1 . “What kind of stuff do you write?" one student asked on my first day at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. After a decade away from the classroom, I was back to
“Creative non-fiction,n I said.
It was a
With too much time and lack of
“You're going to be keeping a
"Why?” a boy named Michael asked. "I mean, who
Looking out at the roomful of students, I realized I didn't have an
No one said a word. I
Finally , I said, “ Because it's what you have. Stories allow us to make meaning of what we've been through. When you shape your
Michael didn't look
In his first essay, Michael wrote about how he grew up in one of the
He went on to write about how his high school teachers, who saw his
I had Michael
I went home that night and picked up my journal,
| A．studying | B．teaching | C．visiting | D．consulting |
| A．lie | B．fact | C．task | D．dream |
| A．slowly | B．naturally | C．happily | D．violently |
| A．prove | B．explain | C．destroy | D．change |
| A．control | B．support | C．inspiration | D．security |
| A．jokes | B．stories | C．thoughts | D．faults |
| A．list | B．note | C．record | D．journal |
| A．exist | B．succeed | C．matter | D．spread |
| A．cares | B．worries | C．debates | D．inquires |
| A．argument | B．opportunity | C．influence | D．answer |
| A．assumed | B．predicted | C．ignored | D．checked |
| A．choice | B．performance | C．progress | D．experience |
| A．applied | B．happened | C．belonged | D．appealed |
| A．interested | B．astonished | C．convinced | D．concerned |
| A．biggest | B．quietest | C．safest | D．worst |
| A．potential | B．creativity | C．anxiety | D．confusion |
| A．read | B．bring | C．figure | D．point |
| A．relaxed | B．still | C．nervous | D．friendly |
| A．clean | B．special | C．dusty | D．marked |
| A．wonder | B．write | C．compete | D．practise |
2 . “If you could have any three things, what would you want?” Eleven-year-old Ruby Kate Chitsey loves asking that question, but it’s not a game. She asks it at nursing homes in the Harrison, Arkansas, where she lives. Even more amazing, she then sets out to make the residents’ wishes come true.
Ruby Kate has long been close to older folks. Her mother, Amanda Chitsey works at nursing homes in northwest Arkansas, and Ruby Kate often stays with her in the summer. The Chitseys learned that many nursing home residents are unable to afford even the smallest luxuries. So Ruby Kate decided to do something about it. “I’ve never found them scary at all, so I’m able to just go up to them and ask if they need anything,” she says.
She started by asking residents what three things they wanted most in the world. Amanda worried that people would ask for cars and other things an 11-year-old wouldn’t be able to provide. Instead, they asked for chocolate bars, McDonald’s fries, and pants that fit properly.
“It broke me as a human,” Amanda says. “We left the nursing home that day and went straight to a store and bought as many items as we could.”
Using their own money, the Chitseys granted the wishes of about 100 people in three months. Then they started asking for donations.
The good people of Harrison responded enthusiastically, so much that Amanda set up a GoFundMe page, Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents, hoping to collect $5,000. They hit their goal in a month. After GoFundMe named Ruby Kate a Kid Hero and promoted her story nationwide this past January, Three Wishes raised $20,000 in 24 hours and more than $250,000 in five months. With those funds, the Chitseys were able to get more creative: One resident asked for a man cave, so they got him a Walkman and stocked his fridge with snacks. Another wanted to go to a friend’s out-of-state wedding; they gave her money for gas and food.
Earlier this year, Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents became a nonprofit and launched its first nationwide chapters. One of its new goals is to set up a communal laptop in one nursing home in each state. Ruby Kate doesn’t plan to stop there. Actually, besides Ruby Kate, more youngsters are involved in helping others as a hobby. At one high school, students turned a single dollar into a truly inspirational act.
1. Why did the Chitseys decide to ask and meet the residents’ wishes?| A．It was Amanda’s duty to do that. | B．The residents’ stories moved them. |
| C．They wanted to do something for the poor there. | D．They had a close relationship with the residents. |
| A．the wishes were simple | B．the wishes were in her plan |
| C．she couldn’t realize the wishes | D．she couldn’t help her daughter |
| A．started a page to get profit | B．wrote stories about nursing homes |
| C．appealed to more people to join them | D．carried out their project across the world |
| A．accompany the senior | B．deliver kindness to others |
| C．treasure what they have | D．be optimistic toward life |
3 . A few days before Christmas 2012, I found myself in Walmart. It was the last
The school my kids attended asked if we needed help for Christmas, and we
My children were with me that day at Walmart. Our cupboards were bare, and I had only eighty dollars to
My husband worked very hard to
As I chose my groceries, I kept a running total in my head. As my cart (手推车) filled, my
When I went to the checkout, I set aside the cologne gift box. My kids
What happened left me speechless, and being the
A wave of emotion came over me as I
| A．place | B．moment | C．season | D．station |
| A．refused | B．answered | C．accepted | D．ignored |
| A．warm | B．feed | C．help | D．inspire |
| A．respond | B．appreciate | C．purchase | D．accomplish |
| A．room | B．excuse | C．energy | D．courage |
| A．offer | B．afford | C．owe | D．earn |
| A．bill | B．collection | C．taste | D．clothes |
| A．stand | B．compete | C．prepare | D．provide |
| A．choice | B．mistake | C．heart | D．nature |
| A．create | B．design | C．maintain | D．discover |
| A．smooth | B．tight | C．unexpected | D．simplified |
| A．increase | B．discount | C．steadiness | D．absence |
| A．regret | B．anxiety | C．blame | D．complaint |
| A．likely | B．important | C．necessary | D．difficult |
| A．cheered | B．followed | C．protested | D．supported |
| A．lost | B．calmed | C．beat | D．sank |
| A．outgoing | B．optimistic | C．talkative | D．hardworking |
| A．approached | B．guided | C．pleased | D．trusted |
| A．ever | B．even | C．once | D．already |
| A．threw | B．cancelled | C．recommended | D．added |
4 . Make 2020 your most adventurous year yet by signing up for one of these trips of a lifetime. Sail to Aldabra Atoll for a fascinating journey, hike along the frontiers of Georgia, explore different habitats of human and animals: These journeys are unlike any trip you've ever taken before.
Exodus Travels  This once -in-a- lifetime journey visits Aldabra Atoll, one of the most remote UNESCO World Heritage sites on the planet. Hidden away from the impact of humans，Aldabra has managed to sustain a population of 152,000 giant tortoises. This is the trip for wildlife enthusiasts: The clear waters of the Seychelles are home to 850 species of brilliantly colored fish that you'll visit on snorkel and dive excursions (旅行). |
Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel  Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel's Georgia Walking Tour showcases the country's wild side, with plenty of hikes in the Svaneti Mountains mixed with cultural experiences like a visit to the remote village of Adishi, home to just 12 families. |
Natural Habitat Adventures  A nine-day adventure centered around Natural Habitat's unique luxury base camp near the edge of the Greenland ice sheet. You'll be in one of the world's most remote locations (with a maximum of only 11 other travelers in your group) , but still have access to hot showers and well-prepared meals. You'll spend your days exploring the surrounding water, meeting the local Inuit villagers, kayaking (独木舟),and more. |
Mountain Travel Sobek  Accompanied with expert guides, you'll track gorillas through Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, getting a rare chance to see these majestic creatures up close. You'll also focus your search on another rare creature—the golden monkey. |
1. Who will be most likely to choose Aldabra Atoll as a perfect destination?
| A．A UNESCO officer. |
| B．An experienced hiker. |
| C．A passionate animal lover. |
| D．An active environmentalist. |
| A．enjoy a cold bath |
| B．make dinners alone |
| C．prepare a folding tent |
| D．take waterproof overcoats |
| A．A culture report. |
| B．A reference book. |
| C．A tourism magazine. |
| D．A geography textbook. |
5 . Stuttering （口 吃）has nothing to do with intelligence. I know this because I stutter. If it takes me a while longer to say a word, it's not because I can't remember the word; it's because the neural(神经的） pathway that transforms words in my head into sounds in my mouth is wired differently. And differences, of course, are the best way to get negative attention in our society. Taking extra time to get my words out can surely be frustrating, but that's nothing compared to the misery of dealing with people's reactions.
Almost all children who stutter are discouraged from speaking in one way or another. It's usually not as direct as someone walking up to them and saying, “Hey, stuttering kid! Keep your mouth shut!” But when your voice causes adults and peers to snicker （窃笑）or roll their eyes, it's pretty discouraging.
Growing up, I learned to avoid speaking whenever possible. I hated what came out of my mouth, full of awkward breaks and pauses. I figured whatever future I had, it probably involved a vow of silence.
Today Fm a touring author and comedian. It took me 30-something years to get over stuttering. Did I stop stuttering? No! I couldn't stop if I wanted to. But I stopped wanting to stop. Instead of wasting all my time and energy trying to meet unattainable standards, I learned that it's OK to stutter. And I learned by example. I attended the National Stuttering Association conference and met all kinds of people who stutter—people who didn't hate themselves, who didn't silence themselves. They stuttered, and they were OK with it! I remember watching them and thinking, "That's who I want to be!"
There's a popular saying in comedy: "Your weakness is your strength." When I first entered my local open-mic scene, I was quickly met with some "smart" guys looking to score a cheap laugh at my expense. I remember introducing myself to one comedian and stuttering on my name, as I usually do. Eager to demonstrate his smartness, he replied, "Is that Nina with five Ns?" "No," I said, "it's Nina with two Ns!" Just like that, I had created a joke as the result of someone making fiin of my stutter.
To this day, whenever I need inspiration for a new joke, I just think about all the ridiculous comments I get from non-stuttering people. It's a comedy gold mine!
1. It takes the author longer to say a word because she has _______.| A．a comparatively low IQ | B．trouble in organizing ideas |
| C．a relatively small brain | D．problems in her neural system |
| A．the unfriendly reactions of others |
| B．the difficulty in memorising words |
| C．her unpromising future as a stutterer |
| D．her embarrassing pauses during talks |
| A．adjusting her attitude towards it |
| B．getting help from non-stutterers |
| C．telling herself constantly to stop it |
| D．silencing herself whenever possible |
| A．success as a comedian |
| B．respect for other comedians |
| C．resistance to others' strength |
| D．acceptance of her imperfection |
6 . Every man wants his son to be somewhat of a clone, not in features but in footsteps. As he grows you also age, and your ambitions become more unachievable. You begin to realize that your boy, in your footsteps, could probably accomplish what you hoped for. But footsteps can be muddied and they can go off in different directions.
My son Jody has hated school since day one in kindergarten. Science projects waited until the last moment. Book reports weren’t written until the final threat.
I’ve been a newspaperman all my adult life. My daughter is a university graduate working towards her master’s degree in English. But Jody? When he entered the tenth grade he became a “vo-tech” student (技校学生). They’re called “motorheads” by the rest of the student body.
When a secretary in my office first called him “motorhead”, I was shocked. “Hey, he’s a good kid, ” I wanted to say. “And smart, really.”
I learned later that motorheads are, indeed, different. They usually have dirty hands and wear dirty work clothes. And they don’t often make school honor rolls (光荣榜).
But being the parent of a motorhead is itself an experience in education. We who labor in clean shirts in offices don’t have the abilities that motorheads have. I began to learn this when I had my car crashed. The cost to repair it was estimated at $800. “Hey, I can fix it,” said Jody. I doubted it, but let him go ahead, for I had nothing to lose.
My son, with other motorheads, fixed the car. They got parts from a junkyard, and ability from vo-tech classes. The cost was $25 instead of $800.
Since that first repair job, a broken air-conditioner, a non-functioning washer and a non-toasting toaster have been fixed. Neighbours and co-workers trust their car repairs to him.
These kids are happiest when doing repairs. They joke and laugh and are living in their own relaxed world. And their minds are bright despite their dirty hands and clothes.
I have learned a lot from my motorhead: publishers need printers, engineers need mechanics, and architects need builders. Most important, I have learned that fathers don’t need clones in footsteps or anywhere else.
My son may never make the school honor roll. But he made mine.
1. What used to be the author’s hope for his son?| A．To avoid becoming his clone. | B．To resemble him in appearance. |
| C．To develop in a different direction. | D．To reach the author’s unachieved goals. |
| A．His daughter does better in school. |
| B．His daughter has got a master’s degree. |
| C．His son tried hard to finish homework. |
| D．His son couldn’t write his book reports. |
| A．his son had the ability to fix it | B．it would save him much time |
| C．it wouldn’t cause him any more loss | D．other motorheads would come to help |
| A．It is unwise to expect your child to follow your path. |
| B．It is important for one to make the honor roll. |
| C．Architects play a more important role than builders. |
| D．Motorheads have greater ability than office workers. |
7 . The last decade saw the rise of the field of “plant neurobiology (神经生物学)”. That debatable field is based on the idea that plants——which do not possess brains ——handle information in ways similar to complicated animal nervous systems. This thinking implies that plants could feel happiness or sorrow or pain, make intentional decisions and even possess consciousness. But the chances of that are “effectively zero," Lincoln Taiz and colleagues write in an opinion piece in Trends in Plant Science. "There's nothing in the plant remotely comparable to the complexity of the animal brain," says Taiz, from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Some plants are capable of complicated behavior. Wounded leaves can send warning signals to other parts of the plant, and harmful chemicals can warn animals that eat them. Some plants may even have a version of short-term memory: Tiny sensing hairs can count the number of touches that come from a clumsy insect. But plants perform these with equipment that's very different from the nervous systems of animals, no brain required, Taiz argues.
He and colleagues point out methodological (方法的) faults in some of the studies that claim plants have brain-like command centers, animal-like nerve cells and changing patterns of electricity that are similar to activity found in animal brains. But beyond the debate over how these studies are conducted, Taiz's team argues that plant consciousness doesn't even make sense from an evolutionary (进化的) point of view.
Complicated animal brains advanced in part to help a living being catch a meal and avoid becoming one, Taiz says. But plants are rooted to the ground and rely on sunlight for energy, an inactive lifestyle that doesn't require quick thinking or outsmarting a predator (捕食者)——or the energetically expensive nervous systems that enable those behaviors.
“What use would consciousness be to a plant?” Taiz asks. The energy required to power awareness would be too costly, and the benefit from such awareness too small. If a plant worried and suffered when faced with a threat, it would be wasting so much energy that it wouldn't have any left to do anything about that threat, Taiz says.
Imagine a forest fire. "It's unbearable to even consider the idea that plants would be conscious beings aware of the fact that they're being burned to ashes, watching the young trees die in front of them," Taiz says. The frightening scene illustrates "what it would actually cost a plant to have consciousness."
Furthermore, plants have plenty to do without having to be conscious, too. With sunlight, carbon dioxide and water, plants create the compounds (化合物) that sustain much of the rest of life on Earth, Taiz points out. "Isn't that enough?"
1. According to Paragraph 1, a plant neurobiologist would most probably agree that ______.| A．plants are capable of independent thinking |
| B．plants are as biologically complex as animals |
| C．plants developed nervous systems for survival |
| D．plants feel emotions in the same way as animals |
| A．A predator. |
| B．A meal. |
| C．An inactive plant. |
| D．A living being. |
| A．Plants possess brain-like command centers. |
| B．The lifestyle of plants requires nervous systems. |
| C．It is unnecessary for plants to have consciousness. |
| D．Nervous systems enable plants to fight their predators. |
| A．suggest new ways to study the behaviors of plants |
| B．discuss the possibility of plants escaping a disaster |
| C．illustrate how plants make decisions in face of dangers |
| D．prove consciousness would do plants more harm than good |
8 . One morning in July 2011, a taxi sat wandering outside Petco Park stadium in San Diego. And Wade LeBlanc, a (an)
“You’re Wade LeBlanc,” the taxi driver said.
“Right.”
“You got some good stuff.”
This
“I think there are some things you should think about
Wait, what? This guy was offering
The next day, in Tucson, LeBlanc met his
LeBlanc included the new
The funny thing about advice: We so often take it from the
“Expert advisers often make surprisingly inaccurate predictions about the future, yet people
Now, not everyone took experts’ advice. The more
| A．excellent | B．struggling | C．ambitious | D．awkward |
| A．surprised | B．concerned | C．disturbed | D．angered |
| A．avoiding | B．making | C．trying | D．crossing |
| A．player | B．director | C．joker | D．loser |
| A．service | B．advice | C．chances | D．courses |
| A．accepted | B．worried | C．smiled | D．laughed |
| A．explained | B．interrupted | C．listened | D．guessed |
| A．parents | B．coach | C．driver | D．fans |
| A．changes | B．contributions | C．additions | D．objectives |
| A．included | B．announced | C．suggested | D．resisted |
| A．aim | B．effect | C．hobby | D．move |
| A．patient | B．optimistic | C．brilliant | D．justified |
| A．attractive | B．popular | C．humble | D．wrong |
| A．overvalue | B．skip | C．ignore | D．involve |
| A．identified | B．supported | C．opposed | D．started |
| A．qualifications | B．benefits | C．prize | D．degree |
| A．follow | B．abandon | C．provide | D．improve |
| A．literary | B．successful | C．careful | D．negative |
| A．tolerate | B．help | C．know | D．trust |
| A．job | B．example | C．excuse | D．gift |
9 . It was “college colours” day at an elementary school in Altamonte Springs, Florida, on August 30. One of Laura Snyder’s fourth-grade students Billy wore an orange T-shirt
Billy was so excited to show Snyder his shirt. She was
But after lunch, Billy came back to Snyder’s room crying. Some girls at the lunch table next to Billy’s had made fun of the
In an effort to
What happened next completely
“I’m not even sure I can put into words his
But then things got even
The university’s official shop
“When I told him that his design was being made into a real shirt and people wanted to wear it, his jaw
Billy’s mother wrote a letter of
| A．appreciating | B．representing | C．admiring | D．picturing |
| A．reminded | B．convinced | C．impressed | D．satisfied |
| A．attached | B．wore | C．turned | D．printed |
| A．brand | B．sign | C．colour | D．sample |
| A．strange | B．stupid | C．cruel | D．selfish |
| A．sustainable | B．typical | C．available | D．convenient |
| A．cheer | B．trip | C．team | D．pick |
| A．exchange | B．contact | C．suggestion | D．knowledge |
| A．froze | B．posed | C．blinded | D．floored |
| A．acknowledged | B．greeted | C．responded | D．permitted |
| A．reaction | B．improvement | C．behaviour | D．attitude |
| A．email | B．address | C．interview | D．update |
| A．simply | B．personally | C．proudly | D．fortunately |
| A．better | B．more complicated | C．harder | D．more interesting |
| A．advertised | B．explained | C．promised | D．announced |
| A．new | B．expensive | C．popular | D．actual |
| A．changed | B．dropped | C．ached | D．closed |
| A．confidence | B．expectation | C．responsibility | D．reputation |
| A．agreement | B．gratitude | C．congratulations | D．recommendation |
| A．educated | B．helped | C．shocked | D．touched |
10 . 
Enjoy an amazing time in Lake Tahoe, CA with the fantastic show, Magic Fusion! This fantastic display features a variety of talented magicians who each take to the stage with their own flare, tricks, and illusions(视觉幻想) that will have the audiences who witness the show on the edge of their seats.
Presented by the amazing Loft Theatre, this show has seen the likes of famous magicians such as Robert Hall and Chipper Lowell. Each evening stars a different magician as well, so you can enjoy a variety of talented performers all on the same stage. It is great for all ages, so you can bring the entire family along to be excited and entertained during this 75-minute performance. You never know what you may see, so do not miss out!
The Loft Theatre is Lake Tahoe’s premier place for entertainment and delicious food. Not only is it home to amazing shows that will entertain and thrill, but it is also home to a dining experience that serves up some mouthwatering meals. Before your show, be sure to grab a bite to eat before heading over to enjoy the Loft. It is located in the extremely popular Heavenly Village area of Lake Tahoe next to sparkling fountains and the famous Heavenly Toy Shop. It also features a lounge(休息室) and guests who arrive early can enjoy food, fun, and magicians who will wow you with tricks for that extra dose(量) of entertainment!
For an amazing experience that you will not soon forget, be sure to enjoy this fantastic performance at the Loft Theatre!
Enjoy this amazing show that will keep you guessing with tons of great tricks and illusions to keep you and your whole family entertained. You can be on the edge of your seat with this option of regular seating to witness this fantastic show, or experience the Magic Fusion show in the best seats possible. Order your tickets today!
1. What can we learn about Magic Fusion?
| A．It is intended for all the family members. |
| B．The display will last for one and half hours. |
| C．Different performers will be performing together. |
| D．Audiences will be invited onto the stage during the show. |
| A．lies in a famous largely populated area |
| B．is well-known for the surrounding scenery |
| C．serves food before and after the performance |
| D．provides those who come early with extra show |
| A．The performance on Friday finishes earlier. |
| B．The show starts from 9:00 pm every Tuesday. |
| C．There are two performances available every Sunday. |
| D．Regular and VIP seating are offered on different days. |
