1 . The weather in Texas may have cooled since the recent extreme heat, but the temperature will be high at the State Board of Education meeting in Austin this month as officials debate how climate change is taught in Texas schools.

Pat Hardy, who agrees with the views of the energy department, is resisting proposed changes to science standards for pre-teen pupils. These would emphasize the significance of human activity in recent climate change and encourage discussion of reduction measures.

Most scientists and experts sharply argue against Hardy’s views. “They casually view the career work of scholars and scientists as just another misguided opinion,” says Dan Quinn, senior communications strategist at the Texas Freedom Network, a non-profit group that monitors public education. Such debates reflect fierce discussions across the US and around the world, as researchers, policymakers, teachers and students step up demands for a greater focus on teaching about the facts of climate change in schools.

A study, looking at how state public schools across the country address climate change in science classes, gave barely half of US states a grade B+ or higher. Among the 10 worst performers were some of the most populous states, including Texas, which was given the lowest grade (F) and has a huge influence because its textbooks are widely sold elsewhere.

Glenn Branch, the center’s deputy director, cautions that setting state-level science standards is only one limited norm in a country that decentralizes (使分权) decisions to local school boards. Even if a state is considered a high performer in its science standards, “that does not mean it will be taught”, he says.

Branch points out that, even if a growing number of official guidelines and textbooks reflect scientific consensus (共识) on climate change, unofficial educational materials that convey more biased (带有偏见的) perspectives are being distributed to teachers. They include materials sponsored by libertarian think-tanks (智库) and energy industry associations.

1. Why is the weather in Texas mentioned in Paragraph 1?

A．To forecast a policy shift in Texas schools.	B．To stress the consequences of climate change.
C．To indicate the atmosphere at the board meeting.	D．To draw the public’s attention to energy shortages.

2. What does Quinn think of Hardy?

A．Hardy overstates the existing panic.	B．Hardy denies the value of scientific work.
C．Hardy shows no concern for pre-teens.	D．Hardy expresses self-contradictory views

3. Which will Branch probably agree about state-level science standards?

A．The standards call for regular revision.	B．The standards cater to local needs.
C．The standards have limited influence.	D．The standards require urgent application.

4. What is implied about climate change teaching in some schools in the last paragraph?

A．It agrees to major public demands.	B．It reflects teachers’ personal biases.
C．It may misrepresent the energy department.	D．It can be impacted by external forces.

2 . Many got sleepless nights after Sora amazed the world with its remarkable ability of creating videos directly from text instructions. Discussions about what the artificial intelligence model can do and make a difference continue.

Some said it could give a huge blow to traditional industries such as film and television making, looking forward to the day when a movie can be created right after a novel is put into the model. But others remain skeptical about how powerful the model can be in changing the landscape of AI application.

Developed by a group of young talent from Microsoft-backed company OpenAI, the text-to-video model can generate videos up to a minute long while maintaining visual quality and adherence to the user’s prompt.

Shen Yang, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University , said, “Sora represents a revolutionary leap in the field of AI-generated content (AIGC).”

As one of the leading scholars in AI research in China, Shen leads a team that studies the philosophy of AI. Until he learned about Sora on February 16, Shen was quite satisfied with his team’s AI-generated videos. A two-minute video on the Spring Festival produced by Shen’s team have recently won many likes on social media platforms. “Compared with the new model Sora, what we used are tools of the previous generation. There’s a huge gap in between," said Shen.

As a frequent user of AI, Shen said the technology not only helps improve his productivity, but also benefits his daily life. His wife was suffering from cancer and many complications, and he used AI to assist in finding treatment, which has remarkably prolonged her life. He even wrote an award-winning science fiction novel using AI.

However, new technologies do not mean good news to everyone. Many also concern about AI models’ safety issues since related regulations are lagging behind. 

Sora is going to bring changes in many fields, including short video, film and television, news, games, advertising, education, and even industrial manufacturing, according to Shen. There is still much room to improve AI models. For instance, current AI models are not capable of drawing characters accurately and quickly. Shop signs lack meaning in Sora’s demo video showing a woman walking down a street in Tokyo. But these problems are believed to be solved as models update.

1. Which of the following might have similar meaning to the underlined word in Paragraph 2?

A．push.

B．strike.

C．warning.

D．bonus.

2. What can we know from the passage?

A．All people can not benefit from the new AI technologies.

B．AI model’s safety isn’t concerning despite lagging legal restrictions.

C．The AI-generated videos by Shen Yang’s team were better than those created by Sora.

D．The text-to-video model was developed by a group of young talent from Tsinghua University.

3. What kind of attitude does Shen have towards Sora?

A．Favorable.

B．Objective.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Reserved.

4. Which of the following is the best title?

A．Sora: An AI video.	B．Video Making: AI Models.
C．Sora: A Powerful AI Tool.	D．Video Making: Future of AI.

3 . Passing the Cities through the Lens (镜头) of Women, a solo exhibition by Swiss artist Catherine Gfeller, is being held at the Swiss embassy in Beijing.

Between 2016 and 2019, Swiss artist Catherine Gfeller embarked on a journey to a number of Chinese cities, weaving a narrative as she engaged with the stories of women from different backgrounds. Her vision of the women, the challenges they confront, and their distinctive spirit are the focuses of the artist’s subsequent explorations.

In the bustling streets of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Hong Kong, Beijing and Kunming in Yunnan province, Gfeller found a means of exploring the essence of these urban landscapes by focusing her lens on women. On Saturday, the Swiss embassy in Beijing launched a solo exhibition, Passing the Cities through the Lens of Women, which spotlights the perspectives and voices of women with photographs, texts, and videos. Through her lens, Gfeller skillfully establishes a dialogue and builds a bridge between the narratives of the women and the liveliness of the cities they inhabit.

For Gfeller, women’s voices are very important in modern Chinese society. During shooting, she learned how the women perceive the new ways of life and how they find an anchor in their cities. “The moment I pressed the shutter, I felt like I became part of the city,” Gfeller says.

Ambassador of Switzerland to China Jurg Burri said at the opening ceremony, “Ms Gfeller cares very much about people, especially women in cities. Women’s issues are a global topic and I hope that more women’s voices will be heard.”

The exhibition is open to the public until the end of March. The 58-year-old artist is known for her focus on landscape photography. Using techniques like montage, collage, and superimposition, she creates unique photographic artworks.

1. Where is the passage probably taken from?

A．A leaflet.

B．A newspaper.

C．A brochure.

D．A research paper.

2. What does Catherine Gfeller’s exhibition focus on?

A．Chinese women’s viewpoints.	B．Chinese urban landscapes.
C．Chinese traditional roles of women.	D．Chinese women’s status in society.

3. Why does the author cite Jurg Burri’s words?

A．Jurg Burri is the Ambassador of Switzerland to China.

B．The theme of Catherine Gfeller exhibition is a global topic.

C．Jurg Burri is in favor of Catherine Gfeller’s means of exploring cities.

D．Catherine Gfeller attaches great importance to women’s perspectives.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce an exhibition.	B．To educate readers.
C．To persuade readers.	D．To advertise an exhibition.

5 . Each morning at 6 a.m., Kamaljeet Singh, 57, is up and out of the house. He starts by spending three hours helping ________ food to nearly two dozen drop-off locations across Delhi, India, then ________ the numerous facilities run by the volunteer organization he leads with his brother, Premjit. The organization, Veerji Ka Dera, was founded in 1989 by their father, Trilokchan Singh.

“He was a very ________ man,” says Kamaljeet of his father, who died in 2010. In the 1980s, Trilokchan began organizing volunteers to help him clean temples. Then they began ________one of India’s most underserved groups (弱势群体): the migrant workers who came to Delhi from rural areas. It started with a free breakfast, and eventually the group was also providing basic first aid for minor, often job-related,________.

After his death, Kamaljeet and Premjit, inspired by their father’s lifetime of service, ________ the organization. “We are continuing helping the poor,” says Premjit, 61, “Our aim is that no one goes hungry and ________for in Delhi.”

Veerji Ka Dera now ________ about 2,500 daily wage workers and homeless people a day, in addition to offering basic medical care to as many as 500 people. It’s all made________ by the roughly 250 families who ________ their time to cook, drive, nurse, farm and clean. During the Covid-19 pandemic, with special ________ from the government, it ________ down to feed 5,000 people a day and offer medical care to those ________.

In 2023, the award — the Real Heroes of Rising India — was ________ to them by India’s Health Minister for their ________ act.

1.

A．contribute

B．distribute

C．purchase

D．donate

2.

A．checks on

B．decides on

C．carries on

D．checks out

3.

A．selfish

B．mean

C．selfless

D．fearless

4.

A．supporting

B．convincing

C．supposing

D．reminding

5.

A．issues

B．sufferings

C．pains

D．injuries

6.

A．took on

B．turned on

C．turned over

D．took over

7.

A．unfriendly

B．uncared

C．unconcerned

D．unnecessary

8.

A．sponsors

B．employs

C．feeds

D．dismisses

9.

A．apparent

B．adequate

C．possible

D．moderate

10.

A．volunteer

B．waste

C．take

D．spend

11.

A．authority

B．potential

C．privilege

D．permission

12.

A．doubled

B．brought

C．slid

D．fell

13.

A．in place

B．in time

C．in panic

D．in relief

14.

A．provided

B．presented

C．preserved

D．observed

15.

A．concerning

B．stunning

C．challenging

D．rewarding

8 . Stacy Dean, an official at the US Department of Agriculture, was inspired by a visit to Watkins Elementary, in Washington, D. C. Students grow vegetables in their school garden. They also roll up their sleeves in the school’s kitchen to participate in a FRESHFARM FoodPrints class, which integrates cooking and nutrition education.

“Who’s next?” asks instructional coach Regina Green, as kids throw vegetables into the pan and the smell of fresh ginger and onions fills the air. “We grew these in our garden,” Jessie Gibson, one of the students, says proudly. Then he measures and pours dry ingredients into a bowl.

“Our family has tried new things because of the program,” says Catie Kelley, whose two children have participated in the FRESHFARM program. “They come home with the recipes,” Kelley says. “It’s fun because it’s things that we don’t usually make at home,” so it has encouraged them to try novel combinations. She says the kids take more of an interest at the grocery store to identify foods they’ve tried in the program.

Dean wants to have the science around healthy eating integrated. A block to scaling up these types of programs is money. The program relies on grants and receives some federal funding, but it’s not enough to expand the program to all the schools that could benefit.

In fact, there are other problems. At a time when diet-related disease is a leading cause of death, and unhealthy eating habits are rooted in US culture, it’s unrealistic to think that a cooking curriculum could overcome such a sweeping, societal problem. “We know from years of evidence that we need multiple things to come together to support healthy eating,” says Angela Odoms-Young, a professor of maternal and child nutrition at Cornell University.

Despite these challenges, programs like FRESHFARM can help kids expand their choices by introducing them to new tastes. At first, many kids are turned off by the bitter taste of greens. But through the magic of cooking, processing the onions, and blending in fresh ginger, kids can be inspired.

1. What inspired Dean during the visit to Watkins Elementary?

A．The coach’s skillful performance.

B．Students’ getting more access to nature.

C．The integrated hands-on cooking.

D．Students’ gardening and cooking.

2. How does the program benefit Kelley’s family?

A．They pay more attention to healthy eating.

B．They have a more harmonious relation.

C．They show more interest in shopping.

D．They have enriched their recipes.

3. What can be inferred from paragraph 5?

A．Advocating healthy eating needs joint efforts.

B．A cooking curriculum should be promoted.

C．Nutrition helps put students on a healthy path.

D．Food is fundamental to life and good health.

4. What does the author think of the program?

A．Complex.

B．Widespread.

C．Effective.

D．Easily-operated.