2026 年真题

完形填空

Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)

Text

Most of us strive for self-respect — to see ourselves in a positive light, to be of who we are. Any comments or experiences that undermine those feelings of self-worth can be uncomfortable and it’s only to want to avoid them. But the thing is, your self-worth really is being undermined is, to a large degree, subjective. Much of it comes down to your of what someone said or did.

When you take things personally, you’re interpreting these situations as saying something significant and negative about you as a person. Say your boss picks holes in your sales report, and you come away feeling like this means she thinks you’re a member of staff. Or, two of your friends cancel your get-together at the pub and you interpret this as meaning they’re bored of you. Psychologists have a for this way of thinking: personalisation. But the is that your boss might view you very highly. It’s just you made some in the report and she wanted to point these out so that you do better next time. , in the case of your friends cancelling, perhaps they both felt unwell that weekend or they just their minds.

In both — and others that we all experience — there’s another at work that psychologists call mind reading. This is when you assume to know what other people are thinking about you, when you can’t really know without them directly.

One simple way to avoid personalisation and mind reading is to challenge your negative assumptions of what’s . When you find yourself taking a situation personally, try to think of other interpretations that are less focused on you — especially in the sense of saying anything deep or about you.

When you do this, it might help to try to put yourself in other people’s shoes. The fact your boss took the time to give you at all means they care enough to want to help you . When it comes to your friends — maybe it’s because your friendship is so that they felt able to cancel at late notice.

1
正确答案:C
【解析】 原文第一句指出“大多数人努力追求自尊,以积极的眼光看待自己”,因此空白处应填入表达积极自我感受的词语。选项C“proud”(自豪的)最符合语境,表示对自己感到自豪,与“积极的眼光”相呼应。选项A“afraid”(害怕的)和B“critical”(批判的)具有负面含义,与文意相反;选项D“tolerant”(容忍的)虽为中性,但不如“proud”直接体现自尊的积极内涵。
2
正确答案:B
【解析】 句子描述当自尊受到威胁时,人们想要避免这些不舒服的情况是合理的反应。“only” 在此处表示“仅仅是”或“很”,强调这种反应的普遍性。选项 B “natural”(自然的)符合上下文,因为避免痛苦或威胁是人类的本能,其他选项如 risky(有风险的)、admirable(令人钦佩的)或 foolish(愚蠢的)均与语境不符。
3
正确答案:A
【解析】 句子中空白处需要引导一个主语从句,即“_____ your self-worth really is being undermined”作为整个句子的主语。从句意来看,这里表达的是“你的自我价值是否真的被削弱”这一不确定的情况,且后文提到“这在很大程度上是主观的”,强调判断的主观性。因此,引导词应表示“是否”,选项A“whether”符合要求。选项B“where”(哪里)涉及地点,选项C“why”(为什么)涉及原因,选项D“how”(如何)涉及方式,均与语境不符。
4
正确答案:C
【解析】 原文此处意为“很大程度上,这取决于你对某人所说或所做的感知”,强调自我价值受主观理解影响。perception(感知、看法)准确体现了个人对他人言行的主观解读,与上下文主题一致;其他选项中,citation(引用)、imitation(模仿)和introduction(介绍)均无法表达此含义,故不适用。
5
正确答案:A
【解析】 在原文语境中,老板对销售报告“挑刺”(picks holes)意味着批评或指出不足,这容易让员工产生负面自我认知,即认为老板觉得自己能力差或表现不佳。选项A“poor”(差的)最能体现这种负面评价,与上下文中“undermine self-worth”(削弱自我价值)和“negative about you”(对你有负面看法)的逻辑一致;其他选项如B“loyal”(忠诚的)、C“creative”(有创造力的)为正面词汇,D“shy”(害羞的)虽可能负面但与工作表现关联较弱,均不符合语境。
6
正确答案:D
【解析】 原文描述朋友取消在酒吧的聚会,此处应填入一个形容词修饰“get-together”。选项A“sponsored”(赞助的)通常用于有资金支持的活动,与朋友聚会语境不符;B“crowded”(拥挤的)强调人多,但上下文未涉及聚会人数,且与朋友取消的原因无关;C“disputed”(有争议的)暗示存在分歧,但原文未提及任何争议;D“planned”(计划好的)最符合逻辑,因为聚会通常是事先安排的,后文提到“they just __ their minds”(他们改变了主意)也暗示聚会原已计划,因此选择D使句子通顺且贴合上下文。
7
正确答案:B
【解析】 原文中写道:“Psychologists have a ______ for this way of thinking: personalisation.” 这句话表明心理学家为这种思维方式(即个人化)提供了一个特定的名称。选项B“term”意为“术语”,准确表达了“personalisation”作为心理学专有名词的概念。其他选项中,“method”指方法,“design”指设计,“goal”指目标,均与语境不符。因此,选择B最符合文意。
8
正确答案:D
【解析】 在原文中,第8题所在的句子“But the 8 is that your boss might view you very highly.”与前文形成转折,前文描述了个人化思维可能导致负面假设(如认为老板批评报告意味着自己能力差),此处转折后应指出实际可能的情况。选项D“reality”意为“现实”,恰当地表达了客观事实与主观假设的对比,强调老板可能实际上很器重你。其他选项:A“evidence”(证据)与语境不符,此处并非提供证据;B“theory”(理论)与上下文讨论的实际情境无关;C“condition”(条件)无法准确表达“实际情况”的含义。因此,D为最佳选择。
9
正确答案:C
【解析】 原文描述老板对销售报告挑刺,指出问题以便下次改进。此处“made some ___”应指报告中犯的错误,选项C“mistakes”贴合语境;其他选项“complaints”(抱怨)、“choices”(选择)和“suggestions”(建议)均与文意不符,因老板意在指出错误而非其他内容。
10
正确答案:A
【解析】 第10题位于原文中解释朋友取消聚会可能原因之前。前一句描述了老板批评报告的正面意图,即老板可能很看重员工,只是指出错误以帮助改进。此处需要引入另一个类似情况的解释,即朋友取消聚会也可能有非个人化的原因(如生病或改变主意)。选项A“Similarly”意为“类似地”,用于连接两个平行的例子,表明朋友取消的情况与老板批评的情况相似,都提供了替代的、非负面的解释。其他选项:B“Relatively”(相对地)通常用于比较,不适合作为句首连接词;C“Accordingly”(因此)表示因果关系,但上下文并无明显因果;D“Contrarily”(相反地)表示对立,而这里两个例子是补充类似观点,并非对比关系。因此,A最符合逻辑。
11
正确答案:B
【解析】 在朋友取消聚会的语境中,空格处需填入一个与“their minds”搭配的动词,表达“改变主意”之意。“change one’s mind”是固定短语,意为“改变主意”,符合上下文逻辑,表示朋友可能因故改变计划。其他选项“opened their minds”(开阔思维)、“trained their minds”(训练思维)、“cleared their minds”(清醒头脑)均不贴合文意,故B为正确答案。
12
正确答案:D
【解析】 原文在空格12前描述了老板批评销售报告和朋友取消聚会两个具体情境,这些情境是作为论述“个人化”思维的例子出现的。空格12位于“In both 12 — and others that we all experience”中,其中“both”指代前文两个情境,因此空格应填入指代这些情境的词。选项D“examples”(例子)准确呼应了上下文,表示“在这两个例子中”。其他选项中,A“quotations”指引用的话语,B“experiments”指科学实验,C“questions”指问题,均与语境中描述的经历或情境不符。
13
正确答案:A
【解析】 根据上下文,第13题所在句子描述的是在多种情境中起作用的另一种心理机制,心理学家称之为“mind reading”。这里的“at work”暗示这是一种正在进行的心理活动或过程,而“process”一词恰当地表示这种持续的心理运作方式。其他选项中,“objective”(目标)、“outcome”(结果)和“background”(背景)均不符合语境,因为句子强调的是思维过程本身,而非目的、结果或背景信息。因此,A选项最贴合文意。
14
正确答案:D
【解析】 第14题所在的句子描述了“读心术”现象,即人们常假设自己知道他人的想法,但事实上,若不直接询问对方,就无法真正了解其想法。选项A“责备”、B“警告”、C“教导”都与获取他人想法的直接方式无关,而D“询问”符合语境,强调通过直接沟通来避免主观臆断。
15
正确答案:C
【解析】 空白处需填入一个动词短语,与“personalisation and mind reading”搭配,表示避免这些消极思维方式的发生。选项C“engaging in”意为“从事、参与”,符合语境,指避免陷入个人化和读心术的思维模式。其他选项中,A“arguing about”强调争论,B“accounting for”强调解释,D“interfering with”强调干扰,均与上下文“避免负面思维”的主题不符。
16
正确答案:A
【解析】 该句意为“避免个人化和读心术的一个简单方法是挑战你对所发生事情的负面假设”,其中“what’s _____”需要填入表示“发生”的词,以指代前文提及的具体事件或情境。选项A“happened”意为“发生的”,符合语境;其他选项B“continued”(继续)、C“returned”(返回)、D“disappeared”(消失)均无法准确表达“事件发生”的含义,与上下文逻辑不符。
17
正确答案:D
【解析】 在原文中,第17题所在的句子强调当人们把事情个人化时,应避免认为他人的言行在揭示关于自己的深刻或本质性内容。“deep"表示深刻的,与之并列的形容词应具有类似含义,指代触及个人核心或重要特质的事情。“fundamental"意为根本的、基础的,与"deep"在语境中形成合理并列,共同强调对个人本质的负面评价。其他选项中,“casual”(随意的)与"deep"意义相反;“obvious”(明显的)侧重表面显而易见,不涉及深度;“familiar”(熟悉的)与上下文无关。因此,D选项最符合文意。
18
正确答案:B
【解析】 根据上下文,老板花时间指出销售报告中的问题,这是一种提供反馈的行为,表明他们关心员工并希望帮助其改进。选项A“奖励”与批评情境不符;C“信任”和D“证明”均不贴合老板给出具体建议的语境,因此B“反馈”为正确答案。
19
正确答案:C
【解析】 在原文语境中,老板花费时间给予反馈(如第18题可能填入“feedback”或类似词),表明他们关心员工,目的是帮助员工提升或改进工作表现。“improve”意为“改进、提高”,符合职场反馈的常见目的,即促进进步。选项A“innovate”(创新)侧重于革新,B“concentrate”(集中)强调注意力,D“relax”(放松)与反馈的积极意图不符,因此C为最佳答案。
20
正确答案:B
【解析】 第20题的上下文是建议从积极角度重新解释朋友取消聚会的行为:也许是因为友谊非常牢固(strong),他们才感到可以在最后一刻取消而不担心影响关系。选项B“strong”表示牢固、可靠,符合语境中强调的安全感和自由度,暗示友谊足够坚实以承受临时变化。其他选项如“strange”(奇怪)带有负面含义,“vulnerable”(脆弱)与积极解释相悖,“valuable”(有价值)虽正面但更侧重重要性,不如“strong”贴切“felt able to cancel”所体现的舒适和自信。

阅读理解

Part A

Directions: Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)

Text 1

Ask people about public libraries and a certain image springs to mind: dusty, old-fashioned, the sort of place you enjoyed as a child but, rather like a British seaside town, would you go there now? And anyway—aren’t they all closing?

The reality is startlingly different, as I discovered when the culture department commissioned me to conduct an independent review of English public libraries, published yesterday. As I visited libraries up and down the country, I was surprised to learn there are more than twice the number of libraries (2,892) as there are branches of McDonald’s.

Enter any one of them and you will find a hive of activity, while books are, and should always be, at the heart of any library, a multitude of other services are offered: employment advice, language classes or digital access and support.

There are libraries with business and intellectual property centres, which can help business owners and entrepreneurs. Many have nurses on site to carry out basic health checks, with a link to the GP’s surgery, there are libraries where young people can borrow a Fifa-standard football free.

In return for all of this, you’ll be asked for precisely nothing. There will be no charge and you will never be asked to justify or explain yourself, you will simply be welcomed in, offered help if you need it, and left alone if you do not. There is no other institution, public or private, that can say the same.

Yet still our libraries are often overlooked and underappreciated. There is an overall decline in visits and many are struggling as local authorities come under continued financial pressure.

The number of libraries that have closed since 2010 is disputed. An annual survey by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy puts it at nearly 800 across the UK; official statistics held by the Arts Council record 230 in England. It is, of course, 230 libraries too many. So if we are to protect our libraries for future generations, we must raise awareness of them and the work they do.

The review recommends a national branding campaign to give libraries a stronger physical presence, the reintroduction of a scheme to enable members to use their card in any library in the country, and automatic memberships for children. If we don’t use them, we will end up losing them. And for those who haven’t been to a library for some time, they may be surprised by what they find.

21

What was the author commissioned to do about English public libraries?

正确答案:D
【解析】 原文中明确提到“the culture department commissioned me to conduct an independent review of English public libraries”,即作者受文化部门委托对英国公共图书馆进行独立审查。审查内容涉及图书馆的当前数量、服务多样性和运营现状,这直接对应“调查当前状况”的选项D。其他选项如A(记录传统)、B(制定扩张计划)和C(获取读者意见)均未在原文中体现为委托目的。
22

According to Para.3&4, the author finds that libraries _______.

正确答案:C
【解析】 原文第3段和第4段详细描述了图书馆除了提供书籍外,还开展多种服务,如就业建议、语言课程、数字支持、商业和知识产权中心、健康检查以及免费借阅足球等。这些内容表明图书馆的功能已多样化,不再局限于传统借书服务,因此选项C“perform diversified functions”(执行多样化的功能)最符合文意。选项A强调藏书,但文中仅指出书籍是核心,并非重点描述;选项B和D在文中未提及。
23

It is implied in Para. 5 that libraries should ________.

正确答案:A
【解析】 第五段指出图书馆常被忽视和低估,访问量总体下降,且因财政压力而挣扎,这暗示图书馆现状堪忧,需要更多关注和支持以改善困境。选项A“被给予更多关注”与此隐含的呼吁相符;选项B“实施更严格的访问限制”与鼓励访问的意图相反;选项C“与私人机构合作”和选项D“升级设备”均未在段落中提及。因此,正确答案为A。
24

The statistics mentioned in P6 show ________.

正确答案:A
【解析】 第六段(P6)明确指出图书馆访问量整体下降,且许多图书馆因地方政府持续财政压力而挣扎,这直接反映了图书馆面临的危机。第七段进一步用具体统计数据(如近800家或230家图书馆关闭)强化了这一危机,表明图书馆正经历关闭和生存挑战。这些数据未体现进步、贡献或内部缺陷,而是聚焦于外部压力导致的危机,因此选项A正确。
25

Which of the following is suggested for libraries in the last paragraph?

正确答案:C
【解析】 最后一段中,审查报告建议了三项措施:全国品牌宣传活动、重新引入允许会员在全国任何图书馆使用借书卡的计划,以及为儿童提供自动会员资格。这些建议的核心目标是提升图书馆的可见性和用户体验,其中跨图书馆使用卡和自动会员资格直接增强了用户便利性,使访问和使用图书馆更加便捷。选项A“邀请公众反馈”、B“寻求足够的资金”和D“提供终身会员资格”在最后一段中均未提及,因此C“提高用户便利性”是正确答案。

Text 2

According to our research, around one in five workers in the UK talk to AI like a friend, looking for guidance on personal and professional problems. Our data shows that engaging with AI like this can leave us feeling heard and less isolated. But, with this newfound connection, many of us share sensitive, sometimes highly confidential information, even though over a third of people don’t realise that AI platforms may not be very good at keeping our secrets…

For business, the implications are worrying. Consider Microsoft Copilot, for example. It gains Microsoft broad rights to the data inputted or outputted by any user – rights to use this data in any way it sees fit; it can even share it with third parties. This means that any way it sees fit, it can even share it with third parties. This means that any sensitive business information could potentially be exposed to the world. Employers are taking note and taking action. According to our research, 25% have decided to either outright ban AI or regulate its use within their organisations. But even with these policies in place, some employees choose to break the rules. They have their reasons – around 63% of them report that using AI increases their productivity, and some even feel AI offers more help than their human colleagues.

The situation presents a delicate balance between leveraging AI for its productivity gains and risking confidential data exposure. Employers need to manage AI tools with the same level of care as any other form of data sharing or storage. There’s also a knowledge gap that needs to be addressed — 40% of individuals surveyed are unsure about who retains ownership over the content produced by AI. By instilling best practices in AI engagement and creating policies that evolve with the technology, business can positively shift the AI landscape.

With AI’s potential to simplify our professional lives, do the admin and enhance the work experience. It’s up to us to navigate its usage cautiously so it supports us without compromising our privacy. There’s no need to back away from progress, as long as we’re equipped with the knowledge and tools to make sure AI remains a friend. And this is where the challenge lies. There are so many products out there, being promoted with huge advertising and marketing budgets, that it’s easy to fall victim. But by building a culture of digital responsibility within our business, we can create a future where AI can help us without spilling the beans.

26

According to Paragraph 1, workers’ engagement with AI can ________.

正确答案:B
【解析】 第一段明确指出,员工以朋友方式与AI互动,能让他们“感到被倾听和不那么孤立”(feeling heard and less isolated),这直接体现了情感支持,而非其他选项所提到的职业进步、维持动机或改善职场沟通。因此,选项B正确。
27

Microsoft Copilot is cited to show that the use of AI may ________.

正确答案:A
【解析】 在原文中,作者引用Microsoft Copilot作为例子,旨在说明AI平台可能获得用户输入或输出数据的广泛使用权,甚至可以将数据分享给第三方,这可能导致敏感商业信息泄露,从而对企业构成潜在威胁。选项A“对业务构成威胁”准确反映了这一担忧;而选项B“生成不必要的数据”、C“促进商业合作”和D“鼓励信息共享”均与原文中该例子的核心意图不符。
28

Some employees choose to break the rules on AI due to ________.

正确答案:C
【解析】 根据原文,员工选择违反AI使用规则的原因在于AI对其工作的重要作用。原文明确指出:“around 63% of them report that using AI increases their productivity, and some even feel AI offers more help than their human colleagues。” 这直接表明员工因AI提升生产力并提供更多帮助而依赖它,从而在工作中的角色显著,因此选项C“its significant role in their work”正确。其他选项如A(易于访问AI产品)、B(希望保持信息灵通)和D(需要与他人竞争)在原文中均未提及作为员工打破规则的原因。
29

To positively shift the AI landscape, businesses should ________.

正确答案:D
【解析】 根据原文,企业要积极地改变AI格局,需要“instilling best practices in AI engagement and creating policies that evolve with the technology”,即通过灌输AI参与的最佳实践并创建随技术发展的政策来实现。这直接对应选项D“adjust their management to AI development”(调整管理以适应AI发展)。其他选项在原文中未被强调:A项“增加数据来源的透明度”未提及;B项“优先考虑AI生成内容的质量”与文中关注的隐私、安全主题无关;C项“在规则中包含员工视角”虽涉及员工使用AI的原因,但并非原文中推动AI格局转变的核心措施。
30

According to the last paragraph, we may easily fall victim to AI as we ________.

正确答案:D
【解析】 最后一段明确指出,市场上存在大量AI产品,它们通过巨额的广告和营销预算进行推广,这使人们容易成为受害者。选项D“are excessively exposed to it”(过度暴露于它)正对应了这一描述,即人们因频繁接触这些推广活动而可能轻信或误用AI产品。其他选项(如对AI理解有限、低估经济成本或过度强调其力量)在段落中均未提及,因此不符合文意。

Text 3

Since the 2008 launch of the high-speed rail network between Rome and Milan, trains have become the preferred means of travel across Italy for locals and tourists alike. Fast trains can cover the 500km between the two cities in three hours. The network also connects Naples, Bologna, Florence and Turin. In many cases, it is the best option — in terms of travel time and cost — for both leisure and business travellers.

This is why the recent severe delays caused by numerous maintenance works have thrown the rail industry into chaos at a time when most people head on holiday, which matters for business in a country where tourism accounts for 10 percent of GDP.

Disruptions have become increasingly frequent with train delays now a fixture in Italian media coverage. Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, the publicly controlled group that owns train operator Trenitalia and the national train network RFI, said 23 percent of all high-speed trains it operated were late in 2023.

The huge improvements in Italy’s obsolete infrastructure partly explained the disruption, said Ferrovie. RFI, the network operator, is the single largest European recovery fund beneficiary with planned investments of €24bn by 2026. Ferrovie will invest a total of €124bn in infrastructure over the next 10 years.

But lack of capacity is another problem. Transport economist Andrea Giuricin said the planned investments would bring improvements but disruptions in the meantime were inevitable. “We have a mixed system, there is no spare capacity and as soon as there’s a hiccup on the line, the situation becomes highly complex,” he said. A mixed system means that high-speed trains must travel on the regular tracks on certain routes or when passing through large cities. If there’s congestion or, for example, a local train breaks down, the entire high-speed network is affected.

One of the most important changes the upgrades will bring is the segregation of the high-speed line from the regular one in certain urban centres through the construction of underground rail links.

Improvements will also come from the high-density technology and satellite signalling that RFI has been investing in for years, say experts. It will allow for a reduction of the distance between high-speed trains travelling on the same line at any given time, which should mean a significant increase in capacity and traffic fluidity, according to Giuricin.

31

According to the first two paragraphs, the high-speed rail network in Italy ________.

正确答案:B
【解析】 第一段明确指出,自2008年高速铁路网络开通以来,它已成为意大利本地人和游客首选的旅行方式,并在许多情况下是旅行时间和成本方面的最佳选择,这直接支持了高速铁路是受欢迎的旅行选项。第二段提到维护工作导致延误,但并未否定其受欢迎程度,而是强调延误带来的问题,进一步印证了高速铁路的重要性。选项A与原文“首选”矛盾;选项C与“本地人首选”不符;选项D与第二段提及维护引发混乱相悖。因此,正确答案为B。
32

Ferrovie is quoted in Paragraph 3 to show ________.

正确答案:A
【解析】 在第三段中,作者首先指出列车延误在意大利媒体中已成为常态,随后引用Ferrovie的具体数据(23%的高速列车在2023年晚点)来佐证延误现象的普遍性,因此该引用旨在说明列车延误的常见发生。
33

Which of the following is one cause of the disruptions in the network?

正确答案:C
【解析】 根据原文第五段,运输经济学家Andrea Giuricin明确指出“lack of capacity is another problem”,并解释由于系统是混合的且没有备用容量,一旦线路出现小问题,整个高速网络就会受到严重影响。这直接对应选项C“其有限容量”。其他选项中,A“复杂列车时刻表”原文未提及;B“投资短缺”与原文第四段所述的大规模投资计划矛盾;D“其巨大规模”未在文中作为中断原因出现。因此,C是正确选项。
34

It can be learned that the mixed system ________.

正确答案:D
【解析】 根据原文,交通经济学家Andrea Giuricin指出,意大利铁路采用混合系统,即高速列车在某些路线或经过大城市时必须使用常规轨道。这种系统导致铁路网缺乏备用容量,一旦常规轨道出现拥堵或故障(如当地列车故障),整个高速网络都会受到严重影响,陷入困境。选项D“使高速网络陷入困境”准确概括了这一负面影响;而其他选项(如提供广泛路线选择、需要额外支出或提高舒适度)在原文中均未提及或与描述不符。
35

Improvements to the Italian train network will include ________.

正确答案:B
【解析】 根据原文第七段,RFI投资的高密度技术和卫星信号系统将允许在同一线路上行驶的高速列车之间的间隔距离缩短(“a reduction of the distance between high-speed trains”),从而提高容量和交通流动性。这直接对应选项B中的“shortening high-speed train intervals”。其他选项在原文中未明确提及:A项重建常规线路未涉及;C项在城市中心建设更多车站,原文只提到建设地下铁路连接以分离线路;D项提升高速列车安全性未在改进措施中讨论。

Text 4

In 2023, Chicago lost one of its most beloved street festivals. The Silver Room Block Party, staged by Hyde Park community leader Eric Williams, announced it would not return in 2024. What began as a small neighborhood gathering blossomed into a massive cultural event welcoming tens of thousands of people each year over nearly two decades before abruptly shutting down.

Williams pointed to rising production costs and declining attendee donations as primary reasons the Silver Room Block Party could not continue, highlighting a reality that all street festival organizers face right now. The cost of producing a street festival in Chicago has skyrocketed. Security, entertainment, portable restrooms, insurance and even basics such as fencing and staffing have all become significantly more expensive. At the same time, donations at festival gates have dropped dramatically.

Chicago’s summer festivals are about more than just entertainment; they are economic engines that directly benefit the neighborhoods they’re in and the city of Chicago as whole. Street festivals drive foot traffic to local businesses and foster the kind of cultural vibrancy that makes our city special.

We often hear people ask why we solicit donations at our entry points, especially when the city’s largest festivals like the Chicago Jazz Festival do not request donations. The fact is, unlike those large, city-produced music festivals, your neighborhood street festivals receive no city funding and rely on a combination of sponsorships, vendor fees and gate donations to cover their costs.

Wicker Park Fest has long been one of Chicago’s most anticipated summer festivals, drawing upward of 70,000 attendees for a full weekend of live indie music, local art, small business vendors and, most importantly, community connection. In 2024, Wicker Park Fest saw record-breaking attendance. Despite the turnout, gate donations reached their lowest point in our history. This year, we’ve been forced to scale back the footprint of the fest. We are eliminating a stage, booking fewer performers and making additional cuts to reduce our costs, all while striving to keep the festival as vibrant as ever, as supportive of local artists and businesses, and as true to Wicker Park’s unique spirit and reputation as festgoers have come to expect.

This summer, as you enjoy your favorite neighborhood street festival, I hope you’ll remember that they exist because of community support. A thriving summer festival season doesn’t happen by accident; it happens when we all chip in.

36

It can be learned from Paragraph 1 that the Silver Room Block Party ________.

正确答案:D
【解析】 第一段指出,Silver Room Block Party 从一个小型邻里聚会发展成每年吸引数万人的大型文化活动,并被称为芝加哥最受喜爱的街头节日之一,这直接体现了它作为一个有吸引力的文化聚会的特征。选项A(被其他节日取代)、B(获得国际声誉)和C(在不同社区举办)在第一段中均未提及。
37

One reality street festival organizers face is that ________.

正确答案:C
【解析】 原文中明确指出,街头节组织者面临的主要现实是制作成本飙升和门捐下降导致的财务困境。例如,Silver Room Block Party因成本上升和捐款减少而停办;Wicker Park Fest尽管出席人数破纪录,但门捐跌至历史最低,被迫缩减规模、削减舞台和表演者以降低成本。这些均体现了组织者必须应对财务困难,而其他选项如捐款使用不当、设施不足或加强安全措施,在原文中未作为核心问题强调。
38

According to Paragraphs 3 and 4, Chicago’s street festivals ________.

正确答案:C
【解析】 根据第三段,芝加哥的街头节日被描述为“经济引擎”,能直接惠及所在社区和整个城市,并带动当地商业的人流,这表明它们对当地经济有积极贡献。第四段虽然主要讨论节日的资金来源(非政府资助),但并未否定其经济作用,反而通过对比强调了社区节日的独特性。选项A(缓解城市生活方式)在文中未提及;选项B(政府资助)与第四段“没有城市资金”相矛盾;选项D(以音乐表演闻名)并非第三、四段的重点,这些段落更强调经济和文化影响而非具体表演内容。因此,选项C正确反映了文意。
39

It is implied that the organizers of Wicker Park Fest have to ________.

正确答案:B
【解析】 原文明确指出,Wicker Park Fest 因门捐减少而被迫削减成本,具体措施包括“eliminating a stage, booking fewer performers”,这直接暗示组织者必须减少表演数量。选项 A 依赖业余艺术家参与、选项 C 放弃最突出特点、选项 D 与大企业合作,均未在文中被暗示或提及。
40

The author holds that the future of street festivals depends on ________.

正确答案:B
【解析】 作者在文中明确指出街头节日面临的主要挑战是生产成本上升而参与者的捐款下降,并以Silver Room Block Party和Wicker Park Fest为例,强调这些节日依赖社区支持来维持运营。结尾段落直接呼吁参与者贡献支持,表明节日的未来取决于参与者的慷慨捐款。因此,作者认为街头节日的未来依赖于参与者的慷慨,而非活动多样性、社区声誉或支出管理。

Part B

Directions: Read the following text and answer the questions by choosing the most suitable subheading from the list A–G for each numbered paragraph (41–45). There are two extra subheadings which you do not need to use. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)

41-45

In an effort to support restoration programmes, specialists are developing supplies of seeds and seedlings, maintaining gene banks and sequencing the genomes of indigenous trees and other crops. Their work deals with one of the problems that could block major restoration efforts in different parts of the world.

“Where’s the planting material going to come from? That’s one big bottleneck,” says genetic-resources specialist Ramni Jannadass.

Asia is arguably the region most neglected by global efforts to increase diversity in restoration and to study native species.

Christopher Kettle, Bioversity International’s director for forest genetic resources and restoration in Rome, says that the need for infrastructure—things such as mechanisms for collecting and storing seeds, and nurseries to raise seedlings—is acute here. Many Asian countries lack the systems to source, store and distribute native seeds at scale, which limits the success of restoration projects.

For example, in parts of Southeast Asia, restoration initiatives often rely on a narrow range of fast-growing tree species, rather than the diverse native species that would support local ecosystems. This is partly because native seeds are hard to obtain: there are few community-led seed collection groups, and national seed centres often focus on commercial tree species rather than those suited to ecological restoration.

In Africa, the challenges are different but no less severe. While some countries have established community seed banks, many lack the funding to maintain them or train staff. NGOs often step in to provide free seeds to farmers, but this can discourage the growth of local commercial seed suppliers—making the system less sustainable in the long term.

Latin America, by contrast, has seen more collaboration between governments, NGOs and private companies. In countries like Brazil, partnerships between seed producers and restoration groups have helped to scale up the supply of native seeds. However, even here, genetic diversity remains a concern: many restoration projects use seeds from a small number of sources, which can reduce the resilience of restored ecosystems.

Overall, specialists agree that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What works in Latin America may not suit Asia or Africa. The key, they say, is to build local capacity: training communities to collect and store seeds, supporting small-scale nurseries, and creating policies that value genetic diversity in restoration efforts. Only then can the bottleneck of planting material be truly addressed.

  1. ______ Ramni Jannadass
  2. ______ Christopher Kettle
  3. ______ John Stanturf
  4. ______ Pedro Brancalion
  5. ______ Robin Chazdon

[A] People must pay attention to the fact that some kinds of trees do not produce seeds annually.
[B] Soil is an important element to be taken into account in forest restoration.
[C] The purpose of restoration efforts may be different from the real needs of the people involved.
[D] Human factors, as well as trees planted, should be emphasized in forest restoration.
[E] The supply of seeds is a tough problem that has to be dealt with.
[F] When it comes to restoration, we have to stay with an awareness of whose interests to serve.
[G] Some creatures in the forest that multiply fear can become a great threat to forest restoration.

Part C

Directions: Translate the following text into Chinese. Write your translation on the ANSWER SHEET. (15 points)

46

The influence of wearables on psychology refers to how the clothes we wear affect our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Clothing is not just about covering our bodies; it plays a significant role in shaping our self-perception and interactions with others.

One aspect of this influence is self-expression. The clothes we choose can reflect our personality, mood, and identity. Whether we opt for bold, colorful outfits or prefer more understated styles, our dress choices convey messages about who we are and how we want to be perceived.

Additionally, clothing can impact our confidence levels. When we wear clothes that make us feel comfortable and confident, it can positively affect our self-esteem and overall mood.

Moreover, cultural and societal influences play a significant role in shaping our dress choices. Different cultures have their norms and expectations regarding dress, which can influence the types of clothing people wear and the meanings attributed to them.

写作

Part A

47

Directions: Suppose your friend Jack has shared with you a video of his family’s travel in China. Write an email to tell him

(1) how you feel about the video, and
(2) your wish to learn more about their travel.

Write your answer in about 100 words on the ANSWER SHEET.

Do not use your own name in your email; Use “Li Ming” instead. (10 points)

Part B

48

Directions: Write an essay based on the chart below. In your essay, you should

  1. describe and interpret the chart, and
  2. give your comments.

You answer in about 150 words on the ANSWER SHEET. (15 points)

这张图片是一张柱状图,展示了某项关于儿童户外活动看法的调查结果。图表中有四个蓝色的柱子,分别代表四种不同的观点及其所占的百分比:

满足好奇心:占比54.6%,是调查中占比最高的选项。 促进观察力:占比54.5%,与“满足好奇心”非常接近,位居第二。 强身健体:占比37.2%,位列第三。 增强亲子互动:占比33.2%,为四个选项中最低。