1 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. unanticipated       B. moments       C. evolved       D. basically E. explored       F. clearly       G. navigate       H. rituals I. integral       J. access       K. inspiring

Boat of Power

Dragon boat racing began in China more than 2,000 years ago as part of a cultural community event to memorize the ancient poet, Qu Yuan. The traditional holiday was a time to perform    1    for good fortune and well-being, and to drive off evil spirits. Over time, dragon boat racing    2    into a global sport.

The Toronto-based Dragons Abreast team stands out at this sport for a few reasons. For one, the79-member team includes people ranging in age from 30 to 93. Prior to joining Dragons Abreast, some members hadn’t been part of a sports team since childhood and wouldn’t have described themselves as particularly athletic ones. And what has brought these women together is something    3     — living with breast cancer.

The breast cancer survivors on this team are in the same boat in every way. For many, being part of a community that knows    4    how life changes after breast cancer is as beneficial as the physical gains. The team offers a supportive space to    5    all the complexities of survivorship.

“I was so surprised at how    6    the racing was for me,” says Liz Johnston Hill, the race coordinator for Dragons Abreast. “It’s almost overwhelming how people encourage, no matter what.”

Being out on the water and connecting to the environment is an important aspect of dragon boating for many of the team members. They talk about how it provides    7    of peace and encourages mindfulness, something we could all use more of in our lives. Outside of dragon boat, the members are a(n)    8    part of each other’s life. “We’ve all been through    9    the same thing in our various ways,” says the race coordinator Liz Johnston Hill. While the number of breast cancer survivor teams grows, barriers to the sport remain such as cost, time,     10    to water and practice facilities and the lack of cultural and language diversity. But there are ongoing efforts to introduce more people living with breast cancer to dragon boat.

2 . Directions: Complete the following passages by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. approach B. beneficiaries C. recently D. eliminates   E. nutrients F. practices G. irreparable   H. threat   I. undesirable   J. panic K. naturally

The Beneficial Effects of Forest Fires

Forest fires are undoubtedly a threat. In the mid-1900s, all forest burns were considered     1    , and firefighters responded to all of these fires whether or not they were burning close to where humans lived. This     2     to forest fires was both expensive and risky. However, more     3     forest managers began to see that forest fires did have benefits. Foresters saw that forest fires were beneficial for trees and soil.

Previously, people believed that forest fires caused     4     damage to trees, however, now forest managers know that trees are the major     5     of fires. Many     6     occurring forest fires, often caused by lightning strikes, are surface fires that burn the understory — the shrubs and herbs from the forest — without damaging the trees in the overstory. In this way, the fire     7     competition from the smaller trees, allowing the larger trees to flourish. Once the understory has been burned away, the forest is less likely to burn from high-temperature fires that can do real damage to the tall trees.

In the past, it was not obvious how forest fires enriched the soil. Today, foresters understand that forest fires improve soil quality by changing the ‘litter’ — dead leaves and branches on the forest floor — to nutrient-rich soil. Normally, litter decomposes very slowly. However, fire releases the     8     in the litter immediately. This creates an increase in the amount of phosphorus and potassium which are key elements that promote tree growth.

As forest managers have leared more about the long-term effects of forest fires, they have realized that forest fires can have beneficial effects and have changed their forest management     9     to reflect this new opinion. It is now recognized that forest fires, are a natural part of forest ecosystems and are beneficial to the trees and soil. As long as fires are no     10     to homes and communities, foresters now often choose to do nothing to stop the fires.

3 . 从方框中选择恰当的单词或词组填入句子中，注意使用其正确形式，每个单词或词组只能使用一次。

mental     atmosphere     jump to one’s feet     be regarded as measure     trap     on the edge of     break down strike     award     star in     be stuck in

1. Twenty miners____________ underground, but soon they were rescued.
2. In fact, any kind of street performance can____________a form of busking (街头卖艺).
3. Hearing the news of his son’s death, she was____________despair.
4. We should take____________to protect endangered animals.
5. When the little boy sang in a very high but clear voice on the stage, the audience____________, clapping and cheering.
6. He____________dozens of films in the past 3 years, which makes him a world-famous actor.
7. They predicted that a destructive earthquake____________this area before the end of the century.
8. We____________a traffic jam on our way to the airport and we nearly missed the flight.
9. The director uses soft music and lighting to create a romantic____________.
10. On my way to the station my car____________, so I had to call vehicle rescue service.
11. Surfing on the Internet for a long time may damage children’s health physically and____________.
12. Tu Youyou____________the Nobel Prize for her work in medical research in 2015.

4 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. serve       B. shape       C. sharing     D. released   E. spread F. willingly   G. questioned   H. separately   I. practice   J. preparing K.creating

Communal Eating?

In China, communal eating (合餐共食) is considered very important for forming a close relationship. In the memories of most Chinese, one of the happiest moments in their lives was seated around a table with families or friends,     1     dishes and chatting over wine.

In the campaign against the COVID-19 outbreak, this dining tradition has been greatly     2    . Since each diner picks food out of the communal plates on a bite-by-bite basis with their chopsticks, the virus can be transferred from saliva (唾液) to chopsticks to the dish. What’s worse, diners often     3     others with their own utensils, such as chopsticks or spoons, to express friendliness and care. Several cases of coronavirus are thought to have     4     through families when sharing food during the Chinese New Year period.

Communal eating has thus become a target of both governments and restaurants. Posters have been     5     by local governments to encourage people to use serving utensils. Concerned about customers being very careful about returning to restaurants, the catering industry (餐饮业) has     6     joined the campaign. For example, many restaurants, once allowed to reopen, have immediately sprung into action, particularly offering set meals for one single person.

These changes are likely to continue and could be encouraged by local regulations, as eating together     7     can always protect the public health. The measures will     8     the traditional mealtime manners.

The move away from a traditional cultural     9     is ongoing. But as an expert said, “In modern times to eat individually may lose some tradition, but it can also mean more opportunities for     10     something new in Chinese food and eating habits.”

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one more word than you need.

A. architects       B. influenced       C. merely        D. aimed        E. projected       F. deliberate G. boundaries     H. significantly   I. contain          J. producing   K. range

An entirely new art form is developing. This art form goes beyond     1     giving viewers one thing to look at. Instead, it surrounds them with images and sounds. This usually takes the form of rooms where music plays and images are     2     onto walls, changing when visitors interact with them. Sometimes pleasant smells are added to draw people in through yet another sense. These rooms are known as immersive (沉浸式的) exhibits because they seek to involve viewers completely.

The most famous company     3     immersive exhibits is called teamLab. What this company does is draw on people with a huge range of skill sets: artists, engineers,     4     and even mathematicians. All of these skills are necessary to produce the complex immersive exhibits teamLab is known for. Much of the company’s art is based on nature. This is a(n)     5     choice as their goal is to help people feel more connected to the rest of the world. This goal reflects some traditional Asian philosophies, which makes sense because teamLab is a Japanese company. TeamLab’s philosophy states that it seeks to transcend (超越) the     6     that people have set up to separate them from other things.

Other companies are also developing immersive exhibitions     7     at providing entertainment, education or both. For example, American company Imagine Exhibitions has designed over 40 exhibitions, which combine art, lighting, textures, scents and more. Physical objects are carefully selected and placed throughout the exhibits to add to their realism. The topics of their exhibits     8     from the history of ancient Egypt to nature to TV shows and games such as Angry Birds.

Immersive exhibits maybe a new development, but they are     9     by older art forms. Some immersive exhibits are even apparently about the work of artists who worked in other media, such as the painter Vincent van Gogh. Even those who do not reference other artists so clearly are often influenced by older art styles. And many of the immersive exhibits also     10     some form of music.

By combining skills and technologies in creative ways, teams are developing new ways for people to experience art.

6 . 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从方框中选出能填入文中空白处的最合适的单词，注意，其中有两个多余选项。

A. color     B. bones   C. shape     D. cells     E. hide     F. dangerous G. change   H. go     I. reflect     J. another   K. odd     L. amazing

Octopuses are masters on disguise (伪装). They can change their appearance in less than a second.

How do they do this? An octopus can disguise itself in three ways. One is by using     1    . An octopus's skin has special     2     called chromatophores. These cells are filled with yellow, brown, and red pigment (色素). When an octopus moves its muscles in a certain way, the cells produce colorful spots on its skin. Chromatophores can also     3     light. In blue light, for example, an octopus's skin will look blue. An octopus can also change its skin texture (皮肤结构). When the octopus moves its muscles, its skin can     4     unsmooth. It might then look like a plant, or coral. And     5     way an octopus disguises itself is by changing its     6    . Some, for example, roll their bodies into balls so they look like rocks. One type of octopus can change its form to look like other sea creatures — especially     7     ones, such as sea snakes.

Why are octopuses so good at disguising themselves? They have to be. The ocean is not a safe place for them. Because they have no     8     in their bodies, octopuses are like large pieces of meat. Many predators (捕食者) want to eat them — and they can eat them whole. To survive, octopuses have developed the     9     ability to change their appearance very quickly in order to     10     from predators.

7 . 选词填空
1. The soldier ___________ (that/whose) leg was broken in the battle was taken to hospital.
2. The earthquake ___________(that/who) follows the first one damaged no one.
3. The boy ________(which/that ) the soldiers dug out from the ruins was only nine.
4. This is the most deadly earthquake ___________ (who/that) has happened in my country.
5. Will you please show me the boy __________ (who/whose) left leg was injured?
6. We found an old temple ___________ (不填/that) was not completely destroyed.
7. The teacher with ___________ (which/whom) you talked yesterday is a volunteer from our school.
8. They were talking about the moving stories and persons ___________(whom/that) they remembered in this disaster.
9. The house ___________ (which/whose) roof is red is used to give out water and food.
10. This is the second quake ___________(who/that) I have ever experienced this morning.

8 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. connected   B. estimates   C. free   D. ideally   E. lasting   F. promoted G. restrictive   H. scenes     I. sense     J. understood   K. questionably

Home schooling is hard even for the best of us

Many parents have toyed with home schooling. The idea is associated with images of children and parents sitting at the kitchen table, solving the mysteries of maths, science and languages     1     of traditional education.

This week, parents have encountered a harder reality — not home schooling in the usual     2    , but enforced schooling-for-home. Kitchen tables piled with books and bowls; frustrated parents trying to remember how to do improper fractions (可约分数) while taking part in a video conference with work colleagues; fights over laptops as children insist they need to log on to online lessons — such     3     will have been repeated in households across the world.

Home learning, as more usually     4    , is not a new idea. The modern home-school movement emerged in the 1970s,     5     by the bikes of John Holt, an American teacher and education writer. He advised parents to fit the curriculum to the child’s interests, not the other way around. The most recent     6     suggest that close to 60,000 children are home schooled in England, for reasons including mental health issues and special educational needs. Some parents have given up on what they see as a(n)     7     “one-size fits all” education system. Educationalists, including Britain’s Sir Ken Robinson, have complained that schools’ need to follow strict curriculums can harm children’s natural creativity.

For parents in today’s health crisis, technology is proving a lifeline. School by Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams or Zoom has been hugely popular to keep children focused as well as     8     as class. For younger children, various British celebrities (名流) are offering their services to help with lessons in maths, English as well as history.

How best to make it work? Experts say children need a clear structure. They should rise, breakfast and work according to a clear timetable in line with normal schooling,     9     studying in a place without distractions. Make the most of “live” online classes, and additional work and resources, that schools are offering. Allow time for physical exercise, and family time - and arguably less homework after studying finishes. Above all, parents should take a deep breath and keep calm. One     10     lesson many home workers-cum-home schoolers will draw from today’s crisis is this: teachers will never again have to prove that they are worth it.

9 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. replace       B. trustworthy               C. apparently                    D. pick E. owe             AB. expressing        AC. land                    AD. ironically AE. version       BC. position               BD. challenging

What Is 2023’s Word of the Year, According to Dictionaries?

What word defined the past year for you? Find out if your answer matches the actual word of the year from four famous dictionaries.

Cambridge Dictionary’s     1     for 2023 is hallucinate. The common definition of hallucinate is “to see or hear things that are not really there because of illness or drugs.” In 2023, however, to hallucinate can mean something different, thanks to AI. According to Cambridge’s alternate definition of hallucinating, “when an artificial intelligence hallucinates, it produces false information.” Sure, using AI can be fun for creating dog selfies or could even help you     2     a job, but it’s likely to produce misleading or made-up facts — or “hallucinating.”

Those dictionary people are     3     all on the same page. Similar to Cambridge, Collins Dictionary’s word of the year is the broader term AI. ChatGPT was released in late 2022, with companies attempting to use it to cut costs, worrying employees that it would     4     their jobs. AI pioneers and creators began     5     concerns that AI could be “dangerous” and operated by “bad actors.” President Biden even issued an executive order on “safe, secure and     6     artificial intelligence.”

With Merriam-Webster’s word authentic, we have an AI trifecta (三连胜)! While its core meaning is the same — “not false or imitation” — it should     7     its popularity in 2023 to AI, with the rise in deepfake videos and the potential use of AI in entertainment. However, being authentic is also about being “true to one’s own personality, spirit or character.” Are the public figures you look up to being true to themselves? As people search for authenticity, Merriam-Webster notes, “    8    , with ‘authentic content creators’... authenticity has become a performance.”

Oxford slides in at the last minute with a totally different word of the year for 2023: rizz. This noun means “style, charm or attractiveness”. It’s believed to be a shortened     9     of the word charisma, a special magnetic charm or appeal. It also hints at a changing attitude in 2023. “It’s interesting to see a contrasting word like rizz come to the forefront, perhaps showing that this year more of us are opening ourselves after a few     10     years and finding confidence in who we are,” notes Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages.