1 . In 2019, Thierry Henry, a bus driver, found there was a rise in bike thefts in his city, Reykjavik. Rather than ________ that the bike was gone forever, he decided to take matters into his own hands and started to track down the bikes and return them to their ________ owners.

The 44-year-old has helped return hundreds of stolen bikes in the past 4 years. His social media account has over 14, 500 members and helps people track down more than just lost bikes. His page ________ to people who have lost tools, cars and other items of high value. On top of his noble act, Henry has helped the bike ________ to reform in the process.

________, Henry would deal with the thieves with anger. However, over time, he realized that most of the thefts were driven out of poverty and other issues. He went from feeling ________ towards the thieves, to developing empathy (同理心) for their situations. It was very tough at first. But Henry decided to try to ________ them and just talk to them.

From this moment onward, he reached out to the thieves, offering help and guidance. After the change in his ________, Henry found that the bike thieves began to often hand back the bikes to him. Amazingly, some former thieves that Henry helped now ________ him in looking for the stolen bikes.

“It’s like a ________ that has got bigger and bigger, ” says Henry. “It’s not only me. Many times, someone spots a bike hidden in a bush and takes a picture. Then someone else comments, ‘hey, that’s my bike’”.

Thanks to Henry, everyone’s looking out.

1.

A．claim

B．expect

C．accept

D．realize

2.

A．new

B．honest

C．careless

D．rightful

3.

A．belongs

B．extends

C．returns

D．refers

4.

A．owners

B．makers

C．thieves

D．sellers

5.

A．Initially

B．Unknowingly

C．Incredibly

D．Unwillingly

6.

A．regretfully

B．negatively

C．guiltily

D．helplessly

7.

A．level with

B．reply to

C．side with

D．apologize to

8.

A．plan

B．occupation

C．habit

D．approach

9.

A．assist

B．trust

C．engage

D．drag

10.

A．dream

B．snowball

C．rainbow

D．balloon

2 . On Feb. 21, four students were standing on the side of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu when a driver going 110 miles per hour lost control of his car and it crashed into the parked vehicles.12 people were killed at the scene, including 2 drivers.

This kind of traffic death shouldn’t be called an accident. In Los Angeles, we seem to have accepted constant carnage (屠杀) in our streets in exchange for maximizing driver speed and convenience. The official responses to proven traffic dangers are mere gestures, if even that.

Los Angeles is a uniquely deadly city with a death rate that is four times the national average. Unsurprisingly, it’s also a city that has been designed with one thing in mind: a concept called level of service, which grades streets on how well they serve those in automobiles. To many Angelenos, that makes sense — to design our streets for car traffic, which is the way many get around the city. Unfortunately, we don’t recognize that there’s a trade-off. We can either have streets bettered for free-flowing traffic, or we can design streets for people to move around safely outside of cars.

City leaders consistently choose for the easy but deadly option. In one recent example, a resident asked the city’s Department of Transportation to block drivers from using Cochran Avenue at Venice Boulevard as a cut-through street, as they were speeding through a quiet residential neighbourhood. The department responded by suggesting a “speed awareness campaign” in which neighbours put up yard signs urging drivers to slow down.

People don’t drive based on signage, but they drive on the design of the street. The trunk roads of Los Angeles such as Venice Boulevard all need to be revised so that people are prioritized over cars. This would include narrowing travel lanes (道), building bike lanes, and banning right turns at red lights. These measures would make drivers feel like they’re in a city and not on a highway. A recent John Hopkins study says this would have substantial safety benefits.

With more than 7,500 miles of streets in the city of Los Angeles, they won’t all be rebuilt anytime soon. But with each road construction project, or each crash, we should be revising streets to make them safer for all road users.

The solution to traffic jam isn’t to make more space for cars. It’s to design the streets to be safe enough for alternatives such as biking, walking and mass transit, especially for the 50% of trips daily in Los Angeles that are less than three miles. The solution to protecting people dining outdoors isn’t crash barriers. It’s a street design that forces drivers to go slowly. The problem is carnage in the streets, and we know the solutions.

1. Why should the traffic death in Los Angeles be called “constant carnage”?

A．The traffic accidents happen quite often.

B．Too many people are killed in the traffic accidents.

C．The drivers’ speeding is to blame for the traffic death.

D．City leaders’ consistent choice contributes to the traffic death.

2. What does the word “trade-off” underlined in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?

A．Balance.

B．Guideline.

C．Conflict.

D．Resolution.

3. According to the passage, which is a likely solution to the traffic problem?

A．To widen travel lanes.	B．To add more crosswalks.
C．To arrange more traffic police.	D．To punish speeding drivers.

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．Drivers first or walkers first?	B．Traffic death or constant carnage?
C．More warning signs or safer designs?	D．More narrow lanes or speedy highways?

3 . Eleven o’clock at night saw a large woman with a large purse walking alone, when a boy ran up behind and tried to snatch (抢夺) her purse. But the boy lost his balance and fell on his back. The woman picked him up firmly by his shirt front.

“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” shouted the woman. Two or three people passed, stopped, and stood watching.

“I’m very sorry, lady. I’m sorry,” whispered the skinny little boy, in broken tennis shoes.

“Um-hum! And your face is dirty,” said the large woman dragging the frightened boy. “Since you put yourself in contact with me, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Jones.”

He began to struggle, but Mrs. Jones continued to drag him up the street. When she got to her door, she dragged the boy inside. “What’s your name?” the woman asked.

“Roger,” answered the boy in a low voice. “Then, Roger, you go to that sink and wash your face,” ordered the woman and finally let go of him.

“You gonna take me to jail (监狱)?” asked Roger, bending over the sink.

“Not with that face,” said Mrs. Jones. “I believe you were hungry to snatch my purse.”

“I wanted a pair of blue shoes,” replied the boy.

There was a long pause. After he had dried his face, the boy turned around. The door was open. He could run!

After a while the woman said, “I was young once and I wanted things I could not get. I have done things too, which I would not tell anybody else, son.” There was another long pause. The boy’s mouth opened.

Then Mrs. Jones went to do the cooking. She did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run, nor did she watch her purse left behind her. She did not ask him anything about where he lived, or his folks. Instead, as they ate, she told him a lot about her job in a hotel shop and how all kinds of people came in and out. She cut him another piece of her cake.

When they finished eating, she got up and said, “Now, here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue shoes. Do not make the mistake, because shoes come by devilish ways like that will burn your feet.”

She led him to the front door. “Good night! Behave yourself, son!” she said, looking out into the street.

1. How did Roger feel when Mrs. Jones mentioned her past?

A．Frightened.

B．Surprised.

C．Settled.

D．Ashamed.

2. Why did Mrs. Jones call Roger son?

A．She intended to go easy on him.

B．He reminded her of her own son.

C．He put himself to be in contact with her.

D．She lacked an excuse to teach him a lesson.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Mrs. Jones?

A．Kind and generous.	B．Able and ambitious.
C．Frank and cooperative.	D．Calm and courageous.

4. What can be mainly concluded from this passage?

A．Home is where the heart is.

B．Life is full of ups and downs.

C．A best parent is to lead by example.

D．A good deed shines the light into the dark.

4 . We need people like you, who understand the power of science, to fund the research that will change lives in the future.

By donating to the Medical Research Foundation (MRF), you’ll be funding the research that future generations will depend on. MRF is an independent charity, focused solely on funding quality medical research. With close links to the Medical Research Council (MRC), we’re able to choose the most impactful studies and adapt quickly to meet any emerging health crisis, thanks to the support of people like you.

Your gift can support some of the brightest scientific minds. Many of these scientists are at the beginning of their careers, when funding is hardest to secure. Your support at this critical time can provide the springboard that a scientist needs to drive their research and career forward, ensuring they can continue to make life-changing discoveries.

MRF has supported researchers tackling pressing challenges like the Bird Flu, as well as vital areas of research that are often overlooked by other funders, ensuring we fill the gaps in our medical knowledge and protect the future of human health.

As someone interested in science, you will understand that while no one can predict what we will face next, we can be certain that it is only through ambitious, high-quality medical research that we will meet whatever new challenges come our way. By leaving a donation, you can have a lasting impact on science and on the future of human health.

1. What does the MRF mainly do?

A．Provide service for the MRC.	B．Predict emerging health crisis.
C．Fund quality medical research.	D．Donate to people interested in science.

2. By leaving a donation, you can ______.

A．fill the gaps in medical knowledge

B．tackle the future pressing challenges

C．choose the most impactful medical studies

D．support some of the brightest scientific minds

3. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To raise medical research funds.

B．To introduce the impact by donation.

C．To analyse the health crisis in the future.

D．To employ people devoted to medical research.

5 . 阅读短文，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。

Are you still discussing and getting your head round Chat GPT,    1    potential will disturb everything from marketing to education? Well, Sora is about     2    (blow) those debates wide open. OpenAI’s Sora, a text-to-video AI model capable of generating     3     (remarkable) realistic and imaginative scenes from text instructions, just entered the chat room. A world where reality bends to the will of words has arrived,    4    (shape)a new era not just for technology but for humanity itself.

6 . 阅读短文，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。

Although Start of Autumn, the 13th traditional Chinese solar term, often indicates the     1     (begin) of autumn, heat waves will not come to an end. The period of high temperatures,    2     (call) “Autumn Tiger”, usually lasts for about 30 days. Because of decreasing precipitation(降水), it is even hotter during this period than Major Heat. As the saying goes, “If it rains     3    the day of Start of Autumn, a good harvest is expected.”

7 . 阅读短文，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。

In my old school days, running     1    (consider) boring and painful for me. When I started to work, I realised exercise should be part of my lifestyle. Later, running became my career. Over the years, I     2    (coach) many running teams. Needless to say, running has its benefits. It is believed     3    running can decrease the risk of death. So are you currently not doing it? I encourage you to start now.

8 . In Thailand, human-elephant conflict is increasing. To local farmers, elephants threaten their safety and economic livelihood.

Bring the Elephant Home (BTEH) is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to increase chances of survival for elephants and work towards a world in which people and elephants can live in harmony, benefting from each other’s existence. BTEH’s projects root in local communities. Their work is characterised by three principles:local involvement, a healthy ecology, and benefits for people and elephants simultaneously (同时地). They lead to shared decision making, ownership of local communities, sustainability, and a peaceful coexistence of people and animals.

A group of BTEH researchers and local farmer volunteers are experimenting with how to make the plantations less appealing to elephants and prevent them from coming into the farms. And the Tom Yum Project comes into being.

The name of the Tom Yum Project comes from the Thai soup. The ingredients (原料) for the soup are chilli, garlic, lemongrass, and onion—none of which are attractive to elephants. This project gives hope to alternative crops as a solution to human-elephant conflict in Thailand. The project works in the following steps.

The Tom Yum Project is the first research and community-based alternative crop planting initiative to promote human-elephant coexistence. Now, some similar projects will be carried out in Sri Lanka.

1. According to the passage, BTEH’s mission is to

A．develop rural communities	B．create healthy environments
C．improve local economic livelihood	D．promote human-elephant coexistence

2. In the Tom Yum Project, researchers and local farmers_______.

A．form some guarding teams	B．volunteer to collect ingredients
C．experiment with alternative crops	D．provide elephants with the Thai soup

3. In which step do farmers turn the harvested crops into organic honey or teas?

A．Step 2.

B．Step 3.

C．Step 4.

D．Step 5.

9 . Physicist and Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman developed a clever learning method known as the Feynman Technique. It involves explaining what you're learning to others. By teaching what you’ve learned from memory, you engage in active recall.     1     It also ensures that you understand the topic, because you can only explain an idea if you truly understand it. The technique consists of four repeatable steps.

To begin, choose a concept or topic you wish to fully understand.     2     The more interested you are, the faster you’ll grasp it. Moreover, a personally interesting topic will keep you motivated and engaged.

    3     Write notes and explain it in a way that makes sense to a five-year-old. If you’d rather avoid actually teaching someone, you can just teach it to an imaginary audience. But it works much better if you use a real person. They’ll be able to let you know when something isn’t clear.

While teaching you may discover gaps in your understanding.     4     Review your notes, reread books, or seek external help to ensure you have a complete understanding of the context before moving forward.

Now that you fully grasp the concept, test your understanding by trying to teach it to another person. This will help you identify any remaining areas of uncertainty you need to revisit.

The Feynman Technique is a great way for kids and grown-ups to learn.     5     You need to actively think about the problem instead of passively reading or listening to someone else. However, with great efforts in mastering this method, you’ll see your learning results improve quicker than ever before.

A．It is mentally demanding.

B．This helps the information stick in your mind better.

C．Teach it to a five-year-old, who would give you direct feedback.

D．Your curiosity about it will determine the pace of your learning.

E．Once you have chosen a topic, you can teach it to someone else.

F．Active engagement plays a key role in promoting deeper learning.

G．When this happens, refer back to the original material for the missing pieces.

10 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。

In order to fit in and make friends in a new school, Amanda observed how her classmates behaved and interacted with each other. Gradually, she perfectly adopted the mannerisms of   the classmates around her, laughing at their jokes, nodding in agreement with their opinions, hiding herself into someone she thought others wanted her to be. We’ve all done these. This is social masking, the process of holding back or hiding our natural way of interacting with others so we can feel accepted.

In a world that often tells us to just be ourselves, you might wonder why many of us rely on social masking. “Social masking happens because we as a species want to be included,” says psychologist Dipti Tait. “It’s a tribal (群体的) thing of being together rather than being on our own. We all have certain masks to protect ourselves from exposure and difference.” While masking can help us deal with social situations, it can also come with negative consequences. Hiding our behaviours and interests constantly can lead to a strong feeling of separation, disconnection, and internal conflict. As a result, we may experience a heightened and increased possibility of developing depression as westruggle to understand social situations and signs that others take for granted.

Fortunately, a mask is not our own skin. We may feel extremely tired after social engagements and want to spend time alone in order to feel like ourselves. “The goal is to feel safe enough to remove the mask,” says Tait. “It’s crucial for individuals to receive acceptance and support for who they are, rather than feeling like they need to hide their true selves in order to fit in.”

1. What is social masking?
_____________________________________________________________
2. Why do many of us rely on social masking?
_____________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
When people struggle to understand social situations that others consider normal, they will feel less depressed.
_____________________________________________________________
4. In addition to masking, what else can you do to fit in when you are in a new environment? (In about 40 words)
_____________________________________________________________