1 . A high school teacher and his students have discovered that an asteroid (小行星) hit by a NASA spacecraft, in a test run for saving the Earth from an impact, is behaving unexpectedly. The find could have effects on future planetary defense missions.
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is a project designed to launch and crash a fridge-sized spacecraft into an asteroid called Dimorphos, orbiting a larger asteroid Didymos. The purpose of the exercise was to see how significantly the previous path of Dimorphos could be changed by the impact. Before DART’s impact, it would take Dimorphos 11 hours and 55 minutes to complete a lap around Didymos. NASA was hoping the DART crash could change the cycle by about 73 seconds, but observations made in the weeks following the impact determined that the results were much more significant, reducing Dimorphos’ orbital period by some 33 minutes.
But California high school teacher Jonathan Swift and his students discovered that Dimorphos’ orbital period was a full minute longer than the time reported by NASA last year. They used the school’s observatory to track Dimorphos and Didymos for several months last fall. Swift presented his class’ findings at the American Astronomical Society conference in June. The DART team has since confirmed that Dimorphos did indeed continue slowing in its orbit up to a month after the impact.
Scientists aren’t sure exactly what is behind the slowdown of Dimorphos. But recent observations of the asteroid have revealed a vast field of large rocks were kicked up by the impact. It’s possible that some of the larger space rocks fell back onto Dimorphos within that first month, slowing its orbit further, DART team member Harrison Agrusa said.
The DART team plans to release its own report on the unexpected findings in the coming weeks. However, complete answers may have to wait until 2026, when the European Space Ageney’s Hera spacecraft is scheduled to investigate the crash site up closely.
1. What was the purpose of launching the NASA spacecraft?| A．To change Dimorphos’ orbital cycle. |
| B．To stop Dimorphos hitting the Earth. |
| C．To reduce Didymos’ path around the sun. |
| D．To make Didymos move in a bigger orbit. |
| A．1 full minute. | B．2 minutes or so. |
| C．Nearly 33 minutes. | D．About 32 minutes. |
| A．How seriously Dimorphos was damaged. |
| B．What happened to the rocks on Dimorphos. |
| C．Why Dimorphos slowed down for a month. |
| D．What Dimorphos looked like after the impact. |
| A．To crash into another asteroid nearby. |
| B．To measure the previous impact results. |
| C．To affect the motion of the twin asteroids. |
| D．To identify the asteroids threatening the Earth. |
When I was young, I always dreamed of playing the piano and giving performances to a large audience in a concert hall. However, I struggled to understand the musical notes and the theory. Despite my parents’ encouragement and offer of piano lessons, I pretended not to be interested, too afraid to try.
Many years passed until one day, at 25 years old, I heard that a new piano studio had opened in my neighborhood. The teacher was recruiting (招收) new students. My childhood dream came flooding back.
I remembered I had initially feared becoming a teacher after graduation. However, I overcame those doubts. I refused to let fear hold me back any longer, so I walked into the studio.
The teacher, Deb, welcomed me warmly. I was relieved to find we were contemporaries (同时代的人) and expressed my desire to play the works of Bach and Beethoven if I could overcome my fear. Deb understood and seemed sincere, so I signed up for 3 months of classes. Still doubtful about my commitment, I bought a small, tabletop electric organ to practice with at home. It wasn’t the same as a real piano, but enabled me to learn some basics.
Week by week, I attended lessons in Deb’s studio. I often passed young students on their way out from their lessons before mine. One day, noticing the textbooks in my bag, a child stopped me and asked, “Where’s your boy?” After some hesitation, I finally answered I was the student. The children then welcomed me and I sat in the studio and listened to a piece a child was working on.
Soon, I gained confidence and upgraded to a full-size piano at home for daily practice. After three rewarding years of lessons with Deb, she announced it was time for me and other students to prepare for a recital (钢琴演奏会) on stage. I was thrilled at the chance to finally fulfill my childhood dream, yet also anxious at the thought of performing before the audience. But Deb believed in me. “Look how far you’ve come,” she encouraged. “It’s time to share your gift with others.”
Paragraph 1:I shook my head and told her, “No, thanks.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
When I finally finished my performance, I faced the audience and bowed.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In recent years, climate change has had a great impact
According to climate scientists, a key climate process,
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap some of the heat,
The evidence shows that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and natural
4 . J. K. Rowling frequently shows there is magic every day. Her Harry Potter series has helped people through times of stress and depression and she is always there to deliver wise words of encouragement.
She is one celebrity who is very active on Twitter. So when a single dad named Matt Burke sent her a message thanking her for the series, she noticed. Her series had helped strengthen his relationship with his 9yearold daughter Bailey.
He included a link to his article titled Being a Broke Parent. He explained how he hadn’t found a level of financial stability that allowed him to pay bills on time and take his daughter on more activities and events. The family also doesn’t have the Internet or TV, which means there’s no “digital babysitter” and he has to rely on his own creative ways to bond with his daughter. Since he received the series, the main thing that has occupied them these days is reading books together.
Burke admits that he thought he was “too cool” for the books when they first came out and he was in his twenties, but he’s loving reading them now. “We switch off chapter by chapter reading them out loud，“Burke explains.” This not only allows her to get more used to reading aloud in front of someone, but it gets me directly involved in something she loves, and it gives me the chance to be very dramatic when I read my chapters and bring myself into the characters in the book, which has proven to be a ton of fun.”
After hearing Burke’s story, Rowling said how honored she was when Harry Potter was a part of his family’s life and offered Burke more books. Besides, people are also offering to send Burke more books as gifts. For Burke, this experience, far more than gifts, will be what he treasures.
1. Why did Burke thank J. K. Rowling according to the text?| A．She guided him how to write a good story. |
| B．She encouraged him when he was in trouble. |
| C．Her books helped him through times of confusion. |
| D．Her books helped him improve his bond with his daughter. |
| A．He has found it interesting to read the series. | B．He was too old to understand the series better. |
| C．He has chosen a better way of reading the series. | D．He hopes to play a role in the drama in the future. |
| A．Useless. | B．Normal. | C．Valuable. | D．Boring. |
| A．J. K. Rowling chooses to help improve kids’ health. |
| B．J. K. Rowling gives a magical gift to a single father. |
| C．J. K. Rowling has a deep influence on others’ growth. |
| D．Burke comes to know J. K. Rowling through her series. |
5 . A family of six is happy to be back home in Quebec after spending a year traveling the globe. Edith Lemay and Sebastien Pelletier organized this
The Canadian couple
The family set out in March 2022,
When things don't go as
| A．program | B．journey | C．campaign | D．exploration |
| A．remove | B．restore | C．fill | D．treasure |
| A．noticed | B．confirmed | C．regretted | D．concluded |
| A．negotiation | B．familiarity | C．combination | D．consultation |
| A．common | B．seasonal | C．rare | D．mental |
| A．As a result | B．More importantly | C．In a sense | D．Worse still |
| A．short | B．super | C．visual | D．early |
| A．idea | B．rule | C．task | D．excuse |
| A．entering | B．crossing | C．circling | D．approaching |
| A．marking out | B．looking back on | C．taking in | D．watching out for |
| A．adapt | B．refer | C．respond | D．agree |
| A．faults | B．challenges | C．conflicts | D．choices |
| A．discovered | B．promised | C．expected | D．mentioned |
| A．prefer | B．advocate | C．acknowledge | D．escape |
| A．fearlessly | B．modestly | C．gratefully | D．honestly |
6 . Neerja wakes up at 7 o’clock. She finds that she has a birthday cap over her head. She’s both
Things are getting more and more
She comes forward to
On her way to school, she continuously
She goes to him and says, “I’m really sorry. I just
| A．angry | B．surprised | C．calm | D．relaxed |
| A．checks | B．sells | C．repairs | D．answers |
| A．difficult | B．important | C．discouraging | D．unclear |
| A．clean | B．find | C．enter | D．book |
| A．worried | B．certain | C．honest | D．careful |
| A．cut | B．buy | C．make | D．store |
| A．boring | B．special | C．possible | D．understandable |
| A．realize | B．remember | C．imagine | D．regret |
| A．cake | B．gift | C．phone | D．title |
| A．forgets | B．hears | C．lies | D．thinks |
| A．dream | B．idea | C．question | D．message |
| A．patiently | B．sadly | C．nervously | D．hopefully |
| A．failed | B．refused | C．managed | D．wanted |
| A．looking into | B．talking about | C．laughing at | D．dealing with |
| A．training | B．studies | C．friendship | D．problems |
7 . Being a good co-worker contributes to a positive work culture and strong relationships with your colleagues.
Treat people warmly
Start the day right by saying hello to everyone you come across at the office. It’s a little gesture that can make a difference in the moods of others and the office atmosphere as a whole.
Be considerate
Be positive
Maintain a positive attitude, even during difficult times. Focus on solutions rather than problems, and celebrate successes with your colleagues.
Welcome new ideas
Welcome new ideas, especially ideas that are outside of the box. Sometimes, we get caught up in particular routines that we are comfortable with. It’s always a good idea to change things up and hear what others say.
| A．Small talk is of great importance too. |
| B．Share your ideas with your co-workers. |
| C．Don’t be consistently late for work or meetings. |
| D．Otherwise, we’ll continue to do the same things in a rigid (死板的) way. |
| E．The stronger the relationships, the better your productivity will be. |
| F．This helps to inspire others to be more enthusiastic about their work. |
| G．Try your best to create a good learning opportunity for all parties involved, |
8 . Ten years ago, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb was on a reporting trip about wildlife conservation. When he was shown around some new animal crossing structures near, Missoula, these new bridges and tunnels intrigued him. He was attracted by these beautiful human-built structures and inspired to write a book. Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet has now been published.
Through expert interviews, in-depth research and convincing analysis, Goldfarh brings to life the deadly consequences our 40 million miles of roadways have had and are having on the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it. A million animals are killed by cars each day in the US alone. Road salt pollutes lakes and rivers. And there's the barrier effect-the steady stream of traffic that prevents animals from migrating (迁徙) all together and finding habitats. Goldfarb writes that noise pollution is the most worrisome among all the road's ecological disasters. Both the engine noise and the tire noise greatly impact ecological environment.
Figures on deaths and disruptions (扰乱) are disheartening, but Goldfarb vividly describes how scientists are actively working on meaningful improvements to help animals and roads better coexist, such as wildlife crossings, from passages in Canada's Banff National Park to the famous Liberty Canyon Overpass in Los, Angeles. Another example is that in India, they built a new highway through a tiger reserve so that animals can come and go underneath the lifted freeway. Of course, that made the project more expensive, but it's ecologically the right thing to do.
Crossings is a truly important and landmark book on a subject whose full impacts continue to be disregarded or underestimated in considering conservation efforts. The book is a sympathetic, heart-warming guide to exploring the issues of wildlife survival and our own.
1. What does the underlined word “intrigued” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Confused. | B．Blocked. | C．Satisfied. | D．Interested. |
| A．Road salt. | B．Roadkill. |
| C．Vehicle noises. | D．Endless traffic stream. |
| A．To bring shame on individual drivers. |
| B．To stress the effect of roads on wildlife. |
| C．To show humans' effort in animal protection. |
| D．To explain the necessity of creating wild reserves. |
| A．Vivid and touching. |
| B．Pessimistic and sharp. |
| C．Objective and critical. |
| D．Abstract and humorous. |
9 . Flea market is an outdoor market that sells old or used goods at low prices. Here are four best ones in Europe.
Braderie de Lille--Lille, France
Dating back to the 12th century, Braderie de Lille is larger than any other flea market in Europe at nearly 100 kilometers of vendors (摊贩) as far as the eye can see. This market is annually held on the first weekend of September, and approximately 10, 000 exhibitors sell items from cheap articles to treasures.
EI Rastro Flea Market--Madrid, Spain
El Rastro Plea Market is a popular market in Madrid, with a history of over 400 years. It is held every Suinday and public holiday during the year. You can find second-hand articles for daily use, yet it can be difficult to find the perfect rare items.
Vrijmarkt Amsterdam--Amsterdam, Holland
This flea market is actually a car boot sale organized on King's Day. Since 1890, King's Day is a day of the year when the Dutch government allows sales on the streets without the payment of value-added tax. At the Vondel park, you can see kids selling their cast-off toys and books. Most of the time, these kids are handsomely paid by visitors.
Arezzo Flea Market—Arezzo, Italy
This market has been going on since 1968 and happens on the first Sunday of every month. If you are looking for a collection of antiques like old furniture, old-fashioned telephones, stained silverware, Roman coins and grandfather clocks, this is the perfect market to visit.
1. Which of the following is the largest flea market?| A．Arezzo Flea Market. | B．Braderie de Lille. |
| C．El Rastro Flea Market. | D．Vrijmarkt Amsterdam. |
| A．In Madrid. | B．In Lille. | C．In Amsterdam. | D．In Arezzo. |
| A．It was set up the earliest. | B．Its vendors sell antiques. |
| C．It appeals to children most. | D．Its stands deal in everyday items. |
10 . After traveling nearly 10,000 kilometers, a package from Britain arrived at the memorial hall for the Lisbon Maru incident on Dongi Island in Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province this month. Inside the package was a painting belonging to Graham Saxby, which was his gift to the fishermen on Dongii Island.
In October 1942, an armed Japanese cargo ship, the Lisbon Maru, was torpedoed (鱼雷击中) by the Americans off the Zhoushan islands in Zhejiang. The ship was transporting some 1, 800 British prisoners of war from Hong Kong to Japan, among whom was Saxby’s father. While the ship was sinking, the prisoners were confined (监禁) in the holds. As they tried to escape, many were shot by the Japanese. Local Chinese fishermen risked their lives during the shooting and rescued as many prisoners as they could using their small boats. A total of 384 British prisoners of war were rescued by the fishermen, for which the British government and people were deeply grateful. A special screening of the documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru was held in London on August 15. Survivors recalled the incident in the film.
After learning that Saxby was going to gift the locals a painting, Wu Xiaofei, a painter on Dongji Island, returned his friendship with a painting. “My grandfather was one of the fishermen who took part in the rescue, rowing a boat back and forth several times to rescue the British prisoners of war,”Wu says. She finished her drawing, which shows the joy, unity and harmony of fishermen, in just three days.
To help bring the forgotten historical event to light, Saxby is now asking a professional painter to create a work to show the rescue scene, while another painting related to the incident by Wu has been completed and is ready for exhibition.
1. Who is Graham Saxby?| A．A film director. | B．A son of a prisoner of war. |
| C．A British painter. | D．A survivor on the ship. |
| A．The fishermen’s rescue operation. |
| B．The prisoners of war being ill-treated on board. |
| C．The prisoners of war escaping a Japanese attack. |
| D．The ship’s damage caused by the torpedo. |
| A．She drew a picture in return. |
| B．She sent a letter of thanks to him. |
| C．She told him her grandfather’s story. |
| D．She showed his picture to the fishermen. |
| A．Peace Takes Brave Men to Win It |
| B．A Precious Friendship to Continue |
| C．A Fresh Reminder to Avoid a Friendly Fire |
| D．Painting from the UK Honors Chinese Fishermen |
