A.In the sea. | B.On the bench. | C.On the beach. |
2 . Goldie’s Secret
She turned up at the doorstep of my house. No way could I have sent her away. No way. Maybe someone had
She was one of the most beautiful dogs I had ever seen. I called her Goldie. She was so unsettled during those first few days, hardly able to eat anything and had such a(an)
That’s why it was such a
By the time I reached the farm I was very tired and
I must admit I do miss Goldie, but I’ve got Nugget now, and she looks just like her
A.kicked | B.invited | C.asked | D.knocked |
A.confidence | B.food | C.space | D.security |
A.hurting | B.buying | C.selling | D.abandoning |
A.case | B.tone | C.air | D.status |
A.sat down | B.calmed down | C.broke down | D.slowed down |
A.shock | B.comfort | C.delight | D.terror |
A.restless | B.helpless | C.annoyed | D.scared |
A.took off | B.showed off | C.kept off | D.raced off |
A.bored | B.upset | C.patient | D.thrilled |
A.devote | B.confirm | C.understand | D.greet |
A.show | B.walk | C.sale | D.tour |
A.injured | B.killed | C.lost | D.trapped |
A.with care | B.with joy | C.in astonishment | D.in terror |
A.fellow | B.owner | C.friend | D.mother |
A.judge | B.expect | C.tease | D.observe |
In February, I traveled to York in the UK to participate in the Jorvik Viking Festival, Europe’s largest Viking festival, which
In the city center were hundreds of people with swords, axes and helmets, all dressed as Vikings. Some played old instruments as more than a hundred Vikings took part in a great march through the city center. Stalls were busy selling Viking tools, costumes and mead, an old Viking wine
According to the Archeology in Europe Educational Resources website, the Vikings conquered York in
Today, there is a great fascination in the UK with Viking history. Besides the Jorvik festival, people hold Viking weddings
4 . Life is often marked by unexpected twists and tums. As Alice and Mike watched their son Allan
Even though Allan’s family were middle class and they lived a
The opportunity was an operation in London which
For Allan, life as an immigrant (移民) was
But spending three years in Cambridge was
After graduating this summer, Allan is taking up a scholarship and ready for being a graduate school student. “If you’ve got a first-class law degree from Cambridge University, that should set you up for life,” he said. “But when you’re a half-blind immigrant living in Britain today, there is so much more you have to do. The
A.step into | B.respond to | C.graduate from | D.apply to |
A.convenient | B.comfortable | C.tough | D.miserable |
A.care | B.access | C.energy | D.sight |
A.confirmed | B.picked | C.seized | D.explored |
A.treatment | B.education | C.travel | D.case |
A.defended | B.ensured | C.restored | D.caught |
A.connection | B.contact | C.reaction | D.observation |
A.accounted for | B.benefited from | C.searched for | D.amounted to |
A.challenging | B.aimless | C.achievable | D.independent |
A.led | B.announced | C.accepted | D.invited |
A.visibly | B.slightly | C.rarely | D.probably |
A.raising | B.approaching | C.impacting | D.climbing |
A.effective | B.fascinating | C.transformative | D.satisfactory |
A.degree | B.course | C.chance | D.graduation |
A.movement | B.project | C.performance | D.journey |
5 . Social media scam is a form of phishing in which cybercriminals connect with their victims through social media platforms.
No social media platform will ask its users to click an outside link to update their personal information. Check with the official customer support if you are unsure. Internet users should apply the principle better safe than sorry.
Do not use the same password across all your online accounts. If one account gets hacked, all of them will. It is always better to have distinct login details for each platform as well.
Make sure not to reveal personal information.Do not publish your address, phone number, or place of work on your social media account for your safety.
When you get a strange message, or an offer to buy or sell something on social media, first check if the account is verified.
Social media scams can be financially damaging and emotionally distressing. We hope that these tips will come in handy for you. Remember, safety first in the online world just as it is in the real world.
A.Do not send money to anyone before that. |
B.It usually starts by sending a friend request. |
C.Always use a strong password to improve security. |
D.Create a unique login and password for each platform. |
E.Also, do not give away this information to strangers in conversations. |
F.Be careful of friend requests from unknown individuals, as they may have ill intent. |
G.Before making friends with someone that you do not know, carefully examine the account. |
When we were finally dismissed from the last class of the day, the students streamed out of the classrooms. It was another boring day after school. I dragged my feet home as I sighed. Yet another uneventful day, I thought. Little did I know that the day would take a turn for the worse.
The lift lobby (电梯间) of my flat was old and dirty. The walls, which were painted white, had been dirtied over many years. I reached my flat’s lobby, and pressed the lift button and went in. Just then, Mrs Lim, my elderly neighbour, hobbled (蹒跚) in. She looked ancient with tissue paper white hair, wearing a faded old-fashioned dress. I held the lift door open, flashing a friendly smile, and politely greeted her. I asked her how she felt that day and pressed the buttons. She thanked me for being so polite, then we were silent for the rest of the ride.
The lift fell down increasingly fast. There were loud clanking sounds here and there while the lift grew slower and slower. My heart beat hard and fast as my hands turned cold and wet with sweat. Unfortunately, the lift came to an abrupt stop at the fifth floor. I pressed the buttons hard several times, but it was of no help. The lights on the buttons had gone out. It soon dawned on me that we were trapped. An icy fear crept up my spine. Mrs Lim was hysterical (歇斯底里).
Paragraph 1:“We will never get out!” she cried with her face pale.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: Bang! My hopes were lifted when I heard the firefighters on the other side of the lift door.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . The prevalence (普遍) of sweatshop (血汗工厂) labor depends largely on the definition being used. At its most
It can be
Another factor that
Certain economists argue against the popular opinion that sweatshop labor should be considered
However, other experts think that
A.accurate | B.general | C.applicable | D.specific |
A.opinion | B.condition | C.image | D.representation |
A.However | B.Moreover | C.Therefore | D.Otherwise |
A.tax | B.criminal | C.civil | D.labor |
A.exclusively | B.particularly | C.broadly | D.initially |
A.meaningless | B.significant | C.awkward | D.difficult |
A.After all | B.As a result | C.Above all | D.As usual |
A.adds to | B.results from | C.puts off | D.appeals to |
A.in spite of | B.in addition to | C.in terms of | D.in return for |
A.comparative | B.competitive | C.complicated | D.potential |
A.By contrast | B.In turn | C.All in all | D.Last but not least |
A.necessary | B.constructive | C.illegal | D.inhuman |
A.encouraged | B.forbidden | C.reminded | D.obliged |
A.establishing | B.enforcing | C.maintaining | D.dropping |
A.possible | B.incredible | C.avoidable | D.necessary |
8 . In America, the “Big Dig”, a highway project that resulted in a mess of traffic in the centre of Boston for years, came in five times over its initial budget. Even the Germans get huge projects wrong. Conception to operation of Berlin Brandenburg Airport has taken 30 years, with seven missed opening dates. The airport ended up costing $8.2 billion. However, the original estimate was about $2.7 billion.
Huge projects like Berlin Brandenburg Airport are the subject of an amusing new book called How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner. Mr. Flyvbjerg sets up a database of over 16, 000 projects and data analysis reveals that only 8.5% of the projects meet their initial estimates on cost and time, and 0.5% of them achieve what they set out to do on cost, time and benefits.
Over-optimistic time and cost estimates originate from both psychological and political perceptions: the reliance on intuition (直觉) rather than data, and a problem that Mr. Flyvbjerg calls “strategic misrepresentation”. This is when budgets are intentionally reduced in order to get things going. And once the projects are under way, they will not be stopped, because money spent on them will thus be wasted.
Mr. Flyvbjerg speaks highly of Pixar’s methodical approach to developing and testing films in great detail before they go into production. He also tells the story of how Frank Gehry’s well-developed architectural models helped ensure the success of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Narrowing down the producing window of a project before it is actually carried out reduces the probability of unexpected events.
Big customized projects are particularly likely to run into trouble. However, the more a project can be divided into standardized processes, the better its prospects are. Projects run into problems for specific reasons as well as general ones: Britain’s trouble is not something that China has to worry about, for instance. But the iron law is that if you plan strictly and standardize where possible, you are less likely to dig yourself into a hole.
1. How does the author introduce the topic of the passage?A.By making a contrast. | B.By giving an explanation. |
C.By presenting examples. | D.By showing an experience. |
A.Projects’ success rates can be estimated. |
B.Projects’ desired outcome can’t be achieved. |
C.Most projects suffer overspending and delays. |
D.Most projects lack comprehensive data analysis. |
A.Failures in decision-making. | B.Methods of reducing massive costs. |
C.Strategies for getting work done. | D.Reasons behind inaccurate estimates. |
A.Planning thoroughly in advance. |
B.Analyzing specific and general reasons. |
C.Focusing on efficiency of projects. |
D.Drawing lessons from former experiences. |
9 . If you look at the dynamic “Global Temperatures” map on NASA’s website, you can see the historic temperature change over time across the planet as the timeline goes from 1880 to the modern day. By 2019, the entire planet is in red, orange, and yellow colors, indicating temperatures much higher than the historical average in every country and human inhabitance.
If the timeline went to 2023, the map would look even worse. That’s because the summer of 2023 was the hottest ever, according to ocean monitors. July was the hottest month in recorded history. Next July could be worse. Unless we do something quickly, we face dealing with more and more dangerous and expensive natural disasters in the future.
Forest fires sent smoke from Canada across the North American continent, causing New York City to have the worst air quality in its recorded history. Heavy rainstorms fell on Vermont and the Northeastern United States in just a couple of days in the middle of July, which exceeded the amount that area would usually receive in two months and caused extreme damage to homes and businesses. Around the same time, flash flooding in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — north of Philadelphia — killed nearly a dozen people.
Erich Fischer, a researcher specializing in climate studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is concerned that natural disasters could get much worse in the future—and in ways we cannot predict. He called for a “strike for climate justice,” which actually took place on Sept. 15, 2023. “The strategy needs to be twofold (双重的) . We need to decrease carbon emissions as much as realistically possible. That is already happening with people using electric cars and other green technologies. At the same time, we also need to find ways to predict the risk of natural disasters ahead of time,” said Erich Fischer.
1. Why does the writer mention the data on NASA’s website in paragraph 1?A.To explain a concept. | B.To introduce a topic. |
C.To provide a solution. | D.To make a prediction. |
A.The severity of natural disasters. | B.The worst air quality in New York City. |
C.The extreme damage by flash flooding. | D.The cause of the forests fires in Canada. |
A.He advocated a twofold strategy. |
B.He suggested forbidding carbon emissions. |
C.He required people to use more electric cars. |
D.He emphasized the awareness of climate changes. |
A.The Hottest Month in History | B.Natural Disasters in the World |
C.Extreme Weather Could Get Worse | D.Green Technology Would be Needed |
10 . Formula One Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix 2024
From April 19 to 21, the much-anticipated 2024 Formula One Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix will come alive with the roar of engines at the Shanghai International Circuit. Details about tickets for the event are as follows.
Ticket Price:
[Grandstand] [Session] [Price (RMB)]
A Platinum 3 Day Ticket 3880
• A High 3 Day/Fri./Sat./Sun. Ticket 2880/490/890/2490
• A Low 3 Day/Fri./Sat./Sun. Ticket 2280/390/690/1990
• H/K 3 Day/Fri./Sat./Sun. Ticket 1480/290/590/1290
• C/F/J/L 3 Day Ticket 480
Ticketing Instructions:
• This event adopts electronic tickets with one ticket per person. Children require a full-priced ticket, and children under the age of three are not allowed entry.
• For each session of this event, a maximum of 4 tickets per mobile phone number and 1 ticket per ID card number can be purchased. When purchasing tickets, buyers must provide the audience’s real name, a valid personal ID, and a valid mobile phone number. After a successful purchase, ticket purchasers should retain e-ticket seat information appropriately.
• Ticket refunds can be requested without fees from the date of purchase until 24: 00 on February 29, 2024. From 00:00 on March 1, 2024, to 24: 00 on April 15, 2024, refunds will invite a 10% handling fee. No refunds will be accepted from 00: 00 on April 16, 2024. Returned within 7 working days.
• This event implements real-name verification with ID card and facial recognition for entry.
• The schedule and arrangement of the competition may be subject to changes, and please stay tuned to Formula One Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix official WeChat and Weibo for the latest information.
1. What should be offered to buy a ticket?A.The audience’s nickname. | B.The audience’s e-ticket seat information. |
C.The audience’s WeChat number. | D.The audience’s available phone number. |
A.59 yuan. | B.531 yuan. | C.1, 062 yuan. | D.1, 180 yuan. |
A.It will last 7 days. | B.It will be exciting and noisy. |
C.It doesn’t limit the audience’s age. | D.It will never be postponed or cancelled. |