1 . Unlike most of her peers who left their rural hometowns, 34-year-old Ning Fenfang left her job in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in 2017 and worked as a village official in her hometown— a mountainous village in Cili county in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. Now she farms over 66.7 hectares of land.

Seeing much of the farmland had been deserted, Ning resigned from her post in 2020 and became a full-time farmer, renting the farmland and hiring villagers to work it. She founded a centre for housewives in the village to work her farmland during busy hours.

“It’s never easy,” said Ning. It is very rare for young people to become farmers in rural areas, as farming is labor-intensive and requires constant work in the mud. What’s more, farming is often seen as a job “unsuitable” for both the post-90s generation and women in general. Her decision to become a farmer confused many of her fellow villagers and farming was much more difficult than she had imagined. She experienced tremendous pain due to the intensive labour. At first, she didn’t farm much through lack of farming knowledge, so she didn’t feel pressured to succeed. Later, she decided to expand the scale and spent millions of yuan. “Most of the money is borrowed from banks, families and relatives, so there is no turning back,” she said. Weighing up the pros and cons, her husband ultimately gave up his business to work with her.

She has tried to turn farming into a “trendy” job. Instead of traditional farming methods which rely on human labor, Ning promotes mechanized farming, such as using harvesters, cultivators and drones. She also plans to explore the agricultural tourism resources in Zhangjiajie for children living in urban areas to experience farming.

Being elected to the 14th National People’s Congress has motivated Ning to feel responsible for fellow farmers. “NPC deputies from the grassroots need to consider rural farmers’ needs and bring their voices to the two sessions,” Ning said.

1. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Ning facilitated the development of local agriculture.

B．Ning was once elected to the 14th National People’s Congress.

C．Ning was pessimistic about her work and her future in Hangzhou.

D．The locals found her decision to become a farmer realistic at first.

2. What’s Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．Ning gradually expanded the scale of her business.

B．Ning lacked adequate knowledge about agriculture.

C．Ning did what it took to invest heavily in her business.

D．Ning faced more challenges in farming than she had figured.

3. What sets Ning’s farming apart from traditional farming?

A．The expansion of agricultural dimensions.

B．The restriction of agricultural implements.

C．The employment of agricultural machinery.

D．The exploration of agricultural tourism resources.

4. Which of the following can best describe Ning Fenfang?

A．Desperate and considerate.	B．Humble and dynamic.
C．Persevering and innovative.	D．Sensitive and aggressive.

2 . “The mountains are calling and I must go” — the famous quote is from John Muir(1838-1914), who is described as “the wilderness poet” and “the citizen of the universe.” He once jokingly referred to himself as a “poet-geologist-botanist and ornithologist (鸟类学家)-naturalist etc. etc.!” He is known as the Father of American National Parks.

Famed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns recently said, “As we got to know him… he was among the highest individuals in America; I’m talking about the level of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Thomas Jefferson— people who have had a transformational effect on who we are.”

So where is the quote from? Well, John Muir was a productive writer. Whether he was writing poetry or simply letters to his family, John Muir was always putting pen to paper. The quote is from within one of his many letters written to his sister:

September 3rd, 1873 Yosemite Valley Dear sister Sarah, I have just returned from the longest and hardest trip I have ever made in the mountains, having been gone over five weeks. I am weary, but resting fast; sleepy, but sleeping deep and fast; hungry, but eating much. For two weeks I explored the glaciers of the summits east of here, sleeping among the snowy mountains without blankets and with little to eat on account of its being so inaccessible. After my icy experiences, it seems strange to be down here in so warm and flowery a climate. I will soon be off again, determined to use all the season in carrying through my work—will go next to Kings River a hundred miles south, then to Lake Tahoe and surrounding mountains, and in winter work in Oakland with my pen. Though slow, someday I will have the results of my mountain studies in a form in which you all will be able to read and judge them. The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly (永不停息地). I will write again when I return from Kings River Canyon. Farewell, with love everlasting. Yours, John

1. What can we learn from John Muir’s self-description in paragraph 1?

A．He longed to expand his own career.

B．He enjoyed his involvement in nature.

C．He wanted to find his real advantage.

D．He valued his identity as a poet most.

2. What did Ken Burns mainly talk about?

A．Muir’s political influence.	B．A documentary film on Muir.
C．Muir’s historic significance.	D．The social circle around Muir.

3. How did Muir feel when writing the first paragraph of his letter?

A．Relieved but regretful.	B．Exhausted but content.
C．Excited but lonely.	D．Defeated but hopeful.

4. Why must John Muir go into mountains again?

A．To go on with his mountain studies.

B．To seek freedom from social connection.

C．To attend an appointment in Oakland.

D．To experience the hardship of wilderness.

3 . For any little girl of energy and spirit, to be ladylike is painful. To sit up straight, wear gloves and speak only when spoken to is pure torture. Fortunately, that was not a difficulty Jane Withers faced. From the age of six she was paid to talk loud, walk awkwardly and answer back directly. She could blow out her cheeks until her eyes disappeared almost into her head.

Her films had titles like Always in Trouble, Arizona Wildcat, The Holy Terror and Rascals. She played characters called Ginger, Pepper. Corky and Peg Gurgle, usually orphans (孤儿), who were forced into over-fancy schools, criminals’ hideouts or desert islands, but would take charge and, after a struggle, come up winning. Her mother worried that people would hate her for playing such bad-mannered characters.

But the opposite happened. She became wildly popular. Shops were filled with Jane Withers shoes, dresses and dolls. Like many child stars, she made far more from such goods than from her 38 films.

She might not be as pretty as Nancy Drew, the top girl detective of the age, but like her she could ride a horse, ice skate and speak French. And, better than her, she could mimic (模仿) anyone. Another pleasant surprise she gave the studio was that away from filming she was very well behaved. If she liked a role, she went for it politely, and said thank you.

She was expected to be an actress even in the womb and was sent to the Atlanta radio shows at the age of three. She was just given $5 a week as pocket money. For every two dolls she was sent, one had to be given to a needy child. Her parents insisted that they should live only on the money they brought home.

Of course, the Hollywood dream didn’t last long. She got so sick of playing child parts that at 15 she published her own story, Small Tor um Deb and retired completely from Hollywood in 1947 at 21.

1. What does the underlined word "torture" in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Suffering.

B．Joy.

C．Luck.

D．Entertainment.

2. Which of the following best describes Ginger, Pepper, Corky and Peg Gurgle?

A．Talented.

B．Handsome.

C．Polite.

D．Troublesome.

3. What can be inferred about Jane’s parents?

A．They don’t love their daughter.	B．They are very strict.
C．They don’t want her to be an actress.	D．They are really selfish.

4. When was Small Town Deb published?

A．In 1926.

B．In 1932.

C．In 1941.

D．In 1947.

4 . Sarkar is a nanotechnologist (纳米技术专家) and assistant professor at MIT. She is conducting her research on brain diseases that _________ the minds of millions of people worldwide.

Born in Kolkata, India, Sarkar credits both of her parents as early _________. Her courage as a researcher comes from her _________, who as a young woman went against social norms (常态) in her village by _________ to fund her own education. Meanwhile, Sarkar’s father _________ her interest in engineering. Sarkar recalls her father finding time for his _________, fashioning devices to make home life more _______, including an electricity-free washing machine. “That got me very _________ in science and technology.” Sarkar says.

After _________ a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Dhanbad, Sarkar __________ California to study nanoclectronics. There, she tested new ways to __________ nanodevices that could reduce the amount of __________ consumed by computers and other everyday electronics. __________, she made a breakthrough by developing a standout nanodevice.

Along the way, Sarkar became fascinated with the __________, which she calls “the lowest energy computer”. She hopes to put nanodevices between human neurons (神经细胞) to improve the computing speed of the processor in our brains. “Our brains are __________, but we could be better than what we are.” she says.

1.

A．enrich

B．read

C．affect

D．poison

2.

A．birds

B．researchers

C．failures

D．inspirations

3.

A．aunt

B．mother

C．sister

D．grandmother

4.

A．working

B．pretending

C．refusing

D．waiting

5.

A．protected

B．switched

C．stimulated

D．supported

6.

A．job

B．holiday

C．discomfort

D．passion

7.

A．complex

B．convenient

C．peaceful

D．meaningful

8.

A．interested

B．honest

C．lucky

D．disappointed

9.

A．starting

B．carning

C．needing

D．introducing

10.

A．adapted to

B．related to

C．headed to

D．belonged to

11.

A．create

B．fix

C．operate

D．sell

12.

A．water

B．money

C．power

D．time

13.

A．Unfortunately

B．Immediately

C．Obviously

D．Eventually

14.

A．computer

B．brain

C．exercise

D．fashion

15.

A．empty

B．busy

C．relaxed

D．remarkable

6 . Abraham Lincoln was a typical self-made man. He obtained his license to practice law without ever having stepped foot inside a college or academy building. Books became his academy. Everywhere he went, Lincoln carried a book with him. He thumbed through page after page while his horse rested at the end of a long row of planting. Whenever he could escape work, he would lie with his head against a tree and read.

Though the young Lincoln never left America, he traveled with Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage to Spain and Portugal; accompanied Robert Burns to Edinburgh; and followed the English kings into battle with Shakespeare. As he explored the wonders of literature and the history of the country, the young Lincoln developed ambitions far beyond the expectations of his family and neighbors. It was through literature that he was able to

go beyond his surroundings and reach his destination.

The volumes to feed Lincoln’s intellectual hunger did not come cheaply. The story is often recounted of the time he borrowed Parson Weems’s The Life of George Washington from Josiah Crawford, a well-to-do farmer. Thrilled by this account of the first president’s life, he took the book to his loft at night, where he read as long as he could stay awake, placing the book on a makeshift shelf between the cabin logs so he could fetch it at daybreak. During a severe rainstorm one night, the book was badly soiled. Lincoln went to Crawford’s house, explained what had happened, and offered to work off the value of the book. Crawford calculated the value of two full days’ work pulling corn, which Lincoln considered an unfair repayment. Nevertheless, he straightway set to work and kept on until all work was done. Then, having paid his debt, Lincoln wrote poems and songs teasing Josiah’s large nose. Thus Crawford, in return for loaning Lincoln a book and then overly punishing him, won a permanent place in American history.

1. What can we learn about Lincoln from the first paragraph?

A．He wasn’t academically competent.	B．He read on horseback to escape work.
C．He failed to obtain a valid law license.	D．He is an excellent autonomous learner.

2. How did Lincoln succeed in achieving his ambition?

A．By reading extensively.	B．With his family’s support.
C．Through self-employment.	D．By traveling around the world.

3. What happened to the book he borrowed from Crawford?

A．Stolen by a farmer.	B．Burned by a candle fire.
C．Damaged in a rainstorm.	D．Lost and never recovered.

4. Which of the following best describes Lincoln according to the last paragraph?

A．Tough and helpful.	B．Diligent and generous.
C．Intelligent and humble.	D．Determined and sharp-tongued.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. When will Emma perform?

A．In late August.

B．In mid-July.

C．In early June.

2. Where will Emma teach at a music camp?

A．In Chicago.

B．In Texas.

C．In California.

3. What will Emma do in Florida?

A．Raise money for orphans.

B．Have a vacation week.

C．Organize a music concert.

8 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The box office of China’s Qingming Festival holiday earned     1    estimated 823 million yuan as of April 6, which is highly     2     (benefit) to the healthy operation of the entire film market. Foreign language films: The Boy and the Heron, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Kung Fu Panda 4, took the top three spots, according to Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan.

A film analyst from Maoyan said that Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, whose     3     (recognize) and popularity in China are high,     4     (see) several of his works achieve impressive box-office results in recent years, such as Castle in the Sky (135 million yuan), Spirited Away (488 million yuan) and My Neighbor Totoro (173 million yuan). The film The Boy and the Heron also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature,     5     (add) further momentum to its box office. It tells the story of a young boy,     6     loses his mother in a fire and moves into a new home with his father and stepmother. It is replete with Miyazaki’s symbols of life, echoing his classic works, and reflects his own childhood experiences     7       (project) onto the protagonist, according to Toshio Suzuki, chairman and producer of Studio Ghibli.

    8     (reflect) on their over 40 years of friendship, Suzuki     9     (sincere) expressed his commitment to continue walking alongside Miyazaki until one of them passes away. “We show our full respect for ‘Grandpa Hayao Miyazaki’, who is still devoted     10     film creation in his 80s,” one netizen commented.

10 . London native, Bodhana first became interested in chess to beat back boredom. Just five years old at the time, she quickly surpassed (超越) her father’s chess playing ability and began playing, and winning, in online chess games. Three years later, Bodhana made history as the top female chess player in Europe after she defeated grandmasters many times her age at the European Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship in December 2023.

Sivanandan Velayutham, Bodhana’s father, said that his daughter first became fascinated with chess at the age of five, when he brought home a second-hand chess set. Bodhana happened to see the knight (武士) lying around and it caught her interest. “I want the horse,” she told her father.

Bodhana’s father was happy to help and he taught her the chess basics that he’d learned in India. But it didn’t take long for his preschool daughter to beat him. “At the start, I might have won one or two games, but she soon knew the rules better than me and the tables quickly turned,” Velayutham said.

From the beginning, Bodhana strengthened what her father was teaching her with games and methods that she learned from YouTube videos. But when it became clear that she had a lasting interest and an unusual talent, her father enrolled in a local chess club for her, where she soon fell into the habit of practicing daily for an hour or more.

Last year, at one of Bodhana’s first ever tournament experiences, which was hosted by the English Chess Federation, she defeated a number of grandmasters.

A year later, Bodhana won the World Youth Chess Championship in the Under-8 Girls category. After defeating kids at her age, a few months later she went back to beating adults.

BBC shared Bodhana’s win at the European Blitz Chess Championship in December of 2023. There, she earned the title of best female player, scoring8.5/13, and earning widespread praise from other game masters.

1. What can be learned about Bodhana in paragraph 1?

A．Her considerate family.	B．Her amazing chess talent.
C．Her great luck in her career.	D．Her powerful self-study ability.

2. What caused Bodhana’s interest in chess in the first place?

A．Her father’s encouragement.	B．The interesting rules of chess.
C．An animal-shaped chess piece.	D．Education received in preschool.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 3?

A．Bodhana made her father lose face.	B．Bodhana’s father collected used chess.
C．Bodhana was sent to India to learn chess.	D．Bodhana’s father used to live abroad.

4. What made Bodhana start playing chess regularly?

A．Joining a local chess club.	B．Learning chess rules online.
C．Defeating a number of grandmasters.	D．Meeting with a second-hand chess set.