1 . Pullman is a superb writer and Seagull is a brilliant communicator. They had a debate after Seagull posted a question on his social media platform: “When you were trying to create an environment for learning, what were your best pieces of classical music to listen to?” He received hundreds of suggestions — and one negative reply, from Pullman: “That’s not what classical music is for. Treat it with respect.”

That did it! Everyone — professional musicians, students, teachers — weighed into the argument, and the majority supported Seagull and were criticizing Pullman.

It’s easy to see why people are annoyed. We all want classical music to be as accessible as possible, especially to the young. If some of them are using Bach or Schubert as a tool to help them study, what’s the problem? They may also develop an attachment to classical music.

So is Pullman ridiculous and supercilious by objecting to classical music being used as background music? At first sight, his idea seems stuffy and extreme. By suggesting that classical music should be “treated with respect” and not used as background music, Pullman seems to be closing classical music of to millions of people.

It’s worth pointing out, however, that he isn’t the first to express concerns about classical music being devalued by becoming too commonplace in today’s technologically shaped world. In Benjamin Britten’s 1964 speech, the composer expressed exactly the same worries as Pullman. Britten suggested, “The true musical experience demands some preparation, some effort, a journey to a special place, saving up for a ticket, some homework perhaps”. In short, it demands as much effort from listeners as from composers and performers.

I don’t agree with such an extreme viewpoint, but I do think it touches on a reality. You will never fully grasp the beauty of classical music if you half-hear it only in the background. That doesn’t necessarily matter. Music can be enjoyed on many levels. What Pullman and Britten are really saying is that, in a drive for “accessibility”, we shouldn’t deny the emotional and intellectual complexity underpinning (构成) much classical music.

1. What did Seagull’s posting result in?

A．Great admiration for Seagull.

B．Public criticism of classical music.

C．A discussion about learning environments.

D．An argument over the role of classical music.

2. What does the underlined word “supercilious” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Self-important.

B．Open-minded.

C．Impatient.

D．Considerate.

3. Why is the Benjamin Britten’s 1964 speech mentioned?

A．To show his affection for classical music.

B．To introduce young people to classical music.

C．To demonstrate classical music is demanding.

D．To support Pullman’s idea over classical music.

4. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to Pullman’s idea?

A．Favorable.

B．Doubtful.

C．Objective.

D．Uninterested.

2 . The cost of living crisis is causing suffering for millions this winter. One in five people are worried about where their next meal will come from. Parents who live near you are burdened with anxiety about how they will afford to feed their children. Families are struggling and don’t know where to turn. Yet while people go hungry, three million tonnes of surplus(剩余的) food is being wasted every year.

Fare Share is a national charity working to get that food to people who are struggling—but we need your help. A gift of £90 could provide three meals a day to a family of four for a whole month. Plus, you may be entitled to recover 25p of tax on every £1 you give as gift money.

Your gift will help us redistribute food to our network of 8,500 local charities and community groups across the UK. You’ll also help people to access other services and support through these groups, strengthening communities and easing loneliness through food.

WILL YOU DO YOUR FARESHARE? PLEASE HELP PEOPLE GOING HUNGRY THIS WINTER
How could your £90 help feed a family in your community?	surplus food is received from suppliers.	FareShare redistributes the food to local charities helping people in need.	People and families can get healthy meals at day centres, youth groups and community cafes.

We’d love to keep you up to date on Fare Share’s work including fundraising updates. Please get in touch by calling us on 0300 302 3677 or emailing fundraiser@fareshare.org.uk

To give online, please visit fareshare.org.uk/community 1. For more information please scan the QR code.

1. What is the primary focus of FareShare?

A．Providing gifts for families.	B．Redistributing surplus food.
C．Organizing festival events.	D．Offering tax recovery services.

2. What additional benefit will Fare Share donors receive?

A．They will receive a tax refund.

B．They will help run the local charities.

C．They will be recognized as organizers.

D．They will receive free meals for themselves.

3. Where does this text probably come from?

A．A travel blog.	B．A news report.
C．A community noticeboard.	D．An entertainment magazine.

3 . It is frequently said that the best camera is the one you already have with you. Amazingly, the cameras on modern phones can take killer images without a professional camera. But if you’re struggling to get the quality you want, try a few of these helpful tips.

Pick the right time of day

There are a variety of lighting options that change throughout the day.     1     And it is properly named for the yellow color the sun casts. This warms any scene. If you’ve been working during golden hour and want to try something new, go out during the blue hour. This is the hour just before sunrise or just after sunset.     2    

Pay attention to lighting

    3     When taking pictures of nature, pay attention to the available light. How can you use it to create eye-catching images? Turn the sun peaking through the trees into a dramatic starburst by setting your f/stop to f/22 or above. Look for ways light and shadows create exciting patterns on otherwise flat backgrounds.

    4    

Look for subjects with natural motion like a waterfall, stream, flowers in the wind, etc., and set your shutter speeds to 20 seconds or more. It is vital to have a small secure support to ensure your camera is as perfectly still as possible during the shot.

Photo editing apps

Don’t limit your photos to what you can capture straight out of camera (SOOC).     5     . Look at the built-in filters (滤光器) that come with your system, or download a free photo editing app to add up your masterpieces. By using all these techniques, you should be able to create unique images that take brilliant photos.

A．Long exposure

B．Consider composition

C．Try to have access to many creative apps

D．You can control whether the background is in focus

E．Photography is often referred to as painting with light

F．It provides an attractive tone for your subject and scenery

G．Golden hour is the hour just after sunrise or just before sunset

4 . When Jason Arday was aged three he was diagnosed with _________ and global development delay, which can _________ the way a person learns and understands things. He couldn’t speak until he was 11, or _________ and write until he was 18. Now aged 37, Arday is the _________ ever black professor at the University of Cambridge.

Arday has always wanted to help people. As a child he remembers _________, “if I don’t make it as a football player or a professional snooker player, _________ I want to save the world.”

Supported by his college _________ and friend Sandro Sandri, Arday began reading and writing in his late teens. Even though he had a reading age of 13 when he started his _________, he passed and trained as a PE teacher. As he _________ in schools, Arday said he could see __________ children from black and ethnic minorities weren’t always given the same __________ to learn.

When Arday told Sandri that he wanted to __________ his studies into education, Sandri told him he could “__________ the world and win”.

Sandri was right, and now Arday is a __________ of sociology of education at Cambridge. As one of just five black professors there, he will be studying how to make university education open to everyone, and he hopes his work will inspire other people. “Talking is one thing; __________ it is what matters,” he said.

1.

A．symptom

B．phenomenon

C．autism

D．disease

2.

A．affect

B．lead

C．reflect

D．change

3.

A．paint

B．play

C．rest

D．read

4.

A．oldest

B．smallest

C．youngest

D．biggest

5.

A．linking

B．thinking

C．living

D．saying

6.

A．then

B．soon

C．though

D．also

7.

A．director

B．manager

C．president

D．tutor

8.

A．master

B．degree

C．rank

D．position

9.

A．worked

B．toured

C．visited

D．inspected

10.

A．why

B．where

C．how

D．when

11.

A．encouragement

B．movement

C．discouragement

D．engagement

12.

A．abandon

B．interrupt

C．defend

D．continue

13.

A．work on

B．depend on

C．take on

D．rely on

14.

A．student

B．doctor

C．assistant

D．professor

15.

A．taking

B．doing

C．giving

D．driving

5 . Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous religious buildings in the world. Here are some of the famous people buried at Westminster Abbey.

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens, who died in 1870, is buried in Poets’ Corner, the resting place and remembrance location for writers of all kinds.

Dickens is known for many of his works, and A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities are two of his most widely known works. It was popular opinion among the people and his fellow writers that Dickens should be buried in Westminster Abbey.

Stephen Hawking

Hawking was a scientist, physicist, and author, who died in 2018. Carved onto his stone is a series of rings, surrounding a darker central ellipse (椭圆). The ten characters of Hawking’s equation express his idea that black holes in the universe are not entirely black but send out a glow that would become known as Hawking radiation.

His epitaph (墓志铭) reads, “HERE LIES WHAT WAS MORTAL OF STEPHEN HAWKING”.

Laurence Olivier

Famous actor Laurence Olivier is also buried in Westminster Abbey. Born in 1907, his career began on the stage in England, and he eventually became a film legend until his death in 1989.

It’s well known that he had won Academy Awards, while also being honoured with special Oscars. Olivier’s grave is located in the South Transept in Poets’ Corner of the Abbey, in front of Shakespeare’s memorial.

Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton is considered one of the most important scientists of all time. He was a physicist, mathematician, and astronomer. He formulated the Law of Motion as well as the Law of Universal Gravitation.

Artist William Kent designed Newton’s complex funerary monument, and it was sculpted by Michael Rysbrack.

1. When did the author of A Christmas Carol die?

A．In 1870.

B．In 1907.

C．In 1989.

D．In 2018.

2. What do Charles Dickens and Laurence Olivier have in common?

A．They won Academy Awards.	B．They were buried in Poets’ Corner.
C．They were praised by Shakespeare.	D．They were famous actors and writers.

3. Whose funerary monument was designed by William Kent?

A．Charles Dickens’s.	B．Stephen Hawking’s.
C．Laurence Olivier’s.	D．Isaac Newton’s.

6 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

We call Talent Show the biggest stage in our country. I stood on that huge stage, with my throat dry. As I stared at the audience, I knew this moment could change my life forever. When judges asked my name and I tried to speak,nothing came out. The crowd fell silent, waiting for the words to come. Finally I stuttered(结巴地说) my name and my age. “As you can tell,” I said, “I have a speech disorder…”

I’d love to sing and had already signed up for the school talent show in fourth grade when I started stuttering.Fortunately, most of the kids at my school were kind, and I was rarely made fun of. I tried speech therapy too, but it didn’t help. I feared to sing in the school talent show. Therefore, I decided to practice at home. To my surprise, the words came smoothly when I sang. And then I decided to learn to play the guitar, which was given as a birthday gift by my father.

One afternoon, I walked into the basement, where I kept my musical equipment. My eyes lit on the guitar. I picked it up and started playing. I opened my mouth, and the words came flooding out. Then I wrote a song called I Will Trust,telling the pain IP’d experienced. The next day, I filmed a video of performing the song and posted it online. Hundreds of strangers left comments that I had uplifted them with my music. Ever since, I’ve been writing songs.

Last year, I started college and majored in music production. When I saw Talent Show audition(试唱)announcement pop up on my computer, I wanted to have a try. Several months later, I was standing on that stage, trying to calm my nerves as I introduced myself, “I have a speech impediment.” I said, “It was definitely something that caused me to…” I took a long pause to find the words. “…to hide. But I found that I don’t stutter when I sing.”

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。

Then I began to sing a new song I’d just written.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My performance on Talent Show had a deep influence on me.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . Museums become the next stop many students want to visit at their leisure.    1     However, the experience of visiting a museum could be quite disappointing if not done right, even for the experienced museumgoers.

    2    . No matter how much you’re enjoying yourself, many museums can take hours, days, or even weeks to fully explore. If you try to put it all in, you will get worn out to the point that you won’t really be seeing anything. Pick a few paintings and explore them in a detailed way, and your museum experience will be more relaxing.

Have you ever started your visit by waiting in line in front of the museum for a few hours just to get in? And that’s the sad reality when visiting many of those world-famous museums. Thus, be smart to browse the instructions for visiting and book in advance online.    3    .

What if you don’t like some museums? Then don’t visit them! I’m not a massive fan of parks, so I would hardly ever end up in any park while travelling.    4    Do they have a nice collection of an art style you love? Just ask yourself and visit the museum website to see what the highlights are.

There is nothing worse than impolite manners while visiting. We’ve all witnessed that guy being yelled at by the security for touching or taking flash photos.    5    .Otherwise, not only will you absolutely get embarrassed by security guards, but you can actually ruin artworks!

All of these ground rules are often neglected by us. Bear them in mind before setting off, and you will enjoy your museum tour!

A．It’s the same with the museums

B．But most of them do it all wrong

C．If you haven’t, don’t let it be you

D．That way you can have an easy access

E．The first step is to research how to enjoy everything

F．Sometimes you may sigh museum tiredness is a real thing

G．Generally, there is no right or wrong way to visit a museum

8 . As thrift was introduced into mainstream pop culture, young people started going to thrift stores for cheaper, fashionable finds. Gen Z consumers state that sustainability is an important factor while making buying decisions. Many choose to shop for a second-hand or resale item of eco-friendly products. Thrift shopping may have once been on the to-do list of people in poverty. But now a rise in eco-conscious thinking has caused young people to pop to thrift stores.

However, scientists recently have come to realize such trendy sustainable practices could actually be less rosy than expected.

Actually, the root of this sustainability dilemma is not only assessing what you use in your life, but the overconsumption. “Buying piles of second- hand clothing doesn’t help to build a sustainable future or challenge our addiction to shopping whenever we want them,” says Anna Fitzpatrick, a project coordinator at the Sustainable Fashion’s Centre. In some cases, the very existence of second-hand stores can give us a false sense of guiltlessness. Fitzpatrick adds, “we can clear out our entire wardrobe by leaving what we don’t want at a second-hand store with the hope that it’ll be put into good use. Instead of buying less, we trick ourselves into thinking we can shop our way out of the problem by donating again and again.”

While shopping second-hand may seem like fun, or even an adventurous activity for fashion lovers, it’s absolutely essential for people of limited budget. With thrifting reaching new levels of popularity, a great many people are noticing a rise in prices at their local thrift stores. This can influence those who rely on the used market for everyday wear.

“Actually, they aren’t shopping in second-hand shops to be sustainable or cool—they’re doing it out of necessity,” says Fitzpatrick. So, when you walk into a thrift shop or really any store, it’s important to ask yourself whether it is necessary. While buying second-hand used to be economical and sustainable, it’s now about consumption and staying on trend. Just remember, when it comes to your wardrobe, less is more helpful for society and the planet.

1. Who has become the mainstream thrift store shoppers recently?

A．Fashion followers.	B．Lower-income individuals.
C．Young environmentalists.	D．Green initiative scientists.

2. What view do scientists hold towards thrift shopping?

A．It is a virtue of thrift.	B．It is sustainable action.
C．It challenges addiction to shopping.	D．It comes with worrying effects potentially.

3. Why do second-hand stores make us feel guiltless according to Fitzpatrick?

A．They can cut down our living expenses.	B．They give us good excuses for the waste.
C．They are responsible for the environment.	D．They provide affordable items for the poor.

4. Which is suggested about thrift shopping according to the text?

A．Restrict the desire of overconsumption.	B．Feel free to purchase the things you like.
C．Make contributions to society by donating.	D．Keep away from cheap and fashionable finds.

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。

Dark dining is the act of eating a meal without seeing the food that is being eaten. The basic concept is that the    1    (remove) of vision enhances the other senses and increases gastronomic (美食的) pleasure. Since 1999,    2    (specialize) dark restaurants have opened in many parts of the world.

The    3    (one) experience of dark restaurant took place in Paris and    4    (call) “Le gout du noir”. This program became in 2003 “Dans Le Noir?”. It became the first international chain of restaurant in the dark. The first permanent restaurant was Blindekuh, in Zurich, Switzerland. It was opened in September 1999 by a blind man, Jorge, who wished    5    (convey) the experience of blindness to sighted customers. Jorge says    6    idea came after guests who had dined blindfolded at his own home reported greater enjoyment of their meal through the senses of taste and smell.

The notion that a meal can be more    7    (enjoy) without sight is typically described     8    “the theory that flavors are intensified when people can’t see     9    they’re eating”.

However, some dark restaurants devote part of their money to charities or causes concerned with visual impairment. In Zurich, the original dark restaurant is part of this project, aimed at     10    (create) jobs for blind people.

10 . In 1665, Johannes Vermeer, one of the greatest painters in Netherlands, completed his masterpiece “Girl With a Pearl Earring.” On an April day 357 years later, Janine Strong slowed her bike to stop, paused her fitness app, and watched as the snaking line of her cycling route drew the shape of Vermeer’s masterpiece over the streets of Brooklyn.

Ms. Strong creates what has come to be known as “GPS art” — a practice that uses the Global Positioning System mapping capabilities of modern phone apps to create digital drawings with an athlete’s route. It has grown with the widespread availability of satellite tracking for use by ordinary people. In fact, the idea has been around since before the popularity of smartphones for fitness like Strava released in 2009.

In 2003, The New York Times Magazine told of how Jeremy Wood got the idea for GPS art. Mr. Wood said while he was using a GPS tracker on a flight and the plane flew in a holding pattern above Heath-row Airport, he was attracted by the pattern appearing on his Garmin GPS device. In recent years, technology has advanced enough to create visual maps in real time using a phone or smart watch.

“I get bored cycling on the same path in the same streets,” Ms. Strong said. “Creating GPS art gives me more reasons to hit the pavement, which makes cycling a lot easier. I always have a big smile on my face when it works out and I upload it and it’s done,” she added. “It’s a very satisfying feeling.”

To complete her digital vision of “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” she biked almost 50 miles around southern Brooklyn, carefully checking Strava to make sure each turn, circle, and straight line was achieving the shape of earring and head covering of Vermeer’s original.

1. What can we infer about Janine Strong in paragraph 1?

A．She tests a fitness app.	B．She is an innovative cyclist.
C．She likes pearl earrings.	D．She is a painter of some note.

2. What information can we get about GPS art?

A．It is rarely used by common people.	B．It arose after the popularity of fitness apps.
C．It is based on apps’ GPS mapping functions.	D．It is a practice of creating realistic drawings.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The origin of GPS art.	B．The prospect of GPS art.
C．The function of a GPS tracker.	D．The advancement of a GPS device.

4. Who will be most likely to create GPS art?

A．Painting lovers.	B．Mobile game players.
C．Software developers.	D．Running enthusiasts.