1 . 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。

Walking along the picturesque shores of Dongshan Island in China’s Fujian Province, visitors can enjoy     1     (they) in a poetic world full of     2     (create), encountering children’s poems carved on the coastal rocks.

These poems come from the Dongshan Island International Children’s Poetry Beach Project, displaying children’s     3     (imagine) reflections on their life. For example, a child writes, “My two hands empty, can still hold back the wind.”

“Poetry is a bridge that enables people around the world     4     (cross) the cultural barriers,” says Qiu, who initiates the project.

Since last September, the project     5     (support) by local government has been inviting children from around the globe to submit their poetry. It     6     (receive) more than 5,000 submissions from children under the age of 16 from various countries. A group of judges,     7     (consist) of artists, poets, and translators, have selected 500 poems to be carved onto the seaside rocks, about 400 of     8     have been completed by now.

In China, carving poems on rocks has long been a cultural tradition known     9     cliff inscriptions(摩崖石刻), typically for cultural celebrities. This project, however, gives the honor to children, who are “natural poets” in Qiu’s eye. “Children’s poetry is best suited to build a platform for global and cross-cultural communication,” Qiu explains     10     he chose children for the project.

2 . Here’s a quick quiz. Person A does a favor for you. Person B asks you to do a favor for him. Who do you tend to like more? Surprisingly, the answer is Person B. This quirk (怪癖) of human nature is known as the Ben Franklin Effect.

Benjamin Franklin came across the phenomenon in 1736 when serving as a clerk to the Pennsylvania Assembly. A powerful member didn’t care for Franklin and threatened to make life miserable for him. What to do? Instead of winning him over with sweet talk, Franklin asked if he could borrow a rare and valuable book the man owned. This request altered the man’s attitude and paved the way for their friendship. Franklin’s takeaway: “He that has once done you a kindness will be ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged.”

Several studies have confirmed this. But how can we explain the Ben Franklin Effect? Some psychologists refer to cognitive dissonance (失调). It’s difficult to hold two contradictory thoughts at the same time. It makes us uncomfortable. We resolve this tension by changing our mind. “I don’t like Joe, but I am doing him a favor,” we might think. “So maybe I do like him.”

While cognitive dissonance explains a lot, it alone doesn’t explain the Ben Franklin Effect. One 2015 study found that it was, rather, the affiliative (亲和的) motive that the requests convey. That is, we humans want to maintain good relations with other humans, and one way to achieve this is by doing favors for others. This explains a lot about altruistic behavior. We like being useful and, by extension, we like those who give us the opportunity to do so. It’s in our genes.

Yet there is much we still don’t know about the Ben Franklin Effect. Does it apply equally across cultures? Is there a point beyond which asking a favor makes you less, not more likable? Asking to borrow a book is one thing; asking to borrow a car is another.

1. Why does the author mention Benjamin Franklin’s experience?

A．To illustrate a dilemma in making choices.	B．To suggest a way of striking up friendships.
C．To stress the importance of strategic requests.	D．To introduce the origin of the Ben Franklin Effect.

2. What is a reason for people’s tendency to like those asking for favors?

A．Reducing the tension caused by social contact.

B．Increasing the chance of getting help in return.

C．Avoiding the discomfort from conflicting thoughts.

D．Establishing a cooperative community of shared trust.

3. What does the underlined word “altruistic” probably mean in paragraph 4?

A．Selfless.

B．Impolite.

C．Aggressive.

D．Responsible.

4. What does the author think of the Ben Franklin Effect?

A．It makes little sense.	B．It applies to most cultures.
C．It has situational limitations.	D．It has great practical significance.

3 . Ali, an ordinary office worker, was troubled by the shortage of parking spaces in his residential area. One day, he discovered that Mr. Liu was renting out his parking space for one yuan for two months, so he joined the draw and unexpectedly won the spot. However, the next day, his parking space was occupied by a white car. Ali tried to contact the owner Chang, but was met with indifference. In anger, Ali took a series of measures, but Chang remained unmoved.

The situation eventually escalated (不断恶化) into the point where the police got involved, and both Ali and Chang had to pay two thousand yuan each for car repairs. Although Ali was dissatisfied, he decided to avoid further losses by installing a parking lock. However, he found that Chang had also added a lock. After two months of conflict, both sides were exhausted, and Ali finally chose to give up the fight and parked his car elsewhere.

After the summer vacation ended, Ali returned the parking space to Mr. Liu. By chance, he learned the real reason why Mr. Liu rented out the parking space. Ali and Chang had often occupied Mr. Liu’s parking space. By renting out the parking space for one yuan, Mr. Liu made both of them give up due to exhaustion, thus solving the long-standing problem of people occupying others’ parking spaces in the community. Embarrassed, Ali realized that his previous behavior of occupying others’ parking spaces was wrong. He told what he had known to Chang and they both felt ashamed and reflective.

In daily life, wisdom and strategy can solve seemingly unsolvable conflicts. Besides, individual behavior has an effect on community harmony and staying calm and self-reflective when facing conflicts is important.

1. What was Ali’s initial problem in his residential area?

A．The shortage of parking spaces.	B．High rent of parking spaces.
C．A lack of security in his community.	D．Noise pollution around his apartment.

2. What did Ali and Chang do to prevent each other using the parking space?

A．They reported the issue to the police.	B．They moved to a different community.
C．They negotiated an accessible solution.	D．They fixed parking locks on the parking space.

3. What can we infer about Mr. Liu from paragraph 3?

A．He wanted to make extra money.

B．He didn’t care about the community.

C．He used a strategy to resolve the parking conflicts.

D．He was exhausted to see conflicts in the community.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Parking conflicts made Ali and Chang cost much.

B．Two customers had conflicts because of the parking fee.

C．The police played an important role in community harmony.

D．Wisdom and strategy can resolve some unsolvable problems.

4 . We all notice bright colors. People who opt for striking attire (服装) and shiny decorative items, hear everything from, “No one is going to miss you at the party” to, “I would never have the guts to wear that.” But according to research, those comments may be both accurate and expected.

Adam D. Pazda and Christopher A. Thorstenson examined how we perceive people at first impression who wear bright colors. They specifically examined the effect of chroma, which means color intensity in a practical way. They found that targets, both male and female, who were wearing or surrounded by high-chroma colors were perceived as more open and extraverted (外向的) than in a low-chroma setting. They concluded that chroma is a variable of perception that can influence first impressions of personality. Drilling down further, they found that high-chroma colors enhanced some viewer perception on personalities, but not other traits: such as emotional stability, agreeableness, reliability, responsibility or innovation. These observations are important because some job capitalize on some of the traits (特征) inferred through bright colors.

Pazda and Thorstenson recognize what job seekers no doubt consider as they look for a career to match their personal disposition: in some occupations, success is fueled by possessing certain personality traits. They give examples of industries such as sales and marketing as well as customer service where individuals with outgoing personalities tend to excel. Accordingly, applicants for these positions may be viewed more favorably and judged as more competent if they wear highly chromatic clothing.

Regarding the generality of their results, Pazda and Thorstenson note that one of the drawbacks of their study was their use of participants living in the United States, which means their findings may not predict results in other cultures. They note the possibility that chroma may influence the perception of personality traits differently in non-Western countries, and that high-chroma clothing may be perceived as varying from social norms in other cultures.

1. What does the underlined word “guts” mean in paragraph 1?

A．Sensitivity.

B．Appearance.

C．Courage.

D．Elegance.

2. Which personalities are believed to relate to people wearing high-chroma colors?

A．Innovation and creation.	B．Openness and extraversion.
C．Responsibility and reliability.	D．Emotional stability and agreeableness.

3. What does the last paragraph focus on?

A．The possible limitation of the research.

B．The explanation of the research methodology.

C．The benefits of high-chroma colors in various jobs

D．The universality of high-chroma colors across cultures.

4. Which of the following can best describe the overall tone of the text?

A．Critical and skeptical.	B．Informative and objective.
C．Persuasive and promotional.	D．Evaluative and judgmental.

5 . Why are Police Officers Called Cops?

Police officers are often referred to as cops.     1     Some argue the term is shortened from “copper” and comes from copper badges (徽章) worn by a policeman. Others say that it stands for “Constabulary of Police”.

General agreement on the word origins of “cop”, however, suggests that the term is based more on the policeman’s job than on his clothing or job title. In Latin, the verb capere can be defined as “to capture.” In French, the verb is caper. “To cop” in English is to seize or to take.     2    

Some also believe that the Dutch word kapen, which also loosely translates to “to steal or take”, is related to policemen being called coppers or cops. Essentially, the police force was there to take criminals off the streets.     3     And since American English especially draws from German, French, and Latin, the specific language origin of kapen or capere creates a ready path to the term “cop”.

    4     And it is no longer considered rude. However, certain other terms for police officers are definitely unwelcome. While British Police might not mind being called “bobbies”, no police members like to be referred to as “pigs” or the “fuzz”. Some don’t mind the term the “heat” as applied to the whole police force, but the police force does not generally take kindly to terms given to them by criminals.

The term “cop” is in such common usage now that a show documenting their work on the job is called Cops. Even though J. Edgar Hoover once highly objected to the term, it is now fine to refer to a policeman or a police woman as a cop.     5    

A．The term is slightly less familiar to people.

B．So, the Latin, Dutch, and French terms are all similar.

C．These words define some of what a police officer does.

D．The profession of a police officer was not respected then.

E．But the origins of this nickname are something of a debate.

F．However, the term “police officer” is generally most correct.

G．Today it is appropriate to call members of the police force cops.

6 . Language is the most important tool for human communication and is essential for life in our society. Dr. Sabrina Turker from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig says, “Despite a lot of research on how the brain processes language, we still don’t know much about how language is organized in the human brain. Most of what we know comes from small studies with only a few subjects, and these findings have not been confirmed in other studies.” This meta-analysis aims to help change that.

Based on many neuroscientific (神经科学的) experiments using brain imaging techniques and involving thousands of subjects, this analysis gives us a deeper understanding of how the brain organizes language. By combining results from different studies, researchers can see which parts of the brain are active during various language tasks. This approach helps us understand the basic principles of how the brain processes language.

The researchers not only studied language as a process in general, but also clearly addressed subordinate (从属的) processes: the meaning of language at the level of words and sentences (semantics); the phonetic structure of language (phonology); grammar and the arrangement of linguistic elements (syntax); the phonetic structure of language at sentence level, including melody, intonation and rhythm (prosody).

Besides the well-known language areas in the left side of the brain, the researchers discovered that parts of the brain below the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum also play an important role in language processes.

Gesa Hartwigsen, Professor of Cognitive and Biological Psychology at Leipzig University, said, “Our findings may serve future studies involving language recovery after brain injury, for example caused by stroke. And they could help to improve models of language processing.”

1. What does the study focus on?

A．Why language is important.

B．How the brain organises language.

C．How the brain influences a person.

D．Why we control the language abilities.

2. How did researchers draw their conclusion?

A．By measuring subjects’ brain activity.

B．By analyzing quantities of experimental data.

C．By building a database for many experiments.

D．By conducting interviews with hundreds of subjects.

3. What do we know about the study from paragraph 3?

A．It is simple.	B．It is limited.
C．It is specific.	D．It is confusing.

4. What is the scientific value of the study?

A．Treating brain injury.	B．Finding the cause of stroke.
C．Helping language recovery.	D．Improving language teaching.

7 . Getting work done, meeting deadlines, and being productive 100% of the time are difficult for everyone. It’s even harder if you struggle with time management.     1     You can use them to get things done more efficiently.

    2     Write down everything you would like to accomplish. Review your list and prioritize what absolutely has to get done that week, such as a task with a near deadline. Setting specific goals helps keep you motivated and will make you feel extra accomplished when you’ve achieved everything you set out to do.

Create a daily schedule to organize tasks.     3     Map out exactly how you want to use your time each day, leaving nothing out of your schedule. Include how much time you would like to spend on each task. You may not follow your schedule exactly, as life can sometimes surprise you with how long a task will take. A schedule is a great guideline for keeping you on track to reach your weekly goals though.

Concentrate on one task at a time. It’s hard to get things done when you’ re doing too many things at once. As you cross things off your to-do list, keep your mind focused on the task at hand. Shut out thoughts about your other responsibilities, and avoid going back and forth between unrelated duties.     4    

Take short breaks so you don’t burn out. You can’t work or be productive 24 hours a day. Schedule breaks throughout your day to give yourself some time to rest and relax.     5     Try to do something unrelated to your task during your break, like drawing a picture, playing the guitar, or playing a game of chess on your phone!

A．Set clear and measurable weekly goals.

B．Avoid giving each task your full attention.

C．Use a calendar or a piece of paper for scheduling.

D．At the start of a task, promise yourself a reward at the end of it.

E．It’s much more efficient to deal with one responsibility at a time.

F．A break lets you recharge and return to work with a fresh perspective.

G．Luckily, there are several ways to improve your time management skills.

8 . Scientists tested the effects. of new PVC pellets (聚氯乙烯颗粒) on the development of seven species, spanning all major groups of marine animals. They found exposure to high concentrations of PVC pellets prevented healthy development in all seven species.

The study, by an international team led by the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn di Napoli (SZN) and the University of Exeter, highlights the “potentially catastrophic effects” of rising levels of plastic in the ocean.

“When exposed to high levels of new PVC pellets, the species we examined went wrong in different ways,” said the first author Dr. Jimenez-Guri. “Some failed to make a shell; some failed to form proper bilateral (两侧的) features; some just stopped developing after a few rounds of cell division. They all failed to make a viable embryo (胚胎).”

The study also examined the bad effects of plastic samples recovered from beaches. While the effects were not as widespread as those of new PVC pellets, high concentrations were found to affect the development of mollusks (软体动物), including sea urchins, sea stars and sea squirts.

Coasts and rivers are known hot spots for plastic pollution. As the species in the study all live in coastal areas, severe pollution could have a major impact.

“If you have extreme pollution at a time when these species are reproducing, then you don’t have the next generation of those species,” said Dr. Jimenez-Guri.

Explaining how plastics cause developmental abnormalities, Dr. Jimenez-Guri said plastics contain a complex variety of potentially harmful components including zinc, which are slowly released once plastic is in the water.

She added, “If we reach these extreme levels of plastic pollution at our coasts, which happens in isolated cases but is thankfully uncommon at present, many species may become unable to reproduce, with massive impacts on marine life, the wider environment and people. We need urgent action to reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean.”

1. What is the author’s purpose of writing paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the topic of the text.	B．To describe the methods used in the study.
C．To present the findings of different studies.	D．To highlight the positive effects of PVC pellets.

2. What does the underlined word “catastrophic” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Terrible.

B．Formal.

C．Creative.

D．Isolated.

3. What is Dr. Jimenez-Guri’s attitude towards the situation of marine life?

A．Positive.

B．Concerned.

C．Conservative.

D．Indifferent.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．The Role Of PVC Pellets In Marine Ecosystems

B．The Importance Of Coastal Areas For Marine Life

C．The Future Of Marine Life Under Plastic Pollution

D．The Serious Impact Of PVC Pellets On Marine Life

9 . In the ancient alleys of Cairo, Egypt, lives a centenarian (百岁老人) whose stories are as rich as the sands of time. At 110 years old, Fatima is an energetic ________ of the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) organisation. The ________ is one of many supported by CARE International, an organization that ________ poverty and advocates for human rights.

Fatima’s group, like others, is made up ________ of women who save money together, ________ a safe financial support. They use the ________ to start businesses, negotiate fair prices, and advocate for equality. Their ________ have accumulated 100,000 Egyptian pounds, ________ loans to women in need and contributed to economic stability.

Fatima, who often appears much ________ than her age, is a mother of seven and a pioneer in her hometown of Makal, Sudan. Her team affectionately calls her “Umena”, which ________ “mother”, a title that lives up to her child-rearing role and age. Despite her ________, Fatima’s spirit remains unbreakable.

“All my friends are long ________,” she says, “but this group of women became my new family, my ________ of joy and strength.”

Fatima’s story is a testament (证明) to the ________ of perseverance, the importance of community, and the lasting impact one person can have on the lives of others. Her contributions to her community ________ an inspiration to people around the world.

1.

A．member

B．editor

C．athlete

D．composer

2.

A．device

B．strategy

C．group

D．space

3.

A．fights

B．guides

C．quits

D．reports

4.

A．hardly

B．normally

C．instantly

D．mostly

5.

A．requiring

B．creating

C．suggesting

D．considering

6.

A．meetings

B．belongings

C．savings

D．earnings

7.

A．efforts

B．solutions

C．schedules

D．titles

8.

A．included

B．signed

C．recommended

D．provided

9.

A．slower

B．thinner

C．cleverer

D．younger

10.

A．answers

B．means

C．keeps

D．speaks

11.

A．time

B．age

C．nation

D．advocate

12.

A．occupied

B．engaged

C．gone

D．lost

13.

A．type

B．opinion

C．source

D．goal

14.

A．power

B．path

C．contact

D．credit

15.

A．care for

B．ask about

C．get into

D．serve as

10 . In Cedars, Pennsylvania, a cafe is giving disabled people with different abilities and their families a safe and inclusive space to shine. Created in 2022, the cafe was a response to the need in the community for programs that would enable youth with special needs to develop social and professional skills in a safe environment.

The cafe was the idea of Pennsylvania mom Maureen Stanko, a teacher, fitness instructor, and musician, who was concerned about her son Nick, who has autism (孤独症) and food allergies, and what he would be able to do after graduation. In Pennsylvania, students with disabilities can stay in school until age 22, but worrying about Nick’s future is what keeps Stanko up at night.

Stanko was so worried that she spoke to Nick’s therapist, Tyler Kammerle, who had dreamed about opening a restaurant to employ people with disabilities. The two worked together to make this a reality. Two years later, the So Much To Give Inclusive Cafe was born. It employed 63 people and 80 percent of them have some form of disability.

The cafe is more than just a space to work; it’s also a place for people with disabilities and their families to dine. “We’d never even taken Nick to a restaurant before because we wouldn’t spend all this money to eat out to be completely stressed out,” Stanko said. “This cafe has taught Nick how to sit in a restaurant. And now we have a place to go, where if he stands up and starts hopping or clapping, nobody cares.”

The inclusive cafe has made a real difference in people’s lives. One of the staff, Lauren Oppelts, who is hearing impaired, said, “If you told me two years ago that I would be a server, I wouldn’t believe you. But now I have gained so much self-confidence. A lot of employees here have changed so much; it’s just mind-blowing.”

1. Why did Stanko and Tyler Kammerle establish the cafe?

A．To serve people with various abilities.

B．To provide a place for family occasions.

C．To instruct graduates in professional skills.

D．To offer employment to youth with special needs.

2. What was Stanko’s concern about taking Nick to a restaurant?

A．The cost of dining out.

B．The noisy customers in restaurants.

C．The lack of an inclusive environment.

D．The food allergies Nick is suffering from.

3. How has working at the cafe affected Lauren Oppelts?

A．She has taken to socializing.

B．She has grown more positive.

C．She has become experienced in cooking.

D．She has recovered from her hearing disability.

4. Which of the following best describes Stanko?

A．Caring and responsible.	B．Ambitious and devoted.
C．Determined and sensitive.	D．Tough and reliable.