1 . Everywhere I look, there are new buildings under construction. The neighborhoods that I knew as a boy, filled with beautiful old buildings, have mostly disappeared, and in their place, modern, high-rise buildings have appeared. There is good reason for this. Residents want all the conveniences of modern living. However, how can our children understand and maintain their cultural identity if we erase so much of the physical evidence of it?

The arguments for preserving historic buildings are not simply about an emotional attachment to the past. There are also good economic arguments in favour of preservation. The renovation (修缮) and preservation of historic districts can become an economic engine, drawing tourists and small businesses to the area. For example, in Dubai, the historic Al Bastikiya district draws thousands of tourists every year from all over the world. It also attracts local residents, eager to learn about their city's past.

Some have argued that historic preservation is too expensive, but many recent projects have demonstrated that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, renovation of an existing structure for adaptive reuse can cost about £40 per square metre less than even the most basic new construction, while preserving the beauty of the original building. And, although it is often claimed that old buildings have a more significant environmental footprint than new construction because they aren’t very energy efficient, architects and environmental experts maintain that the greenest building is the one that is already built. New construction almost always has a more serious environmental impact (影响) because it requires the use of all-new materials that must be transported, often over long distances, instead of recycled materials that are already on site. We recycle so many other things. We can and should recycle buildings, too.

Historic preservation is an option that opens many possibilities; demolition (拆毁), in contrast, is irreversible. Once these treasures are lost, they are lost forever, an important link in our heritage that can never be recovered.

1. What drives people to replace old buildings with new ones?

A．Their dislike of old buildings.	B．Their pride in cultural identity.
C．Their concern about young generations.	D．Their desire for modern comforts.

2. What does the example of Al Bastikiya show?

A．Historic renovation costs much money.

B．Local governments support small businesses.

C．Historic preservation brings economic benefits.

D．International tourism promises economic recovery.

3. What can be inferred about renovating old buildings from paragraph 3?

A．It uses green materials.	B．It damages architectural beauty.
C．It reduces enviromental impact.	D．It worries environmental experts.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards historic preservation?

A．Positive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Disapproving.

D．Objective.

2 . Ego (自我意识) can destroy ambition and success. It can prevent us from knowing ourselves and hold us back.     1     So it disappears from the front of your mind.

Feelings of superiority (优越感) are destructive. Relationships, whether personal or professional, can easily be ruined if you consider yourself superior. You will soon distance yourself from others if you adopt an attitude of superiority.     2    

The urge to win every conflict and to always be right is extremely unwise. Winning unimportant battles will prevent you from stepping back and assessing the consequences of your actions. You will not be able to take a cool, calm overview.     3     This will hold you back when you need the help and co-operation of others to achieve your goals.

    4     On the road to success and a fulfilling life, remember that you will have enough for your needs at every stage. The constant push to get more can be exhausting and will affect your ability to make progress. Do not give in to your ego’s need for more and we can lead a simpler life.

Getting rid of your ego, therefore, is something that you can achieve by shifting your approach to life.     5     Then you will find that you now face less of a struggle. Without your ego making demands of you, you will become a more pleasant, accessible, and easy-going character with an enviable reputation.

A．We should respect everyone’s life style.

B．Learn to be satisfied with what you have.

C．It’s necessary to understand the damage it does to us.

D．Life is much less enjoyable when you are an outsider.

E．The trick to the problem is to quieten the voice of ego.

F．We should lead a less demanding life, with less pressure on ourselves.

G．The need to be always right leads to unpopularity and others’ negative view of you.

3 . Central Park Picnic Experiences

Having a picnic with family, friends or colleagues at the Pool with iconic views of the NYC backdrop would give you good feelings. We handle all aspects of your event from beginning to end, so you can just show up and have a great time! Fresh baked service! — You can now add games to any picnic experience (details below).

Family-Style Picnic

Serves a minimum of 15 people

Our family-style picnic experience is perfect for big groups! Includes set up & clean up, plus fruits and food. Also includes coolers with ice, blankets, pillows and parasols (遮阳伞). $60.00 per adult, $30.00 per child. Includes a 2-hour picnic with set up and clean up. $50 per add 1 hour.

Social Picnic Party

Serves 10 to 12 people

Comes complete with an entire picnic set up including extra space, blankets, pillows, parasols. The meal is a sampling of sandwiches, roast chicken, potato salad, seasonal greens, local cheese platter, lemonade, water and something sweet for dessert. Perfect for meeting new friends.

We Love This Formal Picnic!

Serves 4 to 10 people

Looking for something more formal? This is special and for you! Includes set up with a set low-rise table for business talk, a great selection of delicious food, flowers, and clean up! Tips not included — and should go direct to your picnic expert.

Birthday Party Picnic

Serves 2 to 18 people

Besides our signature birthday party cake, we also offer a local cheese platter (拼盘), seasonal salad, chips, lemonade and water, plus cookies & brownies for dessert! When you arrive at your picnic spot, one of our picnic experts will have everything set up, ready and waiting for you when you arrive! Includes a 2-hour picnic for 2 with set up and clean up. Add up to 16 additional guests. $50 per add 1 hour. $50 per add 1 guest. Max 18 guests.

Contact us with questions!
1. What is a new service for the picnic experiences?

A．New spots with wonderful views.	B．Whole-process service.
C．Allowing for adding games.	D．Offering freshly-made bread.

2. How much to pay if families with 12 adults plus 10 kids have a 2-hour picnic?

A．$720.

B．$1,020.

C．$1,070.

D．$1,150.

3. What is the most likely basis for setting up these types of picnics?

A．Expense of picnic.	B．Number of people.
C．Age of the group.	D．Purpose of the activity.

4 . 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。

By the age of sixteen years old, Ben had always been an outstanding student. He went to great lengths to achieve high grades and managed to keep his parents delighted and proud. Neither of his parents had the opportunity to attend university and it was their biggest ambition that Ben could land a well-paid and decent job as a lawyer. He knew that achieving this goal would make his parents walk on air, but he wasn’t certain whether he would feel the same.

Since he was only a child, Ben had been passionate about computer programming. He taught himself how to use a computer, and by the age of 12, he had been proficient in three difterent programming languages. He did all of this in his spare time. He was quite an introvert (内向的人), so he preferred staying in with his computer, rather than going out socializing with his fellow classmates or playing sports in the brilliant sunshine. It was acceptable to his parents, as long as he continued to focus on his studies.

One day, while reading an article online about a young technology billionaire called Tom, Ben was fascinated by the magical power of technology and the wisdom and imnovation of the young CEO. The inner voice told him that he longed to become a computer programmer. Everything changed for Ben. In the article, the CEO said that his company was trying to create a new and improved way of paying for goods online but that they were struggling with the security system. He said if they could overcome this, they could launch the biggest and best online payment system in the world. It occurred to Ben that he had an innovative idea on how to handle this problem. Thinking that it wouldn’t come to anything, he emailed the CEO, introducing himself and explaining his idea.

注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

He forgot all about it, but then a month later; the most amazing thing happened.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

With all these concerns in mind, Ben determined to communicate with his parents frankly.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . It is no secret that play-based learning improves the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children. Researchers now believe that certain board games, like Chutes and Ladders and Monopoly, can also help enhance their math skills.

The team at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile, came to this conclusion after analyzing the results of 19 studies. They were conducted between 2000 and2023. All but one of the studies focused on the relationship between math skills and board games.

In these studies, kids aged 3-9 played board games under the supervision (监督) of teachers or trained adults. The 20-minute sessions were held twice a week for about six weeks. In some cases, one set of kids (the intervention group) played number-centric board games, while the other (the control group) played board games that did not require math skills. in other studies. both the intervention and control groups played number-based games. They were, however,   given different games, like Monopoly and Dominoes.

The participants’ math skills were assessed before and after each study. The researchers looked for improvement in four key categories. They included the ability to name numbers and demonstrate simple number knowledge-such as “nine is greater than three.” Changes in the kids’ abilities to add and subtract and their interest in math were also noted.

The results of the study were published in the journal Early Years on July 6, 2023. It revealed that playing board games helps improve the children’s math skills in over half of the four areas. Additionally, nearly a third of the children in the intervention groups scored higher on math tests than those in the control groups.

The researchers hope their findings will inspire the creation of new board games specially designed for classroom learning. Meanwhile, boost your math skills by organizing a game a night or two with family and friends this summer—it all adds up!

1. What’s the researchers’ attitude towards the relationship between play-based learning and children’s well-being?

A．Negative.

B．Indifferent

C．Doubtful.

D．Positive.

2. How were the participants’ math skills assessed?

A．By giving examples.	B．By asking questions.
C．By making comparisons.	D．By providing definitions.

3. What do the researchers hope their findings will inspire?

A．The improvement of social and emotional well-being in children.

B．The creation of new board games for classroom learning

C．The introduction of play-based learning in schools.

D．The use of board games for physical development

4. What is the main focus of the text?

A．The benefits of play-based leaning to children.

B．The solution to improving children’s math skills.

C．The results of a study on board games and math skills

D．The need for new board games for classroom learning.

6 . Bill Sumiel was having a tough Friday. It was October 2020, and the 71-year-old, who was dealing with kidney (肾) failure, found himself at a medical center 30 miles from home.

Sumiel was no stranger to the ________ of kidney disease. He’d suffered from diabetes (糖尿病) more than 20 years before, which ________ his kidney problems. He was on the transplant ________, but no matches had yet appeared. So he continued with his treatments and took a taxi to and from his ________.

Timothy Letts, 31, was driving north to visit a friend when his phone rang with the ________ for Sumiel’s ride home. The trip was out of Letts’s way. ________, he took the order.

When Sumiel got into the car, the pair got to ________. Sumiel ________ that he was searching for a kidney donor. Letts joked that he’d be a good donor (捐赠者), ________ that he didn’t drink or smoke. Sumiel ________, though he didn’t think much of it as they kept driving. Letts, however, couldn’t stop thinking about it. About a quarter-mile away from Sumiel’s house, Letts said, “I’d like to see if I could be a ________ to give you a kidney.”

Sumiel was touched by Letts’s ________, though he wondered if it had just been a(n) ________ moment. But Letts was ________ to his word. He got in touch with Sumiel just a few hours later, and by the next week, Letts had ________ the kidney transplant program. After a long screening process, the results were in: Letts was an ideal donor, and he and Sumiel were a perfect match.

1.

A．origins

B．struggles

C．warnings

D．symbols

2.

A．adapted to

B．arose from

C．led to

D．took over

3.

A．list

B．category

C．class

D．group

4.

A．department

B．company

C．arrangement

D．appointment

5.

A．application

B．question

C．request

D．intention

6.

A．Still

B．Therefore

C．Otherwise

D．Meanwhile

7.

A．debating

B．remarking

C．arguing

D．chatting

8.

A．instructed

B．revealed

C．wondered

D．announced

9.

A．supposed

B．assumed

C．given

D．convinced

10.

A．agreed

B．claimed

C．doubted

D．suggested

11.

A．sponsor

B．match

C．surgeon

D．model

12.

A．demand

B．advice

C．offer

D．mission

13.

A．magical

B．joyful

C．anxious

D．emotional

14.

A．equal

B．kind

C．true

D．sensitive

15.

A．contacted

B．informed

C．persuaded

D．urged

7 . New York Times best-selling author Susan Casey travelled globally, joining scientists and explorers on dives to the deepest places on the planet. She takes us on an interesting journey through the history of deep-sea exploration, from the legends of the ancient world to storied shipwrecks we can now reach on the bottom. Throughout this journey, she learned how important the deep is to the future of the planet, and how necessary it is that we understand and protect it. The Underworld is Susan Casey’s most beautiful and thrilling book, a wonderful show of the natural world.

Event location: The lecture and book signing (签名) will be held at the Linda Hall Library,5109 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

Event time: Thursday, January 14th,7:00 pm-8:00 pm

Book signing: Hard copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of Rainy Day Books. A book signing will immediately follow the lecture.

Admission package (admits one)

Click to order tickets through the Kauffman Center. Admission is $40.00 plus Kauffman ticket fee and includes one hardcover of the book and one admission ticket. Reserved seating.

Please note: Attendees (参与者) will receive their books as they arrive at this event. Your electronic ticket will be needed for event entry and to receive your hardcover of the book as you arrive.

Disclaimer (免责声明): All Rainy Day Books Author Event sales are final and non-refundable.

1. What is the topic of Susan Casey’s book?

A．A show of the heights of the earth.	B．Some discoveries made by explorers.
C．Some measures to protect the ocean.	D．Journey s to the depths of the ocean.

2. What kind of event is it?

A．A lecture and book signing.	B．A discussion between readers.
C．A sales meeting of a new book.	D．A party of celebrating the success.

3. What should attendees do with their electronic tickets?

A．Return them to the Kauffman Center.	B．Get a discount of the book with them.
C．Get hardcovers of the book with them.	D．Exchange them with other book lovers.

8 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Human voices cause much more fear in wild animals than the sound of lions, a study in South Africa has found. Scientists played recordings of people talking     1     (normal) through speakers in the Kruger National Park. About 95% of the animals     2     (be) extremely frightened and quickly ran away. In contrast, recordings of snarling and growling lions caused obviously     3     (little) alarm. During the experiment, they noted, that some elephants, in response to the big cat calls, even attempted     4     (face) the source of the sound.

According to the study, the animals have learnt that contact with humans is extremely     5     (danger) . The fear exhibited goes beyond the Kruger National Park, as a global pattern shows wildlife tend to fear humans more than any other predator (捕食者). The authors note that this creates a challenge for areas,     6     rely on wildlife tourism, because the human visitors they want to attract are unintentionally scaring off the animals they have come to see.     7    , the findings open up the possibility to protect weak species. Human sounds, when     8     (use) properly, could help protect against illegal hunting. “Now we     9     (work) together in experiments, testing whether we can prevent rhinos     10     hunting hotspots,” one of the authors said.

9 . If you have ever found yourself concluding that intelligence is in short supply in the modern world, perhaps you are looking in the wrong place. There are still plenty of smarts to be found elsewhere.

You will be familiar with the cleverness of dolphins and chimpanzees. But what about wasps (黄蜂)? They can recognize human faces. Or mosquitoes? They can learn to avoid being killed by chemicals after a single taste.

Such an astonishing group of talent is rather unsettling, which raises fundamental questions like what actually is intelligence, how did it develop and how do the abilities of various organisms (生物) compare? Evaluating intelligence in nature is tricky, particularly in life forms that are very different from us. Now a group of neuroscientists, AI researchers and philosophers want to create a periodic table of intelligence similar to the one used to categorize the chemical elements. The chemical version sorts elements by their atomic (原子的) number or atomic mass. For intelligence, researchers are still looking for a criterion that is equally straightforward. But where to begin?

It certainly isn’t brain size, as was long thought. Behavior might be a better way to categorize cleverness. But testing for intelligence through behavior is difficult. Recognizing oneself in a mirror is seen as a sign of advanced cognition (认知). Dolphins and bats can do it — but dogs typically can’t. Does this reflect a lack of intelligence in dogs or perhaps something else, such as their reliance more on smell than vision. Likewise, many organisms live in environments that are obviously different from ours and so might use senses that we don’t even possess.

Nevertheless, the researchers behind the initiative think intelligence might become clearer through a combination of behavioral and neuroanatomical (神经解剖学的) features. “We’re going to ask, are there kinds of intelligence, and can we identify structural features that are organizational of those kinds of intelligence?” says Andrew Barron at Macquarie University. “If we can, then we are starting to identify things that can be thought of as possible dimensions of intelligence.”

1. Why are wasps and mosquitoes mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To make comparisons between them.

B．To prove smarts are in short supply.

C．To show there are other forms of intelligence.

D．To illustrate their similarities with humans.

2. Which fails to explain the difficulty in evaluating cleverness in nature?

A．It is upsetting to see different talents in natural settings.

B．It is hard to compare the abilities of different species.

C．Life forms in the natural world are different from humans.

D．It requires us to answer some basic questions about intelligence.

3. Why is testing for intelligence through behavior challenging?

A．Factors like brain size matter more.

B．Other features need to be considered.

C．Some organisms possess similar senses.

D．All animals show signs of advanced cognition.

4. What could be a possible title for the passage?

A．Different Minds	B．Surprising Behaviors
C．Unique Senses	D．Diverse Species

10 . Negative thoughts about her appearance h_________ over her like a dark cloud, but eventually she shook them off. (根据首字母单词拼写)