1 . “Palace, Mountain, Moon?” has been selected by NASA as the Astronomical Picture of the Day for December 25, 2023.

The photo was taken by Valerio, a young photographer of Turin, Italy. It was shot on the evening of December 15, 2023. While he knew about NASA’s competition, he hadn’t considered participating until receiving much encouragement from his social media followers. Soon after, he received the message, “Your image has been chosen as the astronomical photo of the day.” It was incredible!

In a photo like this, nothing is left to luck. The concept came to him back in 2017. Walking on the hills north of Turin, he found several spots perfect for including both the Basilica of Superga Palace and Mountain Monviso. After numerous visits over several months, he identified four spots where Superga and Monviso line up just right.

After pinpointing these locations, he experimented with shooting them at different times. “I knew I needed something special to perfect the photo. The Sun was a no-go, so I turned to the Moon. Its various phases and position s reach an azimuth angle (方位角) of 230 degrees,” Valerio said. With this in mind, he researched the Moon’s phases, marked potential dates on the calendar, and planned the exact moments when the moon could join the queue.

It was very successful, especially because the Moon was in a waxing phase. This meant that in the photo, not only was its crescent (新月) lit up, but so was the left part, its shadowed side. That part is lit by reflected light, also known as Da Vinci’s glow, named after him because he was the one who theorized about why the Moon’s shadowed side is brightened. During the early days of the waxing Moon phases, the shadowed part is visible because the Sun’s light reflects off the Earth and hits the Moon’s shadowed side, giving it a greyish, silvery color. This allowed the light to outline Monviso on the left as well.

1. Why did Valerio send the photo to NASA?

A．He took an interest in astronomical advances.

B．He expected to create an impact on social media.

C．He received broad support from enthusiastic fans.

D．He wished to make his hometown a tourist hot spot.

2. In Valerio’s photo, the three objects ______.

A．shine light on each other	B．stand in a straight line
C．fit each other in size	D．vary from usual in color

3. What did Valerio do to prepare for the perfect photo?

A．Studying how the Moon phase changes.	B．Calculating the Superga-Monviso distance.
C．Analyzing when to adjust the camera angle.	D．Measuring the height of the observation point.

4. What was lit up by the Da Vinci’s glow?

A．The outline of the crescent.	B．The outline of Superga.
C．The dark side of the Moon.	D．The shadowed side of the Earth.

2 . On February 17th, the Clermont County Animal Shelter, Ohio, shared a story. A woman met with her missing dog Will again.

While ________ the shelter’s Facebook post forwarded by friends in her community, Hannah saw a dog named Rome that was to be available at the shelter’s weekend ________ event and that dog looked quite ________.

Hannah explained in her Facebook post that Will, a six-year-old went missing from her home in 2019. Although her family looked everywhere, they couldn’t ________ their missing baby.

A shelter volunteer said, “Just yesterday we ________ a message accompanied by photos with a detailed description of Will’s ________ in the hope that the dog brought to our shelter and renamed Rome was ________ Will!” But Rome was scheduled to be at the Take Me Home event today! Learning this, the volunteer, in a bit of ________ quickly sent a message back that Rome would be at the event! “We would love this family to be ________ and we just had to ________ whether this was Will after all these years!” It turned out a big yes. The volunteer continued, “The ________ story serves as a reminder of the incredible impact that the Internet can have in bringing communities together, especially in times of ________. Thank you all for ________ Will’s post.”

It was nothing short of a ________ and we are sure Hannah and her family are ________ to have their dog back!

1.

A．commenting on

B．checking out

C．speaking of

D．looking for

2.

A．celebration

B．adoption

C．demonstration

D．recommendation

3.

A．dynamic

B．lovely

C．familiar

D．friendly

4.

A．shelter

B．describe

C．forget

D．locate

5.

A．received

B．forwarded

C．left

D．delivered

6.

A．duties

B．achievements

C．owner

D．appearance

7.

A．possibly

B．obviously

C．actually

D．typically

8.

A．hesitation

B．guilt

C．anger

D．panic

9.

A．popular

B．thankful

C．supported

D．reunited

10.

A．guess

B．know

C．discuss

D．doubt

11.

A．heartwarming

B．mind-bending

C．convincing

D．entertaining

12.

A．danger

B．need

C．happiness

D．uncertainty

13.

A．sharing

B．reading

C．revising

D．saving

14.

A．connection

B．treasure

C．wonder

D．success

15.

A．excited

B．motivated

C．amused

D．urged

3 . What if our bodies had a new way — other than our eardrums — to hear the world around us? That’s what neuroscientist David Eagleman wondered five years ago. Then he looked at the body for answers and saw a huge sound jack (插孔). “We have this huge input channel called our skin,” he says, “and we aren’t using it.”

So Eagleman, along with Scott Novich, his student at Baylor College of Medicine, created the Versatile Extra-Sensory Transducer, or VEST. The VEST is worn like it sounds. Through 32 tiny motors, it translates sound waves into vibrations (振动) on your back.

First, a computer or smartphone picks up sounds from your surroundings and breaks down the sound sample into a set of specific frequencies. Each frequency band in the set sets off one of 32 motors in the VEST. With time and practice, your brain learns to unconsciously interpret the series of vibrations as sound — and individual sounds as words in a language.

“There is no theoretical reason why this can’t be almost as good as the ears,” says Eagleman. So far, he has trained deaf people to recognize single words through the VEST. He hopes to eventually help them understand sentences, and then full conversations. Just like with language, Eagleman discovered, children — whose brains are more shapable — learned to interpret the VEST more easily than adults did.

Eagleman says his device could one day be deployed in dozens of professions to better understand complex environments. A pilot could interpret a plane’s condition through the VEST’s vibrations. An astronaut could literally feel the health of the International Space Station. Eagleman and Novich’s startup, Neo Sensory, plans to develop the VEST for all kinds of uses, so someday we all can experience this sixth sense. “The possibilities are endless for the kind of information we could be streaming in,” says Eagleman.

1. What is the VEST?

A．A huge input channel on the body.	B．A computer-smartphone connector.
C．A processing program with tiny motors.	D．A wearable sound-vibration transformer.

2. What is the working procedure of the VEST?
①motors to be activated                    ②sounds to be decomposed                    ③words to be interpreted

A．①②③

B．②③①

C．①③②

D．②①③

3. What does the underlined word “deployed” in paragraph 5. probably mean?

A．Assessed.

B．Employed.

C．Detected.

D．Invented.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Listen with Your Skin	B．Hear Your Sixth Sense
C．To Listen or Not	D．Here to Hear.

4 . For eight years, Sophie created realistic-looking limbs (肢) for those who wanted to fit in. But she longed to work on more odd designs that would stand out. Then she met Pollyanna Hope, a young amputee (被截肢者).

“She wanted something a little different on her leg: pictures of a cartoon she loved, Peppa Pig,” said Sophie, who is now based in London. So she designed a unique leg covered in tattoo-like images of Peppa and other pigs riding a bicycle and eating ice cream. Working with Hope made Sophie realize there was a potential market for limbs.

Since then, Sophie founded the Alternative Limb Project (ALP) to make artistic limbs. Her work includes an arm wrapped in sculpted snakes and a leg that looks like porcelain (瓷器) covered in a painted flowery vine. She makes about six limbs per year, always including clients’ ideas so that they receive a personal piece they can celebrate rather than hide.

Of course, a fancy-looking limb won't suit everyone. For Sophie, the basis is that each limb must satisfy a combination of comfort, beauty and functionality, and pushing too hard in one direction can weaken other areas. But for amputees who appreciate novelty, Sophie has some amazing ideas.

“I’d really like to make a candy-dispenser leg with colorful candies inside it” she says. “Or a cuckoo-clock leg with a wooden bird that pops out every hour.” Her goal is to fashion a striking limb.

“It’ll transform the limbs from an elephant in the room into a conversation piece.”

1. Why did Pollyanna Hope come to Sophie?

A．She hoped to have a tailored limb.

B．She intended to design a cartoon figure.

C．She longed to expand the market for limbs.

D．She expected to sell Sophie some odd ideas.

2. According to paragraph 3, ALP aims to ______.

A．boost users’ confidence	B．sharpen users’ creativity
C．improve Sophie’s sculpture skills	D．extend Sophie’s art business

3. What is the basis for Sophie's works?

A．The novelty of the pattern tops the list.	B．The balance of multi-needs comes first.
C．Fashion is the best policy.	D．Functionality is the key.

4. What can be inferred from the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?

A．Sophie resolves to lead the fashion of limbs.

B．Sophie plans to further transform artistic limbs.

C．Amputees will feel at ease to talk about limbs.

D．Amputees will have easy access to artistic limbs.

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。

A Birthday Surprise

I stood at the kitchen window watching Papa as he sat in the old, wooden lawn chair staring out at the lake. Ralph, his old black dog, lay on the ground at his side. Papa’s hand absently stroked (抚摩) the head of his old companion as they dreamed the dreams of old men and old dogs in the evening sun. “He does this day after day?” I asked Mama.

She nodded, sadness filling her eyes. “I don’t know what to do for him. There is a strong desire in his eyes that I can’t satisfy -a desire for the past. The past can’t be brought back to the present. Once days are gone, they are gone forever,” Mama sighed.

“I’m going down to talk to him,” I said.

I called out to Papa and handed him a cup of coffee. “What are you and Ralph thinking about all these hours you spend out here?” I asked,

“We’re not thinking,” he said softly. “We’re wishing.” I sat on the grass beside his chair. “Wishing for what?” “For the impossible, I suppose,” he sighed. “You always told me that nothing was impossible if you wanted it badly enough and were willing to work hard for it,” I reminded him.

He laughed softly, but there was no amusement in the sound. “But Ralph and I have come to learn that when you reach our age, some things are actually impossible.” “Maybe I can help you. What do you want so badly?” I asked.

Papa grinned (咧嘴大笑), and his eyes shone brightly at the thought of his dream becoming a reality. “Ralph and I want to fix up the old boat and go out on the lake again. We used to spend all day out on the lake, fishing, drinking beer and eating sandwiches,” Papa said.

Yes, I remember. When I was young, Papa and Ralph often enjoyed themselves on the lake on weekends. They’d start for home when the sun went down, totally satisfied with themselves and with life. Now, Papa was almost eighty-five years old and had a heart condition, so Mama was horrified by the idea of him going out on the lake again at first. But eventually I managed to convince her.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

After Mama agreed, I persuaded my friends to join in my secret plan.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On the day of Papa’s birthday, we were all eager to give him a surprise.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . Overcoming barriers to exercising

If you’re having trouble beginning an exercise plan or following through, you’re not alone. Detailed exercise instructions and workout plans are just a click awav. But knowing how and why to exercise was far from enough. Making exercise a habit takes more.     1    

While practical concerns like a busy schedule or poor health can make exercise more challenging, for most of us, the biggest barriers are mental. Maybe it’s a lack of self-confidence that keeps you from taking positive steps.     2     . We’ve all been there at some point. There are steps you can take to make exercise-more fun and active.

You don’t have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into dull or painful activities to experience the physical and mental benefits of exercise.     3     In fact, adding just modest amounts of physical activity to your weekly routine can have a profound effect on your mental and emotional health.

Research shows that self-sympathy increases the likelihood that you’ll succeed in any attempt. So, don’t blame yourself too much for your current fitness level.     4     Instead, look at your past mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.

    5     Try not to be discouraged by what you can’t accomplish or how far you have to go to reach your fitness goals. Instead, focus on consistency. While the improvements in mood and energy levels may happen quickly, the physical payoff will come in time.

A．Maybe your passion dies down.

B．A little exercise is better than nothing.

C．Expecting too much only leads to frustration.

D．You know there are great reasons to exercise.

E．All that will do is cause you to lose motivation.

F．You need the right mindset and a smart approach.

G．Many of us are struggling to get into the motionless state.

7 . The recent spread of “fake news” may make it seem like misinformation is a relatively modern invention. But falsehoods (假话) and wild claims have been part of human culture for about as long as it’s existed. This is because misinformation originates with, and is spread by, fellow humans.

When you’ve ever had to communicate an important, but complex, issue to a general audience, you may have a sea of the most reliable data, the most elegant PowerPoint slides and the full backing of every famous expert in the relevant field. And yet, you can still be less persuasive than someone whose entire argument is: “A guy I met down the pub told me something different.”

In a perfectly sensible, logical world, someone who is loosely connected with a certain field or industry wouldn’t have the same influence as actual data, or the leading experts in the field. But humans aren’t perfectly sensible, logical creatures and neither is the world we live in.

The ability to think rationally and analytically is a relatively recent addition to our mental abilities (in the evolutionary sense). And it costs our brains a lot of energy and effort, The more established, fundamental systems in our brain, which shape memory and learning, are heavily reliant on emotion. The more emotionally stimulating something is, the easier it is to remember. That’s why we can spend months revising the material for a crucial school exam, but struggle to remember any of it once we’ve passed. Meanwhile, the embarrassing tine we slipped and landed on our backside in the school canteen. that memory will last until our dying day.

The most determined sceptics (无神论者) will often say, “Facts don’t care about your feelings,” which is correct. But feelings don’t necessarily care about facts either. And ultimately, feelings have more of a say in what we think and do. And that’s why your mate down the pub can seem more believable than a pile of published research.

1. What contributes to the spread of “fake news”?

A．People factor.	B．Human culture.
C．Modern invention.	D．Information accuracy.

2. Why did the general audiences think actual data less persuasive?

A．They prefer making sensible analyses.	B．They ae more likely to be emotional.
C．They have more trust in authority.	D．They overestimate themselves.

3. How does the author illustrate his idea in paragraph 4?

A．By listing figures.	B．By giving examples.
C．By explaining a concept.	D．By citing experts’ words.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To reveal secrets.	B．To share emotions.
C．To criticize a decision.	D．To describe a phenomenon.

8 . Working with ARIA Research, a startup developing vision for the blind, Phoebe Peng is using technologically advanced human echolocation (回声定位) that enables blind users to perceive their surroundings in precise detail.

The process uses event cameras which, unlike normal cameras that take complete images of a scene, track changes in an image over time, making them ideal for the observation of small objects like table tennis balls. The images are then processed into sound using a specialised algorithm (算法). This is then communicated back to the player via a lot of loudspeakers, ultimately with the aim of allowing players to track the ball and movements using sounds.

According to Peng, table tennis makes a perfect test case for the kind of technology being developed by ARIA Research. “Table tennis has been played for decades as a more accessible version of tennis. The sport is beginner-friendly while maintaining a rich level of competitive play. However, like many sports, it remains difficult for people who suffer vision loss or have low vision,” said Ms Peng, who will soon complete a Bachelor of Engineering in Software Engineering.

“The small size of the ball and table, along with the movement of the ball in 3D space, are things that make table tennis difficult to play for those with low vision and complete blindness,” said Peng, who is completing the work for her degree. “Making this sport more accessible while also exploring the potential of event cameras were my two biggest motivators,” she said.

In one study, using two perfectly positioned cameras, Ms Peng was able to identify and track a ball in three dimensions in real time. She then fed that data into an algorithm controlling the loudspeakers standing along the sides of the table, which created a sound field matching the position of the ball.

While the results are promising, more experimentation will be needed before the system will be ready for actual play. “There are limitations on how accurately people can perceive sound localisation. What type of sound should be used? Should the sound be continuous? This is what we’ll be tackling in the next stage of development,” said Ms Peng.

1. How are event cameras different from normal ones?

A．They can have sounds located.

B．They are linked with loudspeakers.

C．They constantly follow image changes.

D．They take complete images of a scene.

2. What makes table tennis a perfect test case for the research?

A．Its unique feature.	B．Its fierce competition.
C．Its technical complexity.	D．Its beginner-friendliness.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about concerning the study?

A．Its inspiring results.	B．Its promising future.
C．Its practical applications.	D．Its technological challenge.

4. What could be the best title for the text?

A．Technology Opens up Blind Table Tennis

B．Blind People Work Wonders in Table Tennis

C．Event Camera Reshapes Future for the Disabled

D．Algorithm Helps Translate Imagination to Sound

9 . 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。

I was never “that girl” — the one who had charming appearance, and who enjoyed a colorful social life. I was another girl entirely, one who was considered “nice girls”, and the top student in class. Not that I didn’t care about friends or fun, I just didn’t think it was worth putting lots of time and effort into changing how I looked, how I acted, even as I started high school.

Marissa was “that girl” — fun to be around, good to know. We are different, but our friendship began the first time we met at an exciting soccer match, on the second day of freshmen year. The excitement of the game and our shared interest in soccer connected us, I was deeply impressed with her enthusiasm, while she admired my calm. Our conversations went smoothly, and our relationship quickly turned into a close bond.

However, as the school year progressed, Marissa’s outgoing personality began to conflict with my reserved nature. She stood out in social situations, constantly asking me to attend parties and social events. While I appreciated her efforts to include me, I felt awkward and uncomfortable to be forced into unfamiliar surroundings. Our once harmonious friendship started to crack, I tried to turn down her invitations, but in vain.

One evening, Marissa persuaded me to attend a large party at a classmate’s house. Surrounded by loud music and strange faces, I felt uneasy and upset. Marissa was the queen of the party, leaving me feeling extremely lonely. Her personality attracted others to her, creating a barrier between us.

注意:
1.续写词数应为150个左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:

At that moment, I realized the growing divide between us.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

Since then, we worked together to find a balance of our personalities.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . 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。

Many people may throw away the pits (核) or nuts after eating fruits, but inheritors (传承人) of nut carving have instead collected them and turned them into artworks.

“One nut,    1     (range) from 0.8 to 6 centimetres, can be made into delicate fan pendants (扇坠), earrings, buttons, seals, ect,” said Tan Wanhai,    2     inheritor of Weifang nut carving.

Weifang nut carving     3     (date) back to the Qing Dynasty. During that time, retired imperial craftsman Wang Dayan spread the skill to the local people in Shandong Province. Craftsmen back then often used peach pits     4     (show) off their artistic skills. Due to the rigorous (严谨缜密的) carving skills    5     its rich artistic content, Weifang nut carving    6     (list) as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Tan couldn’t forget    7     impressed he was when he first saw a nut carving. Yet, the 48-year-old craftsman also admitted that the journey of bringing this kind of masterpiece to life is not all smooth sailing. “Unlike some pits    8    a flat surface, each peach pit has its own unique texture (纹理),” Tan said, adding that craftsmen have to study and trace each peach pit to carefully plan out their artwork.

“Now, the number of inheritors is about 1,000. But I believe it could be     9     (high) as more craftsmen give up the tradition of passing down the skill only through the family and open up the     10     (occupy) to anyone who is interested,” added Tan.