China is known as Xia for its grand etiquette (礼仪) culture, and known as Hua for its beautiful attire (衣裳). With the     1     (change) in society, economic development, and cultural development, clothing has evolved over thousands of years. However, while the forms may have been changed, the essence (本质)     2     (remain) constant.

“In ancient China, emperors like Huangdi. Yao, and Shun brought peace to the world through their clothing.” Clothing holds     3     significant place in Chinese culture. It is not only used for daily wear,     4     (cover) the body and protect it from cold but also as an instrument of management. In ancient Chinese society, there were strict rules and dress codes about clothing. The presence of clothing distinguished civilization     5     barbarism (野蛮), while changes in color and style     6     (gradual) developed into a form of etiquette. Their design conveyed behavioral norms and     7     (they) patterns were rich in cultural significance. Moreover, ancient attire were also an important carrier of morality. China has always been known as a nation     8     values formal attire and etiquette.

What is the Chinese style? It is something that makes people think of China as soon as they see it. For example, the horse-face skirt, which     9     (favor) by international brands and Chinese people for many years, will continue to be attractive. Chinese clothing, as a classical style. has been known to the world overnight with good opportunities. It’s not just a traditional costume style but also a source of     10     (admire).

4 . Architectural Wonders Inspired by Nature

Atomium: Brussels

Originally constructed for the 1958 World’s Fair, or Expo 58, this weird (古怪的) building features nine interconnected spheres (球体) measuring 335-feet high. Engineer Andre Waterkeyn and architects Andre and Jean Polak modeled it after an iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times to represent faith in scientific progress. Today the interior is home to a museum and several temporary exhibits.

The Cube Houses: Rotterdam

Despite all the hard angles and straight lines, architect Piet Blom actually took inspiration from a forest of trees when designing these Dutch houses back in 1977. Each bright yellow cube is tilted (倾斜的) on its side by 45 degrees and anchored to a hexagon-shaped pylon (六边形塔架), representing a tree. The entrance to each three-level house lies inside the concrete “trunk” that contains a staircase.

Taipei 101: Taipei

Standing at 1,671 feet tall, this 101-story skyscraper was the tallest building in the world when it opened in Taipei’s modern Xinyi District in 2004. Renowned architect C. Y. Lee modeled it after a bamboo stalk, and its repetitive sections are full of symbolism. There are a total of eight parts comprised of eight floors each -a lucky number in Chinese culture.

Helix Bridge: Singapore

An international team, assembled from Architects 61 in Singapore, designed this footbridge stretching over Marina Bay, linking the famous hotel and shopping center with the ArtScience Museum and Gardens by the Bay. The inspiration comes from the double helix (螺旋的) structure of a DNA molecule. Opened in 2010, the 919-foot long curved structure has five viewing platforms, giving pedestrians spectacular views of the skyline from across the waterfront.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

6 . Electrically powered vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft—flying cars are an idea whose time has not quite yet come, but is fast approaching. Many firms are offering various designs. None of these, however, will be Jetson-like family flying cars. Pivotal, based in Silicon Valley, by contrast has crafted something that people can purchase and pilot themselves. Helix is a single-seat vehicle, so “flying motorbike” might be more accurate. From next year, many people will be able to order one for personal use, though they will not be able to take delivery until June.

Marcus Leng founded Pivotal in 2011, and some back-of-the-envelope calculations he made suggested that electric lift-off of a human-carrying craft, using motors powered by the lithium-ion batteries ought to work. He thus built a model and flew it in the garden of his house in Warkworth, Ontario.

Now, after ameliorating it, the firm thinks it has something marketable. The aircraft has, nevertheless, changed little in its fundamentals over the years. It has two pairs of wings and eight propellers (螺旋桨), making it slightly resemble a squashed “H” when seen in the sky from below. And there is no undercarriage. Instead, its belly is curved in a way similar to a humpback whale’s, so it rocks to stability after landing.

Pilot’s licence or not, buyers will still need some training to fly a Helix. Pivotal insists on this. For the same reason, the craft’s software will stop the pilot doing anything that does not fit its safety rules. And if, despite this, something does go wrong, it is fitted with a parachute（降落伞）.

The Helix’s top speed is a respectable 100 kph, but its range is only 30 km. And refueling it is a bit of a pain. Filling up from the mains takes four and a half hours, though a special high-power system similar to those employed for electric cars can bring that down to 75 minutes. While Helix still doesn’t compare to the flying car from the Jetsons, it could be a step forward.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

9 . Remember Malcolm Gladwell’s famous “10,000-hour rule” from his bestselling book Outliers? It proposes that achieving mastery in any field requires roughly 10,000 hours of practice, emphasizing the importance of early professionalization and intensive practice for becoming an elite in a particular field.

This approach, known as “deliberate practice”, encourages setting goals from a young age, investing time and specializing in a specific field. On paper, it sounds like a good path to success, but when we look at the lives of elite athletes, musicians and scholars, we find a different story. In reality, many individuals who have risen to the top of their respective fields took a more diverse and winding route. They often explored a wide range of activities, gained a broad skill set, and only specialized at a later stage in life. In other words, the idea that one must know one’s specialization from a young age is fundamentally wrong.

Studies have shown that an approach called the “sampling period” is often more effective for achieving success. During this phase, individuals try various activities, gain diverse skills, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and only choose a field to specialize in once they have a clearer understanding of their passions and abilities.

Elite athletes, for example, rarely specialize in a single sport at a very young age. Instead, they engage in a variety of sports during their formative years, which allows them to acquire broad physical skills and discover their interests and talents. These early diversification experiences provide valuable lessons that can be applied to their chosen sports.

Consider the journey of Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time. At the age of 6, he dabbled in rugby, skiing and wrestling, only returning to tennis later. The trial period benefited him not just because he found his true passion but also because his experiences in various sports enriched his tennis game with a unique set of skills.

The Day Mother Cried

Coming home from school that dark winter’s day so long ago, I was filled with anticipation. I had a new issue of my favorite sports magazine under my arm. Dad was at work, my sister was away, and Mother wouldn’t be home from her new job for an hour.

I was shocked into stillness by what I saw . Mother pulled into a tight ball with her face in her hands. She was crying. I had never seen her cry.

I approached cautiously and touched her shoulder. “Mother?” I said. “What’s happened?”

She took a long breath and managed a weak smile. “It’s nothing, really. I’m going to lose this new job. I can’t type fast enough.”

“But you’ve only been there three for days,” I said. “You’ll catch on.” I was repeating a line she had spoken to me a hundred times when I was having trouble learning or doing something important to me. She sobbed in silence .

I felt helpless and out of place. At the age of 16 I still assumed Mother could do anything. To provide enough income for my college two years later, Mother was crazy for ways to save money.

A few months ago, Mother arrived home with an old typewriter. It skipped between certain letters. “That’s all we can afford,” Mother said. “It’s good enough to learn on.” And from that day on, immediately after dinner, Mother would disappear into her sewing room to practice. The slow tap, tap, tap went on some nights until midnight. On Monday, she got a job as a typewriter at a radio station. I was not the least bit surprised but she was excited. But on Tuesday Mother looked drawn. I didn’t care honestly.

My shock and embarrassment at finding Mother in tears on Wednesday showed how little I understood the pressures on her. Sitting beside her on the couch, I began very slowly to understand.

“I guess we all have to fail sometimes,” Mother said quietly. I could sense her pain. I reached out and put my arms around her.

A week later Mother took a job selling dry goods at half the salary the radio station had offered. “It’s a job I can do,” she said simply.

But the evening practice routine on the old green typewriter continued.

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The old green typewriter sits in my office now, unrepaired.

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