1 . San Diego stretches over nearly 350 square miles of beachfront and city, nature reserves and dynamic multicultural enclaves (飞地). The option for accommodations are nearly as varied as the landform.

Kings Inn San Diego

Kings Inn, a family-owned motel, pays honor to the mid-century but restoration has brought 21st-century necessities (free Wi-Fi/gym) and sunny rooms. There are two onsite themed restaurants where hotel guests can get 10 percent off. Affordable parking ($15/day) and near to popular sites make this an attractive extended stay option.

Kimpton Alma Hotel

Kimpton’s Alma has decoration inspired by the city: a beachy colour and street culture artwork. Among its three restaurants (the rooftop Leave of Absence bar is due to re-open spring 2024), the Desmond draws locals for chef Jason Neroni’s winning cooking creations, while the casual Café is a good choice for steak fries. In addition, pets are treated almost as well as their human companions in this hotel, which attracts many pet-lovers.

San Diego Mission Bay Resort

Mission Bay resort is located between two family-friendly public parks which features a popular swimming spot and two massive playgrounds. Broad green space allow for outdoor games. Paved paths lead to a narrow beach, where children can splash (泼) in calm bay waters. Grownups have benefits too, including a spa and nightly live music.

The Guild

The Guild highlights San Diego’s military history. Through 1970, it was a center of social and recreational activities for more than 125 million service staff. A 2019 reconstruction has preserved Lincoln Rogers’ 1924 Italian Renaissance-style (文艺复兴风格) building. Today’s visitors can enjoy craft cocktails (手工鸡尾酒) at the inviting Farniente lobby bar and courtyard dining area.

1. Which hotel is suitable for guests with pets?

A．The Guild.	B．Kings Inn San Diego.
C．Kimpton Alma Hotel.	D．San Diego Mission Bay Resort.

2. What do Kings Inn San Diego and The Guild have in common?

A．They are relatively cheap.	B．They are suitable for kids.
C．They’ve both been restored.	D．They have a long military history.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．An official report.	B．An art magazine.
C．A scientific research.	D．A travel guidebook.

2 . As an adult, one of the first questions you are asked when meeting someone new is, “What do you do?” This is because your career is a very important part of who you are. The career you have defines your life, and so taking time to think about it is an essential exercise for young people.

One of the most effective ways to get some insight on a possible career path is to complete a “career aptitude (才能) test”. There are many different kinds of career aptitude tests. Some ask questions about your personal interests and attitudes. Others focus more on asking you to rate different kinds of work scenarios (场景), like working as a librarian or a lawyer. Of course, while completing these sorts of tests, it is very important to be honest — and don’t worry — there are no right or wrong answers.

One popular test asks the participants to grade their preferences for a variety of work tasks. Their answers are then analyzed and divided up between six different types of work personalities. The participant is then given a chart showing their score for each type of work personality. The top three scores are used to make a code that indicates the participant’s overall work personality. This code is then used to generate a list of career suggestions.

The career suggestions are also based on your education and experience level, but you can look at higher-level careers as well, which is very useful for high school students. For example, you could look at the basic careers to see what work you might like now, and then look at the more advanced careers so you know what you may like to aim for in the future. This is a great tool to help plan your career and let you know what targets you need to reach to get there.

In conclusion, career aptitude tests are clearly a very useful tool. So try a few tests online and start thinking about your future career right now!

1. Why does the author ask the question in paragraph 1?

A．To support an idea.	B．To introduce a topic.
C．To define a profession.	D．To clarify a new concept.

2. What can we learn about the career aptitude test?

A．It determines your future career.

B．It should be answered truthfully.

C．It stresses the accuracy of test answers.

D．It only cares about personal interests and attitudes

3. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The theory of coding.	B．The advice on career planning.
C．The variety of work personalities.	D．The process of a career aptitude test.

4. What does the author suggest us doing?

A．Changing our jobs frequently.	B．Upgrading our levels of education.
C．Following the career advice strictly.	D．Pursuing advancement in our careers.

3 . The Power of Meaningful Communication

The foundation of any happy and successful relationship is good communication.     1     However, developing this skill requires both work and a readiness to be open to one another. Here are some helpful tips to help you and your partner communicate more effectively and strengthen your relationship.

Cultivate active listening. According to Medium, a key part of good communication is listening. Giving your full attention to your partner and maintaining eye contact are examples of active listening.     2     To create a secure environment for real discussion, demonstrate empathy and confirm their feelings.

Be mindful of non-verbal communication.     3     A good amount of communication takes place in the non-verbal areas, including body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. Be aware of your own nonverbal signals and work to appropriately figure out those of your partner. When talking about delicate subjects, be open-minded and convey your feelings with a respectful tone of voice.

Practice empathy and understanding. According to mindbodygreen.com, empathy and understanding can go a long way in creating good communication. Seek to understand your partner’s perspective and emotions, even when you disagree. Empathy allows you to connect on a deeper level and creates an atmosphere of mutual support.     4    

    5     Encourage an environment where both parties feel comfortable sharing their feelings. Avoiding criticism, being defensive or acting disrespectfully will promote open and honest dialogue. Rather than pointing fingers at one another, engage in active problem solving by addressing problems jointly. Both partners should feel comfortable expressing concerns in a relationship and good communication can help you problem-solve.

A．Create a safe space for open dialogue.

B．Communicate with appreciation and respect.

C．Communication is more than just the words that you speak.

D．Make time for regular discussions to talk about your relationship’s status.

E．Avoid asking questions or responding before they have completed speaking.

F．It deepens the bond between partners by promoting understanding and trust.

G．Engage with your partner without judgment and try to put yourself in their shoes.

4 . Born and raised in Kunming in Yunnan province, Yin Jiongjie is the son of two musicians and grew up listening to music and watching music performances. His father bought lots of recordings and DVDs of world-renowned classical musicians and symphony orchestras to ensure that his only son had as much exposure to music as possible.

As a child, Yin learned to play the piano and the violin. Later, he gave up the latter and focused instead on the piano. Even then, he decided that he would become a conductor one day. “There can be over 100 musicians in an orchestra but there is only one conductor. The conductor is like the composer’s messenger, which is a magical experience,” he said.

When he was 14, Chen Lin and Chen Bing, two conductors from the Central Conservatory of Music came to Kunming to choose students. Yin’s father allowed him to perform for them. Standing on the stage of the theater at the Yunnan Arts University, Yin raised his baton (指挥棒) and demonstrated how he would conduct to a recording of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 From the New World. Ten months later, he moved to Beijing and enrolled at the Middle School Affiliated (附属) to the Central Conservatory of Music and later studied at the university under Chen Lin.

Since 2015, Yin has been chosen by the Central Conservatory of Music to participate in several master classes with conductors, among them South Korea’s Chung Myung-whun and Canada’s Yannick Nezet-Seguin. “There’s a huge gap between the training you receive in a conservatory and what is required of a professional conductor. The most basic thing is to build and expand my repertoire, and gain a deep understanding of each piece,” he says. “It is a skill that involves psychology, body language, knowledge of history, culture and music, and a sensitivity to everything that makes us human. And I have a long way to go.”

1. What can we learn about Yin Jiongjie from the first two paragraphs?

A．His father excels at classical music.	B．His father is a symphony conductor.
C．He kept playing the piano and violin.	D．He had a dream of being a conductor.

2. What does the underlined phrase “enrolled at” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Visited.

B．Impressed.

C．Joined.

D．Applauded.

3. Which of the following is Yin’s idea according to the last paragraph?

A．Better late than never.	B．Rome wasn’t built in a day.
C．The early bird catches the worm.	D．When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

4. Which of the following best describes Yin Jiongjie?

A．Talented and generous.	B．Honest and trustworthy.
C．Determined and humorous.	D．Purposeful and hard-working.

5 . When it comes to ways to burn calories, few people think of chewing. But about 3% of the daily energy we burn comes from chewing foods, a new study finds. That's far less than walking or even digesting, but it may have been enough to reshape the faces of our distant ancestors.

Scientists have long suspected our jaw size and tooth shape evolved to make chewing more efficient. As our ancestors shifted their diet to foods that were easier to chew and developed technologies such as chopping (切碎) and cooking to reduce the time and effort spent chewing, the jaw size and tooth shape changed, too, shrinking compared with other primates (灵长目动物). But without knowing how much daily energy we spend chewing, it’s difficult to determine whether saving energy is also a factor in driving these evolutionary changes.

So in the new study, researchers put 21 men and women in a special device—a bubble-like helmet. They then gave the participants a flavorless, calorie-free gum to chew for 15 minutes. While the participants were chewing, the device showed that CO₂ levels in their breath rose, indicating their bodies were working harder. When the gum was soft, the metabolism (新陈代谢) of the participants rose by an average of 10%; chewing hard gum required15% more energy than resting.

This finding is essentially a proof of concept: before the arrival of cooking and tool use, early humans likely spent a lot more time chewing, according to study co-author Amanda Henry. Besides, calculating the energy cost of human chewing could give a glimpse into the evolutionary strategies of other hominids (原始人). For example, Australopithecus—a hominid that lived in Africa between 2 million and 4 million years ago—had teeth with chewing surfaces four times larger than modern humans and massive jaw muscles. They must have spent more energy on chewing, and the new study is a first step to calculating how much.

But in the view of Callum Ross, an anatomist at the University of Chicago, energetics alone can hardly explain the way jaws and teeth evolved over time. Other factors—such as jaw shape that minimized tooth breakage or wear, for example—might have been more important. “Natural selection probably cares more about not wearing your teeth out than energy efficiency,” he says.

1. What did the researchers want to know through the new research?

A．Whether chewing caused certain evolutionary changes.

B．Whether cooking ways reduced the nutrition in some food.

C．Whether food varieties affected our ancestors’ development.

D．Whether our facial characteristics differed from other primates'.

2. What’s the function of the bubble-like helmet?

A．To record the participants’ facial movements.

B．To help the participants speed up their metabolism.

C．To reveal how chewing gum could save more energy.

D．To show how much energy the participants used while chewing.

3. What does the author want to convey in paragraph 4?

A．The application of the finding.	B．The significance of the finding.
C．The limitations of the research.	D．The difficulties of further research.

4. What is Callum Ross’ attitude towards the research finding?

A．Unconcerned.

B．Confused.

C．Doubtful.

D．Supportive.

6 . If you live in a city that gets lots of snow and ice, then you might be familiar with road salt. Your local government likely has several ice-removing trucks that spread road salt on the roads to get rid of ice.     1    

To figure that out, you first need to know what road salt is. Road salt is simply rock salt, which is table salt in its natural form. Table salt goes through a very long purification (净化) process.     2     As a result, rock salt isn’t pure — besides salt, it contains some minerals like lead, iron, etc. And for this reason, rock salt doesn’t look that bright.

Now, let’s look at why road salt can remove ice on roads. Ice forms when the temperature of water reaches 0℃. The freezing point of the water is lowered once salt is added.     3     A 10 per cent salt solution (溶液) freezes at -6℃, and a 20 per cent solution freezes at much lower degrees.

However, rock salt has its limitations. For instance, if the temperature of the roadway is too low, the salt won’t have any effect on the ice.     4     As we mentioned earlier, rock salt can contain lead, iron, etc. When rock salt is spread, these minerals are also spread, harming soil and underground water.

    5     That’s because there are many salt mines around the world, which makes rock salt relatively affordable and accessible. Additionally, rock salt can be stored easily and for very long periods without losing its ability to remove ice.

A．But rock salt does not.

B．Then how exactly does it work?

C．The long purification process is costly.

D．In such cases, cities will use sand instead.

E．So the salt makes it harder for the water to freeze.

F．Rock salt also has major environmental problems.

G．Even so, rock salt is still widely used to remove ice.

7 . The academic world is highly competitive. But we don’t need to burn the candle at both ends to be good at what we do.     1    

Big goals are hard, so don’t be too ambitious. Set small goals, plan your schedule and stick to it. For example, instead of promising to finish that paper introduction today, aim to write 300 words of it. Then arrange time to complete the activity in a realistic schedule.     2     If so, take two hours, and achieve this goal by avoiding distractions.

    3     One of them is the Pomodoro technique. With this technique, you have a short period of time to work on a single task nothing else. Afterwards, you get a break. Then you go back to work for the same initial period of time, take another break and repeat the cycle until the task is finished. In two hours on a Pomodoro schedule, you’ll be more productive than in an entire day of distraction-filled work.

Although the academic world is competitive, there should always be some time for extracurricular activities. Play some instruments. Go for a run. Attend a club.     4     But they actually make you more productive.

Find some hobbies and make them part of your routine. Sign up for a regular class, or play sports with a friend regularly. Force yourself to make time for such activities. After three hours of studying, you stop thinking clearly and start making mistakes.     5     Extracurricular activities keep us motivated to work more efficiently.

A．You’d better aim for your own best.

B．Is finishing 300 words in one hour too much?

C．These activities take only one hour or so per day.

D．Are you ready to enter such a competitive world?

E．Instead, we need to learn to work in a clever way.

F．Stand up, go and play, and come back with a fresh mind.

G．There are many digital tools available that can help you to focus.

8 . Over the past few months, the Let Them Theory has been making waves online. It started when Mel Robbins, a popular motivational speaker, shared it on Instagram. In her video, Robbins talks about the importance of letting go of control in certain situations, advocating for a model shift in how we interact with others.

Robbins insists that too often, we waste time and energy trying to push others into meeting our expectations. Instead, she proposes a simpler, more liberating approach: “letting them” be themselves. “Let them be themselves because they are revealing who they are to you. Just let them. Then, you get to choose what you do next.” she said.

Dr. Sophie Mort, a clinical psychologist and mental health expert, offers deeper insights into the psychological foundation of this Theory. She said that our natural desire to control others often originates from a need to relieve our own anxieties and uncertainties. However, such attempts often result in disappointment and exhaustion as we realize the uselessness of our efforts. Basically, the theory emphasizes the acknowledgment that we cannot control the actions or decisions of others. It urges us to give up the burden of forcing our desires onto those closest to us and accept the mindset of acceptance.

While the theory may not be formally recognized in clinical settings, its principles connect with established concepts such as acceptance and mindfulness. It shows the essence of acceptance and commitment therapy, emphasizing the importance of accepting our thoughts and feelings without judgment. Meanwhile, marriage and family therapist Chapell Marsh further explains the resemblance between the theory and the psychological concept of “locus of control.”

The theory received a lot of positive responses. Many claim that adopting this approach has fostered harmony and minimized conflicts in their interactions. However, it’s urgent to recognize the limitations of the theory. While it promotes acceptance and nonjudgmental attitudes, it must not be employed in situations where safety is compromised or where necessary conversations are avoided. “Avoiding difficult conversations can lead to problems,” said Chapell Marsh.

1. What’s the core of the Let Them Theory?

A．Taking control of others in every situation.

B．Letting others expose their true self to us.

C．Pushing others into meeting our expectations.

D．Insisting on our way of interacting with others.

2. Why do people want to control others according to Dr. Sophie?

A．To be satisfied with themselves.

B．To make others accept their mindset.

C．To ease their own worries and doubts.

D．To force their desires onto the closest ones.

3. What does the author convey in paragraph 4?

A．The Let Them Theory should be recognized clinically.

B．We should accept our thoughts and feelings without judgement.

C．Marriage and family relationships need psychological concepts.

D．The Let Them Theory is consistent with the existing accepted theories.

4. In which situation should the Let Them Theory be avoided?

A．Your friend’s safety is being threatened.

B．Someone says something mean behind your back.

C．Your kids don’t want to get up and go shopping with you.

D．Your friends are not inviting you out to brunch this weekend.

9 . What’s in a Game?

Picture you and your friends sitting around one Saturday, bored. You’ve read every book, watched every movie and played every game. There is absolutely nothing left to do.     1    ? Here are some guidelines to help you invent a new game that’s both playable and fun.

The Ohjective

The first thing you’ll need to design a great game is an objective or goal for players to work toward.     2    . For example, Hockey games and Risk, a kind of card game, have one thing in common — when one player or team reaches the final objective, they win.

    3    

Next, you’ll need rules to let your players know what they can and can’t do. It might seem like a game with no rules would be more fun. You can do anything you want! Unfortunately, this often results in confused players arguing about how the game should be played. Rules set limits and define what the game is — and what it isn’t. Players need to know what they can and can’t do, and what will happen when they do different things.

Meaningful Choices

While you are creating your rules, think about the choices players will make and what effects those choices will have.     4    . If the same thing happens no matter what choice the player makes, they’ll wonder why they have to choose.

Don’t Forget to Playtest!

Any game you see in stores has gone through many rounds of testing and revision. Rules that seem clear to you might be confusing for others. Situations might come up that you didn’t expect.     5    .

A．The Place

B．The Rules

C．What can your players do

D．What if you could invent your own game

E．Every choice a player makes needs to have an effect on the gameplay

F．The best way to make sure your game is playable and fun is to playtest it

G．Objectives can take many forms, but they should always be clear to the players

10 . On a chilly autumn morning in the Italian countryside near Larderello, Tuscany, the misty landscape reminded me why the area is nicknamed the Devil’s Valley. The land here is a web of natural cracks in the rock that let a mix of steam and gases reach the surface.

Unlike the rolling hills and cypress-lined roads of other parts of Tuscany, the landscape here is covered with dozens of grey cooling towers puffing white vapors. The deafening roar of a turbine (涡轮机) at the Valle Secolo geothermal (地热的) plant breaks the quietness, but its violent spinning transforms steam rising from underground into energy for 150,000 families in the region. About 30% of Tuscany’s electricity comes from this energy source. After producing electricity, the leftover steam heats water for nearby districts.

This underground energy has recently proved a vital resource. Italy greatly depended on Russian fossil fuels and in 2023 Italians bore the world’s highest household electricity bills. Factories cut down production and households had to turn down their heaters. But residents of the Larderello area spent the winter in warm homes, thanks to the local geothermal plants working 24/7.

Bruno Della Vedova, president of the Italian Geothermal Union, hopes that in the future other Italian regions could benefit from such a resource, which is extremely important when the whole world looks to transition to renewable energy.

While countries like Iceland and Kenya are taking advantage of their geothermal resources, the industry’s growth has made slow progress in Italy. High set-up costs and difficulties in extraction present significant barriers. And new plants often run into opposition from nearby communities over health concerns.

Italy sits on a geothermal sweet spot. Especially below Larderello, as Della Vedova says. A vast reservoir (储备) of steam and water is trapped between Earth’s inner heat and a layer of clay-heavy rocks. High temperatures lead to the formation of steam directly inside the reservoir, providing a significant source of energy.

But while heat from Earth’s core is practically endless, the water it heats within the planet are not. So Della Vedova says restoring underground water supplies and using them sustainably is critical for the future. “We can’t take advantage of a geothermal resource at will,” he says.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．The landscape in the countryside.

B．The introduction to a geothermal plant.

C．The application of geothermal energy in Tuscany.

D．The process of turning underground steam into heat.

2. Why has geothermal industry developed slowly in Italy?

A．People near new plants object to it.

B．Geothermal plants cut down their production.

C．There is very little underground water and steam.

D．People use less electricity by turning down heaters.

3. What is Della Vedova’s attitude to the prospect of geothermal energy?

A．Unfavorable.

B．Unclear.

C．Optimistic.

D．Cautious.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Where does geothermal energy lead Italy?

B．Is the heat from Earth’s core really limitless?

C．Can energy from underground help power Italy?

D．How can geothermal energy be used scientifically?