1 . From the gardens of Iceland to the mountains of Nepal, here are four places to celebrate abundance and beauty in the natural world.

Keukenhof Gardens, the Netherlands

The Netherlands produces nearly 90% of the world's tulips, making it the unique destination for a wonderful spring experience. Cycle along the 25-mile Flower Route, where flower fields paint the countryside in bright colors. Travelers can also visit Keukenhof Gardens 16 miles southwest of Amsterdam. Considered the world's largest flower garden, Keukenhof features seven million flowering tulips from March to May.

Umm Qais, Jordan

Despite being 75% desert, Jordan's northern highlands burst with brightly colored flowers from March to May. Take a self-guided hike on one of the several ancient trails starting from the ruins of Umm Qais or hire a local guide who can offer cultural and historical context and help you identify wildflowers along the way, including Jordan's endangered national flower, the black iris.

Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina

Travelers can find a wealth of plant species in North Carolina's mountains—the most in any similarly sized area in North America. The best known may be the pink and purple rhododendrons that blanket the Blue Ridge Mountains in summer.

Numerous hiking trails leading to the amazing sights are just 30 miles from downtown Asheville. In June, travelers can take the hour-long drive from Asheville to Bakersville to enjoy the North Carolina Rhododendron Festival.

Ghorepani Poon Hill, Nepal

Travelling along the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek in spring offers breathtaking views of the country's iconic rhododendrons. March or April gives travelers the rhododendrons in full bloom, but November gives drier weather. Go with local Sherpa guides and cooks—it's part of the experience.

1. What is probably the best time to see the tulips in Keukenhof Gardens?

A．February.

B．April.

C．June.

D．November.

2. Which country considers the black iris as its national flower?

A．Jordan.

B．America.

C．Nepal.

D．The Netherlands.

3. What do the last two destinations have in common?

A．They are surrounded by deserts.	B．They have the most plant species.
C．They offer unique ancient ruins.	D．They are known for the same flower.

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the speaker's book about?

A．Website design.

B．Women's basketball.

C．Men's football.

2. When did the speaker have the idea to build a website?

A．After university.

B．At university.

C．At high school.

3. Why did the speaker change the name of her website?

A．It wasn't successful at first.

B．The original name wasn't suitable.

C．She wanted to include other games.

4. What is unable to be found at the website?

A．Childcare.

B．Computer games.

C．Make-up and fashion.

3 . I am a Russian girl, and it has always been my small dream to climb to the top of a mountain to enjoy the sunrise since my childhood. However, there are no big ________ in my hometown, which makes me very ________.

After coming to China, I heard that there was Mount Huashan. I ________ to climb it to meet the beautiful dawn (黎明) at the top of the peak. On arriving at the foot of the mountain, I began climbing immediately with great ________ and determination.

During the process, a sudden ________ made the stone floor wet and slippery. I had the idea of ________, but the crowd encouraged me to continue the ________. As the steps became ________, everyone lined up, caught the chains and ________ moved forward. When I got close to the top of the mountain, I had nearly run out of ________, so I found a place to rest for a while. Then I heard a voice saying, “Relax, and don’t be afraid. As long as you climb up, you are the best!” Hearing that, I realized if I was frightened by the ________ just now, I could not be the best. So I gathered all the ________ and finally made it!

At the moment of ________, the rolling sea of clouds and the amazing scenery on the mountain changed obviously. I truly ________ that life is like climbing up a mountain. Only with all the way of sweat and the confidence can you reach the top to enjoy a ________ life.

1.

A．beaches

B．lakes

C．mountains

D．forests

2.

A．excited

B．sad

C．curious

D．confident

3.

A．regretted

B．decided

C．refused

D．agreed

4.

A．joy

B．trouble

C．pity

D．attention

5.

A．wind

B．fog

C．volcano

D．rain

6.

A．turning up

B．giving up

C．showing off

D．standing out

7.

A．trip

B．story

C．study

D．writing

8.

A．larger

B．flatter

C．narrower

D．easier

9.

A．slowly

B．obviously

C．currently

D．hurriedly

10.

A．strength

B．chance

C．paper

D．water

11.

A．reaction

B．answer

C．result

D．difficulty

12.

A．luck

B．courage

C．money

D．hope

13.

A．communication

B．rest

C．relief

D．sunrise

14.

A．understood

B．doubted

C．imagined

D．complained

15.

A．busier

B．darker

C．brighter

D．sharper

4 . 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。

Tea is one of the three major drinks in the world,     1    （produce）in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide and enjoyed by over 2 billion people. Huangshan in Anhui province has a long history of tea planting. The recorded history of Huangshan's tea can date back     2     the Tang Dynasty. In 1915, Taiping Houkui and Qimen Black Tea were sent to the Panama World Exposition,     3     they were awarded gold medals. Huangshan city remains     4     key tea-production area in China and Huangshan Mountain in the city is known worldwide for its     5    （impress）scenery. The clouds that ring Huangshan Mountain     6    （believe）to create a natural shelter, blocking sunlight and allowing the tea leaves to produce more nitrogen（氮）which     7    （give）them their unique aroma.

Consequently, the celebrated Huangshan Maofeng, Taiping Houkui and Qimen Black teas from Huangshan have gained worldwide     8    （popular）.     9     they were added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Nov 29, 2022, their cultural significance has been further acknowledged. Tea from Huangshan continues to delight and attract the world. In 2022, Huangshan city's tea industry achieved a remarkable output of 45,000 metric tons,     10    （create）4.6 billion yuan（$664.42 million）in revenue（财政收入）.

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

A．He started a new job.

B．He did some shopping online.

C．He registered for a class.

2. What does the man want to buy?

A．Posters.

B．Brushes.

C．Paintings.

3. What will the woman do next?

A．Email the man.

B．Ask about a sale.

C．Go to a store.

6 . Linda, a sixteen-year-old girl, was a “violinist” of average level, who had basic violin playing skills but was neither particularly outstanding nor bad. She just learned to play the violin at the request of her father.

This year, the school music festival came on time. As usual, Linda accompanied the lead singer with her violin, and the rehearsals (彩排) went well. During a break, noticing Linda always play her violin, a teacher asked Linda if she would sing a song. But Linda refused, saying that she had never sung in public places because she was not good at it. The teacher told her, “Each of us seems to have something that we are not good at, but as long as we are brave enough to try, there may be surprises.” Linda still didn’t have the courage, and the teacher encouraged her again, “You are a brave girl, and I believe you can try your best.”

Thrilled and nervous, Linda finally chose to sing Mystery of Life. Everyone was surprised by her voice. She had such a talent for singing! All the students cheered for her! Without such an unexpected opportunity and that teacher, she might have never found her gift. Now she has become one of the best known singers in her city.

Everyone has some talent. If you think you have no talent, you either haven’t discovered yours yet or don’t consider it a talent because it’s not all that useful. You may be able to build a huge house of cards but you don’t think it’s a talent. With confidence and effort, some skills can be unlocked and improved. In your life, you should be brave and confident enough to try doing different things and find out what talents you really have.

1. Linda chose to sing because ______

A．the teacher encouraged her to sing.	B．she got lots of applause that night.
C．she wanted to show everyone her talent.	D．she didn’t want to play the violin that night.

2. What do you think of the teacher?

A．Strict and sensitive.	B．Kind and patient.
C．Rude and unfriendly.	D．Honest and humorous.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Building a huge house of cards isn’t a talent.	B．Confidence and effort help find out talent.
C．All skills can be unlocked and improved.	D．Not everyone in the world has a talent.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．It’s important to encourage others.	B．The story of a song Mystery of Life.
C．A violinist became a famous singer.	D．We should find out our real talent.

7 . How writing has helped my life

Writing has and is changing my life and these are some of the ways it has greatly helped me over the years.

My writing got better.

Writing did make me become a better writer.     1     It’s almost impossible to keep doing something over and over again without getting better at it, so when I say writing has improved my writing skills, it would be foolish to disagree.

I feel much more confident with words.

Writing helped me build a good relationship with the English language. Before, I had to check and recheck every word I wanted to use in an article to be sure I was using it correctly.     2     And I’m proud to say that I can use words effectively without having to run to a dictionary every second.

My imagination and speed grew.

The more I wrote, the more my imagination grew so that everything around me started becoming an inspiration for an article.     3     I also went from someone who struggled to come up with a 450-word essay, to someone who could put together a 1,000-word essay in less than 30 minutes.

    4    

Just the act of putting down some words and creating a work of pure imagination gives me inner joy and peace. Whenever I feel down, I write.

Finally ...

Writing is a skill that anyone could acquire if they put hard work into it. So next time you’re lonely or just bubbling with anxiety, try writing.     5     Just pour out your heart on your paper or screen.

A．My mental health has improved.

B．Writing helps me recover memories.

C．Now, that weight is off my shoulders.

D．We all know the saying “Practice makes perfect.”

E．I’ll never stop developing this beloved craft.

F．Don’t worry about being perfect because no one is.

G．I can look at a pencil and come up with a 500-word essay about it

8 . After inventing a life-saving device, a student is set to stand on the stage of the Global Innovation (创新) Challenge this fall.

Anna McCord, 13, won a top title at the National Innovator Challenge and has become the top story in the news. The National Innovator Challenge is a yearly competition that encourages and celebrates youth innovation where the top 10 inventions are chosen for “Top Innovator” honors. On July 3, the eighth-grader won “Top Innovator” for her invention, “Sea Me Here,” a device that makes anyone lost at sea more visible to the rescue team.

The “Sea Me Here” device is made from plastic and a metal ring. It can be stored in a small pocket or bag. When removed, it spreads into a much larger size behind the user, increasing visibility.

Anna said she came up with the idea for the device from her mother’s past diving experience. “My mom used to div e for a living and she would keep a white plastic bag in her pocket, so if she would ever get lost, she could stick it up on the surface,” Anna said. “I improved on that when she told me about it.”

Jeremy Brannon, Anna’s earth and life science teacher, said when Anna told him about her project, he was impressed. Brannon added that Ann a was independent with her project, asking for guidance only when needed.

The project took six months, Ann a said. “Everyone liked it... I got some good questions, and it helped me improve on the device,” Anna said.

Anna believes her invention has a bright future ahead. “The end goal would probably be to have it built into life jackets, so you could have it at anytime,” she said. “If you had a life jacket on you and you were lost at sea, you could just pop it out.”

1. Why was Anna in the news?

A．She won an honor in a national event.

B．She entered an international competition.

C．She became the youngest inventor in her school.

D．She saved a person’s life with an innovative device.

2. What can Anna’s invention be used for?

A．Making reusable plastic bags.

B．Collecting plastic waste from the sea.

C．Protecting the safety of rescue workers.

D．Helping rescue workers find people lost at sea.

3. Where did Anna get the idea for her invention?

A．From her teacher’s science class.

B．From her mother’s diving practice.

C．From her mother’s traveling stories.

D．From one of her diving experiences.

4. Which words can best describe Anna?

A．Hardworking and polite.	B．Warm-hearted and gifted.
C．Confident and smart.	D．Humorous and honest.

9 . My father is a retired army officer and thanks to his job, I was able to stay in many different places. Changing schools, homes, cities and towns was a part of my growing up years. Thus, making new friends came very easily for me. All I can say about my experience is that to find new friends is always easy. Because someone in your new school is also looking for your valuable friendship.

The first step towards making new friends is to accept the fact that you need to meet new people. If you keep complaining about your situation, then it’s not going to get you anywhere. Maybe you’ve moved to a new place or a new neighborhood or you have changed a job, whatever the situation is, staying alone is never a perfect idea. Thus accept your situation and try hard to make a new friend.

Get in touch with people. This is the only way of coming across people and making friends. Begin with a small change every day. Talk to the person sitting next to you in your classroom. Share your interests with your neighbour. Talking to the closest person to you will help you build confidence in yourself. This will give you an opportunity to discover new people.

The biggest mistake that most of us make, while looking for new friends, is that we look for the same qualities that we liked in our old friends. As a piece of friendly advice, no two people are the same. Therefore, it’s not correct on your part to expect a new person to have the same qualities as your old friends.

If you like to dance, paint, play some sports, listen to music or read, join their clubs. Joining a club help you come across different kinds of people in all kinds of situations. Clubs are great places to meet people, share common interests and know one another better. Joining a gym is also a great way to meet people; learn from them and have things to talk about.

1. What does this text mainly tell us?

A．Some suggestions on how to learn more.

B．Some advice about how to make new friends.

C．Some tips on how to get on well with others

D．The author’s life experiences in different places.

2. Before his retirement, the author’s father used to ______.

A．move from one place to another

B．teach the author lots of useful things

C．make lots of friends in his life

D．be very strict with the author

3. What is the mistake we often make in looking for new friends?

A．Trust other people too easily

B．Judge a person only by what he says

C．Compare new friends with our old ones

D．Forget our old friend after we have new friends.

4. What kind of people is the text mainly written for?

A．Teachers.	B．Parents.
C．Foreign travelers.	D．Students.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How many books do the speakers plan to buy?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Five.

2. What is the speakers’ main problem with the books?

A．The books cost too much.

B．It is difficult to find the books in stores.

C．It takes them much time to discuss the books.

3. What does the woman suggest?

A．Buying the books which were used.

B．Borrowing the books from Mr Green.

C．Sharing the cost of the books equally.