1 . Children at boarding school get the best night’s sleep because of strict lights out time, according to a recent study, which was presented at Sleep Down Under, the 33rd yearly scientific meeting of the Australasian Sleep Association. Professor Kurt Lushington, a psychologist who led the study; said, “It is a naturalistic experiment showing the key to good sleep in teenagers is quite simple: a good timetable and no mobile devices(设备) at night.”
Over the past 20 years, the time children spend sleeping has fallen and only half regularly get more than seven hours. The recommended amount is eight to ten. The biggest problems are smartphones and tablets (平板电脑) whose blue light wakes the brain, making it harder to drop off.
An Australian team compared sleep patterns of 15 to 18-year-olds at a school in Adelaide. The 59 boarders had to leave their phones in a kitchen area or on their desk before bed and turn their lights out by a set time. They slept for an average 8 hour 26 minutes a night compared with 7 hours 46 minutes for day pupils.
Lack of sleep affects mental health and school performance and causes behavioral problems. It has also been connected with the child obesity epidemic and other diseases. This year an American study found that teenagers who didn’t get enough sleep took in extra sugar during a school year. They ate sweets, cakes, chocolate and biscuits and drank fizzy drinks to promote their energy levels.
Lushington recommends that parents reach agreement on not using a phone. This is most likely to work if they do likewise and offer other enjoyments, such as books. “I think if you put these rules in place, kids will go along with them,” he told New Scientist.
1. What is the secret to teenagers’ good sleep according to Paragraph 1?| A．Strict lights out time. | B．More physical exercise at school. |
| C．Good bedtime plan and more playtime. | D．Regular schedule and no mobile devices. |
| A．Fall asleep. | B．Fall behind. | C．Give up. | D．Calm down. |
| A．Bad examples of school performance. |
| B．Bad effects connected with lack of sleep. |
| C．Behavioral problems caused by bad eating habits. |
| D．The relationship between school performance and sleep. |
| A．Teachers leaving less homework. |
| B．Students choosing proper sleep patterns |
| C．Parents as well as children not using phones. |
| D．Parents sending their children to boarding schools. |
2 . It had long been troubling a little boy that his desk mate could rank 1st in the class every time while he failed to: he only ranked 21st.
At home, he asked his Mom, “Mom, am I more stupid than others? I feel I am as
There were times when she wanted to tell him. “Your father and I used to be
Time flew swiftly. To reduce the
When lying on the beach, Mom pointed to the
Now, the son no longer worries about his rankings, because, with the 1st ranking, he is admitted to a top university.
1.| A．clever | B．determined | C．mindful | D．Hardworking |
| A．wordless | B．crazy | C．shy | D．missing |
| A．method | B．degree | C．intelligence | D．result |
| A．opinion | B．practice | C．interest | D．case |
| A．outgoing | B．outstanding | C．active | D．ambitious |
| A．hit | B．hold | C．blame | D．block |
| A．answer | B．question | C．excuse | D．explanation |
| A．debt | B．tension | C．comment | D．burden |
| A．pains | B．tragedies | C．risk | D．loss |
| A．back | B．sky | C．front | D．feet |
| A．sharply | B．slightly | C．dramatically | D．quickly |
| A．assignment | B．acquisition | C．project | D．process |
| A．accidentally | B．finally | C．carefully | D．patiently |
| A．slower | B．swifter | C．nervous | D．anxious |
| A．emotional | B．moving | C．typical | D．continuous |
With the development of economy, people tend to pursue high quality living conditions. Most of the parents try their best to offer their children comfortable circumstances, but they seldom have time to stay with their children. In my opinion, no matter how busy they are, they should make the best use of their time to stay with their children.
Every time when parents take them to the amusement park, help them to prepare their birthday parties, applaud for them when they are competing in the sports meeting, the time they spend with children will become treasure in their memories.
Children need the direction from their parents. There is some wrong behavior in our society, such as dishonesty, violence and so on. Children have weak resistance in defending this negative influence. In this case, parents’ instructions seem to be very important to children’s growth. Parents should sit down and talk with them about what they should do and should not do.
I do not deny that there are some disadvantages in spending too much time with children. Some parents restrict their children, and give them little freedom to develop their interests. Therefore, I emphasize that parents should educate and instruct their children appropriately in their spare time apart from their busy work.
写作内容：你将参加一场主题辩论会，主题为“父母该为孩子的行为习惯负责吗?”参赛前，你要查阅相关资料，并准备你的主题发言，请仔细阅读下文，然后完成以下的任务：
以约30个词概括短文的要点；
然后以约120个词就“父母该为孩子的行为负责吗?”这个主题发表你的看法，并包含以下的内容要点：
你认为父母是否该对此负责，并阐明你的理由；
你对父母们的建议。
写作要求：你可使用实例或其它论述方法支持你的论点，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不能抄袭阅读材料中的句子。
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4 . Aesthetic (审美) education aims to enhance aesthetic perception, experience aesthetic qualities, stimulate aesthetic creativity, and promote aesthetic judgement.
In order for kids to be able to appreciate natural wonders, shapes and pictures, they must be able to first notice them. This is why the development of the ability to notice the beautiful is the primary task of aesthetic education.
It is essential to allow children to participate in activities that will develop their creative abilities.
Judging or evaluating aesthetic qualities demands formed evaluation criteria. In order for beauty to reveal its true value, we must be familiar with its particularities. Throughout the process of aesthetic education, various types of knowledge, abilities and evaluation criteria must be applied.
| A．Aesthetic qualities have to be felt. |
| B．Beauty can be found all around us. |
| C．The beautiful will be likely to be created. |
| D．And it is these that the aesthetic experience is built upon. |
| E．In some way, this is the ability to perceive aesthetic qualities. |
| F．This way, the child will develop the foundations for assessing the beautiful. |
| G．This is not so much about creating aesthetic abilities in the sense of training artists. |
5 . Teaching comedy is a delicate craft that Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Teaching Artists handle with expertise. Sabrina Mandell, specializing in clowning and physical comedy, believes in starting with examples of what she finds funny, helping students understand humor and its subtlety (微妙之处). She emphasizes the importance of discovering what works for individuals rather than specifying a right way.
Overcoming fear is crucial in comedy, with Mark Jaster noting that comedians must be willing to push beyond social norms. Sabrina also advocates opening up emotionally, recognizing the closeness of laughter and tears. After all, pushing students to face fear head-on can tap into their full comedic potential.
Precision is also essential in comedy, requiring crisp, clean, and well-timed performance. Jim Gagne emphasizes the need for precision in comedy compared to the flexibility allowed in drama. Teaching comedic timing is challenging, with some students naturally possessing the talent, while others need more guidance to refine this essential skill. Jim, however, believes it can be developed through awareness, practice, and thorough exploration.
Play and fun are crucial in teaching comedy. Sabrina emphasizes the importance of rediscovering the joy of play. Mark envisions a comedy lab where exploring its mysteries is as significant as its performance.
Despite the desire for laughs, teachers emphasize the importance of storytelling within comedic scenes. Jim provides a valuable insight: “In drama, you throw the dishes down; in comedy, you throw them up.” This comparison underscores that comedy demands a different approach, one that is more lighthearted and humorous. Nevertheless, the ultimate goal is to truly engage the audience and genuinely make them laugh.
1. What does Sabrina Mandell find important when teaching comedy?| A．Conveying her sense of humor to students. | B．Prioritizing storytelling over humor. |
| C．Focusing on creating physical humor. | D．Inspiring students to explore their humor. |
| A．fear is one of the primary sources of humor | B．comedians need to go beyond social conventions |
| C．laughter and tears enhance the comedic effect | D．it enables people to unlock comedic potential |
| A．He considers it merely a natural gift. |
| B．He emphasizes precision more in comedy than in drama. |
| C．He thinks teaching precision requires a sense of timing. |
| D．He believes precision in comedy is similar to flexibility in drama. |
| A．Comedy aims to find out mysteries. |
| B．Comedy requires a serious and dramatic approach. |
| C．Comedy brings the audience new inspirations. |
| D．Comedy can be taught through play and exploration. |
1.诚信的重要性及不诚信对社会造成的危害；
2.如何践行诚信（如：个人在日常生活和学习中的做法等）；
3.号召大家践行诚信。
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数；
3.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Hello, everyone! I’m honoured to have a chance to talk about integrity.
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That’s all. Thank you for your listening.
7 . In one’s lifetime, especially during adolescence when mental maturity is yet to be achieved, everyone is likely to make some foolish mistakes that will be remembered for a lifetime. The way parents
When I was ten years old, I got really angry one day and ended up breaking my favorite pen. Instead of scolding me, my parents chose a different
In the beginning, I couldn’t understand why they didn’t yell at me or punish me
The silence from my parents
Time
| A．put off | B．give in | C．lead to | D．deal with |
| A．approach | B．career | C．punishment | D．expectation |
| A．unique | B．expensive | C．damaged | D．magic |
| A．practical | B．powerful | C．well-organized | D．challenging |
| A．directly | B．gently | C．quietly | D．openly |
| A．secretly-promoted | B．newly-invented | C．highly-recommended | D．ill-considered |
| A．catch up with | B．in terms of | C．take control of | D．team up with |
| A．whispered | B．spoke | C．shouted | D．remained |
| A．essential | B．rough | C．average | D．satisfactory |
| A．reflect | B．fight | C．scream | D．dream |
| A．freezes | B．flies | C．talks | D．cures |
| A．happiness | B．imagination | C．regret | D．creativeness |
| A．planed | B．bought | C．set | D．taught |
| A．drew | B．compared | C．terrified | D．shaped |
| A．pens | B．consequences | C．parents | D．people |
8 . Imagine a school where students are taught by the best teachers in every subject, regardless of locations. Imagine a school where children can go on safe field trips to the Amazon rainforest or Everest base camp. Well, such schools are already being built: in virtual reality(VR).
Last month, Optima Academy Online (OAO) was launched in Florida and started to deliver courses for elementary, middle and high schools and 170 full-time students from all over the state signed up. They used VR headsets for about three hours a day for formal lessons and then do course work independently with digital check-ins.
It is worth watching how such educational experiments develop. Used properly, the VR technology can help students to access learning resources and be connected with fellow students and teachers all over the world. But if employed poorly, it will have the opposite effect and turn a digital inequality into an educational one.
There is growing evidence to suggest that it is happening. In Mexico, according to a survey, only 24% of 15-year-old students in poor schools have access to home computers for schoolwork compared with 87% in rich ones. As reported in another study, some students in northern England have been forced to travel around on the Greater Manchester train network or camp out around McDonald’s to access free WiFi because they cannot do their schoolwork at home.
“VR technologies will be widely used in education. The only questions are: for what purpose and at what speed?” says Beeban Kidron, a member of the UK’s Digital Futures Commission. “The trouble is that they are too often seen as a shiny new toy that will solve all problems and save money rather than being viewed as a means to enrich learning.”
The inescapable truth is that there is nothing that can replace teachers educating students in safe schools—ideally, with access to well-designed technological platforms. Leaving children in their bedrooms with just VR headsets and no physical social interaction with other kids will fill-many of them—and their parents—with horror.
1. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 1?| A．Lead in the subject for discussion. |
| B．Provide some advice for the readers. |
| C．Show the advantages of VR headsets. |
| D．Introduce an unsuccessful online school. |
| A．To relax themselves. | B．To enrich their learning. |
| C．To make their study fun | D．To get free WiFi service. |
| A．will replace traditional learning | B．are the future of education |
| C．will become a very helpful tool | D．are a means to save money |
| A．Supportive | B．Disapproving. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
9 . On June 6th Columbia University announced that it will no longer cooperate with US News World Report’s undergraduate rankings. It is the first top institution to do so. Might its departure be the start of a mass departure?
Columbia’s decision follows a ranking scandal (丑闻) last year. In February 2022, one of Columbia’s own maths professors accused the college of having used “outdated and/or incorrect data” in several areas.
In the 1980s, potential students started to expand their college search beyond their local area, and it was hard to learn about universities and compare them. Hence, US News began ranking America’s top universities in 1983, and has released its findings annually since 1988.
Universities have put in significant effort to move up in the ratings. Richard Freeland, Northeastern University’s former president, capped class sizes to enhance student engagement and guarantee class quality. Consequently, it moved from 127th in 2003 to 44th this year.
The ranking system used to seem unstoppable. Universities have tried to get rid of it before, only to find that doing so can backfire badly. US News still ranks non-participating universities, using publicly available information, and the data often do not go in their favour. Columbia did not submit data for this year’s analysis, and its ranking fell from second in 2021-22 to 18th in 2022-23.
Recently the mood has begun to change, however, especially among graduate schools. In 2022, of the 15 highest-ranked law schools, only the University of Chicago submitted data.
In May US News announced changes to its ranking methodology. It is moving away from metrics (度量标准) that rely on reputation and towards student outcomes. One way or another, the rankings-and universities more broadly-are in a state of constant change.
1. What is true about the US News undergraduate rankings?| A．It faked the information for the ratings. |
| B．It filled an information gap in the past. |
| C．It promoted the quality of higher education. |
| D．It’s been released every year for 40 years. |
| A．Limited. | B．Maintained. | C．Increased. | D．Doubled. |
| A．Its information will be removed. |
| B．It will be excluded from the list forever. |
| C．Its ranking will probably suffer consequently. |
| D．It will certainly be charged with using incorrect data. |
| A．the changing mood of universities |
| B．the instant fame of universities |
| C．achievements of university graduates |
| D．scores given by former students |
10 . The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in educational technology has brought convenience and efficiency to classrooms worldwide. However, despite these advancements, it is crucial to recognize the significant challenges it poses to the autonomy and professional judgment of instructors. One of the primary concerns associated with AI-driven tools in education is the depersonalization of instruction. These tools often rely on pre-packaged digital content and standardized solutions, leaving little room for instructors to tailor their teaching methods.
Each student possesses unique characteristics, including distinct learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Instructors, armed with their wealth of experience and expertise, are best positioned to customize their approaches to meet these individual needs. They know how to adapt to their students’ varying learning styles. However, AI-driven platforms restrict their ability to do so effectively, resulting in a one-size-fits-all approach that fails to engage and inspire students to reach their maximum potential.
The implications of this depersonalization are far-reaching. By diminishing(降低) the role of instructors as facilitators of meaningful educational interactions, we run the risk of preventing the growth of critical thinking and problem-solving skills among students.
Education should not merely focus on knowledge acquisition (习得), but should also develop the ability to analyze, evaluate, and apply that knowledge in real-world contexts. It should help one’s mind grow, not simply possess information. Through dynamic classroom discussions, cooperative projects, and hands-on activities, instructors play a vital role in cultivating these essential skills. AI-driven platforms, with their standardized solutions and automated features, are ill-equipped to provide the same level of engagement and intellectual stimulation as human instructors. While AI-driven platforms undeniably have their advantages, we must not lose sight of the importance of preserving instructors’ autonomy and the educational experience they provide.
1. Why do AI-driven tools fail to help instructors adjust their teaching methods?| A．Their solutions will be challenged. | B．They don’t have professional judgement. |
| C．Their digital content is set previously. | D．They think little of the students’ autonomy. |
| A．They are more professional. | B．They can satisfy individual needs. |
| C．They have higher efficiency. | D．They adopt one-size-fits-all approach. |
| A．Their response in classroom discussions. |
| B．Their ability in solving real life problems. |
| C．Their willingness to cooperate with others. |
| D．Their adaptability to various learning styles. |
| A．Doing cooperative projects. | B．Organizing hands-on activities. |
| C．Developing thinking ability. | D．Evaluating students’ development. |
