Elisa studied her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a green top and blue ieans.
Moments ago she was wearing a pink top and a brown skirt. For a moment. Elisa considered
changing clothes again but decided against it. “What’s the use?” she asked herself as she sat back on the bed.
At that moment, her mother called her from downstairs. “Elisa! Hurry up, honey! You don’t want to be late for your first day of school.”
“Don’t remind me.” Elisa thought to herself. It was not just the first day of school. It was Elisa’s first day at a new school. Picking out clothes for the first day of school was hard enough when you already knew your classmates. It was even harder when you would ever meet them for the first time.
“Elisa!” her mom called out. “I see the bus coming down the street!”
“This is it.” Elisa said to herself. She jumped off the bed and ran downstairs. Her mother stopped her at the bottom of the steps.
“I know you’re nervous about starting the first day at a new school.” her mother said.
“Remember my words: Be friendly to others and soon they will too.”
Elisa had her doubts. but she did not mention them. She put on a brave face and said. “It will be okay.” Then she hugged her mom and ran outside. where the bus was already waiting.
As she climbed on the bus, she was surprised to discover that she was the very first person on board. Elisa was happy to avoid other people for as long as she could. but she knew it would not last long. She took a seat near the back.
As the bus continued on its way, Elisa watched with a growing sense of anxiety as other kids filed on the bus. It seemed like everyone already knew each other. She had spent the past week worrying that other kids would make fun of her, but being ignored felt just as bad.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Suddenly, Elisa noticed a girl sitting silently in front of her.
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“Really? I just moved here, too!”Elisa said, hardly believing her ears.
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“Alone holding an oil-paper umbrella, I wander along a long lane in the rain.” is quoted (引用) from A Lane in the Rain by Dai Wangshu,
The oil-paper umbrella, with a history of over 1, 000 years in China, used to be a water-proof (防水的) tool for daily use. People used a kind of paper
In the past, the shops making oil-paper umbrellas were everywhere around the country. However, in the 1980s, the handmade oil-paper umbrella
3 . Is it bad to work out in cold weather?
Burn extra calories
In cold climates, your body needs to perform extra heat to keep your body warm. Brown fat is the type of body fat that helps control body temperature. When you’re outside in the cold, brown fat burns calories in order to increase body temperature.
Help increase willpower
Working out in the heat can cause you to become tired more easily, since it increases sweating and your heart rate more rapidly.
Exercising outside during the winter is thought to be one useful way to avoid a type of disorder or depression that tends to affect people during the dark winter months. Sunlight and exercise both have a positive impact on your mental (精神的) condition. They help give out more “feel good” chemicals, including serotonin and endorphins.
Help you sleep better
The combination of sunlight exposure (暴露) during the daytime, fresh air and physical activity can help you relax and sleep well at night.
Exercising in cold weather isn’t for everyone, though. If you have any health problems, it is advisable to talk with your health care provider first.
| A．Support heart health |
| B．Improve your mental health |
| C．It can make you take regular exercise |
| D．In this process it can likely help you to lose weight |
| E．Sunlight is important for controlling your sleep-wake cycle |
| F．As long as you take preventive measures, it is actually pretty beneficial |
| G．On the other hand, exercising in the cold can allow you to work out longer |
4 . Imagine flying over the city in an electric-powered aircraft that has no pilot but can take you from point A to point B in minutes. Sounds like science fiction, right? Well, not anymore.
China-based Ehang has become the world’s first company to be officially allowed to fly passengers in its pilotless air taxis.
Ehang’s air taxis can carry up to two passengers and can fly at speeds of up to 130 km/h and distances of up to 28 km. Passengers can simply select their destination( 目 的 地 )on a touch screen inside the cabin and enjoy the ride without worrying about piloting the aircraft.
The taxis do not require airports or runways. They can take off and land vertically( 垂 直 地 ) from any flat surface, such as a rooftop, park or car park. They can be fully charged in two hours and have low noise levels. They also have some necessary things, such as backup batteries, propellers, emergency landing systems and parachutes in case anything goes wrong.
They could change how we travel around big cities—imagine using them to avoid traffic jams, save time to work or school, or get to places that are hard to reach by car or public transport. And beyond just moving people, the aircraft can be used for delivering goods, such as packages, medical supplies or food. During natural disasters such as bushfires or foods, air taxis could transport much-needed medical staff, equipment or medicines to the scene quickly and safely.
Ehang’s air taxis need to follow the laws and rules of different countries and regions where they might operate. One big challenge will be gaining the trust of the public and persuading passengers they are safe while flying. To do this, Ehang will educate passengers about the benefits and risks of using its taxis while also dealing with possible problems.
1. Why is science fiction mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To prove air taxis are not real. | B．To show air taxis are advanced. |
| C．To express people’s love for air taxis. | D．To provide scientific facts about air taxis! |
| A．They are less noisy. | B．They use less energy. |
| C．They can land anywhere. | D．They are less expensive. |
| A．Their possible problems. | B．Their wide popularity. |
| C．Their key functions. | D．Their simple design. |
| A．Price. | B．Speed. | C．Management. | D．Safety. |
5 . Bells ringing around the necks of dairy cows eating grass lazily on a green field may sound peaceful, but if you live next door, it can be noisy.
Two residents( 住 户 )who recently moved to the small village of Aarwangen in the Swiss Alps, which has a population of just 4, 700 people, complained about the ringing of cowbells. They asked for the cows’ bells to be removed at night so they can sleep.
Long-term residents and the village’s remaining farmers were angry. They felt it was an attack on their traditional culture. Cowbells have been used in rural Switzerland for centuries. They were once useful for tracking herds( 牧 群 )in the Alps in summer. Older farmers say they could hear each individual cow by the sound of its own bell. Another resident, Mr Andreas Baumann, said cowbells were an important part of the Swiss soul. Referring to the sound of cowbells, he said, “As soon as I hear them, I know I’m back home.”
The noise level of these cowbells is usually between 90 and 113 decibels(分贝) —which is equal to the noise from an alarm clock, hairdryer or some power tools. In modern times, however. many farmers have changed to using electronic chips instead of bells.
This year’s argument is not the first time residents have complained about cowbells. In 2015, a Zurich court( 法 庭 )ordered a farmer to remove the bells from his 27 cows from 10 pm to am since they were safe in a farm and always keeping the neighbors awake.
Next month, Aarwangen’s villagers will gather for a public meeting to vote on the future of their bells. They will decide how the sound of the bells can continue without breaking noise pollution laws.
1. Why did the new residents complain about the ringing of cowbells?| A．It affected their rest at night. | B．It was an attack on culture. |
| C．It was not attractive. | D．It couldn't be heard clearly. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Worried. | C．Doubtful. | D．Supportive. |
| A．How to make laws. | B．How to keep the bells. |
| C．When to vote on the bells. | D．Whether to remove noise pollution laws. |
| A．An introduction to cowbells. | B．An argument about pollution. |
| C．Cowbells: a trouble or a tradition. | D．Farmers: for or against raising cows. |
6 . Eddie was on a family trip on Hawaii’s Big Island when the terrible wildfires occurred in the island of Maui, killing 115 people and destroying the town of Lahaina. He overheard the disaster (灾难) while watching TV.
“It was Wednesday afternoon, we had the news on, and he asked me to turn it off because he said that made him too sad,” Eddie’s mother, Ami, told USA TODAY. “At that point, I realized he was really paying attention and listening, and we needed to actually solve it. I hadn’t really intended to tell him about it, because we thought he was still a kid. But what happened next proved that we were wrong.”
Ami shared how their family had stayed in Lahaina earlier that year. While it was difficult for Eddie to understand the disaster at a young age, he wanted to help people in any way he could.
Eddie shared the idea of starting a stand and giving all the money to support casualties. Ami and her husband immediately supported the idea and set up a lemonade stand on Saturday on their busy Seattle street.
The stand ran from 10 am to 6 pm. It sold lemonade, ice cream sandwiches and even some of Eddie’s toys. Lemonade was sold for a dollar each, but most people gave $5, $10 and $20 bills as part of their donation (捐赠) .
The family also posted videos on social media and told their friends and family. To their surprise, their one-day business found success quickly. Back-to-back cars would line up to buy and many donated online. The stand made over $17,000, including online donations.
Eddie had a great time in the whole process. Struck by how his generosity invited others to be generous, Ami and her husband are proud of Eddie’s creativity and generosity and happy to support his positive ideas.
1. What can we know about Eddie?| A．He enjoyed watching TV. | B．He was willing to help others. |
| C．He understood what the disaster was. | D．He cared little about what happened. |
| A．Parents losing their jobs. | B．Children liking lemonade. |
| C．Villagers doing some business. | D．People suffering from the fire. |
| A．To make themselves famous. | B．To call for more donations. |
| C．To attract officials to join them | D．To share more lemonade with others. |
| A．It’s good to aim at an early age. | B．Creativity is the key to success. |
| C．There is no age limit to helping others. | D．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
7 . It was a bitter cold night and there were few people in the street. The bus driver, Natalie Barnes, noticed a man she’d seen before, but something seemed
He boarded the bus and
This act alone is
Not wanting to stop there, Barnes called a
Little did Barnes know, but things were about to really
To shine a light on her
At some point in our lives, everybody
| A．simple | B．unusual | C．typical | D．familiar |
| A．read | B．drew | C．sat | D．slept |
| A．homeless | B．ordinary | C．nervous | D．sick |
| A．stores | B．buses | C．hotels | D．streets |
| A．gift | B．ticket | C．meal | D．drink |
| A．difficult | B．unique | C．necessary | D．enough |
| A．driver | B．friend | C．lawyer | D．brother |
| A．stay | B．wait | C．chat | D．study |
| A．benefit | B．encourage | C．protect | D．stop |
| A．fairness | B．honesty | C．bravery | D．kindness |
| A．finally | B．professionally | C．perfectly | D．partly |
| A．leave out | B．look into | C．refer to | D．fight against |
| A．together | B．differently | C．forever | D．regularly |
| A．describes | B．gains | C．needs | D．selects |
| A．positive | B．small | C．similar | D．challenging |
8 . Books make great gifts, but which ones to pick? We’ve rounded up some of 2023’s most talked-about reads.
THE COVENANT OF WATER
By Abraham Verghese Publish:2023. 5 $9. 24
Anyone who loves an extremely readable novel that will last through the holidays will enjoy it. This book, which has more than 700 pages, covers the history of a family living at the southern tip of India.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA
By Uzma Jalaluddin Publish:2023. 6 $11. 5
The author reimagines classic (经典) romances—Pride and Prejudice. You’ve Got Mail—with modern settings. It is a humorous retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion that’s as warm and cozy as a cup of tea. The main character Nada has a difficult career and a heart full of regret for her lost love—who just happens to re-enter her life as the novel begins,
KING:A LIFE
By Jonathan Eig Publish:2023, 5 $16. 99
This biography (传记) is about Marin Luther King. It’s a detailed description of his weakness and strength, heroism and important role in the history of American civil rights—a subject that’s as important today as it was in King’s era.
REALLY GOOD. ACTUALLY
By Monica Heisey Publish:2023. 1 $18. 99
Monica Heisey is one of the funniest Canadians most people have ever heard of. It’s a comedy with enough jokes to populate a Netflix stand-up special. If you’ve ever felt lost and hoped that it is leading towards wisdom (智慧), then it is your novel.
1. Which book is the most expensive?| A．KING:A LIFE. | B．MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA. |
| C．THE COVENANT OF WATER. | D．REALLY GOOD. ACTUALLY. |
| A．Jonathan Eig. | B．Monica Heisey. |
| C．Abraham Verghese. | D．Uzma Jalaluddin. |
| A．They tell many love stories. | B．They are about human rights. |
| C．They bring laughter for readers. | D．They are adapted from classics. |
School volunteers don’t get paid money，but sometimes we receive special gifts. One morning，just before Christmas vacation，I was selling tickets to our grade school’s lastevening performance of The Nutcracker.
One of my customers that day was a parent. “I think it’s awful that I have to pay to see my own child perform,”she announced，yanking(猛扯)a wallet from her purse.
“The school asks for a voluntary donation to help pay for scenery and costumes,”I explained，“but no one has to pay. You’re welcome to all the tickets you need. ”
“Oh，I’ll pay,”she said unhappily. “Two adults and a child. ”She plunked down(猛地放下) a ten-dollar bill. I gave her the change and her tickets. She stepped aside，holding her purse. That’s when the boy waiting behind her emptied a pocketful of change onto the table.
“How many tickets?”I asked.
“I don’t need tickets,”he said. “I’m paying. ”He pushed the coins across the table. “But you’ll need tickets to see the show tonight. ”
He shook his head. “I’ve already seen the show. ”
I pushed the pile of nickels，dimes，and quarters back. “You don’t have to pay to sce theshow with your class,”l told him. “That’s free. ”
“No,”the boy insisted. “I saw it last night. My brother and I arrived late. We couldn’t find anyone to buy tickets from，so we just walked in. ”
Lots of people in that crowd had probably “just walked in”. The few volunteers present couldn’t check everyone for a ticket. Anyway，it ‘s OK. As I’d told the parent ahead of this boy ，the donation was voluntary.
He pushed his money back to me. “I’m paying now，for last night,”he said， I knew this boy and his brother must have squeezed into the back of that crowd. And being late to the hall，they couldn’t possibly have seen the whole show. I hated to take his money. A pile of coins in a kid’s hand is usually carefully saved allowance money.
注意:
1. 续写词数应为150左右﹔
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
So I decided to make some efforts to persuade him to give up paying.
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Our conversation somewhat affected the woman who had complained about buying tickets.
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A new study found that nearly half of bald eagles
Lead is a poisonous substance
Bald eagles are one of America’s most celebrated conservation success stories. The birds
“Lead is available to these birds more than we
The blood samples from live eagles in the new study were taken from birds trapped andstudied
The researchers also found higher levels of lead exposure in fall
