1 . Honey bees are important to our survival as humans. The majority of fruit and vegetables we eat would no longer exist without them. The honey bee population is threatened by a large number of dangers, most of which can be prevented with the help of humans. Being an officer in Environmental Club here at Freedom, I believe this is a very important topic that we want to educate students about.

Bees are threatened by large- scale monoculture (单一耕作) agriculture and pesticides that are used on these crops. For the most part, large companies which grow the same kind of crops in large fields are to blame for the widespread use of pesticides and the planting of monoculture crops.

It is believed that the use of pesticides makes bee families more easily be affected by infection and sickness, which is hurting their numbers. The belief is that in this weakened state bees become easily affected by mites and fungi (small living things that cause infectious diseases). Then Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) appears. It occurs when the majority of worker bees in a honey bee family disappear. This is a terrible result for the bee family.

Another potential cause of CCD is malnutrition (营养不良). Monoculture fields contribute to the malnutrition of bees because a single crop does not provide enough nutrients for a family of bees. Honey bees require a variety of plants to choose from in order to stay healthy and productive.

Numerous factors are contributing to the worldwide loss of honey bees. Environmental Club is trying to bring light to this difficult situation that we are facing and we’ re trying to educate students on the topic. The declining bee population is a very pressing issue for all of us, but I find myself realizing that comes along with serious problems. However, many of my generation haven’t been aware of that. We have to work on finding solutions to this and support for more reasonable consumption and production of products that affect bees.

1. What’s the current situation of honey bees?

A．Their varieties have decreased a lot.	B．They are ignored by students
C．They are losing their habitats.	D．Their lives are put at risk.

2. What would happen to honey bees after they get pesticides?

A．They would be infected with diseases easily.	B．They would suffer CCD quickly.
C．They would attract mites easily.	D．They would die in a moment.

3. Why are monoculture field s harmful to honeybees?

A．They are unable to provide enough crops.

B．They fail to offer them balanced nutrition.

C．They fail to give them a good natural environment.

D．They are unable to feed bees with their favorite crops.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Save the bees.	B．Say no to pesticides.
C．Support bee products.	D．Avoid monoculture agriculture.

2 . Nowadays, many people tend to use comparisons as a force to beat themselves up.       1     They are targets of whole billion-dollar industries whose success is dependent upon women being unhappy with themselves in some way, such as the beauty industry and the fashion industry. In fact, negative comparisons are impacting mental and physical health. Here are some expert tips to stop them and refocus your energy on positive things.

Find your model

    2     However, you can choose who you're comparing yourself to. Cultivate a tight group of friends and family, people who you admire and trust and who you know want you to be the best version of yourself.

Go offline

“Go touch grass” is a popular internet saying for “It's time for a digital removal.” But the joking comment makes a good point. The outside world is a physical reminder that there are so many things more important than our waistlines, clothing or bank account.

    3    

Take exercise regularly and keep a healthy diet. It turns out that all those things that are good for your heart are also good for your head. Plus, taking care of your body is a loving act of kindness and will help you appreciate your body more.

Learn self-compassion (自我关怀)

Self-compassion isn’t something that just happens.     4     It is decided by how we choose to talk to ourselves. Self-compassion is the act of relating to yourself in an understanding and caring way. In the same way you would treat your closest friend if they were struggling similarly.

Meanwhile, please remember not all comparisons are a bad idea.     5     For example, positive, healthy comparison can be a useful way to find inspiration and set goals. Comparing past versions of yourself to your current state may also shed light on the ways in which you've grown or remind you of meaningful things you may have lost sight of.

A．Improve your healthy habits.

B．This is especially true for women.

C．It's built up and torn down every day.

D．They are not good for your improvement.

E．Remember that comparison is human nature.

F．Healthy competition is a great force to improve.

G．Perhaps some comparisons can damage your health.

3 . In Cedars, Pennsylvania, a cafe is giving people with different abilities, and their families a safe and inclusive space to shine. Created in 2022, the cafe was a response to the need in the community for programs that would enable youth with special needs who aged out of school programs to develop social and vocational skills in a nurturing   environment.

The cafe was the brainchild of Pennsylvania mom Maureen Stanko, a teacher and musician. She was concerned about what her son Nick, who is neurodivergent (大脑功能异于常人的), would be able to do after graduation. Stanko was so worried that she spoke to Nick’s therapist (治疗专家), Tyler Kammerle, who told her that he dreamed about opening a restaurant to employ people with disabilities. The two worked together — in association with the Pillars of Love and Light Charity — to make this a reality. Two years later, the So Much To Give Inclusive Cafe was born.

The inclusive cafe has made a real difference to people’s lives. One of the staff, Lauren Oppelts, suffers from hearing damage and works as a hostess at the cafe. She said, “If you had invited me to be a hostess a year ago, I wouldn’t have believed you. However, I have grown so much self-confidence. I have witnessed the growth in a lot of these employees since the very, very beginning; it’s just exciting.” Stanko did not know if her son Nick would be able to work at the cafe, but it turned out that her son’s performance had gone beyond her expectations.

But the cafe is much more than just a workplace. Stanko also wanted to create a space to coach life skills to people with disabilities. That’s why she also opened the Inspiration Studio where music, crafts, and other courses are instructed in addition to life skills.

1. How did Stanko help to create the cafe?

A．By developing social skills.	B．By team ing up with others.
C．By employing the disabled.	D．By joining in the program.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 3?

A．Nick lacks self-confidence.	B．Oppelts dislikes being a hostess.
C．The cafe is a life changing place.	D．Nick’s performance dissatisfies Stanko.

3. Why did Stanko start the Inspiration Studio?

A．To teach life skills.	B．To make folk crafts.
C．To explore the space.	D．To diversify the courses.

4. Which word can best describe Stanko?

A．Demanding.

B．Thoughtful.

C．Proud.

D．Humble.

4 . As one of the driest deserts on Earth, the Atacama is a bucket-list destination for star-observing tourists who come for some of the clearest view of the night sky. As its rocky landscape is much like Mars, the desert has even attracted the attention of NASA, which has tested rovers there.

But the Atacama has also got attention as one of the world's fast-growing dumps (垃圾场) of used clothes, thanks to the rapid mass production of inexpensive clothing known as fast fashion. The phenomenon has created so much waste that the UN calls it “an environmental and social emergency”. The challenge is turning off that tap.

The numbers tell the tale. Between 2000 and 2014, clothing production doubled and people began buying 60 percent more clothes and wearing them for half as long as they once did. Three-fifths of all clothing is estimated to end up in landfills within a year of production—that can translate to a truckload of used clothing dumped or burned every second. Most of the facilities are in South Asia or Africa, where the nations receiving those loads cannot handle the amount. The scene in northern Chile has been called “the great fashion garbage patch”. Hills of used clothes, with labels from all over the world, stretch as far as the eye can see on the outskirts of Alto Hospicio, a city of 120, 000 residents.

New efforts, large and small, are under way to deal with clothing waste. In 2018, Franklin Zepeda founded a company that produces building-insulation panels (建筑隔热板) from the waste. “I was inspired by the idea that there was a great deal of waste that could perfectly be changed into raw materials to make new products, reducing the amount of clothes in our desert,” he says.

These are small but crucial (关键的) steps. The most promising solution—one that can solve the problem in a wider range—lies in the hands of the Chilean government.

1. What attracts the star-observing tourists to the Atacama?

A．The clear night sky.	B．The rocky landscape.
C．The driest desert.	D．Mars-like scenery.

2. What can be inferred about Franklin Zepeda's company?

A．It is expert in producing panels.	B．It changes waste into raw materials.
C．It makes the desert into a tourist attraction.	D．It makes full use of the waste in the desert.

3. What will probably be talked about next?

A．Promising future of Chile.	B．Support from other governments.
C．Chilean government’s measures.	D．Similar problems in other countries.

4. What can be the best title of the passage?

A．A Bucket-list Destination	B．Fashion Waste in Atacama
C．NASA’s Attention on Atacama	D．Efforts to Deal with Fast Fashion

5 . The device, AI Pin, created by the start-up Humane, is a new wearable device that aims to overcome or at least help ease us away from our addiction to screens. Its features include answering questions, making calls, sending texts, playing music and taking photos.

When we use AI Pin, its assistant delivers information conversationally and recalls past questions. Kocienda demonstrated this by asking a series of history questions about The New York Times that built on one another, which the pin answered in roughly the same amount of time it might take to search Wikipedia on my phone. The point, he said, was that we didn’t have to disappear into our screens. “AI Pin will help us maintain eye contact.”

However, it is, like any new technology, a combination of both wonder and awkwardness. It took a few seconds of waving my hand in front of my chest to find the laser menu. The wrist motion took several seconds to nail as well. After 10 minutes, I eventually learned how to control it. Most funny, in my view, was the pinching (捏) motion. Pinch: Play a new song. Pinch: Start a new message. Pinch: Back to the menu. But I quickly ran out of things to pinch, because AI Pin could not offer a steady flow of dopamine (多巴胺) in the form of texts, news warnings, and other information. “It is more of a pull than pushing content at you in the way iPhones do.” said Ken Kocienda, Humane’s head of product engineering.

“Yet no company has AI technology that is perfect enough to meet all those needs.” Mr. Kocienda said. He added that the technology would improve rapidly with user feedback and that the company hoped to ship the devices by late 2024 after further improvement in the future.

1. What’s the goal of inventing AI Pin?

A．To kill our leisure time.	B．To replace the smartphone.
C．To communicate with others.	D．To cure our smartphone addition.

2. What is the focus of the third paragraph?

A．Ways to control AI Pin.	B．AI Pin’s magic functions.
C．Various forms of dopamine.	D．Embarrassing sides of AI Pin.

3. What does the underlined word “ship” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Transport.

B．Launch.

C．Control.

D．Distribute.

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．An introduction to a modern device.

B．An advertisement for a new product.

C．A research paper on personal devices.

D．An academic essay on future technology.

6 . For travel enthusiasts, we’ve narrowed down a list of the world’s most breathtaking destinations. From climbing the high-rise Eiffel tower to throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain, these iconic landmarks should be on every traveler’s bucket list.

The Trevi Fountain — Rome, Italy

The Trevi Fountain, a popular site in Rome, is a timeless symbol with a history reaching back to ancient Rome. The fountain uses water from the original Roman aqueduct (渡槽), giving visitors an ever-lasting experience. We’ve been there several times, and the novelty is never lost. Legend has it that throwing a coin into the fountain will bring you back to the city. So many visitors do this that the city collects several thou-sand euros daily, which supplies food for those in need.

The Eiffel Tower — Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower, also known as “La Dame de Fer,” stands as a symbol of France and Paris, celebrated worldwide. Constructed for the 1889 World’s Fair, celebrating the centennial (一百周年纪念) of the French Revolution, the iconic iron lattice tower initially faced criticism but has since become a beloved national icon. We strongly recommend rising to its top, covering 1,665 steps, to witness the breathtaking panoramic view of the city.

The Great Wall — China

The Great Wall of China, celebrated for its immense 13,000-mile length, is a historically significant architectural feat that profoundly influenced Chinese history. Constructed over centuries, it served as a border control for Chinese dynasties. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s a must-visit in China. Its formidable facade, surrounded by mass graves, tells tales of many wars. Walking along its steep steps is an experience that tourists can not afford to miss.

1. How does Rome deal with the coins thrown in the fountain?

A．It gets rid of them as trash.	B．It collects them for exhibition.
C．It uses them to help the needy.	D．It keeps them in the fountain forever.

2. What is a must-do to visit the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall?

A．Knowing their history.	B．Challenging long steps.
C．Exploring tales of wars.	D．Getting a breathtaking view.

3. What’s the author’s writing purpose?

A．To compare some iconic places in the world.

B．To shorten the list of world’s celebrated sites.

C．To describe the author’s travelling experience.

D．To recommend some famous sites in the world.

9 . Curiosity is defined as the“desire to know”, but many people don’t realize it ranges from shallow to deep.     1     It’s the kind of questioning that helps us to collect data and information. We use it to learn facts.

    2     It’s not just about facts, but about unknown stories. When we use it to learn about other people, we get a rich insight into their core values and life experiences. Instead of a simple question like “What do you do for work?”, we ask, “What kind of work makes you come alive, and why?”

One type of curiosity is not necessarily better than the other. They’re just different with benefits and learning from both.     3     You wouldn’t ask a new classmate suddenly and unexpectedly, “What’s your biggest childhood trauma (创伤)?” While some of us might be willing to share so openly, others may not find the question appropriate, especially before trust and closeness have been built.

    4     People with higher levels of curiosity tend to be happier. It also strengthens our relationships — whether with our classmates, friends, or strangers. A study found that when people show genuine curiosity towards another person, they’re rated as warmer and more attractive. It creates that “give-and-take spiral”; when we ask questions, others are more likely to return the favour.

While curiosity is usually regarded as a way to learn about what’s outside of ourselves, such as better understanding someone, it can actually be channeled in other ways, too. It helps us understand ourselves, and reflect on our beliefs, desires, or needs.     5    

A．Curiosity offers a variety of benefits.

B．It’s time to employ curiosity’s power.

C．Thus shallow curiosity is a gateway to a deeper world.

D．However, which you use might depend on the situation.

E．What you may be more familiar with is shallow curiosity.

F．Deep curiosity, in contrast, invites us to go beneath the surface.

G．It can even be directed to explore what’s beyond the physical world.

10 . Being out in nature helps reduce stress and anxiety. That’s why the Japanese promote forest bathing and doctors in Scotland are writing prescriptions (处方) for bird watching and nature walks. But do you know that just listening to the sounds of nature could have the same effect?

A new study conducted by researchers from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, suggested that listening to nature sounds might decrease stress and pain. It even found listening to birds was the most beneficial.

The research, which was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, studied audio tracks that were recorded at 221 sites across 68 national parks. The recordings were played for participants in a lab setting and the most significant outcome was a decrease in stress and annoyance. Many participants also reported decreased pain, increased concentration, and improved mood.

One drawback the researchers found was that the national parks that were the least polluted from anthropogenic noise — generated by people or are man-made — were the most remote ones that are far from urban areas. This made visiting national parks to obtain the health benefits of nature less effective because natural sounds were polluted by human noise.

The researchers weren’t sure why people had positive reactions to certain natural sounds, but they had theories. It was possible that people considered natural sounds to be less unpleasant or threatening than human-made noise which is known to produce stress. The study’s lead author, Rachel Buxton, PhD,a research associate and conservation biologist in the department of biology at Carleton University told Everyday Health that she wasn’t surprised by the findings. “From an evolutionary point of view, humans attend to signals of danger and security by nature. And an environment that is filled with natural sounds feels safe and allows us to let our guard down.” she said.

Nature is an environmental healer, so please take a walk or a forest bath, and add the sounds of nature to your playlist. You may feel less stressed, happier, and healthier.

1. What can we learn from paragraphs 2 and 3?

A．Only a few national parks were accessible.	B．Participants reported negative experiences.
C．The sounds of nature were recorded in labs.	D．Listening to birds could lower stress efficiently.

2. What disadvantage did the researchers find?

A．Most pollution was caused by people.	B．People had no access to national parks.
C．The national parks available were faraway.	D．It’s impossible to get the health benefits of nature.

3. Rachel Buxton considers the findings ______.

A．advanced

B．reasonable

C．contradictory

D．abstract

4. What’s a suitable title for the text?

A．Get Rid of Your Stress Right Now	B．Get Immersed in Mysterious Nature
C．Surround Your Home with Greenery	D．Enjoy the Benefits of Listening to Nature