With his
Wonderful stories about Father Christmas’s life and adventures
A 90-year-old Malaysian grandmother has become the world’s
When Min first tried to sign up at the school, the head teacher did not think it was a good idea. Now he is very happy that Min is at the school. He said, “I’m very proud
3 . The Maryland Center for History and Culture(MCHC) is currently hosting “The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited”. The exhibition spotlights Henson’s unique contributions to children’s education, including his creation of the Muppets (布偶).
Born in 1936 in Mississippi, Henson grew up in Maryland. His creative talents were evident when he was a student at high school. He loved cartooning and creating sets for school theater productions. While a freshman at university, Henson made puppets for a local TV station. The station’s producers were so impressed that they asked him to produce his own puppet show. Called Sam and Friends, the program started in 1955. Viewers loved Henson’s playful characters, including an early version of Kermit the Frog.
While at university, Henson majored in home economics. At the time, it was the only major that offered classes in sewing and textiles (纺织品).Henson not only honed his creative skills at university, but he was also good at marketing and business. “He was an entrepreneur who happened to get into puppetry, ” said Deborah Wood, MCHC’s learning manager.
In 1959, Henson married Jane Nebel, whom be had met at university. The couple established Muppets Inc. which later became the Jim Henson Company. It was there that Focus Bert, Ernie, Miss Piggy, and other Muppets were created for Sesame Street, a popular children’s television program.Generations of children around the world have grown up watching and laming from the Muppets.
Henson, who died in 1990, created not just the Muppets, but also films, TV commercials, variety shows, and more. The exhibition shows every aspect of his career. This includes some lesser-known works, including The Cube, a short experimental film that was nominated (提名) for an Academy Award.
Visitors also get a chance to appreciate Henson’s creative process and inventiveness through hands-on displays. They can even make their own Muppets. “For me, I think the really powerful message of this exhibition is the fact that it covers Henson’s whole life and his whole career, ” said Chloe Green, public programs manager at the MCHC.
1. What’s paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．An interesting exhibition about Henson. | B．Viewers’attitude to Henson’s works. |
| C．Henson’s exceptional talents in creation. | D．Characters in Henson’s famous works. |
| A．Changed. | B．Improved. | C．Found. | D．Shared. |
| A．It was first played in 1955. | B．It was a popular radio program. |
| C．It was targeted at children. | D．It was an early version of Kermit the Frog. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Opposed. | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent. |
4 . On the evening of June 22, a Kunqu Opera performance titled The Peony Pavilion took to the stage of Beijing’s Northern Kunqu Opera Theater, starring Wei Chunrong in the role of the female protagonist (主角), Du Liniang. Despite having performed the part on stage over 300 times, Wei still arrived at the theater four hours early, being the first actress backstage to get her makeup done and check the equipment. This is a habit she’s maintained ever since first entering the world of Kunqu in 1982.
Kunqu Opera originated in Jiangsu Province some 600 years ago. As one of the oldest traditional Chinese operas, Kunqu is regarded as the “ancestor of Chinese dramas” and the “mother of Chinese operas”.
Kunqu Opera prospered (兴盛) during the Ming Dynasty, but suddenly experienced a downturn in the mid-Qing Dynasty. Its lyrics (歌词), originally flowery, eventually became non-understandable, while its melodies slowed down to what some people called a “funereal level”. Kunqu therefore became unacceptable to all but a small number of fans.
But when UNESCO officially listed Kunqu Opera as intangible cultural heritage in 2001, it returned to the spotlight.
“When our application proved successful, we were all so happy and proud. However, I suddenly realized that it actually meant its decline (衰退) and that it required protection.” Since then, Wei has devoted herself to preserving and passing on her beloved art of Kunqu Opera.
To address the lack of young talent in Kunqu Opera, Wei herself today also teaches younger actors, doing for them what her teachers did for her. Offstage, Wei is their friend; onstage, she aims to bring out the best in them as performers of the art through her masterly knowhow and strict demands.
1. Which of the following can best describe Wei according to paragraph 1?| A．Devoted. | B．Creative. | C．Promising. | D．Curious. |
| A．It is the oldest opera. | B．It is especially popular with the young. |
| C．It once lost its appeal. | D．Its lyrics are long and difficult. |
| A．Promoting herself as a master. |
| B．Passing it down to a younger generation. |
| C．Getting people to learn more about its history. |
| D．Giving as many performances as possible globally. |
| A．Kunqu Opera—Intangible Cultural Heritage |
| B．Kunqu Opera—from Prosperity to Decline |
| C．The Origin and History of the Kunqu Opera |
| D．One Master’s Commitment to the Kunqu Opera |
5 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson.Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860－1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community (社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907－1964)
If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the danger of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930－present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the US Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks (1913－2005)
On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks did not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” said Parks.
1. What was the reason for O’Connor’s being rejected by the law firm?| A．Her lack of proper training in law. | B．Her little work experience in court. |
| C．The discrimination against women. | D．The poor financial conditions. |
| A．Jane Addams. | B．Rachel Carson. |
| C．Sandra Day O’Connor. | D．Rosa Parks. |
| A．They are highly educated. | B．They are truly creative. |
| C．They are pioneers. | D．They are peacelovers. |
6 . Cassis Marcellus Clay, also known as Muhammad Ali (拳王阿里), was born on January 17th, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. In his younger years he had no interest in sports until an accident (事故) happened.
When Cassius was 12, his new bike was missing. Reporting the theft (盗窃) to Policeman Joe Martin, he said that he was going to beat whoever had taken his bike. Martin, who had been coaching youth boxing for decades, asked the boy, “Do you know how to fight?” When Cassius said that he didn’t, the officer suggested, “You’d better learn! ”
It was the beginning of his boxing career (事业). Cassius devoted (致力于) himself to boxing training. Although he wasn’t very talented (有天资的) in boxing, he worked harder than anyone else in the gym. He’d rush to the gym every day as soon as school was over and would even train on Saturdays. Outside of the gym, Cassius stayed away from anything that would influence his training. He was showing the kind of determination and discipline (自律) that other boxers didn’t have.
Under the guidance of Martin and his friend, young Clay began winning games one after another. By the age of 18 he had won 108 games, 6 Kentucky Golden Gloves championships and 2 national AAU titles.
Today he is recognized as one of the greatest athletes of modern times. He always had self-confidence and believed in his ability that he could put his competitors off guard before the first round bell had even sounded.
1. How did Cassius feel when he told the policeman bis bike was stolen?| A．Positive. | B．Confused. |
| C．Amazed. | D．Angry. |
| A．He asked Cassius to train hard. | B．He helped Cassius to find his bike. |
| C．He advised Cassius to learn boxing. | D．He introduced Cassius to a boxing coach. |
| A．Talented. | B．Easy-going. |
| C．Cold-hearted. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．To show Cassius’ achievements. | B．To express Cassius’ determination. |
| C．To express his admiration for Cassius. | D．To show the importance of hard work. |
7 . The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their work on mRNA vaccines (疫苗), a crucial tool in holding back the spread of COVID-19.
Karikó,68, is from Hungary. In the 1970s, she began studying a new area of research: messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA is a special molecule (分子) which carries instructions that tell cells what proteins to make. Proteins are one of the building blocks of life. They’re involved in almost every process in living things, from fighting diseases to building muscles to helping our bodies work. Karikó was excited about the idea that mRNA could be used to help the body fight many different diseases.
In 1985, Karikó moved to America to continue her research. In 1989, she joined the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) in Philadelphia as a scientist. But as time went on, the initial excitement surrounding mRNA research started to disappear, and other scientists thought it was too financially risky to fund. Karikó had trouble getting money for her research. She even got a pay cut from the school. What’s worse, at this time, she suffered from cancer. But she stuck at it.
Karikó got to know another UPenn scientist, Drew Weissman in the late 1990s while photocopying research papers. He was hoping to find a way to create a vaccine for a disease known as HIV. The two began talking and soon decided to work together.
One of the biggest problems in using mRNA as a medicine was that the human body saw mRNA as an enemy and fought it off. Together, they came up with an approach to treating mRNA．In 2005, they published their key discovery: mRNA could be changed and delivered effectively into the body to activate (激活) the body’s protective immune system. Thanks to their work, companies were able to develop mRNA vaccines far more quickly than ever before, which have saved millions of lives around the world.
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about regarding mRNA?| A．Its reflections on health. | B．Its main components. |
| C．Its threats to proteins. | D．Its research values. |
| A．He met Karikó by accident. | B．He applied mRNA to HIV. |
| C．He invited Karikó to UPenn. | D．He helped discover mRNA. |
| A．Their idea on how to recognize COVID-19 fast. |
| B．Their method of testing the mRNA vaccines’ effect. |
| C．Their way to make the human body accept mRNA. |
| D．Their experiment of activating the immune system. |
| A．We should pursue excellence in our careers. |
| B．Creativity results from challenging authority. |
| C．Scientists’ work follows technological trends. |
| D．Success comes from a lasting desire to explore. |
8 . Without three key players, including the former captain, how did 55-year-old Jenny Lang Ping and her girls spent the 20 days before winning against Japan with 3-1? Getting the world title at the 2015 FIVB Women’s World Cup is
Facing this, Jenny Lang Ping, who is called “Iron Hammer”, never
| A．possible | B．unbelievable | C．confusing | D．unique |
| A．mean | B．explain | C．admire | D．master |
| A．honour | B．source | C．medal | D．glory |
| A．place | B．number | C．detail | D．arrangement |
| A．worked out | B．lost heart | C．checked out | D．gave up |
| A．sweating | B．tracking | C．increasing | D．encouraging |
| A．challenge | B．survival | C．match | D．tour |
| A．success | B．fitness | C．failure | D．strategy |
| A．narrowed | B．gathered | C．showed | D．focused |
| A．short | B．flat | C．slim | D．far |
| A．flight | B．end | C．fight | D．solution |
| A．Below | B．Behind | C．Between | D．Beside |
| A．gracefully | B．alone | C．bravely | D．still |
| A．stress | B．agreement | C．determination | D．legend |
| A．made | B．played | C．decided | D．realized |
9 . Who Was Chuck Jones?
Charles Martin Chuck Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of many classic animated cartoon shorts. They starred Bugs Bunny, Duffy Duck, the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, Pepé Le Pew, Porky Pig and a lot of other Warner Brothers characters. When he moved on to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, his work includes a series of Tom and Jerry shorts.
Who Was Jane Austen?
Although Jane Austen’s works were first published anonymously and brought her little personal recognition, today they are rarely out of print and have inspired movies, television shows and mini-series, literary anthologies, and many other adaptations all around the world. Her writings—principally her five novels—mainly deal with the topic of marriage. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, and Northanger Abbey remain her most famous works.
Who Was Lewis Carroll?
Lewis Carroll is the pen name of Charles L. Dodgson, a mathematician, who taught at Oxford University. He was inspired to write his best known works, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by one of the Dean’s daughters, Alice Liddell. The books were hugely successful and brought Carroll wide acclaim.
Who Was Princess Diana?
A shy twenty-year-old girl stepped out of a horse-drawn coach and into the world spotlight, capturing the imagination of millions as a real life fairytale princess. Although the storybook marriage didn’t have a happy ending, Diana learned to use her fame as a way to champion charitable causes near to her heart. She became the People’s Princess by showing care and concern for all people, including the homeless, the sick, and others in need.
1. What was Chuck Jones good at?| A．Making films. | B．Telling stories. | C．Writing novels. | D．Painting pictures. |
| A．Smart and creative. | B．Cheerful and outgoing. |
| C．Caring and generous. | D．Serious and hardworking. |
| A．Chuck Jones’s. | B．Jane Austen’s. | C．Lewis Carroll’s. | D．Princess Diana’s. |
10 . A 16-year-old girl from Changsha, Hunan province, successfully reached the top of Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West, on Monday morning, becoming the youngest Chinese female to conquer the world’s highest top from the southern slope (坡).
Xu Zhuoyuan is a first year high school student from Hunan province. On April 15, she left Changsha for Nepal. On April 21, she began her long walk from Lukla. On April 28, she arrived at the base camp and started her altitude adaptation training at once. At 10 pm Beijing time on May 14, Xu Started walking from Camp 4 at an altitude of 7,950 meters on the southern slope of Qomolangma. After a punishing 10-hour climb, she successfully reached the summit.
Xu Zhuoyuan’s father, Xu Jianglei, was the first person from Hunan province to reach the top of Qomolangma. Xu Zhuoyuan has been exploring remote areas with him since she was very young. Despite her young age, Xu Zhuoyuan has already climbed five mountains over 5,000 meters in China. When she was 12 years old, she made a statement on Hunan TV saying, “I will climb Qomolangma.”
Four years later, she achieved her promise. Although Xu Zhuoyuan has rich climbing experience, she has been experiencing high-intensity professional training non-stop to conquer Qomolangma. Last year, she climbed Mount Muztagata, which stands 7,546 meters. “Human beings are small in the face of nature. We should respect nature and get closer to Qomolangma,” said Xu Zhuoyuan.
She brought the gloves her father used when he reached the top with her as a form of inheritance and to bear witness to her own dream coming true. After finishing her university studies, she hopes to continue climbing and achieve the “7+ 2” (7 tops plus the North and South Poles).
1. When did Xu Zhuoyuan arrive at the base camp?| A．On April 15. | B．On April 21. | C．On April 28. | D．On May 14. |
| A．Honest and sincere. | B．Clever and smart |
| C．Caring and devoted. | D．Determined and brave. |
| A．To describe his achievements. | B．To show his impact on his daughter. |
| C．To recognize his support for the girl. | D．To stress girls should be taken good care of. |
| A．A Great Father Shocks the Whole World |
| B．Qomolangma Draws More and More People |
| C．16-year old Girl Tops World’s Highest Mountain |
| D．Father and Daughter Conquer the Highest Mountain |
