Rolland and Adeline are proud parents of nine children. Their youngest two, daughter Lanto and son Rindra, were both born with cleft conditions (唇腭裂). In Madagascar, many families have never seen a cleft, so it’s a condition often greeted with fear in some rural communities
However, the fact of Lanto and Rindra’s cleft wasn’t much of a shock because Rolland’ s cousin had lived his entire life with an untreated cleft. Although seeing a relative with a cleft meant the family weren’t fearful of the condition, they knew the negative impact a cleft could have on a person’s health and their life. As any loving parents would, Rolland and Adeline wanted a better future for their children.
Rolland heard news on the radio about an Operation Smile surgical (外科手术的) programme in Antsirabe, Madagascar. Finding that the children could have the surgery for free was a dream coming true for the family. Unlike the situation in other countries, for example, UK, health services weren’t free in many places and the costs were out of reach for most families.
It was a four-hour walk for Rolland to reach the hospital. Rolland was put in touch with Mr. Dadafara, a Patient Advocate, to connect with families and ease any fears they might have. Mr. Dadafara also told Rolland where to catch the free bus to the surgical site.
When Rolland and his children arrived at the patient village, they were surprised to see so many other families in the same position. After a medical judgment, Lanto was found to be fit for surgery, and later got the new smile her parents had dreamed of. But for Rindra, the journey to a new smile would take longer.
Rindra was underweight due to feeding problems and suffered from a respiratory infection (呼吸道感染), both common problems for children with cleft conditions. Thankfully, Rindra was referred to Operation Smile’s nutrition programme until he is strong enough to get the surgery like his sister.
1. How did the couple feel about their children’s cleft conditions?| A．They were worried. | B．They were disappointed. |
| C．They were hopeful. | D．They were frightened. |
| A．It’s a surgical programme in UK. | B．It offered cleft surgery for free. |
| C．It’s presented on the television. | D．It provided any help to those in need. |
| A．He was afraid of the operation. | B．He wasn’t on the waiting list. |
| C．He didn’t do medical check—up. | D．He was in poor health condition. |
| A．Waiting for New Smiles. | B．Wishing for the Best. |
| C．Thanking for Kindness. | D．Looking for New Chances. |
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It goes like this: You can’t take any means of transportation more than once. We would start from home, walking two blocks to the rail station. We’d take the train into the city center, then a bus, switching to the tram, then maybe a taxi. We always considered taking a horse carriage in the historic district, but we didn’t like the way the horses were treated, so we never did. At the end of the day, we took the subway to our closest station, where Mom’s friend was waiting to give us a ride home—our first car ride of the day.
The good thing about Transportation Days is not only that Mom taught us how to get around. She was born to be multimodal (多方式的). She understood that depending on cars only was a failure of imagination and, above all, a failure of confidence—the product of a childhood not spent exploring subway tunnels.
Once you learn the route map and step with certainty over the gap between the train and the platform, nothing is frightening anymore. New cities are just light-rail lines to be explored. And your personal car, if you have one, becomes just one more tool in the toolbox—and often an inadequate one, limiting both your mobility and your wallet.
On Transportation Days, we might stop for lunch on Chestnut Street or buy a new book or toy, but the transportation was the point. First, it was exciting enough to watch the world speed by from the train window. As I got older, my mom helped me unlock the mysteries that would otherwise have paralyzed my first attempts to do it myself: How do I know where to get off? How do I know how much it costs? How do I know when I need tickets, and where to get them? What track, what line, which direction, where’s the stop, and will I get wet when we go under the river?
I’m writing this right now on an airplane, a means we didn’t try on our Transportation Days and, we now know, the dirtiest and most polluting of them all. My flight routed me through Philadelphia. My multimodal mom met me for dinner in the airport. She took a train to meet me.
1. Which was forbidden by Mom on Transportation Days?
| A．Having a car ride. |
| B．Taking the train twice. |
| C．Buying more than one toy. |
| D．Touring the historic district. |
| A．Building confidence in herself. |
| B．Reducing her use of private cars. |
| C．Developing her sense of direction. |
| D．Giving her knowledge about vehicles. |
| A．displayed |
| B．justified |
| C．ignored |
| D．ruined |
| A．Airplane. |
| B．Subway. |
| C．Tram. |
| D．Car. |
【推荐2】Jacob hated finishing things almost as much as he loved starting them. As a result, he had gotten into a million hobbies and activities, but he never stuck with any of them long enough to get any good.
He begged his mother for months for a guitar so that he could play Black Eyed Peas songs to Angie, a girl he liked, but after he finally got one for Christmas, he found out that guitars don’t play themselves. He took a few lessons, but the strings hurt his fingers and he didn’t like holding the pick, so now the five-hundred dollar guitar lives under his bed.
After reading an ad in the back of one of his comic books, Jacob decided that he wanted a Wonder-Sweeper 5000 metal detector, so that he could find buried treasure. So he mowed lawns all summer and shoveled driveways all winter. He didn’t spend his money on ice-cream like his younger brother, Alex. By the time spring came he had saved $200, and he purchased the Wonder-Sweeper 5000 metal detector. He beeped it around the park for a while, be he soon found out that no one had ever left any treasure in his neighborhood. He buried the metal detector in his closest.
Given Jacob’s history with hobbies, it was no surprise that Jacob’s father was reluctant to buy him a magician’s kit for his birthday. Jacob was insistent. “Dad, this time I’ll stick with it for real. I promise!” Jacob begged. Jacob’s father sighed. But he was reminded of his own youth long ago, when he quit football and started boxing practice before hardly getting his equipment dirty. So when Jacob’s birthday came around, Jacob was both surprised and pleased to find the magician’s kit that he had desired so badly. Jacob opened up the box and unwrapped the many parts in the kit. He took the many fake coins, trick cards, and rope pieces of varying length on the kitchen table and imagined pulling rabbits out of his hat and turning them into pigeons with a mysterious puff of smoke.
As Jacob continued pulling plastic thumbs, foam balls, and giant playing cards out of the magic kit, a commercial on the TV caught his attention.
“Hey kids! Have you ever wanted to go to space? Experience what it’s like to be an astronaut? Do you want to explore the universe? Well, now you can.” As the commercial continued playing, Jacob walked away from the magic kit on the kitchen table and stared at the TV screen longingly. “For only $195 you can go to space camp and live life like an astronaut for a whole weekend. Enroll now for a once in a life time experience.” Jacob’s cry rang throughout the house as he yelled, “MOM!” He now knew what his true purpose in life was.
1. Why did Jacob stop playing the guitar?| A．It hurt his fingers. | B．He’d rather play drums. |
| C．It was too expensive. | D．He became interested in comic books. |
| A．Jacob was insistent on having it | B．Jacob’s birthday was coming |
| C．Jacob quit many expensive activities | D．Jacob reminded his father of himself |
| A．Become a great magician. | B．Learn to play guitar well. |
| C．Detect an incredible hidden treasure. | D．Raise money to go to space camp. |
| A．He was persistent in pursuing his dreams. | B．He never stuck with anything for long. |
| C．He has always wanted to be a magician. | D．He finally found his true purpose in life. |
【推荐3】Last Monday, I visited Jalan Besar to find a new fan blade for a standing fan that my daughters had broken.
I’d worked in the Jalan Besar area 30 years ago and remembered that there were lots of small hardware shops selling unusual things so I thought that I would have no problem finding a fan blade. However, after walking around for almost an hour, I found out that these shops were no longer around.
When I was ready to give up and go home, I spotted an old-fashioned hardware store. After being greeted by a woman, I explained my predicament. She immediately asked me to show her the broken blade. Out of nowhere, a man who looked to be in his 60s came out.
He asked to see the blade and then disappeared into the shop. He came back with a blade but it did not look the same as what I had in my hand. We compared the two blades and he said that it might work.
I asked him how much it was. He told me that he had taken the blade off an old fan that someone had brought in for repair. He said: “It didn’t cost me anything, so why should I charge you for it?” That really touched me. I took the blade home and it work perfectly! My daughters got a “new” fan for nothing.
When I told them this story, they were shocked as they are used to patronizing big modern shops where everything is transactional and the employees go strictly by the book. Not so much my wife. She is almost in her 60s, and said this reminded her of the kind aunties and uncles who used to run small shops and were always ready to help others when she was growing up.
1. Why did the author go to Jalan Besar?| A．To visit old friends. | B．To fix the broken fan. |
| C．To apply for a job. | D．To buy a new fan. |
| A．Nervous mood. | B．Anxious waiting. | C．Difficult situation. | D．Embarrassing moments. |
| A．Honest and helpful. | B．Kind and brave. |
| C．Determined and curious. | D．Open-minded and humorous. |
| A．She thought little of it. | B．She was greatly surprised. |
| C．She couldn’t believe it. | D．She remembered the old days. |
【推荐1】The juggling (玩杂耍) club, Strong Jugglers, held its 11th annual show last Friday night. Formed in 1995, Strong Jugglers often went to Strong Memorial Hospital to juggle for children to encourage them to recover from their illness. The jugglers haven’t been to the hospital in recent years due to COVID-19, but the club’s co-president, Regan Collins, hopes they can return soon.
She first joined the club in her first year after watching their juggling event at Party on the Quad and then later practicing on Wilson Quad where she was recruited by the then president. Regan had no previous juggling experience, which she said was very common among new members.
When asked about her juggling with different things, Regan remarked, “Juggling was definitely a bigger mental block for me. My initial reaction was to keep myself away from juggling. But once you get past the mental block, it will get easier. Of course, you always have to be careful and conscious when you’re juggling different things.”
In response to her thoughts about the upcoming performance, Regan said she was excited, especially since a lot of their friends were coming back, but was also nervous because this would be their first big performance since COVID-19 hit.
The performance began at 8:00 pm in front of the clock tower. The jugglers were cheered on by the crowd and most notably by a person working in the snack stand behind them, who yelled out encouraging statements, such as “You did a good job!” while slapping (拍) the table in applause.
“Some people just stopped by for a few minutes, but we kept most people watching for a long time. I was proud of everyone who got up to perform,” Regan said after the event. “That was the largest crowd in my memory. I was proud that we had brought joy to the audiences.”
1. Why did Strong Jugglers go to Strong Memorial Hospital?| A．To practise juggling. | B．To recover from their illness. |
| C．To give the sick children support. | D．To teach the children to be jugglers. |
| A．Her fear of juggling. | B．Her careless reaction. |
| C．Her lack of experience. | D．Her preference to different things. |
| A．They felt puzzled about it. | B．They were attracted by it. |
| C．They supported it economically. | D．They were cheered on by the jugglers. |
| A．She hadn’t seen any large crowds before. |
| B．She wanted to encourage more to study juggling. |
| C．She thought the performance was successful. |
| D．She kept the audiences waiting for a long time. |
【推荐2】Last Monday, I visited Jalan Besar to find a new fan blade (风扇叶片) for a standing fan that my daughters had broken.
I worked in the Jalan Besar area 30 years ago and remembered that there were lots of small hardware shops selling unusual things so I thought that I would have no problem finding a fan blade. However, after walking around for almost an hour, I found out that these shops were no longer around.
When I was ready to give up and go home, I spotted an old-fashioned hardware store. After being greeted by a woman, I explained my predicament. She immediately asked me to show her the broken blade. Out of nowhere, a man who looked to be in his 60s came out.
He asked to see the blade and then disappeared into the shop. He came back with a blade but it did not look the same as what I had in my hand. We compared the two blades and he said that it might work.
I asked him how much it was. He told me that he had taken the blade off an old fan that someone had brought in for repair. He said, “It didn’t cost me anything, so why should I charge you for it?” That really touched me. I took the blade home and it worked perfectly! My daughters got a “new” fan for nothing.
When I told my wife (almost in her 60s) this story, she said this reminded her of the kind aunties and uncles who used to run small shops and were always ready to help others when she was growing up.
1. Why did the author go to Jalan Besar?| A．To visit his old friends. | B．To apply for a job. |
| C．To fix the broken fan. | D．To buy a new fan. |
| A．Nervous mood. | B．Difficult situation. |
| C．Anxious waiting. | D．Boring moments. |
| A．Kind and brave. | B．Honest and helpful. |
| C．Determined and curious. | D．Open-minded and humorous. |
| A．She remembered the old days. | B．She was greatly surprised. |
| C．She couldn’t believe it. | D．She thought little of it. |
【推荐3】My 12-year-old niece was staying with us for a couple of days. She was remembering some acts of kindness that we did together when she was less than five years old. We talked about how so much had changed. and with the outbreak of COVID-19, how difficult it would be to do so many of those things, especially when it comes to strangers.
The next day, I needed something from the downtown area and happened to take her with me. As we walked around on the street, we heard a beautiful male voice singing a very soulful song. We tuned around to see a middle-aged man sitting on a street comer with his guitar. A couple were sitting on a bench nearby and listening to his music.
After getting a few things done, we happened to sit at an outdoor dining restaurant across from him on the other side of the street. My niece was learning how to sing herself, and she kept smiling and saying how wonderful his singing was. Seeing how moved she was by his music, at the end of our meal, I gave her a ten-dollar bill and asked her to walk across the street and put it in his bowl.
She was a little surprised. “Really? ” she asked with bright eyes. I nodded. So she headed over and as she approached, the man was just finishing a song and started talking to her, and they ended up having a sweet conversation. She told him how touched she was by his music, and he ended up telling her that she made his day. As she was excitedly repeating the conversation back to me, she mentioned, “He didn’t even know how much it was. He was just thankful that someone was enjoying his music. ”
1. What did the author and her niece do in the first paragraph?| A．They thought back to the past. |
| B．They decided to do good deeds outside. |
| C．They made a plan for going downtown. |
| D．They talked about meeting more strangers. |
| A．A man’s guitar. | B．An outdoor dining restaurant. |
| C．A couple sitting nearby. | D．A charming male voice. |
| A．Talk with the man. | B．Praise the man. |
| C．Learn music from the man. | D．Offer some financial help to the man. |
| A．They shared singing skills. | B．They felt grateful to each other. |
| C．The man took pride in his singing. | D．The girl introduced the author to the man. |
【推荐1】Once upon a time, in a little village called Charmington, there lived ashy and unconfident girl named Lily. Lily was a kind-hearted soul, but her lack of self-assurance (自信) often led her to doubt her own beauty and worth.
One sunny day, as Lily wandered through the streets of Charmington, she came across a charming little shop filled with shining hair accessories (配饰). Among the treasures, her eyes were attracted by a lovely bow (蝴蝶结) that seemed to callout to her.
Despite her hesitation, something inside Lily told her to take a small act of self-expression and pay for the bow. She bought it and gently put it in her hair. At that very moment, a magical transformation (变化) took place. Lily felt a burst of confidence, as if the bow had given her a newfound confidence and charm.
Excited about her new accessory, Lily confidently walked down the busy streets of Charmington, unaware that the bow had slipped and dropped unnoticed from her hair. Her newfound confidence made her feel beautiful inside and out.
As Lily walked, something amazing began to happen. People passing by couldn’t help but notice her beauty, the warmth that shined from herself. Strangers smiled at her, complimenting (赞美) heron her look and bright smile.
Confused by their compliments, Lily touched her hair, only to realize that the bow was missing. Instead of feeling embarrassed or disheartened, she couldn’t help but be amazed by the power of her own confidence.
Lily began to understand that true beauty lies not in outside decorations but in self-assurance and grace. It was her confidence that had caught the attention and admiration of those around her.
1. What was the biggest challenge for Lily?| A．She was not beautiful. | B．She lived in a tiny village. |
| C．She was shy and unconfident. | D．She was too poor to buy accessories. |
| A．It was stolen. | B．It slipped from her hair. |
| C．It turned to be a jewelry. | D．It was transformed by magic. |
| A．Confident. | B．In different. | C．Objective. | D．Negative. |
| A．To see is to believe. | B．It’s never too old to learn. |
| C．Confidence is the best accessory. | D．A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. |
【推荐2】One piece of advice I give young people is that they don’t have to decide what they want to do for the rest of their life at age 22. Just think of all the jobs that didn’t exist 10 years ago and what might exist 10 years from now. Just think how much the nursing field has changed over the years and how many opportunities and different paths nurses can take these days.
My oldest daughter is a nurse practitioner(从业者). But she didn’t start there when she went to college. She got her undergraduate degree in hotel and restaurant management with a minor(辅修课程)in business. On graduation day she looked at me and said, “Mom, I don’t know what I’m going to do with my life that’s meaningful.” I looked at her and said, “Just get a job and then figure it out.”
She struggled for a year or two after college with a couple of different jobs. Whenever she talked to me about becoming a nurse, I told her she’d be a great nurse—super organized, able to multi-task better than anyone I knew, with amazing skills. But I also told her that she’d have to work very hard and study the sciences if she wanted to be a nurse.
She considered her choices and decided to participate in a combined nursing / nurse practitioner program getting her second bachelor’s degree then her master’s. Her nursing career since 2005 has progressed and she now has a mix of leadership, administrative, and clinical work.
1. What is the author’s suggestion for young people?| A．Decide their careers before age 22. |
| B．Consider all the jobs existing 10 years ago. |
| C．Think twice before choosing their careers. |
| D．Develop as many interests as possible. |
| A．She worked in various fields. |
| B．She majored in business in college. |
| C．She turned to her professor for career advice. |
| D．She knew exactly her future career while in college. |
| A．Generous. | B．Humorous. |
| C．Successful. | D．Traditional. |
| A．By listing facts. | B．By analyzing causes. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By providing a typical example. |
【推荐3】I’d say I quarrel with my parents a lot. Throughout high school, I was always jealous of some of my friends who didn’t seem to have those problems at home, but I’ve come to see over the years that no one’s situation is perfect.
Part of the reason I work all week during my break, in addition to the money, of course, is to be out of the house to avoid continuing quarrels. At work, I eat lunch with my friend Krysta every day, but the best days are when our favourite workmate, Lucy, is on her lunch break at the same time as us. Her funny way of storytelling always has us laughing happily, and although she is almost old enough to be our mom, she feels more like a best friend.
A few weeks ago, however, there was a change in our lunch conversation, and the story she told had us in real tears instead of our usual tears of laughter. A more serious topic had come up, and she sat us down to explain the importance of forgiveness (宽恕), especially when it came to our parents. Telling stories of her troubled relationship with her mother, she changed my whole outlook on life and my feelings towards my parents. She reminded us that no matter how much resentment (怨恨) we’re feeling in a moment of anger, we have to be thankful for the support they provide and learn to forgive everything else.
This week I’ve spent my break at home, having very small quarrels and lots of quality time together with my parents. Sometimes you need a reminder to make you realize how important it is to let go of past resentment and work to repair broken relationships. My workmate’s moving stories not only brought me to tears in the break room at work that day but served as that wake-up call as well.
1. Why was the author jealous of some of her friends?| A．They didn’t have to work all week. | B．They didn’t need to do housework. |
| C．They got along well with their parents. | D．They could spend much time with their parents. |
| A．She likes to have lunch on her own. | B．She is about the author’s age. |
| C．She has a sense of humor. | D．She is a poor talker. |
| A．She was taught a lesson by Lucy. | B．She was moved by Lucy’s mother. |
| C．She laughed happily at Lucy’s stories. | D．She discussed her problems with Lucy. |
| A．We shouldn’t waste valuable family time. | B．We should show thanks to our parents. |
| C．We shouldn’t quarrel with our parents. | D．We should forgive all but ourselves. |
