1 . As much as we like to think about nature embodying balance, the universe is actually filled with imbalance, too. Let’s take the supernova (超新星) for example. Two stars orbit each other. One of the stars is older, called a “white dwarf,” while the other star is a bit younger. Their mutual gravitational interaction (相互引力相互作用) pulls material off the younger star and dumps it onto the surface of the white dwarf. If enough material falls onto the dwarf, the stuff dumped on to the white dwarf begins to “burn”.

If the conditions are right, you always burn up the same amount of material that gets added. If the donor star is dumping too much material onto the dwarf, the burning runs out of control. It consumes not just the new material on the white dwarf’s surface but the whole of the dwarf star itself. So much energy is released so quickly that the star finds itself wildly out of balance. In an instant, it becomes a super-hot ball of unbalanced pressure, BOOM! A supernova is born.

Closer to home, a similar but different kind of process happens in volcanoes. Volcanoes are born when magma (熔岩) from deep in the Earth makes its way slowly to the surface through cracks in the planet’s crust (地壳). The heat from the magma builds up a massive pressure imbalance inside the mountain. It’s that imbalance that drives the BOOM, the volcanic eruption that rips a zillion tons of rocks away and sends ash 15 miles into the sky.

But here’s the thing: Supernova, volcanoes and all those other explosions in the universe are not just awesome sights. They are all essential players in cosmic (宇宙的) evolution. Supernova create a lot of the elements in your body that are essential to life. No supernova, no you. And volcanoes are essential to evolution of the planet, including the cycling of greenhouse gases like CO₂ that make Earth habitable. No volcanoes, no you.

1. What does the underlined phrase “the donor star” refer to in paragraph 2?

A．The younger star.	B．The older star.
C．The supernova.	D．The white dwarf.

2. What factor leads to both the birth of supernovas and volcanic eruption?

A．Hot magma.	B．Burning material.
C．Unbalanced pressure.	D．Gravitational interaction.

3. What can we learn about the explosions in the universe in the last paragraph?

A．They evolve as players.	B．They create human bodies.
C．They are awesome sights.	D．They are necessary to life.

4. In which section of a website can you find this passage?

A．Profile.

B．Science.

C．Health.

D．Economy.

2 . How to Develop a Lifelong Leaming Habit

To be perfectly honest, I used to think the only way to learn was in school, but I was not always a big fan of “conventional learning”, unless it was a course that really interested me. It was not until I expanded my own definition of learning that my lifelong learning journey began. My travelling experiences, the books I read, and even my own missteps — all became a means for learning.

Now I cannot learn enough or get my hands on enough information.     1     The more I engage and employ lifelong learning, the more I experience some really cool thing. Not only has lifelong learning improved my brain functions, but also it has supported my professional success and personal growth. Here are some simple ways to begin training your brain to desire lifelong learning.

First of all, you can create an objective for your learning. For example, maybe your objective is to reduce your stress levels or find different ways to relax.     2    

Another important way is to start small. If lifelong learning has not been your “thing”, trying to eat this learning elephant in one bite makes it more difficult to stick with.     3     For example, instead of trying to read a certain number of pages in a book every day, why not start with 15 minutes, two or three times a week?     4    

    5     If learning feels like a duty or something you have to do, you will obviously do it less. Have some fun with your learning. For example, for every new learning opportunity you take, think of some entertaining ways to learn. Give yourself a gold star. Make learning a game. Whatever is going to make learning fun for you, make sure to do it!

A．You lose interest in those things.

B．The most important thing is to make it fun.

C．Try to finish one thing in fewer steps.

D．Lifelong learning is like potato chips to me — I want more.

E．A better way is to break down your learning into bite-sized pieces.

F．After you have fixed that small habit into place, you can then add to it.

G．Having an objective not only makes learning beneficial but gives it a purpose.

3 . The Travel Trends Report for 2024 suggests that engaging in “enrichment travel’ can profoundly impact personal growth and wellbeing by immersing oneself in newt cultures, environments and experiences. The following destinations allow you to explore transformative travel opportunities to rejuvenate body and soul.

Nambin Yoga in Chile

The fascinating Nambin Yoga retreat is in the mountain town of San Pedro de Atacama in Northeast Chile, where it invites guests to experience a seven-day journey including yoga sessions under the sparkling heavens, enlightening stargazing tours, and thoughtfully crafted vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

Rejuvenating in Nevada

Nevada has more hot springs than any other state in the country, with more’ than 300 occurring naturally. For an authentic wilderness experience, venture to Fish Lake Valley; where bathers can soak’ amidst breathtaking views of the mountains in Boundary Peak and enjoy some dark sky stargazing.

Rebooting at Miraval Arizona

Sat within the Sonoran Desert, Miraval offers immersive, technology-free retreats tailored to each guest’s individual needs for a true wellness journey. With innovative program and experts, Miraval empowers guests to design personalized schedule in line; with their wellness intentions, Visitors can gain hands-on experiences like beekeeping and farm work to foster a deeper connection with nature.

Yoga at Aspen Shakti

From June to September the seasoned team at Aspen Shakti hosts open-air Hatha yoga sessions on a picturesque deck, offering something for yoga lovers of all levels. Priced at approximately £. 15 per class, sessions are held from Monday to Friday at 10: 30am, with a portion of earnings dedicated to supporting the Caring for Community Fund mental health program.

1. What can visitors do in both Nambin Yoga in Chile and Rejuvenating in Nevada?

A．Do yoga.	B．Observe stars.
C．Taste cuisines.	D．Admire mountains.

2. Which destination should one choose if he is keen on harvesting vegetables?

A．Yoga at Aspen Shakti	B．Nambin Yoga in Chile
C．Rejuvenating in: Nevada	D．Rebooting at Miraval Arizona

3. What’s special about “Yoga at Aspen Shakti’?

A．It charges the least.	B．It works at weekends.
C．It supports charity! work.	D．It offers yoga sessions.

4 . With the holidays approaching, I sit down at my kitchen table to begin addressing holiday greeting cards.

In front of me are neatly organized piles: red and green cards with shining trees, white envelopes, various colored pens and books of postage stamps. Everything is in place to begin when I’m interrupted by a judgemental “What is that?” from my youngest daughter, Charlotte. Her eyes have just landed on my rather time-worn address book.

My address book is close to 40 years old. Its faded cover was once quite lovely, but now it is crisscrossed with tape (缠满了胶带) , and an elastic band (橡皮筋) just about keeps the bits and pieces of paper together, which are trying their best to escape confinement (束缚) .

“You still use that old thing. You know there are apps for that?”. Charlotte continues.

Written’ on these pages are the names of people who were once important in my life. This includes the names of old friends and contacts for employers and past neighbors. There are people, I came across for a short while and then never saw again, such as a guy who was cycling across Canada to raise. funds for cancer research. And, of course, there are lots and lots of family, contacts.

When I flip through the pages, I wonder what has become of many of the people—I refuse to scratch out any names (even if they have died) . All of these people were once important in. my life, but many of them have been lost to time.

My internal musings finish, I return to the present and respond to my daughter, “Yeah, darling, I know. Why don’t you show me an app to improve this mess sometime?”

“All right, Mom. Maybe next week.”

Just as I thought, she’s already moved on. It’s a good thing I have my contacts down on paper. And no matter what, I will always treasure this old, dog-eared address book as a way to remind me of who I was and the people who shaped who I’ve become.

1. What is the condition of the author’s address book?

A．Old but neat.	B．Colorful but loose.
C．Worn-out and taped together.	D．Messy and disorganized.

2. What is the author’s attitude toward her daughter’s suggestion?

A．She is thankful for it.	B．She is open to it.
C．She is confused about it.	D．She is uninterested in it.

3. How does the author feel about her address book?

A．It might be unreliable.	B．It’s a valuable memory of her past.
C．It’s too old and worthless.	D．It needs to be digitalized.

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

A．Daughter’s Gift	B．My Day Online
C．A World of Digital Distraction	D．Faded Outside, Rich Inside

5 . Maps transport us. They make the landscape fit indoors, make us masters of sights we can’t see and spaces we can’t cover. An award-winning book make the grand journeys taken by wild animals fit indoors, too. Where the Animals Go: Tracking Wildlife with Technology in 50 Maps and Graphics by James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti is an engaging volume, gorgeous in its illustrations and text. Its double intent is brilliant, too — to bring each of us closer to the animal world and to highlight fresh ways to think about conservation.

Technology is central to this effort. As Chesire and Uberti explain, a variety of methods including GPS tracking, acoustic tracking, and sunlight-based geolocating have opened. up the scope of the science of animal movement and brought in an era of new precision.

In a stirring passage, Cheshire and Uberti write: “We can see how the lifeblood of the world’s first national park also depends on protecting land outside its borders. And once you see that twice a year some animals are traveling across 23 million acres of state, it’s hard not. to question our reasons for dividing wilderness into so many scraps, each with its own agenda and regulations. Animals use the land as one big, interconnected system. Perhaps we might learn to do the same.”

Cheshire and Uberti hope the book will inspire discourse about the geographic needs of animals. One of their goals for this book is to connect people to the lives and intentional choices of individual animals. People see individuality in their pets; it’s much harder to see in the wild. As a result, to some, animals in the wild may seem like furry robots following a predetermined loop. This is the kind of thinking they hope to shift.

1. What is the function of maps according to the passage?

A．To decorate homes.	B．To educate people.
C．To dominate sights.	D．To display landscape.

2. Why did the two authors write this book?

A．To track wildlife with technology.	B．To bring human closer to wildlife.
C．To begin in a new era of precision.	D．To show their gorgeous illustration.

3. What can we infer about Cheshire and Uberti’s words in paragraph 3?

A．Human needs to see wilderness as a whole.	B．Animals’ agendas are different from man’s.
C．We should protect land outside our borders.	D．The survival of national parks lies in protection.

4. What kind of thinking do the two authors want to change?

A．Wild animals have individuality.	B．Wildlife makes intentional choices.
C．Wildlife follows a predetermined path.	D．Wild animals are as furry as robots.

6 . 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。

On: streets of Chinese cities, young people can     1     (increasing) be seen wearing clothing with “neo-Chinese elements”. This style featuring traditional Chinese elements such as qipao or hanfu     2     (combine) with modern designs has a sharp re in popularity among. younger generations, who have more confidence than ever in traditional Chinese culture.

With its harmonious combination of urban and casual style, exquisite (精致的) detailing and traditional charm, the “new Chinese style” of clothing, suitable for all occasions,     3     (meet) modem aesthetic (审美的, 美学的) demands successfully in recent years.

On China’s lifestyle-focused social media platform Xiaohongshu, a search for “new Chinese style of clothing” could produce over 2 million results, with the most popular     4     (receive) 150, 000, “likes’. During the past Spring Festival shopping festival from January 13     5     28, the sales, of the new Chinese clothing style increased more than 21-fold compared with the same period last year, with most     6     (buyer) being young people.

Analysts say     7     rise of the new Chinese style is in line with the Generation Z’s aesthetic. More youths are willing     8     (express) their individuality with traditional culture, reflecting their cultural confidence and cultural identity. Their     9     (fascinate) and love for traditional Chinese culture have made “China-Chic” a growing trend     10     has gone global.

7 . The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check my phone. I’m checking emails and looking at Twitter all before I’ve even gotten out of bed. And I’ll keep doing that throughout the entire day, until I go back to bed for the night.

If, like me, you feel unbalanced by how much time you’re spending online, a strategy called digital minimalism (简约主义) may help.     1    .

Set some basic boundaries

Try deleting social media apps from your phone to create natural barriers to accessing them. If that’s not enough, you can use screen timers or app blockers to make it even tougher to log back on.     2    . And that could also change how you communicate with other people.

    3    

One study found that sleeping without phones improves sleep, relationships, focus and health and increases happiness and quality of life. So, sleeping without a phone is good for you, and charging your phone somewhere else could help you experience that benefit.

Recognize your emotions

Ask yourself how you feel when you’re logged in:     4    ? Are you energetic? Do particular apps arouse certain emotions? When you’re online, write down how you feel and see what patterns you have. From there you can decide what to keep, what to get rid of.

Take up your hobbies

You might notice you have a lot more time on your hands if you start practicing digital minimalism and using the Internet less. Make a list of activities you enjoy and people you like hanging out with.     5    , you can try one of those hobbies or call a loved one instead.

The goal with digital minimalism isn’t to figure out how to live without social media or the Internet. It’s to be more aware of when and how you use it.

A．Are you stressed

B．Benefit from phones

C．Here’s how to get started

D．The following tips can help

E．Don’t go to bed with your phone

F．When you feel the urge to grab your phone

G．Setting these boundaries changes the way you use the Internet and social media

8 . I used to be worried about what I should buy my dad for Father’s Day. I’d _________ countless stores for something that my dad would like. But I never had _________. That was years ago when I was _________ and thought every holiday was about _________.

Those years it was usually months after Father’s Day that my dad _________ a gift because he always told me he never “_________” anything. So I stopped getting him things and, _________, started taking him out to movies, to restaurants or to shows, which brought him much laughter.

We should _________ spending time with our fathers doing something they’ll _________. If he is fond of fishing, go fishing with him. Anything you can do to spend time with your father is better than anything you can __________ in a box and put a bow on, unless of course, you put yourself in a box, pop out and hand him tickets to a show or a game.

If, however, your mind is still set on getting a(n) __________ gift as well, then replace that thing that needs to be __________. That’s probably what I’m going to do next year for my father. Sorry, Dad, but this really will be the last summer your lawn mower can __________. If your dad is anything like mine, he’ll __________ until whatever needs to be replaced is __________ broken. And by that I mean it’s there-is-no-possible-way-it-can-be-fixed broken. So __________ it for him.

Many people may no longer have a(n) __________ with their dad. So for those who are lucky like me, it’s a __________ to take our dads for granted. The times we can laugh sure __________ the times we can’t. Now, do something with your dad to make him happy. __________ the materialistic gifts. Bring on the laughs.

1.

A．search

B．design

C．record

D．restore

2.

A．time

B．luck

C．courage

D．patience

3.

A．poor

B．naughty

C．innocent

D．ambitious

4.

A．gifts

B．chances

C．promises

D．hopes

5.

A．sent

B．offered

C．received

D．shared

6.

A．purchased

B．needed

C．deserved

D．ignored

7.

A．instead

B．therefore

C．however

D．lastly

8.

A．refer to

B．put off

C．give up

D．focus on

9.

A．count

B．love

C．tolerate

D．avoid

10.

A．wrap

B．discover

C．imagine

D．touch

11.

A．strange

B．flexible

C．expensive

D．actual

12.

A．repaired

B．unfolded

C．exchanged

D．updated

13.

A．waste

B．run

C．quit

D．lose

14.

A．hold

B．watch

C．wait

D．worry

15.

A．simply

B．partly

C．gradually

D．completely

16.

A．reward

B．reserve

C．replace

D．save

17.

A．relationship

B．experiment

C．exploration

D．explanation

18.

A．duty

B．right

C．shame

D．challenge

19.

A．pass down

B．make up for

C．catch up with

D．bring back

20.

A．Admire

B．Observe

C．Support

D．Forget

9 . ※ Brown Girl Dreaming

By Jacqueline Woodson

As a winner of the National Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, and a Newberry Honor Book, in her book, Brown Girl Dreaming, the author uses poetry to tell her true story of growing up as a black woman in the 1960s and 1970s. Woodson’s beautiful language explores big ideas while describing her family, her growing awareness of race and the civil rights movement, and her life in South Carolina and New York City.

※ When You Were Everything

By Ashley Woodfolk

Cleo and Layla have been best friends for years. But in their second year of middle school, everything changes. Layla starts hanging out with her new friends, and the two girls’ friendship slowly ends. Cleo is still trying to make sense of what happened as she tries to make new friends. Told across two timelines, Cleo’s story of sadness surrounding a lost friendship will be relevant for many 8th graders trying to deal with past middle school friend drama and looking forward to high school.

※ The Hound of the Baskervilles

By Arthur Conan Doyle

The famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend Watson set out to look into a new case in Dartmoor, England. A man is dead, with many dog paw prints leading to his body. Holmes and Watson arrive in Dartmoor to find several unexplainable events and clues. Together, they start to figure out a puzzle that has defined mystery and detective fiction ever since.

※ The Hobbit

By J. R. R. Tolkien

This story is an opener to the longer and more challenging The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It’s an adventure story set in a fantasy world. With dwarves (小矮人), hobbits, sword fights, wizards and dragons, the book’s plot and humor have stood the test of time.

1. How is Brown Girl Dreaming different from the other books?

A．It focuses on city life.	B．It uses clear language.
C．It has won many awards.	D．It tells humorous stories.

2. What is When You Were Everything mainly about?

A．Friendship and growth.	B．Lost love and gained hope.
C．Learning to be more independent.	D．Dealing with pressure from schoolwork.

3. Which book suits whoever wants to read about adventures?

A．The Hobbit	B．Brown Girl Dreaming
C．When You Were Everything	D．The Hound of the Baskervilles

10 . We all want to know what happiness means and try to find ways to help make our life better. Happiness — you know it when you see it, but it’s hard to define. You might call it a sense of well-being, optimism or meaningfulness in life, although those could also be treated separately.     1     we know that we want it, and that is just somehow good.

We also know that we don’t always have control over our happiness. Research suggests that genetics may play a big role in our level of happiness, so some of us may start out at a disadvantage. On top of that, environmental factors can bring down mood and dry up our thirst for living.     2    . Many studies have found a connection between psychological and physical well-being.

A 2022 review of more than 200 studies found a connection between positive psychological features, such as happiness, optimism and life satisfaction, and a lowered risk of heart disease.

    3    . If you have a good sense of well-being, it’s easier to maintain good habits: exercising, eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep.

    4    , and they do not provide hard evidence of cause and effect. But some researchers believe that positive mental states do have a direct effect on the body, perhaps by reducing damaging physical processes. For instance, they found that optimism is associated with lower levels of inflammation (炎症).

If what you mean by happiness is specifically “enjoyment of life”, there’s newer evidence to support that, too. A study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that people aged 60 and over who said they enjoyed life less were more likely to develop disability over an 8-year period.     5    . This study does not prove that physical problems are caused by less enjoyment of life, but suggests a relationship.

A．But whatever happiness really is.

B．It might take more work if your mood is low.

C．For now these studies can only show associations.

D．That refers to the person, and the situation he or she is in.

E．Being able to travel around was also related to enjoyment of life.

F．To manage our emotions is important for both our body and mind.

G．It’s not as simple as “you must be happy to prevent heart attacks”, though.