1 . Yoriko, a sheepshead fish (kobudai in Japanese), first met Arakawa nearly 30 years ago. Arakawa started _________ at the age of 18. Now 79, he still loves his stays in the deep water. His _________ friendship with Yoriko is certainly one of the highlights.

“I’d say we _________ each other,” Arakawa said in an interview, “not that we talk to each other… I kissed her once. I’m the only person she’ll let _________ it.” Over time, the fish with an almost _________ face—“When looking close, you’ll think she looks like someone you _________,” Arakawa jokes—and her human companion became underwater best friends forever.

On one dive when Arakawa was visiting, he noticed Yoriko’s _________ had been badly injured. Even so, she came to greet him. Realizing she’d be _________ to catch her own food, Arakawa hand-fed Yoriko meat from crabs(蟹) he hammered open for her. _________, Yoriko bounced back from her injuries quickly. After her __________, the connection between the pair seemed to grow even stronger.

“I’m not sure if it’s the __________ of the kobudai or not. It’s probably because there is a sense of __________ between us. I guess she knows that I __________ her. So for me to be able to do that, I am __________,” Arakawa said. “I have an amazing sense of achievement.”

It sure sounds like this is one human who’s been truly caught in a net of __________—and we’ll bet Yoriko has no plans to toss(扔) him back, either.

1.

A．fishing

B．training

C．diving

D．swimming

2.

A．fast-developing

B．longstanding

C．open

D．regular

3.

A．understand

B．miss

C．please

D．support

4.

A．enjoy

B．do

C．make

D．change

5.

A．human-looking

B．good-looking

C．strange-looking

D．natural-looking

6.

A．admire

B．fear

C．perceive

D．know

7.

A．mouth

B．back

C．tail

D．head

8.

A．eager

B．happy

C．unwilling

D．unable

9.

A．Initially

B．Thankfully

C．Unexpectedly

D．Basically

10.

A．return

B．recovery

C．growth

D．arrival

11.

A．preference

B．gift

C．nature

D．habit

12.

A．trust

B．security

C．responsibility

D．fun

13.

A．cheated

B．caught

C．freed

D．saved

14.

A．unashamed

B．grateful

C．proud

D．regretful

15.

A．peace

B．hope

C．love

D．joy

6 . Phones, tablets and smart watches will be mostly banned (禁止) from classrooms in the Netherlands from Jan 1, 2024, Sky News reported.

The move is meant to limit distractions from social media, messaging and other sites. Devices will only be allowed if they are needed for the lesson, for medical reasons, or for people with disabilities.

“Scientific research showed that mobile phones are a disturbance (打扰). We need to protect students against this,” said Robbert Dijkgraaf, Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands. “Students need to be able to concentrate and need to be given the opportunity to study well.” Dijkgraaf noted that schools could manage the implementation of the ban themselves. However, he added that laws would follow if the results are not good enough.

The United Nations also warned of the risks of smartphones in schools, the BBC reported.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said that too much mobile phone use was linked to reduced educational performance. And high levels of screen time have a bad effect on children’s mind, noted The Guardian.

UNESCO said its call for a smartphone ban sent a clear message that all digital technology including artificial intelligence should always be less important than a human-centered vision of education and can never replace face-to-face interaction with teachers. Based on its analysis of 200 education systems around the world, UNESCO estimate one in four countries and regions had laws or policies banning phones in schools. Besides the Netherlands, France introduced its policy in 2018, and Finland had a similar decision in June. In 2021, the Ministry of Education in China banned mobile phones, tablets, and other digital devices in the classroom, Xinhua reported.

According to the policy, if such devices are brought to school, then they should be stored together in the same place. Meanwhile, the use of the devices for teaching purposes should not be over 30 percent of the total teaching time.

“Our school has strict rules to ban phones in class. Students who break the rules may lose their merit student qualification or admissions eligibility (保送) for college,” Dai Ting, a 17-year-old student from Chengdu, told Teens.

1. Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．Only disabled students are allowed to use smartphones in classrooms.

B．Personal communication with teachers is preferred.

C．30% of the teachers use digital devices in class.

D．Any digital devices found in classrooms will be destroyed.

2. Which the closest in meaning to the underlined word in paragraph 3?

A．Carrying out.

B．Bringing out.

C．Making out.

D．Putting out.

3. What’s the students’ attitude towards the ban?

A．Supportive.

B．Objective.

C．Negative.

D．Not mentioned.

4. What is the best title for this text?

A．Digital products totally banned in Netherlands

B．A ban on digital products in Netherlands schools

C．Digital products is a distraction in Netherlands schools

D．Digital products’ wide use in Netherlands schools

7 . Lights, camera, action! Have you ever dreamed of being a director? At age 29, Di Di already has almost 10 years of directing experience. Through the media company he founded, he makes advertising and promotional videos, including for Tsinghua University, his alma mater (母校).

For Di, becoming a director is an adventure based on interest. Majoring in journalism, he got into directing by chance. “In 2016,I came up with an idea for Tsinghua’s admissions(招生)video but couldn’t find a director,” Di said. “so I decided to be the director myself! I ended up really enjoying the process of being creative and working with a team. That was when I knew I wanted to be a director.”

While many people think that directors are experts at art, Di found that directors are, in fact, experts at management. “Only one-third of my time is spent on set. The rest of the time, I’m doing lots of planning with my clients and co-workers.” he said. This planning process includes working out the video’s theme with the client, creating a play, bringing together the visuals and text content, and also managing logistics (后勤) like where to park the cars and how to bring electricity to the set.

“Filming is an industry of high costs. Even short advertisements cost a lot of money per day. Any incident could result in the failure of the project, such as bad weather or the main character not turning up. You have to be quick to respond to any problems,” Di said. Despite the pressure, Di gets great joy from making an impact through his works. In 2019, he made a film for Tsinghua, which tells the story of a group of first-generation college students-the first to go to university in their families. It was viewed more than 15 million times on social media and became a hot top 20 trending topic on Sina Weibo. Being a first-generation college student himself, Di felt very passionate about the video’s goal of inspiring students to use their education to make a better life for their families. One month before the national college entrance exam in2020, Di released a feature film encouraging high school students to keep working hard after the exam was pushed back by one month.

1. Which of the following is true?

A．Di was a student whose major was directing.	B．Di became a director by accident.
C．Little money is needed to make a film.	D．Most of Di’s time is spent on directing.

2. What is paragraph two mainly about?

A．Di’s experience of directing.	B．What it takes to be a director.
C．How Di started to be a director.	D．Di’s views on being a director.

3. Which is not included in Di’s work?

A．Planning the set.	B．Talking about the topic.
C．Putting visuals and texts together.	D．Preparing meals.

4. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Weather decides how well the process goes.	B．Di’s video helps students go to university.
C．Di’s video makes a difference to some students.	D．Directing is a career with little pressure.

8 . Wildlife conservation is the practice of protecting plant and animal species and their habitats. As part of the world’s ecosystems, wildlife provides balance and stability to nature’s processes. Wildlife conservation is aimed to ensure the survival of these species and educate people on living sustainably with other species.

The number of people has grown to more than eight billion today, and it continues to rapidly grow. The economic growth endangers the habitats and existence of various types of wildlife around the world, particularly animals and plants that may be displaced for land development, or used for food or other human purposes. This threat is at top of the list and means natural resources are being consumed faster than ever by the billions of people on the planet. The introduction of invasive species from other parts of the world is another threat to wildlife. Other threats include climate change, pollution, fishing and hunting.

International organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society and the United Nations work to support global animal and habitat conservation on many different fronts. They work with the government to establish and protect public lands, like national parks and wildlife protection areas. They help write legislation(法规), such as the Endangered Species Act(ESA)of 1973 in the United States, to protect various species. They work with law enforcement to charge those with wildlife crimes. They also promote biodiversity to support the growing human population while preserving existing species and habitats.

National Geographic Explorers, like conservation biologists Camille Coudrat and Titus Adhola, are working to slow the extinction of global species and protect global biodiversity and habitats. Environmental filmmakers and photographers, like Thomas P. Peschak, are essential to conservation efforts as well, documenting and bringing attention to endangered wildlife all over the world.

1. Which is a goal of wildlife conservation according to the text?

A．To stop introducing invasive species.	B．To encourage harmonious coexistence.
C．To control the number of world people.	D．To increase the use of natural resources.

2. What is the biggest threat to wildlife?

A．Hunting.

B．Human activity.

C．Pollution.

D．Climate change.

3. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The activities of protection areas.

B．The importance of biodiversity promotion.

C．The relevant efforts of international organizations.

D．The great impact of wildlife crimes on ecosystems.

4. What does the author want to present in the last paragraph?

A．The necessity of legislation.

B．The wildlife conservation’s achievements.

C．The individuals’ contributions to the environment.

D．The statistics about the wildlife conservation efforts.

9 . Despite being connected online, no matter what state you’re from, each city still retains its own language and slang. At my public high school in Los Angeles, we had our own secret language. A party was a “yart”. A beer was a “brewsky”. If I tried to use these words in front of anyone that didn’t live in Los Angeles, they would have no idea what was going on. When I came to college and used these words around my roommate from the East Coast, she would look at me with a blank stare.

Teenagers are often blamed for pulling apart standard linguistic patterns. The way my parents used to talk isn’t the same way that teenagers talk now. But it reflects the dynamic nature of language, which evolves over time due to various influences, including generational shifts and technological advancements. Teenagers, at an age when they are actively exploring their identity and seeking to differentiate themselves from previous generations, often play a significant role in this evolution.

It’s interesting to note that people around the world all have different terms for everyday things. Last year, I came across a British show called Love Island, which is a reality show that mixes people from different parts of the U. K. in a “villa”(another word Americans don’t typically say) for about eight weeks. As a bystander, the way they talked felt so elegant and fun, but to them, it was just normal.

Whether the way we talk is regional or from online, the soul of communication lies in its power to connect people, foster understanding, and facilitate interactions that shape our personal and social lives. I have often found it’s the way we connect with the people we live around.

1. Why might the roommate not understand the author’s high school language?

A．It is specific to Los Angeles.	B．It is too informal.
C．It is outdated.	D．It is from online.

2. According to the text, how do the teenagers contribute to the evolution of language?

A．By imitating their parents.

B．By applying advanced technology.

C．By following previous language patterns.

D．By finding their own voice.

3. Why does the author mention the British show in paragraph 3?

A．To demonstrate worldwide language diversity.

B．To speak highly of British English.

C．To recommend a reality show.

D．To introduce everyday expressions in Britain.

4. What is mainly talked about in the last paragraph?

A．The means of communication.	B．The nature of communication.
C．The elements of communication.	D．The process of communication.

10 . Homeless Outreach & Mobile Engagement (HOME) Program in Los Angeles

The Homeless Outreach & Mobile Engagement (HOME) program provides field-based outreach, engagement, support, and treatment to individuals with severe and persistent mental illness who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Services are provided by addressing basic needs, conducting clinical assessments, providing street medical treatment, and providing access to appropriate services (including mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and shelter).

HOME serves the youth aged 16 to 21 who are experiencing chronic (长期的) unsheltered homelessness and who have profound mental health needs and associated impairments. These vulnerable individuals struggle with securing appropriate food, clothing, and shelter due to their mental illness. In addition, they may have critical shortage in communication, and are generally highly avoidant of medical services. They are unable to live safely in the community and require specialized mental health services to secure and sustain housing.

Most referrals (移交) are submitted by homeless outreach program staff members who identify individuals with severe impairments that require specialized and intensive support and engagement.

The general public may initiate a referral to a homeless outreach team through the Los Angeles Homeless Outreach Portal at www. LA-HOP. org. Individuals will be assigned to a HOME team if the person meets the criteria.

Homeless outreach providers should complete the form below and email it to HOME@dmh.lacounty.gov.

Press coverage about HOME:

●Los Angeles Times “LA’s first street psychologist makes his sidewalk rounds, transforming homeless lives”

●KPCC-FM “How LA’s ‘Street Psychology’ Program Works To Treat People Who Are Unhoused”

1. How does the HOME program offer help?

A．By conducting scientific research.

B．By providing accessible medical care.

C．By recommending useful websites.

D．By finding hosting families.

2. Which of the following youth groups is most likely to benefit from the HOME program?

A．The temporarily unsheltered.	B．The well-off but troubled.
C．The homeless mentally ill.	D．The physically challenged.

3. What should one do to help his friend get help from the HOME program?

A．Apply on the website.	B．Contact local media.
C．Visit its employees.	D．Write a letter of reference.