听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What’s the topic of the conversation?

A．The news media.

B．The food production.

C．The economic situation.

2. What does the man think of the TV report?

A．It sounds funny.

B．It tells the truth.

C．It’s encouraging.

3. What will probably happen this summer according to the man?

A．The prices of certain goods will decline.

B．The materials will cost even more.

C．The workers will get higher wages.

听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What happened to the speakers?

A．They lost their computers.

B．They suffered from a big storm.

C．They failed to graduate.

2. Who is Jane?

A．Amy’s neighbour.

B．Amy’s mother.

C．Jack’s neighbor

3. How did Jack ask for help?

A．By posting online.

B．By calling the police.

C．By going to the insurance company.

4. When will Amy graduate?

A．In July.

B．In August.

C．In September.

听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What will the weather be like on Christmas day?

A．Dry.

B．Rainy.

C．Snowy.

2. When will people probably go to shop in the sales?

A．On Christmas Eve.

B．On Christmas Day.

C．On Boxing Day.

3. What does the speaker suggest people do for New Year?

A．Watch the roads when driving.

B．Wear warm clothes when going out.

C．Stay indoors and drink hot chocolate.

4. What is the main topic of the talk?

A．The weather condition during Christmas period.

B．The plan on celebrating the New Year.

C．The arrangement on Boxing Day.

General Art Contests

THE SUNNY ART PRIZE

Prize       A total cash fund of £6,000 plus an individual exhibition in London.

Entry Fee       £25 for one artwork, up to £45 for four artworks.

Requirements       Open to artists worldwide aged 18 and over.

Closing Date       June 30, 2024

One of the most diverse art competitions in the UK, the Sunny Art Prize offers unique exposure for both emerging and established artists.

BEAUTIFUL BIZARRE ART PRIZE

Prize       Over $50,000 in cash and prizes to be won. Plus, global exposure through Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. Winners will also participate in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s group exhibition at Haven Gallery in New York later this year.

Entry Fee       $40 per entry

Requirements       Open to artists worldwide working in the representational visual arts.

Closing Date       July 17, 2024

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, now in its 5th year, is an annual international art prize that celebrates diversity and excellence in the representational visual arts.

MADE IN CALIFORNIA COMPETITION

Prize       $750 first prize, $500 second prize.

Entry Fee       $20 per entry

Requirements       Open to artists based in California.

Closing Date       February 16, 2024

Hosted by the Brea Gallery, the Made in California Competition provides a promotional opportunity for all artists based in the state of California.

ARTISTS MAGAZINE ANNUAL ART COMPETITION

Prize       Over $29,000 in cash prizes and publication in Artists Magazine.

Entry Fee       $40 ($35 if submitted before April 3)

Requirements       Open to artists over 18 worldwide working in a traditional medium.

Closing Date       May 30, 2024

Artists Magazine’s Annual Art Competition celebrates traditional 2D artistic mediums such as painting, digital art, and much more. All winners’ works will be featured in the January/February 2025 issue of Artists Magazine.

1. Which art contest offers the opportunity for a group exhibition?

A．THE SUNNY ART PRIZE.

B．BEAUTIFUL BIZARRE ART PRIZE.

C．MADE IN CALIFORNIA COMPETITION.

D．ARTISTS MAGAZINE ANNUAL ART COMPETITION.

2. How much should a contestant pay for a January submission to Brea Gallery?

A．$20.

B．$25.

C．$35.

D．$40.

3. What do these general art contests have in common?

A．They are held every year.	B．They are open to emerging artists only.
C．They provide winners with added bonus.	D．They celebrate excellence in traditional arts.

I came across an image recently of a distance runner with a message that told readers to persevere (坚持) at all costs. It reminded me of a conversation I had. My colleague’s teaching assistant was asking for my advice. He wanted to know when to quit something. He described how he’d been playing an online game with people for some time. It hadn’t been very fun lately, but there was always that small chance of a reward (upgraded equipment, etc).

I inquired further about his relationship with the players and his gains from the game. I then discussed the sunk cost dilemma, a concept I studied in advanced school due to its personal impact. In high school, I applied to five universities, planning to choose the cheapest one. SUU offered the best scholarship, and after paying a $100 commitment fee, I heard back from another school with an even better scholarship. Despite the new offer, I stayed committed to SUU, believing that switching schools, even if it meant acknowledging the “wasted” $ 100, would have been the wiser financial choice.

A rational (理性的) decision maker is not ruled by past investments, but weighs future outcomes. I didn’t focus on future outcomes when weighing colleges. I focused on the money I sunk into SUU. Rather than evaluating future career options, I focused on the fact that I’d already taken elementary education courses.

I’m not the only one that’s fallen prey to this. I wear clothes I dislike simply because I spent money on them (and that money won’t come back). Unhealthy relationships last because of the invested time (leading to more unhappy years). However, time, effort, or money that you’ve invested doesn’t mean you should continue. Society often stresses perseverance — never quit, never give up, don’t waste. However, only you know your right path. Walking away can be the toughest choice. You might realize a path you’re on is no longer the right one or never was.

1. Why does the author introduce a distance runner’s image at first?

A．To make a contrast.	B．To give a definition.
C．To draw a conclusion.	D．To illustrate a theory.

2. What is the common characteristic of a rational decision maker?

A．Following suit as most people.	B．Taking elementary education.
C．Valuing the development in future.	D．Overlooking past investments.

3. What does the underlined idiom “fallen prey to” mean in the last paragraph?

A．Get benefits from.

B．Be harmed by.

C．Be interested in.

D．Get rid of.

4. Which is the best title of the text?

A．Perseverance is a virtue	B．The chosen path is the toughest
C．Cut your losses for your winners	D．Walking away means losing all

Food choice has become a dangerous pursuit. Nutritional horrors are on every shelf. Ready-meals are packed with salt and preservatives (防腐剂), breakfast cereals are sweeter than chocolate bars, and processed meats are packed with preservatives, which can form harmful compounds when cooked. A new term is catching on to describe these nutritional bad guys: ultra-processed foods (UPFs). In his new book, “Ultra-Processed People”, Tulleken, a doctor and television presenter, argues that UPFs dominate the food supply in rich countries, and are also getting into diets in low and middle income countries. As they multiply, so do concerns about their effects on human health. Just how bad are UPFs, and what do they do to us?

UPFs were first put forward by Monteiro, a Brazilian scientist, in 2009. His team of nutritionists observed that although people in Brazil were buying less sugar and oil, rates of obesity were rising. That was because they were instead eating more sugar, fat and additives in packaged snacks and pre-made meals. In response, Chirs Wood, a scientist and dietitian, proposed a food classification system to take into account the degree of processing involved in the food supply.

Processing can make healthy foods unhealthy: fruit, for instance, goes from healthy to unhealthy as it is squeezed or sweetened. UPFs often go through many complex industrial processes. Most contain a blend of artificial ingredients, plenty of salt and sugar, and few nutrients. Finally, some UPFs are more akin (类似) to industrial products than food.

Eating UPFs has also been linked to poor health. Another study by Carlos in 2019 found an association between intake of UPFs and overall risk of some diseases, which affect the brain, such as strokes. It showed that eating fewer UPFs was linked with lower risk of a number of cancers. A UPF-heavy diet also seems to affect health in a range of ways. That said, there is plenty of evidence linking many ingredients in UPFs, such as sugar, salt, and saturated fats, to negative health outcomes.

1. What does UPFs refer to?

A．A kind of natural food.	B．A food classification system.
C．An unwise food choice.	D．A regulated industrial product.

2. Ultra-processed fruits become unhealthy for ______.

A．being made much sweeter	B．being changed into a new product
C．being added artificial additives	D．being transported for so long

3. Who came up with the concept of UPFs at first?

A．Tulleken.

B．Carlos.

C．Chirs.

D．Monteiro.

4. What may be a suitable title for the text?

A．UPFs are so bad for your health	B．UPFs exist in the modern food supply
C．It is hard to reveal the features of UPFs	D．The food industry is promoted with UPFs

Plastic is everywhere, from the Arctic ice to vital organs in the human body. In fact, previous estimates suggest that the average person swallows a credit card-worth of microscopic plastic particles(颗粒) every week. But new research shows that this could actually be an understatement.

Microplastics are plastics smaller than 5 millimeters, found in industrial waste, beauty products, and formed during the degradation of larger plastic pieces. Over time, they break down into even smaller nanoplastics. These tiny particles can pass through our intestines and lungs into our bloodstreams, reaching vital organs like the heart and brain.

While the idea of eating plastic is unsettling in itself, the major concern here is that these plastic particles contain chemicals that can interrupt our body’s natural release of hormones, potentially increasing our risk of reproductive disorders and certain cancers. They can also carry toxins(毒素) on their surface like heavy metals.

In the past, researchers have shown bottled water can contain tens of thousands of identifiable plastic fragments in a single container. However, until recently, only the larger microplastics were detectable with available measuring tools, leaving the area of nanoplastics largely a mystery.

Using Raman microscopy (显微镜学), capable of detecting particles down to the size of a flu virus, the team measured an average of 240, 000 particles of plastic per liter of bottled water, 90 percent of which were nanoplastics, a revelation 10 to 100 times larger than previous estimates.

These plastics likely originate from the bottle material, filters used to “purify” the water, and the source water itself. “It is not totally unexpected to find so much of this stuff, ” the study’s lead author, Columbia graduate student Naixin Qian, said in a statement. His team hopes to expand their research into tap water and other water sources to better inform our exposure to these potentially dangerous particles. “The idea is that the smaller things get, the more of them I reveal, ” he added.

1. What is the primary focus of the new research?

A．The presence of plastic particles.	B．The use of plastic in everyday products.
C．The detection methods for microplastics.	D．The potential risks of nanoplastics to human.

2. What is the advantage of Raman microscopy?

A．Finding the source of plastic particles.	B．Helping to cure the deadly flu virus.
C．Detecting the smaller plastic particles.	D．Improving the quality of bottled water.

3. Why will the team expand their research into tap water?

A．To focus on areas with higher plastic pollution.

B．To be aware of the dangerous particles in daily life.

C．To further measure the types of particles in tap water.

D．To detect the smaller plastic particles in industrial areas.

4. What is Qian’s attitude towards his research?

A．Skeptical.

B．Objective.

C．Conservative.

D．Positive.

By the time he was 24 years old, Imran Nuri quit his job in a bold move, and emptied his savings account to carry out an ambitious ________ he’d been bearing in mind. Nuri would drive his car to every state on a 100-day trip to find 1,000 ________ and ask them to share one thing they wish they’d ________ when they were younger. Nuri was hoping for answers that might help him ________ the rest of his life.

He ________. But to his shock, he chose a ________ person for the first time. He met a man, who had a dark look at Nuri. Nuri thought the man was going to ________ him. Then, doing the most ________ thing he’d done, he introduced himself, “I’m ________ around the country to talk to 1,000 unfamiliar people. I’m asking them for pieces of life advice about things they wish they knew ________.” The man remained silent for a minute or so and ________ said, “We should spend more time with our family.”

In Colorado Springs, Colorado, a man in his 50s who had stage 4 terminal cancer told Nuri, “Life is about the human ________. There would be no life without social interactions.”

In Tillamook, Oregon, a waitress-a college student told him, “whether it’s changing your major or changing your whole life path, you don’t have to ________ yourself for taking a step back and reevaluating your past choices. Just do what you think to be right.”

Nuri found beauty in every place as well as ________ from the people he met. Those people taught a lot. Now he always puts himself in other people’s shoes even when a person sees the world ________.

1.

A．plan

B．policy

C．initiative

D．trick

2.

A．acquaintances

B．residents

C．strangers

D．peers

3.

A．embraced

B．inquired

C．misunderstood

D．known

4.

A．picture

B．navigate

C．enrich

D．interpret

5.

A．cracked up

B．backed away

C．set out

D．knocked off

6.

A．generous

B．wrong

C．pleasant

D．selfish

7.

A．dismiss

B．accompany

C．consult

D．beat

8.

A．courageous

B．stupid

C．unforgettable

D．glorious

9.

A．sailing

B．hiking

C．driving

D．wandering

10.

A．occasionally

B．permanently

C．later

D．earlier

11.

A．finally

B．excitedly

C．instantly

D．hesitantly

12.

A．potential

B．nature

C．connection

D．competition

13.

A．admire

B．reward

C．forgive

D．fault

14.

A．wisdom

B．fortune

C．confidence

D．perseverance

15.

A．objectively

B．differently

C．selectively

D．randomly

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

The Wuhan silk flower is a famous specialty of Hubei. It has been produced and sold for many years and enjoys a high reputation.

Over the past hundred years, Wuhan silk flower     1     (adopt) the traditional silk flower making techniques from the royal courts. It draws spirit from the folk silk flower making techniques throughout China, while perfecting     2     (it) on the basis of the traditional flower skills that have been known far and wide due to its fine workmanship.

Silk flowers are the flowers     3     (typical) made with silk, satin and other high-grade fabrics. The flowers look vivid and are unique skills. Whether due to its long history or the strong     4     (decorate) effect, silk flowers were common accessories of the ancient women.

Among Chinese traditional skills, making flowers     5     fabrics emerged more than 1,700 years ago. In the Tang Dynasty, it was recorded     6     women wore flowers made with silk.

The silk flower     7     (artist) in Wuhan have handed down and carried forward silk flower workmanship from generation to generation, making silk flower     8     art craft specialty with local characteristics. The varieties of the flowers     9     (make) with silk include peony, rose, Chinese rose, and other flowers in total of more than 400 varieties. The finished flowers are classified into inserted flowers, hat flowers and more,     10     (enjoy) great popularity among consumers.

4月23日是世界读书日。你校将举办以“多读书、读好书、好读书”为主题的一系列活动。假设你是英语文学社社长，为支持学校的读书活动，请你用英语写一篇倡议书，号召大家积极参与活动。内容包括：
1.阅读的意义；
2.活动的形式。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.请按如下格式作答。
Dear students,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you!

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。

It was a warm Sunday. 16-year-old Stella settled down with a book, enjoying her quiet moment when her friend Bog came over with his 6-year-old sister. “Stella, please! I need you to help to watch Hazel! I have a lecture to attend this afternoon,” Bog begged.

Stella frowned, not thrilled with the idea of babysitting a little girl. However, Bog didn’t offer her any other choice. He dropped Hazel off with Stella and quickly ran away before she could react.

With a heavy sigh, Stella unwillingly turned her attention to Hazel. “Fine, just stay there and don’t cause any trouble,” she grumbled (嘟囔). To her surprise, little Hazel smiled and obediently sat by the table, drawing quietly without making a single noise.

For the next hour, Stella was quietly engaged in reading without being disturbed by Hazel. Gradually, her annoyance disappeared and she got accustomed to the company of Hazel. After a while, Hazel cautiously approached Stella, holding a picture. “Look, it’s you and me,” she said in a low voice. It was a simple drawing of two girls, hand in hand, smiling.

Stella’s heart softened as she looked at the drawing. She felt guilty about treating Hazel impatiently. Setting her book aside, Stella smiled warmly and said, “I love it. Thank you!” Then Stella began to join Hazel to create it together.

Just as they were lost in a world of colors, a sudden phone ringing broke the warm atmosphere. It was a phone call from her friend, reminding her about the long-awaited plan to go skating on the ice rink (溜冰场). Stella’s heart sank because she had forgotten all about it. She was torn between the desire to go skating and her duty to look after Hazel. She was also worried that taking her to skate would prevent her from enjoying gliding (滑) freely on the ice.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150个左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

As Stella hesitated, Hazel looked up at her with hopeful eyes.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hazel admiringly watched Stella and her friends gliding on the ice.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________