1 . 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。

With the worldwide celebration of the Chinese New Year, traditional Chinese cultural forms such as the Yingge Dance (Dance of Heroes) and dragon and lion dances have once again attracted widespread attention.

As the Chinese New Year is increasingly celebrated     1     (global), it has brought its traditional celebrations elsewhere and seen people of other countries join the festivities. This Spring Festival, a team of Yingge dancers from South China’s Guangdong Province     2     (invite) to the UK, bringing an exciting performance to London’s Burlington Arcade     3     (celebrate) the Chinese New Year.

Literally     4     (translate) as the “Songs of Heroes” dance, Yingge Dance is an old folk dance     5     originated from the Chaoshan area of South China’s Guangdong Province. Dressed in colorful costumes, performers wave wooden sticks in their hands while     6     (dance) in orderly formations to the music.

Based on the stories of the 108     7     (hero) of Liangshan Mountain from the classic novel Outlaws of the Marsh (《水浒传》), this is     8     folk art combining a variety of forms, from martial arts and Chinese operas to dance.

From a centuries-old art form to a magnum opus (杰作) of Chinese tradition worldwide, the     9     (popular) of Yingge Dance on the streets of London during the Spring Festival was a success     10     terms of traditional Chinese folk art sailing overseas.

2 . British rower Helen Glover is preparing for her fourth Olympic Games, pushing herself to the limit. Despite enduring bloodied and blistered hands and pale skin, Glover knows that physical ________ are just one aspect of the intense training required for the Olympics.

For Glover, the real challenge ________ the day-to-day exhaustion and the constant ________ of waking up and training. With two gold medals from the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, her fourth-place finish in Tokyo was remarkable considering her ________ preparation. Just a year after giving birth to twins and four years after ________, Glover made the bold decision to ________ in the Olympics with only six months of serious training. Juggling (尽量兼顾) childcare with her ________ schedule, she managed to reach the starting line and ________ miss out on a medal.

After Tokyo, Glover initially ________ her retirement but later changed her mind and decided to compete in the coxless four (四人单桨无舵手艇) at Paris 2024. This time, her preparation is more straightforward, and her racing experience gives her an ________.

________ on her journey, Glover acknowledges that in the past, her happiness seemed dependent on results and success. However, becoming a ________ has shifted her perspective. Now, even on ________ training days, as long as her children are happy, she finds contentment.

Glover understands that her decision to continue rowing is a personal ________. Her growing success does not ________ her whole life, but she is determined to excel in the sport she loves and give her best.

1.

A．injuries

B．disabilities

C．commitments

D．anxieties

2.

A．arrives at

B．lies in

C．lets out

D．leaves off

3.

A．intention

B．devotion

C．exploration

D．repetition

4.

A．excellent

B．sufficient

C．limited

D．constant

5.

A．improving

B．preparing

C．training

D．retiring

6.

A．compete

B．coach

C．volunteer

D．advance

7.

A．amazing

B．breaking

C．working

D．demanding

8.

A．merely

B．narrowly

C．scarcely

D．hardly

9.

A．suggested

B．required

C．announced

D．arranged

10.

A．advantage

B．admission

C．impression

D．impact

11.

A．Depending

B．Carrying

C．Reflecting

D．Focusing

12.

A．rower

B．winner

C．loser

D．parent

13.

A．daily

B．tough

C．simple

D．usual

14.

A．choice

B．opinion

C．feeling

D．promise

15.

A．base

B．wave

C．define

D．affect

3 . Having a regular dentist check up is as essential for ensuring healthy teeth and gums (牙龈) as regular brushing and flossing. Here’s why you should make the trip.

Prevention is better than cure. Regular dental check-ups are recommended to maintain healthy teeth and gums.     1     Your dentist will advise you on what’s right for you. The aim of a check-up is to nip any problems in the bud, before you experience pain, lose teeth or have other health problems.

You’ve had a new medical diagnosis.     2     For example, high blood sugar levels in saliva caused by diabetes favour bacteria which can cause cavities (蛀牙). Some medications can cause oral problems ranging from dry mouth to stained teeth.

    3     More and more adults are having orthodontic (正畸) treatment to straighten their teeth. Not only does it make a huge difference to your smile, it can also prevent gum disease, which is more likely to take hold if you struggle to clean crooked teeth.

You’ve got bad breath. Halitosis (口臭) is embarrassing and can sometimes leave a nasty taste in your mouth. You might have a hole in your tooth, an infection or gum disease.     4     Your family and friends will thank you for it.

Check for cancer. Dentists don’t just look for cavities and unhealthy gums. They can also spot mouth cancer and refer patients to hospital to see a specialist. Cases have risen by 34 per cent in the past decade, according to the Oral Health Foundation.     5    

A．You want to improve your confidence.

B．You think it is time to have some changes.

C．However, early diagnosis can save your life.

D．Certain conditions can affect your oral health.

E．You might just be brushing too enthusiastically.

F．It varies from three months to two years depending on your oral health.

G．Your dentist can give you tips on freshening your breath more effectively.

4 . 2023 Collection of Australian Stamps (Executive Edition)

Explore a bound treasure of gummed and perforated (涂胶打孔的) stamps presented in exclusive layouts. In addition to all the stamps released in 2023, this book gets the essence of stamp collecting with fascinating text about each stamp issue. Included is an exclusive gummed Concession Stamp minisheet, the 2022 Native Animals stamps and 89 mint stamps presented in unique layouts. This great gift comes with $124.25 worth of stamps.

Our network of more than 400 Parcel Lockers are free and available around the clock, so you can pick up your order anytime. With over 3,600 locations across Australia, get your order delivered to a post office near work or home, and collect during business hours. Australia Post has partnered with hundreds of third-party retailers to provide another option for collection.

Dispatch is the time your order takes to leave our warehouse. Most orders leave the warehouse within 2 business days.

Standard delivery is free Australia-wide on orders $30+. For orders under $30, we charge a flat fee of $5. Most orders arrive to you within 6 business days.

Express delivery is $15. View current delivery times. Express Post is our fastest postal service, but we do not guarantee next business day delivery for Online Shop orders.

International delivery is available for some orders, depending on what you’re buying and where it’s being sent. Most orders take at least 10 business days to arrive via an untracked service. Transit times vary based on destination — see our international delivery times for more information.

Occasionally, high delivery volumes and other network issues can cause delays, as well as where the order is being sent.

1. What can we learn about the collection?

A．It is issued twice a year.	B．It includes 89 stamps in total.
C．Each stamp is presented with a text.	D．All stamps are about native animals.

2. How much should we pay for the postage at most by standard delivery?

A．$5.

B．$15.

C．$30.

D．$ 124.45.

3. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To introduce the network of Australia Post.

B．To advertise the most valuable stamps in 2023.

C．To inform people of change of delivering message.

D．To persuade people to buy a book including stamps.

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。

Word came that the annual school sports meet would take place next Friday through Saturday. At the exciting news, the whole class burst into cheers. Without any hesitation, we set about making     1     (arrange) for the grand gala for us students.

With the sports meet approaching, we could hardly concentrate on our daily routine. Every day, we spent much of our spare time     2     (talk) about the weather for fear that the sports meet might be postponed again. Then finally came the big day, when the sports meet was held as     3     (schedule). The sports meet was pretty impressive. One of the highlights     4     (be) the parade before the start of the race. Students were marching past the podium with slogans high up in their hands, while spectators were screaming    5    (crazy). Shortly after the parade was over, the race started. Well known for running in junior high school, I     6     (recommend) to enter for the 3000-meter running race, representing my class.

Time was ticking away. Before I knew it, it was my turn to step onto the track. But all of     7    sudden, I felt a bit panicky. As I hadn’t received any training recently, I puffed and panted halfway. I was about     8     (quit) when my classmates cheered me on all the way. Anyway, I made it to the finishing line. Unable to earn a single point for my class, I was     9    low spirits. However, my friends came over and encouraged me to cheer up. It was their encouragement    10    helped heal the pain of failure.

Now two weeks have passed, but the memory still stay fresh in my mind. Disappointed as I am, I never regret taking part in the race. After all, being part of the sports meet is what I really care about.

6 . A planet that suffers 475 C beneath a thick acid atmosphere may be the last place you'd expect alien (外星的) life in our solar system. But one NASA scientist claims that extraterrestrials (天外来客) are most likely hiding on Venus amid conditions that are unbearable for humans. The new theory was put forward by the research scientist Dr Michelle Thaller. She says that possible signs of life have already been seen within the carbon-dioxide filled atmosphere, adding that she was absolutely certain that life exists somewhere.

Venus is often described as Earth's twin due to its similar size and structure. But their conditions couldn't be further apart, as astronomers believe it would be impossible for humans to exist on Venus. Positioned 67 million miles from the Sun, Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system, suffering temperatures that can even melt lead. Its atmosphere also adds to the uninhabitable situation.

Despite this, scientists have long debated whether Venus' clouds may host microbial (微生物的) life forms that can survive. Many scientists think that photosynthesis (光合作用) is possible on the planet's surface as Venus receives enough solar energy to pass through its thick clouds.

However, Professor Dominic Papineau, a biologist at the University College of London, believes Dr Thaller's views are “difficult to realistically assume”. He explained, “For life-related chemical reactions to take place, liquid water is necessary. Hence, to find extraterrestrial life, we need to find liquid water, and to find extraterrestrial fossils requires looking for special rocks that were associated with liquid water in the past.”

This makes life on Venus today difficult to realistically assume, because its surface is too hot, although Venus might have had liquid water in its past. Even still, both Professor Papineau and Dr Thaller agree that the icy moons of our solar system could also be sites of potential microbial life. NASA suggests there are 290 “traditional moons” in our solar system-excluding 462 smaller minor planets.

1. What can we know about Venus?

A．Its atmosphere is thin acidic.

B．It is much bigger than Earth.

C．It is 77 million miles from the Sun.

D．Venus and Earth are considered as twins.

2. Which statement would Papineau agree with?

A．Photosynthesis can happen on Venus's surface.

B．Thick clouds make photosynthesis in Venus hard.

C．Liquid water is important for the extraterrestrials.

D．Some rocks can prove life exists on Venus.

3. What can we know from the last paragraph?

A．The surface temperature of Venus is high.

B．It's very easy to confirm life on Venus.

C．Venus might have liquid water now.

D．Many icy moons go around Venus.

4. In which section of a newspaper can you find this text?

A．Education.

B．Science.

C．Culture.

D．Sports.

7 . A recent study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has discovered that river erosion (侵蚀) can lead to increased biodiversity in areas with minimal tectonic (地壳构造的) activity. The researchers focused their attention on the Tennessee River Basin and examined how the erosion of various rock types by the river had led to the separation and diversification of a type of fish called the greenfin darter. As time passed, these separate fish populations evolved into distinct families with genetic differences.

Scientist Thomas Near observed that the greenfin darter was exclusively found in the southern half of the Tennessee River Basin. The researchers analyzed the genes of each fish in Near’s data set and constructed an evolutionary tree. This tree helped them comprehend the evolution and differences of the greenfin darter species. They discovered that the fish within the same branch of the river were more closely related to each other than to the fish in other branches.

This study provides evidence that river erosion significantly impacts biodiversity in regions with low tectonic activity. It illustrates how changes in the landscape caused by river erosion can lead to the division and diversification of species over time, even in peaceful environments. These findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms (机制) that drive biodiversity and evolution, even in areas that are not typically associated with intense tectonic activity.

Subsequently, the team discovered a strong correlation between the habitats of the greenfin darter and the type of rocks present. The southern half of the Tennessee River Basin consists of hard, tightly packed rocks, resulting in turbulent (湍急的) waves in the rivers that flow through it. This characteristic may be favored by the greenfin darter. As a result, the team assumed whether the distribution of greenfin darter habitats had been influenced by the changing rock types, as the rivers eroded the land over time. To test this assumption, the researchers developed a simulation model. Remarkably, the results confirmed their assumption.

1. What is new about the MIT study?

A．It finds river erosion can enhance biodiversity.

B．It further proves the mechanisms of river erosion.

C．It proves the geographical features of biodiversity.

D．It classifies a type of fish called the greenfin darter.

2. What can we learn about the greenfin darter?

A．Their appearances vary between families.	B．Their genetic constitutions have diversified.
C．They prefer the deep and slow-flowing river.	D．They go extinct in the changing landscape of rivers.

3. How did Near help the researchers reach their conclusion?

A．By creating an evolutionary tree of the fish.

B．By offering the fish’s genetic data.

C．By reasoning out the time the fish evolve and separate.

D．By analyzing the genetic similarity between different fish.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．River Erosion Can Shape Fish Evolution	B．Genetic Change in the Greenfin Darter
C．Evolutionary Tree Analysis of the Greenfin Darter	D．The Impact of Climate Change on Fish Diversity

8 . Yu Zeling, an award-winning master of paper cutting, fills her studio with cutouts of animals, people, and scenes that are so vivid that they seem to leap from the walls. Her art covers village life in Ansai, a rural district in Shaanxi Province.

Ms. Yu came to paper cutting in the late 1970s as naturally as she breathed the earthy air.“We were very poor, and when it was time to celebrate the New Year, we all put paper-cuts on the windows to decorate our houses,” she says, recalling the holiday at her childhood home. Ms. Yu and others are working to keep the folk art alive, even as it evolves away from its roots as adornment for farmhouses.

The art originated in China in the centuries after paper was invented in A.D.105. Full of auspicious (吉利的) symbols from daily life, the decorations represented good weather, many offspring, long life, wealth, and happiness.

Using newspaper, Ms. Yu first practiced cutting the image of a Chinese national flag that she saw in a school textbook. She cut it 100 times before she was satisfied. Then her aunt took over, introducing her to increasingly complicated traditional themes.

Ms. Yu was later invited to train in the Ansai's Cultural Center. After years of training,Ms.Yu became a master in her own right, winning one award after another. Her works are on display in museums. But she's humble about her achievements. “I was, and still am, a farmer,” she says with a smile.

Hoping to carry on and grow the folk art, Ms. Yu volunteers to teach at free community training sessions. Paper cutting is also taught in Ansai’s public schools. Ms. Yu is aware of the need to go beyond protecting traditions and embrace new paper-cut experiments.

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

A．Celebration.

B．Symbol.

C．Invention.

D．Decoration.

2. What can be learned about paper cutting from the text?

A．It has cultural value.	B．It features animals.
C．It attracts the young.	D．It remains in fashion.

3. Which word best describes Ms. Yu?

A．Authoritative.

B．Vain.

C．Devoted.

D．Competitive.

4. What is the text likely to be?

A．A brief history of paper cutting.

B．A new approach to paper cutting.

C．An introduction to a paper cutting master.

D．The direction of a traditional paper cutting.

9 . Environmental Books For Kids

City Green, by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan (1994)

It is a great book on how anyone can take action and make a difference. In it, Marcy, a young girl, wants to plant a garden in the vacant lot(空地) of her city block. The book describes every step of building a community garden for everyone to share. It comes with a handy guide on how you can start your own community garden!

Kate, Who Tamed the Wind, by Liz Garton Scanlon (2018)

This book is a wonderful story of problem-solving and perseverance (坚持不懈), as it tells the story of a young girl who decides to stop the wild wind from blowing by planting trees. It is a great read explaining the important role of trees in our lives and the planet as well as the importance of nature-based solutions.

We Are Water Protectors, by Carole Lindstrom (2020)

If you want to learn more about native people and the importance of protecting water, this is the book for you. It is a story of a young girl who stands up for environmental justice (正义) and becomes an activist who fights to protect the world from pollution.

Pangolina, by Jane Goodall (2021)

A pangolin is to be unlawfully sold at the market. Luckily for her, a little girl, who knows that pangolins are friendly animals with feelings just like humans, asks her mother to buy Pangolina and set her free. If you love animals and you want to learn more about the problems of wildlife traffic as well as the importance of protecting endangered animals, this wonderful book is a good choice.

1. Which book would you recommend to someone interested in gardening?

A．City Green.	B．Pangolina.
C．We Are Water Protectors.	D．Kate, Who Tamed the Wind.

2. When was the book covering native people’s movement printed?

A．In 1994

B．In 2018.

C．In 2020.

D．In 2021.

3. Who wrote the book about saving animals?

A．DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan.	B．Liz Garton Scanlon.
C．Carole Lindstrom.	D．Jane Goodall.

10 . Advances in AI and machine learning have sparked interest from governments that would like to use these tools for patrolling (巡查) purposefully before hand to prevent crime. However, early efforts at crime prediction have been controversial, because they do not allow for systematic biases (偏见) in police enforcement and its complex relationship with crime and society.

University of Chicago (UC) data and social scientists have developed a new algorithm (算法) that forecasts crime by learning patterns in time and geographic locations from public data on violent and property crimes. It has demonstrated success at predicting future crimes one week in advance with approximately 90% accuracy.

The new tool was tested and validated using historical data from the City of Chicago around two broad categories of reported events: violent crimes and property crimes.

The new model isolates crime by looking at the time and spatial coordinates (坐标) of separate events and detecting patterns to predict future events. It divides the city into spatial sections roughly 1,000 feet across and predicts crime within these areas instead of relying on traditional neighborhood or political boundaries, which are also subject to bias. The model performed just as well with data from seven other US cities.

Ishanu Chattopadhyay, senior author of the study, is careful to note that the tool’s accuracy does not mean that it should be used to direct law enforcement, with police departments using it to flock to neighborhoods ahead of time to stop crime. Instead, it should be added to a toolbox of urban policies and policing strategies to address crime.

“We created a digital twin of urban environments. If you feed it data from what happened in the past, it will tell you what’s going to happen in future. It’s not magical; there are limitations, but we tested it and it works well,” Chattopadhyay said. “Now you can use this as a model tool to see what happens if crime goes up in one area, or there is increased enforcement in another area. If you apply all these different data, you can see how the system evolves in response.”

1. What information would data and social scientists in UC collect?

A．Periods of traffic jams.	B．Items of lost and found.
C．Thefts and robberies on the street.	D．Casualty (伤亡) in traffic accidents.

2. What does the underlined word “validated” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Confirmed.

B．Modified.

C．Classified.

D．Abandoned.

3. What’s Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The advantages and disadvantages of this new tool.

B．The principles and good performances of this new tool.

C．Positive feedback from some other experts in this field.

D．The hard process of Chattopadhyay’s developing this tool.

4. What can we know from Chattopadhyay’s opinion on the tool’s use?

A．He does not think it’s accurate enough to put into use.

B．The limitations are to be removed for a better performance.

C．The police department can wholly rely on it to prevent criminals.

D．It can be of help when the authority make policies concerning crimes.