1 . A satellite is an object in space that orbits around another. It has two kinds — natural satellites and artificial satellites. The moon is a natural satellite that moves around the earth while artificial satellites are those made by man.
Despite their widespread impact on daily life, artificial satellites mainly depend on different complicated makeups. On the outside, they may look like a wheel, equipped with solar panels or sails. Inside, the satellites contain mission-specific scientific instruments, which include whatever tools the satellites need to perform their work. Among them, high-resolution cameras and communication electronics are typical ones. Besides, the part that carries the load and holds all the parts together is called the bus.
Artificial satellites operate in a systematic way just like humans. Computers function as the satellite’s brain, which receive information, interpret it, and send messages back to the earth. Advanced digital cameras serve as the satellite’s eyes. Sensors are other important parts that not only recognize light, heat, and gases, but also record changes in what is being observed. Radios on the satellite send information back to the earth. Solar panels provide electrical power for the computers and other equipment, as well as the power to move the satellite forward.
Artificial satellites use gravity to stay in their orbits. Earth’s gravity pulls everything toward the center of the planet. To stay in the earth’s orbit, the speed of a satellite must adjust to the tiniest changes in the pull of gravity. The satellite’s speed works against earth’s gravity just enough so that it doesn’t go speeding into space or falling back to the earth.
Rockets carry satellites to different types and heights of orbits, based on the tasks they need to perform. Satellites closer to the earth are in low-earth orbit, which can be 200-500 miles high. The closer to the earth, the stronger the gravity is. Therefore, these satellites must travel at about 17,000 miles per hour to keep from falling back to the earth, while higher-orbiting satellites can travel more slowly.
1. What is Paragraph 2 of the text mainly about?| A．The appearance of artificial satellites. | B．The components of artificial satellites. |
| C．The basic function of artificial satellites. | D．The specific mission of artificial satellites. |
| A．Providing electrical power. | B．Recording changes observed. |
| C．Monitoring space environment. | D．Processing information received. |
| A．By relying on powerful rockets to get out of gravity. |
| B．By orbiting at a fixed speed regardless of gravity’s pull. |
| C．By changing speed constantly based on the pull of gravity. |
| D．By resisting the pull of gravity with advanced technologies. |
| A．They are more affected by earth’s gravity. |
| B．They take advantage of rockets more effectively. |
| C．They have weaker pull of gravity in higher orbits. |
| D．They are equipped with more advanced instruments. |
2 . Afroz Shah, a lawyer in Mumbai, hasn’t had a weekend off in four years. But he hasn’t spent this time preparing for
His mission? Saving the world’s oceans from
It’s a calling he found in 2015 after moving to a community in Mumbai called Versova Beach. He had played there as a child and was
“The whole beach was like a
In October 2015, Shah began
For Shah, the work has always been a
He’s now spent 209 weekends on this mission,
“This world talks too much. I think we must talk
| A．teaching | B．court | C．housework | D．cleaning |
| A．river | B．soil | C．plastic | D．oil |
| A．upset | B．excited | C．delighted | D．hesitant |
| A．grown | B．changed | C．reserved | D．protected |
| A．pure | B．golden | C．shiny | D．visible |
| A．carpet | B．curtain | C．painting | D．photograph |
| A．temporary | B．permanent | C．ugly | D．pretty |
| A．sticks to | B．keeps off | C．gives back | D．ends up |
| A．killer | B．cleaner | C．guest | D．decoration |
| A．sweeping | B．attacking | C．visiting | D．beautifying |
| A．pulling | B．thinking | C．picking | D．looking |
| A．came | B．failed | C．went | D．spread |
| A．involved | B．lived | C．stuck | D．paid |
| A．easy | B．tough | C．personal | D．general |
| A．known | B．regarded | C．decided | D．honored |
| A．cause | B．case | C．position | D．fame |
| A．requiring | B．rejecting | C．inviting | D．inspiring |
| A．originally | B．finally | C．politically | D．theoretically |
| A．fewer | B．less | C．better | D．worse |
| A．honor | B．beauty | C．hope | D．love |
3 . When I was young I wanted to be a model, so when a national contest was staged, I convinced my parents to take me for an audition (试演). I was selected and told I had potential. They said that for only $900 I could attend a weekend event which dozens of the most prestigious (有声望的) modeling agencies from around the world would attend. At 13, my hopes of fame and fortune clouded all judgment and I begged my parents to let me go. We have never been rich, but they saw my enthusiasm and agreed.
I imagined being signed by some famous model companies. For months, any boredom or disappointment was pushed aside because I knew I would soon have the chance to be a real model. I thought I would grace the covers of famous magazines!
Of course, I wasn’t signed, but what hurt me most was being told that if I grew to 5’9” (about 1.75 metres) I could be a success. I prayed for a growth spurt (冲刺) because I could not imagine giving up my dream. I made an appointment with a local modeling agency and the agent demanded $ 500 for classes, $500 for a photo shoot, and $ 300 for other expenses. My parents only agreed after hours and hours of me begging.
The agency sent me out on a few auditions, but with every day I didn’t receive a call I grew more depressed. The final straw came in July after I had decided to focus on commercial (广告) modeling. There was an open call in New York City. We spent hours driving and another few hours waiting, only to be told that I was too short I was devastated (感到难以承受的).
Years later Ire zed that the trip to New York was good as it made me notice I didn’t actually love modeling, just the idea of it. I wanted to be special and I was innocently determined to reach an impossible goal. The experience has made me stronger and that will help me in the future.
1. What’s the main reason why the author wanted to be a model?| A．She won a national contest. |
| B．She wanted to get reputation and wealth. |
| C．She was urged by some modeling agencies. |
| D．She had full potential to be a successful model. |
| A．Encouraging. | B．Critical. | C．Doubtful. | D．Enthusiastic. |
| A．Her parents were strongly against it. |
| B．She realized that it was impossible for her. |
| C．Even a local modeling agency turned her down. |
| D．She realized that she didn’t actually love the idea of modeling. |
| A．the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset angry, etc |
| B．the final result that she was admitted by the model company |
| C．the final audition given by the agency |
| D．the decision that she made at last not to be a model anymore |
| A．Where there’s a will there’s away. |
| B．Being a model is not that easy. |
| C．We should have our own judgment and should not just follow others. |
| D．We might set unpractical goals but the experiences can help us grow. |
4 . Not Even Wrong
My eight-year-old son, lack, is a boy with autism (孤独症). Even though I always hear from others that he is very bright and he is making enough progress to meet goals, I am still anxious walking into their parents’ meetings.
Last fall’s parents’ meeting was even worse for me. I noticed Jack making a great effort to keep up with others. Some parents watched Jack and whispered (窃窃私语) and no children were willing to play with him. I started to see the social divide between Jack and his peers (同龄人) widening.
After the parents’ meeting, his teacher spent long time talking to me. She told me that it was getting more difficult for Jack to meet goals just because he was bright. Some teachers and students always complained (抱怨) about Jack’s actions. She also advised me to think about whether the normal class was the best setting for him. Hearing these words, I was very upset.
Then she blew my mind. She showed me one example of Jack’s works and said, “I didn’t know how to grade this. It’s not even wrong, but it’s not right.” I grasped when she said “not even wrong”, which is the name of one of my favorite books on autism, by Paul Collins. The book says a girl whose idea is so far off base but it is not even wrong. It perfectly describes autism and it perfectly describes Jack.
In his book, Paul Collins wrote, “Children with autism are like the square pegs (钉，桩). Hitting a square peg into a round hole is hard work. What’s worse, it’s destroying the square pegs.”
As a mother of a boy with autism, I want to help find more square holes. I want this world to be a world where it is okay to be a square peg without having to pretend to be round. We have been hammering (锤打) square pegs into round holes for a long time. Now we should put down the hammers. And I hope that some of those kids told their parents. And I hope that some of you read this and tell your kids. And I hope that we, all of us together, CAN change the world.
1. Last fall’s parents’ meeting______.| A．gave more joy to the author | B．left the author quite concerned |
| C．frightened the author greatly | D．seemed wonderful for the author |
| A．Impression. | B．Personality. | C．Difference. | D．Brightness. |
| A．Jack had been entirely wrong | B．she actually told a white lie |
| C．she just tried to please the author | D．Jack had a special thinking style |
| A．a round hole fits a square peg |
| B．hitting can never destroy the square pegs |
| C．children with autism tend to be hard-working |
| D．people should let children with autism be themselves |
| A．To change people’s opinion on autism. | B．To give some examples of autism. |
| C．To advise people to buy a book on autism. | D．To warn people of the risk of autism. |
5 . Being a blogger can be a good business. Don’t you believe it? Read on!
Meet Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vaynerchuk.com)
Gary Vaynerchuk is a New Yorker who gained Internet fame because of a video blog that talked about everything related to wine. Through online blogging, he built his wine business from a $3-million-dollar-a year wine retail (零售) store to a $60-million-dollar wine wholesale business. Gary Vaynerchuk has built a multi-million dollar empire relating to his personal brand.
Meet Rand Fishkin (moz.com)
Rand Fishkin is a college dropout who started blogging about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) back 2022 while working for a family-run web development company. He was also providing SEO consulting services for a few small clients. SEOmoz has left the consulting business since then and focuses on creating awesome SEO software instead. The company makes millions of dollars each month.
Meet Pat Flynn (SmartPassiveIncome.com)
Pat is one of the most inspirational bloggers in the world. After losing his job, he was forced to struggle to support his growing family. He started a website called Smart Passive Income to track his progress with various websites and online money-making projects. He has built a massive following and readership thanks to his honesty. Over the last 6 months, Pat has earned, on average, around $50,000 USD per month.
Meet Andrew Sullivan (thedishdaily.com)
Andrew started his blog, The Daily Dish, near the end of 2020. By the middle of 2023, he was receiving about 300,000 unique visits per month. Just this year, Andrew made some big changes and decided to work on The Daily Dish full-time: On launch day in 2023, the blog reportedly took in over $330,000, charging $20/month per reader.
1. After Gary Vaynerchuck started his video blog, ________.| A．he spent most of his time making videos |
| B．his wine business really took off |
| C．he loved learning about wine |
| D．his online security has been threatened. |
| A．Gary Vaynerchuk’s | B．Andrew’s Sullivan’s |
| C．Pat Flynn’s | D．Rand Fishkin’s |
| A．To learn how to make money online. |
| B．To learn how to find a job online. |
| C．To read very inspiring real-life stories. |
| D．To know about the history of various websites. |
| A．It’s run by a company. | B．It’s famous for its blogger’s honesty. |
| C．It’s mainly about how to cook. | D．It earns money by its visits. |
| A．Being a successful blogger is very difficult. |
| B．The Internet has greatly influenced our life. |
| C．Successful bloggers can make a great fortune. |
| D．Everyone can succeed as long as she doesn’t quit. |
6 . The most important skill I picked up at school was keeping a routine.
Routines allow us to develop a rhythm to our lives, but they also have their downsides.
It can be easy to get so accustomed to your routine that you don’t realize you’re no longer conscious of your time. This can stop progress, which means you start living your life on autopilot. It’s important that you include time in your routine for self-reflection.
Doing the same thing week after week can be dull. If you make time to try new things and explore new interests, you can adjust your routine to better fit your lifestyle as things change.
When I first came to college, I was told countless times that it’s important you develop a routine so you can focus on things important to you. But it’s easy to forget the bigger picture. I got so used to the same old things that I would often forget about all of the other fun and exciting opportunities college had to offer.
It wasn’t until my junior year that I really started setting time aside to explore things that were interesting to me. This was partly because COVID-19 and lockdown made my college life a lot more boring. It was this experience that made me realize I was stuck in a rut, a feeling I’m sure many came to terms with.
I decided I was going to make a change. I needed to find a balance between keeping a structured schedule and finding time to be creative and try new things.
I started writing and doing research to apply the things I learned in class. I started learning new instruments, visiting new places around town and exploring new ways to get involved in the local community. All of these different experiences allowed me to look at the things I was doing from a new perspective. It made me reassess what I’m doing with my life and pursue new goals, which have added huge value to my life.
Routines are important, yes, but don’t forget: it’s not the routine that determines your life. So don’t forget to throw something new in there from time to time. Above all else, don’t live your life on autopilot.
1. What can happen if we “live our lives on autopilot” according to the author?| A．We make rapid progress. |
| B．We get bored by our dull lives. |
| C．We forget to practice self-reflection. |
| D．We become more sensitive to changes. |
| A．He developed and stuck to some routines. |
| B．He always tried to break routines. |
| C．He forgot how to draw the picture. |
| D．He couldn’t adapt to college life. |
| A．It was vital to develop a routine. |
| B．A structured schedule helped beat boredom. |
| C．He should focus on important things. |
| D．He should lead a more balance d life. |
| A．He changed his career path. |
| B．He changed his major in college. |
| C．He paid more attention to his looks. |
| D．He enriched his social life. |
| A．We should balance our school work and interests. |
| B．It’s important to explore possibilities outside our routines. |
| C．Our routines define our goals and who we are. |
| D．Colleges offer us numerous opportunities to try new things. |
7 . I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn’t like attention drawn to myself. And
All this
Getting up the courage to go to the tryouts was only the
I practiced and practiced. Soon I knew the
With my
| A．as | B．until | C．unless | D．though |
| A．hoped | B．agreed | C．meant | D．chose |
| A．continued | B．changed | C．settled | D．started |
| A．idea | B．plan | C．belief | D．saying |
| A．right | B．chance | C．ability | D．patience |
| A．going | B．looking | C．cheering | D．applying |
| A．point | B．half | C．rest | D．basis |
| A．enjoying | B．preparing | C．attending | D．watching |
| A．less | B．later | C．worse | D．further |
| A．committed | B．motivated | C．embarrassed | D．confused |
| A．Interestingly | B．Fortunately | C．Obviously | D．hopefully |
| A．focus | B．act | C．rely | D．try |
| A．want | B．do | C．support | D．know |
| A．steps | B．orders | C．rules | D．games |
| A．roles | B．part | C．mind | D．value |
| A．process | B．operation | C．movement | D．situation |
| A．expressed | B．improved | C．preserved | D．recognized |
| A．dreaming | B．playing | C．relaxing | D．hiding |
| A．by | B．for | C．with | D．to |
| A．lucky | B．happy | C．sure | D．satisfied |
8 . Last night I was driving from Harrisburg to Lewisburg, a
At one point along an open highway, I
I started
Much later that night, after I
It’s amazing that we ever
I was so
| A．flight | B．distance | C．road | D．length |
| A．thinking | B．driving | C．complaining | D．running |
| A．stopped | B．changed | C．stuck | D．lost |
| A．horror | B．strength | C．understanding | D．impatience |
| A．ran off | B．came to | C．passed by | D．left behind |
| A．passed | B．watched | C．approached | D．found |
| A．stop | B．change | C．turn | D．die |
| A．way | B．side | C．city | D．direction |
| A．wondering | B．suspecting | C．struggling | D．regretting |
| A．abused | B．fined | C．injured | D．killed |
| A．danger | B．sign | C．time | D．record |
| A．met with | B．got over | C．got rid of | D．called back |
| A．turned out to | B．came back to | C．referred to | D．occurred to |
| A．virtue | B．suggestion | C．law | D．order |
| A．honor | B．solve | C．break | D．judge |
| A．stopped | B．protected | C．rejected | D．frightened |
| A．speaks of | B．stands by | C．takes in | D．disapproves of |
| A．suspect | B．trust | C．teach | D．care |
| A．only | B．first | C．lucky | D．living |
| A．sorry | B．doubtful | C．sure | D．proud |
9 . I have one of those names that are hard to pronounce, so I never liked the first day of school. When teachers read through the attendance, I always knew when they came to my name: There would be hesitation, then a slow syllabic (音节的) pronunciation of my name. Before they would even finish, I would put up my hand and say, “That’s me. Just call me Sanj.”
Sanj is short for Sanjukta. It’s an Indian name derived from Sanskrit and it means “united”. Words are powerful and so are names. I like my name. It means more than diversity; it means connection.
When strangers see my name, I can tell that they are trying to figure out where I am from. Some ask me what type of name it is and I know that what they really want to ask is “Where are you from?”
Growing up, I answered that I am Canadian. I didn’t want to stand out as the Indian kid. I used to think it was impolite to ask someone where they are from — it may make someone feel like an outsider. But over time, I understand most people are just curious and want to make a connection. Now when someone asks me where I am from, I also ask them where they are from. The conversation gets interesting when this happens.
Recently, I was at a dinner where most of the guests had never met each other. At first, people asked about where others worked and lived. Then people asked about kids and dogs. People started feeling a lot more comfortable with each other, so I asked everyone where they are from. This is when the conversation really got lively. People started guessing each other’s nationalities like the ultimate party game. A woman from Jamaica told us she was going back for a wedding soon and was having trouble finding a green dress. A couple of Indian women at the table convinced her to check out an Indian clothing store and showed her a traditional Indian outfit that would look great on her. All of a sudden, all the talk about where we came from united us.
United. That is what my name means. When I introduce myself to people, I say, “My name is Sanj. It’s short for Sanjukta.” Then I tell them that is Indian and what it means. And just like that, the meaning of my name makes people united.
1. Why would the author say her name first before teachers did?| A．They were not able to say her name correctly. |
| B．There are many ways to pronounce her name. |
| C．Her name was beyond their comprehension. |
| D．It would make her feel like greatly honored. |
| A．It’s much too complicated to explain. |
| B．It brings her connection with people. |
| C．It is likely to make her feel embarrassed. |
| D．It represents her nationality and personality. |
| A．She starts to share. | B．She feels offended. |
| C．She refuses to answer it. | D．She regards it as politeness. |
| A．There are strategies to reach out to strangers. |
| B．We should accept ourselves for who we are. |
| C．Differences can help us bond with others. |
| D．We should appreciate cultural differences. |
| A．Promoting our relationship. | B．Embracing your origins. |
| C．Identifying backgrounds. | D．Discovering connections. |
10 . Every year, thousands of teenagers participate in programs at their local art museums. But do any of them remember their time at museum events later in life? A new report suggests that the answer is yes — and finds that arts-based museum programs are credited with changing the course of alumni’s (毕业生的) lives, even years after the fact.
The Whitney Museum of American Art, the Walker Art Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles recently asked researchers to conduct a study to find out how effective their long-standing teen art programs really are. They involved over 300 former participants of four programs for teens that have been in existence since the 1990s. Alumni, whose current ages range from 18 to 36, were invited to find out how they viewed their participation years after the fact.
Among the alumni surveyed, 75 percent of them thought the teen art program experience had the most favorable impact on their own lives, beating the family, school and their neighborhoods. Nearly 55 percent thought that it was one of the most important experiences they had ever had, regardless of age. And two-thirds said that they were often in situations where their experience in museums affected their actions or thoughts.
It turns out that participating in art programs also helps keep teens keen about culture even after they reach adulthood: Ninety-six percent of participants had visited an art museum within the last two years, and 68 percent had visited an art museum five or more times within the last two years. Thirty-two percent of alumni work in the arts as adults.
Though the study is the first of its kind to explore the impact of teen-specific art programs in museums, it reflects other research on the important benefits of engaging with the arts. A decade of surveys by the National Endowment for the Arts found that the childhood experience with the arts is significantly associated with people’s income and educational achievements as adults. Other studies have linked arts education to everything from lower dropout rates to improvement in critical thinking skills.
1. What is the main function of paragraph 1?| A．To make a comparison. | B．To propose a definition. |
| C．To provide the background. | D．To present the subject. |
| A．To change the course of alumni’s lives. |
| B．To introduce the art museums. |
| C．To explore the impact of teen art programs. |
| D．To invite people to participate in the art programs. |
| A．Students are more influenced by the family and school. |
| B．Teen art programs in museums are highly beneficial. |
| C．Many teens fail to realize the great value of art programs. |
| D．Most experiences in museums are boring for today’s teens. |
| A．They are intended to attract more adults. |
| B．They are designed to support art museums. |
| C．They create adults who are culturally aware. |
| D．They provide many job opportunities for adults. |
| A．All prove the good effects of art education. |
| B．All suggest the need to improve museum programs. |
| C．All show the growing popularity of art programs. |
| D．All focus on the link between art and education. |
