2 . Two weeks ago, a 5-year-old girl named Sunshine Oelfke emptied out her piggy bank (存钱罐) onto the living room floor and started counting. Her grandmother, Jackie Oelfke, thought she was playing as she carefully lined up the coins. But then she saw the girl put the coins in her backpack.

“What are you doing with that money?” Jackie asked her granddaughter.

“I’m taking it to school,” Sunshine replied. “I’m going to take it for milk money. My friend Layla doesn’t get milk—her mom doesn’t have milk money and I do.”

Jackie’s heart melted at Sunshine’s words. Choked (哽咽) with strong feelings, Jackie held her sweet granddaughter tightly in her arms.

Last week, Jackie and Sunshine met with her teacher, Rita Hausher, and handed her the $30 the girl had saved. There are 20 kids in Sunshine’s class and about half don’t get milk. It costs $ 0.45 a carton (纸盒). The total adds up to about $180 a month for every child in the class to have milk every day.

After dropping Sunshine off at school, Jackie posted a video on Facebook to explain her granddaughter’s plan. To her surprise, many people offered to donate toward the cause. Within a week, Jackie raised more than $1,000. Now every student in Sunshine`s class can get free milk for the rest of the year.

Jackie said Sunshine doesn’t see her kind act as a big deal. She was just trying to look out for her friends. “She doesn’t understand the influence she’s brought about,” Jackie said. “But now she knows she can do whatever she puts her heart to.”

1. Why did Sunshine empty her piggy bank?

A．She hoped to show off her savings in class.	B．She needed to train her counting skills.
C．She wanted to play with the coins.	D．She planned to pay for her friend’s milk.

2. How did Jackie feel upon hearing Sunshine’s words?

A．Annoyed.

B．Touched.

C．Curious.

D．Proud.

3. In Jackie’s eyes, what did Sunshine learn from the experience?

A．Two heads are better than one.	B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.
C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.	D．There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

4. What is the best title for this passage?

A．Small Coins, Big Changes	B．Jackie’s Piggy Bank
C．Piggy Bank and Carton Milk	D．A Moved Grandmother

3 . In 2019, Wang Jibing, a food delivery rider, had an unpleasant experience due to the wrong address left by a customer. Wang searched three buildings and climbed 18 floors before he finally managed to deliver the food to the customer, who rudely scolded Wang for arriving late. Wang was sad and frustrated. As a husband and father of three children, who shouldered the majority of the financial responsibility in his family, he had to bear all silently. On his way home that day, Wang wrote a poem, Man in a Hurry, expressing his feelings.

Since then, Wang has been writing poems inspired by his daily life, including a poem New Temple, which occurred to him after he delivered food to construction workers repairing an old temple, and Forgive, based on his observation of a young couple fighting.

Wang’s poems, simple yet real, are seen as a tool to process his emotions, especially the personal experiences he has during his work. His heart is healed by writing the poems, and he has shared them with his friends. In 2022, one of his friends posted Man in a Hurry online. It quickly went viral and was viewed for over 20 million times. The same year, Wang published a collection of more than 180 poems, under the same title. So far, Wang has written about 4,000 poems. This April, Wang published his second poetry collection, titled I Love This World Clumsily, featuring about 130 poems he has written since July 2022.

“Poetry is like a distraction from stress and an opportunity to record my life. Whether it’s coping with pain, dealing with stressful situations, or coming to terms with life’s struggles, poetry makes me confident and happy,” says Wang.

“The feedback from the readers is a big encouragement to me. Those poems carne to me naturally and I enjoyed writing them very much. However, the priority is to look after my family, so I will keep my regular job delivering food,” says Wang.

1. What can we know from paragraph 1?

A．Wang was in a hurry for the bad weather.

B．Wang released his feelings by writing a poem.

C．Wang lost his job for an unpleasant experience.

D．Wang misunderstood the customer’s need.

2. What does “went viral” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Became a hit.	B．Got updated.
C．Disappeared online.	D．Received criticism.

3. What kind of person is Wang according to the passage 3?

A．Talented and generous.	B．Responsible and creative.
C．Ambitious and considerate.	D．Intelligent and humorous.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the passage?

A．An unpleasant experience.

B．A good way to process emotions.

C．A man delivering a feast of poetry.

D．A popular collection of poems online.

4 . Vehicles on our roads are now mostly petrol and diesel (柴油) cars, but their days cannot continue for much longer. A recent university study found that current electric cars could be used for 87 percent of daily car journeys in the US. That figure could rise to 98 percent by 2020.

One hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric cars has been “range anxiety” — drivers concerns about running out of electricity on a journey. While petrol stations are conveniently located across national road systems, the necessary network of electric charging stations is still being developed. That said, charging points are becoming increasingly common throughout the USA.

Attitudes towards electric vehicles have changed greatly over the last few years. Not that long ago, electric cars were met with distrust, and their high prices drove customers away. Thanks to improvements in battery capacity, recharging times, performance and price, the current generation of electric cars are starting to persuade picky consumers. Plug-in cars will soon give internal combustion engine (内燃机) models a run for their money.

As well as development on the road, electric vehicles are taking to the seas and skies. Electric boats are among the oldest methods of electric travel, having enjoyed several decades of popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century before petrol-powered outboard motors took over. Now, the global drive for renewable energy sources is bringing electric boats back. Steps towards electric air travel are also being made, with Airbus and NASA among the organizations developing and testing battery-powered planes. The experiments could soon make commercial electric flight a reality.

Electric vehicles do not produce any emissions (排放). If the US could replace 87 percent of its cars with electric vehicles, it would reduce the national demand for petrol by 61 percent. However, because of the production processes and the generation of electricity required to charge these vehicles, they cannot claim (声称) to be completely emission-free. That said, as many countries continue to increase their use of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles will become even cleaner.

1. The underlined word “hurdle” in Paragraph 2 probably means________.

A．aim

B．difficulty

C．result

D．step

2. Why did many people refuse to buy the electric cars in the past?

A．They were very poorly made.	B．They were not widely promoted.
C．They were expensive.	D．They couldn’t travel at a high speed.

3. What is the function of Paragraph 4?

A．To introduce the history of electric travel.

B．To explain why the world needs more electric cars.

C．To show why more people have interest in electric cars.

D．To describe different ways electric vehicles can be used.

4. Which is the best title for this passage?

A．Driving into a Cleaner Future	B．History of Electric Cars
C．Problems with Petrol and Diesel Cars	D．Best Means of Transportation

5 . When I was in the fifth grade, my teachers first ________ that I could not ________ read the first grade books. They didn’t think this kind of problem could ________ to me since my father was a famous scientist. My parents sent me to experts, trying to ________ what the problem was.

My IQ was high, but I had ________ problems in learning. They discovered that I was dyslexic (诵读困难的). I was ________ that my parents cared enough to find a way out for me. When my ________ went to Ford Country Day School and sat down with Brent, a teacher in the school, he ________ to help without thinking twice.

My family was not rich and I was ________ to go to school free of ________ because my mother ________ some students to school in the morning in her car. I was ________ of going to school with my difficulties in learning, but Brent’s kind and loving ________ helped me slowly learn to grow and overcome my learning ________.

Ford Country Day School has become the most important turning ________ in my life. I count myself as one of the truly lucky people having been touched by Brent’s caring and love.

1.

A．discovered

B．arranged

C．produced

D．advised

2.

A．even

B．already

C．again

D．only

3.

A．help

B．change

C．matter

D．happen

4.

A．worry about

B．pick up

C．focus on

D．find out

5.

A．beautiful

B．severe

C．convenient

D．funny

6.

A．shy

B．concerned

C．lucky

D．naughty

7.

A．parents

B．climbers

C．explorers

D．hikers

8.

A．referred

B．donated

C．agreed

D．attended

9.

A．rescued

B．scolded

C．allowed

D．encouraged

10.

A．hope

B．charge

C．job

D．style

11.

A．walked

B．drove

C．rode

D．ran

12.

A．confident

B．patient

C．familiar

D．afraid

13.

A．support

B．appreciation

C．satisfaction

D．curiosity

14.

A．difference

B．disability

C．comment

D．decision

15.

A．mind

B．help

C．point

D．defense

8 . A new study in the journal of Tourism Analysis shows frequent travelers are happier with their lives than people who don’t travel at all.

Chun-Chu Chen, an assistant professor at Washington State University, conducted a survey to find out why some individuals travel more frequently than others and whether or not travel and tourism experiences have a lasting effect on happiness and wellness.

The results of his analysis show individuals who pay more attention to tourism-related information and frequently discuss their travel plans with friends are more likely to go on regular vacations than those who aren’t constantly thinking about their next trip. Additionally, participants in the survey who reported regularly traveling at least 75 miles away from home also reported being about 7% happier when asked about their overall well-being than those who reported traveling very rarely or not at all.

“While things like work, family life and friends play a bigger role in overall reports of well-being. The accumulation (积累) of travel experiences’ does appear to have a small yet noticeable effect on self-reported life satisfaction,” Chen said.

Participants in the study were asked about the importance of travel in their lives, how much time they spent looking into and planning future vacations, and how many trips they went on over a year. They were also asked about their life satisfaction. Out of the 500 survey participants, a little over half reported going on more than four pleasurable trips a year. Only 7% of respondents did not take any vacations.

As travel restrictions (限制) due to COVID-19 pandemic begin to relax in the future, the research could have important effects on both tourists and the tourism industry. Based on the results of the study, Chen said travel companies, resorts and even airlines, could launch social media campaigns, such as creating signs about the scientific benefits of vacation, to spark people’s interest in discussing their opinions about travel.

1. What is the benefit of frequent travelling according to the study?

A．Getting more tourism information.	B．Making more friends.
C．Bettering tourism industry.	D．Improving one’s well-being.

2. What does Paragraph 5 mainly talk about?

A．Why the professor carried out the study.

B．How the participants felt about the survey.

C．What the participants were interviewed about.

D．What the participants panned to do in the future.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Tourism industry should improve their service.

B．The results of the study will benefit tourism industry.

C．COVID-19 pandemic will be more serious in the future.

D．People will live a happier life after COVID-19 pandemic.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Travel more and be happier	B．Make good use of travelling
C．Prepare for the tourism development	D．Make travel plans with friends

9 . A new trend called “praise groups” or “in-need-of-praise” chat groups has become popular on Chinese social media. In Chinese culture, where modesty (谦逊) is valued, openly seeking and giving praise is uncommon. These chat groups provide a platform for people to receive compliments (赞扬) and encouragement, which are often lacking in their daily lives.

To join a praise group, users can pay a fee on e-commerce sites, starting at 50 yuan for five minutes of compliments. The group members will then show the person with praises and kind words. The compliments can be designed for a friend or loved one as well. Participants have found that being praised by strangers can help lift their spirits and improve their self-confidence.

For example, Meng Zha, a student at Shanghai’s Tongji University, tried the service and found it amusing and uplifting. She received compliments on her appearance and even quotes (引用) from popular songs. Ms Meng couldn’t help but laugh at the compliments and expressed her desire to post such high-quality praises in the future.

Praise groups have appeared as a way for people in China to seek and receive compliments and encouragement that may be lacking in their daily lives. It provides a positive and uplifting experience for participants, improving a sense of happiness and self-worth.

Those who support the groups, see them as an antidote to extremely bad moods (情绪) which are often associated with things happening on the Internet. “At first, the purpose of this group is to make us learn to praise others and accept others’ praises confidently. Here we can drop everything, and use our heart to praise and support others,” one member said. But the life journey is long and there are some unexpected situations that we can only count on ourselves to face when there is no one out there to offer help.

1. What is the purpose of praise groups?

A．To make praise popular.	B．To have everyone supported.
C．To share common interests.	D．To give people hope and happiness.

2. What can we learn about Meng Zha in paragraph 3?

A．She was not strong enough.	B．She was under working stress.
C．She was satisfied with the service.	D．She was a gifted singer in her area.

3. What does the underlined word “antidote” mean in the last paragraph?

A．A way of making new friends.	B．A kind of medicine.
C．A method of being confident.	D．The wisdom of solving problems.

4. What is the author's attitude to praise groups?

A．Objective.

B．Critical.

C．Supportive.

D．Unclear.

10 . The Chinese paddlefish (白鲟)-one of the world’s largest freshwater fish-has been announced extinct. Scientists say the paddlefish, also called the Chinese swordfish, is believed to have a lineage dating back at least 34 million years. With its long nose and mouth, the paddlefish could grow as long as seven meters.

But a research paper recently published in Science of the Total. Environment reported the paddlefish was now extinct. The researchers include scientists from the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Britain’s University of Kent and the University of South Bohemia in the Czech Republic.

The paper says the paddlefish was announced extinct for two reasons. It said that the fish was not able to survive because of widespread overfishing and damage to its native environment in the Yangtze River.

Researchers discovered 332 different species of fish in the Yangtze River in 2017 and 2018. But they did not find a single Chinese paddlefish They guessed the fish disappeared between 2005 and 2010. The extinction of the Chinese paddlefish was “a huge loss” to nature.

Pan Wenjing is a forest and ocean expert with Greenpeace East Asia. “The ecology of the Yangtze River is almost in ruins due to human activity in past decades” Pan said. She stressed that China had taken measures to improve the Yangtze’s environment, including a 10-year ban (禁令) on fishing.

After the extinction was reported in the news, some Chinese media and Internet users took a look back at the large creatures. Many people appeared to have not heard of the Chinese paddlefish before it was announced extinct.

“Every time I see the news of another species going extinct, heart starts to ache,” wrote one Weibo user. “Humans should not live alone on this planet,” the user added.

1. What do we know from Paragraph3?

A．Fishing in the Yangtze River.	B．Environment in the Yangtze River.
C．Researchers of the Chinese paddlefish.	D．The reasons for the Chinese paddlefish’s extinction.

2. Which of the following best describes the present situation of the Yangtze River?

A．No pain, no gain.	B．To protect animals is to protect humans.
C．Well begun is half done.	D．It’s never too late to mend.

3. What’s the writer’s attitude toward-the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish?

A．Excited.

B．Sorry.

C．Shocked.

D．Curious.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Fishing is not allowed in the Yangtze River

B．Few people are familiar with the Chinese paddlefish

C．The Chinese paddlefish has been announced extinct

D．Damage to the environment has bad effects