16．
　　People have treasured gold for thousands of years. What makes gold so expensive? There are some important reasons.
　　First, it is very (1)      . It can be made into thin sheets without cracks (裂痕). These sheets can (2)       decorate artworks or buildings. Second, it has an attractive yellow color and reflects light well, so it's a perfect material for jewelry. Third, it keeps its (3)       and color for a long time, which means that gold objects can pass from generation to generation and become more expensive over time. Fourth, (4)       can pass through gold very well, so we can often find gold inside some electrical appliances.

17．
　　In addition, the price of gold depends on the fact that it is rare. Gold (1)       in many places throughout the world, but it is not easy to find. People (2)       have to work very hard to get even tiny amounts of the precious metal. Since people want to get more, the price of gold is always increasing.
　　Finally, gold is expensive because people think it is a (3)       of wealth. We still value it for many of the same reasons that gold has been (4)       wealth and power in the history.

25．Choose the best answer (根据短文内容, 选择最恰当的答案)
Your body is more than what you see when you look in the mirror.

26．Choose the words or expressions and complete the passage (选择最恰当的单词或词语完成 短文)
　　What comes to mind when you think of archaeologists (考古学家)? Are they as cool as the characters in Hollywood hit movies? Do they experience new adventures every day? Let's discover the world of archaeologists.
　　Reaching spots
　　Historical treasures are often buried underground. To locate the proper place for (1)      , archaeologists do surveys to search for signs of ancient spots. These signs may be anything just like broken pieces of ancient tools.
　　It's difficult work. They walk across the areas in all kinds of weather, so it is often done by walking. Besides, it requires much experience and (2)       knowledge to tell an ordinary rock from a stone tool, or tell a natural hill from a grass-covered historic site.
　　Researching
　　Archaeologists spend a lot of time in the lab studying the discoveries. (3)      , they are now closer to answering those mysteries than ever with modern technology.
　　The first thing they need to do is to recognize the age of the items discovered. They also (4)       bones of humans or animals to find out the cause of their death and what they ate during their lifetime. After that, archaeologists draw the pictures of them on computers based on collected data.
　　Restoration (修复)
　　Ancient objects can be damaged in different ways. (5)      , bowls and cups are often broken into pieces, while metal tools usually get rusty (生锈的). Before repairing, they use X﹣rays to look for damage. If the rust is harmful, they need to remove it and repair the object with special metal powder. In this process, restorers have to be extremely patient and careful so as not to damage the (6)       of the objects.
　　Since the job can be physically tiring outdoors or need a long time work in the lab, most archaeologists are proud of their work. It's their hard work that has brought the lost treasures back to life.

27．Read the passage and fill in the blanks with proper words (在短文的空格内填入适当的词, 使其内容通顺, 每空格限填一词, 首字母已给)
　　Can living a zero-waste lifestyle be true? One New Yorker is proving it's not only possible, but it looks fun as well.
　　The New Yorker, Ms. Singer didn't grow up in a really "green" home. "My family isn't like this at all," she said. "They were the least f(1)       to environment ever." The idea to have a no-waste life didn't come to her mind until she learned environmental studies at university.
　　In 2013, Ms. Singer decided to c(2)       as little rubbish as possible. She liked going to the farmers' market, where she began shopping by giving up packaging. She learned how to store food in her apartment to keep it f(3)       longer. All food she couldn't finish went into a large bowl in her fridge, which she emptied once a week at her plants. She would r(4)       glass bottles to buy milk, beer and only buy other items that usually come in paper boxes. She also began to buy clothes at secondhand shops instead of buying new ones. Ms. Singer even began finding out how to make her own cleaning p(5)      , from toothpaste to house cleaner, from toilet paper to washing powder. She's proudly living a no﹣waste life.
　　Bit by bit, Ms. Singer was h(6)       making any non-recyclable rubbish. In fact, every piece of rubbish she's got over the last three years stays in a single jar. "It's baby steps, one thing after another," she said. After she had a quick reduction in her rubbish pile, she started a company. She and her staff travel around the world sharing her s(7)       and introducing her zero-waste lifestyle. Maybe, there will be more Singers all around the world.

28．Answer the questions (根据短文内容回答下列问题)
　　This was my grandmother's first birthday without grandfather, and before he passed away, we had promised him that we would make it her best birthday ever. Grandfather had always said that she expected her birthday party every day since it was also a time for family reunion (团聚).
　　When my mom, dad, three sisters and I arrived at her little house, we found she had waited up all night for our arrival. Once arriving, we immediately set to prepare for the birthday celebration. We ordered a large three-tier birthday cake and decorated the house with colorful belts and balloons. When everything was ready, I noticed something was missing.
　　Where's your scarf?" I asked.
　　That scarf, faded (褪色的) and even older than my mom, was a necessary pan of the yearly celebration. Grandfather gave it to grandmother forty years ago on their first date. But now, on her first birthday without him, the scarf was gone, too.
　　"It must be here somewhere," she said. "Your grandfather always packed everything so carefully."
　　Then we started to search every corner for the missing scarf. As we emptied box after box and found no scarf, my grandmother's eyes were filled with tears. However, seeing our worried looks, she soon hid her disappointment.
　　Check it out!This may be a gift from Grandpa!" my sister shouted as she found a well-wrapped (包装完美的) box.
　　Grandmother shakily opened the box. With great joy, she pulled out a brand — new red scarf with a note. Her voice trembled (颤抖) as she read it aloud:
　　"Dear, I noticed some tiny holes in your scarf when I washed it. So I thought it was time for a new one. I hope it can bring you as much joy as the first one did. Happy birthday!
　　Love, Bryant."
　　Finally, grandmother blew out the candles in her new scarf, as if grandfather were still with her. It also brought my grandfather home in each of our hearts and made the party our best birthday celebration ever.

29．Write at least 60 words about the topic "A(n) with love"
(请以"爱的 "为题, 写一篇不少于60字的短文, 标点符号不占格)
在上文中, 祖母收到的生日礼物包含了祖父对她真挚的爱. 我们的生活也充满了爱, 我们一定收到过带有满满爱意的物品. 请你分享一下关于这个物品的故事, 并谈谈你的感受或它对你的影响.
注意:(1)短文中不得出现考生的姓名、校名等个人信息, 否则不予评分.
(2)照抄阅读语篇不得分.