1 . Virtually, there is nothing that man cannot do. Only what he has to do is keep doing and doing without being discouraged. Success will come someday or other, though it may apparently be the conception about something that it cannot be done.     1     But the reality is that man’s success depends on whether he can do the toughest tasks successfully. It is because our life is complicated and tough. And to succeed in this tough battle, perseverance and hard work are a must     2    . We can prove this fact when we look at the reality of life and the history of man’s success. Perseverance helps us do what we otherwise would consider impossible to do.

What the world-famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton had done by twelve years’ constant hard work was burnt out by his pet dog. But that could not discourage him a little.     3     It is only for his undefeated perseverance that’ we have been able to have many inventions and discoveries.

    4     He went through thick and thin to reach his destination after months of the strenuous voyage on the sea. He discovered the way from Spain to America and offered the world a new route of communication with America. This outcome of his perseverance will be generated by the world forever.

All the great men in history have written their names in golden letters by means of perseverance.     5     If we all are perseverant in whatever we do, we are sure to stand out as a successful nation in the near future.

A．Every action has its reaction.

B．It is a unique precondition to success in life.

C．In human life, perseverance plays a very important role.

D．Their success will always remain as perfect examples to us.

E．Columbus has left us an adventurous story of perseverance.

F．The task that is easily done at the first attempt is undoubtedly very easy.

G．He was able to do it again through years of hard work and perseverance.

2 . 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。

Ever wonder    1    it would feel like to hide away in a dark cave without being connected to the outside world for 40 days? Fifteen people in France just did that. The group    2    (live) in a cave as part of the Deep Time project. The project was conducted by scientists from the Human Adaptation Institute, who wanted to see how they would react to and cope with being    3    (total) disconnected from the modern world. Since the volunteers    4    (cut) off from the outside world, they had to rely    5    their body clock to know when    6     (wake) up, go to sleep and eat. As expected, those in the cave lost their sense of time. “Time seemed to pass more slowly in the underground cave, where there were neither clocks    7    sunlight,” said Deep Time’s director Christian Clot.

The majority of the volunteers said they enjoyed the experience of total isolation. Two-thirds expressed a desire to remain underground a while    8    (long) in order to finish projects they had started. “The experience tested humans’ ability to adjust    9    (they) to the sudden huge changes in living conditions and environments,” said Clot. “We hope to better understand how our brains are capable of    10    (find) new solutions, whatever the situation.”

3 . 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。

With a world reputation of beautiful silk producing nation, Chinese clothing enjoys a time-honored culture. China was the first country in the world     1     (develop) silk weaving (编织). According to archaeologists, Chinese people     2     (start) weaving since Neolithic ages. 3,000 years ago, silk weaving was already significantly developed.

In ancient China, people’s rank and social status could easily be figured out from their daily dressing, especially for the ordinary people and the upper class. Among the upper class, only the Emperor     3     (assign) the colour yellow. As for the ministers, generals and their     4     (wife), their uniforms were also restrictively regulated.

Chinese clothing has many types and suits according to     5     (variety) occasions. We have traditional Zhongshan suit, Cheongsam (旗袍) and many other suits     6     (create) by ethnic minorities (少数民族). Each type of the clothes has a unique way of making and sewing.

Cheongsam is popular because it has simple lines and looks elegant,     7     it fits Chinese females’ figures well. It is suitable     8     both young and elderly group. And it can either belong or short. Cheongsam is recognized around the world,     9     has inspired many foreign adaptations. It is     10     (popular) worn in China as the wedding dress, traditionally in red.

5 . A soundly sleeping brain monitors its surroundings. It also can respond to them without waking, a new study finds. For instance, even in a short sleep during the daytime, a person’s brain can sort words correctly into different categories. This is not the first study to show that the sleeping mind can do useful work. Two years ago, researchers in Israel showed the sleeping brain can learn.

Sid Kouider of the National Center for Scientific Research NCSR) in Paris, led the new study. His team recorded brain signals from people -all wide awake -as they classified spoken words as either animals or objects. To do that, the participants would push a button with their right hand when they heard an animal name. Then they’d use their left hand to push a different button when the word represented some other type of object.

As each volunteer responded, the researchers tracked their brain activity. They did this by measuring the participants’ brain waves. Such recordings are known as EEGs, a record of electrical activity in the brain. And those EEGs showed that when an individual was about to hit the right button, the brain responded differently than when it was going to hit the left button.

Then each participant nodded off. The researchers again made EEGs recording brain activity. As this happened, the researchers played recordings of a different set of words. These showed that the volunteers’ brains continued sorting the words into their proper categories. When a sleeper heard ”horse, “the EEGs looked as if that person was preparing to hit a button with her or his right hand, not the left. Kouider’s team reported its findings in Current Biology.

The new data demonstrate one way in which the brain monitors the outside world during sleep. Those results also may help explain why meaningful sounds, such as a baby crying, a spoken name or a siren (警报) warning, may more easily wake someone than other sounds do.

1. What does the new study find about a sleeping brain?

A．It can help people to learn.

B．It can send signals to people.

C．It can respond to the surroundings.

D．It can record sounds autonomously.

2. What were the participants asked to do in the study?

A．Track their brain activities in person.

B．Take part in the whole test while sleeping.

C．Repeat the words following the researchers.

D．Identify different words by pushing two buttons.

3. Which is less likely to awake people?

A．Electric current sounds.	B．People’s names.
C．Babies’ crying sounds.	D．Alerting signals.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Brains React to Word Types

B．Sleeping Brains Are Listening

C．Meaningful Sounds Do Count

D．Words Are Sorted in Sound Sleep

6 . A strong sense of smell is a key component of a healthy and enjoyable life. Yet our sense of smell is in decline as a result of an unnoticed threat to our health: air pollution.

Scientists are finding that anosmia, a loss of the sense of smell, is becoming a widespread problem among people of all ages exposed to PM2. 5 pollutants constantly, which are tiny particles (微粒) that can enter our bodies with every breath we take.

The reason, they suggest, is that the olfactory bulbs (嗅球), which are located in our noses and packed with nerve endings, are affected by exposure to air pollution. The tiny particles cause illness either in the bulbs themselves or in the brain, impacting our sense of smell over time, “Our data show the risk of developing anosmia with constant particulate pollution is 1.6 to 1.7 times higher,” says Ramanathan, a doctor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, America.

Ramanathan is an author of a recent study of nearly 2,700 patients, a fifth of whom had anosmia despite many of them being non- smokers.’ When he and his colleagues looked into the backgrounds of the affected patients, they found most of them lived in neighborhoods with significantly higher levels of air pollution.

The findings prove other studies with similar findings. One of these studies, conducted in a town in Italy, found that more than 200 teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 25 suffered olfactory damage as a result of exposure to NO₂, a common component in traf-fic emissions. “This is alarming as olfactory loss affects patient safety, well-being, and it is a predictor of poor health,” says Ramanathan.

Yet the loss of a sense of smell is a condition that is often overlooked though it can bring about numerous health problems. A sense of smell is linked to memory as well and life is a lot less fun without it. “People don’t remember what the pastry that they ate in childhood looked like, but they remember what the shop smelled like,” says Ramanathan.

1. How air pollution negatively influences our sense of smell!?

A．It blocks the inside transport of information.

B．It prevents the nerve system functioning normally.

C．It leads to the brain requiring more time to respond.

D．It results in diseases in the olfactory bulbs or the brain,

2. What can we conclude from the two studies?

A．Air pollution can rob us of our sense of smell.

B．Smokers are more likely to suffer from anosmia.

C．Traffic emissions contribute a lot to air pollution.

D．Exposure to PM2.5 pollutants occasionally is harmless.

3. What does Ramanathan think of the loss of people’s sense of smell?

A．Confusing and astonishing.	B．Complicated but treatable.
C．Critical and concerning.	D．Disturbing but temporary.

4. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A travel brochure.	B．A science website.
C．A biology textbook.	D．An art magazine.

7 . A team of researchers has found how to use math to study paintings to learn more about how the art developed in the western world. In their paper published in Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes how they scanned thousands of paintings and then used mathematical algorithms (算法) to find commonalities between them over time.

Beauty, as the saying goes, is in the eye of the beholder — and so it is also with art. Two people looking at the same painting can walk away with vastly different impressions. The study of art history can serve as a channel — casting light on societal trends over time. The re-searchers further note that to date, most studies of art history have been qualitatively (定性地) based, which has led to the results with prejudice, To overcome it, the researchers with this new effort look to math to see if it might be useful in uncovering features of paintings that have been overlooked by human scholars.

The work involved digitally scanning 14, 912 paintings — all of which ( except for two ) were painted by Western artists. The data for each of the paintings was then sent through a mathematical algorithm that drew partitions on the digital images based on contrasting colors. The researchers ran the algorithm on each painting multiple times, each time creating more sections to study. For example, the first run of the algorithm might have simply created two sections on a painting — everything on land and everything in the sky. The second might have split the land into buildings in one section and farmland in another.

The researchers then ran other algorithms designed to look for patterns between the paintings. Doing so allowed them to see trends like painting styles that predominated during certain eras and long-term trends, such as the placement of the horizon (地平线). The researchers found that over the past several hundred years, painters have been placing it increasingly higher. In the 17th century, the separation between Earth and sky dominated landscapes — those done in more modern times, in sharp contrast, have the horizon very near the top of the painting.

1. Which of the following is the finding of the researchers?

A．A way to research paintings.	B．The development of western art.
C．The similarities between art and math.	D．A scientific paper on painting and math.

2. What did the researchers expect to do with math?

A．Deepen the impression of paintings.	B．Uncover the features of human scholars.
C．Make a more objective study of paintings.	D．Interpret the results of painting qualitatively.

3. How were the algorithms carried out?

A．By observing buildings and farmland.	B．By linking land paintings with sky paintings.
C．By analyzing the various parts of the paintings.	D．By classifying the different colors of the paintings.

4. What can we learn about the location of the horizon in the painting?

A．It has varied over time.

B．It is always very near the top.

C．It was only placed at the bottom in the 17th century.

D．It has not changed over the past several hundred years.

8 . Noteworthy Theme Parks

Peppa Pig Theme Park, the US

The world’s first Peppa Pig Theme Park opened in February 2022 in Florida.

Devoted to the classic British animated TV show, the park welcomes guests with well-designed activities. The Daddy Pig ride takes families on a windy road in the show’s red car. They can also enjoy a dinosaur ride, and play games at the Fairground.

Tickets from $34.

Columbia Pictures Aquaverse, Thailand

Thailand’s Columbia Pictures Aquaverse opened in October 2022.

The movie-themed water park features rides and experiences inspired by popular films like Zombieland. In addition to the rides, the park hosts performances at its Mega Wave Pool, where guests can hang out in the pool while enjoying movie screenings and pop concerts.

Tickets from $41.

Katmandu Park, Dominican Republic

Opened in March 2023, the park is full of mystery (奥秘).

The 4D dark ride is brought to life by lighting and projection effects. Another key attraction is EtherQuest, an interactive walk-through experience. Aside from the rides, guests can also check out a sky-high ropes course, and climbing walls for younger adventurers.

Tickets from $120 for adults: $85 for children for a one-use pass.

Legoland Korea Resort, South Korea

Opened in May 2022, the park is designed for 2- to 12-year-olds.

This playful wonderland is devoted to all things of Lego, with more than 40 rides and attractions across seven thematic zones. Guests can get on family-friendly rides, visit Legoland Lookout for great park views, and get hands-on experience with creative workshops.

Tickets from $38 for adults; $30 for children.

1. Which of the four theme parks started the earliest?

A．Katmandu Park.	B．Peppa Pig Theme Park.
C．Legoland Korea Resort.	D．Columbia Pictures Aquaverse.

2. What can visitors do at Columbia Pictures Aquaverse?

A．Go to the Fairground.	B．Try the 4D dark ride.
C．Attend a pop concert.	D．Experience a workshop.

3. How much should a couple with a child pay at least to visit Legoland Korea Resort?

A．$106.

B．$123.

C．$205.

D．$240.

9 . It’s enjoyable to travel like a local around Sydney on this city cycling tour with different options. Various tour lengths allow you to choose a bike tour that suits your schedule and budget.

Overview

●Covering more than 30 of the top Sydney sights

●Use of bicycle and all safety equipment include

●Led by a cycling guide so travelers can focus on scenery instead of directions

●Refuel with included lunch and a drink on the Sydney Harbour Bridge Ride

Details

Meet your group and guide at The Rocks at the appointed time for your tour. Choose from several tour options, including the Sydney Classic Tour, the Sydney Highlights Tour, the Sydney Harbour Bridge Ride and the Manly Beach and Sunset Cruise Tour. Highlights include Royal Botanic Gardens, Hyde Park, Darling Harbour, Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Your tour ends at its original departure point.

Important Information

●Secure storage is available for backpack, purse, or other items which need to be stored until you return from your tour.

●Baby seats for children up to 25 kg can be provided free of charge.

●Tour operates in wet weather, and raincoats will be provided.

●No wheelchair is accessible.

●Animals aren’t allowed.

●Travelers have to keep a normal physical fitness level.

1. What can the tourists enjoy during the cycling tour?

A．All Sydney sights.	B．Free lunch
C．Wheelchair service.	D．Watching many animals.

2. Where is the departure point of the tour?

A．The Rocks.	B．Hyde Park.
C．Harbour Bridge.	D．Sydney Opera House.

3. Which is a must for the tourists?

A．Living in Sydney.	B．Bringing raincoats.
C．Being in good health.	D．Riding their own bikes.