1 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Mother’s Day was around the corner. Everyone in the class was discussing what gift they should give to their beloved moms. Their teacher, Ms. Jenkins, was instructing them to make pretty postcards with a soulful message.

On Monday morning, Ms. Jenkins entered the classroom. Before she could say something to greet the kids as usual, 8-year-old Simon raised his hand as quickly as possible.

“Yes, Simon?” asked the teacher with a questioning look and the big smile often hanging on her face.

“Excuse me, Ms. Jenkins. What did you get for Mother’s Day?” he inquired.

All his classmates looked at their teacher and Ms. Jenkins smiled again, struggling to hide her sadness, which flashed across her face. “Sadly, nothing. Simon, I don’t have kids.”

Simon felt sorry for his teacher. He could not figure why. It seemed unfair that she didn’t receive anything for Mother’s Day when she was surrounded by kids all the time. She should have received something. Suddenly a good idea hit him.

That afternoon, school over, Simon flew home like a rabbit. After having finished counting the few dollars in his piggy bank, he asked his mother to take him to the flower shop nearby.

When they got in the car, Simon explained to his mother what he would do. Having understood the whole story, his mother looked at him with a loving expression.

The following day, Simon arrived at his classroom with a bunch of flowers and presented it to Ms. Jenkins with a bright smile. “I know you’re not a mother, but you treat us with kindness, affection and patience. You surely deserve a Mother’s Day gift, too,” he said to his teacher, whose jaw dropped in shock. The other kids applauded as Simon hugged Ms. Jenkins.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Astonished and joyful, Ms. Jenkins stood there still.

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The other kids came up one by one.

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2 . 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。

China has been working hard to promote exchanges between its young people and the ones from other countries around the world on culture, innovations, working skills and entrepreneurship. China launched (发起) an activity, which is dedicated to promoting the     1     (develop) of young people worldwide.

So far, some big companies in China     2     (start) different projects and benefited young individuals from 19 countries, including Laos, Vietnam, Uganda and Portugal.     3     typical example is a project in Uzbekistan by a Chinese company. It offers some excellent college graduates opportunities for employment and to learn in China.     4     is worth mentioning is that some local youths got access to training courses and lectures and some youths     5     (invite) to China to visit some projects last year. Leaders from these Chinese groups say this effort is not just about jobs and learning but about building various     6     (bridge) between cultures and making the world a more connected place. They’re planning to grow this project even more and get more companies     7     (involve).     8     short, an important platform is offered to let youths engaged in International communication, and it is expected     9     (improve) passions of the young generation. The goal is to let young people around the globe     10     (extensive) understand China and each other, hoping to make the future brighter for everyone.

3 . When Alex Walker was four, she had to stay in the hospital to get some tests for her epilepsy (癫痫). Her dad had given her a stuffed animal, Sky Bear, which kept her ________. But when she saw other kids in the hospital without stuffed animals, she felt ________.

Alex had ________ up some money that she had ________ to use at Chuck E. Cheese. ________, she used it to buy stuffed animals for the other ________ on her hospital floor. They were so happy to receive the gifts that Alex decided to ________ even more. She called her project Alex’s Fluffy (绒毛的) Buddies and began ________ money by growing and selling tomato plants and flowers. “I love growing things,” she says. “And I know people love to eat tomatoes because they’re really good.”

As people heard about Alex’s Fluffy Buddies, they wanted to ________. They sent her stuffed animals and money to buy more. In the last six years, Alex has ________ almost 8,000 Fluffy Buddies to hospitals, shelters, and other programs. “People are ________ to help so that I can make kids happy,” she explains.

Alex also raises ________ for Canine Assistants, the organization that recently provided her with a service dog. “I want other kids to have a friend to help them through ________ times too,” Alex says. “I still give away Fluffy Buddies and donate to Canine Assistants. I want to help as much as I can! If you want to help others, look for something people ________ but they don’t have, or look for a way to ________ someone’s day. See how you can help.”

1.

A．promise

B．company

C．touch

D．contact

2.

A．annoyed

B．superior

C．upset

D．awkward

3.

A．saved

B．picked

C．used

D．gave

4.

A．performed

B．managed

C．pretended

D．intended

5.

A．Instead

B．Moreover

C．Otherwise

D．Therefore

6.

A．parents

B．volunteers

C．doctors

D．kids

7.

A．give out

B．give in

C．give away

D．give off

8.

A．earning

B．raising

C．spending

D．counting

9.

A．help

B．update

C．bond

D．cover

10.

A．passed

B．donated

C．showed

D．introduced

11.

A．grateful

B．hesitant

C．desperate

D．eager

12.

A．fund

B．responsibility

C．desire

D．awareness

13.

A．limited

B．pleasant

C．tough

D．free

14.

A．compare

B．need

C．consume

D．keep

15.

A．remember

B．celebrate

C．make

D．honor

4 . Taking between 9,000 and 10,000 steps per day appears to reduce the risk of an early death or heart-related event, adding reason to an idea that has been considered as unscientific.

The exact origin of the commonly held belief that people should aim for 10,000 steps a day is unclear, but it has been linked to a marketing plan promoting pedometers (计步器) in Japan. Now, a study by Matthew Ahmadi at the University of Sydney, Australia, and his colleagues suggests the figure could hold some truth.

The team studied more than 72,000 participants, with an average age of 61, in the UK Biobank study as they wore a movement-tracking accelerometer (加速度计) on their wrists for one week. “We were able to know their daily steps,” says Ahmadi. The participants were then tracked for an average of just under seven years.

During that time period, 1,633 people died and 6,190 heart-related events occurred. After adjusting other factors that could influence the risk of illness or death over that period—such as diet quality, smoking and doing other forms of exercise, the researchers found out that the best number of steps per day appears to be between 9,000-and 10,000, with the benefits then starting to tail off. Doing so was linked to a 39% lower risk of dying during the follow-up period and a 21% lower risk of a heart-related event. “It does appear to support the belief that the originally non-evidence based 10,000 steps target may indeed be about right,” says Dale Esliger at Loughborough University in the UK.

However, while the study was “extremely well designed” with “careful methods and statistical analysis”, Esliger says wrist-worn accelerometers aren’t always the best indicator of step count. The researchers also didn’t consider the number of steps taken per minute. “It’s possible that around 6,000 steps performed at a higher pace may be just as health protective as 10,000 slower steps,” says Esliger.

1. What’s the finding of the study?

A．More than 10,000 steps a day do harm to the body.

B．21% of the participants died of heart-related events.

C．Walking 10,000 steps a day benefits physical health.

D．Hitting the target of 10,000 steps a day makes no sense.

2. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．How the study is carried out.

B．Whether a previous belief is true.

C．What is concluded about the study.

D．Why other factors should be removed.

3. What is Esliger’s attitude towards the study?

A．Objective.

B．Unconcerned.

C．Favorable.

D．Doubtful.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A science magazine.	B．A technology report.
C．A history book.	D．An educational website.

5 . Have you ever tried to persuade a friend to do what he didn’t really want to? If so, you may have made them uncomfortable and even annoyed, and crossed a boundary (界限).     1    . How to respect others’ boundaries?

Communicate clearly. It can be helpful to ask them frankly how they feel, rather than guess you can borrow their sweater or expect them to drive you to the airport. Apart from their words, it can also be helpful to pay attention to their tone (语气) and body language.     2    , it could indicate that they’re not very comfortable with what you’re asking of them.

    3    . Every individual needs to set boundaries based on their own preferences and abilities. It’s important to respect others’ boundaries and avoid finding fault with them even if they seem silly to you or are different from what you consider acceptable.

Deal with your emotional reactions. When someone sets a boundary in their relationship with you, you may find yourself feeling let down, which can cause you to feel hurt, angry, shocked or embarrassed.     4    . Dealing with your emotional reactions can help you either accept the boundary or look elsewhere to fulfill your needs.

Try to understand the reason behind the boundary. When you disagree with someone’s boundaries, exploring the reason why they’re setting them can help you understand their opinion better. If the boundary seems too rigid (僵硬的), you can offer your opinion.     5    .

A．Depend on the boundary they’ve drawn

B．If they’re not familiar with sign language

C．Remember that everyone’s needs are different

D．Boundaries are limits set by people to protect themselves

E．It can be helpful to reflect on why you’re feeling that way

F．If their tone is unclear, or they’re trying to change the topic

G．Be kind and willing to let the person decide what’s best for them

6 . Some people travel because they want to go to warm places for winter vacations or because they want to visit art museums in Europe. But other people travel simply because they have a passion for it.

Luisa Yu, a 79-year-old woman, fell in love with travel as a young girl in the province of Leyte in the Philippines when she watched movies. “I saw the beautiful scenery, the rivers and the mountains, and that fascinated me,” Yu said. “That’s why I always thought someday I would go to these places and travel.”

At 23, as an exchange student studying medical technologies in the US, Yu decided that she wanted to visit all of the countries in the world, but visa restrictions (限制) didn’t allow her to travel outside of the country.

It took Yu 15years to get her admission allowing her to travel internationally and there were times when she worked three jobs to save money to travel. She eventually took a part-time job as a travel agent, which gave her many more opportunities to travel to new places around the globe.

For the past 50 years, Yu has been visiting countries across the world, even some that are very difficult to get into. She has tried dog meat when she visited the DPRK, explored the beaches of Somalia, and even skydived in Dubai when she was 73. “Everyone said, ‘Don’t go to Somalia, that’s dangerous,’” Yu said. “If I want to go somewhere, nobody can stop me. I want to do everything.”

Yu achieved her goal to visit all of the 193 countries that are recognized by the UN, in November 2023. To date, there have only been around 400 people who have set out to achieve this amazing cause.

Yu’s advice to people who love to travel is to just do it. “Don’t wait for anybody. If I keep on waiting, it will never happen, because the opportunity sometimes comes only once,” she said.

1. What inspired Luisa Yu’s passion for travel?

A．The wonderful settings of the movies.	B．The desire to take a winter vacation abroad.
C．The dream of visiting art museums in Europe.	D．The studying opportunities while taking trips.

2. What can we learn about Luisa Yu from paragraphs 4 and 5?

A．She searched for fortune through travel.	B．She longed to be a travel agent.
C．She shot to fame by accident.	D．She was fond of challenges.

3. Which of the following can best describe Luisa Yu?

A．Tough-minded and devoted.	B．Considerate and gifted.
C．Humorous and knowledgeable.	D．Responsible and powerful.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Meet Luisa Yu: One of 400 People Recognized by UN

B．Follow Luisa Yu’s Example: Seeking Adventure on Traveling

C．79-Year-Old Woman Has Traveled to 193 Countries Around the World

D．Travel Agent Surprises the World with the Longest of Travel Experience

7 . Different countries celebrate festivals in their own unique ways. The same goes for the New Year. Let’s take a look at some unique New Year traditions from around the world.

Smashing (打碎) plates

If you walked out of your front door to find a load of smashed plates, you might be a bit confused. But that’s exactly what people in Denmark hope to find after midnight, as it represents good luck. Danish people go and smash a plate in front of a friend’s door on New Year’s Eve to bring good luck over the next 12 months.

Dropping things

In New York City, Times Square is the centre of the countdown to midnight. But the thing that everyone is looking forward to is called the “ball drop”, which is when a glowing (发光的) ball is lowered down a big flag pole (旗杆), marking the start of the New Year. Other cities in America now have their own traditions of dropping things on New Year’s Eve. For example, in Vincennes, Indiana, people drop watermelons from high places.

Eating grapes

When the clocks hit midnight in Spain, you’ll find people reaching for grapes. This is because there is a tradition of eating one grape each time the clock strikes midnight. The idea is that this will bring people 12 lucky months in the year ahead.

Walking with an empty suitcase

In some South American countries like Colombia, you might see some people on New Year’s Eve walking around with an empty suitcase. Some hold the belief that taking a “suitcase walk” means they will have a year full of adventures.

1. Why do Danish smash plates on New Year’s Eve?

A．To have fun.	B．To honor a poet.
C．To celebrate the harvest.	D．To bring good luck.

2. What do Spanish do when the clocks hit midnight on New Year’s Eve?

A．They exchange gifts.	B．They eat grapes.
C．They dress up as bears.	D．They drop halls from high places.

3. Which country has the tradition of carrying empty suitcases on New Year’s Eve?

A．Denmark.

B．USA.

C．Colombia.

D．Spain.

8 . Monarch butterflies (帝王蝶) are edging dangerously close to extinction despite a decision late last year to remove the orange-and-black insects from the endangered species list, a new study has found.

An annual survey led by the World Wildlife Fund(WWF)of the species wintering in central Mexico found the second-lowest number of monarch butterflies on record, meaning they took up just 2.2 acres of regional forests, 59% less than during the 2022 — 2023 winter season. The findings are troubling to scientists determined to protect the species.

Each year, monarch butterflies migrate (迁徙) thousands of miles from southern Canada and the northern and central US to the mountain forests of central Mexico. They require a large and healthy forest to protect them from winds, rain and low temperatures in the areas where they migrate for winter. Yet because of heat and drought brought on by climate change, scientists say, their natural habitat is quickly depleting. Scientists with the WWF considered this winter season’s findings serious and said they represented the second-smallest area taken up by monarch butterflies in Mexico since 1993.

What’s worse, in recent years, their breeding areas in Canada and the US have seen a reduction in milkweed leaves where female monarch butterflies lay their eggs. “Land-use changes in the United States, combined with the widespread use of chemicals, also contributed to the loss of milkweed and other plants that adult monarch butterflies feed on,” the WWF said.

Monarch butterflies play an important role in maintaining plant ecosystems and are also an important food source for birds, small animals and other insects, according to the National Park Service. It’s necessary that all governments, communities, scientists, and others continue to strengthen our protection efforts to support their unique migration.

1. Why do monarch butterflies fly to central Mexico each year?

A．To spend winter.	B．To lay eggs.
C．To search for shelter.	D．To escape from enemies.

2. What does the underlined word “depleting” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Shifting.

B．Disappearing.

C．Recovering.

D．Increasing.

3. What may have nothing to do with the reduction in monarch butterflies’ number?

A．The loss of food sources.

B．The widespread use of chemicals.

C．The land-use changes in the United States.

D．The threat of being eaten by other animals.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To raise people’s awareness about climate change.

B．To call for more measures to protect monarch butterflies.

C．To inform people of the serious situation of monarch butterflies.

D．To prove monarch butterflies should be on the endangered species list.

9 . Now I finally understand how much my mother loves me.

Back home from the _________, during the first few weeks of my daughter’s life, it seemed like I was never doing anything besides _________ the baby. Life was little more than a thin stream of milk _________ any body to hers, _________ interrupted by a peanut-butter sandwich.

Of course I’d heard _________ were always waking up. But this now seemed like a joke. How did anyone get them to _________ in the first place? Every time I put the baby down, she cried and cried. She slept only when she was being held. So my husband and I _________ by turns. Usually I _________ her till eleven or so, my husband was with her until two or three or four, and then I got up to hold her again until morning. The Internet said babies _________ comfort at dusk because of their primal (最初的) __________ of being deserted in the dark. “Don’t worry, baby,” I told the crying baby in my arms. “I won’t __________ you in the dark.”

My mother finally arrived to help. I had __________ for her arrival every morning. Her __________ meant I could get some rest. Every few hours, my mother put a plate on my lap, loaded with __________. She said, “You need to eat.” She held my baby girl against her chest and __________ in her car, “You know how your mama loves you? That’s how I love her.”

1.

A．restaurant

B．hotel

C．street

D．hospital

2.

A．educating

B．nursing

C．observing

D．measuring

3.

A．connecting

B．preferring

C．describing

D．comparing

4.

A．eventually

B．previously

C．occasionally

D．frequently

5.

A．mothers

B．fathers

C．doctors

D．babies

6.

A．move

B．talk

C．sleep

D．jump

7.

A．moved away

B．wrote down

C．settled down

D．stayed up

8.

A．fed

B．held

C．awaited

D．amused

9.

A．needed

B．offered

C．refused

D．allowed

10.

A．fear

B．desire

C．freedom

D．passion

11.

A．touch

B．abandon

C．meet

D．cheat

12.

A．accounted

B．answered

C．applied

D．longed

13.

A．presence

B．departure

C．complaint

D．permission

14.

A．books

B．clothes

C．foods

D．toys

15.

A．sang

B．whispered

C．cried

D．screamed

10 . Socially, few things are more annoying than someone repeatedly checking their phone in the middle of your conversation with them. Soon enough, you’re having unhappy thoughts, thinking of their way like, I’m boring you; you’re more concerned with whoever’s on that phone than me; you don’t care about me. None of that is necessarily true, but this is: “If someone is engaged in a great conversation, they wouldn’t care about their phones,” says Leslie, a psychologist and researcher at NYU.

Do you sometimes wonder: What should I have said to a rude person like this? What if we have to talk to such maddening persons? Experts have advice about how to deal with this.

Whether you say something or not, remember that the cell-addict’s annoying habits aren’t about you. “It’s rude, for sure, but sometimes we mistake the behavior for more than what it is,” says Leslie. “It’s possible that they are facing something tough and merely experiencing nervousness or anxiety,” he adds. It’s also possible that their partner is stuck with a flat tyre (轮胎) or their kid is sick in hospital. The point is that you don’t know.

So before you become angry at the cell-addict’s open rudeness, focus instead on building a better conversation than whatever’s going down on Instagram. You might never be able to achieve this, given the power of today’s social media, so if you’re close enough to a person, Leslie advises you to directly ask them: “What’s on that thing that’s so interesting?” Chances are that they will apologise at once and quickly put the phone away. But if the answer is something real, talk about it. Better yet, you can avoid the situation in advance by saying something like, “I’m really interested in catching up properly, so how about we leave our phones in the car?” If they indeed have that flat tyre or sick kid, at least you won’t have to assume that it’s because your stories are boring.

1. Why do people often check their phones according to Leslie?

A．They are anxious about something.

B．They are enjoying the conversation.

C．They are bored with the conversation.

D．They are interested in what’s on the phone.

2. What could be a reason for the cell-addicts’ annoying habits according to Leslie?

A．They may be nervous or anxious.

B．They are being rude intentionally.

C．They are avoiding the conversation.

D．They are disinterested in social interactions.

3. What is a better way to deal with the rudeness?

A．Talking about something real.

B．Asking the other person directly.

C．Avoiding the situation in advance.

D．Asking the other person for explanation.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．What is a cell-addict.

B．How to deal with a cell-addict.

C．Why people repeatedly check their phones.

D．When to cut in appropriately during a conversation.