Bea, a five-year-old girl, was born with a severe illness which means she has to be kept away from other children of her age, because her body is so weak that she would be unable to fight off a common cold.
Bea was diagnosed (诊断) with this disease when she was five months old. Since then, the hospital has become her second home, medicines for food, and all kinds of treatments her friends. Bea received a very special treatment when she was four years old, which would allow her to be like a normal child if successful. After that, she spent two weeks in ICU before living for four months on a separate ward(病房). Bea was allowed home in February but still needed a special tube in her nose to send in medicine every two days.
Her parents clean the house from top to bottom every two days and hoover (用吸尘器清扫) each morning to make sure Bea is free from any possible bacteria. Anna, Bea’s mother, said, “She is weak but so strong. We’ve never seen any child stronger than her. It seems as if nothing in the world could beat her. We really hope to send her to school next year.” She used to drive on the local playground, but Bea was only allowed to watch sitting in the car. “It was heartbreaking to see Bea staring at the running and laughing children there. She never stopped fighting the disease. I know she’s dying for such a normal life.”
Hearing of Bea’s story, the MakeAWish Foundation has paid for a play park to be built in her back garden.“Bea is very brave and she has encouraged many children like her, ” said the chairman of the foundation.
1. If Bea stayed with other children freely, ________.| A．other children would have a higher chance to catch her disease |
| B．she would catch a common cold which would kill her quickly |
| C．her life would be in great danger as she could fall ill easily |
| D．she would be lost in playing and forget to receive treatment |
| A．Bea will need a tube in her nose all the time |
| B．Bea has to stay in hospital until she is an adult |
| C．Bea’s parents will send her to school next year |
| D．Bea’s mother feels proud when talking about her |
| A．honor her bravery in fighting against her disease |
| B．call for attention to this immune system deficiency |
| C．encourage more children like Bea to be optimistic |
| D．launch a campaign against this serious disease |
| A．Her parents’ encouragement and care. |
| B．Her dreaming of owning a play park. |
| C．Her wish to become a normal child. |
| D．Her doctor’s skills and experience. |
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“I want to give a message,” Barbara Walters said. “If you have kids who are smoking, tell them that we lost Peter.”
Lung cancer is the worst killer in America, taking more lives each year than any other cancer, according to the America Cancer Society. About 160,440 Americans die each year of cancer, making up 28 percent of all cancer deaths. More than 87 percent of lung cancers are smoking related.
Dr. Derek Raghavan, director of the Cleveland Clinic’ s Taussing Cancer Center(陶西格癌症中心), said that once a person stops smoking, he starts getting better. Three to five years after quitting, the possibility of getting lung cancer is reduced by half.
Warning signs of lung cancer can also be mixed with symptoms connected with long-term smoking. The three main warning signs are an increase of coughing that doesn’t clear up, coughing up blood and sharp chest pains.
People with those symptoms should see a doctor. Raghavan said there have been promising developments in the treatment of lung cancer, including uses of radiation and surgery and drugs. “But the fact is that stopping smoking is the most important thing we can do,” Raghavan said. “There is no treatment that even comes close.”
1. Anchor Peter Jennings died of lung cancer which was possibly caused by _____.
| A．his bad eating habit | B．overmuch work |
| C．long-term smoking | D．the old age |
| A．make him the main character of the passage. |
| B．warn the smokers of the danger of smoking |
| C．introduce the topic to be talked about |
| D．make him better-known than before |
| A．doing more exercise |
| B．giving up smoking |
| C．getting over lung cancer |
| D．staying in hospital |
| A．to receive the treatment of lung cancer |
| B．to do exercise regularly |
| C．to see a doctor in time |
| D．to stop smoking |
【推荐2】The cancer death rate in the U.S. fell by the most on record as advances in treatments for lung tumors （肿瘤） like video-assisted surgery helped prolong the lives of patients.
The death rate from cancer has been gradually declining for 26 years, thanks in large part to fewer people smoking cigarettes. But from 2016 to 2017, the most recent period available, it dropped by 2.2%, the most ever in a single year, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society. That compares with an average 1.5% yearly decline over the decade. The drop translates to roughly 2.9 million fewer cancer deaths than would have occurred had death rates remained at their peak. For lung cancer specifically, the death rate declined 4.3% annually from 2013 to 2017.
"It is really lung cancer that is driving this," said Rebecca Siegel, scientific director of surveillance research at the American Cancer Society, and lead author on the new study. "We found increases in survival for lung cancer at every stage in diagnosis.”, She attributed the lower deaths to improvements in treatments, including video-assisted surgery that enables more patients with early lung tumors to become eligible for operations; more precise radiation treatment; and better scanning technology that allows doctors to better assess the stage of tumor, so the patient gets the best treatment right away. At later stages of illness, new, targeted drugs that aim at specific disease-causing genes are helping patients whose tumors have those genetic flaws （缺陷）.Overall, lung cancer death rates have dropped by 51% for men since their peak in 1990, and by 26% for women since their peak in 2002.
There's the potential for more progress in future reports. That's because the latest death-rate statistics go only through 2017, and likely don't include the potential impact in lung cancer death from immune-therapy drugs. They became widely used in lung cancer only in the past few years.
The report, based on U.S. government data, isn't all good news. Prostate （前列腺）cancer death rates have leveled off recently after a period of decline. That may be because many doctors pulled back on using the controversial prostate-specific antigen test, or PSA, which can spot the disease but can lead to over-treatment of men who may never have died from their tumors.
"Though it was definitely causing harm, it was also contributing to declines in death," Siegel said. What's needed now is better screening tests to detect only the prostate cancers that will go on to cause harm.
Population death rates are considered one of the most reliable ways of measuring progress in cancer treatment and prevention. By contrast, cancer survival rates can sometimes be influenced by improvements in diagnosing tiny, early stage tumors that wouldn't necessarily be deadly.
1. According to paragraph 2, ______.| A．cancer death rate reached its peak in 2017 |
| B．death rate decreases over the past 2 decades |
| C．2.9 million people die of cancer in America every year |
| D．most of the cancer patients in America suffer from lung cancer |
| A．female death rate of lung cancer drops more than that of male |
| B．targeted drugs have led to rapid increase in cancer death rates |
| C．better scanning technology will lead to improvement in treating genetic flaws |
| D．improper use of prostate-specific antigen test can lead to over-treatment of men |
| A．remain unchanged | B．show up |
| C．take off | D．become sharp |
| A．Medical Progress Prolonging Patients’ Lives |
| B．Cancer Death Rates Dropping at the Fastest Pace |
| C．Significant Improvement in Treating Lung Cancer |
| D．Advanced Technologies Applied in Cancer Treatment |
【推荐3】Even though it is just a few years old, the comic strip, Cul de Sac, has already won many fans through its characters. So when cartoonist, Richard Thompson, announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, his fans sat up and took notice.
One of the fans was Chris Sparks, a designer and web developer in North Carolina. Sparks was building a website for Thompson when the cartoonist announced his disease. He started reading more about Parkinson's disease through books and websites. There he found that people could form public fund-raising teams to raise money for Parkinson's research. He quickly decided to form his own team: Team Cul de Sac.
However, Sparks decided to take a different path. He has contacted dozens of cartoonists around the world, who will contribute artworks inspired by the Cul de Sac strip. Thompson's publisher, Andrews Mcmeel, has agreed to release them in a book next year. Some of the profits from the book will go to the research. And after the book is released, the artworks will be auctioned off. All profits will go to the research team. The aim is to raise $450,000 for the foundation. “We've already had around 80 people who say they are interested in contributing”, says Sparks.
Although many people with Parkinson's disease are private about their condition, Thompson is not one of them. He's happy to put his support behind the project. “I think we can make a difference,” says Sparks, who points out that his love of comics inspired him. “I've been reading comics since I was 5 years old, and most of the cartoonists I've met have been wonderful human beings,” he says. “They've made a difference in my life, and I hope to make a difference as well.”
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．The influence of cartoonist Richard Thompson. |
| B．Great achievements made in the comic strip field. |
| C．Progress made in the study of Parkinson's disease. |
| D．Chris Sparks' contributions to Parkinson's research. |
| A．building a website for Thompson |
| B．releasing a new book by Thompson |
| C．forming a research team for Parkinson's disease |
| D．auctioning off artworks inspired by Thompson's strip |
| A．Thompson kept his disease private to his fans. |
| B．Sparks became Thompson's fan when he was 5. |
| C．Sparks' love of comics contributed to his action. |
| D．Cartoonists raised $450,000 for Team Cul de Sac. |
【推荐1】Oindrila Basu from India, 25, is a key member of a global forestry organization. Back in her youth, she had to be taught the importance of nature. She used to destroy nests of birds just for fun. Once, her mother caught her and forced her to find the eggs and replace the nest. With a heavy heart, the girl realized she had done something terrible.
This is just one way that Basu’s parents shaped her understanding and appreciation of nature. Living in the countryside, she spent her youth studying ants before a rain, watching sunbirds, counting fireflies and watching seedlings (幼苗) grow. Then her parents decided to move to a nearby city with better educational opportunities and she stopped having first-hand experiences with nature.
As she struggled to choose a college major, her mother suggested a career in forestry. That’s when her journey began and she fell in love with forestry. Away from the crowded cities, in the lap of the Himalayas, she got her bachelor’s degree in forestry from Kumaun University, India. When she went on to study for master’s in forestry from the Forest Research Institute, India, she finally got introduced to a group of people who were devoted to the same cause—the International Forestry Students’ Association (IFSA).
IFSA is a global organization that connects forestry students to their peer and forest-related organizations and policy platform, enabling them to participate in forestry activities. The youth joining IFSA are encouraged to achieve its vision—to have all the people and societies on the earth recognize the full worth of forests and fully understand forests.
After six months of exciting international conferences and workshops, Basu found her home—a family that loved forests as much as she did. She felt her passion had a direction. Now she wants to do more.
1. What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?| A．Basu found her love for nature 25 years ago. |
| B．Basu’s love for nature grew as she learned more about it. |
| C．Basu’s parents had only one way to cultivate her love for nature. |
| D．Basu would not have studied forestry without her mother’s suggestion. |
| A．It is an Indian organization. |
| B．It encourages people to escape city life. |
| C．All the members can get a master’s degree in forestry. |
| D．It organizes activities around the world to show the importance of forest protection. |
| A．She got her master’s degree in the lap of the Himalayas. |
| B．She joined IFSA during the time at Kumaun University. |
| C．She didn’t find the meaning of forest protection until she joined IFSA. |
| D．Her parents helped her build the understanding and appreciation of nature. |
| A．Basu: a Master’s Degree Holder |
| B．Basu: a Well-Behaved Student in IFSA |
| C．Basu: a Forest Angel Devoted to the Forest Protection |
| D．Basu: an Indian Scientist Dedicated to the Eight Against Forest Damage |
【推荐2】I remember doing the household chores to help my mother when I was nine. I hated changing the vacuum cleaner (真空吸尘器) bag and picking up things the machine did not suck up. Twenty years later, in 1978, with this lifelong dislike of the way the machine worked, I decided to make a bagless one.
Easier said than done, of course. I didn’t realize that I would spend the next five years perfecting my design, a process that resulted in 5,127 different prototypes (样机). By the time I made my 15th prototype, my third child was born. By 2,627, my wife and I were really counting our pennies. By 3,727, my wife was giving art lessons for some extra cash, and we were getting further and further into debt. These were tough times, but each failure brought me closer to solving the problem.
In the early 1980s, I started trying to get licensing agreements for my technology. The reality was very different, however. The major vacuum makers had built a business model based on the profits from bags and filters (滤网). No one would license my idea, not because it was a bad one, but because it was bad for business. But soon after, the companies that I had talked with started making machines like mine. I had to fight legal battles on both sides of the Atlantic to protect the patents on my vacuum cleaner.
I was still in financial difficulties until 1993, when my bank manager personally persuaded Lloyds Bank to lend me $1 million. Then I was able to go into production. Within two years, the Dyson vacuum cleaner became a best-seller in Britain.
Today, I still embrace risk and the potential for failure as part of the process. Nothing beats the excitement of invention,
1. What drove the author to make a bagless vacuum cleaner?| A．His willingness to help mom. |
| B．His curiosity about machines. |
| C．His trouble in doing family chores. |
| D．His discontent with existing cleaners. |
| A．The help from the author’s wife. |
| B．The financial problems of the family. |
| C．The tough process of the new invention. |
| D．The procedures of making a bagless cleaner. |
| A．They thought they might suffer loss. |
| B．They considered it not good enough. |
| C．They faced legal problems themselves. |
| D．They had begun making such machines. |
| A．Think twice before acting. |
| B．Failure is the mother of success. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. |
| D．A good beginning makes a good ending. |
【推荐3】Over the past 25 years, dozens of cats have appeared in my yard, silently begging for food. Most cats come and go, but Minnie stayed for 11 years.
When I first spotted her, Minnie was young and weak. She would creep up to eat the leftovers after I fed my cats. Pretty soon, she was regularly appearing at dinnertime. I would provide cat’s food just for her, but she would hide behind until I went back inside. Then, with no human near, she would wolf down her meals.
Minnie stuck around our house, and she was scrawny no more. Actually, she kept gaining weight —especially around her middle. Yes, she was pregnant. We prepared a small shelter in the garage, where Minnie would give birth and care for her kittens.
Once the kittens had been adopted, I began to spend hours in the yard, sitting as still as possible with a bowl of cat food next to me. She would sit a few feet from me, examining my every move. I, in turn, ignored her, reading my book, silently begging for her to come closer. She never did. I finally accepted that she was never going to let me pet her, but she still became my constant companion. Whenever I’d go outside, she’d meow hello then follow me around the house. This went on for three years.
Then one morning, Minnie just wasn’t there. I searched and searched around the neighborhood, but no Minnie. It always hurts to lose an animal you love. But I wouldn’t give anything in the world for the time we had with our Minnie. Untouchable as she was, she taught me friendship and love can be shared just by being present and accepting. No physical or verbal interaction needed. Just be there.
1. What can we learn about Minnie from paragraph 2?| A．She was eager for human affection. | B．She was afraid of human presence. |
| C．She was attracted by the author’s cat. | D．She preferred leftovers to cat’s food. |
| A．Frightened. | B．Cautious. | C．Lonely. | D．Thin. |
| A．To befriend Minnie. | B．To enjoy reading. |
| C．To chock on Minnie’s safety. | D．To look after Minnie’s kittens. |
| A．Mentally irreplaceable. | B．Emotionally distant. |
| C．Physically beneficial. | D．Behaviorally unpredictable. |
【推荐1】Coined as “deliveryman by day, poet by night,” 55-year-old Wang Jibing earns a living as a delivery person in Jiangsu Province. He started writing poems online in the 2000s, and later expanded to different social media platforms. He also came under the spotlight as his name was on the 2023 list of new members for the Chinese Writers Association, igniting (点燃) praise and discussions among Chinese netizens.
Dropping out of secondary school, Wang tried various jobs to make a living, such as a construction worker and working on sand mining boats, as well as a garbage collector. Now as a husband and a father of three children, the financial burden on his shoulder has become heavier and his work schedule has gotten even busier. Yet it has never stopped him from reading and writing routinely all his life. His passion for poetry has driven him to write over 4, 000 poems.
His poem titled “People in a Hurry” gathered more than 13 million views within a week. Wang gained inspiration for the poem from an unpleasant food delivery experience in 2019. Because the customer made a mistake with the address, he had to rush several times to get the food delivered on time. It led to delays with other orders, as well as punishments and a decrease in his earnings for the delivery. The government later took action to tackle this type of situation, demanding delivery firms better protect delivery person’s rights.
The subjects of Wang’s poems cover a wide range, including his memories of his family and hometown, and his observations of society and life while working as a laborer in different cities. During an interview with the media, Wang noted that delivering food allows him to interact with more people and experience more things. The job has also sparked a deeper understanding and empathy for others. Writing poetry helps him feel comfortable and find peace of mind.
1. How is Wang’s daily life now?| A．He enjoys the popularity of his poetry. |
| B．He writes at night to let go his displeasure. |
| C．He balances his responsibilities and his dream. |
| D．He struggles in speaking up for ordinary people. |
| A．Ordinary people can achieve a good living. |
| B．Ordinary people’s voice is heard by the society. |
| C．Ordinary people’s idea can be artfully expressed. |
| D．Ordinary people are eager to have a spiritual homeland. |
| A．His poems help people get more information. |
| B．His poems care about the unfairness in the society. |
| C．His poems are filled with memories of his family and hometown. |
| D．His poems are rooted in everyday life of ordinary people. |
| A．Inspiring. | B．Surprising. | C．Interesting. | D．Concerning. |
【推荐2】It lasted just 24 seconds, but it’s an unforgettable moment that has caught hearts everywhere. During a basketball game at Zeeland East High School in Zeeland, Michigan, the crowd fell quiet, giving high school junior Jules Hoogland an opportunity to take a shot.
Hoogland, who is blind, followed along as a woman tapped (轻敲) a yellow pole against the backboard and a teammate guided her to the perfect position. Thirteen seconds later, the 11th grader nailed a free throw and the silent audience erupted in roaring cheers and applause.
Zeeland Public Schools shared the extraordinary moment, filmed by Brandy Navetta, the school district’s communications and marketing director on Twitter, along with the words, “You thought national basketball tournaments were infusive, but Zeeland Public Schools Unified Basketball took over the court this morning. And the crowd went wild!”
Hoogland’s mom Karen said she was so proud of her achievement. She also praised the young students for their respect and sensitivity towards her daughter. Hoogland set a new record on what blind people can achieve and wanted this video to inspire all those who are facing challenges. “I’m hoping this video will inspire others to keep trying no matter what their challenges are,” she said.
Students from both Zeeland East and Zeeland West High School witnessed Hoogland’s uplifting shot, part of an inclusive basketball game with zLinks. Nathan VandeGuchte, a special education teacher with Zeeland West, added that inclusive sports has made a significant impact on students at Zeeland schools since the zLinks program started. “It was so moving to see Hoogland hit that shot again in front of 2,500 people,” said Nathan. “The lens (视角) with which many of our special education students are viewed has now been forever changed. They know that they are important, and they recognize that they are contributing members of our student body!”
1. Why did the crowd go wild as Hoogland nailed a free throw?| A．Because she couldn’t see. | B．Because she was competitive. |
| C．Because it was her first shot. | D．Because it was the end of the game. |
| A．Addictive. | B．Puzzling. |
| C．Informative. | D．Exciting. |
| A．Dream big, dream early. | B．Never fear to fight challenges. |
| C．Interest is the best teacher. | D．The more one does, the more one can do. |
| A．They were usually overestimated. |
| B．They got confidence from the program. |
| C．They should be given more opportunities. |
| D．They were eager to explore the unknown. |
【推荐3】My 88-year-old grandfather and I are both starting 2022 as new college graduates. He was unable to continue school because he got married and started a family in the 1950s. Over the next few decades, he managed to balance his roles as a husband, a father of five, working at a local bank and taking a college class here and there.
Our higher education journey together at Palo Alto College began in 2016. I had just graduated from high school then and my grandfather, 82, was determined to take classes to make his lifelong dream of earning his bachelor’s degree become a reality. In 2017, we were both admitted into the University of Texas at San Antonio. I majored in engineering while my grandfather majored in literature. We would have lunch together and work silently side-by-side in the library. There were also many times when I drove him to school in my car. That was really special because I could always show off him and shout out my grandpa was here.
When COVID-19 broke out suddenly, my grandfather asked for leave from school. I often assisted him with his schoolwork online. Over the past year, his health has continued to decline and he now has difficulty speaking. As graduation day approached in December, my family and I persuaded university officials to approve of my grandfather having a degree of recognition. We had the expectation that he could have that memory before his death.
My grandfather was worried he would steal the show from my graduation moment when I told him we were graduating together. I told him this is our moment and that I want to share it with him. I’m so grateful and proud that I was able to have this moment with him. Applause run through the hall when my grandfather was awarded to his bachelor’s degree at the commencement (毕业典礼).
I appreciate my grandfather’s lifelong passion of learning and his strong wills.
1. What can we know about the author’s grandfather?| A．He was unable to continue his study because of his family. |
| B．In 2016, he was admitted into the University of Texas. |
| C．He was asked to leave from school because of COVID-19. |
| D．He was unwilling to present himself for the graduation day. |
| A．Because they shared the same major. |
| B．Because he felt proud of his grandfather. |
| C．Because the teacher was looking for his grandfather. |
| D．Because he learnt to drive his grandfather to school. |
| A．He cared about his family very much. |
| B．He didn’t attend the graduation ceremony. |
| C．He was afraid of attending the commencement. |
| D．He would steal something from the graduation moment. |
| A．Hard work pays off. | B．Time is money. |
| C．It’s never too late to learn. | D．Education is the key to success. |
