1 . Las Vegas can offer a lot more than you expect. Here are the best guided tours to help visitors make the most of their Sin City getaway.

Big Bus Las Vegas—Open Top Night Tour

Admire the glittering lights down town on this evening double-decker bus tour. Along the drive, you’ll pass well-known buildings before hopping off to enjoy the free light shows on Fremont Street. Tour-takers praise the guides for their informative, friendly account.

Passengers can board the buses at the LINQ Promenade starting at 7 p. m. each evening.

Cowboy Trail Rides—Red Rock Canyon Sunset Horseback Ride

When you need a break from the city life, put on a cowboy hat and boots for a sunset trail ride through Red Rock Canyon. On the ride, you’ll follow a guide through the picturesque desert landscape, watching for wildlife. Travelers warn that it can get chilly on the ride, so they advise wearing warm layers.

Trail Rides are offered Tuesday through Sunday.

Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters—Grand Celebration Tour

Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters’ Grand Celebration tour offers bird’s-eye views of sought-after sights, like Eagle Point and Lake Mead. The tour also includes a Champagne picnic. The pilots and staff earn praise for their friendliness and professionalism.

There are several daily departure options.

Secret Food Tours—Las Vegas Strip

Every day Secret Food Tours take groups of 10 participants to five-star restaurants on the Strip to sample a variety of cooking delights, including pizza, chocolates and lobster. During the walking tour, highly praised guides teach tourgoers about the city’s food and culture. Travelers say the food on the tour is plentiful and tasty, but they warn that you’ll be doing a lot of walking.

Tickets include all food tastings.

1. What can visitors do during the Open Top Night Tour?

A．Admire paid light shows.

B．Enjoy an evening double decker bus tour.

C．Board buses on Fremont Street.

D．Explore well-known buildings.

2. What do the Grand Celebration Tour and Las Vegas Strip have in common?

A．Visitors can try a horseback ride.

B．Visitors can enjoy views from high in the air.

C．Visitors can have some food to taste.

D．Visitors can learn about the history of Las Vegas.

3. Which tour is unlikely to offer services every day?

A．Secret Food Tours—Las Vegas Strip

B．Big Bus Las Vegas—Open Top Night Tour

C．Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters—Grand Celebration Tour

D．Cowboy Trail Rides—Red Rock Canyon Sunset Horseback Ride

2 . What is sustainable travel? Traveling sustainably means being aware of the impact of tourism on the environment and following good practices to reduce the negative effects. Planet Earth has limited resources and mass tourism puts their existence at risk.     1     Nature, culture and history should be preserved, not commercialized to attract tourists.

Let’s find out a few easy ways to travel in an eco-friendly way.

Stay in eco-friendly accommodations.

From renewable energy production to bio-architecture, eco-friendly accommodations focus on preserving the environment and have positive environmental effects.     2     Staying in eco-friendly accommodations also supports the local economy. In fact, most environmentally friendly accommodations offer zero-kilometer, organic food.

Take public transportation.

    3     By using public transport, the number of cars on the roads decreases and less carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) is released into the atmosphere. Also, fewer vehicle s reduce traffic congestion(阻塞) on the roads.

    4    

Interaction with locals is one of the most rewarding things about sustainable travel and preserves traditions passed down from generation to generation. It is essential to respect traditions as they form the identity of the local community and create a sense of unity among people.

Say NO to single-use plastics.

Saying NO to single-use plastics reduces pollution. The production of plastics uses fossil fuels(化石燃料) and therefore releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.     5     As tourists, we should be mindful of how we travel and our impact when we arrive at a destination.

A．However, this is not all.

B．Buy from and support local businesses.

C．Respect the culture of local communities.

D．Therefore, sustainable travel is a way to preserve nature.

E．Traveling slow allows you to enjoy the scenery along the way.

F．This practice helps reduce air pollution and improve traffic flow.

G．In addition, numerous plastics end up in oceans every year, threatening sea life.

3 . The first time our fifth grader bought a salad for school lunch, she proudly told me the news as soon as she walked in the kitchen door. I didn’t share her delight.

“Honey, just so you know, salad isn’t a meal. It’s a side,” I said. “Vegetables won’t keep you full.”

“But a salad’s healthy, right?” she asked.

Of course the objective answer is yes. But my answer was more complicated. I couldn’t celebrate her otherwise healthy choice because I was worried she had begun to model my dieting and restrictive eating habits she saw as a younger child — habits that included lots of salad eating (and little else) and finally led to my anorexia (厌食症) nearly two years ago. Was this monkey see, monkey do?

Even though our daughters — who are now 10, 8 and 6 — are old enough to make their own regular food choices, what my husband and I have modeled for them will make a difference. I learned something about restrictive eating from watching my own father, who often struggled with his weight. Of course, I don’t blame him for my disorder — he never intended for his choices to be a weight-loss book for me, though sadly, they were. So knowing what I know now, it would be stupid, if not irresponsible for me to think that just because I never told our daughters to restrict or to spend hours each day exercising that they wouldn’t have understood what my “healthy” lifestyle really meant. To be clear, there are countless medical reasons why some parents chose restrictive diets, but when restriction or a diet becomes a way of life that starts to affect relationships, that’s not healthy.

I knew I was wrong to shame the salad our daughter bought for lunch, which is why I reconsidered my response and told her that salad for lunch was, indeed, a healthy choice, and that it should include cheese, meat or nuts, which would keep her brain focused for the rest of her school day. She smiled at my answer. “Well, I also have cheese, eggs and chicken on my salad.”

1. How did the author feel on hearing about her daughter’s lunch?

A．Unconcerned.

B．Relaxed.

C．Uneasy.

D．Delighted.

2. What can we infer about the author’s father?

A．He exercised a lot to keep fit.

B．He was often on a diet.

C．He once suffered from a disorder.

D．He was a good model for the author.

3. What was worrying the author?

A．Her kids at e too much fat every day.

B．Her kids were influenced by her lifestyle.

C．Her kids spent too little time exercising.

D．Her kids knew nothing about food choices.

4. What kind of lunch did the author’s daughter have that day?

A．Vegetarian.

B．High-fat.

C．Balanced.

D．Weight-loss.

4 . Nature’s beauty is all around you. Wild flowers shine in bright blues, yellows, and reds. Trees, with unique shaped branches, and leaves, decorate the horizon. Under your feet, pine needles, leaves, and grass give their natural beauty on the earth’s surface. But how many of you take the time to notice all of nature’s wonders?

Hannah Bullen-Ryner is an artist who not only takes the time to “smell the roses”, but she uses them as a medium to craft stunning portraits of birds. Bullen-Ryner, a photographer by trade, began her artistic hobby shortly after her twin daughters were born. The young mother suffered from depression and anxiety. To seek a solution, she turned to nature.

Bullen-Ryner started spending time alone in the woods, foraging for materials: flowers, branches, leaves, and grass. On an impulse (冲动), she started forming a portrait of a bird with the items she had gathered. When her picture was finished, Bullen-Ryner realized that she felt calmand hopeful. The process had been healing and therapeutic (有疗效的).

Bullen-Ryner tells My Modern Met, “Finding the medium of land art has allowed my art and soul to connect to the earth. As a full-time Mama of nearly three-year-old twin girls, and someone who suffers from anxiety, my art is my quiet time, my peace.”

When Bullen-Ryner creates her artwork on the forest floor, she never uses glues or any other material to bond the foraged items. This means that a single breeze is able to carry away or scatter her portrait.

“People often ask me why I don’t make something more permanent or they say it’s such a shame that it’s temporary,” Bullen-Ryner explains. “But for me,” she continues, “it is the short-lived nature of what I do that has become therapy for my soul. I get to put down all my anxieties, my fears, and all the chaos from my brain and turn it into something beautiful to honor Mother Nature. I take some photos and then walk or cycle away, leaving it all behind and feeling calmer, more connected, and truly lighter.”

1. Why did Bullen-Ryner take up her artistic hobby?

A．To kill time.	B．To make more profits.
C．To serve as a treatment.	D．To entertain her daughters.

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

A．Making.	B．Answering.
C．Providing.	D．Seeking.

3. What do we know about Bullen-Ryner’s artwork?

A．It is well received with customers.

B．It cannot be preserved for a long time.

C．It stimulated the local tourism industry.

D．It won her widespread praise domestically.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Bullen-Ryner is grateful to nature.

B．Bullen-Ryner regrets what she has done.

C．Bullen-Ryner is into going to work by bicycle.

D．Bullen-Ryner persuades more people to participate.

5 . 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。

The Monkey King, also     1     (know)as Sun Wukong, is the main character in the traditional Chinese book Journey to the West. The image of the Monkey King has been taken into the     2     (heart) of Chinese people and is one of the important symbols of Chinese culture. Because of his amazing     3     (intelligent), he gains great powers.

The Monkey King is not just a normal monkey. He is a brave, clever, wise and interesting monkey. In fact, he sometimes does not even look like a monkey. This is     4     he can make 72 changes, turning himself     5     different animals and objects.     6     (fight) evil souls, the Monkey King uses a magic stick. Sometimes he can make the stick so small that he can keep it in his ear. At other times, he is able to make it big and long. The Monkey King’s image appears     7     (frequent) in Chinese culture, not only in literary work,     8     in different entertainment forms, such as movies, TV shows, cartoons, and games.

Chinese children are excited when they see him. They are also interested in reading about him because the clever Monkey King keeps fighting to help     9     weak and never gives up. Sun Wukong has become a classic image in Chinese culture. His image     10     (represent) the spirit of courage and never giving up. At the same time, the story of Sun Wukong also inspires people to have the courage and wisdom to face all kinds of challenges and difficulties in life.

6 . Ever since I was a child, I’ve been frightened by the idea of disappointing people.     1     From preschool through my master degree years I was always the first in my class. But obviously, I’m not a genius. Sometimes, I brought home a nine out of ten grade and my parents would ask me where the other point had gone.

Of course, the explanation was simple: I’d made a mistake. But for a perfectionist, that’s a very dangerous thought, which can cause a chain of abusive self-talks. After all, that mistake was so stupid.     2    

What hides behind my perfectionism is the illusion (幻觉) of control, the idea that if I work hard and do my best, I’ll be perfect and protected,     3     Everyone is allowed to make mistakes, except me; everything is a competition, and anything I can’t win is a dead loss.

    4     It can even make you physically sick with headaches, stomachaches, muscle cramps and so. on. In some cases, it leads to self-harming behavior, such as eating disorders and addiction. The other dark side of perfectionism is that you become unable to truly appreciate your success — you only focus on what you could’ve done better.

Despite the problems, perfectionism has allowed me to complete a lot and become who I am today. “To see perfectionism as a uniquely negative thing is actually to deny a part of yourself,” said the perfectionism coach Yasmina Hajoui.     5     But that desire needs to be balanced and come from a healthy place.

A．Perfectionism is a survival mechanism.

B．There’s nothing wrong with wanting to do things well.

C．The problem is that perfectionism brings more than stress.

D．I should have studied more, worked harder and focused better.

E．In perfectionism, we tend to believe that only our achievements define us.

F．And if something isn’t perfect, that means it’s my fault and that I’m awful.

G．My solution to that anxiety was to achieve perfectionism-and mostly, it worked.

7 . When Posten walked outside to her car, she saw something that looked like a note or receipt stuck to the windshield.

She grabbed it and saw it was a black and white photo of a woman holding a little boy. On the back, it said, “Gertie Swatzell & J.D. Swatzell 1942.” A few hours later, Posten discovered that the photo had made quite a long journey — almost 130 miles on the back of terrible winds.

Posten had been tracking the tornadoes that hit the middle of the U.S., killing dozens of people. They came close to where she lives in New Albany, Indiana, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. So she figured it must be from someone’s damaged home.

“Seeing the date, I realized that was likely from a home hit by a tornado. How else is it going to be there?” Posten said. “It’s a well-kept photo.”

So she posted an image of the photo on Facebook and Twitter and asked for help. She said she was hoping someone on social media would have a connection to the photo or share it with someone who had a connection.

“A lot of people shared it on Facebook. Someone came across it who is friends with a man with the same last name, and they tagged him,” said Posten.

That man was Cole Swatzell, who commented that the photo belonged to family members in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, almost 130 miles away from New Albany. Cole Swatzell on Sunday didn’t respond to a Facebook message seeking comment.

Posten plans to return the photo to the Swatzell family sometime this week.

“It’s really remarkable, definitely one of those things, given all that has happened, that makes you consider how valuable things are — memories, family heirlooms (传家宝), and those kinds of things,” Posten said. “It shows you the power of social media for good. It was encouraging that immediately there were tons of replies from people, looking up ancestor records, and saying ‘I know someone who knows someone and I’d like to help.’”

1. What helped Posten know the photo had made quite a long journey?

A．Learning about a home hit by a tornado.

B．Looking into the information of the photo.

C．Making tracks for the process of the tornadoes.

D．Recognizing the person in the photo at first sight.

2. What do we know about the photo?

A．It’s a damaged photo.

B．It belongs to Cole Swatzell.

C．Its owner lives in New Albany, Indiana.

D．It travels 130 miles away from Kentucky.

3. How did Posten get information of the photo’s owner?

A．From Twitter.	B．From Facebook.
C．From her friend.	D．From ancestor records.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Valuable things should be kept well for good.

B．Common item sometimes is also very valuable.

C．We should encourage each other on social media.

D．Posten thinks highly of the function of social media.

8 . High school graduation requirements

To earn a high school diploma, students must meet the following requirements.

Compulsory credits

*4 credits in English (1 credit per grade) *3 credits in mathematics *3 credits for group 1, 2 and 3 courses *2 credits in science *1 credit in Canadian history (Grade 10) *1 credit in Canadian geography (Grade 9)

*1 credit in the arts *1 credit in health and physical education *1 credit in French as a second language *0.5 credit in career studies *0.5 credit in civics and citizenship

Optional credits

Students must earn 12 optional credits. by successfully completing courses offered in the school’s program and course calendar. Optional credits may include up to four credits earned through approved dual (双倍的) credit programs. .

The literacy graduation requirement

In September 2023, the literacy graduation requirement was introduced and it became effective immediately. Students graduating in the 2023-2024 school year and beyond are required to meet this requirement to earn their high school diploma.

Community involvement

Students are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities as part of the requirements for a diploma.

Students who are looking for community involvement opportunities should:

★make sure they know which activities satisfy the community involvement requirement
★check their school board’s website for a list of approved and prohibited activities
★have a discussion with their parents to plan and select their community involvement activities(students under 18 years old only)
1. What’s the minimum number of credits required for a high school diploma?

A．30.

B．32.

C．34.

D．36.

2. When did the literacy graduation requirement take effect?

A．In September 2021.	B．In September 2022.
C．In September 2023.	D．In September 2024.

3. What should adult students do before doing community involvement activities?

A．Ask for their parents’ permission.

B．Turn to local community centers for help.

C．Set community involvement hours with teachers.

D．Have a clear understanding of the qualified activities.

9 . We never know when our paths with long-lost friends come together. It can happen anywhere and usually when most ________.

Last month, a friend’s mother ________, and I attended the memorial service. While consoling (安慰) her, I suddenly ________ my two friends with whom I was no longer in contact. They were ________ with one another on the other side. It didn’t take me more than an instant to know the ________ thing to do. So I walked to them and said hello.

I knew it could go either way. They might not be ________ talking. Or maybe one would and not the other. As it turned out, all three of us chatted for over a (n) ________. We shared news about the latest things that were happening in our lives. There was so much to let each other ________ wonderful things, ________ things, losses, lost loves, and even health issues.

We each showed an interest in the ________ of one another, asking questions and ________ full of attention. We were catching up, and most of all, we were _______ again.

Our mutual friend, whose mother died, overheard us stating our intentions to make an effort to rekindle (使恢复) the ________. Despite being in a state of grief, she was ________ to hear our discussion. She was the only one who had kept in contact with all of us lost souls.

I was glad to ________ have the opportunity to mend broken friendships. But I never imagined it would happen at a funeral.

1.

A．disappointed

B．disappeared

C．unconditional

D．unexpected

2.

A．gave up

B．showed up

C．passed away

D．took off

3.

A．understood

B．recalled

C．mentioned

D．noticed

4.

A．chatting

B．arguing

C．crying

D．fighting

5.

A．obvious

B．right

C．regular

D．strange

6.

A．surprised at

B．careful about

C．angry at

D．interested in

7.

A．distance

B．decade

C．hour

D．point

8.

A．know

B．guess

C．think

D．discuss

9.

A．abstract

B．terrible

C．national

D．fake

10.

A．works

B．schedules

C．happenings

D．crimes

11.

A．standing

B．nodding

C．explaining

D．listening

12.

A．belonging

B．staring

C．debating

D．bonding

13.

A．friendship

B．energy

C．experience

D．happiness

14.

A．pleased

B．indifferent

C．scared

D．shocked

15.

A．gradually

B．secretly

C．finally

D．frequently

10 . Brothers Mike and Nick Fiorito had a smooth life in the first 30 years. _________, they decided to quit their highly paid jobs since they realized that they often felt unfulfilled. At first they felt _________ about future without knowing what to do, but eventually they came up with an idea to help the homeless folks after _________ their poor situation on the street.

They _________ Blankets of Hope with their own efforts, which turned into a global nonprofit organization that also encourages kindness in schools. The brothers sent the blankets to schools. The kids would write the notes, and then _________ the brothers in delivering the blankets to homeless shelters in their local communities. They _________ students so that every blanket includes a note handwritten in classrooms to _________ homeless folks across the country.

Now, their organization is very _________ — reaching nearly 20,000 people in need across America, Canada and Mexico.

Adults can _________ as well. They can make efforts by donating on a GoFundMe page so that the brothers could have enough money to purchase the blankets. Thanks to people’s generous __________, the brothers aimed at __________ another 20,000 blankets this winter. And they expected these blankets would not only keep people warm, but provide a friendly __________ to another soul. The brothers tried to do what they could to make a __________ despite the sweat. They are __________ that more and more people can join them in __________ the kindness.

1.

A．Occasionally

B．Frequently

C．Consistently

D．Unexpectedly

2.

A．confused

B．prosperous

C．indifferent

D．curious

3.

A．assuming

B．acknowledging

C．resembling

D．witnessing

4.

A．backed down

B．backed up

C．set up

D．cooperated with

5.

A．shunned

B．invaded

C．assisted

D．posed

6.

A．acclaimed

B．involved

C．preserved

D．dominated

7.

A．inspire

B．promise

C．thank

D．teach

8.

A．exquisite

B．fascinating

C．challenging

D．successful

9.

A．disrupt

B．participate

C．commemorate

D．depict

10.

A．glory

B．friction

C．contribution

D．victim

11.

A．giving away

B．giving in

C．handing in

D．wearing out

12.

A．comprehension

B．connection

C．barrier

D．assessment

13.

A．difference

B．date

C．decision

D．estimate

14.

A．objective

B．prosperous

C．hopeful

D．potential

15.

A．understanding

B．receiving

C．paying

D．spreading