上海市建平中学2025-2026学年第二学期期中教学质量检测高一英语试卷

建平中学2025学年第二学期期中教学质量检测 高一英语试卷 考生注意：考试时间120分钟，试卷满分140分。 I.Listening Comprehension Section A Directions:In Section A,you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers.At the end of each conversation,a question will be asked about what was said.The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once.After you hear a conversation and the question about it,read the four possible answers on your paper,and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard. 1.A.A parking lot. B.A traffic accident. C.A construction project. D.A new highway. 2.A.To get directions to the restaurant. B.To ask about the restaurant's menu. C.To cancel their reservation for tonight. D.To find out if there are available tables. 3.A.He has moved downtown. B.He doesn't go out much. C.He can be found at the cafe D.He doesn't want to meet the man. 4.A.David is a perfect match for his job. B.David and his students don't get along. C.David is thinking of becoming a teacher. D.David finds teaching easier than expected 5.A.Excited. B.Disappointed. C.Relieved. D.Concemned. 6.A.She has been reading late at night. B.She has just come back from work. C.She has just returned from a business trip D.She has been struggling with writing her book. 7.A.He is well prepared for a change. B.He is unsure about switching jobs. C.He has applied for the new position. D.He has considered the woman's suggestion. 8.A.The man is still waiting in line for the tickets. B.Many people wanted to watch the football match. C.The woman didn't expect the man to get the tickets. D.The football match has been delayed for three hours. 9.A.He wasn't certain if he did well in the test. B.He wasn't aware of the harm of video games. C.He didn't spend much time preparing for the test. D.He didn't know for sure when the test would start. 10.A.Lisa is usually honest and fair. B.Lisa should perform better at work. C.Lisa needs to take less responsibility. D.Lisa did most of the work on the project. Section B Directions:In Section B,you will hear two short passages and one longer conversation,and you will be asked several questions on each ofthe passages and the conversation.The passages and the conversation will be read twice,but the questions will be spoken only once.When you hear a 1 question,read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one would be the best answer to the question you have heard. Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage. 11.A.The geography of ancient Troy. B.The role of horses in Greek folktales. C.What weapons the Greeks used in battle. D.Whether the Trojan Horse was a real story. 12.A.They knew it had something inside. B.They planned to bumn it as a sacrifice. C.They believed it was a peace offering. D.They wanted to use it as a war machine. 13.A.A religious gift to the gods. B.A symbol for the earthquake. C.A ship that brought Greeks to Troy. D.A real structure that soldiers hid inside. Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage. 14.A.What can keep objeets cool under the sun. B.How camels inspire a new way to stay cool. C.What makes camels'cooling system unique. D.How camels survive well in the desert's heat. 15.A.It keeps the camel warm at night. B.It traps heat and prevents sweating. C.It blocks sunlight and slows down heat absorption. D.It allows the camel to obtain more water from the air. 16.A.It works best in cold environments. B.It releases heat quickly to keep objects cool. C.It needs constant water refills to function properly. D.It helps regulate temperature without using electricity. Questions 17 through 20 are based on the following passage. 17.A.How to make conversations smoother. B.The importance of listening in a conversation. C.How to end an awkward conversation naturally. D.The best ways to avoid unnecessary conversations. 18.A.Talking about the weather. B.Making a positive comment. C.Looking more natural than forced. D.Waiting for the other person to speak 19.A.Using vivid vocabulary to sound more engaging. B.Trying to convince the other person to stay longer. C.Listening more and allowing the other person to talk. D.Keeping asking questions about the other person's interests 20.A.Switching to another topic. B.Using humor to ease the tension. C.Ending the conversation politely. D.Leaving without too much explanation. II.Grammar and Vocabulary SectionA Directions:After reading the passage below,fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct.For the blanks with a given word,fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word;for the other blanks,use one word that best fits each blank. Stay hungry,stay foolish I'm honored to be with you today for your commencement.I want to tell you three stories from my life. The first story is about(21)(connect)the dots.When I was at Reed College,it offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country.I decided to take'a calligraphy class.At that time,(22)】 of what I learned about calligraphy seemed to have even a hope of any practical application in my life.But ten years later when we were designing the first Macintosh computer,it all came back to me.And we designed it all into the Mac.It was the first computer(23) (equip)with beautiful typography.Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them when you look backwards.So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. My second story is about love and loss.I was lucky-I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents'garage when I was twenty.And then at thirty,shortly after(24)(fire),I realized that I still loved what I did.And so I decided to start over. During the next five years,I started a company (25)(call)NeXT.In a remarkable turn of events,Apple bought NeXT,and I returned to Apple.I'm convinced that the only thing (26) kept me going was that I loved what I did.So,if you(27)(not find)what you love, keep looking.Don't settle. My third story is about death.When I was 17,I read a quote that went something like:"If you live each day as if it was your last,someday you'll most certainly be right."About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer.My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order,(28) is doctors'code for'prepare to die."Later it turned out to be curable with surgery.Ihad the surgery and,thankfully,I am fine now.This was the closest that I've been(29) facing death.Having lived through it,I can now say this to you:Your time is limited,(30) don't waste it living someone else's life. Section B Directions:Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box.Each word can be used only once.Note that there is one word more than you need. (A) A.approaching B.common C.concern D.decline E.extinction F.thrive G.hit H.infectious I.similar J.spreading K.yary When Cities Go Wild When I was young,there were more wild animals than there are today.This 31is not just a matter of statistics gathered by scientists working in remote places like the Antarctic.Many people have noticed the famous "windshield(挡风铍璃)phenomenon'”:Thirty years ago,if you drove any distance outside the city,your windshield would be covered with unfortunate insects that had flown in the path of your car.Today,however,you can easily count the insects that32 your windshield after a day of driving.It's not just insects.Populations of birds and other wild 3 animals have dropped in the U.S.and elsewhere. But I've noticed another change in the past thirty years.When I was a kid,the only animals seen in my hometown were dogs,cats and birds.In the smaller desert towns to the south,you might see coyotes ()but I never saw one in a major city.Today,however,coyotes are a 33 sight in my hometown.And it isn't just coyotes.When I visit my dad,I always see rabbits running through his yard. Reactions to these new neighbors 34.An old family friend exclaimed,"Oh no!"when he heard about my mom feeding the raccoons that visited her backyard.While raccoons are cute and intelligent,they can be dangerous and even kill household pets.Coyotes pose a(an)35 threat as they,too,can prey on pets. Indeed,as humans encroach on wild habitats and come into contact with native animals,some serious risks are emerging.Many36diseases have appeared in the past century.And many of the viruses,such as HIV and Ebola,likely jumped to humans from chimpanzees and other wild animals.In the U.S.,Lyme disease,spread by ticks (that feed on deer,has become a growing 37 We must find ways to safely coexist with our wild neighbors.Ideally,their original habitats can be protected-though,in many cases,it is already too late.Oue solution is to create ecological corridors to help wildlife38in and around cities without posing a risk.For instance,elevated bridges can create safe passages through urban areas.Similarly,controlling food sources accessible to wildlife can help prevent them from 39 human communities. We are poorer for the loss of species in our world.Our distant ancestors likely contributed to the_40_of woolly mammoths and giant ground sloths(巨型地懒)through overhunting.Today many people would give anything to see these large mammals.Let's not repeat those past mistakes. (B) A.combinations B.comparable C.embrace D.faded E.imaginary F.impressions G.limitation H.maintain I.specific J.spot K.stimulated Impossible Colors and How to See Them Impossible,or so-called "forbidden,"colors refer to colors that the human visual system is unable to perceive under normal conditions.This 41 arises from the way our eyes process color,particularly through what is known as the opponent-process mechanism. The human retina(视网膜)contains three types of cone cells(视锥细胞)which register color and work in an opposite fashion:blue versus yellow,red versus grcen,and light versus dark. Although there is some overlap in the wavelengths they respond to,aliowing us to 42 a wide range of colors,the opponent structure prevents us from perceiving certain 43 at the same time.Therefore,colors like reddish green or yellowish blue are traditionally considered impossible. Nevertheless,in the late 20h century,visual scientists Hewitt Crane reported experimental evidence claiming that such colors might,under 44 conditions,be perceived.In the study, participants were asked to observe adjacent(相邻的)）red and green stripes(条纹)，as well as blue and yellow ones.The researchers used an eye tracker to hold the images in a fixed position relative to the volunteer's eyes so retinal cells were constantly 45 by the same stripe.For example, one cone might always see either a yellow stripe,while another cone would always see a blue stripe. The volunteers reported the borders between the stripes 46 into each other and that the interface color was a color they had never scen before-simultaneous red and green or both blue and yellow. A(n)47phenomenon has been observed in letter-color association.When differently colored letters appear side by side,the visual system may generate unusual color 48 at their edges.For instance,a red"o"and green"f'of the word"of"'may produce the 49 reddish green-a color that do not occur in the light spectrum. Despite these findings,the existeuce of truly impossible colors remains controversial.Some rcsearchers 50 that the reported perceptions are merely intermediate colors rather than entirely new ones.A 2006 study further supported this view by showing that participants often identified such colors as brown.Consequently,the question of whether impossible colors genuinely exist is still open to debate. I.Reading Comprehension Section A Directions:For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A,B, C and D.Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context. An odd meme,known as yidu luanhui in Chinese,went viral on the country's social media platforms.It serves as a way to__Sl_the often condescending(居高临下的)communication style of parents and elder relatives. Nowhere is this conflict more noticeable than around the the Spring Festival,when young Chinese return home to face a family questioning their life choices-especially those involving marriage and 52.Typical yidu luanhui exchanges may look like this: "When will you get married?" "Maybe at noon,maybe at night." “Why don't you want a baby?” "I don't want to live with a stranger." 53 this behavior is a widespread belief among young Chinese that the older generation will not-and cannot-understand the way the country has changed since their own young adulthood.For young Chinese,marriage and children are now approached with more54,as they prioritize their emotional needs,careers,and personal goals.This approach 55 with the older generation's view of these milestones as inevitable life stages to be reached as quickly as possible. They're also navigating a changed 56.While young professionals earn more than their parents did starting out,income growth has stopped progressing.Their financial security is ipcreasingly dependent on themselves.Not without reason,many young people feel their parents' experiences of social mobility and a strong welfare state no longer57 them. Unlike an aggressive tone,yidu luanhui is a more passive way to calm intergenerational conflicts.This reflects not just a generational 58,but also a shift in attitudes toward privacy and kinship.For many Chinese,personal59are an essential aspect of a healthy social life and a necessary firewall against intrusive friends,gossiping colleagues and overbearing relatives. This need for privacy can be60 for parents and older relatives.The resulting conflicts have led some members of the younger generation to cut ties with unwelcome family altogether. _61,it's important to note that yidu luanhui does not necessarily indicate a complete rejection of family ties on the part of young Chinese.While some connections may be cut,doing so can also allow the core bonds between parents and children to grow stronger-provided the two sides can reach a(n)62 This is exactly the point of yidu luanhui:By63aggressive approaches to securing their independence,China's younger generation is signaling its desire for a new language grounded in equal and sincere relationships.It may sound64to their parents,but that doesn't make it unreasonable. Over time,some parents have begun to 65 the code.They realize that a seemingly absurd reply is actually a request:Stop pushing.Let me live my life. 51.A.come up with B.look forward to C.push back against D.keep up with 52.A.adulthood B.childhood C.livelihood D.parenthood 53.A.Applauding B.Underlying C.Understanding D.Ignoring 54.A.passion B.caution C.curiosity D.regret 55.A.contrasts B.interferes C.interacts D.compares 56.A.education B.religion C.ecology D.economy 57.A.object to B.refer to C.apply to D.respond to 58.A.divide B.decline C.empathy D.cooperation 59.A.achievements B.communications C.boundaries D.responsibilities 60.A.a tough pill to swallow B.the icing on the cake C.a piece of cake D.a wolf in sheep's clothing 61.A.Instead B.Still C.Thus D.Otherwise 62.A.target B.conclusion C.agreement D.milestone 63.A.rediscovering B.interpreting C.analyzing D.rejecting 64.A.humble B.rude C.weird D.worrying 65.A.read B.miss C.adapt D.set Section B Directions:Read the following three passages.Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A,B.C and D.Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read. (A) For the past five years,I have worked in strategic roles in advertising.During my work,I am always being challenged by the difficulties involved in having to create an ad which will be relevant to a brand,which will match its core values,and which will appropriately target consumers.When I contribute to a successful campaign that matches all of the above,the satisfaction I get is pure joy. Nonetheless,my work also makes me aware that advertising has its gray areas.Many advertisers only focus on the few features of a product which can distinguish it from its competition, while also intentionally presenting an unclear picture of it.For example,a snack brand may focus on the claims relating to the taste of its products,while also willfully ignoring any clear reference to their nutritional values and the calories they contain.In other cases,advertisers claim superiority by using research and survey findings that do not corrclate with consumers'consensus ()Just recently,a major Israeli retailer,introducing a new Cola product,claimed that its fizzy drink tasted better than Coca-Cola.Although such a claim is certainly possible,it is also highly unlikely that a private-label Cola will be able to better suit the Israeli taste.Coca-Cola,after all,has dominated the Isracli Cola market for decades now and continues to command 90%of the market share by revenuc. 6 As a consumer,I have some strong relationships with brands I encounter on a regular basis.I adore the design and innovation of Nespresso.I use Gillette exclusively to shave.I have already re- placed four iPhone models during the last decade.When these brands advertise,I am always open to hear about their new products and will watch their advertisements-even though this might mean higher spending. Most of the time,however,I am indifferent to attempts to convince me to buy the advertised products.In a way,trying a new brand gives rise to uncertainty that I tend to shrink from.When I experience a brand that does not meet my expectations,I feel as if I have made a terrible decision. And that bad experience increases my doubt towards new brands.Additionally,the modern magic trick of site retargeting or the occurrence of hypertargeting also gives me the feeling that my entire online journey is being documented and then used for commercial purposes. Overall,I admire the efforts being made by advertisers to increase the effectiveness of digital campaigns.However,my true desire as a consumer is to minimize my exposure to irrelevant or intrusive advertisemeuts as much as possible. 66.According to the author,the"gray areas"of advertising lie in the fact that A.the Jegal boundaries of advertising are undefined B.most products only have a few distinctive features C.there has been a number of unexpected technical problems D.consumers aren't presented with the whole truth about products 67.The author mentions the example of a major Israeli retailer mainly to show that A.the information in some advertisements is misleading B.international brands are more favorable than local ones C.many companies use brand influence to elbow out others D.some brands provide incomplete information to misguide the consumers 68.What can we learn from Paragraph 3? A.The author has a clear preference for certain brands. B.Commercial advertisements have little effect on the author. C.The author has developed a number of good shopping habits. D.The price of a product matters more than its quality to the author. 69.What is the best title for the text? A.I Love It;I Hate It:An Advertising Dilemma B.The Top Secrets of Moder Advertising C.How Brands Build Lifelong Customer Loyalty D.Digital Advertising:The Future of Marketing (B) Every school day,we at The Learning Network teach students a new vocabulary word that was published in The New York Times via our Word of the Day column.But in February we flipped the script:We challenged young people to come up with a new word of their own that they thought was missing from the English language. More than 1,000 students responded to our Invent a Word challenge.The strongest entries each provided an inventive word,a clear cxample sentence and a convincing reason that the word should exist.Listed alphabetically below are six of our favorites,which were selected by Learning Network staff.Entries have been edited for length and clarity. Winner synswer(a,:a reply generated synthetically(以合成方法)by a machine responding to a question,. statement or request e.g.ChatGPT's confusing synswer deflated her enthusiasm for using artificial intelligence to do her work. Runners-Up draffident (n.):an accidentally shared social media post,email or text e.g.An increase in cyberbullying has been reported due to a flood of draffidents. entertraining(adj.):used to describe a person,situation or event that is entertaining and funny but becomes tiring and draining after some time e.g.Although Johnny thinks his stories are funny,his friends find him entertraining after a while. improf (v.):to pretend to be a professional in a certain field,especially in an anonymous ( setting e.g.Surveys show that as many as 50 percent of social media users admit to improfing in order to win an argument at least once. intralogue(n.):an extended,.nonverbal(非语言的)conversation with oneself,particularly between opposing viewpoints e.g.After an intralogue to help overcome her fear,the actress felt confident to take the stage. telefign (v.):to take advantage of unclear circumstances caused by a long distance between people to cheat someone or create an illusion (of something happening e.g.Timothy received many brightly-worded text messages from his coworkers congratulating him on his promotion,but he knew that they were just telefigning,and were jealous of him because they didn't get promoted themselves. 70.According to the example,why do people"telefign"? A.To impress their friends B.To win an argument C.To improve communicative skills D.To make a false impression 71.On the Internet,Linda knows nothing about teaching,but she pretends to be an expert to win arguments online.She is A.synswering B.intraloguing C.improfing D.entertaining 72.Where can you probably find this article? A.In a linguistic textbock B.In a school newspaper C.On a scientific website D.In an English culture review (C) If at first you don't succeed,as the old saying goes,try,try again.Good advice,up to a point. But let me offer a modification:even when you do succeed,try,try again.Tempting as it is to declare victory and move on,in many endeavours there is much to be said for rethinking an apparently satisfactory formula. Consider the advice for job interviewers in Talent,a new book by economist Tyler Cowen and venture capitalist Daniel Gross.They suggest asking a routine question,such as "give me an example of when you resolved a difficult challenge at work."Then ask for another example.And another.The pat answers will be exhausted quickly,and the candidate will have to start improvising, digging deep-or perhaps admit to being stumped. 8 Indeed,one way to describe this strategy is that the interviewer is asking for answers in parallel rather than for answers in series.Instead of stringing together a logical sequence of 17 questions, the interviewer is asking for 17 different answers to the same question. While that approach is unconventional in job interviews,it is common practice among designers. They often produce several distinct attempts to meet a given brief,rather than immediately focusing on what seems to be the best idea.In doing so,the designers force themselves to explore the full range of possibilities,to avoid the risk of committing too early to a concept that seems attraetive but may eventually be a dead end. A striking example of parallel design is the creation of the Windows 95 startup sound.Microsoft was looking for an opportunity to show off the audio capabilities of the computers of the day,so it commissioned the famed music producer Brian Eno(British environmental music master)to do so. Eno recalls receiving a brief,asking for music that was "inspirational,driving,provocative, nostalgic...there were about 150 adjectives.And then at the bottom it said,'and not more than 3.8 seconds long'.” Eno recalled that his mind went blank at first.He found the brief both ridiculous and inspiring. In the end he composed more than 80 tiny pieces of music.The final result was a musical signature that has stood the test of time and was one that helped to creatively liberate Eno."It really broke the ice in my own work,"he told The San Francisco Chronicle. Bill Burnett and Dave Evans,in their delightful book Designing Your Life,suggest an exercise in which you sketch out a vision for the next five years of your life.What will you be doing?Where will you live and with whom?Are you hoping to run a marathon?Start a business?This is often a straightforward act of imagination,but what makes the exercise depressing is what comes next: Burnett and Evans ask you to do it again,only this time,you're to write an entirely different projection-the idea at the heart of the plan is one that is completely forbidden:Forcing yourself to go back to the drawing board,not only a second,but a third time. I've tried this myself and seen others try it.People struggle.They protest.Sometimes they cry. And then,sooner or later,the ideas start pouring out. We all contain multitudes.But we don't always let them see the light of day.Perhaps we should try producing answers in parallel more often.Even when you do succeed,try,try again. 73.What does the underlined words"stumped"in the second paragraph mean? A.inspired B.terrified C.relieved D.stuck 74.Why does the author mention Brian Eno's experience of creating the Windows 95 startup sound? A.To prove that some renowned musicians prefer working under extreme time pressure. B.To illustrate the value of producing multiple parallel attempts rather than one single idea. C.To argue that technical requirements are more important than artistic freedom. D.To show that the best creative work always comes from a detailed written brief. 75.According to the passage,which of the following statements is TRUE? A.The job interview technique involves asking a logical sequence of 17 different questions. B.Brian Eno claimed that the Windows 95 brief left him immediately full of ideas. C.The Designing Your Life exercise causes discomfort but eventually generates ideas. D.Designers adopting parallel design will immediately focus on what seems to be the best idea. 9 76.What is the main idea of the passage? A.Success itself calls for no more tries. B.Success means declaring victory and moving on. C.Parallel answers are less efficient than serial ones. D.A single "good enough"answer never touches. Section C Directions:Read the passage carefully.Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once.Note that there are two more sentences than you need. A.There is only one heroism in the world:to see the world as it is,and to love it. B.Its success proves it is not just a commercial hit,but a perfect example of how to modernize a classic genre. C.Behind the film's creative risk is a team driven by a deep passion for the genre. D.Young audiences generally believe that realistic movements are more appealing than CGI. E.I want to minimize flashy tricks in kungfu and use real movements to fight. F.Despite its box office success,the production process was criticized for its excessive budget. Blades of the Guardians:ANew Era for Wuxia After 24 days in theaters,the Chinese wuxia film Blades of the Guardians:Wind Rises in the Desert has earned over 1.3 billion yuan at the box office. From the golden age of Hong Kong cinera to Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon winning an Academy Award,wuxia culture has always been a bridge introducing Chinese films to the world. Driven by nostalgia,this new film has become a hot topic. 77 The achievement was so significant that it inspired a professional seminar to analyze its success. The film's rise comes at a critical time.In the past twenty years,wuxia has struggled because of old-fashioned plots,too much reliance on computer-generated imagery (CGD,and a lack of connection with young audiences.Unlike earlier films that focused on visual effects,Blades of the Guardians focuses on reality.It was filmed on location in Xinjiang and features realistic hand-to- hand combat.This creative decision was led by 81-year-old action director Yuen Woo-ping,a legend known for The Matrix. 78 Yuen said."Every slash of the blade and every thrust of the spear must feel substantial.I don't want showy performances.I want it real."This approach appealed to Gen-Z viewers who enjoy wuxia video games and prefer physical action over digital effects. 79 Screenwriter Yu Baimei and lead actor Wu Jing initially worried about losing money but continued because they wanted to revive the genre.Wu,now in his 50s,felt he would regret it if he never made another wuxia film.The"gamble"paid off.The film has earned back its costs and sparked discussions about a sequel.Critics say the film balances Chinese culture with universal story telling.Set in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties,it mixes chivalry and patriotism with relatable themes like loyalty and protection. Globally,the film is also succeeding,earning a 95%fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.4/10 score on IMDb.This challenges the idea that wuxia films are only for a small group of people. A famous writer once said," 80 The main character,Daoma,represents this spirit.Similarly,the filmmakers,aware of the challenges,have not given up on their love for wuxia,believing the genre can return to its glory. 10 IV.Translation Directions:Translate the following sentences into English,using the words given in the brackels. 81.春意渐浓，这周末我们何不结伴踏青去？(approach) 82.这项新出台的政策因忽视公众利益而成为了众矢之的。(target) 83.这位记者正在古镇漫步寻访，无意间邂逅了一个极具报道价值的故事。(whn) 84.这部纪录片淋漓尽致地展现了中国源远流长的民俗和传统，清楚地昭示了于中国人而言， 阖家团圆重逾千金。(make it clear)) V.Guided Writing Directions:Write an English composition in 120-150 words according lo the instructions given below in Chinese. 85.当下以豆包、千问为代表的人工智能工具迅速普及，不少高中生借助这些工具完成作业。 对此，你怎么看？请结合个人经历，谈谈你的看法。你的文章须包括： (1)你的观点 （2)结合自身经历，说明理由 川 上海市建平中学2025-2026学年高一下学期期中教学质量检测 英语试卷 考生注意：考试时间 120 分钟，试卷满分 140 分。 I. Listening Comprehension Section A Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard. 1.A. A parking lot. B. A traffic accident. C. A construction project. D. A new highway. 2.A. To get directions to the restaurant. B. To ask about the restaurant's menu. C. To cancel their reservation for tonight. D. To find out if there are available tables. 3.A. He has moved downtown. B. He doesn't go out much. C. He can be found at the cafe. D. He doesn't want to meet the man. 4.A. David is a perfect match for his job. B. David and his students don't get along. C. David is thinking of becoming a teacher. D. David finds teaching easier than expected. 5.A. Excited. B. Disappointed. C. Relieved. D. Concerned. 6.A. She has been reading late at night. B. She has just come back from work. C. She has just returned from a business trip. D. She has been struggling with writing her book. 7.A. He is well prepared for a change. B. He is unsure about switching jobs. C. He has applied for the new position. D. He has considered the woman's suggestion. 8.A. The man is still waiting in line for the tickets. B. Many people wanted to watch the football match. C. The woman didn't expect the man to get the tickets. D. The football match has been delayed for three hours. 9.A. He wasn't certain if he did well in the test. B. He wasn't aware of the harm of video games. C. He didn't spend much time preparing for the test. D. He didn't know for sure when the test would start. 10.A. Lisa is usually honest and fair. B. Lisa should perform better at work. C. Lisa needs to take less responsibility. D. Lisa did most of the work on the project. Section B Directions: In Section B, you will hear two short passages and one longer conversation, and you will be asked several questions on each of the passages and the conversation. The passages and the conversation will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one would be the best answer to the question you have heard. Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage. 11.A. The geography of ancient Troy. B. The role of horses in Greek folktales. C. What weapons the Greeks used in battle. D. Whether the Trojan Horse was a real story. 12.A. They knew it had something inside. B. They planned to burn it as a sacrifice. C. They believed it was a peace offering. D. They wanted to use it as a war machine. 13.A. A religious gift to the gods. B. A symbol for the earthquake. C. A ship that brought Greeks to Troy. D. A real structure that soldiers hid inside. Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage. 14.A. What can keep objects cool under the sun. B. How camels inspire a new way to stay cool. C. What makes camels' cooling system unique. D. How camels survive well in the desert's heat. 15.A. It keeps the camel warm at night. B. It traps heat and prevents sweating. C. It blocks sunlight and slows down heat absorption. D. It allows the camel to obtain more water from the air. 16.A. It works best in cold environments. B. It releases heat quickly to keep objects cool. C. It needs constant water refills to function properly. D. It helps regulate temperature without using electricity. Questions 17 through 20 are based on the following passage. 17.A. How to make conversations smoother. B. The importance of listening in a conversation. C. How to end an awkward conversation naturally. D. The best ways to avoid unnecessary conversations. 18.A. Talking about the weather. B. Making a positive comment. C. Looking more natural than forced. D. Waiting for the other person to speak. 19.A. Using vivid vocabulary to sound more engaging. B. Trying to convince the other person to stay longer. C. Listening more and allowing the other person to talk. D. Keeping asking questions about the other person's interests. 20.A. Switching to another topic. B. Using humor to ease the tension. C. Ending the conversation politely. D. Leaving without too much explanation. II. Grammar and Vocabulary Section A Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. Stay hungry, stay foolish I’m honored to be with you today for your commencement. I want to tell you three stories from my life. The first story is about (21) _______ (connect) the dots. When I was at Reed College, it offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. I decided to take a calligraphy class. At that time, (22)_______ of what I learned about calligraphy seemed to have even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer (23)_______ (equip) with beautiful typography. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them when you look backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. My second story is about love and loss. I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents’ garage when I was twenty. And then at thirty, shortly after (24) _______(fire), I realized that I still loved what I did. And so I decided to start over. During the next five years, I started a company (25)_______(call) NeXT. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, and I returned to Apple. I’m convinced that the only thing (26) ______ kept me going was that I loved what I did. So, if you (27)_______(not find) what you love, keep looking. Don’t settle. My third story is about death. When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, (28)_______ is doctors’ code for “prepare to die.” Later it turned out to be curable with surgery. I had the surgery and, thankfully, I am fine now. This was the closest that I’ve been (29)_______ facing death. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you: Your time is limited, (30) _______ don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Section B Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need. (A) A. approaching B. common C. concern D. decline E. extinction F. thrive G. hit H. infectious I. similar J. spreading K. vary When Cities Go Wild When I was young, there were more wild animals than there are today. This ____31____ is not just a matter of statistics gathered by scientists working in remote places like the Antarctic. Many people have noticed the famous "windshield (挡风玻璃) phenomenon": Thirty years ago, if you drove any distance outside the city, your windshield would be covered with unfortunate insects that had flown in the path of your car. Today, however, you can easily count the insects that ____32____ your windshield after a day of driving. It's not just insects. Populations of birds and other wild animals have dropped in the U.S. and elsewhere. But I've noticed another change in the past thirty years. When I was a kid, the only animals seen in my hometown were dogs, cats and birds. In the smaller desert towns to the south, you might see coyotes (郊狼), but I never saw one in a major city. Today, however, coyotes are a ____33____ sight in my hometown. And it isn't just coyotes. When I visit my dad, I always see rabbits running through his yard. Reactions to these new neighbors ____34____. An old family friend exclaimed, "Oh no!" when he heard about my mom feeding the raccoons that visited her backyard. While raccoons are cute and intelligent, they can be dangerous and even kill household pets. Coyotes pose a (an) ____35____ threat as they, too, can prey on pets. Indeed, as humans encroach on wild habitats and come into contact with native animals, some serious risks are emerging. Many ____36____ diseases have appeared in the past century. And many of the viruses, such as HIV and Ebola, likely jumped to humans from chimpanzees and other wild animals. In the U.S., Lyme disease, spread by ticks (蜱虫) that feed on deer, has become a growing ____37____. We must find ways to safely coexist with our wild neighbors. Ideally, their original habitats can be protected -- though, in many cases, it is already too late. One solution is to create ecological corridors to help wildlife ____38____ in and around cities without posing a risk. For instance, elevated bridges can create safe passages through urban areas. Similarly, controlling food sources accessible to wildlife can help prevent them from ____39____ human communities. We are poorer for the loss of species in our world. Our distant ancestors likely contributed to the ____40____ of wooly mammoths and giant ground sloths (巨型地懒) through overhunting. Today many people would give anything to see these large mammals. Let's not repeat those past mistakes. ____B) A. combinations B. comparable C. embrace D. faded E. imaginary F. impressions G. limitation H. maintain I. specific J. spot K. stimulated Impossible Colors and How to See Them Impossible, or so-called "forbidden," colors refer to colors that the human visual system is unable to perceive under normal conditions. This ____41____ arises from the way our eyes process color, particularly through what is known as the opponent-process mechanism. The human retina (视网膜) contains three types of cone cells (视锥细胞) which register color and work in an opposite fashion: blue versus yellow, red versus green, and light versus dark. Although there is some overlap in the wavelengths they respond to, allowing us to ____42____ a wide range of colors, the opponent structure prevents us from perceiving certain ____43____ at the same time. Therefore, colors like reddish green or yellowish blue are traditionally considered impossible. Nevertheless, in the late 20th century, visual scientists Hewitt Crane reported experimental evidence claiming that such colors might, under ____44____ conditions, be perceived. In the study, participants were asked to observe adjacent (相邻的) red and green stripes (条纹), as well as blue and yellow ones. The researchers used an eye tracker to hold the images in a fixed position relative to the volunteer's eyes so retinal cells were constantly ____45____ by the same stripe. For example, one cone might always see either a yellow stripe, while another cone would always see a blue stripe. The volunteers reported the borders between the stripes ____46____ into each other and that the interface color was a color they had never seen before -- simultaneous red and green or both blue and yellow. A(n) ____47____ phenomenon has been observed in letter-color association. When differently colored letters appear side by side, the visual system may generate unusual color ____48____ at their edges. For instance, a red "o" and green "f" of the word "of" may produce the ____49____ reddish green—a color that do not occur in the light spectrum. Despite these findings, the existence of truly impossible colors remains controversial. Some researchers ____50____ that the reported perceptions are merely intermediate colors rather than entirely new ones. A 2006 study further supported this view by showing that participants often identified such colors as brown. Consequently, the question of whether impossible colors genuinely exist is still open to debate. III. Reading comprehension Section A Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context. An odd meme, known as yidu luanhui in Chinese, went viral on the country's social media platforms. It serves as a way to ____51____ the often condescending (居高临下的) communication style of parents and elder relatives. Nowhere is this conflict more noticeable than around the Spring Festival, when young Chinese return home to face a family questioning their life choices -- especially those involving marriage and ____52____. Typical yidu luanhui exchanges may look like this: "When will you get married?" "Maybe at noon, maybe at night" "Why don't you want a baby?" "I don't want to live with a stranger." ____53____ this behavior is a widespread belief among young Chinese that the older generation will not -- and cannot -- understand the way the country has changed since their own young adulthood. For young Chinese, marriage and children are now approached with more ____54____, as they prioritize their emotional needs, careers, and personal goals. This approach ____55____ with the older generation's view of these milestones as inevitable life stages to be reached as quickly as possible. They're also navigating a changed ____56____. While young professionals earn more than their parents did starting out, income growth has stopped progressing. Their financial security is increasingly dependent on themselves. Not without reason, many young people feel their parents' experiences of social mobility and a strong welfare state no longer ____57____ them. Unlike an aggressive tone, yidu luanhui is a more passive way to calm intergenerational conflicts. This reflects not just a generational ____58____, but also a shift in attitudes toward privacy and kinship. For many Chinese, personal ____59____ are an essential aspect of a healthy social life and a necessary firewall against intrusive friends, gossiping colleagues and overbearing relatives. This need for privacy can be ____60____ for parents and older relatives. The resulting conflicts have led some members of the younger generation to cut ties with unwelcome family altogether. ____61____, it's important to note that yidu luanhui does not necessarily indicate a complete rejection of family ties on the part of young Chinese. While some connections may be cut, doing so can also allow the core bonds between parents and children to grow stronger -- provided the two sides can reach a(n) ____62____. This is exactly the point of yidu luanhui: By ____63____ aggressive approaches to securing their independence, China's younger generation is signaling its desire for a new language grounded in equal and sincere relationships. It may sound ____64____ to their parents, but that doesn't make it unreasonable. Over time, some parents have begun to ____65____ the code. They realize that a seemingly absurd reply is actually a request: Stop pushing. Let me live my life. 51.A. come up with B. look forward to C. push back against D. keep up with 52.A. adulthood B. childhood C. livelihood D. parenthood 53.A. Applauding B. Underlying C. Understanding D. Ignoring 54.A. passion B. caution C. curiosity D. regret 55.A. contrasts B. interferes C. interacts D. compares 56.A. education B. religion C. ecology D. economy 57.A. object to B. refer to C. apply to D. respond to 58.A. divide B. decline C. empathy D. cooperation 59.A. achievements B. communications C. boundaries D. responsibilities 60.A. a tough pill to swallow B. the icing on the cake C. a piece of cake D. a wolf in sheep's clothing 61.A. Instead B. Still C. Thus D. Otherwise 62.A. target B. conclusion C. agreement D. milestone 63.A. rediscovering B. interpreting C. analyzing D. rejecting 64.A. humble B. rude C. weird D. worrying 65.A. read B. miss C. adapt D. set Section B Directions: Read the following two passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read. (A) For the past five years, I have worked in strategic roles in advertising. During my work, I am always being challenged by the difficulties involved in having to create an ad which will be relevant to a brand, which will match its core values, and which will appropriately target consumers. When I contribute to a successful campaign that matches all of the above, the satisfaction I get is pure joy. Nonetheless, my work also makes me aware that advertising has its gray areas. Many advertisers only focus on the few features of a product which can distinguish it from its competition, while also intentionally presenting an unclear picture of it. For example, a snack brand may focus on the claims relating to the taste of its products, while also wilfully ignoring any clear reference to their nutritional values and the calories they contain. In other cases, advertisers claim superiority by using research and survey findings that do not correlate with consumers' consensus (共识). Just recently, a major Israeli retailer, introducing a new Cola product, claimed that its fizzy drink tasted better than Coca-Cola. Although such a claim is certainly possible, it is also highly unlikely that a private-label Cola will be able to better suit the Israeli taste. Coca-Cola, after all, has dominated the Israeli Cola market for decades now and continues to command 90% of the market share by revenue. As a consumer, I have some strong relationships with brands I encounter on a regular basis. I adore the design and innovation of Nespresso. I use Gillette exclusively to shave. I have already replaced four iPhone models during the last decade. When these brands advertise, I am always open to hear about their new products and will watch their advertisements -- even though this might mean higher spending. Most of the time, however, I am indifferent to attempts to convince me to buy the advertised products. In a way, trying a new brand gives rise to uncertainty that I tend to shrink from. When I experience a brand that does not meet my expectations, I feel as if I have made a terrible decision. And that bad experience increases my doubt towards new brands. Additionally, the modern magic trick of site retargeting or the occurrence of hypertargeting also gives me the feeling that my entire online journey is being documented and then used for commercial purposes. Overall, I admire the efforts being made by advertisers to increase the effectiveness of digital campaigns. However, my true desire as a consumer is to minimize my exposure to irrelevant or intrusive advertisements as much as possible. 66.According to the author, the "gray areas" of advertising lie in the fact that ________. A. the legal boundaries of advertising are undefined B. most products only have a few distinctive features C. there has been a number of unexpected technical problems D. consumers aren't presented with the whole truth about products 67.The author mentions the example of a major Israeli retailer mainly to show that ________. A. the information in some advertisements is misleading B. international brands are more favorable than local ones C. many companies use brand influence to elbow out others D. some brands provide incomplete information to misguide the consumers 68.What can we learn from Paragraph 3? A. The author has a clear preference for certain brands. B. Commercial advertisements have little effect on the author. C. The author has developed a number of good shopping habits. D. The price of a product matters more than its quality to the author. 69.What is the best title for the text? A. I Love It; I Hate It: An Advertising Dilemma B. The Top Secrets of Modern Advertising C. How Brands Build Lifelong Customer Loyalty D. Digital Advertising: The Future of Marketing (B) Every school day, we at The Learning Network teach students a new vocabulary word that was published in The New York Times via our Word of the Day column. But in February we flipped the script: We challenged young people to come up with a new word of their own that they thought was missing from the English language. More than 1,000 students responded to our Invent a Word challenge. The strongest entries each provided an inventive word, a clear example sentence and a convincing reason that the word should exist. Listed alphabetically below are six of our favorites, which were selected by Learning Network staff. Entries have been edited for length and clarity. Winner synswer (n.): a reply generated synthetically (以合成方法) by a machine responding to a question, statement or request e.g. ChatGPT's confusing synswer deflated her enthusiasm for using artificial intelligence to do her work. Runners-Up draffident (n.): an accidentally shared social media post, email or text e.g. An increase in cyberbullying has been reported due to a flood of drafidents. entertraining (adj.): used to describe a person, situation or event that is entertaining and funny but becomes tiring and draining after some time e.g. Although Johnny thinks his stories are funny, his friends find him entertraining after a while. improf (v.): to pretend to be a professional in a certain field, especially in an anonymous (匿名的) setting e.g. Surveys show that as many as 50 percent of social media users admit to improfing in order to win an argument at least once. intralogue (n): an extended, nonverbal (非语言的) conversation with oneself, particularly between opposing viewpoints e.g. After an intralogue to help overcome her fear, the actress felt confident to take the stage. telefign (v.): to take advantage of unclear circumstances caused by a long distance between people to cheat someone or create an illusion (错觉) of something happening e.g. Timothy received many brightly-worded text messages from his coworkers congratulating him on his promotion, but he knew that they were just telefigning, and were jealous of him because they didn't get promoted themselves. 70.According to the example, why do people "telefign"? A. To impress their friends B. To win an argument C. To improve communicative skills D. To make a false impression 71.On the Internet, Linda knows nothing about teaching, but she pretends to be an expert to win arguments online. She is ________. A. synswering B. intraloguing C. improfing D. entertaining 72.Where can you probably find this article? A. In a linguistic textbook B. In a school newspaper C. On a scientific website D. In an English culture review (C) If at first you don't succeed, as the old saying goes, try, try again. Good advice, up to a point. But let me offer a modification: even when you do succeed, try, try again. Tempting as it is to declare victory and move on, in many endeavours there is much to be said for rethinking an apparently satisfactory formula. Consider the advice for job interviewers in Talent, a new book by economist Tyler Cowen and venture capitalist Daniel Gross. They suggest asking a routine question, such as "give me an example of when you resolved a difficult challenge at work." Then ask for another example. And another. The pat answers will be exhausted quickly, and the candidate will have to start improvising, digging deep -- or perhaps admit to being stumped. Indeed, one way to describe this strategy is that the interviewer is asking for answers in parallel rather than for answers in series. Instead of stringing together a logical sequence of 17 questions, the interviewer is asking for 17 different answers to the same question. While that approach is unconventional in job interviews, it is common practice among designers. They often produce several distinct attempts to meet a given brief, rather than immediately focusing on what seems to be the best idea. In doing so, the designers force themselves to explore the full range of possibilities, to avoid the risk of committing too early to a concept that seems attractive but may eventually be a dead end. A striking example of parallel design is the creation of the Windows 95 startup sound. Microsoft was looking for an opportunity to show off the audio capabilities of the computers of the day, so it commissioned the famed music producer Brian Eno (British environmental music master) to do so. Eno recalls receiving a brief, asking for music that was "inspirational, driving, provocative, nostalgic ... there were about 150 adjectives. And then at the bottom it said, 'and not more than 3.8 seconds long'." Eno recalled that his mind went blank at first. He found the brief both ridiculous and inspiring. In the end he composed more than 80 tiny pieces of music. The final result was a musical signature that has stood the test of time and was one that helped to creatively liberate Eno. "It really broke the ice in my own work," he told The San Francisco Chronicle. Bill Burnet and Dave Evans, in their delightful book Designing Your Life, suggest an exercise in which you sketch out a vision for the next five years of your life. What will you be doing? Where will you live and with whom? Are you hoping to run a marathon? Start a business? This is often a straightforward act of imagination, but what makes the exercise depressing is what comes next: Burnett and Evans ask you to do it again, only this time, you're to write an entirely different projection -- the idea at the heart of the plan is one that is completely forbidden: Forcing yourself to go back to the drawing board, not only a second, but a third time. I've tried this myself and seen others try it. People struggle. They protest. Sometimes they cry. And then, sooner or later, the ideas start pouring out. We all contain multitudes. But we don't always let them see the light of day. Perhaps we should try producing answers in parallel more often. Even when you do succeed, try, try again. 73.What does the underlined words "stumped" in the second paragraph mean? A. inspired B. terrified C. relieved D. stuck 74.Why does the author mention Brian Eno's experience of creating the Windows 95 startup sound? A. To prove that some renowned musicians prefer working under extreme time pressure. B. To illustrate the value of producing multiple parallel attempts rather than one single idea. C. To argue that technical requirements are more important than artistic freedom. D. To show that the best creative work always comes from a detailed written brief. 75.According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE? A. The job interview technique involves asking a logical sequence of 17 different questions. B. Brian Eno claimed that the Windows 95 brief left him immediately full of ideas. C. The Designing Your Life exercise causes discomfort but eventually generates ideas. D. Designers adopting parallel design will immediately focus on what seems to be the best idea. 76.What is the main idea of the passage? A. Success itself calls for no more tries. B. Success means declaring victory and moving on. C. Parallel answers are less efficient than serial ones. D. A single "good enough" answer never touches. Section C Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in the blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need. A. There is only one heroism in the world: to see the world as it is, and to love it. B. Its success proves it is not just a commercial hit, but a perfect example of how to modernize a classic genre. C. Behind the film's creative risk is a team driven by a deep passion for the genre. D. Young audiences generally believe that realistic movements are more appealing than CGI. E. I want to minimize flashy tricks in kungfu and use real movements to fight. F. Despite its box office success, the production process was criticized for its excessive budget. Blades of the Guardians: A New Era for Wuxia After 24 days in theaters, the Chinese wuxia film Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert has earned over 1.3 billion yuan at the box office. From the golden age of Hong Kong cinema to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon winning an Academy Award, wuxia culture has always been a bridge introducing Chinese films to the world. Driven by nostalgia, this new film has become a hot topic. The achievement was so significant that it inspired a professional seminar to analyze its success. ____77____ The film's rise comes at a critical time. In the past twenty years, wuxia has struggled because of old-fashioned plots, too much reliance on computer-generated imagery (CGI), and a lack of connection with young audiences. Unlike earlier films that focused on visual effects, Blades of the Guardians focuses on reality. It was filmed on location in Xinjiang and features realistic hand-to-hand combat. This creative decision was led by 81-year-old action director Yuen Woo-ping, a legend known for The Matrix. "____78____" Yuen said. "Every slash of the blade and every thrust of the spear must feel substantial. I don't want showy performances. I want it real." This approach appealed to Gen-Z viewers who enjoy wuxia video games and prefer physical action over digital effects. ____79____ Screenwriter Yu Baimei and lead actor Wu Jing initially worried about losing money but continued because they wanted to revive the genre. Wu, now in his 50s, felt he would regret it if he never made another wuxia film. The "gamble" paid off. The film has earned back its costs and sparked discussions about a sequel. Critics say the film balances Chinese culture with universal storytelling. Set in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties, it mixes chivalry and patriotism with relatable themes like loyalty and protection. Globally, the film is also succeeding, earning a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.4/10 score on IMDb. This challenges the idea that wuxia films are only for a small group of people. A famous writer once said, "____80____" The main character, Daoma, represents this spirit. Similarly, the filmmakers, aware of the challenges, have not given up on their love for wuxia, believing the genre can return to its glory. IV.Translation Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets. 81. 春意渐浓,这周末我们何不结伴踏青去?(approach) 82. 这项新出台的政策因忽视公众利益而成为了众矢之的。(target) 83. 这位记者正在古镇漫步寻访,无意间邂逅了一个极具报道价值的故事。(when) 84. 这部纪录片淋漓尽致地展现了中国源远流长的民俗和传统,清楚地昭示了于中国人而言, 阖家团圆重逾千金。(make it clear) V. Guided Writing Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese. 85. 当下以豆包、千问为代表的人工智能工具迅速普及,不少高中生借助这些工具完成作业。 对此,你怎么看?请结合个人经历,谈谈你的看法。你的文章须包括: (1)你的观点 (2)结合自身经历，说明理由 参考答案 1-5 CDCAB 6-10 DBBCA 11-13 DCB 14-16 BCD 17-20 ABCC 21-25 connecting; none; to be equipped; being fired; called 26-30 that; haven’t found; which; to; so 31-35 DGBKI 36-40 HCFAE 41-45 GJFIK 46-50 DBAEH 51-55 CDBBA 56-60 DCACA 61-65 BCDCC 66-69 DAAA 73-75 DBC 70-72 DCB 73-76 DBCD 77-80 BECA 81.With spring approaching, why not go for an outing together this weekend? /As spring is approaching, why not go for an outing together this weekend? /With the approach of spring, why not go for an outing together this weekend? 82.The newly-issued/ launched/ introduced policy became the target of public criticism for ignoring public interests. 83.The journalist was wandering through the ancient town when he came across a story (that is) well worth reporting. 84.This documentary fully shows the widely held customs and traditions of China, making it clear that for Chinese people, nothing is more important than family get-togethers. 85.优秀作文： (I) While robots can complete marathons, it’s no longer a surprise to see AI tools in our daily life. Therefore, countless high school students depend on them to finish their homework, causing the worries of parents and teachers. In my opinion, relying on AI tools too much isn’t a good choice. AI prevents students from thinking on their own. Before AI came out, students can think of various amazing ideas, and no two are alike. But that’s no longer possible, since most ideas came from the same robot, and students will gradually lose the ability to think independently. AI is not always correct, and might mislead students. When I asked my AI tool about Chinese masterpieces, it easily mixed things up and gave me the wrong answer. After testing it a few more times, I found that a big part of AI’s answers are based on real person answers posed on the Internet, which doesn’t have origin and can easily go wrong. It will be a disaster if students simply copy the answer and let it go. To sum up, AI is still a new product in the long history. It still needs a long time to develop and improve before it can thoroughly benefit humans. Before this time comes, it’s better for students to learn on their own. (II) With the rapid development and wide application of artificial intelligent tools, many high school students start to finish their homework with the help of AI. I firmly believe that it has harmful effects on students’ ability of learning independently. Firstly, using AI to finish homework reduces the quality of learning. The meaning of homework lies in the process of solving the problems, not the answers. In contrast, giving the problems to AI and copying the generated answers involves no thinking at all. For example, you need to find the correct formula to use and select the most convenient ways when solving math problems. Copying the answers from AI doesn’t allow your brain to connect the problem to the knowledge you have learnt. Therefore, nothing is gained or reviewed through doing homework. Additionally, using AI to finish homework does harm to students’ ability of independent and critical thinking. Sometimes, the information the AI provides is false or just made up by AI, believing in these fake information makes us remember the wrong knowledge. Thus, relying too much on AI makes us lose the sensitivity of distinguishing what is true and what is false and lose the ability to think independently. When students who rely on AI are faced with tough problems, they won’t be able to know how to solve it by themselves. Without AI tools, their mind will be as blank as a sheet. They will be like robots made on production lines. In conclusion, relying too much on AI tools to finish homework not only affects the quality of learning but also harms students’ prolonged habit of thinking critically and independently. AI is a tool that makes life more convenient but not a replacement for human brains. High school students should use AI in a proper way and keep a creative and independent mind. Script 1. W: Do you know what they’re working on over there? Another parking lot? M: I thought that was where the new highway exit was going. Q: What are the speakers mainly talking about? 2. W: Do you think we’ll be able to get a table at that new restaurant tonight? M: I really hope so. I heard it’s always packed. Why don’t you call and check? Q: Why does the man suggest the woman call the restaurant? 3. M: Do you know what happened to Tim? I haven’t seen him around lately. W: Clearly you haven’t been to the new café downtown. Q: What can we learn about Tim? 4. W: Have you seen how passionate David is about teaching? His students love him! M: Absolutely! He and that job were made for each other. Q: What does the man mean? 5. W: Did you watch the game last night? I was shocked that our team lost. M: Ugh. I thought for sure they’d win, so it was quite a surprise when they lost by 20 points. Q: How did the man feel about their team’s performance in the game? 6. M: Hey, Mary! You look exhausted. Long day at work? W: Yeah, kind of. But it’s not just work—I’ve been stuck with my newest book, and I can’t seem to complete it! Q: Why is Mary exhausted? 7. W: Did you consider applying for that new job position? M: It crossed my mind, but I’m not certain if I’m ready for a change. Q: What can be learned about the man? 8. W: How long did you have to wait in line for the tickets of the football match? M: Quite a while…about three hours actually. Q: What can we learn from the conversation? 9. W: How did you do in the history test? M: Not great. I wasn’t quite sure what to study, so I played video games instead. Q: What did the man imply? 10. M: I heard Lisa pretended she did all the work on the project. W: That doesn’t sound like her at all. She is not that kind of person. Q: What does the woman mean? Section B Directions: In Section B, you will hear two short passages and one longer conversation, and you will be asked several questions on each of the passages and the conversation. The passages and the conversation will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, you will have seven seconds to decide which choice would be the best answer to the question you have heard. Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage. Now you have 30 seconds to read all the choices on the screen. The story goes like this: After ten long years of battle, the Greeks finally took Troy, an ancient and powerful city believed to be located in what is now Turkey, but they did not take it with weapons. Instead, they used a giant wooden horse! According to the ancient tale, Greek soldiers hid inside the horse, pretending it was a peace offering. The Trojan people, thinking the war was over, brought it into their city. That night, the hidden soldiers came out, opened the gates for the Greek army, who then took Troy. The first written account of the wooden horse appears in The Odyssey by Homer, written around 750 B.C.—long after the war supposedly took place. Many experts believe Troy was real, but was the horse? That’s another question! Some historians think the horse might have been a symbol for a powerful weapon. Others believe it could have been linked to an earthquake, since the god of the sea and earthquakes was also connected to horses. We may never know the full truth. But one thing is certain: this wooden horse has made its way into history! Now listen again. Questions 11. What is the passage mainly about? 12. According to the passage, why did the Trojan people bring the wooden horse into their city? 13. What do some historians believe the wooden horse might have represented? Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage. Now you have 30 seconds to read all the choices on the screen. Imagine standing under the desert sun, where temperatures climb, yet camels remain remarkably cool. How do they do it? The secret lies in their coat and the way they manage water. At first, it may seem like a camel’s thick coat would make it hotter. But instead, it protects the camel by blocking sunlight and slowing heat gain. Inside, the camel controls its water loss, releasing small amounts of sweat slowly. This gradual drying up keeps it cool for a long time. Now, picture a material that works just like this natural cooling system. Scientists have created a special two-layer material that follows the camel’s trick. The bottom layer holds water, just like a camel’s body. When the water dries up, it cools the surface. But here’s the clever part—the top layer is a light material that behaves like the camel coat. It lets water escape while reducing heat absorption, making the cooling effect last much longer. The result? A material that can keep objects cool for days without electricity! This could help store food and medicine safely or even make buildings more comfortable without using energy-hungry air conditioning. Just like camels survive the heat with their natural cooling system, this smart material could change the way we stay cool in hot environments. Now listen again. Questions 14. What is the passage mainly about? 15. How does a camel’s coat work? 16. What can be learned about the material introduced in the passage? Questions 17 through 20 are based on the following conversation. Now you have 40 seconds to read all the choices on the screen. M: Have you ever been stuck in a conversation where no one knows what to say? W: Absolutely. M: I read something about this the other day. One trick is to start with a kind remark. It helps break the ice. W: That makes sense. Everyone appreciates a kind word. But what if it comes off as forced? M: Well, ideally, it should be genuine. Maybe something like, “You have a really calm presence.” W: Okay. And what if the conversation still feels awkward after that? M: Then you go into hostage negotiation mode—listen more than you talk. People like to be heard. W: So basically, let them do the talking? M: Exactly. Ask them about their interests, nod along, and follow up with questions. The more they feel understood, the smoother the conversation. W: Hmm. I like that. But what if they’re just giving one-word answers? M: That’s when you activate Plan C—have an escape route. A polite way to wrap things up, like, “I won’t keep you, but it was great chatting.” W: It sounds smooth instead of sudden. I’ll keep that in mind. Hopefully, I won’t need to use the escape plan too often! Now listen again. Questions 17. What are the speakers mainly talking about? 18. What is one suggested way to start a conversation? 19. What does “hostage negotiation mode” refer to in the conversation? 20. According to the man, what is “Plan C”? 1 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $