【推荐1】On a dark winter day in Russia in 1896, Sergei Prokofiev sat by a piano next to his mother. She was helping him compose (作曲) his first piece of music. Sergei was only five years old.

He had overheard his parents discussing a terrible famine (饥荒) in India. The picture Sergei had of those hungry people in his mind caused him to write a story, in the form of musical notes. Sergei could not read music, so he picked out a tune on the piano keys, and his mother recorded the notes. Sergei titled it “Indian Gallop.”

Sergei's mother began giving him piano lessons for 20 minutes a day, and his ability grew quickly. She had a great love for music, too, and Sergei often lay awake in bed at night and listened to her play the piano.

Sergei's parents found a famous music teacher for him. The teacher shouted at Sergei when he didn't practice reading and playing music. Sergei later wrote, “I wanted to compose great musical plays, and instead I was given all sorts of boring tasks.” Yet he persisted with his studies and grew up to be a great composer.

In 1936 a children's theater asked Sergei to write music that would teach children about different instruments. He was happy and wrote the piece in a week, calling it Peter and the Wolf.

Sergei's Peter and the Wolf was enjoyed by children as well as adults. The first time Sergei played the piece on the piano, the children listening to it loved it so much that they made him play the ending three extra times. He was excited.

Today Sergei Prokofiev is remembered not only for his contributions (贡献) to classical music, but also for his sense of fun.

1. When he was five, Sergei _____.

A．could read music	B．experienced a famine
C．created his first composition	D．wrote a story about his parents

2. What does the underlined part “persisted with” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Hurried up.	B．Continued with.
C．Put up with.	D．Walked away from.

3. The piece of music Peter and the Wolf _____.

A．was a great success

B．was one of Sergei's early works

C．was written to teach children about the piano

D．was played three extra times when first played

4. What's the text mainly about?

A．The greatest 20th-century composer.	B．Sergei's contributions to music.
C．Musical plays in Russia.	D．Sergei's musical stories.

【推荐2】Sara Kays, a 22-year-old girl, is a rising star on online video-sharing platforms. She not only uses TikTok(抖音)to promote her music but also posts songs to get feedback(反馈)from her followers.

“It’s been cool to engage with people that way”, said Kays, who has been using online platforms to realize her music dream. Now, she is famous on TikTok with about 1.3 million followers. She released(发行)her breakup song Remember That Night? in November 2020. The post blew up, getting almost three million views in a matter of days.

Kays has loved singing since she was young. At 11, she got a guitar from her mother and then started to sing while playing. Gradually, people started asking her to play at restaurants and she also started to post some live videos on YouTube, gaining her more and more followers. At 17, Kays turned to songwriting to help her deal with the confusion in life and serve as an outlet for her thoughts and feelings.

“I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to release songs and that all these people are listening to them online,” said Kays. “It’s been amazing.”

Different from other content creators who update their content frequently, Kays updates on a weekly basis and only posts videos about her songs and related stories, such as singing, playing the guitar or ukulele, shooting music videos. Her videos are always simple, and the recording process is pretty simple too: she edit the vocals and video in her room.

Now, Kays has signed with a music company. In Kays’ eyes, people like her songs and videos because she writes about life experiences and emotions of the youth. “I just sing and share my feelings about divorced parents, body image, loneliness and mental health,” said Kays. “I want more people to know they’re not alone with the struggles in their lives.”

1. For what purpose does Kays use TikTok?

A．To relax herself.	B．To learn the fashion.
C．To chat with people.	D．To realize her dream.

2. What does the underlined phrase “blew up” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．was almost ignored.	B．received a lot of criticism.
C．suddenly became popular.	D．confused most people.

3. Why did Kays start to write songs?

A．She hoped to make money by writing songs.

B．She wanted to find an outlet for her feelings.

C．Her followers asked her to write songs for them.

D．She wanted to help parents with their difficulties.

4. According to Kays, what is the reason why people like her songs?

A．She updates her songs frequently on video platforms.

B．Her music videos are simple and inspiring.

C．She posts the recording process for her songs.

D．Her songs express feelings felt by many young people.

【推荐1】A Florida teen is gaining national attention with her graduation speech and a basket of strawberries. “Care for some strawberries?” Brenda said at her graduation from Mulberry High School. After jokingly admitting there might not be enough, she went on, “These are no ordinary strawberries.” She held up a series of strawberries, revealing what each represents: sweat, dirt aches, and pains — they’re her motivators.

Brenda described herself as the daughter of two tireless farmers who immigrated (移民) from Mexico and spent most of their days working in fields of strawberries, blueberries, and cucumbers. “My motivation has been rooted in my immigrant culture.” Because of this, she chose to focus on that in her address. “Many students used to be ashamed of their upbringing but today, we’re proud of what makes us.”

She explained how she grew up under poor conditions. “I’m motivated by my parents’ hands that lose feeling from farm work. Despite the hot sun and body pains, they back me up heart and soul in my education, which weighs more strongly with me than anything else. I must work hard and succeed.” Brenda’s heading to Stanford University this fall. She also credited some of her outstanding achievements to her teacher Higgins, who helps immigrant students and the poor.

Her speech has been viewed by thousands online. “Hearing it touched other people’s hearts who said they understood my message, I’m struck the same,” Brenda said later. The principal of Mulberry High School, Michael Young, was one member of the audience getting emotional “The speech was very powerful-her fruit did help paint a good picture of things she wanted to convey,” Young said.

As for her message to young people struggling, Brenda said, “Past circumstances aren’t in charge of your future. If you’re from a poor family, use every resource and try to better yourself. You’re the author of your story.”

1. Why did Brenda bring strawberries to her graduation?

A．To share her home-grown fruit.

B．To better explain her speech’s topic.

C．To show hardship her parents faced.

D．To stress the importance of motivators.

2. What contributes most to Brenda’s academic success according to her speech?

A．Her native culture.	B．Her life experience.
C．Support from her parents.	D．Help from her teacher.

3. What did Brenda convey to the young?

A．Your life is what you make it.

B．Every cloud has a silver lining.

C．Everyone deserves a good life story.

D．Resources in hand decide your future.

【推荐2】Stepping Up to the Plate

When ten-year-old Reese lost her Fresno County. California, home to one of the largest wildfires in state history early last fall, she had a very pressing concern: Did anyone take her baseball cards?

No one did. With a houseful of kids and dogs and a farm's worth of horses to remove, the family forgot the cards under the stress. Naturally, the diehard San Francisco Giants fan and Little League lefty with a swing as smooth as butter was upset. When she watched the Giants on TV, she would lay out each player's card on the floor in their corresponding field positions. "I like baseball cards because they are pictures of people doing happy things-doing what they love, and what I love/' said Reese.

Reese's loss touched the hearts of the Fresno County fire department, which posted her story on its Facebook page with a request to help Reese refill her baseball card collection. That, in turn, touched the heart of Kevin Ashford.

Ashford knew exactly where Reese could find replacement cards: in his garage. He had more than 25.000 cards in his collection with a total value of $35.000. Ashford had been thinking about selling them when he saw the fire department's post. *'l wasn't really doing anything with them." said Ashford thought I could take care of this problem rather quickly/'

Firefighters transported the cards from Ashford's garage to theirs and then surprised Reese during a tour of the firehouse. Towers of Ashford's cards were piled in front of the fire engine. After thanking Ashford, Reese, ever the team player, was quick to share the thousands of baseball cards she received from Ashford and donors around the country with other kids affected by California's Fire. She's gotten so many, in fact, that she set up Gifts from Reese, an organization that collects cards and donates them to those in need.

1. What made Reese upset?

A．Move to Fresno County.	B．Concern about wildfires.
C．Loss of baseball cards.	D．Separation from the family.

2. What did the Fresno County fire department do to help Reese?

A．It emailed her story to Ashford.	B．It made a request online for cards.
C．It bought her various collections.	D．It offered her family a firehouse tour.

3. Which of the following best describes Ashford?

A．Humorous.

B．Indifferent.

C．Ambitious.

D．Generous.

4. Why did Reese start Gifts from Reese?

A．To contribute collected cards.	B．To win fans' support for the Giants.
C．To express gratitude to Ashford.	D．To raise awareness of fire prevention.

【推荐3】For more than a decade, Tree House Craft Coffee & Frozen Yogurt has been a beloved part of the community in Houston’s Energy Corridor. They’ve offered espresso-based drinks, cold-brewed coffee and 12 flavors of frozen yogurt with 32 topping options. However, when the hurricane Harvey destroyed the east coast of Texas, owner Noel Montemayor stepped up to support the community in a meaningful way.

Even though his own storefront had been torn away by the storm, he brought in generators (发电机) to run the espresso and ice machines to offer beverages to first responders, providing free coffee and electricity to members of the community and keeping their restrooms open to the public. He created a place where his neighbors could escape the destruction, even if it was just for a little while.

The hurricane came just two years after Montemayor and his wife had rebranded and remodeled the shop, soon after welcoming their first child. Born and raised in Houston, it was important to him to make his community a better place. He has remained committed to that mission, providing both a positive gathering spot and local employment opportunities.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic was a roadblock at the beginning, Tree House quickly started to offer online ordering and other services to keep customers fueled with their favorite coffee and frozen yogurt. “The community plays an important role in shaping the business,” he said “It’s the reason the business is what it is today.”

Montemayor and his staff—which has grown from just a few team members when he opened to 12 full-time employees now—continue to give back by getting involved in local activities and fundraisers.

1. What did Tree House do when the COVID-19 pandemic happened?

A．It offered timely new services.

B．It was soon rebranded and remodeled.

C．It immediately provided free coffee。

D．It created a place to escape the pandemic.

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Tree House will enjoy a better relationship with the community.

B．Tree House will certainly continue to give back to the community.

C．Tree House will keep providing better and cheaper products.

D．Tree House will completely change the whole community.

3. Which word can best describe Tree House?

A．Professional.

B．Responsible.

C．High-paying.

D．Profitable.

4. What does the passage mainly want to tell us?

A．Small business can grow big quickly.

B．A good tradition benefits a small shop.

C．A good shop depends on its community.

D．A small business makes a big difference.

【推荐1】Shirley Chisholm was best known as the first black woman elected to the United States Congress and the first black woman to run for president of the United States. However, her life was filled with much more than being the first black woman to do important things. She believed in being a person to fight for change. All her life, she worked to improve the lives of others.

Shirley was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1924.Though her parents had very little money, they wanted their daughters to get a good education and to have a better life. When Shirley was three years old they sent her and her sisters to live with their grandmother in Barbados. There Shirley received a good education from the British school system. She enjoyed the years with her grandmother. Shirley always remembered the words her grandmother spoke.

In 1934 Shirley moved back to Brooklyn. She continued to do very well in school. She later graduated from Brooklyn College with honors. In 1949, she married Conrad Chisholm who worked as a private investigator. Together they took part in local politics. Their marriage ended almost thirty years later.

As a young woman, Shirley decided to become a teacher. She believed she could improve society by helping children. She worked for seven years at a childcare center in the Harlem area of New York City. She attended Columbia University at night and received an advanced degree in early childhood education in 1952. She became known as an expert in children and early education. From 1959 to 1964 Shirley was an education official in the day care division of the city’s office of child welfare.

In 1964 Shirley’s political career began. She was elected to the New York State Assembly, where she served for four years. In 1968 she ran for the United States Congress and she succeeded. She became the first black woman elected to Congress.

Shirley was very different from other members of Congress. She looked different. Her hair was a big cloud of curls. She wore very large eyeglasses. And she had dark skin. Her voice was strong. She spoke with power. She said her greatest tool was her mouth. She was not afraid to say the things others would not say before Congress and the public.

1. From the passage, we learn that Shirley’s parents believed that ______.

A．women played an important part in modern society

B．black people ought to have equal rights as whites

C．a good education was important for a child’s future

D．the UK had a better education system than the USA

2. Who influenced Shirley most during her childhood?

A．Her father.

B．Her mother.

C．Her sisters.

D．Her grandmother.

3. In which order did the following events take place?
a. Her marriage to Conrad Chisholm ended.
b. She was elected to the New York State Assembly.
c. She became an education official.
d. She succeeded in running for the United States Congress.
e. She received an advanced degree in Columbia University.

A．e-c-b-d-a

B．c-a-b-d-e

C．e-c-a-b-d

D．e-c-b-a-d

4. The last paragraph mainly tells us about ______.

A．her political career	B．her political opinions
C．her typical style	D．her contribution in politics

【推荐3】Sacagawea was born in 1788 in an area near the Rocky Mountains that is now part of Idaho. She was part of the Shoshone tribe where her father was the chief.

When Sacagawea was 12, her tribe (部落) was attacked by the Hidatsa tribe. Sacagawea was taken to North Dakota to live with the Hidatsa. A few years later, she was sold into slavery and forced to marry Toussaint Charbonneau, a French Canadian fur trapper.

In 1804, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark arrived in the area looking for guides. They were sent by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Purchase and the lands to the west.

Lewis and Clark hired Toussaint Charbonneau and asked him to bring along Sacagawea so she could interpret when they reached the Shoshone tribe.

Sacagawea was able to help out with much more than interpreting. She showed the men how to collect edible roots and other plants. She also helped to save important supplies and maps when her boat capsized (翻) in the river during a squall. The men were impressed with her quick action and named the river after her.

The journey across the western lands wasn’t easy. Everyone was often hungry and cold. It was especially hard for Sacagawea who had her infant son to carry and feed.

Clark wrote in his journal that Sacagawea was one of the most valuable members of the group. She spoke both Shoshone and Hidatsa and was able to keep things peaceful when the group met up with the Native Americans.

Sacagawea was the only woman on the expedition. Unlike the men, Sacajawea did not receive any payment for her part in the journey, despite her important role in helping the group return safely.

Not much is known of Sacajawea’s life after the expedition ended in 1806. Some think that she died a few years later and others say that she returned home to the Shoshone and lived for another seventy years.

1. The underlined word “interpret” in paragraph 4 has the closest meaning to the one in sentence ________?

A．He interpreted the role with a lot of humor, gaining a lot of applause.

B．The students were asked to interpret the poem.

C．The data can be interpreted in many different ways.

D．She couldn’t speak much English so her children had to interpret for her.

2. Sacagawea experienced the following things EXCEPT ________.

A．She was sold into slavery and forced to marry a fur trapper

B．She was sent by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Purchase

C．She had to feed her infant son during the expedition

D．She played an important part in helping the men return safely

3. What kind of person do you think of Sacagawea according to the passage?

A．Learned and flexible.	B．Stubborn and determined.
C．Generous and responsible.	D．Rebellious and powerful.