1 . In order to survive trips to Mars, humans need oxygen. Now, a team of scientists has designed a robot that could extract oxygen from water on the Red Planet.

The robot, which is called “AI chemist”, used a machine learning model to find a compound that could ignite an oxygen-producing chemical reaction on Mars. The compound, known as a catalyst (催化剂), is made entirely from elements found in Martian meteorites (陨石) — which means, if such a system could work reliably, space travelers would not need to bring oxygen or even the catalyst needed to produce it.

Mars’ atmosphere contains only trace amounts of oxygen. But scientists have detected evidence of liquid water beneath the planet’s southern ice cap. To create the breathable gas, researchers wanted to find a way to break down this water into its hydrogen and oxygen molecules using materials found on Mars.

Their robot analyzed five meteorites that either came from Mars or had a composition similar to that of the Martian surface. Using a laser, it identified significant amounts of iron, nickel, calcium, magnesium, aluminum and manganese in the samples. From these six elements, the robot’s algorithm (算法) deter-mined it could produce more than 3.7 million possible molecules to break down water and form oxygen on Mars. According to the researchers, finding the best one from this extensive list would take roughly 2,000 years of human labor, but for the AI chemist, it took only weeks.

“On the Earth, we don’t use these six elements,” Yi Luo, a co-author of the study says. “They are not the best choices for catalysts, but it’s only what you’ve got on Mars.”

With its chosen catalyst, the system could produce oxygen from the Martian materials at around - 37℃, demonstrating the chemical reaction could be possible on the cold Martian surface.

Notably, the robot was able to carry out the entire process — analyzing the rock samples, identifying the Jest possible catalyst and producing it without human intervention.

1. What inspired the scientists to design the robot that could extract oxygen?

A．Surviving on the Earth.	B．Trips to Mars.
C．Traveling on the Moon.	D．Water shortage.

2. What is the basis of extracting oxygen on Mars?

A．The existence of water and catalyst on Mars.	B．The oxygen that Mars’ atmosphere contains.
C．The scientists’ previous study on meteorites.	D．The low cost of “AI chemist”.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．The finding of six elements.	B．The advantages of the robots.
C．The process of producing oxygen.	D．The formation of the meteorites.

4. What is the writer’s attitude towards “AI chemist”?

A．Doubtful.

B．Unclear.

C．Favorable.

D．Indifferent.

2 . 假设你是李华，近期你校英语校报《最美中华》版块正在举办以“My Favourite Scenic Spot”为题的征稿活动。请用英语写一篇短文投稿。内容包括：
1. 景点介绍；
2. 喜欢的原因。
注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

My Favourite Scenic Spot

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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。

The “Reminiscing Jiangnan (忆江南) — Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Arts Exhibition” kicked off at the Sydney Opera House     1     Tuesday.

The exhibition,     2     aim is to promote cultural exchanges between China and Australia, is co-hosted by China Cultural Center in Sydney and other agencies. It is held     3     (mark) the 10th anniversary(周年纪念) of the establishment of the China-Australia strategic partnership. The 10-day exhibition will showcase a selected     4     (collect) of Jinshan peasant (农民) paintings at the China Cultural Center in Sydney. The works often feature a wide range of striking colors     5     diverse elements from traditional arts.

    6     (list) as Shanghai’s intangible cultural heritage, the art of Jinshan peasant painting       7    (exhibit) in many nations and regions across the world over the past decade. This time,painter Li Yuan presented his work themed on Sydney’s landmarks as a gift to David van Nunen, president of the Australian Watercolor Institute.

Themed “Reminiscing Jiangnan”, the exhibition expresses     8     expectation to further promote the exchange and understanding of civilizations between the two nations. “It’s obvious that the people of both     9     (nation) share a deep enthusiasm for life. I’m delighted to participate in this extraordinary cultural exchange,” said David van Nunen.

In particular, the City Walk Shanghai series albums were displayed at the opening ceremony,     10    (show) Shanghai’s innovation and convenience.

4 . Today I am working with Sim on for starting a mobile repairing shop. His ________ made me think of the day he joined us as a participant under Naya Savera, a skill-building program for different backgrounds.

My memory stretches back very ________. When I first looked at him during selection interview we ________ for taking on the participants, I wondered how I was going to help this person who could not even ________.

Simon has a ________ problem in both his legs. And to reach from one place to another he has to ________ a wheelchair. I didn’t take him seriously at first, but something changed when we ________ talking with him.

He made us ________ with all his funny stories. And made us cry by sharing his ________ to live normally. It is a pity that people underestimate him and look down on his ________ to become a successful person. By the time interview was over, we were all looking at him with awe and wondered who ________ whom, as most of the time he was the one posing questions.

Needless to say, he was selected for the training program and also ________ the program with ease. He was one of the ________ who never missed even a single day of training. He was one of the highest scorers in exams ________ on the last day of the training program. He touched everyone with his positivity and ________.

1.

A．motive

B．sorrow

C．enthusiasm

D．league

2.

A．monthly

B．easily

C．bravely

D．unluckily

3.

A．conducted

B．canceled

C．conveyed

D．rewarded

4.

A．advertise

B．polish

C．read

D．walk

5.

A．manned

B．serious

C．precise

D．dynamic

6.

A．turn down

B．decide on

C．test out

D．rely on

7.

A．started

B．regretted

C．forgot

D．abandoned

8.

A．melt

B．laugh

C．tease

D．compose

9.

A．labour

B．mixture

C．power

D．struggle

10.

A．success

B．violence

C．determination

D．absence

11.

A．interviewed

B．sponsored

C．warned

D．abused

12.

A．completed

B．crushed

C．designed

D．purchased

13.

A．players

B．astronauts

C．participants

D．leaders

14.

A．guaranteed

B．held

C．framed

D．cued

15.

A．reputation

B．kindness

C．mistake

D．attitude

5 . When you think of a map, is north on the top or the bottom? Usually, maps are designed with north on top, though when we think about it, there is no logical reason for this bias (偏见). After all, there is no up or down in space. So what is wrong with south, east or west being on the top of the map? The answer is: nothing at all. In fact, north-up maps only became the norm in the last few hundred years.

Ancient Egyptian maps had south at the top because the Nile River flows downhill from mountains in the south to the Mediterranean Sea in the north. Mecca was to the south of most early Muslim civilizations, and south-up maps were designed so that viewers would look up to see Mecca. Medieval Christian maps had east at the top, as they believed the Garden of Eden was in the east. The only early maps that had north at the top were those of early China because the emperor lived in the north.

North seems to have settled at the top of maps during the 16th century, largely thanks to a Flemish mapmaker, Mercator. Mercator was a great admirer of an early Greek mapmaker, who, for reasons now unknown, put north at the top of maps, so Mercator did, too. When Mercator’s world map became the standard map to navigate the oceans, north up became standard as well.

What is the implication of this north-view of the world? Psychologically, people tend to think of up as good and down as bad. Just think of words and phrases like “upmarket”, “upbeat” and “moving up in the world”, and how they contrast with their opposites. Because north is so consistently put at the top of maps, people now think of north as good, too.

Several attempts have been made in recent years by introducing south-up maps to the market. These maps not only give us a chance to see the world differently, but also give everyone the chance to see themselves on top.

1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?

A．North-up maps were rare in ancient times.

B．Deciding up or down in space is ridiculous.

C．Mecca maps were based on a legend.

D．The south-up map first appeared in ancient Egypt.

2. Why is north associated with good?

A．An illogical reason.	B．The spread of Mercator’s maps.
C．People’s preference for up.	D．An age-old tradition in Greece.

3. What is the author’s attitude to south-up maps?

A．Cautious.

B．Supportive.

C．Uncaring.

D．Disapproving.

4. What’s the main purpose of the text?

A．To criticize a phenomenon.	B．To compare various facts.
C．To correct a cultural bias.	D．To argue for a viewpoint.

6 . Francis Kere is the first African to win the Pritzker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of architecture. However, his ________ to the peak of his field was far from smooth. Growing up in a village where there was no kindergarten, he was ________ into an extremely hot classroom with over 100 students. At the age of 7, Francis Kere had to leave his family home to attend school because his village didn’t have one of its own. This ________ of poor building facilities contributed to his vision of better educational lives of local children, using architecture. Thirteen years later, he boarded a plane for Germany on a scholarship to study architecture.

His early reputation came in helping ________ a school in his village after graduating from college. He ________ the whole village to provide ideas and drew the ________ on sand for all to see. ________, he involved them in constructing the school, using local wood and local clay (黏土).

The result of their hard work was a welcoming structure with a “floating” roof that ________ ventilation (通风) in a hot climate and wall openings that bring ________ for students to learn even without electricity. He showed the villagers that ideas to ________ climate or other challenges are always at hand.

In this process, local people learned ________ skills that they could later use to find work. By cooperating with them, Kere ________ the idea that climate solutions started with big institutions. He ________ that everyone could contribute to addressing the major issues related to education and climate and ________ a global impact by acting locally.

Adopted by architects in dozens of countries, his ________ is rooted in the “unique” aspects of each community now.

1.

A．angle

B．welfare

C．journey

D．border

2.

A．perceived

B．crowded

C．estimated

D．reacted

3.

A．trick

B．infection

C．qualification

D．experience

4.

A．integrate

B．chart

C．oppose

D．design

5.

A．banned

B．encouraged

C．ordered

D．warned

6.

A．firm

B．soil

C．draft

D．gesture

7.

A．Moreover

B．Otherwise

C．Therefore

D．However

8.

A．blocks

B．delays

C．refuses

D．allows

9.

A．wind

B．fire

C．light

D．air

10.

A．subscribe to

B．deal with

C．participate in

D．depend on

11.

A．academic

B．urgent

C．severe

D．practical

12.

A．challenged

B．declared

C．attracted

D．agreed

13.

A．denied

B．suspected

C．imagined

D．demonstrated

14.

A．ignore

B．generate

C．miss

D．lose

15.

A．innovation

B．fantasy

C．patience

D．expense

7 . Pamukkale, which means “cotton castle” in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli in southwestern Turkey. The area is famous for a carbonate mineral left by the flowing water. Throughout thousands of years, this mineral has formed white water pools famous around the whole world for their healing properties.     1    

Bath e in the travertine (石灰华) pools

    2     These natural rock pools were created by calcium deposits (钙沉淀) coming from the area’s hot springs. To reach these pools, you’ll have to walk(barefoot to not damage the travertine) all the way from the bottom entrance of the site to the top part where these small natural baths are located.

Sit in the theater of Hierapolis

The theater is the main attraction to see if you visit the ruins of Hierapolis.     3     The theater is incredibly well-kept and has maintained much of its original detail. If you go sit on one of the top seats, you’ll have a fine view of the perfectly preserved stage.

Bathe in Pamukkale’s antique pool near the Temple of Apollo

There are a few more pools worth exploring near the Temple of Apollo.     4     It’s quite a unique hot -spring experience, with columns and marble(大理石) pieces of the temple lying in the water.

    5    

This small museum has an interesting collection of antiquities from Hierapolis and is located in a former Roman bathhouse. It showcases beautiful art, stone reliefs, and ancient sarcophagi (石棺) for which the region is famous. Visiting the museum will help bring the city of Hierapolis to life.

A．Unlike the natural travertine pools, these were carved into the rock by the Romans.

B．The museums closer to the top are the hottest.

C．Visit the museum of Hierapolis.

D．There are quite a few things to see and do in and around Pamukkale.

E．The one thing you should absolutely do is bathing in the white travertine pools.

F．The ruins of the city have beautiful long roads surrounded by towering columns.

G．It stands on top of a hill and overlooks the rest of the ancient Greek colony.

8 . A Neste fuel station in Finland is currently the only place in the world where you can have your car refueled by a robot. It’s the pilot site chosen by Autofuel, a Danish startup, to test its futuristic refueling system—a robotic arm that can locate a car’s fuel tank door, select the right type of fuel; and operate the pump (加油泵).

“Our technology intends to provide the customers with maximum comfort and safety at gas stations,” Jonas Thor Olsen, CEO of Autofuel, said. “The robotic arm doesn’t need human involvement. It allows them to go to the shop for a coffee or take a short break while the car is refueled.”

Autofuel’s solution consists of a robotic arm housed within the fuel pump, and a series of sensors and cameras designed to keep things running smoothly. Cameras detect the vehicle’s registration number, so the system is able to detect what kind of fuel it requires. Another camera directs the car to stop in a certain area so that the arm can easily reach the fuel tank door. The arm itself then starts to move, opening the door, selecting the right fuel and finally refueling the car.

The whole thing looks great in promotional videos, but after one of them recently became popular online, people brought up a few concerns. First of all, in order for the entire process to work, one needs to have their vehicle registered with Autofuel. That’s information many people have no inclination to share for something as small as refueling. Also, the speed at which the robotic arm operates worries a lot of people as it appears to move much slower than a human.

With robots and AI becoming such a big part of our lives lately, it’s easy to imagine solutions like Autofuel becoming mainstream in the near future. But any new innovation has to be tested and improved over and over again.

1. What is a robotic arm’s promotional advantage concerning car refueling?

A．It moves faster than a human.	B．It doesn’t need car registration.
C．It can park cars automatically.	D．It requires no human assistance.

2. What does the underlined word “inclination” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Opportunity.

B．Permission.

C．Willingness.

D．Ability.

3. How does the author find the robotic arm?

A．It is well accepted.	B．It is far from perfect.
C．Its structure is strange.	D．Its function is meaningless.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．This Robotic Arm Will Refuel Your Car	B．An Innovation Has Been Improved Greatly
C．Some Negative Views on a Refueling Solution	D．A More Efficient Assistant at the Train Station

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。

Welcome to Beijing. I’d like to share     1     you one of the most beautiful sights in our city — Zhongshan Park.

    2     (feature) beautiful cherry blossoms with stunning views of Beijing, Zhongshan Park attracts thousands of visitors from all over the city. During the spring season, the cherry blossoms in the park are in full bloom, with     3     (they) delicate pink and white petals covering the trees, making awesome sights of Beijing.     4     is really remarkable is the cherry blossoms. It is a must-see destination for those people who are     5     (interest) in the nature.

Located on a small hill, Zhongshan park also provides an opportunity for people     6     (experience) the unique characteristics of the area. With a large lawn and some shaded pavilions (亭子), which     7     (use) as shelters, the park is a perfect place for you to picnic with friends, or     8     (simple) sit and enjoy the calm atmosphere.

The park’s location also     9     (offer) panoramic (全景的) views of the surrounding areas, including the impressive city skyline and the lush forest.

Come and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of     10     park.