1 . The recent criticisms of Taylor Swift for her silence on the war in Gaza highlight a strange issue: the unrealistic expectations we place on celebrities to be know-alls. It’s a topic worth looking into.
While many are quick to urge figures like Taylor Swift to make their voices. to global issues, a concerning pattern emerges on the flip side: celebrities navigating the dark waters of complex issues with limited knowledge. Take, for instance, Billie Eilish’s fashion choice at the Oscars — a red hand pin. This wasn’t just any accessory (配饰); it’s rooted in the upset history of the cruel treatment of two Israelis. It raises the question: Was Eilish aware of the weighty story this symbol carries? This moment serves as a reminder of the nuance (微妙的) balance celebrities must strike between being supportive and the profound responsibility of using a public platform.
The celebrity culture in the United States, where public figures are promoted to almost god-like status, plays a significant role in such behavior. They are seen as perfect, their opinions holy. When we prioritize a celebrity’s opinion over those with professional knowledge, we do severe damage to the complexity of these issues.
As a society, we must reevaluate our extreme pursuit of celebrity culture and recognize the limitations of depending on entertainers for guidance on complex issues. This doesn’t mean celebrities can’t or shouldn’t speak out on matters. It’s entirely sensible for Taylor Swift to publicly support political candidates in her home country. The action originates from personal values, which are different from commenting on international conflicts without a deep understanding of the nuances involved.
In advocating for this sensible approach, we’re not suggesting celebrities should remain silent on all matters of public concern. Instead, we’re calling for a transformation in how we, as the public, understand and react to their involvement in social and political issues.
Ultimately, the goal should be to create a more sympathetic, informed society that values extensive knowledge and genuine activism over celebrity support. By encouraging public figures to use their platforms responsibly and directing our attention to where they can make a real difference, we take a step toward a more insightful understanding of global issues.
1. Why is “a red hand pin” mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To make fun of Billie’s limited knowledge on debating. |
| B．To demonstrate Billie’s unawareness of irresponsible recommendation. |
| C．To sing high praises for Billie’s good taste for fashion at the Oscars. |
| D．To criticize Billie for her misapplication of the public platform. |
| A．Billie’s unreasonable selection of a red hand pin at the Oscars. |
| B．Celebrities’ irresponsible opinions on critical global conversations. |
| C．Public’s great desire for celebrities to comment on key global issues. |
| D．Taylor Swift’s golden silence about the crucial international concern. |
| A．Experts tend to increase the complexity of the issues. |
| B．Celebrities’ voices are as important as those of experts. |
| C．Celebrities should voice views on matters at home and abroad. |
| D．We should reassess the social and political roles of celebrities. |
| A．Expect the Unexpected | B．Public Platforms, Powerful Places. |
| C．The Drawback of Celebrity Recommendation | D．The Nature of Celebrity Responsibility |
Ten miles away stood a house with shiny red walls, a green garden and an apple tree. A young girl’s face would be seen reflecting from one of the large glassy windows. Her name is Maggie. Her eyes were sparkling and on her face there was a smile which could light a million candles. She seemed to be longing for a chance to play like a young child, but she had no strength in her legs because she and her family met with an accident, in which she lost both her legs.
But her spirit was strong. She would be inspired by seeing birds fly. The flying eagle would make her want to fly. She was lonely. She longed for a true friend who would talk to her and teach her to fly or at least tell her stories about soaring into the blue sky.
One evening, Maggie slowly rolled her wheelchair to the giant window and looked out to the many houses that lay across the road. Suddenly she heard someone singing and then could see an old man in a pilot suit singing in glory. The beautiful sound and the melody made the little girl happy. Suddenly he stopped and gazed up toward her. “What are you staring at?” he said angrily. “You think I’m a circus clown? (马戏团小丑)” “No, Sir. I was just listening to you. You sing very well,” she said. “I don’t need your praises. I don’t need anyone!” he shouted. He started to walk to his house and shut the door. Tears rolled down from her apple-red cheeks as the man shouted at her. She was lonely.
Next morning, Maggie pushed her wheelchair across the garden to the stone road as little children played hide-and-seek around her. Suddenly out of nowhere a loading truck came rumbling across toward her. Terrified, she tried to move away from its path but the wheels of her chair were stuck. “Oh my,” she thought as the truck came in her direction fast, with the driver unaware of the obstruction in front of him. She screamed loudly but in a split second she was pulled out of her wheelchair by someone and fell on the ground. She closed her eyes and shivered as the truck passed her whistling. As she opened her eyes, she could see a man standing beside her.
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。
She gazed up to him and immediately recognized him as the man she saw singing last night.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Maggie got to know his name was Ken and that he was a retired pilot.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jenny was the only child in her family. She had a quarrel (吵架) with her mother that afternoon and she ran out of the house angrily. She couldn’t help weeping sorrowfully when she thought of the scolding from her mother. Having wandered aimlessly in the street for hours, she felt a little hungry and wished for something to eat. She stood beside a stand (货摊) for a while, watching the middle-aged seller busy doing his business. However, with no money in hand, she gave a sigh and had to leave.
The seller behind the stand noticed the young girl and asked, “Hey, girl, you want to have the noodles?”
“Oh, yes, but I don’t have money on me.” she replied.
“That’s nothing. I’ll treat you today,” said the man, “Come in.”
The seller brought her a bowl of noodles, whose smell was so attractive. As she was eating, Jenny cried silently.
“What is it?” asked the man kindly.
“Nothing. Actually, I was just touched by your kindness!” said Jenny as she wiped her tears. “Even a stranger on the street will give me a bowl of noodles, while my mother drove me out of the house. She showed no care for me. She is so merciless compared to a stranger!”
Hearing the words, the seller smiled, “Girl, do you really think so? I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you thanked me a lot. But it is your mother who has raised you since you were a baby. Can you remember the times she cooked for you? Have you expressed your gratitude to her?”
Jenny sat there, speechless and numb with shock: she remembered her mother’s familiar face and weathered hands. “Why didn’t I think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful. Why haven’t I thanked my mum for what she has done for me?”
On the way home. Jenny made up her mind to make an apology to her mother for her rudeness as soon as she arrived home.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Nearing the doorway, Jenny took a deep breath.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________At that time, her mother came back and touched her hair gently, which called her mind back.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jane was still sleeping when the phone rang in the living room. She opened her sleepy eyes and looked at the clock on the table. It was already nine o’clock! Although Jane was still very sleepy, she knew she had to get up because her mother was working in her office and she couldn’t expect her younger brother Tom, who was sleeping like a pig, to answer the Phone. She quickly put on a coat and ran to the living room. When she picked up the receiver, on the other end came the warm greeting, “Good morning!”
It was from her father, who was a seaman and rarely came back. Suddenly, Jane’s sleepiness disappeared.
Born in a not-so-rich family, Jane and Tom felt the stress of life, but they were happy to enjoy the family atmosphere. At school, they were straight-A students and took part in various after-school activities. They were the pride of the family.
“Good morning, Dad. Why do you call us so early on the weekend?” Jane said and pretended to be annoyed. “Tom and I have been very nice recently.” “My dear, today is your mother’s birthday, and I have ordered a cake online and it will be sent to our home late in the afternoon. Do remember to take the cake. It is my surprise for your mother.”
Hearing her father’s words, Jane felt a little ashamed. How could she forget her mother’s birthday?!
While she was chatting with her father, Jane looked around the room and saw a lot of dirty clothes on the sofa. The floor hadn’t been cleaned for a few days since her mother had to work all this week.
She looked at the clock again and was sure that she still had enough time to prepare a surprise for her mother.
“Well, Dad, now I’m going to wake Tom up. We will give Mum a surprise, too!” Jane said and hung up the telephone.
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。
Jane hurried to Tom’s room and shared her plan with him.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Happy birthday, Mum!” Jane and Tom shouted when their mother opened the door.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Holidays are not necessarily for fun or rest. Doing something meaningful can also gain special pleasure. When the final bell rang, the students were reminded that there was no school on Monday—the Labor Day. “Enjoy your extra day off” said the teacher to her class.
An extra day off unsuited Kayla just fine. She loved breaks. She wanted to go out to play with her friends. When the school bus dropped Kayla off, she ran into the house happily.
“How was school, Kayla?” asked her mom.
“It was great, Mom. I am excited about no school on Monday.”
“You just started back to school two weeks ago. Already in need of a break, huh?” asked Kayla’s mom with a laugh.
Kayla slept in the next morning. Saturday was her favorite day of the week. I trained most of the day, so Kayla enjoyed playing videogames inside. On Sunday, her friends came over and they played basketball for several hours.
Then it was Labor Day, you know, the extra day off that Kayla was so looking forward to. But Kayla was awakened early that morning by her dad. He told Kayla that in honor of Labor Day, the family would be cleaning both inside and outside the house. Kayla couldn’t believe it. This was a holiday. A day when she was supposed to be enjoying freshly squeezed lemonade while playing in her tree house. As Kayla wiped here yes, she began to wonder if this was just a bad dream.
“Kayla, your breakfast is ready. We have a lot of work to do today. Let’s get a move on,” said Kayla’s mom. As she sat down at the kitchen table, Kayla asked her parents，
“Are you serious about working today? Isn’t Labor Day a holiday?”
“Yes, Kayla. It is,” replied her dad. “But your mom and I thought working hard today would make you appreciate why Labor Day was observed in the first place.”
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右;2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
At first Kayla felt disappointed at her parents’ plan for the holiday.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________But things began to change as she was doing the chores.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As an only child, I often felt lonely in my youth. But that all changed when I turned ten. For my birthday, my grandmother surprised me with a lovely gray dog named Chloe. From the very start, we were inseparable (分不开的). I regarded her as my best friend. Every time a little love I gave, the little dog returned tenfold (十倍). She was such a sweet dog and she’d lick my face forever if I didn’t stop her. Once Chloe was injured, leaving a scar on her head. I cried for a long time and promised to protect her forever.
However, when I was 14, my father got a new job that came with a terrible warning: He’d be working from home, so the house needed to be absolutely quiet and couldn’t be disturbed by any sound. But Chloe was very yappy (喜欢叫的). With no easier choice, the whole family finally sent Chloe to a pet organization. Though we were optimistic that the dog would find a new home with people who loved her, we couldn’t know for sure.
I called the pet organzation to try to find out what happened to her, but they couldn’t tell me anything. So I never knew. As time went by, I grew up and got a good job. But my life didn’t feel quite complete. Remembering the joy that having a dog had brought me as a kid, I wanted to experience the same again. I had it in my mind that I would adopt a dog, but then one day I saw a post on the Internet about a senior dog that needed a new home. The dog in the photograph looked a lot like Chloe and it was even named Chloe.
注意：
1.续写词数应为 150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I immediately decided that I would adopt this old dog.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
But my mom suddenly realized there was a way to test my guess.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7 . Virtual reality is quickly becoming the new technological frontier. Tech companies everywhere seem to be racing to get their foot in the VR door. However, virtual reality has a set of challenges and hurdles that it must overcome in order to work well. It should be noted that VR is heavily dependent on being very fast, very accurate and very good-looking. If it isn’t, the viewer will feel motion sick or disconnected from the world that VR is trying to create.
Now that we can actually build VR headsets that begin to meet these requirements, we are seeing a rising interest in VR. As it rises, so does the interest in creating new media to be experienced in using virtual reality. Journalism is a medium built on relevance. Journalists should always be finding new ways to tell stories and deliver content. It is a goldmine for storytelling. What better ways to tell a story to someone than to put them right in the center of it?
Virtual reality is a powerful tool for journalists. The consumer isn’t just reading or watching something play out; they’re experiencing it. The immersive nature of VR allows for people to connect with the subject matter on a much deeper level than just reading about it. The experience is emotional, speaking more to our instinct than our intellect. The possibilities for storytelling here are legion, and any storyteller wanting to do something more interesting than their peers should surely be considering the sheer power of VR.
The question of virtual reality, though, is not how powerful it is. That is immediately apparent. The question of VR is one of viability and availability. Telling stories must be easy to do, and access to those stories must be readily available. This is the biggest challenge that VR faces. If the tools to tell a story with VR aren’t easy to pick up and learn, VR will fail. If VR technology isn’t both top-of-the-line and affordable, VR will fail.
Accessibility was one concern for Thomas Hallaq, assistant professor of journalism and mass communications, who said that current VR technology, is pretty exclusive right now. Despite that, he said he doesn’t think the exclusivity of this technology will be a problem in the long run.
“I think it’s very promising,” Hallaq said. “We’re seeing more technology become accessible, and more people having access to that technology. Just look at smartphones.” Like radio, TV and the Internet before it, virtual reality will change the way we tell stories.
1. Why is VR considered a powerful tool for journalism?| A．Because it is an exclusively new tool. |
| B．Because it is very powerful and popular. |
| C．Because people can experience the story in person. |
| D．Because it is very fast, accurate and good-looking. |
| A．How powerful and interesting it can be. |
| B．Whether people will have easy access to it. |
| C．Whether qualified VR headsets can be built. |
| D．What new ways people will find to deliver content. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Neutral. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Concerned. |
| A．The Wide Popularity of Virtual Reality |
| B．The Future Development of Virtual Reality |
| C．Challenges and Hurdles of Virtual Reality |
| D．Virtual Reality is the Future of Storytelling |
| A．when; which | B．that; which | C．which; where | D．when; as |
When my daughter. Rachel was 6 years old, we went to the local shelter, looking for a perfect cat. We liked all the cats we saw there, but we especially loved one that was black with a small white tip to her tail, like a bright star in the night sky. We brought her home and called her Starry.
Starry was lovely. At night when we watched TV, she would come into Rachel’s lap and comfortably stay there. Starry always got her face close to Rachel’s, ending her love with a gentle touch on Rachel’s nose. Sometimes I felt so jealous (忌妒的) of their love. Although I was the one who tank care of the cat, feeding and cleaning it, Starry was clearly Rachel’s cat. Finally, I came to love watching their close relationship
My little girl grew up and went to senior high school. Starry and Rachel were still close, though Rachel spent less and less time at home. starry spent most of her day sitting on the sideboard in the dining room, looking out of the window into the backyard. I loved seeing her as I passed by her, for her shiny black coat almost sparkled (闪烁) in the sunlight and the white tip of her tail looked bright against the shining black of her body.
One Sunday morning, early in November, Starry got out of, the room before we could stop her. When Rachel came home from school, she went into the room with a worried expression. “Where’s Starry?” she asked. When we told her we didn’t know, she led us outside with her. There was a black cat lying on the street.
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。
It was Starry.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Days without Starry went by, but one Christmas recalled us of Starry.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . My phone was an extension of myself. I couldn’t go anywhere
When I was watching TV shows or movies and there was a boring part, I
I have welcomed silence into my life with open arms and am enjoying the increased
As much as having a smartphone was
| A．through | B．without | C．despite | D．upon |
| A．updates | B．instructions | C．assessments | D．decisions |
| A．symbol | B．responsibility | C．reality | D．addiction |
| A．conscious | B．shameful | C．foolish | D．random |
| A．sell | B．pull | C．throw | D．mind |
| A．avoided | B．denied | C．missed | D．allowed |
| A．assist | B．improve | C．associate | D．occupy |
| A．requests | B．thoughts | C．directions | D．comments |
| A．instead of | B．regardless of | C．but for | D．apart from |
| A．creativity | B．productivity | C．knowledge | D．independence |
| A．routine | B．necessity | C．loneliness | D．temptation |
| A．genuine | B．grateful | C．direct | D．desperate |
| A．naturally | B．certainly | C．seemingly | D．gradually |
| A．wonder | B．imagination | C．interest | D．authenticity |
| A．depressive | B．comfortable | C．stressful | D．boring |
