1 . Glen Edwards became a hero when he rescued a construction worker trapped on top of a 160-meter-high building.

As a crane (吊车) _______ working on a construction site, Edwards _______ found himself in a life-saving mission when a fire broke out. He recalled how he _______ the trapped worker from his crane’s cabin (驾驶舱), and how he came up with the idea of saving the man by lowerin a cage to him to let him _______.

However, his attempt to _______ the cage before the man was by no means an easy job, as each post (弹) of wind prevented to throw his crane off balance. Besides, the smoke and flames also added to the difficulty. _______ the great challenges, Edwards refused to give up and fought to _______ control. Luckily, someone on the ground offered _______ on where to land the cage through a radio. Edwards _______ the crane’s movements, inch by inch, until the cage hanged (盘旋) just inches from the edge of the _______. With determination, Edwards successfully landed the cage.

Eventually, Edwards watched the cage _______ the man away from the horrible fire below and lowering him to safety. The crowd _______ a big round of applause, a tribute (致敬) to the courage and skill _______ by Edwards. He knew that his quick thinking and strong _______ had made all the difference between life and death in the face of disaster.

A GoFundMe page has now been set up to raise money for him —— with organizers _______ people to “buy Glen a beer” for his life-saving efforts.

1.

A．engineer

B．operator

C．cleaner

D．salesman

2.

A．regularly

B．unfortunately

C．intentionally

D．unexpectedly

3.

A．helped

B．spotted

C．realized

D．guided

4.

A．escape

B．hide

C．walk

D．slide

5.

A．clean

B．cover

C．position

D．open

6.

A．Despite

B．Without

C．For

D．From

7.

A．switch

B．maintain

C．lose

D．give

8.

A．instructions

B．problems

C．explanations

D．courses

9.

A．quickened

B．described

C．adjusted

D．repeated

10.

A．door

B．garden

C．crane

D．roof

11.

A．persuading

B．lifting

C．warning

D．dragging

12.

A．went through

B．put on

C．asked for

D．broke into

13.

A．displayed

B．admitted

C．exchanged

D．required

14.

A．preference

B．response

C．emotion

D．determination

15.

A．choosing

B．encouraging

C．ordering

D．teaching

2 . Despite an ever-higher bar to grab the attention of students in large lecture hall, Tatiana Erukhimova, who teaches physics at Texas A&M University, has managed to get her students, as well as future generations, excited about the science.

Known as “Dr. Tatiana”, the professor performs physics tricks with boundless energy and enthusiasm in her videos. A range of everyday objects are used in her experiments, from pingpong balls and toilet paper to marshmallows, bicycle wheels and hair dryers. Videos of her dramatic demonstrations have received hundreds of millions of views across social media platforms.

However, things aren’t always easy. When she first started teaching college freshman classes two decades ago, she also struggled to grab the attention of her students. “I did not grab their attention on the first day-that was my mistake.” she says. “I missed this opportunity to bond with them from the very beginning, and then it took me a while to find my voice.”

By the second semester, she found her footing, adjusting her approach to get her students engaged. The key, she says, has been to make herself approachable and her instruction personal. And, of course, add showy demonstrations. “These demonstrations often help students to connect these abstract concepts with real life.” she says.

Physics department head Grigory Rogachev says Erukhimova’s work has helped bring visibility to the department, with about 2. 5 million subscribers on its department’s YouTube page, which has translated to a boost in research funds and physics major applicants.

As a leader in a STEM field in which women are underrepresented, she’s become a role model for some. Afiya Dhanani attended Texas A&M University after seeing Erukhimova’s videos online. “Watching Dr. Tatiana do the experiments online, especially since she was a female leader. Was more inspiring for me to even go into physics.” Dhanani said in an interview with CBS Mornings. That’s all Erakhimova says she can hope for -making physics less forbidding and more exciting.

1. What does Erukhimova’s online videos feature?

A．Rare materials.	B．Energetic presentation.
C．Plain demonstration.	D．Professional explanation.

2. Which saying explains Erukhimova’s initial failure to grab students’ attention 20 years ago?

A．All that glitters is not gold.

B．Sharp tools make good work.

C．First impressions are make or break.

D．A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit.

3. How does Erukhimova’s work contribute to the physics department?

A．It leads more students to change their majors.

B．It makes more people to know about the department.

C．It helps the department translate more research papers.

D．It attracts more physics professors to join the department.

4. Which word best describes Erukhimova as a leader in a STEM field?

A．Inspirational.

B．Underestimated.

C．Cooperative.

D．Ambitious.

3 . 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。

It has been 26 years since my army friend Dan and I packed picnic food and T-shirts inside his blue car, and drove past the military police at McClellan’s main gate.

Armed with weekend passes and new dollars from our first week’s pay at our Army Reserve summer camp, we were on our way to Florida. We had thought a weekend at the beach would be just what we needed to recover from days of hard tasks.

The May weather was delightful. And with the music being played, we drove into Birmingham and decided to stop to phone our mothers and wish them happy Mother’s Day before continuing our journey south to Florida.

Picking up my phone and reaching my mother at home, I learned she had just returned from grocery shopping. I could tell by the tone in her voice that she was disappointed I wouldn’t be spending her special day with the family. “Have a nice trip and be careful. We’ll miss you,” she said.

When I hung up, I could tell by Dan’s face that he was suffering from the same guilt that was troubling me. To deal with our guilt, we discussed and then decided to buy our moms flowers and ask delivery men to send the flowers to them.

Pulling into the parking lot at a flower shop, we each scribbled (匆匆书写) a note to go with the flowers that would remove our guilt of spending our only free weekend on the beach rather than with dear old Mom.

We waited while the clerk assisted a little boy who was selecting flowers, obviously for his mother. We were anxious to pay for our flowers and be on our way. Finally, this little boy picked up many beautiful carnations (康乃馨) for his mother. At that time, we didn’t know his dear mom had already passed away.

The little boy smiled with pride as he turned to me and held up his selection while the clerk rang up his order.

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。

“I’m sure my mama would love these flowers,” he said.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Then, we paid for our flowers and dropped our notes in the dustbin.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . How to Plan a Panda Tour

There are many places to see lovely giant pandas in China. But the four panda bases around Chengdu are the best places to see giant pandas. Which one is best for you depends on how much time you have and what kind of experience you want to have.

If you just want to see giant pandas, we recommend you go to Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Base. You can see pandas at all different ages from the oldest to the newborns. This base is huge but usually crowded. You can finish your trip in one day.

If you want a deeper panda experience, there are three recommended activities.

Join in a Panda Volunteer Program

Giant panda volunteer programs are available in three panda bases. Dujiangyan is the best place for a one-day program. If you want a less crowded environment, consider Wolong and Bifengxia, though they require 2 and 3 days respectively. Your work would include weighing and cleaning bamboo, making cakes for pandas, watching pandas being fed, and cleaning pandas’ enclosures (围栏).

Join in a Red Panda Volunteer Program

Unlike with giant pandas, you can have a zero-distance encounter with red pandas—you can feed a group of them without a fence in between. If you are interested in red pandas, you can join in our red panda volunteer program.

Hike Into the Habitat of Wild Pandas

If you are a lover of pandas and outdoor activity as well, consider having a hike in wild panda habitat in Wolong. Go panda tracking, and see if you will be lucky enough to see a wild panda.

1. What is recommended for just a look at pandas?

A．Getting involved in a panda volunteer program.

B．Visiting Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Base.

C．Hiking into the habitat of wild pandas.

D．Joining in a red panda volunteer program.

2. What can people do in the Panda Volunteer Program?

A．Help prepare food for pandas.	B．Feed pandas personally.
C．Give pandas a bath.	D．Enjoy delicious cakes.

3. What special experience might you get on a 2-day panda trip in Wolong?

A．Seeing the beauty of Dujiangyan.	B．Learning to set up pandas’ enclosures.
C．Encountering a wild panda.	D．Playing with red pandas.

5 . 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。

Ma Mian Qun, also     1     (know) as “Ma Mian Zhe Qun (horse face pleats (褶) skirt) ”, is a kind of traditional Chinese dress. The question of why the dress     2     (name) Ma Mian Qun has always been puzzling. What’s the relationship between the animal’s name and the skirt? In fact, “Ma Mian” is a kind of structure used for defense in the city wall system.

But     3     its name is really related to the city wall is still a question to be confirmed. All the books about Ma Mian Qun, whether they are related to costumes, operas     4     cultural relics, only show that the smooth surface without pleats in the middle is called “Ma Mian”, but there is no     5     (far) explanation for the source of “Ma Mian”.

The Chinese Horse Face Skirt shows     6     unique structural design that pairs practicality with elegance. Its form-fitting waistband transforms into an A-line shape, characterized by a series of pleats that expand outward,     7     (offer) a glimpse of the wearer’s grace with every step.

The Horse Face Skirt, with its deep historical roots, has successfully transitioned into modern fashion, where it serves     8     a bridge between the past and present. In today’s fashion landscape,     9     (design) frequently draw inspiration from the Horse Face Skirt,     10     (skillful) weaving its traditional elements with a modern twist, which thereby broadens its appeal to a contemporary audience.

6 . Getting older means greater maturity and wisdom.     1     In a society that is aging fast, it has become crucial to find ways to prevent related mental and emotional disorders. Music emerges as a promising tool for promoting well-being of the elderly.

Music has a great power to cause strong emotions and intense pleasure.     2     singing and dancing to music with others is not only fun but also improves mood. Musical activities are great ways to reduce stress because they take our minds off problems. They also help us feel less lonely and more connected with other people.

    3     A song may become a soundtrack for a particular time, such as a delightful party with friends that you had along time ago. Listening to that song allows you to remember all the happy memories from that time.

Finally, music contributes to keeping our thinking skills sharp. It makes our brains work hard in unique ways to understand the rhythm and melody.     4     For example, exposure to background music, particularly classical music, during cognitive (认知的) tasks is shown to improve older people’s cognitive processes, such as processing speed and working memory.

In conclusion, music is a powerful tool to fight against aging-related emotional and cognitive problems. It is an enjoyable and social activity, available to anyone regardless of their background or previous musical experience.     5    

A．Music can also open forgotten doors to our memories.

B．Recalling happy memories can lift our mood on a bad day.

C．Even passive music listening can help elderly adults think better.

D．This helps people feel better when they are depressed or anxious.

E．However, it often involves a series of physical and mental challenges.

F．The ability to form new memories is essential for processing information.

G．Thus, this accessible intervention should become a major policy priority for healthy aging.

7 . 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。

Curly the robot beats athletes at curling

A robot has beaten top-class humans at the sport of curling (冰壶运动). Klaus-Robert Muller at the Berlin Institute of Technology in Germany and his workmates built the robot,    1    (call) Curly, to master the sport.

In curling, players slide heavy stones down an icy path towards a target (宫垒). Players compete in two teams of four, with most players    2    (take) turns to “throw” a stone or to use brooms (冰壶刷)    3    (sweep) the ice in front of a moving stone. Points are given for stones closest    4     the centre of the target and a team wins by having the highest score.

Curly won three out of four     5    (match) against top-class South Korean women’ s curling teams. The robot throws stones, but doesn’t sweep.

Placed on wheels, the robot has     6     long neck with a video camera to check     7     stones are. Curly’s     8    (power) learning program takes into consideration the position (位置) of other stones and the state of the ice when deciding the next moves. Once the game     9    (begin), Curly continuously learned how to improve on    10    (it) earlier moves, based on the errors it had made.

8 . Fun facts about Antarctica

At the southernmost point of the world, you find Antarctica a giant mass of ice that’s its own continent. You, may not know much about the continent, so why not read on?

There’ s a lake that runs blood red in Antarctica.

As though someone has cut into the ice, the properly named Blood Falls come out over the Taylor Glacier. The water is extremely high in iron and salt, and when it comes into contact with the air, it shows the special red color against the pure white surroundings. The water here is three times saltier than ocean water, and therefore, too salty to become ice.

Antarctica has its own treaty (条约).

Because the environment of Antarctica is so delicate and unique, there is a treaty saying that only peaceful research can be done there. In 1959, 12 countries signed this treaty, with the number now sitting at 53. This also makes it certain that Antarctica doesn’t end up being caught in an international conflict, and that the continent is only used for scientific purposes and sensible traveling. The treaty prevents army and nuclear activities, and also mineral mining.

There is a unique phenomenon in Antarctica called diamond dust.

While there are low levels of precipitation (降水) in Antarctica, that doesn’t mean the air is clear of nature’s beauty! The air is so cold there that moisture (水汽) can condense while air-borne. This results in ice falling to the ground. The sun’s light will cause the ice to shine, creating a shining shower called diamond dust. It happens when the skies are clear, known as clear-sky precipitation.

If any of these Antarctic facts have increased your interest in visiting this unique continent, be sure to get in touch with the team al Aurora Expeditions today.

Phone：+61 (0)2 9252 1033

1. What do we know about the Blood Falls?

A．The water has been polluted.	B．The water comes from a river.
C．The water is rich in iron and salt.	D．The water usually freezes in winter.

2. The last fun fact is mainly about________.

A．where moisture comes from	B．how diamond dust is formed
C．where diamond dust can be found	D．how precipitation can be increased

3. What is the text most probably?

A．A tour report.	B．research plan.
C．An advertisement.	D．An exploration guide.

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。

The silk industry in Sichuan is one of the original points of Chinese silk culture. Sichuan brocade (蜀锦) originated from the Spring and Autumn period, and fully developed in the Han and Tang     1     (dynasty). It has a history of more than 2, 000 years and had a far-reaching influence     2     traditional Chinese silk production. Sichuan brocade features light shades     3     (integrate) in an elegant and care free style, which shows Han Chinese characteristics and local traditions.

Sichuan brocade is one of China’s four most famous branches of brocade, the others     4     (be) Yun brocade in Nanjing, Song brocade in Suzhou and Zhuang brocade in Guangxi. With its     5     (attract) designs and bright, clear colors that follow the style of Chinese-ink paintings, Sichuan brocade was put on the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.

Silk     6     (produce) in Sichuan Province since ancient times and Chengdu was the starting point of the southern Silk Road. Sichuan brocade is made with local silk and colored silk threads,     7     are the raw materials. Special embroidery (刺绣) skills are used     8     (turn) brocade into quilt covers, pillowcases, clothes and shoes.

    9     subjects of the Sichuan brocade are rich and varied. Some come from legends, myths, historical stories, and others come from landscape, figures, flowers, birds and animals,     10     (especial) the beasts that symbolize fortune and long life.

10 . Household chores (家务活) may contribute to healthy aging, according to a study published in the journal BMJ Open. Researchers from Singapore found that regular physical activity, including tasks like dusting, scrubbing floors, and washing windows, can improve physical and mental health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and decrease falls, immobility, dependency, and mortality among older adults.

The study involved 249 participants aged 21 to 64 and 240 participants aged 65 to 90. Participants completed cognitive (认知) function tests and physical capability assessments. They were asked about their levels of physical activity, including light housework (such as dusting) and heavy housework (such as floor-scrubbing). The researchers found that older adults who engaged in high amounts of heavy housework had higher cognitive and attention scores compared to those who did low levels or no heavy housework at all. These participants also had lower sit-to-stand times and were at a lower risk of falling. Similarly, older adults who reported high levels of light housework had higher cognitive and memory scores compared to those who did low levels of such tasks.

Dr. Shiou-Liang Wee, co-author of the research, emphasized that health messaging on staying active should not only focus on recreational physical activities. He highlighted that housework is a purposeful activity performed by many older adults and is linked to sharper memory and better fall protection.

However, experts urge caution when interpreting the study’s findings. Professor Gill Livingston from University College London noted that people who are not well may be expected to do less housework, and the study did not establish a causal relationship between housework and health outcomes. Professor Charlie Foster from the University of Bristol highlighted that the study relied on self-reported levels of household chores, which may be inaccurate, and did not fully consider other factors that could influence the results. While the study suggests that household chore may have benefits for older adults’ health, further research is needed to better understand the relationship between housework and healthy aging.

1. How did the researchers measure the participants’ levels of physical activity?

A．By analyzing the participants’ daily routines.

B．By doing household chores with the participants.

C．By carrying out a test on the participants.

D．By listening to the participants’ spoken reports.

2. What can we know about the study?

A．Household chores, heavy or light, do help.

B．The more housework for the elderly, the better.

C．The subjects are of similar age.

D．Light housework improves health better.

3. What do Gill Livingston and Charlie Foster think of the result of the study?

A．Objective.

B．Meaningless.

C．Partial.

D．Successful.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Definite limitation of a study on healthy aging.

B．The introduction to a study on household chores.

C．Housework arguments among different experts.

D．Possible function of household chores for healthy aging.