1 . 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。

How far can a penny go? Right now, one can quickly say that it wouldn’t get you that much. Or, to be more specific, it’s more of a novelty item now than a currency.

But Ryan Trahan, who is an online media content creator, wanted to prove that a penny can turn into something much more valuable and that the spirit of bartering (以物易物) is still alive and well. His goal will surprise anyone.

In his video, he shared that he would turn his penny into a house. Yes, you’ve read that right. He will barter his way to a house.

The challenge started as tough as you’d expect it to be because who would trade anything for a penny? The first thing he got was a pen. Then, he traded off his pen for a small dinosaur toy. Luckily, he met a dinosaur fan who was more than willing enough to trade it for a tin of mints (薄荷糖) —or at least what’s left of it.

It was a dead end from then on until he met two interesting strangers. Apparently, his campaign of “penny-to-a-house” is gaining attention. It gave him a chance to trade the mints for something of value—gas station earphones.

It snowballed from there. After the earphones, the value of his trade just got bigger when he decided to be creative. He called at a local garage sale and traded the earphones for a vintage Polaroid (老式拍立得) camera. He also gave a shirt, just so he wouldn’t feel bad.

However, it wasn’t as easy as he thought. Trahan thought he struck gold and that it was easy to exchange the camera into something much more valuable. After all, who doesn’t love a vintage camera?

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。

The answer, surprisingly, is “not a lot of people”.

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He got an amazing deal out of the camera for an item that’s three times its value, a piece of land.

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2 . The best science books inspire a sense of wonder and make you amazed at the incredible world we live in. Here are four of them to feed your imagination.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

How did it all begin? And how did we get here? Combining history and science, the book offers a comprehensive yet entertaining answer to these questions. Bill Bryson takes the reader on an impressive journey through the greatest scientific discoveries in history. It explains scientific topics in a vivid way, but it’s quite a long read.

Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe

How do helicopters work? Or cells? Randall Munroe explains how things work using illustrations and only the most common 1,000 words in English. It will shift your approach to explanation. So, next time explain how something works rather than merely call it by its name. However, additionally providing more technical terms might have enhanced the understanding and learning experience.

Ask an Astronaut by Tim Peake

What does it feel like to fly into space? How do you prepare for it? Astronaut Tim Peake answers all the questions you never knew about going into space. The book gives insights into the cutting-edge science, as well as the day-to-day life on board of the International Space Station. Its question and answer format makes it easy to quickly find answers, but it can become less appealing due to the lack of descriptive language.

Deep Time by Riley Black

Want to know the story of our planet? Riley Black takes us on a journey, in the order of time, through the geological (地质的) events that have shaped our planet. The fascinating high-quality images are supported by easily digestible explanations of key historical moments. It also expands on key concepts in geology, astronomy and biology. Yet, measuring the size of some objects on the photos is difficult due to the lack of a scale bar (比例尺).

1. Which book is organized in the format of question and answer?

A．A Short History of Nearly Everything.	B．Thing Explainer.
C．Ask an Astronaut.	D．Deep Time.

2. What’s a shortcoming of Thing Explainer?

A．It is rather too long.	B．It is written in plain language.
C．It lacks technical terms.	D．It fails to include clear images.

3. What do A Short History of Nearly Everything and Deep Time have in common?

A．They combine science and history.	B．They feature vivid illustrations.
C．They introduce astronauts’ daily life.	D．They entertain readers of all ages.

3 . 阅读下列材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。

Chinese singer Liu Genghong posts fitness videos on Douyin,     1     he works out to the fast-paced tune of Jay Chou’s. His online fitness videos have proved     2     huge hit with people exercising at home. So far his Douyin account     3     (rocket) to 55 million followers and 53 million likes, fueling people’s interest in indoor exercise.

Pu Zhengning, associate professor of Southeast University, says the epidemic (流行病) has limited access     4     gyms and fitness centers, so simple aerobic (有氧健身) exercises requiring no     5     (equip) are perfect for people at home. And that is exactly     6     has made Liu rise to fame on his social media platforms.

As an alternative to people     7     (gather) to keep fit, the phenomenon is also helpful for epidemic prevention. In a March report, the number of fitness videos on the platform in 2021     8     (be) up by 134 percent, while followers of fitness trainers increased by 208 percent in     9     (compare) with 2020.

“Cloud fitness” is no flash in the pan, offering a great alternative to expensive gym memberships. In the past, aerobics on TV proved     10     (incredible) popular, and nowadays it’s even easier to follow along and learn from instructors on social media.

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What attracts the speaker in Africa?

A．The running water.

B．Meeting new people.

C．Freely running animals.

2. Which place has the speaker visited?

A．Australia.

B．Japan.

C．Russia.

3. What’s the speaker’s opinion about travelling?

A．It’s tiring.

B．It’s expensive.

C．It’s easy.

4. What will the speaker do in the future?

A．Turn to a new way for fun.

B．Try every means to save money.

C．Continue to do what she likes.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What rooms do they have?

A．Rooms with one bed.

B．Rooms with a sea view.

C．Rooms with a mountain view.

2. Where can guests have breakfast?

A．In the Thai restaurant.

B．In the American restaurant.

C．In the Chinese restaurant.

3. What sports does the center offer?

A．Water sports

B．Badminton.

C．Various sports

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Carol look like?

A．She is tall and strong.

B．She wears brown hair.

C．She is not tall but slim.

2. Which of the following does the woman like?

A．Making coffee.

B．Dancing.

C．Watching movies.

3. What can we know about the woman and her Australian friend?

A．They share several hobbies.

B．They like staying indoors.

C．They got together this morning.

7 . 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。续写的词数应为150左右。

Amy loved drawing, but her grandmother Bonnie was opposed to it, who thought those strange things Amy drew were not going to help her in the future. One day, when they were eating dinner at the table, the doorbell rang.

Amy answered the door to see a well-dressed man standing at the door. “Oh my God, I know you! Mr Henderson?” Amy said gladly. “You are my favorite cartoonist (漫画家)! Wow! Hello, sir!” Then she led Mr Henderson into her house.

Mr Henderson was a famous New York-based cartoonist. He worked for an art magazine.

“I received a letter with some samples (样本) of your artwork, Amy. And I must say I was so impressed by your talent. In fact, I wrote you letters, but In ever got a reply,” Mr Henderson said to Amy. “If I hadn’t visited you today, you might have missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“You sent me letters?” Amy wondered aloud. Amy noticed Bonnie sat uneasily in her seat, and she realized why the letters had never reached her. Her grandmother kept them hidden from her. Mr Henderson continued, “We are accepting applications for our arts training program this summer. I would personally teach the students the art of cartoons and everything related. For that, you need to pass a drawing test. If everything goes well, you will be able to learn from me later and pursue your dream for art.”

Amy was excited about the news, but Bonnie refused and said angrily, “You are wasting our time, sir. Please leave.”

“But ma’am, this can really shape your granddaughter’s career,” Mr Henderson sad. “And if you’re concerned about the money, please don’t be. The committee will cover all the costs. A gifted childlike Amy can greatly benefit from the program.” Then Mr Henderson pulled out a file from his document case and gave it to Amy. “It’s a test assignment I know your grandmother is against it and things are tough, but I hope you’ll be able to do it,” he added as he left the house.

Amy couldn’t contain her excitement after Mr Henderson’s visit.

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Amy’s strong love for drawing deeply touched Bonnie.

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8 . 请根据句意选择方框中合适的短语并用正确的形式填入句中。

in the face of adversity     turn (sb) down     go on an expedition     be qualified for     be the envy of beyond endurance     dispose of     be worthy of     be composed of     shave off

1. Mary is slim and full of vigour, so she _________ many young ladies.
2. ___________, my nephew never abandoned himself to despair.
3. It was bitter and miserable weather. Their suffering was _________.
4. The navigator was a bad-tempered man, but he _________ navigation.
5. They are facing the difficulties of _________ nuclear waste.

9 . Imagine taking a flying taxi to the airport, or hopping over crowded city streets at rush hour, getting where you want to go far faster than you could in a car. Believe it or not, you might be able to do these things in an electric air taxi sooner than you think.

An air taxi is a small aircraft that can carry people from place to place. Air taxis don’t need a long runway like planes do. They can go straight up and down, like a helicopter.

In June, the FAA—the government group in charge of America’s skies—agreed to allow a company called Joby Aviation to start testing their new air taxi.

Joby has been making and testing flying taxis since 2017. But this is the first time that they’re testing a taxi that’s been built in a factory. Before that, all their taxis were made by hand.

By 2025, Joby hopes to start carrying passengers for money. They’ve teamed up with Delta Air Lines to create a program to fly people from their homes to the airport. Joby also expects their air taxis to provide a ride-sharing service in the air. Just like you might use an app to order a car to pick you up, you could use an app to order an air taxi.

Compared with helicopters, Joby claims their taxis are cheaper. The company expects to charge about $3 a mile (1.6 kilometers) at first. But over time, they hope to bring the price down to less than $1 per mile.

Joby isn’t the only company to develop air taxis. Companies around the world are working on similar vehicles. France even plans to use a few air taxis in Paris during next summer’s Olympic Games.

But there’s still a lot to do before air taxis become common. For one thing, governments need to make rules about where, when, and how these taxis can fly.

Still, it seems likely that air taxis will be part of the future of travel. The FAA says, “We could see air taxis in the skies by 2024 or 2025.”

1. What do the underlined words “hopping over” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Moving below.

B．Walking across.

C．Jumping into.

D．Flying over.

2. What can we know about Joby’s air taxis?

A．They are factory-made from the start.

B．They were developed several years ago.

C．They will offer service to passengers through the FAA.

D．They will be used during the next Olympic Games in Paris.

3. What does paragraph 5 mainly talk about?

A．Joby’s plan about air taxis.	B．The history of Joby Aviation.
C．Air taxi team’s service promises.	D．Instructions for using a new app.

4. In what way are air taxis better than helicopters?

A．They are more comfortable.	B．They are more intelligent.
C．They are cheaper.	D．They are faster.

10 . How to Start the New Year Fresh

After you celebrate New Year’s Eve, it’s time to get to work on those New Year’s resolutions! Here are some ways to start the new year fresh.

Start a fitness routine.     1     Then make a plan to improve your health based on where you are. For instance, you can start taking a 20-minute walk after work every day or train to run a marathon in the fall. Start simply and gradually so you can stick with your goals.

Practice gratitude (感激) every day to fill your life with kindness. Practicing gratitude can boost your mood overall and improve your outlook on life.     2     In addition, express your gratitude for the people in your life by telling them you appreciate them.

    3     In addition to your personal resolutions, it is helpful to strive to get out of your comfort zone at least one time each month. You can schedule one new thing each month, or you can pick a few things and choose when the time comes. Regardless, choose to do something you’ve never done before to expand your horizons and grow as a person.

Update your resume (简历) so you’re ready for new opportunities. Shortly into the new year, open up your resume, read it over, and look for ways to improve it. For instance, if you started a new job at the end of the year, add it under your “Employment” section.     4     This way, if you want to apply for a job, you are ready when the time comes.

Get a haircut to freshen up your face. Schedule an appointment with your stylist early into the new year. You can get a trim for a subtle upgrade or go for a bold new hairstyle for a totally different look.     5    

A．Aim to try a new thing every month.

B．This way, you’ll feel fresh for the year ahead.

C．Make a list of what you’d like to try in the new year.

D．You can also update the dates to reflect the new year.

E．Think about your current health and your overall fitness goals.

F．Little changes can affect those around you positively, so choose wisely.

G．Each day before you go to sleep, write down three things you are grateful for.