1 . The summer after my freshman year college, I had to get my first job. This was probably one of the _________ tasks I have ever had to do. I had never held a job when I was in high school because my parents wanted me to put all my _________ into my studies.

At first, it was very hard. I filled out dozens of _________ but got no calls back in the first two weeks. It made sense because I had _________ no job experience. All I could _________ was that being a high school graduate and a year of college.

However, halfway through the third week, I finally got a call back from one of the places I _________. We had set up a meeting time, and after my _________, I was more than ready to start working the following Monday. I was _________ at the chance of working for my wages.

When I started, it was very clear that I was not _________. I made mistakes with orders and often __________ sales promotions (推销). My parents made a bet I would not __________ the first two weeks, and I would be back looking for more __________. However, I stuck with it.

After working a while, I got better at orders, and always __________ the cheaper options for customers. A couple of weeks later, I had been told by the manager that I had __________ the award of the best employee of the month. It taught me a lot about responsibility and gave me the __________ of working.

1.

A．funniest

B．worst

C．hardest

D．lightest

2.

A．energy

B．motivation

C．wisdom

D．ambition

3.

A．questionnaires

B．surveys

C．certifications

D．applications

4.

A．exactly

B．absolutely

C．partly

D．doubtfully

5.

A．explain

B．claim

C．interpret

D．offer

6.

A．signed up

B．applied to

C．checked in

D．headed for

7.

A．interview

B．graduation

C．arrangement

D．performance

8.

A．surprised

B．disappointed

C．excited

D．worried

9.

A．skilled

B．frightened

C．patient

D．satisfied

10.

A．avoided

B．abandoned

C．postponed

D．forgot

11.

A．spend

B．last

C．continue

D．wait

12.

A．ideas

B．expectations

C．jobs

D．instructions

13.

A．sold

B．produced

C．kept

D．recommended

14.

A．confirmed

B．received

C．guaranteed

D．become

15.

A．confidence

B．importance

C．expectation

D．hope

2 . Most Popular UK Destinations for a Staycation

Looking for a cheap stay cation to brighten up your winter? Here are the most popular destinations in the UK.

Blackpool

Whether you’re seeking the thrills of Blackpool Pleasure Beach or are keen to catch a glimpse of Blackpool Tower, the city’s most appealing attraction, the seaside town offers various amazing views. It’s no wonder the town has gained 980.8 million views on TikTok. With accommodation price £75 for a night, you’ll have a golden opportunity to enjoy Blackpool's Illuminations (彩灯) display and the Seaside Trail.

Searborough

North Yorkshire’s Scarborough sees 49,500 monthly searches and 686.4 million views on TikTok. One of the local highlights is the annual St Nicholas Fair. While a one-night stay in Scarborough costs £85, the town offers holiday-makers opportunities to experience ancient British culture at the 12th-century castle ruins.

Swansea

The Welsh town sees 27,100 monthly searches and has 622.4 million views on TikTok. Swansea’s Waterfront Wonderland brings with it the Alpine Village and various amusement attractions. Spending a night here costs just 10 pounds more than in Scarborough. But if you book a week earlier, you can get a 5 percent discount in total. With Cardiff only being an hour’s drive from Swansea, you have the perfect opportunity to catch a game of ice hockey.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth isn’t called Sunny Bournemouth for nothing, as holiday-makers can enjoy breathtaking views along the Jurassic Coast. With a World Heritage Site within its borders, it’s no surprise to see this town with the high number of views on TikTok (868.3 million). A one-night stay will cost you £105, giving you the perfect opportunity to get relaxed.

1. What is the most attractive in Blackpool?

A．Blackpool Pleasure Beach.	B．Blackpool Tower.
C．The Illuminations display.	D．The Seaside Trail.

2. How much will a tourist at least pay for a night in Swansea?

A．£ 70.

B．£ 85.

C．£ 85.75.

D．£ 90.25.

3. Which of the following has the second-highest number of views on TikTok?

A．Blackpool.

B．Swansea.

C．Scarborough.

D．Boumemouth.

3 . Two young Tasmanians have taken out a top national science award for their hi-tech invention, designed to keep the inventors’ great-grandmother safe.

The 18-year-old cousins, Isaac Brain and Mitchell Torok, have won equal first place in the engineering section of the BHP science and engineering awards. The pair, who finished Year 12 last year, created a smartwatch-style device that can detect whether an elderly person has fallen and cause an alarm.

The device will now be showcased on the world stage at a science and engineering fair in Arizona, US, which brings together students from around the world who are first-place science winners.

Mitchell, who went to Rosny College, Hobart, said he dreamt up the idea because he was worried about his 89-year-old great-grandmother Gwen Brook, who lives in an independent apartment next to an aged-care facility in Hobart. “If she falls over and hurts herself, there’s a chance that no one would be able to find her quickly,” Mitchell said. “So we decided to build a cheap and easy device that aged-care residents could wear.”

Called “aWear”, the device can be worn as a watch. It links to a database that can send a real-time text message to nurses. As well as an alert button, the device also features an “accelerometer” that measures the speed of a wearer’s movement to detect a fall.

Isaac, who went to Launceston College, Launceston, developed the software and web development for the device. “The accelerometer measures movement — so when an increase in movement is detected it records that data and it is then analysed to determine whether a fall has occurred,” Isaac said. Isaac will study computer science at Melbourne University this year. He said a key feature of the device was that it caused an alert to staff even if the wearer did not press the alert button.

Mitchell will study mechatronics engineering at the University of NSW. He designed the watch and spent a lot of time testing it. “We have done a lot of test falls — with Mitchell falling onto pillows,” Isaac said.

1. What device did the two young cousins develop?

A．A database system to monitor people’s movements.

B．A wearable calculator to measure the speed movements.

C．A real-time text messaging system for aged-care facilities.

D．A smartwatch-style device to detect falls and alert caregivers.

2. What was the primary motivation behind the cousins’ invention?

A．To win a national science competition.

B．To create a product that could be commercialized.

C．To develop a solution to assist their great-grandmother.

D．To show their engineering and software development skills.

3. Which of the following words can describe the device?

A．Ground-breaking and complicated.	B．Economical and convenient.
C．Transformative and clumsy.	D．Costly and profitable.

4. What can we conclude from the cousins’ success?

A．Hard work pays off.	B．It’s never too late to learn.
C．The simplest way is the best way.	D．Ups and downs make one strong.

4 . Some mothers and daughters like to go shopping or walking together or picnicking as part of their bonding experience. Others become firefighters together. That’s the route that Montgomery County mother Betsy Gekonge took with her 17-year-old daughter Mokeira. The pair recently graduated from the Montgomery County Fire Academy together and received their Firefighter certificate.

The rising high school senior says she thought she’d be going to the fire academy alone. She never expected to have company. “This is quite out of my expectation because I never expected her to do it with me,” said Mokeira.

“Taking classes with my mom was fun because we could study together but also joke around. We share a lot of funny stories at family events,” Mokeira told the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association. “Montgomery County is a great place for new volunteers because you learn a lot from knowledgeable, professional firefighters in a positive environment. It teaches you a lot.”

Mokeira is one of the first individuals to gain her Firefighter certificate at age 17 since Pennsylvania’s law changed, making 17 —the youngest legal age to become certified instead of 18.

The pair will work as volunteer firefighters for Barren Hill Fire Company in Lafayette Hill. According to the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute, there were 300,000 volunteer firefighters across the state in the 1970s. That number dwindled (减少) to 38,000 in 2018.

“It’s really fulfilling to volunteer and learn about fire safety that helps us and others in our daily life,” Betsy added. “I’ve built a lot of relationships in our community through volunteering.” “Our decision was primarily motivated by this, and now I have gained great satisfaction from it. It gives me a sense of purpose and I’m helping to contribute to the solution,” said Mokiera.

1. What did Betsy and Mokeira decide to do bond with each other?

A．Go shopping.	B．Take a walk.
C．Become firefighters.	D．Have a picnic.

2. How does Mokeira feel about her mother’s choice?

A．Surprised.

B．Annoyed.

C．Confused.

D．Worried.

3. Why did Betsy and Mokeira volunteer to work for their community?

A．To learn fire safety skills.	B．To work as career firefighters.
C．To address the shortage of employees.	D．To strengthen ties with their community.

4. What does the author intend to highlight about the story?

A．The importance of fire safety education.

B．A serious challenge faced by firefighters.

C．An inspiring example of mother-daughter job relation.

D．The potential for family members to volunteer together.

5 . Surprised to see such a poorly ___________ (dress) boy selling flowers, people would buy one or two. （所给词的适当形式填空）

6 . On the bustling streets of Sydney, Australia, Dong Min, a young Chinese woman, dressed in elegant Chinese traditional clothing — hanfu, gracefully holds a dizi, the bamboo flute of China, fascinating passersby with the melodies of traditional Chinese music.

Dong Min, a talented musician was born in 1990. Seeing a female performer playing the bamboo flute on TV fired her interest in this Chinese traditional instrument at the age of 8. Soon her interest blossomed into talent. At the age of 10, winning a provincial-level Chinese musical instrument competition earned her one of only four spots for further studies in Beijing. After graduating from Minzu University of China with a major in Chinese bamboo flute in 2015, she enrolled at the University of New South Wales in Australia to study cultural leadership where she initiated street performances, featuring Chinese traditional instruments. One year later, she formed a band and founded the Sydney Meya Institute of Chinese Music to teach various Chinese traditional instruments to more people.

Apart from street performances and her institution, Dong also offers online dizi lessons to a global audience and organizes online exchange concerts for her students worldwide. “Our students range from 4-year-olds to 80-year-olds, reflecting the timeless appeal of Chinese music across generations,” Dong said.

Her effort paid off eventually. Her performances grew in popularity. Many audiences traveled all the way from cities like Melbourne and Brisbane to Sydney just to attend her performances.” Many music schools now offer courses on Chinese instruments. I hope to create a platform for music enthusiasts to connect and cultivate friendships through their shared love for music. Thus, we can not only raise awareness of Chinese traditional music in Australia but also share the richness of Chinese culture through music with the international audience.” Dong Min said.

1. Which of the following is true?

A．Dong Min founded the institution at 26.

B．Dong Min taught dizi through street performances.

C．Dong Min majored in Chinese bamboo flute in Australia.

D．Dong Min wished to gain popularity through her performances.

2. How is paragraph 2 mainly developed?

A．By analyzing reasons.	B．By providing examples.
C．By making comparisons.	D．By following time order.

3. Which of the following can best describe Dong Min?

A．Brave and humorous.	B．Gifted and passionate.
C．Creative and stubborn.	D．Patient and experienced.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Chinese Traditional Music: From China to Australia.

B．Bamboo Flute: Chinese Instrument Shared in Australia.

C．Dong Min: A Culture Messenger Bridging Cultures through Music.

D．Dong Min: A Talented Chinese Girl Spreading Chinese Instruments.

7 . On 17 September 2023, Senior 1 student Charlie Robson was enjoying his dinner at the stand when there came a sudden scream from the boy next to his table, who accidentally swallowed the plastic wrapper stuck to the bottom of his food.

Seeing him unable to cough it up, the boy’s mother was immediately filled with fear as she stood there, patting his son’s back anxiously. “Somebody help! My son is going to choke with the wrapper in his throat.”

Charlie noticed that the boy’s face had turned complete purple. He knew he must take action immediately. Otherwise, the boy’s life was in great danger. Charlie quickly ran behind the boy and started doing the Heimlich maneuver (海姆立克急救法) whose theory is to push air through the airway to force whatever is in there out. Minutes later, the plastic wrapper was eventually forced out and the boy began to breathe again.

Seeing the boy was safe, Charlie rushed to the school without knowing his act of kindness went viral after someone in the scene posted the video on Tik Tok. Charlie’s father said, “I’m so proud of my son. He is a brave boy with great responsibility. He didn’t tell me what had happened until I saw the video on Tik Tok.”

Plus, the boy’s mother wrote to the headmaster, saying “The student who saved my son’s life the other day is really a hero. We’re so grateful that he stepped in to help when my son was faced with such a dangerous situation. Thanks so much for educating such well-rounded students with good moral virtues.” In response to the letter, Jimmy Mehwish, the headmaster of the school, said, “At the very beginning of the semester, Charlie has set a great example for all the students. His kindness really sets a tone for everyone else.”

1. How did the boy’s mother feel after he ate the plastic wrapper?

A．Concerned.

B．Scared.

C．Upset.

D．Embarrassed.

2. What does the underlined phrase “went viral” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Be attacked by viruses on social media.

B．Be sold to make a profit on social media.

C．Became familiar with fans on social media.

D．Spread quickly and widely on social media.

3. What do we know about Charlie?

A．He is afraid of his father.

B．He is a brave boy of few words.

C．He dislikes the attention from Tik Tok.

D．He thought little about his act of kindness.

4. What can we infer from Jimmy’s words?

A．Charlie is a well-rounded student.

B．The boy’s mother is grateful to Charlie.

C．Other students should learn from Charlie.

D．Charlie is responsible for the boy’s safety.

8 . Summer vacation approaching, want your kids to explore something meaningful rather than being glued to the screens? Bring your kids to the Sarek National Theme Garden which combines a fascinating hike with an amazing opportunity to learn some knowledge about the unique carvings.

The garden, founded in 1979, is famous for its blossoms and the exhibition of rock carvings. Every year, countless visitors come to enjoy the spectacular blossoms, view the unique exhibition and participate in various educational activities.

Now let’s start the journey with admiring the beauty of the local blossoms, ranging from lotuses to Begonia flowers along the paths. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the unique exhibition, featuring a wide range of rock carvings by experienced craftsmen with professionals introducing them in detail.

Rules:

Don’t pick the flowers or shake the trees while enjoying the blossoms.

Pets are not allowed except guided dogs to serve people with disabilities.

Don’t touch the carvings with your hands except the particular ones.

Opening hours:

Tuesday — Sunday: 9 am-5 pm.

Prices:

Adult: ¥75 (a 10% discount before June 16, 2024)

Child (6-18): ¥35

Child under 6: Free

All visitors including children under 6 need tickets to enter the garden. Tickets are available at the Visitors Service Center. Also you can book tickets in advance online.

1. For whom the passage is intended?

A．Parents.

B．Children.

C．Guides.

D．Professionals.

2. How much should a couple with their 7-year-old twins pay if they buy tickets on July 15, 2024?

A．¥135.

B．¥185.

C．¥205.

D．¥220.

3. What do we know about the garden?

A．It opens on weekdays.

B．It offers educational activities.

C．It has a history of over half a century.

D．Children under 6 can enter the garden without a ticket.

9 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个恰当的单词或者括号内单词的正确形式。（原创）

Mamianqun, also known as “Horse-faced Skirt”, is     1     kind of traditional Chinese dress. Actually, the name “Mamianqun” has nothing to do with the animal. There is a theory that the “skirt doors” of Mamianqun     2     (close) look like “Ma Mian”, a kind of structure used for defense on the ancient city walls, so the skirt got the name “Mamianqun”. But this is still a question to be verified.

Mamianqun, dating back     3     the Song Dynasty, had become the most typical style for women by the Ming and Qing dynasties. It became prominent due to     4     (it) use by nobility and the rich as a status symbol. The style of Mamianqun     5     (go) through a series of changes since it emerged. However, the “Ma Mian” structure has always been deeply rooted.

Silk, the most revered (受尊敬的) fabric in ancient China, was the     6     (prefer) material for making a Mamianqun, particularly for the upper class of society. Mamianqun has numerous pleats (褶) on either side,     7     (create) uniquely beautiful and graceful waves when walking. The most attractive aspect is the elegant patterns on the skirt     8     represent people’s beautiful aspirations in Chinese clothing culture, such as the Depiction of Birds Adoring the Phoenix and Prosperity and Blooming Flowers.

Mamianqun, with deep historical roots, has transitioned into modern fashion, where it serves as a bridge between the past     9     present. Nowadays, Mamianqun is gaining increasing     10     (popular) among both Chinese and foreigners.

10 . Internet addiction is a common problem that can be just as damaging as any other form of addiction.     1    

Charge devices in another room at night to prevent bedtime browsing. Bedtime browsing can interfere with your sleep due to the blue light your smart phone emits, so stopping bedtime browsing may help you to sleep better. If you often browse the internet on your phone while lying in bed, prevent yourself from doing this by charging your phone in another room of the house.     2    

Remove social media apps from your phone. If you find yourself picking up your phone and going on the internet every time you get a notification, delete the social media apps on your phone.     3     This may help to prevent you from accessing these apps on and off all day.

    4     Exercising, writing, and doing crossword puzzles are all better alternatives to mindlessly browsing the internet. If you want to reduce the time on the internet but aren’t sure what to do with the extra time, identify some meaningful activities that you enjoy and pick one to do instead when you’re feeling the urge to go online.

Reach out to friends and family to build more in-person connections. If you’re longing for social interaction, call up a friend and make plans to do something fun, or arrange a family dinner or game night.     5     look into a special interest group that you can join. Attend in-person meetings to connect with other people sharing your interests, and you can make new friends and distract yourself from the internet.

A．Use relaxation techniques to reduce stress.

B．Replace internet use with a healthy activity.

C．If you don’t have friends or family who you can turn to,

D．When you feel bored and want to do something to kill time,

E．Make it a rule that you can only check them on your computer.

F．If you rely too much on the internet, the following strategies may help you.

G．In this case, read a book or use a relaxation technique to help you wind down.