1 . I was riding my special motorbike this past weekend and stopped at a store. As I was getting my wheelchair off the back, a man watched me from his car and I noticed a wheelchair in his back seat. We spoke for a moment and I asked him about the wheelchair. He answered that it was for his daughter. “Well, do you think she would like to go for a ride on my motorbike with me?” I asked. He seemed shocked that a total stranger would ask him this. He thought about it for a second and said, “OK, as long as I can follow you.” He introduced me to Amy and he sat her on my back seat. Her father followed me for a few miles and she talked non-stop about what she wanted for Christmas.
As we came back to the store, she said, “This ride is the best Christmas present I could ever receive. I have been in a wheelchair my whole life and didn’t know I could do this.” Then she turned to him and said, “Oh Daddy, I’m going to be OK. Mr. Bryant does all kinds of things—and I will, too.” Her father hugged me and said, “I was sitting here praying for a gift for Amy that would encourage her. She often felt that her life was dull compared to other children. God answered my prayer (祷告) just now. Now I pray that God will bless you for your gift to Amy today.” Being kind and thoughtful to others, we can be an answer to prayer.
1. What can we know about the author?| A．He was a disabled man. | B．He usually drove too fast. |
| C．He worked in a store. | D．He often helped people in trouble. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Embarrassed. |
| C．Surprised. | D．Moved. |
| A．was not allowed to do some sports |
| B．used to be a completely healthy person |
| C．was unwillingly to communicate with a stranger |
| D．usually felt sad about life because of her disability |
| A．The motorbike. | B．The wheelchair. |
| C．The ride. | D．The prayer. |
2 . Below is a list of the top and leading Theme Parks in London.
Chessington World of Adventures Resort
It is a theme park and resort that offers a fun and enjoyable experience for both adults and kids. It’s a perfect place to visit to relax over the weekend with the different rides, attractions, zoo and sea life exhibits, shows and entertainment that they have. They house over 1,000 animals in their zoo and around 40 rides that will make your visit highly enjoyable.
Thorpe Park Resort
It is the go-to place for all thrill seekers that are looking for an ultimate experience near London. Famous for their different rides, you will certainly enjoy the unique experience that only they can offer. Seek the best adventure and leisure at this park and spend your day with your family, friends, and loved ones.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
As one of the best Christmas destinations in London, located in the heart of London, it is opening their doors every November 19 to January 3 to all individuals of varying ages and gender, who want to experience the festivity that Christmas season brings.
ClownTown
It is the largest indoor activity centre created for all kids looking for some fun and adventure. Established in 1994, this centre offers a safe, secure and wonderful surroundings where your kids can play and have a pleasant and amusing time. It can also help host your kids’ birthday party based on their personal likes and interests and can accommodate (容纳) a maximum of 25 children with the package including one and a half hours of play time and 30 minutes meal time.
1. Which park may attract extreme sports lovers?| A．ClownTown. | B．Thorpe Park Resort. |
| C．Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. | D．Chessington World of Adventures Resort. |
| A．It holds various outdoors activities. | B．It is suitable for both adults and kids. |
| C．It provides tailored services for kids. | D．It’s the best place for Christmas celebrations. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A business plan. | C．A fashion magazine. | D．An academic article. |
3 . Explore the Enchanted Forest Trail Park in Oregon! This beautiful park is a haven for nature lovers, offering miles of hiking trails through lush(繁茂的) forests, alongside sparkling streams, and past breathtaking waterfalls. It’s an ideal spot for bird watching, photography, and enjoying the serenity of nature.
Why Enchanted Forest Trail Park:
The park boasts a variety of trails ranging from easy walks to challenging hikes, catering to all levels of experience. Visitors can explore the famous Whispering Pines Trail, the scenic Lakeview Loop, or the adventurous Rocky Ridge Path. The park is also known for its rich biodiversity, including rare plant species and wildlife.
Park Facilities:
Visitor Center with maps and guides
Picnic areas with grills
Camping sites (reservation required)
Guided nature walks every Saturday at 9:00 am
Guided Nature Walks:
The guided nature walks are led by experienced naturalists who share fascinating insights about the local flora and fauna. The walks cover the lower part of the Whispering Pines Trail and last about 2 hours. Walks begin at the Visitor Center.
1. What is a key attraction of the Enchanted Forest Trail Park?| A．Water sports activities. | B．Diverse hiking trails. |
| C．Amusement park rides. | D．Golf courses. |
| A．A swimming pool. | B．Horseback riding trails. |
| C．Picnic areas with grills. | D．A ski resort. |
| A．Lakeview Loop. | B．Rocky Ridge Path. |
| C．Visitor Center. | D．Camping sites. |
4 . Bristol Old Vic
When the Theatre Royal (now Bristol Old Vic) was built, electricity hadn’t been discovered. For over 250 years the people who have owned, worked inside and visited the theatre have kept records about their activity. These are kept safe at the University of Bristol Theatre Collection, and you’ll discover a range of documents which record the history of the theatre, from its foundation in 1764 up until the present day. Here are some of them.
BEGINNING
In 1764 businessmen Alexander Edgar and Thomas Symons suggested building a new theatre between Baldwin Street and the back of Coopers’ Hall in King Street. The estimated cost was f2, 000 to be split among 40 subscribers, but the building work cost more than expected. Owning shares allowed them to influence decisions about the theatre.
SILVER TICKET
Each of the original Bristol Old Vic shareholders was given a silver ticket that promised sight of any performance held at the theatre. As the holders were clever businessmen, they insisted that the silver tickets could be loaned or traded. This enabled them to make some extra money but made it extremely difficult for the theatre managers to keep track of who was allowed to see shows for free.
250TH BIRTHDAY
In May 2016, the theatre celebrated its 250th birthday! As the oldest continuously-working theatre in the English-speaking world, it deserved a proper party, so Bristol-based Limbic Cinema was hired to create a film of the theatre’s historical highlights which was projected (放映) onto the theatre itself.
1. Where can you find the three mentioned documents?| A．At Baldwin Street. |
| B．At Coopers’ Hall in King Street. |
| C．At Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
| D．At the University of Bristol Theatre Collection. |
| A．By creating a film about its history. |
| B．By building Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
| C．By releasing silver ticket in memory of the birthday. |
| D．By making a film projected in theatres across England. |
| A．To compare the theatre and others. |
| B．To change people’s view on Bristol Old Vic. |
| C．To introduce some information of Bristol Old Vic. |
| D．To recommend a movie related to the theatre. |
5 . The United Nations’ International Year of Soils is hardly a media favorite. Maybe it’s because many people are like me, who recall Mom’s words: “Take off your shoes! Don’t bring dirt into the house! “With all the challenges in the world today, why would we recognize soils?
Simply put, soils are literally the base that humans stand on. Ignoring the importance of this meter-thick skin covering our planet is like ignoring the importance of the air we breathe.
Without healthy soils, we would not be here.
Soil provides the structure and nutrients needed to grow our food. It stores water that satisfies the thirst of the environment, agriculture and humans. It houses the largest amount of carbon (碳)on land, keeping the climate from warming even faster. It provides the necessary support for the habitat of all life on land-including diversity in the soil itself (in some regions, just a handful of soil contains microorganisms that are more than the people on Earth). In short, soil plays an essential role not only in feeding humans but in supporting the living things that produce the oxygen we breathe and purifying the water we drink. In other words, soil keeps our planet habitable.
We, therefore, must stop considering ”soil“ a dirty word and remember that the food we eat and water we drink can be traced back to it. Businesses should adopt guidelines that ensure the long term health and productivity of soil. And local and national governments should provide policies that encourage soil protection.
Soil is one of the most important resources on our planet, and we have ignored it too long-at our own risk. The most important thing that can happen is a change in mind-set that recognizes soil is not dirt. It’s life beneath our feet.
1. Why does the author mention Mom’s words?| A．To criticize media. |
| B．To find fault with parents |
| C．To show a common attitude. |
| D．To promote International Year of Soils. |
| A．roles | B．types | C．health | D．structure |
| A．Soil Being in Danger |
| B．Making the Most of Soil |
| C．Unearthing the Importance of Soil |
| D．Healthy Soil Growing More Food |
6 . South Baltimore is surrounded by water, highways, and train tracks. It’s also often thought of as a place to avoid—folks are taught to be careful of or even avoid South Baltimore. “People think South Baltimore is a place filled with danger. It’s not. It’s just we’re surrounded by dangerous things,” says Taysia, 17.
Taysia is part of a group of student activists fighting against a very different kind of danger in their neighborhood: air pollution and climate change. Lots of trucks with their noise pass through the neighborhood. South Baltimore is also home to a junkyard where they crush (压碎)cars, an old landfill, chemical plants, and mountains of coal. These are not the communities anyone wants.
The residents of South Baltimore are breathing polluted air today. Coal releases a black dust that’s small enough to get into people’s lungs. It can cause disease and death if you’re breathing it day after day. The mountains of coal are the focus of a growing opposition movement called Free Your Voice, led by South Baltimore teenagers.
The teens of Free Your Voice are taking on a big opponent (对手): the massive transportation company CSX, which transports more than 8 million tons of coal through South Baltimore annually. CSX makes billions of dollars a year.
The teens went door to door, warning their neighbors about the dangers of the coal transportation. Not everyone was on board at first. “We were talking to people and that’s just like, ‘You’re a kid! Like this is not gonna change, it’s been happening forever.’” Taysia says.
Meanwhile, the students spent the summer using sticky paper to gather samples of dust from all over the neighborhood to prove that the dust was from coal and to pinpoint which parts of the neighborhood were most affected.
The goal is to eventually get the state regulators to deny the permit that CSX needs to operate, or at least require the company to enclose all the coal, or at the very least put water onto all of it so there’s less dust blowing around. And the state is considering all of those requests.
1. How did people describe South Baltimore according to Taysia?| A．Wealthy. | B．Dangerous. | C．Peaceful. | D．Inclusive. |
| A．The junkyard. | B．The old landfill. |
| C．The chemical plants. | D．The coal transportation. |
| A．They believed the pollution was harmless. |
| B．They trusted CSX’s environmental practices. |
| C．They had no awareness of the pollution and climate change. |
| D．They thought the students were too young to make a change. |
| A．Conducting surveys. | B．Distributing leaflets. |
| C．Using sticky paper for dust samples. | D．Organizing protests. |
7 . AMTRAK TRAIN TICKETS FROM WASHINGTON TO NEW YORK
Departure | Arrival | Duration | Price | |
Union Station — Penn Station | 1:50 PM | 4:38 PM | 2h 48m | $184 |
Union Station — Penn Station | 4:00 PM | 6:40 PM | 2h 40m | $190 |
Union Station — Penn Station | 10:30 AM | 1:20 PM | 2h 50m | $175 |
Union Station — Penn Station | 8:00 AM | 10:30 AM | 2h 30m | $195 |
Deals and discounts
The train company has a discount policy on train tickets. It offers a discount for family groups (3 or more people) and babies. It offers a 50% discount for babies under the age of 24 months. Disabled people and people with reduced mobility can receive free assistance at the train station and on the train.
Ticket refunds and exchanges
If the passenger has any problem before the trip, the train company allows some kind of changes like: refund if the client won’t travel anymore or schedule changes. But remember, there are cancellation fees that vary according to the advance of the change request.
Boarding on train
It’s important to arrive at the station one hour before your train leaves, so you can check your ticket without problems.
Baggage size and weight limits
Each train company has its own rules about carrying luggage. The company allows the transport of one or two pieces of luggage weighing up to 20kg.
Pets on train
American train companies do not allow the transport of animals in their carriages.
Have an awesome train trip!
1. Which train takes the least time?| A．1:50 PM. | B．4:00 PM. | C．10:30 AM. | D．8:00 AM. |
| A．$190. | B．$195. | C．$380. | D．$390. |
| A．Tourists can carry luggage weighing above 20kg. |
| B．Tourists can take their pets onto the train with themselves. |
| C．Tourists can get a full refund if they have a problem before the trip. |
| D．Tourists had better arrive at the station one hour before train departure. |
8 . When I was in second grade, I discovered my parents’ 600 Film Polaroid camera. Somehow, there was still film inside of the camera and the camera worked! I spent that night taking pictures of my family and our pet dog. The next day, I convinced my parents to let me take it to class and took pictures of my friends. I instantly fell in love with capturing memories.
From then on, I would always ask my parents if I could borrow their digital camera during family vacations. I loved taking pictures of everything in sight. When I saw the pictures, I was filled with happiness from the moments I was able to record.
At high school, I took some photography courses furthering my curiosity for this art form. I learned about editing and the wonders of Photoshop. I learned what a great tool it is and I tried my best to practice as often as I could. When I was looking at universities, I was extremely interested in art schools because of photography. I knew deep in my heart that I wanted to do something more with photography. However, I also had a dream and passion to study business. I eventually decided to attend a university where I had the opportunity to study both fields.
During my first year of college, I decided to pursue a photography minor. My love for Business and Marketing helped me to turn my passion into a business. I created Angelica Carrete Photography in 2016 as a way to do more with my hobby. I challenged myself to grow as a creative every day and tried my best to stay motivated through the struggles that come with being a college student. I created this blog as a way to express my thoughts on the many different aspects of photography and to further challenge my creativity. I am so excited about this journey!
1. What does the underlined word “capturing” mean in paragraph 1?| A．Recalling. | B．Shooting. | C．Losing. | D．Spreading. |
| A．He learned some photo-editing skills. |
| B．He was given an offer by an art school. |
| C．He was given a digital camera by his parents. |
| D．He used a camera as a tool to explore the world. |
| A．He took photography as his major at university. |
| B．He got creative thoughts through reading a blog. |
| C．He considered marketing as the biggest challenge. |
| D．He enjoyed the process of turning passion into a business. |
| A．his college days are difficult | B．his parents are not supportive |
| C．he could only use an old camera | D．he failed to be admitted to an art school |
Stretching along the west coast of North America from northern California to Alaska, the forests found along the Pacific Coast Range are the largest area of temperate (温带的) rainforest in the world. The forests are home to the coast redwood, the world’s tallest tree. Across the region, the forest understory (林下叶层) is wet and heavily vegetated.
Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests
Found in southern Japan, they are temperate rainforests of evergreen broadleaf trees. The forests can receive more than 100 inches of rain every year. The forests are covered by Japanese cedar and Japanese stone oak, while moso bamboo comprise the understory. The extent of the Taiheiyo forests has been reduced due to development and agriculture. Today,17%of the remaining forest is protected by national parks and other reserves.
Atlantic Oakwood Forest
The Atlantic Oakwood Forest covers the wettest parts of the United Kingdom. A species of oak tree (橡树) called sessile oak occupies the landscape. Unlike other temperate forests, these forests tend to have an open understory of grasses. Much of the historical range of the forest has given to agriculture and other development, though that has changed in recent decades.
Valdivian Temperate Rainforest
This forest is found on the west coast of Chile and Argentina, on the wet, western slopes (斜坡) of the Andes mountain range. With the coastline to the west, the peaks of the Andes to the east, and the Atacama Desert to the north, the region supports a number of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world. Uniquely, the forest is covered by evergreen flowering trees, which are native to Chile and little known outside the region.
1. Which of the four forest areas occupies the most land?| A．Pacific Coast Range. | B．Taiheiyo Evergreen Forests. |
| C．Atlantic Oakwood Forest. | D．Valdivian Temperate Rainforest. |
| A．They have open understory grasses. | B．They’re home to extremely tall trees. |
| C．They’re of great historical significance. | D．They used to be affected by agriculture. |
| A．Wet climate. | B．Coastal location. |
| C．Evergreen flowering trees. | D．Well-protected national parks. |
10 . 4 Ice Rinks (溜冰场) In The UK
Winter Wonderland, Cardiff, Wales
Duration: 16 November 2023—2 January 2024
This r ink is see-through, allowing views of Cardiff Castle while being sheltered from the elements. For further fun on the ice, travel down the Ice Walk that extends through the grounds for 150 m with a breathtaking backdrop of the Norman Keep.
Somerset House, London, England
Duration: 15 November 2023—14 January 2024
The magical r ink is at Somerset House. This rink offers skate school classes and wheelchair sessions, so everybody has access to it. Treat yourself post-skating with the Skate Extras at the Chalet Suisse in the West Wing of Somerset House, including a hot chocolate and chocolate fondues(奶酪火锅).
Royal Pavilion Ice Rink, Brighton, England
Duration: 28 October 2023—7 January 2024
Those summer scorchers at the seaside might be a distant memory, but there’s still reason to head to the coast this Christmas. Set against the city’s Indo-Saracenic-style former royal residence, Brighton’s green-energy ice rink has special free sessions for under-5s, and warming offers at the rink side Bar &Kitchen include hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Edinburgh’s Christmas Ice Rink, Edinburgh, Scotland
Duration: 17 November 2023—6 January 2024
When you’ve had enjoyed the delicious food at the Christmas Markets along Princes Street, make your way to George Street to enjoy a glide across the ice. Fixed between Castle Street and Charlotte Square, the covered r ink makes its mark with its scenic backdrop of the City Chambers.
1. What is special about Somerset House?| A．It provides free wheelchair sessions. | B．Foods are served before skating. |
| C．Anyone can skate there. | D．People can travel down the Ice Walk. |
| A．Royal Pavilion Ice Rink. | B．Somerset House. |
| C．Winter Wonderland. | D．Edinburgh’s Christmas Ice Rink. |
| A．Those who enjoy delicious foods. | B．Those who are fond of shopping. |
| C．Those who like to travel around. | D．Those who are keen on skating. |
