1 . Having a sense of humor can make your entire life much more enjoyable.     1    . But for others, we might have to work a little to unlock it. If you want some tips to improve your sense of humor, try these out:

Learn some simple jokes

In the beginning, you don’t have to be creative. Just go out and do some research! The internet is full of great resources for jokes. Try searching for stuff that you like. You will find millions of things to make you laugh.     2    .

See the funny side of almost everything

If you really want to develop your humor, try to take something ordinary and make a joke out of it.     3    . Looking at them with a different perspective is a very valuable life skill and will come in handy when learning to be a jokester (爱开玩笑的人).

    4    

Knowing your audience is a key point to making them laugh. You can go overboard with your humor and end up offending an audience that doesn’t want to hear it. So try to read and judge how others are reacting to your humor. If they have been quiet for a long time or seems offended, you’d better switch to a different topic that can relate better to them.

Keep practicing

Comedy is something where it all comes down to delivery and timing. If your delivery and timing are not correct, even the most hilarious (滑稽的) jokes can fall flat. So how to improve that? By practice.     5    . Just go ahead and practice telling the jokes. Find out the best delivery and timing which makes laugh and you would be good to go.

A．Be careful not to upset others

B．Find out something that sounds really funny

C．For some of us this comes naturally

D．Just try them out in your life whenever they fit

E．There is a hidden joke behind most little events

F．Practice helps you avoid causing offence to others

G．Practice is something you need to enhance any skill

2 . It takes almost two years to grow a pineapple before it’s ripe and ready for harvest. For rubber trees, it can take at least six years before latex (橡胶) can be collected. So you could imagine the frustration and heartbreak of seeing the fruits of a farmer’s patience and dedication destroyed in a matter of minutes. This has been the cruel reality for those living around Kui Buri National Park, where some of Thailand’s largest populations of Asian elephants hang out.

For years, these farmers have worked hard to make a living from their crops, only to witness it all damaged under the footsteps of the wild giants. But the elephants are not to blame; with their usual feeding spots now changed into farmland, there is little left for them to eat — except the massive fields of tempting, easily accessible juicy fruits, all lined up like a continental breakfast buffet.

While she felt angry about her damaged crops, farmer Nichakan Pongsarikit saw an opportunity that the mighty creatures offered. Embarking on a journey to become a local guide, she began learning more about the animals and their behavior, movement, and habitat, along with foreign language skills, with the support of the Kui Buri Conservation Association and WWF-Thailand.

“I used to never want to encounter the elephants,” she said, now entering her seventh year as a guide. “Now I want to see them every day.”

Like her, other affected farmers have also found innovative ways to embrace the situation. Some are now making handmade souvenirs from elephant-related products, such as natural dye (染料) and ‘poo poo’ paper from elephant dung (粪便), and selling them to tourists who come to visit the elephants in their natural habitat. While it does not come without challenges, this transformation demonstrates the economic benefits that conservation could bring to communities, and the vital role communities play in conservation.

1. What problem do the farmers face?

A．Asian elephants ruin their crops.

B．Domesticating elephants is challenging.

C．Kui Buri National Park gets damaged.

D．Thailand farmers have lost their land.

2. Why do the elephants come to the crop fields?

A．They are forced out of the park by the locals.

B．They have developed an appetite for crops.

C．They are fed by some local farmers.

D．They are losing their natural feeding grounds.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The farmers need to improve profits of their business.

B．No new elephant-related products will be launched.

C．Tourist-elephant conflicts will arise soon.

D．Economy goes hand in hand with ecological protection.

4. Which is most relevant to the message of the text?

A．Many hands make light work.	B．Misfortunes may be an actual blessing.
C．The early bird catches the worm.	D．Actions speak louder than words.

3 . Introduction
White lies, which means little lies usually told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or to manage social interactions smoothly, are a common aspect of human communication. This report explores the frequency, acceptability, and contexts (情景) of white lies among teenagers.
Method
A survey was conducted with 342 high school students from various regions to gather data on their experiences and attitudes towards white lies. Participants were asked how often they tell white lies, what they think of white lies and in what contexts they tell white lies.
Results
The survey found that 85% of teenagers admit to telling white lies frequently to protect others’ feelings or to avoid conflicts. Their attitude to and most common situations for telling white lies are shown in the following two charts:

Conclusion

White lies play a significant role in the social communications of high school students, helping maintain peace and prevent minor conflicts. While generally seen as beneficial, it is crucial for young individuals to understand the boundaries and potential consequences of dishonesty in their relationships. Educational programs should include discussions on ethics (道德原则) in communication, helping students know when white lies might be acceptable.

1. What can be inferred from the two charts?

A．Most participants are against telling white lies.

B．White lies are harmful because they may hurt feelings.

C．Most participants tell white lies to protect social relationships.

D．About 10% of participants don’t know why they tell white lies.

2. What can we learn about the survey from the passage?

A．It aims to explore the meaning of white lies.

B．342 teenagers and adults participated in the survey.

C．85% of participants think it’s acceptable to tell white lies.

D．Its conclusion encourages more related educational programs.

3. What kind of article may this passage most probably be?

A．A news story.	B．A survey report.
C．An online blog.	D．A scientific essay.

4 . Having worked as a village doctor for nearly two decades, Yang Lianying, a 44-year-old deputy to the 14th National People’s Congress, stands out as a voice for her profession. “My biggest hope is that villagers are healthy,” says Yang.

Born in Mengzi, Yunnan, in 1980, Yang was a farmer for many years before she began to receive medical training in 2005 in the hope of making a better living. Speaking about why she chose to become a doctor, she remembers when she was about 8 years old, her mother went into shock due to an allergic reaction. With no village doctor, her mother’s life seemed to hang by a thread. The experience planted a seed in her heart and made her think that if she had a chance to learn medicine in the future, she would work hard, and maybe one day be able to help patients who experienced emergencies like her mother.

In 2008, Yang’s dream came true when she was appointed as a doctor in Henan village, and made responsible for providing basic public health services, but she soon found out that it was not an easy job.

Since Henan village is located in a mountainous area and villagers live far apart, she often has to hike long distances to visit them at home and check on their health regularly. Moreover, village doctors don’t earn much, and have heavy workloads. Yang is responsible for the healthcare of the entire village of nearly 2,000 with one other colleague. Additionally, village doctors don’t earn large pensions for life after retirement. Because of this, few young people are eager to step into the profession.

But Yang keeps going. “Actually, I love this job and regard all the difficulties I encounter as obstacles to conquer. I get on well with the villagers, and they trust and respect me. It’s a great pleasure to hear them call me ‘doctor’,” she says.

She has suggested that the government offer village doctors more support, especially in terms of pensions and medical training.

1. Why did she choose to be a doctor?

A．To live a different life.	B．To help the poor in need.
C．To be in honor of her mother.	D．To rescue people in an emergency.

2. What do the underlined words “hang by a thread” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Escape from death.	B．Be in great danger.
C．Hang out.	D．Be in a balanced state.

3. What did she meet as a village doctor?

A．Bad working condition.	B．Satisfactory salary.
C．Abundant pension.	D．Misunderstanding of villagers.

4. Which may be a suitable title for the passage?

A．A Heartbroken Village Doctor	B．Medical Development for Villages
C．From Farmer to Healer	D．China’s Healthcare Dilemma

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

In 1996, Yi Shu, one of Hong Kong’s most beloved novelists,     1     (deal)with parent-child relationships with the book: Cheng Huan Ji(Bringing Joy to Parents). Now, 28 years later, this story has been adapted into the new drama, Best Choice Ever,     2     has soon become a hit since its recent release on Tencent Video. With Yang Zi and He Saifei starring as a 29-year-old woman Mai Chenhuan from Shanghai and her commanding mother, the drama focuses     3     the girl’s self growth. Chemuan sticks to her own desires for love and professional success,     4     (struggle)hard to live up to her mother’s expectations at the same time. Originally the novel     5     (set)in Hong Kong in 1995, however, scriptwriter Li Jingling has successfully changed the story to a more recent period in Shanghai, noting its unique     6     (explore)of parent-child and family relationships. Despite the fact that Tian Yu, the director. along with most of the key creators are not natives of Shanghai, the drama has got Shanghai’s city life properly. During     7     special three-month visit to Shanghai, Tian Yu visited local attractions, cafes, and restaurants to know more about the citizens and     8     (they)daily life. Excited about the drama’s popularity, Li Jingjing also wished that the series would inspire younger viewers     9     (have)a better understanding of their parents and can     10     (true)embrace their parents’ values by learning how to balance filial love with the pursuit of their own ambitions.

6 . Following its recent success in hosting the 19th Asian Games, Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, celebrated the opening of a related grand sporting event, the 4th Asian Para Games, with an emotohally engaging opening ceremony on Sunday night.

The ceremony, themed “Hearts Meet, Dreams Shine”, was held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium. also known as the “Big Lotus”.

While the opening ceremony on Sept 23 of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou showcased to the world the host city’s rich cultural heritage, picturesque scenery and technological prowess (造诣), the opening ceremony of the Asian Para Games focused more on the softer side of Hangzhou and its people.

The ceremony featured the osmanthus (桂花), the city flower of Hangzhou, as the key element to convey the “sunny, harmonious, persevering and sharing” spirit of the Para Games.

Following an opening show featuring a first-person narration by a partially sighted young girl who welcomed guests from a long distance while the osmanthus is in full blossom, spectators cheered as Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang declared the opening of the sporting gala.

Twenty-two massive bunches of golden osmanthus, which represent the 22 sports featured in the event, served as the centerpiece of the ceremony.

With the help of technology, the bouquets took on different configurations —sometimes as water, sometimes as arched bridges —before eventually turning into a giant crown hung in the air, welcoming the athletes as they entered the stadium.

Majid Rashed, the president of the Asian Paralympic Committee, expressed appreciation for the Chinese host’s thorough organization. “The huge efforts of the Chinese government and the organizing committee in making these Games a success, is helping us to get closer to achieving our vision of creating an inclusive Asia through sport,” said Rashed, who thanked the organizing committee for its “tireless efforts, which will make these the best ever Asian Para Games, I’m sure”.

In the next six days, the Para Games will see 3,100 athletes from 44 countries and regions compete in 564 medal events in 22 sports.

1. What is special about the opening ceremony of Asian Para Games?

A．The host city’s inner spirit.

B．The host city’s pretty scenery.

C．The host city’s abundant cultural tradition.

D．The host city’s advanced skills of technology.

2. What does the underlined word “configuration” mean?

A．forms

B．styles

C．equipment

D．modes

3. What can we learn from Para.8?

A．The host city is ill-prepared.

B．Success of the event is just down to Hang Zhou.

C．The host city gains only minimal recognition for its efforts.

D．What the host city does contributes a lot to an inclusive Asia.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．The grand opening ceremony was held at HangZhou involved with advanced technology.

B．sports taking center stage during holiday inspired by HangZhou Asian Games.

C．The 19th Asian Games and the 4th Asian Para Games were a huge success.

D．The 4th Asian Para Games are fully prepared and win wide recognition.

7 . Many of us would probably say that lying is a matter of moral choice. But in his philosophy book A History of Lying, Juan Jacinto Muñoz-Rengel takes us in a different direction, which he calls “non-moral”.

He takes several persuasive steps to redirect us. First, he asks us to take into account how we represent reality to ourselves, and how we see it in relation to the self. This requires us to employ awareness of not just the world but also the concepts to describe it to ourselves and others. Moreover, “the reality” we believe we see and know might be an illusion (幻觉). So how do we even know when we’re telling the truth, and when we’re lying about it?

His second step is to say that our sense of personal identity should be treated with doubt, since we’re frequently wrong about our own experiences. If continuing personal identity might be an illusion, then the reality we see might be an illusion as well. But we choose to take part like actors in this illusion.

From here Muñoz-Rengel takes a third step towards what he calls “evolutionary epistemology (认识论)”, which shows everything we claim to know should be evaluated through an evolutionary angle. For instance, to stay safe from natural enemies or hunt for food, some animals evolve into being capable of mixing with the surroundings to delude others. The thing is, the species continues through natural selection processes. Equally, we grow myths to explain the natural world and our place in it… As individuals and as societies, various forms of lies are built into our DNA.

The arguments in this book are strongly made, but more than a few of Muñoz-Rengel’s viewpoints need far more evidence as support. But anyhow, in separating the discussion from conventional morality-based studies of lying, he has produced a lively and distinctive work. But still, there is one thing to remember — we perhaps will be liars, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask ourselves when it is acceptable to lie and when it isn’t.

1. What can be implied about Muñoz-Rengel’s first persuasive step?

A．We can hardly control what we do in real life.

B．We are able to tell illusions from reality.

C．We choose to lie or not in different cases.

D．We tend to see reality in a subjective way.

2. Why does Muñoz-Rengel give the examples in Paragraph 4?

A．To make a comparison.	B．To clarify a concept.
C．To raise a problem.	D．To change a topic.

3. What does the underlined word “delude” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Surprise.

B．Trick.

C．Amuse.

D．Protect.

4. How does the author find the arguments in this book?

A．One-sided but convincing.	B．Conventional but impressive.
C．Poorly-based but novel.	D．Serious but understandable.

8 . Poland is known for food that is rich in meat. But as in many countries across the world, recent years have witnessed a rise in plant-based living. If you’re a vegetarian traveller in Gdansk looking for some meat-free options, make sure to pay these restaurants a visit!

Pierogarnia Mandu

A trip to Gdansk would be incomplete without pierogi, dumplings containing sweet fillings. They’re the ultimate Polish comfort food! This restaurant specializes in pierogi. You’ll also get to watch the pierogi being made in full view of the restaurant. It’s worth booking in advance as it’s very popular.

Avocado Vegan Bistro

It is a small, comfortable cafe with a menu that includes classics like dumplings as well as daily specials. It can get pretty busy, so you may have to choose for takeaway rather than eating in, but the food is fresh and tasty. There is also a great selection of vegan (严格素食主义者) cakes and desserts to choose from, so it’s worth a visit even if you’ve already eaten.

Zakwasownia

Also in Wrzeszcz is Zakwasownia, a vegan organic restaurant. The menu is not huge, but you can expect quality rather than quantity with dishes. There is a lot of attention to detail in the way that dishes are plated, creating a dining experience that feels a little fancy — perfect for a date night or a special occasion. There is also a children’s menu, so it’s family friendly, too.

Manna 68

Also in the Old Town is Manna 68, an only vegan restaurant. The menu is varied. Its central location makes it a perfect pit stop(短暂休息) after a day of exploring the streets of the Old Town. That also means it’s a little pricier, but for quality food, friendly service and a comfortable atmosphere, it’s worth it.

1. What can travelers experience in Pierogarnia Mandu?

A．Choose for takeaway.	B．Buy free comfort food.
C．Make dumplings with families.	D．Enjoy the process of making dumplings.

2. Which restaurant suits a young couple with a kid?

A．Manna 68.	B．Zakwasownia.
C．Pierogarnia Mandu.	D．Avocado Vegan Bistro.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A textbook.	B．An art magazine.
C．A travel brochure.	D．An academic arttele.

9 . Beach cleanup efforts around the world are common and well worth praising. However, we ______ get to see what actually happens to the trash that’s been ______. It’s even rarer for the gathered waste to be turned into ______. One company called Ocean Sole hosts cleanups to pick up ______ on the beaches and waterways of Kenya (肯尼亚) every year. They then give these abandoned objects a second ______ with the help of the artists from local ______, turning them into colorful sculptures of all sizes.

The story of Ocean Sole ______ when Julie Church, founder of the social enterprise, noticed children creating toys out of abandoned flip-flops (人字拖). ______ the versatility (多用途) of the material, she then ______ the children’s mothers to collect, wash, and cut the flip-flops, which they then could ______ new products that could be ______ at local markets as a(n) ______ source of income.

“Ocean Sole was founded with the aim of cleaning our oceans and waterways while ______ artists from high impact communities in Kenya,” Joe Mwakiremba, head of sales said. Today, the company ______ over 1,000 Kenyans through the collection of flip-flops and direct employment. This includes providing steady income to nearly 100 ______ Kenyans. According to Mwakiremba, one of their collectors has been ______ to put one of his kids through college; others even have been able to ______ land.

The ______ effects can also be seen in the ______. “We aim to recycle a million flip-flops per year, recycle over one tonne of plastic a month, and save over five hundred trees a year,” the company states on its website. “We ______ over 10-15% of our profit to beach cleanup and spend another 10% on other public welfare and charity, like educational programs and conservation efforts.”

1.

A．never

B．rarely

C．often

D．sometimes

2.

A．deserted

B．buried

C．bought

D．collected

3.

A．tools

B．toys

C．art

D．energy

4.

A．trash

B．fish

C．sand

D．plastic

5.

A．explanation

B．try

C．test

D．life

6.

A．communities

B．schools

C．banks

D．hospitals

7.

A．began

B．spread

C．continued

D．changed

8.

A．Wondering

B．Ignoring

C．Imagining

D．Realizing

9.

A．required

B．encouraged

C．begged

D．allowed

10.

A．add to

B．mix with

C．turn into

D．exchange for

11.

A．exhibited

B．donated

C．rented

D．sold

12.

A．geographic

B．additional

C．original

D．official

13.

A．admiring

B．investigating

C．employing

D．introducing

14.

A．benefits

B．educates

C．hires

D．awards

15.

A．free

B．wise

C．greedy

D．poor

16.

A．willing

B．able

C．dreaming

D．hesitant

17.

A．occupy

B．purchase

C．clear

D．distribute

18.

A．decisive

B．modest

C．positive

D．temporary

19.

A．environment

B．industry

C．fashion

D．technology

20.

A．gain

B．owe

C．contribute

D．lend

10 . 2023年12月22日，第78届联合国大会协商一致通过决议，将春节确定为联合国假日：假定你是李华，作为中国学生代表应邀参与世界中学生学习交流活动来介绍中国的春节。请你以今年龙年为例，向国际学生介绍中国的春节。要点如下：
1、介绍春节：2.邀请大家来中国欢度春节。
注意：1.写作词数应为80左右;2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Ladies and gentlemen,
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