1 . Last week, I participated in a spelling bee competition along with my friend, Emma. The competition began with a lot of _________ and pressure as we all got ready to try our best. As the rounds progressed, Emma and I were the only ones left _________ for the first prize. I was leading the pack with my _________ spelling skills, but the competition rules were a little tricky, as we could seek assistance twice in case we _________ with a word. When Emma was asked a word she didn’t know, she _________ looked at me hopefully without any hesitation(犹豫), seeking my _________ to spell out the word. Although I was amazed by her trust in me, I was also _________ that she would get ahead of me. I assumed that helping her would _________ my win.

As I stood there, lost in my thoughts, past _________ of sweet moments between us crowded in on me. She had always been there for me. She cheered me on when I was feeling __________. Suddenly, I realized that winning wasn’t everything, and my __________ with her mattered more.

With that in mind, I decided to help her. I reminded her of the correct __________ for the word she was unsure of, and she flashed me a grateful smile as she wrote down the answer. The audience __________ as the host announced the result: Emma finished at the top. After the competition, she hugged me, __________ what I had done for her.

Although I had lost the race, I had __________ something much more valuable—a deeper understanding of the importance of friendship.

1.

A．excitement

B．tension

C．surprise

D．depression

2.

A．competing

B．struggling

C．debating

D．heading

3.

A．significant

B．creative

C．graceful

D．impressive

4.

A．got bored

B．got away

C．got stuck

D．got tired

5.

A．hardly

B．finally

C．immediately

D．extremely

6.

A．encouragement

B．authority

C．inspiration

D．assistance

7.

A．curious

B．confident

C．focused

D．concerned

8.

A．affect

B．promise

C．reject

D．predict

9.

A．spots

B．scenes

C．topics

D．virtues

10.

A．high

B．down

C．up

D．out

11.

A．friendship

B．competition

C．memory

D．effort

12.

A．writing

B．meaning

C．pronunciation

D．spelling

13.

A．chatted

B．paraded

C．clapped

D．greeted

14.

A．appreciating

B．congratulating

C．protesting

D．promoting

15.

A．gained

B．created

C．performed

D．reflected

2 . “Oh no, Haley. Why are you crying?” A question we often hear when we’re chopping onions.     1    

Well, it all starts underground. Life for an onion is pretty sweet when they’re down there in the dirt. Except when bugs (虫子) come by wanting a bite. Onions don’t like that at all.     2     When the bugs bite the onion, it releases a chemical which stings really bad. This gas acts as a natural insecticide, keeping bugs away from the onion.

This chemical is called syn-propanethial-S-oxide, which is what causes the tears when we cut into them. When we slice into onions to cook them,     3     When it reaches your eyes, it makes them sting. The gas can react with the moisture in our eyes and forms a mild acid. This acid irritates (刺激) our eyes, making them water in an attempt to wash away the irritant. This is why we end up crying when we cut onions.

So, how can we avoid crying while cutting onions? Well, here are a few tips.

    4     When the cold temperature slows down the reaction, less gas is released, which may reduce the amount of syn-propanethial-S-oxide that is released into the air. Alternatively, put a silver spoon in your mouth. When the chemical gets to the spoon, it binds with a metal before it reaches your eyes, or wear some very cool glasses like me. These glasses have side shields that block the gas from reaching your eyes.

In conclusion, onions make us cry because of the gas they release when we cut into them. Although it may be an annoyance,     5     So don’t let that stop you from enjoying their delicious flavor in your favorite dishes.

A．If you are asked such a question, you’re not alone.

B．Have you ever wondered why onions make us cry?

C．Luckily, they’ve got a secret plan to keep bugs away.

D．our eyes then produce tears to flush out the irritant.

E．this gas also has a silver lining to help drive bugs away.

F．we break open the cells and release this gas into the air.

G．One trick is to put the onion in the fridge before you want to cut it.

3 . All the external parts of your life are like a dream. Let go of the shell you’re in while you’re alive so you can get out of the cage that holds you.

Not long before I made the decision to leave the rock band, I invited a friend of mine over for Friday night dinner. Though I waited all long, he didn’t turn up. However, what happened instead changed my life. My neighbor Alex, who was near to me, saw me sitting there waiting, and said, “Hey, come on over and join us.”

Alex and I sat around the dinner table for about an hour and a half, talking about the band, touring, and all the great things we had accomplished.

“Well, do you have a picture of what you would like your life to look like in ten years?”

I hadn’t thought about it until he asked me, but I closed my eyes and could see a vision of who I wanted to be. It was so clear. I started describing the vision of a young man who was walking his kids to school and helping and assisting others with their spiritual pursuits. When I finished describing the vision I had seen, I looked at Alex, and his eyes were filled with tears.

“Alex, I know I paint a pretty picture, but why on earth are you so emotional about it?”

He looked me in the eyes and said, “I had that kind of clarity once. I chose to listen to others about what I should do and how I should live my life. I didn’t want to go to law school, but I did because of my parents, my scholarship, and a lot of external pressure. It’s been ten years, and I am just figuring that out now. You know, if you are adding a black and white pixel onto the screen of your life. Soon, the vision will be gone, the inspiration will fade, and you will have had your life chosen for you instead of choosing your life for yourself.”

After he said those words, I changed my decision. It was a moment of grace, a moment where I was given another chance and an opportunity to start again and live a life I wanted to live.

1. What does “cage” indicate in paragraph 1?

A．The external pressure you face.	B．The decision you made.
C．The pretty picture you paint.	D．The house you live in.

2. Why did Alex tell the author about his past experience?

A．To give advice on how to live.	B．To ask for help from the author.
C．To explain why he chose law school.	D．To share his great regrets about his life.

3. How did the author feel after the conversation with Alex?

A．Saddened by Alex’s unhappy past experiences.

B．Confused about what his future should look like.

C．Inspired to run after his own dreams and goals in life.

D．Relieved because he made the right decision to leave the band.

4. How does the author develop the passage?

A．By comparing his own life with that of Alex.

B．By describing a specific event and its impact on his life.

C．By listing a series of achievements he had made in the past.

D．By analyzing the causes and effects of following others’ advice.

4 . South Korea’s birth rate, already the world’s lowest, has dropped yet again in the latest setback to the country’s efforts to boost its declining population.

The national statistics body reported Wednesday that the birth rate fell to 0.72 in 2023—down from 0.78 the previous year. Countries need a birth rate of 2.1 to maintain a stable (稳定的) population, in the absence of immigration. South Korea’s birth rate has been falling since 2015 and the country recorded more deaths than births for the first time in 2020, a trend that has continued since. In 2022, the country recorded about 249, 000 births and 372,800 deaths. Meanwhile, Korean women are also having children later in life. The average age of childbirth in South Korea was 33.5 last year.

Similar population declines are being seen in several other Asian countries including Japan and China, raising concern that there will be too few people of working age to support the ballooning elderly population.

Experts say the reasons for these population shifts across the region include demanding work cultures, stagnating wages, rising costs of living, changing attitudes toward marriage and gender equality, and rising disappointment among younger generations.

But despite the economic factors at play, throwing money at the problem has proved ineffective. Last September, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol admitted that more than $200 billion has been spent trying to boost the population over the past 16 years. The South Korean government has introduced various initiatives such as extending paid paternity leave, offering monetary “baby vouchers” to new parents, and social campaigns encouraging men to contribute to childcare and housework. But experts and residents say more support is needed throughout a child’s life, as well as change on several deep-rooted social issues.

1. What do the data imply in Paragraph 2?

A．South Korea has a stable population.

B．The birth rate differs among countries.

C．The ideal birth rate is possible to reach.

D．South Korea’s birth rate declines seriously.

2. What does the word “ballooning” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Increasing rapidly.	B．Staying unstable.
C．Decreasing slowly.	D．Remaining the same.

3. What measures may be taken by South Korea government in the future?

A．Solve various social issues.

B．Extend paid paternity leave.

C．Focus on a child’s life continuously.

D．Encourage men to take care of children.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Population crisis is worth public attention.

B．South Korea’s birth rate has become an emergency.

C．Efforts to increase population has paid off in South Korea.

D．Social problems result in population crisis in South Korea.

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。

Zong Qinghou,     1     founder of China’s drinks giant Hangzhou Wahaha Group, has died after medical treatment proved ineffective, according     2     a company statement. He was 79.

As the chairman of one of China’s     3    (large) drinks makers, Zong was ranked the nation’s wealthiest businessman in 2010 and 2012 by the Hurun Research Institute’s China Rich List.     4    (bear) to a poor family in Hangzhou in October 1945, Zong became one of the “sent-down youth” in the 1960s, which saw him spend 15 years     5    (stay) in the countryside. The group was established in 1987 with over 30,000 staff members currently, more than 180 subsidiary     6    (company) and over 80 production bases, as well as 35 years of cumulative sales of 860.1 billion yuan ($119.54 billion).

Zong returned to the provincial capital in 1978     7    (work) as a salesman. Together with two retired teachers, Zong took over a grocer in 1987 at a local school     8     started as a drinks and ice cream distributor—his first step in creating a leading beverage firm. He founded and headed Hangzhou Wahaha Nutritional Foods Factory in 1989, which     9    (become) Hangzhou Wahaha Group two years later when it acquired an insolvent local canned food factory. On Dec 9, 2021, Wahaha announced on its official website     10     Zong Fuli, daughter of Zong Qinghou, was appointed as vice-chairman and general manager of Wahaha, responsible for daily work.

6 . A swimming pool is a wonderful addition to a home that the whole family is sure to enjoy! The luxury of being able to slip into a nice, cool pool on a hot summer day in the privacy of one’s backyard is well worth the cost! The swimming pool is a lot of fun, but it also presents some hazard! The following is a list of things you can do to make sure your family is protected and your pool is a safe space to enjoy!

Learn To Swim — Being unable to swim makes you an accident waiting to happen, be it at the pool, the beach, or around any body of water! Our advice for guests is to have all visiting children have a basic swimming test at the shallow end to judge their skills — if they don’t pass, then the deep end is strictly off limits to them, even with floatation (漂浮) aids since they can be dangerously unreliable!

Children Supervised — Any children under the age of ten should be actively supervised by a responsible and vigilant adult who knows how to swim! Children should always be kept in sight, and children under the age of five should always be within easy arm’s reach.

Sun Protection — The water is not the only potential hazard in a swimming pool, exposure to harmful UV rays can be compounded as they reflect off the water’s surface, and if no measures are taken can deliver a nasty sunburn that may even require a doctor’s care! Apply waterproof sunscreen to all exposed parts of the body. Don’t use water-resistant products, they don’t resist for very long, and can just make matters worse!

Swimming pools are a lot of fun, but it’s up to you to play it safe!

1. Why are swimming tests recommended for visiting children?

A．To ensure them to swim safe.	B．To help them learn to swim faster.
C．To make sure they enjoy swimming.	D．To keep them away from the deep end.

2. What should you do to protect yourself from UV rays while swimming?

A．To stay indoors during the day.	B．To apply waterproof sunscreen.
C．To use water-resistant gloves.	D．To wear dark-colored swimming suits.

3. Where would you most likely find this article?

A．In a travel brochure.	B．In a school document.
C．In a swimming magazine.	D．In a science research paper.

7 . Artificial intelligence has become a part of our lives, transforming the way we live, work, and interact. We are currently witnessing the dawn of a new era, the Age of AI, where the potential for innovation and development seems limitless. In this age, AI has the power to build a digital world characterized by exchange, mutual learning, and inclusiveness.

One of the key features of the Age of AI is the seamless (无缝的) exchange of information and ideas. AI systems are capable of processing vast amounts of data, analyzing patterns, and generating valuable insights. This ability to exchange information rapidly and effortlessly has the potential to revolutionize various industries, such as healthcare, finance, and education.

In the field of healthcare, AI-powered systems can help doctors and researchers share, exchange and analyze data at record speeds. AI can identify data patterns in minutes or even seconds that would take a doctor or researcher weeks or even months.

Similarly, in the financial sector, AI algorithms (算法) can analyze market data, identify trends, and make informed investment decisions. The exchange of financial insights and strategies facilitated by AI can empower individuals and businesses to make smarter financial choices and create a more inclusive economy.

Professors and teachers across the world are now coming to grasp the AI, revolution and what it means for them and their students. How many students will save time and energy by having AI write their essays and assignments rather than writing them themselves? Will we see AI tools being used in the same way as the quotation system we currently use for essay writing?

Like any new technology, there is a certain amount of fear and a lot of questions to be answered on the use, exchange, advantages and disadvantages of AI. But one thing seems clear: By offering access to information and services, AI can help create a more equitable (公平合理的) and a more inclusive society.

1. Which is correct about AI according to the passage?

A．AI can assist doctors in operations.

B．AI can create a more inclusive economy.

C．AI will take the place of quotation system.

D．AI will help build a just and diverse world.

2. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Enable.

B．Ensure.

C．Assign.

D．Arrange.

3. What is mainly discussed in Paragraph 6?

A．Questions related to AI.

B．Access to information and services.

C．The inclusiveness of AI.

D．Ways to get information and services.

4. Which can best describe the structure of the passage?

A．

B．

C．

D．

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。

All my life, I’ve had this dream that causes me to wake up feeling strange. In it, I am a little girl again, rushing about, trying to get ready for school. Deep inside I know where the dream comes from and what it means. It is. God’s way of reminding me of some unfinished business in-my life.

I loved everything about school, even though the school I attended in Springfield, Ohio, in the 1920s was very strict. I loved books, teachers, even tests and homework. Most of all I longed to someday march down the passage to the music of “Pomp and Circumstance” (毕业进行曲). To me, that song was even more beautiful than “Here Comes the Bride”.

But there were problems. With seven children, Mom and Dad had no money for things like fine school clothes. But as long as I could go to school, I didn’t mind too much how I looked or what I lacked.

What happened next was harder to accept. My brother Paul died of an infection. Then my father died. The shock of these losses gave me a blow, and I fell behind in my schoolwork. At fifteen, I dropped out of my beloved school and went to work in a bakery. My hope of walking down the passage to “Pomp and Circumstance” was dead, or so I thought.

In 1940, I married Ed, a machinist, and we began our family. With the coming of children went the dream of schooling. Even so, I was determined that my children would have the education I had missed. All our six children eventually got some college training, and one of them is a college professor.

But Linda, our last child, had health problems. Now Linda was nineteen, and still she did not have her high school diploma. She was repeating my own experience.

I prayed about this problem, and I began to see an answer. I drove to the local high school to check it out. On the bulletin board, I spotted an announcement about evening courses.

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。

That’s the answer, I said to myself.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To my surprise, both Linda and I thrived in evening school.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . Ding Lanying, an embroiderer (刺绣工) from Chuxiong Yi Autonomous. District in Yunnan Province, could not hold back her excitement when a show featuring Yi embroidery and culture was held at the Milan Fashion Week on Saturday.

A collection of 40 fashionable designs was modeled on the catwalk, where the color black and the Yi ethnic group’s favorite patterns of clouds, seeds and silver decorations were brilliantly featured.

Ding, who has been doing embroidery for more than 30 years since she was 8, said she was fortunate to attend the show, and there are so many women like her back in her hometown who have contributed to the show’s success. “The show in Milan will make the village’s female embroiderers so proud of the Yi embroidery and encourage them to continue the cultural heritage for generations,” said Ding. Ding’s South China Colorful Yi Embroidery Company now hires 2,028 embroiderers, including 109 who have physical disabilities.

Li Wenjuan, head officer of the Chuxiong Publicity Department, said the thriving local embroidery industry has enabled women to work at home and helped improve their livelihoods. “We live in the deep mountains, but we always have the fashion genes,” she said of the 1,700-year-old Yi embroidery, an intangible cultural heritage.

Zhu Weiming, managing director of Shangtex Fashion Company which organized the show, attributed the success to the joint efforts of Shanghai designer Ji Cheng and the embroidery artists from Chuxiong. “The 2024 spring/summer fashion inspired by Yi embroidery has blended the Yi ethnic group’s totems (图腾), such as tiger, seeds and flowers, very well with luxurious Italian fabrics,” he said. “It is a celebration of Yi culture.”

Apart from the Milan Fashion Week and the New York Fashion Week, the Yi embroidery had already wowed attendees at the Shanghai Fashion Week and the Beijing Fashion Week in China.

1. Which can be safely concluded from the report?

A．Yi embroidery was the spotlight of the Milan Fashion Week.

B．Fashions all over the world have mixed together in the new era.

C．The success on Milan fashion show greatly boost Yi embroiderers’ cultural confidence.

D．Yi embroidery has changed a lot to fit in with the western fashion.

2. What do we know about Ding Lanying from the passage?

A．She was an officer of Chuxiong Yi Autonomous District.

B．She was the leading entrepreneur of Yi embroidery in Yunnan.

C．Her company has attended the four fashion weeks mentioned.

D．Her company contributed greatly to removing poverty and aiding the disabled.

3. What do Ding, Li and Zhu’s words commonly emphasize?

A．Prosperity.

B．Pride.

C．Culture.

D．Fashion.

4. Which is the best title for the passage?

A．Yi Embroidery, An Old Fashion Sparks New Life

B．Yi Embroidery Shines at Italy’s Milan Fashion Week

C．Yi Embroidery Greatly Helps the Minority Group Prosper

D．Yi Embroidery Has Already Succeeded in Several Fashion Weeks

10 . The most advanced Apple Watch models will be back on sale this week after a federal appeals court (联邦上诉法院) temporary blocked a sweeping import ban on the devices amid a dispute (抗辩) with the administration.

Why did Apple Watch get banned?

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were banned after California health tech companies, Masimo and Cercacor Laboratories, accused Apple of infringing on (侵犯) its patent for a blood-oxygen tracking technology. Masimo’s 2021 complaint led to the Oct. 26 International Trade Commission order.

Apple filed two lawsuits against Masimo last year accusing the company of infringing patents with its own smartwatch.

Why did the administration sustain the ban?

Ambassador Katherine Tai declined to turn around the ITC decision on Tuesday after finding that Apple infringed Masimo’s and Cercacor’s patents “after careful consultations”, according to a release by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

When will the Apple Watch models be back on sale?

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were made available at U. S. stores on Wednesday and can be purchased online starting at 3 pm on Thursday, according to the tech company.

The return follows the administration announcement on Tuesday that it would sustain the U. S. International Trade Commission order banning the sale of the two smart watches.

“Apple’s teams have worked tirelessly over many years to develop technology that empowers users with industry-leading health, wellness and safety features and we are pleased the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has stayed the exclusion order (禁止令) while it considers our request to stay the order suspending our full appeal,” Apple’s statement added.

“We are thrilled to return the full Apple Watch lineup to customers in time for the new year,” Apple said in a statement on Wednesday.

1. Which department declared the ban?

A．The administration.

B．The U. S. International Trade Commission.

C．The United States Trade Representative.

D．The U. S. Court of Appeals.

2. Why can the two Apple products return to the market?

A．Because Apple proved its innocence.

B．Because the two companies reached an agreement.

C．Because federal court paused the ban for later dispute.

D．Because the administration decided to lift the ban.

3. Which can we infer from the passage?

A．It remains to be seen whether Apple can permanently sell the two products.

B．Masimo is the main competitor of Apple in blood-oxygen tracking technology.

C．Ambassador Katherine Tai suggested his support for Apple in the official release.

D．Apple’s team were very delighted about the decision of the U. S. Court of Appeals.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The dispute between Apple and ITC.

B．The debate on Apple’s accusation.

C．The lawsuit between Apple and Masimo.

D．The return of Apple Watch models.