1 . Allow me to list the short-lived hobbies I started and quickly gave up when I didn’t succeed pottery, softball, violin and designing new-style T-shirts. Uncomfortable to ask for help, I’d rather drop a hobby than give myself time to improve. Being challenged can make me angry sometimes.

Babies and children feel challenged almost at everything, because each experience is new. Adults, on the other hand, see anything less than doing really well as failure. If you’re at all like me, you protect yourself from this feeling and avoid hobbies that might show a lack of competence.

Although challenges can bring discomfort, we shouldn’t shy away from activities we enjoy simply because we aren’t great at them. As the season for new habits and hobbies comes, put your pride to one side, and embrace the challenge.

The way you think about your abilities can influence your performance. There are two ways people view success: fixed mindset and growth mindset. If you have a fixed mindset, you may believe you already have all the skills and abilities you will ever have and you may never improve with effort. Growth mindset is the belief that you can advance through hard work, support, and a different method. “To develop a growth mindset, remind yourself that the first time you began any endeavor, you probably met challenges,” says Daya Grant, a mental performance coach. “Then you got better. As you learn and build skills, however slowly, celebrate those little wins. A win is a win. It doesn’t really matter to the brain how big or small it is.”

“But If you love the challenge,” Grant says, “or enjoy the hard work, accept the fact that you may be doing the thing, whether it’s dancing or playing the violin, well enough.” This reminder is one I’ll take with me as I start new projects that I might not be naturally good at. Catch me at a pottery wheel or playing my guitar in my bedroom. Or don’t. The results may not be pretty—and I do not care.

1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?

A．To provide background information.	B．To bring about the topic of the passage.
C．To stress the importance of success.	D．To introduce his personal experience

2. What does the underlined word “this feeling” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Feeling confident almost at everything	B．Dropping a hobby rather than improving it.
C．Seeing anything that can’t do well as failure.	D．Avoiding hobbies showing a lack of abilities

3. What does Daya Grant think is important in developing a growth mindset?

A．Building practical and creative skills.	B．Asking for professional suggestions.
C．Having enough patience and confidence.	D．Developing a strong sense of competition.

4. What can we learn about the author from the last paragraph?

A．He has developed his own ways of succeeding.	B．He has learned how to balance life and work.
C．He cares a lot about what others think of him	D．He now learns how to embrace challenges.

2 . The 2024 Paris Olympic Games concluded on Aug 11, showcasing the impressive talents of China’s Generation Z athletes across various sports. While they embodied the Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together”, there has been a shift in perspectives on winning as a recognition of the true essence of the Olympic spirit.

Since the beginning of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, many exciting and unforgettable moments have been shared by athletes and audiences worldwide. We have cheered for victories and comforted those who fell short. But beyond the triumphs and defeats, there is something more to admire.

On Aug 4, 21-year-old Zheng Qinwen made history for Chinese tennis by winning the first gold medal in women’s singles for both China and Asia. Just the following day, the young Chinese swimming team ended the US’s decades long unbeaten period in the men’s 4x100m relay, finishing in 3 minutes and 27. 46 seconds. By winning gold medals in events once dominated by Western athletes, these young competitors have demonstrated a remarkable improvement in China’s competitive sports landscape.

Equally inspiring is the positive mindset exhibited by these young athletes. They are confident and inclusive, striving for excellence and breakthrough performances. Moreover, they have moved away from the “gold medal only” mentality, embracing a more composed and rational (理性的) approach to sports. From 18-year-old BMX freestyle cyclist Deng Yawen to 26-year-old swimmer Zhang Yufei, many young athletes have attracted global audiences with their self-assured approach to competition. They genuinely enjoy competing. When Zhang, China’s “butterfly queen”, missed out on a gold medal, she said, “I hope this time I can have a relaxed attitude and really enjoy the Olympics.”

This shift in mindset and demeanor has moved the public focus away from just winning gold medals to appreciating the respect and glory that athletes and the Olympics truly deserve. Success is the goal, but they remain equally graceful in the face of failure, embodying the deep integration of Chinese values with the Olympic spirit. It’s not just about being faster, higher, stronger, but also about embracing sports with a positive attitude.

1. What does the underlined phrase mean in paragraph 2?

A．Fell behind.	B．Made outstanding advances.
C．Attained success.	D．Failed to meet expectations.

2. The 2024 Paris Olympic Games is inspiring, except _________.

A．Young athletes made determination to just win gold medals

B．Young competitor displayed positive and confident mindset

C．Young competitors improved a lot in China’s competitive sports

D．Young athletes attracted global audience with confident approach

3. Why does the author mention Zhang Yufei in paragraph 4?

A．To emphasize the importance of the Paris Olympic Games.

B．To praise athletes’ relaxed mindset in Paris Olympic Games.

C．To prove athletes’ good performance in Paris Olympic Games.

D．To show Zhang’s regret for losing a gold medal in Paris Olympic Games.

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Chinese athletes achieved great success in Paris Olympic Games.

B．Chinese athletes embraced Olympic Games with a positive attitude.

C．Chinese athletes displayed impressive talents in Paris Olympic Games.

D．Chinese athletes embodied the Olympic motto in Paris Olympic Games.

3 . Nearly two decades ago, Facebook exploded on college campuses as a site for students to stay in touch. Then came Twitter, where people posted about what they had for breakfast, and Instagram, where friends shared photos to keep up with one another.

Today, the kinds of posts where people update friends and family about their lives have become harder to see over the years as the biggest sites have become increasingly “corporatized (企业化的) .” Instead of seeing messages and photos from friends and relatives about their holidays or fancy dinners, users of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and Snapchat now often view professionalized content from brands, influencers and others that pay for placement.

The change has impacted large social networking companies and how people interact with one another digitally. As big social networks made connecting people with brands a much greater focus than connecting them with other people, some users have started seeking sites targeting communities and apps devoted to specific hobbies and issues. “Platforms as we knew them are over,” said Zizi Papacharissi, a communications professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. “They have outlived their usefulness.”

The shift helps explain why some social networking companies are now exploring new fields of business. For users, this means that instead of spending all their time on one or a few big social networks, some are turning to smaller, more focused sites. These include Nextdoor, a social network for neighbors.

“It’s not about choosing one network to rule them all—that is crazy Silicon Valley logic,” said Ethan Zuckerman, a professor of public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “The future is that you’re a member of dozens of different communities because as human beings, that’s how we are. The idea that a new social media site might come along to be the one app for everyone appears unrealistic. People’s online identities will become increasingly fragmented (碎片化的) among multiple sites.”

1. What does the author say about the current major social networking sites?

A．Their content is getting more and more lifestyle-focused.

B．Their users’ interest in professional content is decreasing.

C．They fail to provide adequate support for college communities

D．They now rarely see updates about friends’ and family’s lives.

2. What is Zizi Papacharissi’ attitude towards traditional social media platforms?

A．Positive.

B．Negative.

C．Neutral

D．Indifferent.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph about future social media usage?

A．People will choose online apps more carefully.

B．People will change their online identities at will.

C．People will join numerous specialized communities.

D．People will prefer to use traditional social platforms

4. What would be the best title for the text?

A．The rise of the corporatized tech giants.	B．The evolution of social media platforms.
C．The history of social networking companies.	D．The challenges faced by major platforms.

4 . 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。注意：续写词数应为150左右。

Airports can be stressful, and they’re made even more so when something unexpected happens. One morning at Gate 17 of a busy international airport, a father stood in line, holding his little daughter’s hand tightly. The kid’s eyes shone with excitement, curious about the complexities of air travel. The man, however, wore a look of concern. He handed over their passports and travel documents to the airline agent.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but your daughter will need her own ticket for the flight,” the agent explained.

The father’s face turned pale. He had assumed that his 2-year-old daughter’s age exempted (免除) her from needing a separate ticket. The cost of the extra ticket was $749-a sum he hadn’t accounted for. He attempted to explain his situation, but the rules were clear, and the agent’s hands were tied. The father left the counter, excusing himself to make a few phone calls. He needed to figure out a solution, his mind racing to find a way to secure his daughter’s seat on the flight.

As he paced up and down in the hall and made one call after another, a gentle voice broke through his trouble. “Excuse me,” a stranger said softly, standing before the airline counter. The agent looked at her, not sure if she was a fellow traveler or a friend of the father’s family. The woman said, “I would like to pay for the little girl’s ticket.” The agent was accustomed to dealing with a variety of passengers and their unique challenges, but this time she was momentarily taken aback by the woman’s unexpected offer. Her eyes shifted from the woman to the father, who was still on the phone.

Then, with a nod, she turned back to her computer and processed the transaction (业务) . Soon, the transaction was complete and the agent handed the lady’s credit card back.

注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

The father ended his call and returned to the counter with a heavy heart.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tears welled up in the father’s eyes after he heard the woman’s kind words.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . Simon Griffiths is the founder of Who Gives A Crap, a company that has ______ the toilet paper industry.

His journey began with a ______ statistic—2.4 billion people don’t have ______ to a toilet, about 40% of the world! While volunteering in Asia and Africa, Simon ______ organizations doing incredible things to help people there, but the lack of sustainable funding greatly ______ their work.

Inspired by his experience in developing countries, Simon ______ to sell goods to make a difference. But what he should sell? One day, Simon walked into the bathroom and a good idea ______ him: he could sell toilet paper and donated half profits to help fund organizations building toilets. Who Gives A Crap was born.

Too often, people buy products that ______ to their taste but without clever packaging, so his ______ was to create something that ______ quality and aesthetics (美学) , so that people would want to put it in their bathroom.

It was not beyond their ______ that their goods sold well. Their donation to WaterAid Australia has grown from the initial 2, 500 AUD to 5.85 million AUD, they becoming its largest ______ .

When interviewed, Simon said “I tried various jobs before Who Gives A Crap. But after working in both corporate and non-profit organizations, I ______ I wanted to combining business with social ______ so I found the way to use profits from everyday products to do good ______.”

1.

A．created

B．transformed

C．occupied

D．disturbed

2.

A．interesting

B．shocking

C．obvious

D．awesome

3.

A．access

B．fantasy

C．entrance

D．preference

4.

A．announced

B．witnessed

C．imagined

D．suggested

5.

A．took up

B．weighed up

C．held back

D．appealed to

6.

A．revealed

B．revised

C．resigned

D．resolved

7.

A．annoyed

B．struck

C．bothered

D．chose

8.

A．subscribe

B．react

C．stick

D．correspond

9.

A．intention

B．attitude

C．assumption

D．criterion

10.

A．ignored

B．combined

C．evaluated

D．adopted

11.

A．expectation

B．description

C．passion

D．occupation

12.

A．partner

B．client

C．opponent

D．donor

13.

A．blamed

B．denied

C．realized

D．detected

14.

A．impacts

B．careers

C．prospects

D．conflicts

15.

A．globally

B．immediately

C．appropriately

D．individually

6 . Many schools have disaster plans in place to help students prepare for a natural disaster and know what to do immediately after one occurs. Here are some additional tips for you.

Create a “go” bag.

When you know a natural disaster is coming, having a “go” bag can help you move to safety quickly when it’s time to evacuate (撤离) .     1     . These need to be essential items you can grab and go with at a moment’s notice.

Sign up for your school’s text notification system.

    2     Your school’s text notification system will likely offer the best, specialized information you’ll need about what’s happening at the school.

    3    

In the moments after a disaster, it’s important to make sure you’re okay. If you do have cuts or scrapes (擦伤) , use the first aid kit to attend to these wounds.     4     , use the whistle from the kit to draw attention to your location, or try to yell to get the attention of first responders.

Stay in a safe place.

In lots of natural disasters, many accidents happen after the worst of the event due to people being out and about too quickly.     5     , by all means seek shelter, but also remember that the aftereffects of a natural disaster can also be dangerous. Look out for falling debris or rising flood waters when evacuating.

A．Check yourself for injuries

B．Make contact when possible

C．If it’s something more serious

D．If the building you are staying in is destroyed

E．Think of what you need and cannot live without

F．Be really careful not to put yourself in any further danger

G．Getting real information timely is critical at moments of crisis

7 . For Places Recommended

Museum of Wu, Jiangsu province

Placed on the bank o. the Grand Canal in Wuzhong district in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, the museum serves as a leading platform for the exhibition, research and the leaning of Wu culture and historical traditions of the Wu region. Wu culture is known for its distinct language, arts, customs and intellectual contributions, which have played a vital role in the development of Chinese civilization.

Taiyuan Northern Qi Dynasty Mural Museum, Shanxi province

The museum features murals dating back 1, 400 years to the Northern Qi Dynasty in Taiyuan. It showcases the archaeological discoveries unearthed at the tomb of a high-profile official from the era. Ancient murals collected in Shanxi are on display in the museum, reflecting the accomplished artistry of ancient Chinese craftsmen.

Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs, Henan province

The museum is located at Mangshan in the north suburb of Luoyang. It comprises a few complex buildings displaying the Han and Northern Wei dynasties’ architectural styles. Exhibition halls are located at the four comers and 25 ancient tombs are distributed to showcase the characteristics of typical tombs in Luoyang over 3, 000 years.

Dingzhou Museum, Hebei province

The museum highlights the cultural and historical heritage of the ancient Zhongshan State, which existed during the Warring States Period in what is now Hebei. Visitors can also appreciate Dingzhou China, Buddhist culture and ancient writings at the museum which houses over 100, 000 cultural relics of significance.

1. What do Museum of Wu and Dingzhou Museum have in common?

A．They are located in the same province.	B．They matter in cultural development.
C．They exhibit numerous cultural relics.	D．They lay great emphasis on culture.

2. Which museum displays ancient architectural styles?

A．Muscum of Wu, Jiangsu province.

B．Taiyuan Northerm Qi Dynasty Mural Museum, Shanxi province.

C．Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs, Henan province.

D．Dingzhou Museum, Hebei province.

3. Where can this article probably be found?

A．In a travel brochure.	B．In a book review.
C．In a science fiction.	D．In a news report.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What did Jason usually do during winter?

A．He had snowball fights.

B．He went for a walk in the park.

C．He gathered his friends at home.

2. Why did Jason love Christmas?

A．He could play with snow.

B．He could receive many presents.

C．He could send gifts to his friends.

3. How long would it be before the coming Christmas?

A．Three months.

B．About four months.

C．More than five months.

9 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容 (1个单词) 或括号内单词的正确形式。

President Xi Jinping’s     1     (remark) on the 120th anniversary of Deng Xiaoping’s birth highlighted the late leader’s most important intellectual legacy and       2    the Deng Xiaoping Theory continues to shape China’s identity and development path, analysts said.

In a speech     3     (deliver) at a meeting on Thursday to mark the anniversary, Xi called for     4     (thorough) studying and applying the theory to address real-world problems. He said the best way to honor Deng is     5     (continue) advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics that he initiated.

Deng is the chief architect of China’s reform and opening-up policy that kicked off in 1978. The policy has been praised for helping to lift 800 million people out of     6     (poor) .

Kom Dabbaransi, former deputy prime minister of Thailand, recalled meeting Deng in April 1975 as he was part of the first official Thai delegation     7     visited.

China Kom said     8     reform and opening-up policy had a crucial role in China’s economic boom and in closer bonds with the rest of the world, including Thailand. He said the friendship and trade between China and Thailand have grown in the past few years,     9     the two countries joining hands for a strategic partnership.

“Now, China     10     (move) forward and promoting win-win cooperation with many countries under the Belt and Road Initiative. With its growing power and influence, China is now showing its broad vision in pursuing a peaceful development road for a shared future for humankind,” Kom said.