1 . Researchers from Sweden and the United Kingdom teamed up to find out the answer to a question practically every person has thought at one time or another: What is the best smell out there?

The cooperative study between Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and the University of Oxford found that people share similar preferences when it comes to smell, regardless of cultural background. And according to the results, vanilla (香草) is the most pleasing smell around.

Artin Arshamian, one of the study’s authors, said humans may have similar olfactory (嗅觉的) preferences because they helped early humans survive. Simply put, humans likely enjoy many of the same smells, more often than not, because of a deep-rooted sense that an item is safe to eat.

“We wanted to examine if people around the world have the same smell perception (感知) and like the same types of odor, or whether this is something that is culturally learned,” Arshamian said.

In fact, researchers had expected culture played a significantly larger role in the results. The experiment requested 225 participants from nine non-Western diverse cultures, including individuals from communities with little contact with the Western world, to participate in the study. Surprisingly, scientists found that a participant’s culture only accounted for 6% of the difference in the findings.

A less shocking revelation was that personal preference came into consideration 54% of the time. This explains why, as referenced in the study’s results, a dish such as fermented herring (发酵鲱鱼) may be appetizing to some yet interpreted as the most terrible smell in the world to others.

“Now we know that there’s a universal odor perception that is driven by molecular structure and that explains why we like or dislike a certain smell,” Arshamian said. “The next step is to study why this is so by linking this knowledge to what happens in the brain when we smell a particular odor.”

1. What might affect early humans’ smells preferences most?

A．The desire to live.	B．The cultural background.
C．The smell of vanilla.	D．The love for delicious food.

2. Why were 225 non-Western participants invited in the study?

A．To introduce the importance of smells.

B．To test researchers’ prediction for the study.

C．To do experiment in a wider geographical regions.

D．To prove culture is not concerned with smell perception.

3. Why is vanilla the most pleasant smell for people according to Artin Arshamian?

A．Because of its popularity.	B．Because of human instinct.
C．Because of its widespread use.	D．Because of the molecular structure.

4. What can we infer from the text?

A．Vanilla is a pleasant smell to girls.	B．Humans have a deep cultural root.
C．The study will be further carried out.	D．Eatable items decide smell preference.

2 . Defeating Daniil Medvedev in New York on Sunday, Djokovic, one of the greatest tennis player, bagging 24 Grand Slam (大满贯) singles titles, equalized the record held by Australian Margaret Court, the same number of singles titles in the all-time count.

With the victory, Djokovic became the oldest US Open men’s singles champion in the Open Era. In total, he has 10 Australian Opens, seven Wimbledons, four US Opens and three Roland Garros titles, making him the only man to win all four majors at least three times. “When I realized that, I started to dream new dreams and set new goals. I never imagined that I would be here talking about 24 Slams,” he said afterwards.

Djokovic reached all finals in the Grand Slams in 2023, and the only loss was at Wimbledon, when Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, 20, brought home the champion after an intense battle lasting four hours and 43 minutes.

Djokovic, at 36, shows few signs of losing physical edge. He stays healthy, keeps exceptional skills and always desires to win more. Capturing his first Grand Slam in 2008, Djokovic bagged half of his 24 major titles after he turned 30.

“One of the biggest lessons I have learned probably mentally throughout my career is that even if you find a formula (方案) that works, it’s not a guarantee, and actually most likely it’s not going to work the next year, so I keep reinventing myself and always trying to find better ways to win,” said Djokovic.

For Djokovic, who always gets tough when the going gets tough, 24 is just a number that he can go beyond. “I’ll continue to prioritize Grand Slams as my most important tournaments and where I want to play the best tennis. That will stay the same in the next season, or I don’t know how many more seasons I have in my legs,” he added, “So, let’s see.”

1. What does the underlined word “equalized” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．Set.

B．Broke.

C．Levelled.

D．Approached.

2. What can we know about Djokovic according to the passage?

A．He won 12 Grand Slams in his thirties.

B．He won all the finals in the Grand Slams in 2023.

C．He attached the same importance to all the matches.

D．He is the oldest men’s singles champion in the open era.

3. What seems the “secret” of Djokovic’s great achievement?

A．Losing physical edge.	B．Attending more Grand Slams.
C．Following a good formula.	D．Finding flexible and proper strategies.

4. Which of the following can best describe Djokovic?

A．Confident and emotional.	B．Ambitious and devoted.
C．Aggressive and stubborn.	D．Enthusiastic and generous.

3 . Top 4 must-see ancient villages in Beijing

Beijing is a world-famous historical and cultural city with a history of more than 3, 000 years. The rich and profound ancient village culture found in and around the city remains an important part of the capital’s history and culture. Below we recommend 4 must-see ancient villages in the Beijing area as the 2024 May Day holiday approaches.

Lingshui village

Located in the northwest of Mentougou district, Lingshui village was formed in the Liao and Jin dynasties. The ancient dwellings in Lingshui village are a model of rural residential buildings during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) in northerm China, and their original appearance is well preserved. Tourists can explore over 120 folk houses, alongside many cultural relics in the village.

Shuiyu village

Shuiyu village is in Fangshan district. The village was built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. With 600 houses and more than 100 sets of courtyard houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties, the original cultural ecology of the village has been well maintained. Facing both north and south, the village is laid out in a circular shape, forming a unique architectural style.

Sangyu village

Sangyu village lies in the north of Mentougou district, Beijing, next to Lingshui village. Prior to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) , Sangyu village was called Sanyu or “encountering” in English, named for the three water channels that meet in the village. Dense mulberry tree forests surround the entire village, and when they bear fruit, purple mulberries light up the village valley.

Malan village

Malan village, which means “horse stable” in English, had a history of keeping horses that dates back to the Ming dynasty. The ancient buildings in Malan village are made of stone and mud. When building and repairing houses in the village, people try their best to maintain their original appearance. There is also an exhibition hall, a row of old houses, as well as 12 gate bridges in the the village.

1. Which village is designed round according to the text?

A．Lingshui village.	B．Shuiyu village.
C．Sangyu village.	D．Malan village.

2. What does Lingshui village and Malan village have in common?

A．They are models of rural buildings.

B．The houses are made of stones and mud.

C．Their original appearance are well maintained.

D．They were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

3. From which column of a newspaper can this passage probably be taken?

A．Nature.

B．Agriculture.

C．Geography.

D．Tourism.

4 . 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。

Kim’s family moved frequently from one place to another due to his father’s profession. Kim had to start a new school every few years. Therefore, Kim’s school life was terrible. He didn’t have any best friends.

One day, Kim went to his classmate Rocky’s home. As soon as they entered the house, Rocky’s pet jumped on Rocky and started licking his face. Rocky said, “My doggy loves me very much. Animals can’t speak, but they have feelings, too.” His words were so touchy that Kim thought about keeping a pet.

Kim talked with his mother. She was afraid of dogs. She said that if Kim kept a dog at home, then it would be entirely his responsibility. The real task for Kim was his father. They were pure vegetarian. His father knew that animal needs meat for growth, which he never bought in the market. Therefore, he said a clear no to Kim’s demand.

One day, Kim saw a puppy in the park, who was in pain because of an injured ear. The puppy was weeping. Kim couldn’t stop himself and took it home. He took good care of it and decided to keep it permanently at home. When his father saw the dog, he scolded Kim, the little pup sitting in the corner and listening to them. Since Kim requested him a lot, finally, he agreed unwillingly.

Kim named that cute puppy Dooner. He trained Dooner and took care of his food, water, and cleanliness. Dooner and Kim became good friends. Everyone loved Dooner except Kim’s father. Every time his father got home, Dooner would hide somewhere in the house.

Then the day came when the results of the examination were declared. Kim failed in one subject, which made Kim’s father disappointed. He scolded Kim and even blamed Dooner for Kim’s failure.

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。

Dooner hid himself in the corner, listening to everything.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Although Dooner had left the house for several days, he decided to pick up Kim’s father’s wallet on the ground of the market and returned it.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . I was shocked to see my baby Dani with a cleft(唇裂) at his birth. After the delivery, I wasn’t _______ to see my baby. All I could do was to ask for information about Dani. Dani had his surgery on the seventh day! It was a terrible experience. I buried myself in great _______.

Things _______ when I met Dr. Anastassov, who brought Smile Train—sponsored cleft care to Bulgaria. Dr. Anastassov was my _______ from the moment we met. He helped me build the confidence in Dani’s _______. At six, Dani finished his speech therapy(矫治) and could speak as _______ as everyone else.

Dani wanted to be a _______. When he began his formal training, the medical exam was very _______ for him. They knew he was different, even if they couldn’t immediately tell how. So they worked him harder than the others. But Dani showed great _______ and passed. He is now ________ his dream as a pilot!

Being Dani’s mother is a(n) ________. He has been so successful because we ________ him to understand that people with clefts should not be ________, because they can do anything.

Now I ________ Smile Train to help those like my son. I ________ my experience with them. I’m happy to work here and make change for the better every day.

1.

A．persuaded

B．invited

C．allowed

D．forced

2.

A．relief

B．pain

C．security

D．loneliness

3.

A．changed

B．continued

C．worsened

D．mattered

4.

A．challenge

B．choice

C．evidence

D．inspiration

5.

A．attitude

B．gift

C．recovery

D．virtue

6.

A．loudly

B．firmly

C．clearly

D．gently

7.

A．pilot

B．trainer

C．doctor

D．spaceman

8.

A．valuable

B．difficult

C．interesting

D．practical

9.

A．excitement

B．difference

C．contribution

D．strength

10.

A．living

B．spreading

C．breaking

D．discovering

11.

A．chance

B．fact

C．mission

D．honor

12.

A．promised

B．raised

C．ordered

D．begged

13.

A．pitied

B．supported

C．compared

D．controlled

14.

A．set up

B．work with

C．turn to

D．care about

15.

A．replace

B．draft

C．confirm

D．share

6 . Sports offer so many great benefits not only to our physical health but to our mental health.     1    . So allow me to help you count the ways:

·Playing sports improves our mood.

Any form of physical activity excites the release of chemicals called endorphins (脑内啡), which make you feel happier and more relaxed as well. This explains why you feel so great after playing a pick-up game of basketball or throwing a football. It doesn’t have to be an intense session.     2    .

·Playing sports gives us a promotion of confidence.

    3    , which can be extremely rewarding. These goals might be to win the game, to score agoal, to perform your best, or to simply have fun. Whatever the case, setting these team or individual goals can provide heightened feelings of self-worth and confidence.

·    4    .

Exercising regularly can improve skills like critical thinking, learning, and concentration abilities. And on top of that, engaging in physical activity such as playing sports or cycling may help prevent development of certain cognitive disorders (认知障碍). So pick up a bat, a ball, or a glove and get out there!

·Playing sports provides means for socialization.

Playing team sports provides the perfect opportunity for social interaction. It allows you to spend time and bond with old friends, as well as meet new ones!     5    , whether that should be volleyball, football, hockey, gymnastics, or any others. You’ll harvest many health benefits and have fun doing it.

A．Playing sports keeps you energized

B．Playing sports improves our mental skills

C．These mental health benefits may be less obvious

D．Physical activity is certainly a good way to manage stress

E．Sports are about setting, working towards, and accomplishing goals

F．So don’t wait a second longer to tackle your favorite sport or try a new one

G．It’s just about getting on your feet, increasing your heart rate, and having fun at the same time

7 . On Tuesday, Virgin Atlantic flew a large passenger jet from London to New York using 100% “Sustainable Aviation（航空） Fuel（SAF）”. The flight was meant to show that it’s possible to fly using cleaner fuels.

The fuel used on the flight was mainly made from used cooking oils and animal fats. A small part of the fuel was made from corn waste. Virgin Atlantic says that using SAF cuts the flight’s pollution by 70%. SAF still pollutes when it’s burned, just like regular jet fuel. However, the difference is in how the fuels are made.

SAF is made from plants （and related animal products） that once absorbed carbon dioxide （CO₂） from the air. When SAF burns, it just releases this same CO₂ again. That’s different from jet fuel, which is made from oil exploited from underground, releasing CO₂ that was deeply buried.

SAF may sound great, but it still has many problems. For one thing, SAF costs five times as much as regular jet fuel. That helps explain why only one-tenth of 1% of the fuel airlines currently use is SAF. Virgin Atlantic is hoping that its flight will encourage more companies to produce SAF and that this will bring the price down.

But even if the price of SAF drops, critics say there are still big problems with it. They say it’s easy to make small amounts of SAF out of plant waste. But to make as much SAF as the airlines really need would require farmers to grow plants for fuel instead of for eating. This could also lead to more forests being cut down for farmland.

Airlines like SAF because it can be used now in existing planes with no changes. They hope it will help quickly reduce airplane pollution until non-polluting fuels are developed.

Governments seem to agree that SAF is a step in the right direction. Both the United States and the European Union have set targets that will sharply increase the use of SAF in coming years.

1. What makes SAF superior to regular jet fuels?

A．Its production method.	B．Being pollution-free.
C．Its storage technology.	D．Being easy to burn.

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

A．Destroyed.

B．Replaced.

C．Drawn.

D．Checked.

3. Why are only a few fuel airlines using SAF?

A．SAF is heavy.	B．SAF is expensive.
C．SAF needs new equipment.	D．SAF may cause safety issues.

4. What is governments’ probable attitude towards using SAF?

A．Unclear.

B．Negative.

C．Doubtful.

D．Approving.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the talk mainly about?

A．A lecture on success.

B．A graduation ceremony.

C．A school award ceremony.

2. What kind of school is it?

A．A girls’ school.

B．A boys’ school.

C．A mixed school.

3. Who is quoted in the talk?

A．A sportsman.

B．A teacher.

C．A singer.

4. What does the speaker say is the most important?

A．Confidence.

B．Success.

C．Trying.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why has the picnic been cancelled?

A．It has been raining.

B．The man has another plan.

C．The woman dislikes picnics.

2. What did the man do just now?

A．He watched a game.

B．He played soccer.

C．He did an experiment.

3. How does the woman probably feel about the exhibition?

A．Uninterested.

B．Disappointed.

C．Excited.

4. Which of the following are shown in the exhibition?

A．Jewelries.

B．Oil paintings.

C．Sculptures.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Why did the speaker go on the tour?

A．It was the prize of a competition.

B．John asked her to go with him.

C．It was her travel plan.

2. What did the speaker dislike about the hotel?

A．The drinks.

B．The food.

C．The waiters.

3. What did the speaker think of the trip to the museum?

A．Disappointing.

B．Amazing.

C．Terrible.

4. What did the speaker do in the second week?

A．She rode an elephant.

B．She went to the mountains.

C．She relaxed in the hotel.