2 . 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。

When he was a boy, Marco was so shy. He always hid behind his hair, which he wore long around his face and cars. To make it worse, Marco was naturally shorter than the other kids. And because his good marks had allowed him to skip to the higher grade, he was younger than everyone else. This added nothing to his already low self-confidence.

Marco’s father was so busy with his work that Marco felt that his father had little time for him.

Except for his demands for excellent performances in school, communication didn’t exist. It seemed to Marco the only time his dad ever spoke to him was to be demanding or critical. Therefore, Marco sank further into his low self-confidence and felt unappreciated, depressed and confused.

One day his father, already tired after a long day, tripped over (被绊倒) Marco’s bike in the garage. He put the blame on Marco’s not placing the bike in the right way. Hearing this, Marco couldn’t bear and shouted to his father: “No matter how hard I tried, I could never do anything right!”Marco ran to his room angrily and sadly, leaving his father standing frozen there for a long time.

Two days later, his aunt called him. She said she had just seen some young teenagers participate in a public speaking contest. She thought he should give it a try. She told him she firmly believed he could perform on stage like the other kids, since she had seen his humorous performance for the family at Christmas.

Marco was extremely shocked. Him? On stage? In a public speaking contest? To agree would be contrary to his entire shy personality. But Aunt Ginette was so confident and seemed really serious. Feeling her strong belief, Marco went against everything he had ever done or felt, and agreed to enter the contest. All that winter, Marco tried his best to practice. He was taken by an energy he never felt before. However, all this seemed to bring no changes to his father. His father just feared it would take away from his homework time and impact his marks.

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。

Four months later, the speaking contest arrived.

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When Marco saw his father’s face, he found his father’s eyes shining with joy.

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4 . 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。

Prihardinni, from the Indonesian city of Surabaya, is amazed at how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)     1    (continue) to develop since she began studying it a year ago.

The 20-year-old arrived in China in 2019 and initially studied Chinese in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi. She is     2     (current) a freshman at the Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, the only university in Northwest China permitted to grant a doctoral degree in TCM,     3     is a medical system with thousands of years of history and widespread international     4     (popular).

When Prihardinni was 10 years old, she suffered     5     continuous headaches. So, her mother took her to see a TCM doctor near their home. The doctor checked her pulse, examined her face and tongue, and wrote down a prescription (处方). After several     6     (week)of consuming the bitter herbal medicine, her symptoms were relieved, and she found comfort.

“His medical skills were like magic.” Prihardinni recalls. The memory of being cured by TCM was remembered in Prihardinni’s heart and it encouraged her     7    (pursue) TCM study majoring in the clinical science of Chinese and Western medicines.

“People in my country are becoming increasingly interested in TCM.     8     (vary) social media vloggers are documenting their experiences with Chinese medicine.” Prihardinni says,     9     (add) that she plans to return to her hometown after graduation and open a TCM clinic. “I want to tell my friends and relatives that Chinese medicine is also     10     good and trustworthy choice.”

6 . When you have work to do, would you rather work at home, in an office, or at a café? For many, the answer would be a café. There is no doubt that the caffeine in coffee can provide some energy to help us work.     1     Therefore, it’s no surprise that cafes are often full of people working hard on their laptops.

    2     Some scientists suggest that background music, people chatting, or the sound of making drinks actually helps people improve their concentration. These noises provide just enough stimulation to help people focus on a task without becoming annoyed or letting their minds wander.

Another theory has to do with social psychology. Research has found that people are often more productive when they have an audience. In a setting like a café, people may be encouraged to increase their focus when they are surrounded by others who are also hard at work.     3    

For many writers, cafés are the best places to go when an important deadline is coming up. The Manuscript Writing Cafe in Japan has decided to target writers that need to get their work done quickly.     4     That means comic book artists and authors as well as songwriters are also welcome.

What makes the Manuscript Writing Café even more unique is that customers have to announce their writing goals for the day to the cafe staff.     5     In other words, work slowly and you’ ll pay for it. What’s more, they aren’t allowed to leave until they have completed their work for the day.

A．Why are some people more productive in cafés?

B．This special café opened in Tokyo in April 2022.

C．The brain might consider others working nearby as competitors.

D．Customers are also charged for each half-hour they stay at the café.

E．But on top of that, a lot of people just seem to work more efficiently there.

F．It won’t let customers take a seat unless they do a writing or artistic project.

G．The staff will check on their progress every hour and ensure that they’ re being productive.

7 . A daily multivitamin and mineral supplement (补充物) may reduce cognitive (认知的) decline in older people, according to a US study that is the first to demonstrate that they may benefit ageing brain function.

The trial, involving more than 2,200 over-65s, suggests daily supplements may slow cognitive decline by about 60%, or nearly two years, with the most substantial effects seen in older people with a history of heart attack.

While experts in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia (痴呆症) are encouraged by the findings, they say larger studies are needed to confirm the effect before recommending daily multivitamins to protect older people from cognitive decline.

“We provide the first evidence in a long-term trial of older women and men that daily use of a safe multivitamin-mineral can improve cognition,” the researchers wrote in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, the journal of the Chicago-based Alzheimer’s Association. “This finding could have important public health indications for brain health and resistance to future cognitive decline.”

Researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston investigated whether a daily cocoa extract or multivitamins with minerals improved memory and other mental tasks in 2,262 older people. The researchers rated participants’ “global cognition” before and during the three-year trial through tests involving word lists, number problems, verbal fluency and story recall.

Cocoa extract is rich in substances called flavanols and past research suggested they might benefit brain function. The latest trial found daily cocoa supplements made no difference to cognitive performance.

Daily multivitamin-mineral supplements, however, appeared to improve cognitive scores, in particular for those with heart attack. The results suggest “either greater relative improvement or more protection from cognitive decline”, the authors wrote.

Prof Laura Baker, co-principal investigator on the Cosmos study at Wake Forest University, said: “While these initial findings are promising, additional research is needed in a larger and more diverse group of people. Also, we still have work to do to better understand why the multivitamin might benefit cognition in older adults.”

1. What does the US study show according to the passage?

A．Elderly people suffer from cognitive decline.

B．Cognitive decline leads to worse brain function.

C．Seniors get heart attack due to cognitive decline.

D．Multivitamins and minerals help to slow cognitive decline.

2. What can we know about the participants in the trial?

A．They improved memory and other mental tasks after the trial.

B．They took tests like word lists and number problems for two years.

C．They improved cognitive performance greatly after taking cocoa extract.

D．They boosted cognitive scores after taking multivitamins and minerals.

3. How do the researchers mainly conduct the study?

A．By comparing different groups.

B．By summarizing historical reports.

C．By filling up questionnaires.

D．By examining medical records.

4. Which statement will Prof Laura Baker probably agree with?

A．The findings turn out to be of little significance to older adults.

B．It is clear why multivitamins reduce cognitive decline.

C．Further study should be conducted in a larger population.

D．There is an urgent need to recommend multivitamins to the old.

8 . It’s picking season at Christian Nachtwey’s organic orchard (果园) in western Germany and laborers are loading their vehicles with ripe apples. But Nachtwey’s farm is also obtaining a second harvest: Many of the apple trees grow beneath solar panels that have been producing electricity, while providing the fruit below with much-needed shade.

“The idea is simple,” said Nachtwey. “To protect the orchard, without reducing the available growing surface and in particular maintaining production. On top of that, there’s the solar electricity being generated on the same land.” Large-scale solar installations on farmland are becoming increasingly popular, as farmers seek to make the most of their land and establish a second source of revenue (收益).

Getting the right mix of crop and solar is hard, because modern fruit varieties are finely used to particular growing conditions. Any change can tip the balance, costing farmers revenue if their fruit is damaged, the wrong color or not as sweet as consumers like. That’s why Nachtwey is cooperating with researchers to test which apple varieties thrive under the solar roofs, and which types of solar roofs are best suited for the orchard. To compare the results, some trees are covered with a conventional net normally used to protect sensitive crops from hail (冰雹).

Juergen Zimmer, an expert with the agricultural services department of Rhineland-Palatinate state, said the apples grown under the solar roofs were slightly less sweet this year than those under the hail nets. But hardly any of the solar-shaded apples got damaged in the intense sunlight that hit the region on July 24 this year, while up to 18% of the uncovered fruit suffered sunburn that day, he said. “We need at least two to three full years to record all the weather conditions that might occur, and look at the output and color that the different varieties of tree produce,” said Zimmer.

Researchers hope the tests will show that tree fruit crops thrive under solar panels. This could help prevent renewable energy production from competing for precious land with agriculture — a growing concern for those seeking to tackle climate change and rising food prices.

1. What can we know about the idea of putting solar panels in the orchard?

A．Trees provide solar panels with much-needed shade.

B．Farmers grow fewer trees as solar panels cover the land.

C．Solar panels significantly decrease the output of ripe apples.

D．The model makes it possible for farmers to make extra profits.

2. What may happen if Nachtwey doesn’t get the right mix of crop and solar?

A．He may get more revenues.	B．Solar panels may not work.
C．The color of panels may change.	D．Fruit may be difficult to sell.

3. What did Juergen Zimmer find in his test?

A．A net can protect crops from hail.

B．Solar-shaded apples have a better taste.

C．Solar roofs shade apples from sunburn.

D．Sunburn does more harm to apples than hail.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Solar panels compete with agriculture for land.

B．A farmer tries solar roofs on an apple orchard.

C．Solar panels provide renewable energy for agriculture.

D．Experts fight against climate change and rising food prices.

9 . When students from Lithgow visited wetlands near their primary school, they quickly picked up on a problem: there was nowhere for turtles.

“A bunch of students said there are no logs or rocks here, so where are they going to bask (晒太阳)?” says Associate Professor Ricky Spencer from Western Sydney University. The question was raised as part of a project in which year 5 and 6 students were attempting to understand their local environment and what it needed to thrive (兴旺). The students had just learned that in spring, turtles have to bask on a rock or log to create eggs.

The students are now conducting research and developing a proposal to present to their local council for the introduction of new basking areas, such as logs or human-made platforms. “That is pretty powerful, for year 5 and year 6 students to actually know how to make change,” Spencer says. “We want kids to understand why conservation measures are important.”

Led by Western Sydney University, the Turtles in Schools program aims to encourage an informed future generation that will take care of the environment. It is currently in a trial phase, with select New South Wales schools hosting turtles in classrooms and visiting nearby wetlands. By 2023, up to 10 turtle tanks will be installed (安装) in schools. By 2024, the program will be available to all year 5 and 6 classrooms across Australia.

By guiding experiments on topics such as growth rates and behavioural observations, and introducing schools to activities in their local wetlands, Spencer says this program could encourage students to actually carry their education forward to their day-to-day life.

Presbyterian Ladies’ College has been investing in facilities including a turtle pond for six years. They will be available for nearby schools involved in the Turtles in Schools program. “We want to connect students to the real world, to develop values to look after the environment. Our students become familiar with understanding our relationship to the natural world. We are connected to it. We rely upon it. It isn’t something dispensable,” the principal, Dr Paul Bergis, says.

1. What did students from Lithgow notice when they visited wetlands?

A．Wetlands are shaded from sunlight.

B．Turtles lack areas to get sunlight.

C．Turtles create eggs on logs or rocks.

D．Artificial platforms are introduced to wetlands.

2. What can we know about the Turtles in Schools program?

A．It informs students of turtles’ future generation.

B．It sets up many turtle tanks in wetlands.

C．It selects year 5 and 6 students across Australia.

D．It helps students relate education to daily life.

3. What does the underlined word “dispensable” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Unnecessary.	B．Impossible.
C．Mysterious.	D．Powerful.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Rocks or Logs Help Turtles to Thrive in Wetlands

B．Humans Build a Close Bond with the Natural World

C．Teaching with Turtles Turns Students into Conservationists

D．Hands-on Programs Arouse Students’ Interest in Education

10 . Many people stereotype(对……刻板印象)the college years as four years’ worth of partying. But that’s not true! Many students use their time to create things. Here are some of their amazingly smart inventions.

A Fire Extinguisher That Uses Sound

Created by Seth Robertson and Viet Tran, engineering students at George Mason University, this sonic fire extinguisher uses low-frequency sound waves to put out fire. At just the right frequency — between 30 and 60Hz，the movement of sound waves creates a vacuum (真空), cutting off the fire’s oxygen supply.

A Marker That Tells You When to Apply Sunscreen How many of you have gone to the beach and forgotten to reapply sunscreen? Two University of Waterloo students—Rachel Pautler and Derek Jouppi—invented Suncayr, a marker that tells you when it’s time to reapply your sunscreen. The ink turns color in the presence of UV light, so when you find a purple mark on your skin, you know it’s time to reapply it.

A Device That Turns a Flat Surface into a Computer

Thanks to Pranav Mistry and Liyan Chang, students at MIT, you may be able to wear a computer in the future. They developed a device called SixthSense. You keep a smartphone in your pocket and wear a little camera/projector around your neck. The smartphone and camera/projector work as a team to sense your finger movements, process information, and project information onto a surface—be it a wall, a table, or the palm of your hand.

A Universal Tape Dispenser

Ever find yourself with a roll of tape in your teeth, using your mouth to tear a piece while attempting not to break a tooth? Cooper Union students Deanna Kovalein and Jessica Marshall created a device called Snip It that fits any tape roll and cuts any type of tape. With the push of a button, the tape gets pressed against the sharp edge, which cuts it.

1. Who developed a special invention designed to put out flames?

A．Seth Robertson and Viet Tran.

B．Rachel Pautler and Derek Jouppi.

C．Pranav Mistry and Liyan Chang.

D．Deanna Kovalcin and Jessica Marshall.

2. We can infer that people might check emails displayed on a building by means of ______.

A．The fire extinguisher.	B．Suncayr.
C．SixthSense.	D．Snip It.

3. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To show the fixed images of college students in people’s eyes.

B．To demonstrate inventions that college students created.

C．To motivate college students to come up with innovations.

D．To introduce inventions that make a difference to college students.