This year is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth and sure enough, Miss Austen, a new four-part adaptation of a novel landed in February to kick off a year of Austen love.

What is the plot of Miss Austen?

The series is told not from the perspective of Jane Austen but her sister Cassandra, a controversial (备受争议的) figure in English literary history for having burnt Jane's private letters after her death. The truth, though, as this elegant and human period drama will reveal, is more complex...

Where was Miss Austen shot?

Adwell House, Oxfordshire: It's in Kintbury Vicarage that Cassandra locates and destroys her sister's letters. Adwell House in nearby Berkshire serves as the replacement for Kintbury Vicarage during the filming, which no longer exists.

Shottesbrooke House, Berkshire: Steventon Vicarage, where Jane Austen was born and where she created novels like Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, was torn down after the family moved to Bath in 1801. Instead, Miss Austen used the privately-owned Shottesbrooke House near Windsor.

Chawton, Hampshire: Scenes from Miss Austen were also filmed in Austen's home in Chawton. The novelist lived in the village during one of the most fruitful periods of her life. Emma, Persuasion and Sandito n were all written in Chawton.

Langleybury House, Hertfordshire: This 18th century manor (庄园) house has been a secret weapon in numerous films in recent years. In Miss Austen, it doubles for Winchester, Southampton, and Jane Austen's old dancing haunt (常去之地), Basingstoke Assembly Rooms.

Is Miss Austen worth watching?

"I challenge anyone not to be touched by this beautifully emotional tale of sisterhood, grief and love in all forms," says a leading news medium.

1. （1） What is Miss Austen about?

   A . How Jane Austen's most works were created. B . How Cassandra got along well with Jane Austen. C . The reason why Jane Austen was a controversial figure. D . The fact behind Cassandra destroying Jane Austen's letters.
3. （2） In which place was Jane Austen productive in her works?

   A . Adwell House. B . Shottesbrooke House. C . Chawton. D . Langleybury House.
5. （3） What is the purpose of the text?

   A . To compare different Jane Austen adaptations. B . To present a new drama inspired by Jane Austen. C . To explain why Jane Austen's homes were destroyed. D . To blame Cassandra for burning Jane Austen's letters.

On the surface, Pendle Food for All (PFFA) might seem like an ordinary membership organization charity. But the liveliness the place has at its weekly Thursday opening times sets it far apart. It's a warm and welcome en vironment with a unique feeling, offering a place for volunteers and members alike to socialize, gain confidence, and make friends.

PFFA has a vital role to play in supporting the people of the local area, especially in these times of increasing hardship. As is clear immediately upon walking inside, this isn't a traditional food bank. In fact, it functions rather like a supermarket, as trustee (受托人) Vicki Devonport is keen to explain.

"People get 10 points to spend, and most items are worth a point—things like meat, dairy, sanitary products, as well as essentials such as bread, sugar and eggs," says Vicki. "Because we want to encourage healthy eating, there tends to be multiple fruits and vegetables per point, and, simply due to how expensive they have become, we have to ration (定量供应) some items like oil by making them two points. It's really good though, people can get about£15-£20 worth of goods from us weekly! It gives our members a bit of choice, and that choice brings an added sense of dignity."

PFFA really is a brilliant project. Given the significant impact PFFA has had on local Pendle communities, it is hardly a surprise that they won BBC Radio Lancashire's Community Group Award back in December 2022. And with that award will hopefully come well-deserved recognition and support.

The food club operates from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm' on Thursday at The Zone, Nelson. Support is always welcomed, and, with the inconsistent nature of business funding and commitment, every little really does help. "Generally, we're looking for people who can commit," Vicki explains, "from trustees with skills in marketing and social media, to businesses ready to make a monthly commitment." Contact details can be found on the home page of the PFFA website.

1. （1） What does PFFA seem like?

   A . A community group. B . A traditional food bank. C . A charitable supermarket . D . An ordinary organization.
3. （2） What can we know about PFFA in paragraph 3?

   A . It requires the food to be the same price. B . It automatically delivers food to people. C . It sets a higher price for meat than for oil. D . It balances the choice of goods and healthy eating.
5. （3） Why is the award mentioned in paragraph 4?

   A . To inspire the official recognition. B . To highlight PFFA's great impact. C . To introduce the local community. D . To describe PFFA's establishment.
7. （4） What does the author intend to do in the last paragraph?

   A . Call for more support. B . Attract new members. C . Promote the website. D . Show the operation time.

Much of the methane (甲烷) in air comes from human activities. But methane has natural sources too. Microbes (微生物) in wetland soils and trees also release methane.

Vincent Gauci, an environmental scientist, knew the trees in wet places, like the tropics, give off methane from their trunks. Then, he wanted to study its release from trees in drier soils. "We were surprised to see the exact opposite," says Gauci. The trees were actually taking in methane.

Trees taking in and releasing gases is gas exchange. Researchers typically measure methane exchange low on the trunk, near the ground. But Gauci's team measured higher up on the tree, thinking this would better estimate how much methane the whole tree might send out.

Gauci's two students measured methane release from trees in the UK and Panama, setting up a gas-exchange chamber on a tree to monitor how much methane it's absorbing or sending out. They expected methane emissions would drop as they measured higher up the trunk. Their guess at first seemed to hold. Higher up the trunk, methane release dipped. But at chest height, the numbers dropped below zero — here, trees were absorbing methane.

To further check their findings, the team analyzed trees from four regions — Brazil, Sweden, Panama and the UK. The result was the same at all sites. Overall, the trees took up more methane than they released. Using data from the four sites, the team estimated all the world's forests may be absorbing 50 million tons of methane every year.

The scientists believe methane is taken in by microbes that live in tree bark. On average, trees absorbed more methane than they released, with faster uptake in warmer climates.

Gauci says, "People release far more methane than what nature can remove. So we have to cut back on fossil fuels. Trees are even more important for climate than we thought. We must be aware of the need for immediate action to safeguard this vital natural resource."

1. （1） What aspect of the research surprised Gauci?

   A . Its theory. B . Its process. C . Its findings. D . Its functions.
3. （2） What can we learn from the research?

   A . Its data was measured globally. B . It was done by Gauci and his coworkers. C . Its participants were the same as before. D . It involved methods different from typical ones.
5. （3） What does Gauci stress in the last paragraph?

   A . Trees can remove all methane. B . Protecting trees is crucial. C . Methane has no natural sources. D . Methane is important to climate.
7. （4） Which of the following may be the best title for the text?

   A . Trees may be big climate heroes B . Gauci found out trees' growth secret C . Researchers studied trees in four areas D . Microbes can release and absorb methane

When radiologist Pouneh Razavi reads a patient's chest X-ray, she hunts for blips (光点) in the X-ray image that could indicate breast cancer. Then, a second reader, artificial intelligence (AI), looks at the image, and the two compare results.

Images from Razavi's practice could help train the AI on blips it missed, so it improves over time. Razavi's colleagues are still collecting data, but they are excited about it.

Chest X-rays aren't the only type of medical imaging getting AI assistance. Doctors are using the technology to analyse ultrasound videos of babies' hearts and more. AI technology in medicine is growing rapidly. "Imaging is leading the way," said Stanford University radiologist Curtis Langlotz.

It's not unusual for Langlotz to arrive at the hospital early on Saturday mornings to find at least 150 patient images waiting for him to review. He'll examine chest X-rays carefully, looking for abnormal nodules (结节) in the lungs. It's a tiring job that takes training and attention to detail, but even experts can make mistakes. "We need help," Langlotz said.

What can be extremely challenging for humans may be a ripe opportunity for AI. With massive quantities of high-quality digital images, scientists can train AI computer models to seek out specific features in a person's scan, like signs of lung disease on an X-ray. Such models may help improve radiologists' accuracy and efficiency, so doctors can prioritize cases based on which ones may need immediate attention.

The model isn't ready for widespread roll-out. The researchers first need to train it on more data. "With too many variables that might confuse it, the researchers estimate that more training plus trials to confirm the model works could take five years," says Julia Vogt, a computer scientist at ETH Zurich.

"Using AI tools thoughtfully could ultimately make health care more efficient," Vogt says. "AI is not magic or perfect, but it has the potential to solve some problems. By easing workloads, for example, AI could give doctors more time with their patients. That would be a huge achievement."

1. （1） What is the main function of AI in Pouneh Razavi's work?

   A . To collect data for research. B . To train doctors in imaging. C . To detect breast cancer indicators. D . To find out the blips in her images.
3. （2） What does Langlotz's busy Saturday morning show?

   A . His devotion to work. B . His excellent medical skills. C . A lack of doctors in the local hospital. D . The desire for AI's application in his work.
5. （3） What does the underlined word "roll-out" in paragraph 6 mean?

   A . Reaction. B . Launch. C . Research. D . Attention.
7. （4） What is Vogt's attitude to AI?

   A . Objective. B . Uncertain. C . Negative. D . Uncaring.

How to Deal with Impossible People

Most people know someone who seems to make every situation a negative and unmanageable one., as they likely don't see a problem with their behavior. Here are tips to help you navigate interactions with these people.

Avoid getting defensive. Stay calm, and be aware that you will never win in an argument with impossible people — they are referred to as "impossible"for a reason. In their mind, you are the problem.. They've already decided that your opinion doesn't matter and your defence is a decorative evidence.

Adjust your strategy., so treat it like a game. Learn the impossible person's strategy, and develop counter strategies ahead of time. Eventually you'll find what works and what doesn't, plus you'll probably feel better as you realize you' re three steps ahead, outwitting (智胜) them at every turn. Just remember your ultimate goal is to help free yourself mentally, not become the person's master.

. Impossible people offer valuable life experiences. After dealing with them, you will be able to get along with most other people more easily. Try to keep perspective, and realize that what may seem crazy to you may be another person's only way of coping. Try to view these interactions as a way to build strengths such as flexibility, grace, and tolerance.

Watch out for picking up impossible people's characteristics. You tend to pick up on the behavior of those around you. For this reason, you could find yourself adopting the very characteristics that you dislike by accident. You may engage in the same illogical behavior in response to the impossible person..
 

A. Accept the situation

B. Consider what you can learn

C. Catch yourself when you start to do this

D. Sometimes you can't leave the situation

E. So nothing you say can convince them to see your side of the story

F. Pointing out that these people are difficult and demanding won't help

G. An impossible person is convinced that they have already made a mistake

For nearly two years, I had the opportunity to learn life's true essence through my beloved pet Halley. He was an amazing dog who lived and met his1 with dignity and grace, passing away at the age of 13.

In Halley's final two years, he was almost2 yet energetic. Magically, while his vision was declining, his hearing3 — though that was short-lived and eventually started to fade. To protect him, we covered much of the furniture with bubble wrap4 he bumped into it.

What5 most was how he fought through his senior years. Only now do I6 how much effort his aging body and mind required to7 even the simplest tasks, like reaching out to his food or water. In spite of his failing8, Halley remained resilient (坚韧的), giving the best shot to live on.

Pets have the power to teach us9 lessons. By investing in close encounters with them, we may unconsciously transform our10. While we complain about life's challenges, here was a creature struggling for11. Halley made me reflect: When the world is12 wealth, status, and power, how13 we pause to consider the true core values that define us as human beings. Qualities like acceptance, resilience, and empathy outweigh14 achievements. We might as well stop and reflect if we ever15 those around us with all those virtues.

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。

Years ago, Photographer Ren Peng, visited the hometown of his friend Gu Yan, a member of the Lisu ethnic group, in Yanbian County, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province. Ren (impress) by the labor-consuming traditional techniques of making Lisu costumes, a kind of provincial-level intangible cultural heritage.

Leaves of fire grass, special plant that often grows in southwestern China, are used to make the costumes. "The whole process has over 20 procedures and takes 8 to 12 months to complete, during over 10,000 leaves are required to make just one costume," says Ren.

With excellent breath ability and resistance moisture (水汽), the clothes made from the grass are (high) suited to Lisu peoples' lives in the mountains.

However, the high-level skills and carefully (craft) products are now less recognized. (draw) greater public attention to this valuable cultural heritage, Ren and Gu organized a fashion show themed on Lisu clothing at the China Fashion Week in Beijing recently.

"The show not only displayed traditional handmade Lisu costumes, but also haute couture (高档女子时装) and ready-to-wear (item) inspired by Lisu clothes," says Ren. He highlights a pair of pants which imitate (模仿)traditional Lisu group's pants with very wide legs just like skirts, but the pant bottoms are tied tight by bands for protection from insects and (convenient).

Moreover, many of the sets of clothes showcased by the models featured a distinctive hat formed by a long cloth tied around their heads, (reflect) the traditional headwear of the Lisu people.

生活在数字时代的我们必然要具备作为数字公民的素养。请你以"How to Become a Wise Digital Citizen"为题写一篇短文，并发布到你校英文公众号上，内容包括：

1.列举数字公民需要具备的素养；

2.阐述你的理由。

注意：

1.写作词数应为80个左右；

2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

How to Become a Wise Digital Citizen

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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。

Years ago, someone gave me a little cutting, and I grew a beautiful plant from it, with small, tear-shaped leaves hanging over the edges of the pot.

However, the leaves turned brown and drooped (垂落) so much in winter. Unwilling to give it up, I brought what was left to my mom and asked if she could bring it to life. She just smiled and took the pot from me.

My mom carefully trimmed (修剪) the stems, watered the few surviving parts, and helped the hidden leaves reach the sunlight. The next year, the plant came back to life with fresh green leaves for a few months but withered (枯萎) in winter again.

As the plant grew over years, my mother's health kept getting worse. There were good times and bad times, just like the plant's seasons. Mom told me everyone has "good seasons" and "hard seasons", and life always finds a way to begin again. Just be patient and keep trying when things seem hopeless.

One late winter, when both Mom and the plant were struggling, my Aunt Marion visited. Mom gave her the dying plant to care for. She took it home, determined to help it live .Amazingly, that summer, new leaves grew from the bare plant on her kitchen windowsill. As before, each winter it withered, to be renewed again in late spring. This cycle continued for years until one spring when Aunt Marion thought it was truly dead and threw it away. But my cousin Carole saw the dried plant in the trash and decided to try saving it. She took it to her sunny room. Four women in our family have cared for this plant at different times.

Years later, Mom passed away and I moved far away for a fresh start. Three years later, terribly missing all the relatives, I went back to visit and stayed with Carole.

注意：

1.续写词数应为150个左右；

2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

One morning, I noticed a beautiful plant in her window.

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Several days later, I left with some cuttings.

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