1 . Helping Your Kids to Be Interested in Sports

Being active and moving is something that is so important for us all, especially for children.     1     However, some parents can feel shocked when they see that their child isn’t interested in sports. So how can you encourage them to have ago?

It is such a good idea to lead by example when you are a parent. This is true for a variety of aspects, but especially forgetting children involved in sport.     2     So you need to be someone who is interested and active, if you want any hope of them doing so too. If you lay on the couch all day then they will just learn to do that too.

    3     Although they can choose who they want to support, seeing your enthusiasm for a particular player or team can be just what is needed to start their journey. You could look for a team uniform store to get them a sports shirt with their name on for example, as well as see the team play at one of their games.     4    

If something is dull, it will be hard for children to be enthusiastic about it. This will make them resent(讨厌) it, which is not a good thing for later in life. If they show particular skill and learn to play sport, then more practice and training can come in.     5     When they can enjoy what they do, they will only see it as something fun to do, rather than what we as adults might see it as, such as a chore to burn calories.

Whatever sport your child chooses to play, encourage them and make it fun, and then it will be something that they will want to carry on doing as they go about the rest of their lives.

A．They won’t be interested in sports if you’re not.

B．here are some other tips that you would share with them.

C．Share your enthusiasm and it will help to lighten a passion.

D．So think about ways that can get them to be active in the sports.

E．How active a child is will impact their overall health and learning.

F．Apart from leading by example, you could also share your favorite team.

G．However, the main message forgetting children into sport is to keep it fun.

2 . Desperate to help his 96-year-old mother to speak her mother tongue again, Keith McDermott made an appeal on social media and was met with a flood of kind responses. The old lady, Ray, was moved to tears after talking on the phone with one of the enthusiastic respondents in Welsh.

Ray moved to America after meeting her husband when she was only 18, hence waving goodbye to her life in Wales. She continued to speak Welsh with her mum-keeping a little bit of home. But she lost her beloved mum four decades ago and hadn't spoken Welsh ever since.

Despite suffering from short-term memory loss and sometimes not remembering what she has done recently, Ray's childhood memories in Wales remain clear. “She wants to return but I know, given her age, such long-distance travel is out of the question.” said Keith, “Once she mentioned ‘I wish I could speak Welsh again but I suppose I never will.’ It was then that I thought I should make her wish happen.”

So Keith, 70, posted on social media in the New York Welsh area asking for any Welsh speakers that could speak Welsh with his mum. And he was touched, as well as a little shocked, to receive over 30 responses within half an hour. Keith thanked everyone and eventually asked Melisa to give his mum a phone call. “Speaking with Melisa, her (Ray's) Welsh was a little rusty. A few more Welsh conversations and I think she'd be fluent again,” added Keith.

“When you have a parent in their nineties, you will find you two have something in common: you're both old, so I am very sympathetic to my mother's feelings of loneliness and isolation (孤立). I'm feeling it myself.” Keith hopes to set up more Welsh phone conversations for his mum and Melisa has promised to send Ray some short stories in Welsh to remind her of her life in Wales.

1. Why did Keith post a message on social media?

A．To gather American Welsh speakers.

B．To help his mum speak Welsh again.

C．To slow down his mum's memory loss.

D．To track down his family's Welsh origin.

2. How did Keith feel after seeing the responses?

A．Surprised and moved.	B．Concerned and thankful.
C．Sympathetic and excited.	D．Astonished and isolated.

3. What is conveyed in the story?

A．Social media contribute to closer family ties.

B．Mother tongue means more than a language.

C．Childhood experiences shape one's later life.

D．One will be more sensitive when getting older.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A community noticeboard.

B．A health magazine.

C．A language-learning website.

D．A local newspaper.

3 . Want to know what is coming soon to a cinema near you? Probably not a 1.5-hour-long movie, as in the old days. On October 20th comes Killers of the Flower Moon. At nearly three and a half hours, its length is nearly double that of the average film last year. Even movie fans struggle to concentrate for that long and some viewers even nod off. Afterwards there is a mad dash for the toilets. When does watching a film become such a slog?

The Economist analyzed over 100,000 feature films released internationally since the 1930s, the start of Hollywood’s golden age, using data from IMDb, a movie database. The average length of productions rose by around 24%, from one hour and 21 minutes in the 1930s to one hour and 47 minutes in 2022. For the ten most-popular titles, the average length grew to around two and a half hours in 2022, nearly 50% higher than in the 1930s.

One driver of this trend is that studios want to squeeze the most out of their costly intellectual property (知识产权), but they are competing with streaming platforms for eyeballs. The hope is that a spectacular, drawn-out “event” movie will draw audiences away from the small screen and into cinemas. This approach has often paid off: Avengers: Endgame Marvel’s three-hour superhero masterpieces, was the highest-grossing (票房最高的) film in 2019. Last year long movies series made up most of the highest-grossing films in America.

Another explanation for longer films has to do with directors’ growing influence. Who would dare tell the likes of Mr. Nolan to cut out his masterpieces? Moreover, streaming platforms, which do not have to worry as much about the length because viewers can pause whenever they like, may attract big names by promising them sufficient fund and creative freedom. Netflix funded and released three-hour The Irishman in 2019, a film that would have benefited from a decisive editor, Irish or otherwise.

1. The underlined part “a slog” in paragraph 1 refers to a(n)___.

A．pleasure

B．effort

C．conflict

D．feast

2. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?

A．The average length affects the popularity of films.

B．Great advances have been made in film industry.

C．Hollywood starts a golden age of feature films.

D．The average duration of movies has stretched.

3. What sets the trend of longer movies?

A．Competition for the target audience.	B．Thirst for more classic productions.
C．Influence of streaming platforms.	D．Preference for decisive editors.

4. What is probably the best title for the passage?

A．Movie Enthusiasts	B．Movie Marathons
C．Movie Production	D．Movie Influence

4 . My son “graduated” from elementary school this week. I put the word in quotations(引语)because as a rising 6th grader, he wasn’t receiving a _______ —and because the school used a _______ term to describe the milestone. On reflection, the school’s term felt even more _______ than the traditional name of the _______ of one stage of a person’s education: they called it Moving On.

At the Moving On Ceremony, each member of the 5th grade class _______ one sentence of reflection on what they were thankful for or would _______ about their primary school years. One _______ words caught my attention — he said he was _______ for what he called “a step on the ladder”. I was really _______ by this 11-year-old’s ability to summarize the emotional heart of the “moving on” moment. That was totally beyond my imagination.

Growing up is the work of a ________ — a ladder that has no top. And the gift of a “moving on” moment is that we get to celebrate the firm foothold   (立足点)we’ve gained on our ________ step, even as we reach upward toward the next. We get to ________ —not beyond what we’ve learned and accomplished so far, ________ because we are able to build on today’s experiences to move ahead toward tomorrow.

We look forward to our son ________ more graduations in his lifetime. But perhaps more than that, we pray that he will have the ability to recognize many “moving on” moments to celebrate and enjoy with ________ .

1.

A．prize

B．letter

C．degree

D．gift

2.

A．normal

B．different

C．traditional

D．popular

3.

A．interesting

B．successful

C．creative

D．meaningful

4.

A．end

B．goal

C．process

D．task

5.

A．translated

B．learned

C．shared

D．completed

6.

A．complain

B．miss

C．worry

D．imagine

7.

A．teacher’s

B．parent’s

C．cleaner’s

D．student’s

8.

A．responsible

B．grateful

C．concerned

D．famous

9.

A．struck

B．confused

C．inspired

D．disappointed

10.

A．moment

B．month

C．year

D．lifetime

11.

A．current

B．previous

C．future

D．upward

12.

A．work out

B．calm down

C．think over

D．move forward

13.

A．but

B．though

C．and

D．also

14.

A．holding

B．preparing

C．discovering

D．experiencing

15.

A．kindness

B．gratitude

C．bravery

D．patience

5 . Do you want to see majestic lions roaring, rare rhinos running and colorful birds flying? You’ll find this incredible display of nature in the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley.

First stop

Fly into Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. This great city is known for its fashion markets and beautiful art. And be sure to pick up some rich Kenyan coffee while you’re there! Then head for the countryside.

Plan your trip

The largest of the three lakes in the system, Lake Nakuru, is less than 175 kilometers from Nairobi. But Lakes Bogoria and Elementaita are equally worth a visit. You can stay at one of several choices of luxurious cabins in the valley. And if you sign up for a trip, be sure to put flamingos, the white and pink birds, at the top of your list.

Paradise

The Kenya Lake System is shallow and alkaline (碱性的). That means it supports vegetation such as green algae, a food source for many waterfowl. Hundreds of species of birds flourish here, using this area as a major breeding and nesting ground. Water buffalo, leopards, monkeys and the endangered Rothschild giraffe also make this area their home.

Other sights

Wildlife isn’t the only natural wonder in the Great Rift Valley. The valley marks a place where the earth is divided far below the surface. This rock separation below ground leads to noticeable features above ground. Walking around Lake Bogoria especially, you will see steam rising from hot springs.

Other activities include golfing, horseback riding and hiking. The fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down, either. The river valley is far from city lights, so many visitors gaze at the stars shining above.

If you are ready for a wildlife experience, don’t hesitate!

1. Where can you buy fashionable gifts in Kenya?

A．Nairobi.

B．Lake Nakuru.

C．Lake Bogoria.

D．Lake Elementaita.

2. Which should be the first choice on your travelling list?

A．Living in a cabin.	B．Seeing flamingos.
C．Visiting hot springs.	D．Gazing at shining stars.

3. What can we learn about the Kenya Lake System?

A．It has countless lakes worth visiting.	B．It’s an ideal place for wildlife to live.
C．Its water is unsuitable for plant growth.	D．It’s famous for rich culture and history.

7 . You may never know why. The email will arrive and reasons offered for your rejection might be the real ones—or not. Bosses have always spied on their employees, then judged them. Now the rise of the online self means the employer’s eye can travel still farther.

Even before the pandemic, research found that 28% of large companies had turned down applicants after carrying out such checks. And it is becoming more popular: Reed Screening, a large agency, was asked to run over a third more social-media checks in December 2021 than a year earlier. This month the government gave the practice approval when the Department for Education said schools and colleges “should consider carrying out an online search as part of their due diligence (尽职调查)”.

The way screening works is simple: Any “problematic” behaviours will be marked with a red flag. There are laws governing such online screening. David Erdos, head of the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Law, says that companies are supposed to warn candidates before screening their social media and tell them that they have the right to hold back permission. Some companies follow these rules, but others may not. As for the right to refuse, it is hardly practicable. “Who on earth is…going to be that person who says: ‘Hang on a minute, I’m not happy about that?’” asks Mr Erdos. “That itself is likely to be a red flag.”

All agree that the spread of online screening is alarming, as it is so unforgiving. People may be unable ever to be free of their online past, says Mr Erdos. As indeed some footballers, recently punished for comments made almost a decade ago when they were but teenagers, have found to their cost.

Those within the industry think laws should be tightened, with punishment for illegal act. In the meantime, being very careful is advisable. In talks to university students, Mr Erdos warns them what companies will do to their social media when they apply for jobs. They are “universally terrified”, he says. And rightly.

1. What can we infer about online screening from paragraph 2?

A．It is turned down by large companies.	B．It boosts the development of education.
C．It is becoming increasingly acceptable.	D．It highlights the wisdom of employers.

2. What do applicants tend to do with online screening?

A．They reject the red flags.	B．They have to submit to it.
C．They will charge the company.	D．They postpone carrying it out.

3. What is Mr Erdos’ opinion on posting comments online?

A．Companies are tolerant of it.	B．Its influence is hard to erase.
C．It should be under strict laws.	D．University students are free to do it.

4. What could be a suitable title for the text?

A．Big Employer Is Watching You

B．Fix Your Eyes on Online Screening

C．Social-media Checks Are Around the Corner

D．Checks Online Are to Blame for Unemployment

8 . Useful Travel Apps

Traveladvisor

Every hotel, restaurant or tourist spot you wish to know about has likely been reviewed and rated here. These numerous, and at times very detailed, travellers’ experiences offer handy tips and help avoid common mistakes. Lists like “Top Things to Do In...” ensure that you don’t come back with any regrets.

Kayak

A comprehensive travel planner, this app lets you search for and book flight tickets, hotels and cars, and even assists in packing. Its predeparture to-do lists, tailored for general, business or romantic travel, ensure that all you need is your bag.

Tripit

If you’re forever searching for all the confirmation emails for your trips, download this app, which merges all your travel details into one itinerary. You can access it from several devices, and it syncs with your phone calendar, too.

Loungebuddy

This app advises on the facilities and entry policies for airport lounges across the world, so in one click you can get away from the crowds.

Travel Diary

Similar to sending postcards to yourself, this app lets you make diary entries with text and images. You can also export all your entries to a word document: raw material for the travelogue in the making.

1. If you’re not sure what to do in your travel destination, you’d better check ______ before you go there.

A．Traveladvisor

B．Kayak

C．Travel Diary

D．Tripit

2. Which app helps most if people want to review their travel from time to time?

A．Travel Diary.

B．Traveladvisor.

C．Tripit.

D．Loungebuddy.

3. Which of the following two apps provide only one service respectively?

A．Traveladvisor and Kayak.	B．Kayak and Tripit.
C．Tripit and Loungebuddy.	D．Loungebuddy and Travel Diary.

9 . I found a wonderful picture of Maolan karst cones online and presented it to the innkeeper. “You can’t go there,” the innkeeper ______ me. “The viewing platform has been closed due to ______ that too many visitors could cause geological damage.”

Despite our disappointment, we ______ an alternative: a seven-hour hike through the “funnel forest”. Initially, we were ______ to run the risk. However, I had ______ the tourism motto in the nature reserve: “If you don’t do it now, you won’t do it in your lifetime.” Three of our group ______ decided to venture into the forest. The innkeeper responded with a knowing ______ : “Great. Bear Grylls went there.”

The next morning, we set off with a local ______ . Rain came and went three times, and before I actually ______ to climb over the first mountain, I had already got wet to the skin. I was a walking ______ of mud and water.

Our guide, in his 50s, behaved like a botanist, introducing the locally specific plants to us, but I was hardly in the ______ . Every step sank into the muddy, sucking ground. Every log or rock in front of us was a physical ______ . “One can never reach those places without strong willpower,” I murmured, reciting that millennium-old ______ , over and over again.

Sinkholes and entrances to underground rivers kept popping up along our ______ . Thinking of them leading to an unknown world, I began to ______ the road that I can control even more.

Wandering in a green chaos without any obvious landmarks is also breathtaking.

1.

A．answered

B．told

C．followed

D．favored

2.

A．news

B．matters

C．concerns

D．conclusions

3.

A．worked out

B．took in

C．set down

D．ruled out

4.

A．unwilling

B．surprised

C．calm

D．inspired

5.

A．forgotten

B．promoted

C．interpreted

D．noticed

6.

A．shortly

B．lately

C．eventually

D．suddenly

7.

A．taste

B．tone

C．smile

D．sigh

8.

A．botanist

B．keeper

C．farmer

D．guide

9.

A．managed

B．decided

C．planned

D．agreed

10.

A．visitor

B．mixture

C．log

D．stranger

11.

A．eagerness

B．mood

C．humor

D．pity

12.

A．contact

B．energy

C．activity

D．challenge

13.

A．prediction

B．line

C．deal

D．secret

14.

A．route

B．landmark

C．platform

D．rock

15.

A．guarantee

B．ignore

C．doubt

D．appreciate

10 . There are two kinds of people: those who like to pack up leftovers as soon as dinner is over, and those who let leftovers sit out for a few hours so they can cool down.

However, both leaving leftovers out for a long period of time and adding hot items to the fridge can cause problems.

Whether you should immediately put food in the fridge or let it sit out to cool depends on its temperature. Dangerous bacterial (细菌的) growth happens between 41 and 135 degrees F. Potentially harmful bacteria grows most rapidly at these temperatures.

Placing lots of hot food in the fridge can raise the temperature of the fridge into this danger zone. Fridge temperatures should always be set below 40 degrees F. This may help the food get out of the danger zone as fast as possible.

However, there’s no harm in putting hot food directly into the fridge if you need to. If you are a forgetful person, or if you won’t be around to store the food after it has cooled enough, go ahead and put it in the fridge. Your fridge can handle the heat and get the food cooled quickly.

Food should never stay out at room temperature for more than two hours. Leftovers can become breeding grounds (滋生地) for dangerous bacteria if they’re left out too long and can make people sick.

“It is OK to leave the food cooling outside before you hit the two-hour mark,” says Serena Poon, nutritionist of Le Cordon Bleu’s Grand Diploma training program. “In fact, the sooner you can get your leftovers in the fridge, the better.”

1. Which temperature most contributes to the growth of harmful bacteria?

A．Below 40 degrees F.	B．Between 39～40 degrees F.
C．Between 41～135 degrees F.	D．Above 135 degrees F.

2. What is the author’s attitude towards putting hot food directly into the fridge?

A．Unclear.

B．Neutral.

C．Worried.

D．Unconcerned.

3. What does Serena Poon suggest doing about the leftovers?

A．Dividing them into small parts.

B．Storing them in the fridge right away.

C．Waiting until they cool down completely outside.

D．Leaving them sitting at room temperature for two hours.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．When to Pack up Leftovers.	B．How to Prevent Bacterial Growth
C．To Cool Food Outside or in the Fridge	D．A Good Idea to Store Food in the Fridge