1 . A great skill to have is the ability to solve problems effectively, specifically interpersonal and behavioral problems. In order to achieve this, you need to follow a few key requirements.     1    

First, you should understand “why” the problem exists.     2     If you know something about why the problem exists, you’ll have a better time to resolve the problem. Let’s take the example of a child who doesn’t want to come to school. Before you can reach a solution, it is important to find out why the child doesn’t want to come to school.

Once you have clearly identified the problem, you need to understand what you have control over and what don’t.     3     You may not control whether a child comes to school, but you are able to deal with the barrier to the child not wanting to attend school.

Don’t jump to conclusions. Once you have all of your information, analyze it carefully and look at it from various viewpoints. Be as objective as possible and don’t be quick to judge.     4     This is a time for you to use your critical thinking skills.

    5     How many options do you have? Are you sure? Which options seem reasonable? Have you weighed the pros and cons (事物的利与弊) of your options? Are there any limitations of your options? Are there any options better than others and why? Are there advantages and disadvantages you need to take into consideration?

A．Now determine your options for solutions.

B．Remain judgment-free as much as possible.

C．Ask yourself questions about what options you have.

D．That means figuring out the actual root cause of the problem.

E．Read on to find how to become a more effective problem solver.

F．The strategies in problem-solving are good lifelong skills to have.

G．Your efforts must be within the areas where you are in the driver’s seat.

2 . Palm oil (棕榈油) is the world’s most popular vegetable oil, found in half of all supermarket goods and seven out of every ten personal care products. It’s also used in some snacks, cleaning powder, and toothpaste. Since 2016, global palm oil consumption has risen 73 percent.

Yet palm oil and the appetite for it are problematic. The clearing of forests to make way for oil palm plantations is a major driver of the cutting down of trees in the hottest part of the world: Between 1972 and 2015, the world’s two largest palm oil-producing nations, Indonesia and Malaysia, lost 16 percent and 47 percent of their forests, respectively, to the crop. And that brings about environmental problems, such as climate change, and poor water quality. Biodiversity suffers a severe blow, too.

However, a better option may be just around the corner: oil made from microbes (微生物). “The technology is actually very old but was never really established in industry, and I always wondered why because it has great potential (潜力),” says Philipp Arbter, co-founder of Colipi, an emerging startup that grows and adapts microbes to produce palm oil. For instance, he says, “Microbes can be grown quickly in a climate-controlled indoor space to produce high amounts of oil. We have so far identified more than 40 algae (藻类) and 70 other microbes which are rich in oil.”

Currently, most microbial oil startups are aiming for their first products to be in beauty products, rather than food, due to the higher price points they can get and the relatively fewer rules involved. When asked if the new oil can match palm oil prices, especially when it’s used in food, Christoph Chuck, a chemical engineer at the University of Bath in England, said, “We should be in touching distance of the eatable oil market as long as mass production happens to bring the price down.”

1. What does the first paragraph show about palm oil?

A．It is widely used.	B．It is easily available.
C．It makes the food taste better.	D．It has taken the lead in the oil market.

2. Why does the author mention Indonesia and Malaysia in paragraph 2?

A．To stress the importance of palm oil.	B．To present the growth environment of palm trees.
C．To show the high price of producing palm oil.	D．To explain the challenge of planting cash crops.

3. What makes Philipp Arbter turn to microbial oil?

A．Its high quality as eatable oil.	B．The sufficient source of materials.
C．Its benefits for human health.	D．The successful practice in industry.

4. How does Christopher Chuck feel about the future of microbial oil?

A．Unconcerned.

B．Confused.

C．Worried.

D．Optimistic.

3 . 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。

It was the first swim meet of the year for our newly formed middle-school swimming team. The atmosphere during the three-hour bus journey was filled with anticipation as the group of forty-eight young teenagers thought of nothing but victory. However, the excitement turned into shock as our kids got off the bus and stared in disbelief at their muscle-filled Greek-god-like opponents.

The coach checked the schedule “Surely there has been a mistake,” he thought. But the schedule only confirmed that this was the right location and time.

The two teams formed a line on the side of the pool. Whistles blew, races were started and races were lost. Haifway through the meet, coach Huey realized that there were no participants for one of the events.

“Okay kids, who want to swim the five-hundred-yard freestyle?” the coach asked. Several bands shot up, including Justin’s “I’ll race, coach!” he shouted. The coach looked down at the youngest boy and said, “Justin, this race covers twenty lengths of the pool. I’ve only seen you swum eight”.

“I can do it. Coach. Let me try,” Justin insisted . Coach Huey hesitantly agreed. ”After all, “be thought,” it’s not the winning but the effort and determination that build character.“

The whistle blew and the opponents rushed through the water and finished the race in just six minutes and fifty seconds. The winners gathered on the sidelines to socialize while our group struggled to finish. After three more minutes. the last exhausted (筋疲力尽的) members of our team came out from the water-except for Justin.

Justin was stealing breaths as his hands slapped against the water, pushing i: aside to push his thin body forward. It appeared that he might go under at any minute, yet something seemed to keep pushing him forward.

“Why doesn’t the coach intervene?” the parents whispered among themselves. “It looks like he’s about to drown, and the race was over four minutes ago.”

注意：
1.续写词数应为150个左右：
2.请按如下格式作答。

Approaching Justin, the coach noticed the determination in the young swimmer’s eyes.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Touched by the scene, members of the opposing team also cheered Justin as he continued to swim.

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4 . 假定你是李华，在某海外购物网站购买了一款智能手表作为母亲节礼物，但出现了一些问题。请你给该网站客服人员写一封邮件，内容包括：
1.说明问题；
2.你的诉求。
注意：写作词数应为80个单词。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容或括号内所给词的恰当形式填空。

A Fuxing train departed from Nanning City, the capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Thursday morning,     1     (mark) the launch of high-speed rail service in the karst regions of southern China.

The 482-kilometer railway, which connects Nanning with Guiyang, the capital of Southwest China's Guizhou Province, is designed     2     (facilitate) a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour, reducing travel time from over five hours to about three hours.     3     a major transportation artery (干线) in southern and southwestern China, it will     4     (significant) benefit residents in the mountainous areas and boost       5     (region) ·socioeconomic growth (社会经济增长) along the route, according to China State Railway Group, the national railway operator.

This railway is the first of its kind to be built in either Guizhou       6     Guangxi, both of which are known for their karst landscapes posing     7     obstacle to railway construction. The railway’s construction, which started in December 2017, was a challenge for its architects and engineers because its     8     (plan) route included areas with different geographic     9     (feature), including mountains, valleys and rivers. So far, the operator    10     (announce) three types of service schedules for weekdays, weekends and the peak

6 . Tim Gjoraas doesn’t have much time left. However, there’s no ________ of supportive people in his corner.

Last year, Tim found out he had cancer. In the following months, his health ________ and then he got the news that he likely only has months left to live. He quickly retired from the Washington High School and decided to devote every moment to spending with his ________.

After ________ that he may not have much time left, Tim began taking steps to ensure his loved ones will be ________ . While he was catching up with Doug Rinken, a friend and retired teacher, Tim asked him to ________ his house next summer. He ________ that his wife Lisa has always wanted blue walls. Little did he know that the job would be finished much ________! One Saturday in September, Tim opened his doors to a(n) ________ sight. Doug had shown up with paint tools and about a dozen of Tim’s fellow teachers and friends.

This wasn’t the first time they had ________ him. After they heard about his disease, they organized fundraisers to help with his medical ________ . The project took less than a day ________ their efforts. Of course, it left a ________ mark on Tim. What a powerful act of kindness! No matter what happens, Tim ________ knows he and his family members will always hold a place in their community’s ________.

1.

A．record

B．evidence

C．shortage

D．indication

2.

A．recovered

B．maintained

C．improved

D．worsened

3.

A．friends

B．family

C．teachers

D．students

4.

A．accepting

B．announcing

C．proving

D．admitting

5.

A．caught up with

B．put up with

C．taken care of

D．kept away from

6.

A．rebuild

B． repaint

C．repair

D．reuse

7.

A．guessed

B．ignored

C．forgot

D．explained

8.

A．later

B．better

C．sooner

D．harder

9.

A．incredible

B．familiar

C．unavoidable

D．frightening

10.

A．got hold of

B．given way to

C．broken up with

D．come through for

11.

A．supplies

B．bills

C．facilities

D．problems

12.

A．as for

B．but for

C．thanks to

D．regardless of

13.

A．permanent

B．visible

C． primitive

D． fresh

14.

A．largely

B．simply

C．precisely

D．definitely.

15.

A．memory

B．heart

C． power

D． history

7 . When I was in my thirties, I had a good job in the marketing division of a Fortune 500 company. However, after working for this first-class company for fourteen years, I got to thinking about what it would be like to design a job around what I enjoyed most while using my strongest skills. I hoped to spend the next stage of my career doing what I loved most and spend more time with the people I loved most—my wife and sons.

Then at 37, I had a window of opportunity to chase my dream—to run a home-based business. Without hesitation, I pulled the plug and started my advertising and speechwriting business in June 1991. My wife was a stay-at-home mom, so I would sacrifice (牺牲) our only income and insurance (保险) for nothing more than a dream. Yet, after conducting lots of research, reading books on how to start this type of business, calling the authors for additional details, and freelancing (从事自由职业) for ad agencies and design firms to ensure I could write on any subject, this goal slowly went from impossible to possible.

Looking back, I think it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. While working with different clients (客户) and sharpening my writing skills on various subjects, I watched my sons grow up for ten years, played hundreds of unscheduled backyard baseball games, and enjoyed countless father-son chats while walking around the block.

Henry David Thoreau once said, “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” Now, based on my own experiences, I understand how plausible this statement is. Life provides windows of opportunity—but they close quickly. For me, to remain in my former company during this “window” came at a price too high. Never will I be willing to exchange more of my family life for my professional life.

1. Why did the author decide to start a home-based business?

A．To make more money.	B．To spend more time with his family.
C．To share the housework with his wife.	D．To prove himself a successful businessman.

2. What did the author do to prepare for his home-based business?

A．He took a writing course.	B．He attended a business school.
C．He sought advice from his family.	D．He talked with some book authors.

3. What does the underlined wore “plausible” to the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Funny.

B．Reasonable.

C．Surprising.

D．Unbelievable.

4. What would be the best title for this text?

A．Work can bring a better life	B．Every job is worthy of respect
C．Every decision comes with a price	D．Opportunities and risks go hand in hand

8 . Four best Broadway shows

HAMILTON

The show tells the story of the Founding Fathers of the USA, specifically Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury. It’s a completely fresh take on history, with a hip-hop flavor. Sung and rapped (说唱), the wordplay is super impressive. Hamilton has become one of the most popular Broadway musicals, with eight awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Location: Richard Rodgers Theatre Price:$176+
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

The Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running show in Broadway history. If you love drama, romance, and musical theater, it won’t disappoint you. It has won seven Tony Awards and seven Dram a Desk Awards. While the show is one of the best things for a couple to enjoy in New York City, it’s also suitable for kids 10 and up.

Location: Majestic Theatre Price:$74+
COME FROM AWAY

Come From Away is one of the most touching Broadway plays, based on a true story. The show is about a group of 7,000 air passengers stranded (被困) in a small town in Newfoundland due to the 9/11 attacks. It focuses on how the locals sprang into action, preparing to house, feed, and comfort the passengers. The play has won nine theater awards and got a Grammy nomination (提名) for Best Musical Theater Album.

Location: Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Price: $100+
BEETLEJUICE

Remember the 1988 movie Beetlejuice starring Alec Baldwin and Michael Keaton? It’s now onstage at the Marquis Theatre in New York. This fantasy-horror musical is one of the newest theater shows in NYC, but it maintains the appeal of the original film. With its memorable characters, humor, and hopeful messages, Beetlejuice is one of the best Broadway shows for families.

Location: Marquis Theatre Price: $132+
1. What is the feature of HAMILTON?

A．Suiting audiences with kids.

B．Telling history in musical ways.

C．Winning recognition across the world.

D．Targeting people interested in romance.

2. What does the play COME FROM AWAY probably center on?

A．Consequences of 9/11 attacks.	B．Importance of daily necessities.
C．Human kindness in dark times.	D．Customs of Newfoundland people.

3. Which of the following shows is adapted from a movie?

A． HAMILTON.	B．COME FROM AWAY.
C． BEETLEJUICE.	D． THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

9 . 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。

In a refreshing shift from conventional methods, some post-90 teachers in China are using memes (表情包), cute comments, and personalized feedback in their grading practices,     1     (receive) praise from parents and students alike. This innovative approach in education is reshaping the way students receive feedback on     2     (they) exams and assignments, making the learning process more engaging and enjoyable.

Gone are the days of impersonal and serious     3     (comment). Teachers are now using more conversational language in their evaluations, addressing students as “you” or “dear” instead of the formal “the students”. This change in tone creates a more personal and direct connection, fostering a positive learning environment.

The use of memes and hand-drawn images in marking papers     4     (be) not just about adding a touch of fun; it serves as a motivational tool for students. This trend has caught the attention of the online community,     5     many expressing their wish to have such creative and supportive teachers

    6     adoption of memes and personalized comments in grading represents a significant shift in educational practices in China. It not only aids in reducing the stress and pressure     7     (associate) with academic performance but also builds a     8     (strong) relationship between teachers and students. This method reflects a broader movement toward more empathetic and student-centered teaching     9     the focus is on encouragement and individual growth rather than solely on grades.

As these innovative practices gain     10     (popular), they promise to transform the educational experience for students, making learning more enjoyable and less frightening.

10 . An i________ (传染的) disease can be passed easily from one person to another, especially through the air they breathe. （根据中英文提示拼写单词）