1 . People who visit Huangsiyang village in Huizhou, Guangdong province, are shocked by the grand scale of its ancient residential buildings. Covering an area of 220,000 square meters, the village was named “Huangsiyang” to express gratitude for the emperor’s kindness. With a history of over 500 years, the village’s architecture dates back to the late Ming Dynasty.
As part of a Guangdong provincial project that targets the high-quality rural (乡村的) development, Huangsiyang has made great efforts to promote its heritage protection and cultural tourism, which have breathed new life into the village. Yang Shouqiang, a village official, explained that the ancient village has more than 20 historical sites, making it the most well-preserved and largest ancient residential group in Huidong county. Yang said the village has attached great importance to education and culture, having produced over 20 examinees who passed the provincial-level exams after being invited to sit for the imperial examinations — the ancient form of the gaokao, China’s college entrance exam.
From 2022 to last year, a total of 65million yuan was invested in the protection and development of Huangsiyang ancient village. Recent surveys have shown significant improvements in the village’s surroundings and internal environment after it took measures to restore architecture and rivers, and improve lighting and other basic facilities. At the same time, the village introduced high-quality homestay (民宿) projects. These homestays preserve the original architectural style of the ancient buildings.
The village has attracted many tourists from the Guangdong — Hong Kong — Macao Greater Bay Area, who take part in team building activities and enjoy unique experiences. The increasing number of visitors to the village is also increasing sales of local snacks and agricultural products. Online promotions of these products have also brought in more tourists to nearby villages.
1. What surprises visitors to Huangsiyang village?| A．Tasty local snacks. |
| B．A history of over 500 years. |
| C．The rural landscape. |
| D．A large number of ancient buildings. |
| A．Prepare for. | B．Go through. | C．Participate in. | D．Put off. |
| A．It benefits a lot from tourism. |
| B．Its education system develops fast. |
| C．It is famous for agricultural products. |
| D．Its environment is damaged due to tourists. |
| A．Old village comes to life |
| B．Old village draws visitors |
| C．Old village values education |
| D．Old village shows traditional culture |
2 . How to make the most of your time with your host family
Living and studying abroad can be a meaningful and enriching experience. And living with a host family is one of the best ways to immerse (沉浸) yourself in the culture.
Many people struggle to feel comfortable with their host families at first. This is a completely normal feeling! You’ve just left everything you’ve known for years behind to start a new life. It’s okay to be confused.
Feeling at home can be difficult at the beginning. That’s why spending time in common areas is necessary. If you spend all your time in your room, it’s going to be hard to feel like you belong. Joining in everyday activities with your host family will help you create a family bond. For example, some families like having dinner together on weekends. Make time for those moments.
Communication is key. If you are unsure about something, ask! It’s normal to know few customs and habits at first, so instead of doing things blindly, just ask. Your host family will understand and help you.
| A．The language barrier can also be a struggle. |
| B．Showing gratitude will take you a long way. |
| C．Keep in mind that when in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
| D．Then, you’ll have chances to expose yourself to their language. |
| E．It’s also normal not to know a lot about unspoken social rules of the country. |
| F．Not only will they appreciate it but you will also feel like a part of their world. |
| G．However, living with a foreign family can be difficult and adapting to it can take some effort. |
3 . When people ask me how I started writing, I find myself describing an urgent need that I felt to work with language. Having said that, I did not know for a long time what I was looking for. It was not until I followed this feeling to its source that I discovered I had a passion for writing. With some encouragement from my colleagues, I had one of my poems published. This bit of success, however, was the point where my problem began.
Back in 1978, I had to travel between three different campuses in the morning, teaching freshman composition. Afternoons I spent taking my daughter to her ballet and horse-riding lessons. I composed my lectures on the way, and that was all the thinking time I had. When I returned home, there was not enough of me left for writing after a full working day.
As a way out, I decided to get up two hours before my usual time. My alarm was set for 5:00 A.M. The first day I shut it off because I had placed it within arm's reach. The second day I set two clocks, one on my night table, and one out in the hallway. I had to jump out of bed and run to silence it before my family was awoken. This was when my morning writing began.
Since that first morning in 1978, I have been following the habit to this day, not making or accepting many excuses for not writing. I wrote my poems in this manner for nearly ten years before my first book was published. When I decided to write a novel, I divided my two hours: the first for poetry, the second for fiction. Well or badly, I wrote at least two pages a day. This is how my novel, The Line of the Sun. was finished. If I had waited to have the time, I would still be waiting to write my novel.
What I got out of getting up in the dark to work is the feeling that I am in control. For many people, the initial sense of urgency to create easily dies away because it requires making the tough decision: taking the time to create, stealing it from yourself if ifs the only way.
1. What motivated the author to start her writing career?| A．Her strong wish to share. | B．Her keen interest in writing. |
| C．Her urgent need to make a living. | D．Her passionate desire for fame. |
| A．In case the clock in her room broke down. | B．In case she failed to hear the ringing. |
| C．To force herself out of bed. | D．To wake up her family. |
| A．By sticking to writing every morning. | B．By writing when her mind was most active. |
| C．By drawing inspirations from classic novels. | D．By reducing her teaching hours at school. |
| A．It is never too late to change your job. | B．Imaginative ideas die away if not taken in time. |
| C．A tight schedule is no excuse for lack of action. | D．Daily life provides ideas for creative writing. |
Steve, 21, was leading a small team into an abandoned(废弃的)mine near Paradise Pines, California. With him were his 19-year-old brother Allen, and a fishing friend, 32-year-old Bobby Erler.
After a couple of hours of exploring, Steve suddenly felt the earth give way under him. The drainage shaft(排水井)! His fingers clawed helplessly at the wet soil as he fell. He was falling into darkness, his body struggling against the walls of the shaft.
20 feet away, Allen heard a loud cry. “I’m climbing down,” he told Bobby.
With his torch(手电筒)under his arm, Allen slid rapidly down the pipe. “I’m coming, Steve!” he yelled several times. No answer.
As Allen slid towards the bottom of the mine shaft, he saw Steve floating face down in the water. He slipped his arms round Steve and patted him on the back. Water came out of Steve’s mouth continuously.
“I’m going to die, right?” Steve said in a weak voice.
“No way,” Allen said. “Bobby’s going for help.”
At 3: 20 pm, Bobby stepped through the door of the local fire station, a mile and a half from the top of the canyon(峡谷).“My friends. Trapped,” he said, out of breath. “Last Chance Mine. You have to hurry!”
One hundred miles away, Bob Trussell’s phone rang at 5 pm. Leader of the Lassen County Search and Rescue Team, Trussell, 44, had the only team in northern California trained to lead mine rescues. “I’ll pull together my team,” he said, “but it’ll take some time to get there.” An hour later, he was leading a line of six trucks towards Paradise Pines.
Suddenly, Steve fell unconscious(不省人事的). Allen wondered how long they could hold on.
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。
Suddenly Allen saw something shining above them.
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Steve was rushed to hospital at once.
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Acupuncture(针灸), an ancient Chinese medical practice, has been the treatment for lots of patients for thousands of years. Before modern medicine
As a treatment
Practices can be different in forms, including needle insertion (扎针), cupping and rubbing. Needle insertion, the most common method, is carried out by
Looking beyond China, acupuncture has become a global treatment. In the past 50 years, acupuncture
As an ancient Chinese medical practice, acupuncture has a rich history and much cultural
1.作品形式;
2.作品内容。
注意：1.写作词数应为80个左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Jim,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
7 . A hero sheep dog became the guiding light of hope for three trapped sheep as it swam across dangerous flooded fields to
Llyr Derwydd, a 44-year-old farmer coming from the area of Ruthin,
Considering the dangerous conditions that the flood caused, the
Mr. Derwydd talked about the sad experience, stating, “We realized we needed to act
In order to rescue the sheep, he made a
It was a moment filled with
Mr. Derwydd shared his
| A．force | B．carry | C．guide | D．attract |
| A．hid | B．found | C．imagined | D．reminded |
| A．checking | B．describing | C．comparing | D．selling |
| A．snow | B．water | C．fire | D．smoke |
| A．lecture | B．recovery | C．rescue | D．experiment |
| A．equally | B．suddenly | C．luckily | D．obviously |
| A．in return | B．in time | C．in person | D．in secret |
| A．reducing | B．improving | C．rising | D．sliding |
| A．call | B．promise | C．decision | D．comment |
| A．wish | B．order | C．warning | D．suggestion |
| A．danger | B．regret | C．hope | D．fun |
| A．goals | B．curiosity | C．ways | D．ability |
| A．catch | B．feed | C．reach | D．stop |
| A．responsibility | B．amazement | C．confidence | D．awkwardness |
| A．risk | B．time | C．lead | D．place |
8 . Benefits of Walking in Cold Weather
As winter blankets the world in a coat of ice and fresh cold air, the idea of going outdoors fora walk might seem less attractive.
Strengthened Immune System
Remaining in colder temperatures can actually improve your immune (免疫的) system. As your body adapts to the cold, it produces more white blood cells.
High Spirits
The winter blues, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), can affect many individuals during the colder months. Fortunately, walking in cold weather has been linked to improved emotion and reduced signs of sadness. The fresh air and physical activity inspire the production of endorphins, the body’s natural emotion enhancers (增强剂).
Improved health and energy level
Cold-weather walking can provide an excellent heart workout. The combination of light movement and the body’s reaction to the cold increases heart health by improving circulation (血液循环) and lowering blood pressure. Over time, this can make your blood system healthier.
So, as the winter winds blow and snowflakes fall, consider wearing your warm clothes and taking a walk outside.
| A．The cold weather does not cost energy. |
| B．They play a key role in fighting off diseases. |
| C．Winter, especially, is an opportunity to go slowly. |
| D．They leave you feeling more positive and excited. |
| E．However, don’t let the cold temperatures prevent you. |
| F．Let each walk be a big step towards a healthier, happier you. |
| G．The benefits of walking in cold weather go beyond physical health. |
9 . Google says an AI-powered system it created is helping improve traffic flow in major cities. The system, called Project Green Light, is now in use in 12 cities. The project aims to save energy and reduce air pollution, or emissions (排放量), from cars.
Google first announced the program in 2021, when it was testing the system in four areas of Britain. Since then, the company has kept increasing Project Green Light. Among cities now taking part in the program are Bangalore, Budapest, Jakarta, Manchester, Haifa, Hamburg, Rio de Janeiro, and Seattle.
In an online announcement, Google’s Yossi Matias explained the latest progress. He noted that the system is being tested in areas with serious traffic problems. Generally, this is at major crossings with heavy traffic and complex traffic lights. These areas where vehicles start and stop are known as crossroads.
The company said research has shown that at such crossroads, car emissions can be 29 times higher than on open roads. In addition, Google’s own research found that vehicles that must stop and start account for about half of those emissions.
Project Green Light uses individual (个人的) driver data from Google Maps. This data is connected with AI methods to produce models of each crossroads where the system is in place, the company says. The data from Google Maps is also used to create another model on how different traffic lights interact (相互作用).
The modeling process for crossroads considers several things. These include the structure of streets, traffic conditions, signal scheduling and how the vehicles interact with lights.
The models are used to reduce stop and start times and save more driving time, a process called optimization (最优化). Google says one goal is to improve several crossroads at the same time to create “waves of green lights” for vehicles on the road.
1. What did Yossi Matias intend to tell us?| A．When the system started. | B．Where the system is used. |
| C．How advanced the system is. | D．How heavy the city traffic is. |
| A．They slow down the traffic. | B．They cause more traffic accidents. |
| C．They often break traffic rules. | D．They make much pollution. |
| A．To make driving cars safer. | B．To make the street cleaner. |
| C．To make the traffic smoother. | D．To make people drive more. |
| A．AI Is Changing Looks of Cities |
| B．AI-Powered System Is Improving City Traffic |
| C．City’s Traffic Light System Needs Improvement |
| D．City Streets Are Getting More and More Crowded |
10 . Miss England, Jessica Gagen, is not your ordinary beauty winner. She just added an impressive title, a rocket scientist, to her career.
The 27-year-old just graduated from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and she has set her sights on becoming an astronaut (宇航员).
But winning her title just a few months before completing her degree was no easy task for the energetic redhead from Kelmersdale. She is the first red-headed woman — and the first rocket scientist — to be crowned (加冕) Miss England.
Gagen was able to manage both her competition and her schoolwork but the stress of doing both left her with chest pains and sleeplessness. However, she didn’t give up, just as she had been treated badly and always been made fun of as a child for having red hair.
“It was a tough five-year journey to get to this point, and I faced challenges before I even began,” Gagen said. “I think it’s important that today’s youth know that sometimes things don’t go entirely to plan, and that’s perfectly okay.”
Before starting at the university, Gagen studied a foundation year in physics while working on weekends because she didn’t have all the courses she needed for the program. She began studying at the university in 2019 and when the pandemic (流行病) hit, all the course work went online. She did this while working full time at night.
During the course of her studies, Gagen saw that there were very few females in STEM and decided to make it her task to promote (提升) careers in STEM for women and girls on her social media.
In the first year, she won Miss Lancashire and placed second in the national contest but she really wanted to win to promote her task. “There’s a lot of work that goes into becoming Miss England, and I really wanted to win because I knew I could use the platform to get more girls into engineering,” she said.
1. What is special about Miss England mentioned in the text?| A．She is also a scientist. | B．She was once an astronaut. |
| C．She had a happy childhood. | D．She has great pressure at present. |
| A．She had trouble with her study. | B．She was in poor health. |
| C．The color of her hair was unusual. | D．Her clothes were not beautiful. |
| A．Her lifestyle in high school. | B．Some of her college education. |
| C．Her attitude to her classmates. | D．The support from her family. |
| A．To continue her college education. |
| B．To realize her dream since childhood. |
| C．To get confidence to deal with difficulties. |
| D．To encourage more girls to learn STEM. |
