1 . 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。

Millions of bus passengers will enjoy cleaner, safer     1     more comfortable journeys as the government invests (投资) a further £143 million to roll out almost a thousand new zero emission (排放) buses in England. The new     2     (serve) is expected to have a marked impact on the future of the country.

The funding comes from the     3     (two) round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programme, which will see new electric buses in towns, villages and     4     (city) across England, including the most rural parts of the country, many of which will get zero emission buses for the first time. Thanks to the ZEBRA programme, no other European country     5     (record) as many electric buses in 2023 as the UK, with zero emission buses accounting     6     almost half of all new large buses introduced last year.

Today’s investment follows over £270 million to 16 local transport authorities (LTAs)     7     (lead) the total government support to cover 41 LTAs.     8     (make) sure more parts of England benefit from better buses and green technology, particularly rural areas     9     the journey towards decarbonising (碳减排) buses is in     10     (it) early stages, the government has put the first £40 million into rural communities.

2 . Many kids find math difficult or boring. That feeling needs to go extinct as soon as possible as math is a pillar (支柱) of education. Beyond numbers, math pushes kids to think critically and become problem solvers.     1    ? Let’s find out!

Change how you talk about math to kids

When you hear the word “math” come up, put on a wide smile on your face. Our kids feed off our energy. Let’s be clear, we aren’t trying to make math cool.     2    . This goes double for those struggling with math.

Integrate (融合) math into daily life

    3    . You can do this at home, during grocery shopping or even at a restaurant. Getting kids a quick math practice session when they aren’t expecting it makes them think on their feet and put things they’ve learned into practice. They get a moment to shine and you get an opportunity to praise them for showing what they learned.

    4    

Does your child love sports? Math helps them keep track of their performance and improve. Figure out a way to take the current math they are working on in school and then apply it to something they like. This may take some homework on your part, but it will pay off in no time!

Go along with math games

Let’s not try to force math homework to be fun, rather find a teaching aid that puts math in a new light. With advancement in technology, math games have become designed to teach entire lessons and concepts rather than simple problems like the games of days past.     5    

A．Listen to the outer voice

B．Connect math to kids’ interests

C．What is your learning approach to math

D．But how do we help kids build math confidence

E．A simple everyday event can turn into a math problem

F．Your kids will explore a different world while playing math games

G．Instead, we are trying to make math a positive part of a child’s education

3 . Large language models (LLMs) have become a household name thanks to the role they have played in bringing generative (生成式) AI to the forefront of the public interest, as well as the point on which organizations are focusing to apply generative AI into numerous business functions and use cases.

LLMs, like ChatGPT, are trained on huge amounts of data — mostly everything on the Internet, including soft copies of countless printed books. They can “learn” different kinds of things in their reading — not just words but also phrases, symbols and mathematical equations.

LLMs’ arrival has triggered a heated debate among experts in the field. At the heart of the debate is whether LLMs actually understand what they are saying and doing, rather than just seeming to. Some researchers have suggested that LLMs do understand, and can reason like people. But computer scientist Melanie Mitchell holds a different view.

Consider this letter-string problem: You start with abcd and the next string is abce. If you start with ijkl, humans almost always say the second string should end with m. And so do LLMs. They have, after all, been well trained on the English alphabet. But suppose you raise the problem in a different order, such as a u c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t b v w x y z. Humans are still very good at solving letter-string problems. But LLMs usually fail. They are not able to generalize’ the concepts (概念) used on an alphabet they know to another alphabet.

“Being dependable and doing the right thing in a new situation is the central part of what understanding actually means,” Mitchell says. Human understanding, she says, is based on “concepts” — basically mental models of things like situations and events. Concepts allow people to infer cause and effect and to predict (预测) the probable results of different actions — even in new cases.

1. Why do LLMs receive public attention?

A．They give us free access to all e-books.	B．They can perform a wide range of tasks.
C．They make ChatGPT part of our life.	D．They will create large numbers of jobs.

2. What does the underlined word “triggered” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Caused.

B．Hosted.

C．Rejected.

D．Marked.

3. What are LLMs unable to do according to Mitchell?

A．Shape our views on technology.	B．Read an English passage.
C．Understand the world like humans.	D．Answer general questions.

4. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A guidebook.

B．A research plan.

C．A children’s story.

D．A science magazine.

4 . In January, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook’s parent company Meta, appeared at a hearing to answer questions about how social media potentially harms children. Zuckerberg opened by saying: “The existing body of scientific work has not shown a causal link (关联) between using social media and young people having worse mental health.”

But many social scientists would disagree with that statement. In recent years, studies have started to show a causal link between teen social media use and reduced well-being. One of the most cited studies into this link focused on Facebook.

Researchers tried to discover whether the platform’s introduction across college campuses in the mid-2000s increased symptoms (症状) related to mental health problems. The answer was a clear yes, says Alexey Makarin, a coauthor of the study. “There is still a lot to be explored,” Makarin says, “but to say there is no causal evidence that social media causes mental health issues, and I definitely object to that.”

The concern and the studies come from data showing that social media use in teens aged 13 to 17 is now very common. Two-thirds of teens report using TikTok, and some 60 percent of teens report using Instagram or Snapchat, a 2022 survey found. Another survey showed that girls, on average, spend around 3. 4 hours per day on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, compared with about 2.1 hours among boys. At the same time, more teens are showing signs of depression than ever, especially girls.

As more studies show a strong link between these phenomena, researchers are starting to move their attention to possible solutions. Why does social media use seem to bring about mental health problems? Why do those effects unevenly exist among different groups, such as girls or young adults? And can the good points of social media be teased out (梳理) from the bad points to provide more targeted guidance to teens, their caregivers and policymakers?

1. Why does the author mention Zuckerberg’s words?

A．To introduce the topic.	B．To offer a piece of advice.
C．To present the image of a company.	D．To add background information.

2. What does Makarin’s study find?

A．It is important to network with others.	B．Social media harms teens’ mental health.
C．The Internet plays a key role in our daily life.	D．Messaging tools cause parents mental suffering.

3. Which is the percentage of teenagers using TikTok according to the 2022 survey?

A．34%.

B．60%.

C．67%.

D．76%.

4. What will researchers probably do?

A．Focus on all the Internet users.	B．Turn to teenagers’ caregivers.
C．Limit adults’ social media use.	D．Work out targeted solutions.

5 . 假定你是李华，请写一份倡议书，倡议大家关注野生动物的保护。内容包括：
1. 野生动物减少的原因（人为捕猎，环境污染……）；
2. 需要采取的措施（至少两条）。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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。

The “Reminiscing Jiangnan (忆江南)-Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Arts Exhibition” kicked off at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday.

The exhibition,     1     aim is to promote cultural exchanges between China and Australia, is co-hosted by China Cultural Center Sydney and other agencies. It is held     2     (mark) the 10th anniversary (周年纪念) of the establishment of the China-Australia strategic partnership. The 10-day exhibition will showcase     3     selected collection of Jinshan peasant (农民) paintings at the China Cultural Center in Sydney. The works often feature a wide range of striking colors and     4     (diversity) elements from traditional arts.

    5     (list) as Shanghai’s intangible cultural heritage, the art of Jinshan peasant painting     6     (exhibit) in many nations and regions across the world over the past decade. This time, painter Li Yuan presented his work themed on Sydney’s landmarks     7     a gift to David van Nunen, president of the Australian Watercolor Institute.

Themed “Reminiscing Jiangnan”, the exhibition expresses the     8     (expect) to further promote the exchange and understanding of civilizations between the two nations. “It’s obvious that the people of both nations share a deep enthusiasm for life. I’m     9     (true) delighted to participate in this extraordinary cultural exchange,” said David van Nunen.

In particular, the City Walk Shanghai series albums were displayed at the opening ceremony,     10     (show) Shanghai’s innovation and convenience.

7 . In 2017, I developed an unusual illness that had almost destroyed my life. But one of the things that _________ me in the following year was an online Qi Gong course.

Qi Gong looks like Tai Chi, but it’s _________ energy medicine for healing. My daily _________ of Qi Gong that year made such a _________ to me that I decided to head to the retreat (静修) organized by Sifu Anthony, a Qi Gong master, the following February.

It was my first trip out of the country for more than a decade. I booked a trip to San Jose where I _________ a dozen strangers and Sifu Anthony. We all _________ a tiny bus. Moments later, we rode up around _________ mountain roads into a magical cloud forest jungle where we finally reached our _________ — the Blue Mountain for Qi Gong practice.

There was no Internet or other entertainments there — just _________ organic meals made with love. I’d felt a little energy movement during my year of online learning, but right there my body __________ to really feel Qi when I __________ Qi Gong exercises. I felt joyful.

That was when everything changed. I __________ a remarkable transformation and recovered fully. I had a successful career as a writer, but still wanted to __________ the beauty, diversity, nature and culture in every corner of the __________. And I wanted to share this __________ feeling of life with anyone. So, I set up my travel blog.

1.

A．annoyed

B．inspired

C．equipped

D．frightened

2.

A．actually

B．randomly

C．gradually

D．originally

3.

A．conclusion

B．reservation

C．practice

D．battle

4.

A．breakthrough

B．difference

C．reward

D．suggestion

5.

A．came across

B．knocked over

C．brought up

D．brushed off

6.

A．piloted

B．operated

C．boarded

D．fixed

7.

A．winding

B．smooth

C．deserted

D．incredible

8.

A．space

B．state

C．destination

D．position

9.

A．meaningful

B．processed

C．delicious

D．smelly

10.

A．shook

B．lowered

C．forced

D．began

11.

A．recalled

B．performed

C．guaranteed

D．assessed

12.

A．cast

B．underwent

C．organized

D．identified

13.

A．explore

B．showcase

C．stress

D．adjust

14.

A．business

B．profession

C．outline

D．globe

15.

A．peaceful

B．definite

C．objective

D．joyful

8 . “Leave no track” is popular among many campers who are concerned about our environment and favor sustainable (可持续的) travel. Its goal is simple; to minimize human-created impacts on the natural world.     1    

Reject plastic and paper. First and foremost, one of the easiest ways to reduce the impact of camping on the planet is to go plastic and paper-free. Instead of single-use plastics and paper plates, choose bamboo or other recyclable camping dinnerware and food packages.       2    

Rent or buy a used tent. Instead of brand-new equipment, consider renting camping equipment instead. Outdoor retail (零售) brands like REI offer a wide variety of camping products to rent, including tents.     3     For those keen on purchasing something new, try brands like Patagonia that put sustainability first to reduce waste and support eco-friendly practices.

    4     In addition to eco-friendly tents, it’s good to ensure that other camping essentials, from hiking shoes and sleeping bags to clothing and blankets, are also gentle on the environment. And remember, whatever is packed in should also be packed out.

Only camp in designated (指定的) camping areas.     5     However, developed campgrounds, which are specifically designated for camping, are usually available by reservation and don’t require campers to walk wearily into the wilderness to clear space to set up a tent. Designated camping spots usually have other advantages like bathrooms, showers, picnic tables, and more.

A．Pack with the planet in mind.

B．Sort out what you really need when camping.

C．They even carry other outdoor essentials for rent.

D．Learn how to sustainably upgrade the summer camping here.

E．Campers can also buy reusable paper towels in order to genuinely leave no track.

F．Eco-friendly campers can learn how to update their skills with these simple tips.

G．Although backpacking off the beaten path sounds fascinating, it may not be eco-friendly.

9 . Temperatures above 30 degrees have been forecast for Sydney on the eve of autumn, while western Sydney is expected to experience temperatures above 40 degrees. The government department has issued severe heatwave warnings for much of New South Wales and high fire ratings have also been issued. In Queensland, Brisbane has been predicted to break an all-time record for the longest stretch of hot nights, with overnight temperatures not yet dropping below 20 degrees in 2024.

Scientists have come up with an unusual idea for how to deal with global warming — cool the Earth by injecting (注入) ice into the upper atmosphere to make it drier.

Water vapour — water in its gas form — is a natural greenhouse gas that traps heat, just like carbon dioxide from burning coal, oil and gas. Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA believe that if they can just inject ice up high in the air, it could dry out the upper atmosphere and reduce its ability to trap human-caused warmth.

“So far it’s just an early idea that scientists could add to their toolbox against climate change,” said NOAA physicist Dr Joshua Schwarz, lead author of the study published in scientific journal Science Advances. “This is about exploring what might be possible in the future and identifying research directions,” he said, explaining that there is no workable technique for scientists to put the idea into practice at present.

The approach is one of a few proposed by scientists that aim to reduce the impact of climate change by fixing the world's atmosphere or oceans. The way it could possibly work is that hi-tech planes could inject ice about 17km high, where the air slowly rises. The researchers believe that the ice and cold air would rise to where it’s coldest and gets the water vapour to turn to ice and fall, drying out the stratosphere (平流层) in the process.

Injecting two tons of ice per week could reduce global heating by about five percent of the warming created by carbon from the burning of fossil fuel (化石燃料). But researchers are unsure how they will inject ice and whether the practice will cause side effects.

1. Why are so many places mentioned in paragraph 1?

A．To present some natural phenomena.

B．To clarify the ignored reason for climate change.

C．To highlight the severe condition of global warming.

D．To predict the potential threats to the survival of humans.

2. What discourages scientists from carrying out the idea?

A．Fund.

B．Policy.

C．Climate.

D．Technology.

3. What are the researchers uncertain about?

A．How to send up the ice.	B．The quantity of the needed ice.
C．Whether to promote the idea.	D．The scientific foundation of the idea.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A government report.	B．A personal diary.
C．A science magazine.	D．A travel guide.

10 . Robots are now not merely the favorite image of science fiction. They are already widely used to perform simple repetitive tasks and in industries where work must be performed in environments hazardous to humans, because it can prevent people from suffering harm or loss. Robots may be equipped with the equivalent (对应物) of human senses such as vision, touch and the ability to sense temperature. Some are even capable of simple decision-making and current robotics research is aimed at inventing robots with a degree of self-sufficiency.

Modern robots are like very young children who are just learning to walk. It’s fun to watch them fall over, but deep down we know that if we laugh too hard, they might develop a complex emotion and grow up to start World War II. None of humanity’s creations inspires such a confusing mix of amazement, admiration and fear. We want robots to make our lives easier and safer, yet we can’t quite bring ourselves to trust them. We're crafting them in our own image, yet we are terrified that they’ll replace us.

But that fear is no barrier to the field of robotics. Robots have finally grown smart enough and capable enough to make their way out of factories and labs to walk and roll and even leap among us. You may be worried that a robot is going to steal your job. But you may be more likely to work alongside a robot in the near future than have one replace you. The rapidly developing relationship between humans and robots is so complex that it has started its own field, known as human-robot interaction. The challenge is that it’s easy to adapt robots to get along with humans — but it’s another issue to train humans to get along with machines.

The machines promise to change virtually every aspect of human life, from health care to transportation to work. One thing is clear: The machines have arrived. Now we have to figure out how to handle the responsibility of having invented a new species.

1. What does the underlined word “hazardous” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Helpful.

B．Dangerous.

C．Beneficial.

D．Acceptable.

2. What are people worried about concerning robots?

A．They are not safe to use.	B．They may take away their jobs.
C．They fail to think themselves.	D．They are unable to do the required work.

3. What is the challenge in dealing with the relationship between humans and robots?

A．How to make robots obey humans.	B．How to have robots live in peace.
C．How to get humans to live with robots.	D．How to train robots to cooperate effectively.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards robots?

A．Doubtful.

B．Indifferent.

C．Pessimistic.

D．Objective.