1 . Summer is finally in the air, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still stay in and have a great movie night. Whether you’re looking for something deep and thought-provoking or light for the whole family, there are many incredible films on Netflix.
The Matrix (1999)
IMDb (Internet Movie Database): 8.7/10 | Runtime: 136 minutes
The Matrix is a science fiction film that stars Keanu Reeves as a hacker who discovers the world he lives in is an illusion crafted by malevolent Artificial Intelligence. The movie presents the very best in technical filmmaking, winning four Oscars. With thrilling action and a complex story, it’s a must-see.
American Symphony (2023)
IMDb: 7.9/10 | Runtime: 104 minutes
Even if you just watch the trailer for American Symphony, you will be in tears. The documentary (纪录片) tells the story of Grammy winner Jon Batiste and his wife, Suleika Jaouad. It’s a beautiful tale of love and resilience, with Variety Magazine calling it “one of the best love stories seen on film.”
Nyad (2023)
IMDb: 7.1/10 | Runtime: 121 minutes
As expected from most sports dramas and biopics, Nyad shares a story of perseverance, the triumphs of determination, and a message of hope. It engages the audience with its solid foundation while entertaining through grounded drama based on reality instead of relying on cheap cliches (陈词滥调).
Society of the Snow (2023)
IMDb: 7.7/10 | Runtime: 144 minutes
In 1972, a Uruguayan flight crashed on the way to Chile, and the survivors of the wreck had to work together to survive in the of the Snow. With a budget of 60 million euros, the film is the most expensive Spanish film ever made.
1. For those who value online scoring, which film would be their top choice?| A．The Matrix. | B．American Symphony. |
| C．Nyad. | D．Society of the Snow. |
| A．They are high-budget films. |
| B．They are based on true stories. |
| C．They have the duration within two hours. |
| D．They have been successful at the box office. |
| A．Film critics. | B．Film makers. |
| C．Movie-goers. | D．Cinema staff. |
2 . As much as we like to think about nature embodying balance, the universe is actually filled with imbalance, too. Let’s take the supernova (超新星) for example. Two stars orbit each other. One of the stars is older, called a “white dwarf,” while the other star is a bit younger. Their mutual gravitational interaction (相互引力相互作用) pulls material off the younger star and dumps it onto the surface of the white dwarf. If enough material falls onto the dwarf, the stuff dumped on to the white dwarf begins to “burn”.
If the conditions are right, you always burn up the same amount of material that gets added. If the donor star is dumping too much material onto the dwarf, the burning runs out of control. It consumes not just the new material on the white dwarf’s surface but the whole of the dwarf star itself. So much energy is released so quickly that the star finds itself wildly out of balance. In an instant, it becomes a super-hot ball of unbalanced pressure, BOOM! A supernova is born.
Closer to home, a similar but different kind of process happens in volcanoes. Volcanoes are born when magma (熔岩) from deep in the Earth makes its way slowly to the surface through cracks in the planet’s crust (地壳). The heat from the magma builds up a massive pressure imbalance inside the mountain. It’s that imbalance that drives the BOOM, the volcanic eruption that rips a zillion tons of rocks away and sends ash 15 miles into the sky.
But here’s the thing: Supernova, volcanoes and all those other explosions in the universe are not just awesome sights. They are all essential players in cosmic (宇宙的) evolution. Supernova create a lot of the elements in your body that are essential to life. No supernova, no you. And volcanoes are essential to evolution of the planet, including the cycling of greenhouse gases like CO2 that make Earth habitable. No volcanoes, no you.
1. What does the underlined phrase “the donor star” refer to in paragraph 2?| A．The younger star. | B．The older star. |
| C．The supernova. | D．The white dwarf. |
| A．Hot magma. | B．Burning material. |
| C．Unbalanced pressure. | D．Gravitational interaction. |
| A．They evolve as players. | B．They create human bodies. |
| C．They are awesome sights. | D．They are necessary to life. |
| A．Profile. | B．Science. | C．Health. | D．Economy. |
3 . Discovering a hobby can lead to amazing results, as Maria Martinez, an 11-year-old with a heart of gold, has proven.
Just over a year ago, Maria came across the world of clothes-making, thanks to one of the Christmas gifts she received. Little did she know that this newfound ability would become a source of joy and purpose, not just for her, but also for countless furry friends.
“I got a gift permit at Christmas to start clothes-making lessons,” Maria said. “I really liked it.”
After mastering the basics, an idea came to her mind during a visit to a local exhibition. Surrounded by pet owners and their pets, Maria had an idea that would change lives. Why not create lovely bandannas (头巾) for dogs and cats and use them to support animal shelters?
With great interest and the support of her grandmother, Maria turned a corner of their home into a busy working room. Together, they made many beautiful bandannas, each one filled with love and care.
But Maria’s wish went far beyond creating decorations. She began donating her works to shelters like Claws Forever in Fall River, hoping to catch the eye of some people who can take these dogs and cats home.
Maria also began selling them through word-of-mouth and at various events. “At first she started just donating the bandannas because it took her much time to make them. Then she got more skilled and was able to buy cloth with some extra income that she was making from it,” her mom, Crystal, said. “Maria is a really kind giving person and she doesn’t want for much of anything. It makes her feel good to donate. We are proud of her.” Ranging from $3 to $7, money from her sales is now donated to shelters, too. A few weeks ago, she donated more than $200 to the Kingston Animal Shelter.
“They were happy and really grateful, which made me feel really good inside,” said Maria. “It makes me happy to see how it’s impacted the people and dogs.”
1. What makes it possible for Maria to start her charity?| A．Her love for dogs. | B．Her clothes-making skills. |
| C．The joy of receiving gifts. | D．Grandma’s suggestion. |
| A．Christmas gifts. | B．Pet owners. | C．Dogs and cats. | D．Lovely bandannas. |
| A．To make herself known to more people. |
| B．To protect dogs and cats from the cold. |
| C．To attract more people to take in the animals. |
| D．To help rescue homeless dogs in the streets. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Mixed. | D．Worried. |
4 . A team of researchers in Florida may have just created the world’s coolest paint ever. Chanda, a researcher in the University of Central Florida, and his team have created a way to imitate copy nature’s ability to reflect light and create beautifully vivid color without absorbing any heat like traditional pigments (色素) do. They focus on exploring structural color (结构色) and how people could use it to live cooler in a rapidly warming world.
Structural colors are created not from traditional pigmentation but from the arrangement of colorless materials to reflect light in certain ways, like how rainbows are made after it rains. Think about the most beautiful colors you’ve ever seen-forest green, wine red or crystal blue, some of which, however, are nearly impossible to recreate artificially. That’s because these beautiful colors are not achieved through pigments — they’re all in the structure, like the green of peacocks’ feathers.
Think about those cherries that redden your mouth after eating them or when your jeans turned green from sitting in wet grass. These are pigments. To create these colors, synthetic (合成的) materials like heavy metals are used to create vivid paints. Chanda stressed, “A deep blue needs cobalt; a deep red needs cadmium. They are toxic. We are polluting our nature by using this kind of paint. So one of the major motivations for us is to create colors based on non-toxic materials.”
Beyond the beautiful colors and safety that structure can provide, Chanda also found that unlike pigments, structural paint does not absorb heat but reflects light back. That’s why people are advised to wear lighter colors in hotter days and why many buildings are painted white. This means this eco-friendly paint could help communities keep cool in an increasingly warming climate.
“Nature has followed the path to create harmony among our surroundings,” Chanda said. “We want to be colorful but our color production is not really supported or inspired by nature. I hope this paint could be the future to a healthier, cooler environment.”
1. Which of the following colors doesn’t belong to structural colors?| A．The purple of ripe grapes. |
| B．The blue of butterfly wings. |
| C．The orange of bright rainbows. |
| D．The green of peacocks’ feathers. |
| A．Attractive. | B．Harmful. | C．Neutral. | D．Useless. |
| A．Vivid, eco-friendly and cooling. |
| B．Colorless, healthy and artificial. |
| C．Traditional, healthy and cooling. |
| D．Vivid, man-made and eco-friendly. |
| A．Many attractive colors couldn’t be recreated artificially. |
| B．Human beings should respect the harmony of our surroundings. |
| C．Traditional approaches of color production remain to be improved. |
| D．The paint of structural color could help people live cooler and healthier. |
1. Why is Chen asking for leave?
| A．To prepare for the final exam. |
| B．To spend time with her parents. |
| C．To travel around in Los Angeles. |
| A．They don’t speak English. |
| B．They will get around themselves. |
| C．They don’t have an electronic translator. |
| A．Two days. | B．Four days. | C．Seven days, |
| A．Colleagues. | B．Teacher and student. | C．Employer and employee. |
6 . When I was a little girl, I liked drawing, freely and joyously making marks on the walls at home. In primary school, I learned to write using chalks. Writing seemed to be another form of drawing. I shaped individual letters into repeating lines, which were abstract forms, delightful but meaningless patterns.
In secondary school, art was my favourite subject. Since I loved it so much I thought I was good at it. For the art O-level exam I had to present an oil painting. I found it difficult, but still hoped to pass. I failed, with a low grade. I’d been over-confident. Now I’d been declared talentless.
But other channels of creativity stayed open: I went on writing poems and stories. Still, I went to exhibitions often. I continued my habitual drawing, which I now characterised as childish doodling (乱画). In my 30s, I made painter friends and learned new ways of looking at art. However, I couldn’t let myself have a go at actually doing it. Though these new friends were abstract painters using oil paints, or were printmakers or sculptors, I took oil painting as the taboo (禁忌) high form I wasn’t allowed to practice.
One night, in my early 40s, I dreamed that a big woman in red approached me, handed me a bag of paints, and told me to start painting. The dream felt so authoritative that it shook me. It was a form of energy, giving me back something I’d lost. Accordingly, I started by experimenting with water colours. Finally, I bought some oil paints.Although I have enjoyed breaking my decades-long taboo about working with oil paints, I have discovered I now prefer chalks and ink. I let my line drawings turn into cartoons I send to friends. It all feels free and easy. Un-anxious. This time around, I can accept my limitations but keep going.
Becoming a successful painter calls for being resolute. I realised I was always afraid of wanting too much. That dream reminded me that those fears and desires could encourage me to take risks and make experiments.
1. How did the author feel about the result of the art exam?| A．Scared. | B．Worried. | C．Discouraged. | D．Wronged. |
| A．avoided oil painting practice | B．sought for a painting career |
| C．fancied abstract painting | D．exhibited child paintings |
| A．Confusing. | B．Empowering. |
| C．Disturbing. | D．Entertaining. |
| A．Actions speak louder than words. | B．Hard work is the mother of success. |
| C．Dreams are the reflections of realities. | D．Creative activities involve being confident. |
On Tuesday, my husband and I were vacationing in Sydney to celebrate my birthday. In previous years, celebrating my birthday in Sydney became a family tradition. As we were about to enter the Metro at one of the stations, I accidentally left behind a very valuable bag, which was not only pricey but also very meaningful to me. It was one of the gifts my parents gave me when I became a doctor a few years ago in Germany. I have always regarded it as one of my most precious gifts. It also contained some valuable items, including an expensive watch that my husband had given me as a gift for our wedding anniversary. My bank cards were also in it, and if I lost them, I would have to go to the bank to replace them with a lot of trouble.
When I realized that I had left the bag on the Metro, I immediately informed my husband and we anxiously got off the train to look for staff(工作人员) to inform them. I reported the situation and told all the staff involved, but my efforts were in vain and I started to feel increasingly sad as knew how much the bag meant to me. I couldn’t help but cry and even felt unable to tell my mother about it because I didn’t want to upset her.
After 24 hours had passed, I started to lose hope. My husband assured (保证) me that the bag would be found but my confidence was dwindling (减少). I thought surely if someone had found it, they would have turned it in. By the time we arrived home yesterday, I had officially given up hope.
This afternoon, while I was feeding my baby son, my husband walked to the front door as he heard the doorbell ring. A moment later, he came upstairs and said, “I have a birthday surprise for you...close your eyes.”
注意: 1. 续写词数应为150个左右;2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I did as my husband said, wondering what surprise he had in store for me.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I suggested we meet up for a meal to express my thanks.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . In an effort to lift her spirits, Jess Mell, a 34-ycar-old woman from Redhill, Surrey, decided to take part in “the 100-day challenge”, where she took on a new activity every day for 100 continuous days.
Making the promise to do something new every day for 100 days may seem frightening. How can a person go about finding so many new things to do? Clearly, at least for Mell, this isn’t such a problem, as she continues to try new things even after having completed her challenge.
Activities included simple acts like learning bow to sew (缝) on a button, tending to houseplants, and hanging up a picture as well as more adventurous activities like flying a plane, skateboarding. joining a local gardening community group and visiting beautiful countries she had never before been to.
Interestingly enough, what stared off as something to lift Mell’s spirits during one of the lockdowns of the pandemic (流行病) turned into a complete lifestyle change for her. She said that it is less about the activity itself that she is doing and more about pushing herself out of her comfort zone and learning bow to live life to the fullest Having worry and despair is a daily struggle, but Mell was able to find something that helps her stay positive and active.
Mell knows how important this project is for her mental health, and plans on continuing to do new things, although perhaps not as an official challenge. When she sees or hears about something new, instead of just thinking about it, she goes and does something about it.
Mell posts photos and videos of her experiences on her Instagram page, where followers are invited to virtually take part in her adventures. And although she has already tried hundreds and hundreds of new things, she is excited that there are still so many more new things to try out and so much more to learn about and eventually about herself.
1. What surprises the author most about Mell’s story?| A．Trying new things brings such great benefits. | B．She has found so many new activities. |
| C．The pandemic affected her so much. | D．She is so capable of doing things well. |
| A．New things Mell did. | B．Mell’s aim to do new things. |
| C．Mell’s bad feelings in lockdowns. | D．Difficulties in Mell’s adventure. |
| A．To build up her body. | B．To maintain mental health. |
| C．To learn about new skills. | D．To develop her bobbies. |
| A．Share her pleasure. | B．Give her encouragement to continue. |
| C．Join in her adventures online. | D．Recommend new things to her. |
9 . Online activity can be riddled with cyberbullying (网络霸凌). To find out which app is the best to keep your kids safe online, we tested four apps over five weeks.
● Mobicip Premium$8 per month (billed annually at $96) for 20 managed devices at Mobicip
Mobicip Premium’s social media and screen time monitoring were all strong. We found its app blocking, website content monitoring, and location tracking capabilities to be powerful as well.
● Net Nanny$90 per year (billed annually) for 20 managed devices at Net Nanny
The user interface (界面) of this app is family-friendly and visually engaging, featuring cartoons of parents and casual language. The web filtering, screen time allocation (分配), and app management functions are all capable.
● OurPact Premium+$100 per year (billed annually) for 20 managed devices at OurPact
This app requires that we pair our child’s device to our computer with a cable and download the OurPact Jr. app. The Screen Time capability is personalized to fit our child’s schedule.
● Qustodio Premium Small$55 per year (billed annually) for 20 managed devices at Qustodio
The thoughtfully designed web interface makes Qustodio Premium Basic easy to operate. Its web filtering and game blocking features were powerful. This app is available for Android, Chromebook, iOS, Kindle, macOS and Windows, though not all features are supported across all platforms.
1. Who are the target readers of this passage?| A．Teachers. | B．Parents. | C．Students. | D．Employers. |
| A．Mobicip Premium. | B．Net Nanny. |
| C．OurPact Premium+. | D．Qustodio Premium Small. |
| A．Location tracking. | B．Game blocking. |
| C．Content storage. | D．Cartoon interface. |
10 . Tour Indonesia
16th April 2024—4 days from US
$7,500 if booked after 31st January. Book before 3lst January 2024 and save $400.
Day 1: Embark from Flores
You'll be picked up from your accommodation in the morning and taken to the boat. You will have a chance to relax and get familiar with your new home. At sunset, you will enjoy drinks on the deck (甲板) as the sun sinks nicely slowly into the west. You will then be given an introduction by the tour leaders
Day 2: Visit Pulau Batang Island and Its Coral Reef (珊瑚礁)
Just after breakfast, you will arrive at the small island of Pulau Batang, where you will have the morning to enjoy your first swim of the trip, guided by the tour leaders, along the colourful coral reefs. With such rich wildlife among the reefs, it would be a shame not to.
Day 3: Explore the Culturre of Wetar Island
Waking up off the coast of Wetar, you will go ashore and visit a local village and their school, where you will have a chance to meet the locals and experience their culture. Lar hat morning you will go exploring on a nearby island in front of the village with good corals and lots of big fish.
Day 4: Visit a Baiau Water Settlement
On the final day, you will visit Wuring village, a Bajau settlement built on the water of coral rocks and wooden poles. You will get a better understanding of their culture. You will then say final goodbyes to your crew before heading to the airport for your return flights.
1. How much should you pay if you buy a ticket on 25th January 2024?| A．$400. | B．$7,100. | C．$7,500. | D．$7,900. |
| A．Swim in the ocean. | B．Climb a small hill. |
| C．Watch wild birds. | D．Enjoy drinks on the ship. |
| A．Learning to fish. | B．Visiting village schools. |
| C．Exploring an island. | D．Experiencing local culture. |
