【推荐1】Last October, three weeks after Miguel Alvarez started a job as a cleaner at a senior-care center, his job took a dramatic turn. Instead of mopping floors, Miguel, 33, a former stay-at-home dad, played the role of primary caregiver for the 19 elderly residents living at the center.

On October 24, the state department of social services closed the center—Valley Springs Manor, located in Castro Valley, California—listing numerous health and safety acts against regulations. Most of the staff walked out—except Miguel and the center’s cook, Maurice Rowland.“I felt bad for the seniors, so I helped them,” Miguel says.

Unable to find contact information for the residents’ families, Miguel and Maurice themselves assisted the needy patients, some of whom were confined to beds or wheelchairs. Others reportedly had dementia (痴呆). The two men fed, clothed, and bathed the residents for two days, taking only brief breaks to sleep on rocking chairs in the TV room.“I was never paid for my work,” says Miguel Alvarez, with son Lucciano, four.

Finally, after Miguel had called 911 many times over a 40-hour period, emergency workers arrived to evacuate (撤离) the seniors to an area hospital or to their families’ homes.

In January, the California Department of Social Services admitted that regulators “fell short” in properly man- aging the property’s shutdown. The center’s operators, Hilda Manuel and Mary Julleah Manuel, are being investigated by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office for possible elder abuse.

“I’d never want to see my parents or grandparents go through anything like that,” Miguel says. “I tried the best I could.”

1. What does the underlined phrase “were confined to” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Only stayed in.

B．Applied for.

C．Were fond of.

D．Really disliked.

2. What did Miguel Alvarez do mostly at the center during those two days?

A．Helped the old.

B．Repaired floors.

C．Called 911.

D．Took breaks.

3. The center’s operators were being investigated because ________.

A．most of the staff walked out of the center

B．there were more regulators than residents

C．there existed some financial problems

D．the residents might be badly treated

4. Which word can best describe Miguel Alvarez?

A．Intelligent.

B．Confident.

C．Humorous.

D．Caring.

【推荐2】Torsongan Bullik is a 28-year-old cross-country skier. When he was a freshman in junior high school in 2009, he excelled at long-distance running. As an amateur in 2016, he finished third in the Xinjiang Wusu International Marathon. And then a passion for cycling revealed itself as his hometown hosted the Tour of Sayram Lake, a national road race for amateur cyclists.

“The high-spirited cyclists, their flashy costumes and helmets fascinated me,” he recalls. “I felt that cycling was really cool.”

In 2012, Torsongan’s father gave him a mountain bike that cost 5,000 yuan ($695), which was a lot of money for his family. He loved the bicycle so much that he used it at every opportunity. Two years later, he entered his first competition, although there was no fairy-tale ending as he lost his balance on a steep slope. But he was determined and kept testing his limits. This paid off as he has won medals at all levels of the sport in China.

On Oct 18, 2018, Torsongan was the first to cross the finish line during a high-altitude bike race in the Xizang autonomous region. But surprisingly, it was the national cross-country skiing team that he impressed with his endurance (耐力). They were in search of new talented athletes for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Accepting the invitation from the team marked a turning point for Torsongan’s career, but challenges remained. “After training with the team during the day, I had to go to the gym to level up my upper-body strength in the evening,” Torsongan said in an earlier interview.

He didn’t make the final list, but worked as a technician assisting (帮助) in the operations of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Regardless of the outcome of the 14th National Winter Games, Torsongan enjoyed the challenge of competing, and has his eyes set on the next race.

“I will continue with my efforts. As long as I don’t give up, I still have a chance to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics,” he says.

1. What set Torsongan on the cross-country skiing road?

A．He felt that skiing was really cool.

B．He studied on cross-country skiing.

C．A professional team looked for someone with talent.

D．He hoped to fulfill his father’s expectations.

2. Which of the following can best describe Torsongan?

A．Determined and hard-working.	B．Cautious and responsible.
C．Strong and humorous.	D．Talented and productive.

3. Which of the following can we know from the Torsongan?

A．He used to be a professional long-distance runner.

B．His hard work of bike training didn’t paid off.

C．He didn’t accept the invitation from the team.

D．He was a technician in the Beijing Winter Olympics.

4. What is Torsongan’s next plan?

A．Encouraging others to join in his activity.

B．Becoming a technician assistant in his hometown.

C．Continuing his dream at the next Winter Olympics.

D．Becoming a long-distance running player.