1 . A nightmare plot turned into a miracle-like rescue in Colorado on Sunday. Three children aged 4 to 11 years old were playing on the icy pond at The Addison at Cherry Creek apartments. Suddenly they fell in and were sinking in the freezing water. Dusti Talavera, who lives at the apartment complex, was looking out her window when she saw the kids fall in. Talavera, 23, said she did not hesitate to put on her shoes and rush to the pond, which is 15 feet deep.

“Before I realized it, I was on the pond pulling the two kids out, and that was when I fell in the pond for the third kid,” Talavera said during a press conference on Monday. Two of the kids were saved and Talavera began to pull a 6-year-old up to the surface, but was struggling. That was when a 16-year-old male, identified as the cousin of the 6-year-old, jumped in to help.

As deputies (警官) rushed to the scene, they heard that people were out of the pond, but one was not breathing. Deputy David Rodriguez immediately began chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, CBS Denver reports. Two other deputies, Blaine Moulton and Justin Dillard, also assisted. She was rushed to Children’s Hospital and was breathing and had a pulse.

“Seeing her breathe was a massive relief,” said Dillard. The girl has been transferred to Denver Health, and as of Monday was in serious condition, but expected to survive, according to CBS Denver.

1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?

A．The accident happened on a summer Sunday.

B．Without thinking Talavera offered the kids help.

C．The kids were playing with Talavera on the pond.

D．Talavera lives far from where the accident happened.

2. Who helped Talavera pull the third kid out?

A．A deputy.

B．A teenager.

C．A doctor.

D．A reporter.

3. Which of the following can best describe Talavera?

A．Brave and helpful.	B．Cautious and patient.
C．Far-sighted and generous.	D．Warm-hearted and modest.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．A timely rescue.	B．A serious drowning.
C．Some lucky children.	D．Some honorable rescuers.

2 . Abundant yet rough, diverse yet unique, Jamaica is an island of contrasts. Kingston, on the southern coast, is the island country’s capital and most populated city. Dive in one of the south coast’s four bays and see hundreds of species of fish.

Food & Drink

Jerk chicken or pork is a must; the island spice flavours it perfectly. Watch and learn island cooking at Zimbali’s Cooking Studio, and don’t forget to sample some of the freshly caught seafood available all around the island. For a sweet treat, try the fried bananas or any of the island’s fresh fruit. For coffee lovers, Blue Mountain coffee is a treat.

Activities

Adventure-seekers can climb the Blue Mountains, raft the White River, shoot down a zip line, or ride horses along the beach. Nature and wildlife tours are also available. Those who want a more laid-back holiday can soak up the sun on the beaches, play one or all of the 12 golf courses.

Attractions

In Montego Bay, the coral reefs are spectacular and well worth a day’s diving. Blue Hole or Dunn’s River Falls, both near Ocho Rios, are fun ways to cool off in the water. The Rose Hall Great House is beautiful (and its story is scary)—but everyone comes out alive. You could also book a day trip to Appleton Rum Estate and tour the distillery(酿酒厂).

Accommodation

Jamaica Inn has a well-deserved reputation for old school elegance. A landmark in Jamaica, this five-star private property has been welcoming guests, including well-known names like Marilyn Monroe and Ian Fleming, for over half a century. Located in the easternmost part of the island, the Inn has good ocean views.

1. What makes Jerk chicken or pork delicious?

A．Fresh fruit.

B．Seafood.

C．The island spice.

D．The special climate.

2. What can tourists do in Jamaica according to the text?

A．Sample flavoured seafood.	B．Try fried chicken.
C．Ride horses in mountains.	D．Go diving in the bay.

3. What do we know about Jamaica Inn?

A．It is state—owned.	B．It used to be a school.
C．It ever received celebrities.	D．It stands off the island.

3 . Teasing Kids About Their Weight May Make Them Gain More

School can be tough on kids who have overweight or obesity. They’ re often cruelly teased and bullied.     1    , which was confirmed in a study of Pediatric Obesity. The study found that making fun of kids for their weight is linked to increased weight gain well into adulthood—the more teasing that kids and teens experience, the more weight they may gain.

To assess the link between teasing and weight gain, the author surveyed 110 children and young teens who were either overweight themselves or who had two parents with overweight.     2    .

During the first visit, the kids were asked whether they had been bullied for their size. Among participants with overweight, 62% reported they had been teased at least once, while 21% of straight-size, at-risk participants reported they had been.     3    . Whether they had overweight at the study’s start or not, those who reported being teased often for their weight gained 33% more body mass, on average, and 91% more fat per year than their peers who weren’t teased.

    4    . “But we can say weight-based teasing was significantly linked with weight gain over time,” she says.

    5    . Teasing can also lead to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can stimulate appetite, and increase risk for depression and anxiety—both of which contribute to disordered eating. It also may drive kids away from physical activities like sports and gym classes, where they risk getting made fun of for their size.

A．Teasing might have undefined effects

B．Researchers followed about 8.5 years

C．Bullying may have continuous consequences

D．Others showed shame may cause over-eating

E．The study shows teasing might increase weight gain

F．The author notes the study cannot determine causality

G．Overweight parents make children at risk of overweight

4 . Jeremy Pound recommends compositions inspired by the beauty of the British countryside.

Frederick Delius: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring

A bird, cuckoo, in Bradford born Delius’s short work for orchestra. In this instance, the call of the bird is heard in one wind instrument and later another, while a soft, gentle tune in the strings promises sunny days ahead.

Arnold Bax: November Woods

Bax’s 1917 symphonic poem for orchestra has, as the title suggests, a wonderfully autumnal feel. A storm gathers in the first half but eventually the music switches to a calmer mood. Few works display the British weather so delicately.

Gustav Holst: Egdon Heath

Though the title of Holst’s 1927 orchestral work comes from a fictional location described by Thomas Hardy, the composer was initially inspired to write it by long walks in the south of England. The musical landscape here is rough and sometimes predictive.

Edward Elgar: Cello concerto

Is an ageing Elgar looking back over recent global and personal ups and downs in this grand but sorrowful 1919 work, or expressing the beauty of the British countryside? A bit of both, one feels—he associated a passage from it with the Malvern Hills.

1. Which of the following is the first inspiration of Holst’s 1927 composition?

A．The call of a bird.	B．A storm in the autumn of England.
C．The long walks in southern England.	D．A famous novel by Thomas Hardy.

2. What do we know about Cello Concerto?

A．It is one of Elgar’s early works.	B．It involves Elgar’s personal experiences.
C．It is developed in a joyful tone.	D．It focuses on the beauty of Malvern Hills.

3. What do the four compositions have in common?

A．They are composed in spring.	B．They are musical works of the 1910’s.
C．They are conducted by Jeremy Pound.	D．They are inspired by the British countryside.

5 . Essex Library Services Reading Friends

What is the role about?

Reading Friends is an exciting UK-wide programme from The Reading Agency. It’s been piloted in some other parts of the country over the last few years and now is being extended to Essex.

Developed with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, Reading Friends deals with loneliness by bringing people together to read, chat and share stories. Essex Library Services is looking for volunteers to support the roll- out of the Reading Friends programme across Essex.

What will it involve?

*Chatting to people, either one to one, or in groups, using reading to get people talking. Contact will be via phone or computer initially. After restrictions are lifted, it is planned to do in-person sessions (活动时间) in libraries.

*Using reading — whether books, magazines, newspapers, or anything else — to start conversations. Nothing needs to be read before the session.

What skills and experience do you need?

*An interest in people

*Good communication and people skills

*Love of books and reading is not necessary, but would be a bonus

What will you get from volunteering?

*The satisfaction of contributing to the community and potentially preventing loneliness

*The chance to share the joy of reading

*Develop your experience and skills to enhance your resume (简历)

*A certificate of appreciation for coming along and helping out, which looks great on a resume

1. Who does the Reading Friends programme aim to help?

A．People feeling lonely.	B．People wanting to change a job.
C．People wanting to publish their stories.	D．People having special educational needs.

2. What is a requirement for potential volunteers?

A．Having previous work experience.	B．Reading related books in advance.
C．Living in restrictions-lifted areas.	D．Being communicative.

3. What will the volunteers get from their volunteering?

A．A trip to Essex.	B．A certificate of appreciation.
C．A fund from the government.	D．An opportunity to work in libraries.

6 . If the poems you read as part of the curriculum at school made you think poetry is old-fashioned, has to use fancy language, must always rhyme or is simply out-dated, then you’ll be pleased to know it doesn’t have to do any of these things.

Here are four poets whose work will make you look at poetry in a different and more positive light.

Misha Collins

Fans of Misha Collins may know him as Castiel in the TV show Supernatural, but he has never hidden the fact that he also writes poetry. Last year, he released his first book, Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You. This contains many of his poems that are expressed as simple thoughts and experiences, making them easy to read.

Most are about his wife and are bittersweet because at the end of the book, he reveals that they have parted ways.

Tracy K Smith

Tracy was the winner of the Cave Canem prize for the best first book by an African American poet, with her 2003 collection, The Body’s Question.

Her poems cover important issues around race, family, transcending from childhood into adulthood and much more. Each is easy to understand and relate to, while at the same time, deeply personal.

Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur has connected with a large audience, partly because her collection, Milk and Honey, has been translated into 42 languages to reach readers throughout the world. Her universal themes of migration, healing, loss, grief and trauma are another reason for her success.

While more traditional poetry also talks about some of these subjects, Kaur’s work is brutally honest and hard-hitting in ways that wouldn’t have been acceptable in earlier poetry.

Mel Wardle Woodend

Mel was the poet Laureate of Staffordshire between 2019 and 2022. She has several published collections to her name. This includes two dyslexic-friendly books for children, making poetry more accessible to them.

She also has a collection called Just a Thought, which raises awareness of mental health issues. This topic was rarely discussed at school, so Mel’s work is progressive and inviting to those who may not tick the typical boxes of someone who enjoys poetry.

1. In which book has the poet conveyed his/ her mixed feelings of pleasure and pain based on his/ her own personal experience?

A．Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You.	B．The Body’s Question.
C．Milk and Honey.	D．Just a Thought.

2. What contributes to the popularity of Rupi Kaur’s poems?

A．Themes of romance.	B．Conventional styles.
C．Narrative techniques.	D．Multi-language versions.

3. What feature do the four poets’ works share?

A．They are incomprehensible.	B．They are accessible.
C．They are personal.	D．They are rhyming.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What do we know about the first house?

A．It’s near a farm.

B．It’s well-equipped.

C．It’s decorated with fruits.

2. What is unnecessary in the second place according to the man?

A．The washing machine.

B．The refrigerator.

C．The swimming pool.

3. Which place will the speakers choose?

A．The first one.

B．The second one.

C．The third one.

8 . 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。

One weekend, Mum and Dad both had to work, which meant that neither of them had time to look after Joe and Bella. But the two kids didn’t mind. They were going to spend the weekend with Gran, and Gran had promised to take them to the beach! But when they woke up on Saturday morning, and looked out of the window, they found the rain was pouring down!

Bella pressed her nose against the glass and said hopefully, “We can still go, can’t we?” But when Gran arrived to collect them, it was still pouring, and Gran said they would just have to spend the day at her house instead.

They tried taking Gran’s dog, Selby, for a walk, but when they opened the door, Selby took one look and ran back inside again! They did some homework, ready for Monday, and when they stopped — it was still raining Eventually, Gran went off to do some housework. Joe decided to do more homework. He had tests coming up at school and Mum and Dad were always on at him to work harder. Joe asked his sister to keep quiet. After a while, though, he heard noises from the kitchen. What was Bella up to? He got up and looked round the door. Bella was mixing something in a huge mixing bowl.

“What’s that?” Joe asked, a little annoyed.

“It’s a lovely cake,” said Bella happily. “But you can’t have any.”

“That’s a relief,”said Joe. “Because it looks terrible. And it smells worse!”

The cake mixture had all kinds of things in it and the smell was like no cake that Joe had ever smelled before!

“It’s not for humans,” said Bella. “It’s for dogs. I’ve made it specially for Selby, because he couldn’t go for his walk.”

“Well, I hope Selby likes it,” Joe said.

But Selby didn’t like it. When Bella put it down on the floor for him to eat, Selby took one smell and then ran out of the room! Bella burst into tears.

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。

Gran came running into the kitchen. She asked what happened.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After they made a beautiful cake for humans, the rain stopped.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . You’ve just turned the final page of your book and got all sorts of thoughts and emotions. You’re dying to talk to someone about it.    1    And those who have experienced the magic of book clubs know how amazing it is to discuss your latest read with other book lovers. Looking to spread the magic? We’ve got you covered, explaining how to start a book club.

Decide the type of book club.    2    However, there are lots of creative book clubs out there, and the specificity can be what draws people to join and convinces them to stay. If you love science fiction and fantasy novels, go ahead and start that niche book club. Whatever you decide, make sure to set an intention for your book club.

    3    You can reach out to friends and co-workers personally or put up a social media post and encourage your followers to share. If these options aren’t available to you, you can also ask your local library or bookstore to put up a flyer. Don’t be discouraged if you only get a few people at first.

Pick the book. Different book clubs take different approaches. Some allow each member to take a turn picking the book, while others have voting systems in place. If you’re struggling to make a selection, look to bestselling and award-winning books.    4    

Figure out a meeting schedule. Scheduling is one of the most challenging elements you’ll encounter when learning how to start a book club. With busy work, and big life events, it can be tricky to get everyone together in the same place at the same time.    5    The book club meeting date should work with most people’s schedules.

A．They’re always a great choice.

B．Find your book club members.

C．Many book clubs keep it general.

D．It may be a little awkward at first.

E．All book lovers know this feeling.

F．Decide on a regular date for get-togethers.

G．Pick discussion questions to inspire your members.

10 . A research team led by Del Pozo Cruz from the University of Southern Denmark, recently published a study that found walking 10,000 steps a day lowered the risk for dementia by 50%.

However, if walking occurred at a brisk pace of 112 steps a minute for 30 minutes, it maximized risk reduction, leading to a 62% reduction in dementia risk. The 30 minutes of fast-paced walking didn’t have to occur all at once — it could be spread out over the day. “Our take is that intensity of stepping matters — over and above volume,” said Cruz.

The new study followed 78,500 people between the ages of 40 and 79 from England, Scotland and Wales who wore wrist step counters for 24 hours a day over a seven day stretch. After counting each person’s total number of steps each day, researchers placed them into two categories: Fewer than 40 steps per   minute, which is more like when you’re walking from room to room — and more than 40 steps per minute, or so-called “purposeful” walking. A third category was created for peak performers — hose who took the most steps per minute within 30 minutes over the course of a day.

About seven years later, researchers compared that data to medical records and found people who took the most steps per minute showed the biggest reduction in risk for cancer, heart disease and early death from any cause.

Researchers found the association between peak 30-minute steps and risk reduction to be dependent on the disease studied: There was a 62% reduction for dementia, an 80% decline for cardiovascular disease and death, and about a 20% drop in risk for cancer.

What’s the takeaway? You don’t have to fixate on the numbers of steps. “Spend 30 minutes being breathless at whatever pace you’re at, and then keep challenging yourself to be slightly unsatisfied at your current level so you can get better and better,” said Dr. Andrew Freeman.

1. Which aspect of walking does the study focus on?

A．Its time.

B．Its pace.

C．Its length.

D．Its popularity.

2. What can we learn about the subjects in the third category?

A．They are the oldest.	B．They are from Wales.
C．They walk the quickest.	D．They walk without step counters.

3. What does paragraph 5 mainly tell us about the study?

A．Its findings.	B．Its procedures.
C．Its medical application.	D．Its theoretical significance.

4. What does Freeman suggest walkers do?

A．Count their steps as exactly as possible.	B．Spare themselves 30 minutes every day.
C．Aim a little higher than their present level.	D．Set a specific goal for themselves each day.