2 . 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。

My kitchen was a mess. Clouds of flour dusted the counters, the floor, and the aprons of the women gathered there.

Peels from 40 pounds of apples were piled in the corner. Mixing bowls sticky with cinnamon and sugar tipped messily in the sink. The wrappers from 12 pounds’ worth of butter spilled from the trash. But, wow, it did smell sweet.

Six of us had gathered that Saturday morning to make apple pies. Once colleagues, now simply friends, we shared an intense curiosity about all sort s of things, and we loved to chat.

Today our curiosity and chatter were directed to pie-making. While I was no top chef, I knew how to use a rolling pin and I’d had years of practice serving up strawberry cakes, coconut cream, and sour cherry pies to my family.

Pie-making is a lot of work. Whoever coined the phrase “easy as pie” must have meant consuming, not creating. We spent hours peeling, coring, slicing, measuring, and learning to handle delicate dough (面团).

“It’s sticking to the rolling pin,” one of them said, her voice full of depression.

“Oh no, it’s cracking!” came another cry. I assured them the patched crust (皮) would simply serve as a reminder that these pies were home-made.

Outside, an October snowstorm struck heavily. Inside, though, it was all steamy windows, soft music and happy laughter as we finally put our pies into the oven.

When planning “Pie Day”, we decided that we would each make two pies: One for our families and one to donate to someone else.

By early afternoon, 12 pies had been placed on the counter, their perfectly imperfect crusts shining goldenly. We rushed to prepare for delivery, packing the pies messily in boxes and bags. We marched down the driveway. The snow had melted (融化); the roads were clear. It was time to deliver.

Then, disaster struck. One of the painstakingly crafted pies melted through the bag it was packed in and fell onto the driveway. Screams of horror followed.

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

One friend ran back into the kitchen and returned with forks.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The best part was still to come: Handing out pies was even better than eating pies.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . 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。

Xiangsheng, or crosstalk, is arguably the most popular comic performance in China, appealing to people of all ages.

Xiangsheng first appeared in China during the Ming Dynasty. But it was not until the middle and late Qing Dynasty     1     xiangsheng, established itself as     2     unique and independent art form.

Performed mainly in Beijing or Tianjin dialect, xiangsheng is     3     (essential) known for its humorous and satirical (讽刺的) nature. It could be a comedic monologue, dialogue or multiplayer sketch.

As the     4     (early) form of xiangsheng, dankou, or monologue, is performed by an actor who mainly cracks jokes or simply narrates humorous stories. It’s known as qunkou when it is performed by three or more people.

But most of the time, xiangsheng is performed by two actors,     5     is called duikou. The two actors usually discuss or argue over a subject or a social phenomenon     6     a satirical and humorous manner. The main purpose is     7     (cause) laughter among the audience.

In the early years, xiangsheng performers typically came from a humble background,     8     (start) off as street performers. The most popular     9     (venue) of xiangsheng used to be Beijing Tianqiao, Tianjin Quanyechang and Nanjing Confucius Temple. Later, they began to perform in teahouses and theaters. With the     10     (arrive) of radio and television, xiangsheng began to reach audiences everywhere.

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。

The music in Full River Red was sung by Zhang Xiaoying, a well-known Yuju Opera actress in Henan Province.     1     40 years of experience, she is a household name in the industry, but the film marked the first time she had attempted such a “    2    (complete) odd combination” of electronic music and Yuju Opera.

“I was very nervous at first since I wasn’t sure     3     this song would sound like. However, since the movie     4    (release), dozens of people have called me every day to ask me if the singer was me or to congratulate me. Their     5    (recognize) has been greatly encouraging.” the 52-year-old said in an interview.

Zhang is       6     actress with the Henan Opera and Drama Troupe(剧团), which traveled around the country until 2019 when the pandemic hit the world From October to the end of 2022, Zhang traveled to Beijing several times     7    (do) recordings for the film. However, she was a little     8    (concern) that her fans would object to the combination of styles. After the movie came out, it turned out to be a great success. Her phone exploded with messages     9     (congratulate) her.

“I don’t think the movie has made me more popular, but it     10    (popularize) Yuju Opera. It is my responsibility and mission to spread this art form.” she said.

6 . A number of recent studies of families in several Asian countries help to shed light on how grandparents are involved in coparenting, which researchers define as the sharing of childcare and upbringing responsibility among two or more adults. These studies suggest that children benefit when parents have strong relationships with coparenting grandparents.

Researcher Xiaowei Li and her coworkers recently explored parent-grandparent coparenting in China, where it is very common. In their 2019 study, nearly 180 mothers of preschoolers completed questionnaires (问卷调查) about their coparenting. The majority of families lived in three-generational households, and 80% of families had only one child.

The questionnaire asked about positive aspects of the parent-grandparent coparenting relationship, like how much they agreed and felt close as well as challenging aspects like how much they had conflict in front of the child. The researchers also measured how competent mothers felt in using parenting strategies and teaching their children age-appropriate skills.

The findings? Mothers who had strong coparenting relationships with grandparents tended to feel more effective in their role as a parent, and, in turn, their children tended to be more socially competent. That’s because grandparents, with their rich experience, can provide support, role modeling, and encouragement when they raise children, which could influence how competent mothers feel in their parenting role. And when mothers are feeling more confident, they can approach parenting with more positivity, which can boost their children’s social development.

Parent-grandparent coparenting also seems to influence other aspects of children’s development, such as preschoolers’ effortful control—their ability to regulate how they respond to a situation and notice novelty or mistakes. For preschoolers, it might come into play when they get a gift they don’t like, or have to figure out how to share toys.

This research on grandparents highlights that handling the coparenting relationship is not without its challenges. But grandparents’ involvement in children’s upbringing can bring great benefits for families and grandparents themselves.

1. What might be included in the questionnaire?

A．Grandparents’ age gap.	B．The support grandparents give.
C．The income the family have.	D．Grandparents’ attitude to education.

2. What is the conclusion of the study?

A．Parents and grandparents can get along well.

B．Mothers’ ability has an effect on their children.

C．Good coparenting relationships benefit children.

D．Parent-grandparent coparenting is becoming popular.

3. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 5 probably refer to?

A．Effortful control.	B．The response.
C．The development.	D．The mistake.

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

A．The Trend of Coparenting is Catching on in Asia.

B．How Young Parents Think of Grandparents’ Help

C．Coparenting Relationships Are Becoming Comfortable.

D．What Happens When Grandparents Help Raise Children.

7 . Dung the rush hour in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, White was driving home when he saw a car on the opposite side of the street. It was easy to _________, since it was moving from side to side. As the car drew closer, White saw the ___________: The driver appeared to be asleep. Pretty soon, an accident was _________ to happen, White thought.

White made a U-turn to the same _________ as the car, but there were four cars separating them. _________, White pulled his car over, jumped out and raced up the sidewalk. The car was going 10 to 15 miles per hour, White _________. So he ran around to the driver’s side. White caught the frame of the open window and _________. The man in the car, 64-year-old Todd, was conscious enough to be surprised by the _________ of a stranger by his car window.

White worked quickly. He forced the car into a _________ stop and stepped outside the car. Then White asked Todd if he was OK. “No,” he replied. Todd was __________ facing dangerously low blood sugar.

A police officer went to the __________, and an ambulance soon arrived, which took Todd to a hospital. The doctors ____________ that, if his blood sugar had gone much lower, he could have fallen unconscious.

White’s actions weren’t __________ for him. He and his mother run a nonprofit organization. But White __________ that jumping into a moving car to prevent a(n) __________ was new. “It took me a couple of days to calm down,” he says.

1.

A．remember

B．manage

C．generate

D．notice

2.

A．shelter

B．problem

C．trick

D．sculpture

3.

A．unfortunate

B．identical

C．bound

D．helpless

4.

A．direction

B．situation

C．plan

D．insight

5.

A．Involved

B．Confused

C．Trapped

D．Exposed

6.

A．consumed

B．estimated

C．investigated

D．introduced

7.

A．made out

B．broke out

C．took in

D．jumped in

8.

A．reach

B．sight

C．experience

D．discipline

9.

A．comprehensive

B．suitable

C．sharp

D．permanent

10.

A．unexpectedly

B．awkwardly

C．automatically

D．specifically

11.

A．scene

B．summary

C．conclusion

D．media

12.

A．arranged

B．guaranteed

C．documented

D．decided

13.

A．unusual

B．uncomfortable

C．frequent

D．elegant

14.

A．advocated

B．committed

C．admitted

D．complained

15.

A．breakdown

B．crash

C．conflict

D．emergency

8 . Getting a driving license was once a universal passage into adulthood. But now a growing minority of young people ignore or actively oppose it, into their 20s and beyond. That starts to create more support for anti-car policies in cities around the world to pass anti-car laws, changing planning rules to favour pedestrians over drivers. After a century in which the car remade the rich world, the tide begins to swing the other way.

By 1997, 43% of America’s 16-year-olds had driving licenses. But the proportion has been falling for every age group under 40. Even those who have them are driving less. A similar trend is seen in Europe. One study of five European capitals found the number of driving trips made by working people was down substantially since a peak in the 1990s.

No one is entirely sure why young adults are proving resistant to owning a car. The growth of the interest is one obvious possibility—the more you can shop online, or stream films at home, the less need there is to drive into town. The rise of taxi apps like Uber has contributed as well. Driving generally is more expensive. Other reasons seem more cultural. One big motivator is worries about climate change.

The falling popularity of cars among the under-40s chimes with the mood among city planners and urbanists. In America, New York has banned cars from Central Park and some streets. In the past few years, dozens of American cities have removed rules that force developers to provide a certain amount of free parking around their buildings.

As the example in Oxfond shows, political opposition could put the brakes on the growth of anti-car policies. But in the parts of Europe where anti-car policies have been in place, they appear to have worked. Giulio notes that almost nowhere in the world that has removed a big road, or pedestrianised a shopping street, has decided to turn back. “Once people see, they generally don’t want to go back.” If that pattern holds, the 21st century might just see the car’s high-water mark.

1. What do a minority of young people ignore?

A．Owing a home as a sign of adulthood.	B．Making it into the world of the rich.
C．Getting a driving license as an adult.	D．Being involved in a kind of campaign.

2. What lead to cars’ becoming less popular?

A．Strict traffic regulations.	B．Environmental concerns.
C．Some social prejudices.	D．The use of self-driving apps.

3. What does the underlined part “chimes with” mean in paragraph 4?

A．Agrees with.

B．Sticks to.

C．Cooperates with.

D．Emerges from.

4. What does the example in Oxford show?

A．People are keen about banning driving.	B．Banning cars benefits city development.
C．It’s hard for young people to be drivers.	D．Anti-car policies are met with opposition.

9 . Sujata Halarnkar would like to eat fish curry (咖喱) every day. It’s a very _________ curry with the basic ingredients (原料), nothing very fancy. However, it’s a recipe passed down from her _________ who is still living in Mumbai, India.

Halarnkar now lives in Yuma, Arizona, but she _________ in Mumbai, and her grandparents lived in a(n) _________ coastal village. Her mother would send her to her grandparents’ home for _________. There, her grandma would cook this curry for her.

“They lived in a neighboring village and I went there almost every week. That is one of the _________ memories I had about my childhood,” Halarnkar said. “We had a pretty and peaceful beach to ourselves and we would _________ fish from the sea every morning.”

_________ later, fish curry is still the comfort food to Halarnkar, who said her family always cooks it when they _________ at weekends in the US.

“We’ll go out to the fish market, buy fresh __________ and make this curry,” she said. “We don’t even worry about vegetables. We just eat some steamed rice and this fish curry.”

Halarnkar has passed on the __________ to her daughter Natasha, who lives in San Diego and shares Halarnkar’s love of cooking. And even though the next __________ has the recipe, Halarnkar said she still __________ the curry her grandma made in India. In fact, she’s looking forward to having it next time she goes to __________ her.

“I’m 100% sure that she is going to make it for me when I __________ there,” Halarnkar said.

1.

A．expensive

B．extraordinary

C．new

D．traditional

2.

A．grandmother

B．husband

C．aunt

D．neighbor

3.

A．passed away

B．settled down

C．grew up

D．cried out

4.

A．dangerous

B．nearby

C．busy

D．ugly

5.

A．parties

B．schools

C．weekends

D．gifts

6.

A．saddest

B．hardest

C．strangest

D．best

7.

A．see

B．catch

C．raise

D．save

8.

A．Days

B．Weeks

C．Months

D．Decades

9.

A．work

B．play

C．hunt

D．gather

10.

A．chicken

B．fish

C．meat

D．milk

11.

A．recipe

B．talent

C．house

D．thought

12.

A．store

B．village

C．generation

D．guest

13.

A．avoids

B．invents

C．hides

D．prefers

14.

A．pay

B．hug

C．visit

D．treat

15.

A．arrive

B．leave

C．move

D．marry

10 . According to Jaime Roberts, good consulting is often about loosening the body, opening the mind and, more often than not, keeping the mouth shut.

Your body language matters

Jaime Roberts has been one of my go to experts for advice for decades. When I once asked her why she was so good at consulting, she was quick to mention her body language. “    1    ,” she said, “Otherwise, they might not open up to me as much as I would want them to.”

You don’t have to fix the problem

That’s another thing Jaime Roberts has learned on the job, “People who ask ‘What should I do?’ often want to process a problem themselves.     2    ,” she said. “Part of the trick is remembering that listening is the best thing you have to do, in most cases.”

You don’t need to give advice right now

Texts and FaceTime might be immediate, but your advice doesn’t have to be.     3    . “Forcing yourself to give advice when you can’t will do more harm than good,” she said.

    4    

You’re bound to hear about problems you haven’t experienced firsthand. That’s why Jaime Roberts says you should let them know that you’re just human beings with limited experience.     5    .

A．Don’t say their choices are wrong

B．You cannot give advice as giving someone an order

C．I try to appear relaxed and avoid looks of shock or judgment

D．You don’t need to have the same problem to be a good consultant

E．But you should let them know you will do your best to understand them

F．You’re a good consultant if you can help them fix the problem on their own

G．You can politely explain to them that you will talk to them when you’re ready