1 . The more you meditate and achieve mindfulness, the better you’ll feel. There are many free meditation apps that offer guided sessions, calming playlists.

Headspace

This app is simple and approachable for meditation beginners. Most of the free sessions focus on teaching the users how to meditate and easing them into the practice, while also acknowledging that meditation can be difficult. Yet to get into the really good stuff, you need to pay for the full membership.

Insight Timer

The app offers a multitude of meditation bells and calming musical notes during self-guided meditations. Featuring a variety of professional instructors and courses, Insight Timer also offers more contents for free users than other apps. Although the free option is extensive, the premium version (高级版) offers courses, downloadable meditations, night mode, and daily insights.

Meditation Studio

The app groups all its free meditations together, so it’s easy to use it without paying. These meditations run from 5 to 30 minutes and are available for download, a feature that other apps typically reserve for premium members. The number of free contents, however, is limited and included mostly basics. The design of the app is also relatively plain.

Breethe: Meditation & Sleep

A nice feature about Breethe is the calming background music that plays while the app is open, even without opening a meditation or music. Breethe offers a lot of sleep contents, including visualizations and bedtime stories. The app does offer a few 7-day courses for free, but the majority (1,000-plus meditations) is locked behind the paywall.

1. Which app is completely free of charge?

A．Headspace.	B．Insight Timer.
C．Meditation Studio.	D．Breethe: Meditation & Sleep.

2. What is special about Headspace?

A．Courses from professional coaches.

B．Advanced instructions of meditation.

C．Bedtime stories and calming background music.

D．Guidelines on how to get into meditation at the beginning.

3. What do Insight Timer and Breethe: Meditation & Sleep have in common?

A．They have a night mode set.	B．They provide contents on sleep.
C．They have calming background music.	D．They offer free contents of the same period.

2 . Cork is a light brown material harvested from the cork oak tree. Cork is lightweight, strong and resistant to water.     1     For thousands of years, people have used pieces of cork as closures for bottles because cork is made of small cells filled with air. It is said that no technology has been able to copy this unusual material exactly.

The cork oak tree is native to the western Mediterranean coast of Europe.     2     In fact, Portugal produces more than half of the world’s cork supply. Cork oak trees have to be at least twenty-five years old before they are ready for harvest.     3     Cork is gathered by skillfully cutting off the outer layer of the tree with special knives. The harvest weakens the tree temporarily, but it soon starts to grow a new layer of bark. Next, the cork harvest is set out in the open for six months. Then, the cork is boiled in order to clean it and make it softer.     4    

Because cork oak trees are not killed during harvest, they can live for as long as 200 years. Also, used cork products can be recycled and used again. This makes cork a valuable renewable resource.     5    Wine makers say cork stoppers in their bottles let the wine be aged and improve over time. But now some wine producers are changing to plastic or metal closures. Some environmentalists worry that if cork starts to lose its value, the cork oak forests in Europe will no longer be protected.

A．After drying, the cork is ready to be cut.

B．Harvests only happen once every nine years.

C．Cork has even found a use in making rockets.

D．It is best known for keeping liquids from spilling.

E．Cork can be shined and used to cover floors and walls.

F．The largest cork oak forests in the world are in Portugal.

G．The wine industry has been a major supporter of cork production.

3 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

I used to play football when I was a little kid. Okay, let’s face it. I was never really a little kid. I was so big that I got to play football a whole year ahead of my friends. Our football league didn’t have an age limit, but it had a weight requirement. If you were heavy enough, you got to play. I was heavy enough at the age of eight.

The only problem was, by the time I turned ten I was too heavy. You had to weigh a certain amount to start playing, but if you weighed too much they made you stop. Not playing would be just fine with me. I would be happier sitting at home reading a book.

Dad was one of the team’s big sponsors and friends of the coach, so I figured I would let him down and that quitting wasn’t an option. I went, day after day, and week after week... until I was eleven and weighed more than two hundred pounds. I thought that would be the end of it, once and for all.

However, my coach came up with a bright idea to help me lose weight. The very next practice he presented me with a T-shirt made out of a black garbage bag. “Put it on,” he said, pointing out the holes for my head and arms. “Start running around the practice field.” “Koop going, Fireplug (消防栓),” other players would shout. “Fireplug” was the new name they gave me. Although no one ever explained it to me, I figured it had something to do with me being shaped like it.

Every day in practice, I had to run in that stupid garbage bag. My short fat legs weren’t exactly comfortable, and often I’d trip and fall. The other players would laugh. At that moment, I asked myself, “Why? Was I being punished for something? Wasn’t the running, sweating and pain enough?” I suddenly realized that I’d been knocking myself out for something I didn’t even want to do in the first place!

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。

It was then that I decided I wouldn’t play football anymore.

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Much to my surprise, my dad was on my side.

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4 . 阅读下面短文，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。

What does traveling mean? Visit, enjoy and discover.

Every year hundreds and thousands of people come to the UK. And London, the capital city     1     (be) usually their first stop. What can they see? What can they experience?

    2     (get) around in London is not difficult. There is the underground train, the oldest in the world, or the     3     (tradition) double-decker bus (双层公共汽车). A boat trip along the River. Thames takes you     4     the Tower of London.

Going around the city center on foot is easy. The maps in the streets will show you     5     is around you in five-minute walk. You can     6     (amaze) get a great view of the city from meters upon a huge wheel, the London Eye. Look across the river     7     you will see the Houses or of Parliament and the famous clock tower, Big Ben.

There are over 240     8     (museum) in the capital, but the two most popular are in South Kensington and cost nothing to get into. In the Natural History Museum, the keyword is Big. Next is the Science Museum. It     9     (have) those great British inventions, the history of fight and     10     (explore) of space.

5 . Dutch researchers have discovered that birds living in cities are using metal spikes (尖刺) to build their nests. People put these spikes on buildings in order to keep birds off their balconies, benches, and chimneys, but birds seem to be stealing them and using them to keep people away from their eggs.

The research began when, in the courtyard of a hospital in Antwerp, Belgium, biologist AukeFlorian Hiemstra found a large nest that had been built by a magpie (喜鹊). The nest was made from about 1,500 metal spikes. They were pointing outward to create a protective system around the nest.

“I just stared at it, this strange, beautiful, weird nest,” Hiemstra told BBC News. When he investigated further, he found that magpies had moved away nearly 165 feet of metal spikes that had been glued to the hospital’s roof.

After Hiemstra made this discovery, his team heard about a similar nest created by crows in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, and another magpie nest in Glasgow, Scotland. The crows had positioned the spikes in a different way, perhaps using the metal to support the nest’s structure.

In their report, the researchers mention many kinds of birds moving spikes off buildings, but they chose to focus their study on corvids(birds from the crow family). The researchers pointed out that there have been previous studies on how corvids use everything from telephone wires to clothes hangers to build their nests. They said the use of anti-bird spikes “hints at a functional use”—meaning the birds seem to know exactly what they’re doing.

Magpies have often been seen nesting in thorny (多刺的) places, where the thorns can prevent people from attacking the small eggs and chicks inside the nest. Thorny hedges aren’t common in cities, however, so the theory is that magpies use the human-made version instead. Hiemstra calls this the birds’ “revenge”. “We’re trying to get rid of birds, but the birds are collecting our metal spikes and actually making more birds in these nests,” he said.

1. Why are metal spikes put on buildings?

A．To draw birds’ attention to the nest.	B．To prevent strangers entering.
C．To keep birds off the buildings.	D．To make the buildings more beautiful.

2. Magpies use metal spikes to build nests ________.

A．to protect their eggs and chicks	B．to decorate their nests
C．to provide a strong hold	D．to support the structure of the nests

3. What does Hiemstra think of birds’ collecting metal spikes?

A．Disappointing.	B．Appreciative.
C．Confusing.	D．Indifferent.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce a new species of bird that has adapted to city life.

B．To compare different nesting habits of birds in urban environments.

C．To emphasize the negative impact of human activities on bird habitats.

D．To inform readers about birds using metal spikes to build nests in cities.

6 . Tropical (热带的) forests could become so hot that some kinds of leaves will no longer be able to conduct photosynthesis (光 合 作用), according to a study. The photosynthetic machinery in tropical trees begins to fail at about 46.7℃ on average. The research suggests that forests may be nearing dangerous temperature sooner than expected. Models predict that once we hit a global temperature increase of 3.9℃, these forests might experience mass leaf damage.

Chris Doughty, an associate professor at Northern Arizona University and the lead researcher of the study, said the leaf-warming experiments had revealed a nonlinear rise in temperatures. “We were really surprised that when we warmed leaves by 2, 3 or 4℃, the highest leaf temperatures actually increased by 8℃. This shows a concerning nonlinear feedback that we were not expecting.” said Doughty. “If we adopt a do-nothing response to climate change and tropical forest air temperatures increase by greater than 4℃, there could be massive leaf death.” he added.

Avoiding high emissions (排放) in the first place is key to stabilizing temperatures. “We should do all we can to avoid high-emissions. Under low-emissions, almost all tropical forest tree leaves can avoid death from overheating and the trees will survive,” said Simon Lewis, a professor of global change science at University College London. “Yet what the study doesn’t look at is heatwaves. We still might see tree deaths from overheating for limited periods during heatwaves under lower emissions.”

Researchers suggest that the damage is not yet unchanged. “Vote for people who are serious about addressing climate change and transferring to low-carbon economies, ”Disney, one researcher, advocated. More generally, we can all recognize the importance of supporting those countries and people who live in and rely on tropical forests economically, But the serious changes to tropical forests don’t just affect the local people it’s a global issue.

1. Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “nonlinear”   in Paragraph 2?

A．Global.

B．Dramatic.

C．Steady.

D．Minor.

2. What is most crucial in keeping temperatures stable?

A．Planting more trees.	B．Exploring heatwaves.
C．Conducting researches.	D．Pursuing low emissions.

3. What was Disney’s suggestion in the last paragraph?

A．Promoting global efforts.

B．Seeking economic support.

C．Helping tropical countries.

D．Boosting low-carbon education.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Global warming harms trees.

B．Tropical forests lose functions.

C．Tropical leaves struggle in heat.

D．Forests near dangerous temperature.

7 . Celebrating the Yorkshire Dialect (方言)

The Yorkshire Dialect Society (YDS) is kicking off a weekend of activities for Yorkshire Day in Keighley Library with what might be described as an important warm-up event and something unique and special about Yorkshire people—how they talk.

Keynote speakers will include Ian Stevenson on the story behind the Yorkshire dialect, such as the point from which it starts and its gradual development; Rod Dimbleby, Chairman of the YDS, on the 19th-century dialect poet and storyteller John Hartley; and Eric Scaife on readings and recitation s of dialect poems and prose (散文). There will also be an exhibition of books and booklets by the Keighley historian, writer and dialect poet, the late Ian Dewhirst.

The Schedule:
10:30   Registration and coffee.
11:00   The welcome speech by Rod Dimbleby.
11:10   The story behind the Yorkshire dialect by Ian Stevenson.
12:15   The lunch break. You may bring sandwiches or go to local cafes in Keighley. During the lunch break, there will be time to see the exhibition in the library to remember Ian Dewhirst who sadly died in 2019.
13:30   A talk on John Hartley’s Clock Almanack, a gold mine of the Yorkshire dialect, by Rod Dimbleby.
14:30-14:45   The tea break.
14:45   “Tyke Talk”——a celebration of the Yorkshire dialect through humorous poems and amusing stories—by Eric Scaife.
16:00   Questions and discussion about the future of the Yorkshire dialect.
16:30   Close.
Tickets:

The admission price is £5 for members and £8 for non-members, both of which include the morning coffee and afternoon tea.

1. Who will give the talk on the origins of the dialect?

A．Eric Scaife.

B．Ian Stevenson.

C．John Hartley.

D．Rod Dimbleby.

2. What can participants do during the lunch hour?

A．Join in a question-and-answer session.	B．Go into a recitation of poems and prose.
C．Make sandwiches in Keighley’s local cafes.	D．Attend an exhibition in memory of a poet.

3. What do we know about the event?

A．It lasts for two days in total.	B．It looks into the dialect’s future.
C．It offers a discount to members.	D．It focuses on dialect poets’ life and work.

8 . We are always seeking ways to make our events more inclusive and to find new ways to deliver value to you. For 2024 we have reduced the ticket prices and introduced a new ticket option “super early bird” for our Instant Expert events. All our events will still be held at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London. What doesn’t change is that each event will continue to feature six expert speakers sharing their knowledge and latest research on the event topic.

What will you learn?

Anyone interested in genetics (遗传学) can attend, whatever your age or background. Whether you’re a scientist, a student or simply a fascinated human being, Instant Expert: The Genetics Revolution offers the chance to learn directly from the experts at our one-day masterclass. At this Instant Expert, you’ll learn about:

●Gene editing with CRISPR

●Whether DNA is destiny, Nature vs Nurture

●Genome sequencing and consumer DNA testing

●The ethics of creating new life

What’s included in your ticket?

●In-depth and engaging talks from six leading scientists

●Ask-an-expert Question Time session

●Your chance to meet our six speakers and New Scientist host

●Exclusive on-the-day New Scientist subscription deal, book and merchandise offers

Booking information:

Doors will open at 9 a. m. on Saturday, May 25th, with talks starting an hour later. The event will finish at 5 p. m. Lunch will NOT be provided at this event, but the agenda includes a one-hour lunch break... Visitors are welcome to bring their own food, or purchase lunch at one of the many establishments around Red Lion Square and the surrounding area.

Tickets are non-transferable to any other New Scientist event. All tickets are non-refundable.

1. Which is one of the changes about the event?

A．The prices of the tickets.	B．The place for the event.
C．The time for entrance.	D．The number of experts.

2. What can visitors do at Conway Hall?

A．Edit gene with CRISPR.	B．Have their DNA tested.
C．Buy discounted books.	D．Interact with the experts.

3. How long will the event last?

A．About 9 hours.

B．About 6 hours.

C．About 5 hours.

D．About 3 hours.

9 . Join the Sydney City Library

1. Create a City of Sydney account and join the library

Experience greater security and access to our library and other services by joining with a City of Sydney account. Your City of Sydney account uses your email address and a password as the login (登录). You’ll be able to use the same login to access other City of Sydney services.

① Go to the library online catalogue (目录) and select Join

② Select Create an account and follow the instructions

③ When the account is created, select Join the library

2. Join the library without an email address

If you don’t have an email address you can still join the library.

① Go to the library online catalogue and select Join

② Select Create an account and then the option I don’t have an email

③ Follow the prompts to complete the library membership form

3. Activate (激活) your membership

To ensure your full membership and collect your library card, visit a branch open for browsing and borrowing. You need to show proof of identity and permanent residential address. Official documents such as a driver licence, student card, bank statement or rates are accepted.

Applicants under 18 years old

A parent or guardian is required to approve your application. They need to visit a branch with you to show proof of identity, including their residential address and medicare card listing your name. For online memberships this proof of identity should be emailed to librarymemberships@cityofsydney. nsw. gov. au

1. What’s the benefit of having a City of Sydney account?

A．You can spend less money.	B．You can borrow more books.
C．You can enjoy safer access.	D．You can log in without a password.

2. What do you need to activate your membership?

A．Library card.	B．Email address.
C．Identity documents.	D．Bank password.

3. What is this text?

A．A guide.

B．A poster.

C．A report.

D．A notice.

10 . 假如学校外教Robert想聘请一名同学做他的助教，请你在学校英文报上替他写一则校园招聘信息。内容包括：
1. 招聘目的；
2. 选拔方式；
3. 报名要求。
注意：1. 词数80个左右；题目已给出，不计入总词数；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

I WANT YOU

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