1 . A brown and dry lawn is not something many gardeners would boast about. But that is exactly the kind of yard competition organizers in Sweden were looking for when they launched the prize for the “World’s Ugliest Lawn”. People from around the world were invited to post pictures of their dehydrated(脱水的)grass to social media in a bid to win the uncertain honor.

The intention, according to those behind the project, was to raise awareness of “saving water on a global scale by changing the norm for green lawns”. Lawns, which can require large amounts of water to maintain, are coming under increasing examination as climate change makes periods of drought more frequent and intense.

The global initiative was launched on the official website for Gotland in Sweden. “Huge amounts of water are used to water lawns for aesthetics(美学). As the world gets warmer, lack of water in urban areas is projected to affect up to 2.4 billion people by 2050. By not watering lawns for aesthetic reasons, we can protect the availability of groundwater,” the competition organizers said.

The unlikely title has been awarded to Kathleen Murray who lives in Sandford in Tasmania, Australia. According to the organizers, Murray’s lawn “boasts deep and dry divots created by three wild bandicoots(袋狸)and not one dust-covered decimeter is wasted on watering”. Murray said in the press release about her triumph, “I am terribly proud! I knew I would have my 5 minutes of fame, even if it was for having the ugliest lawn on the planet! I am now free of ever taking care of my lawn again.”

A press release by the Gotland, office added, “For the planet and its declining stockpiles of life-giving liquid, thank you, Kathleen, as well as those naughty bandicoots damaging your lawn for the greater good.” Organizers added, “Gotland aims to show to Sweden and the world that sustainable behavior doesn’t have to be dull.”

1. What can we say about the yard competition organized in Sweden?

A．People had even doubted its authenticity.

B．People worldwide were unwilling to join.

C．Its participants must be professional gardeners.

D．Its entries must agree with the existing aesthetics.

2. What is the purpose of this yard competition?

A．To call on people to protect lawns.	B．To encourage people to be creative.
C．To challenge the norm of aesthetics.	D．To remind people of water shortage.

3. What does the underlined word “triumph” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Ambition.

B．Success.

C．Sorrow.

D．Barrier.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．People’s Whelming Reaction To A Yard Contest In Sweden

B．Lawns And Rare Bandicoots Calling For Urgent Protection

C．A Lawn Named The Ugliest Globally All For A Good Cause

D．The World’s Ugliest Lawn Unaccepted By The Whole World

2 . When patients are discharged (出院) from the hospital, effective summaries from doctors’ notes are essential to capture their health status in the medical record. Whereas, most are filled with technical languages that are hard to understand and increase patients’ anxiety.

To address the problem, researchers from New York University (NYU) Langone Health have been testing the capabilities of generative artificial intelligence (AI). It tries to develop likely options for the next word in any sentence based on how most people use words in context on the Internet.

NYU Langone Health received access to the latest tool from a famous tech company to explore generative AI. One of the studies by the researchers published in JAMA Network Open, looked at how well the tool could convert (转换) the text in 50 patient discharge notes into patient-friendly language. Specifically, generative AI made the discharge notes drop from 11th-grade reading level on average to a 6th-grade level.

Two physicians were asked to review the AI discharge summary based on a 6th-grade level. The reviewing physicians awarded 54 percent of the AI-generated discharge notes the best-possible accuracy rating. They also found that 56 percent of notes created by AI were entirely complete. The result signified that even at the current performance level, providers of discharge notes would not have to make a single change in more than half of the AI summaries reviewed.

“That more than half of the AI reports generated are accurate and complete is an amazing start,” said Jonah Zaretsky, associate chief of medicine at NYU Langone Hospital — Brooklyn. “Even at the current level of performance, which we expect to improve shortly, the achievement of the AI tool suggests that it can be taught to recognize subtleties (微妙之处).”

Within the following years, the team expects to launch a pilot program to provide lay language discharge summaries that have been generated by AI and reviewed by physicians to patients on a larger scale.

1. What is generative AI used for by the researchers?

A．Submitting discharge summaries.	B．Accessing patients’ health status.
C．Making discharge notes clear to patients.	D．Offering technical languages to doctors.

2. What is generative AI’s function based on?

A．Probable predicting.	B．Actual thinking.
C．Free imagining.	D．Strict instructing.

3. Why were the two physicians asked to review the AI discharge summaries?

A．To correct their mistakes.	B．To measure their accuracy.
C．To compete with the AI tool.	D．To make up the missing parts.

4. How did Jonah Zaretsky find the performance of AI in dealing with discharge summaries?

A．Misleading.

B．Dismissive.

C．Challenging.

D．Promising.

3 . A grey-headed flying fox is back gliding through the night after life-saving surgery on a broken wing. The female flying fox’s wing was badly injured when it was twisted in a net placed over fruit trees in Geelong, Victoria. It was rescued and taken to Werribee Open Range Zoo’s veterinary hospital where it needed two operations to repair the wing.

Paul Eden, doctor of the hospital, said, “The flying fox was in a very serious condition when it arrived.” Flying foxes are highly dependent on their wings for many purposes. They can fly an astonishing 6,000 km in a year to search for food and pollinate a wide range of plants. They also use their wings to help capture insects, regulate body temperature and attract other flying foxes during mating season, So, it was extremely important that we did everything we could to help this animal make a full recovery. Vets operated to remove some of the flying fox’s damaged wing tissue and also gave it antibiotics (抗生素) and pain relief medication.

Following the successful procedure, the flying fox was transferred to a wildlife carer to prepare it for release back into where it belonged. Dr Eden said, “It is very rewarding to see the flying fox recover fully and safely return home.” According to researchers from Werribee Open Range Zoo, flying foxes played a critical role in Australia’s ecosystem, not only for the survival of other native animals but also humans. Our ecosystem would be dramatically different without flying foxes.

Dr Eden noted that there were some simple actions people could take to keep flying foxes safe, including reducing the risk of twisting by using nets with a size no bigger than 5 mm×5 mm when fully stretched over vegetable gardens or fruit trees. “If you encounter a flying fox that is sick or in distress, for the safety of everyone, don’t attempt to rescue the animal yourself. Instead, contact Wildlife Victoria who will send a trained officer to rescue the animal,” Dr Eden said.

1. How did the flying fox get injured in the wing?

A．It was stuck in the net.	B．It was hit by the fruits.
C．It was hunted while flying.	D．It was twisted in the branches.

2. What is paragraph 2 intended to do?

A．Analyse the reason.	B．Draw a conclusion.
C．Present a problem.	D．Add some backgrounds.

3. How will the flying fox be dealt with after recovery?

A．It will be raised in a reserve.	B．It will be adopted by D Eden.
C．It will be set free back to nature.	D．It will be tended in a wildlife carer.

4. What did Dr Eden advise us to do while coming across an injured flying fox?

A．Rescue it on the spot.	B．Seek professional aid.
C．Send it to Wildlife Victoria in person.	D．Drive it to hospital as soon as possible

4 . 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。

Since the holding of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, teenagers and young children     1     (show) a greater interest in skiing-related activities. Chinese people born in the 1990s and after the year 2000 are the main groups of skiers, according to Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China,     2     (base) the result on data from a renowned travel agency.

“During the winter that just ended, the number of bookings for skiing-related services made by these two age groups accounted     3     60 percent of the total, and the number of children who had gone skiing with their parents was on the rise.” the travel agency said.

With the trend of Chinese consumers’ higher enthusiasm for skiing     4     (notice), a Swiss luxury watchmaker organized a, day on the slopes for young skiers in early winter last year. “This reflected the company’s     5     (commit) to helping children believe in themselves through sports.” it said.

“We     6     (firm) believe that sport is important for the integration of children. So,    7     means a lot to us to be able to create environments     8     children can experience the fun and joy of sport,” said Franziska Gsell, chief marketing officer of the company. China had become one of the most dynamic markets for the company and they were     9     (confidence) about their operations in the country.

The widespread popularity of ice and the emergence of indoor ski resorts and snow parks have enabled people from the southern regions of China     10     (experience) skiing-related activities at any time of the year.

5 . Asli Samanci, a food scientist, was driven by her childhood dream of becoming a scientist, leading her to pursue a career in food science. “It ______ everything: biology, microbiology and chemistry all together,” Samancil said.

With this passion, she established a company that ______ health products made from propolis (蜂胶), a natural substance produced by bees. Samanci’s dedication to ______ is evident in every step. of her product development process. “All products are ______ by science,” Samanci said.

The ______ behind Samanci’s venture also lies in her son, who experienced frequent health issues during his early years. Upon a doctor’s recommendation, she ______ propolis as a means to help strengthen her son’s immune system. However, not ______ with the products on the market, Samanci worked ______ with a beekeeper to craft the ideal solution for her son’s needs. Gradually, Samanci has made her specialized products ______ to a broader range of consumers.

Meanwhile, Samanci and her beekeeping partners have witnessed a significant ______ in the bee population, Recognizing that 80% of all plants rely on bees for pollination (授粉), this development has proved to contribute to ______ nature. Samanci firmly believes in the concept of a win-win business model, where ______ can make a positive impact on the environment. And she urges all entrepreneurs and scientists to find that ______ . Samanci says, “To get something from nature in a(n) ______ way, we urge more food scientists and agricultural scientists to join us. ______ , nature will not give us anymore.”

1.

A．accomplishes

B．combines

C．processes

D．maintains

2.

A．took up

B．brought about

C．held back

D．put off

3.

A．purchase

B．delivery

C．quality

D．service

4.

A．limited

B．denied

C．revealed

D．backed

5.

A．regulation

B．inspiration

C．sample

D．mystery

6.

A．explored

B．exported

C．refused

D．permitted

7.

A．patient

B．consistent

C．cautious

D．content

8.

A．equally

B．violently

C．directly

D．temporarily

9.

A．accessible

B．similar

C．responsible

D．essential

10.

A．damage

B．rise

C．change

D．loss

11.

A．conquering

B．discovering

C．impressing

D．preserving

12.

A．scientists

B．beekeepers

C．entrepreneurs

D．consumers

13.

A．balance

B．opportunity

C．fault

D．reason

14.

A．extraordinary

B．sustainable

C．lively

D．decent

15.

A．Altogether

B．Anyhow

C．Moreover

D．Otherwise

6 . 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。

Cedar Point was an amusement park in Ohio I had been expecting to visit as a child. We lived close to the park, so I often heard the screams of people on the roller coaster, saw the tired kids with their parents when they left. Sometimes, I looked wistfully at the lights through my window at night.

When I was nine, my grandmother managed to save a little bit of money here and there and took me there one day that summer. I yelled, excitement bubbling inside me. As we arrived at the park for the first time, kids were everywhere, eating popcorn (爆米花) and blowing bubbles. My eyes widened in delight at the scene. I wanted to do all those things, but deep down, I knew we didn’t have enough money. We could only afford to buy a ticket only for one ride for fifteen minutes. I pulled my grandmother toward the ticket window to buy a ticket for the carousel (旋转木马).

It was exactly as I had imagined, straight out of a movie. My grandmother smiled fondly and leaned down, giving the ticket to the ride operator, Mr Salas. Letting go, I rushed to the ride, stopping only to pick which horse to sit on. They were all so beautiful, coming in different colors with’ different expressions ‘on their plastic faces. To me, it felt like the decision of a lifetime.

“Come on, sweetie! The ride is going to start!” my grandmother called out, laughing at my indecision. Seeing that, Mr Salas also smiled warmly. Finally, I picked the horse with the pink hair and blue saddle. In the following minutes, I was absorbed in enjoying the ride, forgetting my family was struggling. My grandmother waved each time the ride passed her by. Mr Salas watched me from a distance.

Sadly, the carousel ride ended much too quickly. My grandmother was waiting and took my hand. I got down from the horse unwillingly, feeling bittersweet.

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。
At that moment, Mr Salas approached us with a warm smile on his face.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After a while, Mr Salas returned, with an all-inclusive ticket for Cedar Point for the entire day.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What was the writing subject about last year?

A．A bedroom.

B．A place.

C．Food.

2. Who can take part in the writing competition?

A．Teenagers.

B．Middle-aged people.

C．Old people.

3. What will the winners get?

A．500 dollars.

B．Free tickets to a zoo.

C．The club’s magazines.

4. What is the deadline for the entry?

A．The 4th next month.

B．The 14th next month.

C．The 25th next month.

8 . When will the man clean up his room?

A．In just half an hour.

B．After seeing the movie.

C．Before going to the cinema.

9 . If you look at the dynamic “Global Temperatures” map on NASA’s website, you can see the historic temperature change over time across the planet as the timeline goes from 1880 to the modern day. By 2019, the entire planet is in red, orange, and yellow colors, indicating temperatures much higher than the historical average in every country and human inhabitance.

If the timeline went to 2023, the map would look even worse. That’s because the summer of 2023 was the hottest ever, according to ocean monitors. July was the hottest month in recorded history. Next July could be worse. Unless we do something quickly, we face dealing with more and more dangerous and expensive natural disasters in the future.

Forest fires sent smoke from Canada across the North American continent, causing New York City to have the worst air quality in its recorded history. Heavy rainstorms fell on Vermont and the Northeastern United States in just a couple of days in the middle of July, which exceeded the amount that area would usually receive in two months and caused extreme damage to homes and businesses. Around the same time, flash flooding in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — north of Philadelphia — killed nearly a dozen people.

Erich Fischer, a researcher specializing in climate studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is concerned that natural disasters could get much worse in the future—and in ways we cannot predict. He called for a “strike for climate justice,” which actually took place on Sept. 15, 2023. “The strategy needs to be twofold (双重的) . We need to decrease carbon emissions as much as realistically possible. That is already happening with people using electric cars and other green technologies. At the same time, we also need to find ways to predict the risk of natural disasters ahead of time,” said Erich Fischer.

1. Why does the writer mention the data on NASA’s website in paragraph 1?

A．To explain a concept.	B．To introduce a topic.
C．To provide a solution.	D．To make a prediction.

2. What does the third paragraph mainly tell us?

A．The severity of natural disasters.	B．The worst air quality in New York City.
C．The extreme damage by flash flooding.	D．The cause of the forests fires in Canada.

3. What did Erich Fischer suggest to deal with the current situation?

A．He advocated a twofold strategy.

B．He suggested forbidding carbon emissions.

C．He required people to use more electric cars.

D．He emphasized the awareness of climate changes.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Hottest Month in History	B．Natural Disasters in the World
C．Extreme Weather Could Get Worse	D．Green Technology Would be Needed

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the man think of air transportation?

A．Its insurance is always expensive.

B．It’s the safest way to send goods.

C．It’s the fastest way of transportation.

2. What will the man recommend to send very heavy machines?

A．Air transportation.

B．Sea transportation.

C．Road transportation.

3. Which is the feature of railway transportation according to the man?

A．It is economical.

B．It is very flexible.

C．It brings much pollution