1 . A donation by a famous writer has helped start an effort, called the United States of Readers, to help poor children read more books.
The classroom programme is being launched by Scholastic Book Clubs with a donation of $1.5 million from the writer James Patterson.
Scholastic announced the programme recently, aiming to bring books to 32,000 poor children who are in kindergarten to eighth grade.
Judy Newman, president of Scholastic Book Clubs, said that in many communities people don’t have enough money to buy books. So her company “needed to come up with an alternative to our tried-and-true model, because every child needs to be able to choose and own books, and see themselves as a reader!”
Scholastic is a large publisher of books for children and educational materials. Its goal is to get books into schools to increase literacy. The company has publishing rights in the U.S. for books like the Harry Potter and Hunger Games series.
A gift from Patterson helped start the new programme. He is credited with selling millions of books. He has already donated more than $10 million to teachers and students through Scholastic.
He said that he has supported literacy for many years. He believes reading skills are important for the country.
“In many cases, kids simply need access to books— and especially books they want to read— to fall in love with reading, characters, and stories.”
Patterson added that the programme “will bring books to those schools and communities that need them the most, and ones that we haven’t served before.”
Scholastic describes the programme on its website. It says the United States of Reader programme targets children in schools serving poor communities. The company said it has chosen a limited number of schools to take part this year but hopes to expand the programme in the coming years.
1. Who of the following is the target of the United States of Readers?| A．Teenagers who like literature very much. |
| B．Children from less developed countries. |
| C．Schools and communities that have worked together before. |
| D．Children in urgent need of books in lower grades in backward areas. |
| A．Attacting more donated books. |
| B．Expanding the number of books. |
| C．Meeting children’s personalized needs. |
| D．Developing students’ reading ability. |
| A．To translate foreign works. |
| B．To help students promote literacy. |
| C．To explore new reading patterns. |
| D．To recommend excellent children’s writers. |
| A．To entertain poor children. |
| B．To advertise for new books. |
| C．To introduce a new reading programme. |
| D．To criticize the traditional teaching model. |
2 . It is reported that the sense of smell plays a dominant role in the social interactions of all land animals except humans. Then the question arises: Is this because humans don’t use their noses in social settings the way all other land animals do? Or is this behavior covert (隐蔽的), rather than overt, in humans?
In fact, this is exactly what Inbal Ravreby, a graduate student in Prof. Noam Sobel’s laboratory in Weizmann’s Brain Sciences Department, tried to answer. And as several lines of evidence suggest that humans are constantly, although mostly subconsciously, sniffing themselves and others, Ravreby supposed that the latter is the case.
To test her hypothesis, Ravreby conducted the study with pairs of click friends: same-sex nonromantic friends whose friendships had originally formed very rapidly. Because such friendships emerge prior to an in-depth acquaintance, they may be particularly influenced by physiological characteristics such as body smell. She then collected body smell samples from these click friends and conducted two sets of experiments to compare the samples with those collected from random pairs of individuals. In one set of experiments, she performed the comparison with a device known as an electronic nose, or eNose, which assessed the chemical signatures of the smells. In the other, she asked volunteers to smell the two groups of body smell samples in order to assess similarities measured by human perception. In both types of experiments, click friends were found to smell significantly more like each other than the individuals in the random pairs.
Next, to rule out the possibility that body smell similarity was a consequence of click friendships, rather than a contributing cause, Ravreby performed an additional set of experiments, in which she used the eNose to “smell” a number of volunteers who were complete strangers to one another, and then asked them to engage in nonverbal (非言语的) social interactions in pairs. After each such structured interaction, the participants rated the other individual in terms of how much they liked that person. Subsequent analysis revealed that the individuals who had more positive interactions indeed smelled more like each other, as determined by the eNose.
“These results imply that, as the saying goes, there is chemistry in social chemistry,” Ravreby concludes. However, Sobel offers words of caution, “This is not to say that we act like dogs or goats — humans likely rely on other, far more dominant signals in their social decision-making. Nevertheless, our study’s results do suggest that our nose plays a bigger role than previously thought in our choice of friends.”
1. What did Inbal Ravreby want to figure out?| A．Whether humans have a sharp sense of smell. |
| B．Whether humans’ noses can detect all types of smells. |
| C．Whether it is necessary for humans to sniff other people. |
| D．Whether the sense of smell plays a role in humans’ interaction. |
| A．The way to make comparisons. | B．The participation of random pairs. |
| C．The way volunteers used the eNose. | D．The number of pairs of click friends. |
| A．To determine the reliability of the finding. |
| B．To avoid interactions between click friends. |
| C．To make the experiments much more interesting. |
| D．To test the accuracy of the eNose in smell analysis. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Positive. | D．Indifferent. |
3 . The rhino census (犀牛普查) is out, bearing good news for the greater one-horned rhinos! In September, 2022, the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) documented in a report that there is a baby boom in this population, representing an increase of 167 percent.
According to the report, there are a total of 4,014 greater one-horned rhinos living in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Although this is positive news, their IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) status still remains vulnerable.
In India alone, the home to 70 percent of the world’s greater one-horned rhinos, there was an increase of 274 rhinos since the last biannual census, according to the organization Rhino Review.
An important reason for this baby boom is the fact that Assam, India, has enlarged Kaziringo National Park, home to the world’s largest one-horned rhino population. The park went from 430 square kilometers to 1,040 square kilometers. This gives more breeding areas for the rhinos, and they are closed to visitors during breeding season.
India and Nepal are also protecting the rhinos by enforcing wildlife crime laws. To reduce rhino death by poaching (偷猎), the IRF donates vehicles and equipment, plus education including guard training and crime investigation.
The IRF data for other rhino species is not as promising, although the greater one-horned rhino numbers are encouraging for future conservation. According to the report, there is a decline in Sumatran rhinos, Africa’s white rhinos, while the Javan rhino population is stable and threatened by loss of habitat.
The State of the Rhino report offers hope for these other species. Given that the greater one-horned things were once close to extinction, with fewer than 100 living in the world, their recovery is incredible. This demonstrates that there are solutions when organizations and people work together. Let us hope that this successful rhino baby boom will affect other endangered wildlife species around the globe.
1. What contributes to the baby boon of one-horned rhinos in Assam, India?| A．Extending the protected areas for rhinos. |
| B．Raising fund to set up more reserves for rhinos. |
| C．Leaving the one-horned rhinos alone in the wild. |
| D．Keeping visitors away from the Kaziringo National Park. |
| A．By cooperating with other organizations. |
| B．By enhancing anti-poaching efforts. |
| C．By transferring the rhinos to other habitats. |
| D．By guarding the rhinos with new equipment. |
| A．Rhinos are no longer a vulnerable species. |
| B．Rhinos will affect other wildlife in the world. |
| C．Everyone can play a role in protecting nature. |
| D．It is possible to protect other endangered species. |
| A．To inform good news on the greater one-horned rhinos. |
| B．To show the measures taken to protect the one-horned rhinos. |
| C．To introduce an endangered species—the greater one-horned rhinos. |
| D．To indicate the decline of other species of rhino population. |
4 . Milo is a rescue dog, adopted (收养) by 20-year-old Makayla Swift. But the beagle (猎犬)is also a rescuer.
One morning in November 2021, Swift opened her front door in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Milo took off running. Milo ran to the house across the street. He seemed unsatisfied with this house, so he ran to the one next door, Swift on his tail. “He started scratching on the front door, ” Swift says, “I’m thinking, ‘Why is he literally trying to break into her house?’”
She felt uneasy. Not everyone wants a strange dog on their house. But as she tried to drag Milo away, she could hear a sound coming through an open upstairs window. It was a voice yelling “Help!”
Hours earlier, around 4 a. m., Sherry Starr had risen from her bed. “All of a sudden, standing there between the toilet and the tub, I slipped,” she says. "I went down—hard— on the tile(瓷砖) floor!" Starr is 85. She was stuck.
“I could not move at all,” says Starr, who was stuck between the toilet and the tub. Starr was scared. “I’m thinking: I’m just going to die here.” she says. Her best bet, she decided, was to listen for the letter carrier in the afternoon and scream at the top of her lungs. For the next few hours, Starr practiced yelling: “Help! Help! Help!”
“Her voice was very weak,” says Swift, “You had to be right at the front door to hear Starr yell for help.” Milo the beagle, apparently heard Starr the instant Swift opened her own front door. Swift called 911. Paramedics (医护人员) thought they’d have to remove the toilet to pull Starr, but they gave one last pull—and out she popped. Though bruised (擦伤), Starr declined a trip to the hospital.
Swift has known her share of distress. Two years ago, her mother died. She says Milo has helped her with her grief. “That dog is a blessing.” she says.
1. Why did Swift feel uneasy?| A．Scratching on a stranger’s door was impolite. | B．She was following Milo. |
| C．Milo had broken into the house. | D．She adopted Milo. |
| A．She rose from the bed at 5 a. m. | B．She could move slightly. |
| C．She wished the letter carrier to help her out. | D．Her voice was heard by the letter carrier. |
| A．Milo opened the front door himself. |
| B．The toilet was removed in order to pull Star. |
| C．Swift was no longer feeling sad about her mother’s death. |
| D．Milo heard Starr’s voice earlier than he got to her house. |
| A．All dogs are helpful to humans. |
| B．A rescue dog saves an old woman. |
| C．The elders should be taken good care of. |
| D．Waiting for help is the only thing we can do when in danger. |
5 . The Right Electric Bike For You
The bicycle fever is back, but this time it has gone electric. According to NPD Group which tracks the bicycle industry, electric bike sales have more than doubled since 2019. And their popularity is still on the rise. Confirm your need and pick the electric bike that’s best for you.
MODEL | WHAT’S IT FOR? | WHO’S IT FOR? |
 Swagtron EB5 | ◆Such e-bikes are designed to make short trips, adding to the rider’s comfort and ability to see. The electric assistance allows you to travel easily and comfortably. | ◆Those looking for alternatives to driving around the town. They’re lighter than most motorcycles. making them perfect for carrying groceries and laptops. |
 Specialized Turbo | ◆These e-bikes use the same light structure and narrow wheels as conventional touring bikes. The electric motor makes it possible to cover longer distances. | ◆Riders who are eager for more challenging cycling or want to extend the riding distance. The riding position may discourage those with back or neck pain. |
 RadWagon 4 | ◆With strong structure and fat wheels, they transport relatively heavy loads, which can be equipped with a seat or rack (支架). | ◆Anyone who would prefer to transport large loads of groceries or packages(or even small kids) with something other than a car. |
 Ancheer EM | ◆With stronger structure, bigger wheels, and suspension systems that absorb the impact of rough rides, they can handle rough landscapes. | ◆Someone who wants to experience the excitement of riding down dirt tracks but also wants a bit help from an electric motor. |
| A．Techlife News. | B．Muscle & Fitness. |
| C．How It Works. | D．Consumer Reports. |
| A．Swagtron EB5. | B．Specialized Turbo. | C．RadWagon 4. | D．Ancheer EM. |
| A．Designs of ‘electric bikes are based on travel purposes. |
| B．Electric bikes are more popular than conventional bikes. |
| C．Riders of these electric bikes put speed in the first place. |
| D．The trend of electric bikes replacing cars can’t be prevented. |
6 . Dusti was inside her apartment on Sunday afternoon. She was watching a group of children play on a
“
But as she
The little girl’s teenage cousin soon appeared, throwing Dusti a
As the girl began to
“The fact that we had her witness these kids fall in there and her quick
| A．forbidden | B．frozen | C．destroyed | D．deserted |
| A．as | B．until | C．when | D．while |
| A．fell | B．jumped | C．sprang | D．dived |
| A．After | B．Before | C．Since | D．Once |
| A．pulling | B．pouring | C．pointing | D．picking |
| A．waited for | B．answered for | C．asked for | D．reached for |
| A．above | B．in | C．to | D．beneath |
| A．scheduled | B．struggled | C．screamed | D．settled |
| A．coat | B．bag | C．rope | D．bucket |
| A．safety | B．privacy | C．freedom | D．peace |
| A．cry | B．talk | C．breathe | D．walk |
| A．scary | B．serious | C．sharp | D．stable |
| A．escape | B．leave | C．die | D．survive |
| A．reaction | B．recovery | C．reflection | D．relief |
| A．get it | B．make it | C．call it | D．catch it |
7 . Cities are difficult to navigate (导航) at the best of times, but for people with disabilities they can be like courses with hurdles and bring inconvenience to disabled people.
A UK national travel survey found that adults with mobility difficulties took 39% fewer trips than those with no disability in 2017. Yet that could change as devices and cities grow smarter. Assistive tech is playing a big role in the transformation. The global value of the industry is expected to increase from $14 billion in 2015 to $30.8 billion in 2024, according to Zion Market Research.
One of the things that could transform lives is a smart walking stick designed by engineers from Young Guru Academy (YGA) in Turkey. The WeWalk stick has a sensor that detects hurdles above chest level and uses vibrations (振动) to warn the user. It can be paired with a smartphone to help navigation, and is connected with a voice assistant and Google Maps.
Ceylan, who has been blind since birth, says that connecting the stick to the Internet of Things and smart city solutions makes it user-friendly. “As a blind person, when I am at the Metro station I don’t know which is my exit ... I don’t know which bus is approaching ... which stores are around me. That kind of information can be provided with the WeWalk,” he says.
“The smart walking stick is really an exciting initiative that will make a huge difference to some people,” says Anna Lawson, the director of the Center for Disability Studies at Leeds University in the United Kingdom. “But they are very expensive ... they’re not going to be available to the vast majority of disabled people,” she added.
Bryan Matthews, a lecturer at the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, shares the concerns about cost. He says there should also be a focus on inclusive design, and anything that helps people navigate their environment is positive.
1. What does “that” in the second paragraph refer to?| A．The survey that compared adults’ mobility. |
| B．The smart industry that is booming. |
| C．The fact that the disabled traveled less. |
| D．The role that the assistive tech plays. |
| A．The working principles of the WeWalk stick. |
| B．The introduction of the WeWalk stick inventors. |
| C．The transformation caused by the WeWalk stick. |
| D．The benefits brought about by the WeWalk stick. |
| A．To show the value of smart tech. |
| B．To urge more attention to the blind. |
| C．To increase the potential market share. |
| D．To encourage tech research and development. |
| A．Confusing instructions. | B．Poor navigation. |
| C．Inclusive designs. | D．High prices. |
8 . Hungry and thirsty on our way home, my young sister and I came across a splendid plum tree with bright reddish fruit. It belonged to an elderly disabled lady known for giving
We knocked on her door asking for some plums in payment for
With great expectations to get our plums after the errand, we rushed to the Gomez home. Mrs. Gomez
As we walked home, we enjoyed the
| A．juice | B．rice | C．meat | D．fruit |
| A．rejecting | B．cancelling | C．offering | D．running |
| A．large | B．clean | C．empty | D．firm |
| A．depart | B．return | C．survive | D．travel |
| A．make | B．purchase | C．obtain | D．increase |
| A．locked | B．answered | C．decorated | D．painted |
| A．hard | B．changeable | C．different | D．unsettled |
| A．doubtfully | B．patiently | C．helplessly | D．secretly |
| A．annoyed | B．injured | C．disappointed | D．surprised |
| A．afford | B．refuse | C．expect | D．accept |
| A．cheque | B．appointment | C．confusion | D．baskets |
| A．contents | B．notes | C．stamps | D．letters |
| A．calmed down | B．competed with | C．approved of | D．looked at |
| A．assistance | B．treat | C．company | D．comfort |
| A．wish | B．promise | C．feeling | D．appetite |
9 . The incident took place, believe it or not, on the playground. I was something of a football player, but I had never been a good player, far less a great one. I played for the mere physical joy that I got out of the game, but I played with a will, and put my whole heart into the game. The result was that, though I had plenty of energy and enthusiasm, I was never picked for my college team.
Let me confess frankly that this was only because there was another player in the same position who happened to be much better than me. I considered myself the better sportsman, but he was certainly the greater player. So I never grumbled or complained. I was content to wait and bide my time.
And at last my patience was rewarded. It was for me a very special day. Our team had shot up into the final and was meeting its rival(竞争对手). Our starplayer sent word at the last moment that he was ill and he could not take the field. Imagine the astonishment in the college camp! The thought was that the game was as good as lost, and so also, I confess, did I for this player was our trump card(王牌): That is what everybody always said. However, something had to be done, and that something had to be myself! The captain called me up almost apologetically for having failed to recognize my greatness before, and—there I was, on the playground, greeted by the cheers of my friends, and a few jeers from those who had little faith in my prowess.
I can tell you that I played like a demon(魔鬼). I was here, there and everywhere—now leading the attack, now falling back to help the defense. It was indeed a thrilling moment in my life. For a time, I was the center of all attention, the object of universal applause, and “the observed of all observers”. And, believe it or not, it was I who put in the winning goal. It marked the top of a glorious day. Even now I look back on the episode with unmixed pleasure and satisfaction.
1. What can you learn about the author from the first two paragraphs?| A．He was chosen into the college team. |
| B．He intended to be a professional player. |
| C．He performed better than any other player. |
| D．He showed great interest in playing football. |
| A．He received the captain’s sincere apology. |
| B．He helped his school team to enter the final. |
| C．He was finally considered as the trump card. |
| D．He became a replacement for the sick player. |
| A．He showed off his patience to the fullest. |
| B．The audience applauded his performance. |
| C．The audience observed players attacking. |
| D．He played attentively in the final match. |
| A．Patience is the best treatment. | B．Care and diligence bring luck. |
| C．Great hopes make a great man. | D．Opportunity is for the prepared. |
10 . In a global report of lake color, researchers estimate that roughly one-third of Earth’s lakes are blue. But, should average summer air temperatures rise by a few degrees, some of those clear waters could turn a cloudy green or brown, the Learn reports in the Sept. 28 Geophysical Research Letters.
The changing colors could change how people use those waters and offer clues about the stability of lake ecosystems. Compared with blue lakes, green or brown lakes have more algae (藻类) and organic matter, says Xiao Yang, a hydrologist (水文专家) at Southern Methodist University.
Lakes in places with average summer air temperatures that were below 19° Celsius were more likely to be blue than lakes with warmer summers. That’s because warmer water helps algae bloom more, which changes the properties of the water.
Yang and colleagues used satellite photos from 2013 to 2020 to analyze the color of more than 85,000 lakes around the world. Because storms and seasons can temporarily affect a lake’s color, the researchers focused on the most frequent color observed for each lake over the seven-year period. The researchers also created an interactive online map that can be used to explore the colors of these lakes. The approach is “super cool,” the researchers say. These satellite data are “just so powerful.”
If some lakes do become less blue, people will probably lose some of the resources they have come to value, O’Reilly says, who is an ecologist at Illinois State University. Lakes are often used for drinking water, food or recreation. If the water has more algae, it could be unappealing for play or more costly to clean for drinking. But the color changes wouldn’t necessarily mean that the lakes are any less healthy. “Humans don’t value lots of algae in a lake, but if you’re a certain type of fish species, you might be like ‘this is great’” O’Reilly says.
1. What can we learn about the lakes’ color change according to the text?| A．It is caused by water pollution. | B．It does harm to the growth of algae. |
| C．It results from the temperature increase. | D．It can disturb the stability of lake ecosystems. |
| A．By doing field investigation. | B．By researching previous studies. |
| C．By analyzing long-term satellite data. | D．By observing the daily color of the lakes. |
| A．Objective. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Favourable. |
| A．To call on people to protect lakes. | B．To introduce a new research method. |
| C．To present the outcome of a research. | D．To provide solutions to lakes’ color change. |
