2 . Is going alone in an unknown area the right way to go, or do you want a tour guide to show you the highlights? I think that you can combine the two ways in one trip and have the best of both worlds.     1     The best purchase we made was for a bus tour that would take us around the capital and point out all the main sites. That allowed us the next day to travel on foot to the ones we especially wanted to see.

Let’s look at the San Francisco Bay Area which is another one of my favorite vacation spots. Some areas are so familiar to tourists that it’s possible to view the attractions on your own.     2     Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 are good examples. Just by walking a few blocks, you can tour Aquarium of the Bay and the Riptide Arcade on Pier 39.

    3     If you go to Alcatraz Island, you have a choice of going alone, having a live tour guide or being guided by earphones. I would recommend the live tour guides. I went all three ways, and I received more enjoyment by someone telling me items interest I know I had missed on previous tours.     4     It gives you a behind-the-scenes look of colorful Chinatown. The tour covers history, traditions of the local people and culture that you probably wouldn’t know or see by travelling alone.

You can go alone to attractions or take a guided tour. It’s your choice and you can choose whichever would give you the most memorable experience.     5    

A．I recommend both.

B．It’s possible to drive to the area and go alone.

C．One trip we recently took was to Washington DC.

D．Some attractions are worth having a tour guide for.

E．Chinatown Walking Tours are a tour-guided must-see.

F．That allows you to take your time and go at your own pace.

G．The tour guides know what we have never found out on our own.

3 . Get Better at Saying No

When rejecting a request, “no” is a short, simple word that can cause anxiety for the person trying to say it. The following strategies can help you get better at saying no.

Be intentional about what you communicate.

    1    Sure, but as psychologist Vanessa Bohns points out, only saying a “no” is often pretty uncomfortable for the asker. Instead, she advises communicating three things: “It’s not because of me, it’s not because of you, and it’s not because of us.” One way to do that is by thanking people for thinking of you.    2    Then, follow up with a short explanation: “I wish I could, but I just don’t have the time right now.” That helps make it clear that your “no” isn’t a poor reflection of your own character; it’s not the other person; and it’s not a disapproval of the relationship, Bohns says.

Have a planned phrase for more informal encounters.

Not every situation, of course, calls for such a thoughtful approach. Think through times when you’ve gotten stressed over delivering a quick “no”, and then brainstorm phrases you could use in the future. Bohns, for example, is often asked to donate to some cause or another as she checks out at the grocery store.    3    “It’s true, and it’s a way of saying, essentially, that I’m still a good person,” she says.

    4    

There’s always that one guy who won’t take “no” for an answer. If someone is applying too much pressure, adopt what psychologist Ellen Hendriksen describes as the broken-record technique.    5    Occasionally, the asker will get annoyed, but usually after repeating yourself two or three times, even the most persistent (执着的) people will get the message.

A．She says no directly.

B．That is, stick to your answer.

C．Adopt the broken-record technique.

D．It’s not worth repeating your request again and again.

E．She now has a go-to response: “I already donated this year.”

F．You might hear that “no” is a convenient word for declining requests.

G．This makes them relieved that they didn’t do anything wrong by asking.

4 . Demographic changes, such as aging populations and declining birth rates, pose challenges as well as offer opportunities for industries and countries. To overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities, especially to achieve long-term economic sustainability, economies need to enhance policies promoting innovations.

Now many countries in East Asia are facing the aging population and declining working-age population problem. Compared with other advanced countries, Japan encountered the population aging problem at a slightly earlier stage, starting in the mid-1990s. As Japan’s percentage of elderly population to the total population increased, it impacted the country’s economy, leading to a contraction in domestic demand and decline in both production and consumption, and restricting the growth of economy.

Some innovative companies have actively increased outward FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), providing cost advantages from inexpensive overseas labor to maintain their cost competitiveness. However, the global economy is facing the challenge of declining trade owing to the protectionism practiced by certain countries. Consequently, the chances of boosting growth through outward FDI may be limited.

Developing artificial intelligence is another solution to the negative impacts of the demographic changes. AI and robotics will play a crucial role in stimulating productivity and innovation by making payment for the decline in the working-age population, and the following increase in productivity will in turn raise the demand for labor by creating new employment opportunities.

AI, robotics and other advanced technologies give rise to new tasks within their fields and across other sectors. Therefore, it is necessary to employ cooperation policies to support corporations that promote innovations by increasing investment in research and development, facilitating the growth of new companies, and building a perfect system to protect intellectual properties. Since AI and robotics may replace certain jobs, it is essential to address the potential challenges they may create in the labor market and work out strategies to ensure a balanced and comprehensive transition.

1. What do we know about demographic changes from the first two paragraphs?

A．There is no need to worry since the changes offer opportunities.

B．The changes won’t affect the long-term economic sustainability.

C．Japan is the only advanced country facing the changes at present.

D．Things should be done to overcome the challenges posed by the changes.

2. What does the underlined word “contraction” mean in the second paragraph?

A．Push.

B．Decrease.

C．Pause.

D．Change.

3. What is the writer’s attitude to FDI?

A．Favorable.

B．Intolerant.

C．Objective.

D．Indifferent.

4. What does the writer advise to tackle the new tasks posed by advanced technologies?

A．Withdrawing investment in research and development.

B．Adopting policies that encourage innovation of corporations.

C．Establishing new companies to protect intellectual properties.

D．Creating potential labor market for more possible employments.

5 . 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 clearly remember the day I walked into class with a big change — my very first pair of eye glasses and I was the first to wear glasses in my primary school. I was filled with excitement, eager to show them off to my friends. I had chosen pink framed glasses, thinking they would look fantastic on me.

I had never worn glasses before, so selecting them felt like a fun shopping experience. I got to pick the shape I liked and even chose a pretty pink and purple colour combination.

The reason behind getting the glasses was my poor eyesight. I couldn’t copy words and proper grammar from the blackboard because I sat at the back of the class, and everything was too vague for me to see. My friend would read aloud every phrase to me so that I could write them down, like a parrot.

Wearing those glasses was like stepping into a 3D cinematic world. I could see everything as clearly and each tiny detail felt like a delightful surprise.

However, on the day I wore my glasses to school, everyone’s reaction to my transformation was beyond my expectation. All the boys laughed and even teased me. Some kind-hearted girls forced a smile and told me that my glasses looked good on me, but I knew they didn’t. They all lied.

Though I needed those glasses more than I wanted them, yet I started to dislike my new glasses in the following week. A month passed, my classmates still weren’t used to seeing me in glasses and I took them off during the lunch break or when the classes were dismissed. However, little did I know that my decision to wear them would change the lives of many of my friends.

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。

One Monday, one of my friends looked at me with curiosity.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A week later, I was shocked to see the same friend return to school with a pair of glasses.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . On a hot afternoon Rhiannon was driving her old van down the highway. As she ________ her window to let in some fresh air, her car registration paper blew off the sun visor (防晒板) and onto the floor inside. When leaning down to ________ it, she accidentally drifted into oncoming traffic. In panic, she over-corrected and pulled the ________ sharply in the other direction. ________, the van rolled over three times, and Rhiannon was thrown onto the road, lying in the middle of the road and bleeding, nearly ________.

A medical student witnessed the accident and came to her ________. He covered Rhiannon with his coat and gave her emergency first aid, including ________ the wound on her left arm before the ambulance arrived.

________, Rhiannon was rushed to a hospital where an emergency room doctor spent hours ________ all the pieces of windshield (挡风玻璃) from her arm, and gave her three dozen stitches (缝针).

Luckily, Rhiannon was saved. Not for the bandage, she would not have ________long enough for the emergency personnel to arrive. Though Rhiannon didn’t know him, she was grateful to the medical student who saved her life. So she ________ the words online, “It’s a pity that I don’t know your name. If you happen to see or hear this story and recognize yourself, thank you for your kind ________.”

Rhiannon also had a message for the other ________ heroes, “Please consider this a pay-it-forward letter of ________— a letter from the ________ you helped who, for whatever reason, couldn’t thank you themselves.”

1.

A．rolled down

B．broke off

C．turned down

D．switched off

2.

A．stick

B．grab

C．touch

D．possess

3.

A．handle

B．engine

C．window

D．wheel

4.

A．Consequently

B．Automatically

C．Frequently

D．Slowly

5.

A．awake

B．astonished

C．unconscious

D．crazy

6.

A．vision

B．action

C．rescue

D．mind

7.

A．bandaging

B．curing

C．pressing

D．uncovering

8.

A．Without delay

B．Out of sympathy

C．For certainty

D．In despair

9.

A．tidying

B．removing

C．collecting

D．checking

10.

A．suffered

B．struggled

C．stayed

D．survived

11.

A．searched

B．browsed

C．received

D．posted

12.

A．guidance

B．gesture

C．expression

D．encouragement

13.

A．tireless

B．faultless

C．nameless

D．speechless

14.

A．apology

B．application

C．invitation

D．appreciation

15.

A．peers

B．strangers

C．relatives

D．fellows

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。

2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar and it is the first time that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)    1     (include) the term “Chinese dragon” in its dictionary. The Chinese dragon has two definitions in the OED, with the first one about its physical image and the second one on its figurative and allusive (典故的) nature.

Emperors in ancient dynasties were dressed in a Dragon Robe, a traditional silk-woven costume with dragon designs,     2     (symbolize) imperial power and authority. Jade Seals (玉玺), often     3     (carve) with dragons, also symbolize the authority of the emperor.

Contrary     4     the Western dragon, the image of the Chinese dragon, despite undergoing constant changes, has represented various’ positive     5     (quality) including prosperity, authority, strength and good fortune.

In ancient Chinese belief, dragons     6     (associate) with the control of the weather, particularly rain. The dragon’s ability to bring rain was seen as crucial for agriculture, which made it     7     positive symbol for the fertility of the land.

With the rising China Chic trend and the country’s booming cultural creative industry, the Chinese dragon in folktale is now     8     (common) seen in creative products such as tear-off calendars, dolls, dragon-themed jewelry as well as the “dragon blind boxes”     9     appeal to young consumers.

Whether it is through the hands of a national-level intangible (非物质) cultural heritage inheritor     10     the hands of a Generation Z “blind box” designer, the Chinese dragon carries forward the Chinese cultural spirit.

10 . It’s no surprise that there’s a link between exercise and mental health. But scientists have now made it official: research has found a direct connection between movement and mood. Why does exercise hold so many benefits for our mental health?     1    .

When our muscles tighten, chains of amino acids (氨基酸) called myokines (肌细胞因子) are released into the bloodstream.     2    . This communication increases adaptation to stress, reduces symptoms of anxiety and has a direct effect on depression.

A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that treatment for depression can be much more effective when physical activity is added to the usual care.     3    . “While exercise is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment, physical activity can complement and enhance the effects of the treatment,” says lead researcher Ben Singh, a research fellow at the University of South Australia. He says regular exercise in a group setting can boost self-esteem and decrease feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Exercise helps build key connections between the networks within the brain, too.     4    . Studies have shown that physical activity stimulates creativity, sharpens judgement skills and improves mental energy. It can also help to slow age-related cognitive decline, possibly even slowing the pace of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

    5    . In this way you’ll keep going back to them. Experts suggest that you aim for a minimum of 10 to 30 minutes, three to five days each week. Getting sweaty is good for your body and mind.

A．It can improve overall cognitive performance

B．They help your muscles and organs communicate

C．The answer, studies say, lies in our brain chemistry

D．Here are the suggestions that you are supposed to pay attention to

E．It is amazing to consider how moving our bodies can affect our minds

F．To get the biggest health boost, the key is to be engaged in sports you enjoy

G．Participants found benefits after 12 weeks of exercising for 30 to 60 minutes a day