1 . When eleven-year-old Ella and Cash met at Ocean Heroes Camp 40 July 2019, they immediately ________. Even their moms had no idea the kids would become ________ guards.

“We knew we could make a ________,”says Cash. Within a short time, their meeting changed into action, and then ________ the Cleanup Kids — a youth-led non-profit determined to make waves in environmental ________. Ella’s love for the environment started with the ________ of cleaning up rubbish. For Cash, his awareness was ________ when a plastic straw (吸管) on the beach caught his eyes. That’s when he realized the ________ facing thousands of sea creatures, which may ________dying because of eating plastics. They are co-leading the Cleanup Kids, which now has over 200________ worldwide and counting.

“My hope is that it’s not just hundreds of kids ________ us, but having a ripple effect (连锁反应),”says Cash. Members’________ include conducting cleanup, sorting and recycling rubbish.

In 2022, Cash and Ella received the Gloria Prize for Young Heroes. How can teenagers begin to make the ________? Ella’s advice is to start ________. “I started with just a couple of cleanups with my family,” says Ella. “And just remember that teenagers may be only a small part of the population, but we’re 100 percent of the ________,”she adds.

1.

A．changed

B．connected

C．competed

D．argued

2.

A．coast

B．security

C．environmental

D．national

3.

A．difference

B．decision

C．profit

D．mistake

4.

A．funded

B．contacted

C．supported

D．birthed

5.

A．research

B．education

C．monitoring

D．protected

6.

A．experience

B．suggestion

C．description

D．guideline

7.

A．expressed

B．ignored

C．raised

D．shared

8.

A．choice

B．danger

C．truth

D．charge

9.

A．keep from

B．end up

C．focus on

D．worry about

10.

A．members

B．leaders

C．visitors

D．friends

11.

A．loving

B．needing

C．joining

D．calling

12.

A．behaviors

B．strategies

C．responsibilities

D．challenges

13.

A．impact

B．request

C．plan

D．statement

14.

A．early

B．young

C．slow

D．small

15.

A．world

B．future

C．society

D．moment

2 . With the rise of language apps, learning a new language is perhaps more popular than ever. There is no doubt that language learning apps have benefits as a supplement (补充) to formal education.     1     Here are some underrated ways to learn a new language.

One of the most common advice for language learners is to consume films and shows in the language they are learning. In fact, they don’t help a new learner to follow.     2     The cartoons are often made up of basic phrases and words that one would learn at a primary level. Plus, cartoons usually come with clearer and slower pronunciation, which will help learners adapt to understanding without subtitles.

    3     There is another choice: listening to podcasts and songs in the language you are trying to master. Not only can you pick up idioms, but you can also explore various topics to enlarge your vocabulary and understand differences within various contexts. Being exposed to the rhythm of native speakers will also help your learning, and you can achieve all of this while developing a fondness for the culture.

When practising speaking, one runs the risk of making mistakes or embarrassing oneself when attempting to practise in public or with a native speaker. So, instead, start small. Speak to your pet or an inanimate object around the house.     4     The goal is to get used to sounding the letters. producing the accent and getting the words out.

Another creative method to put your writing skills to test is to keep a pen pal. Ideally, find someone who is not only fluent in the language you are learning, but who is also learning a language you are fluent in. Through the exchange of letters, you not only get to practise your writing skills but can also provide feedback to each other.     5    

A．Tell them about your day or describe how you feel.

B．If watching cartoons is not your cup of tea, fear not.

C．Plus, everyone gets a friend through a foreign stamp.

D．So can foreign speakers gain fluency within weeks or months?

E．Understanding of the films and shows depends heavily on subtitles.

F．Instead, a step down the ladder would be to watch children’s cartoons.

G．But it is unrealistic to expect master y of a new tongue simply through their use.

3 . What Is A Sand Battery?

Generally, when one pictures a battery, one imagines the lithium battery (锂电池) in various high-tech forms. Yet in 2022, Polar Night Energy launched the world’s first commercial sand battery, capable of storing 500-600℃ in heat energy for months.

With the environmental concern of mining for lithium batteries, investors and companies are looking for alternatives, and sand batteries are one of them. The concept for a sand battery is simple: storing large amounts of heat in sand or sand-like materials for later use. The advantage of sand is its ability to store large amounts of heat in a small volume, its large quantity, and its low cost.

Sand batteries serve as storage for spare wind and solar power and extra energy when demand is low. They can provide heated water as well as heated air to homes and industries that would otherwise use fossil fuels. The heat can also be changed back to electricity using a steam turbine (蒸气涡轮).

This technique dates back centuries. Ancient Egyptian homes were made of sand mixed with mud and straw that would keep the heat of the hot desert sun and then release it slowly during the cool nights. Many native Americans used mud to build houses for the same reason. They would also store heat from campfires in rocks wrapped (包裹) in leather skin and use these rocks for heating their beds at night. This ancient wisdom can now be applied to modern solutions through sand batteries.

Now, Polar Night Energy, working with the heating company Lovisan Lämpð, will launch a sand battery 10 times the size and capable of storing up to100megawatts hour of heat. This battery will eliminate the need for oil-based energy for the entire town of Pornainen, Finland, and keep 160 tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere annually. According to the Washington Post, more than $900 million has been invested in clean storage technologies in the past three years, a number that is expected to reach $3 trillion by 2040. This money is being directed towards various small companies that are investigating natural batteries.

There are challenges to overcome before this technology can be adopted widely. It remains to be seen whether natural batteries can be a steady source of energy. Furthermore, because it’s an emerging industry, natural battery projects will need to be built from scratch, meaning only developed countries can afford to use them. Despite this, sand and other natural battery solutions are an exciting step forward towards a green future.

1. The idea of sand batteries is ________.

A．to process fossil fuels for industries	B．to change solar energy into electricity
C．to store energy in special materials as heat	D．to generate wind energy when it is necessary

2. What is the main idea of Paragraph 4?

A．The advantages of sand batteries.	B．The inspiration of sand batteries.
C．The application of sand batteries.	D．The development of sand batteries.

3. What does the word “eliminate” underlined in Paragraph 5 most probably mean?

A．Meet.

B．Remove.

C．Create.

D．Ignore.

4. What can we learn about sand batteries?

A．They are a high-tech form of lithium battery.

B．They can be widely used across the world soon.

C．They are a steady source of energy for a green future.

D．They can provide heat and power for homes or industries.

4 . 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，并将答案填写在答题卡相应的位置上。

It was a cold February day. Dangwen and his wildlife monitoring team patrolled (巡逻)along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. That day, they     1     (meet) 220 blue sheep and five white-lipped deer. Through the camera, they found a mother and two baby leopards (豹) — and the babies had grown much     2     (big) than three months earlier.

Dangwen comes from Yunta, a village located in Sanjiangyuan, Qinghai Province on the Tibetan Plateau. Sanjiangyuan serves as an important habitat     3     rich and unique species.

Dangwen is neither officially a researcher     4     an activist. But he has taken upon himself the task of monitoring local wildlife with a team of other villagers, as part of a conservation project driven by the Shanshui Conservation Center,     5     Beijing-based non-governmental organization. When the organization brought up the idea of     6     (organize) villagers to watch over wildlife and protect their lands, Dangwen volunteered     7     (immediate). Having grown up in the village, he knows very well the land, the river and the wildlife, and he is especially proud of the sacred mountains     8     are around all of them. This is the fourth year that Yunta villagers have carried out this monitoring, patrolled the village to identify poachers (偷猎者), and managed rubbish     9     (keep) the land and rivers clean.

Monitoring data shows that local wildlife     10     (population), including snow leopards, are increasing.

5 . It felt as if we had been climbing for hours. I stopped to catch my breath as a wave of dizziness swept over me in the thin mountain air. I was on an amazing trip with my family to experience the festival of Qoyllur Riti, which takes place at 4,300 meters high in the southern Andes of Peru.

As I looked back down the trail we had climbed, and up towards where we had to go, the colorful sight struck me a lot. Entire families wearing local costumes were travelling to this unique festival from all over Peru. Among them were old men, mothers with small babies and children all following the same route. Many of them had horses and donkeys carry their food, blankets, cooking pots and tents. Others had made their way on foot through the mountains for days to attend this remarkable event.

We continued climbing upward for another hour and a half before reaching the Sinakara Valley. Right across this flat piece of ground people were putting up shelters and tents to protect themselves from the freezing mist and rain. It was clear, however, from the sound of the drums and singing rising from the campsite that the weather was not going to weaken the festival spirit. The air of excitement, even from our place more than a mile away, was palpable.

After dinner, we went to bed fully clothed inside our sleeping bags. We were up early the next morning, the main day of the festival, despite having slept badly on the frozen ground. The ukukus, men wearing black masks and costumes, had left the campsite in the early hours to climb the nearest mountain by the light of the full moon.

From time to time during the procession, they stopped to dance on the glaciers, believing this would bring luck to their villages for the year to come. In the dawn light, we watched them winding their way back down like a large black snake. As they descended, they were joined by groups of dancers in bright traditional costumes. They performed wherever there was space. Although there did not seem to be anyone organizing them or any timetable, the whole festival had become a huge harmonious celebration.

1. What do we know about family’s climb up and down the trail?

A．They were too tired to enjoy the sight.

B．They regretted extremely taking the trip.

C．They were fascinated by the scenes there.

D．They were greeted warmly by local people.

2. The underlined word in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _______.

A．suitable

B．endurable

C．noticeable

D．understandable

3. What can be inferred from the festival participants?

A．They were all dressed in plain clothes.

B．They were determined to reach the festival.

C．They only continued their journey during daylight hours.

D．They performed dances to demonstrate their traditional costumes.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A health report.	B．A sports newspaper.
C．A fashion forum.	D．A culture magazine.

6 . Earlier this month, an opinion study said about 75 percent of the French public want to ban bullfighting (斗牛). But a small group of supporters say it is a tradition that should continue.

Baptiste is a 16-year-old boy training to be a bullfighter who lives in Arles, a town in southern France. He says opponents do not understand bullfighting. “Bullfighting is a tradition, an art, a dance with the bull,” Baptiste said. He is one of 12 students in Arles learning how to fight bulls.

Opponents wonder how it can be called “an art” when an innocent animal is killed in the end. During a recent protest march, one sign read: “Bullfighting is not a fight; it’s the killing of a tortured (折磨) innocent.”

Aymeric Caron is a French lawmaker who sent a bill to Parliament that would ban bullfighting. It is currently being debated. He said some parts of France permit bullfighting as long as fewer than 1,000 bulls are killed each year. Just because it is a tradition, he said, does not “morally justify a practice”.

Other lawmakers in Caron’s party are not supporting his bill, so it is unlikely to pass. But the news of the anti-bullfighting proposal started a discussion throughout France.

Frederic Pastor oversees the bullfights in the city of Nimes. He said the bull is “glorified (给予荣耀)” during the fight although it is killed. Nimes is home to 14 bullfighting shows each year. They bring in over $60 million to the city.

Tiphanie Senmartin Laurent is one of the protesters. She said most people are against bullfighting. “Torture is not a show,” she said.

Spain is considered the place where bullfighting began. People there are also questioning the practice. Bullfighting was banned in the Spanish province of Catalonia in 2010 but later brought back. A major court in Spain called the practice a “cultural asset”. That means it is considered a tradition that has value. A new proposal on animal safety in Spain does not discuss bulls.

1. What can be known about Baptiste from paragraph 2?

A．He is expert in bullfighting.

B．He is far from opposed to bullfighting.

C．He comes from a northern French town.

D．He doesn’t understand why bullfighting becomes a tradition.

2. Which may Aymeric Caron agree with about bullfighting?

A．It is sort of an art.

B．It means a lot of harm to the innocent animal.

C．It is a symbol of culture in Spain.

D．It makes humans know more about the bull.

3. What did Aymeric Caron’s bill lead to actually?

A．Bullfighting’s being banned.

B．The public’s interest in the sport.

C．A national discussion on bullfighting.

D．The higher frequency of bullfighting shows in France.

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

A．Bullfighting Is Increasingly Popular in France

B．Challenges Faced by Bullfighting

C．The Rise and Fall of Bullfighting

D．France Considers a Ban on Bullfighting

7 . There’s no doubt that loneliness hurts. Functional MRIs show that the area of the brain triggered by social rejection is the same area that’s triggered by physical pain. To understand why loneliness hurts, let’s take a closer look at friendship through the eyes of two heavyweight philosophers.

In one corner we have Aristotle, who wrote that without friends, there’s no reason to live. The Greek great believed that friendships are based on the virtues of the friend.     1     But the problem with Aristotle’s theory is that if you lose some virtues, you should also expect to lose some friends. And that’s not how friendships work — at least not the good ones.     2    

So as a sharp counterpunch to Aristotle, let’s turn to the renowned Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, who said that all people have value regardless of their virtues. Since we view our true friends with this kind of unconditional love and respect, we can assume they view us the same way.     3     Being away from our friends takes away these life-affirming interactions. Worse, having no friends means our value, or dignity, isn’t being appreciated.

    4     This may seem obvious, but there’s a catch. Your connection has to be oriented (以……为方向) toward the other person — not in what they can do for you and your loneliness. So say hi to a neighbor, hold the door for someone, or volunteer at the soup kitchen.     5     However, they’ll help you feel more connected to the world. And the more of these small steps you take toward connection, the farther away from loneliness you’ll get.

A．This may sound fine at first.

B．They last through thick and thin.

C．This tells us why loneliness hurts.

D．These acts may not make you a lifelong friend.

E．The more friends you have, the happier you’ll be.

F．We feel like we’re not accepted by the people around us.

G．Thus, the cure for loneliness can be found in other people.

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。

Little New Year (Chinese: Xiaonian), usually a week     1     the lunar New Year, falls on Feb 2 this year. It is also known as the Festival of the Kitchen God, the God     2     oversees the moral character of each household.

There are numerous customs     3     (associate) with honoring the Kitchen God and determining the date of Little New Year. The date of this holiday     4     (assign) sometimes according to location, with people in northern China celebrating it on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month,     5     people in southern China celebrating it on the twenty-fourth.

In one of     6     (distinctive) traditions of the Little New Year is the     7     (burn) of a paper image of the Kitchen God, sending the god’s spirit to Heaven     8     (report) on the family’s conduct over the past year. The Kitchen God then is welcomed back to     9     home through the pasting of a new paper image of him beside the stove. From this vantage point, the Kitchen God will oversee and protect the household for another year.

The     10     (offering) to the Kitchen God include pig’s head, fish, sweet bean paste, melons, fruit, boiled dumplings, barley sugar, and Guandong candy.

9 . They thought it was going to be easy. A piece of cake. The band, Suenalo, were excited that they would present their skills to a group of troubled youth at a detention center (少管所).   

They arrived at the invitation of a friend, who was an adviser at the center. He had mentioned a career day where members of the community came to speak to the teens about their jobs. Usually the speakers were bankers or lawyers, so he thought it would be interesting for the kids to meet some musicians and maybe even hear some music. “They need something cool to get their attention” was the pitch from the friend.

The kids, about 40, were brought in, looking distant, some even angry. Chad Bernstein, the trombone player, started telling the career of a musician from touring to copyright to the business aspects, trying to draw their interest. However, it didn’t. Sensing that they couldn’t win, the band, a little thrown, decided to play one song. With music going, the kids seemed to respond, their heads nodding to the beat. One of them sang a lyric (歌词). The band sang it back. Then, one by one, the musicians began picking up the beat. Chad started free styling a rap, going back and forth with the kid, and in no time, other kids jumped in. Suddenly the band and the kids were creating a song from scratch and all of them were in musical heaven.

For Chad, that moment inspired him to found Guitars Over Guns, an organization that pairs at-risk middle-schoolers with professional musicians. As both music teachers and life coaches, the musicians give the kids a way to find their creative voices and get through dark times. Over time, the kids have dropped their tough fronts and shared personal stories, from family tragedies to ordinary struggles at school with friends.

“So far we’ve helped over 2,700 students. Our work is highly satisfying because it shows us that a music career is more than a job, it can have more impact,” says Chad Bernstein.

1. Why did the band come to the detention center?

A．To get attention.

B．To display skills.

C．To plan their careers.

D．To chat about music.

2. What can we learn about the song created on the spot?

A．Its lyrics were from the kids.	B．Chad owned its copyright.
C．It was composed cooperatively.	D．The kids picked up its beat.

3. What does Guitars Over Guns do to help at-risk teens?

A．Offer guidance on life.	B．Give full school instruction.
C．Relate personal stories.	D．Promote awareness of risks.

4. What kind of person is Chad Bernstein?

A．Disciplined.

B．Purposeful.

C．Humorous.

D．Traditional.

10 . 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。

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the animal shelter, Sarah walked through the rows of cages until her eyes landed on a small, trembling dog huddled (蜷缩) in the corner. “I think I’ve found the one, ” Sarah whispered softly to herself as she looked into the dog’s sad eyes. This timid, abandoned dog had no idea that a journey of transformation with friendly people lay in store for him.

The shelter staff explained that the dog, named Buddy, had a difficult past and was very shy and scared. Sarah extended a hand, offering a soothing tone, “Hey sweetie, you must have a story to tell, but from now on, you’ve got a buddy in me. ”

Bringing Buddy home was just the beginning of their journey, which was rocky at first for him. Everything was strange and new, causing him to hide under furniture and startle at every sound. Therefore, Sarah provided a cozy bed, delicious meals, and most importantly, heaps of love and comfort.

Slowly but surely, he started to emerge from his shell, wagging his tail tentatively and gazing at Sarah with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Under Sarah’s patient and loving guidance, Buddy flourished, even learning tricks and commands, and forming a deep bond with his new owner.

The journey of healing turned out to be a success. But Sarah had never expected it would bring about another one.

One day, while scrolling through social media, Sarah came across a heartwarming story about dogs being trained to assist children with autism (自闭症). Those children had social communication difficulties and had few facial expressions and gestures. Without hesitation, she inquired about the program and soon, Buddy was enrolled in training to become a certified therapy(治疗) dog. But she was unsure whether Buddy would be comfortable with the new challenge.

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。
Their first day at the therapy center was filled with uncertainty.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As the weeks progressed, Sarah noticed a remarkable change both in the children and Buddy.
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