建平中学2023学年第二学期期中教学质量检测
高二英语试卷
说明：（1）本场考试时间为120分钟，总分150分；
（2）请认真答卷，并用规范文字书写。
I. Listening Comprehension
Section A
Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.
1. A. 9:00. B. 9:30. C. 10:00. D. 10:30.
2. A. At a restaurant. B. At a bank. C. At a gym. D. At a court.
3. A. His wife often complains about everything.
B. He didn’t want to cut his wife’s long hair.
C. His wife didn’t take his sensible advice.
D. He really likes his wife’s new hairstyle.
4. A. See a doctor about her strained shoulder.
B. Use a ladder to help her reach the tea.
C. Replace the cupboard with a new one.
D Place the tea on a lower shelf next time.
5. A. He helped Doris build up the furniture.
B. Doris helped him arrange the furniture.
C. Doris fixed up some of the bookshelves.
D. He was good at assembling bookshelves.
6. A. Interviewer and interviewee. B. Doctor and patient.
C. Headmaster and chemistry teacher. D. Receptionist and hotel guest.
7. A. He did not attend today’s class either.
B. His notes are not easy to read.
C. Nobody has seen his handwriting before.
D. He is very pleased to offer help.
8. A. Jack’s father is a baseball fan.
B. It’s winter in New Zealand.
C. The match will be held in England.
D. The man wishes he could play baseball.
9. A. Both of them were late for school two weeks ago.
B. The man stayed up studying until the next morning.
C. The man broke up with the woman several days ago.
D. Their schedule was so tight that they studied in the morning.
10. A. He is anxious to find a cure for his high blood pressure.
B. He doesn’t think high blood pressure is a problem for him.
C. He did not take the symptoms of his illness seriously.
D. He was not aware of his illness until diagnosed with it.
Section B
Directions: In Section B, you will hear two short passages and one longer conversation, and you will be asked three questions on each of the passages. The passages will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one would be the best answer to the question you have heard.
Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage.
11. A. Travel books about sightseeing.
B. How to choose a travel agency.
C. Films about tourist places.
D. How to make travel arrangements.
12. A. They have a good index.
B. Their contents are totally objective.
C They give an analysis or an interpretation.
D. They were written by established tourist guides.
13. A. Books that are easy to carry and easy to find.
B. Books that are published recently.
C. Books that are informative and easy to understand.
D. Books that include information about accommodations.
Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage.
14. A. They are entertaining. B. They are rewarding.
C. They are annoying. D. They are interesting.
15. A. By reading the script while watching videos.
B. By enjoying the PowerPoint presentations.
C. By watching them one by one.
D. By removing them into the bin.
16. A. Video ads waste people a lot of time.
B. There is much information in video ads.
C. It is enjoyable to watch video ads.
D. Video ads with scripts are more effective.
Questions 17 through 20 are based on the following conversation.
17. A. She has done a great job to get the award.
B. She owes the award to the diligent people around.
C. She thinks the award should go to the real hero.
D. She takes the award for granted.
18. A. A water shortage. B. A storm.
C. An earthquake. D. A drought.
19. A. They have already made great progress.
B. There is still a lot of work to do.
C. They have already done enough for their life.
D. There is only a step away from success.
20. A. Excited. B. Proud.
C. Uneasy. D. Frustrated.
II. Grammar and Vocabulary
Section A
Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
Free to soar
One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds darting and dancing in the heady atmosphere above the earth. As the strong winds gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check.
____1____ blowing away with the wind, the kites arose to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the restraining string and the awkward tail kept dragging them, ____2____(face)upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, “Let me go! I want to be free!” The kites soared beautifully____3____ they had to resist the imposed restriction of the string. Finally, one of them succeeded in ____4____（break）loose. “Free at last.” it seemed to say. “Free to fly with the wind.” Yet freedom from restraint simply put ____5____ under the control of an unsympathetic breeze. “Free at last” fluttered ungracefully to the ground and____6____(land) in a mash of wells with its string against a bead bush. It was free to lie powerless in the dirt, ____7____(blow) helplessly along the ground, and to stick lifeless against the first obstacle.
We may be reluctant to admit____8____ we are like kites sometimes. Life gives us adversity, restrictions and rules ____9____ we can grow and gain strength from. Restraint is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us tug at the rules so hard that we never soar to reach the heights we might have obtained. We keep part of the rules and never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.
Let us each rise to the great heights life has in store for us. Recognizing that some of the restraints that we_____10_____ be annoyed at are actually the steadying force that helps us ascend and achieve.
【答案】1. Instead of
2. facing 3. even though##even if
4. breaking
5. it 6. landed
7. to be blown
8. that 9. which##that
10. may
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。作者通过观察人们在春风中放飞风筝的场景，提炼出风筝与线的关系作为一个隐喻，来探讨自由、约束以及成长的主题。
【1题详解】
考查介词短语。句意：风筝不是随风飘走，而是升向更高的天空。根据下文“blowing away with the wind, the kites arose to achieve great heights(随风飘走，而是升向更高的天空)”可知前后句之间为转折关系，空白处应填表示转折关系的介词短语，故填Instead of。
【2题详解】
考查非谓语动词。句意：它们摇摆不定，用力拉线，但限制它们的线和笨拙的尾巴使它们面向上方，迎风飞翔。分析句子结构，空白处在句子中作状语，使用非谓语动词，因与其逻辑主语they之间为逻辑上的主谓关系，使用现在分词，故填facing。
【3题详解】
考查从属连词。句意：风筝飞得很美，即使它们必须抵抗线带来的限制。根据上文“The kites soared beautifully(风筝飞得很美)”以及下文“they had to resist the imposed restriction of the string(它们必须抵抗线带来的限制)”可知前后句之间为让步转折关系，表示“尽管、即使”，用even though/even if引导让步状语从句，故填even though/even if。
【4题详解】
考查动名词。句意：最后，其中一只风筝挣脱了束缚。根据空白处前面的介词in可知空白处填动名词，故填breaking。
【5题详解】
考查代词。句意：然而，摆脱束缚的自由只是让它受到无情的微风的控制。分析句子结构，空白处在句子中作宾语，因空白处指代的是上文提到的名词kite，使用代词it，故填it。
【6题详解】
考查时态。句意：“终于自由了”的它，笨拙地飘落到地上，落在井边，线缠绕在荆棘丛中。分析句子结构，空白处在句子中作谓语，因句子表示的是过去发生的动作，谓语动词使用一般过去时，故填landed。
【7题详解】
考查非谓语动词。句意：它无力地躺在尘土中，被风无助地吹在地上，被第一个障碍物粘住，毫无生气。根据上文“It was free to lie powerless in the dirt(它无力地躺在尘土中)”以及下文“to stick lifeless against the first obstacle(被第一个障碍物粘住，毫无生气)”可知本句使用了三个动词不定式并列做主语，it为形式主语，因空白处与其逻辑主语kite之间为逻辑上的动宾关系，使用动词不定式的被动式，故填to be blown。
【8题详解】
考查名词性从句。句意：我们有时可能不愿承认我们就像风筝一样。分析句子结构，这是一个包含宾语从句的复合句，因从句结构完整其句意完整，使用连接代词that连接宾语从句，故填that。
【9题详解】
考查定语从句。句意：生活给我们带来逆境、限制和规则，我们可以从中成长并获得力量。分析句子结构，这是一个包含定语从句的复合句，先行词为：adversity, restrictions and rules，因先行词在定语从句中作宾语指物，使用联系代词which或that引导定语从句，故填which/that。
【10题详解】
考查情态动词。句意：认识到我们可能会感到烦恼的一些限制，实际上正是帮助我们上升和取得成功的稳定力量。根据上文“some of the restraints(一些限制)”可知此处上下文说的是可能会让我们感到烦恼的一些限制，空白处应填表示“可能”含义的情态动词，故填may。
Section B
Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
A. accurately B. attaches C. displaying D. employed E. feedback F. foresaw G. guide H. increasingly I. map J. operating K. wonders
VR surgery
Richard Satava, a program manager for advanced medical technologies, has been a driving force bringing virtual reality to medicine, where computers create a “virtual” environment for surgeons.
“With virtual reality we’ll be able to put a surgeon in every trench(战壕),” said Satava. He ____11____ a time when soldiers who are wounded fighting overseas are put in mobile surgical units equipped with computers.
The computers would convey images of the soldiers to surgeons back in the U. S. The surgeons would look at the soldier through virtual reality helmets that contain a small screen ____12____ the image of the wound. The doctors would ____13____ robotic instruments in the battlefield mobile surgical unit that operate on the soldier.
Although Satava’s vision may be years away from standard ____14____ procedure, scientists are progressing toward virtual reality surgery. Engineers in California are developing a tele-operating device. As surgeons watch a 3D image of the surgery, they move instruments connected to a computer, which passes their movements to robotic instruments that perform the surgery. The computer provides ____15____ to the surgeon.
The technological ____16____ may not yet be part of the community hospital setting. However, with the passage of time, some of the machinery is ____17____ finding its way into civilian medicine. At Wayne State University Medical School, surgeon Lucia Zamorano takes images of the brain from computerized scans and uses a computer program to produce a 3D image. She can then move the 3D image on the computer screen to ____18____ the shortest and least invasive surgical path to the cancer. Zamorano is also using technology that ____19____ a needle to surgical instruments so that she can track their positions. While cutting away a cancer deep in the brain, she watches the movement of her surgical tools in a computer graphics image of the patient’s brain taken before surgery.
During these procedures surgeons are wearing 3D glasses for a better view. And they are commanding robot surgeons to cut away tissue more _____20_____ than human surgeons can.
Satava says, “We are in the midst of a fundamental change in the field of medicine.”
【答案】11. F 12. C
13. G 14. J
15. E 16. K
17. H 18. I
19. B 20. A
【解析】
【导语】本文的体裁是说明文。文章主要介绍了虚拟现实技术在医学领域的应用，尤其是远程手术和计算机辅助手术的发展情况。
【11题详解】
考查动词。句意：他预见到一个时代，受伤的士兵在海外作战时，会被安置在配备有计算机的移动手术单元中。根据下文“when soldiers who are wounded fighting overseas are put in mobile surgical units equipped with computers(受伤的士兵在海外作战时，会被安置在配备有计算机的移动手术单元中)”可知下文说的是对未来的憧憬，可推理出空白处应填表示“预见”含义的表达,foresaw是foresee的过去式。故选F。
【12题详解】
考查非谓语动词。句意：外科医生会通过虚拟现实头盔查看士兵的情况，头盔上有一个小型屏幕，可以显示伤口的图像。根据下文“the image of the wound(伤口的图像)”可推理出此处说的是外科医生通过能显示士兵伤口情况的屏幕为士兵看病，可推理出空白处应填表示“显示”含义的表达，displaying作后置定语修饰screen。故选C。
【13题详解】
考查动词。句意：医生们将在战场上的移动手术装置内操作机器人仪器为士兵进行手术。根据下文“robotic instruments in the battlefield mobile surgical unit that operate on the soldier(在战场上的移动手术装置内操作机器人仪器为士兵进行手术)”可知，此处上下文说的是医生操作机器人仪器为士兵进行手术，可推理出空白处应填表示“引导”含义的表达，would后接动词原形。故选G。
【14题详解】
考查动名词。句意：尽管萨塔瓦的愿景可能还需要数年时间才能成为标准操作程序，但科学家们正在向虚拟现实手术迈进。根据下文“scientists are progressing toward virtual reality surgery(科学家们正在向虚拟现实手术迈进)”可知此处上下文说的是虚拟现实手术，可推理出空白处应填表示“手术”含义的表达，故选J。
【15题详解】
考查名词。句意：计算机会向外科医生提供反馈。根据上文“As surgeons watch a 3D image of the surgery, they move instruments connected to a computer, which passes their movements to robotic instruments that perform the surgery. The computer provides(外科医生在观看手术的3D图像时，会移动连接到计算机的工具，计算机将他们的移动传递给执行手术的机器人工具。计算机提供……)”以及下文“the surgeon(外科医生)”可知此处上下文说的是计算机将外科医生移动连接到计算机的工具的信息传递给机器人工具，同时计算机还会将机器人工具的操作通过3D图像反馈给医生，可推理出空白处应填表示“反馈”含义的表达，名词作宾语。故选E。
【16题详解】
考查名词。句意：这些技术奇迹可能尚未成为社区医院设置的一部分。根据上文“Engineers in California are developing a tele-operating device. As surgeons watch a 3D image of the surgery, they move instruments connected to a computer, which passes their movements to robotic instruments that perform the surgery.(加利福尼亚的工程师们正在开发一种远程操作设备。外科医生们通过观察手术的三维图像，操控与电脑相连的器械，这些器械的动作会传递给执行手术的机器人器械。)”可知，此处上下文说的是医疗技术上的奇迹，可推理出空白处应填表示“奇迹”含义的表达，名词复数形式作主语。故选K。
【17题详解】
考查副词。句意：然而，随着时间的推移，一些设备正越来越多地进入民用医疗领域。根据下文“finding its way into civilian medicine(进入民用医疗领域)”可知此处上下文说的是这些设备已经逐渐进入到民用医疗领域，可推理出空白处应填表示“越来越多地”含义的表达，副词作状语。故选H。
【18题详解】
考查动词。句意：然后，她可以在计算机屏幕上移动3D图像，以绘制出到达癌症的最短且侵入性最小的手术路径。根据下文“the shortest and least invasive surgical path to the cancer(最短且侵入性最小的手术路径)”可知此处上下文说的是绘制手术路径图，可推理出空白处应填表示“绘制”含义的表达，在动词不定式符号to后用动词原形。故选I。
【19题详解】
考查动词。句意：萨莫拉诺还在使用一种技术，将针头连接到手术工具上，以便她可以追踪它们的位置。根据下文“a needle to surgical instruments(把针头……到手术工具上)”可知此处上下文说的是在手术工具上固定针头，可推理出空白处应填表示“固定”含义的表达，作定语从句的谓语动词，先行词是technology ，时态是一般现在时，用第三人称单数形式。故选B。
【20题详解】
考查副词。句意：他们还指挥机器人外科医生比人类外科医生更准确地切除组织。根据上文“During these procedures surgeons are wearing 3D glasses for a better view(在这些手术过程中，外科医生戴着3D眼镜以获得更好的视野)”以及下文“than human surgeons can(比人类外科医生更……)”可推理出此处上下文说的是机器人外科医生在人类外科医生的指导下能更好地进行手术，分析待选项，A项“accurately(准确地)”表达的含义符合上下文语境，故选A。
Ⅲ. Reading Comprehension
Section A
Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Italy’s one-euro-home sales have been attracting a lot of interest over the past few years. Some towns like Mussomeli in Sicily and Zungoli in Campania have managed to ____21____ abandoned properties to foreigners pursuing the Italian dream. However, some have ____22____ to sell their empty homes. Among them is Patrica, a remote village of barely 3,000 residents located south of Rome, where more than 40 properties deserted in the early 1900s have been left ____23____.
In an attempt to breathe new life into the dying village, the town’s mayor Lucio Fiordaliso has been trying to ____24____ the success of other Italian villages who’ve put their empty homes up for sale for one euro, or just over a dollar. “The process is not ____25____. We first mapped out all abandoned houses and contacted the original owners to ask for permission. Only then can we place these properties up for sale with their ____26____, which makes the process very complicated.” However, the permission from one owner of the house sometimes is not enough for the sale of potential one euro homes. That is because most relatives sharing the same property often ____27____ one another for personal reasons or some hardly speak or know each other.
Another reason that the one euro plan never really started in Patrica could be due to the ____28____of its homes. Some of the houses are simply too neglected to sell, even if the owners were willing to agree to it. ____29____, Patric a local Gianni Valleco and his two brothers decided to place their parents’ abandoned home on the market to see what would happen. But they soon disappointedly found that the house was far from _____30_____.
In the meantime, Fiordalis o has been coming up with new ways to _____31_____ newcomers. He prompted several locals to entirely restyle their old family homes and put them to use after decades of neglect. “The mayor’s move finally gave us a good excuse to fully restore the property which had been sitting there _____32_____,” says the locals. The mayor also decided to start operating some commercial activities like an B&B or a restaurant or a shopping center.
“There is _____33_____, but then when many foreigners actually see the bad shape of the old homes they’d prefer to opt for turn-key apartments that are already restyled or in need of just _____34_____ fixes,” says Fiordaliso. “So it’s much more convenient to buy one of these newer ones than _____35_____ an old building in need of major reconstruction, where the final cost would end up being much higher.” Despite these challenges, Fiordalis o hasn’t given up on selling the town’s long forgotten homes.
21. A. assign B. restrict C. shift D. return
22. A. forgot B. emerged C. continued D. struggled
23. A. shaking B. shining C. decayed D. burnt
24. A. catch up with I B. make fun of C. pay attention to D. take pride in
25. A. optional B. rigid C. simple D. special
26. A. initiative B. budget C. approval D. determination
27. A. disagree with B. negotiate with C. text to D. cooperate with
28. A. location B. condition C. exhibition D. ownership
29. A. For example B. By contrast C. In fact D. On the contrary
30. A. sufficient B. desirable C. spacious D. enough
31. A. appeal to B. back up C. hold back D. count on
32. A. independently B. uselessly C. permanently D. purposefully
33. A. claim B. coverage C. audience D. interest
34. A. minor B. temporary C. urgent D. costly
35. A. build B. furnish C. rent D. grab
【答案】21. C 22. D 23. C 24. A 25. C 26. C 27. A 28. B 29. A 30. B 31. A 32. B 33. D 34. A 35. D
【解析】
【导语】这是一篇新闻报道。在过去的几年里，意大利的一欧元房屋销售吸引了很多人的兴趣。短文介绍了一欧元房屋销售计划难以贯彻执行的原因。
【21题详解】
考查动词词义辨析。句意：西西里岛的Mussomeli和坎帕尼亚的Zungoli等城镇已经成功地将废弃的房产转移给了追求意大利梦的外国人。A. assign 分派；B. restrict限制；C. shift（使）转移；D. return归还 。根据下文“sell their empty homes”可知，西西里岛的Mussomeli和坎帕尼亚的Zungoli等城镇已经成功地将废弃的房产转移给了追求意大利梦的外国人。故选C项。
【22题详解】
考查动词词义辨析。句意：然而，一些人很难卖掉他们的空房子。A. forgot忘记；B. emerged出现；C. continued继续；D. struggled努力，挣扎。根据上文However以及下文叙述了房子难卖的原因。可知，一些人很难卖掉他们的空房子。故选D项。
【23题详解】
考查动词词义辨析。句意：帕特里卡就是其中之一，这是一个位于罗马南部的偏远村庄，只有不到3000名居民，那里有40多处20世纪初被遗弃的房产已经破败不堪。A. shaking晃动；B. shining发光；C. decayed（建筑、地方等）破败；D. burnt燃烧。根据上文“more than 40 properties deserted in the early 1900s”可知，40多处20世纪初被遗弃的房产已经破败不堪。故选C项。
【24题详解】
考查动词短语辨析。句意：为了给这个垂死的村庄注入新的活力，该镇的镇长卢西奥·费奥达里索一直在努力模仿其他意大利村庄的成功，这些村庄把空置的房屋以1欧元(约合1美元多一点)的价格出售。A. catch up with赶上，模仿；B. make fun of取笑；C. pay attention to注意；D. take pride in以…为自豪。根据上文“In an attempt to breathe new life into the dying village”以及下文“the success of other Italian villages who’ve put their empty homes up for sale for one euro, or just over a dollar.”可知，该镇的镇长卢西奥·费奥达里索一直在努力模仿其他意大利村庄的成功。故选A项。
【25题详解】
考查形容词词义辨析。句意：这个过程并不简单。A. optional 可选择的；B. rigid僵化的；C. simple简单的；D. special特别的。根据下文“complicated”可知，过程并不简单。故选C项。
【26题详解】
考查名词词义辨析。句意：只有这样，我们才能在他们同意的情况下出售这些房产，这使得整个过程变得非常复杂。 A. initiative措施，倡议；B. budget预算；C. approval同意，批准；D. determination决定。根据下文“the permission”可知，在他们同意的情况下出售这些房产。故选C项。
【27题详解】
考查动词短语词义辨析。句意：这是因为大多数共享同一财产的亲戚经常因为个人原因而意见不一，或者有些人几乎不说话或彼此不认识。A. disagree with不同意；B. negotiate with 协商；C. text to发短信；D. cooperate with合作。根据下文“for personal reasons or some hardly speak or know each other.”可知，他们意见不一。故选A项。
28题详解】
考查名词词义辨析。句意：一个欧元计划从未在西班牙真正启动的另一个原因可能是由于其家庭状况。 A. location位置；B. condition条件。状况；C. exhibition展览；D. ownership所有权。根据下文“Some of the houses are simply too neglected to sell, even if the owners were willing to agree to it.”可知，另一个原因可能是由于其家庭状况。故选B项。
【29题详解】
考查介词短语辨析。句意：例如，当地的帕特里克和他的两个兄弟决定把他们父母被遗弃的房子放在市场上，看看会发生什么。A. For example例如；B. By contrast对比；C. In fact事实上；D. On the contrary相反。根据下文可知，这是在举例。故选A项。
【30题详解】
考查形容词词义辨析。句意：但他们很快就失望地发现这所房子一点也不令人满意。 A. sufficient足够的；B. desirable可取的；向往的，称心如意的；C. spacious宽敞的；D. enough足够的。根据上文“But they soon disappointedly found”可知，房子一点也不令人满意。故选B项。
【31题详解】
考查动词短语辨析。句意：与此同时，Fiordalis一直在想出新的方法来吸引新来者。A. appeal to吸引；B. back up支持；C. hold back 阻止；D. count on依靠。根据上文“coming up with new ways”可知，想出新的方法来吸引新来者。故选A项。
【32题详解】
考查副词词义辨析。句意：市长的举动终于给了我们一个很好的借口，让我们完全恢复了闲置在那里的财产。A. independently独立地；B. uselessly无用处地，闲置地； C. permanently永久地；D. purposefully有目的地。根据上文“where more than 40 properties deserted in the early 1900s have been left ____3____ .”可知，指闲置在那里的财产。故选B项。
【33题详解】
考查名词词义辨析。句意：有人对此感兴趣，但当许多外国人真正看到旧房子的糟糕状况时，他们更愿意选择已经重新装修或只需要小维修的交钥匙公寓。A. claim 声称，断言；B. coverage新闻报道；C. audience观众；D. interest兴趣。根据上文“a lot of interest”可知，有人对此感兴趣。故选D项。
【34题详解】
考查形容词词义辨析。句意：有人对此感兴趣，但当许多外国人真正看到旧房子的糟糕状况时，他们更愿意选择已经重新装修或只需要小维修的交钥匙公寓。A. minor 较小的，次要的；B. temporary暂时的；C. urgent紧急的；D. costly 昂贵的。根据上文“they’d prefer to opt for turn-key apartments that are already restyled”可知，他们更愿意选择已经重新装修或只需要小维修的交钥匙公寓。故选A项。
【35题详解】
考查动词词义辨析。句意：因此，购买这些新建筑比获取需要大规模重建的旧建筑要方便得多，因为最终成本会高得多。A. build建造；B. furnish提供，供应；C. rent租；D. grab攫取，抓住，获取。根据上文“to buy”可知，购买这些新建筑比获取需要大规模重建的旧建筑要方便得多。故选D项。
Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
A
Kate Hanselman’s home is a shrine to hobbies past and present. Fencing suit sits beside multiple pairs of rock-climbing shoes. “I find yarn everywhere because I love knitting, and I have a whole set of embroidery (刺绣) stuff,” she says. Plus: stacks of puzzles, her partner’s golf clubs, and equipment from his flying lessons. “Our house is like a full hobby station,” she says with a laugh.
Challenging, fun and engaging hobbies have the power to make us happier and healthier, says Hanselman, a nurse with the counseling practice Thriveworks. Such pursuits help us grow in creative, physical and intellectual ways, and can boost self-esteem. Plus, they often foster connection with others. Hobbies lead to better physical health, more sleep, lower stress, greater life satisfaction, a larger social network and improved work performance.
“Hobbies live in the pleasure world, not necessarily the mastery world,” Hanselman says. “We’re not trying to impress the board; we’re not going for a paycheck; there’s no additional motive. Hobbies are like dessert and as a baker myself, dessert is the most important part.”
That resonates with Chris Johnson, recreational woodworker, motorcyclist, gardener, cook and runner. He has accepted that he’ll never be a master surfer, but that doesn’t dampen his enjoyment of riding waves. And he’s so taken with beekeeping that his backyard is now home to 20,000 honeybees.
“I really love learning and figuring things out, and developing an understanding of how things tick,” says Johnson, of Carolina Beach, North Carolina. His hobbies tend to evolve out of curiosity, boredom or need. Take the bees: After moving into a new home with a barren yard, he was concerned about a lack of pollinators, so he planted a garden and became a beekeeper.
“If you derive joy from your hobby—it doesn’t matter if it’s a board game or beekeeping—I’m confident it will make you a better person in every aspect of your life,” he says.
36. Kate Hanselman’s home primarily features ________.
A. a focus on work-related equipment and tools
B. a collection of various hobbies and interests
C. an outlook on life and value from a novelty hunter
D. a showcase of precious artwork and decorations
37. What effects can engaging in challenging hobbies have on individuals
A. Higher social status and wider networks.
B. Enhanced physical and mental well-being.
C. Increased financial wealth and material possessions.
D. Improved cognitive abilities and increased intelligence.
38. Kate Hanselman intended the underlined sentence in paragraph 3 to ________.
A. highlight the very purpose of hobbies is to bring pleasure
B. distinguish her from others by the understanding of hobbies
C. attach great importance to her passion for baking compared with other hobbies
D. convey the core of hobbies is to provide a sense of master y and accomplishment
39. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE
A. Both Hanselman and Johnson are enthusiasts of hobbies and long for recognition.
B. Hanselman is under great pressure from satisfying societal expectations and norms.
C. Johnson’s interests are likely to have stemmed from curiosity and practical needs.
D. Johnson is engaged in community service to gain financial stability and wealth.
【答案】36. B 37. B 38. A 39. C
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇记叙文。文章介绍了爱好对于个人幸福和健康的重要性，并通过几个具体的例子进行了阐述。
【36题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段““I find yarn everywhere because I love knitting, and I have a whole set of embroidery (刺绣) stuff,” she says. Plus: stacks of puzzles, her partner’s golf clubs, and equipment from his flying lessons. “Our house is like a full hobby station,” she says with a laugh. (“我发现到处都是线团，因为我喜欢编织，还有一整套刺绣用具，”她说。此外，还有一堆拼图、伴侣的高尔夫俱乐部装备以及他的飞行课设备。“我们的家就像一个全面的爱好站，”她笑着说.)”可知，凯特·汉塞尔曼的家主要以各种爱好和兴趣的集合为特色，故选B项。
【37题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段“Challenging, fun and engaging hobbies have the power to make us happier and healthier, says Hanselman, a nurse with the counseling practice Thriveworks. Such pursuits help us grow in creative, physical and intellectual ways, and can boost self-esteem. Plus, they often foster connection with others. Hobbies lead to better physical health, more sleep, lower stress, greater life satisfaction (具有挑战性、趣味性和参与性的爱好能够让我们更快乐、更健康，汉塞尔曼说，她是Thriveworks咨询实践的一名护士。这样的追求帮助我们在创造性、身体和智力方面成长，并且可以提升自尊。此外，它们通常还能促进与他人的联系。爱好带来更好的身体健康、更多的睡眠、较低的压力、更大的生活满意度)”可知，从事具有挑战性的爱好会对个人带来的影响是身心健康的增强，故选B项。
【38题详解】
推理判断题。根据第三段““Hobbies live in the pleasure world, not necessarily the mastery world,” Hanselman says. “We’re not trying to impress the board; we’re not going for a paycheck; there’s no additional motive. (汉塞尔曼说：“爱好存在于快乐的世界中，而不一定是在掌握的世界中。我们不是在试图给董事会留下深刻印象；我们不是为了薪水；没有额外的动机。”)”可推理出，划线词意在表达发展爱好的目的是为了带来快乐，并非有其他目的，故选A项。
【39题详解】
细节理解题。根据倒数第三段“He has accepted that he’ll never be a master surfer, but that doesn’t dampen his enjoyment of riding waves. And he’s so taken with beekeeping that his backyard is now home to 20,000 honeybees. (他接受了自己永远不会成为冲浪高手的事实，但这并没有削弱他享受冲浪的乐趣。他对养蜂的热爱到了痴迷的程度，以至于他的后院现在成了两万只蜜蜂的家。)”以及倒数第二段“His hobbies tend to evolve out of curiosity, boredom or need. Take the bees: After moving into a new home with a barren yard, he was concerned about a lack of pollinators, so he planted a garden and became a beekeeper. (他的爱好往往是出于好奇、无聊或需要而发展起来的。拿蜜蜂来说：搬进一个院子荒芜的新家后，他担心缺乏传粉者，于是种了一个花园并成为了一名养蜂人。)”可知，Chris Johnson提到他的爱好往往源于好奇心、无聊或需求。例如，他之所以成为养蜂人，是因为搬到一个院子荒芜的新家后，他担心传粉昆虫的缺乏，因此他种植了花园并开始养蜂。这表明他的兴趣确实可能源自好奇心和实际需求，故选C项。
B
Eyes in the sky Several space telescopes planned for Launch after the James Webb Space Telescope（JWST）promise to deliver incredible science. Here are three of the most important.
Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars （PLATO） Expected launch date: 2026 This European Space Agency project will search a million stars looking for blips in their light that indicate the presence of an orbiting planet. Similar kinds of previous telescopes have only been able to see planets that are close to their stars and so pass in front of them frequently. Plato will linger on each star for longer and so has the chance to detect planets that are more distant from their star, with a longer orbital period. In particular, the mission is focused on trying to spot signs of rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone, the narrow region of a star system in which temperatures are right for liquid water. It also has the tools to characterize such worlds, providing clues to how Earth-like they may be. Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Expected launch date: 2025 Like the James Webb Space Telescope, the Roman Space Telescope, named after the first female executive at NASA, will observe mainly infrared radiation. But while the JWST focuses on detail, Roman is going for the big picture. The telescope has a panoramic（全景的）field of view more than 100 times greater than the JWST’s. During its first five years, Roman will image more than 50 times as much sky as the Hubble Space Telescope covered in its first 30 years. That will allow it to make the first wide-field infrared maps of the sky. It is hoped this will help solve mysteries like the true identity of dark matter and dark energy. Astronomers can see the influence of these substances on the universe but have not been able to explain what they are. Laser Interferometer Space Antenna（LISA） Expected launch date: 2034 We first detected gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space, in 2015. So far, we have seen waves from black hole and neutron star collisions（碰撞）. LISA, a mission led by the European Space Agency, will be a much larger gravitational wave detector than existing ground-based ones. It will consist of three spacecraft positioned 2.5 million kilometres apart in a triangular formation. This space detector will be sensitive to gravitational waves with extremely low frequencies. Among other things, it could allow us to spot planets in other galaxies just from the subtle way in which they influence the gravitational waves produced by their parent stars. Until now, all confirmed discoveries of exoplanets have been in our own Milky Way galaxy.
40. What can we know about PLATO
A. It is designed to detect gravitational waves in the fabric of space.
B. It is aimed to look for planets that are closely orbiting their stars.
C. It is the first of its kind to be able to see blips in the stars’ light.
D. It observes each star for longer so as to detect more distant planets.
41. What are the differences between the Roman Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope
A. The Roman Space Telescope can observe infrared radiation while the JWST cannot.
B. The Roman Space Telescope has a larger field of view compared to the JWST.
C. The James Webb Space Telescope make the first wide-field infrared maps of the sky.
D. The James Webb Space Telescope can image more than 50 times as much sky as the Roman.
42. What can we learn from the passage
A. All of the three space telescopes are being led by the European Space Agency.
B. With the help of LISA, we might be able to find planets outside of the Milky Way galaxy.
C. Getting wide-field infrared maps of the sky, scientists are sure to spot what dark matter and dark energy are.
D. Scientists have already confirmed the clues to the existence of all the exoplanets with the aid of gravitational waves.
【答案】40. D 41. B 42. B
【解析】
【导语】本文的体裁是说明文。主要介绍了继詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜之后计划发射的几项重要太空望远镜任务。
【40题详解】
细节理解题。根据“Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars （PLATO）(行星凌日与恒星振荡（PLATO）)”部分“Plato will linger on each star for longer and so has the chance to detect planets that are more distant from their star, with a longer orbital period.( 柏拉图将在每颗恒星上停留更长的时间，因此有机会探测到距离恒星更远、轨道周期更长的行星)”可知，柏拉图将停留更长的时间观测每颗恒星，以便探测到更遥远的行星，故选D项。
【41题详解】
细节理解题。根据“Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope(南希·格雷斯·罗曼太空望远镜)”部分的“The telescope has a panoramic（全景的）field of view more than 100 times greater than the JWST’s(该望远镜的全景视野比JWST大100多倍)”可知，与JWST相比，罗马太空望远镜的视野更大，故选B项。
【42题详解】
细节理解题。根据“Laser Interferometer Space Antenna（LISA）(激光干涉仪空间天线（LISA）”部分的“Among other things, it could allow us to spot planets in other galaxies just from the subtle way in which they influence the gravitational waves produced by their parent stars (除此之外，它还可能让我们仅通过行星对其母星产生的引力波产生的微妙影响，就发现其他星系中的行星)”可知，在LISA的帮助下，我们也许能够找到银河系以外的行星，故选B项。
C
Nvidia, the chipmaker giant, has experienced a surge in its share price, skyrocketing by almost 450% since January 2023. Currently valued at nearly $2 trillion, Nvidia stands as the third-most valuable firm in the United States, following closely behind Microsoft and Apple. Its recent quarterly revenue s rose to 22billionfrom6 billion in the same period the previous year. Analysts anticipate continued rapid growth for Nvidia, primarily driven by its dominance in the market for specialized AI chips, commanding over 95% of it. What makes its chips so special
Initially developed for gaming, Nvidia’s AI chips, also known as graphics processor units (GPUs) or “accelerators”, employ parallel processing, dividing computations into smaller tasks distributed across multiple cores within the chip. This parallel processing significantly enhances computational speed, crucial for exhibiting lifelike graphics in gaming applications.
Happily for Nvidia, its chips have found much wider uses: cryptocurrency mining, self-driving cars and, most important, training of AI models. The efficiency of Nvidia’s accelerators in training AI models led the company to focus on optimizing them for this purpose. With the ability to handle thousands of calculations simultaneously, Nvidia’s GPUs have evolved together with increasingly complex AI models, achieving a thousand-fold increase in computational speed over the past decade.
But Nvidia’s soaring valuation is not just because of faster chips. It excels in networking, facilitated by Mellanox’s high-performance network technology, which Nvidia acquired in 2019. This enables Nvidia to optimize its chip network’s performance, surpassing competitors’ capabilities. Nvidia’s other strength is CUDA, a software platform that allows customers to fine tune the performance of its processors. Nvidia has been investing in this software since the mid-2000s, and has long encouraged developers to use it to build and test AI applications. This has made CUDA the industry standard.
Nvidia’s juicy profit and the rapid growth of the AI accelerator market have attracted competitors. Amazon and Alphabet are crafting AI chips for their data centres. Other big chipmakers and startups also want a slice of Nvidia’s business. In December 2023 Advanced Micro Devices, another chipmaker, unveiled a chip that by some measures is roughly twice as powerful as Nvidia’s most advanced chip. But even building better hardware may not be enough. Nvidia dominates AI chipmaking because it offers the best chips, the best networking kit and the best software. Any competitor hoping to displace Nvidia will need to beat it in all three areas. That will be a tall order.
43. The passage is written to ________.
A. analyze the potential risks of the surge in Nvidia’s share price
B. explain the factors contributing to Nvidia’s rapid growth
C. compare Nvidia’s share price with other technology companics
D. discuss the impact of Nvidia’s chips on global technology trends
44. Which of the following statements about Nvidia’s GPUs is TRUE
A. They were initially developed for creating graphics.
B They have been optimized for training automated vehicles.
C. They employ parallel processing to ensure high game picture quality.
D. They have widened the mining scope of cryptocurrency over the past decade.
45. According to the passage, ________ contributes to Nvidia’s strengths.
A. its personalized software platform CUDA
B. its potential for gaining a handsome profit
C. its acquisition of Mellanox’s network technology
D. its reliance on building better hardware than its competitors
46. What can be inferred from the last paragraph
A. Nvidia will continue to rule the AI chipmaking industry.
B. Amazon has strengthened its position in the market with Nvidia.
C. Some startups have already cooperated to build better hardware.
D. Advanced Micro Devices now owns the most powerful chip in the world.
【答案】43. B 44. C 45. A 46. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇新闻报道。文章主要讨论了Nvidia公司及其在人工智能芯片市场中的地位。
【43题详解】
推理判断题。根据第一段“What makes its chips so special (是什么让它芯片如此特别)”、第二段“This parallel processing significantly enhances computational speed, crucial for exhibiting lifelike graphics in gaming applications.(这种并行处理显著提高了计算速度，这对于在游戏应用程序中展示逼真的图形至关重要)”、第三段“Happily for Nvidia, its chips have found much wider uses: cryptocurrency mining, self-driving cars and, most important, training of AI models.(令英伟达高兴的是，它的芯片有了更广泛的用途：加密货币挖矿、自动驾驶汽车，最重要的是，人工智能模型的训练)”、第四段“But Nvidia’s soaring valuation is not just because of faster chips. It excels in networking, facilitated by Mellanox’s high-performance network technology, which Nvidia acquired in 2019. This enables Nvidia to optimize its chip network’s performance, surpassing competitors’ capabilities. Nvidia’s other strength is CUDA, a software platform that allows customers to fine tune the performance of its processors.(但英伟达的估值飙升不仅仅是因为更快的芯片。在2019年英伟达收购的Mellanox高性能网络技术的推动下，它在网络方面表现出色。这使得英伟达能够优化其芯片网络的性能，超越竞争对手的能力。英伟达的另一个优势是CUDA，这是一个允许客户微调其处理器性能的软件平台)”以及最后一段“Nvidia dominates AI chipmaking because it offers the best chips, the best networking kit and the best software. Any competitor hoping to displace Nvidia will need to beat it in all three areas.(英伟达主导人工智能芯片制造，因为它提供了最好的芯片、最好的网络套件和最好的软件。任何希望取代英伟达的竞争对手都需要在这三个领域击败它)”可知，本文主要讲了英伟达快速增长的原因。由此推知，本文的写作目的是解释促成英伟达快速增长的因素。故选B项。
【44题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段“This parallel processing significantly enhances computational speed, crucial for exhibiting lifelike graphics in gaming applications.(这种并行处理显著提高了计算速度，这对于在游戏应用程序中展示逼真的图形至关重要)”可知，C项“They employ parallel processing to ensure high game picture quality.(它们采用并行处理以确保高游戏画面质量)”表达正确。故选C项。
【45题详解】
细节理解题。根据第四段“Nvidia’s other strength is CUDA, a software platform that allows customers to fine tune the performance of its processors. Nvidia has been investing in this software since the mid-2000s, and has long encouraged developers to use it to build and test AI applications. This has made CUDA the industry standard.(英伟达的另一个优势是CUDA，这是一个允许客户微调其处理器性能的软件平台。英伟达自2000年代中期以来一直在投资这款软件，并长期鼓励开发者使用它来构建和测试人工智能应用程序。这使CUDA成为行业标准)”可知，英伟达的个性化软件平台CUDA为它的优势做出了贡献。故选A项。
【46题详解】
推理判断题。根据最后一段“Nvidia dominates AI chipmaking because it offers the best chips, the best networking kit and the best software. Any competitor hoping to displace Nvidia will need to beat it in all three areas. That will be a tall order.(英伟达主导人工智能芯片制造，因为它提供了最好的芯片、最好的网络套件和最好的软件。任何希望取代英伟达的竞争对手都需要在这三个领域击败它。这将是一个艰巨的任务)”可知，任何希望取代英伟达的竞争对手都需要在最好的芯片、最好的网络套件和最好的软件这三个领域击败它，这将是一个艰巨的任务。由此推知，英伟达将继续统治人工智能芯片制造行业。故选A项。
Section C
Directions: Read the passage carefully. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.
A flexible patch could help people with voice disorders talk
The human voice, with its unique ability to attract audiences, express love and sometimes annoy neighbors, is a delibate thing. Doppler’s vocal cords can easily get damaged by stress, infections, or overuse. ____47____. According to a 2005 study, 30% of the population will experience a voice disorder at some point in their life.
Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a soft patch that attaches to the neck, detecting muscle movements and translating them into clear speech using machine-learning algorithms. Even though the device is still in the early stages, it could be a significant improvement over existing communication aids for those who have lost their voice. ____48____ More complex aids such as electrolarynxes, external devices held against the throat, or surgical options, can be invasive or require special training to use. This patch would theoretically be able to clean all the obstacles.
The patch works based on the magneto-elastic (磁弹性的) effect When magnetic nanoparticles are mixed into flexible materials like elastic or silicone, stretching the material can change its magnetic properties. Every time the material changes shape, the particles either rotate or move against each other, altering the material’s magnetic strength. The patch, with its copper coil border that creates a stable magnetic field, can precisely track these changes.
____49____ In a trial with eight participants, the researchers captured the signals as the subjects spoke and mouthed five different sentences (including: “Hope your experiments are going well!”, “Merry Christmas!” and “I love you!”). They then trained a machine-learning model to recognize the distinct patterns of the electrical signals associated with each sentence. This algorithm was then able to predict which of the five sentences the participants spoke — whether aloud or in silence — with more than 90% accuracy.
The patch is also designed to be user-friendly. It stays on even when the skin is sweaty and can be worn for 40 minutes without getting too warm.
However, there is more work to be done. For now the device can only recognize five pre-trained phrases. ____50____ To make it practical at scale, the researchers will need to collect a lot more data.
A. But the magnetization of the material holds great promise in the future.
B. Plus, individual differences in vocal-cords means the algorithm has to be personalized to each user.
C. When the throat muscles move under the patch, the changes in the magnetic field can also be turned into electrical signals.
D. Currently, people might resort to typing, texting, or writing, which can be slow or hard to read in poor light.
E. It is not just enthusiastic performers who risk damaging their voices.
F. In tests, the patch accurately recognized sentences spoken.
【答案】47. E 48. D 49. C 50. B
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了灵活的贴片可以帮助患有声音障碍的人说话。
【47题详解】
根据空前“Doppler’s vocal cords can easily get damaged by stress, infections, or overuse.(多普勒声带很容易因压力、感染或过度使用而受损)”可知，这里提到了声带容易受损；以及空后“According to a 2005 study, 30% of the population will experience a voice disorder at some point in their life.(根据 2005 年的一项研究，30% 的人在一生中的某个阶段会经历声音障碍)”可知，声音障碍不仅局限在经常用嗓的人群。E项“It is not just enthusiastic performers who risk damaging their voices.(不仅仅是热情的表演者面临着嗓子受损的风险)”符合语境。故选E。
【48题详解】
根据空前“Even though the device is still in the early stages, it could be a significant improvement over existing communication aids for those who have lost their voice.(尽管该设备仍处于早期阶段，但对于失声者来说，它可能是对现有交流辅助工具的重大改进)”可知，这里提到了交流辅助工具；以及空后“More complex aids such as electrolarynxes, external devices held against the throat, or surgical options, can be invasive or require special training to use. This patch would theoretically be able to clean all the obstacles.(更复杂的辅助设备，例如电喉、抵住喉咙的外部设备或手术选择，可能是侵入性的或需要特殊培训才能使用)”可知，复杂辅助设备不足，可推断出前面提到了人们失声选择的一般沟通方式以及它们的不足。D项“Currently, people might resort to typing, texting, or writing, which can be slow or hard to read in poor light.(目前，人们可能会求助于打字、发短信或书写，这些方式可能会很慢，或者在光线不足的情况下难以阅读)”符合语境。故选D。
【49题详解】
设空位置位于段首，起到统领本段大意的作用，根据下文“In a trial with eight participants, the researchers captured the signals as the subjects spoke and mouthed five different sentences (including: “Hope your experiments are going well!”, “Merry Christmas!” and “I love you!”). They then trained a machine-learning model to recognize the distinct patterns of the electrical signals associated with each sentence. This algorithm was then able to predict which of the five sentences the participants spoke — whether aloud or in silence — with more than 90% accuracy.(在一项有 8 名参与者参与的试验中，研究人员捕获了受试者说话时发出的信号，并用口型表达了 5 个不同的句子（包括：“希望你的实验进展顺利！”、“圣诞快乐！”我爱你！”）。然后，他们训练了一个机器学习模型来识别与每个句子相关的电信号的不同模式。然后，该算法能够预测参与者说出的五个句子中的哪一个（无论是大声还是沉默），准确率超过 90%)”可知，本段讲述了贴片的工作原理。C项“When the throat muscles move under the patch, the changes in the magnetic field can also be turned into electrical signals.(当喉部肌肉在贴片下移动时，磁场的变化也可以转化为电信号)”符合语境。故选C。
【50题详解】
根据空前“However, there is more work to be done. For now the device can only recognize five pre-trained phrases.(然而，还有更多工作要做。目前该设备只能识别五个预先训练的短语)”可知，这里提到了贴片的局限；后面要继续补充需要改进的地方。B项“Plus, individual differences in vocal-cords means the algorithm has to be personalized to each user.(另外，声带的个体差异意味着算法必须针对每个用户进行个性化)”符合语境。故选B。
IV. Summary Writing
51. Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s)of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.
Around the world, music therapy is being used to treat different medical conditions and illnesses. Some of the ways people use music therapy are to reduce pain, such as in childbirth or during cancer treatments, or to stimulate brain activity after an injury or memory loss. Music therapy has also been successful in aiding children to overcome disabilities. Children can move their bodies with the music and stamp along to the beat.
Why is music a useful therapy Music is soothing and relaxing, but it also stimulates our brains. Emotionally and physically, we respond to the sounds of music. The complexity of music (the different tempos, rhythms, melodies and harmonies) provokes (激发) the biggest response. Thus, classical music is most typically used for therapies due to complex sounds and patterns. Although rap or hip-hop music might be fun to listen to, it’s unlikely that such styles of music would produce the same kind of therapeutic effect.
Music has been shown to reduce pain in cancer patients by increasing the release of endorphins (内啡肽). Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers, and when we listen to music, our brains respond by releasing these natural painkillers. Certain types of music have also been found to lower blood pressure and slow a person’s heart rate. Many people are hopeful that music could replace the need for some medications that are normally used to treat certain illnesses. At present, music therapy is used in a variety of settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres, nursing homes, day cares, and schools.
Although music therapy is not yet considered a mainstream treatment, it is recognized more and more as a useful addition to traditional treatment. So next time you are feeling low or stressed out, put on some relaxing music and let the music heal you.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
【答案】Music therapy is a useful way to treat illness because our brain can be stimulated by music, especially complex music. That’s why classical music is most commonly used. The principle of music therapy is to increase the release of endorphins to help treatment. Although music therapy is not used widely, it is increasingly regarded as an effective complement to treatment.
【解析】
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章介绍说，音乐疗法是一种有效的治疗疾病的方法，因为我们的大脑可以被音乐刺激，尤其是复杂的音乐。这就是为什么最常用的是古典音乐。音乐疗法的原理是增加内啡肽的释放来帮助治疗。虽然音乐疗法的应用并不广泛，但它越来越被认为是一种有效的治疗补充。
【详解】1. 要点摘录
①Around the world, music therapy is being used to treat different medical conditions and illnesses.
② Music is soothing and relaxing, but it also stimulates our brains.
③ The complexity of music (the different tempos, rhythms, melodies and harmonies) provokes (激发) the biggest response. Thus, classical music is most typically used for therapies due to complex sounds and patterns.
④Music has been shown to reduce pain in cancer patients by increasing the release of endorphins (内啡肽).
⑤Although music therapy is not yet considered a mainstream treatment, it is recognized more and more as a useful addition to traditional treatment.
2. 缜密构思
将第1、2两个要点进行整合，将第3、4、5三个要点进行重组。
3. 遣词造句
Music therapy is an effective method of treating diseases, because our brain is music stimulation, especially complex music.
That’s why the most commonly used is classical music.
Music therapy works by increasing the release of endorphins to aid in healing.
Although music therapy is not widely used, it is increasingly recognized as an effective therapeutic supplement.
【点睛】[高分句型1] Music therapy is a useful way to treat illness because our brain can be stimulated by music, especially complex music.(这句话运用了不定式作定语和because引导原因状语从句)
[高分句型2] That’s why classical music is most commonly used. (这句话运用了why表语从句)
V. Translation
Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets
52. 假期临近，何不与三五好友一起去踏青 （why not）(汉译英)
____________________________________________________________
【答案】With the holiday approaching, why not go for an outing with a few good friends
【解析】
【详解】考查固定句型。分析句子结构，“假期临近”爱句子中做伴随状语，可使用“with+宾语+宾补”结构，因宾补与宾语之间为逻辑上的主谓关系，使用现在分词，翻译为：With the holiday approaching；表示“何不……”含义的固定句型为：why not… ，所以表示“何不与三五好友一起去踏青”含义的表达为：why not go for an outing with a few good friends ，故翻译为：With the holiday approaching, why not go for an outing with a few good friends
53. 出于对工作场所安全的担忧，工人们要求公司改善工作条件。（demand）(汉译英)
____________________________________________________________
【答案】Due to concerns about workplace safety, workers demanded that the company improve working conditions.
【解析】
【详解】考查固定短语时态、宾语从句和虚拟语气。表示“出于”应用due to；表示“对工作场所安全的担忧”为concerns about workplace safety；主语为复数名词workers；表示“要求……”应用demand that...；that引导的宾语从句要用(should)do的虚拟语气，should可以省略；表示“公司”应用名词the company；表示“改善工作条件”为improve working conditions，句子用一般过去时，demand用过去式demanded， 故翻译为Due to concerns about workplace safety, workers demanded that the company improve working conditions.
54. 尤皮克人（the Yupik people）认为，教育是他们一开始就为孩子们做的，而学校教育是外界强加给他们的。（while）(汉译英)
____________________________________________________________
【答案】The Yupik people believe that education is what they do for their children from the start, while schooling is something imposed on them from the outside.
【解析】
【详解】考查时态、名词性从句。分析句子结构，这是一个包含表语从句、宾语从句的复合句。“教育是他们一开始就为孩子们做的，而学校教育是外界强加给他们的”为宾语从句，因从句结构完整且句意完整，使用连接代词that连接宾语从句。因句子表示的是一个客观情况，主句、从句谓语动词均使用一般现在时；“他们一开始就为孩子们做的”为表语从句，因从句缺少宾语表示内容，使用连接代词what连接从句，翻译为：what they do for their children from the start；“而学校教育是外界强加给他们的”为并列句，使用while连接，翻译为：while schooling is something imposed on them from the outside；表示“尤皮克人”含义的表达为：the Yupik people；表示“认为”含义的表达为：believe，因主语the Yupik people在本句中为复数，使用动词原形；表示“教育”含义的表达为：education，故翻译为：The Yupik people believe that education is what they do for their children from the start, while schooling is something imposed on them from the outside。
55. 这家百年老店重新焕发生机，通过网店让美味触手可及，不再只有附近居民才能品尝。（restrict）(汉译英)
____________________________________________________________
【答案】This century-old shop has been revitalized, making its delicious offerings accessible online, no longer restricting them to just the local residents.
【解析】
【详解】考查时态、非谓语动词。表示“这家百年老店”含义的表达为：This century-old shop；表示“重新焕发生机”含义的表达为：revitalize，因与主语之间为被动关系，使用被动语态，因句子表示的是过去发生的动作对现在的影响，谓语动词使用现在完成时的被动语态；表示“通过网店让美味触手可及”含义的表达为：make its delicious offerings accessible online，因该表达在句子中作状语，且与逻辑主语this century-old shop之间为逻辑上的主谓关系，使用现在分词；表示“不再只有附近居民才能品尝”含义的表达为：no longer restricting them to just the local residents，该表达在句子中作状语，且与逻辑主语this century-old shop之间为逻辑上的主谓关系，使用现在分词，故翻译为：This century-old shop has been revitalized, making its delicious offerings accessible online, no longer restricting them to just the local residents。
Ⅵ. Guided Writing
56. Directions: Write an English composition in about 150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
你是Li Ming，你的学校即将迎来八十周年校庆，学生会正在征集关于校庆周边纪念品设计的方案。请你写一封邮件给学生会提出你的想法，邮件必须包括：
1. 简单描述你设计的纪念品；
2. 说说这样设计理由。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
【答案】Dear leader of the Student Union,
After learning that the Student Union is soliciting proposals for the design of souvenirs of the school anniversary, I can’t wait to put forward my suggestion for the design.
The souvenir I designed is a custom notebook that combines the historical elements of our school with modern design concepts. The cover of this notebook uses our school’s iconic architecture or landscape as a design theme, which is presented by hand or printed.
The reasons why I put forward such a design scheme are as follows. First, as a common stationery supplies, notebook has high practicality and collection value, suitable as a souvenir of the school to present to teachers, students and alumni. What’s more, by presenting the school landmark buildings or landscapes by hand painting or printing, we can show the unique artistic charm and cultural heritage of our school.
I hope you will consider my design.
Yours,
Li Ming
【解析】
【导语】本篇书面表达属于应用文，要求考生给学生会写一封邮件，提出你对校庆周边纪念品设计的方案的想法，邮件必须包括：1. 简单描述你设计的纪念品；2. 说说这样设计理由。
【详解】1.词汇积累
建议：suggestion→recommendation
首先：first→first and foremost
展示：show→display
另外：what’s more→in addition
2.句式拓展
简单句变复合句
原句：First, as a common stationery supplies, notebook has high practicality and collection value, suitable as a souvenir of the school to present to teachers, students and alumni.
拓展句：First, as a common stationery supplies, notebook, which has high practicality and collection value is suitable as a souvenir of the school to present to teachers, students and alumni.
【点睛】[高分句型1] The souvenir I designed is a custom notebook that combines the historical elements of our school with modern design concepts. (运用了that引导的限制性定语从句)
[高分句型2] The cover of this notebook uses our school’s iconic architecture or landscape as a design theme, which is presented by hand or printed. (运用了which引导的非限制性定语从句)建平中学2023学年第二学期期中教学质量检测
高二英语试卷
说明：（1）本场考试时间为120分钟，总分150分；
（2）请认真答卷，并用规范文字书写。
I. Listening Comprehension
Section A
Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.
1. A. 9:00. B. 9:30. C. 10:00. D. 10:30.
2. A. At a restaurant. B. At a bank. C. At a gym. D. At a court.
3. A. His wife often complains about everything.
B. He didn’t want to cut his wife’s long hair.
C. His wife didn’t take his sensible advice.
D. He really likes his wife’s new hairstyle.
4. A. See a doctor about her strained shoulder.
B. Use a ladder to help her reach the tea.
C. Replace the cupboard with a new one.
D. Place the tea on a lower shelf next time.
5. A. He helped Doris build up the furniture.
B. Doris helped him arrange the furniture.
C. Doris fixed up some of the bookshelves.
D. He was good at assembling bookshelves.
6. A. Interviewer and interviewee. B. Doctor and patient.
C. Headmaster and chemistry teacher. D. Receptionist and hotel guest.
7. A. He did not attend today’s class either.
B. His notes are not easy to read.
C. Nobody has seen his handwriting before.
D. He is very pleased to offer help.
8. A. Jack’s father is a baseball fan.
B. It’s winter in New Zealand.
C. The match will be held in England.
D. The man wishes he could play baseball.
9. A. Both of them were late for school two weeks ago.
B. The man stayed up studying until the next morning.
C. The man broke up with the woman several days ago.
D. Their schedule was so tight that they studied in the morning.
10 A. He is anxious to find a cure for his high blood pressure.
B. He doesn’t think high blood pressure is a problem for him.
C. He did not take the symptoms of his illness seriously.
D. He was not aware of his illness until diagnosed with it.
Section B
Directions: In Section B, you will hear two short passages and one longer conversation, and you will be asked three questions on each of the passages. The passages will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one would be the best answer to the question you have heard.
Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage.
11. A. Travel books about sightseeing.
B. How to choose a travel agency.
C. Films about tourist places.
D. How to make travel arrangements.
12. A. They have a good index.
B. Their contents are totally objective.
C. They give an analysis or an interpretation.
D. They were written by established tourist guides.
13 A. Books that are easy to carry and easy to find.
B. Books that are published recently.
C. Books that are informative and easy to understand.
D. Books that include information about accommodations.
Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage.
14. A. They are entertaining. B. They are rewarding.
C. They are annoying. D. They are interesting.
15. A. By reading the script while watching videos.
B. By enjoying the PowerPoint presentations.
C. By watching them one by one.
D. By removing them into the bin.
16. A. Video ads waste people a lot of time.
B. There is much information in video ads.
C. It is enjoyable to watch video ads.
D. Video ads with scripts are more effective.
Questions 17 through 20 are based on the following conversation.
17. A. She has done a great job to get the award.
B. She owes the award to the diligent people around.
C. She thinks the award should go to the real hero.
D. She takes the award for granted.
18. A. A water shortage. B. A storm.
C. An earthquake. D. A drought.
19. A. They have already made great progress.
B. There is still a lot of work to do.
C. They have already done enough for their life.
D. There is only a step away from success.
20. A. Excited. B. Proud.
C. Uneasy. D. Frustrated.
II. Grammar and Vocabulary
Section A
Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
Free to soar
One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds darting and dancing in the heady atmosphere above the earth. As the strong winds gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check.
____1____ blowing away with the wind, the kites arose to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the restraining string and the awkward tail kept dragging them, ____2____(face)upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, “Let me go! I want to be free!” The kites soared beautifully____3____ they had to resist the imposed restriction of the string. Finally, one of them succeeded in ____4____（break）loose. “Free at last.” it seemed to say. “Free to fly with the wind.” Yet freedom from restraint simply put ____5____ under the control of an unsympathetic breeze. “Free at last” fluttered ungracefully to the ground and____6____(land) in a mash of wells with its string against a bead bush. It was free to lie powerless in the dirt, ____7____(blow) helplessly along the ground, and to stick lifeless against the first obstacle.
We may be reluctant to admit____8____ we are like kites sometimes. Life gives us adversity, restrictions and rules ____9____ we can grow and gain strength from. Restraint is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us tug at the rules so hard that we never soar to reach the heights we might have obtained. We keep part of the rules and never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.
Let us each rise to the great heights life has in store for us. Recognizing that some of the restraints that we_____10_____ be annoyed at are actually the steadying force that helps us ascend and achieve.
Section B
Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
A. accurately B. attaches C. displaying D. employed E. feedback F. foresaw G. guide H. increasingly I. map J. operating K. wonders
VR surgery
Richard Satava, a program manager for advanced medical technologies, has been a driving force bringing virtual reality to medicine, where computers create a “virtual” environment for surgeons.
“With virtual reality we’ll be able to put a surgeon in every trench(战壕),” said Satava. He ____11____ a time when soldiers who are wounded fighting overseas are put in mobile surgical units equipped with computers.
The computers would convey images of the soldiers to surgeons back in the U. S. The surgeons would look at the soldier through virtual reality helmets that contain a small screen ____12____ the image of the wound. The doctors would ____13____ robotic instruments in the battlefield mobile surgical unit that operate on the soldier.
Although Satava’s vision may be years away from standard ____14____ procedure, scientists are progressing toward virtual reality surgery. Engineers in California are developing a tele-operating device. As surgeons watch a 3D image of the surgery, they move instruments connected to a computer, which passes their movements to robotic instruments that perform the surgery. The computer provides ____15____ to the surgeon.
The technological ____16____ may not yet be part of the community hospital setting. However, with the passage of time, some of the machinery is ____17____ finding its way into civilian medicine. At Wayne State University Medical School, surgeon Lucia Zamorano takes images of the brain from computerized scans and uses a computer program to produce a 3D image. She can then move the 3D image on the computer screen to ____18____ the shortest and least invasive surgical path to the cancer. Zamorano is also using technology that ____19____ a needle to surgical instruments so that she can track their positions. While cutting away a cancer deep in the brain, she watches the movement of her surgical tools in a computer graphics image of the patient’s brain taken before surgery.
During these procedures surgeons are wearing 3D glasses for a better view. And they are commanding robot surgeons to cut away tissue more _____20_____ than human surgeons can.
Satava says, “We are in the midst of a fundamental change in the field of medicine.”
Ⅲ. Reading Comprehension
Section A
Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Italy’s one-euro-home sales have been attracting a lot of interest over the past few years. Some towns like Mussomeli in Sicily and Zungoli in Campania have managed to ____21____ abandoned properties to foreigners pursuing the Italian dream. However, some have ____22____ to sell their empty homes. Among them is Patrica, a remote village of barely 3,000 residents located south of Rome, where more than 40 properties deserted in the early 1900s have been left ____23____.
In an attempt to breathe new life into the dying village the town’s mayor Lucio Fiordaliso has been trying to ____24____ the success of other Italian villages who’ve put their empty homes up for sale for one euro, or just over a dollar. “The process is not ____25____. We first mapped out all abandoned houses and contacted the original owners to ask for permission. Only then can we place these properties up for sale with their ____26____, which makes the process very complicated.” However, the permission from one owner of the house sometimes is not enough for the sale of potential one euro homes. That is because most relatives sharing the same property often ____27____ one another for personal reasons or some hardly speak or know each other.
Another reason that the one euro plan never really started in Patrica could be due to the ____28____of its homes. Some of the houses are simply too neglected to sell, even if the owners were willing to agree to it. ____29____, Patric a local Gianni Valleco and his two brothers decided to place their parents’ abandoned home on the market to see what would happen. But they soon disappointedly found that the house was far from _____30_____.
In the meantime, Fiordalis o has been coming up with new ways to _____31_____ newcomers. He prompted several locals to entirely restyle their old family homes and put them to use after decades of neglect. “The mayor’s move finally gave us a good excuse to fully restore the property which had been sitting there _____32_____,” says the locals. The mayor also decided to start operating some commercial activities like an B&B or a restaurant or a shopping center.
“There is _____33_____, but then when many foreigners actually see the bad shape of the old homes they’d prefer to opt for turn-key apartments that are already restyled or in need of just _____34_____ fixes,” says Fiordaliso. “So it’s much more convenient to buy one of these newer ones than _____35_____ an old building in need of major reconstruction, where the final cost would end up being much higher.” Despite these challenges, Fiordalis o hasn’t given up on selling the town’s long forgotten homes.
21. A. assign B. restrict C. shift D. return
22. A. forgot B. emerged C. continued D. struggled
23. A. shaking B. shining C. decayed D. burnt
24. A. catch up with I B. make fun of C. pay attention to D. take pride in
25. A. optional B. rigid C. simple D. special
26. A. initiative B. budget C. approval D. determination
27. A. disagree with B. negotiate with C. text to D. cooperate with
28. A. location B. condition C. exhibition D. ownership
29. A. For example B. By contrast C. In fact D. On the contrary
30. A. sufficient B. desirable C. spacious D. enough
31. A. appeal to B. back up C. hold back D. count on
32. A. independently B. uselessly C. permanently D. purposefully
33. A. claim B. coverage C. audience D. interest
34. A. minor B. temporary C. urgent D. costly
35. A. build B. furnish C. rent D. grab
Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
A
Kate Hanselman’s home is a shrine to hobbies past and present. Fencing suit sits beside multiple pairs of rock-climbing shoes. “I find yarn everywhere because I love knitting, and I have a whole set of embroidery (刺绣) stuff,” she says. Plus: stacks of puzzles, her partner’s golf clubs, and equipment from his flying lessons. “Our house is like a full hobby station,” she says with a laugh.
Challenging, fun and engaging hobbies have the power to make us happier and healthier, says Hanselman, a nurse with the counseling practice Thriveworks. Such pursuits help us grow in creative, physical and intellectual ways, and can boost self-esteem. Plus, they often foster connection with others. Hobbies lead to better physical health, more sleep, lower stress, greater life satisfaction, a larger social network and improved work performance.
“Hobbies live in the pleasure world, not necessarily the mastery world,” Hanselman says. “We’re not trying to impress the board; we’re not going for a paycheck; there’s no additional motive. Hobbies are like dessert and as a baker myself, dessert is the most important part.”
That resonates with Chris Johnson, recreational woodworker, motorcyclist, gardener, cook and runner. He has accepted that he’ll never be a master surfer, but that doesn’t dampen his enjoyment of riding waves. And he’s so taken with beekeeping that his backyard is now home to 20,000 honeybees.
“I really love learning and figuring things out, and developing an understanding of how things tick,” says Johnson, of Carolina Beach, North Carolina. His hobbies tend to evolve out of curiosity, boredom or need. Take the bees: After moving into a new home with a barren yard, he was concerned about a lack of pollinators, so he planted a garden and became a beekeeper.
“If you derive joy from your hobby—it doesn’t matter if it’s a board game or beekeeping—I’m confident it will make you a better person in every aspect of your life,” he says.
36. Kate Hanselman’s home primarily features ________.
A. a focus on work-related equipment and tools
B. a collection of various hobbies and interests
C. an outlook on life and value from a novelty hunter
D. a showcase of precious artwork and decorations
37. What effects can engaging in challenging hobbies have on individuals
A. Higher social status and wider networks.
B. Enhanced physical and mental well-being.
C. Increased financial wealth and material possessions.
D. Improved cognitive abilities and increased intelligence.
38. Kate Hanselman intended the underlined sentence in paragraph 3 to ________.
A highlight the very purpose of hobbies is to bring pleasure
B. distinguish her from others by the understanding of hobbies
C. attach great importance to her passion for baking compared with other hobbies
D. convey the core of hobbies is to provide a sense of master y and accomplishment
39. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE
A. Both Hanselman and Johnson are enthusiasts of hobbies and long for recognition.
B. Hanselman is under great pressure from satisfying societal expectations and norms.
C. Johnson’s interests are likely to have stemmed from curiosity and practical needs.
D. Johnson is engaged in community service to gain financial stability and wealth.
B
Eyes in the sky Several space telescopes planned for Launch after the James Webb Space Telescope（JWST）promise to deliver incredible science. Here are three of the most important.
Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars （PLATO） Expected launch date: 2026 This European Space Agency project will search a million stars looking for blips in their light that indicate the presence of an orbiting planet. Similar kinds of previous telescopes have only been able to see planets that are close to their stars and so pass in front of them frequently. Plato will linger on each star for longer and so has the chance to detect planets that are more distant from their star, with a longer orbital period. In particular, the mission is focused on trying to spot signs of rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone, the narrow region of a star system in which temperatures are right for liquid water. It also has the tools to characterize such worlds, providing clues to how Earth-like they may be. Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Expected launch date: 2025 Like the James Webb Space Telescope, the Roman Space Telescope, named after the first female executive at NASA, will observe mainly infrared radiation. But while the JWST focuses on detail, Roman is going for the big picture. The telescope has a panoramic（全景的）field of view more than 100 times greater than the JWST’s. During its first five years, Roman will image more than 50 times as much sky as the Hubble Space Telescope covered in its first 30 years. That will allow it to make the first wide-field infrared maps of the sky. It is hoped this will help solve mysteries like the true identity of dark matter and dark energy. Astronomers can see the influence of these substances on the universe but have not been able to explain what they are. Laser Interferometer Space Antenna（LISA） Expected launch date: 2034 We first detected gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space, in 2015. So far, we have seen waves from black hole and neutron star collisions（碰撞）. LISA, a mission led by the European Space Agency, will be a much larger gravitational wave detector than existing ground-based ones. It will consist of three spacecraft positioned 2.5 million kilometres apart in a triangular formation. This space detector will be sensitive to gravitational waves with extremely low frequencies. Among other things, it could allow us to spot planets in other galaxies just from the subtle way in which they influence the gravitational waves produced by their parent stars. Until now, all confirmed discoveries of exoplanets have been in our own Milky Way galaxy.
40. What can we know about PLATO
A. It is designed to detect gravitational waves in the fabric of space.
B. It is aimed to look for planets that are closely orbiting their stars.
C. It is the first of its kind to be able to see blips in the stars’ light.
D. It observes each star for longer so as to detect more distant planets.
41. What are the differences between the Roman Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope
A. The Roman Space Telescope can observe infrared radiation while the JWST cannot.
B The Roman Space Telescope has a larger field of view compared to the JWST.
C. The James Webb Space Telescope make the first wide-field infrared maps of the sky.
D. The James Webb Space Telescope can image more than 50 times as much sky as the Roman.
42. What can we learn from the passage
A. All of the three space telescopes are being led by the European Space Agency.
B. With the help of LISA, we might be able to find planets outside of the Milky Way galaxy.
C. Getting wide-field infrared maps of the sky, scientists are sure to spot what dark matter and dark energy are.
D. Scientists have already confirmed the clues to the existence of all the exoplanets with the aid of gravitational waves.
C
Nvidia, the chipmaker giant, has experienced a surge in its share price, skyrocketing by almost 450% since January 2023. Currently valued at nearly $2 trillion, Nvidia stands as the third-most valuable firm in the United States, following closely behind Microsoft and Apple. Its recent quarterly revenue s rose to 22billionfrom6 billion in the same period the previous year. Analysts anticipate continued rapid growth for Nvidia, primarily driven by its dominance in the market for specialized AI chips, commanding over 95% of it. What makes its chips so special
Initially developed for gaming, Nvidia’s AI chips, also known as graphics processor units (GPUs) or “accelerators”, employ parallel processing, dividing computations into smaller tasks distributed across multiple cores within the chip. This parallel processing significantly enhances computational speed, crucial for exhibiting lifelike graphics in gaming applications.
Happily for Nvidia, its chips have found much wider uses: cryptocurrency mining, self-driving cars and, most important, training of AI models. The efficiency of Nvidia’s accelerators in training AI models led the company to focus on optimizing them for this purpose. With the ability to handle thousands of calculations simultaneously, Nvidia’s GPUs have evolved together with increasingly complex AI models, achieving a thousand-fold increase in computational speed over the past decade.
But Nvidia’s soaring valuation is not just because of faster chips. It excels in networking, facilitated by Mellanox’s high-performance network technology, which Nvidia acquired in 2019. This enables Nvidia to optimize its chip network’s performance, surpassing competitors’ capabilities. Nvidia’s other strength is CUDA, a software platform that allows customers to fine tune the performance of its processors. Nvidia has been investing in this software since the mid-2000s, and has long encouraged developers to use it to build and test AI applications. This has made CUDA the industry standard.
Nvidia’s juicy profit and the rapid growth of the AI accelerator market have attracted competitors. Amazon and Alphabet are crafting AI chips for their data centres. Other big chipmakers and startups also want a slice of Nvidia’s business. In December 2023 Advanced Micro Devices, another chipmaker, unveiled a chip that by some measures is roughly twice as powerful as Nvidia’s most advanced chip. But even building better hardware may not be enough. Nvidia dominates AI chipmaking because it offers the best chips, the best networking kit and the best software. Any competitor hoping to displace Nvidia will need to beat it in all three areas. That will be a tall order.
43. The passage is written to ________.
A. analyze the potential risks of the surge in Nvidia’s share price
B. explain the factors contributing to Nvidia’s rapid growth
C. compare Nvidia’s share price with other technology companics
D. discuss the impact of Nvidia’s chips on global technology trends
44. Which of the following statements about Nvidia’s GPUs is TRUE
A. They were initially developed for creating graphics.
B. They have been optimized for training automated vehicles.
C. They employ parallel processing to ensure high game picture quality.
D. They have widened the mining scope of cryptocurrency over the past decade.
45. According to the passage, ________ contributes to Nvidia’s strengths.
A. its personalized software platform CUDA
B. its potential for gaining a handsome profit
C. its acquisition of Mellanox’s network technology
D. its reliance on building better hardware than its competitors
46. What can be inferred from the last paragraph
A. Nvidia will continue to rule the AI chipmaking industry.
B. Amazon has strengthened its position in the market with Nvidia.
C. Some startups have already cooperated to build better hardware.
D. Advanced Micro Devices now owns the most powerful chip in the world.
Section C
Directions: Read the passage carefully. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.
A flexible patch could help people with voice disorders talk
The human voice, with its unique ability to attract audiences, express love and sometimes annoy neighbors, is a delibate thing. Doppler’s vocal cords can easily get damaged by stress, infections, or overuse. ____47____. According to a 2005 study, 30% of the population will experience a voice disorder at some point in their life.
Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a soft patch that attaches to the neck, detecting muscle movements and translating them into clear speech using machine-learning algorithms. Even though the device is still in the early stages, it could be a significant improvement over existing communication aids for those who have lost their voice. ____48____ More complex aids such as electrolarynxes, external devices held against the throat, or surgical options, can be invasive or require special training to use. This patch would theoretically be able to clean all the obstacles.
The patch works based on the magneto-elastic (磁弹性的) effect When magnetic nanoparticles are mixed into flexible materials like elastic or silicone, stretching the material can change its magnetic properties. Every time the material changes shape, the particles either rotate or move against each other, altering the material’s magnetic strength. The patch, with its copper coil border that creates a stable magnetic field, can precisely track these changes.
____49____ In a trial with eight participants, the researchers captured the signals as the subjects spoke and mouthed five different sentences (including: “Hope your experiments are going well!”, “Merry Christmas!” and “I love you!”). They then trained a machine-learning model to recognize the distinct patterns of the electrical signals associated with each sentence. This algorithm was then able to predict which of the five sentences the participants spoke — whether aloud or in silence — with more than 90% accuracy.
The patch is also designed to be user-friendly. It stays on even when the skin is sweaty and can be worn for 40 minutes without getting too warm.
However, there is more work to be done. For now the device can only recognize five pre-trained phrases. ____50____ To make it practical at scale, the researchers will need to collect a lot more data.
A. But the magnetization of the material holds great promise in the future.
B. Plus, individual differences in vocal-cords means the algorithm has to be personalized to each user.
C. When the throat muscles move under the patch, the changes in the magnetic field can also be turned into electrical signals.
D. Currently, people might resort to typing, texting, or writing, which can be slow or hard to read in poor light.
E. It is not just enthusiastic performers who risk damaging their voices.
F. In tests, the patch accurately recognized sentences spoken.
IV. Summary Writing
51. Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s)of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.
Around the world, music therapy is being used to treat different medical conditions and illnesses. Some of the ways people use music therapy are to reduce pain, such as in childbirth or during cancer treatments, or to stimulate brain activity after an injury or memory loss. Music therapy has also been successful in aiding children to overcome disabilities. Children can move their bodies with the music and stamp along to the beat.
Why is music a useful therapy Music is soothing and relaxing, but it also stimulates our brains. Emotionally and physically, we respond to the sounds of music. The complexity of music (the different tempos, rhythms, melodies and harmonies) provokes (激发) the biggest response. Thus, classical music is most typically used for therapies due to complex sounds and patterns. Although rap or hip-hop music might be fun to listen to, it’s unlikely that such styles of music would produce the same kind of therapeutic effect.
Music has been shown to reduce pain in cancer patients by increasing the release of endorphins (内啡肽). Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers, and when we listen to music, our brains respond by releasing these natural painkillers. Certain types of music have also been found to lower blood pressure and slow a person’s heart rate. Many people are hopeful that music could replace the need for some medications that are normally used to treat certain illnesses. At present, music therapy is used in a variety of settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres, nursing homes, day cares, and schools.
Although music therapy is not yet considered a mainstream treatment, it is recognized more and more as a useful addition to traditional treatment. So next time you are feeling low or stressed out, put on some relaxing music and let the music heal you.
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V. Translation
Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets
52. 假期临近，何不与三五好友一起去踏青 （why not）(汉译英)
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53. 出于对工作场所安全的担忧，工人们要求公司改善工作条件。（demand）(汉译英)
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54. 尤皮克人（the Yupik people）认为，教育是他们一开始就为孩子们做的，而学校教育是外界强加给他们的。（while）(汉译英)
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55. 这家百年老店重新焕发生机，通过网店让美味触手可及，不再只有附近居民才能品尝。（restrict）(汉译英)
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Ⅵ. Guided Writing
56. Directions: Write an English composition in about 150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
你是Li Ming，你的学校即将迎来八十周年校庆，学生会正在征集关于校庆周边纪念品设计的方案。请你写一封邮件给学生会提出你的想法，邮件必须包括：
1. 简单描述你设计的纪念品；
2. 说说这样设计理由。
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