北京市大兴区2025-2026学年高二上学期11月期中英语试题

One year, a grand art competition was1 in the nearby city. The winner would receive a scholarship to study art abroad. Elara knew this was her chance. With passion and determination, she was2 in creating a masterpiece, staying up late.

When the day of the competition arrived, Elara's heart swelled with hope. She traveled to the city with her painting,3 about her work. Despite her initial excitement, Elara's painting did not win. She watched as others celebrated, her heart heavy with4. She returned to her village feeling defeated, her dream seemingly shattered (粉碎的).

For weeks, Elara couldn't bring herself to pick up a brush. One evening, as she sat by the river, a gentle voice broke her daydream. It was an old, wise woman from the village.

"Why do you look so down, child?" the old woman asked. Elara poured out her heart, sharing her fears and disappointments. The old woman listened5 before speaking. "Do you know why the river never stops flowing?" she asked. Elara shook her head. "Because it doesn't give up," the old woman said. It6 obstacles, but it finds a way around them. Your dreams are like this river. As long as you don't give up, you will find a way.

Elara7 the old woman's words. The next day, she picked up her brush again. She painted with renewed vigor, not for the sake of winning but for the love of her art. She8 her failures and continued to improve.

Years passed, Elara's persistence finally9. Her paintings began to attract attention in her village and beyond. She eventually got the scholarship she had once dreamed of, but more importantly, she learned the true meaning of10 and resilience.

Chinese paper-cutting is a wonderful art form with a long history. I still remember the first time I (see) my grandmother cut a piece of paper into a beautiful butterfly. She (master) the basic skills of this craft long before I was born. With a pair of sharp scissors, she created delicate patterns, (leave) me in complete amazement. To me, it was not just a piece of art; it was a piece of our culture.

Artificial Intelligence is changing our world in numerous ways. One of its greatest (advantage) is that it can process huge amounts of data efficiently. Self-driving cars, rely on AI to sense the environment, are a typical example. Companies aim to develop even smarter systems in the future. However, it is crucial (ensure) that these technologies are used (responsible).

Last month, I finally received the letter of admission from Peking University. With trembling hands, I opened it and was overjoyed. It was the(good) news I had ever had! The moment I had been dreaming of arrived. I felt a great weight(lift) off my shoulders. My hard work had paid off, and a new chapter of my life was about to begin, filling me with excitement for all possibilities that lay ahead.

EcoYouth is an engaging three-day summer program designed for students aged 12-16 who are passionate about understanding and contributing to environmental sustainability. Through a combination of interactive experiments, a visit to a leading green energy company, and hands-on project creation, participants will gain practical knowledge about protecting our planet.

Program Details

Students will choose one of three focus areas: Water Protection, Green Energy, or Waste Reduction. Each track includes expert talks, laboratory experiments, and a guided eco-project. Those uncertain about their choice may attend a brief introductory session. A separate talk will be offered for parents on adopting eco-friendly lifestyles.

Program Schedule

Focus Areas

-Water Protection: Explore methods to conserve water and prevent pollution.

-Green Energy: Learn about renewable sources like solar and wind power.

-Waste Reduction: Study strategies for reducing, reusing, and recycling waste.

She immediately contacted her neighbor Hillary, who had experience renovating RVs. Hillary found a used RV in Louisiana priced at $6,095 — an amount that was affordable for Cherrie, yet still represented a significant financial stretch. To gather the necessary funds and resources, Cherrie turned to social media, sharing her compassionate plan on Facebook. What followed was entirely unexpected: her post triggered a "chain reaction." Strangers from various places responded generously, sending warm clothes, monetary contributions that covered the entire cost of the vehicle, and donations of new furniture and essential kitchenware. Linus, the father of a former student, offered to use his truck to tow the RV to the disaster area. Through a charity called "Hope for Crisis," they connected with the Ryan family — Destiny, Ryan, and their daughter Phiona — who had lost everything in the hurricane.

During the journey to deliver the RV, an unexpected delay occurred when a tire needed replacement. However, upon learning about the group's charitable mission, the owner of the tire shop was so moved that he charged them only the wholesale cost, refusing any profit.

When they finally arrived, Destiny hugged Cherrie tightly, and Phiona jumped up and down asking, "Is there a bed for me inside?" Cherrie later said, "This wasn't just my kindness. It was hundreds of ‘angels on earth' working together." What started as a small thought had turned into a huge gift of hope.

A 2024 study tracking 500 students across three senior high schools revealed that those using Intelligent Class improved their math and English scores by an average of 12% over one semester. The platform's strength lies in its "diagnostic learning" model: it identifies knowledge gaps by analyzing students' answers, then generates targeted practice problems. For instance, a student struggling with grammar rules in English will receive customized exercises focusing on tense consistency, while their peers proficient in the area get advanced tasks.

However, educators caution against overreliance on such tools. "AI can enhance learning, but it shouldn't replace critical thinking," notes Ms. Li, a senior English teacher at Beijing No. 2 Middle School. She observed that some students began to rely solely on the platform's answers, losing the ability to explain their reasoning — a phenomenon termed "cognitive laziness" by education psychologists. This highlights a key challenge: balancing technological support with the development of independent problem-solving skills.

Proponents argue that Intelligent Class frees teachers from repetitive grading, allowing them to focus on interactive lessons. In a survey of 100 teachers, 78% reported spending more time on one-on-one guidance after adopting the platform. The AI tool also democratizes education, as students in underprivileged areas now access the same high-quality resources as their urban counterparts.

The future of AI-assisted education, experts say, lies in "human-AI collaboration." Schools are experimenting with hybrid models: students use Intelligent Class for practice and feedback, then meet with teachers to discuss concepts and apply knowledge in real-world scenarios. As Dr. Wang, an education technologist, puts it, "The goal is not to let AI teach, but to let it empower both teachers and students to learn more effectively."

That technology is known as a gene drive, so called because it uses genetic engineering to drive certain features through a population. Those characteristics need not be harmful: they might become stronger against disease among crops or, perhaps, greater tolerance to warming waters on the part of corals. And if the species in question were the three types of mosquito responsible for spreading malaria, it could save close to half a million lives a year, many of them children. The same approach could be used against other diseases such as Lyme disease, and Zika. Gene drives also offer us a potential weapon against foreign species such as foxes, mice, rabbits and rats, which are threatening native species in some parts of the world.

Normally genes have a 50:50 chance of being passed on during reproduction. Gene drives tip the evolutionary scales. One area of research focuses on genes that can copy themselves to the second, ensuring that they will be passed on by all offspring (后代). Like many technologies, however, gene drives may lead to bad outcomes as well as good. They could in theory make a species extinct. One concern is practical: removing a species from the food chain could have unintended consequences, particularly if gene drives can move to a closely related species. Another relates to governance. Genetically modified crops can be kept relatively contained; animals carrying gene drives could be mobile and respect no borders. One country's decision to use gene drives will have consequences for its neighbors. A third worry concerns improper uses of the technology, and not only by states. A mosquito, engineered to inject a poisonous substance, could be used as a weapon. But putting the brakes on research may pay real costs: not just the annual rising number of deaths taken by malaria and other killers before an answer is found, but also slower progress towards making gene drives safer.

Have you ever told yourself, "Just five more minutes" before bed, only to find yourself still awake an hour later? If so, you're not alone. Sleep procrastination — delaying bedtime despite knowing the consequences — isn't unusual.

The truth is, sleep procrastination is more complex than poor time management. Both psychological and emotional factors make it difficult to simply go to bed earlier.

During the day, we are faced with responsibilities: school, homework, and endless tasks. At night, we finally feel in control of our time. We seek distractions like scrolling through social media or playing games. These might feel like stress relief, but staying up late leaves you exhausted the next day.

However, the problem is that most of these activities are designed to keep us addicted. Social media apps and video platforms trigger dopamine(多巴胺)releases, making it hard to stop. It's a vicious cycle.

But it's one we can break. First, we need to find moments of pleasure during the day, so we don't feel the need to steal time at night. Furthermore, a friendly sleeping environment is also crucial. Avoid overstimulating activities like intense gaming or action movies right before bed.

Sleep procrastination may seem like a small win. So the next time you think, "Just five more minutes," choose self-care. Your future self will be grateful.

A. Instead of resting, we often stay up late as a form of rebellion.

B. Our brains seek the next small hit of pleasure, even when our bodies are begging for sleep.

C. Therefore, creating a consistent sleep schedule is the most effective solution.

D. Stop blaming yourself for a simple lack of self-discipline.

E. Dim the lights, avoid screens, and wind down with a book or a calming activity.

F. The real victory is waking up refreshed.

G. This cycle can be broken with strong determination alone.

Teens Are Flocking to AI Chatbots. Is this Healthy?

A new report from Common Sense Media says that 72 percent of teens surveyed have used AI companions, and 33 percent have relationships or friendships with these chatbots.

The language that AI companions use, the responses they make, and the empathy they show can make a user feel as though they truly understand and sympathize. These chatbots can make someone feel liked or even loved. They are programmed to help users feel like they've made a real connection.

You might think your kid won't get attached, that they will know this chatbot is an algorithm designed to give responses based on the text inputs they receive; that it's not "real." But a fascinating Stanford University study of students who use the app Replika found that 81 percent considered their AI companion to have "intelligence," and 90 percent thought it "human-like."

On the plus side, these companions are sometimes touted(吹捧，兜售)for their supportiveness and promotion of mental health; the Stanford study even found that 3 percent of users felt their Replika had directly helped them avoid suicide. If you're a teenager who is isolated or struggling to make friends, an AI companion can provide much-needed companionship. They may offer practice when it comes to building conversational and social skills.   Chatbots can offer helpful information and tips.

But a suit(诉讼案)filed in 2024 claims that Character. AI encourages self-harm in teens and violence towards parents who try to set limits on how often kids use the app. Then there's privacy: wired, drawing on Mozilla's research, labeled AI companions a "privacy nightmare," many crawling with data trackers that might control users into thinking a chatbot is their soulmate, encouraging negative or harmful behaviors.

Remind kids that human friends offer so much that AI companions don't. In real life friendships are challenging, and this is a good thing. Remind them that in their younger years, play is how they learned new skills; if they didn't know how to put LEGO s together, they learned with a new friend. If they struggled with collaboration and cooperation, play taught them how to take turns, and how to adjust based on their playmates' responses.

1. 活动的时间、地点；

2. 活动的主要内容；

3. 邀请他/她参与的原因。

注意：

1. 词数不少于100词；

2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear Chris,

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Yours,

Li Hua