1 . Zandra Cunningham is the founder of a skincare brand. She has been recognized by the media as one of the youngest and most successful business owners in America.

When she was a kid, Zandra always loved lip balms (护唇膏) and bought a lot of them. But she found they eventually hurt her lips instead of relieving the dryness because of all the chemicals in them. She then started experimenting with different ingredients (成分) together with her mom. They tried a lot of times until they found the natural and healthy combinations they liked. Slowly, Zandra began selling her products at local farmers’ markets and trade events. Before her 10th birthday, she launched her brand and hoped it would empower other young girls.

Soon, it became a challenge for Zandra to separate her personal interests from what her customers actually wanted. “There are a lot of ideas that I feel are excellent but wouldn’t fit into the market,” she said. Being part of the younger market herself, Zandra recognized the issue and improved her products after truly listening to customers. “There are so many brands doing similar things, but there’s still so much room to grow. Your customers are out there, and you just have to reach out to them. That’s what will set you apart,” the 23-year-old shared.

When asked about her experience as a promising young businesswoman, Zandra said, “It wasn’t frightening. When you’re young, fear doesn’t have a strong hold on your mindset. ‘Maybe it’s not going to work’ never really crossed my mind.”

Characterized by encouraging statements and featuring a playful color combination, the packaging (包装) is a big part of why Zandra’s business has been so impressive. “There are a lot of products on the market that seem natural, but they actually aren’t,” she said. “I make sure my packaging can help people understand what each term means, and how to read and check ingredients.”

1. What pushed Zandra to get into the skincare business?

A．Her desire to create skin-friendly products.

B．Her interest in doing chemical experiments.

C．Her wish to set an example for other young girls.

D．Her goal of providing local people with cheap skin products.

2. How did Zandra deal with the trouble in her business?

A．She cooperated with powerful brands.

B．She stood by her own business decisions.

C．She made an effort to meet real market needs.

D．She took inspiration from successful businesswomen.

3. What plays a role in her business success according to Zandra?

A．Her work experience.	B．Her parents’ support.
C．Her creative thinking.	D．Her youthful positivity.

4. What does Zandra expect to achieve with her packaging?

A．To catch customers’ attention.

B．To collect customers’ opinions on skincare.

C．To educate customers about product knowledge.

D．To encourage environmental awareness in customers.

2 . The walls of ancient Egyptian tombs (坟墓) can teach us much about the ancient Egyptians’ life. However, many paintings in the tombs were damaged by unlawful tomb diggers. Now a new study shows how a technology called portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) can be used to better study the paintings.

Developed in the early 20th century by physicist Henry Moseley, XRF and pXRF can be used to decide materials’ elemental composition (元素组成). Rather than the huge and immovable tool often used to study historical objects in labs, the tool needed in the pXRF study weighs only a few kilograms and can be taken into the field.

The research team headed by Philippe Martinez from Sorbonne University used the new tool to perform chemical imaging on paintings on site, allowing for the study of paint composition. As the ancient Egyptians used paints made from minerals (矿物), the paints have specific chemical markers. By using pXRF, scientists can use the chemical markers to create a map of damaged areas.

The team used the pXRF tool in the study of a painting of Ramesses II found in the tomb of Nakhtamun, which has traditionally been dated at the19th dynasty of ancient Egypt. And they discovered the necklace worn by the king in the painting may have been changed.

The king was first painted to be wearing a shebyu necklace, which was trendy during the 20th dynasty, some years after Ramesses II’s death. And it appears that the necklace was later changed to a wesekh necklace, which usually appears in paintings during his time. This means the tomb painters at first painted this 19th-dynasty ruler wearing a 20th-dynasty necklace, realized their mistake and then corrected it. The technology enabled the team to learn that the tomb owner, Nakhtamun, may actually have lived in the 20th rather than the 19th dynasty, and that the painting is not of a living king, but rather of a former ruler.

According to the researchers, the pXRF technology allows in-depth studies while helping prevent further damage. And it presents important details about the technological and artistic achievements of the ancient Egyptians.

1. What can be learned about the pXRF technology from Paragraph 2?

A．It only works in laboratory settings.

B．It requires a large and fixed tool to operate.

C．It was developed to prevent painting stealing.

D．It is more convenient than the earlier technology.

2. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The process of repairing the tombs.

B．The researchers’ working methods.

C．The introduction to the technology’s inventor.

D．The valuable materials of the paints used in the paintings.

3. What does the underlined word “trendy” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Confusing.

B．Acceptable.

C．Popular.

D．Expensive.

4. What does the research on the painting of Ramesses II show?

A．Ramesses II paid great attention to his appearance.

B．Ancient Egyptian painters were careless about details.

C．The new tool was important to the dating of historical objects.

D．Technology developed very quickly during Ramesses II’s time.

3 . We live in a world where we are usually exposed to (接触) news on social media that can be scary, upsetting, or confusing.     1     However, as Mr. Rogers, the beloved host of a children’s show, once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helpful.’ ”

One of the places where we can look for “the helpers” is on social media platforms.     2     For example, Ryan Kaji is a 9-year-old boy who runs the channel Ryan’s World. He makes videos about science experiments and games that are fun and educational for kids. He also donates to charities and causes that he cares about.

    3     One problem is finding reliable (可靠) and exact sources of information. Not all content on social media platforms is trustworthy. Some content creators may just want to make money from ads. Therefore, it is important to judge the reliability of the sources before we trust their content. Another challenge is keeping a healthy balance between online and offline activities. Spending too much time online can do harm to our physical health, such as causing headaches or sleep problems. Therefore, it is important to limit our screen time by doing other activities.     4    

Looking for helpers on social media can be a valuable way to find hope and comfort in difficulty.    5     Then we will form our own opinions. We can also be helpers ourselves by sharing helpful content on social media that can make a difference in the world.

A．We’d better find some topics to talk about with the helper.

B．Exercising, reading, and learning art are all good choices.

C．Phones and computers have made information easier to gain.

D．They offer a lot of content that can educate or support young viewers.

E．It enables us to see things from different viewpoints and learn new things.

F．However, looking for helpers on social media also comes with some challenges.

G．Sometimes, it can be hard to deal with the negative thoughts that these events cause.

4 . Julia found some of her grandmother Georgie’s old design sketches (草图) from the 1940s. Georgie told her granddaughter she was proud of the sketches and wanted them to be _________ by more people, for _________ was a big part of her life. “Being alone all day was difficult for Grandma. I think doing something would _________ lift her spirits,” Julia said.

Julia took some pictures of those sketches and made a post. It became _________ overnight. A lot of replies under the post _________ Julia to physically make her grandmother’s designs. Though her sewing (缝纫) skills were _________, Julia decided to figure it out. And she learned the basics soon.

With the help of her grandmother, Julia spent countless hours _________ the sketches and turning them into complete designs. Despite the great interest her followers had in_________ her grandma’s designs, the dresses Julia recreated were not for sale. “We have _________ when we do these projects and we don’t like to take this too seriously. Maybe one day that’ll become a career, but right now we’re just focusing on our __________. I’m glad to put on the dresses and __________ them to Grandma. I __________ that I will re-wear the dresses. So I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible,” Julia said.

“You can have your own __________ and it’s never too late to go after it. You can still follow something __________ in your life at any age. Maybe it won’t __________, but it’s worth taking that risk,” Julia said.

1.

A．shown

B．checked

C．discovered

D．appreciated

2.

A．fashion

B．performance

C．travel

D．play

3.

A．slightly

B．greatly

C．poorly

D．hardly

4.

A．popular

B．helpful

C．different

D．convenient

5.

A．taught

B．forced

C．challenged

D．encouraged

6.

A．necessary

B．special

C．limited

D．excellent

7.

A．copying

B．protecting

C．judging

D．improving

8.

A．recording

B．buying

C．changing

D．praising

9.

A．experience

B．freedom

C．pleasure

D．instruction

10.

A．service

B．creation

C．story

D．duty

11.

A．introduce

B．hand

C．connect

D．present

12.

A．promise

B．doubt

C．admit

D．warn

13.

A．education

B．surprise

C．interest

D．memory

14.

A．natural

B．meaningful

C．peaceful

D．practical

15.

A．work out

B．stand out

C．pass down

D．move around

5 . One of this man is unlike the other.

A．dislike

B．different from

C．alike

6 . The train is traveling at the speed of 300 kilometers per hour.

A．at the pace of

B．at the rate of

C．at the moment of

7 . 选出所给单词中下划线字母的正确发音音标。
1. matter

A．/æ/

B．/ə/

C．/eɪ/

D．/e/

2. invent

A．/ʌ/

B．/ə/

C．/eɪ/

D．/e/

3. whether

A．/d/

B．/θ/

C．/δ/

D．/t/

4. huge

A．/dʒ/

B．/dr/

C．/tɪ/

D．/ʃ/

5. physic

A．/f/

B．/v/

C．/p/

D．/h/

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。

Originally unearthed in the late 1920s, the Sanxingdui Ruins have been regarded as one of the world’s greatest archaeological     1     (finding) of the 20th century. In July this year, a     2     (new) completed exhibition hall at the world-famous Sanxingdui Museum opened in Guanghan, Sichuan Province.

    3     (cover) an area of nearly 55,000 square meters, the exhibition hall is now the largest single exhibition building showcasing the cultural relics     4     (dig) from historical sites in southwest China. The new hall     5     (hold) more than 1,500 cultural items, with 600 of them on show for the first time.

One iconic (标志性的) exhibit is the four-meter-tall bronze sacred tree,     6     takes up the central position in the new hall. And it makes a much     7     (strong) visual impression than it did in the old hall. The bronze altar (青铜神坛) that was discovered last year is also     8     impressive piece of artwork. It is made up of three parts and shows ancient sacrificial (献祭的) scenes.

Divided into three themed areas, the exhibition hall makes use of a range of new technologies     9     (celebrate) the cultural features and social development of the Shu civilization. It also shows China’s latest achievements     10     archaeological research.

9 . 选词填空

break away from       keep one’s eyes open       decorate… with… at sb’s convenience       lose control of       on the contrary to date       be conscious of       do damage to

1. People ________________ the environmental problems caused by mankind before, but the newly-published paper made them more aware of the issue.
2. In 1776 the United States announced the Declaration of Independence, ________________ the British Empire and became an independent country.
3. It is not an idea around which the Community can unite. ________________, I see it as one that will divide us.
4. On Christmas Day usually the trees ________________ lights, ribbons and glass balls.
5. He was really a busy bee, and went to see his parents living in the countryside only ________________.

10 . While often praised by foreigners for its emphasis on the basics, Japanese education tends to stress the ability of test taking and mechanical learning over ________ (creative). (所给词的适当形式填空)