1 . When we’re on the treadmill (跑步机), we’re more likely to bethinking about whether we’re going to make it another mile than’what’s in our workout clothing. But our favorite sports ch ab are likely to be made from synthetic (合成的) fabrics, all of which are essentially plastic often created with harmful chemical additives. Now, a study conducted by the University of Birmingham shows the chemical additives from our workout clothing are available to be absorbed through our skin.

Previously, researchers have tended to focus on our exposure to plastic through diet,but the new study raises awareness that humans can be expesed to plastic chemicals through our skin, too. And because harmful chemicals accumulate lowly and stick around in our bodies, repeared and multi-source exposure can result in having high concentrations of chemicals inside us, potentially contributing to health effects.

The Birmingham study focused on a class of compounds(化合物)called brominated flame retardants(BFRs), which are used to prevent burning in a wide range of consumer products including fabries, and are linked to adverse health effects such as hormonal disorders and mental problems.

It’s known that sweat contains oil. Researchers found the oil has a chemical nature that encourages the chemicals in plastic to dissolve and spread.“In short, oil substances in our sweat help the bad chemicals to come out of the microplastic fibers and become available for human absorption,”says Dr. Abdallah of the Urnversity of Birmingham. An easy way to avoid exposure to these chemicals is to wear clothing made of sustainably produced textiles, which dont contain the bad chemicals associated with plastic materials. Check fabric labels for items that are mostly organic cotton, he mp or merino wool. Visit brand websites to see if they make an effort to list their suppliers, and where their products come from, including their dye houses and mills. Abdallah says he minimizes synthetic fabrics in his home, meanwhile wearing natural fibers like cotton. “Why be exposed to these chemicals even at low levels?”he says.“Why not avoid the risks?”

1. What is found in the study by the Birmingham University?

A．Sports clothes are fit for treadmill exercise.

B．Plastic produces harmful chemical additives.

C．Gym clothes may release poisonous chemicals.

D．People are exposed to chemicals through plastic.

2. What does the underlined word“adverse in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Unknown.

B．Harmful.

C．Similar.

D．Beneficial.

3. What role does the oil in sweat play in the absorption of chemicals?

A．It frees bad chemicals out of clothes.

B．It produces bad chemicals with plastic.

C．It prevents harmful chemicals spreading.

D．It keeps chemicals in the fibers of clothes.

4. What does the author suggest about our workout clothing?

A．Choosing famous brands.	B．ontacting the suppliers.
C．Visiting the chemical plants.	D．Wearing pure cotton clothes.

2 . Aarav Anil, the 17-year-old student With a passion for robotics from Bengraluro, invented a smart spoon that can help people with Parkinson’s disease eat with dignity.

Aarrav’s interest in creating a smart spoon came from seeing his uncle Arjun who has Parkinson’s disease struggling to feed himself. This disease affects the brain and leads to involuntary shaking. Hence, food kept spilling out of his mouth and onto his clothing.Aarrav wanted his uncle to be able to eat by himself with dignity.

Aarrav took to his room with microcontrollers, motors,sensors and a 3-D printer. Not everything went smoothly.“It was frustrating not being able to find the tiny electronics parts I needed here in India. I had to order some from China.but they took ages to arrive.”Aarrav said.Through tireless efforts. Aarrav made a first model but the handle was too slippery for his uncle to use so he had to change it.Then the prototype (维形) went to be tested at the RV College of Physiotherapy in Bengaluru.

“I’ve been fine tuning the design based on the college’s feedback — that it needs to be waterproof so that it can be washed without damaging all the electronics inside; and that it must be detachable (可拆卸的) so it can be cleaned and replaced by a fork.” Aarrav said. The trials being conducted at the college are expected to be completed by early 2024 and the results will be published in a medical journal.

Aarrav hopes that his smart spoon will begin to be manufactured on a small scale when the testing is complete.While other smart spoons already exist and two US companies are already producing their own versions,the cost is too high for most Indians. Aarrav’s version is estimated to cost around 580). His hope is that everyone with Parkinson’s disease will have access to a smart spoon.

1. What can Aarav’s invention help people with Parkinson’s disease do?

A．Maintain their physical balance.

B．Boost their mood and relieve stress.

C．Feed themselves much more easily.

D．Rid them of uncontrollable shaking.

2. What is emphasized about the invention of the smart spoon in Paragraph 3?

A．Its popularity.

B．Its challenges.

C．Its functions.

D．Its application.

3. Which can best replace the underlined word “tuning” in Paragraph 4?

A．Adjusting.

B．Publicizing

C．Outlining.

D．Simplifying

4. Which of the following best describes Aarrav?

A．Industrious and sociable.	B．Intelligent and humble
C．Sensitive and conservative.	D．Ambitious and caring.

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。

The Charm (魅力) of Schoolyard

In the charm of school life, where classrooms are seats of knowledge and the schoolyard becomes source of memory, there are a fund of stories mixed with humor, warmth, and teacher-student relationships.   

Mr. Smith was a country teacher, but not an ordinary one; he was a storyteller, a mentor (人生导师) , and a friend to all his students. His classroom was a world of its own, full of colorful characters and brilliant ideas. One day, during the noon break, a student named Alice noticed a wandering kitten padding (潜行) through the familiar grounds where many schoolyard tales were born. Alice took her to Mr. Smith, who had magical Tricks for handling even the smallest things. With Mr. Smitt’s permission, Alice and her classmates built a shelter for the kitten in a corner of the campus.

The days turned into weeks, and the kitten grew under the tender care of Mr. Smith and his students. Once in a while, she became a temporary resident of the classroom, much to the delight of the whole class. They named her “Schoolyard”, a name that generalized the spirit of their school days.

As the year progressed, Schoolyard became not just a kitten, but a tie connecting each of them and a thread of continuity in their lives. She played on desks, slept in chairs, and hid in folders, thus becoming an unofficial mascot (吉祥物) of the classroom. The students found comfort in her presence, and Mr. Smith, joy in watching them grow through her company.

As graduation neared, Mr. Smith gathered his students for one last lesson. He told them that they would soon be exploring new horizons. He reminded them that life was full of unforeseeable twists and tums along with unexpected potentials, just like the appearance of a kitten in their schoolyard. At the moment, the students were greatly touched and deep down there arose a strong love for those memorable warmth and hearty laughter of their school days.

Thereafter, Mr. Smith and the students agreed to meet here once again in ten years.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。

A decade later, Mr. Smith greeted his former students at the school gate.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Isn’t that our Schoolyard?” cried Alice, gazing at the classroom door.   

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . In the more than 6,000 years of living in cities,humans have always had to find solutions to problems concerning how they live and work, such as sanitation (卫生), transportation and nature protection. In addition, important technological innovations require basic facilities: the electric grid; telephone and cell-phone networks and so on.    1    They can help provide for improved delivery and quality of services.

A smart city is a place that uses digital methods to provide more efficient networks and services for the benefit of its residents and businesses. It means smarter urban transportation, advanced water supply and more efficient ways to light and heat buildings.    2    

Smart cities rely heavily on automation and the internet of things. According to a global technology organization, a smart city works in four steps: collection, analysis, communication, and action.     3       After the data collected is analyzed, the result will be communicated to the decision-makers, who will take action to improve the city life of its residents.

    4     Singapore, for example, has introduced a wide range of smart technologies inboth its public and private areas in 2024.To help with the aging population, it introduced a digital health system allowing video consultations as well as devices that can monitor their health.

    5     However, as with any significant citywide technology initiative, implementation (实施) of smart cities takes vision, investment, and careful planning to ensure adoption and success.Taking the first steps toward picturing what your smart city might look like is, well, the smart thing to do.

A．What does a smart city look like?

B．It’s hard to ignore the many benefits connected cities offer.

C．Today,using cutting-edge technologies,smart cities cover them all.

D．It also means a more interactive city administration and safer public spaces.

E．It can provide better transportation,safer society and effective decision and so on.

F．Smart city technologies have already been applied in various countries across the world.

G．During this process,a set of smart sensors will collect real-time data about people and facilities.

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。

In traditional Chinese culture, the dragon is one of the 12-year circle of animals     1     appear in the Chinese zodiac. For many centuries, it     2     (regard) as a symbol of luck, power and mystery. People born in the Year of the Dragon are traditionally thought     3     (be) enthusiastic, intelligent, lively, energetic, and innovative.

Among the rich legacies of Chinese history, the dragon totems (图腾)in the Forbidden City are     4     (undoubted) a fascinating presence. The Forbidden City, a splendid architectural complex known as the “treasure of China”, was once the royal palace of the Ming and Qing     5     (dynasty), and it stands as the world’s largest and most complete     6       (exist) ancient wooden structure complex. In the Forbidden City, the dragons, whether hanging in the sky, leaping between beams (横梁),     7     hidden in the details, all tell ancient stories.

In each corner of the Forbidden City,     8     variety of lifelike dragons can be seen, showing not only specialized skills, but also deep history and cultural enrichment.

According to photographer Gu Caihua, those dragons sitting on the roofs seem to be guarding the ancient palaces, while those dragons     9     (sculpture) on beams appear to be telling the ups and downs of history. These dragons are not merely decorations, and       10     some extent, they carry the essence of Chinese culture.

6 . In a small town lived Matthew, a diligent (勤奋的) youth with a passion for English. Nevertheless, he was completely ________of the online world, leading him to pay a heavy ________ in a case later.

One day, Matthew received an email from a stranger, claiming by ________ a special English learning material, he could easily improve his grades. The email also ________   several success stories, which convinced Matthew. He followed the instructions and transferred much money to the sender’s ________. Receiving the material, he found it worthless. Matthew felt ________ and regretful, yet powerless.

However, the story didn’t _________ there. After the setback, Matthew began to ________ the world of online scams (诈骗). Discovering similar ones, he decided to use his English skills to expose them on social media, and ________ people to be watchful of online scams.

Matthew’s story spread throughout the town. People expressed their ________ and support. With his assistance, many people escaped online scams. Everyone needs to ________ learn about relevant knowledge so as to enhance their awareness of ________.

The Internet isn’t without risks. When we ________ setbacks, don’t give up. It’s these experiences that make us more mature and cherish our ________ and privacy. Let’s unite to establish a safe and ________ online environment!

1.

A．capable

B．ignorant

C．cautious

D．suspicious

2.

A．price

B．fine

C．rent

D．debt

3.

A．sharing

B．reviewing

C．developing

D．purchasing

4.

A．lacked

B．deleted

C．included

D．translated

5.

A．donation

B．contract

C．account

D．document

6.

A．cheated

B．relieved

C．rejected

D．motivated

7.

A．end

B．occur

C．progress

D．transform

8.

A．withdraw from

B．interact with

C．push forward

D．dig into

9.

A．reminded

B．permitted

C．forbade

D．hired

10.

A．anxiety

B．admiration

C．desire

D．forgiveness

11.

A．rapidly

B．temporarily

C．individually

D．continuously

12.

A．charity

B．reform

C．prevention

D．participation

13.

A．cause

B．encounter

C．witness

D．bear

14.

A．wisdom

B．memory

C．freedom

D．property

15.

A．accessible

B．permanent

C．harmonious

D．complicated

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. When did Aelita Andre begin to learn painting?

A．At 10 years old.

B．At 12 months.

C．At 9 months.

2. What was the highest price of Aelita Andre’s work?

A．$4,000.

B．$10.000.

C．$14,000.

3. What was Aelita Andre’s achievement in 2020?

A．She drew a painting of Jackson Pollock.

B．She won Global Child Prodigy Awards.

C．She had her own exhibition in Manhattan.

4. Why does the speaker give the talk?

A．To introduce a truly talented artist.

B．To show her concerns about Aelita Andre.

C．To illustrate the value of abstract paintings.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where did the man read the story about a flight?

A．In a newspaper.

B．In a magazine.

C．On a website.

2. Who called the air traffic controller for help?

A．A pilot.

B．An air hostess.

C．A passenger.

3. What did the air traffic controller decide to do?

A．Teach how to operate a plane.

B．Ask his coworkers for help.

C．Make a video of flying.

4. What happened to the plane in the end?

A．It crashed.

B．It landed safely.

C．It caused several deaths.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why does Jason have no time to relax on the weekend?

A．He needs to write a book.

B．He must take music courses.

C．He has to do his schoolwork.

2. What is Jenny’s opinion on mental health days off from school?

A．It may make things worse.

B．It can solve mental problems well.

C．It can boost parent-child relationship.

3. What does Jenny think is important in students ‘mental health?

A．Students ‘self-control,

B．A mental health lecture.

C．Doctors’ suggestions.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How did Anna feel before coming to the classroom?

A．Worried.

B．Embarrassed.

C．Delighted.

2. What bothers Anna now?

A．Feeling a bit homesick.

B．Having trouble getting around.

C．Being weak in speaking Chinese.