Amanda Kitts is one of “tomorrow’s people”, people who have artificial (人工的) body parts. She has a bionic(电子操控的) arm.
Now, Kitts runs a day -care center. Children run up to her happily as she comes into the classroom. She bends over to talk with a small girl. As she bends Kitts puts her hands on her knees. For most people, this would be easy. However, just a few years ago, this was impossible for Kitts.
In 2006, Kitts was in a car accident. A truck crushed(挤坏) her left arm and the doctor had to cut it off. “I was angry, sad, depressed. I just couldn’t accept it,” she says. But then she heard about a new technique that could use the remaining nerves(神经) in her shoulder to control an artificial arm.
In a difficult operation, a doctor moved Kitts’s nerves to her upper- arm muscles. For months, the nerves grew. Millimeter by millimeter, they moved deeper into their new homes. “At three months I started feeling little tingles and twitches(刺痛和抽搐),” she said. A month later, she got her first bionic arm. A research engineer worked with Kitts to make the computer programs match her real movements more and more closely.
Today, Kitts’s arm is great, but it’s not yet perfect. She wants feeling in her hands. For example, she needs to feel whether something is rough or smooth. She also needs feeling to do one of her favorite things-drink coffee “The problem with a paper coffee cup is that my hand will close until it gets a solid grip,” she says. One time at a coffee shop, her hand kept closing until it crushed the cup. But Kitts says positively,” One day I’ll be able to feel things with it, and clap my hands… to the songs my kids are singing.”
1. What is the difference between Kitts and normal people?| A．She can sing. | B．She can bend |
| C．She can put her hands on her knees. | D．She has a bionic arm. |
| A．clap her hands | B．hold things | C．feel rough or smooth things | D．drink coffee |
| A．positive | B．angry | C．perfect | D．disappointed |
①Kitts heard about a new technique
②Kitts crushed a paper coffee cup
③Kitts had two human arms
④A truck hit Kitts’s car
⑤Kitts got her first bionic arm
⑥Doctors moved some of the nerves in Kitts’s arm
| A．④①⑥⑤②③ | B．③④⑤①②⑥ | C．④①⑥⑤③② | D．③④①⑥⑤② |
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【推荐1】When Marguerite Richards made a TikTok introducing her father’s decade-old thriller novel, she was hoping to arouse a little interest. A few dozen new readers, maybe. As the first few positive comments started rolling in, she was pleased to have done something nice for a dad who definitely deserved it.
She had no idea that, within a matter of days, millions of people would see her video, and her father’s book would rocket to the top of Amazon’s Best Seller list.
Lloyd Devereux Richards first published Stone Maidens in 2012. It’s a thriller about an FBI agent following a killer in Indiana and, by his daughter’s account, it’s quite attractive. However, the original release failed to drum up excitement.
It’s a different world now, and Richards, the daughter, decided to try her luck. “I saw how much time and effort and passion my dad put into his book. I know what a lovely storyteller he is,” she told CNN. “He never stopped writing, and he always stayed positive.”
Whether it was the interesting thriller, or the efforts of a proud daughter, the story of Lloyd Devereux Richards and Stone Maidens struck a chord.
Marguerite Richards posted the first TikTok about Stone Maidens about two weeks ago. It has since received 48 million views and numerous positive responses. Richards then posted more videos of her father, the author of the hour, delighting in his unexpected success.
This particular incident falls under a social media type best described as “Young people giving their elders love and recognition on a platform the latter doesn’t understand.” It’s a fruitful one, full of parents just like Lloyd Devereux Richards who wake up one morning to find their talents, hobbies or unusual habits have been broadcast to the world—and won them a great number of admirers. The experience has breathed new life into a labor of love. It’s also driven home some lessons about inspiration and determination.
1. What did Marguerite Richards do according to the text?| A．She helped her father to publish his novel. |
| B．She introduced her father on social media. |
| C．She wrote an interesting novel about her father. |
| D．She made a video to promote her father’s novel. |
| A．It was an instant success. |
| B．It wasn’t interesting indeed. |
| C．It didn’t attract much attention at first. |
| D．It was written more than fifteen years ago. |
| A．Satisfied people’s needs. | B．Aroused people’s interest. |
| C．Made people feel confused. | D．Made people feel disappointed |
| A．Great barriers. | B．Novel experiences. |
| C．Comfortable zones. | D．Unexpected surprises. |
Dear Mom and Dad,
I’m afraid I have some very bad news for you. I have been very naughty and the school principal（校长）is very angry with me. She is going to write to you. You must come and take me away from here. She does not want me in the school any longer.
The trouble started last night when I was smoking a cigarette in bed．This is against the rules, of course. We are not supposed to smoke at all.
As I was smoking, I heard footsteps coming towards the room. I did not want a teacher to catch me smoking, so I threw the cigarette away. Unfortunately, the cigarette fell into the waste-paper basket, which caught fire. There was a curtain near the waste-paper basket which caught fire, too. Soon the whole room was burning. The principal phoned for the fire department. The school is a long way from the town and by the time the fire department arrived, the whole school was in flames. Many of the girls are in the hospital.
The principal says that the fire was all my fault and you must pay for the damage. She will send you a bill for about a million dollars.
I am very sorry about this.
Much love, Susan.
P.S. None of the above is true, but I have failed my exams. I just want you to know how bad things could have been!
1. Susan wrote home ________.
| A．to tell her parents about the fire |
| B．to ask for a million dollars |
| C．to tell her parents she had failed her exams |
| D．to tell her parents she had to leave school |
| A．she had failed her exams. |
| B．she had been caught smoking in bed. |
| C．it was her fault that the school had caught fire. |
| D．she had not phoned for the fire department in time. |
| A．to warn them about what the principal would do |
| B．to make them feel worried |
| C．to make them less angry at her real news |
| D．to make them laugh |
| A．Partly true. |
| B．All true. |
| C．Completely untrue |
| D．The story doesn’t really tell us. |
【推荐3】Norman Borlaug, who is making a difference, is known around the world. He is often described as the man who has saved more lives than any other person in history. Norman Borlaug is considered the father of what has been called the Green Revolution. His ideas about agriculture increased crop production and ended hunger in many nations. Mr. Borlaug continues to be a leader among agricultural researchers.
Norman Borlaug was born in 1914 on a farm in the American state of Iowa. In the middle of the 20th century, world population was expanding faster than food production. Experts said many people in developing countries would face starvation.
Norman Borlaug was an agricultural researcher at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico. He developed methods of growing wheat that increased the amount harvested by three times. He later repeated this success in India, Pakistan and Africa.
His methods of farming saved millions of people who would have starved to death. Norman Borlaug was given the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in 1970.
Norman Borlaug is still urging experts to think about the needs of people around the world. His latest concern is a disease in wheat called UG99. He says it has the power to destroy most of the wheat being grown around the world. He says reductions in agricultural programs have made it harder to take action against such threats.
Mr. Borlaug’s granddaughter Julie works at the center named after him at Texas A&M University in Dallas. She says his worry about food problems rises from the belief that hunger is unacceptable. She says Norman Borlaug still believes it is our responsibility as human beings to feed one another.
1. Norman Borlaug was ________ years old when he was given the Nobel Prize.| A．56 | B．94 |
| C．65 | D．99 |
| A．express his respect for Norman Borlaug. |
| B．introduce Norman Borlaug’s own life in America |
| C．show an interest in Norman Borlaug’s research |
| D．describe Norman Borlaug and his research |
| A．UG99 is a modern software virus. |
| B．UG99 is a disease that does great harm to the wheat. |
| C．UG99 is a virus that appeared in 1999. |
| D．UG99 caused increase in agricultural output. |
| A．France | B．Pakistan |
| C．India | D．Africa |
【推荐1】Cathy Brennan calmly paddled her bright yellow kayak (皮艇) down the Potomac River, continuing her voyage, the latest of her solo trips on major waterways. It was tough, but it allowed Brennan to let go of everything else, empty her brain of the everyday chores and focus on the now. “I’m in the moment, looking at the waves.” said Brennan.
The journey is a minimalist style: sleeping bag, small tent, rain jacket, change of clothes, first aid kit, apples and cheese sticks. When she’s thirsty, she scoops water from the rivers and pumps it through a filter. “I always drink the river,” she says. Brennan loves being on the rivers, seeing the bald eagles above, deer on the banks and a fascinating array of bugs and insects that never find their way into homes.
However, every few days Brennan will find a hotel for the night where she can get a shower and eat a cheeseburger. She’ll also check in with her husband John, who has helped her select the river and research the trips at their home. “He’s my virtual Sherpa with benefits,” Brennan says, laughing. She has a phone with her but rarely calls or texts anyone. Her children usually keep track of her via the transponder that sends them her location every 10minutes or so.
Brennan knows that solo kayaking is not for everyone and she’s not reckless. Brennan grew up on a lake and was a strong swimmer and boater from an early age. When going through rough rapids, she watches the weather carefully. She is cautious about where she camps and who is around her. She has packed up her gear and headed back out on the river when she has felt unsafe.
Surely, she is alone on these journeys but she isn’t lonely. She suggested that we all need some disconnection from the wired world to find the wider world around us.
1. What can be learned about Cathy Brennan from paragraph 1?| A．She longs for calmness. | B．She seeks inner peace. |
| C．She is fond of travelling. | D．She is tired of everyday housework. |
| A．Because he keeps track of her. | B．Because he arranges the route for her. |
| C．Because he accompanies her on the river. | D．Because he contacts her with calls and texts. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Fearless. | C．Ambitious. | D．Thoughtless. |
| A．Odd and instructive. | B．Romantic and thrilling |
| C．Costly and relaxing | D．Tough and rewarding. |
【推荐2】Larry was on another of his underwater expeditions (探险) but this time, it was different. He decided to take his daughter along with him. She was only ten years old. This would be her first trip with her father on what he had always been famous for.
Larry first began diving when he was his daughter’s age. Similarly, his father had taken him along on one of his expeditions. Since then, he had never looked back. Larry started out by renting diving suits from the small diving shop just along the shore. He had hated them. They were either too big or too small. Then, there was the instructor. He gave him a short lesson before allowing him into the water with his father. He had made an exception. Larry would never have been able to go down without at least five hours of theory and another similar number of hours on practical lessons with a guide. Children at his age were not even allowed to dive.
After the first expedition, Larry’s later diving adventures only got better and better. There was never a dull moment. In his black and blue suit and with an oxygen tank fastened on his back, Larry dived from boats into the middle of the ocean. Dangerous areas did not prevent him from continuing his search. Sometimes, he was limited to a cage underwater but that did not bother him. At least, he was still able to take photographs of the underwater creatures.
Larry’s first expedition without his father was in the Cayman Islands. There were numerous diving spots in the area and Larry was determined to visit all of them. Fortunately for him, a man offered to take him around the different spots for free. Larry didn’t even know what the time was, how many spots he dived into or how many photographs he had taken. The diving spots afforded such a wide array of fish and sea creatures that Larry saw more than thirty varieties of creatures.
Larry looked at his daughter. She looked as excited as he had been when he was her age. He hoped she would be able to continue the family tradition. Already, she looked like she was much braver than had been then. This was the key to a successful underwater expedition.
1. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?| A．Larry had some privileges. | B．Larry liked the rented diving suits. |
| C．Divers had to buy diving equipment. | D．Ten-year-old children were permitted to dive. |
| A．To protect himself from danger. | B．To dive into the deep water. |
| C．To admire the underwater view. | D．To take photo more conveniently. |
| A．Larry didn’t wear a watch. | B．Larry was not good at math. |
| C．Larry had a poor memory. | D．Larry enjoyed the adventure. |
| A．Become a successful diver. | B．Make a good diving guide. |
| C．Take a lot of photo underwater. | D．Have longer hours of training. |
“Who’s that soldier called Speaking?” I asked one day.
“He was Harold.” She said. “He was my only brother. When the Second World War began, Harold was eighteen. I was twelve then, and my sisters were ten and nine”.
“Harold liked to play with us, and we often quarreled. When we quarreled, we said：We’re not speaking to you. But before long we were all happy again, and then we said: I’m speaking now. Are you speaking to me?”
“When the war broke out, Harold joined the army. A month later, he came to see us. He brought the gun to show us. Then he went miles away to the war. We didn’t see him for three years, three long, empty years. We didn’t often hear from him. But one day in May there was a loud bang（砰）on the front door…”
“I ran to open it. It was Harold! He was an old Harold, a thinner Harold. He looked at me with his two green eyes and smiled. That smile was just the same as before, then he said one word: ‘speaking’”.
“I didn’t…I couldn’t…answer. I just fell into his arms and he dropped his gun. He stayed with us for a month. We played all our old games again. Then he went back to the war, and never came back again. So I wrote the word on the photo.”
1. How old was the storyteller when Harold came back for the last time?
| A．Thirty-five | B．Eighteen. |
| C．Fifteen. | D．Twenty-one. |
| A．he didn’t want to speak to his sister any more |
| B．he died in the war |
| C．his sister had not answered him when he came back |
| D．he went far away to the war |
| A．She wanted to keep a memory of her childhood. |
| B．It could awake her happy memories. |
| C．It could show that her brother was a great man. |
| D．She hung it there in memory of her brother. |
【推荐1】Sacagawea was not afraid. Although she was only 16 years old and the only female in an exploration group of more than 45 people, she was ready to courageously make her mark in American history.
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought more than 825,000 square miles of land from France. To explore this new part of the country, Jefferson sent Lewis and William Clark on a two-year journey to report on what they found. They needed local guides to help them through this unknown territory.
Born to a Shoshone chief around 1788, Sacagawea had been kidnapped (绑架) by an enemy tribe when she was about 12, then sold to a French-Canadian trapper. When the trapper was hired as a guide for Lewis and Clark's expedition in 1804, Sacagawea also joined as an interpreter to talk to Native-American people on their 8, 000-mile journey.
Sacagawea soon became a respected member of the group. She was skilled at finding plants for food and medicine to help keep the explorers alive. When a boat capsized (翻) on the Missouri River as they were crossing into what is now Montana, Sacagawea saved important books and much-needed supplies. When they needed horses to cross rough area, she convinced a Shoshone tribe—led by her long-lost brother—to give them some. She was so esteemed by Lewis and Clark that when they reached the Pacific Ocean in November 1805, Sacagawea was asked to cast her vote for where they should build a fort (营地).
Sacagawea proved herself again after the group took a different route home through what is now Idaho. As they passed through her homeland, Sacagawea remembered Shoshone trails from her childhood and helped the expedition find their way through. Clark even praised her as his “pilot”.
She received no pay for her services and died on December 20, 1812. But Sacagawea's bravery and skill live on in the expedition's journals, which are full of praise for the 16-year-old Shoshone girl who guided the most famous American expedition of all time.
1. Why did the explorers hire Sacagawea?| A．To do trade. | B．To fight the enemy. |
| C．To be safer. | D．To help communicate. |
| A．Respected. | B．Suspected. |
| C．Influenced. | D．Promoted. |
| A．Active. | B．Irreplaceable. |
| C．Tricky. | D．Unreliable. |
| A．A special honor. | B．A great expedition. |
| C．An outstanding girl. | D．An unknown territory. |
【推荐2】Devon Gallagher, a college graduate from Philadelphia, wants the world to know exactly where she’s been during her worldwide vacation in a special way.
The traveler, who was born with a bone disease, had her right leg amputated (截肢) at the age of four. Although the amputation caused setbacks for Gallagher early on, she now sees it as inspiration for living her best life.
To spread that message, Gallagher has taken to social media, where she shares photos of her travels across the globe. Besides, she writes her location across her artificial leg before taking a picture.
Now she has been taking pictures across the Continent, which show her cycling over the canal in Amsterdam, relaxing on a wall overlooking the city of Barcelona, posing with a waffle (华夫饼) in Brussels, taking spectacular pictures in Athens and enjoying a river cruise in Budapest, with all the well-known locations written on her artificial leg.
“I get a new leg every two years and I can choose the design on it. One day I had a sudden thought to get a chalk-board,” Gallagher said. “My mum and grandmother weren’t too keen on the idea, but my friends thought it was great and told me to go for it, so I did.”
Gallagher said people often stare when she’s writing on her leg, but once she shares the photos, she receives only positive feedback. My leg hasn’t stopped me from doing anything I’ve wanted to do,” she said, “I don’t know if it’s my determination to prove to myself that I can do it. Bur regardless, I’ve been able to keep up with my peers and lead a pretty great life.”
Gallagher shows us that you should never let anything stand in the way of your dreams. And if life gives you an artificial leg, make art.
1. What message did Gallagher want to spread in her special way?| A．She enjoys her traveling across the globe. |
| B．She suffers little from her leg amputation. |
| C．She looks on her misfortune as another form of blessing. |
| D．She has exactly fallen in love with posting photos online. |
| A．The Continent. | B．The pictures. | C．The leg. | D．The locations. |
| A．Helpful and ambitious. | B．Friendly and generous. |
| C．Determined and creative. | D．Independent and sensible. |
| A．Never Too Late to Share. | B．A Special Artificial Leg |
| C．An Outstanding Photographer. | D．Gallagher’s Summer Holidays. |
【推荐3】John Robert was born in a farm family and his father was a horse trainer. When John was a child, he often went from one farm to another with his father. Sometimes they didn’t have enough money to pay for food, but John still loved this kind of life. He even hoped to own a horse farm when growing up.
When he was in school, his teacher once asked students to write about what they wanted to be and do when they grew up. John wrote a seven-page paper talking about his dream of having a horse farm one day. He even drew a picture of a horse farm on the paper.
The next day John handed it to his teacher. Two days later, he got his paper back. On the front page was a large red “F” with some words “See me after class.” And the boy did and asked his teacher, “Why did I get an F?” The teacher said, “This dream will not come true for a young boy like you. Owning a horse farm needs a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for a lot of things. There is no way you could ever do it.” Then the teacher added, “If you write this paper again with a simple dream, I will give you a good grade.”
After school he thought about it carefully. At last, he decided to hand in the same paper, making no changes at all. He wrote, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”
Many years later, John had his own 200 acres (英亩) horse farm. His dream came true.
So don’t let someone take away your dream. Follow your dreams, no matter what they are.
1. What happened to John when he was a child?| A．H e hoped to be a teacher. | B．He decided to give up college. |
| C．He often went hungry for poverty. | D．His father gave him much money. |
| A．His bad temper. | B．His difficult dream. |
| C．His poor family. | D．His poor study. |
| A．Change his dream. | B．Rewrite the paper. |
| C．Make no change. | D．Add some words on it. |
| A．Work hard to realize our dream. | B．Keep changing our dreams. |
| C．Follow others’ advice. | D．Refuse the teachers’ help. |
