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。

Fairy tales perform many functions. They can provide moral lessons,    1    (let) human beings live in harmony with each other. Such moral lessons may not mean much to a robot, but a team of researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology believes they have found a way    2    (use) the fairy tales as moral lessons that AI (Artificial intelligence) can take to its cold, mechanical heart.            

The researchers have developed a system    3     is called Quixote. The system collects good moral stories from the Internet and then uses those    4    (story) to teach robots how to behave properly.

The experiment    5    (involve) going to a drugstore to purchase medicine. The robot has two choices: either wait in line and purchase the medicine    6     steal the medicine and escape. The robot will easily come to the conclusion that stealing it is     7    (efficient) at obtaining the medicine than waiting in line. But Quixote offers a reward for waiting in line and politely purchasing the medicine and a     8    (punish)   for stealing it.     9     this way, the robot will learn to behave properly on that occasion.

The researchers believe that AI has to be trained to adopt the moral values of society so that they will behave in    10    (social) acceptable ways.

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How long did the two men spend at sea?

A．One week.

B．About 20 days.

C．About one month.

2. What was the two men’s attitude toward their adventure?

A．Positive.

B．Ambiguous.

C．Negative.

3. What did the two men eat to survive?

A．Fish.

B．Seabirds.

C．Oranges.

4. Who saved the two men?

A．A fisherman

B．The local government.

C．A search and rescue team.

3 . Many years ago, I bought a house in the Garfagnana, where we still go every summer. The first time we ______ there, we heard the chug chug-chug of a motorbike ______ its way down the hill toward us. It was ______ called Mario, coming to ______ us a box containing some tomatoes and a bottle of wine. It was a very nice ______ for him to make. But when we looked at the tomatoes, we were ______ because they were so misshapen: not at all like the nice, round, ______ things you get in a supermarket. And the wine was cloudy, in a funny old bottle with no label (标签) on it. These can’t be any ______, we thought. But we were ______ his kindness, so we ______ them.

What we discovered is that it’s ______ to judge what you eat only by its ______. Those tomatoes had ______ that reminded me of the ones my uncle used to grow when I was a child. Nowadays supermarket tomatoes ______ perfect but taste of water. Nobody’s going to have a ______ memory of those. It’s a surprise they haven’t managed to grow square ones so that they can ______ them easily. Mario’s wine may have been cloudy and come out of an old bottle, but it was ______.

It’s good to eat things at the correct time, when they’re ______, and as close as possible to where they were ______. What Mario had ______ us was the taste of the Garfagnana.

1.

A．waited

B．met

C．camped

D．stayed

2.

A．making

B．searching

C．squeezing

D．feeling

3.

A．customer

B．neighbor

C．relative

D．passenger

4.

A．lend

B．send

C．bring

D．show

5.

A．choice

B．comment

C．promise

D．gesture

6.

A．worried

B．moved

C．thrilled

D．bored

7.

A．simple

B．real

C．shiny

D．fun

8.

A．more

B．good

C．new

D．easy

9.

A．sympathetic to

B．thankful for

C．cautious about

D．interested in

10.

A．tried

B．sold

C．returned

D．mixed

11.

A．unnecessary

B．uncertain

C．unwise

D．unusual

12.

A．appearance

B．quality

C．origin

D．price

13.

A．size

B．shape

C．color

D．taste

14.

A．smell

B．look

C．become

D．work

15.

A．happy

B．vivid

C．short

D．vague

16.

A．clean

B．check

C．count

D．pack

17.

A．perfect

B．useful

C．convenient

D．familiar

18.

A．on view

B．on sale

C．in season

D．in need

19.

A．finished

B．stored

C．found

D．grown

20.

A．cooked

B．given

C．bought

D．told

4 . The impact of the man-made climate crisis on Antarctica is scientifically undeniable: stable ice shelves are retreating, air temperature increased by 3 degrees Celsius. krill(磷虾)numbers are declining, melting ice is contributing to sea level rise, and polar bears and seals are getting displaced. “Antarctic biodiversity could decline substantially by the end of the century if we continue with business as usual.” Jasmine Rachael Lee, lead author of the University of Queensland study says.

Published in the journal PLOS Biology, the study finds population declines are likely for 65% of the continent’s plants and wildlife by the year 2100. The most vulnerable(脆弱的)species is the Emperor penguins. In October 2022, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed Emperor penguins as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act(ESA), as experts predict the flightless seabird will see a 26% to 47% dip in its population by 2050. “This listing reflects the growing extinction crisis and highlights the importance of the ESA and efforts to conserve species before population declines become irreversible(不可逆转).” said Service Director Martha Williams at the time.

Aside from Emperor penguins, other Antarctic specialists, like the Adélie penguin and dry soil nematodes, were also highly vulnerable. We urgently need a combination of global and local conservation action to best conserve Antarctic species. Global action and global voices to help relieve climate change—because the biggest threat to Antarctica is coming from outside of it. And then we need local actions to help protect biodiversity against local threats and give them the best chance of adapting to climate changes. This will help to save our iconic(代表性的)species like the Emperor penguins and all of Antarctica’s unique and highly adapted inhabitants. It will also help humankind, as we rely heavily on the priceless services the Antarctic provides in regulating our climate and capturing sea level in its ice sheets.

1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?

A．The impact of climate crisis is usually denied.

B．Conservation efforts are badly needed.

C．Air temperature on Antarctic increases 3℃ annually.

D．Sea level rise results in seabirds losing their habitats.

2. Why is the Emperor penguin mentioned in Paragraph 2?

A．To serve as a call to protect wildlife on Antarctic

B．To reflect the growing population of wild species.

C．To prove the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act.

D．To highlight the severe impact of rising temperature.

3. What is probably the best conservation policy?

A．Reducing the chances of making a trip to Antarctic.

B．Making joint efforts to relieve climate change.

C．Attempting to provide essential nutrients to the ecosystem.

D．Continuing to carry forward the Endangered Species Act.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Plants and Wildlife on Antarctica Will Decline Quickly

B．Antarctic Species Are Vulnerable to Human Threats

C．More Action Should Be Taken to Protect Wildlife on Antarctica

D．The Best Conservation Strategy Will Be Carried Out Soon

5 . We often try to save money for a variety of different reasons. It might be to save up for a new computer or put money aside into a rainy-day fund.     1    , but a recent study showed that over half of all 22~29-year-olds living in the UK have no savings at all. Did they max out on too many things, or are there other factors? And how can we become better savers?

First, put a stop to those impulse buys.     2    , even if it is on sale or looks like a bargain. Impulse buys are done in the heat of the moment and without thought for what it’s costing you. Encouraging yourself to question your purchase before you buy allows you to process what you are doing.

    3    . Withdraw cash before you go to a restaurant or shopping and set a fixed budget you must stick to. Also, any change that comes from your transactions when you’re using cash can be put in jar and deposited into your account.

Finally, be disciplined.     4    . It’s about sticking to it, too. You shouldn’t be dipping into your savings every time you feel like it. Setting up a standing order from your current account into your savings the moment you receive your salary will ensure you keep up the habit.     5    .

Just as the old saying goes: “A penny saved is a penny earned.” These are some of the actions we can take to help us all become better savers.

A．Learning how to save is important

B．Ask about discounts and pay in cash

C．It’s not just about creating that budget

D．Sometimes, saving money can be difficult

E．Another way is to use cash rather than card

F．Ask yourself if you really need to buy something

G．Successful savers stick to their plans and watch the money pile up

6 . It was a cold, sunny December day when I set out for a run in Moab, Utah, with my dog, Taz.

About an hour into my ________ along a remote canyon (峡谷) trail, I hit a patch of black ice (透明薄冰) and then ________ 60 feet into the canyon. I wasn’t paralyzed, but I was in great ________. Taz had managed to ________ his way back to me, so there must be a way out of the canyon, but I couldn’t ________ or even crawl.

I shouted for help and was intent on ________ myself to the bottom of the canyon. Every inch was an effort. It ________ me five hours to go a quarter of a mile. ________, it got so dark that I had to stay where I was for the night, next to a puddle (水坑) of water. At night the temperature dropped below ________. Taz stayed with me, ________ some warmth.The next morning, I couldn’t move at all. I tried to stay ________. The second night in the canyon seemed even ________ and colder. The puddle turned to ice, and I had to ________ it to get water.

On the third day, I felt myself growing weaker. I was coming to terms with the fact that I might ________. In a last ________ , I called Taz over and told him to go and get help. Taz took off through the canyon and I lay there thinking about my family and friends. There was more that I wanted from life.

Taz returned, ________ . Then I heard an engine in the distance. I cried with joy. It ________ that Taz had found a search and ________ team. I was airlifted to the hospital, where doctors found I had lost almost half the ________ in my body. If the rescue team had arrived later, I wouldn’t have ________ it. I was grateful to my faithful friend -Taz.

1.

A．move

B．march

C．walk

D．run

2.

A．fell

B．jumped

C．broke

D．headed

3.

A．loss

B．shock

C．pain

D．need

4.

A．push

B．locate

C．find

D．confirm

5.

A．stand

B．escape

C．cry

D．shout

6.

A．pushing

B．dragging

C．lifting

D．pulling

7.

A．took

B．cost

C．wasted

D．gave

8.

A．Temporarily

B．Eventually

C．Fortunately

D．Initially

9.

A．normal

B．boiling

C．freezing

D．average

10.

A．admiring

B．repeating

C．delivering

D．providing

11.

A．humble

B．confident

C．positive

D．negative

12.

A．quieter

B．longer

C．shorter

D．louder

13.

A．sharpen

B．adopt

C．appreciate

D．crack

14.

A．agree

B．help

C．leave

D．die

15.

A．effort

B．trial

C．chance

D．break

16.

A．alive

B．asleep

C．awake

D．alone

17.

A．came out

B．turned out

C．proved out

D．worked out

18.

A．survey

B．interview

C．rescue

D．sports

19.

A．blood

B．cells

C．water

D．sweat

20.

A．entered

B．made

C．reached

D．got

7 . We all know that unpleasant feeling when we’re talking about something interesting and halfway through our sentence we’re interrupted. But was that really an interruption? The answer depends on whom you ask, according to new research led by Katherine Hilton from Stanford University.

Using a set of controlled audio clips (录音片段), Hilton surveyed 5, 000 American English speakers to better understand what affects people’s perceptions of interruptions. She had participants listen to audio clips and then answer questions about whether the speakers seemed to be friendly and engaged, listening to one another, or trying to interrupt.

Hilton found that American English speakers have different conversational styles. She identified two distinct groups: high and low intensity speakers. High intensity speakers are generally uncomfortable with moments of silence in conversation and consider talking at the same time a sign of engagement. Low intensity speakers find it rude to talk at the same time and prefer people speak one after another in conversation.

The differences in conversational styles became evident when participants listened to audio clips in which two people spoke at the same time but were agreeing with each other and stayed on topic, Hilton said. The high intensity group reported that conversations where people spoke at the same time when expressing agreement were not interruptive but engaged and friendlier than the conversations with moments of silence in between speaking turns. In contrast, the low intensity group perceived any amount of simultaneous (同时) chat as a rude interruption, regardless of what the speakers were saying.

“People care about being interrupted, and those small interruptions can have a massive effect on the overall communication,” Hilton said. “Breaking apart what an interruption means is essential if we want to understand how humans interact with each other.”

1. What does Hilton’s research focus on?

A．What interruptions mean to people.

B．Whether interruption is good or not.

C．How to avoid getting interrupted.

D．Why speakers interrupt each other.

2. What do participants of the study need to do?

A．Record an audio clip.	B．Answer some questions.
C．Listen to one another.	D．Have a chat with a friend.

3. What do low intensity speakers think of simultaneous chat?

A．It’s important.	B．It’s interesting.
C．It’s inefficient.	D．It’s impolite.

4. What can we learn from Hilton’s research?

A．Human interaction is complex.

B．Communication is the basis of life.

C．Interruptions promote thinking.

D．Language barriers will always exist.

8 . For years, David James, who studies insects at Washington State University, had wanted to examine the migration (迁徙)patterns of West Coast monarch butterflies (黑脉金斑蝶). The route the butterflies travel has been hardly known because the populations are too small to follow. For every 200 monarchs tagged (打标签)by a researcher, only one is usually recovered at the end of its trip, James says, and finding even 200 in the wild to tag is unlikely. Knowing the route is vital to conservation efforts, but James had no way to figure it out- until he got a phone call from Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla.

The prison was looking for new activities to improve the mental health of those serving long-term sentences. So James began working with prisoners to raise monarchs through the whole process of their transformation. The adult insects were then tagged and released from the prison. Over five years, nearly 10, 000 monarchs flew from the facility. Elsewhere in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, researchers released another few thousand.

The tags included email addresses, and soon after the first butterflies took off, James started receiving messages from people who had spotted them. The butterflies, the reports confirmed, wintered in coastal California. Twelve of them landed at Lighthouse Field State Beach in Santa Cruz. Several more headed to Bolinas and Morro Bay.

The work helps researchers identify ideal places to plant milkweed and other vegetation that are important to the life cycle of West Coast monarch butterflies. It also brought out the gentler side of some of the prisoners. “They were very worried that they were going to harm the butterflies, ”James says. Watching the monarch change their form also touched the men. “This butterfly changed, ” James recalls prisoners telling him, “and maybe we can too. ”

1. What was hard for David to do in his study?

A．Gain financial support.	B．Hire qualified workers.
C．Build a new laboratory.	D．Find enough monarchs.

2. Why are the butterflies tagged before being released?

A．To guarantee their safety.

B．To enable them to fly longer distances.

C．To track their travel routes.

D．To distinguish them from other species.

3. What makes the prisoners feel that they can change?

A．The patience the butterflies showed.

B．The hardship the butterflies underwent.

C．The transformation of the butterflies.

D．The devotion of James to the butterflies.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The impact of the research.

B．The findings of James’ study.

C．The release of the prisoners.

D．The life cycle of the butterflies.

9 . Cancer is caused by gene mutations (突变) that accumulate in cells over time, yet long-lived animals that have lots of cells, such as elephants and whales, hardly ever get it. Why?

For elephants, at least, part of the answer may be the gene commonly known as p53, which also helps humans and many other animals repair DNA damaged during replication (复制). Elephants have an amazing 20 copies of this gene. Those copies, each with two variations produce a total of 40 proteins, compared with humans’ (and most animals’) single copy producing two proteins.

In mammals, p53 plays a crucial role in preventing mutated cells from turning into tumors (肿瘤). It works by pausing replication and then either initiating repair or causing cells to self-destruct if the damage is too extensive. Without action from p53, cancer can easily take hold: in more than half of all human cancers, the gene’s function has been lost through random mutations.

The scientists virtually modeled and studied carefully elephants’ 40 p53 proteins, finding two ways the gene could help elephants avoid cancer. First, the fact that elephants possess multiple copies lowers the chance of p53 no longer working because of mutations. Additionally, elephants’ p53 copies activate in response to varying mutations and so respond to damaged cells differently, which likely gives an edge when detecting and getting rid of mutations.

These “remarkable” results imply that elephants have a series of means though which p53 can operate, says Sue Haupt, a cell biologist who was not involved in the work. This points to “exciting possibilities for exploring powerful new approaches to cancer protection in humans,” she adds.

Study co-author Robin Fahraeus and his colleagues are now following up on these results using blood samples from an African elephant at the Vienna Zoo. They are exploring how its p53 proteins interact with damaged cells and plan to compare those findings with results from human cells.

1. What does the underlined word “initiating” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Delaying.	B．Indicating.
C．Stopping.	D．Starting.

2. How do p53 copies free elephants from cancer?

A．By preventing the replication thoroughly.

B．By providing precise response continuously.

C．By lowering the chance of mutations in advance.

D．By repairing the damaged cells in the same way.

3. What can we conclude from the last 2 paragraphs?

A．The results need further tests.

B．More biologists will participate in the study.

C．The results throw light on humans’ fighting cancer.

D．Researchers have new findings in African elephants.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Why elephants don’t get cancer.

B．What contributes to elephants’ long life.

C．Where the anticancer breakthrough lies.

D．How the key cancer-fighting gene works.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Where will the junior and senior competitions take place this season?

A．At Queen’s Park.

B．At King’s Park.

C．At Royal Park.

2. What does the speaker recommend the listeners to do?

A．Watch an awards ceremony.

B．Go to a party.

C．Attend a picnic.

3. What can we learn about the competition for seniors?

A．Four teams will take part in it.

B．Players will wear red shirts this year.

C．The games will be played on Sundays.