1 . I used to be shy, but in the past two years, I’ve changed. I stepped out of my comfort zone and _________ new experiences. I’m happy that I am becoming a _________ person.

I think my _________ started with a trip through Southeast Asia. At first, I was hesitant and worried about traveling _________. I had always been comfortable in _________ surroundings and liked being surrounded by family members or friends. However, I decided to challenge myself and start this journey.

During my trip, I _________ lively cities and met people from different cultures. I tried delicious food, immersing myself in local traditions, and learning basic phrases in different languages. Each day brought a new adventure and a chance to embrace the _________.

One of the most significant changes occurred when I joined a _________ program in a rural village, helping to build a school and providing support for the community. It was a(n) _________ experience that opened my eyes to the challenges faced by others and the power of collective effort of volunteers. Through this experience, I developed a deep appreciation for the importance of __________ and making a positive impact.

As I continued my journey, I __________ that pushing my boundaries and seeking new experiences brought me immense personal growth. I took part in __________ activities like zip-lining (滑索), scuba diving and trekking to breathtaking viewpoints. Each adventure helped me overcome __________ and embrace the beauty of the world.

Now, I am __________ for the person I have become—open-minded, adaptable, and eager to __________ change. Stepping into the unknown has helped me to __________ the diversity and richness of the world.

This is a journey of exploration and __________. Life is more than __________ routines and playing it safe. Embracing new experiences and seeking __________ have brought me fulfillment and expanded my horizons. I have gratitude for who I was, but even more excited about the person I am __________.

1.

A．provide

B．decline

C．accept

D．describe

2.

A．lucky

B．brave

C．clever

D．caring

3.

A．education

B．career

C．tour

D．change

4.

A．alone

B．slowly

C．together

D．lightly

5.

A．famous

B．familiar

C．strange

D．dangerous

6.

A．lived

B．enjoyed

C．hated

D．explored

7.

A．unknown

B．unrealistic

C．unheard

D．uncertain

8.

A．leadership

B．volunteer

C．research

D．wellness

9.

A．terrible

B．awful

C．valuable

D．challenging

10.

A．giving back

B．going away

C．giving up

D．showing off

11.

A．guessed

B．announced

C．realized

D．disbelieved

12.

A．fun

B．useful

C．educational

D．exciting

13.

A．failures

B．fears

C．joys

D．angers

14.

A．regretful

B．helpful

C．grateful

D．thoughtful

15.

A．embrace

B．cause

C．resist

D．ignore

16.

A．doubt

B．deny

C．promote

D．discover

17.

A．stop

B．progress

C．devotion

D．expression

18.

A．dealing with

B．sticking to

C．giving away

D．agreeing with

19.

A．adventure

B．help

C．danger

D．need

20.

A．hating

B．avoiding

C．becoming

D．admiring

2 . I used to read tens of books every month. But as I grew up, things changed. I find it increasingly difficult to find the time and motivation to sit down and read a book from cover to cover.

To keep track of the books I’ve read, I turned to Goodreads, a social networking platform for book lovers. It’s a great way to share recommendations with friends and show off your literary progress. However, if we can’t achieve reading goals or can’t catch up with our friends, it can also exacerbate the feeling of “not doing enough” of your favorite hobby.

Halimah Begum, a literature editor from London, understands the struggle. “With Goodreads constantly tracking my reading, I am often worrying and feeling the pressure to read more books.” she says. “Sometimes, I feel under great pressure because I don’t want to fall behind on my goal and not reach it at the end of the year.”

I asked Nicole Villegas, an occupational therapist, about our obsession with tracking everything we do. She explained that it can give us a sense of control and provide us with a tool to measure our progress. “When we track things like the books we’ve read or the friends we’ve visited, we’re essentially gathering data about our hobbies,” she says. “It’s a powerful tool to help us look back on our progress and give us a sense of accomplishment.”

Unfortunately, the social aspect of apps like Goodreads doesn’t help. “Setting goals or tracking progress on public platforms adds a layer of extrinsic motivation that can also contribute to a sense of pressure to perform or give in to social comparisons,” Villegas says. “When it comes to reading, people may be tempted to finish books that aren’t a good fit instead of following their interests.”

Despite this, we often forget the point of doing hobbies in the first place. “Reading shouldn’t be something we have to ‘smash’， but just what we do for the joy of it. Maintain the feeling as you navigate your book-tracking app and if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or pressured, set it aside,” Villegas continues. “At the end of the day, it’s you and your book.”

1. What does the underlined word “exacerbate” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Worsen.

B．Affect.

C．Relieve.

D．Improve.

2. What does Halimah Begum think of tracking one’s reading?

A．It is a waste of time.	B．It makes one feel stressed.
C．It encourages one to read more.	D．It helps one to enjoy reading.

3. Why do we like to track everything we do according to Nicole Villegas?

A．To show off to our friends.	B．To try to spend our time wisely.
C．To find what suits us most.	D．To obtain a sense of achievement.

4. What’s Nicole Villegas’s suggestion about using book-tracking apps?

A．To avoid using it.	B．To use it reasonably.
C．To rely more on it.	D．To make full use of it.

5. What’s the main idea of this article?

A．The best way to track reading progress—Goodreads.

B．The necessity to ignore social media and focus on hobbies.

C．The positive and negative effects of tracking our hobbies.

D．The importance of setting goals to help people stay motivated.

3 . It turns out that humans aren’t the only ones taking mathematics tests. A group of cognitive (认知的) scientists are training bees to perform simple addition and subtraction (减法).

For the experiment, the scientists lured individual bees with sugar water. “She flies back to the hive, gives it to the other bees, and two minutes later she’ll come back and do it again,” Dyer said, a scientist from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. They taught and tested 14 bees over the course of the experiment—one bee at a time.

To learn the rules, a bee first would be shown cards printed with a number of shapes in one of two colors: blue, if they were supposed to add one to the shapes on the card, or yellow, if they were meant to subtract one shape. Then, the bee would choose an answer to the problem by flying to one of two presented solutions. If it chose well, it found itself near a solution of delicious sugar water. If it chose poorly, however, it would be punished with a bad-tasting drink. The researchers found that each bee picked the correct answer in both addition and subtraction trials about 70percent of the time.

Dyer said, “Problem-solving requires both long-term memory and short-term memory. Long-term memory allows the bees to remember that blue and yellow equate to separate mathematical rules. Short-term memory lets them recall the actual numbers in a particular problem.”

“It is assumed that humans are very complex, and there’s a decreasing level of complexity going away from humans,” said Muth, an animal congnition researcher who wasn’t involved in this study. But in fact, complex awareness, like the mathematical problems solved by bees, can be made up of relativlely simple components.

That doesn’t explain why bees might have evolved the ability to figure out mathematical problems, though. One possibility is that bees didn’t evolve to do addition and subtraction. They just evolved to be smart enough to figure it out.

Dyer said that observing a tiny animal with a brain that has less than a million neurons (神经元) learn a very complex task makes him think, “Wow, what can humans achieve?”

1. What are the scientists training bees to do in the experiment?

A．Flying on blue and yellow cards.	B．Adding shapes to different cards.
C．Solving simple mathematical problems.	D．Tasting water of two flavors.

2. What would happen if the bees chose the wrong answer to the problem?

A．They would be punished with a bad-tasting drink.	B．They would be treated with sugar drink.
C．They would be permitted to leave the hive.	D．They would be given a beautiful shape card.

3. What role does memory play in problem-solving?

A．Long-term memory plays a bigger part.

B．Long-term memory contributes to recalling.

C．Short-term memory facilitates remembering.

D．Short-term memory is as important as long-term memory.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Bees are as complex as man in many aspects.

B．Bees are by nature good at mathematics.

C．Complex awareness can consist of simple components.

D．Bees learn to solve maths problems under certain pressure.

5. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Human achievements can be limitless.	B．Human brains deserve good study.
C．Humans must fully develop neurons.	D．Humans are good at observation.

4 . Twenty years ago, Charlotte attempted to call her sister in Bath, England. She intended to share the challenges and sorrows in her life with her sister. However, when she dialed the area code 01225, she accidentally punched in 01275 instead. This innocent mistake led her to reach Jones in Bristol, England.

Recalling about the fateful phone call, Jones said: “When Charlotte realized her error, she apologized sincerely. She was extremely polite and charming. Besides, Charlotte’s warmth and openness were immediately evident.”

In the following weeks, they called each other several times. Through their conversations, Jones discovered that Charlotte, who lived in Cornwall, England, had been trying to reach her sister.

Charlotte told that during a divorce with her husband, Jones had become a source of comfort for her. She expressed gratitude because Jones’ kindness and encouragement as a stranger had lifted her spirits. Over the next several years, the two forged a strong friendship through their phone conversations, discussing their children — Charlotte, a mother of two, and Jones, a father of three.

On Thanksgiving Day, Jones and his wife and children traveled to Cornwall. Finally meeting face-to-face, Charlotte exclaimed, “Oh, it was an remarkable day. The happiest Thanksgiving of my life, which I will never forget!” The sun shone brightly that day, warm as spring. It was a perfect day.

After their encounter, Jones posted a photo of himself with Charlotte on Facebook, along with a heartfelt message: “The distance between people in this world is just a wrong phone number. It’s truly unbelievable.”

Charlotte’s innocent mistake taught us an important lesson about the unexpected connections that can arise in life. Taking the initiative to reach out can lead to meaningful relationships that enrich our lives in ways we never imagined. We are reminded to cherish the unexpected connections that come into our lives and embrace the beautiful moments that they bring.

1. Why did Charlotte make a mistake when dialing the phone number?

A．She was not familiar with the area codes.	B．She dialed the wrong area code accidentally.
C．The phone she used was not working properly.	D．Her sister gave her a wrong number on purpose.

2. What was Jones’ first impression of Charlotte?

A．Kind and open.	B．Calm and helpful.
C．Polite and warm.	D．Clever and brave.

3. Why is Charlotte so grateful to Jones?

A．Because he tried to help her to find her sister.	B．Because he comforted her every day by phone.
C．Because he helped her with a lot of housework.	D．Because he cheered her up during her hard time.

4. The Thanksgiving Day was remarkable because ________.

A．Charlotte went to see Jones alone	B．Charlotte called Jones again and again
C．it was sunny and warm that day	D．the two families met face to face

5. What does the author want to tell us through this article?

A．People can form a strong friendship through accidental connections.

B．Phone numbers can often lead to misunderstandings and mistakes.

C．Distance is a barrier to building friendships and relationships.

D．A person’s life can change dramatically because of the awful divorce.

5 . New Art Courses in the City

With a focus on nurturing creativity and individual expression, our art courses in Montpellier, France, offer an unforgettable experience for both visitors and locals. Class sizes are kept small to promote personal growth and the tutors are all practicing artists who share their passion for teaching and passing on their knowledge to eager students.

Introduction to Abstract Art
Tutor: Sarah Jackson
7-9 November, £320(25% discount)

Embark on a journey of freedom and experimentation with Sarah Jackson as she guides you through the world of abstract art. This course offers a unique opportunity to break free from traditional painting styles and explore a range of techniques and materials.

Cityscapes in Charcoal
Tutor: David Thompson
14-16 November, £290(20% discount)

Capture the unique essence of the city in charcoal with David Thompson. This medium offers an excellent way to render the urban environment, allowing you to capture its beauty. Ideal for those who love the city and want to immortalize its essence on paper.

Drawing Nature in Pastels
Tutor: Emily Green
21-23 November, £250 (15% discount)

Embrace nature with Emily Green as you learn the art of pastel drawing. This course will explore the beauty and simplicity of nature, teaching you how to translate its essence onto paper. Ideal for those who love being outdoors and appreciate nature’s finer details.

Introduction to Mixed Media
Tutor: Emily Smith
28-30 November, £240( 10% discount)

Explore the exciting world of mixed media with Emily Smith. This course will introduce you to a variety of media, from paper to plastic, giving you a new perspective on creativity. Ideal for those who want to experiment art as beginners.

1. What’s the purpose of these courses?

A．To show the teaching skills of the famous artists.

B．To share unforgettable experience of the local people.

C．To develop creativity and self-expression of individuals.

D．To pass on artists’ rich art knowledge to local students.

2. Which course is suitable for beginners?

A．Introduction to Abstract Art.	B．Cityscapes in Charcoal.
C．Drawing Nature in Pastels.	D．Introduction to Mixed Media.

3. If you want to capture the city’s essence, which course should you choose?

A．Sarah Jackson’s course on abstract art.	B．David Thompson’s course on cityscapes.
C．Emily Green’s course on natural scenery.	D．Emily Smith’s course on mixed media.

4. Which course is the cheapest after the discount?

A．Introduction to Abstract Art.	B．Cityscapes in Charcoal.
C．Drawing Nature in Pastels.	D．Introduction to Mixed Media.

5. Where is this article probably taken from?

A．On an economic blog.	B．In an art novel.
C．In a fashion magazine.	D．On an art school’s website.

6 . High-speed Internet access is provided by fiber-optic cables (光纤电缆). In fiber-optic systems, light signals are carried over long distances with fibers covered by cables. They have excellent performance, but they also have their own problems. Many parts of the world — especially underdeveloped areas — are not able to afford to build fiber-optic networks. This prevents millions of people across the world from having access to the Internet.

A new system being tested in India and Africa offers a partial solution to this problem. It was developed by Alphabet. Like fiber optics, the system uses light to carry high-speed Internet signals. But the light travels as beams (光束) through the air, without the need for fibers or cables. The beams can transmit high-speed data between two points with the help of receiving devices attached to structures. The technology is called Free Space Optical Communications (FSOC).

The project is called Taara, using an FSOC system to transmit high-speed data signals between two large African cities — Brazzaville and Kinshasa. The two cities are only 4.8 kilometers apart from each other, separated by the Congo River. The transmission of data signals is possible as long as there is a direct line of sight between the system’s receiving devices.

The system can be affected by some kinds of weather, like heavy fog, or by birds or other animals getting close to the equipment. But the Taara team says it has already made progress in making the system adjust to such environments to avoid any service outages.

After adding its “pointing and tracking” equipment to beam connectivity across the river, Taara said the link provided nearly 700 terabytes of data in 20 days with 99.9 percent availability. It noted that that amount of data would be equal to that of watching a FIFA World Cup match 270,000 times. Baris Erkmen, the director of engineering for Taara, has reported similar results in tests of the system in India. He said the team admitted that it couldn’t expect to see “perfect reliability” in the system through all kinds of weather and conditions. However, he added, “We believe Taara’s links will continue to deliver similar performance and will play a key role in bringing faster, more affordable connectivity to people living in these cities.”

1. What can we say about fiber-optic systems?

A．Safe and adaptable.	B．Complex but popular.
C．Effective but expensive.	D．Demanding and reusable.

2. What’s the main difference between the fiber-optic system and the FSOC system?

A．Their signal quality.	B．Their coverage area.
C．Their transmission speed.	D．Their transmission medium.

3. What does the underlined word “outages” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Aging.

B．Failure.

C．Updating.

D．Exposure.

4. Why does the author present data in the last paragraph?

A．To show the successful improvement to Taara.

B．To describe the competitive World Cup match.

C．To prove the convenience of beam connectivity.

D．To introduce the perfect reliability of the system.

5. What is Baris Erkmen’s attitude towards Taara?

A．Positive.

B．Cautious.

C．Doubtful.

D．Concerned.

8 . Intelligence is not enough to create extraordinary work. The most creative people in history you admire approached problems differently. IQ alone cannot explain creative spark. “Creativity isn’t a talent. It’s a way of operating,” says John Cleese. It’s a central source of meaning in our lives. Creative geniuses are able to bring seemingly contradictor y element s together in unusual and unexpected ways. While there’s no “typical” creative type, Einstein, Picasso and Mozart shared common traits.

You can be insanely talented but if you can’t consistently hone your craft (打磨技能), you can’t be great. The ability to stick with and pursue anything that means a lot to you over a long period of time is an important indicator (指标) of achieving anything worthwhile in life.

Einstein had extremely high intelligence but he genuinely loved his pursuit of Relativity. He committed a greater percentage of his productive years pursuing the Theory of Relativity. And it meant everything to him. Creative people have a strong desire to work hard and long on what they love doing.

The willingness to take risks, to break with the safety of tradition, and step outside the comfort zone is necessary for creativity. History’s creative geniuses risked more to get results. Unless you aim for comfort and stagnation (停滞), taking risks is imperative to every creative process. They valued the process of their work as much as the destination. They enjoyed the process as much as the ultimate outcome. They viewed obstacles as opportunities to explore and make progress.

Picasso was once asked if he knew what a painting was going to look like when he started it. He answered, “No, of course not. If I knew, I wouldn’t bother doing it.”

Curiosity is fundamental to your success. Einstein, Picasso and Mozart embraced curiosity, were open to new ideas, and persistent despite career setbacks.

Mozart once wrote to a friend about his commitment to music and said, “People err who think my art comes easily to me. I assure you, dear friend, nobody has devoted so much time and thought to compositions as I. There is not a famous master whose music I have not industriously studied through many times.”

1. What can we know about creativity and intelligence?

A．Intelligence is the decisive factor of success.

B．Creativity has nothing to do with intelligence.

C．There is more to creativity than just intelligence.

D．Creativity belongs to people with great intelligence.

2. Einstein’s success indicates that ______.

A．perseverance is a better predictor for success

B．talent is necessary in one’s achievements

C．high competence is key to high performance

D．innovation results from strong motivation

3. We can know that Picasso was ______.

A．good at career planning	B．sensitive to public criticism
C．satisfied with the present life	D．brave to embrace the unknown

4. The underlined word “imperative” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by “______”.

A．difficult

B．important

C．controversial

D．superficial

5. The best title for the text is “______”.

A．Einstein’s Pursuit of the Theory of Relativity

B．The Creative Habits of Einstein, Picasso and Mozart

C．Dedication of an Unusual Degree to Achieve Greatness

D．The Great Contribution Made by Einstein, Picasso and Mozart

9 . When Milla Bizzot to finished her first 24-hour obstacle race, she went shoulder to shoulder with experienced competitors, ran 36 miles and completed hundreds of obstacles, all at the age of 9.“There are some double takes on the course, but she has been an inspiration to people who see her out there competing like that,” said Christian Bizzotto, Milla’s father and coach, who was proud of her. Milla is very fit for her age, and she proved it in completing the BattleFrog Xtreme 24-hour race in Miami.

Milla also used the event to inspire other kids to be active, and show how competing in obstacle racing has helped her deal with being bullied at school. “We wanted to make her feel more empowered and make her feel that she wasn’t weak, and that changed her whole mindset,” her father said.

In preparing for the 24-hour race, Milla trained 20 hours a week for 90 days, doing exercise in the gym for 4 hours every day after school.

“The reactions are 90 percent good, but some are totally negative,” Christian said. “I’ve had people message me on Facebook saying I’m a child abuser, and that no 9-year-old should be doing a 24-hour race. But her own doctors were there supporting her and cheering her on. I want her to be a kid, and this is just something she really wants to do.”

CrossFit and obstacle course racing have also helped Christian turn around his life. He got injured in a motorcycle accident. After he was finally able to get around without using a walker, he began his recovery by going for walks on the beach with Milla, and then began running every day.

Next, he joined a CrossFit gym and enjoyed it so much that he opened his own gym to train others for events like CrossFit, BattleFrog and Spartan races. “I just wanted to create a hero that Milla could look up to,” he said.

Next up for Milla is an invitation-only “Athletes Race”. Competitors also have to raise $5,000 for charity.

1. Christian Bizzotto, Milla’s father and coach, ______.

A．was very strict with Milla

B．was satisfied with what Milla did

C．lost his legs in a motorcycle accident

D．threw his walker with the help of CrossFit

2. What can we learn about Milla?

A．She was always bullied by her schoolmates.

B．She began to run because she was physically weak.

C．Her father wanted her to get benefit from the obstacle race.

D．She became more confident after the 24-hour obstacle race.

3. During her training for the 24-hour obstacle race, Milla most probably _________.

A．had two days’ rest every week

B．was always running with her father

C．spent over 4 hours every day of a week

D．took a hit because her father was injured

4. The reactions Christian got on the Internet ______.

A．told us that Milla had a hard childhood

B．showed that he was a real abuser

C．encouraged Milla to challenge more difficult runs

D．were mixed but what Milla did was supported by her doctors

5. What Christian did after his injury was mainly to ______.

A．make money to open a gym

B．set a good example to Milla

C．make money to raise his family

D．get recovered as soon as possible