1 . If you are feeling that life just cannot be any worse for you, it can be challenging to think positive thoughts.     1     Here are a few examples for you to practice. Say them out loud and with feeling!

★Begin and end each day with a “Thank you for this wonderful day!”

★When you see the gas prices hiking, say “    2    ”

★When you are late for work, say “I am so happy and grateful for my job as I know that many don’t have one.”

★    3     “I really do appreciate my eyes that see, my ears that hear, my mouth that tastes, my legs that walk, my arms that lift, my hands that write, my mind that thinks, my knees that bend and my tongue that talks.” The possibilities here are endless: be thankful for what does work for you and feel good about it!

★Write down what you’re grateful for each day. In moments when you’re feeling really down, read what you wrote before.     4     If you keep doing this regularly, you will find that your list will get longer and longer.

The key is to move yourself into a positive thought and keep it there long enough to make it a moment of peace.     5    

A．This will help uplift your spirits.

B．The more you practice, the happier you’ll be.

C．If you are having health problems, be grateful for what does work.

D．I am so glad that I am blessed to have a car in which to get around.

E．No matter what you have experienced, just enjoy your life every day.

F．But we can choose to think differently by beginning with the smallest of steps.

G．Life seems so unfair sometimes.

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。

“The package is from Uncle Aaron in Scotland,” Rylee told her father. Her uncle travelled a lot on business, so Rylee seldom got to see him. Her father’s only response was to raise an eyebrow (眉毛).

Rylee opened the box. She pulled out a large necklace (项链). One side of the necklace had a symbol of circles. It looked like writing on the other side, but Rylee did not understand what the words meant.

The box also had a letter from her uncle. He explained how he had found the necklace at a curious little shop. He described how the elderly storekeeper had told him that the necklace had special powers and warned him to be careful with it.

Her uncle ended the letter with “BE CAREFUL!!!” in big letters and a “laughing” emoji (表情符号). He did not seem to take the storekeeper’s warnings seriously. “Let me wear it to school today, Dad,” Rylee said. “Maybe it will bring me luck on my history test.” “Good grades come from studying, not from luck,” Dad said. “I did study, but everyone thinks this will be a hard test.” Rylee put her fingers around the necklace she still held, “I wish you’d let me wear it.” “Yes, you can wear it today.” That made Rylee stop to wonder, because her dad had never given in that fast before.

At school, Rylee heard a group of kids talking. Some said her necklace looked ugly, while others thought it silly to believe in good luck necklaces. She wished her classmates thought the necklace was as cool as she did. Without warning, all eyes turned to Rylee and her necklace. Students began to push to get a closer look. Everyone seemed to talk at once, telling her how cool it looked. All Rylee’s friends wanted to borrow her lucky necklace. That made Rylee stop to wonder why everyone changed their minds so fast.

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。

Sitting at her desk, Rylee watched the teacher pass out their tests.

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Rylee looked down at her test and found that her score was one hundred percent.

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3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What probably happened in Fountain Hills during winter?

A．All animals died off.

B．It didn’t rain much.

C．Many chemicals were used.

2. What can we know about Fountain Hills from the talk?

A．The farmland produced no food.

B．Black birds were missing.

C．People there got sick easily.

3. Why did many bees disappear?

A．Animals ate them.

B．The government killed them.

C．They flew away.

4. What do the scientists offer to do?

A．Bring bees from the town.

B．Teach farmers how to grow food.

C．Tell people the importance of bees.

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

A．It has a leather white band.

B．The face of it is black.

C．The face of it is square.

2. What do we know about Tom’s grandfather?

A．He went to England with a little money.

B．He got the watch from his father.

C．He is still alive.

3. Why is the watch special to Tom?

A．It reminds him of his grandfather.

B．It tells the right time.

C．It is worth a lot of money.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What may the man do at Christmas?

A．Have dinner with the woman's family.

B．Stay at home with his family.

C．Go shopping with his son.

2. Where will the woman probably shop?

A．At the mall.

B．At online shops.

C．At the bookstore.

3. What present will the man give the woman?

A．Books.

B．Chinese tea.

C．A tea box.

6 . Fill your free time with these options on offer in New York City this month.

Pop & Rock

Dec. 1 at Webster Hall, Manhattan

On tour in support of her new release of Softscars, the singer and producer Nat Cmiel will play at Webster Hall on Sunday. A frequent subject of her songs is the solution to the tensions between digital and physical existence. Tickets are $25.

Family Concert

Dec. 10 at the Scheuer Auditorium, Manhattan

Joanie Leeds is adding her voice to those calling for children’s books in libraries and children’s classrooms. With a guitar and other musicians, she’ll celebrate the release of her new work, starting at 10: 30 a. m., in an hour-long concert intended to make young listeners first grow up and later sit down and read. Tickets to the concert are required to be reserved online, starting at $14. Children are admitted free.

Jazz

Dec. 20 at the Village Vanguard, Manhattan

Bold and carefree, Johnathan Blake has come to represent certain of present jazz. This week’s Vanguard stand features his My Life Matters, calling for people to let one another live and grow. Watching the performance of the band will have a lasting impression on you. Tickets are $40.

Sketch Comedy

Dec.22 at the Peoples Improv Theater, Manhattan

The Peoples Improv Theater is welcoming comedy troupes (剧团) across the country for a celebration and discussion of sketch comedy, with Birch & Caven as the opening show. Tickets start at $ 15 per show. Four-day passes are $79, and one-day passes are $30. Tickets are to be bought at the ticket office in person.

1. Whose song discusses digital and real-life interaction?

A．Nat Cmiel.

B．Joanie Leeds.

C．Birch & Caven.

D．Johnathan Blake.

2. Where is the performance of Joanie Leeds held?

A．At Webster Hall.	B．At the Scheuer Auditorium.
C．At the Village Vanguard.	D．At the Peoples Improv Theater.

3. What is the most economical choice to appreciate Sketch Comedy for four days?

A．Online tickets.

B．One-day passes.

C．Four-day passes.

D．Separate tickets.

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。

Another school year was beginning. I had thirteen excited first graders eager to learn and ready to fill my classroom with laughs, tears, and everything. I realized that I had a small class size and got excited about the special projects we could do. One project that I had been particularly interested in was finding a doctor in Doctors Without Borders as a pen pal for my students, which could definitely broaden my students’ horizons.

I began by sending out an e-mail to our school district employees asking for names and contact information of any doctor in Doctors Without Borders which they knew of. I sent an e-mail to each one asking if we could communicate with them, but only one reply came: Dr. Denisar, who was in Africa for humanitarian medical work. Since six-year-olds’attention spans were short and many of the students were just learning how to read and write, I thought it would be the best to correspond through e-mail. Dr. Denisar quickly became a reward system. If students practiced and could read a book fluently, I would record it and e-mail it. If they finished a writing assignment, I would scan it and e-mail it. If students were misbehaving, I caught myself saying, “What would Dr. Denisar think about that?”

We also used the information Dr. Denisar included in his e-mails as learning opportunities. As we communicated with him, we learned more about him, as well as his missions from disease outbreaks to malnutrition of the locals. We started to lighten things up by recording songs and jokes, and sending art projects and care packages. He appreciated the communication. After Dr. Denisar returned, we continued to communicate with him, as my students had got quite attached. He promised that he would make a trip to our small town in Illinois to meet my class when he could.

The school year was beginning to wrap up when he contacted me in April about coming up to visit in May. For the first time, we began talking on the phone about his visit.

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。

As the day of his visit approached, the kids began to get nervous.

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A whole morning had passed before we knew it.

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8 . 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。

Dating back thousands of years, Chinese art focuses on many different areas including landscapes, animals, and other     1     (beauty) with careful detail.

As a style of painting that is unlike any other in the world, Chinese art     2     (remember) today for its distinct characteristics and incredible landscapes that can be seen throughout the nation.

Wu Guanzhong, a Chinese painter, is honored as one of the most famous artists of the modern era in the history of the nation.     3     (consider) a pioneer among Chinese artists during the 1940s, Guanzhong’s career didn’t take off until later in his life     4     he developed his own unique style of painting. He painted many works that     5     (virtual) launched a new style of modern Chinese artwork in his lifetime.

His most famous work titled Water Village in Jiangnan was done in 1980s. It is a very simple painting that consists     6     large white surfaces that are outlined by sharp, bold black edges.

Guanzhong’s simple yet straightforward style of painting captured the attention of both Eastern and Western art critics and enthusiasts in     7     way that brought new focus on Chinese culture as a whole.

He painted many additional works     8     (feature) birds, plants, landscapes and other scenes, but few matched the artistic     9     (high) of this painting, which was seen to be one of the most     10     (influence) pieces in modern Chinese art. It is regarded as one of the most famous Chinese paintings of all time.

9 . “I’m sorry, but visiting hours are over,” The nurse said _________. My husband Eric had just got out of surgery. I wanted to stay with him, but the hospital’s visiting policies allowed no _________.

The nurse handed me a piece of paper. “That’s my cell number. You can _________ me tonight if you’re worried or just want a（n）_________.” I knew Eric would be _________ OK, but I couldn’t be with him when he needed me, which still _________ my heart.

I _________ Eric’s nurse once I settled in my room in a hotel. She texted back, saying he was still feeling sick. I sighed, feeling the _________ rush in. Then I turned on the TV to distract myself, which didn’t _________. Around midnight, Eric’s nurse texted me. “He’s fine now and just fell asleep. You should get some __________ now, too.”

When I had checked into the hotel, the clerk said, “We have a cabinet full of books and games in the corner. We’ll feel __________ if you use anything there during your stay.”

I made it to the hall to __________ a book. I was looking through the titles when I heard a sound behind me. It was an elderly woman, who __________ herself as Shirley, adding that she had been there to accompany her husband in hospital. During our talk, her __________ attitude made me feel much better.

The next morning, when __________, I felt much better at that time than when I came into the hotel yesterday.

1.

A．angrily

B．eagerly

C．apologetically

D．worriedly

2.

A．guidance

B．negotiation

C．comment

D．emotion

3.

A．believe

B．remind

C．assess

D．reach

4.

A．promise

B．update

C．exchange

D．prediction

5.

A．physically

B．spiritually

C．practically

D．typically

6.

A．lightened

B．melted

C．broke

D．touched

7.

A．invited

B．visited

C．emailed

D．texted

8.

A．worry

B．duty

C．sympathy

D．anger

9.

A．matter

B．work

C．count

D．show

10.

A．air

B．nutrition

C．rest

D．advice

11.

A．awkward

B．natural

C．annoyed

D．honored

12.

A．find

B．purchase

C．donate

D．publish

13.

A．introduced

B．enjoyed

C．behaved

D．regarded

14.

A．carefree

B．guilty

C．positive

D．careful

15.

A．giving up

B．waking up

C．pulling through

D．checking out

10 . With about 100,000 new cases diagnosed (诊断) annually, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the US.     1     It’s estimated that over $8 billion is spent annually to fight the disease. Now, scientists may have some help from 14-year-old Heman Bekele. The ninth grader from Annandale, Virginia, has created a cheap bar of soap that could potentially help fight skin cancer. His invention won him the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” at the 3M Young Scientist Challenge on October 10, 2023.

    2     However, a bar of soap is just so simple, so affordable, so accessible in comparison to these modern new skin cancer treatments. As an immigrant from Ethiopia at four, he recalls seeing the locals constantly working under the hot sun. Since most skin cancers result from too much exposure to the sun’s rays, Bekele wondered if he could find an affordable way to fight the disease. He came up with the idea of making soap.     3    

“I have always been interested in biology and technology, and this challenge gave me the perfect platform to showcase my ideas,” Bekele said.

Shripriya, a ninth grader from California, won the second prize for her invention “EasyBZ”. This sticker-like patch can be used to administer medicine without pills or needles.     4     The seventh grader created a glove that can detect epileptic seizures (癫痫发作) with common hand movements.

    5     It invites students from grades 5 through 8 to find a unique solution to an everyday problem. The three winners will be awarded the title of “America’s Top Young Scientists”. The first place winner receives a $25,000 prize. The second and third place winners each receive a $2,000 prize.

A．Besides, it’s also expensive to treat.

B．The third place was Sarah Wang from Massachusetts.

C．After all, soap can be easily made and used worldwide.

D．It promotes the youth to learn science with interest.

E．People might not have the equipment to treat this disease.

F．The kid suffered great hunger and lack of proper education.

G．This is the 16th year of the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge.