第二部分 阅读理解(共两节，满分50分)
From unexpected colour to making clever environmental choices, Joanna Plant, an interiors specialist and tastemaker, shares her design intentions for the year ahead.
·What is your New Year design resolution?
I'd like to get out and look at things. The aim is to visit lots of houses and gardens for inspiration and see more exhibitions abroad. I love a house tour and try to find somewhere to go and look about whenever I travel outside London or abroad. I really appreciate seeing things first-hand these days.
·What was a highlight of 2023?
Selling my house of 22 years and having the improvement of a new property — very exciting to be doing a project for myself! What's fantastic is to work with suppliers who have amazing collections to discover and those who allow us to change the colours or make changes to existing designs.
·What design ideas do you have that you hope to bring to fruition?
Happily, clients seem to be more responsive to having bolder paint plans and using more colours. We have been asking them to see how layering pattern can make a room more quiet and relaxing. I think that we are making our rooms look very nice by using a lot of decorative trims and accessories.
It was meant to connect us, make us smarter and our lives easier. And it has. But there's at least one comer of life where the Internet has made things so much more difficult: gift giving.
Once upon a time, if you were struggling to find a present for a loved one, there were easy options to fall back on-DVDs, CDs, video games and other physical media. This wasn't even that long ago, but now it's been snatched from our grasp by the Internet offering us the chance, at a relatively low cost, to watch, listen to or read whatever we want, whenever we want. With everything already watched, listened to, or read, buying a present has become near impossible.
Therefore, we all have to work at becoming perfect gift givers, taking all factors into consideration and searching high and low to seek out the ideal present. If we go the extra mile, there's less chance that the person we have in mind has already bought what we're considering online.
But as I now consider this exact plan of action, I'm thinking perhaps it's not all that bad. Maybe the Internet is delivering us a lesson, firm but fair: the era of half-baked present purchasing is over and it's time to go hard or go home.
In this era of immediate satisfaction, if you want to give someone a useful present, you do have to actually go to the effort of sourcing something nice for them. Perhaps that's making for a more rewarding gift experience for all involved. And perhaps it also means fewer gifts that are given as an excuse and end up being unused.
Growing up on a farm, Tori James spent much of her early years outdoors, building shelters and playing in muddy streams. She describes herself as an ambitious, adventurous child who went to bed reading the survival guides that lived on her bedside table. Even so, James says she could never have predicted that, one day, she might be the youngest British woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Today, James is a professional adventurer. Yet ahead of her first expedition at the age of 18, which she spent mapping the cracks of Iceland's Vatnajökull glacier with the British Exploring Society, James recalls doubting her ability to last a month out in the cold without the comfort of a hot bath. "It's only by stepping out of our comfort zone that we understand our true potential,"she explains. "That's when the magic happens."
Although James has spent a significant part of her life exploring some of the most remote landscapes in the world, when it comes to traveling, she believes that there are numerous ways for everyone to push their boundaries, other than by undertaking physical challenges. James also encourages would-be adventurers not to be put off by the stereotypical image of the rugged, hardy explorer. "I am such a believer that, with the right support and skills, everyone can bring something to an expedition," she says.
Sometimes, she adds, it's only out in the field that someone's hidden talents emerge. A diverse team can be key to a successful trip, particularly given the role of exploration in today's world. "Historically, exploration has been about people finding nature's hardest obstacles and trying to either overcome them, or beat them," says James. "But now, for me at least, exploration is about connecting, not conquering. It's about our connection to the living world around us, it's about sharing its importance once we've returned and it's about figuring out how to do adventure sustainably."
The polar research vessel (船舰) RRS Sir David Attenborough, which will always be thought of by some as Boaty McBoatface, is currently on an Antarctic task to find out how sea ice influences the cycle of nutrients and carbon in the world's oceans.
The 12 researchers on board are using autonomous underwater vehicles to explore huge areas of free-floating sea ice. This will help us better understand how climate change is impacting organisms from microscopic plankton (浮游生物) to penguins and orcas. .
Last week, the vessel collected samples from around the A23a mega iceberg (a scientific term) . The largest iceberg in existence is almost 4, 000 sq km, equal to an area twice the size of Greater London, weighing close to a trillion metric tonnes and towering up to 1, 312 feet above the sea.
It originally broke away from a main ice shelf connected to Antarctica in 1986, but had remained stuck against the seabed ever since. Until last month. Now, A23a is drifting into the Southern Ocean.
Of course, one iceberg floating into warmer waters and melting is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the climate crisis. At COP28, billions and billions were promised to fund global I climate solutions, especially in developing nations. More than 130 countries agreed to deal with emissions in agriculture, with 118 promising to triple renewables too.
But more needs to be done. Forget the A23a iceberg being a threat to shipping, it's a sign we may be all sunk.
第二节(共5小题;每小题2. 5分，满分12. 5分)
Mindful weight loss is an approach to losing weight that emphasis being aware of your physical and emotional state about food choices. Research shows that mindful eating can help people reach their target weight more effectively and sustainably than dieting alone. It involves developing a deeper understanding of hunger, cravings (渴望) and emotions related to food, as well as learning to better listen to the body's need.
The practice of mindful eating starts with paying attention to what you are feeling rather than focusing on restricting calones or avoiding certain foods together. You may be asked questions such as "How hungry am I" or "What am I really craving?" that help you focus on what your body is telling you. This helps you better enjoy your food and stay satisfied longer.
A key component of mindful weight loss is researching healthy foods, understanding portions, and learning about nutrition labels. Keeping track of meals and snacks through journaling for a few weeks can be helpful in getting an idea of what foods are triggering cravings or leading to overeating.
Such feelings can be guilt, stress, boredom or loneliness. Being mindful of emotions can help identify triggers for eating and help create healthier habits.
Mindfulness helps to stay strong in the face of cravings and urges by recognizing them as a part of the weight loss journey and staying focused on reaching goals. Practicing regular mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing, yoga or mediation will also help build weight loss over time. With consistent effort, mindful weight loss can lead to improved physical health, mental wellness and overall balance in life.
A. The practice of mindful eating promotes overall health.
B. Becoming aware of mindful weight can help you get there.
C. Therefore, you can make informed decisions about what to eat.
D. Mindful weight loss also includes being aware of emotions related to food.
E. With this knowledge, you can change lifestyle for long-term weight loss success.
F. Mindful weight is a journey towards health, not just a focus on a specific weight.
G. You can also practice mindful eating by experiencing taste, texture, and emotions.
第三部分 语言知识运用(共两节，满分30分)
For as long as I can remember I've been making art. That meant spending hours at the kitchen table, as a child, drawing women in beautiful gowns and dogs wearing clothes eating in fancy restaurants. Because I was encouraged and praised, I 1 that talent.
In college-thinking that I was going to 2 education-I had an amazing professor in an elective drawing class who encouraged me to 3 my major to fine art. As someone easily influenced by praise, I took her advice and got my 4 in painting and drawing.
Even before I graduated, I had begun showing my art in any 5 that I could. I started out in small coffee shops and farmers markets; it was a perfect way to discover my style and 6 art lovers. 7 , I began showing at galleries and in larger art shows. It was at one of these shows that I met my art publisher, with whom I 8 working for five years.
The art publishing world was a great way to get my work in front of wide 9 , selling at stores like Target and Home Goods. It was also at this time that a number of my paintings were used in feature films. 10 my art on the big screen was definitely one of the most 11 moments of my career.
I sometimes wonder what other visual artists do when they're feeling burnt out and 12 with their craft. I feel so lucky to have writing to turn to when the well of my visual creativity runs 13 . Visual arts and writing are different enough that they don't feel like they draw from the same 14 of creative inspiration.
People always tell artists to ‘find their own voice'. While I do agree with this, I don't know if it's something you can just go out and find. To me, it's important that your voice 15 you.
第二节(共10小题;每小题1. 5分，满分15分)
In the mid-19th century the world (destroy) by cholera, a disease that killed thousands. In London, the epidemic (流行病) was particularly severe, with bodies piling up and fear running wild. In this chaos, a man name d John Snow rose (challenge) the invisible enemy.
John Snow, medical doctor, had a keen interest in finding the source of cholera. He was not convinced by the then-common belief cholera was spread through bad air. His suspicions were aroused he noticed that most cases were concentrated around a single water pump in Soho. He investigated deeper, mapping the pumps and (associate) them with cholera cases.
With detailed observation and courageous experimentation, John Snow identified the polluted water the "criminal" behind the epidemic. He convinced authorities to remove the handle of the pump, (effective) stopping the spread of cholera. His actions saved (count) lives and marked a significant turning point in public health history.
John Snow's lasting impact serves as a (remind) of the strength of observation, logical reasoning, and decisive action in the face of challenges.
第四部分 写作(共两节，满分40分)
1. 活动介绍：2、征集要求：
3. 鼓励参与。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80个左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dion was having a running race. This race would stretch in six stages over seven days and cover almost 155 miles. Gobi, a little she-dog happened to join him. It was their third day.
The sky was clear, the weather was warm: the ground was firm beneath Gobi's feet. From time to time, Dion would look over at her and smile. The warmth of that smile was even brighter than the sun beating down on them, but in a good way. It filled Gobi up.
As they progressed, a broad river popped into their sight, lying right in front. Dion had no idea how deep it was, but the race markers led right across, so he had to assume he'd be able to make it across as well.
Taking a deep breath, he took a careful step into the water. It was surprisingly cold considering how warm the day was, and he sank down up to his waist, but that was it. At least the riverbed seemed solid. He could make his way across; he just had to go slowly. One wrong step and he'd get completely wet. Plus, he could hurt himself since he couldn't see where he was putting his feet. This was going to take a while.
Gobi watched as the man jumped into the water. She wagged her tail, but he didn't look her way. He was clearly busy concentrating. She sat down just before the water and watched. Surely, he would turn around and notice that she wasn't with him. But several minutes passed, and he got farther and farther away. Finally, Gobi couldn't take it any longer. She began anxiously running up and down the riverbank. Was the man going to leave her?
At the sound of her bark, Dion stopped. He always made a point of facing forward, always forward, during a race. But this time he did glance back. Gobi was sitting at the river's edge, barking fiercely. There was no way the little dog could cross that on her own. These days, he'd fed her, given her water, and named her. He had to admit that he liked having her with him. She lifted his spirits.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: Right now, listening to her barking as he left her behind nearly broke his heart.
Paragraph 2: This became tougher for Dion to cross the broad river.
