1 . Tightening your belt to beat the cost of living doesn’t have to mean cutting out all entertainment. Use these tricks to get cheap theatre tickets, TV and more.

Decide what you’ll see on the day. If you’re flexible about which shows you see, and are willing to miss out on the most in-demand productions, then a great way to save at the theatre is to go for reduced “stand by” tickets.     1    . Quantities can vary from a handful that have been deliberately held back, through to all available tickets.

Be a seat filler. A similar way to save on plays, but also comedy shows, gigs and occasionally sporting events, is to be a seat filler.     2     . So there’s more of an atmosphere for paying audience members, or perhaps spread the word of mouth if you enjoyed it. However, the big rule is that you don’t tell anyone where you got your ticket or how much you paid.

    3    . For the budget conscious reader, libraries will be essential. You can order books that aren’t held locally for a small fee, and get on waitlists for the most popular titles. Check your local library to see what extras are on offer.

Become a member. Memberships can be a huge waste of money if you don’t use them. But signing up for unlimited entry for a year can also be fantastic value for money.     4     .

Go midweek. It’s often the case for events that they’re cheaper from Monday to Wednesday than at the weekend.     5     . Not only might the tickets be priced lower, but you can get two for one tickets via the Internet so you pay even less.

A．Borrow your books

B．Just be sure you’ll get the most out of it

C．Make the most of what you already have

D．That’s especially true for cinema tickets

E．These are generally made available on the day

F．Most people choose to watch movies on weekends

G．The idea is that you’ll fill out the crowd if they’re a bit thin

2 . We’ve all had a wrong number text before, but how often do they lead to years-long friendships? For Jamal and Wanda, a _______ text has resulted in seven years of shared Thanksgiving dinners!

In 2016, the 17-year-old Jamal received a text, _______ from his grandma, asking if he would _______ it to Thanksgiving that year. After exchanging a few _______ , it soon became clear that the text’s sender, Wanda, _______ , was not his grandma. She invited Jamal to the _______ though, and after Jamal _______ the exchange on the Internet, the pair went viral.

Spending Thanksgiving together has become an _______ thing for Jamal and Wanda. The year of 2023 will _______ the tradition’s eighth anniversary. Their friendship has gone from strength to strength, even through ________ like the passing of Wanda’s husband, Lonnie.

Wanda said, “Jamal ________ me that age made absolutely no difference. When Jamal came along, my husband and I and Jamal and his girlfriend, we would go out eating dinner through-out the year together and we would just lose all track of ________ . One time, we were at a restaurant for three or four hours and I couldn’t ________ we were there that long. We kept talking! It was just such a ________ conversation.”

Thanks to the wrong number text, the two have developed a deep friendship. The pair have even gone into ________ together, launching a water company.

1.

A．suitable

B．mistaken

C．strange

D．tricky

2.

A．supposedly

B．admittedly

C．hurriedly

D．decidedly

3.

A．take

B．have

C．make

D．get

4.

A．objects

B．options

C．journals

D．texts

5.

A．in fact

B．after all

C．at once

D．on time

6.

A．wedding

B．dinner

C．dance

D．concert

7.

A．broke

B．found

C．left

D．shared

8.

A．annual

B．easy

C．occasional

D．obvious

9.

A．place

B．view

C．mark

D．receive

10.

A．events

B．festivals

C．celebrations

D．elements

11.

A．offered

B．taught

C．advised

D．promised

12.

A．goals

B．food

C．projects

D．time

13.

A．believe

B．claim

C．prove

D．mention

14.

A．stable

B．brave

C．wonderful

D．modest

15.

A．amusement

B．business

C．education

D．politics

3 . Kenny Lake School in Alaska is small, with about 60 students from kindergarten to high school seniors. Jennifer Hodges, a teacher, said, “My students sit only at desks for 20 minutes a day. They do a lot of practical learning, such as raising salmon (鲑) from egg to fry (鱼苗) in the classroom and then releasing them into lakes.”

It is through a program called Salmon in the Classroom. Kate Morse, program director for the project, is in charge of the program. With this project, students have a completely different attitudes because they know what it takes to actually go through the stages of a salmon.

They think learning about the habitat temperature and the effects of climate change is more crucial now than ever. In 2022, the Arctic had its sixth-warmest year on record. But this is unusual in raising salmon, which require cold water to survive. “We had a failure in our equipment and it brought the temperature up about five degrees”, said Hodges. “Just warming it that much just killed our eggs.”

They can also observe how deadly pollutants can be to salmon’s habitat. During the months when the salmon are in the classroom, students like to sit by the tank to observe. “For instance, putting hand sanitizer (消毒剂) on your hands and then putting your fingers in the tank, you’ve polluted the tank,” said Hodges.

Each year in May, she takes her students on the Salmon Field Trip, where they will name the fish and get to release the salmon they’ve raised in class.

“The best part is getting to release them after watching them hatch from eggs and grow into fry and taking care of them,” said Fisher, a student. “You get to say goodbye.”

“I went to release them last year and the lake was still covered with ice,” said Styrling, a student. “I fell in. It was cold, but it was still funny.”

1. What do we know about the students in Kenny Lake School?

A．They raise salmon for their eggs.	B．They always sit at desks all day.
C．They can receive hands-on education.	D．They can combine learning with hobbies.

2. Why is the program mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To stress the role the program has played.	B．To introduce the founder of the program.
C．To explain ways that students raise salmon.	D．To emphasize Kate Morse’s responsibility.

3. Which statement is supported by Hodges?

A．Climate change has a minimal impact on salmon habitats.

B．Salmon eggs are sensitive to the rise of water temperature.

C．Their equipment failure caused a decrease in water temperature.

D．Students observe the tank to learn about pollution caused by salmon.

4. What is the students’ attitude to raising salmon?

A．Positive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Neutral.

D．Indifferent.

4 . The artificial intelligence algorithms (算法) behind the program of an AI chat app, which has drawn attention for its ability to generate humanlike written responses to some of the most creative queries, might one day be able to help doctors detect Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages. Research from Drexel University’s School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems recently proved that the program of the AI chat app can identify clues from spontaneous (自发的) speech that are 80% accurate in predicting the early stages of dementia (痴呆) .

The current practice for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease typically involves a medical history review and lengthy set of physical and neurological evaluations and tests. While there is still no cure for the disease, spotting it early can give patients more options for ways of treatment and support. Because the language disability is a symptom (症状) in 60%-80% of dementia patients, researchers have been focusing on programs that can pick up on unobvious clues, such as hesitation, making grammar and pronunciation mistakes and forgetting the meaning of words, as a quick test that could indicate whether or not a patient should have a full examination.

“The AI systemic approach to language analysis and production makes it a promising possibility for identifying the unobvious speech characteristics that may predict the beginning of dementia,” said Felix Agbavor, a doctoral researcher in the school and the lead author of the paper. “Training the app with a lot of data of interviews, some of which are with Alzheimer’s patients, would offer the information it needs to select speech patterns that could then be applied to identify markers in future patients.”

To build on these promising results, the researchers are planning to develop a web application that could be used at home or in a doctor’s office as a pre-screening tool.

“Our proof-of-concept shows that this could be a simple, accessible and fully sensitive tool for community-based testing,” Felix said. “This could be very useful for early screening and risk assessment before a clinical diagnosis.”

1. What does the underlined word “queries” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Solutions.

B．Details.

C．Comments.

D．Questions.

2. What might be used as a sign of dementia?

A．The hearing loss.	B．The speech barrier.
C．The increase of age.	D．The difficulty in moving.

3. What does Felix think of the AI method for predicting dementia?

A．Promising.

B．Confusing.

C．Challenging.

D．Complex

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

A．The AI algorithms behind an app has drawn attention

B．Speech patterns could be applied to identify Alzheimer’s

C．An AI chat app may help detect early signs of Alzheimer’s

D．A medical history review is involved in diagnosing dementia

5 . Here are the introductions and achievements of four scientists.

Jöns Jacob Berzelius

Jöns Jacob Berzelius was a Swedish chemist, often referred to as one of the founders of modern chemistry. He developed a system of chemical symbols, which laid the foundation for the establishment of the modern periodic table. Berzelius also made important discoveries in the field of electrochemistry.

Niels Henrik David Bohr

Niels Henrik David Bohr was a Danish physicist. He proposed the atomic (原子的) model known as the Bohr model, which explained the behavior of electrons moving in fixed energy levels or orbits around the atomic nucleus. His model helped explain the spectra of elements and laid the groundwork for further developments in atomic physics.

Robert Boyle

Robert Boyle, born in Ireland, was regarded as one of the founders of modern chemistry, known for Boyle’s law. Boyle’s law describes the relationship between the pressure and volume (体积) of a gas at constant temperature. Boyle’s work laid the foundation for the modern understanding of gas behavior and promoted the development of scientific experimental methods.

William Lawrence Bragg

William Lawrence Bragg was a British physicist born in Australia who made significant contributions to X-ray crystallography (晶体学). Together with his father William Henry Bragg, he developed the famous Bragg’s law. This discovery revolutionized the field of crystallography and paved the way for determining the atomic and molecular structures of various substances, including DNA and proteins.

1. What do we say about Jöns Jacob Berzelius?

A．He invented a new chemical substance.

B．He established the modern periodic table.

C．He was referred to as a founder of modern physics.

D．He made important achievements in the field of electrochemistry.

2. Who was born in Ireland?

A．Jons Jacob Berzelius.	B．Niels Henrik David Bohr.
C．Robert Boyle.	D．William Lawrence Bragg.

3. What do Niels Henrik David Bohr and William Lawrence Bragg have in common?

A．They were born in Denmark.	B．They made a contribution to physics.
C．They discovered new models for chemistry.	D．They did research together with their family.

6 . In October 2022, the famous singer released an album ________ (entitle) Sending You a Little Star, which became an instant hit. (所给词的适当形式填空)

7 . Because of my caring nature, I’m more likely than anyone else in our school ________ (assign) the task of looking after the elderly. (所给词的适当形式填空)

8 . Renewables account for only a small share of global primary energy consumption, which is still ________ (支配) by fossil fuels. (根据汉语提示单词拼写)

9 . The tricky part about motivation is not starting, but staying motivated. Every New Year, thousands decide they’re going to change their lives.     1     Here are some common reasons why you’re losing motivation.

Not Aiming High Enough

While setting easy goals will keep you motivated, it may harm your long-term motivation.     2     If you are used to staying within your comfort zone, you’ll be missing out on the satisfaction of achieving a life-changing goal. When you push yourself, you’ll be able to build unshakable confidence as you achieve goal after goal.

Letting Fear Control Your Mind And Actions

    3     Instead of taking action and moving forward, you might get stuck where you are. You’ll unavoidably miss out on career and self-improvement opportunities if you don’t learn how to manage your fears. Fortunately, it can be overcome. One way to manage fear is to look for the root cause of your fear.

Facing your fear is the only way you’ll be able to become the best version of yourself.     4     Taking slow, thoughtful actions can have huge impacts on how you deal with your inside and outside world.

Unclear Vision

Uncertainty about the future is a fear that many of us deal with. It can be paralyzing. Instead of taking action, we start worrying about “What if?”—What if it doesn’t work out? What if my dream isn’t truly my dream? What if I don’t succeed? If you have trouble creating a vision, then you’re at risk of drifting (漂泊) aimlessly through life.     5    

A．Fear can prevent you from achieving your dreams.

B．You don’t need to deal with your fear overnight.

C．You will find it easy to get started and stay focused

D．However, fewer than 10 percent actually stick with their resolution.

E．If you make goals that are too achievable, you’ll get bored and lose interest.

F．When you look around one day and you’re living your dream, it’ll all be worth it.

G．On the contrary, you’ll be driven to struggle for excellence with purpose and passion.

10 . As the capital city of France, Paris has endured as an important city for more than 2,000 years. Take an overview of the top tourist attractions in Paris.

Place des Vosges

The Place des Vosges, formerly called Place Royale, was the prototype (原型) for all residential squares in Europe. All houses were built, using the same design: red brick and steep pitched blues late roofs. Not only is it shaped like a true square, but also it is the first city square planned by a king (Henry Ⅳ in the early 17th century) . Third, it turned the Marais into a fashionable spot in the decades before the French Revolution.

Moulin Rouge

1889is known as the year when France’s most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower, was constructed. It’s also the year the Moulin Rouge opened its doors as an entertainment venue. It has been the subject of numerous films for many years.

Conciergerie

The Conciergerie was built to be the main palace for French kings who, over the centuries, enlarged it. Its Great Hall was one of the largest in Europe. The palace later became a tribunal (法庭) and prison, with famous prisoners including Marie Antoinette. Today the Conciergerie is a popular tourist attraction in Paris but also still serves as courts.

Palais Garnier

Architect Charles Garnier spared no ornate (华丽的) detail when designing the Palais Garnier in the 19th century. Perhaps this is why the building was the most expensive of its era. Seating nearly 2,000 people, the Palais Garnier is home to the National Opera of Paris. It is the star of the novel and subsequent films, Phantom of the Opera. The Palais Garnier is still in use today though mainly for ballet and is also home to the opera library museum.

1. What made Place des Vosges famous in Europe?

A．It was designed by Henry Ⅳ.

B．It had very beautiful red bricks.

C．It was a famous prison in the 14th century.

D．It was a good model for European residential squares.

2. Where can people enjoy wonderful operas?

A．At Moulin Rouge.	B．At Palais Garnier.
C．At Conciergerie.	D．At Place des Vosges.

3. In which section of a newspaper can we read this text?

A．Advertisement.

B．Lifestyle.

C．Tourism.

D．Health and Diet.