1 . Animal appear to predict earthquakes by sensing electricity in the air — the first study to find reliable evidence of the phenomenon has shown.

Cameras revealed an “amazing” drop in the number of animals up to 23 days before a major quake hit their rainforest home at Yanachaga National Park in Peru. Lead scientist Dr Rachel Grant, from Anglia Ruskin University, said, “The results showed that just before the earthquake, animals’ activity dropped right down.”

On a normal day the cameras placed around Yanachaga National Park record between 5 and 15 animals. But in the 23 days before the earthquake, the number of animals dropped to five or fewer per day. No animals were photographed at all on five of the seven days immediately before the quake.

Another study showed that animal activity remained normal in the park over a different period when seismic (地震的) activity was low. Co-author, professor Friedemann Freund, said, “The cameras were located at an altitude of 900 meters. If air ionization occurred, the animals would escape to the valley below, where there were fewer positive ions ( 离子). With their ability to sense their environment, animals can help us understand small changes that occur before major earthquakes.”

Other evidence suggested that before the earthquake, the air around the high mountain sites filled with positive ions that can be produced when rocks are placed under stress. Positive ions have been known to cause ill effects in humans as well as animals. Scientists believe the animals were made to feel uncomfortable by the positive ions, leading them to avoid the area. They are thought to have escaped to lower ground, where the air was less ionized. The findings may help experts develop better short-term seismic forecasts.

1. How did scientists conduct the study?

A．By comparing different animals’ habits.

B．By observing animals in high mountains.

C．By explaining the positive ion phenomenon.

D．By analyzing images of animals they obtained.

2. What can be inferred from animal activity before earthquakes?

A．The ground at a lower altitude is less ionized.

B．Cameras normally record more animals per day.

C．Earthquake warnings can be detected in lower places.

D．The activity of animals and earthquakes is consistent.

3. What can we learn from the text?

A．The findings make for accurate seismic forecast.

B．Animals tend to be uneasy with more positive ions.

C．Positive ions make humans and animals depressed.

D．All the animals remain abnormal before the earthquake.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Negative Influence of Positive Ions.

B．Ions’ Destruction to the Environment.

C．Animals’ Behavior Before Earthquakes.

D．Creatures’ Ability to Predict Earthquakes.

2 . A Danish company named Too Good To Go has been working to combat food waste in the United States and around the world. In the U. S., more than a third of food produced goes uneaten, contributing to environmental issues. Too Good To Go addresses this problem by partnering with restaurants to sell their end-of-day leftovers at discounts, typically ranging from 60% to 80% off.

The app of the same name, which started in Denmark in 2015, has expanded to 17 countries and multiple U. S. cities, including New York, Phoenix, and Seattle, with Los Angeles proving to be one of its most successful markets. The company is now looking to expand its footprint in the southeast.

While the cost savings for customers and businesses are significant, the primary focus of Too Good To Go is reducing food waste, which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The app allows users to track their environmental impact by displaying the electricity and carbon emissions prevented through their purchases. To date, the app claims to have saved over 250 million meals, making a substantial impact.

Food waste contributes to climate change in several ways, including the emission of methane gas from rotting food in landfills, the resources used to grow the food, and the energy expended in food transportation and preparation. Too Good To Go estimates that its efforts are equal to taking about 135, 000 cars off the road for a year, and it plays a crucial role in addressing the approximately 6% of total greenhouse gas emissions caused by food loss and waste in the U. S.

Alexandria Coari, the vice president of food waste nonprofit ReFED, recognizes the potential of apps like Too Good To Go. She believes that they have the capacity to reduce the carbon emissions equal to 870, 000 cars in a year, positioning them as one of the top 10 solutions to combating food waste and climate change.

While the app has been successful in the restaurant industry, its expansion into grocery stores and manufacturing is still a work in progress.

1. What do we know about the app Too Good To Go?

A．It primarily operates in Los Angeles.

B．It has saved over 250 million dollars so far.

C．It focuses on fighting against food waste.

D．It helps sell fresh groceries at full price.

2. Why are the numbers mentioned in Paragraph 4?

A．To show the environmental impact of the app.

B．To highlight the cost savings for customers.

C．To emphasize the company’s expansion plans.

D．To illustrate the app’s success in reducing resources.

3. What is Alexandria Coari’s attitude to the Too Good To Go’s future?

A．Skeptical

B．Negative.

C．Neutral.

D．Supportive.

4. What may be talked about following the text?

A．The history of food waste reduction efforts.

B．Challenges Too Good To Go’s expansion faces.

C．The impact of climate change on the food industry.

D．Strategies for reducing food waste in grocery stores.

3 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Niall was a 10-year-old boy who enjoyed the outdoors. He was fond of parks and nature trails and was saving up for a new bike he could use for his outdoor adventures.

One day after school, Niall checked the refrigerator for some leftovers. He was very hungry after spending the early afternoon playing football with his friends.

He noticed his mom Linda’s to-do list stuck on the refrigerator door. “Prepare dinner, wash the dishes，mow the lawn (修剪草坪), water the plants，do the laundry, clean the house...” Niall read the list. He realized his mom would only be able to go to bed at one o’clock in the morning if she wanted to accomplish everything. And she had to wake up at five to prepare breakfast for both of them before school and work.

“Oh, Mom,’’ Niall sighed. He was sad that his mother had to work hard because she was raising him as a single mother. Without hesitation, he quickly finished his meal and decided to help with the housework on his mom’s list in two hours before she came home.

Niall first cleaned the floor and did the laundry. Then he went to his mom’s room to put the folded clothes in the closet, where he saw a beautiful card. It was his mother’s bucket list. Niall found her top wish was to fly to a white sand beach alone. The boy smiled. He knew how much she loved going to the beach and how much she had devoted to the family.

Inspired, Niall decided to use the money he had saved to buy a plane ticket for his mom. He could ask his grandma to teach him how to book a flight. He imagined how happy his mom would be when he handed her that ticket.

Smiling, Niall quickly placed the clothes inside the closet. There were still many other chores — like mowing the lawn — that needed to be done.

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。
Paragraph 1:
Then, he hurried downstairs to do them.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
Assisted by his grandma, Niall secretly bought his mom a plane ticket       .
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . 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。

    1     (head) a soccer ball just 20 times may lead to reduced brain function,     2     new study led by Liverpool Hope University claims.

The research took a group of participators and analyzed their memory and mental ability before and immediately after they headed a soccer ball 20 times. The result, published in the journal Science and Medicine in Football, shows the     3     (brain) ability to briefly hold new information declined     4     20 percent. Moreover, 80 percent of the participants showed signs of concussion (脑震荡),     5     is a temporary injury to the brain.

Not     6     (coincidental), many soccer players suffer from dementia (痴呆). For example, Liverpool star player Bob Paisley, died in 1996, from Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia.

But until now, there     7     (be) no confirmed evidence that heading a soccer ball is     8     (associate) with Alzheimer’s disease. Sports medicine expert Zhou Jingbin told Chinanews.com that when heading, you must touch the ball with your forehead instead of the top of the head, face     9     back of the head     10     (keep) your head safe from injury.

5 . Opening a book may take you on an adventure, but sometimes, what;s more interesting is what’s been sandwiched in the pages.

In her 20 years as a(n) _________, Sharon McKellar has found different kinds of objects left in books: notes, tickets, postcards, and photographs. Visitors _________ returned to claim them, but McKellar doesn’t _________ those items. Instead, they have been put to good use.

It all started when the Oakland Public Library where McKellar worked intended to _________ its blog content. McKellar thought of Found Magazine (dedicated to everyday items discovered in public places), from which McKellar got the _________ to share her ever-growing collection of items online. Subsequently, she _________ the “Found in a Library Book” project.

“I believe others must have found _________ stuff,” McKellar said. She thus _________ nearby libraries to ask if anybody can contribute something. As a result, people were highly _________ and McKellar was bombarded (轰炸) with other people’s collections.

McKellar has a few __________ behind her online database. For example, to protect people’s __________, she blocks out information like names and addresses. She also believes it is __________ to include all the objects in the collection, although McKellar does have some __________, particularly those left by children. What __________ her most was a note which said, “I love Dad! He’s my superhero.” McKellar said, “I __________ the way kids express themselves.”

Even without more contexts, such items remain a testament (证明) to life’s little moments.

1.

A．bookseller

B．author

C．librarian

D．lecturer

2.

A．rarely

B．merely

C．actually

D．particularly

3.

A．deal with

B．make out

C．seek for

D．cast off

4.

A．desert

B．record

C．enhance

D．distribute

5.

A．necessity

B．inspiration

C．permit

D．award

6.

A．suspended

B．launched

C．protested

D．discovered

7.

A．reliable

B．natural

C．magic

D．similar

8.

A．established

B．managed

C．contacted

D．departed

9.

A．competitive

B．sociable

C．professional

D．enthusiastic

10.

A．principles

B．promises

C．worries

D．questions

11.

A．privacy

B．dream

C．health

D．reputation

12.

A．difficult

B．worthwhile

C．surprising

D．reasonable

13.

A．alternatives

B．suggestions

C．predictions

D．favorites

14.

A．benefited

B．interrupted

C．impressed

D．frightened

15.

A．appreciate

B．suspect

C．examine

D．evaluate

6 . Have you ever had to wait in line at a store and found yourself avoiding eye contact, whether with employees or other customers? You may wish it was easier to meet new people or feel at ease at a party.     1     This article will show how to reach out to others and start potential friendships.

● Stop worrying about the outcome

    2     But not every conversation will lead to a new friend. It is completely normal to feel nervous about the idea of striking up a conversation with someone you don’t know. For many people, it can be difficult to overcome the fear of saying something wrong. Remember that authentic conversations can lead to increased self-confidence and lasting friendships.

●     3    

Remember that being true to yourself is more important than what strangers think. Who you are is no less important than who anyone else is. Every person has their own story and journey, and yours is just as important as anyone else’s.     4    

● Don’t share too much too quickly

It can sometimes be easy to share a little too much information about yourself, especially if you are excited or anxious when engaging with strangers.     5     Remember that you are simply striking up small talk with someone, not trying to turn them into your instant best friend.

A．Share your important stories

B．Don’t worry what strangers think of you

C．This helps advance your friendship.

D．So be proud of yourself and be honest about yourself.

E．Learning to talk to random people can be challenging but fun and rewarding.

F．A conversation is usually the most common way to start a relationship with another person.

G．But oversharing information may lead to an uncomfortable situation for you and the people involved.

7 . Batteries are extremely useful. Many ordinary household items are powered by single-use batteries including TV remotes, toys, flashlights, and even smoke detectors. But what happens when the batteries are used up and have to be replaced? Many of them end up in the trash where the chemicals can get into the soil causing environmental damage. In fact in Australia, 97 percent of single-use batteries end up in landfills.

While batteries can be traditionally recycled, this involves using high heat to melt the metals that can then be reused. The method doesn’t allow for the repurposing of other elements that actually have to be mined. It is allowing valuable resources to go to waste.

Envirostream — a part of the battery recycling company Lithium Australia — came up with an innovative way to turn old batteries into plant fertilizer. While some of the chemicals in batteries are poisonous, the company engineered a new method that takes the micronutrients like zinc and manganese oxide out of the alkaline (碱性的) batteries by crushing (碎) them and removing the poisonous elements. Lithium Australia has tried to find a solution for these waste batteries that is better for the environment and creates better value.

The company began field trials in 2020, testing a fertilizer supplement made from the upcycled batteries on wheat and found that it compared well to commercial fertilizers. After that, they tested the fertilizer in soil that was lacking in the minerals. Now, the fertilizer has been successfully applied to growing tomatoes, avocados, and cotton crops.

Going from powering remotes to powering plants completes a cycle for elements that come from the earth to then go back to the earth. Recycling batteries for useful components and keeping them out of landfills is good for the planet.

1. What can we learn about single-use batteries?

A．It is costly to extend their service life.

B．Few of them are properly disposed of.

C．They will be replaced by rechargeable ones.

D．They are useful because of their convenience.

2. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Removing the poisonous chemicals of batteries.

B．Taking micronutrients out of batteries.

C．Melting the reusable metals in batteries.

D．Reusing mineral elements of batteries.

3. What can be inferred from the fertilizer made from the upcycled batteries?

A．It may have a more promising future.

B．It might be more suitable for the alkaline soil.

C．It needs tests before being used for more plants.

D．It may lead to an increase in agricultural production.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The widespread use of batteries.

B．Various ways to deal with old batteries.

C．The urgency of recycling used batteries.

D．A new way to turn old batteries into plant fertilizer.

8 . When a group of college students started their flying disc business back in 2008 in China, few of them could imagine the then little-known sport would have such a big explosion in popularity across the country this summer.

During the first three months of 2022, searches for frisbee shoot up 17-fold on Xiaohongshu, as compared with the same period in the year before. The topic of frisbee has attracted more than 42.4 million views on the platform, reported China Daily.

The rule of frisbee is very easy to understand. The main goal of the players is to catch the frisbee in the end zone. The thrower is not allowed to move after throwing the frisbee out, while others without a frisbee in their hands can move as they want. “For example, when you hold the Frisbee, you cannot move but instead you pivot (绕轴转动) on one foot until the disc is released,” said Qu Xinchen, who started playing frisbee in April 2022. A team will then try to get the frisbee down and throw it to another teammate further down the field.

For those who want to compete, they can try the team disc sport called “ultimate Frisbee”, which encourages honesty and fair play, with no judges there to make a ruling. In another game called “frisbee golf’，players try to hit faraway targets with a disc. Just like in golf, the lowest number of throws wins.

“People now think it is cool to play frisbee.” Qu added to this feeling by saying “I usually burn 1,400 calories during a session, and I can see my friends more.”

On July 7, 2022, frisbee was officially accepted by regulatory (监管的) authorities and the first Chinese Frisbee League was announced by the General Administration of Sport of China.

But why has frisbee become so popular all of a sudden? Apart from the low cost of the sport, experts believe that one reason is that people of all ages can join the game since you only need a disc for equipment. What’s more, the non-contact nature of the sport suits the need for pandemic control.

1. What is the main goal of frisbee players?

A．To throw the frisbee as far as they can.

B．To throw the disc into the end zone.

C．To keep the disc in the hands of their team.

D．To catch the frisbee in the end zone.

2. What does Qu Xinchen like about frisbee?

A．It encourages fair play.

B．It enables him to stay fit and play with friends.

C．It is easy to play and doesn’t need a judge.

D．It has various forms of competitions.

3. What makes frisbee meet the requirements of pandemic control?

A．It is suitable for people of all ages.

B．It involves the whole family.

C．It encourages no contact.

D．It gets people close to nature.

4. Which of the following can be a good title of the essay?

A．Frisbee comes back globally

B．Frisbee goes viral in China

C．A non-contact way of having fun

D．A new way to keep fit

9 . Incredibly Beautiful Villages in China

Likeng Village

Built in the year 1010, Likeng Village in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province preserves the area’s unique Hui architecture. Though the village charges tourists an entrance fee, it is a worthwhile point from which they can view the blossoming canola flowers (油菜花) in the spring and admire the local calligraphy under camphor trees (樟树) as old as the village itself.

Danba Villages

With few tourists aware of Sichuan Province’s Garzȇ Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, those who do make the trip are rewarded with views unlike those anywhere else. And within the heart of the area, far away from polluted cities, lie the Danba Villages, considered by some as the most beautiful villages in China. Each village is made up of unique Tibetan-style folk houses.

Hongcun Ancient Village

Though Hongcun is one of China’s most well-known ancient villages，its popularity has not ruined its uniqueness. After a climb through the great Yellow Mountains in Anhui Province, rest for a while in this foothill village, which was the filming site for select scenes from Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Centered around a moon-shaped pond, the village was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 for its well-preserved Ming-and Qing-era architecture.

Shuangfeng Forest Farm

Nicknamed “China Snow Town” for its annual seven-month-long snowfall, Shuangfeng Forest Farm in Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province is where you want to go if you wish to experience China’s deepest snows. Over the years, the village has transformed into a charming tourist destination.

1. What can visitors see in both Likeng Village and Danba Villages?

A．Distinctive constructions.	B．Costumes of minorities.
C．Centuries-old camphor trees	D．Works of famous calligraphers.

2. Where is the village that was once a movie set?

A．In Anhui Province.	B．In Sichuan Province.
C．In Jiangxi Province.	D．In Heilongjiang Province.

3. Which would visitors choose if they want to play in the snow?

A．Likeng Village.	B．Danba Villages.
C．Hongcun Ancient Village.	D．Shuangfeng Forest Farm.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does the speaker intend to do?

A．Place advertisements in the Olympics.

B．Become a volunteer in the Olympics.

C．Do an interview with Mr. Collins.

2. How did the speaker know the advertisement?

A．From his teacher.

B．On the Internet.

C．On TV.

3. Where does the speaker most probably come from?

A．Britain.

B．France.

C．Spain.

4. What does the speaker think is the most important for the position?

A．Knowledge of winter sports.

B．Volunteer experiences.

C．Communication skills.