1 . The oceans play a crucial role in lightening global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide emissions. However, in a study conducted by the University of Texas, researchers found that the oceans’ capacity to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) would reach its maximum by 2100 and decrease to half of its current efficiency by 2300, based on a climate simulation (模拟) that was set for a worst-case emissions scenario (设想).

The decline happens because of a surface layer of low-alkalinity (碱度) water that can hinder the ability of the oceans to absorb CO₂. Alkalinity affects how much CO₂ can dissolve in seawater. Although the emissions scenario used in the study is unlikely because of global efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the findings reveal a previously unknown tipping point that if activated would release an important brake on global warming.

“We need to think about these worst-case scenarios to understand how our CO₂ emissions might affect the oceans not just this century, but next century and the following centuries. Climate simulations had previously shown that the oceans slow their absorption of CO₂ over time, but none had considered alkalinity as an explanation. We recalculated pieces of a 450-year simulation until we hit on alkalinity as a key cause of the slowing.” said Megumi Chikamoto, who led the research at the University of Texas Institute.

The effect begins with extreme climate change, which slows ocean currents. This leaves the surface of the oceans covered in a warm layer of fresh water that won’t mix easily with the cooler, more al kaline waters below it. That means more of it is left behind in the atmosphere. This in turn produces faster warming, which sustains and strengthens the low-alkalinity surface layer. Co-author, Pedro DiNezio, said that the discovery was a powerful reminder that the world needs to reduce its CO₂ emissions to avoid crossing this and other tipping points.

1. What may happen after the year 2300?

A．More CO₂ will be absorbed by the oceans.

B．The oceans will lose all their current efficiency.

C．The world will face even more severe warming.

D．The oceans will be less crucial to global warming.

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

A．Improve.

B．Weaken.

C．Protect.

D．Control.

3. What does Megumi Chikamoto say about the oceans?

A．Finding why they slow CO₂ intake is hard.

B．Their ability to absorb CO₂ is at their maximum.

C．They will decide on the future of human beings.

D．They will slow down CO₂ absorption very quickly.

4. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A biology textbook.	B．A government report.
C．Science fiction.	D．An environmental journal.

2 . For the past 8 years, K-9 officer Roni has been by the side of Officer Joel Nitchman of the Deer Park, Texas police department. They’ve been through a lot together, and the cop (警察) thinks of the dog as a member of his own family. Recently, the team had just returned to the station when an EF-3 tornado suddenly formed nearby.

The wind picked up fast. Remembering Roni was still inside his cage in the patrol car, Joel didn’t think twice about rushing outside into the storm to get his partner. “The thought of ruins, or the car flipping over.... I couldn’t do that to him,” said Joel. “I couldn’t have him out there during that.” He felt debris (碎片) hitting his face as he headed into the wind, and he knew the situation was worsening with every passing second.

Conditions worsened even further when Joel made it around to the other side of the car. The wind and rain were so strong that he couldn’t get the door open. When he finally opened it, Roni refused to move. “I could barely open his door,” Joel said. “When I did, he’s a smart dog, he saw what was going on outside and he said I’m not coming out.” With a lot of coaxing (劝诱), Roni finally followed his partner out of the car, and Joel was able to lead him by the collar back into the safety of the station.

“Never been through anything like this before,” Joel said of the frightening event. Now that the danger has passed, he feels even closer to his K-9 partner, and he’d do it all over again, if he had. “I love that dog,” he explained. “He’s a part of our family. We can’t leave a loved one like that. There’s no way I was going to leave him like that.”

Well done, officer! It’s nice to know that these cops have each other’s backs through thick and thin.

1. What is the relationship between Roni and Joel like?

A．Plain.

B．Distant.

C．Terrible.

D．Inseparable.

2. Why did Joel rush out despite the coming disaster?

A．Roni was still on duty outside.

B．He attempted to get the car inside.

C．He went to rescue Roni stuck in the car.

D．He wanted to learn more about the tomado.

3. What is the most unexpected difficulty during the rescue of Roni?

A．Lack of official help.

B．Roni’s fear of the danger.

C．The poor quality of the door.

D．The unsafe situation of the station.

4. How does the experience influence Roni and Joel?

A．They are more attached to each other.

B．They are now living closer to each other.

C．They have more loved ones in their lives.

D．They are more independent of each other.

3 . Architectural Wonders Inspired by Nature

Atomium: Brussels

Originally constructed for the 1958 World’s Fair, or Expo 58, this weird (古怪的) building features nine interconnected spheres (球体) measuring 335-feet high. Engineer Andre Waterkeyn and architects Andre and Jean Polak modeled it after an iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times to represent faith in scientific progress. Today the interior is home to a museum and several temporary exhibits.

The Cube Houses: Rotterdam

Despite all the hard angles and straight lines, architect Piet Blom actually took inspiration from a forest of trees when designing these Dutch houses back in 1977. Each bright yellow cube is tilted (倾斜的) on its side by 45 degrees and anchored to a hexagon-shaped pylon (六边形塔架), representing a tree. The entrance to each three-level house lies inside the concrete “trunk” that contains a staircase.

Taipei 101: Taipei

Standing at 1,671 feet tall, this 101-story skyscraper was the tallest building in the world when it opened in Taipei’s modern Xinyi District in 2004. Renowned architect C. Y. Lee modeled it after a bamboo stalk, and its repetitive sections are full of symbolism. There are a total of eight parts comprised of eight floors each -a lucky number in Chinese culture.

Helix Bridge: Singapore

An international team, assembled from Architects 61 in Singapore, designed this footbridge stretching over Marina Bay, linking the famous hotel and shopping center with the ArtScience Museum and Gardens by the Bay. The inspiration comes from the double helix (螺旋的) structure of a DNA molecule. Opened in 2010, the 919-foot long curved structure has five viewing platforms, giving pedestrians spectacular views of the skyline from across the waterfront.

1. What was the original purpose of building Atomium?

A．Preparing for Expo 58.

B．Preparing for a museum.

C．Preparing for some exhibits.

D．Preparing for an iron crystal.

2. What is special about The Cube Houses?

A．They are very straight like big trees.

B．Each cube is tilted about 45 degrees.

C．They are the oldest of the 4 buildings.

D．They are designed by a famous architect.

3. Where should you go if you want to visit well-known hotels?

A．To Atomium.	B．To the Cube Houses.
C．To Taipei 101.	D．To Helix Bridge.

4 . 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。

China is known as Xia for its grand etiquette (礼仪) culture, and known as Hua for its beautiful attire (衣裳). With the     1     (change) in society, economic development, and cultural development, clothing has evolved over thousands of years. However, while the forms may have been changed, the essence (本质)     2     (remain) constant.

“In ancient China, emperors like Huangdi. Yao, and Shun brought peace to the world through their clothing.” Clothing holds     3     significant place in Chinese culture. It is not only used for daily wear,     4     (cover) the body and protect it from cold but also as an instrument of management. In ancient Chinese society, there were strict rules and dress codes about clothing. The presence of clothing distinguished civilization     5     barbarism (野蛮), while changes in color and style     6     (gradual) developed into a form of etiquette. Their design conveyed behavioral norms and     7     (they) patterns were rich in cultural significance. Moreover, ancient attire were also an important carrier of morality. China has always been known as a nation     8     values formal attire and etiquette.

What is the Chinese style? It is something that makes people think of China as soon as they see it. For example, the horse-face skirt, which     9     (favor) by international brands and Chinese people for many years, will continue to be attractive. Chinese clothing, as a classical style. has been known to the world overnight with good opportunities. It’s not just a traditional costume style but also a source of     10     (admire).

5 . In late 2021, I began to have a little bit of a midlife crisis. When my father was 48 years old, he had a heart attack that nearly ended his life. As I _________ my mid-forties, I knew that I needed to make a change in my life. I wanted to do something _________ to prove to myself and everyone else around me that I wasn’t going to have the same fate.

As I was trying to determine what kind of _________ that I wanted to set, I found a _________ called The Rut. The Rut is a series of races that are _________ in Big Sky, Montana every September. There’s multiple distances, but the 28 Kilometer _________ is the most popular, as well as the most _________ of the entire series. This race is regularly listed in the top ten most difficult races in the world. It involves almost 8,000 feet of elevation (海拔)_________ . This was the type of race I was _________ .

I also did a detailed training __________ . Even if I was traveling for business, I would stick to it and never __________ a workout (训练). And then came race day.

That day, Big Sky Montana, was unseasonably __________ , almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The race is going almost entirely above tree line, which means that you just are __________ to the elements (恶劣天气) nearly the entire time. Many people __________ out of the race halfway. But I finished it. When I reached the finish line, I was greeted by my wife and children, also friends that had traveled with us to Big Sky that day. This was the biggest challenge I had made for myself, but I __________ it.

1.

A．finished

B．designed

C．approached

D．changed

2.

A．public

B．big

C．equal

D．dangerous

3.

A．record

B．test

C．goal

D．trap

4.

A．race

B．training

C．town

D．place

5.

A．adopted

B．created

C．covered

D．hosted

6.

A．distance

B．display

C．competition

D．game

7.

A．exciting

B．challenging

C．breathtaking

D．surprising

8.

A．ride

B．trouble

C．gain

D．show

9.

A．changing for

B．leaving for

C．paying for

D．looking for

10.

A．plan

B．service

C．exchange

D．center

11.

A．served

B．missed

C．offered

D．followed

12.

A．hot

B．cool

C．mild

D．common

13.

A．expected

B．used

C．exposed

D．proved

14.

A．kept

B．took

C．hid

D．dropped

15.

A．forgot

B．made

C．caught

D．appreciated

6 . 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。

It was Monday. I was standing in the doorway of my room at The Seeing Eye (a guide dog school), anxiously waiting to hear my instructor call my name. All sorts of questions ran through my mind, and on the top was the fear that I was making an awful mistake — To adopt (领养) a guide dog when I had been afraid of dogs all my life? Crazy!

I wanted to bite my nails. I changed from one foot to the other and sighed frequently. Finally, shocking me out of my own thoughts, I heard my instructor say, “Shannon!”

“Shannon,” she said, “This is George.”

Two huge paws touched my knees.

“Down, George,” my instructor said, and the dog obeyed immediately.

We were taken back to my room where the door was closed, being left alone. I petted him. He put up his paw to shake my hand, and he sat so nicely, as if to say, “I’m a good boy, I promise.”

However, several minutes later, George got bored with me and went to the door, crying out for the lady who had trained him. I was at a complete loss as to what to do next.

Sometime later, my instructor took George and me on a walk outside. I took the handle of George’s harness (项圈) and stumbled (跌跌撞撞走) around that path instead of walking, and I kept stepping on poor George’s feet, but he never stopped and neither did I. Still, I was worried. If this stumbling around was what I could expect, maybe this guide dog wasn’t for me.

In the school, we were taught to walk with our dogs. We were also taught to feed, water and care for our dogs without any sighted help. We had to master all things before we left the school. Sometimes, it was easy, and sometimes it was not.

I struggled hard in order to pass the last day exam, where I would walk along an unfamiliar street with George. If we arrived at the destination safely, I could take George home.

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。
Finally the big moment came.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Then came my instructor’s words, “You did it!”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 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。

China International Culture Association, a key sponsor of “Happy Chinese New Year”, called for rabbit-themed mascot (吉祥物) design for the Year of the Rabbit,     1     started on Jan. 22, 2023, according to the traditional Chinese calendar.

The     2     (collect) design went through four stages of evaluation, and the winner was told at the end of 2022. “Happy Chinese New Year” is known for     3     series of cultural activities held in numerous countries     4     (introduce) the lunar New Year culture and bring the joys of Chinese New Year to everybody throughout the world. The Year of the Rabbit is considered as one of the     5     (lucky) signs of the Chinese Zodiac (生肖). It is traditional Chinese     6     (believe) that the Chinese Rabbit will live a long, peaceful life filled with beauty and love.

The design competition     7     (hold) for the first time to create a memorable and     8     (cultural) fresh experience for the globe. The interested     9     (party) could check out details and know more information at https://ishijue.com/, the official website     10     the competition.

8 . How to Show Respect

Whether you’re talking to your best friend or a stranger, respecting them shows that you’re kind and considerate. Here are some easy ways to show respect in your life.

Listen to others.

Practice active listening to show you respect others.     1     Nod your head and ask follow-up questions to stay focused in the conversation. Even if you disagree, try to consider the point of view before responding.

Confirm (肯定) people’s opinions.

When you’re talking to someone, confirm their opinions in your own words. You can also mention their achievements to let them know you see how hard they’ve worked. You could say something like, “What you just said was really cool.     2    ” Or, “I can tell you’ve worked super hard to get your business off the ground.”

Apologize when you’re in the wrong.

It shows a great deal of maturity (成熟). If you mess up, a simple “I’m sorry” goes a long way. Try not to make excuses for yourself.     3     For example, if you forgot a deadline, you could say, “I’m really sorry. I’ll be setting reminders so this doesn’t happen again.”

    4    

Stick to your word. If you commit (承诺) to an event or make plans with someone, come through on your end of the deal. Being reliable shows respect for people’s time. Have your materials in order and complete all the necessary work ahead of time.     5     It can be tough at first, but it’s better to be honest.

A．Do what you say you’ll do.

B．Just say no if you can’t commit.

C．Wait to talk instead of merely listening.

D．I can tell you’ve thought a lot about this topic.

E．Watch and be quiet when someone else is talking.

F．Excuses are useless if you want to correct your mistakes.

G．It might also be helpful to have a plan to avoid such mistakes again.

9 . People have different ways of dealing with waste paper, specifically used newspapers. Some put them in the recycling area, while others keep them as wrappers (包装纸). While these are both good measures, a Japanese publishing company had a better idea for their end use.

The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd. invented the “Green Newspaper”, which allows people to grow plants with it. This unique newspaper was published on Greenery Day, which is focused on environmental news and made of green paper with seeds placed into it. What makes it even more special is the ink (油墨) used to print words and photos, which is made from plants. The publisher advises readers to tear the used newspaper into small pieces and plant them in a container with soil. They should water them, like they would do for any plant. Within a few weeks, the seeds will grow into plants.

This brilliant concept was invented by Dentsu Inc., one of Japan’s most famous advertising agencies, which works with the publishing company on the initiative (倡议). The publisher’s belief is environmental sustainability (持续性). As its mission statement says, “The Mainichi doesn’t take action only through information, but also by solving global issues.” With joint efforts, this initiative has reached the corners of Japan and sold around millions of copies daily. Other such initiatives producing plantable paper are also seen in India and the US.

About 95 million trees are lost for producing newspapers every year. The Internet, the number of whose users stands for 62.5 percent of the population worldwide, has influenced how people read news and the print readership has dropped greatly. However, the reinvention and reimagination of this newspaper will bring about a change in the publishing industry as well as having an environmental influence.

1. What do we know about the “Green Newspaper”?

A．It uses high-tech materials.

B．It provides energy for seeds.

C．It’s printed with plant-based ink.

D．It’s published to celebrate Greenery Day.

2. What message does the publisher’s mission statement convey?

A．It’s easier said than done.

B．Everything comes to him who waits.

C．Many hands make light work.

D．Actions speak louder than words.

3. What’s the author’s attitude to the “Green Newspaper”?

A．Doubtful.	B．Supportive.
C．Indifferent.	D．Negative.

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．About 59 million trees are lost for producing newspapers.

B．The Internet has changed the way people read news totally.

C．The popularity of the Internet leads to the fall of the print readership.

D．The “Green Newspaper” will encourage more people to protect the environment.

10 . Everyone has their favourite Bond songs with the 007 movies offering so many different musical outings over the years from classic rock and pop to soul and even dance. Let us know in the comments.

Golden Eye — Tina Turner
Golden Eye (1995)

Golden Eye sees a cat-like Turner wandering about throughout its sound stage, flashing her claws where necessary. Its sweeping arrangement and sentimental brass (感伤的铜管乐) contribute to a powerful vocal performance. The strings are mixed with horns that sound like a passing train. This is effortless singing from Turner and her amazing control is a joy to hear.

Tomorrow Never Dies — Sheryl Crow
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

This rock/pop little number has always felt rather clear to the listeners. It is a bit Bond-aping (邦德式模仿) rather than creating something new all by itself, which is what it should ideally be aiming for. Crow gives it her all with her soft voice.

You Know My Name — Chris Cornell
Casino Royal (2006)

Right from the brilliantly exciting intro, the whole track just sounds so strong, as if it was chiseled (镌刻) out of the very finest stone. A lot of this is down to Chris Cornell’s powerful and deeply rich voice. One of the greatest singers of his generation, he absolutely nails this track.

Writing’s On The Wall — Sam Smith
Spectre (2015)

The title theme that most people can’t actually remember. By all accounts, Sam Smith’s Writing’s On The Wall was written very quickly, and frankly, it shows. Far from being a terrible song, it just lacks basically everything that a Bond theme needs. Sure, it certainly feels empty.

1. Who gives an impression of joy to hear through his/her voice?

A．Tina Turner.	B．Sheryl Crow.
C．Chris Cornell.	D．Sam Smith.

2. How does the song Tomorrow Never Dies sound to the listeners?

A．Sweet.

B．Strong.

C．Gentle.

D．Terrible.

3. Which song lacks a Bond theme according to the author?

A．Golden Eye.

B．Tomorrow Never Dies.

C．You Know My Name.

D．Writing’s On The Wall.