1 . In a heartwarming incident that highlights the power of human connection, a woman’s act of kindness saved the life of a struggling homeless man.

During a _________ between classes, Casey Fischer made a stop at Dunkin Donuts for a coffee. It was there that she _________ a homeless man collecting change by the roadside. _________, she watched him walk into Dunkin, counting his change to see what he could _________.

Casey went over to engage him in _________ and learned that he had only about $1 in change. _________ by his difficult situation, she bought him a _________ and bagel, inviting him to sit with her. He told her that he lost his family in an accident and how people are usually _________ to him because he’s homeless. They _________ for about an hour, drinking their coffees.

After __________ that Casey needed to return to class, the man, named Chris, asked her to __________ so he could write something down for her. Handing Casey a crumpled-up receipt with a(an)__________ for his shaky handwriting, he smiled and left.

Upon opening the __________, Casey read his heartfelt message: “I wanted to end my life today, but because of you, I now have __________. Thank you, beautiful person.”

Casey posted on social media later that day that “this lovely man’s name was Chris, and Chris was one of the most __________ people I’ve ever met”.

1.

A．holiday

B．break

C．gap

D．pause

2.

A．recognized

B．dominated

C．spotted

D．consulted

3.

A．Basically

B．Repeatedly

C．Eventually

D．Amazingly

4.

A．afford

B．deliver

C．abuse

D．guarantee

5.

A．experiment

B．reputation

C．argument

D．conversation

6.

A．Touched

B．Persuaded

C．Frustrated

D．Criticized

7.

A．tea

B．coffee

C．gift

D．seat

8.

A．dynamic

B．reliable

C．precise

D．mean

9.

A．restored

B．spoke

C．enhanced

D．complained

10.

A．realizing

B．convincing

C．disturbing

D．acquiring

11.

A．leave

B．wait

C．skip

D．bless

12.

A．reward

B．message

C．apology

D．excuse

13.

A．book

B．door

C．note

D．essay

14.

A．pursuits

B．welfare

C．reasons

D．hope

15.

A．sincere

B．negative

C．enthusiastic

D．hardworking

2 . A total solar eclipse (日食) of the sun will have millions of people from Texas to Maine gazing up at the sky on the afternoon of April 8. If you can’t make it outside, here are some apps to track the eclipse on your computer or mobile device.

Total Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse is an “innovative” app developed by the Exploratorium, a museum of science, technology and arts in San Francisco, in partnership with NASA, according to app’s description in the Apple App Store. The app has a 3.8-star rating on the App Store and is designed exclusively for iPads and iPhones. You can download it here.

Eclipse 2024

This app, designed by developer Saira Creations, allows people to tap a marker anywhere on a map to see if that location will experience a total eclipse, in addition to the start time and duration. The app has a 3.1-star rating on the Apple App Store and is designed exclusively for iPads and iPhones. You can download it here.

One Eclipse

One Eclipse is an app designed by Simulation Curriculum Corp in collaboration with Astronomers Without Borders. It has a 4.7-star rating in the Apple App Store and you can download it here.

The NASA App

According to the AAS, the NASA App allows you to watch live streams of the eclipse. In addition to livestreams, the NASA App also offers the latest NASA images, news, mission information, podcasts and interactive augmented reality experiences to explore. It has a 4.8-star rating and you can download it here.

1. Who created the app Eclipse 2024?

A．The Apple APP Store.	B．Saira Creations.
C．Exploratorium.	D．Simulation Curriculum Corp.

2. Which of the following apps tops the ratings in the Apple App Store?

A．Total Solar Eclipse.	B．Eclipse 2024.
C．One Eclipse.	D．The NASA App.

3. Where is the passage probably taken from?

A．A textbook	B．A newspaper
C．A science journal	D．A website

3 . I like challenges, but this one was almost too difficult. I had begged Mom to take me on a completely new adventure for my sixteenth birthday. Now, here we were, just Mom and me with our guide, Milo, standing on the shore of Lake Arenal in Costa Rica.

Milo helped us onto our horses. Getting on the back of my horse was difficult, but controlling it was a little easier. We started on our ride. The guidebook said we would cross three rivers. As we tried to go through a gentle stream, I asked hopefully, “Is this the first river?” “I don't think so, Katie,” Mom said.

Soon enough, we came to a real river. I felt sick to my stomach when I saw that the far shore was half a football field away! The four-foot-deep river flowed over large rocks. So much for dry shoes or jeans.

After two more rivers, the path got steeper and muddier. The rainforest was splendid and absolutely beautiful. But I wondered whether my horse could keep its balance in knee-high mud. Three frightening hours later, we came to a corral (畜栏). I wondered whether we were stopping. To one side was a wonderful view of the lake and volcano, and to the other, a brightly painted restaurant. “OK,” I laughed nervously. “That was frightening, but I'm so glad we did it! ”

1. Why did the author want to have an adventure?

A．To take up a challenge.	B．To get close to nature.
C．To celebrate her birthday.	D．To explore the rainforest.

2. Why did the author feel sick to her stomach during her journey?

A．The horse always lost its balance.	B．The path became steeper and muddier.
C．There was more than one river to cross.	D．She found it difficult to cross the first river.

3. How did the author feel about the journey?

A．It was peaceful but tiring.	B．It was interesting and relaxing.
C．It was frightening and unpleasant.	D．It was was dangerous but worthwhile.

4. Where does this text probably come from?

A．A travel blog	B．A science book.
C．A museum guide	D．A news report

4 . A team at a US university trained an AI tool to examine 60,000 fingerprints to see if it could work out which ones belonged to the same individual. The researchers claim the technology could identify, with 75-90% accuracy, whether prints from different fingers came from one person.

But they are not sure how it works. “We don’t know for sure how the AI does it,” admitted Prof Hod Lipson, a roboticist at Columbia University who led the study.

Graham Williams, professor of forensic science (法医学) at Hull University, said the idea of unique fingerprints had never been set in stone. “We don’t actually know that fingerprints are unique,” he said. “All we can say is that as far as we are aware, no two people have yet to show the same fingerprints.”

The results of Columbia University’s study could have the potential to impact both biometrics and forensic science.

If, for example, an unidentified thumb (拇指) print is found at crime scene A, and an unidentified index (食指) fingerprint at crime (犯罪) scene B, the two could not currently be forensically connected to the same person — but the AI tool could be able to identify this.

The Columbia University study will be published in the journal Science Advances on Friday. But a pair of twins in Cheshire might be ahead of everyone. Their grandmother Carol told the BBC her two grandchildren can open each other’s iPhones using their own fingers.

“They showed me on Christmas day,” she said. “We were told they were identical when they were born but I can tell the difference between them as they’ve got older.”She claimed that her grandchildren can also bypass the handsets’ facial recognition feature.

Fingerprints are formed before birth. Research published last year suggested the genetic process behind them may be similar to the way animals like zebras and leopards get their markings.

1. According to the research, what can AI tools do?

A．Identifying people’s fingerprints.

B．Contributing to crime prevention.

C．Helping lead scientific studies and experiments.

D．Training people to tell the difference of fingerprints.

2. What does the underlined word “identical” in paragraph 7 mean?

A．Unique.

B．Healthy.

C．The same.

D．Cute.

3. What can we learn from the research?

A．All twins share the same fingerprints.	B．People’s fingerprints may not be unique.
C．AI will replace humans in every way.	D．Fingerprints will change as people grow older.

4. Why does the author mention zebras and leopards in the last paragraph?

A．To make an appeal to people to protect animals.

B．To tell the difference between people and animals.

C．To explain the formation principle of fingerprints.

D．To show the similarity of genes between animals and people.

5 . Alongside her impressive musical career, Leona Lewis is also the owner of a vegan (素食主义的) coffee shop, Coffee And Plants. She has great enthusiasm for the coffee shop and reveals the drink flavors that they’ve been working on lately. “We’ve just rolled out our new pumpkin drink at the coffee shop. It’s called Pumpkin Pie, and it’s really good! We use all real pumpkin puree, not flavored syrup.”

Coffee And Plants is a real passion project for Lewis, being fully plant-based. She has a long history of animal activism (行动主义), starting with going vegetarian (素食者) at the age of 12 after going on shopping trips with her mum and seeing protesters with animal testing signs. “I was so upset, I said, ‘Mum, I have to help the animals’,” she says. “That became my mission as a kid, and it’s fed into every aspect of my life.”

Her animal activism grew alongside her fame: in 2011 she supported a campaign to ban the use of wild animals in circuses, and in 2013 she released a cruelty-free makeup line with The Body Shop. When it came to opening a coffee shop, making it plant-based was a no-brainer.

“I wanted it to be plant-based because I’m plant-based,” she says. “I would often go into coffee shops and see milk cartons piled up high and think, how many cows are being milked for this? The dairy industry and mass farming—it’s so cruel and harms the environment too.”

Environmental awareness is also at the heart of Coffee And Plants, with all cups being recyclable. But ultimately, Lewis is hoping for a more widespread mindset shift. “What we really try and get people to do is actually bring in their own bottles to refill, or we encourage them to sit in and have a coffee in a cup instead,” she explains. “We need a mindset shift where we start to think, OK, we shouldn’t really be using stuff that just goes in the bin.”

1. What does the phrase “rolled out” underlined in the first paragraph mean?

A．improved

B．discovered

C．denied

D．launched

2. Why did Lewis decide to be a vegetarian?

A．She hated to eat animal meat.	B．She wanted to protect animals.
C．She was inspired by her mom.	D．She was given a great mission.

3. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning the release of a cruelty-free makeup line?

A．To show Lewis influence on business.

B．To compare Lewis’ different activities.

C．To prove that the makeup line is plant-based.

D．To give an example of Lewis’ animal activism.

4. Which of the following statements may Lewis agree with?

A．People have to start using reusable things.

B．The mind shift is quite easy to accomplish.

C．People shouldn’t use cups in the coffee shop.

D．Only vegetarians can go into the coffee shop.

6 . When Senait Lara, a 28-year-old video producer, was questioned by her friends about her lack of communication in their group chat, the blames were as follows: she only caught up every few days; when she did, it was hardly an interaction — Lara spent time “liking” messages instead of responding with words and sometimes she would never respond at all. Lara didn’t deny it. She knew she sometimes preferred to completely avoid her phone rather than deal with a large number of requests. Actually, in person, Lara felt comfortable talking with people, but when communication came down to a text message or an email, she wanted to tap out.

While social media and messaging apps keep us more connected to each other, many younger users are finding themselves tired out from receiving constant notices and carrying on conversations that can last all day. The after-effect? Delayed responses, forgetting to get back to someone entirely, and a need for frequent breaks.

In fact, a 2023 study exploring the effects of information overload and online conversation dynamics (动态) found that “over-exposure to information can suppress the possibility of response by overloading users.”

Smartphones have quickly changed into handheld storage units for our conversations, thoughts, music and everything else. That shift to feeling constantly attached to our phones as if they were a limb relates to the burnout, says psychologist Emily Balcetis.

As the pressure to be online and always available continues to grow in our society, in-person interactions provide far more real communication than digital ones. From body language to eye contact and all the other social clues that exist in real life that aren’t available in a text message, it’s far easier to be present when you’re face-to-face. As Balcetis notes, “At the end of the day, I think what we’re looking for is not more ways to stay connected, but higher quality ways to be connected.”

1. What dissatisfied Senait Lara’s friends?

A．Lara denying her problems.

B．Lara avoiding using her phone.

C．Lara’s preference for digital communication.

D．Lara’s communication style in the group chat.

2. What does paragraph 2 tell us about many young people?

A．They are starting to have memory problems.

B．They refuse to put down their smartphones.

C．They are tired of frequent digital contact.

D．They feel more connected to each other.

3. What does the last paragraph mainly stress?

A．The need to take a break from digital devices.

B．The pressure of always being available online.

C．The importance of face-to-face communication.

D．The ability to understand clues behind text messages.

4. What is the author’s attitude to digital interaction?

A．Negative.	B．Unconcerned.
C．Supportive.	D．Objective.

7 . If you find yourself embracing the thrilling chaos of completing tasks at the last minute, congratulations — You are not alone! According to a survey, 20% of U.S. adults procrastinate (拖延) at home, at work, in relationships, and more. Another survey found that 88% of people procrastinate at least one hour a day.

Sounds alarming? As it turns out, if you’re feeling stressed, you may be more likely to procrastinate. Essentially, our brains are structured to approach tasks we find enjoyable and avoid those we are afraid of. Our limbic brain (边缘大脑), the emotional part of our brain, is screaming, “Let’s do anything but that stressful thing!” while our prefrontal cortex (前额叶皮层) is the CEO of our brain, setting the goals, making a plan, and ensuring we stay on track. CEO vs. Drama Queen Brain — who will win? Actually, there do exist chances when our limbic brain overrides that prefrontal cortex message.

Then there’s the burst of energy we often get when we’re up against a deadline, which leads to a reward pathway within our brains and sets the foundation for procrastination as a habit. When you race to the end and get to the goal finally, your previous stress is gone and you almost get in that pattern of “See, I work better under pressure!”

So, how to beat procrastination? Well, you need to retrain your brain to cope with the stress. One trick is to take periodic breaks (reward) to refocus your attention on the task. Ever heard of the Promodoro Technique? It’s about working for 25 minutes and resting for 5. During those breaks, forget about brain-burning activities — try relaxing techniques such as meditation or yoga instead. Another trick is to “eat the frog” first thing in the morning, or tackle the most difficult and stressful task of the day, as was once said by Mark Twain.

1. Why are the two surveys mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To warn the readers.	B．To introduce a concept.
C．To present a phenomenon.	D．To make a comparison.

2. Which of the following statements will the author most probably agree with?

A．We are born to prefer what we like and avoid what we fear.

B．The limbic brain is under the control of the prefrontal cortex.

C．We are more likely to burst when getting close to the deadline.

D．Failing to complete a task can lead to habitual procrastination.

3. What does the author suggest readers do to stop procrastination?

A．Force the brain to focus.	B．Take a break regularly.
C．Solve a tricky math problem.	D．Eat something refreshing first.

4. What is the tone of this text?

A．Humorous.

B．Ironic.

C．Serious.

D．Unclear.

8 . Artificial intelligence(AI)models have long surpassed (超过) just creating text responses and images. Now, with only one sentence, OpenAI’s latest text-to-video model, Sora, can turn your words into video with good visual quality while faithfully following your content instructions.

Sora is said to perform better than many other existing models with similar functions. The Al model can create video at suitable aspect ratios (屏幕高宽比) for different devices, such as both widescreen videos and vertical videos that we usually see on social media. It also lets users quickly test out content in lower quality before making the high-quality version, which helps speed up output.

Aside from this, its ability to present videos in a realistic and smooth manner is amazing. Sora can create detailed scenes with several characters, scientific types of motion, and accurate subject and background details while generating multiple shots with a single video. Beyond the user’s requests, it also understands how these elements exist in the real world. For example, reflections in the water changes as a woman walks by.

Sora’s performance wouldn’t be possible without its helpful assistant, ChatGPT, which transforms simple sentences into detailed descriptions. improving the accuracy of output according to the user’s prompts (提示语).

However, the current model isn’t perfect. It may have trouble accurately showing how things move in a complicated scene and might not get how one action leads to another. For example, if someone eats part of a cookie in a Sora-made video, the cookie might not look like it’s been bitten into. The model might mix up directions like left and right, and find it hard to describe events in the right order.

As of February, Sora is still in the testing stage of development. OpenAI is now inviting cybersecurity professionals to make random attacks on Sora’s system, aiming to test the model’s possible weaknesses and risks. Sora has also been open to some visual artists, designers and filmmakers. Their feedback (反馈) will assist OpenAI in enhancing the model to better serve creative professionals.

1. What is the main focus of paragraphs 2-3?

A．Sora’s strengths.	B．Sora’s variety.
C．Sora’s development.	D．Sora’s techniques.

2. How does ChatGPT contributes to Sora’s capabilities?

A．By specifying user input.	B．By providing verbal feedback.
C．By examining sample videos.	D．By improving video quality.

3. Why does the author provide the example in paragraph 5?

A．To stress Sora’s potential safety risks.

B．To illustrate Sora’s existing limitations.

C．To show Sora’s perfect performance.

D．To explain the concept of a space time patch.

4. What can we know about Sora up to now?

A．It has been made available to various industries.

B．Its commercial release has been called off.

C．It has exposed alarming security issues.

D．It is undergoing testing and improvement.

9 . It’s a sunny March afternoon at Winchester Village Elementary School in Indianapolis, and teacher Natasha Cummings is leading her class in a brand new lesson. It’s the first time she’s teaching it and also likely the last. The second graders audibly take a short quick breath when Cummings explains the day’s activity: They’ll be simulating(a total solar eclipse (日全食) using the real sun, an inflatable globe and a moon made out of a play dough ball mounted on a stick.

On April 8, a narrow strip of North America will experience a total solar eclipse, in which the moon entirely covers the sun, darkening the sky so that only the sun’s corona, a ghostly white ring, will be visible. Indianapolis is one of several cities in the path of totality. The last time that happened was over 800 years ago, and it won’t happen again until 2153. For many of Cummings’ students, this event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Cummings hopes learning about and witnessing the eclipse will inspire her students, and get them excited about science. It’s an experience she expects them to remember for the rest of their lives. “This is a story you’re gonna be able to tell,” she reflects before class.

In a grassy area outside the school, Cummings’ eclipse simulation begins: Students take turns holding the inflatable globes, and casting a shadow with their play dough moons. Cummings directs them to aim the shadow over the spot on the globe where Indianapolis would be. It’s a little chaotic, but the students quickly figure out how to properly position the moon’s shadow over their hometown.

Thomas Hockey, a professor of astronomy at the University of Northern Iowa, says he didn’t learn about solar eclipses when he was in grade school. He thinks the fact that elementary school teachers like Cummings are now teaching about them is an indication that science education has improved since he was a child. "Science is not done by old, gray-haired people in lab coats, necessarily. Citizens can participate in it. It’s not a magic black box; it’s all around us,” Hockey says.

1. How do the students probably feel when told about the new lesson?

A．Frightened.

B．Disappointed.

C．Astonished.

D．Satisfied.

2. Why is Cummings teaching her students about the eclipse?

A．To improve their story-telling skills.	B．To stir up their passion for science.
C．To witness a real total solar eclipse.	D．To seize a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

3. What is paragraph 3 of the text mainly about?

A．The process of the simulation.	B．The direction of Cummings.
C．The position of the moon.	D．The reaction of the students.

4. What does Thomas Hockey suggest people do to learn science?

A．Do experiments in lab coats.	B．Study hard in elementary school.
C．Participate in some magic tricks.	D．Experience scientific phenomena.

10 . The Arab Republic of Egypt covers a land area of approximately 1 million km², with an estimated 106 million people, Egypt accounts for one-fourth of the Arab world’s population. Egypt has long been considered the cradle of civilization and may be the oldest tourist destination on earth.

Cairo

A typical visit to Egypt includes arrival in the capital city of Cairo, one of the largest cities in Africa and the Middle East, with a population of approximately 22 million. Cairo today is a modern, international mix of Arab, African, and European influences. Travelers generally spend at least a few days in Cairo seeing the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and Pyramids at Giza.

Upper Nile River

Most travelers include an Upper Nile River cruise as part of their schedule. Egypt is a beach destination, with thousands of miles of Mediterranean and Red Sea coastlines. Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city is located on the Mediterranean Sea and has a string of beaches and seafood restaurants. For a truly relaxing beach vacation, travelers can visit one of the many resorts along the North Coast referred to as “Sahel”.

Red Sea coast

Egypt’s Red Sea coast has reefs offshore, with diving and snorkeling traditionally centered in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. Visits to Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the mountainous interior are popular destinations, especially with religious pilgrims. Adventure travelers favor desert jeep safaris and camel treks to remote oases and spectacular wadis.

1. What do we know about Egypt?

A．Egypt makes up 25% of the world’s population.

B．Cairo today is a mix of modern and traditional elements.

C．Visitors can enjoy their beach vacations in Cairo.

D．Egypt has been considered as the oldest tourist destination.

2. Which place is most attractive to people with religious faith?

A．Mediterranean.	B．Alexandria.
C．Sharm El Sheikh.	D．Saint Catherine’s Monastery.

3. This text is most likely taken from ______.

A．A travel guide.	B．A geography book.
C．An Egyptian newspaper.	D．A historical magazine.