In middle school, my family moved to New York, where my parents established a small grocery store beneath our new home. As a reserved girl adjusting to the complex city life, I faced the challenge of fitting in. One day, my school announced a talent show for the local food bank, sparking excitement and anticipation. Despite my self-doubt, a popular classmate, Lily, approached me with an unexpected proposal.
Lily, known for her charming personality, suggested we collaborate(合作) on a singing performance for the talent show. Surprised and thrilled, I couldn’t believe someone with her status acknowledged my modest singing talent. With Lily’s beautiful voice, it felt like a bit of good fortune. Encouraged by Lily’s enthusiasm, we decided to embark on this musical journey together.
As we started preparing for the talent show, we faced numerous challenges, from selecting the right song to coordinating(协调) our harmonies. The process became a bonding experience and I began to embrace the idea of sharing my talent with the public. Lily’s infectious energy and encouragement helped me overcome my shyness.
Days turned into weeks, and our rehearsal sessions became a regular after-school routine. Lily and I poured our hearts into perfecting our act, drawing inspiration from various musical genres(音乐流派). However, fate took an unexpected turn the day before the performance. Lily fell ill with a sudden fever, leaving me in a state of panic.
Worried about Lily’s sudden illness, I felt a mix of fear and determination. With the talent show only a day away, we had to come up with a plan quickly. In the midst of my concern, Lily, despite her weakened state, reassured me and insisted that the show must go on. Drawing strength from Lily’s determination, I took on the responsibility of carrying our performance. The night before the talent show, I practiced tirelessly, determined to do justice to our hard work.
注意：1．续写词数应为150左右;
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The following day, I stepped onto the stage alone.
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After the performance, I saw Lily backstage.
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China will establish a new batch of national parks, including Huanghekou, Qianjiangyuan-Baishanzu and Kalamayli, in a steady and
Speaking at the second National Park Forum held in Xining, capital of Qinghai province, Guan said China has adopted the strictest measures
China’s national parks are specific land or sea areas
In 2021, China established the first batch of national parks, with
“The Sanjiangyuan park realized the full protection of the source of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang
“Efforts
3 . Andrea Speranza wanted to be a firefighter long before she had the right word for her wish. After one childhood adventure at a construction site ended with an iron nail embedded (嵌入) in her leg and an emergency call to the fire department, she found herself in awe. “As they gave me the medical treatment, I thought they could help everybody and do anything,” says the now 52-year-old.
In 2000, Andréa Speranza achieved her dream of becoming a firefighter joining the Halifax Regional Fire Service. Her job was exactly as satisfying as she imagined it would be, except for one thing: she still hadn’t seen another woman in her role — not in a magazine, not on television, not in real life. Speranza decided that she wanted to help young women see that they, too, could have a career like hers.
The result was Camp Courage, a program for girls aged 15 to 19 who want to learn more about firefighting. In 2006, Speranza and about 20 volunteers welcomed their first 17 participants, recruiting (招募) attendees through advertising in schools. Over the course of eight days, the girls discovered the ins and outs of being first. responders: learning how to put out fires, deliver first aid and even use the jaws of life (救生钳) on a car.
Camp Courage now runs one session every year in Halifax and is free to attend. To offset costs, Speranza and her fellow campers fundraise by holding everything from car washes to comedy nights. Hopeful campers must also submit an essay describing how they plan to help their community, or a specific individual in need. And they have to deliver on the plan—from building a bench for a senior at a bus stop to launching a local chapter of the Kids Help Phone.
Hundreds of girls have passed through Camp Courage, and 36 percent are doing exactly what 52-year-old Speranza hoped they would: working as first responders across the country. This past summer, the camp held its first session for young women in Halifax, as well as its first national camp in Calgary with plans to roll out more in 2023.
1. What do we know about Speranza?| A．She became a firefighter in her fifties. |
| B．She suffered great pain due to an accident! |
| C．She helped many young girls attend school. |
| D．She found her job as a firefighter undesirable. |
| A．Her family members’ advice. | B．Her unrealized ambitions. |
| C．Growing social demands. | D．Great lack of female firefighters. |
| A．Intellectual and humorous. | B．Courageous and inspiring. |
| C．Creative and influential. | D．Knowledgeable and ambitious. |
| A．Custom makes all things easy. |
| B．The early bird catches the worm. |
| C．Nothing is impossible for a willing heart. |
| D．A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush. |
Dave had loved basketball for as long as he could remember and he had never had a day without playing it. At primary school and junior high school he joined basketball clubs, attended training programs and watched basketball games, from which he learned the moves of the star players, wishing to play in a professional team like them and shine on the court.
Now as a senior high school student, however, his dream of becoming a professional player was dimming (变暗) because he was only of average height. He had to give up the hope of joining the school team. The guys on the school team were all tall boys who played matches and won honors for the school. They were like heroes. Dave watched them play and cheered them but he knew he would never be one of them.
Dave felt it a pity not to be tall enough, but this didn’t stop him from pouring his passion into basketball. He just played for the love of the sport. He played in the school gym with other boys or by himself every day, even during holidays and weekends, when it was open for two hours in the morning. He enjoyed every minute on the court making every effort to play better.
It was one Saturday morning. Dave was playing in the gym by himself, as all the other boys were busy with other weekend affairs. Then he noticed a tall boy approaching. It was Lankas. Everybody knows him as captain of the school basketball team. “Hi, Lankas,” Dave greeted him. “My name is Dave.” “Hi, Dave,” Lankas replied as he got closer. “Nice to see you here. Do you need an opponent to play against?” Dave was shocked, frozen right there, unable to believe his ears but somehow, he answered, “Why not?”
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
So, a game of two players began.
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The next Saturday, when Dave was playing in the gym, Lankas appeared shouting, “Dave, I have good news for you.”
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5 . At present, research shows that when employees reach the age of 50, they keep quiet about their age. They see fewer promotion prospects compared to younger employees. It’s also harder to get a new job after the age of 50.
But that is set to change. There is already skills shortage in the world with not enough younger people coming into the workforce. Employers will have to work harder at hiring seniors with the skills they need.
The Center for Ageing Better notes that we already have an older workforce and the qualities of older people are being more recognized. When teams mix older and younger workers, productivity goes up and complex problems find more novel solutions because the strengths and weaknesses of both groups are balanced. Age-diversity helps solve complex problems by bringing together a mix of ideas, skill strengths, and experiences. Older workers can draw on a lifetime of experience while younger workers may challenge outdated strategies and bring fresh perspective. Also, seniors’ greater life experience makes them better placed to manage themselves and others in the workplace compared with younger employees.
There are five recommendations the Center for Ageing Better makes, including minimizing age bias (偏见) in taking in employees and encouraging career development at all ages. The really big change that needs to come is to stop seeing older people as “other”, as different…
There are many people in their 80s and 90s who have never stopped working. They enjoy what they do and like the social aspect of work. But most, from 55 onwards choose to retire—with 25% regretting it, according to a recent study.
1. What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Competition in the job market. |
| B．Worldwide skills shortage in the workforce. |
| C．Younger people’s declining promotion prospects. |
| D．Older people being at a disadvantage in workplaces. |
| A．Qualities of older employees. |
| B．The advantages of age-diversity. |
| C．The challenges faced by an older workforce. |
| D．The complex problems that call for solutions. |
| A．Minimizing age bias. |
| B．Giving up outdated strategies. |
| C．Launching career development programs. |
| D．Employing people from different backgrounds. |
| A．Some regret after retirement. |
| B．Some remain social after retirement. |
| C．Most don’t retire until their 80s or 90s. |
| D．Most keep updating their working skills. |
6 . Nenad Bach, an American composer and singer who lives with Parkinson’s disease (帕金森病) is the founder of “Ping-pong Parkinson”, a movement that promotes ping-pong as a therapy (疗法) to improve the lives of Parkinson’s patients worldwide.
After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2010, Bach found that his tremors (颤抖) and other symptoms were keeping him from playing his guitar. But a friend introduced him to ping-pong, also known as table tennis, and he soon found that both his motor skills and his mood seemed to improve when he played. Bach’s doctor confirmed his improved state. And that’s when the idea for “Ping-pong Parkinson” took root.
In 2017, Bach worked with well-known New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz. Shortz also happens to be the owner of the Westchester Table Tennis Center. In October of 2019, the first Parkinson’s World Table Tennis Championship was held at the Center, attracting people with Parkinson’s disease from as far away as Sweden, Japan, Brazil, Croatia, England, and China.
Recently, a small study was conducted by scientists at Fukuoka University in Japan. People with Parkinson’s disease participated in a table tennis exercise program once a week for six months. Participants experienced significant improvements in facial expression, posture rigidity, speed of movement and hand tremors. They also experienced improvements in speech, handwriting, getting dressed, getting out of bed and walking.
Dr. Ken-ichi Inoue, the study’s author, comments, “While this study was small, with twelve participants, the results are encouraging because they show ping-pong, a relatively inexpensive form of therapy, may improve some symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.” Dr. Inoue is planning a much larger study to confirm his findings.
1. Why did Bach pick up ping-pong?| A．He found it great fun. |
| B．He followed his doctor’s advice. |
| C．He wanted to improve his conditions. |
| D．His friend needed someone to play it with. |
| A．“Ping-pong Parkinson” met with wide objections. |
| B．Doing word puzzles benefits people living with Parkinson’s disease. |
| C．Bach taught people living with Parkinson’s disease to play the guitar. |
| D．The first Parkinson’s World Table Tennis Championship was held in the US. |
| A．Small subject number. | B．Short studying period. |
| C．Incomplete study aspects. | D．Limited subject performances. |
| A．To promote a sports event. |
| B．To tell the story of Nenad Bach’s struggle. |
| C．To introduce a therapy for Parkinson’s disease. |
| D．To present the findings of Nenad Bach’s research. |
7 . I had a wonderful Easter (复活节) when I was four years old. On Easter morning, there was a
“We will get an egg, right?” I asked my mom. “Yes, of course,” she replied, with a
The staff member in charge of the hunt
Kids rushed across the lawn (草坪),
A shiny blue plastic egg was resting on the ground
I hadn’t seen my mom run before that day. She had been born with
The other mom also ran toward the shiny blue egg. In one last
| A．competition | B．performance | C．presentation | D．discussion |
| A．worrying | B．confident | C．forced | D．doubtful |
| A．confirmed | B．proved | C．claimed | D．explained |
| A．climbing | B．rolling | C．running | D．counting |
| A．change | B．gain | C．lack | D．approach |
| A．patiently | B．intentionally | C．cheerfully | D．seriously |
| A．greater | B．worse | C．smarter | D．slimmer |
| A．against | B．behind | C．above | D．across |
| A．surprise | B．excitement | C．confusion | D．regret |
| A．distance | B．charge | C．direction | D．company |
| A．looking | B．laughing | C．throwing | D．whispering |
| A．normal | B．hard | C．special | D．weak |
| A．cause | B．correct | C．answer | D．describe |
| A．burst | B．move | C．sense | D．limit |
| A．sorted out | B．headed to | C．picked up | D．set aside |
1.你想要的机器人的功能；
2.你对机器人的看法。
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The Robot I Want
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Ireland’s beautiful countryside has always had
10 . It’s easy for consumers to buy food and drinks like a bowl of hot rice and coke online or from neighbourhood shops, but for astronauts such things were impossible in the past.
Members of China’s Shenzhou manned space flight last year, however, were able to enjoy such food, thanks to Joyoung, a Chinese firm. Joyoung created a mobile space kitchen for the astronauts. A drinking water machine, an air heater and a soybean milk maker were all accessible in the kitchen through a smart app. Tang Hongbo, who was a member of the Shenzhou manned spacecraft, said in the news that during his three month trip, he could eat hot food with just half-hour efforts, a contrast to the past when similar attempts required several hours. If we had time, we would also use equipment to eat homemade yogurt. We could also control the equipment in the space kitchen through mobile phone apps,” he said.
In the past, most foods couldn’t be directly heated in a microwave oven in the space. Conduction equipment often caused uneven (不均匀的) heating. An astronaut had to spend as long as four hours to heat some vegetables in the space kitchen. To solve the problem, Joyoung has developed equipment that gives out hot air to heat vegetables in a 360-degree way. That enables astronauts to eat steaming-hot fish-flavoured pork and Gongbao chicken, a spicy, stir-fried Chinese dish.
Besides Joyoung, a group of companies, including Xiaomi Corp and Huawei Technologies, have contributed their technologies to the development of the space station. A vacuum (真空) cleaner enabled haircuts on the spacecraft possible. NOLO VR, a Chinese virtual reality manufacturer, has helped astronauts develop an experimental equipment through which laboratory technicians on the ground can see and experience what astronauts are doing in the space.
1. What do astronauts think of Joyoung’s mobile space kitchen?| A．Water-saving. | B．Energy-wasting. |
| C．Time-saving. | D．Money-wasting. |
| A．By making contrasts. | B．By analyzing results. |
| C．By providing pictures. | D．By answering questions. |
| A．There is more tech for the spacecraft. |
| B．Joyoung needs to further its technology. |
| C．Astronauts on board can do as they wish. |
| D．What astronauts are doing is significant. |
| A．Modern Technology Brings Convenience to Human Beings |
| B．Earth to Space, Firms Add Value by Creating Technology |
| C．The Hot Diet on the Space Station Needs to be Addressed |
| D．Manufacturers Make Big Profits from Inventing Equipment |
