1 . I was in my home office on a cold Sunday when I heard a quick knock on the door. I _____ downstairs, threw open the door and saw my dad _____ something wrapped up in paper in his arms. Strangely, he had given no hint (暗示) of it when we spoke on the phone last night.

“Open it.” he said.

I opened it to find a yellow begonia (秋海棠). It occurred to me that it was Mother’s Day.

“But···but I’m not a mother.” I said, _____.

My dad smiled, “Well, some special people aren’t mothers. but I think they _____ to get flowers, too.” With that, he hugged me and drove off.

Later, I called to thank him and we got to talking a lot. That’s when he let me in on his little _____. He had decided that he would challenge himself to do one act of _____ per day. It had started several weeks before when he accidentally knew a friend of his was having a rough day. He knew she loved ice cream, so he drove straight to her house with a huge tub of ice cream.

“She laughed _____ when she saw it,” he said, “It really delighted me to know that I had _____ her day.”

When asked why, he added, “I already know about the importance of being _____ in the moment. So, I try to be there with each person I am spending time with. I want them to feel important and believe in the goodness in people in that moment.”

I realized my dad was making a difference in people’s lives. ______, I also want to be more like my dad, who goes out of his way to make people feel loved and cared for.

1.

A．fell

B．waited

C．raced

D．looked

2.

A．shaking

B．pulling

C．holding

D．collecting

3.

A．annoyed

B．confused

C．worried

D．disappointed

4.

A．deserve

B．decide

C．promise

D．pretend

5.

A．celebration

B．joke

C．secret

D．excuse

6.

A．faith

B．courage

C．appreciation

D．kindness

7.

A．coldly

B．excitedly

C．proudly

D．nervously

8.

A．kept

B．spent

C．predicted

D．brightened

9.

A．present

B．healthy

C．patient

D．humorous

10.

A．Depressed

B．Inspired

C．Terrified

D．Astonished

2 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。

Group-Chat Culture Is Out of Control

For better or worse, we might be in the Age of the Group Chat. In a recent survey, most people said they felt stressed out by group messages, which can feel like a part-time job.

Connection is wonderful. Grexts, short for group texts, have the feature of imitating the casual back-and-forth of a dialogue, and the result can be more dynamic and fun than a two-person thread. Having a chat going also means you have a space to share your updates throughout the day, a reminder that you’re part of something.

Some researchers call this “ambient(周围的) virtual presence”: Even when you’re alone, you’re not alone. One researcher compares this phenomenon to echolocation(回声定位), the process that some animals, such as bats and dolphins, use to locate objects: They produce a continuous sound and use the resulting echo to sense their surroundings. Humans might use technologies such as group chats in a similar way—as a call-and-response, taking in information about their social networks and locating themselves within those webs.

But taking in too many signals can be overwhelming. Professor Bayer argued that group chats can create a “waterfall type of effect”, where messages keep flooding in and adding up. Eventually, you’re underwater. Another researcher suggested that different chat members all bring their own personalities, communication styles, and expectations for group norms. Without a standard etiquette (礼仪), people have varied opinions about what degree of responsiveness is required—which can cause real tension.

Grext anxiety is hard to resolve because it isn’t just about the group-chat or even mobile technology in general; it’s about the tension between being our own person and being responsible to others. Ultimately, most of us do want connection, even if it involves some duties.

1. What is the feature of Grexts?
________________________________
2. How might humans use group chats like echolocation?
________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
▶Without a standard etiquette, people have different ideas about what messages should be answered.
________________________________
4. Please describe how another mobile technology affects your relationship with others. (In about 40 words)
________________________________

3 . As higher education leaders dive deeper into the conversation on Digital Transformation and Education 4.0, they are also learning how to incorporate the Digital Twins realm concept into their curricula, because Digital Twin technology can serve the university of the future.

A Digital Twin is a virtual representation of a real object or system which is updated from real-time data and uses machine learning, simulation (模拟), and reasoning to help decision-making. In other words, a Digital Twin can create a highly complex virtual model which is the exact replica of a physical thing. Connected sensors on a smart campus can collect data in real time. This data is used to create a map onto the virtual model, thus creating a Digital Twin of a campus. When school administrators look at the Digital Twin, they can see crucial information about how the real campus is doing.

The applications for Digital Twin technology do not stop there. Students and faculty can benefit from using the technology as well. For example, hybrid classrooms have become more and more common nowadays. Digital technologies have accelerated the transition into the university of the future. Digital Twin technology, one of the trending technologies related to Industry 4.0, helps faculty create simulation models based on course requirements.

Digital Twin technology makes the ultimate immersive learning experience possible. By using a Digital Twin, students can learn highly engaging tasks which can be too dangerous, complex, or expensive for the classroom. Rather than hands-on laboratory dissection of a physical frog to learn animal science or having to wait for available human organs in the health science lah, medical students can use the virtual twin of an animal or human organs for their study.

The complexity of chemistry or microbiology requires students to be totally engaged. By using Digital Twins in a Virtual Reality simulated learning experience, faculty can achieve a maximum level of engagement helping each student learn abstract concepts in their own unique way and much faster. By running simulations, students can better explore system behavior under different conditions, understand failure and develop an understanding of system sensibilities as well as how changes in the system parameters (参数) and external disruptions make an impact on the results.

Some universities, such as Stanford and Copenhagen School of Marine Engineering, have incorporated Digital Twin technology into their teaching curricula, applying it to disciplines like architecture and engineering as they believe they are the reality of the industry. Overall, this enhances student motivation, accelerates understanding, and improves the overall learning experience. Moreover, the industry encourages universities to incorporate educational Digital Twins in automation to give students the initial understanding of tools and skills they will need in their future.

1. It can be learned from Paragraph 2 that Digital Twins ________.

A．remain a concept	B．are virtual copies of real objects
C．represent future education	D．can operate campuses remotely

2. Which of the following statements might the author agree with?

A．Education 4.0 facilitates the development of Digital Twins.

B．New technology poses potential threats to college teachers.

C．Digital Twin technology in higher education is on the horizon.

D．Virtual classrooms have grown in popularity under Industry 4.0.

3. Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．

4 . Frozen in time, a 125-million-year-old mammal attacking a dinosaur. A 39-million-year-old whale, the heaviest animal that ever lived. The oldest known jellyfish, from 505 million years ago. Paleontology (古生物学) produces newsworthy discoveries.

Fossils (化石), moreover, provide direct evidence for the long history of life, allowing paleontologists to test hypotheses (假设) about evolution with data only they provide. They allow investigation of present and past life on Earth. Flows of biological diversity, appearances of new life forms and the extinctions of long existing ones, would go undiscovered without these efforts. But the headlines over exciting new fossils greatly underestimate the true importance of paleontology. Its real significance lies in how such discoveries brighten the grand history of life on Earth. From its beginnings, more than three billion years ago, to the present day, fossils record how life adapted or disappeared in the face of major environmental challenges.

Paleontologists provide us with a unique vantage on modern climate change. They play an essential role in interpreting ancient environments, in reconstructing ancient oceans, continents and climates. Fossils provide key limitation on the climate models that are essential for predicting future climate change. And the fossil record gives important insights into how life will respond to predicted future climate conditions, because these have occurred before in Earth’s history.

In addition, paleontology has provided a fundamental contribution to human thought: the reality of species extinction and thus of a world that has dramatically changed over time. In documenting the history of life, paleontologists recognized that many extinction episodes could occur suddenly, such as the event 66 million years ago that ended the dinosaurs. The search for the causes of past mass extinctions started pioneering studies from across the scientific spectrum (科学界), focusing on potential future threats to humanity.

Not only do paleontologists know what happens to life when things go bad, they also know how long it takes for ecosystems and biodiversity to recover from these disasters, which can take far longer than modern humans have existed.

Paleontologists thus provide a unique perspective on the nature and future long-term ecological impact of the current human-produced biodiversity crisis, the so-called Sixth Extinction, and therefore the importance of protecting modern biodiversity. The very concept of a Sixth Extinction would not exist without paleontologists documenting the first five.

Paleontologists know that understanding life’s past is critical to anticipating and adapting to life’s and humanity’s future. Paleontology is important because it brings its unique and critical perspective to current challenges in climate change, biodiversity loss and the environment. Paleontologists can predict the future because they know the past.

1. The first two paragraphs are written to _______.

A．describe an event	B．raise a question
C．present an opinion	D．make a comparison

2. What does the underlined word “vantage” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．A positive effect.	B．A valuable suggestion.
C．A quick decision.	D．A comprehensive view.

3. Which of the following would the author agree with?

A．Ecological recovery takes shorter than imagined.

B．Past lessons can help to predict the future threats.

C．Paleontologists can handle the biodiversity crisis.

D．Fossil studies focus on the causes of mass extinctions.

4. What’s the best title for the passage?

A．Paleontology: A Pioneering Study

B．Paleontology: A History Recorder

C．Paleontology Tells More About Nature Than Humans

D．Paleontology Is Far More Than New Fossil Discoveries

7 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。

Humpback whales (座头鲸)are among the world’s most endangered whales. The main threats humpback whales face are strikes from ships and getting caught in fishing and waste equipment. Recently, scientists have developed a technology-powered mapping tool to prevent ships from hitting whales in areas off America’s west coast. The system is called Whale Safe. It uses equipment placed in the ocean to identify the presence of whales in the surrounding area.

Whale Safe was recently launched to the north in San Francisco Bay. There is a problem in the bay with ships hitting whales. Wildlife officials reported that a humpback whale washed ashore in the San Francisco Bay with injuries suggesting the animal was killed in a ship strike. It was the fifth whale to be killed by a ship strike in the area in 2022. However, the actual number of whales killed by ships is likely much higher because the bodies of the dead animals are rarely discovered.

The system uses three methods to identify and protect several different whale species. First, it uses flotation devices — known as buoys (浮标) — to record sounds the whales make. Second, it uses computer model s to process current and historical ocean data to pre dict where the whales are most likely to be. Third, it permits trained observers and citizens to report whale sightings through a mobile app. The tool also records shipping activity and ship speeds. The collected data isthen sent by satellite to scientists who examine it and seek to provide guidance to ship operators.

The Whale Safe project is supported by the Marine Mammal Center and the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory. Officials from the Marine Mammal Center say they have plans to expand the system to other areas where whales face a high risk of being hit by ships. “The system combines the latest technology with thoughtful conservation efforts to create a solution to reduce risk to whales. This is where technology meets Mother Nature for the benefit of marine life,” said Jeff Boehm, a leader of the Marine Mammal Center.

1. What is the new tool intended for?
______________________________________________________________________
2. Why was Whale Safe recently launched to the north in San Francisco Bay?
______________________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
The system collected data by buoys, computer models and trained observers and citizens, then sent data to ship operators.
______________________________________________________________________
4. What suggestions could you give on protecting marine animals (海洋动物)?(In about 40 words)
______________________________________________________________________

8 . 阅读下面的短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。

There is a drive within all of us to create and express ourselves through art. This drive comes from a need to achieve a balance within ourselves. Art refers to the theory and physical expression of creativity found in human societies_and cultures. Its major fields include literary arts, performing arts (e. g. theater and dance) and visual arts (e. g. drawing, painting, photography, film and sculpture).

Art is essential to our culture because it provides us with a deeper understanding of emotions. Through art, we learn to feel joy in times of happiness and we see pain and despair in times of suffering. Creating art allows us to slow down and experience a full range of our emotions, while viewing others’ art can release the emotions within us and allow us to explore our feelings. This can help us heal and grow, and succeed both personally and professionally.

Art encourages critical thinking and promotes communication. Throughout the entire process of creating and appreciating art, we need to make decisions. We use logic and reasoning to find meaning in what we see or create. Art is a medium to share thoughts, ideas and visions that may not be expressed in other ways. Through art, we gain a better understanding of past and present cultures. Yet more importantly, there are no language barriers in art and therefore it is universal.

Art also enhances our lives. The process of experiencing art engages both the body and the mind and provides us with time to reflect. That’s why art is a necessity, not a luxury. It can make a community more beautiful and a workplace more interesting. Our homes reflect our personalities through the art we choose to display. Art can inspire us, make us happy and even motivate us.

We need to express ourselves through art. When we take a closer look at our world and begin to see the art and creativity in it, it can soothe, enrich or encourage ourselves. Art is beautiful , and beauty is an aesthetic quality.

1. What drives people to create and express themselves through art?
_________________________________________________________________
2. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Art helps people gain a better understanding of past and present cultures, and the language barriers make it difficult for people to appreciate art.
_________________________________________________________________
3. What is the passage mainly about?
_________________________________________________________________
4. What is your favourite art form? And why?(In about 40 words)
_________________________________________________________________

9 . In the middle of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, Amanda Barrows carefully placed a wooden nightstand(床头柜) on the ground. She attached a sign reading, “Take a poem, leave a poem.”

“It’s completely unexpected,” said Barrows, a park ranger (管理员) by day and a poet by night. “I’m really taken aback by the outpouring of support.”

Barrows has always considered herself a writer, so she enrolled in a class called Poetry for the People. The final project of the class is to find a way to “bring poetry into the community”.

At first, Barrows struggled to land on an idea. Eventually, she realized that she could fuse her love for parks and her love for poetry. A coworker gave Barrows a weathered nightstand. She thought it would be the perfect tool for her project.

She filled the drawer at the top with fresh paper and pens and added a box at the bottom for poems. To get the ball rolling, she asked her close friends to add their favorite poems to the drawer for people to take away.

The poetry nightstand reminded her of Little Free Libraries. That project features bookstands stationed across the city. People can leave and take books from little libraries. She only had a single nightstand to work with, so Barrows decided that she would leave it in a park for four days before moving it to a new location. San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department manages about 220 parks, and Barrow’s goal is to bring the poetry nightstand to all of them.

Since the project started, people have added a wide range of writing. Barrows shares most of the submissions on social media. Some are clearly composed by kids, while others are more refined. People have also written poems in various languages. “I love to see different people’s handwriting and share their personal words,” Barrows said.

The instructors of Poetry for the People said the nightstand fulfilled the main purpose of the project. Other students in the class wrote poetry on sidewalks with chalk. Another gave out poems disguised as parking tickets. Tanea Lunsford Lynx, a guest instructor for the class, says the project is “an invitation to slow down”. She believes that the old-fashioned nightstand stands out in a city that is filled with new technology.

Barrows says she intends to “keep this going indefinitely,” and she hopes others will build off the project and contribute their own creativity. “It really is a community project,” Barrows said. “It belongs to all of us.”

1. Why did Barrows put the nightstand in the park?

A．To share poetry submissions.	B．To follow Little Free Libraries.
C．To advertise a poetry class.	D．To complete a required task.

2. What does the underlined word “fuse” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Combine.

B．Reveal.

C．Strengthen.

D．Clarify.

3. What do we know about Barrow’s project?

A．It has involved 220 parks.	B．It is popular on social media.
C．It improves people’s handwriting.	D．It makes poetry reach more people.