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。

The concept of “gap days”     1     (appear) on a variety of social media platforms recently. Unlike a gap year, a gap day means an     2     (extreme) brief period of relaxation and escape from everyday routine. After resting, people will continue to devote     3     (they) to the busy pace of normal life.

Apart from “gap days”, other similar expressions have made     4     hit on the Internet, such as “city walk”, “da zi (activity partner)” and so on. This growing trend of creating new phrases or euphemisms (委婉语) for something otherwise ordinary and common has caused     5     (heat) discussion.

Some people think that these kinds of new phrases better cater to (迎合) people’s mindsets,     6     (show) their optimism. For example, the common expression “taking a walk” is neutral (中性的). But “city walk”     7     (be) the positive version of it, meaning “to explore the city with a curious mind”.

Others disagree, however, and think that it’s simply just a kind of “sugaring up”, satisfying one’s need for showing off. For example, “city walk” is the same as “taking a walk”     8     general. But by calling it a “city walk”, people feel like they are doing something fancier than it actually is.

But no matter how we think of these phrases, they have taken root in our daily lives and have already gained wide     9     (recognize) among the younger generation. So     10     we need to do is not make them out to be bigger than they actually are.

2 . Taking a vacation may be the last thing on the mind of a cancer patient. ________ can be expensive, time-consuming and sometimes hard work. While people facing illness may be ________ of resources for vacation, they are ________ a stress-free time away. I’m one such ________.

I’m suffering from lung cancer. Diagnosed in March 2017, I was ________ beyond belief. At that time, I was ________ 60 hours a week as a billing clerk. Due to my medications’ side effects, I ________ my career and what I thought made me who I was, though I now discover that ________ is what matters.

Through the Internet, I ________ Little Pink Houses of Hope, a nonprofit that provided a free week-long ________ to cancer patients and their families. After applying and being ________, we drove from Houston all the way to Hatteras Island in North Carolina. It rained most of the time, so I ________ the beauty along the way. I had no idea what to expect and was ________.

Looking back, I am so glad I went. I hadn’t felt such ________ love and such a sense of family. We went to the beach, had wonderful meals and went surfing which I had never thought I would get the chance to do. We ________ in a way that I thought was impossible, not only with the other ________ but also with the volunteers. It was nice to see my husband get along with the other husbands. Being a(n) ________ and the breadwinner,” he had a lot on his plate.

I’ve suffered from the cancer for many years and I undergo ________ every year. I want people to know that though I am living with a serious disease, I am still living ________. So don’t feel sorry for me, but make the ________ of life with me.

1.

A．Writing

B．Driving

C．Traveling

D．Shopping

2.

A．sure

B．short

C．careful

D．capable

3.

A．in need of

B．in front of

C．by means of

D．on top of

4.

A．guide

B．volunteer

C．consultant

D．patient

5.

A．confident

B．relieved

C．scared

D．cautious

6.

A．working

B．sleeping

C．playing

D．wandering

7.

A．found

B．remembered

C．lost

D．chose

8.

A．work

B．love

C．friendship

D．luck

9.

A．complained about

B．worried about

C．talked about

D．learned about

10.

A．arrangement

B．treatment

C．vacation

D．conference

11.

A．proved

B．approved

C．ignored

D．doubted

12.

A．designed

B．exposed

C．grasped

D．missed

13.

A．concerned

B．efficient

C．beneficial

D．embarrassed

14.

A．weak

B．potential

C．uncomfortable

D．unconditional

15.

A．bonded

B．succeeded

C．chatted

D．competed

16.

A．doctors

B．colleagues

C．participants

D．employees

17.

A．assistant

B．carer

C．organizer

D．specialist

18.

A．education

B．surgery

C．development

D．punishment

19.

A．curiously

B．patiently

C．independently

D．wonderfully

20.

A．memories

B．judgements

C．preparations

D．promises

3 . The 40th birthday is often treated as a milestone birthday. For men, especially, the birthday may symbolically signify the start of middle age.     1    . Give the man turning 40 in your life a gift that he will treasure or one that will make him laugh.

Gag (恶作剧) gifts

Many 40th birthday parties are roasts. They are meant to be funny. If this is the case and the man has a good sense of humor, consider giving him a gag gift. Wrap up a magazine printed in large print or set a cane or walker by his chair.     2    .

Adventure gifts

Recapture the man’s feeling of youth by giving him the gift of adventure.     3    . For example, if he has always wanted to go paragliding (滑翔伞运动), pay for the lesson, pick him up in the car and don’t give him a chance to back out of it.

Something expensive

Most men don’t outgrow their love of expensive toys. Get together with some friends and chip in for a 40th birthday gift he will truly treasure.     4    . Giving him something expensive that he would never purchase for himself is a great way to stave off that middle-age crisis.

    5    

Give the man the gift of words. Write a list of 40 things that you love about him and then read it aloud to him while dining on his favorite meal. Alternately, ask everyone in the family to write one admiring thing about him. Once you have 40 sentences, give them to the man. It will be treasure he will remember for a long time.

A．A loving list

B．Reading an article aloud

C．Talk with him about his adventures

D．You can also choose other items like false teeth

E．The gift you give to the man may depend on his preference

F．Perhaps the man has been eyeing his friend’s brand-new laptop

G．Think of something he has always wanted to do and arrange for it to happen

4 . “The majority of decisions we make do not come from the conscious (有意识的) mind, but the subconscious mind,” Beni Gradwohl, the co-founder of Cognovi Labs, said. “Our decisions are based on emotions. People think they are very rational (理智的). But they are not. In fact, decisions in the subconscious mind are made in a second before the rational mind recognizes that.”

Gradwohl used to think that cold and hard data defined the world. But when he was exposed to behavioral economics, his world view changed. He said, “Emotional intelligence is more important than intelligence quotient (IQ). Most successful leaders in the world don’t have above-average IQ but above average emotional quotient (EQ).”

Gradwohl co-founded AI company, Cognovi Labs, to better understand how people make decisions, using data and science and technology to measure underlying emotions.

When asked how event organizers could benefit from using emotional AI, Gradwohl said, “The first thing is whether you really understand what’s driving your target audience to an event.” He added, “You can ask them, but what potential registrants tell you may be incorrect.”

According to Gradwohl, registering for an event is not an entirely rational decision, and it goes deeper. Understanding how your target audience makes decisions is important because you don’t want to sell them something they don’t care about. Cognovi Labs’ AI can uncover the underlying emotional drivers or blockers of your target audience’s decision-making.

Beyond using Cognovi Labs’ AI in the marketing leading up to an event, once the event is underway, Gradwohl thinks organizers can know how their participants are feeling via the AI. That involves using feedback (反馈) surveys. He said, “Have attendees talk to the event app and then transcribe that. We call that diagnostic (诊断的) interview because they may generate a strong emotional response. With those conversations about what they are experiencing throughout the program at different times of the day, we will see what the emotional blockers and drivers are. We can get a full picture of the emotional aspects of the attendees.”

1. What may Cognovi Labs mainly focus on?

A．Researching people’s potential emotions.	B．Helping people make rational decisions.
C．Training people to develop conscious minds.	D．Leading people to study science and technology.

2. What can we learn from paragraph 5?

A．Registering for an event is important.	B．Believing target audience is necessary.
C．Cognovi Labs’ AI helps event organizers.	D．Cognovi Labs’ AI benefits lots of drivers.

3. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．Cognovi Labs’ AI’s feedback surveys.	B．Cognovi Labs’ AI’s additional function.
C．The ways to organize a marketing event.	D．The attendees’ strong emotional response.

4. Which of the following may be the best title for the text?

A．The Founder of an Emotional AI	B．The Future of Behavioral Economics
C．An AI Company Improves Intelligence	D．An Emotional AI Helps Make Decisions

5 . Research shows that forming connections with your coworkers is good for your career and your overall happiness.

It’s a fact that as you get older, it becomes harder to make friends. It’s a natural progression, whether you work in an office or a remote area. As you get older and leave school, you often have more demands for your time and fewer opportunities to get to know those around you.

“Maintaining friendships takes effort, but it’s well worth it,” says CEO and Fast Company contributor Corey Weiner. “Studies show that a friend can make you a better collaborator (合作者), a more creative and productive worker and generally happier with your job.”

After all, most of you spend a huge number of your waking hours at work. Of course, it’s more fun to have someone to collaborate with and occasionally sympathize with. But how do you go about making genuine connections with coworkers or other like-minded individuals in your industry?

It might sound overly simplistic, but a big part of building friendships is just putting yourself out there. “If you’re not used to having a lot of friends any more, you may actually need to remind yourself to engage,” writes Professor Art Markman. “Set time on your calendar for a phone call or make plans to get a cup of coffee.”

“Don’t wait for someone else to make the first move,” says Keith Rollag, author of What to Do When You’re New. “If things go well during an initial coffee or activity, actively follow up to build on that connection.”

You’re not going to immediately bond with all of your coworkers or every person you meet at a networking happy hour. But making continual attempts to find connections with your non-annoying colleagues will eventually pay off. Last but not least, don’t call them work husband or work wife in the beginning.

1. Why is it harder to make friends when people get older?

A．They focus more on other business.

B．They have more demands on friends.

C．They reject to put many efforts into it.

D．They are too old to know other people.

2. What do the words of Corey Weiner show?

A．The way to make friends.	B．The need to do jobs well.
C．The importance of the studies.	D．The meaning of gaining friendship.

3. What does Keith Rollag attach importance to?

A．Keeping in touch with old friends.	B．Spending more time drinking coffee.
C．The initiative in forming connections.	D．The balance between work and life.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the last paragraph?

A．To offer suggestions.	B．To explain reasons.
C．To draw conclusions.	D．To make comments.

6 . The beauty industry produces many units of one-time use containers every year. More and more consumers are asking how they can keep themselves clean and beautiful without trashing the planet.

It’s a question Women of the Future winner, Natassia Nicolao, considered during her years working in product development for beauty and wellness companies. Raised by a strong and supportive mother, Natassia used her skills and passion to make a difference. In 2021, she created her waterless beauty brand.

She said, “Water is involved in every stage of a product life cycle. Everything we use, buy, sell and make has a huge water footprint. On top of that, the beauty industry adds water as the main ingredients in its products, despite it having no direct benefit to our skin.”

Having lived through water restrictions in drought-ridden Australia, Natassia felt it necessary to stop the overuse of water in the beauty industry. Natassia has always loved beauty. Her company tries to be sustainable in every step of the way, but at its core, it is about removing water from our beauty routines.

“It’s really rooted in water conservation first, and then managing your water footprint, your carbon footprint and your waste footprint,” Natassia said. “We create waterless beauty products to help conserve water.” The glass bottles and jars of her products can be recycled. The oils and wipes are formulated without any water, requiring no water to use. The company also has a piece of game-changing beauty technology: face-wipes and masks that completely dissolve in water.

“The company is still in its beginning,” Natassia said. With the prize money from Women of the Future, she plans to purchase a machine to simplify the creation of the wipes and masks. The publicity, meanwhile, will help her spread the message central to the company’s existence that beauty must do better. Natassia believes that, with a little courage and innovation, it can do.

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

A．Studying.

B．Damaging.

C．Exploding.

D．Supporting.

2. What mainly led to the birth of Natassia’s company?

A．Her pursuit of profit.	B．Her best beauty skills.
C．Her growth environment.	D．Her love of extreme beauty.

3. Which can best describe the products of Natassia’s company?

A．Environmentally friendly.	B．Relatively cheap.
C．Elegant.	D．World-famous.

4. How does Natassia feel about the beauty industry?

A．It has died out.

B．It’s promising.

C．It develops well.

D．It’s worth analysis.

7 . 听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
1. What will the speakers do first?

A．Buy drinks.

B．Return home.

C．Visit a university.

2. What does Samantha want to order?

A．Water.

B．Coffee.

C．Hot chocolate.

3. How will the speakers go to the museum?

A．By bus.

B．On foot.

C．By bike.

4. Where does the conversation take place?

A．In the street.

B．In a bank.

C．In a coffee shop.

8 . Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to survive! By taking part in activities like planting trees and saving energy, we can make our world a happier and healthier place.

Plant a tree

Researchers estimate roughly 15 billion trees in the world are cut down each year. So help make up that loss by planting a tree of your own. Trees absorb CO₂ and produce oxygen for us to breathe. They also provide shelter and food for animals. Depending on where trees are planted, their shade can even reduce the need for air-conditioning in hotter months.     1     ?

Turn off the lights

Electricity doesn’t just happen.     2    . Although more and more electricity is made from renewable sources like wind, water and the sun, it still comes at a cost. Wind farms, big dams and solar panels take up a lot of land. But a lot of times electricity comes from fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, or natural gas, that contribute to climate change.     3    .

Limit your water usage

It might seem like water is everywhere. But the fact is that less than one percent of the water on Earth can be used by humans.     4    . Turning off the faucet (水龙头) when you brush your teeth can save up to eight gallons of water a day. To help save even more water, challenge yourself to take a shorter shower but still get clean!

    5    

Start a collection campaign for recyclable items. Talk to your friends and family members about what you’re doing and ask them to help. The more people do, the better off our planet will be!

A．It is produced at a huge cost

B．Offer your time and spread the message

C．Can you share your wonderful ideas with us

D．How many more reasons do we need to go green

E．Get everyone together and reconnect with nature

F．The rest is either too salty or too difficult to access

G．Try to save energy by turning off the lights when you don’t need

9 . The following small European villages will provide you with a chance to experience the beauty of nature and a sense of adventure, from climbing a mountain to taking a dive in the ocean.

Deià, Spain

Hidden between the towering Tramuntana Mountain and the blue Mediterranean, the village’s natural beauty inspires not just writers and painters, but adventure-seekers, too. From this peaceful village, cyclists can ride across this mountainous but bike-friendly region. After working up a sweat, they can go to the best beach, Cala Deià, in Spain. Its waters are perfect for giving the tired muscles a break with a relaxing dive.

Mürren, Switzerland

In Mürren, the fun starts before you arrive. This beautiful Swiss village sits on a Bernese Oberland mountain shelf so high that travelers must arrive by cable car. Like many mountain resort towns these days, Mürren offers year-round activities. Besides downhill skiing in winter, brave climbers can enjoy themselves from June to October, with or without a guide.

San Gimignano, Italy

In the Middle Age, wealthy families of this hill town went on a tower-building competition. At one point there were more than 70 towers, some of which were nearly 200 feet in height. Initially built as defenses in wars with neighboring villages, the towers became symbols of wealth and fame. Today, the village draws both history and wine lovers. Visitors can enjoy the famous white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, at the tasting centers which overlook the surrounding grape hills.

Chipping Campden, England

Arguably the loveliest village in England, Chipping Campden isn’t just a photographer’s dream. It is also known for the annual Olympic Games in summer, a 400-year tradition that copies the Greek Olympics. It includes horseracing, coursing, jumping, backswords and country dancing. But the highlight is the wrestling that thankfully has never caught on anywhere else.

1. What can visitors do in Mürren?

A．Ski and climb mountains.	B．Ride bikes and dive in the sea.
C．Enjoy the Olympic Games.	D．Learn from writers and painters.

2. Which place is most likely to be a wine lover’s top choice?

A．Deià.

B．Mürren.

C．San Gimignano.

D．Chipping Campden.

3. What is the unique game at the Olympic Games?

A．Horseracing.

B．Coursing.

C．Wrestling.

D．Jumping.

10 . There are things we all do, or don’t do, that lead us to waste far more time than we realize in the moment. The biggest time regret, I think, is dwelling on (沉湎于) mistakes and shortcomings.

    1     In a study, researchers asked subjects to spend money during an imaginary trip to the mall. Before “shopping”, some subjects were asked to recall a past financial mistake. They found those subjects were more likely to incur (招致) debt. Dwelling made them feel like a failure and told them there was no need to try, because they already sucked. So, they got further into debt when already feeling like an over spender. Of course, we don’t want to skip over our mistakes or ignore them either.     2    

I also missed too much for fear of my own shortcomings.     3     I wanted to travel after high school, but I went to university close to home instead, because I was too shy to meet new people and was afraid I couldn’t make it in another city. After university, I wanted to be a writer, but I decided to find a more stable, accessible job instead, because that’s easier.     4     I decided to find work I actually enjoyed, travel more and live somewhere else. I made a ton of mistakes along the way, but the bigger mistake was not trying sooner.

    5     So, never beat yourself up over your mistakes and shortcomings. The sooner you learn from them, the sooner you can free up your time and energy to live the life you want.

A．Eventually, I got tired of this.

B．Regret is another big waste of time.

C．I was doing it for the wrong reason that I was afraid to fail.

D．For years, I stayed in a comfortable place, doing things I disliked.

E．The goal is to learn something from them, and then release the failure.

F．When you finally relate it to your own past experiences, it probably becomes easier.

G．Dwelling on mistakes wastes time and, worse still, makes us more likely to repeat mistakes.