1 . A British man is excited but exhausted after becoming the tenth Briton to reach the summit (顶点) of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.

Jake Meyer 34, a mountaineer and army reserve officer, reached the 28,251 ft (8.611 m) summit at 8 am local time on Saturday after a five-day climb from base camp. He had to spend two nights at a camp on the way to the summit to allow a snowstorm to pass.

“This has been a journey more than ten years in the making, and my third attempt at this extraordinary mountain,” he told The Times. “While we were lucky with a weather window for our summit day, the conditions were still incredibly challenging at times, I’m happy to be back at base camp and I know my family and friends will be relieved that K2 is in the bag.

Mr Meyer, from Gloucestershire, who reached the summit of Qomolangma at the age of 21. has been chronicling (按时序记载) his climb on social media, sending out a picture from the summit. After a two-day journey to base camp, he said,“I’m just looking forward to getting home to my incredibly supportive wife.”

K2 was first summitted in 1954 by two Italian climbers, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. It is the tallest mountain in the Karakoram range on the border of China and Pakistan. And it is the second most dangerous mountain in the world, killing every one climber out of four. Climbs are generally attempted in the summer due to the mountain’s severe weather.

This was Mr Meyer’s third attempt, after journeys in 2009 and 2016 were abandoned due to bad weather. Poor conditions also forced him to turn back last week in his attempt to reach the summit of Broad Peak, the 12^th highest mountain in the world and another of the “eight thousanders” — the 14 mountains in the world above 8,000 meters. He came within 150 meters of the top, which he was attempting to reach alone in preparation for his K2 climb.

1. What does the underlined phrase “a weather window” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．A piece of equipment for forecasting weather.	B．A window through which people look out.
C．A machine to protect against bad weather.	D．A period of suitable weather conditions.

2. What do we know about K2 according to paragraph 5?

A．The first attempt to climb it was made in 1954.

B．Climbing it is dangerous with a high death rate.

C．It is the most difficult to climb due to its poor weather.

D．None of the attempts to climb it were made in winter.

3. What do we know about Jake Meyer?

A．He spent five days climbing K2.	B．He was the third man to reach the top of K2.
C．He failed twice in his attempt to climb K2.	D．He reached the summit of Broad Peak last week.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A story collection.	B．A newspaper report.
C．A research paper.	D．A personal diary.

2 . 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。

The Angkor Archeological Park,    1     (lie) in Northwest Cambodia’s Siem Reap province and listed as a World Heritage in 1992, is the most popular tourist destination in the kingdom. It is also home     2     91 ancient temples built between the 9th and the 13th century. Cambodia     3     (have) a significant rise in the number of Chinese holidaymakers to its     4     (fame) park during the past two months in a state-owned Angkor Enterprise’s report, in which     5     total of 235,850 foreigners from 169 countries and regions toured the ancient park, up 50 percent in the same period last year.

Officials hope that the 2024 Cambodia-China Exchange Year would help bring Chinese tourists to Cambodia, especially to the Angkor. “I’m super confident that this year will become a new     6     (rise) force to attract more Chinese tourists,” Tourism Minister Sok Soken addressed at the launching event. He also said China was the fifth     7     (large) source of international tourists to the Angkor after South Korea, the USA, France, and Britain,     8     presence has significantly benefited the kingdom’s tourism development, economic growth and poverty     9     (reduce). He believes that the Chinese-invested Angkor International Airport, which officially launched its commercial operations in November 2023, would help motivate more international     10     (invest) to pump in fresh capital.

3 . In a study from Washington State University, researchers have uncovered a significant correlation between the closeness of older adults to green and blue spaces and their mental and physical well-being. The study offers convincing evidence that even small increases in access to nature can remarkably improve the health outcomes of older adults.

A mere 10% increase in forest space within a person’s living environment is linked to a noticeable decrease in serious psychological conditions. This type of suffering includes mental health challenges that need treatment and block normal social, occupational, or educational functioning. Similarly, the new study proves that enhancing green spaces, water bodies, or trail lengths by 10% appears to lower the likelihood of older individuals reporting their overall health as poor.

The researchers analyzed health survey data from over 42,000 people aged 65 and above living in urban areas of Washington state, spanning (跨越) the years 2011 to 2019. The experts related the health outcomes of these individuals to various measures quantifying their access to nature within their living areas.

Initially presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in April 2023, the research focused only on the link between psychological depression and closeness to natural spaces. The final study expanded to include additional metrics (指标) such as green space percentage and trail length, also taking into account demographic variables (人口统计变量) like race and education.

“Our findings suggest that abatement of our urban green and blue spaces due to rapid urbanization may not just have an environmental impact but could have a public health impact as well,” said Adithya Vegaraju, first author of the study.

Vegaraju said this research is among the first in the U. S. to specifically investigate the relationship between access to nature and health in the older population.

1. What does the author intend to stress in the second paragraph?

A．Access to nature can improve the elders’ mental health.

B．Older individuals are more likely to get close to nature.

C．Green space is an ideal place for educational functioning.

D．A person’s social interaction is linked to more green space.

2. How do the researchers conduct the research?

A．By changing old people’s living habits.	B．By tracking and recording the aged people.
C．By comparing various measures in the study.	D．By analyzing the participants’ related data.

3. What does the underlined word “abatement” mean in paragraph 5?

A．Solution.

B．Impact.

C．Loss.

D．Power.

4. What does Vegaraju think of the study?

A．It needs further research.	B．It’s a pioneer research work.
C．It is beneficial to everyone.	D．It will be used in other fields.

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What color should be used to paint living room walls?

A．Red and purple.

B．Green and blue.

C．Yellow and white.

2. How does orange make people feel?

A．Energetic.

B．Cheerful.

C．Imaginative.

3. Which room should be painted white?

A．The kitchen.

B．The dining room.

C．The bathroom.

4. Who will answer the phone if one calls 8745632?

A．An expert.

B．A painter.

C．A cook.

5 . 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。

Tobias Baumgaertner has taken many amazing photos as a wildlife     1    (photograph). But very few photos reach a lot of people and touch their hearts like the two penguins that are displaying the     2     (beautiful) of love.

In 2019, Tobias spent three nights with     3     colony of fairy penguins in St Kilda Pier in Melbourne, Australia. During that time, he noticed a pair standing out from the group. One penguin had its wing gently resting over the other in     4     appeared to be a loving embrace (拥抱).

Tobias didn’t know that loss connected the two. “A volunteer told me that the white one was an elderly lady who     5    (lose) her partner, and so had the younger male to the left.” he explained. “They often meet, comforting each other and standing together     6     hours watching the dancing lights of the nearby city.”

Moved, Tobias set out     7     (record) their heartwarming moments. It took days, but he left with two perfect photos— and two examples of how love can heal. Tobias shared the photos on Instagram,    8     (write), “During hard times the truly lucky ones are those that can be with the people they love most.”

His photos became     9     (extreme) popular, touching thousands.     10     one person put it, “It’s the cutest, most heartwarming thing I’ve ever seen.”

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，并将答案填写在答题卡上。

Longmen Grottoes

Set on the banks of the Yi River, 12km south of the current Luoyang City, the Longmen Grottoes are ranked first of the Four Great Grotioes in China, together with Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Yungang Grottoes in Datong and Mount Maiji Grottoes in Tianshui. They were also listed in the World Cultural Heritages and Relics by UNESCO in 2000.

    1     (Locate) between the Xiangshan Mountain and the Longmen Mountain, with the YiRiver flowing below, the Longmen Grottoes are     2     (harmony) with mountains, forests and rivers displaying a peaceful atmosphere. Viewing it at a distance, it looks like     3     natural gate, which gave it the name “Yi Que (the gate of the Yi River)”. According to legend,     4     Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty climbed on Mount Mang north of Luoyang, he was very pleased and ordered the eastern capital     5     (build) here with its palace gate opposite the Yique. Thus, it came to be named, Longmen Gate.

Longmen Gate also houses     6     (rough) 2860 stele inscriptions (碑刻), making     7     a treasure for ancient calligraphy study. In total, more than 100,000 Buddhist statues and niches     8     (carve) into the cliffs by ancient Chinese people ranging from the largest one, the Vairocana Buddha with a     9     (high) of 17.14 meters,     10     the smallest one of 2 centimeters.

Wandering in the Longmen Grottoes, one is amazed by the delicate carving skills, deep Buddhist culture and great art achievements of Chinese people.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How much rubbish have people created in Britain this year?

A．416 million tons.

B．404 million tons.

C．400 million tons.

2. What can we learn from the research?

A．Britain is the most wasteful country in the world.

B．People who live on their own create more rubbish.

C．The rubbish problem is not so serious as scientists think.

3. What is the most terrible thing according to Dave?

A．People don’t like to use rubbish bags.

B．The rubbish always gives out a bad smell.

C．People’s incorrect behavior makes recycling difficult.

4. What is the main purpose of the talk?

A．To criticize rich families for producing so much rubbish.

B．To call on people to find ways to deal with the rubbish problem.

C．To explain why people pay little attention to the rubbish problem.

8 . When it comes to endangered species, most of you may think of pandas. But did you know that bees are disappearing too? Last year, the US Fish & Wildlife Service added seven bee species to the endangered species list. What if bees die out one day?

Just in case they do, Japanese scientists have created a mini drone to pollinate (给……授粉) plants, just like bees, reported CNN.

The drone has a piece of horsehair with gel (凝胶) on it. The gel lets the drone pick up and put down pollen grains (花粉粒) from flower to flower.

The drone still needs to be improved. It cannot make honey or work without human help. The cost of up to$ 100(about 690 yuan)per drone is also high.

However, it’s still a meaningful exercise, because pollination is important for human beings. Without pollinators, fruit and vegetable production will drop by 23 percent and 16 percent respectively around the world, reported The Lancet, a UK magazine.

Bees are one of the most important pollinators, however, their numbers are dropping quickly. Bee numbers in the US have dropped by 30 percent in the past five years, according to Global Research, a Canadian research organization. The situation is similar in other countries.

Although scientists are still trying to find the cause, there are several possible reasons. First of all, more farmers are using pesticide (杀虫剂). Besides, different illnesses have caused the deaths of many different species of bees. Finally, global warming has changed the bees’ living environment.

In the future, scientists will use GPS and Al to improve the drone.

1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

A．Pandas are endangered animals.	B．Some bee species are dying out.
C．We need to protect bees.	D．Humans’ activities have made bees die out.

2. What can the mini drone do?

A．Make honey.	B．Work without help from humans.
C．Pollinate flowers.	D．Protect bees.

3. According to The Lancet, vegetable production will drop by _________without pollinators.

A．23 percent

B．16 percent

C．30 percent

D．39 percent

4. The passage above may come from a(n)_________.

A．story

B．advertisement

C．science magazine

D．diary

9 . What is sustainable travel? Traveling sustainably means being aware of the impact of tourism on the environment and following good practices to reduce the negative effects. Planet Earth has limited resources and mass tourism puts their existence at risk.     1     Nature, culture and history should be preserved, not commercialized to attract tourists.

Let’s find out a few easy ways to travel in an eco-friendly way.

Stay in eco-friendly accommodations.

From renewable energy production to bio-architecture, eco-friendly accommodations focus on preserving the environment and have positive environmental effects.     2     Staying in eco-friendly accommodations also supports the local economy. In fact, most environmentally friendly accommodations offer zero-kilometer, organic food.

Take public transportation.

    3     By using public transport, the number of cars on the roads decreases and less carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) is released into the atmosphere. Also, fewer vehicle s reduce traffic congestion(阻塞) on the roads.

    4    

Interaction with locals is one of the most rewarding things about sustainable travel and preserves traditions passed down from generation to generation. It is essential to respect traditions as they form the identity of the local community and create a sense of unity among people.

Say NO to single-use plastics.

Saying NO to single-use plastics reduces pollution. The production of plastics uses fossil fuels(化石燃料) and therefore releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.     5     As tourists, we should be mindful of how we travel and our impact when we arrive at a destination.

A．However, this is not all.

B．Buy from and support local businesses.

C．Respect the culture of local communities.

D．Therefore, sustainable travel is a way to preserve nature.

E．Traveling slow allows you to enjoy the scenery along the way.

F．This practice helps reduce air pollution and improve traffic flow.

G．In addition, numerous plastics end up in oceans every year, threatening sea life.

10 . After a week of talks in Canada, negotiators (谈判者) from 170 countries have a “clear path to landing an ambitious deal” on plastic pollution at a final round of negotiations in South Korea in November, Inger Andersen, executive director of the U. N. Environment Programme, said in a statement.

“The work, however, is far from over,” she added. “Some countries continue to block a crucial measure: a global limit on the production of new plastic, which is essential to control pollution.”

Plastic is made from fossil fuels, and major oil and natural gas producers like Russia and Saudi Arabia have been widely criticized for throwing up roadblocks in the negotiations in order to protect future profits. However, scientists and environmentalists say the United States also bears a lot of blame. The country is the top producer of oil and gas globally, and it has the world’s biggest economy, which has historically given the U. S. huge power in environmental negotiations.

Critics say American negotiators haven’t been willing to push for a global cap (限额) on plastic production, and are instead throwing their weight behind measures like recycling that are favored by the country’s fossil fuel and petrochemical industries.

Erin Simon, head of plastic waste and business at the World Wildlife Fund who attended the talks in Canada, says the U. S. and a lot of other countries are brainstorming and trying to come up with creative solutions to meet everybody’s needs as best as possible.

The State Department has said that for an agreement to be effective, it needs to be supported by every country, including nations that are major producers of fossil fuels and plastics. More than 50 countries now say they want an agreement to include targets for reducing plastic production.

“The drumbeat to reduce plastic production is growing from countries worldwide,” Ana Rocha, the director of global plastics policy in Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, said in a statement. “More and more leaders are waking up to what the science and our lived experiences tell us: plastic is pollution, and we need to stop it where it starts.”

1. What is the key to controlling plastic pollution according to Inger Andersen?

A．Limiting the use of second-hand plastic.

B．Raising people’s environmental awareness.

C．Reducing the worldwide production of plastic.

D．Passing laws to regulate the disposal of waste plastic.

2. What measures do Americans prefer to handle plastic pollution?

A．Stopping producing plastic.	B．Sharing quality plastic.
C．Forbidding using plastic.	D．Recycling used plastic.

3. What is necessary to make the agreement effective?

A．All countries’ support.	B．The shared laws.
C．Everyone’s permission.	D．Creative solutions.

4. What can we infer from Ana Rocha’s words?

A．Plastic production is reducing all the time.

B．The plastic pollution should be handled technically.

C．People’s awareness of reducing plastic pollution is increasing.

D．More leaders realize lived experiences can help handle plastic pollution.