1 . Skeet shooting is a type of target sport in which the shooter uses a special gun to hit moving clay target, which are sometimes referred to as “clay pigeons (陶土飞靶)”. This target sport is an important, competitive sport in the Olympic games.     1    

Skeet shooting was invented by the bird hunter in the early nineteenth century under the original name of “clock shooting”. The game was changed slightly and reached a wider audience over the coming years. Once, a competition was held to determine a new name for this shooting game.     2     The term “skeet” is a Scandinavian word meaning “to shoot”.

Today, skeet shooting is as American as apple pie and McDonald’s. At first, fans of the sport were male, but now, a fair number of women also love skeet shooting.     3     For friends or families, skeet shooting at a sporting club can be a fun activity.

    4     Generally, people will need to purchase related equipment, including something guaranteeing personal safety such as safety glasses. And they’d better have a large, private yard. If the players have never done shooting of any kind before, they should also take a safety course, which will teach them about the proper use and storage of the equipment.

Like most skills, skeet shooting takes a lot of patience and practice.     5     But those folks are few and far between, especially if they’ve never picked up a shotgun before. If you aren’t a patient person, that’s okay because skeet shooting can help you develop patience.

A．Why do people love skeet shooting?

B．At last, the game was called skeet shooting.

C．How can one participate in the sport at home?

D．Unfortunately, no recommended name was chosen.

E．Sure, some people might have a natural talent for it.

F．There are many clubs offering skeet shooting in America.

G．Therefore, many countries attach much importance to it.

2 . 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。续写的词数应为150左右。

My daughter Kathy’s birthday was approaching. Last Sunday, in the early morning, she asked me whether I’d buy her a birthday gift.

I said, “Of course. And to buy the gift, I decide to sell your never-to-be-used-again baby things that still look new and useful. Will you allow it?” She immediately agreed and began sorting out her baby stuff. My husband Sam gladly joined us. Soon, we gathered the stuff well enough. I decided to take them to the second-hand market in the following week and then use the money collected to buy Kathy the bike she dreamed about.

Thinking about that, I waved Kathy and Sam goodbye and left for the local hospital to visit an ill friend there. After twenty-five minutes of drive, I arrived. And after seeing my friend, I went to turn in my visitor’s pass at the hospital desk. There, I overheard an argument between a receptionist (接待员) and a worried and disappointed man whose clothes were a little worn out. The receptionist was explaining that his newborn girl couldn’t leave the hospital without an infant car seat.

Confused, the man asked, “What’s on earth an infant car seat? How much can one cost?” Based on his accent and appearance, I guessed he probably was new here. While I observed the man, the receptionist told him, “Sir, it’s a soft seat made specifically to protect infants and younger babies in a vehicle. It can be easily put in the vehicle. The price often ranges from 70 dollars to 550 dollars.”

So upset, the man said, “Where can I get such a seat at this time and where can I get the money to buy one?” “I’m sorry, sir, but this is what the state law requires. Nobody can take a baby out of the hospital without that seat,” the receptionist said. “Your wife can go home with you today, but the baby can’t leave unless she’s in a car seat.”

My daughter just had an infant car seat, which I had planned to sell. Finding the man looked so helpless, I wondered whether to give him Kathy’s seat for free.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。

While debating with myself, I thought about my late mom who never hesitated to help strangers.

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When the man and I got to my house, Sam and Kathy felt surprised.

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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。

Labor Day

How’s this for a strange idea: a day off from work in honor of work    1    (it)? Actually, that is     2     Labor Day, celebrated in the United States and Canada on the first Monday of every September, is all about.

The     3    (one) American Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5th,1882, as thousands of workers and their families came to Union Square for a day in the park. There were picnics and a parade,     4     there were also protests. The workers had gathered, not just to rest and celebrate, but to demand fair wages, the end of child labor, and the right    5    (organize) into unions.

During the period known as The Industrial Revolution, many jobs were difficult and dangerous. People worked for twelve hours, six days a week,     6     extra benefits, and if you were young, chances are you were doing manual labor instead of your ABCs and fractions. Children as young as ten worked in some of     7    (dangerous) places. In the following years, the idea of Labor Day caught on. But then came the violent Haymarket Square Riot (暴乱) of 1886, which led to many deaths in Chicago. After that, many groups began to mark Haymarket Square on May 1st, which became known as International Workers’ Day.

But in spite of this new holiday, it was a long time before the changes that workers wanted     8    (become) a reality. At present, as America and Canada celebrate Labor Day, most of the two    9    (country) children enjoy a day off from school. But it is important to remember that there was a time when every day was a labor day for children in America, and     10    (unfortunate), the same fact remains true for millions of children around the world today.

4 . Standing on a school stage, the master swings his arms and moves his body as he conducts an orchestra. The 70 young musicians keep a sharp focus on the master’s white baton (指挥棒) as it shoots upward, downward, and sideways.

Michael Morgan was six years old when his father moved a neighbor’s unwanted piano into their living room. He started piano lessons, but it was when he saw a conductor leading an orchestra on television that he realized what he really wanted to do. At age eight, he began reading The Joy of Music by conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein and figured out how to direct with a baton. After graduating from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, Michael worked under Bernstein. “Conducting is a thing you learn by apprenticing (当学徒). You do more watching than anything else,” Morgan says. Even after Morgan had graduated from Oberlin, Bernstein’s masterful teaching continued to influence him.

Morgan is committed to offering kids a chance to explore classical music. In his hometown, he started to volunteer in local schools, conducting student orchestras and talking with kids about music. Morgan is also the music director and conductor of the Oakland Symphony. He works with teachers in after-school programs to reach students who can’t afford lessons.

Morgan is focused and works very hard. “He’s mastermind behind all of these programs,” says Elizabeth, Oakland Symphony Education Coordinator. “He is in an amazing harmony with students. He is really serious in getting down to his business.”

Morgan says his work is mostly about providing young people with an entrance into music. “Instruments give kids a way of emotional expression, a source of pride, and an interest they can carry with them through life. Young musicians come from many different cultures and communities. But with instruments in hand, their hearts sing as one,” he says.

1. What inspired Morgan to begin his career as a conductor?

A．A gift from his neighbor.	B．The piano lessons he took.
C．The guidance of his teacher.	D．A TV program in his childhood.

2. Which of the following can best describe Morgan?

A．Passionate and honest.	B．Generous and demanding.
C．Ambitious and humorous.	D．Warmhearted and devoted.

3. Why does the author mention Elizabeth?

A．To show recognition on Morgan.	B．To share her cooperation with Morgan.
C．To encourage kids to learn from Morgan.	D．To express people’s expectations for Morgan.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Playing music is the best way to relieve people’s tension.

B．Morgan opens a door to music teaching for young musicians.

C．Music has the power to bridge cultural gap and unite people.

D．Young musicians tend to play the same song whole-heartedly.

5 . 阅读下面文章，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一个完整短文，续写词数应为150左右。

Seeing the picture of Kelly and I holding teddy bears with great joy, I couldn’t help recalling the sweet memory. A few years ago, before Christmas, my dad placed a large box in his grocery store for people to donate toys for children in need. Kelly, my best friend came over to help with the wrapping. Knowing that our efforts would bring joy to so many children during the holiday season, we thought it was a rewarding experience.

As we worked, we shared moments of laughter and joy. After a short while, we had almost finished wrapping all the toys with just one little teddy bear left. Looking at it, I said, “It is the sweetest! It reminds me of my teddy bear. I sold all my little kid stuff at our garage sale when we moved. But now I’m really missing it!”

Kelly came to see it and shared. “I have a sad teddy bear story too. When my little brother was a baby, I let him play with my Rosy Bear, but he refused to give her back. Ever.” After our chat, we knew both of us had a special story with a teddy bear.

Right then, my dad entered the room and exclaimed. “Wow, great wrapping job! The kids are going to be thrilled when opening these presents.”

“They definitely will. Maybe we both want to be the one who can get the teddy bear. I can just imagine how delighted a kid would be to unwrap this sweet teddy bear.” said Kelly. We laughed, gazing at the perfectly wrapped bears.

My mom, joining in the laughter, suggested, “Why don’t you gather at our house next Saturday for a cookie-decorating party and exchange your Christmas gifts in advance? I’ll prepare the cookies for you.” “Good idea! I will enjoy the great joy of unwrapping the gift.” I said cheerfully. Hearing what we said, Kelly’s eyes lit up, saying, “Count me in!”

“All right, girls,” said my dad. “We need to do the toy-loading work now. We have to drop off all these presents before five o’clock!”

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: The next week, I was trying to figure out a perfect gift for the party.
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Paragraph 2: Finally, the day of the party arrived.
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6 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Wang De, who is a blacksmith by trade and an inheritor of the 500-year-old art of dashuhua that     1     (literal) means “creating tree flowers”,     2     (live) in Yuxian county of Zhangjiakou.

Wang and his assistants put     3     over a dozen dashuhua performances for villagers and tourists as part of Spring Festival celebrations each year. The folk artist hopes the revival of the tradition can bring more visitors to his hometown of Zhangjiakou.

Dashuhua is a traditional form of fireworks performance that takes place during certain festivals.     4     (create) molten iron fireworks, waste iron is melted to 1,600℃ and thrown against a cold wall. The mix bursts into sparks that look like glittering tree branches.

But the high-risk tradition is still only reserved for     5     brave. Due to the nature of the performance-handling superheated coal and molten iron, it’s easy for performers to suffer injuries. During a performance a few years ago, Wang suffered severe     6     (burn) on his leg and took two months to recover.

There are only four people     7     (leave) in China who have mastered the ancient practice, three of     8     are either middle-aged or elderly. Both Wang’s father and grandfather were blacksmiths. Wang said     9     was his responsibility to pass this craft on to the next generation. Otherwise, it will be lost.

The art of dashuhua requires extraordinary courage, skill and     10     (strong). Now, The molten iron fireworks performance has become a major tourist attraction.

7 . Gutiérrez’s life would never be the same again. He found a (n) _________ book in the trash while driving his garbage truck through wealthier neighborhoods, which stimulated his _________ to rescue books from the trash. Afterwards, he _________ his book collection into a community library for children from _________ families.

Because libraries tend to be distant from poorer communities, the _________ of buying new books is nonexistent for families _________ to make ends meet. However, Gutiérrez’s community library becomes a true representation of how one man’s trash can be another’s treasure.

Today, his community library _________ most of his home. Everything from school textbooks to storybooks can be _________ in a collection of over 20,000 books! The library is open every weekend, when children are allowed to come in to _________ the book collection.

Apart from school-going children __________ the benefits of the library, adults are also welcome to   __________ their horizons to build a better life for themselves. Despite his great contributions to community, Gutiérrez is not yet __________ with this result. He continues to search through __________ for reading material and has even travelled to book fairs in Mexico to share his experiences in building a library from unwanted books.

Gutiérrez’s journey to give back to his local community is an amazing example of how every one of us can __________ improve the lives of those around us by __________ needs, investing time and finding a simple solution.

1.

A．abandoned

B．purchased

C．adopted

D．borrowed

2.

A．curiosity

B．investment

C．desire

D．creativity

3.

A．put

B．turned

C．introduced

D．shaped

4.

A．fine-manner

B．single-parent

C．low-income

D．high-stress

5.

A．duty

B．tradition

C．value

D．option

6.

A．asking

B．struggling

C．managing

D．preparing

7.

A．occupies

B．influences

C．enlarges

D．represents

8.

A．found

B．displayed

C．bought

D．admired

9.

A．pick up

B．sort out

C．search for

D．look through

10.

A．wanting

B．discovering

C．harvesting

D．understanding

11.

A．expect

B．explore

C．expose

D．expand

12.

A．familiar

B．content

C．consistent

D．angry

13.

A．stores

B．garbage

C．families

D．baggage

14.

A．simply

B．frequently

C．effectively

D．rarely

15.

A．identifying

B．satisfying

C．improving

D．supporting

8 . Xiaomi, best known for its popular smartphones and domestic appliances, launched its SU7 model on March 28 in China. The tech company began accepting orders in China via an app. Xiaomi said that it received 50,000 orders for the SU7 in the first 27 minutes after sales opened.

“Entering the car-making business will be the last big start-up project of my life. This is to perform our agreement made three years ago,” Chief Executive Lei Jun wrote. He added that he was confident about entering the EV (electric vehicle) market.

Xiaomi introduced the SU7 at its technology conference in December 2023, saying it was capable of accelerating speeds faster than Tesla cars and Porsche EVs, with one version capable of hitting 100 kilometers per hour in 2.78 seconds. One version has a driving range of up to 800 kilometers, it added.

The SU7’s release comes when EV makers battle for sales in the world’s largest auto market. Xiaomi will enter the competition as leading brands like BYD and Tesla are cutting prices sharply to attract consumers to buy their EVs in an oversupplied market.

Analysts said the SU7’s release will likely cut into Xiaomi’s bottom line as marketing and other expenses rise. Xiaomi posted a net profit of 4.87 billion yuan ($677.9 million) in the third quarter, up 52% from the preceding quarter on the back of improved margins. The key thing to watch for the launch will be the price, specifically if it’s below or above ¥ 200,000, Huatai Securities equity analyst Leping Huang said. The level serves as a classification benchmark for EVs in the same class as the SU7.

Xiaomi may have some advantages over competitors since it is “already a very well-known brand and may be able to take advantage of existing distribution channels,” Morningstar equity analyst Dan Baker said, “but recent profit forecasts could well be negative.”

1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?

A．The SU7 is well received by consumers in China.

B．Lei Jun raised his concern about the future of EV market.

C．Xiaomi regards developing SU7 models as its last project.

D．Orders of the SU7 can be placed in the shops worldwide now.

2. What challenge may the SU7 face at present?

A．Higher costs of production than other EVs.

B．Lack of advantages in acceleration speeds.

C．Fierce competition in oversupplied market.

D．Technical issues with an ideal driving range.

3. What does the underlined word “benchmark” probably mean in Paragraph 5?

A．Symbol.

B．Background.

C．Standard.

D．Management.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Xiaomi released its first EV	B．Xiaomi hits the big time overnight
C．Xiaomi has changed the EV market	D．Xiaomi will take the lead in the world

9 . Millions of people have conditions that make walking difficult. Millions more regularly perform tough movement as part of their jobs. Wearable robotic devices called exoskeletons that help the legs move could benefit both of these groups. In laboratory settings, such devices have helped people walk faster while using less energy. But various obstacles have kept these devices from being practical for everyday use.

A research team at Stanford University led by Dr. Steven Collins has developed an exoskeleton that can rapidly adapt to the user during normal walking. The team tested how well an exoskeleton based on their model could adapt to a user. They then compared it to one based on lab measurements. Both methods wound up applying similar forces at different speeds and reduced effort similarly across a range of conditions. But the model-based adaptation took only one-quarter as long as the measurement-based adaptation.

Next, the researchers created a portable, ankle-worn exoskeleton that could be used in the real world. The exoskeleton was powered by a battery pack worn at the waist.

The team conducted tests of the device outdoors on public sidewalks. Compared with walking in normal shoes, the exoskeleton increased walking speed by 9% while expending 17% less energy on average. This is equal to the energy savings of removing a 20-pound backpack. When walking on a treadmill (跑步机) at a constant speed, users expended up to 23% less energy, equal to removing a 30-pound backpack.

“This exoskeleton personalize s assistance as people walk normally through the real world,” Collins says. “This opens the door to a much broader use of exoskeletons to assist individuals with physical impairments (损伤) and people who need to carry heavy loads,” adds co-author Dr. Scott Delp.

1. Who are exoskeletons designed for?

A．Sportsmen in a race.	B．Firefighters on a mission.
C．Patients with mental disabilities.	D．Doctors doing an operation.

2. What do the underlined word “obstacles” in the first paragraph mean?

A．Barriers.

B．Applications.

C．Models.

D．Backpacks.

3. Why are the figures listed in paragraph 4?

A．To illustrate the advantage of exoskeletons.	B．To compare exoskeletons with normal shoes.
C．To give examples of different kinds of shoes.	D．To list the reasons for designing exoskeletons.

4. What’s Dr. Scott Delp’s attitude towards exoskeletons?

A．Conservative.

B．Negative.

C．Favourable.

D．Indifferent.

10 . We’re often told that there’s no age limit when it comes to pursuing our goals, but it’s truly inspiring to see someone achieve them later in life-especially if they are 95 years old. Angela Alvarez is a Cuban-born singer and songwriter who, after putting aside her dream of pursuing a career in entertainment for decades, finally released her first album in 2021.

Once Alvarez graduated from school, she told her father she wanted to become a professional singer. However, he prevented her from doing so. Eventually, she got married and found happiness in raising her four children, though life wasn’t easy.

With time, her grandson, Carlos Jos é Alvarez, grew up to be a music producer. When he found out his grandma had written over 50 songs throughout her life, he asked if she would like to record her songs. Her answer was “yes”. And that was the beginning.

Alvarez’s story even caught the attention of actor Andy García, who produced a documentary about this amazing woman and the recording process of her 15-song album. “She represents a generation, perhaps our greatest generation of Cubans,” said the actor.

The dream reached new heights as she became nominated for a Latin Grammy. Once she took to the stage to accept her award, she gave an inspiring speech, “I want to dedicate this award to my beloved homeland, Cuba; also to those who have not achieved their dream. Although life is difficult, there is always a way out, and with faith and love they can achieve it. I promise, it’s never too late.”

1. What do we know about Alvarez?

A．She lived a miserable life bringing up her children.

B．She has released 15 albums since she returned to music.

C．She got nominated as the best musician of her generation.

D．She gave up her dream after graduation owing to her father’s prevention.

2. What made Alvarez decide to pursue her dream again?

A．Her hard life after marriage.	B．Her grandson’s support.
C．Her desire to make more money.	D．Her enthusiasm for music.

3. Which word best describes Alvarez’s story?

A．Inspiring.

B．Interesting.

C．Amusing.

D．Moving.

4. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the article?

A．To introduce a woman’s life-time story.

B．To call on others to learn from Alvarez.

C．To praise what Alvarez has done in music.

D．To tell us it’s never too late to achieve one’s dream.