1 . In a new study, researchers found a link between outdoor education and science grades. The findings indicate outdoor education could be a promising tool to help close gender (性别) gaps in science. “The outdoors is a space where teachers can find tangible ways to make science come alive,” says lead author Kathryn Stevenson, assistant professor of parks, recreation, and tourism management at North Carolina State University.

“The natural environment is also a place that everybody has in common. In a way, it’s also a great context for employing teaching practices like hands-on, inquiry-based learning or group work. These practices can be good for all students, but they may be particularly good for reaching students who aren’t as well-served in classroom settings,” Stevenson says.

The researchers studied the impact of an outdoor science education program called Muddy Sneakers on fifth graders’ science grades and knowledge of, and attitude about, science.

Fifth graders from western North Carolina attended between 6 and 10 days of Muddy Sneakers. They had science lessons in nearby natural areas, including state parks and school grounds, Outdoor lessons followed the standard course of study for science through hands-on activities, hikes, nature exploration, and reflections.

Researchers compared the performance of 237 students who learned about science in the classroom to 403 students who participated in the outdoor program. When researchers evaluated (评估) students’ science grades by gender, they saw that girls who participated in the outdoor science program maintained their science grades on average (平均), while girls’ average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in the outdoor program helped girls learn more about how science works on average, but traditional classrooms did not.

Boys in the outdoor and traditional class settings had fairly stable science grades on average and saw similar gains in knowledge of how science works. “Outdoor education seems to be one of those contexts that helps everyone learn, but it may be really, really helpful for some students in particular,” Stevenson says.

1. What does the underlined word “tangible” in paragraph l mean?

A．Practical.

B．Ineffective.

C．Challenging.

D．Unfair.

2. What is the purpose of the study?

A．To improve fifth graders’ science grades.

B．To provide part-time jobs for the students.

C．To learn the effect of outdoor education on students.

D．To earn some money from different kinds of courses.

3. How do the researchers reach the findings?

A．By listing numbers.	B．By interviewing students.
C．By explaining the causes.	D．By making a comparison.

4. What is Stevenson’s attitude towards outdoor education?

A．Doubtful.

B．Favorable.

C．Unclear.

D．Objective.

2 . Karla Torres, a recent graduate of Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Boyle Heights, designed and created an 18th-century-inspired dress with the support of her mom to enter the yearly “Stuck at Prom” scholarship contest, sponsored by a trademarked brand of duct tape (强力胶带). The Los Angeles teen was named a finalist last week with the grand prize: a $ 10,000 scholarship.

In the beginning, Karla often spent hours online looking for clothing ideas or different styles. But it wasn't until a recent visit to the J. Paul Getty Museum — the only field trip she took in high school — that she found her inspiration from the 18th-century French paintings, featuring impressive, grand dresses.

“We’ve never made a dress, much less out of duct tape,” Karla said. “We didn’t know how much duct tape we needed. We were just doing it by trial and error.” In the end, the college-bound teen and her mom spent at least 120 hours, over many days, working on the dress, and used l4 rolls of tape.

“Tape is so tough and you can’t move it easily,” Karla said. “It was really challenging to make it all come together.” But the fashion-forward teenager overcame that challenge. Of more than 200 entries to the contest, Karla’s work was selected among the top five, judged for color, quality, originality, and the use of the brand tape.

While it’s Karla’s name officially in the contest, this whole process was more of a collective effort by her family. “It means a lot to me. The $ 10,000 prize would go a long way as I plan to attend a California State University school in August. I wouldn’t want my parents to struggle trying to find a way to pay for it,” Karla said. “It would really help my parents.”

1. What inspired Karla to create the dress?

A．Social media.

B．The encouragement of her mom.

C．Her visit to a museum.

D．The impact of other competitors.

2. How did Karla’s work stand out among the other entries in the contest?

A．It showed great skills and originality.

B．It copied the style of modern paintings.

C．It reflected a variety of fashionable ideas.

D．It used expensive and high-quality materials.

3. Why is winning the contest important for Karla?

A．It’s a recognition of her mom’s efforts.

B．It allows her to find a job in the fashion industry.

C．It ensures her admission into the California college.

D．It saves her parents from struggling to pay for her college.

4. Which of the following can best describe Karla?

A．Creative and considerate.

B．Humorous and hardworking.

C．Responsible and brave.

D．Kind and generous.

3 . Independent will is what really makes effective self-management possible. It is the ability to make decisions and choices and to act in accordance with them. It is the ability to act rather than to be acted upon.

The human will is an amazing thing. Time after time, it has won against unbelievable difficulties. The Helen Kellers of this world give dramatic evidence to the value, the power of the independent will. But as we examine it in the context of effective self-management, we realize it’s usually not the dramatic, the visible, the once-in-a-lifetime effort that brings enduring success. Empowerment comes from learning how to use independent will in the decisions we make every day.

The degree to which we have developed our independent will in our everyday lives is measured by our personal integrity. Integrity is, fundamentally, the value we place on ourselves. It’s our ability to make and keep commitments to ourselves—to “walk our talk.” It’s honor with self, a fundamental part of the character ethic, the essence of active growth.

Effective management is putting first things first. While leadership decides what “first things” are, it is management that puts them first, day-by-day, moment-by-moment. Management is discipline, carrying it out.

Discipline stems from disciple (追随者) —disciple to a philosophy, disciple to a set of principles, disciple to a set of values, and disciple to an ultimate. purpose. In other words, if you are an effective manager of your self, your discipline comes from within; it is a function of your independent will. You are a disciple, a follower, of your own deep values and their source. And you have the will, the integrity, to place your feelings, your urges, your moods after those values.

That placement requires a purpose, a mission. It also requires independent will, the power to do something when you don’t want to do it, to be a function of your values rather than a function of the urge or desire of any given moment. It’s the power to act with integrity to your first creation.

1. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning “the Helen Kellers” in paragraph 2?

A．To explain a reason.	B．To highlight a point.
C．To make a prediction.	D．To give a definition.

2. What do the underlined words “walk our talk” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Put words into deeds.	B．Display confidence.
C．Stop talking big.	D．Strike a balance.

3. To achieve effective self-management, what will the author probably recommend?

A．Seeking external support.	B．Undertaking more missions.
C．Sticking to one’s own values.	D．Following one’s desires.

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

A．The Secret Behind Self-discipline	B．The Magic of Personal Integrity
C．The Power of Independent Will	D．The Road to Effective Management

4 . 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。

China’s “ice city” Harbin in Northeast Heilongjiang Province has definitely become a tourism hotspot,     1    （attract） millions of tourists from home and abroad. Beyond the attraction of ice and snow tourism, the lesser-known     2    （diverse） and rich cultures of local ethnic（民族的） minority groups have also been brought under the spotlight.

At the tourist-packed Central Street, a street famous     3     its Western architecture during different times in downtown Harbin, a group of Aoluguya Ewenki（敖鲁古雅鄂温克民族） people     4    （dress） in their ethnic costumes with seven reindeer（驯鹿） are singing their     5    （tradition） songs while walking down the street. Tourists crowd around them,     6    （excited） taking photos and videos.

The Aoluguya Ewenki is the only ethnic group in China     7     raises reindeer. According to media reports, sometimes people confuse the Ewenki people with the Oroqen people, one of     8     smallest ethnic groups in China. The Aoluguya Ewenki decided to take advantage of the opportunity of Harbin’s booming tourism industry     9    （show） their unique culture and identity to visitors from all over the country.

Since the Aoluguya Ewenki people’s public appearance, more and more local ethnic minority groups     10    （do） the same, with some from other parts of the nation even journeying to Harbin. “If you want to see China’s rich multi-ethnic cultures, you should come to Harbin now,” netizens state encouragingly on social media.

5 . Self-learning can help you develop important skills and gain valuable knowledge. Understanding strategies for self-learning is important. They can help you study new concepts with ease.     1    .

Determine your learning style. People often prefer to learn new information or a new skill using varied approaches.     2     by exploring different learning styles and understanding your own learning process.

Find a purpose. Determine what you want to learn about and why you want to be a self-learner.     3    . Then, consider reflecting on how it might affect your life right now and how you might plan to use it in the future. For instance, if you plan to learn fiction writing, you can decide whether you’re interested in seeking a publishing career or maintaining it as a hobby.

    4    . This can help you focus your efforts. It may be helpful to choose specific options, so you can optimize (优化) the steps of your self-learning process. For example, if you’re practicing a programming language like HTML, you can make a goal to design your own website with certain functions using the knowledge you’ve learned.

Determine a schedule. To create an effective plan, it may be helpful to create an agenda for your self-learning sessions.     5     and estimate how long each task might take to complete. Depending on your preferences, you can plan your sessions using a physical notebook, an informal to-do list or spreadsheet software.

A．Assess your strengths

B．Be sure to set reasonable goals

C．Identify a skill set you’re interested in learning

D．Here’re some tips for effective self-learning practices

E．Consider giving yourself a set of achievable deadlines

F．You can find the most useful methods and techniques for yourself

G．Having a specific goal can also help you set accurate self-learning sessions

6 . Drugs that could save tens of thousands of lives in Britain should be prescribed (开药) to three times as many patients as at present, medical experts recommended after a study showed these drugs have great effects on heart disease and stroke (中风).

British research has shown that statins, a class of drug that lowers cholesterol (胆固醇), can prevent a third of all cases of heart disease or stroke in patients at highest risk. If statins were given to 10 million high-risk patients, they could save at least 50,000 lives a year worldwide. In Britain, where heart disease is the leading cause of death, statins could save up to 10,000 lives a year.

Studies have found that safety issues surrounding statins were so tiny that they were significant. The risk of muscle problems was only about one in ten thousand. Fears that statins could increase deaths from other diseases, such as cancer, were assuaged by the study. At present, only people with high cholesterol are prescribed statins, but the eight-year study found that anyone at risk of heart disease or stroke could benefit. Statins are now given to fewer than one in twenty people aged over 40, mostly men with heart disease or high cholesterol. Under the recommendation, this would increase to one in eight.

A total of 20,000 volunteers aged 40 to 80 took part in the study, which looked at the effects of statins on patients for whom the benefits were uncertain. The guidelines previously said that female patients aged over 65 would not benefit from the drug, but the five years of monitoring all types of patients at high risk of heart attacks and stroke showed that everyone benefited as much from statins. The new recommendations will be easy to put into practice because statins are readily available and the patients who benefit from them most are already known to doctors.

1. What does paragraph 2 focus on?

A．Main diseases in Britain.	B．Side effects caused by statins.
C．Positive effects of statins.	D．The numbers of heart disease cases.

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

A．Eased.

B．Discovered.

C．Ignored.

D．Compared.

3. What does the five years of monitoring concerning statins show?

A．The effects of the drug are unclear.	B．The drug can be widely prescribed.
C．The drug hardly benefits female patients.	D．The drug should be limited in application.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To call for the monitoring of drug studies.	B．To explain different ways of testing drugs.
C．To seek improvement in the drug research.	D．To spread medical experts’ recommendation.

7 . A recent survey of British parents found that in all, 7% of respondents give their baby a made-up name and 65% are at least willing to consider such a move in new age.

A few examples of these new age baby names include Jaspin, Elisobelle, Wrenlow, and Maevery. Don’t see any names you like? How about Evabeth? Even if they themselves aren’t willing to choose such a name, a surprising 94% of respondents admit that made-up baby names are very much “in” these days.

Apparently, these parents believe they are helping their kids by selecting a rarer name. The survey noted that 72% of all respondents believe a unique name will help their child stand out from the crowd. Another 2% choose a made-up name for their baby with social media in mind, thinking a more unique name means their child’s social media account will be much easier for potential followers to find. But 16% also believe that a strange name may reflect poorly on the parents.

A popular strategy for parents to decide on a name is taking two names that both parents like, and combining them into one name（10%）. Another 9% combine the names of older relatives as a way to honor family. Similarly, many parents（30%） are drawing inspiration from popular movies and books.

However, the majority of surveyed parents（92%） at least admitted that giving their child an odd name is bound to result in a few drawbacks. For example, two-thirds worry that an odd name will be hard to spell and pronounce, and a third worry that their child’s teachers will judge them based on their unusual name. Of course, for those parents who are confident they’ve picked a winning made-up name, 13% actually worry about other parents stealing their child’s name.

1. How does the author illustrate the new trend?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By asking questions.
C．By listing statistics.	D．By stating opinions.

2. Why do most parents give their newborns odd names?

A．To make their children feel less special.	B．To reflect their higher social status.
C．To draw others’ attention more easily.	D．To attract more followers online.

3. What is most people’s attitude towards the new trend of naming babies?

A．It will be advised by teachers.	B．It can actually be double-edged.
C．It should be protected carefully.	D．It surely makes parents confident.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Ordinary Names Are Parents’ New Pursuit	B．An Odd Name Can Influence One’s Life
C．Trendy Names Appear on Social Media	D．Newborns’ Unique Names Are Coming

8 . Grain Rain is the sixth solar term (节气) in the twenty-four solar terms, which is from an old Chinese saying — rain produces hundreds of grains.     1    .

The Chinese name of Grain Rain was originated from a folk story. When Cang Jie, an official in the Yellow Emperor period, created a set of characters from observing the tracks of animals, countless grain came down from the sky like rainfall.     2    . Because of the legend, April 20 has been named as the annual UN Chinese Language Day since 2010 by the United Nations’ Department of Public Information. It is roughly around the Grain Rain day, which falls between April 19 and April 21.

    3    . The southern China has the custom of picking tea in the Grain Rain season. The newly-picked spring tea in the Grain Rain season is rich in nutrients (营养物) and has the functions of heat-clearing and eyesight-clearing.     4    .

Seeing peonies (牡丹) three days after Grain Rain has become a tradition in northern China. Because the flowering of the peonies happens during Grain Rain, it is also known as the “Flower of the Grain Rain”.     5    . Chinese people also link peonies with wealth and rank.

A．There is an interesting folk story about Grain Rain

B．The customs of Grain Rain vary from place to place

C．Therefore, the Yellow Emperor named this day as guyu

D．The flower represents grace and honor in Chinese culture

E．They play an important role in our traditional farming society

F．This means the rain is important for the growth of grain at this time of year

G．On the day of Grain Rain, people will come to pick some new tea and drink it

9 . 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。

One day my mom and I read a story on a magazine called Humane Society News. A wild dog named Solo died for lack of medical care after he was ill. I knew how sad the story was because my own dog, Kela, had recently died. My world had ended when I lost Kela. She had been my best friend since I could remember. The article continued to tell about wildlife rehabilitators. They nursed the sick animals back to health, but as more and more animals were rescued, the medical expense became a big burden for them. I immediately determined to do something for them. I may be a kid, but why can’t I do a fund-raiser to help save more dogs?

My mom thought it was hard for an eleven-year-old girl to raise, but she told me to go ahead and try it anyway. I realized that I needed a name for the fund-raiser and thought since I was trying to protect dogs’ life, I would call my program Help Dogs. I decided that pet stores would be really good places to go with donation boxes and Help Dogs flyers (传单). I used little green Chinese take-out boxes, decorated with a picture of Tiko, one of the dogs I chose to help, and me. I wrote on each box “Help protect the life of dogs by donating a dollar”. I thought my actions might not raise much money for the dogs, but they can at least increase people’s awareness of wild animals protection.

One afternoon, after all the boxes had been distributed throughout our community, I got a call from a local newspaper reporter who had seen one of my flyers. The reporter decided to do an article about Help Dogs. After the article came out, I waited for a few days before checking to see if there were any donations.

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。

I was really nervous when I finally went to collect the money.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I realized many people feel the same way as I did but didn’t know how to help.

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10 . The Enchanting Scenery of Zhangjiajie

Located in China’s Hunan province, Zhangjiajie offers a unique and breathtaking landscape with nature’s unbound creativity. This region, famous for its rock formations and deep gorges (峡谷), is a popular destination for travelers to see the nature’s wonders.

Tianmen Mountain

Tianmen Mountain, the tallest peak in Zhangjiajie, stands tall at 1,518 meters. Its most famous Tianmen Cave, a natural arch which spans over 100 meters wide, offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains. There is also a challenging glass walkway, offering visitors a thrilling walk above the clouds.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

This park is a shelter for nature lovers, with over 2,400 species of plants and animals. Its highlights include the “Avatar” Hallelujah Mountains, which were a filming location for the popular movie “Avatar”. The park’s hiking trails offer visitors the chance to explore its thick forests and breathtaking valleys.

Huangshi Village

Known for its traditional Tujia architecture, Huangshi Village offers a look into the rich cultural heritage of the local community. Visitors can enjoy the village’s peaceful atmosphere, admire the unique stone houses, and taste the delicious local cuisine.

Baofeng Lake

This beautiful lake, surrounded by lush green hills, offers a peaceful escape. Boating on the lake, one can appreciate the reflections of the surrounding mountains, creating a picture-perfect scene.

1. Which of the following is NOT a feature of Tianmen Mountain?

A．It is the tallest peak in Zhangjiajie.

B．Its glass walkway gives visitors a thrilling walk.

C．It is famous for its flat and plain landscape.

D．A natural arch called Tianmen Cave is the most famous.

2. Where was the movie “Avatar” filmed?

A．Tianmen Mountain.	B．Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.
C．Huangshi Village.	D．Baofeng Lake.

3. What can visitors experience in Huangshi Village?

A．The beautiful lakes and green hills.	B．The traditional architecture and cuisine.
C．Various species of plants and animals.	D．The uniqueness of its rocks and mountains.