1 . In 2019, after retiring from her career as a social worker, Ane Freed - Kernis decided to build a home workshop and devote all of her free time to stone carving. “I might be covered head to to e in dust but I’m happy — it was something I needed more of in my life when I hit 60,” she says.

This appeal has its origins in Freed - Kernis’ childhood. Growing up on her father’s farm in Denmark, she used to wander through the fields with her eyes fixed on the ground, looking for stones to add to her collection. “I’ve always been drawn to the shapes and textures (质地) of stones,” she says.

After moving to England in 1977 and training as a social worker, Freed - Kernis soon became occupied with her busy career and the demands of raising her son. Stones were the last thing on her mind, until her father died in 2005. “He took a stone carving course in his retirement, and I always thought stone seemed so fun but never had the time to look into it myself,” she says. “After he died, I became determined to learn in his honour.”

Signing up for a week-long stone carving course at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Freed-Kernis began to learn how to turn a block of rock into well-designed shapes. “It was really scary at the start because you would spend hours just hammering (锤打).”

Now 65, Freed-Kernis has a thriving small business built largely through word of mouth. She creates 12 to 15 pieces a year that can take anywhere from a few days to three weeks to complete, while her prices range from £ 200 to £ 3,000. “I’m making smaller ones,” she says. “I don’t have to depend on the money much, so I want to keep prices in the range that people can afford, mainly just covering costs and labour (劳动力).”

1. Freed-Kernis was first attracted by stones when ______.

A．she was 60	B．she was a child
C．her father died	D．she moved to England

2. What can we infer about Freed-Kernis from paragraph 3?

A．She never cared about her father.

B．She led a disappointing life in Denmark.

C．She spent lots of time studying stone carving.

D．She learned stone carving under the influence of her dad.

3. How did Freed-Kernis feel when she started stone carving course?

A．Hopeful and proud.

B．Confident and satisfied.

C．Nervous and frightened.

D．Impatient and unprepared.

4. Why is Freed-Kernis making smaller pieces?

A．They are easier to move by her.

B．They are more affordable to people.

C．She wants to save costs and labour.

D．She is too old to focus on making large ones.

2 . In San Francisco, a large group of sea lions move themselves out of the bay waters and hang out on PIER 39, which is a popular tourist destination. According to dock (码头) officials, this is the most sea lions seen in the region in 15 years.

“Over 1,000 sea lions have been counted this week,” PIER 39 harbormaster Sheila Chandor told many different media. “The surge in sea lions is usually a good sign of their strong population and healthy living environment,” said Adam Ratner, Director of Conservation Engagement at the Marine Mammal (海洋哺乳动物) Center in Sausalito, California.

“California sea lions are sentinels (哨兵) of the ocean,” Ratner said. Their population to some extent reflects the health of the ocean. Therefore, seeing a large number of California sea lions is clearly a good thing.

For nearly 35 years, the slippery (滑的) residents have been a star attraction for tourists. That autumn in 1989, PIER 39 had just been repaired, but the ships had not yet been moved back. At that moment, the sea lions unexpected arrival not only attracted fans but also created enemies. According to a website, some dock residents and workers were scared away by the strong and very unpleasant smell and noise of their new neighbors, while others saw these animals as a bright spot after the destructive Loma Prieta earthquake.

The officials sought help from the Marine Mammal Center to find a way to deal with sea lions. Ratner said that the final decision is to let the sea lions stay and coexist with humans. “The fact proves that this is really a good thing,” he said. “This is just a proof of how we can truly work together and think about how we can share our coasts with marine mammals and other wildlife in a way that benefits all the parties involved.”

1. How does the author start the text?

A．By describing a situation.

B．By answering a question.

C．By holding a conversation.

D．By comparing different opinions.

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

A．Sharp increase.	B．Tight control.
C．Slow development.	D．Sudden movement.

3. What is Ratner’s attitude to the final decision?

A．Doubtful.	B．Uninterested.
C．Supportive.	D．Unclear.

4. What message does the author seem to convey in the text?

A．Sea lions are pretty cool animals.

B．Animals and humans can live in harmony.

C．Watching sea lions might not be a proper action.

D．Sea lions should be driven out of PIER 39.

3 . At some point, something will have to be done about the stuffed toys (毛绒玩具). I haven’t counted them because, truthfully, I’m not prepared to know how many there are. Lately, our neighborhood’s message boards are filled with posts about parents trying to make space, to clear out the things their kids no longer need. The tone of some of these posts can best be described as “emergency”. “Help!” they sometimes begin. “I have to get this out of my house.”

“The proliferation (激增) of children’s toys is the outcome of a long, gradual cultural change,”says Gary Cross, a professor at Pennsylvania State University. To understand how we got here — drowning (淹没于) in all those stuffed toys and bricks — it helps to look as far back as the late 19th century. “Parents were no longer passing their jobs on to the children,” Cross says. “Instead, they connect across generations through the gifting process. From the early 20th century on, goods became the things that define relationships between family members, and the way of marking success as a family.”

Then, how can parents deal with the proliferation of children’s toys at home? Naeemah Ford Goldson, a professional organizer, is also a mom of two. In her own home, Goldson likes to include her kids in the work of sorting out their toys. They know that the items they don’t need anymore will be given to people who can use them, to families who might not be as fortunate as theirs. “Doing so helps them build those habits of letting go,” she says, “so then they don’t become adults who are too dependent on material things instead of experiences, or people, and the memories we make with people.”

Her idea made sense. She told her 5-year-old they should pick some to give to kids in their community who came from another country and had to leave their toys behind. She immediately took a pink bear from the pile.

1. Why does the author present the posts in paragraph 1?

A．To show the popularity of children’s toys.

B．To offer suggestions about choosing children’s toys.

C．To praise the role of social media in buying children’s toys.

D．To introduce the influence too many children’s toys bring about.

2. What has caused the huge increase of children’s toys according to Cross?

A．Children’s demands.	B．The growth of technology.
C．The traditions in the 18th century.	D．The practice of gifting among family members.

3. What does Goldson do to avoid too many toys?

A．Involve her kids in organizing toys.	B．Put away toys for her kids.
C．Buy her kids fewer toys.	D．Sell unwanted toys to neighbors.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．The Rise of Toy Stores in Neighborhoods	B．The Importance of Choosing Proper Gifts
C．The Challenge of Managing Children’s Toys	D．The Joy of Collecting Children’s Toys

4 . Popular people are admired and loved by their peers (同龄人).     1     Popular people have plenty of friends and usually have a high social status in their peer group. Here are some general tips that will help you become a more likable and popular person.

Avoid offering help in exchange for approval (认可). Trying to be helpful will have the opposite effect.     2     Popular people help others because they have a useful skill, not because they want to win someone else’s friendship.

Be the glue in your social circle. When you have plans to meet a group of friends for a social outing, make a habit of inviting someone who hasn’t met everyone in the group yet. If you re hanging out with a friend and run into another friend, remember to introduce them to each other.     3    

Practice positivity. People who often complain about life and are more pessimistic have fewer friends. Therefore, it’s important to have a positive attitude and avoid constant complaining.     4     It can be a key step in making close friends. But if you talk about your problems over and over again, your friends might not enjoy hanging out with you.

    5     Many people make the mistake of avoiding social relationships at their school or workplace. They think these places are for work or studying, not socializing. But most of us spend a lot of time at work or college. If you refuse to socialize with people you see almost every day, you’ll miss out on some valuable relationships.

A．Build relationships at work place and school.

B．Otherwise, your friends might feel awkward.

C．Make sure you are popular with your friends.

D．You’ll be regarded as people who need friendship.

E．And many people want to be associated with popular people.

F．However, sometimes sharing your problems with others is a good thing.

G．Peers have a special gift that enables them to make friends wherever they go.

5 . WELCOME

STUDENT HANDBOOK

The administration, faculty, and staff of American Heritage and American Academy welcome you to the new school year. Please take the time to become familiar with the following information. It can be helpful during the school year for the students and an effective means to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.

Academic Reporting

The-175-day academic year is divided into two semesters, each with two grading periods, and report cards are given at the end of each. Plus, progress reports are issued throughout the year, with their distribution dates listed in the booklet’s back.

Conference Days & Exam Days

Conference days are normally held on the Friday, which are required to be attended by all the students, following the distribution of report cards.

Fourth, fifth and sixth graders take exams during exam week at the end of the school year. All students are expected to be present during finals. Any student who must miss an exam date is required to request permission in writing stating just cause for absence.

Requirements for Promotion

To be eligible（有资格的）for promotion, a student must successfully complete all grade level requirements including maintaining a “C” average or higher in Reading and/or Mathematic s for the year and for second semester.

Honors Classes

Honors level classes are offered to scholarly qualified students in Math（Grades 2-6）, Language Arts/Reading（Grades 4-6), and Science（Grades 5-6) . Administration recommends placement based on student testing, motivation, teacher recommendation, and the good of the individual and the whole class. Students in Honors Classes will be moved to a regular class at end of semester if a “C—” or lower is earned.

1. What do we know about academic reporting?

A．Students have three-time marking periods in a semester.

B．Students are not sure when they can get reports cards.

C．Students are well informed to know their grades’ progress.

D．Students have to go to school to get reports in person.

2. What do Conference Days & Exam Days require students to do?

A．Get promoted for next year.	B．Attend a meeting on Friday.
C．Get into Honors Classes.	D．Miss exams without reasons.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To provide rules of managing students’ behavior.

B．To show students’ rights and responsibilities.

C．To sign an agreement with students’ parents.

D．To offer some information about the school year.

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。

Two giant pandas, Jinxi and Zhuyu,     1     (leave) for the Madrid Zoo in Spain next Monday for a 10-year residency, according to the China Wildlife Conservation Association on Wednesday. The panda couple come from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

This action     2     (base) on the agreement on international conservation cooperation and research of giant pandas. It is     3     (further) the friendship of the two countries     4     (build) upon pandas. According to the reports, three Spain-born giant pandas, together with their parents, returned to China on February after living in Spain for more than a decade.

    5     all preparations made before transportation, the Chinese and Spanish sides are actively making efforts to ensure that the two giant pandas     6     (safe) arrive at Madrid Zoo. It will be helpful for them to adapt     7     the new environment.

According to the Xinhua News, the base has customized     8     special air transport cage to ensure that pandas can move freely, feed and rest inside the cage, and that the temperature inside the cabin is maintained at a     9     (suit) level. It is also arranged     10     a sufficient amount of fresh and high-quality local bamboo and bamboo shoots in Sichuan are prepared.

7 . 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。

The very ancient poetry that     1     (write) a thousand or more years ago was simpler and about common things like love, romance and nature that people appreciate. Though much poetry was created in the eras following the Song dynasty, it is thought that the poets became increasingly     2     (academy) and hard to understand so that modern Chinese can’t appreciate the style and meaning.

For foreigners, ancient Chinese poetry     3     (be) more difficult     4     (comprehend). One of the reasons is the nature of Chinese characters     5     (they).Often one character has many meanings,     6     makes the translation of Chinese into English a key part of reading and understanding Chinese poetry. Put simply, good translation is essential to     7     (full) understand Chinese poems.

Another point worth     8     (notice) about ancient Chinese poetry is that itis influenced by Confucian and Taoist thinking. Ancient Chinese poetry has a focus of friendship besides love or being     9     lover. Friendships, to the village, the community, the country or your drinking friends are dominant themes. The poets’ main task seems to be just writing poetry, because a life as a poet is an important thing. In this respect, Chinese poetry is all     10     the poet, the “meaning” for the poet and not what is happening around the poet.

8 . In the past generations, our ancestors (祖先) lived with the simplest way. When science and technology materialize, there are various developments in the world that change and improve the way of living of people. As years go by, more and more innovations (创新) were created by applying the ideas of science and technologies. Most of these have positive effects on the society but some of these are harmful in certain ways. However, the importance of science and technology can’t be denied.

Science and innovation have mainly affected society, and their effect is developing. It makes life simpler and makes people more gainful. This change has positive and negative effects. The benefit is making life simpler while the other side is that it makes individuals needy and lazier. By making life simpler, science has allowed man to seek for cultural concerns to improve human conditions.

Science and technology can shape the general public we live in very well and can make us feel simpler, safer and increasingly gainful. However, it also can be used wrongly, which can harm many blameless lives. We must think for our own progress as well as for the improvement of each person of this planet that we call our own home.

In short, science and innovation have made a great contribution to our lives. They may also be related to us greatly. In this way, their effects will depend on how we follow up on them. In addition, if we see the more brilliant side of innovation, it is the foundation of national construction.

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

A．Return.

B．Appear.

C．Stay.

D．go.

2. What is the author’s attitude towards science and technologies?

A．Unclear.

B．Negative.

C．Doubtful.

D．Objective.

3. Which of the following is the effect of science?

A．A better living condition.	B．People becoming less adaptive.
C．People becoming determined.	D．A colorful history.

4. What should we do when using science and technology?

A．Improve studying standard.	B．Help the disabled.
C．Think for other people.	D．Treat wildlife equally.

9 . ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK TOUR

Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) spans over 415 square miles. It contains more than 300 miles of hiking roads and one of the most amazing sights and landscapes (风景) that Colorado has to offer in summer and winter. It’s a perfect place to take a day vacation just for yourself.

Ride by the Iconic Flatirons and the City of Boulder

Your tour kicks off in Boulder which is hidden in a classical little valley near the Flatirons. This community is home to over 100,000 people and features booming tech, food industries, and world-class University of Colorado.

Have a Tasty Picnic Lunch at Rocky Mountain National Park

There’s nothing better than enjoying a meal with the Rocky Mountains in the background. With the unbelievable beauty of the area, it offers plenty of opportunities for taking photos. People have chance to see local wildlife. It’s no wonder that nearly 3 million people visit this national park every year.

Go for a Scenic Ride down Trail Ridge Road

There’s no better way to discover the Rocky Mountains than taking a scenic (风景优美的) ride down Trail Ridge Road. Stretching for 48 miles, it gives you the chance to enjoy the Rocky Mountains in leisure.

Finish with a Ride Through Estes Park

Taking a ride through Estes Park is the best way to end this tour. This town is well known for being the main base of RMNP and provides an unbelievable view of Prospect Mountain.

1. Where does the tour begin?

A．In Boulder.	B．In Prospect Mountain.
C．At Trail Ridge Road.	D．In Estes Park.

2. What can people do at the Rocky Mountain National Park?

A．Cook a meal with family.	B．Ride a horse.
C．Take photos.	D．Hunt wildlife.

3. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A sports website.	B．A news report.
C．A travel magazine.	D．A geography textbook.

10 . The Yellow River is the cradle of China’s civilization. And flood control and prevention have always been key to the well-being of the people living along it. Now, scientists can better work on these issues by giving the river a digital twin.

The digital twin of the Yellow River uses various technologies, including big data, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things. Devices (设备) set up along the river collect and transmit information to the center. Based on the information, a 3D model of the river is presented on the computer screen. It’s like the Yellow River has a twin that reflects its real conditions.

One big breakthrough in the river’s digital governance (治理) is “smart stones”. According to Wang Qin, a lead researcher at the Information Center of Yellow River Henan Bureau, a smart stone is a water-proof stone-shaped device with chips, a battery, and a signal transmitter. They are buried in important dike (堤坝) locations to record and report the movement of dike stones. “Upon feeling movement of the dike stones, the smart stone sends an alarm to the center for quick response,” Wang said.

“In the past, researchers had to learn the conditions of the dike on the spot by themselves, putting their lives at risk,” said Zhao Xiao from the bureau. “Now the smart stones can do this for us, more safely, quickly, and accurately.”

And in the sky, drones (无人机) are flying. On the routes designed by engineers, the drones become expert patrollers (巡逻员) of the river, looking at its dikes and flood prevention projects. According to Shen Lin from the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, thanks to the drones, researchers at the command center can get first-hand photos and information. “Researchers then update the 3D model according to the changes the drones reported. The newly updated model helps us test our floodwater release plans in case we ever need to batten down the hatches (未雨绸缪), ”said Shen.

Under the water and up in the sky, intelligence systems are helping to protect the Yellow River Basin on all fronts. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, in the future, we can expect to see the construction of an even more comprehensive digital system for this important river.

1. What is the main purpose of creating a digital twin of the Yellow River?

A．To conduct historical research.

B．To create a virtual tourist attraction.

C．To raise public awareness of river protection.

D．To improve flood control and prevention efforts.

2. How do the smart stones contribute to the river’s digital governance?

A．They record water quality.

B．They improve the river’s beauty.

C．They monitor and report dike movements.

D．They serve as markers for important locations.

3. What is one of the functions of drones in the digital governance of the Yellow River?

A．Entertaining tourists.	B．Collecting information on dike conditions.
C．Patrolling and take wildlife photos.	D．Testing water quality.

4. What does the under lined word “comprehensive” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Complete.

B．Basic.

C．Beautiful.

D．Natural.