Australia’s Top Natural Attractions

In Australia, you’ll find an incredible variety of jaw-dropping natural wonders.

The Three Sisters

Where: Two-hour drive from Sydney

Located in the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters is a strikingly unusual rock formation that represents three sisters who were turned to stone according to Aboriginal legend. The tallest of the sisters stands at over 920m above sea level.

The Grampians

Where: Three-hour drive from Melbourne

The Grampians National Park is known for its amazing views, sandstone mountains, wild flowers, wildlife and the must-see Mackenzie Falls. Take the 2.5-hour return hike that ends in an incredible view of tree-covered mountains, blue lakes and wide valleys.

The Great Ocean Road

Where: Two-hour drive from Melbourne

Ready for sweeping coastal views, ancient rock formations and an unbeatable feeling of freedom? Then it’s time to hit the Great Ocean Road. Some of the most impressive sights along the way are Loch Ard Gorge, Gibson Steps, and London Bridge.

Lake Hillier

Where: Eight-hour drive from Perth

Almost too beautiful to believe, Lake Hillier is known for its bright pink colour. Located on Middle Island near Esperance, Lake Hillier is not the only pink lake in Australia, but it’s often considered the most vibrant (鲜艳的). Its pink colour is less noticeable when viewed from the surface, but it is very easily seen from above. In fact, unlike other pink lakes around the world, its water is still distinctively pink even when it is in a glass.

1. How long does it take to drive to the Blue Mountains from Sydney?

A．Two hours.

B．Three hours.

C．Four hours.

D．Eight hours.

2. Where should you go if you want to admire Mackenzie Falls?

A．Gibson Steps.

B．London Bridge.

C．The Grampians.

D．The Three Sisters.

3. What is Lake Hillier famous for?

A．Sandstone.

B．Pink water.

C．A small island.

D．An old legend.

David Sexton was called to a whale sighting a few hundred meters down when he was walking along the Assateague Island shoreline last February.

The 30-ton,15-year-old, female humpback whale (座头鲸) wasn’t in the ocean. The whale was lying dead on the beach, blocked by a caution tape. Sexton said he went home to find out what could have caused the death of the whale “Pivot”, often seen in the Gulf of Maine. He wasn’t able to find a reason for the whale’s death.

Pivot has been one of the 26 humpback whale strandings (搁浅) from Maine to Florida since last January according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Whale strandings occur when a whale is found dead on a shoreline, or alive, but unable to return to the water. The species typically lives up to 90 years, weighs 40 tons, and grows to an average of 60 feet in length.

Pivot’s cause of death is still unknown, but NOAA believes that vessel strikes, entanglement (缠住) in fishing equipment and changing water temperatures are the biggest threats to the species.

The United States announced that humpback whales were an endangered species for the first time in 1970, under the “Endangered Species Conservation Act”. Since then, the humpback whale population has grown from 15,000 to nearly 85,000. Moreover, the species is likely to benefit from climate change effects like warming waters, because the fish they eat become more plentiful in warm water.

“We have seen an increase in humpback whale strandings throughout the region along with significant population growth,” said Mendy Garron, a member of the rescue team for NOAA. “We request that if you see an animal in trouble or on the beach, call your local stranding organization,” Garron said. “We do want to encourage people to report those sightings of animals and of strandings to those locally trained rescue teams.”

4. What happened to Pivot?

A．It lost its way.	B．It was found dead.
C．It missed a call.	D．It was overweight.

5. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 3?

A．Add some background information.	B．Offer some tips on whale-watching.
C．Introduce the whale’s natural habitat.	D．Summarize the previous paragraphs.

6. Why has the humpback whale population grown fast since 1970?

A．They stay away from humans.	B．They are able to avoid boat traffic.
C．They are subject to legal protection.	D．They can get more food in cold water.

7. What did Garron suggest about humpback whale strandings?

A．Keeping still on the beach.	B．Contacting the local reporters.
C．Sharing those sightings online.	D．Turning to rescue teams for help.

A new checkout trend (趋势) is sweeping across America, making for an increasingly awkward experience: digital tip jars.

You order a coffee, an ice cream, a salad or a slice of pizza and pay with your credit card or phone. Then, a worker standing behind the counter turns a touch screen and slides it in front of you. The screen has a few suggested tip amounts — usually 10%, 15% or 20%. The worker is directly across from you. Other customers are standing behind, waiting impatiently and looking over your shoulder to see how much you tip. And you must make a decision in seconds.

Customers and workers today are faced with a completely different tipping culture compared to just a few years ago — without any clear norms. Although consumers are used to tipping waiters and other service workers, tipping a cashier may be a new phenomenon for many shoppers. It’s being driven in large part by changes in technology that have enabled business owners to more easily shift (转移) the costs of compensating (补偿) workers directly to customers.

In addition, customers were encouraged to tip generously during the past two years to help keep restaurants and stores running, raising expectations. Total tips for full-service restaurants were up 25% during the latest quarter compared to a year ago, while tips at quick-service restaurants were up 17%, according to data from Square.

The shift to digital payments also sped up, leading stores to replace dated cash tip jars with tablet touch screens. But these screens and the procedures for digital tipping have proven more intrusive than a low-pressure cash tip jar with a few dollars in it. Some people walk away from the screen on purpose without doing anything to avoid making a decision.

8. What mainly drove tipping a cashier?

A．Improved service.	B．Customers’ request.
C．Advances in technology.	D．An increase in living costs.

9. Why were customers encouraged to tip in the past two years?

A．To increase sales worldwide.	B．To attract skilled workers.
C．To meet their personal needs.	D．To make businesses survive.

10. What does the underlined word “intrusive” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Annoying.

B．Convenient.

C．Generous.

D．Orderly.

11. What is the text mainly about?

A．Well-paid jobs in America.	B．A problem about digital payment.
C．The changes in food choice.	D．A rising trend of tipping in the US.

Last August, the 900-year-old Wan’an Bridge in Pingnan County, a locality of Ningde City in the coastal Fujian province, was destroyed when it suddenly caught fire.

Wan’an, a national-level protected building, was a wooden arch corridor bridge (木拱廊桥),which for centuries was an ancient architectural calling card for the region. The bridge,98.2 meters long and 4.7 meters wide, was first built in the Song dynasty (960~1279), and was the longest wooden arch corridor bridge left standing in China. Few, however, had imagined that such an ancient bridge would attract public attention in such a way.

Amid the powerful voice of the local population for new wooden arch bridges, the traditional techniques behind the building work have well and truly been revived (唤醒), but the protection of the ancient buildings still has much room for improvement.

Currently, China’s approach to the protection of national heritage sites puts protecting and rescuing endangered buildings before all else, but to keep these ancient buildings alive, preventive protection is key.

“Technically, restoring (修复) Wan’an isn’t very difficult,” said Li, Deputy County Mayor of Pingnan. “Along with the help of the local inheritors of the national intangible cultural heritage, the bridge’s restoration looks hopeful. However, the historical value will definitely be affected.”

Meanwhile, Zhan, the former Deputy Dean at the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, pointed out the recent destruction of Wan’an Bridge highlights a serious shortage of warning mechanisms and preventative protection measures, which currently are supposed to be the most important part of protection. “Significant improvements have been made in the past few years in protection, but we still have a long way to go on proper planning for protection work. How to protect cultural heritage is a matter that we need to discuss as soon as possible,” he added.

12. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about the bridge?

A．Its exact length.	B．Its historical value.
C．Its special location.	D．Its talented builder.

13. What plays a key role in keeping ancient buildings alive according to the text?

A．Rescuing ruined sites first.	B．Following the locals’ advice.
C．Taking preventive action.	D．Developing the tourist industry.

14. What can we infer about the protection of cultural heritage from Zhan’s words?

A．It needs more effort.	B．It is a complete failure.
C．It is a success story.	D．It focuses on warnings.

15. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．How We Restore Old Buildings	B．What Wan’an Bridge Taught Us
C．A Fresh Approach to Fire Prevention	D．A Plan of Action for Protection Work

You have to be a marathon runner to get meaningful health benefits from exercise. And that kind of thinking can actually be a block to getting movement.    16     Here are four tips to help you start an exercise habit that you can stick with. It’s a lot easier than you think.

Everything counts when it comes to movement.

The expert guideline says we should be getting 150 minutes of moderately intense (中等强度的) activity each week. But what counts as a moderately intense activity? “    17    Activities in that range include cleaning the floor, or dancing to some music,” says Micnelle Segar, a sport and health psychologist at the University of Michigan.

Exercise is not all or nothing.

Think of starting an exercise habit like climbing a ladder. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Even a short period of exercise has value, and it can help you build up your fitness level over time. So start small. Try standing up from your chair and sitting back down repeatedly. Or just take a five-minute walk.    18    

Focus on how exercise makes you feel.

Long-term benefits like weight loss often take time to achieve. And it can be disheartening when you don’t see results quickly.    19    “There are so many positives that happen when you move,” says Segar. “It brings you much energy. When you feel better, that often benefits you.”

    20    

If weightlifting in a crowded gym gives you anxiety, try getting a set of weights for home or following workout videos on YouTube or riding a bike in the park. Keep trying different types of exercise until you find an activity that makes you happy.

A．Find a workout partner.

B．Basically, all movement counts.

C．Figure out the exercise that fits you.

D．What will you do to break the habit?

E．So what does count and where do you begin?

F．Starting small can help you develop an exercise habit.

G．Instead, focus on immediate payoffs like improved energy level.

All every child wants is to feel like they fit in. But it can be hard when they find little representation in the world around them, including their _________.

Amy Jandrisevits, a social worker in a welfare home for children, _________ well how therapeutic (有疗效的) it is for kids with disabilities to see their _________ reflected in the things they play with, namely, dolls (洋娃娃). That’s what _________ her to create “A Doll Like Me”.

“In my time working with the kids, I used dolls to help the children _________ themselves,” Amy said. “Dolls are an effective _________ to share kindness and show acceptance, especially when the doll looks like you.”

So she began making her own non-traditional Raggedy Ann dolls for children with disabilities. Each is _________ and looks just like the child it’s made for, matching their _________ physical characteristics and medical conditions.

Each costs about $100 to make and ship. If families can’t afford to pay, Amy covers the _________ with funds raised through her GoFundMe campaign. She’s also __________ with a children’s hospital to provide other kids with dolls for comfort as they __________ their medical care.

Amy says her final __________ is to be able to give out all the dolls for free. “If we’re going to look at mental (心理的) health as a __________ part of medical care, this is key.”

So far, she’s made over 300 dolls, and her admirable efforts __________ aren’t going unnoticed. In fact, she was __________ with GoFundMe’s Hero in 2022!

21.

A．toys

B．clothes

C．shoes

D．books

22.

A．respects

B．protests

C．understands

D．imagines

23.

A．solutions

B．differences

C．examples

D．movements

24.

A．forced

B．expected

C．warned

D．inspired

25.

A．express

B．hide

C．greet

D．excuse

26.

A．belief

B．way

C．reason

D．place

27.

A．handmade

B．widespread

C．anxious

D．absent

28.

A．formal

B．previous

C．unique

D．extra

29.

A．stress

B．story

C．topic

D．cost

30.

A．competed

B．partnered

C．compared

D．lived

31.

A．give up

B．put off

C．talk about

D．go through

32.

A．right

B．score

C．goal

D．match

33.

A．global

B．necessary

C．familiar

D．risky

34.

A．rarely

B．gently

C．illegally

D．definitely

35.

A．honored

B．treated

C．fired

D．limited

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。

Rescue efforts are ongoing after a massive earthquake and     36     (power) aftershocks strike southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. The quake is one of the     37     (deadly) worldwide in over ten years.

Thousands of people have been killed, and the numbers seem certain     38     (rise) as rescue teams are hunting for survivors. In hard-hit Turkey, over 6,000 buildings have been destroyed. Rescuers have been working overnight in cold, wet weather while also     39     (face) the threat of aftershocks since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked     40     region early Monday.

Amid the horror of the natural disaster have been reports of miraculous (奇迹般的) rescues.

Among the survivors, an entire family was rescued     41     the province of Idlib, western Syria on Tuesday. Footage of the rescue showed two girls and a boy pulled from a     42     (damage) building by the group’s volunteer to loud cheers from the large crowd gathered. The     43     (child) were rushed to a hospital. Two adults also appeared to be carried out from the building.

A more bittersweet rescue     44     (occur) in Jindires, Syria, on Tuesday. A baby girl     45     had been born amid the earthquake rubble (废墟) was rescued, though none of her family survived. The baby was transported to a hospital, where she was in an incubator (恒温箱) in good condition.

47. 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

When I was in 7th grade, my mom was diagnosed (诊断) with breast cancer. It was very sudden and unexpected for our family and obviously I was devastated (悲痛的). I tried my best to balance my first year of middle school and my home life, even if I knew this was impossible.

At the beginning of the year, I managed to stay on track with my homework and get through my first year at middle school. Slowly, I noticed that my quiz and test grades were increasingly getting worse, but I never brought this to the attention of my mom because I did not want to worry her. Eventually, all of my grades were lower than C.

I needed to get my grades back up. A lot of my teachers were cutting me some slack (松懈) because they knew what was happening at my home. Among them, my English teacher Ms. Zazoski was the most supportive teacher that I had ever had.

One day she had me stay after school to have a talk with her. As I stepped up to her huge wooden desk, I could feel myself getting more and more nervous by the second. I was sure that she would have a talk with me about getting my grades up. I took a slow, deep breath and felt the cold, dry air go in and out of my lungs. Before I could finish my breath, Ms. Zazoski started the conversation.

“Hello, Orianna!” she said, smiling. “I’m sure you know why I have called you here today.”

“Yes,” I said in a low voice, still nervous.

“So I have noticed that in most of your classes your grades have been going down.”

“Yeah, I know. I am trying to do better,” I said, hanging my head low. She started to read from her computer, my grades from each of my classes.

注意：1．续写词数应为150左右;
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

“Orianna, this isn’t the end of the world,” she said kindly.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As I walked out of the office, I was extremely relieved.

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