1 . Earthquakes are common natural disaster. No matter where you are, knowing how to protect yourself and your family during an earthquake is necessary.
Some expert propose that when you feel the ground is shaking, drop down, take cover under a desk and hold on. Most earthquake injuries are the result of being hit by something falling on you. You should stay indoors until the shaking stops. If you are outdoors, don’t stay near building, trees or power lines. Many people think that in case of an earthquake, they should “get under something” like a doorway or desk, in order to avoid being hurt by falling objects.
Rescue experts now say this is the wrong thing to do. For example, in the 1985 Mexico City earthquakes, they found hundreds of children in schools, crushed by their desks. However, they could have survived by lying in the aisle (通道，走道) next to their desks.
So find a nice piece of furniture, a chair, a sofa, and lie down, or curl up next to it. A falling roof may compact the furniture, but will still leave a space for you to survive next to it. This also holds true if you are in a hotel room, especially at night. Get of the bed, and lie down next to it.
In San Francisco’s 1989 earthquake, the upper freeway fell on the lower one. People who drove along were crushed in their cars. But they had time to get out and lie down next to their cars. Yes, their cars were cashed bur there was space from top to bottom next to the vehicles for people to survive and await a rescue.
Doorways and stairways are very unsafe Slay away from those.
What can we do to keep ourselves safe? Saying calm is the first and most important rule when facing accidents.
1. What should you do first when accidents happen according to this passage?| A．Get under buildings | B．Stay near trees. |
| C．Keep calm | D．Drop down |
| A．“Get under something” can avoid being hurt |
| B．Right earthquake survival tips can save life. |
| C．Earthquakes cause great damage. |
| D．Don’t drive on the upper freeway during an earthquake |
| A．hidden | B．protected |
| C．killed | D．supported |
| A．Lie down next to a strong piece of furniture or a car |
| B．Lie down under a table or desk |
| C．Run out of the house and stay under a big tree. |
| D．Shout out loudly and ask for help |
2 . I will always remember my mother's last few days in this world.
On February 14th, 2000 my class went on a field trip to the beach. I had so much fun. When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster's office. When I got into the office, I saw a police office. Suddenly I realized something was wrong. The police office told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up. After that, we went to the hospital and waited. Time went slowly. Finally, we got to see our mother. It was terrible.
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happened. I was taking a rest that day. I knew it had something to do with my mother. I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better. How I wished that she had gotten better. When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me. She started crying, “She's gone. Teresa, mommy's gone. She's dead.” I couldn't believe it. We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital. Most of my family were there. The silence was terrible. I knew I had to say goodbye.
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live. My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart. My mother was an angel walking on the earth. I will always remember her as living. When someone is asked who their hero (英雄) is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears, When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother. My mother lives every day. That is what makes her a true hero.
1. Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill?| A．Her sister. | B．The headmaster. |
| C．Her teacher. | D．The police officers. |
| A．Her mother had been very ill. | B．Her mother had been dead. |
| C．Her mother had gotten better, | D．Her sister came to see her. |
| A．the writer is afraid of her mother | B．the writer is proud of her mother |
| C．the writer feels sad about her mother | D．the writer feels sorry for her mother |
| A．famous | B．free |
| C．rich | D．great |
3 . Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) has been greatly contributing to the treatment of the COVID-19, which changed the altitude of the western world to it to some extent. However, in the past, foreigners knew little about it. According to a government report, although TCM has been introduced into 183 countries and regions around the world, their understanding of TCM may be limited to acupuncture(针灸), cupping and massage(按摩) .For instance, the purple, injury-like marks left on a U. S. famous swimmers back from cupping to relax his muscles and reduce pain became the center of attention during the Rio Olympics in 2016.
In fact, Chinese herbs(药草) play a more important role in curing diseases and keeping the body in good condition in the TCM treatment system than physical treatment. Therefore, it is disappointing to know that although 103 world Health Organization member countries have given approval to the practice of acupuncture, not many recognize Chinese herbal medicine. TCM is much less popular than Western medicine partly due to the slow development of Chinese herbs.
Herbs can be made into pills, powder and soup. The kind of herbs used, their quality, quantity and the processing together determine the effectiveness of the prescription (处方). Compared with Western medicine, which has standardized drug production processes and treatment methods, TCM lacks standardization. The chemical composition and functions of its medicine are still unclear and their effects are unstable. Fortunately, standardization has improved in recent decades and a number of factories are increasingly producing patented TCM drugs.
Another reason why TCM prescription drugs have developed slowly is that it lacks creativity. While Western medicine-making companies come up with new products every year, TCM drug producers tend to make medicine according to prescriptions handed down from the past. That Chinese chemist Tu Yoyo won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her research into malaria(痢疾) treatment may drive creativity to some extent in China's TCM industry.
However, Rome was not built in a day. The current situation cannot be changed within a short time.
1. Why did the US swimmer attract the audience's attention in the 2016 Rio Olympics?| A．The injury on his back. | B．The golden cup he won in the games. |
| C．His relaxed muscles and reduced pain. | D．The purple, injury-like marks left on his back. |
| A．Set standards and improve creativity. |
| B．Increase functions and decrease production. |
| C．Increase functions and improve creativity. |
| D．Set standards and create more prescriptions. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Negative. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Positive. |
| A．acupuncture treatment is effective | B．cupping can cure some diseases |
| C．massage can relax body muscles | D．herbs can keep the body in good condition |
4 . There are three different kinds of friends in our life. I classify (分类) them according to how well I know them and how well they know me.
The first type of friend is just an acquaintance (熟人). This means that you only know their name. You might not even remember what they look like if you go away for a short vacation. You don’t miss them when they are elsewhere. It is also this type of friend who gives you the most amount of aggravation (恼怒). Since most of the time you are placed in a position where you have to act friendly, you would not normally tell an acquaintance when he or she is doing something that makes you feel angry, such as tapping the fingers on a table or shouting loudly. I call them “pest friends”.
The second kind of friend is a “guest friend”. They are just social partners. You meet them at a certain location and at the end of the meeting you go your separate way and they go theirs. You don’t talk too often with this sort of friend, and you don’t share each other’s secrets.
Lastly, we have “best friends”. This sort of friend is there when you need them. They know you as a person and they are there through thick and thin. Best friends are the ones that you can lean and depend on no matter what happens. If you need a listening ear, they will be the one to lend support.
Friends come in all different shapes and sizes. Every friend has an impact on our life. . .
1. According to the writer, when a friend of the first type acts in an annoying way, you .| A．can tell him/her about it directly |
| B．should stay away from him/her |
| C．should advise him/her to correct his/her behavior |
| D．may find it hard to tell him/her not to do so |
| A．They are only social partners. |
| B．You don’t talk very often with them. |
| C．You don’t share your secrets with them. |
| D．They are called “pest friends” by the writer. |
| A．he/she is your friend for sure |
| B．he/she agrees with whatever you say |
| C．you spend most of your time together |
| D．he/she is with you even when there are difficulties |
| A．How to make friends. |
| B．How friends influence our life. |
| C．How to improve friendship. |
| D．How to get along well with the third type of friend. |
| A．What a true friend is like. |
| B．Three kinds of friends in our life. |
| C．The role that friends play in our life. |
| D．Why there are different kinds of friends. |
5 . Astronomers have discovered an unusual solar system near Earth. It’s made up of six planets orbiting a star. What makes this system special is that the six planets’ orbits appear to be matched. Scientists compare their movement to a perfectly timed symphony.
“It’s precise and very orderly,” says Enric Pallé, an astronomer in the Canary Islands.
The discovery was announced on November 29. It’s based on data from two orbiting satellites, NASA’s TESS and the European Space Agency’s Cheops. The newly discovered system is 100 light-years from Earth, or about 600 trillion (万亿) miles. That’s close, in space terms. Astronomers are calling the system a “golden target” for further study. It could offer an example of how systems across the Milky Way were formed.
All solar systems are thought to have started out like this one. But they rarely keep their perfect timing. Giant planets can throw off the orbits of other planets. So can meteor (流星) impact. These things have happened in our solar system.
Hugh Osborn, of the University of Bern, in Switzerland, says his team was “shocked and delighted” by the discovery. “My jaw was on the floor,” he says. “That was a really nice moment.”
1. What is special about the solar system recently discovered?| A．It is made up of six orbiting planets. |
| B．The planets’ orbits are perfectly matched. |
| C．It is located 100 light-years away from Earth. |
| D．The discovery was made using satellite data. |
| A．It is the closest solar system to Earth in the Milky Way. |
| B．It is a clear target for future exploration tasks in space. |
| C．It challenges the common thought about solar system. |
| D．It offers an example of the formation of other systems. |
| A．The impact of meteors. |
| B．The researches of astronomers. |
| C．The formation of the Milky Way. |
| D．The influence of orbiting satellites. |
| A．They were very doubtful and critical. |
| B．They were quite surprised and excited. |
| C．They were confused and disappointed. |
| D．They were indifferent and uninterested. |
6 . As in other countries, road safety is always a concern in America. Studies show that in 2022, 7,485 pedestrians (行人) were killed by vehicles in the U.S. That’s an increase of more than 65% since 2012. Even during COVID-19, when fewer people were driving, more pedestrians were hit and more died.
Researchers found that drivers took advantage of empty streets and pay little attention to traffic rules. Another factor is the increasing popularity of SUVs, pickups (皮卡) and vans. These kinds of vehicles are up to three times more dangerous than smaller cars when hit pedestrians. The more fault drivers believe they could bear for the hitting, the more likely they are to leave without giving any help. Younger male drivers are more likely to run away. So are those who get drunken or lack a driving license. Other factors include the age of the victim, as children and elderly people are less likely to be left alone. Also, with more witnesses around, the drivers are less likely to hit and run.
In the U.S. drivers run away from serious crashes with pedestrians about 20% of the time, and the rate is very different among different states.
In 2020, 6,519 pedestrians were killed in the U.S. Speeding driving were a major cause. While Florida “wins” the least number of deaths caused by speeding. These following states were reported to have the most dangerous road accidents.
Ten most dangerous states for pedestrians
| A．Road security worries Americans. |
| B．Pedestrian are on the rise over time. |
| C．COVID-19 caused more road accidents. |
| D．Vehicles have doubled since 2012. |
| A．Cars. | B．SUVs. | C．Pickups. | D．Vans. |
| A．Young drivers are more likely to be honest. |
| B．Drunken driving is now allowed in America. |
| C．Children and the old are well protected in the U.S. |
| D．Drivers are more honest if witnessed by more people. |
| A．New Mexico. | B．New York. |
| C．Florida. | D．South Carolina. |
7 . My favorite thing about autumn is that I have an excuse to make my mom apple cake again. So, I always thought, once my first child was in primary school, I would enjoy taking part in bake sale fundraisers.
Instead, I fear them. I do not imagine that funds for football uniforms appear out of thin air. So I dutifully show up to each bake sale with home-made cakes.
Still, bake sales trouble me. They feel like a holdover from a time when many moms didn’t work and it was supposed they had a lot of time to bake cookies for children. Women who don't have the time to bake at home and who bring packaged cookies are seen as breaking a great American tradition.
What are we selling at bake sales, anyway? Are we advertising our baking skills? Or is the goal to raise money? Children happily buy cupcakes from a store, so why do we care that nobody in a home kitchen worked late into the night to make them?
Actually, if you look closely at the economics, they just don’t add up. We might spend $10 on ingredients to make 18 cupcakes that sell for $2 each. Think of this $26 as profit supposing that the hours spent shopping and baking and packing things up and taking them to school, and possibly selling and cleaning up afterward, don’t have value. Volunteering your time and energy to something important is worth praising. But neither the ingredients nor the work is “free”, and many parents can't afford to give them away.
This is not an attack against people who love to make banana bread and have the time to do so. But most people do not. Most parents struggle to get even the most basic parenting tasks finished in the limited time between the end of the workday and children’s bedtimes. It feels crazy to take time away from helping with homework, or actually making dinner, to spend hours on a fundraiser.
1. What can we learn about the author?| A．She loves baking. | B．She is active at school. |
| C．She likes home-made food. | D．She is against fundraising. |
| A．She has to buy cakes in stores. | B．Home-made baking is a burden. |
| C．Some moms don’t attend bake sales. | D．Moms are showing off their baking skills. |
| A．Ingredients are too expensive. | B．It is uneconomical to bake at home. |
| C．It is hard to raise money at bake sales. | D．Ready-made cakes are popular at school. |
| A．It is increasing. | B．It is rewarding. |
| C．It is highly valued. | D．It is unavailable for many. |
8 . Tour the Waterways of Quebec City
Quebec City Guided 90-Minute Cruise.
3 Nights Hotel Accommodations in your choice of over 9 hotels.
Prices starting at: Ages 19 and Up: $296.00
Ages 13-18: $55.51
Ages 6-12: $34.44
Ages 0-5: Free
Visit Quebec City, a city filled with French and British heritage. There are so many historical areas that will keep you interested in the area. Stay three nights in your choice of over 9 great hotels. With such wonderful hotels to look at, you’re sure to find one that you need.
Visitors will also be able to climb aboard on the Quebec City Guided 90-Minute Cruise. Learn all about the city while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Quebec City certainly offers a good city escape with all of the exciting activities one would expect from a big city, and you’ll be treated to the true wonders of the area for an outdoor journey that you won’t soon forget!
1. How long will a visitor stay in the hotel during the tour?| A．1 night. | B．2 nights. | C．3 nights. | D．4 nights. |
| A．$296.00. | B．$68.88. | C．$89.95. | D．$111.02. |
| A．Go camping. | B．Go climbing. |
| C．Play lovely music. | D．Enjoy indoor activities. |
9 . When I was a kid, I was close to my dad, but as I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart. We always had totally different opinions. He thought that college was a waste of time, but for me it was important to finish college. He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field, but I wanted a different life. There was a time when we did no talk with each other.
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health. When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado back to Tennessee to help him, I knew he was seriously ill. I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father’s requirement.
Two weeks after moving back, we bought a boat and started fishing again. Fisting was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed. It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before. Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart.
It is not important how many fish we catch. It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years. I’m 62 and he is 84. When we are on the lake fishing, it is like two kids enjoying life. It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind. I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years. Now my heart is filled with love. A smile always graces my lips.
1. Why did the author and his father become further apart?| A．They had different views on things | B．They lived very far from each other |
| C．They only communicated by phone | D．They seldom went to see each other |
| A．Because his father invited him to go fishing. | B．Because he decided to live in a different city |
| C．Because his father was ill and needed caring | D．Because he regretted being rude to his father. |
| A．The author’s car broke down |
| B．The author’s father intended him to be a fisherman |
| C．The author was unwilling to come back |
| D．The author’s father used to think it was useless to attend college. |
| A．Forgiving Is Difficult | B．Fishing Bring Us Together |
| C．Memories of Old Days | D．My Beloved Father |
10 . I first came across the concept of paywhatyoucan cafés last summer in Boone, N．C., where I ate at F．A.R.M (Feed All Regardless of Means) Café.You can volunteer to earn your meal, pay the suggested price ($10) or less, or you can overpay—paying it forward for a future customer's meal.My only regret after eating there was not having a chance to give my time.So as soon as Healthy World Café opened in York in April, I signed up for a volunteer shift(轮班)．
F．A.R.M and Healthy World are part of a growing trend of community cafés.In 2003, Denise Cerreta opened the first in Salt Lake City.Cerreta now runs the One World Everybody Eats Foundation, helping others copy her paywhatyoucan model.
“I think the community café is truly a hand up, not a handout，” Cerreta said.She acknowledged that soup kitchens(施粥所) have a place in society, but people typically don't feel good about going there.
“One of the values of the community café is that we have another approach，” she said.“Everyone eats here, no one needs to know whether you volunteered, overpaid or underpaid.”
The successful cafés not only address hunger and food insecurity but also become necessary parts of their neighborhood—whether it's a place to learn skills or hear live music.Some teach cooking to seniors; some offer free used books.Eating or working there is a reminder that we are all in this world together.
My 10 am～1pm shift at World Healthy Café began with the café manager—one of the two paid staff members.Our volunteer crew wasn't the most orderly, but we managed to prepare and serve meals with a lot of laughs in between.At the end of my shift, I ordered my earned meal at the counter, together with other volunteers.After lunch, I walked out the door, with a handful of new friends, music in my head and a satisfied belly and heart.
1. What did the author do at F．A.R.M Café last summer？| A．She enjoyed a meal. | B．She ate free of charge. |
| C．She overpaid for the food. | D．She worked as a volunteer. |
| A．People can have free food. |
| B．People can maintain their dignity. |
| C．People can stay as long as they like. |
| D．People can find their places in society. |
| A．They bring people true friendships. |
| B．They help to bring people together. |
| C．They create a lot of job opportunities. |
| D．They support local economic development. |
| A．It paid well. | B．It changed her. |
| C．It was beneficial. | D．It was easy for her. |
