1 . The relationship between Jeffrey Pang and his son, Kevin Pang, was like hot-and-sour soup. It boiled over easily. The Pangs, who moved to the United States in 1988, wanted their son and daughter to know Chinese culture. As a video game-playing American teen, Kevin wasn’t interested.

But when Kevin became a food writer for the Chicago Tribune, he realized he had a valuable resource: his cook-laving dad. “My father and I shared, for the first time, a common interest. I would call to ask about recipes and cooking techniques. He would school me on the world of Chinese food,” Kevin writes in the introduction to the cookbook he has just published.

When it comes to cooking Chinese food, he points out that there is no one definition of Chinese food. “Chinese cooking is not hidebound. For example, consider baked pork chop rice, popularized in Hong Kong. It is a pork chop with egg-fried rice. And then you top it with this thick tomato sauce,” explains Kevin. “And then you top that with some cheese. It’s a very interesting combined dish that has some Western British influences, and it’s altogether very Chinese as well.”

By the time Kevin joined America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) staff in 2020 as its editorial director for digital content, his dad had become an Internet celebrity demonstrating the family’s recipes. Kevin recognized an opportunity not only to share his own family’s food stories but also to apply the ATK method of breaking down recipes into simple steps for the home cook.

“I think this cookbook can teach fathers and sons how to connect, how to find a common interest and improve their relationship, ” Kevin says. That feeling has found an enthusiastic fan base, generating nearly 3 million views, for their online cooking series “Hunger Pangs”, where viewers speak highly of their father-son bond as much as they do of their attractive dishes. Today the Pangs’ relationship is rarely sour or hot.

1. Why would Kevin phone his father after becoming a food writer?

A．To publish his Chinese cookbook.	B．To inquire about hot-and-sour soup.
C．To seek permission for video games.	D．To ask about cooking Chinese food.

2. What does the underlined word “hidebound” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Inflexible.

B．Inclusive.

C．Unpleasant.

D．Uncertain.

3. What can we infer about Kevin and his father from the passage?

A．Their relationship has improved.	B．They run America’s. Test Kitchen.
C．They do dishes to attract followers.	D．Their cookbook is about low-fat food.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Cooking at home helps you cook well for less.	B．Father and son jointly teach Chinese cooking.
C．Chinese culture is becoming popular in the us.	D．Recipes and cooking techniques are really easy.

2 . Four Wonderful Books

Worried Whippet: A Book of Bravery

by Jess Bolton

This beautifully illustrated story is about an anxious dog who navigates (驾驭) moments of bravery and acts of courage as she goes about her everyday life.

Written for adults and children who are struggling with anxiety, Jess’s hope is that the book can encourage you to take small steps of bravery as well, just as the worried Whippet does.

All Through the Night

by Dani Robertson

Author and dark sky officer Dani Roberston is on a mission to protect the world from the effects of light pollution. In doing so, she helps us to understand why the dark nights are so important for ourselves, animals, and plants, and turns the switch on why it’s something that should be embraced (欣然接受).

The Book of Nordic Self-Care

by Elisabeth Carlsson

If your typical self-care routine isn’t cutting it, now is the time to embrace self-care the Nordic way. From wellness practices to Nordic foods, nutritionist and lifestyle coach Elisabeth Carlsson reveals the secrets from the world’s happiest countries that will help you bring peace and balance to your life.

The Britannias : An Island Quest

by Alice Albinia

Put on your walking boots and head off on this tour through the history of Britain’s islands.

In tracing the nation’s geographical periphery (周边), author and journalist Alice Albinia also, fittingly, sets out to recentre the narrative on stories sometimes pushed to the edges: those of women, for instance, or of people regarded with suspicion. Part history, part travelogue (游记), this is an interesting exploration of how a land shapes its people.

1. What is the book Worried Whippet: A Book of Bravery about?

A．The story of an anxious but brave dog.

B．The effects of light pollution.

C．The history of Britain’s islands.

D．Nordic self-care practices.

2. Who wrote the book focusing on wellness practices and Nordic foods?

A．Jess Bolton.	B．Dani Robertson.
C．Elisabeth Carlsson.	D．Alice Albinia.

3. Which book consists of part history and part travelogue?

A．Worried Whippet: A Book of Bravery.

B．All Through the Night.

C．The Book of Nordic Self-Care.

D．The Britannias: An Island Quest.

3 . Given the chance, 15-year-old Lenny King likes nothing more than to climb over seven foot-high garden fences and run across the busy road to the Co-op, which he associates with free biscuits. His sister Daisy, 17, frequently falls over, and she was told she’d never walk.

The eldest, 19-year-old Rosie, might launch into an outburst of swearing (咒骂) at any moment. The King family are special in a number of ways. Not only are all three children on the autism (自闭症) spectrum, but their parents — rather than see their situation as at best unlucky and at worst a curse (诅咒) — regard it as a blessing. “In some ways my children are forever young, so while in most families the children grow up and pull away from their parents, mine continue to be a source of childlike surprises,” says Mum Sharon, 47.

Sharon and Richard King met in a Wakefield nightclub. Sharon had a normal pregnancy (怀孕) and gave birth to Rosie, who was a highly developed youngster. While her parents thought her “a bit different”, they saw no reason to be concerned about having a second child. Two years later Daisy was born and, within 12 months, she was diagnosed (诊断) with the rare genetic condition Kabuki Syndrome which is a rare, multi-system disorder characterized by abnormalities including distinctive facial features, growth delays, varying degrees of intellectual disability.

The Kings were told that Daisy may never walk or talk, though she proved the doctors wrong in the first instance by getting to her feet, aged five. Sharon and Richard, a 52-year-old civil engineer, were also advised to think carefully about having any more children. At that point Sharon was already six months pregnant with Lenny. When their son was 18 months old, the Kings noticed that he wasn’t meeting his developmental milestones and doctors raised the possibility that he might be autistic. Lenny was finally diagnosed with classic autism before his third birthday, which then raised questions about nine-year-old Rosie. Tests revealed she had high functioning Asperger’s (阿斯伯格综合征).

Now Lenny and Daisy are collected by an autism resource centre at 8 a. m. each day and returned at 4 p. m. People who are not defeated by suffering are brave warriors in life, and they definitely will have a bright future.

1. Which can best describe Sharon?

A．Optimistic.

B．Pitiful.

C．Inspiring.

D．Grateful.

2. Why did the couple have a second child without any concern?

A．They were healthy.	B．They prefer a large family.
C．Rosie seemed almost normal.	D．There was no history of the illness in them.

3. What happened to Rosie?

A．She was infected by Lenny.	B．She also carried some disease.
C．She was ignored by her parents.	D．She was diagnosed with autism at birth.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To explain the unfairness of life.	B．To encourage readers to offer help.
C．To persuade people to focus on autism.	D．To tell people to be positive about misfortune.

4 . Hummingbirds are natural acrobats (杂技演员), twisting their wings in ways that let them fly backward and upside down, unlike any other bird. Now, high-speed video shows how the birds can slip through gaps narrower than their wingspan (翼宽).

Hummingbirds fly sideways to make it through holes too small for their stiff (僵硬), outstretched wings, scientists report November 9 in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The birds move their wings at a part of the full range of motion, keeping them from hitting the hole’s sides while preserving the backward flying ability. After navigating (穿行) the barriers a few times, hummingbirds flatten their wings against the body and travel through the holes.

“This is a new insight into the amazing capacity of hummingbirds,” says Bret Tobalske, a biomechanist at the University of Montana in Missoula who was not involved in the study. Most birds just pull their wings close to the body to fly through thick vegetation. Sideways flight highlights how unique these hummingbirds are, Tobalske says.

Biologist Marc Badger and colleagues trained four wild Anna’s hummingbirds to fly between two feeders, then introduced barriers monitored by high-speed cameras. Each barrier had holes ranging from 6 to 12 centimetres across, which are equal to about half or a full hummingbird wingspan.

The sideways flight astonished study coauthor Robert Dudley, a physiologist at the University of California, Berkeley. “To slow it up and then go sideways and not drop in altitude was a novel behaviour.”

Perhaps hummingbirds fly sideways to navigate barriers that might hide enemies, says Badger, who did the work while at UC Berkeley. Once the birds know it’s safe, they use the technique to avoid breaking feathers, he suggests.

1. What makes it difficult for hummingbirds to fly through tiny gaps?

A．They have poor vision.

B．Their wings don’t easily bend.

C．They are unable to fly backward.

D．Their enemies often hide in narrow gaps.

2. What can we know about Bret Tobalske?

A．He didn’t engage in the study.

B．He works at the University of California.

C．He thinks little of hummingbirds’ flying ability.

D．He trained four hummingbirds to fly between two feeders.

3. How does Robert Dudley feel about hummingbirds’ unique flying skill?

A．Doubtful.

B．Upset.

C．Concerned.

D．Amazed.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Hummingbirds Are Natural Performers

B．Hummingbirds Have High Survival Abilities

C．Hummingbirds Show off Their Sideways Flight

D．Hummingbirds Are Recorded by High-Speed Cameras

5 . Of all the Christmas traditions in my family, the most firmly defended is what’s known as the healthy walk: a non-negotiable walk that takes place in the thin sliver of daylight separating the end of a massive breakfast and the beginning of an even bigger Christmas dinner.

I think the origins of the name lie with my late grandmother (who was also fond of healthy 5 a. m. swims in the English Channel well into her 70s), but it was my parents’ generation who first embraced it at Christmas, working out that a walk was essential. Now, as my parents themselves approach their 70s, my brothers and I have taken up the baton (接力棒) enthusiastically.

But hiking in the depths of winter isn’t without its risks. There are times when the healthy walk has felt almost a little too healthy — there’s a fine line between the kind of weather my grandmother would have described as pleasant and that which will lead to full-blown hypothermia(体温过低). Getting soaked, suffering frozen fingers and slithering (滑) down a muddy bank on your backside are all risks at Christmas in my family. So far, no-one has ever seriously injured themselves, but whatever Michael Bublé might say, the reality of festive-season walking in the UK is always more “sodden (湿透的) mud patch” than “winter wonderland”.

Of course, the risk of being caught out by the elements increases further on longer hikes at this time of year. I’m always amazed that more people don’t do themselves serious damage during ultra-distance winter events. I’m in a we of those (including my sister) who’ve managed to complete things such as the two-day Original Mountain Marathon which takes place in October. In the end, however, the same principle applies to these big events as to our more gentle Christmas Day walk: if you get the right gear (装备), you can handle pretty much anything.

1. What’s the most strictly guarded Christmas custom in the author’s family?

A．A great breakfast.	B．The healthy walk.
C．A big Christmas dinner.	D．5 a. m. swims in the English Channel.

2. Which of the following can best describe the author’s grandmother?

A．Kind and caring.	B．Successful and rich.
C．Determined and energetic.	D．Ambitious and generous.

3. What can we infer about the people who complete ultra-distance winter events?

A．They should wear proper gear to deal with many things.

B．They can handle everything independently.

C．They should focus on more gentle activities.

D．They are risking their lives unnecessarily.

4. In which section of a website may the text be found?

A．Sports.

B．Education.

C．Entertainment.

D．Science.

6 . Each year, I write a Christmas list for my family. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the ________ of a perfectly chosen gift that I would never have thought to ________. It’s just that, more often than not, someone else’s ________ of the perfectly chosen gift is not mine. I’d rather they just stuck to the ________. However, there is one area where I ________ hand over control—the Christmas stocking.

My mum makes a stocking for me every year. There are ________ to the stocking. It will always _________ chocolate coins and a pair of gloves. There will be some sort of seasonal ________, like colourful lights. And then there will be ________ supplies. We’ll buy each other little bits of skin care, such as soaps. There will be kitchen tools to replace the old ones. We use stockings as a chance to ________ each other’s daily lives, to replace the small things that you ________ because there’s always something more important to spend the money on.

These oversized socks packed with small gifts might not be ________ in fancy ribbon (丝带) and placed under the tree, but to me they bring as much ________ as the most expensive present. They_________ that the person who filled that stocking understands your life, sees the details of it, and wants to make it easier.

Buying a woman a beautiful piece of jewellery that absolutely meets her taste isn’t easy, but finding ten small items that will _________ her daily life is an act that requires truly seeing her.

1.

A．reputation

B．news

C．surprise

D．entertainment

2.

A．ask for

B．set aside

C．know about

D．sell out

3.

A．preference

B．message

C．answer

D．idea

4.

A．list

B．plan

C．habit

D．principle

5.

A．secretly

B．willingly

C．suddenly

D．deeply

6.

A．traditions

B．approaches

C．solutions

D．attitudes

7.

A．keep

B．contain

C．collect

D．accept

8.

A．changes

B．greetings

C．decorations

D．flowers

9.

A．constant

B．sufficient

C．limited

D．daily

10.

A．enjoy

B．refresh

C．save

D．restore

11.

A．hold on to

B．put up with

C．make do with

D．look forward to

12.

A．trapped

B．wrapped

C．painted

D．covered

13.

A．shock

B．fear

C．relief

D．joy

14.

A．recognize

B．admit

C．agree

D．show

15.

A．enhance

B．rebuild

C．stimulate

D．ruin

7 . 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。

Once upon a time, there was a naughty (淘气的) and curious little boy named Jack. Growing up in the city, he had always been fascinated by the countryside and all its wonders. So when his mother decided to take him to visit his grandmother in the village during one summer, Jack was overjoyed.

As soon as they arrived, Jack’s eyes widened with excitement at the sight of the old-fashioned spinning (纺纱) wheel and waterwheel in the yard. But it was the large geese (鹅) in the fenced enclosure that truly seized his attention. Their white feathers, long necks, and distinctive cackles (嘎嘎叫) were unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Eager to explore, Jack approached the fence and reached out to gently tap one of the geese on its head. He laughed at his own playfulness, but little did he know that his actions would have unintended consequences.

The goose, feeling threatened and annoyed, let out a loud squawk and charged towards Jack. Frightened and shocked, Jack moved backwards, tripping over his own feet and falling onto the ground. The goose continued to pursue him, its sharp beak (嘴) coming dangerously close to his face.

Just as the situation seemed terrible, Jack’s grandmother rushed to his rescue. She quickly grabbed a broom and managed to scare the angry goose away, saving Jack from potential harm. Breathless and shaken, Jack sat on the ground, realizing the gravity of his action.

His grandmother sat down beside him and gently explained that animals, even seemingly harmless ones like geese, could attack if they felt threatened. She reminded Jack that it was important to treat all creatures with kindness and respect, regardless of their size or appearance.

Feeling ashamed and regretful, Jack apologized to the goose for his thoughtless behaviour. From that day on, he made a conscious effort to be more mindful of how his action could affect others, both human and animal alike. He learned that true bravery wasn’t about being fearless, but about facing your fears and making amends (补偿) when you were wrong.

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。

As the summer days passed, Jack helped his grandmother tend to the garden and care for the animals.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Years later, as an animal rights activist, Jack often reflected on that decisive summer in the village.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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。

The Tigris River and the Euphrates River are two of the most significant rivers in the Middle East     1     define Mesopotamia, the ancient land between the rivers. They shaped the civilizations that flourished along their banks and have been essential     2    (source)of water for agriculture, transportation and trade.

The Tigris River originates in the Taurus Mountains of eastern Turkey and flows southeast through Iraq before joining the Euphrates River     3    (form)the Shatt al-Arab which then empties into the Persian Gulf. The river has a     4    (long)of about 1,900 kilometres.

In ancient times, the Tigris River served as     5     lifeline for different groups of people,     6    (include)Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians. Cities like Baghdad and Mosul     7    (situate)along its banks. The river provided water for irrigation, enabling the cultivation of crops such as wheat, barley and dates. It also facilitated trade routes, connecting ancient Mesopotamian cities and     8    (great)improving the exchange of goods and ideas. Similar     9     the Tigris River, the Euphrates River played a crucial role in the development of ancient civilizations.

Both rivers     10    (face)challenges in recent times. Dams, diversions(分水渠)and water projects have been constructed along their courses, impacting the flow and availability of water downstream.

9 . Five Ways to Find Your Passion

●Cultivate (培养) more self-awareness.

When you know yourself, you know your passions. Self-awareness is an important step to figuring out your passion. Ask yourself the following questions in order to figure out patterns or themes that could lead you to your passion: What kinds of things bring me joy? How do I feel when I do those activities?     1    ? What are my strengths?

●Make a vision board.

Making a vision board anytime you’re looking to change something in your life is a powerful way to paint a picture of what you want.     2    . Even if you are not certain about the passions you’d want to put on the board, you can create a personal vision statement for the board (i. e., I live out my passions or My life is full of what I’m passionate about), which will help guide you to find your passion.

●    3    

If you’re operating the same way every day and finding you’re not able to discover your passion, something clearly needs to change! In this case, you may need to explore new areas. You may want to step outside of your comfort zone. You may find some new inspiration.

●Notice what inspires you.

Speaking of inspiration, pay attention to anything and everything in your life that sparks something in you. Spend two whole days writing down all the big and small things that inspire you, and after those two days, you can start to notice common themes and patterns.     4    .

●Practice mindfulness (正念).

Mindfulness involves the process of slowing down and noticing things (particularly your own thoughts and behaviour) with more conscious (有意识的) awareness.     5    . We often already know what we’re passionate about and just need to get in contact with our inner selves to bring it to the forefront.

A．Get out of your comfort zone

B．What are my values and beliefs

C．Finding your passion is no exception

D．Reach out to people with similar interests

E．These are indicators of what your true passion is

F．A mindfulness practice helps us follow our inner feelings

G．Here are several tips to help you get started with mindfulness

10 . After losing her house to a fire, Jo Ann Ussery had a strange idea: to live in an airplane. She bought an old Boeing 727, had it shipped to a piece of land she already owned, and spent six months renovating (翻新), doing most of the work by herself.

By the end, Ussery had a fully functional home, with over 140 square metres of living space, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. All for less than $30,000．

Ussery had no professional connection to aviation (航空), and was following the offbeat suggestion of her brother-in-law, an air traffic controller. She lived in the plane from 1995to 1999, when it was seriously damaged after falling off the truck that was moving it to a different location.

Although Ussery wasn’t the first person to ever live in an airplane, her perfect execution (执行)of the project had an inspirational effect. In the late 1990s, Bruce Campbell, an electrical engineer, was struck by her story, “I was driving home and listening to the radio, and they had Jo Ann’s story, and my focus turned entirely to it. The next morning I was placing phone calls,” he said.

Campbell has now been living in his own plane — also a Boeing 727 — for over 20 years. “I still stand on Jo Ann’s shoulder and I’m grateful for the proof of concept.” His project cost $220,000 in total, of which roughly half was for the purchase of the plane.

If you think living in an airplane is extravagant (肆意挥霍的) enough, how about living in two? That’s the plan for Joe Axline, who owns an MD-80 and DC-9 in Brookshire, Texas. Axline has lived in the MD-80 for over a decade and is planning to renovate the DC-9 and equip it with recreational areas such as a movie theatre.“I’ve spent less than a quarter of a million dollars in the whole project,” said Axline, who has very few running expenses because he owns the land and has built his own water well.

1. What does the underlined word “offbeat” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Practical.

B．Great.

C．Stupid.

D．Unconventional.

2. Whose story inspired Bruce Campbell to live in an airplane?

A．Joe Axline.	B．Jo Ann Ussery.
C．Jo Ann Ussery’s brother-in-law.	D．An unknown air traffic controller.

3. How much did Bruce Campbell spend in buying his plane?

A．Less than $30,000．	B．About $110,000.
C．About $220,000．	D．Less than 250,000．

4. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the text?

A．To persuade readers to live in airplanes.

B．To entertain readers with interesting stories.

C．To introduce some people who live in airplanes.

D．To introduce a new and fashionable way of life.