It was 1994, and I was a 19-year-old student in my third year at Western University in London, Ontario. I had signed up for a course in the Department of English taught by one Donald S. Hair.
A few weeks into the class, the professor administered our first test. I didn't think I had anything to worry about—until he handed my exam back the following week with a 67 written on it in red ink.
Sixty-seven! I'd never received such a low mark. I was dependent on a scholarship, and any grade below 80 put my future in jeopardy. My seatmate's annoyed expression suggested her mark had been painful too. We angered silently: Professor Hair was an old weirdo (怪人)! How dare he ruin our GPAs? What was the old boy's problem, anyway?
But the real problem was this: He was right. I knew it as soon as I'd cooled off and taken the time to digest his comments. My writing was careless, my understanding of key concepts shallow. Like many of my partners, I was used to earning top grades. Now, for the first time, a teacher had introduced an uncomfortable question. Were we actually “earning” them?
The next day, I went to his office. With burning cheeks, I told him I knew I’d butchered the exam. To my childish surprise, he wasn’t a “weirdo” in the least. He was funny, warm and uncommonly patient. He assured me if I worked hard, I'd achieve my potential in the course, and he’d be available to help me.
I went away, read and read some more. The more I read, the more interesting his classes became, and soon, his complex, absorbing lectures were the highlight of my week. I spared no effort in that course. The grade I earned in his class was the lowest I’d received that year. But I had earned that grade. Nearly 30 years later, I'm still proud of that.
1. What does the underlined word “jeopardy” mean in paragraph 3?| A．Advance. | B．Demand. | C．Trouble. | D．Conclusion. |
| A．To explain the test was too difficult. |
| B．To prove the professor's grading had problems. |
| C．To suggest she didn't work hard. |
| D．To show she was unfriendly in class. |
| A．Disgusted. | B．Cautious. | C．Uninterested. | D．Appreciative. |
| A．You have to earn a grade instead of “get” it | B．Be confident and not afraid of failure |
| C．You should treasure a good teacher | D．Never rely on scholarships forever |
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Old John has worked as a school keeper in Hill Ford School. After walking into the school building every day, he cleans rubbish bins and bathrooms.
Last Friday, after he arrived at the school, instead of finding rubbish to clean up, he found almost 500 students lining in the hallway(大厅) with handmade cards and singing a happy birthday song to him. It was his 80th birthday. As he walked the long hallway, someone rushed to him and gave him a hug. They handed him so many cards as well and the cards filled several large boxes. Old John was touched by their expression of affection (关爱). He thanked them all. “It's the sixteenth year in this school. They're like my children,” Old John said.
On a regular day, students sometimes come up to find him and say they're not feeling well or other times to tell him about something that happened at break time. He knows most of he students at the school, but can't name each one. Some of them make him know them, like Faith, who often leaves her schoolbag in the canteen, and Lucy, who just wants a hug.
Carrie, a reading teacher said,“He won't brag(夸耀) on himself, but it doesn't matter what he's doing or where he is, he will stop what he's doing at any time to give all his attention and take care of a child if that child is having a bad day. "
He works circles around all the students, cleaning up the mess others don't want to touch. He doesn't expect a lot. Old John said he hadn't planned to do much for his birthday, so he was touched as the students had prepared the surprise celebration.
Over the weekend, he worked through the handmade cards at his house. One card from a student stood out to him. It read “Old John, you are the most loved one in our school…”.
1. Is Old John a school teacher?2. How long has Old John worked in the school?
3. Why is Old John considered as the most loved one in the school?
4. Someone would say that it's worth doing a common job during his whole life. Do you agree?Why or why not?
Oh, I had done the normal “motherly” things, like making sure my daughter got to ballet and gym lessons. I went to all of her recitals and school concerts, parent-teacher conferences and open houses alone. We suffered from my husband's rages(暴怒) when something was spilled(溢出) at the dinner table, telling her, “It will be okay, Honey. Daddy's not really mad at you.” I did all I could to protect her from hearing the awful shouting and complaints after he returned from a night of drinking. Finally I did the best thing I could do for my daughter and myself: I removed us from the home that wasn't really a home at all.
That day I became a mom was the day when my daughter and I were sitting in our new home having a calm, quiet dinner just as I had always wanted for her. We were talking about what she had done in school and suddenly her little hand knocked over the full glass of chocolate milk by her plate. As I watched the white tablecloth and freshly painted white wall become dark brown, I looked at her small face. It was filled with fear, knowing what the consequence of the event would have meant only a week before in her father's presence. When I saw that look on her face and looked at the chocolate milk running down the wall, I simply started laughing. I am sure she thought I was crazy, but then she must have realized that I was thinking, “It's a good thing your father isn't here!” She started laughing with me, and we laughed until we cried. They were tears of joy and peace and were the first of many tears that we cried together. That was the day we knew that we were going to be okay.
Whenever either of us spills something, even now, seventeen years later, she says, “Remember the day I spilled the chocolate milk? I knew you had done
1. What does the underlined part “the right thing” in the last paragraph refer to?
| A．Becoming a single mother. |
| B．Divorcing with her abusive husband. |
| C．Doing all the motherly things well and running the family. |
| D．Not blaming on her daughter’s spilling the chocolate milk. |
| A．The author had suffered from an unfortunate marriage for a long time. |
| B．All the things the author did were to protect her daughter |
| C．The author hadn’t been a mother until she removed from her marriage. |
| D．Both the author and her daughter were frightened at the husband and father. |
| A．Because it was a thorough relief after they had suffered too much. |
| B．Because they were actually crazy. |
| C．Because they wouldn’t see the abusive man any more. |
| D．Because spilling the chocolate milk on the wall was really funny. |
| A．How To Be a Better Mon? | B．The Day I Became a Mom |
| C．A Thing Happened 17 Years Ago | D．Survive an Abusive Marriage |
【推荐3】Whenever you are traveling and have the good fortune to arrive at your destination in one piece, I think that you have to tell people your trip was fine. I had a fine trip last week!
I went an hour north to a speaking engagement. Fifteen minutes out of town my vehicle began to shake. The engine light began flashing wildly. Fortunately, I had several friends who lived not far from the next exit. I called one and asked if I could borrow her vehicle for the afternoon.
I went straight to my friend’s place and left my vehicle behind, now shaking like a mechanical bull, and then headed back. I was behind schedule, which was why I may have broken the speed limit passing a motorcycle.
Once I had slowly driven through several miles of construction, traffic began to sail. Until we came to the trucks with flashing lights blocking traffic. Workers were removing a deer that was no longer with us. And a second. And a third.
After a brief moment of silence for the deer, traffic got back up to speed. Then dark and ominous (不祥的) clouds came. They were the kind of clouds that make tornadoes. Rain fell heavily. Traffic slowed right down and came to a complete stop.
I was thinking how to word my apology for being late when the hail began. It was so dark I could barely see. Thank goodness for the lighting. It was killer hail, the kind that blows out windshields (挡风玻璃). I couldn’t decide whether to shield my eyes or look to see what was happening around me.
Open, eyes! No, close! Open! Close! Open! Close!
The hail ended, the windshield was still there, and the traffic started again. The cloud came back and dumped all five Great Lakes on us. Stopped again.
Maybe whoever was introducing me could do a song and dance.
Waiting for the second rain to pass, I programmed my destination into Google maps. As they closed the flooded highway behind us, I took my exit and headed to my destination.
I arrived at my destination late, wide-eyed and in a mess, but in one piece.
“How was your trip?” A warm young fellow!
“Fine, thank you. Just fine.”
1. What does the underlined word “engagement” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．date | B．conference | C．workshop | D．contest |
| A．Because the author had broken the speed limit passing a motorcycle. |
| B．Because there were several trucks with flashing lights blocking traffic. |
| C．Because three dead deer were in the way and the road should be cleared first. |
| D．Because dark and ominous clouds came, which can make tornadoes. |
| A．Rain fell so heavily that traffic slowed right down and came to a complete stop. |
| B．The author got through the flooded highway to her destination despite the terrible rain. |
| C．The author managed to arrive at her destination on schedule, in a mess but in one piece. |
| D．The author’s introducer might try to earn the young fellow forgiveness for her being late. |
| A．No sweat, no sweet. | B．Being safe is a must. |
| C．Love me, love my dog. | D．Grasp all, lose all. |
【推荐1】Brian Linden worked as a part-time carpet cleaner while attending night school in Chicago. One day, he went to the home of a professor who had just returned from China to do the job. The professor asked him to help place a marker on the world map at the location of China. Linden looked at the map and hesitated, “I’m just not sure where it is.” That day, the professor also treated Linden to Chinese green tea, and told stories about China, which aroused the enthusiasm in his heart.
Later he got a chance to study in China and first came to Beijing in 1984. He was immediately immersed (沉浸的) in the life locally. He starred in a Chinese film, gave English lessons, became a reporter for an American media outlet in China and then came to Nanjing to systematically study courses about China. He was lucky enough to meet his wife there, a Chinese-American girl who was also studying in Nanjing. “After coming to China, my life was totally changed,” he said.
After a year in Nanjing, Linden left China to pursue a PhD at Stanford University. During the time, he continued to be interested in Chinese culture. “I wanted to use the beauty of China’s cultural heritage to promote openness and understanding of China among Americans. But I realized I hadn’t really achieved this initial goal and I wanted to go back to China for a fresh start.”
In 2004, Linden made a crazy decision: Selling all the properties in the US. He embarked on a new journey to China with his family, visiting Fujian Tulou, Guangdong Watchtowers, and old Tibetan houses in Kangding…Until 2006, they discovered Dali Xizhou, Yunnan Province.
By now, Linden has settled in Xizhou for 18 years. His guesthouse offers free English classes on a weekly basis for residents. Professional experts from different fields who have stayed in Xilinyuan are often invited to share economic and cultural experience with the locals.
1. What can we learn about Linden from the first paragraph?| A．He had been familiar with China before. |
| B．He was connected with China by chance. |
| C．He showed little interest in China at first. |
| D．He lacked knowledge of American geography. |
| A．Tough. | B．Risky. |
| C．Rewarding. | D．Amusing. |
| A．To get the Chinese culture known abroad. |
| B．To take his family for an immersive travel. |
| C．To conduct some research and get his PhD. |
| D．To explore more cultural heritage in Xizhou. |
| A．Education. | B．Travel. |
| C．History. | D．Figure. |
【推荐2】Some people seeking meaning might read a self-help book, or perhaps volunteer a few hours a week. Sacks packed up her life and moved to Connecticut for three months to participate in Adamah, a Jewish farming program that focuses on sustainable living and growing sustainable food. When she returned to New York, it was with a new purpose and a variety of new skills to make her dreams a reality.
“One of the things about Adamah that really impressed me was how little waste they produced and how they handled the waste they did have,” she says. “And I just thought, ‘Why aren’t we doing that here?’ I’d walk around my neighborhood and was shocked at how many bags of waste were piled up. I began to wonder, ‘What is actually in all those bags and recycling bins on the curbs?’”
During trips around her neighborhood, Sacks, 31, picks through garbage to look for reusable items. Soon, her trash walks expanded to include corporate dumpsters (废料桶). Surprisingly, she discovered a wide array of really great stuff — like clothing, designer accessories, dinnerware, and food — all of which she documents on Instagram and TikTok. Under the name The Trash Walker, Sacks quickly gained popularity for her educational, funny, and surprising videos that highlight the problems with consumerism and share information about how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. “The root issue is overproduction, which leads to over consumption, which leads to an immense amount of waste,” she says.
Think, for a moment, about your overcrowded closet. Fast fashion makes it easy to buy the latest trends for cheap, but those clothes can end up in the trash, even if you sell or donate them. It’s a point Sacks made in a TikTok video exposing a mountain of thrift store trash. In it, black trash bags filled with clothes crowd the sidewalk and hold the goods the store couldn’t sell.
The lesson from Sacks’s trash walking isn’t just that we need to produce less stuff. It’s that we need to stop throwing perfectly good items in the trash too. Dive through any retail store’s garbage, and you’ll soon agree.
1. What did Sacks learn from Adamah?| A．How to seek a new chance. | B．How to help oneself grow. |
| C．How to live a sustainable life. | D．How to handle recycling bins. |
| A．Sacks is responsible for picking garbage. |
| B．The videos are popular because of the name. |
| C．Many people will join in her trash walks. |
| D．Overproduction can cause piles of waste. |
| A．An environmentalist. | B．A trash collector. |
| C．A litter researcher. | D．A video producer. |
| A．Throwing real waste in the home. | B．Producing less items in the factory. |
| C．Stopping throwing out really good stuff. | D．Visiting the garbage in a retail store. |
【推荐3】Diane Yane always had a close relationship with her grandfather, so when he died in her twenties, the loss hit her hard. Shortly after that, Yane left her job to work with seniors. “I was hired as an activities director at a senior living center, and I took to it like a fish to water,” she recalls. “I started developing relationships with the seniors there. It was like having 200 new grandparents.”
Yane has been interacting with seniors ever since, from working at a care center to providing in-home care for private clients. Now, two decades later, she has opened a social club for adults who are 55 and older-Elder Pep Day Club & Spa(水疗中心), “I wanted to create a space for seniors interested in meeting other people, staying active and taking classes,” Yane says.
Members come in for different activities, including chair yoga, Spanish classes, indoor bowling, card and board games, creative writing, and more, and spa treatments or just to hang out. Later this year, Yane plans to open the second half of the space as a private spa.
In her years of professional experience with older adults, Yane has seen the extraordinary benefits of social interaction and human touch. According to a study by the American College of Health Care Administrators, touch is the most important of our senses, yet it is often overlooked. “Skin is the body’s largest organ and sends positive and negative signals to the brain. Touch deprivation, also known as touch starvation, leads to a range of emotional and physical problems,” it adds.
“I know how important it is for seniors to feel cared for-getting their hair and nails done and receiving massage therapy(按摩疗法),” Yane says, “but what’s really close to my heart is a private room with a walk-in bathtub. At assisted living facilities, many seniors only have access to a shower, where they sit on a bench and their caregiver sprays them with water. There’s not a lot of dignity or joy in that. I want to give seniors back the luxury of submerging(使浸没)their bodies in a warm bath.”
1. What can we learn about Diane Yane from the first paragraph?| A．She wanted to be free like fish. | B．She liked working with seniors. |
| C．She was bad at caring for people. | D．She followed her grandfather’s footsteps. |
| A．Avoid any social interaction. | B．Get free medical treatment. |
| C．Enjoy some leisure activities. | D．Study with young members. |
| A．To prove the importance of social interaction. |
| B．To show the necessity of social clubs for seniors. |
| C．To tell the working principle of the human body. |
| D．To offer scientific support for Yane’s private spa. |
| A．Walking into a private bathtub. | B．Taking an assisted shower. |
| C．Spraying water for pleasure. | D．Receiving massage therapy. |
