1 . Winter sports were popular in the north of China hundreds of years age. Now let’s take a look at some of the most popular activities.
| Archery on Ice
In the game, there were three arches(拱门)put on the ice, with a silk ball hung by a rope in the middle of each arch. Players would skate across the ice, led by a person with a flag. Once passing through an arch, they would turn around and try to hit the ball with an arrow. The scene was very powerful, as hundreds of players joined in together, moving in a line like a dragon. |
| Ice Football
In the match, the players were divided into two teams. They competed to catch a ball thrown into the air above ice. Unlike the ancient Chinese ball game cuju, players were allowed to pass the ball with both their hands and feet. According to historical records, the Qing government later include the sport in army training. |
| Downhill Ice Skating
On cold winter days, organizers would water a slope (斜坡) about ten meters in length to create an ice track for competitors. Wearing ice skates, competitors would take turns to slide down the slope to show as much of their skating skills as they could. Those who made it down the slope without falling would be named the winner. |
1. Archery on Ice is best translated into ________.
| A．冰蹴鞠 | B．转龙射球 | C．摆山子 | D．打滑挞 |
①Pass through an arch. ②Slide down the slope. ③Win a flag.
④Stop without falling. ⑤Catch a ball. ⑥Show skating skills.
| A．⑤②③ | B．⑥①⑤ | C．②⑥④ | D．③①④ |
| A．the development of Qing Dynasty |
| B．on-ice culture in different countries |
| C．the most powerful scene in the north |
| D．winter sports in ancient China |
| A．Sports. | B．Arts. | C．Science. | D．Animals. |
| A．Two teams played in the game of archery on ice. |
| B．Players would water a slope when playing ice football. |
| C．Ice football was the same as cuju. |
| D．Players were easily hurt when playing downhill ice skating. |
2 . Time and time again, I hear someone ask why anyone would want to keep an “ugly” building or a building that is dirty and clearly in need of work. I think you could say we preservationists (文物保护者) look at buildings through a different angle—an angle that can see the swan in the ugly duck, the story in the simple lines, the book behind the cover.
Take the Queen Emma Building for example. While people may remember that building being named as one of the ugliest buildings in town, the angle from which a preservationist will view the building is that it is uniquely constructed with an artistical brise-soleil (遮阳板) to block the sun. The designer used standard concrete bricks to form a decorative wall. Unfortunately, the brise-soleil was removed in 2011, making the building look like many of the contemporary buildings in town.
Sometimes people remember a beautiful site that was replaced by a “horrid” piece of architecture and can’t get over their anger, even when that building becomes an important part of our story. This is particularly true in San Francisco where many preservationists themselves dislike anything newer than the Victorian era. Yes, it was a tragedy that many failed to appreciate the Victorian buildings and let many get torn down several decades ago, but those losses also tell another important story. It tells the story of the 1950s and 1960s when there was hope for a more equal society with inexpensive housing for the working class. Should that history be wiped from our memories?
Preservation is not just about keeping pretty, well-kept buildings, but about conveying parts of our history—not just the history of huge events, but the story of how everyone used to go to a certain corner market. Our history cannot be told only in buildings that meet someone’s criteria of beauty; sometimes our history is painful, but no less important.
1. How do preservationists see buildings?| A．They focus on their value rather than appearance. | B．They pay great attention to ancient buildings. |
| C．They are devoted to repairing famous buildings. | D．They prefer ugly buildings to beautiful ones. |
| A．It’s confusing. | B．It’s pleasing. |
| C．It’s regrettable. | D．It’s unbelievable. |
| A．To wipe the history of the Victorian era. |
| B．To make land available for cheap housing. |
| C．To work off the deep anger of the working class. |
| D．To restore the architecture before the Victorian era. |
| A．To introduce some buildings with historical value. |
| B．To explain the reason why architects make ugly buildings. |
| C．To praise the work of preservationists. |
| D．To stress the importance of preserving ugly buildings. |
| A．A culture paper. | B．A science book. |
| C．An environment report. | D．A travel magazine. |
3 . This year, researchers at Harvard Business School carried out a study which aimed to test how well AI (人工智能) tools could help workers perform their tasks. Harvard Business School recently published results from the experiment in a “working paper.” The main findings suggest that AI tools like ChatGPT can greatly improve worker performance. For example, researchers found that workers who used OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT 4 tool completed 12 percent more tasks than non-ChatGPT users. Tasks carried out with help from the AI technology were completed 25 percent faster. And the team found the quality of work performed by consultants (顾问) using ChatGPT 4 increased about 40 percent.
The findings of the result showed that AI tools can help even highly educated, experienced workers. “The fact is that we could boost (推动) the performance of these highly paid, highly skilled consultants. I would say that’s really impressive.” Dell’Acqua, the lead writer of the paper said.
However, the paper also noted areas where the performance of consultants using ChatGPT 4 dropped. The researchers said this was especially true with tasks the AI tool was not good at completing. Of tasks the AI was good at, the experiment showed it “significantly improved human performance,” the paper said. But for tasks ChatGPT 4 was not right for, “humans depended too much on the AI, and were more likely to make mistakes.” The researchers reported that 19 percent of consultants who used AI for tasks which were not well equipped (有能力的) for were less likely to produce correct solutions compared to those without AI.
The team suggests one of the biggest barriers (障碍) to companies effectively using AI is not knowing which tasks can be completed best with the technology. Finding this out will require businesses to carry out thoughtful research and training efforts in order to find the right mix of AI and human-level work.
1. Which is NOT the result of experiment of AI tools?| A．Workers can finish tasks with fewer mistakes. | B．Workers can do more tasks with AI. |
| C．Workers can complete tasks faster. | D．Workers can perform tasks with higher quality. |
| A．OpenAI is ChatGPT 4’s latest AI tool with impressive uses. |
| B．In order to have more users, businesses will carry out more thoughtful research. |
| C．People always depend too much on the uses of AI tools. |
| D．AI tools can help workers with higher education and rich experience. |
| A．AI tools can greatly improve worker performance. |
| B．AI tools have been widely used in humans’ work. |
| C．AI tools help but also hurt worker performance. |
| D．AI tools perform high-level writing and creative work. |
4 . Washing your hands is a simple habit. However, some people don’t do it. According to the study, many people might have contact with feces, but only 26.2 percent of them wash their hands. This is because they don’t have soap in some parts of the world. In less-developed countries, only 27 percent of people can use soap.
But there are other reasons. One is the optimism bias (乐观主义偏差). People might think that it’s more likely for bad things to happen to other people than to themselves. A study found that if students had higher levels of unrealistic (不切实际的) optimism, there were less likely to wash their hands.
Social norms (社会规范) play a role too. We are social animals. If we see others washing their hands in the bathroom, we will do it as well. But when nobody else is doing it, we don’t either.
Finally, there’s disgust. Some people are sensitive to dirty things and throw up (呕吐) easily, while others aren’t. Many studies show that if people don’t throw up easily, they are less likely to wash their hands. Even when they do, they don’t spend as long under the tap.
Why is it such a big deal? Washing your hands can save your life. It helps people live longer. In 1850, hand-washing was first promoted in countries like the UK. At that time, the average lifespan was just 40 years old. But over the years, it has improved. Hand-washing was important. A study also found that regularly washing your hands can cut our risk of respiratory infections (呼吸道感染) by between 6 to 44 percent.
1. How many reasons are mentioned in this passage about people who don’t wash their hands?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．敏感的 | B．困难的 | C．开心的 | D．希望的 |
| A．Washing hands. | B．Good environment. | C．Clean air. | D．Happy feeling. |
| A．In less-developed countries, 73 percent of people cannot use soap. |
| B．People who have optimism bias think there’s less chance that bad things will happen to them. |
| C．When we see others washing their hands, we will do it as well, which is called social norms. |
| D．When people wash dirty things by hand, they must throw up. |
5 . In China, the year 2024 is known as long nian in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. Over a long period of time, it has been called the Year of the Dragon in English. But actually, there are a lot of differences between the Chinese long and the Western dragon.
The Chinese long is made up of parts of some gentle animals, such as a rabbit’s eyes and an ox’s ears. In Chinese mythology, long is able to fly. In addition, it can also spray (喷洒) water from its mouth to create rain.
However, in Western culture, a dragon breathes fire and has the body of a snake and big wings of a bat. What’s more, you will find most of the Western dragons in dark colors because they usually stand for evil (邪恶). As a result, normally at the end of the stories, the evil dragon will be beaten by the superheroes.
What makes such differences? In fact, they have something to do with the cultural differences. In Chinese Confucian (儒家的) ideas, kindness and harmony (和谐) are very important. It is our duty to help each other and live a peaceful life. Western culture, on the other hand, prefers individual heroism (个人英雄主义). Whenever something terrible happens, there will be a superhero who is brave enough to stand out, fight against the enemy on his own, and, of course, save the whole world.
In recent years, Chinese have tried to translate long in another way. For example, Zhejiang’s Loong Air has already written long as Loong. One of the reasons is that Loong sounds the same as the Chinese character long. Besides, the letters “oo” in the word Loong look like the two big eyes of the animal, which makes it easier to memorize this word.
Anyway, no matter how long is translated, there is one thing for sure: the Chinese long is different from the Western dragon, and it is a symbol of good luck.
Wish you and your family the best in the Year of Loong!
1. Which of the following is the picture of a Western dragon?A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．To fight against the evil dragon. | B．To help the farmers in the dry weather. |
| C．To show its power and ability. | D．To make itself the superhero in this world. |
①its pronunciation ②its spelling
③its historical background ④its cultural meaning
| A．①② | B．③④ | C．①③ | D．②④ |
| A．Healthy Life. | B．Creative Art. | C．Amazing Animals. | D．Colorful Culture. |
Jia Ling is a popular Chinese actress and director (导演) who has recently made headlines on Weibo, a social media platform in China. She is known for her funny performances in the Spring Festival Gala and for her successful movie Hi, Mom in 2021. Jia Ling has been working on a new movie called YOLO (you only live once), where she plays the lead role and serves as the director.
In a recent Weibo post, Jia Ling shared that she had been working hard on the YOLO movie for a year, during which she lost a surprising amount of weight. YOLO was shown during the Spring Festival holiday, a time when many Chinese people went to the movies. The movie tells the story of a character named Le Ying who meets a boxing (拳击) coach and starts a new journey in life. She said that the movie is not about weight loss but about learning to love yourself.
Jia Ling’s weight loss journey has sparked a lot of interest on social media, with many people discussing her transformation (转变). Some experts warn against rapid weight loss methods and recommend a healthier one. However, Jia Ling’s dedication (奉献) to her role in the movie is admirable (令人钦羡的). Fans have seen Jia Ling’s hard work pay off on the big screen.
1. Which of the following is NOT Jia Ling’s occupation (职业)?| A．Actress. | B．Director. | C．Boxer. | D．Performer. |
| A．weight loss | B．learning to love yourself | C．caring about others | D．boxing training |
| A．she would do anything to lose weight |
| B．she doesn’t care much about her health |
| C．she never asks others to do the work for her |
| D．she is willing to put in effort to achieve her goals |
| A．Jia Ling gained weight while working on the movie. |
| B．The movie YOLO is a true story about Jia Ling’s personal life. |
| C．Jia Ling only acted in the movie and did not do any other work. |
| D．Jia Ling directed and starred in the movie, showing her talents in both areas. |
| A．Jia Ling’s success in directing films. |
| B．The popularity of the movies brought by social media. |
| C．The advice against rapid weight loss methods for actors. |
| D．Jia Ling’s transformation and dedication to her role in the movie. |
7 . During the Spring Festival, two films were very popular and dominated (占首要地位) the mainland China and global box office charts (中国大陆和全球票房排行榜) over the latest weekend. YOLO, a comedy drama was the top earning film worldwide (全球收入最高的电影) for a second weekend running. Article 20 improved significantly (显著地). It climbed up to the third place in the latest weekend charts and earned $70. 2 million over the weekend.
 | YOLO is short for “You only live once”, which is popular among the young in the West. It’s used to express the view that one should make the most of the present moment without worrying about the future. It tells the story of an unemployed (失业的) woman in her thirties who still lives with her parents. After she meets a boxing (拳击) coach, her life is changed. Although the film has caused an online controversy (争议) due to Jia’s weight loss, she once explained that the film was not related to (与……有关) weight loss. It tells how a kind person learns to love herself and achieves her dream. She builds confidence by practising boxing hard and shapes herself better and stronger. |
 | Aside from YOLO, Zhang Yimou’s Article 20 is so far the most anticipated (受期待的) film for the Spring Festival holiday. It focuses on ordinary peoples’ stories. Some of the stories in Article 20 are based upon real-life events. Article 20 comes from Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China (《中华人民共和国刑法》), and it’s explaining an act that a person commits (采取) to stop an Unlawful (非法) infringement (侵害) in order to prevent the interests of the state and the public, or his own or other person’s rights of the person, property (财产) or other rights from being infringed (侵犯) upon by the on-going infringement, thus harming the perpetrator (行凶者), is justifiable (正当的) defence (防卫), and he should not bear (承担) criminal responsibility (刑事责任能力). |
1. Which film remained the top earning film worldwide for a second weekend running?
| A．Pegasus 2. | B．Article 20. | C．YOLO. | D．The Movie Emperor. |
| A．You only love once. | B．You only live once. |
| C．You only live on. | D．Young only live once. |
| A．YOLO encourages us to lose weight and live comfortably without hard work. |
| B．YOLO tells a story of a girl who likes to fight against others for fun. |
| C．Article 20 encourages people to learn more about laws to defend (防卫) ourselves properly. |
| D．Article 20 shows the laws sometimes are useless (无用的) and we needn’t learn about laws. |
8 . Artists Heather Peak and Ivan Morison have changed a school bus into a traveling place for studying the sky, weather and space. It’s called the Moon Palace.
The Moon Palace was built in memory of John Smeaton, who was born in Leeds the UK on June 8, 1724. John Smeaton was a famous civil engineer (土木工程师). He believed in using civil engineering to help everyone in society. He also had many interests, from building lighthouses to reading poems. And he was very interested in studying planets and stars.
The Moon Palace tours around Leeds from August to December 2023. This project encourages people to think and explore like Smeaton. Visitors to the Moon Palace can look up at the night sky through telescopes (望远镜) and learn something about planets and stars. Or they can just pick up a book, talk to others on the bus.
The creative director of the project, Abby Dix-Mason, said that Smeaton’s work changed people’s life but he never showed off. “Smeaton was all about making the world better for everyone,” said Dix-Mason.
1. From the passage, we can know Smeaton’s ________.① birthplace ② job ③ personal interests ④ living habits
| A．①②④ | B．①②③ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．Visitors to the Moon Palace need to keep silent on the bus. |
| B．The Moon Palace has toured around many countries. |
| C．Visitors to the Moon Palace can look at stars through a telescope. |
| D．Visitors to the Moon Palace can talk to John Smeaton. |
| A．Smeaton has made a great difference to people’s life. |
| B．Smeaton should show off his work in his lifetime. |
| C．Smeaton should do more to make a change for people. |
| D．Smeaton’s work hasn’t brought a lot of changes to people’s life. |
| A．Ways to Face Challenges of the Day. |
| B．Come to the Moon Palace to Experience Smeaton’s Life |
| C．Ways to Make the World Better for Everyone |
| D．Welcome to the Moon Palace |
9 . Macau (澳门) is a very special city, it’s small but romantic (浪漫的). You can find European-style churches (教堂), Chinese-traditional temples and fantastic modern buildings.
Churches and museums are my favourite. The churches in Macau are mainly Catholic (天主教的). The most famous church in Macau is Ruins of St Paul (圣保罗大教堂的废墟). Today, with 66 stone steps leading to the facade (正面), the ruins of the church are Macau’s most famous tourist attractions. Because the rest of the church was destroyed by fire 200 years ago.
There are over 20 museums in Macau. I have been to Maritime Museum, Museum of Macau. Museums are wonderful places. You could stay there for a whole day, getting to know more about the history and stories.
Macau is also a great place to find good restaurants with different types of cuisine (烹饪) from both Portuguese and Macanese to other Eastern and Western food. The most famous desserts (甜食) include sweet egg rolls, crisp, and egg balls. For those that enjoy eating, it is a good idea to visit Macau. It will surely be an unforgettable trip.
1. What do you think of Macau?| A．Small but romantic. | B．Small and old. |
| C．Modern and romantic. | D．Modern but small. |
| A．Go to the churches. | B．Visit the museums. |
| C．Eat in the restaurants. | D．All of the above. |
| A．Because they are mainly Catholic. | B．The local people destroyed it. |
| C．It was destroyed by fire 200 years ago. | D．We don’t know the reason. |
| A．Sweet egg rolls are a kind of dessert. |
| B．You can enjoy different types of foods in Macau. |
| C．There are less than 60 stone steps leading to the facade of the church. |
| D．If you want to learn more about the history of Macau, you can go to the museums. |
“Sleeping for three thousand years, waking up startled (震惊) the world.” The Sanxingdui Site (遗址), which shocked the world in 1986, once again surprised the world with its brilliant new discoveries (发现). One of the most wonderful is the Golden Mask. Experts introduced that the weight of the half gold mask found at present is about 280g. This gold mask will soon become the heaviest gold of the same period. There are also bronze square (青铜方尊), and so on, rich in variety, quantity and large body.
The unearthing of a large number of expensive cultural relics is only the beginning of archaeological (考古学的) work. To solve all kinds of problems and tell the legend of civilization (文明), it needs а long period of academic study. At the moment, the Study on the Process of Ba-Shu Civilization in Sichuan-Chongqing Region becomes an important project in China, focusing on Sanxingdui, Zhuwa Street, Xiaotianxi, Chengba and other sites.
About Sanxingdui, how many mysteries of civilization are about to be solved, and how many legends are expected to be confirmed, Chinese people are waiting to see.
1. How much might be the total weight of the Golden Mask?| A．About 280g. | B．About 560g. | C．About 140g. | D．About 280kg. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four |
| A．遗风 | B．文物 | C．遗俗 | D．艺术品 |
| A．History under our feet | B．Geography around us |
| C．Dynasties in our country | D．Changes in our eyes |
