1 . Precognitive dreams are dreams that seemingly predict the future which cannot be inferred from actually available information. Former US President Abraham Lincoln once revealed the frightening dream to his law partner and friend Ward Hill Lamon, “…Then I heard people weep… ‘Who is dead in the White House?’ I demanded. ‘The President,’ ‘he was killed!’…” The killing did happen later.

Christopher French, Professor in the Department of Psychology at Goldsmiths, stated the most likely explanation for such a phenomenon was coincidence (巧合). “In addition to pure coincidences we must also consider the unreliability of memory”, he added. Asked what criteria would have to be met for him to accept that precognitive dreams were a reality, he said, “The primary problem with tests of the claim is that the subjects are unable to tell when the event(s)they’ve dreamed about will happen.”

However, some claimed to make such tests practicable. Professor Caroline Watt at the University of Edinburgh, has conducted studies into precognitive dreaming. She stated that knowing future through dreams challenged the basic assumption of science — causality (relationship of cause and effect).

Dick Bierman, a retired physicist and psychologist, who has worked at the Universities of Amsterdam, Utrecht and Groningen, has put forward a theory that may explain precognitive dreams. It is based on the fact that when scientists use certain mathematical descriptions to talk about things like electromagnetism (电磁学), these descriptions favour the belief that time only moves in one direction. However, in practice the wave that is running backwards in time does exist. This concept is called the time symmetry, meaning that the laws of physics look the same when time runs forward or backward. But he believes that time symmetry breaks down due to external conditions. “The key of the theory is that it assumes that there is a special context that restores the broken time-symmetry, if the waves running backwards are ‘absorbed’ by a consistent multi-particle (多粒子) system. The brain under a dream state may be such a system where broken time-symmetry is partially restored. This is still not a full explanation for precognitive dreams but it shows where physics might be adjusted to accommodate the phenomenon,” he explains.

Although Bierman’s explanation is still based on guesses and has not accepted by mainstream science, Watt does think it is worth considering. For now, believing that it’s possible to predict future with dreams remains an act of faith. Yet, it’s possible that one day we’ll wake up to a true understanding of this fascinating phenomenon.

1. According to French, what makes it difficult to test precognitive dreams?

A．Unavailability of people’s dreams.

B．That coincidences happen a lot in reality.

C．That criteria for dream reliability are not trustworthy.

D．People’s inability to tell when dreamt events will happen.

2. Believers in precognitive dreams may question the truth of ________.

A．the assumption of causality	B．the time symmetry
C．memories of ordinary people	D．modern scientific tests

3. We can infer from the passage that ________.

A．Lincoln was warned of the killing by his friend

B．Watt carried out several experiments on causality

C．researches on electromagnetism are based on the time symmetry

D．time’s moving in two directions may justify precognitive dreams

4. Which might be the best title of the passage?

A．Should Dreams Be Assessed?

B．Can Dreams Predict the Future?

C．How Can Physics Be Changed to Explain Dreams?

D．Why Should Scientists Study Precognitive Dreams?

2 . A pickup game is a game of some kind that is not part of a regularly scheduled season of competition or a championship series.    1    . There are no repercussions (负面影响) beyond the final score in terms of standings or future commitment.

    2    . But the types of games that use the term have expanded today. It is now used to refer to casually scheduled games of softball, volleyball, tennis, and even chess.

Pickup games are spontaneous (自发的) and informal.     3    . An all-men’s pickup game may be played as “Shirts vs No Shirts”; it is an easy way to identify teammates and distinguish them from the competitors. “Inside Shirts vs Out Shirts” “White Shirts vs Colored Shirts” and “Men vs Women” are other teams created with the goal of knowing who is who.

Recently, attempts have been made to use the Internet to schedule pickup games. This is a way of helping players connect with other players in their local area and allowing them to have complete teams whenever possible.     4    .   For example, gender, game choice, age, location, and how far they are willing to travel to a game. The main draw of pickup games is that they are meant to be a fun way to practice or show off skills with friends. If a player makes a mistake, he won’t be taken out of the game and worried about losing his playing time.     5    .

A．You could play pickup football, baseball, etc.

B．He can laugh it off and continue on with the game.

C．This method makes the game much more competitive.

D．Potential players are asked to provide their information.

E．The term “pick up game” often refers to basketball games.

F．Instead, it is a game with teams often made up on the spot.

G．But people have a variety of methods to pick teams and identify them.

3 . 语法填空

Undercurrent, a twenty-foot-tall stainless-steel sculpture by Beijing-based artist Zheng Lu, is    1    display until August 2024 in the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza,     2     is just outside the United Nations complex (建筑群) in New York. The sculpture,     3     (weigh) nearly 2.5 tons, was more than two years in the making. Zheng is the first Chinese artist     4     (have) his work exhibited there.

The public art project, initiated by Sundaram Tagore, is supported by the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations, a nonprofit organization     5     (found) in Europe after World War II, which is dedicated to facilitating international partnerships that promote awareness and implementation of UN goals.

The sculpture is created     6     (specific) for the site and relates to the United Nations’ recent action initiatives on clean water and climate change. Part of the     7     (artist) acclaimed Water in Dripping series, Undercurrent emphasizes the     8     (significant) of water. As a student of Chinese philosophy, Zheng views water as symbolic of change, the passage of time     9     self-reflection.

Zheng Lu’s sculptures     10     (exhibit) around the world in the past few years, including, most recently, in Summoning Memories: Art Beyond Chinese Traditions at the Asia Society Texas.

4 . A car store in my hometown sold six to eight new cars a day. And 72 percent of this store’s first-time visitors returned for a second ________ . I was curious about how it ________.

On one particular June morning, my wife Jane said to me, “Today’s my fifth anniversary of being ________.” She suffered from it five years ago and had undergone surgery. I was ________ because I had forgotten it. To mark this special occasion, I did the most impetuous thing in my life: I ________ a new car in the car store I mentioned. I didn’t pick the ________ or the model, but I paid cash and told the staff I’d bring Jane to make those two ________. I also told them that it was my ________and hoped they didn’t reveal anything to her. Then one morning, it occurred to me that Jane always wanted a white car. So I called our sales consultant and asked him if he had anything ________ in the store. He said he had one ________ but he couldn’t promise it’d still be ________because they were selling so fast.

After I told Jane the biggest ________ to get her out of the house, we finally made our way to the car store. Jane quickly ________ the little white car. But I told her we could buy the car after our son graduated from college. Hearing what I said, she ________ walked to the front of the car. Then she ________a scream. There was a large sign, which said, “Congratulations, Jane. This car is yours. Five years cancer-free. Let’s treasure life!” I looked around and ________that there was no one in the store. Customers that came to the store were not ________ to enter; instead, the staff took them aside and ________ what was happening. Actually, our sales consultant had arranged it; ________, we could share the special moment alone.

Over the years, I’ve told this story as an example of the legendary ________.

1.

A．visit

B．try

C．chance

D．date

2.

A．arrived

B．ranked

C．happened

D．developed

3.

A．smoke-free

B．rent-free

C．tax-free

D．cancer-free

4.

A．confused

B．embarrassed

C．frightened

D．relieved

5.

A．bought

B．painted

C．borrowed

D．hired

6.

A．brand

B．color

C．number

D．type

7.

A．requests

B．decisions

C．donations

D．promises

8.

A．pleasure

B．opinion

C．secret

D．problem

9.

A．cheap

B．small

C．new

D．white

10.

A．left

B．sold

C．made

D．found

11.

A．available

B．possible

C．popular

D．convenient

12.

A．risk

B．concern

C．mistake

D．lie

13.

A．returned

B．forgot

C．noticed

D．recognized

14.

A．disappointedly

B．hurriedly

C．regularly

D．confidently

15.

A．ended in

B．held back

C．changed to

D．let out

16.

A．believed

B．discovered

C．expected

D．accepted

17.

A．reminded

B．prepared

C．forced

D．allowed

18.

A．guessed

B．presented

C．explained

D．ignored

19.

A．besides

B．otherwise

C．therefore

D．however

20.

A．symbol

B．service

C．design

D．character

5 . Floating homes, luxury living and smart home technology aren’t necessarily things that tend to go hand in hand. But Ocean Builders, a Panama-based company that specializes in marine technology, is to unveil a fleet of “living pods” that manage to bring all the three together. They are currently under construction in the Linton Bay Marina of Panama.

Named SeaPod, the pod was conceptualized by Rudiger Koch, Head of Engineering at Ocean Builders, along with Chief Executive Officer Grant Romundt, as a solution to the lack of space in popular beach destinations. It provides77 m² of living space, including a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. With room for two people, the unit utilizes over 47 m³ of hollow steel tubes to float 2.2 meters over the waves, and features big windows and 360-degree ocean views.

       Romundt hopes the design will challenge perceptions of homes and allow residents to live on the water without having to make sacrifices when it comes to the comforts of living on land. “Normally when you live on the water, it's on a boat, which has a living situation that is unacceptable to most people,” says Romundt. And the pods are to equipped with advanced technology, along with applications that tailor the design and function to suit those inside. Meanwhile, special “smart rings” worn by residents will enable them to unlock doors and switch their music on at the wave of a hand.
       As a long-time advocate for oceanfront living, Romundt previously lived in a floating home in Toronto, and says it's lifestyle that's hard to match. "It's very peaceful and beautiful. Most people spend all year dreaming of their two-week vacation where they go to a tropical island hanging out, relaxing, regenerating and restoring themselves." So why not just live like that all year round?

   While those who opt to live in one of these particular units will likely need to have a sense of adventure, as well as a fondness for water, Romundt says the team don’t necessarily have a specific type of customer in mind. In fact, he’s confident that the majority of those who get to experience the SeaPod for just a few minutes will jump at the chance of owning one.

1. Which of the following can best describe the SeaPod？

A．Sustainable.	B．Innovative.
C．Temporary.	D．Profitable.

2. What can replace “utilizes” underlined in paragraph 2？

A．Gets rid of.	B．Puts up with.
C．Makes use of.	D．Ends up with.

3. What can we learn about the SeaPod in paragraph 3？

A．It can be controlled widely.

B．It redefines what a perfect home is.

C．It will make residents feel they are on a boat.

D．It will give residents a land-like living experience.

4. Why does the text mention Romundt’s life in Toronto?

A．To call on people to take a long vacation

B．To promote his company’s floating homes.

C．To show that people long for a peaceful lifestyle.

D．To introduce a new understanding of the floating home.

6 . The need for new learning opportunities throughout life is recognized throughout society. An initial period of higher education is not always enough in times of rapid social, economic and technological changes. Oxford University’s Department for Continuing Education is known worldwide as a leading provider of extended learning programs for personal and professional development.

Day and weekend events

More than 150 day and weekend courses are offered each year. These one or two-day classes on a single topic are designed to bring you the most up-to-date thinking on a wide range of subjects. You can discuss them with lecturers and speakers who are noted authorities in their field of research. Day-long events usually take place on a Saturday, between 9:45 am and 5:00 pm. Weekend events usually start on a Friday evening or Saturday and run until Sunday lunchtime.

For more information, visit https://www. ox.ac. uk/weekly-classes.

Online courses

Structured as weekly online meetings, our online courses take place in a virtual learning environment. Class sizes are kept small (usually 32 students, or 20 for creative writing)to maximize interaction between students and the tutor. Courses are normally 5-10 or 20 weeks in duration.

For more information, visit https:// www. ox. ac. uk/online-courses.

Professional development

Working with academic experts across the university, we offer around 200 professionally oriented courses in videos, from archaeology through medicine to zoology. They are popular among professional learners from over 120 countries and regions.

For more information, visit https:// www. ox. ac. uk/professional development.

Summer schools

Accredited and non-accredited summer courses of between one and four weeks’ duration for adult learners are held at Rewley House and at Oxford’s historic colleges. There are over 100 summer courses offered each year.

For more information, visit https:// www. ox. ac. uk/summerschools.
1. What programme offers a chance to have a face-to -face talk with top experts?

A．Online courses.	B．Day and weekend events.
C．Summer schools.	D．Professional development.

2. What is a feature of the department’s online courses?

A．They usually take place on weekends.

B．They aim to improve students’ writing skills.

C．They offer degree certificates to their students.

D．They have a limitation on the number of students.

3. Which website is useful for foreign students majoring in medicine?

A．https://www. ox.ac. uk/weekly-classes.

B．https:// www. ox. ac. uk/online-courses.

C．https:// www. ox. ac. uk/professional development

D．https:// www. ox. ac. uk/summerschools.

7 . 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。

Meet Sora-OpenAI’s new text-to-video generator. The tool, which the San Francisco company unveiled Thursday,     1     (use) generative artificial intelligence to instantly create short videos based on written commands.

Since the announcement, a handful of examples of Sora-generated videos     2     (share) to show off what it can do. The company said Sora is capable of generating videos up to 60 seconds in     3     (long) from text instructions. The model understands not only what the user has asked for,     4     how those things exist in the physical world.

OpenAI said it intends to train the AI models to help people solve problems     5     require real-world interaction. These types of AI models could have a big impact on digital entertainment markets with new     6     (personalize) content being streamed across channels.

At the same time, OpenAI said Sora is still a work     7     progress with clear weaknesses. It gave the example of creating a video of someone taking a bite out of a cookie but it not having a bite mark right after.

For now, OpenAI’s messaging remains focused on safety. The company said it plans to work with a team of experts to test the latest model and look     8     (close) at various areas. It is also granting access to a number of visual artists, designers and filmmakers     9     (collect) feedback on how creative     10     (professional) could use it.

8 . 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 have been blessed by many act s of kindness throughout my life. But the one that stands out the most was the one that happened at the blacksmith (铁匠) shop at Old Sturbridge Village.

When my son was little, it was very clear to me that there was something different about him. After countless trips to different specialists and the completion of extensive testing, a diagnosis of a particular chromosomal (染色体的) disorder was made. He was constantly in motion and had no sense of danger, requiring his caregivers watch his every move to prevent him from running away or heading into traffic. He also loved strangers, thinking that everyone was his potential best friend. He greeted everyone with a hug.

However, no one was willing to accept my son’s well-intended embrace, especially given that he looked much older than his actual age yet acted much younger. Although my son was still too young to recognize when he was being rejected, every hurtful word, unkind refusal, or look of pity broke my heart. I had started to be afraid of taking him out in public.

One day, at the village, I walked around holding my son’s hand, ready to protect him from being hurt. As we strolled along, we passed by a blacksmith shop. The rhythmic pounding of the hammer and the sparks that flew in all directions caught my son’s attention. The process of turning seemingly worthless materials into valuable and visually stunning pieces through heating, hammering, and forging (锻造) seemed like magic to him. As the blacksmith paused his work and wiped the sweat from his brow, my son couldn’t contain his curiosity anymore.

He ran straight over to the blacksmith, wrapped his arms around the man’s legs, and asked if he could have a try. My heart stopped at that moment.

I expected that he, like almost everyone else that we had encountered, would push him away, muttering something about this not being possible.

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。
Paragraph 1: What he did next, though, brought me to tears.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: When that hour was up, my son proudly walked away, with the piece of iron medal.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . A Maryland couple stranded (滞留) without food in the freezing cold on a Virginia highway. They were getting ________ and more discouraged by the minute.

After almost 21 hours of being ________ on 95 South, Casey and her husband John slept there overnight and not ________ access to food or water. At that time, they ________ a Schmidt Baking Co. truck ahead of them in the standstill. “People around us were very much ________. Many of them had small children, some were elderly and hadn’t eaten in almost a whole day. ” In a desperate bid for a ________, they decided to call the Schmidt Bakery and see if it could help ________ some much-needed food for them, as well as their fellow highway captives.

“I didn’t think it would ________ work,” said Casey, who left a message with customer service. But to their ________, 20 minutes later, they actually got a ________ from Chuck Paterakis, the owner of the bakery. He told them to walk over to the truck driver, Ron, who was given the go-ahead to start handing out ________ to 50 motorists. Then, the couple joined the driver in making ________. Soon, others joined the effort, in which some 300 loaves were ________.

“It felt incredible just hearing people say thank you and hearing them so ________ to finally have food in their car. This was one of the ________ moments I have ever witnessed.” recalled Casey.

1.

A．farther

B．hungrier

C．poorer

D．angrier

2.

A．hit

B．rescued

C．stuck

D．fined

3.

A．seeking

B．having

C．limiting

D．allowing

4.

A．spotted

B．rented

C．searched

D．repaired

5.

A．cheering

B．begging

C．joking

D．struggling

6.

A．job

B．shelter

C．gift

D．bite

7.

A．provide

B．prepare

C．store

D．select

8.

A．occasionally

B．suddenly

C．actually

D．routinely

9.

A．credit

B．amusement

C．surprise

D．honor

10.

A．loan

B．call

C．request

D．visit

11.

A．bread

B．cash

C．flyers

D．permits

12.

A．bookings

B．comments

C．schedules

D．deliveries

13.

A．put away

B．given out

C．cut up

D．hunted for

14.

A．honored

B．concerned

C．generous

D．relieved

15.

A．hardest

B．kindest

C．proudest

D．longest