1 . In 2017, an earthy bicycle repairer appeared on the stage of the TV show Chinese Poetry Congress.

Wang Haijun, 65 in 2017, was born in Inner Mongolia, and he loved reading since he was little. However, when he was in the fourth grade, Wang had to drop out of school because his father wanted him to herd sheep to make a little bit extra.

From then on, Wang only reads after a day’s work. Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Three Hundred Tang Poems were his favorite books. “There weren’t any bookstores around, so I borrowed them from others. I read them so much that the pages began to tear off.” Later, Wang and his wife moved to Shijiazhuang where he set up a stall and repair bicycles for more family income.

The job is not busy, so Wang has time to read. Once, he heard in a radio program that a disabled girl wrote some excellent poems. Encouraged by the story, Wang began to write his own poems on the back of the package paper of the tires with a pencil. At night, he wrote with a torch in the dark. He even got a small blackboard from the recyclers and put poems on it. He hung the chalkboard in his stall and asked the passers-by to help him improve his poems. If anybody’s advice was adopted, he would buy him or her a bottle of beer.

In 2017, when Wang was invited to Chinese Poetry Congress, he thought “it was a fraud”, because he never imagined that people would appreciate the poems written by a bicycle repairer. “But it turned out to be a great experience reading my poems on the stage.” he said.

After the show, many people came to his stall to discuss poetry with him. “It feels like a dream come true. Poetry belongs to everyone. Even a bicycle repairer like me can still dream about such a poetic life.”

1. What inspired Wang to write poems?

A．ATV show.	B．Poetry books.
C．His family.	D．A radio story.

2. What does the underlined word “fraud” mean in paragraph 5?

A．Memory.

B．Trick.

C．Reward.

D．Trouble.

3. Which of the following best describes Wang?

A．Creative and helpful.	B．Energetic and generous.
C．Optimistic and determined.	D．Ambitious and concerned.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．It’s never too late to learn.	B．A good book is a good friend.
C．A good beginning is half done.	D．Actions speak louder than words.

2 . Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise hits Disney’s streaming service alongside its arrival at cinemas. As such, you’ll have to pay $30 on top of your subscription fee to see it — a high price for a solo viewing, but a great deal for a family session. That’s good news, because this really is a winner of a family movie, thanks to the production values you’d come to expect from a Disney blockbuster (大片) and the chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

Inside Out

Just when we thought Pixar was on the decline, it released Inside Out, one of its most thoughtful and powerful movies. Featuring the voices of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, Inside Out made over $850 million at the box office upon its 2015 release. It wasn’t just a commercial success, as it scored 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Free Solo

Free Solo is one of the best documentaries ever made. Telling the story of Alex Honnold, the first man to “free solo” El Capitan, it’s a character study of a man who makes the impossible look almost ordinary; an Oscar-winning story that culminates (到达极点) — quite literally — in a close-up view of one of humanity’s wildest achievements.

Aladdin

You can agree or you can disagree, but I believe that Aladdin has the best song lineup of any animated movie that Disney has ever produced. A Whole New World, Prince Ali, Friend Like Me, Arabian Nights — banger after banger (一部接一部). That’s reflected in the critical response: Aladdin is one of the best-rated Disney movies ever, with a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

1. What do we know about the movie Jungle Cruise?

A．It takes a total of $30 to see it.

B．It doesn’t require a subscription.

C．It is mainly intended for children.

D．It stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

2. What makes Aladdin stand out among the movies above?

A．Its music.	B．Its voice actors.
C．Its approval rating.	D．Its dialogues.

3. Which movie tells an inspiring real-life story?

A．Jungle Cruise.

B．Inside Out.

C．Free Solo.

D．Aladdin.

3 . The waves were clean and curling one day about ten years ago when surfer Will Rose stepped into the water at Ocean Beach in San Diego, California. Rose was an experienced surfer then in his mid-20s. Midway through his session, he spotted a young surfer, perhaps 10 years old, who’d lost his board and was struggling in a powerful rip current (离岸流). Rose paddled over as the boy was carried underneath a long pier (码头) and s wept rapidly out to sea.

“It was one of the craziest rip currents I’ve ever seen,” Rose recalls.

He traded places with the boy, handing over his board and pushing the younger surfer towards the shore in a breaking wave. Rose held onto a pier pile tightly in the fast-flowing water as a lifeguard hurried over on his own board before helping him back to the beach.

Rose’s act of heroism, new research suggests, is a surprisingly common one for surfers. In a recent survey conducted in New Zealand, scientists found that throughout their lives, surfers reportedly rescue an average of three people who are drowning (溺死) or otherwise struggling in the water. The findings cast new light on the role of surfers: as largely overlooked guardians of the beach.

The study was conducted by Jamie Mead, then a graduate student at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. It began with an online survey of 418 surfers from across New Zealand. Processing the responses, Mead found that these surfers were claiming to have participated in a total of 1,274 rescues, including 296 times when they felt they’d saved a person’s life. Of these rescues, 73 percent took place on beaches without lifeguards present. It showed the crucial role surfers have played in protecting beach goers.

The survey responses also show that in nearly nine out of ten rescues, the people the surfers helped required no further treatment after the incident, and probably left no official record or report of the event.

“We need to get surfers the praise they deserve.” Mead says. The research, Mead writes in his paper, suggests that organizations involved in drowning prevention, “Should work closely with surfing communities on ways to reduce deaths at coastal beaches?”

1. What did Will Rose do when he saw the struggling young boy?

A．He ignored the boy.	B．He called for help from a nearby lifeguard.
C．He helped the boy escape the danger.	D．He helped the boy find his lost surfboard.

2. What is the purpose of mentioning Will Rose’s experience?

A．To highlight the dangers of rip currents.

B．To show the bravery and skills of experienced surfers.

C．To stress the potential dangers faced by young surfers.

D．To exhibit a typical rescue example by experienced surfers.

3. What are para.5 and para.6 mainly about?

A．The findings of Jamie Mead’s study.	B．The purpose of Jamie Mead’s study.
C．Jamie Mead’s comments on surfers.	D．Jamie Mead’s advice on drowning prevention.

4. What is the main conclusion Mead draws from the findings?

A．Surfers deserve public praise.

B．Increased lifeguard coverage is needed.

C．Beaches are safe with both surfers and lifeguards present.

D．Drowning prevention efforts need to involve surfing communities.

4 . Imagine living in a cool, green city alive with parks and threaded with footpaths, bike lanes and buses which transport people to shops, schools and service centers in a matter of minutes.

This fancy dream is behind the idea of the 15-minute city, where all basic needs and services are within a quarter of an hour’s reach, improving public health and lowering vehicle emissions.

Artificial intelligence could help urban planners realize that vision faster, with a new study from researchers at Tsinghua University in China demonstrating how machine learning can generate more efficient spatial layouts (空间布局) than humans can.

Automation scientist Zheng Yu and his colleagues wanted to find new solutions to improve our cities which are fast becoming blocked. They developed an AI system to tackle the tough tasks of urban planning and found it can produce urban plans that outperform human designs by about 50 percent in three aspects: access to services, green spaces and traffic levels.

Starting small, Zheng’s team tasked their model with designing the urban area only a few square kilometers in size (about 3×3 blocks). After two days of training, the AI system searched for the ideal road designs and land use to fit with the concept of the 15-minute city and local planning policies and needs.

While the AI model has some capabilities that could extend its use for planning larger urban areas, designing entire cities will be more complex. Drafting a neighborhood consisting of 4×4 blocks contains twice as many planning decisions as designing 3×3 blocks, the researchers said. But automating even a few steps in the planning process can save huge amounts of time: the AI model can compute in seconds certain tasks that take human planners between 50 to 100 minutes to work through.

Rather than AI replacing people, Zheng and his colleagues think their AI system can work as an “assistant” to urban planners, who could generate concept designs optimized (优化) by the system, and reviewed, adjusted and evaluated by human experts based on community feedback.

1. According to the text, which of the following is NOT a benefit of the “15-minute city” concept?

A．Better public health.	B．Lower vehicle emissions.
C．Decreased access to green spaces.	D．Fast and convenient service.

2. Which major issue in cities did Zheng Yu and his team want to address?

A．High levels of pollution.	B．Limited access to public services.
C．Shortage of affordable housing.	D．Rising crowding and traffic problems.

3. What can be concluded from the text about the AI model’s capabilities?

A．It can design entire cities efficiently.

B．It takes longer to train for larger urban areas.

C．It can complete tasks much faster than human planners.

D．It is limited to planning only a few square kilometers at a time.

4. What’s the best title for this passage?

A．Designing better cities with AI

B．The 15-Minute City: A Dream or Reality?

C．Improving Public Health with Greener Cities

D．The Role of Machine Learning in Urban Design

5 . There are some unusual wonders of our world places that most people haven’t heard about and probably don’t want to visit. But it’s good to take a step away from everything else we’ve known and see something new!

Library of Celsus, Türkiye

The Library of Celsus was a public library built by Tiberius Julius Acquila in ancient Ephesus, now in modern-day Türkiye. It was built on the Mount Koressos and its construction began in 114 AD and ended in 117 AD. It is one of the best-preserved ancient buildings due to its Roman-time structures, which were built using marble, a type of hard, decorative stone.

Meteora, Greece

Meteora is a group of monasteries (修道院) in Greece located on top of tall rock pillars (柱子). Meteora contains 24 monasteries built on natural sandstone rock pillars between the 11th and 15th century AD. Meteora is one of Greece's most popular tourist destinations and has been a World Heritage Site since 1988.

Tower of Hercules, Spain

The Tower of Hercules is a Roman lighthouse built in 14 BC on the coast of Spain. You may be wondering how a place that was built much earlier than some of the other wonders of the world can still be considered a wonder today. Well, it was, once one of lighthouses in Europe. The tower has been rebuilt several times, but it still stands today.

Toruń, Poland

Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland and is the capital of the province of Kujawsko-Pomorskie. Toruń was founded by Teutonic Order in the mid-13th century as an important city on the trade route between Kraków and Gdańsk. The name “Toruń” comes from two German words — “tor” means gate or tower and “tun” means settlement; therefore, “Tower settlement”.

1. What makes Library of Celsus one of the best-preserved ancient buildings?

A．Its special purpose.	B．Its geographic position.
C．Its preservation skills.	D．Its construction materials.

2. Which one has the longest history?

A．Library of Celsus.	B．Meteora.
C．Tower of Hercules.	D．Toruń.

3. What is special about Toruá?

A．The origin of its name.	B．The theory of its design.
C．The time of its visit.	D．The ways of its construction.

6 . HARDCORE TANO*C is an independent Japanese music label that is known for releasing music compilations and albums focused on various forms of hardcore techno such as UK hardcore, happy hardcore, and gabber. The label was founded in 2003 by Yoshikazu Nagai (who at the time used the Akai Hito alias), originally under the name of Hardcore Tanoshii, but changed to its current name of HARDCORE TANO*C in 2007 after the release of the album HARDCORE SYNDROME. The label features a store which sells the most notable doujin (同人)music releases, and is well known for their frequent live events that are regularly organized throughout the years, including the annual TANO*C TOUR series of events and the S2TBTANO*C events done in collaboration with kors k’s S2TB Recording label.

From 2011 to 2018, HARDCORE TANO*C were very closely linked with BEMANI, most notably in beat mania IIDX and SOUND VOLTEX. Many of HARDCORE TANO*C’s members were frequent contributors to BEMANI,and KONAMI even collaborated with the label for a few of their own album releases. Their presence also expanded to various other music game titles.

Many guest artists have appeared in HARDCORE TANO*C compilations, including Ryu☆, kors k, DJ Shimamura, m1dy, M-Project, JAKAZiD (as Joshka), Hommarju, Camellia, lapix, C-Show, Maozon, Nhato, Dustvoxx, and Akira Complex.

By the end of 2017, HARDCORE TANO*C has started to produce major artist album releases, containing licensed works done for music games by the circle’s artists. From September 2018, a sub-label directed by DJ Myosuke named HARDCORE TANO*C HARD has been established, which focuses on harsher music. HARDCORE TANO*C is also heavily involved in the 2019 rhythm game WACCA, which is published by MARVELOUS!, with nearly its entire staff contributing to the game.

A song composed by various members of HARDCORE TANO*C, BATTLE NO.1, was planned to be in SOUND VOLTEX IV HEAVENLY HAVEN for the The 8th KONAMI Arcade Championship, under the artist name of TANO*C SOUND TEAM. KONAMI rejected the song (likely due to their poking fun (打趣) of the BEMANI Sound Team moniker, which was at its most extreme in the time of that event), and it later appeared instead in the HARDCORE TANO*C-produced game WACCA on August 1st, 2019. It also appeared in lowiro’s Arcaea as part of the Arcaea× HARDCORE TANO*C Collaboration (联动) and SEGA’s maimai でらっくす Splash. It was added to Muse Dash on February 5, 2021.

1. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?

A．Some basic information about HARDCORE TANO*C.

B．The founder and members of HARDCORE TANO*

C．C. The relationship between Yoshikazu Nagai and HARDCORE TANO*C.

D．The relationship between BEMANI and HARDCORE TANO*C.

2. Among the following members, who has NOT shown up in this music label’s compilations?

A．Camellia.

B．Laur.

C．Maozon.

D．Akira Complex.

3. What can we know about the rhythm game WACCA?

A．It was produced by HARDCORE TANO*C last year.

B．None of MARVELOUS!’s employees is working for it.

C．The song BATTLE NO.1 was included in this game.

D．It had a collaboration with Muse Dash in Feb, 2021.

4. Arcaea has collaborated with both HARDCORE TANO*C and WACCA. As a player of Arcaea, what should you do?

A．Try playing WACCA if possible.

B．Spread bad comments about HARDCORE TANO*

C．Only cheer for the game or the artist you like.

D．Ask the official staff about the song selection petulantly.

7 . In a new study, researchers found a link between outdoor education and science grades. The findings indicate outdoor education could be a promising tool to help close gender (性别) gaps in science. “The outdoors is a space where teachers can find tangible ways to make science come alive,” says lead author Kathryn Stevenson, assistant professor of parks, recreation, and tourism management at North Carolina State University.

“The natural environment is also a place that everybody has in common. In a way, it’s also a great context for employing teaching practices like hands-on, inquiry-based learning or group work. These practices can be good for all students, but they may be particularly good for reaching students who aren’t as well-served in classroom settings,” Stevenson says.

The researchers studied the impact of an outdoor science education program called Muddy Sneakers on fifth graders’ science grades and knowledge of, and attitude about, science.

Fifth graders from western North Carolina attended between 6 and 10 days of Muddy Sneakers. They had science lessons in nearby natural areas, including state parks and school grounds, Outdoor lessons followed the standard course of study for science through hands-on activities, hikes, nature exploration, and reflections.

Researchers compared the performance of 237 students who learned about science in the classroom to 403 students who participated in the outdoor program. When researchers evaluated (评估) students’ science grades by gender, they saw that girls who participated in the outdoor science program maintained their science grades on average (平均), while girls’ average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in average grades in the traditional science classes dropped. They also saw that participation in the outdoor program helped girls learn more about how science works on average, but traditional classrooms did not.

Boys in the outdoor and traditional class settings had fairly stable science grades on average and saw similar gains in knowledge of how science works. “Outdoor education seems to be one of those contexts that helps everyone learn, but it may be really, really helpful for some students in particular,” Stevenson says.

1. What does the underlined word “tangible” in paragraph l mean?

A．Practical.

B．Ineffective.

C．Challenging.

D．Unfair.

2. What is the purpose of the study?

A．To improve fifth graders’ science grades.

B．To provide part-time jobs for the students.

C．To learn the effect of outdoor education on students.

D．To earn some money from different kinds of courses.

3. How do the researchers reach the findings?

A．By listing numbers.	B．By interviewing students.
C．By explaining the causes.	D．By making a comparison.

4. What is Stevenson’s attitude towards outdoor education?

A．Doubtful.

B．Favorable.

C．Unclear.

D．Objective.

8 . Karla Torres, a recent graduate of Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Boyle Heights, designed and created an 18th-century-inspired dress with the support of her mom to enter the yearly “Stuck at Prom” scholarship contest, sponsored by a trademarked brand of duct tape (强力胶带). The Los Angeles teen was named a finalist last week with the grand prize: a $ 10,000 scholarship.

In the beginning, Karla often spent hours online looking for clothing ideas or different styles. But it wasn't until a recent visit to the J. Paul Getty Museum — the only field trip she took in high school — that she found her inspiration from the 18th-century French paintings, featuring impressive, grand dresses.

“We’ve never made a dress, much less out of duct tape,” Karla said. “We didn’t know how much duct tape we needed. We were just doing it by trial and error.” In the end, the college-bound teen and her mom spent at least 120 hours, over many days, working on the dress, and used l4 rolls of tape.

“Tape is so tough and you can’t move it easily,” Karla said. “It was really challenging to make it all come together.” But the fashion-forward teenager overcame that challenge. Of more than 200 entries to the contest, Karla’s work was selected among the top five, judged for color, quality, originality, and the use of the brand tape.

While it’s Karla’s name officially in the contest, this whole process was more of a collective effort by her family. “It means a lot to me. The $ 10,000 prize would go a long way as I plan to attend a California State University school in August. I wouldn’t want my parents to struggle trying to find a way to pay for it,” Karla said. “It would really help my parents.”

1. What inspired Karla to create the dress?

A．Social media.

B．The encouragement of her mom.

C．Her visit to a museum.

D．The impact of other competitors.

2. How did Karla’s work stand out among the other entries in the contest?

A．It showed great skills and originality.

B．It copied the style of modern paintings.

C．It reflected a variety of fashionable ideas.

D．It used expensive and high-quality materials.

3. Why is winning the contest important for Karla?

A．It’s a recognition of her mom’s efforts.

B．It allows her to find a job in the fashion industry.

C．It ensures her admission into the California college.

D．It saves her parents from struggling to pay for her college.

4. Which of the following can best describe Karla?

A．Creative and considerate.

B．Humorous and hardworking.

C．Responsible and brave.

D．Kind and generous.

9 . Independent will is what really makes effective self-management possible. It is the ability to make decisions and choices and to act in accordance with them. It is the ability to act rather than to be acted upon.

The human will is an amazing thing. Time after time, it has won against unbelievable difficulties. The Helen Kellers of this world give dramatic evidence to the value, the power of the independent will. But as we examine it in the context of effective self-management, we realize it’s usually not the dramatic, the visible, the once-in-a-lifetime effort that brings enduring success. Empowerment comes from learning how to use independent will in the decisions we make every day.

The degree to which we have developed our independent will in our everyday lives is measured by our personal integrity. Integrity is, fundamentally, the value we place on ourselves. It’s our ability to make and keep commitments to ourselves—to “walk our talk.” It’s honor with self, a fundamental part of the character ethic, the essence of active growth.

Effective management is putting first things first. While leadership decides what “first things” are, it is management that puts them first, day-by-day, moment-by-moment. Management is discipline, carrying it out.

Discipline stems from disciple (追随者) —disciple to a philosophy, disciple to a set of principles, disciple to a set of values, and disciple to an ultimate. purpose. In other words, if you are an effective manager of your self, your discipline comes from within; it is a function of your independent will. You are a disciple, a follower, of your own deep values and their source. And you have the will, the integrity, to place your feelings, your urges, your moods after those values.

That placement requires a purpose, a mission. It also requires independent will, the power to do something when you don’t want to do it, to be a function of your values rather than a function of the urge or desire of any given moment. It’s the power to act with integrity to your first creation.

1. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning “the Helen Kellers” in paragraph 2?

A．To explain a reason.	B．To highlight a point.
C．To make a prediction.	D．To give a definition.

2. What do the underlined words “walk our talk” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Put words into deeds.	B．Display confidence.
C．Stop talking big.	D．Strike a balance.

3. To achieve effective self-management, what will the author probably recommend?

A．Seeking external support.	B．Undertaking more missions.
C．Sticking to one’s own values.	D．Following one’s desires.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．The Secret Behind Self-discipline	B．The Magic of Personal Integrity
C．The Power of Independent Will	D．The Road to Effective Management

10 . Self-learning can help you develop important skills and gain valuable knowledge. Understanding strategies for self-learning is important. They can help you study new concepts with ease.     1    .

Determine your learning style. People often prefer to learn new information or a new skill using varied approaches.     2     by exploring different learning styles and understanding your own learning process.

Find a purpose. Determine what you want to learn about and why you want to be a self-learner.     3    . Then, consider reflecting on how it might affect your life right now and how you might plan to use it in the future. For instance, if you plan to learn fiction writing, you can decide whether you’re interested in seeking a publishing career or maintaining it as a hobby.

    4    . This can help you focus your efforts. It may be helpful to choose specific options, so you can optimize (优化) the steps of your self-learning process. For example, if you’re practicing a programming language like HTML, you can make a goal to design your own website with certain functions using the knowledge you’ve learned.

Determine a schedule. To create an effective plan, it may be helpful to create an agenda for your self-learning sessions.     5     and estimate how long each task might take to complete. Depending on your preferences, you can plan your sessions using a physical notebook, an informal to-do list or spreadsheet software.

A．Assess your strengths

B．Be sure to set reasonable goals

C．Identify a skill set you’re interested in learning

D．Here’re some tips for effective self-learning practices

E．Consider giving yourself a set of achievable deadlines

F．You can find the most useful methods and techniques for yourself

G．Having a specific goal can also help you set accurate self-learning sessions