1 . Selecting gifts for your beloved ones can be one of the most difficult parts. But don’t worry! We can help! Here are some gift ideas to suit all pockets.

Air purifier

Do you have a loved one who suffers from allergies (过敏) or other skin diseases? Why not gift him or her an air cleaner? Research has shown that air purifiers can help reduce allergy reactions, remove asthma (哮喘) causes such as dust by improving air quality in your home. Look for purifiers with more than one filter and, especially, a high efficiency air filter.

Electric toothbrush

One review of 56 studies has found that a powered toothbrush resulted in a 21 per cent reduction of plaque and an 11 per cent reduction in gingivitis (牙龈炎) after three months, compared with a manual toothbrush. It’s also a fun way for children to look after their dental hygiene.

Dark chocolate

Nothing screams a gift quite like chocolate. Good news is that dark chocolate is associated with several health benefits. Small amounts of this sweet treat may lower the risk of heart disease, improve brain function and give your immune system a boost, potentially reducing infection.

Your time

Quality time spent with your nearest and dearest is completely free, but is the most precious gift you could give them. If you’ve been too preoccupied of late, determine to put aside more hours to do fun things together, or if you have time to devote to others outside your immediate circle, consider volunteering with Age UK as a friend to an elderly person.

1. Which of the following is suitable for someone with a dental problem?

A．Air purifier.	B．Electric toothbrush.
C．Dark chocolate.	D．Your time.

2. What do the first three presents have in common?

A．They belong to tech presents.	B．They are non-physical objects.
C．They are intended for the elderly.	D．They help promote healthy living.

3. What is special about the last present?

A．It is priceless.	B．It is worthless.
C．It is physical.	D．It is rare.

2 . An extreme sport like BMX (Bicycle Motocross) may not be the first thing that comes to mind to help overcome a mental health condition. However, that is _________ what enabled Nikita Ducarroz to fight her fears.

As a child, Ducarroz spent every _________ moment on the soccer field. But at 13, the talented athlete began to suffer from _________ anxiety attacks that made it hard for her to leave home. When her mother told her she had to continue playing a sport, Ducarroz found BMX as a way to _________ that rule. Little did she know that BMX would soon _________ every aspect of her life, and become the reason she would push through her fears one step at a time.

The tale began when a BMX video on YouTube inspired her to try the extreme sport. She saved up for a bike. Then she began practicing _________ in her driveway. Soon, her excellent skills brought her enough _________ to ride at the local skate park. With that confidence, Ducarroz was _________ to ride in the competition in 2016, and she has not looked back since.

“The bike made me get out of the house, go to the skate park, and _________ get on a plane,” said Ducarroz. “It __________ me to overcome all my fears.”

The 26-year-old is now one of the world’s best female BMX freestylers. Ducarroz now has her __________ set on the 2024 Paris Olympics. She says, “My goal in Paris is another medal. I can get that done with the training.”

Though she still suffers occasional __________ attacks, Ducarroz now knows how to manage them. To help others with mental health conditions, Ducarroz has started an Instagram page called MindTricks. It is where people discuss their fears __________.

“MindTricks started because of my own __________ that I was making on Instagram about mental health,” she explained. “And I thought, ‘Why don’t we create a place where others can do the same, a central spot where everyone can read about these stories and also feel __________ to share their own stories?’”

1.

A．precisely

B．automatically

C．roughly

D．temporarily

2.

A．expectant

B．boring

C．spare

D．urgent

3.

A．slight

B．mild

C．occasional

D．severe

4.

A．end

B．fulfill

C．measure

D．resist

5.

A．put off

B．ate away

C．took over

D．slowed down

6.

A．concepts

B．tricks

C．facilities

D．models

7.

A．confidence

B．muscle

C．patience

D．fortune

8.

A．likely

B．hesitant

C．ready

D．effortless

9.

A．slowly

B．abruptly

C．swiftly

D．eventually

10.

A．blocked

B．pushed

C．left

D．hooked

11.

A．luck

B．sight

C．standard

D．training

12.

A．panic

B．heart

C．delight

D．annoyance

13.

A．carefully

B．privately

C．safely

D．humbly

14.

A．appearance

B．medals

C．posts

D．choices

15.

A．ashamed

B．reserved

C．collapsed

D．enlightened

3 . Patrick, Scheels store’s fishing manager, always helps customers with their angling (垂钓) needs, but one ______ stood out.

One day, a young boy named Xander entered the store with his mother, Brynn. Patrick noticed his eye were filled with ______ about the world of fishing. For nearly half an hour, they ______ their shared passion.

Brynn shared the ______ of Xander’s connection to angling, explaining, “My dad, a fisherman, passed away last year, but Xander never got to go fishing with him. So over the last year, he’s been ______ grandpa, wishing he could go fishing with him.”

______ by Xander’s longing for a connection to his late grandfather, Patrick decided to take action and ______ Xander his first fishing pole. “It was sixty dollars and he bought it with his own money,” Xander said. This ______ gesture brought tears to Brynn’s eyes, and she acknowleged that such acts of kindness aren’t ______ .

However, Patrick’s generosity didn’t ______ here. The 22-year-old fishing enthusiast went a step further by ______ a memorable fishing trip for Xander and his family. To ______ that Xander had an enriching experience, two professional anglers from Scheels ______ him on the trip, offering guidance and teaching him valuable skills.

Patrick’s kindness was ______ a breath of fresh air for Xander and his family, who described the fishing trip as a once-in-a-lifetime ______ . “I felt like it was my due diligence to pass on the good word of fishing,” Patrick said.

1.

A．argument

B．journey

C．adventure

D．encounter

2.

A．curiosity

B．nervousness

C．concern

D．regret

3.

A．debated over

B．bonded over

C．stuck to

D．turned to

4.

A．wisdom

B．evidence

C．significance

D．definition

5.

A．missing

B．blaming

C．admiring

D．persuading

6.

A．Annoyed

B．Touched

C．Amused

D．Surprised

7.

A．gifted

B．lent

C．showed

D．made

8.

A．ambitious

B．strange

C．genuine

D．urgent

9.

A．practical

B．avoidable

C．secure

D．common

10.

A．root

B．stop

C．appear

D．reach

11.

A．recording

B．postponing

C．organizing

D．canceling

12.

A．reveal

B．stress

C．prove

D．ensure

13.

A．accompanied

B．monitored

C．assessed

D．sponsored

14.

A．possibly

B．initially

C．truly

D．mainly

15.

A．deal

B．experience

C．task

D．performance

4 . Orchid Island is a striking travel destination full of natural beauty. Due to popular demand, we’ve assembled two- and three-day tour packages to ensure you’ll see the best the island has to offer.

ISLAND ADVENTURES TRAVEL AGENCY

Package options and prices

Two-day tour $406

Three-day tour $606

What to expect

Our tour begins with a scooter(小型摩托车) tour around the island. In the late afternoon, it’s time to head to the beach for a wonderful snorkeling adventure. Finally, we’ll close out the first day by taking in an Orchid Island sunset over the Qingqing Grassland. The following morning, you’ll witness an unforgettable sunrise at Dongqing Bay. Later, you’ll travel around the island on your scooter and observe traditional Tao fishing boats. You’ll even have the option of rowing out to sea on one of these boats for a small additional expense.

The three-day tour costs an additional $200, but it’s well worth the extra expense. It includes a historical tour of traditional underground houses and a visit to the well-known Lover’s Cave.

• Both packages include round-trip boat tickets from Fugang Port to Orchid Island.

• Snorkeling equipment rental and professional instruction are included.

Reminders

Travelers are required to present ID at Fugang Port.

Travelers must have a scooter driving license for scooter rentals.

1. What can you do at the end of the first day of the tour?

A．Go snorkeling.

B．Camp at Dongqing Bay.

C．Ride a scooter around the island.

D．Enjoy the sunset over the Qingqing Grassland.

2. How does the three-day tour differ from the two-day tour?

A．It features scooter driving.

B．It gives tourists round-trip ferry tickets.

C．It involves a visit to the Lover’s Cave.

D．It includes boarding traditional fishing boats.

3. Which of the following is left out of the tour prices?

A．Receiving professional instruction.	B．Rowing a traditional boat out to sea.
C．Renting snorkeling equipment.	D．Renting a scooter.

5 . 汉译英
1. a______________ v. 承认；感谢
2. t______________ adj. 仔细的；彻底的
3. s______________ v. 吹过；略过
4. c______________ v. 使转化；使转换
5. o______________ adj. 杰出的；优秀的
6. h______________ n. 地平线；眼界
7. p______________ adj. 具有强烈信念的；热爱的
8. b______________ n. 微风
9. t______________ v. 颤抖；发抖
10. w______________ v. 退出

6 . On Oct. 11, hundreds of runners competed in a cross-country race in Minnesota. Melanie Bailey should have _________ the course earlier than she did. Her _________ came because she was carrying a _________ across the finish line.

As reported by a local newspaper, Bailey was more than two-thirds of the way through her _________ when a runner in front of her began crying in pain. She _________ to help her fellow runner, Danielle Lenoue. Bailey took her arm to see if she could walk forward with _________. She couldn’t. Bailey then _________ to let Lenoue climb onto her back and carried her all the way to the finish line, then another 300 feet to where Lenoue could get _________ attention.

Once there, Lenoue was _________ and later taken to a hospital, where she learned that she had serious injuries in one of her knees. She would have struggled with extreme __________ to make it to that aid checkpoint without Bailey’s help.

As for Bailey, she is more __________ about why her act is considered a big __________. “She was just crying. I couldn’t __________ her,” Bailey told the reporter. “I feel like I was just doing the right thing.”

Although the two young women were strangers before the __________, they’ve since become friends. Neither won the race, but the __________ of human kindness won the day.

1.

A．designed

B．followed

C．changed

D．finished

2.

A．delay

B．chance

C．trouble

D．excuse

3.

A．judge

B．volunteer

C．classmate

D．competitor

4.

A．race

B．school

C．town

D．training

5.

A．agreed

B．returned

C．stopped

D．promised

6.

A．courage

B．aid

C．patience

D．advice

7.

A．went away

B．stood up

C．stepped aside

D．bent down

8.

A．medical

B．public

C．constant

D．equal

9.

A．interrupted

B．assessed

C．identified

D．appreciated

10.

A．hunger

B．pain

C．cold

D．tiredness

11.

A．worried

B．ashamed

C．confused

D．discouraged

12.

A．game

B．problem

C．lesson

D．deal

13.

A．leave

B．cure

C．bother

D．understand

14.

A．ride

B．test

C．meet

D．show

15.

A．secret

B．display

C．benefit

D．exchange

7 . Recently, the Norwegian island of Sommary announced that it was getting rid of time to become the world’s first time-free zone. It sounded extremely pleasant—to leave the clock behind and do what you wanted whenever you wanted to. Unfortunately, the idea turned out to be a clever strategy to attract public attention by Norway’s tourism agency rather than the real deal. But it raises a fundamental question—can we live totally without time?

“From a consciousness viewpoint we simply can’t lose our awareness of time, as it’s closely connected to our sense of self,” explains German psychologist Marc Wittmann. “Many cells in our body possess their own autonomous clock. If those clocks get out of sync (不同步), however, it could cause problems.” Canadian scientist Holly Andersen agrees, believing it’s not possible to have conscious experience without the passage of time. Think about how your personal identity is built over time and filed away as memories. “These memories make up who you are over time,” says Andersen.

While we can’t give up the concept of the passage of time at such fundamental levels, day in day out forcing our bodies to stick to an abstract concept of time that ignores natural rhythms may lead to physical problems. A typical example is Daylight Saving Time (DST)—where we move clock time one hour forward relative to the cycle of daylight. There are a number of studies suggesting that switching to DST disturbs our internal body clocks, leading to less sleep, worse performance in tests and learning issues.

The clock, it seems, isn’t always good for us. So, how can we live in a world ruled by clock time? “Giving yourself permission to do something without any time limit can help restore some of your body’s normal rhythms. If possible, wake up naturally or go for a walk until you feel you’re done. You don’t have to have a life where you meditate (冥想) for ten hours a day,” says Andersen. “But letting go of time restrictions on your actions for a twenty-minute period can be very healthy.”

1. What can we say about Sommargy’s announcement?

A．It failed to draw public attention.	B．It was just a marketing trick.
C．It was a rather practical policy.	D．It caused too many problems.

2. What do both Wittmann and Andersen agree with?

A．Many people tend to save time in unhealthy ways.

B．It is difficult to accurately sense the passage of time.

C．Your sense of self has little to do with your memories.

D．It is impossible for us to live without the sense of time.

3. Why does the author mention the studies in paragraph 3?

A．To show how our body clocks actually work.

B．To explain why DST helps improve efficiency.

C．To prove clock time’s potential harm to our health.

D．To deny the link between body clocks and clock time.

4. What does Andersen advise us to do?

A．Exercise for twenty minutes every day.	B．Try to do things outside the clock’s control.
C．Find effective ways to make use of our time.	D．Meditate more to restore our body’s rhythms.

8 . Installing a little door in your main door can be a great way to allow your pets to come and go as they please.     1    . Petvation is looking to change that with the help of AI facial recognition and a mobile app.

You may already have a little entry in your door that only gives access to your cats or dogs, but that likely means your pets will have to wear some sort of “key” on a collar to identify them and unlock the pet door.     2     To save the trouble, considerate Petvation developers have developed a smart pet door without a “key”. They make use of the face recognition technology that has already been applied to our smartphones and computers to ensure that access to the home is only given to authorized family members.

However, the developers recognize that identifying and authorizing animal faces is more challenging than with humans.     3    . The AI model is expected to be continuously improved over time for better accuracy. And in addition to identifying cats and dogs, the system can also recognize all kinds of animals, so the entry point will remain firmly closed to unwanted guests.

The company says that three independent safety mechanisms are employed to “keep your pet safe from head to tail”.     4    . There’s also a light anti-pinch (防夹) mechanism in place. And finally the system checks all sensors during operation and will enter a safe mode if issues are detected.

That app is also used for setup and control, including the ability to give access to specific household pets and keep track of the comings and goings of pets.     5    .

A．First, sensors detect and monitor the cats or dogs as they approach and pass through

B．But sometimes that may lead to unwanted visitors too

C．The door can also be opened or closed remotely from within the app

D．Independent mechanisms are important in maintaining safety

E．And the keys are very helpful

F．Therefore, multiple-image full-body animal recognition is employed to address that

G．And the keys can be somewhat heavy

9 . 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。

Thousands of farmers in China have started to grow PR23, a rice that doesn’t have to be planted anew (重新) each season, but emerges year after year from the roots    1    (leave) in the soil, just as many wild grasses do.

Researchers at Yunnan University in Kunming, China worked for more than two    2    (decade) to create this rice, and have now published their    3    (succeed) in the journal Nature Sustainability. The rice, they report, can dramatically reduce the farmers’ costs while    4    (produce) about the same amount of grain.

According to    5    researchers, about 11,000 small farms planted PR23 in 2020 on a total area of    6    (rough) 9,000 acres. A year later, the planted area jumped to 38, 000 acres. Many farmers    7    (attract) to PR23 because it took less work.

The new rice doesn’t keep producing a good harvest forever, though. In field trials, yields (产量)    8    (drop) after four years of production,    9    included eight growing seasons. At that point, farmers needed to replant.

PR23 still accounts    10    a small percentage of China’s total harvest and it’s too early to estimate how widely it could spread. In theory, at least, it could be best adapted to warm places with plenty of water.

10 . From a young age, Barbara Binns’s passions were reading and doing research. With her latest book, Unlawful Orders, a biography, she captures American history.

Unlawful Orders tells the story of James Williams (1919-2016), a doctor who served with the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military pilots, during World War II. While at the Freeman Airfield base in Iowa, he stood up to racial unfair practices through peaceful protest, which pushed the government to make some changes in the US army.

Binns lives in Chicago, Illinois, where she grew up and where most of her stories took place. In 2008, she wrote several books for young readers. She found her current book’s subject while researching James’s mother, Clara Williams, for another project. James had also lived in Chicago, in a neighborhood not far from where Binns grew up, but she hadn’t heard about him. “I found myself wondering if I ever walked past him on the street and didn’t realize I was in the presence of greatness,” Binns told The Week Junior. She said she would have loved to have him as a role model during her childhood.

That’s one reason why she wrote Unlawful Orders, she said — for children who need a hero, someone who looks ordinary but did extraordinary things through quiet but persistent actions.

1. What can be known about James Williams?

A．He once served as an American pilot.

B．He fought for equal rights for the black people.

C．He lived in the same neighborhood with Binns.

D．He got the support from American government.

2. Which of the following words can best replace the underlined words in Paragraph 2?

A．Put aside.	B．Settled for.
C．Objected to.	D．Referred to.

3. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．How Binns chose the subject for Unlawful Orders.

B．How Binos got to know James Williams.

C．Why Binns gave up researching Clara Williams.

D．Why Binns chose Chicago to be the setting for her books.

4. Why did Binns write Unlawful Orders?

A．To motivate herself to become a hero.	B．To be in memory of James Williams.
C．To inspire the children.	D．To record American history.