1 . Have you read The Tale of Peter Rabbit? It’s a very famous children’s book, written by Beatrix Potter.

Beatrix was born in 1866. She and her brother kept many small animals as pets — rabbits, mice, frogs and even bats! They both liked to draw their pets, but Beatrix liked drawing animals from her own imagination most. She also loved enjoying and drawing nature when they visited beautiful places like Scotland and the Lake District.

To make some money, Beatrix started drawing cards with animals. She liked writing and illustrating (图解) letters too. One day, she wrote a letter to her friend’s son, and told the story of Peter Rabbit. She decided to make the story into a book. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was published in 1902, and it was a great success! She wrote, illustrated and published many more books. She also created dolls, painting books, games and other things according to her characters.

Three years after The Tale of Peter Rabbit was published, Beatrix bought a farm in the Lake District. She learned about farming and bought more farms and land to help protect the landscape. She enjoyed country life very much, and was very active in protecting the environment.

When Beatrix died, she left almost all her farms and land to the National Trust, an organization which protects historic places and landscapes. You can even visit Hill Top Farm today, which is exactly like it was when Beatrix lived there!

So if you haven’t read The Tale of Peter Rabbit, or other Beatrix Potter’s books, why not visit your local library or bookshop today?

1. What inspired Beatrix Potter to write “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”?

A．Her love for farming.	B．A letter to a friend’s son.
C．Her interest in the environment.	D．A visit to the Lake District.

2. What did Beatrix Potter do besides writing books?

A．She taught art classes.	B．She created dolls and games.
C．She worked for the National Trust.	D．She became a professional farmer.

3. How did Beatrix Potter contribute to environmental protection?

A．By writing books about it.	B．By delivering speeches.
C．By donating money.	D．By buying farms and land.

4. What happened to Beatrix Potter’s farms and land after she died?

A．They were sold to private investors.	B．They were left to the National Trust.
C．They were turned into public parks.	D．They were used for agricultural research.

2 . An ancient species of great ape likely disappeared hundreds of thousands of years ago when climate change put their favorite fruits out of reach during dry seasons, scientists recently reported.

The species is known as Gigantopithecus blacki. It once lived in southern China. It stood 3 meters tall and weighed up to 295 kilograms. It represents the largest great ape known to scientists.

“It’s just a massive animal — just really, really big,” said Renaud Joannes-Boyau, a researcher at Australia’s Southern Cross University. He helped write the study, which recently appeared in Nature. But its size may also have been a weakness. Joannes-Boyau said, “When food starts to be scarce, it’s so big that it can’t climb trees to explore new food sources.”

The huge apes likely looked similar to the modern orangutans (红毛猩猩). They survived for around 2 million years in Guangxi. They ate plants that included fruits and flowers — until the environment began to change. Starting about 600,000 years ago, Guangxi’s forests began producing fewer fruits. The area was experiencing more periods of dry weather. Researchers examined pollen (花粉) and sediment (沉积物) found in caves to learn more about the changes and their effects. The giant apes did not disappear quickly, the researchers say. They likely went extinct sometime between 215,000 and 295,000 years ago.

As the climate changed, smaller apes may have been able to climb trees to search for different food. But the researchers found that the giant apes ate more food that provided less nutrients. “When the forest changed, there was not enough food preferred by the species,” said Zhang Yingqi of China’s Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology. He helped write the study.

1. What is Gigantopithecus blacki?

A．An ancient giant ape.	B．A recently found ape species.
C．A modern orangutan.	D．An endangered species.

2. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “scarce” in the third paragraph?

A．dangerous.

B．rare.

C．important.

D．necessary.

3. How did Gigantopithecus blacki’s size become a weakness?

A．It made them easy to be sick.	B．It made them unable to find mates.
C．It made them difficult to climb trees for food.	D．It made them struggling in adapting to climates.

4. According to Zhang Yingqi, what caused Gigantopithecus blacki’s decline?

A．Competition for food.	B．Climate change.
C．Spread of diseases.	D．Human activities like hunting.

3 . 请根据上下文内容，将文中划线部分译成汉语或者英语，并将答案转写到答题卡上。

Holidays play an important part in our life. We work hard during the year, so we feel tired and stressed at times.     1     We need holidays to relax, even if they only last for a few days. This is especially true for women. They could get away from their husbands, children and family for even one week in the year.

    2     假期有很多好处。Firstly, they can improve the economy (经济).     3       If there were no holidays, people would have little time to spend the money they earn. Secondly, holidays allow people to relax after working hard throughout the year. During and after the holidays, people feel more relaxed and energetic; they then bring this energy to work when they continue working. Lastly, holidays help people learn how to enjoy life.     4     Most people improve their relationships with their other family members during holidays.

However, holidays also have bad aspects. For example, many people said that they couldn’t enjoy shopping or travelling because there were so many people shopping and travelling, too. Anyway, most people realize that they need holidays.     5     我无法想象如果没有假期人们的生活会是什么样子。

4 . 假定你是李华，你的笔友Alice想提高她的汉语水平，向你求助。请你根据下列提示给她写一封建议信，内容包括：
1. 写信目的；
2. 三点建议；
3. 提出希望。
注意：
1. 语句通顺，条理清楚，行文连贯，可适当发挥；
2. 词数80 左右（开头已给出，不计入总词数）；
3. 文中不得出现真实的地名、校名和人名。

Best ways to learn	Examples
immerse (沉浸在) yourself in Chinese media	watch movies, listen to music, and read books
engage in language exchange to practice speaking	use language learning apps like HelloChinese for interactive lessons
spend time writing and reading Chinese characters daily	…

Dear Alice,

I’m thrilled to hear about your interest in improving your Chinese!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

5 . 假定你是李华，高考后到英国探亲，偶然在报纸上看到下面的广告。请写一封电子邮件应聘该岗位，要点如下：
1. 提出申请；
2. 列举自己的优势；
3. 询问相关信息。

Volunteer Firefighter Wanted Job type: Part-time Work time: August Location: Southern Pines, NC 28387 Volunteers are responsible for maintaining, inspecting and cleaning department vehicles and other associated equipment.

注意：1. 写作词数应为80个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Sir or Madam,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

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，并将答案填写在答题卡上。

The Yingge dance is a combination of opera, dance and wushu. Typically, the dance     1     (perform) during festivals and celebrations, with dancers wearing colorful costumes and carrying masks, snakes, spears and drums. Its rich history and cultural     2     (significant) have earned it the distinction of being classified as a national intangible cultural heritage (遗产) in China.

On Chinese New Year, a Yingge team     3     (consist) of 16 dancers from the Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province gave a wonderful performance in London. The event provided     4     unique opportunity for UK residents to experience the richness and diversity of Chinese culture.

The dance team’s commitment     5     their craft was evident in their preparation. For over a month, they devoted     6     (they) to perfecting their performance, ensuring every step, every gesture, and every beat was in harmony. The dancers, many of     7     had more than 15 years of performance experience, showed their devotion to preserving this ancient art form.

So far, the Yingge dance     8     (cross) borders, attracting audiences in foreign countries such as Thailand. The celebration of the Spring Festival has become a global phenomenon, with “Spring Festival Parades”     9     (hold) in several countries each year. Nearly one-fifth of the world’s population now celebrates the Chinese New Year in     10     (vary) styles, reflecting the growing influence of Chinese culture worldwide.

7 . Robert Mendez Jr. is a football coach. Despite being born without limbs (四肢), he has spent his life on what he can ________. And this spirit was what drove him for more than a decade toward realizing his dream—becoming a coach.

This year, Robert ________ the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, presented to “a ________ member of the sporting world who has overcome great difficulties through determination.” Nobody could have been a better ________.

As Robert accepted the ________, he thanked a number of people for helping him. Then, true to his character, this passionate coach ________ a piece of his wisdom.

He said, “If there’s any ________ that I want to give you, it’s to look at me and see how much passion I put into coaching and how ________ it’s gotten me. When you open your mind to different possibilities and ________ what you can do, you really can achieve something.”

When talking of ________, he said, “The best part of it is seeing someone’s ________ and making them realize what’s possible. So for anyone out there not ________ about their abilities, I’m here to tell you that you can do it. It can ________.”

Robert may have been born without arms or legs, but he was ________ born with the amazing ability to ________ others. As he’s already well aware, there’s nothing this man can’t do!

1.

A．imagine

B．do

C．tolerate

D．benefit

2.

A．sponsored

B．valued

C．created

D．received

3.

A．deserving

B．demanding

C．formal

D．fortunate

4.

A．player

B．individual

C．match

D．witness

5.

A．donation

B．challenge

C．proposal

D．award

6.

A．shared

B．obtained

C．repeated

D．proved

7.

A．chance

B．joy

C．message

D．warning

8.

A．intelligent

B．far

C．respectful

D．fit

9.

A．write down

B．talk about

C．advocate for

D．focus on

10.

A．competing

B．coaching

C．giving

D．learning

11.

A．potential

B．shortcoming

C．question

D．secret

12.

A．comfortable

B．enthusiastic

C．pleased

D．sure

13.

A．last

B．happen

C．change

D．spread

14.

A．eventually

B．similarly

C．obviously

D．merely

15.

A．persuade

B．understand

C．defeat

D．motivate

8 . When it comes to happiness, our present selves habitually get deprived (剥夺).     1     In the middle of a busy workday, you think, “I’ll be happy when I get this done.” When you get the task done, you think, “I’ll be happy when I’m on vacation…”

When we are doing these, it’s as if we put true happiness in a package addressed to us at some future time when circumstances will be just right for it to happen. Yet, the package keeps getting lost.     2    

What causes this? How can we avoid this result? We should know the reason why we make such choices and why our future selves seem like strangers to us is partially due to the abstractness of tomorrow. The solution is to make the future more vivid and create an emotional connection between the present and future selves. Here are several ways to strengthen the connection.

    3     Write a letter to your future self and send back a reply. Then you may gain insights into your future self’s needs that would get you to take helpful action now.

Visualize the best version of yourself.     4     Importantly, focus on the contrast between now and later. What are the barriers that stand in the way of turning into that ideal future later? Once you recognize them, you could start working on them now.

Imagine yourself in old age. Looking back at now, what do you wish you would have done more or differently with your time?     5     And how can you prioritize the future now, so that when you look back on it later, you think of it fondly?

Once you do such things, you will make choices that will benefit both your present self and future self.

A．Start a conversation between the selves.

B．What will your future self thank you for?

C．We often put feeling happy to the future us.

D．Learn to communicate with others through letters.

E．What impression did you leave on those around you?

F．This can make what you do today for the future more worthwhile.

G．As a result, we are left without enjoyment of the moment in front of us.

9 . Chinese researchers have revealed the anti-cancer characteristic of neutrophils (中性粒细胞) — a type of white blood cells—and the related molecular regulation mechanism, providing new insights into cancer diagnosis and treatment. The discovery, made by researchers at the Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Fudan University, was published in Cell on Tuesday.

Neutrophils are the most abundant white blood cells in the human body. As the first line of defence against infections, they play a key role in anti-infection immunity. The researchers collected neutrophils from 143 patients with 17 different types of cancer and analyzed them. They revealed that neutrophils can adopt at least 10 highly specialized and distinct functional states related to inflammation (炎症) , blood vessel formation and—most excitingly—presenting antigens (抗体) to activate powerful cancer-killing T cells.

“We were surprised to find such complexity and different roles within neutrophils, which have been ignored for so long,” said Zhang Xiaoming, a researcher at the Institute. “What is especially remarkable is their newly discovered capacity to act as antigen-presenting cells, gathering T cells against cancer. In addition, the abundance of antigen-presenting neutrophils is associated with improved condition across many cancer types revealed in this study,” he said.

“This completely changes how we perceive neutrophils in the context of cancer,” said Gao Qiang, a professor at Fudan University. “Now we know we could employ the diverse hidden identities of neutrophils to strengthen the effectiveness of immunotherapy (免疫疗法). We’re thrilled to further explore the potential benefits of these newly uncovered mechanisms in clines.”

The study emphasizes the value of single-cell sequencing approaches to reveal new functional dimension even within seemingly well-understood immune cells. Tapping into the hidden potential of neutrophils may provide new insights into cancer diagnosis and treatment.

1. How was the anti-cancer function of neutrophils discovered?

A．By referring to previous research.

B．By collecting and analyzing data.

C．By seeking guidance from experts.

D．By observing patients with inflammation.

2. Which of the following is a function of neutrophils?

A．Getting together T cells when needed.

B．Preventing the formation of antigens.

C．Speeding up the blood flow.

D．Distinguishing different types of cancer.

3. What’s Gao Qiang’s attitude towards the new research?

A．Positive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Worried.

D．Unclear.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Blood Cells Successfully Fight Against Severe Cancer

B．China Makes Great Progress in Fighting Against Diseases

C．Further Research Is Needed to Fight Against Cancer

D．Researchers Discover New Cancer-fighting Mechanism

10 . Imagine a horizontal line. The very left is marked one thousand and the very right is marked one billion. On this line, where would you add a marker to represent one million? If you said somewhere in the middle, you answered the same as the roughly 50 percent of people who have done this exercise in a number line study. But the answer is actually much closer to one thousand since there are one thousand millions in one billion.

This error makes sense because “our human brains are pretty bad at comprehending large numbers,” says Elizabeth Toomarian, an educational neuroscientist at Stanford University. Our brain is built to understand how much of something is in its environment. But comprehending the national debt or imagining the size of our universe? “We certainly can use our brains in that way, but we’re recycling these sorts of evolutionarily (进化地) old brain architectures to do something really new,” she says. In other words, it’s not our fault that we have trouble wrapping our heads around big numbers.

So what can we do about the struggle to understand big numbers? It is suggested to use metaphors, analogies (类比) and visualizations. These techniques bring big numbers down to a more comprehensible scale (比例) and ideally make it relevant to something in our daily lives. For example, it may be difficult for most people to accurately place the extinction of the dinosaurs on a timeline between the Big Bang and humans because the first two both seem to be placed to the distant path. But when conceptualizing (概念化) these events using a “calendar”, it becomes easier. The Big Bang occurred at 12 a.m. on January 1st on the calendar. Dinosaurs were only present for roughly the last week of the year. And humans only emerged in the last eight sends December 31st, at 12:59:52 p.m. It’s clear now that dinosaurs are much closer to humans than the Big Bang on a timeline.

These metaphors and analogies are important if people are to really weigh the costs and benefits of events in their lives. The concept not only applies to long-term decisions, but public policies.

1. Why does the author mention the example in the first paragraph?

A．To introduce the topic.	B．To explain the main idea.
C．To make a summary of the text.	D．To make comparisons with other topics.

2. According to Toomarian, what’s to blame for being unable to work out big numbers?

A．The lack of conceptual techniques.

B．The unwillingness to learn something new.

C．Our low ability to evaluate and compare.

D．Our inborn nature due to evolutionary factors.

3. What is recommended for the understanding of big numbers?

A．Making them related to each other.

B．Wrapping our heads around them.

C．Using techniques to put them to a smaller scale.

D．Applying a calendar to present them.

4. What will probably be further discussed in the following paragraph?

A．How to make long-term decisions.

B．How metaphors and analogies help solve public problems.

C．How to weigh the costs and benefits in our life.

D．How important public policies are in our life