5 . Ever thought making a baby cry or even chasing after cheese would become a widely celebrated festival? Check out the most unusual, unique festivals from around the world.

Las Bolas de Fuego, El Salvador

Each year on 31st August, residents of Nejapa gather around to throw fireballs in memory of the 1658 El Playon volcanic eruption. Participants divide themselves into two teams to paint their faces like skulls and begin the festival by throwing fireballs at each other. Though dangerous, Las Bolas de Fuego has been running for more than 100 years now.

Viewing: Free Entry

Underwater Music Festival, Florida

Florida Underwater Music Festival held in July has been running for more than 25years, welcoming divers all over the world with the aim to create awareness for coral preservation. The event houses ocean-themed songs streaming live from underwater speakers along with musician-divers playing odd instruments giving a visual treat for all.

Participation: Ticketed Event

Boryeong Mud Festival, South Korea

200 kilometres from Seoul, Boryeong is widely popular for its mud. cosmetics (化妆品). What began as marketing event in 1998 later turned into a famous festival, drawing in millions of visitors every year. The annual festival held in July runs ten days straight housing a series of activities such as mud pools, mudslides and mud skiing.

Participation: Ticketed Event

Lopburi Monkey Banquet, Thailand

With the aim to bring good luck to the area and its people, the Lopburi Province prepares a grand feast made up of 4,000 kilograms of fruits and vegetables that feed 2,000-3,000 macaque monkeys every year. The festival first occurred in 1989, run by a local businessman who thought of this unique way to pay gratitude to monkeys and also bring in tourism — luckily for him and the monkeys, it worked!

Viewing: Free Entry

1. How do people in Nejapa celebrate Las Bolas de Fuego?

A．By painting volcanoes.

B．By throwing fireballs.

C．By running races.

D．By making faces.

2. What is special about Underwater Music Festival?

A．It has various themes of music.

B．It treats visitors to sea food.

C．It is held in the water.

D．It is free of charge.

3. What do the last two festivals have in common?

A．They are held in autumn.

B．They boost local tourism.

C．They last for a whole week.

D．They charge no entrance fees.

6 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

Shelly was a teenage girl full of energy and curiosity. She found herself in a familiar yet exciting situation as New Year’s Eve drew near. Her parents, busy doctors in the emergency department, were eager to spend the festive occasion with family at her grandparents’ house. Jason and Judy, Shelly’s loving grandparents, were excited to host the joyous celebration.

In the midst of the busy preparations, Shelly found herself alone in the attic(阁楼) , filled with old trunks and forgotten relics. As she searched through the dusty relics in the attic, her eyes caught a bronze item among the forgotten treasures. It was a Scout badge(童子军徽章) , her father’s from his youthful days as a Scout. This badge held a profound meaning, symbolizing her father’s adventurous spirit and dedication to service.

Eager to share her find, Shelly carefully put the badge into her pocket and rejoined the celebration. As the evening progressed, she proudly showed off the badge to her friends in the neighborhood, sharing tales of her father’s Scouting adventures. However, time flew by with laughter and joy. It was then that the badge slipped unnoticed from her grasp, disappearing into the dark night.

Panic stricken and heartbroken, Shelly quickly searched for the lost badge, checking every corner she had been. But the badge was nowhere to be found. Tears streamed down her face as she knew how disappointed her father would be if he knew she had lost his precious Scout badge. The loss of the badge was not just a physical loss, but a symbol of the connection she felt with her father and his past. Shelly’s world felt incomplete, and she prayed that somehow, she would find the badge and restore the broken bond. She decided to search the neighborhood again.

注意：
1．续写词数应为150个左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
But as time passed, Shelly’s hope of finding the badge began to fade.
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Together, father and daughter set out for the search.
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8 . In a highly technical world, there is something quite magical about the timelessness of the public library. And the impact and importance of libraries extends across decades, centuries even, dating back to 4th century BC in Athens.     1     They serve as community cornerstones and giving free access to books, resources, and information.

A study by Pew Research Center found that 94% of Americans agreed that having a public library improves the quality of life in a community, and 95% said that libraries give everyone a chance to succeed and promote a love for reading.     2     Here are a few of the reasons why they are so important.

Libraries promote education.

Beyond the free access to books and computers, many libraries also offer valuable services including tutoring, learning camps, and homeschooling resources. Many libraries host STEAM events for kids where they get to experience life as an astronaut, learning about the solar system and working together to build robotic, space-related projects.     3    

Libraries build a sense of community.

    4     So, whether you join a monthly book club or read book submissions from local authors, you’re broadening your horizons, making connections, and learning from other members — ones who you may have never crossed paths with otherwise.

    5    

Original documents are digitized and maintained at libraries. This helps preserve the nation’s cultural heritage, as well as provide an opportunity to better understand others’ points of view. If you ever get the chance, visit the New York Public Library to explore its database of over 1,800 newspapers, magazines, and journals, all published between 1740 and 1940.

A．Libraries preserve history.

B．Libraries restore valuable documents.

C．Also they can work well for homeschooling families.

D．But the impact of public libraries is greater than expected.

E．Libraries are gaining popularity among young people today.

F．Libraries can break down barriers and bring people together.

G．Over time, libraries have developed into what we know them as today.

9 . Barbara Spiecke, now a research scientist at the University of New Hampshire, is deaf. As an undergraduate, she was surrounded by a mix of deaf and hearing colleagues. Luckily, she could use American Sign Language (ASL) - English interpreters provided by the university. It was a crucial support, but not without its challenges. ASL signs for complicated scientific topics don’t exist or haven’t yet been widely adopted. So, during her presentation, a large part of her focus was devoted to signing in a way that was most likely to avoid translation errors. The result was an accurate but awkward presentation.

Spiecker hopes other deaf scientists won’t have to go through the same thing. So, she co-founded an organization, Atomic Hands, in 2018 to light “wonder and curiosity” in STEM. She had a goal: to create videos teaching scientific concepts using both ASL signs and English closed captioning (字幕). Along the way, Atomic Hands and other organizations have boosted the visibility (可见度) of STEM-related signs, promoting community involvement to improve, and standardize them.

Since the foundation of Atomic Hands, a newer set of ASL signs for states of matter that visually explain the connections between them has gained broader acceptance. Atomic Hands did not create the signs—they came from the community—but the organization is sharing them via its online videos.

Spiecker encourages other scientists to experiment with new signs and to offer feedback, good and bad. “When I teach, I constantly remind them that the new signs I show them are not concrete,” Spiecker says. “If they don’t like it, let me know, and I’ll use a different sign.”

Spiecker’s goals also go beyond ASL. At last year’s Ecological Society of America conference, she presented a lecture on opportunities to diversify science communication, such as improving virtual access to conferences or creating audiobooks alongside printed products. Too often, she said, organizers only offer accommodations when it benefits the majority.

1. What troubled Spiecke as an undergraduate?

A．How to communicate with her deaf colleagues.

B．How to find a good ASL-English interpreter.

C．How to understand those complicated topics.

D．How to make her presentations get across.

2. What did Spiecke intend to do with Atomic Hands?

A．Create accessible STEM content.

B．Promote the quality of education.

C．Involve people in scientific research.

D．Invent a sign language for STEM study.

3. What can be learned from Spiecker’s words?

A．She is open to advice on the signs.

B．She loves teaching the deaf STEM.

C．She is doubtful about her present work.

D．She plans to adopt a new sign language.

4. Which of the following can best describe Spiecker?

A．Caring and creative.	B．Humorous and ambitious.
C．Generous and smart.	D．Determined and proud.

10 . Right now you probably spend most of your time in school. Do you wonder what you are going to do after high school? Will you continue to go to school? Will you learn a trade? Perhaps it is time to think about your choices and to prepare for them. Some day work will be a big part of your life.

What kind of job would be right for you? Think about your interests and your skills. You may like to listen to music, dance, play basketball, or work with computers. You may know how to drive a car or how to get along with people. Knowing both your interests and skills will help make a better plan for your career.

To get an idea of what work you would like to do, make a list of your interests and a list of your skills. Think about what you have done to be successful in your interests. After that, brainstorm a list of career choices that might match your interests and skills. You can later keep your lists with the projects and documents (文件) that can help you achieve the career you want.

They can help you know more clearly about your achievements in school and in the world of work. Roberta Zhan, an art designer, finds her work satisfying because it allows her to use her interests and skills. She enjoyed imagining something in her minds eye while she was in school. She took art, design, and computer lessons, and also learned about taking photos on her own.

Here is what she says about the meaning of work: “If you have a job you like, work means much more than just making money. It means using your talents, making a contribution (贡献), and getting a real sense of satisfaction from doing a job.”

1. The passage is most probably written to________.

A．students

B．teachers

C．parents

D．designers

2. At the beginning, the writer introduces the topic of the passage by________.

A．listing facts	B．giving examples
C．asking questions	D．explaining differences

3. Roberta Zhan might be most interested in when she was at school________.

A．singing songs	B．creating pictures
C．playing basketball	D．playing computer games

4. The passage is mainly about________.

A．the real meaning of work	B．the importance of interests and skills
C．the journey of Roberta’s life	D．the way of preparing for the future