1 . Handwritten notes in class might seem outdated as digital technology involves nearly every aspect of learning. But a steady stream of research suggests that compared with typing, taking notes with pen and paper is still a better way to learn. And scientists are zeroing in on why.

In a recently published study, scientists found that those writing by hand had higher levels of electrical activity across many interconnected brain regions. They added 256 sensors into a hairnet, which helped monitor 36 students’ brains as they wrote or typed words displayed on a screen. When students wrote by hand, the sensors picked up widespread brain connectivity including visual regions, regions that receive and process sensory information, and the motor cortex (运动皮层) . Typing, however, resulted in minimal activity in these brain regions.

Across many contexts, studies have shown that students appear to learn better when they’re asked to produce letters or other visual items using their fingers and hands. The educational neuroscientist Sophia Vinci-Booher says the recent study highlights the clear tie between motor action and conceptual recognition: “As you’re drawing a letter or writing a word, you’re taking this perceptual (感知的) understanding of something and using your motor system to create it. That creation is then fed back into the visual system, where it’s processed again — strengthening the connection between an action and the images or words associated with it.”

The new findings don’t mean technology is always a disadvantage in the classroom. Laptops, smartphones, and other such devices can be more efficient for writing essays and can offer fairer access to educational resources. But people now increasingly tend to “offload” mental tasks to digital devices, such as by taking a photograph instead of committing information to memory, says Yadurshana Sivashankar at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. “If we’re not actively using these areas, then they are going to worsen over time, whether it’s memory or motor skills.”

1. What is the function of the sensors in the recent study according to Paragraph 2?

A．To record brain activity.	B．To activate brain waves.
C．To connect visual regions.	D．To process sensory information.

2. What is the finding of the recent study according to Sophia Vinci-Booher?

A．One’s motor system boosts his creativity.	B．One’s writing action enhances his perception.
C．Learning performance relies on visual memory.	D．Concrete images contributes to comprehension.

3. What does the underlined word “offload” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Owe.

B．Link.

C．Shift.

D．Bring.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Note-taking: the key to a good grade	B．Digital learning: beneficial or harmful
C．Typing vs handwriting: efficiency counts	D．Handwritten notes: conventional but effective

2 . Animal-like robots, such as quadrupedal (四足的) robot dogs, continue to be popular. However, Italian roboticist Barbara Mazzolai argues that the robotics field has proved less keen to investigate another category of living things — plants. She owes this to a misconception that plants are capable of neither motion nor perception. “It’s not true at all,” she says.

Mazzolai and her team at the Bioinspired Soft Robotics Laboratory recently introduced “FiloBot”, a robot based on climbing plants, which is capable of growing, attaching to supports, and journeying through environments in response to external stimuli (刺激) .

To survive in forests, a climbing plant must grow out of the soil and travel along the ground searching a support to attach to. This requires a structure capable of bearing its own weight. Once a support is located, though, the plant must switch strategy-securing itself around the object and then growing towards light as quickly as possible to outcompete other plants. To choose the best growing angle, it uses information from light and gravity receptors distributed along each shoot.

FiloBot imitates these behaviours using sensors on its main shoot, which is also equipped with a spool (卷轴) of plastic and a heating element. By melting and forcing out the plastic, it can 3D-print itself. Depending on brightness and direction, it changes the heat the plastic is exposed to — lower temperatures result in a more breakable body that increases in size more rapidly, while higher temperatures make a stronger body that grow more slowly.

The researchers found that these functionalities enable FiloBot to move through complex environments flexibly, making it suitable for potential applications including environmental monitoring in hard-to-reach locations or unstable disaster sites.

FiloBot is not the only plant-like robot the team is developing. Mazzolai hopes that our robots will motivate other roboticists to take clues from plants. The plant kingdom is another world, she says, with a completely different approach to the animal one. “We can develop completely new technologies and artificial solutions, because it is so different.”

1. Why are roboticists less interested in plant-like robots according to Barbara Mazzolai?

A．They are misled by some new concepts.

B．They underestimate the competence of plants.

C．They see little economic value in plant-like robots.

D．They misunderstand the motion of plant-like robots.

2. What is the purpose of Paragraph 3?

A．To explain a model.	B．To give an example.
C．To develop a formula.	D．To introduce a rule.

3. How does FiloBot control its growth speed according to Paragraph 4?

A．By setting the direction.	B．By producing the plastic.
C．By adjusting the brightness.	D．By varying the temperature.

4. What is Mazzolai’s expectation of their plant-like robots?

A．They will encourage research on plants.	B．They will outperform animal-like robots.
C．They will provide universal artificial solutions.	D．They will inspire innovative robotic technologies.

3 . Abraham Lincoln was a typical self-made man. He obtained his license to practice law without ever having stepped foot inside a college or academy building. Books became his academy. Everywhere he went, Lincoln carried a book with him. He thumbed through page after page while his horse rested at the end of a long row of planting. Whenever he could escape work, he would lie with his head against a tree and read.

Though the young Lincoln never left America, he traveled with Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage to Spain and Portugal; accompanied Robert Burns to Edinburgh; and followed the English kings into battle with Shakespeare. As he explored the wonders of literature and the history of the country, the young Lincoln developed ambitions far beyond the expectations of his family and neighbors. It was through literature that he was able to

go beyond his surroundings and reach his destination.

The volumes to feed Lincoln’s intellectual hunger did not come cheaply. The story is often recounted of the time he borrowed Parson Weems’s The Life of George Washington from Josiah Crawford, a well-to-do farmer. Thrilled by this account of the first president’s life, he took the book to his loft at night, where he read as long as he could stay awake, placing the book on a makeshift shelf between the cabin logs so he could fetch it at daybreak. During a severe rainstorm one night, the book was badly soiled. Lincoln went to Crawford’s house, explained what had happened, and offered to work off the value of the book. Crawford calculated the value of two full days’ work pulling corn, which Lincoln considered an unfair repayment. Nevertheless, he straightway set to work and kept on until all work was done. Then, having paid his debt, Lincoln wrote poems and songs teasing Josiah’s large nose. Thus Crawford, in return for loaning Lincoln a book and then overly punishing him, won a permanent place in American history.

1. What can we learn about Lincoln from the first paragraph?

A．He wasn’t academically competent.	B．He read on horseback to escape work.
C．He failed to obtain a valid law license.	D．He is an excellent autonomous learner.

2. How did Lincoln succeed in achieving his ambition?

A．By reading extensively.	B．With his family’s support.
C．Through self-employment.	D．By traveling around the world.

3. What happened to the book he borrowed from Crawford?

A．Stolen by a farmer.	B．Burned by a candle fire.
C．Damaged in a rainstorm.	D．Lost and never recovered.

4. Which of the following best describes Lincoln according to the last paragraph?

A．Tough and helpful.	B．Diligent and generous.
C．Intelligent and humble.	D．Determined and sharp-tongued.

4 . Bill Gates isn’t doing much light reading this summer. For his annual list of reading recommendations for the season, he’s picked four books that you can really sink into on vacation.

Upheaval, Jared Diamond

Diamond examines how people react to the different crises in their lives. Specifically, he looks at how six countries responded to big challenges, and learned how to adapt in the face of adversity. Gates writes. “I finished the book even more optimistic about our ability to solve problems than I started.”

Nine Pints, Rose George

Gates glowingly recommends this deep dive into what you ever wanted to know about the stuff in your veins (静脉). He thinks everyone should know more about this topic. “There is nothing that more people have in common than blood,” he writes.

A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles

It’s 1922 and Alexander Rostov has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life under house arrest in a Moscow hotel. Even though this book is sure to please anyone who is interested in learning more about Russia, Towles goes beyond just politics in his best-seller. “The book is technically fiction,” Gates writes.

Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss

Beschloss studies how presidents dealt with nine different US conflicts from the War of 1812 to the Vietnam War, and makes critical connections about their decisions and power as leaders. “It is hard to read about today’s conflicts without thinking about how they might connect to the past,” Gates writes.

1. Which book would most appeal to those interested in serious politics?

A．Upheaval.	B．Nine Pints.
C．Presidents of War.	D．A Gentleman in Moscow.

2. What is Nine Pints mainly about?

A．Tricks of diving.	B．Illustrations of blood cells.
C．A thorough study of blood.	D．A glimpse of blood function.

3. What is Bill Gates’ reflection after his reading the fourth book?

A．It’s impossible to solve all the problems.	B．It’s critical to make far-sighted decisions.
C．It’s difficult to understand today’s conflicts.	D．It’s necessary to connect the present to the past.

5 . Over the past year, several films and TV dramas have put their shooting locations into the public spotlight.

Dali in Yunnan Province

With the TV drama Meet Yourself earlier last year, Dali in Yunnan Province emerged as a highly sought-after tourism destination.

During the Spring Festival holiday, Yunnan Province received the second most tourists in the nation with a tourism profit of 38.4 billion yuan, ranking top. Among this, Dali received 4.24 million tourists, marking a remarkable 219 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Jiangmen in Guangdong Province

Thanks to the success of the hit show The Knockout, Jiangmen in Guangdong Province became an outstanding tourism destination last year.

Data reveals a remarkable 217 percent month-on-month increase in searches related to tourism in the city in February. Currently, travel bookings witness a substantial 144 percent month-on-month rise.

Taiyuan Ancient County in Shanxi Province

Full River Red has set Taiyuan Ancient County in Shanxi on fire with excitement.

From Jan. 21 to 31, the county witnessed over 400,000 tourists, a significant rise compared to the about 180,000 visitors during the previous Spring Festival holiday. Notably, one-third of these tourists were from outside Shanxi Province.

Ningbo Museum in Zhejiang Province

With the broadcast of the TV drama Three-Body Problem, Ningbo Museum has gained significant attention.

Visitor numbers rose to 50,000 during the Spring Festival, marking a remarkable 220 percent year-on-year increase. Even after the festival, there were 2,000 to 3,000 visitors daily consistently.

1. What was the impact of Meet Yourself?

A．It contributed to the tourism profits.	B．It helped Dali earn 38.4 billion yuan.
C．It made Yunnan a tourism destination.	D．It ranked Dali a top tourism destination.

2. Which place has a promising reservation at present?

A．Dali.	B．Jiangmen.
C．Taiyuan Ancient County.	D．Ningbo Museum.

3. How many people visited Ningbo Museum during the last Spring Festival?

A．About 23,000.

B．Over 400,000.

C．Nearly 50,000.

D．2,000 to 3,000.

6 . Do you feel like you’re always dealing with problems when it comes to work, relationships, health, or finances? Are you tired of feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and like your problems never seem to go away?     1     With the world developing faster than ever, finding the right mix of habits can keep you on your toes and ahead of your game.

Manage Your Time Wisely

Make the most of your 24 hours without feeling like you’re in a never-ending race against the clock. In order to take control of your time and use it wisely, you need to start prioritizing your tasks. Determine what needs your immediate attention and what can wait.     2     Minimize distractions like social media, unnecessary meetings, and pointless busy work.

Develop a Solution-focused Mindset

    3     But don’t let it take center stage. Focus on taking action and being constructive. For example, if you have a conflict with a friend, instead of stewing in hurt feelings, reflect on how you can communicate better.

Practice Assertiveness (果断)

Being assertive means having the courage to speak your truth, share your opinions, and defend your needs while equally valuing the perspectives and needs of others.     4     It’s essential for resolving misunderstandings and building strong, transparent relationships. Don’t be afraid to say “no” when something isn’t in line with your priorities or values.

Adopt a Comprehensive Approach to Wellness

Look at your well-being from a 360 perspective: mind, body, and spirit.     5     Each one plays a vital role in your overall health. Nourish your body with foods that energize you. Exercise regularly in a way that you enjoy. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep to recharge.

A．Acknowledge the problem.

B．Lengthen your working hours.

C．Life throws challenges as well as opportunities to you.

D．It’s recognized that these elements are interconnected.

E．This habit encourages open and honest communication.

F．Identify activities that consume time but deliver low value.

G．Most people underestimate how much power they have to fix problems.

7 . In recent news, it has been reported that Hollywood executives have decided to cancel an $800 million investment in a new studio. This decision comes after the emergence of a groundbreaking technology called Sora, which has sent shockwaves throughout the film industry.

Sora, developed by OpenAI, has quickly become a focal point of discussion within Hollywood. Unlike previous AI video generators, Sora has the ability to generate one-minute-long videos based on textual prompts (提示) while maintaining visual quality and consistency. It can switch between shots, adjust compositions and accurately combine video content with relevant background themes, resulting in incredibly realistic and virtual videos.

The introduction of Sora is just the beginning of a shocking shift in the film industry. Its ability to generate high-quality videos based on textual prompts raises questions about the future of traditional movie-making processes. The potential to replace certain job roles and disturb the livelihoods of some individuals is just a small part of the overall impact.

Looking ahead, the innovation of productivity tools and the potential for smaller teams to create Hollywood-level movies at a lower cost may completely transform the way films are produced. This shift could bring about new production methods, viewing experiences, and even business models within the film and entertainment industry.

This breakthrough technology has raised concerns within the film industry, as it has the potential to disturb the traditional movie production process and cause certain job roles’ losses. However, this technology also presents opportunities for innovation and cost-effective production methods. The film industry is on the edge of a transformative era, and only time will tell how Sora and similar technologies will shape its future. It likely won’t be long before audiences get to see film productions made with Sora. It can be stated with certainty that the film industry has entered a new era of rapid development in AI technology.

1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The impact of Sora.	B．The concern of Sora.
C．The potential of Sora.	D．The advantage of Sora.

2. What will be challenged by Sora in the film industry?

A．Textual creation.	B．Individual investment.
C．Relevant job chances.	D．Video content development.

3. In what aspects does Sora influence the film industry?

A．Culture and business models.	B．Film production cost and methods.
C．Function and viewing experiences.	D．Innovation and background themes.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards Sora?

A．Objective.

B．Dismissive.

C．Unclear.

D．Doubtful.

8 . About eight years ago, Li Jinglong and Guan Dian visited the Palace Museum in Beijing. The cloisonne (景泰蓝瓷器) objects on display attracted them in particular. They spent hours looking at those beautiful objects. They just couldn’t take their eyes off them.

Born and raised in Beijing, 35-year-old Li is no stranger to cloisonne, since there were a pair of cloisonne vases in his grandparents’ home. His wife, 34-year-old Guan, who learned to paint as a child and later became a designer after graduating from the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, is also familiar with cloisonne, as it appears in her art books. As a result of their visit, the couple made the daring decision to open a workshop.

“We learned cloisonne after seeing the pieces displayed in the Palace Museum. We wanted to turn our hobby into a career, so that people could enjoy and learn to make the craft themselves,” said Li, who worked in a finance company before quitting his job to launch Handcraft Addicted, a DIY workshop where participants can make cloisonne. Since 2018, they have opened three workshops in Beijing. They are happy to give people a glimpse of the traditional techniques of cloisonne as part of a DIY experience.

Instead of focusing on making traditional cloisonne objects , such as plates and vases, the workshop allows participants to create the designs they want on surface of glass, resin (树脂) or wood. Although the process has been simplified, it is still not easy for people trying cloisonne for the first time to succeed. Participants spend months making one piece, which they take home or give friends as presents. It’s a luxury for people to spend time alone and fully focus on one thing nowadays because of the fast pace of life. Participants come to the workshop not only to create art, but also to take a break from their busy lives.

1. What can we learn about the couple?

A．They both grew up in Beijing.	B．They both majored in cloisonne art.
C．They both quit their previous jobs.	D．They are both familiar with cloisonne.

2. What inspired the couple to open Handcraft Addicted?

A．Their grandparents’ cloisonne vases.	B．Their hobby in handcraft techniques.
C．Cloisonne objects in Guan’s art books.	D．Cloisonne on exhibition in the Palace Museum.

3. In Handcraft Addicted, ______.

A．the first attempt is often simple

B．participants relax themselves while creating art

C．the couple make cloisonne objects by themselves

D．it is a luxury to make traditional cloisonne objects

4. Which of the following can best describe the couple?

A．Modest.

B．Generous.

C．Creative.

D．Outgoing.

9 . The birth of a male white-tailed eagle signals the success of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation (RDWF) and Forestry England project to return these iconic birds to their original widespread locations along the southern coast of England. The last time a white-tailed eagle chick grew in England, Mozart was working on his opera Idomeneo in Germany

For two centuries these amazing birds were missing from most of the UK, having been wiped out by human persecution by the early 20th century.

In 2020, the parents of the landmark bird were translocated from the Outer Hebrides and north-west Sutherland in Scotland to the Isle of Wight. This is an area with plentiful food to sustain them. It is also a location from which the birds could spread out to cliffs, lakes and forests.

Female G405 and male G471 were two of 25 eagles (16 are still alive) released by the RDWF and Forestry England as part of the ongoing project. And they are one of three pairs to have now established breeding territories in the south of England.

The chick hatched earlier this summer at a nest on private land, the exact location of which is being kept a secret to ensure the welfare of the young bird.

“This is a very special moment for everyone who has worked on, supported and followed this ground-breaking project,” Roy Dennis says, founder of the RDWF. “Restoring a breeding population in southern England, where the species was once widespread, has been our ultimate goal. Seeing the first pair reach this stage is truly incredible.”

The young white-tailed eagle has now been ringed and fitted with a satellite tag (标签) so that its progress can be tracked. A further release of young white-tailed eagles is planned for late summer from the project team’s base on the Isle of Wight.

1. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Mozart in paragraph 1?

A．To admire the musician’s great works.

B．To celebrate the birth of the white-tailed eagle.

C．To compare the situations of England and Germany.

D．To emphasize white-tailed eagles’ centuries-long absence.

2. Which word can replace the underlined word “persecution” in paragraph 2?

A．Hunt.

B．Exploration.

C．Disturbance.

D．Training.

3. Why is the accurate position of the chick kept secret?

A．For privacy.

B．For safety.

C．For territory.

D．For support.

4. Which may be a suitable title for the text?

A．A Splendid Bird	B．A Successful Wildlife Project
C．Milestone for White-tailed Eagles	D．Restoring a Breeding Population

10 . Wellness for Younger Tastes

Wellness, or yangsheng in Mandarin, is no longer a term exclusive to the middle-aged and elderly. Faced with intense competition in education and their careers, those born in the 1990s and 2000s have already started a journey to safeguard their health. As the pursuit of wellness becomes an essential pastime for many young people, a trend known as “New Chinese-style Wellness” has taken over social media platforms.     1    . During a busy work day, they enjoy herbal teas brewed (煮) in wellness pots, enhancing their well-being while tapping away at their keyboards.

    2    , advocating for the consumption of fresh, natural ingredients, balanced meals and exercising moderation in the consumption of oil y and peppery foods, essentially maintaining a light and nutritious diet. Additionally, it promotes mental well-being by incorporating traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theories to regulate emotions and achieve a balanced development of physical and mental health.     3    , and as long as this demand continues to exist, the interest in related TCM practices will continue to grow.

Given the long hours facing a computer for work, young people often experience muscle discomfort in their shoulders and neck. Besides using a meridian massage (按摩) device, they may also get regular professional massages at hospitals to ease these issues.     4    , such as tai chi, to strengthen the body and achieve the goal of well ness and fitness.

    5    , which is behind their exploration of new wellness practices. According to the China Good Life Survey released by CCTV Finance, in 2023, health-related consumption ranked third with 31.04 percent in the list of consumption intentions among young people aged 18 to 35.

A．Many young people are riding the trend

B．Furthermore, it advocates for light exercise

C．There is a reflection of young people’s consumption trends

D．Having a balanced and healthy diet has always been important

E．“New Chinese-style Wellness” emphasizes the idea of dietary therapy

F．Modern young people have a different lifestyle from the older generation

G．The demand for health and wellness among modern individuals is significant