阅读理解

It goes without saying that sitting at a desk for a majority of the day will hurt our health. But don't worry because there is a solution! After spending much time investigating the different offers when it comes to exercise equipment suitable for the office, I'd like to reveal some of my top recommendations.

☆ Stability Cushion These cushions are excellent to relieve back pain and shoulder aches, stabilize joints and strengthen muscles. Pros & Cons Small and lightweight .Works well for lower back and posture ·Inflating isn't easy for some	☆ Under-desk Elliptical Keeping your feet in motion while seated can go a long way to keep you happier, reduce stress, and increase your productivity Pros & Cons Easy to carry like a briefcase Whisper quiet and easy to use ·The rubber around the metal bar can wear out over time
☆ Fitness Tracker What gets measured gets managed, and one great way to keep track of your fitness data is a fitness tracker. A fitness tracker records your energy levels, steps, distance, hourly activity and more Pros & Cons ·Very comfortable to wear ·Lots of apps can be operated together ·Various customized options ·Sometimes there are connectivity issues	☆ Balance Ball Chair Sitting on a balance ball leads to increased energy and productivity. In that way, it's perfect for completing tasks at home or in the office. This chair promotes micro-movements, core strength, and stimulation Pros & Cons ·Straightforward to build ·A great solution if you experience back pain ·Needs to be reinflated often

1. （1） Who are the intended readers of the text?

   A . Fitness trainers. B . Recovering patients. C . Office workers. D . Furniture designers.
3. （2） Which equipment promises to improve work efficiency?

   A . Stability Cushion and Fitness Tracker. B . Stability Cushion and Balance Ball Chair. C . Under-desk Elliptical and Fitness Tracker. D . Under-desk Elliptical and Balance Ball Chair.
5. （3） What may be the problem of Fitness Tracker?

   A . It wears out easily over time. B . It may fail to get linked at times. C . It offers few personalized choices. D . It doesn't allow the use of other apps.

阅读理解

Well, well, well. It looks like robots are now coming for our beloved furry friends. According to a new study, animal robots may be just as effective, if not better, at providing therapeutic (治疗的) benefits to children as real pets. As someone who has both interacted with real dogs and robots, I can tell you that this is quite a bold claim.

Sure, robots may have some benefits over real dogs. They can work for longer hours and won't cause allergies (过敏) or pass on diseases. But can a robot give you that wet-nosed, tail-wagging, slobber-filled experience that a real dog can? I think not.

Now, I'm not saying that robots don't have their place in therapy. In fact, I can see how an animal robot could be helpful in certain situations where a real dog might not be possible. But let's not go replacing all the good boys and girls with robots just yet.

As for the study, it's interesting to see that while the kids said they loved real-life dogs better, they actually spent more time interacting with the robot. I can only imagine that it was doing some pretty impressive tricks, some robot dance or robot jokes maybe, to hold the kids' attention for that long.

In all seriousness, though, I do think it's important to consider the welfare of therapy dogs. Visiting hospitals can be stressful and tiring for them, and we should be exploring all options to make therapy experiences as positive and enjoyable as possible for both the animals and the patients.

So, while I may not be ready to trade in my furry friends for robots just yes, I am open to the idea of introducing animal robots into therapy programs. Who knows? Maybe one day we'll all have our own personal robot pets that can provide us with just as much love and companionship as the real thing. But until then, I'll stick with my trusty furry friends.

1. （1） What is the text?

   A . A response to a recent study. B . A summary of a scientific study. C . A news report of a new invention. D . A review on a medical experiment.
3. （2） What does the writer mean by saying "this is quite a bold claim" in paragraph 1?

   A . The new study is quite a breakthrough. B . His personal experience supports the study. C . Robots have no therapeutic benefits to children. D . Robots cannot replace real pets at present stage.
5. （3） Which of the following is a finding of the new study?

   A . The kids preferred robot pets to real dogs. B . Robots kept the kids' interest for a longer time. C . The kids' concentration was effectively improved. D . Robots had more tricks to impress kids than real dogs.
7. （4） Why is the author open to the idea of using robots in therapy?

   A . They can share some of therapy pets' work. B . They can guarantee the welfare of therapy pets. C . They provide us with just as much love as real pets. D . They are better at releasing patients' stress and tiredness.

阅读理解

The best ideas are often so smart, so simple and so clearly needed; it's strange to discover they don't already exist. So it is with Farm My School, a program that's turning underused land at secondary schools into commercially achievable, regenerative market gardens farmed by and for local communities.

Co-founded by permaculturist Ben Shaw and regenerative educator James McLennan, Farm My School connects local people and organizations through volunteering that helps establish a school's market garden. Students learn about community networks, healthy eating, ecological responsibility, waste reduction, and climate relief while helping with food production. Schools integrate all these into their courses while producing vegetable boxes every week that feed local families, supply the school's food needs and ultimately pay the farmer's salary.

Farm My School has gained the extraordinary enthusiasm of the locals, who answered an online shout-out to buy tickets to the program's launch event at Bell Secondary School last October. Called Build A Farm in a Day Festival, the event featured workshops by Ben and James to share the skills required to build what they say is the world's largest no-dig garden. "It was such a powerful event, and I think that comes down to people wanting to act now," says James. "We charged for the experience and 600 guys turned up! They didn't even need free drinks to get excited. We were gardening till midnight. It was amazing. We've got true community buy-in."

Volunteers have since begun beneficial planting throughout the school. Next steps include further discussions with local communities, employing a farmer, and bringing in a teacher to develop courses. "We've seen this huge push towards seeing schools as regenerative spaces, not just for planting but for kids to be more connected to the outside world, and really seeing the school in a whole new light," James says. "For us, the big excitement is that by allowing a professional farmer to take the responsibility of growing food, it's not only on the school to look after that farm anymore, which eventually makes it much more sustainable," adds Ben.

1. （1） Why was Farm My School founded?

   A . To raise the income of the local people. B . To advocate a commercial farming plan. C . To provide free food for local communities. D . To turn underused campus land into market gardens.
3. （2） How do schools involve students into the program?

   A . By developing program-based courses. B . By organizing voluntary work in communities. C . By offering them part-time jobs in the market gardens. D . By encouraging them to produce daily vegetable boxes.
5. （3） What does the underlined word "buy-in" mean in paragraph 3?

   A . Competition. B . Investment. C . Support. D . Protection.
7. （4） What is the highlight of the program according to Ben?

   A . It brings in money to support the school. B . The school farm will be able to last long. C . The local people will take care of the farm. D . Students connect more with the outside world.

阅读理解

In 1977, Irene Pepperberg, a Harvard graduate, decided to investigate the thought processes of another creature by talking to it. To do this, she would teach a one-year-old African gray parrot (鹦鹉), Alex, to reproduce the sounds of the English language.

Pepperberg bought Alex in a pet store, where she let the store's assistant choose him because she didn't want other scientists to say that she bad intentionally chosen an especially smart bird. Given that Alex's brain was just the size of a walnut, most researchers thought Pepperberg's communication study would be futile.

But with Pepperberg's patient teaching, Alex learned how to follow almost 100 English words. He could count to six and had learned the sound for seven and eight. But the point was not to see if Alex could learn words by heart. Pepperberg wanted to get inside his mind and learn more about a bird's understanding of the world.

In one demonstration, Pepperberg held up a green key and a green cup for him to look at. "What's the same?" she asked. "Co-lor," Alex responded without hesitation. "What's different?" Pepperberg asked. "Shape," Alex quickly replied. His voice had the sound of a cartoon character. But the words — and what can only be called the thoughts — were entirely his. Many of Alex's skills, such as his ability to understand the concepts of "same" and "different", are rare in the animal world. Living in a complex society, parrots like Alex must keep track of changing relationships and environments.

During the demonstration, as if to offer final proof of the mind inside his bird's brain, Alex spoke up. "Talk clearly!" he commanded, when one of the younger birds Pepperberg was also teaching mispronounced the word "green".

Alex knew all the answers himself and was getting bored. "He's moody," said Pepperberg, "so he interrupts the others, or he gives the wrong answer just to be difficult." Pepperberg was certainly learning more about the mind of a parrot, but like the parent of a troublesome teenager, she was learning the hard way.

1. （1） Why did Pepperberg let the shop assistant choose the bird?

   A . A bird with a small brain was needed. B . She wanted a very smart bird for her study. C . A research subject should be randomly chosen. D . The shop assistant was better at choosing birds.
3. （2） What might most researchers think of Pepperberg's study at first?

   A . Innovative. B . Practical. C . Costly. D . Fruitless.
5. （3） Which of the following aspects of Alex's ability did Pepperberg's study focus on?

   A . Understanding concepts. B . Calculating. C . Recognizing voices. D . Creating English words.
7. （4） What caused Pepperberg's struggle in her study?

   A . Her instructions had to be easy for Alex. B . Alex was sometimes too clever to control. C . Alex would point out other birds' mistakes. D . She had trouble understanding Alex's mood.

阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

What makes a work of architecture great? Most people would argue that aesthetics are the most important. However, Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio believed that we should also consider durability and function when assessing a structure. The Rostonville Library in my city is a great example of Vitruvius's principles.

Constructed entirely of granite — a hard and tough stone, the library is durable. It can withstand environmental pollution. For example, it is resistant to acid rain. Moreover, its granite structure is stable so it's more likely to survive an earthquake. It uses solar energy for heating and a rooftop garden for cooling.

Providing free access to print and digital information, it conveys a feeling of openness and accessibility. Furthermore, the entire library is on one level, and it has an open design — there are no inner walls or dividers. In addition, large windows let in plenty of natural light, so it's easy to see and get to each department within the library.

Finally, the library is beautiful, with aesthetically pleasing details both inside and out. The large windows are copper-framed (铜框的). The copper color provides an interesting contrast against the color of the granite structure and it will remain as the copper ages. Growth from the rooftop garden, which reaches down the sides of the building, adds to the aesthetics of the building.

Durability, functionality and beauty make the Rostonville Library a great structure. Architects who follow Vitruvius's principles help to make the city more pleasant to live in.

A. The library is also sustainable.

B. It is true that beauty is critical.

C. This is not the only concern of the architects.

D. The library was designed with functionality in mind.

E. It softens the lines of the structure and helps it to fit into its natural surroundings.

F. Plus, the library was built on the edge of the city park, surrounded by native plants.

G. Buildings that fulfill these criteria offer both peace of mind and beauty for their users.

阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D  四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

I used to think my life was perfect. My mom had her dream job and a beautiful office, and I had my own room with a computer and a garden to1 . But one Sunday, everything changed. A hurricane2our neighborhood while we were visiting my grandparents in Raleigh. Our kitchen was destroyed, and our clean and comfortable home was in ruins.

But something3happened. Our neighbors, the Flores family, came to our 4. They helped clear broken pieces and offered us a place to stay. Their5was most impressive. We had never6spoken to them before, but they 7their home to us and made us feel like family.

We started a new8of having weekend dinner together. We invited other families from the neighborhood to join us, and our. 9 were filled with laughter and delicious food. It was a beautiful thing to see our10 come together in the wake of a disaster.

I11knew Rosica, their daughter, before the hurricane. But she quickly became my friend. She had a gift for 12and our evenings together were filled with adventure and laughter.

Looking back, I realize that the hurricane13unexpected benefit. It brought us closer to our neighbors and 14 our lives in ways we never could have imagined. Sometimes, it takes a(n)15to bring out the best in people.

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Fan Jinshi, an archaeologist from Beijing University, first visited the Mogao caves as an undergraduate student in 1962. Despite the caves' tough (condition), Fan was determined to study national cultural heritage(遗产)and stayed to pursue her dream.

Over time, Fan's commitment to preserving national cultural heritage grew(strong). She joined the Communist Party of China in 1974 and became even more determined to protect the Mogao caves when they were officially open to tourists in 1979.  (face) with the challenge of balancing conservation and tourism, Fan knew that a solution had to be found. She(convince) that the caves' social importance far outweighed their economic potential and that scientific protection was the key to their  (survive).

In the late 1980s, Fan came up with innovative plan to digitize the Mogao caves, permanently preserving the murals(壁画), painted cultures, and historical data. In 2016, Digital Dunhuang was launched online, allowing people worldwide  (enjoy) comprehensive images of the caves.

In her eighties, Fan Jinshi is as busy as before, working(tireless) to conserve and manage the caves. She hopes that young people will carrythe "Mogao Spirit" and build a better Dunhuang Academy, she spent her lifetime. "Let this be my epitaph," Fan says, "I've done all I could for Dunhuang."

为庆祝4月20日中文语言日，你校举办了主题活动。请你为校英文报写一篇报道，内 容包括：1. 活动内容；2. 活动反响。

注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Chinese Language Day Celebrations on Campus

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Outside the Box

The Harvestfest contest was falling on Friday and everyone in school was talking about it. All the students would show up in their self-made costumes and a winner would be chosen by the principal.

"Do you have your costume for the Harvestfest contest?" Alice asked. "I'm going as a chocolate bar. My mom and I have been working on it all week."

"Yeah, I have a costume," said Jordan Eastman, popping up the two front wheels of his wheelchair as he waited for his dad to pick him up. "But it's boring."

"Why? What is it?" Alice asked.

"MaxMag the superhero, but Danny, Tom and Izzy are all going as MaxMag too." Jordan shook his head. "That's too many to stand a chance at winning the contest." He waved to his dad, who had just pulled up in front of the school.

Jordan rolled his wheelchair toward his dad, and Alice walked with him to the minivan.

"Maybe you should go as something else."

"The contest is Friday night." Jordan sighed. "It's too late to change costumes."

"Jordan, you have to think outside the box. Look around your house and see what you have. There's hidden potential in everyday items." She took a sip of her drink, and told Jordan that her chocolate-bar costume was made from old fabric her mom had lying around and recycled plastics.

On his way home, Jordan was quiet. He kept thinking about Alice's words: Think outside the box. There's hidden potential in everyday items. When he got home, he found his mum handling with some wooden pieces. She was putting a new desk together. On top of the desk was the huge empty cardboard box the pieces had come in. Mom smiled at Jordan, pointing at the desk, "What do you think?"

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

Jordan's eyes fell on the box and he smiled, "It's perfect … with my wheelchair."

Soon it was Friday night, and Jordan couldn't wait to show his costume.