1 . 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 am not a gamer. I’ll be honest: video games and I don’t really see eye to eye, and I have no ambitions to become better. I never have the experience playing against my kids and winning. And that’s okay. Board games, on the other hand, are a different story. At least there, I stand a chance of victory.

One day, my 12-year-old son begged me to play a game with him. He held out a game controller and begged, “Just one game with me? You can use it to control the game through your movements.” His eyes were full of anticipation and I could see the excitement welling up within him. How could I possibly resist such a sincere and heartfelt request? “Just one game.” My son’s face lit up. In a matter of minutes, we were standing in our living room, virtually bowling away.

My son’s amusement at my lack of gaming skills was evident. I could see the struggle on his face as he fought to hold back his laughter. The game controller felt awkward and unfamiliar in my hand, but I did my best to copy my son’s movements and follow his lead. At one point, my son said, “No, Mom. You really have to put some force into it. Like this.” With that, he threw his arm back, stepped forward, and with plenty of force extended out his arm that was holding the controller. Instead of sending the virtual bowling ball flying, the controller went off his hand and broke the TV screen. The impact was immediate and destructive. The screen cracked, sending a crazy mosaic (马赛克) of colors dancing across its surface. It looked like something straight out of a dream.

The air stood still at that moment. The look on my son’s face was a funny mixture of horror, disbelief and guilt. He stayed absolutely frozen for a long moment. Then, slowly, he turned to me. “Mom...” with a weak smile, “Did I just... break the TV?”

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

Surprisingly, I wasn’t angry at all.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

But my son insisted on keeping the broken TV.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 . Be a Beekeeper for a Day!

Learn about the fascinating world of honey bees in a way that few get to experience:

Your tour, led by a professional beekeeper, will include suiting up in protective gear, lighting a bee smoker, and getting up close with more than 100,000 bees.

Each tour is capped at 12 people, providing you an intimate experience of this fascinating species.

Guided tours include protective gear and select drinks.

At least one paid adult must accompany any children under the age of 18.

Price	Starting at $35   Adult (Ages 13+): $50     Child (Ages 6-12): $35
Time	Saturdays
Duration	1.5 Hours
Place	Two Hives Honey Ranch

Things to know:

Ensure you arrive a few minutes before your start time to sign waivers (豁免协议) and get signed in. Particularly for evening tours, it is important that we start on time so that we finish the tour before sunset.

Tours are weather dependent, so if the forecast calls for rain, please watch your email 24-48 hours before in case we need to cancel/reschedule.

What to bring:

We will have a variety of protective gear (beekeeping masks, gloves) for all of you. You will see that the bees are incredibly gentle and tame, but it’s better for everyone to enjoy their time and not feel worried about getting stung! Additionally, please adhere (遵守) to the below guidelines:

Closed-toe shoes that cover the ankle are required.

Wear long pants and a long sleeve top. Blue jeans are fine. Try to stick to lighter colors on top — button downs work great!

Choose clothing that is loose fitting — nothing especially tight! (Black yoga pants are NOT a good clothing choice.)

Avoid using materials that are hairy or made from sweater type materials.

Please avoid using any perfumes or heavily fragrant creams — the bees are not fans of our smells.

Finally, your tour guide may make his/her job look easy, but they work hard to ensure your bee experience is informative, fun, and most importantly, safe. If you enjoyed your time and the experience, a tip to show your appreciation for their work is not required but always appreciated.

1. What will you do during the tour?

A．Taste the honey from their hives.

B．Smoke bees out of their honeycomb.

C．Explore an active and living beehive.

D．Identify the bee queen and bee workers.

2. What is provided for the trip?

A．A cap.	B．A raincoat.
C．A beekeeping mask.	D．A pair of knee-high boots.

3. What are tourists advised to do?

A．Put on a sweater.	B．Wear tight clothes.
C．Choose black yoga pants.	D．Give a tip to the guide.

3 . The Grammy’s Music Educator Award recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to music education.

This year, the award ________ Annie Ray, the orchestra (管弦乐队) director at Annandale High School in Fairfax County, Virginia. With the creation of the Crescendo Orchestra, she works to make ________ accessible to all students, particularly those with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ray says the focus of the program is on teaching students how to play a(n) ________, through one-on-one instruction tailored to their special ________. She also works with a local charity to give damaged instruments a second ________ in her classroom.

Ray took home both a $10,000 ________ and a matching grant for her school’s music program. In an interview, Ray ________ her pupils for this recognition. “This is the students’ ________. I am just ________ enough to have been a part of their journey and to have been ________ by them,” she said. “They completely changed my educational philosophy and ________ of what it truly means to meet a student where they’re at and ________ that elsewhere.”

Now, Ray will use the prize money to buy instruments—something the school had ________ to do. “We’ve been trying to ________ money all year for new cellos. And now the problem is solved.” She also plans to create an ongoing scholarship for students who want to ________ music when they graduate, in any capacity.

1.

A．appealed to

B．calmed

C．went to

D．entertained

2.

A．classrooms

B．books

C．competition

D．music

3.

A．instrument

B．joke

C．character

D．sport

4.

A．questions

B．rights

C．schedules

D．needs

5.

A．attempt

B．visit

C．life

D．thought

6.

A．budget

B．prize

C．contract

D．project

7.

A．prepared

B．credited

C．begged

D．forgave

8.

A．award

B．interest

C．tour

D．goal

9.

A．clever

B．right

C．lucky

D．brave

10.

A．replaced

B．taught

C．adopted

D．signed

11.

A．background

B．research

C．approach

D．resource

12.

A．attain

B．consider

C．choose

D．apply

13.

A．managed

B．threatened

C．agreed

D．struggled

14.

A．donate

B．raise

C．handle

D．spend

15.

A．pursue

B．record

C．stream

D．enjoy

4 . Why is a compliment so impactful? One of the most important things to humans is to feel valued and respected by others, says Vanessa Bohns, a social psychologist, who has researched compliments. According to her research, people feel “significantly better” after both giving and receiving a compliment.     1    

“You handled that situation so well.”

Bohns recently used her favorite compliment when she saw a server address a difficult situation with a customer at the bar. “I like it so much because you use it in anxious moments where the other person is often unsure of whether they handled a situation OK,” she says. In situations that call for a compliment, don’t second-guess yourself. Give your compliments generously.     2     That concern is unfounded.

“    3    ”

This compliment — one of Bohns’ favorites — works well among romantic partners and close family members. “It’s a beautiful way to highlight how their presence turns life into something meaningful, despite boring routines of our everyday lives,” she says. If you’re afraid that giving a compliment like this will feel strange, you’re not alone.     4     If it makes you personally feel like the bar is lowered for you to give a compliment if you write it down, or if you practice saying it out loud or giving your pet cat the compliment first, do that.

“Hey, great dress!”

Feel free to compliment strangers. In Bohns’ research, students on a college campus were told to approach a stranger of the same gender and compliment them-about, for example, their nice shirt. Before heading out, the study participants tended to underestimate their positive effect while overestimating how annoying it would be. Across all contexts, strangers are more likely to be pleased than confused. Plus, who knows?     5    

A．I love the way you bring out the best in people.

B．Respect is essential when you deliver compliments.

C．One way to overcome this fear is to do a practice run.

D．You make even ordinary moments feel extraordinary.

E．You might make a new friend in addition to making someone’s day.

F．With that in mind, we asked her to share some of her favorite compliments.

G．People sometimes worry that they’re going over and will start to sound insincere.

5 . Silent reading is far from silent in your brain. Deep within your head there is a voice reading aloud each word as your eyes pass over it.

Let’s do a seemingly unrelated experiment first. Turn on your television and radio. Try to understand both the words from the television and the radio simultaneously. You might have noticed understanding one source required ignoring the other, and you could feel your attention shifting between the two voices. Although we can listen to multiple people speaking at the same time, we can only truly understand one person speaking at a time.

There are three major areas that allow you to understand spoken word. The first is the Auditory Cortex (听觉皮层), which processes the pure characteristics of incoming sounds. Both sides of your brain contain this region. The next area is the Broca/Wernicke (B/W) network, which makes sense of the spoken word. This network exists in only one side of your brain. This means that, although the sounds of language are initially processed in both sides of the brain, spoken word must eventually be funneled (流经漏斗) into this single network. This quickly leads to a bottleneck, which is controlled by the third area: the left Inferior Frontal Gyrus (IFG, 额下回). When you try to understand two people speaking at the same time, this region effectively blocks one voice while it allows the other to pass through the B/W bottleneck. Any information that does not immediately make it through the B/W network disappears completely — there is no waitlist.

Now, let’s bring all the pieces together to see why it’s related to your silent reading. When you read, the first region to demonstrate activation is the Visual Cortex, which processes the pure visual characteristics of incoming sights. Immediately after the visual cortex activates, the speech areas of the brain fire up because your brain processes your silent reading in a manner almost identical to the way in which it processes an actual, out-loud speaking voice. For this reason, attempting to read while listening to someone speak is the same as trying to understand two people speaking at the same time—it can’t be done!

1. What does the underlined word “simultaneously” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．At the same time.	B．One at a time.
C．On the whole.	D．Through comparison.

2. Which of the following best illustrates paragraph 3?

Note: disappear; wait

A．	B．
C．	D．

3. What may the author agree with?

A．Professors give a speech with a text-heavy PowerPoint slide.

B．Teachers keep silent when students are reading attentively.

C．Students solve math problem when following a lecture.

D．Students practice listening skills while reading novels.

4. Which of the following sentences can best serve as an introduction to the text?

A．The art of conversation lies in listening.

B．What is reading, but a silent conversation.

C．We hear and understand only what we already know half.

D．Once an idea gets into your head, it’s probably going to stay there.

6 . Cordero is the farm manager at Ollin Farms, not far from Boulder, Colorado. The locally grown vegetables on the farm aren’t just pretty. “We play an important role in public health nutrition programs,” says Cordero’s dad, Mark Guttridge, who started this farm with his wife, Kena, 17 years ago.

At a meeting with about a dozen local farmers, two state representatives, and the Colorado officials of agriculture, Guttridge explains how Boulder county has made creative investments in his farm that could be spread to the state or even national level. Before the meeting, Guttridge shows them one of those investments.

A dozen sheep, which Guttridge raises for wool, feed on root vegetables like radishes that have been leftover for them. “So these guys are out fertilizing the vegetable field,” Guttridge laughs. “They’ll be out here a couple more weeks, and then we’ll get our next summer vegetables planted right there.” Around the field is a special moveable type of fencing that Ollin Farms bought using financial aid from the Boulder County Sustainability Office. It allows them to move the sheep from one field to another, fertilizing as they go. The goal of these investments is “really building up our soil health,” he explains. “That relates directly to the nutrient quality of the food-healthy soil grows healthy food.”

The county also makes an effort to get that healthy food out to different communities to boost public health. That’s where the Boulder County Public Health department comes in. It created a coupon program to give discounts to people buying fruits and vegetables from Ollin Farms. Nutrition incentive programs, like those public health fruit and vegetable coupons, are spreading all over the country, and most are funded through the federal farm bill. Amy Yaroch, executive director at the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition, says “It’s a trip le win. It’s basically good for the consumers who live in that particular community because they’re getting the healthy food, it’s good for the farmer, and then it’s good for the economy.”

1. What does Ollin Farms do?

A．It makes public nutrition health plans.

B．It offers financial aid to other farms.

C．It provides cheap food to the local community.

D．It grows fruits and vegetables rich in nutrition.

2. How does Boulder county support sustainable farming practices at Ollin Farms?

A．By raising sheep on radishes.	B．By buying fences for farmhouses.
C．By funding the farm’s soil health.	D．By giving advice about fertilizing fields.

3. What is Amy’s attitude towards “nutrition incentive programs”?

A．Cautious.

B．Dismissive.

C．Unclear.

D．Approving.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Couponing for Health: Stimulating Nutrition Choices

B．Growing Health: Innovations in Farm and Public Health Initiatives

C．Fertile Fields and Furry Friends: A Farming Fairy Tale

D．Local Produce, Global Impact: The Nutrition Choices of Ollin Farms

7 . Creating once-in-a-lifetime moments for you is at the heart of everything we do. The following are some tour suggestions handpicked by the WILDFOOT experts.

ICELANDIC WINTER SELF-DRIVE

September to April|4 Nights; £1,529 per person.

HIGHLIGHTS

· Discover Iceland at your leisure, with included car hire and good standard   accommodation.

· Hunt for the awe-inspiring northern lights.

· Enjoy incredible landscapes, and natural wonders including waterfalls, hot springs and beautiful National Parks.

CLASSIC SPITSBERGEN EXPLORER

May to July |11 Nights; £8,200 per person.

HIGHLIGHTS

· Observe spectacular wildlife, including the iconic polar bears and whales.

· Enjoy amazing polar scenery and midnight sun.

· Experience exciting Zodiac cruises and shore excursions.

10 DAYS PANTANAL AND AMAZON

June to October|9 Nights; £6,256 per person.

HIGHLIGHTS

· Immerse yourself in the birding paradise of the Amazon Rainforest.

· Have a great chance of spotting the majestic jaguar as it patrols the banks of the Cuiaba River.

· Encounter the wonderful wildlife of the Pantanal including the Brazilian tapir, giant anteaters, capybaras, monkeys, giant river otters, caiman, anacondas and much more.

HWANGE & VICTORIA FALLS FAMILY SAFARI

November to March|11 Nights;

Adults: £3,245 per person; Children: £1,064 per person.

HIGHLIGHTS

· Start your Africa experience with a visit to the iconic Victoria Falls.

· Observe an abundance of iconic wildlife including elephants, lions, buffaloes, wild-dogs, cheetahs, a myriad of birds, and much more.

· Visit the Painted Dog Research Centre to learn about the endangered African Wild-Dog and the conservation efforts in place to protect them.

1. What is special about ICELANDIC WINTER SELF-DRIVE?

A．Northern lights.	B．Polar bears and whales.
C．Midnight sun.	D．Victoria Falls.

2. Which option is available for tourists to travel in August?

A．ICELANDIC WINTER SELF-DRIVE.

B．CLASSIC SPITSBERGEN EXPLORER.

C．10 DAYS PANTANAL AND AMAZON.

D．HWANGE & VICTORIA FALLS FAMILY SAFARI.

3. How much does it cost a couple with two children for a Family Safari?

A．£5,373.

B．£6,437.

C．£8,618.

D．£10,799.

8 . My life is full and active taking care of my grandson. But weeks ago, he headed for an overseas holiday, I was left feeling _______ and lost. I needed something extraordinary to lift my _______.

Then one day, I entered the Coffee Club near my home and _______ a cup of coffee. I settled into a comfortable sofa, _______ tasting the delicious drink. After a while, I approached the waitress and handed her my _______. She smiled and said, “That’s already been paid for.”

I looked at her in _______. “Really?” Then she said the words I’ll never forget. “It was a _______ of kindness, and it happens a lot.”

I was shocked. I never really _______ these things though I had heard about them. Today, I _______ it firsthand. Good, kind people are out there in the world. And they ________ when you need them most. I left home this morning feeling, somewhat lost. I returned with a ________ in my step, excited about sharing my story and ________ the kindness.

Two weeks later, I paid for a girl in the Coffee Club. The only thing is, this time, the Coffee Club did it ________. The waiter pointed me out. She couldn’t believe it and ________ me. I simply smiled, explaining that I was passing on the ________ I’d received not long ago.

1.

A．embarrassed

B．flat

C．patient

D．content

2.

A．sights

B．fortunes

C．spirits

D．voices

3.

A．mixed

B．ordered

C．prepared

D．served

4.

A．awkwardly

B．confidently

C．restlessly

D．leisurely

5.

A．bill

B．receipt

C．drink

D．license

6.

A．desperation

B．relief

C．surprise

D．shame

7.

A．test

B．gesture

C．feeling

D．power

8.

A．believed

B．enjoyed

C．refused

D．inquired

9.

A．pursued

B．avoided

C．confirmed

D．experienced

10.

A．hang around

B．break in

C．show up

D．move on

11.

A．pain

B．load

C．drag

D．spring

12.

A．repaying

B．evaluating

C．shaping

D．delaying

13.

A．secretly

B．regularly

C．differently

D．casually

14.

A．puzzled

B．rejected

C．comforted

D．thanked

15.

A．courage

B．kindness

C．respect

D．honor

9 . “Sating from now on, to be healthy, I will NOT eat any snacks besides granola bars (燕麦棒),” is what I told myself yesterday, and yet here I am today chewing a Chocopie. I’m aware that I’m breaking my own promise to myself. Instead of eating this, I should be working out or something. But the thing is, chocolate is too good at this moment for me to refuse it!

As I type this, I’m experiencing what’s called instant gratification — the desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delaying it for a future benefit. Essentially, when you want it, you get it.

Instant gratification is also the exact opposite of what we’re taught to do-delayed gratification: deciding to put off satisfying our current want to gain something better in the future. We’ve all encountered instant gratification before. Should I sleep in or wake up early to work out? When I get home, should I rest and watch TV first or get started on my homework?

All humans have the tendency to seek pleasure and avoid pain, which is a basic but fundamental concept known as the pleasure principle. Originally coined by Sigmund Freud, it clearly states that all humans are driven, to some extent, by pleasure.

Constantly seeking quick pleasure may bring subsequent troubles. However pleasant not doing your homework may seem pleasant right now, it only results in pleasure plagued by guilt and last-minute panicking late at night. An inability to resist instant gratification may result in underachieving in the long term and failure to meet certain goals.

Instant gratification, however, is not necessarily a bad thing. You don’t always have to say no to things you want at that moment, and it’s good to treat yourself when you need it. In other words, times where you “treat yourself” are only valuable in combination with delayed gratification. While my Chocopie may taste good now, it’ll taste even better if I only eat it after I’ve worked out or done something healthy.

1. How does the author introduce the topic?

A．By making a contrast.	B．By giving a definition.
C．By citing a personal case.	D．By listing detailed problems.

2. Which of the following is an example of instant gratification?

A．Purchasing items regardless of budgets.	B．Exercising regularly for long-term health.
C．Limiting time on social media platforms.	D．Finishing homework before watching TV.

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

A．Reminded.

B．Highlighted.

C．Introduced.

D．Bothered.

4. What may the author agree with?

A．Delayed gratification is pointless.

B．Instant gratification should be prioritized.

C．Enjoying the moment brings in endless pleasure.

D．Instant treats paired with delayed gratification are sweeter.

10 . Upcoming Events in Essex County Environmental Center

LITTLE EXPLORERS Mondays -May 6, 20, June 3, 17
For ages 2 and 3; 10am to 1lam; For ages 2 and 5; 3pm to 4pm

Join us for explorations of nature as we study plants and animals and observe the colors, shapes, and sounds in the Center’s forest habitat. Please come dressed and prepared for all weather conditions; all classes include an outdoor adventure. All children must be walking and accompanied by an adult. Maximum of two children per adult. All sessions are limited to 10 children. Fee: $15 per child per session.

FOREST FRIENDS CLUB
Thursdays -May 9, June 6, 4pm to 5pm
For children ages 5 through 10

We’ll explore the forest to investigate nature in our wooded wetland habitat. Together we hope to raise our children’s nature responsibilities and offer an opportunity to take part in hands-on conservation projects. Fee: $12 per child per session.

SPRING WILD EDIBLE WALK
Friday, May 10, 6pm to 7:30pm
For families

Take a walk in the forest to identify and discuss the variety of forest groceries available for harvest. You’ll meet Spice Bush, Mountain Mint and others. Learn some folklore (FIA) behind the plants and we’ll discuss proper identification, growing environment and methods of preparation while walking. Fee: $40 per family (up to two adults and two children) or $12 per child, $15 per adult.

4-H YOUNG GARDENERS CLUB
Saturdays -May 4, 18, 25, 10am to 11 am
For children in grades K-12

Have you ever wondered how vegetables and flowers grow? How to find a rainbow in a garden? The 4-H Young Gardener’s Club can guide you to find the answers to these questions and more. Learning and fun happen all the time here. Meet in Garibaldi Hall. Advanced registration required; please call 973 3531337.

1. When can children join in hands-on projects?

A．On May 6.

B．On May 9.

C．On May 10.

D．On May 18.

2. How much should a couple with three kids pay at least for the Spring Wild Edible Walk?

A．$40.

B．$52.

C．$55.

D．$67.

3. What do the four events have in common?

A．They are targeted at families.	B．They focus on theoretical courses.
C．They offer experiences in nature.	D．They present local folk cultures.