As a young woman, Pei Aimin, now 49, hid her natural gift for writing, hoping nobody in her farming village would notice and accuse her of neglecting (忽视) work and family.
That was the way of things when Pei was young in her village. In the past, girls often dropped out of school at an early age to get married and settle into the regular routines of rural life.
A few, like Pei, however, yearned for a wider world and looked for ways to express themselves. Pei began to write in middle school and mailed her stories to publishers. Two of them were published, one in a newspaper, another in a magazine.
After her marriage, she had to create secret opportunities. Sometimes she would water useless land just so she could read or write outdoors without being observed. Sometimes she sat under a tree, expressing her feelings on paper until somebody came, and she would hurriedly hide the papers and pen.
“Few women in my village could read or write, “Pei said. “All my family members thought it was a waste of time.”
After reading and writing like that for years, Pei took everyone by surprise when she published a book, Diary of Aunt Vole. It is a collection of 365 short diary entries that describe the natural scenery of the northwestern countryside, the daily routine of the local people, and interesting things that happened in the village.
Pei said she hoped the book would help readers understand that farm work consists of both hardship and fun.
Now Pei’s family no longer objects to her hobby. “Although women in the village still don’t read, many have changed their minds about it,” Pei said. “Learning, after all, is useful.”
1. What do the underlined words “yearned for” in Paragraph 3 mean?| A．Desired. | B．Avoided. | C．Found. | D．Left |
| A．Become a publisher. |
| B．Tell harmless lies. |
| C．Drop out of school. |
| D．Hide from other people. |
| A．Proudly | B．Doubtful. | C．Surprised. | D．Pleased. |
| A．Inspire students to study hard. |
| B．Show the real life on the farm. |
| C．Encourage more women to read. |
| D．Attract people to the countryside. |
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【推荐1】“You like pottery (陶艺) more than you like science,” a family member said. I knew the comment was made lightly, but I felt frustrated and disappointed. I had worked so hard to achieve a balance between my scientific and artistic pursuits. Why was my creative side still seen as a weakness and a disturbance, in opposition to my science?
As a little girl, I created art by breaking up eggshells, dying them, and gluing them to a cloth. I also conducted science experiments with my mom, a high school science teacher, on the back porch. In college, I loved my chemistry courses and research work, and I regarded cooking as my creative outlet, hosting weekly dinner parties for friends.
Yet I heard time and again that creative expression and science were not possible together. When my college roommate concluded with a personality test that I was the “creative” type, the rest of my friends said that couldn’t be right, because “I was a scientist and therefore was not creative.” As I was preparing for graduate school and studying for the chemistry GRE test, I realized I talked about science the same way I would paint a picture, explaining concepts in broad strokes (粗线条地) — in part because I struggled to remember technical scientific terminology. I worried my way of thinking wouldn’t fit in with “proper” scientists. In the end, though, my desire to pursue a scientific career won out. I figured I would continue to find a way to balance my research with my creative pursuits, regardless of what others thought.
When in graduate school I found pottery, which I could pursue on evenings and weekends. After my first class, I was attracted. It has inspired me to more intentionally mix my art with my science. I keep a notebook at my lab table filled with words of mug (马克杯) designs inspired by my experiments. Through the challenge of getting my paper into its core concepts in such a way that it could be displayed on a mug, I gained a better understanding of my project. Pottery has now turned into a way for me to train my brain to be creative and think outside the box.
1. What did the family member think of the author’s pottery?| A．It still had room for improvement. |
| B．It would relax the author in her work. |
| C．It made up for the author’s weakness. |
| D．It did no good to the author’s career. |
| A．By dying eggshells. |
| B．By performing science experiments. |
| C．By doing some cooking. |
| D．By attending social parties. |
| A．She didn’t get along well with her classmates in college. |
| B．She nearly gave up her pursuit of art. |
| C．She once doubted her way of understanding science. |
| D．She was angry about being misunderstood by friends. |
| A．The notebook. | B．The design of the mug. |
| C．The challenge of the paper. | D．The author’s science research. |
【推荐2】One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway and it just wasn’t worth to retrieve the donkey. So, he decided to bury it!
He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly, then slowly he quieted down till nothing more was heard.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well, and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing! He would shake it off and take a step up!
As the farmer’s neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping, never giving up, shaking it off, and taking a step up!
1. The farmer finally decided to bury the donkey because ________.| A．the well was useless | B．he never wanted to help the donkey |
| C．the donkey was old | D．Both A and C |
| A．Because the donkey felt helpless. |
| B．Because the donkey realized his owner was saving him. |
| C．Because the donkey found a way to get out of the well. |
| D．Because the donkey was too tired to cry. |
| A．with the help of his owner and neighbours |
| B．with his own strong will and cleverness |
| C．with the water in the well |
| D．with the dirt in the well |
| A．kill | B．rescue |
| C．sell | D．bury |
| A．What’s seemingly trouble is actually a great help for a strong-willed person. |
| B．He who laughs last laughs longest. |
| C．Where there is a will there is a way. |
| D．No pains, no gains. |
Olivia Ries was just seven years old when she and her eightyearold brother Carter adopted a cheetah (猎豹) in South Africa.
“When my sister and I first learned back in 2009 that species like the cheetah may be extinct in the wild by the time we have kids, it scared us. We knew we had to do something to help them,” says Carter. “There are so many people (young and old alike) who just don’t know what is happening to so many species, just like we didn’t. Olivia and I want to make sure we reach as many people around the world as possible and help them to understand how serious the situation really is.”
To do that, the kids started One More Generation (OMG), an organization with the motto: “Preserving endangered species for one more generation and beyond.”
Now, many years later, Olivia and Carter have traveled all over the world spreading their message. They’ve been interviewed on national television, participated in marches and fundraisers and won awards for their work. In 2015, they were invited to Vietnam by the United States Embassy to participate in a program to save rhinos(犀牛). All that they’ve accomplished for animals and the environment is much too long to list!
“Our number one message to everyone we meet is to remember, anyone can make a difference... if we can, you can too,” says Olivia. “We want all people to understand that what Carter and I are doing is not necessarily something special; it is something that we all should be doing. You can start small by simply adopting an animal. Do some research on the species you are interested in, and find a good organization offering adoptions. My brother and I take our birthday money and allowance money to adopt animals all the time.”
1. How did Olivia and Carter feel when learning cheetahs faced extinction?| A．Angry and guilty. | B．Shocked and concerned. |
| C．Anxious and helpless. | D．Hopeful and determined. |
| A．Helping endangered species survive. |
| B．Telling people the situation cheetahs faced. |
| C．Making the situation of dying species known. |
| D．Calling on people to adopt endangered species. |
| A．They organized activities to raise money. |
| B．They took measures to save rhinos. |
| C．They made efforts to list extinct species. |
| D．They contributed a lot to dying species. |
| A．Anyone can help by starting small. |
| B．Anyone can do something special. |
| C．Anyone should do research on species. |
| D．Anyone should donate to adoption organizations. |
In the 1950s, when I was young, I lived in Houston, Texas. As I grew up, the city grew up. To me, the most exciting changes were that one big building after another went up.
I think that’s what made me want to be an architect, and I wanted to take part in building one. In high school, I took a class called drafting(绘图). There I learned how to use many different tools to draw plans for building things. I was the only girl in the class, and others laughed at me. But I knew what I wanted to do, so I didn’t mind the jokes.
When I was 16, I found my first summer job with an engineering company. I worked in the drafting room with 60 men on one of the biggest engineering projects of our century—the Trans-Alaska Pipeline(管道). That pipeline now carries oil south across Alaska, from oil wells near the Arctic Ocean down to the Pacific. That summer I learned a lot about how a huge structure is designed and what it’s like to work in a team. One of my bosses from that summer said he knew that was the secret of my success.
The engineers liked my work so much that they asked me to come back. I worked there for the next five summers. During those years, I studied architecture at the University of Texas. I discovered that the best way to learn about architecture is to look at the world around me. To remember what I saw, I always carried a notebook with me so I could make quick drawings.
After I graduated from college, I made my dream come true.
1. What made the author want to be an architect? (no more than 5 words)2. What did the author learn in her drafting class? (no more than 10 words)
3. Why did the author describe the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in detail in Para.3? (no more than 10 words)
4. What is the best way to learn about architecture according to the author? (no more than 15 words)
5. How does the author’s success inspire you? (no more than 20 words)
【推荐2】I had not hugged a friend or a family member for more than two years until recently when my sister-in-law flew in for a brief visit. For everyone’s safety, we met outside. Despite the wintry weather, her hug warmed me from the inside out. It’s strange, but only now do I truly realize how much I’ve missed embracing loved ones-- the warmth that remains long after our arms have loosened.
Growing up through war in my hometown of Sarajevo, Bosnia, every moment was full of danger. On one peaceful morning. I had begged my mom to let me go outside after spending weeks wilting (蔫) indoors. She finally agreed. I was outside for only 10 minutes when I was caught in an explosion. I ran to my neighbor’s house for safety and threw my arms around her neck just as my legs collapsed underneath me. She hugged me with both arms and dragged me into her house. I was still in her arms when the ambulance arrived.
Thankfully. I made a full physical recovery, but the emotional scars never left me. Years later there was another explosion near my house. I was safely inside, but my father had left to buy a loaf of bread. He had only just missed the blast. When he came back inside, I gave him the biggest hug imaginable. I was caked in tears as I held him tight.
That same night my parents managed to arrange my escape from our war-torn city. They desperately wanted at least some of my childhood to be normal. I was 16 and came to America on my own. A generous host family took me in and I began learning English and going to school. They had a large dog called Oscar. Over the next several months, I secretly struggled with feeling homesick and worried about my family back home. Despite managing quite well at school, I couldn’t express my feelings. The only way I shared how I felt was by giving Oscar a big hug.
It is yet another sad aspect of our pandemic lives that hugging a stranger is the last thing on our minds. For many of us, even hugging a relative or a friend comes with stress and anxiety over risks and precautions (防范). Perhaps we have undervalued the impact of a simple hug. As I look back on my past, I count myself truly lucky to have been held, shielded and encouraged at some of the most key moments of my life by the almost super power of a hug. I pray that in the not-so-distant future we can safely hold one another again - a friend, relative, or even a stranger.
1. Why did the author mention her sister-in-law’s visit at the beginning?| A．It reminded the author of her past hugs. |
| B．It encouraged the author to hug strangers. |
| C．It made the author think of her large family. |
| D．It made the author forget the pandemic temporarily. |
| A．Her leg collapsed in an explosion. |
| B．Her mother loved her too much to send her to America. |
| C．She was warmed by her neighbor’s hug. |
| D．She recovered quickly from the wounds of the war. |
| A．Frightened | B．Relieved | C．Embarrassed | D．Astonished |
| A．She was treated badly by her host family. |
| B．She couldn’t catch up with her classmates at school. |
| C．She couldn’t adapt to the new environment. |
| D．She missed and worried about her family members. |
| A．To express how she feels about war. |
| B．To share how important hugs are to her. |
| C．To introduce the ups and downs in her life. |
| D．To complain about the impact of the pandemic. |
【推荐3】Everyone tries their best in life, and sometimes a few kind words of encouragement can help people realize that their efforts are not in vain (徒劳). I remember a time when I was in fifth grade, and I was a very shy girl.
There was a drawing competition at my school that day. As everyone started to use their creative ideas to draw, I was only trying to think of something creative that could express my thoughts and emotions. Lost in my own world, I was brought back to reality when my art teacher called my name from behind. She came to me and encouraged me, saying, “Don’t overthink it, just put whatever comes to your mind on the canvas (画布). Do your best, and you will do well.”
Taking her words of wisdom to heart, I started my painting. Time flew by, and soon the bell rang, signaling the end of the time limit. We all turned in our canvases for inspection (检查). The next day, the winners of the competition were announced in front of the whole school. To my surprise, I heard my name being called second prize. It was a bolt from the blue for me, as I had never dared to dream of winning any prize.
Later on, I expressed my gratitude to my art teacher for her words of encouragement and for believing in me. That day, I became aware of my talent and started painting more whenever I had free time. Sometimes, I think that if it weren’t for her words of encouragement, I may have never discovered the talent I have.
Overall, this experience taught me the importance of encouraging others and how a few kind words can make a significant impact on someone’s life.
1. What was the author doing when called by the art teacher?| A．Organizing a drawing competition. | B．Trying to get some creative ideas. |
| C．Painting her work on her canvas. | D．Trying to get help from others. |
| A．Easy. | B．Interesting. | C．Challenging. | D．Encouraging. |
| A．Addiction. | B．Puzzlement. | C．Disappointment. | D．Surprise. |
| A．The power of encouragement can be huge. |
| B．The importance of art competitions is easy to see. |
| C．Overcoming shyness through painting is worth trying. |
| D．Discovering your great natural ability is the key to success. |
Malala Yousafzai has never been ordinary. When she was just 11, she started blogging (写博客) about the Taliban takeover of her hometown of Mingora, Pakistan. Taliban members follow an extreme belief of Islam and forbid girls to go to school. Classrooms were closed for several months. Malala spoke out about her desire to go back to school. “All I want is an education,” she told one television broadcaster.
Malala was later able to return to class. But she continued to blog and speak out about girls’ right to education. On October 9, 2012, the Taliban tried to silence her. A gunman boarded her school bus and shot her in the head. Malala survived and showed great courage and optimism during her long recovery. At that time she became a symbol of the struggle for girls’ rights all over the world. Nine months after she was shot, she gave a now-famous speech at the United Nations. “They thought that the bullets (子弹) would silence us. But they failed,” she said. “And then, out of that silence came thousands of voices. … Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power, and courage were born.”
Malala has also become an international symbol for peace. In 2011, she won Pakistan’s National Youth Peace Prize, which is now renamed the National Malala Peace Prize. Malala said the 2014 Nobel Prize was an “encouragement” to go forward to help kids. “I want to tell children all around the world that they should stand up for their rights,” she said. “This award is for all those children whose voices need to be heard.”
1. All the statements about Malala are true EXCEPT that _____.
| A．she started blogging at the age of 11 |
| B．it took her a long time to recover from the injury |
| C．Taliban tried to silence her but failed |
| D．she was born in1998 in Mingora, Pakistan. |
| A．1. | B．2. | C．3. | D．4. |
| A．When she began writing her blogs. |
| B．Before Taliban wanted to kill her. |
| C．During her long recovery after the shot. |
| D．When she gave a speech in the UN. |
| A．creative and outgoing | B．strict and stubborn |
| C．simple and warm-hearted | D．brave and determined |
Gifted with an amazing IQ between 220 and 230, Terence Tao makes it to this list of the people with the highest IQ in the world.Born in Adelaide, Australia in 1975, this genius first displayed his incredible intelligence at a mere age of 2, when he managed to solve basic arithmetic questions on his own.At the age of 16, he graduated with both Master' s and Bachelor' s degrees at the Flinders University.He has been considered as '' Mr.Fix it " by Charles Fefferman, who is a professor of Mathematics at Princeton University, and many other mathematicians want to interest him in their problems.
This 31-year-old Japanese-American astrophysicist lands him third in this list.At the age of 12, Christopher Hirata already worked on college-level courses, around the time most of us were just in the 7th grade.At the age of 13, this gifted kid became the youngest American to have ever won the gold medal in the International physics Olympiad.
At the age of 16, he was already working with NASA on its project to conquer planet Mars.After he was awarded the Ph.D.at Princeton University, he went back to California Institute of Technology.
The next person with very high IQ is Albert Einstein.With an IQ between 160 and 190, Albert Einstein is the genius behind the theory of relativity, which has had great impact on the world of science.He possessed such an amazing ability that after his death, researchers were eager to preserve and make research on his brain in search for clues to his exceptional brilliance, which to this day, has remained a mystery.
1. About William, which of the following is true?
| A．His IQ reached between 220 and 230. |
| B．At the age of 16, he graduated from a grammar school. |
| C．At the age of 6, he graduated with both Master' s and Bachelor' s degrees. |
| D．At the age of 11, he became the youngest student at the Harvard University.[ |
| A．3 | B．4 | C．5 | D．6 |
| A．William |
| B．Terence Tao |
| C．Christopher Hirata |
| D．Albert Einstein |
| A．when William graduated from the Harvard Law School, he got the highest scores |
| B．at the age of 2, Terence solved basic arithmetic questions on his own |
| C．Christopher Hirata is a Japanese |
| D．researchers have found out why Albert Einstein was so brilliant |
| A．The most gifted college students in the world. |
| B．The most famous people in the world. |
| C．People with the highest IQ ever recorded. |
| D．The most famous inventors. |
【推荐3】Robert van Gulik was born on August 9, 1910 in the Netherlands. His mother came from a family of musicians and piano makers, a fact that greatly influenced Robert’s life. His father was a physician in army, a position which required frequent foreign postings (派驻). The family lived in various areas of the East Indies for most of Robert’s youth. This experience contributed to his appreciation for cultures and mastery of several languages.
He was an eager academic, collector of art and manuscripts (手稿), and translator of ancient writings. He studied and trained to become a master musician on the Chinese guqin and eventually wrote two books on the instrument. Similarly, his skills as an artist in the traditional Chinese style and knowledge of calligraphy were extraordinary. He wrote and published a number of non-fiction, scholarly articles and books on Chinese music, art, and literature, as well as Chinese culture and traditions.
Although he also wrote essays and short stories, Robert remained best known for his Chinese mysteries. In 1940, Robert came across an 18th-century Chinese novel that would take his career down an unplanned pathway and result in the public fame he never expected. The novel, titled Four GreatStrange Cases of Empress Wu’s Reign, was a fictional account of the deeds of Judge Dee, one of the heroes of traditional Chinese detective fiction, and was set during the 7th-century Tang Dynasty. Interested, Robert not only translated the novel into English, but he explored the history of Chinese Penal Code (刑法) and other legal literature of the period. It was not until 1949 that Robert was able to publish his translation Dee Goong An (狄公案): Three Murder Cases Solved by Judge Dee. Robert’s Chinese mysteries include over 10 novels and short-story volumes, recording the career of Chinese detective called Di Renjie. Interestingly, the tales first found fame in oriental (东方的) editions, before being translated into English in 1957.
1. What helped Robert develop the ability in several languages?| A．His eagerness for art and ancient writing. |
| B．His mother’s good family background. |
| C．His appreciation for cultures and languages. |
| D．His living in different parts of the East Indies. |
| A．His hobbies. | B．His skills. | C．His books. | D．His achievements. |
| A．To recommend a Chinese mystery fiction to us. |
| B．To show the factor leading to Robert’s great fame. |
| C．To help us learn about the 7th-century Tang Dynasty. |
| D．To value the development of Chinese detective fictions. |
| A．Better late than never. | B．Attitude is everything. |
| C．Practice makes perfect. | D．Rome was not built in a day. |
