1 . —Jack, could you do me a favour?
—Sure. ________

A．I beg your pardon.	B．It all depends.
C．What is it?	D．Anything available?

2 . Top Exhibitions to See in London in 2023

Architectural: Vanishing Points

While we like to think of architecture existing purely in the real world, emerging designers and architects are using platforms like Instagram to create structures in the virtual world. This collection of works, which range from the practical to the fantastical, are all by architects who have gathered significant social media followings.

In the Digital Universe at ROCA London. 8 February—31 July, free.

Flowery: Orchids

This annual festival is back in bloom (开花), this time inspired by the beauty and biodiversity of Cameroon. Just like previous years, the orchids are spread throughout the various zones of the Princess of Wales conservatory and accompanied by sculptures that are just as colourful as the flowers on display.

At Kew Gardens. 4 February —5 March, &16.50—entrance to the gardens included.

Female Abstraction: Action, Gesture, Paint

Art history has often shone a light on the men of Abstract Expressionism, such as Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Well, now’s the time to let the most important women of the movement take the limelight in an exhibition that includes works by American artists such as Lee Krasner and Helen Frankenthaler, but spreads the net wider to include the female abstract artists from Europe, Asia and the wider world, with whom most of us will be unfamiliar.

At Whitechapel Gallery. 9 February—7 May, £ 16.50—concessions available.

Powerful Portraits (肖像): Alice Neel

The largest UK exhibition to date of American painter Alice Neel’s work will bring together her figurative pieces from across her 60-year career. Neel went against the popular grain by painting figures when abstract works were most popular, and she painted subjects that other artists ignored — pregnant women, labour leaders, black children, civil rights activists and strange performers. It’s high time we had a major show of her work in London, and the Barbican has duly provided.

At Barbican Art Gallery. 16 February—21 May, & 18.

1. Which of the following exhibitions is held once a year?

A．Flowery: Orchids.

B．Powerful Portraits: Alice Neel.

C．Architectural: Vanishing Points.

D．Female Abstraction: Action, Gesture, Paint.

2. When can visitors appreciate Lee Krasner’s works?

A．On February 8.

B．On January 7.

C．On April 7.

D．On May 8.

3. What can we learn about the artist Alice Neel?

A．She is 60 years old now.

B．Her works didn’t follow the trend.

C．She often ignored some common subjects.

D．She is the most popular American painter in the UK.

3 . It was snowing in the midwinter, in a rural highway outside of town. Pepper and Cooper, a pair of beagles (小猎犬) walked with great difficulty through the ________ night. Cooper, a father-to-be ________ the roadside for a spot, where his struggling companion might rest safely. Her way was made ________ by the new life growing inside her. They needed a ________, dry place safe from the bitter wind.

That December night, Gus Kiebel was driving home from work when he ________ the pair in the flash of his headlights. Feeling curious and ________, he parked his truck and ________ the animals. Gus ________ down and stretched out his hands to the beagles, which made no effort to ________. He ________ the dogs on the passenger seat of his truck. Then he ________ his phone and called the number from the dogs’ tags. A man answered and immediately grew ________ and impatient when Gus told him why he was calling. ________, the man declined to ________ the dog. These beagles were ________, no home at all in this world. Then he called his wife Katie. “You can’t put them back in the ________,” she said. “Bring them home.”

Without enough ________ for two more dogs in their small house, the next day, Katie took them to a shelter nearby. In the days following, Katie phoned the shelter ________ to check up on Pepper and Cooper. Soon after Christmas, the beagles were ________ - as a pair, by a loving family. This touching story speaks to the best of our nature. And when kindness and love overcome ________ and neglect (忽视), it can feel like the greatest miracle of all.

1.

A．freezing

B．dark

C．wonderful

D．unforgettable

2.

A．noticed

B．scanned

C．witnessed

D．watched

3.

A．longer

B．fitter

C．heavier

D．stronger

4.

A．quiet

B．clean

C．crowded

D．warm

5.

A．spotted

B．trained

C．dropped

D．crashed

6.

A．thrilled

B．disappointed

C．concerned

D．delighted

7.

A．caught

B．chased

C．approached

D．freed

8.

A．bent

B．sat

C．lay

D．fell

9.

A．jump

B．bark

C．leave

D．escape

10.

A．locked

B．placed

C．threw

D．hid

11.

A．put out

B．pulled out

C．handed out

D．gave out

12.

A．positive

B．objective

C．supportive

D．defensive

13.

A．Fortunately

B．Unsurprisingly

C．Hopefully

D．Interestingly

14.

A．declare

B．consider

C．claim

D．discuss

15.

A．abandoned

B．discovered

C．ignored

D．kept

16.

A．rain

B．storm

C．snow

D．sun

17.

A．water

B．food

C．time

D．room

18.

A．calmly

B．casually

C．temporarily

D．repeatedly

19.

A．adopted

B．adapted

C．adjusted

D．admitted

20.

A．impatience

B．cruelty

C．anxiety

D．fear

4 . In the late 1970s, archaeologists (考古学家) uncovered the remains of a woman and a young dog, her hand resting on the puppy’s chest in a 12,000-year-old village.

The find is some of the earliest evidence of the bond between humans and dogs. But even after years of study researchers are divided on how this bond began. Did it arise over thousands of years, as early dogs became tamer (驯服的) and more accustomed to human behaviors? Or was this fire already burning in the ancestors of dogs: the gray wolf?

Christina Hansen Wheat, a behavioral ecologist at Stockholm University, and workmates hand-raised 10 gray wolves from the time they were 10 days old. When the animals were 23 weeks old, a caregiver led them one at a time into a mostly empty room. Over the course of several minutes, the caregiver exited and entered the room, sometimes leaving the wolf alone, sometimes leaving it with a complete stranger. The team repeated the experiment with 12 23-week-old Alaskan huskies (哈士奇), which they’d raised similarly since puppyhood.

For the most part, the scientists saw few differences between the wolves and the dogs. When their caregiver entered the room, both species scored 4.6 on a five-point scale of “greeting behavior”—a desire to be around the human. When the stranger entered, dog greeting behavior dropped to 4.2 and wolf to 3.5, on average, suggesting both animals made a distinction between the person they knew and the one they didn’t. It’s this distinction that the team counts as a sign of attachment.

In addition, dogs barely paced—a sign of stress—during the test, while wolves paced at least part of the time. However, the wolves stopped pacing almost entirely when a stranger left the room and their caretaker returned. Hansen Wheat says that’s never been seen before in wolves. It could be a sign, she says, that the animals view the humans who raised them as a “social buffer”.

For her, that’s the most interesting part of the study. “If this is true, this sort of attachment is not what separates dogs from wolves,” she says. In other words, it didn’t have to be bred into them by humans, but could have been the seed we selected for, and then strengthened over thousands of years.

1. What’s the purpose of Hansen Wheat’s experiment?

A．To find out what makes gray wolves and dogs different.

B．To explain the reasons why humans raised dogs from ancient times.

C．To argue gray wolves after being tamed are easier to keep than dogs.

D．To prove whether gray wolves can make doglike attachment to people.

2. What do we know about Hansen Wheat’s experiment from paragraph 3 and 4?

A．Researchers began to raise gray wolves from their birth.

B．Researchers used equal numbers of gray wolves and dogs.

C．Gray wolves felt more stressful than dogs when a stranger came.

D．“Greeting behavior” of the two animals was significantly different.

3. What do the underlined words “social buffer” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．A reminder of feeding.	B．A sign of social attachment.
C．A source of comfort and support.	D．A warning of stopping pace.

4. What will Hansen Wheat probably agree with according to the last paragraph?

A．Dogs are more attached to humans than gray wolves.

B．It is the attachment to humans that sets gray wolves apart from dogs.

C．The attachment between dogs and humans is the result of being tamed.

D．The attachment to humans plays a role in the choice of dogs or gray wolves.

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。

As the morning sun went above the hills, Liu Dachun’s wife was guiding her cow through the wetland, while Lu’s daughter, a college art student, spotted the pair and     1    (pencil) a quick drawing.

Shiyanping, a traditional Tujia village, has 182 well-preserved buildings    2    (construct) in the typical wooden building style,     3     (most)built in the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 2013, the ancient architecture complex    4    (recognize) as one of the nation’s major historical and cultural sites.

In recent years, the village’s unique building complex, as well as other Tujia cultural activities, have attracted a stream of tourists. The village received more than 100,000 visits and achieved     5    income of about 5 million yuan from tourism in 2022.

Liu Dachun, a skilled farmer, is hard at work preparing for spring plowing (犁地). He has tried out the rice-fish farming system,     6     not only benefits the environment but also local residents. According to Wu, fish raised in rice fields are more popular among consumers as they are environmentally-friendly — the fish waste can add natural fertility (肥料)to the soil    7    hence promote rice output. Quan Xiping,another 59-year-old villager, was among the first in the village    8     (establish) a family-run hotel. Meanwhile, his son started an online specialty store, capitalizing on the rapid     9     (grow) of rural tourism in the area. His e-commerce business is working more efficiently due to the village’s    10     (rise) appeal.

6 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

How your unique story can get you hired?

You’re sitting at your computer to apply for your dream job, but suddenly you’re not confident enough to get it. So you don’t even submit the application. It is natural for you to experience self-doubt at such a crucial moment, especially if you’re people of color, first generation college student, or you don’t have a traditional background. The secret is to transform how you perceive your own story.

Ask yourself two questions. The first one: why do you want to do this work? Maybe you already know the kind of job or work environment that makes you happy, or maybe you haven’t quite figured that out yet. Usually, your personal experiences can help give you clues. For example, your brother had to overcome his dyslexia (诵读困难症), and you helped him with his reading. Gradually, you became interested in education. That motivated you to work as a teacher.

The second question you have to ask yourself: how can you tell your story to exhibit the unique qualities you have? For example, you undertook multiple jobs unrelated to your major while you were in college. When you’re in an interview, go ahead and talk about them, because it will show the employer that you have time management skills and a strong passion for work. Employers are looking for well-rounded individuals that are capable of accomplishing various job tasks.

Go back and reflect on those tough questions that you need to answer. The answers are what makes you you. Reframing your story can remake your confidence over and over again, but it takes time. It’s like running a marathon. You have to train and practice. When you learn to practice your story, tell it with assurance. You’re sure to stand out among all the candidates.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 .

New big pack from Sierra Designs The latest pack from Sierra Designs is the Gigawatt 60L. The pack has an adjustable back system that fits back lengths from 40cm to 53cm. It’s made from durable 300D polyester. Features include a zipped top and side access, oversized side and front pockets. The Gigawatt 60L weighs 1.84kg and costs £130. sierradesigns.com

Scarpa upgrades its Maestrale boots Maestrale Re-Made ski boots are made from Polymer taken from around three tons of leftover materials. Creating a Re-Made boot from Polymer emits 27% less carbon dioxide than creating a “classic” boot from plant-based Pebax Rnew, which emits 32% less carbon dioxide than Fossil-based Plastics. The design and manufacturing process behind the Re-Made boot were developed by Scarpa’s Green Lab, the production department dedicated to sustainable solutions. A pair costs £500. scarpa.co.uk / ellis-brigham.com

Vasque Breeze gets sustainable update The well-established Vasque Breeze hiking boot has been modernised with environmentally friendly materials. It’s now made with recycled polyester and is the first boot to have a VasqueDry Waterproof membrane, which is made from 25% recycled materials. The Breeze is also comfortable to wear with its soft footbed. The Breeze weighs 1120 grams and comes in two widths. It costs £140. vasque.com

The North Face launches new ski touring clothing The Dawn Turn clothing provides a layering system for ski touring designed to keep you warm, dry and freely moving. It includes a shell jacket, midlayers, trousers and accessories. The Dawn Turn 2.0 jacket won the innovation award at ISPO for its breathable layer. The cost is £350. The Dawn Turn 1.0 Jacket is made from waterproof DryVent. It features a windproof hood and oversized front pockets, and costs £325. thenorthface.co.uk

1. The target readers of the passage are probably ______________.

A．The ski athletes	B．The outdoor lovers
C．The environmentalists	D．The sports retailers

2. Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Both kinds of boots mentioned in the passage have two different widths.

B．The latest big pack from Sierra Designs has a fixed back system.

C．The Vasque Breeze hiking boot is both eco-friendly and waterproof.

D．The Dawn Turn 1.0 Jacket won the innovation award at ISPO.

3. In the boots production, which order is correct based on the carbon emissions of the materials?

A．Polymer > Pebax Renew >Fossil-based Plastics

B．Fossil-based Plastics > Pebax Renew > Polymer

C．Fossil-based Plastics > Polymer >Pebax Renew

D．Polymer >Fossil-based Plastics >Pebax Renew

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman’s attitude toward the man’s idea?

A．Concerned.

B．Supportive.

C．Opposed.

2. When was the last time the man played basketball?

A．One month ago.

B．Five years ago.

C．25 years ago.

3. What does the woman think the man should do?

A．Run regularly.

B．Go on a diet.

C．Check his health condition.

4. What are the speakers mainly talking about?

A．How to keep healthy.

B．How to start exercising.

C．How to prepare for a game.

9 . We all know that leading a healthy lifestyle is essential, but sometimes it’s hard to stick to good habits. If you’re looking to make some changes and improve your health, this blog post is for you!     1    

Get moving

It’s no secret that exercise is good for you. Not only does it help to improve your overall health, but it can also boost your mood and increase your energy levels.     2     This could include going for a brisk walk, riding your bike, or taking a fitness class. There’s no need to go all out. Even moderate activity around your house, such as working in your garden, can benefit significantly.

Reduce or get rid of sugar

Sugar can cause inflammation (发炎) and worsen existing health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.     3     When you cut sugar out of your diet, you’ll likely notice an improvement in your energy levels, mental clarity, and overall sense of well-being. You may even drop a few pounds.

Drink more water

Your body comprises about 60% water. It helps flush toxins from your body, carry nutrients to your cells, and keep your skin healthy. It helps improve your mood and energy levels and helps you lose weight.     4     Also, it may surprise you how much better you feel.

Get enough sleep

A good night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellness. When you sleep enough, your body has adequate time to recharge and heal from the day’s activities, which also helps to improve focus and concentration, and help boost your mood.     5    

A．It can also lead to weight gain and make you feel exhausted.

B．You may have heard the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day.

C．These tips can help you get the restful sleep you need to feel your best.

D．Here are some simple tips that can help you turn things around within 30 days.

E．So next time you’re feeling tired, reach for a glass of water instead of a cup of coffee.

F．One way to make exercising easier is to set a daily goal of 30 minutes of physical activity.

G．However, when you don’t get enough rest, you’re more likely to have trouble concentrating.

10 . At a museum in Vietnam, Lena Bui’s film Where Birds Dance Their Last reflected on the beauty and vulnerability of Vietnamese feather farms after Bird Flu. During a festival in Rwanda, Ellen Reid’s audio experience Soundwalk was shared in a hopeful discussion about music, parks and mental health. These are a few of the things I have helped bring to life over the years, working at the intersection of scientific research, the arts and advocacy to support science in solving global health challenges.

Science is key to addressing these issues. But it isn’t the only key. To achieve its potential and for its advances to be implemented and reach all who could benefit, science depends on trust and good relationships. People might not always see science as relevant, trustworthy or meaningful to their lives. There are reasons why some see science as having a chequered past, from nuclear weapons to eugenics, and are therefore uninterested in, or suspicious of, what it proposes. Others feel excluded by the incomprehensibility of hyper specialist knowledge.

In its capacity to build upon and test an evidence base, science is powerful, but researchers and funders haven’t been as good at ensuring this evidence base responds to the needs and interests of diverse communities, or informs policy makers to take action. Science might be perceived as distancing itself from the personal, the poetic and the political, yet it is precisely these qualities that can be most influential when it comes to public interest in atopic or how a government prioritizes a decision.

A moving story well told can be more memorable than a list of facts. This is where the arts come in. Artists can give us different perspectives with which to consider and reimagine the world together. They can redress the proclaimed objectivity in science by bringing stories —subjectivities —into the picture, and these can help foster a sense of connection and hope.

In 2012, I set up artist residencies in medical research centres around the world. Bui was attached to the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam. The head of the research team was delighted, finding that Bui, as a Vietnamese artist, had license to be in, and to share useful insights from, villages where infectious disease researchers weren’t welcome. Six years later, I led Wellcome’s Contagious Cities program, which established artist residencies worldwide to support locally led explorations of epidemic preparedness. The recent pandemic made this work more noticeable, and has informed our Mindscapes program which is currently sharing experiences of mental health through the work of artists.

With pandemic, climate and mental health crises upon us, rising inequality and what feels like an increasingly broken world, never has there been more need to build and nurture hopeful and imaginative spaces to grow human connection and shared purpose for the common good. Science and the arts can work hand in glove to achieve this.

1. The author lists two works in Paragraph 1 mainly to ______.

A．reveal the gap between science and art	B．prove his competence in both science and art
C．introduce successful science-related artworks	D．show that science can be promoted in art forms

2. What does the underlined word “chequered” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Recent and remote.	B．Good and bad.
C．Usual and unusual.	D．Peaceful and scary.

3. Which of the following would the author agree?

A．Policy-makers base their decisions on science.	B．Researchers popularize science effectively.
C．Science is well received among the public.	D．The arts help people build connections.

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

A．The Value of the Arts to Science	B．Where Do Science and the Arts Meet?
C．A New Way to Fight Pandemic—the Arts	D．Which Matters More, Science or the Arts?