1 . Airlines already place common-sense limits on young passengers. For example, on United Airlines, babies younger than seven days old can’t fly. And lately, there’s been a heated discussion about keeping little ones out of business class. Why draw a line there?

No one’s suggesting a ban on babies, or even kids, from flights. That wouldn’t make sense for passengers or airlines. Banning children from flights would be a financial disaster for airlines. That’s because leisure travel accounts for two-thirds of all air travel incomes, and people sometimes take their kids on vacation with them despite their kids’ screams, tantrums (发脾气) and meltdowns.

But maybe it’s time for a little course correction when it comes to children. Maybe there are places we should keep baby-free, such as a section of the plane, or the entire plane. It will benefit passengers because all or some of them will arrive at their destinations well-rested and ready for their vacation or work.

There are some passengers who believe airlines shouldn’t restrict young passengers from flying anywhere. They think people seem to forget that babies and toddlers are people. Restricting children may be an easy solution, but it will have long-term consequences. They’re not going to like the humans they grow up to be.

There’s an equally convincing argument that we should place sensible limits on babies. Some may have physiological challenges that make a flight unbearable. Others may not have the patience to sit in a pressurized aluminum tube for hours. Some of them are just not ready to sit still for a 12-hour flight. But the biggest challenge for babies and toddlers is the pressure changes on the climb to and fall from cruising (平稳行驶的) altitude.

Babies will keep flying anyway. So there are always a few ways of staying calm when you are seated close to a seat-kicking child who raises the noise level on your next flight, for example, asking a flight attendant for help, buying a good pair of noise-canceling headphones or earplugs or avoiding the babies entirely by booking the red-eye flights.

1. What is the common sense about children taking flights?

A．Children tend to lack patience.

B．Not all children should be banned from flights.

C．Flights shouldn’t ban children from business class.

D．Babies should be accompanied by adults on flights.

2. What do the ban supporters think of babies aboard?

A．Flights have no suitable seats for them.

B．Airlines can’t profit as much from them.

C．They make their parents lose their minds.

D．They are too noisy for other passengers.

3. What result will banning children from flying bring?

A．Children’s mental health will be influenced.

B．Children tend to lose the appetite for flying.

C．Children are likely to be ignored when they grow up.

D．Children will have a weak connection with their family.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．A discussion about keeping little children out of flights.

B．A benefit of passengers on the flights keeping baby-free.

C．A financial disaster for airlines banning children from flights.

D．A new measure to make all passengers happy on the flights.

2 . “In the United States, 40 million Americans are food insecure. They don’t know where their next meal is going to come from,” said Aidan Reilly, who co-founded Farmlink. “Meanwhile, in the United States we’re throwing out over 100 billion pounds of food every year.”

Started during the hard period in spring 2020, Farmlink was initially supposed to help struggling families and food banks. Reilly and his childhood friend James Kanoff were reading and watching news about food shortages, and they learned that local farms were forced to destroy spare produce that they couldn’t sell, especially with restaurants, schools and hotels closed. Reilly, Kanoff and a group of friends worked together over Zoom, text and e-mail to contact farms. They didn’t really set out to start a nonprofit then but just thought it would be great to figure out one way to help starving (饥饿的) people.

With “we’ll come to you” as their catchphrase, the group rented trucks and attempted to do all the food pickup and deliveries themselves. They had a lot of difficulties in the beginning, but they made it work, moving more than one million pounds of produce from farms to food banks within just two months and transforming their project into a massive logistics operation in the process. Word spread, and more and more young people at home during the pandemic reached out to help.

Farmlink has worked with more than 100 farms and 300 communities in the United States, rescuing and moving enough food to distribute (配送) more than 64 million meals. “The bigger Farmlink gets, the bigger our worldview gets. There are everyday Americans who live next to us and don’t know how they’re going to feed their kids. And that’s exactly who we’re doing this for,” Reilly said.

1. What does Aidan Reilly think is the reason for food shortages in the US?

A．The lack of food suppliers.

B．High food prices for most Americans.

C．Underproduction of food in the world.

D．The mismatch between food supply and demand.

2. What did Farmlink do to help people in need?

A．It produced food specifically for them.

B．It collected money by selling produce.

C．It set up food distribution channels.

D．It persuaded the rich to donate food to them.

3. Who will Farmlink mainly help according to Reilly’s words?

A．All Americans.	B．People in poor countries.
C．People living nearby.	D．Parents with starving kids.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A Project Widening Our Worldview

B．A Bridge Between Spare Food and Starvation

C．A Nonprofit Organization for Food Production

D．A Group of People Fighting Against Food Waste

4 . Saodat Sadikova is an English teacher in Jizzakh, Uzbekistan. As a young girl, she dreamed of becoming a flight attendant (空乘人员) and traveling the world, so she learned at least three languages. Although she was not able to become a flight attendant, Sadikova could speak Uzbek, Russian, English and Turkish. Sadikova has never traveled abroad but reports feeling connected to people around the world.

American Trina Bright worked in education for nearly 25 years and she traveled to many countries, including China and South Africa. Bright used stories from her travels to help her students in the U. S. understand their place in the world and see value in their own cultures. But Bright, unlike Sadikova, does not report feeling connected to people around the world.

Bright is not alone. Pew Research Center recently asked people in 24 countries a series of questions about how connected they feel to the world to see how travel experience relates to feelings of connectedness.

The study found that respondents (调查对象) who had traveled to at least one other country feel more connected to people around the world. 99 percent of respondents in the Netherlands reported having visited at least one other country and 77 percent of respondents from the Netherlands said they feel at least somewhat close to people all over the world. But international travel does not always mean a person feels a closeness to people around the world. 99 percent of Swedish respondents said they had visited at least one other country. Yet a much smaller number of Swedish respondents—47 percent—report feeling close to people all over the world.

Sadikova said she felt connected to the world because of media, which makes it quite easy to get to know events and news.

1. Why did Saodat Sadikova learn several languages?

A．To move abroad.	B．To broaden her view.
C．To connect to the world.	D．To achieve her flying dream.

2. What benefit did Trina Bright get from her travels?

A．She improved her education.	B．She applied them to her teaching.
C．She understood the value of culture.	D．She could speak a foreign language.

3. What did the research focus on?

A．How people get to know the world.	B．How people feel connected to the world.
C．Why people enjoy international travel.	D．Why travel influences the connection of people.

4. What can we learn from paragraph 4?

A．The aim of the research.	B．The process of the research.
C．The result of the research.	D．The method of the research.

5 . Janet, now 37, was playing with her new pet dog, Stitch, who jumped up, grabbed her sleeve, and tore several holes in her sweater with its sharp teeth. Instead of throwing the sweater away, Janet decided to repair it.

She turned to “visible repairing,” an idea of repairing clothes that leaves an obvious fix. She added bright flowers and other small designs to damaged clothes. “Every time you do a repair, it’s like having bought a new piece of clothes,” says Janet.

Actually, repairing is a great opportunity to realize the urgent (迫切的) need to reduce waste. Sadly, we have become used to replacing things instead of repairing them — and the rubbish is piling up. Worldwide, we throw away 92 million tons of cloth every year. Electronic waste is another growing problem: About 50 million tons of it is created each year around the world.

The good news is that fixing things can help deal with the waste problem. There are some solutions. Due to information online, the popular how-to site iFixit.com , a database (数据库) with nearly 100,000 repair brochures for everything from electronics to clothing, has promoted more than 100 million repairs. In addition, since the first Repair Café opened in2009 in Amsterdam, more than 2,700 cafés have been set up to offer in-person fix-it help in various countries. Organizers set up events, and volunteers with repair knowledge bring their tools. They will try to fix whatever people bring in, for free, and teach visitors how to do repairs themselves.

Fixing things is part of a larger change toward a circular economy —the idea that instead of throwing away things once they are broken or out of date, we reuse or repair them, keeping them out of the landfill (垃圾填埋场) for as long as possible. According to a 2023 report from Circle Economy, a Netherlands-based NGO, if the world changed to a circular economy, we could lower the amount of waste by a third.

1. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Janet?

A．To praise her way of protecting pets.

B．To introduce special clothing designs.

C．To call for attention to repairing things.

D．To market the products of fixed clothes.

2. What can we learn from the numbers in paragraph 3?

A．The action of replacing things is wise.

B．The behaviour of repairing things is popular.

C．The need for reducing clothes is urgent.

D．The problem of producing waste is serious.

3. How do people deal with the waste problem according to paragraph 4?

A．By teaching volunteers repair knowledge.

B．By sharing tips on opening repair cafés.

C．By providing information to the repair database.

D．By offering online and off line help to encourage repairs.

4. Which of the following behaviours contributes to the circular economy?

A．Jim threw away a used bike.	B．Jackson mended a torn sofa.
C．Sue replaced a worn carpet.	D．Windy removed a broken vase.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How did the woman know Jesse was in hospital?

A．Jesse told her.

B．The police called her.

C．Dr. Andrews phoned her.

2. How might Jesse get injured?

A．He crashed into a tree.

B．He caused an accident.

C．A tree fell on his car.

3. What does the man want to do in a few hours?

A．Pass some tests.

B．Get something to eat.

C．Give the woman more information.

7 . There has been an obvious drop nationwide in the rate of high school graduates enrolling (注册) in college in the fall after they finish high school—from a high of 70 percent in 2016 to 63 percent in 2020, the most recent year for which the figure is available, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Many observers have suggested three main explanations for the fall: COVID-19, the smaller number of Americans under 18 and a strong labor market attracting young people straight into the workforce. But while COVID-19 made things worse, the enrollment downturn took hold well before it started. Demographics (人口结构) alone cannot explain the size of this drop. And data show that workforce participation for 16- to 24-year olds is actually lower than it was before COVID-19 hit.

Many surveys point to other reasons for the downward trend (趋势). These include widespread and fast-growing doubt about the value of a degree, impatience with the time it takes to get one and costs that have finally gone beyond many people’s ability or willingness to pay. Fewer than one in three adults now say a degree is worth the cost.

On top of all that is growing dissatisfaction among recent university and college graduates with the value of the education they received. More than four in ten bachelor’s degree (学士学位) holders under 45 did not agree that the benefits of their educations are more than the costs, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, months of discussion about whether the Biden administration will forgive all or some student loan debt(助学贷款) has had an unintended result: It has reminded potential learners just how much people before them had to borrow to pay for college and many of their parents are still paying back their student loans.

In fact, workers with bachelor’s degrees earn 67 percent more than people who have only finished high school. More than half of “good jobs”—meaning those with pay of at least $35,000 for workers under age 45 and $45,000 for people between 45 and 64—call for bachelor’s degrees.

1. Which has the greatest influence on college enrollment?

A．The wide spread of COVID-19.

B．Too long time the college education takes.

C．The doubt about the value of a college degree.

D．The labor market needing more young people.

2. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Biden’s policy?

A．To persuade parents to focus on education.

B．To advise the government to change education laws.

C．To describe the importance of college education.

D．To show the heavy stress of college education.

3. What can we know about college degrees from the last paragraph?

A．Bachelor’s degrees cost too much.	B．A college degree does pay off.
C．College degrees ensure absolute success in career.	D．Those without college degrees don’t earn less.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Difficulty of Entering College

B．Two Generations of Education Efforts

C．Reasons Why Higher Education Lost Its Shine

D．A Strong Labor Market Attracting Young People

8 . I was hiking with Sam and Kyle to show them a cliff where they could feel the sea spray on their faces. I knew the area could be dangerous, but I was not worried for I had hiked there many times.

We sat in the sun and watched the waves throw themselves against the rock. Then I crept (爬) up to the edge, Kyle right behind me. I found a seat-shaped place and sat down with much contentment. When Kyle came near, I gave him my place. He settled in and I moved a few feet over where the smooth rock had no holds.

Suddenly, a monstrous wave came. I felt myself starting to slide. The water washed me off the cliff and forced me under. I screamed for help. I swam hard for the shore. I was not a strong swimmer but I tried rimming for shore anyway, battling the warm water the best I could. Soon, I realized the sea had swept me farther out.

“Sam!” I yelled. “Kyle, help me and send a helicopter!” After about thirty minutes, I saw a helicopter. I could see Sam and Kyle looking anxiously from it. My eyes lit up and my heart missed a beat. The helicopter buzzed overhead, and then kept on going. I floated on my back to make myself more visible, my body pale in contrast to the darker ocean. When the helicopter came by again, I moved my arms and legs desperately to attract their attention. Again, the helicopter disappeared. Helpless, I stared in disbelief as they missed seeing me twice in a row. Deciding that I needed to save my energy, I continued floating on my back and closed my eyes.

Gradually, a noise grew louder. I soon realized a helicopter was overhead. The crew had seen me, but it might be too late. Waves of exhaustion overwhelmed me. My leg muscles tightened uncontrollably. “This is it,” I thought, as I gave up to the weight that was pulling me down.

Then, I felt a strong arm wrap across my chest and turned to see a rescue diver. He asked me if I was alright. The next thing I knew was that I was in the air. The waves that had just been big enough to kill me suddenly seemed small.

1. Which of the following can best describe the author in paragraph 2?

A．Curious and careful.	B．Happy and relaxed.
C．Proud but disappointed.	D．Anxious but satisfied.

2. Why couldn’t the author swim back to shore?

A．He met with fast wind.	B．He couldn’t perform his best.
C．He was not a strong swimmer.	D．He was not used to the warm water.

3. What did the author do to increase his chances of being seen by the passing helicopter?

A．He tried to preserve his energy.	B．He made his arms pale.
C．He yelled at the helicopter.	D．He floated on his back.

4. What does the author’s thought “This is it” mean?

A．The disaster came to an end as expected.	B．He finally got the rescue he needed badly.
C．He was convinced he was about to drown.	D．The waves were not big enough to kill him.

9 . 为营造健康文明的网络空间，某网站近日呼吁广大网民自觉遵守汉字使用规范。请你以 Use standard Chinese characters online为题写一篇短文，向你校英文报投稿。要点包括：
1.汉字乱用的现象；
2.分析原因及危害；
3.你的建议。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：流行词buzzword

Use standard Chinese characters online

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10 . There’s bad news for parents who frequently leave their kids in front of the TV: It might actually end up leaving moms and dads more stressed. The findings come from a University of Arizona-led study, which explores the potential effects of children’s television watching habits on their parents’ stress levels.

The logic behind this is clear. The more television kids watch, the more they’re exposed (接触) to advertising, which often features bright colors, upbeat music and flashy characters and can be especially persuasive, since, developmentally, children aren’t fully capable of understanding advertising’s intention. “The more advertisements they see, the more likely they are to insist on purchasing items when going with their parents and perhaps make a fuss if told ‘no’. All that may increase parents’ overall stress well beyond a single shopping trip,” said lead study author Matthew Lapierre.

There are a few things parents can do, perhaps the most obvious of which is limiting screen time. “Commercial content is there for a reason: to elicit purchasing behavior. So, if this is a problem, maybe shut off the TV,” Lapierre said. Of course, that can be easier said than done, he admitted.

Another thing parents can try, especially as advertising targeting children rockets around the holidays: Consider how they talk to their kids about consumerism. At this time, effective parent-child consumer-related communication can work well.

Overall, communication between parents and children is a better strategy for reducing stress in parents. However, the research found, this communicative strategy shows dropping returns when children ask for more products or have more consumer conflict with parents.

With the rise of streaming services, however, many viewers are no longer being exposed to the traditional advertising of network or cable TV. Advertisers are finding creative ways around that, for example, through product placement and integrated (综合的) branding in a show, Lapierre said. And advertising toward children remains a multibillion-dollar industry.

“In general, more television exposure means more exposure to advertisements. Even if I’m streaming, I’m likely seeing more integrated branding,” Lapierre said, “such hidden advertising is harder to detect and has a greater influence on children’s consuming habits, leaving parents more stressed.

1. What does Matthew Lapierre attempt to explore in the study?

A．The influence the bad news on TV has on parents.

B．Children's ability to understand TV commercials.

C．The stress the kids’ watching TV brings to parents.

D．Strategies to stop kids watching TV advertisements.

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

A．Cause.

B．Challenge.

C．Practise.

D．Guarantee.

3. How does Lapierre consider the placement advertising in streaming services?

A．A simple and better means of advertising a product

B．A hidden way to promote products or brands to kids

C．An easy way to avoid conflicts between kids and parents.

D．An effective approach to keeping kids from TV commercials.

4. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．People should keep off the influence of TV ads

B．Advertisers make commercial contents appealing

C．TV commercials can educate the kids unknowingly

D．Kids’ exposure to TV makes parents more stressed