1 . For nearly as long as the modern computer has existed, it has been used to forecast the weather. First used during World War II to simulate (模拟) nuclear weapons, computers were soon adopted to simulate the future state of the atmosphere, creating the modern discipline of weather prediction. Although that discipline has grown ever more complicated and now produces reliable forecasts several weeks in advance, its approach remains the same: using large amounts of calculating power to solve equations (方程).

Over the past year, artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to change that. Tech companies including Google and Nvidia have trained AI models to predict the weather up to 10 days in advance, with an accuracy equaling or even topping traditional models — and with far less calculation overhead. Rather than solving equations, these AI models predict the near future based on patterns learned through training on 40 years of past weather, which is recorded by the traditional model of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the world’s top weather agency. Once trained, the AI models can work out a forecast on a computer in 1 minute rather than taking 2 hours to run on a supercomputer.

ECMWF has already begun to produce its own AI forecast, and other weather agencies are eager to catch up. The new models aren’t perfect. They struggle to predict certain essential features—hurricane intensity, for example. But AI forecasters will only improve as they begin to learn from direct weather observations collected by sensors, not just data already passed through existing models. Besides, their speed could allow agencies to run them over and over, as they capture in the atmosphere the full spread of uncertainty, be it necessary or unnecessary for weather prediction.

No one expects traditional weather prediction to disappear. Another branch, climate models, an extension of weather forecasting, for example, rely on equation solving just as traditional weather models do. But in the long term, the output of climate models may itself become training data for a climate forecasting AI, which might ultimately do a better job than the traditional models.

1. How do AI models predict weather?

A．By running on a supercomputer.	B．By recording traditional models.
C．By working on the existing data.	D．By making massive calculations.

2. What is a limitation of AI weather forecasters?

A．They may be overly operated.	B．They may be slow to respond.
C．They may confuse natural disasters.	D．They may bring unfair competitions.

3. What do we know about climate models?

A．They lack accurate data.	B．They need intensive training.
C．They work in a traditional way.	D．They determine weather forecasting.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．How Can AI Aid Atmosphere Study?

B．Should We Trust AI to Predict Hurricanes?

C．Weather Forecast Is Having an AI Moment

D．Tech Giants Are Competing in Data Collection

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。

Jessica and I wanted a dog more than anything else on Earth. At night, after Mom and Dad had gone to bed, Jessica and I would sneak out our bedroom windows and we’d sit together on the roof and talk about dogs. Sometimes, we had an argument about what our ideal dog would be. But it didn’t really matter — any dog or puppy (小狗崽) would do.

One summer night, as we sat together on the roof, Jessica saw something. “What’s that?” She pointed down toward a dark shadow on our driveway. The moon was up, and everything looked either black or milky. All I saw was darkness. Then the shadow moved. For one astonished second, Jessica and I just stared at each other. Then we scrambled down onto the porch. There in our yard stood a dog. A big, black dog with long hair. Jessica made a little kissing noise and held out her hand. And the dog came to us slowly, taking a few steps forward, then a step back, not sure whether to trust us, I guess.

“She’s a female,” said Jessica.

“Oh,” I said, pulling back and looking. The dog was so skinny and her coat was full of dirt. She must be a homeless dog.

“What can we give her?” I asked. Then I had a thought. “Bread! I’ll get her a big loaf of bread.” So, Jessica waited with the dog, and I sneaked into the kitchen to fetch the bread.

The dog got the bread and ran into the shadows and disappeared. We smiled at each other in the moonlight, our insides full of excitement. “We’re going to have a dog!” I whispered.

On the following nights, the dog, who we named “Shadow”, would come and Jessica and I would prepare food for her. But we never saw her eating anything, and each time she got the food she would run away into the darkness quickly.

“Why didn’t she eat?” I was curious. “And she is still so skinny.”

“We can look into the case,” Jessica said. So, we decided to find out the truth.

One night, we followed Shadow secretly at a distance.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Finally, we had a dog in our home and it was one of the puppies.

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3 . What event did the man participate in?

A．Waste recycling.

B．Beach cleaning.

C．Tree planting.

4 . 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。

One day my mom and I read a story on a magazine called Humane Society News. A wild dog named Solo died for lack of medical care after he was ill. I knew how sad the story was because my own dog, Kela, had recently died. My world had ended when I lost Kela. She had been my best friend since I could remember. The article continued to tell about wildlife rehabilitators. They nursed the sick animals back to health, but as more and more animals were rescued, the medical expense became a big burden for them. I immediately determined to do something for them. I may be a kid, but why can’t I do a fund-raiser to help save more dogs?

My mom thought it was hard for an eleven-year-old girl to raise, but she told me to go ahead and try it anyway. I realized that I needed a name for the fund-raiser and thought since I was trying to protect dogs’ life, I would call my program Help Dogs. I decided that pet stores would be really good places to go with donation boxes and Help Dogs flyers (传单). I used little green Chinese take-out boxes, decorated with a picture of Tiko, one of the dogs I chose to help, and me. I wrote on each box “Help protect the life of dogs by donating a dollar”. I thought my actions might not raise much money for the dogs, but they can at least increase people’s awareness of wild animals protection.

One afternoon, after all the boxes had been distributed throughout our community, I got a call from a local newspaper reporter who had seen one of my flyers. The reporter decided to do an article about Help Dogs. After the article came out, I waited for a few days before checking to see if there were any donations.

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。

I was really nervous when I finally went to collect the money.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I realized many people feel the same way as I did but didn’t know how to help.

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5 . About four weeks ago, our dear little Persian cat Ashleigh Faith died at the age of 16, for which we felt sad. We _________ her when she was five weeks old and bottle-fed her until she was able to _________ on her own. She was _________, weighing only six pounds at her heaviest weight. She was our baby, _________ all over the USA with us in our motorhome, then _________ at our home in Custer. She left a huge hole in our _________, and she had been my constant companion during the _________months of my stay in hospital.

Recently, our neighbor called and _________ asked if we knew anyone who did cat-sitting, as her mother was ill and she had to _________ her. She couldn’t __________ her cat Bella with her. My husband __________ said, “We’d love to take care of Bella.” We visit Bella each morning and afternoon, and she has been so __________ for us after our loss. Bella is ten months old, and very __________. We take Ashleigh’s laser light toy and Bella loves chasing(追逐)the red dot all over the house. She now __________ us at the window, and then races to the door to __________ us. Spending time with Bella is just what we need, and it helps our neighbor know that we take good care of her cat.

1.

A．adored

B．adopted

C．comforted

D．recognized

2.

A．eat

B．play

C．bark

D．sleep

3.

A．shy

B．smart

C．tiny

D．cute

4.

A．flying

B．pacing

C．rolling

D．travelling

5.

A．turning around

B．cheering up

C．settling in

D．dropping on

6.

A．eyes

B．hearts

C．clothes

D．walls

7.

A．tough

B．cold

C．embarrassing

D．relaxing

8.

A．secretly

B．anxiously

C．calmly

D．enthusiastically

9.

A．care for

B．rely on

C．come across

D．stare at

10.

A．shelter

B．mail

C．hide

D．carry

11.

A．amazingly

B．strangely

C．eventually

D．instantly

12.

A．disappointing

B．depressing

C．appealing

D．promising

13.

A．reliable

B．active

C．discouraged

D．disconnected

14.

A．watches

B．helps

C．fancies

D．approaches

15.

A．protect

B．drive

C．disturb

D．greet

6 . Few dogs are as energetic as Sedze, a white Shih Tzu whose name means “my heart” in the Dogrib language. Last summer, the little dog went through a life _______.

On August 13, Louise, the owner of Sedze, was _______ the camping bag under an evacuation order. A(n) _______ wildfire was getting close and most residents were instructed to leave the city. Louise and her friends _______ into two cars with their pets. They made their way onto the highway, heading toward an evacuation centre in High Level. After driving all night, the _______ group set up camp to have a rest before _______ the road again. But 20 minutes into the second half of their journey, one of Louise’s worst _______came to life: Sedze was missing.

The group _______ back, believing they may have _______ left Sedze there. But there was no ________ of her. After searching for 30 minutes, Louise and the others had to continue the journey, ________ but still holding out hope for a miracle.

Later that evening, the group finally arrived. Louise called her daughter, Jilaine, who lived in Calgary, and ________ the news. Ten minutes later, Jilaine called back with a hopeful ________. A man named Ryan had posted about a dog that he found on the Facebook. The dog looked exactly like Sedze! Louise got on the phone with Ryan and ________ Sedze’s identity with a description of a flower attached to her collar.

Sedze was alive and well. And as it turned out, Ryan had also evacuated to High Level. While talking, they discovered that they were standing on opposite sides of a street. “It was the greatest feeling when he brought her over,” she said. Today, Louise still ________ at their luck that Ryan found Sedze.

1.

A．experiment

B．competition

C．trial

D．game

2.

A．putting away

B．packing up

C．setting aside

D．reaching into

3.

A．mild

B．massive

C．controllable

D．avoidable

4.

A．crashed

B．marched

C．jumped

D．looked

5.

A．exhausted

B．satisfied

C．fascinated

D．annoyed

6.

A．building

B．hitting

C．crossing

D．blocking

7.

A．nightmares

B．memories

C．enemies

D．challenges

8.

A．held

B．walked

C．wrote

D．sped

9.

A．deliberately

B．accidentally

C．carefully

D．randomly

10.

A．evidence

B．impression

C．sign

D．point

11.

A．delighted

B．injured

C．frozen

D．heartbroken

12.

A．ignored

B．broke

C．covered

D．received

13.

A．burst

B．idea

C．update

D．improvement

14.

A．protected

B．confirmed

C．stole

D．hid

15.

A．looks

B．laughs

C．wonders

D．aims

7 . In order to meet growing food production and energy needs in low-and middle-income countries, solar-powered groundwater irrigation (灌溉) is rapidly gaining ground. More than 500,000 solar pumps (泵) have been set up in south Asia over the last few years and a major expansion is planned across sub-Saharan Africa.

Dustin Garrick, professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, along with an international team, examined the trend toward solar pumps as a clear opportunity for boosting agricultural yields and reducing poverty, but the opportunity comes with risks.

While replacing electric or gas pumps with solar-powered irrigation holds the promise of reducing carbon emissions (排放), it is not guaranteed. Farmers who have access to these pumps may expand production of crops or diversify into other activities, which are not emissions neutral. Solar pumps will increase groundwater pumping efficiency, which may be desirable in regions that support such increases, but this could worsen groundwater lessening in regions that are already stressed. The cheap clean energy of solar pumps may lead to increased groundwater development, without necessarily decreasing overall emissions.

Despite these challenges, the clean-energy boost can serve as a stimulus for positive change in water and energy management but will require enhanced regulation and planning in both low-and high-income settings. Garrick and his team advocate for improved data collection initiatives, with a shift from separated to integrated approaches. They suggest using technology to measure water pumping and collecting remotely sensed data to monitor land use changes. As well, regulatory improvements are crucial, with mounting limits for carbon emissions and groundwater lessening established at various levels.

With groundwater management already a difficult challenge, we must act fast to understand the implications of the clean energy boost and poverty reduction acts to avoid these gains being won away by wells running dry. The rapid adoption of solar irrigation intensifies the urgency, demanding adaptation from governments and institutions to sail through these complexities.

1. According to paragraph 3, there is a conflict between ________.

A．poor farmers and solar-powered irrigation	B．human consumption and clean energy limits
C．crop diversity and crop production expansion	D．pumping efficiency and groundwater exhaustion

2. What did Garrick and his team suggest for a positive change?

A．Integrating data collection and regulation.	B．Improving carbon emission monitoring.
C．Separating data for land use changes.	D．Establishing groundwater levels.

3. What does the author propose the readers do?

A．Perform as the authorities suggest.	B．Act based on further understanding.
C．Quicken the adoption of solar irrigation.	D．Challenge the groundwater management.

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

A．The Complexities of Adopting Solar Pumps

B．Solar-Powered Irrigation: Farmers’ New Future

C．The Promise and Risks of Solar-Powered Irrigation

D．Balancing Clean Energy Boost and Poverty Reduction

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Which pet may an outgoing person prefer?

A．A bird.

B．A dog.

C．A cat.

2. What may a cat owner be like?

A．Clever.

B．Sociable.

C．Careful.

3. What does the speech mainly talk about?

A．Pet people’s personalities.

B．More outgoing dog people.

C．Less sociable cat people.

9 . Finland’s system for returning drink containers started in the 1950s, and today almost every bottle and can is recycled. Convenience is the cornerstone of the system’s success.

Nowadays there are almost 5,000 container-return machines across Finland. Most of them are located in the same shops that sell drinks, making returning them a convenient part of people’s routine. Hotels, restaurants, offices, schools and event organizers return containers through their drink providers.

The return machines are easy to use. You place a bottle or can on a set of mini conveyor belts at the front of the machine. They carry it past a scanner and out of sight. The machine sorts the bottles and crushes the cans. When you’re done, you press a button and the machine gives you a receipt. Plastic bottles are worth 20 to 40 cents, depending on their size, while glass bottles are worth 10 to 40 cents and aluminium (铝) cans are 15 cents. The returned containers are recycled or the materials are reused. Across Finland, on average, every Finn returns 373 items in a year: 251 aluminium cans, 98 plastic bottles and 24 glass bottles.

The government has entrusted this function to the private agency. “Palpa is completely nonprofit and receives no government funding,” says Tommi Vihavainen, Palpa’s director of producer services, ICT and communication.

Russia, the UK and other countries have shown interest in the Finnish system. “Most visitors want to see how the return system works in Finland,” says Vihavainen. “We don’t act as consultants, but we’re proud to present our system.”

1. What do we know about Finland’s system for returning drink containers?

A．It still has a long way to develop.	B．It gains popularity for its convenience.
C．It used to be fashionable but now out-dated.	D．It’s supported financially by the government.

2. Why does the writer use the figures in paragraph 3?

A．To show Finns consume various drinks.	B．To help make the story more interesting.
C．To make the impact of the system convincing.	D．To guarantee the proper logic of the passage.

3. What’s Vihavainen’s attitude towards the return system?

A．Indifferent.

B．Positive.

C．Pessimistic.

D．Dismissive.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Finland’s recycling programme keeps bottles off streets.

B．The return machines in the world are popular and easy.

C．Palpa—a complete nonprofit to recycle the bottles.

D．Finland—a country free of waste such as bottles.

10 . Plogging is a great way to make your little area of the world a little cleaner, brighter, and safer while boosting your own health, fitness, and mood. This up and coming environmental activity began in Sweden in 2016.     1    . It is quite a common scene across other European countries, as well as the United States, Mexico, and other areas.

Definition of plogging

    2    . It is a term made by combining “jogging” with “plocka upp,” which is Swedish for “pick up.” Therefore, the plogging definition is an emerging fitness that involves picking up litter or trash while you run.

Benefits of plogging

Because plogging typically involves jogging or running, there are many health benefits to this eco-friendly fitness trend. However, the benefits extend beyond just improving heart health.     3    . First, it improves mood and makes you feel good about yourself. What’s more, it gives back to your community and connects you online and builds social connections with other ploggers.

How to get started

Before you start, you’ll need to outfit yourself with the right gear to get the job done. If you’re already running or jogging, you should have a good pair of running shoes and running apparel (装备).     4    . Otherwise, broken glass and sharp and dirty litter items you may pick up will hurt you. A trash bag of some sort for collecting what you pick up is a must as well.

    5    

Theoretically, you can go plogging almost anywhere you have permission to be. Depending on where you live, you may encounter trash along the side of the roads, parks, school playgrounds, trails, parking lots, town squares and bike paths.

A．How to do plogging

B．Where to go plogging

C．It has since spread around the world

D．Here are some of the top benefits of plogging

E．It’s important that you have the right footwear

F．Beyond that, you’ll need a good pair of gloves to protect your hands

G．Plogging is not, in fact, a compound word of “plodding” and “jogging”