1 . Via Rail

Train Tickets from New York to Washington

Station	Departure	Arrival	Price
Penn Station—Union Station	12:20 am	3:57 am	$19
Penn Station Union Station	4:20 am	8:33 am	$29
Penn Station—Union Station	6:02 am	10:14 pm	$60
Penn Station—Union Station	8:00 am	10:58 am	$70

Discount Policies

Seniors (above 60 years old) can benefit from a 20% discount offered by Via Rail, making it a cost-effective choice for their travel needs.

Luggage(行李) Allowance and Restriction

Via Rail allows passengers to bring up to four pieces of luggage. Carry-on items must not exceed (超过) 50 pounds and checked luggage must not weigh more than 50 pounds per item.

Passengers are allowed to bring bicycles and sports equipment on Via Rail trains.

Food and Drink Service

Via Rail provides food and drink service for purchase, offering a variety of dining options to passengers.

Payment

Via Rail accepts various payment methods, including credit cards, Interac Online, and pre-paid credit cards. It is advisable to check the website for the most up-to-date information on accept able payment methods.

Facilities for Passengers with Special Needs

Via Rail is committed to providing accessibility for all passengers. The trains are equipped with accessible restrooms, seating areas, and boarding assistance for passengers with mobility issues. Additionally, staff members are trained to assist passengers with disabilities to ensure a comfortable travel experience.

E-ticketing

Via Rail offers the option to use the e-ticketing system, allowing passengers to present their ticket on a mobile device without the need for printing.

1. Which train takes the least time?

A．The 12:20 am one.

B．The 4:20 am one.

C．The 6:02 am one.

D．The 8:00 am one.

2. How much should a couple in their seventies pay if they take the 6:02 am train?

A．$60.

B．$96.

C．$112.

D．$120.

3. What can we learn about Via Rail from the text?

A．It serves food and drink for free.	B．It is developing a new e-ticketing system.
C．It doesn’t allow sports equipment on board.	D．It provides convenient access to the disabled.

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。

Beth brought Louis to me when she came to visit me again.

I had to quit school and stay in the recovery center because of a rare disease. Beth was my best friend in the writing workshop. We just clicked. We both dreamed of taking writing as our career. So we often wrote about our life and shared it with each other. We even promised each other to co-author a book, a book of our own. But now ...

“I’m applying for my college this term. So I’ll be very busy in the following days. Please help me look after Louis, please ... Just drop me a quick note about it when it’s convenient for you.” She pressed her hands tightly together and looked at me anxiously. I stared at Louis, feeling bitter but hard to refuse. Beth kissed me goodbye.

That evening, I was left alone in the room, with the dog. Louis looked at me, shaking his tail. But I felt uninterested, so I lay on the bed, closing my eyes. Then some noises woke me up.

It was Louis, of course. This six-month-old puppy was laboriously(费力地) dragging his. large, hard-sided carrier. I watched in amazement. Then Louis dragged his worldly possessions, one by one: first, his bowl, then his ball and sweater. This project took most of the evening.

What happened next made me realize that not only did this dog have a mission but he obviously put thought and reasoning into each move. He took each of the personal items and put them in the carrier. After Louis finished packing his “suitcase”, he attempted to jump inside.

The message was quite clear. He wanted to go see his “mommy”—Beth. He must have seen her pack her suitcase and go away. He must do the same so he could find her.

It was so interesting that I couldn’t help taking out a pen and beginning to describe the whole thing in great detail and then emailed it to Beth. I almost got Beth’s reply immediately.

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。

“Tell me more about Louis.” Beth begged at the end of her email.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That summer, Beth gave me a special gift—a book of Louis’ daily journal.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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。

Xixi, located less than five kilometers from the West Lake in the west of Hangzhou, is China’s first national wetland park. The area covers about 10 square kilometers and it     1     (be) around for more than 1,500 years, although it was only recently reopened     2     (offer) visitors a chance to escape from the concrete of the city. Despite its growing popularity,     3     wetland’s winding waterways, thick greenery and wide     4     (variety) of wildlife guarantee its peaceful spots in nature.

Wetlands themselves are one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems,     5     (act) as natural green lungs, water purification (净化) systems and flood control. But wetlands are     6     (serious) threatened by environmental pollution worldwide nowadays. More than 200square kilometers of wetland in the country have disappeared every year     7     average in the past decade, the China Institute for Marine Affairs warns. The wetlands of the Yellow and East China seas have lost up to 90 percent of their natural function, the institute reports,     8     makes the 226 plant species, 50 kinds of fish and aquatic (水生的) animals as well as 126 kinds of birds in Xixi even     9     (valuable).

Xixi’s native vegetation,     10     (water) by six crossing rivers, consists of subtropical mountainous swamp (沼泽) and evergreen forest.

4 . When my doctor was delivering his speech on statistics and survival rates, those cruel words upset me terribly. He might be telling the truth, but I realized there was a need for a special human _________ , especially for a new cancer patient like me. I _________ to do something.

I called my local _________ and asked if I could give a speech to the community, about “What to Say and How to Help When Someone Has Cancer”. The _________ came five minutes later, “... we would be pleased to have you _________ your topic to the community.”

As the day approached, I got _________. What if no one _________ and all the preparation and work was for nothing?

Despite the worries, things went _________. At 6:45 pm on a Tuesday evening, I started my presentation by _________ the first words my doctor said to me, and I saw tears and heads nodding in ____________ as I spoke. At the end of the presentation, applause filled the library hall. Little did they know that I had just finished treatment and still felt ____________ and tired. But somehow giving. the talk helped me stop being a(n) ____________ and start acting like a survivor.

Later, I gave more presentations. I won such great ____________ that I had the privilege of speaking ____________ cancer survivors across the country. And that makes all the ____________, not only to me but also to the world around me!

1.

A．touch

B．interest

C．condition

D．behavior

2.

A．hesitated

B．decided

C．demanded

D．remembered

3.

A．hospital

B．authority

C．library

D．charity

4.

A．recommendation

B．comment

C．announcement

D．reply

5.

A．explain

B．present

C．teach

D．pass

6.

A．curious

B．calm

C．unsettled

D．unsatisfied

7.

A．showed up

B．set off

C．reached out

D．turned around

8.

A．smoothly

B．constantly

C．randomly

D．secretly

9.

A．translating

B．predicting

C．recalling

D．imagining

10.

A．anger

B．agreement

C．confusion

D．anxiety

11.

A．alive

B．empty

C．athletic

D．weak

12.

A．lecturer

B．patient

C．audience

D．participant

13.

A．sympathy

B．fortune

C．recognition

D．inspiration

14.

A．in place of

B．at the mercy of

C．in spite of

D．on behalf of

15.

A．difference

B．preparation

C．judgement

D．profit

5 . We tend to think of large cities as melting pots — places where people from all sorts of backgrounds can mix and interact. But according to new research, people in big cities tend to primarily interact with other individuals in the same socioeconomic bracket (阶层), but people in small cities and rural areas are much more likely to have diverse interactions.

The researchers used GPS data collected in 2017 from 9.6 million cellphones across 382 metropolitan (大都市的) areas in the United States to determine how often people of different socioeconomic ranks crossed paths during the day — essentially how many times people had the opportunity to interact, even briefly, with someone in a different income bracket. They collected data on almost 1.6 billion path-crossings.

This large amount of extremely precise data allowed the researchers to see what has been missed by similar studies in the past. People living in the 10 most populous metropolitan areas, which include cities like New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, along with their surrounding areas, were significantly less likely to interact with people of different socioeconomic ranks than people in metropolitan areas with fewer than 100,000 residents.

The good news is that there are ways to build cities to promote more socioeconomic mixing. Looking at large cities, the researchers found that those that placed frequently-visited hubs (中心) in between different neighborhoods — instead of in the center of each neighborhood — were less separated.

“These big cities have managed to develop diverse interactions because the hubs that people visit the most — which turn out to be shopping centers, squares, and similar places — are between rich and poor neighborhoods,” said Hamed Nilforoshan, a doctoral researcher at Stanford University. “Those hubs act as bridges, allowing people to see each other and interact.”

1. What might be a conclusion of the new research?

A．Urban residents interact more.	B．Large cities act as melting pots.
C．Urbanization leads to different social ranks.	D．Big cities showcase socioeconomic separation.

2. How was the research carried out?

A．By bridging the income brackets.	B．By studying the frequency of interaction.
C．By comparing residents’ behavior patterns.	D．By collecting data on people’s social ranks.

3. What should city planners do to promote socioeconomic mixing?

A．Position the hubs properly.	B．Construct more shopping centers.
C．Control the urban expansion.	D．Design unique residential neighborhoods.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Income Bracket: What to Do with It?	B．Diverse Interactions Count in Big Cities
C．Socioeconomic Separation: How to Fix It?	D．Metropolitan Cities Are Great Melting Pots

6 . When scientists and the public worry about sea level rise, they mostly focus on when and where communities will be permanently flooded. But there’s another consequence of rising seas that will affect many more people much sooner: getting cut off from roads and other critical infrastructure (基础设施). It’s a threat that society has not paid nearly enough attention to, says Allison Reilly, a civil engineer at the University of Maryland.

In a new paper, Reilly and her colleagues show the width and pace of the isolation (隔离) threat. Inspired by her work on the eastern shore of Maryland, where people already need to adjust their travel and work schedules to account for tides that frequently flood roads, Reilly and her colleagues calculated that, with one meter of sea level rise, twice as many people across the coastal United States will be isolated than will be fully flooded.

Worse still, many places currently considered at low risk of sea level rise suddenly become much riskier when isolation is taken into account, Reilly says. While planners know that low-lying Florida will be severely flooded, Maine, with its high rocky coasts, is generally thought to be at low risk. But Reilly’s work shows many Mainers are in great danger of being cut off by flooding in coastal communities and river valleys.

This far more immediate effect of rising seas needs to become part of the broader planning process. That kind of planning is starting to happen around the Chignecto Isthmus, an interprovincial land bridge in Canada, connecting New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The New Brunswick and Nova Scotia governments are considering a variety of plans to raise or replace the dikes (坝). For Ollerhead, a Nova Scotian, that work can’t start soon enough. “It will take a lot of sea level rise before Nova Scotia becomes an island, but you could have a storm that cuts off the major transportation links for days, weeks, or months,” he says. “It’s nearly impossible to predict when, but it will happen eventually.”

1. What is the threat Allison Reilly mentioned in paragraph 1?

A．The rising sea level.	B．Flood-related isolation.
C．Permanent flooded areas.	D．Irreparable infrastructure.

2. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Conclusions of a new paper.	B．Calculations of collected data.
C．Situations of Eastern Maryland.	D．Influences on coastal United States.

3. Why are Florida and Maine mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．To clarify a point.	B．To offer a solution.
C．To present an assumption.	D．To illustrate a reason.

4. What’s Ollerhead’s attitude toward the governments’ planning?

A．Dismissive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Favorable.

D．Unclear.

7 . My daughter said she wanted to redecorate her room. The thought of tackling a room redecorating project intimidated me, but I knew that following through on helping my girl create a new space for herself would mean a lot to her. So, I worked up my courage.

Together, my daughter and I set a budget for our project, spread paint samples on her wall and calculated how much paint we’d need. And finally deep breath — we started painting. Neither of us had ever painted a room before. After rolling a paint roller across her wall for the first time, my daughter frowned (皱眉) and said, “Maybe we should hire someone to do the painting for us, Mom.”

I couldn’t help wondering if she might be right, but I assured her that if we followed the painting pointers we’d studied and took our time, we could do a fine job. I didn’t want her to miss out on the wonderful feeling of competence that comes from trying something you want to do but fear you might not be able to do.

There had been many times when we’d realized we had been in the wrong way and had to do it again. We had to problem-solve with whoever might help. Finally, we finished the painting. It was not perfect, but the overall effect made my daughter really happy. It was her ideas and work that made all visible.

Thinking about doing such a project with my daughter, it struck me that she got to see me being a rank beginner — messing up and starting over all the way. She watched me looking up answers when I needed them and asking for help when I hit dead ends. Instead of being an authority with all the answers, I learned with her. I showed my daughter what learning looks like, in all its messy glory. That’s definitely the best part I’ll treasure.

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

A．Inspired.

B．Frightened.

C．Reminded.

D．Attracted.

2. Why did the author refuse to hire a painter?

A．To overcome her fear of failure.	B．To keep the project under budget.
C．To show her talent for decoration.	D．To let the kid enjoy the joy of success.

3. What does the author think is the most rewarding part of this redecoration?

A．Being a rank beginner.	B．Being a success in decorating.
C．Being a model learner.	D．Being an authority with all answers.

4. Which of the following best describes the author?

A．Reflective.

B．Enthusiastic.

C．Ambitious.

D．Demanding.

8 . Cultivating gratitude requires effort and a commitment to change. The following exercises can help you take on a grateful outlook.

Practice mindfulness

    1    . Tap into your senses and let your mind linger (逗留) on pleasant, everyday sensations. Focus on the taste of a ripe strawberry, for example, the feeling of the sun on your skin, or the gentle sound of background music. This can help ground you in the present, pulling you away from worrying.

Keep a gratitude journal

There are many ways to create a gratitude journal. First, decide if you want to keep a physical journal that you write in or a digital list on your phone or computer.     2    . You can update the journal on a weekly basis, ending the week by putting down three or four moments that you appreciated.

    3    

Build relationships by writing thank-you letters to people in your life. Go into detail about treasured memories from your relationship. Write about the positive effect they’ve had on your life. When you’re done, you can mail or deliver the letters in person.

Revisit and reframe past events

Most of us can recall past events that we regret.     4    . Although they may have led to disappointment, shame or even heartbreak, you’ve likely also learned something from these experiences.

While these gratitude exercises can give your mood and outlook a welcome boost, it can take time for them to impact your mental health and overall well-being. Be patient and continue practicing gratitude. Turn the exercises into little rituals. In time, you may notice your stress levels drop and relationships strengthen.     5    .

A．Write notes of appreciation

B．List what deserves appreciation

C．A little gratitude can do harm to your mood

D．Then, you’ll have even more reasons to be grateful

E．Then, consider how often you’ll update the journal

F．It could be anything from a failure to anger at a close friend

G．Enjoying little moments in your life can be a way to cultivate gratitude

9 . 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。

Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park in Gansu is the best representative of China’s colorful Danxia landform. With a wide     1     (various) of landforms, this enormous park covers     2     area of 510 square kilometres.     3     (extend) along the northern part of Qilian Mountain in west China, it was said to be part of The Great Silk Road. At one time, Marco Polo arrived in China through this area.     4     (former) a provincial park and scenic area, it     5     (become) a national geopark in November 2011.

The site is characterized by amazing landforms, including     6     (drama) natural towers, deep valleys and impressive waterfalls. These landscapes have helped to conserve broad-leaved evergreen forests, and host many flowers and plants, about 400 of     7     are considered to be rare or     8     (threaten).

The most representative spots in the park such as the Seven-color Screen and the Colorful Sunset look like a rainbow hanging in the distance. However, scenes are totally different on the edge of the hills. The colors there turn into yellow and grey like shells in the sun. Scenes are even more breathtaking     9     sunrise and sunset when lights and shadows     10     (cast) on the hills paint this region with unique beauty.

10 . How to improve your immune(免疫) health

As the temperatures drop and flu and cold season approaches, we need to start thinking about looking after our immune health.     1    . These foods are rich in micronutrients such as Vitamin C and zinc, which support healthy immune function. Some ways plant-based nutrition can improve your immune system.

    2    

The relationship between smoking and/or excessive alcohol consumption and harmful immune-related health effects is well documented. Avoid breathing in any material that might be harm to the lungs, including vaping(电子烟). Try to reduce risky materials such as alcohol as these have a negative impact on immune health.

Get seven to nine hours restorative sleep every day

There is strong evidence that sleep improves immune defence. Try to aim for between seven and nine hours of good quality, restorative sleep every night. Improving sleep often starts by focusing on your daily habits, routines and bedroom environment.     3    .

Stress less and spend more time with others

Stress promotes inflammation(炎症) and reduces your defence against infection. Meditation, a gratitude practice, yoga or breathwork can all help lower levels of cortisol, the main stress hormone.     4    , whether it is volunteering in the community, picking up the shopping for an elderly neighbour, nurturing your friendships or making quality time for your friends and family.

Be physically active every day

    5    . Besides, it can help maintain healthy body weight and protect against a variety of diseases including viral and bacterial infections. Aim to be physically active every day for 30-60 minutes per day. Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity each week to acquire the most health benefits from physical activity.

A．Take exercise each day

B．It is important to seek advice

C．Avoid smoking and reduce alcohol

D．Develop a relaxing bedtime routine

E．Relationships also play a key role in our health

F．Regular exercise improves health and lowers blood pressure

G．This means enjoying a diet based around fruit and vegetables