As an undergraduate,I was fascinated by a visiting professor’s lecture. The second I left the talk, I called my sister and told her I had decided to become a paleoclimate (古气候) scientist—to which she replied, “A what?” No one in my family has a graduate degree. And no one heard of this term. Thus I began my journey through the unwritten expectations and assumed knowledge about applying to graduate school.
I sent that professor an email, asking whether he had time to talk to me. He agreed to meet virtually, explained his graduate research, and shared stories of fieldwork, but he made no mention of how students were supported. I didn’t think to ask. I assumed pursuing a graduate degree would mean paying tuition and going without income. That was not an option for me. So, I tried to let go of the idea of continuing my education.
Later I learned from my adviser that many programs not only cover tuition, but also offer scholarship. My dream became a possibility again.
Then came the next problem: figuring out how to apply. I fell into a rabbit hole of Internet advice from self-appointed experts, each with a different opinion on email etiquette (礼仪), interview scheduling, and how to express interest in a project. The suggested timelines contradicted (相矛盾) one another. I felt hopeless again, terrified I would break an unspoken rule.
But I gathered all the advice I could and spent hours crafting emails to professors. Ultimately, I was accepted to work on a master’s project in a city where I had always wanted to live.
Standing in the lab that day, I realized that—despite my uncertainty—I had made it exactly where I had hoped to be. When I had started down this path, there was so much I didn’t know. But I made it by trying walking into the unknown.
1. What can we infer from the reply of the author’s sister?| A．She had problems with bearing. |
| B．She became annoyed with the author. |
| C．She was puzzled about the author’s decision. |
| D．She was too excited to hear the author’s words. |
| A．Discouraged. | B．Guilty. | C．Optimistic. | D．Excited. |
| A．Lack of the professor’s support. | B．There being no work experience. |
| C．The confusion of making a decision. | D．Demanding requirements of the professor. |
| A．Well begun, half done. | B．Every man has his price. |
| C．One tree does not make a forest. | D．Something attempted, something done. |
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【推荐1】All over the world, barbershops not only fuel their local economies, but also bring people together. So when the COVID-19 broke out three years ago and the community fell on hard times, Chris Bossio knew just what to do. Chris opened a barbershop called Headlines, where people could come together for a hair cut, having some conversations meanwhile.
Later, Chris volunteered his free time to teach other barbers new techniques.
Impressed by his down-to-earth, easy-to-understand lessons, one of his business partners convinced him to upload them on Tiktok (抖音).
That was when things really took off. The videos earned him a large number of subscribers and as Chris kept creating more, he saw his subscribers turn into clients. The freshmen in the line flooded in to exchange professional opinions and sharpen the skills, while residents from the community came for a moment of peace, hence building a deeper bond.
Business was booming but Chris didn’t stop here.
When he started Headlines, his initial goal was just to open five barbershops within five years. But as time went by, he was determined to share his success, focusing most of his time on empowering barbers. He held workshops where he trained barbers on not only the business of barbering, but also how to establish their brands. Once, his workshop attracted over 300 attendees. Many of his students have become successful barbers themselves, including about 40 who have opened their own shops in the area. “These shops serve as places where community cultures really come together and come to life, ” he said. It was a dream come true for Chris.
He also saw opportunities popping up as his channel grew. He started making a shaving gel (凝胶). It was another huge hit. He immediately launched a production line, creating a certain number of jobs in the community. Though the economy was in decline, he could sell10, 000 products per month in 15 countries. It’s also been a lifeline during the COVID-19 epidemic (疾病流行) , when hundreds of barbershops were forced to shut down. Without it, Chris’ business, as well as his employees, couldn’t have survived.
1. What was Chris Bossio’s original purpose of opening Headlines?| A．To earn money for the poor in the community. |
| B．To ease people’s tension during the epidemic. |
| C．To have conversations with other people. |
| D．To teach other barbers new techniques. |
| A．Sharing new techniques. |
| B．Opening a barbershop. |
| C．Posting videos online. |
| D．Giving new barbers lessons. |
| A．People established a closer bond there. |
| B．Chris’ students all became successful barbers. |
| C．Chris’ contribution was recognized across the world. |
| D．Many barbers benefited a great deal from them. |
| A．Helpful and creative. |
| B．Ambitious and patient. |
| C．Generous and thoughtful. |
| D．Positive and energetic. |
【推荐2】Audrey Hepburn won an Academy Award as Best Actress for her first major American movie, Roman Holiday, which was released in 1953. But she is remembered as much for her aid work as for her acting.
Born in Belgium in 1929, Audrey’s father was British and her mother was Dutch. Audrey was sent to live at a British school for part of her childhood. During World War II, she lived and studied in the Netherlands. Her mother thought it would be safe from German attacks. Audrey studied dance as a teenager and during college when she returned to London after the war. But she realized she wasn’t going to be a ballerina (芭蕾舞女演员). So she began taking acting parts in stage shows. Later she began to get small parts in movies.
But it was Audrey Hepburn’s move to America that brought her true fame. In 1951 she played the character “Gigi” in the Broadway play of the same name to great critical praise. Two years later, Roman Holiday made her a star at the age of 24.
Audrey made more than 25 movies. Among her most popular roles was Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tifany’s in 1961. Three years later she played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.
She was married two times and had one son by each husband. In 1989, the UN Children’s Fund named Audrey a goodwill ambassador. She travelled all over the world in support of UNICEF (联合国儿童基金会) projects. The UN agency said she was a tireless worker. She often gave 15 interviews a day to gain money and support for UNICEF projects.
Audrey Hepburn often said her loyalty to UNICEF was the result of her experiences as a child during World War II. She said she knew what it was like to be starving and to be saved by international aid. She was a goodwill ambassador until her death in 1993 from colon cancer.
1. In Paragraph 1, “her aid work” means ___________.| A．winning an Academy Award as Best Actress |
| B．taking acting parts in stage shows |
| C．acting as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF |
| D．making her own movies |
| A．she wanted to be a ballerina |
| B．her parents were from Britain |
| C．it was safe there |
| D．the education there was excellent |
| A．Audrey’s parents lived in Germany during World War II |
| B．Audrey lived in America in the 1950s |
| C．Audrey was made to give up dancing |
| D．the character “Gigi” in the Broadway play was her most popular role |
①The first time she began to play in movies.
②She returned to London from the Netherlands.
③She won an Academy Award as Best Actress.
④She travelled all over the world in support of UNlCEF projects.
⑤She played a part in My Fair Lady.
| A．①②⑤③④ | B．①②③⑤④ |
| C．②①⑤③④ | D．②①③⑤④ |
【推荐3】In 2018, Danika Whitsett was attending college when she got into a car accident that left her unable to move from the waist down. She was asleep in the SUV she was riding in when the driver lost control and the car rolled just outside of Phoenix, Arizona. At the time, Whitsett said she felt lucky to be alive after being told that only 20% of people survived during the accident.
She learned to use a wheelchair, which she is expected to be in for the rest of her life. Whitsett has been using the same wheelchair since 2018, and sadly, it has fallen into disrepair. The wheels have curved inwards toward her body, leaving open wounds on both of her upper legs. Whitsett is in the process of getting a new wheelchair hut found out that even with her insurance, the cost would be $ 5,200, which is a cost she cannot afford.
So Whitsett unwillingly posted a video on the social media platform TikTok, tearfully sharing her situation with the world. “I desperately need this new chair and I hate ever asking for help or for money but I know sometimes it’s our only option,” wept Whitsett.
“All the while I am trying to save money for my new chair so that I can actually be as independent as possible and it is much needed. Anything helps — literally $ 1 would mean the world to me. Thank you guys for your continuous patronage. I’m so appreciative of you all and I love you guys, thank you.”
Her story quickly spread and she raised the entire $5,000 in just a day! But thanks to the kindness of strangers, the donations have continued rolling in, and have now climbed to almost $ 22,000.
Whitsett is overwhelmed by the generosity. She hopes that sharing her story will help to effect change and make critical medical necessities, like wheelchairs, more affordable and accessible to others in similar situations.
1. What was Whitsett doing when the accident happened?| A．Riding a bike. | B．Sleeping in a car. |
| C．Driving a bus. | D．Wandering around. |
| A．The old one was stolen. |
| B．The old one was out of fashion. |
| C．The old one was beyond repair. |
| D．The old one was ruined in the accident. |
| A．Supports. | B．Greetings. | C．Patience. | D．Change. |
| A．To get more donations for herself. |
| B．To become better known in the world. |
| C．To complain about her worrying situation. |
| D．To make a difference to helping the disabled. |
【推荐1】An excerpt from Shoes Were for Sunday by Molly Weir
One of the phrases which greatly puzzled me was “entertaining angels unaware”. How could anybody be unaware of entertaining an angel, I thought? It never occurred to me that angelic qualities could hide under very ordinary voices and in everyday bodies.
My angel, as it turned out, hid inside the little figure of my school-teacher, Miss McKenzie. To me she was always a little old lady, with her grey hair framing a round rosy face and caught up in an old-fashioned bun (发髻) on top of her head.
Although I enjoyed Miss McKenzie’s approval, I never really felt very close to her. It never dawned on me to ask her advice as to what I should do when I left school. Surely there was only one thing to do:get a job and earn money as quickly as possible. But Miss McKenzie had other ideas. We in our house knew nothing of scholarships for fatherless children. The idea of a child from a working-class household going to college was the very stuff of story-books.
Unknown to us, she forced the headmaster to put my name forward for a special scholarship open to children who showed some promise, and who would benefit from further education. He agreed, although he was a bit worried about the expense of keeping me at college for a whole year. No earnings from me, and fares and clothes to be covered, for, of course, only the fees would be paid if I won.
Miss McKenzie brushed all argument aside. To this day I can remember my complete astonishment when, on being asked if she felt I had any particular qualities, this elderly teacher banged the desk with her fist, and declared in an American idiom I never suspected she knew, ‘I’d stake my bottom dollar on this girl!’
I trembled at the passion in her voice, and at her faith in me. “What if I fail her?” I gasped to myself. “What if she has to pay all the money back if I let her down?” I knew we hadn’t a spare dollar to repay anybody, and I was sick with a sense of responsibility in case I messed up.
The time at college went by quickly. At the end of my year at college I was able to lay before her the college gold medal as the year’s top student and a whole pile of certificates.
And suddenly as I gazed at her, and saw her eyes shining with pride behind the gold-rimmed glasses, I realized how widely she had thrown open the door of opportunity for me. And I knew for the first time what the phrase “entertaining angels unaware” meant. For there, standing before me in class, was my very own angel, Miss McKenzie.
1. The author’s description of Miss McKenzie in paragraphs 2 and 5 aims to ______.| A．explain why she always kept a safe distance from Miss McKenzie |
| B．contrast the inner qualities of McKenzie with her humble appearance |
| C．emphasize that she and Miss McKenzie both came from an ordinary family |
| D．illustrate the influence of the strong faith Miss McKenzie had in her |
| A．it is unlikely for children from an ordinary family to further their study in college |
| B．going to university can help those from working-class climb up the social ladder |
| C．those who can only read stories do not meet the minimum requirement of college |
| D．the author had the idea of going to college because she was inspired by some stories |
| A．shocked and encouraged | B．embarrassed and reluctant |
| C．uncertain and stressed | D．worried and purposeful |
| A．recall her schooldays and her past achievements |
| B．express her gratitude to one of her school teachers |
| C．stress the importance of equal access to education |
| D．encourage readers to find the angels around them |
【推荐2】He hurried around the room, touching everything he could reach. I followed, attempting to intercept (拦截) him before he reached the hallway. He approached the front desk and knocked over all the papers on the table. I assisted him firmly in collecting them. I sensed eyes watching me, judging my parenting skills.
I should have realised that arriving so early would not have been wise. It was my mistake to arrive early, as the long wait was difficult for my child. I kept searching my bag and found a ball, which finally attracted him. A couple waited for their child. They stared at me and my son, and I heard the words “out of control”. I could feel my face flush red. I wanted to tell them that my son has a disability and that he’s not being bad; he’s just having trouble waiting. I sat down and watched him play with the ball, and I tried my best not to cry.
The instructor called the group together, and my son went off to play sports with the other five-year-olds. I prayed that this time he would follow the rules. I closed my eyes and wished him to be okay.
“He’ll be fine.” I opened my eyes and looked beside me. “He’ll do great. You are doing great. You are a great mom. I can see it in all that you do for him,” a lady sat on my right said.
She told me about her brother and her parents and all that her mom did for her brother over the years. She told me about how he turned out great, got a job and lives on his own now. We sat and talked, and I felt the tension leave my body.
Before I knew it, the doors opened, and all the kids ran out, including my own, filled with excitement and pride. “I did it!” he exclaimed. I picked him up. I turned to thank the lady, but she was gone.
1. What might others in the waiting room expect the author to do?| A．Get out of the room. | B．Apologize to them. |
| C．Make her child behave. | D．Take her son to the doctor`s. |
| A．Because he has bad temper. |
| B．As his mother’s love makes him behave like that. |
| C．As he has a physical disability. |
| D．Because he has difficulty in waiting. |
| A．Her sincere attitude. | B．Her family’s experience. |
| C．Her brother’s suffering. | D．Her sympathy for the author. |
| A．True and kind words can change the world. | B．It is difficult for a child to behave himself. |
| C．Be more patient to a child with disability. | D．Wrong words will make the world worse. |
【推荐3】I decided to apply to the Nottingham Summer School in Food and Crop Science because I thought it could help me expand my knowledge of the industry and determine my career path. Arriving at Sutton Bonington, despite being nervous I was excited to involve myself in the events organised and make new friends. We were welcomed with lunch and team-building activities helping me feel instantly comfortable.
The first activity took place in the “superlab”, an impressive, brandnew laboratory full of modern equipment which we were able to use in experiments. For people planning to study food science at university it was the perfect introduction, providing continuous tasters of what the course offered.
We learnt about sensory analysis and its importance in food manufacturing. Using specialized equipment, we tested the smell of an Oreo in relation to the taste of it. Interestingly, the taste and smell of food was strengthened when it was put into the liquid, so we repeated the experiment with an Oreo dunked (浸一浸) in milk. That day we also took part in the ice cream tasting, deciding on our favorite product and packaging, then the Skittles tasting, attempting to establish flavors by looking at their color, then using the limited edition white Skittles and seeing if they were harder.
One of my favorite activities was the talk given on insects and their potential role in sustaining an alternative global protein source for the future. We were given the chance to try some energy/protein bars made with “Jimminy’s”, a new product, inspiring us to then create our own product and pitch our idea and brand to the group. And the best part of the three days was the lecture in which a representative from the Food and Drink Federation spoke about the food industry, followed by a formal dinner.
I would definitely recommend attending if you are considering it. I am now certain I want to pursue a nutrition course at university and follow a career in this industry. It has been an enriching experience strengthening my longterm goal.
1. What will the author most likely choose as a career according to the passage?| A．A foreign language. |
| B．Business. |
| C．Engineering. |
| D．The food industry. |
| A．Oreo is the most popular kind of food brands. |
| B．Sensory analysis is important in food producing. |
| C．The taste of food will be better when it is put into liquids. |
| D．We cannot judge flavors by looking at color. |
| A．The talk on insects and their potential role. |
| B．The lecture about the food industry. |
| C．Trying some energy bars. |
| D．Creating his own product. |
【推荐1】My First Day of School
Frightened, I was walking into my first school in America.I had traveled a long distance from India in order to join my parents, who had been here for three years,hoping America would help my future. My father decided that I would have a better education here, so Ienrolled(登记)in the local high school in my new town.
I was afraid how I would do.On the first day,I went to my second class after I had missed my first. With anxiety,I reached for the door, opening it slowly. Without paying attention to my classmates, I went straight to the teacher and asked if this was the right class. With a soft voice he answered,“Yes.”His voice comforted me a little. He gave me a sheet called Course Requirements,which I would never get in India because we didn’t have anything like that. Then he asked me to choose where I would sit. I didn’t actually want to pick a seat. In India we had fixed seats, so I never needed to worry about that. I spent the rest of the class taking notes from the image produced by the overhead projector(投影仪).In Indian schools,we didn’t use the technology. We had to take notes as the teacher spoke.
It was noon. I was very confused about when I would have unch. I went to my next class and the bell rang as I entered.I went through the regular(惯常的)process of asking the teacher af I was in the right class.She said,“It’s still fourth period.”
“But the bell just rang,”I said.
Changing from a gentle tone toaharsh(刺耳的)one，she said,“That is the lunch bell,young man.”
I apologized. Without another word I headed for the cafeteria. I felt lucky because we didn’t have this in India. Every confusion seemed like a barrier I had to get through to reach my goal. At the end of the day,I was on my way to the bus which we didn’t have in India either.I saw my bus and sat down inside happily. I was thinking, today wasn’t so bad.
1. The author attended an American high school because_________| A．his father preferred American schools. | B．his family wanted him to have a bright future. |
| C．his mother had worked in it for 3 years. | D．he had been longing to leave his homeland. |
| A．He went to the wrong class for the second period. |
| B．He met some enthusiastic teachers and classmates. |
| C．He got the Course Requirements sheet from his classmate. |
| D．He experienced differences between American and Indian schools in many ways. |
| A．Door | B．Difficulty | C．Task | D．Period |
| A．Worried | B．Puzzled | C．Happy | D．Excited |
【推荐2】Paris Baker is a 30-year-old mother who has two daughters, Kallie, nine, and Harper, five.
One day, the three were playing at home. Harper was playing mom, feeding her mother, then her teddy bear and finally herself. Suddenly, Paris started choking on a piece of cookie. Soon, the cookie was at the back of her throat. The two girls started hitting her back at once. After about a minute of hitting her back, Kallie went to call an ambulance as she started to worry. As she did this the other girl carried on doing what she had been doing and thankfully the cookie finally came up.
Paris was diagnosed (诊断) with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2017, and was told she had five years to live. The condition will gradually paralyse (使……瘫痪) her, leaving her trapped inside her body.
Due to her condition, she’s more likely to fall and has received serious injuries. She felt it was very important to teach her girls what to do in a dangerous situation she might be in. This included applying pressure to a bleeding wound, what to do if someone is choking and how to call emergency services.
The girls know that if their dad isn’t home and an emergency happens there are three steps. Step one is to ring 999, ask for an ambulance and give their address. Step two is to put their dogs in the garden, and step three is to open the front door for the emergency services.
After the accident, Paris was so grateful that she had taught her daughters what to do in such a situation. But accidents like that can happen to anyone. So if your kid hasn’t learned first aid skills yet, it’s time to do that now.
1. How did the two girls react as their mother choked?| A．They called an ambulance at once. |
| B．They took action as soon as possible. |
| C．They were too frightened to do anything. |
| D．They tried to carry their mother somewhere else. |
| A．She wanted them to help others. |
| B．She knew she’d need their help. |
| C．She planned to make them doctors. |
| D．She was afraid of losing them in accidents. |
| A．To introduce useful first aid skills. |
| B．To explain kids’ role in stopping accidents. |
| C．To encourage the learning of first aid skills. |
| D．To tell readers what to do in an emergency. |
| A．A game puts a mother’s life at great risk |
| B．A mother teaches her daughters a life lesson |
| C．Girls learn first aid skills from their mother |
| D．Girls save their mother’s life using first aid skills |
【推荐3】I grew up in a house with an unusual design feature. The entire floor of the front entrance was made of slate reclaimed pieces of chalkboards that my innovative father gathered from the local high school when it was undergoing a renovation 25 years ago. He added a second large piece on the wall, too.
The result was that we always had a place to write notes, draw pictures, do quick calculations, and keep an ongoing grocery list to which anyone could contribute. The wall chalkboard was used for important notes, while the floor was most handy for messages that were meant to catch someone’s eye the moment they came into the house.
When I was young, I took it for granted that every house would have such a large writing surface, but then I moved away and realized that wasn’t the case. For years, especially since having kids, I struggled to keep daily information organized, making do with piles of loose papers, disjointed notes on my phone, and foggy memories of things I knew I should remember but did not. At least my Moleskine paper planner gave some order to my life, but even it didn’t make up for a good chalkboard. But now things have changed. A proper chalkboard has finally been attached to my kitchen wall. My dad recently came for a visit and brought a piece of slate that fits the wall behind the door. It’s from the same batch (批次) of old high school slate that he collected all those years ago, now transported to another part of our province. All of a sudden, we have an obvious place to go to store information where all family members can see it, a place where important thoughts can be kept for future reference, celebrations announced and children entertained.
1. What do we know about the chalkboards?| A．They matched other furniture perfectly. |
| B．They were handmade by the author’s father. |
| C．They were donated to the author’s high school. |
| D．They mattered a lot to the author and her family. |
| A．What to do to improve her memory. |
| B．How to teach kids to gather information. |
| C．Where to write down something important. |
| D．How to equip every house with a chalkboard. |
| A．Cheerful. | B．Confused. | C．Upset. | D．Dependent. |
| A．She used to hide her thoughts. |
| B．She is a well-organized person. |
| C．She was an excellent girl at school. |
| D．She moves around from time to time. |
