1 . Early on, Sandra Marshall showed a talent and love for art. A New York native, Sandra owes her passion for art, and her thirst for learning, to childhood trips into New York City to visit the museums, and galleries.
After Sandra received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Arizona State University, she worked as a portrait painter and mural (壁画) artist but turned to food art when her daughter declared she would no longer eat meat. Sandra started exploring with fruits and vegetables to make cooking more fun, and was inspired by the colors of nature. She would write stories about her dinnertime art pieces so her children would see the magic in produce.
In 2014, Sandra opened a studio called Be...An Artist Studio, which welcomed artists to come and learn many different types of art. Paint nights, sculpting nights, live entertainment and eventually a cooking school, all came together and helped to bring the community creating together. She was featured on many television networks displaying her passions for the arts. Sandra began posting her creations on social media which led to her first published book One Hot Night at the Veggie Bar.
In 2019, Sandra closed her studio to expand and bring art to more people. This also gave her more time to create and explore he town art, including her food art. Sandra hosted painting events, painting with thousands of people at her large Be...An Artist events, such as the National Football League’s owners meeting in 2019 where she painted with the NFL owners and their families.
Sandra is now working with schools, bringing the joy of creating to children and their families with her “Success For All” painting programs that n re supported by the sales of her food art books and grants given to the schools. Last year alone, she painted with thousands of children and their families over Zoom.
1. For what reason did Sandra change her art theme?| A．She got bored with mural art. |
| B．She was attracted by the colors of nature. |
| C．She wanted to introduce her daughter to art. |
| D．She hoped to make cooking more appealing. |
| A．Sandra’s influence. | B．Sandra’s art styles. |
| C．Sandra’s achievements. | D．Sandra’s future plan. |
| A．She wrote books on art. | B．She held large painting events. |
| C．She opened her own studio. | D．She began to try different types of art. |
| A．The Story behind Food Art |
| B．The Rise of Be...An Artist Studio |
| C．A Trip Shaping Sandra’s Artistic Career |
| D．Sandra Marshall: from a Portrait Painter to an Art Advocate |
2 . Gently trimming your hedge (修剪树篱) every 2 weeks will thicken it up and give it a beautiful look, but heavy trimmers, wires and stepladders make hedge trimming a job that some people hate. Gtech’s Cordless HT50 Hedge Trimmer makes it a pleasure.
Great Convenience
With 60 minutes of runtime, move freely around your garden without being bothered by wires and messy petrol. Running off a 18V motor, the HT50 Hedge Trimmer supplies the power directly when needed. The lightweight but super strong drive system is designed for quiet running. In addition, the precision laser cut blades (刀片) move through branches up to 25 mm thick, leaving a clean cut vital to promote a healthy hedge.
Long Reach
The HT50 Hedge Trimmer has an adjustable head so that you have full control over the cut of your hedge. The head adjusts downwards so you can cut the top of your hedge easily, and upwards so that you can cut thorny (多刺的) hedges without hurting your arms. Keep your hedges neat by cutting flat along the tops of hedges up to 10 feet tall using the 55 cm long blade.
Perfectly Balanced
Weighing only 2.94kg, the HT50 is well balanced, giving you a more enjoyable gardening experience. Get the HT50 Hedge Trimmer (£224.98) for just £149.98 if you order before May 9th 2024, with a Branch Cutter attached free of charge. Call our 24-hour freephone information and sales lines or visit our website for more information.
1. What is a feature of the HT50Hedge Trimmer?| A．It needs no power support. |
| B．It helps maintain weak leaves. |
| C．It has no time limit for a single run. |
| D．It has no noise disturbance while working. |
| A．£75. | B．£149.98. | C．£150. | D．£299.96. |
| A．To advertise. | B．To introduce. | C．To inform. | D．To analyse. |
Sara was always fascinated by art. From a young age, she would spend hours painting, lost in her colorful world. However, growing up in a small town, opportunities to learn and grow as an artist were limited. Her art teacher, Mrs Thompson, saw great potential in Sara and believed she could achieve something extraordinary. Mrs Thompson was more than just a teacher; she was a guide, teacher, and friend to Sara. She recognized Sara’s talent and dedication to art and decided to help her reach new heights. She arranged extra classes, provided art supplies, and even introduced Sara to local artists.
As the town’s art fair was approaching, Mrs Thompson encouraged Sara to submit her work. Sara was hesitant at first, doubting her abilities. But Mrs Thompson’s faith in her was firm. They worked together, choosing the best pieces, creating new works, and preparing for the fair. The weeks leading up to the fair were filled with excitement, hard work, and some anxiety. Sara put in long hours, and Mrs Thompson was always there, offering guidance, encouragement, and a listening ear. Slowly, Sara’s confidence grew.
The town’s art fair was a significant event, drawing artists and art enthusiasts from nearby areas. It was a chance for Sara to showcase her talent to a broader audience and possibly open doors to new opportunities.
Finally, the day arrived, and Sara’s art was displayed. People were drawn to her unique style and emotional depth. The local newspaper even covered her story, highlighting the young artist’s journey and her dedicated teacher’s role. The experience was transformative for Sara, not only as an artist but as a person. She had faced her fears, embraced her passion, and taken a significant step toward her dreams, all with her teacher’s unselfish support.
注意：1．续写词数应为150左右；
2．请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
The art fair was a turning point for Sara.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After the art fair, Sara continued to grow as an artist.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . There’s a long line of research showing that when we make contact with people who’re socially different from us, we tend to feel less prejudice towards them. According to the contact theory, contact seems to work best for reducing prejudice when the contact is generally positive. But what happens when the conditions for interpersonal contact may not be ideal? For example, what if you feel threatened in some way by a group of people you see as “the other”?
Researchers from Ghent University in Belgium analyzed the results of 34 studies surveying nearly 64,000 people from 19 countries to see how intergroup contact affected their viewpoints about “outgroups” under conflict situations. For example, people were asked to report on how they viewed other groups. The researchers also had data from the surveys that measured attitudes towards outgroup members, such as how positive people felt towards them and how much they could trust them.
After analyzing the data, the researchers found strong feelings of threat were associated with more negative views of outgroup members. But having contact with outgroup members still reduced prejudice just as much under those unfavorable conditions. To Jasper Van Assche, the lead author of the paper, this suggests contact theory holds even under conflict situations.
Van Assche says that contact is so powerful probably because just being around people from an outgroup affects how we think and feel about them. As we become accustomed to even the me re presence of people from other groups, that can reduce our anxiety, especially if the encounters are positive—and that can lead to warmer feelings. Also, contact can enhance our knowledge about others’ customs and practices, so that they don’t seem so foreign or “other” to us.
Van Assche hopes his research can lead people to see the benefits of integrating the spaces where they live. This could be done through top-down methods, such as the government requiring school integration, but also from the bottom up. For example, suggests Van Assche, communities could create low-cost, low-key events that bring people together, helping to promote tolerance.
1. Why are the questions raised in paragraph 1?| A．To inspire readers’ imagination. | B．To argue against the contact theory. |
| C．To show the author’s curiosity. | D．To offer the purpose of the study. |
| A．It improves people’s adaptive capacity. | B．It increases people’s desire to socialize. |
| C．It promotes each other’s understanding. | D．It makes people emotionally stable. |
| A．Expanding communities on the whole. |
| B．Increasing chances of positive contact. |
| C．Strengthening interactions between schools. |
| D．Offering equal education opportunities to diverse groups. |
| A．People involved in equal contact are generally positive | B．Opportunities for intergroup contact are on the rise |
| C．The interventions based on contact are unhealthy | D．Interpersonal contact can help people connect |
“Alice, you spend too much time on your phone,” her father said. “You need to focus on your studies.”
“But Dad, I’m doing my best,” Alice replied. “I’m balancing my phone time with my studies.”
In the tense meal, Alice and her parents argued about her recent changes. They were focused on her increased attachment to her phone and its impact on her studies. Her parents were concerned that she was neglecting (忽视) her studies and worried about the impact it might have on her future. They felt that her attachment to the phone was taking her away from her studies.
Alice said, “I know you’re worried about me, but I’m trying my best. I just want to have some fun with my friends and take a break from studying sometimes.” However, her parents didn’t seem to understand or accept her explanation. They felt that she needed to focus more on her studies and less on the phone.
The argument escalated (升级) when Alice announced that she wanted to leave the science club she had been a member of for years to join a new social media club. Alice explained, “I’m not sure if leaving the science club was a right decision or not. I just feel like I need a change.” Her mother was shocked and said angrily, “You made this decision without thinking it through. You’ve done well in the science club, and you have a lot of potential to go further. You’ll regret it if you don’t keep going.”
After that argument, Alice, feeling increasingly frustrated, withdrew into herself and spent more time in her room. She started to avoid her parents as much as possible and didn’t want to talk to them about anything related to her studies or her future.
Her parents saw that the little girl who had come back laughing and talking was gone, and now they saw a face that was alternately angry and sad. She did spend less time on her phone, but she became increasingly unhappy.
注意：1.续写词数应为150个左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
One night, Alice’s parents knocked on the girl’s door and said they wanted to talk to her.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________At this point, Alice seemed to see some hope of joining the social media club.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Sarah, a high school student, had a great passion for baking. With her parents’ support, Sarah dreamed of opening her own bakery, a place where she could turn her interest into a business. However, she knew the importance of improving her skills and gaining real-world experience.
Therefore, every Saturday, without fail, she would set up a small but charming table at a local park. The park, filled with families and laughter, was the perfect place for Sarah to sell her creations. Her table, neatly laid out with colorful homemade cookies and cakes, attracted passers-by with the desserts’ smell.
On a particularly bright and sunny afternoon, as Sarah was carefully arranging her chocolate cookies and cakes, her attention was drawn to an elderly woman sitting alone on a bench. The woman, with her silver hair and sad eyes, seemed lost in thought. As the hours went by, Sarah noticed that the woman remained where she was, seemingly forgotten by the world. A sense of concern washed over Sarah. So she decided to act. She poured a cup of warm tea carefully and cut a generous slice of her rich chocolate cake, a crowd favorite, and approached the woman.
“I thought you might like some snacks,” Sarah said with a warm, inviting smile. The woman’s face lit up as she accepted the treat. “Thank you, dear. I haven’t had such a delicious treat since my retirement,” she responded, her voice soft yet filled with gratitude. As she enjoyed the cake, tears rolled down her face.
A little shocked, Sarah asked what had happened. The woman introduced herself as Mrs. Wilson, who had been a baker before she retired. Since losing her husband to cancer a week ago, she had been living alone. Her visits to the park were her escape from the loneliness that filled her quiet home. Sarah listened attentively, her heart touched by the woman’s story.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Sarah decided to help Mrs. Wilson out.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Over time, their unlikely friendship became noticed in the park.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Have you ever been to Foshan city and visited China’s statue of liberty — the 30-meter-tall sculpture of Bruce Lee? Bruce Lee, known as Li Xiaolong in Chinese,
The towering sculpture, which looks like a stop-motion capture of Lee
Bruce Lee was the first actor
8 . Eli walked to school every day, a familiar routine that never failed to bring him a sense of peace. The school day
One particular day, Eli’s eyes were caught by a
With the bird gone, Eli noticed something
But as he picked up the balloon, Eli noticed a
| A．started | B．continued | C．ended | D．worked |
| A．route | B．direction | C．plan | D．goal |
| A．block | B．flash | C．leaf | D．light |
| A．crying | B．shouting | C．singing | D．screaming |
| A．faded | B．followed | C．went | D．fell |
| A．amazing | B．familiar | C．unusual | D．important |
| A．balloon | B．bag | C．string | D．object |
| A．Curious | B．Serious | C．Upset | D．Scared |
| A．said | B．knew | C．found | D．confirmed |
| A．toy | B．gift | C．litter | D．material |
| A．eat | B．kick | C．get | D．take |
| A．ceasing | B．intending | C．hesitating | D．pretending |
| A．letter | B．paper | C．note | D．poster |
| A．preserve | B．keep | C．watch | D．trap |
| A．secretly | B．carefully | C．really | D．ultimately |
9 . Politicians, business bosses, and other types of leaders indeed tend to like speaking with their hands, but does the habit influence how others interpret those words? To get to the bottom of it, a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics conducted a series of experiments on volunteers who viewed videos of people speaking with and without hand movements.
After showing the volunteers videos of people speaking under different conditions, the researchers asked them questions about what they had heard. Some conditions involved the speaker stressing different parts of words in a sentence. Other conditions involved the speaker making various types of hand gestures, such as pointing and sweeping movements. The team recorded the volunteers as they viewed the video recordings, questioning the volunteers afterward about what they had seen and heard.
Researchers found that the volunteers were more affected by syllables (音节) spoken with the conjunction of hand gestures: In 20 percent of the cases, the viewers were more likely to have heard and interpreted the word spoken with a hand gesture. Interestingly, however, volunteers were 40 percent more likely to hear the wrong sound when a mismatch between the word spoken and the hand gesture occurred.
Body language expert Carol Goman said, “Studies have found that speaking with your hands really can change the view of your character. People who communicate through active gesturing tend to be considered warm, agreeable, and energetic, while those who remain still are seen as logical, cold, and analytic. In fact, a 2015 study that studied TED Talks, which posts international talks online, found that the most popular speakers used nearly twice as many gestures as the least popular speakers used.”
The research team said that their findings suggest that hand gestures are an important part of in-person communication that have a direct impact on what the listener hears. Furthermore, they suggest that our responses to hand gestures may be something we learn as we grow up.
1. What’s the researchers’ purpose of doing the experiments?| A．To examine the volunteers’ interpreting skills. |
| B．Test the effect hand gestures have on speaking. |
| C．To record the volunteers’ questions for the speaker. |
| D．To confirm the influence hand movements have on leaders. |
| A．Hand movements affected what the listener heard. |
| B．The speaker stressed different parts of words in a sentence. |
| C．People speaking with different hand gestures had different effects. |
| D．The most popular speakers used more gestures than the least popular speakers did. |
| A．Assistance. | B．Combination. | C．Disturbance. | D．Interpretation. |
| A．Gestures can influence others’ view on one’s personality. |
| B．Understanding gestures is a must in every language. |
| C．In-person communication helps interpret gestures. |
| D．Responses to gestures are learning behavior. |
10 . At every wedding I attended this past year, the event space has been decorated with family portraits-black-and-white photos of grandparents, parents in 1970s hairstyles and family heirlooms (传家宝) passed down from generations.
As a child, I used to cry when looking at those reminders. When my husband suggested making a slideshow of our family photos for our wedding, I realized we barely had any. It was at that time that I understood just why these kinds of items inspired so many complicated feelings.
My grandparents immigrated from Poland to Cuba in the 1930s. During the Cuban Revolution, their business and home were shut down. The family came to the United States in 1968, leaving everything but a few pieces of clothing behind. My grandparents and mother responded to the pain they had experienced by holding on to things.
Today, when my mother comes to visit, she still brings bags full of useful items even if we have plenty of food. A full cupboard, a house stocked with usable objects, is the ultimate expression of love.
Like many who are privileged (幸运) enough not to have to worry about having basic things, I tended to admire the opposite — the empty spaces of yoga studios, the delightful feeling of sorting through a pile of stuff that I could abandon.
Now that my brother and I have come of age, my parents have both expressed a desire to downsize our possessions. I went through the things that mattered most to me: the books I loved as a child; the CDs made by friends; the college textbooks I never remembered to return. They say that we can appreciate the objects we used to love deeply just by saying goodbye to them. But I didn’t want to give any of them up because they filled with memories of a person I once was, and a person that part of me always will be.
1. The author realized the meaning of family old items when .| A．she was attending a friend’s wedding |
| B．she was preparing for her own wedding |
| C．her family came to the United States in 1968 |
| D．her mother came to visit, bringing bags full of useful items |
| A．In the old days, the elders suffered a lot. |
| B．The Cuban Revolution brought people much pain. |
| C．Some old items represent one’s precious memories. |
| D．The young should treasure today’s happy life. |
| A．They were the symbols of love. | B．They gave her a sense of identity. |
| C．They reminded her of the old days. | D．They were no longer available anywhere. |
| A．Lost time won’t return any longer. | B．A picture is worth a thousand words. |
| C．Some sort of stuff is worth keeping. | D．It’s never too late to make a change. |
