1 . “Few articles change owners more frequently than clothes. They travel downwards from grade to grade in the social scale with remarkable regularity,” wrote the journalist Adolphe Smith in 1877 as he traced a coat’s journey in the last century: cleaned, repaired and resold repeatedly; cut down into a smaller item; eventually recycled into new fabric. But with the improvement in people’s living standards, that model is mind-boggling in the era of fast fashion. The average British customer buys four items a month. And it is reported that 350,000 tonnes of used but still wearable clothes go to landfills in the UK each year.

Yet the gradual revival of the second-hand trade has gathered pace in the past few years. At fashion website Asos, sales of vintage clothes (古董衫) have risen by 92%. Clothing was once worn out of necessity, and now it is simply a way of life. Busy families sell used items on eBay, teenagers trade on Depop and some fashion people offer designer labels on Vestiaire Collective. Strikingly, it has become big enough business that mainstream retailers (零售商) want a slice of the action.

For some buyers and sellers, the switch to the second-hand is born of financial difficulties. Only a few have become worried about the impact of their shopping habit on the planet. But the shift is only a partial solution. Some people worry that some mainstream brands may “greenwash” — using second-hand goods to improve their image, rather than engaging more seriously with sustainability.

However, the biggest concern may be that people keep buying because they know they can resell goods, still chasing the pleasure of the next purchase but with an eased conscience (愧疚). Boohoo, a powerful fast fashion company, has seen sales and profits rise, despite concerns about environmental problems in its supply chain that led to an investigation last year.

A new Netflix series, Worn Stories, documents the emotional meanings that clothes can have: Each old item is full of memories. Actually, a handbag from a grandmother and a scarf passed on by a father are both valuable for us. A love of style is not a bad or an unimportant thing. But a committed relationship is better than a quick flash. Can we learn to appreciate our own old clothes as well as others’?

1. What does the word “mind-boggling” underlined in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Unbelievable.

B．Popular.

C．Reasonable.

D．Influential.

2. With the business mentioned in paragraph 2, the author wants to show _______.

A．old clothes are more popular than new pieces

B．the online second-hand markets are booming

C．the fashion world begins to favor vintage clothes

D．many clothing brands are innovative in their new products

3. How does the second-hand trade impact people according to paragraph 4?

A．It makes people feel free to pursue fast fashion.

B．It makes people more cautious about their budgets.

C．It encourages people to choose eco-friendly clothes.

D．It pushes people to be more engaged with sustainability.

4. Which of the following views does Worn Stories advocate?

A．Old items have lost favor with the public.

B．Old items are worthy of being long cherished.

C．Older generations attach great importance to old items.

D．Older generations care about the quality of their clothes.

2 . On a long trip to Brisbane we stopped into a service station in Kilcoy for a bathroom break and some fuel. We went into the shop to the bathroom first and then the _________ to pay. My son was a little eccentric (搞怪的) and life loving, so as he usually did. He was dancing as he walked, twirling (扭动) his hips and _________ to his own moves. Since I was totally _________ to his moves, it didn’t _________ my mind at all until the young gentleman working behind the counter _________ his “brilliant dance routine”.

He told my son that he loved his moves and it was a _________ to see him come into his shop. My boy felt so _________ with himself that he continued to dance around gently as I paid and _________ the gentleman for his kind remarks. As we went to leave, the gentleman gave my boy a lollipop (棒棒糖) as a_________. I was absolutely blown away by his kindness. It might be __________, but to us it wasn’t.

Not many people __________ the time out of their days to talk to children. However, the young gentleman was more than __________ and happy to have a chat. My son felt important and __________ loved his treat. I also personally really appreciated his kind __________. As a parent on a long drive with small kids, it is these small acts that will __________or break our day.

1.

A．company

B．counter

C．apartment

D．hall

2.

A．tending

B．pointing

C．singing

D．adapting

3.

A．used

B．addicted

C．devoted

D．opposed

4.

A．clear

B．change

C．read

D．cross

5.

A．expanded on

B．concentrated on

C．commented on

D．insisted on

6.

A．mistake

B．delight

C．pity

D．comfort

7.

A．frustrated

B．pleased

C．annoyed

D．tired

8.

A．thanked

B．accepted

C．invited

D．assisted

9.

A．prize

B．treasure

C．treat

D．pleasure

10.

A．tough

B．significant

C．typical

D．small

11.

A．take

B．draw

C．waste

D．use

12.

A．outgoing

B．willing

C．optimistic

D．energetic

13.

A．hopefully

B．slightly

C．curiously

D．obviously

14.

A．gesture

B．attitude

C．thought

D．determination

15.

A．help

B．build

C．make

D．ruin

3 . “I can’t connect with your characters.”

I kept hearing the same feedback and was unable to understand why and not sure what to do. I was a character-driven writer. How could I mess up the one thing I was supposed to be good at? I was determined to convince my agent that these characters were real. After all, I knew they were real. My main character Lotus had lived inside me for years. I just needed to clarify her on the page.

I wrote and edited for a year, trying to respond to this agent’s feedback. But Lotus’ personality began to disappear. I tried to have her make “better” decisions, wear smarter fashion, and have more friends, as my agent said she acted “immature” and was “isolated”. And when this agent ultimately parted ways with me, I felt like I had failed. Now with time and distance, I realize I tried to fit Lotus into a neurotypical style to please my agent. And as a result, Lotus lost her Lotus-ness.

When that agent discouraged me from writing Lotus as autistic(自闭的), he said that would make Lotus seem more “vulnerable(脆弱的)” or an “obvious victim”. I didn’t want Lotus to seem vulnerable. Lotus’ autism is what makes her powerful, I tried to explain. But from a neurotypical perspective, Lotus’ autism could only be seen as a weakness.

Unsure of how to convince my agent of the strength and power autistic women hold, I began to write Lotus as “neurotypical”. And I failed miserably. After all, what do I know about being neurotypical? My whole life, autism was my default. Not being diagnosed until 2020, I assumed the way I saw the world was “normal”.

My current agent encourages me to write from my neurodivergent(神经多样性的) experience. With this invitation, I revisited Lotus and saw her the way I first wrote her. And when I did, the characters and the entire narrative began to make more sense.

Identifying my characters as neurodivergent not only gives me joy as a writer, but it has produced my strongest writing. For so long, I’ve combatted the advice to “write what I know”, in part because I didn’t know what I actually knew. I didn’t know I was neurodivergent. But as I mine the specificity of my lived experience, my writing is stronger. There is a power to our lived experience. It’s not a limitation on our craft, but a swinging open of the gates.

1. How did the author feel when receiving the repeated response from the first agent?

A．Confused.

B．Convinced.

C．Determined.

D．Disappointed.

2. Lotus’ personality got lost because ______

A．Lotus no longer lived inside the author	B．the author attempted to please the agent
C．the agent failed to sympathize with Lotus	D．Lotus was considered childish and lonely

3. What do we know about the author?

A．She regretted parting with the agent.

B．She owed her success in life to autism.

C．She was aware of her autism in the early years.

D．She was empowered by her autistic experience.

4. What has the author learned from her own experience?

A．Stick to your dream despite discouragement.

B．Be true to yourself and write from your heart.

C．Giving in to authority is the barrier to success.

D．Everyone is born an original instead of a copy.

4 . I had never been more anxious in my life. I had just arrived at the airport to travel home. As I watched the bus driver set my luggage on the airport sidewalk, I realized my _________ had just begun.

This was my first visit alone to the international terminal (航站楼) of the airport, and nothing was _________. I couldn’t make sense of any of the _________. Where was the check-in counter? I felt as if I were deaf and blind and stupid. I began to _________. I had to find help!

I tried to ask a passing businessman for help, but my _________ came out wrong. He frowned and walked away. I had been in this country for a semester, but could not even remember how to ask for directions. Awful! Another _________ arrived at the terminal, and the passengers came out carrying lots of luggage. Right! I could _________ them to the right place.

I dragged my enormous suitcase, went after them and reached the elevators. Oh, no! They all fit in it, but not enough room for me. I watched _________ as the elevator doors closed. I was abandoned again! I got on the elevator when it returned and _________ all the buttons. Which one could it be? I pressed button 3 because I thought I saw those passengers pressed 3, though only a quick glance. The elevator climbed up to the third floor and stopped. A high, unpleasant noise __________ the opening of the doors, and I looked around __________.

Tears formed as I saw the empty hall and realized I would __________ my plane. Just then an elderly airport employee walked towards me. He guessed I was __________ and offered to help. He patted my shoulder to ease my anxiety. We walked up some stairs, turned a corner, and reached the check-in counter!

When I turned to thank him, he was gone. I never got an opportunity to know that man’s name, but I would always remember his unexpected __________. Without his timely help, I would have missed my plane. I hope I will be able to do the same for another traveler experiencing a(n) __________ journey.

1.

A．anxiety

B．excitement

C．curiosity

D．liberty

2.

A．special

B．wrong

C．familiar

D．perfect

3.

A．counters

B．destinations

C．regulations

D．signs

4.

A．doubt

B．panic

C．weep

D．inquire

5.

A．manners

B．instructions

C．words

D．tones

6.

A．bus

B．plane

C．businessman

D．employee

7.

A．lead

B．follow

C．guide

D．direct

8.

A．in surprise

B．in relief

C．in delight

D．in despair

9.

A．tried out

B．clicked on

C．stared at

D．sorted out

10.

A．announced

B．stressed

C．suggested

D．promised

11.

A．joyfully

B．firmly

C．calmly

D．cautiously

12.

A．aboard

B．miss

C．catch

D．abandon

13.

A．lost

B．upset

C．disturbed

D．embarrassed

14.

A．encounter

B．disappearance

C．kindness

D．guidance

15.

A．awesome

B．unforgettable

C．tiring

D．terrible

5 . After a while, he realized that he was in a situation _________ he was _________.

A．where; made use	B．that; made use of
C．in which; made use of	D．which; made use

6 . A huge crowd has gathered to watch China’s new scientific research ship enter the water for the first time. This ship, equipped with on-board labs and the latest scientific kit, will eventually explore the world’s oceans. But it is also going to help China plunge beneath the waves: it will serve as a launch-pad for submarines that can dive to the deepest parts of the ocean. “Humans know much less about the deep oceans than we know about the surface of the Moon and Mars. That’s why I want to develop the facility for ocean scientists to reach the deep seas,” says Prof. Cui Weicheng.

He is the dean of deep sea science at Shanghai Ocean University but he has also set up a private company called Rainbow Fish, which built the new research ship and is busy developing submersibles. One of its unmanned subs reached a depth of 4,000m (13,000ft) in its most recent trial. But Rainbow Fish’s ultimate goal is manned exploration and it plans to take humans to the very bottom of the ocean the Mariana Trench, in the Pacific, at a depth of nearly 11,000m (36,000ft). He shows me around a life-size model of the submarine and explains that there is room inside for a crew of three, who will be protected by a thick metal sphere.”At the moment, we are in the design stage, so we are testing several extremely high-strength materials for it.” It will have to bear immense pressures from the crushing weight of water above. If there are any weaknesses, the submarine will implode. The deepest ocean is a place few people have ever experienced first-hand. The first dive to the Mariana Trench was carried out in 1960 by US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh and Swiss engineer Jacques Picard. Their vessel, the Bathyscaphe Trieste, creaked and groaned as it made the descent, taking nearly five hours.

The only other manned expedition was carried out by Hollywood director James Cameron, who took a solo plunge in a bright green submarine in 2012. Rainbow Fish wants its sub to be next. The team insists its venture isn’t about politics and that it is looking to collaborate with American, Russian and European scientists. It is, though, a commercial operation. The company plans to charge people to use its research ship and submarines, and is targeting three groups, says managing director Dr. Wu Xin. “The first is definitely the scientists who are interested in studying deep-sea science and technology. The second group is offshore companies and oil companies. The last one is tourists and adventurers [who] want to go down themselves to have a look at what’s going on there,” he says. This kind of entrepreneurial approach may be a new model for science in China. Deep-sea research is a difficult, high-risk activity — and much of the ocean remains unexplored. But Cui, who hopes to be the first Chinese person to reach the Mariana Trench, believes that China could be the nation to truly open up this final frontier.

1. What function does the new scientific research ship serve?

A．As a deep-sea facility for tourist adventures

B．As a supply ship for scientific explorations.

C．As a station for observing giant squid.

D．As a launch-pad for submarines.

2. What is Prof. Cui Weicheng currently doing?

A．Testing high-strength materials for building submarines.

B．Designing a thick metal sphere for bearing space pressure.

C．Charting the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean.

D．Making plans for his dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

3. What does “this kind of entrepreneurial approach” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Prof. Cui doesn’t rely on government funding. Instead he runs a for-profit business.

B．Prof. Cui is bold in his submarine design.

C．Prof. Cui, who started the company, is a professor-turned entrepreneur.

D．Prof. Cui is the first to offer his ship for tourists.

4. Which of the following might be the best title of this passage?

A．Deep-sea science and technology	B．Ocean exploration
C．Race to the deep	D．The rising of Rainbow Fish

7 . That approach brought Cobb’s air travel last year down by 75%, and she plans ________ (continue) the practice. “It has been fairly rewarding.” she says, “a really positive change.” (所给词的适当形式填空)

9 . Research into social robots has shown that machines that are at the cutting edge of interaction can respond to feelings and emotionally care for the weak, the elderly and children.

Robin was designed as a companion robot to provide emotional support for children receiving medical treatment. Robin explains medical procedures to them, plays games and tells stories, and during treatment distracts them to reduce their sense of pain. The robot uses AI to understand other people’s feelings, remembering facial expressions and conversations to build dialogue for follow-up sessions. In trials at the Wigmore Medical (UK) Pediatric Clinic in Yerevan, Armenia, the team found that Robin led to a 34% decrease in stress and an increase in happiness of 26% in the 120 children who interacted with him at least once.

Healthcare robots could all benefit from displaying emotional intelligence, both recognizing and responding to human emotions, and to some extent, managing them. The problem with this is the fear that human jobs may be lost as robots become better at handling social situations.

Population trends suggest that the demand for robots to work alongside people in care situations will grow over time. By 2050, the number of people aged 65 and over globally will be 1.6 billion (17%), roughly twice the proportion of what it is today. An extra 3.5 million care workers will be needed and that will include emotionally intelligent robots.

Today’s simple systems are being trained to meet that demand. This includes a little wheeled robot that can guess how you are feeling from the way you walk, and the robot from the University of Lincoln in the UK —who helps elderly people to stay physically and mentally active.

The impact of social robots on our lives to date has been tiny. But new models are being introduced that could make the breakthrough. Human emotions are difficult to define, but as trust in robots increases, breaking down the psychological barrier becomes easier to imagine.

1. What are social robots uniquely capable of?

A．Lifting heavy packages upstairs for weak people.

B．Teaching mentally ill teens emotional expressions.

C．Cooking delicious dishes for the disabled at home.

D．Playing songs for blind people on their request.

2. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Robin’s function to reduce pain.

B．Robin’s popularity in hospitals.

C．Robin’s practical application.

D．Robin’s success in passing tests.

3. How is paragraph 4 developed?

A．By concluding viewpoints.

B．By analyzing causes.

C．By making comparison.

D．By giving definition.

4. What does the author think of human job replacement by robots?

A．It is already happening throughout UK.

B．Humans need to work hard to secure jobs.

C．Robots can only meet basic human needs.

D．It’s an unstoppable and beneficial trend.

10 . 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。

Dazu Rock Carvings refers to all of the 102 cliffside carvings in Dazu district, Chongqing. The     1     (construct) of those rock carvings dates back to 650, and continued into the 17th century. The scenic area     2     (add) to the World Heritage List in December 1999.

So far, 50,000 statues and 100,000 carved Chinese characters     3     (identify) and over 75 cliff statue sites are under state protection. The cliff statues are large in size, well carved and among the best     4     (preserve) of their similarities.

The Dazu Rock Carvings have     5     important position in the history of China’s grotto art. Artisans created these rock carvings not simply by replicating (复制) images that their ancestors had made     6     by combining religious figures with ordinary life,     7     recorded the transition (过渡) of society. The statues show the evolution of carving and national features,     8     (break) new ground in religious art and creating dynamic figures full of life. They stand on the peak of Chinese rock carving art with their historical values and aesthetic (美学) quality.

According to the UNESCO description, the Dazu Rock Carvings are remarkable     9     their rich diversity of subject matter and the light they cast on daily life in ancient China. Their existence proved the     10     (harmony) synthesis (结合) of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism during that period.