1 . What a day! I started my new school this morning and had the best time. I made lots of new friends and really liked my teachers. I was nervous the night before, but I had no reason to be. Everyone was so friendly and polite. They made me feel at ease. It was like I’d been at the school for a hundred years!
The day started very early at 7:00 am. I had my breakfast downstairs with my mom. She could tell that I was very nervous. Mom kept asking me what was wrong. She told me I had nothing to worry about and that everyone was going to love me. If they didn’t love me, mom said to have a good talk with them. I couldn’t stop laughing.
My mom dropped me off at the school gate about five minutes before the bell rang. A little blonde girl got dropped off at the same time and started waving (招手) at me. She ran over and told me her name was Abigail. She was very nice and we became close straight away. We spent all morning together and began to talk to another girl called Stacey. The three of us sat together in class all day and we even made our way home together! It went so quickly. Our teacher told us that tomorrow we would really start learning and developing new skills.
I cannot wait until tomorrow and feel as though I am really going to enjoy my time at my new school. I only hope that my new friends feel the same way, too.
1. How did the author feel the night before her new school?| A．Tired. | B．Excited. | C．Happy. | D．Worried. |
| A．Clear. | B．Funny. | C．Reasonable. | D．Excellent. |
| A．She met many nice people. | B．She had a hurried breakfast. |
| C．She learned some new skills. | D．She arrived at school very early. |
| A．She disliked Stacey. | B．She was shy and quiet. |
| C．She got on well with the author. | D．She was an old friend of the author. |
2 . Different ways have been applied to dealing with waste paper, specifically used newspapers. Some people put them in the recycling area, while others keep them as wrappers (包装纸). While these are both good measures, a Japanese publishing company had a better idea for their end use.
The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd. invented the “Green Newspaper”, which allows people to grow plants with it. This unique newspaper was published on Greenery Day, which is focused on environmental news and made of green paper with seeds placed into it. What makes it even more special is the ink (油墨) used to print words and photos, which is made from plants. The publisher advises readers to tear the used newspaper into small pieces and plant them in a container with soil. They should water them, like they would do for any plant. Within a few weeks, the seeds will grow into plants.
This brilliant concept was invented by Dentsu Inc., one of Japan’s most famous advertising companies, which works with the publishing company on the initiative (倡议). The publisher’s belief is environmental sustainability (持续性). As its mission statement says, “The Mainichi doesn’t take action only through information, but also by solving global issues.” With joint efforts, this initiative has reached the corners of Japan and sold around millions of copies daily. Other such initiatives producing plantable paper are also seen in India and the US.
About 95 million trees are lost for producing newspapers every year. The Internet, the number of whose users stands for 62.5 percent of the population worldwide, has influenced how people read news and the print readership has dropped greatly. However, the reinvention and reimagination of this newspaper will bring about a change in the publishing industry as well as having an environmental influence.
1. Why was the Green Newspaper invented?| A．To get newspapers cheaper. | B．To make the most of waste paper. |
| C．To improve the printing. | D．To advertise the publishing company. |
| A．It uses high-tech materials. | B．It provides energy for seeds. |
| C．It’s printed with plant-based ink. | D．It’s published to celebrate Greenery Day. |
| A．It’s easier said than done. | B．Everything comes to one who waits. |
| C．Many hands make light work. | D．Actions speak louder than words. |
| A．About 59 million trees are lost for producing newspapers. |
| B．The Internet has changed the way people read news totally. |
| C．The popularity of the Internet leads to the fall of the print readership. |
| D．The “Green Newspaper” will encourage more people to protect the environment. |
3 . One evening, Paul O’Sullivan felt bored in his Baltimore apartment. So he got on to Facebook to find out just how many others on the social network
Many of his fellow Paul O’Sullivans
But just months later, Baltimore Paul began experiencing health issues that
“What are the odds (机率)” says Baltimore Paul, “that a random Facebook
| A．shared | B．called | C．mentioned | D．liked |
| A．mind | B．screen | C．apartment | D．time |
| A．ignored | B．tricked | C．greeted | D．praised |
| A．make out | B．turn down | C．ask for | D．apply for |
| A．measure | B．innovation | C．reaction | D．emotion |
| A．ordinary | B．unusual | C．precious | D．formal |
| A．writers | B．employees | C．musicians | D．workers |
| A．observed | B．maintained | C．explored | D．formed |
| A．reflected | B．aided | C．agreed | D．gathered |
| A．release | B．imagine | C．exhibit | D．detect |
| A．suddenly | B．generally | C．frequently | D．eventually |
| A．reminded | B．forced | C．taught | D．allowed |
| A．get involved in | B．take advantage of | C．think highly of | D．press pause on |
| A．request | B．page | C．account | D．user |
| A．business | B．success | C．fame | D．friendship |
4 . Phones, tablets and smart watches will be mostly banned (禁止) from classrooms in the Netherlands from Jan 1, 2024, Sky News reported.
The move is meant to limit distractions from social media, messaging and other sites. Devices will only be allowed if they are needed for the lesson, for medical reasons, or for people with disabilities.
“Scientific research showed that mobile phones are a disturbance (打扰). We need to protect students against this,” said Robbert Dijkgraaf, Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands. “Students need to be able to concentrate and need to be given the opportunity to study well.” Dijkgraaf noted that schools could manage the implementation of the ban themselves. However, he added that laws would follow if the results are not good enough.
The United Nations also warned of the risks of smartphones in schools, the BBC reported.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said that too much mobile phone use was linked to reduced educational performance. And high levels of screen time have a bad effect on children’s mind, noted The Guardian.
UNESCO said its call for a smartphone ban sent a clear message that all digital technology including artificial intelligence should always be less important than a human-centered vision of education and can never replace face-to-face interaction with teachers. Based on its analysis of 200 education systems around the world, UNESCO estimate one in four countries and regions had laws or policies banning phones in schools. Besides the Netherlands, France introduced its policy in 2018, and Finland had a similar decision in June. In 2021, the Ministry of Education in China banned mobile phones, tablets, and other digital devices in the classroom, Xinhua reported.
According to the policy, if such devices are brought to school, then they should be stored together in the same place. Meanwhile, the use of the devices for teaching purposes should not be over 30 percent of the total teaching time.
“Our school has strict rules to ban phones in class. Students who break the rules may lose their merit student qualification or admissions eligibility (保送) for college,” Dai Ting, a 17-year-old student from Chengdu, told Teens.
1. Which of the following is true according to the text?| A．Only disabled students are allowed to use smartphones in classrooms. |
| B．Personal communication with teachers is preferred. |
| C．30% of the teachers use digital devices in class. |
| D．Any digital devices found in classrooms will be destroyed. |
| A．Carrying out. | B．Bringing out. | C．Making out. | D．Putting out. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Objective. | C．Negative. | D．Not mentioned. |
| A．Digital products totally banned in Netherlands |
| B．A ban on digital products in Netherlands schools |
| C．Digital products is a distraction in Netherlands schools |
| D．Digital products’ wide use in Netherlands schools |
5 . Community Celebrations
The Story of Artist John BiggersAs the 100th birthday of the late (已故) John Biggers is coming near in 2024, the MFAH celebrates his legacy (遗产) . These videos present a conversation with art it she encouraged, and a look at the wall painting he was invited to paint, describing Black longshoremen of Houston.
A Mosaic of Art and CommunityMeet the Jubilee Quilt Circle, created in the 1990s to protect the legacy of African American quilting (被子) while encouraging personal growth opportunities and experiences in Houston. In this two-part video series, hear from Jubilee members and learn about the central community spirit that goes into the art of quilt-making.
I, Too, Am America.Virtual(虚拟的) experiences―dance, music, spoken-word performances, interviews and more-pay honour to the African American artists whose work is on view in the Museum’s Nancy and Rich Kinder Building. The heading “I Too, We Two!” recognizes the team spirit between the Ensemble Theatre and the MFA Hand also includes the Ensemble Theatre’s virtual.
My Journey with FlamencoSee the different styles of flamenco, a form of Spanish song and dance based on the music traditions of southern Spain from the 9th to 14th centuries. These videos’ leading role is An a María Barceló and the founders of Houston flamenco performance company Solero Flamenco: Jeremías García and Irma La Paloma. The show Glory of Spain: Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum & amp; Library provides the inspiration (启发).
1. What is the purpose of The Story of Artist John Biggers?| A．To celebrate a festival. | B．To honor a late artist. |
| C．To introduce a tradition. | D．To show the life of the Black. |
| A．World-famous paintings. | B．Online art performances. |
| C．Spanish songs and dance. | D．Art of making bedclothes. |
| A．I Too, We Two! | B．My Journey with Flamenco. |
| C．A Mosaic of Art and Community. | D．The Story of Artist John Biggers. |
6 . Pretending is fun. According to a recent study in the journal Child Development, kids are fond of this trick. Aiming to test the benefits of self-distancing on children’s perseverance (毅力), the researchers asked 180 kids, ages 4 or 6, to do a pretty boring computer task for 10 minutes. Although all the kids had to do was press a key when they saw a certain picture, they were told the task was important and that they had to be “good helpers,” They could take breaks to play a game on an iPad if they wanted.
The researchers divided the kids into three groups, and asked each to think about its performance on the given task from a certain perspective (视角): self-focused, third-person or model. Kids in the self-focused group asked themselves, “Am I working hard?” The third-person group reflected on the task by asking, “Is [the name of kid himself] working hard?” And the model group? Those children imagined they were either Batman, Bob the Builder or Dora the Explorer — well-known characters who are model hard workers — and were given props (小道具) to help them get in character. They were told to ask themselves, “Is [whatever character was chosen] working hard?”
The researchers found that the kids in both age groups who imagined themselves as a character spent a longer time on the task. The 6-year-olds who were asked to reflect in first person spent about 35 percent of the time on the task rather than on break, and the 4-year-olds just over 20 percent. But the 6-year-old children pretending to be fictional heroes spent 55 percent of their time working, while the 4-year-olds in this group spent 32 percent of their time on task.
The researchers believe that when the children used third-person or model characters, the kids distanced themselves from the boring task and tempting game, allowing them to gain more focus and self-control. “Taking an outsider’s perspective on one’s own behavior can improve in the face of entertaining distractions,” the researchers say.
1. What’s the purpose of the research?| A．To confirm. | B．To advertise. | C．To convince. | D．To examine. |
| A．They spent 20% more time on the task. |
| B．They asked 3 questions to themselves. |
| C．They imagined themselves as model characters. |
| D．They were the least focused group in the experiment. |
| A．Dull | B．Inspiring. | C．Attractive. | D．Difficult. |
| A．Pretending Is Fun for Kids | B．The Benefits of Self-distancing |
| C．The Way to Improve perseverance | D．Pretending Helps Kids Be More Focused |
7 . Homeless Outreach & Mobile Engagement (HOME) Program in Los Angeles
The Homeless Outreach & Mobile Engagement (HOME) program provides field-based outreach, engagement, support, and treatment to individuals with severe and persistent mental illness who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Services are provided by addressing basic needs, conducting clinical assessments, providing street medical treatment, and providing access to appropriate services (including mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and shelter).
HOME serves the youth aged 16 to 21 who are experiencing chronic (长期的) unsheltered homelessness and who have profound mental health needs and associated impairments. These vulnerable individuals struggle with securing appropriate food, clothing, and shelter due to their mental illness. In addition, they may have critical shortage in communication, and are generally highly avoidant of medical services. They are unable to live safely in the community and require specialized mental health services to secure and sustain housing.
Most referrals (移交) are submitted by homeless outreach program staff members who identify individuals with severe impairments that require specialized and intensive support and engagement.
The general public may initiate a referral to a homeless outreach team through the Los Angeles Homeless Outreach Portal at www. LA-HOP. org. Individuals will be assigned to a HOME team if the person meets the criteria.
Homeless outreach providers should complete the form below and email it to HOME@dmh.lacounty.gov.
Press coverage about HOME:
●Los Angeles Times “LA’s first street psychologist makes his sidewalk rounds, transforming homeless lives”
●KPCC-FM “How LA’s ‘Street Psychology’ Program Works To Treat People Who Are Unhoused”
1. How does the HOME program offer help?| A．By conducting scientific research. |
| B．By providing accessible medical care. |
| C．By recommending useful websites. |
| D．By finding hosting families. |
| A．The temporarily unsheltered. | B．The well-off but troubled. |
| C．The homeless mentally ill. | D．The physically challenged. |
| A．Apply on the website. | B．Contact local media. |
| C．Visit its employees. | D．Write a letter of reference. |
8 . When Eugenie George first heard that her friend passed an exam, her heart sank. She’d failed that test weeks earlier, and needed more work to advance her own career. But instead of anxiety, she called her friend. “I congratulated her and told her she inspired me,” she says. She was surprised when it changed her attitude, so she could share her friend’s happiness and experience her own, in turn.
Finding pleasure in another person’s good fortune is what social scientists call freudenfreude, a term that describes the joy we feel when someone else succeeds, even if it isn’t directly connected with us. Freudenfreude is like social glue, says Catherine Chambliss, a professor of psychology at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. It makes relationships “closer and more enjoyable”. Sharing in someone else’s joy can also improve life satisfaction and resilience(适应力) and help people cooperate during a disagreement.
While the benefits of freudenfreude are plentiful, it doesn’t always come easily. Sometimes, your loss might last, making freudenfreude feel out of reach. If you were raised in a family that paired winning with self-worth, Chambliss says, you might misread someone else’s victory as your own personal shortcoming. And factors such as mental health and overall wellbeing(幸福) can also affect your ability to participate in someone else’s joy. Still, freudenfreude is worthwhile and there are ways to encourage the feeling.
Instead of an automatic response, freudenfreude is often an active process. To help people strengthen joy-sharing muscles, Chambliss and her colleagues developed a programme called FreudenfreudeEnhancement Training (FET). They found that depressed people who used the practices for two weeks had an easier time expressing freudenfreude, which built up their relationships and improved their mood.
Jean Grae, an artist, supports friends in this mindset. When someone gets a new opportunity or reaches a milestone, she makes sure to celebrate. Grae says she’s especially moved when anyone considered ‘other’ succeeds. “It’s truly inspirational,” she says, “because it lifts us all up and makes us shine.”
1. What do we know about Eugenie George?| A．She took pride in passing her exam. | B．She shared her success with her friend. |
| C．She was pleased with her friend’s success. | D．She was annoyed at her failure in an exam. |
| A．Its great benefits. | B．Its disadvantages. |
| C．Reasons for its absence. | D．Ways of improving it. |
| A．To test the effect of freudenfreude. | B．To help people apply freudenfreude. |
| C．To get people to know freudenfreude. | D．To show the advantages of freudenfreude. |
| A．How to experience freudenfreude? |
| B．Let’s share what leads to freudenfreude. |
| C．Freudenfreude: View others’ success as our own. |
| D．A win-win: Freudenfreude brings our own pleasure. |
9 . When I was in the fifth grade, my teachers first
My IQ was high, but I had
My family was not rich and I was
Ford Country Day School has become the most important turning
| A．discovered | B．arranged | C．produced | D．advised |
| A．even | B．already | C．again | D．only |
| A．help | B．change | C．matter | D．happen |
| A．worry about | B．pick up | C．focus on | D．find out |
| A．beautiful | B．severe | C．convenient | D．funny |
| A．shy | B．concerned | C．lucky | D．naughty |
| A．parents | B．climbers | C．explorers | D．hikers |
| A．referred | B．donated | C．agreed | D．attended |
| A．rescued | B．scolded | C．allowed | D．encouraged |
| A．hope | B．charge | C．job | D．style |
| A．walked | B．drove | C．rode | D．ran |
| A．confident | B．patient | C．familiar | D．afraid |
| A．support | B．appreciation | C．satisfaction | D．curiosity |
| A．difference | B．disability | C．comment | D．decision |
| A．mind | B．help | C．point | D．defense |
10 . It was a September day. Today was the first day of high school for a freshman, Kayla. Kayla had always been a bit of a shy kid, but she had always
As she walked down the hallways, Kayla couldn’t help but feel
It wasn’t long before Kayla’s determination was put to the
Kayla’s classmates began to notice how
From that day on, Kayla
| A．feared | B．loved | C．missed | D．forgot |
| A．bored | B．excited | C．worried | D．interested |
| A．difficulties | B．honours | C．reasons | D．dangers |
| A．use | B．side | C．trouble | D．test |
| A．simple | B．challenging | C．suitable | D．amazing |
| A．part | B．share | C．best | D．duty |
| A．teach | B．doubt | C．enjoy | D．believe |
| A．great | B．strange | C．confusing | D．secret |
| A．fast | B．bravely | C．fluently | D．hard |
| A．flash | B．news | C．support | D．service |
| A．manage | B．find | C．fill | D．waste |
| A．thinking about | B．getting through | C．giving up | D．asking for |
| A．freedom | B．creation | C．success | D．trust |
| A．realized | B．argued | C．stressed | D．recommended |
| A．families | B．customers | C．teammates | D．classmates |
