1 . Rick Guidotti put aside his career as a fashion photographer to turn his lens (镜头) to people living with genetic, physical and behavioural differences.
He says what changed his perception (看法) of beauty was a chance encounter with an albino (患白化病的) girl. “I was just tired of people telling me who was beautiful. Every season that face would change but I was always told who was beautiful. As an artist, I don’t see beauty just on covers of magazines. I see it everywhere. So that was my original intention — that opened my eyes a little wider and wider.”
Guidotti has created Positive Exposure, a not-for-profit organization that uses photography and video to transform public perceptions and promote a world where differences are celebrated. Guidotti and Positive Exposure are featured in a new documentary called On Beauty.
One of the women featured in the film is Jayne Waithera. “I never thought I was beautiful because nobody said that to me, but meeting him was my profound moment. I remember that particular day. He took my picture and I felt so good like I felt there’s somebody who, like, really loves me and sees me for who I am and who sees me more than my condition.”
Guidotti is travelling from city to city to promote On Beauty. He says his tour is not about money; it’s about the message. “As I travel from community to community, I’m taking photographs and I’m empowering (给某人……的权力) individuals with a positive sense of who they are. They’re seeing beauty in their reflection but I’m also empowering their families and they in turn are empowering their communities as well. All is based on the philosophy of change — how you see, how you change.”
1. Why did Guidotti change his career?| A．The beauty on covers of magazines is not beautiful. |
| B．He wanted to create his own company. |
| C．His comprehension of beauty changed owing to an albino girl. |
| D．He couldn’t earn enough money from his former career. |
| A．It welcomes differences in the world. | B．It brings a lot of money for Guidotti. |
| C．It makes photography more popular. | D．It makes the public more beautiful. |
| A．Jayne’s picture was more beautiful than herself. |
| B．Jayne was beautiful indeed. |
| C．Photographs gave Jayne a positive sense of who she was. |
| D．It was unfair that nobody discovered Jayne’s beauty. |
| A．Communities have a great influence on everyone. |
| B．We should travel frequently. |
| C．Your attitude to seeing the world decides your behaviour. |
| D．We should make contributions to our community. |
2 . A dozen years ago, William Dunn noticed his six-year-old neighbor, Camran, shouted at his mom angrily. He started a (n)
William asked Camran’s mom for
On weekends, William and a few other
William wants to share his
| A．conversation | B．fight | C．argument | D．experiment |
| A．mother | B．grandma | C．dad | D．grandpa |
| A．payment | B．invitation | C．permission | D．apology |
| A．protected | B．attracted | C．stopped | D．chosen |
| A．few | B．positive | C．normal | D．similar |
| A．travel | B．learn | C．live | D．fish |
| A．teachers | B．parents | C．journalists | D．volunteers |
| A．subject | B．history | C．swim | D．basics |
| A．lessons | B．challenges | C．choices | D．realities |
| A．work | B．joy | C．function | D．form |
| A．adults | B．retirees | C．children | D．consumers |
| A．adventure | B．honor | C．love | D．friendship |
| A．cared about | B．suffered from | C．depended on | D．belonged to |
| A．homes | B．dreams | C．bridges | D．relationships |
| A．hardly | B．regularly | C．finally | D．initially |
3 . Do you love fossils and dinosaurs? I’m lucky enough to be a fossil preparator (化石制备师), which means I work with fossils, like removing rocks from fossils and gluing fossils together to make sure they’re not broken. Sometimes, we have dinosaur bones that need to be arranged and put back into place.
I like the job from the bottom of my heart. When we make “jackets” — these are things that store the fossils — we have to accurately and scientifically figure out how to make them for specific bones or fossils, which can be different shapes and artistic expression.
Since I was a kid, it’s been my dream to be a paleontologist (古生物学者). When I was 12, I went to this kind of event at the Houston Museum of Natural Science called Dinosaur Day. I got a chance to meet paleontologists. At the end, I asked, “Hey, can I volunteer?” And somehow, they let me, as long as a parent came with me. At 12 years old, I got to go to a fossil excavation (挖掘), and I got to work with dinosaur bones and fossils in the lab for the first time.
Fossils are very old. We don’t always get all the pieces. We’re working with something that’s incomplete, sometimes. We do our best to fit the pieces we know back together. And as for the pieces we don’t know, we don’t try to make anything up. But sometimes, we have a gap in a specimen (标本) and it needs support. We’ll put some material in there that’s clearly not fossil, so when people go to study it, they know not to study that part.
People would wonder how I find other kids, especially girls, who shared my interests when I was growing up. As a matter of fact, in my friend group, I was the only dinosaur girl. My friends were interested in other things, but they were all super supportive of my love for fossils.
1. Why does the author like her job?| A．It is not a demanding job. | B．It combines both art and science. |
| C．It is more artistic than scientific. | D．It is about collecting dinosaur bones. |
| A．To show her path to follow her dream. | B．To prove her parents supporting her job. |
| C．To present the barrier of achieving her dream. | D．To tell her easy access to achieving her dream. |
| A．By burying them back in the ground. | B．By breaking and reconstructing them. |
| C．By making them up with similar materials. | D．By filling their gaps with distinct materials. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Understanding. | C．Independent. | D．Entertaining. |
4 . I didn’t go to Santiago, Chile to look for friendship. In fact, Chile was not even on my wish list.
A mid-life crisis woman, I got a chance to study abroad. I only wanted to learn about global business, taste South American cuisine, and check “study abroad” off my wish list.
On the fifth day, I joined a group for a neighborhood work project aided by the anti-poverty (扶贫) organization. Our tasks were to build a water tower and paint the community center. Upon arrival, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like a scene out of a horrible film. That moment redefined poverty for me because I had never seen such terrible living conditions. As advised, I showed no signs of the motional battle going on inside me.
Just as I was about to start work on painting, a request came through for a few volunteers to help Nadia, a local resident who volunteered to cook for us. I raised my hand to help because I wanted spend time with the people of the neighborhood despite my shortage of Spanish speaking skills.
Nadia had a sincere smile but not overly friendly. Even without speaking each other’s language we started to learn about one another. We chatted about our children, our upbringing, shared picture of our family, struggled to instruct each other to communicate in the other’s language, and laugh many times.
After we fed everybody and the dishes were washed, my day was over. But I found myself hesitant to leave. It was as if I had known her my entire life. I had not predicted the unselfishness heart I would encounter, and it was moving.
As we were waiting for the car to pick us up, Nadia showed me her plants that are well-maintains. I could see that despite the hard conditions she was passionate about life. She made me long to be stronger person. She showed me that poverty was external, but happiness was internal. I was seeking to give 100 percent for a well-intentioned cause, but I left receiving 200 percent from her.
1. What was the author’s initial purpose of going to Chile?| A．To find new friends while traveling. | B．To participate in an anti-poverty project. |
| C．To fulfill the desire to study abroad. | D．To gain a graduate certificate in business. |
| A．She decided to relieve the poverty. | B．She kept her emotions well hidden. |
| C．She comforted the shocked volunteers. | D．She refused to continue the present task. |
| A．She felt very sympathetic toward Nadia. |
| B．She longed to interact with the local residents. |
| C．She wanted to improve her Spanish speaking skills. |
| D．She preferred cooking to painting the community center. |
| A．True friends are never apart in heart. |
| B．Happiness is defined by a positive attitude. |
| C．Language is not a barrier to great connections. |
| D．Unselfishness is putting others before ourselves. |
5 . Given that cancer is one of the deadliest diseases out there, any new development in our fight against it is highly praiseworthy. The latest breakthrough was made by Heman Bekele in 2023, a 14-year-old student from Virginia. The student has created a bar soap to treat skin cancer. Now, his findings have earned him the title of America’s Top Young Scientist.
Bekele remembers he always saw people who were constantly hit by the glaring sun as a child. As he grew up and began to realize the risks like skin cancer were associated with sun exposure, the boy decided to come up with solutions.
While similar treatments are available, Bekele hoped to work on a more affordable alternative, especially for those in developing countries. “I wanted to make my idea something that not only was great in terms of science but also could benefit as many people as possible,” Bekele says. It is often the simple solutions that are the most effective because soap is a daily routine for most people.
With the guidance of Deborah Isabelle, a product engineering specialist, Bekele made his soap by mixing regular soap with compounds (化合物) that slowly reactivate dendritic (枝状的) cells. When the soap is applied, it releases toll-like receptors into our skin. These receptors attach onto dendritic cells which reactivate them. The reactivated dendritic cells then join with TN io12 cells to fight cancer cells. Rather than a cure, Bekele’s soap aims to help people’s immune cells stay active while fighting skin cancer.
For now, the young scientist hopes to improve his invention and create a non-profit to distribute the soap among those who need it most. “I believe that young minds can make a positive impact on the world,” Bekele said. “I have a strong desire to know how the physical world works and how to improve the lives of its inhabitants, and this challenge gives me the perfect platform to showcase my ideas.”
1. Why is Bekele’s childhood experience mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To show his genius for scientific creation. |
| B．To express people’s eagerness for his soap. |
| C．To explain his motivation to create the soap. |
| D．To remind people of their similar memories. |
| A．It can be admirable for the design. |
| B．It can be available to more people. |
| C．It will be effective in curing any cancer. |
| D．It will be pioneering in terms of science. |
| A．The treatment principle of the soap. |
| B．The damage caused by skin cancer. |
| C．The prevention measures of skin cancer. |
| D．The professional evaluation of the soap. |
| A．Creative and loyal. | B．Ambitious and plain. |
| C．Curious and adaptable. | D．Sympathetic and curious. |
6 . Two men were sitting together in a plane. They were on a long journey. One of the men was a businessman. The other was a farmer. They sat without talking for a while, then the farmer said, “Let’s do something to pass the time.”
“What do you want to do?” the businessman asked. “We can ask each other riddles (谜语).” The farmer said, “You start.” “Let’s make the rules first,” the businessman said. “That’s not fair. You are a businessman with much knowledge. You know more things than I do. I am just a farmer.”
“That’s true.” The businessman said. “What do you want we should do?” “If you don’t know the answer to a riddle, you pay me $100. And if I don’t know the answer, I’ll pay you $50.” The farmer said. The businessman thought about this, then he said, “OK. That’s fair. Who will go first?”
“I will,” The farmer said. “Here is my riddle. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?” The business man repeated the riddle, “What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies? Mm, that’s a good one. I’m afraid I don’t know the answer.” He gave the farmer $100, then said, “Tell me the answer. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies? “I don’t know.” The farmer said and gave him $50.
1. The story happened ____________.| A．on a farm | B．in a shop |
| C．before a long plane journey | D．between two passengers |
| A．kill time on the long journey | B．make money |
| C．show he was smarter | D．make fun of the businessman |
| A．He made much more money than the farmer. |
| B．He thought he knew more than the farmer. |
| C．He was interested in making riddles. |
| D．He was better at playing riddle games. |
| A．enjoyed himself on his long journey. | B．didn’t want to pay even one dollar |
| C．spent all his money on the plane ticket. | D．won fifty dollars by playing the riddle game |
7 . Last year, my younger brother Darrin tore the old engine out of his Dodge Challenger. Then he
Later, I asked him about this
Our
Never
| A．discovered | B．rebuilt | C．donated | D．reserved |
| A．detected | B．preferred | C．occupied | D．had |
| A．figure out | B．give away | C．bring up | D．rule out |
| A．property | B．campaign | C．guide | D．project |
| A．correct | B．serious | C．simple | D．funny |
| A．luck | B．option | C．requirement | D．relaxation |
| A．expected | B．forced | C．convinced | D．motivated |
| A．communicated | B．competed | C．experimented | D．disagreed |
| A．sure | B．afraid | C．curious | D．satisfied |
| A．permission | B．courage | C．advice | D．reward |
| A．amazing | B．common | C．confusing | D．strange |
| A．anxiety | B．capacity | C．income | D．impatience |
| A．rarely | B．necessarily | C．originally | D．mostly |
| A．seeking | B．offering | C．affording | D．avoiding |
| A．admit | B．stop | C．fancy | D．keep |
8 . The days of just teaching kids their ABCs are long gone. Modern educators are tasked with the seemingly impossible responsibility of ensuring that today’s youth are academically prepared for life outside the classroom: being self-aware, self-managing, socially aware, relationship-building and responsible decision-makers who positively contribute to society. That is quite an ask!
Social-emotional learning (SEL) answers this call and delivers upon this tall order. It is a method to improve students’ intrapersonal (内心的), interpersonal, and cognitive competence. This process improves individual students’ skills and makes for a community of successful learners willing and able to positively contribute to society. This theory truly allows individuals to develop well.
SEL has effectively predicted positive school adjustment in the school setting, promoted learning engagement, minimized discipline problems, increased high school graduation rates, and promoted future employment and adult health. A core component of SEL is helping children understand their emotions. Further, not only is it vital that youngsters can identify various emotions, but they must also be able to manage the emotions they experience.
Developing an identity is necessary for maturing adults, and SEL satisfies this requirement, In assisting students in developing their identity, SEL helps to increase self-confidence, self-compassion, identification of strengths and needs, and recognition of needs, values, and judgments.
In the classroom. SEL has been shown to positively impact students’ attitudes, behaviors, and academic performance. Further, it decreases negative behaviors, such as being off-task or aggressive, and substance abuse. SEL enhances the learning environment and makes it a safe place for learning.
Not only is SEL critical for students’ mental health, but it is also important for teachers’ mental health. SEL increases teacher-reported effectiveness for behavior management and decreases reports of teacher burnout. Ultimately, SEL creates a calmer classroom environment, which makes educating students much easier.
1. What does the underlined word “That” in Paragraph 1 stand for?| A．Teaching kids their ABCs. | B．Preparing students for life beyond class. |
| C．All the hopes placed on students. | D．Teaching students self-management. |
| A．How to be a successful learner. | B．How to meet the students’ needs. |
| C．What is needed for a community. | D．What is social-emotional learning. |
| A．Giving students a definite identity. | B．Allowing students to predict their future. |
| C．Guaranteeing students’ future employment. | D．Helping students understand and manage emotions. |
| A．It is a win-win method. | B．It is criticized by students. |
| C．It may make teachers tired. | D．It is a magical tool for teachers. |
9 . When Sourabh Jain first became a father to his daughter, he struggled with bonding with her in the beginning. That’s when he realized that games and books are interactive and provide an opportunity to spend hours with her. Thus he began the hunt for games and toys that not only helped him bond with his daughter but also contributed to her cognitive (认知的) development.
During this search, he realized that not only are these toys and games hard to find, but they can also burn a hole in one’s pocket. Another realization was that there is always some amount of plastic in the toys and it is harmful to the environment and the little ones.
While he expected to give his daughter the world, he also wanted to leave behind a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable world for her. Today, he owns The EleFant—a toy rental company, or in Sourabh’s words, “a labor of love”.
Currently, the company has a customer base of more than 250 subscribers with over 2,000 downloads of the application per day. They also have collaborations with 70 toy companies where they source their toys.
Among these 250 subscribers is Rahul Bhauwala who rents toys for his 6-year-old son. “I am a working professional and I hardly get any time to go out and spend hours looking for and buying toys. I could use that precious time to play with my child instead. This is why I love using The EleFant app. They have a wide range of toys which are categorized by age group. The products are very well-packaged and my son loved opening them as it looked like a present to him,” he says.
As for the future, Sourabh says, “Our intention was not to make it an expensive and exclusive service (专属服务). Instead, we aimed to provide an opportunity for everyone to give their children everything in a sustainable manner. The value is kept in this way, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility for all.”
1. What did Sourabh find when searching for toys for his daughter?| A．Pockets often get damaged by toys. | B．Eco-friendly toys are hard to find. |
| C．Toys could bond him with his daughter. | D．Toys do good to cognitive development. |
| A．Its convenience. | B．Its delivery service. |
| C．Its popularity. | D．Its cheap rental price. |
| A．Producing more toys. | B．Expanding his company. |
| C．Making his service more accessible. | D．Donating toys to poor families. |
| A．Successful and humorous. | B．Generous and modest. |
| C．Talented and creative. | D．Responsible and business-minded. |
10 . Supermarkets, conservationists and farming groups have shown their concerns about pollution of the Wye, one of the UK’s longest rivers. “The pollution pressures upon the Wye are unacceptable and there was strong enthusiasm for cooperative action to resolve the problem.” said Craig Bennett, head of the Wildlife Trusts.
The pollution referred largely to runoff of the nutrient-rich waste matter produced by the 20 million-plus chickens near the river.
Bennett said: “We discussed how, if the Wye were a school or a hospital, we would be calling for it to be placed into ‘special measures’. We agreed the same level of urgency must be applied.”
Increasing concern led the local government to hold a discussion in May, when they promised to publish a plan for the Wye by the autumn. However, the local government’s push on the river was marred in June when the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs published a Wye video showing sea otters (海獺) rather than the river’s local European otters. The pollution of the Wye was not mentioned at all.
In July Bennett hosted a Wye round table in Powys, Wales, bringing together local groups, the Environment Agency, the chicken produce Avara Foodsr, regional branches of the National Farmers Union and local authorities. They agreed on a plan that included cutting the nutrient pollution “through a reduction in animal numbers” and other measures.
Bennett also wrote to Julie James, the Welsh Climate Change Minister, who said, “I share your concern for the health of the River Wye and other Welsh rivers.”
A supermarket chain said they are committed to protecting the river and engaging with their chicken suppliers to tackle water pollution. They have detailed management plans to make sure their suppliers are farming with care for the environment. A government spokesman said: “We are offering a wide range of support to farmers to speed up their transition to more sustainable practices and help protect this important site.”
1. Why does Bennett compare the Wye with a school or a hospital?| A．To call for urgent measures. | B．To stress the impacts of the river. |
| C．To show the importance of the river. | D．To urge people to protect the environment. |
| A．Destroyed. | B．Boosted | C．Perfected. | D．Emphasized. |
| A．Making a careful plan. | B．Reducing animal numbers. |
| C．Arousing people’s awareness. | D．Asking the government for money. |
| A．Sea Otters Are under Attack for Possible Pollution |
| B．Cooperated Efforts Are Made to Protect the Wye |
| C．People Are Having More Environmental Awareness |
| D．More Measures Should Be Taken to Prevent Air Pollution |
