2 . Hanwengong Shrine

Now we come to Hanwengong Shrine, which is beside Hangjiang river and west of Bijia mountain.     1     In the square in front of the hall, an ancient book-shaped stone is carved with two famous sayings of Han Yu on it, meaning hard work is the precondition for success, and deep thought is the guarantee of success.

In the year of A.D. 819, for some political reason, Han Yu was exiled (流放) to Chaozhou, a backland at that time. But he was not depressed by this, and he helped local people to develop education, agriculture, irrigation and release slaves.     2    

The shrine was built against the mountain and divided into two parts, the front part and the back part. Now we play a small game: count the stone steps, and later I’ll tell you a secret. How many steps are there? Yes, 51 steps! Why?     3     The first time Han Yu came to Chaozhou, he was impressed by the beautiful scenery and hospitality of local people. You see that old tree? People say the more flowers in the tree, the more well-educated students are. But in Qing Dynasty, this magic tree, planted by Han Yu himself, died, so people planted this tree instead.

    4     Here is one: when Han Yu was living in Chaozhou, there was a very fierce and cruel crocodile in the Hanjiang river, which was a big social harm. One day, Han Yu drafted a statement against the crocodile and made it public by the river. Incredibly, from the next day on, the crocodile was gone. Later, the statue, made of a portrait of Han Yu, was built and his words were left on the monument to mark his achievements.

A．When Han Yu came to Chaozhou, he was 51 years old.

B．Han Yu was a Confucian figure, and there are many stories about him in Chaozhou.

C．Although Han Yu’s ideas had no obvious practical effect at the time, they had a great impact on society decades later.

D．Built in the Song dynasty, the shrine is the oldest and best preserved monument to Han Yu, one of the greatest literary men in the Tang dynasty.

E．To memorize what he had contributed to the development of Chaozhou, people constructed this shrine and named him Hanwengong respectfully.

F．There are so many tourists that, to relieve the pressure on the monuments, the scenic spot requires that a maximum of 500 people visit at a time.

4 . The emergence of black holes undoubtedly marks the beginning of a revolution. Black holes have many peculiar properties, such as the alteration of space and time, the radiation of gravitational waves and so on. Scientists are still trying to study the properties and evolution of black holes in order to better understand the origin and evolution of the universe.

Recently, a team of astronomers may have found a solo-wandering black hole using a strange trick of gravity called microlensing (微透镜效应), but the results still have to be confirmed.

Sometimes it’s tough being an astronomer. Nature likes to hide the most interesting things from easy observation. Take, for example, black holes. Except for the strange quantum (量子) phenomenon of Hawking radiation, black holes are completely black. They don’t emit a single bit of radiation – they only absorb, hence their name.

To date, the only way astronomers have been able to spot black holes is through their influence on their environments. For example, if an orbiting star gets a little too close, the black hole can absorb the gas from that star, causing it to heat up as it falls. We can watch as stars dance around the giant black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

Even the famed pictures of the black holes in the center of the Milky Way and the M87 galaxy(星系) aren’t photographs of the black holes themselves. Instead, they are radio images of everything around them.

But surely not all black holes have other light-emitting objects around them to help us find them. To find these wanderers, astronomers have tried their luck with microlensing. We know that heavy objects can bend the path of light around them. This is a prediction of Einstein’s general theory of relativity, and the slight bending of starlight around our own sun was one of the first successful tests of the theory.

Microlensing is pretty much what the name suggests. When astronomers get extremely lucky, a wandering black hole and pass between us and a random distant star. The light from that star bends around the black hole because of its gravity, and from our point of view, the star will appear to temporarily flare in brightness.

And when I say “extremely lucky” I mean it. Despite trying this technique for over a decade, it is only now that astronomers have found a candidate black hole through microlensing. Two teams used the same data, a microlensing event recorded from both the OGLE (Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment) telescope in Chile and the MOA (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) telescope in New Zealand. One team found that the mass was somewhere around seven times the mass of the sun – definitely black hole territory. But the other team estimated a much smaller mass, around 2-4 times the mass of the Sun. If the true mass of the object is at the lower end of that spectrum (光谱), then the wanderer is probably not a black hole.

1. Why does the author say it is hard to be an astronomer?

A．Einstein’s theory is hard to understand.

B．Many things in nature are not easy to observe.

C．Understanding the evolution of the universe is not easy.

D．Whether the black hole has been found remains to be seen.

2. What is the example in Para. 4 trying to prove?

A．Stars’ wandering in black holes.

B．Black holes’ absorbing the star’s gas.

C．The relationship between stars’ heating and black holes.

D．Finding black holes by observing environmental changes.

3. What does the author tell us about the discovery of black holes?

A．People can often find black holes with glowing objects.

B．Research groups can work together to find black holes.

C．Glowing objects around black holes help us find them sometimes.

D．Understanding the properties of black holes helps find them.

4. What conclusion can we draw from the last paragraph?

A．To persevere in the end is to win.

B．Facts speak louder than words.

C．Failure is the mother of success.

D．Things are not always what they seem.

5 . As I reflect on my educational journey, it becomes evident that the impact of education extends far beyond the ranges of the classroom. Education has been the guiding force that has shaped not only my academic progress but also my personal development and outlook on the world around me.

From my earliest days in school, education has stimulated my intellectual curiosity and developed a deep-seated passion for learning. I remember the thrill of getting on a voyage of discovery with each new lesson, as my understanding of the world expanded through the acquisition (获得) of knowledge and the development of critical thinking skills. These experiences have not only nurtured (培养) my intellectual growth but have also equipped me with the tools to navigate the complexities of the modern world.

However, the impact of education goes beyond the field of academia. It has played a critical role in shaping my character and values, equipping me with a sense of sympathy, understanding, and respect for others. Through interactions with peers from diverse backgrounds and exposure to various perspectives, education has been beneficial in cultivating my social and emotional intelligence. It has taught me the value of cooperation, the importance of embracing diversity, and the power of empathy (共情) in making meaningful connections with others.

Furthermore, education has opened doors to opportunities that have paved the way for my future hard work. It has provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue my passions, offering a platform for personal and professional growth. The transformative potential of education is evident in the countless stories of individuals whose lives have been improved through access to quality education, breaking the barriers of social and economic inequality.

In conclusion, my journey through the fields of education has been nothing short of transformative. It has expanded my horizons, enriched my understanding of the world, and equipped me with the toots to make meaningful contributions to society. As I continue on this path of lifelong learning, I am deeply grateful for the profound impact of education on my life and remain committed to nurturing its transformative power in the lives of others.

1. According to Para. 2, how did education expand the author’s understanding of the world?

A．By equipping the author with knowledge.

B．By encouraging the author to accept others’ ideas.

C．By informing the author of latest scientific development,

D．By making the author more curious about others’perspectives.

2. What impact did education have on the author’s social and emotional intelligence?

A．It made the author competitive and individualistic.

B．It taught the author to value cooperation and varies.

C．It made it easier for the author to solve the difficulties.

D．It encourages the author to stick to his own opinion.

3. What does the passage suggest about influence of education in society in a broader sense?

A．Education has unlimited potential to make individuals’ lives more colorful.

B．Education is primarily focused on maintaining social development.

C．Education ensures better working opportunities in the future.

D．Education has the power to fight against inequality.

4. What is the topic of the passage?

A．The importance of education technology.	B．The role of author’s family education.
C．The transformative power of education.	D．The improvement of individuals’ education.

6 . Preschooler or grade-schooler? Start saving early

It’s never too early to start saving for college. One way to get a jump is to use college savings plans like the 529 or Coverdell to start a pool of money to draw from later. You can open an account while your student is a child. And with an account like a 529, the money can be invested to grow tax-free, as long as it’s used for qualified education expenses.

Early high school? Time to check those expectations

Setting realistic expectations with your high schooler is an important part of the college readiness timeline. In fact, you can start talking about college and the future when your student is in junior high. Even if you have college savings to help pay for college—or most of your savings—speaking with your student about expectations is important.

High school junior? Apply for scholarships and financial aid

The time to start applying for scholarships is during your student’s junior year of high school. Sports, music, performance, and clubs can enhance an application along with grades. It can help create a general essay that can be adjusted for each scholarship. Put together a résumé that includes activities, jobs, and accomplishments. Don’t forget to fill out a CSS profile with the college board. Some schools and other organizations use the CSS profile for outstanding scholarship applications.

Federal financial aid

In order to qualify for federal financial aid, including grants (助学金) and student loans, it’s important to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your student should fill out their first FAFSA in October of their senior year of high school. The FAFSA should be updated and submitted every subsequent year in October to keep the information up to date and to receive ongoing federal financial aid.

Other opportunities to hold back the costs … or add to them

When planning ahead for college, it’s also important to consider other opportunities and expect the unexpected. Some additional opportunities to consider while your high schooler is a junior or senior include:

Study abroad. If there’s a chance for your student to take a semester or year abroad, that can be a good experience, but it might also require extra paperwork and additional costs.

Additional education. Some schools might offer additional certifications on top of regular degree coursework. A special certification might require a summer semester that might not be included in the traditional financial aid award.

Longer time in school. Not every student will finish in the traditional four-year time frame. Changing majors, double majors, and extracurricular (课外的) activities can extend your student’s time in school.

…

1. What does the underlined part in Para.1 refer to?

A．College savings plan.	B．Scholarship application method.
C．Education savings account.	D．Educational certification agency.

2. What do you need to do first if you want to get federal financial aid?

A．To update your materials.	B．To apply for scholarships.
C．To contact the government.	D．To fill out the free application.

3. What does the author want to tell the readers to do?

A．To plan a brand-new college life.

B．To think ahead about the cost of college.

C．To work to make money as early as possible.

D．To think about the significance of major choices.

8 . In recent years, the International Space Field set off a new round of exploration craze, hoping to further master the space secrets and resources. Countries are busy developing rockets and satellites, developing manned space technology, formulating plans to explore the moon and Mars, and conquering space “One step ahead?”.

When engineers develop a spacecraft, they ask a few key questions that guide their process, says David Klaus, a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, who studies risk assessment and human spaceflight. They are, he explains, “What do we want to do? What does it take to do it? What can go wrong? And what can we do to reduce the chance of the bad things going wrong?” These questions seem simple enough, but the answers are essential.

When NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin or anyone else considers sending humans into space, the vehicle they build must do three things. First, it has to accommodate the crew members by meeting their basic needs such as oxygen, food and water. Second, it should allow them to accomplish mission objectives. Lastly, it must protect the people onboard and on the ground from the risks of spaceflight and reentry. Sometimes meeting one need introduces new risks. The crew needs to breathe, of course, but it was high-pressure tanks of liquid oxygen that caused an explosion on Apollo 13, and it was the fuel powering an oxygen generator that sparked a fire onboard the Mir space station in 1997.

Not only do astronauts float through a near vacuum (真空) filled with radiation, but in low-Earth orbit, where the International Space Station (ISS) operates, crews have to deal with a growing cloud of debris (碎片) circling Earth, which are usually from old satellites. The ISS’s debris protective covering can absorb impacts from particles smaller than half an inch, but between 1999 and 2022, the station had to fire pushers 32 times to avoid contact with larger objects. A single hit would be dangerous; at speeds of 17,500 miles per hour, even something the size of a softball can cause severe damage.

What is the point of looking decades into space and struggling to explore the vastness of the universe? The development of the space industry has brought humans many benefits, the most important of which is the spread of information. The cell phone signal and TV signal people use now are all benefiting from the development of the space industry. The ultimate goal of mankind is to go deeper into space, and to explore more unknown worlds, that is, the Moon, Mars and beyond, and what humanity is eager to achieve is a common home of freedom and equality.

1. Why did the writer mention the explosion on Apollo 13 in Paragraph 3 and the fire onboard the Mir space station?

A．To explain the high risks of the space industry.

B．To show the disadvantages of the space travel.

C．To prove the unexpected risks of the spaceflight process.

D．To describe the new risks involved in meeting the requirements.

2. What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

A．The space environment itself piles on danger.

B．Any misstep on a space mission is fatal.

C．It is very difficult to complete the space mission.

D．Space engineers work hard to clean up space debris.

3. What is the ultimate goal of human exploration of space?

A．More unknown planets and stars.	B．Freedom and equality of human beings.
C．More protection against human diseases.	D．Space secrets and endless resources.

4. What does the underlined phrase in the last paragraph mean?

A．Studying space for countless years.	B．Living in space for many years.
C．Exploring space for some ten years.	D．Observing space for several ten years.

9 .

	Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View- Return of the Jedi To mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Return of the Jedi, this selection sees 40 scenes from the movie recreated through the eyes of a supporting character, from robots to Mon Mothma. So, among the 40 writers and artists contributing, we have Olivie Blake giving a glimpse into the mind of Emperor Palpatine, Mary Kenney telling the story of Wicket the Ewok’s dream of a quiet day on the forest moon of Endor and Charlie Jane Anders looking into that terrifying open mouth in the desert of Tatooine.
	Creation Node by Stephen Baxter Stephen Baxter is the author of one of my all-time favourite moments in a sci-fi novel: the oceans close over the top of Everest in Flood. I think of his drowned Earth relatively often - it is an image burned into my brain. His latest book sounds equally interesting and I’ll definitely be giving it a read. Set in 2255, it follows the discovery of an object called Planet Nine, which a woman named Salma spots from her spaceship. It’s not a planet, or the “ninth” of anything; it was briefly believed to be a black hole, but then it sends a message that there is something waiting on its surface. Meanwhile, a quasar(类星体)has appeared and is heating up the solar system. Lots to deal with, then.
	Starter Villain by John Scalzi This is the sort of sci-fi novel that needs to be described as a joke, I feel. It’s set on Earth today and sees divorced substitute teacher Charlie inherit his long-lost late uncle Jake’s business. Unfortunately for Charlie, he also inherits his uncle’s enemies. We are also promised intelligent, talking spy cats and unionised dolphins - what’s not to like?
	Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang I loved Zhang’s first novel, How Much of These Hills Is Gold, set in the 19th-century Old West. I highly, highly recommend it: Zhang is a phenomenal writer. Her second book moves the action to the near future, where food crops are disappearing and a smog is spreading. Hoping to escape her troubled reality, a chef takes a job in a mountaintop settlement for the global elite (精英) and discovers plans to reshape the world.
	Edge of Here by Kelechi Okafor What a treat this sounds: a short story collection to dip into in this busiest of months. Okafor, who is host of the Say Your Mind podcast, sets out to explore contemporary Black womanhood, but sets her stories in a Black Mirror version of the near future. There’s one in which you can experience someone else’s emotions through a chip in your brain, one where you can view bits of a distant relative’s life with help from your DNA.

1. If you want to know the life of a cook, which novel would you choose?

A．Edge of Here by Kelechi Okafor	B．Starter Villain by John Scalzi
C．Creation Node by Stephen Baxter	D．Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang

2. What does the underlined phrase mean in the first paragraph?

A．A non-leading role.

B．A viewer.

C．A director

D．A writing style.

3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．In Fiction 2, the Solar System is getting colder.

B．In Fiction 3, a single teacher inherited his uncle’s business.

C．In Fiction 4, the author described events in the remote area.

D．In Fiction 5, you can experience black life through brain chips.

10 . The Adventures of Tom Sawyer changed the course of children’s literature in the United States as well as of American literature generally, presenting the first deeply-felt description of boyhood. Mark Twain published the novel in 1876, which centered on a smart naughty young boy living in a town along the Mississippi River. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer marked the further development of Mark Twain realism.

An orphan, Tom Sawyer lived with his Aunt Polly and half brother, Sid, in St. Petersburg, Missouri; the fictional town was based on Hannibal, Missouri. The first few chapters highlighted Tom’s troubled tendencies. He angered his aunt by eating jam, and then he got in a fight with another boy. As punishment for his various misdeeds, Aunt Polly ordered him to whitewash the fence. However, Tom managed to convince other children that whitewashing was fun, and they ended up giving him various items for a turn at the fence. Later in the book Tom went to the cemetery with Huckleberry Finn, a wanderer whose father was a heavy drinker. They came across three grave robbers, including Injun Joe and Dr. Robinson. The two men got into a fight, and Injun Joe murdered the doctor. Although Tom and Huckleberry promised never to tell anyone what they had seen, Tom eventually charged the escaped Indian Joc.

At one point, Tom, Huckleberry, and a third boy decided to run away from home and became pirates (海盗). While on an island in the Mississippi River, they discovered that people thought they had died. The three dramatically reappeared during their funeral services. Tom and Huckleberry then decided to look for buried treasure in an abandoned house. The boys were forced to hide when Injun Joe and a partner arrived to bury their own treasure there. However, the two men then came across a gold storage in the house and decided to hide it elsewhere. One night Huck followed them, hoping to find the gold. When he overheard their plan to attack the Widow Douglas, Huck got help, and the crime was prevented. Tom later went on a picnic with his classmates. While exploring a cave, they became lost, and Tom later realized that the gold was likely to be in the cave, and he and Huckleberry discovered it.

1. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．The story outlines the Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

B．The story describes Mark Twain’s childhood.

C．The story tells the story of Huckleberry.

D．This passage comments on Mark Twain’s novels.

2. What is the underlined part of the second paragraph trying to illustrate?

A．Tom’s helpfulness.

B．Tom’s honesty.

C．Tom’s friendliness.

D．Tom’s naughtiness.

3. What’s the correct order of the happenings in the third story?
a. Huck followed those two.
b. Then Tom and Huckleberry found gold.
c. Tom and Huckleberry decided to search for buried treasure.
d. Tom, Huckleberry and another boy ran away from home.

A．a-c-b-d

B．d-c-a-b

C．b-a-d-c

D．c-b-a-d

4. In the author’s eyes, what kind of novel is the Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

A．An interesting adventure novel.	B．The most humorous story of children.
C．The greatest works of children’s literature.	D．The most popular historical novel.