4 . My son, Ben, died when he was 23. The year after his death, I hiked 48 of the state’s tallest mountains in his memory. Every step, path and peak has been a way to recover.

About a month after his death, my husband and I hiked Carter Dome and Mount Hight. Standing on the peak, I looked out across the mountains my son loved. For a moment, the heavy blow brought about by Ben’s death faded into the timeless expanse, and I could breathe again.

The next weekend found us on Mount Moosilauke. Then Mount Cannon, Mount Flume, Mount Liberty and so on. It was a series of firsts, of struggles and overcoming them — climbing at night, climbing slides and rocks, camping alone, finding paths and planning routes.

Six days before the anniversary of Ben’s death, I hiked my 48^th and final peak: Mount Carrigain. As I stood on the observation platform at the peak, I found the essential truth I had been grasping to express for months: The only place that feels vast enough to hold sorrow this deep and wide is the top of a mountain, looking out into forever.

These days, I hike not to hide, but to seek. I find Ben, but I also find myself: someone broken, now braver and more capable. The forced isolation of sorrow becomes the welcome loneliness of the path; the peace of nature replaces the pain of loss. Hiking is both exhausting and exciting, and it teaches us that sorrow and joy can coexist.

But there’s another, possibly more important truth: A hike is not the only way to find the peace of the natural world; a simple walk along a park path can have a similar effect. The internal journey of sorrow mixes with our steps, and we find comfort along the way.

1. How did the writer feel after climbing Carter Dome and Mount Hight?

A．Relieved.

B．Exhausted.

C．Sorrowful.

D．Stunned.

2. After hiking the 48 peaks, the writer learned that __________.

A．it is possible to live with both sorrow and joy

B．it is the isolation of sorrow that exhausted her

C．only by overcoming struggles can one survive

D．the peaks are proper places to remember someone

3. What does the writer imply in the last paragraph?

A．Walking works best for those in sorrow.	B．What counts is to make peace with ourselves.
C．We can plan our internal journey as intended.	D．People tend to hike in parks to seek comfort.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．The Journeys That Frustrated Me.	B．The Heavy Steps That Led Me to Peaks.
C．The Mountains That Held My Grief.	D．The First Struggles That Empowered Me.

6 . Reading can be a social activity. Think of the people who belong to book groups. They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them. Now, the website Book Crossing.com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group.

Members go on the site and register (登记) the books they own and would like to share. Book Crossing provides an identification number (识别码) to stick inside the book. Then the person leaves it in a public place, hoping that the book will have an adventure, traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it.

Bruce Pederson, the managing director of Book Crossing, says, “The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read. Book Crossing combines both.”

Members leave books on park benches and buses, in train stations and coffee shops. Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.

People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it. E-mails are then sent to the BookCrossers to keep them updated about where their books have been found. Bruce Pederson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.

Book Crossing is part of a trend (趋势) among people who want to get back to the “real” and not the virtual (虚拟).The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty—five countries.

1. Why does the author mention book groups in the first paragraph?

A．To explain what they are.	B．To introduce Book Crossing.
C．To stress the importance of reading.	D．To encourage readers to share their ideas.

2. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．An adventure.

B．A public place.

C．The book.

D．The identification number.

3. What will a Book Crosser do with a book after reading it?

A．Keep it safe in his bookcase.	B．Mail it back to its owner.
C．Meet other readers to discuss it.	D．Pass it on to another reader.

4. What’s people’s attitude towards “Book Crossing”?

A．Negative.

B．Indifferent.

C．Doubtful.

D．Favorable.

7 . A recent study has found that using wood for construction instead of concrete and steel can reduce emissions. But Tim Searchinger at Princeton University says many of these studies are based on the false foundation that harvesting wood is carbon neutral (碳中和). “Only a small percentage of the wood gets into a timber (木料) product, and a part of that gets into a timber product that can replace concrete and steel in a building,” he says. Efficiencies vary in different countries, but large amounts of a harvested tree are left to be divided into parts, used in short-lived products like paper or burned for energy, all of which generate emissions.

In a report for the World Resources Institute, Searchinger and his colleagues have modelled how using more wood for construction would affect emissions between 2010 and 2050, accounting for the emissions from harvesting the wood. They considered various types of forests and parts of wood going towards construction. They also factored in the emissions savings from replacing concrete and steel.

Under some circumstances, the researchers found significant emissions reductions. But each case required what they considered an unrealistically high portion of the wood going towards construction, as well as rapid growth only seen in warmer places, like Brazil. In general, they found a large increase in global demand for wood would probably lead to rising emissions for decades. Accounting for emissions in this way, the researchers reported in a related paper that increasing forest harvests between 2010 and 2050 would add emissions equal to roughly 10 percent of total annual emissions.

Ali Amiri at Aalto University in Finland says the report’s conclusions about emissions from rising demand are probably correct, but the story is different for wood we already harvest. “Boosting the efficiency of current harvests and using more wood for longer lived purposes than paper would cut emissions,” he says. “We cannot just say we should stop using wood.”

1. What is wrong with previous researches according to Searchinger?

A．They got wrong statistics.	B．They included too many factors.
C．They used an incorrect concept.	D．They were applied in limited countries.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．The process of the new research.	B．The background of the new study.
C．The challenge of the new research.	D．The achievements of the new study.

3. When will the emissions drop off greatly according to the new study?

A．When wood grows slowly.	B．When wood is used to make paper.
C．When wood is used to build a house.	D．When wood is harvested in countries like Brazil.

4. What is Ali Amiri’s attitude toward the new result?

A．Favorable.

B．Doubtful.

C．Critical.

D．Objective.

8 . “Anxiety.” The very word invites discomfort. Its effects — shortness of breath, pounding heart, muscle tension — are definitely upsetting. But, as a clinician, I find that we tend to miss out on many valuable opportunities presented by this human emotion. In and of itself, anxiety is not deadly, nor is it a disease. Quite the contrary: it is an indicator of brain and sensory health. Once we accept that it is a normal, though uncomfortable, part of life, we can use it to help us.

We all know working out at the gym is hard. By nature, a “good workout” is uncomfortable, since it involves pushing our physical strength past what we can easily do. The sweet spot of exercise is always a somewhat challenging experience. Similarly, if you want to be emotionally stronger, you need to face some tension. For example, one effective treatment for fear is exposure therapy (疗法), which involves gradually being exposed to things that make one anxious, reducing fear over time.

Humans are social creatures. When my patients learn to open up to their partners about their anxieties, they almost always report a greater sense of emotional closeness. Also, as international relationship expert Sue Johnson teaches, when we express our need for connection during challenging moments (e.g., “I’m having a hard time right now and could really use your support”), it creates greater connection and turns our anxiety into love.

From time to time, we find ourselves at the end of our rope. Our responsibilities pile up, our resources break down, and we feel uncomfortably anxious—what we’re experiencing is called stress. Simply put, the demands placed upon us outweigh our available resources, just like a set of scales (天平) going out of balance. Focusing on work and pretending everything is OK only leads to disastrous results. Medical treatment for stress may function for a while, but it tends to make things worse in the long run. The only solution to dealing with stress is to do the mathematics to balance the scales.

1. What does the author say about anxiety?

A．It is an invitation to diseases.	B．It indicates stable mental health.
C．It is a natural emotional expression.	D．It costs us many valuable chances.

2. Why does the author mention “good workout” in paragraph 2?

A．To prove how exercise influences emotions.

B．To suggest an effective way to challenge limits.

C．To explain how anxiety builds emotional strength.

D．To show a positive connection between mind and body.

3. What is Johnson’s attitude towards being straightforward about one’s anxiety?

A．Favorable.

B．Dismissive.

C．Suspicious.

D．Critical.

4. According to the text, how can we deal with stress?

A．Devote more energy to our work.

B．Master advanced mathematical skills.

C．Seek professional medical treatment.

D．Balance the demands and available resources.

9 . Searching for the perfect gift can be difficult, especially age-appropriate materials for teenagers. Look no further. We have a list of the best teen magazines. Give the gift of reading to your teens today!

	Muse For teens up to age 14, Muse teaches, challenges, and excites readers of both genders. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute, this magazine features award-winning authors and focuses on science, history, and arts. Whether your teen is interested in genetics, video games, outer space, beekeeping, robots, or mythology, this magazine has it all!
	Sports Illustrated Kids Perfect for sports fans aged 8 to 14, SI Kids supplies readers with interesting sports news they won’t want to miss. Articles on favorite athletes feature incredible photography and illustrations. Girls and boys alike will enjoy the advice from athletes, coaches, and experts in the field: they’ll find tips on nutrition, performance, morale (士气), and more.
	Girls’ Life Magazine Designed for 10 to 15-year-olds, Girls’ Life provides inspiration and entertainment for every reader. She’ll find tips for dealing with stress, navigating high school, achieving academic success, and beauty and fashion advice. This print magazine delivers fun — quizzes, reader submissions, and more — helping guide young women through their teen years while still allowing them to be young.
	National Geographic Kids While designed for kids aged 6 and up, this magazine features a lot of important, fun information about the world around us. Discover great stories about wildlife, current events, pop culture, science, technology, other kids’ adventures, and more! They’ll feel like they’re exploring the places themselves, with stunning photography, lively stories, and exciting facts.

1. What can you learn from Girls’ Life?

A．Information about award-winning authors.	B．Advice on coping with high school.
C．Suggestions from coaches about nutrition.	D．News reports about interesting events.

2. Which magazine has the youngest readers?

A．Girls’ Life.	B．Muse.
C．Sports Illustrated Kids.	D．National Geographic Kids.

3. Who is the passage mainly written for?

A．Kids.

B．Parents.

C．Teenage boys.

D．Teenage girls.

10 . Two and a half months before the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins, forecasters have already predicted and warned that warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic and the development of a La Niña in the Pacific may create a “perfect storm” of the conditions needed for major hurricanes.

Key to the formation of any tropical cyclone (气旋) is the combination of warm ocean temperatures and the absence of what is known as wind shear (风切变). Alex DaSilva, a forecaster, explains that wind shear occurs when wind changes direction and speed at different heights in the atmosphere. When there’s much wind shear, it essentially knocks down those clouds and prevents tropical systems from really intensifying. Besides, hurricanes also need surface water to be at a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius or higher. That warm water, and the warm air just above it, provides fuel for the storm. The record data for February are 1.2 degrees Celsius above normal.

Over periods ranging from three to seven years, the waters of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean alternately (交替地) warm and cool as a result of a repeatedly occurring climate pattern called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). During an El Niño, sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific increase, and those warmer temperatures affect the path of the Pacific jet stream, which in turn brings drier, warmer weather to the northern United States and Canada, and wetter conditions to the Gulf Coast of Mexico and southeast. El Niño reduces the possibility of Atlantic hurricane formation because it lowers hurricane activity and increases wind shear. La Niña has just the opposite effect of El Niño. During the 2023 season, ENSO was in an El Niño phase. By the time the 2024 season starts, it is likely to have shifted fully into a La Niña.

“If a tropical storm system comes into this area, it could rapidly intensify, potentially close to land,” DaSilva cautions. “And that’s why people need to be on alert and have their hurricane plans ready. Because any system with these kinds of conditions can explode very quickly. That’s what we’re concerned about.”

1. Where can you probably read this article?

A．https://www.thecut.com/culture/

B．https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports

C．https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/

D．https://www.smithsonianmag.com/category/innovation/

2. What does the underlined word in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Dying down.

B．Falling away.

C．Breaking down.

D．Becoming stronger.

3. How can a La Niña affect the formation of hurricanes?

A．Generate less wind shear.	B．Bring more rainfall to the Gulf Coast.
C．Block the path of the Pacific jet stream.	D．Cause higher temperature in Canada.

4. What is the purpose of writing this article?

A．To remind people to get prepared.	B．To report the Atlantic hurricanes.
C．To compare El Niño and La Niña.	D．To introduce some geographic knowledge.