1 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号所给词的正确形式填空。

Released on Aug 30, 2023, a three-episode web series     1     (title) Escape From the British Museum has become popular online for its touching and innovative story. The series follows the journey home of a Chinese jade teapot that has come to life as a girl. She runs away from the British Museum and comes across a Chinese journalist     2     helps the artifact (文物) return to China. The series aims to raise broader awareness of Chinese artifacts that     3       (keep) abroad.

3 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。请在答题卡指定区域作答。

I always wanted to be like explorers Marco Polo or Ibn Battuta. They traveled the world with curiosity and a desire to share with others the marvels they discovered. They had no Internet, guidebooks, social media, blogs, vlogs, reviews, or slideshows. And with so much information available, how can one possibly be like these travel writing pioneers?

The answer may shock you as it did my travel journalism students. I plan nothing in advance except for a place to stay and let the place reveal itself to me on its own terms. And how does that work out? I have contributed to 130 international publications with articles about what I discovered.

I do not recommend this approach to everyone. But what I do suggest is that you give up your desire to have everything planned in advance, and that you stop obsessing about all the trip details and trying to make it a perfect trip. Whether you are traveling with a tour group, friends, family, or solo, leave unstructured time, so magic can happen.

Many people I know approach travel like a job, and a stressful one at that. They want to make sure they cover all the bases and don’t miss anything. But in my opinion, they copy what others have done before them and check each site off on a list.

So how do you make your trip unique? I call it slow travel. It’s not just about slowing down. Instead of running from place to place, you look around you, you take your environment in, you notice things that perhaps no one has ever noticed before. You can start talking to people. Random people you meet and talk to are a key element you cannot plan for. They may tell you about places and events that will enrich your trip. They give you local insider tips. They may even accompany you or invite you to join them for an experience. They have enriched every trip I have taken. And the more you talk to people — even if you are shy — the more you develop the self - confidence to do more of it. And then you are really in the present, having an experience that is uniquely yours.

1. Why does the author’s way of travelling shock her students?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What does the author think of most people’s way of travelling?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.

You can make your trip unique by making a detailed plan, noticing new things in the place and meeting local people to experience local life.

___________________________________________________________________________
4. Besides slow travel, in what other aspect （s） in our life do you think we should slow down? Why? （In about 40 words）
___________________________________________________________________________

4 . In 1992, Edward de Bono argued that “creativity is the most important human resource of all.” But might computers have the capacity to be creative? Could artificial intelligence outperform us in even the most human of phenomena? These questions have moved to the forefront of society with the launch of ChatGPT and DALL-E, two powerful deep learning models capable of creating art.

Where human creativity comes from is a complex and heavily-debated topic. One theory supposes that creativity emerges from solving problems in new ways. The game designer Mark Rosewater explains that “if you use the same neural pathways, you get to the same answers, and with creativity, that’s not your goal.” But studies from the University of Virginia suggest humans most default (默认) to solving problems by building on known solutions, restricting originality. Some neuroscientists propose another theory regarding creativity. Research from the University of Calgary reveals that when being creative, humans don’t use the same brain regions associated with thought and problem-solving, implying that creativity is primarily an unconscious process. According to this theory, the brain solves problems best when not directly focusing on them using the frontal lobe (前额叶) , instead letting the other parts of the brain take over.

A. I. cannot currently emulate (仿真) the full complexity of the human mind. Do these deep learning networks even have the required components that we use when we are creative? Douglas Hofstadter explains how “emergent phenomena,” such as creativity, correspond to connections between levels within mental systems. Similar connections could exist in artificial neural networks, even if the mechanics differ. For example, modern artificial intelligence employs attention circuits that may cause it to behave similarly to the frontal lobe where most of the brain’s focusing tendencies come from.

The emergent nature of creativity opens the door for similar tendencies in machines, but they are tuned so carefully to copy existing ideas that it may not be enough for true originality. Mr. Rosewater’s theory on creativity suggests that for A. I. to be creative, it should be able to solve problems in new ways, which is difficult because A. I. is based so heavily on already existing ideas. Alternatively, if creativity is an unconscious process as the University of Calgary research suggests, then it occurs mostly outside the frontal lobe and may not exist in machine learning networks. Either way, current A. I. probably lacks the capacity for genuine creativity and originality, but it can combine existing ideas in interesting ways.

The question of machine creativity has repercussions in many areas, such as developing copyright law regarding A. I. works, considering A. I. submissions in art contests, and determining the use of ChatGPT as a tool for school assignments. Creativity may be, at least for now, a unique human quality. Computers are not yet starting revolutionary artistic movements, but they are already combining what exists into something new, challenging us to look deeper into our own creativity.

1. About the source of human creativity, research from the University of Calgary discovers that ______.

A．human creativity heavily relies on the existing ideas

B．dealing with problems helps develop human creativity

C．being creative is closely related to certain brain regions

D．human creativity is a process that happens automatically

2. The author would probably agree that ______.

A．efforts should be put into the study of human creativity

B．creativity can be attained consciously on most occasions

C．A. I. creates better than humans in some areas at present

D．humans need machines to be more creative in various areas

3. What does the underlined word “repercussions” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Influences.

B．Objections.

C．Doubts.

D．Causes.

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

A．Computing Creativity: Is it a good thing?

B．Computing Creativity: Can it be possible?

C．Human Creativity: Why does human develop it?

D．Human Creativity: How can A. I. help human create?

5 . Baleen whales play a vital role in ecosystems. To communicate across vast distances and find each other, baleen whales depend critically on the production of sounds that travels far in dark oceans. However, since whale songs were first discovered more than 50 years ago, it remained unknown how baleen whales produce their complex vocalizations (发音).

A new study in the journal Nature reports that baleen whales developed unique structures in their larynx (喉) that enable their low-frequency vocalizations, but also limit their communication range. The study was led by voice scientists Professor Coen Elemans and Professor Tecumseh Fitch. “The toothed whales and baleen whales were initially land animals that had a larynx serving two functions: protecting the airways and sound production. However, their switching to living in the water placed new and strict demands on the larynx to prevent choking underwater,” says Tecumseh Fitch.

The study shows that baleen whales nevertheless can still produce sound with their larynx, but they have developed new structures to do so, which only exists in baleen whales. “This is probably to keep a rigid open airway when they have to move huge amounts of air in and out during explosive surface breathing,” states Fitch. “We found that this U-shaped structure pushes against a big fatty cushion (垫) on the inside of the larynx. When the whales push air from their lungs past this cushion, it starts to shake and this generates very low frequency underwater sounds,” says Elemans.

To understand how muscle activity could change the calls, the researchers built a computational model of the entire whale larynx. The model predicted the natural vocalizations of the whales very well. However, these newly discovered features that allowed whales to successfully communicate in the vast oceans also poses huge physiological (生理的) limits for many baleen whales. Combining experiments and models, the researchers provide the first evidence that baleen whales are physiologically incapable of escaping noise caused by humans, because it covers up their voices, and thus limits their communication range. “Unfortunately, the main frequency and depth of man-made noise caused by shipping traffic cover the frequency range and maximum communication depth of 100 meters that we predicted,” Elemans says.

The first voice recordings of a certain whale song by Roger and Katy Payne in 1970 attracted global interest in sea conservation efforts. The Payne’s made people aware how quiet the seas were before humans started the widespread use of machine ships. Elemans adds: “Compared to the seventies, our oceans are now even more filled with human-made noise, which affects the whales, because they are dependent on sound for communication. Now we show that despite their amazing physiology, they literally cannot escape the noise humans make in the oceans.”

1. What can we know about baleen whales’ vocalization system?

A．Their airways are closed during explosive surface breath.

B．Their larynx has difficulty preventing choking underwater.

C．Their vocalization system changed when they were land animals.

D．Their fatty cushion shakes to make low frequency underwater sounds.

2. The researchers’ experiments and models show that ______.

A．baleen whales are incapable of recognizing humans’ noise

B．the muscle activity is related to the vocalizations of the whales

C．human-made noises disturb baleen whales’ communication range

D．the bodily features in baleen whales limit their communication depth

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Sea conservation efforts used to be better than now.

B．The special structure protects Baleen whales from noises.

C．Actions should be taken to regulate human activities at sea.

D．The application of technology contributes to sea conservation.

6 . Interested in writing, photography or current events? Looking for an experience to inspire your college essays? Or hoping to explore a world-class city with new friends this summer? If so, check out the Boston University Summer Journalism Academy. It’s a program created and run by Boston University, where high school students:

●     Learn from award-winning, working journalists — including two who have shared in Pulitzer Prizes for their reporting.
●     Report on actual events around Boston or your hometown.
●     Place stories with Boston’s Daily Free Press, one of the top college newspapers.
●     Improve their writing, interviewing, and research skills — applicable for any major and career.

The academy offers two options: an on-campus, residential program over three weeks for students with journalism experience, and a learn-from-home program over two weeks for all experience levels. For students interested in photography, we offer a special photojournalism track for both. Every option is organized in three sections:

●     Classroom starts each day with a review of journalism fundamentals in a collegiate format. A university-level journalism textbook provides daily readings and writing assignments.
●     Newsroom provides time for students to apply what they learn in the Classroom to hands-on journalism assignments. Over the rest of their day, students conduct interviews and gather information.
●    Guest Talks offer students advice and insight from journalism experts in topics such as radio reporting and studying journalism in college. Sessions feature a Guest Talk during each three-week session from journalism experts. Students also visit city newsrooms to hear from famous reporters.

Applications for the on-campus session June 24 to July 12 are due: April 19. Applications for learn-at-home sessions starting June 17, July 1 and July 15 are due: May 10.

●     On Campus, residential: Three weeks, including tuition (学费), activity fees, room and board: $ 6,200. ($ 400 discounts for Early Bird applicants by Mar 8!)

Learn-from-Home: Two weeks, tuition: $ 1,500. ($200 discounts for Early Bird applicants by Mar 8!)

1. In the program, participants can ______.

A．develop their interviewing skills

B．finish their college essays with help

C．get inspiration from retired journalists

D．publish stories in Boston official website

2. If one chooses to learn in on-campus program, one needs to ______.

A．pay at most $ 1,500	B．apply before May 10
C．have journalism experience	D．have knowledge in photography

3. What will the three sections provide for participants?

A．Advice and insight from top photographers.

B．Reviews of reading and writing fundamentals.

C．A weekly talk with leading journalism experts.

D．Chances to put journalism knowledge into practice.

7 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号所给词的正确形式填空。

Wake up early enough and probably you     1     （hear） a pleasant chorus of birds. This early singing can start as early as 4 a. m. and last for several hours. Birds do it     2     （attract） mates and warn other birds to avoid their place. One theory as to     3     they choose the early morning to communicate these important messages is that the low visibility makes it hard to do other bird activities, like searching for food. Keeping their activity level low, they choose to sing instead.

8 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号所给词的正确形式填空。

In America, people use both “fall” and “autumn” to describe the     1     (three) season of the year. According to Dictionary. com, these two words were first documented within a few     2     (century). The period between summer and winter was called “harvest”     3     old English. This word has Germanic origins highlighting the act of gathering and preserving crops before winter. In the 1500s, English speakers     4     (begin) referring to the season between cold and warm months as the “fall of the leaf” which later shortened to “fall”.

9 . Everyone carries a shield（屏障）. Our shields protect what we don’t want others to see, from our embarrassing secrets to our unpredictable feelings.     1     But the problem is that shields can become heavy burdens — easy to put on yet difficult to remove — with terrible effects.

Since shields encourage us to hide negative parts of ourselves, we can start to believe that we aren’t worth showing. We might fear how our friends will judge our struggles or how our families will view our ambitions.     2    

However, we have to remember that we aren’t perfect, nor should we expect to be. We need to find and cure the wounds underneath our shields, but that means we have to let down our guard. We may even have problems we haven’t admitted to ourselves.     3     Even if it seems insignificant, every problem should be acknowledged before it grows. Before being cured, we must know that we need to be cured, and be okay with admitting that.

Knowing this takes bravery and patience, so it’ll be hard.     4     Yet asking for help means admitting our problems to somebody else — it means letting them see what’s behind our shields. To make it easier, we can reveal ourselves to somebody close to us who we trust will understand us and provide personal support. Or, if we fear judgement, we can open up to someone distant but knowledgeable, such as a counsellor or a help line. No matter what, we can find help when we begin searching.

    5     We can be more forgiving of faults so we can become comfortable with ours and encourage others to follow. Most importantly, we can let people know that we are willing to listen and help and make it easier to let down our shields.

A．This is not a bad thing.

B．We need to be understood.

C．We shouldn’t expect to do any of it without help.

D．In short, we have the power to change this phenomenon.

E．Hence we decide to hide ourselves underneath our masks.

F．If you can’t trust your partner, it won’t be easy to let them in.

G．Maybe we’re hiding something from a friend or scared to admit an error.

10 . It was my first day of high school, and it was my first day of school in a new city. There was only one thing on my mind: what to wear. A good image is everything, so it was important for me to _______ the people who I would spend the next four years with.

For the first time in my life, I thought about how convenient it would be to wear the school uniform. After carefully selecting, I emerged proudly in a patterned dress. An hour later, I felt _________ as I stepped off the bus and headed toward room 1136. But as I turned the corner into my first class, my jaw dropped to the floor.

Sitting at her desk was Mrs. Hutfilz, my English teacher, _______ the exact same dress as I. I kept my head down and tiptoed to my seat, but the first day meant introductions in front of the whole class, and soon enough it was my _______. I made it through my minute speech, until Mrs. Hutfilz stood up, jokingly adding that she liked my _______. Although this was the moment I had been worrying from the moment I walked in, all the _______ that had increased surprisingly melted away; the students who had previously been staring at their phones _______ their heads as I shared my story. My smile grew as I laughed with my peers, ending my speech with “And I am very stylish, much like my first period _______.” After class, I stayed behind and talked to Mrs. Hutfilz, sharing my previous worry about coming into a new school and city. I was _______ to make a humorous and genuine connection with my first teacher, one that would continue for the rest of the year.

While my first period of high school may not have gone exactly the way I thought it would, it certainly made the day __________ in the best way, and taught me that Mrs. Hutfilz has an awesome sense of style!

1.

A．impress

B．surprise

C．please

D．encourage

2.

A．shy

B．lucky

C．free

D．powerful

3.

A．preparing

B．wearing

C．hiding

D．designing

4.

A．turn

B．chance

C．reward

D．solution

5.

A．writing

B．style

C．speech

D．voice

6.

A．happiness

B．confidence

C．boredom

D．anxiety

7.

A．nodded

B．buried

C．raised

D．touched

8.

A．neighbor

B．peer

C．teacher

D．friend

9.

A．relieved

B．nervous

C．patient

D．embarrassed

10.

A．unpredictable

B．unforgettable

C．unbearable

D．unchangeable