1 . You really can make free phone calls using the Internet.

Google Meet

Google Meet is an app-to-app calling service that works across desktop and mobile platforms. Video meetings are encrypted (加密), it also supports audio calls, and you can form massive group calls with up to 100 people. What’s more appealing is that Google Meet display s real-time captions (字幕) as the other person is speaking.

Signal

Signal lets you send and receive texts, make voice and video calls (including group calls), and share your location and files. It was developed with a focus on privacy and security; it uses end-to-end encryption to protect your messages and calls, so only you and the recipient can see or hear what you’re exchanging.

Google Voice

Google Voice is one of the best ways to make a call over the Internet. You get a real phone number, so you can make free calls to an actual phone number. Free calls you make with Google Voice must be to numbers in the United States or Canada, and they’re limited to three hours. However, you can continue to make a free call to the same number over and over again.

WhatsApp

Meta-owned WhatsApp is a popular texting app with hundreds of millions of users. However, you can also call your WhatsApp friends right from the app using only your Internet connection. You just need to confirm your phone number to get started. Once you’re using the app, you can start a new conversation to clearly see which of your contacts are also using WhatsApp, and then you can call them for free no matter where in the world they’re located. Group calls can include as many as 32 people.

1. What is a feature of Google Meet?

A．You can see what the speaker says.

B．It can be used for free anywhere in the world.

C．No password is needed to attend online meetings.

D．Over 100 people can attend online meetings meantime.

2. Which of the following apps is limited to certain areas?

A．Google Meet.

B．Signal.

C．Google Voice.

D．WhatsApp.

3. In what section of a newspaper will the text probably appear?

A．Health.

B．Environment.

C．Education.

D．Technology.

2 . 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。

I didn’t like Del so much. He always called me the nickname “Germy”, which meant “dirty”, instead of my real name “Jamie”. Besides, he was known as a trouble-maker in school. So when the head teacher Mr. Smith asked Del to come to his office, I naturally thought that Del had done something mean to someone. Through the window, I caught sight of a smaller boy crying. Del seemed unhappy, too.

He did not return to class that day. All of us were discussing what had happened to him. What else could such an annoying boy do? “He must have hit the boy and was sent home,” I whispered to my friends. Their eyes widened. It felt good to see them so interested in what I said.

The next morning, the whole school was talking about Del being expelled(开除) for beating up a kid. I was surprised that my assumptions were passed on so quickly. So when Del walked into the classroom, all the kids were shocked. The kids next to him shift ed their desks away. “What’s your problem?” Del asked. “I don’t want you to attack me,” one kid said. Some laughed. “Yeah, I might,” said Del. I could tell he was joking, but many kids thought he admitted he did beat up someone.

During recess(课间休息), Del tried to join the kickball game. “Neither team wants you,” one of the players said. “Why?” Del asked, looking confused. “I always play with you guys.” They ignored him and went on playing. Del sat by himself while the rest of the school enjoyed their recess away from him. Del looked lonely and sad, much different from before. I started to feel sorry for him.

Later that day, I learned what really happened. The kid was Del’s little brother and he was crying because their mother fell ill and was sent to hospital. I felt even sorrier for what I said before. I started a rumor(谣言).

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。

At recess the next day, I saw Del sitting alone watching the kickball game.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Now that Del had forgiven me, I decided to do more before the recess was over.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . The argument over video games has been ongoing for decades. While some argue that e-sports require skill, there is disagreement over whether they meet the standards of a traditional sport. According to the dictionary, a sport is a physical activity for pleasure. While playing video games requires skill and coordination (协调), it lacks the physicality associated with traditional sports. Strategy is also present in board games like chess or card games like solitaire, but these activities are not classified as sports. Similarly, playing a musical instrument requires practice and training, yet it is not considered a sport.

Sports require full-body movements and coordination while video games mainly involve finger and hand movements. Although it is possible to include physical movement while playing, it is not a requirement for success. Many e-sports enthusiasts sit in front of their screens, filling themselves with snacks while controlling the game. This lack of physicality not only sets video games apart from sports but can also have negative effects on health. Unlike traditional sports, which have been shown to improve well-being, too much video gaming can lead to headaches and anger.

While e-sports and competitive gaming may be comparable to activities like chess in terms of competition, they do not possess the physical effort and health benefits associated with traditional sports. However, as the industry continues to develop, the idea of e-sports is evolving. Studies have stressed the demanding motor skills and reaction times required in e-sports. Professor Ingo Frobose conducted a study that demonstrated the impressive motor skills of e-sports “athletes”, with up to 400 movements per minute on the keyboard and mouse. The strategic aspect of e-sports, including team planning, is also often ignored. Games such as League of Legends, Dota 2, and Honor of Kings have attracted large audiences and showed the skills of players.

While some argue against the classification (分类) of e-sports as real sports, evidence suggests that they possess unique skills and abilities. As the industry grows, the understanding and recognition of e-sports as a lawful competitive activity are gradually changing.

1. Why don’t some people think of video games as a sport?

A．They lack full-body movements.	B．They stress teamwork mostly.
C．They have no influence on health.	D．They require no strategy and training.

2. What will be a result of playing video games too much according to the text?

A．Better relationship with friends.	B．Bad performance in study.
C．Poor health condition.	D．Lack of coordination.

3. Which supports the classification of e-sports as real sports?

A．The fast development of traditional sports.

B．The benefits for health brought by video gaming.

C．The comparison of e-sports to chess.

D．The strategic aspect involved in e-sports.

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

A．Do e-sports require teamwork and skills?

B．Should video games be considered a sport?

C．Do e-sports have negative effects on health?

D．Should e-sports players concentrate more when playing?

4 . Like working out or eating healthily, being happy is something you have to work on.     1     The good news is that a growing body of research shows there are simple things you can do to help you learn how to be happy at work, and they don’t require huge changes.

    2     It affects how you feel at work for the rest of the day. In one study, researchers analyzed the moods and performance of customer service representatives. Those who were in a good mood in the morning were more productive during the day and reported having more positive interactions with customers.     3     You can take a few minutes to enjoy your morning coffee and you can get some fresh air.

One of the hardest aspects of your job is making dozens of decisions daily, often with little or incomplete information. So how can you make fewer decisions? You can do something of your day without thinking about it. For example, have the same thing for lunch or breakfast for a week. Then you can change it up the following week.     4     Steve Jobs said that he wore the same clothes daily so that he wouldn’t have to spend energy deciding what to wear.

Helping others makes you happier.     5     Helping your co-workers seems to create a virtuous (良性的) cycle. Another study says happier workers are 33% more likely to help their colleagues than those who aren’t happy.

A．It’s a skill that takes practice.

B．How you feel in the morning really matters a lot.

C．Give your colleagues a hand when it is possible.

D．You’ve just removed a bunch of decisions from your day.

E．You can write down three small things you will get done.

F．So do something in the morning that makes you feel good.

G．One simple way to do this is put a reminder on your calendar.

5 . Carmel, an Uber driver, found a bag full of $8,000 left behind in his car. Carmel knew someone out there was probably very _________ about losing such a large amount of money. He held onto the money, planning to _________ it to its rightful owner.

Meanwhile, Alex was _________ searching for his lost cash. He had saved up the money for months to help his struggling parents _________ their debts and provide a better life for his younger sisters. But now, it seemed as if all their _________ had come to an end.

Both Alex and Carmel _________ the missing bag on the Uber app. This was a smart _________ because it helped them get in touch with each other. Uber _________ them over the phone, and they could finally talk about the lost cash.

Carmel _________ back to give the cash to Alex. Imagine how __________ Alex must have felt seeing Carmel with the money! Alex was so glad that he __________ Carmel $10. It might not seem like a lot compared to $8,000, but it was Alex’s way of saying thank you. Carmel was really touched by this __________. He said he would never __________ it.

Carmel’s act of __________ teaches us a valuable lesson. Doing good things for others can make a big difference in their lives. It’s not just about the money; it’s about __________.

1.

A．awkward

B．upset

C．confused

D．certain

2.

A．return

B．post

C．throw

D．show

3.

A．angrily

B．patiently

C．wildly

D．skillfully

4.

A．pay off

B．pick out

C．break down

D．give up

5.

A．concerns

B．dreams

C．achievements

D．investigations

6.

A．encountered

B．judged

C．recovered

D．reported

7.

A．suggestion

B．reason

C．move

D．view

8.

A．ignored

B．recognized

C．expected

D．connected

9.

A．stepped

B．drove

C．called

D．wandered

10.

A．relaxed

B．amused

C．efficient

D．stressed

11.

A．lent

B．charged

C．saved

D．tipped

12.

A．choice

B．comment

C．gesture

D．promise

13.

A．forget

B．mention

C．mind

D．refuse

14.

A．wisdom

B．honesty

C．calmness

D．effort

15.

A．curiosity

B．appreciation

C．preference

D．kindness

6 . Making a to-do list is a powerful way to reduce your stress at work.     1     There are a few steps that will make your to-do list much more effective.

• Don’t randomly (随机地) date tasks.

Some people usually add a date to every task they write. They end up with a list of tasks that do not need to be done on the day. You will break the schedule.     2     Instead, only put a date on the task which you intend to do on that day.

• Keep your daily list to no more than ten tasks.

    3     They believe they are much busier than that and must have at least twenty tasks on their lists. In fact they are not going to get them done. They will get frustrated at the end of the day. So pick the ten most important tasks on your list.

• Group similar tasks together.

Call your customers, for example. If you have two or three such tasks on your daily list, put these together and do them at the same time.     4     Then do them one after another.

•     5    

It puts you in complete control. It allows you to stay on top of your work and decide what needs to be done next and what can be postponed to a later time. It’s the best way of starting the week with a plan and a direction. It is a way to make sure you are doing the right things.

A．Do a weekly review.

B．Or you will just ignore them.

C．Some people often laugh at my advice.

D．Write clearly about what you need to do.

E．Arrange thirty minutes or so to do your calls.

F．If you are away on a business trip, reduce the number of tasks.

G．However, getting all those things out of your head is just the first step. Do a weekly review.

7 . History’s first empire rose out of a hot, dry landscape, without rainfall for crops, without trees or stones for building. In spite of all this, its people built the world’s first cities, with monumental architecture and large populations — and they built them _______ out of mud.

Sumer _______ the southern part of modern Iraq in the region called Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia means “between two rivers” — the Tigris and the Euphrates. Around 5000 BCE, early Sumerians used channels and dams to _______ river water and farm large areas of previously _______ land. Agricultural communities like this were slowly _______ in Mesopotamia.

But Sumerians were the first to take the _______ step. Using _______ made from river mud, they began to build multi-storied homes and temples. Those clay bricks gave rise to the world’s first _______, like Uruk, Ur, and Eridu, probably around 4500 BCE.

The Sumerians created the first _______ system, designed to teach the ability of writing. In the schools, people studied from dawn to dusk, from __________ well into adulthood. They __________ accounting, mathematics, and copied works of literature.

But by the third millennium (千年) BCE, Sumer was no longer the __________ empire around, or even in Mesopotamia. Waves of nomadic (游牧) tribes poured into the __________ from the north and east. In 2300 BCE, the Sumerian Empire was conquered and __________.

Afterward, Sumer disappeared back into the desert dirt, not to be __________ until the 19th century.

1.

A．permanently

B．quickly

C．patiently

D．entirely

2.

A．occupied

B．destroyed

C．lost

D．attacked

3.

A．separate

B．interrupt

C．redirect

D．freeze

4.

A．dry

B．royal

C．awesome

D．rich

5.

A．wearing down

B．springing up

C．rising up

D．breaking down

6.

A．next

B．last

C．slow

D．same

7.

A．equipment

B．basins

C．walls

D．bricks

8.

A．emperors

B．universities

C．cities

D．palaces

9.

A．law

B．school

C．construction

D．labour

10.

A．society

B．childhood

C．community

D．parenthood

11.

A．invented

B．dismissed

C．learned

D．preserved

12.

A．only

B．safe

C．weak

D．reliable

13.

A．region

B．center

C．river

D．farm

14.

A．strengthened

B．saved

C．surrounded

D．overturned

15.

A．rebuilt

B．relocated

C．rediscovered

D．reunited

8 . Generative AI must seem like a superweapon to people who aim to cause disagreement and argument online. Deep-fake videos imitate public figures. Crowds of conversational chatbots worsen conflict, and efforts to detect and relieve such campaigns remain in their early period.

But can Generative AI also negotiate confict? Chris Bail, a leading expert on artificial intelligence and human behavior, and his colleagues have conducted research indicating that Large Language Models such as ChatGPT can make online conversations more productive, reduce incivility, and increase willingness to have difficult conversations across social disagreements. What’s more, they’re already seeing practical applications. Inspired by such research, Nextdoor, a community-based social-media platform that has struggled to boycott online poison, recently launched a successful, large-scale (大规模的) effort to reduce incivility.

In a study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Chris Bail and his team examined whether Large Language Models can teach people conflict-negotiation techniques on a large scale. They enlisted a large group of people with different opinions about gun control and paired them to discuss this topic with someone who does not share their view on an online chat platform the team built.

After exchanging several messages on their platform, half of the research participants began to receive pop-up messages suggesting alternative phrasings for the messages they were about to send to their chat partner. These pop-ups employed GPT-3 to rephrase each post using conflict negotiation principles — without changing the opinion expressed within them. Participants had the option to send these rephrased versions of their message or ignore them.

The researchers found that GPT-3 is surprisingly good at processing difficult conversations. People whose partner used the AI-generated re-phrasings described the conversations as more productive, less stressful, and expressed greater willingness to consider alternative viewpoints.

1. What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?

A．GenAI can be used in wars.

B．GenAI can stop online incivility.

C．GenAI can be used to deal with conflict online.

D．GenAI can make conversations more difficult.

2. What did Chris Bail’s team aim to do in a recent study?

A．To build their online chat platform.

B．To share ideas on their own platform.

C．To collect different ideas about gun control.

D．To test the function of Large Language Models.

3. How does GPT-3 help process difficult conversations?

A．By ignoring rephrased messages.

B．By making choices for the participants.

C．By changing the opinions of participants.

D．By expressing the messages in a different way.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．People Share Ideas on Gun Control

B．A New Study About Practical Applications

C．GenAI Cause Disagreement And Argument Online

D．GenAI Could Make Online Conversations More Civil

9 . Several years ago I was teaching in Melbourne, Australia. Like most Brits down under, I wanted to _________ my time in this country, so I would take every chance to travel around the far _________ of Australia.

On one trip, I and three friends went as far into the Outback (内陆地区) as it was possible to go, camping and _________ Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. In these riverine areas, there were plenty of crocodiles and smaller, deadly _________ to make us nervous.

After picking up some _________ from an isolated shop near an even more isolated settlement, we reached a _________ which had to be forded (涉过). It was a likely _________ for dangerous salt water crocodiles to be loitering (游荡), so all of us were warned to _________ any “salties” as our vehicle entered the water.

At first the water only reached the top of the _________, but within seconds it was lapping at the windows. My heart was beating fast as I peered out, searching for any __________ logs floating towards us.

__________ there was a scream from the back seat. “Ah! Get it off, it hurts!” I turned round, feeling quite __________ that I was about to see a horrifyingly grizzly animal. As it __________, one of my friends had bought a hot pie in the isolated little store. The contents, hotter than the Arnhem Land sunshine, had __________ onto his bare legs as we bumped through the stream.

We made it to the other side with no “salties” __________. Just one passenger with a very sore leg.

1.

A．run out of

B．take hold of

C．make the most of

D．catch sight of

2.

A．fields

B．corners

C．villages

D．surroundings

3.

A．exploring

B．searching

C．swimming

D．climbing

4.

A．mammals

B．humans

C．plants

D．creatures

5.

A．water

B．supplies

C．clothes

D．friends

6.

A．stream

B．lake

C．valley

D．cliff

7.

A．station

B．channel

C．spot

D．yard

8.

A．reach out for

B．wait up for

C．turn a deaf ear to

D．keep an eye out for

9.

A．wheels

B．walls

C．seats

D．legs

10.

A．easy-going

B．fun-loving

C．suspicious-looking

D．fast-flowing

11.

A．Interestingly

B．Unbelievably

C．Occasionally

D．Suddenly

12.

A．curious

B．certain

C．amazed

D．bored

13.

A．turned out

B．stood out

C．made out

D．found out

14.

A．cracked

B．extended

C．spilled

D．crashed

15.

A．lost

B．caught

C．missed

D．sighted

10 . How to keep your heart young

Clearly, it is important to take control of your heart health no matter your age. Regular exercise and a proper diet can help make your heart healthy and strong.     1    

Manage stress and anxiety.

Stress plays a role in 77 percent of all health concerns, including digestive trouble, an inability to lose weight, and heart disease.     2     Try taking a deep breath, taking a walk, or simply spacing out for a few minutes.

Open the windows in your house.

There are dozens of possible sources, including hair spray, candles, or smoke from a woodstove or fireplace.     3     But the chemical mixtures they create when mixed together can cause infection, raise blood pressure, and harden arteries (动脉). Open windows and use a fan to circulate the air and reduce indoor pollution levels.

    4    

A sound sleep is good for your heart, but as you age, your brain and neurons begin to change and your “sleep architecture” suffers. Shorter sleep duration and poorer quality of sleep seem to be associated with increased heart diseases. A few classic tips for a better night’s sleep: Avoid afternoon naps and caffeine within six hours of your bedtime.

Be active and be kind.

    5     Meanwhile, a study found that those who spent money on other people had lower blood pressure than those who spent money on themselves. Do something physically active on behalf of someone else. While you’re out removing snow, clear your neighbor’s walkway too.

A．Give priority to sleep.

B．Stress relief can come in many forms.

C．However, we have more ways to keep slim.

D．Any of these might be harmless in small amounts.

E．People who always sit tend to develop some heart problems.

F．But these tips from heart specialists offer surprisingly helpful additions to you.

G．Try to embrace nature to enjoy and play instead of staying at home doing nothing.