My first year of senior high school felt awkward. The school was twice as big as my old school, and to make matters worse, my closest friends went to a different high school. I felt very lonely.
One cold and windy Sunday afternoon, I was sitting at home at our dining room table doing homework, with a fire going in our fireplace. As usual, my cat was lying on top of my papers, purring(发出呼噜声)loudly. She was never far from me. I had rescued her when she was a kitten and put my name on her collar in case she got lost again.
Suddenly, I smelled something strange, and then I noticed that smoke was pouring in. It filled the room so quickly that we all ran out into the front yard. By the time we made our way outside, the whole roof was in flames and the fire was spreading quickly.
When the fire was finally out, our house was almost completely burned down. I was in a bad mood and then it struck me...I hadn’t seen my cat. Where was my cat? Much to my horror, I realized that my cat was gone and my heart ached for her. Then all at once it hit me-the new school, the fire, my cat—I broke down in tears and cried and cried.
The next day, I went to school. But I was totally embarrassed by everything. My clothes and shoes were borrowed from my aunt. I had no books or homework, and my backpack was gone. I had my life in that backpack! I didn’t want to grow up if it was going to be this way. I just wanted to curl up and quit school.
It always seems that bad news spreads quickly. Everyone in high school, including the teachers, was aware of my sad situation. What a way to start off at a new school! This was not the kind of attention I was looking for.
The next day at school, people were acting even stranger than usual. They kept asking me to hurry up to the gym. I thought it was strange, but when I went into the gym, I knew why.
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。
There was a big table with all kinds of stuff on it.
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A week later, I was planning my new bedroom when the doorbell rang.
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2 . The issue of how to feed a growing population is a crucial issue for the 21st century. The issue was high on the agenda (当务之急) at the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt. According to the UN, by 2050, we will need to produce 60% more food to feed a world population of 9.3 billion.
Cambridge Judge Business School supports a number of businesses which aim to promote sustainable agriculture practices. One of the most important fields is precision (精准) agriculture, the science of improving crop yields and assisting management decisions using the latest technology. Outfield Technologies is targeted at high value fruit farming. Farmers buy their own drones (无人机), and then the Outfield software creates flight plans over the farm and processes the images taken by the drones.
By counting the fruit on branches and measuring trees, farmers can see where to apply fertiliser with greater precision, reducing usage and improving soil sustainability. Outfield’s software can also recommend where to start harvesting to reduce waste and labour costs. The rising cost of labour globally has become a huge issue within the agricultural industry, for reasons including the shortage of backpackers (some of whom become seasonal workers) in New Zealand, and the rise of minimum pay in South Africa.
The data gathered by drones can also predict yields. “Priming” the supply chain ensures a smoother journey from the farm to fruit bowl in your home. When an apple is picked, it is stored in a refrigerated environment for up to six months before being transported to a pack house to be washed, sorted, packaged, before being moved to a delivery centre and finally appearing on supermarket shelves. The chain depends heavily on transportation, but by predicting yields, Outfield aims to reduce waste as traders can predict fruit levels and reduce greenhouse gases caused by refrigerated storage.
Outfield co-founder Oil Hilbourne said, “The agricultural industry needs more investment to change. More money for 5G, education and investment in start-ups.”
1. What does Outfield Technologies do for farmers?| A．It offers them free flights. |
| B．It oversees farms for them. |
| C．It teaches them about high value fruits. |
| D．It uses drone-taken images to advertise farms. |
| A．Pay in South Africa is very low. |
| B．South Africa can’t agree on minimum pay. |
| C．Backpackers in New Zealand fail to get paid fairly. |
| D．New Zealand isn’t drawing enough seasonal workers. |
| A．boost the yield of fruit | B．make sure the fruit can keep fresh |
| C．ensure the fruits are transported timely | D．provide more convenient services to customers |
| A．The future of farming | B．The trend of fruit picking |
| C．The promising market of high value fruits | D．The positive effects of farming on environment |
3 . Have you ever left a movie theater with a mixed feeling about what you just watched? No? Well, you definitely haven’t seen the movie “Nope(不)”. This 2022 movie is a sci-fi horror. But despite having the amazing director Jordan Peele and the wonderful actors, this film still manages to be the worst I’ve ever seen.
In the movie “Nope”, it shows us a western 1998 setting where we follow a brother, OJ, and a sister, Emerald Haywood. Emerald is a fun and entertaining woman, while OJ is shy but outspoken when necessary. They run a large horse farm. They observe something mysterious in the sky, which they later learn is a UFO. This UFO is eating people who are watching horse races. To help their horse farm, they try their best to beat the monster.
Daniel Kaluuya is a good actor and has experienced playing in horror movies. In the movie, he did a good job at playing the role of OJ until he took a turn for the worse, going from a shy person to a hero who leads his group to success without any visible (可见的) growth. That makes his character challenging for the audience to understand. I love Keke Palmer’s humor and energy in the movie, but it gets to a point where she is too active, which makes her character Emerald unpleasant.
Many scenes in the movie are extended not to create suspense (悬念) but simply to add screen time. That makes the two hours feel like four. There are many storylines that end as quickly as they begin, with seemingly no point. The film is a far cry from horror and suspense. It is just an alien story with some seeming scares in between. Jordan Peele tried to make the movie symbolic, which made him blind to the idea that movies are supposed to be entertaining to watch. This movie is not for you if you are a true suspense and horror fan. If you ask me if you should watch it or not, I’d say “Nope.”
1. What do you know about the movie?| A．It is a western film. | B．It is the worst movie. |
| C．It is set in ancient times. | D．It is popular with horror fans. |
| A．The response of the audience. | B．The suggestion on the acting. |
| C．The comparison of the actors. | D．The opinion on the characters. |
| A．The long period | B．The wrong director |
| C．The worthless plots | D．The old-fashioned theme. |
| A．“Nope” is a nope for me | B．What an entertaining film! |
| C．Jordan Peele’s new movie | D．Should a horror be horrible? |
It was a hot day. The sun scorched (炙烤) down and everywhere you looked, you could see the heat waves blowing above the sand. John rolled over, realizing that half of his body was well and truly burnt. He had not meant to sleep in the sun but the heat and late nights studying for his examinations made him miserable. Stretching, he got to his feet, picked up his surfboard and looked around. The beach, which had earlier been crowded in the sun, was now comparatively empty. Seagulls flew down to clean up the food of people’s picnic lunches.
The ice-cream van had gone, and so were the lifeguards who were doing first aid on the beach. John looked up to where the sun was and estimated it was about five o’clock. Time to head home. It was “Mum’s Kitchen Rule” that had him moving homewards. If he did not get home in time for dinner, he would go hungry. Wandering along the water’s edge, he happened to glance out to sea. What made him look up at that particular moment, he never knew, but it was the right time for the swimmer he spotted. His hand was up, signaling distress (险情) and he was calling out something.
Quickly John glanced around the beach — no one else was close enough to help the man, and crucially, no one had noticed. Cupping his hands to his mouth, he shouted “Help” to get the attention of other people on the beach. Someone waved back to him and John pointed to the swimmer. “Get help,” he shouted. Then without hesitation, he jumped into the sea with his surfboard. John was a strong swimmer and had a good skill for distance swimming. His coach had tried hard to persuade him to go into competitions but he was not interested.
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。
Now he was swimming for more than enjoyment or medals.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Fortunately, the sea was not rough and there was no wave.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . My son Timmy was born with several rare developmental disabilities. By age 13, he had had at least 10 surgeries on his legs and feet. Balancing and walking was very
Meeting Janice, who
Larry has changed Timmy, s life so much for the better. Not only does Larry give my son
Larry slows to Timmy’s pace and watches every
| A．suitable | B．difficult | C．easy | D．perfect |
| A．used to | B．seemed to | C．had to | D．failed to |
| A．motivated | B．pushed | C．anticipated | D．formed |
| A．disappointed | B．strict | C．careful | D．familiar |
| A．judgement | B．day | C．match | D．task |
| A．dressed | B．stuck | C．pulled | D．invited |
| A．support | B．message | C．highlight | D．news |
| A．bleeding | B．falling | C．following | D．screaming |
| A．take | B．come | C．leave | D．see |
| A．sad | B．excited | C．angry | D．well |
| A．eat | B．drive | C．read | D．laugh |
| A．plan | B．decision | C．move | D．conclusion |
| A．amazing | B．shocking | C．boring | D．annoying |
| A．exercise | B．security | C．account | D．tension |
| A．doctor | B．journey | C．school | D．friend |
6 . I quit social media in college. This is how my life has changed.
I’m a 19-year-old college student. In the past, I
I determined to try a year
By the first month, the
This year has been a nice break from online life and a reminder of the beauty of a(n)
| A．checked | B．spent | C．handled | D．dragged |
| A．communication | B．struggle | C．competition | D．cooperation |
| A．turnover | B．workout | C．breakup | D．build-up |
| A．from | B．with | C．for | D．off |
| A．approval | B．challenge | C．presentation | D．performance |
| A．difficult | B．natural | C．effective | D．normal |
| A．books | B．computer | C．apps | D．diary |
| A．complain | B．defend | C．journal | D．blame |
| A．measures | B．honour | C．curiosity | D．thoughts |
| A．socialization | B．stimulation | C．recognition | D．attention |
| A．inspiration | B．function | C．reality | D．enthusiasm |
| A．survived | B．appeared | C．considered | D．behaved |
| A．phone | B．car | C．camera | D．suitcase |
| A．entrance | B．contrast | C．opportunity | D．innovation |
| A．primary | B．offline | C．unusual | D．regular |
1. Why is Charles so tired?
| A．He has been playing games. |
| B．He has been doing housework. |
| C．He has been surfing the Internet. |
| A．It was so unexpected. | B．It was very instructive. | C．It was truly interesting. |
Carrying the Flame of Inspiration
Excited, proud, and even a little emotional, I experienced a rush of different feelings when I passed the flame of the 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou,
Although from different backgrounds, we 600 torchbearers all have something in common: Our deep respect for the para sports movement and the spirit in
“My heart is just like the flame right now. I used to be a kid with
When I was informed that I
9 . How to Become a Lifelong Learner
There are no age limits when it comes to education. Being a lifelong learner is all about maintaining your curiosity and love for learning.
Identify your learning style. Everyone has a preferred way to approach information. Determine your own favorite learning style.
Read every single day.
Create something. Flexing your creative muscles can help you learn about yourself.
Teach others. Teaching is a wonderful way to learn a subject better and improve your own understanding of it. Conveying the information you absorb will help you process better.
As a saying goes, it is never too late to learn, so we should persist in lifelong learning.
| A．Not all learning comes from outside you. |
| B．Joseph Joubert once said that “To teach is to learn twice.” |
| C．Here are some ways that you can keep chasing knowledge. |
| D．Note what learning techniques are the most efficient for you. |
| E．Even if it’s just a few pages, the habit will help you learn a ton. |
| F．By equipping students with tools, teachers are helping them with their futures. |
| G．Some people understand information better when it’s presented in a visual way. |
10 . Some ants have figured out how to avoid getting lost: build taller anthills, according to a recent study.
Desert ants living in the hot, flat salt pans of Tunisia spend their days looking for food and reach as far as 1.1 kilometers from their nests. To find their way home, desert ants use a navigation system, relying on the sun’s position and counting their steps to track their location relative to their nest.
But this system becomes increasingly unreliable as the distance from the nest increases. “We realized that, whenever the ants in salt pans came closer to their nest, they suddenly pinpointed the nest hill from several meters distance,” says Markus Knaden, a researcher at Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology. “This made us think that the hill serves as a nest-defining landmark.”
So Knaden and colleagues captured ants from nests in the middle of salt pans and from along their shorelines. Only salt-pan nests had distinct hills, up to 40 centimeters tall, whereas the hills on shoreline nests were lower or barely noticeable. Next, the team removed any hills and placed the captured insects some distance away from their nests. Salt-pan ants struggled more than shore ants to find homes. Shore ants relied on the shoreline for guidance and weren’t affected by the hill removal, the researchers concluded.
The team further conducted another study to see if desert ants were deliberately building a taller hill when their surroundings lacked any visible landmarks. So, the researchers removed the hills of 16 salt-pan nests and installed (安装) two 50-centimeter-tall blocks near eight of them. The other eight nests were left without any artificial visual aid. After three days, the researchers found that seven ants from the unaided nests had rebuilt their hills. But only two ants from the nests with man-made blocks nearby had bothered to rebuild.
“It implies that ants regularly assess the complexity of their environment and change their decisions based on their conclusion,” says ecologist Judith Bronstein of the University of Arizona.
1. What aspect of ants is the recent study mainly about?| A．Challenges of survival. | B．Landmarks of habitats. |
| C．Intelligence of navigation. | D．Comparison of varieties. |
| A．Explored. | B．Recognized. | C．Climbed. | D．Crossed. |
| A．To observe different ants’ reactions. | B．To prove impacts of various habitats. |
| C．To disturb desert ants’ navigation system. | D．To test anthills’ functions and significance. |
| A．Evaluate and make changes. | B．Visual aid is a must. |
| C．Cooperation brings victory. | D．No man-made blocks are used. |
