1 . 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。

Large cloisonne (Jingtailan in Chinese) vases, striking plates and other colorful pieces     1     (display) in Beijing Gongmei Group’s arts-and-crafts factory’s studio near Yonghegong in the capital attract a lot of visitors.

Gaze upon these long enough, and you will be surprised by the     2     (diverse) of distinctive Chinese patterns traced by countless thin golden wires.

“It’s said that there are 108 steps in     3     process of producing cloisonne goods,” says Zhang Yongzhen, the factory’s director,     4     has practiced the craft for four decades. “The traditional handicraft is very complicated. No one can finish the process     5     (complete) by himself or herself. It’s a delicate art that takes dedication to every small step.”

The fundamentals of making cloisonne include     6     (shape) the object’s body; bending and inlaying copper (铜) wires     7     (present) surface patterns; coloring these wires; heating and finally, polishing and gilding (镀金).

Te technique was introduced     8     China in the late 13th century. It’s believed that cloisonne reached its peak and     9     (give) its present Chinese name during Emperor Jingtai in the Ming Dynasty. Lan means blue in Chinese. The craft was     10     (far) developed in the Qing Dynasty, following innovations in copper-smelting techniques.

2 . Powerful Benefits of Journaling

When looking for a way to better manage stress and feel your best, consider adding journaling to.     1     It’s a pathway to deeper self-understanding, emotional clarity, and psychological recovery.

Practice journaling as therapy (治疗)

By making journaling a regular practice, you create a space for self-reflection that can lead to personal growth and psychological treatment.     2     Once you start, with each word you write, you’re taking a step towards a deeper understanding of yourself and moving closer to well-being.

Release and process feelings

    3     Journaling provides a private, judgment-free space to explore and express emotions without reservation. This process of externalizing what’s inside can be incredibly cathartic (宣泄的), helping to reduce stress and manage extreme emotions.

Help recognize sources of stress

Think of it as a safe space to express how you feel, leading to a significant decrease in stress levels. Sometimes the first step in building the life you want starts with simple awareness. Journaling gives you a chance to recognize what stresses you out in the first place.     4    

Promote mindfulness

Journaling brings your focus to the present. Just like in mindful meditation (冥想), journaling gives you an outlet to observe thoughts and emotions without judgment. Think of this as an act of self-love, to accept yourself in the present moment just as you are.     5    

A．This practice goes beyond just recording daily events

B．Even just five minutes can help gain some comprehension

C．Sometimes people find it challenging to express their emotions.

D．This mindfulness aspect provides a crucial tool in reducing stress.

E．Once you notice bad situations, you can remove that source of stress.

F．This can enhance decision-making skills and promote an approach to life’s difficulties.

G．To begin your therapeutic journaling journey, the most important aspect is to get started

3 . Pickleball, which combines elements of badminton, Ping-Pang, and tennis, has two characteristics that make it a good choice for older adults. It’s slower than other racket (球拍) sports, and it’s easier to learn.

With a play area about a quarter the size of a tennis court and a plastic ball that doesn’t bounce as high or as fast as a tennis ball, you don’t have to run as much or as quickly. The bats are lighter and shorter than tennis rackets, making them easier to swing and control. There are fewer rules than tennis.

Plus, pickleball is more social than many types of exercise and it’s fun. In one study, participants rated pickleball 150 percent higher for enjoyment than walking. “People are finding it’s not boring,” says Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer at the American Council on Exercise, who has played pickleball for more than 20 years. “It’s not something they’re doing just because they should, but because they enjoy it and want to do it.”

Pickleball is an effective workout, and like walking, you can adjust the intensity to your preferences. A friendly doubles match can qualify as proper exercise. A competitive singles match is likely to be tighter.

And pickleball offers plenty of health pluses. After six weeks of playing an hour of pickleball three times a week, older adults improved their cardiorespiratory (心肺的) fitness and blood pressure, according to a study published in 2018 in the International Journal of Research in Exercise Physiology. Another study found that the activity may keep you mentally sharp. “You’re making a lot of quick decisions while engaged in a physical task,” says study author David Bolton, PhD, assistant professor at Utah State University in Logan. “It is effectively training cognitive (认知的) ability.”

But it is not without risks of getting injured. Don’t just hit the court and go right into having a game. A warm-up is the best defense against injury, so take at least 5 minutes to prepare your body.

1. What is one of the reasons for the popularity of pickleball among older adults?

A．Its slow pace.	B．Its great intensity.
C．Its complex rules.	D．Its cheap equipment.

2. What does Cedric Bryant mainly want to tell us about pickleball?

A．It is demanding.	B．It is enjoyable.
C．It is beneficial.	D．It is practical.

3. What does the underlined word “It” in Paragraph 5 refer to?

A．Making quick decisions.

B．Training cognitive ability.

C．Brain activity during physical exercise.

D．The proper frequency to play pickleball.

4. What might the author talk about next?

A．Pre-workout preparations.	B．The rules of this exercise.
C．Comments on this game.	D．Disadvantages of pickleball.

4 . When Sharaine and Wilson moved their family to Rhode Island, they already had a houseful. Five kids, a busy schedule, a long list of house projects and a whole new neighborhood _______ little time for anything else. And then Paul _______.

At 82 years old, Paul had just lost his wife, but he is still handy and _______. He walked across the street carrying a ladder to meet the new neighbors and _______ a little help with fix-up projects.

Sharaine remembers, “Our biggest _______ of moving into a new neighborhood was what if the new neighbors don’t like us. We have a lot of _______; they make a lot of noise.” But those fears were quickly put to   _______. Paul knows a lot about tools and _______ an old house that Sharaine and Wilson moved in, and he soon became a(n) _______ visitor of the family.

Thanks to Paul’s kind help, Sharaine and Wilson had no ________ in making a new friend. And neither did the kids, Paul made sure the kids crossed the street ________ after school, helped with homework and even ________ the little ones to brush their teeth.

“The kids run up to him like that’s their own ________,” Sharaine says. And that keeps Paul ________. There are neighborhood cookouts, birthdays, home projects and so on. He is also busy ________ a grandpa.

1.

A．needed

B．earned

C．took

D．meant

2.

A．showed up

B．checked out

C．settled down

D．broke in

3.

A．careful

B．grateful

C．helpful

D．hopeful

4.

A．demand

B．offer

C．send

D．promise

5.

A．fear

B．gain

C．pride

D．mistake

6.

A．friends

B．neighbors

C．relatives

D．kids

7.

A．use

B．rest

C．work

D．test

8.

A．discovering

B．exploring

C．maintaining

D．evaluating

9.

A．strange

B．unexpected

C．lonely

D．regular

10.

A．business

B．interest

C．problem

D．point

11.

A．quickly

B．safely

C．calmly

D．quietly

12.

A．reminded

B．forced

C．allowed

D．witnessed

13.

A．grandpa

B．teacher

C．staff

D．property

14.

A．crazy

B．busy

C．annoyed

D．surprised

15.

A．assisting

B．meeting

C．being

D．becoming

5 . The 2017 Noble Prize for Physics was given for the confirmation of a prediction made 101 years earlier. In 1916 Albert Einstein, whose theories of special and general relativity revolutionized scientists’ understanding of the universe, predicted that, in certain circumstances, the fabric of the universe itself should swing and bend.

The cause is gravitational waves In 2015 gravitational waves were directly observed for the first time. LIGO, an American observatory based in Washington State in that country’s northwest, and Louisiana in the southeast, detected waves produced by a pair of crashing black holes, each about 30 times the mass of the sun. That produced ripples (波纹) in space-time with a frequency of about 150 Hz, or cycles per second, and a wavelength of around 2, 000km.

This detection marked the beginning of the era of gravitational wave astronomy, which uses gravity to examine the universe in the same way that conventional astronomy uses electromagnetic radiation, from visible light to radio waves and gamma rays. On June 29th four projects led by researchers in America, Australia, China and Europe claimed to have pushed forward the state of that emerging art. They announced the detection of new, extremely low frequency gravitational waves which could offer insights into some of the hardest-to-study bits of the universe.

Gravitational wave detectors are interferometers (干涉仪). They work by dividing a ray of light into two,and sending each half down one of a pair of long,straight arms. At the end of the arms,the light waves are reflected back towards the source, where they are recombined. If that journey is uninterrupted, the returning rays will cancel each other out when they are put back together. If they do not, then that suggests some disturbance has disturbed them on their journey.

1. Why was Einstein mentioned in Paragraph 1?

A．To make a prediction.	B．To make a comparison.
C．To offer more background.	D．To honor this great scientist.

2. Which word best describes the detection of gravitational waves?

A．Expected.

B．Surprising.

C．Accidental.

D．Groundbreaking.

3. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us about gravitational wave detectors?

A．How they work.	B．What they can do.
C．Whether they are accurate.	D．Why they are used.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Ripples in Space-Time.	B．Theories to Be Confirmed.
C．Predictions about the Universe.	D．Ways of Observing the Universe.

6 . The British accent of Cary Gran has finally been revealed after a fellow actor tracked down a secretly tape recording of the Bristol-born big screen superstar.

Jason Isaacs, who plays Cary Grant in a coming ITV biopic (传记片), said that although setting his mind on figuring out the actor’s real accent, he had become upset by the absence of interviews with Cary Grant.

The star, whose death aged 82 in 1986 brought to an end one of the 20th century’s greatest screen careers, rarely spoke in public and would always adopt a mid-American accent for the cameras

Isaacs, 60, said this week that after some “detective work”, he found out about an interview Cary Grant gave to a student from the University of Iowa months before his death. The student’s classmate secretly recorded the interview in which Cary Grant spoke about his hatred (厌恶) of being approached by fans. The secret recording reveals Cary Grant’s true accent.

At the launch of the ITV drama Archie-after Cary Grant’s birth name Archibald Leach — Isaacs said that when he landed the role, “the first thing I did was look for interviews of Cary Grant.” Isaacs added; “He didn’t want to be seen and he didn’t want to be known. There was nothing at all. Only the films. And that’s not what he spoke like. His accent changed a lot in the films.

Isaacs said of listening to the tape: “I felt like I’d finally made a real connection with him and that’s the voice you hear on screen in Archie. It’s more English than he is in the movies. People think they remember Cary Grant’s voice but what they remember is Tony Curtis in Some Like It Hot.”

The ITV biopic focuses on Grant’s troubled family relationships. Jennifer Grant, Grant’s daughter, said her father had rarely spoken about his childhood. “Sadly I think there was so much shame wrapped up in it,” Jennifer Grant said.

1. Why did Jason Isaacs attempt to get a recording of Cary Grant?

A．To recreate his accent for real.

B．To show sincere respect to him.

C．To get the role of Cary Grant easily.

D．To make the film more profitable.

2. What can we infer about Cary Grant from Paragraph 4?

A．He acted as a detective.

B．He worked in a university.

C．He hated being recorded secretly.

D．He disliked having his life disturbed.

3. Whose voice is familiar to the audience?

A．Cary Grant.

B．Tony Curtis.

C．Jason Isaacs.

D．Jennifer Grant.

4. What kind of person is Jason Isaacs?

A．Generous.

B．Ambitious.

C．Determined.

D．Knowledgeable.

7 . Vietnam Quality Tour

Price	￡4,240 per person
Price includes	·Return flights from the UK, current taxes ·Domestic transportation ·16 nights’ four star accommodation ·16 breakfasts, 15 lunches and 16 dinners ·Touring with guides and entrance fees as detailed in schedule ·Exclusive free pre-tour extension including hotel night with breakfast and dinner and a half-day cooking class.
Departures	May 2024 to June 2026

This tour is the perfect introduction to Vietnam, with cultural activities and plenty of opportunities to interact with the locals. Learn more about the history of Saigon, and explore Hue for a glimpse(一睹) of the grand past of this ancient country. Hoi An will impress you with its stone streets and scenic riverside setting, while the capital city Hanoi features timeless streets full of local life, wonderful colonial(殖民的) architecture and a splendid history. The tour finishes as it started, with a showstopper—Halong Bay, where you’ll take an overnight journey by sea out onto the calm waters and wind your way through the breathtaking karst(喀斯特) scenery.

When booking this tour with The Times Travel Offers, you will get a high-quality free pre-tour extension, which includes an extra hotel night with breakfast and dinner, as well as a half-day cooking class which is of great value-make sure to quote TIMES-ON when booking.

1. When can you sign up for this tour?

A．In April 2024.

B．In August 2025.

C．In July 2026.

D．In August 2026

2. What is Halong Bay famous for?

A．Its stone streets.

B．Its unique scenery.

C．Its splendid history

D．Its colonial architecture.

3. What type of writing is the text?

A．A travel plan.

B．A travel journal

C．An attraction profile.

D．A travel advertisement

8 . Earthquake prediction has long been a challenge for scientists around the globe since the geological phenomenon can occur at any time and any location with little or no warning. The chance of a powerful earthquake can only be determined through long-term forecasts in a general area or region on Earth.

Throughout history, no individual or group has yet successfully predicted a major earthquake: including its date and time, location and magnitude. These are the three elements essential to make an earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). While small earthquakes occur all the time, high-intensity earthquakes are rare but is something to watch out.

Now, a new study led by researchers from Pennsylvania State University found a potential solution to the dilemma of earthquake forecast: ancient underthrust rocks. Rocks buried deep in ancient subduction (俯冲) zones — where tectonic( 地壳的) plates bump with each other — could help scientists make better predictions of how these zones behave during the years between major earthquakes.

According to the USGS, we are still uncertain how we can make such a feat and are not expecting to perfectly predict major earthquakes any time in the foreseeable future.

Although some people in the past said they could predict earthquakes, the U.S. Government agency asserts these are all failed predictions. Their predictions are neither grounded on scientific fact nor passed through the scientific method.

Since authorities in the field of geology and other related areas acknowledged that earthquake prediction is still far from being completed, scientists continue to further understand this mystery. Unlike weather forecasts of hurricanes and other storms, earthquakes have no concrete parameters (参数) that would indicate that they would occur in the coming hours, days, weeks or months.

Regardless, the Penn State researchers have made progress in the dilemma by understanding the underthrust rocks in ancient subduction zones. Determining this area could help scientists better predict the behavior of these zones during periods between major earthquakes. Evidence of their findings was based on clues from rock formations in Alaska and Japan.

1. What is the hard nut as to earthquake prediction?

A．Earthquakes often occur in unexpected areas.	B．No scientists can tell how earthquakes happen.
C．The geological structure is too complicated.	D．It is hard to predict earthquakes accurately.

2. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4?

A．Take actions.	B．Achieve success.
C．Adopt measures.	D．Face challenges.

3. Why can hurricanes be accurately forecasted?

A．Because they can be tracked through the specific data.

B．Because they usually happen in some particular places.

C．Because they can be confirmed by the practical experience.

D．Because they often take place during hot summer time.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Ancient underthrust rocks help in earthquake prediction

B．Earthquake prediction remains a problem to work out

C．Underthrust rocks indicate coming violent earthquakes

D．Scientists can successfully predict destructive earthquakes

9 . The recent spread of “fake news” may make it seem like misinformation is a relatively modern invention. But falsehoods (假话) and wild claims have been part of human culture for about as long as it’s existed. This is because misinformation originates with, and is spread by, fellow humans.

When you’ve ever had to communicate an important, but complex, issue to a general audience, you may have a sea of the most reliable data, the most elegant PowerPoint slides and the full backing of every famous expert in the relevant field. And yet, you can still be less persuasive than someone whose entire argument is: “A guy I met down the pub told me something different.”

In a perfectly sensible, logical world, someone who is loosely connected with a certain field or industry wouldn’t have the same influence as actual data, or the leading experts in the field. But humans aren’t perfectly sensible, logical creatures and neither is the world we live in.

The ability to think rationally and analytically is a relatively recent addition to our mental abilities (in the evolutionary sense). And it costs our brains a lot of energy and effort, The more established, fundamental systems in our brain, which shape memory and learning, are heavily reliant on emotion. The more emotionally stimulating something is, the easier it is to remember. That’s why we can spend months revising the material for a crucial school exam, but struggle to remember any of it once we’ve passed. Meanwhile, the embarrassing tine we slipped and landed on our backside in the school canteen. that memory will last until our dying day.

The most determined sceptics (无神论者) will often say, “Facts don’t care about your feelings,” which is correct. But feelings don’t necessarily care about facts either. And ultimately, feelings have more of a say in what we think and do. And that’s why your mate down the pub can seem more believable than a pile of published research.

1. What contributes to the spread of “fake news”?

A．People factor.	B．Human culture.
C．Modern invention.	D．Information accuracy.

2. Why did the general audiences think actual data less persuasive?

A．They prefer making sensible analyses.	B．They ae more likely to be emotional.
C．They have more trust in authority.	D．They overestimate themselves.

3. How does the author illustrate his idea in paragraph 4?

A．By listing figures.	B．By giving examples.
C．By explaining a concept.	D．By citing experts’ words.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To reveal secrets.	B．To share emotions.
C．To criticize a decision.	D．To describe a phenomenon.

10 . Since the mid-1990s, tourists have paid storm-chasers to take them to places in the American Great Plains where they expect to see tornadoes. Why, a reasonable follow-up question might go, would anyone want to get so close to something so disruptive? These tourists, a study found, characterized their relationship to severe weather as a “passion”, describing their feelings about tornadoes using words like “enjoyment”, “fascination” and “love”. Some people seem spiritually moved by tornadoes-one tourist called the storms “humbling” -but the main motivator seemed to be simple: Twisters are cool.

America has many more tornadoes than any other country, and its people have long regarded twisters with a mix of fear, awe and thrilled pleasure. Fast-moving and dramatic, tornadoes have been irresistible parts for popular entertainment. One needn’t be an extreme-weather enthusiast, however, to take a brief and far-less dangerous tour: of culture tornadoes have inspired and of the transformation of American society’s feelings about these storms from fear to excitement.

European colonists in the future United States were fascinated-and sometimes horrified-by their new land’s weather. In the Early Republic, the influence of romantic ideas about the terrible and wonderful power of nature became clearer in American tornado culture. Some people began to write about tornadoes in terms of awe, and to produce art that explored the phenomenon’s natural beauty, while also moralizing about its meaning. Since the 1930s, American tornadoes have been less deadly: the country has much better early-warning systems, fewer people live in rural areas and tornado activity has largely shifted from the southeast to the thinly-populated Great Plains.

Storm-chasing-a scientific, thrill-seeking activity that most Americans found out about via the1996 blockbuster film Twister, is still incomprehensible to many who don’t practice it. “I find it difficult to explain to someone who hasn’t chased what forces us to seek pleasure from risk,” wrote Jennifer Henderson, a scholar and crazy storm-chaser, characterizing her feelings while chasing as “a sense of exposure and revelation tightly coupled”.

1. What does the underlined word “disruptive” in the first paragraph mean?

A．Amazing.

B．Ruinous.

C．Costly.

D．Sensitive.

2. What do we learn about tornadoes in America?

A．They are small and have a slower moving speed.

B．They tend to be less common in American history.

C．They have aroused interest in weather tours in America.

D．The American people have suffered less damage from them.

3. Why did the harm of tornadoes in America decrease in paragraph3?

A．The population of America was declining gradually.

B．There was no tornado activity in the southeastern America.

C．America has made greater progress in natural disaster warning.

D．The natural environment in tornado areas has been damaged.

4. What is the best title of the article?

A．The thrill of storm chasing	B．The tour of watching tornadoes
C．The formation of tornadoes	D．A unique phenomenon in nature