1 . When it comes to thriving under pressure, microbes (微生物) have us solidly beat. New research reveals that Carno-bacterium, a genus often associated with spoiled meat, can successfully divide and reproduce across an enormous range of external pressures — from the equivalent of a very thin atmosphere to crushing ocean depths. This adaptability is unknown for any other life-forms on Earth, researchers report in Astrobiology. Such hardiness suggests a single organism could survive in totally different environments throughout the solar system.

Based on previous findings of various Carno-bacterium strains (菌群) growing well at high and low pressures, University of Florida microbiologist Wayne Nicholson and his colleagues systematically examined 14 strains’ responses to a wide span of pressure conditions. The team focused on strains isolated not only from meat (including seafood, chicken, etc.) but also from Siberian permafrost, an Antarctic lake and deep within the North Pacific’s Aleutian Trench.

In the laboratory, Nicholson and his team exposed each strain to pressures ranging from 0.01 to 100 times Earth’s atmospheric pressure at sea level―corresponding to the pressures on the surface of Mars and inside the liquid water ocean of Jupiter’s moon Europa, respectively. The researchers found that 11 strains grew measurably at every pressure tested. Very few past studies focused on how well microbes tolerate a range of pressures, Nicholson says, but these results are nonetheless surprising given that most other organisms seem to be far more pressure-sensitive. “Humans have trouble breathing on Mount Everest,” he notes, “and that’s about 30 percent of sea-level atmospheric pressure.“

Other bacteria have been shown to do well at comparably high pressures, says Felipe Gómez Gómez, an astrobiologist at the National Institute of Aerospace Technology in Madrid, who was not involved in the study. But these results are novel because they show that the same Carno-bacterium strains can endure so much pressure variation, he says: “What’s really challenging is the whole range.” These microbes’ ability means they could, for instance, theoretically survive at various depths in an alien ocean, Gómez Gómez adds.“ This has far-reaching astro-biological implications.”

1. How did Wayne Nicholson and his colleagues carry out their research?

A．Doing a survey.	B．Listing examples.
C．Making a model.	D．Doing tests.

2. What can we learn from paragraph 3?

A．The results were not surprising at all.

B．Researchers found that many strains could change during pressures.

C．Researchers hardly knew the organism’s toleration on pressure in old days.

D．The research showed why man can’t take a breath smoothly on Mount Everest.

3. What’s Felipe Gómez Gómez’s attitude towards the research?

A．Objective.

B．Positive.

C．Indifferent.

D．Critical.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Bacteria Can Survive at Different Depths.

B．Microbes Withstand the Solar System’s Pressure.

C．All Life-forms’ Adaptations in Pressure Are Proved.

D．Carno-bacterium Strains Have Thrived at Great Pressures.

2 . Herman Rawi from Malaysia uploads TikTok videos of him tasting all kinds of food. But the video of him eating snow on Jan.28 is the only one that comes with a cautionary warning.

Having to battle hot weathers on the equator for most time of the year, almost all of Malaysians love cold dessert. Perhaps this is why Herman tends to lack self-control when he sees snow. During his recent trip to Yamagata, Japan, he filmed himself eating a ball of snow. “A reason — I had terrible fever, cough, runny nose and body aches for eight days,” he wrote in the video’s description.

Herman claimed, “I used to eat snow during the winter when I studied in the UK years ago. I would often go for the freshest snow at an undisturbed place and never fell sick.”

While you may assume snow that’s freshly fallen and collected in an undisturbed area is free of any harmful substances, don’t be so sure. According to meteorologist Mary Scarzello Fairbanks, snow isn’t all that pure. “It’s formed when water-drops freeze around some dust in the air, forming an ice crystal that continues to collect water vapor and form a snowflake. When the snowflake falls, it will also collect things hanging in the air, including dirt and even bacterial particles. If it’s windy, snow could even mix with dirt kicked up from the soil before settling,” he said.

A 2015 study published in the journal Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts even demonstrated how snow could mix with gasoline exhaust 2. This all means that, theoretically, your snow ice cream could have some pretty disgusting “flavorings”.

Eating snow in an emergency is another matter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns against snow snacking for anyone who is trapped, such as hikers, because it can lower one’s body temperature. In cases where there is a water supply issue, the CDC says it’s safe to take collected snow and boil it to kill some harmful bacteria.

1. Why did Herman Rawi dare to eat snow in Japan?

A．Because his fans encouraged him to do so.

B．Because many Malaysians have done it before.

C．Because the snow in Japan is cleaner than elsewhere.

D．Because he had a lot of experiences eating snow before.

2. What’s Mary Scarzello Fairbanks’ attitude towards eating snow?

A．Casual.

B．Doubtful.

C．Opposed.

D．Appreciative.

3. What can we infer from CDC’s release?

A．In any case you can’t eat snow snacks.

B．Boiling can kill all the bacteria in the snow.

C．It’s acceptable to eat snow directly in an emergency.

D．In some cases you can drink boiled snow water.

4. What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To warn the readers against eating snow at will.

B．To share an interesting story with readers.

C．To prove snow is not fit to be consumed by people.

D．To explain why eating Japanese snow can make people sick.

3 . Dad had been a lumberjack (伐木工). As the years passed on, he became angry whenever he couldn’t do something he had done as a(n) _________ man. Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, Dad had a heart attack and was_________ into an operating room. He survived. But his passion for life was_______.

My husband, Dick, and I invited Dad to live with us on our small farm. We hoped the fresh _________air would help him adjust. Within a week after he moved in, I_________. He complained at everything I did. I called a mental health center that recommended an article describing a group of patients under treatment for_________. Yet their health had improved greatly when given_________ for a dog.

I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon and back home with a dog.

When I reached the house, I helped my_________ out of the car and said “Dad! Look what I got for you!” Dad looked, then pulled a face. “If I had wanted a dog, I would have picked a better one. Keep it to yourself!” Anger rose _________ me. “You’d better get used to him, Dad. He’s staying!”

Dad just ignored me, when suddenly the dog__________ my dad and sat down. Then slowly, he raised his paw...Dad remained silent. The dog waited __________. Then Dad was on his knees __________the animal.

It was the__________of a warm and loving friendship. Dad and the pet were__________throughout the next three years. Dad’s bitterness__________ , and they made many friends.

1.

A．older

B．younger

C．happier

D．luckier

2.

A．rushed

B．forced

C．kept

D．transformed

3.

A．consistent

B．fresh

C．gone

D．troublesome

4.

A．town

B．countryside

C．city

D．state

5.

A．cried

B．smiled

C．regretted

D．opposed

6.

A．depression

B．disappointment

C．fitness

D．confusion

7.

A．devotion

B．commitment

C．treatment

D．responsibility

8.

A．prize

B．company

C．burden

D．reward

9.

A．nearby

B．along

C．on

D．inside

10.

A．closed

B．barked

C．annoyed

D．neared

11.

A．anxiously

B．delightedly

C．patiently

D．bitterly

12.

A．bringing up

B．picking up

C．pulling up

D．catching up

13.

A．beginning

B．resolution

C．addition

D．display

14.

A．undisturbed

B．incredible

C．inseparable

D．unattended

15.

A．arose

B．decreased

C．restored

D．faded

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Dylan Warren say about the car?

A．Its scratch was from a serious accident.

B．Its air conditioning system is new.

C．It has run more than 40,000 miles.

2. What is Jessica James dissatisfied with about the car?

A．The engine.

B．The brakes.

C．The suspensions.

3. How much does Dylan Warren want to sell the car for?

A．$5,500.

B．$6,000.

C．$6,500.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does Debra Rosenthal teach?

A．Climate Change: Global Impacts.

B．Environmental Literature.

C．Organic Chemistry.

2. Why was Isidora Djukic initially unsure about the idea of the board game?

A．She didn’t enjoy playing board games.

B．She doubted its effectiveness in learning.

C．She preferred traditional classroom discussions.

3. How does the board game “Solutions” differ from “Monopoly”?

A．The players of “Solutions” work towards a common goal.

B．The aim of “Solutions” is to make players compete with each other.

C．“Solutions” includes collecting recyclable materials.

4. What do we know about the board game “Solutions”?

A．It needs to be played with six copies at the same time.

B．It often involves votes to make a decision.

C．It requires the players to measure the temperature.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Which of the following appeals to the woman most?

A．Shaolin kung fu.

B．Wing Chun.

C．Tai chi.

2. What does the man appreciate about drunken boxing?

A．Its health benefits.

B．Its interesting effects.

C．Its graceful movements.

3. What do the speakers talk about in the end?

A．The significance of Chinese martial arts.

B．The new concept of Chinese philosophy.

C．Different forms of self-defense.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What will the man probably be doing at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow?

A．Having a meal with Ms. Carey.

B．Talking about marketing strategies.

C．Attending a budget review meeting.

2. When is tomorrow’s conference call scheduled to begin?

A．At 5:30 p.m.

B．At 4:30 p.m.

C．At 3:00 p.m.

8 . What did Sarah emphasize just now?

A．Teamwork.

B．Responsibility.

C．Creative thinking.

9 . Brushing your teeth effectively lowers your chances of getting a host of chronic diseases, as well as keeping your teeth and gums (牙龈) healthy. But the majority of us are doing it wrong.

In Sweden, one study found as few as one in 10 people practice the best brushing technique. The British health insurer Bupa found that almost half of respondents did not know how to brush their teeth properly in a survey of 2,000 people in the UK.

So what exactly are most of us getting wrong, and how can we change our routine to make sure we brush our teeth effectively? Here’s how to properly brush your teeth, according to experts.

“Lots of patients understand that what they need to do is remove food remains,” says Josefine Hirschfeld, associate professor and specialist in restorative dentistry at the University of Birmingham in the UK. “That is only partially true. It’s much more important to remove bacteria from the teeth.” These bacteria and other microorganisms grow inside everyone’s mouth, and form a sticky biofilm commonly known as dental plaque (牙菌斑). It is made up of around 700 different species of bacteria, the second-greatest diversity in the human body after the gut, as well as a host of fungi and viruses. “They are living in the sticky film stuck to the teeth and also to the soft tissues,” says Hirschfeld. “This sticky film can't be easily rinsed off — it really needs to be manually cleaned.”

The most important place to remove it from is not in fact the teeth, but the gum. This is where microbes are best able to sink the gum tissue and do damage to teeth. In fact, “brushing your teeth” is something of a misnomer. “Think of brushing your gum, rather than the teeth themselves,” says Hirschfeld. “The teeth will then be brushed automatically.”

Brushing too hard, especially with a firmer-bristled brush, can cause injury to the gums. Small tears in the soft tissue caused by overzealous brushing are an opportunity for bacteria to enter the bloodstream. And grating the brush’s bristles over the enamel can wear tiny grooves in the tooth, which add up to significant erosion over time.

1. When brushing teeth most people’s practices are __________.

A．healthy

B．effective

C．faulty

D．uncertain

2. The majority of patients hold the view that _________.

A．They are practicing the best brushing skills

B．Bacteria and microorganisms are not common inside their mouths

C．It’s the most important to remove the sticky film from the gum

D．The aim of brushing teeth is to remove food remains

3. What does the underlined word “overzealous” in paragraph 6 probably mean?

A．Attentive.

B．Overdone.

C．Overlooked.

D．Slight.

4. What should we bear in mind so as to brush our teeth appropriately?

A．When our gum is brushed, our teeth is cleaned together.

B．It’s much more important to remove food remains from the teeth .

C．The greater care we take to brush our teeth, the healthier the teeth will be.

D．Dental plaque containing species of bacteria only exists on teeth.

10 . With the growing popularity of the TV series Blossoms Shanghai (繁花), key scenes describe city areas in the show have become the hottest tourist attractions in Shanghai of late. Here are some citywalk routes based on the TV series that are worthy of exploration:

Major citywalk route:

Huanghe Road → West Nanjing Road → East Nanjing Road → East Zhongshan Road → Number One

The narrator in the TV series Blossoms Shanghai points out: “In 1993, the 755-meter-long Huanghe Road had over 100 restaurants, attracting countless wealthy diners each night.”

Starting from Huanghe Road and crossing Nanjing Road to the Bund, you'll pass by many scenic spots often filmed in the series:

• Tai Sheng Yuan restaurant

This restaurant specializes in Shanghai cuisine. It opened in 1993 and is also recognized as the prototype of Zhi Zhen Yuan restaurant in the TV series.

Address: No 50 Huanghe Road, Huangpu district

• Wing On Department Store

The prototype of Hu Lian Department Store in the TV series was Hua Lian Department Store between 1988 and 2006. It later changed its name to Wing On Department Store and was one of the four major original department stores in Shanghai.

Address: No 635 East Nanjing Road, Huangpu district

• Fairmont Peace Hotel

Peace Hotel on East Nanjing Road, a major scene in the TV series where leading character A Bao, played by actor Hu Ge, lives. The hotel first opened its doors on Aug 1, 1929, and was originally named Cathay Hotel by its owner, Sir Victor Sassoon, a businessman and hotelier from the Sassoon banking family, a famous and prosperous British-Iraqi Jewish family in Shanghai in the 1920s and 30s. The Sassoon family once owned lots of property including HSBC.

Address: No 20 East Nanjing Road, Huangpu district

1. What makes these citywalk routes so popular in Shanghai ?

A．The friendly tourism policy	B．The fantastic scenery
C．The hit TV play	D．The beautiful season

2. Which place may best suit people who prefer special cuisine ?

A．No 50 Huanghe Road, Huangpu district

B．No 635 East Nanjing Road, Huangpu district

C．No 20 East Nanjing Road, Huangpu district

D．No 211 Cheting Road, Songjiang district

3. What is the common feature of the three scenic spots?

A．Their history is not long.

B．They feature fine cuisine.

C．They offer diverse goods.

D．They are in the same district.