1 . Imagine a city built as a line across the desert. It can run on 100% clean energy and 100% renewable water. That sounds impossible, but it’s becoming a reality.

Saudi Arabia is building such a city called The Line. It starts from the mountains of Northwest Saudi Arabia and pushes its way to the Red Sea. With an area of just 34 square kilometres, it can be home to 9 million people. The Line is 500 metres tall, 200 metres wide and 170 kilometres long, with two huge mirror walls standing on its both sides.

To put living experiences and natural environment first, The Line is designed to have three layers (层) . The top layer has no roads or cars, keeping over 95% of the nature around. Carefully designed environment makes the best balance of sunshine, trees and other natural sights. The middle layer is for services. All of them are operated by AI. Robots and a huge man-made moon make the city a technology paradise (天堂). From shopping malls to sports areas, wherever you go, you will be amazed at how convenient life can be. The lowest layer is the most important pat which shows how fast the city runs. The Line’s high-speed railway powered by electricity makes it possible to travel end to end in 20 minutes.

The plan started in early 2021 and is expected to finish its first stage in 2030. However, not everyone shows enough confidence in the plan. Environmentalists argue that mirror walls of The Line will bring danger to animals. For example, birds may hit onto the glass or even die when they migrate every spring and autumn. Besides, some commentators (评论员) also question whether the city will be built successfully. But Tarek Qaddumi, the director of the plan, seems sure, “We hope to get faster, better and greener results, with less environmental influence. It will set a new standard for future city life.”

1. What’s The Line according to the passage?

A．A city that will lie under the Red Sea.

B．A city that will be built in the shape of a line.

C．A city that will have a population of 11 million.

D．A city that will have stone walls on the two sides.

2. Which picture shows the three layers of The Line?

A．

B．

C．

D．

3. Which best explains the underlined word “migrate” in Paragraph 4?

A．①To travel to a new place or country, usually to find work and live there.

B．②To move from one place to another according to the seasons.

C．③To move information on one computer to another.

D．④To begin using a new computer system.

4. Why does the writer write the passage?

A．To tell who will build The Line.

B．To advise people to visit The Line.

C．To introduce a future city called The Line.

D．To show the difficulties of building The Line.

2 .

Graphic organisers are visual (视觉的) tools that help learners connect ideas and show relationships among different information. Check out some examples of graphic organisers.
	T-chart It divides information into two groups. It is often used to show advantages and disadvantages.	Take a quick look at why you should think of using graphic organisers. ●They bridge what you’ve known with what you’re learning and help you remember. ● They help you better organise ideas and plan writing. ● They make self-learning easier and help you solve problems on your own. ● They’re easy to understand and help save time while you’re sharing ideas.
	Fishbone Diagram It looks at the different causes that lead to a certain result.
	Circle Map It’s used to collect ideas with a main topic in a smaller circle and related ideas in a larger one.
	Sequence Chart It presents steps or events in order and tells how one thing leads to another with arrows (→).

1. Which graphic organiser best shows advantages and disadvantages?

A．T-chart.

B．Fishbone Diagram.

C．Circle Map.

D．Sequence Chart.

2. How can graphic organisers help you?

A．Correct mistakes in writing.	B．Save time while choosing tools.
C．Develop problem-solving skills.	D．Improve relationships with teachers.

3. What is the text?

A．A road map.

B．A weather report.

C．A learning guide.

D．A thank-you letter.

3 .

① Have you ever heard of Pi Day? You may think it is all about having pies.

That’s only partly right. Pi Day is actually about maths! Every year on March 14th, maths lovers and scientists celebrate Pi Day to honour the special number π(3. 14159…).

②____ ▲_______. It was founded in 1988 by Larry Shaw. He worked at the Exploratorium, a museum of science and technology. He linked (联系) March 14th with n and celebrated his very first Pi Day with a pie party. Later, the celebration became a yearly tradition at the museum and more visitors joined in. In November 2019, Pi Day was designated (指定) as the International Day of Mathematics by UNESCO, an international organisation.

③ There are many kinds of celebrations of Pi Day. Some people choose to memorise as many digits (数字)as they can, while some take part in a Pi parade, enjoying delicious pies and dancing to music.

Besides, people use a writing style called Pilish to celebrate Pi Day. In a Pilish sentence, the number of letters in each word matches the digit of π. The first word has three letters, the second has one letter, the third has four letters, and so on. An engineer, Michacl Keith, even wrote a book called Not a Wake by using Pilish

④ Pi Day is a day of discovery and joy, reminding us of the importance and beauty of mathematics in our lives. Let’s celebrate the mathematical wonder of π!

1. Who is most likely to be interested in Pi Day?

A．A maths lover.

B．A food lover.

C．A music writer.

D．A film writer.

2. Which can be the best to fill in the blank_____▲_____ in Paragraph 2?

A．Pi Day is celebrated in different ways

B．Pi Day is celebrated all over the world

C．Pi Day is a young international festival

D．Pi Day is a time to make delicious pies

3. Which sentence is written in Pilish?

A．Now, I get an award.	B．Now, I have a dream.
C．Now, we buy a chair.	D．Now, we wash an apple.

4. What’s the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．

4 .

Space junk is a danger to the satellites and may hurt astronauts. There are tens of millions of pieces of rubbish in space. Some of the pieces are from passing comets, but most of them are from large broken satellites and rockets after they stopped working.

Though satellite technology offers some advantages to people, the increasing use of it could make large areas of Earth’s orbit into bad condition. The space closely around our planet is becoming increasingly crowded with over 9,000 satellites in orbit today, and the Eastern Southern Observatory (ESO) shows that this number may grow to 75,000 by 2030.

As Space.com reported in October 2022, the International Space Station (ISS) had to think about how to keep clear of a piece of space junk from a broken Russian satellite in 2021. In November 2021, astronauts in the ISS had to stay inside their spaceship when the space station passed close to space junk.

NASA scientists have called for an agreement to make sure “space junk” doesn’t make the activities in Earth’s orbit into trouble and they are working on it. “Satellites are important to the people and Earth itself. However, using too much space will put our planet into a dangerous situation,” said Melissa Quinn, Head of Space port Cornwall. “I hope all countries need to pay attention, to understand the importance of the next step, and to work together, to keep the problem under control.”

1. The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refers to ________.

A．space

B．Earth

C．rubbish

D．satellite technology

2. The report in Paragraph 3 mainly shows that ________.

A．the Russian satellite has just badly broken

B．a piece of space rubbish can be very dangerous

C．the main job of the ISS is to collect the space junk

D．space rubbish is everywhere around the space station

3. Which of the following is True according to the passage?

A．Most of space junk are pieces from passing comets.

B．There may be 75, 000 satellites in the earth orbit by 2030.

C．NASA has already kept the “space junk” problem in control.

D．Scientists think the space junk won’t hurt astronauts any more.

4. The writer wrote the passage to tell us ________.

A．it’s time to do with space junk problem	B．it is dangerous to work in space
C．broken satellites may become space junk	D．there is much space rubbish in space

5 .

The way people see movies may soon change completely, as the age of VR movies is coming. When you go to a cinema, the 3D glasses may not be clean. The people behind you may keep talking. But with VR, you don’t need to suffer all of these things. Movies will become more exciting and interesting. The “watch-it-alone”experience is also much better. Of course, the VR headset is what you need.

In big cities like Shanghai, you can already find lots of VR experience centres. People can watch VR movies or play VR games there. Online video sites are entering the age of VR too.

There are plenty of VR movies to enjoy. Now your home is the entertainment place for you. The VR headset can also help you keep your attention fully on what you are watching. That habit of checking your social media as you watch will be a thing of the past. Now you will not miss any part of a movie.

Some Chinese companies believe VR will pull viewers away from cinemas soon. China is home to a large number of smartphone users. Many of them are used to watching videos on their phones. This means it will be easy for them to accept VR movies.

Western companies think so too. A Canadian producer, has expressed his worries. “VR may not take place of traditional movies,” he says. “But it will really cause a big change.”

The producer, however, thinks that the movie industry needs more great stories. “The technology is already there,” he says. “What we still need more is good content.”

1. As the age of VR movies is coming, ________.

A．movies will be full of good contents.

B．people will go to cinemas more often.

C．movies will be more exciting and interesting.

D．people will have “watch-it-together”experience.

2. What’s the main idea of Paragraph 2?

A．VR experience is wonderful.

B．VR is on the rising use in big cities.

C．VR apps are necessary in people’s life.

D．VR games are popular among young people.

3. Many Chinese will easily accept VR movies because ________.

A．there is much noise in the cinemas.

B．traditional movies are not so good.

C．3D glasses in the cinema are too dirty.

D．they are used to watching videos on phones.

4. Which is the producer’s opinion on the movie industry?

A．There will be no traditional movies in the future.

B．VR movies will be as popular as traditional movies.

C．VR technology improves people’s attention to one thing.

D．With good stories, movies industry will have a better future.

6 .

①Sugar-free cookies, reduced-sugar cereal, sugar-free candy, diet soda. Do these seem like healthier alternatives (替代物)? After sugar became something forbidden in the nutrition and fitness world, sugar-free products acted as alternatives for once beloved sweet drinks and snacks. Claiming to be ZERO sugar, they were believed as healthier choices, especially for those people who manage diabetics (糖尿病), or aim to slim down. But the truth is they aren’t equal to better.

②When a product is labeled sugar-free, it means artificial sweeteners are used instead of real sugar. Artificial sweeteners don’t come from natural sources but they are chemical substances that are added to food and drinks to make them sweeter. Actually, most artificial sweeteners are a lot sweeter than sugar, even 200—600 times sweeter, so only a tiny amount is needed.

③Let’s find out how artificial sweeteners work. They work similarly to regular sugar by exciting your taste buds. The taste buds send signals to the brain that they have tasted something sweet and you feel a similar sense as you would with sugar.

④In recent studies, scientists have revealed artificial sweeteners are more harmful to our body than real sugar. Many businesses market sugar-free alternatives as “low-calorie” or “no-calorie”. It misleads people to believe sugar-free products can make them slim and healthy. But it’s reported that you get no nutritional value from consuming them.

⑤What’s worse, when you eat this kind of sweet food, your body continues to desire it even though your body can’t metabolize (新陈代谢) these sugar-free alternatives. Your brain does not know the difference, either. In turn, sugar-free alternatives connect to weight gain and Type 2 diabetes.

⑥Similarly, artificial sweeteners also damage your gut’s ability to break down sugar which affects everything you eat. In other words, your body doesn’t know how to deal with artificial sweeteners because they have nothing real to process.

⑦Here’s a golden rule: stay away from artificial sweeteners and look for non-sugar, natural sweeteners like Stevia or date sugar. In the war against artificial sweeteners and real sugar, both lose. Satisfy your sweet tooth with natural sugars that come from fruits and stay away from products claiming to be sugar-free or diet!

1. What’s special about sugar-free products?

A．They don’t taste delicious.	B．They are good for health.
C．They can make people excited.	D．They contain artificial sweeteners.

2. The underlined word “consuming” in Paragraph 4 might mean ________.

A．using

B．storing

C．breaking

D．controlling

3. Which of the following is the author’s opinion on sweet products?

A．People should fight against sugary products and stay away from them all the time.

B．People who like sweet food can choose fruit sugars to improve their ability to metabolize.

C．It’s wise for people to refuse artificial sweeteners because they result in some health risks.

D．There is still a need for more scientific studies on sugary products whether they are safe or not.

4. What is the structure of the passage?

A．	B．
C．	D．

7 .

Space tour is not all about rockets—large space balloons can do it too! The company HALO Space in Spain completed the first test flight of its balloon in December, 2022. This means another company joined the competition of making space tour a reality.

During the test flight, the balloon reached an altitude of 37 kilometers where passengers would be able to look at the Earth from the blackness of space, according to Daily Mail. When the flights are available, the company aims to carry 3,000 passengers on 400 trips every year.

How does a space balloon work? The balloon is usually filled with helium or hydrogen, which are both much lighter than air, and it flies up.

According to NASA, the balloon is filled with the amount of gas that will give it enough lift to get off the ground and rise. As it rises, the gas inside the balloon grows larger.

The balloon stops when the density of the gas inside and the air outside is about the same, it begins to fall down as gas goes out slowly.

So the whole trip is not intense. The Space Perspective in US says that the trips are about relaxation. The balloon rises slowly at 12 miles (about 18.3 kilometers) an hour, and it takes about two hours to get to the 37 km altitude. It also takes another two hours to go back to the land.

Since its successful test flight in June 2022, Space Perspective Company started selling tickets for spaceflights in 2024—and it has already sold out. The company now buys ships to turn them into “floating spaceports”, reported Daily Mail. By lifting the balloon from ships on the sea, there will be more chances to enjoy the tour, such as flights at sunrise and sunset.

1. The word “This” in Para. 1 refers to ________.

A．Spain made space tour a reality

B．the balloon reached an altitude of 37 km

C．HALO Space Company completed the test flight of its balloon

D．the company in space in Spain joined the competition of making space tour

2. How can a space balloon fly up into the sky?

A．The gas inside the balloon is lighter than the air outside.

B．The balloon is usually filled with a little heavier gas.

C．The gas inside the balloons always grows smaller.

D．The density of the gas inside and the air outside is the same.

3. How long does a whole trip take?

A．About two hours.	B．About four hours.
C．About twelve hours.	D．About eighteen hours.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Daily Mail plans to carry 3,000 passengers on a trip in the future.

B．The company buy ships to offer people more chances to enjoy the sea.

C．All tickets to travel in space in 2024 have been sold out.

D．Space Perspective thinks the tour by balloon is slow but relaxing.

8 .

If eating more healthily is one of your New Year’s decisions, maybe you should try the Mediterranean diet. In January, US News&World Report regarded the Mediterranean diet as the best diet of 2023. This is the fourth year the diet has been thought to be the top one.

According to USA Today, the Mediterranean diet is based on the eating habits in areas of southern Italy, parts of Greece, Spain and Morocco. It mainly includes plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grain: and seeds, and even puts more extra virgin olive oil. Fish and chicken are more common than red meat in this diet. That means the diet is rich in tastes but low in fat. In addition to helping people keep weight off, experts believe that the diet can make people take less risks of heart trouble and high blood pressure.

Besides, the Mediterranean diet is not only a diet, but also a kind of lifestyle. Living the Mediterranean way also means being active and sharing meals with loved ones. “Compared with others, the Mediterranean diet pays much attention to the value of friendliness and neighborliness,” said the UNESCO. “Eating together has become a very common cultural activity around the Mediterranean areas.” In Mediterranean tradition, it is natural for family and friends to eat at big tables, talking about their lives and experiences while eating together. Usually the meals can last for several hours. It’s a good time for them to be with each other as well as the enjoyable food.

If you are interested in trying the Mediterranean diet, you can start with these tips:

·Build meals around vegetables, beans and whole grains.

·Eat fish at least twice a week.

·Use olive oil instead of butter in preparing food.

·Serve fresh fruit for dessert.

1. The Mediterranean diet has been the top one since ________.

A．2020

B．2021

C．2022

D．2023

2. According to Paragraph 2, we know the Mediterranean diet ________.

A．may cause some illnesses	B．includes a lot of red meat
C．can help people lose weight	D．is rich in both tastes and fat

3. In the Mediterranean lifestyle, people _________.

A．are friendly to strangers

B．like eating in silence and very fast

C．enjoy eating together with friends and family

D．believe eating with each other is more important than food

4. What’s the best title of this passage?

A．Come and visit the Mediterranean Sea

B．How delicious the Mediterranean food is

C．The Mediterranean diet and its advantages

D．The Mediterranean diet is a kind of lifestyle

9 .

Ever feel sleepy when it’s time to get up for school? If you think school shouldn’t start so early, you’re not alone. Lots of scientists and doctors agree. That’s why some groups are pushing for later start times.

There’s good news for some students who like to snooze*. California passed a new law. It sets rules. High schools will start at 8:30 am or later. Middle schools will start at 8 am or later. So students might get more minutes of California dreaming.

Research shows that most adolescents need about nine hours of sleep a night. They usually get their best sleep between 11 pm and 8 am. So if students get up at 5 or 6 am, they miss some good sleeping time. Students who don’t get enough sleep can have health problems. They have trouble learning, too. It’s hard to learn when you’re nodding off at your desk!

But some people think starting schools later isn’t so smart. They argue there’s no way to be sure students will get more sleep. After all, the law can’t make students go to bed! And schools that start later finish later. That leaves students with less free time. Like what? Sports, jobs, chores, and homework. And let’s not forget fun!

Maybe another problem is buses! If all schools start near the same time, a district* has to pay for more buses and drivers. That’s one reason so many high schools start very early.

In fact, several schools outside California have a ready set later start times. Seattle Public Schools is an example. High schools there start no earlier than 8:45 am. A new law may soon be passed in Ohio. It would push back start times in that state.

How about you? Like to start school bright and early? Or would you rather snooze till the sun is high in the sky?

1. According to the new law, California high schools may start at__________.

A．6 am

B．7 am

C．8 am

D．9 am

2. The underlined word “adolescent” refers to people at the age of_________.

A．1 to 5

B．13 to 18

C．30 to 40

D．60 to 70

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Adolescents sleep best between 11 pm and 6 am.

B．The new law can make the students go to bed early.

C．Enough sleep helps students learn well and stay healthy.

D．Schools in Seattle don’t have a law for later starting time.

4. What’s the best title for the passage?

A．Should students go to school later?	B．Should students go to bed early?
C．Should students leave school later?	D．Should students do homework early?

10 .

You see a snake while hiking! Your heart is racing, your hands feel like ice, and you breathe faster to take in more air. You are experiencing an important emotion: fear.     

Some scientists believe we are born with fear: the fear of falling and loud sounds. But we learn most fear. We are scared of snakes after a certain experience, like being bitten, or seeing other people bitten by a snake. Another way to learn fear is from the spoken words or written notes. We may not know that a snake is scary, until our parents say snakes are dangerous. What’s more, fear can be catching. When we see our friends cry, we will be influenced by them.     

But where does fear come from? It starts in a part of the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala receives what we see, hear or smell and finds out how much it stands out to us. It then tells the heart to beat faster and the body to sweat. Another part of the brain called the hippocampus is closely connected with the amygdala. It helps the brain read the possible danger and find out whether the danger is real. Seeing a lion in the wild can cause strong fear, but the sight of the same lion at a zoo only brings us fun and the thought that the lion is cute. This is because the hippocampus is telling us there’s no need to worry about it. So, we feel less afraid when signals from the hippocampus overpower the amygdala.     

Actually, no one is fearless. Brave people still feel fear like everyone else—the difference is in how they handle it. People who work in dangerous jobs, like firemen, learn to manage their fear by practicing. In this way, they can act automatically in dangerous situations, although they might be really scared at that time. They are also able to quiet their fear because they believe they have the knowledge to solve the problem.     

Fear is a natural human emotion that we all experience. We should learn about it and live with it.

1. How many ways to learn fear are mentioned in the passage?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

2. How does the hippocampus work in our brain?

A．It helps us calm down.	B．It tells our heart to beat faster.
C．It records the fear we experience.	D．It collects the information around.

3. What does the underlined word “handle” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．go over

B．suffer from

C．deal with

D．depend on

4. What is the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．