1 . Alia found herself disappointed in the drawing studio after missing out on picking her classes due to illness. She had hoped for Biology, but it was ___________ by the time she got to choose. She loved everything about science, from the way it used facts to how it revealed the basic nature of things. But ___________ was so... un-scientific.

The first class project was self-portraits (肖像). Some students were drawing self-portraits using___________. Others were working from photographs. Alia___________the incomplete outlines, feeling like a cat in a dog show.

The teacher ___________ her. “Every portrait begins with a circle,” he said. “Then you create a series of lines.” To ___________, he drew a group of small, quick portraits. He began each one with a ___________ , some straight lines, and a triangle (三角形) to determine ___________ the eyes, nose, and chin (下巴) should go.

___________, Alia began her own self-portrait. She ____________ the basic form of a head, the way she had been shown. From there, she used lines to plot the ____________ of her face. The process took patience and ____________ . She had to take note of each detail. One wrong measurement could throw off the whole ____________.

Alia was surprised by the structure and discipline involved in drawing a portrait. Measuring, studying details and ____________ the basic nature of something ______________ her of what she loved about science.

1.

A．full

B．changeable

C．busy

D．tough

2.

A．biology

B．art

C．physics

D．medicine

3.

A．artbooks

B．glass

C．brushes

D．mirrors

4.

A．cared for

B．searched for

C．glanced at

D．get rid of

5.

A．punished

B．approached

C．blamed

D．requested

6.

A．introduce

B．demonstrate

C．complete

D．promote

7.

A．letter

B．square

C．circle

D．dot

8.

A．why

B．when

C．how

D．where

9.

A．Surprisingly

B．Excitedly

C．Hesitantly

D．Disappointedly

10.

A．drew

B．wrote

C．printed

D．typed

11.

A．features

B．sizes

C．colors

D．lengths

12.

A．accuracy

B．love

C．courage

D．humor

13.

A．design

B．paper

C．portrait

D．book

14.

A．changing

B．revealing

C．distinguishing

D．understanding

15.

A．warned

B．informed

C．suspect

D．reminded

2 . Humans spend approximately one-third of their lives sleeping, which means that by the time you reach 15 years old, you will have slept for about 5 years! However, the question remains: why do we do it? Sleep has long been a puzzle for people, leading scientists to explore its mysteries. They have found that during sleep, our brains and bodies do not simply shut down; instead, complex processes unfold.

What causes sleepiness? It’s caused by our biological clock releasing a special chemical signal at the same time daily, signaling it’’s time to wind down. The feeling of heaviness comes from the buildup of old nerve messenger chemicals. When the message gets too much, the brain senses that it’s time to sleep. During sleep, the body breaks down and clears away these old messengers, preparing for a fresh start.

As you slip into sleep, your heart and breathing slow down, and your brain ignores the most sounds and surroundings around you. Despite appearances, your brain remains active during sleep, performing essential tasks. Throughout the night, you cycle through light, deep, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stages every 90 minutes. Early on, slow-wave sleep is the primary stage, aiding in brain cleaning, while towards morning,REM sleep increases, leading to vivid dreams. During sleep, your body repairs and grows, creating new skin, muscle, and other tissues with released chemicals. It’s also a time for hormone (荷尔蒙) production, aiding growth, and boosting the immune (免疫) system to fight infections.

Scientists still have many questions about sleep, such as why some people need more sleep than others and how certain animals can function with less sleep. They aim to find ways to improve sleep quality. However, one thing is clear: getting enough sleep is vital for health and intelligence. Think of sleep as a free magic potion that strengthens you, aids growth, boosts immunity, and enhances intelligence, happiness, and creativity. Simply lie down and rest to enjoy these benefits.

1. What inference can be drawn from scientists’ findings about sleep?

A．Sleep serves no purpose.	B．Sleep has fundamental processes.
C．Sleep involves complex processes.	D．Sleep has minimal impact on brain function.

2. What is the primary function of the body’s “biological clock“?

A．Determining the best time for sleep.

B．Controlling chemicals within the body.

C．Managing eating and digestion patterns.

D．Regulating daytime and nighttime activities.

3. What is the main focus of the third paragraph?

A．Describing the different stages and functions of sleep.

B．Discussing the benefits of daytime activities for overall health.

C．Exploring the effects of inadequate sleep on the body and mind.

D．Analyzing the impact of stress on the immune system during sleep.

4. Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage?

A．Narrative of personal sleep experiences.

B．Comparison of human and animal sleep patterns.

C．Imaginary stories illustrating the advantages of sleep.

D．Explanation of sleep importance, with body processes described.

3 . Frederick Phiri, known as the junk-art king of Zambia, set out on a remarkable journey at the age of 22 when he began earning an international reputation for being able to make complex and elegant sculptures from deserted metal found in his community.

Phiri’s path to artistic recognition was filled with challenges. His childhood was marked by the loss of his father and his mother leaving him behind, making him under the care of his grandfather. While his grandfather provided for his basic education, Phiri faced financial struggles when he entered secondary school, forcing him to take on various jobs to fund his studies. Yet, despite these obstacles, his passion for art remained growing, and he dedicated his free time to drawing and crafting in the classroom.

Upon completing his education, Phiri sought to support himself by creating wire animal sculptures (雕塑品), which he sold to tourists. It was during this period that his exceptional talent caught the attention of Karen Beattie, the director of Project Luangwa, a nonprofit organization committed to education and economic development in central Africa.

Teaming up with local welder (焊接工) Moses Mbewe in 2017, Phiri contributed to the creation of a complex set of doors for Project Luangwa during the rainy season. Impressed by his work, Beattie presented Phiri with a challenge: to create art from abandoned waste metal. Undiscouraged, Phiri embraced the opportunity, transforming forgotten keys, broken bike chains, and old metal bottles into attracting abstract animal sculptures, including elephants, cranes, giraffes, and monkeys.

Today, Phiri’s artistic pursuits continue to flourish as he transforms deserted junk into striking sculptures showcased at the Project Luangwa headquarters. His talent has earned recognition and admiration from the community, fueling his dreams of pursuing formal art education at the Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka and creating even more magnificent sculptures in the future. Through creativity and determination, Phiri has turned adversity (逆境) into artistic success, leaving a lasting impact on Zambia’s art scene.

1. What is Phiri distinguished for?

A．Serving his community.	B．Collecting works of art.
C．Being the king of Zambia.	D．Turning trash into treasure.

2. What aspect of Phiri’s childhood shaped his early life?

A．His struggle to pay for primary schooling by himself.

B．The loss of his father and abandonment by his mother.

C．His dedication to part-time jobs while attending school.

D．His responsibility to support his grandfather financially.

3. What challenge did Karen Beattie present to Phiri?

A．To create sculptures from wire.

B．To sell his sculptures internationally.

C．To create art from deserted waste metal.

D．To design a complex set of doors for Project Luangwa.

4. What attitude does Phiri exhibit towards his future?

A．Uncertain.

B．Confident.

C．Depressed.

D．Confused.

4 . In a groundbreaking achievement, a rhino has successfully undergone embryo (胚胎) transfer, marking the first successful use of a method that holds promise for saving the nearly extinct northern white rhino subspecies.

The experiment, conducted with the less endangered southern white rhino subspecies, involved creating an embryo in a lab using eggs and sperm (精子) collected from other rhinos. This embryo was then transferred into a southern white rhino alternative mother in Kenya. Despite the unfortunate death of the alternative mother due to an infection in November 2023, researchers praised the successful embryo transfer and pregnancy (怀孕) as a proof of concept. They are now ready to proceed to the next stage of the project: transferring northern white rhinoembryos.

Professor Thomas Hildebrandt expressed optimism about the findings, highlighting the significance of the successful embryo transfer in demonstrating that frozen and defrosted embryos produced in a lab can survive. This development offers hope for the revival of the northern white rhino population.

However, challenges facing rhino conservation remain significant. While the southern white rhino subspecies and the black rhino species have shown signs of recovery from population declines due to illegal hunting for their horns (牛角), the northern white rhino subspecies is on the edge of extinction. With only two known members left in the world, Najin and her daughter Fatu, both unable to reproduce naturally, and the recent death of the last male white rhino, Sudan, in 2018, urgent action is needed to prevent the extinction of this subspecies. Dr. Jo Shaw, CEO of Save the Rhino International, emphasized the importance of addressing the primary threats facing rhinos worldwide: illegal hunting for their horns and habitat loss due to development. She stressed the need to provide rhinos with the space and security they need to succeed in their natural environment.

While the successful embryo transfer representsa significant advancement in rhino conservation efforts, organized action is required to address the main challenges facing rhino populations worldwide.

1. What is the purpose of the experiment mentioned in the text?

A．To evaluate the efficiency of a new rhino birth program.

B．To observe the behavior of rhinos in a controlled environment.

C．To assess the effects of climate change on the southem rhino habitats.

D．To develop a way of rescuing the endangered northern white rhinos subspecies.

2. Which word can replace the underlined word “revival” in paragraph 3?

A．Rebirth.

B．Decline.

C．Stability.

D．Decrease.

3. What is the current condition of the northern white rhino subspecies?       

A．Facing extinction.	B．Showing signs of recovery.
C．Developing in their natural habitat.	D．Recovering from population declines

4. What might be the best title of this text?

A．Dr. Jo Shaw’s Call to Action: Addressing Threats to Rhino Survival

B．Challenges Facing Rhino Conservation Efforts: Urgent Action Needed

C．The Successful Embryo Transfer: A Breakthrough in Rhino Conservation

D．Professor Thomas Hildebrandt’s Optimism: Hope for Rhino Population Revival

5 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Before seven o’clock one Saturday morning, a large crowd had already gathered at the stadium. David sat at the starting line, his gloved hands holding his wheelchair. With his heart beating, the boy wondered if he would be able to complete the race. His classmates were all there to support him. From a distance, he could see them holding up big banners (横幅) which screamed: WE ARE WITH YOU! ALL THE WAY, DAVID! Heartened, he smiled and waved back. He was not going to let them down.

Born with a severe condition that left him paralysed (瘫痪) from the waist down. At six, he underwent several surgeries to improve his condition. As a result, he was able to attend school and even took up sports to help strengthen his bones and muscles. Then, he fell in love with wheelchair racing. Unfortunately, he did not have a lot of coordination (协调) or strength but he had a will to keep going. Once, without warning, his condition took a turn for the worse and it almost destroyed his pursuit of his passion.

One day, David’s teachers encouraged him to compete alongside his non-wheelchair schoolmates. Unsure and yet grateful for the opportunity, he thought he should give it a shot. By the time the race was about to begin, the sun had risen. David was glad that he was well prepared. Adjusting the cap on his head and his gloves, David was all ready to protect himself from the heat and the strong strokes to his wheelchair. David’s eyes followed the starter who was waving a red flag. As soon as the gun was fired, David was off. The entire stadium erupted into thunderous cheers.

David pushed forward with all his strength, his hands holding the wheels the whole time for the long-distance race. His wheelchair rolled steadily out of the stadium, passing the shop houses. Despite doing everything he could to keep up with the other competitors, David fell behind.

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。

Overhead, the sun continued to burn in the cloudless sky.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He was determined to overcome every single challenge.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

People worldwide have enjoyed noodles for thousands of years. But did you ever stop     1     (think): who made the very first noodle? People first started     2     (grow) wheat and making flour in the Middle East around 10,000 years ago. However, until 2002, no evidence of ancient noodles had been uncovered. Archaeologists discovered an upside-down clay bowl in the     3     (ruin) of an ancient Chinese village. When they lifted it, they found a 4,000-year-old noodle. This “mummy” noodle     4     (make) from grain. Traders brought wheat     5     China about the time this ancient noodle was cooked. The Chinese     6     (eventual) mastered the art of stretching wheat dough (面团) into long noodles.

Some people claim that Marco Polo brought pasta (意粉) to Italy. The tale of his discovery was likely enhanced to promote pasta consumption in America. Marco Polo’s writings suggest that noodles were already present in Italy during his time, as he compared Chinese noodles to     7     (that) in Italy. The Middle East also played a     8       (significance) role in noodle history. The oldest written mention of pasta outside China dates back about 1,600 years in the Middle East. Dried noodles were a popular travel food in the region and beyond, making them a likely prospect for spreading the noodle recipe to other parts of     9     world.

So who REALLYinvented noodles? We may never know-the history of noodles is as complicated as a bowl of pasta. But     10     invented them, we’re sure glad they did!