1 . 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。

According to legend, the Yellow River flooded during the period of Emperor Yao, and the people     1     (force) to leave their villages, and went to live in trees or on mountain tops. The flood     2     (bring) great misfortune to the people. So Yao assigned (指派) Gun to regulate it. Gun wanted to cut off the flood with stones     3     failed. Then, Shun assigned Yu, Gun’s son, to continue the work. Having learned     4     (he) father’s lesson, Yu dredged (疏浚) new river     5     (channel) as outlets, guiding water into river and river into sea. Day by day, year by year, Yu spent thirteen years     6     (govern) the flood without a break. It was said that during the thirteen years, he passed his home three times, but did not enter     7     his task was completed. His efforts not only solved the flood problem, but contributed to the     8     (develop) of agriculture.

In the face of difficulties, we should have the wisdom     9     (overcome) difficulties and the spirit of public selflessness. We also need powerful spirit and strong faith, only     10     that way can we work together to deal with a variety of difficulties.

2 . Ms. McIntyre, 38, worked as a publisher. She suffered brain cancer and her health got worse despite some medical treatment. But she realized that in a way, she was luckier than some other people. She had insurance to help pay for her medical care. But Ms. McIntyre and her husband, Mr. Gregory, knew that many people with cancer face tough decisions because of the costs of medical care and wind up owing far more than they can pay.

Though her health was failing, Ms. McIntyre decided to help pay off the medical debts of as many people as she possibly could. The couple began donating money to a group called RIP Medical Debt, which is committed to working to pay off the unpaid medical debts of others. The group can pay off medical bills for about 100 times less money than they cost. In other words, for every 100 donated, the group can pay off 10,000 in unpaid medical bills.

Unfortunately, Ms. McIntyre passed away before long. Mr. Gregory posted a message for Ms. McIntyre on her social media accounts. “If you’re reading this, I have passed away,” the post began. Then the post explained, “To celebrate my life, I’ve arranged to buy up others’ medical debts and then destroy the debts.”

The couple had set up a page on a website to raise money for this purpose. They had hoped to raise about $20,000. Nevertheless, Ms. McIntyre’s last post attracted a lot of attention. The donations on her web page quickly passed the total goal. In less than a week, the site had raised 10 times more than expected and the donations are still coming in. By November 22, 2023, Ms. McIntyre’s web page had raised over $627,000, or enough money to pay off about $60 million in medical debts.

Mr. Gregory planned a special event in December to celebrate Ms. McIntyre’s life and to announce how many millions of dollars of medical debts her efforts had paid for.

1. Why did Ms. McIntyre feel luckier than some other people?

A．The doctors eventually cured her.	B．Her disease didn’t become worse.
C．She had a decent job before being ill.	D．She had security about medical care.

2. How did Ms. McIntyre and her husband help others?

A．By paying for their daily debts.	B．By giving away money to them.
C．By ridding them of debts from treatments.	D．By purchasing medical insurance for them.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The public involvement.	B．The couple’s commitment.
C．The operation of a website.	D．The increase of medical debts.

4. Which of the following words can best describe Ms. McIntyre?

A．Humorous and elegant.	B．Influential and understanding.
C．Cautious and promising.	D．Enthusiastic and adaptable.

3 . Four Art Study Abroad Programs in 2024

Whether you love art history, dance, photography, writing, or beyond, here are the top art programs to attend in 2024.

The 6-week Gap Year Course in Italy | Art History Abroad
Program length: 6 weeks in summer
Price: $10,000

If you’re interested in studying artists, criticism, and painting techniques during periods like the Renaissance and styles like baroque, Romanesque, and modern art, then this program is for you. It prides itself on not simply teaching art but also culture and an appreciation of beauty.

Creative Internships (实习) in Australia with ABI | ArtBound Initiative
Program length: 1 month
Price: $3,250

If you’ve ever had an interest in pursuing a career in the creative industry, consider an internship opportunity with ArtBound Initiative. Interns can work in exciting overseas locations while getting one-on-one career coaching from professionals.

The Irish Arts and Culture Program | Irish Gap Year
Program length: 1 semester
Price: $17,000

Explore your own areas of interest as you work side by side with local Irish artists, photographers, writers, and musicians, learning about Ireland’s rich cultural and artistic heritage. Your hands-on experience goes hand in hand with day trips to galleries, museums, and castles, and at the end, you’ll have the opportunity to exhibit your works at the Le Cheile Art Expo.

Creative Semester in France | Berridge Programs
Program length: 1 semester
Price: $16,500

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced performer or artist, your interests and talents will be nurtured by industry professionals. During your time here, you will work on improving your skills which will end with a feature film or creative performance.

1. Where should you go to obtain career guidance according to the text?

A．France.

B．Australia.

C．Italy.

D．Ireland.

2. Which program enables participants to display their works?

A．The 6-week Gap Year Course in Italy.

B．Creative Internships in Australia with ABI.

C．The Irish Arts and Culture Program.

D．Creative Semester in France.

3. How much should an artist pay to improve his performing skills?

A．$3,250.

B．$10,000.

C．$16,500.

D．$17,000.

4 . Dusting is particularly annoying. Nearly two-thirds of household dust content comes from the outdoors, some of which may contain harmful chemicals. So, keeping your home as dust-free as possible is important to improve overall health.     1    ？

In general, you should dust your home’s most exposed surfaces on a weekly basis. This means items such as tables, shelves, beds, dressers, counter-tops and windows.     2    . Use microfiber or natural-fiber cloths that will pick up the dust.

Change your bed sheets weekly, as dust mites (螨) especially love bedding.     3    . Every three to six months, clean behind and under furniture, and wash your bedding.

Since so much dust comes in from the outdoors, you can cut down on the amount gathering in your home by keeping doors and windows closed as often as possible, and placing carpets on both sides of doors.     4    , changing them for a pair of slippers or private house shoes.

Get rid of odds and ends, which can easily attract dust, and be careful how you handle clothes. Since clothes both collects dust and sheds (掉落) fibers, regularly wash any clothes or don’t throw clothing on the ground.

When you’re getting ready to clean a room, always work from the top down.     5    , the dust on the highest surfaces will drift down to everything you’ve just cleaned.

A．If you dust from the bottom up

B．How can we keep the home dust-free

C．Why should we keep the home dust-free

D．You can remove your shoes when you come home

E．You can buy some new shoes before you return home

F．Don’t use feather dusters that simply push the dust around

G．Items that don’t collect dust easily can go a month without cleaning

5 . Everyone deserves healthy meals. However, unfortunately, not everyone has ________ to fresh foods, ________ those in poor communities.

A teenager named Lauren Schroeder ________ this when she volunteered at a community food nonprofit. All vegetables for families in need came in cans and boxes, rather than straight from the fields. ________ to make a change, Lauren set out to grow produce so she could donate it to ________ families.

“I wanted people to get the nutrition they needed from fresh vegetables,” Lauren said. This ________ her to start a garden on her parents’ farm. While her mom was supportive, she made her ________ of how much work it would take-still, the teenager ________ the challenge.

To kick-start her project, Lauren got economic ________ from the National FFA Organization, which ________ agricultural education, to pay for seeds and gardening supplies. Then, the ________ work began. Since the summers in Iowa are very hot and dry, she had to water them daily. Lauren added, “I did a lot of research online and every day, it took about two or three hours.”

But all her efforts ________. Her first harvest resulted in 40 pounds of produce. “It was really good to know that anyone who wanted fresh vegetables would be able to get the ________,” Lauren said, “I knew that I wanted to keep going.”

So far, she has spent over 1,000 hours working in the garden, producing 7,000 pounds of vegetables. “I want to ________ community members. It makes a(n) ________ when you help other people out. That’s what makes me happiest,” Lauren said.

1.

A．invitation

B．access

C．admission

D．ticket

2.

A．especially

B．actually

C．obviously

D．extremely

3.

A．confirmed

B．appreciated

C．recognized

D．identified

4.

A．Arranging

B．Determining

C．Struggling

D．Pretending

5.

A．musical

B．familiar

C．unique

D．low-income

6.

A．recommended

B．reminded

C．inspired

D．requested

7.

A．aware

B．confident

C．certain

D．free

8.

A．took up

B．looked into

C．applied for

D．went over

9.

A．guidance

B．support

C．pressure

D．benefit

10.

A．organizes

B．expects

C．promotes

D．demands

11.

A．amazing

B．specific

C．professional

D．tough

12.

A．worked out

B．paid off

C．broke off

D．wore out

13.

A．reward

B．rescue

C．honour

D．donation

14.

A．impact

B．impress

C．challenge

D．observe

15.

A．discovery

B．profit

C．difference

D．intention

6 . Selecting gifts for your beloved ones can be one of the most difficult parts. But don’t worry! We can help! Here are some gift ideas to suit all pockets.

Air purifier

Do you have a loved one who suffers from allergies (过敏) or other skin diseases? Why not gift him or her an air cleaner? Research has shown that air purifiers can help reduce allergy reactions, remove asthma (哮喘) causes such as dust by improving air quality in your home. Look for purifiers with more than one filter and, especially, a high efficiency air filter.

Electric toothbrush

One review of 56 studies has found that a powered toothbrush resulted in a 21 per cent reduction of plaque and an 11 per cent reduction in gingivitis (牙龈炎) after three months, compared with a manual toothbrush. It’s also a fun way for children to look after their dental hygiene.

Dark chocolate

Nothing screams a gift quite like chocolate. Good news is that dark chocolate is associated with several health benefits. Small amounts of this sweet treat may lower the risk of heart disease, improve brain function and give your immune system a boost, potentially reducing infection.

Your time

Quality time spent with your nearest and dearest is completely free, but is the most precious gift you could give them. If you’ve been too preoccupied of late, determine to put aside more hours to do fun things together, or if you have time to devote to others outside your immediate circle, consider volunteering with Age UK as a friend to an elderly person.

1. Which of the following is suitable for someone with a dental problem?

A．Air purifier.	B．Electric toothbrush.
C．Dark chocolate.	D．Your time.

2. What do the first three presents have in common?

A．They belong to tech presents.	B．They are non-physical objects.
C．They are intended for the elderly.	D．They help promote healthy living.

3. What is special about the last present?

A．It is priceless.	B．It is worthless.
C．It is physical.	D．It is rare.

7 . How much salt is too much salt? Unfortunately, it’s most likely the amount you’re consuming.

A new study published Monday in the journal JAMA found that cutting one teaspoon of salt a day results in a decline in blood pressure comparable to taking blood pressure medication.

Humans need sodium (钠), which is found in salt, for our bodies to work properly. It plays an important role in nerve and muscle function by allowing nerves to pulse with electricity and muscles to contract. But too much sodium can be bad for our health. It contributes to high blood pressure, or hypertension (高血压)which is a major cause of stroke and heart disease.

One way it does this is by making the body absorb more water. Extra sodium in the blood pulls more water into blood vessels (血管), which increases the amount of blood in the vessels. This increases blood pressure and, in some people, leads to high blood pressure and can damage vessels and even organs like the heart, kidney s and brain.

In this latest study, participants who cut out their daily salt intake by one teaspoon had lower blood pressure in just one week. This was even true for people already on blood pressure medication.

But how much sodium is in one teaspoon of salt? A teaspoon of salt has about 2,300 mg of sodium in it. And according to the FDA, Americans eat an average of 3,400 mg of sodium. So cutting out a teaspoon would be equivalent to cutting two-thirds of a person’s daily sodium intake.

But the researchers say that cutting out any amount of sodium will help lower blood pressure-at least more than no reduction at all.

1. What is the function of Paragraph 1?

A．To describe an interesting fact.	B．To present a confusing question.
C．To introduce the topic of the text.	D．To provide background information.

2. How does too much sodium harm us?

A．By causing muscle disorders.	B．By bringing about hypertension.
C．By directly damaging our organs.	D．By absorbing the water in blood vessels.

3. What does the underlined word “equivalent” in Paragraph 6 probably mean?

A．Equal.

B．Relevant.

C．Beneficial.

D．Important.

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

A．The Recommendation on the Intake of Salt

B．The Less Sodium We Have, the Better We Are

C．Cutting One Teaspoon of Salt May Improve Health

D．The Relationship Between Salt and Blood Pressure

8 . For most of December, Adele Adkins had the top-selling album in Australia, followed by Ed Sheeran, and then there was a collection of songs that took everyone by surprise.

Songs Of Disappearance is a collection of calls from endangered Australian birds. Last month, it briefly reached No.3 on the country’s top 50 albums chart (排行榜) — ahead of Taylor Swift.

Anthony Albrecht, a PhD student at Charles Darwin University, produced the album with Professor Stephen Garnett. “I knew it was a crazy thing to suggest. But Stephen’s a little bit crazy like me and he let me do it,” Albrecht said.

Songs Of Disappearance was published with a university report which found that 1 in 6 Australian bird species are now threatened. The album records 53 of those species.

“Some sing what you might think of as bird songs, but not all of them,” said SeanDooley, who represents the conservation organization Bird life Australia. “Songs from the golden bowerbird sound like a death cry from some sci-fi series. And the love songs from Christmas Island frigate bird, which has a piece of skin hanging under its mouth that caninflate (膨胀) like a huge red balloon, sound as bizarre as its unusual looks.”

There’s also the Christmas Island pigeon. When people hear that pigeon, they might think that it’s a human making silly noises, Dooley added.

The Charles Darwin University and Bird life Australia report does document successes in protecting endangered birds, the hope being that the album will protect more species.

“The increased awareness can make a difference,” Dooley said. “When we have a community on board, that brings pressure to the government to do the right thing. We know that these conservation actions do work.”

1. Whose album reached No.1 on the chart in December?

A．Taylor Swift’s.

B．Adele Adkins’.

C．Ed Sheeran’s.

D．Anthony Albrecht’s.

2. What can be learned from the university report?

A．About 53 bird species are threatened in Australia.

B．It has not found success in protecting endangered birds.

C．One sixth of Australian bird species are now endangered.

D．Music is very powerful in encouraging people to protect birds.

3. Which is closest in meaning to “bizarre”in paragraph 5?

A．Strange.

B．Beautiful.

C．Loud.

D．Sharp.

4. What does Sean Dooley think of Anthony Albrecht’s project?

A．Crazy.

B．Amusing.

C．Uncreative.

D．Helpful.