1 . In the mid-1990s, Tom Bissell taught English as a volunteer in Uzbekistan. He left after seven months, physically broken and having lost his mind. A few years later, still attracted to the country, he returned to Uzbekistan to write an article about the disappearance of the Aral Sea.
His visit, however, ended up involving a lot more than that. Hence this book, Chasing the Sea: Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia, which talks about a road trip from Tashkent to Karakalpakstan, where millions of lives have been destroyed by the slow drying up of the sea. It is the story of an American travelling to a strange land, and of the people he meets on his way: Rustam, his translator, a lovely 24-year-old who picked up his colorful English in California, Oleg and Natasha, his hosts in Tashkent, and a string of foreign aid workers.
This is a quick look at life in Uzbekistan, made of friendliness and warmth, but also its darker side of society. In Samarkand, Mr Bissell admires the architectural wonders, while on his way to Bukhara he gets a taste of police methods when suspected of drug dealing. In Ferghana, he attends a mountain funeral(葬礼)followed by a strange drinking party. And in Karakalpakstan, he is saddened by the dust storms, diseases and fishing boats stuck miles from the sea.
Mr Bissell skillfully organizes historical insights and cultural references, making his tale a well-rounded picture of Uzbekistan, seen from Western eyes. His judgment and references are decidedly American, as well as his delicate stomach. As the author explains, this is neither a travel nor a history book, or even a piece of reportage. Whatever it is, the result is a fine and vivid description of the purest of Central Asian traditions.
1. What made Mr Bissell return to Uzbekistan?| A．His friends' invitation. | B．His interest in the country. |
| C．His love for teaching. | D．His desire to regain health. |
| A．Developing a serious mental disease. |
| B．Taking a guided tour in Central Asia. |
| C．Working as a volunteer in Uzbekistan. |
| D．Writing an article about the Aral Sea. |
| A．Romantic. | B．Eventful. | C．Pleasant. | D．Dangerous. |
| A．To introduce a book. | B．To explain a cultural phenomenon. |
| C．To remember a writer. | D．To recommend a travel destination. |
2 . When Jim Grant spotted black smoke coming out of a building on his way to work, he
Pulling up to the building, Grant saw flames（火焰）shooting out of a second-floor window. Not seeing or hearing any fire engines
On the second floor, he
Thanks to them, a family was saved from the fire. Grant and the policeman were honored for their
| A．drove | B．stopped | C．reached | D．abandoned |
| A．saw | B．made | C．missed | D．crossed |
| A．burning | B．leaving | C．approaching | D．waiting |
| A．entrance | B．road | C．building | D．window |
| A．locked | B．kicked | C．counted | D．repaired |
| A．agreed | B．cared | C．responded | D．understood |
| A．arrived | B．returned | C．hidden | D．escaped |
| A．skipped | B．closed | C．noticed | D．remembered |
| A．frightened | B．curious | C．patient | D．grateful |
| A．turn back | B．go up | C．get out | D．lie down |
| A．following | B．dragging | C．examining | D．passing |
| A．safely | B．secretly | C．suddenly | D．previously |
| A．witness | B．guide | C．service | D．help |
| A．woman | B．door | C．car | D．baby |
| A．wisdom | B．generosity | C．honesty | D．courage |
3 . One snowy night, a pair of beagles（比格犬）was struggling on a rural highway. The father-to-be looked around anxiously, trying to seek
As
The beagles made no effort to
“I already gave them away,” the man responded coldly.
Obviously, these beagles were
It’s a simple story, but it speaks to the best of our nature: Kindness and love can keep cruelty and cold at
| A．shelter | B．shade | C．instructions | D．routes |
| A．patiently | B．helplessly | C．fondly | D．proudly |
| A．waited | B．prepared | C．cheered | D．longed |
| A．trouble | B．opportunity | C．time | D．turn |
| A．life | B．luck | C．history | D．news |
| A．pulled over | B．turned up | C．headed off | D．sped up |
| A．submit | B．bark | C．struggle | D．escape |
| A．tore | B．adjusted | C．untied | D．read |
| A．colored | B．misted | C．dusted | D．damaged |
| A．dried | B．charged | C．examined | D．grabbed |
| A．persuasive | B．defensive | C．curious | D．grateful |
| A．discovered | B．licensed | C．identified | D．abandoned |
| A．racing | B．sinking | C．aching | D．beating |
| A．blue | B．question | C．way | D．world |
| A．bay | B．hand | C．ease | D．peace |
4 . A trial project by the Montreal Children's Hospital suggested that the use of medical hypnosis(催眠)can reduce pain and anxiety in patients. The project also resulted in a reduction in the amount of medicines used to perform medical-imaging imaging(医学影像) procedures.
“During the examination children don't move. It works perfectly. It's amazing,“ said Johanne L'Ecuyer, a medical-imaging technologist at the hospital.
The project was inspired by a French team from Rouen University Hospital Centre where examinations are done under hypnosis instead of general anesthesia(麻醉）.
A French medical-imaging technologist-also a hypnotist — was invited to train a few members in the medical-imaging department of the children's hospital. In all, 80 examinations were conducted for the project between January and September, 2019, focusing on the imaging procedures that would cause anxiety.
Hypnosis is not a state of sleep: It is rather a modified(改变的)state of consciousness. The technologist will guide the patient to this modified state—an imaginary world that will disassociate itself more and more from the procedure that follows.
“The technologist must build up a story with the patient," Ms. L'Ecuyer said. "The patient is left with the power to choose what he wants to talk about. Do you play sports? Do you like going to the beach? We establish a subject that we will discuss throughout the procedure."
Everything that happens next during the procedure must be related to this story — an injection （注射）becomes the bite of an insect; the heat on the skin becomes the sensation of the sun and a machine that rings becomes a police car passing nearby.
“The important thing is that the technologist associates what is happening outside the patient's body with what the patient sees in his head," Ms. L'Ecuyer said. "It requires creativity on the part of the technologist, imagination, a lot of patience and kindness."
The procedure appealed to the staff a lot when it was introduced in January. It spread like wildfire that someone from France was here to train the technologists," Ms. L'Ecuyer said. She added that she had a line of staff at her door wanting to take the training.
1. One of the results produced by the trial project is ________ .| A．a better understanding of children |
| B．less use of certain medicines |
| C．new medical-imaging technology |
| D．an improved reputation of the hospital |
| A．assist in treating a patient |
| B．carry out hypnosis training |
| C．start up a new department |
| D．learn about the procedure |
| A．creating a perfect world for patients |
| B．forcing patients into a state of deep sleep |
| C．putting patients into an unconscious state |
| D．leading patients' consciousness away from reality |
| A．It should keep pace with the procedure. |
| B．It reflects the patient's creativity. |
| C．It is selected by the technologist. |
| D．It tells what doctors are doing to the patient. |
| A．uncertainty |
| B．enthusiasm |
| C．worry |
| D．criticism |
| A．An easy way to communicate with patients. |
| B．The standard method of conducting hypnosis. |
| C．An introduction of medical-imaging technology. |
| D．The use of hypnosis in medical-imaging procedures. |
5 . Growing up, I was fortunate to have dinner with my family almost every day. Sometimes, the family dinner circle
Apart from suffering from
I am aware that my sons are growing up quickly and will be out of the
| A．widened | B．formed | C．lessened | D．closed |
| A．missed | B．avoided | C．enjoyed | D．recorded |
| A．wasted | B．treasured | C．limited | D．calculated |
| A．shows | B．dishes | C．recipes | D．moments |
| A．However | B．Otherwise | C．Therefore | D．Besides |
| A．sleep | B．dine | C．study | D．play |
| A．suitable | B．flexible | C．satisfying | D．demanding |
| A．maintains | B．disturbs | C．improves | D．strikes |
| A．fear | B．anger | C．guilt | D．hunger |
| A．predict | B．create | C．evaluate | D．accept |
| A．work out | B．calm down | C．hold on | D．catch up |
| A．unwillingly | B．casually | C．consciously | D．carelessly |
| A．louder | B．shorter | C．simpler | D．sweeter |
| A．assists | B．guides | C．allows | D．orders |
| A．office | B．kitchen | C．house | D．park |
6 . Job for You!
Family Alliance Meal Delivery Family Alliance is looking for people who can deliver hot Chinese meals one to two times a week for people with disabilities in north suburban Fairfield County. All applicants must have a driver's license and access to a car. Gas will be covered for each delivery. Working hours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays For more information, contact Charles Chen at cchen@famd.com Or call 740-6668988 | Lancaster Design We provide full furnishings, like donated kitchen equipment and furniture items, for the new homes of people who were oncehomeless. We need people who can work at our warehouse （仓库）sorting and packing items to be delivered to families, repair donated furniture and more. Candidates will be matched with a task based on skill set. Interested? Submit your application to www.lancasterdesign.org Or call 740-6119735 |
Lancaster Weekly Would you like the opportunity to earn extra cash close to home? If so we have a vacancy in our team which would suit you. Both adults and youngsters aged 13+ are required to deliver our newspaper. You may have to cover some distance. Bicycles are available if needed. Working hours: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturdays For more information Call 740-6538360 | Parkview Nursing Home Caregivers are wanted. We seek people who are patient and caring, and who have experience and interest in working with older adults. As part of the package, initial and follow-up training sessions are provided and accommodation is available if required. For more details, visit us at Unit 3 Park View Lane Or contact Ellen White at 740-6968399 |
| A．Delivering meals. |
| B．Delivering newspapers. |
| C．Working at the warehouse. |
| D．Working at the nursing home. |
| A．Applicants are expected to design furniture. |
| B．Work is arranged according to one's skill set. |
| C．It involves collecting furniture from homes. |
| D．It favors applicants who are homeless. |
| A．Family Alliance Meal Delivery |
| B．Lancaster Design |
| C．Lancaster Weekly |
| D．Parkview Nursing Home |
| A．740-6668988. |
| B．740-6119735. |
| C．740-6538360. |
| D．740-6968399. |
7 . On Mondays, two of my children get ready for school in an unusual way. Each packs plenty of food and water, a pair of rubber boots and sometimes a cup of hot chocolate. Then, I drop them off at a nearby park where they spend the entire day outside at a certified forest school.
When I first signed them up for forest school program, I loved the idea, but as a mum, I was concerned about a few things: Would they be comfortable outside for that long? Would they stay engaged for that many hours? Then I asked them if time ever seemed to move slowly, they stared at me in confusion. They didn’t understand my question, which fittingly removed it.
In this program, kids direct their own play, climbing tall trees or testing ice on the frozen lake. They are never told their play is too high or too sharp, but are rather trusted to self- adjust. Something else my sons appreciate about forest school is not being told to move on to the next activity, but being left to stay in a particular spot for as long as their curiosity allows. :
“What about all the things they’re missing in real school?” concerned parents have asked me. Neither of their classroom teachers thinks it’s a problem, but most significantly, my kids are learning new and different skills that a classroom cannot teach. They are learning to sit silently and observe nature up close-a skill that’s virtually impossible to develop in a noisy and overcrowded classroom setting. They are making social connections across a broader range of age groups. They cooperate together, using their different sizes and strengths to fulfill various roles within their games.
I appreciate it that forest school is shaping my boys’ relationship with the outdoors. They’re learning how to spend extended periods of time in nature, what to do to pass the time, and developing knowledge that will get them much closer to nature in the coming decades.
1. What is special about the forest school program?| A．Teachers engage in kids’ play. | B．Kids play and learn outdoors. |
| C．It focuses on nature protection. | D．It offers various food and drinks. |
| A．Awkward. | B．Concerned. | C．Relieved. | D．Proud. |
| A．The concerns caused by the program. |
| B．The benefits gained from role plays. |
| C．The skills acquired by children. |
| D．The games loved by teachers. |
| A．Nature: a wonderland for the young |
| B．Forest school program proves a hit |
| C．Parks are replacing traditional schools |
| D．Forest school: a fine place for my kids |
8 . Being good at something and having a passion for it are not enough. Success
When twelve-year-old John Wilson walked into his chemistry class on a rainy day in 1931, he had no
When Wilson returned home from hospital two months later, his parents
Later, he worked in Africa, where many people suffered from
Wilson received several international
| A．depends | B．holds | C．keeps | D．reflects |
| A．dilemmas | B．accidents | C．events | D．steps |
| A．way | B．hope | C．plan | D．measure |
| A．continually | B．gradually | C．gracefully | D．completely |
| A．direct | B．show | C．advocate | D．declare |
| A．Anyway | B．Moreover | C．Somehow | D．Thus |
| A．mistakenly | B．casually | C．amazingly | D．clumsily |
| A．erupted | B．exploded | C．emptied | D．exposed |
| A．deserved | B．attempted | C．cared | D．agreed |
| A．submitted to | B．catered for | C．impressed on | D．happened to |
| A．fantastic | B．extraordinary | C．impressive | D．catastrophic |
| A．accomplished | B．crucial | C．specific | D．innocent |
| A．deafness | B．depression | C．blindness | D．speechlessness |
| A．decide | B．abandon | C．control | D．accept |
| A．until | B．when | C．unless | D．before |
| A．opposition | B．adjustments | C．commitment | D．limitations |
| A．preventable | B．potential | C．spreadable | D．influential |
| A．scholarships | B．rewards | C．awards | D．bonuses |
| A．fortune | B．recipe | C．dream | D．vision |
| A．distinguishes | B．determines | C．claims | D．limits |
9 . Everyone knows what makes a good story. Our hero starts their journey as a flawed being. In scene after scene, they face challenges that push them down new paths. By the end of the talc, they overcome setbacks and become a better person in the process.
We love these plots in the novels we read but the principles of a good story offer much more than entertainment. Recent research shows that the narratives we tell ourselves about our lives can powerfully help us recover from stress. People who generate tales of struggling and turning over a new leaf from their own lives appear to have much better mental health. Professor Dan McAdams put forward this idea and discovered that whether someone can describe having had some control over events in their past is an important predictor of mental health. Another key theme involved is finding some kind of positive meaning after stressful events.
McAdams invited 14 and 15-year-olds to join in an experiment to write about their experiences of failure and success. Half of them were then given extra instructions to describe the ways they had made their success a reality and how the failure had changed them for the better. Eight weeks later, members of this group reported greater persistence and better grades in their schoolwork.
Exciting as these results are, some experts sound a few notes of caution. They worry that, hearing about the power of self-narratives, many people may feel they have to find a positive turning point in life. If they can’t, they could end up feeling guilty about having somehow “failed”.
Clearly, self-narratives aren’t the panacea. Nevertheless, if you hope for self-improvement, you can use the findings to good effect. By recognizing ourselves as the hero at the center of our own struggles, we can all become the author of our own destiny and change ourselves for the better.
1. What does the research focus on?| A．The causes of stress. |
| B．The principles of narrative. |
| C．The connection between struggle and well-being. |
| D．The link between mental health and self-narratives. |
| A．To give proof. | B．To make predictions. |
| C．To draw a conclusion. | D．To make comparisons. |
| A．Attempt to get rid of worries. | B．Means of recognizing yourself. |
| C．Solution to adolescent problems. | D．Guarantee to become better people. |
| A．Embrace Life Struggles | B．Be Your Own Hero |
| C．Ways to Make a Good Story | D．The Power of Self-improvement |
10 . I was born legally blind. Of all the stories of my early childhood, the one about a
I was only two when the
Mom loves to use this story as an
We are almost certain to get
| A．trip | B．race | C．tree | D．driver |
| A．incident | B．change | C．illness | D．problem |
| A．feared | B．refused | C．forgot | D．turned |
| A．delay | B．absence | C．freedom | D．rest |
| A．landed | B．slept | C．laughed | D．wept |
| A．promised | B．encouraged | C．allowed | D．expected |
| A．woke | B．picked | C．warmed | D．gave |
| A．adds | B．replies | C．admits | D．supposes |
| A．drove | B．lived | C．stood | D．zoomed |
| A．crashed | B．broke | C．climbed | D．looked |
| A．answer | B．example | C．excuse | D．order |
| A．able | B．ashamed | C．afraid | D．anxious |
| A．ask | B．share | C．learn | D．try |
| A．honesty | B．toughness | C．kindness | D．curiosity |
| A．regretted | B．reviewed | C．made | D．explained |
| A．job | B．friend | C．fortune | D．house |
| A．memories | B．efforts | C．research | D．experience |
| A．mixed up | B．fed up | C．knocked down | D．settled down |
| A．play | B．relax | C．dream | D．cry |
| A．all at once | B．in the end | C．in either case | D．as a result |
