1. What are they talking about?
| A．Their favorite subjects. |
| B．Their performance in class. |
| C．Their preparation for the coming exam. |
| A．It is beyond her ability. |
| B．It is difficult to understand. |
| C．It has too much to memorize. |
| A．Practising a lot. | B．Understanding the rules. | C．Memorizing more words. |
2 . Do you feel lonely? The World Health Organization (WHO) recently addressed loneliness as a pressing health threat. It called for countries and organizations to make social connections a priority.
Loneliness is a state of mind marked by feelings of isolation (孤独) despite wanting social connections. So, people who are lonely usually experience the emotional pain of not being connected with others. Solitude (独处), on the other hand, is voluntary. People who enjoy spending time by themselves continue to maintain positive social relationships that they can return to when they want connection.
Social isolation impacts the health and well-being of all age groups across the world. According to the WHO, one in four old people experience social isolation. Among adolescents, between 5 and 15 percent experience loneliness, but the numbers are likely to be underestimations, said the organization.
In terms of teenagers, social disconnection can lead to poorer education outcomes since young people who have experienced loneliness in high school are more likely to drop out of university.
Lack of social connection carries a risk of early death equivalent to other better-known risk factors such as smoking, obesity and air pollution, or potentially even greater. Loneliness has a far-reaching impact comparable to smoking up to 15cigarettes a day, according to a 2017 study.
Previous studies have shown that loneliness has been linked to anxiety and depression and can increase the risk of heart disease by 30 percent. A 2015 study looked at the immune systems of its participants who were identified as lonely. It showed that they tend to have more inflammation (炎症) and less immunity, which can be a result of feeling stressed due to loneliness.
To tackle this crisis, the WHO launched the Commission on Social Connection, which held its first leadership meeting from Dec. 6 to 8 to outline solutions to build social connections at scale.
1. What can we learn about people experiencing loneliness from the text?| A．They prefer solitude over social interaction. |
| B．They feel lacking in social connection. |
| C．They feel other people isolate them on purpose. |
| D．They struggle to maintain social relationships. |
| A．It is harder for older people to get rid of it. |
| B．Teenagers are usually not influenced by it. |
| C．People can suffer from it regardless of their age. |
| D．Adults experience it primarily due to workplace stress. |
| A．By citing previous studies. | B．By asking the readers some questions. |
| C．By quoting lonely people. | D．By comparing it with other diseases. |
| A．To raise awareness about loneliness. |
| B．To give advice on how to prevent social isolation. |
| C．To stress the need for mental health evaluations. |
| D．To warn people of diseases related to loneliness. |
3 . City Hotels
Royal
It’s easy to miss this central hotel hidden away in a side street. Unlimited coffee, but nothing more, is available in the morning, but there are food stores a short walk away.
Windmill
This medium-priced hotel surrounded by artists’ studios, lively bars and interesting food shops is right in the middle of the city. The underground station outside will take you anywhere, including the airport within minutes. Help yourself to breakfast from 8 am downstairs.
Hi-Tech
All costs are kept low here. Guests book on the Internet, then check in and buy everything they need from machines. Breakfast comes in airline-style boxes. You sleep in a tiny cabin (隔间)for one and roll up your bed during the day. It’s a fun choice for backpackers, who get together in the lively club next door.
Stark’s
A leading designer has decorated the inside of this smart modern hotel with white bed covers and wooden floors. The ground floor has a top-class restaurant and gym. Reception is open 24 hours a day.
Mars
Hotel Mars is located on one of the main streets, a short walk from tourist attractions, theaters and restaurants. The luxury rooms are beautifully decorated. An excellent breakfast is served by waiters in the top-floor restaurant, which also offers breathtaking evening views over the city.
Haussman
The wonderful city museum is right next door to this friendly 19th-century hotel. The hotel games room will keep all ages entertained, and there’s plenty on offer at the self-service breakfast. Staff are always happy to supply information about what’s on.
1. What can be learned about Windmill?| A．It offers unlimited coffee. | B．It has an online-ordering service. |
| C．It is designed by a leading artist. | D．It is next to an underground station. |
| A．Comfort. | B．Security. | C．Price. | D．Service. |
| A．Royal. | B．Mars. | C．Haussman. | D．Stark’s. |
1. Who organizes the Winter Festival?
| A．The government. |
| B．A team of volunteers. |
| C．The businessmen around the town. |
| A．It will be held in a school. |
| B．There are three opening nights. |
| C．The painters of the pictures are local students. |
| A．A fancy-dress party. |
| B．A music talent show. |
| C．An art exhibition. |
| A．To inform people of the festival. |
| B．To raise money for the festival. |
| C．To show some of the musical talents. |
1. What is the woman worried about?
| A．How to get to the students’ union. |
| B．How to find a map of the university. |
| C．How to live the university life. |
| A．8 hours． | B．9 hours． | C．11 hours. |
| A．Beside the Lab B. |
| B．Opposite the Chemistry labs. |
| C．On the right of the Science Blocks. |
| A．Have an appointment with him on Thursday. |
| B．Get familiar with the university. |
| C．Write her telephone number down on the form. |
Sometimes a stranger can greatly improve our day. A pleasant meeting with a stranger can comfort us when we were in trouble.
Once, I experienced a severe turbulence (气流颠簸) on the flight to Boston. Because of that, I was extremely scared. Anxiety and fear filled my heart. All the people on the flight seemed nervous, except my seatmate, who looked friendly and calm. Then, I turned to the woman next to me and said, “Hey, would you mind chatting with me for a few minutes? I’m really nervous.”
“Sure. My name is Sue,” the woman replied, smiling warmly. “What brings you to Boston?” I started to explain that I was on a business trip. Then the plane shook violently, and suddenly I said, “I might need to hold your hand too.” Sue took my hand in both of hers, patted it, and held on tight.
When Sue Pernick took my hand on that scary flight to Boston, I almost wept (哭泣) with comfort. She was so calm and made me less frightened—“Yep, this is a little trouble, but we’ll be on the ground safely soon,” she told me—that I asked her what she did for a living. “I’m a retired P.E. teacher and I coached women’s volleyball,” she said. Immediately, I could see what an awesome coach she must have been.
Sue and I talked-about our families, our vacations, our love of the ocean—until the plane finally landed. Then the businessman sitting on the other side of her, who’d been silent the entire flight, remarked that he’d enjoyed our conversation. “It cleared my fear out,” he said. “I was scared too. I wanted to hold Sue’s hand!” When we said goodbye, I gave Sue a big hug and my e-mail address.
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。
A few days later, I received an e-mail.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I decided to be a person like Sue.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7 . A three-year nationwide action plan to better protect ancient covered bridges (廊桥) started on Monday in Taishun county, Wenzhou city in East China’s Zhejiang province.
Covered bridges not only serve as means of transportation and communication. They are also acting as places to rest and for leisurely gatherings, sites for making offerings and even market areas for trading.
“Covered bridges are an important part of traditional Chinese culture, with a long history and rich diversity,” said Huang Zi, a lead expert at the Zhejiang Ancient Architecture Design and Research Institute.
But their largely wooden structures and the variety of roles they play make them easier to be damaged. In 2016, three ancient covered bridges in Taishun were destroyed by heavy rains during a typhoon. In 2020, a covered bridge first built during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and most recently rebuilt in the 18th century in Wuyuan county, Jiangxi province, was destroyed by floodwaters. Not long ago, a 900-year-old covered bridge in Pingnan county, Fujian province, one of the longest in China, fell down in a fire at night in early August.
Protective measures have already been put in place in areas with ancient covered bridges. It will be a long-term process, said Huang, and greater efforts should be made to keep that sustainable (可持续的). One key, according to Huang, is to involve people’s concerns, needs and values in protecting the covered bridges.
“More preservation knowledge should be communicated to people through related projects,” he said.
More relevantly, the protection of covered bridges should be combined with tourism. “When people come to visit, walk and have fun there, those old covered bridges can truly show their energy and liveliness,” he said.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Different means of transportation. | B．The roles of covered bridges. |
| C．Places to communicate and rest. | D．Trading areas of covered bridges. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By listing numbers. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By telling stories. |
| A．Projects to build different bridges. |
| B．Knowledge about the bridge history. |
| C．Public attention and participation. |
| D．Communication about different values. |
| A．They were largely made of hard stones. |
| B．The protective measures were not enough. |
| C．The covered bridges in Taishun fell down in a fire. |
| D．Tourism will do harm to their energy and liveliness. |
8 . The Best Language Learning Apps for 2023
We test all the major apps for learning a language and here are our top picks for 2023.
Rype
Rype is an online marketplace where language students find teachers and then sign up for low-cost-courses. Because Rype offers tutoring and not classes, it’s best for language learners who are not true beginners. Intermediate level speakers and higher will get the most out of Rype.
Rosetta Stone
It is one of the best software programs for learning a language, especially for beginners. It does well in introducing new words and basic grammar in a way that’s interesting. Rosetta Stone also does an excellent job of helping you to learn and study for about 30 minutes per day with its wonderfully clear and structured lessons.
Duolingo
Duolingo is really great for all language students. There is no better free language learning app than Duolingo. What makes it so good? With the help of the strong content and the good design, you can pick up and practice for a few minutes per day or sit down for longer study sessions.
Yabla
Unlike most other language learning apps and services, Yabla takes a video-first method. Diving into Yabla’s material is more like going to YouTube than opening a textbook. You learn by watching videos, some of which are in the style of a language learning lesson but many others are just interesting content—music videos, cooking segments, travel shows—in the language you’re learning.
1. Which of the four apps suits best for beginners?| A．Rype. | B．Rosetta Stone. | C．Duolingo. | D．Yabla. |
| A．It has cheap classes. | B．It is a free language app. |
| C．It introduces textbooks. | D．It offers videos to learn. |
| A．A travel brochure. | B．A wildlife website. |
| C．A monthly magazine. | D．A personal diary. |
9 . How to Prepare for an Earthquake
An earthquake can be a very destructive natural disaster, particularly in the Pacific Rim region. After an earthquake, your home may be a mess and you might be left without a water supply or power.
· Create a disaster plan.
Form your plan and know what to do before the earthquake happens.
In a real earthquake, this is your number one defense. Drop to the floor, take cover under a firm desk or table and hold on firmly. Namely, drop and cover your head from falling objects. Stay there until the shaking stops.
·Learn basic first aid.
There are resources in your community to educate people on how to deal with first aid emergencies.
·Write down and share emergency contact lists.
This should include everyone in your home, office, etc.
| A．Stay away from the shaking house. |
| B．Practice “drop, cover and hold on”. |
| C．Then go over your plan on a regular basis. |
| D．Therefore, you can turn to your family for help. |
| E．You need to know how to get in touch with them. |
| F．There are several things you can do to prepare for an earthquake. |
| G．For example, your local Red Cross has classes teaching you the basic skills. |
10 . On Sunday, Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia shocked the running world by breaking the women’s world record for the marathon by over two minutes. Assefa finished the Berlin Marathon in just 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 53 seconds.
But Assefa’s record was far beyond what most people expected. After all, it was only her third time running a marathon.
“I wanted to break the marathon world record,” she said, “But I couldn’t imagine that it would result in a time under 2:12.”
When Assefa was younger, she started by running short races, called sprints. Then she became a middle-distance runner, running the 800 meters (half mile) race. Her best time in the 800 meters was 1 minute and 59 seconds.
Last March, she ran her first marathon. Then last September, she entered the Berlin Marathon. She won, and set a new women’s record for the course, finishing in 2:15:37.
This year, she ran almost four minutes faster than she did last year. In both races, Assefa ran faster in the second half of the race than she did in the first half.
Her time of 2:11:53 was over two minutes faster than the old women’s record (2:14:04), which was set in Chicago in 2019 by Brigid Kosgei of Kenya.
When she finished the race, Assefa kneeled down and kissed the pavement before raising her arms in victory.
Though Assefa made it look easy, she said winning the race “…was the result of hard work.” Assefa was coached by Gemedu Dedefo, who has helped train many Ethiopian star runners.
1. What is Assefa’s latest record for the marathon?| A．2:11:53. | B．2:14:04. | C．2:15:37. | D．1:59:00. |
| A．It is what she expected. | B．It is a piece of cake for her. |
| C．It is due to great effort. | D．It is because of her coach. |
| A．Talented. | B．Friendly. | C．Humorous. | D．Warm-hearted. |
| A．Dedefo Helps to Train Many Star Runners |
| B．Kosgei Holds the Women’s Marathon Record |
| C．Assefa Sets a Good Example to Other Runners |
| D．Assefa Breaks the Women’s Marathon Record |
