1 . Like many, I travel a lot for work.Unlike many, I never _________ it.On the open road are always _________ people and new places. There is one thing about travel that _________ me, though, and has ever since my early years: the constant waiting. When I travel, I wait in the shop, wait to _________ the plane, wait in restaurants, wait to check into hotels,and on and on.

For years, I have tried to   _________my life in such a way to lower how much time I have to spend waiting,and it has _________: I ask for the _________as soon as the server brings me my lunch; I have all the _________ that helps to enter the waiting hall at the airport quickly; I _________ hotels that have self-service book-in rooms. No doubt my waiting time is __________. But recently, I have realized that despite these __________, I'm not any less upset by the waiting I still have to   __________

This mystery has led me to   __________ that I have gone about the whole problem in the wrong way. I have been trying to __________ the outside world to make it better for me. I should __________ have been working on myself, to live better in a world of waiting.

1.

A．get used to

B．get familiar with

C．get tired of

D．get excited at

2.

A．strange

B．anxious

C．generous

D．interesting

3.

A．annoys

B．confuses

C．worries

D．embarrasses

4.

A．visit

B．board

C．take

D．catch

5.

A．design

B．control

C．support

D．direct

6.

A．changed

B．continued

C．worked

D．finished

7.

A．order

B．cash

C．receipt

D．check

8.

A．membership

B．relationship

C．friendship

D．leadership

9.

A．reserve

B．search

C．leave

D．examine

10.

A．approaching

B．decreasing

C．losing

D．burning

11.

A．schedules

B．differences

C．improvements

D．principles

12.

A．predict

B．endure

C．struggle

D．ignore

13.

A．conclude

B．promise

C．agree

D．prove

14.

A．assess

B．connect

C．engineer

D．conquer

15.

A．thus

B．somehow

C．otherwise

D．instead

2 . The backpack you take can make or break your trip when you go traveling. Here are the four best travel backpacks on the market.

Amazon Basics 70L

It’s much cheaper than many travel bags on the market and does not sacrifice any of the practical uses or space that comes with more expensive bags. The bag may not be as luxury as some of the more high-end bags, but its simple style lets you focus on the main thing you need to focus on when traveling: the moment.

Eurohike Nepal 65L

The Eurohike Backpack is a great choice because of how adaptable it is. Besides having a great amount of storage, it comes with an internal security pocket. It weighs just 1.38kg as opposed to other backpacks, which can weigh up to nearly 2kg. If you’re going to go hiking when you travel, then it is perfect.

Mountain Warehouse Tor 65L

First, its brand is one of the most trusted in the industry, so quality is guaranteed. Second, the backpack’s adjustable back allows you to change how the bag fits according to your needs. Available in both blue and green, this is a great choice if you want a bag that you can depend on.

Osprey Europe Farpoint 70L

Osprey is one of the best brands for backpacks. Its frame (框架) suspension, which can be adjusted to different needs, allows you to travel more comfortably. Whether you’re visiting Switzerland in a thick, wool coat or the south of France in shorts and a T-shirt, the bag will match your look. This bag does say it is marketed for men, but, of course, it can be unisex.

1. What is the selling point of the Amazon Basics?

A．Its luxury style.	B．Its fashionable design.
C．Its huge space for use.	D．Its good value for money.

2. What do Mountain Warehouse Tor 65L and Osprey Europe Farpoint 70L have in common?

A．They are rich in color.	B．They have the same capacity.
C．They can be adjusted as needed.	D．They are targeted for male customers.

3. Which will you choose if anti-theft function is a concern?

A．Amazon Basics 70L.	B．Eurohike Nepal 65L.
C．Mountain Warehouse Tor 65L.	D．Osprey Europe Farpoint 70L.

3 . In 1776 Thomas Paine, an Englishman, published a book called Common Sense, which became a best-seller. But in a paper, Mark Whiting and Duncan Watts, a pair of computational social scientists, note that the idea has seldom been seriously studied.

The two researchers set out to fix that. They started by noting that the standard concept of common sense has a somewhat circular definition: common sense is a set of claims that sensible (明智的) people agree with, and sensible people are those who possess common sense.

To get around such philosophical messes, the researchers recruited 2,046 human participants and asked them to rate 50 statements from a language database of 4,407 claims that might be seen as commonsensical.

As common sense might have predicted, the researchers found that plainly worded claims concerning facts about the real world were the most likely to berated as demonstrating common sense (“triangles have three sides”, for example, which is true by definition, or “avoid close contact with people who are ill”). The more abstract the claims, the less likely participants were to agree that they were common sense (“all human beings are created equal”; “perception is the only source of knowledge”). When they split the claims by subject, the researchers found that   those concerning technology and science were the most likely to be rated as commonsensical, while matters of history and philosophy were the least likely.

A respondent’s age, sex, income and personal politics had little effect on what they thought counted as common sense, although psychological measures of social perceptiveness and the ability to reflect on one’s opinions did.

Having investigated individual opinions, the researchers looked at how common sense works across big groups. Here, they found much less agreement than might have been expected: Only around 44% of claims in the language database were rated as commonsensical by at least 75%of respondents.

A stricter definition of common sense, in which everyone has to agree with a claim for it to count,cut that number to just 6.6%. Where exactly a reasonable cut-offices is a matter for debate. But truly “common” sense, it seems, is an unreadable thing.

1. What is the standard idea on common sense?

A．It is what everybody knows.

B．It is what we take for granted.

C．It is facts about the real world.

D．It is agreements of wise people.

2. Which is most probably considered common sense by the participants?

A．Money is equal to happiness.

B．Wash your hands before meals.

C．Failure is the mother of success.

D．Practice is the only criterion to test truth.

3. Which factor influences people’s judgment of common sense?

A．Mental health.	B．Personal salary.
C．Social insight.	D．Others’ comments.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．Common Sense Does Not Really Exist

B．Common Sense Works Across Crowds

C．Common Sense Originates From The Minority

D．Common Sense Is Not Actually Very Common

4 . 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.

We lived in a quiet street with very little traffic so my mom let my brothers and me play out in the front yard a lot. One day we were outside playing when I saw something move under a bush near our neighbor's house. It looked very strange so we went over to check it out.

It was a puppy(小狗)II sat down in the grass and clapped my hands and it came running over to me and jumped on my lap.I was so happy.I had been begging my parents for a puppy for a long time and here it was.My brothers were going crazy.

I carefully carried the puppy to our yard and yelled with excitement,"Mom,Mom,guess what I found under the bush next door?"My mom came out of the room,looked at me,looked at the puppy and then back at me. "Mom,I think it's lost;it doesn't have a collar(项圈)or any tags.   And Mom,it surely looks hungry.”

Mom got a bowl and filled it with water.Then she got some food from the refrigerator and put it in another bowl.I put the puppy down.She ran joyfully over to the bowls and started eating and drinking.I was right…she was hungry.After a full meal,she curled up into a ball and went to sleep.My brothers and I just sat on the floor and watched her contentedly,praying this   moment would last forever.

My mom said that we needed to try and find the owner of the puppy.I didn't want to do that.I wanted to keep the puppy for my own.But Mom said that the owner was probably worried about the puppy and sorry that she was gone.She asked me how I would feel if I had lost my puppy.Would I want the person who found it to try and find me?Or just keep the puppy?

"Maybe she is right,”I thought.

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.

We tried our best to find the owner.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

One day,the phone call I least wanted to receive rang.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . 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。

“Touching   China”, a TV show created by CCTV1, has brought many characters to the national audience so far,     1     (involve) famous stars, wise scholars, ordinary   people and the senior party officials. Each character has a spiritual power that makes the audience feel powerful.

Xiao Kane is one of the Top Ten     2     (figure) of the year 2024, and her behavior has inspired countless Chinese people.

Xiao Kane,     3    eye-impaired (眼睛受损的) singer from Hong Kong, China, graduated from the Music Departmet   of the   Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is a post-90s generation who had her eyeball     4     (remove) due to eye cancer at the age of   three months. But she holds the belief     5     a man is born useful. She is the first person     6    eye disease admitted to the Music Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Royal Academy of Music in the UK.By the age of 20, she     7     (win) over 70 music competition awards.

For many years, although she is    8     (physical) disabled, she   often   participates in charity performances to raise funds, and even goes to poor     9     (mountain) areas to volunteer without fear of hardship. And her dream is     10    (open) some music schools that can accommodate different students and contribute to different children in our country.

6 . Exposure to new technologies including trackers,robots and AI-based software at work is bad for people's quality of life, according to a groundbreaking study from the Institute for the Future of Work.

The authors found that the more workers were exposed to technologies in three of these categories —software based on AI and machine learning; monitor devices such as wearable trackers; and robotics-the worse their health and wellbeing tended to be.

By contrast, use of more long-established information and communication technologies (ICTs)such as laptops, tablets and instant messaging at work tended to have a more positive effect on wellbeing.

Dr Magdalena Soffia,the study's lead author, said it was not necessarily the technologies themselves that are the problem,but the way in which they are adopted."We don't want to claim that there is some sort of determinism in what technology causes,in terms of wellbeing,"she said,“We say it really depends on the context:on lots of structural factors,on   environmental conditions,how it is designed and how it is used.So lots of human decisions.”

“We wanted to give a more multidimensional understanding of what was happening in terms of wellbeing.So we used a well-established measure which is a very effective measure, used by the UK public health sector;"Soffia said.

Discussing the promotion to quality of life from ICTs,she suggested"one possible potential mechanism is that actually what they do is to streamline work processes,and they make working life a bit more efficient.And that in turn,gives you kind of a sense of achievement."

By contrast,the findings about trackers and monitor technologies corespond with recent wanings from trades unions and campaigners about the negative impact on workers whose performance is being constantly monitored.

Mary Towers,the TUC's lead on Al,said:"These findings should worry us all.They show that without strong new regulation,Al could make the world of work a cruel and unhealthy place for many.Things don't have to be this way.If we put the proper guardrails in place,AI can be controlled to genuinely enhance productivity and improve working lives."

1. What does the study find about new technologies?

A．They are well received.

B．They worsen people's life.

C．They consist of three items.

D．They are developing rapidly.

2. What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us?

A．Influence on humans.

B．Origin of the problem.

C．Solutions to the problem.

D．Decisive role of the environment.

3. How are ICTs good to us?

A．Increase work efficiency.

B．Enhance our confidence.

C．Ensure our safety at work.

D．Improve working conditions.

4. What is Mary Towers' attitude to new technologies?

A．Critical.

B．Doubtful.

C．Hopeful.

D．Unclear.

7 . A new museum called Showtown has opened in Blackpool, in north-west England. Blackpool’s miles of sandy beaches, three piers (码头) and giant roller-coaster made it one of the UK’s top holiday destinations. Showtown is the “all-singing,all-dancing museum” situated in the heart of the Golden Mile, close to Blackpool Tower. It’s been 10 years in the making and is the only museum UK dedicated to circus (马戏团), dance and shows.

Showtown features five galleries, including “How’s Tricks?’ where visitors can go behind the scenes in a Blackpool magic shop to try out practical jokes and magic tricks. The “Roll Up! Roll Up!” gallery features ringmasters, acrobats and clowns and highlights the close connection between Blackpool and the circus. Visitors to “It’s Showtime!” can go through a stage door to discover musicians and comedians who have all seen their names up in lights. “It’s Better with the Lights On” gallery celebrates Blackpool’s famous illuminations (huge displays of lights) that date back to 1879, and   “Everybody Dance Now” shows the town’s history of ballroom dancing and Northerm Soul (a style of music and dance).

Showtown is a fascinating, bright, bold collage of all of those stories, those entertainment greats-but done in a really innovative and colourful way.

Rain never stops play at Showtown, one of the must visit Blackpool attractions, so don’t forget to book your tickets online for fast track admission to the museum.

TICKET PRICES —General Admission

Adults aged   16-64 —£15.00

Children aged 4-15 —£11.50

Children aged 3 and under —FREE

Students/Adults age 65+-£13.50

Our address is Showtown, Bank Hey Strect, Blackpool, FY14 TQ.

For booking and general questions, call 08081756929.

1. What can we learn about Showtown in paragraph 1?

A．It has various entertainments.

B．It is located near Blackpool Mile.

C．It was completed in a short period.

D．It makes Blackpool a tourist attraction.

2. Which gallery offers visitors hands-on experience?

A．It’s Showtime!	B．Roll   Up! Roll Up!
C．How’s Tricks?	D．Everybody Dance Now.

3. How much would a couple aged 65 with two children under 3 pay for admission?

A．£13.5.

B．£15.

C．£23.

D．£27.

8 . Thanks to artificial intelligence, education is more accessible and efficient than ever. To give you an overview of the industry, we round up some AI technology applied in education.

Duolingo

Duolingo provides listening, reading and speaking exercises in dozens of global languages, all the while providing aspects of gamification to keep users coming back. By applying AI, Duolingo’s lessons are paced and leveled specifically for each student according to their performance. It also uses data and machine learning to make course improvements, taking into consideration the differences of various languages.

Amira Learning

Amira Learning is a virtual learning application created to accelerate young students’ reading comprehension. Using AI technology, Amira has students read stories aloud and can assess oral reading fluency as well as identify areas for improvement. For teachers and parents, Amira also provides services such as student progress reports and dyslexia (阅读障碍) risk screening.

Blippar

Blippar’s products combine computer vision intelligence technology and augmented reality to enhance the way students learn in the classroom. The interactive materials bring subjects like geography, biology and physics to a visual space. For example, instead of reading about a volcanic eruption, the system shows students a virtual 3D model of the eruption process.

Nuance

Nuance makes speech-to-text software used by students and faculty to transcribe (转成) up to 160 words per minute. The technology is especially helpful for students who struggle with writing or have limited mobility. It also enhances spelling ability and word identification. Instructors use the software to dictate lectures for later use or quicken repetitive tasks like document and email creation.

1. Which platform uses gamification to engage users in language learning?

A．Amira Learning.	B．Blippar.
C．Nuance.	D．Duolingo.

2. What is the primary focus of Amira Learning?

A．Speech-to-text software.

B．Reading comprehension.

C．Computer vision intelligence technology.

D．Personalized language learning with gamification.

3. What do Blippar and Nuance have in common?

A．They focus on language learning.

B．They specialize in science subjects.

C．They use technology to aid learning.

D．They offer computer programming courses.

9 . Join us as we explore the most photogenic roads in the world! The road experts at Instarmac take a look at some of the world’s most famous roads on Instagram and advise which is the best to help make your feed look fantastic!

Route 66

Even though Route 66 was officially removed from the US Highway System almost 40 years ago, it remains one of the world’s most popular and culturally significant roads. A must-visit for any road trip enthusiast, Route 66 is the most-Instagrammed road in the world, with over 2. 1 million posts using the hashtag (标签) #route66.

Great Ocean Road

Stretching for 150 miles across Australia’s south-easterly coast, the Great Ocean Road is the world’s largest war memorial, making it a painful and beautiful expedition. Built between 1919 and 1932 by Australian soldiers on their return from the First World War. the Great Ocean Road links the towns of Torquay and Allansford.

Wild Atlantic Way

One thousand six hundred miles long, the Wild Atlantic Way travels across much of Ireland’s west coast and is Europe’s most westerly road. With panoramic (全景的) views stretching out over the Atlantic Ocean, this winding road is home to stunning natural rock Formations like the Cliffs of Moher and Slieve League, as well as historic man-made features like the lighthouse at Fanad Head and the Baltimore Beacon.

Big Sue

One of the world’s most beautiful coastlines is Big Sur, an California’s Central Coast. The Bit Sue Coast Highway is home to a number of extremely Instagrammable features. Well worth a visit for the mad-tripper, particularly if you can get there in the quieter months outside of the school or summer holidays!

1. Which road was built in memory of a historical event?

A．Route 66.	B．Big Sur
C．Wild Atlantic Way.	D．Great Ocean Road

2. What is special about Wild Atlantic Way?

A．It is the longest coastal road.

B．It lies on Ireland’s eastern coast.

C．It travels across much of Europe.

D．It features natural and artificial scenery.

3. What do the roads Route 66 and Big Sur have in common?

A．They both are coastal roads.

B．They appeal to road trip lovers.

C．They bear traditional cultural value.

D．They remain part of the US Highway System

10 . Perhaps the most eagerly awaited play in recent Broadway history, the nine-time Olivier Award-winning West End hit Harry Potter and the Cursed Child made the trip across the ocean in 2018 and opened its doors to crowds of excited Muggles in New York.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the official eighth story in the Harry Potter world and the first to be presented on stage. The production is highly characterized by amazing tricks designed by Jamie Harrison, bringing stage magic to life before your eyes.   

Rowling, along with John Tiffany and Jack Thorne, developed the story of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but Thorne took the lead. From Steven Hoggett’s amazing dance moves, making it easy to exchange between scenes (场景) and character entrances, to John Tiffany’s wildly creative directorial choices in scenes about the Hogwarts Express or the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a masterful piece of theatre.

The show used to be longer and it was a two-part show, clocking in at more than five hours total. Since theatres shut down and reopened following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Broadway show is now just one, which runs 3 and a half hours, but all the timeless characters and magic tricks still await. The two-part version (版本) still runs in London and elsewhere.

The recommended age for the show is Ages 8+. Children under 5 are not allowed. Younger children might have trouble sitting through the show, and the storyline contains something that might be scary. Overall, though, the play is family-friendly like the books are, and kids will be drawn to the magic.

Lyric Theatre! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is now performed in one part. Get tickets on Broadway now.

1. What is the key feature of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

A．It is based on a popular book.

B．It is the first Harry Potter story staged.

C．It moves from the West End to Broadway.

D．It contains impressive magic performances.

2. Who plays a significant role in creating the story of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

A．J.K. Rowling.	B．John Tiffany.
C．Jack Thorne.	D．Steven Hoggett.

3. How is the Broadway show different from the London version?

A．Main characters.	B．Shorter running time.
C．Age requirement for audience.	D．More special effects.