1 . When it comes to popular symbols of marriage, one can not look past the wedding ring. The wedding ring serves as a perfect symbol of everlasting love — a ring is a circle and thus has no beginning or end, representing the never-ending union of marriage. Wedding rings have long and rich histories.

Evidence suggests that wedding rings were used in ancient Egypt around 6,000 years ago. However, unlike the metals and gemstones used today, they were crafted from materials such as reeds, leather or bone. In the centuries that followed, the wedding ring tradition was picked up in the West, where it spread first in ancient Rome and Greece, subsequently throughout Europe during the Middle Ages and eventually to Eastern culture. Throughout history, the circular shape of the ring has endured, and so has the tradition of wearing it on the fourth finger of the left hand. The latter practice stemmed from an ancient belief that a vein ran directly from this finger to the heart. Although this belief has since been proved false, the custom has persisted.

Regarding customs surrounding wedding rings, there was a time when only the bride wore a wedding ring. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the practice of grooms wearing rings gained popularity. This change was influenced by soldiers going off to war, who wore rings as reminders of their loved ones waiting for them at home. Today, the exchange of wedding rings remains an integral part of the wedding ceremony, symbolizing the commitment and love shared between two individuals embarking on a life together.

Wedding rings hold a symbolic significance that binds the two members of a married couple. In an ever-changing world, the wedding ring stands as an ancient tradition that is likely to continue for generations to come, reflecting the timeless and eternal love celebrated through marriage.

1. What is the main reason wedding rings are considered symbols of marriage?

A．They are made of precious materials.	B．They have profound histories.
C．They are worn on left hands.	D．They have circular shapes.

2. According to the passage, what is an example of a common myth instead of a fact?

A．Women were wearing wedding rings long before men were.

B．One finger on the left hand contains a vein leading to the heart.

C．Both ancient Romans and Egyptians wore the ring on the same finger.

D．The wedding ring tradition began in Egypt thousands of years ago.

3. Which of the following aspects of a wedding ring is NOT discussed in the passage?

A．How the tradition of it spread around the world.

B．What couples do with their wedding rings.

C．How to choose suitable wedding rings.

D．Materials used to make early rings.

4. How does the author feel about the tradition of wedding rings?

A．It will most likely last forever.	B．It has already fallen out of date.
C．It should be taken more seriously.	D．It holds no significance in modern society.

3 . 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。

Everything went according to plan, until it didn’t. The night before my first marathon, I ate the classic runner’ s dinner. That morning, I woke up before my alarm, tiptoed downstairs to toast three waffles and slathered them in peanut butter. I had slept eight hours, my unreliable left knee wasn’t bothering me, my stomach was full. I was ready.

Then my girlfriend, Louisa, knocked on the door asking: “Have you checked your email?” The Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis and St. Paul had been canceled. Race officials sent an email at 5: 16 a. m. announcing the race had been called off due to “black flag conditions”-- record-breaking heat.

While I understood why the race organizers didn’t want to put runners at risk, I also knew that I had trained in the baking and humid Washington, D. C. all summer. If I started early and finished around noon, I’d miss the worst heat of the day. Louisa offered to bike alongside me, with water, snacks and salt pills in tow.

I quickly called my friends to figure out what to do. About 40minutes later, we were heading for starting line in downtown Minneapolis, drinking a gallon of water, ready to run our own marathon. There is a psychological difference between running 42. 2 kilometers and running an organized marathon. The distance becomes a shared challenge when you’re running with thousands of others. That gives a runner confidence they can finish the race as well.

“When you’re in that marathon setting, having people on the sidelines, having people running alongside you, maybe running in a new location, there are so many other external things to help keep you focused, “my friend Samson said. The sights and sounds “give you a little of a break from the internal reflection that can happen when you start to struggle.” Indeed, it is a mental race.

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。

On our way to the starting line, we were wondering if anybody else would show up despite the cancellation.

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The last 8 kilometers of the Twin Cities Marathon route are largely uphill.

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5 .

A video of a young boy waving to ask his dad for one extra hug before he drives off to work is capturing the hearts of social media users online.

Tyler Lobdell shared a 31-second clip on his TikTok page, which now has over 1.5 million views. Lobdell, a father of two, told Good Morning America he had the idea to check his doorbell camera recently when he came across the special moment and couldn’t resist watching it over and over.

“I watched it 150 times before I posted it because I’m just watching it and its making me emotional watching it and I just wanted people to feel what I felt watching it.” Lobdell said of his motivation to share the video of him and his son Isaiah.

Lobdell said even though he often showers his sons, Hudson and Isaiah, with hugs and kisses, the boys, who are now 6 and 8, still like to stop him before he leaves for work and occasionally request one more hug from him.

“They’ll catch me in the garage or come out, like Isaiah did that morning, and they’ll stop me for an extra hug,” Lobdell, an ironworker in Constantia, New York, explained. “They just do it randomly from time to time and I just love that they do that.”

“I always try to make sure that I’m reciprocating that love that they’re trying to show me,” he continued. “It’s a rough world out there and I don’t ever want my kids to ever feel that they can’t show me love or feel in any way that they’re not totally and completely loved by their parents.”

Lobdell said he encourages other parents to “be as present as possible” with their kids and take the opportunity to spend time with them because “time flies by so fast”. As for his young sons, Lobdell added that he wants them to know that no matter what they do, he’ll always support them and he’ll always be proud of them.

1. What attracted people’s attention about the video?

A．Lobdell’s care for his son.	B．Isaiah’s love for his father.
C．Lobdell’s parenting skills.	D．Isaiah’s funny activities.

2. Why did Tyler Lobdell post the video?

A．To express his gratitude.	B．To attract some followers.
C．To make his son feel proud.	D．To share his personal feelings.

3. What does the underlined word “reciprocating” in Paragraph 6 mean?

A．Making out.

B．Taking over.

C．Giving back.

D．Setting down.

4. What was Tyler Lobdell’s final advice to other parents?

A．Be strict with their children.	B．Keep their children company.
C．Show respect to their children.	D．Praise and motivate their children.

6 . 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。

In recent years, the world     1     (see) a number of natural disasters: hurricanes in the Caribbean and southern U.S., earthquakes in Mexico, and monsoons (季风雨) in southern Asia. These     2     (event) brought damage to communities. They also brought questions about what we can do to prepare     3     (we) for similar events. The best thing to do when facing a coming natural disaster is to pay attention to your area’s evacuation notices and take advantage of evacuation help. However, it’s possible to     4     (catch) by an unexpected emergency. When     5     (face) with those situations, what should you do to stay safe? How can you be better prepared? Every family should have an emergency plan     6     addresses the most likely disasters in their area. Practical     7     (survive) skills should also be part of every family’s plan. These skills need to be learned and practiced before things get hard. This is because you     8     (simple) won’t have time to read a survival book during     9     emergency.     10     (stay) calm is the most important thing a person can do during any emergency. A little fear is a natural and healthy response (反应) to a frightening event. But when fear runs unchecked, a person may make dangerous choices. It takes practice to learn to stay calm in frightening situations, but it can be done.

8 . 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。

A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck western Japan on Monday afternoon, leading to a warning for residents to escape affected coastal     1     (area) of Japan as soon as possible.

The     2     (power) earthquake struck at 4:10 p. m. local time at a depth of 10 kilometers, around 42 kilometers northeast of Anamizu in Ishikawa. The Japan Meteorological Agency     3     (immediate) issued a tsunami warning along coastal regions of western Japan, and the first waves were reported hitting     4     coast just over 10 minutes later.

Some of the first reports came from the city of Wajima in Ishikawa,     5     saw tsunami waves of around 1. 2 meters around 4: 21 p. m., according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

Suzu city officials Inlshikawa told reporters that buildings have been damaged,     6     there were reports of injuries. Police in the city said some people were trapped in     7     (damage) houses, according to NHK. No deaths     8     (report) so far. More than 32, 500 homes in Ishikawa were left     9     power following the quake, according to the Hokuriku Electric Power Company. “     10     (put) human lives as priority, we are making every effort to assess damages — making every effort in disaster response,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Monday.