1 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman going to do this Saturday?

A．Go on a business trip.

B．Attend a party.

C．Work overtime.

2. Who does the man advise the woman to ask for help?

A．Her neighbors.

B．The kids’ teacher.

C．The kids’ grandparents.

3. What does the man say about nannies (保姆) here?

A．They are common.

B．They have no certificate.

C．They’re more expensive for full-time care.

2 . Cashmere Nicole

Cashmere Nicole was a struggling single mother, juggling (兼顾) her nine-to-five job and family life and battling breast cancer when she started her side business, Beauty Bakerie, a beauty brand. Started in her kitchen, the brand is currently sold in over 100 countries worldwide. “You can only find the things you truly love by exploring, by trying things,” says Nicole when interviewed about her achievement. “If we aren’t trying, we aren’t giving ourselves the best shot at finding the one thing that we’ll enjoy doing.”

Gerard Adams

Gerard Adams founded Fownders, a digital and in-classroom learning platform for entrepreneurs (企业家). Adams thanks his mentor (顾问), Tony Robbins, for much of his success. “Find a good mentor and get started,” he says. “We wouldn’t be anywhere as far as we are today without good mentorship.” Through Fownders, Adams provides mentorship to entrepreneurs.

Tamar Lucien

Tamar Lucien had just $250 left to her name when she started MentalHappy. Inspired by her own struggles with anxiety, she wanted to create a business and movement that helps people overcome their own sadness and anxiety, which is done through MentalHappy’s signature “Cheerbox” filled with happiness tools.

Christopher Gray

Gray graduated from college and decided to help others find scholarship money, which is why he founded Scholly, a mobile and web app that finds students scholarship money for college and graduate school. Gray knows it takes a ton of hard work to be a successful entrepreneur. “There are no shortcuts (捷径) to success,” he says.

1. What does Nicole value most in terms of achieving success?

A．Attempting new things.	B．Having a healthy body.
C．Balancing work and life.	D．Taking care of your appearance.

2. Who has made up his / her mind to lift people’s spirits?

A．Tamar Lucien.

B．Gerard Adams.

C．Cashmere Nicole.

D．Christopher Gray.

3. Which of the following makes it easy for students to find scholarships?

A．Fownders.

B．Scholly.

C．MentaIHappy.

D．Beauty Bakerie.

3 . Are you ready to get down to a thrilling journey through the pages of captivating stories and profound knowledge? Join us for an unforgettable reading event that promises to ignite your passion for literature and broaden your horizons!

Celebrating the Richness of American Literature

Immerse yourself in a treasure of literary masterpieces that showcase the cultural richness and diversity of American voices. From timeless classics to contemporary gems, there’s something for everyone to discover and enjoy.

Book Highlights:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Delve into the timeless tale of justice, morality, and compassion set against the backdrop of the American South.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Experience the glitz, glamour, and disillusionment of the Jazz Age through the eyes of the enigmatic Jay Gatsby.

Beloved by Toni Morrison: Journey into the haunting world of slavery’s legacy and the enduring power of love and memory.

Meet the Authors: Signed Copies and Book Giveaways!

Don’t miss the opportunity to meet renowned authors and get your books personally signed! Plus, stand a chance to win exclusive giveaways and limited edition merchandise.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, March 23rd

Time: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

Location: Central Public Library, 123 Main Street, Anytown, USA

Who Should Attend?

This event is perfect for crazy readers, literature enthusiasts, and anyone eager to explore the diverse landscape of American literature. Whether you’re a high school student preparing for college or a seasoned bookworm, there’s something here for you!

Registration and More Information:

Visit our website at www.booklovers.com to register for this exciting event and learn more about the featured authors and book selections.

Why It Matters:

By celebrating the rich tapestry of American literature, we not only honor the voices of the past but also inspire future generations to embrace diversity, empathy, and the power of storytelling.

1. Which book is NOT mentioned as an emphasis of the event?

A．To Kill a Mockingbird.	B．The Great Gatsby.
C．Moby-Dick.	D．Beloved.

2. What can attendees do at the event?

A．Sign their own names on books.	B．See and greet famous authors.
C．Participate in a reading competition.	D．Watch a movie screening.

3. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A food magazine.	B．An astronaut’s journal.
C．A sci-fi handbook.	D．A reading website.

4 . Li Jing, 29, currently serves as the director assistant to the village secretary of Maotianping Village Committee in Cuijiaba, a town in Hubei province. Li is a native of this village and was one of the first from her community to achieve higher education. She studied hotel management and tourism. After graduation, she started a career in the hotel industry in Wuhan. However, she made a decision last year to return to her village. She wants to be an essential part of her hometown’s development, realizing her own personal value.

When Li returned to her hometown, she received unconditional support from her family, despite some villagers’ questioning her decision. She resolved to prove herself through determination and action.

Her job involves extensive communication with the villagers, with over half of her workload about promoting potato production, the main business of the village. Li and the villagers regularly hold meetings in the village square, where they share insights on potato planting techniques, sales channels, market trends, and more. These gatherings provide her with opportunities to equip the villagers with planting tools and offer a window for them to voice their concerns and experiences.

In her spare time, Li remains closely connected with the villagers through regular conversations. She admits that it demands a considerable investment of time and energy, but it’s all worthwhile.

Li has very fond memories of an incident from last year when one villager had a poor potato crop. Although her potatoes were unimpressive in terms of size and quality, she held faith in Li and worked tirelessly and enthusiastically. Li never forgets the smiles on the villagers’ faces at harvest time, which is the ultimate reward for her.

In the near future, Li hopes to continue helping her fellow villagers raise their potato production and increase their income. Her long-term vision is to promote urban-rural integration (整合).

1. Why did Li Jing desire to start a career in her hometown?

A．She received higher education.	B．What she has learned could help her.
C．She intended to live her dream.	D．She failed to start her own business in Wuhan.

2. Which words can best describe Li Jing?

A．Passionate and hardworking.	B．Strong-willed and competent.
C．Warm-hearted and easy-going.	D．Selfless and thoughtful.

3. Why the incident is mentioned in paragraph 5?

A．To show Li Jing’s inability in potato planting.

B．To prove Li Jing’s success in gaining villagers trust.

C．To put emphasis on the hardship of potato planting.

D．To give evidence of Li Jing’s efforts.

4. Which of the following can be the best title?

A．No Pain, No Gain	B．East or West, Home Is Best
C．Graduates, Welcome Home	D．From the Village, for the Village

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What impact has the coronavirus had on public transport?

A．It has been shut.

B．It is being used less.

C．It is struggling with the number of passengers.

2. What was the increase of cycling in the UK in June 2020?

A．25%.

B．39%.

C．300%.

3. What does the speaker mean in the end?

A．We should keep positive changes.

B．The world can adapt to any change.

C．It’s better to look to the past for answers.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What did the man do a week ago?

A．He handed in his research.

B．He went to a club meeting.

C．He began to write his essay.

2. Why does the man recommend Simone?

A．She is familiar with the art club.

B．She will study in a foreign school.

C．She may help the woman with her assignment.

7 . Family Kayaking

Price: £37 Adult; £21 Child (8 — 16 Years)
Dates: April-October

This activity is designed as a first-time kayaking (皮划艇) experience or for those with little water confidence. During this fun activity you’ ll learn the basics, try out the kit, go on a tour of the Beaulieu River with your trusty guide and maybe play a game or two along the way. A range of boat options will be available to choose from. Children under 12 will be required to take part on a double kayak with an adult. This activity is for those of 8 years and older.

What’s Included?
*Full introduction to the equipment and its use
*Up to 90 minutes of fun, learning and exploration
*Various kayaks to choose from (weight limit 150kg)
*Qualified coach on hand to support you
*Discuss your next steps and further kayaking options
*Toilets and changing rooms available

We can run extra activities at a time to suit you. If you can’t easily find the date you’re after please contact the office and we will be happy to help. We’re confident that what we do is excellent and provides real value for money. However, if for any reason we let you down, you’ ll be eligible (有资格的) for our 100% satisfaction guarantee and we’ll give your money back, no questions asked.

1. How much should an adult with a 9-year-old child pay for the activity?

A．£21.

B．£37.

C．£58.

D．£74.

2. What is required of children under 12?

A．Being good at swimming.

B．Learning the basics in advance.

C．Being accompanied by an adult.

D．Attending an extra 90-minute activity.

3. What can you do if you are dissatisfied with the service?

A．Get your money back.

B．Complain to the office.

C．Ask for an extra guided tour by a qualified coach.

D．Discuss your further kayaking options with your guide.

8 . Is it OK to kill time? Machines used to find this question difficult to answer. But a new study shows’ that artificial intelligence (AI) can be programmed to judge right from wrong.

“We show that machines can learn about our moral values,”says Dr. Patrick Schramowski, author of this study, based at the Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany.

“There is general agreement that AI research is progressing rapidly and that AI’s influence on society is likely to increase,” Schramowski reports. “From self-driving cars to health care, AI systems deal with increasingly complex (复杂的) human tasks in increasingly autonomous ways. It is important to carry out research in this area so that we can trust the decisions they make.”

Schramowski’s AI system is named the Moral Choice Machine (MCM). He and his team trained it with sets of newspapers, articles, and other texts that appeared between the years 1510 and 2009.

Once the scientists had trained the MCM, it accepted the moral values of the given text. When asked whether one may steal money, harm animals or kill a living being, it will answer “No.” But if you ask “Should I kill time?” it will tell you it’s okay. Because it has understood that the behavior means no harm. You will generally get a reasonable answer from the machine.

“The MCM did this not by repeating the text it found,” reports Schramowski. “It could tell the difference between contextual information provided in a question.”

Furthermore, the study shows that the machine takes up moral values indicative of the time and kind of society the written sources come from, showing the changing social norms (准则) over ages.

For example, when they limited its training data to news articles from 2008 to 2009, the AI system favored work and school over family life. But when it could only explore news from the late eighties and nineties, it favored marriage and parenting.

1. What does Schramowski mainly talk about in paragraph 3?

A．Their research methods.	B．AI systems’ bright future.
C．The great value of their study.	D．The difficulties of AI research.

2. How did the researchers train the MCM?

A．They let it repeat moral stories.

B．They showed it many kind acts.

C．They offered it a lot of written material.

D．They talked with it about decision-making.

3. What can the MCM do after training?

A．Improve social rules.

B．Tell right from wrong.

C．Help humans make decisions.

D．Create texts about moral values.

4. What can we learn from the example in the last paragraph?

A．Social values change over time.

B．Technology should be used wisely.

C．AI systems have their own limitations.

D．It’s hard for machines to make moral choices.

9 . Finding just the right book to read together can open a door to helping a child understand difficult subjects like illness, loss, and big change. Here’s a list of some of the best.

Black Dog

Author: Levi Pinfold

A black dog appears outside the Hope family’s home. As each member of the family sees it and hides, the dog grows bigger and bigger. Only the youngest Hope has the courage to face the black dog. When it chases (追逐) her she shows no fear, so it grows smaller and smaller. Finally, back to the size of a normal dog.

I Remember

Author: Jeanne Willis

A sweet little boy visits an old lady one day. He seems familiar to her. He’s even got the same name as her grandson, George! Of course, he is her grandson George. He gently reminds her of what they’ve done together before. A beautiful book that might help children learn about dementia (痴呆).

I Talk Like a River

Author: Jordan Scott

In class, a boy hides at the back in the hope that he won’t be asked to speak. But the teacher directs a question his way. All his classmates watch him stumbling over (结结巴巴地说) his words. His father collects him from school, and takes him for a walk by the river.

Susan Laughs

Author: Jeanne Willis

Susan can do so many things - she can laugh, sing, fly, dance, swim and much more. The final page of this book reveals that Susan is in a wheelchair, showing that "disabled" doesn’t mean “disadvantaged”.

1. Which book is about overcoming our fears?

A．Black Dog.

B．I Remember.

C．Susan Laughs.

D．I Talk Like a River.

2. What is wrong with George’s grandma in the second book?,

A．She has lost her memory.	B．She has problems with speaking.
C．She has a poor relationship with George.	D．She completely relies on a wheelchair for mobility.

3. What do the four books have in common?

A．They focus on various diseases.	B．They remind readers of their family.
C．They were written by the same author.	D．They help children learn about tough topics.

10 .

Join the Great Wall Marathon Autumn 2024Beijing, China 27 Oct 2024 (Sun) Marathon, Half marathon, 10 km, 5 km Welcome to the Great Wall of China Marathon! Autumn is the most beautiful season of a year in Beijing. For the runners who do not like to run the Great Wall of China Marathon in May at the temperature of around 25°C, autumn is a perfect choice with the temperature of around 10°C．
Ticket: $150Included in the fee: the light breakfast and light lunch the T-shirt the number cloth the transportation the mobile toilets and drinks service along the way	Age Limit Over age of 13 and under age of 70. Parking We have buses for all runners to the Great Wall, and runners should not worry about parking.
Registration (报名) closes on 15 October. You can, within 24 hours after your registration, get all your money back if you change your mind.

1. When is the Great Wall Marathon Autumn 2024?

A．In May.

B．In October.

C．In April.

D．In November.

2. If you take part in the race, ________.

A．you should spend 70 dollars

B．you can register at any time before the competition.

C．you can have something to drink while running

D．you have to drive to the Great Wall on your own.

3. On which of the following websites can we most probably read the text?

A．http://healthyfood.com	B．https://worldmarathons.com
C．https://freemovieswatch.net	D．http://travelzoo.com/cn