2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Swimmers enjoy cold swims

Many people enjoy swimming in icy cold water. An open-air swimming pool,     1     (know) as a lido, in Bedfordshire, England, proved very popular this winter. The Woburn Lido is usually open from May to September,     2     this year it stayed open to swimmers throughout the autumn and winter months too.

Until the lockdown for England was announced on 4 January, outdoor pools were allowed to remain open. “Demand has taken us by surprise,” said Murray Heining, a volunteer at the Woburn Lido. Over Christmas and New Year, the lido had to offer extra openings to keep up with the demand from     3     (swimmer).

Cold-water swimming has grown in popularity in the UK over the past few years. A survey found that 7.5 million people in England had swum in outdoor pools, as well as lakes, rivers and the sea, in 2018. In some areas, such as the river Wharfe in Yorkshire, this new trend has made environmental groups think more about     4     the water is cleared of pollution and clean enough for bathers.

Some people make it a regular practice;     5     just enjoy a refreshing dip on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day. Every year around the UK, people     6     (photograph) plunging into icy water, often in fancy dress, and the recent festive period was no exception,     7     freezing temperatures.

The Outdoor Swimming Society classifies temperatures below 6℃ as “Baltic” and from 6-11℃ as “freezing”. They advise people     8     (get) in the water gradually, so as not to shock the body. Likewise, they recommend warming up gradually, and not     9     (rush) the process by leaping into a hot bath when you get out. Instead, they suggest layering up and drinking something warm.

It wasn’t just the water that was cold—many people experienced a white Christmas; snow fell in several counties including Yorkshire and Suffolk. Paul Davies, the UK Met Office’s chief meteorologist (气象学家), a scientist     10     job is to study the weather, said the forecast indicates “the likelihood of the cold conditions experienced recently continuing through January”.

3 . A shocking 53.6 million metric tons of electronic waste was discarded last year, a new UN-backed report has revealed. The report shows that e-waste is up by 21% from five years ago. This isn’t surprising, considering how many more people are adopting new technology and updating devices regularly to have the latest versions, but the report also shows that national collection and recycling strategies are nowhere close to matching consumption rates.

E-waste contains materials including copper (铜), iron, gold and silver, which the report gives a conservative value of $ 57 billion. But most are thrown away or burned rather than being collected for recycling. Precious metals in waste are estimated to be worth $ 14 billion, but only $ 4 billion-worth is recovered at the moment.

While the number of countries with national e-waste policies has grown from 61 to 78 since 2014, there is little encouragement to obey and a mere 17% of collected items are recycled. If recycling does occur, it’s often under dangerous conditions, such as burning circuit boards to recover copper, which “releases highly poisonous metals” and harms the health of workers.

The report found that Asia has the highest amounts of waste overall, producing 24.9 million metric tons (MMT), followed by Europe at 12 MMT, Africa at 2.9 MMT, and Oceania at 0.7 MMT.

But whose responsibility is it? Are governments in charge of setting up collection and recycling points, or should companies be responsible for recycling the goods they produce? It goes both ways. Companies do need to be held accountable by government regulations and have incentives to design products that are easily repaired. At the same time, governments need to make it easy for citizens to access collection points and deal with their broken electronics in a convenient way. Otherwise, they may turn to the easiest option — the landfill.

1. What does the underlined word “discarded” most probably mean?

A．increased

B．distributed

C．thrown away

D．consumed

2. What do the statistics in Paragraph 2 show?

A．The functions of policies.	B．The great damage to environment.
C．The change of consumption rates.	D．The urgency of recovering e-waste.

3. What is the problem with recycling e-waste at present?

A．It does harm to the workers’ health.	B．It lacks national policy support.
C．It hardly makes profits.	D．It takes too much time.

4. How should the problem be solved according to the passage?

A．New technology should be used to update old devices.

B．Governments and companies should take responsibilities.

C．Non-poisonous metals had better be used in e-device.

D．Citizens must play a key role in recycling e-waste.

4 . At around 10 pm, Jane got off the train at Bell port, New York. She jumped into her Honda Odyssey and began the 20-minute _________ home. She was so _________ with the route that she almost drove automatically all the way. Jane had just crossed the railroad tracks when out of nowhere a truck hit her car, _________ her backward some 100 feet onto the tracks. She was _________ the car, injured but mostly shocked by the _________.

As it happened, Peter, a volunteer firefighter and retired teacher, was getting ready for _________. At the _________ noise of clanging metals and breaking glass coming from not far outside his bedroom window, he, still dressed in his pajamas, ran out of the door.

He first came upon a(n)_________ truck lying 2,000 feet from his front yard. After _________ its driver was OK, Peter looked around and __________ Jane’s car lying across the tracks. And then he heard the bells __________ an oncoming train.

Peter rushed to Jane’s car and__________ the driver’s side window. Jane just looked up at him, here yes __________. “I have no __________ of where I am,” she said.

“You are on the railroad tracks,” Peter yelled. “I have to get you off right now!” He __________ the handle, but the door was jammed. The train was __________. Without a moment of hesitation, Peter ran to the passenger side and __________ open the door. He __________ pulled her across the passenger seat and dragged her to safety behind a signal box a few feet away. Several seconds later, the train crashed into the __________.

Jane recalled the__________ moment. “I can never repay him for this,” she said, “last night the hero arrived in pajamas, not in a fire truck.”

1.

A．lift

B．drive

C．ride

D．tour

2.

A．familiar

B．satisfied

C．bored

D．disappointed

3.

A．placing

B．forcing

C．adjusting

D．swinging

4.

A．attached to

B．connected to

C．stuck in

D．caught in

5.

A．failure

B．change

C．barrier

D．crash

6.

A．bed

B．dinner

C．work

D．exercise

7.

A．slight

B．deep

C．sharp

D．faint

8.

A．parked

B．abandoned

C．disabled

D．used

9.

A．acknowledging

B．concluding

C．announcing

D．predicting

10.

A．indicated

B．tapped

C．seized

D．spotted

11.

A．revealing

B．implying

C．detecting

D．signaling

12.

A．struck

B．revolve

C．removed

D．rolled

13.

A．rounding

B．unfocused

C．closed

D．widening

14.

A．idea

B．impression

C．sense

D．knowledge

15.

A．seized

B．fixed

C．controlled

D．pulled

16.

A．passing away

B．pulling over

C．thundering up

D．slowing down

17.

A．threw

B．pushed

C．kept

D．held

18.

A．appropriately

B．constantly

C．instantly

D．skillfully

19.

A．seat

B．track

C．box

D．car

20.

A．heart-breaking

B．life-saving

C．soul-stirring

D．eye-opening

5 . 假定你是李华，最近你们学校英语角就“外卖食品是否应该进校园”展开讨论。关于该问题有人赞同，有人反对，请你总结大家赞同和反对的原因，并提出自己的观点。
注意：1．词数100左右；
2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . The Stanford marshmallow (棉花糖) test was originally conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel in the late 1960s. Children aged four to six at a nursery school were placed in a room. A single sugary treat, selected by the child, was placed on a table. Each child was told if they waited for 15 minutes before eating the treat, they would be given a second treat. Then they were left alone in the room. Follow-up studies with the children later in life showed a connection between an ability to wait long enough to obtain a second treat and various forms of success.

As adults we face a version of the marshmallow test every day. We’re not tempted by sugary treats, but by our computers, phones, and tablets — all the devices that connect us to the global delivery system for various types of information that do to us what marshmallows do to preschoolers.

We are tempted by sugary treats because our ancestors lived in a calorie-poor world, and our brains developed a response mechanism to these treats that reflected their value — a feeling of reward and satisfaction. But as we’ve reshaped the world around us, dramatically reducing the cost and effort involved in obtaining calories, we still have the same brains we had thousands of years ago, and this mismatch is at the heart of why so many of us struggle to resist tempting foods that we know we shouldn’t eat.

A similar process is at work in our response to information. Our formative environment as a species was information-poor, so our brains developed a mechanism that prized new information. But global connectivity has greatly changed our information environment. We are now ceaselessly bombarded (轰炸) with new information. Therefore, just as we need to be more thoughtful about our caloric consumption, we also need to be more thoughtful about our information consumption, resisting the temptation of the mental “junk food” in order to manage our time most effectively.

1. What did the children need to do to get a second treat in Mischel’s test?

A．Take an examination alone.	B．Share their treats with others.
C．Delay eating for fifteen minutes.	D．Show respect for the researchers.

2. According to Paragraph 3, there is a mismatch between_______.

A．the calorie-poor world and our good appetites	B．the shortage of sugar and our nutritional needs
C．the tempting foods and our efforts to keep fit	D．the rich food supply and our unchanged brains

3. What does the author suggest readers do?

A．Be selective information consumers.	B．Absorb new information readily.
C．Use diverse information sources.	D．Protect the information environment.

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

A．Eat Less, Read More	B．The Later, the Better
C．The Marshmallow Test for Grownups	D．The Bitter Truth about Early Humans

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。

Gathering a few close friends to take a delightful stroll through the city streets     1    (become) a favored activity among young people in China in the past few months.

Referred to as Citywalk, this trend involves leisurely traveling around urban areas     2     foot. Participants can follow a distinctive urban route or without one, losing themselves in the atmosphere, discovering historic buildings, exploring boutique shops, sipping     3     cup of coffee, and indulging in authentic local snacks.

Across various Chinese social media platforms, Citywalk hashtags (标签) and keywords have gained     4    (importance) popularity as more individuals seek to share their experiences and thoughts online. Originating in big     5    (city) like Beijing and Shanghai, the Citywalk phenomenon has begun to spread to second and third-tier cities in China, encouraging more participants and event organizers to get     6    (involve). Some organizers even invite folk culture enthusiasts and researchers to act as tour guides.

Citywalk not only     7    (offer) a way for young people to interact with a city but also provides them with a new social scene, where people who share the same interests and ideas can     8    (easy) make friends.

Even though Citywalk is relatively new, it offers a positive shift for urban travelers,     9    (allow) them to select experiences according to their interests and needs.     10     is more important is that it presents an opportunity for tour guides and travel service providers to offer more tailored and professional services, catering to the ever-evolving market demands.

8 . 近年来，随着科技发展，电子产品越来越多，学生的汉字书写能力大大降低。假定你是校书法协会 (Calligraphy Association) 的会长，为了让同学们重视书写，请你根据以下提示，用英语写一封倡议书，内容包括：
1. 减少对电子产品的依赖；
2. 养成练书法的习惯。
注意: 1. 词数100 左右；
2. 可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . As a result of trade, travel and migration, different cuisines have spread across the world. Many recipes, chefs and restaurants try to announce that their food of a country or region is the most authentic (正宗的). But is this a good thing?

People care about authenticity because food traditions are closely linked to identity, particularly for migrant communities. Sociologist and professor of food studies, Krishnendu Ray, explains that home cooking is often the last way that communities can show their identity. British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was accused of trying to take advantage of positive feelings about Jamaica. His ready meal product had a Jamaican name, but was unlike real Jamaican cooking.

However, food consultant Sara Kay asks whether there are problems with the idea of authenticity. She stresses that these ideas often come from the expectations that majority cultures have about minority cultures and their food. These can be restricting—restauranteurs have complained that people expect Asian food to be cheaper than that from European cultures. Expectations can also give people a false idea of what is authentic. While large cities are full of eateries representing different countries—China, India, Italy, Mexico and more—these labels can oversimplify the reality of food from these countries. Stephanie Elizondo Greist is surprised by the recognition that foods in Mexico are more authentic than what she ate growing up as a Mexican-American in Texas, because she feels that both are authentic examples of Mexican food.

A more controversial view of authenticity was stated by American Chef Andrew Zimmern, who claimed that he could bring in Chinese dishes in a more authentic way than existing restaurants—many of which are owned by Chinese-Americans. Writer and food podcaster Ruth Tam points out that while these restaurants altered their menus to suit local tastes, so does Zimmern. So, while food and identity are closely linked, and failure to respect authenticity can cause offence, could there be problems with the whole idea of authenticity?

1. Which of the following factors causes people to care about authenticity?

A．Position.

B．Decoration.

C．Taste.

D．Price.

2. What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?

A．Eateries in different countries contribute to the authentic problem.

B．Expectation about authenticity may cause problems.

C．Asian food is cheaper than European food.

D．You can enjoy the traditional taste of Mexican food both in Mexico and America.

3. Which statement might Stephanie Elizondo Greist agree with?

A．There can be only one authentic taste in a country.

B．What she eats in Texas means nothing to her.

C．The regional specialities should be the same in a country.

D．Every person can have his or her own recognition of authenticity.

4. In which column of the newspaper can we probably read the passage?

A．Food & Culture	B．Science & Technology
C．Sports & Health	D．Literature & Art

10 . The entire country struggled with the unprecedented heat of the July 2022 heatwave, but for the disabled, the heat hit even harder. The climate crisis is a threat to everyone’s health, but according to a report in 2021, people with disabilities are more delicate to the extreme weather events and natural disasters that result from the climate crisis.

Professor Kristie Ebi of the Centre for Health and the Global at the University of Washington, described the topic of heatwaves and disabled people as being an important issue. “Groups at higher risk during periods of high temperature include people with chronic (慢性的) medical conditions, people who take certain medications that can reduce the ability of the body to sweat, and the “disabled”, notes Ebi, going on to describe the different threats that heatwaves pose for different types of disabilities. Ebi notes the difficulty people with mobility issues or blindness may have with accessing services, such as cooling shelters, Ebi also comments on the importance of making messaging on the dangers of high temperatures accessible to those with learning disabilities or to deaf people. “Some studies suggest higher rates of suicide and other mental health issues during heatwaves, requiring targeted help for those with mental disabilities,” she added.

Ailsa Speak, a disability and lifestyle blogger, experiences uncontrollable movements in the heat due to her cerebral palsy (脑瘫). “As you can imagine, when my involuntary movements increase, I get even hotter. It’s just a painful circle really.”

In the absence of a concrete set of plans for people with disabilities during the climate crisis and extreme weather events, people with disabilities continue to be at increased risk of heat-related disease.

To prevent future death and destruction, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), an independent organization tackling climate change, advocates for adaptation planning, as the temperature is set to rise further due to the climate crisis and global warming. The CCC’s 2022 report on the health risks of overheating offers adaptation options to the government to ensure that buildings are fit for future climate change. Nevertheless, the publication does not offer specific advice about people with disabilities and overheating, which thus remains to be discussed promptly and thoroughly.

1. Which of the following would Professor Ebi most probably agree with?

A．Heatwaves make people with chronic diseases suffer most

B．The mentally disabled have no access to cooling shelter

C．Mobility disability contributes to higher risk of suicide in the heatwaves

D．Some disabled people are ill-informed about the risks of heatwaves

2. Why does the author mention Ailsa Speak?

A．To share a disabled blogger’s painful life

B．To show what a terrible disease cerebral palsy is

C．To illustrate the trouble the disabled have in the heat

D．To prove the never-before-seen highs in temperature

3. The author’s purpose of writing this passage is to        

A．suggest methods of helping the disabled in heatwaves

B．stress the urgent need to care for the disabled in the heat

C．tell readers how severe the July 2022 heatwave was

D．introduce adaptation alternatives for future buildings

4. Where does this passage probably come from?

A．The newspaper.

B．A fiction novel

C．A biography

D．A chemical paper