1 . Last year, there were 38 student members and a full-time teacher in the school band. But over the summer, the director took another job and the school board had no applicants for the vacant position.

“It was such a downer,” remembers Jadyn Lane. “But we were given a choice — we could sign up for other electives (选修课), or find a way to make the band work.” Most students signed up for other electives, but 10 students decided to stay.

“It wasn’t an option to quit,” says Hailey Fitzgerald. “I’ve been in the band for seven years. I love it! It’s too important for too many reasons.” The students elected Hailey as director, a position she accepted on the condition they would all work together and share responsibilities. They recruited Casey Griffith and Jennifer Nail-Cook to be their official faculty advisors. Casey did the paperwork, and Jennifer helped with the music.

They directed themselves. Front and center on the band room whiteboard are a set of rules which they created themselves. In addition, they made a calendar (日历) of their upcoming events, like football games. It included a daily countdown to each event so they’d be prepared.

Perhaps most importantly, they decided which instruments were necessary to make a band of this size work. Most of them were drummers. How could they play those instruments with the people they had? “Several members switched instruments and some even learnt brand new ones,” Hailey says.

The time came last month for their first public performance. It was a home football game against Richwood. They had no idea what to expect. Would it work? Would the crowd cheer them on? Would they cheer up the football team? To their surprise, a group of students made posters for the band and hung them at the entrance to the football field. “We thought some people didn’t even know we still had a band,” says Jadyn. But their classmates had been paying attention and wanted to make their first game special. And their school won.

1. What do the underlined words “a downer” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Something rewarding.	B．Something demanding.
C．Something frightening.	D．Something disappointing.

2. How did the members overcome the challenges?

A．They redefined their roles.	B．They sought help from parents.
C．They learnt to beat drums.	D．They joined the football team.

3. What can be learnt about their first public performance?

A．It drew little attention.	B．It was a huge success.
C．It won lots of bonuses.	D．It was a total mess.

4. Which word best describes the remaining members?

A．Confident.

B．Sensible.

C．Devoted.

D．Ambitious.

2 . A new study reveals that trees can communicate and warn each other of danger. “For the first time, researchers have been able to visualize plant-to-plant communication,” said Masatsugu, senior author of the study.

The idea of talking trees started to take root in the 1980s. Two scientists found that damaged trees began producing chemicals that made their leaves unappetizing and indigestible to discourage insects. The trees then sent chemical signals to one another through the air. Over the past four decades, scientists have observed this cell-to-cell communication in more than 30 plant species.

Past research shows plants communicate with their surroundings by releasing chemicals known as volatile (易挥发的) organic compounds. One class of these compounds are released when a plant is injured: green leafy volatiles. These are released by, as the name suggests, pretty much every green plant with leaves, and are produced when a plant experiences physical damage. An example of these compounds is the smell released from fresh-cut grass.

In the new study, Masatsugu and his colleagues manually damaged leaves and placed insects on tomato plants to trigger the release of various green leafy volatiles. After testing many of them, the team found it seemed to increase calcium ions (钙离子) inside cells. The calcium signaling is like a switch to turn on the defense responses from the plants.

With this new understanding, researchers say plants could be immunized against threats and stressors before they even happen. For instance, exposing healthy plants to insect-ridden plants or the associated green leafy volatiles could boost their genetic defenses, so farmers use less pesticides. The revelation could also help make plants more resilient (有复原力的) during a drought, signaling the plants to conserve more water.

1. What does the new research find?

A．Trees can inform other trees of potential threats.	B．Trees can make themselves attractive.
C．Trees will send signals first once damaged.	D．Trees will work together to trick insects.

2. What can be learnt about green leafy volatiles?

A．They defend insects.	B．They kill insects.
C．Some of them can be smelt.	D．Some of them can be seen.

3. How was the study carried out by Masatsugu?

A．By protecting trees from insects.	B．By classifying green leafy volatiles.
C．By increasing calcium ions inside cells.	D．By causing the release of certain chemicals.

4. What aspect of the new study does the last paragraph focus on?

A．Its target.

B．Its process.

C．Its application.

D．Its background.

3 . To bring a child to life, the mother goes through sleepless nights, uncomfortable mornings and excruciating (极痛苦的) birth pains. And the father supports the mother and takes care of the child like a superhero.     1     There are many ways in which you can convey your love to your friends and spouse. But how do you express your love and gratitude to your parents? Here are some tips.

    2     Parents never plan to have a bad relationship with their children. However, things can go wrong, especially since parenting is one of the toughest things to do. When you create positive thoughts about your parents, you will be more likely to respect and love them.

Make them your priority. You were your parents’ priority once and still are. Maybe your mother left her job to look after you or your father worked extra hours to ensure that you have better chances in life than he had. Since the day you were born, most of their decisions were based on you.     3    

Calm them down when they are angry.     4     Even if you feel tense, try to restrain yourself and avoid saying bad words. With age, your parents may become capricious (反复无常的). Don’t pay attention to what they are saying if they are only speaking out of anger.

If you disagree with them, don’t be rude to them. You might not agree with many of your parents’ opinions, and you might be right.     5     You can still hear them out and then make your own decisions. Good communication can bridge the generation gap between you and your parents.

A．Respect and be grateful to your parents.

B．Therefore, it’s time for you to return the favour.

C．Develop a positive attitude towards your parents.

D．They do all of these in the hope of a good life for their child.

E．But you should still ask their opinions before making a decision.

F．However, you don’t have to make a point by loudly disagreeing with them.

G．Be tolerant of your parents when they are in a bad mood and try not to upset them.

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。

Foster homes play     1     crucial role in providing a safe and nurturing environment for     2    (pet) awaiting adoption. According to a report, many pet shelters and rescue organizations require foster homes to accommodate homeless pets. Unfortunately, due     3     a decline in volunteers, several pet shelters have had to shut down,     4    (lead) to an increase in homeless pets. Meanwhile, more pets are being surrendered by owners     5    are either too ill to care for them or unable to afford their upkeep.

    6    (address) this issue, the Arizona Humane Society in Phoenix     7    (introduce) a convenient drive-up service up to now. Volunteers interested in fostering pets can simply send a text upon arrival, and shelter staff will promptly bring the necessary paperwork to their car, promoting the foster process.     8    (current), there are 345 pets from the shelter benefiting from foster care. However, the need for pet fosters persists nationwide. If you’re interested, don’t hesitate to contact a pet shelter     9    rescue organization near you. Welcoming a furry companion into your home is a     10    (reward) experience, as pets bring immense joy and fulfillment to people’s lives.

5 . In 1997, Ben Lyons, a 5th grader of Oak Ridge School in Sandwich, Massachusetts, sent a message in a bottle out at sea. He did so as part of a _______ project about ocean currents. In his letter, Ben _______ some questions for whoever might _______ his bottle. Questions from Ben _______: Where did you find the bottle? What are the conditions of the bottle? “If you could, please _______ the questions and return to Ben,” the 5th grader _______ on a piece of paper. “Thank you. Ben Lyons from Oak Ridge School in Sandwich, Massachusetts.”

Over the course of decades, Ben’s _______traveled 3,300 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. Now in his 30s, Ben _______ has a response to his message from a (n) _______ fisherman. Rather than replying with another ________, the fisherman chose the safer and faster ________ a letter in the mail. He ________ it to Ben according to the message, leaving the school secretaries puzzled as they searched for this ________ 5th grader. Finally, they had to open it to ________ why they weren’t going to find Ben at school anymore.

In the response, the retired fisherman ________ that he found the bottle on a beach in Les Sables-d’Olonne, France. He was walking around cleaning the ________ when he found the bottle and it was sealed so tight with wax (蜡) that he had a really ________ time opening it.

“It’s ________ that the kids can study the oceans and currents from this,” Ben said after being given the letter through the ________ of the school secretaries. “What a ________ way to connect with someone from the other side of the world!”！

1.

A．society

B．history

C．science

D．finance

2.

A．revised

B．posed

C．answered

D．collected

3.

A．come across

B．go through

C．come up

D．go about

4.

A．organized

B．centred

C．included

D．reported

5.

A．fill out

B．take in

C．make up

D．get through

6.

A．painted

B．whispered

C．spoke

D．wrote

7.

A．possession

B．will

C．hope

D．message

8.

A．formally

B．finally

C．immediately

D．curiously

9.

A．rich

B．wise

C．retired

D．experienced

10.

A．partner

B．style

C．letter

D．bottle

11.

A．route

B．content

C．title

D．topic

12.

A．recommended

B．brought

C．addressed

D．applied

13.

A．intelligent

B．mysterious

C．powerful

D．unique

14.

A．doubt

B．comment

C．guide

D．discover

15.

A．explained

B．imagined

C．pretended

D．remembered

16.

A．current

B．wax

C．beach

D．fish

17.

A．usual

B．good

C．rare

D．hard

18.

A．pitiful

B．strange

C．great

D．natural

19.

A．effort

B．lecture

C．evidence

D．principle

20.

A．minor

B．fun

C．formal

D．worthy

6 . 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。

“You’re fired!” Andrew Chilton wasn’t joking. At that moment, the high school junior wanted his personal care attendant, Christy Chachere, out of his life forever. He didn’t want her help any more. He thought he could write his own term papers. “You’re fired!” He said it again.

Christy Chachere, a retired PE teacher, didn’t take a step back. She believed she could do this job. “You know, I’ve taught middle schoolers,” she said. What about Andrew’s outcry? It was music to her ears. Progress was faster than expected.

When Andrew suffered from autism (自闭症) at age eight, people told his mom, Cindy, to get him on the list for an attendant to provide after-school care. Someone would drive him to places and see that he was safe. In New Orleans, Louisiana, the wait can be years, the need far outstrips (超过) the supply. Cindy had no choice but to turn to the program Volunteers of America for help.

Even so, it was eight years before they were matched with Christy. In the meantime. Andrew’s family did their best to help him get through life’s hardships. “I did worry about him,” said Cindy. There was a lot to worry about. Doctors and school teachers said that Andrew might not even graduate from high school. Other questions were around the corner as well. Would he ever have a job, or live independently?…Cindy would do anything for her son.

Christy saw the problem right away. “Andrew wouldn’t take a step without his mother’s permission (同意),”she recalled. “You have to let him fail,” she told the family. “It’s the only way he’s going to learn. He has to be able to do things on his own.”

No longer would Cindy help Andrew write papers. His younger brother wouldn’t help him with the computer, either. It was a little unacceptable to step back. Actually, everyone was on board but Andrew.

注意：1. 续写词数应为 150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Andrew was filled with anger, but things began to change.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“She understood me, and it turned out she was really nice.” Andrew said.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . Renewable energy sources can help combat climate change, but dietary choices also play a significant role. Opting for plant-based diets or lab-grown food can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the food system. We highlight the potential of dietary changes and the importance of providing choices instead of mandates （命令）.

Research shows that a global shift towards vegetarian（素食的） diets could cut emissions from food system by over half. Even small changes towards plant-based diets can have a meaningful impact. Substituting conventional food with lab-grown alternatives could prevent 1 degree of future warming. These findings demonstrate the power of dietary changes in addressing climate challenges.

Dietary choices are influenced by factors like culture, religion, and economics. It is unrealistic to expect everyone to become vegetarian immediately. Respecting individual choices is crucial in promoting sustainable diets. By offering information and raising awareness, individuals can make choices according to their needs and values while contributing to collective efforts.

Transforming industrial food production is necessary, but individual choices are still vital. Education and awareness campaigns can inform people about the environmental impact of different dietary choices and empower them to make informed decisions. Combining individual actions with systematic changes can create a powerful force for human health and the planet. Rather than expecting immediate vegetarianism, acknowledging the impact of small changes is important. Gradual shifts towards more sustainable dietary choices, like reducing animal product consumption and increasing vegetable intake, can result in significant environmental benefits when multiplied across populations.

In conclusion, addressing climate change requires multiple approaches, with dietary choices playing a crucial role. Offering choices while recognizing the challenges associated with dietary shifts is essential. By combining personal dietary changes with broader efforts to reshape the food system, we can make substantial progress towards a healthier planet while respecting individual preferences.

1. Which is a dietary choice to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

A．Choosing plant-based diets.

B．Choosing renewable energy sources.

C．Giving the command for dietary changes.

D．Increasing consumption of processed food.

2. How does the author show the effects of dietary changes in paragraph 2?

A．By answering questions.	B．By listing a figure.
C．By analyzing the reasons.	D．By using a quotation,

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards small dietary changes?

A．Indifferent.

B．Skeptical.

C．Favorable.

D．Objective.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Small changes in life choices can make big impacts

B．Renewable energy sources can reduce gas emissions

C．Lab-grown nutritional food could prevent future warming

D．The power of dietary choices in fighting climate change

8 . There are some new inventions in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Let’s have a look.

Invention 1: A system to identify Parkinson’s disease

The system works by measuring a person’s breathing patterns during sleep. The researchers noted that early signs of Parkinson’s disease are not easy to discover. But the team said the experiments showed that with just one night of sleep, the AI system can correctly identify Parkinson’s disease up to 86% of the time.

Invention 2: A tool to interpret pig emotions

The scientists developed an AI-driven algorithm to identify a series of emotions the pigs could be experiencing. The study centered on more than 7,000 audio recordings of pigs in different situations. The researchers said the tool can lead to further systems farmers can use to improve the productivity and well-being of their animals.

Invention 3: A system to identify and predict smells

The scientists built on past research to produce a brain-like technology model to create a “principal odor map” to identify molecules related to smells. The team said such a system can be used across many different fields, including the healthcare, food and fragrance industries, The researchers reported that the system can be used to help fight one of the world’s biggest health problems--diseases spread through insects.

Invention 4: A tool to fill in missing words in ancient writings

The tool, called Ithaca, is designed to help historians repair the writings and identify when and where they were written. The team said that when historians worked on their own, the success rate for repairing damaged inscriptions was about 25%. But when humans teamed up with Ithaca to assist in their work, the success rate jumped to 72%.

1. Which invention can help farmers increase income?

A．Invention 1.

B．Invention 2.

C．Invention 3.

D．Invention 4.

2. What do Invention 1 and Invention 3 have in common?

A．They are good for people’s health.	B．They should be used during sleep.
C．They can cure people of many diseases.	D．They focus on the research on smells.

3. How does invention 4 help historians?

A．By recovering their health.	B．By improving their accuracy.
C．By identifying their writings.	D．By stimulating their emotions.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where do the speakers plan to go?

A．Berlin.

B．London.

C．Tokyo.

2. Till what time will the woman work on Thursday evening?

A．6:45 pm.

B．8:00 pm.

C．10:10 pm.

3. What will the man do next?

A．Call Elsie.

B．Have a meeting.

C．Change the ticket.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Michael Lamb look like according to the woman?

A．He is tall.

B．He is old.

C．He is fat.

2. Who is busy?

A．Brad Peter.

B．Tom Delaney.

C．Dave Wilson.