1 . Looking for a career change? Check out these unconventional options!
The Waterslide Tester

When the pool where he worked as a lifeguard was closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Guillaume Pop took jobs at various other pools that were virtually deserted. In one video on the social platform, he pretended to be a “professional waterslide tester”. Unexpectedly, Pop became a social media sensation. He was then hired to “test” slides and other facilities at water parks and swimming pools all over France. “It’s the best job in the world,” declares Pop, whose videos have received 80 million views. “I’m not behind a desk. I’m active and outside in the sun. In fact, all the children tell me they want to be a waterslide tester!”

The Reindeer Herder

Finnish Lapland is home to around 200,000 wild reindeer. Anne Ollila, one of the 4,000 owners of these animals, works in this harsh but beautiful region with her big family. She gave up her job as a sociology researcher in 2010 to devote herself to reindeer herding full time. In summer, Ollila sleeps during the day and walks up to 12 miles a night through marsh and forest, enduring all kinds of insects. In deepest winter there is little daylight. Grasslands are frozen and the reindeer move into the forest for protection. “Life here isn’t easy but it’s how nature works,” says Ollila, “I love the environment, the animals and the freedom. Also, I have a sense of belonging to something bigger than me, to the chain of life through the generations.”

The Zombie Trainer

Stevie Douglas, a 52-year-old Scot, has taught people how to behave like all varieties of the undead. A big fan of horror movies, Douglas noticed the zombies he saw in films were often unconvincing. “Their movement was poor and I thought I could do better.” So, in 2012, he formed ScareScotland to provide zombies for films and events such as horror conventions. A year later they started a zombie training program, which took off when they received a request for 300 zombies for a three-week-long interactive production. “What we do is very specific.” says Douglas. Many people enjoy being frightened, and he’s happy to oblige them.

1. What do the three people introduced in the passage above have in common?

A．Their jobs are dangerous, unstable and low-paid.

B．Their jobs are well received throughout the world.

C．They have great passion and pride in what they do.

D．They need professional qualifications to do their job.

2. What does Guillaume Pop like most about his job?

A．It has a sense of freedom.	B．It is full of vigor and energy.
C．It is what he has been doing for decades.	D．It satisfies people’s wishes to be frightened.

3. Who is most probably interested in this passage?

A．Employees who are considering switching jobs.

B．Students who are applying for ideal universities.

C．Children who are interested in unusual activities.

D．Graduates who are deciding on their essay topics.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。1.

A．Black or white coffee.	B．Their teachers in classes.
C．World history classes.	D．The beginning of the semester.

2.

A．She has to take the course.	B．She finds it interesting.
C．The professor gives good instructions.	D．There are many discussions.

3.

A．She holds big lectures.	B．She takes her students seriously.
C．She loves the subject so much.	D．She gives a usual test in class.

4.

A．Talk to the man’s teacher.	B．Take another history course.
C．Meet the man next day.	D．Go to the man’s world history class.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．Because it is his nickname.

B．Because he is often called to put out fires.

C．Because he brings more technical technology to each project.

D．Because he is the one who gets called to address troubled projects.

2.

A．He contributes more value than others.

B．He struggled to settle problems but failed.

C．He interfered with the distribution service projects.

D．He learns from past mistakes and successes consciously.

3.

A．To ask for a pay raise.	B．To become a fireman.
C．To be the team leader.	D．To present a better image.

4 .

A．The job is well-paid.	B．He has just worked for a day.
C．The weather is not a problem.	D．He has trouble riding a bicycle.

5 .

A．They need to dress similarly.	B．The woman should avoid jeans.
C．They had better dress formally.	D．The man is looking for a new jacket.

6 .

A．He’s not feeling fine.	B．He can’t see very well.
C．His eye doesn’t hurt much.	D．His eye isn’t healing quickly.

7 .

A．Read the speech to her.	B．Give a different speech.
C．Finish writing the speech.	D．Stop worrying about the speech.

8 . Strengthen Bonds With Your New Pet

Welcoming a new pet can be a magical moment for a lot of families. Unfortunately, many new pet owners struggle to bond with them. The following steps may help.

This should go without saying but spending time with your pets can greatly help you form a strong relationship. Pets love to be included in every activity of their humans, whatever the activities are.     1     Cats love playing with yarn (纱线) balls and fishing pole toys. Dogs are outgoing and usually love playing games with tennis balls such as fetch. So it’s also important to learn what type of play your pet enjoys.

Most people forget that training and teaching them tricks is a healthy outlet as well.    2     Whether you’re teaching them simple commands like ‘sit’ or something more complex like ‘turn around’ or ‘bow’, they’re sure to enjoy your company and will love you all the more for your attention, company and praises. Pets also love being rewarded with treats.     3     Moreover, when they begin to anticipate treats for good behaviour, they are more likely to be on their best behaviour, further making you and your pets grow closer.

One more thing to notice is that taking care of a pet can be a wonderful experience and also be quite frustrating. For new pet owners, it can be confusing, especially if you don’t understand what your pet needs or wants at any given time.     4     This might take a day or two, or might take months. But eventually, you will reap what you sow.

A．Training will ease your annoyance as your pets tend to obey more and behave better.

B．Giving them an extra piece of chicken for a job well done is essential for a strong relationship.

C．They usually communicate through body language so you need to pay attention to them.

D．You should always learn to be patient and accept that there will be a period of adjustment.

E．But playtime is still a necessary and effective activity to share fun moments together.

F．The Internet is a good place to figure out how you can train them efficiently.

9 . Mathematics has an image problem: far too many people are put off by it and conclude that the subject just isn’t for them. But one of the biggest problems is how maths is ________, as cold and dry.

I have a different approach which is to relate abstract maths to questions of politics and social justice. I have taught fairly maths-phobic (恐惧) art students in this way and have seen their attitudes ________. They now believe maths is ________ them and can genuinely help them.

At a basic level, maths is founded on logic, so when I am teaching logic, I use examples from ________ events rather than the old-fashioned type of problem. Instead of studying the logic of a statement like “all dogs have four legs”, I might discuss the statement “all immigrants are illegal”.

But I do this with specific mathematical structures, too. ________, I teach a type of structure called an ordered set, which is subject to an order relation such as “is less than”. We then study and ask which functions are “order-preserving”. A typical example might be the function that takes a(n) ________ number and maps it to the number obtained from multiplying by 2. We would then say that if x < y then also 2x < 2y, so the function is order-preserving.

________, rather than sticking to this type of dry mathematical example, I introduce issues like privilege and wealth. If we think of one ordered set with people ordered by status, we can make a function to another set where the people are now ordered by ________ instead. If someone has a higher status, are they automatically wealthier? We can also ask about working hours and ________: if someone works more hours, do they ________ earn more? The answer there is clearly not.

My approach is controversial because, traditionally, maths is supposed to be ________ and apolitical (与政治无关的). I have been ________ by people who think my approach will be off-putting (令人烦恼的) to those who don’t care about social justice. However, the dry approach is off-putting to those who do care. In fact, I believe that all academic disciplines should address our most important issues. Abstract maths is about making thorough logical arguments, which is linked to everything. I don’t ________ that students agree with me about politics, but I do ask that they construct thorough arguments to back up their thoughts and develop the crucial ability to analyze the logic of people they ________.

Maths isn’t just about numbers and equations (方程式); it is about studying different ________ systems. We can apply it to balls rolling down different hills, but we can also apply it to pressing social issues. I think we should do both, for the sake of society and to be more inclusive towards different types of students in maths education.

1.

A．dismissed

B．presented

C．doubted

D．neglected

2.

A．transformed

B．defined

C．illustrated

D．examined

3.

A．credited to

B．relevant to

C．separated from

D．independent of

4.

A．economic

B．mathematical

C．current

D．virtual

5.

A．In particular

B．For example

C．After all

D．In addition

6.

A．ordinary

B．odd

C．absolute

D．limited

7.

A．However

B．Moreover

C．Otherwise

D．Therefore

8.

A．power

B．wealth

C．health

D．intelligence

9.

A．profit

B．status

C．income

D．promotion

10.

A．particularly

B．specifically

C．habitually

D．necessarily

11.

A．applicable

B．neutral

C．biased

D．theoretical

12.

A．criticized

B．tolerated

C．ignored

D．assessed

13.

A．oppose

B．claim

C．assume

D．demand

14.

A．disagree with

B．run across

C．rely on

D．benefit from

15.

A．legal

B．operating

C．logical

D．grading

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。1.

A．The importance of a balanced diet.

B．The benefits of applying sunscreen.

C．The risks of common household chores and activities.

D．The importance of protecting our eyes and how to do it.

2.

A．The color of the lenses (镜片).

B．The style of the sunglasses.

C．The UV protection ability of the sunglasses.

D．The brand of the sunglasses.

3.

A．Because our eyes can get exhausted.

B．Because they can be time-consuming.

C．Because they can pose risks to the eyes.

D．Because there are small rocks that may hit us.

4.

A．Every 20 seconds.

B．Every 20 minutes.

C．Every 2 hours.

D．Every 4 hours.