3 . A team of researchers from several institutions in the UK and one in Estonia has created a type of buoy (浮标) that has proven to be effective at frightening seabirds, thus preventing them from getting caught in gill nets (刺网) — a type of fishing net that is made of a material that makes it nearly invisible underwater.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of seabirds die when they get caught in gill nets. Some estimates suggest that up to a half-million birds are caught in them each year. Over the years, researchers have created devices to prevent the birds from trying to catch fish near or in gill nets, but those didn’t work well.

To find a way that would work for all seabirds, the researchers first studied seabirds in a general sense, expecting to find things that they would avoid. They noted that seabirds avoided eye contact with other creatures. Then the researchers came up with a simple idea—they put a small pole to a regular buoy and then attached a pair of googly eyes (金鱼眼) to the top of it. They made the eyes big enough so that even birds with poor eyesight, such as geese, would see them. Adding to the effectiveness of the device, waves made the eyes move back and forth. And the wind made the buoy spin (转动) very slowly, making sure that birds from every direction would get a good look at the eyes.

To test their idea, the researchers selected several sites near the gill nets and counted how many birds approached and how many attempted to catch fish near the nets. They then set up their googly-eyed buoys and once again counted birds. Over the course of 62 days, they found the number of birds that tried to catch fish near the gill nets dropped by about 25% for a distance of up to 50 meters. They also found that the birds were less likely to fish near where the buoys had been for up to three weeks after they had been removed.

1. Where were the googly eyes placed?

A．Under a buoy.	B．Inside a buoy.
C．At the bottom of a pole.	D．On the highest part of a pole.

2. What does the underlined word “they” refer to in the last paragraph?

A．The fish.

B．The birds.

C．The buoys.

D．The plants.

3. How did the researchers find their new idea?

A．Worthless.

B．Practical.

C．Costly.

D．Complex.

4. Why did seabirds love to approach the gill nets?

A．To get something to eat.	B．To have a rest on the nets.
C．To nest on them and lay eggs.	D．To take a close look at the googly eyes.

5 . 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 a great pity when one day I heard that the Sunshine Bookstore was closing after fifty years of business. I was also heartbroken. The bookstore was a place where anyone in the neighborhood could drop by (顺便拜访) and be connected through their love of books.

When I hurried to the store, I saw the books were being packed into boxes. Sighing deeply, the store’s elderly owner, Thomas, told me how it was becoming difficult to run an independent bookstore. Most young people preferred to read e-books on tablets. Customers were being attracted by chain stores and online discounts. I tried to think of some words of sympathy, but I had to admit that the Sunshine Bookstore couldn’t stay in business much longer.

Childhood memories came flooding back. A bunch of us kids would frequently drop into the store after school, looking at the new books, or just chatting with old Thomas. He knew every book in the store and would always pick the perfect one for us. We spent hours reading, seated on the store’s old, but comfortable furniture. Thomas encouraged us to share our ideas and comments on the books by writing them on a large board in one corner of the store.

When I left the bookstore, it was becoming cold and dark outside. I turned to wave goodbye to Thomas, but both he and his bookstore were already hidden in a thick mist. It made me realize that the bookstore and all that old Thomas had given to the community could soon disappear for good.

A few months later, I was back in the neighborhood from my vacation and was surprised to see that the Sunshine Bookstore was still there and open for business. Its old brick outside hadn’t changed, but inside it was like a different world. Clearly, the Sunshine Bookstore was in good and creative hands.

I was told that the community had decided to work together on a campaign to save the Sunshine Bookstore. The campaign had been led by Martin, a salesman who had grown up in the neighborhood and who was helping Thomas run the bookstore.

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。
I entered the bookstore and saw how it had changed.
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“Where is Thomas,” I said to myself.
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6 . 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。

I have been working as an enthusiastic journalist since I graduated from college. We live in a new age of storytelling, with     1     variety of new multimedia tools. Many young people rely on     2     (they) but they don’t even realize it’s new. For them, it’s just normal.

This became clear to me as I was sitting with my 2-year-old grandson on a sofa over the Spring Festival holiday. He was in good hands with her parents. Before I accompanied him, a children’s book     3     (buy) by me for him to read. It had simple words and colorful children’s book pictures—a perfect match for his age.

Then one afternoon, with my grandson sitting on my lap, I held the book in front of him so he could see the pictures. As I was reading, he reached out and delightedly poked (戳) the page with his finger.

What was up with that? He just liked the pictures, I thought. Then I had the page turned and continued. He poked the page even harder, which made me nearly drop the book.     4     (feel) confused, I wished to know his real     5     (motivate) .

Then I draw a conclusion from what was happening. He was actually a stranger to books. His father,     6     occupation is an engineer, frequently amused the boy with a tablet computer which was loaded with colorful pictures that came alive when he poked them.

Sorry, kid. I am     7     favour of high technology but this book is     8     (distinct) not part of your high-tech world. It’s an outdated, lifeless thing. An antique (古董) , like your grandfather. Well, I may be old, but I’m not hopelessly challenged in terms of digital technology. I edit video and produce audio (音频) . I use mobile payment. I’ve even built websites.

I am     9     (convince) that there’s an apparent gap in my new-media experience. I’ve spent little time in front of a camera, since I have a voice for radio. But that didn’t stop China Daily from asking me last week to share a personal story for a video project about the integration (融合) of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. It was     10     memorable an event in my life. I also participated in other video projects organized by the newspaper.

7 . 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。

Several years ago, I started riding a bike. At first, I thought it was only a short ride. But as I built up my strength, my friends inspired me to try some longer trips. The first one to come along was a 150-mile journey, an event held every year that raises money to fight cancer.

With my name     1    (sign), the idea seemed great. It was to support a worthy cause when we went for the distance. Of course, I should devote     2    ( I) to such a cause. And I trained with great excitement. But as the time for the ride approached, myself-doubt gained ground against my endurance(耐力). I didn’t really want to bicycle all those miles for two days straight.

The ride began on a Sunday morning in the Georgia countryside: There were a number of strong riders. For the first few hours, I felt wonderful. This was just the experience I had imagined, and my spirits were high. There were not many vehicles on the way. But by the end of the day, I had felt    3    (extreme) tired. I was sure I would give up before I reached the destination.

As I was riding to the top of the hill, the very     4    (fantasy) sunset which appealed to me so much kept me going for a few minutes more, I said to myself, “So far I    5    (cover) half of the distance. That is enough.” Then in the distance, I saw alone(独自的) rider riding very slowly. I noticed that the person looked different in tin some way, but I couldn’t tell the reason    6    that person was different. I was fast enough    7    (catch) up with her. There she was, riding slowly but steadily, with a determined smile on her face—but she had only one leg. I thought he    8    have trained hard before because she was so skilled in riding the bike, She was a    9    (represent) of people with strong determination.

Then I took my attitude    10    account. My focus changed at that moment. I’d been doubting my body for a whole day. But now I knew—it wasn’t the body, but the will that would help me reach my goal. I ought to finish the long and hard trip.

9 . Starting a new book can feel like a bit of a commitment (承诺), but it doesn’t have to be! Here are four books you can read in a single day.

The House on Mango Street

Released in 1984 and written by Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street is only 103 pages long. It’s a rapid read for those looking to dip their toes into the water, but it still deals with complex themes and important subject matters, including language, race, ageing, and troubles.

The Midnight Library

The Midnight Library from the English author Matt Haig was released in 2020. It has 288 pages, which makes it a little more challenging but still absolutely doable (可做的) in a single day. The novel is all about storytelling, with Nora Seed exploring the “what ifs” of her life.

The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo

Released in 2012 and written by the fantastic Malaysian-English author Zen Cho, the page count is an extremely manageable 76 pages, which makes this another effective first read in one day. The novel is set in London in the 1920s and follows the life of another writer, Jade Yeo. There is even enough time for readers to appreciate a film adaptation of the book after reading it.

Stardust

The 1999 novel by English author Neil Gaiman is a perfect presentation of the writer’s fantasy styles at their best. Stardust, which became a major motion picture, sits at 256 pages, It’s epic (史诗般的) in its scale, but the reader can fit the novel into a single day, giving them a true sense of absolute escapism to the fantasyland of Stormhold.

1. Which book can make you feel like escaping from reality and being in a kind of dreamland?

A．The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo.	B．The Midnight: Library.
C．The House on Mango Street.	D．Stardust.

2. What fact can we get, from The Perilous s Life of Jade Yeo?

A．It’s supposed to be made into a film soon.

B．The book tells the life of its author, Zen Cho.

C．Its background is in London about a century ago.

D．It is a bit more challenging to finish reading it in two days.

3. Why may readers be fond of The House on Mango Street?

A．It is a perfect presentation of the writer’s own experiences.

B．It involves complex themes and important subject matters.

C．It was written by a well-known Malaysian-English author.

D．It is all about storytelling, with Nora Seed exploring the“what ifs”of her life；

10 . 一句名言“It is never too old to learn.”引发了你的思考，请你写一篇感想与同学交流，内容包括：
1. 你对这句话的理解；
2. 这句话对你的影响。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
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