2 . Conifers (针叶树) are generally better than broad-leaved trees at purifying air from pollutants. But deciduous (落叶的) trees may be better at taking in particle-bound pollution. A new study led by the University of Gothenburg shows that the best trees for air purification depend on the type of pollutants involved.

Trees and other greener in cities provide many benefits that are important for the well-being of residents. Leaves and needled on trees filter air pollutants and reduce exposure to poisonous substance in the air. But which trees purify the air most effectively? Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have collected leaves and needle from eleven different trees growing in the same place in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden (GBG) to analyse which cub-stances they have absorbed.

“This tree collection provided a unique opportunity to test many different species of trees with similar environmental conditions and exposure to air pollutants,” said Jenny Klingberg, a researcher of the GBG

A total of 32 different pollutants were analysed, some of which are bound to articles of various sizes. Others are gaseous. This project has focused on paths (多环芳烃). In cities, traffic is the biggest source of these pollutants, which are released due to incomplete burning in engines.

“Our analysis show that different species of trees have different abilities to absorb air pollutants. Conifers generally absorb morn gaseous paths than broad-leaved trees. Another advantage of conifers is that they also act as air purifies in winter, when air pollution is usually at its highest,” said Jenny Klingberg.

“This study contributes to improving our understanding of the ability of trees to clean the air and which species are best at absorbing air pollutants,” said Jenny Klingberg. This known-edge is important for urban planning when designing sustainable cities. While trees and green-era can contribute to better air quality in cities, at the end of the day, the most important measure is to reduce emissions.

1. Which is the determining factor in choosing the most suitable tries to purify air?

A．Air quality.

B．Geographical location.

C．The height of plants.

D．The kind of pollutants.

2. Why did the researchers collect leaves and needled from GBG?

A．To compare their shapes.	B．To create a tree collection.
C．To figure out what they absorb.	D．To display them on exhibition.

3. What may cause more paths to be released?

A．Fuel vehicle’s.

B．Electric engines.

C．Traffic accidents.

D．Complete burning.

4. What is the most effective way to better air quality in cities?

A．Decreasing emissions.	B．Planting more conifers.
C．Raising public awareness.	D．Designing sustainable cities.

3 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

I sat in my parents’ car. Mom had insisted I go with her to pick up Dad from work. Across from Dad’s office is a bike store. That was the day my eleven-year-old eyes first saw the purple BMX Mongoose bike. From that day on, all I could think about was that bike. I even drew pictures of the bike in class. Every evening afterward, at five thirty, I eagerly went along with Mom to get Dad.

And every day I told my parents, “I want that bike!” But they disagreed and replied that I had already had a perfectly good bike at home. I’d argue it was old and ugly, thinking that my happiness depended on that purple bike. Days later, I found the store had sold that bike. I knew I’d never be happy again.

A week later, returning home from school, I tripped over something. Lying in the weeds near a river and some wooded lots, was a bike — the exact bike from the store. “Hey, whose bike is this?” I shouted, scanning the area. No one replied, and there was no one in sight. Maybe its owner didn’t want it any longer. I couldn’t leave it lying in the weeds. So I took it home and hid it behind the garage. Every day after school, I sat there, admiring it. But I didn’t feel like riding and didn’t feel as happy as I had thought. Thinking about the bike made my stomach tighten and uncomfortable.

A few days later, during lunch at school, my friend said, “Did you hear about Tyler, in the other fifth-grade class? He lost his new purple BMX Mongoose bike he had just gotten for his birthday. He left it by a river while playing in the woods. It got dark, and he couldn’t find it.”

“I’d never go off and leave a new bike like that. He doesn’t deserve to have that bike,” I replied. My friend added, “Kids say he’s nice. And they say Tyler is upset because his dad worked overtime to buy the bike for him.” For the rest of the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about Tyler.

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。

After school, I returned home and dragged to my room.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“I know Tyler’s house,” Mom said. “I’ll drive you there.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . Four Best Books of 2023

The Berry Pickers

by Amanda Peters

After their youngest daughter, Ruthie, disappears during a summer of berry-picking in Maine, a Micmac family from Nova Scotia struggles to move forward. Indigenous Voices Award winner Amanda Peters delivers an un-put-down-able novel of identity, forgiveness, and insistent hope.

The House of Doors

by Tan Twan Eng

This atmospheric novel, set in 1920s Malaysia, tells of a famous author bent on uncovering secrets for storytelling materials. Tan Twan Eng weaves love, duty, betrayal and colonialism into the narrative.

The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748-1789

by Robert Darnton

This interesting history of the decades leading up to the French Revolution offers a populist account of a crazy political moment. Darnton goes beyond what everyday people thought and said to attract readers to what anxious Parisians read, wore, ate and sang on the way to toppling (推翻) the rule of Louis XVI.

The Soul of Civility

by Alexandra Hudson

What can the world’s oldest book teach us about civility (礼貌) today? Alexandra Hudson’s thoughtful and fluent book on how to live well together draws on literature from The Teachings of Ptahhotep, written 4,500 years ago in Egypt, to Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter From Birmingham Jail.

1. What is the main theme of The Berry Pickers?

A．The life of a carefree girl.

B．The history of berry-picking in Maine.

C．The situation before the French Revolution.

D．The stories of identity, forgiveness and hope.

2. What is the book The House of Doors set in?

A．A family in Maine.	B．Malaysia in the 1920s.
C．The French Revolution.	D．Egypt 4,500 years ago.

3. Who wrote the book about how to live well together?

A．Alexandra Hudson.

B．Robert Darnton.

C．Tan Twan Eng.

D．Amanda Peters.

5 . Trainers and parents saw children play sports at a young age and then saw them become professional. Many correlated the training to success. Competitive sports are good for young children because they teach children life skills, provide health benefits, and offer special opportunities.

To begin with, sports teach children life skills. A formal athlete stated, “I played soccer in high school and college and found team sports weren’t just about winning, but also about developing a solid ethic(行为准则), and learning why that’s important.” In short, playing highly competitive sports teaches kids many life skills like teamwork. People will have to use teamwork for the rest of their life, and sports can help them improve that skill. Taking part in sports can help develop a positive attitude towards life, which will help in the long run.

Sports are also good for kids because they provide health benefits. It is healthier for a kid to play a sport competitively than to waste time playing video games all day. Furthermore, a research group of University of California said, “96 percent of the participants(参与者) said they enjoy their sports. They’re all loving life.” That is to say, kids playing highly competitive sports tend to enjoy life instead of doing something else like watching TV.

On the other hand, some people might argue that competitive sports are bad for young children because they are so time-consuming. However, the time spent is not “robbing” kids of their childhood, but offers unique opportunities. Athletes can get success to live their dream life by playing sports. Even though sports are time-consuming, they offer distinctive opportunities.

In conclusion, competitive sports are good for children because they can provide wholesome benefits, create new experiences, and build skills that will last a lifetime.

1. Why is the formal athlete mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To show a reason	B．To give an example.
C．To list a background.	D．To draw out a new point.

2. What is the most participants’ attitude to sports?

A．Supportive.

B．Uncertain.

C．Uncaring.

D．Doubtful.

3. What does the underlined word “distinctive” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Common

B．Unreasonable

C．Unique.

D．Frequent.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．The ways to play sports.

B．The reasons for playing sports.

C．The problems of kids’ playing sports.

D．The benefits of kids’ playing sports.

6 . An inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in later life is linked to nearly double the risk of death from any cause within the next decade, according to a new study. The simple balance test may be useful to be included in routine physical exams for people in middle and old age, the research, which was published in British Journal of Sports Medicine, suggested.

While aging leads to a decline in physical fitness, muscle strength and flexibility, balance tends to be reasonably well-preserved until a person’s 50s, when it starts to decline relatively rapidly, the research noted. Previous research has linked the inability to stand on one leg to a greater risk of falls and to cognitive decline.

The study involved 1,702 people aged 51 to 75 living in Brazil, who were asked to balance unsupported on one leg during an initial check. Researchers told the participants to place the front of the free foot behind the standing leg, keep their arms by their sides and eyes. Fixed straight ahead. Up to three attempts on either foot were permitted.

The study participants had an average age of 61 and two-thirds of them were men. Around 1 in 5 failed to balance on one leg for 10 seconds at the initial checkup. Researchers monitored the participants after the initial checkup for a period of seven years, during which 7% of the people died. The proportion (比例)of deaths among those who failed the test (17.5%) was significantly higher than deaths among those who were able to balance for 10 seconds(4.5%).

The research was observational and didn’t reveal cause and effect. The study didn’t look at any possible biological mechanisms that might explain the link between poor balance and longevity.

The study noted that, overall, those who failed the test were in poorer health, with greater proportion of suffering from obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure. Diabetes was also more common among those who failed to complete the test.

1. What did the participants take during the research?

A．Vision examinations.	B．Medical examinations.
C．Flexibility tests.	D．Balance tests.

2. How did the researchers get the findings?

A．By calculating the participant numbers.

B．By comparing the participants’ lifetime.

C．By identifying the participants’ diseases.

D．By monitoring the participants’ pressure.

3. What was the research’s shortcoming?

A．It had few participants.

B．It didn’t last very long.

C．It lacked in-depth study.

D．It was the first research on balance.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．Balance determines a person’s lifetime

B．The balance test should be promoted to people

C．The ability to stand on one leg can reflect health levels

D．Being able to stand for 10 seconds means being healthy

7 . Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting plant and animal species and their habitats. As part of the world’s ecosystems, wildlife provides balance and stability to nature’s processes. Wildlife conservation is aimed to ensure the survival of these species and educate people on living sustainably with other species.

The number of people has grown to more than eight billion today, and it continues to rapidly grow. The economic growth endangers the habitats and existence of various types of wildlife around the world, particularly animals and plants that may be displaced for land development, or used for food or other human purposes. This threat is at top of the list and means natural resources are being consumed faster than ever by the billions of people on the planet. The introduction of invasive species from other parts of the world is another threat to wildlife. Other threats include climate change, pollution, fishing and hunting.

International organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society and the United Nations work to support global animal and habitat conservation on many different fronts. They work with the government to establish and protect public lands, like national parks and wildlife protection areas. They help write legislation(法规), such as the Endangered Species Act(ESA)of 1973 in the United States, to protect various species. They work with law enforcement to charge those with wildlife crimes. They also promote biodiversity to support the growing human population while preserving existing species and habitats.

National Geographic Explorers, like conservation biologists Camille Coudrat and Titus Adhola, are working to slow the extinction of global species and protect global biodiversity and habitats. Environmental filmmakers and photographers, like Thomas P. Peschak, are essential to conservation efforts as well, documenting and bringing attention to endangered wildlife all over the world.

1. Which is a goal of wildlife conservation according to the text?

A．To stop introducing invasive species.	B．To encourage harmonious coexistence.
C．To control the number of world people.	D．To increase the use of natural resources.

2. What is the biggest threat to wildlife?

A．Hunting.

B．Human activity.

C．Pollution.

D．Climate change.

3. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The activities of protection areas.

B．The importance of biodiversity promotion.

C．The relevant efforts of international organizations.

D．The great impact of wildlife crimes on ecosystems.

4. What does the author want to present in the last paragraph?

A．The necessity of legislation.

B．The wildlife conservation’s achievements.

C．The individuals’ contributions to the environment.

D．The statistics about the wildlife conservation efforts.

9 . During the early morning journey from the suburbs(郊区), we sat sleepily, with collars standing firm below our ears. Although the group of people are in the same bus every day, we never _______ or talk. Everyone’s face shows the tiredness of waking up early and working.

One July morning, a small grey man, one of the _______ taking the bus to center every morning, loudly greeted good morning to the driver. The driver was _______ and then nodded. _______, then he loudly said to us, “Hello! I’m Charlie, my friends!”

The next day, another old man _______ the bus energetically, smiled and said in a loud voice, “A very good morning to you all!” Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured “Good morning.” in _______. When Charlie heard the greeting, he came forward with surprise and hugged the _______. Their smiles seemed to _______ the entire bus, sweeping away the cold and awkward atmosphere(氛围) inside. Gradually, we started nodding and _______ to each other.

One morning, Charlie was ________ a large bouquet of flowers in his hand. He turned around with a smile and said to everyone, “Friends, I’m moving next week. I can’t take the same bus ________, and thank you all! The mornings we spent together were ________ experiences!” The other passengers whistled and clapped(鼓掌) at him. Charlie bowed, waved his hand, and then began ________ the flowers to each passenger.

The summer went by, and the ________ was closing in. Although Charlie did not appear on the bus again, the laughter and joy on the bus ________.

1.

A．argue

B．like

C．tend

D．greet

2.

A．passengers

B．drivers

C．colleagues

D．neighbors

3.

A．annoyed

B．surprised

C．mad

D．impatient

4.

A．Unfortunately

B．Unhappily

C．Unexpectedly

D．Unfairly

5.

A．left

B．boarded

C．hit

D．stopped

6.

A．reply

B．advance

C．danger

D．need

7.

A．man

B．driver

C．girl

D．boy

8.

A．destroy

B．track

C．increase

D．affect

9.

A．helping

B．comparing

C．talking

D．adapting

10.

A．tying

B．lifting

C．biting

D．holding

11.

A．anyway

B．anymore

C．anytime

D．anywhere

12.

A．terrible

B．heavy

C．unforgettable

D．unhappy

13.

A．giving out

B．giving in

C．giving up

D．giving off

14.

A．spring

B．month

C．year

D．autumn

15.

A．disappeared

B．happened

C．began

D．continued