1 . Researchers have designed a hand-held device that can obtain and change water molecules (分子) from the air into drinkable water using only surrounding sunlight as its energy source.

This atmospheric water harvester (大气层水分收集器) used an ultra-porous (超多孔的) material, known as a metal-organic framework (MOF). It can obtain water repeatedly in the hottest and driest place in North America, Death Valley National Park. The tests showed the device could provide clean water anywhere, addressing an urgent problem, as climate change speeds up drought conditions.

“Almost one-third of the world’s population lives in water-stressed areas. The UN predicts that almost 5 billion people on our planet will experience some kind of water stress for a significant part of the year 2050,”said Omar Yaghi. He is the Berkeley chemistry professor who invented MOFs and is leading this study. “It is very important to take advantage of a new source for water.”

Other kinds of materials, such as salts or hydrogels (水凝胶), cannot operate in extreme weather conditions in an energy-efficient manner. The new MOF-powered harvesters can be a powerful tool to address water shortage issues related to anything from drinking water to agriculture. This technology can also be used to obtain pure water in areas where water is plentiful but not clean.

It’s also extremely efficient at harvesting water, releasing 85 to 90 percent of the water it obtains. It harvested up to 285 grams of water per kilogram of the metal-organic framework in a day, the amount of a cup of water. It’s also smaller than the earlier type but it is even more energy-efficient. It produced 200 grams of clean water per square meter of water vapor, more than three times the water productivity rate of the earlier type.

There will likely be further developments in efficiency and size for this device. Yaghi said, “He can see one day the widespread adoption of household-based MOF-powered water harvesters and community-scale (社区规模的) water harvesters with the help of data science and machine learning. Those can be in kitchens or even next to air conditioners to supply homes with clean water for cooking and cleaning. And some companies are already working on this.”

1. What can we say about the new hand-held device?

A．It helps clean the air.	B．It can handle water pollution.
C．It is only suitable in dry areas.	D．It can run without additional power sources.

2. What does the author intend to do in the third paragraph?

A．To stress the fact of water shortage.

B．To show the necessity of the harvester.

C．To show the increasing population in water-stressed areas.

D．To warn against the harm caused by climate change.

3. How much water can we get using a harvester with two kilograms of the MOF daily?

A．About 570 grams.	B．About 513 grams.
C．About 400 grams.	D．About 360 grams.

4. Which of the following statements about the MOF-powered harvester may Yaghi agree with?

A．It will be easier to use in the future.	B．It will function best in the kitchen.
C．It will have huge market potential.	D．It will help promote technologies in AI.

2 . 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。续写的词数应为150左右。

When I was young, I always dreamed of playing the piano and giving performances to a large audience in a concert hall. However, I struggled to understand the musical notes and the theory. Despite my parents’ encouragement and offer of piano lessons, I pretended not to be interested, too afraid to try.

Many years passed until one day, at 25 years old, I heard that a new piano studio had opened in my neighborhood. The teacher was recruiting (招收) new students. My childhood dream came flooding back.

I remembered I had initially feared becoming a teacher after graduation. However, I overcame those doubts. I refused to let fear hold me back any longer, so I walked into the studio.

The teacher, Deb, welcomed me warmly. I was relieved to find we were contemporaries (同时代的人) and expressed my desire to play the works of Bach and Beethoven if I could overcome my fear. Deb understood and seemed sincere, so I signed up for 3 months of classes. Still doubtful about my commitment, I bought a small, tabletop electric organ to practice with at home. It wasn’t the same as a real piano, but enabled me to learn some basics.

Week by week, I attended lessons in Deb’s studio. I often passed young students on their way out from their lessons before mine. One day, noticing the textbooks in my bag, a child stopped me and asked, “Where’s your boy?” After some hesitation, I finally answered I was the student. The children then welcomed me and I sat in the studio and listened to a piece a child was working on.

Soon, I gained confidence and upgraded to a full-size piano at home for daily practice. After three rewarding years of lessons with Deb, she announced it was time for me and other students to prepare for a recital (钢琴演奏会) on stage. I was thrilled at the chance to finally fulfill my childhood dream, yet also anxious at the thought of performing before the audience. But Deb believed in me. “Look how far you’ve come,” she encouraged. “It’s time to share your gift with others.”

Paragraph 1:

I shook my head and told her, “No, thanks.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

When I finally finished my performance, I faced the audience and bowed.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . Two elderly best friends have finally been reunited in the same care home.

Nora Boardman, 91, _________ to a new care home, Crispin Court Care Home in Stafford, last August and was _________ when her long lost pal, Eileen Gill, 89, arrived in January after her husband’s death. The pair, childhood best friends, _________ each other straight away despite having spent seven decades apart. Nora laughed, her eyes shining with _________, saying, “I never thought I’d see Eileen again after we went our separate ways as children — so I am _________ with joy.”

The childhood friends both _________ in Eccleshall, Staffordshire, but Eileen moved 20 miles away to the village of Brewood at the age of 12 — leaving the pair out of _________. But 70 years later, the once _________ schoolgirls now spend their days cheerfully together in their care home. And they couldn’t be happier they’re living a few _________ down from one another. At that time Eileen said to Nora, “I had a happy __________. My husband was so good to me and I miss him so __________ much.” Eileen has three children. As Nora doesn’t have any family, Eileen’s family have taken her under their __________. Nora said, “They have all been very nice to me — I feel like a(n) __________ part of their family.”

Both Eileen and Nora decided to move into the care home. Sadly, both had several falls. But they stuck to their __________.

Two childhood best friends __________ their relationship in care home after 70 years apart.

1.

A．removed

B．referred

C．moved

D．related

2.

A．concerned

B．astonished

C．confused

D．scared

3.

A．recognized

B．classified

C．inspired

D．surrounded

4.

A．disappointment

B．expectation

C．embarrassment

D．excitement

5.

A．wild

B．enthusiastic

C．busy

D．familiar

6.

A．broke up

B．grew up

C．set off

D．hurried off

7.

A．breath

B．condition

C．favor

D．touch

8.

A．incomparable

B．inseparable

C．independent

D．inaccessible

9.

A．doors

B．streets

C．blocks

D．churches

10.

A．childhood

B．vacation

C．marriage

D．adventure

11.

A．narrowly

B．terribly

C．casually

D．slightly

12.

A．leather

B．guidance

C．wing

D．direction

13.

A．convinced

B．motivated

C．extended

D．committed

14.

A．custom

B．argument

C．principle

D．decision

15.

A．enjoy

B．establish

C．renew

D．obtain

4 . Poetry is a way of conveying our deepest feelings, desires, and emotions without having to state it clearly.     1    . However, in the real sense, poetry is never difficult. You can try these following techniques anytime you have poetry writing ideas block.

Know your aim.     2    . Do you want to tell a story, describe an experience or fight an injustice and encourage people to take action? The correct details will, in turn, ensure that the poem serves the purpose for which it is written—your aim.

    3    . After you understand the aim of the poem, you might not still be able to write immediately. Take out a sheet of paper and write every idea and word that comes into your head concerning your aim. Pick one of these words or ideas and focus on it, expanding on that idea until you have a full poem.

Have a theme. A theme is more than just an idea. An idea with your personal opinion is what forms a theme, which will help your poem be more concise (简明的). We advise you to look through The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Analysis.     4    .

    5    . However, they will help in writing poetry for beginners. You can also get books on how towrite poetry to help you boost your writing.

A．Write down the random words and ideas.

B．It may give you some fresh and novel ideas.

C．For beginners, the art of poetry might seem difficult at first.

D．Ensure you have used the right words to convey your message.

E．As far as we know, these tips are not necessarily rules for writing poetry.

F．Answering the question of the aim of poem helps you input the right elements.

G．Before writing your poem, you must understand what you plan to achieve from the poem.

5 . Every tropical (热带的) forest looks different, particularly in the eyes of an ecologist, and Peter Ellis has been lucky enough to visit a fair few. One in particular holds a special place in his heart: the rain forests of Gabon. He first visited as a Peace Corps volunteer. “It completely changed the way I think about conservation and our relationship with nature,” he says.

These days, Ellis is the global director of natural climate solutions science at the US-based conservation organization — The Nature Conservancy, where he’s presently investigating the role that logging (cutting down trees) can play in tropical forests. Logging for forest conservation may sound contradictory, and it often is. But logging in a tropical forest looks different to the practices we might expect to see. “We might imagine it as a wasteland of stumps (树桩) after a clear cut,” says Ellis. Instead, only a few trees are actually removed. A sustainably logged forest is the one that remains a breathing, rich, tropical rain forest full of trees and wildlife, thus helping keep a large part of the biodiversity while ensuring that more damaging industries don’t take its place. It can also provide a means of basic livelihood for the local people.

The two years that Ellis spent in the Gabon rain forests opened his eyes to a different method of land management. “The locals took me out into the forest and taught me the names, usages and spiritual significance of all the trees and other plants in the forest,” he says. “Science is about exact, designed experiments, but it’s also about asking the right questions. And the people who live in those places and protect the ecosystem are more likely to help us learn what the right questions to ask are.”

Tropical forests are essential to our planet’s future as they support high levels of biodiversity and act as crucial carbon sinks (碳储存器). “We need to honour, and protect them so that they can do their job to help save us all” says Ellis.

1. What does Peter Ellis think of his first visit to the rain forests of Gabon?

A．It was poorly arranged.	B．It made little difference to his life.
C．It brought him far-reaching influence.	D．It was physically challenging for him.

2. What does Peter Ellis realize after his investigation in tropical rain forests?

A．Logging balances the rain forests.

B．Logging means a complete clear-out.

C．Logging brings huge profits to the locals.

D．Logging encourages the local damaging industries.

3. What does Ellis suggest scientists do in protecting the rain forests?

A．Conduct many experiments.	B．Consult experienced local people.
C．Get involved in designing procedures.	D．Spread more knowledge about wildlife.

4. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To stress the importance of biodiversity.

B．To introduce Ellis’s ideas about the future.

C．To provide further information about Ellis.

D．To call on people to preserve tropical rain forests.

6 . 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。

During Chinese New Year, a balloon loong (the Chinese pronunciation of dragon) measuring over 40 meters     1     length slipped through a shopping mall in Hong Kong. The 40-meter long loong,     2     (make) up of 38,000 balloons, broke the Guinness World Record as the largest balloon loong. The Guinness certification officer was     3     (remarkable) impressed, saying it was one of the     4     (delicate) balloon artworks ever.

The exhibition of the loong     5     (attract) large crowds of people’s attention for its magnificent appearance so far. To thank the audience for their support, balloon artist Wilson Pang printed 5,000 postcards     6     (feature) the loong and arranged a meeting with them at the mall. “Delivering a warm, loving, positive message to the people of Hong Kong     7     (be) what I always want to do,” Pang says.

Pang thinks     8     important to give young people opportunities, so he specially invited college and high school students to participate in the project. “I hope to share     9     I have learned with young people,” Pang says. “I have won championships myself and I hope to inspire     10     new generation of future champions.”

7 . Museums have been around for centuries, with the first known museum founded in the 3rd century BC. For a long time, they were used to showcase traditional artworks like paintings, sculptures and drawings.

In recent times, however, digital art has started to gain popularity as an art form. This has raised the question of whether or not museums should accept digital art into their collections.

Digital art can be defined as an artwork created using digital technology and tools like computers, tablets and smartphones. It includes a variety of mediums such as animation, 3D modelling, virtual reality and video game design. Digital art is increasingly being used by artists to create unique pieces that are unlike anything else seen before.

The debate over whether museums should accept digital art into their collections has been ongoing for some time. On one hand, many believe that digital art is not “real” art and does not deserve to be given the same recognition as traditional artworks. On the other hand, supporters of digital art hold the view that museums should endorse this new form of expression and give it the same respect as any other type of artworks.

The truth is that many museums have already begun to accept digital art into their collections. In fact, some museums have even devoted entire exhibitions to showcasing digital artworks from around the world. This shows that there is a growing appreciation for this type of expression and that it is slowly becoming more accepted by mainstream audiences.

In general, while there may still be some debate over whether or not digital art deserves to be accepted into museum collections, it is clear that many museums are beginning to welcome this new form of expression. As more people realize the digital art and its potential as an artistic medium, it will likely become even more popular in years to come.

1. What do we know about the digital art from the first three paragraphs?

A．It is warmly welcomed by all museums.

B．Its uniqueness leads to its high market value.

C．Its creation cannot be separated from digital technology.

D．It should be placed in museums according to most people.

2. What does the underlined word “endorse” in paragraph 4mean?

A．increase

B．refuse

C．describe

D．accept

3. What is the current situation of the digital art?

A．It is getting more and more recognition.

B．It has been accepted by the mainstream audiences.

C．Most museums have accepted it as their collection.

D．This kind of exhibition can be seen all over the world.

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

A．Latest digital art, hottest debate	B．Should museums accept digital art?
C．Digital art: the most popular art form	D．How does digital art enter museums?

8 . Whether you want to start near or far, there are a lot of attractive holiday destinations. Here are four of them.

The Maldives

The resort (度假胜地) is a hit with families. Explore different islands, visit traditional fishing villages, and enjoy the natural beauty of each location. Kids can have great fun building sandcastles on beaches and exploring seashell treasures. There are also water sports for the whole family to take part in. After sunset, enjoy beach parties, live music, and cultural performances. What you can’t miss is eating at one of the world’s first underwater restaurants, watching sea animals swimming by.

Bali, Indonesia

Bali is a playground with natural beauty and cultural richness. For risky experiences, there are jungles and a volcano to hike. For a view of Bali against the sunrise, hike up Mount Batur. In Ubud, visit the sacred Monkey Forest. Then have a Balinese cultural experience, complete with puppet (木偶) making and traditional dancing. The Westin Family Kids Club offers fun activities such as face painting and kite making.

Penang, Malaysia

Thanks to its artsy scenery and greenery, its capital George Town was recognised as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2008. Take some family photos as you see many street arts. For a bit of schooling, check out the Made In Penang Interactive Museum which is home to murals (壁画) and displays for history enthusiasts. Kids can enjoy themselves in a kids club and a teddy bear-themed museum.

Istanbul, Türkiye

With a rich history and diverse culture, the city is a destination for all ages. For a unique learning experience, explore the Topkapi Palace. Then check out Miniatürk, a large park with replicas (复制品) of famous Turkish landmarks. The Istanbul Toy Museum arouses children’s imagination with its collection of toys. Keep your eyes open for the puppet shows too!

1. What can tourists do in the Maldives?

A．Hold free concerts at night.

B．Visit an underwater ocean park.

C．Have a special dining experience.

D．Visit a museum featuring traditional fishing villages.

2. Which destination would an adventure enthusiast most probably choose?

A．The Maldives.	B．Bali, Indonesia.
C．Penang, Malaysia.	D．Istanbul, Türkiye.

3. What do the four destinations have in common?

A．They are all family-friendly.	B．They all have a long history.
C．They all provide museum tours.	D．They are all famous for natural scenery.

9 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does the speaker usually do first after getting up?

A．Do physical exercise.

B．Prepare his breakfast.

C．Read morning papers.

2. What subject does the speaker like best?

A．Science.

B．Maths.

C．Physics.

3. Why doesn’t the speaker go back home right after school?

A．To play sports with others.

B．To watch a football game.

C．To do his homework.

4. What is the speaker mainly talking about?

A．His weekly schedule.

B．His colorful school activities.

C．His daily life as a student.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Which movie will the man watch this evening?

A．Spies in Disguise.

B．Men in Black.

C．Spider-Man: Homecoming.

2. What do we know about Lance Sterling?

A．He is voiced by Tom Holland.

B．He is handsome and skilled.

C．He isn’t good at socializing.

3. Who is intelligent?

A．Will Smith.

B．Tom Holland.

C．Walter.

4. What time is it now?

A．4:00 p. m.

B．6:00 p. m.

C．8:00 p. m.