1 . My first dependant was a duck called Mr. Kite. As a cream-faced four-year-old, it was my job at the nursery to turn the eggs in the incubator (恒温箱) every day: one side “O”, the other side “X”.
We lived in a small, inner-city house with a long, thin garden in east Oxford at the time. As a gentle-hearted vet's (兽医的) daughter, my mum couldn't resist adopting these ducks. I named them Buttercup, Mr. Kite and Drakey. We made them a pond. The bottom was a mosaic (马赛克) made from all the bits of plate and cup that had been broken during family rows. Within 30 seconds,the pond was so full of duck droppings that we never saw the mosaic again.
One of the most magical moments during my caring for ducks was the night it snowed. Mum, over whelmed by pity and grandmotherly concern, insisted that Mr. Kite and her friends — yes, Mr. Kite was female — be spared another freezing night in the wooden house my dad had built for them at the end of the garden; we caught them, flapping and shouting, and brought them in to sleep in the kitchen.Have you ever seen three ducks go wild in a tiny kitchen? It was one of the best moments of my childhood. It smelled like the underside of hell's socks by the time they had left.
I used to spend my summers lazing in a swimming pool with Mr. Kite and the others. Eventually, though, our neighbour complained that they were being woken at 4:45 a.m.. So, the feathered three went to live with an old couple in the country. Fair enough — you don't move to the city to have the dawn torn apart by quacking — although it must have made a change from student parties and the sound of 19-year-olds being sick by the bins.
I wonder now if this early experience of duck adoption is the reason that, at least three times a week, what ever the weather, you will find me swimming in the Thames or a nearby lake with the ducks. Although they never say hello.
1. Why were there marks of “O” and “X” on eggs?| A．To have fun. | B．To count the eggs. |
| C．To tell sides apart. | D．To distinguish males from females. |
| A．Family preference. |
| B．A nursery assignment. |
| C．The mother's occupation. |
| D．Neighbour' support. |
| A．The ducks' smells drove the author mad. |
| B．The energetic ducks brought much pleasure. |
| C．The ducks were hard to feed in cold weather. |
| D．The ducks were offered luxury accommodation. |
| A．Rejecting firmly. | B．Ignoring deliberately. |
| C．Explaining patiently. | D．Accepting unwillingly. |
2 . Promoting Body Positivity Movement
“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” the popular saying goes. It reminds us that something’s appearance shouldn’t be the most important thing when we are determining its value.
Not comparing your body to others, particularly celebrities, is a good first step.
Appreciate your body for what it can do — walking, yoga, playing sports or otherwise.
And finally, don’t forget that low self-esteem and body confidence issues affect everyone. There aren’t a lot of guys that are pushing the idea of body positivity. The only person who can truly affect your body positivity is you. Becoming comfortable with yourself is unlikely to be accomplished overnight — but don’t give up and just move. Remember that everyone is insecure sometimes.
| A．This is what the body positivity movement is all about. |
| B．Regular workout brings you a strong and capable body. |
| C．Stopping judging ourselves against our imperfections is important. |
| D．Be unapologetic about who you are and what you want as a person. |
| E．Learn to express your admiration, which promotes positive mental health. |
| F．Being insecure in your daily life is common and sometimes necessary. |
| G．We are surrounded by these idealized images of what it is to be beautiful. |
3 . Li Bai holds a wine cup in his hand, while Du Fu sits in front of a desk, writing poems on the paper in front of him. It’s not that we have travelled to the past. Modern technology has brought them “back to life”.
The two great poets, along with other humanoid robots, were presented at the World Robot Conference 2023 in late August in Beijing. They looked similar to real human beings.
“The skin is made of medical-grade bionic silicone (仿生硅胶), which is why the skin looks soft and veins can be seen through it,” CGTN explained in a video about Liaoning-based producer EXROBOTS. Goosebumps (鸡皮疙瘩) and palm lines can also be seen on the arms and hands.
Researchers are also trying hard to create other features of humans on robots. A US robotics startup Apptronik brought out its humanoid robot called Apollo on Aug 23. Apollo has around 30 muscles.
However, “humans have around 300 muscles in our bodies,” Nick Paine, the co-founder of the company, told CNN. For now, engineers can only simplify the muscles, allowing them to do basic movements like holding objects and walking.
The robot also contains cameras and sensors in its head, helping it map out a 360-degree view of its environment. They also help the robot keep balance when walking on uncertain surfaces.
Nowadays, bionic (仿生的) human-like robots mostly work with humans, as tour guides or by helping visitors at front desks. There are also robots that share the work of nurses, such as handing out medicine. This could be because people are comfortable living and working with machines that look or act like them. They can “strike a chord with people,” a US robotics scientist Marc Raibert told New Yorker.
As more humanoid robots come out, safety will be the key, according to the Robot Report website. When a 70-kilogram robot breaks down and falls, humans nearby may be hurt.
1. What do we know about the robots of Li Bai and Du Fu?| A．They can learn from each other. | B．They look lifelike in every detail. |
| C．They can communicate with visitors. | D．They manage to compose original poems. |
| A．It can not perform complex movements. | B．It can not keep balance on some surfaces. |
| C．It moves too slowly when holding objects. | D．It lacks the ability to tell people directions. |
| A．They are as intelligent as humans. | B．People feel comfortable with them. |
| C．They understand human’s needs well. | D．People treat them as trustworthy friends. |
| A．Robots Play a Significant Role in Our Life |
| B．The World Robot Conference Is a Success |
| C．Two Great Poets Got Revived Thanks to Technology |
| D．New Technology Makes Humanoid Robots Possible |
Chinese volunteers have
The space lab,
A total of eight volunteers, all of whom are students at Beihang University, took turns living in the space lab. In the
5 . The most unforgettable thing during my long summer holiday last year, of course was my trip
There were quite a lot of interesting places in England,
I went to Shakespeare’s Birthplace. It was the house where Shakespeare was born and spent his early years. Its sitting room, hallway(走廊), bedrooms, and kitchen were furnished(布置) in 16th century style. I also went to see the Shakespeare Exhibition. It illustrated(以图解说明) Shakespeare’s life and career in both Stratford and London.
I really enjoyed this nice
| A．about | B．for | C．above | D．to |
| A．excited | B．sad | C．lucky | D．worried |
| A．take off | B．such as | C．as such | D．next to |
| A．both | B．either | C．neither | D．every |
| A．museums | B．world | C．sites | D．wonders |
| A．also | B．too | C．but | D．yet |
| A．that | B．which | C．who | D．whose |
| A．concerts | B．records | C．films | D．songs |
| A．Other | B．Every | C．Each | D．Another |
| A．deep | B．deeply | C．low | D．highly |
| A．written about | B．heard about | C．listened to | D．dreamed about |
| A．hometown | B．office | C．play | D．theatre |
| A．speak | B．say | C．talk | D．see |
| A．Shakespeare | B．Oxford | C．J. K. Rowling | D．Harry Potter |
| A．drive | B．play | C．running | D．trip |
6 . To help you understand what 5G is, and what it means to you, we’ve put together a handy guide here.
What is 5G?
5G will use new higher radio frequencies to send out data, which are less cluttered (挤了) and carry information much faster. While these higher bands(频段)are faster, they don’t carry information as far. That’s to say, smaller multiple input and output antennas (天线)will be used—promoting both signals and capacity (容量). This means 5G will support up to 1,000 more devices per meter than 4G.
5G is expected to be faster than 4G, with some firms claiming it could be as much as 100 times quicker. The fastest 4G networks can deliver (传输) peak (峰值) download speeds of around 300 Mbit/s.
Finally, 5G will have a larger capacity, meaning networks will be able to deal with several apps at once. Generally, this should mean that devices have a faster, more stable connection.
| A．How does 5G work? |
| B．How will 5G affect you? |
| C．5G is also expected to have a lower lag (延迟). |
| D．5G is short for “5th generation mobile network.” |
| E．In comparison (作为对比), 5G could offer download speeds of over 1 Gb/s. |
| F．Therefore, the similarity between 5G and 4G technology is huge. |
| G．Why is it better than 4G? |
7 . While most lifestyle and fashion magazines are full of photos of slim (苗条的) male and female models that create an unrealistic image of the human body, a fresh Japanese men’s magazine called Mr. Babe is taking an unusual approach. It is targeted at chubby men, a body type that is rarely represented in the mainstream (主流) fashion industry.
Mr. Babe describes itself as Japan’s first fashion and lifestyle magazine of chubby men, by chubby men and for chubby men. Its major goal is to increase the confidence of its readers and convince them that they can lead a happy and successful life regardless of the few extra pounds. It offers fashion tips, health advice and articles on marriage. The chief editor said, “Mr. Babe is in no way persuading men to become fat. Our message is that chubby men can be attractive by making use of what they have now.”
Norihito Kurashina was in charge of Men’s Knuckle for over 10 years before shifting completely and launching Mr. Babe. Up to now, Men’s Knuckle is still a famous magazine for young Japanese. 52-year-old Kurashina describes himself as a chubby man for 25 years.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey, the percentage of overweight men in Japan has been increasing gradually over the last decade, while the number of overweight women has decreased. Kurashina says the growing number of chubby men is largely due to the long working hours. In addition, they go drinking after work to relax. Naturally, they have no time, energy or money to go to the gym and keep in shape.
The chubby men in Mr. Babe magazine are not much more different than the handsome and sexy men that show up in most mainstream magazines. They are charming and well-dressed. 50, 000 copies have been printed of the first issue (发行), which has film star Jack Black on the cover. Norihito Kurashina says he is already feeling a good response from the audience and is confident of the magazine’s success.
1. What does the underlined word “chubby” in Para. 1 mean?| A．Fat. | B．Thin. | C．Ugly. | D．Tall. |
| A．Encourage more men to put on weight. |
| B．Make its readers confident in themselves. |
| C．Offer suggestions about how to lose weight. |
| D．Become the most popular magazine in Japan. |
| A．No film stars are on the cover of Mr. Babe. | B．Norihito Kurashina is not fat at all. |
| C．The future of Mr. Babe’s is bright. | D．The men in Mr. Babe dressed carelessly. |
| A．A magazine is bringing out a different charm. |
| B．People don’t read magazines anymore. |
| C．Slim male and female models are becoming more popular. |
| D．More film stars are on the cover of magazines. |
8 . Nowadays, because of the popularity of modern traffic and modern communication technology, our world is becoming much smaller. Thus our life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but meanwhile it has brought new problems, the biggest one of which is pollution. For a long time ever since, man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution.
To pollute means to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even hear it. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, man moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Man is now slowly polluting the whole world.
Air pollution is still the most serious. It’s bad for all living things in the world, but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily.
Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from putting dirty smoke into the air. Pollution by SO2 is now the most dangerous kind of air pollution. It is caused by heavy traffic. We are sure that if there are fewer people driving, there will be less air pollution.
The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must take care of the rise in pollution at the same time.
1. What is the reason for the world to become much smaller?| A．The rise in pollution. |
| B．Science and technology development. |
| C．The earth is being polluted day and night. |
| D．The earth is blown away by the wind every year. |
| A．Air pollution. | B．Rubbish pollution. | C．Noise pollution. | D．Water pollution. |
| A．It makes much noise. | B．It makes us angry more easily. |
| C．It makes our rivers and lakes dirty. | D．It’s bad for all living things in the world. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Unclear. | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent. |
9 . Sometimes parents wonder if they should really give their children chores (家务活). After all, isn’t it the parents’ responsibility to manage the household? And don’t children need an opportunity to “just be children” for now because they have the rest of their lives to worry about chores?
Most children have really busy schedules. They rush around from one activity to another with little time to clean the house. Despite those concerns, however, giving your children chores may be one of the most important things you’ll ever do.
While giving your children chores can certainly take some of the stress off you, that’s not the only reason you should expect your children to do the chores. Studies show chores are good for children. Research from a well-known 75-year Harvard study shows that chores can shape children to be more likely to become happy, healthy and independent adults.
Why are chores like sweeping the floor and clearing the table so important to children’s happiness in life? One reason is that children feel a sense of achievement when they do their chores. No matter whether they’re making their beds or they’re sweeping the floor, helping out around the house makes children feel capable. Doing chores also helps children feel like they’re part of the team and learn responsibility. Helping family members is good for them and it encourages them to be good adults.
Children who do chores gain important life skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Life skills such as meal preparation, mowing the lawn, or doing the laundry will be important after high school, which helps your children live independently.
1. Why does the author raise questions in paragraph 1?| A．To list examples. | B．To make a warning. |
| C．To lead in the topic. | D．To provide background information. |
| A．Chores. | B．Less homework. |
| C．School activities. | D．Learning schedules. |
| A．Tired. | B．Nervous. | C．Having no time. | D．Having the ability. |
| A．Skills to deal with chores. | B．Advantages of doing chores. |
| C．The importance of life skills. | D．Way s to balance study and chores. |
10 . A famous magazine, Amusement Today, does a survey among park lovers every year both in the US and overseas, based on which, “Top 5 List of the Best Amusement Parks in the World” has come out as follows:
Disneyland, California
Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, the US. More than 515 million guests have traveled to this American landmark from around the world since the park first opened to guests on July 17, 1955. The park consists of many world-famous sections, such as Main Street, Adventure land, New Orleans Square, and so on.
Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida
Magic Kingdom is a theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando opened on October 1, 1971. It is the most famous theme park in Florida. The park’s design and attractions don’t make much difference from Disneyland Park in Anaheim.
EPCOT, Disney World, Florida
EPCOT is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT Center from 1982 to 1993. It was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened.
DisneyMGM Studios, Florida
MGM’s streets are the home for some great moviethemed attractions with a history of less than 30 years. With the addition of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coaster, the park is now home to Disney World’s most thrilling rides.
Universal Studios, Florida
Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and jump right into the action of your favorite movies at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV theme park in the world.
1. Which of the following theme parks have similar attractions?| A．Disneyland & Magic Kingdom. |
| B．Disneyland & Universal Studios. |
| C．EPCOT & DisneyMGM Studios. |
| D．Magic Kingdom & Universal Studios. |
| A．Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida. |
| B．DisneyMGM Studios, Florida. |
| C．EPCOT, Disney World, Florida. |
| D．Disneyland, California. |
| A．To attract tourists to these theme parks. |
| B．To increase the sales of Amusement Today. |
| C．To introduce world’s best amusement parks. |
| D．To compare attractions in different theme parks. |
