1 . Resting on a branch in the dark is a Xingu screech owl with piercing eyes. Created by British artist Sarah Ball, the artwork refers to the scientific name of this species only found in the indigenous Xingu region of Brazil. The striking work is unique not just for its subject matter, but for how it was made: It was created with ash (灰烬) left behind after wildfires in the Amazon rainforest.

It’s part of a project called “From the Ashes”, an exhibition that ran in February in London. “Featuring 29 indigenous and non-indigenous artists, all the works were created using ink, colour and pastels produced from ash and charcoal (木炭),” said Migrate Art, the London-based social enterprise (企业) that created the project, whose goal is to help fix damage from the fires by raising money.

In March, the artworks were auctioned (拍卖) in London with estimates for individual pieces ranging from £2,000 to over £50,000, according to Simon Butler, founder of MigrateArt. “We keep 20% of what we make. The rest of it goes to the indigenous Xingu community, primarily for firefighting equipment,” he said.

Butler visited the Amazon rainforest two years ago. Witnessing the areas of the forest that had been burnt down, which he described as a “red desert that looked like the end of the world”, motivated him to create change through art. He collected the burnt remains of the rainforest, and shipped it back to London to be made into art materials. The materials were then sent to artists around the world. British artist Piers Secunda used black ink to create a painting titled Smoke In The Jungle. The collection also includes works made by members of the indigenous community.

“The sale of my work to help the Xingu Reserve buy firefighting equipment to extinguish Amazon fires is the best use of my time and resources that I can imagine,” said Secunda. “These art advocacy actions are grains of sand which build a pile. For now, the pile is small, but it is growing and will become substantial.”

1. What is the author’s purpose of describing the artwork in paragraph 1?

A．To detail the artist’s motivation.	B．To discuss climate change effects.
C．To highlight its unique creation method.	D．To provide insights into a new bird.

2. What is a direct result of the artworks?

A．They will be stored by Simon Bulter.

B．Migrate Art will cooperate with more artists.

C．Artists will make more contribution to the poor.

D．Indigenous Xingu community will afford firefighting equipment.

3. How did Butler take action to make people focus on rainforest wildfires?

A．By visiting Amazon rainforest.	B．By watching relevant information.
C．By talking with rainforest protectors.	D．By appealing to artists to create related works.

4. Which word best describes the impact of the project?

A．Promising.

B．Uncaring.

C．Demanding.

D．Controversial.

2 . The production of the cement (水泥) used in concrete is a major contributor to worldwide CO₂ emissions. Since we use it a lot in building things, this is a serious problem. But there’s good news: Scientists have made a new kind of concrete that can trap CO₂ instead of letting it out. It is a greener way to build things.

The concrete is made by D Company, cooperating with other companies, and is named G-concrete. Here’s how it’s made: A special cement mixture is placed in a curing chamber (养护室) and CO₂ is then pumped into the chamber to be absorbed. The absorbed CO₂ is then stuck inside the concrete, and will not be released. Crucially, it’s also just as strong as regular concrete.

“Generally, concrete hardens through a chemical reaction between cement and water,” the company explains. “But in G-concrete, over half the cement is replaced with a material we call γ-C2S. Instead of reacting with water, γ-C2S reacts with the CO₂ in the air to harden. After mixing the materials needed to create G-concrete, the concrete can be placed in a location with high CO₂ levels so it can absorb the CO₂ and harden, trapping the gas inside. For example, a thermal power plant (发电厂) or other facilities that produce carbon-heavy waste gases can redirect the gases into a special chamber, where concrete products made with G-concrete can be placed to absorb the CO₂ in the gases.”

Obviously, greener concrete is a good thing in itself. And under the right conditions, this could be used to create net-zero buildings, but if it’s not affordable and practical to produce, it’s not going to be widely adopted.

On that note, signs are actually quite hopeful. A representative of the company told us that the cost of producing G-concrete is about three times higher than standard concrete currently used. Work is being undertaken on further reducing this cost and the company believes it will become a lot more affordable in the near future.

1. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．Cement production.

B．Building construction.

C．CO2 emission.

D．Concrete use.

2. What do we know about G-concrete?

A．It is environmentally friendly.	B．It is produced in thermal power plant.
C．It is harder than regular concrete.	D．It is replaced by a cement mixture.

3. What should be mainly considered before using the greener concrete widely?

A．Practical function.

B．Production cost.

C．Marketing strategy.

D．Gas emission.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Chemical Reaction Behind Concrete Hardening

B．G-concrete: A New CO2-absorbing Building Material

C．The Environmental Impact Of Traditional Cement Production

D．The Economic Possibility Of The Building Material—G-concrete

3 . Farmers have long relied on things that work without their involvement — bees to pollinate (授粉) flowers, earthworms (蚯蚓) to turn the soil, swallows to eat pests — to make sure that crops grow the right way. Now a team of British researchers is trying to take this hands-off thinking in a high-tech direction. Last October, scientists at Harper Adams University started a farm called the Hands Free Hectare to make the entire process of farming — from sowing and fertilizing to harvest — fully automatic. The project has just succeeded with five tons of robot-grown barley (大麦).

“We believe the best idea is that in the future, farmers will manage groups of smaller, autonomous machines, ” the researchers explained. “They will go out and work in the fields, allowing the farmer to use their time more effectively instead of having to drive up and down the fields.”

At the moment, agricultural machines — very large and heavy — can cover a lot of space quickly. But there are shortcomings. “Fertilizer gets sprayed over entire farms, regardless of the different needs of different crops. They’re also so heavy that they’re damaging farmers’ soils,” researcher Jonathan Gill said.

Gill and his colleagues went smaller: a tractor, a combine and a harvester, which followed a programmed route, using GPS. Altogether, they spent less than ￡200, 000 on equipment, and used open-source technology and a drone (无人机). Eventually the system will be complex enough to treat different parts of a field, or even individual plants, differently.

The team is quick to caution that they don’t want to put farmers out of work. They said, “Instead of being busy in the fields, the farmer will manage the machines and monitor their crops.” The next stop for the barley will be a brewery. That’s not going to be completely automatic. At least not yet.

1. What feature of bees, earthworms and swallows inspired scientists?

A．Their dependence on nature.	B．Their special way of survival.
C．Their selfless love for the earth.	D．Their natural involvement in farming.

2. What advantage of Gill’s equipment is introduced in Para. 4?

A．Freeing workers totally.	B．Reducing the cost of harvest.
C．Improving the accuracy of farming.	D．Increasing the output of different crops.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Gill’s project is still at the design stage.	B．Unemployment wouldn’t be a concern.
C．The brewery will realize automation soon.	D．Complete automatic farming is unrealistic.

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

A．The future of hands-free farming	B．The functions of agricultural machines
C．The development of automatic harvest	D．The shortcomings of traditional farming

4 . Imagine playing a racing game, using only your brain to control the complex series of turns in a lap. This is not a video game fantasy, but a real program, which engineers at the University of Texas at Austin have created as part of research into brain-computer interfaces (接口) to help improve the lives of people with motor disabilities. More importantly, the researchers combined machine learning capabilities with their brain-computer interface, making it a one-size-fits-all solution.

Typically, these devices require much calibration (校准) for each user-every brain is different, both for healthy and disabled users—and that has been a major barrier to widespread adoption. This new solution can quickly understand the needs of an individual subject and self-calibrate through repetition. That means multiple patients could use the device without needing to adjust it to the individual.

“When we think about this in a clinical setting, this technology will make it so we won’t need a specialized team to do this calibration process, which is long and boring,” said Satyam Kumar, a graduate student in the lab of José del R. Millán, a professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s Chandra Family Department of Electrical.“It will be much faster to move from patient to patient.”

People in the study wear a special cap with tiny sensors that link up to a computer. These sensors pick up brain waves. The sensors send brain waves to a device, which can decode brain waves and then change them into game actions.

Millán is working on ways for computers to talk to the brain. This helps people’s brains be more adaptable, meaning they can learn new things and heal after injuries. The goal is to help patients with brain problems and make using these brain-computer devices simpler and more helpful.

“The point of this technology is to help people in their everyday lives,” said Millán. “We’ll continue down this path wherever it takes us in the pursuit of helping people.”

1. Who may benefit from the brain-computer interfaces?

A．People fond of video games.

B．People working with computers.

C．People with poor computer skills.

D．People with limited ability to move.

2. What is blocking the widespread use of these devices?

A．Their too many functions.

B．Complex operation method.

C．Calibration for different users.

D．The need of an individual subject.

3. What does the underlined word “decode” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Occupy.

B．Translate.

C．Interrupt.

D．Distract.

4. What does Millán think of this technology?

A．It costs too much.

B．It is a piece of cake.

C．It takes nowhere.

D．It’s meaningful.

5 . Hit Chinese Variety Shows in 2023

The year 2023 saw a wide variety of TV and Internet shows in China, offering to audience not only amazing entertainment but also new insight.

The Big Band 3

Each week, bands competed in different groups, and via votes cast by the audience and six celebrity judges, five bands earned the title of the “Hot 5” by the end of the season.

Become a Farmer

The farming-themed reality show Become a Farmer took Chinese social media by storm in the first half of the year, shining a spotlight on agriculture — a crucial part of Chinese culture. The word “farming”, however, may be unfamiliar to many young urban Chinese citizens. In an effort to connect these individuals with the agricultural industry, the 50-episode variety show tackles the topic by inviting 10 young men from various fields to experience life on the farmland. It offers insights into farming practices and modern agricultural production.

Infinity and Beyond 2023

With a shocking viewership, the music cultural program Infinity and Beyond 2023 emerged as a resounding success both on TV and on the Internet in the first half of this year. Featuring a star-studded cast, the show improved cross-strait connection and covered classic and popular songs dating back to the 1970s.

Divas Hit the Road — Silk Road

This season saw some Chinese actresses and actors embark on a journey to Saudi Arabia, Croatia and Iceland. They explored the beautiful landscapes and diverse cultures of these countries and learned about the collaborative projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative. They have dipped into the local customs and traditions of the places they visited.

1. What is special about Become a Farmer?

A．It has cruel competition rules.	B．It focuses on agricultural industry.
C．It invited ordinary people as the judges.	D．It captured widespread attention online.

2. In which show can we appreciate the culture of other countries?

A．The Big Band 3.	B．Become a Farmer.
C．Infinity and Beyond 2023.	D．Divas Hit the Road — Silk Road.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．Become a Farmer got the highest mark.

B．The Big Band 3 performed pop music mostly.

C．Infinity and Beyond 2023 made a contribution to cross-strait connection.

D．Divas Hit the Road — Silk Road offered collaborative projects related to WHO.

6 . The months of July and August are often known as the “dog days of summer”, bringing in longer, hotter and sunnier days for you to throw the perfect dog birthday party.

Choosing the right spot

If you’re lucky enough to have a garden big enough, that couldn’t be better.     1    . If not, then dog - friendly parks, beaches and cafes can also make for great alternatives. Consider how many guests you’ll be inviting, both humans and animals, and make sure the space is big and secure enough to accommodate.

Picking the menu

    2    ! Some bakeries and pet stores will provide treats perfect for the occasion. However when in doubt, homemade is always better. Take a look online and you’ll find a ton of recipes and take a look at the ingredients to make sure they’re good for the dogs.

Setting up activities

Dogs love to socialise and play together, so why not bring a few activities into the mix. From frozen lick mats, tug of war to even a mini swimming pool, there are plenty of options to keep the guests of honour entertained.     3    . It can show off their dogs’ best skills.

    4    

Photos of your puppy party will give you memories to look back on forever, and who doesn’t love showing their pup off online? Add some props (道具) and a special backdrop to make your pictures even more double-tap worthy.

Don’t forget the humans

While the puppies are undoubtedly the real stars of the party, you can’t forget about your fellow human guests. Consider dog-themed treats, drinks and music. And finally, don’t send your guests home empty-pawed.     5    .

A．Set up a photo spot

B．Record more memorable moments

C．All your furry friends can run around freely there

D．The owners would be also interested in getting involved

E．A little gift with a thank-you note and an extra toy go a long way

F．Arguably the most exciting aspect of any puppy party is the treats

G．A trick contest is also a great way for the humans to get involved

10 . The horse-face skirt, or mamianqun in Chinese, is receiving renewed attention on the fashion stage.

Far from being photoshoot prop, wearing the horse-face skirt has become almost trend among many Chinese celebrities and influencers for various international social occasions. On Douyin, China’s TikTok, individuals who sport the horse-face skirt on city streets in Paris and other international cities can easily gain millions of likes. A popular blogger on Xiaohongshu appeared on a British television program to discuss the development of the English Premier League in China while wearing a horse-face skirt.

From its first appearance during the Song Dynasty to becoming a standout representation of Chinese clothing, mamianqun has crossed nearly a millennium of history. In the current trend of traditional Chinese clothing reconstruction, how has the horse-face skirt stood out to become the most famous clothing?

Mao Zhaoxi, who is a hanfu enthusiast, told the Global Times that Hanfu is the external demonstration of culture, integrating the life philosophies, values, and aesthetic (美学) views formed and inherited (继承) by the Chinese people generation after generation. She said, “Many young people believe that the horse-face skirt is not just a fashion item, but also a cultural symbol. This shows the awakening of traditional aesthetic genes among the younger generations, indicating that the confidence in our own culture is constantly increasing.”

Moreover, Hu Xiao, one of the founders of the ancient Chinese costumes restoration team, analyzed one main reason of this phenomenon lies in the fact that the horse-face skirt has managed to remain relevant, never falling out of fashion. “Many people thought the horse-face skirt had disappeared for a while, but in fact, Chinese brides can always be seen in the costume of mamianqun.” The horse-face skirt possesses a strong sense of inheritance while also possessing fashionable features. This perhaps is the cultural DNA that enables it to become a fashion item.

The momentum (潮流) of Chinese-style clothing has begun, and how to lead the trend of Chinese-style clothing through design and how to stay at the forefront of the national trend is an issue that will not disappear in a short time.

1. What does the underlined word “sport” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Compete.

B．Display.

C．Exercise.

D．Decorate.

2. What can be learned from the text?

A．Horse-face skirts are Chinese clothing with a long history.

B．Horse-face skirts had become fashionable in Song Dynasty.

C．Horse-face skirts have been the main clothing for a millennium.

D．Horse-face skirts are leading the clothing design around the world.

3. Which of the following best describes the impact of the horse-face skirt?

A．It develops everyone’s aesthetic and philosophy view.

B．It represents the ancient Chinese costumes and life.

C．It wakens the young to love their own traditional culture.

D．It demonstrates the importance of Chinese-style clothing.

4. How does the author consider the future development of Chinese-style clothing?

A．Good beginning and it will lead the world fashion.

B．Good beginning and it will fall into the disfavors.

C．Good beginning and it will own fashionable DNA.

D．Good beginning and it will have a long way to go.