1 . Charlotte Liebling volunteered in a store which sold secondhand goods. She watched people bringing in items to donate, some of these _______ toys.

Liebling could _______ that the toys held emotional value. So she felt _______ when they were sold cheaply, put in the dog-toy section, or even thrown away. After doing some _______, Liebling learned that millions of stuffed toys _______ landfills(垃圾场) worldwide every year.

“The universal _______ is that secondhand stuffed toys lose their value although they’ve been loved once.” She recalls thinking, “If we can change this, we can show people the toys have so much left in them, and _______them to others.” That’s how the Loved Before toy-adoption agency_______.

People can donate toys through the mail or take them to a _______ point. The original owner writes down the name of the toy and a story about it, which helps ________ buyers understand its value. Next, the toy is cleaned, ________ and packaged. Every Monday, the photos of the ________ are posted on the Loved Before website. The agency makes a charitable donation of half of the profit from each ________.

So far, the Loved Before toy-adoption agency has sold more than 50,000 stuffed toys. But the agency’s goal is more than just trying to________some toys from landfills. It hopes to teach kids about the value of ________secondhand things again, in the hope that the act will go far beyond the idea of teddy bears.

1.

A．metal

B．plastic

C．broken

D．stuffed

2.

A．declare

B．explain

C．tell

D．wish

3.

A．sad

B．thrilled

C．grateful

D．frightened

4.

A．research

B．chores

C．shopping

D．exercises

5.

A．put up with

B．ended up in

C．held on to

D．stayed away from

6.

A．view

B．interest

C．law

D．background

7.

A．award

B．return

C．owe

D．give

8.

A．split

B．expanded

C．began

D．changed

9.

A．blow-up

B．drop-off

C．life-giving

D．energy-saving

10.

A．serious

B．potential

C．picky

D．loyal

11.

A．torn

B．delivered

C．photographed

D．imported

12.

A．agencies

B．owners

C．toys

D．charities

13.

A．visit

B．design

C．game

D．sale

14.

A．borrow

B．purchase

C．include

D．save

15.

A．loving

B．polishing

C．exposing

D．cleaning

2 . 阅读下面短文,根据所给情节进行续写,使之构成一个完整的故事。

Alan had loved poetry since fourth grade. In his spare time, he would sit alone, absorbed in creating a poem, carefully designing its content and sound. More often than not, he would read poems with full emotion and a beautiful voice, which brought him spiritual pleasure.

However, when he turned 13, he was going through puberty. Puberty is when kids start to become mature and experience many physical and emotional changes. Alan already hit his growth spurt (成长高峰期). He was very tall. Now, he was just waiting for his voice to deepen. Before the voice deepens, it will crack (破裂) and sound high-pitched (尖锐的).

In Alan’s English class, his teacher would have students do “Popcorn Reading”. Popcorn Reading is when one student reads and then calls on another student to continue reading. Alan was eventually called on. He started to read the sentence. He noticed that his voice came out all high-pitched. It sounded like he had a sore throat. His classmates started laughing at him. “What happened to your voice?” they joked. Alan was so embarrassed. He sunk into his chair and put his jacket hood over his head.

After class, the teacher went to Alan to talk to him. The teacher said Alan should not feel embarrassed. Voice cracking happens to everyone. Alan still felt pretty bad about it. For the next few days, word got around about Alan’s voice. People kept asking him to talk, but Alan wouldn’t. He just stayed quiet. Even when teachers called on him to read or asked him a question, he just wrote it down. Even for his love for poems, Allan just kept creating, but dared not to read them out.

One afternoon, his teacher called him into his office, and said with a smile, “Alan, to celebrate the coming Thanksgiving Day, our school decides to organise an activity presenting shows with dancing and singing. All the students will join in it. Could you write a poem and read it on the event?”

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。
Paragraph 1:

Hearing the teacher’s words, Alan froze on the spot.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

On the Thanksgiving Day, the skills worked and Alan gave a perfect performance.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . 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。

Chengdu is a nice lively city with a busy street life which people always find amusing. If you are traveling to Chengdu with children, a stop at one of the Giant Pnda Reserves will be     1     you must try. But that’s not all there is to see for children.

Kids will also enjoy     2    (take) a walk around ancient Jin Li Street, with its colorful market atmosphere, temples, the river and bridges. Stop at the teahouses, enjoy the markets, and try some    3    (taste) Sichuan dishes. Just around     4     corner you will find all sorts of Tibetan clothes and cultural objects, different from the usual souvenirs     5    (find) throughout China.

In addition, Chengdu can     6    (use) as a base for many one-day hikes in Sichuan Province. Besides the Giant Pandas,     7     the city is well-known for, there will be plenty to keep the kids busy in this area.     8    (certain), it is worth staying for a few days if you have the time.

Chengdu is also considered the gateway for travel into Tibet. Sichuan Province itself has a large Tibetan population and offers plenty     9     opportunities for interacting with minority cultures. Children can enjoy and learn from these     10    (encounter) here.

4 . How to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

It can surely be challenging and a little scary to step out of your comfort zone, but facing unfamiliar challenges can help you feel happier and more fulfilled in the long run. How to grow outside your comfort zone?     1    .

Regard discomfort as progress.

    2    .Whenever you try something new and make a move to step out of your comfort zone, remind yourself that the discomfort you’re feeling is ultimately progress that’s leading you to achieve your goals. Getting comfortable with discomfort is just like exercising a muscle; you have to continuously do it to get stronger and better.

Reward yourself for trying new things.

Treat yourself to stay motivated and energized. For example, whenever you do something that’s out of your comfort zone, buy yourself a small treat, take yourself out to a nice meal, or spend time doing other activities that you enjoy.     3    .

Surround yourself with supportive people.

Ask friends and family for encouragement and support. Tell your closest friends, family members, or partners what you’re trying to do and why.     4    .Whenever you feel hesitant, just know you have a whole team of people ready to celebrate your accomplishments.

    5    .

Get rid of things that’ll give you an excuse not to try something. For example, if your goal is to socialize with more people, turn off your phone when you go to a party or gathering so you won’t be tempted to use it as a distraction. Your environment can block or help your progress, so do what you can to improve it to guarantee success.

A．Adjust your goals in time

B．Your experiences can inspire them

C．Change your environment to help you grow

D．Overcome fear by adopting a positive mindset

E．They’ll be more than happy to get behind you and cheer you on

F．This will motivate you to step out and experience different possibilities

G．Try new activities and gain wide perspectives by following these strategies

5 . Over 200 musicians have jointly penned an open letter, urging AI developers not to use AI that infringes (侵犯) upon the rights of human artists, and requesting commitments to stop developing related AI music producing technologies.

The letter stresses the irresponsible use of AI, such as reducing royalties (版税) to artists by employing AI voices and using musical works without permission. Indeed, the problem of copyright infringement in the music industry has caused concerns in many countries, including China. In 2023, a well-known Singaporean singer topped trending lists on Chinese social media after users uploaded AI-produced songs using her voice. This later caused the heated discussion-whether AI music creators should be accused of using other artists’ works without permission.

Compared to the grassroots use of AI technology, the shockwaves caused by large companies are even more significant. In the US, tech giants like YouTube have begun testing AI music production tools. Recently, the AI music producing software Suno released its V3 version and made it available for users to produce songs about two minutes in length simply by providing basic text clues. In China, a domestic AI music producing software business has rapidly emulated them and released its first model “Tiangong Sky Music”, capable of producing 80-second and two-channel songs.

Although tools like Suno lower the barrier for music creation, they are unlikely to entirely replace professional musicians, especially talented ones, as music is an expression of human artistic creation. The value of music lies not only in melody and rhythm but also in the story and emotion behind it, elements that current AI technology struggles to fully copy.

Sacrificing and infringing upon the rights of artists, which leads to the damage of the music ecosystem, is unacceptable. Relevant authorities need to set up regulations to help enhance legal systems.

1. Why was the singer mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To highlight her popularity.	B．To arouse a heated discussion.
C．To display viral AI music works.	D．To show a copyright damage case.

2. What does the underlined word “emulated” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Followed.

B．Overlooked.

C．Assessed.

D．Criticized.

3. What is a feature of AI music producing tools?

A．Creating human artistic stories.	B．Lacking ability of emotion expression.
C．Struggling in melody and rhythm.	D．Clearing barriers for music production.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards AI music producing tools?

A．Supportive.

B．Optimistic.

C．Unfavorable.

D．Indifferent.

6 . While bees have a reputation for doing two things well: pollinating(授粉) flowers and making honey, they rarely receive the credit they deserve for their vital role in keeping a healthy grassland and maintaining a stable climate.

A grassland is one type of ecosystem where bees play multiple important roles. These often-ignored habitats are composed not just of grasses but of a broad community of wildflower species. Without the help of bees, flowering plants would no longer be able to reproduce at the same rate, eventually dying out, and we’d lose these species-rich ecosystems.

This would be a big problem for our planet because unlike the grasses that grow in your local park, native grassland plants have very deep roots that reach 15 feet or more into the soil. While a forest stores the majority of its carbon above ground in a tree’s trunks and branches, most grassland carbon is safely held below ground within these roots. Unlike forests, which lose most of their carbon once their trunks have burned, the carbon within a healthy grassland remains beyond the reach of fire, providing a second line of defense against a changing climate.

A bee’s impact below the soil line doesn’t end with carbon storage. Many bees nest within the soil. These gatherings may include thousands of individual bees, whose nests may go many feet into the soil, providing air and opportunities for water conservation. Where they are found, bees play a significant role in ensuring that soils remain healthy.

Sam Droege, a famous wildlife biologist states that bees will go wherever they are called to-the flowers, plants, and grasslands acting as a homing signal guiding them forth. “They will travel impressive distances to feed on specific species of flowering plants,” says Droege. “We’ve seen that even if the climate changes, the bees will still follow where the plants grow.”

1. Why are bees crucial to a grassland ecosystem?

A．They provide honey for wild species.	B．They can protect grasses from dying out.
C．They change the stability of the climate.	D．They help flowering plants’ reproduction.

2. Where is most grassland carbon stored?

A．In the trunks of the trees.	B．In the roots of the plants.
C．In the surface of the soil.	D．In the flowers above ground.

3. What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

A．Where bees can be found	B．Why bees nest underground.
C．How bees help soils stay healthy.	D．Whether bees conserve water.

4. What can be inferred from Sam Droege’s words?

A．Bees are naturally attracted by plants.

B．It is difficult for bees to find enough to eat.

C．People can guide bees to read certain signals.

D．Bees' behaviors change with global warming.

7 . Arriving in Beijing as a 20-year-old girl from Germany, I found skateboarding to be my compass in exploring this vast and unfamiliar city.

My first impression of Beijing was its combination of ancient buildings and modern, futuristic architecture, which provided a variety of skate spots. From historic landmarks to urban malls in commercial districts, each location offered its own set of challenges and opportunities for creative expression. This contrasted with the skate parks back home in Europe, which, while well-designed and functional, lacked the historical depth and aesthetic (美学的) diversity in Beijing.

The skateboarding community in Beijing has also taken me by surprise. I remember the first time going out on a street skating park. I had some concerns initially, fearing that people might keep me, a foreigner, at a distance. However, with locals happy to communicate with me, my worries turned out to be unnecessary.

The first thing that caught my eye was a beautiful backside flip done by Seven, a Beijing skater who was just as welcoming and free-spirited as any skaters I’d met in Europe. It’s this shared passion for skateboarding that bonds this community together tightly across the globe.

In addition, even those outside the skateboarding community show curiosity and enthusiasm for the sport, which impressed me a lot. Passersby, especially the elders and young children, often stop to watch us skate, with some even daring to try it out for themselves. This openness and eagerness for exploration were refreshing for me, and it provided a wonderful opportunity for cultural exchanges and mutual learning.

My skateboarding journey in China has truly been enlightening, one that bridges the gap between Eastern and Western cultures. As I continue to navigate the streets and skate parks of Beijing, I do so with a deeper appreciation for the culture diversity here and the unifying power of skateboarding, which brings people together in the spirit of joy, freedom, and mutual respect.

1. What is special about skate spots in Beijing?

A．The creative design.	B．The historical depth.
C．The modern landmark	D．The commercial function.

2. What worried the author in the beginning?

A．She might be too shy to join others.

B．She might feel lonely in a new place.

C．Locals could be unwilling to interact with her.

D．Locals could be uninterested in skateboarding.

3. What left a deep impression on the author?

A．Seven’s experience in Europe.

B．Children’s exploration in cultures.

C．The elders’ dangerous movements.

D．People’s great passion for skateboarding.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Skateboarding across cultures.	B．Learning skateboarding in Beijing.
C．Exchanging respect among cultures.	D．Making friends in a foreign country.

8 . Time for International Booker Prize again! The novels on 2024 International Booker Prize shortlist (入围名单) cover cultures, styles and the width of human experience and associate us with new sensations and memories.

Not a River by Selva Almada, translated by Annie

Two men and their friend’s teenage son go on a fishing trip. Frustrated after hours of wrestling with a hooked fish, one of them shoots it with a gun. So begins a tale about perseverance, guilt, desire and outsider suspicion.

The Details by la Genberg, translated by Kira

Genberg said that she began writing The Details, “just like the woman in the novel, in a world health crisis in 2020, when I headed to my bookshelf and randomly picked up a book that fell open in my hands. ”It’s a novel related to relationships, connection, memory and time.

What I’d Rather Ponder by Posthuma, translated by Sarah

The narrator is a twin whose brother has recently passed away. Posthuma said the story was inspired by a personal experience when “the one person that I thought would always be there withdrew from my life”. The novel is praised for its “utter truth” and unique writing style.

Crooked Plow by Viera Junior, translated by Johnny

Two sisters are confused by the powers of a knife beneath their grandmother’s bed. With magical and social realism, it illustrates the story of farmers in Brazil’s poorest region. It speaks to the significance of remembering our histories and preserving the land that sustains us.

The winner will be announced on June 21st, 2024. And £50,000 prize money will be divided equally between the author and the translator. Shortlisted authors and translators will share a prize of £6,000.

1. What do Not a River and The Details have in common?

A．They are written in the same style.	B．They deal with diverse themes.
C．They are final winners of Booker Prize.	D．They relate to the author's own life.

2. Which of the four novels shows the importance of land protection?

A．Not a River.	B．The Details.
C．What I’d Rather Ponder.	D．Crooked Plow.

3. How much will the author of the winning novel be awarded?

A．£3,000.

B．£6,000.

C．£25,000.

D．£50,000.

9 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Why did the speaker join the nature club?

A．The science club was full.

B．He was interested in nature.

C．Some classmates invited him.

2. What is the source of 25% of modern medicines?

A．The ocean.

B．The field.

C．The rainforest.

3. How much fresh water can be used by human?

A．Ninety-seven percent.

B．Three percent.

C．One third.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the relationship between the speakers?

A．Host and guest.

B．Customer and waiter.

C．Teacher and student.

2. What does Max study at Stanford?

A．Music.

B．Literature.

C．Composition.

3. What inspired Max to make the album?

A．His desire to grow up.

B．His insight into music.

C．His mom’s love for music.

4. What will Max do with his future music?

A．Add new musical styles.

B．Release classical music albums.

C．Cooperate with French composers.