1 . Have you ever paid attention to the color of the airplane seats? They’re almost always blue and there are very few exceptions to this rule. Some people think it reminds us of the sky. But the explanation isn’t that simple!

It is calming.

Color psychology plays an important role in selecting the fabric for airplane seats. “The idea is to help passengers feel at home, with relaxing colors and restful designs,” explained Shelly Zundell in a Boeing press release.     1     Blue is a calming color that suggests peace, calmness, and relaxation.

    2    

In a study reported by Popular Science, 48 percent of participants thought soda in a blue glass was more thirst-quenching (解渴的) than that served in glasses of other colors, probably because they connected blue with cold. Colors such as red and orange can make people feel warmer. Although it’s not unheard of, red is a less common color for airplane seats.     3    

It is a universally well-liked color.

    4     It’s a universal color that’s appealing to most. This is also the same reason why many brands have blue logos. People universally connect the color with positive things — such as clean water and blue skies — so they tend to like it. Across ages and across cultures, it’s the world’s favorite color.

The right shade hides stains (污渍) well.

Dark blue seats are also just practical. Imagine how many people sit in them per day.     5    

Darker shades are better at hiding stains and don’t show their wear as easily. Those dark blue seats will look fresher and newer for longer.

A．It physically feels cooler.

B．It reflects a cool professionalism.

C．But is there any other explanation?

D．And who knows what gets spilled on them?

E．People often connect certain colors with certain feelings.

F．Feeling hot when you board an airplane is good for no one.

G．It’s hard to find someone who has strong feelings against the color blue.

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Where is Smithfield College located?

A．In a small town.

B．In a big city.

C．In a large town.

2. What chance will be given if you live in the small town?

A．To enjoy the Chinese food.

B．To earn more money.

C．To experience the real American culture.

3. What degree does each of instructors hold at least?

A．A Master’s.

B．A Doctor’s.

C．A Graduate’s.

4. What kind of teachers is Smithfield College going to employ?

A．Ones with unique opportunities.

B．Ones with American culture.

C．Ones with ten years’ experience in teaching.

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。

In Cape Town, you will see many crimes     1    (commit) by animals, but the police have no choice but     2    (let) them go. Nowadays, many wild animals are moving into cities, as if our cities are being taken     3     by them. People often wonder about the reasons behind this mass urban migration. Some of these so-called “urban animals”     4    (move) into the cities since we humans moved into their territory .     5     they go , animals find towns and cities in their way. Without natural predators, the animals in cities often flourish and are easy to find plenty to eat. Animals need to be more     6    (intelligence) to figure out difficult problems in cities.     7    (fox) have even changed their living habits. However, many animals are faced with many dangers. Unable to distinguish between blue sky and glass, birds often crash into windows,     8    (result) in many deaths. The reason is that they have yet to change their migratory routes. It is important     9     we can get a better understanding of and even learn to appreciate our wild neighbors. Only then can we look towards     10    (harmonious) sharing our urban habitats. Whatever the reasons behind these species entering our cities, they could be with us to stay.

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Where do Indonesians put their garbage?

A．In the front of their houses.

B．In the public garbage cans.

C．In the official garbage bags.

2. What colored cans do Germans put metals?

A．Yellow.

B．Blue.

C．Gray.

3. What do we know about the garbage bags in Korea?

A．Their price depends on the type of waste.

B．They are provided by the government for free.

C．Different districts have different official garbage bags.

5 . Must-See Destinations in 2024

Are you ready to explore the world in 2024? Whether you dream of sailing down famous European rivers or exploring unique places, our list of must-see destinations is here to inspire your travels.

Spain

Throw yourself into the rich culture and history of Spain. From the sunny beaches of Tenerife to the Moorish architecture (建筑物) of Andalucía, there’s so much to explore in this lively country. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) city of La Laguna and become amazed at the beauty of Cordoba, Seville, and La Alhambra, or relax on a beach holiday to Majorca or Tenerife.

Montenegro

Despite its size, Montenegro has beautiful beaches, rich history, and a breathtaking channel. Experience the beauty of the Montenegrin coast — Dalmatia’s jewel (宝石) is the UNESCO World Heritage listed oasis of Dubrovnik, famously praised by Lord Bryon as The Pearl of the Adriatic.

Croatia

Discover the beauty that is Dubrovnik. Explore the 16th-century city’s defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Sail along Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, where attractive villages and beautiful towns like Pula, Rovinj, and Poreč are just waiting to be explored...

South Africa

Explore the wonders of South Africa, from the Garden Route’s nature reserves to the thrill of a Safari drive in the Kariega Game Reserve. Discover the different plants and animals while searching for the “Big Five” on an unforgettable South Africa holiday.

With over 25 years of experience creating holidays for the curious, Travel Department ensures that your journey is in good hands. Plus as a trusted Reader’s Digest Travel partner, you can get special deals when you travel with them across lots of different 2024 holidays. If you want to know more information, please click here.

1. What do Spain and Montenegro have in common?

A．They are both praised by tourists.

B．They both have world heritage cities.

C．They are known for their architectures.

D．They both own beaches and rich history.

2. Which destination will attract people who are interested in creatures?

A．Spain.	B．South Africa.
C．Montenegro.	D．Croatia.

3. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A website.	B．A guidebook.
C．A novel.	D．A magazine.

6 . In the rich countries of the West, the electric vehicle revolution is well underway. Climate-conscious consumers drive Teslas or Polestars for reasons of morality and fashion. Poorer countries are also experiencing a wave of electrified trend. In Bangladesh, electric three-wheeler taxis, known as tuk-tuks, are rapidly replacing gas-powered ones on the streets. Such electric vehicles are climate friendly, cost effective, and help reduce air pollution.

Yet a glance under the hood (引擎盖) of these vehicles reveals a poisonous secret: each tuk-tuk runs on five massive lead-acid batteries, containing almost 300 pounds of lead in total. Every year and a half or so, when those batteries need to be replaced and recycled, about 60 pounds of lead leak into the environment. Battery recycling, often at small-scale unregulated factories, is a highly profitable but deadly business.

Lead is dangerous, and any exposure to it is harmful to human health. Lead that has entered the environment hurts people on an extraordinary scale. The numerous ways lead enters air, water, soil, and homes across the developing world — and the enormous damage it does to human health, wealth, and welfare — causes one of the biggest environmental crises in the world yet receives little attention.

The World Bank estimates that lead kills 5. 5 million people per year, which would make it a bigger global killer than AIDS, malaria, diabetes, and road traffic deaths combined. On top of the shocking deaths, the social burden of lead poisoning is extraordinary, as is its contribution to global inequality — our research on the cognitive effects of lead poisoning suggests that it may explain about one-fifth of the educational achievement gap between rich and poor countries.

But unlike many challenges faced by developing countries, lead poisoning is a problem that is fixable with some attention and a relatively modest financial investment. Better monitoring, research, and rules can help protect children all over the world from the dreadful effects of lead poisoning and reduce the massive global costs it brings.

1. How does the author describe the lead problem in paragraph 2?

A．By making a comparison.	B．By analyzing hidden causes.
C．By listing convincing numbers.	D．By explaining its working principle.

2. What can we learn from the text?

A．Lead enters rich countries in various ways.

B．Lead poisoning may make poor societies poorer.

C．Exposure to lead doesn’t necessarily harm someone.

D．Lead leaking has caused great panic in both countries.

3. What can be done to solve lead poisoning in developing countries?

A．Fixing these used batteries.	B．Putting certain effort and money.
C．Prohibiting the illegal use of lead.	D．Reducing the cost of recycling lead.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．The Impacts of Lead Poisoning on Human Health

B．The Outcomes of Using Electric Vehicles

C．The Ways to Solve Lead Problem

D．The Global Lead Poisoning Crisis

7 . Trees in tropical (热带的) forests grow more slowly in years when the nights are warmer than average or dry-season days are unusually hot, according to a 21-year study. This suggests such forests will grow less as the world warms due to climate change -potentially taking in less carbon dioxide from the air and worsening global warming.

“For the first time, we have a window on what a whole tropical forest is doing, ”says Deborah Clark at the University of Missouri-St Louis. “It is very scary. ”

Tropical forests contain a large amount of carbon, because the trees take in CO₂ from the air and use it to grow. Droughts, which are becoming more serious due to climate change, may harm the forests and re- lease (释放) some of the stored carbon.

For over two decades, Clark and her husband David Clark, also at the University of Missouri-St Louis, lived at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. From1997 to 2018, they took detailed measurements of the surrounding tropical forest, tracking the wood production as well as the amount of litter that fell from the trees.

The pair, with Steven Oberbauer at Florida International University, discovered that wood production fell in years with warmer nights -something studies had already suggested before. The team also found that the trees produced less wood in years when temperatures in the dry season rose more than 28°C.

While this hadn’t been shown before, Deborah Clark says it was expected because photosynthesis (光合作用) slows above this temperature.

The study adds to growing proof of climate effects on tropical forests, says lain Hartley at the University of Exeter in the UK. “It looks like, as you warm the climate, you put pressure on the plants, leading to reduced productivity. Coupled with droughts, tropical forests may have less ability to help us in the fight against climate change in the future.”

1. What causes the forests to grow less according to paragraph 1?

A．Warmer temperature.	B．More carbon dioxide.
C．Less daylight	D．Worse air condition.

2. How did Clark and her husband conduct the study?

A．By gathering wood.	B．By giving example.
C．By collecting data.	D．By tracking former study.

3. What do we know about the study?

A．The trees took in more CO, in the drought season.

B．The wood production decreased in the warmer days.

C．Droughts help increase the carbon storage.

D．Tropical forests grow faster at warmer nights.

4. What does Hartley think of climate effects on tropical forests?

A．Helpful.

B．Negative.

C．Unclear.

D．Necessary.

8 . When most kids go to the beach, they’re too focused on making sandcastles and splashing around to notice litter, but several years ago, for 7-year-old Cash Daniels, noticing a plastic straw sparked a lifelong passion for saving the planet.

Cash, who is now known as the “conservation kid”, has always loved nature. He grew up fishing along the Chattanooga River, after all! But once he learned that 80 percent of all trash from land and rivers ends up in the ocean, he couldn’t sit back.

He started with cleanups along the river, something that quickly went from a family affair to a community effort with volunteers and neighbors. In 2019, Cash, together with a Canadian conservationist, Ella Galaski-Rossen, started a nonprofit called the Cleanup Kids. Despite living in different countries, they managed to create educational videos on their YouTube channel. “We hope to be a really big nonprofit that eliminates plastic in the U. S. and Canada,” Cash said. “We want to inform kids and adults in the landlocked states on how their actions are connected to the water and the ocean,” Cash said.

Cash was selected as one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers of 2021 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. He also earned the title of National Honoree, where he received a$5,000 grant to go to a nonprofit of his choice, and he became the first person to win the Youth Conservationist Award two years in a row from the Tennessee Wildlife Federation.

“I want to travel the world, teach others, and help them feel connected to the ocean. Because if you are connected to the ocean-if you love it and what lives in it—you’ll want to protect it,” he said. “This is my fun, and it becomes more fun with every new discovery.”

1. Which can replace the underlined words “sit back” in paragraph 2?

A．Fall asleep.	B．Lose heart.
C．Turn a blind eye.	D．Lend a hand.

2. What is the purpose of starting the Cleanup Kids?

A．To recycle waste plastics.

B．To make instructive videos.

C．To spread marine knowledge.

D．To appeal for ocean protection.

3. Which of the following best describes Cash Daniels?

A．Sympathetic and devoted.	B．Initiative and talented.
C．Ambitious and humorous.	D．Determined and modest.

4. What does Cash Daniels story imply?

A．Passion fuels dreams.

B．Great minds think alike.

C．Helping others is of great fun.

D．Actions speak louder than words.

9 . 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 woke up to the sound of rumbling (隆隆声). At first, I thought it was thunder, but then I felt the ground shake beneath me. I sat up in bed, my heart pounding in my chest. It took a few moments for me to realize what was happening — an earthquake. I had always heard stories about earthquakes, but I had never experienced one myself. I knew that I needed to act fast to ensure my survival.

The room was shaking violently, and I struggled to keep my balance. I quickly got out of bed and tried to make my way to the door. I stumbled and fell a few times, but I managed to make it to the door and open it.

As I stepped outside, I met with chaos. The ground was still shaking, and I could hear the sound of buildings collapsing in the distance. People were running in all directions, screaming and crying. I knew that I needed to find a safe place to take cover.

I remembered reading that doorways were one of the safest places during an earthquake, so I made my way to the nearest doorway and waited there. The ground continued to shake, and I had never felt so scared in my life.

After what seemed like an eternity (永恒), the shaking finally stopped. I cautiously stepped out of the doorway, looking around at the destruction that the earthquake had caused.Buildings had crumbled to the ground, and fires were burning in the distance. I remembered that I had a survival kit in my car, so I made my way to the parking lot.

When I got there, I saw that my car had been crushed by debris (碎片) from a nearby building. I realized that I was on my own. I knew that I needed to stay calm and think rationally. I looked around and saw a group of people huddled together across the street. I made my way over to them, and they welcomed me into their group.

注意：
1．续写词数应为150个左右；
2．请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Together, we worked to find a safe place to take shelter.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Eventually, after a few days, help arrived, and we were brought to safety.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . 假定你是李华，最近你的笔友Tom发邮件告诉你，他想来新疆旅游，希望你能给他介绍一下新疆，请根据以下要点给他回一封邮件。

首府：乌鲁木齐(Urumqi) 位置：中国西北 面积：160多万 平方千米 历史：6000 多年

人口：约23,000,000 气候：四季分明 旅游景点：可可托海国家地质公园(Keketuohai National Geological Park)，伊犁的那拉提草原(Nalati Grassland in Yili)和吐鲁番的坎儿井(Karez Well System in Turpan) 美食：大盘鸡(Spicy Chicken with Potatoes )和羊肉串(Lamb Skewers)

注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯;
Dear Tom,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua