1 . The solution to any despair might be hope, experts say. It’s believing in a brighter future and acting towards it.     1     Here are strategies that can help cultivate hope. As Hellman, an assistant professor of psychology at Suffolk University in Boston, points out, “Hope begets hope, and it has such a significant protective factor.”

    2     Make it a point to always be working toward at least one goal that’s meaningful, Hellman advises. In other words, it shouldn’t be something you have to do but something you want to do. “Goals can be anything that’s important to us,” he says.

Brainstorm solutions. If you’ve set a goal that’s meaningful to you, but you can’t figure out a way to achieve it, you’ll probably feel pretty hopeless. People who are high in hope, meanwhile, tend to generate lots of ways.     3     If you’re struggling to make a plan, Hellman suggests sitting down with a pen and paper and giving yourself an hour to brainstorm solutions.

Seek out success stories. It’s said that people cultivate hope by seeking support from their parents and specific teachers. But they also got a lot out of learning about other people who have done well for themselves. Hellman says, “    4    ”

Tap into your imagination. Hellman thinks of imagination as “the instrument of hope”. Let’s say you set a goal for the week. Spend a few minutes reflecting on or talking about what would happen if you achieved it. “How does it impact you, or how would it benefit others?” he says. “    5     And when you can see yourself in the future, that is the very essence of hope.”

A．Do something meaningful.

B．It can be taught and nurtured.

C．Think in a goal-oriented way.

D．With these good examples, people are bound to be successful.

E．So, if one doesn’t work out, they have an alternative at the ready.

F．By seeing other people succeed, they feel like they could succeed.

G．You and I have this wonderful capacity to play a movie in our head.

2 . In a world of music streaming services, access to almost any song is just a few clicks away. Yet, the live performance lives on. People still fill sweaty basements, muddy fields and gilded concert halls to hear their favourite musicians play. And now neuroscientists might know why—live music engages the brain’s emotion centres more than its recorded counterpart.

Concerts are immersive (沉浸式的) social experiences in which people listen to and feel the music together through crescendos, key changes and rhythmic drops. Moreover, they are dynamic — artists can adapt their playing according to the crowd’s reaction.

It was this last difference that led neuroscientists, based at the Universities of Zurich and Oslo, to study the brain responses of people listening to music. In the “live” experiment, participants lay in an MRI scanner listening to the music through earphones, while a pianist was positioned outside the room. The pianist was shown the participant’s real-time brain activity as a form of feedback. In the recorded condition, participants listened to pre-recorded versions of the same tunes.

The scientists were interested in how live music affected the areas of the brain responsible for processing emotions, particularly the amygdala, an area deep inside the brain. The results, just published in the journal PNAS, revealed that live music had a significantly greater emotional impact. Whether the music conveyed happiness or sadness, dynamic live performances led to increased activity not only in the amygdala but also other parts of the brain’s emotion processing network. The researchers also found that participants’ brain activity tracked the acoustic (声学的) features of the music, like tempo and pitch, far more closely when it was played live.

While the study didn’t fully recreate the live concert experience, the findings suggest that artists’ ability to adjust their performance in real time contributes to the emotional resonance (共鸣) of live music. Some musical acts now attempt to recreate live concerts, such as ABBA Voyage, an immersive pre-recorded VR concert, but without artists’ capacity to read audience’s mood and respond accordingly, it will never quite match the real thing.

1. Why do people attend live shows despite music streaming services?

A．Because they prefer being with friends at a concert.

B．Because they enjoy the process of finding popular music.

C．Because they intend to meet their favorite musicians in person.

D．Because they value the emotional connection live music brings.

2. The role of the pianist play in the “live” experiment is to _______.

A．observe the participants’ brain activity as feedback

B．compare the effectiveness of live performances and recorded ones

C．provide live accompaniment to participants inside the MRI scanner

D．demonstrate their ability to read and respond to the audience’s mood

3. What did the study published in PNAS find about the impact of live music on the brain?

A．Live music affected only the amygdala of the brain.

B．The brain responded more intensely to acoustic features of live music.

C．Live music had a reduced emotional impact compared to recorded music.

D．The participants’ brain activity was especially sensitive to dynamic music.

4. What does the author suggest by mentioning ABBA Voyage in the last paragraph?

A．It fails to create a perfect performing atmosphere.

B．It matches the sound quality of live performances.

C．It greatly stirs up the audience’s emotional response.

D．It lacks artists’ response based on audience’s feedback.

3 . In a remote village lived an elderly woman named Amelia. Despite the passing years, she remained as ________ as ever. Amelia’s dearest ________ was her faithful dog, Rufus, who had been by her side through thick and thin.

One cool autumn morning, tragedy ________ the village — a fierce storm swept through, leaving damage on its way. Homes were damaged, fields ________, and many of the villagers found themselves in need of help.

Amelia realized she had to do something to ________ her neighbors. With Rufus by her side, she ________ offering aid wherever it was needed. They worked ________, clearing ruins, mending roofs, and providing ________ to those who had lost so much.

As days turned into weeks and the village slowly began to ________, word of Amelia’s selfless acts ________ far and wide. The community applauded for her as a hero, praising her unyielding determination and kindness in the face of ________. But Amelia remained modest, ________ that she had simply done what anyone would do in such a situation.

As winter ________ upon the village, bringing with it a blanket of snow, Amelia sat by the fireplace with Rufus at her feet. Though they were ________ from their efforts, their hearts were full, knowing they had made a(an) ________ in the lives of those around them.

1.

A．energetic

B．gentle

C．stubborn

D．humble

2.

A．present

B．companion

C．possession

D．defender

3.

A．embraced

B．ruined

C．polished

D．struck

4.

A．polluted

B．flooded

C．occupied

D．deserted

5.

A．welcome

B．consult

C．assist

D．inform

6.

A．got down to

B．came up with

C．went on with

D．got close to

7.

A．hesitantly

B．attentively

C．tirelessly

D．fruitfully

8.

A．reward

B．comfort

C．pleasure

D．guidance

9.

A．recover

B．collapse

C．transform

D．decline

10.

A．accumulated

B．doubled

C．echoed

D．spread

11.

A．temptation

B．adversity

C．glory

D．success

12.

A．boasting

B．promising

C．clarifying

D．insisting

13.

A．fell

B．rested

C．landed

D．depended

14.

A．motivated

B．annoyed

C．exhausted

D．thrilled

15.

A．conclusion

B．agreement

C．difference

D．comment

4 . Laughter comes in many forms, from a polite chuckle to an infectious howl of amusement. Scientists are now developing an AI system that can copy various forms of laughter accurately. The team behind the laughing robot, Erica, say that the system could improve natural conversations between people and AI systems.

Dr. Koji Inoue, lead author of the research from Kyoto University, highlights empathy (共情) as a crucial aspect of conversational AI, suggesting laughter sharing as a means for robots to connect with users. To achieve this, Inoue and his team gathered data from over 80 speed-dating dialogues between male students and Erica, initially operated by amateur actors.

Dialogue data labeled for individual, social, and joyful laughter was used to train an AI system to identify and produce fitting laughter responses. Based on the audio files, the algorithm (算法) learned their subtle differences, aiming to imitate social laughs subtly and hearty laughs empathetically.

“Our biggest challenge in this work was identifying the actual cases of shared laughter,” explained Inoue, emphasizing the need for careful categorization. Erica’s “sense of humor” was tested with four dialogues, integrating the new shared-laughter algorithm. These were compared to cases where Erica didn’t laugh or emitted social laughs upon detecting laughter.

The clips were played to 130 volunteers who rated the shared-laughter algorithm highly for empathy and naturalness. The team believed laughter could imbue robots with unique character traits, including conversational behaviors like laughter, eye gaze, gestures, and speaking style. However, Inoue acknowledged it could take over 20 years to have a “casual chat with a robot like we would with a friend.”

Professor Sandra Wachter, of the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford, said, “One of the things I’d keep in mind is that a robot or algorithm will never be able to understand you. It doesn’t understand the meaning of laughter. They fail to feel, but they might get very good at making you believe they understand what’s going on.”

1. Why do scientists develop the AI system that can copy various forms of laughter?

A．To make robots sound more human-like.

B．To help robots understand human emotions better.

C．To enable robots to have a sense of humor like humans.

D．To enhance the emotional interaction between people and AI systems.

2. What was the challenge Inoue faced while working on this project?

A．Creating an algorithm that can genuinely feel amusement.

B．Identifying the situations where laughter is truly understood.

C．Distinguishing between different types of laughter accurately.

D．Collecting sufficient data for training the machine learning system.

3. What does the underlined word “imbue” mean in Paragraph 5?

A．Equip.

B．Inspire.

C．Engage.

D．Influence.

4. What is Professor Sandra Wachter’s view on laughing robots?

A．They are not capable of capturing human laughter.

B．They can imitate laughter but lack thorough comprehension.

C．It is possible for them to play tricks on humans occasionally.

D．It will take long before humans have comfortable conversations with them.

5 . British cinema boasts a rich diversity of films that weave appealing narratives with stunning landscapes and fascinating characters. These films celebrate the diverse beauty and cultural heritage of Britain.

Local Hero

Local Hero digs into the conflict between a giant US oil company and a remote Scottish village when the former plans to build a refinery. However, the exceptionally beautiful landscapes and the firm attitude of the villagers sway the company’s decision. The story has been a lasting appeal to audiences, even after over four decades.

Kes

British director Ken Loach’s first triumph, Kes, describes the touching narrative of a young Yorkshire boy taking the journey of capturing and training an eagle. The film offers a rare description of Yorkshire, filled with a tender lens that celebrates its essence.

The Dig

The delightful counties surrounding London are vividly depicted in The Dig, set against the peaceful countryside of Suffolk before World War Ⅱ. Ralph Fiennes, a famous actor, plays the role of a self-taught archaeologist unearthing the mysteries of an Anglo-Saxon graveyard, adding to its fun.

Calvary

Irish director Michael McDonagh’s films set in Ireland are undoubtedly attractive, often integrating Ireland’s picturesque scenery into the story. Among these, Calvary, stands out. It records the difficult and tiring journey of a moral priest, dealing with the evil forces within his area.

1. Which of the following films will appeal to curious history lovers?

A．The Dig.

B．Local Hero.

C．Kes.

D．Calvary.

2. What is the setting of the film Local Hero?

A．A Yorkshire village.	B．A remote Scottish village.
C．The countryside of Suffolk.	D．The Anglo-Saxon graveyard.

3. What is the theme of the British films mentioned in the text?

A．The moral dilemma of an Irish priest.

B．The national and cultural heritage of Britain.

C．The beauty and diversity of British landscapes and characters.

D．The adventures of Yorkshire boys capturing and training eagles.

6 . The day I met Hani Irmawati, she stood alone in the parking lot of the International school, a shy seventeen-year-old in worn clothing. Despite the school’s policy against Indonesian students, she approached me, begging to improve her English. When I inquired about her motivation, expecting a local job search, she quietly expressed her dream of attending an American university.

Moved by her determination, I volunteered to help her after school. Each day, Hani woke at dawn, studying on the bus to her public high school, then joining me in the afternoon, exhausted but eager to learn. Despite her struggles with college-level English, her perseverance amazed me.

Hani’s family lived modestly, her parents working as a custodian and a maid. Their income couldn’t support her American university aspirations, dampening my initial optimism.

In December 1998, a scholarship opportunity arose, but upon reviewing the requirements, I despaired. Hani lacked the extracurricular experience and standardized test scores typical of applicants. Despite my discouragement, she remained resolute, asking me to submit her application. Unable to refuse, I completed the application, highlighting her courage and perseverance. I warned her of slim acceptance odds, but she remained steadfast.

In the following weeks, Hani intensified her English studies, and I arranged for her to take the Test of English Fluency. The computerized test posed a significant challenge for her. Just before departing for the test, she received a letter from the scholarship association. I began reading the letter with her, only to discover she’d been accepted.

Overjoyed, I celebrated while Hani stood quietly, perhaps bewildered by my shock. In that moment, I realized what Hani had known all along: success requires not just intelligence, but also the drive to persevere and the courage to believe in oneself.

1. What motivated Hani to improve her English?

A．Pressure from family members.	B．Curiosity about foreign languages.
C．Job prospects in the local community.	D．Ambition of entering an American university.

2. What can we infer about the difficulties that Hani had?

A．Hani’s parents were unsupportive of her dream.

B．Hani was uninterested in extracurricular activities.

C．Hani’s application form was not submitted on time.

D．Hani was not academically qualified for the scholarship.

3. How did the author likely feel upon discovering Hani’s acceptance to the scholarship?

A．Surprised and proud.	B．Relieved but envious.
C．Touched and honored.	D．Shocked but concerned.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．From Shyness to Success	B．A Scholar’s Journey
C．The Power of Perseverance	D．Hani’s Unrealistic Dream

7 . 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。

Whenever I spread marmalade (橘子酱), I am reminded of my mother, a five-foot-tall angel who even befriended a skunk (臭鼬).

One day, while she was busy picking beans in the backyard, she came across a skunk no more than a meter away. The skunk’s embarrassment was evident as he had undoubtedly been rummaging (乱翻) through the garbage. He still had a marmalade jar stuck on his nose. Mom took pity on him. Instead of worrying the creature would spray something smelly all over her and the beans, she smiled compassionately at the little thing and extended a helping hand. Kneeling on the ground, she inched across the grass, reached out, and twisted the jar—very carefully.

The jar slipped off. The skunk nodded a thank-you before slipping away into the woods at the back of the garden. Obviously, there was no spraying incident, thanks to my remarkable mother. She repeated this tale numerous times, always calling the skunk Marmalade. However, that was not the end of the story. Three summers later, when I was about twelve, another encounter occurred.

It was a rainy morning, and both my mother and father had gone to work. My friend Rob came over to play, and we decided to run the electric train in my room. Suddenly, a scratching sound emerged from the attic (阁楼). Rob assumed that it might be some kind of animal. Curiosity got the better of us, and we ventured towards the source of the sound.

I cautiously opened the attic door in the hall. The noise ceased abruptly. I climbed up the stairs, Rob following my lead. There behind the toy box near the chimney stood the animal—black with a distinct white stripe down his back. Was he scared and trembling? I believe so, at least that’s what I remember. Instinctively, I retreated, fearing the potential spray or bites from the creature. “Hey, Rob,” I whispered urgently, “It’s a skunk. Let’s go to the kitchen and figure out a way to get him out of here.”

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。
Paragraph 1:

In the cupboard, several paper cups and a jar of marmalade caught our sight.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

Rob and I followed the skunk as he ate his way down the stairs.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the speaker doing?

A．Teaching a class.

B．Reporting a study.

C．Chairing a meeting.

2. What is the most important part of taking notes?

A．Reading.

B．Listening.

C．Writing.

3. What is one of the advantages of using symbols?

A．It keeps information secret.

B．It leaves space for future use.

C．It makes key words noticeable.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What’s the conversation mainly about?

A．Fighting fire.

B．Detecting fire.

C．Preventing fire.

2. What can we know from the conversation?

A．Australia lost 4% of its trees.

B．The system is used in America.

C．The system will use heat cameras.

3. What size of fire can the new system discover?

A．The size of a car.

B．The size of a plane.

C．The size of a football field.

4. What is the woman’s concern besides trees?

A．Protecting humans.

B．Purifying the air.

C．Saving animals.