5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The cute “auspicious rabbit” (吉祥兔) figure    1     the first mascot for the “Happy Chinese New Year” celebrations, has arguably been    2    international star. It travelled overseas to various countries, leaping into countless hearts worldwide.    3     (follow) the rabbit’s phenomenal success, the ministry launched the 2024 “Happy Chinese New Year” mascot for the Year of the Dragon global celebrations in Beijing on Oct 7, 2023.

“JiXiang Long”,     4     (literal) lucky dragon, the mascot features a gesture of a smiley face with flame-shaped eyebrows and a gold ingot-shaped(元宝形状) nose. Its body    5     (cover) by yellow and red flame patterns.

Gao Zheng, director-general of the ministry’s Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation, unveiled the mascot alongside UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Tan Dun. “Dragon is the only animal    6    does not actually exist in the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. The holy animal is a(n)    7     (separate) part of the Chinese civilization, representing our hope for and pursuit of peace, joy, and good luck,” said Lin Cunzhen, the lead designer of the mascot.    8     (come) up with a design that combined the holiness of the divine creature and adorableness    9    (require) for a mascot, she and her team pooled the wisdom of archaeologists, art historians, artists, and designers. They also interviewed people of various age groups to learn about the    10    (prefer) of a dragon mascot. Aside from being widely featured in the 2024 “Happy Chinese New Year” celebrations at home and abroad, “JiXiang Long” will be developed into a host of cultural creative products, ranging from stationery to souvenir statues.

7 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

If a traditional sport bores you, it’s time to try something new! Cycling, but outdoors on city roads; surfing, but on the land; playing frisbee, but with a group of people... New sports begin to thrive with great attention     1     (pay) in support of national fitness. Nearly 1,200 young people participated in a study by Houlang Research Institute, more than 93 percent of     2     born after 2000 are interested in urban sports.

Why do young people favor new sports? Apart from keeping fit as a type of exercise, many young people pick them up to socialize,     3     (allow) them to build up their social circles. Players tend to have online group chats announcing their usual activities and     4     (simple) sharing their lives.

“The new sports are also suitable for taking photos and less restricted by venues”, Zou Qingling, the CEO of Lvmama,     5     tourism website in China,     6     (tell) China News Service. People can enjoy new sports from parks to spacious     7     (sidewalk).

The new sports are easier for new players to start,     8     other traditional sports, such as soccer and basketball, which usually require strict and complicated rules. Thus, the new sports are less     9     (compete) but could bring more fun. People have also gained a stronger passion for outdoor activities and healthier lifestyles.

Urban sports have unlocked new lifestyles in China as they reflect     10     (diverse), youth and fun. This new trend is also proof that more people are exposed to and willing to enjoy sports.

8 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word;for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank

Seeing Math on the Page

Math and literature are probably two of the subjects that bring students headaches. However, scientists wonder     1     the beauty of math can be found in literary works. Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections between Mathematics and Literature, a book published recently by UK mathematician Sarah Hart,     2     (present) some interesting thoughts about "three". She argues that the beauty of this number is indeed evident in many works of western literature and languages in general.

‘Three’ is the minimum number     3     a two-dimensional shape can be defined. For example, three sticks can create a triangle, a stable structure. Many common phrases are in three words, such as “ready, set, go”. Being the first things kids may learn, some nursery rhymes have a word     4     (repeat) three times, such as “row, row, row your boat”. In stories, there are usually three main characters, such as Harry, Ron and Hermione in the Harry Potter series. For a series of novels, there are usually three books     5     four, according to Hart.

Why is it always the third son who behaves differently from his two older brothers, thus     6     (win) the princess? “The reason for this,” Hart explains, “ is obvious. We require two repetitions to get to know the pattern,     7     the breaking of the pattern in the third character can surprise or amuse us.”

Similarly, another study by researchers at the University of Vermont also connected math and storytelling. They analyzed more than 1, 300 fiction books and arranged for 10, 000 words from the books     8     (rate) by 50 participants on a happiness scale of 1 to 9. Then the ratings     9     (categorize) into different graphs, which showed how the readers' emotions changed while reading. It turned out that each story fit perfectly into one of six basic graphs, a mathematical pattern.

“The idea that one would     10     choose between mathematics and literature is something of a tragedy, ”Hart says, “The two fields are fundamentally linked”.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Are you familiar with pop star Jay Chou’s Blue &White Porcelain? Its original lines, just     1     the composer Fang Wenshan described, were inspired by Ru porcelain (汝瓷).

Ranked best among famous kinds during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Ru porcelain is known for its unique pale blue glaze (釉). Oceans     2     Ru porcelain flooded onto the market around the year of 1100, but the     3     (exist) of Ru ware now is actually rare. Thanks to the efforts of Ru porcelain inheritors, people can now appreciate it     4     (close) at hand than before.

Born in Ruzhou, Henan province, Li Chao has spent a decade     5     (better) crafting skills. Ru porcelain goes through 72 steps, the    6     (one) of which is knead (揉) mud. Any small errors could lead to disaster, said the 41-year-old inheritor. He then stressed that a Ru porcelain inheritor must be patient enough. Every item of artwork     7     (full) deserves our admiration.

Techniques of making Ru porcelain will     8     (lose) with senior inheritors gradually passing away. So,     9     Li spares no effort in doing is introducing it to wider masses.     10     (achieve) this goal, he creatively uses Ru porcelain in making daily ware popular among young people. Now he’s aiming to expand the market by introducing it to the whole world.