1 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How long has the man lived in this area?

A．For 5 years.

B．For 20 years.

C．For 10 years.

2. How far is the gas station from the place where the two speakers are?

A．About half a mile.

B．About two and a half miles.

C．About two miles.

3. What can be known about the gas station?

A．It is very small.

B．It is very large.

C．It has a red roof.

2 . The giant Amazon rainforest in South America has been a mystery for centuries. It holds all kinds of natural wonders. Among them in Colombia, a river stands out as “the most beautiful river” in the world.

Locally called Carnio Cristales, this special river lies in a national park. It is made up of several waterfalls, rapids, and plenty of pools. For most of the year, Canio Cristales looks like a common river: clean, green, and rocky. However, during the short period between September and November, the river explodes (迸发) with life and colour. It appears as any mix of colours including blue, green, yellow, orange, and a purplish red. So it is also known as the “River of Five Colours”.

Although at first it may appear as if some chemicals were added to the water, this rainbow river is completely natural. Cafio Cristales' colours are the result of a rare (稀有) water plant which needs sunlight to grow. The plants change colour depending on how much sunlight they receive, and the amount is decided by the height and speed of the water. Therefore, it is possible for the plants to be totally colourless if the sunlight is too hard to get. They are a delicate plant. This makes them easily damaged in the water.

Actually, the river faces some problems, including drier seasons, wildlife trouble, waste management, and budget (预算) cuts. In 2007, the park was forced to close because it was over-crowded with tourists. Now the park admits only 200 people a day and requires them to mind their behaviour.

Today, Cano Cristales still shines among Colombia's most popular natural attractions, drawing thousands of tourists every year.

1. When is the best time to visit Cafio Cristales?

A．In January.

B．In March.

C．In June.

D．In October.

2. Why is Cano Cristales colourful?

A．A special plant lives in it.	B．People add chemicals to it.
C．The water is badly polluted.	D．The weather is changeable there.

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

A．Special.

B．Weak.

C．Lively.

D．Beautiful.

4. What once caused the park to be closed?

A．Too many visitors.	B．The poor service.
C．Too much rubbish.	D．The wildlife problem.

3 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Chinese fans seem to have special meanings in Chinese culture. I’ve     1    (receive) a number of them as gifts from my Chinese friends. The fans are very pretty. You may have noticed that almost all female figures in     2     (tradition) Chinese paintings carry a silk fan. In the movies of     3    1930s and 1940s, fans are a very visible article for Shanghai women.     4    (usual) the structure of the fans is made of sand wood and the faces are made of silk or paper. Because the fans always have sweet smell, women     5     use them appear even more attractive. Fans are probably one of the most appropriate     6    (expression) of noble female.

Men also use fans. But these fans are quite often much     7    (big). Men’s fans often use valuable materials for that structure and the faces are always     8    (paint) with plants or landscapes. As a result     9    open-door policy, fans have become popular again not for people to use at home,     10     as a gift for foreigners. I heard westerners appreciate these gifts. As fans are small, inexpensive and typically Chinese, many people like to use them as gifts from the overseas trips.

4 . Long lines at security checkpoints, tiny plastic cups of drink, small bags of biscuit, planes full of passengers, fees attached to every service—all reflect the realities of 21st century commercial air travel. It’s no wonder that many travelers have become nostalgic (怀旧) for the so-called “golden age” of air travel in the United States.

During the 1950s, airlines promoted commercial air travel; airline hostesses served full meals on real china, airline seats were large and frequently empty with enough legroom, and passengers were always dressed well.

After jets were introduced in the late 1950s, passengers could travel to even the most distant locations at speeds unimaginable a decade before. An airline trip from New York to London that could take up to 15 hours in the early 1950s could be made in less than seven hours by the early 1960s.

But the good memory of airline in that time can be tricky, and “golden ages” are seldom as beautiful as they seem. Until the introduction of jets in 1958, most of the nation’s commercial planes were propeller-driven (螺旋桨驱动) aircraft. Most of these planes were unpressurized, and with a maximum cruising (巡航) altitude of 10,000 to 12,000 feet, they were unable to fly over bad weather. Delays were frequent, turbulence (气流) was common, and air sickness bags were often needed. For much of this period, the old saying “Time to spare, go by air” still rang true.

Through the 1930s and into the 1940s, almost everyone flew first class. Airlines did encourage more people to fly in the 1950s and 1960s by introducing coach or tourist fares, but the savings were relative: less expensive than first class, but still pricey. Although the invention of jets did result in lower fares, the cost was still out of reach of most Americans.

1. Why do passengers treasure the memory of the “golden age” of air travel?

A．Passengers behaved better in those days.

B．People traveled by plane more frequently at that time.

C．Commercial air travel has kept airplanes in short supply.

D．The air travel experience is much worse than it used to be.

2. How does the author develop the first two paragraphs?

A．By giving figures.	B．By following time order.
C．By making comparisons.	D．By explaining principles.

3. What can be learnt about the flights before the jet age from the text?

A．The flights were often delayed.

B．The flights didn’t offer meals to passengers

C．The flights could fly over 20,000 feet.

D．The flights were affordable for most people.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The convenience of the modern airplanes.

B．The advantages of air travel in America.

C．The reality behind air travel’s golden age.

D．The old saying “Time to spare, go by air”.

5 . 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 “Chuanbei Big Puppet (木偶) Show” in Nanchong, Sichuan Province,     1     (list) as an item of national intangible cultural heritage since 2006. And     2     makes this traditional performance so special is the use of life-sized puppets.

The art dates back over 300 years, and 82-year-old Li Siyuan is a     3     (recognize) master of his trade.

You can’t     4     (simple) rely on your hands to perform the big puppet show. Footwork is needed as well. The puppets, through the control of puppeteers, can dress up, light     5     candle, and even perform magical face-changing shows. Each puppet is at least 1.8 meters tall, and weighs over 20 kilograms.     6     takes skill and effort to really control them well.

“The traditional puppet, along with the ability     7     (control) it, is fast becoming a rarity in China. So,     8     (pass) this dying cultural heritage from one generation     9     the next is becoming a real challenge,” noted Li.

The good news is that the big puppet show in Nanchong is slowly gaining     10     (accept) and popularity among younger generations. Masters like Li Siyuan hope this age-old art and tradition can thrive in the modern era.

6 . Most people hate mosquitoes — but scientists are about to build a “mosquito factory” to release modified (改良的) mosquitoes.

The modified mosquitoes carry a bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis (沃尔巴克氏菌), which can be naturally found in most insect species. However, it’s rarely discovered in mosquitoes. “We actually grow these mosquitoes that contain the bacterium,” Scott O’Neill, an Australian scientist involved in the project, told CBC News. When the modified mosquitoes are released, they slowly spread the bacterium to the population.

Several studies have demonstrated the insects’ success. For example, a controlled experiment in Indonesia showed that the modified insect helped reduce the cases of the disease dengue (登革热) by 77 percent, according to a study paper published in 2021.

The World Mosquito Program has announced that it will release modified mosquitoes in many of Brazil’s urban areas over the next 10 years. The aim is to protect up to 70 million people from diseases such as dengue, an infectious disease mainly spread by mosquitoes.

Brazil has one of the highest rates of dengue infection in the world, according to the Nature website. “More than 1,000 people died of dengue in 2022 because of the spread of mosquitoes. It’s going everywhere,” Luciano Moreira, a scientist in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, told CBC News.

Another way to prevent mosquitoes from spreading diseases is by producing genetically modified mosquitoes (GM). In 2022, the US Environmental Protection Agency cleared the release of 2.4 billion GM mosquitoes in California and Florida.

According to the agency, GM mosquitoes carry two types of genes: a self-limiting gene that prevents female offspring (后代) from surviving to adulthood; and a marker gene that allows researchers to identify GM ones in the wild. After being released, GM mosquitoes lay eggs, so the genes are passed on to offspring. In this way, the number of female mosquitoes is reduced, therefore reducing the chance of spreading disease.

1. What is the final purpose of building the “mosquito factory”?

A．To prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.

B．To produce massive mosquitoes for scientific research.

C．To study the behavior of mosquitoes in different environments.

D．To replace the natural mosquito population with a modified one.

2. What is the function of Paragraph 5 in the text?

A．It states challenges facing the program.	B．It provides the background to the program.
C．It shows the expected effect of the program.	D．It indicates an opinion on the announcement.

3. How does the self-limiting gene in genetically modified mosquitoes work?

A．By limiting their ability to lay eggs.	B．By making them immune to disease.
C．By reducing their offspring’s lifespans.	D．By allowing them to be easily identified.

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

A．Releasing GM Mosquitoes	B．Reducing Dengue in Brazil
C．Experimenting on Modified Insects	D．Modifying Infectious Mosquitoes

7 . My son, daughter and I all needed new glasses this year. After searching for an optometrist (验光师) we scheduled a(n) _________. The exams went well and we all_________ our new glasses. The_________ was enough to make my wallet weep, though.

When the new glasses arrived, we all tried them on and_________ seeing clearly again. Like I always do, I put the_________ ones in an old shoe box, which was full of glasses_________ stored. I felt bad about all of them just sitting there_________ dust. My daughter soon found a company that accepts second-hand glasses and then gives them to those who need but can’t_________ new ones.

As we packed all the_________ to mail out, my mind went back to a time when I was the one in need. I can still remember____________ my broken, plastic glasses’ frames(镜框) for the twelfth time because we couldn’t afford new ones. I didn’t know why we____________ so much when my young family didn’t do anything wrong. It was one of those questions I asked but never expected to get a____________.

At present I think I____________ know what that answer is. The truth is that we all____________ pain, struggles and suffering in this life. We can use them to grow selfish and bitter or we can use them to grow loving and kind. May you always choose____________ . May you always choose love.

1.

A．operation

B．vote

C．treatment

D．appointment

2.

A．removed

B．ordered

C．adjusted

D．sold

3.

A．cost

B．device

C．label

D．route

4.

A．enjoyed

B．missed

C．escaped

D．recommended

5.

A．heavy

B．new

C．used

D．thick

6.

A．digitally

B．separately

C．previously

D．illegally

7.

A．brushing

B．gathering

C．removing

D．covering

8.

A．donate

B．issue

C．afford

D．discount

9.

A．notes

B．accounts

C．boxes

D．glasses

10.

A．shaping

B．setting

C．providing

D．gluing

11.

A．changed

B．struggled

C．leaked

D．cycled

12.

A．grade

B．benefit

C．key

D．question

13.

A．simply

B．directly

C．secretly

D．finally

14.

A．go through

B．sum up

C．search for

D．focus on

15.

A．passion

B．kindness

C．profits

D．evidences

8 . A mother with cancer has been moved by the kindness of a stranger as she fights with the terrible disease. Jerina Edwards and her family were _______ at a Chinese restaurant when a customer offered to _______their bill.

In a touching note written on the bill for the meal, the _______ explained the inspiration behind his Christmas kindness. The kind­hearted stranger who offered help _______ how his own life had been affected by cancer five years before. “I lost my _______ to cancer five years ago,” he _______ on the bill. “I know how _______ it can be going through this. My children lost their mother. Your meal is on me.”

Ms Edwards _______ the kind stranger alongside a photo of the bill posted on the Love What Matters Facebook page. The widely­shared _______ has since been viewed more than 35,000 times. “We went out to eat last night at a little Chinese place after church. Right as we were getting ready to ________ our ticket, the waitress brought us this instead，” she said. “Someone in the restaurant had paid our bill and left us this ________. More than anything, having cancer has shown me that there are a lot of ________ people in this world and that I am ________ for my own family.”

Although her diagnosis (诊断) was not terminal (致命的), Ms Edwards said cancer had ________ her family and herself so much. “It has been hard,” she said. “I have fought; I have been sick; tears have been shed; I have missed out on things; I have lost my hair, but I will live. My parents will ________ have their daughter; my husband will have his wife; my children will still have their mother.” She ended her emotional post with a personal message to the stranger at the restaurant. “Whoever you are—thank you.”

1.

A．resting

B．chatting

C．eating

D．singing

2.

A．pay

B．see

C．share

D．check

3.

A．boss

B．teacher

C．cook

D．stranger

4.

A．described

B．reported

C．repeated

D．recorded

5.

A．wife

B．child

C．father

D．parent

6.

A．improved

B．focused

C．wrote

D．handed

7.

A．easy

B．favorable

C．tough

D．wonderful

8.

A．thanked

B．helped

C．noticed

D．misunderstood

9.

A．photo

B．book

C．magazine

D．post

10.

A．find out

B．put away

C．look for

D．ask for

11.

A．note

B．dish

C．lesson

D．tea

12.

A．tall

B．good

C．young

D．bad

13.

A．sorry

B．grateful

C．hateful

D．concerned

14.

A．left

B．cost

C．taught

D．benefited

15.

A．never

B．then

C．still

D．hardly

9 . English is English, right? Not exactly. Although Americans share the same language as those in Great Britain, words that commonly mean one thing in America can mean something completely different in Britain. Here are some examples.

In the United States a bird is, well, an animal with feathers. In England, however, a bird is often used to describe a young female, similar to the way young women are referred to “chicks” in America. But be careful when you are calling your boss’ daughter a bird, because some Britons consider the word a negative expression.

Saying you need a new trainer in America means something quite different from it does in England. In the US, trainers are healthy and strong experts who can help you work out. However, in England, trainers are just another name for tennis shoes.

In America, the word “jumper” usually means a call to 911, as it can refer to a person who’s trying to jump from a bridge or building. The meaning couldn’t be more different in Great Britain, where “jumper” is the name given to a knit top, or, as it’s called in America：a sweater.

Telling a Londoner that you like to sleep with your comforter every night may cause some strange looks, unless you’re a baby. In the US, a comforter is a cover for bed that is filled with a soft material, but in England, a comforter is a word used to describe a baby’s pacifier (橡皮奶嘴).

In America, a casket, also called a coffin (棺材), clearly has a sad meaning. In Great Britain, on the other hand, a casket has a completely different meaning：it refers to a small box used to store jewelry or other valuable objects.

If a Londoner tells an American he locked something in his boot, the American may look at him strangely. In America, a boot is a type of footwear, while in England the word is used to refer to a trunk (后备箱) of a car.

1. If you call a young English female a bird, she would most probably ________.

A．feel unhappy about it

B．find it very interesting

C．consider you are strange

D．think you come from the US

2. In America, a middle­aged woman teaching people to do sports can be probably called a “________”.

A．chick	B．trainer
C．jumper	D．comforter

3. If a Londoner says he needs to get something in his boot, he ________.

A．has locked his car by accident

B．needs to return to his car for something

C．has dropped something into his footwear

D．needs to open his casket to get some jewelry

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．English is widely spoken in the world.

B．British English has experienced many changes.

C．American English is easier than British English.

D．British English and American English have some differences.

10 . Four Volunteer Abroad Programs

Walking Tree Travel

This program offers volunteer projects in English teaching, the environment, community development, etc, in a dozen countries. It has a mission to inspire individuals to become global citizens and take an interest in the world around them. Therefore, it provides trips focusing on volunteer opportunities for high school students that actively engage travelers in global communities.

Tanzania: Dance Program

On this project, you are invited to Arusha, Tanzania to develop dance workshops for local schools and orphanages (孤儿院). Dance is just one of the many amazing aspects of the primary education system and culture that you’ll learn about in Tanzania, and you’ll have a wonderful opportunity to volunteer with local children, learn about their culture and dances, and teach them about your culture and background as well.

St. Lucia Volunteer Program

Through this program, you’ll support children who are facing challenges in nutrition, healthcare, and education. In partnership with local schools and community organizations, you’ll provide maternal and infant (母婴) support, present childcare workshops to parents, help with early childhood education, teach health and hygiene (卫生) lessons, and many more.

Volunteering Journeys

This program prides itself on personal attention and tailored experiences for all participants, as well as high-quality service and positions that actively engage scientists, doctors, teachers, and community leaders. Right now, Volunteering Journeys is offering many different opportunities to teen and high school travelers, including family volunteer holidays, summer volunteer programs, and teen-friendly positions on many different projects in Africa and Asia.

1. What does Walking Tree Travel aim to do?

A．Make contributions to improving the environment.

B．Advertise English teaching programs in some countries.

C．Encourage individuals to have an international outlook.

D．Inspire high school students to engage in community development.

2. What might be a requirement for participants in St. Lucia Volunteer Program?

A．Showing outstanding leadership.	B．Being cautious and sensitive.
C．Having rich teaching experience.	D．Having knowledge about nutrition and healthcare.

3. Which program would you choose if expecting to communicate with scientists and doctors?

A．Walking Tree Travel.	B．Volunteering Journeys.
C．Tanzania: Dance Program.	D．St. Lucia Volunteer Program.