I’m a seventeen-year-old boy preparing for my A Level exams at the end of the year. In the society where my peers (同龄人) and I live, we tend to accept the rat race values. As students, we want to get good grades so that we can get good jobs. I enjoy studying and have consistently received A’s in my classes. There was a year when I finished first in my class in the final exams. It was a great accomplishment.
Another one I am pleased with is that I managed to improve the relationship between Mum and Dad. Dad was a successful businessman who was rarely at home. Mum was a housewife who always felt bored and constantly nagged (唠叨) him to let her go to work. Their constant arguing bothered me, so I advised Dad that Mum would be better off with a part-time job. He agreed, and their relationship has improved since then.
My most proud achievement, however, is my successful work in the local old folks’ home. My grandparents had raised me since I was a child. I wept (哭泣) bitterly when they died. Unlike many of my classmates, I do not take part in my school’s community service to earn points. I enjoy my voluntary work and believe I’m contributing to a worthwhile cause. This is where I can help. I talk to the elderly, assist them with their daily life, and listen to their problems, glory days and the hardships they experienced.
Last year, I hosted a successful New Year party for the elderly and they enjoyed a great time. Many expressed a desire to attend another party the following year. When I reflect on my accomplishments, I’m especially proud of my service at the old folks’ home, so I hope to study social work at university and work as a social worker in the future. I wish to be more skilled in attending to the less fortunate as well as find great satisfaction in it, after all.
1. What can be inferred about the author from the first paragraph?| A．His good grades got him a good job. |
| B．He refuses to compete with his peers fiercely. |
| C．His views on social values are well known. |
| D．He is content with his scholastic achievements. |
| A．A helper. | B．A judge. | C．A monitor | D．A supporter. |
| A．The contribution to volunteering. | B．The success in exams. |
| C．The recovery of confidence in life. | D．The work in community service. |
| A．To gain a well-paid job. | B．To give his life a purpose. |
| C．To meet his grandparents’ expectations. | D．To better help the disadvantaged. |
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【推荐1】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 she took at college. |
| C．The process of learning baking from her friend. |
| D．A book she read about Asian-American immigrant experiences. |
| A．get rid of | B．put up with |
| C．express in words | D．stay focused |
| A．Cookies don’t cost much. | B．Cookies are easier to make. |
| C．Cookies have different images. | D．Cookies are liked by many people. |
| A．To inform the reader of Helm’s contributions to Hawaii. |
| B．To show what knowledge Cho focuses on with her cookies. |
| C．To introduce the spirituality of native Hawaiians. |
| D．To explain why Cho is interested in political activists. |
| A．Making use of your passion. |
| B．Turning to political figures for help. |
| C．Trying to do something creative and special. |
| D．Asking people around to work along with you. |
| A．Think outside the box to break new ground. |
| B．Spread something original to one’s heart content. |
| C．Hold your horses for a better self. |
| D．Throw yourself into your inner world for a better one. |
【推荐2】“You’re too small, Ginny, you’ll never make an Olympic team,” said my first-ever rowing(划船) coach. I had just shared my dream, which was surely outsized at that point, with somebody whose opinion not only mattered, but whose emotional support could play a key role.
At that moment, I was just 20, and still an emerging athlete. I had tried out for the national team for the first time the previous year and been hurt emotionally. I lacked the height that most Olympic rowers have, not to mention much experience as an athlete, and I suffered from asthma(哮喘). But I was still shocked not just by his choice of words, but by his certainty. I left the gym in a panic. As I walked, I began to rethink my future, making room for my coach’s opinion, pushing my dream aside into a dark corner. “Maybe he’s right.” But then, another voice argued: “What does he know? Why does he get to decide?” By the time I arrived back at my apartment, I was mad at my coach and my dream was back on center stage.
Nothing came easy when it came to making that dream come true. I tried out for two more national teams and two different coaches made negative judgment on me. But I was driven by my love of the beauty of rowing. I wanted to row among the best and I refused to stop until I achieved my goal. I made the 1980 team, although I did not get to compete at the Olympics. I kept training for four more years, and finally won silver at the 1984 Olympics.
All the effort was worth the wait. Everything I have today is a result of sticking with that dream. I know now that great dreams need not just time to develop, but firm belief in them. If I’m not going to be my own champion for my dreams, no one else will. And I will not allow anyone else to decide for me what’s possible.
1. What does the underlined word outsized in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Hopeless. | B．Moving. |
| C．Unrealistic. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．She accepted her coach’s judgment and gave up her dream. |
| B．She didn’t blame her coach for not having faith in her. |
| C．She became mad at her coach and decided to hold on to her dream. |
| D．She felt upset and changed her dream to a more realistic goal. |
| A．Ginny competed in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. |
| B．Ginny refused to let her coach’s decision stand in her way. |
| C．the coach’s judgment made Ginny give up on his dream. |
| D．being judged negatively by different coaches left Ginny in doubt of her ability. |
| A．Love of Rowing. | B．Fighting for the Gold Medal. |
| C．My Coaches and Me. | D．Sticking with the Dream. |
【推荐3】Eleven years ago, the world as I knew it ended. My husband of 19 years was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Over the course of seven months, Bill went from beating me silly at tennis to needing my help to go to the bathroom. It was the best seven months of my life.
Maybe I don't actually mean that. But it was certainly the time when I felt most alive. I discovered that the minor complaint of an annoying co-worker, or a flat tire pales in comparison with the beauty of sincere laughter, or the smells of a bakery. There were moments of joy; laughter, and tenderness. After Bill's diagnosis and brain surgery, I found clinical trials and talked to doctors in Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York. It gave me a sense of purpose.
In the latter days, being Bill's caregiver also meant being fully present for as many moments of every day as possible. During his last weekend, we had dinner together. Later, a relative visited. I noticed that she'd changed her appearance, and not in a good way. It was the kind of thought I'd usually keep to myself. Just then, Bill voiced exactly what I'd been thinking, in that truthful way he had, and I found myself laughing out loud.
I thought I could look after this man forever. However, he would be dead in four days.
Eleven years later, I haven't started a foundation to cure cancer. I haven't left the news business to get a medical degree. But every day, I try to again be the person I became during those seven months. I try to be a little less judgmental, a little more forgiving and generous. I am a better person for having been Bill's caregiver. It was his last, best gift to me.
1. What is true about her husband?| A．He was a poor tennis player. |
| B．He had to talk to doctors in different cities. |
| C．His brain didn't function well because of the surgery. |
| D．He had to be accompanied mostly during his illness. |
| A．Proves unavoidable. | B．Seems less important. |
| C．Turns whiter than usual. | D．Becomes more significant. |
| A．A Caregiver's Hard Work | B．My Loving Husband |
| C．The Best Time of My Life | D．The Greatest Gift to Me |
【推荐1】Six years ago, something unforgettable happened. My wife, Liz, and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary that year. It was a lovely event hosted by our sons for us. Many wonderful friends from the past surprised us with presents and congratulations. Our gift to each other was a driving trip out west. We drove from Ontario into Albertu, then southward into Glacier National Parkin Montana, and continued to Yellowstone National Park.
It was a cold spring day, and the Beartooth Highway had opened for the season just days before. Alongside the road, there was still a great amount of snow remaining. The scenery was so impressive that we made numerous stops to record memories with my camera. At roughly the highest point of the highway, I stopped at a lookout to catch the amazing views, with my wife in the centre of my camera lens.
There were not many vehicles on the road. Occasionally, cars with energetic young tourists passed by. And then we heard the sound of a motorcycle in the distance. The driver of the motorcycle, in rags, parked behind our car. As he approached us, his only words were, “Give me your camera and get over there with your wife.” I must admit I felt nervous that we might be robbed where we just created some beautiful memories. Surprisingly, he just took a picture of us, handed back my camera and rode off before we could express our gratitude. The photo he took is one of the most cherished and prized of our trip.
I learnt my lesson somewhere I least expected it. We should never judge a man by his appearance. If the motorcycle driver reads this story and remembers the situation, we would like to say “thank you” to him.
1. According to the passage, the trip was _________.| A．a gift for their wedding anniversary | B．a suggestion from their friends |
| C．in late autumn six years ago | D．taken by train to the west |
| A．The motorcyclist would break the camera. |
| B．He could lose the camera with memories. |
| C．The motorcyclist might not be good at taking pictures. |
| D．His wife might not be satisfied with the view there. |
| A．Kind and straightforward. | B．Cautious and admirable. |
| C．Rich and skeptical. | D．Creative and tolerant. |
| A．There is no best, only better. | B．Don’t judge a book by its cover. |
| C．Put yourself in others’ shoes. | D．A contented mind is an everlasting feast. |
【推荐2】One day in my class, Maria shared her feelings about money, “Money worries me. I think I want to live without money because I hate it. I HATE MONEY.”We were all touched by Maria’s words as they reminded us of the spiritual burdens that money managing could bring to us. After class I offered to help Maria deal with her financial problems. She hesitated to accept my offer, and I could see from the expression on her face that she was afraid of what it might involve. I quickly promised her that I wouldn’t make her do more than she was able to. I told her frankly that I didn’t enjoy managing my money any more than she did hers and wouldn’t burden her with guilt, judgments, or impossible tasks. All I would ask her to do was let me help her look at her fears and try to make some sense of them.
Maria still resisted my offer, and I can remember the excuses she gave me as they were the repeated complaints I had heard from so many people. “I’ll never understand money,” she said. “My facts are meaningless.” “I don’t deserve to have money.” “I never have enough.” “I have too little to manage.” “My financial position isn’t worth looking at.” And the most devastating one of all, “I just can’t do it.”
Going home that day, I couldn’t get Maria out of my mind：her attitude conveyed the same negativity and fear that I believed annoyed many people. I was sure it was this attitude that prevented people from managing their money effectively. My counseling(咨询) has taught me that these anxieties are inseparably connected to our self-doubts and fear for survival. Many of us are terrified of handling our money because we don’t believe we can do it well, and to do it wrong would put our very existence at risk.
On a deeper level we know that money is not the source of life, but a sense of worth that drives us to act as if it were. It locks us up in self-doubt and prevents us from tapping into the true source of our management power, our spirit.
1. Why would Maria not take the author’s offer of help?| A．For fear of being forced to share her money with others. |
| B．For fear of having to do something beyond her reach. |
| C．For fear of being found guilty of making impossible errors. |
| D．For fear of showing her judgment about money. |
| A．Convincing. | B．Interesting. | C．Shocking. | D．Valuable. |
| A．They were in the same financial trouble. | B．They were in the same financial condition. |
| C．They were of the same family background. | D．They were of the same feeling over the issue. |
| A．How to overcome her fears. | B．How to make wise decisions. |
| C．How to avoid making mistakes. | D．How to learn the necessary skills. |
【推荐3】Cherry Hill East graduate Max McGee will start his first day as a sports anchor (主持人) on ESPN’s Sports Center on Jan.31. After three years of covering Baltimore and Maryland sports for WIZ-TV, McGee’s new position will involve carrying out live interviews with athletes, reviewing previous games and looking ahead to others.
A graduate of Cherry Hill East, McGee got his first broadcast experience on a sports show. It was an idea encouraged by the late East softball coach Charlie Musumeci. “I remember him coming up to me after school,” McGee remembered. He said, “You’d probably be really good on camera. I know you talk about sports. Why don’t you give it a shot?” “He really started something,” McGee added, “He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.”
In 2008, McGee had a hard time. He was recovering from a setback (挫折) he experienced when he attended Camden County College and played baseball. He dreamed of playing baseball as a career, but was cut by his team.
“My dream wasn’t over,” McGee added. “It was just a different chapter because I realized I would be able to talk about sports for a living, instead of playing them. And that was great.”
He graduated in 2012. Then he went on to study journalism at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he joined All Sports Update, a student-run program on Temple TV, and got broadcast experience through WHIP radio. After 14 months of searching for a reporter’s job, he landed a job in Lake Charles, Louisiana, as a news reporter and producer at KPLC-TV.
“I didn’t intend to be a news reporter, but looking back on it, it was probably the best thing that ever happened in my career,” McGee noted.
His advice for kids who might want to be sports anchors one day is to stop worrying about which school to attend or what subject to study, and get on camera as much as possible.
1. Jan. 31 is special for McGee because he will __________.| A．prepare for the graduation party in Camden County College. |
| B．interview Charlie Musumeci in Maryland. |
| C．report sports news for WJZ-TV. |
| D．begin his new career in ESPN. |
| A．He was one of the most famous sports anchors in Cherry Hill. |
| B．He inspired him to start a career as a sports anchor. |
| C．He invited him to join East softball team. |
| D．He dreamed of playing baseball. |
| A．Experienced. | B．Thoughtful. | C．Friendly. | D．Creative. |
| A．Getting their teachers’ opinions. | B．Choosing their schools carefully. |
| C．Getting enough chances to practice. | D．Learning to work well with others. |
