1 . The Mona Lisa is the famous Leonardo da Vinci painting of a woman with a mysterious smile. This week, the painting gave up a secret.

Scientists using X-rays to examine the chemical structure of a small part of the painting discovered a technique Leonardo used in the work. An oil paint used for it was a special, new chemical mixture, which suggests that the Italian artist was in an experimental mood when he worked on the painting in the 16th century.

“He loved to experiment, and each of his paintings is completely different technically,”said Victor Gonzalez, a chemist who has studied the chemical element (成分) of several works by Leonardo and other artists. The researchers found a rare lead compound (铅化合物) — plumbonacrite, in Leonardo’s first layer of paint. The discovery proved that da Vinci most likely used lead oxide to thicken and help dry his paint. The paint in the study is about the thickness of a human hair, lying in the top right area of the painting.

The scientists looked into its atomic structure using X-rays, moving particles at the speed of light, permitting researchers to look deeper into the paint structure. “ Plumbonacrite is really a fingerprint of his recipe, as it’s the first time we can chemically confirm it,” Gonzalez said.

Dutch artist Rembrandt may have used a similar mixture when he was painting in the 17th century. Gonzalez and other researchers have found plumbonacrite in his work, too. Leonardo is thought to have put lead oxide powder, which has an orange color, in the oil to make it thicker and dry faster. “What you will get is an oil that has a very nice golden color,” Gonzalez said. “It flows more like honey.”

But the Mona Lisa — said by the Louvre to be a portrait (肖像) of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine silk businessman — and additional works by Leonardo still have other secrets to tell. “What we are saying is just a little brick in the knowledge,” Gonzalez said.

1. What’s the new discovery about the Mona Lisa?

A．A new explanation of the secret smile.

B．A new chemical element used in the painting.

C．The secret of the woman in the painting.

D．The structure of the paint da Vinci used.

2. Which best explains the underlined word “fingerprint” in paragraph 4?

A．Open secret.

B．Widespread use.

C．Hidden element.

D．Long-term dream.

3. How does Gonzalez view the use of lead oxide powder in paintings?

A．It helps to make many things into paints.

B．It helps to make paints easy to deal with.

C．It helps to keep the paintings last long.

D．It helps to make paintings rich in color.

4. What can we learn about the Mona Lisa from the last paragraph?

A．It has more secrets to tell the world.

B．It’s the portrait of a silk businessman.

C．It’s well kept in bricks in the Louvre.

D．It has a mixture of different art styles.

2 . As a child, I was fascinated by the world of theater and began taking classes at the age of 7. Throughout my teenage years, I actively _________ plays, television shows, and movies. _________ provided me with an opportunity to explore and _________ things that I may not have had the courage to attempt in real life. One of the most significant _________ of acting was the ability to step outside of my comfort zone and transform into someone else, _________ and bold on stage.

Despite this, in my everyday life, I was often plagued (困扰) by _________ and hesitance. Acting allowed me to explore different time periods and _________, as I donned (穿上) various costumes and immersed (投入) myself in different eras and worlds. I played a variety of _________, ranging from aliens to ringmasters, and _________ a diverse set of skills along the way.

Performing was an excellent way for me to __________ my shyness and inhibitions. I gained a newfound confidence in myself and learned to be more __________ and daring. __________, after a while, I grew tired of living inside someone else’s __________ and was ready to forge (打造) my own path. I was fortunate to have received unwavering __________ and guidance from my family, who had always __________ me of the importance of education and self-worth.

Looking back, my time as a __________ actor was a period of significant self-discovery and __________. Through acting, I gained __________ insights into myself and the world around me. I will always be __________ for the experiences and lessons I __________ during my time in the spotlight.

1.

A．participated in

B．carried out

C．dealt with

D．applied for

2.

A．Studying

B．Dancing

C．Acting

D．Teaching

3.

A．predict

B．confirm

C．influence

D．experience

4.

A．results

B．benefits

C．features

D．rules

5.

A．generous

B．familiar

C．confident

D．strange

6.

A．curiosity

B．excitement

C．misunderstanding

D．nervousness

7.

A．places

B．cities

C．groups

D．cultures

8.

A．sports

B．roles

C．matches

D．songs

9.

A．missed

B．challenged

C．changed

D．acquired

10.

A．overcome

B．ignore

C．remove

D．hide

11.

A．adventurous

B．casual

C．skillful

D．funny

12.

A．Moreover

B．Therefore

C．Otherwise

D．However

13.

A．task

B．plan

C．story

D．future

14.

A．persuasion

B．support

C．permission

D．comfort

15.

A．reminded

B．inform

C．assured

D．warned

16.

A．emotional

B．creative

C．popular

D．professional

17.

A．freedom

B．growth

C．adaptation

D．satisfaction

18.

A．suitable

B．acceptable

C．valuable

D．flexible

19.

A．eager

B．sorry

C．grateful

D．ready

20.

A．heard

B．supposed

C．expected

D．learned

3 . Many years ago, I bought a house in the Garfagnana, where we still go every summer. The first time we ______ there, we heard the chug chug-chug of a motorbike ______ its way down the hill toward us. It was ______ called Mario, coming to ______ us a box containing some tomatoes and a bottle of wine. It was a very nice ______ for him to make. But when we looked at the tomatoes, we were ______ because they were so misshapen: not at all like the nice, round, ______ things you get in a supermarket. And the wine was cloudy, in a funny old bottle with no label (标签) on it. These can’t be any ______, we thought. But we were ______ his kindness, so we ______ them.

What we discovered is that it’s ______ to judge what you eat only by its ______. Those tomatoes had ______ that reminded me of the ones my uncle used to grow when I was a child. Nowadays supermarket tomatoes ______ perfect but taste of water. Nobody’s going to have a ______ memory of those. It’s a surprise they haven’t managed to grow square ones so that they can ______ them easily. Mario’s wine may have been cloudy and come out of an old bottle, but it was ______.

It’s good to eat things at the correct time, when they’re ______, and as close as possible to where they were ______. What Mario had ______ us was the taste of the Garfagnana.

1.

A．waited

B．met

C．camped

D．stayed

2.

A．making

B．searching

C．squeezing

D．feeling

3.

A．customer

B．neighbor

C．relative

D．passenger

4.

A．lend

B．send

C．bring

D．show

5.

A．choice

B．comment

C．promise

D．gesture

6.

A．worried

B．moved

C．thrilled

D．bored

7.

A．simple

B．real

C．shiny

D．fun

8.

A．more

B．good

C．new

D．easy

9.

A．sympathetic to

B．thankful for

C．cautious about

D．interested in

10.

A．tried

B．sold

C．returned

D．mixed

11.

A．unnecessary

B．uncertain

C．unwise

D．unusual

12.

A．appearance

B．quality

C．origin

D．price

13.

A．size

B．shape

C．color

D．taste

14.

A．smell

B．look

C．become

D．work

15.

A．happy

B．vivid

C．short

D．vague

16.

A．clean

B．check

C．count

D．pack

17.

A．perfect

B．useful

C．convenient

D．familiar

18.

A．on view

B．on sale

C．in season

D．in need

19.

A．finished

B．stored

C．found

D．grown

20.

A．cooked

B．given

C．bought

D．told

4 . One day, Vinod Menon, the head of the physics department at the City College of New York, who had to face the unpleasant task of going through almost a year of COVID-lockdown office mail, opened a 9-month-old package, only to find it contained $180,000.

Piled notes in 50s and 100s wrapped in paper bands, a letter, and a return address to an alias were all that accompanied the parcel addressed to “Head of the Physics Department.” “I’ve never seen this kind of money in real life in cash form except in movies,” Menon told CNN. “That really floored me, so I just did not know how to react.”

The sender evidently had unshakable faith in the US postal system, and desired to send the cash to poor students looking to pursue physics and other sciences. City College of New York is one of the most-productive public university systems, and the physics department is particularly outstanding. Three Nobelists in physics received their education there, and in 1921 Albert Einstein gave one of his first lectures at the campus.

“Assuming that you are a bit curious as to why I am doing this, the reason is straightforward,” the letter read, continuing to explain that its writer had, many years ago, taken advantage of the “excellent educational opportunity” available at City College to study physics, earn a master’s, and pursue a “long, productive, rewarding scientific career.”

The alias return address was to Kyle Paisley, a name absent from the university’s graduation logs, at a house in Pensacola, Florida, whose owners apparently had no idea of the donation. After a two-month long investigation revealing nothing linking the money to criminal activity, the Board of Trustees held a vote and decided to keep the money. Dr Menon noted that the gift would provide for two fully-funded scholarships every year for a decade.

1. How did Vinod Menon most likely feel when seeing the cash?

A．Shocked.

B．Ashamed.

C．Worried.

D．Excited.

2. Why was Albert Einstein mentioned in the text?

A．To introduce Einstein’s achievements.

B．To prove that it is not easy to win a Nobel Prize.

C．To show the excellence of the physics department.

D．To tell that Einstein received education in the physics department.

3. Which words can best describe the writer of the letter?

A．Generous and grateful.	B．Athletic and cautious.
C．Brave and professional.	D．Cooperative and caring.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The writer of the letter was eventually found.

B．Dr Menon was in charge of keeping the money.

C．The school was careful when handling the money.

D．Kyle Paisley is a graduate of the physics department.

5 . 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。

Tibet was a region I was desperate to see,     1     its remoteness and my inability to go delayed my journey. Last summer, my brother and I finally decided to take the trip.

We set off at the Guangzhou train station and three days later, we arrived in Lhasa. The trip certainly took a while; however, we     2     (reward) with the most beautiful views and made friends along the way, all at a     3     (low) cost than flying.

We started our tour of Lhasa watching pilgrims(朝圣者)doing their morning prayers,     4    (comprehensive) exploring the palace. We had an incredible lunch at one of the best restaurants in Lhasa,     5     offered a beautiful view overlooking the Jokhang Temple.

Then we started our journey to the Qomolangma base camp    6     road from Lhasa. Along the way we stopped     7     (admire) the Yamdrok Lake. Its beauty was beyond     8    (describe).

About a week later, we arrived. We stayed in a guesthouse just next to the base camp and after dropping off our luggage,     9     (head) straight outside to see the Mt. Qomolangma. The tip of the mountain emerged through the clouds,     10     (astonish) us with its unbelievable height. The clouds parted and we watched the sunset over the peak.

6 . Eating fruits and vegetables is part of keeping a healthy diet. Health experts ______ people should eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. A(n) ______ way to remember this is to try to eat each color of the rainbow (彩虹) ______. This is because different colored fruits and vegetables contain different vitamins and minerals. ______ you eat one of each color each day, you are sure to ______ the necessary nutrition your body needs.

______ fruits and vegetables is good for the heart. There are many delicious ______ in this group. Have an apple with lunch. You can ______ have a red pepper for a hot tasty small meal. ______ some tomatoes and put them on your sandwich. Or ______ you can have strawberries after dinner. When you ______ red, your heart works better.

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. Vitamin C helps the ______ protect itself against disease. In this way it helps your body stay in good health. ______, these wonderful foods are good for your sight. So it is a great ______   to have a glass of orange juice with breakfast. Then put some peaches in your lunchbox. Are you afraid of catching a cold? ______ that from happening by eating a juicy tangerine (a type of small sweet orange).

Green fruits and vegetables have long been widely known as healthy foods. ______, they are especially good for keeping teeth and bones strong. When you eat green, your smile will thank you! Your bones will thank you too!

Blue and purple fruits and vegetables are useful to the ______. They help with memory. Put blueberries in your bowl. You can easily ______ where you put your keys!

Eating the rainbow is an easy way to ______ yourself. So make your eating habits a little more ______!

1.

A．forget

B．suggest

C．expect

D．doubt

2.

A．useful

B．difficult

C．old

D．strange

3.

A．safely

B．directly

C．slowly

D．daily

4.

A．Until

B．Unless

C．If

D．Although

5.

A．receive

B．know

C．share

D．discover

6.

A．Orange

B．Green

C．Blue

D．Red

7.

A．vegetables

B．smells

C．choices

D．drinks

8.

A．again

B．also

C．yet

D．only

9.

A．Taste

B．Grow

C．Pick

D．Cut

10.

A．perhaps

B．nearly

C．rather

D．finally

11.

A．eat

B．find

C．see

D．turn

12.

A．heart

B．body

C．head

D．mouth

13.

A．Instead

B．However

C．Besides

D．Next

14.

A．habit

B．dream

C．chance

D．fact

15.

A．Treat

B．Test

C．Enjoy

D．Prevent

16.

A．On purpose

B．As usual

C．In fact

D．At last

17.

A．brain

B．nose

C．teeth

D．bones

18.

A．prove

B．remember

C．describe

D．explain

19.

A．rely on

B．believe in

C．learn from

D．care for

20.

A．social

B．formal

C．colorful

D．personal

7 . A British woman who won a S1 million prize after she was named the World's Best Teacher will use the cash to bring inspirational figures into UK schools.

Andria Zafirakou,a north London secondary school teacher, said she wanted to bring about a classroom revolution (变革). “We are going to make a change, ”she said.“I’ve started a project to promote the teaching of the arts in our schools.”

The project results from the difficulties many schools have in getting artists of any sort - whether an up-and-coming local musician or a major movie star - into schools to work with and inspire children.

Zafirakou began the project at Alperton Community School, her place of work for the past twelve years. “I've seen those magic moments when children are talking to someone they are inspired by - their eyes are shining and their faces light up,” she said. “We need artists . more than ever in our schools."

Artist Michael Craig-Martin said: “Andria's brilliant project to bring artists from all fields into direct contact with children is particularly welcome at a time when the arts are being downgraded in schools." It was a mistake to see the arts as unnecessary, he added.

Historian Sir Simon Schama is also a supporter of the project. He said that arts education in schools was not just an add-on. “It is absolutely necessary. The future depends on creativity and creativity depends on the young. What will remain of us when artificial intelligence takes over will be our creativity, and it is our creative spirit, our visionary sense of freshness,that has been our strength for centuries."

1. What will Zafirakou do with her prize money?

A．Make a movie.	B．Build new schools.
C．Run a project.	D．Help local musicians.

2. What does Craig-Martin think of the teaching of the arts in UK schools?

A．It is particularly difficult.	B．It increases artists' income.
C．It opens children's mind.	D．It deserves greater attention.

3. What should be stressed in school education according to Schama?

A．Moral principles.	B．Interpersonal skills.
C．Creative abilities.	D．Positive worldviews.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Bring Artists to Schools	B．When Historians Meet Artists
C．Arts Education in Britain	D．The World's Best Arts Teacher

8 . My mother is 92. Unless I have to be out of town, each week I take my mother to do her _______ and visit the doctor, providing _______ and transportation. During the week, however, she likes to go to a nearby store to _______ some small things she needs.

Last week she walked up to the store, but when she went to pay for her groceries, she was _______ about three dollars. The only _______ to pay for the groceries was to take off the _______ she could do without: a bottle of rubbing alcohol (医用酒精) and a bar of soap. By taking off these, she was able to _______ the new total to the amount of cash she had with her.

At this store, people _______ and then go off to the side to _______ their own groceries. My mother was putting her groceries into shopping bags when a ________ came up to her and said, “Here are the things that you ________ .” handing her the rubbing alcohol and the ________ . My mother, who is never speechless, was speechless. She ________ for the woman’s name and address so that she could ________ her. The woman told her it was her ________ .

My mother was so ________ by her gesture that she decided to go back to the store and give the cashier (收银员) a five-dollar bill to keep on hand ________ the same happened to someone else if they didn’t have enough ________ for all of their groceries.

So, whoever you are, thank you for the random act of ________ that not only helped my mother out, but ________ too.

1.

A．exercise

B．housework

C．cooking

D．shopping

2.

A．reward

B．medicine

C．company

D．shelter

3.

A．return

B．collet

C．order

D．buy

4.

A．short

B．cautious

C．wrong

D．concerned

5.

A．aim

B．way

C．advice

D．reason

6.

A．weight

B．things

C．mask

D．glasses

7.

A．raise

B．add

C．bring

D．switch

8.

A．show up

B．call in

C．check out

D．sit down

9.

A．store

B．select

C．deliver

D．bag

10.

A．stranger

B．cashier

C．friend

D．doctor

11.

A．looked for

B．talked about

C．threw away

D．put back

12.

A．receipt

B．soap

C．cash

D．bottle

13.

A．asked

B．waited

C．cared

D．searched

14.

A．repay

B．trust

C．recognize

D．help

15.

A．luck

B．chance

C．gift

D．turn

16.

A．surprised

B．amused

C．touched

D．convinced

17.

A．in case

B．even if

C．as though

D．so that

18.

A．energy

B．money

C．space

D．time

19.

A．faith

B．courage

C．kindness

D．honor

20.

A．made her day

B．changed her mind

C．caught her eye

D．met her demand

9 . When I was 9, we packed up our home in Los Angeles and arrived at Heathrow, London on a gray January morning. Everyone in the family settled quickly into the city except me. Without my beloved beaches and endless blue—sky days, I felt at a loss and out of place. Until I made a discovery.

Southbank, at an eastern bend in the Thames, is the center of British skateboarding, where the continuous crashing of skateboards left your head ringing .I loved it. I soon made friends with the local skaters. We spoke our own language. And my favorite: Safe. Safe meant cool. It meant hello. It meant don’t worry about it. Once, when trying a certain trick on the beam(横杆), I fell onto the stones, damaging a nerve in my hand, and Toby came over, helping me up: Safe, man. Safe. A few minutes later, when I landed the trick, my friends beat their boards loud, shouting: “ Safe! Safe! Safe!” And that’s what mattered—landing tricks, being a good skater.

When I was 15, my family moved to Washington. I tried skateboarding there, but the locals were far less welcoming. Within a couple of years, I’d given it up.

When I returned to London in 2004, I found myself wandering down to Southbank, spending hours there. I’ve traveled back several times since, most recently this past spring. The day was cold but clear: tourists and Londoners stopped to watch the skaters. Weaving(穿梭)among the kids who rushed by on their boards, I found my way to the beam. Then a rail—thin teenager, in a baggy white T—shirt, skidded(滑)up to the beam. He sat next to me. He seemed not to notice the man next to him. But soon I caught a few of his glances. “I was a local here 20 years ago,” I told him. Then, slowly, he began to nod his head. “Safe, man. Safe.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Safe.”

1. What can we learn about the author soon after he moved to London?

A．He felt disappointed.	B．He gave up his hobby.
C．He liked the weather there.	D．He had disagreements with his family.

2. What do the underlined words “Safe! Safe! Safe!” probably mean?

A．Be careful!

B．Well done!

C．No way!

D．Don’t worry!

3. Why did the author like to spend time in Southbank when he returned to London?

A．To join the skateboarding.	B．To make new friends.
C．To learn more tricks.	D．To relive his childhood days

4. What message does the author seem to convey in the text?

A．Children should learn a second language.

B．Sport is necessary for children’s health.

C．Children need a sense of belonging

D．Seeing the world is a must for children.

10 . According to Jessica Hagy, author of How to Be Interesting, it’s not difficult to make yourself interesting at a dinner party.

    1    , if you’re out of your comfort zone or if you’re wandering into somebody’s house for the first time. So the main thing is just to show up and be adventurous, trying different foods and talking to strangers.

People love to talk about themselves. If you can start the conversation with a question other than “What do you do for a living?”, you’ll be able to get a lot more interesting conversation out of whomever it is you’re talking to.     2    , it can bring in “I have this old, broken-down vehicle” or “I rode the bus with these crazy people who were laughing at silly jokes in the back.” It just opens up conversation.

    3    ? If you can’t take their wine away, you should certainly try to take away their soapbox (讲台). If you’re the host, you can ask them to help you in the kitchen with something and just remove them from the situation.    4    .

And what about that other dinner-party killer: awkward silence? If you’re faced with an awkward silence at a dinner party, the only thing that always gets everyone talking again is to give the host a compliment (赞扬).     5    . Just quickly turn around and say, “This cake is extremely delicious and you have to tell me all about it.”

So being interesting at a dinner party isn’t that hard.

A．How do you know the host

B．The first step is to go exploring

C．If you ask the question “How did you get here?”

D．Be prepared to have awkward conversations with strangers

E．Or turn the conversation into a topic where they have little to say

F．What about that person who had too much to drink or won’t stop talking

G．He or she is the person who is feeling the weight of that awkwardness the most