1 . Generations of parents have told their children to practice their musical instruments. They have good reason for it: learning an instrument is not only associated with better educational attainment but also cognition (认知) and even intelligence scores in children. But does this musicality translate to better cognition (thinking) later in life?

A recent study showed that musical people had better memory and executive (决策的) function than those with less or no musicality. This makes sense as continued engagement in cognitively stimulating activities, such as playing an instrument, should result in continued brain health benefits.

Singing is a very popular musical activity as it allows joining musical groups, such as choirs. But does singing provide the same cognitive benefit as playing an instrument? According to the study, singing can result in better executive function but not memory, suggesting that playing an instrument has additional brain health benefits. However, when singing is done in choirs, there is good evidence that being engaged in social activity is good for our brain health.

Many people might remember the famous “Mozart Effect”, which was based on a 1993 study showing that when students were played Mozart, they scored higher on intelligence tests. Sadly, the current study found having played the recorder for three years at primary school might not have that big an impact on our cognitive performance. So, passively listening to music doesn’t seem to provide any cognitive benefits.

Playing an instrument or singing seems to have benefits to our brain health in aging, according to the study. What is yet to be established is whether this would also help prevent future cognitive decline or dementia. Still, considering the overall cognitive and social benefits of learning an instrument or singing in a choir, it might be worth engaging in such cognitive stimulation as we age. Our parents would be proud of us.

1. Why do parents intend their kids to play an instrument?

A．They suppose it can broaden the kids’ horizons.

B．They design the kids to be musicians in the future.

C．They expect to equip the kids with critical thinking.

D．They think it can improve the kids’ study and thinking.

2. Where could singing differ from playing an instrument?

A．It has better memories.	B．It has social benefits.
C．It requires more energy.	D．It shapes brain development.

3. What is the author’s purpose of mentioning Mozart Effect?

A．To show cognition relies on active engagement.

B．To display the real role that music plays in study.

C．To list similarities between music and study.

D．To demonstrate how to play a recorder properly.

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

A．Why Do People Prefer Singing?	B．What Musicals Can Do for You
C．How Music Boosts Your Brain	D．Where Shall We Find Musicality?

2 . While many high-achieving students will spend their summers volunteering, working part-time jobs, or interning (实习), another great opportunity available to high schoolers is summer programs.

Experiences in Architecture
Dates: July 7 — 11
Location: University of Chicago

This workshop is perfect for high school students in architecture and design. In order to prepare them for a career in architecture, the two-week program promises to provide the study of the discipline at the college level while introducing them to life on a college campus.

Immersion (沉浸) into ASL
Dates: June 15 — 22 (overnight); June 24 — 29 (day camp)
Location: Gallaudet University

This program is designed for students who are either beginning or intermediate (中级的) signers and want to become more fluent. Participants will work with advanced ASL (American Sign Language) instructors and their assistants who are similarly deaf or hard of hearing, learn about deaf culture and history, and explore the nation’s capital. Students may participate in a residential or day camp program.

Conway School of Nursing
Dates: July 15 — 19
Location: George Washington University

This one-week program hopes to introduce students to careers in nursing. Taught by the nursing teachers and aided by upper-class nursing students, participants will learn about the moral values guiding the work.

High School Drama Institute
Dates: July 8 — 26
Location: Columbia University

Though this intensive three-week program is super-selective and a limited number of students are chosen to participate, it is a perfect fit for students with a passion for the performing arts. Participants develop acting skills focusing on voice, movement, and gesture, strengthen their dancing and singing skills, and learn what it takes to prepare for college auditions (试演).

1. What will Experiences in Architecture offer to participants?

A．Interning positions.	B．Pre-college courses.
C．A career in design.	D．On-campus tours.

2. Who might help with Immersion into ASL?

A．Experienced teacher assistants.	B．Residential ASL programmers.
C．Staff members with hearing problems.	D．Starters and Intermediate ASL learners.

3. Which of the following might be hard to attend?

A．Experiences in Architecture.	B．Immersion into ASL.
C．Conway School of Nursing.	D．High School Drama Institute.

3 . 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。

Leo and Matt, both aged 16, are best friends who shared a passion for environmental sustainability. They were both students at a bustling high school in the heart of the city, a school that was infamous for its morning and afternoon traffic jams. The narrow streets leading to the school were always clogged (堵塞) with cars, buses, and bicycles, causing a great deal of inconvenience and pollution.

“Look what we are suffering every day!” complained Leo. “Isn’t there a solution to the problem?” Matt sighed.

They decided to take matters into their own hands and find a solution to the sticky problem. Initially, they made some speeches, distributed leaflets and volunteered to relieve the traffic congestion (拥堵), trying to persuade some parents to park their cars a little farther away the school and not to use cars too often. But two weeks passed, there was nothing better. Then they realized it was no easy work to deal with the trouble. They needed more hands for help and a well-thought-out plan for it.

They first gathered ten schoolmates who shared the same ambition. Then they started to conduct a thorough survey to understand the root causes of the traffic congestion. They interviewed students, teachers, and parents, as well as observed the traffic patterns during different times of the day. They learned that the majority of the congestion was caused by parents dropping off and picking up their children, as well as the lack of sufficient parking spaces.

Armed with this information, the team designed a detailed plan. They proposed the creation of a carpool system for students, encouraging them to share rides to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. They also suggested dedicated drop-off and pick-up zones, clearly marked with signage, to help streamline the process.

To further reduce congestion, they advocated for the construction of bike racks (架子) and encourage students to cycle to school. They even proposed a rewards system for those who chose sustainable modes of transportation.

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。

With their plan in hand, Leo and Matt presented it to the school authorities.

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A few months passing by, the school traffic congestion had significantly improved.

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4 . 假定你是李华。某英语报社正在以“Can Money Really Talk?”为主题开展征文活动。请你根据下图中的信息，写一篇英语短文投稿。内容要求：
1.简要描述画面内容；
2.揭示画面所反映的问题；
3.谈谈你的看法。

注意：1.词数80左右；
2.请按如下格式作答。
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5 . Many years ago, I swam the English Channel and people think I’m a superhuman and fearless. Last year I _________ for a 10 km mass-participation swimming race. I _________ last year’s results and calculated that, at my current _________, I would probably have come last. I was _________ about pulling out.

But when January came around, I decided to have another _________. For a few months, I trained hard, but I didn’t get any _________. Then on June 5, the event kicked off at 9:30. As the day wore on, I somehow didn’t mind that, _________, almost everyone was ahead. Certainly, there were a _________ of swimmers still near me, and _________ we shared the same river, we quietly occupied our own spaces. As I __________ doing my own thing, I realized I was enjoying myself.

In the end, it took me four hours and 29 minutes to complete the __________ journey. As I struggled out of water, I was greeted with __________ cheers and applause. I noticed there were many swimmers, behind me, out of a __________ of around 300 event-goers. At that moment, I was just __________, proud and happy to finish. My __________ of coming last gently died away.

1.

A．paid

B．waited

C．entered

D．searched

2.

A．consulted

B．published

C．reported

D．accepted

3.

A．event

B．market

C．game

D．pace

4.

A．hesitant

B．passionate

C．wrong

D．curious

5.

A．life

B．try

C．plan

D．date

6.

A．wetter

B．deeper

C．closer

D．faster

7.

A．eventually

B．predictably

C．surprisingly

D．fortunately

8.

A．row

B．number

C．handful

D．pool

9.

A．if

B．after

C．because

D．although

10.

A．put off

B．concentrated on

C．ended up

D．set about

11.

A．tough

B．same

C．longest

D．dangerous

12.

A．similar

B．polite

C．loud

D．common

13.

A．field

B．collection

C．range

D．symbol

14.

A．frightened

B．embarrassed

C．relieved

D．tired

15.

A．memory

B．fear

C．concept

D．dream

6 . Like many eco-conscious films, I’ve seen Don’t Look Up many times, and shown it to my friends and family whenever anyone suggests a movie night. I rarely pass up the moment to educate my loved ones on any possible disaster or crisis in an entertaining or thought-inspiring way. It’s a refreshing break from the usual doom-mongering that conversations can often get into. The power of cinema in communicating the climate crisis plays a critical role in affecting public attitudes and behaviors in relation to environmental justice.

Films appeal to our emotions in a way scientific presentation, academic papers or broadcast interview rarely can. Accordingly, films have an unusual way of engaging our emotions, which is a vital step in driving changes in people’s behavior. Films can make full use of this by presenting climate messages within fantastic narratives (叙述) that seasoned movie watchers will be familiar with. In the case of Don’t Look Up, it’s about meteor (流星) strikes. For The End We Start From, it’s extreme flooding. In First Reformed, climate activism is the predominant focus.

Films and TV dramas can also bring the vastness of climate disaster down to earth by integrating everyday events. The TV series Years and Years, launches climate issues into public debate, helping viewers relate to the characters’ experiences. The End We Start From, set in an extreme flood in London, follows the everyday experience of having a newborn child. This creates a heart-felt emotional connect ion between the themes of the film and the viewers’ own experiences. The Day After Tomorrow, the first hit released in 2004, enhances public awareness and concern through its vivid imagery of environmental disaster.

Films like this generate a strong empathetic (同理心的) connect ion that can help people change the way they behave far more than facts and data can. Of course, the growing type of climate change cinema is not always scientifically accurate. But if cinema is to be used more forcefully as a tool to raise the public awareness of climate crisis, then accuracy is not entirely necessary: it is the emotional connection and thrilling storytelling that are most crucial.

1. What does the underlined word “doom-mongering” probably mean?

A．Misfortune.

B．Imbalance.

C．Disbelief.

D．Irrelevance.

2. What can be inferred about climate disaster movies from Paragraph 2?

A．They can change environmental efforts.	B．They can uniquely create emotional link.
C．They can help viewers out of their trouble.	D．They can solve social issues academically.

3. How is Paragraph 3 mainly developed?

A．By inferring results.	B．By analyzing reasons.
C．By giving examples.	D．By making comparisons.

4. What of the following might the author agree with?

A．Disaster films are educational and entertaining.

B．Scientific accuracy is a necessity for disaster films.

C．The growing popularity of cinema is not desirable.

D．Public awareness of entertainment needs raising.

7 . More than 30 years ago, Jadav Payeng started planting trees on a barren sandbar (贫瘠的沙洲) near his birthplace in India’s Assam region. That day, the then-16-year-old noticed many snakes washed up on the sandbar after a flood. They were dying due to heat exposure at a rapid rate. “How can I help them?” Then he had an idea: Trees can provide shade for them!

Jadav lives on an island, Majuli, which is in the middle of the Brahmaputra River. It begins at the base of the Himalayas, at the meeting of a fan of rivers that drain (流走) snowmelt. At one time, villages upstream had redirected the river, creating more forceful currents around the island and carrying away the soil, thus damaging the natural habitats of its wildlife. As a consequence, much of the island became barren sand, and an entire community was at risk of being displaced.

Jadav also noticed that nobody was doing anything about it besides watching their part of the world disappear. So, he started to put his idea into action — every day, one or two or three at a time. He took notes of how they grew, harvested their seeds, grew saplings (树苗) in his hut and planted before going off to work.

Now that once-barren sandbar is a 1,360-acre forest, home to many animals: deer, Bengal tigers, Indian rhinoceros and even a group of 100 elephants that visit every year. There are now native grasses that have taken root in the shade and varieties of native trees grown from seeds that have washed ashore. But most importantly, the island that is also home to a few hundred people is holding its own against the bad weather. Standing beside one of the first trees he planted 30 years ago, Jadav tells us: “It’s a little thing, something anyone can do.”

1. What was Jadav’s original aim to plant trees?

A．To save the snakes from heat exposure.	B．To protect the snakes from extinction.
C．To produce materials to stop flooding.	D．To use the leaves to create more shades.

2. What primarily made Majuli a barren island?

A．Villagers’ ignorance of ecology.	B．Villagers’ redirecting the river.
C．The extreme weather conditions.	D．Loss of wildlife’s natural habitats.

3. Which of the following can best describe Jadav?

A．Frank and learned.	B．Subjective yet reliable.
C．Determined and careful.	D．Smart but hot-tempered.

4. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．What the forest means to the wildlife.	B．How ecology benefits the human kind.
C．How Jadav feels about his simple deeds.	D．What difference Jadav’s efforts have made.

8 . 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。

I was a broke university student. I should have been going to university on a scholarship because I came from a low-income family, but a last-minute £100-a-year pay rise for my mum pushed my family over the threshold (门槛) for what defined “low-income” and I was suddenly no longer qualified for £15,000 a year in scholarship money. This news came after I’d been accepted by the university and signed the lease (租约) for my accommodation.

Despite my family not being labelled low-income anymore, I still wouldn’t receive any financial support from my family as all the income went toward taking care of my disabled brother and paying their own bills. It would be tight, but because I had savings from my part-time job, I decided to go to university anyway. After paying my rent, I had £10.20 a week for everything else including food, toiletries, and school supplies.

As I was in a new city, I really wanted to make friends, which was difficult when most of the social activities were expensive. Therefore, I jumped at the chance to do a relatively cheap coffee shop trip with my roommates who were pleasant to me.

I had £20 with me to get a cheap cup of coffee and my food shopping for a few weeks. So I headed for the coffee shop. While paying, I pulled out the note and a handful of change and realized I could pay without breaking the note, so I put it back in my pocket. It wasn’t until I arrived at the supermarket that I realized the note was gone. What should I do? I was desperate it was the equivalent (相等物) of two weeks of money. My roommates helped me look for the note. However, it was in vain. Finally, I went to school empty-handed.

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

P1: As a final attempt, I messaged the coffee shop’s Facebook page asking if they’d seen it.

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P2: I said, “Oh, ...This isn’t mine; my note was an old worn one.”

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9 . 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。

Sam Hensen was celebrating his ninth birthday at summer camp. The counselors and fellow campers came together to throw a party for him, complete with cake and gifts thoughtfully sent by his parents. But Sam was not a popular boy. He was mentally disabled and couldn’t move around like the other children, setting him apart from his peers and causing unease among parents. But things were about to change on his ninth birthday. At camp, he was about to discover that there were people who genuinely cared about him.

One boy reached out to Sam and extended a warm hand of friendship. His name was Bobby, an eleven-year-old, and he had a younger brother who was mentally challenged. Sam’s presence reminded Bobby of his beloved brother, and their bond was unique, unlike any other.

Bobby’s kindness didn’t stop at a friendly gesture; every morning, he went to Sam’s cabin to help him prepare for the day. Their friendship extended to sports, especially baseball, which Sam adored. Bobby, with strong determination, took on the incredible challenge of teaching Sam how to bat.

The hours and days they spent practicing seemed to point to an impossible task. The camp counselors had also tried their best to teach Sam, but progress had appeared to be hopeless. But Bobby was not ready to give up on his friend, but Sam began to feel anxious.

One restless night, Sam couldn’t sleep as he thought of Bobby’s kindness and the counselors’ tireless efforts to help him. He felt the burning desire to practice more, despite the late hour. He decided to take action. With determination, he made his way to Bobby’s cabin and woke him up, whispering, “Come on, Bobby! Wake up! I need you to pitch (投掷) the ball.” Bobby, rubbing his eyes, was initially puzzled by Sam’s late-night visit. But as Sam   pulled him out of bed, he realized the importance of this moment. Sam assured him, “It will only take a moment, and we’ll be right back.”

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。

With their counselors sound asleep, the two friends sneaked out, making their way to a poorly lit parking lot.

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Sam fell asleep that night with a smile of accomplishment on his face.

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10 . 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。

Winters can be harsh in Heilongjiang, China’s northeastern province     1     (border) Russia.

The residents of Harbin, Heilongjiang’s capital, brighten the winter     2     (month) by carving fantastic frozen sculptures for the International Ice and Snow Festival that takes place in January and February every year. Once a     3     (region) affair, the festival has grown to be a major international event.

“It’s quite surreal (梦幻般的), due to both the scale (规模)     4     all the beautiful lighting—like being     5     a fantasy movie,” says Christian Stanley of the China Travel Company. “It’s so big that you can’t help wondering     6     they managed to build all of this so quickly.”

It’s also a good choice to take a break from Harbin’s winter wonderland with a visit to the Siberian Tiger Park.     7     (locate) a few miles northwest of the city on the Songhua River, the park     8     (establish) in 1996 to help protect these animals, the largest felines (猫科动物) in the world. Hundreds of Siberian tigers—accustomed (适应) to the winter cold—     9     (free) walk around the nature reserve, along with leopards and black puma. Visitors must ride in special buses to get protected from the tigers as the animals gather around out of     10     (curious).