3 . “You can get a kitten,” I promised my daughter Cali after her father and I divorced (离婚). After _________ in our new apartment, we headed to North Bay Animal Services.

One orange-and-white kitten drew Cali’s _________.

“_________, we’ve got two of those,” said the attendant. “They are _________, Caramel and Butter.”

“Can we take them both?” Cali _________.

“We have to follow the _________ of our new apartment,” I said. “Only one cat, remember?”

“I know,” Cali _________.

We brought Caramel home. Caramel seemed _________ without his twin and Cali cried for it. Two weeks later we drove back to the _________, hoping our landlord wouldn’t realize there were two of them because they looked __________.

However, we were told Butter was __________ four days ago.

Two years later I had a new boyfriend Brain. The first time I went to his home, I saw a flash of orange and white. Caramel? I thought, __________.

“That’s my daughter’s cat Butter,” Brian said.

After comparing the adoption papers, I __________ Butter was Caramel’s twin!

“They might not __________ each other after two years,” Brian said. But when brought together, Caramel and Butter nuzzled (依偎) each other with __________.

Today Caramel and his brother are inseparable. As are Brian and I, and our daughters after our marriage.

1.

A．cooling down

B．lying down

C．settling down

D．slowing down

2.

A．expectation

B．attention

C．strength

D．response

3.

A．Instantly

B．Merely

C．Roughly

D．Actually

4.

A．sisters

B．partners

C．twins

D．neighbors

5.

A．doubted

B．demanded

C．opposed

D．begged

6.

A．rules

B．strategies

C．theories

D．concepts

7.

A．relieved

B．sighed

C．wondered

D．resisted

8.

A．hesitant

B．energetic

C．distant

D．lonely

9.

A．shelter

B．hospital

C．apartment

D．nursery

10.

A．familiar

B．ordinary

C．identical

D．common

11.

A．sold

B．adopted

C．attacked

D．stolen

12.

A．amused

B．shocked

C．ashamed

D．satisfied

13.

A．interpreted

B．defended

C．exposed

D．confirmed

14.

A．approve

B．contact

C．remember

D．distinguish

15.

A．affection

B．concentration

C．ease

D．courage

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the speaker?

A．An astronaut.

B．A TV reporter.

C．A radio hostess.

2. What will the weather be like on Saturday?

A．Sunny.

B．Windy.

C．Rainy.

3. When will the weather warm up again to 18 degrees?

A．Next Tuesday.

B．Next Monday.

C．This Sunday.

4. What does the speaker advise the listeners to do on damp days?

A．Stay indoors.

B．Put away warm coats.

C．Take umbrellas along anytime.

6 . 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。

China drives world renewables capacity addition in 2023

China was the major driving force behind the world’s rapid     1     (expand) of renewable power generation capacity last year, which grew by 50 percent to 510 gigawatts, the International Energy Agency said.

    2     (drive) by rapid growth in China, renewable energy capacity surged globally last year, generating green power faster than at any time during the last few decades. China, which has become     3     dominant force in the field of renewable energy,     4     (see) its position further consolidate in the next five years, as lower costs make utility-scale solar power generation more attractive compared to coal and gas power generation.     5     (additional), China has outlined and clarified regulations for green power certificates,     6     will bring additional income for solar and wind energy developers, and further accelerate its renewable energy development.

China’s installed capacity of renewable energy exceeded 1.45 billion kilowatts in 2023,     7     (account) for more than 50 percent of the country’s total installed power generation capacity. Power generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar now accounts for more than 15 percent of China's total electricity consumption.

China has several advantages that others do not possess, including the ability     8     (approve) and build transmission grids and renewable energy projects     9     (efficient) and finance projects more easily thanks    10     policy priorities.

7 . Using CRISPR genome (基因组) editing on a few common crops, a team of plant and soil scientists seeks to greatly increase and speed up carbon storage to help fight climate change.

To prevent dangerous levels of global warming, scientists say it won’t be enough to just stop burning fossil fuels that release carbon into the air. Because it’s nearly impossible for humanity to do that as fast as is now required, we will also need to pull carbon out of the air and secure it.

Plants are among the best tools we have to do this, since these living solar collectors already capture billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year from the atmosphere through photosynthesis (光合作用). About half of that carbon winds up in roots and eventually the soil, where it can stay for hundreds to thousands of years.

But what if we could create plants and soils that are better at capturing carbon? With CRISPR genome editing—a new molecular (分子的) biology tool that allows scientists to make edits to the DNA code that underpins all life—that might be possible.

Last month, the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), a research team founded by CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna, began to explore the idea. With an $11-million donation from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a team of researchers made a three-year effort using CRISPR to create new crop varieties that photosynthesi ze more efficiently and transport more carbon into the soil. Eventually, the researchers hope to create gene-edited rice and sorghum seeds that could—if planted around the globe--pull more than a billion extra tons of carbon out of the air annually.

It’s an ambitious goal, and the team is likely to face numerous challenges in the lab before its CO2-cleaning plants can be put in the ground. Additional social, policy, and ethical considerations will determine whether those crops are widely accepted by farmers. But the researchers believe their ambitious project is beneficial to cope with climate crisis.

1. What is the purpose of using CRISPR genome editing on crops?

A．To improve soil structure.	B．To increase carbon storage.
C．To create new crop varieties.	D．To help fight climate change.

2. What does the underlined word “capture” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Mix.

B．Release.

C．Absorb.

D．Grab.

3. What can be inferred from this text?

A．CO2-cleaning plants can be put in the ground now.

B．It is still unknown whether gene-edited crops will be accepted.

C．Researchers have successfully created gene-edited rice and sorghum seeds.

D．CRISPR genome editing will face so many challenges that it has no future.

4. What is the researchers’ attitude to the gene-edited crops?

A．Hopeful.

B．Doubtful.

C．Indifferent.

D．Negative.

8 . Blowing Up Balloons with CO₂

Chemical reactions (化学反应) make for some great experiments. You can make use of the CO₂(carbon dioxide) given off by a baking soda (小苏打) and lemon juice reaction to blow up your balloon!

What you’ll need:

●Balloon        ●About 40ml of water        ●Soft drink bottle

●Juice from a lemon          ●I teaspoon of baking soda

Instructions:

●Before you begin, make sure that you pull the balloon long to make it as easy as possible to blow up.

●Put the 40ml of water into the soft drink bottle.

●Add the baking soda and mix it with water.

●Put the lemon juice in and quickly put the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.

What’s happening?

If all goes well, then your balloon should inflate! Adding the lemon juice to the baking soda creates a chemical reaction and produces CO₂. The gas rises up and escapes (逸出) through the soft drink bottle. It doesn’t, however, escape the balloon, pushing it outwards and blowing it up.

1. Which of the following do you need for the experiment?

A．Two cups.	B．Apple juice.
C．250 ml water.	D．A teaspoon of baking soda.

2. What should you do before the experiment?

A．Heat the water.	B．Drink some juice.
C．Blow up the balloon.	D．Pull the balloon long.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To describe an experiment.	B．To introduce a game.
C．To produce soft drinks.	D．To save some chemicals.

10 . 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。

Hangzhou is a city lying in Zhejiang Province, eastern China.     1     (be) an important southern stop of the Grand Canal that goes to Beijing, the city of Hangzhou is just     2     wonder and must-see scenic place to tourists.

As one of China’s seven ancient     3     (capital), Hangzhou has a history of more than two thousand years. It     4     (describe) by Italian traveler Marco Polo as the finest and most luxurious city in the world. The large number of scenic areas in Hangzhou can satisfy everyone’s     5     (curious). The West Lake scenic area,     6     contains over 60 cultural relic sites and several attractions of natural beauty, is no doubt the most famous. Taking a walk by the lake, you’ll feel the     7     (peace) atmosphere of the city and better understand its time-honored fame as “Heaven on Earth”.

Traveling to Hangzhou is also a chance     8     (experience) the happy and relaxing lifestyles of local people and enjoy delicious Hangzhou’s dishes, like the Beggar’s Chicken, West Lake Fish and Dongpo Pork. At night, the city     9     (have) much to offer. Choosing a tea-house overlooking the West Lake for a pleasant chat over a cup of tea is sure to make you feel     10     (total) relaxed and refreshed.