1 . When continent splits occur, they usually leave traces in ancient rocks, fossils, and mountain ranges. However, around 155 million years ago, when a 5,000-kilometer land broke away from Western Australia and began its drift, it only left behind a basin deep below the ocean known as the Argo Abyssal Plain and scientists have been unable to find where this lost continent, Argoland, disappeared to until now.
The seabed structure suggests that the continent drifted northwestward, potentially towards present-day Southeast Asia. But surprisingly, there is no large continent hidden beneath those islands, only small continental fragments. Using this theory, geologists discovered that Argoland hadn’t really disappeared but survived as a “very extended and fragmented collection” under the islands to the east of Indonesia. Unlike other continents like Africa and South America, which broke neatly into two pieces, Argoland split into many smaller fragments that were dispersed (分散的). With advanced technology and the discovery, scientists can now piece them together.
Tracing the continents is vital for understanding processes like the evolution of biodiversity. It could help explain something known as the mysterious Wallace Line, which is an imaginary boundary that separates mammals, birds, and even early human species in Southeast Asian islands. The boundary has puzzled scientists for long because it clearly separates the island’s wildlife. To the west of the line are mammals like apes and elephants. But these are almost completely absent to the east, where you can find marsupials and cockatoos — animals typically associated with Australia. Researchers have theorized that this may be because Argoland carried its own wildlife away from Australia before it crashed into Southeast Asia, which helps explain why different species are found on one land.
The story of Argoland is not one of complete disappearance but of transformation. As the world continues to evolve, this lost continent serves as a powerful symbol of the fragility (脆弱性) of life on this planet, and a reminder of the importance of respecting and protecting the world that we live in.
1. What is Argoland?| A．It is a basin deep below the ocean in Western Australia. |
| B．It is a large continent hidden beneath the islands of Southeast Asia. |
| C．It is a new land emerging from under the islands to the east of Indonesia. |
| D．It is a fragmented continent drifting from Western Australia to Southeast Asia. |
| A．To introduce an imaginary boundary. |
| B．To support the assumed theory of the lost continent. |
| C．To show different species in Southeast Asian islands. |
| D．To explain the reason why scientists are puzzled about the boundary. |
| A．it warns us to protect our planet. |
| B．it shows the creatures on earth are fragile. |
| C．it reminds us of the power of human activities. |
| D．it explains the biodiversity in Southeast Asian islands. |
| A．The mystery of a lost continent has been unfolded. |
| B．The fragments of Indonesia have been pieced together. |
| C．The formation of the Argo Abyssal Plain has been discovered. |
| D．The evolution of species in Southeast Asian islands has been traced. |
2 . To Swedes, the scent of surströmming (鲱鱼罐头) is pleasant, but to most others, it’s sickening. This contrast highlights the role of culture in shaping our perceptions (见解) of scent. However, researchers now suggest that biology might play a more significant role than previously thought.
Artin Arshamian, a neuroscientist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and Asifa Majid, a psychologist at the University of Oxford, noticed from their own previous work that people from different cultures described smells differently. They also knew from past experiments by other researchers that culture was important in determining which sorts of faces people found beautiful. Thus, they expected to see a similar phenomenon with smells.
The researchers conducted a study involving nine diverse groups of people, including hunter-gatherers in Mexico, farmers in Ecuador, and residents of cities like Mexico City and Bangkok. They were presented with ten smells, ranging from isovaleric acid to vanilla extract, and asked to rate them according to pleasantness. The results showed high consistency across cultures, with isovaleric acid universally disliked and vanilla extract mostly enjoyed.
Interestingly, the chemical composition of the smells accounted for 41% of the reactions, while cultural factors only explained 6%. It is quite different in the case of visual perception of faces, where a person’s culture makes up 50% of the explanation for which faces they find beautiful. Meanwhile, the researchers identified an “eye of the beholder” effect in our perceptions of scent. This phenomenon, though less obvious than in visual perception, represents the personal preferences that are shaped by influences outside individual culture, accounting for 54% of the differences in which smells people liked.
This study suggests that our sense of smell may be more influenced by biological factors than cultural ones. It challenges the idea that culture alone determines what we find pleasant or unpleasant and opens up new ways of exploring the biological basis of our senses.
1. What is the initial purpose of the research?| A．To explore how culture affects our sense of smell. |
| B．To prove all people enjoy the scent of surströmming. |
| C．To examine geography plays a role in scent perception. |
| D．To confirm biology has an influence on scent perception. |
| A．By making questionnaire surveys. | B．By recording participants’ reactions. |
| C．By comparing cultural backgrounds. | D．By referring to previous study reports. |
| A．the standard of beauty across different cultures |
| B．the role of culture in shaping our sense of smell |
| C．the impact of personal preferences on scent perception |
| D．the influence of outside factors on our visual preference |
| A．They were familiar with isovaleric acid beforehand. |
| B．They hated isovaleric acid all due to its unpleasant smell. |
| C．Their reactions to the scent of isovaleric acid varied among cultures. |
| D．Their dislike for isovaleric acid was based more on biological factors. |
3 . It is now possible to generate fake but realistic content with little more than the click of a mouse. This can be fun: a TikTok account on which an artificial Tom Cruise wearing a purple robe sings Tiny Dancer of Paris Hilton holding a toy dog has attracted 5.1 million followers. However, this technology also causes challenges. Cheaters can copy loved ones’ voices with just ten seconds, and AI-generated celebrities advertise questionable products online. Fake videos of politicians are also spreading rapidly.
The fundamental problem is an old one. From the printing press to the internet, new technologies have often made it easier to spread untruths or pretend to be the trustworthy. While humans have traditionally relied on shortcuts to detect fakes, such as spelling mistakes or strangely rendered (渲染的) hands in AI-generated images, these signs are becoming less reliable as AI continues to improve. The arms race between generating and detecting fakes currently favors the former, and it seems that eventually, AI models will be able to produce perfect fakes.
This rapid advancement in AI technology raises serious concerns. For example, it could lead to a world where any photograph of a person can be used for blackmail (敲诈). Additionally, anyone could create a video of a political leader announcing a nuclear first strike, causing widespread panic.
Despite these awful possibilities, societies will adapt to the rise of fake content. People will learn to distrust images, audio, or video as proof of events, similar to how they view drawings. Instead, the focus will shift to identifying the source of content, with reliable sources becoming increasingly important.
It may sound strange, but this was true for most of history. While AI technology presents significant challenges, it is not the end of the marketplace of ideas. Over time, the fakes that rise will mostly be the funny ones.
1. What is the main concern over the ability of AI to generate realistic fake content?| A．It makes people pretend to be someone else. |
| B．It enables cheaters to promote fake products online. |
| C．It causes arms race between generating and detecting fakes. |
| D．It makes it difficult to distinguish the real content from the fake. |
| A．Its source. | B．Its visual quality. | C．Its popularity. | D．Its emotional impact. |
| A．Funny fakes will be the only one that rise in the future. |
| B．The rise of fakes content will not destroy the exchange of ideas. |
| C．People will find it necessary to distinguish AI-made content from reality. |
| D．People will no longer trust any form of media owing to the flood of fakes. |
| A．Fun and Fear of Videos: AI is Changing Our World |
| B．AI-Generated Fakes: A Challenge to Truth and Trust |
| C．From Laughs to Lies: The Impact of AI-Created Videos |
| D．Dawn for Digital Art: Welcoming the Era of AI-Made Content |
4 . The message is drummed into us from childhood: forgive people who’ve wronged you, because it’s the right thing to do. Forgiveness is a virtue, we’re told, the only way for us to truly move on and heal. But forgiving someone is not always what’s best for us. In fact, if someone has hurt you deeply and the relationship isn’t healthy, trying to “fix” things can do more harm than good.
Most of us would probably agree that forgiving a wrongdoer means letting go of negative feelings like anger towards them. Actually it pressures us to minimize our feelings and revise our boundaries — to say “it’s OK” when for us, it isn’t. And when someone doesn’t make us feel seen or safe, forgiving them can actually weaken our self-respect. A 2010 research paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology called this “the doormat effect”. It found that people who forgave partners that didn’t make them feel valued had less respect for themselves, along with a weakened sense of self.
If you keep on forgiving someone who’s done wrong, it can encourage that person to keep hurting you. That’s what 2011 research by psychology professor James K McNulty argues. He looked at how 72 newlywed couples expressed forgiveness towards acts of aggression (攻击性), and whether this caused any changes in the wrongdoer’s behaviour. He found that when a partner was more likely to forgive those acts, the aggressor was more likely to keep committing them. This is because facing the consequences of their actions is what motivates people to change their ways, and being offered a clean sheet can allow them to avoid making changes. Forgiving frequent and major offenses (冒犯), like verbal or physical abuse, can do more harm than good.
What if, instead of looking to forgiveness like a magic medicine, we put our energies towards accepting a situation for what it is? This way, we can focus on recognizing what happened and coming to terms with it, however that looks for us and without any sense of obligation towards our offender. It’ll still be a process, sure, but it’s one centred around you and your needs.
1. What will happen if we forgive a wrongdoer according to “the doormat effect”?| A．We’ll be free from negative thoughts. |
| B．The relationship will be strengthened. |
| C．The wrongdoer will change his behavior. |
| D．We’ll have less self-respect and self-awareness. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By listing examples. |
| C．By citing research results. | D．By giving definitions. |
| A．Forgiving a wrongdoer’s behavior stops him from hurting others. |
| B．Facing the consequences of aggression does more harm than good. |
| C．Ignoring major offenses encourages a wrongdoer’s acts of aggression. |
| D．Forgiving frequent aggression prevents a wrongdoer from making changes. |
| A．Forgive and forget. | B．Learn to take the situation as it is. |
| C．Center on yourself. | D．Keep on good terms with offenders. |
5 . Even with the heated water splashing on my shoulders, a chill (寒意) still ran through me. My son was swimming
I just couldn’t trust my body to
But my son George wouldn’t
I couldn’t say no. “Try to swim to me. It’s not very far.” he said,
After more false starts, I knew I must
I swam farther.I swam.
1.| A．bravely | B．skillfully | C．carefully | D．nervously |
| A．willing | B．ambitious | C．gifted | D．adorable |
| A．bend | B．float | C．extend | D．swing |
| A．knowledge | B．potential | C．freedom | D．chance |
| A．goal | B．result | C．decision | D．belief |
| A．realize | B．change | C．accept | D．consider |
| A．special | B．basic | C．common | D．hard |
| A．turned up | B．passed by | C．slipped away | D．broke in |
| A．feared | B．missed | C．enjoyed | D．expected |
| A．standing | B．towering | C．stretching | D．adjusting |
| A．comforted | B．surprised | C．puzzled | D．amused |
| A．continue | B．act | C．win | D．quit |
| A．blindly | B．quickly | C．elegantly | D．freely |
| A．lost | B．took | C．caught | D．held |
| A．relief | B．sorrow | C．joy | D．gratitude |
6 . On December 16,2023, the first section of Maya Train officially opened, which runs between Campeche and Cancun, carrying up to 231 passengers across 290 miles and stopping at 14 train stations.
Built as an ambitious effort to promote tourism and boost Mexico’s economy, the rail system connects the major cities and tourist regions of the Yucatan Peninsula -from Cancun’s beaches to Tulum’s archaeological wonders. Once the project is completed, the entire rail system will link tourist destinations across five states. However, environmentalists and archaeologists argue that the train route will cause great damage to the environment and ancient Mayan sites.
The Maya Train passes through six UNESCO World Heritage sites and thousands of archaeological sites. One particular area of concern is the Calakmul reserve, which is home to many endangered species, such as jaguars and over 500 other animal species. The train lines, more than 60 meters wide, could act as artificial barriers that may make it difficult for these animals to move around and access food and water sources.
Opponents also express safety concerns. Certain sections of the rail system will be built right on top of the aquifer’s (地下水层的) weakest points of contact with the surface. “It’s like wanting to build over eggshells.” says Guillermo Christy, a water treatment consultant. “Putting trains weighing thousands of tons on top could cause the underground caves to crash down.” To construct the train infrastructure (基础设施) also requires driving long piles deep into the ground, which poses a big threat to this weak ecosystem and leads to water shortages.
In the ongoing debate of Maya Train, it is crucial to consider the delicate balance between economic development and environmental preservation. While Maya Train may provide economic benefits, we must not ignore the potential environmental and cultural losses, as well as the safety risks it may bring. Achieving harmony between progress and conservation may be a significant challenge for the project, but we must take into account the long-term consequences of our actions.
1. What is the purpose of the Maya Train project?| A．To help protect the environment. | B．To promote Mexico’s economy. |
| C．To connect tourist regions across states. | D．To give easy access to Mayan sites. |
| A．The movement of species may be limited. | B．Animals may have communication barriers. |
| C．The living habitats of species may be reduced. | D．The reserve may have food and water shortages. |
| A．To prove the urgency of protecting the ecosystem. |
| B．To illustrate the difficulty of constructing the rail lines. |
| C．To explain the reasons for water shortages along the railway. |
| D．To stress the potential harm of Maya Train to aquifer system. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Opposed. | C．Favorable. | D．Indifferent. |
7 . Shane Grammer’s artwork can be found in cities in Mexico, South Korea, Dubai and beyond.In the past years, it’s the murals (壁画) he painted on damaged walls throughout the town of Paradise, California that have gained attention and touched viewers.
In 2018, the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California’s history, swept through Paradise, flattening entire communities, killing scores of people, and displacing tens of thousands. Grammer,whose hometown was just 15 miles from Paradise, was living with his family and working in the Los Angeles area when he saw accounts of the destruction on his friends’ social media pages. A single mother he knew shared a photo of ash and rubble where her home once stood. A childhood friend’s post showed her burned-down house. After he saw a photo of a friend Shane Edwards’ home, which had been reduced to a brick wall with only a chimney standing, he was driven to paint it.
With Edward’s permission, Grammer then used spray paint to transform Edwards’ burnt chimney into a strikingly black-and-white portrait of a woman, a piece he called “Beauty Among the Ashes.” Once the image was posted on Instagram, the victims of the fire, especially, could not contain themselves. “You bring beauty and hope.” one posted. Over three months, the 47-year-old created a series of more than a dozen spray-painted murals on the remains of buildings and vehicles rendered useless by the flames. The images included a victim of the fire, a young girl who survived but lost her house, and a series of religious characters.
As a street artist, Grammer has committed his life to creating more art installations (装置艺术) all over the world that connect people through tragic life events. He has started a foundation called the Art Through Hope Foundation where he intends to bring peace through his art to those affected by tragedy. “I want to do something powerful and make art that emotionally influences people,” said Grammer in an interview with KRCR. “I think any artist would consider that as their ultimate goal. And to me, that is the biggest miracle I feel like.”
1. What has led to Grammer’s rise to fame?| A．The Art Through Hope Foundation. | B．The post of a burnt-down house. |
| C．His paintings on the ruins in Paradise. | D．His art installations all over the world. |
| A．To record the wildfire. | B．To bring hope to the victims. |
| C．To add beauty to the ashes. | D．To remember his friend's home. |
| A．Creating touching art. | B．Working miracles in art. |
| C．Bringing peace through art. | D．Doing something powerful. |
| A．From Ashes to Art: Street Artist’s Murals of Hope |
| B．From Paradise to Worldwide: Street Artist’s Journey |
| C．From Tragedy to Hope: the Story of Shane Grammer |
| D．From Mural to Miracle: Shane Grammer’s Art Mission |
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1. What is Goldster mainly intended to do?| A．To enrich the lifestyle of the elderly. |
| B．To provide solutions to ageing challenges. |
| C．To promote healthy ageing in a scientific way. |
| D．To create a positive community for ageing people. |
| A．They can all be accessed free of charge via Zoom. |
| B．They are scientifically designed for people of all ages. |
| C．They range from fitness classes to brain-training classes. |
| D．They can be registered online with payment details needed. |
| A．Art and literature. | B．Health and lifestyle. |
| C．Sports and fitness. | D．School and education. |
9 . Susan Ellis, a devoted and fearless nurse at Arkansas, earned the title of a hero after a remarkable off-duty rescue.
The extraordinary chain of events
The emergency services had not yet made it to the
She
Months later, the man who had suffered a life-threatening injury
| A．came | B．unfolded | C．appeared | D．flashed |
| A．schedule | B．task | C．shift | D．training |
| A．exciting | B．threatening | C．endangered | D．horrible |
| A．approached | B．arrived | C．settled | D．sped |
| A．office | B．scene | C．hospital | D．base |
| A．intervene | B．investigate | C．interact | D．interrupt |
| A．held onto | B．warmed up | C．pulled over | D．backed up |
| A．cautiously | B．secretly | C．carefully | D．safely |
| A．controlled | B．pictured | C．assessed | D．revealed |
| A．passed | B．counted | C．encountered | D．calculated |
| A．across | B．through | C．above | D．underneath |
| A．employed | B．marked | C．swung | D．fetched |
| A．brought out | B．carried out | C．figured out | D．reached out |
| A．optimistic | B．courageous | C．amusing | D．effortless |
| A．achieves | B．fulfills | C．serves | D．provides |
10 . A batch of new houses across California is selling unusually fast. In the past two months, 82 have been snapped up, and the waiting list is 1,000 long. That demand should, though, soon be satisfied—for, while it can take weeks to put up a conventional bricks-and-mortar dwelling (砖混住宅), the constructors behind these houses are able to build one in less than 24 hours. They can do it so rapidly because their products are collected from prefabricated (预制的) components printed in a factory.
Three-dimensional printing has been around since the early 1980s, but is now developing fast. It is already employed to make things ranging from orthopaedic (整形外科的) implants to components for aircraft. The details vary according to the products and processes involved, but the underlying principle is the same. A layer of material is laid down and somehow fixed in place. Then another is put on top of it. Then another. By varying the shape and the composition, objects can be crafted that would be difficult or impossible to produce with conventional techniques.
Not only does 3D printing allow greater versatility (用途广泛) and faster construction, it also promises a more environmentally friendly approach. That may make it a useful answer to two challenges now facing the world: a shortage of housing and climate change. More than 20% of Earth’s population lack adequate accommodation. And the construction industry is responsible for 11% of the world’s man-made carbon-dioxide emissions. An important benefit is that there is less need to move lots of heavy stuff. Palari Homes, for instance, estimates that prefabricating its products reduces the number of lorry journeys sufficiently to cut two tonnes off the amount of carbon dioxide released per home. If successful, building by 3D printing is likely to spread beyond housing. Opportunities also exist in warehousing, offices and other commercial buildings.
1. What can be inferred from paragraph one?| A．Houses are selling faster in California than other countries. |
| B．The demands of houses can make ends meet in California. |
| C．Traditional house sale in California has been booming recently. |
| D．Conventional dwellings need more time to complete. |
| A．Development and definition of Three-dimensional printing. |
| B．Application and work principles of Three-dimensional printing. |
| C．Advantages Three-dimensional printing has. |
| D．Functions and application of Three-dimensional printing. |
| A．Ambiguous. | B．Indifferent. | C．Favorable. | D．Caring. |
| A．3D printing — application to construction field | B．3D printing — an environmentally friendly tech |
| C．The promising future of 3D printing industry | D．Novel practice of the familiar 3D printing |
