1 . It’s 2:30 am and I’m up. I know what you’ re thinking — I must have a crying newborn or a teething infant. You’re wrong. I do have an almost three-year-old — but he’s sound asleep. I’m up because I’m fretting about something no one warned me about. There was no book to read nor trendy course to take. I’m up crying about my daughter, who is still only 17, still a child, my baby... and her too-soon departure to college.

Throughout Kennedy’s young life, things were not easy, as one would imagine, for a single mother. But I loved Kennedy with a fierce love, and put her before myself. And Kennedy loved me. She taught me what unconditional love was; what forgiveness was; what joy was. She taught me how to apologize and admit mistakes. She was my beacon, my North Star, everything good and pure in my life. I was a strict mother. I didn’t allow talking back; if I saw a frown, I would promptly ask for it to be turned upside down. I wasn’t a “cool” mom, either. I knew Kennedy needed a mother, not a friend.

Through the years, as our lives have changed, so has our bond. And Kennedy has become my friend. My very best friend, in fact. The person that knows me the best. The person that can read my mind. She knows what I like and dislikes by the way my eyes squint. With her I share not only my DNA but the longest, strongest bond I’ve ever shared with anyone. And now she’s leaving.

So, this is my warning to you, dear readers. The day will come when you will have to send your children off into the world. It will be hard. You will shed tears. In that moment I want you to remember that you raised them. You filled them up with love and kindness. You did a great job and you should be proud of yourself. You did good.

1. Why did the author get up at night?

A．Her daughter would go to college.	B．Her baby cried out of hunger.
C．She had to prepare for a course.	D．She wanted to read a popular book.

2. What is implied in the second paragraph about the author?

A．She treated Kennedy in a friendly way.	B．She learned a lot in raising Kennedy.
C．She guided Kennedy like North Star.	D．She was forgiven for being a single mother.

3. Which is right about Kennedy according to the author?

A．She desires for unconditional love.	B．She is reluctant to live at home.
C．She can read the author’s mind.	D．She doesn’t believe others easily.

4. What is the author’s advice for all parents?

A．To accept the fact of living alone.	B．To get well along with their children at home.
C．To love their children as much as possible.	D．To be proud of their sacrifices for children.

2 . Many people stereotype(对……刻板印象)the college years as four years’ worth of partying. But that’s not true! Many students use their time to create things. Here are some of their amazingly smart inventions.

A Fire Extinguisher That Uses Sound

Created by Seth Robertson and Viet Tran, engineering students at George Mason University, this sonic fire extinguisher uses low-frequency sound waves to put out fire. At just the right frequency — between 30 and 60Hz，the movement of sound waves creates a vacuum (真空), cutting off the fire’s oxygen supply.

A Marker That Tells You When to Apply Sunscreen How many of you have gone to the beach and forgotten to reapply sunscreen? Two University of Waterloo students—Rachel Pautler and Derek Jouppi—invented Suncayr, a marker that tells you when it’s time to reapply your sunscreen. The ink turns color in the presence of UV light, so when you find a purple mark on your skin, you know it’s time to reapply it.

A Device That Turns a Flat Surface into a Computer

Thanks to Pranav Mistry and Liyan Chang, students at MIT, you may be able to wear a computer in the future. They developed a device called SixthSense. You keep a smartphone in your pocket and wear a little camera/projector around your neck. The smartphone and camera/projector work as a team to sense your finger movements, process information, and project information onto a surface—be it a wall, a table, or the palm of your hand.

A Universal Tape Dispenser

Ever find yourself with a roll of tape in your teeth, using your mouth to tear a piece while attempting not to break a tooth? Cooper Union students Deanna Kovalein and Jessica Marshall created a device called Snip It that fits any tape roll and cuts any type of tape. With the push of a button, the tape gets pressed against the sharp edge, which cuts it.

1. Who developed a special invention designed to put out flames?

A．Seth Robertson and Viet Tran.

B．Rachel Pautler and Derek Jouppi.

C．Pranav Mistry and Liyan Chang.

D．Deanna Kovalcin and Jessica Marshall.

2. We can infer that people might check emails displayed on a building by means of ______.

A．The fire extinguisher.	B．Suncayr.
C．SixthSense.	D．Snip It.

3. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To show the fixed images of college students in people’s eyes.

B．To demonstrate inventions that college students created.

C．To motivate college students to come up with innovations.

D．To introduce inventions that make a difference to college students.

3 . Nowadays, over 6,000 national parks exist in the world. Of all, these are the ones that have been around for hundreds of years and should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Guilin and Lijiang River National Park, China

It is surrounded by striking natural beauty and can be explored by land. But the river national park, as the name suggests, is best explored through leisurely boat rides and cruises that take visitors through many canals and ancient towns that come along the way of the river.

Calanques National Park, France

While most go to France for the twinkling Eiffel Tower, few tour plans involve a stop at the Calanques National Park, which is made up of both land and sea, with over 140 protected species of animals and plants that reside inside. Because of its topography, the park is unique in that it can be explored through a mix of activities both for those who like waterbodies and those who’d rather stay on land.

Yorkshire Dales, United Kingdom

Contrary to the popular association of national parks with the wilderness it is filled with winding valleys, hills and villages where over 24,000 people live and work. Yorkshire Dales is also home to several food shops, and the park hosts cheese festivals and farmers markets regularly, so it’s best to go hungry.

Kakadu National Park Australia

It is a delight for those who like a bit of history mixed with the biodiversity of national parks. While it houses thousands of species of wildlife, there’s more to the national park than that.

1. What is recommended for a trip to Guilin and Lijiang River National Park?

A．Observing local customs.	B．Exploring it through boats.
C．Witnessing geological process.	D．Going with an empty stomach.

2. What can tourists do in Calanques National Park?

A．Visit an archeological reserve.	B．Enjoy the local farmers markets.
C．See the world-famous Eiffel Tower.	D．Observe protected animals and plants

3. What do the four national parks have in common?

A．They have a long history.	B．There are residents inside.
C．They feature cheese festivals.	D．There are many ancient towns. ..

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。

Global Natural History Day(GNHD)-youth science knowledge competition-took place in Shanghai on March 2, 2023, in an effort to provide a platform    1    primary and secondary school students to learn more about natural science.

GNHD    2    (launch) by Kenneth Behring in 2012 in China. It is an international education programme intended    3    (inspire) students' interest in natural history and science and engage them to get outdoors and explore their environment. It is based in Shanghai,    4    world-famous economic and financial center.    5    (support) by local museums and natural science organizations, these science knowledge competitions have been    6    (continuous) held for 12 years, attracting 60,000 teams    7    involving millions of students and teachers. In this programme, students develop problem-solving abilities, deepen cross-cultural understanding, and explore    8    the future state of the natural world will be like.

In the past decade, GNHD    9    (add) popular science painting, story broadcasting and science exhibition to further arouse students' interest in natural science learning. At this year's event，a new “Global Nature Day Cyber Space” platform promoting educational equity and equality was also started.

This year's GNHD returned to its offline mode. Under 2023's main theme “Seeing small things -Nature's small perspective and big vision", natural science talents from around the world presented their    10    (achieve) in exhibitions, science paintings and storytelling.

5 . It was a dream born in fire. Andrea Peterson was five when she and her mother were trapped on the ledge（窗台）of a burning building.

“Throw the_________down!” said one of the firemen below, and little Andrea leaped into lifesaving arms, which motivated a life-long ambition: She wanted to_________fires as her rescuers did. She told that to the men who had_______her, and they laughed good-naturedly the way_________do when a kid says she wants to be an astronaut or a sports star. “You'll be a good mommy, “the_________told her. “But you can never be a firefighter.”

And then, as it tends to do, life doesn't___________her dreams. Pressured by her parents, she studied in an aviation school to become a flight attendant-and that's where she met her husband, Dennis. Unfortunately, Dennis was diagnosed with cancer. Peterson___________thirty-one years caring for the man she loved.

It wasn't until four years ago, after her_________passed away, that she felt that long-ago childhood dream calling. She _________volunteering at a local fire station. She spent a year lifting weights and watching her__________to keep fit. Later she began____________alongside men in their teens and 20s until she was____________.

Finally, Peterson became the only woman of the department's staff of twenty-seven firefighters. She has now       ________ more than 350 emergency calls, helping so many people beat back fires. She says, “I've always known that this is my____________.It doesn't matter how____________ I had to work or how long I had to wait.”

1.

A．fire

B．kid

C．tool

D．rope

2.

A．make

B．light

C．fight

D．cease

3.

A．saved

B．trapped

C．accepted

D．defeated

4.

A．heroes

B．scientists

C．sportsmen

D．grown-ups

5.

A．neighbors

B．firemen

C．passers-by

D．volunteers

6.

A．complete

B．abandon

C．stop

D．follow

7.

A．spent

B．wasted

C．needed

D．spared

8.

A．patient

B．husband

C．teacher

D．rescuer

9.

A．advised

B．missed

C．started

D．denied

10.

A．job

B．safety

C．life

D．diet

11.

A．training

B．working

C．waiting

D．reading

12.

A．disappointed

B．mature

C．practical

D．ready

13.

A．renewed

B．made

C．answered

D．rejected

14.

A．honor

B．dream

C．reward

D．pleasure

15.

A．hard

B．helpfully

C．well

D．attentively

6 . A bunch of pretty flowers will usually make a friend smile. We know flowers cannot last, but surely there are ways to keep some of their beauty.    1    

You can press either whole flowers or single petals. This depends on what type of flowers you use. First, divide the flower. Then, line each petal with paper and put them between the pages of books. The liners between the pages will dry up the flowers. The texture of the paper used for drying will change the look of the petals. For instance, if you use a rough paper towel, its pattern will transfer to the flower.    2    

Keep the books in a warm, dry place. The petals should be dry enough for use after two weeks. They will feel much like paper. You are now ready to make a design. It is best to start by making an outline with a pencil.    3    Using a nonacid white glue will help the picture last longer.

The rest of the process is up to you.    4    You can make your design different and special. You can either use whole petals or tear them into various shapes. Some flowers are so fragile that they need careful handling. Choose the colors you like. You can create a picture like an actual flower garden, or whatever you prefer. When the work is done, frame it. These framed pictures make great gifts. But you may want to keep them for yourself.

    5    Practice the art of fleurage. It is a wonderful way to keep the beauty of flowers. This type of flowers last forever. And they never need water!

A．Then, glue the petals in the outlined space.

B．It’s a good chance for you to personalize your work.

C．Outlining the design is the last step of this art.

D．And “fleurage”, or the art of pressing flowers, is one of them.

E．A soft facial tissue will create a more natural look.

F．It is a good idea to hang your work away from the sun.

G．The next time you receive a bunch of flowers, don’t throw them away.

7 . Maria Jones had just finished teaching a yoga class when she happened to notice an elderly man walking around by himself in the city centre of Aberdeen, Scotland.

As they shared a packet of chocolate bars over a coffee, Maria learned that Tom Smith, who was 83, had left his home that day for the first time in three years. Driven by extreme loneliness, he decided to take a ride on the bus. He’d taken two different buses that day.

According to Age UK, 1.1 million older people rely on using public transport for company. While health and mobility issues can lead to social isolation, the COVID-19 lockdown, coupled with the upsetting effect of the cost of living crisis, has contributed to a loneliness epidemic among the UK’s older population.

Senior expert Sally Baker sees the necessity of establishing a programme to reconnect the older people with their local communities. And helping them access local transport links is the first step. She says that she understands why travelling on public transport can help to reduce loneliness. It offers a setting for conversations to spark up. “Sitting side by side is often less inhibiting than direct eye contact,” she said.

However, Age UK is aware that many older people feel worried about getting out and about, with 38 percent saying they don’t feel confident using public transport.

That’s why the charity has initiated the Travelling Companions’ pilot programme, designed to help older people who might be feeling lonely to get out and about confidently. Each older person is matched with a volunteer who will help them achieve their travel goals.

One man at 80, who has been helped by Age UK’s new project, says, “The programme is making my world a lot bigger and brighter.”

1. Why is Tom Smith’s experience mentioned in the text?

A．To give an example of someone getting lost.

B．To introduce the major topic to be discussed.

C．To illustrate the boring daily life of 80-year-olds.

D．To stress the value of chatting with older people.

2. What can we learn from paragraph 4?

A．Older people need help to rebuild social connections.

B．Travelling alone on buses can be unsafe for older people.

C．Many older people take buses to ease anxiety.

D．It’s necessary to offer older people free bus rides.

3. What is Age UK according to the text?

A．A research institute.	B．A senior citizen care centre.
C．A bus company.	D．A charity organization.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The widespread old age problem in the UK.

B．Loneliness among the UK’s older population.

C．A programme to help older people use public transport.

D．Volunteers who accompany the elderly people on their trips.

8 . Europe’s Best Upcoming Food Festivals

Matstreif (Oslo, Norway), July 11-12

With a wide variety of dishes available at wallet-sparing prices, this event sees more than 200 food stalls open for business in Oslo’s City Hall Square.

Bold foodies should try “rakfisk”-rotten fish. If that sounds a bit much, there’s always “svele”, a kind of pancake that originates from western Norway.

Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival (Loch Lomond, Scotland), August 4-6

The 10th annual edition of this festival offers one of the best showcases for Scottish produce. On the menu are local specialties and venison (鹿肉) from the surrounding national park.

For those who like a competitive edge with their lunch, there’s even a “haggis” eating contest that pits eight hungry visitors against each other to see who can eat a pound of the local food quickest.

Stutt garter Weindorf (Stuttgart, Germany), August 21-25

This food festival celebrates wine on the land of beer.

German wine is obviously underrated. Stuttgart’s annual Weindorf sees 28 open air restaurants serving more than 500 wines from Baden and Wurttemberg, with reds, whites, roses and sparkling versions all available. Fresh pretzels and chocolates will also be available to help mop up the alcohol.

Cheese 2015 (Bra, Italy), August 27-September 2

The name is a bit of a giveaway here. This bi-annual event sees Italy’s best cheese makers gather on the small town of Bra.

It’s free to visit, although plenty of euros are needed to pay for samples and try out some of the courses on offer. Whatever they are hunting for, cheese lovers will be well taken care of. They just need to make sure there’’s time for post-cheese snooze before the next round of cheese tasting.

1. What can visitors do at the Norwegian food festival?

A．Try some pancakes.	B．Eat a pound of haggis.
C．Drink red and white wines.	D．Buy samples of cheese.

2. Where can people join in an eating competition?

A．In Oslo, Norway.	B．In Loch Lomond, Scotland.
C．In Stuttgart, Germany.	D．In Bra, Italy.

3. Which food festival lasts longest?

A．Matstreif.	B．Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival.
C．Stuttgarter Weindorf.	D．Cheese 2015.

9 . 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。

As the famous American song of the 1950s says. “Little things mean a lot.” To me, this phrase is becoming more and more significant as I get older and    1     (increase) comprehend that the ‘“little” things in life are often the most valuable.

One of these “little things” is nature. Most of us, even in urban cities, can find at least a little slice of nature    2    (appreciate). There’s a well-tended garden in my workplace. Most days I would never pay attention to    3    as I rushed past on my way to the office. A few days ago, realizing what I had missed, I     4     (decide) just to go there and seriously take time to enjoy it. The garden with many brightly colored    5    (rose) still in bloom in November is not only a feast for the eyes, but also a credit to the hardworking staff    6    carefully look after it.

Another “little thing” that means a lot to me is my little balcony garden. It’s such    7     enormous delight to enjoy this little bit of nature in my own home.     8     (raise) from seeds, the plants there are now bringing me plenty of lovely peppers, which is    9    (enjoy) and practical.

Nature is not “over there”, it’s right in front of us. Maybe it’s time to start focusing more     10    the “little things” in life.

10 . Making the big decision about choosing a lasting and fulfilling career is a hard thing. Here’s how to decide which carcer you want, especially if you’re unsure of where to start.

Ask family members and friends that you trust. When you don’t know what you want to do, you can note any trends in feedback provided by people who are close to you.     1     Ask friends, family members and other people you trust what roles they could picture you doing for a living or companies they hope to see you working at.

    2     Start by saying you’re considering a career similar to theirs on Linkedln, with just a single question to start, which can improve the odds that you’ll get a specialty analysis.    3    then that can be very helpful to better assess their own sincerity in terms of networking.

Consider your personality and individual preferences. Take a personality assessment, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. If someone is more introverted and they are in an environment that is very outgoing and exposes them to a lot of people, that may be a reason why many people change their career.    4    

Look into a fast-growing industry. Careers in fast-growing industries may give you more opportunities. If you don’t know what field interests you, you can make a short list of fast-growing industries such as health care, sales or software.    5    For instance, your search question. “Top health care careers’” or “Fast-growing salary careers” should produce results that get you closer to picking the career you want.

A．Talk to professionals in various fields.

B．Consider previous jobs and what worked for you.

C．Consider also completing a “mini 360” with those around you.

D．When you can build up some real connection with their company.

E．If you have the option to see their faces talking to you about their job,

F．Choose the career you love and you will never work a day in your life.

G．Trying a focused Google and YouTube search can help you brainstorm.