1 . Of all the Chinese 24 solar terms, Clear and Bright (清明) is the only one whose first day is also a traditional Chinese festival, the Qingming Festival. The words “clear” and “bright” describe the weather during this period. Temperatures begin to rise and rainfall increases, making it an important time for growing crops in the spring. As is known, it is a time to worship ancestors, however, here are several things you may not know about Clear and Bright.

Spring Outings

Not only is it a period to honor the dead, but it is also time for people to go out and enjoy nature. As trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly, everything returns to life. It is a fine time to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Flying Kites

Flying kites is an activity favored by many Chinese during Tomb-Sweeping Day. Kites are not only flown during the day time but also in the evening. Little lanterns are tied to the kites. And when the kites are flying in the sky, the lanterns look like twinkling stars at night. What makes flying kites during this day special is that people cut the string while the kite is in the sky to let it fly freely. It is said that this brings good luck and that diseases can be chased away by doing this.

Cuju

Cuju is an interesting game played during this period. Ju is a ball made of leather with hairs plugged in it. Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor first invented it for training warriors. Later, Cuju was used by people to build up their bodies when they were unable to eat hot food during the Cold Food Festival.

Feasting on Qingtuan

In the lower parts of the Yangtze River region, qingtuan is very popular on Tomb-Sweeping Day. Qingtuan is a kind of round green cake. In order to make the cakes, people mash (捣碎) barnyard grass (艾草) to squeeze juice from it and mix the flour and juice to a paste. Then they put fillings into the paste and steam them. Pretty and delicate, qingtuan has a special flavor.

1. What is special about flying kites during Clear and Bright?

A．Flying kites with lanterns in the evening.

B．Flying kites to bring good luck.

C．Cutting the kite string to let it fly freely.

D．Flying kites both in the daytime and at night.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Clear and Bright is an important period for farming.

B．Qingtuan is traditionally eaten during the period of Clear and Bright all over China.

C．Cuju was invented by the Yellow Emperor to play in the Qingming Festival.

D．Clear and Bright is one of the 24 solar terms whose first day is also a traditional Chinese festival.

3. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．How to celebrate the Qingming Festival.

B．Flying kites in a special way.

C．Ways to have fun during Clear and Bright.

D．Some unknown customs about Clear and Bright.

6 . Scientists have successfully recovered RNA, a form of genetic material, from the remains of the Tasmanian tiger, an extinct Australian animal. The discovery could help scientists learn more about these creatures before they disappeared from Earth.

The researchers extracted the recovered RNA from the skin and muscle of a Tasmanian tiger specimen (标本) stored in a Swedish museum since 1891. This is the first time RNA has been successfully recovered from an extinct animal. The Tasmanian tiger was once a top predator, known for hunting kangaroos and other animals. The last known Tasmanian tiger is believed to have died in a Tasmanian zoo in 1936. Emilio Mármol Sánchez, from the Centre for Palaeogenetics, led the study describing these research results. Sánchez believes that the recovered RNA material provides a glimpse into the true biology of the Tasmanian tiger, offering insights into the cells and tissues of these extinct creatures.

While Scientists have in recent years taken RNA from different ancient animals and plants, how long RNA could survive at room temperature has been a subject of debate among researchers. The well-preserved condition of the Tasmanian tiger remains, which were in a state of semi-mummification (半木乃伊化), suggests that RNA can survive for longer periods under certain conditions.

The Tasmanian tiger looked similar to a wolf, except for the tiger-like lines appearing on its back. When people arrived in Australia about 50,000 years ago, large animal population losses followed. The arrival of European colonizers in the 18th century destroyed the remaining populations around the island of Tasmania.

Private “de-extinction” programs have been launched with the aim of bringing back some extinct animals. These include the Tasmanian tiger, flightless dodo bird and wooly mammoth.

However, many researchers have warned about the difficulties of using genetic processes to actually recreate an extinct species. While Sánchez said he too has concerns about such processes, he noted that he does “advocate for more research on the biology of these extinct animals.”

1. What can be gained about Tasmanian tigers from the recovered RNA material?

A．The genetic makeup.	B．The social behavior.
C．The preferred habitats.	D．The migration patterns.

2. What may scientists strongly argue about regarding RNA?

A．Its close relationship to DNA.

B．Its recovery from an extinct animal.

C．Its survival time at room temperature.

D．Its life process under certain conditions.

3. What is Sánchez’s opinion on de-extinction programs?

A．He considers it impossible to recreate extinct species.

B．He opposes them and sees difficulties in the research.

C．He thinks they are promising but need more research.

D．He takes genetic preservation measures more seriously.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．The Challenges of Biological Research of Extinct Animals

B．The Potential Benefits from Tasmanian Tiger Remains

C．The Biological Secrets of the Extinct Tasmanian Tiger

D．The Recovery of RNA from Tasmanian Tiger Remains

7 . Here are live online conversations for the International Booker Prize.

At Night All Blood Is Black

Thu 13 May 19:30-20:30

French-Senegalese author David Diop’s short novel At Night All Blood Is Black, paints a completely different picture of the cruel 1914-18 conflict.

This event includes a short performed reading from the novel by actor Ken Nwosu.

The Employees

Thu 29 Apr 19:30-20:30

Since she published her first novel Celestine in 2015, Olga Ravn has come to be regarded as one of the most influential writers in contemporary Danish literature. Her new book, The Employees takes readers aboard the Six-Thousand Ship as it flies through the far universe in the 22nd century.

This event includes a short performed reading from The Employees by actor Lucy Phelps.

We Cease to Understand the World

Thu 20 May19:30-20:30

It is Labatut’s third book, which has been translated from the Spanish version by writer and translator Adrian Nathan West who used his knowledge of World War II and sought out original documents from scientific history into English.

This event includes a short performed reading from the novel by actor Fiona Shaw.

The War of the Poor

Thu 27 May 19:30-20:30

Writer and film-maker Erie Vuillard became famous in his native France when he won the Prix Goncourt in 2017 for his novel The Order of the Day, set in Austria during the Second World War. He’ll join us this evening to discuss his latest work.

This event includes short performed reading from the novel by actor Ken Nwosu.

1. Who wrote a book about space lie?

A．David Diop.

B．Olga Ravn.

C．Labatut.

D．Eric Vuillard.

2. Which book’s author will appear in the online conversations?

A．At Night All Blood Is Black.	B．The Employee
C．We Cease to Understand the World.	D．The War of the Poor.

3. What do the four conversations have in common?

A．The guests do some reading of the novels.	B．The guests have a talk about the novels.
C．They refer to some brief reviews.	D．They start at the same time.

8 . DAY TRIP ITINERARY (行程)

After a warm reception from your tour manager at your dedicated pick-up point in London, settle in your comfortable coach as we set off on our journey towards Stonehenge. The world’s most famous prehistoric monument has inspired people to study and interpret it for centuries, yet many questions remain to be answered —about who built it, when, and why.

After visiting Stonehenge, we drive to Windsor Castle, which is home to royalty and 1,000 years of royal history. The stunning 13-acre site is the largest and oldest occupied, working castle in the world. There are many famous, must-see moments within these spectacular rooms in the castle, like the grand Waterloo Chamber and the magnificent Crimson Drawing Room.

In the early evening, we make our way towards London and proceed towards your respective drop off points and bid farewell to all friends you have made on the tour.

ESSENTIALS TO CARRY WITH YOU

We recommend you wear comfortable clothing and carry essentials such as a jacket or   jumper, dry snacks, water, tissues, chargers, power bank, etc., in your handbag as access to the luggage hold is only possible until a comfort stop or arrival at your destination. Hot foods are not allowed to be carried or consumed inside the coach.

PICK-UP POINTS

Name	Address	Times
Harrow	Outside McDonalds, 363 Station Road, Harrow, London HA1 2AW	07:15
Hounslow	Outside Hounslow West Station, Bath Road, London TW3 3DH	08:00
Kenton	MANTRA HOLIDAYS, 296 Kenton Road, Harrow, London HA3 8DD	07:00

Click here to go through the general information and Terms & Conditions before booking and travelling.

1. How many tourist spots will the participants visit?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

2. It is advised to put your essentials in the handbag because ________.

A．the luggage hold is inaccessible when the bus is in motion

B．they are not allowed to be carried inside the coach

C．it’s convenient for you to enjoy hot foods

D．drivers are likely to access them

3. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A journal.	B．A webpage.
C．A travel brochure.	D．A magazine.

9 . Levon Biss was looking at insects from his garden through a microscope he bought for his son. For fun, they unintentionally placed an insect under the lens (镜片). “It is amazingly beautiful!” they both screamed.

The father had been making a career taking photographs for advertisements. But that experience gave him a new direction. Around the world, insect populations are in decline because of habitat loss and climate change. Biss thought that if people could see what he saw through his son’s microscope, they would care more about protecting insects.

So Biss turned to macrophotography: taking close-up pictures of small things, like flowers or bugs. His work has attracted attention not just for its unusual beauty. It also raises awareness about the need for conservation.

In 2016, Biss showed his first insect project, Microsculpture. The term refers to the features of an insect’s exoskeleton, or outer shell, which develops over time as the bug adapts to its environment.

Biss’s pictures capture the insects in all their microscopic details. Then he blows up the images until the insects become larger than life, some of them eight feet tall. But each image takes weeks to make. He uses a digital camera with a microscope lens. The camera is fixed on a computerized track, which allows Biss to take a shot, then move the camera by seven microns (微米) — a distance equals to about 1/10 the thickness of a human hair — for the next shot. In the end, Biss might take 10,000 shots of a bug. A computer combines these small pictures into a single image.

Biss’s latest exhibition is Extinct and Endangered at the American Museum of Natural History. He selected bugs that were extinct or endangered, hoping his photographs would serve as a better purpose. “I communicate visually,” he says, “The way I work is through pictures. But I think it’s my duty to shake things up and get people to pay attention.”

1. What made Levon Biss turn to macrophotography?

A．Beautiful insects.	B．Attractive environment.
C．An expensive microscope.	D．An accidental observation.

2. How does Levon Biss manage to capture insects’ microscopic details?

A．By taking a shot at them twice.

B．By adjusting the camera on a track.

C．By taking close-up pictures countless times.

D．By putting them in order on a computer.

3. What does the underlined phrase “shake things up” refer to in the last paragraph?

A．Get rid of the prejudice.

B．Take action to save wildlife.

C．Spare no efforts to face difficulties.

D．Make people think about nature differently.

4. Which of the following best describes Levon Biss?

A．Patient and responsible.	B．Wealthy and ambitious.
C．Polite and strong-willed.	D．Curious and easy-going.

10 . Do you believe just a simple delivery could change a stranger’s life forever? Well, when 21-year-old Anabelle _________ some food using DoorDash, she _________ started a chain of events. It started when her doorbell camera gave her a _________ of an elderly man delivering her food. He was clearly _________, but he still _________ to get the job done. And it _________ Anabelle’s heart. To help him out, she gave him a $30 tip on a $21 order — but that was just the start of her _________.

After a TikTok she _________ of the delivery went viral, Anabelle became _________ to use the attention to raise money for this man. But first, she had to find him. Against all odds, she tried __________ DoorDash to get his information and kept posting __________ on TikTok.

Finally, Anabelle knew this sweet man’s name: Kerry. And __________ he’s normally very private, she had the __________ to get more information of him. At 71 years old, Kerry has yet to have the opportunity to __________. His wife died in 2011, and his two disabled sons are __________ his care. He works as a driver and that income doesn’t __________ his life. His recent health __________ have even made things more difficult. Anabelle shared his story on GoFundMe where it slowly __________ surely began to reach countless people moved by Kerry’s struggles. Before they __________ it, news outlets around the world were sharing Kerry’s story. And now, over a month later, over $107K has been raised!

“I can’t begin to __________ the amount of support from across the world! This is life changing for Kerry and beyond what I could ever imagine!” Anabelle wrote.

1.

A．ordered

B．made

C．recorded

D．deposited

2.

A．apparently

B．unconsciously

C．typically

D．constantly

3.

A．sense

B．turnover

C．view

D．total

4.

A．struggling

B．awkward

C．ridiculous

D．terrifying

5.

A．forced

B．attempted

C．allowed

D．managed

6.

A．struck

B．gave

C．had

D．played

7.

A．politeness

B．generosity

C．satisfaction

D．ambition

8.

A．sent

B．paid

C．fueled

D．posted

9.

A．grateful

B．excited

C．determined

D．energetic

10.

A．discovering

B．communicating

C．contacting

D．investing

11.

A．photos

B．updates

C．predictions

D．stories

12.

A．even when

B．even as

C．even after

D．even though

13.

A．privilege

B．effort

C．challenge

D．reward

14.

A．turn down

B．slow down

C．calm down

D．get down

15.

A．above

B．in

C．under

D．beyond

16.

A．spend

B．pay

C．take

D．cover

17.

A．habits

B．discoveries

C．issues

D．burdens

18.

A．but

B．and

C．or

D．if

19.

A．received

B．understood

C．met

D．knew

20.

A．understand

B．describe

C．repeat

D．quit