2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. When did the Kobe earthquake happen?

A．At dawn on January 17th, 1995

B．At noon on January 17th, 1995

C．At dawn on January 17th, 1996

2. How many people died in the Kobe earthquake?

A．75,000 .

B．Nearly 310,000.

C．More than 6,000.

3. Which of the following way is mentioned?

A．Walls should be built to protect towns on the coast from large waves.

B．Emergency services should control all.

C．Lectures should be encouraged to arouse the public’s attention.

4. What is the major barrier (困难) in doing more to reduce the earthquake damage?

A．Engineers do not have the knowledge.

B．Protection is too costly (昂贵的) at present.

C．No one takes earthquakes seriously.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why did the man stay up late last night?

A．He went out with friends.

B．He watched a game.

C．He prepared for the exam.

2. What does the woman suggest the man do?

A．Have a rest.

B．Go to lecture.

C．Keep a healthy diet.

3. How does the man sound in the end?

A．Anxious.

B．Surprised.

C．Proud.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the man’s job?

A．A host.

B．A doctor.

C．A teacher.

2. Who used to be a doctor?

A．Cassie’s friend.

B．The mother of Cassie’s friend.

C．Cassie’s mother.

3. How long did it take Cassie to become a qualified doctor?

A．One year.

B．Four years.

C．Five years.

4. How does Cassie like her job?

A．She enjoys it.

B．She thinks it’s boring.

C．She thinks it’s poorly paid.

7 . “Why birds sing is relatively well-understood,” says Ins Adam, a behavioral scientist at the University of Southern Denmark. The big question for her was: Why do birds sing so frequently?

Previous research suggests that constant singing uses a lot of energy and exposes birds to others, making them vulnerable by revealing their location and territory, which is highly dangerous. However, in a new study published in the journal Nature Communications, Adam and her colleagues offer a new explanation for this risky behavior. They suggest that songbirds may need to exercise their vocal (发声的) muscles to maintain top performance in their songs.

These findings may also be relevant to human voices. Adam points out that if we apply these bird results to humans, any period of not speaking might lead to a loss in vocal performance. This insight suggests that songbirds could one day help us improve how we train and restore our own voices.

Adam assumed the muscles that produce birdsong required daily exercise, so she designed an experiment on zebra finches — small Australian songbirds. Light is what attracts the birds to sing, so she prevented them from singing for a week by keeping them in the dark almost around the clock. The only exceptions were a few half-hour periods each day when the lights were turned on so the birds could eat and drink.

After a week, the birds’ singing muscles lost half their strength. Adam then tested whether this muscle loss affected the quality of the birds’ songs. Although she couldn’t hear any difference when comparing a male’s song before and after the period of darkness, a group of female birds showed a clear preference: six out of nine preferred the song from a male who had been exercising his singing muscles daily.

“This study highlights that achieving mastery in any skill requires a lot of practice,” says Ana Amador, a scientist at the University of Buenos Aires who was not involved in the research.

1. Which of the following best explains “vulnerable” underlined in paragraph 2?

A．Rarely found.	B．Easily targeted.
C．Directly poisoned.	D．Actively defended.

2. Why are human voices mentioned in the text?

A．To illustrate Adam’s idea by comparison.

B．To assess Adam’s previous work accurately.

C．To show the significance of studying birdsong.

D．To stress the distinction between human voices and birdsong.

3. What is the basis for Adam’s experiment?

A．Birds need little practice for better singing.

B．Light is a contributory factor in birds’ singing.

C．Weakening muscles result in less attractive songs.

D．Male birds produce songs to attract female birds.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Singing Invites Trouble to Birds

B．Songbirds Help Restore Human Voices

C．Vocal Muscles: the Secret of Birds’ Singing

D．Daily Singing: Essential for Birds’ Vocal Muscle Fitness

8 . 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。

I watched two of my dearest friends grow up. I laughed and cried at their silly actions. I taught them that rolling their eyes was rude and shared my love of books with them.

My daughters, Lassie and Karina have become my daughter friends. This new relationship wasn’t planned. It has been blossomed over the years. I think it started during a shopping trip. I edged out of the dressing room uncomfortably at a shirt that should have fit me. Karina shook her head.

Lassie, three years older and more sensitive, said “Mom, it looks like everything else you own. Why not try something different?” Karina put her hands on her hips. “Mom, definitely not. Next.” I stepped back into the dressing room. I heard Lassie whispering something to her sister. I caught the words “Be gentle”. They rejected all of my choices and picked a much more trendy outfit that I was used to wearing. The message was clear. Mom’s taste was boring. Theirs wasn’t.

That was the beginning of the change. From clothes to relationships, the girls aired their opinions, advised me about dating and stepped. All into my business. Our roles had expanded. Friendship means being honest, loving and loyal. My girls had all those characteristics and more.

“Mom,” Lassie stood in my doorway. Arms crossed in front of her. “Tomorrow morning, you are going to be on the eight am bus. You will be in Pittsburgh by 2:30. Karina is packing your bag. No arguments.”

“Honey, what are you talking about?” I put down the book that I’ve been pretending to read. “I told you that I wasn’t going. We cannot afford it. Besides, who’s going to keep an eye on you?” Karina operated with the motto, “make your point and move on.” “Mom, you deserve a break and you’re getting one. Bus tickets are cheap so we bought you one. We asked dad to help. We are grownups even if we still act like kids sometimes. We will be alright by ourselves.”

注意:
1. 续写词数应为150个左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

“This is very sweet, but you need to save money for books and things.” I argued.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hugged these two young women.

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9 . In 1983, Howard Blatt, an electrical engineer at MIT and a married father, collapsed in his kitchen due to a stroke (中风). This left him with a paralyzed arm and leg and severe aphasia.

Aphasia does not affect intellect, so some aphasia sufferers liken it to living in a prison within their own brain; their minds work, yet they are unable to express themselves or understand spoken or written language. The condition can prevent them from speaking, reading, writing or comprehending, sometimes a combination of those, sometimes all of them. At least 2 million people in the U. S. have aphasia, commonly as a result of stroke.

Describing his condition, Blatt said: “No talking — zip. Speech — zip. One incident. Changed life.” Blatt adapted to his physical disabilities but never fully recovered. Discovering aid networks for people with aphasia were a rarity in the early 1980s, he co- founded the Aphasia Community Group in 1990 with his wife and others. It’s one of the oldest and largest support groups for aphasia patients and their families, offering services like concerts, book groups, health information, and companionship.

Mary Borelli, a stroke survivor, described the group as a lifesaver, providing understanding and a sense of belonging. The group helps break the isolation. Jerry Kaplan, a co-founder and Boston University speech- language pathologist, noted that newcomers often express relief at finding others who share their struggles. Thousands have attended since its founding, finding a safe, comfortable space to connect.

Blatt focused on regaining function. He moved from a wheelchair to a leg brace, re-camed his driver’s license, and documented cross-country trips. He also pursued sculpting, house restorations, and created a newsletter called The Aphasia Advocate. Within the Group, he was a role model of adaptability and determination.

The Aphasia Community Group, which will celebrate its 35th anniversary next year, remains one of Blatt’s enduring legacies. Kaplan emphasized Blatt’s determination, saying “Though given a tough break in midlife, with young children, at the top of his game in his profession, and his communication gifts were largely wiped out, he did not give in to this for 40-plus years. And not only did he survive; he thrived.”

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．The consequences of a stroke.	B．The huge aphasia sufferers.
C．The causes of a stroke.	D．The symptoms of aphasia.

2. Why did they set up the Aphasia Community Group?

A．To provides companionship for lonely people.

B．To address the lack of support for aphasia sufferers.

C．To work on a medical cure for aphasia.

D．To answer the call of MIT.

3. According to the members, what is the significance of the Aphasia Community Group?

A．It offers them financial assistance.

B．It helps them regain their speech completely.

C．It creates a caring community for them.

D．It conducts extensive research on their conditions.

4. Which saying effectively highlights Howard Blatt’s life story?

A．Turn lemons into lemonade.	B．Let nature take its course.
C．As you sow, so shall you reap.	D．Nothing ventured, nothing gained.