ___4___ over the classes conducted in traditional classrooms. For one, students working through online ___5___ tend to retain more than peers in traditional classrooms. One study showed that online learners retain 25-60 percent of content, compared to 8-10 percent for traditional learners. They also do so in anywhere from 40-60 percent less time, since online learners can control their own ___6___ and focus the bulk of their efforts on the material they find most challenging.
These are some impressive ___7___ and, unsurprisingly, e-learning companies are starting to pop up around the world to meet a growing demand for virtual education. However, don't ___8___ the traditional classroom setting just yet. In traditional classrooms, students learn how to make friends, ___9___ others, and work as a team, which are extremely useful life skills. Then there is the advantage of ___10___. Schools serve a secondary purpose of providing daycare for working parents. If a young child is learning from home, someone needs to be there to keep an eye on them.
So while virtual learning may be the wave of the future, the classroom is not going anywhere anytime soon.
AL.
A. delight
B. explorations
C. turn
D. surprised
E. imported
F. over-emphasized
G. artistic
H. hidden
I. foundations
J. materials
K. house
L. ever-changing
The Getty Center sits more than 800 feet above sea level, towering above the city of Los Angeles. A 0.75-mile-long tramway takes visitors to the top of the hill. At the top, four exhibit pavilions and a visitor center form the heart of an eleven-building complex. The museum was originally constructed to ___1___ the vast art collection belonging to oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. Today, it is stocked with so many art works that the exhibit arenas can show just a part of them at a time, making the ___2___ special exhibitions a highlight of any visit to the Getty.
The Center's award-winning architect, Richard Meier, did an outstanding job of creating a public space that has ___3___ many visitors. Visitors go to the Getty thinking they are visiting a museum with works of art on the inside. What they discover instead is a work of art with a museum inside. The idea is interesting: The outdoor space can be a completely satisfying ___4___ experience.
Meier took a few basic ___5___: metal, stone and glass. Working with a billion-dollar budget, he combined them to create a work of architecture that can excite visitors as much as the art collection inside does. Around every corner and at every ___6___, there is a new view to enchant guests. And then, just when they think they have seen it all, a new fountain or landscape pops up.
The building stone is travertine, ___7___ from Italy, the same source as for the historic buildings in Rome. A special cutting process exposes the fossils long buried inside the stone, which reveals the delicate treasures ___8___ under the rough surface. Some of them are set as "feature" stones scattered about the site, waiting to ___9___ those who find them. The most fantastic one is on the arrival plaza wall, across from the tram station.
In addition to museum tours, the Getty also provides various free on-site tours, including tours of the gardens. These ___10___ are a must for anyone interested in learning more about Meier's techniques and ideas.
AM.
A. securely
B. system
C. techniques
D. form
E. limbs
F. alone
G. summit
H. rewards
I. assist
J. ascend
Rock climbing is not for the faint of heart. It is a sport that requires a good head for heights as well as a high level of technical skill. Rock climbers use a variety of climbing ___1___ to traverse natural rock formations. Most of the time, there is no time limit. The goal is simply to reach the end point, often the ___2___ of the particular rock face. Rock climbers can sometimes spend several days climbing a single route, which requires them to sleep on the rock face at night.
There are several different types of rock climbing, each with its own challenges. Aid climbing, for example, is a style of climbing in which climbers pull themselves upwards using equipment placed ___3___ in the rock face. This technique is mostly used for routes that would be too difficult - even impossible - to climb otherwise. In contrast to aid climbing is free climbing. Free climbing is where climbers ___4___ using their own body strength and skill, pulling themselves up via handholds and footholds in the rock. Free climbers do use a(n) ___5___ of ropes and anchors. But the equipment is used only to catch them in case they fall, not to ___6___ in the act of climbing. But by far the most challenging and dangerous ___7___ of rock climbing is free solo climbing. When climbers climb free solo, they do so ___8___, with no safety equipment whatsoever. This means that if they make a mistake an fall, it is game over.
It is clear, then, that to be a rock climber, you need not only strong ___9___ but also a strong mind. But the ___10___ of rock climbing are clearly worth the effort. When a climber reaches the top of a particularly tough climb, they feel - quite rightly - on top of the world.
AN.
A. spread
B. culture
C. trapped
D. adored
E. alive
F. monopoly
G. delicious
H. illegal
I. supply
J. wealthier
K. evidence
L. treated
Aquaculture is the farming of any aquatic plant or animal. Aquaculture is of great importance because it reduces the possibility of over fishing wild fish, and also improves the quality and increases the ___1___ of fish for human consumption.
Ancient civilizations throughout the world engaged in different types of fish farming. The indigenous people in Australia are believed to have raised eels as early as 600 BC. Abundant ___2___ indicates they developed volcanic floodplains near Lake Condah into channels and dams, then captured eels and preserved them to eat all year round. The earliest records of fish ___3___, however, are from China, where the practice was in wide use around 2500 BC. When the waters subsided after river floods, some fish, mainly carp, were ___4___ in lakes. Early fish farmers then fed their brood using nymphs and silkworm feces, and ate them afterwards.
In Europe, aquaculture first began in ancient Rome. The Romans, who ___5___ sea fish and oysters, created oyster farms which were similar to swimming pools. Fish and crustaceans (such as shrimps and crabs) caught in lagoons were kept ___6___ in these pools until it was time to eat them. The farms were often built inside ___7___ homes, where well-to-do families could invite their guests over and choose the fish they wished to eat. This Roman tradition was later adopted by Christian monasteries in central Europe.
During the Middle Ages, aquaculture ___8___ in Europe, since far away from the seacoasts and the big rivers, fish had to be salted so they did not rot. Throughout feudal Europe, monastic orders and the aristocracy were the main users of freshwater fish, for they had a ___9___ over the land, forests, and water courses while the common people could seldom build ponds of their own. As with hunting, ___10___ fishing was severely punished and the less well-off would have to wait a few centuries before fresh fish was served on their plates.
AO.
A. staying
B. keep up
C. dominant
D. production
E. indicated
F. straining
G. partially
H. solely
I. customers
J. ongoing
The global COVID-19 pandemic has been responsible for millions of deaths around the world. At the same times, experts say that is also at least ___1___ responsible for the current shortage of integrated circuits, which are better known as semiconductor chips or just chips.
Because of the pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, many chip production facilities had to shut or slow down their ___2___. Concurrently, because more people were ___3___ at home during lockdowns, demand for electronic devices, such as computers and webcams, exploded. Unfortunately, supply simply could not ___4___. In addition, more and more new products, including automobiles, began to require even more chips, further ___5___ supply and adding to the shortage.
Throughout this chip shortage, however, one company has remained a key and ___6___ player in the industry - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). TSMC is what known as a "pure (or 'pure-play') wafer foundry," which means that it does not research or design semiconductors itself, but instead focuses ___7___ on manufacturing and testing chips for others. Some of TSMC's ___8___ have included Apple as well as many other leading electronics companies. In fact, a recent report has ___9___ that TSMC commanded more than half of the entire global pure wafer foundry market in the second quarter of 2021. Despite production being affected by power supply interruptions in Taiwan in April and May, TSMC remains the largest contract chipmaker in the world.
Though South Korea's Samsung Electronics Corporation is in second place in this industry, it is another Taiwanese company - United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) - that holds third place, with 7.2 percent of the market.
With no end in sight to the ___10___ global chip shortage, it is clear that Taiwan - and especially TSMC and UMC - will continue to play a vital role in the world economy.
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