1 . Left-handed people can find it inconvenient to do certain things, writing in a notebook for example.     1     Research found that they were over-represented (任职人数过多的) among fighters in combat sports. Left-handed fighters also had higher chances to win. This confirms the fighter theory.

    2     The explanation is that the two brain spheres of left-handers are more strongly connected, strengthening memorial ability.

Being left-handed might be a factor in mathematical ability. An Italian study found that for simple arithmetic there was little difference between right- and left-handed performance.     3     No one understands the reason for this.

    4     In one study, researchers showed the participants columns of abstract illustrations and asked them which ones they would prefer. Left-handed people were more likely to prefer the images on the left. Right-handed people preferred the ones on the right. Both groups disliked stuff on their opposite side.

Left-handers are also over-represented in professional, interactive sports. Researchers have looked at the influence of being left-handed on performance and interactive sports.     5     So if you have a left-handed child, you should encourage them to play table tennis, baseball and tennis. Being left-handed maximizes their chances of success in these sports.

A．Left-handed people may think differently.

B．Left-handed people have a gift for sports.

C．Left-handers may also be better at remembering events.

D．But there are a number of advantages of being left-handed.

E．But for more difficult problem-solving, left-handers won out.

F．Interactive sports have great many advantages over right handers.

G．Those that require the fastest reaction give left-handers the biggest advantage.

2 . A recent study suggests that for young soccer players, participating in repetitive technical training activities involving heading during practice may result in more total head impacts, but playing in actual soccer games may cause greater magnitude (程度) head impacts.

“Headers are a fundamental component to the sport of soccer. Therefore, it is important to understand differences in header frequency and magnitude between practice and game settings,” said study author Jillian Urban, PhD, from Wake Forest School of Medicine. “Practices are easier to change than games. Therefore, understanding how we can restructure practice to reduce head impact exposure while teaching fundamental skills is critical to improving head impact safety in the sport.”

The study followed eight soccer players who were aged 14 and 15 for two seasons. Players wore a sensor (传感器) during all practices and games. Researchers recorded all activities on the field with a camera, and identified each time head contact was made.

Head impact exposure was evaluated in terms of peak head motion and impacts, or impact rate per player per hour. Researchers then compared impact rates across different activity types.

Researchers amazingly found that technical drills like heading the ball and practicing ball-control, were associated with an average impact rate of 13.7 head impacts per player per hour. Team interaction activities such as small-sided games in practice were related to an average impact rate of 0.5 head impacts per player per hour, which was slightly lower than the 1.3 head impacts observed during actual games.

The study also revealed that games were associated with the highest numbers of average rotational (旋转) head motion, which signified the greatest magnitude head impacts. However, technical training recorded the lowest numbers.

“If the goal is to reduce the number of head impacts a young soccer player may get on the field, our findings suggest the best way may be to rearrange technical training practices,” said Urban. “However, if the goal is to reduce the likelihood of players sustaining head impacts of greater magnitude, then the best bet may be to look at factors related to high-magnitude head impacts that can occur during games.” A limitation of the study is the small number of players involved.

1. Why is restructuring practice critical to improving safety?

A．Because it’s easier to make improvements in practices than in games.

B．Because headers are an essential component to the sport of soccer.

C．Because head impacts during practice are much more serious.

D．Because high-magnitude head impacts in games are unavoidable.

2. Which activity has the highest average impact rate?

A．Small-sided games in practice.	B．Technical training activities.
C．Team interaction activities.	D．Actual soccer games.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards the scientific study?

A．Critical.

B．Skeptical.

C．Objective.

D．Supportive.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Head impacts in training activities and games of soccer.

B．Risks that young soccer players may face on the field.

C．The importance of head impact safety in soccer game.

D．How head impact in different activity types is evaluated.

3 . VivoCity—Gallery for Lifestyle

As one of the largest iconic retail and lifestyle destinations that offers an exciting mix of ever evolving, refreshing, and new-to-market brands and concepts, VivoCity has been voted as the best shopping mall in Singapore in the Expat Living Readers’ Choice Awards 2023. It features wide, open spaces for waterfront entertainment and relaxation, and whenever you need a short break, there is Sky Park with rooftop water feature from where you can enjoy views of Sentosa and catch a breath or two.

Timings: Open from 10 a.m.—10 p.m. daily.

Haji Lane—Boutiques Street

For an extraordinary experience of the city’s greatest boutique shopping down one of the narrowest streets in Singapore, Haji Lane, is the perfect place to be. This narrow alley is lined with cafés, yoga studios, old-school Egyptian restaurants and boutiques by up-and-coming designers. Although this is not high-street luxury, you can definitely find some good-quality gifts here.

Timings: Most of the stores in Haji Lane open around 12 noon and close by 9 pm.

Clarke Quay—Shopping for Fashionistas

Apart from the fancy waterfront restaurants, there are also a great range of fashion boutiques, independent arts and crafts shops along this breathtaking riverside place. Being home to high-end brands from across the world, Clarke Quay is one of the most frequented tourist spots in the city.

Timings: Open from 10 am—12 midnight.

IMM—Home and Clothing

Owned by CapitaLand Mall Trust, The International Merchandising Mart Mall, also known as IMM Mall, is an outlet centre in Jurong East, Singapore. You can enjoy fashion shows while shopping. IMM is now Singapore’s largest outlet mall with 100 outlet stores amongst more than 220 stores, offering 80% discount of local brands all year round, such as 6ixty8ight and Charles & Keith. Aside from the local branded stores, this is one-stop mall specializing in interior furniture, including home renewal essentials, furnishings and fittings.

Timings: Open from 10 am to 10 pm.

1. What can you do if you are tired in VivoCity?

A．Have a snack in a fancy waterfront restaurant.	B．Enjoy colorful designs in the narrow alley.
C．Go to the top floor to appreciate the landscape.	D．Stop shopping to watch fashion shows.

2. Which place has the shortest opening hours?

A．VivoCity.

B．Haji Lane.

C．Clarke Quay.

D．IMM.

3. What is special about IMM?

A．It sells indoor furniture.	B．It’s located by the riverside.
C．It contains all the local brands.	D．It’s the largest shopping mall.

4 . Top Stays for Travelers Who

Prioritize Sustainability

Here’s a look at four hotels that are taking the green lead, bravely committing to a net-zero future.

Boutiquehotel Stadthalle

In a restored turn-of-the-century house surrounded by solar panels and garden beds, the 79-room hotel has been running on solar power and other renewables since 2009. Its rooms are equipped with recycled wine bottle chandeliers (枝形吊灯). Breakfast is in the garden among herb pots and flowers. Up above, the flower roof attracts many butterflies and bees.

Hackengasse 20, 1150 Wien, Vienna; +43-1982-4272

Room2 Chiswick

Recognizing the climate crisis, room2 owner Robert Godwi spent two years planning a "whole life" net-zero hotel. There are a host of invisible elements like a blue roof that changes rainwater into energy. A biodiverse green roof uses 200 tons of soil and wildflowers aimed at absorbing CO₂.

10 Windmill Rd, Chiswick, London; +4420-3988-0220

Comfort Hotel Solna

In June 2021, Scandinavia welcomed its first certificated "zero-energy" hotel. The 336-room hotel lies a few miles north of central Stockholm. The building has 2,500 square meters of colorful solar cells which provide energy to cool and heat the building. This "energy-smart" hotel shows off Nordic design while being relatively easy on the wallet.

Evenemangsgatan 48, 169 56 Solna, Sweden; +468-1216-1480

Four Elements Hotel

This hotel uses the wind to produce energy for air conditioning and heating. It uses solar energy to produce electricity and heat water. The "Earth, Wind & Fire" idea came from engineer Dr Ben Bronsema. The top-floor Wind Sky Bar and the Herbs Garden restaurant of the hotel are must-tries.

Bert Haanstrakade 1074, 1087 H, Amsterdam; +312-0714-2040

1. Where can you see some recycled items?

A．At room2 Chiswick.	B．At Comfort Hotel Solna.
C．At Four Elements Hotel.	D．At Boutiquehotel Stadthalle.

2. Which is a feature of room2 Chiswick?

A．A CO₂-absorbing roof.	B．A line of colorful solar cells.
C．The Herbs Garden restaurant.	D．A meal among herb pots and flowers.

3. Who might be interested in all these four hotels?

A．Travelers who are on a budget.	B．Children who are nature lovers.
C．Visitors who want a green travel.	D．Parents who are fond of biodiversity.

5 . 假定你是李华，你们学校英文校报正在进行有关“工匠精神”的征文活动，请以“Father of Hybrid Rice”为题写一篇短文投稿， 简要介绍“杂交水稻之父”袁隆平。
要点：1.生于1930年，北京；
2.被誉为“杂交水稻之父”(Father of Hybrid Rice)；
3.一生致力于科学研究，具有无私奉献的工匠精神；
4.不注重名誉和金钱。
注意：1.字数80左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Father of Hybrid Rice

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . 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 special tea picker has been operating at a West Lake Longjing tea plantation in Hangzhou recently. It is the world's first tea-picking robot. The robot uses two mechanical arms to move back and forth as it searches     1     tea buds （芽）. When it locates one, it uses a pair of scissors and a suction （抽吸） device     2     (attach) to the end of its arm to cut and collect the tea buds. It     3     (equip) with a pair of 3D eyes that can     4     (automatic) identify tender tea leaves through artificial intelligence technology. People firstly take many photos to tell the machine about the targets     5     it can pick, and when the photos are enough, the machine will learn by     6     ( it). The technology is also constantly improving. It has now been upgraded to the fifth generation, and it takes just 1. 5 seconds     7     (pick) a tea bud, with an     8     (accurate) rate of 86 percent.

Ruan Jianyun, a tea expert, said, "We still have two problems. One problem is the efficiency and quality of tea picking, and     9     other is the cost of the machine."

In recent years, mechanization has been widely applied in the tea production industry. However, the picking of high-quality tea still     10     (rely) on human labor.

7 . Jason Allen was almost too nervous to enter his first art competition. Now, his award-winning image has caused controversy (争议).

In August, Allen, a game designer from Pueblo West, won first place in the Colorado State Fair Fine Arts Competition. His winning image was made with Midjourney—an artificial system that can produce detailed images when fed written prompts (提示符).

Allen’s winning image is one of three such images he entered in the competition. The definition for the category in which Allen competed states that digital art refers to works that use digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process. Allen used Midjourney to create his image.

Midjourney is one of a growing number of AI image generators. Others include Google Research’s Imagen and OpenAI’s DALL-E 2. Anyone can use Midjourney, while DALL-E 2 requires an invitation, and Imagen has not been opened up to users outside Google.

Whether these tools can truly make art or assist humans in making art came into sharp focus not long after Allen’s win. Some artists were angered by his win because of his use of AI to create the image. “This is really bad for the exact same reason we don’t let robots participate in the Olympics.” one artist wrote.

Cal Duran, an artist and art teacher who was one of the judges for the competition, said that while Allen’s piece included a mention of Midjourney, he didn’t realize that it was generated by AI when judging it. Still, he stuck by his decision to award it first place in its category, calling it a beautiful piece. “There’s a lot involved in this piece and I think AI technology may give more opportunities to people who may not find themselves artists in the conventional way.” he said.

Allen won’t yet say what the text prompt was behind his winning image—he’s planning to keep it a secret until he publishes a larger related work that he hopes will be finished later this year.

1. Which of the following is most accessible to common users to create images?

A．Imagen.

B．Google.

C．Midjourney.

D．DALL-E 2.

2. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “came into sharp focus”?

A．Went viral.	B．Be in a dilemma.
C．Made people surprised.	D．Come under the spotlight.

3. What is Cal Duran’s attitude toward using AI to create artworks?

A．Supportive.

B．Ambiguous.

C．Doubtful.

D．Uninterested.

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

A．AI Defeated Human Artists in the Art Field

B．AI Won an Art Contest and Artists Were Angry

C．An Artist Won State Fair Art Contest and Laughed

D．An Artist from Pueblo West Was Defending His Work

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。

A young boy, named Timmy, lived in a small town. He disliked doing any work; he found it boring and would always come up with a reason to avoid it. His room was always messy with toys thrown everywhere, socks under the bed. Books and clothes piled up like a small mountain. Homework often remained untouched on the desk, buried under comic books and game controllers.

Timmy avoided chores, finding them less exciting than his digital universe. Day and night, Timmy tapped buttons, lost in virtual battles, his eyes glued to the screen. Socializing means chatting with fellow games online rather than meeting friends outside.

One Saturday morning, Timmy’s mom asked him to clean up his room. Timmy frowned and ignored his mom, diving deeper into his video game. His mother sighed and went on with her chores. That afternoon, as Timmy was standing by the window, he noticed his neighbor, Mr. Jenkins, working tirelessly in his garden, repairing the wooden fence (栅栏).

At the sight of Timmy, Mr. Jenkins smiled and called out, “Hey, Timmy, I need a helper to hold the wooden strips (木条). And could you lend me a hand for a moment?” Hesitantly, Timmy walked over. Mr. Jenkins showed him how to do it. He continued to help do gardening work such as watering and weeding(除草) in the garden. As they worked, Mr. Jenkins shared his adventurous stories when he was a soldier, and Timmy listened with respect.

Hours passed, and to Timmy’s surprise, he enjoyed helping out. His hands were dirty, but he felt delighted and meaningful. As they finished, Mr. Jenkins thanked Timmy and showed him the result of their teamwork: a neat garden full of colorful flowers and fresh greenery. Timmy felt proud and realized that work could be fun and rewarding.

注意：1.续写词数为150 词左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

The next day, Timmy decided to give his own room a change.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Later, when his mother entered his room, she was astonished.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . 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。

China, with a history stretching back thousands of years, has a rich and diverse traditional culture. This culture,    1     is passed down through generations, is seen in     2     (difference) aspects of Chinese life.

One typical example is the art of calligraphy,    3     (consider) as a national treasure. The beauty of Chinese calligraphy     4     (reflect) the harmony of nature and the universe. Another significant aspect is traditional Chinese medicine, and it aims     5     (balance) the body’s vital energy.

Festivals also play     6     crucial role. The Spring Festival, the most important of all, marks the     7     (begin) of a new year and is celebrated with family reunions, fireworks, and delicious food. The Dragon Boat Festival, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month,    8     (special) commemorates(纪念) the ancient poet Qu Yuan.

Additionally, Chinese music and dance, traditional     9     (instrument) like the guqin and the drum, are important parts in Chinese culture. It is classical literature that provides insights into ancient Chinese thought and values.

In conclusion, Chinese traditional culture serves     10     a bridge to the past, connecting generations and developing a sense of national pride.

10 . Julian is a 26-year-old grassroots artist. With a bold and humorous style, his creations have earned more than 6 million ________ on several social media platforms and sold more than 60,000 pieces on the video platform.

However, Julian’s ________ to art was not easy. He was born in a poor village. At the age of 6, Julian began to teach himself to ________ by using waste bricks to practice on walls due to the unaffordability of art supplies. Despite facing ________, including the disability caused by an injury at the age of 11, drawing remained Julian’s passion.

________ the increased popularity of short videos, he could ________ his works online, gradually gaining success. Julian's life also got improved by selling paintings. His dreams, however, are even ________. “My goal is to share my work with more people and I also want to ________ and motivate them with humor,” Julian said. Many of his paintings reflect his journey of ________ obstacles. For Julian, it seems that the inspiration for creation is ________. In his eyes, any scene or word can be a source of inspiration.

Some media called Julian as “the Grassroots Picasso”, but he modestly rejected the ________, saying he is just a “painting hobbyist”.

Julian hopes to engage in more exciting adventures, including organizing exhibitions at home and abroad to encourage more young people to ________ their dreams. “I always believe that it is ________ to learn to persevere. If you love something, then put in more ________. The experiences we have are ________ the foundation for the future, and we will always leave our mark.” Julian said.

1.

A．fans

B．friends

C．teachers

D．authors

2.

A．addiction

B．response

C．introduction

D．path

3.

A．knock

B．draw

C．write

D．build

4.

A．difficulty

B．poorness

C．danger

D．failure

5.

A．Similar to

B．According to

C．Thanks to

D．Close to

6.

A．check

B．practice

C．collect

D．share

7.

A．harder

B．weaker

C．bigger

D．farther

8.

A．interview

B．inspire

C．invite

D．involve

9.

A．overcoming

B．decreasing

C．preventing

D．building

10.

A．timeless

B．helpless

C．endless

D．useless

11.

A．topic

B．favor

C．title

D．faith

12.

A．reflect

B．obtain

C．change

D．pursue

13.

A．urgent

B．essential

C．serious

D．smart

14.

A．wisdom

B．emotion

C．knowledge

D．effort

15.

A．laying

B．preparing

C．serving

D．creating