1 . I was angry with my sixteen-year-old son Anthony, and stormed out of the house. Standing on the front porch (门廊), I ________ deeply. I saw my elderly neighbor, Clara, working in her garden. Seeking ________, I walked across the street.

“Anthony again?” Clara asked. “It’s his hair again,” I replied. “Have you seen him? All that mass of messy curls ________ over his shoulders! But just mention a haircut, and he gets that same ________ look in his eyes I’ve seen a million times before.”

Clara smiled, “It’s only hair, Liz.” She spoke slowly, ________ each word, “It’s … only… hair!” Then her smile disappeared, and her expression became ________. “I learned years ago when my husband died, leaving me three young kids. I had to put everything in perspective if I were to ________. I learned how to say, ‘But it’s only…’ But it’s only a bad day. Tomorrow will be better.” She nodded her head firmly. “You ________ it, don’t you, honey? Everybody has enough ________ in their lives without wasting ________ on the ‘it’s only ’ things that come their way.”

After returning to my house, I baked some cookies, and carried them to Anthony’s room. “Can I come in, honey?” “Not if you’re going to ________ about my hair again.” I pushed the door open and held out the cookies. “Not one word. I ________.” He stared at the plate of cookies greedily, but there was still a glint of ________ in his eyes. “Not one word about my hair?” He looked at me challengingly.

“It’s only hair,” I said. “It’s your hair. Not mine.” Anthony smiled broadly, saying, “Thanks for ________ understanding me, Mom. And thanks for the cookies.” Now I’ve learned to let go of the “it’s only” ________, and Anthony is more willing to listen to me.

1.

A．dug

B．drank

C．sighed

D．reflected

2.

A．acceptance

B．sympathy

C．company

D．relaxation

3.

A．fixing up

B．showing off

C．flying around

D．hanging down

4.

A．disapproving

B．puzzled

C．loving

D．hungry

5.

A．analyzing

B．recalling

C．emphasizing

D．polishing

6.

A．awful

B．serious

C．funny

D．acceptable

7.

A．return

B．succeed

C．persist

D．survive

8.

A．take

B．make

C．get

D．believe

9.

A．power

B．trouble

C．work

D．support

10.

A．mess

B．freedom

C．space

D．energy

11.

A．complain

B．bring

C．lie

D．joke

12.

A．doubt

B．pretend

C．promise

D．protest

13.

A．annoyance

B．suspicion

C．competence

D．rebellion

14.

A．finally

B．instantly

C．accurately

D．completely

15.

A．principles

B．approaches

C．situations

D．regulations

2 . 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 ten years ago. I was at the departure gates of the airport, reading a cartoon book to pass the time while waiting for my parents to check in. A sea of people filled the airport and loud chatter echoed (回响) throughout the vast terminal (航站楼) halls. People were coming in and out of countless doors.

The cartoon shop caught my eye, for it was filled with cartoon figurines (小雕像). I caught sight of a new figurine from my favourite cartoon, “One Piece” it was an action figurine of my favourite character, Luffy! My jaw dropped to the floor and my eyes brightened like diamonds.

Without thinking twice, I ran towards the store. Holding the action figurine carefully in my hands, I imagined the scenes I could come up with using my action figurines at home. Filled with excitement, I hugged the toy and jumped for joy. Unfortunately, I did not have any money on me. Without doubt, I knew I had to share this newfound discovery with my parents!

After returning the action figurine to its shelf, I darted (飞奔) out of the store, retracing my steps back to where I had left my parents. When I reached the location where I had last seen them, I realised that they were nowhere to be found. I tried to look for the terminal departure gate my parents were supposed to be waiting at, but the gates all looked the same. As I stood rooted to the ground, my excitement started to die down. Anxiety enveloped me and my heart started pounding in my chest.

Tears rolled down my hot cheeks like a waterfall as I blamed myself. Why did I have to get distracted and leave my parents without informing them? There were thousands of people at the airport! It would be impossible to find them! Regretting my actions, I blamed myself silently.

注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Suddenly, my mother’s advice echoed in my mind: “If you are ever lost, don’t panic! Stay calm, and ask for help!”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A few minutes later, my parents, extremely breathless, appeared at the information counter.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . Four surprising ways algae (藻类) are driving innovation

Algae can be a double-edged sword. Increased human activity and climate change have caused explosions of algae populations in water bodies around the world sometimes choking entire ecosystems of sunlight and oxygen. Even though they are so closely associated with humanity’s negative impact on Earth, algae could also play key roles in helping fight pollution, viruses, and more.     1    

Filtering (过滤) water.

With microplastic pollution documented in almost all water bodies, a recent study shows that through absorption, algae can help filter microplastics out of water.     2    

Fueling air travel.

    3     Researchers at a German algae cultivation facility are already using it to fuel drones. They believe this and other sustainable fuels could reduce carbon emissions from airplanes by up to 80 percent.

Fighting viruses.

Red algae can prevent the replication (复制) of some viruses, including COVID-19, according to a 2020 study.     4     Thus, it could become a powerful medication to treat HIV, the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (AIDS).

    5    

In 2019, freshwater algae were launched into space to turn the carbon dioxide exhaled (呼出) by astronauts on the International Space Station into oxygen. Since algae are also high in protein, they could replace up to 30 percent of astronaut food in the future.

A．Making space food more nutritious.

B．Making long-term space travel possible.

C．These are several ways algae are solving modern problems.

D．Some algae can also filter chemicals that can be used in fertilizers.

E．Brown algae have been shown to stimulate the body’s immune system.

F．Algae can produce more effective biofuels than traditional sources like soybeans.

G．It aims to harvest algae for energy while keeping the environment pollution-free.

4 . Some people never read any books again and feel that since they already know the outcome, there is nothing to be gained by rereading. I have to dissent.

I am reminded of a professor in college, who always had us read our assignments twice. “The first time, read fast and for fun,” he said. “The second time, look for delicate distinctions and small differences in meaning.” His suggestion works great for me.

When I have a new book, I read fast, eager to discover the resolution. Then if I like the book, I will read it again. Not right away, but a few months later, possibly on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I will grab the book and settle down to discover the small details. I will read more slowly the second time, appreciating the descriptions and looking forward to my favorite sections, enjoying the anticipation. Knowing those favorite passages are coming does not spoil anything. I’m looking forward to revisiting those treasured places in the book. Knowing they are coming heightens my enjoyment.

Rereading a book gives me a chance to appreciate the small things an author integrates into her story. A turn of a character’s head, a thought in the night, a sigh, these are the things that give insights into a book and the characters. I love dissecting (剖析) a story the second time around, looking for clues that give the tale a deep meaning. Reading is like revisiting a friend, familiar, yet always with something more inside.

What have I been reading lately? The Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart. These books rank among my all-time favorite rereads. Set in Britain in roughly the second half of the 5th century CE, they were Mary Stewart’s take on the familiar King Arthur stories. If you are unfamiliar with them, I highly recommend all three books, especially if you love fantasy and historical fiction.

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

A．Understand.

B．Disagree.

C．Complain.

D．Discontinue.

2. According to the author’s professor, what should one do during the second reading?

A．Look for assignment clues.	B．Pay attention to the finer details.
C．Stick to the most interesting sections.	D．Skip some parts to get to the end fast.

3. What does the author enjoy about rereading a book?

A．Visiting the places mentioned in the book.	B．Discovering the resolution of the story quickly.
C．Finding out the lessons learned by the characters.	D．Appreciating the writer’s storytelling techniques.

4. What is The Merlin Trilogy?

A．The author’s new favorites.	B．A series of science-fiction novels.
C．Books based on ancient British stories.	D．Mary Stewart’s successful adaptations.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the Manuscript Writing Cafe designed to do?

A．Help writers reduce stress.

B．Offer a place for writers to meet.

C．Enable writers to progress with their writing.

2. What do we know about the cafe?

A．It has strict rules.

B．It serves book authors only.

C．It is designed in an artistic way.

3. What should writers tell the staff of the cafe?

A．Their target group.

B．Their writing goals.

C．Their departure time.

4. How will writers pay the bill?

A．By day.

B．By hour.

C．By half-hour.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How soon will the man leave his company?

A．In a week.

B．In two weeks.

C．In four weeks.

2. When will the man open his shop?

A．In March.

B．In April.

C．In May.

3. What does the man offer to the woman?

A．Free drinks.

B．Financial support.

C．Good price on products.

4. Where will the man’s tea stand be located?

A．Near a night market.

B．In the railway station.

C．In the woman’s neighborhood.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where did the woman see the man yesterday?

A．In the hall.

B．At the reception.

C．By the changing rooms.

2. What is inside the woman’s bag?

A．A book.

B．Some clothes.

C．A towel.

3. What does the man mean in the end?

A．He forgot the color of the bag.

B．The receptionist has found the woman’s bag.

C．The bag he handed in doesn’t belong to the woman’s.

8 . Why did the woman feel bad?

A．She had a surprise test.

B．She got poor grades for her music test.

C．She thought that history is challenging.

9 . A new study by a team of researchers shows that searching to evaluate the truthfulness of false news articles actually increases the probability of believing misinformation, not the opposite.

The reason for this outcome may be explained by search-engine outputs in the study. The researchers found that this phenomenon is concentrated among individuals for whom search engines return lower-quality information.

“This points to the danger that ‘data voids’ — areas of the information ecosystem that are dominated by low quality, or even outright false, news and information — may be playing a resulting role in the online search process, leading to low return of credible information or, more alarming, the appearance of non-credible information at the top of search results,” observes lead author Kevin Aslett, an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida.

To study the impact, they recruited participants through both Qualtrics and Amazon’s Mechanical Turk for a series of five experiments and with the aim of measuring the impact of a common behavior: searching online to evaluate news (SOTEN).

The first four studies tested the following aspects of online search behavior and impact:

◎ The effect of SOTEN on belief in both false or misleading and true news directly within two days an article’s publication

◎ Whether the effect of SOTEN can change an individual’s evaluation after they had already assessed the truthfulness of a news story

◎ The effect of SOTEN months after publication

◎ The effect of SOTEN on recent news about a key topic with significant news coverage

A fifth study combined a survey with web-tracking data in order to identify the effect of exposure to both low- and high-quality search-engine results on belief in misinformation.

Across the five studies, the authors found that the act of searching online to evaluate news led to a statistically significant increase in belief in misinformation. This occurred whether it was shortly after the publication of misinformation or months later. This finding suggests that the passage of time does not lessen the impact of SOTEN on increasing the likelihood of believing false news stories to be true. Moreover, the fifth study showed that this phenomenon is concentrated among individuals for whom search engines return lower-quality information.

“The findings highlight the need for media literacy programs to ground recommendations in search engines to invest in solutions to the challenges identified by this research,” concludes Joshua A Tucker, professor of politics.

1. What can we learn from the first three paragraphs?

A．The more you assess the realness of fake news online, the more you’ll believe it.

B．There is little low quality, or false news in the areas of the information ecosystem.

C．Evaluating online the realness of fake news would prevent you believing it.

D．Fake news and information usually can’t be found at the top of search results.

2. What aspect may the researchers focus on while doing the research?

A．Knowledge level.	B．Time effect.
C．Web-tracking data.	D．News type.

3. What does the underlined word “ground” mean?

A．Rely on.

B．Focus on.

C．Work on.

D．Hold on.

4. Which section of a newspaper does the text probably come from?

A．Economics

B．Entertainment

C．Science

D．Insights

10 . A little stream flowed down from a high mountain far away through many villages and forests, until it reached a desert. The stream then thought, “I’ve been through countless obstacles. I should have no problem crossing this desert!” But soon she found herself gradually disappearing into the mud and sand. After numerous tries, she found it was all in vain and was very upset. “Maybe it’s my destiny! I’m not destined to reach the vast ocean in the legend.”

At this time;a deep voice came, saying, “If a breeze can cross the desert, so can a river.”

It was the voice of the desert. Unconvinced, the little stream replied, “That’s because a breeze can fly, but I cannot.”

“That’s because you stick to what you are If you’re willing to give it up, and let yourself evaporate (蒸发) into the breeze, it can take you across, and you can reach your destination,” said the desert in its deep voice.

The little stream had never heard of such a thing. She could not accept this idea. After all, she had never experienced anything like it before. Wouldn’t it be self-destruction to give up what she was now?

“How do I know if this is true? and will I still be what I am now?” asked the little stream.

“Yes, and no. Whether you’re a river or invisible vapor, your inner nature never changes. You stick to the fact that you’re a river because you don’t know your inner nature,”answered the desert.

Deep down, the stream vaguely remembered that before she became a river, it was perhaps also the breeze that had carried her halfway up a high mountain, where she turned into rain and fell onto the ground and became what she was now. Finally the little stream gathered her courage and rushed into the open arms of the breeze; which carried her to the next stage of her life.

The course of our lives is like the experience of little stream. If you want to surpass the obstacles in your life in order to head for the destination of Truth, Virtue and beauty, you should also have the wisdom and courage to renounce (放弃) your ego (attachment to yourself).

Perhaps you can try asking yourself these questions: What is my inner nature? What is it that I cling to? and, What is it that I really want?

1. What obstacle did the stream come across when starting to cross the desert?

A．Her effortless attempt.	B．Her unrealistic goal.
C．Her bowing to fate.	D．All that struggle for nothing.

2. Which are the right changes of the stream’s attitudes according to the text?

A．Confident — shocked — determined — withdrawn

B．Sad — determined — disappointed — shocked

C．Disappointed — doubted — confident — surprised

D．Hopeful — upset — shocked — determined

3. What’s your understanding of the underlined phrase “Yes, and no.”?

A．Give up what you are, and you will never owe it again.

B．While you change physically, your inner nature will never change.

C．Only by sticking to yourself can you realize your dream.

D．Changing yourself means losing control of everything.

4. Which of the following is NOT the author’s attitude to life?

A．When you can’t change the environment, change yourself.

B．Stick to your inner nature rather than what you are.

C．Once starting the journey, you should stick to your goal.

D．Be flexible and adaptable, venturing into the unknown.