2 . I first met Kyle as a freshman in high school. That day I saw him walking home from school and ________ lots of books. A group of running boys knocked all his books out of his arms. His ________ also went flying. As he looked up, I saw this terrible ________ in his eyes. When I jogged over and handed him his glasses, there was a big smile on his face. Over the next few years, Kyle and I became best friends.

When Graduation Day came at last after four years, Kyle was chosen to give a ________ for graduation. He cleared his ________, and began his talk.

“Graduation is a time to ________ those who helped you make it through those tough years. Being a friend to someone is the best ________ you can give them. I am going to tell you a story.”

I just looked at my friend with ________ as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to ________ himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had ________ his locker (寄存柜) so his Mom wouldn’t have to do it later. He looked hard at me and gave me a smile.

“________, my friend saved me from committing suicide by chance.” The crowd were ________ as he told us all about his weakest moment. I saw this sunny boy’s parents looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize the ________ of my action.

Never underestimate (低估) the power of your ________. You do a small thing and you can ________ a person’s life. For better or for worse.

1.

A．leaving

B．carrying

C．reading

D．bringing

2.

A．glasses

B．books

C．phone

D．watch

3.

A．anger

B．silence

C．sadness

D．disappointment

4.

A．lecture

B．performance

C．gift

D．speech

5.

A．throat

B．bag

C．way

D．memory

6.

A．praise

B．miss

C．admire

D．thank

7.

A．service

B．gift

C．moment

D．achievement

8.

A．confidence

B．disbelief

C．satisfaction

D．disagreement

9.

A．kill

B．express

C．enjoy

D．hide

10.

A．filled

B．opened

C．cleared

D．fixed

11.

A．Fortunately

B．Strangely

C．Immediately

D．Clearly

12.

A．excited

B．confused

C．relieved

D．shocked

13.

A．importance

B．purpose

C．possibility

D．difficulty

14.

A．words

B．intelligence

C．encouragement

D．actions

15.

A．experience

B．understand

C．change

D．discover

6 . With a few hours until curtain call, a quiet but noticeable energy fills the backstage dressing room of the famous Sunbeam Theatre, known as “Hong Kong’s Grand Palace for Cantonese Opera” Tonight, it’s the annual Rose family performance.

Some of the performers are eating takeout boxes of food, sure to sustain them through the bows-long show ahead. Others are getting a head start on their make-up. A few are being helped into their colorful costumes by eager assistants.

But there is something unexpectedly unusual about this particular performance that becomes obvious as soon as the curtains rise some of the people on stage aren’t Chinese.

Mike Brady, who comes from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, stands on stage in full costume. But he has never seen a Cantonese Opera, let alone been in one. As a background character, he has no spoken lines.

This unlikely actor owes his first performance to Lyle Rose, a fellow American who stands next to him in a similar costume. When it comes to performing, Lyle, a native New Yorker who now lives in Hong Kong, is not as green of a performer as Mike; in fact, he is the mastermind behind tonight’s show.

The entire Rose family is on stage. Mike himself is actually a new addition to the group: his daughter recently married Lyle’s younger son.

Cantonese Opera is a family affair for Lyle. Every year, Lyle, his wife, Cynthia Hu-Rose, a Hong Konger, and two sons put on a performance to raise money for local charities. But their true purpose for doing it is simply to introduce people to it. Though Cantonese Opera remains an important part of Hong Kong culture, it has to compete with many other forms of entertainment for the attention of younger generations, who associate n with their grandparents. “We love Cantonese Opera,” Lyle said. “We want people of all ages to come and watch.”

1. What scene is described in Paragraph 2?

A．Actors are practicing a play backstage.

B．Actors are getting ready for an upcoming show.

C．The audience are lending a hand to a performer.

D．The audience are eagerly waiting for a big show.

2. What is special about tonight’s Cantonese Opera show?

A．Some of its performers are American.

B．Most of its performers have no spoken lines.

C．Some of its performers wear newly styled costumes

D．Most of its performers have never performed before

3. What can we learn about Lyle Rose from the text?

A．He lacks performing experience.

B．He has seldom seen Cantonese Opera.

C．He directs and plays a part in tonight’s show.

D．He always plays a background character in opera shows.

4. What is the real reason behind the Roses’ performance?

A．To make a living abroad.

B．To collect money for local charities.

C．To change elders’ opinions about operas.

D．To attract younger audiences to Cantonese Opera.

7 . “The Worthington Christian defeated the Westerville North by 2—1 in an Ohio boys’ soccer game on Saturday.” That’s according to a story that appeared last month in The Columbus Dispatch. That lead was written not by a sportswriter, but by an artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

Many news organizations are now examining how AI might be used in their work. But if they begin their “experimenting” with high school sports because they are less momentous than war, peace, climate change and politics, they may miss something crucial. Nothing may be more important to the students who play high school sports, and to their families, neighborhoods, and sometimes, the whole town. That next game is what the students train for, work toward, and dream about. Someday, almost all student athletes will go on to have jobs in front of screens, in office parks, at schools, in hospitals or on construction sites. They may suffer blows and setbacks. But the high school games they played and watched, as well as their hopes and cheers, will stay vivid in their memories.

I have a small idea. If newspapers will no longer send staff reporters to cover high school games, why not hire high school student journalists? News organizations can pay students an hourly wage to cover high school games. The young reporters might learn how to be fair to all sides, write vividly, and attract readers. That’s what some celebrities in sports did, and do.

And think of the great writers who were inspired by sports: Hemingway on fishing, Bernard Malamud and Marianne Moore on baseball, Chen Zhongshi on football, and CLR James on cricket, who said, “There can be raw pain and bleeding where so many thousands see the inevitable (不可避免的) ups and downs of only a game.” A good high school writer, unlike a robot, could tell readers not just the score, but the stories of the game.

1. Why is the lead mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To introduce an original idea.	B．To show AI’s wide application.
C．To bring in the opinion about AI.	D．To stress AI’s importance to news.

2. What does the author think of high school games?

A．Hopeful.

B．Eye-catching.

C．Competitive.

D．Far-reaching.

3. What is good sports news like according to the author?

A．Rich in contents.	B．Fair in comments.
C．Centered on results.	D．Targeted on readers.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．News Organizations Are Abusing AI	B．High Schoolers Can Do What AI Can’t
C．Great Writers Are Crazy About Sports	D．AI Ruins High School Students’ Memory

8 . MINIBOSS & BIGBOSS SUMMER BUSINESS CAMP

Join us at our award-winning International Summer Business Camp! Together with students from all over the world, you will dive into experiencing life and culture. We’ve served over 9,000 students from 27countries since 2000!

LOCATION

The camp is located 10 miles from Oxford, not far from London and Cambridge.

ACCOMMODATIONS

The camp provides full board. You will live in shared rooms in the boarding Thornton High School or Thornton College. Delicious English dishes are prepared by chefs.

AGE GROUPS

Miniboss groups: 9-11,12-15                    Bigboss groups: 15-18

POWERFUL PROGRAMMES
☑Explore Yourself in Business

This course provides you with a broad introduction to business, human full potential and self-realization. It equips you with the skills to successfully launch and manage your own business. Most importantly, you will develop the mindset to become a groundbreaking entrepreneur (企业家).

☑Aeademic Programme

Immerse (使沉浸于) yourself in the exciting business world through case studies of world-famous companies. In addition to training, the camp has many recreational activities and sports, which alternate with business games and daily evening reflection. On this course, you will;

● Identify how to unlock your full potential and manage your own potential;

● Strengthen your problem-solving abilities;

● Develop cooperation skills;

● Examine how leading entrepreneurs achieve their goals;

● Learn to think like an entrepreneur.

1. What do we know about the camp?

A．It has a history of 27 years.	B．It is backed by Oxford and Cambridge.
C．It is clearly targeted at teenagers.	D．It is open to students of all nationalities.

2. What can campers learn from the Explore Yourself in Business course?

A．Teamwork spirit.	B．Interpersonal skills.
C．Creative thinking.	D．Problem-solving abilities.

3. What can the second programme do?

A．Combine education with pleasure.	B．Teach campers to set goals.
C．Offer jobs in world-famous companies.	D．Train campers to think like adults.

10 . We Need to Think about Conservation on a Different Timescale

Time, perceived by humans in days, months, and years, contrasts with nature’s grander scales of centuries and millennia, referred to as “deep time.” While paleontologists (古生物学者) are trained to think in deep time, conservationists are realizing the challenges it poses. Shortsightedness about time limits modern conservation, with efforts often overlooking past healthy conditions of ecosystems in the context of climate and biodiversity crises.

The shifting baseline syndrome (综合症), where standards in a place change gradually, makes conservation more complex. It involves evaluating ecosystems primarily on their recent past, often with negative consequences.

Recent shifts in California’s forest management practices, from stopping fires to embracing Indigenous knowledge of controlled burns, exemplify the importance of understanding historical ecosystem dynamics. To enhance conservation, adopting a deep-time approach is crucial.

Modern mathematical modeling, combined with long-term data, offers a pathway for preserving ecosystems. In California’s kelp (海带、海藻) forest, researchers identified an overlooked keystone species — the extinct Seller’s Sea Cow (大海牛). By examining past kelp forests, a deeper story impacting regeneration was revealed. The sea cow, a massive plant-cater, contributed to a diverse, vital undergrowth by trimming kelp and letting light reach the area.

The researchers put forward a novel approach to kelp forest restoration: selectively harvesting kelp, imitating the sea cow’s impact. This strategy, considering historical dynamics, challenges assumptions about recent ecosystems and offers new conservation methods.

Rather than only focusing on removing urchins (海胆) or reintroducing sea otters, the researchers suggest employing teams of humans to selectively harvest kelp, as the Steller’s sea cow once did, to encourage fresh growth. This sustainable harvest could benefit both the ecosystem and human consumption.

In short, assumptions based on the recent past may impede the understanding and protection of ecosystems. On the other hand, the application of controlled burns, similar modeling studies, and a deep-time perspective (视角) could significantly transform conservation efforts. Recognizing our role in an ongoing narrative spanning millions of years is essential, urging a comprehensive understanding of ecosystems through time. Embracing this role is crucial for shaping the future and establishing vital connections from the past to the future.

1. What is the “shifting baseline syndrome,” mentioned in the passage?

A．A syndrome that affects human beings’ perception of time.

B．A phenomenon where ecological standards shift in a place.

C．A psychological disorder common among conservationists.

D．A condition where ecosystems change gradually over time.

2. What is the significance of deep-time perspectives in conservation?

A．It promotes the prevention of wildfires.	B．It aids in mathematical modeling efforts.
C．It helps reveal historical ecosystem dynamics.	D．It enhances human consumption of ecosystems.

3. What does the underlined word “impede” most probably mean?

A．Reform.

B．Disrupt.

C．Quicken.

D．Deepen.

4. In terms of conservation, what can we learn from this passage?

A．Shifting baseline syndrome has positive ecological changes.

B．Mathematical modeling with the latest data can be effective.

C．Deep-time perspective and historical dynamics are crucial.

D．Recent history is more preferred in ecosystem restoration.