1 . About 20 years ago, I was attending a law school while still doing my part-time job to provide my tuition. Despite that, my grades were still among the top ten percent of the class.     1     I was directed to a professor who I had never met. He agreed to supervise the project by email. He emailed me a set of rules and instructions for the paper so that I would meet the requirements.

After several weeks, I completed the legal research and began writing my paper. Two weeks later, I ended my paper draft.     2     I accepted all of them, recomposed it again and again, and finally submitted it to the professor. To my surprise, he gave me a C+, the lowest grade.

    3     A few weeks after my graduation, I happened to notice a contest in a journal where the best student-written paper would get published and win a significant cash prize—$2,500. Since I had the C+ paper at hand, I sent it in, just for fun. A month later, the journal called me to let me know that my C+ paper won first place in the contest out of more than 200 submissions.     4    

Later, I wrote a letter to the local newspaper detailing this story and explaining how paper grades were subjective. The letter was then published. Knowing this, the professor was awkward. Luckily, I didn’t mention his name. He emailed me and explained he’d made a mistake and confused my paper with another student’s.     5     Actually, I didn’t care about an A. And to be honest, if he had given me an A, I wouldn’t have submitted my paper to the contest.

A．So I had nothing to complain about.

B．It was published and I got the check.

C．In fact, my paper should have been given an A.

D．Though annoyed, I could do nothing but accept it.

E．During the graduation season, I had to write an essay.

F．In order to win the competition, I prepared my essay very hard.

G．I showed it to some of my classmates, who gave me some constructive suggestions.

2 . In 1997,I worked at a gas station with a Laundromat (自助衣店) and for $2 a bag we’d wash, dry and fold. One of the days that I provided this ________ changed my perspective on the people we randomly meet in life.

Early one morning, a tattooed (纹身的) giant truck driver ________ a bag of laundry, and I ________ it’d be ready for ________ by the end of the day. Then I threw the load in the washer and pressed start.

An hour later, I went to move the giant’s laundry into the dryer. Then I was ________ to find that every item I pulled from the machine turned pink. The tattooed giant was going to kill me. I would be fired because some red sock was left and because I hadn’t made sure that the machine was completely ________ before I threw in a new load. Just thinking about these, I could hardly ________.

The rest of the day passed in a blur (模糊) as I ________ what would happen when the giant came for his laundry. ________ , the giant returned. When he stepped inside, looking terrifying and stern (严厉的), I ________ . I burst into tears. I admitted my ________ and swore I’d pay for his clothes. But to my ________ , he exploded with ________ and told me that it was fine, no worries. I’d say the words did ________ me. I let out the world’s longest breath as he continued laughing all the way back to the truck.

That day I learned that no one and nothing is ever quite what it seems. Giants can be ________, and a little gas station can also be the unlikely birthplace of many a memorable story.

1.

A．option

B．method

C．service

D．program

2.

A．dropped

B．grabbed

C．removed

D．opened

3.

A．proposed

B．promised

C．agreed

D．warned

4.

A．distribution

B．submission

C．admission

D．collection

5.

A．confused

B．excited

C．shocked

D．amused

6.

A．powerful

B．empty

C．useful

D．automatic

7.

A．breathe

B．understand

C．resist

D．complain

8.

A．predicted

B．determined

C．imagined

D．prevented

9.

A．Eventually

B．Suddenly

C．Hopefully

D．Fortunately

10.

A．woke up

B．gave up

C．sat down

D．broke down

11.

A．secret

B．effort

C．mistake

D．fear

12.

A．astonishment

B．regret

C．disappointment

D．satisfaction

13.

A．applause

B．laughter

C．anger

D．silence

14.

A．inspire

B．hurt

C．relieve

D．remind

15.

A．generous

B．unique

C．careful

D．gentle

3 . Biologists Slagsvold and Wiebe have spent years studying tits, flycatchers, and other birds that lay their eggs into holes in trees, walls and even human-made boxes. “Holes are rare, so there’s great competition,” Wiebe said. Birds will sometimes get into fights. Even after a bird gets a hole, it has to watch out: There’s always a chance that a passerby tries to possess it. Owners don’t have many options to wait for and stop thieves. Some police their nest’s entrance hole, but preparing for parenthood is hungry work, and eventually the birds have to leave to get food. So Slagsvold and Wiebe started to look for alternative home-defense systems the birds might be using.

They noticed feathers, usually helping animals keep warm, but that doesn’t seem to be how these particular birds are using them. Blue tits, for instance, get feathers on top of the nest, rather than putting them in. Some other birds dump feathers into holes before gathering other materials. “They’re white, and often noticeable,” Wiebe said, “as if the birds want to send a message.”

To find out, they built nest boxes — some feathery, some not — in Europe and America, and recorded how tits, flycatchers and swallows reacted. The birds entered feather-free boxes quickly. But they froze at the sight of white feathers, sometimes hesitating outside for an hour. Black feathers scared them less, perhaps because they were harder to see. The feathers didn’t stop the birds as most eventually went inside. But even a brief delay can make a huge difference, Wiebe said. “Even 20 minutes can give the owner enough time to circle back, and fight off their competitors.”

The birds’ behavior shows their high-risk lifestyle. They have to think twice as the holes may be hiding danger. The feathers represent possible violence, showing a predator might be inside.

The experiment reflects the lies animals tell where nest sites are rare. They build a scene so horrible to discourage nest stealers. Birds are terrified of death. And they can exploit that reality to safeguard what’s theirs.

1. What inspired Slagsvold and Wiebe to seek birds’ other possible ways to protect homes?

A．Birds have to fight to get the limited holes.	B．Birds get tired from watching out in nests.
C．Birds face many nest stealers on their own.	D．Birds leave their nests unattended sometimes.

2. What is the function of white feathers outside the nests?

A．To show a friendly welcome.	B．To help stealers avoid danger.
C．To buy time for the nest owners.	D．To confirm this place is occupied.

3. How does the author feel about the birds’ reaction in the experiment?

A．Understandable.

B．Confusing.

C．Possible.

D．Worrying.

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

A．Some birds refuse to build their nests	B．It’s important for birds to have feathers
C．High risks of life lead birds to turn to lies	D．Birds create a false scene to protect their nests

4 . General Art Contests

THE SUNNY ART PRIZE

Prize       A total cash fund of £6,000 plus an individual exhibition in London.

Entry Fee       £25 for one artwork, up to £45 for four artworks.

Requirements       Open to artists worldwide aged 18 and over.

Closing Date       June 30, 2024

One of the most diverse art competitions in the UK, the Sunny Art Prize offers unique exposure for both emerging and established artists.

BEAUTIFUL BIZARRE ART PRIZE

Prize       Over $50,000 in cash and prizes to be won. Plus, global exposure through Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. Winners will also participate in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s group exhibition at Haven Gallery in New York later this year.

Entry Fee       $40 per entry

Requirements       Open to artists worldwide working in the representational visual arts.

Closing Date       July 17, 2024

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, now in its 5th year, is an annual international art prize that celebrates diversity and excellence in the representational visual arts.

MADE IN CALIFORNIA COMPETITION

Prize       $750 first prize, $500 second prize.

Entry Fee       $20 per entry

Requirements       Open to artists based in California.

Closing Date       February 16, 2024

Hosted by the Brea Gallery, the Made in California Competition provides a promotional opportunity for all artists based in the state of California.

ARTISTS MAGAZINE ANNUAL ART COMPETITION

Prize       Over $29,000 in cash prizes and publication in Artists Magazine.

Entry Fee       $40 ($35 if submitted before April 3)

Requirements       Open to artists over 18 worldwide working in a traditional medium.

Closing Date       May 30, 2024

Artists Magazine’s Annual Art Competition celebrates traditional 2D artistic mediums such as painting, digital art, and much more. All winners’ works will be featured in the January/February 2025 issue of Artists Magazine.

1. Which art contest offers the opportunity for a group exhibition?

A．THE SUNNY ART PRIZE.

B．BEAUTIFUL BIZARRE ART PRIZE.

C．MADE IN CALIFORNIA COMPETITION.

D．ARTISTS MAGAZINE ANNUAL ART COMPETITION.

2. How much should a contestant pay for a January submission to Brea Gallery?

A．$20.

B．$25.

C．$35.

D．$40.

3. What do these general art contests have in common?

A．They are held every year.	B．They are open to emerging artists only.
C．They provide winners with added bonus.	D．They celebrate excellence in traditional arts.

5 . 阅读下面的材料，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。

“Mom, I’m ready to go,” called Jason.

Every Saturday, Jason looked forward to going to Chinatown to shop for food because his mom let him pick his favorite snacks: roast pork buns and bubble tea.

The streets in Chinatown were crowded with cars and pedestrians. His mother could not find the same exotic vegetables in the local supermarkets, so they always came here to shop. What fascinated Jason was tasty roast pork, even the whole pigs hanging on big hooks in the windows, their skins roasted to a glistening brown. Jason’s mouth would water just looking at them.

As they passed the newsstand carrying Chinese newspapers and magazines, Jason spotted an old man sitting on the sidewalk. His hair was long, white, and messy. The face beneath was lined, dirty, and unshaven. Frayed and torn clothing wrapped around his thin frame, and in this kind of cold weather, he even wore sandals, his feet blue with cold. He banged an empty can against the sidewalk. As Jason walked by, he could smell a musty odor and pinched his nostrils together. The old man reached out and touched Jason’s left leg. Instinctively, Jason gathered all his strength to jerk(猛拉) his leg away and kick the old man’s hand heavily. Frightened, he hurried to catch up with his mother without looking back.

“Mom, the old man touched me,” he cried, “He touched me with his dirty hands. It’s disgusting! And he smelled too.”

Jason’s mother glanced back at the man with a look of understanding and said gently, “Jason, he can’t help it. He’s homeless. He didn’t mean any harm.”

Mom’s words made Jason look back at the old man with regret, who now was looking up at other passersby, still banging his can.

On their way home, Jason asked, his voice filled with concern. “Why is that old man homeless? Where does he sleep?”

“I don’t know. It’s tough to be homeless, especially in this cold weather. He did look quite weak,” his mother replied.

Mom’s words made Jason’s regret deepened. He confessed his heavy kick to his mother, who reminded him that it was crucial to acknowledge his mistake and try to make up for it.

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, with his mother’s help, Jason decided to do something.

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Hearing this, the old man looked at them with watery eyes.

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6 . Benefits Of Cold Weather

There’s no doubt about it—cold weather can be pretty unpleasant.     1     So if you’re feeling down about the cold temperatures outside, read on for a few reasons to be happy about them!

It boosts your brain. Cold temperatures can excite your brain, allowing improved focus and greater clarity of thought. The cold climate increases oxygen flow to the brain.     2    

It increases brown fat content. Cold weather has the unique ability to increase the number of brown fat cells.     3     . Not only do they help us stay comfortably warm in cold temperatures, but they may also even promote weight loss over time.

    4     In cold weather, an even body temperature can be beneficial for a good night’s rest. As our bodies try to keep warm when it’s cold out, blood vessels get narrower and help control your sleep temperature for a more relaxed and restful sleep. People sleeping in colder environments generally wake up feeling more refreshed than those sleeping in warmer temperatures.

It improves skin health.     5     Low temperatures force us to dress warmly against the cold, leading to protection against environmental aspects that would otherwise remove water from our skin.

All in all, there are many benefits to spending time outside in cold weather! Next time you want to stay inside and avoid the cold, keep these benefits in mind and consider getting outside for a few minutes!

A．It helps you sleep.

B．It raises health awareness.

C．Thus, the central nervous system can perform at increased levels.

D．Cold weather exposure is a helpful contribution to our well-being.

E．They are important for controlling body temperature by producing heat.

F．Cold weather can be good for keeping our skin looking and feeling healthy.

G．While it makes us want to stay indoors, cold weather has some major benefits.

7 . 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。

I had a trip to New Mexico last year, a trip I still remember very well to this day. I went to a place called Philmont and attended a summer camp. There were thirteen people including me. The entire 10-day hike we took through those mountains went well, except for the second day, because of the terrible weather.

It had been a nice sunny day up until we were halfway to the camp we were staying at that night. Then without a word it started raining gently. There was nothing too bad and certainly nothing we couldn’t handle. We put our raincoats on and continued on our way. It stayed raining slightly for a while, so I decided it would be a good idea to say, “Well, it can’t be much worse than this, right?” And in less than five seconds the thunder crashed around us. It almost sounded like a laugh, as if it was laughing at us. Then the rain started to come down harder, and then, the hail (冰雹) came.

Getting hit with balls of ice in the middle of the New Mexico mountains was not something I had ever thought would happen to us, but here we were. All thirteen of us were wishing at that moment that we could go home. But we quickly abandoned the idea. It was freezing, and my feet felt like they might fall off. Wet, cold, and carrying 40 pounds on our backs, we hiked on.

But soon enough we got lost for about a mile because of a mistake that our “Navi-guesser” made on getting us to our destination. At the same time, one of our boys got a minor case of hypothermia (低温症). We decided to stop for a while, unpacking our tents to get into a nice warm sleeping bag. I don’t know if you know this, but unpacking camping gear (装备) in the rain was not very fun, especially setting up a tent.

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 came up with a solution.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The rain stopped just as we were about to start.

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8 . One day, Tim came home from school. His face was filled with sadness and _______ . His classmate had said hurtful things to him, _______ Tim to feel upset and discouraged. Listening to Tim, the grandfather, John, sat him down and listened to his _______ . Then he told Tim a story.

“Once, in a dense forest, there lived an oak tree,” said John. “One day, a fierce storm _______ in the forest. The winds blew, the rain _______ , and the whole forest shook with fear. Despite the chaos, the oak tree stayed solid. _______ about the oak tree’s resilience (适应力), a tiny reed in the nearby wetland _______ and asked, “How do you manage to stand firm during the storm? ” The oak tree _______ gently, “Dear reed, I sway (摇摆)with the wind instead of resisting it. I _______ that storms are a part of life, just as __________ and misunderstandings are a part of growing up.”

Tim asked his grandfather, “What does this story mean?”

John smiled and said, “In life, we face difficulties and __________ . Stay strong and overcome them with a positive attitude. Don’t let hurtful words bring you down. They are __________ , like storms. Focus on your strength and keep moving forward.”

Tim understood and faced __________ at school with bravery. With his grandfather’s guidance, Tim __________ to be a caring and resilient person who inspired others like his grandfather.

The wise grandfather taught his grandson the __________ of resilience, empathy and the ability to overcome difficulties.

1.

A．hope

B．confidence

C．improvement

D．anger

2.

A．confusing

B．attracting

C．causing

D．assisting

3.

A．dreams

B．proposals

C．measures

D．complaints

4.

A．formed

B．folded

C．floated

D．calmed

5.

A．survived

B．poured

C．gathered

D．circulated

6.

A．Worried

B．Serious

C．Careful

D．Curious

7.

A．argued

B．expanded

C．approached

D．spun

8.

A．quarrelled

B．pressed

C．appealed

D．replied

9.

A．hear

B．understand

C．doubt

D．fear

10.

A．patterns

B．blanks

C．troubles

D．talents

11.

A．conflicts

B．permits

C．theories

D．voyages

12.

A．convincing

B．temporary

C．direct

D．true

13.

A．greetings

B．accusations

C．challenges

D．attempts

14.

A．grew up

B．showed up

C．came in

D．set off

15.

A．root

B．importance

C．output

D．discovery

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

A study in the journal Nature suggests that the color of our oceans is changing due to climate change. Over the past 20 years, low-latitude oceans     1     (become) greener. It’s well established that rising global temperatures,     2     (drive) by the burning of fossil fuels, are making dramatic changes to our oceans, from increasing sea levels and intensifying storms to acidifying (酸化) the water itself.

    3     NASA satellite known as Aqua just celebrated its 21st birthday in May, making it one of the longest still-running space probes. It has collected a lot of data on the color of our oceans, which is     4     (actual) an essential climate variable (变量) and can reflect changes in ocean ecosystems. After analyzing the data, researchers found that,     5     average, our oceans are becoming greener, with significant shifts in about 56% of the ocean surface.

The     6     (result) suggest that the effects of climate change are already being felt in surface marine microbial (微生物) ecosystems,     7     those effects have not yet been detected. Therefore, the findings might be useful for ocean     8     (conserve) and management. For instance, knowledge of places     9     the surface-ocean microbial ecosystem is changing might be useful for identifying regions of the open ocean     10     (set) up marine protected areas.

10 . 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。

When I was a young hairstylist and worked inside a barbershop, a lady came in one day who looked broken and tired. “Can I help you?” I asked.

She was almost in tears as she replied, “My sister is really sick, and her hair is a mess. I’ve been to several barbershops, and no one will help me because she can hardly walk. I’ll have to bring her inside in her wheelchair.” The woman went on to tell me that’s he had managed to wash her sister’s hair before they left home, which was hard for her to do, and she stressed that all she needed was for her sister’s hair to be cut.

“I’ll be happy to help you,” I said. I offered to help her get her sister out of the car, but the woman said, “No, I’ll get her in.” She must have told me “thank you” a hundred times as she headed out to get her sister.

While I was waiting for the women to come in, I walked over to my station and moved my hydraulic (液压的) chair out of its space because I knew it would be easier for this woman to just roll her sister right up to the spot.

When she came back in, I was not prepared for what I saw. The sister was seriously ill.

As I saw the sick girl, I had a hard time holding back my tears, but I calmed myself down. I moved the chair to make things easier for them.

I cut and styled the sister’s hair, and the three of us chatted. It was truly a moment I knew I would never forget. Before they left, the woman who’d originally approached me asked me to write down my name and phone number for her. So I gave her my business card, which already had all the information on it.

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。
       Two weeks after this encounter, I received a bunch of flowers and an envelope with my name on it.
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I put away the money, then turned the card around and wrote that your hearts weren’t the only ones touched that day.

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