1 . Neerja wakes up at 7 o’clock. She finds that she has a birthday cap over her head. She’s both ________ and confused. “Is it my birthday today? But it is in August …” She ________ her phone. It shows August 27, her birthday.

Things are getting more and more ________ for her. In a few seconds, her family ________ the room with a huge cake box. She is almost ________ about it.

She comes forward to ________ the cake, and as she opens the box, everything becomes ________ at once. The box has a joker mask with “April Fool!” written on it. With loud laughter, they make her ________ that she’s been tricked (欺骗). Now Neerja owns the title of “FOOL OF THE YEAR”. And if she doesn’t want the ________, she has to pass it to someone else.

On her way to school, she continuously ________ about how to add a member to the “fool’s chain (链)” till she sees Hari. A(n)________ comes to her mind. She says, “Hello, Hari! The class teacher called you to her office. She wants you to be the new class monitor (班长).” After some time, she sees him coming back ________. She realizes that she has made a huge mistake.

She goes to him and says, “I’m really sorry. I just ________ to pass the title ‘FOOL OF THE YEAR’ to someone else”. “‘FOOL OF THE YEAR’... what’s that?” he asks curiously. Neerja can’t help ________ his innocent (天真的) question. Hari laughs too. Though they are both now members of the “chain of fools”, they are happy that this chain is the beginning of their ________ too.

1.

A．angry

B．surprised

C．calm

D．relaxed

2.

A．checks

B．sells

C．repairs

D．answers

3.

A．difficult

B．important

C．discouraging

D．unclear

4.

A．clean

B．find

C．enter

D．book

5.

A．worried

B．certain

C．honest

D．careful

6.

A．cut

B．buy

C．make

D．store

7.

A．boring

B．special

C．possible

D．understandable

8.

A．realize

B．remember

C．imagine

D．regret

9.

A．cake

B．gift

C．phone

D．title

10.

A．forgets

B．hears

C．lies

D．thinks

11.

A．dream

B．idea

C．question

D．message

12.

A．patiently

B．sadly

C．nervously

D．hopefully

13.

A．failed

B．refused

C．managed

D．wanted

14.

A．looking into

B．talking about

C．laughing at

D．dealing with

15.

A．training

B．studies

C．friendship

D．problems

3 . 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。

A first-of-its-kind elevated steel pedestrian walkway system     1     (run) through forested areas in China, Fuzhou Forest Walkway,     2     (common) known as “Fudao”, extends over 6.3 kilometers from end to end, covering about 19 kilometers along its winding path.     3     (design) as an urban connector, “Fudao” links two bodies of water, while providing public access to the hills outside of Fuzhou’s city center.

The project forms part of a larger redevelopment of the area, which also saw     4     (significance) improvements to the region’s facilities. An existing bus station has been transformed     5     a visitor center, while a fish pond has been repurposed as a bio-retention (生物滞留) lake.

The walkway consists of six basic deck components     6     can be ordered and linked together in various ways. The project is a system capable of crossing over the rolling mountains, while protecting the ecology of the site. The use of a porous grating (格栅) for decks     7     (allow) natural light to reach the ground plane, encouraging low-lying plants     8     (grow).

The walkway has a consistent 1:16 gradient (坡度), which enables barrier-free access along its entire length. This was an important     9     (consider) for public access, ensuring that it could     10     (enjoy) by people of all ages. Conveniences such as rest areas, viewing decks, observation towers, and teahouses have been included, adding variety and character to the site as an eco-tourism destination.

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。

The Chinese zodiac, also known as Sheng Xiao or Shu Xiang, is a     1     (repeat) circle of 12 years. Each year     2     (represent) by an animal. Chinese New Year 2024 is a year of the Loong.

Chinese Zodiac Loong is the     3     (five) of the 12 zodiac animals, following the Rot, Ox, Tiger and Rabbit. People born in the year of the Loong — an animal no one knows if it existed in real world—are enveloped in mystery, and very charming.

Back in the pre-Qin period over 2,200 years ago, there was already the Chinese zodiac signs theory. So it is     4     (reason) that Chinese Zodiac years are in agreement with the beginning of Chinese Lunar New Year. If you have an idea of Lunar Calendar, you will know     5     Chinese zodiac year often starts from late January and ends in middle February of the next year.

Therefore, to see what your Chinese zodiac animal is,     6     to confirm whether you are a Loong, you need to change your Gregorian calendar birthday to Lunar Calendar of the year you were born. For example, if you were born     7     February 16, 1988 (a year of the Loong), the Lunar New Year’s Eve, which was very close to Loong year, but you are a Rabbit.

    8     is also worth mentioning is that if two people were born in the different Loong years, they may have very different     9     (personality), and horoscope, due to the Five Elements, which are Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Each element     10     (come) in a 60-year cycle.

6 . Smith brought his three-month-old son out for breakfast one day. He was playing with his son and tending to him while eating, and just doing his _________ thing.

But then he noticed a _________ staring at him. He was _________. “What is going on?” “They kept _________ at me,” he wrote in a post.

As it _________, the strangers were just happy to see a dad spending time with his son, and they felt inspired while watching the _________. Smith had no way of knowing that until he paid for his meal. He was given by the waiter a _________ from the couple, saying what a great father he was and that they would like to leave some _________ for his meal.

“Today your meal is on my wife and me,” it read. “_________ that baby as long as possible. The Masons.”

For Smith, it was a happy moment of reassurance (认可) and feeling __________. He was touched by the generosity and noted that he didn’t have a father figure growing up, so spending this time with his son is super __________ to him.

He wrote that he’ll share this __________ with his son when he’s older and that he wants to teach him kindness and about the __________ of giving back.

“I make sure I’m __________,” Smith wrapped. “I get blessed — I want to __________ someone else.”

1.

A．unusual

B．rare

C．big

D．regular

2.

A．stranger

B．woman

C．couple

D．waiter

3.

A．embarrassed

B．confused

C．worried

D．scared

4.

A．shouting

B．aiming

C．smiling

D．getting

5.

A．turns out

B．turns on

C．strikes out

D．goes on

6.

A．relationship

B．appreciation

C．friendship

D．instruction

7.

A．bill

B．note

C．excuse

D．notice

8.

A．credit

B．cash

C．change

D．fortune

9.

A．Enjoy

B．Share

C．Protect

D．Cheer

10.

A．lost

B．exposed

C．wronged

D．seen

11.

A．significant

B．occasional

C．grateful

D．influential

12.

A．idea

B．breakfast

C．joy

D．story

13.

A．feeling

B．comfort

C．power

D．consequence

14.

A．carrying it through

B．paying it forward

C．making it up

D．putting it down

15.

A．approach

B．address

C．bless

D．watch

7 . How to Protect Against Undue Influence Online

The potential for undue influence has become increasingly significant in this era of digital interconnectivity. Undue influence can affect our perceptions and influence our decisions. It may even end anger our autonomy (自主) and mental health.     1    

Understand what undue influence is

The first step to protecting yourself is understanding what undue influence is. Undue influence refers to a situation in which an individual or group employs unreasonable control over another person’s behavior information, thoughts, and emotions.     2     Disinformation campaigns, persuasive advertising, and even content designed to cause fear, uncertainty, or dependency may often appear online.

Develop media literacy skills

In an age of fake news, it is crucial to develop media literacy skills.     3     Become a consumer who can tell the quality of information, identify the source, check for credibility, and look for your unconscious assumptions and preferences.

    4    

Delete as much data as you can about yourself. Be mindful of what information you share online, and always ensure that your online activities are secured through reliable sources. Review all policies on platforms, especially “free” ones. If you aren’t paying, then you are the product, as in many cases, they are selling your data.

By including these steps into your digital life, you can protect yourself from undue influence in the online world, ensuring that you can think and act independently, free from ill control.

    5     It is your mind. Only you should control it!

A．Prioritize privacy

B．Be mindful of free ones

C．It’s vital to have a health y Internet and real-life balance.

D．In the digital world, undue influence can take many forms.

E．Everyone deserves the right to live free from undue influence.

F．They involve analyzing, evaluating, and creating media in various forms.

G．Here are some essential strategies for you to protect yourself online from undue influence.

8 . About ten years ago, logging into Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram would mostly show posts from friends and family in the order they were posted. Today, these platforms present a mix of content, tailored by algorithms (算法) to match users’ interests, whether it’s plants, sports, cats, or politics.

Kyle Chayka, a writer for The New Yorker, discusses this topic in his book, Filterworld. He explains that algorithms analyze user data to predict and influence what they will likely engage with. This means that instead of a simple, chronological feed, users encounter a dynamic stream, constantly adapting to their preferences. Chayka examines how these algorithmic recommendations control what we consume, from music and movies to food and travel destinations. He argues that this machine-driven selection process has turned us into passive consumers, making our preferences and tastes more similar.

Chayka points out that algorithms make us passive by always showing us content that we’re unlikely to click away from but won’t find too unexpected or challenging. This constant stream of recommendations reduces our exposure to diverse or challenging content, subtly shaping our preferences and behaviors.

Moreover, Chayka points out that algorithms also pressure content creators, like musicians and artists, to tailor their work to fit these digital platforms. For instance, musicians on Spotify or TikTok might focus on creating catchy hooks at the beginning of their songs to grab the listener’s attention.

Despite the strong presence of these algorithms, Chayka believes that regulation could reduce their influence. He suggests that if Meta, the parent company of Facebook, were required to separate its various services, like Instagram or WhatsApp, and make them compete with each other, it could give users more control and choice over their digital consumption.

In summary, the change from simple, time-ordered social. media posts to algorithm-driven content has a big impact on both the viewers and the creators, influencing what we see, hear, and even think. Chayka’s insights highlight the need for greater awareness and potentially more regulation in our increasingly digital world.

1. According to the text, how have social media platforms changed in the past ten years?

A．They show posts in a time-based order.

B．They prioritize posts from friends and family.

C．They make adjustments to satisfy users’ needs.

D．They provide more content to meet different needs.

2. What does Kyle Chayka think of algorithmic recommendations?

A．They make users more active consumers.

B．They shape users’ preferences and behaviors.

C．They reduce the influence of content creators.

D．They expose users to diverse and challenging content.

3. How do algorithms influence musicians’ work on digital platforms?

A．By encouraging musicians to create longer songs.

B．By discouraging musicians from using catchy hooks.

C．By giving musicians more control and choice over their music.

D．By requiring musicians to create their work to fit the platforms.

4. What can be concluded from the text?

A．Tech companies should have more departments.

B．Social media algorithms give content creators less opportunities.

C．Social media algorithms flatten our culture by making decisions for us.

D．Network platforms have increased the common recommendations for 10 years.

9 . 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 wanted to go to a party. Especially it was a beach party. It had been almost the only thing my friends had been talking about for the last couple of weeks. But My mom had said no. The more desperately I pleaded her case, the more forcefully my mother said no. “I don’t care who’s going,” said coldly my mother, “you are not going.” I was heartbroken. This was my best friend’s party.

Sunday dinner came around and my grandmother joined the family for the meal. Gran noticed my depression but didn’t say a word. It was my turn to wash up and Gran said, “Let me help you.” “What’s up?” asked Gran as I dumped the dishes into the foaming water. Gran wiped a plate with a tea towel. “Mom won’t let me go to my best friend’s party.” I said sadly. “Has mom explained why she doesn’t want you to go?” asked Gran. “No.” I replied. “Then for a moment, put yourself in her position.” said Gran. “If you were mom, what would your objections be?”

I hadn’t stopped to think about my mom’s side. “Well,” I answered, “it’s a beach party. Maybe she doesn’t trust us or thinks we’ll get into trouble.”

“Are there going to be any adults there?” asked Gran. “No,” I said, “who wants their parents hanging around when you’re trying to have fun?” “Might it just be,” said Gran, “your mother doesn’t want anything unfortunate to happen to you.”“Nothing will happen.” I objected. “Maybe you’re right,” said Gran, “but maybe mom’s worried in case it could.”

Gran looked at me gently, seeming to expect my agreement. For a minute or so, I kept silent, pondering for a while about my eagerness for the party. “Maybe, you are right, however, is there no hope?” I inquired. “Not necessarily.” answered Gran, lost in thought.

Paragraph 1: “Then maybe think of a compromise.” suggested Gran.

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Paragraph 2: The long-awaited beach party finally came.

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