1 . My husband, our children and I have had wonderful camping experiences over the past ten years.
Some of our
Another time, we rented a boat in Vallecito Lake. The sky was clear when we
Now, every year when my husband pulls our camper out of the garage, we are filled with a sense of
| A．ideas | B．jokes | C．memories | D．discoveries |
| A．camped | B．drove | C．walked | D．cycled |
| A．annoyed | B．surprised | C．disappointed | D．worried |
| A．unhurt | B．unfortunate | C．uncomfortable | D．unafraid |
| A．due to | B．instead of | C．apart from | D．as for |
| A．worked | B．happened | C．mattered | D．changed |
| A．signed up | B．calmed down | C．checked out | D．headed off |
| A．arranged | B．interrupted | C．completed | D．recorded |
| A．wind | B．noise | C．temperature | D．speed |
| A．find | B．hide | C．start | D．fix |
| A．luck | B．answer | C．wonder | D．signal |
| A．patiently | B．tirelessly | C．doubtfully | D．helplessly |
| A．sorry | B．brave | C．safe | D．right |
| A．relief | B．duty | C．pride | D．excitement |
| A．failure | B．adventure | C．performance | D．conflict |
2 . When reading, my mother likes to slice a paragraph or a sentence out and attach it to the wall of her kitchen. She picks boring sentences that puzzle me. But I prefer copying favorite bright lines into a journal in soft, gray No. 2 pencil, word by word.
She doesn’t know any of this. There's nothing shocking: for our chatting. we seldom begin certain conversations though we talk on the phone weekly, sometimes making each other laugh so hard that I choke and she cries. But what we don't say could fill up rooms. Fights with my father. Small failures in school. Anything that really upsets us.
My mother has never told me “I love you, Lisa.”—as if the four-word absence explains who I am—so I carry it with me, like a label on me. The last time she almost spoke the words was two years ago, when she called to tell me a friend had been in hospital. I said, “I love you, Mom.” She stopped for a while and then said, “Thank you.” I haven't said it since, but I've wondered why my mother doesn't until I've found a poem that supplies words for the blank spaces I try to understand in our conversations:
Don’t fill up on bread. I say absent-mindedly. The servings here are huge.
My son, middle-aged, says: Did you really just say that to me?
What he doesn’t know is that when we’re walking together, I desire to reach for his hand.
It's humble, yet heartbreaking. After copying it down in my journal, I emailed it to mom, adding “This poem makes me think of you.” My mother doesn’t read poetry—or at least, she doesn’t tell me, and I felt nervous clicking “Send”.
She never mentioned the poem. But the next time I went home for vacation, I noticed something new in the kitchen fixed to an antique board: the poem. The board hung above the heater, the warmest spot in the kitchen. The poem still hangs there. Neither my mother nor I have ever spoken about it.
1. What's the function of paragraph 1?| A．To stress the theme. | B．To establish the setting. |
| C．To represent the characters. | D．To create the atmosphere. |
| A．Shaky. | B．Distant. | C．Reserved. | D．Intense. |
| A．It reminded her of mom's love. |
| B．She wanted to apologize to mom. |
| C．It suited mom's taste of literature. |
| D．She needed an interpretation from mom. |
| A．A memory of golden days. |
| B．Daughter’s gratefulness to her. |
| C．A decoration in the plain kitchen. |
| D．Daughter's understanding of her. |
3 . In southeastern Brazil, local fishers walk into dark waters in search of mullet (鲻鱼) On their own, it would be tricky to find the silvery fish. But the humans get help from an unusual partner: wild bottlenose dolphins.
With nets in hand, the fishers patiently wait as their cetacean (鲸类的) partners drive the fish toward the shore. A signal from the dolphins—usually a deep dive—indicates when they should cast their nets. This fishing partnership has passed down through the generations, lasting for more than a century.
While researchers knew humans profited from this pairing, they couldn't confirm whether it benefited the dolphins. Now, in a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers suggest cetaceans that hunt with humans have more chances to live than those that don't.
“Human-wildlife cooperation in general is a rare phenomenon at a global scale.” says Mauricio Cantor, a biologist at Oregon State University and leader of the study. “Usually humans gain the benefit, and nature pays the cost. But this interaction has been happening for over 150 years.”
Fishers were more successful when they worked with the dolphins. When dolphins were present, the fishers were 17 times more likely to catch prey (猎物) and netted nearly four times more mullet when they timed their casting with the cetaceans' signals. Eighty-six percent of all 4.955 mullet caught during the study period came from “synchronous (同时的) interactions”—when the allies organized their actions perfectly with one another.
The study also revealed dolphins hunting with humans had a 13 percent increase in survival rate over other dolphins. These cooperative dolphins are more likely to stay near the shore, reducing their chance of entanglement (缠绕) in illegal fishing equipment. Besides, the dolphins can take some fish directly from the fishers’ harvest.
1. What do the first two paragraphs talk about concerning Brazilian fishers?| A．They trick dolphins into fishing for them. |
| B．They harvest more fish with dolphins' help. |
| C．They have been training dolphins over a century. |
| D．They cast the fishing nets when dolphins surface. |
| A．Nature favors human beings at a huge cost. |
| B．Fishers benefit from cooperating with cetaceans. |
| C．Human-wildlife interaction is a new global trend. |
| D．Dolphins working with man have higher survival rate. |
| A．Prey. | B．Mullet. | C．Partners. | D．Researchers. |
| A．To appeal for the protection of sea creatures. |
| B．To show a unique human-dolphin relationship. |
| C．To applaud for development in fishing research. |
| D．To encourage fishers to better draw on dolphins. |
4 . Best Places to Visit in England
As the largest part of the United Kingdom, England is home to many great places to visit. The following destinations are some of the best.
London
Of course, most visitors to England will arrive in London. It’s home to a long list of famous sights as well as beautiful green spaces. It also houses some of the best museums on the planet, many of which are free. See the city from above by riding the London Eye or run into famous people at Madame Tussauds (杜莎夫人蜡像馆).
Liverpool
Liverpool is well known as the place that started The Beatles, though you’ll find a lot more to do there than visit The Beatles Museum. Spend time in the pubs chatting with the locals, go shopping at Liverpool One and enjoy the beaches. Art lovers will enjoy Liverpool’s excellent art sight.
Bath
Some people say Bath is England’s most beautiful small city, named for its natural hot springs that served as ancient Roman baths (浴缸) 2,000 years ago. And, today, it’s the only place in the United Kingdom where you can bathe in naturally hot, mineral-rich waters just like the Romans did long ago. Enjoy rooftop baths with wonderful views over this Georgian city, dine in award-winning restaurants and stay in romantic hotels.
Dover
Dover, located in White Cliffs Country, offers a rich history as well as peaceful countryside and a breathtaking coastline. This area has a unique place in history. You could easily spend weeks experiencing this area’s castles, like Dover Castle as well as the Secret War Time Tunnels, once used as an underground hospital.
1. What can visitors do in London?| A．Have a bath in naturally hot water. |
| B．Visit The Beatles Museum for free. |
| C．Enjoy the city’s view from the London Eye. |
| D．Learn about its music at Madame Tussauds. |
| A．London. | B．Liverpool. | C．Bath. | D．Dover. |
| A．It is in Liverpool. |
| B．It is a 2,000-year-old art sight. |
| C．It looks like Dover Castle. |
| D．It was an underground hospital before. |
5 . Life is like a roller coaster, and every point has ups and downs. People plan something, but luck and sometimes misfortunes lead them toward a different destination. However, passionate individuals are not scared of such uncertainties. They set goals, welcome challenges, overcome obstacles, and eventually achieve what satisfies them.
Those who stay committed to their broad goals and find satisfaction even in unplanned circumstances are truly victorious. One true example of such people comes from a woman passionate about spreading happiness and helping others. Nicole Thornes is a mother, a former police officer, and now serving society as a death doula (陪护师).
Nicole joined the police academy intending to be helpful to society. She believed that a police officer has the opportunity to eliminate crime, bring justice, and create a better society for everyone. Although she became a mother during her studies and her responsibilities were increased due to children, she didn’t give up on her passion. Nicole could have called off her studies, but her passion for serving society didn’t let her step down. With great efforts, she finally became a police officer and gave her contributions to law enforcement and the betterment of society. She was not only a police officer making full commitment to the society but also a mother who played her responsibilities in the best way possible.
Everything went according to her plans, but uncertainty called off her journey as a police officer. Nicole suffered from an injury in a mission that ended her career in the police force. But her dreams and passion did not let her stop. She became a death doula to continue her dream. She chose this field after her grandfather’s death, when she couldn’t bear the pain of losing him. Being a death doula, she is now providing comfort to the dying and their families during difficult times. She aims to spread prosperity in people’s lives and help them overcome all the obstacles she faced throughout her life.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．Life is full of ups and downs. |
| B．People are at the mercy of changes. |
| C．Uncertainties lead life to a different direction. |
| D．Fulfillment comes from making the best of the uncertainties. |
| A．To conduct her duty well and better the society. |
| B．To cater to the children’s requirements and needs. |
| C．To accompany the senior through the darkest time. |
| D．To release people’s pain from losing the loved ones. |
| A．Because of the arrangement of the office. | B．Because of the injury she got at work. |
| C．Because of the change of interest. | D．Because of the danger of the job. |
| A．The appeal of the people in sorrow. | B．The push of getting a new job to survive. |
| C．The passion in accompanying the sick ones. | D．The sorrowful pain of losing her beloved family. |
6 . Every 40 days a language dies. This “catastrophic” loss is being intensified by the climate crisis; according to linguists. If nothing is done, conservative estimates suggest that half of all the 7000 languages currently spoken will be extinct by the end of the century.
Speakers of minority languages have experienced a long history of persecution (迫害) , with the result that by the 1920s half of all indigenous (土著的) languages in Australia, the US, South Africa and Argentina were extinct. The climate crisis is now considered the “final nail in the coffin” for many indigenous languages and the knowledge they represent.
“Languages are already endangered,” says Anastasia Richl, director of the Strathy language unit at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Huge factors are globalization and migration, as communities move to regions where their language is not spoken or valued, according to Richl. “It seems particularly cruel,” she says, “that most of the world’s languages are in parts of the world that are growing unpleasant to people.” Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation measuring 12,189km2, has 110 languages, the highest density (密度) of languages on the planet. It is also one of the countries most at risk of sea level rise, she says. “Many small language communities are on islands and coastlines easily subject to hurricanes and sea level rise.” Others live on lands where rising temperature threatens traditional farming and fishing practices, leading to migration.
In response to the crisis, the UN launched the International Decade of Indigenous Languages in 2022. Promoting and conserving languages of indigenous communities is “not only important for them, but for all humanity”, said Csaba Korosi, the UN general assembly president, urging countries to allow access to education in indigenous languages.
1. What is the writer mainly concerned about?| A．The disappearance of languages. | B．The challenge of climate change. |
| C．The reaction to the language crisis. | D．The trend of the speedy globalization. |
| A．To explain the main reason for language density. |
| B．To show the common features of endangered languages. |
| C．To stress the impact of geographical position on migration. |
| D．To illustrate the situation of minority language communities. |
| A．Support migrants to access local education. |
| B．Discourage people from massive migration. |
| C．Improve the living conditions of minority groups. |
| D．Preserve the languages of indigenous communities. |
| A．Faced with Disasters: Communities Have to Leave |
| B．Lost for Words: Rising Seas Bring Threat of Catastrophe |
| C．Upset at Extinction: UN Urges International Cooperation |
| D．Involved in Action: Experts Seek Solutions to Climate Crisis |
7 . A few years ago, I stood in a small classroom just outside of New York City, watching a high schooler named Serena Stevenson answer math questions. An instructor read outnumbers — 74,470, 70,809, 98,402 — and Stevenson added them in her head. For each question, she closed her eyes, and then the fingers of her right hand began to move. She answered most of the problems correctly.
The key to her success was an ancient technology called the abacus. Stevenson used a practice called “mental abacus”, imagining the abacus in her mind and then using her fingers to work through the problems.
From watching Stevenson, I knew that gaining skill at the abacus was more than a matter of counting beads, so I decided to sign up for an abacus course with my two daughters to see if we could also improve our math skills. I was one of the many who had some math doubts and I felt a touch of fear. My typical solution was avoidance, and if I had to calculate something like a percentage change, I would go online.
Then after a few abacus classes and a good amount of practice, math seemed a little less frightening. I didn’t become Euclid, the founder of geometry. But the practice brought my numerical fears down. This is a time-tested power of the abacus. Confidence grows easily in the device, and abacus students are less likely to be nervous about an upcoming math test, according to one study. Part of the reason, it seems, is that practice and outcomes appear to move in step.
My kids gained much as well. My youngest daughter could work out those math problems that once baffled her, while my older child brought her abacus to school to show it to her classmates and teacher. These were just small successes for them, but that was how they finally developed confidence.
1. What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To prove the difficulty of math. | B．To introduce the topic of the abacus. |
| C．To show the high intelligence of Stevenson. | D．To stress the importance of abacus learning. |
| A．He was weak in math. | B．He was good at computer. |
| C．He regarded math as useful. | D．He had a close relationship with kids. |
| A．Knowledge starts with practice. | B．It’s never too late to learn. |
| C．Faith can move mountains. | D．Practice makes perfect. |
| A．Bored. | B．Inspired. | C．Defeated. | D．Interested. |
8 . “If I wasn’t looking at you, I’d have thought you were white.”
I often get comments like that from classmates, friends and
I’m a descendant (后裔) of Africans
It’s not just friends who
Now, I’m more
| A．only | B．even | C．ever | D．still |
| A．hurt | B．keep | C．change | D．recover |
| A．carried out | B．cared for | C．brought up | D．taken over |
| A．ability | B．attitude | C．advantage | D．achievement |
| A．Besides | B．Instead | C．Therefore | D．Otherwise |
| A．chat | B．equip | C．supply | D．associate |
| A．dislike | B．dismiss | C．disappoint | D．discourage |
| A．ask | B．tease | C．inform | D．entertain |
| A．jokingly | B．seemingly | C．increasingly | D．surprisingly |
| A．make | B．show | C．paint | D．write |
| A．once | B．until | C．unless | D．before |
| A．explanation | B．expectation | C．reservation | D．concentration |
| A．feel | B．work | C．see | D．serve |
| A．Concerned | B．Curious | C．Nervous | D．Insecure |
| A．transform | B．move | C．separate | D．throw |
| A．new | B．kind | C．cold | D．true |
| A．eager | B．strong | C．pleased | D．embarrassed |
| A．rarely | B．finally | C．simply | D．constantly |
| A．tired | B．aware | C．afraid | D．ashamed |
| A．turning | B．playing | C．acting | D．performing |
9 . Marcus is a handsome and athletic kid. He plays tennis and
Marcus has known Conrad since primary school. They’ve always been
Finally, the doctors found a new
To Conrad’s delight, he gets a chance to join the cross country team. Conrad doesn’t win, not once, but Marcus is there,
| A．gives up | B．competes in | C．hears of | D．breaks through |
| A．able | B．lucky | C．eager | D．calm |
| A．bears | B．counts | C．forgets | D．escapes |
| A．accept | B．enjoy | C．lose | D．miss |
| A．strangers | B．enemies | C．friends | D．teachers |
| A．surprise | B．sadness | C．impatience | D．tiredness |
| A．promises | B．asks | C．drives | D．forces |
| A．long | B．noisy | C．boring | D．interesting |
| A．treatment | B．excuse | C．period | D．topic |
| A．goal | B．style | C．speed | D．skill |
| A．suitable | B．serious | C．small | D．comfortable |
| A．strength | B．show | C．shape | D．advantage |
| A．relaxing | B．beneficial | C．painful | D．meaningful |
| A．queuing | B．arguing | C．running | D．cheering |
| A．excitedly | B．curiously | C．anxiously | D．actively |
10 . Cultural heritage is a variety of local treasures from different places. These treasures often increase people’s pride in their hometown. Thus, protecting cultural heritage is of great significance and importance. In protecting cultural heritage, countries around the world should join hands further to deal with issues. Today there are shared measures to preserve cultural heritage. However, countries still have different views on cultural heritage preservation.
Asian and European architecture is very different, for example. European buildings are often stone structures that can stand damage caused by wind and rain, while those in the East are more often wooden structures which require renovation(翻新). This leads to different views on how to preserve ancient architecture.
From the very beginning, Europeans have the opinion that people should take fewer measures in the process of protecting cultural heritage. For example, the ruins of the Roman Colosseum have simply been left as they are, but Asia has a tradition of renovation of cultural relics and we believe that this measure will not affect their authenticity(真实性). The Ise Grand Shrine building in Japan is rebuilt every 20 years from one generation to the next. Such tradition caused a debate in international cultural heritage preservation circles, as some thought that the rebuilding process would harm its authenticity. Experts around the world travelled to Japan especially to conduct on-site check and discussions, and they finally recognized that the term “authenticity” actually varies from culture to culture.
The importance of these international exchanges is that they will help the world understand Asia, and accept Asian ways to protect cultural heritage.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．Protecting cultural heritage is of little significance. |
| B．Countries have the same views on cultural heritage preservation. |
| C．Cultural heritage often makes people proud of their hometown. |
| D．Countries work alone without sharing in protecting cultural heritage. |
| A．Structures. |
| B．Buildings. |
| C．Damages. |
| D．Views. |
| A．European experts fail to protect cultural relics. |
| B．Protecting cultural heritage causes many issues. |
| C．Many European ancient buildings are made of wood. |
| D．Ways to protect cultural heritage are different from area to area. |
| A．International communication is needed. |
| B．We should follow western experts’ advice. |
| C．Cultural heritage will be damaged through rebuilding. |
| D．Asian ways to protect cultural heritage are unacceptable. |
