1 . Here are a few places to harvest some of the best treats of spring, summer, and fall.

Waters Orchard (果园) |Gaithersburg, MD

This is a great place for apple picking. Just come in late summer and fall. After parking, it’s a 5-10 minutes’ walk to the orchard. Hours are12:00 — 5:00 p.m. on Fridays, and 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. on weekends. Pick-your-own (PYO) pricing is by the peck (配克) — $15/half peck, $22/peck, and an entry fee for two is included. It’s $5/guest after that.

Homestead Farm | Poolesville, MD

Homestead Farm no longer grows strawberries. Its first crop will be tart cherries in June, and other berries will be ripe soon after. Peaches and apples come later. There are also animals to visit (goats, pigs, and chickens), and watching goats climb along the goat walk is always a trip for kids. The farm operates seven days a week, and PYO hours are 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m..

Hollin Farms | Delaplane, VA

Hollin Farms’ strawberry picking season will begin in late May and last several weeks. Hours are 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday. If you come in summer, peaches, blackberries, red raspberries and sour cherries are available. Apples are ready in late summer, and fall brings green vegetables, potatoes, and dig-your-own peanuts. And a special P.S. (备注) to meat lovers: they pride themselves on their grass-fed beef.

Great Country Farms | Bluemont, VA

Great Country Farms is well-known for its seasonal festivals and fun farm-themed attractions. Their U-pick strawberry fields will open in May. The weekends of May 20 — 21 and May 27 — 28 are the annual Strawberry Jubilee with live music, pie-eating contests, tasty food, and more. Admission is $10/child and $12/adult, and it’s open daily during 9:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m..

1. How much should a family of four pay if they buy 2-peck apples?

A．$40.

B．$44.

C．$49.

D．$54.

2. Which time is suitable for people to visit Hollin Farms?

A．3:00 p.m. on Monday.	B．11:00 a.m. on Thursday.
C．8:30 a.m. on Saturday.	D．5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

3. What can visitors do at Great Country Farms on May 21?

A．Pick strawberries and peaches.	B．Enjoy grass-fed beef for free.
C．Interact with goats and chickens.	D．Take part in a pie-eating contest.

2 . Loneliness is a bigger health threat than smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to a new research. Our ancestors likely did not suffer from a lack of companions. Why has loneliness become such a threat? How might it be addressed?

In the distant past, there were few complaints about loneliness. Indeed, every person in a community including children was up to speed on every detail of the lives of everyone else. Instead of suffering from loneliness, our distant ancestors were oppressed (被压迫) by a lack of privacy.     1     They facilitate distance. How did loneliness take over contemporary life?

Typically, people move away from family and friends for work opportunities. Yet, cities often function as gatherings of relative strangers rather than functional communities. The many people wandering around in a city are irrelevant if we have no social connection with them. Migrants to cities may establish various meaningful social links.     2     These might be the people we work among, those who frequent a coffee shop, or members of a gym or sports club. Such associations are not made automatically.     3     In some cases, those who eagerly need social connection can fare poorly in cities.

    4     According to the U. S. Surgeon General’s Report on Loneliness, people who spend more time online are lonelier. People who claim thousands of online “friends” are often chronically anxious, disconnected and depressed. Perhaps, they would gain better social bonus by being kind to people in real life.

Virtually, not everyone needs constant companionship. This is not merely a question of how extroverted a person is.     5     People with a strong sense of external purpose barely suffer from loneliness, whether they perfect their dance moves, get involved in political activism or train service dogs. In this vein, anyone who cultivates a love of nature may become a part of the natural world. That is an endless source of peace, happiness, and connection.

A．Their habits contributed to loneliness.

B．They require openness, initiative and effort.

C．Rather, it reflects how someone leads their life.

D．Outgoing people will live a busy life with social media.

E．Today, social media bring back the invasions of privacy.

F．Many turn to social media for companionship with mixed results.

G．However, associations are often formed through accidental networks.

3 . When it comes to technology, never before have we been both more dependent, and more cautious. Society is more connected, but also more lonely ; more productive, but also more burnt-out; we have more privacy tools, but arguably less privacy. Would it be wrong to say we are becoming disappointed with it?

There’s no doubt that some tech innovation has been universally great. A new antibiotic that killed a previously deadly superbug was invented by an Al tool. Machines that can suck carbon dioxide out of the air could be a huge help in the fight against climate change. But on the other hand, tech-related scandals (丑闻) dominate headlines. Stories about cyberattacks and horrible online abuse are regularly on the news. “Like everything, tech has a dark side. It is a two-edged sword,” says veteran Silicon Valley watcher, Prof Mike Malone.

“Fundamentally, if there was a problem people would, should, stop using it,” Paolo Pescatore, an analyst, says . But he then goes on to talk about the peer pressure to remain plugged in -from colleagues, friends and family, and even from governments wanting to switch to digital services.

Mr Halgas, a young tech boss with big ambition, tells me that the industry has become a more easily affected place for its staff. “Tech workers were very comfortable in our jobs,” he explains. “People used to say , ‘Google isn’t a job; it’s a retirement plan’. Those days are long gone.” “Tech workers thought they were safe from automation: now we are among the people who might be replaced by code-writing Al tools,” he says.

A recent survey by PR firm Edelman suggested that 52% of people in the UK believed tech innovation was developing too fast, and 70% thought tech bosses should develop new tech slowly.

Realistically, there is practically zero chance of that happening. The money and power that is flooding in, particularly to the AI sector, speaks for itself. “But the outpouring of public debate that also centers around it is healthy”, argues Prof Malone.“ We’re not just blindly embracing new tech anymore and that’s a good thing,” he says.

1. What do Mr Halgas’s words indicate?

A．Tech industry is taking a bad turn.	B．Workers in tech industry are comfortable.
C．Google provides detailed retirement plans.	D．Tech workers may be replaced someday.

2. What can we learn about new tech from the last 2 paragraphs?

A．New tech is well received currently.	B．New tech can not flood into the Al sector.
C．New tech is under sensible discussion now.	D．New tech is criticized for developing too slow.

3. What will the follow-up text focus on?

A．A bolder attitude to developing new tech.	B．An urgent appeal to welcome new tech.
C．A balanced approach to embracing new tech.	D．A comprehensive plan to advance new tech.

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

A．Should the Public Embrace Digital Services?	B．Can Innovative Technology Follow Up?
C．Is It Good to Slow Tech Innovation Down?	D．Should We Have Faith in Technology?

4 . I have had no interest in football for as long as I can remember. While my classmates played, I _________ to stay in the library. I never _________ the passion for the game and would throw away the sports section of the newspaper, as if it _________ the rest of it. As I grew up, I proudly wore my _________ .

But occasionally, whether in a taxi or when meeting a friend's father, I found myself faced with a _________ opener like, “Terrible season we’re having, eh?” or simply, “Who do you support?” My heart sank, knowing my response would unavoidably _________ them, despite their good intentions.

I realized that my _________ had closed off many conversations, outings, and even potential friendships I might have _________ enjoyed. Although I couldn't change the fact that I found football boring, I began to regret being a(n) _________ .

Then I became a father. I didn’t want my boy to __________ this valuable social experience, so I took him to watch the Lions play. During those matches, we sat close to the field, surrounded by families who had a genuine __________ with the players. My kid’s questions kept me somewhat __________ in the game. Slowly, I started to__________ for the Lions.

During one victorious match, we even met David, the Captain, who happily __________ for a photo with my son. __________, I had an answer to the question,“Who do you support?”

1.

A．preferred

B．intended

C．wished

D．pretended

2.

A．believed

B．understood

C．noticed

D．hid

3.

A．confused

B．poisoned

C．defended

D．preserved

4.

A．doubt

B．smile

C．confidence

D．dislike

5.

A．well-informed

B．well-prepared

C．well-meant

D．well-presented

6.

A．challenge

B．disturb

C．amuse

D．disappoint

7.

A．attitude

B．personality

C．interest

D．habit

8.

A．otherwise

B．ever

C．still

D．therefore

9.

A．loser

B．fan

C．outsider

D．passer-by

10.

A．go wild for

B．turn away from

C．get the hang of

D．miss out on

11.

A．agreement

B．conversation

C．competition

D．connection

12.

A．stressed

B．engaged

C．successful

D．busy

13.

A．cheer

B．change

C．vote

D．play

14.

A．danced

B．waved

C．posed

D．clapped

15.

A．Gradually

B．Finally

C．Unexpectedly

D．Luckily

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What instrument did the speaker play when she was young?

A．The piano.

B．The guitar

C．The violin

2. Where is the theater located?

A．In London.

B．In Sydney

C．In New York

3. Why is winning this competition important to the listeners?

A．They’ll meet famous performers.

B．They’ll have a brighter future.

C．They’ll get a chance to travel the world.

4. How many hours will the performances last?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Seven.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How long did the hike take?

A．Three days

B．Eight days

C．Fourteen days.

2. What was the main landscape during the hike?

A．Mountains.

B．Woodlands

C．Desert.

3. What animal did the man see in camp?

A．A lion.

B．A wolf.

C．A snake

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。

When people think of China, silk is among the first things that pop into their mind. The best place in China     1     (discover) the wonder of silk is the city of Suzhou. 90 % of the genuine-silk trade in the world comes from China,     2     one third of the silk products exported from China is from Suzhou. It was in this place     3    some of the first silk embroideries (刺绣) were born. Suzhou Silk can be made     4       a great many products, the most common being clothing and scarves.

Silk is a natural protein fiber. The protein fiber of silk consists mainly of fibroin,     5     protein produced by certain insects to generate cocoons.

Chinese legend gives the title Goddess of Silk to Leizu, wife of the mythical Yellow Emperor in about 3000 BC. She     6       (credit) with the introduction of silkworm ever since. During the Western Han Dynasty, the Emperor assigned special envoys, like Zhang Qian,     7     (routine) to the Western Regions, which facilitated the     8     (form) of the Silk Road.

Silk is the symbol of     9     (distinguish) ancient Chinese culture and the old silk industry formed one of the most splendid chapters in the history of the Chinese culture, remarkably     10     (contribute) to the development of the world civilization.

8 . 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。

When I was a kid, my parents and I lived near the forest. They often told me that our family was a team that needed to work together for the household to function smoothly. There was always an abundance of work to do — cooking, cleaning, and walking dogs. I volunteered to walk our dog, Max, who had been adopted one month before. I never dared let this giant dog off the lead (牵狗绳), just in case he took off.

One morning, we were walking along in the forest when Max started pulling on the lead. At first, I was able to hold on despite the wet ground from a recent shower. But the more I tried to stop him pulling, the more it turned into a tug of war. And thanks to the slippery ground, I lost.

Pulling his lead, Max shot off like a bullet, leaving me screaming behind. I chased him but lost my footing and fell face-first into some mud. I stumbled (踉跄) to my feet, but looking ahead, I found him running back towards me. I thought he was going to stop and give me his “Sorry” look. But instead, the dog shot past me and returned after a while.

As soon as we got home, my mother immediately attended to Max with a warm towel and a doggy treat. I thought seeing me stumbling and covered in mud, I would also get a warm cup of tea and a motherly kiss. Instead, I got a very loud lecture about letting the dog loose in the forest.

I felt frustrated. It wasn’t fair that she didn’t understand how difficult it was to control Max. I fought back, “Stop lecturing me! Why is everything my fault?” With these words, I stormed into my bedroom and slammed the door shut.

In the evening, I heard my mother call Max and take him out. It wasn’t long before I heard my mother screaming and the door opening again.

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。

I walked out of my room.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dad stepped in, suggesting that we work together to train Max.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . To survive in the desert, a camel needs both sweat and fur. That’s according to engineer Jeffrey Grossman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “If it didn’t have the fur, it would sweat too quickly and run out of water, which is a really precious resource for the camel,” says Grossman. The engineer wondered if he could mimic (模仿) the camel’s sweat glands (汗腺) and fur by laying two materials. In a new research appearing today in the journal Joule, Grossman details the new innovative technology that could be used to keep food and medical supplies cold without requiring additional energy.

For the bottom layer of the camel-inspired system, Grossman used hydrogel, a highly absorbent network that is super-charged with water. As water evaporates (蒸发) from hydrogel, the liquid cools the surface it’s on. The top layer Grossman created is composed of aerogel, a porous (多孔的) structure that makes the material more than 90 percent air—earning the substance the title of “the world’s lightest solid.” Aerogel acts like the camel’s fur, slowing water evaporation for sustained cooling power.

Grossman knew that the layer atop the hydrogel had to be both insulating (起隔热作用的) and porous so that water could evaporate through it. If the insulating layer was too thin, it would fail to insulate the hydrogel from surrounding heat. If the aerogel layer was too thick or not porous enough, the hydrogel’s water couldn’t evaporate, and the technology would lose its cooling power. By slowing evaporation, you get more out of each drop of water.

During their experiment, Grossman and his team placed a heat sensor beneath the layers and placed the system in a temperature-controlled room. The sensor monitored the temperature beneath the hydrogel over time as liquid evaporated into the 30℃ room. The team compared their camel-inspired creation to a single layer of uncovered hydrogel. Grossman found that the layered materials extended cooling time by 400 percent.

“While hydrogel and aerogel are not new, combining them in this way is innovative,” says Kyoo-Chul Kenneth Park, an engineer at Northwester University. Like Grossman, Park is optimistic that it could be used to insulate surface like windows.

1. Which aspect of the camel inspired the new technology?

A．Its heat-proof fur.	B．Its water-resistant ability.
C．Its low-energy consumption.	D．Its well-developed sweat glands.

2. What is good about the bottom layer of Grossman’s innovation?

A．It’s extremely thin.	B．It’s a porous structure.
C．It takes in water easily.	D．It slows water evaporation.

3. What is stressed in the fourth paragraph?

A．The cooling power of Grossman’s innovation.

B．Solutions to cooling technology challenges.

C．Differences between hydrogel and aerogel.

D．The vital functions of a heat sensor.

4. What does Park say about Grossman’s work?

A．It could be further improved in many ways.

B．It has benefited from two types of new materials.

C．It has contributed a lot to window production.

D．It has creatively put two common materials together.

10 . Every Christmas, my mom would fill our stockings with small toys and candies. At the very tip of the stocking, the very _________ thing that we would pull out was an orange. For years, I hated the tradition. It was _________ to pull an orange out of my _________ after uncovering so many fun and delicious treats. An orange wasn’t special. I could eat one any time of the year, and it was just _________ room that could have been filled with more candy.

When I was thirteen, I _________ asked my mother why she put oranges in our stockings. She _________ my grand-father had grown up very poor. His father had a brain tumor that left him blind and _________ to work, so his mother relied on _________ from the church to take care of her seven children. Every Christmas, a local church donated a basket of fruit to their family. This was my grandfather’s favorite day of the year because it was the only day when he could eat fresh fruit. The oranges were his favorite because they _________ like sunshine. When he grew up, he always __________ to have a bowl of oranges around at Christmastime so he could __________ his favorite Christmas memory with his children.

When my mom finished telling the story, I felt __________. In my rush to collect as much candy as possible, I had __________ to be grateful. Now the orange at the bottom of my stocking is a __________ to be grateful for the beautiful Christmases that my parents gave me and for the hard work they did that ensured I could have a（n）__________ any day of the year.

1.

A．best

B．last

C．first

D．fast

2.

A．disappointing

B．amazing

C．appealing

D．frightening

3.

A．room

B．bag

C．stocking

D．pocket

4.

A．blowing up

B．building up

C．taking up

D．holding up

5.

A．initially

B．joyfully

C．casually

D．eventually

6.

A．commented

B．described

C．explained

D．imagined

7.

A．unwilling

B．unable

C．qualified

D．ambitious

8.

A．contributions

B．inventions

C．pensions

D．donations

9.

A．tasted

B．looked

C．touched

D．felt

10.

A．settled down

B．spoke up

C．made sure

D．turned up

11.

A．share

B．exchange

C．appreciate

D．discuss

12.

A．anxious

B．ashamed

C．delighted

D．excited

13.

A．forgotten

B．expected

C．continued

D．agreed

14.

A．ceremony

B．tradition

C．reminder

D．memory

15.

A．party

B．festival

C．gift

D．orange