1. What kind of transportation do local people prefer to use in Nairobi?
| A．Buses. | B．Taxis. | C．Minivans. |
| A．Plastic straws. | B．Plastic carrier bags. | C．Reusable water bottles. |
| A．They don’t like being photographed without permission. |
| B．They love to participate in public activities. |
| C．They are hard to get along with. |
| A．Tips for traveling to Kenya. |
| B．An adventurous experience. |
| C．A tour arrangement. |
1. What is the man doing?
| A．Writing a report. | B．Doing the dishes. | C．Dusting the furniture. |
| A．The speakers’ daughter. | B．The woman. | C．The man. |
| A．Return a book. | B．Buy a bottle of wine. | C．Pick up the guests. |
3 . Being bored is no fun, especially at work. But new research out of the Research School of Management at Australian National University argues that while boredom is certainly boring, it isn’t all bad. The disliked mental state can actually spark precious creativity.
The study asked 52 subjects to do a pretty boring job: sort apart a bowl of red and green beans with just one hand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, 49 other subjects — the control group — were instructed to create art projects with paper, beans and glue. Once the 30 minutes was over, each group was instructed to spend five minutes on a creative task: they had to come up with reasons why a hypothetical (假定的) person was two hours late for a meeting.
The bored group came up with not just more ideas than the control group, but more creative ideas than the control group, too. The quality and quantity of production was higher for people who were bored than those who were not. Creativity itself was measured under a standard that balanced novelty and practicality. Ideas had to fit both criteria to be considered creative.
Guiyun Park, the study’s lead author, readily admits that not every type of job permits the fun of boredom, and it can really be harmful to some important work. But for designers and anyone in a creative field, boredom is not something to fear, but to embrace. Sometimes, the best way to be productive is to expect nothing of yourself at all.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The process of the research. | B．The benefits of the research. |
| C．The reasons for the research. | D．The disadvantage of the research. |
| A．Boredom can do harm to some work. |
| B．All types of jobs can embrace boredom. |
| C．Boredom is not always something to fear. |
| D．Boredom can be favourable to art designers. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Negative. | C．Positive. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．The Role of Boredom in Increasing Productivity |
| B．The Negative Impact of Boredom on the Workplace |
| C．Why Boredom Should Be Avoided in Creative Fields |
| D．Unlocking Creativity: The Unexpected Benefit of Boredom |
4 . In Oak Ridge, Texas, there lived a man named Samuel who was known for his
Samuel worked in the town’s bookstore. His life had been
With a newfound determination, Samuel decided to
And so, in the little town of Oak Ridge, Samuel became a beacon of light, whose life was
| A．unwillingness | B．uneasiness | C．discomfort | D．disagreement |
| A．led | B．forced | C．encouraged | D．persuaded |
| A．admirable | B．challenging | C．tiring | D．predictable |
| A．announced | B．clarified | C．explained | D．demanded |
| A．welcoming | B．anticipating | C．facing | D．awaiting |
| A．take after | B．climb after | C．look after | D．go after |
| A．on hand | B．by hand | C．in hand | D．at hand |
| A．collected | B．penned | C．drew | D．reviewed |
| A．characters | B．actors | C．directors | D．dancers |
| A．Subsequently | B．However | C．Therefore | D．Eventually |
| A．refreshed | B．astonished | C．charmed | D．entertained |
| A．actually | B．immediately | C．practically | D．literally |
| A．transported | B．translated | C．transformed | D．transmitted |
| A．different from | B．similar to | C．composed of | D．contrary to |
| A．happiness | B．purpose | C．recognition | D．welfare |
Sizzle, sizzle (咝咝声)! The egg bubbled (冒泡)on the frying pan. I watched as its edges turned slightly brown then a bit black. Unfortunately, my head was stuck in the clouds, wondering if my parents would like my first attempt at cooking. I tried something simple, as I was still learning this new skill. When will the pots and pans respond to my call? How can I master steaming, boiling, frying, and the types of ingredients?
“Ah! No! My egg!” I shouted.
I quickly turned off the stove and slid (滑到)the blackened egg onto a plate. The color contrasted with the beautiful egg I had seen on YouTube previously. Mine looked nothing like the one online. Again, I wondered if my parents would appreciate the egg.
I split the egg right down the middle, hoping to see the yolk (蛋黄) flow out. To my disappointment, I discovered a firm yolk inside. I let out a frustrated sigh, turned and walked out of the kitchen with the plate in my hands.
At first, my parents were relatively pleased that the egg looked more or less like what they had imagined. But when they put it into their mouths, they tried to hide their discomfort. My Mom forced out a smile as she swallowed the egg.
“Good attempt Daniel!” she exclaimed cheerfully.
“It tastes delicious!” my Dad added in.
I could visibly see that their faces were twisted (扭曲)in disgust. It was painfully obvious that my egg tasted horrible.
“It’s fine,” I sighed. “I know the egg tastes bad.”
Disappointed, I trudged (费力地走) back into my room, unable to contain the feelings of failure bursting inside of me.
Don’t give up! I told myself. This is only your first attempt and if you persevere, you will surely improve!
With determination burning in me again, I turned on my laptop and searched for any cooking techniques I needed to master in order to cook. YouTube videos gave me a bit of reference, but I needed to seek advice.
注意： 1. 续写词数应为150左右;2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: My sister Anne is an expert at cooking! I thought.
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Paragraph 2: After studying with Anne for a few months, I attempted once again to impress my parents.
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1. 活动时间和地点；
2. 展览的内容；
3. 活动意义。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
提示词：生机与活力 vigor and vitality
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7 . Last year, an estimated one in seven Americans participated in Dry January, a challenge to avoid alcohol for a month. The idea is to keep away from holiday excess and start the new year on a healthier note. The annual 31-day practice began as a public health campaign in the United Kingdom about eight years ago and has been growing ever since.
Dry January is a great strategy for improving your relationship with alcohol, says Keith Heinzerling, MD, an internist (内科医生) and addiction medicine specialist. “Doing a ‘trial quit’ for a short period of time is easier for many people than going straight to total abstinence,” he says. “Taking time away from drinking, even just for a few weeks, gives you a fresh perspective and the opportunity to break bad habits you may have with alcohol.”
It doesn’t take long to start to see positive changes, according to Dr. Heinzerling. “Within just a few days of not drinking, your blood pressure and heart rate will be lower, and you’ll have improved blood sugar regulation, better sleep, and less anxiety and depression,” he says. Another bonus: Quitting alcohol often makes other good habits—exercise and healthy eating, for example—easier to start and maintain, which in turn leads to even more health benefits.
For those who might not be able to handle a month of not drinking, Dr. Heinzerling says, “People who wake up with withdrawal symptoms, sweating, tremors, and a strong need for a drink should not do Dry January.”
For everyone — social drinkers and possible problem drinkers — one key to a positive Dry January is to see it not as a month of gritting your teeth and getting through it until you can drink again, but rather the start of a healthier lifestyle overall. What better way to start the new year?
1. What can we learn from the passage about Dry January?| A．Participants are advised to cut out alcohol for a month in January. |
| B．It is a campaign in which participants can learn more about alcohol. |
| C．It is a challenge which aims to introduce the harm of drinking alcohol. |
| D．Participants are advised to take holidays and keep healthy in January. |
| A．Short-time trial quit. | B．Absolutely no drinking. |
| C．Total alcohol addiction. | D．Long-time relationship. |
| A．It has some positive effects on your blood pressure and heart rate. |
| B．It can help reduce some mental pressure and improve sleeping quality. |
| C．It will definitely help you get rid of the bad habit with alcohol addiction. |
| D．You are likely to form other good habits in sports and diets after Dry January. |
| A．“For a brand-new start and healthier life, keep it up.” |
| B．“Let me get drunk with friends after the month!” |
| C．“Dry January will be followed by a Drunk February.” |
| D．“It is a small piece of cake to stop drinking for a month.” |
1. How many children does Mary have?
| A．Five. | B．Three. | C．Two. |
| A．A pilot. | B．A nurse. | C．A teacher. |
| A．She was funny. | B．She was hard-working. | C．She was caring. |
| A．John. | B．George. | C．Michael. |
1. What is the main topic of the conversation?
| A．Planning a business trip. | B．Taking care of children. | C．Making a schedule. |
| A．The woman’s mother. | B．The man’s wife. | C．The man’s daughter. |
| A．He played with the kids. | B．He went for a run. | C．He attended a birthday party. |
| A．At 10:00 a.m. | B．At 2:00 p.m. | C．At 4:00 p.m. |
1. What is the relationship between the speakers?
| A．Car salesperson and customer. |
| B．Neighbors. |
| C．Police officer and victim. |
| A．TLW. | B．9LR. | C．AJD. |
| A．A wallet. | B．A phone. | C．Some food. |
