1 . Tired of traditional chlorinated (含氯的) pools? Consider a salt water pool, a popular trend in recent years.
A salt water pool is a type of swimming pool that uses a salt chlorine generator to produce its own supply of chlorine. This means instead of manually adding harsh (刺激性的) chemicals to a pool, the generator changes salt into chlorine and releases it into the water as needed.
What sets salt water pools apart from their traditional counterparts? With traditional chlorine pools, owners must monitor and adjust chemical levels regularly to maintain proper balance-too much or too little can cause major problems for swimmers.
Have you ever been in a traditional chlorine pool any home out with red, irritated (刺痒的) skin or burning eyes?
| A．You’ll leave a salt water pool feeling refreshed. |
| B．Switching to salt water pools is also eco-friendly. |
| C．This can be quite exhausting and time-consuming. |
| D．It’s no secret that chlorine can be harsh on the body. |
| E．However, salt water pools are not completely chemical-free. |
| F．So one doesn’t have to worry about the strong smell of chlorine. |
| G．It’s like having an assistant manage the affairs while you just enjoy yourself! |
That was a big competition. We all knew it. The entire school was filled with excitement and anticipation. It was the annual choir(合唱) competition, and we were determined to participate despite knowing that many of us were not the best singers.
As the class monitor, I felt responsible for calling in my classmates and convincing them to join the chorus. I knew it wouldn’t be easy; some of them were hesitant and gave me skeptical looks, while others ran away. But I wasn’t ready to give up.
With a persuasive tone and genuine enthusiasm, I spoke to my classmates, explaining why it was important for us to participate as a team. I told them that it wasn’t about being the best, but about coming together and enjoying the experience of singing as a group. Slowly, I started to see some students were interested and a few of them promised to give it a try.
Our rehearsals (排练) were intense, filled with laughter, and sometimes frustration. We tried our best to perfect our harmonies and cooperation, but deep down, we still held onto the belief that we would probably end up at the bottom of all-the choirs. In that moment of despair, a boy from our choir whispered, “Are we just asking for humiliation(羞辱)?” The words made our doubts and fears stronger.
But right before it was our turn to step onto the stage, Mrs. Wood, our music teacher, brought us together in a tight group. She looked into our eyes and said firmly, “We are not here to impress; we are here to express.” Her words made all the difference.
With an understanding of the true meaning of our performance, we stepped onto the stage. As the music started, we sang from our hearts. We didn’t worry about being perfect or winning the competition; we focused on expressing our love for music and the joy of singing together.
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。
When the performance ended, our headmaster stepped onto the stage.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The competition results were announced later, and we were awarded a special medal for our team spirit.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On February 10, 2024 ambitious young scientists flooded Brown University’s classrooms and laboratories, ready to put their knowledge to the test at the 7th Annual Brown Science Olympiad tournament, which provided a
The STEM competition welcomes nearly 1, 000 high schoolers from across New England.
Contestants get
But the Brown tournament isn’t just about becoming a strong competitor. It also offers a platform for young scientists
4 . What we believe we can become is often shaped by the world we see around us. This is especially true for young children who
“I’m working on my big year-end project,” the heartwarming message
Needless to say, Shen was immediately
Many commenters were just as moved by the email as Shen was. “It’s pretty amazing to witness that children are
Now that the story has touched thousands, Shen has a renewed motivation to
| A．stuck to | B．kept on | C．gave up | D．dreamed of |
| A．biologist | B．chemist | C．physicist | D．artist |
| A．expressed | B．named | C．compared | D．considered |
| A．urgent | B．long | C．unexpected | D．common |
| A．project | B．performance | C．discussion | D．speech |
| A．informs | B．reads | C．writes | D．asks |
| A．quote | B．find | C．follow | D．interview |
| A．touched | B．confused | C．frightened | D．surprised |
| A．frequently | B．immediately | C．exactly | D．eventually |
| A．questions | B．comments | C．posts | D．calls |
| A．bothered | B．requested | C．inspired | D．ordered |
| A．accused | B．suspected | C．warned | D．reminded |
| A．awesome | B．urgent | C．impossible | D．depressing |
| A．quit | B．advocate | C．complete | D．use |
| A．competition | B．support | C．injustice | D．privacy |
5 . For the past decade, one of the most linguistically (语言学地), diverse places in the world, square mile after square mile, has been my home: Queens, New York.
The soundtrack outside my door is extraordinary: On any given block, passing voices speak varieties of Polish, Ukrainian, Egyptian Arabic, Mexican Spanish, Puerto Rican Spanish, Dominican Spanish, and all the forms of New York City English they give rise to.
As a person who studies languages: I can usually distinguish them from one another, but understand only a part of what people are saying.
Users of Seke, a language from five villages in Nepal with 700 speakers, live a subway ride away. In certain stores, Albanians, Bosnians, Serbs, and Montenegrins all reunite, using the languages of the former Yugoslavia as if the country still existed. No group has a majority, or even 15. percent of the neighborhood, and most are at just 5 or 10 percent. English acts, for the most part, as a vital lingua franca (通用语). This’ last point is crucial, because a city can be a haven (避难所) for diversity but also an end point.
My neighborhood has its signature sound, but there are several dozen others that are just as diverse, each in a different way.
These are the places where the Endangered Language Alliance, the nonprofit I co-direct, has recorded New Yorkers speaking more than 100 languages that the survey and other data sets say don’t officially exist, and more than 700 in total.
That linguistic portrait makes clear that early-21st-century New York City is a last haven for endangered languages—ones that are being hounded out of existence elsewhere. And this deep linguistic diversity is among the least explored but possibly most important factors in New York’s history and makeup. New York’s soul can be found in the existence of these many, many languages, explaining New York’s particular capacity for tolerance and its ability to “make room” for others.
1. What is the author’s occupation?| A．An economist. | B．A historian. | C．A linguist. | D．A reporter. |
| A．They are close to disappearing. | B．They are mainly spoken by villagers. |
| C．English is the most popular language. | D．Most of them are not officially recognized. |
| A．Protected. | B．Threatened. | C．Respected. | D．Accepted. |
| A．Language City. | B．The Development of Languages. |
| C．Endangered Languages in New York. | D．The Importance of Language Diversity. |
6 . Making it to 100 years old is a big achievement on its own, but being active at that age is absolutely worthy of praise and admiration. Jayne Burns, who just turned 101 years old, still has a part-time job at a craft store in Ohio, drives herself to work, and simply doesn’t see herself retiring anytime soon. Not only does she seem to love keeping busy, but she credits it as one of her secrets to living a long life.
Burns first caught the internet’s attention on TikTok. There, her coworker Maggie HusVar told her followers about her then 98-year-old friend. Maggie then asked Burns to share a piece of advice with her new fans, to whom Burns said, “Keep moving.”
The senior woman recently celebrated her 101st birthday, and she certainly hasn’t changed her mind about slowing down. Burns took the job in 1997 after her husband died, and has expressed that she enjoys what she does, so she wants to keep doing it. “I’ll work for as long as I can or as long as they’ll have me,” she said.
In celebration of her milestone birthday, Burns recently shared some more tips for a long life. “I was always active all my life doing things. So I think that has helped more than anything.” As a cancer survivor, she said she used to watch her sugar intake, but she doesn’t anymore, as she loves sweets. Despite her age, she still follows a beauty routine. “I use a moisturizer(保湿霜) and makeup. I figured I did it all my life, so I’m ‘not’ going to stop now,” she says.
Overall, her top secret for a long life is to make friends and find happiness in the company of others. “It’s important to find people who are friendly and kind.” she says. “I enjoy talking to everybody I work with, and meeting the customers who are very nice, even if some of them are surprised to see me at the cutting table.”
1. Why does Jayne Bums still work part-time?| A．To keep herself busy. | B．To make more money. |
| C．To meet more people. | D．To win praise and admiration. |
| A．She goes to work by bus. | B．She puts on makeup daily. |
| C．She likes nothing but sweets. | D．She gets along well with her boss. |
| A．Eating what you love. | B．Doing exercise regularly. |
| C．Having a part-time job. | D．Making friends and being happy. |
| A．Living a Busy Life | B．A Successful Woman |
| C．Keeping Active Forever | D．Secrets to a Woman’s Long Life |
7 . Broadway International Festival
About this event:
Join us for an incredible celebration of diversity and culture at the Broadway International Festival! This grand event is to take place on the streets of Broadway and will transform the heart of Sacramento into a multicultural grand gathering.
This event will show an incredible lineup (阵容) of global cuisine, a fascinating fashion show, exciting live music, and culturally rich performances by local artists. Explore our unique multicultural marketplace, where there are a variety of crafts and treasures from around the world. Additionally, take time to refresh yourself in the health and wellness space and let the kids have fun in the kid zone. The Broadway International Festival is a one-of-a-kind experience in an energetic and inclusive atmosphere. Don’t miss out on this unforgettable celebration!
Festival and Block Party:
The Broadway International Festival is a two-part event that offers both a daytime festival and an evening block party. The festival will run from 10 am to 7 pm, providing enough time to explore and enjoy all the festivities. Admission to the festival is free and open to all.
As the sun sets, the block party will kick off at 7 pm, transforming the festival atmosphere into an unforgettable experience until 11 pm. Please note that the block party requires a separate ticket, which will be available for purchase.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of the Broadway International Festival! Mark your calendars and join us on Broadway Street on November 4, from 16th to 18th Street, in Sacramento, California. Come to enjoy the global feast and make unforgettable memories at this unique multicultural event.
1. What can people do on the festival?| A．Perform with local artists. | B．Pay a visit to a book fair. |
| C．Explore the origin of festivals. | D．Enjoy a feast of food and culture. |
| A．It is only open to adults. | B．It charges admission fees. |
| C．It offers a calendar as a gift. | D．It lasts about nine hours. |
| A．In an academic journal. | B．In an art textbook. |
| C．On an online event notice board. | D．In a legend about festivals. |
8 . 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。
Peter was a Russian Borzoi (a kind of dog). He weighed close to eighty-five pounds and had the long nose and narrow head of the Borzoi. So narrow was it that it didn’t seem to have much room for brains. In Peter’s case, it didn’t. He was what might be termed “dim (迟钝的)”, and he became easily confused, but he had gentle nature.
We loved him dearly. We attached identification tags to his collar in case he got lost. When he became confused, he would sit in one spot waiting for one of his humans to come to his rescue. And someone always did.
On the day in question, I had gathered up my dog family of one Old English Sheepdog, one Whippet rescue, one little wolf rescue, and Peter. They were all settled in my covered pickup truck bed, and I was headed out for our daily exercise, six miles into the country where there was no leash (拴狗绳) law and they could run free. They were all trained not to chase wild animals, to stay reasonably close, and to come when called.
After I had walked for about ten minutes, I noticed that one dog was missing. Peter, of course! It seemed obvious that he had stopped to investigate some irresistible smell, and then, becoming confused, had turned back the way we had just come. He would easily be able to follow our smell but in the wrong direction. And when a Borzoi runs, he covers a lot of ground in a very short time.
Feeling guilty, knowing I should have kept a closer watch on him, I walked back, calling and whistling, but there was no sign of him. It was winter and would soon be dark. In desperation, I started to pray, hoping someone might help Peter.
After about half an hour of intense searching and calling at the top of my voice, I finally decided the best thing to do was to drive the two other dogs and little wolf home, which would leave me free to come back and hunt for Peter.
I reached my house in record time just as it opened to reveal my husband standing there.
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。
“We’ve lost Peter,” I shouted breathlessly.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My husband said, “No. It was this gentleman who sent Peter home.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9 . Molly has a kidney (肾脏) disease. But she lived a healthy life until recently when her
Worried how it would
Kristi replied to her
Six years ago, Kristi saved the life of Molly’s father John when he suffered a heart attack. Later, Kristi
When Kristi saw Molly’s social post for
Molly recalled that Kristi
After a series of tests, doctors determined that Kristi would
“Kristi gave me back my life. I’m really
The Foundation for a Better Life and PassItOn believe that Kristi is a hero. She gave a father and daughter the most
| A．life | B．finance | C．injury | D．condition |
| A．warn | B．guide | C．impact | D．assist |
| A．in charge of | B．in search of | C．in front of | D．in need of |
| A．post | B．decision | C．question | D．advertisement |
| A．transformer | B．planter | C．winner | D．match |
| A．looked out for | B．took pride in | C．reached out to | D．looked forward to |
| A．publicly | B．personally | C．timely | D．frequently |
| A．help | B．company | C．advice | D．convenience |
| A．upset | B．surprised | C．threatened | D．annoyed |
| A．make | B．prepare | C．find | D．bring |
| A．doubt | B．amazement | C．pressure | D．success |
| A．sorry | B．relieved | C．grateful | D．confident |
| A．precious | B．popular | C．impossible | D．unexpected |
| A．secret | B．caring | C．humble | D．normal |
| A．serve | B．contact | C．protect | D．celebrate |
10 . The animal kingdom is dotted with species that give birth to spotted young, from deer to birds and fish. Even species that we don’t typically associate with spots, such as lions, wear the pattern as babies, only to lose it later in life.
But what purpose do these spots serve, and why do only some species seem to have them? Kiyoko Gotanda, a biologist at Brock University, said it is likely so common because spots are useful in keeping babies hidden from their enemies.
Spotted young tend to be more common in species that live in habitats with some three-dimensional structures, Gotanda noted, and less common in environments that are uniform or featureless. Indeed, baby seals born on pack ice are pure white, and develop spots only when they leave the ice for rocky beaches. But in habitats with some cover, spots function as the sunlight passing through leaves or tall grass, making an animal hard to be discovered in its background.
“It is not as overt a pattern as something like a stick insect that becomes something else entirely, which can be clearly identified. But spots do create these three-dimensional effects that help some species hide better,” said Gotanda.
In other rarer cases, spots actually help babies stand out. Young garibaldi — orange marine fish found along the coast of California and Mexico — have bright-blue spots that advertise their lowly status to highly territorial (有地盘意识的) males. As the fish grow and start to engage in the social order, their spots fade.
In fact, many species grow out of their spots, and the reasons aren’t entirely understood. According to Gotanda, patterning is typically considered more energetically costly to produce than a single, solid color. But spots don’t take a lot of energy to grow and maintain at least in the case of white spots. There must be other reasons to explain their loss, he said.
1. Where are spotted baby animals more likely to appear according to Paragraph 3?| A．In the desert. | B．On the ice. | C．In the forest. | D．In the lake |
| A．Obvious. | B．Strange. | C．Hidden. | D．Complex. |
| A．Animals with spots on the body are more energetic. |
| B．Spotted animals often exist in uniform surroundings. |
| C．The growth of animal spots will consume lots of energy. |
| D．There are more to explore about the loss of animal spots. |
| A．How Are Spots Protecting Baby Animals? |
| B．Why Do So Many Baby Animals Have Spots? |
| C．Where Can You Find Baby Animals with Spots? |
| D．What Causes the Loss of Spots on Baby Animals? |
