1 . If a pancake could dream, it might long for legs so it could jump off your breakfast plate in pursuit of a better, unchewed life. But legs aren’t necessary for something as flat as a pancake to jump around. A group of scientists have designed a pancake-shaped robot that can jump several times per second and higher than seven times its body height. The new robot named Hop, which swiftly jumps without feet, is an important contribution to the soft robotics.

Many ground robots move by rolling or walking. But it’s more efficient for robots to jump over obstacles (障碍物) than to go around them. Although jumping can offer some robots a competitive edge, engineering that ability has been a challenge for robotics researchers. Some soft robots that store energy can perform a single impressive jump very infrequently. Some lightweight soft robots that don’t store energy can jump frequently but can’t jump high or far enough to successfully cross an obstacle.

For inspiration, the researchers looked to gall midge larvae (瘿蚊幼虫) that miraculously throw themselves across distances 30 times as long as their loglike bodies. A gall midge larva bends its body and squeezes the liquid in its body to one end, making it rigid (僵硬的). The accumulation of liquid builds up pressure, and releasing the pressure sends it soaring (飙升). The robot’s body doesn’t resemble (像) that of a gall midge larva, but it jumps like one. Its body is made of two small plastic bags printed with electrodes; the front bag is filled with liquid and the back one is filled with the same volume of air. The robot uses electricity to drive the flow of liquid, which causes the body to bend and generate force with the ground, resulting in a jump. And the air bag imitates the function of an animal’s tail, helping the robot keep a stable position.

While the robot is currently restricted to Earth, it might be right at home exploring another planet. If this is true, the researchers robot might jump over dusty rocks and large holes on the moon or Mars, going where no pancake has gone before.

1. What does the author want to show by mentioning a pancake?

A．A pancake’s dream to have legs is unrealistic.

B．A robot is capable of serving a good pancake.

C．A pancake-shaped robot can jump without legs.

D．Research on pancakes advances our understanding of robots.

2. What difficultly do robotics researchers have in developing Hop according to Paragraph 2?

A．Hop’s avoiding an obstacle.	B．Hop’s moving around by rolling.
C．Hop’s performing one remarkable jump.	D．Hop’s jumping high and far continuously.

3. What inspiration do the researchers draw from gall midge larvae?

A．They are shaped like logs.

B．They have tails to change positions.

C．They bend their bodies and increase force.

D．They are filled with liquid and have rigid bodies.

4. What is the author’s attitude to the future of the new robot?

A．Intolerant.

B．Positive.

C．Indifferent.

D．Ambiguous.

2 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.

But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.

Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.

Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.

In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.

Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.

1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To tell about true friends.	B．To start a discussion.
C．To encourage online friendships.	D．To summarize(总结) the text.

2. What does the underlined part “in the flesh” mean in paragraph 3?

A．In any case.

B．In public.

C．In person.

D．In advance.

3. What is Katie’s attitude toward online communication?

A．Unconcerned.

B．Positive.

C．Worried.

D．Confused.

4. Which of the following is the Rosen’s view?

A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships.	B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life.
C．It’s wise to turn to friends online.	D．Social media help people stay closely connected.

3 . Chloe Smith is a girl aged 6 from Atlanta, Georgia. One day, while taking a walk with her father near their home, she________something shiny under a pile of rubbish. She picked up the ________ to take home, as she often did on her treasure-hunting walks. Chloe was later ________ to discover she had found a stolen Olympic gold medal.

The medal belongs to former canoeist (划艇运动员) Joe Jacobi, who won gold while ________ for Team USA in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic games. The medal, along with other personal belongings, was ________ in May of 2016 when someone broke into Jacobi’s can. Though police managed to ________ some of his stolen items, they hadn’t been able to find his ________ Olympic medal. It may have been lost forever, if not for a 6-year-old girl’s treasure-hunting ________ .

Chloe’s dad had seen Jacobi’s story on the news, and ________ realized it was his stolen property. He found Jacobi’s email and sent him pictures of the treasure. After________ the medal, Jacobi was astonished, just speechless.

Chloe was ________ to give it back after speaking with Jacobi on the phone. ________, Jacobi promised to speak to her class when school begins again this fall. The ________ of this little girl reuniting an Olympian with his beloved possession is ________ . When we talk about character and doing the ________ thing, Chloe represents the Olympic values in every sense of the word.

1.

A．sought

B．buried

C．noticed

D．dropped

2.

A．waste

B．object

C．material

D．antique

3.

A．embarrassed

B．satisfied

C．frightened

D．shocked

4.

A．competing

B．applying

C．coaching

D．preparing

5.

A．broken

B．stolen

C．replaced

D．deserted

6.

A．purchase

B．register

C．preserve

D．recover

7.

A．secured

B．prized

C．advertised

D．priced

8.

A．project

B．decision

C．habit

D．idea

9.

A．quickly

B．gradually

C．really

D．carefully

10.

A．identifying

B．obtaining

C．evaluating

D．investigating

11.

A．sorry

B．eager

C．upset

D．hesitant

12.

A．In addition

B．In fact

C．In return

D．In advance

13.

A．purpose

B．report

C．attempt

D．story

14.

A．heart-warming

B．breath-taking

C．eye-catching

D．life-changing

15.

A．important

B．simple

C．interesting

D．right

4 . 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 sat in the breakfast corner with my four-year-old son, Matthew, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach. I was still recovering from a surgery. I hoped for strength and happiness. But the future seemed so hopeless.

Matthew jumped up from his spot on the kitchen floor. “Bird!” he shouted, rushing to the sliding door. Sure enough, there was a white dove seated on a rubber tree. It sat there a few moments, and then flew away. I’d never seen one in our neighborhood before.

When I dragged myself to the kitchen the next morning, the dove was back. This time it was with a mate carrying twigs (嫩枝), “Look, Matthew,” I said, pointing to the tree. “They’re going to make a nest.” The doves flew in and out of the courtyard all week, building on the top of the rubber tree. Matthew could hardly contain his excitement. Every morning, he’d run into the kitchen and take his spot by the sliding glass door, talking to the birds while they worked. As much as I was grieving (感到悲伤), I couldn’t help but look forward to the doves’ visits too. We watched their progress as if it were a real-life soap opera unfolding before us. Gradually, my pain disappeared, replaced by joy.

Then it all went wrong. The courtyard was a safe enough spot for a nest, but the rubber tree’s broad, thin leaves were far from stable. One night, a strong wind blew through, throwing the doves’ nest to the ground. I heard the twigs break apart. Nothing good ever lasts. I wouldn’t blame the doves if they never came back. But they returned. And they paid no attention to the pi le of sticks that had once been their nest. They started again from scratch, though the wind destroyed all their hard work. The next day, and the next, they renewed their efforts, as if nothing had happened.

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。

Paragraph 1: I knew I had to do something for the poor creatures.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2:“The birds were back!” Matthew announced.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . Every week in China, millions of people will sit in front of their TVs watching teenagers compete for the title Character Hero, which is a Chinese-style spelling bee(拼写大赛). In this challenge, young competitors must write Chinese characters by hand. To prepare for the competition, the competitors usually spend months studying dictionaries.

Perhaps the show’s popularity should not be a surprise. Along with gunpowder and paper, many Chinese people consider the creation of Chinese calligraphy(书法)to be one of their primary contributions to civilization. Unfortunately, all over the country, Chinese people are forgetting how to write their own language without computerized help. Software on smart phones and computers allows users to type in the basic sound of the word using the Latin alphabet. The correct character is chosen from a list. The result? It’s possible to recognize characters without remembering how to write them.

But there’s still hope for the paint brush. China’s Education Ministry wants children to spend more time learning how to write.

In one Beijing primary school we visited, students practice calligraphy every day inside a specially decorated classroom with traditional Chinese paintings hanging on the walls. Soft music plays as a group of six-year-olds dip brush pens into black ink. They look up at the blackboard often to study their teacher’s examples before carefully attempting to reproduce those characters on thin rice paper. “If adults can survive without using handwriting, why bother to teach it now?” we ask the calligraphy teacher, Shen Bin, “The ability to write characters is part of Chinese tradition and culture,” she reasons. “Students must learn now so they don’t forget when they grow up.” says the teacher.

1. What can we learn about the Character Hero?

A．It draws great public attention across the country.

B．It’s open to people of all ages and all walks.

C．It’s the most-viewed TV programs in China.

D．It aims to spread Chinese culture to the world.

2. Why are Chinese people forgetting how to write the characters?

A．Chinese people don’t refer to dictionaries very often.

B．Chinese people no longer use brush pens or practice calligraphy.

C．Chinese people are using the Latin alphabet instead of the characters.

D．Chinese people needn’t write by hand as often with the help of technology.

3. According to Shen Bin, being able to write characters by hand is ________.

A．an ability to be developed only when you are students

B．a requirement made by the Education Ministry

C．necessary for adults to survive in China

D．helpful to keep Chinese tradition and culture alive

4. Where does this text probably come from?

A．A science report.	B．A news report.
C．Children’s literature.	D．An advertisement.

6 . We feel ________our duty to make our hometown a better place.

A．this

B．that

C．it

D．one

7 . 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。

Food waste is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and fruit and vegetables are especially problematic, as about 52% of them go bad before     1    (eventual) reaching consumers. But one Malaysian company has come up     2     a simple solution to this problem — a tiny sticker (贴纸) that keeps fruit from     3    (go) bad for up to weeks.

You’ve probably seen stickers on fruit before, but not like the ones created by the Malaysian company. Those common stickers are typically     4    (use) only to provide consumers with     5    (inform) about the growers and how the fruit was grown,     6     Stixfresh has a completely different purpose. It contains something special and all-natural that slows down the ripening (成熟) process, keeping the fruit fresh and juicy for much     7    (long).

Stixfresh founder Zhafri Zainudin says that he thought of the idea for the stickers after visiting a friend     8     ran a fruit store. The man was worried about losing money every day because of bad fruit, but he knew that there was no way to stop nature from taking     9    (it) course. The Malaysian businessman worked with many     10    (university) to develop and test his sticker.

At first, Stixfresh stickers were only used to lengthen the shelf-life of mangoes, but the company later worked on other fruit, like dragon fruit, star fruit, apples and pears.

8 . This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s first manned space mission, with Yang Liwei becoming the first Chinese astronaut to go to space. Since then, another 19 astronauts have reached for the stars. The selection of the fourth generation of astronauts began in 2022 and is now in full swing. Experts revealed how tough the training is before astronauts can fly to space.

The human body is not designed for space life. Astronauts are faced with multiple challenges on a space mission. The changes in gravity can have an impact on their bodies. The sensation of confinement(封闭)living in a small spacecraft for months can damage their mental health. Emergencies during missions challenge their knowledge and ability to solve problems under huge pressure. So it’s no wonder that astronauts have to meet extremely high standards and go through a tough training program.

To make sure that Chinese astronauts complete their missions and return to Earth safely, “Eight types, including over 200 subjects of training, were set,” Huang Weifen, chief designer of the astronaut system for China’s manned space project, told CCTV News. Apart from physical fitness training, it also includes basic scientific theories, psychological health, and mock(模拟)missions.

Among the training subjects, the most tiring one is underwater training. This training is designed for astronauts to adapt to the microgravity environment in space. According to Huang, astronauts stay underwater in suits weighing over 100 kilograms for six hours at a time. Water resistance(阻力)and the heavy suit make every move exhausting. “Nie Haisheng, one of the astronauts, once reported a two-kilogram loss in weight after one underwater training exercise,” said Huang. Each astronaut receives training for at least three and a half years before having the chance to go to space.

1. How many generations of Chinese astronauts have been sent to space?

A．3

B．4

C．19

D．20

2. Which of following is true according to paragraph 2?

A．Human body is perfect for space exploration.

B．The spacecraft has enough space for astronauts to operate.

C．Astronauts ought to complete missions under huge pressure.

D．The isolated condition in space benefits people’s mental health.

3. Why did Huang mention Nie Haisheng’s two-kilogram weight loss?

A．To stress how challenging the training is.	B．To describe Nie’s personal achievements.
C．To introduce the weight limit for astronauts.	D．To explain the importance of proper training.

4. What does this passage mainly about?

A．Microgravity environment cause health problems.

B．Astronauts need tough training to meet various challenges.

C．China has completed numerous missions in space exploration.

D．Experts reveals the high standards of selection process of astronauts.

9 . J. K. Rowling frequently shows there is magic every day. Her Harry Potter series has helped people through times of stress and depression and she is always there to deliver wise words of encouragement.

She is one celebrity who is very active on Twitter. So when a single dad named Matt Burke sent her a message thanking her for the series, she noticed. Her series had helped strengthen his relationship with his 9­year­old daughter Bailey.

He included a link to his article titled Being a Broke Parent. He explained how he hadn’t found a level of financial stability that allowed him to pay bills on time and take his daughter on more activities and events. The family also doesn’t have the Internet or TV, which means there’s no “digital babysitter” and he has to rely on his own creative ways to bond with his daughter. Since he received the series, the main thing that has occupied them these days is reading books together.

Burke admits that he thought he was “too cool” for the books when they first came out and he was in his twenties, but he’s loving reading them now. “We switch off chapter by chapter reading them out loud，“Burke explains.” This not only allows her to get more used to reading aloud in front of someone, but it gets me directly involved in something she loves, and it gives me the chance to be very dramatic when I read my chapters and bring myself into the characters in the book, which has proven to be a ton of fun.”

After hearing Burke’s story, Rowling said how honored she was when Harry Potter was a part of his family’s life and offered Burke more books. Besides, people are also offering to send Burke more books as gifts. For Burke, this experience, far more than gifts, will be what he treasures.

1. Why did Burke thank J. K. Rowling according to the text?

A．She guided him how to write a good story.

B．She encouraged him when he was in trouble.

C．Her books helped him through times of confusion.

D．Her books helped him improve his bond with his daughter.

2. What is implied in Burke’s words in paragraph 4?

A．He has found it interesting to read the series.	B．He was too old to understand the series better.
C．He has chosen a better way of reading the series.	D．He hopes to play a role in the drama in the future.

3. Which word can best describe Burke’s experience according to the text?

A．Useless.

B．Normal.

C．Valuable.

D．Boring.

4. What is the main idea of this text?

A．J. K. Rowling chooses to help improve kids’ health.

B．J. K. Rowling gives a magical gift to a single father.

C．J. K. Rowling has a deep influence on others’ growth.

D．Burke comes to know J. K. Rowling through her series.

10 . If you think of the jobs robots could never do, you would probably put doctors and teachers at the top of the list. It’s easy to imagine robot cleaners and factory workers, but some jobs need human connection and creativity. But are we underestimating (低估) what robots can do?     1     Also, some patients might feel more comfortable sharing personal information with a machine than a person.    2    

British education expert Anthony Seldon thinks so. And he even has a date for the robot takeover of the classroom: 2027.     3     And teachers will be like assistants. Intelligent robots will read students’ facial expressions, body movements and maybe even brain signals. Then they will adapt the information to each student. It’s not a popular opinion and it’s unlikely robots will ever have empathy (同感) and the ability to really connect with humans like another human can.

One thing is certain, though.     4     In some parts of the world, there aren’t enough teachers and 9-16 percent of children under the age of 14 don’t go to school. That problem could be partly solved by robots because they can teach anywhere.

Teachers all over the world are leaving because it is a difficult job and they feel overworked. Perhaps the question is not “Will robots replace teachers?” but “How can robots help teachers?” Office workers can use software to do things.     5     If robots could cut the time teachers spend marking homework and writing reports, teachers would have more time and energy for the parts of the job humans do best.

A．Teachers can be replaced by robots.

B．A robot teacher is better than no teacher at all.

C．Teachers waste a lot of time doing non-teaching work.

D．He predicts robots will do the main job of transferring information.

E．Could there be a place for robots in education after all?

F．Robots can save time that teachers spend in teaching in classroom.

G．In some cases, they already perform better than doctors at diagnosing (诊断) illness.