4 . A British woman who won a S1 million prize after she was named the World's Best Teacher will use the cash to bring inspirational figures into UK schools.

Andria Zafirakou,a north London secondary school teacher, said she wanted to bring about a classroom revolution (变革). “We are going to make a change, ”she said.“I’ve started a project to promote the teaching of the arts in our schools.”

The project results from the difficulties many schools have in getting artists of any sort - whether an up-and-coming local musician or a major movie star - into schools to work with and inspire children.

Zafirakou began the project at Alperton Community School, her place of work for the past twelve years. “I've seen those magic moments when children are talking to someone they are inspired by - their eyes are shining and their faces light up,” she said. “We need artists . more than ever in our schools."

Artist Michael Craig-Martin said: “Andria's brilliant project to bring artists from all fields into direct contact with children is particularly welcome at a time when the arts are being downgraded in schools." It was a mistake to see the arts as unnecessary, he added.

Historian Sir Simon Schama is also a supporter of the project. He said that arts education in schools was not just an add-on. “It is absolutely necessary. The future depends on creativity and creativity depends on the young. What will remain of us when artificial intelligence takes over will be our creativity, and it is our creative spirit, our visionary sense of freshness,that has been our strength for centuries."

1. What will Zafirakou do with her prize money?

A．Make a movie.	B．Build new schools.
C．Run a project.	D．Help local musicians.

2. What does Craig-Martin think of the teaching of the arts in UK schools?

A．It is particularly difficult.	B．It increases artists' income.
C．It opens children's mind.	D．It deserves greater attention.

3. What should be stressed in school education according to Schama?

A．Moral principles.	B．Interpersonal skills.
C．Creative abilities.	D．Positive worldviews.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Bring Artists to Schools	B．When Historians Meet Artists
C．Arts Education in Britain	D．The World's Best Arts Teacher

7 . How to Feel Connected

It's easy to feel disconnected from what is going on around you in today's fast-paced world.     1     You can get in touch and feel connected, however, by following the tips below:

Consider why you feel disconnected. Knowing what is making you feel disconnected can help you choose the best ways to address it.     2     Ask yourself these questions: Are you keeping yourself occupied with work too much? Do you rely on electronic communication instead of face to face communication? Do you lack friendships that are satisfying?

Interact with people in person. Technology is a great way to stay in touch, but sometimes you need to spend time with other people in person.     3     You can also take steps to feel more connected by making small-talk with strangers who are sharing parts of your day.

    4    

Your loved ones could feel shy, so you may never know how to improve your relationship unless you ask the right questions. Asking them to open the doors can give you some insight on what you can do. Learning this information can help to strengthen your bond.

Show your commitment to them. Simply showing up and being there for your loved ones says a lot about how much you value your relationships. Putting in the time shows them that you are committed and want to stay connected.     5    

Show appreciation. A simple “thank you” goes a very long way. Unfortunately, it is something that people who are close often take for granted. Telling someone you appreciate their time, love, and efforts can strengthen your bond and help you to become more connected.

A．Ask others what they need from you.

B．Sometimes you can feel isolated and distant from the ones you love.

C．Be brave to express your love.

D．Reach out to people to schedule a time to get together.

E．Attending family events, or simply visiting someone once a week can help to strengthen your relationship and keep it strong.

F．Targeting your efforts toward those issues allows you to close that distance more effectively.

G．You can have a gift delivered to friends on special occasions.

8 . People use laughter to connect and bond with others. It’s how we tell friends that we find their jokes funny, or how kids in a park show that they are having fun. Laughter is so important to humans, even if they belong to different cultures or speak different languages. What about animals? Scientists are studying if there is a connection between animals’ laughing and playing.

Sasha Winkler, from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), studies biological anthropology (人类学)，including the study of animal behavior. She noticed that the small monkeys she worked with, liked to play together by chasing each other. While having fun together, they made panting (喘气) sounds, almost like they were out of breath, which reminded Winkler of their quiet laughter. This made Winkler wonder whether other animals did so while they were playing.

To find out whether other animals laugh and play, Winkler teamed up with another scientist named Greg Bryant, a professor and vice chair in the Department of Communication at UCLA. Together, they found and read dozens of reports written by other scientists who study animals. Winkler and Bryant looked for any mentions in any animal of sound signaling like the panting of the monkeys during their playing.

In April 2021, Winkler and Bryant published their findings in a science journal. Through their research, they identified 65 species or groups of animals, which laugh while playing. The animals that laugh the most include primates (灵长类) like monkeys and apes, rodents (啮齿动物) like rats, and mammals that live in the ocean like dolphins. Their work won’t only help us understand animals better but it could also help us understand how humans develop or change over time. Next, they will carry on more study to find more.

1. What is the function of paragraph 1?

A．To conclude the main idea.

B．To put forward the topic.

C．To offer the supporting evidences.

D．To add the background information.

2. What are the small monkeys like when they are having fun?

A．They can hardly breathe.

B．They tend to laugh separately.

C．They laugh at a low sound.

D．They don’t laugh at all.

3. What do we know about Winkler and Bryant’s study?

A．It is great progress in the study of animals and humans.

B．It is only based on the findings in a science journal.

C．Over 65 groups of animals laugh while playing.

D．They do the research only by studying primates and rodents.

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

A．Science.

B．Education.

C．Health.

D．Entertainment.

9 . 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。

The Sanya Nanfan (南繁) Seed Breeding (繁殖) Base, located in south China’s Hainan Province, plays a vital role as a seed centre in China.     1     (unique) blessed with nature’s gifts and a wealth of the country’s resources, it serves as the dedicated ground     2     skilled agricultural experts contribute to feeding our nation and addressing global hunger.

Dr. Xiao Feng stands at the forefront of agricultural innovation in Nanfan. Jokingly     3     (refer) to himself as a “mudskipper”, he is often spotted with rolled-up trouser legs knee-deep in the     4     (mud) fields. Dr. Xiao, along with other Nanfan researchers,     5     (commit) wholeheartedly to improving grain production, ensuring that people’s dinner tables are filled.

“Life can be compared to a seed, remarks Dr. Xiao.” Occasionally, it may either not grow as expected     6     remain inactive. Nevertheless, hope and opportunity persist. The seed of life will always manage     7     (emerge) through the ground.“

The term ”Nanfan“ itself implies to the practice of transplanting summertime crops from northern latitudes to Hainan during its winter. This makes for an     8     (extend) of growing seasons. Shortening the breeding cycle     9       half or more, Nanfan accelerates the breeding process.

Hope is a humble seed; when     10     (plant) in fertile ground, it transfigures (美化……的外表) into new life bearing fruits of change. The researchers at Nanfan are those seeds of hope.

10 . Camping tips: Which overnight wilderness experience is right for you?

If you’re an experienced backpacker, read no further. This article is for camping rookies, those who have never slept beneath the stars or haven’t pitched a tent since their youth but are seriously thinking about overnighting in the wilderness.

Car camping

At its most basic, car camping involves packing a tent, sleeping bag, fold-up chair, cooler and camp stove into your vehicle and staying at a drive-up campground. Nearly every national park, and many state and county parks and private facilities, offer drive-up campgrounds with restrooms, potable water, fire rings or pits, and maybe even hot showers. So there are lots of choices.

The downside of car camping is the fact that these campgrounds are often packed with other campers. Not a lot of privacy, they can be noisy, and possibly hinder your quest of communing with nature.

Backpacking

No vehicle required; just your feet and a good pair of hiking boots or shoes to get you to the next overnight spot. A multi-day hiking trip is without doubt the most immersive way to experience the great outdoors.

Different from maybe car camping, it requires the least expense and equipment. All you really need are a backpack, sleeping bag, water bottle, small first-aid kit, enough food to last the entire travel. It can be done just about anywhere on the planet.

Boat Camping

While this does involve owning or renting a watercraft or using a ferry or water taxi service to reach the overnight site, camping via canoe, kayak, raft or boat offers a similar get-away-from-it-all adventure as backpacking.

Experienced paddlers and boaters usually prefer to camp on their own along a secluded shoreline. But many adventure or wilderness outfitters offer guided trips that can last anywhere from a couple of days to two or three weeks. With a boat, you can sometimes camp places that not even backpackers can reach.

1. Who are the intended readers?

A．Red-blooded males	B．White-collar staff
C．Blue-blooded tourists	D．Green-hand campers

2. What can you learn from the passage?

A．Backpacking allows you to communicate with nature deeply.

B．Car camping is the most economic way to experience nature.

C．The drive-up campgrounds provide people with private environment.

D．Boat camping offers the same adventures as backpacking.

3. In which column will you find this passage?

A．Feature

B．Style

C．Travel

D．Entertainment