1 . Increased involvement from grandparents can be crucial in a child’s development. From helping children navigate stressful situations to giving kids that little extra bit of love and care, grandparents play an important role in the well-being of a child. Now, there’s scientific data to back this up.

According to a study of over 1,500 children, conducted by Professor Ann Buchanan from the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, children who have tight-knit relationships with their grandparents tend to have fewer problems, both emotionally and when it comes to their behavior. Besides, children also have less difficulty when interacting and maintaining relationships with others.

Kimberly Agresta, the co-founder of Englewood’s Agresta Psychotherapy Group, has also noticed in a study the significant benefits of allowing grandparents to be more involved in children’s lives. “If parents regularly involve grandparents in their child’s life early on, a child can develop real emotional closeness to their grandparents and begin to see them as a source of strong social support,” she stated in an interview. “So a child will feel they have other adults, aside from their parents, who care about them in the same way, and this adds to their sense of stability and security.”

She continued, “Stressful situations are less impactful to such children because they have other people in their lives who they have these attachments to and support from.” This is because grandparents are generally not responsible for disciplining or raising the child, and they’re able to love the child a little more freely and unconditionally than a parent, Agresta explained.

“Grandparents are a wealth of knowledge and information, and not only can they pass on valuable skills from real-life experience, but they can also share the past with their grandchildren,” added Agresta. “They can serve as historians, sharing various traditions and stories about when their own children were growing up, which create s a sense of continuity for a child.” So it looks like it may be time to set up a play date for your kids with their grandparents!

1. What is the impact of children spending time with grandparents according to Buchanan’s study?

A．Improved social skills.	B．Lower intelligence level.
C．Better academic performance.	D．Increased behavioral problems.

2. How does Agresta probably describe grandparents’ treating their children?

A．More critical.	B．More positive.
C．Less supportive.	D．Less judgmental.

3. What does Agresta talk about in the last paragraph?

A．The features of grandparents’ love.

B．Various roles grandparents take on.

C．The typical qualities of grandparents.

D．Grandparents’ advantages over parents.

4. How does the author mainly organize the text?

A．By quoting a few people’ opinions.

B．By analyzing two scientific surveys.

C．By giving the findings of two studies.

D．By making comparisons between studies.

2 . 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。

In the town of Willowbrook, young Sarah was in a state of great excitement. Her school was putting on its annual play, and she had been offered a principal role. The school hall had been abuzz for weeks with rehearsals, prop (道具) preparations, and the students practicing their lines. Sarah had spent countless hours rehearsing, wanting to get every word and movement absolutely right.

However, underlying her anticipation was a growing sadness. Sarah’s dad, Mr Thompson, worked as an engineer in a big city, and his job often kept him away from home for a long time, which meant he frequently missed out on most of the special moments in Sarah’s life. This play seemed to be another addition to that growing list. He had a vital business meeting on the same day, and Sarah, although understanding, couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Her classmates talked excitedly about their families coming to watch, increasing her sense of loss.

It was bright and sunny on the day of the play. The school’s hall was noisy with students. Students in costumes rushed about, teachers gave last-minute instructions, and the air was thick with anticipation. Sarah peeped out from behind the curtains and saw the hall filling up with eager parents, siblings, and friends. Every seat was taken, except one — her dad’s.

The play started on time with Sarah and her classmates’ performance being the first. The actors delivered their lines with passion and the audience responded with laughter and applause at all the right moments. Sarah played her part with a mix of excitement and longing, wishing her dad could see her shine.

Halfway through, the host called for a surprise guest to enter. He described him as a “mysterious stranger” whose brief appearance would provide a turning point in the plot. As the lights dimmed slightly and suspenseful music played, a tall figure stepped onto the stage.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Sarah’s heart jumped faster.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When the final scene concluded and the curtains drew to a close, applause thundered through the hall.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . 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。

A group of Chinese researchers issued a data map of the soil organic carbon (SOC) content for global black soil areas,     1     (reveal) the quantification of agroecosystems and global food security, according to the recent issue of the journal Remote Sensing of Environment.

Research has shown that carbon cycle is     2     (significant) influenced by agricultural soils. The accuracy mapping of SOC content can help to clarify the carbon sequestration capacity (碳汇能力), quantify agroecosystem and contribute     3    global food security. But it is still challenging to acquire     4     (rely) SOC content databasets.

The study     5     (publish) in the journal was done by researchers from the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. According to the journal, the researchers     6     (collect) more than 191,000 scenes of remote sensing images and elevation model data, and used meta-learning convolutional neural network model     7     (generate) high-resolution data map for global black soil regions.

The data in the study indicates that the SOC content in the global black soil regions shows a decreasung trend, which can be divided into the significant decrease phase from 1984 to 2000,     8     the moderate decrease phase from 2001 to 2021.

The result from the study also shows that the four major black soil     9     (region) in the world have different rates of SOC decline. The SOC decline rates of the Russian-Ukrainian Plain and the Pampas Plain of South America are higher than     10     of the northeast China and the Mississippi River Basin in North America.

4 . Most people as they get older start to take life a little slower and enjoy a leisurely pace. But it is not for Kerry, who ________ pole dancing in her 50s, has no ________ of slowing down any time soon. She’s even ________ her life “began at 50”.

The super fit gran ________ an eating disorder from a young age. Now in the best ________ of her life, she looked back on her youth and claimed she was once told she was “too fat to be a dancer”, sparking an eating disorder and being ________ conscious of her weight. After taking up dancing she felt ________ in her new lease of life.

“At the age of 47 I made a list of things I wanted to ________ and I’ve always wanted to do dancing, but I was worried I was too ________. It was so late in life,” said Kerry. ________ planning on doing one class to ________ it off her list, she found a passion and love for the sport and made a living from it, even participating in ________ too. “I feel like fate really put this in my ________, not only to recover my body but to get rid of the ________ that comes with it,” she explained. Now, she’s on a mission to ________ women that their age doesn’t have to hold them back.

1.

A．kept on

B．took up

C．hoped for

D．subscribed to

2.

A．intentions

B．doubts

C．tasks

D．feelings

3.

A．promised

B．predicted

C．checked

D．claimed

4.

A．remembered

B．indicated

C．battled

D．regretted

5.

A．shape

B．hobby

C．emotion

D．aspect

6.

A．occasionally

B．permanently

C．constantly

D．purposely

7.

A．curious

B．competitive

C．confident

D．awkward

8.

A．make

B．try

C．quit

D．win

9.

A．old

B．fat

C．weak

D．sensitive

10.

A．Still

B．Hardly

C．Never

D．Only

11.

A．cross

B．cut

C．see

D．drop

12.

A．races

B．parades

C．parties

D．shows

13.

A．opinion

B．strategy

C．path

D．dream

14.

A．memory

B．danger

C．power

D．negativity

15.

A．contact

B．protect

C．inspire

D．warn

5 . When attending holiday parties, we are eager to help our hosts in the kitchen, with food and drink service, and with post-party cleanup, which sometimes causes more trouble and stress for a host.     1     Here’s what professional event planners recommend.

Be sure to respond in a timely manner.     2     If the invitation asks you to respond, do so well before the host has to reach out to confirm your attendance. Hosts who don’t want their guests to help out during the party can hint that all has been taken care of right on the invitation.

    3     Asking a host if you can assist on the event date can be overwhelming, but extending that offer while the host is still planning the party and putting the details together may prove more useful. If you are someone who loves to help, contact the host in advance and offer your assistance.     4    

Don’t show up early. Respect the event’s start time and arrive on time or 5 minutes later than the time on the invitation. If the invitation says 7:15 pm, guests should arrive between 7:15 and 7:20.

When the party is over, don’t stay. At the end of the evening, you can make one last offer to help the host tidy up the space. But if they refuse, don’t insist.     5     So it’s the guest’s responsibility to leave at an appropriate hour.

A．Consider offering help to the host ahead of time.

B．So what can you do to really help holiday hosts?

C．Contact the host to know the details about the party.

D．Many hosts are too polite to tell people it’s time to go.

E．Being a good guest begins long before the party begins.

F．This way, the host can know an extra pair of hands is available as needed.

G．The invitation phase serves as a prime opportunity to clarify the event’s tone.

6 . A new study shows that female academics are significantly underrepresented in winning academic prizes and having awards named after them. Analysis of nearly 9,000 awardees and 346 scientific prizes and medals published in Nature Human Behaviour has found that men win eight prizes for every one won by a woman if the award is named after a man. These awards represent almost two-thirds of all scientific prizes. Female academics are, however, more likely to win awards that have been named after other notable female scientists, with 47% of those awards going to women and 53% to men.

Dr Katja Gehmlich, Associate Professor in the Institute of Cardiovascular Science at the University of Birmingham and joint lead author of the study, said, “The gender gap between awardees in scientific prizes is sadly a product of a long, systematic issue of poor representation of women in sciences. Despite decades of efforts to rebalance this issue, our study shows that women are still poorly recognized for their scientific contributions, and men are far more likely to win prizes and awards, in particular, if those awards are named after other men.

“It seems particularly shocking to me that awards named after women still see more than half of prizes going to men. We further propose a list of actions to address and overcome these issues but are aware this will be a long process. The Nominate Her movement is one way that the scientific community can begin to address this,” said Dr Gehmlich.

Prof Stefan Krause from the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham and joint lead author of the study said, “Our data is indicative of much wider issues of gender inequality within sciences. Our current publication is an initial attempt to understand the causes of such striking gender inequality and to promote discussion on the subject within our scientific communities.”

“Research culture has a lot to do to improve the gender prize gap, as well as efforts to address the inequality that sees almost two-thirds of prizes currently named after men. More pathways may also be needed, such as renaming or getting rid of gender names associated with some awards,” added Prof Krause.

1. How are awards named after female scientists distributed between genders?

A．Males are in the majority.

B．Females take up a bit more than half.

C．They are almost entirely awarded to females.

D．They are evenly distributed between males and females.

2. What’s Dr Gehmlich’s attitude toward gender inequality in scientific prizes?

A．Doubtful.	B．Tolerant.
C．Uncaring.	D．Disappointed.

3. What suggestion does Prof Krause offer to narrow the gender gap?

A．Establishing gender rates for awards.

B．Increasing the number of female judges.

C．Encouraging more women to enter scientific fields.

D．Renaming or removing gender names from awards.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Achievements of women in science

B．The role of men in the scientific world

C．Gender inequality in scientific awards

D．Future of gender equality in academia

7 . “You like pottery (陶艺) more than you like science,” a family member said. I knew the comment was made lightly, but I felt frustrated and disappointed. I had worked so hard to achieve a balance between my scientific and artistic pursuits. Why was my creative side still seen as a weakness and a disturbance, in opposition to my science?

As a little girl, I created art by breaking up eggshells, dying them, and gluing them to a cloth. I also conducted science experiments with my mom, a high school science teacher, on the back porch. In college, I loved my chemistry courses and research work, and I regarded cooking as my creative outlet, hosting weekly dinner parties for friends.

Yet I heard time and again that creative expression and science were not possible together. When my college roommate concluded with a personality test that I was the “creative” type, the rest of my friends said that couldn’t be right, because “I was a scientist and therefore was not creative.” As I was preparing for graduate school and studying for the chemistry GRE test, I realized I talked about science the same way I would paint a picture, explaining concepts in broad strokes (粗线条地) — in part because I struggled to remember technical scientific terminology. I worried my way of thinking wouldn’t fit in with “proper” scientists. In the end, though, my desire to pursue a scientific career won out. I figured I would continue to find a way to balance my research with my creative pursuits, regardless of what others thought.

When in graduate school I found pottery, which I could pursue on evenings and weekends. After my first class, I was attracted. It has inspired me to more intentionally mix my art with my science. I keep a notebook at my lab table filled with words of mug (马克杯) designs inspired by my experiments. Through the challenge of getting my paper into its core concepts in such a way that it could be displayed on a mug, I gained a better understanding of my project. Pottery has now turned into a way for me to train my brain to be creative and think outside the box.

1. What did the family member think of the author’s pottery?

A．It still had room for improvement.

B．It would relax the author in her work.

C．It made up for the author’s weakness.

D．It did no good to the author’s career.

2. How did the author show her creativity as a college student?

A．By dying eggshells.

B．By performing science experiments.

C．By doing some cooking.

D．By attending social parties.

3. What can be inferred about the author from paragraph 3?

A．She didn’t get along well with her classmates in college.

B．She nearly gave up her pursuit of art.

C．She once doubted her way of understanding science.

D．She was angry about being misunderstood by friends.

4. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．The notebook.	B．The design of the mug.
C．The challenge of the paper.	D．The author’s science research.

8 . There is a mountain of great ski opportunities not too far from Boston. Road-trip to one of these fantastic ski mountains this winter.

Blue Hills Ski Area

A ski day trip doesn’t get any easier than the Blue Hills Ski Area. It is the only snow sports facility in the metro area. Skiing and snowboarding are spread over its 60 skiable acres, 90% of which are equipped for snowmaking. The vertical drop is 309 feet and there are four lifts serving the 16 trails, most of which are for advanced skiers. There are lessons for kids and adults to help you get there.

Crochet Mountain Resort

It’s famous for signature “Midnight Madness” events and daily night skiing. It has an 875-foot vertical drop and 23 trails across 75 skiable acres. A great mountain for skiers, half its terrain is graded for intermediates with the rest being split between advanced and beginner terrain.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort

It’s the only one of ski resorts to be 100%powered by renewable energy sources. Skiers will find a 1,150-foot vertical drop, 45 trails, 3 terrain parks and 9 lifts across 167 skiable acres. The whole family can take lessons, enjoy dining or buy a ticket and go for a ride on the 3,600-foot Mountain Coaster!

Smugglers’ Notch

Smugglers’ Notch has a 2,564-foot vertical drop, 78 trails, 5 terrain parks and 8 lifts spread across 1,000 skiable acres. Known as a full-service family-oriented resort, it offers plenty to do off mountain like ice skating, arts and crafts workshops and an indoor swimming pool!

1. Which ski resort mainly targets advanced skiers?

A．Blue Hills Ski Area.	B．Crochet Mountain Resort.
C．Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort.	D．Smugglers’ Notch.

2. What’s the highlight of Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort?

A．Its trails.	B．Its location.
C．Its vertical drop.	D．Its green concept.

3. What can skiers do in Smugglers’ Notch?

A．Have a swim.	B．Ski with world champions.
C．Enjoy stone sculptures.	D．Ride a roller coaster.

9 . Overview

This sightseeing walking tour shows you Washington DC's most iconic sights with a fitness class built in! We explore the nation's park and the National Mall by foot, stop for multiple sports and wellness activities along the way. Are you the kind of person who goes to the hotel gym even while traveling? Do you love to go on a jo g in the morning? Join us for a tour that will get your heart beating!

What To Expect
●John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Take photos from the scenic observation deck!

10 minutes·Admission Ticket Free

●Lincoln Memorial

Run the steps, take photos and do a guided workout!

15 minutes·Admission Ticket Free

●Washington Monument

At the base of the monument, we have another guided fitness activity!

20 minutes·Admission Ticket Free

●National Mall

On America's lawn, we do our final guided fitness activity in Washington DC's most scenic location!

30 minutes·Admission Ticket Free

Additional Information
●Confirmation will be received at time of booking
●Not recommended for travelers with back problems and pregnant（怀孕的） travelers
●No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level

This tour will have at most 50 travelers

●No age under 18 and over 65
Cancellation (取消) Policy

It is non-refundable (不可退还的) and cannot be changed for any reason. If you must, the money you paid will not be returned. This experience requires good weather. If it's canceled due to poor weather, you'll be offered a full refund.

1. Where will travelers spend the most time during the tour?

A．National Mall.	B．Lincoln Memorial.
C．Washington Monument.	D．John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

2. You can get a full refund if _______.

A．there is a heavy rain	B．you give up the tour halfway
C．you cancel the tour a day earlier	D．you make changes just before the start

3. What can we know about the tour?

A．It is free.	B．It offers hotels with gyms.
C．It includes at least 60 visitors.	D．It connects sightseeing with exercise.

10 . The Powerful Guide to Finding Your Passion

Following your passion can be a tough thing. But figuring out what that passion is can be even more difficult. Here are some tips to find your passion.

    1     Unless you’re just starting out in life, you have some skills or talent, showing some kind of aptitude. Give this some thought. Think back, as far as you can, to jobs, projects or hobbies. This could be your passion. Or you may have several things. Start a list of potential candidates.

    2     It may be something at work-a little part of your job that gets you excited. It could be something you do outside of work-a hobby, a side job, something you do as a volunteer or a parent or a spouse or a friend. It could be something you haven’t done in a while. Add any answers to your list.

Think about what you have secretly dreamed of.     3     But some fear, some self-doubt, has held you back, has led you to dismiss this idea. Maybe there are several. Add them to the list — no matter how unrealistic.

Learn, ask, take notes. OK, you have a list.     4     This is your first candidate. Now read up on it, talk to people who’ve been successful in the field. Make a list of notes of things you need to learn, need to improve on, skills you want to master and people to talk to.

Experiment and try. Here’s where the learning really takes place. If you haven’t been already, start to do the thing you’ve chosen. Pay attention to how you feel doing it-is it something you look forward to, that gets you excited, that you love to share?     5    

A．Find what excites you.

B．Confirm what you are good at.

C．Predict what’s the worst that can happen.

D．Pick one thing from the list that excites you most.

E．If all the answers are “yes”, you’ve found where your passion is.

F．You need to do something, get good at it, be passionate about it.

G．You might have some ridiculous dream job you’ve always wanted to do.