1 . The New Year was heartbreaking for Melanie Lee. A few weeks earlier, her 33-year-old son had ________ his battle with a long illness. Then the engine on her old car ________ working. She had no means of paying for it to be fixed.

“When it ________, I broke down,” Lee said. “Now I don’t have my ________, now I don’t have transportation. How am I supposed to stay ________ in my grandchildren’s lives?”

Eliot Middleton, 38, the owner of a barbecue restaurant and a former auto mechanic who, in his free time, ________ and gives away used cars. He’d heard about Lee’s difficult ________ from her nephew. On New Year’s morning, Middleton showed up unannounced at Lee’s home with a(n) ________: a white 1933 Oldsmobile.

“I had no idea what was going on,” said Lee. “He ________ me the keys and didn’t ask for anything.” Once again, she was able to ________ her granddaughters from school and take them to dance classes. “I got my ________ back.”

The ________ for the used-car giving away came to Middleton a year earlier during a ________ drive he’d organized. Many of those who’d lined up for a meal ________ up to four miles to get there because they didn’t have cars.

________ are the lifeline in this part of South Carolina, Middleton said. There’s no public ________, no taxis to take people to doctor appointments, even food shopping. So he ________ on a social media platform an offer to trade his restaurant’s specialty for broken-down ________. Since then, people have left more than 100 cars in ________ states of disrepair. Many cars sit in Middleton’s yard waiting to be fixed and ________, usually to those he’s heard about by word of mouth.

It’s a list of names that grow daily.

“People think Middleton is a good man,” Lee’s nephew said. “And I do too.”

1.

A．survived

B．lost

C．won

D．faced

2.

A．kept

B．finished

C．began

D．stopped

3.

A．broke down

B．broke away

C．broke up

D．broke off

4.

A．daughter

B．nephew

C．son

D．grandchild

5.

A．calm

B．generous

C．brilliant

D．active

6.

A．repairs

B．rents

C．paints

D．decorates

7.

A．surroundings

B．position

C．situation

D．factors

8.

A．prize

B．gift

C．honor

D．souvenir

9.

A．bought

B．showed

C．fetched

D．handed

10.

A．pick up

B．pick out

C．take up

D．take out

11.

A．belief

B．property

C．investment

D．freedom

12.

A．rule

B．suggestion

C．idea

D．theory

13.

A．food

B．clothing

C．medicine

D．music

14.

A．drove

B．walked

C．climbed

D．orbited

15.

A．Appointments

B．Cars

C．Jobs

D．Supplies

16.

A．restaurant

B．hospital

C．transportation

D．security

17.

A．posted

B．received

C．withdrew

D．refused

18.

A．tools

B．devices

C．machines

D．vehicles

19.

A．various

B．excellent

C．changeable

D．steady

20.

A．lent

B．donated

C．sold

D．returned

3 . Skateboarder Robert Glover’s skills are seriously impressive, but his style isn’t what you’d expect. Born with sacral agenesis(骶骨发育不全), _______ the growth of his legs, Mr. Glover uses his _______ body strength to move his skateboard. Instead of relying on legs, he uses his _______ and body to control the board.

The Namibian born skateboarder, sailor, boxer and entrepreneur speaks regularly about the _______ of not viewing obstacles as limits and is _______ about sharing this message far and wide via social media. “I don’t think obstacles are here to _______ us,” Mr. Glover said. “In my opinion, obstacles have been some of the biggest growing _______ both mentally and physically in my life.”

He regular shares images of his _______ skill to Instagram. In a video, Mr. Glover shared the _______ of how he first realised skntehoarding was a ________ for him and what motivates him to continue improving his skills. “I might not skate ________ but I can skate better than you.” he said in the video.

“Since I was young, I’ve ________ the idea of being in a wheelchair. Someone ________ me their board and I just used it as ________ . One day someone was like, ‘Hey, let’s check out the skate park’. I saw the ________ . I just fell in love with it. Adaptive skating is ________ skaters who use any way, shape or form to ride on a board.”

“It’s pretty sick because everyone has a ________ way of doing things. I’ve been injured, it’s an unpleasant feeling and it’s motivation not to ________ again. Skating is and always will be an outlet. The feeling of landing something is just so ________ . Life is open-ended. Just go out here and ________ things your way. ‘

1.

A．adjusting

B．controlling

C．limiting

D．keeping

2.

A．lower

B．frozen

C．upper

D．whole

3.

A．arms

B．head

C．knees

D．feet

4.

A．conflict

B．patience

C．power

D．pressure

5.

A．curious

B．passionate

C．upset

D．worried

6.

A．leave

B．motivate

C．stop

D．warn

7.

A．doubts

B．opportunities

C．troubles

D．wishes

8.

A．athletic

B．artistic

C．interpersonal

D．medical

9.

A．puzzle

B．program

C．report

D．story

10.

A．limitation

B．possibility

C．purpose

D．truth

11.

A．directly

B．normally

C．quickly

D．surprisingly

12.

A．enjoyed

B．hated

C．learned

D．imagined

13.

A．bought

B．gave

C．owed

D．told

14.

A．help

B．medicine

C．transform

D．transport

15.

A．facilities

B．grass

C．scenery

D．trees

16.

A．abandoned

B．disabled

C．familiar

D．independent

17.

A．different

B．natural

C．perfect

D．vivid

18.

A．carry on

B．give up

C．set off

D．stand out

19.

A．complex

B．dull

C．good

D．poor

20.

A．find

B．make

C．share

D．try

5 . Earlier this summer, my Ph.D. graduation finally came. I was ________ to return to campus to attend it, which had been ________ because of a flu outbreak. There I ________ a poster board saying “Develop your potential”, and a ________ on it arrested my attention: “Keep trying until you get it right.” It made me stop to ________ my experiences.

I grew up with the dream of becoming a scientist. When I finished my master’s degree, I wanted to try something even more ________: a doctoral degree.My dream met with a(n) ________ when I failed the entrance exam. Nearly all my friends and professors ________ me to put it aside and accept the ________ I had been offered. But I was ________ the routine work would hold back my ________ for exploring. So I decided to apply abroad for doctoral programs.

I worked as a research assistant to earn a ________ while studying for the programs. I never ________ despite the difficulties. I passed the tests _______ and was accepted into a doctoral program in China. There, I met even more ________: language problems, cultural differences etc. Yet I held the same ________ as the note writer: Keep trying. Over time, everything was ________ gradually.

I realized that by trying again and again, I have ________ my potential. Trying does not always lead to ideal results. However, by focusing more on what I ________ and less on what I missed, I learned to enjoy the ________ of trying and the unexpected opportunities it brought.

1.

A．hesitant

B．upset

C．content

D．anxious

2.

A．banned

B．canceled

C．suspended

D．interrupted

3.

A．placed

B．examined

C．sighted

D．monitored

4.

A．note

B．message

C．saying

D．chart

5.

A．think up

B．speak of

C．reflect on

D．get across

6.

A．inspiring

B．unique

C．advantageous

D．challenging

7.

A．blow

B．objection

C．conflict

D．emergency

8.

A．reminded

B．advised

C．expected

D．instructed

9.

A．certificate

B．position

C．reward

D．reality

10.

A．worried

B．nervous

C．upset

D．confused

11.

A．admiration

B．desire

C．reply

D．supply

12.

A．fortune

B．reputation

C．promotion

D．living

13.

A．forgot

B．resigned

C．regretted

D．relaxed

14.

A．obviously

B．previously

C．surprisingly

D．eventually

15.

A．challenges

B．tests

C．alternatives

D．programs

16.

A．quality

B．promise

C．attitude

D．goal

17.

A．for sure

B．beyond imagination

C．by choice

D．on track

18.

A．unlocked

B．seen

C．showed

D．understood

19.

A．appreciated

B．achieved

C．deserved

D．transformed

20.

A．result

B．process

C．motivation

D．desires

7 . Van Gogh painted sunflowers for the first time in the summer of 1886. Two years later, his interest appeared again after he settled in Arles. After he had invited the French artist Paul Gauguin, whom he admired, to join his Studio of the South, he began painting sunflowers to brighten up the whitewashed walls of the yellow house he was living in, not far from the town’s railway station.

Gauguin accepted Van Gogh’s invitation. When he began dragging his heels, Van Gogh painted the last two of the four original Sunflowers for the modest bedroom where his guest would sleep following his arrival that autumn. “Van Gogh saw the Sunflowers for Gauguin’s bedroom as a way of attracting his friend to come from Brittany,” says Bailey.

According to Martin Gayford, “Gauguin was very surprised by the Sunflowers, which he repeatedly praised and asked for as a gift. Years later, Gauguin himself painted some sunflower pictures.”

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers stand for his relationship with Gauguin. “I think he painted them for the joy of it,” says Jansen. “Van Gogh was at the height of his powers in the summer of 1888,” explains Bailey. “He painted the Sunflowers quickly and with great energy and confidence.” Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in late August, “I’m painting quickly now, which won’t surprise you when it’s a question of painting large Sunflowers.”

Van Gogh recognized at once that he had created something important and that his sunflowers were so different. As he told Theo in January 1889, while other artists were known for painting other flowers, “The sunflower is mine.” This, in fact, explains the reason for the popularity of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers today.

1. Van Gogh painted sunflowers in 1888 in order to ________.

A．give them to Gauguin	B．make his living
C．decorate his house	D．show his artistic talent to others

2. Where were the last two Sunflowers placed by Van Gogh? ________.

A．In the British museum	B．In Gauguin’s bedroom
C．In the town’s railway station	D．In a rich businessman’s house

3. What does “dragging his heels” in paragraph 2 mean in the passage?

A．Putting up his paintings.	B．Packing up his baggage.
C．Preparing for his departure.	D．delaying his coming.

4. From the last two paragraphs we can learn that ________.

A．Van Gogh was not good at painting large Sunflowers

B．Van Gogh had much trouble in painting the Sunflowers

C．Van Gogh didn’t like his Sunflowers at all at that time

D．Van Gogh realized the Sunflowers would make him known

8 . How do we make good things out of bad? How do we look at ourselves? Can there be a _______ side even in our pain?

There was an elderly woman who needed to walk down to the river every morning to _______ water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. She _______ two buckets, filled them up on the riverbank and walked back with them to her rural _______.

One of the buckets was newer, perfectly sealed (密封) and _______ its water completely. The second bucket was older and contained a few thin cracks that would _______ water as the elderly woman walked. By the time she arrived home, _______ about one third of the water in the second bucket was left.

One day, on the walk down to the river, the cracked bucket that had always felt like it wasn’t as good as the other bucket said to the elderly woman, ‘‘I want you to know that water has been _______ out every morning for the past several years. I’m so sorry for being cracked and making your life more _______. I understand if you need to ________ me with a better bucket.” The elderly woman ________, ‘‘do you really think I haven’t known about your cracks this whole time? Look at all the beautiful flowers that grow on the ________ from my cottage to the river. I ________ their seeds, but every morning it was you who ________ them.”

We all have a few cracks, but choose to see how it’s exactly those ________ that make us good enough.

1.

A．riper

B．wiser

C．broader

D．brighter

2.

A．order

B．fetch

C．drop

D．boil

3.

A．carried

B．repaired

C．searched

D．lost

4.

A．store

B．school

C．cottage

D．farm

5.

A．purified

B．held

C．hid

D．heated

6.

A．leak

B．absorb

C．pollute

D．empty

7.

A．reasonably

B．suddenly

C．amazingly

D．typically

8.

A．running

B．escaping

C．spilling

D．climbing

9.

A．ordinary

B．comfortable

C．boring

D．difficult

10.

A．mark

B．replace

C．reward

D．combine

11.

A．smiled

B．sighed

C．shouted

D．defended

12.

A．wall

B．tree

C．path

D．border

13.

A．abandoned

B．saved

C．booked

D．planted

14.

A．picked

B．watered

C．removed

D．spread

15.

A．characteristics

B．buckets

C．cracks

D．strengths

9 . Reunions offer a chance to reflect on how much has changed. One happened in Hollywood when Here premiered (首映), bringing together the actors, director and writer behind Forrest Gump 40 years later for a new film. The stars were “de-aged” using new AI tools, making them more youthful in some scenes and enabling the filmmakers to see the transformation in real time while shooting.

With the use of generative AI in film making come things worth watching. The first is how AI will be used to tell new types of stories, as storytelling becomes more personalised and interactive. No one is quite sure how the nature of storytelling will change, but it is sure to. David Thomson, a film historian, compares generative AI to the advent of sound. “When movies were no longer silent, it changed the way plot points were made and how deeply viewers could connect with characters.” Cristóbal Valenzuela, who runs a company providing AI-enhanced software, says AI is like a “new kind of camera”, offering a fresh “opportunity to reimagine what stories are like”. Both are right.

Another big development to watch is how AI will be used as a time-saving tool. Generative AI will automate and simplify complex tasks like film-editing and special effects. For a glimpse of the future, watch Everything Everywhere All at Once, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2023. It featured a scene that used a “rotoscoping” tool to edit out the green-screen background and make a talking rock more believable. It shortened into hours what might have otherwise taken days of video-editing.

What is also noticeable is more dramatic conflicts between creators and those running AI platforms. This year is likely to bring floods of lawsuits (诉讼) from authors, musicians and actors about how their works have been used to train AI systems without permission or payment. Perhaps they can agree on some sort of licensing arrangement, in which AI companies start paying copyright-holders.

It will probably be a few years before a full-length film is produced entirely by AI, but it is just a matter of time.

1. What can we learn about the film Here?

A．It relates a story about youth.	B．The theme of the film is reunion.
C．AI tools are employed in the film.	D．It is adapted from Forrest Gump.

2. What does David think of AI’s application in film making?

A．Available.

B．Impressive.

C．Representative.

D．Transformative.

3. Why does the author mention the film Everything Everywhere All at Once?

A．To show the high efficiency of AI tools.

B．To demonstrate the influence of the film.

C．To analyse a novel way of video-editing.

D．To praise the hard work behind the scenes.

4. What is the article mainly about?

A．Conflicts between man and machine.	B．AI’s huge effects on film production.
C．Drawbacks of dependence on AI tools.	D．Hot debate on the use of technology.

10 . Last month, I slept through a flight from London to Beijing. Upon waking up, I was shocked to discover that I could no longer _________ my right arm and fingers. My arm just simply did not follow my brain’s _________, as if it no longer _________ my body.

The doctor at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital _________ me to have suffered neural (神经的) injury. Aside from _________ that I see a physiotherapist (理疗师), he only told me, “Rest for two months first and come back for _________ check-up.”

In that moment of _______, a long-time family friend, who is an acupuncturist (针灸师) in Sichuan, _______ to help. I started my acupuncture _______ the next day. I was skeptical at first, but my ____________ was soon beaten by the results. After a few days, I could move my __________. Two weeks later, I could have meals using chopsticks. After a month, my arm and fingers were almost back to their ____________ functions.

In that clinic, I heard many other patients’ ________. One 11-year-old boy, who was born with ________ autism (自闭症), was treated at the age of three, and now he communicates quite __________. One lady, who suddenly became deaf two months ago, has just __________ her hearing.

I’m surprised at how these ________ needles can cure so many illnesses, many of which even big hospitals with expensive medical devices __________ with. Is it magic? No! But it is the right __________ of the Chinese tradition that brings __________ and happiness to friends here and farther.

1.

A．move

B．touch

C．understand

D．shape

2.

A．structures

B．instructions

C．schedules

D．principles

3.

A．got hold of

B．appealed to

C．belonged to

D．put up with

4.

A．judged

B．advised

C．forbade

D．requested

5.

A．warning

B．persuading

C．ordering

D．recommending

6.

A．happier

B．further

C．simpler

D．maturer

7.

A．hopelessness

B．eagerness

C．hesitation

D．preparation

8.

A．refused

B．failed

C．pretended

D．offered

9.

A．punishment

B．research

C．treatment

D．learning

10.

A．shock

B．worry

C．plan

D．belief

11.

A．legs

B．fingers

C．knees

D．wrists

12.

A．normal

B．deadly

C．unique

D．wonderful

13.

A．adventures

B．backgrounds

C．stories

D．efforts

14.

A．hidden

B．steady

C．reasonable

D．severe

15.

A．silently

B．carefully

C．smoothly

D．exactly

16.

A．influenced

B．admitted

C．damaged

D．recovered

17.

A．tiny

B．wide

C．rough

D．soft

18.

A．communicate

B．compete

C．start

D．struggle

19.

A．direction

B．occasion

C．wisdom

D．comment

20.

A．knowledge

B．health

C．experience

D．interest