1 . 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。

Chang’an Tower, also known as the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, is an architectural wonder     1     (locate) in Xi’an, China. With its rich historical significance and stunning beauty, this ancient tower stands as a masterpiece of China’s cultural heritage.

    2     (original) built during the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century, Chang’an Tower served as a Buddhist pagoda, housing Buddhist materials that the monk Xuanzang brought from India. Its construction     3    (order) by Emperor Gaozong to promote Buddhism and facilitate (使……便利) the translation of Buddhist scriptures (佛经)     4     Chinese.

Rising to a     5     (high) of 64 meters, the square-shaped, thirteen-storey tower showcases the splendid craftsmanship of ancient Chinese craftsmen, each storey of     6     exhibits unique architectural features,     7     (reflect) the cultural influences of the time. Visitors can go up the internal staircase to the top for magnificent     8     (view) of the city. Surrounding the pagoda, the serene gardens and the Da Ci’en Temple offer a peaceful retreat as well.

Whether it is for experiencing a piece of history     9     exploring cultural wonders, Chang’an Tower is     10     essential destination for those exploring China’s vast historical landscape.

2 . The first time I saw the real Santa, he drove a big, charcoal-colored truck, not a cherry red sleigh, in the August heat. He wasn’t what I _______ at all.

My husband had lost his job early in July, and we’d been _______ expenses everywhere we could. He’d been looking for a job but _______.

One afternoon, we were feeling particularly _______ so we decided to treat ourselves to a meal from McDonald’s. Just a quick drive-through run, no big deal. When we got to the window to pay, the employee said our meal had been taken care of by the car _______ us. We attempted to keep the pay-it-forward chain going by offering to pay for the _______ for the car behind us. “No, that man just paid for everyone in line,” said the employee. She _______ toward the truck that was slowly pulling away to _______ the parking lot. We had no choice but to get _______ with the fact that a stranger had just done something kind for us, and there was no way to repay it, pay it forward, etc.

I looked toward the truck and thought I could see the man’s grin in the driver’s side ________. He ________ his hand out the window and gave a cheerful wave, and it ________ reminded me of the illustration of a Christmas poem where Santa was flying away into the night, gloved hand up in a goodbye wave.

It seemed like a little ________ that we’d be alright. My husband found a wonderful job shortly after that. We’ve gone on to do random acts of ________ for others, remembering the effect this free meal had on us that ________ day when Santa drove a truck and left with a big grin and a little wave.

1.

A．revealed

B．expected

C．predicted

D．reflected

2.

A．getting rid of

B．coming down with

C．making up for

D．cutting back on

3.

A．in vain

B．in effect

C．in debt

D．in issue

4.

A．awkward

B．low

C．ashamed

D．nervous

5.

A．close by

B．behind

C．ahead of

D．beyond

6.

A．menu

B．order

C．service

D．expense

7.

A．gestured

B．glanced

C．yelled

D．edged

8.

A．enter

B．approach

C．seek

D．exit

9.

A．ashamed

B．stressed

C．comfortable

D．grateful

10.

A．door

B．mirror

C．window

D．seat

11.

A．struck

B．shot

C．stuck

D．lent

12.

A．quickly

B．ultimately

C．automatically

D．instantly

13.

A．reminder

B．memory

C．image

D．example

14.

A．kindness

B．gratitude

C．heroism

D．sacrifice

15.

A．mild

B．freezing

C．hot

D．damp

3 . Each fall, the flu emerges as a terrible force.     1     Influenza viruses cause millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the United States each year. So it’s necessary to know more about the flu viruses.

What’s the difference between Type A and Type B?

Influenza A viruses come in many varieties. Four subtypes commonly affect humans. But many more influenza A viruses have been identified in animals, which makes it a potential source of pandemics whenever a new type of influenza A jumps to humans.     2     They are divided into just two lineages (谱系) that cause seasonal outbreaks.

What are symptoms of an influenza infection?

If you do get sick with the flu, you’ll have common symptoms like fever, muscle aches and respiratory ailments. Most otherwise healthy people are sick for three to seven days.     3     The flu can also trigger inflammatory (炎症反应) responses in the body and worsen existing chronic conditions like asthma or heart disease.

    4    

Some rapid tests available at doctors offices can distinguish between influenza A and B, although they tend to have low sensitivity. Doctors can also order more sensitive P. C. R. tests to identify the specific flu virus causing infection.

How do you treat influenza?

To treat the flu, we can take approved antiviral medications that are commonly used to shorten the duration and severity of illness. Stay hydrated, get plenty of rest and use over-the-counter medications to reduce fever as needed. But if you develop a sustained fever of 39℃, you have difficulty breathing or you experience severe chest or stomach pain, it is important to seek medical attention immediately.     5    

A．How do you get tested for influenza?

B．How do you know which type you have?

C．Influenza B viruses, however, only circulate in humans.

D．In some cases, the cough and fatigue can linger for two weeks.

E．These may be signs that you need a stronger influenza treatment.

F．There are two players every flu season: influenza Type A and Type B.

G．Public health officials recommend everyone six months and older get an annual flu shot.

4 . Falling birth rates are a major concern for some of Asia’s biggest economies. Government s in the region are spending hundreds of billions of dollars trying to reverse the trend. Will it work?

Japan began introducing policies to encourage couples to have more children in the 1990s. South Korea started doing the same in the 2000s, while Singapore’s first fertility (生育) policy dates back to 1987. China, which has seen its population fall for the first time in 60 years, recently joined the growing club.

While it is difficult to quantify exactly how much these policies have cost, South Korean President YoonSuk-yeol recently said his country had spent more than $200bn (£160bn) over the past 16 years on trying to boost the population. Yet last year South Korea broke its own record for the world’s lowest fertility rate, with the average number of babies expected per woman falling to 0.78. In neighbouring Japan, which had record low births of fewer than 800,000 last year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has promised to double the budget for child-related policies from 10tn yen ($74.7bn; £59.2bn).

Having a bigger population who can work and produce more goods and services leads to higher economic growth. And while a larger population can mean higher costs for governments, it can also result in bigger tax revenues (税收). Also, many Asian countries are ageing rapidly. Japan leads the pack with nearly 30% of its population now over the age of 65 and some other nations in the region are not far behind. Compare that with India, which has just overtaken China as the world’s most populous nation. More than a quarter of its people are between the age of 10 and 20, which gives its economy huge potential for growth. And when the share of the working age population gets smaller, the cost and burden of looking after the non-working population grow. “Negative population growth has an impact on the economy, and together with an ageing population, they won’t be able to afford to support the elderly,” said Xiujian Peng of Victoria University.

1. Which Asian country first took measures to increase population in this passage?

A．Japan.

B．South Korea.

C．Singapore.

D．China.

2. What can we learn about the population of Asian countries from the passage?

A．Japan hit the lowest record of new-born babies last year.

B．India has the largest and youngest population in the world.

C．China’s population has been decreasing in the recent 60 years.

D．South Korea had the lowest population record last year in the world.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 4?

A．The economy of India will overtake that of Japan.

B．Negative population growth leads to an ageing population.

C．The larger the population is, the better the economy will be.

D．A bigger share of working age population helps support the elderly.

4. What’s the main idea of this passage?

A．Low birth rate is a negative factor for economy.

B．China is joining the countries of low birth rate.

C．Many Asian countries came to negative population growth.

D．Many Asian countries are trying all out to battle low birth rate.

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。

In the mid-19th century, the world     1     (destroy) by cholera, a disease that killed thousands. In London, the epidemic (流行病) was particularly severe, with bodies piling up and fear running wild. In this chaos, a man name d John Snow rose     2       (challenge) the invisible enemy.

John Snow,     3     medical doctor, had a keen interest in finding the source of cholera. He was not convinced by the then-common belief       4     cholera was spread through bad air. His suspicions were aroused     5     he noticed that most cases were concentrated around a single water pump in Soho. He investigated deeper, mapping the pumps and     6       (associate) them with cholera cases.

With detailed observation and courageous experimentation, John Snow identified the polluted water     7     the “criminal” behind the epidemic. He convinced authorities to remove the handle of the pump,     8     (effective) stopping the spread of cholera. His actions saved     9       (count) lives and marked a significant turning point in public health history.

John Snow’s lasting impact serves as a     10     (remind) of the strength of observation, logical reasoning, and decisive action in the face of challenges.

6 . When Mark Anthony Gonzales saw a police officer in need of assistance, every element of the moral code installed in him through his Brazilian jiu-jitsu (巴西柔术) training — morality, courage, benevolence (仁爱) — told him to stop his car and lend a hand, even though his wife, Rachel Ortiz, and his four kids were in the car.

The suspect, a balding man of medium build, was running from a police officer in San Antonio, Texas. Gonzales slowed down. So did the man being chased — to avoid running into Gonzales’s minivan. That hesitation allowed the officer to catch up and take the suspect to the ground. But Gonzales quickly realized that the officer did not have control of the situation with the suspect struggling fiercely.

Gonzales put his vehicle in park and jumped out, as did Ortiz. The first thing Gonzales did was identify himself and spell out his intention to make it two-on-one in the officer’s favor and not the other way around.

Then, with the man on his back and the officer struggling to control the man’s upper body, Gonzales put his weight on the man’s legs. Seconds later, when the suspect rolled onto his stomach, Gonzales used techniques he’d learned in the gym: digging his knee into the suspect’s el bow and pulling the suspect’s head toward him to maintain control from the side. He then applied an underhook — a jiu-jitsu move where the hands are placed under the opponent’s arm to control the shoulder and upper body — and tugged until, after a few seconds, the suspect’s shoulder gave out. The officer clicked on the handcuffs and the threat was over.

Gonzales had asked his wife to record everything to protect him just in case anything was called into question. But Ortiz posted the video on Facebook, where it attracted over 56 million views.

Among those awed by the video was Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor Rener Gracie, a fourth-degree black belt, who stated: “The combination of Gonzales’s technique and his calm communication with both the officer and suspect is the stuff of legends!”

1. Why did Gonzales stop his car?

A．To protect his family.	B．To uphold justice.
C．To show his courage.	D．To perform jiu-jitsu.

2. What did Gonzales do first when he came to the officer?

A．He joined in the two-on-one fight.	B．He persuaded the suspect to give in.
C．He warned the policeman of danger.	D．He declared his identity and intention.

3. Why did Gonzales ask Ortiz to shoot the video?

A．To record his heroic deeds.	B．To avoid getting in trouble.
C．To attract views on Facebook.	D．To expose the suspect’s behavior.

4. What’s the best title of the article?

A．Jiu-jitsu Makes A Legend	B．A Victory Of Two-on-one
C．Lending A Well-Trained Hand	D．Justice Has Long Arms

7 . The polar research vessel (船舰) RRS Sir David Attenborough, which will always be thought of by some as Boaty McBoatface, is currently on an Antarctic task to find out how sea ice influences the cycle of nutrients and carbon in the world’s oceans.

The 12 researchers on board are using autonomous underwater vehicles to explore huge areas of free-floating sea ice. This will help us better understand how climate change is impacting organisms from microscopic plankton (浮游生物) to penguins and orcas. .

Last week, the vessel collected samples from around the A23a mega iceberg (a scientific term) . The largest iceberg in existence is almost 4, 000 sq km, equal to an area twice the size of Greater London, weighing close to a trillion metric tonnes and towering up to 1, 312 feet above the sea.

It originally broke away from a main ice shelf connected to Antarctica in 1986, but had remained stuck against the seabed ever since. Until last month. Now, A23a is drifting into the Southern Ocean.

Of course, one iceberg floating into warmer waters and melting is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the climate crisis. At COP28, billions and billions were promised to fund global I climate solutions, especially in developing nations. More than 130 countries agreed to deal with emissions in agriculture, with 118 promising to triple renewables too.

But more needs to be done. Forget the A23a iceberg being a threat to shipping, it’s a sign we may be all sunk.

1. What is the purpose of RRS Sir David Attenborough’s exploration?

A．To be thought highly of as Boaty McBoatface.

B．To study the impact of the sea ice in circulation.

C．To record the cycle of nutrients and carbon globally.

D．To stand out as one of the best research vessels in the world.

2. What was this exploration most concerned about?

A．The width of warm waters.

B．The shape of main ice shelf.

C．The size of remaining iceberg.

D．The weight of free-floating iceberg.

3. What is the main idea of Paragraph 5?

A．Joint efforts was made to fix the climate crisis.

B．COP 28 made a difference to the climate crisis.

C．The climate crisis will be solved in the near future.

D．The melting of iceberg is just the start of the climate crisis.

4. How can we describe the author’s attitude according to the text?

A．It never rains but it pours.

B．Facts speak louder than words.

C．Where there is global community, there is a way.

D．When the exploring stops, the destroying can too.

8 . 听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
1. What will Amada do at 2: 00 tomorrow afternoon?

A．See a dentist.

B．Meet a client.

C．Attend a concert.

2. What kind of music does Amada prefer?

A．Jazz music.

B．Rock music.

C．Classical music.

9 . Cruise through many neighborhoods or parks around the world, and you will find no shortage of well-mowed expanses of grass. Lawns (草坪) do look attractive.     1     Additionally, they can require environmentally questionable practices to maintain. Researchers and landscape architects are increasingly considering alternatives that are more sustainable, demand fewer resources and help people connect more intimately with nature. Here follows an edited excerpt of the conversation between researchers MariaIgnatieva and Marcus Hedblom.

Why did lawns become so popular?

    2     They were like a special frontier that separated cities and towns from the wilderness. A lawn was always a symbol of how a civilized society should be. That’s why it was so powerful. And of course, they are also important for recreation.

What environmental problems are lawns causing?

Lawns are homogenizing the environment, not only in terms of biodiversity but also visually. You compare countries’ and cities’ urban landscapes around the world, and they look exactly the same.     3    Mowers burn fossil fuels and emit gases that heat up the atmosphere.

    4       

You have to find your own local solution. We can take inspiration from the natural plant communities around us. In suburban and rural areas, that might mean having a meadow or prairie. In other places, it might be a savanna like environment or mountain plants. You can have a “grass-free” lawn; with only low-growing plants that create the same effect as a lawn, and you can walk on it.

How can we persuade people to adopt these alternatives?

When people see them, they appreciate them and like them.     5     We also have to try to change the minds of decision makers, including politicians. We need to show the public there are different ways of handling our urban environment and making it better.

A．So it is all about education.

B．What are these alternatives?

C．And it is understandable fondness.

D．What are the inspirations of lawns?

E．However, they choke out biodiversity.

F．Lawns came to be seen as a symbol of civilization and a way of life.

G．Lawn upkeep takes resources, fertilizer and pesticide that enter groundwater and runoff water.

10 . Growing up on a farm, Tori James spent much of her early years outdoors, building shelters and playing in muddy streams. She describes herself as an ambitious, adventurous child who went to bed reading the survival guides that lived on her bedside table. Even so, James says she could never have predicted that, one day, she might be the youngest British woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Today, James is a professional adventurer. Yet ahead of her first expedition at the age of 18, which she spent mapping the cracks of Iceland’s Vatnajökull glacier with the British Exploring Society, James recalls doubting her ability to last a month out in the cold without the comfort of a hot bath. “It’s only by stepping out of our comfort zone that we understand our true potential,”she explains. “That’s when the magic happens.”

Although James has spent a significant part of her life exploring some of the most remote landscapes in the world, when it comes to traveling, she believes that there are numerous ways for everyone to push their boundaries, other than by undertaking physical challenges. James also encourages would-be adventurers not to be put off by the stereotypical image of the rugged, hardy explorer. “I am such a believer that, with the right support and skills, everyone can bring something to an expedition,” she says.

Sometimes, she adds, it’s only out in the field that someone’s hidden talents emerge. A diverse team can be key to a successful trip, particularly given the role of exploration in today’s world. “Historically, exploration has been about people finding nature’s hardest obstacles and trying to either overcome them, or beat them,” says James. “But now, for me at least, exploration is about connecting, not conquering. It’s about our connection to the living world around us, it’s about sharing its importance once we’ve returned and it’s about figuring out how to do adventure sustainably.”

1. What do we know about James?

A．She was once doubted to be a professional adventurer.

B．She enjoys reading thrilling adventure survival stories.

C．She was a child with big dreams and a desire for exploration.

D．She might be the youngest woman to conquer Mount Everest.

2. What would James probably agree with according to Paragraph 3?

A．Few ways are there for us to push our boundaries.

B．Future explorers are supposed to venture bravely.

C．Exploring remote landscapes in the world is of significance.

D．Support and skills are sure to bring out the best of explorers.

3. What might be the value of exploration nowadays?

A．To make the most of people’s hidden talent.

B．To overcome the possible hardest obstacles.

C．To figure out how to have a successful adventure.

D．To engage in sustainable interactions with nature.

4. What might be the best title of this text?

A．Born to Be Adventurers.	B．Connecting the Living World.
C．James’s Amazing Expeditions.	D．Adventurer James’s Travel Insights.