He was there every morning, sitting motionless on the front steps of his house. In the morning light, I could see the shadows that were etched (蚀刻) deep within the lines surrounding his eyes.
Each morning I walked this route with my daughter to her kindergarten class. We were new to the neighborhood so that I didn’t know many of my neighbors. On one beautiful autumn morning, as we passed his house, my daughter called out to him, “Hi, Mr. Man!” Always the outgoing child, I wasn’t surprised at her enthusiasm. But her cheerfulness soon faded when the man didn’t look at her and say “Hi” back.
As we continued on our walk to school, my daughter asked why the man didn’t want to say hi to her. Because I didn’t have an answer, I said simply, “Maybe he is having a bad day.” later I knew that Bob lost his wife in a car accident.
A few days later, as we approached Bob’s house on our way to school, my daughter called out “Hi Mr. Man!” and as usual, he didn’t respond. But then she ran onto his front lawn and picked up a beautiful red autumn leaf. She continued up one step and handed it to him. I held my breath.
As she skipped back to me, she said, “See you tomorrow, Mr. Man!” This time, he acknowledged her. In a soft gentle voice, he tanked her and said, “See you tomorrow.”
From then on, Bob and my daughter exchanged greeting each morning. Our friendship with Bob continued for many years. But, the sweetest day is when Bob attended my daughter’s high school graduation. Bob gave my daughter a gift — a book on identifying various plants and trees. There, tucked in the pages that described an oak tree, was the leaf my daughter had given to Mr. Man when they first met. He had dried and pressed it and kept it all those years.
1. What puzzled the girl?| A．The cause of the man’s sadness. |
| B．The shadows in the man’s eyes. |
| C．The man’s sitting still on the steps. |
| D．The man’s not answering her greeting. |
| A．Proud. | B．Nervous. |
| C．Embarrassed. | D．Comfortable. |
| A．It was a care from a girl. |
| B．It was a symbol of enthusiasm. |
| C．It was a reminder of his painful days. |
| D．It represented the knowledge of trees. |
| A．A Simple Red Leaf | B．A Strange Neighbor |
| C．An Unusual Friend | D．A Greeting From A girl |
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【推荐1】After giving up his job as a designer for Ralph Lauren in 2011，Foster Huntington started to have u nomadic（流浪的 ） lifestyle，wandering around the country in a car. lo make ends meet，he worked as a photographer and blogger and even published a. book called Home Is Where You Park It about his lifestyle. But all good things have to come to an end. In 2014，the young man was ready to settle down in a more permanent home.
For most people that would be an apartment or single-family home. But that was not for the free- spirited Huntington. Instead，he decided to build a tree house，not a common one，but a paradise（乐园） that provides him with breathtaking views，some wood- fired hot tubs and even a skate park!
Called Cinder Cone Treehouse，it sits on Huntington’s hometown in Skamania，Washington and consists of two separate structures that are connected by a bridge. Built safely between big trees that sit at the top of a hill，the wooden house offers him amazing views of the surrounding wilderness. The lower structure called the studio，serves as Huntington’s office，kitchen，and guest house，while the octagon cabin that lies across，functions as his bedroom.
Measuring 220 square feet each，the rooms are not like a palace in our imagination. But they provide all the comfort of home and work well for Huntington，who has a preference for living in small spaces.
While the tree house is certainly cool，what is even more amazing are the wood-burning hot tubs lying around the area and the skate park that was carved out from a nearby hill.
Of course，a little paradise like this is not easy or cheap. Cinder Cone Treehouse took Huntington and his construction team a year to build，and cost 170，000 dollars 一 and that didn’t include the price of the land!
But the photographer and blogger who says his surroundings inspire him to be more creative is not concerned. He is living his dream. Huntington hopes he can encourage others to do the same and has even published a book that outlines his experience and serves as a guide for those who wish to build their own dream tree house.
1. What do we know about Foster Huntington before he built the tree house?| A．He expected to rise to fame through writing books. |
| B．He showed great interest in designing tree houses. |
| C．He became tired of working inside the office. |
| D．He chose to live as free a life as he preferred. |
| A．Expensive，comfortable and cool. |
| B．Crowded，expensive and functional. |
| C．Unique，wooden and cheap. |
| D．Special，quiet and expensive. |
| A．inspire him to create more artworks |
| B．act as a good example for others to follow |
| C．help others live their dream to the fullest |
| D．help him write a guide for others |
| A．How to Lead a Free Lifestyle in the Tree |
| B．Free-spirited Huntington |
| C．The Amazing Tree House |
| D．The Characters of an Unusual Tree House |
【推荐2】Just as the summer draws to a close, I will finally get away on holiday: I have rented a cottage deep in the mountains at the end of the month. What attracted me most was not so much its beautiful countryside, but the word of caution offered by previous visitors. “Please note，” they said, “there is no WiFi here or mobile phone coverage, unless you climb to the top of the nearest mountain.”
That's wonderful! A week without feeling the need to check my email for the handful of important messages. While you can always choose not to check your email while on holiday, how many of us have the willpower to ignore the arrival of yet another message, or how many of us can risk losing trust from your boss?
There is good news for the employees. The managers of the German car giant Daimler have offered their 100,000 employees an app that automatically deletes all emails sent to their work accounts while they are on holiday. Alternatively, they can be forwarded to a colleague. “Our employees should relax on holiday and not read worklife emails，” said Wilfried Porth, Daimler's board member for human resources. “With ‘Mail on Holiday’， they start back after the holidays with a clean desk. There is no traffic jam in their mailbox. That is an emotional relief.”
The idea of a regular digital detox(禁令) is catching on. The Germans believe that it restores a more sensible worklife balance and helps prevent employee “burnout”. Volkswagen's phone servers have stopped sending emails to employees' BlackBerrys during the evenings. Bosses at Deutsche Telekom agreed to stop sending emails to staff during the evenings, weekends and holidays. Germany's labour ministry, meanwhile, has also instructed its managers to stop emailing or calling staff outofhours except in an emergency.
So, good for Daimler. It recognizes that too many of us have been unable to look up from our phones or iPads. I can't wait to get up to that cottage without any internet connection.Though doubtless after a day or two, I'll be climbing up the nearest mountain, desperately searching for a mobile signal.
1. What makes the author happy about his vacation?| A．Beautiful scenery. | B．No mobile signals. |
| C．Access only to vital emails. | D．Disappearance from the boss. |
| A．It can help clean desks. | B．It can delete work accounts. |
| C．It can provide traffic information. | D．It can forward emails to workmates. |
| A．To reduce emails. |
| B．To stop using phones in the evenings. |
| C．To call for help in case of emergency. |
| D．To keep balance between work and life. |
| A．He finds the cottage boring. | B．He needs digital service badly. |
| C．He enjoys life without phones. | D．He likes climbing the mountains. |
【推荐3】From her lifeguard station at the end of the pool, Jessica noticed clouds forming, the wind picking up and the sky darkening. The pool manager announced over the loudspeaker that the pool is closing immediately, asking everyone to head to the safety of home before the storm hit.
All the swimmers had left by 3 :30 except Jessica's neighbor, eight-year-old Zack. Zack's mother had planned to pick him up after work, but the storm was coming fast. Jessica decided to drop Zack off on her way home, She taped a note for Ms Hill on the door of the pool office and headed out.
The minute Jessica and Zack left the parking lot, it was clear that this was no ordinary storm. Jessica said, “Zack, I'm going to take you to my house. We need to get inside right away, and your house is farther away than mine." She pressed the garage-door opener, but nothing happened. The electricity was out. The front door was only a few feet away, but the wind was so strong that Jessica and Zack had to fight their way into the house. Jessica held Zack's hand firmly. The door was heavy with the pressure of the wind. Finally, it opened, but it was blown out of Jessica's hand and hit the side of the house. The window broke into pieces. Jessica picked up Zack and threw the two of them inside; her only thought was to get to a safe place.
Remembering everything she could from her emergency training, Jessica took Zack to the completely dark basement. Jessica held Zack's trembling hand tightly. Feeling their way with great caution, they sat down in a corner finally. Outside, the lightning flashed, the thunder roared, and the furious wind howled, which threatened to put the world to an end. Feeling overwhelmingly scared, little Zack burst into tears, saying, “I miss my mom." Jessica held him in her arms, saying, “Honey, don't be afraid! Everything will be all right.”
After a final crash, the sound of the storm grew distant. Jessica sighing with relief, the pair hugged each other and shed tears of excitement.
1. What does the underlined phrase "picking up" in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Getting stronger. | B．Whispering more softly |
| C．Weakening slightly. | D．Improving greatly |
| A．The boy's mother asked her to do so. |
| B．The boy preferred to stay at her house. |
| C．Jessica wanted to ensure the boy's safety. |
| D．Jessica believed her home was much safer. |
| A．Caring and calm. | B．Courageous and talented. |
| C．Confident and determined. | D．Creative and quick-thinking. |
| A．A Boy Witnessed a Strong Storm |
| B．A Storm Struck a Lifeguard Station |
| C．A Storm Caused Great Damage to an Area |
| D．A Lifeguard Helped a Boy Survive a Storm |
【推荐1】I once met a young woman who had dreams of swimming for the U.S Olympic team. She had to get up every morning at 4 a.m. to swim for 3 hours before going to school. She did not party with her friends on Saturday night. She had to study and keep her grades up, just like everyone else.
When I asked her what compelled her with such super-human ambition and sacrifice (牺牲). She simply said, “I do it for myself and the people I love. It’s love that gets me over the hurdles and sacrifices.”
A reason or a purpose is a combination of “wants” and “don’t wants”. When people ask me what my reason for wanting to be rich is, it is a combination of deep emotional “wants” and “don’t wants”.
I will list a few. First the “don’t wants”, for they create the “wants”. I don’t want to work all my life. I don’t want what my parents aspired for, which was job security and a big house. I don’t like being an employee. I hated it that my dad always missed my football games because he was so busy working on his career. I hated it when my dad worked hard all his life and the government took most of what he worked for at his death.
Now the “wants”. I want to be free to travel the world and live in the lifestyle I love. I want to be young when I do this. I want control over my time and my life. I want money to work for me.
Those are my deep-seated, emotional reasons. What are yours? If they are not strong enough, the reality of the road ahead may be greater than your reasons. I have lost money and been set back many times, but it was the deep emotional reasons that kept me standing up and going forward. I wanted to be free by age 40, but it took me until I was 47 with many learning experiences along the way.
I wish I could say it was easy. It wasn’t, but it wasn’t hard either. But without a strong reason or purpose anything in life is hard.
1. The passage is started by __________.| A．giving an example | B．explaining the causes |
| C．pointing out similarities | D．describing the differences |
| A．committed | B．inspired | C．forced | D．combined |
| A．the “wants” lead to the “don’t wants” |
| B．the “wants” come from the “don’t wants” |
| C．the “don’t wants” have little to do with the “wants” |
| D．the “don’t wants” are more important than the “wants” |
| A．The reality is greater than the deep emotional reasons. |
| B．With stronger emotional reasons, life must be much easier. |
| C．With deeper emotional reasons, the road ahead is likely to be harder. |
| D．In reality, we may meet many more obstacles without deeper emotional reasons. |
【推荐2】Football, to me, is more than just a game. I have probably learned more valuable lessons from it than from school.
When I joined the team freshman year, I didn’t realize what I was getting into. Even though I had been playing since fourth grade and knew it was hard work, nothing would prepare me for the effort I would put into football that year. We worked all summer in the weight room and ran on the track to get in physical and mental shape before the season.
See, football is more of a mental sport than anything else, so running on the track wasn’t only about getting in shape, we would push our minds by running as hard as we could even if we were going to pass out. At the beginning, I was immature（幼稚）and only thought of myself, sometimes even gave up when I was tired or hurt. Then after the third game I had a season-ending injury. Imagine working all summer and then only being able to play three games! I needed surgery（外科手术）on my arm and at least five months to recover.
Needless to say, I missed the rest of the season, but this actually helped me realize that since you never know when your last play will be, you should try your hardest in football and life.
After freshman year I decided that I would always give my best effort. Playing varsity（校队的）football has taught me so much more than just what my assignments are on a particular play or how to block. I have learned to think about others first and realized how important working hard is. Being with all my friends, even sweating and bleeding with them, really made us bond as a group of hard-working young men who I know will succeed in life.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?| A．How the author dislikes the game of football. |
| B．When the author began to play football. |
| C．How the writer changed his attitude to football. |
| D．What sport the author likes best. |
| A．just a game | B．of a mental sport |
| C．hard to be out of-date | D．not worth his effort |
| A．becoming healthy | B．designing the playground |
| C．losing weight | D．measuring the track |
| A．the author joined the football team with a clear aim |
| B．football only brought the author certain assignment. |
| C．the author never lost heart |
| D．the author worked all summer to get ready for the season |
【推荐3】These days, many young people wonder if they would be better served by striking out on their own than pursuing a college education. In this rapidly evolving digital era, narratives of overnight success and entrepreneurial glory have flooded our social media feeds, fascinating the digital natives of Gen Z into questioning the worth of an expensive traditional college degree.
Contrary to popular belief, successful entrepreneurship is rarely seen among the young. Recent research suggests that the average age in the U. S. of founders when they launched their companies is 42, rising to 45 for those within the top 0.1% of earnings based on growth in their first five years. That’s even the case for high-tech startups. Indeed, successful entrepreneurship is frequently the result of years of learning, experimenting and risk-taking—traits cultivated over time.
Campuses create environments rich in intellectual diversity and foster cooperation among their inhabitants, promoting an entrepreneurial mindset. They encourage students to challenge established norms and develop their unique thinking patterns to create value — practices that are also key to entrepreneurial success. Thus, higher education is not just about attaining a degree; it’s more importantly about acquiring the skills and experiences that inspire and enable the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
But some may doubt since formal entrepreneurship itself isn’t typically a course of study, are all college majors capable of instilling entrepreneurial skills? Let’s examine the arts majors, which are often subjected to the most suspicion concerning their career paths. Consider a theater major. That curriculum often includes entrepreneurship-focused capabilities beyond stage direction, lighting, sound systems and performance. Students learn to mobilize resources, lead creative teams and navigate the uncertainties of a theatrical production — skills that are readily transferable to launching any entrepreneurial business.
Like a compass for the future, entrepreneurship guides us toward a society that prizes critical thinking, nurtures intellectual curiosity and champions innovation. Let’s not get swept away by short-lived trends or misleading narratives. Instead, we should appreciate the enduring value of college education.
1. What do the figures in paragraph 2 indicate?| A．The chance of success multiplies with age. | B．Young people dominate high-tech startups. |
| C．Quite a number of enterprises are in the red. | D．Successful entrepreneurship isn’t built in a day. |
| A．Sticking to one’s own principles. | B．Acquiring knowledge from textbooks. |
| C．Developing a startup mentality. | D．Following established norms and traditions. |
| A．To illustrate it is complex and demanding. |
| B．To prove people’s suspicion is reasonable. |
| C．To show entrepreneurial skills can be integrated into all majors. |
| D．To stress it is the launchpad for successful entrepreneurship. |
| A．Arts. | B．Insights. | C．Entertainment. | D．News. |
【推荐1】Actor Warwick Davis realized he was shorter than other people when he was eight years old. He suddenly noticed all his schoolmates were twice his size. It was then that the effect of having dwarfism hit him for the first time.
Now aged 48, Davis says, “I have very fond memories of school but I realized I had to become a little bit louder and funnier so I wouldn’t get left out of conversations. I became quite the performer, so being short was my training in acting.”
It worked. Director George Lucas cast young Warwick as the Ewok Wicket in Return of the Jedi. The actor has gone on to star in many TV shows and films, including playing Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films.
Warwick’s dwarfism means he is 1.07 meters tall, while the average UK adult male height is 1.78 meters. Most types of dwarfism are caused by a genetic disorder that stops some of the body’s building blocks working properly.
Davis has a positive attitude to being “different”. He says, “If I had my life all over again, I would choose the same job and be the same height. I have enjoyed every minute. At school I played rugby and football and tried long jump and high jump. I wasn’t very good at them but I always had a go. I defeated everyone at chin-ups (引体向上) because I had a low body weight combined with a strong upper body from climbing up to the top cupboards to reach the biscuit boxes at home.”
Warwick is supporting Jeans for Genes Day, a charity raising public concern for millions of children born with genetic disorders in the U.K. He says, “Even if you can only give a tiny amount of money, it will make such a difference to the children.”
1. Why did Warwick Davis decide to become a little bit louder and funnier?| A．It was his training in his acting. |
| B．He didn’t want to be ignored by his classmates. |
| C．The effect of having dwarfism influenced him strongly. |
| D．The genetic disorder prevented his body from working properly. |
| A．Davis has a positive attitude to being “different”. |
| B．Davis turns his short body to his advantage at chin-ups. |
| C．Davis is not fond of rugby and football, long jump and high jump. |
| D．Davis doesn’t want to choose the same job if he can live his life again. |
| A．pleased | B．independent | C．sensitive | D．confident |
| A．My Strong Upper Body | B．Dwarfism Caused by Genetic Disorder |
| C．Height Is Not My Limitation | D．More Money, Bigger Difference |
【推荐2】Local barber (理发师) goes above and beyond for a little boy
“That day started all wrong,” LaQuista Erinna said. “And we forgot his headphones. We were running late, traffic was horrible, so I knew it was going to be difficult that day.”
When Erinna and her son finally arrived at their appointment, it seemed like there was no way 6-year-old Jackson, a boy with autism (自闭症), would be getting his hair cut.
“He just immediately got anxious,” Erinna explained. “Usually I have to do some coaching to get him in the chair. He will put on his headphones, and we power through.”
Erinna said Jackson is a typical little boy who loves to play and loves art. But some tasks can be sensory overload, and haircuts are one of them.
The stress was so intense for mom and son that almost two years went by before Jackson got another haircut. But this time, he was in the hands of Ree, the barber, and things were getting easier.
Ree noticed his Super Mario Bros shirt and told him that he needed to save Mario by making sure no hair got on him. She cut his hair while he moved and ran around the shop. She talked to him throughout the entire process, encouraging him and reminding him about protecting Mario to keep him engaged.
“It just touched me so much,” Erinna said: “She nurtured that relationship. She gained his trust.”
“I feel good I can go above and beyond for a child,” Ree said. “I know children want to be free.They want to express themselves so I try to find a different strategy to make them feel comfortable”
Jackson’s smile told the rest of the story.
Erinna was very moved by her son’s haircut. She shared a video online, which has gotten millions of views. Given the huge response, Erinna also set up a special GoFundMe to support Ree to make sure she’s able to continue to work and replace any lost income from the impact of the pandemic (流行病).
1. What usually helped to calm Jackson during haircuts?| A．His mother’s trust. | B．His art books. |
| C．His barber’s encouragement. | D．His headphones |
| A．By inspiring him to be brave |
| B．By cooperating with his mother. |
| C．By turning the haircut into a game. |
| D．By telling stories about Super Mario. |
| A．raised money to support her |
| B．advertised her hair cutting skills |
| C．got haircuts at her shop regularly |
| D．posted photos of Jackson’s haircut online |
| A．Kind and honest. | B．Caring and generous. |
| C．Patient and creative. | D．Confident and friendly. |
【推荐3】As John George remembers it, the Detroit neighborhood he grew up in was straight out of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. ''We knew all our neighbors,'' George, 60, told Detroit's Metro Times. ''On Christmas Eve, we'd all go to midnight Mass, and there would be 300 people in our house at one o'clock to about five in the morning. The folks were just really good, hardworking people. ''
By the 80s, however, the old neighborhood was more Pottersville than Bedford Falls. Due in part to economic downturns and a nationwide drug epidemic (泛滥), well-kept homes had been abandoned and kindly neighbors had fled to the suburbs. But not George. ''Living in any city, it's like being in a relationship,'' he told Reader's Digest. ''Some days are better than others. But it was my home. And when I saw it deteriorating, I had two choices: I could leave, or I could stay and fight. I decided to stay and fight. ''
When the abandoned home behind his turned into a crack den, the father of two grabbed some plywood and nails and began boarding up the house. After two neighbors stopped to ask what he was doing, they decided to help, with great results. ''When the drug dealers came back, they turned around and went home,'' says George. ''That's how it all got started. ''
''It'' is Detroit Blight Busters, or DBB, an organization of civic-minded volunteers devoted to reviving the city they love, one abandoned house, one vacant lot, and one garbage-strewn park at a time.
In the 30 years since that first home rescue, an army of approximately 182,000 volunteers, along with corporate and private donors, has helped George destroy around 300 abandoned homes, mostly in the poorer Northwest area of Detroit. They've also secured 400-some homes by boarding them up, thus keeping bad actors out. They've painted and renovated nearly 900 homes and built over 100 from scratch. According to Forbes, more than 1,000 Detroiters have been housed as a result of DBB's work.
''I'm half Lebanese, half Italian, and 100 percent Detroit stubborn, '' George told nationswell.com. ''Once we get something in our heart and in our head, it's almost autopilot. ''
But that was only the beginning. In 2003, George also breathed life into a dilapidated (破旧的) square mile of Detroit by turning it into Artist Village, an area now filled with galleries, a performance space, community gardens, a coffee shop, and outdoor courtyards. Because this region of North Detroit was a food desert, George also persuaded a supermarket chain to move into the neighborhood.
''Blight is like a cancer: If you don't set upon it, it will spread,'' George told thehubdetroit.com. And then there's Halloween. In Detroit, October 30 was ruefully known as Devil's Night, a period when all hell would break loose in the form of crime and vandalism. In response, George created a citizens' patrol (巡逻队) that would take to the streets, keeping an eye on suspicious behavior. He called it Angels’ Night. What began with 12 neighbors on patrol in 1990 has grown to more than 60,000 citywide.
George's inspired ideas have not gone unnoticed by the city he loves.''John wants to show that there is still something to Detroit. That it's still worth it,'' says real estate agent Robert LaBute. And others are buying into it.''We're seeing the trend of younger homeowners coming in.''
Is George proud of having boosted his once-ailing hometown? You'd better believe he is. As he puts it: ''We are on the front porch of the greatest urban comeback story in this nation’s history. ''
1. Why was John George reluctant to leave Detroit?| A．He wanted to save his city. |
| B．He enjoyed a wonderful life. |
| C．He stayed to fight against drugs. |
| D．He got along with his neighbors. |
| A．An official organization was founded. |
| B．A voluntary movement began with it. |
| C．A better neighbor relationship was formed. |
| D．The drug dealers mended their ways at last. |
| A．many people have been lifted out of poverty |
| B．many abandoned homes have been destroyed |
| C．DBB has done a lot to bring the city back to life |
| D．the number of the volunteers has been increasing |
| A．He transformed the city into an industrial area. |
| B．He created a citizen's patrol to prevent crimes. |
| C．He expanded investment in real estate business. |
| D．He built a supermarket chain in the neighborhood. |
| A．cautious and creative |
| B．stubborn and ambitious |
| C．proud and self-centered |
| D．strong-willed and inspiring |
| A．The Life of a Hero |
| B．Detroit's Proud Tiger |
| C．The Power of Devotion |
| D．The Blooming of Detroit |
