1 . 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。

Located in the northeast of Zhaoping County, around 200 km away from Guilin, Huangyao Ancient Town boasts a rich history     1     (span) almost 1,000 years. Renowned as one of Guangxi’s most-visited tourist spots, this charming town showcases the region’s characteristic karst landscapes and abundant water resources, offering numerous expansive caves for     2     (explore).

Huangyao Ancient Town, with its thousand-year-old legacy, features majestic mountains     3     (dot) with caves, unique folk houses, delicate pavilions and temples, ancient trees, and stone pathways. Siting amidst steep mountains, the town’s strategic location not only makes it easy     4     (hold) but also poses challenges for potential attackers. As a result, Huangyao has been isolated from the outside world, allowing for the preservation of valuable relics, some of     5     include writings and paintings by distinguished Chinese scholars like Han Yu,       6     poet from the Tang Dynasty, and Liu Zongbiao, a man of letters of Qing Dynasty. Thanks to its isolation, many buildings in Huangyao still remain     7     (changed) in their architectural styles from the Ming and Qing eras. Traditional festivals and customs     8     (observe) for centuries, adding an authentic cultural touch to the town.

A visit     9     Huangyao would be incomplete without sampling its signature local delicacy, Huangyao tofu. This treat coupled with fermented (发酵的) black soybeans, exclusively crafted within the town,     10     (offer) a unique flavor that can’t be missed.

2 . Benefits Of Cold Weather

There’s no doubt about it—cold weather can be pretty unpleasant.     1     So if you’re feeling down about the cold temperatures outside, read on for a few reasons to be happy about them!

It boosts your brain. Cold temperatures can excite your brain, allowing improved focus and greater clarity of thought. The cold climate increases oxygen flow to the brain.     2    

It increases brown fat content. Cold weather has the unique ability to increase the number of brown fat cells.     3     . Not only do they help us stay comfortably warm in cold temperatures, but they may also even promote weight loss over time.

    4     In cold weather, an even body temperature can be beneficial for a good night’s rest. As our bodies try to keep warm when it’s cold out, blood vessels get narrower and help control your sleep temperature for a more relaxed and restful sleep. People sleeping in colder environments generally wake up feeling more refreshed than those sleeping in warmer temperatures.

It improves skin health.     5     Low temperatures force us to dress warmly against the cold, leading to protection against environmental aspects that would otherwise remove water from our skin.

All in all, there are many benefits to spending time outside in cold weather! Next time you want to stay inside and avoid the cold, keep these benefits in mind and consider getting outside for a few minutes!

A．It helps you sleep.

B．It raises health awareness.

C．Thus, the central nervous system can perform at increased levels.

D．Cold weather exposure is a helpful contribution to our well-being.

E．They are important for controlling body temperature by producing heat.

F．Cold weather can be good for keeping our skin looking and feeling healthy.

G．While it makes us want to stay indoors, cold weather has some major benefits.

3 . “Few articles change owners more frequently than clothes. They travel downwards from grade to grade in the social scale with remarkable regularity,” wrote the journalist Adolphe Smith in 1877 as he traced a coat’s journey in the last century: cleaned, repaired and resold repeatedly; cut down into a smaller item; eventually recycled into new fabric. But with the improvement in people’s living standards, that model is mind-boggling in the era of fast fashion. The average British customer buys four items a month. And it is reported that 350,000 tonnes of used but still wearable clothes go to landfills in the UK each year.

Yet the gradual revival of the second-hand trade has gathered pace in the past few years. At fashion website Asos, sales of vintage clothes (古董衫) have risen by 92%. Clothing was once worn out of necessity, and now it is simply a way of life. Busy families sell used items on eBay, teenagers trade on Depop and some fashion people offer designer labels on Vestiaire Collective. Strikingly, it has become big enough business that mainstream retailers (零售商) want a slice of the action.

For some buyers and sellers, the switch to the second-hand is born of financial difficulties. Only a few have become worried about the impact of their shopping habit on the planet. But the shift is only a partial solution. Some people worry that some mainstream brands may “greenwash” — using second-hand goods to improve their image, rather than engaging more seriously with sustainability.

However, the biggest concern may be that people keep buying because they know they can resell goods, still chasing the pleasure of the next purchase but with an eased conscience (愧疚). Boohoo, a powerful fast fashion company, has seen sales and profits rise, despite concerns about environmental problems in its supply chain that led to an investigation last year.

A new Netflix series, Worn Stories, documents the emotional meanings that clothes can have: Each old item is full of memories. Actually, a handbag from a grandmother and a scarf passed on by a father are both valuable for us. A love of style is not a bad or an unimportant thing. But a committed relationship is better than a quick flash. Can we learn to appreciate our own old clothes as well as others’?

1. What does the word “mind-boggling” underlined in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Unbelievable.

B．Popular.

C．Reasonable.

D．Influential.

2. With the business mentioned in paragraph 2, the author wants to show _______.

A．old clothes are more popular than new pieces

B．the online second-hand markets are booming

C．the fashion world begins to favor vintage clothes

D．many clothing brands are innovative in their new products

3. How does the second-hand trade impact people according to paragraph 4?

A．It makes people feel free to pursue fast fashion.

B．It makes people more cautious about their budgets.

C．It encourages people to choose eco-friendly clothes.

D．It pushes people to be more engaged with sustainability.

4. Which of the following views does Worn Stories advocate?

A．Old items have lost favor with the public.

B．Old items are worthy of being long cherished.

C．Older generations attach great importance to old items.

D．Older generations care about the quality of their clothes.

4 . With mental health awareness more important than ever, here are the best mental wellness apps that take minority groups into consideration.

Reju

Reju is another meditation and self-care app, launched to respond to the rapid growth in mental health challenges in African American communities. Reju offers a wealth of motivational content to reduce stress, improve mental health, and lead users towards better living. Best of all is the welcoming Reju community for free, where you can connect with peers and get support with issues they’re also facing.

Spoke

Spoke is a meditation (冥想) app designed to deliver mental health support for music lovers. Created by a group of musical artists working with scientific advisers in London, it cleverly combines mental health tools like mindfulness, CBT, and positive psychology with binaural and hip-hop beats, nature sounds, ambient music, and guided lyricism.

Liberate.cx

Liberate.cx is a daily meditation app specifically for the BIPOC community (黑人社区), with mindfulness resources that address topics such as race, microaggressions, anxiety, and self-worth. It draws on expert teachers from diverse cultures to offer wisdom everyone can benefit from.

Headspace

Renowned mental health app, which is only for women. Headspace has launched the Headspace Women’s Collection to provide welcome meditation resources for women. These cover a wide range of issues, including sex and relationships, self-worth, and solidarity. A series of body-supportive sessions are aimed at helping women healing after a miscarriage or struggling with fertility.

1. If a music fan has mental health, which app is appropriate for him?

A．Reju.

B．Spoke.

C．Liberate.cx.

D．Headspace.

2. What is special about Headspace?

A．It is merely for female users.	B．It’s a free mental health app.
C．It provides meditation resources.	D．It appeals to a wider customer base.

3. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To advertise these apps to attract more users.

B．To arouse more and more attention of the society.

C．To offer wisdom to everyone from diverse cultures.

D．To recommend mental wellness apps for minority groups.

5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词) 或括号内单词的正确形式。

China has a long history of more than 5000 years. In the vastness of history, Chinese traditional culture constantly shows     1     (it) unique charm and is deeply loved and appreciated by people around the world. Among the ancient Chinese literature, the Four Great Classical Novels, also referred to as the four greatest and most     2     (influence) novels written in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, stand out.

    3     the four novels have in common is that they were written in the vernacular (白话文) of their times,     4     most ancient literature that was written in the classical style of writing. Most Chinese are familiar with the figures, plots and scenes in the four novels. They have     5    (dramatic) affected the mentality, ideas and values of Chinese people. They were widely read by people and contained philosophical ideas, history and viewpoints about human society that     6     (define) part of the worldviews of the scholar and the     7     (political), which had     8     significant effect on the development of Chinese societies in past eras.

Nowadays, they have already been adapted into movies or TV series,     9     (favor) by lots of audiences. Being high in artistic standard, the Four Great Classical Novels are precious heritage of Chinese nation and     10     (strike) works in the history of Chinese literature.

6 . History has not yet _______ what we will definitively call the postmillennial cohort (2000年后出生的人) that now _______ more than 60 million people in the U.S. These kids and _______ with no concept of life _______ the Internet have so far been called the App Generation and Generation Z. They’ve been referred to as Homelanders, having grown up under the ghost of terorism. They’ve also been _______ the Plurals, for their historic diversity, as well as the Founders, at least by MTV.

Whatever we _______ naming them, marketers and academies are turning their attention to this group, which has billions in _______ and is already shaping the culture. This generation is growing up “totally and utterly connected,” says California State University psychologist Larry Rosen. Experts like Rosen have concerns about these kids’ Google-inspired expectations that everything be _______. They worry about their inability to _______ even five seconds of boredom. And they worry about the demands that come with ________ several identities online, from Facebook to Twitter to Snapchat. “There’s so much pressure on young people, who are still ________ their identities, to present this crystallized, idealized identity online,” says the University of Washington’s Katie Davis.

Historian Neil Howe sees ________ with the Silent Generation, the spoilt, risk-avoiding, “nice” generation of kids who grew up during the Great Depression and World War II, although some marked differences are found. Today’s youths are also coming of age among geopolitical trouble and fears about the economy, he says, ________ schools emphasize an intense far-reaching sensitivity to other kids. He suspects this ________ will be known for being well behaved and perhaps boring the culture by playing it safe. “There are typical examples that occur repeatedly,” Howe says, “even if they go by different ________.”

1.

A．remarked

B．convinced

C．guaranteed

D．revealed

2.

A．numbers

B．houses

C．accommodates

D．contains

3.

A．peers

B．adolescents

C．folks

D．guys

4.

A．over

B．without

C．besides

D．beyond

5.

A．diagnosed

B．dismissed

C．labeled

D．coined

6.

A．end up

B．consider about

C．appeal for

D．approve of

7.

A．distribution force

B．purchasing power

C．global view

D．unique outlooks

8.

A．vivid

B．instructive

C．instant

D．profitable

9.

A．feed up with

B．put up with

C．make up for

D．identify with

10.

A．faking

B．revising

C．illustrating

D．maintaining

11.

A．supervising

B．forming

C．representing

D．promoting

12.

A．parallels

B．contrasts

C．comparisons

D．reservations

13.

A．because

B．although

C．while

D．when

14.

A．emphasis

B．generation

C．intensity

D．cultivation

15.

A．routes

B．schemes

C．names

D．definitions

7 . 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。

New Year pictures are an ancient Chinese folk art.     1     (date) from the Song Dynasty, they reflect the customs and beliefs of the people. New Year pictures, as their name suggests,     2     (create) especially to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday. The custom is popular with the people in the countryside,     3     will be busy cleaning the whole house and sticking     4     (vary) pictures on their doors, windows, walls, and stoves at the Spring Festival. They are often updated     5     (annual), meaning “say goodbye to the past and welcome the future”.

Traditional New Year pictures, famous for simple lines, brilliant colors and scenes of prosperity, have the     6     (feature) of both woodcut prints and Chinese paintings, making a special branch in traditional folk art. New Year pictures are produced in all regions in China with different local characteristics     7     (meet) the specific needs of the vast rural population.

Besides, viewed     8     the symbol of good luck and happiness, New Year pictures cover     9     wide range of themes, but the message in all pictures is related to nice things in the wish of the people. There are more and more new materials for New Year pictures. Meanwhile, New Year pictures     10     (become) a hot collectors’ item for both Chinese and foreigners in recent years.

8 . ChatGPT is an amazing artificial intelligence tool that has recently been released, along with other mind-blowing generative AI tools like Midjourney and DALL-E. These tools have the potential to revolutionize the way we create digital content, making it faster and cheaper.

However, there is a downside to these AI tools that cannot be ignored. What happens when they start replacing copywriters, journalists, customer service agents, and digital marketers? For years, experts have been warning that AI could threaten white-collar jobs, which were once considered safe from automation. Some even predict that up to 47 percent of jobs in the US could be at risk.

While no one can say for sure whether generative AI will cause mass job loss among highly educated workers, it is clear that it has the potential to disrupt the employment landscape. Tasks that were once considered impossible to automate are now becoming automatable. Whether or not jobs are removed, the essence of these jobs is likely to change.

Companies will always choose machines over humans when they can, and AI has the ability to perform tasks currently done by copywriters, digital content producers, and other professionals. This means that these jobs may soon undergo significant changes. However, it is important to note that AI cannot replace certain aspects of these jobs. It cannot conduct interviews, find historical documents, or assess the quality of studies. It lacks authority, understanding, and the ability to correct itself or generate genuinely new ideas.

This implies that while AI may create a vast amount of simpler content, it could also make original journalism more valuable and investigative journalists more productive. AI may be able to generate listicles and summaries of public meetings, but it is humans who will write in-depth stories. Experts believe that AI will ultimately help people use their expertise more effectively, and allow them to focus on areas where human intelligence is crucial.

While there is a risk that AI technologies could lead to sudden changes in the labor market, it is important to recognize the benefits of having such technology.

1. What’s the potential impact of generative AI tools on the employment market?

A．They may offer jobs faster and cheaper.

B．They may make the nature of certain jobs different.

C．They may cause mass job loss for white collars.

D．They may revolutionize the way digital content is created.

2. How can AI finally benefit professionals in the labor market?

A．By making positions more valuable.

B．By making their jobs more irreplaceable.

C．By removing the need for human expertise.

D．By enabling them to specialize in some key fields.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．AI has few benefits for employment.

B．AI is bound to take the place of mankind in the future.

C．AI can’t be completely independent of human wisdom.

D．AI can’t create genuinely new ideas or simpler content.

4. What is the overall point of the passage towards AI technologies?

A．They should be further perfected.

B．They should be accepted despite their risks.

C．They should be avoided to protect white-collar jobs.

D．They should be controlled to prevent mass job loss.

9 . Stories have long been employed to instill (灌输) moral and cultural values in young children, but there is little research exploring the effectiveness of such stories.

“As parents, we want to know how effective the stories actually are in promoting honesty.” say lead author Kang Lee of the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study at the University of Toronto and co-author Victoria Talwar of McGill University. “Is it ‘in one ear, out the other,’ or do children listen and take the messages to heart?”

To find out, Lee and Talwar conducted an experiment with 268 children aged 3 to 7. Each child played a game that required guessing the identity of a toy based on the sound it made. In the middle of the game, the experimenter left the room for a minute, instructing the child not to glance at a toy left on the table. For most children, this temptation (诱惑) was too hard to resist. When the experimenter returned, she read the child a story, either The Tortoise and the Hare, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Pinocchio, or George Washington and the Cherry Tree. Afterward, the experimenter asked the child to tell the truth about whether he or she glanced at the toy.

Contrary to the experimenters’ expectations, Pinocchio and The Boy Who Cried Wolf , which associate lying with negative consequences, were no more effective at promoting honest behavior than a fable unrelated to honesty, in this case The Tortoise and the Hare. Only the made-up tale about young George Washington seemed to inspire the kids to admit glancing: Children who heard the tale in which the future first president was complimented because of admitting his mistake and rewarded a candy were three times more likely to tell the truth than their fellows who heard other stories.

“Our study shows that to promote moral behavior such as honesty, emphasizing the positive outcomes of honesty rather than the negative consequences of dishonesty is the key,” note they. “This may apply to other moral behaviors as well.”

They also warn that more research is necessary to determine whether moral stories influence kids’ behavior in the long term. Still, they have been quick to take advantage of the findings. Talwar reports a shift in her own parenting practices: “It really seems to work. I use this now with my child.”

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

A．To find out which story is instructive at school.

B．To make sure if the children can resist the temptation.

C．To see the effectiveness of stories in promoting honesty.

D．To ensure the precision in guessing the identity of the toy.

2. What does the underlined word“complimented”mean in Paragraph 4?

A．Criticized.

B．Praised.

C．Ignored.

D．Respected.

3. What does Talwar mean in the last paragraph?

A．She will apply the finding to her child.

B．Her child shows a strong interest in the story.

C．Her parents have changed their way of education.

D．She perceives the positive influence on her child.

4. Which word can describe the author’s attitude in the text?

A．Unclear.

B．Contradictory.

C．Sympathetic.

D．Objective.

10 . High school seniors missed out on so much in 2023—no proms, no traditional graduation ceremonies. But that has not stopped some of them trying to solve the world’s biggest challenges. And Lillian Kay Petersen from Los Alamos, New Mexico, is among them.

Petersen invented a simple tool for predicting harvests early in the growing season, which could facilitate food allocation(分配) planning and offer useful resources to those working to tackle global food insecurity. She first tested her tool, which analyzed daily satellite imagery using accepted measures of vegetation health, on known domestic crop data. She then carried out experiments for countries in Africa and successfully predicted harvests with high accuracy against reported production.

Petersen won first place and the $250,000 top award in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2023, one of the oldest and most reputable science and math competitions for high school seniors in the US.

In 2014, Petersen’s family adopted her three younger brothers and sisters, all of whom suffered from malnutrition due to food insecurity in their childhood. Their struggles against the lifelong effects left a deep impression on her. After reading about a disastrous drought in Ethiopia between 2018 and 2019, she put her computer science knowledge to use. “I wanted to find a way to help aid organizations monitor crop condition as droughts evolve, to help them respond to food crises with a better time, and to help children so that they don’t face malnutrition and lifelong consequences,” she said.

While in high school, she began monitoring droughts in Africa using satellite imagery. Later, she published her first paper on the subject in a peer-reviewed journal. She has also met with the International Food Policy Research Institute to discuss the global pandemic and its effects on crop production in Africa.

1. What benefit could Petersen’s invention bring?

A．It could ensure food security.	B．It could boost crop production.
C．It could collect crop data accurately.	D．It could make food distribution planning easier.

2. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．What inspired Petersen to invent the tool.

B．Why food crises in Africa were so serious.

C．When Petersen began to monitor crop condition.

D．Why Petersen’s brothers and sisters were adopted.

3. Which words can best describe Petersen?

A．Innovative and far-sighted.	B．Generous and committed.
C．Competent and risk-taking.	D．Intelligent and competitive.

4. Why does the author write this text?

A．To draw public attention to food insecurity.

B．To emphasize challenges Africans encounter.

C．To appeal to young people to handle global issues.

D．To share the benefits of conducting scientific research.