1 . On a Friday evening in December, I lost my job. That was _________. I was excited about the weekend, when my daughter Kristil and I _________ to get our Christmas tree. Then I listened to my voicemail: “We are sorry, but we decided to _________ you.” I was a single mother and my income was survival. The next day, I struggled to be _________ as I eyed the Christmas tree prices.

Over the next week, I applied for _________ like crazy as my bank account grew smaller. On a weekend afternoon, I dropped Kristil in a _________ community for a birthday party surrounded by all the nice things that we couldn’t _________. I drove home feeling sad.

Back at home, I looked out the window at the heavy snow and _________ a woman opening her car door against the strong wind. As she _________, I realized it was my old teacher, Sister Esther. I rushed out and asked, “What are you doing out in this ____________?” She said, “I looked for you at your ____________ and it was said that you had left, so I thought I would ____________.” I made her tea and we talked. Before leaving, she handed me a Christmas card.

Later on when I opened her card, I was ____________. There was a lot of money inside. Tears of gratitude filled my eyes as I ____________. Sister Esther had given me $1,000. In 2020, at age of 91, Sister Esther died, but the ____________ she gave during her life lives on in my heart.

1.

A．unexpected

B．unfair

C．unavoidable

D．unnecessary

2.

A．forgot

B．refused

C．managed

D．planned

3.

A．judge

B．monitor

C．fire

D．charge

4.

A．encouraged

B．thoughtful

C．surprised

D．cheerful

5.

A．puddings

B．posts

C．shares

D．places

6.

A．small

B．safe

C．wealthy

D．unique

7.

A．remember

B．afford

C．find

D．appreciate

8.

A．spotted

B．felt

C．imagined

D．recognized

9.

A．came in

B．walked away

C．settled down

D．got out

10.

A．business

B．weather

C．room

D．situation

11.

A．company

B．school

C．hotel

D．house

12.

A．call

B．drive

C．visit

D．pay

13.

A．shocked

B．satisfied

C．confused

D．inspired

14.

A．searched

B．counted

C．packed

D．celebrated

15.

A．guidance

B．joy

C．care

D．advice

2 . 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。

“April 23 is English Language Day,” says Melissa, jumping up and down. “What a surprise, dear. What would we have done without you reminding us?” jokes Lindsay.

Melissa burst out laughing loudly. “What I meant was that April 23 is a very special day for all of us and I just wanted to make sure non e of you forgot about it.”

“What are your plans for that day?” questions Rocky. “I want to do something special to promote our beautiful English language,” dreams Jennifer.

“I have an idea,” says Lindsay. “Mango Street’s house No. 10 has been recently occupied (居住) by a family who is not fluent in the English language.”

“Where are they from?” asks Melissa. “I don’t know that but I heard the lady talking to the grocery store owner. She had great difficulty explaining her requirements. Her son and daughter also could not understand much. Why don’t we help them improve their English?” wonders Jennifer.

“It is a wonderful idea. Shall we go and let them know what we think?” asks Rocky. “Not now. We will go to meet them tomorrow,” decides Jason.

The next day, the five friends ring the doorbell of house No.10. A young girl opens the door and smiles at them. “May we come in?” asks Melissa. “We are your neighbors.”

The girl calls her mother. The sweet fat lady invites them inside with a smile. All of them sit on the chairs laid out on the front porch (门廊).

Jason explains their plan of helping them understand and speak English better. The lady seems grateful.

“We will help you in learning how to speak and understand our language,” says Lindsay.

The lady smiles her thanks. She point s to the fruits on the table. Rocky picks up one fruit at a time and names it. Jason asks her to repeat. She tries a few times and is able to call each fruit by its name. Her son and daughter learn the names too.

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。
Paragraph 1:

The friends stay for about an hour.

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Paragraph 2:

On April 23, the new family holds a party for the five children.

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3 . Being healthy is important. Often, we’re crazy about articles in health magazines talking about the latest popular diets, or advertisements that offer cures (疗法) for fatness that are often too good to be true. One of the latest crazy phenomena (现象) is intermittent fasting (间歇性禁食).     1    

There are different ways of intermittent fasting.     2     Another common way is choosing a diet that sees people only eating during a limited part of the day, for example, over eight hours.

    3     A study suggests intermittent fasting may help control blood sugar and reduce the possibility of suffering related disease. Other studies have shown intermittent fasting may help slow the ageing process, support brain function, lose weight, etc.

Some people try intermittent fasting for weight management, and others use the method to deal with some conditions such as high cholesterol or arthritis.     4     Fasting might not suit those who are underweight or with a long-term medical condition. Fasting may cause some people to experience symptoms (症状) such as headaches or make them easily suffer from overeating after a reduced calorie intake (热量摄入) day.

As with many diets, it’s always wise to speak to your doctor or weight-loss professional before changing your eating habits. And, at the end of the day, it could just come down to what lifestyle choice suits you.     5     If not, your health may suffer.

A．But what is intermittent fasting?

B．However, this diet isn’t for everyone.

C．Intermittent fasting has two main origins.

D．Let’s look at some of the possible benefits.

E．The idea of this is to reduce calories over a period.

F．In a word, you should avoid turning to intermittent fasting blindly.

G．You can eat normally on five days of a week and reduce calorie intake on the other two.

4 . Taking exercise in a crowded, noisy gym will improve your muscle but may not make much difference in your stress level. By contrast, hiking improves not only your physical fitness level, but your mental health as well. “I hike with friends every week. Whether I am wandering down a flat path along a river or climbing a rock y mountain in the wilderness, hiking can be beneficial to me because it exposes (使接触) me to outdoor scenes such as mountain s and rivers, which can always offer me good ideas about paintings and music,” Marry Copper, a hiker said.

Experts agree that hiking reduces stress. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), hiking increases the body’s production of endorphins, a type of chemical that improves mood (情绪). Endorphins also help you sleep more soundly, which will lower your stress level. However, not all scientists agree that hiking raises your endorphin level. Instead, some researchers believe that hiking causes the release of the chemical norepinephrine, which helps make you less excited or upset.

The controversy (争议) is ongoing, but it is clear that however it happens, hiking is useful when you are feeling anxious. Hiking can also help improve your confidence. Walking down a path is a repetitive motion, which can lead your brain into relaxing; you may “zone out” to the point where you won’t be thinking about anything in particular. Being outside in the open air may also help you exercise better because most people do indoors; getting out from under a roof can lift your spirits.

Hiking may improve your mood more than a gym workout will, but your risks are also greater. People sometimes try to make their own way rather than stick to established paths. They are proud to say they like to have an adventure. However, people who try to do something new could be attacked by wildlife and get hurt and lost. So stick to the known roads and bring a cellphone with you, and always tell someone where and when you are going hiking, even if you have a partner going with you.

1. Why does Marry Copper like hiking?

A．She dislikes exercising in the gym.	B．She can meet new friends when hiking.
C．She can draw inspiration from nature.	D．She has the spirit of adventure in the wilderness.

2. What do we know about the study of hiking?

A．Scientists have reached an agreement.

B．Sound sleep can increase the body’s endorphin level.

C．Stress is caused by the body’s production of endorphin.

D．The chemical norepinephrine could make people calm.

3. What is the author’s attitude towards exploring new roads during hiking?

A．Negative

B．Positive

C．Objective

D．Unclear

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．How can hiking cause controversy?	B．Why do people like exercising outdoors?
C．What do hikers like to do in the wilderness?	D．What benefits can hiking bring to people?

5 . 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。

Plant lovers believe that talking to plants helps them grow. Scientists have discovered there could be real     1     (true) in this belief. Researchers have discovered that plants give off sounds when they are stressed. The sounds are quite similar     2     a human cry. Unfortunately, plant sounds are at too high a frequency for the human ear     3     (pick) up. Humans can only hear frequencies of up to 16 kilohertz (赫兹). Using special Al technology, scientists can now pick up sounds     4     (send) out by plants that are up to 250 kilohertz. The Al can also tell differences between different types of plant sounds.

The research     5     (do) in a greenhouse at Israel’s Tel Aviy University. Lead researcher Professor Lilach Hadany said: “Plants usually give off sounds when they     6     (be) under stress. Each plant and each type of stress is connected with     7     specific sound.” She suggested that crop fields could be quite     8     (noise), saying “While unable to be picked up by the human ear, the sounds given off by plants can be heard by bats,     9     (mouse) and insects. Understanding these sounds could help us know when crops need watering,     10     means farmers could water their crops more efficiently and thus save water and money.

6 . Here are this year’s four scientific discoveries that could lead to new inventions.

Discovery 1—To survive in the ocean, some animals hide themselves from the light, hoping not to be found by a predator (捕食者). However, their eyes reflect (反射) light, creating shine that can give away their location. Some tiny crustaceans (甲壳类动物) have developed a way around this disadvantage. Their eyes are covered with a sheet of special glass that effectively matches their eyeshine to the color of surrounding water. In this way, they become invisible (看不见的). This discovery might help researchers improve relative technologies in remote sensing and communications.

Discovery 2—Brown bears seldom suffer from blood clots (血栓). To find out how they do it, scientists tracked down brown bears in Sweden. They discovered one protein (蛋白质) in brown bears showed a significant seasonal change. The discovery could provide ways for preventive treatment for cancer patients and those likely to develop blood clots.

Discovery 3—Asp caterpillar venom (毛虫毒液) contains an unusual protein. When it reaches the outer surface of a cell (细胞), this protein makes a hole through the cell wall. By researching such nature, engineers could develop medicine delivery ways to get drugs (药物) inside cells where they need to work.

Discovery 4—This year, scientists found two special proteins in bowhead whales. The proteins called CIRBP and RPA2 play a role in DNA repair, making the animals unlikely to develop cancers. As a scientist says, we probably have the solution to cancer medicine out there in nature already.

1. What can we know about the tiny crustaceans?

A．Their eyes reflect light and create shine.	B．They can carefully hide themselves.
C．Their eyes do not shine while reflecting light.	D．They are easily found by their predators.

2. Which discovery might improve ways doctors use drugs?

A．Discovery 1.

B．Discovery 2.

C．Discovery 3.

D．Discovery 4.

3. What do the four discoveries have in common?

A．They provide an inspiration for new ideas or ways of doing things.

B．They might bring about a breakthrough in communication.

C．They are all good for environmental protection.

D．They are all concerned with endangered animals.

7 . 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。

People in Victoria have often been admired as they enjoy the year-round good climate of Canada’s “banana belt”. So when the unusual snowstorm struck the area this December, Victorians weren’t prepared.

Before Christmas holiday was over, Victorians wished they would never see snow again! However, between December 21st and 29th, so much snow fell. The little city that seldom sees snow was covered by snow that was over I meter deep.

I called my 87-year-old mother, who lived in a downtown nursing home. She was in poor health, but her mind was active and unaffected. “Mum,” I said, “we’re completely snowed in. It may be a few days before I can get out to see you.”

I was worried. My mother had caught a bad cold. And because of the storm, drugs were not being delivered.

On the morning of December 31st, the phone rang. It was Mother’s nurse in charge. “The bad cold has seriously influenced your mother’s lungs,” she said. “She’s quite in low spirits, and she’s extremely eager to see you. Your coming may raise her spirits and increase her body’s ability to fight against the disease. Is there any way you can get here?”

I felt hopeless because I knew there was no way I could get there. Like thousands of others in the city, we were trapped.

Friends suggested I turn to C-FAX, one of the local radio stations. Since the heavy snowstorm struck Victoria, C-FAX had canceled its regular programming and was now a communication center for news updates, volunteer coordination (协调) and health and safety tips. In fact, it had become Victoria’s lifeline.

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 picked up my phone and asked anxiously, “Can you help me?”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Later, I eagerly got on a truck heading for the nursing room.

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8 . 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。

Recently, many netizens posted videos on social media claiming that Harbin has launched a “photo shoot with a white fox” project to entertain tourists. The white fox in the video     1     (have) a soft and cute appearance, and after being artificially raised and managed, its fur is clean and odorless (无气味), providing tourists with a good experience and     2     (frequent) appearing on the hot search list.

For this project, some people believe it is     3     innovative tourism experience that can increase the interactivity and participation of tourists, while others are concerned about the safety and health of the white fox. In fact, these white foxes are professionally trained to have close contact     4     humans, and they do not bite. In addition, the scenic area has taken multiple     5     (measure) to ensure the welfare and safety of the white fox.

Mr. He, the person in charge of Harbin Songhua River Ice and Snow Carnival, said that the scenic area has introduced this project to     6     (well) meet customer needs. These white foxes have been bred (饲养) and domesticated (驯化), so there is no need to worry about     7     (catch) and bitten by foxes.

Mr. He said that due to the continuous     8     (popular) of the White Fox on social media, more and more tourists are taking photos with it.     9     (welcome) tourists, the scenic area often takes care of the white fox, keeping its fur clean and fresh,     10     providing visitors with a better experience.

9 . As a boy, I knew little about baseball. Yet I later became the father of two boys, Will and Tim, who were both interested in baseball. On Saturday mornings, I’d take Will out to the playground and play catch with him. Because of my weak arm, the ball often dropped before he could catch it. After many misses, he said one day, “How am I ever going to make the major leagues (联盟)?” “You have the wrong dad, kid,” I thought. Baseball isn’t my thing.

Still, I wanted to give my kids confidence on the field. There was an official Little League in our area, but it was super-competitive and only catered to older boys. I really hoped we had something less competitive, something that welcomed younger boys and girls.

I shared the idea with some neighbors. “That would be great!” they said. Now who could organize such a thing? Not me. I tried to put the idea aside, but it wouldn’t leave me. I finally decided that I must do something about it. So I called the city government, explaining that some families wanted to start a baseball league in our neighborhood. Were there any fields for that? When I had to speak to the official in charge, I got butterflies in my stomach. What if he said no? “Yes, we have two fields for four hours every Sunday morning,” the man said hearing my request. Our league was founded. What a joy it was to sit on the benches, watching Will and Tim playing baseball! And I became the most unlikely baseball commissioner (专员) ever.

Many years have passed. Now Will and Tim are new dads, and I can’t want to see what they’ll have to do. I know better than anyone: Parenthood calls you to do the most unlikely things.

1. Why did the author think his son Will had the wrong father?

A．He had poor baseball skills.	B．He had no confidence in his son.
C．He wouldn’t play catch with his son.	D．He didn’t know what his son’s dream was.

2. What does the underlined phrase “catered to” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Won the respect of.	B．Ensured the safety of.
C．Served the purpose of.	D．Saved the trouble of.

3. How did the author probably feel while talking to the official?

A．Confident.

B．Peaceful.

C．Nervous.

D．Proud.

4. What does the author want to stress in the text?

A．The need to challenge oneself.	B．The greatness of parental love.
C．The role of sports in kids’ growth.	D．The relationship between parents and kids.

10 . 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。

Lying in a gorge(峡谷) near the Minjiang River in Southwest China’s Sichuan province, Taoping Qiang village     1    (stay) here for over two thousand years.

Originally constructed for military defense, the village’s watchtower has seen the flames of war extinguished(熄灭的) over the ages and is now a tourist     2    (attract). Surviving the terrible 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the tower still stands tall and now witnesses the area’s change.

The village was reconstructed after that, and a new village in the same architectural style was built nearby, with many residents choosing     3    (move) there for a better quality of life. Today, visitors are     4    (continuous) drawn to the beautiful village, bringing prosperity(繁荣) to the local tourism industry.

By Dec 25, the Taoping village area had welcomed 189,000 tourists in 2023, driving sales of local farm products to 30.8 million yuan and generating over 95.2 million yuan in tourism income. The trend has brought new opportunities and benefits to     5    (local), such as Maixi, who is a member of the Qiang ethnic group. Her journey has mirrored the great development of her hometown.

Maixi, one of the eight children, worked as a shepherd(牧羊人) when she was a girl. Now 60, she has achieved prosperity by changing her ancestral home     6     a homestay business. And she has expanded her business by opening a four-story homestay in the new village, drawing in a steady stream of customers     7     enjoy her signature dish of a hearty soup with vegetables. Maixi is not shy about saying she now leads a life that seemed impossible in her youth. The income her family brought in by selling Sichuan peppers was quite important during her childhood, she remembers,     8     the children would work alongside the adults all day long throughout the harvest season as sun-dried peppers reached a high price.

“With over 440 households and a population of more than 1,300, the village no     9    (long) relies on herding(畜牧). Half of our workforce is now involved in tourism, and we also cultivate over 1,000 mu of cherries and other     10    (variety) fruits. In recent years, the average income per mu has been about 60,000 yuan,” says Yang Buyi, Party chief of Taoping.