【推荐1】Fighting through pain after running for 28 hours, and amid the sound of tired feet struggling through the Arizona dirt—finally soft, soothing (舒缓的) music could be heard over the horizon. The finish line, which was once 100 miles away, was right in front of him. A small, roaring human victory tunnel welcomed Zach Bates as he ran across the finish line.

Diagnosed with autism (自闭症) at the age of four, Bates completed the 100-mile ultramarathon (超级马拉松) earlier this year, becoming the youngest finisher in the race’s history, aged 19. Bates was a member of the cross-country team in high school but, after graduating he surprised his family with a new goal—to run a 100-mile race before his 20th birthday.

Neither Bates nor his parents had any prior experience in preparing for the task at hand, but Brian, his father, found ways to help, truly making it a family affair. In addition to hiking safe trails, they read books together, organized all his nutrition, and made sure their son had the right equipment—like the watch he wore on long runs so they could track him and make sure he was safe and on course. Rana and Brian even helped with training schedules before finding more experienced ultramarathon runners—such as mentor John Hendrix and coach Nickademus de la Rosa. With Hendrix and de la Rosa’s expertise, the young American prepared by competing in shorter distances and successfully worked his way up to the 100-miler in a short time.

Rather than having his autism be a reason to make the goal unreachable, his mom said the challenge has helped him stay focused. “If we listen to our children and allow them to do what they want to do and be a support to them, you’ll be so surprised at where they’ll end up,” Rana says.

1. How did Bates probably feel when he ran across the finish line?

A．Tired but cheerful.	B．Proud and overconfident.
C．Painful but peaceful.	D．Comfortable and relaxed.

2. Why did Bates’ new goal surprise his family?

A．Because he was diagnosed with autism.

B．Because he was a cross-Country team member.

C．Because he graduated from high school just now.

D．Because they considered the new goal impractical.

3. Which of the following did not contribute to Bates’ success?

A．Guidance from experts.	B．His perseverance to the goal.
C．Support from his family.	D．Encouragement of team members.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．Save for a rainy day.	B．All we have is now.
C．Nothing is impossible.	D．Fortune favors the bold.

【推荐3】Deanna Stellato-Dudek retired in 2001 because of injuries. But this week, she achieved the unthinkable. With her partner Maxime Deschamps, the 40-year-old former retiree defeated athletes less than half her age and became the oldest woman to win a World Figure Skating Championship. Even more remarkable, she did it in the pairs event, in which the top women are thrown across the ice, lifted over their partners’ heads with one arm, and tossed(抛)more than 10 feet in the air.

Stellato-Dudek had an impressive junior career as a singles skater, winning the 1999 — 2000 International Junior Grand Prix Final and receiving the silver me dal at the 2000 World Junior Championships.

However, by 2001, a few significant injuries led to her decision to retire at age 17. For the next 16 years, Stellato-Dudek lived a relatively normal adulthood. She became a successful aesthetician(美学家)and got married. She was no longer attempting risky triple(转体三周的)jumps on international ice.

But the feelings of unfinished business kept disturbing her — whether she had quit the sport too early and whether she had more to achieve in skating. So she tried on her old skates and attempted the impossible — learning how to become a pairs skater in her 30s and returning to competitive ice.

Her efforts paid off, and now Stellato-Dudek and her partner are unlikely world champions at ages 40 and 32. Stellato-Dudek said she hoped the historic victory inspired everyone, even non-skaters, who might think it was too late to pursue and achieve their goals. “I hope it encourages people not to stop before they reach their potential,” she told reporters after winning the title Thursday night.

Stellato-Dudek is not done. Her next major goal is to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics at age 42.”She is a fighter,” her partner said. “For her, it’s the Olympics every day.”

1. What do we know about Stellato-Dudek from paragraph 1?

A．She entered the competition alone.

B．She was younger than her competitors.

C．She won the championship in pairs skating.

D．She returned to skating because she lost her job.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about Stellato-Dudek?

A．Her career plans.	B．Her past achievements.
C．The challenges she met.	D．The training she went through.

3. What did Stellato-Dudek do after her retirement?

A．She got married.	B．She worked as a coach.
C．She threw away her old skates.	D．She kept trying risky triple jumps.

4. Which word can best describe Stellato-Dudek?

A．Wise.	B．Kind-hearted.
C．Humorous.	D．Determined.

【推荐1】As 35-ycar-old Rajesh walked out of the HR head’s office, he couldn’t help crying and his mind went empty. Suddenly, a regular day at work had turned into his last day in the office. Having cleared his desk of his things and small objects he had used to beautify his workspace. he pulled himself with difficulty to the nearby café and called his wife. Nina.

People like Rajesh are being “let go” for a variety of reasons: poor performance, personal issues and so on. Most people. even though they are aware of the realities, go through a mix of emotions: shock. refusal. self-blame (自资), anger, often leading to unhappiness.

The most important thing is not to think of yourself as a victim (受害者). First, consider self-care. Then, develop a plan to keep yourself busy. Meanwhile, you can update your resume (简历) on the website and make a list of friends and relatives who could help you find a new job.

At first. Rajesh was obviously very upset and spent a number of days staying in bed. Seeing this, Nina took time off from work and even took him to the adviser, from whom he learn-ed that he had become too satisfied with his job and was refusing the reality around him. He had never thought of considering his own professional development. This insight helped him refocus his energy: from playing the blame game to getting new skills and being ready for a better job.

Rajesh and Nina then decided to move from Mumbai to Bengaluru, where his IT skills were more popular. So a newly focused Rajesh first got himself a job. The silver lining was that the cost of living in Bengaluru was lower and they could even achieve their dream of having an apartment.

1. How did Rajesh feel when leaving the HR head’s office?

A．Excited.

B．Satisfied.

C．Sad.

D．Lonely.

2. What should people do after being fired according to the text?

A．Make a complaint to the boss.	B．Drown their sadness in a cup of coffee.
C．Spend some time punishing themselves.	D．Prepare for future job opportunities.

3. What did Rajesh do after seeing the adviser?

A．He refused to accept the reality around him.	B．He focused on improving himself for a job.
C．He felt satisfied with the present situation.	D．He improved his relationship with Nina.

4. What do the underlined words “The silver lining” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．The unpleasant situation.	B．The bad decision.
C．The only disadvantage.	D．The positive side.

【推荐2】While looking for local restaurants to enjoy when I was camping at Chadron State Park (CSP), NE, I found the interesting sounding “Just Love—Coffee Cafe”.

The coffee shop began with a couple, who, after spending too much while taking another two children without parents from Ethiopia into their family, began a cafe business, with part of the money they made from it going to support their big family. I enjoyed the good atmosphere, the attractive menu and a nice chat with the owner about the Cafe knowledge.

I decided to buy a gift card for the lifeguards at the CSP pool, where we went every day and even saw a rescue with our own eyes! And I also wanted to buy one for the hostess at the Trading Center, who cheerfully agreed to allow me to set up a paper art workshop next time we camped there.

While waiting in line to buy the gift cards, I had a brief conversation with a young mom who was at a point in life where everything seemed a struggle, but she was confident. “Her father,” she said, smiling at her daughter in the baby carriage, “is away at barber school in Arizona. It’s the fastest way of getting his certificate (证书). He’s Native American and his strong point is in braiding (编辫子). I work nights and have a babysitter for her during my work time, so I’m always tired. However, I’m sure that I can get over the hard days as soon as possible!”

Following that conversation, I bought another gift card and gave it to the hard-working young mom. And when I did, she reached out to hug me, with tears of surprise. As we hugged, I said softly, “Things will get better. Hold on...”

1. Why did the couple open the coffee shop?

A．To serve foreigners.	B．To become wealthy.
C．To take in more poor children.	D．To help support their big family.

2. In what way was the author similar to the couple?

A．He loved paper art.	B．He cared about others.
C．He wanted to make more money.	D．He showed much interest in coffee.

3. Why was the young lady’s husband away from home?

A．To get specific education.	B．To teach traditional skills.
C．To set up his own business.	D．To make a living.

4. What was the young mother’s attitude towards her present life?

A．Doubtful.	B．Uncaring.
C．Hopeful.	D．Worried.

【推荐3】My first experience living abroad was in Scotland for a year with my family. My father, a teacher, applied for and was accepted into a teacher exchange program. I was thirteen and at the peak of puberty (青春). I was not particularly overjoyed to be leaving the comforts of home.

Living just outside of Glasgow, an area where the people have extremely thick accents, communication wasn’t always easy. Luckily, the girl who showed me around the school had an accent that was slightly easier to understand. I followed her around like a puppy for most of the school year.

The changes were great and scary at first. Not only could I not understand the accent of my peers (同龄人), but my Canadian accent made me a subject of extreme attention. I have never really wanted to become the focus, and this was especially true when I was thirteen. I had to wear a school uniform for the first time, and live in a different home. And if my mom packed carrots in my lunch, a common lunch choice in Canada, I was met with comments like, “Wow, you’re eating pure healthy food today!”

Another barrier was the cultural and language differences. Pants are called trousers, underwears are called pants, and erasers are called rubbers. And, while wearing jeans and Converse at home was normal for thirteen-year-old girls, in Glasgow, skirts and heels were the norm outside of school. As a result, I was always at a loss when joining a chat or invited to a party.

Luckily, I finally made friends with lovely, welcoming people. I can proudly say I have seen just about every castle and tourist attraction in Scotland, while also having been a part of experiences only had by locals. My year abroad taught me you must allow yourself to be uncomfortable, before you can have real experiences. It wasn’t until I let go of my fears that I began to enjoy myself.

1. How did the author react when hearing about going abroad?

A．She couldn’t believe it.

B．She felt very excited about it.

C．She didn’t look forward to it that much.

D．She considered it good for her puberty

2. Which item is referred to in Paragraph 3?

A．She wished to be famous.

B．She wasn’t scared to change her habits.

C．She was satisfied with her accent.

D．She didn’t like others’ attention.

3. What does the author feel about the cultural and language differences?

A．Painful.

B．Confused.

C．Touched.

D．Relieved.

4. What may the author suggest students going abroad do?

A．They should not fear to experience.

B．They should find a comfort zone.

C．They should learn to be independent.

D．They should be less proud of themselves.

【推荐1】Wang, now 43 and working as deputy head of Temuli, Butuo county, Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Southeast China’s Sichuan province, said she would have lived a very different life if she had quit school and got married as her parents had wanted.

In the 1990s, most of the girls who lived in villages deep in Sichuan’s mountains dropped out of school after just a few years because they were either engaged or destined to become housewives in arranged marriages. When Wang Fumei told her parents about her dream of attending classes again, she was met with opposition. Her mother refused because Wang was the family’s oldest child, so she had to do farm work and take care of her younger siblings. The lack of available labor meant the family could only just make ends meet by planting corn and rice. Wang went on a hunger strike to protest her parents decision. On the seventh day, however, seeing Wang’s determination, her parents finally allowed her to go to school and her arranged marriage was canceled.

“I envied the lifestyle of female teachers and doctors in my village. I knew my parents had their difficulties, but the only thing in my mind back then was that education can change people’s destinies. If I wasn’t permitted to go to school, then I’d rather die.” she said.

She cherished the opportunity so much that she devoted all her time to studying. In 2000, she returned to Butuo to work as a civil servant. At the same time, she made up her mind to improve the lives of the people in the village, and also helped solve the problem of local children dropping out of school as there was still an attitude of “boys over girls” in the isolated village.

“No matter how capable you are and no matter what situation you are in, you must be grateful in your heart. Only you can change your destiny: no one else can do that for you,” she said.

1. Why did Wang Fumei’s parents ask her to quit school?

A．Because she was the only girl in her family.

B．Because her family wanted her to get married.

C．Because she did a bad school work.

D．Because she had to help support the whole family.

2. Why are the female teachers and doctors mentioned in the passage?

A．To show the popularity of teachers and doctors.

B．To stress the determination of her quitting school.

C．To emphasize that girls’ lives can be changed by knowledge.

D．To show an attitude of “girls over boys” in the isolated village.

3. If Wang’s parents hadn’t agreed to Wang’s request, then what would have happened to Wang?

A．Wang would have fled away from her family.

B．Wang would have got married with the arranged person.

C．Wang would have committed suicide.

D．Wang would have helped support her family all her life.

4. Which old saying can be used as the title of this text?

A．Who says women are inferior to men.

B．God helps those who help themselves.

C．The world’s biggest enemy is yourself.

D．Knowledge is power, knowledge changes destiny

【推荐2】Sushila, who lives in Basti, a village in western India, has been a symbol of hope thanks to her continuous efforts in education.

Twenty years ago, Sushila noticed that there was no Anganwadi(印度贫困地区教育中心)in her neighborhood. As a strong believer in education, she decided to open one in Basti. However, no one was willing to help her, and there was very little government support. So, she started an Anganwadi in her home, where she taught for two years. Later, the Anganwadi moved to a temple.

"Initially, children would not come to the Anganwadi because their parents would take them to the fields," said Sushila. However, she refused to let this bring her down and kept making door—to—door visits to encourage the villagers and get them on board. Slowly, the villagers warmed up to the idea and began to send their children to the Anganwadi.

Sushila started the Anganwadi in 1091 and continued it till 2002. In the 11 years, she helped more than 250 children learn the basics of education for free! "The kids' families were too poor to pay for education. Sometimes the parents would give me food grains, but I never expected any money, she said.

Then the Anganwadi was turned into a government school — Balwadi Vidya Mandir — in 2003—2004.

Sushila is also an untraditional woman. She married Baburao, an agricultural laborer who had two sons from his previous marriage. And she completely turned his life around. Being poor, Baburao had to drop out of school in Grade 2. "I always wanted my children to get education and live a life different from mine, so we sent all of them to school," said Baburao. “Today, everybody in the village wonders how the children of a laborer are so educated. My elder son is a teacher while the younger one is a policeman: And the child of Sushila and me is a professor of Geography."

1. Why didn't the children in Basti go to Anganwadi before 1991?

A．The children were unwilling to go to school.

B．The government hadn't set up enough Anganwadis.

C．Their parents didn’t realize the importance of education.

D．Their poor family couldn't afford the high Anganwadi fees.

2. What does the underlined phrase "warmed up to" mean in paragraph 3?

A．Started to accept.	B．Came up with.
C．Kept a distance from.	D．Made an impact on.

3. What does Baburao imply by his words in the last paragraph?

A．He regrets not having an opportunity to get educated.

B．Education has enabled their children to live a better life.

C．He's proud that all their children can earn a lot of money.

D．His wife succeeded in teaching their children on her own.

4. What does the author think of Sushila's work?

A．Respectable.

B．Effortless.

C．Complicated.

D．Competitive.

【推荐3】I graduated from college in the early 1990s with a major in Italian literature and there was no clue how I was going to make a living. I struggled to find my footing in a new city; working a variety of jobs, always looking for my “real” career.     1    

One day I opened my mail and found a note with an image from my mother.     2     It was a portrait(肖像) of John Gorrie—the inventor of the first artificial ice machine- -that the artist Dennis Gephardt had made entirely out of pieces of toast.“If someone can make a portrait out of toast,” my mother wrote to me, “you can do anything.”

This small portrait brought a ray of hope to me. Corrie believed he did not need winter in order to make ice. Gephardt, the artist, believed he could honor that fact by, painstakingly cutting 143 slices of bread into the likeness of a man.     3     Why not me? I carried this cutting in my notebook for years.

When I entered my 30s, now as a wife and a mother, I decided to throw myself into a new career as a writer. So once again, I needed all the encouragement I could get.     4     Years went on. Failed marriage, my daughter’s teenage years, another career shift-throughout it all, the toast remained in view. When I gave up writing and started a new business, my friends had their doubts. But I looked to toast. This career has brought more success than I’ve ever achieved before.     5     If someone can make a portrait out of toast, well, we can do anything.

A．Both achieved their goals.

B．As in most cases, Mom was right.

C．She’d cut it out from Harper’s Magazine.

D．The framed portrait lay quiet in my new office

E．Gorrie and Gephardt had been friends for long.

F．I framed the portrait and hung it on my wall.

G．I was badly in need of encouragement, from anyone, anywhere.