1 . ①700 years before the Wright brothers began experimenting with human flight, the Chinese had already got its secrets—with kites.
②Kites may have been invented in China as early as 500 B.C.E. While some kites were flown for fun, other kites provided key technologies for daily life. Chinese fishermen used kites to carry their lines far out to sea. Sailors used them to take a measurement of the wind.
③The Chinese craftsmen were very clever! They made their kites from bamboo and silk, and they came in all kinds of cool shapes, like 80-foot-long dragons. These kites showed off ancient China’s great technology. Their wings and tails could even move! As Chinese engineers experimented to make the kites fly even higher, they discovered the science of aerodynamics (空气动力学). They made the wings of their kites work like airfoils (机翼)—the same design used in modern planes.
④And the man-carriers were the most amazing Chinese kites. Ancient Chinese people may have made them a common sight by the 1200s. The kites were much larger than a small airplane. They were made from strong bamboo poles tied together and then covered with silk. During wars, Chinese scouts used man-carrying kites to fly high in the sky and spy on their enemies—similar to modern spy planes.
⑤In the late 1200s, the Italian businessman and explorer Marco Polo was amazed by what he saw in China, and he wrote a detailed description. When he returned to Italy, most people refused to believe him. They could not imagine that a person could fly.
⑥Centuries passed before Europeans learned the secrets—often by flying kites imported from China. In 1804, an English engineer, Sir George Cayley, built the first model airplanes. He used kites to make the wings. About 100 years later, American inventors, including the Wright brothers, also found ideas for their flight experiments by flying kites first.
1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us?| A．How people made kites. | B．When kites were invented. |
| C．What kites were used for. | D．Where kites were invented. |
| A．To describe the popularity of ancient Chinese kites. |
| B．To get readers to learn about the history of Chinese kites. |
| C．To show the excellent skills of kite making in ancient China. |
| D．To tell the differences between modern planes and Chinese kites. |
a. Sir George Cayley built the first model planes.
b. Ancient Chinese made large man-carrying kites.
c. Marco Polo told Italians about Chinese amazing kites.
d. The Wright brothers did flight experiments by flying kites first.
| A．b-c-d-a | B．b-c-a-d | C．c-d-a-b | D．c-b-a-d |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
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. |
| A．using | B．storing | C．breaking | D．controlling |
| 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. |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
3 . 
①Japanese-style gardens first got attention in the US in 1893. About 120 years later, they started to be a great part of American garden design. Today, there are over 200 Japanese-style public gardens in North America.
②Japanese-style gardens are different in many ways. First, they bring together indoor and outdoor spaces. The house-garden relationship is set up to be connected. Gardens are around the house, so it’s as if the living space reaches out much further. Wherever a person looks out from their home, a garden should look almost like a painting. In fact, the idea of bringing the beauty of nature into daily lives is the most important idea in Japan so gardeners in Japan pay special attention to the beauty of rocks and stones.
③What’s more, Japanese-style gardens look as if they do not require much work. However, garden designers who are experts in this kind of garden say that Japanese gardens sometimes need even more work than other kinds of gardens.
④In these years, there have been some changes in Japanese-style gardens in the US. “When Japanese-style gardens were first introduced to the US, people paid little attention to whether outdoor scenery was connected to indoor spaces.” said John, who received training in Japan in 2000. But today, more Americans prefer the idea of “connecting the indoors to the outdoors.”
⑤Another change is that in the past, the trees chosen were often native to Japan. But today, the purpose is to use some trees that grow well in local environments. So now it’s very possible to create a wonderful Japanese garden using all native trees.
1. Japanese-style gardens became a great part of American garden design in about ______.| A．1893 | B．1913 | C．2000 | D．2013 |
| A．Plant the gardens with local trees. | B．Connect natural beauty to everyday lives. |
| C．Find as many rocks and stones as possible. | D．Make the gardens as beautiful as paintings. |
| A．Japanese-style gardens are attractive but require less hard work. |
| B．Nowadays more local trees are chosen for the gardens in the US. |
| C．The US has connected the indoors to outdoors since ancient times. |
| D．Americans think Japanese-style gardens are better for local environments. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
4 . When someone has a sharply different viewpoint from our own, we naturally choose two common ways, either avoiding a conversation with that person or trying to convince (说服) them they are wrong. Research shows there is another way: using receptive (接纳性的) language, showing that we are truly interested in a new point of view.
Many of us try to avoid disputed (有争议的) discussions. We prefer to talk with someone with similar opinions. This happens because we usually think that talking to someone who has disagreements will be more unpleasant than it actually is. When we do have to talk with people holding different views, we typically try to convince them to give up their belief because we think we are right and try to “win” the argument. And the other side is likely to think the same way, which leads to even more difficult problems to walk through.
A more effective method is being conversationally receptive. Research shows that when we appear receptive to others’ different views, our arguments sound more convincing. Receptive language can also make those with whom we disagree more receptive in return. It makes us more likable, and others more interested in partnering with us.
Researchers suggested three tips that can help us improve conversational receptiveness in even the most heated disagreements.
Recognize the other person’s point of view. Say “I understand that…or”, “I believe what you’re saying is…” to show that you take an active part in the conversation and find value and even trust in their points.
Hedge your statements. When we talk, we usually hold the opinion that we should be strong and confident and express our views in a direct, forceful way. But if we show that we are not so sure about our belief, our views will be better received.
Express your arguments in an acceptable way. You might say, “Let’s consider the possible benefits of having fewer people working on the project “rather than”, “We should not add more people to the project.” The second sentence sounds unpleasant, showing that the speaker is not open to the possibility of further discussion.
By following these tips in our communication, we’ll be more likely to have an effective conversation and bridge the differences.
| A．Why people dislike those with different opinions. |
| B．How people convince others to give up their belief. |
| C．How people communicate to deal with difficult problems. |
| D．Why people use two common ways when facing disagreements. |
| A．Effective communication. | B．Creative statements. |
| C．Increased confidence. | D．Divided opinions. |
| A．Explain your reasons clearly. | B．Raise your questions politely. |
| C．Voice your ideas less forcefully. | D．Express your excuses more directly. |
| A．To stress the importance of productive communication. |
| B．To introduce a better way to deal with disagreements. |
| C．To explain the reasons for using receptive language. |
| D．To provide three effective tips to win an argument. |
5 . The British are known for their sense of humour, but it is often difficult for foreigners to understand their jokes. The main point to remember is that the British often use understatement.
Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, “She isn’t exactly friendly.” Or if someone is sunburnt outside, he might say, “
Another key to understanding British humour is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others. They often laugh about the silly things that happen in our everyday life when someone falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes of people from different classes of society. They like to make jokes about the way they speak, the way they dress and the way they behave. What’s more, the British love to watch comedies about people who do not know how to behave in society. The famous Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humour.
Mr. Bean is the role played by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990. Mr. Bean doesn’t talk often. Instead, he uses his body movements and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world wouldn’t do. Mr. Bean is popular in many countries around the world because you don’t need to understand his humour with the help of English. As a result, British sense of humour has become well-known to many people.
1. How does the author explain “understatement”?| A．By listing facts. | B．By making a survey. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．It’s a little sunny today. | B．I love the sun so much. |
| C．The sun plays a joke on me. | D．The heat has nearly killed me. |
| A．The British prefer to laugh at themselves rather than others in their daily life. |
| B．The British usually fully express how they really feel or think in their conversations. |
| C．Most of English people suppose it’s impolite to make fun of people who can’t behave well |
| D．Mr. Bean is popular in the world because he often uses body languages instead of talking a lot. |
| A．Developing a Sense of Humour | B．Understanding British Humour |
| C．The Influence of British Humour | D．Movie Actors with British Humour |
6 . The Chinese new year begins on 22 January 2023 and ends on 9 February 2024. While most of Asia celebrates the year of the rabbit, Vietnam celebrates the year of the cat. In the Chinese zodiac*, there are 12 animals, and the 4th animal is the rabbit; while in the Vietnamese zodiac, the 4th animal is the cat. Why did the cat substitute for the rabbit in Vietnam?
Ancient storytellers said the Jade Emperor organized a race across a river for all the animals in the world. The first 12 to reach the other side would appear in the zodiac. In the Chinese story, the cat and the rat were riding across a river on an ox when the rat pushed the cat into the water. The rat won the race and that is why cats have been hunting rats ever since. But in the Vietnamese zodiac story, there isn’t a rabbit. The cat could swim and ended up arriving. The two countries have different origins* of zodiac.
Quyen Di, a lecturer at UCLA, said the custom has to do with the landscape of Vietnam. “In the past, the Chinese lived in the savanna* area, while the Vietnamese lived in the lowland area. The people of the savanna like to live near the wilderness, and they chose the rabbit as an animal that lived in the wild fields. But the lowland people of Vietnam consider rabbits as animals that are used for food and chose the cat because they believe cats are friends living in their house.”
1. The underlined words “substitute for” in paragraph 1 can be replaced by ________.| A．take off | B．take care of | C．take the place of | D．take up |
| A．The Jade Emperor liked the cat. |
| B．The rabbit fell into the river in the zodiac race. |
| C．The rat and the rabbit were friends in ancient times. |
| D．The cat finished fourth by swimming across the river. |
| A．Their living environment. | B．Their language pronunciation. |
| C．Their way of life. | D．Their favorite animal. |
| A．To explain the history of the Chinese zodiac. |
| B．To show ways of celebrating the year of the rabbit. |
| C．To tell the traditions of Chinese culture. |
| D．To introduce the origin of the year of the cat in Vietnam. |
Do you always feel lonely? When do you feel lonely? Is loneliness a good feeling? Nowadays more and more people are having this kind of feeling in their daily life. When someone feels lonely, he or she will have an experience of being alone because of low levels of social contact* and relationships*.
There are two kinds of loneliness: emotional* loneliness and social loneliness. Emotional loneliness is about the relationship between parents and their children. When children leave their parents for a while, they usually show the pain, such as crying and trying to search for their parents. Therefore, emotional loneliness is caused by leaving a person that someone is close to, such as a parent. On the other hand, social loneliness is the loneliness that one experiences when he or she leaves a wide social network*. One doesn’t feel that he or she is a member of a group, or one doesn’t have friends to talk to when he or she is sad.
Besides, loneliness is different from being alone. Being alone is about not having contact with people. But loneliness is a subjective experience: if people think they are lonely, then they are lonely. People can be lonely when they are alone, or in a group. What makes people lonely is the fact that they want more social interaction*. People can be in a group and feel lonely because they don’t get to talk to enough people. On the other hand, one can be alone and not feel lonely, though there is no one around him or her. That person is not lonely because maybe he or she doesn’t want to have social interaction* at that time.
So, what about you? Will you feel lonely if you stay alone? Or you just enjoy the time being with yourself.
1. Why did the writer start the passage with questions?| A．To let readers answer these questions. |
| B．To ask for more ideas about loneliness. |
| C．To make readers interested in the passage. |
| D．To check students’ understanding of loneliness. |
| A．They have no friends to talk to. | B．They have a small social network. |
| C．They have a feeling of being lonely. | D．They don’t get on well with their parents. |
| A．A hot subject. | B．A person’s own feeling. |
| C．A pain in the body. | D．A person’s special plan. |
| A．One can be not lonely with nobody around. |
| B．Being alone is an important reason of loneliness. |
| C．Different people have the same level of social interactions. |
| D．Staying with group members can make people feel less lonely. |
1. From 2020 to 2022, the number of people in ________ rises the most.
| A．reading news |
| B．paying |
| C．shopping |
| D．livestreaming |
| A．most people like to go online on computers |
| B．Chinese people start to pay with WeChat in 2016 |
| C．robots can help doctors do surgery with 5G in 2022 |
| D．people in China spend about 25.9 hours every week |
| A．http://life.online.cn |
| B．http://sports.world.com |
| C．http://robot.work.com |
| D．http://traditions.China.cn |
France is in Western Europe. It is a country with many beautiful places.
Paris is the capital of France. Here you will find many famous places of interest such as the Eiffel Tower. You can go to the Louvre Museum if you like art. The most famous street in Paris is the Champs-Elysees. This is the place to go if you want to visit some shops and department stores.
France is very famous for its wine. There are many vineyards in the centre of France and farmers grow grapes to make excellent French wine.
The south of France lies on the coast, and it is famous for its wonderful beaches. A French town by the sea is the fantastic place for a summer holiday, but if you want to visit France in winter, you can try skiing on the mountains in the French Alps.
France has something for everyone, so why not visit France this year?
1. We can learn about ________ in France from the passage.| A．languages | B．people | C．places | D．food |
①enjoy art
②go shopping
③eat grapes
④go swimming
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．let people know about France | B．ask people to visit France |
| C．teach students about France | D．show the importance of France |
10 . The Simpsons
When does The Simpsons come to an end? It is 34 seasons in and it shows no signs of slowing down. “I mentioned that there might be an ending where the last episode, the Simpsons would go back to the first episode, so that the whole series was a continuous loop. “The good thing is that the show runner Mr. Al Jean does not foresee this stress to end the show in the near future.
将方框中的句子填入文章空白处。其中有一个为多余选项。
A. How exactly the show will go on is still to be seen.
B. Why does The Simpsons win the hearts of people?
C. However, there are many different voices about it.
D. The Simpsons is a world-famous American cartoon.
E. Especially the language in the show becomes very popular.
符合“Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”剧情的配图为
A.
B. 
C. 
请从文本中选择适当的单词，完成以下小结。每空仅限一词。
Hello, everyone, I’d like to share my favourite cartoon today. It’s called The Simpsons. After it was shown on TV, it soon became a
