1 . Lamar Giles is the author of several praised novels and short stories for young adults. His most recent novel is called The Getaway (Scholastic Press, 2022).

I recently spoke with Giles via video. Born and raised in Virginia, he has had a passion for writing, he told me, since he was a child. “It was just amusing to me,” he said.

Growing up in Hopewell, Giles experienced poverty and racism. He recalled a frightening moment when he and his friends were stopped by police officers. “They were pulling out really big, scary weapons,” Giles recalled, “threatening us for no reason, other than the fact that we were young, Black children.”

When Giles was in his early 20s, he met professional authors who showed him that he could make a living doing what he loved. At age 21, he saw one of his stories published in a little-known magazine. It took another decade for Giles to write and publish his first novel.

The challenges Giles met with when growing up proved to be a catalyst (催化剂) for his writing. “When something scares me, I’ll write about it,” he said. “If I write a story around it, it makes me feel better about the fear and anxiety.”

The author’s thriller (惊险小说) for young adults, Fake ID (Amistad Books for Young Readers, 2015), tells the story of Nick Pearson. The character, who is Black, faces racial profiling in his hometown, as Giles did. Nick is suspected of committing a crime because of his race and his “shady” neighborhood. In one scene, he is held at the county jail after being falsely accused by a governor of a state.

Giles is also a co-founder of We Need Diverse Books. The nonprofit organization promotes diversity initiatives in the publishing industry, supporting authors whose stories are often ignored. The goal, Giles said, is to enable all kids to see themselves in the books they read.

1. What does the underlined word “It” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Video.

B．Novel.

C．Passion.

D．Writing.

2. Which statement best describes Giles’ childhood?

A．He tried his best to write books.	B．He lived in poverty and horror.
C．He lived under police protection.	D．He got along well with his friends.

3. How did the challenges Giles met with affect him?

A．They inspired him to write.	B．They changed his attitude to life.
C．They prevented him turning a writer.	D．They made him become strong-willed.

4. What do we know about the character of Fake ID?

A．He was Giles’ best friend.	B．He devoted himself to writing.
C．He was wrongly imprisoned.	D．He founded a nonprofit organization.

2 . The glass armonica (玻璃琴), also known as a glass harmonica or simply armonica, is a musical instrument that produces sound by rubbing glass with wet fingers. It was invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761.

The instrument consists of a series of glass bowls of varying sizes, fixed straight on a spindle (轴). The glass bowls are arranged in order of size, with the largest bowl on one end and the smallest on the other.

Franklin came up with the idea after attending a concert in Cambridge. The performer was rubbing wine glasses to produce musical notes. Franklin thought that was not efficient. He decided to invent a set of musical instruments made of glass.

So, he hired a London glassmaker to construct 36 bowls to specific thicknesses and sizes. He fixed the bowls horizontally on a spindle with the largest bowl on one end and the smallest on the other. In this way the musician can play the glass bowls like a keyboard.

The glass armonica became prevalent during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Mozart and Beethoven both composed chamber pieces for it.

But by the 1820s, it was nearly a forgotten instrument in fears that it had the power to drive the listener mad. Some armonica players became ill and had to stop playing the instrument. They complained of muscle spasms (痉挛), nervousness, cramps, and dizziness. A few listeners were also affected. The instrument was actually banned in a few towns. “The armonica too inspires the nerves, drives the player into a troublesome depression and later into a dark and sad mood that is a method for slow self-destroying.”

However, no explanation or proof was ever really given to any of these claims. Franklin himself ignored all of the argument and continued to play the instrument until the end of his life.

1. How are the glass bowls arranged to form this instrument?

A．By their thickness.

B．By their shapes.

C．By their weight.

D．By their sizes.

2. What inspired Franklin’s invention of the instrument?

A．A failed performance.	B．An unsuccessful concert.
C．An unusual performer.	D．A couple glasses of wine.

3. What does the underlined word “prevalent” mean in paragraph 5?

A．Fearful.

B．Popular.

C．Strange.

D．Tiresome.

4. What is paragraph 6 mainly about?

A．Bad remarks about the instrument.	B．Terrible sounds made by the instrument.
C．Bans on this instrument everywhere.	D．This instrument’s great appeal to people.

3 . “On the very first day of 2024, I saw the snow of Kilimanjaro, not from the novel written by Ernest Hemingway, but from the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro!” Xu Zhuoyuan, a 17-year-old mountaineer who’d stood on top of Mount Qomolangma last May, climbed onto the tallest peak in Africa, making herself the youngest Chinese girl that conquered it.

Xu’s passion for mountaineering was motivated by her father, who himself reached many peaks, including Mount Qomolangma. And her mountaineering journey began on a family trip to Xizang and Sichuan four years ago. For many years, Xu devoted herself to rigorous training. She went to the mountains in Yunnan and Sichuan every month, climbing peaks over 5,000 meters and doing daily physical exercises like running, swimming and rope skipping. All that hard work got her ready for the challenges she would face on Kilimanjaro.

Above 4000 meters on Mount Kilimanjaro, the climate is similar to a desert, with big temperature differences. The whole climb took 7 days, during which Xu faced unpredictable weather such as rain and strong winds. Staying warm and avoiding heat loss was the main challenge. Xu had to be very sensitive to any temperature changes and adjust her clothing accordingly. This climb was also a learning experience for Xu. She was climbing with Xia Boyu (aged 74), the first Chinese climber to summit Mount Qomolangma with an artificial leg, who’d inspired Xu a lot.

Mountaineering, Xu discovered, is not just about being strong physically; it is also a journey of self-discovery. “In climbing and life, it’s important to know when to let go of things that are weighing us down and how to re start when we feel ready,” she reflected.

1. What inspired Xu Zhuoyuan’s interest in climbing mountains?

A．A novel written by Ernest Hemingway.

B．A former trip to Mount Qomolangma.

C．Her father’s success in mountaineering.

D．Her family trip to Xizang and Sichuan.

2. What does the underlined word “rigorous” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Flexible.

B．Strict.

C．Casual.

D．Dangerous.

3. Which is NOT true about Xu’s Kilimanjaro climbing?

A．She was accompanied by a disabled climber.

B．There was a desert 4000 meters on Mount Kilimanjaro.

C．Weather condition was unstable above Mount Kilimanjaro.

D．Clothes adjustment was needed due to temperature changes.

4. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

A．Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro—A Chinese Girl’s Bravery.

B．Conquering New Heights —A Story of Passion.

C．Mountaineering—A Journey of Self-discovery.

D．Mount Kilimanjaro —A Destination of Inspiration.

4 . I had been invited to go to my friend’s birthday party. I was excited because I liked to go to parties. Although Tori was not my best friend, I _______ to be there.

Two days later, my best friend asked me to go to Disneyland. I really wanted to go. That’s when my mom _______ me that Tori’s party was on the same day. She said I couldn’t change my mind just because something better came along.

My_______ about going to the birthday party was _______. Tori’s party would be okay but not as _______ as a whole day at Disneyland. _______, Tori wasn’t even my best friend. I begged my mom but she _______. She asked me to think about how I would feel if someone did that to me. I had to _______ that it would _______ my feelings. My mom was _______.

So my mom dropped me off at Tori’s party. Something _______ happened after I got there. We did stuff that was fun and different. We watched a movie that hadn’t come out in theaters yet and that was pretty _______. There was also a make-your-own pizza contest. We gave presents to Tori and her parents had a special present to give to each of us _______! That was so cool.

When my mom came to _______ me up, she was glad that I’d had a good time. Not only did I _______ the party, but I learned an important lesson. My mom was right…as usual.

1.

A．happened

B．pretended

C．afforded

D．promised

2.

A．comforted

B．reminded

C．convinced

D．taught

3.

A．doubt

B．curiosity

C．excitement

D．confusion

4.

A．gone

B．obvious

C．normal

D．endless

5.

A．free

B．busy

C．fun

D．long

6.

A．Otherwise

B．Besides

C．However

D．Therefore

7.

A．suffered

B．complained

C．hesitated

D．disagreed

8.

A．predict

B．admit

C．expect

D．ignore

9.

A．hurt

B．control

C．reflect

D．inspire

10.

A．different

B．voluntary

C．sad

D．right

11.

A．conventional

B．practical

C．difficult

D．interesting

12.

A．informal

B．amazing

C．strange

D．private

13.

A．in return

B．at once

C．at ease

D．in theory

14.

A．hurry

B．bring

C．pick

D．cheer

15.

A．change

B．throw

C．love

D．miss

5 . 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。

When You Snooze (贪睡), You Lose!

Last Wednesday, I set my alarm for seven o’clock in the morning, just like I always did. But I’d gone to bed a little later than usual, so when it went off, I rolled over and hit the snooze button, thinking I’d have five more minutes of sleep before I got up. For some reason, the snooze alarm didn’t go off. When I saw that it was 7:45, I couldn’t believe it!

Since I was late, I skipped breakfast, and I didn’t make the bed or straighten up my room even though it was part of the “house rules”.

I ran as fast as I could to catch the school bus, but even so, I missed it. Luckily for me, my father hadn’t left for work yet, so I asked him for a ride to school. He wasn’t too happy about it because it meant he would be late for an appointment he had set up. So he was annoyed with me, especially since it was the second time in two weeks that I had missed the school bus. We rode to school in total silence.

By the time I got to school, the bell had already rung, so I had to go to the office to get a “late pass” before I could be admitted to class. That’s when I remembered that I hadn’t asked my father to write a note for my being late. He’d been in such a bad mood, and I knew that this was especially directed at me, so I decided there was no way I could call him now. Besides, he was sure to be in his meeting.

So, there I was, sitting out the first hour in the principal’s office. Things were really starting to snowball but it was only the beginning. Since I was absent from my first-hour class, I missed my science test. My teacher said I couldn’t make up the test since I was absent without leave. But I really needed that test to improve my grade point average. My dad promised to give me half of the money for a car if my grades improved by the end of this semester. So I started thinking about not being able to buy a car, and I got even more upset.

续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
注意：1．续写词数应为150左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:

Then I was preparing for my second-hour class when I discovered my math book was missing.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

Knowing I would surely be scolded for my skipping class, I went home in fear.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . 假定你是李华，正在美国纽约留学。因有事你无法参加定于本周六晚由邻居Henry组织的户外烧烤派对。请给他写一封电子邮件，内容包括：
1．表示歉意并说明原因；
2．表达你的祝愿。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . A film, also called a movie, is a work used to communicate ideas, stories, feelings, beauty and much more through the use of moving images. This article therefore introduces some right movies or TV series which will benefit students in one way or the other.

Like Stars on Earth

This is a heart touching Indian movie that tells the story of a boy named Ishaan Awasthi. He is an 8-year-old boy with dyslexia (阅读障碍) and this greatly influences his performance in school. Ishaan has an amazing talent for art and painting, but no one would like to know him and be his friends until a new art teacher, Ram Nikumbh, arrives. He takes special interest in Ishaan and discovers Ishaan’s problem and his artistic talent.

The Social Network

It tells us the story of young Mark Zuckerberg who is an undergraduate at Harvard and also a computer genius (天才). He begins to work on an idea which grows into a globally recognized social network called Facebook. This makes Mark one of the youngest billionaires existing.

Grownish

Filled with real life situations and grown up people, this series takes us back to university-lifestyle. Grownish through four amazing seasons, teaches us how to navigate (驾驭) the university through the eyes of Zoey Johnson. Zoey is a talented fashion designer and stylist who seems to have the world all planned out for her.

King of Boys 2

If you haven’t already seen the first movie in this series, you should take two steps back so you don’t get lost in this political (政治的) forest. This movie is the type that has you sitting at the edge (边缘) of your seat from start to finish. King of Boys 2 takes us to the underworld of a truly dirty game called “politics”.

1. Why is the 8-year-old boy named Ishaan doing poorly in school?

A．He has difficulty reading.	B．His teachers dislike him.
C．He fails to make new friends.	D．He takes no interest in studies.

2. Who founded Facebook?

A．Ram Nikumbh.	B．Mark Zuckerberg.
C．Zoey Johnson.	D．Ishaan Awasthi.

3. What is King of Boys 2 about?

A．An art teacher’s story.	B．A computer genius.
C．A fashion designer’s growth.	D．A political game.

8 . The world is full of fascinating destinations. We are here for you, providing a private tour to suit your particular needs and help you enjoy a great travel around Austria.

Time

June to August is the busiest time of the year with crowds of tourists and lower room availability. If you want to avoid the crowded tourists, the best time to visit Austria lasts from April to May and from September to October. During these months, the weather is pleasant, better for enjoying outdoor activities such as sightseeing, biking, hiking and adventures. Winter is also a great time to visit since the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations are held everywhere, attracting tourists from all over the world.

Cities

Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck are three must-see cities that shouldn’t be missed in your Austria tour packages. Vienna, the capital city of Austria, is famous for its lively art. Salzburg is also a great region where you can enjoy amazing views of the Eastern Alps. It’s also the birthplace of the famous composer Mozart and the film setting for the Sound of Music. Innsbruck, another significant place for sightseeing in Austria, is known for its mountainous backdrop and lots of natural beauty. There are also some. worthy medieval(中世纪的)towns to visit, such as Bad Ischl, Durnstein, Hallstatt, etc.

Transportation

Austria has a wide rail network, connecting all its domestic cities and neighboring countries. Riding on comfortable trains is the best way to travel through the green valleys, the historic towns and the scenic villages.

1. When is Austria the most crowded with tourists?

A．From April to May.	B．From June to August.
C．From September to October.	D．From November to December.

2. What is Vienna known for?

A．Its art.	B．Its mountains.
C．Its filming.	D．Its medieval towns.

3. Which is the best way to tour Austria?

A．Taking a bus.	B．Taking a bike.
C．Taking a train.	D．Taking a boat.

9 . Two years ago Lucy was saved from a rural area in New South Wales, Australia. Today, she is one of the lucky animals living in rows of trees that have been created to protect koalas and other animals by saving their smaller and smaller habitat (栖息地) , or natural environment.

The trees, planted by the local protection group Bangalow Koalas, are made up of large systems of plants. They are a lifeline for koalas and other animals. All of them are in danger of dying out, or at risk of extinction. The trees provide a safe way across the koala’s increasingly broken habitat. This protects koalas from human threats (威胁). “Our trees are actually trying to get them away from humans, cars and dogs. ”said Linda Sparrow. President of Bangalow Koalas.

The koala is expected to die out in the wild in New South Wales by 2050. Some of the biggest threats include wildfires and habitat loss through land clearing for development.

Bangalow Koalas has planted over 336, 000 trees on 119 areas, helping koala protection and improving the local ecosystem (生态系统). The group, which depends on community volunteers, aims to plant 500, 000 trees by 2025. “The neighbor would want to join and then another neighbor would want to join. ”Sparrow said. Volunteer Lindy Stacker, who has been planting trees for over five years.

A recent report by the Australian Koala Foundation said the animal was worth about S3. 2 billion per year to the tourism industry. However. the World Wildlife Fund-Australia reported a drop in koala populations in Australian states. “I can’t imagine a world where there’s no koalas in the wild. ” Sparrow said. “We’re going to do our best to make sure that doesn’t happen. ”

1. Why is Lucy mentioned in Paragraph 1?

A．To show it is important to plant trees.

B．To suggest a way to protect nature.

C．To introduce a special kind of living thing.

D．To compare koalas with other animals.

2. What does the underlined word “extinction” probably mean in paragraph 2?

A．Growing.

B．Disappearing.

C．Reducing.

D．Failing.

3. How does Sparrow feel about koalas’ future?

A．Doubtful.

B．Unclear.

C．Positive.

D．Disappointed.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A Protection Group	B．The Polluted Environment
C．Human Threats	D．More Trees, More Hope

10 . A father gifted his daughter an old car at graduation. The father said to his daughter: “You just _________, and this is a car that I _________ when I began to work a long time ago. But before I give it to you, take it to a car dealer (商人) in the city and _________ how much they offer for it.” Then the girl did _________ as her father told her to.

The girl _________ to her father and said: “They only offered $1,000 because it looks very _________.” The father replied: “Hold it and take it to the second-hand car dealer.”

The girl _________ to her father and said: “They offered $100 because it is a very old car and it needs a lot of _________.” Lastly, he told his daughter to show the car to a famous car club. She returned and said to her father: “Some people in the club offered me $100,000 because it is a _________ car that is in very good __________, with good performance and very difficult to __________.”

Then the father said: “I wanted to let you __________ that you are not worth anything if you are not in the right __________. If you are not valued, do not be __________, that means you are in the wrong place. Don’t __________ in a place where no one sees your value.”

1.

A．suffered

B．succeeded

C．graduated

D．worked

2.

A．borrowed

B．bought

C．loved

D．missed

3.

A．see

B．consider

C．decide

D．judge

4.

A．hardly

B．especially

C．nearly

D．exactly

5.

A．calmed down

B．came back

C．hid away

D．gave in

6.

A．old

B．simple

C．useless

D．strange

7.

A．headed

B．pointed

C．turned

D．returned

8.

A．energy

B．time

C．repairs

D．papers

9.

A．cheap

B．valuable

C．stolen

D．broken

10.

A．shape

B．condition

C．record

D．way

11.

A．drive

B．tell

C．guess

D．find

12.

A．admit

B．know

C．pretend

D．doubt

13.

A．condition

B．state

C．place

D．chance

14.

A．angry

B．careful

C．lazy

D．proud

15.

A．play

B．stand

C．live

D．stay