1 . 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。

An undersea tunnel (n.隧道) of a high-speed railway was completed in South China on Friday,    1     (set) a new record in the construction of high-speed railway tunnels in China.

The Zhanjiang Bay (湛江湾) Undersea Tunnel, a key project of the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang High-speed Railway,    2     (complete) after 33 months of construction, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the new railway.

The Zhanjiang Bay Undersea Tunnel spans (v.横跨)    3     total length of 9,640 meters. It is designed as a single tunnel with double tracks, crossing the seabed of the Zhanjiang Bay and the urban area of Zhanjiang. It crosses a 2,500-meter sea section and a 5,051-meter section of land.    4     (especial), the tunnel is China’s    5     (long) single-headed undersea high-speed railway shield tunnel (盾构隧道), showcasing the country’s remarkable engineering techniques.

“Single-headed shield (单头盾构) refers to the method of using a single tunnel boring machine (隧道掘进机)     6     (dig) continuously from one end to the other,” said Yin Yihao, an engineer from China Railway’s 14th Bureau Group, which was responsible for the tunnel’s construction. Yin added that the traditional methods were not applied in the Zhanjiang Bay Undersea Tunnel due to the complicated geological conditions and    7    the single-headed shield tunnel was    8       (safe) and more efficient in this case.

Wu Chunzhao, a senior engineer of the China Railway Design Company,    9     (explain) the reason for building an undersea tunnel instead of a bridge. “Building a tunnel preserves (v.保护) the beautiful urban skyline of the Zhanjiang Bay,    10     avoids the impact of the project on the marine (adj.海洋的) ecological environment,” he said. Wu also noted (v.指出) that a bridge will affect the large ships’ navigation, but the tunnel will not do this.

The tunnel is a key project of a high-speed railway linking Guangzhou and Zhanjiang in Guangdong.

2 . Although Lahongsang is only in her early 20s, she is a video blogger with eight years of experience, who is acquainted with video recording and social media sharing. Still in high school, she started her journey as a _________ on the Chinese platform Bilibili. “I felt bored during that summer vacation after finishing my homework, _________ I decided to try recording my life through videos and _________ a student’s ambition for the upcoming semester,” she recalled. She consistently updated her content with _________ topics such as study, anime, snacks, weight loss, and makeup. She _________ shared her life, creating a youth full atmosphere for her audience.

“Whenever I encounter something worth recording. I _________ it.” she said. “I’m not exactly sure what draws people to my videos, but many _________ say watching my videos makes them happy, so maybe that’s it.” Despite her _________ behavior in videos, she _________ that she is actually an introvert (adj.内向的). However, she has __________ spreading positive and __________ energy to her audience. Her unique, sincere, and easygoing video style, along with her attention to life’s details, has __________ increased her viewership (n.收视率) from 100,000 to 10 million views. By the end of high school, she had amassed (v.积聚) over 200,000 followers.

__________ her videos attract her audience greatly, she has to struggle with creative inspiration and face negative feedback at times. “Some scenes may appear to be everyday shots, but the storytelling and main idea are particularly __________ and planned,” she said. “What viewers see is only the final product. __________ witnessing the production process, they can’t judge or undermine others’ efforts.”

1.

A．assistant

B．vlogger

C．tutor

D．photographer

2.

A．so

B．therefore

C．however

D．as far as

3.

A．denying

B．motivating

C．describing

D．grasping

4.

A．substantial

B．dramatic

C．awesome

D．diverse

5.

A．enthusiastically

B．severely

C．reasonably

D．stably

6.

A．handle

B．suspect

C．capture

D．recall

7.

A．tutors

B．viewers

C．messengers

D．advisors

8.

A．cheerful

B．modest

C．depressed

D．frustrated

9.

A．admits

B．transforms

C．defends

D．anticipates

10.

A．participated in

B．subscribed to

C．arose from

D．kept on

11.

A．worried

B．optimistic

C．confused

D．complex

12.

A．initially

B．vividly

C．steadily

D．logically

13.

A．As

B．While

C．Since

D．Which

14.

A．traced

B．cited

C．crafted

D．involved

15.

A．Regardless of

B．Owing to

C．Thanks to

D．Without

3 . How to deal with the “Grass Is Greener” Syndrome

Grass is Greener Syndrome is a problem one can have, which means you are never happy with what you have. You always want more or something different. Even if things are good, you think they could be better somewhere else.     1     When it hits hard, this syndrome can hurt the love life of an individual while making career decisions tough or making one’s place to live not pleasing at all. If you’re curious to learn more about overcoming this syndrome and finding true fulfillment, keep reading!

Manage expectations

It is a crucial step in overcoming the Syndrome.     2     By practicing self-reflection, we can shift our mindset and find fulfillment and contentment in the present moment. This requires us to let go of constant comparisons and embrace imperfections, understanding that true happiness comes from within rather than external circumstances.

    3    

By focusing on what we already have and being thankful for it, we can find happiness in our current situation. This helps prevent feelings of regret and dissatisfaction that often come with constantly comparing ourselves to others or daydreaming about a different life. Cultivating gratitude allows us to appreciate the present moment and recognize the value in our relationships, career choices, and geographic living.

Avoid comparisons

Constantly comparing yourself or your situation to others is a hallmark (n.特征) of this syndrome. By avoiding comparisons, you can shift your mindset and start finding happiness at present.     4    

Embrace imperfections

One of the main signs of this syndrome is always searching for flaws and mistakes, both within ourselves and in our surroundings.    5     Embracing imperfections means acknowledging that no one and nothing is perfect, including ourselves.

All in all, by working on building self-confidence and understanding their own worth, individuals can start to break free from the cycle of always seeking something better elsewhere.

A．Practice gratitude and appreciation.

B．People find it hard to stay with one person who is better for them.

C．This keeps you from being glad for what is in your life now.

D．The causes of this syndrome can include unrealistic expectations.

E．It involves recognizing the mindset that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

F．Learning to accept the imperfections, we can break free from the constant longing for something better.

G．Stopping comparing yourself or your life to others, you give yourself the opportunity to truly embrace your current situation.

4 . Sam Krug is the second generation at Preferred Popcorn, a Nebraska (n.内布拉斯加州) factory that produces Americans favorite movie snack. Here fresh batches of popcorn are made every 15 minutes and immediately tested and tasted for quality.

The whole process begins with growing the right kind of corn, not surprisingly cold popcorn. The big difference between corn and popcorn is that popcorn has lots of starch (n.淀粉) inside of it. The shell is hard and so the starch, when you heat it up, mixes with the moisture in the kernel (n.玉米粒) and it boils inside of this. And it gets so hot and the shell is so hard on the outside that it gets hotter and hotter and more excited and more excited and eventually it just blows out.

Nebraska has perfect conditions for growing popcorn, including the right climate and plenty of water for irrigation. And you don’t have to look far to find local farmers to work with. They usually take it to the factory where the kernels are sorted by weight, color and size.

Factory staffs pop a sample of each batch to test it out. They always pop at 480 degrees and use exactly the same amount of oil when they are going to pop. During the course, factory standard coconut (n.椰子) oil is used.

The factory sells kernels for different kinds of popcorn, depending on how the buyer plans to prepare it. It seems that the Americans eat more popcorn than any other nation in the world. And the US Popcorn Board says that in 2018 they consumed more than 14 billion liters of the snack.

1. What do we know about Preferred Popcorn?

A．It is the second generation popcorn factory.

B．It produces fresh batches of popcorn every 15 minutes

C．It tests and tastes the quality of popcorns.

D．It produces popcorns for the Nebraska movie factory.

2. Why does the popcorn blow out when heated?

A．Because it has lots of starch inside of it.

B．Because the starch and moisture boils inside the hard shell.

C．Because the shell is hard.

D．Because it is cold popcorn.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The factory has already known the consumers’ plan.

B．The factory makes preparations for the buyers.

C．The factory sells kernels for different kinds of popcorns according to the workers’ needs.

D．The factory takes different consumers’ demand into consideration.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Production of the popcorns.

B．Reasons for Nebraska to grow popcorns

C．Procedures for growing the popcorn

D．Conditions for making popcorns.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Which TV show is Viola mostly known for?

A．Central Falls.

B．Everybody’s Ruby.

C．How to Get Away with Murder.

2. When did Viola receive her first major award?

A．In 1993.

B．In 1999.

C．In 2001.

3. Which film earned Viola an academy award?

A．Fences.

B．Doubt.

C．King Hedley II.

4. What have Viola and her husband done recently?

A．They have run their own company.

B．They have acted together in a movie.

C．They have showed up in a ceremony.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where are the speakers?

A．In the woods.

B．At their home.

C．In the classroom.

2. What is the woman looking for?

A．Rubbish.

B．Mushrooms.

C．Bamboo grass.

3. What does the woman want to do with what she finds?

A．Take pictures.

B．Cook a meal.

C．Do a drawing.

4. How are mushrooms and bamboo grass similar?

A．They are both nutritious.

B．They have a single root system.

C．They grow all over the ground.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. When did the speakers last see each other?

A．During middle school.

B．During high school.

C．During college.

2. Who did the man see at the grocery store?

A．A new principal.

B．A former teacher.

C．An old classmate.

3. How did the woman feel about their old gym class?

A．Frightened.

B．Interested.

C．Amazed.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话。回答以下小题。
1. How will the woman give the lucky money to William?

A．She’ll send it on WeChat.

B．She’ll give him a red envelope.

C．She’ll send it to his US account.

2. Why can’t the man join the family celebration?

A．He has to attend classes.

B．He is in a different city.

C．He is busy traveling in the US.

9 . It’s never easy to let go of what you’ve learned to be comfortable with, but the act of letting go and starting over can be incredibly powerful.     1     Here are some tips to help us to make such a change.

Get rid of unrealistic expectations

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with aiming high and believing in yourself, setting goals that are too unrealistic only sets you up for failure and disappointment. The more you pressure yourself to succeed and live up to your perfect ideals, the more frustrated you will feel when things don’t work out. Stop thinking that you need to have certain things or be in certain places, just for you to feel good about yourself.

Throw away the emotional baggage

    2     However, you can’t keep holding onto your emotional baggage forever. Leave all your heartbreaks and emotional hangups where they belong, in the past, and learn to let go of the troubles you may have been holding onto. It’s okay if you’re still hurting as long as you allow yourself the freedom to heal, transform, and grow as you greet the New Year.

Keep away from toxic (有毒害的) relationships

It’s time for you to say goodbye to tiring toxic relationships and one-sided friendships. Don’t surround yourself with fair-weather people. Know that you deserve to be with people who care for you, understand you, accept you, and connect with you.     3    

Do differently

Are you looking for a change?     4     After all, no one ever achieved anything great by simply following the crowd, so why not have a little fun and experiment? Get a change of scenery, adopt a new hobby, and do something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the courage to do before.

    5    

We all desire for the approval and acceptance of the people who matter to us, but worrying too much about what others think will only bring you misery and frustration. Devoting all your time and energy to living up to everyone’s expectations of you is exhausting because it’s impossible for you to please everyone.

A．Embrace the real you.

B．Stop pleasing others.

C．It can positively impact our lives and satisfy us emotionally.

D．Then it’s time to step out of your comfort zone and try new things.

E．Don’t be afraid to leave those hurting you too much or mistreating you too many times.

F．The truth is the person whose approval should matter the most to you should be you.

G．Letting go of your personal problems is easier said than done.

10 . As a child, I loved exploring the attic (阁楼) — a _________ wonderland filled with relics of the past. One day, I stumbled upon a wooden chest, _________ behind an old bookshelf. With _________ hands, I opened it and found my great-grandfather’s journal.

I read about his _________: fighting in wars, discovering new lands, and meeting extraordinary people. His words jumped off the pages, lighting my _________. I felt like I was _________ through time, living his stories.

Years passed, and I grew up, but the _________ remained a cherished memory. It wasn’t until I faced my own challenges that I understood its _________ value. My great-grandfather’s perseverance and courage inspired me to _________ fears and pursue my dreams.

Today, when I hold the worn journal, I realize it’s not just a forgotten treasure, but a __________ legacy (遗产) — a source of strength and __________ passed down through generations. And I vow to __________ it for future generations, so they too can find __________ in its pages.

In this __________ age, where memories are stored on the internet and words are fleeting, the journal serves as a physical sign of our history. __________ I prepare to pass it on to the next generation, I do so with the hope that they will find the same unwavering spirit that has guided me.

1.

A．dusty

B．dark

C．bright

D．clear

2.

A．visible

B．open

C．locked

D．hidden

3.

A．shaky

B．steady

C．warm

D．cold

4.

A．failures

B．successes

C．adventures

D．achievements

5.

A．satisfaction

B．imagination

C．description

D．assumption

6.

A．traveling

B．sleeping

C．dreaming

D．waiting

7.

A．bookshelf

B．attic

C．journal

D．box

8.

A．true

B．fake

C．temporary

D．present

9.

A．get in

B．get over

C．get through

D．get back

10.

A．relative

B．family

C．national

D．personal

11.

A．wealth

B．health

C．freedom

D．wisdom

12.

A．destroy

B．forget

C．preserve

D．ignore

13.

A．frustration

B．inspiration

C．boredom

D．confusion

14.

A．lonely

B．lively

C．industrial

D．digital

15.

A．Unless

B．As

C．If

D．Though