It’s the Saturday, 1:00 am, and Stormy, my dog, and I were going on a pre-dawn bird-watching adventure. The weatherman predicted fog, but as we hit the road, it’s clear. Along our journey, I stopped at a petrol station, ensuring Stormy was safely locked in the truck.
“Stormy, hang tight,” I whispered, stepping out into the night air.
Back on the highway, as we were near the marshlands, a heavy fog began to swallow everything. At a sharp bend, my truck hit soft ground, and I lost control. “Oh, no!” Panic set in as the vehicle slid off the road with a bang, falling down a steep bank and into the water.
In the strange silence that followed, I was floating inside the car, gently carried downstream by the canal. “Come on, door,” I said, switching uselessly at the handle. It won’t move; the electrical system had shorted out due to the water. “I’ve got a glass breaker,” I reminded myself, reaching for the tool in the center part.
With each failed attempt to break the window — the glass bouncing back at me — I felt a growing sense of urgency. Water moved over the floorboards, cooling my feet. “Stormy, stay calm,” I said, lying down to kick at the window with all my strength. But my efforts only met resistance.
As the water level rose threateningly close to the ceiling, fear clawed at my heart. In a last effort, I dived behind the seat for my toolbox. “Got to find something solid.” My hands brushed against the cold metal toolbox, then the fire extinguisher (灭火器). “This might work.”
“Here goes everything,” I thought, holding the extinguisher and hitting it against the window. The impact resounded through the car, but the glass holds firm. “Not yet,” I begged under my breath, as the extinguisher bounced harmlessly away.
The water kept rising, and so did my fear. A voice inside me screamed to give up, but another thought pierced through — Stormy. “For Stormy, I can’t quit.” Just then, I sensed a pause in the water’s rise.
An unspoken sound said, “You have more time. What will you do?”
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。
“I’ll fight harder,” I promised aloud.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Exhausted, we caught the now flooded vehicle, waiting for daylight.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . We Need to Think about Conservation on a Different Timescale
Time, perceived by humans in days, months, and years, contrasts with nature’s grander scales of centuries and millennia, referred to as “deep time.” While paleontologists (古生物学者) are trained to think in deep time, conservationists are realizing the challenges it poses. Shortsightedness about time limits modern conservation, with efforts often overlooking past healthy conditions of ecosystems in the context of climate and biodiversity crises.
The shifting baseline syndrome (综合症), where standards in a place change gradually, makes conservation more complex. It involves evaluating ecosystems primarily on their recent past, often with negative consequences.
Recent shifts in California’s forest management practices, from stopping fires to embracing Indigenous knowledge of controlled burns, exemplify the importance of understanding historical ecosystem dynamics. To enhance conservation, adopting a deep-time approach is crucial.
Modern mathematical modeling, combined with long-term data, offers a pathway for preserving ecosystems. In California’s kelp (海带、海藻) forest, researchers identified an overlooked keystone species — the extinct Seller’s Sea Cow (大海牛). By examining past kelp forests, a deeper story impacting regeneration was revealed. The sea cow, a massive plant-cater, contributed to a diverse, vital undergrowth by trimming kelp and letting light reach the area.
The researchers put forward a novel approach to kelp forest restoration: selectively harvesting kelp, imitating the sea cow’s impact. This strategy, considering historical dynamics, challenges assumptions about recent ecosystems and offers new conservation methods.
Rather than only focusing on removing urchins (海胆) or reintroducing sea otters, the researchers suggest employing teams of humans to selectively harvest kelp, as the Steller’s sea cow once did, to encourage fresh growth. This sustainable harvest could benefit both the ecosystem and human consumption.
In short, assumptions based on the recent past may impede the understanding and protection of ecosystems. On the other hand, the application of controlled burns, similar modeling studies, and a deep-time perspective (视角) could significantly transform conservation efforts. Recognizing our role in an ongoing narrative spanning millions of years is essential, urging a comprehensive understanding of ecosystems through time. Embracing this role is crucial for shaping the future and establishing vital connections from the past to the future.
1. What is the “shifting baseline syndrome,” mentioned in the passage?| A．A syndrome that affects human beings’ perception of time. |
| B．A phenomenon where ecological standards shift in a place. |
| C．A psychological disorder common among conservationists. |
| D．A condition where ecosystems change gradually over time. |
| A．It promotes the prevention of wildfires. | B．It aids in mathematical modeling efforts. |
| C．It helps reveal historical ecosystem dynamics. | D．It enhances human consumption of ecosystems. |
| A．Reform. | B．Disrupt. | C．Quicken. | D．Deepen. |
| A．Shifting baseline syndrome has positive ecological changes. |
| B．Mathematical modeling with the latest data can be effective. |
| C．Deep-time perspective and historical dynamics are crucial. |
| D．Recent history is more preferred in ecosystem restoration. |
I wanted to go to a party. Especially it was a beach party. It had been almost the only thing my friends had been talking about for the last couple of weeks. But My mom had said no. The more desperately I pleaded her case, the more forcefully my mother said no. “I don’t care who’s going,” said coldly my mother, “you are not going.” I was heartbroken. This was my best friend’s party.
Sunday dinner came around and my grandmother joined the family for the meal. Gran noticed my depression but didn’t say a word. It was my turn to wash up and Gran said, “Let me help you.” “What’s up?” asked Gran as I dumped the dishes into the foaming water. Gran wiped a plate with a tea towel. “Mom won’t let me go to my best friend’s party.” I said sadly. “Has mom explained why she doesn’t want you to go?” asked Gran. “No.” I replied. “Then for a moment, put yourself in her position.” said Gran. “If you were mom, what would your objections be?”
I hadn’t stopped to think about my mom’s side. “Well,” I answered, “it’s a beach party. Maybe she doesn’t trust us or thinks we’ll get into trouble.”
“Are there going to be any adults there?” asked Gran. “No,” I said, “who wants their parents hanging around when you’re trying to have fun?” “Might it just be,” said Gran, “your mother doesn’t want anything unfortunate to happen to you.”“Nothing will happen.” I objected. “Maybe you’re right,” said Gran, “but maybe mom’s worried in case it could.”
Gran looked at me gently, seeming to expect my agreement. For a minute or so, I kept silent, pondering for a while about my eagerness for the party. “Maybe, you are right, however, is there no hope?” I inquired. “Not necessarily.” answered Gran, lost in thought.
Paragraph 1: “Then maybe think of a compromise.” suggested Gran.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: The long-awaited beach party finally came.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1.过程；
2.感悟。
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。
Helping My Parents with Lunar New Year’s Eve Dinner
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5 . Art Builds Understanding
Despite the long history of scholarship on experiences of art, researchers have yet to capture and understand the most meaningful aspects of such experiences, including the thoughts and insights we gain when we visit a museum, the sense of encounter after seeing a meaningful work of art, or the changed thinking after experiences with art. These powerful encounters can be inspiring, uplifting, and contribute to well-being and flourishing.
According to the mirror model of art developed by Pablo P. L. Tinio, aesthetic reception corresponds to artistic creation in a mirror-reversed fashion. Artists aim to express ideas and messages about the human condition or the world at large.
In addition, art making and art viewing are connected by creative thinking. Research in a lab at Yale University shows that an educational program that uses art appreciation activities builds creative thinking skills. It showed that the more time visitors spent engaging with art and the more they reflected on it, the greater the correspondence with the artists’ intentions and ideas.
Correspondence in feeling and thinking suggests a transfer — between creator and viewer — of ideas, concepts, and emotions contained in the works of art. Art has the potential to communicate across space and time.
| A．The viewers gain a new perspective on the story. |
| B．The theory of aesthetic cognitivism describes the value of art. |
| C．This helps to create connections and insights that otherwise would not happen. |
| D．To do so, they explore key ideas and continually expand them as they develop their work. |
| E．After spending more time with the work, the viewer begins to access the ideas of the artist. |
| F．For example, in one activity, people are asked to view a work of art from different perspectives. |
| G．Participants were more original in their thinking when compared to those who did not take part in the program. |
1．活动详情； 2．你的感受。
注意：1)字数：100词左右；
2)可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯。
3)凡使用铅笔答题，或答题中使用了涂改液或不干胶带，一律不给分。
A Family Activity in the Spring Festival
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Everybody pushed him away. With a big black birthmark (胎记) on his face, Thomas never had any friends. He was lonely, as if the world could never see the light. He used to love acting dramas in front of his mother, but now, he thinks he does not have the right to do so with such appearance.
This terrible life has begun since Thomas went to school. However, everything changed since that evening.
Thomas was sitting on the chair, staring out of the window while trying to forget the names that his classmates had called him earlier at school. The tree outside was surrounded by dried, lifeless leaves, with branches lowering themselves to the ground. It was so quiet that only the sound of the wind blowing the leaves away could be heard. A knock on the door broke the silence. “Thomas, here’s a letter for you.” Mom said. Just as Thomas reached out for the letter, Mom immediately pulled it away and said, “Let me read it for you.”
Dear Thomas,
How are you? I know that you feel sad because of your birthmark, but you cannot change that. Therefore, instead of feeling bad for your appearance, you should stand up for yourself. Go to do astonishing things that would change everybody y’s thoughts about you. Prove yourself. I believe in you.
Regards,
Aunt Janice
Thomas felt a wave of warmness in his heart. That night, he carried a smile on his face to his dreams. After that day, Thomas received more letters from relatives, encouraging him to be brave to do what he wanted. Mom would read out every single letter, each time with a lovely expression. Thomas realized that there were so many people caring and loving him. He heard a voice telling him that he should prove himself to the world.
With the encouragements, Thomas joined the drama class in his school. Unexpectedly, the whole school cheered for him and praised his acting skills. The teachers later signed him up to represent the school for an acting competition. Despite of his appearance, he got the first prize. His confidence grew.
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。
With time going on, Thomas still received letters from relatives.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
One day, Thomas went home from school and found Mom’s bedroom door open.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Emily White was born seventeen years ago with so many birth problems in her body. Some of her organs, bones and muscles were out of shape. No one expected her to survive. She did make it but with her strange body figure, everyone could recognize her, even from a distance.
In Emily White’s hometown, there was a yearly outdoor performance in the school auditorium (大礼堂). It had been performed for so many years and actually had become one of the most important events of the Christmas season for many of the town’s people.
Many people tried out each year for it, but so many were turned away. It can only include the most excellent people in the field.
Emily had a beautiful singing voice. Last year she went to Mrs. Owens — her music teacher to ask to join in the performance. Without letting her sing, Mrs. Owens took a look at Amy’s body and said, “Child, you just don’t fit. Everyone would stare at you and that would make you uncomfortable. It would make them uncomfortable, too.”
Without singing a single note, Emily was sent back through the door of the choral room. Hurt and upset, she decided never to try out again. But Mrs. Owens then retired.
This year, there came a new music teacher, Mr. Buttler. He heard about Emily and suggested that she have a try.
Emily didn’t want to be rejected again, so she hesitated a little about it. As Emily struggled, the door was pushed open and Mr. Buttler called, “Emily, you’re next.” Although kind of nervous, Emily did as Mr. Buttler told her to do. Mr. Buttler sat by the piano to keep Emily company. When Emily finished her testing performance, she thanked Mr. Buttler and knew the result would be posted on the door of the choral room the next day.
Emily couldn’t sleep that night. She was suffering from the feelings that she didn’t fit and the great need to be accepted. By the next morning, her stomach was even in pain because of stress.
注意：续写词数应为150左右Paragraph 1: The next day, Emily nervously glanced at the list on the door of the choral room.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: Finally, the day of performance came.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Michael kept looking at the clock on the classroom wall. He couldn’t wait for his Science lesson to end so as to get to his basketball practice on time. As soon as the bell rang to end the lesson, Michael grabbed his bag and dashed out of the classroom. As he turned the corner, he ran straight into a classmate, scattering the school books he was carrying all over the floor. No sooner had he said sorry and picked up all his belongings than he started to run again.
After the basketball practice, Michael hurried to join the other members of the school Debating Club. They had an important debate that day. To nobody’s surprise, Michael arrived late again, still wearing his sports clothes and sweating from basketball. Unfortunately, Michael hadn’t prepared his arguments properly and performed badly, letting his team down. Eventually, at the end of a long day at school, Michael arrived home, tired and unhappy.
In his bedroom, Michael sat down at his desk and sighed heavily as he looked at all his schoolbooks. He had to make preparations for the upcoming exams, but he could barely keep his eyes open. The next thing he remembered was his mother waking him up. He had fallen asleep with his head on the desk. As he sat up, his mother gently removed a sheet of paper that had stuck to his cheek. She smiled lovingly at her son and smoothed his untidy hair.
“So”, she began, “how was school today?”
Michael looked nervously at her and took a deep breath. “Well, to be honest, not so good, he said sheepishly. “I couldn’t focus on my lessons, I ran into a classmate and I let my debating team down. It doesn’t really get much worse than that, does it?”
“Well,” Michael’s mother said gently but seriously, “I think you have been taking on too much.”
Later that evening, before he fell into a restless sleep, Michael realized that things could not continue the way they were.
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。
The next day, Michael set about making changes to his busy schedule.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After Michael put his new schedule into practice, things began to improve.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mike, aged 14, was a music fan, especially a fan for violin. He expected to be a music star one day. Unfortunately, born into a poor family depending on delivering newspapers and milk, he couldn’t afford a violin. He had thought of asking his parents to pay for one but finally he abandoned possessing the impossible musical instrument.
Mike’s neighbor, Joseph, happened to be a violinist. The greatest pleasure Mike found after school every day was enjoying the beautiful melodies floating out of Joseph’s window. Not until dark did Mike sneak into his own room. And every time Mike’s mother asked him why he came home late, Mike would say he was lost in music.
“Why not spend more time in your lessons instead, sweetheart? After all, music can’t make money if you’re not so famous.” In order to prove he could realise his dream, he knew he must have his own violin and practise more.
Mike found a job at a nearby church, running errands for the servicemen. One day, another music player happened to learn about Mike’s situation and offered him an old violin as a gift. He even promised to teach him how to play after church services at the weekends. Months later, Mike learned violin very well.
The first performance he made was on the roadside of a lonely street. From time to time passersby stopped to watch him play. And a few even left some coins in his hat lying on the ground. When it was time for Mike to go back, he heard a woman’s cry. Following the sound, Mike spotted her and discovered the truth that she was called Connie, a trainee in a cafeteria, and that she had just had an awful day at work and was yelled by the boss.
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。
Hesitatingly, Mike tried to lend her a hand though he was yet uncertain how to comfort someone.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Connie told Mike a violinist happened to be wanted in the cafeteria where she worked.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
