1 . In recent years breakfast cereals (谷物) seem to have lost their appeal. Many contain things that ________ consumers avoid, from carbohydrates and gluten to artificial flavours and genetically modified (GM) grain. Add to this a rising ________ for big brands and adoration of small, “authentic” ones, and large cereal-makers have been suffering declining sales. The market for “ready-to-eat” cereals shrank by 9% in America between 2012 and 2015, according to Euromonitor, a data firm. In Britain, the second-biggest cereal market, sales fell by 6%.

Now, the manufacturers are boasting a(n) ________. On February 16th General Mills told investors that its American cereal sales were stabilising. Kellogg follows, reporting on February 17th that it expects its American cereal sales to grow this year. But it will take hard work to make breakfast’s business ________ again.

Cereal firms have tried many ways to cope with customer’s ________ appetites. They have ________. Post Holdings, which sells Honey Bunches of Oats and Grape-Nuts, now also sells eggs and protein shakes. Some firms have ________ trendier brands, with mixed results. After Kellogg bought Kashi in 2000, many of its loyal customers ________. Kellogg is now trying to win them back, returning Kashi’s headquarters to California. A new Kashi cereal features popped sorghum （高粱）, crispy yellow peas and smashed red beans.

Makers are also spending to help their main brands. Kellogg has put more fruit in its Special K Red Berries cereal. General Mills plans to ________ all artificial flavours and colours from its cereals by 2023. Retailers do not want cereal to enter terminal decline — it is too ________ for them. Jim Holbrook, who led Post’s cereal business and is now boss of Daymon Worldwide, a retail consultant, says grocers might ________ sales by placing milk or bananas alongside cereal.

For now, cereal-makers can take ________ that at least some brands are still popular. Sales of Kellogg’s Froot Loops and General Mills’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch have ________ in recent years, points out Alexia Howard of Sanford C. Bernstein, a research firm, even as more virtuous brands such as Fiber One, All-Bran and (until recently) Special K were failing. ________ shoppers may or may not come back to their cereal habit just due to smashed red beans. But cereal’s most ________ customers are those who don’t mind heaps of sugar, or “red #40” food colouring, in their breakfast bowls.

1.

A．anxious

B．regular

C．satisfied

D．potential

2.

A．demand

B．standard

C．reputation

D．disrespect

3.

A．continuity

B．distinction

C．turnaround

D．equivalent

4.

A．compete

B．succeed

C．protest

D．refuse

5.

A．shrinking

B．promoted

C．inexhaustible

D．intellectual

6.

A．declined

B．regretted

C．diversified

D．patented

7.

A．changed

B．embarrassed

C．acquired

D．replaced

8.

A．doubted

B．fled

C．ignored

D．wandered

9.

A．conceal

B．receive

C．remove

D．expect

10.

A．distant

B．traditional

C．mysterious

D．profitable

11.

A．boost

B．review

C．reject

D．describe

12.

A．responsibility

B．comfort

C．charge

D．action

13.

A．failed

B．risen

C．paused

D．mattered

14.

A．Warm-hearted

B．Fun-loving

C．Would-be

D．Health-conscious

15.

A．reliable

B．wealthy

C．famous

D．intelligent

2 . Success Requires “Ample Doses of Pain”

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, has a simple message for young people who want to achieve greatness: No pain, no gain. That was essentially his message for students at his alma mater, Stanford University, where he made a speech at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.

“Greatness is not intelligence.     1     And character isn’t formed out of smart people; it’s formed out of people who suffered,” Huang said in response to a question about how students can maximize their shot at being successful.

    2     In 1993, he co-founded computer chip company Nvidia, where he’s served as CEO for more than three decades. The company’s success turned Huang into a billionaire. Now, with Nvidia’s chips in high demand for building AI software, it’s become one of the world’s most valuable companies with a valuation worth of $2 trillion.

“One of my great advantages is that I have very low expectations,” Huang said, noting that most Stanford graduates have very high expectations as a result of having an elite education. Often people with very high expectations have very low resilience because they are not accustomed to, or prepared for, failure. “     3     I don’t know how to teach it to you except for I hope suffering happens to you,” he said. Psychologists also tend to agree that resilient people are more likely to have the strength and confidence to handle challenges and bounce back from failure. Huang certainly had to struggle in his company’s early days.

“To this day I use the phrase ‘pain and suffering’ inside our company with great joy,” Huang told the Stanford students. “    4     You want greatness out of it.”

A．Greatness comes from character.

B．Unfortunately, resilience matters in success.

C．Building character is a key factor in determining success.

D．When it comes to achieving success, Huang knows more than most.

E．That’s why I still worry Nvidia could ultimately fail, despite its massive success.

F．I mean that in a happy way, because you want to refine the character of your company.

3 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
A Sip Through Time: The Rich History of Chai

No doubt you’ve enjoyed a delicious chai latte at your local coffee shop, but do you know where your drink comes from? Chai, an aromatic beverage enjoyed worldwide, has a history as rich and diverse as its flavour profile.     1     (originate) from the Indian subcontinent, chai has evolved over centuries. In this journey through time, we explore the fascinating history of chai.

We can trace the roots of chai back to ancient India. The earliest form of chai was     2     mixture of herbs and spices. As trade routes flourished, so     3     the exchange of exotic spices, which eventually found their way into this ancient medicine.

The Silk Road played a core role in the evolution of chai. The spices used in chai became valuable commodities     4     (trade) along these routes, influencing the recipes and flavours of local brews.

In the 19th century, the British East India Company wanted to establish dominance in the trade. Part of this involved     5     (bring) tea to India. Tea plants had been growing in the wild in the Assam region of India for a long time, of course, but typically tea was viewed as a herbal medicine rather than a recreational beverage.

The East India Company introduced tea to India as a recreational drink, and soon the drink was adapted to Indian tastes,     6     milk, sugar and various spices added. This cultural exchange gave birth to a unique fusion—masala chai.

After India’s independence, chai became deeply rooted in the land. Street vendors and small tea stalls became cultural hubs     7     people from all walks of life gathered to discuss politics, share stories, and savour a hot cup of chai. Chai’s accessibility and affordability made     8     a democratic beverage, breaking down social barriers and fostering a sense of community.

In recent decades, chai has gone beyond its cultural origins and become a global phenomenon. Its distinctive flavour profile, combining the richness of black tea with the warmth of spices and milk,     9     (capture) the taste buds of people around the world. Chai latte has become a popular choice in coffee shops and cafes, adapting to different tastes     10     maintaining the essence of its Indian heritage at the same time.

4 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. cracked B. court C. assured D. stressed E. harboring F. making G. roared H. groundbreaking I. ultimate J. sensation K. check

“Queen Wen” Ready to Reign

Zheng Qinwen has become the second Chinese to ever reach a major singles final after Li Na’s pioneering triumph at the Australian Open a decade ago. So close to the championship and so disappointed! Yet, it is with so much pride that we can reflect on the journey of a Grand Slam champion in the     1    . Despite her tough final loss to defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, the tennis     2     Zheng’s amazing run at the Australian Open has served up another major boost for the sport in China.

An aggressive talent,     3     championship dreams since watching Li in 2014, Zheng was one step away from having her own name on the same trophy, as she started battle against the mighty Sabalenka on Saturday evening,     4     by an enthusiastic Chinese crowd at the Rod Laver Arena and the entire tennis community back home.

Two sets and 76 minutes later, Zheng’s first Grand Slam final ended in an alert reality     5     that, the 21-year-old still has plenty of catching up to do before reaching the very top of the game, technically and mentally, even though she     6     the world top 10. It is a must because, if one loses, there must be a reason behind it. Zheng has to try to figure out why, and then she will come back stronger and better next time.

Coming up just one step short of the     7     prize, Zheng held back tears at the award ceremony while gazing at the trophy when Sabalenka lifted it for a second time in a row. She     8     how much better she could have done during the postmatch interviews, even with media all greeting her with words of encouragement. Nothing seemed enough to satisfy the ambitious competitor, who’s already achieved many “firsts” for Chinese tennis over the past two weeks.

With Zheng leading the way, China will have seven female players ranked within the top 100. This progress owes a lot to Li’s     9     career, which helped encourage Zheng’s generation to dream bigger. Witnessing the collective rise of the next generation, Li said she can rest     10     that the game’s future is in good hands.

5 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容或括号内所给词的恰当形式填空。

How sneaker culture took over the world

Sneakers have come a long way from when they were first invented in 1860s England for the upper-class playing croquet (槌球) and tennis.

Long worn for function     1     fashion, today sneakers have become an entire culture—both a form of self-expression and a high art found in museum exhibits and designer auction houses.

    2     transformed sneaker culture into a true phenomenon was the 1985 release of Nike’s Air Jordan 1s. In 1984, Michael Jordan was a talented rookie who had yet to play in a professional game.     3     that, Nike saw Jordan as the future of their brand, signing him to a five-year, $2.5 million endorsement (代言) deal.     4     Jordan matured into one of the greatest basketball players of all time, the sneaker’s popularity skyrocketed.

Meanwhile, another cultural shift     5     (take) place with casual Fridays introduced in white-collar businesses. It was when men were allowed to put aside their suits and wear something one day a week that showed people who they really were.

As sneakers became increasingly desired, footwear companies turned to     6    (generate) even more publicity by collaborating with celebrities and luxury brands, as well as releasing small batches of limited-edition shoes with eye-pop ping designs.

Celebrities also started their collaborations with sneaker brands, which helped target a whole new demographic of people to experience sneaker culture. It was a blending of high and low fashion,     7     the shoe industry has never really seen before. A pair that Jordan wore in his legendary final NBA season     8     (sell) even for $2.2 mllion, making them the most expensive sneakers ever to appear at auction.

By the mid-2010s, speakers     9     (become) solid gold status symbols. Wearing rare and cool sneakers became an expression of one’s social status. But not until recently, sneakers are finally getting their due as part of our cultural heritage—and particularly how Black culture has shaped that heritage. It took decades for the sneaker industry to recognize that     10     these Black athletes or artists that championed their products, there would be no sneaker culture.

6 . The Maya loved cacao so much that they used the beans as currency. They also believed it is good for you — which many people still say today about cacao’s most famous byproduct, chocolate.     1    . While some have suggested that less than an ounce of dark chocolate might improve heart health, much of the research doesn’t involve eating actual chocolate but rather its components-flavanol, especially.

    2    . In a clinical trial of 21,000 adults, they found that the half of the group that took500mg of. cocoa flavanol supplements daily had a significantly lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease than those who had taken a placebo (安慰剂).

Flavanols may also boost insulin sensitivity, according to some studies, which might be helpful in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes (糖尿病).     3    . Those at risk of diabetes might be wise to choose a cacao-inspired supplement instead of eating chocolate — and the sugar it contains. Other research suggests that the flavanols found in cacao (also present in fruits, vegetables, and tea) could slow cognitive decline during aging, or even boost brain performance by improving blood flow to the cerebral cortex.

What these findings mean for chocolate is limited, however. Participants would have had to eat multiple fat and sugar filled chocolate bars a day to source 500mg of flavanols.     4    . So understanding why certain types of chocolate are healthier than the rest is the focus of further research.

A．Cacao contains hundreds of bioactive plant compounds, including flavanols, which have been associated with numerous possible health benefits.

B．In 2022, Sesso and colleagues found compelling evidence for the benefits of flavanols.

C．But the results aren’t conclusive.

D．Spurred by chocolate’s popularity, numerous studies have explored bow the natural chemical compounds found in cocoa might be good for human health.

E．All chocolates are definitely not created equal.

F．But there’s still more research to be done to understand these effects.

7 .

The Sleep of Your Dreams
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a third of us don’t get nearly enough shut-eye. Our collective tiredness has promoted a $41 billion market for devices promising more — and higher-quality — sleep. In my everlasting search for downtime, I tested some of the most promising ones. Here’s how they stacked up.
Eight sleep tracker $299 This mattress (床垫) topper fits under a sheet and “turns any bed into a smart bed,” according to Eight. While I slept, the sensor-decorated pad gathered data like heart rate, periods of deepest sleep, and number of turns. It was easy to use, and I liked the warming feature, which let me set each side of the bed to a different temperature. REM Score: 8 (out of 10)	Dreampad pillow $149 and up The Dreampad uses smooth soundscapes to help you power down. Connect the device to your phone via Bluetooth or USB, and the pillow emits soft music, audible only to you as you lay your head down. There are ten tracks on offer. I didn’t drift off any faster with the Dreampad, but it did help me fall back asleep when I woke up at night. REM Score:6
Smart Nora Wireless Snoring Solution $299 My eight-hour restful happiness is frequently interrupted by my husband’s snoring. The Smart Nora relieves me of the need to push him. When the bedside audio sensor detects a breathing disturbance, it slowly blows up the offender’s pillow, gently shifting them into a freer-breathing position. My husband sometimes woke up briefly but was soon asleep again. REM Score: 8	Nightingale Smart Home Sleep System $149 The Nightingale is hi-tech. Two app-enabled units wrap the room in a blanket of warm sound. You can also program the system to provide weather and traffic information when you wake up. The only downside: in standby mode, it emits a faint noise. REM Score: 9
* REM: rapid eye movement (describes a period of sleep during which you dream and your eyes make small movements)

1. By “how they stacked up” in paragraph 1, the author probably means “how they ______.”

A．make sense to manufacturers	B．get stuck in stores
C．are compared with each other	D．are piled up together

2. Which of the following devices favourably reacts to users?

A．Dreampad pillow	B．Eight sleep tracker
C．Smart Nora Wireless Snoring Solution	D．Nightingale Smart Home Sleep System

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．The Eight keeps the entire bed at the same temperature.

B．The Nightingale, is an economical but perfect device.

C．Soft music is applied to all these four devices.

D．One in three people suffer from sleep problem.

8 . It’s safe to say Jeremy Scott is having a lucky year. In March while working as a chauffeur, he told his boss about his plans to set up a driving business. By the end of the journey, Scott’s boss had offered to _______ his idea — a starting capital along with the gift of a £110,000 limousine (豪车) to kick start the business.

Of course, there’s an element of luck to everyone’s career. Whether you’re a chief executive or an artist — your _______ won’t be based on hard work alone. For example, the place you were born _______ your education. It determines whether you learn to read, write or complete qualifications, which _______ limits your career choices.

Many people believe success is down to talent and hard work, but “this is because most people underestimate the role of _______”, says psychologist Dr Elizabeth Nutt Williams. “We do a lot of work to prepare for our careers — education, training, taking advantage of mentoring — all of which tend to be in our control.” People don’t like to acknowledge the role of luck in their work, as it _______ this feeling of being in control, adds Williams.

Everyone remembers working hard, so people are more likely to overestimate how much of their success is down to diligence than something much more _______ like luck.

The reality of success (at least in terms of _______) is less clear cut. In the UK, studies show where you are born is likely to determine how much you earn. 2017 research found that there is a “class pay gap’’, where professional employers from _______ backgrounds are paid almost £7,000 less a year — despite having the same role, education and experience as colleagues from more privileged families. ________, black graduates earn up to 23% less per hour than white university leavers, whereas woman in the UK earn 14% less on average than men.

Socio-economic status also plays a big role in the ________ you enter. A recent study by the Debrett’s Foundation found seven in every 10 young people aged 16 — 25 use ________ to get their first job. While research has shown that less able, richer children are 35% more likely to become high earners than their brighter poorer peers.

The truth is: chance and coincidences ________ our careers more than we like to think. Realizing that parts of your career are out of your control sounds ________, but being grateful for the role of luck in your career can actually make you more fortunate.

This is because when you acknowledge the role of luck in your work, you become prepared to take advantage of more fortunate moments. “Chance events occur but it is all about the individual’s ________ to see those events as possibilities and their willingness to take a risk,” says Williams.

1.

A．challenge

B．adopt

C．finance

D．reject

2.

A．performances

B．accomplishments

C．assessments

D．outcomes

3.

A．accounts for

B．applies to

C．makes up for

D．depends on

4.

A．in reward

B．after all

C．in turn

D．by nature

5.

A．chance

B．accident

C．education

D．diligence

6.

A．emphasizes

B．overlooks

C．maintains

D．weakens

7.

A．manageable

B．vital

C．slippery

D．minor

8.

A．reputation

B．income

C．education

D．occupation

9.

A．wealthier

B．poorer

C．unique

D．diverse

10.

A．Nevertheless

B．Contrarily

C．Consequently

D．Similarly

11.

A．profession

B．circle

C．community

D．university

12.

A．certificates

B．online platforms

C．career fairs

D．family connections

13.

A．contribute to

B．result from

C．add to

D．hold back

14.

A．inspiring

B．encouraging

C．appealing

D．discouraging

15.

A．reluctance

B．eagerness

C．readiness

D．resolution

9 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A．moral	B．fortunes	C．drastically	D．extinct
E．emerged	AB．approach	AC．claims	AD．cautiously
AE．ingredients	BC．managed	BD．object

Stressed out? Get chewing: can a wellness rebrand make Americans buy gum again?

When was the last time you saw someone chewing gum? 1998, maybe? 2007? Chances are, it probably wasn’t recently. Like high heels and affordable housing, chewing gum appears to be going     1    

Gum’s popularity has been fading globally thanks to increased competition from products like breath mints and mobile phones distracting us from impulse purchases while shopping. The pandemic, moreover,     2    ·accelerated gum’s decline.

Even after people     3     from lockdown, sales didn’t recover. Gum sales worldwide in 2023 were 10% below 2018 figures. In the US, the drop has been particularly pronounced: last year 1.2 billion units of gum were sold in the US, 32% fewer than in 2018.

However, chewing gum, in various forms, is one of the oldest habits there is. Stone age teenagers were chewing birch bar k tar possibly for pleasure, medicinal purposes, or to use it as a glue. Gum has also been loaded with cultural meaning and the subject of various     4     panics. Some people believe it is a marker of the bad kids or a habit of the lower class.

Despite a certain amount of social stigma（污名） attached to gum, it has - until relatively recently -been a wildly successful product. That’s thanks to William Wrigley Jr, who was a marketing and advertising genius. Wrigley always     5     to find a way to make gum relevant and insert it into consumer culture. For example, Wrigley advertised the idea that chewing gum was a health aid that would help digestion and would relieve stress.

This year the Wrigley brand’s owner —Mars— came out with an ad campaign it hopes will revive gum’s     6     by positioning it as an almost instant stress reliever. Linking gum with wellness worked in the 1910s, but is it going to work now? Alex Hayes at the food consultancy is     7     optimistic. “The global well ness market is estimated to be worth more than $1.5 trillion, so it’s no surprise that Mars wants a piece of the pie,” Hayes says. “We’ve seen the success of categories such as tea promoting their products via functional     8       and messaging-teas for good sleep, mental clarity, stress relief, etc. So it comes as no surprise that Mars is risking the same     9     .” But he also notes, customers are increasingly worried about processed foods and are eager to move away from artificial     10    . There’s still ongoing discussion on just how effective repositioning chewable plastic as a health supplement is going to be.

10 .

Eyes in the sky Several space telescopes planned for Launch after the James Webb Space Telescope（JWST）promise to deliver incredible science. Here are three of the most important.
Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars （PLATO） Expected launch date: 2026 This European Space Agency project will search a million stars looking for blips in their light that indicate the presence of an orbiting planet. Similar kinds of previous telescopes have only been able to see planets that are close to their stars and so pass in front of them frequently. Plato will linger on each star for longer and so has the chance to detect planets that are more distant from their star, with a longer orbital period. In particular, the mission is focused on trying to spot signs of rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone, the narrow region of a star system in which temperatures are right for liquid water. It also has the tools to characterize such worlds, providing clues to how Earth-like they may be.	Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Expected launch date: 2025 Like the James Webb Space Telescope, the Roman Space Telescope, named after the first female executive at NASA, will observe mainly infrared radiation. But while the JWST focuses on detail, Roman is going for the big picture. The telescope has a panoramic（全景的）field of view more than 100 times greater than the JWST’s. During its first five years, Roman will image more than 50 times as much sky as the Hubble Space Telescope covered in its first 30 years. That will allow it to make the first wide-field infrared maps of the sky. It is hoped this will help solve mysteries like the true identity of dark matter and dark energy. Astronomers can see the influence of these substances on the universe but have not been able to explain what they are.	Laser Interferometer Space Antenna（LISA） Expected launch date: 2034 We first detected gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space, in 2015. So far, we have seen waves from black hole and neutron star collisions（碰撞）. LISA, a mission led by the European Space Agency, will be a much larger gravitational wave detector than existing ground-based ones. It will consist of three spacecraft positioned 2.5 million kilometres apart in a triangular formation. This space detector will be sensitive to gravitational waves with extremely low frequencies. Among other things, it could allow us to spot planets in other galaxies just from the subtle way in which they influence the gravitational waves produced by their parent stars. Until now, all confirmed discoveries of exoplanets have been in our own Milky Way galaxy.

1. What can we know about PLATO?

A．It is designed to detect gravitational waves in the fabric of space.

B．It is aimed to look for planets that are closely orbiting their stars.

C．It is the first of its kind to be able to see blips in the stars’ light.

D．It observes each star for longer so as to detect more distant planets.

2. What are the differences between the Roman Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope?

A．The Roman Space Telescope can observe infrared radiation while the JWST cannot.

B．The Roman Space Telescope has a larger field of view compared to the JWST.

C．The James Webb Space Telescope make the first wide-field infrared maps of the sky.

D．The James Webb Space Telescope can image more than 50 times as much sky as the Roman.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．All of the three space telescopes are being led by the European Space Agency.

B．With the help of LISA, we might be able to find planets outside of the Milky Way galaxy.

C．Getting wide-field infrared maps of the sky, scientists are sure to spot what dark matter and dark energy are.

D．Scientists have already confirmed the clues to the existence of all the exoplanets with the aid of gravitational waves.