1 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell about true friends. | B．To start a discussion. |
| C．To encourage online friendships. | D．To summarize(总结) the text. |
| A．In any case. | B．In public. | C．In person. | D．In advance. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
| A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
| C．It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
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,
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Yours,
Li Hua
5 . 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 |
6 . 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. |
7 . 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 |
8 . 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. |
9 . Group Visits and Tours
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston(MFAH) welcomes groups to experience the Museum’s collections and exhibitions. Discounts (折扣) for self-guided group visits and expert-guide d group tours are there for those who book 10 or more tickets.
From the great art collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston—with objects crossing the world and human creative history—to the ever-changing schedule of thematic exhibitions, the Museum offers a lot of tour topics to suit your interests. Visit as a self-guided group, and you and your guests can explore at your own pace. For a deeper exploration into the galleries, request (要求) an expert-guided tour.
Policy
The Museum offers tours and packages to groups of 10 or more for the Museum’s collections and selected exhibitions. Membership benefits and free individual admission may not be used at the same time with school or group visits. Tours led by guides who don’t work in the Museum are not allowed; please contact groupsales@mfah.org in advance of your visit for all tour requests.
Reservations
For price information, contact groupsales@mfah.org or 713-639-7878. To make a reservation (预定) request, complete the group visit request form. At least one-week advance notice is needed for self-guided visits and two weeks for expert-guided tours. Reservations are confirmed with an order number and decided by advance payment.
Looking for school tours? Find information here or email schooltours@mfah.org with your questions.
Main address: 1001 Bissonnet, Houston, Texas 77005
MFAH Information Line: 713-639-7300
1. How can you get discounted tickets for the Museum?| A．By visiting it with an expert. | B．By buying at least ten tickets. |
| C．By booking tickets in advance. | D．By paying a visit with your family. |
| A．Groups led by a guide they bring. | B．Children without their parents’ company. |
| C．Those coming with a clear visit plan. | D．Visitors without membership. |
| A．Call 713-639-7878. | B．Buy the ticket two weeks ahead. |
| C．Visit schooltours@mfah.org. | D．Pay for your ticket in advance. |
It was in the afternoon before the end of the Second World War that Antonio Black, who was twelve, caught sight of a beautiful brooch (胸针) in a shop window. The brooch is so beautiful that he was unwilling to leave the store until he had purchased it. But it was too expensive — $5. His family was very poor and his parents struggled to make ends meet. Five dollars would buy almost a week’s food for his family.
Antonio couldn’t ask his father for the money. Everything his father made through fishing went to his mother, Susan. Slim and beautiful, his mother was the center of the home and the glue that held it together. The housework was never-ending, and she struggled to feed and clothe their five children, but she was happy as her family and their well-being were all she cared about.
Nevertheless, he opened the shop’s door and went inside. Standing proudly and straight in his flour-sack (面粉袋改做的) shirt and washed-out trousers, he told the shopkeeper what he wanted, adding, “But I don’t have the money right now. Can you please hold it for me for some time?”
“I’ll try,” the shopkeeper smiled. “People around here don’t usually have that kind of money to spend on things. It should keep for a while.”
Antonio respectfully touched his worn cap and walked out. He would raise the money and not tell anybody, for he thought Mum would be surprised when she saw that brooch. On hearing the sound of hammering (锤打) from a side street, Antonio suddenly had an idea that he could raise money by selling the used nail bags. People built their own homes in Bay Roberts, using nails bought in bags from a local factory. Sometimes the used bags were thrown away at the construction site, and Antonio knew he could sell them back to the factory for five cents a piece. That day he sold two nail bags and hid the money in a rusty soda tin.
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。
Every day after school, Antonio started his plan.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The day finally came!
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