2 . It’s fair to say that many parents focus a lot of energy — and worry! — on protecting their small kids from risky situations. But this past weekend, reporter Ellen Barry published a piece about a growing movement in Britain: people are bringing risk into the playground experience.

    1     It contrasts with sheltering kids with the less demanding facilities typical of playgrounds. As Barry puts it, including limited risk into our kids’ playtime may be taking a step toward healthier child development. He cites a sign posted outside the Princess Diana Playground in London’s Kensington Gardens.     2     They are intentionally provided, so that your kids can develop an appreciation of risk in a controlled play environment.

    3     Communities in Australia, Canada, and Sweden are making similar changes to their playgrounds. They want kids to learn and grow by facing challenges they can handle, Barry reports.

Controlled risk at play time — where, after all, the children are still under close supervision (监护) — would seem a good addition to the free-range child movement. In that initiative, it’s suggested that free-range kids take walks in nature or ride public transportation on their own.     4    

Besides, considering child development from an evolutionary (进化的) view offers more backing. Our long journey through time and nature has made us who we are today, with behaviors, thoughts and bodies shaped.     5     Looking at this bigger picture helps us understand why people make such a choice.

A．Kids learn best while playing.

B．More exploration is expected.

C．It says it’s okay for kids to take some risks.

D．Limited-risk playgrounds begin to catch on.

E．The idea is to help kids become tough and strong.

F．Generally, they are encouraged to get outside and acquire independent skills.

G．It is therefore important to let kids do things that match how they naturally grow.

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。

Ms. Pinelli was walking her dog, Boomerang, past our driveway when I told her that it had been barking throughout the afternoon. We assumed it probably saw a squirrel or something.

After school the next day, I was practising the piano when Boomerang started barking again. (No, my piano playing isn’t that bad!) Anyway, it never used to bark when I practiced. Ten minutes later, it was still barking. Jumping up, I decided to play detective instead of the piano. The Pinellis’ trees were small, and I didn’t spot anything that disturbed it in them. The curtains were open, but I couldn’t see Boomerang looking out. I wondered if something was wrong.

After thinking it over, I called Ms. Pinelli at work and told her Boomerang was barking nonstop again. Ms. Pinelli returned immediately and put it into her car and drove off.

Later, after dinner, she dropped by my house and told me that the vet (兽医) had checked it out. Boomerang was fine but it probably missed Leo, Ms. Pinelli’s son. He used to be its playmate but started college in the fall. During our conversation, I knew how Boomerang got its name. It was like a boomerang (飞镖) when playing fetch, running off and then returning with a ball with Leo. To tell the truth, I missed Leo too because he had taught me how to throw a ball in the yard.

We felt bad for the dog and were eager to find a way to help it cope with Leo’s absence. Ms. Pinelli mentioned that she would leave the TV on the next day, hoping that the noise would distract it.

The following day, when I got off the bus, I could hear Boomerang’s barking loud and clear. I rushed to have a check, finding Boomerang pacing back and forth restlessly. Ms. Pinelli was busy with her computer work. She asked me whether I could do her a favor to keep an eye on it for a while. I gladly said, “Yes!”

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。
Then I approached Boomerang.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Suddenly, its name reminded me how it played with Leo.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . 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。

Woodcut New Year picture, a historic art form of woodcut painting, is for the occasion of Chinese Spring Festival. It features beautiful art designs with bright, delightful colors     1     fits the mood of the people longing for a happy life.

Popular     2     (theme) of Woodcut New Year picture include house safeguard, family wishes, and prosperity. Customarily, hanging on the door     3     (keep) the dangerous spirits away are door gods (门神) while on the screen wall facing the door is a character “Fu”     4     indicates good fortune.

Folk New Year picture emerged in pre-historical time and     5     (use) as the door god. The     6     (grow) of product economy and handicraft (手工艺) industry along with the advancement in printing during the Song Dynasty     7     (change) the manufacture of Chinese New Year picture from mainly hand-painting to woodcut painting, making it richer both     8     category and content.

After being listed as National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006, woodcut New Year picture has enjoyed     9     (great) popularity, significantly influencing the artistic styles of other nations as well. The making of the picture, a package process from drafting, woodcut, painting, to hand painting touch-up, keeps millions of its lovers     10     (lose) in its striking beauty.

6 . When the three women spotted an abandoned property in Providence, USA, they agreed this polluted parcel of land held _________. It was where their dream of a(an) _________ farm came true.

Holland and her cofounders, Doggett and Purviance, _________ the 2.7-acre property, cleaned up the pollution and created an inner-city oasis (绿洲). Its name? What Cheer Flower Farm. Its _________? To give away all the flowers they grow to people in need.

“We offer products to people who _________ flowers but don’t have access,” explains Doggett. “Flowers are a _________ symbol, not just for the selected few who can afford them. Receiving flowers energizes everyone.”

Although the three got off to a _________ start-planting started in May, not as usual, they worked around the clock and _________ to donate roughly 10,000 flowers in their first growing season. “We want to _________ the state with flowers and we are very __________ to make it work,” Purviance says. Now the farm regularly brings __________ to people at local hospitals, senior centers and more. Purviance vividly remembers the first flowers she __________ to a home-bound elderly woman. “Her face just __________. It was as if a flash of light was coming from the top of Federal Hill.” Another young woman, who was just broke, thanked Purviance afterwards. “In the __________ time of my life, even one flower lifts me up.”

And that, is the true __________ of a flower.

1.

A．courage

B．discovery

C．promise

D．comfort

2.

A．friend

B．individual

C．health

D．flower

3.

A．purchased

B．protected

C．provided

D．measured

4.

A．procedure

B．advice

C．mission

D．method

5.

A．deserve

B．study

C．observe

D．tend

6.

A．traditional

B．creative

C．universal

D．unique

7.

A．late

B．simple

C．fine

D．busy

8.

A．continued

B．happened

C．managed

D．hesitated

9.

A．compare

B．help

C．combine

D．blanket

10.

A．nervous

B．determined

C．lucky

D．surprised

11.

A．trust

B．joy

C．pride

D．honor

12.

A．sold

B．delivered

C．returned

D．showed

13.

A．reddened

B．relaxed

C．wrinkled

D．brightened

14.

A．significant

B．moving

C．tough

D．usual

15.

A．moment

B．secret

C．story

D．power

7 . One day I typed into ChatGPT all about my upset feelings and it instantly responded, offering a list of practical advice. Nowadays millions of people are already turning to ChatGPT and specialist therapy (治疗) chatbots for convenient and inexpensive mental health support.

Some experts say this is a boon. After all, AI, undisturbed by embarrassment and burnout, might be able to express empathy (同理心) more openly and tirelessly than humans. But others worry about the consequences of people seeking emotional support from machines that can only pretend to care. Some even wonder if the rise of so-called empathetic AI might change the way we interact with one another. Indeed, empathy is one of our species’ defining qualities, developing as it did in pace with social interaction.

One recent analysis about empathy looked at 52 studies published between 1980 and 2019, which shows that the empathiser must first be able to recognize how the other person is feeling. They must also be affected by those emotions and differentiate between themselves and the other person, grasping that the other person’s feelings aren’t their own while still being able to imagine their experience.

On the first point, in recent years, Al-powered chatbots have made progress in their ability to read human emotions, most powered by large language models (LLMs) that work by predicting which words are most likely to appear together based on training data. In this way, LLMs like ChatGPT can seemingly identify our feelings and respond appropriately most of the time. But when it comes to the other criteria, AI still misses the mark in many ways. Empathy is interpersonal, with continued feedback helping to perfect the empathiser’s response, which also requires some degree of intuitive (直觉的) awareness of an individual and their situation.

All of this helps to explain conversations like the ones I had with ChatGPT. At the end of the day, despite talking to multiple chatbots online, I did what I knew I had to do all along: I picked up my phone and called a friend.

1. What does the underlined word “boon” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Trap.

B．Prize.

C．Blessing.

D．Challenge.

2. What does the recent analysis show about empathy?

A．It calls for clear communication.	B．It starts with emotion identification.
C．It rules out individual difference.	D．It depends on rich imagination.

3. What can AI do according to paragraph 4?

A．Provide data-driven feedback.	B．Recognize one’s real desire.
C．Update large language models.	D．Predict one’s behavior by intuition.

4. What does the author think of ChatGPT?

A．Its development should be sped up.

B．Its intelligence is winning more favor.

C．Its application should be strictly managed.

D．Its artificial kindness is no match for humans’.

8 . Quiet Parks International (QPI) have got every reason to award Quiet Trail to the Niobrara National Scenic River this year, making it the other Quiet Trail in the world after Cuifeng Lake Trail, Taiwan. Kalli Kieborz, Director of Niobrara Council, received the award for their assistance in managing and protecting its natural resources, including natural quiet, since 1997.

This Award concluded a two-year process that included exploring the full length of the river to collect qualitative and quantitative acoustic (听觉的) data. Gordon Hempton, cofounder of QPI, stated, “Our testing process is very exact. Beyond collecting standard acoustic data, each team member must agree unhesitatingly that natural quiet existed throughout the testing period. The river’s splendid geologic landscape, unusual atmospheric conditions and outstanding wildlife all contributed to a positive outcome.”

The Niobrara River is notable for its beauty, ecological importance, and recreational appeal in the northern Great Plains, U.S.. Six major ecosystems meet in the Niobrara National Scenic River valley, resulting in a special mix of more than 160 plant and animal species. “It is filled with unique, even one-of-a-kind opportunities for the curious and adventurous visitors,” said John Ricks. Nebraska Tourism director.

“97% of the U.S. population faces noise pollution from sources like flights and highways. In fact, the more quiet we have, the more we can see and hear about the world, so we are thrilled to be able to offer it at Niobrara National Scenic River. From a quiet starry night to peaceful natural escapes, it uncovers what cannot be enjoyed in many other places,” stated Susan Cook, another director.

Areas like the Niobrara National Scenic River offer an opportunity to showcase quiet, unspoiled areas in a noisy world. Today, as people’s life is overloaded with noise, the intentional seeking-out of quiet areas is on the rise and with it, the opportunity to engage new travelers in visiting the beautiful, yet still largely hidden treasure of the wild.

1. Which of the following best describes the testing process?

A．Flexible.

B．Reliable.

C．Simple.

D．Loose.

2. What is a consequence of ecosystems meeting in the valley?

A．Ecology imbalance.	B．Biodiversity enrichment.
C．Species competition.	D．Tourism boost.

3. What does Susan Cook highlight in paragraph 4?

A．The joy of winning the award.	B．The outcome of noise pollution.
C．The activities of enjoying quiet.	D．The value of natural quiet.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To call on efforts to reconnect with nature.

B．To inform the recognition of a quiet river.

C．To display the challenges of protecting ecosystem.

D．To stress the need to escape busyness of modern life.

9 . When Chui-Lian Lee and Valentina Gomez started on their academic journeys as textile (织物) developing and marketing majors at the Fashion Institute of Technology, they were eager to learn more about the clothing industry. Some of the things they ended up learning shocked them. They found out that roughly 11 million tons of textile waste end up in landfill each year, and the chemicals and gases that emerge during decomposition pollute the earth.

Every single class that they joined, they’d go through the impacts and it’d be like, “Okay, cotton has this large of a water footprint and people are turning to organic cotton, but that’s not really a solution because of these reasons.” Or “People are looking at recycled polyester (涤纶) but that’s not great because it still releases microplastics.” As every solution they learned about came with drawbacks, they both wound up feeling really frustrated.

It wasn’t until the two joined a class on the application of biotechnology to the manufacturing of clothing that they realized there could be a more environmentally friendly option for the fashion industry. Lee and Gomez learned that they could use specially engineered proteins to create a fiber that avoids plastics and degrades (分解) naturally, and then the idea for Werewool was born. “By changing how we are creating the fibers that make up our clothing, we can change the entire life cycle of our clothing and their end-of-life impacts on the environment, avoiding pollution from plastics,” Lee explains.

The early-stage biotech company focusing on developing biodegradable fibers for the textile industry initially started as a research project that involved many sleepless nights in the lab. After winning the H&M Global Change Award in 2020, the project launched into a company. Over four years and 4.5 million dollars in funding later, Werewool now has 12 employees and has begun working with brands to develop clothing out of their protein-based fibers, with the hope of launching products in 2025. By 2030, 125,000 tons of fiber is expected to enter the market, which is about 390 million shirts.

“Our goal has always been to make the fashion industry friendly to nature,” says Lee.

1. What surprised Lee and Gomez when they learned about the clothing industry?

A．A wide range of textiles are produced every year.

B．There are many poisonous chemicals in clothing.

C．Clothing industry brings harm to the environment.

D．The textile waste is quite difficult to break down.

2. Why are organic cotton and recycled polyester mentioned?

A．To present features of organic clothing.

B．To introduce methods of recycling textile waste.

C．To show they’re not good options for sustainability.

D．To explain it is essential to reduce the water footprint.

3. What can we learn about Werewool according to the passage?

A．It has a bright prospect.	B．It funds research on textile waste.
C．It proves to be highly profitable.	D．It pioneers in plastics decomposition.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Werewool Makes Fashion Green

B．Breakthroughs in Applied Biotechnology

C．Lee and Gomez’s Academic Journeys

D．New Protein-based Fibers Hit the Market

10 . The HSK is a globally-run standardized test of Chinese language ability for non-native speakers. Whether you seek to ensure qualifications for scholarships or gain an advantage in the job market or a related academic field, an HSK pass will serve you well. But, of course, many learners also find an exam to be an excellent source of motivation!

Working with the Chinese Testing Centre, we are delighted to announce that our Institute will continue to offer opportunities for interested candidates to sit 2024 HSK Exams which will be in-person exams only. The next offline exam will take place on Sunday, 19 May.

Please visit HSK Exams Official Page to register. A recent passport photo is required when completing the registration form. A standard 2-inch identification photo no larger than 100kb must be sent to info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk after you register the exam online.

Your admission ticket can be printed in the exam registration system after the registration closes. On the exam date, you MUST bring your admission ticket and the identification document, or you will not be able to sit the exam on the day.

Examination Fees:

HSK offline	HSK1	HSK2	HSK3	HSK4	HSK5	HSK6
Standard	£10.00	£20.00	£30.00	£40.00	£50.00	£60.00

Please note that if you want to book more than one exam level, you need to go through the booking process for each item you wish to book and pay correspondingly. For postage and packing, extra £3.00 is required for each level.

1. What benefit will an HSK pass bring?

A．Qualifying for scholarships.	B．Getting a dream job.
C．Having academic exchange.	D．Improving examination skills.

2. What is a necessity when you register for the HSK?

A．A recent passport photo.	B．A standard 2-inch ID photo.
C．A printed admission ticket.	D．An identification document.

3. How much do you pay if you want to book HSK3 and HSK4 with postage and packing?

A．£33.00.

B．£43.00.

C．£70.00.

D．£76.00.