1 . In traditional stick puppet shows in Shanxi, puppeteers hold up and manipulate (操控) the puppets using three rods (杆). The puppets are dressed in traditional costumes and frolic (嬉戏) on stage. They are able to change their facial expressions and perform complicated movements.

Such art can’t be created without the painstaking effort of puppet makers like Wang Maowei, 40, who is from Xiaoyi, Shanxi.

“When I chose puppet-making as a teenager, I gradually fell in love with it and decided to dedicate myself to the craft,” Wang said. In 2008, Xiaoyi’s stick puppet plays were added to the national intangible cultural heritage list.

It takes 40 to 50 days to make a stick puppet. The average height of a puppet is 75 centimeters to 1 meter, and they have different costumes to fit various plays and plots. “To make puppets, you need to have sensitivity and a basic foundation in the fine arts,” Wang said.

Traditional Xiaoyi puppet plays use the style of local operas, which are appealing to the elderly. Years ago, Wang realized that plays must cater to the market. He decided to start with the appearance of the puppets.

Stick puppets are traditionally carved from wood and are both time-consuming to make and heavy to hold. Wang found that a special kind of kraft paper is a perfect substitute (替代品). It means craftspeople can put things inside the puppets’ heads to allow them to be operated — the nose, eyes and mouth of a puppet can all move via the use of rods.

Journey to the West, a classic Chinese novel, has been frequently adapted in puppet shows. In the tale, the Monkey King can use his eyes to distinguish monsters from ordinary human beings. To recreate this power in his show, Wang makes the Monkey King puppet shoot laser beams (激光) from his eyes and spit (喷) fire from his mouth.

“It requires time and energy to create a delicate piece of work... These puppets are like my own children and I always take good care of them,” Wang said.

1. According to Wang Maowei, what specific skills are required for making stick puppets?

A．Creativity and imagination.

B．Patience and physical strength.

C．Sensitivity and a basic knowledge of fine arts.

D．Engineering and technological skills.

2. Why did Wang decide to use kraft paper for making stick puppets?

A．To reduce production time and effort.

B．To make puppets look more beautiful.

C．To reduce the costs of making puppets.

D．To make them lighter and easier to operate.

3. How does Wang make the Monkey King puppet unique?

A．By making it sing and dance.

B．By making it spit fire from its mouth.

C．By making it fly across the stage.

D．By making it shoot laser beams from its ears.

4. What does the underlined word “distinguish” in paragraph 7 most likely mean?

A．tell

B．appreciate

C．enjoy

D．prevent

2 . Long, long ago, rain stopped falling in China. The people prayed(祈祷)for rain to the Jade Emperor, who controlled everything in heaven(天庭), on the land and in the sea, but no matter how much they prayed, rain did not fall.

Four dragons in the East China Sea saw what was happening, and saw people eating grass from the ground, for the people had nothing else left to eat.

They thought of a way to help. They started swimming this way and that, scooping up water with their bodies. Then all four flew into the sky. Black Dragon flew to the north, Long Dragon to the west, Pearl Dragon to the south of China, and Yellow Dragon to the center of the country. All at once, they let the water fall from their mouths, arms, legs, and even their tails.The people could not see the dragons,         _ .“Rain!” they cried happily, and all the people and animals ran out into the rain and started to dance.

When the Jade Emperor saw the rain, he was very angry. Then he saw the four dragons flying around in the sky. He ordered Mountain God to kill the dragons.

When the four mountains landed on top of them and tried to crush(压扁) the four dragons, a strange thing happened. Suddenly four rivers formed, spreading across the whole country.

This is how the four great rivers (the Yangtze, the Yellow, the Pearl and the Heilongjiang) of China were created.

1. Why did the people pray Jade Emperor for rain?

A．Because he controlled the rain.	B．Because he had lots of rain.
C．Because he didn’t allow rain to fall.	D．Because there was much rain on earth.

2. What does the underlined word“they” refer to(指的是)?

A．The people.	B．The rivers.
C．The mountains.	D．The dragons.

3. Which of the following sentences can be put in the_      ?

A．but they could see the clouds from the sky

B．but they could see the rain falling from the sky

C．but they know the Jade Emperor helped them

D．but they think the Jade Emperor helped them

4. Which one is the best title for this passage?

A．Birth of four Chinese rivers	B．Punishment from Jade Emperor
C．Four Dragons and the Rain	D．Jade Emperor and Four Dragons

3 . ①Confucianism (儒家思想) has been followed by Chinese people for more than two thousand years.

②To help people understand how to behave towards others, Confucianism teaches the Five Constants (五常). These are ren, yi, li, zhi and xin. They are general virtues (美德) around the world. The most important two are ren and li.

③Ren is the feeling of care and love we should have for others. Confucius explained ren could best be understood as loving others. He is famous for teaching people “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” It is quite similar to what is known in the West as the Golden Rule (treat others as you wish to be treated).

④While the meaning of ren is easy to understand, li is a little harder to express. It can be thought of as duty or even respect. Generally, li is the way we should connect with people in our everyday life. In Confucian writings, discussions about li include the proper way to drink tea and how to remember ancestors (祖先). While ren is mostly about our opinions and feelings, li is about how we express our opinions and feelings towards others and towards the world around us.

⑤Perhaps the most well-known Confucian virtue is xiao. This is the duty children have to their parents. Xiao means loving, respecting, obeying and taking care of one’s parents in their old age. In Confucianism, xiao is important for a harmonious (和谐的) society: Without it, the whole world would fall into a mess.

1. What is the best Chinese translation of the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3?

A．博学于文，约之以礼。	B．学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。
C．己所不欲，勿施于人。	D．君子和而不同，小人同而不和。

2. Which of the following is an example of li?

A．Building a peaceful society.	B．Taking care of one’s children.
C．Obeying rules for drinking tea.	D．Learning all through one’s life.

3. What’s the writer’s purpose of writing this passage?

A．To tell us about general virtues in Confucianism.

B．To let us know the long history of Confucianism.

C．To show us the new challenges in the development of Confucianism.

D．To explain the golden rules in Confucianism.

4. Which of the following shows the structure of this passage?

A．	B．
C．	D．

4 . Want to experience the modern style at the New York Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan? We have got a lot to offer here.

GUEST ROOMS

Spacious and stylish guest rooms include all necessities for an unforgettable stay. Each guest room features a marble bath, in-room thermostat (恒温器) control, 37-inch HDTV with HD channels and guide, on-demand HD entertainment, a spacious work area, and two telephones with voice mail.

SUITES

Our luxurious, modern suite accommodations arc on high floors and provide all the desirable facilities of our guest rooms while adding spacious living areas and access to our Executive Lounge (贵宾室).

ACCESSIBLE ROOMS

Enjoy added features for your ease of use such as lowered in-room thermostat controls, remote control curtains, raised beds and cither tubs or roll-in showers, which arc all specially designed for the disabled. You will also find desirable facilities such as 37-inch or larger HDTVs, depending on the room type chosen, on-demand HD entertainment, large work spaces, and two telephones with voice mail.

EXECUTIVE LOUNGE

The room is open seven days a week and features daily continental breakfast, snacks in the evenings and continuous coffee and tea service.

HIGHLIGHTS

•We’ve proudly hosted every US president since Kennedy.

•Rated highest in New York City for WiFi confidence and connectivity by Business Traveler magazine.

•Surrounded by top New York City attractions like Times Square, Rockefeller Center & Broadway.

BEST PRICE GUARANTEE

We guarantee you always get the lowest price when you reserve a room through an official Hilton booking channel. If you find a lower price anywhere else, we will match that price and give you an additional $50 back.

REACH US AND RESERVE
1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS. NEW YORK, 10019, USA
TEL: +1-212-586-7000
1. Which of the following should be most suitable for a person with disabilities?

A．SUITES.	B．GUEST ROOMS.
C．ACCESSIBLE ROOMS.	D．EXECUTIVE LOUNGE.

2. Which of the following can set the New York Hilton Hotel apart from the rest?

A．The exploration of wilderness.	B．The reception of US presidents.
C．On demand HD entertainment.	D．Remote control curtains.

3. If you are charged $30 more at the New York Hilton Hotel than booking with a travel agency, how much will the hotel give back to you?

A．$80.

B．$50.

C．$30.

D．$ 20.

5 . Valentina is 9 years old living in Plano, Texas with her parents. She loves Beatrice, an American Girl doll (洋娃娃) very much. But Valentina left her beloved doll behind by chance during a flight earlier this summer. Rudy and Dominguez, Valentina’s parents, tried everything they could to reunite their daughter with her best friend, Beatrice.

“Beatrice means a lot to me. She brings me happiness and she’s my best friend,” Valentina said. “When she was missing, I felt like my heart was broken.”

When finding Beatrice was lost, the Texas family immediately searched everywhere for the lost doll with brown hair, including their travel bags, without success. They remembered seeing her on the plane so they called the airline (航空公司), and then sent an email to it.

The family also spread the message about the lost doll on the Internet — a message that finally reached pilot James, a first officer for American Airlines who lives not far from Plano.

James said he got the chance to help young Valentina locate (定位) Beatrice, who was last seen on July 20 on a plane in Tokyo, where the family had a stopover (中途停留) on their flight back home from Bali, Indonesia.

James said he got in touch with the Airlines’ Lost and Found at Haneda Airport in Tokyo and was able to locate the missing doll after two tries. He then took photos with Beatrice in various airports and on flights as he carried her back home to Valentina in Plano, over 5,800 miles away. One Monday, James drove to the Texas family to return Beatrice to Valentina in person. They were all moved for what James had done.

1. What can we know about Valentina?

A．She was sad at losing Beatrice.	B．She has brown hair.
C．She loved taking photos with Beatrice.	D．She lives in Tokyo.

2. What did the Texas family do first when finding Beatrice lost?

A．They sent an email to the airline.	B．They got in touch with James.
C．They searched their travel bags.	D．They spread the message online.

3. How did Valentina get her doll back?

A．She found it at home.	B．James sent it back in person.
C．She got it from the waiting room.	D．Her parents discovered it on the plane.

4. How did the Texas family feel about James act?

A．Encouraged.

B．Confident.

C．Calm.

D．Thankful.

6 . What are the differences between communication and language?

The system of communication which relies on the verbal or non-verbal codes, used in transferring information, is called “language”. A language is a tool of communication, while communication is the process of transferring message to one another. Language focuses on the signs, symbols and words. Communication lays emphasis on the message. Before the invention of written words, language was confined to the auditory channels. The basics of communication do not change at all. Conversely, daily new words are added to the dictionary of the language, so it changes every day.

Is communication wider than language?

So with the above explanation, it is quite clear that communication has a wider scope than language, as the former covers the latter. Language is the essence of communication, without which, it cannot exist.

What are language barriers in communication?

Language barriers are the most common communication barriers which cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations between people. Most of the people in the world do not speak English or, even if they use, it is their second or third language. If the speaker and receiver do not use the same language and words, there is no meaning to the communication.

Why is language needed for communication?

Language is needed for any kind of communication, and even people with speech impairments communicate with sign language. Communication becomes difficult in situations where people don’t understand each other’s language. The inability to communicate using a language is known as the language barrier to communication.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Language is the only way to communicate with people.

B．People send messages to communicate with others.

C．Language didn’t appear until the invention of written words.

D．Language changes every day with the added new words.

2. What can be done to avoid language barriers according to the author?

A．Speaking English.	B．Speaking the second language.
C．Speaking the same language.	D．Using body language.

3. The underlined word “impairments” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to “___________”.

A．methods

B．functions

C．disabilities

D．skills

4. Which of the following would the author probably agree with?

A．Communication is superior to language.

B．Language is the essence of communication.

C．All the languages can be written and spoken in the world.

D．Language has a wider scope than communication.

7 . A new study shows that when heavy cognitive (认知的) work is lasted for several hours, it causes potentially poisonous materials to build up in the part of the brain known as the prefrontal cortex (前额叶). This in turn changes your control over decisions, so you shift toward low-cost actions requiring no effort or waiting as cognitive tiredness sets in.

Influential theories suggested that tiredness is a sort of illusion (错觉) cooked up by the brain to make us stop whatever we are doing and turn to a more pleasing activity but new findings show that cognitive work results in a true functional change — accumulation of poisonous materials — so tiredness would indeed be a signal that makes us stop working but for a different aim: to preserve the perfection of brain functioning.

To look for evidence of this, researchers monitored brain chemistry over the course of a workday. They looked at two groups of people: those who needed to think hard and those who had relatively easier cognitive tasks.

They saw signs of tiredness only in the group doing hard work. Those in that group also showed in their choices a shift toward options with rewards at short delay with little effort. Critically, they also had higher levels of poisonous materials in the brain. Together with earlier evidence, the researchers say it supports the concept that poisonous materials accumulation makes further activation of the prefrontal cortex more costly, such that cognitive control is more difficult after a mentally tough workday.

So, is there some way around this limitation of our brain’s ability to think hard? The answer is negative. But there is good evidence that poisonous materials disappear in the brain during rest and sleep. The study result may have other practical uses. For example, the researchers say, monitoring of prefrontal metabolites (前额代谢物) could help to detect severe mental tiredness. Such an ability may help adjust work plans to avoid burnout. They also advise people to avoid making important decisions when they’re tired.

1. What is the purpose of our tiredness according to the new study?

A．To keep our brains in a good condition.	B．To make us stop whatever we are doing.
C．To force us to improve our abilities to work.	D．To change brain chemistry over the workday.

2. What negative influence can tiredness mainly have on us?

A．The loss of our abilities to work.	B．The poisoning of our brain tissue.
C．The attitude to our responsibilities.	D．The difficulty in cognitive control.

3. How did the researchers conduct their study?

A．By summing up the old data.	B．By comparing experiment data.
C．By referring to historical reports.	D．By interviewing many scientists.

4. What do researchers suggest to people who are very tired of work?

A．They get round the brain’s limitations.	B．They shouldn’t work out key decisions.
C．They try to avoid sleeping and resting.	D．They have to leave work for a holiday.

8 . The Grey’s Anatomy doctors are navigating the patients that have kept them on our screens for some 400 episodes of the show. But in this episode, for the first time, the _______ to the drama is the very real issue of climate change. It’s a relatively rare example of the many kinds of climate-related storylines that are typically missing from _______ TV and film worlds. Social scientists argue that climate is a topic that belongs in many kinds of on-screen stories, not just the _______ climate-disaster thriller.

But can seeing the realities of climate change affecting characters on the screen help us relate _______ to the unfolding climate crisis – to cope better, or even change our behavior?

Non-profit storytelling consultancy Good Energy believes it can. It is among a small but growing number of organizations _______ far more TV and film scripts to _______ climate-related storylines. In April 2022, it released its Good Energy Playbook, a set of guidelines for embedding climate change into any on-screen story. It joins other initiatives in drawing attention to the need for film and TV to _______ the numerous ways climate change leaves its mark on our everyday lives.

The Good Energy Playbook’s suggestions are appropriately wide-ranging: characters with climate anxiety and those fighting against injustice; utopian (乌托邦的) narratives that explore climate solutions; storylines that quietly _______ climate references into their characters’ worlds.

The playbook was created by Good Energy founder Anna Jane Joyner, “It started as a personal _______, where I just got on the phone with as many screenwriters as I could,” she says. She quickly learned that writers wanted to talk about climate, but “didn’t really have the support and toolset to be able to do it”.

Many research studies looked at the impact introducing climate stories had on viewers, and found it prompted greater concern about climate change. It also ________ people’s understanding of it and made them more likely to take action to reduce their emissions. ________, science tells us that stories have a power that hard facts often don’t. Research has long established that the human brain finds it easier to understand and remember information delivered as a ________, and has even found that stories can influence behavior.

Climate stories, then, seem like a pretty good idea. But these sorts of narratives have been few and far between. Julie Doyle, professor of media at the University of Brighton in the UK, says climate change has ________ for years to get into any form of fictional film or TV representation. “There’s been a silence around it,” she says.

It’s time to break the climate silence, says Doyle. “Mainstream media has tended to follow rather than lead, and it would be great if mainstream media could lead this.” Day-to-day mentions of climate change in media are especially important because, while blockbuster climate films can have a positive impact on awareness and action, the effect is sadly __________. People can feel inspired to take action in the moment, but the feeling __________ in a matter of weeks.

1.

A．resistance

B．background

C．response

D．application

2.

A．fictional

B．scientific

C．educational

D．theoretical

3.

A．logical

B．moral

C．occasional

D．spiritual

4.

A．differently

B．effortlessly

C．reluctantly

D．systematically

5.

A．depending on

B．referring to

C．identifying with

D．calling for

6.

A．restore

B．feature

C．demonstrate

D．sponsor

7.

A．reflect

B．maintain

C．eliminate

D．strengthen

8.

A．integrate

B．reverse

C．initiate

D．publish

9.

A．transition

B．campaign

C．achievement

D．association

10.

A．transferred

B．promoted

C．shifted

D．underestimated

11.

A．For example

B．As a result

C．On the contrary

D．In addition

12.

A．narrative

B．character

C．plot

D．memory

13.

A．explored

B．competed

C．struggled

D．appealed

14.

A．narrow-minded

B．ever-changing

C．short-lived

D．far-sighted

15.

A．resumes

B．fades

C．deepens

D．increases

9 . Humans have many unique behaviors among animals. For example, we have a formal language that permits communication about things that exist in the past, present, and future. Yet we share at least one emotion with many other species fear.

To really understand our fears we have to go further to study how animals long before humans came into being assessed (评估) and managed predation (捕食) risk in the wild. All animals, past and present, must assess life-threatening predation risks (风险) and make decisions to avoid or otherwise manage those risks. It is a proper balance: being too fearful is costly if fear means that you miss out on getting food, mates, or other important resources. However, being too brazen could end very poorly indeed. It is the context that influences all decisions. If they’re hungry, it’s wise to take more risks or they will go hungry. And, if they’re powerful and can steal food from others at will, perhaps it’s OK to be a bit more careful. Successful individuals are those that make right assessment, and because of this, leave more descendants.

Natural expressions of fear influence the structure of ecological communities, and the removal of predators changes entire ecosystems. To manage predation risks, animals modify(调整) their activity patterns, habitat selection,   and their diet. Fear of predators can also reduce an individual’s reproductive(繁殖)success. All of these fear-driven modifications can have a great influence on both the environment and the diversity of many species. Fear, as it turns out, is an essential part of healthy ecosystems and helps keep biodiversity.

Fear is a natural emotion, and that it’s impossible to completely avoid it. It is comforting to know that fear comes from a long line of ancestors, both human and nonhuman. It is a compass(指南针)that, when used I properly, guides us away from danger and toward opportunity.

1. What do we know about animals’ risk assessment and management according to paragraph 2?

A．Animals are too fearful to make right assessments.

B．Animals will fail to get food when they are fearful.

C．Animals have to make proper decisions based on different situations.

D．Animals which arc more fearful are more likely to make right assessment.

2. What does the underlined word “brazen“ mean in paragraph 2?

A．brave

B．afraid

C．hungry

D．strong

3. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The ways animals manage fear

B．The influence fear has on ecosystem

C．The approaches to keeping a healthy ecosystem

D．The problems fear brings about to the ecosystem

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Fear from Our Deep Past	B．Survival of the bravest
C．Emotion from human and nonhuman.	D．Path to risk management

10 .

	Hello, I’m Anna Green. I’m a student at Star Middle School. I’m in Class Two. My parents are teachers. I have a friend in my class. His name is Jackson Smith. He likes black. Look! He has a black cup and three black pens.
	My name is Alice. Jones is my last name. I’m at Ziyang Middle School. Yellow is my favorite color. I have a nice family. Jack and Tom are my parents. Scot is my grandfather. And I have a sister Grace. We like the same color.
	Hi! I’m Dave Brown. I’m an English boy. Now I live with my uncle and aunt in China. They have a daughter May and a son Peter. Peter likes drawing very much. Here is picture. Look! A black dog is in it.

1. What class is Jackson in?

A．Class One.

B．Class Two.

C．Class Three.

D．Class Four.

2. How many people are there in Alice’s family?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

3. What’s in Peter’s picture?

A．A brown cat.

B．A black cat.

C．A brown dog.

D．A black dog.