1 . You may have noticed a phenomenon among students today. Although there are exceptions, this generation is advanced intellectually, but behind emotionally. They are missing many of the marks of maturity they should have.

From an intellectual perspective, students today have been exposed to so much more than I was growing up —and far sooner. They’ve consumed information on everything before they graduate from middle school. Everything is coming at them sooner.

On the other hand, students have been delayed in their emotional growth. They seem to require more time to actually “grow up” and prepare for the responsibility that comes with adulthood. This is a result of many factors, including well-intentioned parents who always keep their eyes on their children, not allowing them to experience the pain of maturation.

There is another reason why teens struggle with maturation. Scientists are gaining new insights into remarkable changes in the brain that may explain why the teen years are so hard on young people and their parents. From ages 11-14, kids lose some of the connections between cells in the part of their brain that enables them to think clearly and make good decisions.

What happens is that the brain reshapes itself, going through changes that will allow a young person to move into adult life effectively. Teens experiencing these brain changes can react emotionally, according to Ian Campbell, an expert at the U. C. Davis Sleep Research Laboratory. Mood swings and uncooperative and irresponsible attitudes can all be the result of these changes. Sometimes, students can’t explain why they feel the way they do. Their brain is changing from a child brain to an adult brain.

Regions that specialize in language, for example, grow rapidly until about age 13 and then stop. The part of the brain responsible for high-level reasoning and decision-making aren’t fully mature until the early 20s, according to Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, a neuroscientist at Harvard’s Brain Imaging Centre. There’s a period of time when the child part of the brain has been reshaped, but the adult part is not fully formed. They are “in-between” —informed but not prepared.

1. What causes the mismatch between teenagers’ intellectual and emotional maturity?

A．They don’t get enough information.	B．Their parents are too strict with them.
C．They have harder teen years than their parents.	D．Their certain brain regions aren’t fully mature.

2. What is the effect of brain changes on students?

A．They are very emotional.	B．They are weak in communication.
C．They behave like adults.	D．They have great reasoning ability.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Students know exactly why they have mood swings.

B．Emotional development causes changes in the brain.

C．The brain areas for different functions grow at different rates.

D．Parents are unaware of adolescents’ emotional changes.

4. Which is the main idea of the text?

A．Teens today experience a series of changes to become adults.

B．Teens now have slower maturity emotionally than intellectually.

C．Parents’ attitudes delay teenage emotional growth.

D．Scientists have found new evidence on teenager’s brain changes.

2 . A British man is excited but exhausted after becoming the tenth Briton to reach the summit (顶点) of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.

Jake Meyer 34, a mountaineer and army reserve officer, reached the 28,251 ft (8.611 m) summit at 8 am local time on Saturday after a five-day climb from base camp. He had to spend two nights at a camp on the way to the summit to allow a snowstorm to pass.

“This has been a journey more than ten years in the making, and my third attempt at this extraordinary mountain,” he told The Times. “While we were lucky with a weather window for our summit day, the conditions were still incredibly challenging at times, I’m happy to be back at base camp and I know my family and friends will be relieved that K2 is in the bag.

Mr Meyer, from Gloucestershire, who reached the summit of Qomolangma at the age of 21. has been chronicling (按时序记载) his climb on social media, sending out a picture from the summit. After a two-day journey to base camp, he said,“I’m just looking forward to getting home to my incredibly supportive wife.”

K2 was first summitted in 1954 by two Italian climbers, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. It is the tallest mountain in the Karakoram range on the border of China and Pakistan. And it is the second most dangerous mountain in the world, killing every one climber out of four. Climbs are generally attempted in the summer due to the mountain’s severe weather.

This was Mr Meyer’s third attempt, after journeys in 2009 and 2016 were abandoned due to bad weather. Poor conditions also forced him to turn back last week in his attempt to reach the summit of Broad Peak, the 12^th highest mountain in the world and another of the “eight thousanders” — the 14 mountains in the world above 8,000 meters. He came within 150 meters of the top, which he was attempting to reach alone in preparation for his K2 climb.

1. What does the underlined phrase “a weather window” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．A piece of equipment for forecasting weather.	B．A window through which people look out.
C．A machine to protect against bad weather.	D．A period of suitable weather conditions.

2. What do we know about K2 according to paragraph 5?

A．The first attempt to climb it was made in 1954.

B．Climbing it is dangerous with a high death rate.

C．It is the most difficult to climb due to its poor weather.

D．None of the attempts to climb it were made in winter.

3. What do we know about Jake Meyer?

A．He spent five days climbing K2.	B．He was the third man to reach the top of K2.
C．He failed twice in his attempt to climb K2.	D．He reached the summit of Broad Peak last week.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A story collection.	B．A newspaper report.
C．A research paper.	D．A personal diary.

3 . 选词填空

committed     inferred     incomes     postpone     insisted on preferences     external     hesitate     otherwise     on board circumstances     detected     faiths     collection     on duty

1. There is nothing we can do to help Linda, whose ______ are beyond our control.
2. Astronauts have to use tape to stick everything down while working in space because everything would float off ______.
3. According to a recent survey, the majority of the doctors believed their ______ did not match how hard they worked.
4. At other times, the reason is given right after the opinion or decision, and the link can be ______.
5. The instrument has a history of over 3,000 years and it is even mentioned in the oldest ______ of Chinese poetry.
6. The international Space Station has provided a continuous human presence in space, with astronauts from many different countries ______.
7. They said the letter inside would explain what it was all about, but he had to ______ opening it unti12 o’clock. Henry felt that was odd.
8. The saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover” means that we shouldn’t judge the value of something just based on its ______ appearance.
9. Festivals reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, ______ and attitudes towards life.
10. Tu Youyou and her team members even ______ testing the medicine on themselves to make sure that it was safe.

4 . 根据所给10个英语单句的意思，从所给的15个词汇中挑选出10个合适的词或短语分别给每个句子填空。

indeed; available; circumstances; integrated; insisted on; apparently; automatic;   emphasis;   postpone;   daily routine;   gradually;   passion;   warning;   made a bet;   early on

1. Two rich brothers, Roderick and Oliver, have __________. Oliver believes that with a million-pound bank note a man could live a month in London. His brother Roderick doubts it.
2. They said the letter inside would explain what it was all about, but he had to __________ opening it until 2 o’clock.
3. You’ll need many suits for many occasions. Yes, __________ you will.
4. She concluded that boiling the sweet wormwood __________ destroyed its medical properties.
5. Tu Youyou and her team members even __________ testing the medicine on themselves to make sure that it was safe.
6. While working there, out of a strong __________ for knowledge, he continued to study, earning a doctorate in physics in 1905.
7. There is nothing we can do to help Linda, whose __________ are beyond our control.
8. Your home will also learn your __________ and preferences, so everything will be ready for you when you get home each evening.
9. Many of these new innovations are already __________ and being used in some homes.
10. They advocate a simple life with an __________ on hard work, family, and community.

5 . People in Melbourne can find amazing art galleries featuring a wide selection of local and international talent in every corner of the city. Here is our list of the best galleries in Melbourne.

National Gallery of Victoria

This grand modernist building is Australia’s oldest and most popular art gallery. This title has been won thanks to the gallery’s outstanding and various permanent (永久的) collections and wonderful visiting collections. It often organises exhibitions and other events, which are all popular among visitors. Besides, its Tea Room and Garden Restaurant provide good service.

Honey Bones Gallery

This gallery is run by artists, and for artists. Its group shows often feature upwards of 40 to 50 artists and are known to draw nearly 1,500 visitors. What makes it special is that every artist receives equal treatment there. The gallery usually works with rising early-career talent and provides instructions to help them learn how to produce successful shows.

Heide Museum of Modern Art

Founded in 1981, the museum houses a number of modern and contemporary (当代的)artworks. It’s made up of three core buildings —Heide I, II and III, among which Heide II is an award-winning building. There’re also some large gardens, a special park and a cafe for visitors to enjoy themselves.

Footscray Community Arts Centre

This is a centre for cultural expression and community involvement (参与) and has been existing since 1974. The centre is suitable for everyone, from curious visitors to well-known artists. You can enjoy exhibitions about West Melbourne and the broader global community. The centre offers a range of training programs if you show an interest in art. There’re also film screenings, art workshops and performances, so you can check its website to keep up with what’s going on.

1. What is National Gallery of Victoria known for?

A．Works by award-winning artists.	B．Its high-quality customer service.
C．Its traditional building style.	D．A wide range of collections.

2. Which gallery can new artists benefit most from?

A．Heide Museum of Modern Art.	B．Honey Bones Gallery.
C．National Gallery of Victoria.	D．Footscray Community Arts Centre.

3. What is a feature of Footscray Community Arts Centre?

A．It holds online exhibitions.	B．It offers a place for picnics.
C．It organises a variety of activities.	D．It is run by a local community.

6 . Voluntourism — a new trend (趋势) of volunteer tourism

Have you ever thought about going abroad to volunteer? Nowadays there’s a trend that more and more people are interested in volunteer tourism.

Making a difference in a country less lucky than your own is seen by most as a really good thing to do. More and more volunteers are seeking meaning and a sense of purpose in life. “They use their skills to help on projects abroad, such as building hospitals, teaching English in schools, looking after children in orphanages (孤儿院), etc.”

However, some people are against this so-called “voluntourism”. Volunteers take away jobs from locals who would have otherwise done that work. Yes, sometimes volunteers have specific knowledge which can benefit communities, such as IT skills or speaking English as a native language. But sometimes they are put to work on construction sites (建筑工地), for example, depriving (使失去) locals of a job on project.

Besides, many young travelers are untrained for the role. This could become a health and safety problem on construction sites or when caring for children. I volunteered myself last year in a library and school in Ghana. I helped to reshelve books, talked to the librarian about the running of the library and played games with the children. However, I’m not an experienced teacher or librarian, and I felt like the locals were far too trusting of my opinions and decisions, just because I come from a more developed country.

Furthermore, volunteer tourism is seen by some as just that-an industry, a way for companies to make money. About $2 billion was spent by volunteers in 2015.Surely it would be better if this money were directly given to places where it is needed the most. Instead, most of the money is going to tourism companies, while local communities only see a very small amount of it. I met some Danish girls who had paid €7,000 each to a company to volunteer at an orphanage, but very little was spent on the orphanage itself.

I think volunteering abroad helps us develop as a person, and is a shining addition to a CV. Volunteer projects are usually very valuable for communities, but often good for those who take part in voluntary work just as much, if not more, as those they are helping.

1. What do we learn about volunteers working abroad?

A．They have no safety problems.

B．They may cause the locals out of job.

C．They become less willing to be volunteers.

D．They would like to work in richer countries.

2. Which statement is true according to the passage?

A．Volunteer tourism has become an industry.

B．Volunteers spend lots of money helping with the charity work.

C．Some volunteer travelers are very experienced and suitable for the role.

D．Volunteer tourism provides locals with more and more job opportunities.

3. What does the author want to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．Voluntourism offers volunteers good jobs.

B．Volunteering gives a lot to poor countries.

C．Voluntourism brings volunteers advantages.

D．The quality of volunteering needs improving.

4. Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?
I：Introduction            P：Point             Sp：Sub-point (次要点)        c：Conclusion

A．

B．

C．

D．

7 . Users of Google Gemini, the tech giant’s artificial-intelligence model, recently noticed that asking it to create images of Vikings, or German soldiers from 1943 produced surprising results: hardly any of the people depicted were white. Other image-generation tools have been criticized because they tend to show white men when asked for images of entrepreneurs or doctors. Google wanted Gemini to avoid this trap; instead, it fell into another one, depicting George Washington as black. Now attention has moved on to the chatbot’s text responses, which turned out to be just as surprising.

Gemini happily provided arguments in favor of positive action in higher education, but refused to provide arguments against. It declined to write a job ad for a fossil-fuel lobby group (游说团体), because fossil fuels are bad and lobby groups prioritize “the interests of corporations over public well-being”. Asked if Hamas is a terrorist organization, it replied that the conflict in Gaza is “complex”; asked if Elon Musk’s tweeting of memes had done more harm than Hitler, it said it was “difficult to say”. You do not have to be a critic to perceive its progressive bias.

Inadequate testing may be partly to blame. Google lags behind OpenAI, maker of the better-known ChatGPT. As it races to catch up, Google may have cut corners. Other chatbots have also had controversial launches. Releasing chatbots and letting users uncover odd behaviors, which can be swiftly addressed, lets firms move faster, provided they are prepared to weather (经受住) the potential risks and bad publicity, observes Eth an Mollick, a professor at Wharton Business School.

But Gemini has clearly been deliberately adjusted, or “fine-tuned”, to produce these responses. This raises questions about Google’s culture. Is the firm so financially secure, with vast profits from internet advertising, that it feels free to try its hand at social engineering? Do some employees think it has not just an opportunity, but a responsibility, to use its reach and power to promote a particular agenda? All eyes are now on Google’s boss, Sundar Pichai. He says Gemini is being fixed. But does Google need fixing too?

1. What do the words “this trap” underlined in the first paragraph refer to?

A．Having a racial bias.	B．Responding to wrong texts.
C．Criticizing political figures.	D．Going against historical facts.

2. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Gemini’s refusal to make progress.	B．Gemini’s failure to give definite answers.
C．Gemini’s prejudice in text responses.	D．Gemini’s avoidance of political conflicts.

3. What does Eth an Mollick think of Gemini’s early launch?

A．Creative.

B．Promising.

C．Illegal.

D．Controversial.

4. What can we infer about Google from the last paragraph?

A．Its security is doubted.	B．It lacks financial support.
C．It needs further improvement.	D．Its employees are irresponsible.

8 . 假如你是李华，写邮件邀请你的外国朋友Peter一起度过一个中国传统节日。内容包括：1. 选择你喜欢的一个传统节日；2. 节日的介绍，时间、活动等。
注意：词数100字左右。
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9 . 选词填空

benefit   make fun of   after all   distance   frank achievements   announced   go through   ordinary   absorbed in generous   took advantage of   function   grateful   in spite of

1. The other children often ____________ him because he was fat and wore glasses.
2. The discovery of DNA is one of the greatest scientific ____________ of the decade.
3. The government yesterday ____________ to the media that it had created a million new jobs.
4. She seemed totally ____________ her book and didn’t know what was happening around her.
5. We should spend the money on something that will ____________ everyone.
6. While the baby slept, she ____________ the moment’s peace to read her book.
7. I am extremely ____________ to all the teachers for their help.
8. The house is only a very short ____________ from the sea, so you can walk to the seaside.
9. English became the official language for business ____________ the fact that the population was largely Chinese.
10. Readers of the magazine said they wanted more stories about ____________ people and fewer stories about the rich and famous.

10 . His voice was so ______ that she could recognize him even in a crowded room.

A．familiar

B．particular

C．religious

D．inspiring