1 . Books are the most valuable cultural heritage. However, there are many ancient Chinese classics suffering from different degrees of damage due to various reasons.
Bai Yuzhi,a post-90s restorer (修复师) at the Wuhan Library,graduated from Wuhan University in 2016 with a major in restoring ancient books. She is now the fourth generation of restorers at the Wuhan Library, Bai started practicing this technique during her after-class activities at college in 2014.
Bai has restored about 10,000 pages of ancient books in her over 10 years of work. The most difficult part of the restoration, according to her, is keeping everything under exact control over every stage.
With the advancement of science and digital technology, the methods for protecting ancient books have become more various.
| A．The task of restoration is demanding. |
| B．Sometimes the book is badly damaged. |
| C．Bai works in reader service for ancient books. |
| D．This led to a new field—restoring ancient books. |
| E．She officially became a restorer in February 2019. |
| F．Recording the content of a book demands a restorer’s patience. |
| G．She gave an example of the challenges in preparing a suitable paste. |
Written Chinese has also
The air is thin and we have to rest several times on the short hike from camp. To our left, snow-covered mountains
In the evening, I drink a cup of tea and watch the stars. I think about the antelopes and what Zhaxi told me.
3 . SHOULD WE FIGHT NEW TECHNOLOGY?
This morning, I saw the shocking headline: “Passenger Dies When Car Crashes in Driverless Mode”. In the article, a lot of people said that the public should oppose the idea of developing driverless cars. They said that some advances in technology were unnecessary and could even be dangerous. Therefore, we should stop accepting technology just because it is new. The newspaper reported that the car company had already apologized for the accident, but the families of the deceased (死者) said it was not enough. Nevertheless, the company still claimed that most people would be travelling in driverless cars one day soon.
On the one hand, there are many different groups of people around the world who live happily in the absence of technology. Probably the most well-known are the Amish, a group of Christians living in rural America. They do not own or drive cars, watch TV, or use the Internet. They have lived mainly as farmers since the 18th century, and they will probably be living the same way in the distant future. They advocate a simple life with a focus on hard work, family, and community. They think that is better than caring about luxuries or following the lives of the rich and famous. It could even be argued that the Amish’s quality of life is better since they live in and appreciate the natural environment rather than living in large, polluted cities.
On the other hand, new technology has provided people everywhere with many benefits over the years. For example the latest weather-tracking computer programs give people lots of warnings about potential natural disasters, which saves many lives. Moreover, the Internet has made it possible for friends and family to keep in touch easily even if they are on opposite sides of the world. It has also made finding opportunities in life much easier, as it allows people to make larger networks of friends through using social media.
Personally, I have benefited quite a lot from technological advances. I found my career as an Al designer through a social media network. My health monitor, which I wear all the time, has also helped me get into the best shape of my life. Of course, when new technology changes the way we live, it can be a scary prospect. Nevertheless, I will always look on the positive side of change and accept it rather than resist it.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．The relatives of the victim would never accept the apology. |
| B．Many people took a negative attitude to this new technology |
| C．A person died in an accident while driving his brand-new car. |
| D．The company was very concerned about the future of this new technology. |
| A．To persuade us to follow their natural living style. |
| B．To tell us the Amish prefer a harmonious and peaceful life. |
| C．To prove people can still live better without new technology. |
| D．To advocate a simple life with family and community by hard work. |
| A．future | B．advance | C．resistance | D．positivity |
| A．The author wanted to praise the advantages of new technology. |
| B．The author wanted to show his supportive idea of new technology. |
| C．The author wanted to criticize the disadvantages of new technology. |
| D．The author wanted to arouse people’s concern about new technology. |
4 . Are we getting more stupid? According to Gerald Crabtree, a scientist at Stanford University in the US, we are.
You may not want to hear this, but Crabtree believes that human intelligence reached its peak more than 2,000 years ago and ever since then has been going downhill. “If an average Greek from 1,000 BC were transported to modern times, he or she would be one of the brightest among us,” Crabtree told The Guardian.
At the heart of Crabtree’s thinking is a simple idea. In the past, intelligence was critical for survival when our ancestors had to avoid dangerous animals and hunt for food. The difference of being smart or stupid is often life or death. However, after the spread of agriculture when our ancestors began to live in dense farming communities, the need to keep their intelligence in peak condition gradually reduced.
This is not hard to understand. Most of the time, pressure is what keeps us going — you need the pressure from your teachers to finish your homework; the pressure of looking pretty encourages you to lose weight when summer comes. And the same is true of our intelligence — if we think less, we become less smart.
These mutations (变异) are harmful to our intelligence and they were all developed in the past 3,000 years. The other evidence that Crabtree holds is in our genes. He found that among the 2,000 to 5,000 genes that we have that determine human intelligence, there are two or more mutations in each of us.
However, Crabtree’s theory has been criticized by some who say that earl humans may have better hunting and surviving abilities, but people today have developed more diverse intelligence. For example, spearing (用矛刺) a tiger doesn’t necessarily require more brainpower than playing chess or writing a poem. Moreover, the power of modern education means a lot more people have the opportunity to learn nowadays.
“You wouldn’t get Stephen Hawking 2, 000 years ago. He just wouldn’t exist,” now Thomas Hills of the University of Warwick, UK, told Live Science. “But now we have people of his intellectual capacity doing things and making insights (洞察力) that we would never have achieved in our environment of evolutionary adaptation (进化适应).”
1. What is Crabtree’s recent finding according to the article?
| A．The Greeks from 1,000 BC could have been the smartest in human history. |
| B．Our ancient ancestors had no better surviving abilities than we do nowadays. |
| C．Humans have been getting steadily more intelligent since the invention of farfing. |
| D．Mutations in genes that decide human intelligence have affected the development of intelligence. |
| A．were forced to be smart due to natural selection pressures |
| B．had much more genes that determine human Intelligence |
| C．relied more on group intelligence than individual intelligence |
| D．developed diverse intelligence to adapt to the hard realities |
| A．people today are under much more pressure than early humans |
| B．it’s unreasonable to compare hunter’s and a poet’s intelligence |
| C．modern education is far more advanced than ancient education |
| D．human intelligence nowadays is different from that of the distant past |
| A．He is for Crabtree’s theory. |
| B．He is against Crabtree’s theory |
| C．He is worried about Crabtree’s theory. |
| D．He is confused about Crabtree’s theory. |
5 . “Yes, he must be a poor artist,” thought Miss Martha, a middle-aged single lady who had a bakery. A regular customer attracted her attention. He spoke English witha strong German accent. His clothes were worn and wrinkled in places. But he looked neat, and had very good manners. Once Miss Martha saw a red and brown stain on his fingers.
Every time he bought two loaves of stale(陈旧的) bread. Fresh bread was five cents a loaf. Stale ones were two for five. Never did he call for anything but stale bread.
Genius often has to struggle before it is recognized Her heart ached to add something good to eat to his purchase, but she did not dare offend him. She knew the pride of artists.
One day the customer came in as usual. While Miss Martha was reaching for loaves, there was a fire engine with great noise outside. The customer hurried to the door to look, as any one will. Suddenly inspired, Miss Martha seized the opportunity and quickly inserted a generous quantity of butter into the loaves to do a pleasant favor for him.
Had she been too bold? Would he take offense? She imagined the scene when he should discover her little secret. Would he think of the hand that put the butter? Would he invite her to look at his artwork?
The other day in his friend’s company, the man came, with his face red and hair terribly messy. He clinched his two fists and shook them angrily at Miss Martha,“ Stupid!” he shouted with extreme loudness “You had spoiled it . You are poking your nose into other's business!”
The other man said, “That’s Blumberger, an architectural draftsman. He’s been working hard for three months drawing a plan for a new city hall. He always makes his drawing in pencil first. When it’s done he rubs out the pencil lines with handfuls of stale bread. That’s better than India rubber. Well, until today! That butter isn’t well. Blumberger’s plan isn’t good for anything now.”
1. Miss Martha assumes that the man is .| A．a genius painter who cannot afford fresh bread. |
| B．a talented artist who shows interest in her. |
| C．hardworking architect who is yet to be recognized |
| D．a proud customer who has very good manners. |
| A．pity | B．curiosity | C．love | D．guilt |
| A．Because his friend let out his secret. |
| B．Because the butter interrupted his plan. |
| C．Because the loaves ruined his reputation. |
| D．Because Miss Martha destroyed his draft. |
| A．One Good Act Being Well Awarded |
| B．A Good Deed Coming to No Good |
| C．The Talented Receiving Nothing |
| D．Love Leading to Misunderstanding |
6 . Endangered polar bears are breeding (繁殖) with grizzly bears (灰熊), creating “pizzly” bears, which is being driven by climate change, scientists say.
As the world warms and Arctic sea ice thins, starving polar bears are being forced ever further south, where they meet grizzlies, whose ranges are expanding northwards. And with that growing contact between the two come increasing hybrids (杂交种).
With characteristics that could give the hybrids an advantage in warming northern habitats, some scientists guess that they could be here to stay. “Usually, hybrids aren’t better suited to their environments than their parents, but these hybrids are able to search for a broader range of food sources,” Larisa DeSantis, an associate professor of biological sciences at Vanderbilt University, told Live Science.
The rise of “pizzly” bears appears with polar bears’ decline: their numbers are estimated to decrease by more than 30% in the next 30 years. This sudden fall is linked partly to “pizzly” bears taking up polar bears’ ranges, where they outcompete them, but also to polar bears’ highly specialized diets.
“Polar bears mainly consumed soft foods even during the Medieval Warm Period, a previous period of rapid warming,” DeSantis said, referring to fat meals such as seals. “Although all of these starving polar bears are trying to find alternative food sources, like seabird eggs, it could be a tipping point for their survival.” Actually, the calories they gain from these sources do not balance out those they burn from searching for them. This could result in a habitat ready for the hybrids to move in and take over, leading to a loss in biodiversity if polar bears are replaced.
“We’re having massive impacts with climate change on species,” DeSantis said. “The polar bear is telling us how bad things are. In some sense, “pizzly” bears could be a sad but necessary compromise given current warming trends.”
1. Why do polar bears move further south?| A．To create hybrids. | B．To expand territory. |
| C．To relieve hunger. | D．To contact grizzlies. |
| A．Broader habitats. | B．More food options. |
| C．Climate preference. | D．Improved breeding ability. |
| A．A rare chance. | B．A critical stage. |
| C．A positive factor. | D．A constant change. |
| A．Polar bears are changing diets for climate change. |
| B．Polar bears have already adjusted to climate change. |
| C．“Pizzly” bears are on the rise because of global warming. |
| D．“Pizzly”bears have replaced polar bears for global warming. |
7 . Last Thursday, Michael and Linda were distributing (分发) meals to 4,000 homeless people for their wedding reception (婚宴) in the border town of Kills. The
The idea came from Michael’s father, Ted, who
Then he told his son, who was surprised by the
On Tuesday evening, the
| A．friends | B．people | C．couple | D．students |
| A．refused | B．applied | C．pretended | D．preferred |
| A．calls | B．searches | C．volunteers | D．works |
| A．real | B．daily | C．big | D．personal |
| A．controlling | B．cleaning | C．changing | D．following |
| A．order | B．solution | C．command | D．suggestion |
| A．considered | B．accepted | C．doubted | D．felled |
| A．in need | B．in common | C．in depression | D．in danger |
| A．money | B．experience | C．food | D．happiness |
| A．amazed | B．disappointed | C．interested | D．annoyed |
| A．accommodation | B．hotel | C．company | D．soup kitchen |
| A．actually | B．officially | C．newly | D．nearly |
| A．hold | B．quit | C．organize | D．remember |
| A．kindness | B．happiness | C．rudeness | D．selfishness |
| A．Thankfully | B．Surprisingly | C．Finally | D．Hopefully |
8 . Thirteen-year-old Kaylee has a lot of friends — 532, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Kaylee’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not Words With Friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platforms (平台).
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger, “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual words, we will have little time for our real-world friendships.” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need someone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To summarize the text. | B．To tell about true friends. |
| C．To bring up a discussion. | D．To encourage online friendship. |
| A．In person. | B．In advance. | C．In any case. | D．In full measure. |
| A．Worried. | B．Positive. | C．Confused. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．It’s wise to turn to friends online. |
| B．It’s easier to develop friendships in reality. |
| C．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
| D．Teenagers need focus on real-world friendships. |
9 . A music festival is a community event focusing on live performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme. On the list are the music festivals for fans around the world. Find your favorite now!
Field Day
January 1, 2023, Sydney
Field Day means New Year’s Day for young people in Sydney. Seen as the city’s original multi-stage party, it’s a gathering of friends coming together for a great fun-filled first day of the year. There’s an air of hope and positive energy on a perfect summer’s day.
The Envision Festival
February 27—March 6, 2023, Uvita
The Envision Festival is an annual gathering in Costa Rica that aims to provide an opportunity for different cultures to work with one another to create a better community. The festival encourages people to practice art, music, dance performances, and education. Meanwhile, our connection with nature is expected to be strengthened.
The McDowell Mountain Music Festival
March 2—4, 2023, Phoenix
The McDowell Mountain Music Festival is Phoenix’s musical celebration of community culture. Since its foundation in 2004, it has been the only 100% non-profit music festival designed to support, entertain and educate the community. The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year from around the country, and it is an opportunity to experience true culture.
The Old Settler’s Music Festival
April 20—23, 2023, Dale
The Old Settler’s Music Festival is a nationally known music festival for American music. The festival is held in the country of Texas at the height of the wild flower season. The Old Settler’s Music Festival offers great music and activities for the whole family.
1. In which city can people enjoy a fun New Year’s Day?| A．Phoenix. | B．Uvita. | C．Sydney. | D．Dale. |
| A．It encourages people to receive education. | B．It is not aimed at making money. |
| C．It provides an opportunity for friend gathering. | D．It focuses on cultural exchanges. |
| A．Field Day and the Envision Festival. |
| B．The Envision Festival and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival. |
| C．The Old Settler’s Music Festival and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival. |
| D．The Envision Festival and the Old Settler’s Music Festival. |
10 . In my early teens, I was once given a film camera as a gift. On receiving it, I jumped on my bike, headed to Wimbledon Common and took photos, just for me: photos of trees and wildlife. I was out all day. On my way home I spotted a tree lit up by street lighting and tried to capture its splendour. Rushing home, I popped the spent film in a special little envelope and sent it off to a photography store, desperate to see how it came out. I took many photos then and loved the fact that when you processed your film you got back colour photos which froze the precious moments, gently encouraging the hobby and the payments for processing.
As I grew into adulthood, that simple, deep happiness gradually faded away. One weekend when I was busy answering the work calls, my eyes caught a box in the corner of the room. I suddenly felt a sense of sadness. The stress growing over these years had pushed the camera from beside my pillow to the box in the corner. I thought I needed a change.
I took out the camera and dusted it down. It was a great joy that it still worked. I bought new film and took the camera everywhere I went. Now it is always on hand to accompany me on journeys, to allow me time to myself. Even if the day is full and busy, I can seize some moments for myself to take photos, to observe the world around me.
The wall of my room now holds all my camera equipment along with photos I’ve taken. To me, the room represents how I’ve found happiness: by reconnecting to the younger part of myself I laid aside, by allowing room in my life for pleasure to exist, and by creating an environment that allows opportunities for delight.
1. What did the author think of taking photos as a young boy?| A．Inspiring and practical. | B．Troublesome yet delightful. |
| C．Complicated yet engaging. | D．Thrilling and rewarding. |
| A．He was struck by sudden sorrow. |
| B．He was faced with increasing pressure. |
| C．He intended to focus on his work |
| D．He attempted to behave like an adult. |
| A．More enjoyment in the daily routine. | B．New journeys in the wild. |
| C．Better skills of observation. | D．Different styles of photography. |
| A．Revisiting Lost Childhood Memories |
| B．Appreciating Beauty Behind the Lens |
| C．Regaining Pleasure Through Photography |
| D．Escaping Teenage Sadness with Camera |
