1 . Few people in America knew the poor village, ______ they? (变成反意疑问句)

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。

1. How can frozen food be kept cold at ordinary temperatures?

A．By using bags.

B．By using water.

C．By using paper.

2. What is advised to do when camping?

A．Use special dry foods.

B．Never cook meat or eggs.

C．Keep milk in a cooler box.

3. What is the passage mainly about?

A．How to pick up fresh food.

B．How to eat healthily in different weather.

C．How to keep food from going bad in summer.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1. Who is the woman talking with?

A．Her teacher.

B．Her uncle.

C．Her classmate.

2. Where did the earthquake take place according to the woman?

A．In New Zealand.

B．In America.

C．In Canada.

3. Why did the woman come back to Canada?

A．She got hurt in the earthquake.

B．She wanted to take a break.

C．She took an exchange program.

4. When is the woman going back to school?

A．In two weeks.

B．In a month.

C．In two months.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。

1. Who is the woman?

A．The man’s classmate.

B．Annie’s sister.

C．Annie’s roommate.

2. What does the man want to tell Annie?

A．His new address.

B．His visit.

C．Hotel information.

3. How can Annie get in touch with the man?

A．Send him an urgent message.

B．Dial the phone number 4934975.

C．Go to Room 668, the Terminal Hotel.

5 . 目前，越来越多的中学生使用电子词典笔来学英语。最近，你班同学就“Should students use electronic dictionary pens?”这一话题进行了讨论，大家对此看法不一。请你根据表格提示，用英语写一篇短文，介绍此次的讨论情况并表明自己的观点。

赞成(40%)的理由	1. 电子词典笔便于携带，查单词容易； 2. 功能多：可以纠正发音，练习听力等。
反对(60%)的理由	1. 电子词典笔有其它功能，导致学习分心； 2. 容易产生依赖性，不再下功夫记单词。
你的观点	……

注意：1. 词数120左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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6 . 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。

“We finally have the first look at our Milky Way black hole, Sagittarius A*,”an international team of astrophysicists(天文物理学家)and researchers from the Event Horizon Telescope team announced     1    (proud)on Thursday.

For years, the supermassive black hole in the dark center of the Milky Way galaxy     2    (study)——and eventually, it’s been captured(捕捉)in an image. The black hole is often referred to     3     Sgr A*. Its mass is about 4 million times     4     of the sun, and it’s about 27,000 light years from Earth.

What made capturing the image extra     5    (challenge)was the dynamic enyironment of Sgr A*, and the challenges of looking not only through the earth’s atmosphere     6     also through the gas clouds in the disk of the Milky Way galaxy towards the center. It took several years to refine the images.

“Although we cannot see the black hole     7    (it), because it is completely dark, glowing(发光的)gas around it reveals a telltale signature, a dark central region    8    (surround)by a bright ring-like structure,” the Event Horizon Telescope team said in its announcement.

The     9    (discover)comes three years after the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration released the first-ever image of a black hole—but that work focused on     10     center of galaxy Messier 87, tens of millions of light-years away from Earth in the Virgo cluster of galaxies.

7 . Influential people have a great impact on everyone they encounter. Yet, they achieve this only because they exercise so much influence from inside, on themselves. Their focused pursuit of excellence is driven by five habits that you can follow and absorb until your influence expands (扩大):

1. They think for themselves.

Influential people aren’t affected by the latest trend or by public opinion.     1     They’re more than willing to change their mind according to facts, but they aren’t influenced by what other people think, only by what they know.

2. They welcome disagreement.

Influential people do not react emotionally to different opinions.     2     They’re humble (谦逊的) enough to know that they don’t know everything and that someone else might see something they missed. And if that person is right, they accept the idea wholeheartedly because they care more about the result than being right.

3. They are proactive (主动出击的).

Influential people don’t wait for things like new ideas and new technologies to find them; they seek those things out.     3     They see what’s coming because they intentionally look for it.

4. They respond rather than react.

If someone criticizes an influential person for making a mistake, or if someone else makes a mistake, influential people don’t react immediately and emotionally. They wait. They think.     4     Influential people know how important relationships are, and they won’t let an emotional overreaction harm theirs.

5. They believe.

    5     They believe in their power to achieve their dreams, and they believe others share that same power. They believe that nothing is out of reach.

A．Instead, they welcome them.

B．And then they deliver a proper response.

C．Influential people always expect the best.

D．They’re influential because they see what’s coming.

E．They form their opinions carefully, based on the facts.

F．They never believe that one person can change the world.

G．They fight back against these critics as hard as they could.

8 . A new study from researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles(UCLA)seems to suggest busy students listening to sped-up video lectures can actually understand a lot.

In the experiment, Alan Castel and a Dillon Murphy divided 231 undergraduate participants into four groups. Each group watched two video lectures: one about the Roman Empire and the other on real estate appraisals (房地产评估). The videos, at normal speed, ranged hetween13 and 15 minutes long. One group watched each video at its normal speed, the second watched them at 1.5 times normal speed, the third at double speed and the fourth at 2.5 times normal speed.

After each individual video, the participants were given a test made up of 20 questions to measure how well they remembered the information. The normal-speed group averaged 26 correct answers out of 40, and were closely followed by the 1.5-speed group and double-speed group, which each scored 25 out of 40. It wasn’t until participants watched the video at 2.5-speed that their performance on the test significantly dropped, to an average of 22 out of 40 questions answered correctly. A week later, when the same participants took new tests without rewatching the videos, the new scores saw the same order of decrease (降低).

The study suggests that, while sped-up videos did not improve student learning comprehension (理解力), they did not put them far behind, either —at least until the speed reached 2.5 times normal speed..

The increase in efficiency that students get from finishing a video in half the time could allow them to take more effective notes. “Students can spend the same amount of time studying, but in perhaps a better way,” Murphy said “That opens the door to the potential benefits of that additional study opportunity.”

The videos in the study were for subjects that can be explained in words pretty easily, Murphy explained, whereas students watching a difficult physics or chemistry lecture at high speeds might see different results. Further research on the same topic could provide details on how well students remember information offered at higher speeds when it comes to those kinds of more challenging topics, the researchers said.

1. Which best describes how the participants watched the two videos?

A．The first group watched videos at different speeds.

B．The second group watched the two videos twice.

C．The third group watched for less than 15 minutes.

D．The fourth group watched for more than 40 minutes.

2. What did the experiment show?

A．The normal-speed watchers did no better than other groups.

B．Sped-up videos sometimes affected only a little to the watchers.

C．There were great differences among the 4 groups in the testing result.

D．The content of the video made no difference in the experiment.

3. What is Murphy’s attitude to watching video lectures at higher speeds?

A．Critical.

B．Curious.

C．Doubtful.

D．Supportive.

4. What might the researchers at UCLA do in their future studies?

A．Give participants more difficult tests after they watch videos.

B．Observe the effects of watching videos at lower speeds.

C．Let participants watch videos of more complex topics.

D．Ask students from various majors to watch videos.

9 . For 18 years, I’ve feared the yearly event of writing a “vision statement (愿景宣言)” for our son, Ethan. He has autism (自闭症). In theory, the vision statement is a lovely idea — an opportunity for parents to express the future they plan for their child five years down the road. In reality, as Ethan grew up and his limitations became clearer, I found it harder every year to write the short paragraph.

This year, as Ethan completed his final year in the school system, we signed Ethan up to work at a local farm that employs young adults with disabilities assuming it would go the way he always has. He’d be interested at first, then bored, and then — because he was bored — silly and unsafe around the equipment in a way that would get him removed from the program. It was his pattern and if there’s anything we’ve learned, autistic kids love repeating their patterns.

Surprisingly, after a year, we were told he’d made it onto a landscaping team. “What do you do in the team?” we asked. Eth an listed a few machines we assumed he was watching other people operate. We’ve lived with Ethan for 21 years. We know his limitations.

At our last meeting for the vision statement, a man from the farm read a report on Ethan. Ethan was operating those machines, safely and effectively, along with the final line: “Ethan makes us laugh every day.” I could hardly believe it.

Ethan wrote his own vision statement this year. He read it aloud:

“I plan to work at Prospect Meadow Farm until I retire and live. at home with my family as long as I can. My goals for the future are to learn how to drive a lawn mower (割草机).”

I had tears in my eyes. Not simply because Ethan had made his own entirely reasonable vision statement, but because it involved the part of his present life that brings him joy. After years of making up visions for a future we never honestly thought possible, Ethan was offering one that was both hopeful and extremely simple: I want my life to keep looking the way it does NOW.

1. How did the author feel about writing a vision statement for her son?

A．It was difficult.	B．It was boring.
C．It was annoying.	D．It was embarrassing.

2. Why does the author mention Ethan’s pattern in paragraph 2?

A．To show her concern for Ethan’s safety.

B．To show her familiarity with autistic kids.

C．To show her low expectations for Ethan’s farm job.

D．To show her special responsibility as Ethan’s parent.

3. How did Ethan behave on the farm?

A．He went beyond his limits.

B．He made silly mistakes.

C．He liked watching others working.

D．He could hardly get along with others.

4. Which statement will the author probably agree with?

A．Success is built on failure.

B．Never lose faith in your high goals.

C．Family support helps to develop confidence.

D．The future should look like the best parts of the present.

10 . In the annals of human history, few subjects have generated as much excitement, debate, and guess as artificial intelligence (AI). This revolutionary technology, which enables machines to perform tasks that once required human intelligence, has the potential to transform every part of our society, from healthcare and finance to transportation and entertainment.

At its heart, AI is all about data. Massive amounts of data are fed into algorithms that learn from this data, allowing them to make predictions, recognize patterns, and even make decisions. This “machine learning” is the driving force behind many of the AI applications we see today, from virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa to more advanced systems like IBM’s Watson, which can analyze vast amounts of information to assist doctors in diagnosing diseases.

The transformative potential of AI is undeniable. In the medical field, for instance, AI can assist in early detection of diseases, predict patient outcomes, and even suggest treatment options. In finance, algorithms can predict stock market trends, and provide personalized financial advice. In transportation, self-driving cars equipped with AI systems promise to reduce accidents, ease traffic jams, and transform urban landscapes.

However, with great potential comes great responsibility. The rise of AI has caused debates about is ethical implications (道德含义). The machines are only as good as the data they are fed, and there’s a growing concern about biases (偏见) being built into AI systems. For instance, facial recognition technologies, used in everything from unlocking phones to police monitoring cameras, have come under check for misidentifying individuals based on race or gender.

Moreover, the widespread adoption of AI could lead to significant job displacement. While new roles and industries might emerge as a result of AI, it is not sure that these will pay off the jobs lost. This could increase income inequalities and causes difficulties to social systems.

Another major concern is the “black box” nature of AI. Many AI systems operate in ways that even their creators don’t fully understand. This can be problematic, especially in critical applications like healthcare or criminal justice where understanding the logic behind a decision is important.

Then there’s the potential for AI to be weaponized. In the hands of evil actors, AI could be used to spread misinformation, control public opinion, or even engage in internet warfare. The global community must come together to set standards and regulations to prevent such misuse.

On the brighter side, many experts believe that by setting the right frameworks and investing in education and retraining, we can use the power of AI for the greater good. By fostering (促进) a culture of continuous learning and staying abreast (并排的，并肩的) of technological advancements, society can benefit from the promise of AI while avoiding its potential dangers.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence stands as one of the most profound inventions of our time. While it offers vast opportunities, it also poses significant challenges that we, as a society, must welcome. As we stand at this technological crossroads, our choices will determine whether AI serves as a benefit or a harm for humanity.

1. Which of the following best describes the method by which machines acquire the capability to perform tasks that traditionally required human intelligence?

A．By programming predefined rules.

B．Through user interactions every day.

C．By ingesting and processing vast amounts of data.

D．Via regular software updates from developers.

2. In the context of the article, how does the author primarily demonstrate the effect of artificial intelligence?

A．By citing numerous statistical data.

B．By presenting both the positive potential and the challenges of AI.

C．Through personal experiences.

D．By focusing on the negative effects of AI.

3. Which of the following is the best title?

A．The Rise of Virtual Assistants: Siri and Alexa

B．Understanding the Mechanisms Behind AI Algorithms

C．Artificial Intelligence: Charting the Course for Tomorrow’s Tech

D．Balancing the Potential and challenges of AI in Modern Society

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．AI has already replaced most human jobs and is the leading cause of unemployment.

B．The global community has taken measures to prevent AI misuse.

C．The operation of many AI systems is easily understood by their creators.

D．The solving to the dilemma brought by AI needs collective efforts of our society.