1 . Pingtan, the biggest island off the coast of Fujian Province, is popular with tourists these days. It has also attracted many ________ seeking a pleasant place to settle down. Among them is Italian fashion ________ Filippo Strada, who has lived on the island for four years.

Born in Milan, Strada has a well-developed ________ of fashion design. It is this love of fine clothing that led him to a career in the industry. Over the past decade, he has ________ his career in China, living in various cities. ________, due to his growing business and ________ travels, Strada spent a lot of time away from home. After his daughter was born, he made up his mind to go back to his wife’s hometown of Pingtan in 2018.

Strada ________ Pingtan with his family, determined to build a happy home on the island. But he also had a dream of building a successful business there, making the most of the local ________ development. Strada had a winning idea. He would ________ his heritage to provide goods and services with an authentic Italian ________. Starting from zero, Strada now ________ a high-end tailor shop, a cafe and an Italian restaurant in Pingtan, ________ exotic (异域风情的) experiences to both locals and tourists.

As for the future, Strada plans to ________ Chinese and English salons (沙龙) in his Italian restaurant to ________ more knowledge of Western culture. “I’m very willing to do my part to make Pingtan a (n) ________ and diverse community that is popular around the world,” he said.

1.

A．foreigners

B．businessmen

C．travelers

D．engineers

2.

A．model

B．stylist

C．critic

D．graduate

3.

A．application

B．system

C．appreciation

D．relationship

4.

A．boosted

B．improved

C．achieved

D．pursued

5.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Otherwise

D．Besides

6.

A．urgent

B．frequent

C．recreational

D．exhausting

7.

A．contributed to

B．adapted to

C．settled in

D．believed in

8.

A．political

B．major

C．potential

D．economic

9.

A．make use of

B．get rid of

C．keep track of

D．take care of

10.

A．environment

B．flavor

C．fashion

D．record

11.

A．reopens

B．monitors

C．possesses

D．decorates

12.

A．awarding

B．announcing

C．offering

D．showing

13.

A．fund

B．evaluate

C．attend

D．organize

14.

A．spread

B．acquire

C．compare

D．discuss

15.

A．virtual

B．dynamic

C．intelligent

D．independent

2 . We are always seeking ways to make our events more inclusive and to find new ways to deliver value to you. For 2024 we have reduced the ticket prices and introduced a new ticket option “super early bird” for our Instant Expert events. All our events will still be held at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London. What doesn’t change is that each event will continue to feature six expert speakers sharing their knowledge and latest research on the event topic.

What will you learn?

Anyone interested in genetics (遗传学) can attend, whatever your age or background. Whether you’re a scientist, a student or simply a fascinated human being, Instant Expert: The Genetics Revolution offers the chance to learn directly from the experts at our one-day masterclass. At this Instant Expert, you’ll learn about:

●Gene editing with CRISPR

●Whether DNA is destiny, Nature vs Nurture

●Genome sequencing and consumer DNA testing

●The ethics of creating new life

What’s included in your ticket?

●In-depth and engaging talks from six leading scientists

●Ask-an-expert Question Time session

●Your chance to meet our six speakers and New Scientist host

●Exclusive on-the-day New Scientist subscription deal, book and merchandise offers

Booking information:

Doors will open at 9 a. m. on Saturday, May 25th, with talks starting an hour later. The event will finish at 5 p. m. Lunch will NOT be provided at this event, but the agenda includes a one-hour lunch break... Visitors are welcome to bring their own food, or purchase lunch at one of the many establishments around Red Lion Square and the surrounding area.

Tickets are non-transferable to any other New Scientist event. All tickets are non-refundable.

1. Which is one of the changes about the event?

A．The prices of the tickets.	B．The place for the event.
C．The time for entrance.	D．The number of experts.

2. What can visitors do at Conway Hall?

A．Edit gene with CRISPR.	B．Have their DNA tested.
C．Buy discounted books.	D．Interact with the experts.

3. How long will the event last?

A．About 9 hours.

B．About 6 hours.

C．About 5 hours.

D．About 3 hours.

3 . Bullet comments—comments which fly across the screen on certain video platforms—represent a ·modern approach to communication that young people use in cyberspace to express their ideas, emotions and feelings. When looking back, however, they are a good reminder of what was hot or trending in the past year.

On Dec 15,2023, Bilibili, a Chinese video-sharing platform, picked “Ah?” as the Bullet Comment of the Year. In 2023, “Ah?” appeared more than 13.2 million times on Bilibili as a bullet comment, according to Dazhong Daily.

Today, young people in China use “Ah?” to express their surprise and amazement. User Mo Xin filmed himself writing down the ancient Chinese text Hard Is the Road to Shu (《蜀道难》) in one stroke (一笔) and subsequently uploaded the video to Bilibili. This feat (壮举) resulted in the video winning the most “Ah?”bullet comments on the platform.

China’s huge technological advancements have also generated “Ah?” comments from Bilibili users. In August, China made a breakthrough in controllable nuclear fusion (可控核聚变) technology. Its new-generation “artificial sun” Huanliu-3 looks to open new doors in the world of nuclear fusion. Videos announcing this news were inundated (淹没) in “Ah?” comments.

Though simple and easily understandable, “Ah?” provides insights into young people’s interests. Their focus extends beyond mere entertainment, however. They also, use “Ah?” to engage with. commentaries, and scientific discoveries, indicating a deeper, more serious layer of interest. These “Ah?” comments reveal that young people are attentive to the world around them. “Ah?” has become their unique way of responding to contemporary events, using it as a tool to document today’s history.

Every year brings a new bullet comment of the year, but what never changes is how young people want their voices to be heard. Do you still remember which video got you to send an “Ah?” in 2023?

1. What do we know about “Bullet comments” according to the text?

A．They will remind others of your opinions.

B．They are an easy way to interact with others.

C．They enable us to think about the popular events.

D．They are used in young people’s daily communication.

2. Why is Hard Is the Road to Shu mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．To prove the function of “Ah?”.	B．To argue for the benefit of “Ah?”.
C．To explain the popularity of “Ah?”.	D．To clarify the development of “Ah?”.

3. What are the features of “Ah?”?

A．Concrete and modern.	B．Easy and accessible.
C．Abstract but popular.	D．Unique but meaningless.

4. Which of the following is likely to get most “Ah?” on Bilibili according to the text?

A．Huawei made a breakthrough in 5G.

B．Southern little potatoes poured in Harbin.

C．The Moutai-flavoured coffee came into the market.

D．China, Singapore mutual visa-free policies will boost tourism.

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What kind of people are “early birds”?

A．The people getting up around 5:00 or 6:00 am.

B．The people going to bed around 9:00 or 10:00 pm.

C．The people going to bed around 10:00 or 11:00 pm.

2. When do most teenagers go to bed?

A．Around 9:00 pm.

B．Around 10:00 pm.

C．Around midnight or later.

3. How many teenagers sleep enough?

A．One-fifth.

B．Two-fifths.

C．One-fourth.

4. What are night owls better at?

A．Getting grades in school.

B．Some intelligence tests.

C．Getting good jobs.

6 . What is the main reason for doctors to recommend bike riding?

A．It can make legs slim.

B．It can make you put on weight.

C．It can build up the body.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。1.

A．The possible existence of life on other planets.

B．Methods for building powerful new telescopes.

C．A technical problem that astronomers can’t solve

D．The discovery of planets orbiting distant stars.

2.

A．They studied variations in the appearance of the parent stars.

B．They were able to see the planets with a telescope.

C．They compared the parent stars to the Sun.

D．They sent astronauts on a mission into space

3.

A．Their surface features.	B．Their chemical composition.
C．Their temperature.	D．Their age.

4.

A．All the stars are orbited by their own planets.

B．We currently have a telescope that can be used to see other planets

C．By a very direct method, the astronomers measured subtle distortions.

D．By a very indirect method, the astronomers measured subtle distortions.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the man doing?

A．Doing a survey.

B．Taking an interview.

C．Hosting a program.

2. What did Wang Yaping do in 2008?

A．She became an astronaut.

B．She flew for 1,567 hours in total.

C．She contributed to the Beijing Olympics.

3. What does the woman think of Wang Yaping?

A．Calm and interesting.

B．Strong and encouraging.

C．Inspiring and cooperative.