1 . The next time you’re at an airport or hotel, you might notice a traveling group that consists of young kids, parents, and grandparents vacationing together.     1    But more and more families tend to bring multiple generations with them.

    2    In larger groups, for example, child-care responsibilities can be shared across family members, allowing parents to take a break. But the real value of these trips might be how they give relatives an opportunity to freshen their perception of the people they’ve known for perhaps their entire life. Travel can take us out of our familiar contexts and offer people a chance to see one another differently.

The shift toward multi-generational travel has a few explanations. For one, grandparents today stay healthy later in life, allowing them more energy for travel.     3    Plus, the average U.S. household has become more multi-generational. Americans are not just traveling with grandparents in order to spend time with them, they are traveling with them because they are more likely to live with them in the first place.     4    Americans are taking fewer vacation days than they did in the 1970s. They might want to make the most of that time by including as many people as possible.

Whatever the reason for its popularity, a multi-generational trip can be a rare time when younger and older generations can glimpse the complex people they have each become. Away from the family home, older generations get to see their adult children as responsible parents. Kids get to see their grandparents encounter a new environment.     5    

A．Another explanation is time pressure.

B．The benefits of multi-generational trips are numerous.

C．Decades ago, only wealthy families vacationed together.

D．A scene like this would have been rare a few decades ago.

E．Multi generational family travel tops the list of travel trends.

F．Everyone gets to break out of their family roles and figure out how to be together.

G．Also, big-group accommodation has become more affordable through online platforms.

3 . 语法填空

Some people might be of the opinion that heritages    1     (be) not necessary in the modern world. Maybe for some people they aren’t, but for most of us, being able to explore our heritages gives us many    2     (benefit).

Personal heritages can serve as connection with our past. For example, we might have some of the toys that belonged    3    our ancestors. As a part of our families’ heritages, they are important because they tell us where we come from.

It is true that knowing our personal heritage doesn’t    4     (full) define us. However, it can help us find our starting point in life. It can even help us find out the direction in which we wish to go. For example, if we happen to have people in our families    5    have done great things, we might find that we want to further    6     (they) achievements.

Understanding the cultural heritages, such as homegrown music styles, widely    7     (celebrate) festivals and unique cooking methods, allows us    8     (identify) with other communities that have a similar background. Cultural heritages can actually provide us with a sense of belonging and unity within a group. In a sense, the more globalized the world becomes,    9    more important it is not to lose forever these    10     (tradition) roots (根).

4 . A study published Tuesday in the journal Psychonomic Bulletin & Review found that words expressing angry feelings sound alike in several unrelated languages. They’re less likely than other words to include the sounds L, R, W or Y. And more friendly versions of such words often have these sounds added. The finding suggests that certain rules may link the world’s languages, no matter how different they are.

Ryan McKay, co-author of the paper, happened to discover that some of the English curses (诅咒语) seem to have something in common; They’re often short and include the sounds B, P, T or K. Then Dr. McKay teamed up with his colleague Shiri Lev-Ari to learn whether these rules went beyond English.

During the experiment, they asked fluent speakers of Arabic, Korean, German and Spanish to list the worst words they could think of. Once they’d made a list of each language’s most commonly used curses, the researchers compared these with neutral (中性的) words from the same language. To their surprise, the rules still apply.

Next, the scientists asked the same people to listen to pairs of invented words, such as “yog” and “tsog” and guess which word in each pair was a curse. The subjects were more likely to guess that words without L, R. W and Y, such as “tsog”, were curses. Finally, the researchers looked through the dictionary for English curses and their cleaned-up versions. Once again, the cleaned-up versions included more of the sounds L, R, W and Y.

“Most 20th-century language scientists held that any word could have any meaning,” said Dr. McKay. “With curses, though, the sounds themselves seem to carry meaning. This can shape and change our understanding of how languages are formed.”

“It is the first time for researchers to study curses across languages and the finding is very interesting,” said Benjamin Bergen, a language scientist at the University of California, who was not involved in the study. “But it is just another case of what’s called sound symbolism in the language study: A word sounds like what it means.”

1. Which word is most probably not a leaned-up curse according to the text?

A．Rucy.

B．Buk

C．Yayad.

D．Walawah.

2. What did the researchers do in their last step?

A．Applying their study to more unrelated languages.

B．Studying the neutral words and curses side by side.

C．Asking people to listen to pairs of non-existing words.

D．Comparing English curses with their friendly versions.

3. What did Benjamin Bergen mean?

A．The study method is really unscientific.

B．It will change our understanding in a way.

C．It is not a totally new discovery at all.

D．The selected languages are too limited.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To introduce a newly published study.

B．To prove the unique rules in English.

C．To tell another way of memorizing words.

D．To show how to use more friendly curses.

5 . The first wave of concerns over artificial intelligence(AI)in 2023 appeared soon after New Year’s Day when classrooms reopened and schools from Seattle to Paris started blocking ChatGPT, a powerful software based on AI large language models, because teenagers were using it to do their homework.

The AI large language models behind such products as ChatGPT work by repeatedly guessing the next word in a sentence after having “learned” the rules from a huge amount of/human-written works. Although they often get facts wrong, their answers appear so natural that Keven, their inventors begin to worry about their possible use for spreading false information.

People became more worried when various AI products started to create not just texts but novel images, music and human voices, which threatened the livelihoods of anyone who writes, draws or sings for a living. It led to strikes by Hollywood writers and actors and legal challenges from artists and bestselling authors. Some of the most respected scientists even warned that the technology’s unchecked progress was possibly threatening human existence. “In the longer term, they might manage our attention,” pioneering AI scientist Fei Fei Lisaid. “They would tell us which video to watch, which book to read or whose communication to respond as AI technology’s abilities improve rapidly. They could be a very good assistant, but also with really big risks.”

Li hoped that 2023 is going to be a year for people to think about what Al is, how to use it and what the effects are — all the good, the bad and the ugly.

“It’s easy to forget that they are not the first wave of AI products. Computer vision techniques developed by Li and other scientists have helped sort through a huge database of photos to recognize objects and individual faces and guide self-driving cars. Speech recognition advances have made voice assistants like Siri and Alexa a normal thing in many people’s lives,” said Tom Gruber, co-founder of Siri Inc.

1. Why did schools try to stop their students from using ChatGPT?

A．ChatGPT often got facts wrong in the class.

B．Students spent too much time on the software.

C．ChatGPT helped students spread false information.

D．Students used the software to cheat at their homework.

2. What are the second and third paragraphs mainly about?

A．AI’s training costs.	B．ATs amazing abilities.
C．AI’s possible threats.	D．AI’s fast developments.

3. What would Tom Gruber most probably suggest people do?

A．Think carefully about AI’s impact.	B．Welcome AI technology
C．Do use ChatGPT more carefully.	D．Upgrade ChatGPT in time.

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A guide book to a software.
C．A product review.	D．An introduction to a person.

6 . Loss of slow-wave sleep as you age may increase your risk of developing dementia (痴呆), according to a new study.

“We found that aging was associated with a decline in the amount of the deepest stages of sleep, known as slow-wave sleep. We then found that people with greater declines in slow-wave sleep over time had a higher risk of getting dementia over the next 17 years of follow-up,” said Matthew Pase, senior author of the study.

Slow-wave sleep is the third and fourth stages of sleep, which is important for brain health. During this stage, the body removes unwanted or harmful materials from the brain. “For the brain, this deep sleep is thought to be the most restorative,” said Dr Richard Isaacson, who wasn’t involved in the study.

The researchers wanted to know whether chronic (慢性的) reductions in slow-wave sleep over time are linked to dementia risk in humans and whether dementia-related processes in the brain may contribute to getting less of this type of sleep. They studied 346 people with an average age of 69 and completed two overnight sleep studies—one between 1995 and 1998 and the second between 1998 and 2001—during which their sleep was monitored. The researchers also investigated whether any change in the amount of slow-wave sleep that participants got was associated with developing dementia up to 17 years after they completed the sleep studies. By that time, 52 participants had been diagnosed with dementia. Each percentage decrease in slow-wave sleep per year was linked to a 27 percent increased risk of developing dementia. The rate of slow-wave sleep loss accelerated (加速) from age 60, peaked from ages 75 to 80and slowed afterwards.

“This is an important study yet again showing the impact of quality of sleep on a person’s risk of cognitive decline and dementia,” Isaacson said. “It’s important to not only pay attention to the total amount of sleep a person gets each night, but also monitor sleep quality as best as possible.”

1. What can we learn from the new study?

A．The older you are, the less sleep you will have.

B．Slow-wave sleep has been linked to the risk of dementia.

C．The rate of slow-wave sleep loss keeps going up with age.

D．The amount of sleep has an impact on the risk of dementia.

2. How did researchers get what they wanted?

A．By making a comparison.	B．By introducing a concept.
C．By referring to another study.	D．By making a survey.

3. What did Dr Richard Isaacson suggest?

A．Sleep quality needs more attention.

B．We should have enough sleep.

C．The elderly should sleep more than the young.

D．The amount of sleep is more important than sleep quality.

4. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A．Sports.

B．Health.

C．Education.

D．Environment.

7 . In recent years, studies have suggested how the bisphenol A (BPA) in some food-packaging plastics has been linked to various health problems including heart disease and developmental difficulties in children. Scientists are thus developing a more harmless alternative, and it’s made from tomato waste which would otherwise be got rid of.

However, BPA is still widely used in the plastic coatings which are applied to the inside of metal food packaging such as cans. These smooth waterproof coatings help protect the metal from corrosion (腐蚀), plus they keep the food from sticking to the inside of the container.

Building on previous studies, an international team has researched a type of agricultural waste known as tomato pomace. This material typically consists of tomato skins, seeds and stems, which are left over after the fruits have been processed for use in foods such as sauces or juices. Ordinarily, the pomace is simply dumped in a landfill, burned, or at best composted. It may also be used in animal feed, although it doesn’t have much nutritional value.

The scientists started by drying tomato pomace — first in the sun for three days, then in a 60℃ oven for 16 hours — after which they grounded it into a powder. That powder was subsequently mixed with a sodium hydroxide solution (溶液), which was then heated at 100℃ for four hours. After repeatedly filtering that solution to remove the sodium hydroxide, the researchers were left a lipid. That lipid was then mixed into an ethyl alcohol solution which was sprayed onto samples of some metal. Once the spray had dried and the samples had been heated in a 200℃ oven for 10 to 60 minutes, the result was a polymerized lacquer coating which proved to be very effective at protecting the metal.

The scientists now plan on testing the coating on actual cans. “We would take tomato sauce, and other foods that are usually sold in cans, and we would sterilize them, put them in tins and check if they withstand real conditions,” said a scientist.

1. Which of the following is the most likely to use the plastic coating?

A．A pot full of water.

B．A cup filled with coffee.

C．A tin containing apple juice.

D．An iron box stuffed with packaged food.

2. What do we know about tomato pomace?

A．It’s used as animal’s food with rich nutrition.

B．It has been used in the plastic coatings.

C．People use it to make sauce or juice.

D．People usually treat it in many ways.

3. What is mainly talked about in paragraph 4?

A．How the new coating is created.	B．Why heating is important.
C．Why high temperature is needed.	D．What other materials are included.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To present a scientific study.	B．To introduce a new material.
C．To show a complex process.	D．To teach an actual test.

9 . “Will you go on this ride with me? ”my friend’s eleven-year-old daughter Jenny asked. I could have made up an excuse for not wanting to have a go. But earlier that morning, I was ready to push myself out of my comfort zone. Jenny stared at the ride, eager to experience the same excitement as the brave group of riders in front of us. I couldn’t say no.

After climbing into our seats, an attendant reached up, pulled down the bar, and locked it in place. The ride lifted us slowly, then turned us over like the blueberry pancakes I had eaten three hours earlier, and hoped to keep in their proper place. As I stared at the concrete directly below us, I had a sudden feeling of great fear. I wondered if I had replacement coverage for the phone that I was sure would slip out of my pocket and break into a million tiny pieces. I wondered when my new health insurance would kick in.

The ride touched down after twisting and turning our bodies. My friend was waiting for us at the exit. “How was it?” she asked. “Fine. No big deal,” I said, even though my head was spinning(旋转)like one of the other annoying machines dotting the midway.

Jenny walked ahead of us and convinced me to keep taking chances and sample more rides.

“Oh, look at the pirate ship(海盗船)!” she said. “That looks like a calm ride.”

“Let’s go, Auntie!” she said as she rushed to join others in line.

I followed her, confident the ride would be uneventful. When I reached the bottom, I tapped out like a WWF wrestler admitting defeat. Although my body was shaking and my head was still spinning, I felt exhilarated just like I was on cloud nine. That morning, I had set a goal, taken my first step to reach it, and felt the joy of achievement.

Each time you try something for the first time, you will grow—a little piece of the fear of the unknown is removed and replaced with a sense of satisfaction.

1. What made the author decide to try riding with Jenny?

A．The desired look in Jenny’s eyes.	B．The curiosity about the unknown.
C．The encouragement from other riders.	D．The eagerness to experience something exciting.

2. What happened to the author when she was in the high sky?

A．She lost her phone.	B．She got into a panic.
C．She was served pancakes.	D．She almost fell off the seat.

3. What does the underlined word “exhilarated” in paragraph 7 mean?

A．Occupied.

B．Excited.

C．Confused.

D．Disappointed.

4. What message does the story convey?

A．He who hesitates is lost.	B．It’s never too late to learn.
C．One’s potential can’t always be underrated.	D．It’s worthwhile to get out of your comfort zone.

10 . Zac Clark was doing yard work with his mother this past weekend. They ______ heard their neighbor’s wife calling for help. She told them her husband was ______ underneath their car.

Zac didn’t ______ to rush over to their house to help. “Instincts (本能) kicked in and I just ran over there. I guess the jack (千斤顶) broke or ______ and the car fell on top of him,” Zac said. “The only thing I could see was his legs and he was ______ .” Then, without any ______ , Zac came up and used all his strength to ______ the car off his neighbor a little bit. Then his wife and Zac’s mom could ______ him out from under it. Immediately the ______ neighbor got rushed to the hospital.

“He had a couple of broken bones and his face was messed up pretty bad, but the doctors told him if I wasn’t there, then he’d be ______ ,” Zac said.

Zac’s football coach Dave Carroll said he was ______ when he heard about what Zac had done. “He has just a ______ heart,” Carroll said. “Here’s a young man who’s been ______ sadness himself with his father passing away last summer, but he had no hesitation in saving somebody’s life.”

Zac said he was thinking of his late ______ as he lifted the car and wanted his neighbor to be able to spend his life with his family.

The lucky man is now ______ at home.

1.

A．actually

B．gradually

C．suddenly

D．initially

2.

A．trapped

B．laid

C．threatened

D．abandoned

3.

A．afford

B．hesitate

C．intend

D．dare

4.

A．functioned

B．maintained

C．slipped

D．switched

5.

A．observing

B．struggling

C．resisting

D．crying

6.

A．delay

B．recognition

C．reference

D．comparison

7.

A．fix

B．press

C．restore

D．lift

8.

A．kick

B．pull

C．pick

D．guide

9.

A．saved

B．separated

C．prepared

D．admitted

10.

A．dizzy

B．absent

C．dead

D．lost

11.

A．satisfied

B．amazed

C．confused

D．excited

12.

A．healthy

B．soft

C．strong

D．loyal

13.

A．going through

B．taking on

C．working out

D．adapting to

14.

A．teacher

B．mother

C．neighbor

D．father

15.

A．exercising

B．competing

C．promoting

D．recovering