1 . There are countless stories of man’s best friend stepping in to ________ humans. And that’s exactly what happened between a dog named Macho and a teenage boy, Griffin.

Single mom Nicole Evans was out of town when a fire ________ inside the home. Her teenage son, Griffin, was in his room sleeping at 5: 30 am, not ________ what was happening. That’s when Macho started behaving very ________. He nipped (咬) at Griffin repeatedly, ________ to leave alone. Fortunately, Macho’s immediate ________ enabled him and Griffin to ________ from the burning house just in time.

The fire completely ________ Nicole Evans’ home. And hearing about the ________ while out of town was a nightmare for the single mom. “It was probably the worst ________ of my life to not be with my son while something’s happening to him,” Nicole explained.

________, while she lost nearly everything she owns, it’s what ________ the fire that was most important to Nicole. “All those things are just things, and they’re all ________,” she said. “It’s a(n) ________ to know both Griffin and Macho are safe, and I can’t thank Macho enough for his incredible ________.”

Meanwhile, Nicole won’t face this ________ time alone. From the moment the news of the fire spread, donations began ________. Neighbors are helping the family ________ from the great loss and a charity account is ensuring friends and strangers alike can provide ________ as well.

Our pets not only provide us with companionship and unconditional love, but can even act as our furry ________.

1.

A．approach

B．rescue

C．inspire

D．reward

2.

A．broke out

B．set off

C．gave away

D．checked in

3.

A．confirmed

B．satisfied

C．aware

D．concerned

4.

A．selfishly

B．strangely

C．badly

D．professionally

5.

A．pretending

B．agreeing

C．refusing

D．determining

6.

A．debate

B．mission

C．request

D．reaction

7.

A．disappear

B．hide

C．escape

D．depart

8.

A．destroyed

B．affected

C．removed

D．threatened

9.

A．disaster

B．adventure

C．drought

D．contest

10.

A．speech

B．idea

C．experience

D．journey

11.

A．Instead

B．However

C．Gradually

D．Similarly

12.

A．arranged

B．recognized

C．caught

D．survived

13.

A．unique

B．valuable

C．replaceable

D．useful

14.

A．challenge

B．opportunity

C．reason

D．relief

15.

A．character

B．performance

C．talent

D．responsibility

16.

A．specific

B．pleasant

C．boring

D．tough

17.

A．pouring in

B．running out

C．showing up

D．taking off

18.

A．suffer

B．benefit

C．struggle

D．recover

19.

A．support

B．creation

C．advice

D．information

20.

A．leaders

B．instructors

C．protectors

D．neighbors

2 . The holidays can be a divisive season. Because the holidays are full of merriness, some love them. Others can feel troubled by them, affected by the financial pressure and family gatherings often accompanying the holidays.     1     So, what can you do if you’re feeling like that? Roll your sleeves up. We’re going to get real, make a plan and enjoy the holiday atmosphere.

    2     This may be obvious for many — you may feel triggered owing to the stress of social events or gift-giving. But others may have a harder time detecting what is going on.

Begin tracking how you’re feeling on the day-to-day life. You can keep a journal or take a brief walk where you can reflect at the end of your day. Doing this lets you see a pattern of what may be activating your negative feelings.

After getting your triggers written down, let’s make a plan. If it is money fueling the discomfort, let’s strategize how you can cut down the financial expectations. You can select a thoughtful low-cost decoration or a bunch of flowers.       3     Don’t be afraid to let them know your financial condition. If holiday gatherings are extremely stressful, it is time to see how this can shift. Avoiding holiday gatherings altogether isn’t possible for most. However, you can consider an excuse that can serve as a reason to leave early.     4    

Rethink how to love yourself rather than care for others too much. If you have to be with someone, are you at risk of yourself because of arguments or conflicts?     5     Minimizing the time you spend with them is a wise choice.

A．Keep track of your daily actions.

B．It will help you get through the tense situation.

C．Hosting a gathering can be another costly issue.

D．Feeling joyless during the holidays can be really awful.

E．You can also offer meaningful time spent with loved ones.

F．The truth is that it is hard to engage with people who hurt you.

G．Let’s begin by identifying what is causing you the intense anxiety.

3 . I often felt there was a lack of ceremony in my life. The ceremony of passage to mark transitions was ________. Therefore, I was especially ________ when a friend invited me to go with him for a hike that would mark his ________ entry into elderhood. We would be ________ by three other companions. One of them was a wise and gentle elder who would serve as our ________. But whether it involved a ________ or not, an opportunity to walk in the backcountry with people who knew where they were going sounded ________ to me, and yes was what I said.

It was a long drive and we started out early,________ along mountain roads to a campground at the edge of a ________ area where we met our guide. We then walked along a gently rising trail. Along the way there was green grass and bursts of colorful ________, and we soon got down into a sandy creek bed, which we followed for some time. The wonders of the wilderness ________ before us, and every now and then our guide stopped to call our ________ to the shift of the environment, instructing us to ________ the spirit of attentiveness and gratitude.

________, he paused to adjust the leg brace（支架） he was wearing to support his knee, but these too were ________ moments. "Getting ________ slows us down," he said, "but when we slow down, we become aware of things. That's one of the ________ of being an elder. We are allowed to slow down and ________. Life may not have so many ceremonies, so we need to ________ changes. We should move forward with the right ________: being humble, appreciative and positive."

1.

A．happening

B．recovering

C．developing

D．missing

2.

A．curious

B．confident

C．excited

D．puzzled

3.

A．sympathetic

B．symbolic

C．severe

D．sufficient

4.

A．visited

B．accompanied

C．persuaded

D．accomplished

5.

A．guide

B．friend

C．teacher

D．partner

6.

A．lesson

B．greeting

C．ceremony

D．problem

7.

A．wonderful

B．ordinary

C．unimportant

D．unsuitable

8.

A．walking

B．climbing

C．jumping

D．winding

9.

A．fashion

B．wilderness

C．travelling

D．business

10.

A．wildflowers

B．cultures

C．clothes

D．houses

11.

A．hid

B．unfolded

C．disappeared

D．stopped

12.

A．attraction

B．attention

C．association

D．accommodation

13.

A．forget

B．break

C．keep

D．change

14.

A．Fortunately

B．Strangely

C．Occasionally

D．Interestingly

15.

A．sad

B．awkward

C．historic

D．teachable

16.

A．lighter

B．clever

C．healthier

D．older

17.

A．gifts

B．plans

C．purposes

D．disadvantages

18.

A．escape

B．rest

C．notice

D．laugh

19.

A．adapt to

B．pay for

C．wait for

D．object to

20.

A．attempt

B．influence

C．function

D．attitude

4 . A humanoid robot can relay video and touch sensations to a person wearing a haptic (触觉内) feedback suit and a virtual reality (VR) headset hundreds of kilometres away, offering away for people to attend events without travelling.

The iCub 3 robot is a 52-kilogram, 125-centimetre-tall robot with 54 joints across its body. Its head contains two cameras where a human’s eyes would be, and an Internet-connected computer where the brain would go. Along with the cameras, sensors covering its body send data to the robot’s “brain”. These sensations are then reproduced on a suit and VR headset worn by a remote human operator.

When the operators react to what they see and feel, the suit’s sensors pick up the movements and the robot matches them. “The key is to translate every signal and bit of digital data that can be sent through the network.” says Stefano Dafarra, who was part of the iCub3 team. There can be a small delay of up to 100 milliseconds to capture and transmit the visual shots, but the operator can case this by moving slightly slower than normal.

The team demonstrated the robot at the Venice Biennale, where it wandered through an exhibition while its operator stood 290 kilometres away in Genoa. Dafarra hopes people will use the iCub3 to attend events remotely, reducing the need to travel. “But at present, a fall could be hugely damaging to the robot, and it’s uncertain whether it could stand up again on its own," he says.

“iCub3 is an interesting robot and offers clear advantages from the previous versions.” says Jonathan Aitken, whose laboratory owns a prior version of the robot. However, he is disappointed that the team wasn’t clear in its research about the data transmission requirements of the new version of the robot. “It would be good to know just how much data was required, and what the upper and lower bounds were.” he says.

1. What’s the principle behind the humanoid robot?

A．It conveys sensations to the wearer and acts accordingly.

B．It receives commands from an operator through the Internet.

C．The cameras take pictures and then interact with the sensors.

D．The computer in the robot processes the data and gives orders.

2. Which aspect of life may the technology be applied to?

A．Medical consultation.	B．Sports events.
C．Outdoor workouts.	D．Virtual tourism.

3. What can we infer about iCub 3 from the text?

A．It fails to appeal to potential investors.

B．Its performance hasn’t been evaluated clearly.

C．Its present version still requires to be updated.

D．Its transmission of data came across technical problems.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Humanoid robots with sense of touch catch on

B．iCub 3 robot combines with VR to benefit more people

C．Humanoid robots let people see and feel things remotely

D．New advances in technology enable people to travel at work

5 . Tokyo restaurant Sushiya no Nohachi reportedly serves great sushi, but it is most famous for its gimmick—making the world’s smallest sushi with a single grain of rice.

Located in Asakusa, a slightly quieter part of Tokyo, Sushiya no Nohachi is the place to go if you want to enjoy the tiniest, most adorable sushi in the world. Each piece is made with only a grain of rice and a tiny slice of topping wrapped in the thinnest piece of nori(海苔). Every served piece is actually perfect, which hints at the amount of work and patience that Bes into making them. They are the work of Hironori Ikeno, the chef of Sushiya no Nohachi, who came up with the idea in 2002 when a client asked him how small he could make his sushi. He answered, “as small as a grain of rice”, and proceeded to demonstrate that he wasn’t kidding. Over the years, the restaurant has become internationally famous for making the world’s smallest sushi.

Despite its size, miniature sushi actually takes a bit longer to make than regular-sized me, because of the precision and concentration required to put the tiny ingredients together. That is part of the reason why the restaurant only prepares tiny sushi for customers a few times a week and no more than five times a day, although they do sometimes make exceptions for foreign visitors who travel to the restaurant just to experience the world’s smallest sushi.

“I had a client from Sweden who came just to see my tiny sushi and the moment she saw it, she literally cried with joy.” Hironori Ikeno said.

Interestingly, one cannot simply order the tiny sushi at the restaurant. It is served for f re upon request with a regular-sized sushi course. Considering the sushi served at this place is reportedly delicious, you should probably be more excited about that. Plus, it also justifies the gimmick that the restaurant is so famous for.

1. What does the underlined word “gimmick” in paragraph 1 probably refer to?

A．A class to teach cooking skills.

B．A trick to attract customers.

C．A plan to promote the sushi.

D．A dish to win over opponents.

2. What made Hironori Ikeno start to make the smallest sushi?

A．His pursuit for perfection.

B．The curiosity of a customer.

C．The requirement from his boss.

D．A bet he made with others.

3. Compared with the regular sushi, the world’s smallest sushi __________.

A．Take more time to make one

B．Unpopular among customers

C．costs more money to buy one

D．needs more expensive materials

4. What do Hironori Ikeno’s words about the Swedish customer show?

A．Diversity of the customers.

B．His lack of experience.

C．Special treatment to foreigners.

D．His sense of achievement.

6 . How to Go Green

The idea of “going green” means that you’ll try to reduce your impact on the environment. It’s a great way to improve the planet.     1    .

Walk or bike to places if you live close enough.

    2    , so they’re not a friend to the environment. Walking or biking instead of using a car is a great way to save natural resources while saving you money. When possible, walk or bike to work, school or shops.

    3    .

Communicate digitally whenever possible, and only print out items when you absolutely must. When you do use paper, recycle it or save it to reuse the other side of it.

Buy second-hand products or borrow items instead of buying something new.

Buying things produces more waste and pollution, so try not to buy things you don’t need. When you do need something, shop at local second-hand market or use online resale shops.    4    .

Skip products that have a lot of packaging.

Products that come with a lot of packaging are bad for the environment because the packaging is waste. Even if you recycle the package, it’s still an unnecessary waste of resources.    5    . This can keep more trash out of landfills and save natural resources.

A．Cars use up a lot of gas

B．Limit your use of paper

C．Use reusable bags while you’re shopping

D．If you’re ready to go green, start from the following good habits

E．Do your best to pick products that have as little packaging as possible

F．In order to save money, cut down on the cost of paper you’re using

G．If you can, borrow items that you don’t use often, like tools, from a friend

7 . Several years ago, I was driving down a busy freeway in Portland, Oregon, when my tire blew out. I pulled over and made a (n) _________ that said I needed help.

Three hours later, a car finally _________. Out came a family of three. They were Latino, and their young daughter acted as a (n) _________ between her parents’ Spanish and my English, so that we could work together to _________ the car. The father found a _________ on the side of the road, and using it to lift the car to _________ the tire. An hour later, we finished.

I thanked them and tried to give them money as a (n) _________. Though I only had a $20 bill, and I thought it was the _________ I could do. They just wouldn’t _________ it. I insisted, and __________ put the money in the mom’s hand, and walked away.

Then I heard their small daughter call out, to ask if I was __________. Indeed I was, and she came over with a sealed (密封的) paper bag. We __________ thank-yous and she went back. As they were trying to get into traffic, I __________ the bag and found a hamburger with my money under it. I immediately __________ the car, which was leaving, to get the father’s __________. He rolled down his window and just __________ his head. With a big smile, he said, “Today you, tomorrow me.” They drove away.

I know the __________ is common in Mexico, where I __________ the family was from. But its value is __________. It just shows that everyone can be in __________ in a given situation, and that everyone needs help.

1.

A．deal

B．sign

C．attempt

D．promise

2.

A．pulled up

B．moved on

C．went off

D．dropped out

3.

A．coach

B．rescuer

C．advisor

D．interpreter

4.

A．wipe

B．unlock

C．fix

D．polish

5.

A．rope

B．hammer

C．nail

D．log

6.

A．replace

B．return

C．kick

D．blow

7.

A．reminder

B．reward

C．comfort

D．donation

8.

A．last

B．least

C．superior

D．minor

9.

A．refuse

B．notice

C．deserve

D．accept

10.

A．apparently

B．confidently

C．eventually

D．temporarily

11.

A．hungry

B．alone

C．nervous

D．thirsty

12.

A．displayed

B．exchanged

C．identified

D．demanded

13.

A．unwrapped

B．unloaded

C．emptied

D．gathered

14.

A．came across

B．got through

C．passed by

D．ran after

15.

A．sympathy

B．support

C．attention

D．confirmation

16.

A．shook

B．raised

C．covered

D．bent

17.

A．meaning

B．connection

C．expression

D．background

18.

A．claim

B．reveal

C．suppose

D．appreciate

19.

A．different

B．traditional

C．gradual

D．universal

20.

A．advance

B．trouble

C．question

D．action

8 . 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。

Cheng Yongmao was born in a village in Huairou, Beijing and began to learn the skill of building under the     1     (guide) of his uncle in 1972. Although he didn’t receive a     2     ( high) education, his practical experience enabled him to readily take in the theories, which in turn     3     (improve) his skills significantly.

Cheng received his first Great Wall assignment in 2004. He led a construction team of dozens of members, most of     4     came from mountainous areas in neighboring Hebei province and were     5     (consequent) good at hiking up and down the peaks.

In 2016, he started to work on the Jiankou section, which     6     (consider) one of the most dangerous parts of the Great Wall in Beijing and is known by hikers as the “Wild Wall”. The toughest place is called Yingfei Daoyang (Eagle Flies Upside Down),     7     (suggest) that even an eagle would have to fly straight up,     8     its beak pointing up directly toward the sky to fly over this spot. Working there is dangerous, but under Cheng’s leadership, the workers adapted to the     9     (challenge) environment and built up their strength.

After years of efforts, the section has regained its historical appearance. “Protecting the Great Wall is my responsibility,” he said, “As long as I can climb up the mountain, I’ll do my best to lead my team, especially to assist them in gaining experience     10     making their due contributions.”

9 . Polly Arrowsmith is a clever bargain shopper, and knows exactly when her three local supermarkets make their daily price down. She estimates that hunting out food with yellow discounted labels saves her hundreds of pounds a year. But all this could soon be coming to an end. That’s because supermarkets are adopting dynamic pricing, controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) software.

It involves digital price tags that are displayed either on the shelf below the food items, or on high-tech labels attached the product itself. These prices are automatically, and wirelessly, updated by the AI when a particular item approaches its sell-by date. The AI also examines how much stock (库存) the store is holding of that item and makes the decision as to whether a markdown is requiredor not. Besides, it can help supermarkets better understand how to manage stock supply and avoid over-ordering. So we’re actually turning the current food waste problem into an opportunity and can help cut supermarkets’ food waste by more than a third.

Matt Wills, the co-founder of a firm called Acumen, warns that there are potential disadvantages to dynamic pricing. “Not knowing what the reference price is, consumers might not realise they are getting a deal at all,” he says. “This could also cause added complications for people who retired, if items are seen to be continually changing in price.”

The key, Mr. Wills believes, will be for supermarkets to have strict guidelines to ensure they can offer the benefits that dynamic pricing can bring, while ensuring AI doesn’t create unintended negative consequences for shoppers. Whether shoppers will welcome the change is another question, but Mr. Wills believes they’ll be won over by the price reductions they receive.

Ms. Arrowsmith admits she will miss the yellow discount stickers that have become part of her shopping routine. However, she also says she wants to see less food going to waste. “I’m happy to forgo really cheap pricing,” she says.

1. Why are yellow discount labels disappearing?

A．They are easy to hunt out.

B．They expose some safety issues.

C．They cause great damage to shoppers.

D．They are replaced with digital pricing.

2. What is mainly discussed in paragraph 2?

A．The advantages of using the AI.

B．The display of digital price tags.

C．The management of stock supply.

D．The problem of current food waste.

3. What can we learn about AI-driven pricing according to Matt Wills?

A．It offers the cheapest price.	B．It greatly reduces food stock.
C．It has side effect on retirees.	D．It gives rise to legal problems.

4. What does the underlined word “forgo” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Pay off.

B．Give up.

C．Agree on.

D．Cut down.

10 . It’s Community Day again!

The event that Map le Estate residents are eagerly looking forward to is just around the corner! As usual, the Map le Residents’ Committee has planned a programme that is designed to promote community spirit. Maple Estate has been celebrating Community Day every month for more than a year. By now, we hope all our residents understand the importance of forming strong bonds with our neighbours. If you have just moved to our lovely estate and have not had the opportunity to know your neighbours, you can do so by joining at Community Day!

August Highlight: Map le Estate Chefs Call all residents who are keen to practice your cooking skills and let your neighbours sample your cooking! You will be the stars of the upcoming event! Visit www.maplerc.sg for more information and to register for this activity. Kitchen equipment and basic ingredients will be provided. You will receive a $50 shopping voucher that you can use to purchase other ingredients from MapleMart the day before the event. Remember to register before 21 July, 2024! We are sure everyone will enjoy the delicious dishes! Time: From 10 a.m.to 6 p.m,6 Aug.,2024 Place: Maple Community Club Entry: Flash your Maple Resident Card

“My wife and I moved to Maple Estate when we got married. For a few months, we spent all our free time after work doing up our house. Even though we knew that our neighbours were friendly and would sometimes invite us for their gatherings, we were occupied with getting things ready. However, it wasn’t long before we grew curious about the Community Day celebrations. After we started attending them regularly, we met many neighbours. The first time we invited some of them over, we played games that helped us to get to know one another better!”

—Mr. Wang, a Maple Estate resident since 2022

1. What do the Community Day events aim to do?

A．To teach how to cook meals.	B．To develop community spirit.
C．To meet diverse needs of neighbours.	D．To make the community cleaner.

2. What do you have to do if you want to take part in the Maple Estate Chefs?

A．To sign up before 21 July , 2024.	B．To provide basic ingredients.
C．To use your own kitchen equipment.	D．To pay a registration fee of $50.

3. Mr. and Mrs. Wang didn’t socialize with their neighbours much at first because ______.

A．they spent all their time at work

B．they weren’t invited for the gatherings

C．they were busy beautifying their home

D．they lacked information about the community