1 . Finding a California condor in the wild would be the most unusual treat. perhaps even more unusual than finding a wolf in Yellowstone National Park. In fact, the wolf was what opened my eyes to the fact that humans could bring an animal back to the place where it had disappeared.

In 1987, there were only 27 California condors left, none of which were in the wild, only in captive breeding programs, It was those breeding programs that contributed to their population rise, enough that by 1991 some of them could be freed into the wild.

Still, the hope of seeing a California condor, which remains an endangered species, is very low, let alone getting a photo of one. California condor population dropped mostly due to human factors, such as poaching and living areas destruction-these are challenges California condors still face today.

Although this is just a bird’s-eye view of the challenges California condors face and there are many others, it is part of why the opportunity to work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service team and their partners helping their recovery is so special to me as a photographer. I am not only able to photograph the birds in their wild living areas, but also understand and record how difficult the work is of those people on the front lines of the protection.

I am grateful for the work of the team, and my hope is that California condor population will continue to rise allowing future generations an opportunity I never had when I first got here-to look to the sky and see one flying around.

1. What helped the increase of the California condor population in 1987?

A．Rules for hunters.	B．Captive breeding programs.
C．The improved natural environment.	D．The enlargement of wild living areas.

2. What does the author say about taking photos of a California condor in the wild?

A．It is difficult.

B．It is easy.

C．It is boring.

D．It is dangerous.

3. What did the author do when working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service team?

A．He guided ways for them.	B．He made records by photos.
C．He helped the birds to recover.	D．He rebuilt the birds’ living areas.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．New Way, New Hope	B．Wolves and California Condors
C．A Photo of a California Condor	D．The California Condor’s Coming Back

2 . English history is vast, from its rule under the Romans to the rise, heights and decline of the British Empire. When choosing a book to recommend on my country’s history, I wanted something that could summarize this sweeping history but didn’t get stuck in the details of things that hold me back from thoroughly engaging with this truly rich history. Then, I found Dominic Haynes’ A Brief History of England. It had just what I was looking for and was a real joy to read.

The book is a whistle-stop tour through the whole of English history, from its earliest people to the movement of settlers from Europe. It looks at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Elizabeth I’s reign (统治) and the lasting impact of Shakespeare. Then it touches on the English Civil Wars and the shift of rule from kings and queens to the parliament (议会) running the country and the establishment of the political parties of the Whigs (辉格党) and Tories (托利党) still functioning today in some form as the currently ruling Conservative Party (保守党). It also covers the Napoleonic Wars and the world wars and even contemplates (思考) England’s post-Brexit (脱欧后的) present and future.

This really is quite the sweeping tome. However, it’s very short. This means it’s easy to navigate and get a hold of a huge amount of history, but it also means it’s very light on the details. At times, this can be frustrating, as there are parts where it feels like just another paragraph or page would really elevate this book. But for an introduction to English history or perhaps a reminder or refresher, it’s great and particularly useful as it is likely to fill in some gaps in your knowledge.

Furthermore, because of the pace of the book, there’s not a dull moment. It’s a real page-turner, covering the succession (交替) of kings and queens, wars, famines (饥荒) and changes in the social order of the country at home and the country’s influence across the world.

One reviewer on Amazon described the book as “a small masterpiece”, and said, “This is a great book for anyone who wants to get a crash course in English history or for those who want a quick reference to that subject.”

So, jump in, dear readers, and get a hold of what made England what it was, what it went on to be, and where it may stand in our global future.

1. What is the main focus of Dominic Haynes’ A Brief History of England?

A．Detailed exploration of England’s political parties.

B．An introduction to the British Empire’s rise and fall.

C．A brief overview of England’s historical shifts and events.

D．In-depth analysis of England’s post-Brexit policies.

2. What is a weakness mentioned by the reviewer regarding the book?

A．Its pace is slow and frustrating.

B．There’s a shortage of information on wars.

C．It dives too deeply into political complexities.

D．It lacks detailed information due to its shortness.

3. What does the underlined word “page-turner” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．A book that is exciting to read.	B．A book that has lots of pages to turn.
C．A book that is easy to understand.	D．A book that is complicated.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．Jump into the UK’s past.	B．The ebb and flow of the UK.
C．The significance of studying the UK’s history.	D．The UK, you always live in people’s hearts.

3 . I remember vividly the moment the doctor told me my daughter Annabelle was severely disabled. A thousand ________ raced through my mind. Will she walk? Will she talk? Will she be able to read?

“I couldn’t possibly ________,” said the doctor “But you should prepare yourself for the fact that she might never walk or talk.”

As well as ________ health, I wondered if she would have friends.

Now I know some of the answers. Although she has problems with the spine (脊柱), she can walk huge distances. She can’t hold a ________, but she can make her wants and needs known. And she has no friends.

Annabelle doesn’t get invited to birthday parties. To me, it’s this lack of inclusion (被接纳) that really ________me. Therefore, I was ________ when I saw a post on social media from a little girl with Down’s syndrome (唐氏综合症) at her friend’s birthday party. She was ________ having the greatest time of her life. There were photos of her wearing a wide smile, ________ for the camera, her friend’s arms around her.

“This is amazing!” I wrote, “I am so glad she gets________ in everything. My little girl was born with a spine problem. She hasn’t been invited to a single party in the last four years. ________ my heart.”

Later that day, a woman called Caroline, who I’d never met, sent me a message. Her son Luca was having a fifth birthday party and he wanted to ________ Annabelle.

As Annabelle set off for the party, she felt ________ and became hesitant. But once inside, she was relaxed and felt included in every element by two ________ — a five-year-old boy and his mum. It was highly ________.

My daughter now has memories that will last her a lifetime ________ that, she has her first ever friend.

1.

A．means

B．questions

C．focuses

D．opinions

2.

A．discover

B．lecture

C．predict

D．suffer

3.

A．attracted to

B．concerned about

C．impressed with

D．confused about

4.

A．party

B．debate

C．meeting

D．conversation

5.

A．upsets

B．affects

C．surprises

D．excites

6.

A．stressed

B．disappointed

C．overjoyed

D．frightened

7.

A．obviously

B．generally

C．gradually

D．immediately

8.

A．debating

B．checking

C．explaining

D．posing

9.

A．reminded

B．included

C．observed

D．funded

10.

A．Hardens

B．Breaks

C．Steals

D．Opens

11.

A．forgive

B．rescue

C．invite

D．shelter

12.

A．worried

B．excited

C．calm

D．powerful

13.

A．volunteers

B．teenagers

C．strangers

D．parents

14.

A．emotional

B．professional

C．wise

D．suitable

15.

A．Less than

B．Rather than

C．Fewer than

D．More than

4 . We’re all human, and we know there are some days when we feel good and others when we get down in the dumps. But knowing how to keep things steady, or at least more positive than negative, is a smart move for your health, both mental and physical.     1    “Mood (情绪) awareness is a necessary part of keeping good mental health. It doesn’t mean you should feel positive all the time.     2     Instead, try to be aware of what your mood is, what events or environments can start it, and learn ways to find balance,” explains Himali Pandya, chief strategy and development officer at People USA, a mental health crisis prevention center.

At the first step, you’re supposed to try mood tracking.     3     Use one method per week, then think about which seemed to work best for you and consider building it into your routine going forward.

·Daily Journaling

Just let it flow! Each day, write down how you felt when you woke up in the morning, at midday, and in the evening.     4     It may also be helpful to write down anything that contributed to a change in your mood throughout the day. This is a great wellness activity that can help you process daily experiences.

·Mood Chart

This is similar to journaling, but it offers a bit more structure that can help show any patterns that seem to influence your mood.     5     And then draw columns (柱状图) for day of the week, mood, and mood-changing factors. Make it fun by using colored pens or emoji stickers for tracking.

A．Below are two popular ways to do this.

B．In fact, that is an unrealistic expectation.

C．And then there are times when our moods zip up and down!

D．Becoming aware of your mood trends can help you get there.

E．These are images you color in according to how you’re feeling.

F．Create a chart in your journal, on a whiteboard, or on a piece of paper.

G．If you notice mood changes between those time periods, write those down too.

5 . For as long as I can remember, I’ve had animals in my life. These days, there are four small companions: three dogs and an eight-year-old brown Burmese cat called Soo. I love them all dearly and they are the best company possible. They greet me warmly each time I come home, never complain and never get angry or argue with me. I have, though, discovered recently, after all these years of never being without a pet, there are unexpected risks of living with animals.

This year, I’ve spent four weeks in hospital, thanks to the cat. I felt such a fool telling the doctors that the terrible bruising (擦伤) and growing lump (肿块) in the middle of my right foot was due to my cat misbehaving.

It was a Sunday night. I’d had friends for lunch and was in the kitchen clearing up. I’d emptied and washed a heavy glass ashtray (烟灰缸), which I’d placed on the side. Soo knows she’s not allowed on the kitchen surfaces. Yet, she jumped up, marched towards the ashtray, and knocked it off. I like to think she didn’t know my foot was directly in her line of fire, but it was. I cried with pain. I couldn’t see any obvious wound and the ashtray survived the fall. I thought nothing more of it.

I’ve never seen such bruising as appeared the next day, but I carried on. I had work to do. It wasn’t too painful and surely the bruising would go away eventually. I carried on like that for a couple of weeks until a visit from my son, who thought the lump had grown and could be infected, so demanded I take a trip to the hospital.

As for forgiveness, there’s nothing to forgive. It’s my fault the ashtray was too close to the edge. There’ll still be treats and toys prepared for my pets under the Christmas tree.

1. What has the writer found recently about having pets?

A．Pets are the best company possible.	B．Pets may bring danger to their owners.
C．Pets never complain or argue with people.	D．Dogs and cats are great pets in people’s life.

2. What was the result of the accident?

A．I was grateful to my cat Soo.	B．I was made fun of by doctors.
C．I only suffered some bruising.	D．I stayed in hospital for several weeks.

3. What do we know about the accident?

A．My son took my wound more seriously.

B．Soo didn’t knock off the ashtray on purpose.

C．It happened when I was cooking in the kitchen.

D．I took a trip to the hospital right after the accident.

4. Which can best describe the writer’s attitude towards pets?

A．Love them all to bits.	B．Hate their misbehaviors.
C．Understand their feelings.	D．Complain about their company.

6 . Most of us have heard of the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. It is the core principle of a sustainable (可持续的) life, but few of us can apply it in our own lives. Now, there’s a “lab” you can explore and discover a way toward living sustainably.

3R Lab is located in Xuhui district, Shanghai. It offers exhibitions, activities and goods that showcase the 3R principle. The key to a sustainable life, according to Vincent T. M. Fong, the 32-year-old from Hong Kong who created the lab, is to make it a long-term promise. “A sustainable life should be sustainable itself in the first place. You can’t lead a sustainable life on a whim. Small and comfortable changes are exactly what you need,” Fong said.

The lab regularly hosts ugly fruit markets, offering these strange fruits which are often thrown away by traditional markets and consumers at a quite attractive price. “They’re thrown away simply because of their appearance. Buying fruit regardless of how they look reduces food waste significantly in our daily life,” Fong commented.

A water tank with two types of straws is another equipment in the lab. “One type is made from normal plastics widely used in our daily life while the other is from PHA, a new replacement for plastics, and the water is sourced from the Suzhou River,” explained Ni Li, an employee of the lab. Visitors can see how the PHA straws degrade (降解) into a thin layer in just one month, while the others remain unchanged.

“Leading a sustainable life does not necessarily mean sacrifice,” said Fong. Consuming ugly fruit and using degradable plastics are small changes that are good for the environment and easy to stick to. Only in this way can the 3R principle become part of our lives, he added.

After working there for six months, Ni, who wasn’t mindful of the 3R principle before arriving at the lab, now uses her cup every time she buys a coffee. “The job has reshaped my life,” Ni said.

1. What does the-underlined phrase “on a whim” in the second paragraph probably mean?

A．In a rush.	B．On a regular basis.
C．Without any reason.	D．As a common practice.

2. What is the purpose of the ugly fruit market at 3R Lab?

A．To reduce food waste.	B．To promote healthy eating.
C．To sell new kinds of fruit.	D．To provide more affordable fruit,

3. What can the water tank at 3R Lab show to its visitors?

A．The water pollution caused by plastics.	B．The degradation of PHA straws.
C．The interaction between two types of straws.	D．The disappearance of normal plastic straws.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph about Ni?

A．She avoids going to traditional markets.	B．She has devoted less time to her hobbies.
C．She has got rid of a few bad habits.	D．She is leading a low carbon life now.

7 . With its wonderful attractions, Harbin, the beautiful ice city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, has become a social media sensation (轰动).

Among these beautiful sights is a group of 11 lovely children from Nanning, Guangxi in South China, who embarked on an educational trip to Harbin, immediately winning the hearts of online communities.

Dressed in bright orange outfits (服装), they are lovingly called “little tangerines”, with the oldest just six and a half years old and the youngest only three years and five months old.

The nickname symbolizes both their cute orange outfits and Guangxi’s well-known fruits — tangerines. Each day, their presence is appearing on various social media platforms.

Wherever they went, they are warmly received by the locals. In Harbin, they tasted the local food and watched a fireworks display.

The lead teacher of their tour confirmed their arrival in Mohe. Upon their arrival, a local travel agency warmly welcomed the tour group together with the city’s tourism bureau.

At the northernmost police outpost of China, they sang the national anthem (国歌) and saluted the border guards, marking an important part of their educational trip. Moreover, the police officers at the station prepared snow sculptures and snowmen for the “little tangerines”.

To express gratitude for the hospitality (好客) received in Heilongjiang, a free batch of tangerines from Guangxi was sent to the province.

Data show that Harbin welcomed more than 3 million visitors, bringing in 5.9 billion yuan during the three-day New Year holiday, which ended on January 1st.

1. The underlined phrase “embarked on ” means______.

A．acted on

B．went on

C．worked on

D．held on

2. What do you know about the “little tangerines” according to the text?

A．They are a group of primary school students.

B．They got the nickname because of their outfits.

C．They were warmly welcomed by people from China.

D．They took part in various activities in Heilongjiang.

3. What did Guangxi people do in return for the hospitality they received in Heilongjing?

A．They sent another group of free “little tangerines” to the province.

B．They transported a large number of tangerines to the province.

C．They invited Heilongjiang people to taste tangerines for free.

D．They planted a free batch of tangerines trees in Heilongjiang.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A Warm Welcome to “Little Tangerines” from Guangxi.

B．Guangxi “Little Tangerines” on an Educational Trip to Harbin

C．A Group of Children from Guangxi Received Education in Harbin

D．A Group of Guangxi Children Sent to Harbin for Free

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How much is the ticket to the Ocean Park?

A．£ 2.00.

B．£ 6.50.

C．£ 8.50.

2. What is unavailable during the trip?

A．Lunch.

B．Water.

C．Fruit.

3. What will the listeners do at 2:30 next Tuesday?

A．Listen to a talk.

B．Do some worksheets.

C．Watch the sharks being fed.

4. What is the topic of the talk for next Tuesday?

A．The ocean.

B．Sharks.

C．Penguins.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What might the man be?

A．A customer service agent.

B．A travel agent.

C．A repairman.

2. What will the woman do next?

A．Call his son.

B．Give some details.

C．Sign a form.

3. What do we know about the woman?

A．Her son lives abroad now.

B．She will go to visit her son soon.

C．She should make payment from this month.

10 . The motivation for his invention came to Aarrav Anil last year when he saw his uncle Arjun, who has Parkinson’s disease, struggle to eat. Some food spilled (溢出) out of his mouth, the rest splattered (溅) on his clothes. Arjun attempted to keep his dignity but the frustration forced him to give up and call his helper to feed him.

The sight of his uncle’s shaking the spoon so violently inspired Aarrav, 17, from Bengaluru, south India, to turn to robotics. He locked himself in his room with microcontrollers, sensors, motors, and a 3D printer. What emerged was a prototype (原型) of a smart spoon that is now undergoing trials at the RV College of Physiotherapy in Bengaluru.

The sensors in the battery-operated spoon detect shaking on one side and activate movement on the other, effectively cancelling out shaking to keep the spoon stable.

“I’ve been fine tuning the design based on the college’s feedback-that it needs to be waterproof so that it can be washed without damaging all the electronics inside; that it must be removable so it can be cleaned and replaced by a fork, ” Aarrav says.

For Aarrav it is the peak of a 10-year interest in mechanics that began when his mother bought him a Lego set. He has now represented India at more than 20 robotics competitions across the world.

When the blueprint for the smart spoon won first prize in the future innovators category at last year’s World Robot Olympiad in Germany, Aarrav felt encouraged to make the prototype.

More than 7 million people in India are estimated to have Parkinson’s disease, a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged and which mainly affects people over the age of 50. Symptoms (症状) include involuntary shaking and stiff muscles. As the disease progresses, eating can become more difficult, forcing people to rely on help from others.

Aarrav’s ambition is that every family that has someone with Parkinson’s will have the smart spoon. He says his uncle Arjun’s words keep echoing (回响) in his mind: “Who would have thought such a small thing could mean the difference between dignity and indignity?”

1. What can Aarrav’s invention help people with Parkinson’s do?

A．Control their physical balance.	B．Boost their mood and relieve stress.
C．Maintain a good range of movement.	D．Feed themselves more independently.

2. What does the underlined part “fine tuning” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Overturning.	B．Reconsidering.
C．Conducting a study of.	D．Making minor changes to.

3. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Parkinson’s in India?

A．To show prospects of Aarrav’s invention.

B．To reveal the nation’s poor health situation.

C．To popularize general knowledge of the disease.

D．To convince people to volunteer for social causes.

4. What can be learned about Aarrav from the text?

A．He enjoys being alone.	B．He has an innovative mind.
C．He used to be a health worker.	D．He longed to be a businessman.