1 . Liam Gamer was just 17 years old when he started out on his big adventure—a 32,000-kilometer bike trip from Alaska to Argentina. In early January, 2023, he finally finished his trip, 17 months after he started.
Liam, an experienced cyclist, had previously ridden from Los Angeles to San Francisco. He made short videos of that trip, and shared them on the social media app TikTok, some of which became quite popular. After reading a book by adventurer Jedidiah Jenkins, who biked from Oregon to Argentina, Liam decided to cycle from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the northernmost point in the United States accessible by road, to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost point of South America.
Liam set out on August 1, 2021. At first Liam’s parents weren’t too happy about him taking such a long bike trip by himself though it wouldn’t take that much money. But as he carried on, his parents became his strongest supporters.
After about three months, Liam had crossed the US, going south along the West Coast. By early December, he had reached Mexico, from which his parents came to the US many years ago. “So crossing the entire country on a bike and reconnecting with my culture and learning the language in the place my family is from is so deeply important to me,” Liam explained emotionally. But Liam also faced challenges in Mexico.
He was robbed in Mexico, and at one point, he considered quitting because the incredible heat made biking extremely difficult. In all, he was robbed five times on the trip. He got very sick more than once. In Colombia, he had a bike accident that left him injured and required surgery. In spite of it all, he kept going through rain, sun, heat, cold, deserts and mountains.
Liam finally arrived in his destination on January 10, 2023—527 days after he started. He had travelled through 14 countries along the way.
1. What contributed to Liam’s decision to bike through 14 countries?| A．His previous related experiences. |
| B．His parents’ encouragement. |
| C．A desire to shoot short videos. |
| D．A book by Jedidiah Jenkins. |
| A．He went there for the first time. |
| B．He found his family tree’s roots. |
| C．He biked there as scheduled. |
| D．He had to speak another language. |
| A．To inspire our love for nature. |
| B．To promote low-carbon travel. |
| C．To encourage us to see our strengths. |
| D．To call on us to learn a kind of spirit. |
WHY DO WE CELEBRATE FESTIVALS?
Festivals are celebrated all around the world. They have a wide range of origins, such as the seasons of the year, religions, famous figures, and important events. Every festival has its different customs and unique charms. However, no matter how different they may seem, all over the world, the spirit of sharing joy, gratitude, love, or peace is common in all festivals.
Of all the traditional festivals, the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. This important agricultural festival takes place after all the crops have been gathered in. People celebrate to show that they are grateful for the year’s supply of food. In ancient Egypt, the harvest festival was celebrated during the springtime— the Egyptian harvest season. It featured a parade and a great feast with music, dancing, and sports. Today, in some European countries, people decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit, and get together to celebrate over a meal. During the Mid-Autumn Festival in China, families gather to admire the shining moon and enjoy delicious mooncakes.
Customs play a significant role in festivals, but sometimes they can change over time. With the development of modern society and the spread of new ideas, some traditions may fade away and others may be established. One example is the typical Chinese Spring Festival custom of lighting firecrackers to drive away the evil spirits and celebrate the new year. Nowadays, many big cities have given up this custom in order to avoid air pollution. Another example is Halloween, which slowly became an exciting festival for children, in spite of its religious origins.
Festivals are becoming more and more commercial, with businesses taking advantage of the celebrations. Online shopping websites and social media apps have made it much easier for the public to spend more on gifts for their loved ones. Although some believe festivals should not be commercialised, others believe the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness.
Festivals are an important part of society. They reflect people’s wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life. They are occasions that allow us to relax and enjoy life, and forget about our work for a little while. They help us understand where we came from, who we are, and what to appreciate. And if you study festivals carefully, you may be surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all.
1. What’s mainly talked about in the text?From the title, we can predict the passage is mainly about
2. Match the main idea with each paragraph.
| a.The harvest festival. b.Festivals are an important part of society. c.Festivals are celebrated all around the world. d.The customs in festivals. e.The commercialised festivals. |
Para.2
Para.3
Para.4
Para.5
Chen Wei, a high school student in Beijing, had his dinner interrupted when he heard someone screaming from another table. A fellow diner at the restaurant, Zhang Tao, was choking on some steak. He was now holding his throat with his face turning red, while his desperate friends were slapping him on the back.
Chen wasted no time. He got up and ran to Zhang’s table at once. With the help of Zhang’s friends, he was able to help Zhang to his feet. Then, standing behind Zhang, Chen did the Heimlich manoeuvre. The food was instantly forced out, and Zhang began to breathe again. Ten minutes later, an ambulance arrived. The doctors checked Zhang and made sure that he was fine. They suggested he eat more slowly and take smaller bites before they left.
Choking victims usually have only about four minutes before they collapse and sometimes die, leaving no time for an ambulance to arrive. To solve this problem, in 1974, an American doctor, Henry Heimlich, created the Heimlich manoeuvre, saving thousands of lives around the world. Doing the Heimlich manoeuvre is quick, practical, and easy. It is so easy, in fact, that almost anyone can learn how.
If you see someone choking, first call the emergency services. Then, make sure that the victim is really choking: A choking person cannot speak. Slapping the victim’s back will often force out the obstruction. If this does not work, you can perform the Heimlich manoeuvre by standing behind him and wrapping your arms around his waist. Make a fist with one hand and place it in the upper part of his stomach. Grabbing your fist with your other hand tightly, push up and into his stomach in one motion. Continue doing this until the obstruction is forced out.
Doing the Heimlich manoeuvre on a small child is not recommended, as you may hurt him. Instead, lay the child face down on your lap with the head lower than the rest of his body, and then give firm slaps to his upper back until he can breathe again.
With choking victims, every minute counts. You cannot just stand by and do nothing. Luckily, Chen had learnt how to give first aid in school. Seeing Zhang choking, he remained calm and reacted immediately. Chen later said about the incident, “How could I justify sitting there and doing nothing? We are all humans and we all have a responsibility to look after one another’s welfare.”
1. Chen Wei was a friend/complete stranger to Zhang Tao.2. When Chen Wei reached Zhang Tao, Zhang Tao was sitting on the chair/standing.
3. The Heimlich manoeuvre is quite easy/difficult to do.
4. You will know that the victim is choking if he cannot speak/stops breathing.
5. To help a small child who is choking, you need to lay the child face up/down on your lap and slap his upper back.
6. Chen Wei was able to save Zhang Tao because he learnt the Heimlich manoeuvre at school/from a first-aid manual.
4 . Accompanied by the rhythmic sound of bamboo strips (竹板), Yang Ziqi, 17, from Xi’an Qujiang No l High School, listens to interesting stories in the Shaanxi dialect. The stories range in subject greatly from the story of the Monkey King to instructions on garbage sorting.
“Shaanxi kuaiban is amazing. It can not only bring you great joy, but also broaden your horizons” said Yang. Shaanxi kuaiban is a traditional Chinese form of storytelling in the Shaanxi dialect to the rhythm of bamboo clappers. In June, it was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage at the national level. It can be performed by a group or solo. The art form can be traced back to the late Qing Dynasty (1644 — 1911). According to its performers, the art was originally used by farmers to share their knowledge and earn money. But now, more people perform Shaanxi kuaiban on different occasions-for example, at festival celebrations, parties and art shows.
Yang Jinlong, 45, is an experienced Shaanxi kuaiban artist. He first learned the art at the age of 9. Before that, he often went with his father, an amateur performer, to watch kuaiban performances.
“As a young boy, I was attracted to the art form because many of the stories are about heroes. The performer tells stories while playing kuaiban, and it’s easy for the audience to remember the stories since all the lines rhyme,” Yang said. He has practiced Shaanxi kuaiban for more than 30 years. Since 2003, he has been teaching the art form to young people. At 9 am on weekdays, he drives to primary and middle schools in Xi’an and teaches students about Shaanxi kuaiban until about 6 pm. Then, he returns home to prepare classes for the next day. On the weekends, he teaches for six hours each day at art education institutions in Xi’an.
Yang has made some adaptations to the art form to relate more to students. When he tells modern stories, Yang abandons the traditional gown and wears a suit. He also integrates many pop elements like tap dance, ballet, jazz dance and the rhythm of popular music into kuaiban performances. His stories focus on more trendy topics, like stories of heroes who have worked to alleviate poverty (扶贫), as well as the Chinese Olympic team.
“Art education is important for students in China. Just as many students learn to play Western musical instruments like the piano and violin, there are many people learning traditional Chinese folk arts, including Shaanxi kuaiban. They are committed and passionate,” Yang said.
1. What do we know about Shaanxi kuaiban?| A．It dates back to the late Ming Dynasty. |
| B．People perform it in Shaanxi dialect. |
| C．It was originally used by teachers for teaching. |
| D．It focuses on Chinese ancient literature. |
| A．Because all the lines rhyme. | B．Because he liked stories about heroes. |
| C．Because it was away to earn money. | D．Because he wanted to be like his father. |
| A．He wore local clothes of Shaanxi. |
| B．He told stories about superheroes. |
| C．He added pop elements to performances. |
| D．He performed Shaanxi kuaiban in We stem countries. |
| A．Talented and modest. | B．Patient and capable. |
| C．Determined and creative. | D．Humorous and responsible. |
5 . New Jersey Middle School Makes
Students Go PhoneFree
A middle school in Union County, New Jersey, is forcing its students to stay disconnected in class, by prohibiting cellphones. Maxson Middle School Principal Kevin Stansbury put forward the phone ban last week after he noticed some major issues in the school. “Our test scores were down, and discipline was up,” he says. According to him, students were too focused on their phones to pay attention to their lessons. So, he purchased Yondr pouches for the school.
When students come into class each morning, they place their phones in the pouch, which is then locked tightly. So they have no access to phones at all. It can only be opened using a special device at the end of the day. The ban on mobile devices applies not just during class time but during breaks, with the only exceptions being in times of emergency or in cases of students who need such devices to help with disabilities.
Eighth graders who spoke with News 12 NewJersey say that they noticed a change in a matter of hours. “It’s just better for everyone because you’ll understand how it feels to get more work done instead of distracting attention because of the phone,” says student Charlene V. “I was usually listening to music, but today I got to communicate with all my friends,” says student Desiree Duncan.
The program was originally met with resistance from students and parents, so the process was not that smooth. But teachers and administrators say that the program will have a major impact. “Students were talking and laughing and there were no cellphones other than being carried in the pouches,” Stansbury says.
Teacher Nia Cummings says she even noticed students bouncing ideas off each other in class. She says students used to throw in the towel quickly and just rely on their phones to look for answers. She says they now try to figure the answers out themselves. “Everyone is socializing and eating lunch together. That’s what I wasn’t seeing when phone usage was at its worst,” she adds.
Maxson Middle School is currently the only one in the district to use these pouches. Kevin Stansbury also called on all the schools in the community that it’s worth paying close attention to cellphone issues at secondary schools and taking action when necessary.
1. Maxson Middle School put forward the phone ban because students ________.| A．weren’t focused on school work |
| B．were always listening to music |
| C．used phones to cheat on exams |
| D．stopped talking with others |
| A．Opposition from students. |
| B．Teamwork with friends. |
| C．The daily routine at school. |
| D．Effect of the program. |
| A．Students discuss more in class. |
| B．Students finish their work on time. |
| C．Students guess the answers themselves. |
| D．Students check messages during the break. |
6 . Will your happiness differ if you are doing a kind action without any expectation of rewards or with an expectation of rewards? A study by University of Sussex, headed by Dr. Daniel CampbellMeikeljohn, tried to answer that question. He and his partners analyzed over 1, 000 brain scans from other studies related to reactions to making a decision based on kindness. They split the studies based on who was making a decision for altruistic (无私的) reasons and who was making a decision due to the expectation of an obvious reward. The results were interesting.
In both instances, the reward center of the brain lit up on the MRI scans (磁共振成像扫描). Yet, for those who made their decision without any rewards, other areas of the brain lit up as well. Specifically, it lit up the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (前扣带皮层区域), which scientists believe plays a role in emotional regulation. Also, it might aid in maintaining excitement related to an event that creates a positive emotional state.
In one study about the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, it is believed that this brain region could be related to depression if it isn’t developed properly or is dysfunctional. The fact that this part of the brain lights up during acts of generosity and caring without expectation of rewards shows that the altruistic individuals are getting more sustainable pleasure than those motivated by rewards. It also could aid in explaining how it helps depressive individuals feel happier after doing a kind deed.
We live in a society, and no man is a lonely island. We all need each other. For those who genuinely desire to help others regardless of repayment, maintaining a balance of helping others and yourself is very important. It is healthy and necessary to be kind to yourself, as well as to others.
1. Why did the author think the results interesting?| A．There are no differences as to the litup area of the brain. |
| B．The reward center of the brain lit up in one case alone. |
| C．The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex makes no difference. |
| D．The reward center of the brain lit up in both cases. |
| A．It might help keep calm. | B．It may make a difference to controlling emotion. |
| C．It can create positive emotion. | D．It has nothing to do with depression. |
| A．Help others regardless of yourself. | B．Treat others and yourself with kindness. |
| C．For the sake of yourself, lend a hand. | D．Practise kindness at all costs. |
7 . Many of the top museums and cultural attractions in L.A. are your best choices if you visit Los Angeles. From ancient artifacts to modern art, read on for our guide in Los Angeles.
Museum of Latin American Art: Founded in 1996, it is the only art museum in the United States devoted to modern and contemporary Latin American art. Since its beginning, it has doubled its size, added a 15,000 square foot sculpture garden and expanded its permanent collection, ranging from works by Tamayo and Matta to CruzDiez, Los Carpinteros and Tunga. Free admission every Sunday.
Autry Museum of the American West: Located in Griffith Park, the Autry features worldclass galleries filled with Native American art and artifacts, film memorabilia, historic firearms and more. The Autry’s collection of more than 500,000 pieces of art and artifacts includes the Southwest Museum of the American Indian Collection, one of the largest and most significant collections of Native American materials in the country. Free admission on the second Tuesday of every month.
Descanso Gardens: Located in La Cañada Flintridge, the 160 acre Descanso Gardens was originally developed in 1936 by Elias Manchester Boddy, whose numerous interests included horticulture and politics. Descanso Gardens offers numerous areas for exploring, including a Japanese tea garden, Water-wise garden, Oak Woodland, California Garden, and the world’s largest collection of camellia flowers. Free admission on the third Tuesday of every month.
Kidspace Children’s Museum: Founded in 1979 by members of the Caltech community and Junior League of Pasadena, the museum develops the potential of all kids through kiddriven experiences, inspiring them to become joyful, active learners. Admission to the museum is free on First Fridays.
1. What is special about Museum of Latin American Art?| A．It has a very long history. | B．It has been continuously enlarged. |
| C．It owns Native American artifacts. | D．It offers a wide range of exploration. |
| A．Museum of Latin American Art. | B．Autry Museum of the American West. |
| C．Descanso Gardens. | D．Kidspace Children’s Museum. |
| A．They take up large areas. | B．They have diverse cultures. |
| C．They collect artworks permanently. | D．They offer free admission regularly. |
8 . A tree planting initiative in Kenya has seen over 30,000 trees being planted. The Green Generation Initiative is a Kenyan charity that has been planting trees to counter climate change and the reduction in forest in the East African nation since 2016.
Founded by climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti, the initiative's primary focus is on developing young climate activists through environmental education in schools and addressing food insecurity in the region through planting fruit trees. Since its foundation, over 30,000 trees have been planted in Kenya, while thousands of school children have not just planted trees but adopted them to ensure that young people learn the importance of acting as a guardian of the health of the environment. The trees have recorded a survival rate of over 98 percent, as they continue growing from young trees to maturity.
Speaking to world leaders at the recent UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26)，Elizabeth issued a serious warning about the threat of climate change: “Over two million of Kenyans are facing climaterelated starvation. In 2025, half of the world's population will be facing water shortage. By the time I'm 50, the climate crisis will displace over 80 million people in subSaharan Africa alone.”
Elizabeth said, “I have been doing what I can.Inspired by the great Wangari Maathai, I founded a tree growing initiative that enhances food security for young Kenyans. So far, we have grown 30，000 fruit trees, providing desperately needed nutrition for thousands of children.” “Every day we see that when we look after the trees, they look after us. We are the adults on this Earth right now, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the children have food and water, ”she added.
1. What is the initiative intended for?| A．Making policies. |
| B．Raising money. |
| C．Educating adults. |
| D．Fighting climate change. |
| A．Hunger. | B．Sickness. |
| C．Water shortage. | D．Economic risks. |
| A．Over 3,000 trees have been planted. |
| B．Green awareness has been raised. |
| C．Over 80 million people have been saved. |
| D．School education has been guaranteed. |
| A．Friendly and talented. |
| B．Caring and responsible. |
| C．Honest and determined. |
| D．Ambitious and humorous. |
9 . Psychological science is full of interesting topics, many of which tell a coherent picture of human nature, but some of which create seemingly contradictory stories. A case in point is the misunderstood overlap(交叠) between strengthbased science and the research on narcissism (自恋).
There is now convincing evidence to show that narcissism is on the rise, especially in our youth. Some researchers say that about 25% of young people showing symptoms of narcissism.
We are correct to be concerned about this phenomenon, but our fear that all kids are potential narcissists has caused an unhelpful reaction against approaches that seek to make our children and teens feel good about themselves.
In my own research on strengthbased parenting, it is common for people to wrongly think this approach to be the cause of narcissism. Their argument seems to be that a child who knows their strengths will automatically view themselves as better than everyone else. It is argued that the selfassurance that comes with identifying and using their positive qualities will make a child selfish and uncaring.
Why does this occur? It’s partly because more is known about narcissism than strengths. While strengths psychology has largely stayed within the limit of academic journals, research on narcissism has made its way into the mass media and our daily life.The New York Times noted that narcissism is a favored topic and that people everywhere are diagnosing others with it.
The fear that a strengthbased approach will cause narcissism also occurs because of our binary (非此即彼的) thinking. We mistakenly believe that one cannot be both confident and humble. Without confidence in their strengths, Gandhi and Mother Teresa couldn’t have achieved so much, and yet modesty and selflessness are their qualities.
When we assume that strengthfocus is the same as selffocus, we fail to make the idea clear that people who know their strengths are, actually, more likely to be prosocial and ready to help others.
It’s easy to conclude that every young person is at risk of becoming a narcissist but I’d like to stand up for the thousands of young kids I have worked with who are caring, thoughtful and humble—even when they use their strengths.
1. Which of the following opinions may the writer agree with?| A．To state all kids are potential narcissists is overstating the case. |
| B．Strengthbased parenting results in narcissism. |
| C．It’s unhelpful for us to make our children feel good about themselves. |
| D．Children knowing their strengths tend to be more selfish and uncaring. |
| A．Many people are diagnosed with narcissism by doctors. |
| B．There is a shortage of narcissism in our common sense. |
| C．Academic journals report more on narcissism. |
| D．The general public has fewer approaches to strengths psychology. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Neutral. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Teens’ Narcissism Diagnosis | B．Teens’ Misunderstood Confidence |
| C．Teens’ StrengthBased Approach | D．Teens’ Psychology Research |
10 . Some penguins(企鹅)adapt their calls to become more similar to their partners over time，an ability that was previously known in only a few species, including humans.
Luigi Baciadonna at the University of Turin, Italy, and his coworkers recorded African penguins from three different colonies(群体)over three years, and also observed the behavioral patterns of one of the colonies to see which penguins were partners or friendly.
They then analyzed specific vocal(嗓音的)calls, which the penguins made when they were alone or trying to keep track of their friends.They compared four distinct vocal signatures such as the frequency of the calls. The signatures became more similar over time for penguins that were partners or in the same colony, and for penguins that heard more of each other’s calls.
This adaptation could make it easier for penguins to find their partners and friends in a colony. “Imagine that you are in a pub, you are with your friends and your environment is quite noisy,” says Baciadonna. “What you do is try to talk in a certain way so that your communication is more effective.”
The ability to adapt calls in response to the environment, known as vocal accommodation, is a key part of vocal learning, a more complex set of skills such as producing new sounds through learning. Identifying which species display vocal accommodation could provide clues to how vocal learning developed. Baciadonna and his team also propose that this accommodation could help with group harmony and social bonds between individual penguins.
The distance of penguins from humans on the evolutionary tree suggests that vocal accommodation could be common to many species, but a lot more data needs gathering first. “There could be a huge variety of different species that are able to adapt their calls slightly, but we don’t know that yet,” says Sara Torres Ortiz at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology.
1. What does the underlined word “signatures” mean in paragraph 3?| A．Effects. | B．Characteristics. |
| C．Sources. | D．Adjustments. |
| A．To explain the reason why penguins adapt their calls. |
| B．To highlight the role communication plays in social life. |
| C．To prove humans’ ability to recognize each other's voices. |
| D．To stress the difference between human and animal sounds. |
| A．Whether penguins can promote group harmony. |
| B．Whether all species can adapt to the environment. |
| C．Whether more species display vocal accommodation. |
| D．Whether penguins and humans are similar in vocal learning. |
| A．Vocal learning involves a complex set of skills. |
| B．Vocal accommodation helps build up social bonds. |
| C．Penguins produce similar sounds even in different colonies. |
| D．Penguins adapt their accents to sound more like their partners. |
