1 . A skywell, or "tian jing", is a typical feature of a traditional home in China. ________ a northern Chinese courtyard, or “yuan zi”a skywell is smaller and less exposed to the outdoor environment. They are________ seen in homes dating to Ming and Qing dynasties, which were designed to________different generations of relatives.

Although a skywell's size and design vary from region to region, it is always rectangular and located in the Core of a house, either________by rooms on four sides or three sides plus a wall. Skywells were designed to cool buildings before air-conditioning existed. When wind blows above a skywell house, it can enter the indoor space through the opening. Because outdoor air is often cooler than indoor air, the ________breeze travels down the walls to the lower storeys and create air ________ by replacing warmer indoor air,   which rises and leaves through the opening.

The main purpose of a skywell is to allow in light, improve ventilation (通风) and ________ rainwater. In Huizhou, a skywell is small but tall, and the rooms around it can ________ sunlight on hot days, enabling the bottom of the skywell to stay cool. ________ hot air inside the house can rise and escape through the opening above the skywell, which“works just like a ________”

As a(n) ________ space between indoor life and the outdoor environment, a skywell acts as an effective heat buffer(缓冲)to shield residents from the hot air outside. But the largest part of skywell's cooling effect actually comes when there are bodies of water in the enclosure.

Evaporated water cools hot air, a process known as evaporative cooling which is ________ in Huizhou skywells. In the past, Huizhou families collected rainwater in their skywells because they believed this could safeguard and boost their wealth. Skywells therefore have channels around them to ________ rainwater coming from the roofs.

Though existing in China for hundreds of years, in recent times they have often been forgotten by people who prefer modern________. Over the past two decades, however, due to a ________ of traditional Chinese architecture, skywell buildings have been making a comeback.

1.

A．Parallel with

B．Different from

C．Close to

D．Symbolic of

2.

A．commonly

B．rarely

C．apparently

D．currently

3.

A．bind

B．gather

C．house

D．honor

4.

A．enclosed

B．separated

C．accompanied

D．replaced

5.

A．calming

B．refreshing

C．incoming

D．upcoming

6.

A．pollution

B．pressure

C．current

D．circulation

7.

A．promise

B．harvest

C．stop

D．process

8.

A．block out

B．bathe in

C．allow for

D．let out

9.

A．Nevertheless

B．Meanwhile

C．Similarly

D．Rather

10.

A．well

B．column

C．chimney

D．ceiling

11.

A．ideal

B．leisure

C．alternative

D．transition

12.

A．well-reflected

B．well-shaded

C．well-developed

D．well-organized

13.

A．collect

B．purify

C．drain

D．evaporate

14.

A．techniques

B．facilities

C．styles

D．inventions

15.

A．reunion

B．reminder

C．renewal

D．rearrangement

2 . 假如你是明启中学的高中学生李华，你在报纸上读到这样一则新闻：一个景区为解决游客爬山累的问题，在山石之间架起了一条条自动扶梯(见右图), 游客可实现“无痛爬山”。请以李华的口吻给该报纸编辑写一封邮件，要求：
1. 介绍一下你在报纸上看到的内容；
2. 自己针对此事的态度以及理由。
注，自动扶梯escalator

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s)of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Dealing with One Missed Workout

     It’s a common dilemma (图局)for anyone on a training plan: You miss one workout and become awashed with guilt. To make up for it, you add those extra miles to your next workout. But according to the professionals, this isn’t the right way to go about it. “A single workout is not going to make or break a training plan. The key to training is consistency over time,” says John Raglin, PhD, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Indiana University Bloomington.
       When you miss a workout, the temptation is to think, “Oh, I’ve got to do more tomorrow”. But when you try to catch up on your workouts, you run a couple of risks: “Certainly an injury, but also becoming over-tired, which could ruin your training after that, ” says Raglin. This is a phenomenon called ‘non-functional overreaching’, “he says. Eventually, this could lead to overtraining syndrome (综合症), which is characterized by a decrease in performance later due to a long-term increase in training load without adequate recovery.

So how do you move forward if you skipped a run or five?Well first, people download generalized training plans without understanding that they are meant to be adapted to life. There is a whole host of life stressors—job, kids, friendships, travel—and exercise is just another type of stress. Actually, when things get chaotic in your life, it may be necessary to just let go. Next, if you missed a workout, you have to ask yourself why: “Was it just because your schedule got out of hand or because you were feeling overly exhausted? ” Understanding why you missed the workout can offer some insights into how to tailor your program to suit your lifestyle.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 .      New research confirms that human footprints found in New Mexico are probably the oldest direct evidence of human presence in the Americas, a finding that upends what many scientists knew about human habitation and migration (迁徙).

The footprints were discovered at the edge of an ancient lakebed in White Sands national park. According to the new paper published in the journal Science, they date back to between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago. Actually, the estimated age of the footprints was first reported in Science in 2021, but some researchers raised concerns about the dates. Questions focused on whether seeds of water plants used for the original dating may have absorbed ancient carbon from the lake — which could, in theory, throw off radiocarbon dating by thousands of years. But the new study presents two additional lines of evidence for the older date range. It uses two entirely different materials found at the site, ancient pollen (花粉) and stone grains.

       The reported age of the footprints challenges the once conventional wisdom that humans did not reach the Americas until a few thousand years before rising sea levels covered the Bering land bridge between Russia and Alaska, perhaps about 15, 000 years ago. “This is a subject that's always been controversial because it's so significant. It's about how we understand the last chapter of the peopling of the world,” said Thomas Urban, an archaeologist (考古学家) at Comell University, who was involved in the 2021 study but not the new one.
       Thomas Stafford, an independent archaeological geologist in New Mexico, who was not involved in the study, said he “was a bit suspicious before” but now is convinced. The new study isolated about 75, 000 grams of pure pollen from the same stone layer that contained the footprints. ‘Dating pollen is laborious but worthwhile,” said Kathleen Springer, a research geologist at the US Geological Survey and a co-author of the new paper.
     Ancient footprints of any kind can provide archaeologists with a quick look of a moment in time. While some archeological sites in the Americas point to similar date ranges — including necklaces carved from giant animal remains in Brazil — scientists still question whether such objects really indicate human presence. “White Sands is unique because there's no question these footprints were left by people,” said Jennifer Raff, a scientist at the University of Kansas, who was not involved in the study.
1. The underlined word “upends” (paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to “_______”.

A．comprises

B．connects

C．challenges

D．compares

2. According to the passage, what is special about the new research?

A．It shows the footprints were made by the Russians.

B．It offers more convincing lines of evidence for dating.

C．It confirms that the ancient humans enjoyed living by the lake.

D．It reveals the footprints are much younger than previously thought.

3. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _____________.

A．necklaces are valuable objects for archaeologists to date animals

B．human footprints are often sure signs of human presence

C．ancient objects in Brazil are excluded from the study

D．White Sands is one important archaeological site

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

A．Scientists Discovers New Species of Humans in Americas

B．Humans Reached Americas 15, 000 Years Earlier Than Believed

C．American Archaeologists Unearthed Valuable Manmade Objects

D．New Research Confirms Early Human Presence in Americas

5 . Social engineering refers to the practice of using non-technical methods to trick people into doing something that gives away sensitive information. Here, watch this case ...

1. It can be learned from “THE ATTACK” that_______.

A．Sandra asks Marcus for his password.	B．Marcus steals the key corporate data.
C．The attacker gains Marcus's trust first.	D．Sandra is a senior director of the bank.

2. Which of the following best fits the “?” in step ④of “THE DEFENSE"?

A．LESSON

B．HEALTH

C．PROGRAM

D．FINANCE

3. Which of the following is covered in the case?

A．What loss the company has suffered	B．How Marcus regretted receiving the call
C．What Natalie has found about the domain	D．How effectively Ray responded to the attack

6 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one more word than you need.

A. ballooning.        B. frost-intolerant.     C. directly.     D. contributors.     E. erupted F. conditions.     G. shaded H. sensor-equipped I. engineering J. situated   K. properly

Farm of the Future in the Sky

       Five storeys off the ground at Colorado State University, a highly unlikely garden grows under a long row of rooftop solar panels. It's late November at 9 am, when the temperature is-2℃ and the wind is cutting. Not long before my arrival, researchers had pulled the last     1    crops out of the soil under the panels. In their place, cool-season foods like leafy greens still grow,     2    from the intense sunlight up there.
   This is no ordinary green roof, but an expansive and     3     outdoor laboratory. The idea behind it is explained by Jennifer   Bousselot, the director of the rooftop farm. Solar panels tend to get too hot on conventional roof tops, and that heat reduces their efficiency while plants help cool them off. “If you have plants under there, ” Bousselot said, “they create ideal     4     for solar panels to operate. Also, the shade of the panels encourages the growth of plants. A win-win solution. ”
     Therefore, the overall goal of the rooftop farm is to grow more food for     5     urban populations while generating clean energy and making buildings more energy efficient. Without the sun beating down     6     on a bare roof, green roofs boost a building's energy efficiency by about 10 percent. That is, you don't need to run as much air-conditioning to     7     cool the place during a heat wave. This innovative approach can also maximize land use, making urban spaces not just consumers of resources, but also active     8     to both energy and agricultural production.
       However, being     9     on a rooftop comes with more challenges than a typical farming site. The wind loads on a roof make it challenging to install a tracking system and irrigation (灌溉) is also trickier. The expenses are substantially increased due to higher     10     costs and the difficulties of moving and installing all the sensors and materials high in the air.

It is obviously early days for rooftop farms, but some effects were already evident. Instead of being big, dead spaces, roofs may act as booming ecosystems.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word;for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank

Seeing Math on the Page

Math and literature are probably two of the subjects that bring students headaches. However, scientists wonder     1     the beauty of math can be found in literary works. Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections between Mathematics and Literature, a book published recently by UK mathematician Sarah Hart,     2     (present) some interesting thoughts about "three". She argues that the beauty of this number is indeed evident in many works of western literature and languages in general.

‘Three’ is the minimum number     3     a two-dimensional shape can be defined. For example, three sticks can create a triangle, a stable structure. Many common phrases are in three words, such as “ready, set, go”. Being the first things kids may learn, some nursery rhymes have a word     4     (repeat) three times, such as “row, row, row your boat”. In stories, there are usually three main characters, such as Harry, Ron and Hermione in the Harry Potter series. For a series of novels, there are usually three books     5     four, according to Hart.

Why is it always the third son who behaves differently from his two older brothers, thus     6     (win) the princess? “The reason for this,” Hart explains, “ is obvious. We require two repetitions to get to know the pattern,     7     the breaking of the pattern in the third character can surprise or amuse us.”

Similarly, another study by researchers at the University of Vermont also connected math and storytelling. They analyzed more than 1, 300 fiction books and arranged for 10, 000 words from the books     8     (rate) by 50 participants on a happiness scale of 1 to 9. Then the ratings     9     (categorize) into different graphs, which showed how the readers' emotions changed while reading. It turned out that each story fit perfectly into one of six basic graphs, a mathematical pattern.

“The idea that one would     10     choose between mathematics and literature is something of a tragedy, ”Hart says, “The two fields are fundamentally linked”.

8 . The picture of miseries and sufferings of the Black woman in America may appear, perhaps darker and more depressing than Dante’s (但丁) description of Hell because in the history of human race, the Black woman in America has suffered the most. A close and critical _______ of the history of the Black woman’s life and condition since her arrival in a strange land will unfold very well the long story of her pain and sorrow_______ her mutilated (被切断的) soul. Since her arrival on the foreign shore, the Black woman has been facing the worst kind of ______ and oppression. As a Black she has had to endure all the horrors of slavery and has been the _______ of continually inhumane treatment in all kinds of work, _______ the lowest place on the wage scale and restricted to the lowest-status and the most uncreative jobs. Since times of slavery, Black womanhood has been destroyed, twisted and abused with racial and inhuman _______ by black men and white men and women. In the process, they have lost their genuine “self”, and have developed a(n) ______ in themselves — though as black women, they see themselves with the eyes of white men and women and black men. This has ultimately been responsible for the destruction of their self-confidence and the feeling of being human. They ______ themselves as masters’ belongings.

As a mother she has seen her children sold into slavery. She has seen them left at home without attention while she _______ to the needs of the children of the ruling class. She has seen her children suffer from drug addiction, the _______ of decent education and experience attacks by a racist society, and _______ the prisons of this nation. In addition, besides suffering the common fate of all oppressed people, the African-American women continue to _______ the oppression of woman by men, which existed for long. In the home she becomes “the slave of a slave”. Men may be cruelly treated and subjected to all sorts of dehumanizing treatment on the part of the ruling class. _______, at least they can take out their frustration on someone else, their women.

Thus feminism in America means much more than what it stands for in other European countries, chiefly because it has different role and meaning _______ the Black women. If a feminist is commonly defined as one who is involved in transforming and _______ familiar realities, then Black women are innate (天生的) feminists. Black women writing exhibits and constructs a Black women’s literary tradition that is inherently feminist. Barbara Smith, an influential Black feminist critic, states that the ability of Black women to survive in the face of White America exhibits an innate feminist potential.

1.

A．respect

B．reference

C．account

D．expression

2.

A．associated with

B．completed with

C．involved in

D．joined by

3.

A．exploration

B．exhaustion

C．exploitation

D．explosion

4.

A．performer

B．survivor

C．substance

D．object

5.

A．including

B．occupying

C．containing

D．striking

6.

A．procedures

B．processes

C．descriptions

D．practices

7.

A．complexity

B．anxiety

C．simplicity

D．gravity

8.

A．look to

B．look upon

C．look over

D．look through

9.

A．took

B．kept

C．attended

D．appealed

10.

A．richness

B．lack

C．variety

D．possibility

11.

A．populating

B．emphasizing

C．charging

D．criticizing

12.

A．undertake

B．underline

C．undervalue

D．undergo

13.

A．Therefore

B．Somehow

C．However

D．Moreover

14.

A．with respect to

B．in line with

C．in addition to

D．in parallel with

15.

A．reappointing

B．representing

C．reconsidering

D．reinterpreting

9 . The cultivation of plants by ants is more widespread than previously realized, and has evolved on at least 15 separate occasions.

There are more than 200 species of ant in the Americas that farm fungi (真菌) for food, but this trait evolved just once sometime between 45 million and 65 million years ago. Biologists regard the cultivation of fungi by ants as true agriculture appearing earlier than human agriculture because it meets four criteria: the ants plant the fungus, care for it, harvest it and depend on it for food.

By contrast, while thousands of ant species are known to have a wide variety of interdependent relationships with plants, none were regarded as true agriculture. But in 2016, Guillaume Chomicki and Susanne Renner at the University of Munich, Germany, discovered that an ant in Fungi cultivates several plants in a way that meets the four criteria for true agriculture.

The ants collect the seeds of the plants and place them in cracks in the bark of trees. As the plants grow, they form hollow structures called domain that the ants nest in. The ants defecate (排便) at designated absorptive places in these domain, providing nutrients for the plant. In return, as well as shelter, the plant provides food in the form of fruit juice.

This discovery prompted Chomicki and others to review the literature on ant-plant relationships to see if there are other examples of plant cultivation that have been overlooked. “They have never really been looked at in the framework of agriculture,” says Chomicki, who is now at the University of Sheffield in the UK. “It’s definitely widespread.”

The team identified 37 examples of tree-living ants that cultivate plants that grow on trees, known as epiphytes (附生植物). By looking at the family trees of the ant species, the team was able to determine on how many occasions plant cultivation evolved and roughly when. Fifteen is a conservative estimate, says Campbell. All the systems evolved relatively recently, around 1million to 3 million years ago, she says.

Whether the 37 examples of plant cultivation identified by the team count as true agriculture depends on the definitions used. Not all of the species get food from the plants, but they do rely on them for shelter, which is crucial for ants living in trees, says Campbell. So the team thinks the definition of true agriculture should include shelter as well as food.

1. According to biologists, why is ant-fungus cultivation considered as a form of true agriculture?

A．Because it occurred earlier than human agriculture.

B．Because it fulfills the standards typical of agricultural practices.

C．Because it redefines the four criteria for true human agriculture.

D．Because it is less common than previously thought.

2. What motivated Chomicki and others to review the literature on ant-plant relationships?

A．They determined on new family trees of the ant species.

B．They overlooked some tree-living ants that provided nutrients for the plants.

C．They never studied the ant-plant relationships within the context of agriculture.

D．They never identified any an t species that engaged in cultivation of fungi.

3. Which of the following statements is supported by the team's findings according to the passage?

A．Ants’ cultivation of plants is limited to a few specific species.

B．The cultivation of fungi by ants is considered the earliest form of agriculture.

C．True agriculture in ants involves only food-related interactions with plants.

D．Ants have independently cultivated plants on at least 15 distinct occasions.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The evolution of ants in the plant kingdom.

B．The widespread occurrence of ant-plant cultivation.

C．The discovery of a new ant species engaging in agriculture.

D．The contrast between ant agriculture and human agriculture.

10 . Montessori was born in Italy in 1870 with progressive parents, who frequently communicated with the country’s leading thinkers and scholars. This enlightened family environment provided Montessori with many advantages over other young girls of the time.

Her mother’s support was vital for some important decisions, such as her enrolment in a technical school after her elementary education. Her parents’ support also proved to be essential for her decision to study medicine, a field that was dominated by men.

Soon after graduating, in 1896, Montessori began work as a voluntary assistant in a clinic at the University of Rome, where she cared for children with learning difficulties. The rooms were bare, with just a few pieces of furniture. One day, she found that the children were enthusiastically playing with breadcrumbs (面包屑) that had dropped on the floor. It then occurred to her that the origin of some intellectual disabilities could be related with poverty. With the right learning materials, these and other young minds could be nurtured, Montessori concluded.

The observation would lead Montessori to develop a new method of education that focused on providing optimal stimulation during the sensitive periods of childhood.

At its centre was the principle that all the learning materials should be child-sized and designed to appeal to all the senses. In addition, each child should also be allowed to move and act freely, and use their creativity and problem-solving skills. Teachers took the role of guides, supporting the children without press or control.

Montessori opened her first Children’s House in 1907. When the Fascists (法西斯主义者) first came into power in Italy in 1922, they initially embraced her movement. But they soon came to oppose the emphasis on the children’s freedom of expression. Montessori’s values had always been about human respect, and the rights of children and women, but the Fascists wanted to use her work and her fame.

Things reached a breaking point when the Fascist tried to influence the schools’ educational content, and in 1934 Montessori and her son decided to leave Italy. She didn’t return to her homeland until 1947, and she continued to write about and develop her method until her death in 1952, at the age of 81.

1. The primary reason for Montessori to develop a new educational method was ______.

A．her family’s supportive influence on her education

B．her experience as a voluntary assistant in a clinic

C．her observation of children playing with breadcrumbs happily

D．her decision to study medicine, a field dominated by men

2. What was a central principle of Montessori’s educational method as described in the passage?

A．Providing standardized, one-size-fits-all learning materials.

B．Encouraging strict discipline and control over children’s actions.

C．Focusing on rote memorization and competition.

D．Creating a free and children-centered learning environment.

3. Montessori decided to leave Italy in 1934 because           .

A．she wanted to explore other countries and cultures

B．she wanted to avoid the Fascist’s influence on her work

C．she was offered a better job in a different country

D．she wanted to retire and enjoy a peaceful life in another country

4. Which of the following words can best describe Montessori in this passage?

A．Observant and innovative.	B．Traditional and emotional.
C．Progressive and dependent.	D．Open-minded and indifferent.