1 . Let’s be honest, if anyone could need some extra care, it’s Mom! Moms are constantly taking care of others, so on Mother’s Day, why not spoil Mom with everything she needs to give herself a much-needed mommy timeout.
Nespresso VertuoPlus
For many moms, self-care starts first thing in the morning with the help of a little, or a lot, of coffee. The Nespresso VertuoPlus can make the perfect cup of coffee that can only be described as “heaven in a cup”. This machine, which tops our list of best single-serve coffee makers also comes with a starter set of capsules in a variety of flavors.
Get Nespresso VertuoPlus at Amazon for $178.55.
Lemon Zest+ Sage Oil Reed Diffuser
Among all the household chaos moms are dealing with, this fresh gift will help Mom feel relaxed every time she takes a moment to breathe. It comes in a pretty glass vial with eight reed sticks to keep Mom’s house smelling great for weeks. They can excite people who make ends meet. They’re neutral enough to fit in with any decoration, so go ahead and buy a few so Mom can use them throughout her home.
Get the Lemon Zest+ Sage Oil Reed Diffuser at Target for $10.
Jo Malone
If your mom considers smelling like a fresh, summer breeze as part of her self-care routine, then Jo Malone’s Nectarine Blossom and Honey Cologne is the perfect perfume choice. It’s a light fragrance that smells slightly sweet. Fair warning if Mom is shy: People will want to sniff her.
Get Jo Malone at Sephora for $ 75.
Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial
It’s hard to think of a better self-care gift for Mom than a luxurious spa facial, but what if Mom could get similar results, right from home? Mom will feel and look like she’s fresh from the spa in less than 10 minutes with the Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial from Murad. The formula contains Vitamin C (known to brighten skin), exfoliators to scrub away dead skin cells and it works on all skin types.
Get Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial at Amazon for $ 79.
1. What can be bought for Mom who needs a morning pick-her-up?| A．Nespresso VertuoPlus. | B．Lemon Zest+ Sage Oil Reed Diffuser. |
| C．Jo Malone. | D．Murad Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial. |
| A．Expensive. | B．Portable. | C．Unappealing. | D．Affordable. |
| A．They can be purchased at Amazon. | B．They’re self-care goods for Mom. |
| C．They fit the mom on her feet all day. | D．They’re favored by those keeping neat. |
2 . Students at an elementary school in California, with the help of their art teacher, created a telephone hotline. The hotline is available in English and Spanish. It offers the happy voices of children of different ages sharing positive messages.
Most people agree that with concerns like COVID-19, extreme weather, and the climate crisis, the last couple of years have been stressful. Jessica Martin, who teaches art at West Side School in Healdsburg, California, thought her students just might have the magic words needed to bring calm to people in these difficult times. “To hear the pure joy from kids is extremely comforting,” she says.
Ms. Martin, along with artist Asherah Weiss, worked with students at West Side on a project they called “PepToc”. Actually, they called it “Pep Talk” first. But when Ms. Martin’s 6-year-old so n drew an ad for the hotline and spelled it “PepToc”, they decided they liked that even better.
The project had two parts — one was the hotline, and the other was creating encouraging posters. Most of the project was completed in a day. The two adults worked with students from kindergarten to sixth grade. They had the same basic question for all the students: “What could you say to help or encourage someone else?” Students working on the hotline thought of what they would like to say. When they were ready, Ms. Martin recorded each one. Later, she sorted out the recordings into the different parts of the telephone hotline.
Other students took part in making encouraging posters, which were hung up around the town. Many posters had strips of paper that people passing by could tear off and take with them. For example, one poster said, “If you are mad, think of positive thoughts,” and had tear-off strips reminding people to “Be happy”.
Ms. Martin thought the project would only attract interest from people near the school. But the hotline was soon getting hundreds of calls a day — and then, thousands of calls an hour. Word of the hotline spread quickly on social media.
1. Why did Jessica Martin create a telephone hotline?| A．To broadcast programs live. |
| B．To make people calm and cheerful. |
| C．To communicate with others easily. |
| D．To make her boss satisfied with her job. |
| A．Her own wild imagination. |
| B．Her students’ strong request. |
| C．Her son’s hand-painted ad. |
| D．Her partner’s encouraging words. |
| A．The problems they met in the project. |
| B．The functions of the telephone hotline. |
| C．The way people use the telephone hotline. |
| D．The creating process of the telephone hotline. |
| A．Kids are better at comforting adults. |
| B．The hotline became incredibly popular. |
| C．Posters are more effective than the hotline. |
| D．It took several days to complete the project. |
3 . Major carmakers are looking to expand the production and sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in the coming years. They’re also seeking new ways to reuse batteries, without which more expenses may be added to EVs, though manufacturers guarantee their batteries for 8 to 10 years. But few batteries are recycled currently, meaning their materials are reused.
Most recycling methods under development involve breaking the batteries down into smaller pieces, whose procedure is complex. Then, different processes are used to separate the metallic elements. That means more labors are needed.
However, the International Energy Agency (IEA) release d a report about the development of the EV market in 2020. The IEA noted that in most cases, the main elements of end-of -life EV battery systems can be repurposed, or used in a new way. In addition, the IEA said used batteries that still hold between 70 to 80 percent of their power capacity could be reused for “less demanding stationary storage”. This could include using old EV batteries to store power for a main electricity system.
Nevada-based Redwood Materials, one of the main American businesses, seeks to recycle the most common EV battery materials. The company was started in 2019 by J.B. Straubel. The company’s methods include hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy, which use high heat to separate the metals. Straubel told the Associated Press that the reward far outweighs the investment though his company is still heavily investing in operations and technology. He added that there’s really quite a hunger for these materials and that the metals used in EV batteries can be effectively recycled many times.
Another company, Canada’s Li-Cycle, has opened several new processing centers in recent years and has plans to launch more. Li-Cycle says on its website its newest centers will have the capacity to recycle up to 10,000 tons of the batteries per year. American Manganese, another Canadian company, plans to open a “demonstration plant” in Vancouver that aims to process about 500 kilograms of the battery waste every day.
These companies help solve problems related to the limited availability. With the disturbances resolved, the boom of EVs are knocking at the door.
1. Why are most carmakers seeking new ways to use batteries again?| A．To seek partners. | B．To cut costs. |
| C．To follow suit. | D．To do charity. |
| A．Complex and costly. | B．Dangerous and demanding. |
| C．Simple and cheap. | D．Limited and safe. |
| A．Controversial. | B．Insecure. | C．Profitable. | D．Steady. |
| A．All carmakers have recycled batteries. |
| B．EV batteries can only be recycled on newest centers. |
| C．Recycling is a truly win-win strategy. |
| D．It is a double-edged sword to recycle. |
4 . I was having a much-covered (渴望的) weekend lie-in when my four-year-old kid came in to inform me it was time to get dressed.
My husband has been
Considering what sort of digital
I decided I would only keep doing something if it stuck naturally, and kept a diary of my progress. The first two cards
| A．Annoyed | B．Excited | C．Pleased | D．Shocked |
| A．relaxed | B．relieved | C．tired | D．disappointed |
| A．thinking | B．complaining | C．hearing | D．caring |
| A．broke | B．put | C．brushed | D．took |
| A．puzzle | B．recognition | C．guess | D．sense |
| A．watch | B．task | C．diet | D．project |
| A．making | B．bringing | C．publishing | D．bearing |
| A．improve | B．create | C．approach | D．develop |
| A．Avoid | B．Start | C．Expand | D．Explore |
| A．forced | B．asked | C．allowed | D．commanded |
| A．talk about | B．put away | C．escape from | D．engage with |
| A．function | B．habit | C．order | D．attitude |
| A．read | B．wrote | C．worked | D．operated |
| A．society | B．family | C．Internet | D．technology |
| A．fortunately | B．regularly | C．recently | D．normally |
5 . One afternoon, I had to drive through down town Houston during rush hour. As I was
As I
I was
A
Horns were louder, but what happened next stunned everyone to silence. The truck driver
His
| A．rushing | B．traveling | C．touring | D．wandering |
| A．jams | B．noise | C．crowds | D．lights |
| A．started | B．passed | C．parked | D．approached |
| A．enlarged | B．cleaned | C．narrowed | D．increased |
| A．regularly | B．obviously | C．merely | D．casually |
| A．alarmed | B．astonished | C．curious | D．calm |
| A．spotted | B．guarded | C．acknowledged | D．helped |
| A．backed off | B．slowed down | C．checked out | D．set out |
| A．riddle | B．turn | C．solution | D．luck |
| A．flashed | B．shut | C．fixed | D．plugged |
| A．ease | B．block | C．excite | D．reward |
| A．dragged | B．led | C．paused | D．pulled |
| A．tipped | B．left | C．dropped | D．guided |
| A．humor | B．reaction | C．skill | D．effort |
| A．generousness | B．wisdom | C．gratitude | D．popularity |
6 . Remembering Maki Kaji, the “Father of Sudoku”
Maki Kaji, a Japanese man who was known as the “Father of Sudoku”, has passed away from cancer at the age of 69. Mr. Kaji was a puzzle lover who helped turn Sudoku from a simple number challenge into a game played around the world.
Though Mr. Kaji finished high school, he dropped out of college. After Mr. Kaji left college, he started Japan’s first puzzle magazine in 1980 with two of his friends. They named their magazine company Nikoli, which has become very popular over the years. It publishes puzzles and books for people all over the world. But Sudoku is probably the puzzle that most people think of when they remember Mr. Kaji.
While it’s not clear where the original number puzzle came from, Mr. Kaji is the one who gave it the name “Sudoku” and made it popular. By 2004, it was one of the most-played puzzles in the world. Now millions of people play Sudoku every day. Nikoli says that roughly 200 million people from about 100 countries have played the puzzle. People even compete in a Sudoku world championship every year.
Sudoku isn’t just popular—it’s also a huge moneymaker, bringing in millions and millions of dollars. But Mr. Kaji never made much money from the puzzle, since he didn’t protect Sudoku legally. He said that didn’t bother him, since he focused on the pleasure it brought for people.
Mr. Kaji believed the secret of making a great puzzle was to make it easy for anyone to play. He said discovering a new puzzle was “like finding treasure”. It’s that kind of spirit that has left many people in the puzzle world so sad to hear that Mr. Kaji has passed away. Puzzle experts and fans around the world have thanked Mr. Kaji for his work, and honored him as a true lover of puzzles.
1. How does the writer show the popularity of Sudoku?| A．By listing numbers. | B．By showing examples. |
| C．By giving explanations. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．He failed to enter university. | B．He centered on the joy the puzzle brought. |
| C．He was good at playing Sudoku. | D．He earned a large sum of money. |
| A．Making it instructive. | B．Giving it a fun name. |
| C．Keeping the rules simple. | D．Publishing it on magazines. |
| A．A game review. | B．A self-biography. |
| C．A news report. | D．An announcement. |
7 . California is home to many private universities that offer first-rate educations with the experience of small-class settings. Many of these schools have splendid campuses and highly ranked, individual academic programs.
Stanford University
Stanford ranks as the fifth-best university in the nation, according to U.S. News &World Report as well as fourth-best private university according to Global Language Monitor and eighth according to Forbes. The school is known for its dedication to research in both the sciences and the humanities. Stanford takes much pride in an 18.7 billion dollars donated fund and 5,100 sponsored research projects.
University of the Pacific
Stockton-based University of the Pacific is home to many ranked programs. The university itself is ranked 112th on U.S. News &World Report’s list of top universities in the nation, as well as fifth for ethnic (民族的) diversity. The undergraduate engineering programs are also in the top 20, according to 2011 rankings.
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California ranks 15th on Global Language Monitor’s list and 23rd on U.S. News &World Report’s list of top universities. USC has more international students than any other university in the United States. This school is renowned for its high academic achievements.
University of La Verne
The University of La Verne is a small, private school with a total undergraduate enrollment of only 2,449. Only 33 percent of students live on campus, and many classes contain less than 20 students, which is its main draw. This university is ranked 161st on U.S. News &World Report’s list of top universities in the nation.
1. Which university has the highest rank according to U.S. News & World Report?| A．Stanford University. | B．University of La Verne. |
| C．University of the Pacific. | D．University of Southern California. |
| A．Its academic achievements. | B．Its sponsored research projects. |
| C．Its research in sciences and humanities. | D．Its undergraduate engineering programs. |
| A．Beautiful campus. | B．Large donated fund. |
| C．Small class settings. | D．High rank in the nation. |
8 . To those normal kids, it’s not unusual to hear “Goodnight” when you kiss them, saying “Goodnight” to them. For most parents, it’s just a storm in a teacup. However, for me it’s opposite.
My son James, suffered from the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas James is an exception.
Pre-diagnosis, I’d give James a big kiss and whisper goodnight when putting James to bed. Post-diagnosis, the silence that I received in return was deafening. It had never occurred to me before to be concerned that when I said “Goodnight, James. I love you”, my toddler said nothing in response.
I needed to hear him say something. My husband and I began to promote James to say goodnight back to us. “Say goodnight, Mommy.” For over a year, “Say goodnight, Mommy” was the parting routine of the day. Every night, it made me cry. I never got used to it. But I never gave up hope.
With more efforts, one night, I’d hear something more organic come out of James’s mouth. He dropped the “say”— and his response became “goodnight, Mommy” when James turned four. It was fantastic — but it was still prompted. At six, I got my first unprompted, “Goodnight, Mommy. I love you.” Next to my wedding, and births of my children, this was the most exciting night of my life.
James, now eight, routinely kisses us goodnight and tells us he loves us. The other evening, after giving me a big hug and kiss, James told me, “You’re a great mom! You’re not a mom with feathers, or a mom with colors and markers. I’m glad you’re a... a person!” I don’t know if he had the book Are You My Mother? on his mind, or if this was just one of the many random thoughts that crossed my son’s brain on a daily basis. I do know it was music to my ears.
1. What do most parents think of a kiss goodnight from their normal children?| A．It’s an advanced conversation skill. | B．It’s a precious routine they treasure. |
| C．It’s a privilege they take for granted. | D．It’s a good way to recover from ASD. |
| A．He was too talkative. | B．He couldn’t say anything. |
| C．He daren’t sleep alone. | D．He was lack of security. |
| A．It has evolved over time. | B．It always upsets his parents. |
| C．It benefits face-to-face talk. | D．It helps exercise James’ mind. |
| A．The Cycles of Life | B．A Mom with Feathers |
| C．The Symptoms of ASD | D．Unusual Bedtime-Routines |
9 . We know it can be hard to put your phone to bed before you sleep. However, if you’re trying to improve your sleep, you really should ditch your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Luckily, our experts can help.
Scientific evidence suggests that the blue light emitted from your phone, tablet, computer, and TV suppresses (抑制) your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone (荷尔蒙) that plays an important role in your sleep cycle. Melatonin release in the evening helps you relax before bedtime. A 2013 study that analyzed technology use and sleep patterns with data from a National Sleep Foundation poll found that using devices like phones was tied to more sleep disruption than electronics that aren’t interactive.
Many of us use the excuse that our mobile devices serve as our wake-up calls, or keep them nearby to use meditation apps. If you want to use your phone as an alarm, consider setting it a couple of hours before you turn in for the night, and then setting the phone itself to bedtime mode for the rest of the evening.
Here’s another groundbreaking idea: You could get a real alarm clock. After reviewing them at Reviewed, we recommend the Sharp Dream Caster. Not only is it easy to set a wake-up time, the clock includes white noises and rain noises to help you sleep, plus a number of volume settings to pick what works best for you.
But an alarm clock won’t help you avoid doom-scrolling through social media. Take things a step further by avoiding using electronic devices. You can try reading a book (one made of paper), taking a bath or drinking a cup of chamomile tea.
Finally, if you want to keep up your meditation practice screen-free, consider the Morphée. It looks like a little music box and comes with a variety of breathing exercises and soundscapes to help you get to sleep.
1. What does the underlined word “ditch” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Set aside. | B．Pick up. | C．Show off. | D．Turn to. |
| A．Relaxing yourself before bedtime. |
| B．Sleeping less than you normally would. |
| C．Adapting to your sleep cycle more easily. |
| D．Reducing the pressure from screen use. |
| A．It is sold at a lower price. | B．It can predict a heavy rain. |
| C．It is controlled by cellphone. | D．It helps put your eyes together. |
| A．Making the best of the eco-friendly products. |
| B．Making a change according to circumstances. |
| C．Establishing a bedtime routine without electronics. |
| D．Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. |
10 . I was born in a poor community on the north side of Boston, US, raised by a single mother who didn’t finish 3rd grade, lived each day on food stamps and attended what the media called “the most dysfunctional (功能失调的) public school district”. Not many people expected much of me, so I had to expect.
On my 13th birthday, I bought a poster of Harvard to hang in my room. Being at Harvard became what I dreamt about. Even if my electricity was cut off, I still woke up at 5:30, because I knew that my poster of Harvard was still hanging only two feet away from me.
Reminding myself of my goal each day made it easy to say no to the same choices I saw my peers making, because those paths wouldn’t have had me closer to my goal. Being poor could not take away my power to decide what I choose to do with my day. The poster gave me the courage to send emails to about 50 Harvard students to ask for feedback on my application essays; it gave me the energy to study just one more hour on my SATs when my friends were asleep; and it gave me the determination to submit just one more scholarship application when 180 others had already turned me down.
Every day, I could feel myself getting closer and closer to my goal as my writing got better, my SAT score increased, and my scholarship checks started coming in. Finally, an email arrived from Harvard. The first word was “Congratulations!” A month later, Harvard flew me up to visit the campus where for the first time I stepped onto my dreaming land.
Who you are today is the result of the decisions you made yesterday, and who you will be tomorrow will be the result of the choices you make today. Who do you want to be tomorrow?
1. What can we learn about the author from the first two paragraphs?| A．All people expected too much of him. |
| B．He grew up in a happy family. |
| C．He accepted the greatest education. |
| D．He had high expectation of himself. |
| A．He spent more time preparing for the exams. |
| B．He learnt from his peers from time to time. |
| C．He often wrote feedbacks on others’ essays. |
| D．He turned to his teacher when facing problems. |
| A．Intelligent and humorous. | B．Generous and selfless. |
| C．Determined and hardworking. | D．Courageous and friendly. |
| A．Failure is the mother of success. |
| B．Perseverance can help realize your dream. |
| C．Easier said than done. |
| D．It’s never too late to study. |
