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。

Recently, a Chinese college research team has released China’s first large language model (LLM) “Xunzi”,     1     uses deep learning techniques and massively big data sets to help conduct research on ancient Chinese books. With the model, more information hidden in our cultural legacy can     2     (mine) for.

This model, named     3     Xun Zi, one of the most celebrated philosophers in ancient China for his Confucian classic Xunzi,     4     (comprise) the majority of Chinese ancient books and documents.     5     (design) to intelligently process ancient texts, the system aims to promote innovative development in the research and preservation of Chinese ancient books, enhance the efficiency and quality of the legacy of traditional Chinese culture,     6     boost integration between LLM and ancient book processing.

The research on Chinese traditional classics is     7     painstaking and laborious challenge. Since 2013, the team have worked tirelessly to digitize Chinese classics like the Siku Quanshu,     8     (lay) a solid foundation for the large language model. Committed to the philosophy of making their data and model     9     (access) worldwide, the team have a broader perspective targeting global users. To this end, they have     10     (handsome) shared the LLM on the Internet, enabling more individuals to appreciate traditional Chinese culture.

2 . On a Saturday morning, I drove my son Andrew to a shoe store. We ________ the trip to arrive right when the store opens, for Andrew is a nonspeaking autistic (自闭症患者) and prefers to go shopping when it’s not ________ .

After the purchase, I thanked the two clerks and headed toward the door. What came next only ________ when the inner voice told you to do things differently. ________ having Andrew point to the “thank you” symbol on the picture chart he carries with him, I held up his letterboard and asked how he’d like to ________ .

The picture chart only contains images that ________ his most frequently used words. The letterboard, however, ________ an effective tool. He can ________ more through the use of a letterboard—by pointing to individual letters on an alphabet grid (网格). Using it requires ________ time and effort for him, though. He would not ________ use of the letterboard on his own. I need to present it to him and ________ his wishes if he pushes it away.

“Thank you,” Andrew pointed to each letter. The two clerks’ ________ almost dropped as they watched. One spoke up: “My brother Jason doesn’t talk. Can I ask you?” “Andrew, what do you think?” I asked, ________ that his patience might be running out.

Surprisingly, Andrew ________ started pointing to letters: “Tell Jason he will change everyone’s opinion of him in 26 letters.” I immediately ________ . Sometimes I forget just how powerful the 26 letters are. Just how powerful Andrew is.

1.

A．timed

B．started

C．extended

D．expected

2.

A．spacious

B．smelly

C．busy

D．bright

3.

A．changed

B．worked

C．happened

D．mattered

4.

A．Due to

B．As for

C．Apart from

D．Instead of

5.

A．translate

B．respond

C．comment

D．lecture

6.

A．summarize

B．match

C．identify

D．coin

7.

A．proves

B．witnesses

C．claims

D．remains

8.

A．shoulder

B．consume

C．predict

D．communicate

9.

A．significant

B．concrete

C．consistent

D．flexible

10.

A．resist

B．initiate

C．mind

D．promise

11.

A．tolerate

B．guarantee

C．challenge

D．respect

12.

A．hands

B．jaws

C．eyes

D．faces

13.

A．concerned

B．annoyed

C．embarrassed

D．ashamed

14.

A．helplessly

B．tirelessly

C．willingly

D．naturally

15.

A．checked out

B．cheered up

C．bent down

D．choked up

3 .

Recently, I carried out an investigation to discover what it was that prevented people from journalling.     1     So, today, I want to introduce a very simple tool—The MicroMOVEment Wheel. It will help you pick up your journal even at times when you really don’t feel like it.

    2     She describes creating this method so she could use it as a creative planning tool for her writing projects and goals. While it was originally aimed at writers, you can use this technique to help you complete any project in a fun and creative way.

    3     Here’s how it works. Take a blank sheet of paper and: draw a large circle, and then another smaller circle in the middle. In the centre circle, write down what you are inspired to achieve. Remember, journalling does not need to feel like a chore in your day. So come up with descriptions for your journalling that are inspiring and energising.     4     These are what SARK refers to as the MicroMOVEments. Each MicroMOVEment is five minutes in length. So, in the case of journalling, that would represent a minimum of up to five minutes of journalling in one sitting, on any given day.

Let’s say you’ re new to journalling. By setting aside five minutes out of your day, you could write one word in your notebook that sums up a feeling or an experience.     5     The idea of the MicroMOVEment is to create easy steps to get your journal writing or writing projects moving. When you keep the steps small, it will become doable and achievable.

A．Next, divide the rest of the circle into eight equal parts.

B．It is the brainchild of international bestselling writer SARK.

C．There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to journalling.

D．Where to start and not having enough time were amongst the top responses.

E．Daily tasks such as sweeping and washing are time-consuming and laborious.

F．Then, list any associated words, images or thoughts that are generated by the word.

G．The medicine with this approach is breaking your actions down into the tiniest steps.

4 . With the completion of the Human Genome Project more than 20 years ago, and the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA enjoying its 70th birthday last year, you might assume that we know how life works. Think again!

Evolution has a 4 billion-year head start on us. However, several aspects of the standard picture of how life works-the idea of the genome as a blueprint, of genes as instructions for building an organism, of proteins as precisely tailored molecular machines and more- have wildly reduced the complexity of life.

In the excellent book How Life Works, Philip Ball explores the new biology, revealing life to be a far richer, more delicate affair than we have understood. Ball explains that life is a system of many levels—genes, proteins, cells, tissues, and body modules-each with its own rules and principles, so there is no unique place to look for an answer to it.

Also, How Life Works is a much more appealing title than the overused question of “What is life?”. We should be less concerned with what a thing is, and rather more focused on what a thing does. Defining a living thing implies an unchangeable ideal type, but this will run counter to the Darwinian principle that living things are four-dimensional, ever changing in time as well as space.

But it’s an idea that is deeply rooted within our culture. Ball points out that we rely on metaphors (比喻) to explain and explore the complexities of life, but none suffice. We are taught that cells are machines, though no machine we have invented behaves like the simplest cell; that DNA is a code or a blueprint, though it is neither; that the brain is a computer, though no computer behaves like a brain at all.

Ball is a terrific writer, pumping out books on incredibly diverse subjects. There’s a wealth of well-researched information in here, and some details that are a bit chewy for the lay reader. But the book serves as an essential introduction on our never-ending quest to understand life.

1. What does paragraph 2 intend to state?

A．The research of biology is tricky.

B．Human evolution is a lengthy process.

C．Genes determine the structure of living things.

D．Commonly held models of life are oversimplified.

2. What does the underlined phrase “run counter to” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Go against.

B．Refer to.

C．Account for.

D．Contribute to.

3. What is Ball’s attitude to using metaphors to explain life?

A．Tolerant.

B．Disapproving.

C．Objective.

D．Indecisive.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To review a book.	B．To introduce genetic map.
C．To honour a writer.	D．To correct a misperception.

5 .

Young Innovators Programme The Young Innovators Programme aims to promote innovative spirit in the younger generation between 6 and 12 years old and impart innovation and business skills to students. You can register for this 4-session programme at the price of $400. Visit www.cginnovation. om. g/younginnovators to sign up now.
Receive a 20% discount if you are a follower of Great Inventions Magazine Instagram page.	Organiser:                    Sponsor: Great                                CG Innovation                         Innovation Magazine
Innovations Do you already have an invention in mind? You will have the opportunity to make this invention come true! Share with Great Invention Magazine your innovative idea and the inspiration behind it. Email it to brightideas@Glmagazine.com.cg. You may also include a picture of your idea. The top 5 recipients with the most innovative ideas will be able to attend the Young Innovators Programme conducted by Dr. Aaron Ng, the founder of CG Innovation, for free. The programme will guide and sponsor winners to create 30 pieces of goods based on their innovative idea. All entries sent in will be printed in the next issue of Great Invention Magazine.	4 traits to becoming an innovative person #1 Be curious Be curious about looking into people’s needs and motivation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Try to see things from different angles. #2 Be open-minded Don’t be too quick to fix on one solution. Take time to explore the different ideas before deciding on a single option. #3 Keep a book of ideas Develop the habit of writing down inspiring ideas or interesting concepts. This way, you can refer to them later and use them to generate solutions to problems. #4 Embrace failure Be receptive to negative feedback and if it’s unsuccessful, explore other options.

1. What is the registration fee for a follower of Great Inventions Magazine Instagram page?

A．20.

B．80.

C．320.

D．400.

2. What is certain about the innovative ideas submitted?

A．They will be funded.	B．They will be polished by Dr. Aaron Ng.
C．They will be published.	D．They will be turned into actual products.

3. What is suggested to be an innovative person?

A．Ignoring negative feedback.	B．Borrowing ideas from books.
C．Reacting quickly to the sudden ideas.	D．Being observant of people’s behavior.

6 . 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。

One morning, Father was helping Danny pack his bag for a holiday camp. “Do I really have to go, Father?” Danny asked hesitantly. “Son, sometimes the best lessons in life are learnt at camps,” Father encouraged. “But I never have the right words to say when talking to someone new,” Danny complained. “Alright, let’s make a deal. If you learn something good at this camp, this shall be the last holiday camp I sign you up for,” Father responded with a proposal. “Deal,” Danny replied.

Right after dinner on the first day at camp, everyone was busy packing their bags in preparation for the night walk. Danny headed to the canteen to get a bottle of iced tea. Just as Danny was about to secure the bottle cap, he was caught off-guard as someone suddenly brushed past him and hit his arm. The bottle slipped out of his hands and fell to the floor. Light brown liquid flowed out, creating ugly mess on the floor. Danny caught a flash of a boy in a green T-shirt running off into the distance. ”How rude!“ Danny shouted, gritting his teeth. “Not even an apology!”

Just then, Mr Halim, the camp guide, approached Danny. ”What are you doing here inste-“ he asked but stopped midway when he saw the mess on the floor. ”It wasn’t me!“ Danny raised his voice in his defence. ”You’ll fix this mess you created before we head out for the night walk,“ Mr Halim remarked, walking off in a hurry before Danny could explain himself.

“How unfortunate,” Danny thought to himself. “It wasn’t even my fault to begin with.” Getting down on his knees, he started wiping up the mess. Twenty minutes passed and the floor was dry. Danny managed to calm himself down and think clearly. He recalled how Father had given him a second chance when he broke his vase by mistake a week ago. Realizing that what had happened just now might have been an accident, Danny resolved to let the past rest.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

As Danny got up to leave, he saw the boy in the green T-shirt approaching him.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next day when Father came to fetch Danny, he saw a cheerful Danny.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . My wife and I have always had a non-negotiable when looking for a place to rent: a gas stove. We love cooking together, and countless food shows have impressed upon us that there is nothing more essential to a tasty meal than a flame.

Then came the shift of work forcing us to move into a new apartment with an induction cooker. Past encounters with the slow and inconsistent heating elements of early electric stoves had soured us to the idea of cooking with electricity, but it took only a couple of days for us to realize that our new induction cooker was far superior: Water boiled at lightning speed; I could set a timer and walk away knowing the heat would automatically turn off.

Our belated switch to induction came amid a rise of horrifying stories about the health and climate risks of gas stoves. Studies have found cooking with gas is like having secondhand smoke in the kitchen. Worse still, the primary ingredient that fuels gas stoves are methane, a greenhouse gas 80 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide. That’s why I finally quit using gas stoves and abandoned my prior conviction that I could never live in a home without one.

Don’t get me wrong—there’s still a place for flame, and there’s a reason why barbecued—food is so delicious. Barbecuing food imparts special flavour that you can’t experience with an electric cooker. But dishes that truly require cooking over an open flame are the exception, not the rule.

Changing the fundamentals of our lives is hard. But just as we have stopped commuting by horse, or have replaced a coal fireplace with central heating, it’s time to move gas out of our kitchens. Some might be horrified. The rest of us, though, can step calmly into the future. Hopefully the governments, too, will soon smell the gas.

1. How did the author feel about cooking with early electric stoves?

A．Unpleasant.

B．Concerned.

C．Panicky.

D．Stressed.

2. What can be inferred from paragraph 4?

A．The author regrets giving up gas stoves.	B．Barbecued food is tastier and healthier.
C．It is a common practice to cook outdoors.	D．Gas stoves still have a role to play.

3. What does the author want to convey in the last paragraph?

A．Be open to changes.	B．Be brave in the face of uncertainty.
C．The old should give way to the new.	D．Governments should be gas advocates.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．Barbecue: Tasty or Risky	B．A New “Flame” Has Come
C．Gas Stoves: To Leave or to Stay	D．Electricity Has Taken the Lead

8 . These days, many young people wonder if they would be better served by striking out on their own than pursuing a college education. In this rapidly evolving digital era, narratives of overnight success and entrepreneurial glory have flooded our social media feeds, fascinating the digital natives of Gen Z into questioning the worth of an expensive traditional college degree.

Contrary to popular belief, successful entrepreneurship is rarely seen among the young. Recent research suggests that the average age in the U. S. of founders when they launched their companies is 42, rising to 45 for those within the top 0.1% of earnings based on growth in their first five years. That’s even the case for high-tech startups. Indeed, successful entrepreneurship is frequently the result of years of learning, experimenting and risk-taking—traits cultivated over time.

Campuses create environments rich in intellectual diversity and foster cooperation among their inhabitants, promoting an entrepreneurial mindset. They encourage students to challenge established norms and develop their unique thinking patterns to create value — practices that are also key to entrepreneurial success. Thus, higher education is not just about attaining a degree; it’s more importantly about acquiring the skills and experiences that inspire and enable the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

But some may doubt since formal entrepreneurship itself isn’t typically a course of study, are all college majors capable of instilling entrepreneurial skills? Let’s examine the arts majors, which are often subjected to the most suspicion concerning their career paths. Consider a theater major. That curriculum often includes entrepreneurship-focused capabilities beyond stage direction, lighting, sound systems and performance. Students learn to mobilize resources, lead creative teams and navigate the uncertainties of a theatrical production — skills that are readily transferable to launching any entrepreneurial business.

Like a compass for the future, entrepreneurship guides us toward a society that prizes critical thinking, nurtures intellectual curiosity and champions innovation. Let’s not get swept away by short-lived trends or misleading narratives. Instead, we should appreciate the enduring value of college education.

1. What do the figures in paragraph 2 indicate?

A．The chance of success multiplies with age.	B．Young people dominate high-tech startups.
C．Quite a number of enterprises are in the red.	D．Successful entrepreneurship isn’t built in a day.

2. Which of the following practice is the most crucial to entrepreneurial success?

A．Sticking to one’s own principles.	B．Acquiring knowledge from textbooks.
C．Developing a startup mentality.	D．Following established norms and traditions.

3. Why is a theater major mentioned in paragraph 4?

A．To illustrate it is complex and demanding.

B．To prove people’s suspicion is reasonable.

C．To show entrepreneurial skills can be integrated into all majors.

D．To stress it is the launchpad for successful entrepreneurship.

4. Which section of a newspaper does the text probably come from?

A．Arts.

B．Insights.

C．Entertainment.

D．News.

9 . 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。

“A nursing home would be safer, Dad,” Arlyn told her father, Jim.

“No way,” Jim interrupted. His wife passed away just a year before. At 91, he still wanted to remain in the cottage he and his wife had built.

Jim started experiencing an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Arlyn found his decline was indeed all-consuming. However, she herself was in her late sixties; her house was a 40-minute drive from the cottage. One day, when she read about a new eldercare service called Care. coach, it fueled her interest. For about $200 a month, a computerized avatar (头像) (controlled remotely by a human caregiver) would watch over a home-bound person 24 hours a day. She signed up immediately.

A week later, a tablet arrived. Following the instructions, Arlyn uploaded dozens of family pictures. Then an animated dog appeared on the screen. She presented the tablet to Jim, pointing to the screen pet, and said excitedly, “Here Dad. You have a new companion.” Jim, doubtful about the dog’s service, knew he had to learn how to get along with the dog before Alzheimer’s took hold.

Within a week, Jim and his dog, whom he named Pony, settled into a routine. Every 15 minutes or so, Pony would look for Jim calling his name if he was out of view. Sometimes Jim would “pet” to awake the sleeping Pony on screen. Pony reminded Jim which caretaker would be visiting to do the tasks: preparing meals, driving him to a senior center, etc. Pony would read poetry aloud or discuss the news. When Pony praised Jim’s sweater, Jim repaid by petting Pony’s screen with his finger sending hearts floating up from the dog’s head. One evening when Arlyn came to visit her father as usual, she was amazed to find that Pony was holding up a photo of her late mum to her dad between its paws.

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。

Jim stared at the photo fondly, with tears welling up in his eyes.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Seeing the close bond between Pony and her dad, Arlyn felt a relief.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . 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。

Bringing National Treasures to Life

A cross-border cooperation mini concert held by six national treasures has gone viral overnight,     1    (touch) the hearts of audiences around the world.

In the catchy music “Dala Bongba”, the six “big brothers” from the field of cultural relics sing proudly and skillfully, creating an    2    (except)scene. Among them, the most shining Changxin Palace lantern sings, holding the torch and sending    3    (blessing) to the aerospace rocket; the Sanxingdui bronze mask uses    4    (extreme) rich facial expressions to praise the beautiful life after poverty-relief efforts.... The national treasures are no longer cold and distant objects    5    (house) in museums but lively and humorous entertainers who can sing and talk.

China has many museums in    6    the collections of cultural relics are beyond count. It would be a pity if so many cultural relics and cultural heritages were only displayed in museum cabinets, lifeless and cold. Aimed    7    “bringing life to the national treasures”, scientific and technological innovations    8    (integrate) with cultural conservation in the past few years.

The technology that makes these cultural relics “talk” is not complicated; the difficulty lies in the inspiration of creativity. The creativity of this mini concert is    9    great success: to some extent, it offers a Chinese way    10    (preserve) the world-wide cultural relics.