1 . Five years ago, I was a trail ride leader at a holiday farm in Victoria. My favourite horse was a warmblooded called Holly, a chestnut mare. Aged seven, she was _________, sweet-natured and well-trained; the only _________with Holly was her vivid imagination. I was constantly surprised by Holly’ s ability to be_________ by rabbits, the wind or even shadows - sometimes her own shadow!

One day, as we headed back from a ride on the beach, Holly and I were_________the way over the hilly area. When we got to one particularly long, steep hill, Holly began to twitch (抽动) her ears and step in place. So, when she_________ to sniff(嗅) and give all the _________that she believed the ‘horse-eating monsters’ were close, I became a little worried.

At the bottom of the hill as we rounded a corner, Holly_________with caution, and so I followed her gaze to the path ahead. There, sunning itself in the middle of the track, was a brown_________. This time it was my _________to get scared; I was on a nervous horse, leading a group of eight inexperienced pre-teen riders. Unexpectedly, Holly was firmly__________, ears forward. With the snake in her sight, she was no longer worried.

I have heard that horses have a better sense of__________ than dogs. I hadn't seen it __________ before that moment.__________, while we waited in reality for just a second or two - but for what felt like a century - the snake awoke and glided calmly off into the bush.

Holly then__________, leading the horses with caution and care. She had been alert to danger and had been __________for the safety of us all. Following in the footsteps or their lead mare, not one of the other horses showed any fear.

1.

A．negative

B．graceful

C．pitiful

D．aggressive

2.

A．solution

B．reaction

C．problem

D．difficulty

3.

A．frightened

B．delighted

C．touched

D．attracted

4.

A．chasing

B．leading

C．following

D．pushing

5.

A．proceeded

B．preferred

C．hesitated

D．refused

6.

A．evidence

B．truth

C．signals

D．symbols

7.

A．sped

B．rushed

C．escaped

D．slowed

8.

A．rabbit

B．horse

C．monster

D．snake

9.

A．turn

B．case

C．chance

D．rule

10.

A．sealed

B．planted

C．fastened

D．frozen

11.

A．vision

B．direction

C．smell

D．hearing

12.

A．proved

B．denied

C．ignored

D．demonstrated

13.

A．Unfortunately

B．Undoubtedly

C．Thankfully

D．Instantly

14.

A．fell off

B．went back

C．came out

D．stepped forward

15.

A．responsible

B．regretful

C．grateful

D．available

2 . You’ve probably heard countless times how exercise is “good for you”. But did you know that it can improve your mood too?     1    .

Exercising regularly can help prevent weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Exercises like jumping or lifting weights can help keep your bones strong. Also, when you exercise, your body makes chemicals that help you feel good. Exercise lowers your chances of depression and decreases feelings of anxiety.     2     .

Considering all the health benefits of being physically active, it’s easy to see why doing exercise is wise. And the great thing is that it’s never too late to start.     3    — like taking a short bike ride, walking the dog or raking (用耙子拢) leaves.

However, sometimes you may find it hard to keep exercising regularly.     4     . If what you’re doing isn’t fun, it’s hard to keep it up. But there are many different sports and activities you can try and see which one inspires you. If you need a little more motivation, take a class, join a team or find an exercise buddy to help keep you on track.

    5     , even those with disabilities or medical problems. But if you have a health problem or other concerns, talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise plan.

A．Even small things can count as exercise

B．Everyone can benefit from moving more and sitting less

C．Exercise benefits every part of the body, including the mind

D．Sports and activities that encourage flexibility are easy to find

E．One of the biggest reasons people drop an exercise program is a lack of interest

F．Plus, exercise can give you a sense of accomplishment after you achieve a goal

G．Strengthening the heart, muscles and bones isn’t the only important goal of exercise

3 . The director of the research institute came in person to ______ that everything was all right.

A．make out

B．make sure

C．make clear

D．make up

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。

Hangzhou is recognized as the “City of Well-Being” in China. Hangzhou made its name     1    (know) to the world in 2016 by hosting the G20 Summit. Blessed with pleasant cli- mate and few wars, Hangzhou has gradually formed     2    (it) own urban character.     3    busy Shanghai, you will slow down and relax once you are here. It seems that Hangzhou people don’t have many things to rush to in their     4    (day) life. No wonder Hangzhou is expanding    5    (annual) by 500, 000 to 600, 000 people.

The lifestyle, however, was laid down by two historical men of letters. One was Bai Juyi,     6     rebuilt the West Lake and made a new bank    7    (benefit) the locals. People love him. When it comes to him, it doesn’t sound like one is talking about a person who     8    (live) a thousand years ago. The other was Su Shi. His open-minded personality     9     diligence for his people left many much-told tales. Seemingly,     10    (mention) his name gives people joy even after a thousand years.

Surely, it will be even more brilliant in 2023 when it hosts the 19th Asian Games. Let’s look forward to it.

6 . Gradually some of them get used to depending on their parents and lack the ability to solve problems _____.

A．independently

B．individually

C．irrespectively

D．dependently

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。

One of the great delights of Xi’an is to explore its nightlife and entertainment. It gives the visitor a     1    (memory) experience of life in the city both as it was long ago and as it is today.

A good place to start is the Bell Tower as it stands in the historical center of the city     2     is near the booming modern commercial district. Throughout the night, both the Bell Tower and Drum Tower are well-lighted,     3    (provide) a striking setting for traditional Chinese restaurants and bright modern shopping malls     4     with a mix of color and movement, the neon lights together with the street lighting present a vivid magical picture. As the bell     5    (ring) in the Bell Tower, you can imagine yourself standing in the city as     6     was centuries ago.

If you want to enjoy a more traditional Chinese evening, then the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show is     7     must, and its music and dance     8    (symbol) the glory of Chinese civilization. Moreover, in The Tang Dynasty Theatre Restaurant, you will enjoy music     9    (play) on ancient Chinese instruments such as the Pi Pa and Sheng. The musicians also play the more easily recognized western style instruments, of course.     10    (complete) your Tang Dynasty experience, don’t forget to enjoy a Dumpling Dinner!

8 . Women are equally responsible for the growth of a free, modern society. Here’s a look at some outstanding women who made great contributions to world history.

Maria Sibylla Merian

Today, children can explain how a caterpillar (毛毛虫) turns into a butterfly (蝴蝶). But there was a time when no one knew this --not even scientists. Thanks to Maria Sibylla Merian, we know the truth about these beautiful winged insects. Merian was fascinated by insects, and she began collecting, studying, and drawing them when she was as young as 13. It was through her study of caterpillars that she discovered the truth about their life cycles.

Beryl Markham

Beryl Markham was quite incredible in not just aviation (航空) but several other industries, including horse racing. In 1936, at age 33, Markham became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic alone from the east to the west, nonstop. The pilot played a role in the classic best-selling novel and film, Out of Africa, and had many biographies penned about her talents and life.

Madam C. J. Walker

Madam C J. Walker developed a condition that caused her to lose her hair, and with it, an interest in hair care. She began working for black hair care entrepreneur (企业家) Annie Turnbo Malone. Eventually, Walker began making and marketing her own hair care products designed for African-American women. Her company developed into the successful Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company. She is widely recognized as America’s first black female self-made millionaire.

Hedy Lamarr

You might know Hedy Lamarr from the silver screen; she starred in many films. But her film career is far from her only achievement; she was also a brilliant inventor. In 1942, she received a patent for an invention that could change radio signal frequencies. It paved the way for much of the wireless technology we use today.

1. Who had a lot of enthusiasm for the study of insects?

A．Hedy Lamarr	B．Beryl Markham
C．Madam C.J. Walker	D．Maria Sibylla Merian

2. What made Madam C.J. Walker begin to focus on the hair care?

A．Her losing her hair.	B．A type of hair care product.
C．Annie Turnbo Malone’s success.	D．Her wish to help African Americans.

3. What is special about Hedy Lamar?

A．She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic alone.

B．She was both a film star and an inventor.

C．She was a successful businesswoman.

D．She was a best-selling writer.

9 . 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.

10 . In his latest Twitter shake-up, Elon Musk has decided to temporarily control how many tweets users can read each day.

On Saturday, Musk announced the daily limit, with some accounts restricted to 300 posts. Musk said verified users would be able to read 6,000 posts per day, while unverified and newly created unverified accounts would only be able to read either 600 or 300 posts per day.

The decision sparked backlash (集体反对) and within hours the billionaire said he had extended the limits to 10,000 for verified (已认证的) users, 1,000 for unverified users, and 500 for newly unverified users.

On Friday, Musk also changed Twitter’s rules to stop unregistered users from viewing tweets without signing up. He said the move was part of ”drastic and immediate“ action to restrict access to tweets because AI companies were stealing Twitter’s data.

Despite Musk insisting the restrictions are temporary, some users have been confused and irritated by the sudden change of rules.“How on earth did I already use up all my rate limits,” Rawsalerts, a media account, tweeted, along with a screenshot of the account’s limited timeline. “Now I can’t even see my own tweets what is happening.” YouTube star Mr. Beast also chimed in on the drama: “I hit my tweet viewing limit for the day. Wtf do I do with my life now.” Matt Navarra, a social-media expert, “It is time I just quit Twitter at this point,” posted in response to another user complaining they couldn’t access his content.

Others took to joking about the new restrictions. One user poked fun at the risk the policy might reduce views: “Babe no your tweet’s a banger! Everyone just exceeded (超过) their rate limit before they saw it! Babe trust me!”

Another joked about their attempts to slow down their scrolling, posting a meme with the text: ”Me trying to not scroll fast and waste my 600 tweet limit.“

Musk also appeared to try and join in the fun, retweeting a parody account of himself that said the view limit was an attempt to make Twitter addicts “go outside”.

Representatives for Twitter did not respond to Insider’s request for comment with a message that addressed the question.

1. Where is this article most likely to occur?

A．In a free magazine offered on an airplane.

B．In a yearly review book concerning Internet and society.

C．In a newspaper published within one month.

D．In a literature criticism book on politics.

2. Why did Musk increase the initial tweet viewing limits?

A．To comfort frustrated users.

B．To encourage more people to use Twitter.

C．To make Twitter more accessible to new users.

D．In response to pressure from AI companies.

3. Which of the following best represents the reaction of Twitter users to the new rules implemented by Elon Musk?

A．Overwhelming support and agreement.

B．Diverse responses ranging from frustration to humor.

C．Complete disregard and indifference.

D．Massive user migration to other social media platforms.

4. According to the text, what is one possible implication of the changes made by Elon Musk?

A．Twitter’s user engagement might decrease due to the viewing limit.

B．Twitter’s popularity will surge due to increased exclusivity.

C．Twitter’s platform will become more secure and prevent data theft.

D．Twitter’s revenue will increase due to more users signing up.