1 . Although most empty plastic bottles are thrown, there are actually many other ways you can reuse them other than drinking.     1    . Here are some interesting tips to use with empty plastic bottles.

Cut off the biscuits

When making biscuits, did you just realize you didn’t have any tools to cut them? You just need a small or large plastic bottle depending on your needs. First cut the bottle into half.     2    .

Separate eggs

Do you find it challenging to separate eggs?    3    . Break the eggs into a bowl. Remove the lid, press the bottle, put the ends into the egg yolk (蛋黄) and stop the pressure. This way, the egg yolk will be taken into the bottle while the egg white will remain on the plate. In this way, separating eggs isn’t a challenging problem.

    4    

Want to remove flies in your garden safely? Use plastic bottles. Cut the bottle into half and place a sweet syrup (糖浆) at the bottom. Then place the top in the bottom so that the bottle mouth faces down. The fly will be attracted to the smell and fly into the bottle hole. Once in the bottle, the fly will climb through a narrow opening without thinking about how to get out and eventually dies.

Air conditioner

Sometimes, the fan removes hot air and does not cool the room but now we have a solution!     5     Then, place the bottle with ice on the floor for a high fan. Put the fan behind the bottle and the fan will blow the cold air as the bottle with ice causes the temperature to be lower.

A．The trap

B．The harm of flies

C．Pour the water out from the large bottles

D．You can solve this problem with plastic bottles

E．Fill two large bottles with water and turn into ice

F．And then you just take one of two parts to cut the cookies

G．They allow you to recycle creatively for a variety of purposes

2 . Florida is a desirable place to retire because of the suitable cost of living and location close to the beach. In addition, it has provided different kinds of services to support the retirement community. Here are some best Florida cities for retirement.

Miami

Population: about 605,800

Share of population age 65+: 18.2%

Median monthly rent: about $1,500

Miami has higher housing and costly health care, so seniors retiring in Miami need to face the higher cost of living. However, it offers retirees plenty of activities. It’s more expensive, but the rich cultural experience, dining, shopping, and health care services are top-tier.

Fort Myers
Population: about 752,200
Share of population age 65+: 28.4%
Median monthly rent: about $1,300

Fort Myers scored well on the desirability and happiness metrics (指标). Many retirees are able to comfortably afford a home, which frees up retirement income for other important expenses. Seniors in Fort Myers can create a relaxing beach retirement lifestyle, even on a limited budget.

Tallahassee
Population: about 382,700
Share of population age 65+: 14.6%
Median monthly rent: about $1,000

Tallahassee has four clear seasons, and its short winters are colder than the state’s coastal areas. Housing is more affordable here than in other Florida cities. Retirees can take classes at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida, or enjoy one of Tallahassee’s many museums, historic sites and parks.

Ocala
Population: about 370,000
Share of population age 65+: 28.5%
Median monthly rent: about $990

This equestrian (马术) town is best known for award-winning horses. Retirees can attend horse shows and equestrian events and enjoy regular horseback rides. Ocala’s inexpensive housing makes it easy to relocate to the area. The Ocala National Forest has hundreds of lakes, rivers and springs where you can swim and fish.

1. What is an advantage of Miami?

A．It offers services in a wide variety.	B．It gives the suitable cost of living.
C．It provides discount housing.	D．It organizes volunteer activities.

2. Which is the best if retirees want to get education after retiring?

A．Miami.

B．Fort Myers.

C．Tallahassee.

D．Ocala.

3. What can retirees do in Ocala?

A．Create a beach retirement lifestyle.	B．Explore the depth of the forest.
C．Visit many historic sites.	D．Take part in equestrian events.

3 . Classical Music

Voice of Vienna Symphony Orchestra (维也纳之声交响乐团), Austria has excellent musicians from all over the world. They have accompanied many world famous musicians and singers. They are coming to Dongying again. Come and enjoy their wonderful performances!

Place: Snow Lotus (莲花) Theatre        Time: 19:30 — 21:00 (or so)

Price: Six levels, from ¥480 to ¥50        Dates: 1 — 2 May

Tel: 6090555

A Mini Marathon (5km)

On May 8, 2018, “China Wanda 2018 Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) International Marathon will be held. At the same time, a mini Marathon (5km) will be held, too. All the citizens who were born before May 8, 2008 are encouraged to register.

Registration place:                                 Registration time:

Dongying National Fitness Center        8:30 a.m. — 11:30 a.m.

Entry fee: ¥30 (students free)               1:30 p.m. — 5:30 p.m.

Tel: 8097628 Registration                      Dates: 2 — 27 Mar.

Tango Dancing

Tango is fun and easy to learn. Yang Yi, a famous Chinese Tango dancer will come and show you how to do it. Are you ready? Take your partners, go and dance till you drop.

Place: Dongying Art Troupe (团)                  Time: 8: 00 p.m. — 12: 00 p.m.

Price: ¥150 (including some drinks)             Dates: Every Saturday in May

Tel: 8331644

Dining-Sushi (寿司) Chef in Town

Sushi is getting really big in Dongying. In Japan, it’s become an art form. The most famous sushi’ artist is Yuki Kamura. She’s also one of the few women chefs in Japan. She will be here with you at Sushi Scene.

Place: Sushi Scene in Dongying Hotel          Time: Lunch time

Price: ¥200 (taste sushi without pay)          Dates: 1 — 31 May

Tel: 8062999

1. If you want to book a ticket for the activity at 7:30 p.m. on 1 May, you may call ______.

A．8062999

B．8097628

C．8331644

D．6090555

2. If you want to take part in the Mini Marathon, you must ______.

A．exercise at Dongying National Fitness Center	B．be over ten years old
C．pay ¥200	D．register before March

3. If you like dancing, you can go to ______.

A．Snow Lotus Theatre	B．Dongying National Fitness Center
C．Dongying Art Troupe	D．Sushi Scene in Dongying Hotel

4 . World famous physicist Stephen Hawking died peacefully at his home in Cambridge on March 14th, 2018.

Hawking was born in Oxford, England on January 8th, 1942. He went to school in a small city near London. As he himself admitted, he wasn’t very serious about studying. He did very little work, he was never top of his class. However, he still achieved good marks. After leaving school, Hawking first went to Oxford University to study physics. Then he went to Cambridge University to study cosmology (宇宙学).

At the age of 21, Hawking noticed something wrong with him. He had a bad illness that stopped him from moving and talking. He couldn’t communicate except by blinking (眨眼). He sat on a wheelchair with a computer by his side. To communicate with others, he moved two fingers to control the computer’s mouse. He chose his words from the screen, which were then spoken by a voice synthesizer (音响合成器). “I’ve had the disease for most of my life,” Hawking once said, “Yet it has not stopped me from being successful at my work.”

Although Hawking was a disabled man, he made great achievements. He received many awards and prizes for his work, including the Albert Einstein Award—the highest achievement in physics.

Hawking worked at Cambridge University as a professor. His story shows that nobody, however bad their situation is, should lose hope. “Life is not fair,” he once said, “You just have to do the best you can in your own situation.”

1. How old was Stephen Hawking when he passed away?

A．86.

B．76.

C．58.

D．90.

2. During studying in a small city near London, we know that ______.

A．Stephen Hawking was the best student of his class

B．Stephen Hawking didn’t work hard at his lessons

C．Stephen Hawking began to study cosmology

D．Stephen Hawking didn’t get high marks

3. What happened to Stephen Hawking when he was 21?

A．There was something wrong with his head.

B．He couldn’t even blink to communicate except by moving fingers.

C．He could neither talk nor move.

D．He had a car accident.

4. How did Stephen Hawking communicate with others after the bad illness?

A．By mouth.	B．By body languages.
C．By writing letters with his hands.	D．By a voice synthesizer.

5 . To Be at Your Best, Dial It Back a Bit

Many of us were raised in the idea of hard work and max effort, and taught that what we put in was what we got out. Now, some coaches and corporate leaders have a new message.     1     Aiming for perfection often makes us feel awful, burns us out and backfires.

The benefits of doing less

Constant comparison often means no end result ever feels good enough. Even searching for, say, the best umbrella to buy can become a time-consuming problem. If you make a decision with only 85% of the information in hand, what’s the result?     2    

Just tough enough

    3     In a 2019 paper, researchers used machine learning to try to find the ideal difficulty level to learn new things. The neural network learned best when it was faced with questions set to 85% difficulty.

If a task is too hard, humans get less motivated, says Bob Wilson.     4     “If you never make any errors, you’re 100% accurate, well, you can’t learn from the mistakes.”

Know when to stop

Grace Ueng, a leadership coach and strategy consultant, learned the “85-15 rule.”     5     She practiced for hours for her music group. Before a performance, she read a book and went to church instead of putting in extra hours at the piano. When it was time to perform, she played well—and actually enjoyed it. “You have to have the wisdom to know when to stop.” she says.

A．Neither should the goals be too easy.

B．The harder we try, the worse we get.

C．You will win back some time for other things.

D．The trick is to try for 85% rather than perfection.

E．Difficulty standard set at 85 is the sweet spot for us to grow.

F．The idea was to stop once you were 85% complete on a project.

G．Before a recent performance, she read a book rather than practicing.

6 . In the past week almost 120 global leaders have resolved to triple (使增至三倍) the world’s renewable energy capacity before 2030 in an attempt to reduce the global consumption of fossil fuels. As the second half of the Cop28 UN climate conference in Dubai unfolds , more countries may join the calls for a global target of 11 TW (太瓦) of renewable power by the end of the decade, three times higher than the 3.629 TW in place at the end of 2022.

Renewable energy really could be tripled in this decade, but it won’t be a breeze, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) .

Based on the rate of growth for wind and solar power, the world is on track to meet this target. But the global energy watchdog (监察人) has warned that “stronger policy actions by governments” will be required to overcome challenges, such as rising costs, uncertain supply chains and grid (电力网) bottlenecks, which are considered essential to hit the goal of limiting global heating to within 1.5C of preindustrialised levels.

Renewable energy sources tripled, the global demand for coal power would be cut in half by 2030, according to estimates. “This is crucial for 1.5C,”said Dave Jones, the global insights lead for climate think-tank Ember. “The tripling goal would take renewables to the next level, with solar and wind reaching 40% of global electricity generation by 2030.”

The goal has won the support of 118 countries. In practice, not every country will triple its renewable capacity to meet the global target. Some countries starting from a lower level would need to more than triple their wind and solar power, while for others with a high share of renewables already, it would not be practical to triple their capacity again.

The prospect of having demand for coal is a goal worth struggling for, but governments must stay the course. Increasing capacity may have been simple in recent years with low interest rates and government support schemes, but the sector’s progress for the rest of the decade is less certain.

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

A．A demanding mission.	B．An effortless task.
C．A dreamy vision.	D．A fruitless effort.

2. What can be inferred from paragraph 3?

A．The road to the top is full of twists and turns.	B．A good beginning is half done.
C．No pains, no gains.	D．Rise from the fall, and you’ll rise high.

3. What is Dave Jones’ attitude toward tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity before 2030?

A．Indifferent.

B．Neutral.

C．Cautious.

D．Optimistic.

4. What might be written about after the last paragraph?

A．Drawbacks of power generation using coal.

B．Ways to triple the output of sustainable energy.

C．Specific difficulties in the future and solutions.

D．Joint achievements made by nearly 200 countries.

7 . Mobile phone photography is not just a casual snap（抓拍） but an art. This article will recommend some apps for photography enthusiast to shoot various landscapes, portraits, or foods.

◆B612

B612 is a photo-taking app that comes with a variety of artistic features, cute stickers, and effects that can add creativity and style to your photos. You can see the different effects before taking the photo, so you can get the best possible images. This helps you make informed decisions.

◆Manboker

Manboker, known as Magic Camera, is the first app to create comic-style images directly without editing. The app offers a range of effects, and tools to give your photos a comic-like appearance. You can apply speech bubbles （气泡）, texts, and stickers to enhance the story-telling aspect.

◆Snapseed

Snapseed is mainly used for photo editing rather than photo taking. The app offers a comprehensive set of editing tools, including adjustments for exposure, contrast and more. With its non-destructive editing, you can easily compare different edits and undo or adjust them as needed.

◆Foodie

Foodie is an app specially designed for taking pictures of food. It allows you to capture delicious food moments with ease. Whether they are fancy cuisines or home-cooked meals, Foodie helps you showcase the colors, textures, and details of the food in the most appealing way.

Experiment with different apps, explore their features and start capturing the world around you in a whole new way!

1. If you want your photos to have a cute and creative style, which app would you choose?

A．Manboker.

B．Snapseed.

C．Foodie.

D．B612.

2. What can we learn about the four apps?

A．Manboker is designed to take comic-style photos.

B．Snapseed comes with artistic features and cute stickers.

C．Foodie is mainly used for photo-editing.

D．B612 features non-destructive photo shooting.

3. Who are the target audience of this article probably?

A．Mobile phone users.	B．Photography beginners.
C．Professional photographers.	D．Photography enthusiasts.

8 . Italy’s oldest man Tripoli Giannini, who credited “light meals and no stress” for his longevity, has died at the age of 111, on New Year’s Eve. He was the second oldest man in Europe, after André Ludwig, a Frenchman 75 days older.

His son, Romano, wrote on Facebook: “He believed he was immortal …instead, at 9.30 am, December 31, 2023, my father Tripoli Giannini died. He was 111 years and 133 days old — a record! He joins his wife, Tosca, my mother, who has waited for him for over 40 years.”

There are a record number of centenarians (百岁老人) in Italy. According to the national statistics agency, there were 22,000 people aged over 100 in 2023. The vast majority are women.

His life is like a living history textbook. Giannini, who belonged to the Italian army infantry corps, was born in Cecina in 1912. He not only witnessed the changes of the two world wars, but also experienced the election of about ten popes (教皇). The more admirable thing is that he has successfully withstood the multiple pandemic s from Spanish flu in his childhood to COVID-19 in his later years, demonstrating his unyielding energy. He is not only known for his longevity, but also a sports enthusiast.

During celebrations, he said the secrets to his longevity were light meals — always accompanied by wine — no stress, being a non-smoker and treating each day as a gift.

The Italian island of Sardinia has been identified as one of five regions in the world that have high concentrations of centenarians, while the Italian city with the most people over the age of 100 is Genoa in Liguria. The Mediterranean diet has long been considered to be the main ingredient for longevity among Italians. The country’s ageing population is a challenge for the government, especially as it coincides with a reducing birthrate, placing pressure on the pension and healthcare systems.

1. How old might Tripoli Giannini be when he lost his wife?

A．In his 50s.

B．In his 60s.

C．In his 80s.

D．In his 90s.

2. Which of the following aspects contributed to Tripoli’s longevity?

A．Wine drinking and smoking.	B．Light diets and no pressure.
C．Wine drinking and his wife.	D．Light diets and healthcare.

3. What can we infer about Tripoli Giannini from the text?

A．He might get involved in politics.

B．He might be optimistic towards life.

C．He might be the oldest in both Italy and Europe.

D．He might have suffered from many illnesses in his long life.

4. What is the purpose of writing this text?

A．To advertise the diet of Italy.	B．To promote the anti-smoking campaign.
C．To highlight the ageing situation in Italy.	D．To publicize Italy’s oldest man’s death.

9 . Ten years after Starbucks arrived in Vietnam, the outcome is clear: Vietnamese people love coffee, but they don’t really seem to like Starbucks.

Starbucks accounted for just 2% of Vietnam’s $1.2bn coffee-drinking market in 2022. It has 92 stores, which works out to less than one for every million people.

Starbucks’ presence remains limited due to the consumer preference for local coffee flavors. Vietnam, after all, is no stranger to coffee: It’s the world’s second largest exporter of coffee. For one thing, the Starbucks menu is not diverse. French settlers introduced coffee to Vietnam in the 19th century. But the first coffee plant was of the Arabica species and did not adapt well to the country’s hot and humid climate and soil. Later, the French brought Robusta plants and that is the coffee popular in Vietnam today. 97% of the coffee Vietnam consumes every year is of the Robusta variety. Starbucks, however, uses 100% Arabica beans. It might explain why even coffee drinkers who do go to Starbucks don’t seem to love what’s available.

For another thing, the Starbuck’s menu has none of the local favorites. Some local Vietnamese brands mix traditional Robusta coffee with egg yolk, yogurt, concentrated milk, ice and even fruit to attract new customers. However, in Starbucks chain stores, the Java chip frappucinos (可可碎片星冰乐) and pumpkin spiced lattes (南瓜丝绒拿铁) that have won elsewhere just don’t seem to cut it here.

The menu is by no means inexpensive for a competitive market like Vietnam, which is another reason why Vietnamese people hesitate to go to Starbucks. A medium-sized drink at Starbucks with none of the add-ons costs about $3.6. That’s out of reach for most in a country where the average monthly wage is only around $345.

“I only went to Starbucks once, because I wanted to try the luxurious coffee. Starbucks coffee is nothing special tome. It’s too fancy and I don’t like the taste.” Tram Nguyen says. “I can enjoy a quality coffee at a Vietnamese coffee shop at half the price.”

1. Why does the author give some figures in paragraph 2?

A．To show the large population of Vietnam.

B．To illustrate the slight failure of Starbucks in Vietnam.

C．To introduce the rapid development of Starbucks in Vietnam.

D．To prove the fact that the Vietnamese dislike coffee.

2. How many reasons account for the fact that Vietnamese don’t really seem to like Starbucks?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

3. Which of the following might the Vietamese like?

A．Java chip frappucinos with ice.	B．Arabica beans with egg yolk.
C．Robusta coffee with yogurt.	D．Arabica coffee with concentrated milk.

4. Which might be the best title for the text?

A．Starbucks Vietnam: failure to win over coffee-loving Vietnamese.

B．Starbucks Vietnam: less diversity than Vietnamese local coffee.

C．Vietnamese coffee: national pride for the Vietnamese.

D．Starbucks Vietnam: a model of global luxurious coffee.

10 . How many times have you heard that reducing stress is important for good health? But stress isn’t always the enemy. In fact, research suggests some is actually good for you, with possible benefits ranging from better brain function to healthier aging.

Firstly, it’s ubiquitous: Research suggests people feel at least some stress on 90% of their days. When stress worsens for a long time and can’t be solved, it can cause mental and physical health problems, even raising your risk for conditions like heart disease. But in most cases, a stress response (反应) is important. It can help you get through a hard time or even escape physical danger. And, when stress is managed well, it can lead to better health and happiness in the future.

Stress can be damaging — but proper amount of stress can be helpful, according to Assaf Oshri, a professor at the University of Georgia. Oshri says, “Resilience (适应力) comes from your interactions (相互作用) with the environment. If people don’t experience any stress, they may not build up resilience. If they experience too much, their happiness may suffer. But there seems to be a balance between the two, where stress improves mental health and helps people recover from difficult situations.”

When people face pressure, some approaches can also be taken to deal with it. Playing sports can help to find a balance in the face of stress, according to some experts. Turning to loved ones during tough times is important too. And if you can, remind yourself that stress is a difficult but necessary part of life.

“You can’t choose exactly what happens to you, but you can choose your response in the moment,” Jonathan Rush, a professor at the University of Victoria in Canada, says. “Having the idea that you can overcome things, you can grow from things; whatever happens, you will have a path forward — that’s what matters most.”

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

A．Special.

B．Interesting.

C．Popular.

D．Common.

2. What benefit does proper pressure bring to people according to Oshri?

A．It can help people know their physical danger.

B．It can promote people’s mental health.

C．It can help people keep a balance between life and work.

D．It can increase people's interactions with each other.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The ways to deal with stress.	B．The influence of sports on stress.
C．The approaches of having a happy life.	D．The key to avoiding challenging times.

4. According to Rush, what is most important when facing stress?

A．Explaining what happened.	B．Having a positive response.
C．Relying on your loved ones.	D．Learning from others' experiences.