1 . The only science fiction that ever really caught my attention when I was growing up, besides Star Trek and Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land, was the novel Contact by Carl Sagan. When I was 15, I saw the 1997 film version of this. Later, as a 17­-year-­old adapting to my first semester (学期) at university, I read the book. Contact eventually became the gateway for me to try more popular science books.

One thing that interested me was the bitter fights the researchers got into with one another about their different ways of measuring the expansion rate of space­time. On second thoughts, maybe this was a lesson I was supposed to draw from Contact, but, at the time, I didn’t regard such politics as a scientist problem. Instead, what caught my attention was the portrayal of Eleanor “Ellie” Arroway, a scientist who searched for alien intelligence. In the film version, Ellie is seen listening to space using a pair of headphones connected to the Very Large Array (VLA)—a real facility in New Mexico.

Astronomers don’t really do this for the purposes of actual research because there is rarely any point. This is the kind of detail that is unimportant for the film of Contact, but how it portrays radio astronomy is one of the inaccuracies I occasionally hear scientists complain about. I was lucky enough to observe the behaviour of some water molecules (分子) in the Orion nebula (猎户座星云) using the VLA for my third­year lab course. We didn’t listen to the data. Instead, we processed it so that we could look at it.

That was probably the only time I ever excelled in the lab, and I was so excited to be a real­life Ellie Arroway. Later, I was forced to think more about the human aspects of my working experience. I witnessed unnecessarily heated arguments between scientists, complete with shouting and chalkboard punching (用拳猛击). But, thankfully, Contact had not only introduced me to the idea of radio astronomy as a possible career path, it had also given me a road map for remaining calm in the confused conflict of astronomical wonder and human politics.

1. What can be learned about the author in his teenage years?

A．He watched Contact’s film version in his freshman year.

B．His interest in science was inspired by Contact.

C．He read a wide range of science fiction books.

D．His favourite science fiction author was Robert Heinlein.

2. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Detecting the sound of space.	B．Searching for alien intelligence.
C．Communicating with non­experts.	D．Visiting the VLA in New Mexico.

3. Why does the author mention his third­year lab course?

A．To demonstrate his strong interest in lab projects.

B．To explain why scientists sometimes make complaints.

C．To show his observations had achieved positive results.

D．To prove the film of Contact presented radio astronomy incorrectly.

4. What lesson did Contact teach the author?

A．How to grasp career opportunities.

B．How to get an excellent score on a lab course.

C．How to deal with conflicts between scientists.

D．How to explain the science of radio astronomy.

2 . While they can’t pick out precise numbers, animals can comprehend that more is, well, more. From birds to bees and wolves to frogs, animals use numbers to hunt, find a mate, return to their home, and more. Researchers believe that this ability, known as numerical competence, plays an important role in how animals make these decisions. Andreas Nieder, a biologist at the University of Tübingen, explores the current literature on how different animals comprehend numbers.

Honeybees, for instance, can remember the number of landmarks they pass when searching for food in order to find their way back home. This ability can also be seen in animals choosing a larger amount of food over a smaller amount or in animals forming hunting groups. Wolves are more likely to hunt successfully if they have the right number of wolves in their pack for their prey (猎物) with prey like elk (驼鹿), only around six to eight wolves are needed, while hunting wild pigs requires a pack of nine to thirteen. Their prey also uses this concept to protect themselves—elk tend to live in small groups, which rarely have encounters with wolves, or gather in large groups to reduce the chance of any individual becoming prey. “They are assessing the number of individuals in their groups for their everyday life situations,” Nieder says.

Furthermore, numerical competence also plays a role in attracting a mate. For example, male frogs sing “advertisement” calls to attract females. The females, listening to their complicated calls, choose the males that sing the most “chucks” in their calls.

Now researchers do have some sense of the rules that govern numerical competence in animals. For example, they count approximately (大概) rather than specifically and two numbers need to be more different for them to tell them apart as those numbers get bigger. However, Nieder argues that more research needs to be done. “I hope I can encourage behavioral ecologists to specifically explore numerical competence in the wild, and, in doing so, also open new research fields,” he says.

1. What do the examples of wolves and elk suggest about numerical competence?

A．It gives animals a reproduction benefit.	B．It affects animals’ chances of survival.
C．It is decided by animals’ hunting ability.	D．It develops well in social animals.

2. How does the author mainly develop this text?

A．By listing figures.	B．By asking questions.
C．By giving examples.	D．By making comparisons.

3. What do Nieder’s words in the last paragraph focus on concerning animals’ numerical competence?

A．Its fundamental rules.	B．Its appeal to behavioral ecologists.
C．Researchers in new study fields.	D．Expectations for further studies.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Animals’ understanding of numbers gives them an advantage

B．Numerical competence research achieves a breakthrough

C．Animals develop numerical competence? Never

D．Can many animals count? Better than you

3 . Physical weakness, lack of energy, severe hair loss, and pain in the neck, are more common among young people recently. More people are now turning to TCM for help, which stands for traditional Chinese medicine.

Wang Louda, 30, who works in the social media industry, has gained a new respect for TCM after suffering from cervical(颈椎) pain.

Six months ago, while driving home from work, Wang suddenly felt weakness in his left arm. He thought it was due to the hard work he was doing and that a good rest over the weekend would relieve it.

However, the situation worsened after a week. He had no choice but to go to the hospital for an examination, which showed something wrong with his cervical.

A friend recommended that he try acupuncture(针灸). After over a month of treatment with TCM, his pain had gradually disappeared.

“TCM is relatively gentle and suitable for treating chronic (慢性的) diseases,” Wang says.

Modern people, due to the endless use of mobile phones and computers, spend up to 10 hours a day sitting to study or work. This sedentary lifestyle, lacking in enough physical activity, means that the muscles and bones cannot receive enough relaxation and exercise, gradually leading to damage. Problems such as neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, and leg pain are becoming increasingly common.

Yao Jingyi, who works at a TCM clinic in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has been engaged in the clinic for over 30 years. He is skilled in treating sports injuries, cervical pain, and chronic diseases.

“Acupuncture is one of the treasures of traditional Chinese medicine,” Yao explains.

According to him, the ancient practice of acupuncture woks well in treating “modern illnesses”, such as headache, backache and cervical pain.

1. How did Wang Louda recover from cervical pain?

A．By taking enough exercise.

B．By visiting clinics of TCM.

C．By taking his friend’s medicine.

D．By having good rests every day.

2. Which can help keep people away from common diseases?

A．The lack of sleep.

B．Endless use of Mobile phones.

C．Long hours’ sitting.

D．Enough relaxation and exercise.

3. What does the underlined word “sedentary” in the 7th paragraph probably mean?

A．Inactive.

B．Unusual.

C．Flexible.

D．Common.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The history of traditional Chinese medical treatment.

B．An advertisement for traditional Chinese medicine.

C．The modern popularity of traditional Chinese treatment.

D．The future development of Chinese acupuncture.

4 . Astronomers have discovered an unusual solar system near Earth. It’s made up of six planets orbiting a star. What makes this system special is that the six planets’ orbits appear to be matched. Scientists compare their movement to a perfectly timed symphony.

“It’s precise and very orderly,” says Enric Pallé, an astronomer in the Canary Islands.

The discovery was announced on November 29. It’s based on data from two orbiting satellites, NASA’s TESS and the European Space Agency’s Cheops. The newly discovered system is 100 light-years from Earth, or about 600 trillion (万亿) miles. That’s close, in space terms. Astronomers are calling the system a “golden target” for further study. It could offer an example of how systems across the Milky Way were formed.

All solar systems are thought to have started out like this one. But they rarely keep their perfect timing. Giant planets can throw off the orbits of other planets. So can meteor (流星) impact. These things have happened in our solar system.

Hugh Osborn, of the University of Bern, in Switzerland, says his team was “shocked and delighted” by the discovery. “My jaw was on the floor,” he says. “That was a really nice moment.”

1. What is special about the solar system recently discovered?

A．It is made up of six orbiting planets.

B．The planets’ orbits are perfectly matched.

C．It is located 100 light-years away from Earth.

D．The discovery was made using satellite data.

2. What is the significance of the newly discovered solar system?

A．It is the closest solar system to Earth in the Milky Way.

B．It is a clear target for future exploration tasks in space.

C．It challenges the common thought about solar system.

D．It offers an example of the formation of other systems.

3. Which can affect the perfect timing of a solar system’s orbits?

A．The impact of meteors.

B．The researches of astronomers.

C．The formation of the Milky Way.

D．The influence of orbiting satellites.

4. How did Hugh Osborn and his team react to the discovery?

A．They were very doubtful and critical.

B．They were quite surprised and excited.

C．They were confused and disappointed.

D．They were indifferent and uninterested.

5 . As in other countries, road safety is always a concern in America. Studies show that in 2022, 7,485 pedestrians (行人) were killed by vehicles in the U.S. That’s an increase of more than 65% since 2012. Even during COVID-19, when fewer people were driving, more pedestrians were hit and more died.

Researchers found that drivers took advantage of empty streets and pay little attention to traffic rules. Another factor is the increasing popularity of SUVs, pickups (皮卡) and vans. These kinds of vehicles are up to three times more dangerous than smaller cars when hit pedestrians. The more fault drivers believe they could bear for the hitting, the more likely they are to leave without giving any help. Younger male drivers are more likely to run away. So are those who get drunken or lack a driving license. Other factors include the age of the victim, as children and elderly people are less likely to be left alone. Also, with more witnesses around, the drivers are less likely to hit and run.

In the U.S. drivers run away from serious crashes with pedestrians about 20% of the time, and the rate is very different among different states.

In 2020, 6,519 pedestrians were killed in the U.S. Speeding driving were a major cause. While Florida “wins” the least number of deaths caused by speeding. These following states were reported to have the most dangerous road accidents.

Ten most dangerous states for pedestrians

1. What does the first paragraph tell us?

A．Road security worries Americans.

B．Pedestrian are on the rise over time.

C．COVID-19 caused more road accidents.

D．Vehicles have doubled since 2012.

2. Which kind of vehicles is the least dangerous in America?

A．Cars.

B．SUVs.

C．Pickups.

D．Vans.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Young drivers are more likely to be honest.

B．Drunken driving is now allowed in America.

C．Children and the old are well protected in the U.S.

D．Drivers are more honest if witnessed by more people.

4. Which of the following states is the most suitable for tourists on foot?

A．New Mexico.	B．New York.
C．Florida.	D．South Carolina.

6 . Sammie Vance knows it feels bad to be left out. So she has been helping kids who feel lonely make friends.

Sammie is 14. When she was in the third grade, she started the Buddy Bench program. That was at her school, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Anyone who felt lonely could sit on the “buddy bench.” It showed others that someone needed a friend.

The bench brought kids together. “There was one little boy at school, younger than me,” Sammie told TIME for Kids. “He would see me in the hallway and give me a thumbs-up. That told me that what I was doing helped him.”

It costs money to build benches. Sammie decided to make them out of recycled materials. This lowered the cost. And the benches were eco-friendly.

Sammie gathered friends in her community. They collected 1,200 pounds of bottle caps. A company called Green Tree Plastics made three benches with the bottle caps.

Sammie has helped communities all over the country set up buddy benches. And she is spreading kindness around the world. “We recently got a bench in Ghana, Africa,” she says. “That was cool.”

Sammie reminds us that kids can help their community. Even small acts of kindness can be powerful. “You don’t have to be an adult to make a difference,” she says.

Sammie wrote a book. It is called Inspire the World: A Kid’s Journey to Making a Difference. It tells the story of her buddy benches. Sammie hopes her example will inspire others. “I used to be really, really shy,” she says. Building buddy benches gave her confidence. “I’m definitely more outgoing now.”

1. When did Sammie start the Buddy Bench program?

A．In the third grade.	B．In the fourth grade.
C．In the fifth grade.	D．In the sixth grade.

2. What does Sammie do to help lonely kids?

A．She helps them find a new hobby.

B．She introduces them to her friends.

C．She starts a program to help them make friends.

D．She gives them a thumbs-up to make them happy.

3. How did Sammie lower the cost of making benches?

A．She raised money herself.	B．She cycled to find materials.
C．She turned to her parents.	D．She used recycled materials.

4. What does Sammie hope to do by writing a book?

A．To inspire children to make differences.

B．To raise more money for her journey.

C．To build more benches for children.

D．To remind children to act like adults.

7 . Do you think you need to shout at yourself to force yourself to finish your homework? If so, think again.    1     Research shows that practicing self-compassion (自我关怀) improves our mental and physical well-being and supports long-term success.

Self-compassion is the practice of being kind and supportive to ourselves. The opposite is being self-critical and mean to ourselves when we make a mistake.     2     These negative responses are related to depression, stress and reduced quality of life.

A 2017 study found people who practice self-compassion tend to handle stress better. Their bodies have less of a stress response when, for example, they meet with difficulties at work or school.     3     Let’s say they do poorly on a geometry test. Self-compassion helps them use the experience to make changes going forward, like seeking out a math tutor.

    4     We can start with mindfulness. First of all, practice observing our thoughts — are they understanding or critical? Don’t judge ourselves too severely then. Rather than getting caught up in how we could have done better, forgive ourselves and think about what to change while remaining respectful, and loving to ourselves.     5     We can read a novel, play a musical instrument or kick around a soccer ball with friends.

With practice, we can learn to treat ourselves with kindness and unconditional love — not tough love.

A．So how do we develop self-compassion?

B．It may be more effective to be kind to yourself.

C．It includes letting go of your strict self-criticism.

D．Mindfulness is the key to practicing self-compassion.

E．But this approach does not make us feel or perform better.

F．They have more confidence to look for areas where they can improve.

G．Also, show ourselves kindness in ways that nourish (滋养) our spirit and body.

8 . Los Angeles residents Joe Blackstone and Jamie Mohn have long recognized the lasting impact storytelling can have on a child’s life. Shortly after getting married, the couple began volunteering to read books to elementary school kids. Then, when they became parents themselves, they created the J3 Foundation to help organizations devoted to children’s growth. But after learning two-thirds of fourth graders who cannot read effectively end up on welfare, Blackstone and Mohn decided to take a more hands-on approach: in 2018, they launched J3’s Cozy Reading Club.

Each session of the two-hour, after-school program is free and includes outdoor activities and a healthy snack. Then, it’s time for some comfortable reading. After teachers read a book aloud and the group talks about the storyline freely, the kids find a spot to sit while grabbing a book of their choice to look through. In the end, they get to choose two books to borrow and take home.

In its first year, J3’s Cozy Reading Club served 15 students in one L. A.-area classroom. As of 2022, it had expanded to 17 schools across four different districts, impacting a total of at least 400 students, the vast majority of whom live in underserved communities. With impressive statistics backing it up 90% of the students have significantly improved their reading scores, and 95% say they’ve started reading for fun since taking part in the program——its founders have much to celebrate.

“Having more than 5,000 culturally relevant books available to them is so exciting. I love it when our students can see themselves and their classmates’ lives reflected in the books they are reading. The hope of changing one kid at a time makes all the work worthwhile,” Blackstone said.

Currently, J3 is in the process of raising $864,000, so the Cozy Reading Club can expand to an additional 24 Los Angeles schools and double its book collection to 10,000. This is worthwhile. The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) reported that 68% of U. S. fourth graders weren’t skilled at reading in 2022, up from 66% in 2019.

1. What can be inferred about Blackstone and Mohn?

A．They are children’s writers.	B．They teach reading in a school.
C．They value kids’ development.	D．They’ve donated much to charities.

2. What can children do in J3’s Cozy Reading Club?

A．Learn the history of books.	B．Discuss a book’s plot.
C．Cook and have snacks.	D．Buy interesting books.

3. What are the statistics in Paragraph 3 about regarding J3’s Cozy Reading Club?

A．Its great achievements.	B．Its various services.
C．Its long-term goals.	D．Its current programs.

4. Why does the author mention NAEP in the last paragraph?

A．To state reading is significant.	B．To show J3 is a necessary cause.
C．To assess J3’s potential abilities.	D．To criticize America’s education.

9 . Cities are difficult to navigate (导航) at the best of times, but for people with disabilities they can be like courses with hurdles and bring inconvenience to disabled people.

A UK national travel survey found that adults with mobility difficulties took 39% fewer trips than those with no disability in 2017. Yet that could change as devices and cities grow smarter. Assistive tech is playing a big role in the transformation. The global value of the industry is expected to increase from $14 billion in 2015 to $30.8 billion in 2024, according to Zion Market Research.

One of the things that could transform lives is a smart walking stick designed by engineers from Young Guru Academy (YGA) in Turkey. The WeWalk stick has a sensor that detects hurdles above chest level and uses vibrations (振动) to warn the user. It can be paired with a smartphone to help navigation, and is connected with a voice assistant and Google Maps.

Ceylan, who has been blind since birth, says that connecting the stick to the Internet of Things and smart city solutions makes it user-friendly. “As a blind person, when I am at the Metro station I don’t know which is my exit ... I don’t know which bus is approaching ... which stores are around me. That kind of information can be provided with the WeWalk,” he says.

“The smart walking stick is really an exciting initiative that will make a huge difference to some people,” says Anna Lawson, the director of the Center for Disability Studies at Leeds University in the United Kingdom. “But they are very expensive ... they’re not going to be available to the vast majority of disabled people,” she added.

Bryan Matthews, a lecturer at the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, shares the concerns about cost. He says there should also be a focus on inclusive design, and anything that helps people navigate their environment is positive.

1. What does “that” in the second paragraph refer to?

A．The survey that compared adults’ mobility.

B．The smart industry that is booming.

C．The fact that the disabled traveled less.

D．The role that the assistive tech plays.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The working principles of the WeWalk stick.

B．The introduction of the WeWalk stick inventors.

C．The transformation caused by the WeWalk stick.

D．The benefits brought about by the WeWalk stick.

3. What’s the purpose of quoting Ceylan?

A．To show the value of smart tech.

B．To urge more attention to the blind.

C．To increase the potential market share.

D．To encourage tech research and development.

4. What is the disadvantage of the WeWalk stick?

A．Confusing instructions.	B．Poor navigation.
C．Inclusive designs.	D．High prices.

10 . Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s most famous scientists, believed that to survive, humans will one day have to move into space. “Once we spread out into space and establish independent settlements, our future should be safe, ”he said.

Today, several leading countries in space exploration are all planning to send astronauts-people who travel into space - back to Earth’s closest neighbor: the moon. Some of these countries want to create space stations there within the next 10 years. These stations will prepare humans to visit and later live on Mars or other Earthlike planets.

Robert Zubrin, a rocket scientist, thinks humans should take control of space. He wants to start with Mars. Why? He thinks sending people to Mars will allow us to learn a lot of things-for example, the ability of humans to live in a very different environment. Eventually, we could create new human societies on other planets. In addition, any advances we make in the fields of science, technology, medicine, and health will benefit people here on Earth.

Not everyone thinks sending humans into space is a smart idea. Many say it’s too expensive. Also, most space trips are not short. A one-way trip to Mars, for example, would take at least six months. People traveling this kind of distance could face many health problems In addition, these first people would find life extremely difficult in space. On the moon, for example, the sun’s rays are very dangerous. People would have to stay indoors most of the time

Despite these concerns, sending people into space seems certain. In the future, we might see cities on the moon or even new human cultures on other planets. First stop: the moon

1. What is Stephen Hawking’s idea about future life in space?

A．Humans will live a healthy life.

B．Humans will live a better life on the moon.

C．Humans will create hospitals on other planets.

D．Space will be a safe place for humans to live in.

2. Why are some countries planning to build space stations on the moon?

A．To learn more about the moon’s surface

B．To improve cooperation among countries.

C．To prepare humans to live on other planets

D．To reduce the number of people living on Earth

3. What does Robert Zubrin think of sending people to Mars?

A．It will take a long time

B．It will cost a lot of money

C．It will be extremely difficult.

D．It will benefit people on Earth a lot

4. What’s the attitude of the author towards humans’ moving into space?

A．Positive.	B．Negative.
C．Unclear.	D．Worried.

5. What can be the best title for the text?

A．A Trip to Mars.	B．Living in Space.
C．Astronauts on the Moon.	D．The Exploration of Space.