1 . The sky began to show red in the early morning as we drove across the Minnesota state line to New York for my new PhD program. The move was good for me professionally, but I worried about my husband and daughters. I also feared that I wouldn’t be able to give my kids the childhood they deserved.
Anne, our first daughter, came into the world when I was a junior majoring in biology in college. It was challenging to balance classes, work schedules, and being a mom. But I got through it, finding moments of joy along the way. On the nights when I was home, I’d read my class notes out loud with my daughter. She’d respond by asking questions, such as “Mom, what are bacteria (细菌)?” It helped us both learn.
After I graduated, I knew that I would need a PhD to land the kind of job I wanted. I arrived in New York feeling more than the usual new-graduate-student anxiety. I also suffered from a more personal fear that I was being selfish—that my decision to invigorate my career was going to have long- term bad impacts on my kids. So, I made a rule to never be visibly upset about my work in front of my children.
Over the past year, though, I’ve started to let go of some of this worry. I’ve realized that we have not only adapted to our new situation, but things are getting better. My husband landed a job that he is happy with. Anne dreams of becoming a biologist. Recently, while driving past the cancer institute I work at, Anne said, “Thinking about people having cancer is so sad, but I feel better knowing that you are researching it to help.”
Pursuing academic career as a young mother is hard, but it’s also rewarding. My kids are learning to look at the world through science, and watching their mom succeed inspires them. I look forward to seeing them follow my footsteps, whatever path they choose.
1. How did the author feel about the move for her PhD program at first?A.It was fruitful but boring. | B.It was hopeful but challenging. |
C.It was the last thing she would do. | D.It was promising for the whole family. |
A.Advocate. | B.Escape. | C.Evaluate. | D.Prioritize. |
A.She is proud of her mother. | B.She is interested in biology. |
C.Her mother takes her job seriously. | D.She is ready to help patients with cancer. |
A.Ups and Downs in Life | B.Like Mother Like Daughter |
C.Double Gains of Mom’s Pursuit | D.Generation Gap Narrowed by Love |
2 . I have grown up in a football-loving family. My dad played until injury
I remember the exact moment when I told my dad I was
He
At school, there was an unwritten
Today, the England Lionesses (母狮队) will
Maybe, the truth is: Investment is needed for female football to become more visible and become a(n)
A.allowed | B.admitted | C.followed | D.forced |
A.talked | B.trained | C.lived | D.stood |
A.tough | B.rich | C.interested | D.concerned |
A.sad | B.surprised | C.scared | D.satisfied |
A.apparently | B.completely | C.immediately | D.temporarily |
A.plays | B.knows | C.likes | D.watches |
A.plot | B.word | C.tale | D.rule |
A.foreign | B.female | C.young | D.top |
A.take on | B.turn on | C.pick up | D.hold up |
A.As | B.Although | C.Once | D.Until |
A.deal | B.charge | C.share | D.income |
A.comparison | B.line | C.cooperation | D.competition |
A.difficulty | B.difference | C.variety | D.category |
A.equally | B.merely | C.potentially | D.financially |
A.explored | B.transported | C.recognized | D.permitted |
3 . From July 19 to 24, I travelled to the Shiyanghe Basin in Wuwei, located in the heart of a desert in Northwest China’s Gansu province. Looking down from the plane on the way to the destination, all I saw was endless ranges of desert mountains and sands, which made it a breathtaking transformation when I saw green gardens and fruit farms upon arrival.
A local farmer in this landscape shared his success story of enlarging his farm through greenhouse crop production with me. Thanks to the greenhouse technology, his farm has grown from 10 workers, to around 100 within 10 years. The key role of women in agriculture is also praised, as their contributions increase the energy of the landscape.
We also visited a greenhouse with vertical (垂直的) watermelon farming. It was a well-aired, strategically positioned structure with shade cloth, vertical supports, drip irrigation (滴灌), good lighting, and insect management. It was amazing how technology can transform limited space into a great agricultural powerhouse, which not only increases outputs but also reduces environmental impact. What’s even more impressive is that it’s a great approach: It doesn’t stop at farming but can be used in food processing industries. This ensures that the journey from seed to consumers is seamless (无缝的), maintaining product quality and reducing waste.
I learned that Wuwei, although located in a region famous for its dryness, has attempted to become a major supplier of fruits and vegetables, competing with other regions in southern China which have sufficient water resources and good weather conditions. Through advanced irrigation techniques like drip systems, controlled environments, and effective resource management, they show the power of sustainable agriculture and the untiring spirit of those who transform deserts into fruitful landscapes.
1. What can we learn about the local farmer from paragraph 2?A.He has more than 100 workers on his farm. |
B.He is a new-type farmer who likes to share stories. |
C.He is successful in adopting greenhouse technology. |
D.He doesn’t admit women’s contribution to agriculture. |
A.A pleasant visiting experience. | B.Benefits of watermelon farming. |
C.Traditional agricultural approaches. | D.A greenhouse with advanced techniques. |
A.It has enough water resources. | B.It experiences drought most often. |
C.It has the same conditions with southern regions. | D.It establishes fruitful landscapes in the desert area. |
A.A newspaper. | B.A guidebook. | C.A research paper. | D.A book review. |
4 . Best Parks to See Wildlife
A recent report from a vacation site listed the total number of species and sizes of several well-known national parks. Here are some of them to see the widest variety of animals.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
Number of species per square meter: 317
Located 20 miles southwest of Cleveland, Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a mixed ecosystem of forest and wetlands sheltering a variety of animals. From the boardwalk at Beaver Marsh, watch for water-loving mammals or snapping turtles (鳄龟) that can weigh as much as 55 pounds each. More than 200 bird species live in the park.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Number of species per square meter: 286
The representative for Carlsbad Caverns is the Brazilian free-tailed bat. Every summer, hundreds of thousands of the furry, big-eared creatures live in these caves in southeastern New Mexico, attracting crowds at sunset with their spectacular out flight. The Brazilians are one of the 17 bat species that nest at Carlsbad. You might also encounter wild pigs and cave swallows.
Acadia National Park, Maine
Number of species per square meter: 242
The Atlantic Ocean meets the Maine coast at this popular park on Mount Desert Island, providing habitat for wildlife with feet and flippers (鳍状肢). From the shore, scan the water for the heads of harbor porpoises (鼠海豚) and gray seals.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
Number of species per square meter: 219
In western Colorado, the 2, 722 feet between this park s canyon edge and the Gunnison River below support numerous wildlife habitats. Experienced climbers and hikers who adventure into the inner canyon find collared lizards and mule deer.
1. Which park has the largest number of species per square meter?A.Acadia National Park. | B.Carlsbad Caverns National Park. |
C.Cuyahoga Valley National Park. | D.Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park |
A.Watch crowds of flying bats at sunset. |
B.Observe 17 swallow species nesting in the city. |
C.Play with turtles weighing over 55 pounds. |
D.Meet wild pigs in forests and wetlands. |
A.Cave swallows. | B.Gray seals. | C.Mule deer. | D.Free-tailed bats. |
5 . Simone Biles is a remarkable athlete, having won 7 Olympic medals across two Olympic Games. However, in 2020, she shocked the world when she quitted from the Tokyo Games due to some mental problems. Many praised it as a brave decision, as mental health is just as important as physical health. The athlete said she often suddenly lost the sense of direction during the Games, which meant she could no longer sense her body move in the air. It is dangerous for any athlete.
Since then, Biles has focused on her personal life, marrying the love of her life in the process. Recently, USA Gymnastics announced that Biles is ready to return to gymnastics. She is scheduled to compete at the coming US Classic in August, and fans are waiting eagerly to see her in action. Joining Biles in the upcoming competition are 12 Olympic and 16 World Championships roster members. Some notable names include Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee and 2020 Olympic floor champion Jade Carey, among others.
Before Simone Biles became a successful athlete, she and her siblings experienced a “hungry” childhood. Biles’ love for gymnastics began on a field trip. They visited a local gymnasium, where she was given a flyer (传单) to join the program. Biles was a natural, but she didn’t see her potential right away. Little did she know, but everybody else around her did. Her difficult beginnings set the stage for Biles to become one of the most successful sportswomen. Her parents gave their 100% support for her to grow up in the environment she was great at.
Biles has everything she could need to live a golden life— a supportive family, a loving boyfriend and a passion, which also happens to be her career. At 26 years old, she has her whole life ahead of her and is expected to continue dominating (统治) the gymnastics world in the coming years.
1. What did Simone Biles do during the 2020 Olympic Games?A.She dropped out unexpectedly. |
B.She won her seventh Olympic medal. |
C.She hurt others due to dangerous moves. |
D.She shocked the world with her great performance. |
A.Worried. | B.Disappointed. |
C.Excited. | D.Shocked. |
A.One’s birth decides his or her future. |
B.Quitting doesn’t necessarily mean giving up. |
C.One should never give up his or her own job. |
D.A person’s success requires all kinds of preparations. |
A.A guidebook. | B.A fashion magazine. |
C.A book review. | D.A news report. |
6 . In an inspiring series of events over six years, a remarkable woman has turned up as the guardian angel for one family. She
Six years ago, Kristi Hadfield was a nurse who saved John Cunningham’s life when he was
Hadfield stayed in
“And when I posted it, I got a(n)
A.knew | B.caught | C.rescued | D.employed |
A.having | B.avoiding | C.escaping | D.curing |
A.enjoy | B.remember | C.regret | D.imagine |
A.came across | B.worked on | C.turned to | D.got to |
A.Fortunately | B.Gradually | C.Disappointedly | D.Basically |
A.agreement | B.touch | C.comparison | D.competition |
A.female | B.strange | C.serious | D.former |
A.order | B.gift | C.request | D.suggestion |
A.identified | B.recommended | C.shared | D.heard |
A.quit | B.appreciate | C.allow | D.consider |
A.invitation | B.message | C.argument | D.description |
A.provider | B.waiter | C.user | D.protector |
A.set out | B.took place | C.shut up | D.came back |
A.remarkable | B.unique | C.successful | D.significant |
A.life | B.luck | C.money | D.thanks |
7 . In our information-driven society, shaping our worldview through the media is similar to forming an opinion about someone solely based on a picture of their foot. While the media might not deliberately deceive us, it often fails to provide a comprehensive view of reality.
Consequently, the question arises: Where, then, shall we get our information from if not from the media? Who can we trust? How about experts—people who devote their working lives to understanding their chosen slice of the world? However, even experts can fall prey to the allure of oversimplification, leading to the “single perspective instinct” that hampers(阻碍)our ability to grasp the intricacies of the world.
Simple ideas can be appealing because they offer a sense of understanding and certainty. And it is easy to take off down a slippery slope, from one attention-grabbing simple idea to a feeling that this idea beautifully explains, or is the beautiful solution for, lots of other things. The world becomes simple that way.
Yet, when we embrace a singular cause or solution for all problems, we risk oversimplifying complex issues. For instance, championing the concept of equality may lead us to view all problems through the lens of inequality and see resource distribution as the sole panacea. However, such rigidity prevents us from seeing the multidimensional nature of challenges and hinders true comprehension of reality. This “single perspective instinct” ultimately clouds our judgment and restricts our capacity to tackle complex issues effectively.
It saves a lot of time to think like this. You can have opinions and answers without having to learn about a problem from scratch and you can get on with using your brain for other tasks. But it’s not so useful if you like to understand the world. Being always in favor of or always against any particular idea makes you blind to information that doesn’t fit your perspective. This is usually a bad approach if you would like to understand reality.
Instead, constantly test your favorite ideas for weaknesses. Be humble about the extent of your expertise. Be curious about new information that doesn’t fit, and information from other fields. And rather than talking only to people who agree with you, or collecting examples that fit your ideas, consult people who contradict you, disagree with you, and put forward different ideas as a great resource for understanding the world. I have been wrong about the world so many times. Sometimes, coming up against reality is what helps me see my mistakes, but often it is talking to, and trying to understand, someone with different ideas.
If this means you don’t have time to form so many opinions, so what? Wouldn’t you rather have few opinions that are right than many that are wrong?
1. What does the underlined word “allure” in Para.2 probably mean?A.Temptation. | B.Tradition. | C.Convenience. | D.Consequence. |
A.They meet people’s demand for high efficiency. |
B.They generate a sense of complete understanding. |
C.They are raised and supported by multiple experts. |
D.They reflect the opinions of like-minded individuals. |
A.Simplifying matters releases energy for human brains. |
B.Constant tests on our ideas help make up for our weakness. |
C.A well-founded opinion counts more than many shallow ones. |
D.People who disagree with us often have comprehensive views. |
A.Embracing Disagreement: Refusing Overcomplexity |
B.Simplifying Information: Enhancing Comprehension |
C.Understanding Differences: Establishing Relationships |
D.Navigating Complexity: Challenging Oversimplification |
8 . Gardeners who use pesticides are contributing to the decline of British songbirds, a study suggests. Scientists have urged people to stop “spraying their gardens with poisons” in order to halt bird decline and adopt instead wildlife-friendly practices. The results of the University of Sussex study, which researchers call the first of its kind, were published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
The experiment, which surveyed 615 gardens in Britain, found 25% fewer house sparrows when glyphosate (草甘膦) was used regularly. This is an ingredient found in commonly used herbicide (除草剂) brands such as Roundup or Gallup. Slug pellets (鼻涕虫杀虫剂) also seemed to have an impact on bird sightings; in gardens where Slug pellets were used, house sparrow numbers were down by almost 40%.
Prof. Dave Goulson, of the school of life sciences at the University of Sussex, said, “The UK has 22 million gardens, which collectively could be a fantastic refuge for wildlife, but not if they are overly tidy and sprayed with poisons. We just don’t need pesticides in our gardens. Many towns around the world are now pesticide free. We should simply ban the use of these poisons in urban areas, following the example of France.” The Royal Horticultural Society, the UK’s leading gardening charity, said the use of pesticides and herbicides should be avoided if possible and they should only be used, if ever, in small and targeted applications.
The research also found that those who adopted wildlife-friendly practices such as planting native shrubs and flowers, or digging a wildlife pond, saw more birds than those who did not. Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu, a PhD researcher within the school of life sciences and an author of the study, said, “It’s encouraging to find that simple measures, such as planting native shrubs and trees and creating a pond, together with avoiding the use of pesticides, really make a measurable difference to the number of birds you will see in your garden.”
1. What does the underlined word “halt” in paragraph 1 most probably mean?A.Stop. | B.Attract. | C.Note. | D.Witness. |
A.To reveal the severe influence of pesticides on birds. |
B.To compare the effects of two kinds of pesticides. |
C.To convince readers of the importance of house sparrows. |
D.To help gardeners choose the proper pesticides. |
A.The ideal places for wildlife in the UK are extremely tidy gardens. |
B.The gardens in the UK are so tidy that pesticides are not needed. |
C.Pesticides should be prohibited from use throughout the UK. |
D.Some countries like France have made urban areas pesticide free. |
A.Alternative methods to keep gardens tidy. |
B.Assistant ways to increase the number of birds. |
C.Gardeners’ attitudes towards the experiment. |
D.Other researchers’ interest in the experiment. |
9 . Charlie Chaplin, British comedian, producer, writer, director and composer, is widely regarded as the greatest comic artist of the screen and one of the most important figures in the film history.
Chaplin was named after his father, a British entertainer. He spent his early childhood with his mother, the singer Hannah Hall, after she and his father separated, and took the place of his mentally unstable mother to appear on the stage. However, he and his mother soon separated from each other because the sick Hall was sent to a hospital. Then, Charlie was sent to a series of boarding schools.
Using his mother’s show-business contacts, Charlie became a professional entertainer in 1897 when he joined the Eight Lancashire Lads, a dancing act.
His early stage characters include a small role in William Gillette’s Sherlock Holmes (1899). While touring America with the Karno company in 1913, Chaplin was signed to appear in Mack Sennett’s Keystone comedy films. Though Making a Living (1914) was not the failure that historians have claimed, Chaplin’s first screen character did not show him to best advantage.
To come up with a more-workable screen image, Chaplin created an outfit consisting of a too-small coat, too-large pants and a walking stick. As a finishing touch,he put on a mustache (胡子). It was in his second Keystone film, Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914), that Chaplin’s classic screen character, “the Little Tramp (流浪汉)”,was born.
In truth, Chaplin did not always portray a tramp; in many of his films his character was employed as a waiter,store clerk, stagehand, fireman,and the like. But the Tramp’s attraction was universal: audiences loved his cheekiness (厚脸皮), unexpected bravery and especially his recovery in the face of difficulties which moved the audience most. Some historians have traced the Tramp’s origins to Chaplin’s Dickensian childhood, while others have suggested that the character had its roots in the motto (座右铭) of Chaplin’s teacher, Fred Karno: “Keep it eager, gentlemen, keep it eager.” Whatever the case, within months after his movie was on, Chaplin was the screen’s biggest star.
1. Which word best describes Chaplin’s early life?A.Carefree. | B.Struggling. | C.Simple. | D.Boring. |
A.His further study in an art school. |
B.His performances in another country. |
C.His mother’s serious health problem. |
D.His father’s disapproval of their meeting. |
A.His early works. | B.His main character. |
C.The reasons for his success. | D.His relationship with others. |
A.His action with a walking stick. |
B.His unique and serious appearance. |
C.His special learning experience. |
D.His ability to recover from difficulties. |
10 . I’m a strong believer in learning different languages, which makes you look incredibly good when you’re in a foreign country and can understand and speak the language. The following are 4 apps that will help you learn a foreign language! You can download them for free.
Babbel
Babbel’s lessons are mainly quiz-styled and use audio, pictures and words to help you with the grammar and vocabulary of your chosen language. It helps you use most of the skills needed to learn a language. Your skills are improved by carrying out different tasks, such as completing sentences with missing words, translating, placing words in order and so on.
FluentU
FluentU takes native language content like music videos, news and inspiring talks and turns them into language learning lessons. The videos all make use of interactive (交互的) subtitles (字幕) to ensure understanding, allow users to save material for later review, and make the experience more enjoyable. Clicking on a word or phrase brings up extra information, including example sentences and other video clips that use the language item.
Tandem
Rather than have you work through tasks and memorise different things, the app matches you up with people who share your interests but speak the language you want to learn. You can then have text, voice and video conversations with people to learn their native language, and in return they can learn yours, all by simply communicating with each other.
Busuu
This app is perfect if you want to learn English. There are all sorts of audio and visual learning aids. You’ll find yourself working through interactive tests and learning tools for the vocabulary and dialogue.
1. Which app suits you best if you want to learn through communication?A.Babbel. | B.FluentU. | C.Tandem. | D.Busuu. |
A.They cover all languages. | B.They focus on grammar. |
C.They contain many tests. | D.They are free to download. |
A.To sell apps to language learners. | B.To teach languages through apps. |
C.To introduce language learning apps. | D.To teach language learners to use apps. |