1 . In the eyes of many environmentalists, the world appears to be getting worse. They believe, the natural resources are running out and the air and water are becoming ever more polluted. But if we check the facts, things look different. Energy has become more abundant, not less so. Fewer people are starving. What seems to cause this gap between perception and reality?

One factor is the prejudice in scientific research. Scientific funding goes mainly to areas with many problems. That may be wise policy, but it will also create an impression that there are more potential problems than actually exist.

Secondly, environmental groups seek attention from the mass media. They also need to get continuous financial support. Understandably, perhaps, they sometimes exaggerate (夸大) their arguments. In 1997, for example, the World Wide Fund for Nature issued a statement titled: “Two thirds of the world’s forests lost forever”. The truth turns out to be near 20%.

The media can add to confusion too. People tend to be more curious about bad news than good. Newspapers and broadcasters are there to provide what the public wants. That, however, can lead to significant misinterpretations. For example, when a natural disaster happens, the media usually highlights the negative parts, giving more attention to the disaster’s details and what happens afterward. This flood of bad news can make people think that such events are more frequent or serious than they actually are. Consequently, people may develop a sense of insecurity, despite statistically low probabilities of similar events happening to them.

Another factor is people’s poor perception. People worry that vaccines can cause severe side effects or long-term health problems. Despite extensive scientific evidence demonstrating their safety and effectiveness, some individuals remain hesitant due to unfounded fears.

It is crucial that we look at the facts if we want to make the best possible decisions for the future. It may be costly to be overly optimistic – but more costly still to be too pessimistic.

1. What aspect of scientific research does the writer worry about in paragraph 2?

A．The need to produce results.	B．The selection of research areas.
C．The lack of financial support.	D．The desire to solve research problem.

2. Why does the writer quote the example from the World Wide Fund for Nature?

A．To show how influential the mass media can be.

B．To show how effective environmental groups can be.

C．To show how the mass media can help groups raise funds.

D．To show how environmental groups overstate their claims.

3. The writer suggests that newspapers publish articles that are intended to ________.

A．educate readers	B．mislead readers
C．meet readers’ expectations	D．encourage readers’ feedback

4. What does the author try to convey in the last paragraph?

A．Making decisions based on reality.	B．Balancing optimism and pessimism.
C．Being optimistic to avoid costly mistakes.	D．Addressing the environmental crisis gradually.

2 . Is art boring? It’s not, really. I don’t think so, at least. But there’s a problem with how we look at art, how we approach it.

Museums are formal and strangely dry. There’s no embrace. Barriers prevent us from leaving the path set by the curator (馆长). Glass traps the paintings permanently in their frames – an invisible barrier that prevents us from ever getting close to the art, from touching it, feeling it. Guides and guards are constantly observing us, stopping us from taking photos, or using selfie sticks, or talking too loud. Museums have too many rules. And they’ve made our art boring.

We should be able to see art, to sometimes touch it. How can we feel any connection to the world? Art is a way to connect to the world, and yet so much of our art (and it is our art, not theirs, not yours — but ours) is unreachable.

Why can’t we laugh in museums? Why can’t we take silly selfies in front of art, our tongues sticking out, our hands in the air? Art is not boring and yet, we as a society, have made it so. We’ve trapped incredible artists behind glass boxes, with random rules governing noise levels, lights, flashes, sounds, photos, selfies, pens & pencils.

I love art. I think it has this incredible power to change our world. It can move us — as individuals, or as a collective society. Art is so often a window to something else. And yet we’ve allowed museums and galleries and collectors to prevent us from ever opening those windows.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy art museums. There are many fantastic ones around the world. And without so many wonderful curators and collectors, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy much of the art that is created -the masterpieces and the newer, more contemporary (and sometimes crazy) art. But at the same time, we’ ve allowed museums too much control.

They’ve taken our art. They’ve controlled our world. And our world, our art — it’s not meant to be controlled. It’s meant to be experienced — however that may be. It’s an individual, personal choice. Let’s take back our art, our museums. And take some selfies.

1. According to the writer, how may visitors to museums feel?

A．Interested.

B．Unwelcome.

C．Excited.

D．Ashamed.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 5?

A．The writer believes that art should never be kept in museums.

B．The writer is losing his love of art due to museums’ policies.

C．The writer believes museums are taking away the power of art.

D．The writer believes that art should be replaced by something else.

3. What does the underlined phrase “get me wrong” in paragraph 6 mean?

A．Help me.

B．Control me.

C．Misunderstand me.

D．Frighten me.

4. Which of the following statements would the writer agree with?

A．All of us can create art.	B．Museums are of little use.
C．Admission to museums should be free.	D．Museums should give visitors more freedom.

3 . It was 8:30 am. Traffic was at ______ flow. For ten minutes I watched an elderly lady looking ______ at the traffic, waiting to cross a four-lane road. Her wide blue eyes scanned for a ______; there was fear in them.

An untidy boy of ten ______ her and said a few words. She smiled with surprise and ______ her head. They were strangers to each other, but the ______ in each was obvious.

The boy turned to the traffic, holding the old lady’s hand, and I ______ his little smile-he was helping. The traffic ______, and a gap appeared. Both said “now!” and stepped out, leading each other.

The old lady glanced around, determined to ______ her young charge. The boy held her hand, ______ the old lady gently and safely. As they ______ mounted the sidewalk on the other side, their ______ was evident.

The old lady safely ______ the boy to the other side, pretending to let him help. The young boy safely got the woman across, pretending to let her help.

I watched with a lump in my throat and a(n) ______ in my eye, and I didn’t know why this was so. . for I was smiling. I was unable to describe this beautiful ______. The two turned to each other and shook hands before parting.

1.

A．full

B．broken

C．gentle

D．smooth

2.

A．hopefully

B．patiently

C．anxiously

D．casually

3.

A．car

B．road

C．figure

D．gap

4.

A．ignored

B．approached

C．introduced

D．matched

5.

A．nodded

B．shook

C．lowered

D．raised

6.

A．trust

B．weakness

C．relationship

D．embarrassment

7.

A．forgot

B．noted

C．delayed

D．accepted

8.

A．sped

B．flowed

C．grew

D．thinned

9.

A．praise

B．seek

C．protect

D．spot

10.

A．pushing

B．pulling

C．guiding

D．dragging

11.

A．heavily

B．finally

C．suddenly

D．pitifully

12.

A．relief

B．disappointment

C．exhaustion

D．kindness

13.

A．moved

B．lifted

C．abandoned

D．delivered

14.

A．doubt

B．expression

C．tear

D．stare

15.

A．memory

B．encounter

C．route

D．mistake

4 . What distinguishes an outstanding city? The Global Cities Index assesses cities based on diverse criteria, including:

·Business – The presence of multinational corporations. How many global companies are in the city? Does the city do a lot of international business?

·People – The city’s ability to attract talents globally. Does the city attract talented people from around the world? What’s proportion of residents with higher education?

·Media – The accessibility of varied information channels. How many residents have Internet access?

·Entertainment – The availability of leisure and cultural activities. Does the city have many entertainment options: museums, sports, music, and different types of restaurants?

Future Leaders       

Most cities on the Global Cities Index are strong in certain areas. Beijing’s strength, for example, is business, while Los Angeles’s strength is people. Which cities will become more powerful in the future?

·Asia: Beijing and Shanghai are both business centers and will continue to grow. In a few years, they will potentially match New York’s influence. Indian cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi have a lot of business potential, too.

·South America: urban centers like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in Brazil will gain influence. In these cities, the middle class is growing, and life for many people is improving.

·The Middle East: Istanbul in Turkey, Cairo in Egypt, and the cities of the United Arab Emirates such as Dubai will hold more power in international politics and business, especially in helping East and West work together.

In 10 years, the top cities on the index may be different, but one thing is certain: With over 50 percent of the world’s people now living in urban areas, tomorrow’s global cities will be more powerful than ever.

1. Which aspect is considered in the Global Cities Index?

A．Education.

B．Climate.

C．Transportation.

D．Location

2. Which parts of the world are predicted to grow in the area of business?

A．Asia and Europe.	B．Asia and South America.
C．Asia and the Middle East.	D．South America and the Middle East.

3. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Similarities between top cities.	B．The ways to become global cities.
C．Daily life in fastest-growing cities.	D．Forecast on future influential cities.

5 . 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。

For many of us in the UK and other parts of the world, having an electric kettle plugged in in the kitchen is a part of everyday life. But for people in America, it’s unusual     1     (use) a kettle–and the cultural difference has left many people     2     (confuse). Sophie Monk,     3     Australian host, recently sparked a debate when she     4     (detail) her experience of living in the US.

Sophie lived in America for 10 years before     5     (return) to her native Australia, and she was shocked at the fact that American people boiled their water on the stove. She said, “I was looking     6     a kettle, and they’re like, ‘Kettle?’ They don’t know     7     a kettle is. They don’t use them. They must heat water up on their stove. Yeah, no one has a kettle,     8     is crazy.” Although the concept of not using a kettle is more than a little strange to us Brits, there’s actually a pretty simple     9     (explain) for the decision.

In America, homes only have a voltage (电压) of 100-127,     10     in the UK and other countries, the voltage in a house is around 230. This means electric kettles in the US actually heat water more slowly than they do in the UK, so Americans haven’t bothered to invest in the appliances-choosing instead to boil on the stove.

6 . 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 in high school, like many other teenage boys, I played in a band. Most of our families came from South Africa, so, we mixed our favorite hard rock and heavy metal songs with elements of South African rhythms and melodies. Although our band didn’t achieve widespread success, we had a special night that I would never forget, when we realized the unique impact of music on lonely hearts.

At our school’s talent show, we weren’t the best, but we were good enough to come in third place, which made us more confident. Then, we decided to test the waters beyond our classmates. When we were booked for a charitable event at a large hospital, we were delighted. This opportunity was a thrilling breakthrough. Yet, beneath our excitement, we felt a sense of anxiety to perform for strangers-could our tunes really touch an audience unfamiliar with our sound?

For two weeks, we threw ourselves into intense practice sessions, meeting daily after school to practice hard and learn enough songs to fill a one-hour show.

On the concert day, we arrived early to check the stage. We felt nervous as we stood there and looked out at the hundred or so empty chairs lined up below us. After setting up and doing a quick sound check, we went backstage to have a soda and rest, doing anything to calm our nerves. While we were back there the hospital’s entertainment director came over to chat with us.

“Okay, boys, there are a couple of important details you should know,” she began. “Many in the audience today are suffering from severe physical and/or mental disabilities. Don’t be surprised by that. These patients have very few chances to see live entertainment of any kind, so they enjoy any kind of musical act that we can provide. Just go ahead and play your regular show, and you’ll do fine.” After saying that, she left, joining into the theatre to help the volunteers and staff who were assisting the patients to their seats.

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

Before long, it was time to begin our show.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Don’t go! You don’t understand—they love your performance!” said the director.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 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。

“Mom, please,” Ann a begged eagerly. “Please, let me do it by myself!” She had never made cookies by herself before, but at the age of nine, she felt capable of handling many things. Her friends had been baking cupcakes for a year. Yet, it seemed her parents had little faith in her.

“Anna is going to make cookies? Alone?” her brother, Carl, asked with a laugh. “That is going to be disaster!” Carl used big words to act smarter than Anna. Having a big brother could be annoying. Admittedly, Anna always appeared clumsy. But that was before she turned nine. She thought her parents should realize she would do better now.

At her words, a flash of uncertainty crossed her parents’ faces. Would they agree? Holding her breath, she had waited for what seemed like ages. Surprisingly, Mom nodded, saying, “Okay, but please be careful, and remember to take a look at the cookbook first.”

Fueled by determination, Anna raced to the kitchen. With each step, there was a sense of purpose and confidence growing within her. She had already done it with Mom a million times before. Putting the cookbook aside, she got down to baking cookies from memory, breaking eggs, dropping a cold stick of butter, adding salt and then…um…yes, mixing it well! Using a mixer was easy. She turned on the mixer at the medium speed—and whoa. Whoa. Whoa! Butter splattered (飞溅) everywhere, making the kitchen in a mess. Collecting herself, she turned back to the mixing bowl and started again. This time with softer butter.

Anna placed rounded spoonfuls of mixture onto the cookie pan and put it into the oven (烤炉). Within a few minutes, a fantastic smell filled the kitchen- the smell of cookie success! She was going to silence all those doubts. No more eye-rolling from her big brother. No more “You’re too young, Anna” from her parents. She believed she was grown up and mature enough to be relied on.

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。

The moment Anna pulled the pan out of the oven, Carl stepped into the kitchen.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now she decided to have another try, carefully following the cookbook.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . At graduation ceremonies, it’s common to see parents proudly cheering and clapping for their kids. But have you ever seen it _________ the other way around? A heartwarming viral video shows a little girl named Shivaee _________ rooting for her dad during his graduation ceremony.

The video shows Shivaee’s dad, Aashish, walking up to the stage to _________ his master’s degree certificate from Teesside University in England. As the then 34-year-old _________ the stage, Shivaee shouts, “Congratulations, Daddy!” stimulating _________ from those in the room.

The dad,_________ by the act, replies, “I love you,” and blows her a kiss. Excited to _________ a moment with her dad, she replies, “I love you, daddy!” His smile grows even wider, and he looks deeply moved when his _________ is announced and he joins the rest of the _________ on the stage.

“This ceremony would have been __________ without my princess,” Aashish wrote on social media. “Asher __________ spread through the silent ceremony hall, my heart melted along with all the others present.__________ the graduation award, I felt ‘Being father to my daughter’ is the biggest __________ to me.”

Shivaee was barely 3 years old when the video was taken in 2022. That makes the __________ even more sweet, and it’s something her dad will never forget. He added, “This was the cutest moment during my whole graduation ceremony. It would stay __________ forever.”

1.

A．show

B．happen

C．change

D．return

2.

A．secretly

B．patiently

C．shyly

D．loudly

3.

A．pick up

B．show off

C．apply for

D．hand out

4.

A．observes

B．decorates

C．occupies

D．approaches

5.

A．laughter

B．encouragement

C．suspicion

D．opposition

6.

A．confused

B．embarrassed

C．relieved

D．touched

7.

A．share

B．imagine

C．choose

D．recollect

8.

A．news

B．name

C．plan

D．prize

9.

A．professors

B．audiences

C．graduates

D．kids

10.

A．heartwarming

B．special

C．incomplete

D．unbearable

11.

A．words

B．story

C．ideas

D．optimism

12.

A．Thanks to

B．Regardless of

C．Rather than

D．As for

13.

A．challenge

B．achievement

C．opportunity

D．contribution

14.

A．father

B．dream

C．girl

D．scene

15.

A．popular

B．awake

C．alive

D．hopeful

9 . A city can become famous and experience a significant increase in visitors due to the influence of a well-liked film or a TV drama. For audiences, stepping into the scenes and experiencing the daily lives of the characters has become a new travel trend. Over the past year, several films and TV dramas have put their shooting locations into the public spotlight.

Qingdao in Shandong province

The Wandering Earth 2, a sci-fi that explores digital life and space journey, showcases impressive sci-fi scenes.90 percent of the film was shot in different places of Qingdao city, including the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge-the world’s longest cross-sea bridge, and the TAG Art Museum. For sci-fi fans, visiting Qingdao to explore the movie’s filming locations has become a popular trend.

Jiangmen in Guangdong province

The hit show The Knockout made Jiangmen an important tourism destination. As the hometown for many overseas Chinese, the city features historical cultural street scenes and South Asian-style architecture. The city has recorded more than 3.34 million trips in the past two months, which has generated over 3.4 billion yuan of tourism income, reflecting a notable rise of 124.3 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

Ningbo Museum in Zhejiang province

The primary setting for the sci-fi TV drama Three-Body Problem, Ningbo Museum, has caught significant attention. The museum integrates regional cultural features, traditional architectural elements, and modern techniques. Following the TV show’s release, daily visitor numbers rocketed to 5,000, marking a remarkable 220 percent year-on-year increase.

Taiyuan Ancient County in Shanxi province

Full River Red, directed by Zhang Yimou, set the Taiyuan Ancient County on fire with excitement. The movie highlights the county’s complex and narrow streets. The county now draws over 40,000 tourists every day, a significant rise compared to the daily 20,000 previously. Notably, one-third of these tourists were from outside Shanxi province, according to local statistics.

1. Which place best suits visitors who appreciate buildings of foreign style?

A．Qingdao city.	B．Jiangmen city.
C．Ningbo Museum.	D．Taiyuan Ancient County.

2. What aspect of Taiyuan Ancient County does Full River Red emphasize?

A．Its characteristic streets.	B．Its disastrous fire.
C．Its increasing population.	D．Its economic growth.

3. What do the four places have in common?

A．Their income depends heavily on tourism.	B．Their architecture integrates different cultures.
C．They are famous for their historical landmarks.	D．They become a hit through films or TV dramas.

10 . Initial conversations can have a huge impact on how relationships develop over time. People are often stuck in the impressions they think they might have made the minute they finish speaking with someone for the first time: “Did they like me or were they just being polite?” “Were they deep in thought or deeply bored?”

To find out whether these worries are necessary, we have conducted nearly 10 years of research. In our studies, participants in the UK talked with someone they had never met before. Afterward, they were asked how much they liked their conversation partner and how much they believed that their conversation partner liked them. This allowed us to compare how much people believed they were liked to how much they were actually liked.

Time and time again, we found that people left their conversations with negative feelings about the impression they made. That is, people systematically underestimate how much their conversation partners like them and enjoy their company — a false belief we call the “liking gap”.

This bias (偏见) may seem like something that would occur only in initial interactions, but its effects extend far beyond a first impression. Surprisingly, the liking gap can constantly affect a variety of relationships, including interactions with coworkers, long after the initial conversations have taken place. Having a larger liking gap is associated with being less willing to ask workmates for help, less willing to provide workmates with open and honest feedback, and less willing to work on another project together.

There are numerous strategies to minimize your biased feelings. One place to start is shifting your focus of attention. Try to direct your attention to your conversation partner, be genuinely curious about them, ask them more questions, and really listen to their answers. The more you’re zeroed in on the other person, and the less you’re focused on yourself, the better your conversation will be and the less your mind will turn to all the things you think you didn’t do well.

1. Why did the author carry out 10 years of research?

A．To dismiss national concerns.	B．To check out a potential bias.
C．To enhance human communication.	D．To develop harmonious relationships.

2. What is one effect of people’s liking gap?

A．Fewer chances of new projects.	B．Underestimation of their ability.
C．Bad relationships with people around.	D．Low willingness to interact with others.

3. What does the author intend to do in the last paragraph?

A．Restate opinions.

B．Deliver warnings.

C．Give suggestions.

D．Make a summary.

4. Which might be the best title for the text?

A．Liking Gap May Influence Work Performances

B．First Impressions Rely On Initial Conversations

C．People Probably Like You More Than You Think

D．How People Like You Matters Less Than You Assume