1 . With graduation time around the comer, it’s a bitter-sweet moment for everyone involved.

Leaving school with style

It was inevitable that I would leave my school in London where I had spent most of my time. That day, we wore something a bit different from our usual suits and uniform and we all sat down and watched a high-light video of the last two years, including inspirational messages from our teachers and some funny photos. Two weeks later, we attended our school prom (毕业舞会), where we could dance and say a final goodbye to our teachers and friends.

Coming out strong

The graduation ceremony is one of the most memorable parts of school life in Kazakhstan. At the official farewell, teachers and parents expressed their wishes for our future and cracked some jokes about the graduates. Then students danced “the last waltz at school”. One or two days later, the graduating students went to the after-party event, involving fresh air, camping and having cozy chats by campfire. There is a tendency not to spend money on after-parties. Instead, many choose to give it to charities.

Filled with traditions

There are many traditions in the graduation ceremony in the United States. On the graduation ceremony day, four hundred of us sat on the football field and listened to speeches before we got to “walk”—went up for our diplomas and shook hands with the principal. We were dressed in formal clothing, went out for dinners and then danced the night away. There was usually an after-party at some-one’s house.

1. What are we least likely to wear in graduation ceremony in London?

A．Hanfu.

B．Costume.

C．Uniform.

D．Unusual clothes.

2. What could we do in the after-parties in Kazakhstan?

A．Spend lots of money.	B．Communicate with others.
C．Sleep in the restaurant.	D．Donate money to the school.

3. What do the ceremonies mentioned above have in common?

A．Graduates will have some parties after the ceremony.

B．Graduates will watch a video together in the ceremony.

C．Graduates’ teachers and parents will express their wishes in the ceremony.

D．Graduates and their friends and family will walk together after the ceremony.

2 . A small sensor (传感器) worn on the neck containing wires can monitor how much we move while sitting too long, and encourage people to get up and exercise.

Nowadays more and more people experienced neck and shoulder pain — a problem of the changing way we work. But moving regularly while sitting can prevent problems.

Zhengbao Yang at City University of Hong Kong and his colleagues have developed small, stretchable sensors that are powered by electricity-charge that is generated through squeezing or stressing suitable materials.

The sensor monitors the movement of the neck and is powered by two layers of piezoelectric (压电的) material folded in a structure from kirigami, which is related to the art of paper folding. When the wearer moves, the sensor changes its shape and sends charge to a microcontroller that can register the movement with an accuracy of 95 percent, displaying this on a computer. “We can use this material to change stress into voltage (电压), then we can measure the joint motion by using that,” says Yang. If the wearer doesn’t move his/her neck or shoulder more than 10 times in every half hour, a prompt is displayed on the computer.

“The sensor offers a new and novel design within a small package which is perfect for the placement on the body,” says Jonathan Aitken at the University of Sheffield, UK. “The sensor clearly succeeds in the general aim to indicate inactivity, although it would be interesting to research further into its characteristics, reliability and sensitivity.” Aitken says this could help generate more accurate monitoring of motion that would make the sensor more powerful.

For Yang, the sensor could move from the lab to real life as it is. “We already have a patent (专利) on this technology,” he says. “We’re thinking about how to license this patent to local industry, to bring benefits to society.”

1. Why did Yang develop the sensor?

A．To change the way people work.	B．To improve the effect of exercise.
C．To cure neck and shoulder pain.	D．To remind people of inactivity.

2. What do we know about the sensor?

A．It can function smartly.	B．It is driven by hand
C．It has a fixed shape.	D．It is completely reliable.

3. What does the underlined word “prompt” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．A problem.	B．A sign.
C．A procedure.	D．A virus.

4. What does Jonathan Aitken imply in Paragraph 5?

A．The sensor provides perfect information.

B．The sensor is traditionally designed.

C．The sensor is a successful invention.

D．The sensor needs to be improved immediately.

3 . As the saying goes, nobody’s perfect. That means we have room for at least some improvement in our lives. And no, we’re not talking about getting a better-paid job or a new haircut; we’re referring to inner improvement. If you’re wishing for some inner improvement in your lives, consider reading the following books.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens written by Sean Covey

To make this book age-appropriate and fun to read, Covey breaks up the text with cartoons, quotes, and brainstorming ideas to bring the book together. The book covers topics like body image, friendships, Internet safety, and much more. The book is especially good for teenagers.

A New Earth written by Eckhart Tolle

The book goes beyond teaching how to live in the moment and helps readers learn how to turn their suffering into peace. All types of suffering are addressed in the book. Whether your suffering is caused by anger, sadness, anxiety, or others, Tolle will help you see life from varied ways, awakening you to your life’s purpose.

Declutter Your Mind written by Barrie Davenport

This book is full of various exercises. You’ll learn how to change negative thoughts to positive ones, strategies to help with relationships, how to identify what’s important to you, how to set goals, and much more. This powerful book will do its part in offering various tips to deal with an overactive mind.

Big Magic written by Elizabeth Gilbert

From creating new habits to dealing with fear and surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals, Gilbert analyzes the difficulties a creative person may face in pursuing his dreams. The best part of this book is the usage of stories from regular men and women across the country.

1. Which book best suits one who’s struggling to find life’s purpose?

A．The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.	B．A New Earth.
C．Declutter Your Mind.	D．Big Magic.

2. Who uses real-life examples in his or her book?

A．Sean Covey.	B．Eckhart Tolle.
C．Barrie Davenport.	D．Elizabeth Gilbert.

3. What type of books are the four books?

A．Self-help books.	B．Science books.
C．Health books.	D．Adventure books.

4 . How do we slow down and eat more deliberately? And what are some techniques we can use to eat at a healthy pace?     1     That’s when you use your senses to enjoy the food and notice how it makes you feel.

The first tip is to take at least 20 minutes to finish your meal. Very often we find ourselves eating while doing something else, and that can make us eat faster than we normally would. When you sit down to eat, spend about 20 minutes doing so.     2    

    3     Remove all distractions while you eat. They can interfere with your ability to enjoy your food and notice when you are full. Spend time to eat and only eat. Make sure your cell phone is face down and you’re not going to be responding to any messages that come through.

Noticing all the little details about your food would have great benefits as well.     4     One way to slow down is to engage your senses and think through all the details about your meal. Ask yourself: What’s on my plate? How hungry am I today? Is it too salty? Notice the smell, the texture and whatever other senses that arise as you eat.

Instead of wolfing down, don’t forget to actually chew. If you’re inhaling (吸入) your food you’re probably not chewing it.     5     Look at each bite before popping it into your mouth, acknowledge what you’re eating and chew, chew, chew.

A．Putting your phone away is also advisable.

B．So, you’d better eat in a more healthy way.

C．Second, remove food that would make you distract.

D．Experts share helpful tips on how to eat more mindfully.

E．Experts suggest that chewing is an important part of digestion.

F．You might wonder how to spend 20 whole minutes eating a sandwich.

G．It takes about that time for your body to get the signal to the brain that you are full.

5 . The Best Hotels in Edinburgh Close to the Must-See Sights

Edinburgh is home to some of the best hotels in Scotland. Here are some selected hotels, ranging from iconic five-star institutions to new apartment hotels.

The Balmoral Hotel

For luxury accommodation, the Balmoral hotel offers five-star service and fantastic views of Edinburgh Castle. It is in the city center and features the iconic clock tower. The Balmoral is probably the most famous hotel in the city and is famous for its hospitality. It is also popular with locals for afternoon tea.

Wilde Apart Hotel

Wilde Apart hotel is a modern, stylish hotel. The hotel features well-appointed (设备齐全的) serviced apartments that have fully equipped small kitchens, free WiFi, and car parking nearby. The apartments are ideal for those who are staying in the city for more than a night or two and would like to have a small kitchen to enjoy breakfast or lunch.

The Radisson Collection Hotel

The Radisson Collection Hotel overlooks the iconic Royal Mile. It’s just a short walk from attractions such as Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Park, and it’s within easy reach of local restaurants, shops, bars, and galleries. Everything you will want to see and do in Edinburgh is close to hand, and it’s five minutes from Waverly Train Station and airport links. The hotel’s design is modern.

Scotsman Hotel

Originally built as The Scotsman newspaper offices in 1905, Scotsman Hotel has been carefully restored into nine floors of rooms and suites with commanding views over the city. Located at the top end of North Bridge, the hotel occupies the prime real estate spot (黄金地段) in Edinburgh. Easy access to Waverley Train Station and airport shuttles, the hotel is probably the most well-appointed accommodation in terms of transport links.

We hope you love the Edinburgh hotels we recommend!

1. Which hotel suits customers who love cooking by themselves?

A．Scotsman Hotel.	B．Wilde Apart Hotel.
C．The Balmoral Hotel.	D．The Radisson Collection Hotel.

2. What makes the Scotsman Hotel different from the others?

A．Its special origin.	B．Its central situation.
C．Its commanding views.	D．Its convenient transportation.

3. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A travel journal.	B．A tour report.
C．A tourist website.	D．A hotel research.

6 . 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。

This year’s winter has proven an important season for Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang province, as interest     1     the icy destination greatly increased after social media posts showed many citizens from the     2     (warm) south flooding into the snowy city. It     3     (welcome) nearly 3.05 million visitors, taking in $832.39 million of tourism revenue (收入), during the three-day New Year holiday.

To facilitate the consumption of Harbin’s popular frozen pears, the city has even introduced frozen pear plates, making     4     easier for tourists to enjoy the delicacy. Moreover,     5     (attract) more tourists and improve overall services, Harbin has rolled out a     6     (vary) of activities, including live performances on New Year’s Eve, firework displays, theme parks, intangible heritage culture shows and concerts. A series of     7     (measure) have also been introduced to enhance the visitor experience in Harbin, covering areas such as dining, accommodation, travel, shopping and entertainment.

It is these careful and considerate details     8     make sure that tourists feel warmly embraced, cared for and respected. Consequently, their positive experiences are     9     (wide) shared on the internet,     10     (contribute) to Harbin’s “internet celebrity” city status.

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Runner’s World Challenge

It’s hard to imagine a more inspirational place for a marathon or half marathon than Marrakech in Morocco. With one of the fastest     1     (route) in the world, this is a race not to be missed. You can be there     2    (run) and explore the city on this great Runner’s World holiday.

We’ve teamed up with Intrepid Travel,     3     leading expert in small group holidays to the world’s most fascinating destination, to bring you a unique eight-day travel plan from January 24th to 31st, during     4     you will explore the ancient sites of Morocoo and take part in the 31st edition of the thrilling International Marathon of Marrakech.

You will join expert guides and also feed     5     (you) soul and stomach on a foodie tour of the market of Marrakech     6     the open air, visit a vineyard, and spend time in the walled city of Essaouira, all in the company of other Runner’s World readers. After the race, you     7     (enjoy) a hammam (土耳其蒸气浴室) treatment and a relaxing massage (按摩) to help you regain energy. However,     8     (race) the Marrakech Marathon’s flat route, along narrow roads lined with palm trees, through lush orange and olive woods and past the 12th-centuty red-tinged city walls is     9     (real) the most attractive. You will remember this     10    (impress) adventure for a lifetime and form friendships that will last just as long.

8 . Richard is a boy who is positive towards life. He is interested in doing sports and takes a(n) ___________ part in a lot of ___________ such as soccer, boxing, skiing and badminton. He is always against ___________ in sports and tries to avoid errors in matches. As a result, he is ___________ to be an excellent athlete and ___________ all kinds of sports. Doing gymnastics in the ___________ is his favorite. To build up ___________, he jogs in the stadium every day. In his mind, _________ makes him relaxed and ___________. Sweating during the jog gives him an enjoyable feeling. Besides, in order to have a slim shape, he keeps a ____________ diet.

Once he signed up for a marathon ____________ in his city. During the competition, he fell down on the track and his left leg was injured. The audience, as well as his captain, thought he would end in ____________. However, though under stress, he didn’t ____________ but ran as hard as he could to ____________ for his team. The spiritual strength he showed made him unique. Finally, not only did he become the champion and win the medal as well as the honor for his team, but also he won the ____________ of the citizens.

1.

A．active

B．confident

C．anxious

D．joyful

2.

A．shows

B．topics

C．events

D．lectures

3.

A．sweating

B．cheating

C．pretending

D．packing

4.

A．thought

B．impressed

C．recommended

D．allowed

5.

A．act

B．master

C．edit

D．volunteer

6.

A．company

B．classroom

C．office

D．gym

7.

A．determination

B．stress

C．strength

D．friendship

8.

A．playing

B．walking

C．jogging

D．hiking

9.

A．strong

B．weak

C．unique

D．attractive

10.

A．traditional

B．economical

C．advanced

D．balanced

11.

A．solved

B．attended

C．moved

D．hosted

12.

A．detail

B．success

C．failure

D．experience

13.

A．give up

B．clean up

C．make up

D．sign up

14.

A．apply

B．arrange

C．explore

D．compete

15.

A．goal

B．admiration

C．comment

D．wisdom

9 . 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。

Ten-year-old Riley Christensen and her mother, Lynn, were sitting in front of the family computer, checking out models and prices of bikes. “Let’s pick one out for your birthday,” Lynn suggested to her daughter. The air in the room was filled with excitement as they scrolled through various options, envisioning the joy when Riley cycled around the neighborhood. They laughed together, exploring the features of each bike, and discussing colors.

As Riley scrolled down the home page of the Bike Rack, a shop in their town of St. Charles, Illinois, a video link for Project Mobility caught her eye. She clicked on it out of curiosity, unaware that this simple click would unfold a profound story of compassion and sympathy. The video clip began to narrate the inspiring journey of Bike Rack co-owner Hal Honeyman. Through it, Lynn and Riley were transported into the world of Project Mobility, witnessing how Hal Honeyman had transformed a passion for biking into an organization dedicated to providing specially engineered bicycles for those facing physical challenges. The video footage (镜头) painted a vivid picture of the positive impact these adapted bikes had on individuals — accident victims, injured veterans, and children with disabilities, including Hal’s own son, who had been born with cerebral palsy (脑瘫).

“I don’t want a bike for myself. I’m going to buy a bike for one of those kids,” Riley told her mother. Two days later, she showed Lynn a letter she had written asking for donations. “I think it’s amazing for a guy to make bikes for kids who can’t walk,” the letter said. “I saw how happy a boy was when he got one... I’m writing to ask for your help.”

Lynn was blown away by her daughter’s effort, but doubts quickly emerged. The cost of just one of those special bikes could be as high as $4,000. Riley could never raise the money.

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。

Nonetheless, her letter went out to 75 relatives and friends.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On her birthday, Riley delivered the bicycles to three lucky kids.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . I went to Yuanhe Middle School in Xihaigu, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a place that used to be one of the poorest regions in China, to participate in an English class with village children.

Most kids in the school come from poor village homes and are “left behind” children — kids whose parents work in the cities to make a better living. After class, we chatted a lot, and they wondered about everything, using “outside world” as a term to describe the wider globe for many times.

Taking care of rural children is essential. The school offers boarding services and free breakfast and lunch to the students, who can also video chat with their parents daily. To better care for the village children, the school provides outdoor hiking, technology, art, and foreign language programs to help them understand the outside world. After all, high-quality education to disadvantaged village children is the key to poverty-alleviation (扶贫) efforts.

During my trip in Xihaigu, I also visited Ningxia Normal University, where over 70% of its students major in education.

In 2013, local and central governments launched public-funded programs to recruit students interested in becoming teachers in Ningxia’s rural villages and districts. By 2023, 3,500 students were enrolled in the program, many of whom came from disadvantaged village households in Xihaigu.

I had the opportunity to speak with Yang, a public-funded student from the once-poor Xihaigu region. After finishing school, he planned to stay in the Xihaigu area as a teacher to teach the kids knowledge.

Yang told me that knowledge is the key to leading a better life as well as understanding the world. A lack of knowledge is one of the main factors of being poor. Money could help the poor for a while but not once for all. He hopes that by sharing knowledge with the kids in his hometown, he can help them broaden their horizons and develop an objective perspective on the world. He envisions a future where these children can use their knowledge to make a better life, stop people’s stereotypes (固有印象) about China and share Xihaigu’s stories with the rest of the world.

1. Why did the kids repeatedly mention “outside world”?

A．Out of curiosity about the unknown world.

B．With the hope of changing the world outside.

C．To show their experiences about the wider globe.

D．For lack of confidence towards their inner world.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The key to poverty-alleviation efforts.

B．The aid to the kids on life and education.

C．The teaching conditions of the school.

D．The high-quality education of the school.

3. What can we infer from the author’s trip in Ningxia Normal University?

A．Students in this university can be free of charge.

B．The authorities support Ningxia’s rural areas by stressing education.

C．The public-funded programs target at the students from poor regions.

D．Money is less important than knowledge for the people in Xihaigu’s villages.

4. Which of the following may agree with Yang’s opinion?

A．Learn and live.	B．Sharp tools make good work.
C．Hang on to your dreams.	D．Poverty-alleviation starts with education.