北京清华大学附属中学2025-2026学年下学期八年级阶段学情自测英语

初二第二学期期中 英语（一） C24级 学部________ 班级________ 姓名________ 考号________ 第一部分 听力理解（共25分） 一、听后选择（共12分，每小题1.5分） 听下面4段对话和1段独白。每段对话或独白后有两个小题，从每题所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。每段对话或独白，你将听两遍。 请听一段对话，完成第1至2小题。 1. What will the boy do this weekend? A. Go swimming. B. Go to the library. C. Go to the cinema. 2. Who will join the boy in the activity? A. His cousin. B. His mom. C. His brother. 请听一段对话，完成第3至4小题。 3. Why is the girl upset? A. She failed her Chinese exam yesterday. B. She didn’t finish the homework on time. C. She had an argument with her best friend. 4. What will the girl probably do after school? A. Call the librarian. B. Talk to her friend. C. Write to her teacher. 请听一段对话，完成第5至6小题。 5. When did the man take this trip to Zhangjiajie? A. Last spring. B. This summer C. This autumn 6. How did the man get to the top of the mountain? A. By taking a tour bus and walking. B. By climbing all the way up. C. By taking his friend’s car. 请听一段独白，完成第7至8小题。 7. Where did the speaker go last Sunday? A. To the school gym. B. To the hospital. C. To the beach. 8. What does the speaker mainly talk about in the speech? A. His experience of getting sunburned. B. How to stay safe playing volleyball. C. His happy beach trip with friends. 二、听后回答（共8分，每小题2分） 听对话，根据对话内容笔头回答问题。每段对话你将听两遍。 请听一段对话，完成第9小题。 9. Why did the boy’s tooth start to hurt? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 请听一段对话，完成第10小题。 10. How did the boy feel when he had a problem with his parents? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 请听一段对话，完成第11至12小题。 11. When may the two speakers visit Hukou Waterfall? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. What do the two speakers need to take for the visit to Hukou Waterfall? ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 三、听后转写（共5分） 听短文，根据所听内容和提示信息转写短文内容，请将文段写在答题纸上。短文你将连续听三遍。 13. I’ve got some advice on ______________________________________________________________________ 第二部分 知识运用（共29分） 四、单项选择（共9分，每小题1分） 14. Allen fell down from the bike, but he didn’t hurt ________. A. him B. his C. himself D. he 15. We will have a first-aid lesson ________ Thursday afternoon. A. in B. on C. at D. from 16.—Look at the sign. You ________ keep quiet in the library. —Oh, sorry. I didn’t notice it. A. might B. would C. could D. should 17. This bookstore is one of ________ places in our town. A. the busiest B. busier C. busy D. busiest 18. The doctor advised my father ________ smoking for his health. A. give up B. to give up C. giving up D. gives up 19. No one told him the plan clearly, so he didn’t know ________ about the class activity. A. anything new B. new anything C. something new D. new something 20. They still went on working outside ________ it rained heavily. A. so that B. because C. although D. if 21. As soon as he ________ here, I will tell him the important news. A. will get B. get C. got D. gets 22. — Could you please tell me ________? I want to learn it well. — You can read English novels every day. A. how can I improve my English B. how I can improve my English C. when can I improve my English D. when I can improve my English 五、短文填空（共8分，每小题1分） 第一节 阅读下面短文，在方框内选择最佳选项将短文补充完整。其中有2个为多余选项。 A. in return B. crossing C. so far D. normal E. deep F. clearing Last weekend, a heavy snowstorm hit our town. We were shocked to see such 23 snow in just one night. Many old neighbors found it very difficult to buy food. Therefore, my friends and I decided to help them. We spent the whole morning 24 the snow on the streets. Because there was so much of it, we had to keep 25 the roads to move the snow from one side to the other. After we finished, an old lady gave us some hot chocolate to thank us. We did it just to help, but we gained a lot of happiness 26 . It was a special day for all of us. 第二节 阅读下面短文，在未给提示词的空白处填写1个恰当的英文单词，在给出提示词的空白处填写该词的正确形式。 Nowadays, AI is becoming a helper in our life, but we must learn how to use it in the right way. First, we should not be 27 (care) when using AI because it can sometimes make mistakes. We must always check the facts. More importantly, we should avoid letting AI stop us from 28 (think) by ourselves. It is okay to ask AI for some 29 (advice) on how to solve difficult problems, as it can provide new ideas and different ways to look at things. All in all, learning how to deal 30 AI is a necessary skill for our future, but that doesn’t mean we should give up our own thinking. 六、完形填空（共12分，每小题1.5分） 阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选择最佳选项。 Kelly and her friends were walking home from school. They really missed their friend Holly, who just had surgery (外科手术) and needed to stay home for the next two weeks! “When my little sister was in the hospital, people brought many gifts to 31 her up,” said Maya. “We should bring gifts to Holly too!” Everyone liked the idea. Bella wanted to give her a necklace-making kit, Maya planned to buy a paint set, and Alice decided to bring a barbie doll. When they asked about Kelly’s gift, she was deep in 32 . Kelly wanted to give her friend something meaningful, but most of her pocket money for the month was spent on the movies and snacks so there was not much left. Feeling 33 now, she still didn’t want to ask her parents for more money. Over dinner, Kelly told her mom about Holly. “We want to give her gifts to let her know we’ve been thinking about her.” Kelly listed what each of her friends was giving Holly. “I want to give her something special too,” Kelly continued. “How can I do that without a lot of money?” “I know you can do it. You’re 34 ,” said Mom. “Just think about what makes Holly smile.” Later that night, while racking (冥思苦想) her brains about the gift, a 35 came to her. Last year, when she was having a terrible day, Holly gave her a small bag filled with little surprises, which made her feel much better. “That’s it,” Kelly thought. “I can do the same for her!” Over the next few days. Kelly 36 on her gift, choosing and even hand-making the items that would make Holly smile. On Friday, Holly’s friends went to visit her. Watching Holly open the others’ presents, Kelly’s heart beat faster. She had thought her idea was a good one, but now she wasn’t sure. Finally, Holly 37 for Kelly’s box and grinned (咧嘴笑) at the words on it: Stuff to Make You Smile. She opened the lid and began unwrapping. “Stickers! A headband! A rubber-band bracelet you made in my favorite purple! Wow! Did you draw this picture of us too?” Kelly nodded, “It’s us playing badminton last month!” “I can’t wait till we can do that again,” said Holly as she reached into the box one more time.” And homemade chocolate cookies?! Yum!” Soon they had to leave so Holly could rest. “Thank you guys. I feel better already!” Holly smiled. Kelly was glad too, because she had worried for nothing! Her mom had been right — friendship and 38 were what really counted. 31. A. ring B. pick C. cheer D. wake 32. A. thought B. doubt C. pain D. imagination 33. A. bored B. shocked C. confused D. regretful 34. A. popular B. caring C. organized D. patient 35. A. memory B. dream C. story D. feeling 36. A. counted B. worked C. depended D. tried 37. A. sent B. called C. reached D. ran 38. A. generosity B. courage C. teamwork D. thoughtfulness 第三部分 阅读理解（共26分） 七、阅读理解（共26分，每小题2分） （一）阅读下列中国自然奇观的介绍，请根据人物需求匹配最适合他们的地点，并将其所对应的A、B、C、D选项填在相应位置上。选项中有一项为多余选项。 A A Heavenly Lake With 16 mountains standing around it, the lake takes on different looks indifferent seasons. Colorful flowers in spring and autumn, green plants in summer and white snow in winter all add to its beauty. But the lake is often covered in fog. If you want a clear view, come in summer. B Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring A blue lake lies in the desert, with sand hills all around. The wind blows the sand only towards the mountains, so the sand never falls into the lake. On windy days, the sand makes a special sound. That is why it is called Mingsha Mountain. C Hukou Waterfalls It is on the Yellow River. The waterway becomes much narrower here and the river rushes down with a loud sound. You can see the rushing water turn into light mist (雾). A rainbow might appear when the sun shines. It is such a beautiful sight that visitors never forget it. D Kanas Nature Reserve Kanas means beautiful in the local language. Here you can see a quiet lake, high mountains, and open grasslands. In June, colorful flowers are everywhere. In September, the trees turn red and yellow. This is a great time for taking photos. 39. ________ I love taking photos in autumn. Seeing trees turn red and yellow by a quiet lake would be amazing. I also enjoy walking through open grasslands. 40. ________ I really want to go somewhere with water and mountains together. I heard that sand can make sounds. That would be so cool! 41. ________ I want to hear the powerful sound of water falling. I heard that rainbows sometimes appear near big waterfalls. And if I’m lucky enough to see one there, it will be unforgettable. （二）阅读下列短文，根据短文内容，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选择最佳选项。 B Some people only think playing the lead role is exciting, but to me, any chance to stand onstage is enjoyable. In our upcoming production of The Legendary Cowherd, eight of us would play a sixteen-legged dragon, with me at the tail. At rehearsal, Luca raised his spear, while we moved and zigzagged across the stage. In the end, after Luca gave the final blow, our dragon fell slowly until I dropped down. I admired Luca’s acting because his performance was perfect. Most importantly, his inspiring lines, “I will defend this land!”, had always excited me. Nancy disagreed. “I think you could play the hero well too, Ben.” “You know how terrible I am at memorizing dialogue. You’re kidding, right?” I said. “I’m not,” Nancy said, looking me straight in the eye. “There’s more to acting than just reciting lines, Ben.” “Fine,” I replied, “but without a script, everything would fall to pieces.” “I guess so,” Nancy said. On opening night, when Luca stepped out for his part, a different drama was taking place backstage. “Oops!” My eyes widened as I saw the dragon’s tail get stuck in a cow prop’s (道具) wheels. I tried to pull it but that didn’t work. Then Mark pushed me aside and started pulling harder at the tail. I cried for him to stop, but before I even finished speaking, the tail broke, causing the cow to roll right onto the stage! Luca froze in the middle of his lines. I rushed onstage at once, and my brain raced as fast as my feet. “A dragon’s coming!” I shouted at him. The audience was staring at me now. “Run!” I yelled again, grabbing the cow’s rope. “Move!” I faced Luca, hoping he would play along. “A monster’s coming! It ate my cows, and it would eat you if you don’t run!” Luca got back into his role. “I’m not running.” he said, lifting his spear. “Because I will defend this land!” Then, a fourteen-legged dragon — now with a little broken tail — appeared, and I walked offstage quickly. The play ended with a successful opening night. From the outside looking in, everything went perfectly smoothly. “That was an amazing save, Ben. It wasn’t just quick thinking; that was excellent acting,” our teacher said, and the others cheered in agreement. “Yes, you were awesome!” Luca added. Surprise ran through me. In the meantime, I knew Nancy had an “I-told-you-so” look waiting for me. 42. How did the writer feel about playing the dragon’s tail at first? A. Pleased. B. Unhappy. C. Surprised. D. Nervous. 43. What happened when Luca stepped out for his part on opening night? A. The writer forgot his lines and froze. B. The dragon’s tail got stuck and broke. C. The audience laughed at the broken tail. D. The cow prop’s wheels stopped working. 44. What did the writer learn from his experience on opening night? A. Accidents on stage can ruin a play. B. Actors need to memorize lines well. C. Being the lead role is a way to shine. D. Quick thinking is important in acting. C Whether you’ve had a difficult exam or a disagreement with a friend, having healthy coping skills can be the key to getting through tough times. They help you deal with stressful situations in life. It’s important to develop healthy coping skills that help reduce emotional distress (痛苦) or get yourself out of the stressful situations. But not all coping skills are equally effective. Sometimes, it’s easy to engage in strategies (策略) that will give quick relief but might create bigger problems for you down the road. Two main types of coping skills are problem-based and emotion-based. Understanding how they differ can help you determine the best coping strategy for you. Problem-based coping is helpful when you need to change your situation, perhaps by removing a stressful thing from your life. For example, if you’re in an unhealthy friendship, you can reduce anxiety and sadness by ending that relationship. Emotion-based coping is helpful when you need to take care of your feelings — either because you don’t want to change the situation or because the situation is out of your control. For example, if you are sad about moving to a new city, it’ll be important to take care of your feelings in a healthy way. Whether emotion-focused or problem-focused, healthy coping skills should help ease stress. The right coping skills often depend on the situation and your own needs in the moment. What works for someone else might not work for you. For example, going for a walk might help your friend calm down, but if you can’t stop dwelling on anger, the quiet time alone can fuel your frustration — giving your mind space to replay the argument over and over, making you feel worse instead of better. In that case, watching a funny video for a few minutes might work better. You may also find that some coping strategies work best for certain situations or emotions. Engaging in a hobby might be an effective way to relax after a long day at school, while talking to someone you trust could be the best way when you’re feeling sad. The key is to build a set of strategies that you can draw from depending on what you’re facing. 45. Having healthy coping skills is important because they ________. A. help you manage stress well B. make you busy with funny things C. keep you away from tough times D. reward you with pleasant experiences 46. According to the passage, which is probably an example of problem-based coping? A. Mia listens to music to avoid feeling really upset about waiting in a long slow line. B. Kevin takes deep breaths before the test when he feels too nervous and cannot focus. C. Emma tells her partner to share the work as she’s tired of taking on tasks all by herself. D. Jack writes down his thoughts in a notebook because he’s sad about losing a football game. 47. What is the writer’s main purpose of writing this passage? A. To describe the difference between two types of coping skills. B. To explain why we need coping skills to deal with tough times. C. To encourage readers to find proper coping skills for themselves. D. To argue that problem-based coping is better than emotion-based coping. D Research suggests people view taking neutral stances (立场) as being dishonest, not just an effort to avoid disagreement, and new research from the University of Virginia backs this up. Across 11 studies in North America, researchers found that people who say they’re neutral on controversial (有争议的) issues are often not trusted. “When someone expresses a neutral viewpoint, we are really skeptical (怀疑的) of it, and we actually think that they are less principled (原则性强的) basically as unprincipled as someone who holds an opposing viewpoint,” said Gabrielle Adams, a professor of public policy, who was among the leaders of the studies. In one of the 11 studies, Adams and her team did a survey involving 600 online participants, asking them to read about a colleague who either supported, opposed or claimed neutrality on an education policy. They then asked the participants to rate (评价) the colleague’s stances. The research team also recorded participants’ own views on the policy. “Unsurprisingly, participants rated colleagues who agreed with them more favorably,” Adams said. “However, participants rated colleagues who expressed a neutral view just as poorly as those whose opinions opposed their own.” In another study, using a nationally representative sample, the scientists asked participants to read a social media post in which the person was either against, neutral on, or in favor of a controversial issue. As you’d expect, people rated posters who shared their views the most positively. What stood out, though, was that posters who took a neutral position were rated just as negatively as those who openly disagreed with participants. Taken together, the 11 studies led to this conclusion: “People think that this neutrality is actually a way to play both sides.” Adams explained. “It’s a way to come across as trying to look good and avoid conflict. The problem is that if people think you are too weak to speak your mind, you might come across as someone who doesn’t have a backbone. Once you are seen as lacking principles, it’s hard for you to have sincere and respectful-conversations.” Our takeaway from this study is that neutrality is not rewarded. According to the findings, what we hope to accomplish by remaining neutral is not what others believe we are doing. When it comes to establishing a respectful and trustworthy social image, it will be much better if you just say what you think and explain it honestly. 48. What does the passage say about people who stay neutral on heated issues? A. They are easy to get along with. B. They avoid arguments in a smart way. C. They try to please everyone but seem insincere. D. They are as principled as those who support them. 49. What does the phrase “have a backbone” in Paragraph 5 most probably mean? A. Be brave to speak one’s own view. B. Be hardly influenced by others. C. Be open to different ideas. D. Be independent in life. 50. Which of the following would the writer most probably agree with? A. Neutral people hardly get into fights with others. B. It is better to express our true thoughts directly. C. Neutrality helps win trust from others easily. D. People should avoid controversial issues. 51. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Neutrality: Smart Choice to Avoid Disagreement B. Neutrality: Useless Way to Build Relationships C. Neutrality: Good Strategy for Sincere Talks D. Neutrality: Harmful Effect on Social Image 第四部分 书面表达（共20分） 八、阅读与表达（共10分，第52-54题各2分，第55题4分） 阅读短文，根据短文内容回答问题。 The Clay Figure Zhang (Niren Zhang) is a beloved traditional Chinese art form rooted in Tianjin, founded by the skilled artist Zhang Mingshan in the late Qing Dynasty. As an important part of China’s intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产), it is famous for its nice craftsmanship and highly realistic styles around the world. Artists shape each clay character with great care, paying close attention to every detail, from the exact curve of a character’s body to their lively facial expressions. Each piece tells a different story. It might be a famous historical character, a lively character from Chinese myths and fairy tales, or a warm scene from daily life. This mix of realism and narrative makes the Clay Figure Zhang a wonderful way to present and share Chinese culture and traditions. To keep the art interesting for young people, modern creators mix classic clay-making skills with modem art. For example, Zhang Yu, the sixth-generation inheritor, has added new elements (成分) in his playful works like Money on Horseback. This creative mix of old and new ensures the art remains meaningful and easy for today’s youth to understand and appreciate. Artists also choose materials carefully. The main material is a special soft clay, which is carefully processed to get the perfect texture for shaping. Natural paints are used to make the figures both visually beautiful and surprisingly durable (耐用的). In short, the Clay Figure Zhang is a shining example of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. Because of its special artistic style and rich cultural heritage, the Clay Figure Zhang holds a special place in Tianjin’s culture, passing on the cultural legacy from one generation to the next. It also draws attention from all over the world. Nowadays, more and more young Chinese people are willing to share the Clay Figure Zhang around the world because they take pride in China’s intangible cultural heritage. Thanks to their efforts, it is moving onto the world stage step by step, being loved and accepted by more and more people across the globe. It lets the world see the beauty and charm of traditional Chinese culture. 52. What is the Clay Figure Zhang famous for around the world? 53. How do modern creators keep the art interesting for young people? 54. Why do artists use natural paints? 55. If your school offers a course to learn to make the Clay Figure Zhang, would you like to take the course or not? Why or why not? (Please give two reasons.) 九、文段表达（10分） 56．从下面两个题目中任选一题，根据中文和英文提示，完成一篇不少于50词的英语文段写作。文中已给出内容不计入总词数。所给提示词语仅供选用。请不要写出你的真实班级和姓名。 题目① 假如你是李华，你的英国笔友Chris给你发来邮件，想了解你的日常课余活动情况。请你用英语回复一封邮件，介绍你最喜欢的课余活动是什么、活动的时间和地点，以及你从中有什么收获。 提示词语：ball games, morning, healthy, improve 提示问题：●What is your favorite free-time activity? ●When and where do you usually do it? ●What benefits do you get from it? Dear Chris, It’s so nice to hear from you, and I’m glad to tell you something about my free-time activities. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Yours, Li Hua 题目② 某英文报社正在开展以“我最想感谢的人”为主题的征文活动。假设你是李华，请用英语写一篇短文投稿。谈谈谁是你最想感谢的人，他（她）曾经做过什么，以及你从他（她）身上学到了什么。 提示词语：helpful, fail, encourage, make progress 提示问题：●Who is the person you want to thank most? ●What did he/ she do? ●What did you learn from him/ her? In my life, there are many people I want to thank, but one person stands out the most. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 能力提升（共20分） 十、单项选择（共6分，每小题0.5分） 根据句意，从A、B、C、D四个选项中选择一个能够填入空白处的最佳选项。 57. If you don’t look after your bike, the ________ costs will be high. A. maintenance B. anecdote C. exposure D. diversity 58. It can be ________ to focus in class after a restless night. A. tough B. guilty C. moral D. magical 59. It’s exciting that our school ________ the latest technology in the classroom. A. exhausts B. reduces C. embraces D. assists 60. With the ________ only two days away, our group had to put in more effort to finish the poster. A. cuisine B. deadline C. tunnel D. violence 61. My teacher________ her lunch break to help me prepare for the English speech contest. A. roamed B. intended C. established D. sacrificed 62. I thought the film was pretty, ________ — all special effects and no real story. A. shallow B. elegant C witty D. sincere 63. When everyone cheered for his perfect score, he just smiled, and this ________ made him popular. A. circulation B. connection C. tension D. humility 64. You have to ________ tickets for the basketball game two weeks ahead. They always sell out fast. A. regulate B. purchase C. interact D. blend 65. Is there any ________ difference between these two? They look alike, but one costs twice as much. A. flexible B. contemporary C. significant D. additional 66. The doctor tried to ________ him that staying up late was the real problem, not some disease. A. engage B. revoke C. convince D. urge 67. Our library is easily ________ to the general public, so many locals come to read here on weekends. A. reluctant B. accessible C. stressful D. mechanical 68. When you’re not sure whether to tell the truth, let your ________ be your guide. A. atmosphere B. imagination C. evidence D. conscience 十一、完形填空（共6分，每小题1分） 阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从短文后个题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选择最佳选项。 The Perfect Latte For a month, Adam had messed up breakfast every Saturday. His family always smiled and ate it, trying to protect his feelings. But this time, it was Mother’s Day. Adam was determined to make a perfect breakfast. His plan was simple: golden stir-fried eggs, perfectly crunchy bacon, and a special coffee for his mom with a heart design in the milk foam (泡沫). He felt quite 69 after having succeeded several times in secret using dish soap. The morning began without any problems. The bacon filled the kitchen with a wonderful smell, and the stir-fried eggs turned a beautiful golden color. Expecting burnt pancakes and hard bread, his family came to the table and 70 found their usual “oops” breakfast had turned into a fancy meal. Everything was going as planned. Now, it was time for his final act — the special coffee. He carefully heated the milk until it was frothy (有细腻泡沫的) and slowly used a bottle to pour it into his mother’s cup. There, a perfect heart began to form. Adam felt a rush of 71 . But just then, the family dog, Buddy, ran into the room and jumped on the table, causing his elbow to knock the almost-empty bottle. A stream of warm and soapy liquid (液体) — Adam had forgotten to wash the bottle after his practice! — splashed (飞溅) across the table, right into his mother’s coffee cup. The lovely heart disappeared into a mess. Adam’s moment of success had ended suddenly. “I’m so useless,” he whispered. With embarrassment, he hurried into his bedroom to hide. He 72 again, he thought. Just as he was about to start cleaning up in frustration, his mother walked in: In her hands was the cup of ruined coffee. “Adam,” she said in a gentle voice. “Take a look at the table.” He looked. His family wasn’t paying attention to the mess. They were enjoying their food. His brother was eating the fluffy omelet with great enthusiasm. His father was slowly enjoying the crispy bacon, his eyes closed in 73 . They were talking, laughing, and truly appreciating the meal. “This breakfast is absolutely delicious,” his mother said. “So what if the coffee didn’t work out?” She nodded toward the soapy bottle. “You put in all that effort just for me. That care and thought — that’s the real gift.” She gave him a warm smile. “Now, how about pouring me a cup of regular coffee?” Adam realized that although he hadn’t created a flawless or picture-perfect moment, he had created something real: a little messy, slightly soapy, but full of honest laughter and warmth. While pouring a cup of plain black coffee, Adam understood that the 74 hadn’t ruined Mother’s Day breakfast. Instead, mom’s words simply washed away the pressure of trying to give a perfect gift, reminding him of the more important thing that was already there all along, the love between family members. 69. A confident B. dramatic C. isolated D. reluctant 70. A. anxiously B. surprisingly C. carelessly D. courageously 71. A. impression B victory C. empathy D. boredom 72. A. started B. checked C. failed D. lost 73. A. exhaustion B. uncertainty C. achievement D. satisfaction 74. A. invention B. shortage C. incident D. response 十二、阅读理解（共8分，每小题2分） 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选择最佳选项。 Think about the worn-out teddy bear at the bottom of your closet. Your family might tell you it was your favorite as a baby — but you can’t remember how its fur felt or the way you used to hug it. This is a common experience for adults: most are largely unable to recall events before preschool, a phenomenon known as “infantile amnesia.” Unlike normal forgetting (where memories fade slowly), babyhood memories vanish completely. There are two potential explanations for this phenomenon. The first one is that babies cannot store memories because their hippocampus (海马体) — an important brain part for memory — hasn’t fully developed. The hippocampus develops throughout early childhood, so it may not retain long-term memories in infants. This makes them similar to adults with hippocampal damage, who also have trouble forming new long-term memories. Another possibility is that babies can store memories but lose the ability to recall them as they grow. Recent studies on mice support this. When scientists activated brain cells (细胞) linked to early experiences in adult mice, the mice remembered long-forgotten things. This shows the brain might keep these early memories, even if they can’t reach them later. But what about humans? Researchers from The University of Queensland have studied infants awake for ten years with fMRI (功能性磁共振成像), a form of brain imaging that can measure activity from parts deep in the brain such as the hippocampus. Studying infant memory is challenging. Babies move a lot, ignore instructions, and have short attention spans (一段时间) — so most fMRI scans are done while they sleep. But this wasn’t the best choice because memories are based on experiences in waking life. Through more than 400 sessions and countless insights (深入了解) from families, they have found ways to keep awake infants still, happy, and focused during scanning. In a recent study, a team led by Tristan Yates, a researcher at Columbia University, showed pictures of faces, objects, and places to one-year-old babies while scanning their brains with fMRI. Later, Yates tested their memory by showing them both the previously shown pictures and new ones. If the infant looked longer at the photograph they had seen before, Yates labeled that image as remembered; otherwise, it was forgotten. The brain scans showed that the hippocampus was more active when babies looked at pictures they remembered. This result suggested that the infant hippocampus can form memories after a brief session of looking at the pictures. The effects were clearest after 12 months of age, in infants who had stronger overall memory. The findings support the idea that people store memories as infants but are unable to recall them later. But many questions remain. How long do these hidden memories last? Why are most people’s earliest memories from age four to five (or later)? Why can’t people recall those earlier memories? Answering these could help with learning languages, treating developmental issues, and even understanding why memory weakens with age. So next time you think of your earliest memory, remember — there may be even older ones locked away inside your brain. 75. The underlined word “vanish” in Paragraph 1 probably means “________”. A. disappear B. color C. change D. replace 76. What can we learn from the lab’s study on one-year-old babies? A. fMRI scans are not useful for studying babies awake. B. Babies with better memory have healthier hippocampus. C. A visual experience is needed to form memories for younger babies. D. The hippocampus in babies is more active when they see familiar photos 77. What is the writer’s main purpose in writing Paragraph 4? A. To tell the differences between study methods. B. To explain the challenges of the study. C. To introduce the process of the study. D. To show the findings of the study. 78. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? A. How Can We Improve Babies’ Memory Skills? B. Hidden Memories in Babies’ Hippocampus C. Why Can’t We Remember Babyhood? D. The Development of Babies’ Memory 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $