1 . The morning commute (通勤) is never fun. But if you pass through Stevenage on your way to work, your morning might be a little ________ thanks to the cat Nala.

Dragging yourself out of bed in the morning and off to work is hard, ________ on dark winter mornings. However, you might ________ to come out of the house with a spring in your step if your commute started at Stevenage station, where you’d be ________ by a cat called Nala.

Usually found sitting on a ticket gate, four-year-old Nala lives close to the station with her owner Natasha Ambler, and often ________ the station at rush hour to enjoy attention from commuters. Ambler ________ a Facebook page called The Adventures of Nala where hundreds of people have voluntarily ________ photos of the adventurous cat.

Recent photos posted by commuters include Nala ________ in line for her canned food at a supermarket, napping on newspaper stands and ________ with commuters at the station barriers to get their attention.

Nala wears a GPS tracking device so that her ________ can be kept track of, and is usually found at the railway station or the ________ leisure park. As well as the usual collar with her name and owners’________ information, Nala wears a tag to let people know that she’s not ________.

According to the BBC, Ambler reported that she’s not ________ about Nala in the slightest: “She’s obviously ________ and she’s very happy doing what she does — I just hope one day she doesn’t actually try to get on a train.”

1.

A．quieter

B．longer

C．busier

D．brighter

2.

A．gradually

B．especially

C．basically

D．generally

3.

A．agree

B．fail

C．prefer

D．hesitate

4.

A．troubled

B．greeted

C．stopped

D．rewarded

5.

A．lives in

B．takes up

C．watches over

D．heads to

6.

A．created

B．found

C．bought

D．wrote

7.

A．taken

B．edited

C．shared

D．enjoyed

8.

A．hunting

B．waiting

C．working

D．playing

9.

A．posing

B．joking

C．fighting

D．communicating

10.

A．steps

B．jumps

C．activities

D．travels

11.

A．newly-built

B．family-friendly

C．next-door

D．fun-filled

12.

A．job

B．contact

C．health

D．company

13.

A．hungry

B．lonely

C．lost

D．ill

14.

A．worried

B．confused

C．unhappy

D．curious

15.

A．well-informed

B．well-equipped

C．well-educated

D．well-loved

2 . 假如你是杭州外国语学校的学生会主席李华，请你用英语给杭州娃哈哈进出口有限公司总经理宗馥莉女士写一封信，表达对她刚刚痛失她的“民族企业家父亲——宗庆后老先生”的慰问。内容包括：
1.表达哀思；
2.对娃哈哈集团的希望和建议。
condolences—慰问；吊唁
Dear Ms. Zong,

I’m Li Hua from Hangzhou Foreign Language High School.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . Emotions play a crucial role in people’s lives. Being in tune with your emotions is a great thing, and it can lead to deeper connections. Nevertheless, when your emotions control you, they can seriously affect your ability to perform and to think clearly in crucial situations. You can’t get rid of your emotions completely.     1    

Focus on your body, not your mind

What does your body feel like right now? Pay attention to the feeling of the clothes on your skin, and try to ignore any thoughts that you’re having.     2    . Then you can find inner peace.     3    

If you feel yourself starting to get upset or angry, head to the bathroom and look in the mirror for a few minutes. As you do, focus on taking deep breaths and think about increasing yourself-compassion. After 2 to 3 minutes, you’ll probably feel your heart rate slowdown and your breathing get a little more even. It’s a good tool to use at work or out in pubic when things get a little overwhelming.

Distract yourself

Do something engaging that will keep your mind off your emotions.     4    . For example, do a puzzle, read a new book, try a word search, or do some art. The more you can keep your mind off things, the less you’ll focus on your emotions.

Worry about your own problems

    5    . If you’re an empathetic person, listening to your friends or family members tell their issues will take a toll on you. It’s great to care about other people, but it’s also okay to set boundaries if you need to take some time for yourself.

A．Look at yourself in the mirror

B．Take a shower in the bath room

C．Here are some useful tips for you to get emotional

D．Try to pick something that really work your brain

E．But you can keep emotions from taking over your life

F．Shouldering the burdens of others can really wear you down

G．This can help you control emotional eruption gin the moment

4 . Oaks Farms is a combination of experiences that are designed to keep your students engaged in fun and exciting learning opportunities. We are truly a classroom without walls, offering educator-developed programs and field trips. We invite you here to explore sustainability (可持续发展), which includes not only the environment but also animal welfare, safety and our community.

The Pig Adventure

This program will help you learn all about pork and its benefits and discover the growth cycle of pigs from little babies to full grown-ups. Monitor the development of baby pigs and see how the farm works at the Pork Education Center. You will get first-hand knowledge about how our feeding system works.

The Dairy Adventure

This program encourages you to play as you learn, by opening up a fun space for dairy discovery including learning how to use a “real” station. Understand the nutrition of the animal products, and how robots are used in the Voluntary Milking System. You can start at the entrance to the adventure, and then stop by our Birthing Barn, which is an independent education center, and take a look inside.

The Crop Adventure

Explore the Crop Adventure program to learn about the importance of working to feed

8 billion people, the many uses of corn outside of consuming it, and how we can be sustainable with limited resources. See how a tractor (拖拉机) can tell you about the nutrients in the soil. Explore how technology assists farmers and the amazing biodiversity on the Farmer’s Garden.

The Pig Adventure ($3/student)

The Dairy Adventure ($5/student)

The Crop Adventure ($4/student)

Whole Adventures — include admission to the Pig Adventure, the Dairy Adventure, and the Crop Adventure ($7/student)

1. What is Oaks Farms?

A．A special tour zone.	B．A creative program.
C．An educational base.	D．An adventurous activity.

2. What can people do in the Dairy Adventure?

A．Taste some delicious milk products.	B．Witness the smart milking process.
C．Explore the process of pigs’ growth.	D．Understand the importance of nutrition.

3. What is the minimum cost for visiting the Dairy Adventure and the Crop Adventure?

A．$7.	B．$8.
C．$9.	D．$10.

5 . Reunions offer a chance to reflect on how much has changed. One happened in Hollywood when Here premiered (首映), bringing together the actors, director and writer behind Forrest Gump 40 years later for a new film. The stars were “de-aged” using new AI tools, making them more youthful in some scenes and enabling the filmmakers to see the transformation in real time while shooting.

With the use of generative AI in film making come things worth watching. The first is how AI will be used to tell new types of stories, as storytelling becomes more personalised and interactive. No one is quite sure how the nature of storytelling will change, but it is sure to. David Thomson, a film historian, compares generative AI to the advent of sound. When movies were no longer silent, it changed the way plot points were made and how deeply viewers could connect with characters. Cristóbal Valenzuela, who runs a company providing AI-enhanced software, says AI is like a “new kind of camera”, offering a fresh “opportunity to reimagine what stories are like”. Both are right.

Another big development to watch is how AI will be used as a time-saving tool. Generative AI will automate and simplify complex tasks like film-editing and special effects. For a glimpse of the future, watch Everything Everywhere All at Once, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2023. It featured a scene that used a “rotoscoping” tool to edit out the green-screen background and make a talking rock more believable. It shortened into hours what might have otherwise taken days of video-editing.

What is also noticeable is more dramatic conflicts between creators and those running AI platforms. This year is likely to bring floods of lawsuits (诉讼) from authors, musicians and actors about how their works have been used to train AI systems without permission or payment. Perhaps they can agree on some sort of licensing arrangement, in which AI companies start paying copyright-holders.

It will probably be a few years before a full-length film is produced entirely by AI, but it is just a matter of time.

1. What can we learn about the film Here?

A．It relates a story about youth.	B．The theme of the film is reunion.
C．AI tools are employed in the film.	D．It is adapted from Forrest Gump.

2. What does David think of AI’s application in film making?

A．Transformative.

B．Destructive.

C．Representative.

D．Irreplaceable.

3. Why does the author mention the film Everything Everywhere All at Once?

A．To show the high efficiency of AI tools.	B．To demonstrate the influence of the film.
C．To analyse a novel way of video-editing.	D．To praise the hard work behind the scenes.

4. What is the article mainly about?

A．Conflicts between man and machine.	B．AI’s huge effects on film production.
C．Drawbacks of dependence on AI tools.	D．Hot debate on the use of technology.

6 . Turning around corners, weaving through traffic, every second matters. It is neither a street race nor a 007 chase, but the risky journey of a sushi (寿司) roll.

The streets of China are filled with delivery drivers racing noodles, sandwiches and soups across cities. While the everyday consumer may find these services convenient, most do not realize the true cost of their delivery. How much is that late-night snack really worth?

Strict time limits are the main concern for delivery drivers. The Chinese delivery app Meituan decreased the maximum time allowance from 50 minutes to 30 or even 20. Time literally means money: Surpassing the limit can result in fines, which are paid to the firm rather than to the consumers. Yet, beyond fines, there is often a greater cost. According to Pandaily News, one delivery worker is injured or killed in accidents every 2.5 days in Shanghai and, sadly, companies seldom provide insurance claims when their time limits lead to these consequences. Drivers are pushed to break traffic rules and risk their lives so your sushi is not a minute late.

Furthermore, low wages and extensive working hours exacerbate these issues. Some companies in China take advantage of the economic inequalities between China’s large cities and less developed interior to offer extremely low pay to migrant delivery drivers while demanding long hours. Yet these long hours and low pay are common throughout the global delivery industry. In the United States, advertised earnings of $22 per hour are largely exaggerated while workers complain that food delivery apps rarely give them all their tips.

What is the solution? First, consumers should recognize what is behind their impossibly cheap and fast delivery: exploitation. We should expect more from the delivery app companies and less from their drivers. That is, we should pay more and wait longer while only ordering from companies who offer their drivers fair wages, insurance and a safe working environment. In the end, your sushi is just not worth it.

1. Who will be paid the fines for a delayed delivery?

A．The delivery firm.	B．The delivery worker.
C．The sushi restaurant.	D．The ordinary consumer.

2. What does the underlined word “exacerbate” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Integrate.

B．Comprise.

C．Worsen.

D．Alleviate.

3. Why does the author mention the “earnings of $22 per hour” in the US?

A．To indicate that delivery drivers shouldn’t expect much.

B．To emphasize that delivery companies should provide insurance.

C．To prove that the pay and working environment are better in the US.

D．To show that low pay and overwork are common issues in the industry.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．The Harm of Delivery Services	B．The True Cost of Convenient Deliveries
C．The Overrated Popularity of Sushi	D．The Benefits and Problems of Delivery Apps

7 . Lying in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, the fishing village Huatulco is home to nine bays, 36 beaches and thousands of baby turtles that apparently needed me. I had three open days on my calendar, and a desire to save some turtles. And so, away I went to Huatulco with Wildcoast, a group of champions-for-change who were protecting coastal and marine ecosystem in the U. S. and Mexico.

I was taken to La Escobilla to experience Wildcoast in action. Just one hour north of Huatulco, this protected beach is where mass turtle nesting happens. This natural phenomenon lasts just four days during rainy season, hundreds of thousands of female sea turtles swinging their way ashore to lay their eggs.

Between threats of dogs, crabs, development and oil spills, the little creatures have the whole world against them. As recently as 2002, turtles hunting was not only a common practice, but an important part of the culture and diet in the Oaxaca communities. Luckily, Wildcoast rescues turtle eggs and recreates habitats by monitoring temperatures and humidity. Thanks to their efforts, the sea turtles have made a major comeback, with now over 72 million turtles being born on the beaches that Wildcoast protects.

I got to hold 50 of the tiny creatures in a bowl. Despite an average laying of 100 eggs, just one in 1, 000 baby turtles will make it to adulthood. Gazing into the bowl, I so badly wanted them to taste the sea and find shelter somewhere deep in the ocean. Finally, it was time to liberate those little creatures. Out spilled the creatures, some moving full steam ahead while others barely paddled in place. Literally, hundreds of them began to spread out across the beach.

With each set of waves, we witnessed the survival of the fittest, some pushing past the whitewash while others crashed back to shore. Their fight for life made my eyes wet. A flock of birds were ready to dive into the sea for their moving targets. “One in 1, 000.” Nature was cruel and compassionate at the same time. After 30 long minutes, the last creature made his way to the sea.

1. The baby turtles are threatened by various factors except ________.

A．the cruel hunters	B．the rapid development
C．the extreme weather	D．the oil-polluted ocean

2. What do the underlined words “full steam ahead” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．With slow pace and fear.	B．With all energy and enthusiasm.
C．With full caution and curiosity.	D．With great satisfaction and responsibility.

3. What does the author indicate by mentioning “One in 1,000” in the last paragraph?

A．One baby turtle in 1,000 can make his way to the sea.

B．Thousands of baby turtles were crashed back to shore.

C．The struggle of baby turtles for life touched the author.

D．Baby turtles can hardly survive the harsh living conditions.

4. What can we learn from the author’s experience in saving baby turtles?

A．Think twice before you leap.	B．God helps those who help themselves.
C．Cease to struggle and you cease to live.	D．When the buying stops, the killing can too.

8 . Younger generations of Chinese citizens have developed new methods to relieve stress, which include raising unconventional “pets”, hugging trees, watching stress relief videos and so on.

On social media platforms, a new toy called “mango dog” recently emerged.     1     In the eyes of some netizens, the “mango dog” has special meanings. “Every time I see it, it heals me,” “It’s fluffy (毛茸茸的) and cute.”     2     For example, college students have shared online their experiences of raising stones and paper box “dogs”. These “pets” share similar characteristics—they don’t cry, make noise or get sick.

Tree hugging has also become a new stress relief for young people. “You may think you are hugging the tree, but in fact, the tree is embracing you,” this is a feeling shared by a netizen. Many netizens with such experiences have expressed that their anxiety has been reduced, and they feel a sense of communication with nature.     3    

“I came across the idea online. I tried it and felt truly relaxed,” said a young office worker. “In those brief seconds, it felt like the tree released a lot of pressure and stress from me.”     4     “I especially enjoy watching stress relief videos, like washing blankets and cutting soap. After watching them, I feel like the stress of the day is relieved and it’s easier to fall asleep.”

    5     According to public data, there are currently more than 800 companies in China with names, business scopes, products, services or trademarks containing the term “stress relief”. In 2023 alone, more than 70 new registered companies with this focus were added.

A．Various “pets” are made to cater to different people.

B．It is claimed to bring a sense of calmness and give a healing effect.

C．This is not the first time that young people have raised novel “pets”.

D．A young media worker also finds the relief in watching short videos.

E．In some cities people have even organized “tree hugging interest groups”.

F．Other toys such as squeeze balls have also gained popularity as a way to relieve stress.

G．The popularity of these methods reflects an increasing need to release people’s pressure.

9 . The European Towns and Cities That Are Magical at Christmas

Hallstatt, Austria

The town of Hallstatt and its beautiful landscape enjoy UNESCO protection. The old townhouses, tiny lanes and snow make this the ultimate destination forgetting into the festive mood. Hallstatt’s Christmas market is the stuff of legend. Picture a brightly lit tree and stalls selling decorations and handicrafts and you’re halfway to imagining just how special this spot is.

Valkenburg, Netherlands

Valkenburg has much of the usual European Christmas charms to attract visitors. However, what makes it special is the fact that they can all be found underground. The town’s Christmas Caves have become internationally renowned, with a wide range of stalls selling festive gifts and decorations. The larger Municipality Cave is home to one of the largest indoor Christmas markets in Europe.

Wroclaw, Poland

Wroclaw is regarded as one of Poland’s most beautiful cities, but it takes things to another level at Christmas. The city’s Christmas market is home to over 250 stalls and a superb fair. The architecture here captures the Christmas feeling too, with Gothic structures meaning everyone can tap into the special feeling that only comes round at this time of year.

Gothenburg, Sweden

Gothenburg is full of festive surprises for those willing to risk traveling north and brave the Scandinavian chill. And chief among them is the Liseberg Christmas Market. Set in an amusement park celebrating its100th anniversary in 2023, visitors can enjoy rides here and taste delicacies (佳肴) from across the country, including pickled herring, reindeer and spiced wine.

1. Which of the following places has underground Christmas charms?

A．Hallstatt.

B．Valkenburg.

C．Wroclaw.

D．Gothenburg.

2. What do the listed places have in common?

A．They have amusement parks.	B．They feature Gothic buildings.
C．They provide Christmas markets.	D．They enjoy UNESCO protection.

3. Which section of a newspaper is this text most likely from?

A．News.

B．Business.

C．Nature.

D．Travel.

10 . 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。

As I was packing up, I noticed my colleague had left his laptop bag in my office. Since he was already home, I decided to bring it to him. It was 4:30 p. m. The snow wasn’t supposed to start until later according to the previous warning, but just to be safe, I decided to use the country roads near his home instead of the highway, which could fast become a skating rink (滑冰场).

After I dropped off the laptop case and got right back on the road, the snow started. Within minutes I was in a whiteout. I rolled down my window, thinking I could follow the edge of the road and keep to a straight line. But really, I hadn’t a clue where I was or even which side of the road I was on. I had to stop because I was afraid of driving into a farmer’s field, or worse. I called 911, only to be told that nobody was coming to get me until morning at the earliest.

Those seconds after the call were the worst of my life. Getting out to walk in a whiteout and high winds when it was -10°C wasn’t an option. So I texted my colleague whose laptop bag I had just returned. I joked about my good deed ending in disaster. But he had an idea. “Pin your location on Google Maps and send it to me,” he said.

I did, and soon he texted me back a screenshot of the satellite view of where I was. We figured out that I was on a road in between two farms. I posted this new information to my Facebook community group, pleading (恳求) for anyone who knew someone living here to help me get rescued.

Soon enough, people started responding on my post. I got a message from someone who was going to put me in touch with the family living there. At 8 p. m., my mobile phone rang. It was the son of the farmer who owned the land beside the road I was stranded (使滞留) on. He told me that his dad was coming to get me!

Then, about 45 minutes later, I saw a tall figure walking toward me in the dark, carrying a flashlight.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As his wife treated me to hot drinks, André went into the storm again and brought back another two families stranded on the road.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________