1 . Over the past few decades, technology has advanced at an unprecedented rate, revolutionizing industries and shaping new ways of life.
According to the International Telecommunication Union, a key advocate of technological advancement, the rapid growth of technology has significantly improved the quality of life in numerous communities. It cites studies that show the integration of technology into daily lives has led to increased efficiency, more access to information, and even progress in healthcare in numerous regions.
Those who embrace technological progress argue that it creates new opportunities for individuals and businesses alike. For instance, farmers in remote areas can now access real-time market information and weather updates through smartphones, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their crops. Additionally, small businesses can expand their reach globally through online platforms.
Furthermore, critics fear that the unchecked growth of technology may have negative impacts on society and the environment. For example, the rise of social media and the internet has led to an increase in cyberbullying, privacy concerns, and the spread of misinformation. Moreover, the overuse of technology may contribute to do-nothing lifestyles and other health issues.
One thing is certain about technological progress — it is an inevitable trend. The rapid pace of innovation and the widespread availability of technology make it impossible to turn back.
| A．But how can we take control of technology to our advantage? |
| B．The question arises: Is technological progress beneficial for all? |
| C．This digital divide can lead to increased social and economic gaps. |
| D．However, critics of technological advancement hold a different view. |
| E．These advancements have been particularly evident in rural and underserved areas. |
| F．It ensures that the benefits of technological progress are shared equally across society. |
| G．The challenge now is finding ways to command the power of technology to benefit all. |
2 . For some of us, going to the dentist for routine check-ups is a thing of the ordinary. But for many people around the world, especially those in impoverished (贫困的) areas, having dental improvement and their teeth checked simply isn’t possible. A Brazilian dentist Felipe Rossi has devoted himself to helping changing that situation.
Growing up in USA, Felipe Rossi had just obtained the Bachelor of Medicine Degree and was about to start a master’s degree in Pediatric Dentistry (儿童口腔学) when a journey to his father’s home — Balsabo in Brazil — converted his initial plan. “All locals didn’t have access to dental care, and consequently, many of them suffered deformed teeth or even loss of teeth, leading to many people not daring to laugh with mouth open.” Felipe Rossi recalled. “A desire was planted in my heart. That is, to use my skills to bring healthy smiles to people suffering from dental problems.”
With the support of his parents, Felipe formed an NGO (non-government organization) called Porsorriso to give free oral treatments to individuals with low incomes who require cleaning. fillings, crowns, restoration work and more. His team is composed of approximately 30 registered volunteers who go with him to poor towns and villages in Brazil.
Sponsorship is generally provided by two private companies. Individuals may also make donations through the ‘Smile Solidarity’ program, where they can choose monthly amounts to contribute. Porsorriso also holds regular fundraisers to afford the cost of providing free dental services around the country.
As noble as its objective is, Felipe admits that Porsorriso is “struggling to survive” because of the huge cost of providing dental work and the constant fundraising events they have to hold to keep the NGO in normal functioning. “Challenging as it is, it did bring healthy teeth as well as renewed confidence to the locals. We will continue this transformative act whatever difficulties we will face”. Felipe said with a strong will.
1. How does the author introduce the topic of the text?| A．By posing a contrast. |
| B．By reporting an event. |
| C．By assuming a situation. |
| D．By making an appeal. |
| A．The support from his parents. |
| B．The passion for dental health. |
| C．The encounter with local s lacking dental care. |
| D．The professional skills and knowledge from college. |
| A．Hopeful and diligent. |
| B．Faithful and ambitious. |
| C．Intelligent and creative. |
| D．Charitable and dedicated. |
| A．It gives free oral treatments to anyone in need. |
| B．It is cooperated by Felipe Rossi and the local authority. |
| C．It is financially supported by corporations and individuals. |
| D．It holds regular fundraisers to educate people about dental care. |
“No, little girl. You can’t get in without the money.” Jeffrey, the bus driver, told a little girl who wanted to get on the bus but only had a few pennies. She must have been around seven years old, and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with unaccompanied children that day.
“Please, sir. I want to visit my grandmother,” the little girl begged. “Then go ask your parents for the money and come back next time,” Jeffrey replied and gestured with his hand for the girl to get out. She finally left the bus with her shoulders lowered. Jeffrey saw her sit down at the bus stop and drove off.
He finished his route and went home for the lunch, greeting his wife, Greta, and sitting down on the couch to rest. When he browsed his Facebook posts, an image caught his attention. A picture was shared of the little girl he had just turned away a few hours earlier. The word “Missing” was written on top of the image. He learned that the girl had disappeared a day ago, and her parents were desperately trying to find her.
“Dear! What have I done?” he asked himself, standing up and going to the front door. When Greta asked where he was going, Jeffrey said, “Greta! Quick! Call 911 and this number,” showing her the picture of the girl. “I saw this girl at a bus stop earlier, and I turned her away because she didn’t have enough money. I’m going to find her, but please make those calls.” Having told her where the bus stop was, he went out.
Jeffrey rushed to his car, speeding to the bus stop. Hopefully, the girl was smart enough to stay in one place. He couldn’t believe how careless he had been earlier. She was a little girl all alone. As he drove to the bus stop, Jeffrey vowed to be more careful in the future, especially when it came to children.
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。
Finally, Jeffrey saw a tiny figure sitting on the bench at the spot.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A few minutes later, the police and another car approached.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . Buried deep within the cracks of an old, wooden desk, a worn-out notebook lay forgotten. Its pages, yellowed with
Dickinson, a
One
Her children decided to fulfil her mother’s dream. They found a cottage
The cottage became a place where Dickinson’s family and friends could gather and shared stories about her. It was a place where they could feel her
| A．age | B．light | C．shade | D．colour |
| A．envisioning | B．illustrating | C．shaping | D．recognizing |
| A．devoted | B．retired | C．professional | D．serious |
| A．materials | B．masterpieces | C．possessions | D．instructions |
| A．lyrics | B．remarks | C．entries | D．references |
| A．particular | B．random | C．typical | D．abstract |
| A．resting | B．planted | C．stretching | D．housed |
| A．security | B．resolution | C．harmony | D．accommodation |
| A．relevant | B．identical | C．opposite | D．unique |
| A．provided | B．decorated | C．covered | D．surrounded |
| A．getaway | B．dedication | C．celebration | D．memorial |
| A．existence | B．spirit | C．atmosphere | D．wisdom |
| A．lying | B．nesting | C．hanging | D．reflecting |
| A．reminder | B．evidence | C．symbol | D．relic |
| A．describe | B．pursue | C．cherish | D．embrace |
内容包括：
1. 你的阅读经历或体验；
2. 鼓励读书的倡议。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80个左右；
2. 请在答题卡相应位置作答。
My Reading Story
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . The concept of learned helplessness was first coined by psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven Maier in the late 1960s during a series of experiments with dogs.
The researchers placed dogs in a situation where they were subjected to unavoidable electric shocks. After these initial experiences, the dogs were later placed in a different situation where they could easily escape the shocks by moving to another part of the chamber. Surprisingly, many of the dogs did not attempt to escape, even when the means to do so were readily available. They had learned to feel helpless.
As adults, we often encounter a version of learned helplessness in our daily lives. We face challenges not in the form of electric shocks but in situations where we might feel overwhelmed or powerless, such as long-standing stress at work or repeated personal failures. These experiences can make us believe that we cannot change our circumstances, leading to a passive acceptance of our difficulties.
A similar process operates in our approach to problem-solving and goal-setting. In our formative experiences, we may have encountered situations where our efforts to succeed were consistently met with failure, leading to a sense of powerlessness. But the modern world, with its constant demands and high expectations, has greatly changed our environment. We are now constantly faced with new challenges and opportunities.
Our modern lifestyle — with its various sources of stress and anxiety — can do to our mental state what unavoidable shocks did to the dogs in Seligman’s experiments. We are tending to submit to hopelessness because our past experiences may have conditioned us to expect failure. But, as we have reshaped the world around us, increasing opportunities for success and personal growth, we still have the same psychological responses we developed in earlier, more challenging environments.
Therefore, just as we need to be more thoughtful about our mindset towards effort and success, we also need to be more conscious of our beliefs about personal competence, resisting the temptation to yield to learned helplessness. By fostering resilience and adopting a growth mindset, we can effectively manage our responses to life’s challenges and seize opportunities for improvement and success.
1. What do we know about learned helplessness according to the text?| A．It is a natural response to unavoidable shocks. |
| B．It is primarily caused by modern lifestyle. |
| C．It is a psychological state that can be overcome. |
| D．It is unavoidable in today’s fast-paced world. |
| A．Advanced technology. |
| B．High physical demands. |
| C．Lasting stress at work. |
| D．Unbalanced career life. |
| A．Indifferent and neutral. |
| B．Dismissive and critical. |
| C．Sympathetic and reserved. |
| D．Understanding and encouraging. |
| A．Cause and effect. |
| B．Problem and solution. |
| C．Comparison and contrast. |
| D．Classification and summary. |
La rou, or preserved meat, is a winter season specialty in China. They are customarily made during the last lunar month on the
The preserved meat
Each region has its own seasoning and flavor profile. The Cantonese
8 . Celebrating Beethoven: The Genius of Symphony Exhibition
To commemorate the 254th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the Vienna Philharmonic, renowned for its exceptional collection of classical music instruments, is presenting a special exhibition titled Beethoven: The Genius of Symphony, running from February 1 to June 30.
More than two centuries ago, on December 16, 1820, in the heart of Vienna, Ludwig van Beethoven, a musical legend, composed his Symphony No. 9 in D minor, a masterpiece that marked a milestone in the history of classical music.
The exhibition will transport visitors back to the era of Beethoven’s genius. Through a series of interactive displays and multimedia presentations, visitors will have a chance to explore Beethoven’s creative process and dive into the inspiration behind his most famous works. The highlight of the exhibition will be a copy of Beethoven’s piano, on which he composed many of his masterpieces.
“This exhibition offers a unique and immersive experience, allowing visitors to step into Beethoven’s world and appreciate the depth and breadth of his musical genius,” said Dr. Schmidt, head of the Vienna Philharmonic. “We aim to recreate the magic of Beethoven’s music and inspire a new generation of music lovers.”
Please note the following guidelines for the exhibition:
* Children under 6 years old are not recommended due to the complexity of the content.
* We advise caution for visitors with hearing impairments as some sections of the exhibition involve audio components.
* For safety reasons, large bags and photographic equipment are not permitted inside the exhibition hall. Hand-held cameras are allowed for personal use.
1. What is the central theme of the exhibition?| A．Exhibiting the changes of western musical instruments. |
| B．Exploring the life and works of Ludwig van Beethoven. |
| C．Showcasing the history of classical music in Vienna. |
| D．Highlighting the influence of Beethoven on music. |
| A．Magic shows of Beethoven’s music. |
| B．A reproduced piano of Beethoven. |
| C．Hands-on experience of composition. |
| D．Digital presentation of musical works. |
| A．A journalist carrying mobile phones. |
| B．A senior citizen with poor eyesight. |
| C．A historian with a passion for music. |
| D．A preschooler fascinated by pianos. |
9 . Scientists have figured out how to obtain abundant amounts of oil from duckweed (浮萍), one of nature’s fastest-growing water plants. Changing such plant oil into biofuels for transportation and heating could be a big part of a more sustainable future. For a new study, led by Shanklin, a biochemist, in the Plant Biotechnology Journal, researchers genetically engineered duckweed plants to produce seven times more oil: per acre than soybeans — currently the most commonly used biofuel-producing plant.
Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels can be regained faster than they are used. Fuels made from new and used vegetable oils, animal fat can have a lower carbon footprint than fossil fuels do, depending on how they are sourced, but there has been a recent opposition against them. This is partly because so many crops now go into energy production rather than food. Besides, biofuels take up more than 100 million acres of the world’s agricultural land.
Duckweed, common on every continent but Antarctica, is among the world’s most productive plants per acre, and the researchers suggest it could be a game-changing renewable energy source mainly because of the fact that it grows readily in water, so it wouldn’t compete with food crops for agricultural land. Moreover, Shanklin and his team found a way to sidestep a major biotechnological hurdle.
According to Rebecca Roston, a biochemist at the University of Nebraska, who was not involved in the study, engineered green plants typically expend a lot of energy on oil production and thus stop growing. For the new study, Shanklin says, the researchers added an oil-producing gene that would be inactive at first, and then “turn it on like a light switch” by introducing a particular molecule (分子) only when the plant had finished growing.
This process “went fabulously well,” Roston says. “If it works in other species, this can solve one of our biggest issues, which is how we can make more oil in more plants without negatively affecting growth.”
1. What can be learned about Duckweed plants from the text?| A．They have vital nutrients for humans. |
| B．They pose threat to agricultural lands. |
| C．They are engineered to make biofuels. |
| D．They absorb less carbon than soybeans. |
| A．Extend. | B．Overcome. | C．Enhance. | D．Worsen. |
| A．The gene activation method is promising. |
| B．Roston participated in Shanklin’s research. |
| C．Biofuel production will cease plant growth. |
| D．Biofuel production competes with food crops. |
| A．An energy revolution is unavoidable |
| B．Duckweed: An ideal green energy source |
| C．A perfect replacement for biofuels is found |
| D．Biofuel: A practical solution for energy crisis |
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。
I was at the back of a group of eight horse riders when one of my fellow safari (观兽旅行) camp guides called my name, nodding to the spot behind me. I turned to see a male lion, fully grown, not 10 metres away.
I’d been working as a guide at the safari camp in Botswana for a year and had seen lions a few times, usually in the heat of the day. Guests paid to come on guided rides between tented camps 20 miles apart. It was a very remote area. We left at 7 am that morning; it was three hours later when the lion appeared.
Just as I saw it, the horses ran wildly, leaving riders hanging on as the lion began its chase (追逐). I wasn’t in control of my horse, Acaba, which was heading into a much thicker bush, away from the path and the rest of the group. I realised that the lion had chosen to drive Acaba away from the others.
I thought we were going to die together. I screamed in pure panic. Suddenly, Acaba ran into a really thick bush and stopped without control, throwing me into a bush. By the time I got myself out of the low woody plants, the lion was killing him.
Unbelievable! Acaba hid me in the bushes and left himself in extreme danger! It protected me! Scared... shocked... moved... my mind went blank. I was only two metres away! Acaba was on the ground, feet in front of him. He tried to push himself up. But the lion was on top of him, covering his body entirely, his front feet around Acaba’s neck.
I seized a device hanging around my neck, which is known as a bear banger. It has a spring, and when you pull the trigger (扳机) the spring fires off containers that explode when they land. It’s like a small firework but as loud as a shotgun.
Somehow my panic died down. I found myself moving closer to Acaba and the lion.
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。
Paragraph 1:
I pulled the trigger, and it worked.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
One of the guides gave me a horse and I planned to find Acaba.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
