1 . You may have wondered why there are fish tanks (鱼缸) at many doctor’s and dentist’s offices. Actually these medical professionals are trying to keep their working areas less stressful (有压力的) with the help of fish tanks. Because of the soft bubbling (冒泡声) from the fish tanks, their patients are expected to feel less nervous or worried when staying there.

The sound of running water can make people feel relaxed. For this reason, places where water keeps running are often considered good choices for people to have deep thoughts and stay relaxed in mind. Even a small tabletop fountain (喷泉) can make a workspace more relaxing. Unlike loud noises, repeated natural sounds remind that everything is OK. “These slow but soft sounds are just the ones that bring us no harm,” said Orfeu Buxton, a professor at Pennsylvania State University. “It seems like they are saying, ‘Don’t worry; don’t worry; don’t worry.’”

Besides bringing a sense of peace to your indoor space, a fountain can also prevent noises from coming inside. I recently had a small indoor fountain for my workspace. I enjoy the fountain even when I’m not working at home.

If you want to have an indoor fountain too, there are plenty of wonderful ones on sale, which may cost you a lot. You can try making one yourself, using some inexpensive materials, like I did. And you will always keep it around — 1,000 doctor’s offices can’t be wrong about the relaxing effects of running water.

1. From the first paragraph, we can learn that ________.

A．bubbling from fish tanks is a little bit noise

B．bubbling from fish tanks makes patients less worried

C．doctors like to collect the fish tanks in their offices

D．patients feel relaxed when they see a doctor

2. According to the passage, Mr. Li feels nervous and worried, he should go to ________.

A．a public library	B．a science museum
C．a shopping center	D．a forest river

3. The underlined word “they” refers to “________”.

A．fountains	B．noises
C．running water	D．repeated natural sounds

4. What do we know about the writer’s fountain?

A．It cost the writer a lot of money.	B．It was made by the writer himself.
C．The writer bought it from a store	D．The writer doesn’t like it anymore.

2 . My first job was at a fast-food restaurant called Carroll’s in my hometown. One spring day my next-door neighbor _________ me to apply for work with her there, and I agreed to have a try.

One little _________ was that I wasn’t 16 yet, so I just changed my birth date on the application from July to _________. Luckily, they didn’t ask for any ID to prove my _________, because there were few applicants for the job. Both of us were _________.

The pay was _________, only $1.60/hour with no tips. I worked at the _________ and only boys were allowed to work in the kitchen. I got a chance to make milkshakes, though, which I considered kind of fun. I also _________ the relationships with all the other workers, who were mostly easy-going teenagers.

It was great to _________ different diners. The restaurant was located on a __________ entryway into town, so all kinds of people came in. One day a man in plain clothes __________ but ordered many signature dishes. When he came to my counter to check out, I was __________ to find he was my idol.

Besides __________ about my age, I also failed to inform the manager that I was leaving in June to attend summer camp, so my first job only lasted a few __________. It has been long gone, but the __________ in the restaurant remains a sweet memory of my life.

1.

A．allowed

B．invited

C．forbade

D．taught

2.

A．topic

B．mistake

C．difficulty

D．opportunity

3.

A．March

B．June

C．August

D．October

4.

A．address

B．age

C．name

D．face

5.

A．fired

B．interviewed

C．refused

D．accepted

6.

A．low

B．high

C．enough

D．good

7.

A．counter

B．door

C．park

D．toilet

8.

A．damaged

B．ignored

C．enjoyed

D．missed

9.

A．help

B．thank

C．recognize

D．encounter

10.

A．hidden

B．secret

C．distant

D．major

11.

A．woke up

B．gave up

C．turned up

D．looked up

12.

A．surprised

B．ashamed

C．disappointed

D．frightened

13.

A．worrying

B．lying

C．complaining

D．arguing

14.

A．days

B．hours

C．months

D．years

15.

A．food

B．service

C．payment

D．experience

3 . 听下面一段长对话，回答小题。
1. How will the man improve his paper?

A．By deleting unnecessary sentences.

B．By adding a couple of points.

C．By correcting grammar mistakes.

2. When should the man submit his paper?

A．Before June 5th.

B．Before June 7th.

C．Before June 12th.

3. What is the woman busy doing?

A．Opening a tea house.

B．Organizing a party.

C．Working on her paper.

4 . It is accepted by everyone that knowledge is the most valuable        for human beings.

A．standard

B．treasure

C．invention

D．instruction

5 . —If you always        yourself with others, you may have tons of pressure.
—I agree. We should believe in ourselves.

A．complain

B．compare

C．connect

D．consider

6 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1 个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Henry dreamed of becoming a writer. In order to realize his dream, he read many books and often practiced     1     (write). He wrote his first story     2     he was ten. After his parents read     3    , they told him that he really had a gift for writing. Henry     4     (encourage) a lot after hearing that. He wrote many stories in the     5     (follow) years. People around him all told him that he     6     (become) a writer one day. However, it was not easy.

Henry finished his first novel     7     the age of 20. However, no publishers were interested in it. Henry was     8     (great) discouraged (使……泄气). He felt sad and doubted his ability. But it didn’t last long. Several days later, he picked up his mind and decided     9     (keep) writing.

It was a story he read that encouraged him. It was about a father and a son who wanted to build a bridge. Nobody at that time considered it possible. Although the father and the son did have great difficulty     10     (build) the bridge, they made it at last.

Henry finally kept on writing. He knew there was hope as long as he didn’t give up.

7 . If you walk through the doors of one of the Smithsonian Institution’s museums in Washington, D.C., you may be greeted by an unusual guide. A Japanese tech company recently sent 25 humanoid robots to the Smithsonian. All of them are named Pepper.

Each Pepper stands 4 feet tall and has a computer screen attached to its body. Built by SoftBank Robotics, the robots are programmed to share information about the museum in which they are based.

“Pepper is basically an experiment,” Goslins, director of the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Museum, said. “The idea is to explore and see how a robot performs in this kind of environment.”

Museum visitors communicating with Pepper. The robot can tell stories and answer basic questions. People even take pictures and dance with it.

“The robot draws big crowds,” said Allison Peck, director of marketing at the Hirshhorn. “People just love Pepper.”

According to the Smithsonian Institution’s website: “Pepper gives our museum workers a new way to reach and serve visitors.” For example, Pepper teaches Swahili words to visitors of the “World on the Horizon” exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art.

Pepper also has the special ability to draw guests to less-visited areas of the Smithsonian’s museum. When Pepper is placed in a spot, crowds are attracted to that place.

When not educating museum visitors, Pepper stays in the Smithsonian offices, getting charged and programmed. After being charged, Pepper can run for about 8 hours at a time.

Pepper plays an important role, but the robot“ is not meant to take away human jobs at the museum, ” Goslins explained. “It is meant to give our visitors a more enjoyable experience while they are here with us.”

1. What do you know about Pepper?

A．It measures 4 feet in width.	B．It serves as a guide.
C．It is named after a robot.	D．It is made in the US.

2. What can Pepper do?

A．Draw pictures.	B．Take pictures.
C．Ask questions.	D．Tell stories.

3. What attracts visitors to the less-visited areas?

A．Reasonable cost.	B．Pepper’s appearance.
C．Workers’service.	D．Attractive scenery.

4. Why is Pepper used in the Smithsonian Institution’s museums?

A．To please visitors.	B．To replace humans.
C．To perform programs.	D．To educate visitors

8 . Spending time outdoors has long been linked (联系) to better health. Gardening goes beyond just beautifying outdoor spaces—it can have a deep effect on our physical and mental (身心上的) health.

Gardening involves physical activity that works all the main muscle (肌肉) groups, which is helpful for overall health. “Activities such as digging, planting, weeding and harvesting require movement and can help to improve strength,” said Clayton, CEO of an online lawn care company. “Performing these activities regularly can help burn calories, and keep a healthy weight.”

Beyond burning calories and building muscle, lots of studies have shown that gardening can improve the immune system (免疫系统). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, and gardening is listed as a suitable activity. Doing garden work for that time each week can reduce the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease. Additionally, spending time outdoors makes us get close to natural sunlight, which is important for vitamin D synth.

Gardening provides a chance for social connection, too. It can be a shared activity among family members, friends or neighbors, building relationships and a sense of belonging.

Gardening also offers cognitive (认知的) benefits. It excites the senses, improves focus and encourages problem-solving and creativity. It provides a chance to learn about plants, ecosystems and the environment, developing a deeper understanding and appreciation for nature.

1. What is Clayton’s attitude towards gardening?

A．Supportive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Unclear

D．Uncaring.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly tell us about gardening?

A．It improves focus.	B．It is a waste of time.
C．It can keep a body in shape.	D．It helps to reduce the risk of diseases.

3. How does gardening affect social connection according to the text?

A．It contributes to creativity.	B．It encourages problem-solving.
C．It builds relationships between people.	D．It improves people’s awareness of safety.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．How to Start a Garden	B．Choose a Garden or Not
C．What Plants Grow Best in a Garden	D．Start Gardening and Get the Health Benefits

9 . Longing for the most amazing places on the planet? You can do no wrong with these lakes across the globe.

Five Flower Lake

Set in the striking karst landscape of the Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan province, China, Five Flower Lake is extraordinarily clear, with visibility to a depth of 40 metres. Five Flower is one of a series of blue-, green-and sky-colored lakes blocked by rock falls, but it differs from the others as its waters change color, looking sometimes yellow, sometimes green, but usually diamond blue. In winter, Five Flower never freezes; in summer, it never dries up. Local wildlife living in the surrounding mountain forests include the rare giant panda and the golden snub-nose monkey.

Crater Lake

The deep-blue waters of Crater Lake in Oregon, US, fill the outlet of an ancient volcano that collapsed 7,700 years ago. Its strangest occupant is the “Old Man of the Lake”, a nine-metre-tall tree stump(树桩), which has stood upright in the water for more than a century. No rivers or streams enter the lake. Water loss in summer is compensated by winter snow and rain, the entire body of water being replaced every 250 years.

Lake Ohrid

Ancient Lake Ohrid has been around for about five million years and crosses the mountainous border between Macedonia and Albania. It has unique plants and wildlife, including the Ohrid “plashica”, a fish native to the lake, whose scales(鳞片) are used to make Ohrid pearls.

Lake Maggiore

Surrounded on three sides by the Lipontine Alps and touching the plain of Lombardy to the south, Lake Maggiore is Italy’s longest lake. Considered part of the country’s lake district, it is shared with Switzerland. Characterized by a Mediterranean-style climate, temperatures here are mild all year. This has given rise to some of northern Italy’s most wonderful gardens, which appear to float like flower-decked boats on the water.

1. What makes Five Flower Lake different from other lakes?

A．Its agreeable climate.	B．The rare local wildlife.
C．Its color-changing waters.	D．The visibility of waters.

2. How does Crater Lake mainly get water supply?

A．By artificial rain.	B．By snow and rain.
C．From nearby streams.	D．From an ancient tree.

3. Which lake has a typical warm climate?

A．Five Flower Lake.	B．Crater Lake.
C．Lake Ohrid.	D．Lake Maggiore.

10 . Creating Young V&A

When the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green was founded in 1872, it was East   London’s first public museum. Today, we are transforming this beloved building into a new national museum of design and creativity dedicated entirely to children.

Relaunching later this year as Young V&A, the museum will be a place to imagine, play, create, debate and design. Young V&A will help children to develop abilities such as creative thinking, problem-solving and collaboration through imaginative, hands-on gallery displays and creative programming for schools, families and community groups.

How you can help

In a climate of growing inequality and reduced funding for the arts, it is vital that we young people’s creative development. We rely on your generous donations and are thankful for   your support. Whether you can give E 25 or f 25,000, all donations will help to complete this project.

25 could buy books for the new Reading Room.

75 could buy sensory materials to help bring the collection to life for young visitors

150 could conserve and display an international object in the permanent galleries

5000 could help furnish the new creative studios in the Learning Centre.

Ways to give

*To pay by debit, credit card, use the QR code, visit www.vam.ac.uk appeal or call 020 7942 2905 to speak to a member of the Development team.

*Return a completed donation form or post a cheque directly to the museum or hand it in all the V&A Membership Desk or the Members’ Room.

*To find out about donating by bank transfer, making a regular monthly donation, or to make a larger gift, please email the Development team at appeals@vam.ac.uk.

1. Who are the target visitors of Young V&A?

A．The general public.

B．Seniors.

C．Art lovers.

D．Children.

2. What can a donation of 75 do for the project?

A．Repaint the Reading Room.	B．Help bring the collection to life.
C．Conserve an inspirational object.	D．Furnish the new creative studios.

3. How can people donate by cheque?

A．Scan a QR code.	B．Send a cheque to the museum.
C．Call 020 7942 2905.	D．Email the Development team.