1 . In the ground below a tall New York City apartment building, several machines collect carbon dioxide(CO₂)from large gas-powered boilers which help heat the building but also release CO₂ into the atmosphere.

Nearly 70 percent of New York City’s large buildings have steam boilers that run on natural gas or oil. Big buildings in New York City release about two-thirds of the city’s emissions(排放). New York state’s buildings also release more air pollution than any other state.

Brian Asparro, chief operating officer of CarbonQuest—the company that built the machines to capture(捕获)the CO₂ in the apartment buildings—said, “Time is not on our side, and this type of solution can be cost-effective and without a major destruction.”

The machines cool the CO₂ to about-23℃. At that temperature, the gas becomes liquid and can be carried away by trucks to Brooklyn, another area in New York City. There, another company turns the liquid into a solid, The solid CO₂ then reacts with calcium to form calcium carbonate(碳酸钙), which goes into concrete, Once the CO₂ is in concrete, ‘it will not release into the atmosphere unless the concrete is heated to about 600℃.

However, critics say, “Carbon capture doesn’t actually reduce emissions; it seeks to put them somewhere else.” Critics also worry that it is dangerous to keep large amounts of CO₂ below buildings. If too much of the gas is released by accident, it could cause health problems and even death.

But supporters of capturing the CO₂ say it is safe. They also argue that boilers and other gas heating systems are probably more dangerous than the machines that capture the CO₂.

Under a new state law in New York, many buildings must reduce their emissions. If they do not lower their emissions, the building owners will have to pay a fine. What’s more, to help increase the use of carbon capture machines, the government lowers taxes for owners who put them in their buildings.

1. How do carbon capture machines in New York City work?

A．By heating the carbon dioxide to 600℃.

B．By changing the physical state of carbon dioxide.

C．By replacing large gas-powered boilers gradually.

D．By transporting the carbon dioxide to other cities.

2. What are critics worried about concerning carbon capture machines?

A．Their cost.	B．Their occupied area.
C．Their safety.	D．Their harm to the environment.

3. What is the government’s attitude to the carbon capture machines?

A．Supportive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Unclear.

D．Unconcerned.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A Major Crisis of Environmental Pollution

B．A Disadvantage of Carbon Capture and Storage

C．The Development of a Company Called CarbonQuest

D．Carbon Capture Technology for Tall Buildings in New York City

2 .

Sunshine Club For young people from 12 to 18 years old Include games, music, dancing and more. Every Saturday: 6:30 am—9:30 pm          28 Oxford Street, London Tel: 76239652     Price: Just £3 a time

Cartoon Museum Come and see the best of British cartoon art. There is something for everyone, including popular cartoon characters and a great shop full of funny books and cards. Price: free Opening times: Tuesday—Saturday 10:30 am—5:30 pm   Sunday 11:00 am—6:00 pm Tel: 65235873

Cox’s Hotel Tel: 87058366 E-mail: info@coxshotel.co.uk     Website: www.coxshotel.co.uk Opening times: Coffee shop: 9:00 am—6:00 pm        Every day Tea room: 10:30 am—5:30 pm            Monday—Thursday Pub (小酒吧): 8:00 am—11:30 pm          Friday—Saturday

Hamilton Zoo Over 600 animals: tigers, pandas... Opening hours: 9:00 am—5:00 pm   Monday—Sunday An adult: £15 A child (under 12 years old): £10 Tel: 23653692

1. Where can we get funny cards?

A．In the Cartoon Museum.	B．At Cox’s Hotel.
C．In the Sunshine Club.	D．In the Hamilton Zoo.

2. Which is the right time to go to the pub at Cox’s Hotel?

A．9:00 am—6:00 pm on Friday	B．8:30 am—11:30 pm on Friday
C．8:00 am—11:30 pm on Wednesday	D．8:00 am—11:30 pm on Thursday

3. If Jim and his 5-year-old son want to the Hamilton Zoo, they should pay __________.

A．£10

B．£15

C．£25

D．£4

3 . Here are some fantastic parks in San Antonio.

Brackenridge Park

The park was first established in 1899 and has been popular with both locals and visitors ever since. Towering trees and peaceful riverbanks will greet guests along the park’s paths, and the facilities include playgrounds, museums, a miniature train, a Japanese tea garden, and one of the oldest golf courses in the city.

Friedrich Wilderness Park

In the park, you’ll find about 10 miles of paved(铺过的)and unpaved trails(路线), with a little something for everyone. From rocky climbs to deep canyons, and enchanting forests to open views, there’s no shortage of natural beauty. The area is nationally famous for birdwatching.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

The park is the state’s only one on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It covers quite a large area, so it’s best to make it a full-day or at least a half-day trip so you can be sure to cover everything. While the Alamo is a separate attraction, you will get to enjoy the architectural wonders of Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. They’re all connected by a hike and bike trail, with plenty of stops along the way to picnic, climb trees, and refill water. Admission is free!

Eisenhower Park

Just a 20-to 30-minute drive from the city center, the park puts the best landscapes in the Texas Hill Country on full display, holding 6 miles of hiking trails, both paved and unpaved. Explore dried creek beds, look out over plunging canyons, and enjoy full views of San Antonio down below. You can also find playgrounds for the little ones, picnic tables, and barbecue facilities.

1. What is Friedrich Wilderness Park well-known for?

A．Birdwatching.	B．Ancient buildings.
C．A Japanese tea garden.	D．Unpaved hiking paths.

2. Which park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

A．Brackenridge Park.

B．Friedrich Wilderness Park.

C．San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

D．Eisenhower Park.

3. What are some of the features of Eisenhower Park?

A．Golf courses and bicycle trails.

B．Museums and no entrance fee.

C．Birdwatching and playgrounds.

D．Hiking trails and barbecue facilities.

4 . Forgiveness (宽恕) is often considered as an important decision to let go of feelings of anger towards someone who you believe has wronged you. However, while you may be quite generous in your ability to forgive others, you can be much harder on yourself.     1     .

Accept the result of your actions

Forgiving yourself is about more than just putting the past behind you and moving on.       2     . Facing what you have done or what has happened is the first step towards self-forgiveness. It’s also the hardest step. If you have been making excuses in order to make them seem acceptable, it is time to accept what you have done.

Treat yourself with kindness and compassion (同情)

Forgiving yourself requires facing your actions, but it is important to reach this with self-compassion.     3     . Try to be compassionate instead of being self-critical (自我批评的).

    4    

Making a correction is an important part of forgiveness, even when the person you are forgiving is yourself. One way to move past your regret is to take action to correct your mistakes.

Learn from the experience

Forgiving yourself often requires finding a way to learn from the experience and make an active effort to do better in the future. To do this, you need to understand why you behave the way you did and why you feel sorry. What steps can you take to prevent the same behaviors again in the future?     5     , rather than feel sorry about those past mistakes.

A．Make a correction

B．Be aware of others’ feelings

C．It is about accepting what has happened

D．The following steps may help you learn how to forgive yourself

E．You need to tell yourself that thoughts are not facts

F．Remind yourself of what you learned to guide your actions going forward

G．The key is to treat yourself with the same kindness you show to another person

5 . More people than ever are interested in learning to speak Chinese. The challenge that many face is finding the best resources to learn this new language. Fortunately, there are 4 amazing tools that can make learning Chinese much easier.

HelloTalk

This is an app that connects anyone interested in learning a foreign language to a native speaker who is willing to engage in conversation with learners, and help them practice and master their new language. It includes a voice-to-text feature that is perfect if you cannot understand your conversation partner. The text- to-voice feature that is included helps you to learn the proper pronunciations.

iTalki

No tool is going to take the place of one-on-one interaction(互动) with a real person. This is why iTalki is one of the most popular online language learning systems. If you join the iTalki community, you will be connected with an instructor who is a native speaker. They will work with you one on one to improve your vocabulary and conversational language skills.

FluentU

FluentU has made a wide variety of videos for your viewing pleasure. Each one is in Chinese and is a real-world movie or video. With FluentU, you can interact with the videos, pause and get pronunciation and definition information. In addition to this, there are quizzes(小测验) added to the videos to help you evaluate your own progress.

Pleco

This mobile app was designed specifically to help users learn Chinese. It includes an OCR reader that can be used to scan(扫描) Chinese language characters for translation, the ability to translate Chinese words from other apps and web pages, a document reader and an audio translator. It also comes with several dictionaries and the ability to create flashcards.

1. What’s the advantage of iTalki over other tools?

A．Providing one-on-one instruction.	B．Providing various learning videos.
C．Providing the text-to-voice feature.	D．Providing interesting playing games.

2. What do HelloTalk and FluentU have in common?

A．They offer the most famous learning tools.	B．They record your learning process directly.
C．They help you improve your pronunciation.	D．They provide you with various funny videos.

3. Which tool can translate Chinese words from web pages?

A．HelloTalk.

B．iTalki.

C．FluentU.

D．Pleco.

6 . At what temperature does the woman advise baking the cookies?

A．315 degrees.

B．350 degrees.

C．355 degrees.

7 . Why did Paul move to a new apartment?

A．For low rent.

B．For great convenience.

C．For good surroundings.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. When will the man graduate from college?

A．After four years.

B．After three years.

C．After one year.

2. Why is the man going to take a science course?

A．He’s thinking of becoming a science major.

B．He has become interested in science.

C．It is required for graduation.

3. What course will the man take?

A．Biology.

B．Geology.

C．Astronomy.

9 . 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

10 . With the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park to its east, Zhongnanhai to its south, Beihai Park, also known as Northern Sea Park, is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved ancient imperial gardenst (皇家花园) in China located in the center of Beijing.

Beihai Park is said to be built according to a traditional Chinese legend. The story is that once upon a time there were three magic mountains called “Penglai”, “Yingzhou” and “Fangzhang”. Gods in those mountains had a kind of medicine which would help humans gain immortality (永生). Consequently, many emperors constantly sought those mountains. I For example, Emperor Qin Shihuang had sent people to look for the magic mountains but they failed. Emperor Wudi, the fifth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty did similar things.

It was believed that different mountain-water combinations in ancient Chinese architecture led to totally different effects. So from then on, almost every emperor during the succeeding dynasties would build a royal garden with one-pool-with-three-hill layout near his palace. Beihai Park was surely built after this traditional style: the water of Beihai with Zhongnanhai is the Taiye Pool; the Jade Flowery Islet, the island of the Circular City and the Xishantai Island represent the three magic mountains.

Actually, Beihai Park was initially built in the Liao Dynasty (916-1125) and was repaired and rebuilt in the following dynasties including Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing. The large-scale rebuilding in the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) generally established the present scale and pattern. In 1925, it was first opened to the public, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world every year.

It is enjoyable to walk around the various scenic areas in Beihai Park. There are many places to visit, including the Bai Ta, Five-Dragon Pavilions, Nine-Dragon Wall, Yong’an Temple and so on. There is also a classy restaurant called Fangshan Restaurant where the Empress Cixi once dined.

1. Where is Beihai Park?

A．Near the ocean.	B．In the south of Zhongnanhai.
C．To the west side of Jingshan Park.	D．In the uptown area of Beijing City.

2. What is the similarity between Emperor Qin Shihuang and Emperor Wudi of Han according to the text?

A．They loved to listen to stories.	B．They both pursued immortality.
C．They were mountain-climbing lovers.	D．They were the first emperor of their dynasties.

3. How old is Beihai Park?

A．Less than 100 years old.	B．About 500 years old.
C．About 1, 000 years old.	D．Nearly 2, 000 years old.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A famous park.	B．Historical palaces.
C．An unforgettable legend.	D．Ancient architectural styles.