When the pandemic hit last year, substitute teacher Jose Villaruel found himself out of work as lessons went online. The consequences were unbearable for the septuagenarian, who’d been sending his income to his sick wife and children living in Mexico.
In fact, the devoted husband had been living out of his car for the past eight years so he could send his family the money they needed. Now, with no job, Villaruel is living off his Social Security check, most of which he sent to his loved ones.
Thankfully, a former student, Steven Nava, came across his struggling teacher in a parking lot at 5:00 am on the way to work. He approached his old teacher and asked about his circumstances. When Villaruea explained his struggles, the 21-year-old decided to help. “He was so nice around his students. He’d be really, really funny when he took attendance,” Nava said.
Nava gave him the $300 he had on him at the time. The teacher was moved, as his former student shared, “He came over to give me a hug and as he was hugging me, I saw tears running down his face.”
Villaruel’s response only encouraged Nava to help further, as he promised the teacher he’d do whatever it took to get him out of his predicament. “Seeing him living and going through that struggle made me want to do this. He helped us with our futures and helped us become the persons we are today, so I wanted to help him and make sure he’s in a situation where he doesn’t have to worry anymore,” the young man explained.
Later, Nava set up a GoFundMe page and t he donations quickly mounted up to $27,000. So along with other former students, he presented the check to a delighted “Mr. V” on his 77th birthday.
The impressed teacher is now planning to have a little vacation in Mexico to spend time with his family.
1. What can we know about Jose Villaruel during the pandemic?| A．He led a hard life. | B．He lived on driving. |
| C．He lost his family. | D．He was busy teaching. |
| A．He found a job for him. | B．He gave him some cash. |
| C．He helped him park his car. | D．He attended his live lecture. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Work. | C．Dilemma. | D．Loss. |
| A．Brave and adventurous. | B．Hard-working and creative. |
| C．Ambitious and successful. | D．Grateful and warm-hearted. |
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【推荐1】When I was a high school student, mathematics looked like a big barrier for me and several of my classmates. When we reached the ninth class, we got Mr Iyer, a strict maths teacher who was also our class teacher. He always stuck to his discipline. We had to arrive on time, pay undivided attention to his lectures, and dared not to neglect any of his homework.
Even so, as our class teacher, we got to know him better. Noticing some of us fidgeting one day as the midterm exams approached, he stopped solving a mathematical problem to ask us why. “There’s too much to do, ” we sighed. “We’re afraid we’ll never manage to finish our revision before the exam.” “Nothing is impossible, ” Mr Iyer told us. “This classroom is on the second floor. Do you have a problem reaching here?” We reacted with blank stares.
“No, you don’t!” he said, answering his own question.“You have a staircase to help you climb up to this level. No one expects you to make it in two giant leaps. You simply take one step at a time. Any task can be solved if you focus on the immediate action to be taken. The rest will take care of itself, if you keep at it. One step at a time. That’s the secret.” Then he wrote down an old motto on the blackboard—the longest journey starts with a single step. Having heard his staircase analogy(比拟), we understood why he asked us the question and we saw him in a new light.
Most of my classmates scored distinctions in maths. And I went on to become an English teacher. To this day, whenever I pass on Mr Iyer’s invaluable advice to my own students, they brighten up at the prospect of a lighter academic burden.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Maths was difficult for most of the author’s classmates. |
| B．The students thought Mr Iyer was not a good teacher. |
| C．Mr Iyer would punish the students neglecting his discipline. |
| D．The students showed great fear to Mr Iyer. |
| A．excited | B．nervous | C．hardworking | D．calm |
| A．Because they were too tired to understand what Mr Iyer said. |
| B．Because they felt surprised at such an unbelievable problem. |
| C．Because they had no interest in any subjects that were no good for their exams. |
| D．Because they first thought reaching the second floor had no connection with the worry. |
| A．Goals can be reached step by step. |
| B．One can reach his/her goals in a giant leap. |
| C．Tasks can be solved under the guidance of the teacher. |
| D．There is only one step between success and failure. |
【推荐2】Do you think cookies can tell stories? Jasmine Cho, 35, does.
A baker, artist, entrepreneur and activist, Cho tries to spread knowledge about social justice issues and diversity through the delicious medium of cookies.
It was in high school that she discovered her love of baking. At a sleepover a friend taught her how to make a dessert, “sort of demystifying baking and that whole process”.
Later, Cho realized her second passion: learning more about her Asian, American culture. An elective in college that taught Asian-American immigrant experiences brought an emotional moment for her. “So many emotions came up that I just couldn’t articulate. It was like this mix of anger, of relief, empowerment, sadness…” Cho said.
Cho realized she could combine these two passions to educate others about influential Asian American people and showcase matters that were important to her. With her online bakery, she designed cookie portraits about people she admired and posted the images on Instagram. “I don’t think I ever really knew how to communicate these stories until I found cookies,” Cho said. “Cookies are just so disarming. Who doesn’t like cookies?”
One cookie that Cho has identified with deeply is one she made of George Helm, a Hawaiian activist in the 1970s.
“It’s insane the amount of injustice that the native Hawaiian population has faced as well through the whole annexation (吞并) of the kingdom. There were so many horrific stories that I heard about nuclear testing and the fallout (核爆炸后的沉降物) impacting native Hawaiian populations in all of this,” Cho said, “George Helm was one of those activists who really represented the spirituality of the native Hawaiians and the connection to their land, to nature.”
Among her amazing cookie art are other political figures such as Larry Itliong, a Filipino-American labor organizer, and pop culture figures such as Keanu Reeves, a Canadian actor.
Cho hopes her cookie art continues to inspire people to be creative and think positively.
“Instead of trying to think of something new and original, just look inward and see, maybe there’s already a passion or a love that you have,” Cho said. “Use that for something that will serve the world in a better way.”
1. What inspired Cho to take an interest in Asian-American culture?| A．One of her sleepover experiences. |
| B．One elective course she took at college. |
| C．The process of learning baking from her friend. |
| D．A book she read about Asian-American immigrant experiences. |
| A．Cookies don’t cost much. | B．Cookies are easier to make. |
| C．Cookies have different images. | D．Cookies are favored by many people. |
| A．To show what Cho focuses on with her cookies. |
| B．To introduce the spirituality of native Hawaiians. |
| C．To explain why Cho is interested in political activists. |
| D．To inform the reader of Helm’s contributions to Hawaii. |
| A．Hold your horses for a better self. |
| B．Think outside the box to break new ground. |
| C．Spread something original to one’s heart content. |
| D．Throw yourself into your inner world for a better one. |
【推荐3】Many Westerners have the idea that everyone in China knows how to do kung fu. This is, of course, a silly belief. But it is true that kung fu is a big part of Chinese culture.
Like most people from the West, I was first introduced to kung fu through Hong Kong action films. Stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan made kung fu popular in the Western world. The flashy and impressive performances they gave in films like Rumble in the Bronx and Enter the Dragon made them household names in the U.S. and elsewhere.
However, my own personal interest in kung fu was actually inspired by a hip hop group. Wu－Tang Clan, founded in the early 1990s in New York City, is one of the most influential hip hop groups in history.
In their songs, they sometimes mention philosophical concepts that come from Wudang quan — a classic Chinese martial art from which they take their name — and Shaolin Temple. I was just a teenager when I first started listening to Wu－Tang Clan — little did I know that I would actually end up living in China later in my life!
I myself do not practice kung fu. However, the concepts behind it are quite interesting to me. There is a Bruce Lee quote that I often think of when I'm struggling with challenges in life. “Be formless, shapeless, like water,” he once said. By this, he meant that you should be ready to adapt to and change your attitudes or beliefs when you face difficulties. I think this is a good way to deal with life.
1. What does “a silly belief” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．China is most famous for its kung fu. | B．All Chinese people can do kung fu |
| C．Kung fu is a big part of Chinese culture. | D．Many Westerners admire kung fu. |
| A．Hong Kong action movies. | B．A TV program about kung fu. |
| C．A US hip hop group. | D．Kung fu stars in Hollywood. |
| A．They showed the author the way to live in China. |
| B．They taught the author how to do Wudang quan. |
| C．They performed Chinese martial arts in the U.S. |
| D．They have Chinese culture in their songs. |
【推荐1】Shirley Raines makes the homeless community in Los Angeles’s skid row (贫民区) neighborhood feel human. She is the founder of Beauty 2 The Streetz, a nonprofit that provides free food, clothing, hair, and makeup services to the homeless. And Shirley is now the CNN Hero of the Year!
In 1990, Raines’ 2-year-old son Demetrius passed away from accidental poisoning while at his grandma’s house. This event created a lot of pain for Shirley Raines. The pain lasted for many years. And she did not know what to do about it. She struggled to understand what her purpose was in life. Until one day ...
Six years ago, Shirley visited skid row with a friend from church who asked her to volunteer. She met a lot of homeless people and realized how much help they needed. Not just in finding a home, but in finding themselves and their own worth and beauty.
Shirley started to volunteer each Saturday. As she got to know the homeless, they often praised her makeup, hair, and style. She started to offer to “make up” the homeless. They loved it, she loved it, they loved her and she loved them. She found purpose. So she started an outdoor beauty salon to serve the homeless, which took most of her spare time.
Raines started sharing her efforts on Instagram with photos and even live-streaming some of her events. Things took off. She formed her nonprofit, Beauty 2 The Streetz, and her followers quickly began donating to grow Shirley’s impact. Her followers grew to over 200,000 people, including many beauty professionals such as licensed hairstylists, barbers, make-up artists. Many of them regularly donate money to keep the services rolling. Others donate their time to help Shirley serve the homeless.
Shirley’s boldness, caring, courage, consistency (连贯性), and desire to take action have led to making a real impact on people’s lives. And she also served as a role model and inspiration to others.
1. What do we know about Beauty 2 The Streetz?| A．It is formed by Shirley and other kind people. |
| B．It aims to serve the homeless in several ways. |
| C．It records some of Shirley’s photos and events. |
| D．It is a government organization that helps the homeless. |
| A．Find them homes. |
| B．Help them make up. |
| C．Donate money to them. |
| D．Share their lives on Instagram. |
| A．Shirley’s impact on her community. |
| B．The ways in which people help Shirley. |
| C．How Shirley founded Beauty 2 The Streetz. |
| D．The growing impact of Beauty 2 The Streetz. |
| A．Brave and bright. | B．Selfless and caring. |
| C．Selfless and independent. | D．Ambitious and determined. |
【推荐2】Jordyn Perez was about to turn 8 years old when her mom suggested a new way to celebrate her birthday. “What would you think about donating your gifts to a children’s hospital?” her mom said. At first, Jordyn wasn’t sure. Then she gave it some thought. “I was like, ‘Okay, that’s cool,’” Jordyn said. “I already had everything I needed, and these kids that were going through things at the hospital-they needed them more than I did.”
“Just to see these kids’ little faces when Jordyn hands them the gifts at the hospital, that’s always been our favorite part,” says Jordyn’s mother. “Seeing these kids’ reactions just touches our hearts.” Kids can be in hospital for lots of reasons, for example, asthma, a condition that affects breathing. Whatever the patient’s ailment, a hospital stay can be stressful. Efforts like Jordyn’s are a bright spot during a difficult time.
Since that time, it has kicked off each year in early November, five or six weeks before her birthday. Along with an invitation to her party, Jordyn’s friends get a list of gift ideas for kids at the hospital. For the littlest patients, gifts might include building blocks or toy trains. “And for the teenagers, my age or older,” Jordyn says, “it might be music player or books.”
Natalie Gutierrez works in the public relations office at Baptist Children’s Hospital. She has seen first-hand the effect of Jordyn’s gift-giving. “She puts smiles on the faces of these little patients in our hospital and on our nurses and staff,” Gutierrez says. Jordyn’s efforts to help kids in the hospital have inspired others to follow in her footsteps. More boys and girls have collected and given gifts for their birthdays too. “Giving to others, it’s just a good feeling to have at the end of the day,” Jordyn says. “I want to keep doing this as long as I can.”
1. What can we learn about Jordyn from paragraph 1?| A．She wasn’t satisfied with her birthday gifts. |
| B．She accepted her mother’s advice after careful thought. |
| C．She was busy choosing gifts for kids in hospital. |
| D．She wanted a new way to celebrate her birthday. |
| A．Illness. | B．Treatment. | C．Expectation. | D．Reaction. |
| A．In October. | B．In November. | C．In December. | D．In January. |
| A．To introduce her hospital work. | B．To recommend some suitable gifts. |
| C．To explain Jordyn’s great difficulties. | D．To show the effect of Jordyn’s behavior. |
【推荐3】Ask just about any 12-year-old what their favorite time of the day is and you’ll get a resounding answer: lunch! But for Alejandro Buxton, it’s a bit different. He can’t wait to get home to dive into his candle-making business. Alejandro has a goal of being a bright light in the world.
It all started when Alejandro discovered that commercial candles gave his mom headaches. He figured there must be a way to make an all-natural candle that was safe. So he dug into the world of wax and found a soy-based wax that is chemical-free. He also found natural oils to add scent, and Smell of Love Candles was born.
Alejandro sells his candles at local fairs and to his neighbors. Then his online orders began picking up. In the fall of 2022, he started seventh grade-and opened his first retail store at Tysons Corner Center, a regional mall outside Washington, D.C. As his candles become a much bigger operation, he is always experimenting with new scents like Donut Kill My Vibe, the perfect after-school scent that gets you in the mood for a snack.
Alejandro started his business to build his college fund. But running a business is about more than making money for him. He sets aside a portion of the profit to give back to the community. Some of the money supports the local homeless shelter, and some goes into a scholarship fund for kids who need a little help with college.
His mother, Patricia, is impressed with her son and loves to spend time with him as his business grows. She says it has strengthened their bond to be together and see how his mind works, adding, “It’s been really inspiring.”
Alejandro has big goals and an even bigger heart. With all the problems that seem to rob many of us of the motivation to move forward, Alejandro has chosen to focus on a solution that works, not only for him, but as an inspiration to others, no matter their age.
1. Why did Alejandro initially produce all-natural candles?| A．To innovate candle products. |
| B．To maintain his mother’s physical fitness. |
| C．To set up an environmental-friendly business. |
| D．To make money for college and helping others. |
| A．Its low cost and high quality. | B．Its safety and attractive scents. |
| C．His donation to the community. | D．His care for the homeless and kids. |
| A．Outgoing and hardworking. | B．Caring and adventurous. |
| C．Creative and generous. | D．Ambitious and romantic. |
| A．A close bond between mom and son. |
| B．A smart seven-grade business owner. |
| C．An innovative candle with new scents. |
| D．A young boy’s tough journey to success. |
阅读下列短文,从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
To all of you at Chinese love links,
I am 44 years old and never married. I have always wanted to find that perfect someone that I dream about. For about the last five years I have almost given up the hope of ever finding the one I truly wish to spend the rest of my life with.
I have always tried to be a nice guy. I had found your website some four or five months before. I did not know what to expect. I don’t know how to speak Chinese and never thought truly of how I was to an Asian woman.
Well, I had a lot of replies from some very nice and pretty women. I had a hard time finding only a couple to write to. But one stood out from the rest. She was cute, nice and seemed to hold a lot of the same values as I do. In a short time I had decided to write only to her. We communicated via e-mails 2-3 times a day and phone calls once or twice a week.
I went and met her and her family only a week ago. Her name is Ying and she lives in Nanning. I found Nanning to be one of the most beautiful cities I had ever been to. We had even decided to marry and to bring her to the USA under the fiance visa. Not only did she meet everything I had ever hoped to find in someone else but turned out to be what every woman should be like, at least the ones I have met. We plan to marry as soon as she is here and start a family together as neither of us has children but we both want them.
So to anyone out there reading this, I can only say this: You may not find what you are looking for if you’re not honest with your partner and yourself. This site worked for me mostly because I was honest with something that I wanted in someone else. When I did find her, love can work even across the other side of the world, between language differences and cultural differences. I wish you all luck in finding your perfect match. I have finally found mine and wish to give all my thanks to those at Chinese love links to help make it happen.
Sincerely yours,
Arthur
1. We can infer from the letter that Chinese love links is a website to________.| A．help foreigners to travel in China |
| B．help both Chinese and foreigners to find one they want to marry |
| C．help Chinese and foreigners make friends |
| D．receive letters from the USA |
| A．He was sure of finding a Chinese woman as his wife at first. |
| B．He was determined to find a Chinese woman as his wife. |
| C．He almost lost hope in finding a perfect wife until he found Ying. |
| D．No women wrote to him before Ying. |
| A．she was a Chinese | B．she had much in common with Arthur |
| C．other women stopped writing to Arthur | D．she was cute and nice and often phoned to Arthur |
| A．being honest with the partner and oneself | B．help from the website |
| C．difference in languages and places | D．difference in cultures |
【推荐2】A couple from Miami , Bill and Simone Butler , spent sixty-six days in a life-raft (救生艇)in the seas of Central America after their boat sank.
Twenty-one days after they left Panama in their boat, Simony, they met some whales(鲸鱼). “They started to hit the side of the boat, ” said Bill, “and then suddenly we heard water. ”Two minutes later , the boat was sinking. They jumped into the life-raft and watched the boat go under the water.
For twenty days they had tins of food , biscuits , and bottles of water. They also had a fishing-line and a machine to make salt water into drinking water-two things which saved their lives. They caught eight to ten fish a day and ate them raw(生的). Then the line broke. “So we had no more fish until something very strange happened. Some sharks(鲨鱼) came to feed , and the fish under the raft were afraid and came to the surface. I caught them with my hands. ”
About twenty ships passed them, but no one saw them. After fifty days at sea, their life- raft was beginning to break up. Then suddenly it was all over. A fishing boat saw them and picked them up. They couldn't stand up. So the captain carried them onto his boat and took them to Costa Rica. Their two months at sea was over.
1. Bill and Simone were traveling________ when they met some whales.| A．in a life-raft . | B．in Miami . | C．in Simony | D．in Panama |
| A．the boat was sinking | B．they bit the boat |
| C．they pulled the boat | D．they bit the couple |
| A．jumped into the life-raft | B．heard water |
| C．watched the boat go under water | D．stayed in the life-raft |
| A．They were too excited to stand up. |
| B．They knew their two months at sea would end. |
| C．They couldn’t wait to climb onto the boat. |
| D．Their life-raft was beginning to break up. |
There was once a lonely fisherman by the name of Troung Chi. Every evening, as he sailed, he played his flute (笛子) and all who heard his music agreed it was the most beautiful sound they had ever heard. But his face was ugly, and the girls in his village kept away from him. And so he lived alone.
At that time there lived a young lady who was both rich and beautiful. She spent her days sitting in her room, safe, but alone. Every evening she sat at her window and waited for the fisherman to slip past as the sweet notes of his flute thrilled her heart. She swore that she would marry him one day. So she begged her father to permit the boy into the house so that she could look him in the eyes. However, he shook his head and said that a fisherman was too poor.
She lay in her new room and sobbed (啜泣). She sobbed and sobbed until she became so ill that her father feared for her life. At last he compromised. The father sent for the fisherman and asked him to sit beside his daughter’s bed and play his flute. If his music proved to be strong enough medicine to cure her, he would be rewarded with a bag of gold.
Troung Chi sat by the bed and played. His sweet notes reached her inner soul, and the warmth of his love came over her body and revived (唤醒) her. At last she opened her eyes and looked up at him — the fisherman of her dreams.
But oh, he was ugly! How frightful! This was not at all as she had imagined. “Take him away!” she screamed. “I don’t want to look at his ugly face!”
The boy was driven out of the room. The secretary offered him a bag of gold, but he refused it. His heart was broken. He went to his boat, and as he sailed away, he threw his flute into the water. He was never seen again.
After Troung Chi had been gone for some days, the young girl regretted her behaviour. She never married. For the rest of her life she remembered the boatman’s tender love and his beautiful music.
1. Why did no woman want to be the boatman’s wife?2. How did the young girl know of the fisherman?
3. What was the woman’s reaction after she saw the fisherman’s face?
4. Why did the fisherman throw his flute away and never come back?
