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。

Having nice things can make you feel good, but at the end of the day, what truly matters is that we have people we love and care about in our lives.

Still, when someone is asked to sacrifice something in order to be with their loved ones in good health, it can be hard. That was the situation one man was put in two decades ago when his wife was diagnosed with cancer.

Years ago, Wesley Ryan learned his wife, Laura, had been diagnosed with cancer. The medical bills were piling up, and he knew in order to continue making ends meet, he would have to sell his beloved car.

Wesley loved that car and even nicknamed it Christine, based on the 1958 Plymouth Fury from Stephen King’s book, Christine. However, Laura meant more to him, and Wesley wanted her to continue getting the care she needed. So he handed over the keys.

“I know how much it broke him in half seeing that car drive away from him,” his son, Jake, wrote online. “It’s a day that I’ll never forget.” Jake and his sister, Jeni, knew they wanted to help their dad reunite with the car he’d loved so much. And over the years, the siblings had saved up enough money. So they started an online search and surprisingly, they were able to track down the old car online.

Actually, the man who bought the car found out about Wesley’s story and the meaning behind the beloved vehicle by accident. Moved by the sacrifice one man had made for his family and how his family stepped up to repay him in the sweetest way possible, he soon got in touch with Jake, who purchased it as soon as possible. And after careful consideration, Jake and Jeni decided to surprise their dad in a nearby parking lot. Moreover, Laura, cancer-free for 13 years at the time, joined them for the big reveal.

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。

Finally, the day came when Wesley reunited with his beloved car.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wesley’s hands trembled as he reached out to confirm that it was real.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 . 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。

Chinese opera, has a rich history dating back thousands of years. There are various types of Chinese opera, each with its own unique characteristics and traditions. Kunqu Opera, for example,     1     (consider) an old form of Chinese opera, characterized by its elegant lyrics and beautiful melodies. Peking Opera, another famous type, is noted     2     its colorful costumes, facial makeup and movements.

One of the     3     (remarkable) features of Chinese opera is its integration (融合) of singing, dancing, acting, and acrobatics. The singing in Chinese opera is an impressive aspect. In addition to singing,     4     fascinates people most is actors’ dance and acrobatics. These     5     (performance) require years of training and dedication, making Chinese opera actors true masters of their craft.

The stories     6     (tell) through Chinese opera are often drawn from historical events, legends and folklore. These narratives not only entertain but also educate,     7     (pass) down cultural values and moral lessons from generation to generation. The themes of loyalty, bravery and filial piety (孝) are repeated, which promotes social harmony and moral behavior.

In     8    (conclude), Chinese opera is a treasured art form     9     (deep) rooted in Chinese culture. Whether you’re a fan of theater     10     simply interested in Chinese culture, Chinese opera is definitely worth exploring.

3 . On August 21, 1986, a man making his way to Nyos, a village near a lake in northwest Cameroon, found dozens of dead animals along the road. He called into a home to see if the residents knew what had happened. Instead of getting answers, the man discovered that everyone in the village was dead, though they seemed otherwise unharmed.

Within days, officials confirmed that more than 1,700 people had died, along with several thousand animals. The strange and tragic event seemed similar to one that occurred at Lake Monoun two years earlier, just 60 miles to the south, where villagers found 37 people and many animals dead along its shores.

Initially, authorities were confused about the cause. Witnesses reported hearing strange sounds and seeing a sudden rise of white cloud from the lake, which quickly disappeared. Fortunately, the disaster caught the world’s attention. Scientists from around the globe gathered in Nyos to investigate. Because Lake Nyos sits on an inactive volcano, their first theory was that the volcano had erupted and sent poisonous gases into the air. After further research, however, they found the cause was much more unusual. The deadly events were called limnic (湖泊的) eruptions.

Although deadly and terrifying, limnic eruptions are extremely unlikely. They occur when dissolved (溶解的) carbon dioxide (CO₂) suddenly erupts from the deep waters of a lake, forming a deadly gas cloud above the surface. Because carbon dioxide is heavier than air, the cloud will sink toward the ground, killing wildlife, livestock and humans.

Carbon dioxide dissolves more easily in the deep, cold parts of lakes. As a result, the bottom of deep lake can have very high levels of carbon dioxide, while the levels decrease towards the lake’s surface, and the pressure at the bottom builds and builds. Any changes in pressure can set off the rapid and forceful release of the accumulated carbon dioxide, causing an eruption.

It’s unclear what caused the lakes to explode, but considering they’re near the Oku Volcanic Field, it’s possible that an earthquake or a small volcanic eruption occurred before each disaster.

1. Why are the numbers mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To arouse the empathy of the readers.

B．To display the destructive effect of the events.

C．To prove the necessity of preparing for disasters.

D．To highlight the difficulty looking into the cause.

2. What is to blame for the mass deaths in Nyos?

A．High concentrations of CO2.

B．The great power of the lake explosion.

C．Poisonous gases from a volcano eruption.

D．The lake water flooding the nearby villages.

3. Which may have nothing to do with limnic eruptions?

A．An earthquake.	B．Dissolved carbon dioxide.
C．Great pressure differences.	D．Warm environments.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A charity poster.	B．A biography.
C．A science magazine.	D．A cultural website.

4 . Life is a series of unexpected and unforeseen events. Some of them bring about welcome and pleasant consequences, while sometimes they do not _________ any joy. In fact, they can be destructive and unfortunate.

But during these trials and hardships, the love and kindness of others can make a world of _________. It can even save a life, as was the case for a paralyzed (瘫痪的) man in a wheelchair from Dallas, Texas.

Dennis Brown, who is _________ to a wheelchair, was in a rental car when the vehicle burst into _________ suddenly. When he looked up, he _________ the fire extending several feet from the front of the car, _________ him immediately and sending smoke high into the sky above.

_________, a complete stranger put her life at risk to rescue Dennis, who didn’t _________ to take action. The woman _________ Dennis out of the burning car, shifting him to __________. But before Dennis was able to show his __________, she had left quietly. Dennis said that he was eager to have the opportunity to say thanks to his rescuer.

But Dennis is not the only person grateful to the __________ woman. Dennis’ mother, Julia Brown, will forever ________ appreciation to the woman for her __________ deed. “I cannot thank her enough,” Julia said. “Because if she hadn’t __________ the assistance in time, I would have lost him. She was a hero!”

1.

A．yield

B．request

C．deserve

D．extend

2.

A．imagination

B．challenges

C．difference

D．possibilities

3.

A．connected

B．restricted

C．committed

D．applied

4.

A．smoke

B．water

C．explosions

D．flames

5.

A．judged

B．spotted

C．thought

D．doubted

6.

A．blaming

B．searching

C．surrounding

D．distracting

7.

A．Fortunately

B．Obviously

C．Gradually

D．Eventually

8.

A．hesitate

B．attempt

C．reflect

D．bother

9.

A．attracted

B．dragged

C．persuaded

D．stroke

10.

A．optimism

B．freedom

C．safety

D．reality

11.

A．kindness

B．interest

C．wealth

D．gratitude

12.

A．creative

B．mystery

C．modest

D．intelligent

13.

A．reward

B．rescue

C．honour

D．owe

14.

A．incredible

B．consistent

C．elegant

D．bad

15.

A．concentrated on

B．come across

C．got involved in

D．taken responsibility for

5 . Nearly one-third of American adolescents and adults are affected by anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In fact, over the last decade, anxiety has surpassed depression as the most common reason college students seek counseling (咨询) services, the New York Times reported. Sixty-two percent of undergraduates in survey reported “unbearable anxiety,” a significant increase from 50 percent in 2011.

Anxiety, along with depression, cuts across all demographics (人口统计数据), including both privileged and disadvantaged teenagers. But privileged teens are among the most emotionally upset youth in America, Arizona State University psychology professor Suniya Luthar told the New York Times.

“These kids are incredibly anxious and perfectionistic,” Suniya Luthar said, “there’s always one more activity, one more A. P. class, one more thing to do in order to get into a top college. Kids have a sense that they’re not measuring up. The pressure is never-ending and getting worse.” But helicopter parents aren’t always to blame. Many students internalize the anxiety and put the pressure on themselves, Madeline Levine, co-founder of Challenge Success, a nonprofit aimed at improving student well-being, told the Times.

Another expert, psychiatrist Stephanie Eken, said despite the cultural differences, there’s a lot of overlap among teens regarding what makes them anxious. Eken mentions factors range from school, family conflicts, what food to eat, diseases, how they’re perceived by friends and notably in the last few years, Eken told the Times, to a rising fear about terrorism. “They wonder about whether it’s safe to go to a movie theater,” she said.

A lack of close, meaningful relationships is also a major factor. Experts have long said mental and physical changes associated with puberty (青春期) may leave teens at higher risk for anxiety. And social media doesn’t help, Eken said, adding that teens are always comparing themselves with their friends, which leaves them miserable.

When Times reporter Benoit Denizet-Lewis visited Mountain Valley, a nonprofit that offers teens need-based assistance for $910 a day, a college student at the facility said, “I don’t think we realize how much it’s affecting our moods and personalities. Social media is a tool, but it’s become this thing that we can’t live without but that’s making us crazy.”

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．A big rise in anxiety among teens.

B．A report on mental health of adolescents.

C．Common mental health disorders in adults.

D．The reason for adults seeking counseling services.

2. What do we know about privileged teenagers according to Suniya Luthar?

A．Their parents pressure them too much.

B．They are less anxious than disadvantaged teenagers.

C．Their pressure often comes from themselves, not from others.

D．They suffer extreme anxiety under pressure of perfection.

3. Why did Eken mention the factors in paragraph 4?

A．To give general causes of stress and anxiety.

B．To show typical examples of cultural differences.

C．To illustrate the importance of close relationships.

D．To state the impact of everyday things on mental health.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Is anxiety increasing in the United States?

B．Why are more US teens suffering from anxiety?

C．How is social media affecting teens with anxiety?

D．How do we help teenagers deal with mental illness?

6 . In Telangana, southern India, a 17-year-old teenager, Hemesh Chadalavada, is making waves with a game-changing invention that has the potential to revolutionize dementia (痴呆) care.

When Hemesh was 12､his grandmother Jayasree, then 63, accidentally left the gas on in the kitchen after making herself a cup of tea. The incident frightened Hemesh who found himself wondering what would have happened if he hadn’t been there.

Witnessing his grandmother suffer from dementia, Hernesh knew that he had to do something, so he turned to the Internet. After watching robotics courses online and taking advantage of his passion for coding, Hemesh set about creating a smart device.

He spent time in a day centre to learn more about the needs of people with dementia. And 20 failed versions later, the Alpha Monitor was born. Using advanced machine learning technology, the device, which can be worn on the wrist, sends an automatic alert to caregivers when any abnormal activity is detected, such as if the user falls down, wanders off, or has an accident. While other devices rely on Wi-Fi and are therefore unable to detect movements outside a limited range, the Alpha Monitor uses long-range technology that can detect a person’s movements more than a mile away in cities and three miles away in the countryside.

Sadly, Jayasree passed away last year, but her death has only reinforced Hemesh’s determination to continue his mission of improving dementia care far and wide. Dhruv Saidava, Hemesh’s mentor, said, “I first met Hemesh in 2019 during Ideate for India... Hemesh stood out. What set him apart was his exceptional talent for thorough research and hands-on ability.”

In future, he plans to do research at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and improve the Alpha Monitor so that it’s ready for market. He has made it clear that he wants the device to be sold at an affordable price so that it’s accessible to people in less developed countries.

1. What inspired Hemesh’s invention?

A．The concern about his grandma’s security.

B．The enthusiasm for robotics development.

C．The sympathy for people suffering from dementia.

D．The desire to research into machine learning technology.

2. How is Alpha Monitor superior to other devices?

A．It goes through a series of tests.

B．It can detect abnormal activities.

C．It is equipped with an alert system.

D．It monitors a person’s farther distance.

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

A．Changed.

B．Illustrated.

C．Strengthened.

D．Restored.

4. Which of the following can best describe Hemesh?

A．Strong-willed and adventurous.	B．Warm-hearted and creative.
C．Responsible and sensitive.	D．Stubborn and generous.

7 . Four best zoos in the UK

London Zoo

Established in 1828, London Zoo is the oldest scientific zoo in the world. It is situated in Regent’s Park and is home to around 755 different animal species with about 16,802 animals. In addition to being famous for being the oldest scientific zoo, it’s also the very first zoo to launch an Aquarium, an Insect House, a Children’s Zoo and a Reptile House.

Ticket prices online: Children £15 and adults £21. Under 3 — free entry.

Colchester Zoo

This charming child-friendly zoo has more than 155 species located within 60 acres of well-kept land. It has at least 50 displays every day, plenty of hands-on experience opportunities and 5 play areas. It remains up-to-date by expanding continuously and children are guaranteed to enjoy the Madagascar express road train.

Ticket prices online: Children £14 and adults £21. Under 3 — free entry.

Whipsnade Zoo

Whipsnade Zoo is the UK’s biggest zoo set in over 600 acres of beautiful scenery. It first opened in 1931 and now houses 227 different species that comprise over 10,000 animals. The remarkable feature of this zoo is the wandering herds of elephants that freely move around the zoo grounds, making it a wonderful place to take excellent natural pictures to show off to friends and family.

Ticket prices online: Children £18 and adults £25. Under 3 — free entry.

Bristol Zoo

This 12-acre zoo houses more than 450 species. Moreover, it has used its space resourcefully for a small zoo — probably one of the smallest in the world. For example, the latest Gorilla House is an award-winning area with the world’s first walkable glass roof.

Ticket prices online: Children £9 and adults £14. Under 2 — no entry fee.

1. What can visitors do in London Zoo?

A．Visit the Insect House.

B．Experience hands-on activities.

C．Perform scientific experiments.

D．Take pictures on a walkable glass roof.

2. Where should visitors go if their kids want to take a sightseeing train?

A．London Zoo.	B．Colchester Zoo.
C．Whipsnade Zoo.	D．Bristol Zoo.

3. How much should a couple with a 6-year-old pay to visit the smallest zoo?

A．£18.

B．£23.

C．£37.

D．£46.

8 . That morning in September, at a five-kilometer race, I waited for my 11-year-old son at the finish line. He’d run 30:34 at another 5k in late spring, so I ________ he could run a 5k in about 30 minutes. When I didn’t see him at the 35-minute mark, I began to ________.

It’d already been an ________ morning. About an hour earlier, when we drove into town, my son noticed a lovely tiny green tree cricket in my car. It jumped onto my son’s hand where it stayed so long that we eventually gave it a name: Little Friend.

Minutes before the race, it jumped onto the sidewalk. Maybe it wanted to seek freedom, but this wasn’t a safe place due to the ________ pedestrian traffic. So my son knelt and ________ his hand. Little Friend came back. But I told him he would ________ it during the race.

I ran well and felt thrilled at the finish line. However, that ________ gave way to anxiety when my son didn’t show up. I ________ asking people if they’d seen him. No one had. So I returned to the race headquarters. In my confusion, I didn’t even see him ________ the finish line. But there he was, just ahead of the 45-minute mark, with Little Friend ________ on his right thumb.

My ________ were wrong. My son didn’t run fast, and he didn’t lose Little Friend. These two ________ seemed somehow related. He ________ a cold he was getting over, but I knew it was more than that.

Sometimes life gives you something beautiful, but fragile. There’s no need to ________ ahead. Treat it ________ and hold on when you can.

1.

A．indicated

B．knew

C．meant

D．stressed

2.

A．question

B．forgive

C．panic

D．regret

3.

A．average

B．endless

C．unusual

D．original

4.

A．invisible

B．smooth

C．unpredictable

D．easy

5.

A．took out

B．reached out

C．gave away

D．put up

6.

A．lose

B．change

C．train

D．catch

7.

A．eagerness

B．nervousness

C．annoyance

D．excitement

8.

A．enjoyed

B．kept

C．practiced

D．stopped

9.

A．crossing

B．blocking

C．facing

D．touching

10.

A．arguing

B．sighing

C．riding

D．feeding

11.

A．evaluations

B．guesses

C．conclusions

D．comments

12.

A．facts

B．ideas

C．tasks

D．activities

13.

A．overcame

B．treated

C．received

D．blamed

14.

A．move

B．fly

C．struggle

D．rush

15.

A．gently

B．wisely

C．loosely

D．urgently

9 . Imagine living in an apartment in Manhattan. When Covid-19 hits, you have nowhere to escape. Instead, you go up to the rooftop, where, to your surprise, other renters have come, too. After some awkwardness, everyone starts meeting nightly, drinks in hand, to share stories about themselves. This is the background setting of Fourteen Days, a “collaborative novel” edited by Margaret Atwood and Douglas Preston. In addition to these two, 34 authors of varied backgrounds contributed to the book. It is one of a growing number of new works, which are written together in some way.

AI services, such as ChatGPT, have started to become co-authors, too. Such models are also conversational machines, which can suggest phrases, give feedback and answer questions. “Cyborg authorship” is what MrRettberg of University of Bergen calls this. He published a book with Cyborg authorship, in which ChatGPT is tasked with generating reviews of famous works in the style of well-known authors — think Jane Austen writing about William Burroughs’s Naked Lunch.

Writing with collaborators, be they human or artificial, will only become more common. But individual authors will still dominate creatively. That is because collectively written books rarely make for great literature. Many contributions to Fourteen Days are cleverly woven together. But the book does not work quite well. Then there is authorial ego (自我价值感). Getting all 36 authors of Fourteen Days to agree on the text was a challenge, with some writers taking issue with how their story ended up being framed and referred to by other contributors later. And AI is not yet fully accepted in literary circles. Recently KudanRie, the winner of Japan’s top prize for literature, admitted she used ChatGPT to write around 5% of her science-fiction novel Tokyo Sympathy Tower. Such honesty is rare because most would never admit using AI. A new sort of “ghost writing” may be having a moment, but many writers will never want to name ChatGPT as their co-author.

1. Who created Fourteen Days?

A．New Yorkers suffering from Covid-19.	B．Margaret Atwood and Douglas Preston.
C．Renters of a Manhattan apartment building.	D．Separate writers from different walks of life.

2. What is ChatGPT’s contribution to MrRettberg’s book?

A．Generating phrases.	B．Giving feedback.
C．Writing book reviews.	D．Improving language fluency.

3. What is the main reason for the dominance of individual authors?

A．Collaborative writing is becoming less common.	B．Individual authorship makes creative literature.
C．Most authors reject to cooperate with AI.	D．Individual writing improves efficiency.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards collaborative writing?

A．Favorable.

B．Negative.

C．Cautious.

D．Optimistic.

10 . One day, hundreds of people were stuck in traffic on the highway in below-freezing temperatures due to a snowstorm. With the conditions making it _________ for rescue workers to help, many were trapped overnight with no access to _________.

But one stuck driver found a _________ spot in the despair. As she was sitting in her car fearing the _________, Casey Holihan and her husband, John Noe, _________ a bread truck just ahead of them in the jam. Willing to try just about anything, they called the customer service number listed on the back of the truck and left a _________ begging for the driver to open the back and _________ bread to the hungry passengers around them. It was a last-ditch effort, and the couple wasn’t very _________ about getting a response. But to their _________ they soon received a phone call from the company’s owner, Chuck Paterakis, with the news that he was __________ the truck’s driver to open up and pass out loaves of bread from his cargo. Overjoyed by the news, Holihan and Noe __________ the truck’s driver to bring much-needed things to the cars around them.

The simple loaves of bread were surely a ray of __________ in an impossibly disturbing situation. Holihan herself calls it “one of the __________ moments” she’s ever witnessed. This company could have made a(n) __________ from the bread but instead chose to help the people around them. That is just so incredible that someone chose __________ over profit, especially in a situation where people were so desperate.

1.

A．stressful

B．effortless

C．practical

D．difficult

2.

A．water

B．necessities

C．bread

D．blankets

3.

A．new

B．familiar

C．bright

D．strange

4.

A．least

B．best

C．most

D．worst

5.

A．spotted

B．realized

C．stared

D．knew

6.

A．number

B．message

C．note

D．clue

7.

A．lend

B．sell

C． distribute

D．send

8.

A．upset

B．optimistic

C．excited

D．anxious

9.

A．relief

B．regret

C．surprise

D．credit

10.

A．consulting

B．guiding

C．begging

D．instructing

11.

A．kept up with

B．teamed up with

C．met up with

D．put up with

12.

A．hope

B．truth

C．inspiration

D．faith

13.

A．happiest

B．bravest

C．kindest

D．friendliest

14.

A．profit

B．difference

C．living

D．contribution

15.

A．welfare

B．fame

C．award

D．humanity