2 . SpoGomi is a sport involving litter-picking by teams of three. You’re given an area of 1.5 sq km, and have to _______ as much litter as possible within an hour. The litter is then _______. The team with the most wins.

We _______ the first SpoGomi world cup last August. _______ we were drawn to taking part because of a free trip abroad. Upon arriving, we walked around the competition area, and thought about the _______ of people who drop litter：probably typically people who were drinking. That helped us narrow down where to go. Another _______ was that we were young and physically fit. We like the _______ element of the sport, whereas people from other countries are _______ more by environmental interests.

With 21 nations participating, the competition was _______. After the first half, we were second. My muscles were ________ and I felt completely exhausted from the summer heat, but we had this feeling of being on the edge of something ________. We had to just keep ________. In the second half we pulled ahead because we ________ an area no one else had been to. We ended up coming first with 57kg of rubbish collected.

Without the competition, I wouldn’t have been someone who would have picked up litter off the street before. Now we are just much more ________ of it. Once you’re drawn into SpoGomi, your attitude towards litter and how you ________ completely changes.

1.

A．load

B．store

C．collect

D．bury

2.

A．priced

B．labeled

C．sorted

D．weighed

3.

A．held up

B．headed for

C．broke through

D．put off

4.

A．Gradually

B．Immediately

C．Constantly

D．Initially

5.

A．profile

B．shape

C．wisdom

D．mood

6.

A．advantage

B．adventure

C．preference

D．priority

7.

A．educational

B．competitive

C．sensitive

D．recreational

8.

A．assessed

B．protected

C．favored

D．motivated

9.

A．intense

B．fair

C．smooth

D．friendly

10.

A．relaxed

B．growing

C．aching

D．strengthened

11.

A．amazing

B．familiar

C．ordinary

D．complex

12.

A．training

B．watching

C．pushing

D．waiting

13.

A．monitored

B．deserted

C．occupied

D．discovered

14.

A．guilty

B．nervous

C．envious

D．aware

15.

A．conclude

B．contribute

C．compete

D．complain

3 . It has long been known that dogs can learn commands like “sit,” “stay,” or “fetch” and can respond to these words with learned behaviors, often with the help of a treat or two, but uncovering their understanding of nouns has proven more difficult.

To look into the mystery, Boros from Eötvös Lorán d University in Hungary and her colleagues, inspired by studies investigating the comprehension of babies before they can speak, decided to mimic (模仿) these experiments with dogs.

They invited 18 dog owners to bring their pets to the lab along with five objects the animals knew well. These included balls, slippers, Frisbees, rubber toys, leads and other items. At the lab, the owners were instructed to say words for objects their dogs already knew. Then, the owners held up either the matching object or a different one while small metal disc s harmlessly attached to the dogs’ heads measured brain activity in a process known as electroencephalography (EEG).

Using EEG, the researchers aimed to observe any variances in brain activity when the dog’s owner mentioned a specific object, such as a “ball”, but displayed a different item, like a stick, as opposed to when both the spoken word and the presented object matched. This was indeed the case, with the results being strongest when the object was very familiar to the dog. That’s similar to what researchers have seen in humans and is widely accepted as evidence that they understand the words.

Writing in Current Biology, the scientists say the results “provide the first neural evidence for object word knowledge in a non-human animal”.

But the true extent of the dogs’ comprehension is still unknown, even by the study’s authors, since the dogs were responding to their own toys and objects that the owners brought to the lab.

The researchers are now curious to know if this ability to understand referential language is specific to dogs or might be present in other mammals as well. Either way, they want to learn more about how this ability emerged and whether it depends on dogs’ unique experience of living with people.

1. Which aspect of dogs did Boros’s research focus on?

A．Their speed of learning actions.	B．Their willingness to follow orders.
C．Their responses to training treats.	D．Their capacity of understanding nouns.

2. What is paragraph 3 of the text mainly about?

A．The result of human-dog interactions.	B．The process of Boros’s experiment.
C．The logic of pattern matching.	D．The theory of EEG analysis.

3. The brain recording results showed a different pattern in the brain when ______.

A．pet owners showed more objects than usual

B．dogs had a larger vocabulary of object words

C．the experiment was conducted in a new environment

D．the spoken word and the presented object mismatched

4. What does the author want to convey in the last paragraph?

A．Conclusions from the experiment.	B．Insights into dogs’ experiences.
C．Expectations for future studies.	D．Applications of the discovery.

4 . The language of Gaelic has been spoken in Scotland since at least the 10th century and was at one time the country’s main language, widespread in towns and cities across the nation. Since the union of Scotland and England in the early 18th century, though, it has been in decline. These days you are most likely to find native Gaelic speakers in the Highlands of Scotland, with concerns having been raised about the future of the language.

Now, a new initiative from Community cafe and Gaelic cultural centre seeks to turn the tide with the release of the first Gaelic edition of the board game Scrabble.

Titled Scrabble Gàidhlig, it contains only the 18 letters found in the Gaelic alphabet and includes the grave accent on vowels À È Ì Ò and Ù. The frequency with which each letter appears has been reconsidered to reflect its usage in Gaelic, and scoring has been reformulated (重新设定) to reflect the respective ease and difficulty of using different letters in the language.

“We worked closely on the development of the new game with the team at An Taigh Cèilidh, who have done a fantastic job of localizing the material and ensuring that the game plays really well,” said CEO Jim Harrison. “I hope everyone enjoys playing it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

“It will help people improve their oral skills and the range of their vocabulary in Gaelic,” said McLeod, professor of Gaelic at the University of Edinburgh. “In particular, many Gaelic speakers are not very confident with their written Gaelic and Gaelic Scrabble could give them a valuable boost. It will be very helpful for Gaelic learners too. Gaelic spelling is very logical once you are familiar with the system, but it does take time to master it.”

Scrabble was invented in 1948 and has been common in UK homes ever since, with about half of all households owning at least one set. It is sold in more than 120 countries and available in 28 languages and counting.

1. Why was Scrabble Gàidhlig invented?

A．To help keep a declining language alive.	B．To add a new type to board games.
C．To help reunite the two countries.	D．To promote a language game.

2. What is discussed about Scrabble Gàidhlig in paragraph 3?

A．Its origin.

B．Its feature.

C．Its advantage.

D．Its function.

3. How will Scrabble Gàidhlig benefit its users according to Prof McLeod?

A．It will improve their language competence.	B．It will boost their confidence in socializing.
C．It will raise their interest in the board game.	D．It will enhance their hands-on ability.

4. What is the last paragraph intended to do?

A．Add some background information.	B．Make some further predictions.
C．Raise a reasonable doubt.	D．Introduce a global trend.

5 . York Minster—The Best Cathedral in England

Commonly known as York Minster, the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York is one of the finest old-fashioned buildings in Europe and was completed in 1472.

In addition to daily services, there are many features to discover. York Minster has one of Europe’s biggest collections of stained glass, with 128 windows made from approximately 2 million individual pieces of stained glass. In the interactive underground chambers, you can discover the 2000-year-old history of York Minster. In the grounds outside the Minster, the Old Palace houses famous historical treasures, collections and a library.

For the best view in York, climb the Tower for a splendid view of the surrounding Yorkshire countryside. All year round there are special events, including performances by the York Minster Choir.

OPENING TIMES
Mon to Sat: 9:30am—4:00pm
Sun: 12:45pm—2:15pm
TICKET INFORMATION

MINSTER ONLY	MINSTER AND CENTRAL TOWER
Adult/Senior: £18 Child (17 and under)*: free with a paying adult *Up to four children with one paying adult	Adult/Senior: £24 Child (8-17): £6 To climb the tower you must be aged 8*

It costs £30,000 a day to run York Minster and your admission fee directly supports the future of the cathedral. We never charge for people to enter the cathedral to pray, light a candle or attend a service.

BOOKING

As a working church, we do need to close from time to time at short notice so we strongly recommend booking in advance so we can keep you informed of any changes in opening times.

For more information or to book, please contact our team using the details below or complete our enquiry form.

T: 01904 557275
E: bookings@yorkminster.org
1. What can visitors do in York Minster?

A．Stay in the Old Palace.	B．Explore its rich history.
C．Make windows from stained glass.	D．Climb the Tower to watch performances.

2. What’s the charge for a couple with their six-year-old twins visiting Minster only?

A．Ƶ24.

B．Ƶ36.

C．Ƶ42.

D．Ƶ48.

3. What do we know about York Minster?

A．It takes on a modern style.	B．It bans climbing of the Tower.
C．It may have temporary closures.	D．It charges people attending services.

8 . The sun is about to set when we reach our destination, the home of a nomadic (游牧的) herder (牧民) family. My host, Batbayer, has a cheerful face, with deep wrinkles and a color from long hours working outdoors, giving him the look of a sailor from an Ernest Hemingway novel. We have pre-arranged our visit but travellers in Mongolia can drive up to pretty much any ger and feel welcomed to stay. You don’t knock on the door: when you approach a nomadic family, a customary greeting is to say a kindly “Hold your dog,” even if you don’t see a dog.

We feast at the family home on one of the country’s most distinct and tasty dishes: khorkhog, or mutton cooked using hot rocks. This comes served with onions, a variety of berries, and milk—besides more plates of meat, all from the family’s own livestock (家畜).

Mongolia is home to one of the world’s few remaining truly nomadic cultures. About a fifth of the population are herders, and nomadism is complicatedly woven into the country’s spirit. But modern life is catching up with the people on the grassland at rapid speed. This is in large part what my book is about: an outsider’s exploration of a society undergoing modernisation while trying to hold fast to its deeply rooted traditional values.

Many of the livestock here, especially the more valuable breeds such as horses, camels and   cattle, are implanted with microchips that can be monitored via satellite-based services. “I would like to use the internet more because it’s fun and useful; but the animals like it here. This is a good place for them,” Batbayer says when I ask if better internet connectivity might influence where to move his livestock next. “I would never choose Facebook over the wellbeing of the animals.”

1. Which aspect of the herders does the author focus on in paragraph 1?

A．Living conditions.

B．Pet preference.

C．Reading habits.

D．Friendliness.

2. What do we know about nomadic culture?

A．Herders’ life is being modernized.

B．It is the world’s dominant culture.

C．The majority of Mongolians are herders.

D．Herders have no access to fruits and vegetables

3. What can we infer from Batbayer’s words in the last paragraph?

A．He refuses to use social media.	B．He will no longer employ microchips.
C．He will introduce more valuable breeds.	D．He prioritizes the welfare of livestock.

4. What is the text?

A．A travel journal.

B．A folk tale.

C．A book review.

D．A field report.

9 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给的段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文.

Benched?

Anxious, Devin sat in the back seat of the car. “I have so much energy!” he said. “Do I really have to sit and watch?”

“It’s just for one more game.” Devin’s father said as he drove into the parking lot by the outdoor basketball court. “It’s better to stay on the safe side.”

Devin sighed. “It’s been a week since I got injured,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt at all.”

But it did hurt when he was in last week’s game. He twisted to avoid a defender and ended up spraining his ankle. “The doctor said 10 days,” his father reminded him. “No jumping. You can ease back into basketball next week.”

Devin ran his fingers over the logo on his basketball uniform. He was ready for the game, but he knew he’d be spending it on the bench. The summer season was short — just eight games —and he’d already missed one.

“I just want to help my team win,” he said as he got out of the car. “I can’t do that if I’m not on the court.”

Devin loved hearing the thump (沉闷的撞击声), thump, thump of basketballs and the feeling of excitement before every game. Hip-hop music from the loudspeaker made him feel like dancing. The energy in the air would make it even harder for him not to participate.

Before the game, Coach reminded the players to make smart passes and play tough defense. Without Devin’s leadership and skill, his team would need a huge effort.

By halftime, Coach praised the players for their hard work. With Devin unable to play, the team had only one extra player, so no one was getting much rest.

The game was fierce. The score stood at 47 to 49 with three minutes left in the game. Devin sat down and rubbed his hands together. “I’m a loser here on the bench. I can do nothing to help.” he thought.

Coach called a timeout(比赛暂停) and gathered the players to give some advice.

注意：
1. 续写词数为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡相应位置作答.

Suddenly, Coach turned to Devin. “Do you have anything to add?”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The game was over and his team had a two-point victory!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________