1 . Pasteur discovered that bacteria (细菌) cause many diseases.     1    . He proved that diseases could be cured by stopping the spread of bacteria.

How Pasteur helped industry

Louis Pasteur was born in France in 1822. He studied physics and chemistry in Paris. The wine-making industry in France was in trouble during the mid-1800s     2    . Pasteur discovered that germs were getting into the wine and turning it sour. He found that heat killed these germs and prevented the wine from spoiling. Pasteur later applied his discovery to milk. His way of heating foods to kill bacteria is now called pasteurization (巴氏灭菌法).

    3    . In the mid-1800s, a disease was killing off silkworms before they could spin silk threads. Pasteur showed that the disease was in the silkworm eggs and that getting rid of any infected eggs could keep the disease from spreading.

    4    

Pasteur then discovered how to make vaccines (疫苗) to protect people and animals against disease. He observed that animals infected with a disease sometimes became immune to the disease — that is, protected from getting the disease again. Pasteur found that he could weaken germs in his laboratory. When he put weakened germs into the bodies of animals, the animals became immune to the disease caused by the germs. Pasteur made a vaccine to protect sheep against a disease called anthrax.

One of Pasteur’s most important discoveries was a vaccine against rabies (狂犬病). People can get this deadly disease     5    . In 1885, a mother begged Pasteur to treat her young son who had been badly bitten by a dog with rabies. The vaccine worked, and the boy lived.

A．Anthrax and rabies

B．How Pasteur prevented disease

C．Pasteur became a national hero in France for saving the wine and silk industries

D．because much of the wine was spoiling

E．He showed that bacteria get into living things and then multiply

F．Pasteur also helped the French silk industry

G．if they are bitten by an animal infected with rabies

2 . It doesn’t take a lot to make someone feel special. However, it not only makes you happy but also helps you win their friendship! So take a step forward and do something for them to make them feel special.

Praise them.     1     Instead of looking at them for what they are, look at them for what they can be. And of course, let them know.

Smile. A warm smile can take away a thousand sorrows, and a loving hug can mend every broken heart. Give someone you care about a hug when they are having a bad day.     2    

Surprise them. Remembering dates that are important to someone shows them that you care about them.     3     The fact that you take time and efforts to make them feel happy lets them know that they are on your mind.

    4     Although it may not be your favourite thing, yet if the other person is really crazy about it, take some time to try it. Who knows, with this person around, you might actually enjoy the activity!

Make time. The best gift that you could give someone is your time.     5     However, more importantly, you should let them know that you are always there for them, and that you would choose to be with them over anyone else in the world.

A．Make someone feel included.

B．Do something that they love.

C．This will make them feel warm inside.

D．It is necessary to often hang out with someone.

E．We promise you that it will be well appreciated.

F．If there is something you appreciate about them, say it to them.

G．Whether you throw a party or get them something, it really doesn’t matter!

3 . T. S. Eliot wrote of “Distracted from distraction by distraction /Filled with fancies and empty of meaning.” T. S. Eliot never had a smartphone.

Neither did I for a long time. No Facebook account; not even email. But according to my date of manufacture, I’m supposed to be a digital native. Perhaps it’s because by the age of 20 I was living in the Welsh countryside with no signal and no Wi-Fi.

When I finally fell into the digital world, I fell hard. Unlike my friends for whom social media and mobile technology had grown and flowered around them, for me it was a sudden immersion. I got Facebook, Twitter and Gmail accounts at the same time that I got an iPhone 4. I would check my phone; five minutes later I would check my phone again. I was addicted and it started to affect my relationships with friends and family

One night, without a word, I abandoned my iPhone and bought a Nokia 3310 and became the talk of the town. Soon I became aware that not only had I stolen secret time back from the hurried days, but somehow a secret space as well. I could stretch out, free to think again, to be wholly creative and to learn meaningfully.

But, wherever I went I got bloody lost. Wandering blindly around London, only to miss appointments, became a frequent pastime (消遣). What did we do before Google Maps? I was useless. The change was worth it, though. I’ll sound like an overstatement but I think it changed my life. My choices are broader and healthier because I’m not being screamed at all day.

I bought a new Samsung phone last week. I had been scared of the rate of progress, crying: “Stop the train! Stop the madness.” But I want to be part of building the future, and to do that, you’ve got to swim in contemporary waters. Rejecting the modern world doesn’t help anyone. It slows you down and I need to be efficient. Time will tell whether I’ve mastered the wisdom to reject constantly checking my phone.

1. What can be learned about the author when she lived in the Welsh countryside?

A．She read a lot of T. S. Eliot.	B．She had no friends to talk with.
C．She had no access to the Internet.	D．She was afraid of the digital world.

2. Why did the author buy the Nokia 3310?

A．She thought she needed a spare phone.	B．She found her iPhone stopped working.
C．She wanted to attract people’s attention.	D．She hoped to break her smartphone addiction.

3. What happened after the author used the Nokia 3310?

A．She led a simple and healthy life.	B．She found her life was in a mess.
C．She spent more time with her friends.	D．She became an example for other people.

4. For what purpose did the author buy the Samsung phone?

A．To seek wisdom.	B．To stop her madness.
C．To keep pace with the times.	D．To get back to the real world.

4 . Active listening is a communication skill that involves going beyond simply hearing the words that another person speaks but also seeking to understand the meaning and intention behind them. The word “active” implies that you are taking some type of action when listening to others.

    1    

Be fully present

Active listening requires being fully present in the conversation. It enables you to concentrate on what is being said. Being present involves listening with all your senses and giving your full attention to the speaker. To use this active listening technique effectively, put away your cell phone, ignore distractions, and shut down your internal dialogue.     2     And let everything else slip away.

Pay attention to non-verbal cues (非言语暗示)

As much as 65% of a person’s communication is unspoken,     3    . This involves not folding your arms, smiling while listening, leaning in, and nodding at key points. It can also be helpful to pay attention to your facial expressions when active listening so that you don’t convey any type of negative response.

Keep good eye contact

When engaged in active listening, making eye contact is especially important. This tells the other person that you are present and listening to what he or she says.     4     At the same time, you don’t want to use so much eye contact that the conversation feels strange. To keep this from happening, follow the 50/70 rule. This involves maintaining eye contact for 50% to 70% of the time spent listening, holding the contact for four to five seconds before briefly looking away.

Be patient

Patience is an important active listening technique because it allows the other person to speak without interruption. Being patient involves not trying to fill periods of silence with your own thoughts or stories. This also requires listening to understand, not to respond.     5     Also, don’t change the subject too abruptly as this conveys boredom and impatience.

A．Don’t prepare a reply while listening.

B．It also shows that you aren’t distracted.

C．This isn’t helpful during active listening.

D．So use open, non-threatening body language.

E．Don’t focus too much on insignificant details.

F．Place your focus on your conversation partner.

G．This involves using certain strategies or techniques.

5 . Classical Chinese furniture — a desk, a cabinet or any other fine piece of furniture and often out of precious wood —impresses us with its delicate shape. The secret of its graceful form is less visible and lies in its complicated sunmao (榫卯) system, which allows the various components to be assembled neatly without glue or nails.

Suzhou, a scenic and peaceful city in Jiangsu, a province long known for its wealth, developed its own tradition of classical furniture design over the centuries. Examples of the Suzhou-style furniture are currently on display as part of Oriental Wisdom in Sun Mao, a group exhibition at the Prince Kung’s Palace Museum in Beijing.

Running until Sunday, the show demonstrates the way that the complex sunmao technique has been used in making furniture, as well as the variations that developed in different parts of the country. Also on display are models of different kinds, as well as the components of two chairs, which are disassembled and laid out to give museum goers a clear view of the inner structure of classical furniture.

The Suzhou style flowered during the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644), and once dominated the market in Jiangnan, the southern region along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It integrated input from the intellectual class, who put their ideals regarding living spaces and spiritual harbors into its design. According to Xu Jianping, one of the inheritors of classical furniture design in the city, the Suzhou style presents beauty in the same delicate way the city does, and represents the life philosophy of its people to achieve “refinement through careful calculations”.

Guangzhou style furniture is normally made out of tropical hardwood, and its forms and decorative patterns show the influence of European furniture styles resulting from Guangzhou’s history as an international trade port. The Beijing style, which is more splendid, incorporates aesthetic (美学) and stylistic elements from both Suzhou and Guangzhou.

“While the Suzhou style is light in weight and elegant in outline, furniture in the Beijing style is more magnificent, as it used to be made for royalty and aristocracy.” Xu says. “Ultimately, people live with their furniture, so the principle of quality furniture is that it should be appropriate to the space.”

1. What is on display in the exhibition?

A．The lifestyle in Sunzhou.	B．The modern furniture in Suzhou.
C．The secret of sunmao system.	D．The classical furniture in China.

2. What does the underlined word ”disassembled“ in paragraph 3 mean?

A．taken apart

B．broken up

C．torn down

D．given away

3. What is paragraph 4 of the text mainly about?

A．The beauty of the delicate city.	B．The development of the Suzhou Style.
C．The influence of historical design ideas.	D．The formation of the Suzhou life philosophy.

4. Why did the author mention Guangzhou and Beijing style furniture?

A．To compare their differences.	B．To evaluate the usage of furniture.
C．To express the way to display furniture.	D．To illustrate the theory of furniture design.

6 . A study has found that a fifth of teenagers consume energy drinks under the impression that they are good for health.

The new research questioned almost 4,000 high school students about the energy drinks and found that boys were much more likely to drink them.

Australia requires companies to label their drinks as “not suitable for children”, yet the findings published in a journal showed many teens still believed the drinks were beneficial.

The energy drink market is expected to grow to a $72 billion by 2024 and reach $108.4 billion by 2031.

Separate market analysis showed teens who drink energy drinks were more likely to show anti-social behaviour, including smoking, alcohol consumption and other things. Energy drink consumption was also found connected with headaches, stomachaches and especially insomnia, which is common among teens and makes them extremely sleepy and unable to concentrate on their study.

One 16-year-old girl said she did not make a habit of drinking the energy drinks, but sometimes bought one after school.

“I know they’re not great for you, but sometimes I get to the end of a school day and I am just very tired,” she said, “You get up at around 7 a.m., sit through a whole school day and then go home, only to study through to 11 p.m.—if you don’t have extra-curricular activities. It’s not something I recommend, but they taste good and sometimes I feel like I’d benefit from caffeine.”

Due to the fact that teenagers incorrectly believed energy drinks were beneficial for their health, the researchers suggested it was necessary to educate students on the health risks.

1. What do many teenagers think about energy drinks?

A．Harmful.

B．Healthy.

C．Expensive.

D．Unnecessary.

2. What is paragraph 5 mainly about?

A．The popularity of energy drinks.	B．The market value of energy drinks.
C．The bad effects of energy drinks.	D．The production of energy drinks.

3. What does the underlined word “insomnia” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Sleeplessness.

B．Loneliness.

C．Carelessness.

D．Forgetfulness.

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．The 16-year-old girl is addicted to energy drinks.

B．Boys are more likely to drink energy drinks than girls.

C．About 4,000 teenagers consume energy drinks every day.

D．Teenagers lack enough education about the risks of energy drinks.

7 . Traveling is a great way to experience new cultures and landscapes, learn about different ways of life, and simply have an adventure. It can also help you open your mind to new ideas and perspectives.     1     They provide insight, tips, and inspiration for people looking to explore the world around them. From detailed guides to personal stories, these books offer readers a way to experience the world without ever leaving their homes.

One book that perfectly captures (描述) the spirit of travel is The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande.     2     Through her moving writing style, Grande paints a vivid picture of the struggles and joys of crossing a physical and cultural border.

Her book has a great impact on readers.     3     By sharing her own experiences, Grande offers hope and inspiration to anyone looking to take the leap and explore the world around them.

One of the greatest benefits of traveling to places inspired by books for students is the opportunity to explore and learn about many different cultures. Immersing (使沉浸) yourself in unfamiliar surroundings can help open your eyes to different ways of life.     4    

Being able to communicate effectively with those from different backgrounds is essential for any student, especially in today’s international society.     5     It can further improve conversation and fluency (流畅).

Lastly, by traveling to places inspired by books, students will gain a deeper understanding of the works that inspired them to take the journey in the first place.

A．Meeting new people can be invaluable.

B．That’s why there are so many books about traveling.

C．Literary works often include ideas beyond a reader’s imagination.

D．It can even help you gain insight into why people live differently from you.

E．It’s an inspiring story that will stay with them long after they finish the last page.

F．Traveling abroad helps students practice using their language skills in real-life situations.

G．In this book, Grande describes her journey from Mexico to America and how it shaped her life.

8 . More than 170,000 people in California are unhoused. Even as the state has poured resources into fighting against the problem, the number of people without homes has ticked upward in recent years. On the surface, the state has one key advantage for people without a reliable roof over their heads: relatively consistent and livable weather. So one of my first thoughts when I heard news of a horricane attacking Los Angeles was just “What will happen to the city’s homeless population?”

City agencies quickly took action. As it became clear that the Los Angeles region could experience an extreme downpour and subsequent flooding, outreach teams fanned out across the river bank and dam areas across the city that have become home to a significant unhoused population, offering support to move them into shelters and motels (汽车旅馆).

Despite that, it’s obvious that the effects of climate change will hit the most vulnerable (脆弱的) hardest. We see this globally as extreme weather events hit countries that have contributed the least to the problem.

The most notable connection between climate change and the US housing crisis is the threat extreme weather poses to unhoused people. More unhoused people are affected as climate change drives increasingly unpredictable weather. People without homes know how to respond to expected seasonal events. But events like a near-hurricane in Los Angeles or a wildfire in ‘Maui can catch populations with limited access to information off guard.

Another link worth considering is the way in which climate change creates more homelessness and further stresses on housing systems. Hurricane Katrina, for example, displaced 800, 000 people. Four years later, 12,000 people remained without shelter.

Housing has been — and will continue to be — a key issue in Maui too as it recovers from the wildfire that killed more than 100 people. Maui has already had a housing crisis, the result of a high cost of living driven in large part by the tourism industry. And, now, many more are left looking for places to stay. Ashley Kelly, the chief operating officer at Hawaii’s Family Life Center, said: “Finding housing for any new clients is just not possible right now.”

1. What contributes to the increase of the unhoused population in California?

A．Its mild weather.

B．Its inclusive local culture.

C．Its limited basic facilities.

D．Its relaxed state policies.

2. What did outreach teams do in response to the hurricane in Los Angeles?

A．They built dams to prevent flooding.

B．They moved homeless people to safe places.

C．They sought low-cost housing from city agencies.

D．They surrounded the river bank to keep people away.

3. Which word can best describe Maui’s housing circumstances now according to Ashley Kelly?

A．Mysterious.

B．Exceptional.

C．Changeable.

D．Difficult.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Ways of Americans relocating disaster-affected populations.

B．The significance of timely weather updates for the homeless.

C．The link between climate change and the housing crisis in the US.

D．Approaches of homeless Americans to dealing with natural disasters.

9 . Science fiction has long entertained the idea of artificial intelligence becoming conscious (有意识的). Many researchers say that AI systems aren’t yet at the point of consciousness, but the pace of AI evolution (发展) has got them considering: how would we know if they were?

To answer this, a group of 19 neuroscientists (神经系统科学家), philosophers and computer scientists have come up with a checklist of standards that, if met, would indicate whether a system has a high chance of being conscious. The authors made the effort because “it seemed like there was a real lack of detailed, thoughtful discussion of AI consciousness,” says co-author Robert Long, a philosopher at the Center for AI Safety.

The team says that a failure to identify whether an AI system has become conscious has important moral implications. If something has been labelled “conscious”, according to co-author Megan Peters, a neuroscientist at the University of California, “that changes a lot about how we as human beings feel that entity (独立存在的个体) should be treated”. Long adds that, as far as he can tell, not enough effort has been made by the companies building advanced AI systems to evaluate the models for consciousness and make plans for what to do if that happens.

One of the challenges in studying consciousness in AI is defining what it means to be conscious. Peters says that for the report, the researchers focused on “phenomenal consciousness”.

Many neuroscience-based theories describe the biological basis of consciousness. But there is no agreement on which is the right one. To create their framework, the authors therefore used a range of these theories. The idea is that if an AI system functions in a way that matches aspects of many of these theories, then there is a greater likelihood that it is conscious.

They argue that this is a better approach to assessing consciousness than simply putting a system through a behavioural test — say, asking ChatGPT whether it is conscious, or challenging it and seeing how it responds. That’s because AI systems have become remarkably good at mimicking (模仿) humans.

1. What does Robert Long say about present research on AI consciousness?

A．It is far from enough.

B．It is progressing rapidly.

C．It has shown promising insights into it.

D．It has learnt a lot from previous research.

2. What would change if AI systems became conscious according to Megan Peters?

A．Their final applications.

B．How humans treat them.

C．Their moral responsibilities.

D．How humans make future; plans.

3. What is a challenge of studying AI consciousness?

A．Providing a definition of it.

B．Uncovering the reason behind it.

C．Measuring AI’s ability to mimic humans.

D．Comparing AI consciousness and human consciousness.

4. How do the researchers identify whether an AI system is conscious?

A．By observing its responses to digital signals and online questions.

B．By checking its understanding of some neuroscience-based theories.

C．By comparing its functional patterns with neuroscience-based theories.

D．By conducting experiments and tests to measure its level of self-awareness.

10 . London Theatre Shows

Alice In Wonderland

Each ticket to the show includes free entry to Kew Gardens., Alice in Wonderland is playing at the Kew Gardens from 22 July to 28 August 2023.

Running time: 1 hour 10 minutes with no interval (幕间休息)

Performance days

Matinees (日场): Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Important information: Children under 2 years old go free.

Back To The Future: The Musical

It is based on the iconic Back ta the Future films. Back to the Future: The Musical tickets at the Adelphi Theatre, London are available to book for performances up to 11 February 2024.

Age restrictions: Suitable for general audience aged 6+. Children under 3 will not be admitted.

Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes (including interval)

Performance days

Evenings; Monday, Wednesday. Thursday. Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Matinees: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.

Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour

This show sees Blippi in the ultimate curiosity adventure. Dance, sing, and learn with Blippi as he discovers what makes different cities unique and special. Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour runs at Rose Theatre, Kingston from 29 August to 9 September 2023.

Age restrictions: Recommended for ages 2+.

Running time: 1 hour (no interval)

Performance days

Matinees: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Dinosaur World Live

Join our brave explorers across unchartered territories to discover a pre-historic world of remarkably life-like dinosaurs. Dinosaur World Live runs from 11 August to 3 September 2023 at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London.

Age restrictions: 3+

Running time: 50 mins + a 15-minute post show

Performance days

Matinees: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

1. What do we know about Back to the Future: The Musical?

A．It has no performances on Tuesdays,

B．Booking starts on 11 February 2024.

C．Children under 3 years old can go free.

D．It lasts 2 hours 40 minutes without intervals.

2. Where should you go if you want to learn more about cities around the world?

A．Kew Gardens.

B．Adelphi Theatre.

C．Rose Theatre, Kingston.

D．Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

3. Which show provides after-show interaction?

A．Alice In Wonderland

B．Dinosaur World Live

C．Back To The Future: The Musical

D．Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour