1 . 听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
1. What happened to the woman?

A．Her window was broken.

B．Her house was broken into.

C．She was hit by a baseball.

2. Who will call a repairman at last?

A．The man.

B．The woman.

C．The woman’s friend.

3. Why will the man come over to the woman’s house?

A．To comfort the woman.

B．To know about the damage.

C．To look for some clues.

4. What does the woman think of the solution?

A．Confusing.

B．Surprising.

C．Satisfying.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the man offer to do for the woman?

A．Help her improve her English.

B．Introduce her to his neighbors.

C．Show her around the neighborhood.

2. What’s the woman’s plan for Thursday?

A．Meeting a friend.

B．Looking for a flat.

C．Flying to another country

3. What will the woman prepare for the gathering?

A．Some dessert.

B．Some drinks.

C．Some decorations.

3 . What has Billy been doing this weekend?

A．Visiting museums.

B．Reading some science books.

C．Trying to come up with an idea.

4 . Traveling is a great way to experience new cultures and landscapes, learn about different ways of life, and simply have an adventure. It can also help you open your mind to new ideas and perspectives.     1     They provide insight, tips, and inspiration for people looking to explore the world around them. From detailed guides to personal stories, these books offer readers a way to experience the world without ever leaving their homes.

One book that perfectly captures (描述) the spirit of travel is The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande.     2     Through her moving writing style, Grande paints a vivid picture of the struggles and joys of crossing a physical and cultural border.

Her book has a great impact on readers.     3     By sharing her own experiences, Grande offers hope and inspiration to anyone looking to take the leap and explore the world around them.

One of the greatest benefits of traveling to places inspired by books for students is the opportunity to explore and learn about many different cultures. Immersing (使沉浸) yourself in unfamiliar surroundings can help open your eyes to different ways of life.     4    

Being able to communicate effectively with those from different backgrounds is essential for any student, especially in today’s international society.     5     It can further improve conversation and fluency (流畅).

Lastly, by traveling to places inspired by books, students will gain a deeper understanding of the works that inspired them to take the journey in the first place.

A．Meeting new people can be invaluable.

B．That’s why there are so many books about traveling.

C．Literary works often include ideas beyond a reader’s imagination.

D．It can even help you gain insight into why people live differently from you.

E．It’s an inspiring story that will stay with them long after they finish the last page.

F．Traveling abroad helps students practice using their language skills in real-life situations.

G．In this book, Grande describes her journey from Mexico to America and how it shaped her life.

5 . More than 170,000 people in California are unhoused. Even as the state has poured resources into fighting against the problem, the number of people without homes has ticked upward in recent years. On the surface, the state has one key advantage for people without a reliable roof over their heads: relatively consistent and livable weather. So one of my first thoughts when I heard news of a horricane attacking Los Angeles was just “What will happen to the city’s homeless population?”

City agencies quickly took action. As it became clear that the Los Angeles region could experience an extreme downpour and subsequent flooding, outreach teams fanned out across the river bank and dam areas across the city that have become home to a significant unhoused population, offering support to move them into shelters and motels (汽车旅馆).

Despite that, it’s obvious that the effects of climate change will hit the most vulnerable (脆弱的) hardest. We see this globally as extreme weather events hit countries that have contributed the least to the problem.

The most notable connection between climate change and the US housing crisis is the threat extreme weather poses to unhoused people. More unhoused people are affected as climate change drives increasingly unpredictable weather. People without homes know how to respond to expected seasonal events. But events like a near-hurricane in Los Angeles or a wildfire in ‘Maui can catch populations with limited access to information off guard.

Another link worth considering is the way in which climate change creates more homelessness and further stresses on housing systems. Hurricane Katrina, for example, displaced 800, 000 people. Four years later, 12,000 people remained without shelter.

Housing has been — and will continue to be — a key issue in Maui too as it recovers from the wildfire that killed more than 100 people. Maui has already had a housing crisis, the result of a high cost of living driven in large part by the tourism industry. And, now, many more are left looking for places to stay. Ashley Kelly, the chief operating officer at Hawaii’s Family Life Center, said: “Finding housing for any new clients is just not possible right now.”

1. What contributes to the increase of the unhoused population in California?

A．Its mild weather.

B．Its inclusive local culture.

C．Its limited basic facilities.

D．Its relaxed state policies.

2. What did outreach teams do in response to the hurricane in Los Angeles?

A．They built dams to prevent flooding.

B．They moved homeless people to safe places.

C．They sought low-cost housing from city agencies.

D．They surrounded the river bank to keep people away.

3. Which word can best describe Maui’s housing circumstances now according to Ashley Kelly?

A．Mysterious.

B．Exceptional.

C．Changeable.

D．Difficult.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Ways of Americans relocating disaster-affected populations.

B．The significance of timely weather updates for the homeless.

C．The link between climate change and the housing crisis in the US.

D．Approaches of homeless Americans to dealing with natural disasters.

6 . Science fiction has long entertained the idea of artificial intelligence becoming conscious (有意识的). Many researchers say that AI systems aren’t yet at the point of consciousness, but the pace of AI evolution (发展) has got them considering: how would we know if they were?

To answer this, a group of 19 neuroscientists (神经系统科学家), philosophers and computer scientists have come up with a checklist of standards that, if met, would indicate whether a system has a high chance of being conscious. The authors made the effort because “it seemed like there was a real lack of detailed, thoughtful discussion of AI consciousness,” says co-author Robert Long, a philosopher at the Center for AI Safety.

The team says that a failure to identify whether an AI system has become conscious has important moral implications. If something has been labelled “conscious”, according to co-author Megan Peters, a neuroscientist at the University of California, “that changes a lot about how we as human beings feel that entity (独立存在的个体) should be treated”. Long adds that, as far as he can tell, not enough effort has been made by the companies building advanced AI systems to evaluate the models for consciousness and make plans for what to do if that happens.

One of the challenges in studying consciousness in AI is defining what it means to be conscious. Peters says that for the report, the researchers focused on “phenomenal consciousness”.

Many neuroscience-based theories describe the biological basis of consciousness. But there is no agreement on which is the right one. To create their framework, the authors therefore used a range of these theories. The idea is that if an AI system functions in a way that matches aspects of many of these theories, then there is a greater likelihood that it is conscious.

They argue that this is a better approach to assessing consciousness than simply putting a system through a behavioural test — say, asking ChatGPT whether it is conscious, or challenging it and seeing how it responds. That’s because AI systems have become remarkably good at mimicking (模仿) humans.

1. What does Robert Long say about present research on AI consciousness?

A．It is far from enough.

B．It is progressing rapidly.

C．It has shown promising insights into it.

D．It has learnt a lot from previous research.

2. What would change if AI systems became conscious according to Megan Peters?

A．Their final applications.

B．How humans treat them.

C．Their moral responsibilities.

D．How humans make future; plans.

3. What is a challenge of studying AI consciousness?

A．Providing a definition of it.

B．Uncovering the reason behind it.

C．Measuring AI’s ability to mimic humans.

D．Comparing AI consciousness and human consciousness.

4. How do the researchers identify whether an AI system is conscious?

A．By observing its responses to digital signals and online questions.

B．By checking its understanding of some neuroscience-based theories.

C．By comparing its functional patterns with neuroscience-based theories.

D．By conducting experiments and tests to measure its level of self-awareness.

7 . London Theatre Shows

Alice In Wonderland

Each ticket to the show includes free entry to Kew Gardens., Alice in Wonderland is playing at the Kew Gardens from 22 July to 28 August 2023.

Running time: 1 hour 10 minutes with no interval (幕间休息)

Performance days

Matinees (日场): Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Important information: Children under 2 years old go free.

Back To The Future: The Musical

It is based on the iconic Back ta the Future films. Back to the Future: The Musical tickets at the Adelphi Theatre, London are available to book for performances up to 11 February 2024.

Age restrictions: Suitable for general audience aged 6+. Children under 3 will not be admitted.

Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes (including interval)

Performance days

Evenings; Monday, Wednesday. Thursday. Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Matinees: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.

Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour

This show sees Blippi in the ultimate curiosity adventure. Dance, sing, and learn with Blippi as he discovers what makes different cities unique and special. Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour runs at Rose Theatre, Kingston from 29 August to 9 September 2023.

Age restrictions: Recommended for ages 2+.

Running time: 1 hour (no interval)

Performance days

Matinees: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Dinosaur World Live

Join our brave explorers across unchartered territories to discover a pre-historic world of remarkably life-like dinosaurs. Dinosaur World Live runs from 11 August to 3 September 2023 at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London.

Age restrictions: 3+

Running time: 50 mins + a 15-minute post show

Performance days

Matinees: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

1. What do we know about Back to the Future: The Musical?

A．It has no performances on Tuesdays,

B．Booking starts on 11 February 2024.

C．Children under 3 years old can go free.

D．It lasts 2 hours 40 minutes without intervals.

2. Where should you go if you want to learn more about cities around the world?

A．Kew Gardens.

B．Adelphi Theatre.

C．Rose Theatre, Kingston.

D．Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

3. Which show provides after-show interaction?

A．Alice In Wonderland

B．Dinosaur World Live

C．Back To The Future: The Musical

D．Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour

8 . Welcome to American United Travel Company. We’ll help you spend a perfect holiday. For over 6 years, we have been organizing value for money summer holidays, whether it’s a late holiday deal or your main summer holiday. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, a luxury 5-star holiday, or you just want to relax and soak up the sun, we’ve got access to the very best flight and hotel deals throughout the world. We are proud to offer you various services unlike other tour companies where we offer one-stop shop for complete tourism.

Our Services Include

Tours. Meet & Assist Services. Airport Transfer. MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conferences, Exhibitions) private Jets. Ground handling (24 hours) VIP services on arrival & departure. Adventure Tour.

Means of Transportation Reservations

We operate for all means of transportation available in the country, starting with buses for groups to car rental to individuals.

Guidance

We have the most qualified guides who speak French, English, German, Italian, and Spanish. We bank on their communication skills as well as their knowledge in various fields.

Fancy Dinners

We prepare outdoor dinners in particular places such as castles, beaches, old and traditional houses, etc. Usually, these dinners are arranged according to the clients’ choices.

Luggage Concierge

Don’t worry about luggage size and weight when travelling. Give your bags to Luggage Concierge in advance and they will be waiting for you at your destination when you arrive.

Call one of our experienced travel consultants on 18884700610 to secure one of these fantastic deals.

1. What is special about United Travel company?

A．It provides one-stop complete tourism.	B．It supplies the best flight and hotels.
C．It offers transfer service.	D．Its guides speak various languages.

2. What can you do with your luggage before travelling?

A．Send it to your destination directly.	B．Carry it by yourself.
C．Keep it as light as possible.	D．Hand it to Luggage Concierge.

3. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To diversify the economy.	B．To attract tourists.
C．To conserve the environment.	D．To entertain readers.

9 . 事物的发展有其两面性，手机是把双刃剑，它在给我们的生活创造便利条件的同时，也带来了不少不容小觑的隐患。以“Smart Phone”为主题，谈一谈手机的利与弊和你的观点。
要求：
语言准确，行文连贯，层次清晰，书写规范，词数60~80。
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10 . When I was a little girl, every time when my dad was repairing something, he would ask me to hold the hammer. Then we could have a time for a _________ with each other.

I grew up and left home for the college, and since then, he had been _________ me every Sunday morning. Later, when I bought a house, my dad was _________ it by himself for three days in the 30℃ summer _________. All he asked for was to hold his paint brush and _________ to him.

Several years ago, he was _________ me. He spent hours _________ a swing set for my daughter. He asked me to bring him a cup of tea and have a talk with him, but I had to _________ for a trip, so I did not have time for any long conversations.

One Sunday morning, we had a telephone talk _________ , and I noticed that my dad kept forgetting some things we discussed __________. Few hours later came a call. He was in hospital with an aneurysm(动脉瘤). Immediately I bought a ticket for the __________ and by the time I got to the hospital, my dad had passed away. Now it was he who did not have __________ for a talk with me.

After his __________ , I learned more about him, and I realized how little I knew about his deepest __________ and dreams. All he ever asked me was my time, but now he has all my __________ every single day.

1.

A．change

B．cooperation

C．conversation

D．debate

2.

A．contacting

B．calling

C．educating

D．meeting

3.

A．decorating

B．clearing

C．repairing

D．painting

4.

A．labor

B．rest

C．heat

D．misery

5.

A．talk

B．tend

C．hand

D．keep

6.

A．joining

B．visiting

C．following

D．leaving

7.

A．putting together

B．giving away

C．tearing apart

D．making up

8.

A．prepare

B．apologize

C．apply

D．delay

9.

A．on time

B．at first

C．in return

D．as usual

10.

A．exactly

B．freely

C．lately

D．personally

11.

A．hospital

B．flight

C．journey

D．treatment

12.

A．pleasure

B．interest

C．choice

D．time

13.

A．death

B．illness

C．recovery

D．suffering

14.

A．efforts

B．demands

C．thoughts

D．struggles

15.

A．relief

B．attention

C．comfort

D．courage