Dan Grieb, 45 years old, was looking for a way to change his life.
After waking up one morning and facing the fact that he was overweight and needed to do something about it, he decided to take up a new challenge. “I woke up one day…I was 120 pounds overweight. I was a good husband and a good dad and just didn’t believe I could have them all,” he said.
The Florida man decided to challenge himself by setting the goal of competing in 10 Ironman competitions and to lose 100 pounds. But after achieving his goal, he was still feeling unsatisfied.
So he decided to coach Chris Nikic, a man with Down syndrome (唐氏综合征)， to compete in a full Ironman distance race competition. “What if a person with Down syndrome could become an Ironman?” Grieb thought. People like Nikic have been told that their entire life wouldn’t amount to much. Grieb wanted to give the gift of completing the competition to someone like Nikic.
In November 2020, Nikic completed his first-ever full distance Ironman triathlon (铁人三项), which included a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.22-mile marathon run.
Coaching Nikic was an honour for Grieb and something for which he’s grateful. Spending time helping someone with Down syndrome complete such a challenging task was extremely rewarding. “Remember that if you have a person with Down syndrome in your family, that person is an angel. What I needed was exactly what a young man with Down syndrome gave me,” Grieb added.
1. What made Dan Grieb worried?| A．Raising a family. | B．Having a bad habit. | C．Staying up late. | D．Getting too heavy. |
| A．To earn a pay cheek. | B．To realize his potential. |
| C．To win others’ respect. | D．To honour the disabled. |
| A．He held an Ironman distance race. | B．He achieved his goal as expected. |
| C．He dropped out of the competition. | D．He was awarded a gold medal. |
| A．A diary entry. | B．A medical report. | C．A science fiction. | D．A motivational story. |
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【推荐1】Many people love online shopping. It’s the fastest way to buy the latest trends for food, clothes and games. But a life of convenience is not possible, however, without the combined efforts of the country’s massagers. Zhang Yu, a deliveryman in Wuhan, is one of them. For him, working is not only a means for survival, but also a chance for him to serve others.
After serving in the army for a few years, Zhang joined the SF Express Tangjiadun station in Wuhan in 2019. When Zhang distributes packages, he often carefully records the daily habits of the recipients. For example, he knows which clients have babies and need a longer afternoon rest, the households with only seniors, and the time that the office workers are available. He considers all of these factors when arranging for deliveries.
But what has put Zhang into the spotlight is his heroic acts, which led to him winning the China Youth May Fourth Medal in 2022. In December 2021, Zhang encountered a fire in a residential building while on his way to collect some deliveries. After squeezing into the crowd, Zhang found two adults and a crying child standing helplessly on a third-floor balcony, waiting desperately for rescue. At that moment, Zhang called on his military experience to climb up to the second floor. From there, he was able to save the family, bringing each member of the family down one by one.
When onlookers cheered for him, he simply rode off on his motorbike without any word. It was only after the video of his good deed went viral on Douyin that people knew it was Zhang Yu. Many people have since called him a hero. But talking about the event, Zhang simply said, “I’m not a hero. I just did what a kind man would do.”
1. What is special about Zhang Yu as a deliveryman?| A．He delivers packages very quickly. |
| B．He delivers only to certain households. |
| C．He avoids delivering during working hours. |
| D．He pays attention to his clients’ daily habits. |
| A．His brave deed. | B．His efficient delivery. |
| C．His wonderful memory. | D．His strong determination. |
| A．By calling the fire rescue service. |
| B．By asking other people for help. |
| C．By drawing on his military experience. |
| D．By offering them tools to escape. |
| A．Fearless and considerate. | B．Ambitious and humorous. |
| C．Modest and outgoing. | D．Tolerant and reliable. |
【推荐2】Eve was having a party! She had been given a karaoke set for her birthday, so she invited all her friends round for a special competition evening. The best singer would win a prize of a huge box of her delicious cookies.
Everyone came along: Helen, Jane, and Peter, who looked a bit nervous. "Don't worry, Peter. We're only here to have some fun," said Eve kindly. Jane was first up on stage(舞台). The minute she began to sing, everyone could tell she'd been practicing! Next, it was Helen's turn. Her voice was not as strong as Jane's, but she had a great sense of rhythm(节奏) and seemed to enjoy being on stage. All the girls took their turn singing. There were a few wrong notes, but all in all, everyone had a wonderful time.
"Come on, Peter. It's your go now!" said the girls. But Peter shook his head. "No, thanks. I'd be totally hopeless!" he said. "If you like, we can sing together. It won't be as scary(可怕的)that way!" offered Eve. Peter gave in. He and Eve shared the microphone(话筒) and they began to sing a rock song. At first, you could hardly hear the voice of the shy boy but slowly, encouraged by his friends, he forgot his stage nervousness. Soon, Peter was holding the microphone on his own and singing his heart out! His singing was a bit off-key(走调的), but he made up for that by his performance. He danced around the stage like a real rock star!
At the end of the song, the girls all cheered. Eve stepped forward and handed him the big box of homemade cookies. "Peter, we all agree that you've won the prize!" she said. "OK, you may not exactly sing like an angel, but you really know how to put on a show!"
1. Which can best describe the girls' performance?| A．Perfect. | B．Worrying. |
| C．Quite poor. | D．Generally good. |
| A．The girls asked her to do so. | B．There was no other microphone. |
| C．It could help fight Peter's nervousness. | D．Peter was too nervous to hold the microphone. |
| A．He had the best voice. | B．He loved eating cookies. |
| C．He helped the girls a lot. | D．He held the stage very well. |
【推荐3】Somewhere near the North Pole, in a small tent on a floating ice, Borge Ousland’s satellite phone buzzed. It was November 20, 2019, and Ousland, the leading polar explorer of his generation, and adventurer Mike Horn had set out two months earlier with an great goal: to ski across the top of the world. They’d been in total isolation (孤立) ever since, making their way, step by step, along the increasingly fragile (易碎的) ice floating over the Arctic Ocean. It was one of the most daring polar journeys in history—and the men were in trouble. The ice was breaking around them, opening in gaping cracks (裂缝), the most critical challenge. Not a single ship or fishing boat was around there. Slowed by the poor conditions, the sleds they pulled were nearly empty of food. Horn’s frostbitten hands, virtually useless in the cold, were dangerously infected.
Now their expedition (探险) manager, Lars Ebbesen, was on the phone from Norway with a lifeline. A passing Norwegian icebreaker happened to be in the sea north of Svalbard and would briefly be in position to serve as a refueling platform for a helicopter (直升机) to reach them. For one day only, they could be rescued. Should he give the OK to start the rescue? Ebbesen, who had worked with Ousland for years, had never heard him so exhausted and “into his resources”. Yet the legendary Arctic strongman, speaking in a weary tone, did not hesitate or consult his partner, “No, we will continue.”
Newspapers actively covered the men’s daring journey across front pages and TV news broadcast regular updates. Ousland’s son was having trouble sleeping and told reporters that at 57 his father was “not as young as he was before”. Ousland’s mother, who had never before felt the need to call Ebbesen and check on her son during expeditions, rang over and over.
But the two chose to continue and luckily enough they finally arrived at north pole and attained enormous precious photos there. After 87 days in Arctic isolation, the two men came back and delivered a television interview. People honoured them as national heroes.
1. What is a key trouble facing the two men?| A．They run out of food and energy. | B．Horn’s hands were totally useless. |
| C．Their health was in poor condition. | D．Floating ice kept cracking around them. |
| A．A helicopter. | B．A rescue team. | C．An icebreaker. | D．A fishing boat. |
| A．Inspired. | B．Satisfied. | C．Concerned. | D．Interested. |
| A．People Have Great Interest in North Pole Expedition |
| B．The Exploration Conditions of North Pole Are Tough |
| C．Two Brave Men Made an Exciting Trip to the North Pole |
| D．Two Famous Explorers Were Saved During Their Exploration |
【推荐1】I still remember that day. Looking at the sea of people, I wanted to run off the stage. But I dived into the speech I had practiced diligently, nervous but determined to make my voice heard.
It all started with my essay in response to a radio host’s slanderous comments about women’s rights. After my boss refused it for publication, I submitted it to others, until finally I received a “YES!” from an online blog focused on women.
My story had thousands of views online. One of them invited me to speak at a grass-root gathering planned in Washington D.C., I agreed hastily. Then reality sunk in. I was an unemployed writer, needed to find gainful employment, not focus on a meeting hundreds of miles away. I fought with myself, ready to reply with the reasons why I could not attend their gathering.
Still unsure of what to do, I called my kindergarten teacher. As always, her advice was what I needed. I was going to do this trip without spending a cent. I began contacting everyone I knew on the path from my house to Washington D.C., explaining that I needed a ride. I set up a website for my “Road Trip for Rights.” Small donations for my trip started rolling in.
Armed only with my computer, phone and a backpack of essentials, I began my adventure. On my way, a woman who had been watching on the website pulled up. She and her daughter were heading to the gathering and went a long way round to pick me. After arrival, she dropped me off at my hotel, and I finally relaxed before the big day.
Upon returning to my hotel after the most amazing day, I received an envelope with my name on it. Inside were a train ticket and a note that read, “Thank you for being a voice for those of us who cannot speak.” I boarded the train, grateful and exhausted.
Since then, I have been to many gatherings and marches. I will always be thankful for that radio host whose words fueled a passion in me to find my voice.
1. What led to the author’s being invited to the gathering?| A．Her boss refused to publish her essay. |
| B．She made friends with many people. |
| C．Her essay aroused wide attention. |
| D．The radio host recommended her. |
| A．She just couldn’t afford the time. |
| B．She was afraid to speak in public. |
| C．Her job was too gainful to leave. |
| D．She was in poor financial condition. |
| A．To get more information about the gathering. |
| B．To seek help for her trip to Washington D. C. |
| C．To organize some well-purposed gatherings. |
| D．To awaken people s awareness of their rights. |
| A．His improper words set off the author’s passion. |
| B．He helped set up the gathering in Washington D. C. |
| C．He published an article concerning women’s rights. |
| D．He was known for his sharp and inadequate words. |
【推荐2】It is often said that high school is one of the most important stages as an individual will experience, and is often seen as a critical and life-shaping time. During this period, people often begin to discover what is meaningfulto them and how they plan to continue living their life. Volunteering at St. Clare’s Hospital has helped me form this positive experience during my high school years.
When I first began volunteering, I was very nervous about meeting new people and being pushed outside of my comfort zone. The beginning of my volunteer experience I was rather timid and not very outgoing. Fortunately, as time went by, I discovered how to introduce myself to new volunteers, to go out of my way to make patients feel welcome, and to extend the hand of friendship to others. I have learned to respect diversity, which turns out to be particularly helpful in the real world.
My volunteering experience at the hospital has led me to believe that my love and sympathy for the sick can brighten up the day of those lonely patients. There is another valuable lesson I have learned from the volunteer program: The significance of “service” involves making a difference in the lives of others and contributing to the community. Now I feel content each time I finish my shift. This positive feeling has motivated me to continue carrying on this worthwhile cause, and has become something that I view as having irreplaceable importance to my life.
It’s a great pity that many teenagers in my generation have not had experiences similar to my own and therefore missed out on some of the important lessons that can be learned in life. Knowing that I made a positive impact on someone is an emotionally uplifting experience that can never be matched by money or fame. And, to the best of my ability, I will follow this path of service throughout my life.
1. What does the author say about high school?| A．It deserves to be taken seriously. | B．It is often criticized by people. |
| C．It brings no significance to life. | D．It is full of unplanned experiences. |
| A．The importance of diversity in the world. | B．My changes brought by volunteering. |
| C．Friendship between volunteers and patients. | D．Ways to help and respect patients. |
| A．Confident. | B．Shy. | C．Brave. | D．Calm. |
| A．To call on the young to volunteer. | B．To share his volunteer experiences. |
| C．To explain the benefits of volunteering. | D．To introduce suitable community work. |
【推荐3】I had always been fascinated by the use of natural treatments in healthcare. So, when I came across a local clinic that offered courses in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) several months ago, I immediately signed up for a one-year course.
On the first day of class, I was looking forward to what I was going to learn. As the instructor explained the procedure, I felt a little disturbed by the thought of needles being stuck into my skin. However, I was determined to overcome my fear. Acupuncturist uses hair-thin needles to find specific areas on the body to treat pain or tension the body may be experiencing, known to help with depression, insomnia (失眠) and anxiety. The instructor told us that an acupuncturist might request patients to provide more information about their health, how to treat them, and what points are most appropriate for them. We were taught how to examine a patient’s tongue and pulse to gather evidence of any imbalances in the body. He showed us how to adjust the needle’s depth, as different organs required different depths. The needles were only a few millimetre thick and made of stainless steel, so they were solid and easy to switch out.
In class, we also learned about the phenomenon of acupuncture anesthesia (麻醉) where patients could undergo surgery without conventional anesthesia using only acupuncture. As we progressed through the course, we learned about herbs and their uses. We also discussed the effects of substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and drugs on the body and how they could lead to severe anxiety and abuse.
TCM dates back to ancient China, and it is a widespread practice today. It is fascinating to learn about the symbolism behind each organ and how they relate to different emotions and imbalances in the body. After a year of wrestling with the course, I have now graduated and put everything in place. Without doubt, it has been one of the most fulfilling experiences in my life.
1. What made the author decide to sign up for a TCM course?| A．His worries about health problems. | B．His interest in natural treatments. |
| C．An accidental visit to a local clinic. | D．The increasing knowledge of TCM. |
| A．The development of acupuncture. | B．The way to perform acupuncture. |
| C．The requirement for an acupuncture. | D．The various tools used in acupuncture. |
| A．Easy. | B．Complicated. | C．Advanced. | D．Worthy. |
| A．An encounter with TCM | B．A modern change in TCM |
| C．A course to improve my fitness | D．A special acupuncture treatment |
