1 . Fourteen-year-old Peter often gets helpful tips from his Big Brother, Paul, a 32-year-old computer programmer, is not Peter’s brother. Instead, he is his mentor through an education program called “Big Brothers Big Sisters”.
Paul and Peter have been Big Brother and Little Brother for 1 year. Previously, they met constantly. They would go to Starbucks, walk through different districts of the city or play games. When COVID-19 started spreading, the relationship had to go completely virtual to ensure their health and security. Now things get better and they meet more.
When school is frustrating (令人沮丧的), Peter texts Paul and gets motivated. When he doesn’t understand a math problem, he asks Paul for help. Paul even gave Peter advice on avoiding being distracted while having lessons online at home, where he lives with four brothers and they talk, play and fight all in one space.
Older than Peter, Paul has had more life experiences. He helps Peter see things positively from different points of view, but he never makes decisions for Peter. Peter said, “Paul makes such a far-reaching difference to my life, in my education outside school in particular.” Paul said Peter had an effect on him likewise, saying that his life was enriched. “If you want self-improvement, join in this program. Really, it’s in practice a job worth doing. I’d like to be a lifelong Big. Brother of Peter, and more kids.”
Asked how it started, Paul said when he returned from abroad seven years ago, he started looking for ways to help his community. Then he accidentally found the program.
The program makes the most appropriate matches. Kids from ages 6 to 18 can continue to get help until they turn 21. At present, Big Brothers Big Sisters has about 1 300 kids paired with mentors locally.
1. Which is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “mentor” in Paragraph 1?| A．Instructor. | B．Researcher. | C．Learner. | D．Expert. |
| A．It was difficult for him to stay focused. |
| B．His brothers wanted to use his computer. |
| C．He wanted to talk and play with his brothers. |
| D．He always had trouble with his math homework. |
| A．Paul will leave Peter when he is 20. |
| B．Peter and Paul were carefully matched. |
| C．Paul makes Peter’s life even more difficult. |
| D．Peter depends on Paul’s advice to make decisions. |
| A．Peter and his big brother | B．How to make a great match. |
| C．Big Brothers Big Sisters program | D．New ways to help your community |
2 . Central Park Picnic Experiences
Having a picnic with family, friends or colleagues at the Pool with iconic views of the NYC backdrop would give you good feelings. We handle all aspects of your event from beginning to end, so you can just show up and have a great time! Fresh baked service! — You can now add games to any picnic experience (details below).
Family-Style Picnic
Serves a minimum of 15 people
Our family-style picnic experience is perfect for big groups! Includes set up & clean up, plus fruits and food. Also includes coolers with ice, blankets, pillows and parasols (遮阳伞). $60.00 per adult, $30.00 per child. Includes a 2-hour picnic with set up and clean up. $50 per add 1 hour.
Social Picnic Party
Serves 10 to 12 people
Comes complete with an entire picnic set up including extra space, blankets, pillows, parasols. The meal is a sampling of sandwiches, roast chicken, potato salad, seasonal greens, local cheese platter, lemonade, water and something sweet for dessert. Perfect for meeting new friends.
We Love This Formal Picnic!
Serves 4 to 10 people
Looking for something more formal? This is special and for you! Includes set up with a set low-rise table for business talk, a great selection of delicious food, flowers, and clean up! Tips not included — and should go direct to your picnic expert.
Birthday Party Picnic
Serves 2 to 18 people
Besides our signature birthday party cake, we also offer a local cheese platter (拼盘), seasonal salad, chips, lemonade and water, plus cookies & brownies for dessert! When you arrive at your picnic spot, one of our picnic experts will have everything set up, ready and waiting for you when you arrive! Includes a 2-hour picnic for 2 with set up and clean up. Add up to 16 additional guests. $50 per add 1 hour. $50 per add 1 guest. Max 18 guests.
Contact us with questions!1. What is a new service for the picnic experiences?
| A．New spots with wonderful views. | B．Whole-process service. |
| C．Allowing for adding games. | D．Offering freshly-made bread. |
| A．$720. | B．$1,020. | C．$1,070. | D．$1,150. |
| A．Expense of picnic. | B．Number of people. |
| C．Age of the group. | D．Purpose of the activity. |
3 . Once upon a time, there was a small village in the center of a big forest. All the villagers were used to their robotic farm work and none of them had the imagination or the will (意愿) to try something new, except for one girl named Jo. Very few could read or write, and Jo was one of them.
One afternoon, when Jo was on one of her explorations in the forest, she came upon an abandoned cottage (废弃的小屋). Though she’d been warned to stay away from abandoned places, her curiosity got the best of her. She slid in and was amazed to find a room full of books! Jo’s excitement was huge when she realized she had found a hidden treasure.
She ran to tell the villagers everything, thinking that they would share her excitement but instead, she heard roars of laughter! Jo was confused by this reaction (反应) and a little hurt too, but she did not give up on her books.
She came to the cottage every day and got down to reading the books. For her, each page was an adventure with characters who challenged difficulties with their determination and who struggled for good. Knowing the power of stories in impressing on people the values of life, she decided to share the stories with the villagers, though she knew it would be a difficult journey. Making this her mission (使命), Jo started telling stories every day at her cottage.
In the beginning, only a few came to the readings. But word spread rapidly, causing more and more people to come, some of whom even traveled from far away to just listen to her stories. She also conducted workshops in which she taught people how to read and write. She was remembered and lived in her stories even after she was long gone.
1. What do the underlined words “got the best of” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Prevented. | B．Frightened. | C．Cheated. | D．Beat. |
| A．They already knew it. | B．They thought nothing of it. |
| C．It was related to something fun. | D．It was all Jo’s imagination. |
| A．Caring but confusing. | B．Honest and helpful. |
| C．Adventurous but careless. | D．Determined and influential. |
| A．The Discovery of a Hidden Treasure |
| B．Jo’s Journey: from Adventure to Education |
| C．The Power of Stories in Challenging Difficulties |
| D．Jo’s Adventure: Unearthing an Abandoned Cottage |
4 . At 14, I was the new girl at a rural school. There were 28 kids in my class, which was equally
Then, a few months later, my parents’ predictions
Well, after the game, the girls couldn’t just exclude (排除在外) me from the
From then on, my life was
| A．divided | B．exchanged | C．chosen | D．shared |
| A．athlete | B．competitor | C．volunteer | D．outsider |
| A．extra | B．funny | C．right | D．special |
| A．cried | B．reminded | C．allowed | D．expected |
| A．required | B．proved | C．decided | D．provided |
| A．went through | B．fell apart | C．came true | D．moved on |
| A．glove | B．ball | C．book | D．boy |
| A．in return | B．in contrast | C．in support | D．in defence |
| A．ruined | B．saved | C．controlled | D．slowed |
| A．victory | B．birthday | C．graduation | D．holiday |
| A．discovered | B．copied | C．ignored | D．liked |
| A．enrolled | B．trapped | C．included | D．interrupted |
| A．challenged | B．transformed | C．planned | D．recalled |
| A．bridged | B．explained | C．caused | D．adjusted |
| A．curious | B．exhausted | C．alone | D．annoyed |
5 . After nearly 70 years of space exploration, Earth is now surrounded by space junk. Recently, an accident made the cleanup more difficult to start.
According to the European Space Agency (ESA) , scientists plan on testing their “junk truck”, ClearSpace-1, in 2025. It’s a spacecraft with four arms that can catch debris (碎片) and bring it back to Earth. They have chosen to bring back VESPA, a 113-kilogram, two-meter-wide rocket part. However, in August, it was hit by another piece of space junk, creating new pieces. The ESA is now revising its cleanup plan.
Most satellites today are sent into Earth’s low orbit, which reaches up to around 2, 000 kilometers above the Earth. There, spacecraft are most likely to crash with each other. There may be as many as 170 million pieces of space junk in orbit. Big or small, any of the pieces can cause harm to a spacecraft.
In terms of the cleanup, scientists have some other ideas. One popular plan is to equip a spacecraft with harpoons (叉) and magnets (磁铁) . The craft would shoot the harpoon to stick into the debris before “throwing” it back to Earth. Magnets could move the debris, changing its direction. The debris would burn after entering Earth’s atmosphere so there wouldn’t be much left when it reaches Earth. Scientists are also considering shooting lasers (激光) from spacecraft to heat up the debris’ surface, creating a small push that would change the debris’ orbit. This change would allow the debris to be caught by Earth’s gravity.
Space junk can be very dangerous, and space agencies around the world are testing and planning the cleanup. But why haven’t they done anything yet? One reason is the expense.
It would take between $4, 000 and $60, 000 per kilogram to catch one piece of debris larger than 10 cm. And around $300 million is needed to develop the laser technology.
1. What’s the mission of ClearSpace-1?| A．To mark Earth’s low orbit. | B．To monitor space debris. |
| C．To study the harm of space junk. | D．To bring VESPA back to Earth. |
| A．By burning it up in space. | B．By pushing it into deeper space. |
| C．By moving it towards a spacecraft. | D．By redirecting it into the atmosphere. |
| A．It’s complex. | B．It’s risky. | C．It’s costly. | D．It’s changeable. |
| A．Escaping from Crowded Space | B．Looking for Ways to Clean up Space |
| C．Dangerous Space Debris | D．Exceptional Space Exploration |
6 . At 19, determined not to spend my gap year stuck at home, I took off with a friend and we traveled around Europe for months. We stayed in the cheapest accommodation and lived on bread and cheese.
This was 1990, a time before mobile phones and the Internet, when the primary contact with home was mails from the post office. Before I left, Mom had made me a money bag and a sleeping sheet to avoid unclean bedding. She didn’t want me to go, and these gifts were her way of telling me to have a wonderful time.
It’s only now, as my 18-year-old daughter is preparing to leave on her own gap year trip, that I understand how Mom felt.
While working multiple jobs and saving money, my daughter has also researched where to stay, how to get around and what to do before setting off. She rarely asks for my opinion and I am unsure whether I should wade in (介入) or back off. I want to be supportive but not too involved. I want to be cool but not aloof (漠不关心的) . I want to be like the perfect travel guide.
After all, when she first mentioned gap year travel, I was encouraging, wanting her to have her own experiences that shape her. Though I’m not quite ready, this trip is about her. This is not 1990 and I am not stuck at home waiting for a letter. Therefore, I haven’t concentrated too long on the idea of her not being here. I have promised not to bother her with messages, but at least I know she can contact me when she wants to.
1. What do we know about the author’s travel in 1990?| A．She traveled around Europe alone. | B．She probably contacted home by letter. |
| C．She worked multiple jobs while traveling. | D．She booked her accommodations online. |
| A．She was worried about the cost of the trip. |
| B．She had little knowledge about the destination. |
| C．She was unsure of how involved she should be. |
| D．She doubted her daughter’s ability to look after herself. |
| A．Tum a blind eye to her daughter. | B．Take charge of her daughter’s trip. |
| C．Contact her daughter as often as possible. | D．Stay connected but not disturb too much. |
| A．To analyse parent-child relationship. |
| B．To suggest how to plan a gap year trip. |
| C．To compare different gap year travel experiences. |
| D．To share mixed feelings about her daughter’s trip. |
7 . These train routes show the very best of winter in North America.
Empire Builder
The splendid view of the American West is only a train ticket away. Running from Chicago to Seattle, this route takes you through a vast land where ice and snow glitter over the wintry land. Trips are available from mid-September to March each year.
Aurera Winter Train
This popular, 12-hour train ride takes you from Anchorage to Fairbanks. On the way, you can get a spectacular view of the Alaskan wilderness, from snow-capped mountains to beautiful wildlife native to the area like bears. Not to mention an up close view of Denali, the highest peak in North America. Trips are usually planned for weekends from November to mid-May.
Yellowstone in the Winter
This five-day trip begins and ends in Salt Lake City, running between November and March every year. The winter train ride is built around a tour of Yellowstone National Park. Not only is wildlife much easier to spot—especially wolves native to the area —you also won’t have to fight crowds to get a good view.
Seattle and Canadian Rockies Winter Discovery
This nine-day trip begins in Seattle and takes you over the border to our neighbor to the north. With stops in Vancouver and Calgary, you’re sure to see all the best views of forests, lakes and the snow-capped mountains the Canadian Rockies have to offer. The train runs on select dates from November to April.
1. If you want to travel in October, which train trip is suitable for you?| A．Empire Builder. | B．Aurora Winter Train. |
| C．Yellowstone in the Winter. | D．Seatle and Canadian Rockies Winter Discovery. |
| A．They’re both crowded through the year. |
| B．They operate for the same period of time. |
| C．Travelers have a chance to see animals in nature. |
| D．Travelers can spot the highest mountain in North America. |
| A．The train runs all year long. | B．It tours around a national park. |
| C．Snow-capped mountains can be seen. | D．The train takes you to another country. |
8 . The 61-year-old potato farmer Cliff Young won the 1983 Westfield Sydney-Melbourne Ultramarathon, which took runners days to finish, in Australia.
When Cliff showed up in the race, he stuck out like a sore thumb in his everyday clothes different from the other professional runners’, quickly attracting the attention of reporters present.
“I grew up on a farm where we couldn’t afford horses. Whenever the storms would roll in, I’d have to go out and round up the sheep,” Cliff told reporters. “Sometimes I’d have to run those sheep for two or three days, but I’d always catch them. I believe I can run this race.” No one actually believed him. Most competitors were in their 20s and early 30s, with years of training and marathon experience.
On the first day of the race, Cliff was left far behind. But he had one advantage that no one had expected. He didn’t plan on stopping until he reached the finish line while all the others had been training to run for 18 hours a day and then stop and sleep for the other six.
When dawn broke, the other runners were shocked to learn that the old farmer was in the lead and that they would have to catch up with him. Although running slowly, he was the first to cross the finish line and received $10,000 as a prize. But he kept none of the prize and donated it to the homeless.
Cliff continued to run. In 1997, he set out to raise funds for homeless kids by running all 16, 000 kilometers of the Australian coastline. In 2000, Cliff achieved a world age record in a six-day race in Victoria. Cliff Young died at 81, but his legend lives on.
1. What does the underlined part in paragraph 2 mean?| A．He had a special thumb. | B．He suffered a hand injury. |
| C．He seemed nervous. | D．He was very noticeable. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Respectful. | C．Doubtful. | D．Curious. |
| A．He saved his energy at first. | B．He received good training. |
| C．He sped up in the last two days. | D．He continuously ran without sleep. |
| A．Imagination and generosity. | B．Dream and devotion. |
| C．Determination and kindness. | D．Willingness and wisdom. |
9 . Playing a musical instrument throughout your life protects your hearing in old age, a Canadian study suggests. The study, published in Psychology and Aging, carried out hearing tests on 74 adult musicians and 89 non-musicians. It found a 70-year-old musician’s hearing was as good as that of a 50-year-old who did not play.
Hearing normally declines as people age. By 60, 10-30% of people have moderate hearing loss. By 80, that goes up to as many as 60%. Problems are particularly seen in the central auditory (听觉的) processing system, which is associated with understanding speech, especially when there is background noise.
Previous studies have shown musicians have better hearing than non-players. But this research, by a team at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto, looked at adults of all ages - from 18 to 91 - to see how people were affected as they aged. They carried out hearing tests on 74 amateur and professional musicians (who had played since the age of 16, were still practising and had been given formal music lessons) and 89 non-musicians (who had never played an instrument). Musicians were significantly better at picking out speech against noise.
The researchers suggest that lifelong musicianship reduces age-related changes in the brain, probably due to musicians using their auditory systems at a high level on a regular basis.
The head of biomedical research at Action on Hearing Loss, Dr. Ralph Holme, said: “While this study suggests that musicians might be more able to cope with the consequences of hearing loss, it is far better to reduce damage in the first place by using appropriate ear protection. We have always campaigned for everyone who plays a musical instrument or listens to loud music to wear hearing protection, like earplugs, which reduce the risk of damaging your hearing permanently.”
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?| A．A person aged 80 will lose 30% hearing. |
| B．A person aged above 60 must have bad hearing. |
| C．People have fewer problems with background noise. |
| D．People’s hearing usually becomes worse when they get older. |
| A．It tested the hearing of 162 people. |
| B．The finding of the study wasn’t published publicly. |
| C．Playing a musical instrument may do good to hearing. |
| D．Musicians were as good at picking out speech against noise as non-musicians. |
| A．They like to take more exercise. | B．They use their hearing more and regularly. |
| C．They don’t expose themselves to background noise. | D．They pay more attention to protecting their hearing. |
| A．Get help from musicians. | B．Listen to loud music less. |
| C．Protect hearing properly. | D．Play a musical instrument more. |
10 . Mariah Reading is an environmentalist, who grew up with an early appreciation for nature. While studying art at Bowdoin College, she saw the vast amounts of
After graduation, Mariah travelled throughout the country,
Over the years, she has painted more than 100 pieces of rubbish transformations
Mariah hopes people see themselves and their own habits
| A．paper | B．power | C．waste | D．work |
| A．artist | B．cleaner | C．journalist | D．mechanic |
| A．exploring | B．harming | C．forgetting | D．shaping |
| A．picking up | B．learning about | C．complaining of | D．taking out |
| A．hidden | B．lost | C．new | D．broken |
| A．medium | B．life | C．reason | D．idea |
| A．damage | B．connect | C．form | D．cross |
| A．protected | B．painted | C．changed | D．enjoyed |
| A．range | B．car | C．picture | D．road |
| A．outdated | B．ongoing | C．energy-consuming | D．self-centered |
| A．from | B．without | C．against | D．as |
| A．forcing | B．breathing | C．attracting | D．turning |
| A．ignores | B．replaces | C．integrates | D．highlights |
| A．surrounding | B．filling | C．combining | D．comparing |
| A．trapped | B．admitted | C．added | D．reflected |
