1 . Imagine a school where students are taught by the best teachers in every subject, regardless of location. Imagine a school where students could go on safe field trips to the Amazon rainforest or Everest base camp. Well, such schools are already being built: in virtual(虚拟的)reality.

Last year, Optima Academy Online, an all-virtual school, delivered courses that aim to improve the hearts and train the minds of young people. These courses are of different levels, attracting 170 full-time students from all over Florida. In the progress of home-schooling, students use headsets for about three hours a day for formal lessons and then do course work independently with digital check-ins.

Future versions(版本)of VR will doubtless be widely used in education, but the only questions are: for what purpose and at what speed? There are enough reasons to doubt whether VR schools represent the future of education. Sticking a child in their bedroom with a heavy VR headset fastened to their face and no physical social interaction with other kids will fill many of them and their parents with horror.

A recent report concluded that digital education could significantly improve the quality and equality of schooling systems. But if managed poorly, it could have the opposite effect, turning a digital divide into an educational one. There is growing evidence to suggest that is happening. In Mexico, only 24 percent of 15-year-old students in poor schools have access(使用)to a home computer for schoolwork compared with 87 percent in rich ones.

Used properly, technology can be great for enabling self-motivated students to access learning resources and connect with fellow students and teachers all over the world, says Beeban Kidron, a member of the UK’s Digital Futures Commission. The trouble is that Edtech is too often seen as a shiny new toy that will solve all problems and save money rather than being viewed as a different way to learn, she adds.

1. What can we learn about Optima Academy Online?

A．It has been widely accepted.

B．It holds faraway outdoor field trips.

C．It provides various online courses.

D．It requires parents to help with check-ins.

2. What does paragraph 3 focus on about VR in education?

A．The development.	B．The concerns.
C．The advantages.	D．The popularity.

3. Students in Mexico are mentioned to show________．

A．Mexican schooling quality has been improved

B．local schooling systems are not fully developed

C．technology access gaps may cause education inequality

D．family backgrounds shape people’s views on education

4. What does Beeban Kidron think of digital education?

A．It enriches learning.	B．It’s irreplaceable.
C．It needs improving.	D．It’s undervalued.

2 . The Power of Insensitivity

Highly sensitive(敏感的)person, or HSP, is a term invented by psychologist Elaine Aron. HSPs can come with many challenges. They may find it hard to adapt to new surroundings, and easily become uncomfortable in response to certain feelings or others’ opinions.     1    

The power of insensitivity can be explained as “slow power”. Usually, people connect “insensitivity” with something bad, but indeed, it stresses the ability to keep doing something difficult without complaining.     2     It is not a weakness but an approach to winning a better life.

    3     Knowing yourself is difficult, and knowing yourself correctly is undoubtedly an excellent ability. The successful people clearly know where their strengths are, what they can do and what direction to go.

There are some ways to practice “insensitivity”: Don’t pay too much attention to the ups and downs of life at the moment.     4     Don’t get involved in other people’s lives and don’t let others affect yours. Regarding relationships, learn to view problems as two parts: One part is what you need to face and solve. The other part is the responsibility of others, which is not your business.

Everyone can gain the ability to be insensitive.     5     And the world will also be a better one if we focus on major goals and stay insensitive to something else.

A．Insensitivity plays a significant role.

B．Rather, you should be looking forward.

C．That’s where the need to be insensitive comes from.

D．Once you slow down the pace, you will feel more comfortable.

E．Those not easily affected are the people who care less about others.

F．That is, calmly facing the downtime in life and moving towards one’s own direction.

G．One reason why insensitivity allows people to better survive is the strong self-awareness.

3 . Dear Crystal,

I’m sorry to hear that life is getting you down right now ... I’m not sure there’s any specific advice I can give to cheer you up. It’s sometimes quite annoying to be reminded how much people love you when you don’t love yourself that much.

I’ve found that it’s of some help to compare one’s moods(情绪)about the world to the weather.   Here are some obvious things about the weather:

It’s real.

If it’s dark and rainy, it really is.

It isn’t under one’s control as to when the rain stops, but it will stop one day.

You can’t change it by wishing it away.

It really is the same with one’s moods．The wrong approach is to believe that they are illusions(幻想). Panic, anxiety and anger are as real as weather.

But they will pass; they really will.

In the same way that one has to accept the weather, one has to accept how one feels about life. “Today’s a bad day” is a perfect approach.“Hey-ho, it’s raining inside; it isn’t my mistake, and there’s nothing I can do about it. But when the sun comes out, I shall take full advantage.”

I don’t know if any of that is of any use... I just hope this brings you a little more pleasure and purpose in life.

Best wishes!

Yours,

Stephen Fry

1. How does Crystal feel according to the letter?

A．Ignored.

B．Ashamed.

C．Panicked.

D．Unhappy.

2. Stephen Fry writes to Crystal to________．

A．offer tips on making friends

B．teach skills of writing poems

C．share comfort and encouragement

D．explain ways of observing weather

3. In which column(专栏)of a school website will you find the text?

A．Literature.	B．Watch This.
C．Just Ask.	D．Science Forum.

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写一段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Ray was there to pick me up for the three-hour drive back home. That was how I came to know his story. As the father of two, he spent six days a week driving in a town far away from home. On his only day off, he drove five hours there and back to have time with his family in Preston．

“Leaving the kids is hard,” Ray smiled gently.

I smiled, too. I remembered my dad and I eagerly talked on the phone about daily things when he worked away for weeks.

After two hours into our drive when a tall sign saying Preston came into our sight, I asked if it was where his family lived. “Yes, about 5 kilometers down the road,” Ray looked out in the right direction．

My heart hurt. Then I decided to give the family a gift, even if it just would be my time.

“Why don’t we stop and say hello?” I suggested.

I met Ray’s inquiring (询问的) eyes like I was joking.I nodded to him and said “Yes”.Then, we drove off the main road.

注意：
1．续写词数应为 80左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Soon, we came to a small house in a village．

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5 . An adult African elephant consumes about 223 liters of water and 3,080 pounds of roots, grass and fruit daily. That’s like having 634 cans of soda and 1,200 hamburgers every day. This keeps them moving thousands of miles across Africa each year. Elephants usually migrate between March and May. Females live in groups with their children, and quickly run out of the food supply. They hit the road in search of food. Male elephants live alone, so they don’t use resources as quickly as the females. Instead, they migrate during their mating cycle. When the females pack their trunks, so do the males.

During migration, elephants face short water supplies and extremely high temperatures. But people are their number-one problem. Poachers (偷猎者) kill 35,000 elephants each year for ivory. Many African farmers build fences (栅栏) to protect crops and cattle, which might block regular migration paths. Traffic roads affect elephant migration, too. During one study of 28 elephants in Central Africa, only one female crossed an unprotected road.

Scientists, wildlife organizations and governments cooperate to find solutions for Africa’s elephants. “To unlock the secret of where elephants move and how they move, we place collars (项圈) with a satellite unit inside,” Dr. Michael Chase says. GPS collars help map which routes elephants use most so that countries can establish protected elephant passages.

Locals come in as well. James Isiche, East Africa Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare says, “We have got the community on our side by a project; they’ve agreed to partner with us to conserve elephants.” The local community run wildlife parks to attract tourists. “This project helps us take care of both the wildlife and our cows,” says Sikira, a tribal elder in Maasai, Kenya. Protecting elephant migration routes allows these gentle giants to survive.

1. What can we learn about the elephants from paragraph 1?

A．They show an interest in hamburgers.

B．They move south to survive the cold.

C．They migrate for different reasons.

D．Females live shorter for food shortage.

2. What is paragraph 2 of the text mainly about?

A．Results of poaching.	B．Reasons for killing elephants.
C．Difficulties in migrating.	D．Efforts to protect migration paths.

3. Why are collars applied by scientists?

A．To discover the secret of migration.

B．To track elephants with technology.

C．To identify the population of elephants.

D．To explore a new route for migration.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Say No to Ivory	B．A Journey in Africa
C．Ready for the Move	D．Technology in Migration

6 . Have you ever imagined an insect-inspired robot, which weighs less than a gram, could one day help out in surgery (外科手术)?

Scientists have designed this small, “insect-bot” called mCLARI that can control and even change its body shape as it travels in different environments to fit through gaps. It’s 2 centimeters long, weighs less than 0.97 grams and can travel at a speed of 6 centimeters per second.It’s the smaller, faster replacement to CLARI, which was designed by the same team.

“Because of the robot’s small size and ability to change shape, we expect usage of this technology in four important areas,” the lead author Kaushik Jayaram said. These include disaster (灾害) response , check on high-value objects, environmental monitoring and medical treatment.

“In the long term, we hope such robots will be used more widely in moving through human bodies and performing surgeries that can’t be easily done at present,” Jayaram said. With mCLARI, Jayaram’s team is moving closer to creating robots that can fit in different environments—just like the insects they’re inspired by.

The mCLARI robot has four legs and can move in narrow spaces by changing between running forward and side-to-side and can use different speeds in human bodies. Its legs are joined to its body through joints (关节), which enables mCLARI to change its body shape based on the environment it is in. For example, its legs can be lengthened up to 50% in certain spaces.

As follow-up work, the scientists want to give mCLARI more power and sensing ability while helping the surgeries. “We are also excited about understanding the effect of shape change on improving functions of robots,” Jayaram said. “And this is sure a great one-step forward of the technology. The robot will have entered the market by 2025 and will bring greater benefits to mankind, especially in medical treatment.”

1. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．Possible application fields of the robot.	B．Different types of the robot.
C．Several important features of the robot.	D．Working process of the robot.

2. Which of the following can best describe mCLARI?

A．Valuable but uncontrollable.	B．Modern but high-cost.
C．Heavy and time-consuming.	D．Advanced and effective.

3. What is Jayaram’s attitude towards the robot?

A．Worried.

B．Positive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Uninterested.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Jayaram: A Scientist Studying Robot Intelligence

B．mCLARI Is Already Widely Available in the Market

C．CLARI: A Robot Invented by Inspiration from the Insects

D．A Tiny Shape-changing Robot Will Help Perform Surgeries

7 . Ready to show off your art to the world? Check out our guide to some of the best art contests to enter this year.

Watermedia Showcase

Prize: $2,500 first prize, $1,250 second prize.

Entry Fee: $35.

Requirements: Open to international artists 18 years of age and older.

The Watermedia Showcase awards original art created primarily with water-based media. Judged by the editors of Watercolor Artist, all winners will have their work featured in the magazine.

The Lumen Prize for Digital Art

Prize: $4,000 first prize, with a $13,500 total prize fund.

Entry Fee: $40.

Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.

This digital art competition is organized by Lumen Art Projects Ltd, which provides new opportunities for digital artists around the world. Categories include Still, Moving Image, XR, 3D/Interactive and Artificial Intelligence.

World Illustration Awards

Prize: A cash prize of $2,540 and more publicity opportunities.

Entry Fee: $37.

Requirements: Open to artists worldwide.

Illustrators are invited to submit works to 8 different categories. Winners will win not only a cash prize, but also a feature in a major exhibition in central London, and an invitation to the Awards Evening in October.

Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing

Prize: $2,000 first prize, $1,000 second prize.

Entry Fee: $45.

Requirements: Open to artists in the United States.

The Strokes of Genius Competition celebrates original work made in drawing mediums, including pencil, charcoal and even some wet paint mediums. Winning entries (参赛作品) will be published in a special edition publication, The Best of Drawing.

1. Which competition is related to technology?

A．Watermedia Showcase.	B．The Lumen Prize for Digital Art.
C．World Illustration Awards.	D．Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing.

2. What chance can winners of World Illustration Awards have?

A．To host the Awards Evening.	B．To hold art exhibitions globally.
C．To sell their entries at high prices.	D．To become known to the public.

3. How is the Strokes of Genius Competition different from the others?

A．It is free of charge.	B．It awards the largest prize in amount.
C．It is a national competition.	D．It has an age limit for participants.

8 . 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。

Chinese netizens recently expressed     1     (amaze) at a map online clearly marking the country’s historic relics (文物). The map     2     (make) by Wu Yunjie, who was born in the 1990s.     3     (interest) in history, Wu would often spend his spare time travelling around the country, when he was in college, and     4     (explore) ancient sites.

In 2020, he started collecting information on cultural relics and uploaded the data to the mapping software. As many historical sites in rural areas cannot be located     5     (specific) , Wu did a lot of field research. “The job is rather difficult     6     I have much joy in it．I’m happy to make people more aware of the huge and rich historical heritage (遗产) from China’s long history,” he said.

Now, the map     7     (include) nearly 10,000 relics or museums. Many valuable temples, bridges and towers     8     have been lost in the country are also shown on the map. One post online said “The ancient tower around my house on the map! I can’t wait to visit     9    .”

However, in Wu’s eyes, the map is just     10     step forward, as it records a very small part of the cultural relics in the country, and he still has a long way to go.

9 . Every morning at 5 am when most people are asleep, a figure would be busy in the kitchen, cooking meals until the rest of the volunteers arrive. Day in and day out, Mr Tay and his team prepare, cook, pack and deliver the food to various parts of the island.

His journey started when one of his neighbors, Lisa, asked him to collect vegetables and give them away at Bukit Ho Swee, a poor and less-privileged neighbourhood, and thus, he continued to do so for a period of time. During one of these visits, his wife noticed that the elderly folk did not take the vegetables. Asked why, one replied that she could not cook, so she only ate the rice delivered to her. Mrs Tay then offered to cook for her, and that single meal sparked Willing Hearts, which has since served about 650,000 meals.

The soup kitchen sees many volunteers, some of whom are new, while others have been around since the organisation’s early days. They learn how to cook, interact with people from all walks of life, pick up different languages, gain greater knowledge about social issues, and most importantly, they will form a strong tie with one another. Through Willing Hearts, Mr Tay hopes to make “the country’s backyard” known to the younger generation, to allow them to see and experience firsthand what goes on behind closed doors.

As a non-profit organisation, Willing Hearts depends heavily on donations and food collections. However, this does not faze Mr Tay. He believes that you have to let things flow in gradually, and not be stopped by concerns which create an unnecessary amount of stress. He calls the volunteers of Willing Hearts the organisation’s eyes and ears, as they are always on the lookout for the poor to lend a hand.

1. What does Willing Hearts do?

A．It collects vegetables.	B．It delivers rice to the poor.
C．It helps the elderly to cook.	D．It makes meals for the needy.

2. What is the biggest harvest for volunteers?

A．Cooking skills.	B．Learning languages.
C．Working experience.	D．Connecting with people.

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

A．Satisfy.

B．Trouble.

C．Hurt.

D．Push.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Mr Tay and his wife.	B．Ways of helping others.
C．Importance of volunteering.	D．Stories behind Willing Hearts.

10 . It all began on a cold, rainy day．

Sarah, a poor single mother, was ________ to make ends meet. While waiting for the bus with her two children, Sarah ________ an old man sitting on a nearby bench. He was shivering (颤抖), his ________ jacket providing little protection against the freezing weather.

Sarah ________ the man and offered him her coat. She knew it would make her cold, but the thought of this stranger ________ while she had something to give was too much to bear. ________ by her selflessness, the man thankfully accepted the coat and gave back a smile. Little did Sarah know that her simple act of ________ would make a huge difference.

A man, who saw the heartwarming ________, took a photo and shared it on social media. The post quickly became a ________, with thousands of people sharing and commenting on Sarah’s ________. Encouraged by her, people began organizing events to ________ those less lucky. Schools added lessons on the ________ of helping others, and businesses started a “pay it forward” project, where people could buy more and leave the ________ meal for those in need.

Reflecting on this unbelievable journey, we can ________ our individual power, which may create an effect that would ________ reach every corner of the globe.

1.

A．helping

B．continuing

C．struggling

D．seeking

2.

A．left behind

B．came across

C．looked for

D．turned to

3.

A．clean

B．cheap

C．fancy

D．thin

4.

A．followed

B．approached

C．respected

D．caught

5.

A．complaining

B．staring

C．suffering

D．surviving

6.

A．Attracted

B．Confused

C．Moved

D．Shocked

7.

A．connection

B．appreciation

C．duty

D．kindness

8.

A．exchange

B．invitation

C．option

D．performance

9.

A．story

B．symbol

C．chance

D．hit

10.

A．generosity

B．courage

C．curiosity

D．patience

11.

A．change

B．support

C．direct

D．educate

12.

A．creativity

B．strength

C．significance

D．description

13.

A．quick

B．main

C．different

D．extra

14.

A．recognize

B．expect

C．remember

D．admit

15.

A．regularly

B．obviously

C．eventually

D．slightly