1 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Jacob ask Amy to do?

A．Enjoy the flowers.

B．Provide help.

C．Grow flowers.

2. How often does Jacob water flowers?

A．Every day.

B．Every two days.

C．Every three days.

3. What do we know about Jacob’s flowers?

A．They lack water.

B．They lack sunshine.

C．Their leaves turn yellow.

4. What will Jacob do?

A．Water flowers in time.

B．Learn about growing flowers.

C．Grow flowers with Amy.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How many kilos of tomatoes will the man buy?

A．Half a kilo.

B．A kilo.

C．Two kilos.

2. What does the woman need to buy for the children’s lunches?

A．Carrots.

B．Juice.

C．Apples.

3. Which of the following won’t the man buy?

A．Potatoes.

B．Chocolate.

C．Beer.

4. Where is the woman now probably?

A．At home.

B．In the supermarket.

C．In the office.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does the speaker’s father do?

A．A shopkeeper.

B．A postman.

C．A nurse.

2. How many sisters does the speaker’s dad have?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

3. Where is Uncle Shawn now?

A．In the states.

B．In Ireland.

C．In England.

4. What do we know about Uncle Shawn?

A．He is in his twenties.

B．He lives in the village.

C．He studied business at university.

4 . Soap (肥皂) might seem like a reasonable way to avoid mosquito bites (蚊子叮) on the basis that if mosquitoes can’t smell you, they can’t bite you. However, a recent study has found that rather than protecting you, certain soaps might actually make you more attractive to mosquitoes.

In the study, conducted at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, four volunteers were asked to wear a sleeve before and after washing with four different brands of soap. The researchers then watched female mosquitoes as only females feed on blood landing on the fabric sample to show their preference. They found that some people washing with some brands of soap, increased their attractiveness to mosquitoes, while washing with other brands of soap tended to repel (驱除) mosquitoes. The repellent effect of some soap may be due to its coconut scent, as coconut oil is known to act as a natural mosquito repellent. The reason behind this attraction is believed to be related to mosquitoes’ sugar intake. When mosquitoes are not feeding on blood, they add their diet with plant juice or sweet water from flowers, “The fact we are taking those flowery and fruity smells and putting them on our bodies means that now the same object smells like a flower and a person at the same time,” said Clément Vinauger, who led the study. It would be like waking up and smelling the smell of coffee and bread, very attractive.

Interestingly, the effects of the soap varied among people, possibly due to the interaction (相互作用) between the soap and each person’s unique body scent. “It’s remarkable that the same person that is extremely attractive to mosquitoes when he is unwashed, but he becomes even more attractive to mosquitoes with one soap, and then become repellent to mosquitoes with another soap,” said Vinauger. Further research is needed to better understand the interaction between different soap and body scents, as well as to develop more effective mosquito repellents.

1. What has the study found?

A．Soap attracts many mosquitoes.	B．Male mosquitoes feed on blood.
C．Some plants drive away mosquitoes.	D．Not all soap can stop mosquito bites.

2. How did the researchers conduct the study?

A．By observing the mosquitoes’ behaviour.	B．By exploring the history of mosquitoes.
C．By interviewing a lot of volunteers.	D．By examining old studies.

3. Why did Vinauger mention coffee and bread?

A．To stress the importance of breakfast.

B．To discuss their probable health benefits.

C．To compare the difference of objects used in the study.

D．To prove the attractiveness of some soap to mosquitoes.

4. In which section of a newspaper may the text appear?

A．Health.

B．Chemistry.

C．Sports.

D．Tour.

5 . The design theory behind a pair of tiny robots may one day find its way into environmental monitoring, as well as search and-rescue tasks. Modeled after a water strider (水黾), an insect, the two robots each weigh in at 8 and 55 milligrams, and may mark the smallest, lightest, and fastest fully functional micro-robots in the world, according to Washington State University (WSU).

Developed by a team of WSU researchers, the robots’ tininess largely relies on a material known as a shape memory alloy (合金). Although shape memory alloys change form when heated, they can “remember” their original shapes and return to them after cooling. Because of this, the two micro-robots do not require standard motors, and they use light and small ones instead of bulky moving parts.

Both the robots’ motors are each made up of two shape memory alloys, allowing them to move their fins as fast as 40 times a second while also lifting over 150 times their weight. “They’re very technologically sound. The development of the very lightweight robots opens up new possibilities in micro-robotics,” said Conor Trygstad, a material engineering PhD student and study lead author. “Although the robots are impressive when compared to other robots, the pair still fall behind their biological relatives’,” Trygstad said. They can currently move at a speed of about six millimeters a second; a water strider, by comparison, speeds along at about a meter per second. For now, the robots also require wired (连线的) power sources, thus seriously preventing any real-world applications for the moment.

Going forward, however, the team plans to copy other small insect species while also creating a new water strider robot which can move at a higher speed. Depending on using small batteries could also greatly increase the robots’ areas of use, If the breakthrough designs continue improving, similar micro-robots could one day be employed to monitor hard-to-reachor dangerous environments.

1. What is the inspiration for the two robots?

A．A special monitor.	B．The lightest micro robot.
C．An insect species.	D．A search-and rescue task

2. What does the underlined word “bulky” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Cheap.

B．Huge.

C．Cool

D．Fast.

3. What might Conor Trygstad agree with?

A．Both robots can identify sound.	B．Both robots need wireless power sources.
C．Both robots work better than water striders.	D．Both robots have weaknesses besides strengths.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Robots Are Saving Environment	B．Shape Memory Alloys Are The Key
C．Human Beings Learn From Animals	D．Two Micro robots Can Play A Big Part

6 . Must-See Destinations in 2024

Are you ready to explore the world in 2024? Whether you dream of sailing down famous European rivers or exploring unique places, our list of must-see destinations is here to inspire your travels.

Spain

Throw yourself into the rich culture and history of Spain. From the sunny beaches of Tenerife to the Moorish architecture (建筑物) of Andalucía, there’s so much to explore in this lively country. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) city of La Laguna and become amazed at the beauty of Cordoba, Seville, and La Alhambra, or relax on a beach holiday to Majorca or Tenerife.

Montenegro

Despite its size, Montenegro has beautiful beaches, rich history, and a breathtaking channel. Experience the beauty of the Montenegrin coast — Dalmatia’s jewel (宝石) is the UNESCO World Heritage listed oasis of Dubrovnik, famously praised by Lord Bryon as The Pearl of the Adriatic.

Croatia

Discover the beauty that is Dubrovnik. Explore the 16th-century city’s defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Sail along Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, where attractive villages and beautiful towns like Pula, Rovinj, and Poreč are just waiting to be explored...

South Africa

Explore the wonders of South Africa, from the Garden Route’s nature reserves to the thrill of a Safari drive in the Kariega Game Reserve. Discover the different plants and animals while searching for the “Big Five” on an unforgettable South Africa holiday.

With over 25 years of experience creating holidays for the curious, Travel Department ensures that your journey is in good hands. Plus as a trusted Reader’s Digest Travel partner, you can get special deals when you travel with them across lots of different 2024 holidays. If you want to know more information, please click here.

1. What do Spain and Montenegro have in common?

A．They are both praised by tourists.

B．They both have world heritage cities.

C．They are known for their architectures.

D．They both own beaches and rich history.

2. Which destination will attract people who are interested in creatures?

A．Spain.	B．South Africa.
C．Montenegro.	D．Croatia.

3. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A website.	B．A guidebook.
C．A novel.	D．A magazine.

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。

A team of     1     (expert) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, working with a colleague from the National University of Mongolia, conducted a study of the 405-km wall in eastern Mongolia. They used     2     variety of ways in order to learn more about     3     (it) history and purpose. In their published paper, the group     4     (describe) the techniques and technology they used to study the wall.

They mapped the wall,     5     stretches (延伸) from the Dornod Province to the Sukhbaatar Province, roughly along the border (国界) between Mongolia and China. They found that it was unclear when the wall was built, estimated to be between the 11th and 13th centuries. The team referred     6     weather records to learn more about what the wall had experienced over the years and satellite imagery to learn more about connections between wall locations and terrain (地形).

The research team found some surprises. The     7     (big) of all surprises was that the wall had large gaps that suggested it was not made to keep out all invaders (侵略者)—it appeared that it was built     8     (quick) to deal with certain invaders. There was also evidence that suggested the wall was built as a means of     9     (control) the movement of people or animals. Though there were many discoveries, the researchers intended     10     (continue) their work, hoping to learn more.

8 . 这些早期的移民把他们的幸存归功于艰苦的劳动和必胜的决心。（owe…to…）
These early settlers ____________________

9 . It was July 2019 and Mum had taken me on a 120-km mother-and-son walking holiday as a treat for my birthday. Although I was still on my first special ________, I’d love to see some ancient civilisation.

“Why don’t we go to Egypt?” I said. “It sounds ________, but I’m not paying for it,” Mum smiled and replied.

“I’ll save up my pocket money, and get a ________,” I said. I started saving my $10-a-week pocket money and washed my parents’ car for ________ cash.

In 2020, we moved to Perth. One day, I ________ a brochure in the letter box which was advertising a job delivering catalogues (目录). I applied for the job, and ________ I got it a week later.

On a Monday, a mountain of catalogues were ________ at our house. It took me nine hours to sort through them, and then I ________ them to 430 houses. At first, I used my bike and ________ the catalogues in my backpack, but this wasn’t very ________ so I bought a trolley (手推车) which improved my speed. As time went by, people started ________ me and saying hello on my rounds.

After three and half years, I’d ________ a massive $6,500, and in January this year I flew to Egypt. I had a good time visiting the powerful pyramids at Giza, ________ local food and sailing down a river. I fully ________ that nothing can stop a person from following his ________.

1.

A．solution

B．topic

C．experiment

D．trip

2.

A．fantastic

B．terrible

C．anxious

D．confusing

3.

A．toy

B．summary

C．poster

D．job

4.

A．important

B．extra

C．unusual

D．formal

5.

A．saw

B．borrowed

C．published

D．exchanged

6.

A．slowly

B．secretly

C．finally

D．curiously

7.

A．cut off

B．given back

C．paid back

D．dropped off

8.

A．threw

B．delivered

C．applied

D．sold

9.

A．designed

B．carried

C．shared

D．trapped

10.

A．free

B．amazing

C．effective

D．common

11.

A．recognising

B．preventing

C．interviewing

D．investigating

12.

A．afforded

B．selected

C．donated

D．saved

13.

A．explaining

B．enjoying

C．testing

D．replacing

14.

A．believe

B．pretend

C．regret

D．worry

15.

A．system

B．supply

C．dream

D．duty

10 . Why is it important to learn a foreign language? Basically, the advantages of learning foreign languages have the ability to set you up for success in many aspects of your life.     1    .

It opens up a world of job opportunities

We all know the business world is developing fast.     2    . They can’t do it without hiring people who have a grasp on at least one foreign language. Even in small and local companies, chances are that the ability to speak a second language will set you apart from other applicants.

It grows your brain

Studies have proved the cognitive (认知的) benefits of learning another language, no matter how old you are. They have shown that people who can speak two languages tend to have bigger brains and better memories.     3    . Not only do these advantages make it easier to learn yet more languages, they also make it easier to learn something well.

It makes you more open-minded

    4    . To educate is to lead out of confinement (禁闭), narrowness and darkness. Learning a foreign language and getting into an entirely new culture and worldview is a great way to become an open-minded, understanding and tolerant individual.

It helps you better understand your own language and culture

Learning a foreign language can actually bring you an opposite psychology. You will have a better understanding of your cultural customs. Besides, you’ll pay more attention to the grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation patterns of your first language.     5    .

A．Check out these reasons to study a foreign language

B．It is all about learning how to truly connect with others

C．Foreign language study is simply part of a very basic education

D．More companies than ever are doing business in many countries

E．Those people are usually more creative and better problem solvers

F．Speaking a foreign language can open up a number of probable friends

G．This possibly explains the reasons of your improvements in language skills