1 . Caring 17-year-old Lauren Schroeder was inspired to help bring healthy food to needy families in her community. Volunteering at a food shelter when she was 14 , and tasked with helping fill boxes for households in need with canned and packaged food, this Iowa teen felt that something was missing from the donated groceries: fresh vegetables. So she shared with her parents her desire to start a garden on their own farm to supply local families in need with fresh produce.

Coming from a farming family, Lauren had some familiarity with agriculture, and had helped raise rabbits and lambs, but had never tried vegetable cultivation at scale, though the Schroeders plant soybeans and corn each year on their 150-acre farm.

The work involved in realizing Lauren’s plan was no walk in the park. Initially, while proud of her daughter’s vision, her mother, Katie Schroeder, admitted to some foreboding about the work involved: “I was wondering, ‘Oh my gosh, how much work is this going to be?’ I wasn’t sure whether this would work.” This was one young change-maker, however! Lauren researched plants online, checking which species needed more shade, how much water was required, and when to harvest each crop. During Iowa’s hot summers, she had to water her crops by hand for around 2 — 3 hours daily. She also checked daily for weeds, and bent down to pick her green bean crop. Thanks to her diligence, Lauren planted half an acre of land, with 15 varieties of vegetables in 2022, harvesting her first crops.

In an interview with a local media channel, Lauren says, “I wanted to have something that’d impact people. I want to impact community members. Many people help you out, but it makes more difference when you help others out. That’s what makes me most happy.”

1. What inspired Lauren to start a garden on her family’s farm?

A．Her parents’ encouragement.

B．Her interest in farming and agriculture.

C．Her desire to become a professional gardener.

D．Her experience volunteering at a food shelter.

2. Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “foreboding” in paragraph 3?

A．Satisfaction.

B．Concern.

C．Anger.

D．Pride.

3. How did Lauren research the plants for her garden?

A．She consulted professional gardeners.

B．She studied books and manuals on gardening.

C．She conducted online research on plant species.

D．She attended agricultural courses and workshops.

4. What is the central theme of the article?

A．The Schroeders’ family farming traditions.

B．The importance of volunteering at a food shelter.

C．The challenges of starting a vegetable garden on a large scale.

D．Lauren Schroeder’s project to provide fresh vegetables to needy families.

2 . 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 was an extraordinary day in the heart of the Nepalese Himalayas, where nature’s grandeur unfolded in every direction. The sun shone high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the grand mountain range. The air was crisp and clean, filled with the smells of pine and earth, while the views were breathtaking, with snow-capped peaks towering above us and thick green forests spreading out below.

Our group, a band of adventurous souls bound by friendship and shared enthusiasm for exploration, walked excitedly along the winding trails, all eager to explore the unknown and embrace the challenge of the mountains. We were making our way through the forest, the sun shining through the leaves cast dancing patterns on the ground, when we heard a scary cry for help. Our hearts skipped a beat, and we quickly followed the sound, our footsteps becoming more urgent as we realized the seriousness of the situation. We soon found a young woman struggling on the edge of a steep cliff. She had slipped and was hanging insecurely by a branch, her face filled with terror and desperation.

Without hesitation, I rushed to her side, ignoring the danger that lay before me. Grabbing a rope from my backpack, which I had fortunately prepared before, I tied it securely around myself and handed the other end to my friends, whose hands locked tight, forming an unbreakable human anchor. I carefully edged my way down the cliff, feeling the sharpness of the rocks beneath my feet.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Reaching the woman, I promised her that we would get her back to safety.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Once on solid ground, we all hugged and celebrated our successful rescue.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . On a summer evening in 2014, my wife and I encountered a sad scene during our trip to the grocery store. A man, who was incapable of ________ mental function, wrapped himself with an old advertisement banner (横幅) as________in the bad weather. Although he seemed unresponsive to our inquiries, his circumstance________us deeply, inspiring my wife’s suggestion to buy him_________.

We bought some bread and returned, but he wasn’t there. We felt disappointed. Soon we found that he had________ a family of migrant laborers who were camping nearby. To our surprise, the family did not ________ his presence but warmly treated him like one of their own. They________their humble meal around an open fire, ensuring that the man’s plate remained________. Observing this act of genuine________and compassion, we felt________ for having missed the chance to directly________ the man ourselves, but________ the selfless nature of the migrant family. Poor as they were, they demonstrated________ by sharing everything they had with someone in need.

Moved by their actions, we________the loaf of bread near the man and departed, realizing that true giving is about more than________ needs; it’s about extending empathy and solidarity (团结) to others, regardless of personal wealth or status.

1.

A．normal

B．actual

C．foolish

D．deep

2.

A．amusement

B．protection

C．medicine

D．treatment

3.

A．encouraged

B．defeated

C．touched

D．angered

4.

A．food

B．clothes

C．water

D．toys

5.

A．left

B．joined

C．supported

D．discovered

6.

A．appreciate

B．mind

C．evaluate

D．observe

7.

A．cooked

B．ordered

C．watched

D．shared

8.

A．full

B．healthful

C．available

D．reachable

9.

A．cruelty

B．distance

C．kindness

D．patience

10.

A．satisfied

B．annoyed

C．relieved

D．disappointed

11.

A．help

B．protect

C．inform

D．comfort

12.

A．protested

B．admired

C．reflected

D．recommended

13.

A．diligence

B．patience

C．responsibility

D．generosity

14.

A．picked up

B．checked out

C．put down

D．showed off

15.

A．political

B．mental

C．material

D．financial

4 . Find the learning style that suits you best

To succeed academically, you need to be productive. To be productive, you need to find a suitable learning style. Whether it’s for everyday learning or revising for exams, the learning style that helps you achieve maximum productivity will be crucial.     1    

Note-taking

Note-taking can include copying out passages of books or summarizing concepts on notecards.     2     The problem with note-taking is that it’s all too easy simply to copy out what someone else says without really taking it in.

    3    

Sometimes you might find that you learn things more easily if you have to explain a concept to someone else. This is because in order to explain something clearly to someone else, you have to have a thorough grasp of it yourself. For example, giving a presentation to fellow students will require you first to have an excellent understanding of the topic and then to put together materials from which the others can learn.

Learning by doing

This method means that rather than reading things in books, try to experience things in real life.     4     Experiencing things practically gives your brain something concrete to remember, so you will absorb the information more easily.

Tests and mock exams (模拟考试)

    5     If you’re the sort of person who benefits from these sorts of challenges, you could try asking your teacher, parents or study buddies to set a mock exam to test what you’ve learned on a particular topic.

A．Explaining to others

B．Diagrams and mind maps

C．If so, visual methods of learning might suit you best.

D．Here are some common learning styles and choose one that suits you best!

E．Some people like them because they provide strong motivation to succeed.

F．It’s a classic learning method, but may not be the best way for everyone to learn.

G．For example, you could conduct a scientific experiment or observe how a chemical reaction works.

5 . Almost all food companies calculate the calorie content of their offerings using a mathematical formula (公式). They first measure how many grams of carbohydrate (碳水化合物), protein and fat are in the food. This formula is known as the Atwater system. Then they multiply (乘以) each of those amounts by a set value. There are four calories per gram of carbohydrate or protein and nine calories per gram of fat. The sum of those values will show up as the calorie count on a food label.

The numbers in this formula are called Atwater factors. They come from data collected more than 100 years ago by nutritionist Wilbur O. Atwater. Atwater asked volunteers to eat different foods. Then he measured how much energy their bodies got from each one by comparing the energy in the food with the energy left over in their feces and urine.

According to the formula, the calorie content in a gram of fat is the same whether that fat comes from a hamburger, a bag of almonds (杏仁) or a plate of French fries. But scientists have found that the Atwater system isn’t perfect.

David Baer is a professor at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland. His team has shown that some foods do not match the Atwater factors. For example, some plants have tough cell walls. Chewing plant-based foods, such as nuts, consumes some of these walls but not all. So some of these nutrients will pass out of the body, undigested.

Making foods easier to digest through cooking or other processes can also change the amount of calories available to the body. For example, Baer’s team has found that almond butter provides more calories per gram than whole almonds. The Atwater system, however, predicts each should deliver the same amount.

The Atwater system may have problems, but it is simple and easy to use. Though other systems have been proposed, none is the best.

1. What is the Atwater system mainly used for?

A．Measuring the weight of food.

B．Calculating the calorie content of food.

C．Predicting the energy output of the body.

D．Determining the nutritional value of food.

2. According to David Baer’s team, what makes some foods not match the Atwater factors?

A．The difficulty in digesting certain foods.

B．The high calorie content in processed foods.

C．The difference in the way people chew food.

D．The variety of nutrients in different foods.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The Atwater system is the best way to calculate calories.

B．None of the proposed systems is better than the Atwater system.

C．Other systems are more complex but more accurate than the Atwater system.

D．Despite its problems, the Atwater system remains popular due to its simplicity.

4. Where does this passage most probably come from?

A．A health and fitness website.	B．A cooking magazine.
C．A history book.	D．A science journal.

6 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Which room is for the Academic Test of English?

A．Room 304.

B．Room 403.

C．Room 504.

2. Where could the students put their schoolbags?

A．In the lockers with keys.

B．In front of the testing room.

C．On the chairs outside the washroom.

3. What should the students do if they want to use the washroom?

A．Go together with a partner.

B．Wait until their name is called.

C．Get the monitor’s permission.

4. What can we learn from the announcement?

A．Students can use their own pencils.

B．The speaker is one of the candidates.

C．Coats are forbidden in the testing room.

7 . Independent will is what really makes effective self-management possible. It is the ability to make decisions and choices and to act in accordance with them. It is the ability to act rather than to be acted upon.

The human will is an amazing thing. Time after time, it has won against unbelievable difficulties. The Helen Kellers of this world give dramatic evidence to the value, the power of the independent will. But as we examine it in the context of effective self-management, we realize it’s usually not the dramatic, the visible, the once-in-a-lifetime effort that brings enduring success. Empowerment comes from learning how to use independent will in the decisions we make every day.

The degree to which we have developed our independent will in our everyday lives is measured by our personal integrity. Integrity is, fundamentally, the value we place on ourselves. It’s our ability to make and keep commitments to ourselves — to “walk our talk.” It’s honor with self, a fundamental part of the character ethic, the essence of active growth.

Effective management is putting first things first. While leadership decides what “first things” are, it is management that puts them first, day-by-day, moment-by-moment. Management is discipline, carrying it out.

Discipline stems from disciple (追随者) — disciple to a philosophy, disciple to a set of principles, disciple to a set of values, and disciple to an ultimate. purpose. In other words, if you are an effective manager of your self, your discipline comes from within; it is a function of your independent will. You are a disciple, a follower, of your own deep values and their source. And you have the will, the integrity, to place your feelings, your urges, your moods after those values.

That placement requires a purpose, a mission. It also requires independent will, the power to do something when you don’t want to do it, to be a function of your values rather than a function of the urge or desire of any given moment. It’s the power to act with integrity to your first creation.

1. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning “the Helen Kellers” in paragraph 2?

A．To explain a reason.	B．To highlight a point.
C．To make a prediction.	D．To give a definition.

2. What do the underlined words “walk our talk” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Put words into deeds.	B．Display confidence.
C．Stop talking big.	D．Strike a balance.

3. To achieve effective self-management, what will the author probably recommend?

A．Seeking external support.	B．Undertaking more missions.
C．Sticking to one’s own values.	D．Following one’s desires.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．The Secret Behind Self-discipline	B．The Magic of Personal Integrity
C．The Power of Independent Will	D．The Road to Effective Management

8 . I entered this world with Poland syndrome, a disease that prevented the formation of my right arm and muscles. My parents believed playing with Lego could enhance my_______and gifted me my first kit when I was five. Initially I _______to piece the the components together but finally I crafted my first Lego work – a car. By the age of nine, I had _______my first prosthetic arm (义肢) using Lego– a simple box that perfectly accommodated my right arm.

This early creation sparked my drive for further _______. Years later, I developed another prosthetic arm called the MK-1, which had fingers, a motor, a pressure sensor, and a grabber capable of _______things. Before constructing it, I was against traditional prosthetics as they were too _______. My parents had looked into getting one years earlier, only to be discouraged by the prohibitive price. So, I concluded that I might not need one because I was managing well without.

As the years passed, my _______evolved from MK-1 to the more advanced and comfortable MK-V. One day, a couple with their eight-year-old son, who lost both_______in an accident, reached out to me after learning about my story. Short of money, they couldn’t afford well-functioning prosthetics. “Daniel,” the father_______asked, “we were wondering if you could help build a set of prosthetics for our son.”

It would be a _______task, but I responded with a “yes”. Without any delay, I _______ the task. The subsequent days witnessed how I carefully selected the Lego piece and intricately integrated practical components to enhance its dexterity(灵巧). Days _______into weeks, and the boy-customized prosthetics finally took shape. It’s time for them to fulfill their intended purpose.

I rushed to the boy’s home and _______the prosthetics onto him. They worked! The room erupted with cheers! The boy expressed his gratitude and sprinted to his parents to _______them in the biggest hug. Never had I imagined that my creations, born out of mere _______, would someday make such a difference.

1.

A．stability

B．mobility

C．flexibility

D．reliability

2.

A．learned

B．attempted

C．managed

D．struggled

3.

A．equipped

B．fashioned

C．decorated

D．upgraded

4.

A．effort

B．investment

C．application

D．exploration

5.

A．picking up

B．setting up

C．pulling up

D．rolling up

6.

A．unstable

B．expensive

C．inconvenient

D．clumsy

7.

A．passions

B．creations

C．thoughts

D．inspirations

8.

A．arms

B．legs

C．hands

D．fingers

9.

A．gratefully

B．desperately

C．hurriedly

D．earnestly

10.

A．frustrating

B．promising

C．challenging

D．embarrassing

11.

A．embarked on

B．set off

C．figured out

D．took on

12.

A．grew

B．followed

C．turned

D．developed

13.

A．secured

B．placed

C．guaranteed

D．stuck

14.

A．encounter

B．engrave

C．engage

D．envelop

15.

A．awe

B．dedication

C．fun

D．boredom

9 . Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky

On the distant world of Kiln lie the ruins of an alien civilization. A great mystery awaits humans: who were the builders and where are they now? These questions become realfor Professor Arton Daghdev, exiled (流放) from Earth to Kiln’s off-world labour camp due to his mistake. Facing the planet’s dangerous ecosystem ,Arton fights for survival.

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

A sci-fi classic in a brand-new edition. From a high Babylonian tower that connects a flat Earth to the sky above, to an alien language that challenges our very sense of time and reality, Chiang’s unique imagination invites readers to question their understanding of the universe and their place in it.

War Bodies by Neal Asher

In a world ruled by robots, the Cyberat face a rebellion (叛乱) when the human Polity arrives.Piper, raised as a weapon, seeks help from the Polity after his parents are caught by enemies. As war worsens,Piper must face the puzzling technology implanted in his own body. It could either end their fight or cause serious consequences. The future of civilization hangs in the balance as the battle unfolds.

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

In a strange little home built into the branches of a forest live three robots.Vic Lawson,a human, lives there too.The day Vic repairs an unfamiliar android labelled“HAP”, he learns of a shared criminal past between the robots — a past spent in hunting humans. The robots, once hidden and safe, are now exposed.

1. Which book explores the relations between humans and the universe?

A．Alien Clay.	B．In the Lives of Puppets.
C．War Bodies.	D．Stories of Your Life and Others.

2. Whose book uncovers the crime done by robots to humans?

A．Adrian Tchaikovsky’s.	B．Ted Chiang’s.
C．Neal Asher’s.	D．TJ Klune’s.

3. Who is the text probably intended for?

A．Book reviewers.	B．Sci-fi lovers.
C．Universe researchers.	D．Robot developers.

10 . Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune is widely considered one of the best sci-fi books ever written. It is also one of the first to take environmental concerns_________.

“It’s really calling attention to the_________ to think ecologically,” says Gerry Canavan, co-editor of the history of science fiction. “Prior to that moment, people just weren’t thinking in that way.”

Herbert _________ to find a publisher for Dune, facing 23 rejections before it was finally _________ by Chilton Book Company. As the book gained_________ -winning two most prestigious(有声望的)prizes in science fiction and eventually selling around 20 million copies_________ -it began to affect pop culture.

Dune _________ the environmental movement, which Herbert largely embraced. “I’m _________ to be put in the position of telling my grandchildren ‘Sorry, no more world for you. We have _________ all the resources,’” Herbert said at the first Earth Day in 1970.

Herbert was one of the earliest to__________ renewable energy ,installing(安装) his own solar collector and windmill. He believed that understanding the__________ of human actions could reduce environmental damage.

The __________ for Dune came from Herbert’s visit to Oregon’s sand dunes in 1957, where he __________ efforts to stabilize the landscape from local people. His novel serves as a cautionary tale about humanity’s relationship with the environment and the disastrous effects of __________ resource exploitation(开发).Dune challenges readers to consider the impact of their actions on the planet and serves as a__________ of the importance of sustainable living.

1.

A．personally

B．literally

C．seriously

D．equally

2.

A．necessity

B．attempt

C．agreement

D．freedom

3.

A．happened

B．struggled

C．chosen

D．hesitated

4.

A．dismissed

B．accepted

C．recommended

D．purchased

5.

A．permission

B．control

C．trust

D．popularity

6.

A．in time

B．in turn

C．in advance

D．in total

7.

A．challenged

B．pushed

C．skipped

D．simplified

8.

A．unwilling

B．unfortunate

C．unsuitable

D．unlikely

9.

A．picked up

B．given up

C．used up

D．piled up

10.

A．advocate

B．assign

C．investigate

D．deliver

11.

A．similarity

B．consequences

C．flexibility

D．strengths

12.

A．support

B．proposal

C．inspiration

D．desire

13.

A．witnessed

B．spared

C．confirmed

D．graded

14.

A．limited

B．balanced

C．unchecked

D．unchanged

15.

A．review

B．symbol

C．victim

D．reminder