【推荐1】The insistent knock on the door brought me quickly from my kitchen. With my children down for a nap, I hurried to answer before they were all awakened. We had just moved here and I couldn’t imagine who it would be. I opened the door and a crack revealed an old man dressed in dirty clothing.

“Can I help you?” I asked, hoping he had the wrong address.

“Would you like to buy some fresh garden vegetables?” His voice was trembling but his eyes were hopeful. I wondered if he badly needed the bit of money he was asking for his produce. “I'm Mr. Locket living around the corner. My wife passed away and my children live far away,” he added. Later we knew that the need for companionship had sent him door to door by means of selling fruits and vegetables and ours was the only door opened to him.

As days went on, Mr. Locket became a daily visitor. Every day he read books in our big chair with my children curled up on his lap. When they took an afternoon nap, he would rest his head on the back of the chair. In his quiet and gentle way, he endeared himself to each child. Gradually the name “Grandpa Locket” slipped into our conversations.

Three years later, we had to move to Ontario. He arrived as usual that morning. “Mr. Locket,” I tried to break the news in a gentle way, “You’ve become a treasured part of this family, but…” Tears glistened in the corners of his eyes.

“I promise to keep in touch with you and…” My throat tightened. He nodded and softly said, “Thank you for all your kindness to an old man. When I needed a family, you included me.” With tears, we all hugged him tightly.

About a year later, a small envelope from Mr. Locket’s daughter was delivered to our home. She informed us that our dear old friend had died. “I'm so grateful for your loving care for my father,” she wrote, “I can see how much you meant to him, too.” Actually we’re also grateful for the unexpected-love that swept into our lives the moment we opened that door.

1. Which of the following is the true reason why the old man knocked on the door?

A．To sell produce.	B．To visit the family.
C．To beg for money.	D．To seek company.

2. What does the underlined phrase “endeared himself to” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．felt guilty about.	B．buried himself in.
C．contributed himself to.	D．made himself liked by.

3. Which sentence can show the old man’s deep feeling for the family most?

A．“…When I needed a family, you included me.”

B．“You’ve become a treasured part of this family, but…”

C．“Would you like to buy some fresh garden vegetables?”

D．When they took an afternoon nap, he would rest his head on the back of the chair.

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．All is well that ends well.	B．Love is a two-way experience.
C．Children’s company is important.	D．All good things must come to an end.

【推荐2】Whoosh!

I sailed by person after person on the track.

I'm a runner. Well, technically a jogger. I often run near my home, most people on the track walking, therefore my speed, meager in running terms and faster than walking.

My speed and endurance(耐力)seem amazing to the walkers. Some will come and walk for an hour. I'm running when they come and still running when they leave. I have whooshed by them twenty or more times.

As I circled the track with my long steady strides passing the walkers like lamp poles, I got to feel puffed-up. You don't have to tell me, but after the constant whooshing past far younger people, it goes to your mind.

Then he came.

He was short, perhaps five feet three. He didn't look like much of a runner. I saw him get out of the car and stretch as I whooshed by a couple holding hands.

He started running a few feet ahead of me.

He was fast. I sped up to keep up. At last, I had someone to pace myself against. After half a lap I was on his heels but my breath was coming harder and heavier. After the first lap I was gasping but still on his heels. After a lap and a half my foot started hurting.

I slowed down and got back to my pace. The pain in foot went away. I could breathe again without sounding like I had a lung disease. He sped away.

In a fairly short time, whoosh! He went past me.

In life, there will always be those slower and faster. Some have natural ability, and some have trained harder. For some, speed is simply their destiny.

The point is we each have our own speed and we often end up hurting ourselves and pushing ourselves to the point where the breath is knocked out of us because we are trying to keep up.

I learned several lessons that day.

1. What does the underlined word “puffed-up” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Superior.	B．Breathless.
C．Dissatisfied.	D．Energetic.

2. Why did the author slow down later?

A．He was suffering from a lung disease.

B．He decided it was not a fair competition.

C．He got hurt in the foot when trying to keep up.

D．He realized he was just trying to outrun someone else.

3. What lesson didn't the author learn that day?

A．Don't judge the capabilities of others by how they look.

B．Don't run fast when you should be running slowly.

C．Don't run your race to the best of your ability in life.

D．Don't have somebody else be your pace setter.

4. Which can be a suitable title for this text?

A．Running: Keep up with others.

B．Speed: Run you own race.

C．Endurance: Say no to “give up”.

D．Destiny: Accept the fate.

【推荐3】I will never forget the darkness, the pain and strong desire to die.

November arrived grey and busy, and going into an even more stressful. December, I was filled with anxious thoughts.

A visit to my father’s grave is often a good chance to cry and when I leave I feel a little more at peace. But this time was different. I drove home and every night for the rest of that week, I cried.

On Saturday, I watched a TV program teaching baking, and then I started to learn. By the end of the weekend, I had a dining room table covered with sweet treats. I packaged them up in tins, attached a label to each of them with “winter love” on it, and dropped them off on a few of my neighbors’ porches (门廊) before work. It shocked me how much it lightened my mood, seeing a small package lost on a porch.

The thanks I received later from the neighbors made me light up. It felt so good, and it distracted me from my dark thoughts.

By January I had developed a routine: on Sunday I’d bake cookies and package them up, and on Monday I'd deliver them. Every week I added a few different people to my delivery route, baked a few different kinds of cookies.

Somewhere along the way things started showing up on my doorstep a homemade cup, a pair of socks with tiny cookies and even a gift certificate from the local bookstore. Every single one melted my heart. But what I really appreciated was how people began to share their own stories of mental health with me. There is no greater honor than to be trusted with another’s life. I was overwhelmed by the love and care of my community. It humbled me that something so simple had created such incredible kindness. It reminded me that there was good in me, in my neighbors, in the world.

I was shifting into a new season of light, while letting go of a season of darkness. What had begun as an attempt to bring light into my own darkness had been transformed into a story more beautiful than I could have ever dreamed. It reminded me that there is beauty in being kind. That life is tough, but there is a quiet strength in knowing you are not alone.

1. After she started sharing cookies with neighbors, the author_________.

A．gained trust and care from them

B．added other things to her delivery list

C．felt her life was no longer busy or stressful

D．found some of them had more mental problems than her

2. What is the author’s attitude toward her future life?

A．Positive.

B．Cautious.

C．Doubtful.

D．Concerned.

3. What is the main purpose of this passage?

A．To express gratitude to caring neighbors.

B．To speak of the benefits of baking cookies at home.

C．To share how being kind helped her regain hope.

D．To show the importance of a closely connected community.

【推荐1】Over the last decade, Grandpa Ron, as the students call him, has volunteered thousands of hours every year to be with local school children — but it wasn’t until classes moved online due to COVID-19 that Ron Jacobson realized his impact. That impact reached far deeper than being a school volunteer. And those students were now missing the hugs he gave them every mornings.

Back in March 2020, Jacobson had already volunteered for 900 hours during the 2019-2020 school year by the time Cle Elum-Roslyn Elementary in Ronald, Washington, closed its doors and turned to online teaching.

“These kids who relied on me being there for them had suddenly lost me,” Jacobson said. “When they started doing their schoolwork online, several said that they missed Grandpa Ron.”

The school received so many requests for Grandpa Ron that it added Jacobson’s email address and home address to the school’s online directory (通讯录), allowing students to keep in touch with Jacobson. Students immediately began sending Jacobson emails and letters and even coming to his home to check up on him and offer to walk his dog.

Jacobson now responds to each of the students, adding a bright spot to the students’ days and his own.

“I am happy to listen to the kids’ problems as well,” Jacobson said. “I have heard from school teachers and parents how much this regular communication has changed the kids’ attitudes.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars has honored Jacobson — a Vietnam veteran (老兵) — by naming him a spokesman for their campaign——StillServing, which shows many ways America’s veterans continue serving even after leaving the army.

“The Marine Corps taught me the two important things: finish the task and take care of your troops (军队). I’m still taking care of the troops,” Jacobson said.

It’s just that they are 75 years younger than he is.

1. How did the school react to the school kids’ requests?

A．It sent Jacobson to visit them in person.

B．It asked Jacobson to write to all of them.

C．It showed every student’s email address.

D．It offered Jacobson’s contact information.

2. Why was veteran Jacobson regarded a spokesman for StillServing?

A．He still served in the army.	B．He trained many volunteers.
C．He continued to serve others.	D．He encouraged kids to serve.

3. What does the underlined word “they” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．School teachers.	B．Vietnam veterans.
C．Local school kids.	D．Young volunteers.

【推荐2】Edward Latter, five, thought his dog Morse was gone for ever after cruel thieves took him away when the dog escaped from his home.

The 10-month-old dog had been missing since December and the broken-hearted boy even wrote a heartbreaking letter to Santa and posted it to Lapland asking for his pal back for Christmas.

A ￡10,000 reward was offered by millionaire Simon Cowell after he read about the horrific theft. Cowell said: “It’s heartbreaking to see a little boy’s Christmas ruined. Dogs are so important to many of us. We just hope it helps lead to the safe return of Morse.”

His parents, Amanda Hopkins and Richard Latter, had given up hope of ever seeing their pet again, until they got a call on Friday night. A couple 20 miles away from their home in Marden, Kent, had found a muddy dog walking through their street and thought it could be missing Morse. They brought the Morse in, washed him, and then called Mr Latter who was unsure until he was sent a photo, and then drove the family to the village of Meopham.

The theatre carpenter, 40, said: “Amanda and I were still quite sceptical, but Edward saw him and recognised him straight away. He was absolutely over the moon. He said: ‘I can’t believe it, I have my best friend back. It’s too late for Christmas but this is the best present ever.’ We were still unsure if it was him though—as he wasn’t responding to his name or coming to us.”

“We spent about an hour and half over there and we still were not sure, so we took him home to get his chip scanned. It was only when we took him to the vets on Saturday morning and got his chip scanned that we found out for sure. We instantly broke down in tears. We were just hugging each other, hugging Edward and hugging the dog.” Added Richard.

The family who found missing Morse said they hadn’t yet heard from Simon Cowell about the ￡10,000 reward hut were happy to get him home.

1. Why did Edward Latter write to Santa?

A．He wanted Santa to punish the cruel thieves.

B．He wished Santa could bring Morse back for Christmas.

C．He hoped Santa would reward the person finding his dog.

D．He wished he could reunite with his parents for Christmas.

2. What does the underlined phrase ‘‘over the moon” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．On the move.	B．Outer space.
C．In high spirits.	D．Beyond description.

3. Why did Richard Latter have the dog’s chip scanned?

A．To identify the dog.

B．To ensure the dog’s health.

C．To remind Edward Latter to hug the dog.

D．To get the reward millionaire Cowell had promised.

4. What can we learn from the text?

A．Edward Latter has got his lost Morse back.

B．Simon Cowell was accused of breaking his promise.

C．Santa brought Morse back for Edward Latter after Christmas.

D．The couple has received a reward of ￡10,000 from Mr Latter.

【推荐3】When I lived in Spain, some Spanish friends of mine decided to visit England by car. Before they left, they asked me for advice about how to find accommodation. I suggested that they should stay at “bed and breakfast” houses, because this kind of accommodation gives a foreign visitor a good chance to speak English with the family. My friends listened to my advice, but they came back with some funny stories.
“We didn’t stay at bed and breakfast houses,” they said, “because we found that most families were on holiday.” I thought this was strange. Finally I understood what had happened. My friends spoke little English, and they thought “VACANCIES” meant “holidays”, because the Spanish word for “holidays” is said “vacaciones”. So they did not go to house where the sign outside said “VACANCIES”, which in English means there are free rooms. Then my friends went to houses where the sign said “NO VACANCIES”, because they thought this meant people who owned the house were not away on holiday. But they found that these houses were all full. As a result, they stayed at hotels.
We laughed about this and about mistakes my friends made in reading other signs. In Spanish, the word “DIVERSION” means “fun”. In English, it means that workmen are repairing the road, and that you must take a different road. When my friends saw the word “DIVERSION” on a road sign, they thought they were going to have fun. Instead, the road ended in a large hole.
English people have problems too when they learn foreign languages. Once in Paris when someone offered me some more coffee, I said “Thank you” in French, I meant that I would like some more, however to my surprise the coffee pot was taken away! Later I found out that “Thank you” in French means “No, Thank you”.
1. The author’s Spanish friends wanted advice about _______.

A．some funny English stories

B．finding places to stay in England

C．driving their car on English roads

D．going to England by car

2. The author suggested that they stay at “bed and breakfast” because _______.

A．it would be convenient for them to have dinners and live

B．it would be much cheaper than staying in hotels

C．they would be able to practice their English in the house

D．there would be no problem about finding accommodation there

3. “NO VACANCIES” in English means _______.

A．no free rooms	B．free rooms
C．not away on holiday	D．they don’t live

4. If you see road sign that says “Diversion” in England, you will _______.

A．take the road and you will be excited

B．have a lot of fun and enjoy yourself

C．find that the road is blocked by crowds of people

D．have to take a different road

【推荐1】If you have lived in New York City for many years, like me, the skyline becomes part of you and your daily life.

When I was invited to visit the Summit One Vanderbilt—New York’s fourth-highest tower, I wasn’t expecting much. I felt like I’d seen it all and I thought that this observation deck (观测台) would be another space for a view of the city, but nothing else.

Let me tell you something: I have never seen one like this before. It sits on top of a building on 42nd street and Vanderbilt is next to Grand Central Station. Once you have ascended to the top floor, you step into air. It makes you feel like being at 1,000 feet above ground level with its mirrored floors. Once you make your way throughout the space, you feel like New York is part of a body, and your sense of space challenged by the reflections (反射) of the light. The reflections create endless possibilities for photos and videos, and the light changes throughout the day. I took out my camera and began to take photos feeling a connection with the city that no other observatory has been able to give me.

Summit is something unique, an art work with architecture. It will be an observatory (天文台) that will change with the city. I personally can’t wait to take photos at sunset, or when winter arrives.

1. How did the author feel when invited to visit Summit One Vanderbilt?

A．Curious.

B．Happy.

C．Amazed.

D．Uninterested.

2. What does the underlined word “ascended” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Risen.

B．Turned.

C．Applied.

D．Adapted.

3. What can be learned about Summit One Vanderbilt?

A．I t is the only tower in New York.	B．It lies far from Grand Central Station.
C．It provides a good place for taking photos.	D．It is exactly 1,000 feet high from the ground.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To tell a story.

B．To introduce a site.

C．To raise awareness.

D．To encourage tourism.

【推荐2】America was where all my mother’s hopes lay. My mother believed one could be anything he wanted to be in America. “You can be a prodigy (神童), too,” my mother told me when I was nine. “You can be best at anything.” We didn’t immediately pick the right kind of prodigy. At first my mother thought I could be a Chinese Shirley Temple. We’d watch Shirley’s old movies on TV as though they were training films. My mother would poke my arm and say, “Ni kan”—You watch.

Soon after my mother got this idea about Shirley Temple, she took me to a beauty training school and put me in the hands of a student who could barely hold the scissors without shaking. Instead of getting big fat curls, I emerged with an uneven mass of crinkly black fuzz.

In fact, in the beginning, I was just as excited as my mother, maybe even more so. I pictured this prodigy part of me as many different images, trying each one on for size. I was a dainty ballerina girl standing by the curtains, waiting to hear the right music that would send me floating on my tiptoes. I was Cinderella stepping from her pumpkin carriage with sparkly cartoon music filling the air.

In all of my imaginings, I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect. My mother and father would adore me. I would be beyond reproach (责备). I would never be annoyed by anything. Every night after dinner, my mother and I would sit at the Formica kitchen table. She would present new tests, taking her examples from stories of amazing children she had read and a dozen other magazines she kept in a pile in our bathroom. My mother got these magazines from people whose houses she cleaned. She would look through them all, searching for stories about remarkable children.

The first night she brought out a story about a three-year-old boy who knew the capitals of all the states and even most of the European countries. A teacher was quoted as saying the little boy could also pronounce the names of the foreign cities correctly.

“What’s the capital of Finland?” my mother asked me, looking at the magazine story.

All I knew was the capital of California, because Sacramento was the name of the street we lived on in Chinatown. “Nairobi!” I guessed, saying the most foreign word I could think of. She checked to see if that was possibly one way to pronounce “Helsinki” before showing me the answer.

The tests got harder — multiplying numbers in my head, finding the queen of hearts in a deck of cards, trying to stand on my head without using my hands, predicting the daily temperatures in Los Angeles, New York, and London.

And after seeing my mother’s disappointed face once again, something inside of me began to die. I hated the tests, the raised hopes and failed expectations. Before going to bed that night, I looked in the mirror and when I saw only my face staring back — and that it would always be this ordinary face — I began to cry. Such a sad, ugly girl! I made high-pitched (尖锐的) noises like a crazed animal, trying to scratch out the face in the mirror.

And then I saw what seemed to be the prodigy side of me — because I had never seen that face before. I looked at my reflection, blinking so I could see more clearly. The girl staring back at me was angry, powerful. This girl and I were the same. I had new thoughts, willful thoughts, or rather thoughts filled with lots of won’ts. I won’t let her change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not.

1. Why did the mother and the girl watch Shirley Temple’s old movies on TV?

A．Because the mother was a fan of Shirley Temple

B．Because the girl resembled Shirley Temple in appearance.

C．Because Shirley Temple’s hairstyle was very popular among children.

D．Because the mother wanted her daughter to be a Chinese Shirley Temple.

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the tests the girl did every night?

A．She got through the tests painfully.

B．She felt confident and finished them smoothly.

C．She failed the tests and began to lose confidence.

D．She made preparations for tests to please her mother.

3. What does the underlined sentence in the passage mean?

A．The mother was disappointed and gave up her daughter.

B．The mother expected her daughter to know the right answer.

C．The answers were more than one and the mother checked them.

D．The mother was not sure about the answer and wanted to confirm it.

4. What might happen after the last paragraph?

A．The girl might do what she really likes.

B．The girl might do whatever her mother asks.

C．The girl might try her best to become successful.

D．The mother might change her attitude and listen to her daughter.

【推荐3】That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was, walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theater. With opening night only a week away, I was still learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too much for me.

As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers. Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets.

About a block from my apartment, I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.

Suddenly I wasn’t cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I’d heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.

Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck pulled up to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice called from the inside, “Alisa Camacho?” I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? The door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eyes: “Is this what you’re looking for?” he asked, holding up a small square shape.

It was nearly 3 a.m. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn’t get much sleep that night, but I had gotten my wallet back. I also had gotten back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn’t be a bad place as long as people were willing to help each other.

1. How did the author feel when she was walking home after work?

A．Disappointed and helpless.	B．Fortunate and hopeful.
C．Satisfied and cheerful.	D．Cold and sick.

2. What is the author’s problem in Paragraph 1?

A．She gave up both acting and San Francisco.

B．She didn’t know how to learn acting in an evening school.

C．She had to take part in various city activities.

D．She failed to balance her part-time job and acting.

3. In the fifth paragraph, why did the author say she was dreaming?

A．A red-haired man came to see her.	B．She heard someone call her name.
C．Her wallet was found in a garbage truck.	D．Someone offered to take her back home.

4. From the passage, we can infer that the author ______.

A．would stop working at night	B．would make friends with cleaners
C．would stay on in San Francisco	D．would give up her job at the bank