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1、Some people worry that there's too much technology in our lives. And they may have a point, given how countless people now carry the internet around in their pocket and use it as a primary form of communication. It's practically difficult to shun technology in our world. There are computer microchips (微芯片) in our watches, our cars, light switches, even our pets! Where will it end?
Well, if certain people have their way, it'll go even further. We'll have microchips implanted (植入) into our brains that can interact with the computers by thought alone. It may sound like something from the science fiction, but in many ways, things look quite promising. Thanks to the ability to send and receive information remotely via computers, microchips and other related devices have long been put into brains.
For example, electrodes have been implanted in the brains of epilepsy patients to better record and even predict the abnormal neurological activity. Similarly, deep-brain stimulation, through implanted devices that cause activity in key brain regions, is an established treatment for things like Parkinson's disease, and is even being looked into for illnesses like depression.
However, it's another thing to place such devices in healthy individuals. There are the practical concerns, not least of which is what these chips will be made of. The inside of the brain is a mass of highly reactive chemicals and electrical activity. Implants would need to be inert (静止的) enough to not upset the delicate processes by their presence, but also sensitive enough to read and process the activity around them. Current technology has made impressive progress with this, but if it were to be rolled out to millions of people, we'd need to be 100 per cent certain that it's safe.
How many people will actually want to have technology literally put into their brain? A surprising 60 per cent of Americans say they'd be okay with it, but that's when it's purely theoretical. In reality, the possibility of having strangers stick chips in your brain is likely to prove unattractive, especially for a population where millions get mad at fictional microchips in vaccines (疫苗), and even more are frightened of dentists.
Ultimately, the technology of computer-brain interface (接口) implants is still far away from us.
(1)、What's the function of the first paragraph?A、A summary of the article. B、An introduction to the main topic. C、An overview of the whole article. D、An argument over the main topic.(2)、What does the author want to tell us by the examples in paragraph 3?A、The process of human-computer interaction. B、The possible treatment for particular diseases. C、The future of microchips and devices alike. D、The existing application of microchip implants.(3)、How may most Americans react to implanting chips in the brain in reality?A、They may reject it. B、They may expect it. C、They may adjust to it. D、They may feel curious about it.(4)、Which word can best describe the technology of computer-brain interface implants?A、Imaginary. B、Practical. C、Unfulfilled. D、Impossible. -
2、Cathy Winston is a sports nutritionist. Among her regulars are athletes. Cathy thrives on the variety, with each new sport providing new challenges and a renewed appreciation of her chosen field of expertise. In her view, dealing with athletes from various sport backgrounds helps her become seasoned, which is a key part of being a successful nutritionist. "You have to understand nutrition and people, and then you can begin to work in this field," she says. "Besides, in tennis you must learn to be reactive, because you don't know how long the match lasts. However, it's 90 minutes in football so you know what you're fueling for."
Regardless of the sport, Cathy's attitude remains the same: Any athlete failing to respect nutrition is one who is failing to fulfill their potential. It's a key part of the training process. It's not just something that you take casually. She advises her athletes to hold nutrition in the same regard as they do their most crucial bit of equipment. "Just as you wouldn't forget to put your shin pads (护腿板) or your boots in your kit bag, don't forget to put in your drinks and your snacks. That informs how well you train, because you can't get out if you haven't put in."
Nutritionists are sometimes unfairly represented as militant (斗志昂扬的) types telling what athletes can and can't eat. But Cathy insists that when to eat is more important than what. "It's about when's the right time to have it in," she says. It's a message that Cathy says can take a while to sink in. "A lot of boxers say, ‘but bananas make you fat, right?', and there's this inherent belief that we mustn't eat those kinds of things. But it's not about what to cut out. It's about making sure that you've got the foundation right for health and performance. It's that one size fits one. It's what works for you. To be an excellent athlete, you really need to be an exceptional eater."
(1)、What does Cathy think about her job?A、It hardly faces new challenges in every competition. B、It mainly focuses on the duration of matches. C、It merely needs to understand nutrition and people. D、It highly values experience and flexibility.(2)、How does Cathy emphasize the importance of nutrition to athletes?A、By making a comparison. B、By analyzing a phenomenon. C、By telling a story. D、By providing data.(3)、According to Cathy, what is a fundamental principle behind successful sports nutrition?A、Focusing on the timing of the diet. B、Cutting out specific foods from the diet. C、Following a strict and militant diet plan. D、Increasing the variety of foods.(4)、What does the author intend to tell us?A、Food has a say in the sports field. B、Nutritionists act as unsung heroes behind athletes. C、Nutrition determines the results in the competition. D、A good eater is a great athlete. -
3、Back in 1958, I was crazy about the Norfolk and Western 746. The smooth bullet-nose engine with its orange and yellow lines and shiny streamline d black tender (车厢) seemed to have cast a spell on me.
Together the engine and tender measured a little shy of 2 feet — enormous by the toy train standards of the day. Even better, the 746 had a working headlight and smoker, and its tender sang high.
Unfortunately, the amazing 746 also had an amazing price — $50, equal to about $450 today. That was far more than my grandfather could afford. Instead, I had to be content with his little Lionel plastic, which was SIX INCHES shorter than the 746 and had no headlight, no smoker or no sound! But that was the best that my grandfather could give me at that time.
Years passed, and I was in my 30s. Superior sound systems and computer controls dominated toy trains. I never gave a look. My interest in toy trains, I firmly believed, had faded, so did my admiration for the 746, since my grandfather was not with me. The 746 was never called to mind. On an ordinary day, however, I happened to see the 746 outside the window of a train show. Just one-look, I could not look away. Childhood memories that I tried to hide in the depths of my heart raced through my mind, happy or sad.
That day I took the 746 home and placed it in the center of the room, and let my childhood dream sing its way around me. Smoke rose out from the engine and the soft song sounded from its tender. It seemed as if I could see the soft light in grandfather's eyes and hear his cheerful laughter.
(1)、Which best describes the 746 in the author's eyes?A、Its measurement was at a disadvantage. B、Its price rocketed from $50 to $450. C、Its beauty had a special appeal. D、It was the largest train in 1958.(2)、How did the author feel when receiving his little Lionel plastic?A、Visibly relieved. B、Slightly discontented. C、Really delighted. D、Terribly ashamed.(3)、What happened to the author in his 30s?A、He left his grandfather alone. B、He didn't favor the 746 at all. C、He admired advanced toy trains. D、He attempted not to recall the past.(4)、Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?A、The 746: A Perfect Gift from My Grandfather B、Toy Trains: Memories of A Generation C、The 746: Childhood Memories of Love D、Toy Trains: Childhood in History -
4、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。
Blue-and-white porcelain (青花瓷), a product of (share) creativity, tells a story of how East and West craftsmanship harmonized. In the Yuan Dynasty, Persian merchants brought special pigments (颜料) to Jingdezhen, where porcelain traditions (perfect). Local craftsmen mixed these pigments with white clay, creating the iconic blue patterns. By painting traditional Chinese designs using foreign materials, they achieved a perfect (combine) of traditions.
Over the centuries, this technique steadily advanced. During the Ming Dynasty, porcelain became a major export. European (noble) loved its unique charm, calling it "white gold". To meet their needs, Chinese artists added European elements like rose patterns landscapes, making the porcelain more appealing to westerners.
Modern artists still use these old techniques in creative ways. At London show in 2025, a young maker used 3D printers to shape vases but hand-painted them with dragons and Greek myths side by side. Visitors said it felt like ancient China (meet) modern Europe through hybrid art.
Today, this global dialogue continues in museums worldwide. A Ming-era dish that once belonged to a French King sits in the Louvre, its journey from Jingdezhen to the Palace of Versailles, marked by countless hands across continents, (reflect) how beauty goes beyond borders. Craig Clunas noted, "The blue that fascinates the world is never (mere) a color — it is a language."
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5、For much of history, the practice of art was mysterious, and artists were viewed as being somewhat odd and often mad. Even the word most commonly associated with artists — inspiration — has its own magical qualities. Literally, the word "inspiration" means the breathing-in of a spirit. Artists were thought of as people who were uniquely inspired to create.
Many artists credited their talents to the presence of some supernatural power. The Romantic poets believed that art was a term that meant an ultimate expression of beauty and truth. The search for this ideal led them to explore both natural and supernatural themes in their works.
Another persistent view of art regarded its divorce from logic. Reason and logic were the province of scientists and philosophers, whereas creativity and insight were the area of the artists. The two separate aspects of the mind were supposed to remain distinct.
But in 1704, a major breakthrough occurred. Sir Isaac Newton, mathematician and physicist, published his study of light, Opticks. One of Newton's major discoveries was on the nature of color. Using a prism (棱镜), Newton provided a scientific explanation for the presence of rainbows. The artistic community was shocked. A scientist had ventured into their sacred territory.
More than a hundred years later, John Keats, one of the most famous Romantic poets, accused Newton of reducing beauty by "unweaving the rainbow". His colleague, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, famously remarked that the souls of five hundred Newtons would be needed to make one Shakespeare. And yet, from another perspective, Newton did not reduce the beauty of the rainbow; he enhanced it. In his search to uncover the secrets of the rainbow, Newton demonstrated the wonder, creativity, and inspiration of an artist. His discovery also paved the way for the development of spectroscopy, a way of analyzing the chemical makeup of light. Now scientists can look at the stars and know their composition. The sense of wonder this ability creates is not much different from the wonder the poet or artist feels when staring at those same stars.
(1)、According to the passage, what was the common view of artists in history?A、Their works focused on the supernatural. B、Their unique abilities came from within. C、They possessed both logic and magic. D、They were strange but indeed gifted.(2)、How did the Romantic poets react to Newton's discovery about light and color?A、They credited Newton's insights to mystical influences. B、They felt it faded the poetic beauty of natural phenomena. C、They were inspired to integrate more scientific themes in their poetry. D、They believed it added a new dimension to the appreciation of beauty.(3)、Why does the author mention John Keats' and Samuel Taylor Coleridge's views on Newton?A、To contrast their criticism with science's artistic value. B、To highlight the effect of scientific breakthroughs on art. C、To show Romantic poets' objection to scientific progress. D、To emphasize the superior creativity of poets over scientists.(4)、Which of the following is the best title of the passage?A、Distinguishing Art from Science B、Isaac Newton's Influence on Arts C、Shared Wonder of Art and Science D、The Artistic Interpretation of Science -
6、STANFIELD THEATRE
BOOKING
There are four easy ways to book seats for performances.
● In person
The Box Office is open from Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.—8 p.m.
● By post
Simply complete the booking form and return it to Stanfield Theatre Box Office, PO Box 220. Stanfield, ST55 6GF. All cheques should be made payable to Stanfield Theatre.
● By telephone
Ring 01316 753219 to reserve your tickets or to pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard and Amex accepted).
● On-line
Complete the on-line booking form at www.stanfieldtheatre.com.
DISCOUNTS
● Saver: £2 off any seat booked any time in advance for performances from Monday to Thursday, and for all afternoon performances. Savers are available for children under 16 years old, over 60s and students.
● Supersaver: Half-price seats are available for people with disabilities and one companion. It is advisable to book in advance. There is a maximum of eight wheelchair spaces available and one wheelchair space will be held until one hour before the show.
● Standby: Best available seats are on sale at a five percent discount, from one hour before the performance for people qualified for Saver and Supersaver discounts and thirty minutes before for all other customers.
● Group Bookings: There is a ten percent discount for parties of twelve or more.
● Schools: School parties of ten or more can book tickets in advance for £6 each and will get every tenth ticket free.
Please note: We are unable to exchange tickets or refund money unless a performance is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
(1)、When can you book seats in person?A、2 p.m. Sunday. B、11 a.m. Thursday. C、9 p.m. Saturday. D、8 a.m. Monday.(2)、How much should you pay if you book tickets for school parties of 20?A、£108. B、£120. C、£114. D、£40.(3)、What can we learn from the text?A、Parents of a disabled child can enjoy half-price seats. B、A group of ten adults to the show can get a discount. C、One can get his money back if missing the performance. D、Students can buy a Standby ticket 45 minutes before a show. -
7、听下面一段独白,回答以下小题。(1)、How did the speaker become a photographer in demand?A、By taking odd jobs. B、By teaching in workshops. C、By starting a business.(2)、What challenge did the speaker face?A、Decreased interest in photography. B、The stress of taking perfect pictures. C、Constantly changing confidence.(3)、What is included in the speaker's future plans for his career?A、Learning more forms of photography. B、Expanding his photography business. C、Taking photography trips abroad.
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8、听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。(1)、What is the main topic of the conversation?A、College experience. B、The working life. C、Hobbies.(2)、How long has the man been at university?A、About six months. B、About four months. C、About nine months.(3)、What is the biggest issue for the man?A、The stress of exams. B、The shortage of money. C、The loads of assignments.(4)、When does the man find time to relax?A、Right after exams. B、On weekends. C、After part-time work.
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9、听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。(1)、What are the speakers?A、TV sports reporters. B、A player and a coach. C、Football fans.(2)、What causes the current situation of the game according to the man?A、Bad defense. B、Certain players. C、Poor passing.(3)、What does the woman think will happen at the end of the game?A、The game will end in a draw. B、The visiting team will win. C、The home team will win.
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10、听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。(1)、What is the woman doing?A、Organizing an event. B、Conducting an interview. C、Reporting some news.(2)、What is Charles Martin's family mainly worried about?A、His health to become worse. B、His efforts not to be recognized. C、His neglect of his studies or family.(3)、How does Charles Martin plan to remove his family's concerns?A、By quitting the project. B、By talking to his teacher. C、By involving his family.
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11、听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。(1)、Why was it difficult to rescue the cat?A、It was too scared to move. B、It was hurt by the branches. C、It was in the top of a tree.(2)、What did the man do to rescue the cat?A、He borrowed a ladder. B、He got a neighbor to help him. C、He climbed the tree.
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12、What is the woman's duty in the event?A、To make food. B、To play in the band. C、To give directions.
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13、What do the two speakers have in common?A、They have just finished a book. B、They are in the library. C、They enjoy reading.
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14、How can the man's recipe be described?A、It's a success. B、It's a reward. C、It's a problem.
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15、Where are the speakers probably?A、At a café. B、At an animal shelter. C、At a university.
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16、What do we know about Tom?A、He's just finished a piano lesson. B、He loves playing the guitar. C、He plays drums in a band.
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17、假定你是李华,请根据以下信息写一封邮件向你的外国朋友Rachel介绍你的运动情况,并鼓励她定期运动。
Basic information
·favorite sport: football
·three times a week
·captain (队长) of the school football team
·on the school playground
Benefits of sports
·help you keep healthy
·strengthen your immune (免疫的) system
·help you concentrate better in class
·improve your confidence
注意:
(1)词数80左右;
(2)开头和结尾已给出,不计入总词数;
(3)可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Dear Rachel,
I'm glad that you are interested in my sports routine.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
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18、请根据上下文内容,将文中划线部分译成汉语或者英语,并将答案转写到答题卡上。
Dear Editor,
I am writing to ask for advice on my relationship with my teenage son. To tell the truth, I often struggle to get along with him. Recently we have argued with each other a great deal. He is anxious about his skin because it has started to become very oily with lots of red spots.这些日子他总是很生气并看起来不太自信. I keep telling him that these changes are normal, and that things will turn out just fine. Of course, I wanted to show my concern for his condition, so I asked him to see a doctor. But then he became angry and we had a big argument. He told me that I was putting even more stress on him by talking about his spots all the time. In the end, I sent him to his room.最后他冷静下来 , but it took some time. The whole experience was really terrible and I do not want to go through the same thing again. What should I do?
Best wishes,
Mrs Zhao
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19、阅读下面材料,在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式,并将答案转写到答题卡上。
Benjamin Franklin was a famous scientist, writer, printer,(invent) and politician. As a scientist, he was well known for his kite experiment. The story goes like this: Franklin had found lightning interesting for years,(believe) it was actually electricity. He designed an experiment to prove his theory.
He worked out that by flying a kite during thunderstorm, electricity could go through the wet kite line down to the earth. Knowing it was too(danger) to hold the wet line, Franklin held a silk ribbon(tie) to the end of it. He made sure the silk ribbon(stay) dry so that the electricity would not go through his body. Then he attached a metal key where the ribbon and kite line joined. a thunderstorm approached, the lightning would charge the key. Conducted a stormy day in 1752, his experiment proved lightning was(real) just electricity.
Though some doubted the(experiment) safety, Franklin's work advanced the study of electricity. His contributions remain influential in science.
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20、Mom and Dad asked Daniel and Eric to look after their dog and the house for the weekend during their absence. But when they came home a day earlier than expected, they found the dog was so tired and hungry. The money for dog is1. There was garbage all over the place. The room was2. Dad and Mom were angry with their children. They3 the brothers without giving them a chance to defend (辩解) themselves.
In fact, the dog was4, so they had to use the money to take him to the clinic. Daniel and Eric spent all of that day there5 for him. That's why they had no time to clean the house. Then Daniel and Eric6 their bedroom. Eric sat on his bed, and Daniel had his arms crossed and looked upset. Eric suggested they should explain what happened to their parents, but Daniel thought Dad and Mom didn't7 an explanation.
After that, Mom felt a little8 and thought they shouldn't be too hard on the brothers, but Dad thought the boys were rude, and didn't show9 for them. Lastly, Mom decided to hold a family meeting to offer everyone an opportunity to open up and share their thoughts.10, it worked! The misunderstandings disappeared.
(1)A 、gone B 、stolen C 、dusty D 、torn(2)A 、tidy B 、messy C 、comfortable D 、dark(3)A 、shouted at B 、laughed at C 、pointed at D 、looked at(4)A 、playful B 、dead C 、sick D 、hungry(5)A 、preparing B 、waiting C 、searching D 、asking(6)A 、left B 、cleaned C 、decorated D 、entered(7)A 、need B 、understand C 、deserve D 、provide(8)A 、sad B 、regretful C 、glad D 、angry(9)A 、love B 、admiration C 、respect D 、support(10)A 、Unfortunately B 、Possibly C 、Actually D 、Luckily