1 . Wang Zhechun majored in Indonesian at college because of her love for Bali. Her sister told her that being able to speak the language would make traveling to the popular tourist destination easier. “I imagined having a relaxing vacation in Bali, and quickly decided to study Indonesian at college,” Wang, 28, said.

After graduating in 2020, she received an offer and joined the China Railway Beijing Group and was employed as a translator and interpreter for the railway. However, she faced a significant challenge, as she had little knowledge of railways, let alone the technical terms associated with them.

Wang immersed herself in textbooks, learning about equipment, including rail tracks, and signals. In January 2021, she joined a group tasked with preparing for the railway to open. Her work had a tight schedule, high standards, and involved numerous railway terminologies. “At that time, I began to understand the importance of acquiring railway knowledge. As a railway interpreter, technical expertise is essential,” Wang said.

In October 2021, Wang traveled to Indonesia to start work, and in addition to her desk duties, she served as an interpreter at conferences. Recalling her first international conference as an interpreter, she said her hands shook, and she struggled to hear herself speak. Afterward, she could barely recall what had taken place.

Determined to overcome such challenges, she devoted herself to becoming familiar with the material in advance. For meetings the following day, she stayed up late the previous night to learn words not commonly used in business discussions.

Now, Wang not only translates railway policies and other material, but also excels as an on-site interpreter at conferences. “As a translator and interpreter, I have witnessed many important moments for the railway,” she said. “I also feel extremely proud and happy when I see many passengers on the high-speed train applauding and cheering its smooth operation when it reaches a speed of 350 kilometers per hour.”

Although she still hasn’t had the chance to visit Bali, she hopes that day will come soon.

1. What inspired Wang Zhechun to learn Indonesian?

A．Her dream of becoming a translator	B．Her passion for foreign language
C．Her desire to go to Bali	D．Her travel experience to Bali

2. What is TRUE about Wang Zhechun according to the passage?

A．Wang Zhechun started working in Indonesia right after graduation

B．She participated in the task to prepare for a railway to open in 2020.

C．Her work is demanding and challenging.

D．She performed well when participating in the first conference as an interpreter.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Wang Zhechun?

A．diligent and brave.	B．ambitious and considerate.
C．adventurous and modest.	D．friendly and dedicated.

4. What can we learn from Wang Zhechun’s story?

A．Time is money.	B．Nothing is difficult to a willing heart.
C．It’s never too late to learn.	D．Dreams are lies.

4 . Los Angeles County Museum of Art

What to know?

Next door to the La Brea Tar Pits sits the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the linchpin of the Los Angeles museum district. Since its opening in 1965, LACMA has showcased thousands of pieces, from Islamic artifacts to European impressionist paintings to modern art. With constantly shifting exhibitions and unique architecture, LACMA offers a rewarding experience for both serious art lovers and casual travelers.

More information

LACMA’s collection is housed in multiple buildings. The Ahmanson Building, the Hammer Building, and the Art of the Americas Building are historical structures that have long been part of the museum’s landscape. Currently, the museum is constructing a new building for its permanent collection, called the David Geffen Galleries, which is scheduled to open in 2024. For now, pieces will be on display in the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) and the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion. The Urban Light and Levitated Mass exhibits remain open to visitors. There is a restaurant and grab-and-go eatery on-site. Many visitors appreciated both the indoor and outdoor art exhibits and were impressed with the size of the collection of modern and contemporary art.

When to visit?

Situated on Wilshire Boulevard in west Los Angeles, LACMA is open from 11 am to 6 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; from 11 am to 8 pm on Fridays and from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It is closed every Wednesday.

Price

As for residents outside the county, general admission tickets cost $25 for adults, $10 for those aged 3 to 17 (children aged 2 and younger get in for free) and parking will set you back $21. Tickets can be purchased online or at the museum’s ticket office.

1. Which building is under construction?

A．The Hammer Building.	B．The Ahmanson Building.
C．The David Geffen Galleries.	D．The Art of the Americas Building.

2. When can the museum be accessible to visitors?

A．At 10 am on Tuesdays.	B．At 3 pm on Fridays.
C．At 8 pm on Saturdays.	D．At 11 am on Wednesdays.

3. To visit the museum, how much will a Canadian couple driving a car pay?

A．$35.

B．$56.

C．$71.

D．$81.

5 . Children with strong family connections are associated with a high likelihood of flourishing in life, a study found. “What is different about this study is that it shows that family connection is associated with thriving and not just surviving or avoiding harm,” said lead study author Dr. Robert Whitaker.

Researchers surveyed over 37,000 children in 26 countries. In the study, family connection was determined by a mean score of five categories: care, support, safety, respect, and participation. Flourishing was determined by a mean score of six categories: self-acceptance, purpose in life, positive relations with others, personal growth, environmental mastery and autonomy. The essence of family connection is children feeling that they are accepted and cared for at home, which allows them to learn what their strengths and weaknesses are in a safe environment as they are building their identity,Whitaker said.

Children with the greatest level of family connection were over 49% more likely to flourish compared with those with the lowest level of family connection, according to the study. The highest scores in both family connection and flourishing came from children who said they lived with both parents, had enough food or never had their family worrying about finances. Researchers then controlled the data for families’ poverty levels to remove the effect they might have had on the numbers. After controlling the data, the strength of family connection still impacted how much children flourished.

According to Whitaker, adults have a very powerful influence on the emotional climate in the home, so it’s important to create a space where children feel seen and heard. A great opportunity to strengthen family bonds is around the dinner table. Adults should create an environment where children feel comfortable speaking freely. While they are talking,grown-ups should show that they have a genuine interest in what their children are saying. Silence is also another powerful form of communication, Whitaker said. Children and parents spending time together in silence or even doing chores can create a connection.

1. What is the study mainly about?

A．The importance of family connection to children’s survival.

B．The relationship between family connection and children’s success.

C．The factors affecting children’ self-acceptance.

D．The impact of poverty on children’s development.

2. Who are more likely to achieve high scores in both family connection and flourishing?

A．Children who live with a single parent.

B．Children who have enough food and money.

C．Children who know of their strengths and weaknesses.

D．Children who have a whole family and economic security.

3. Which of the following might be an influencing factor in the result?

A．Family income.	B．Parents’ educational level.
C．Children’s age and gender.	D．The number of people in the family.

4. How can adults strengthen family bonds during mealtime?

A．By showing respect when children are talking.	B．By talking about their own problems.
C．By keeping silent when disagreements arise.	D．By backing children’s opinions forever.

7 . Dawn Loggins didn’t have a typical senior year. Back in 2012, Loggins was waking up early to get to school to put in a before-school _________ as a janitor (清洁工).

Before the rest of her peers _________ school, Loggins was cleaning bathrooms, scrubbing floors, and _________ down the very desks she would _________ later in the day as a student. After 7 hours at school, Loggins didn’t get to _________ home to enjoy an after-school snack or downtime either._________ , she clocked back in for another two-hour time on janitorial duty.

“I don’t mind cleaning,” Loggins said. “If you have to walk through trash to get to your desk, you’re not going to have an environment that _________ learning.”

While the teen was clearly hardworking, it wasn’t immediately obvious to school officials how badly Loggins _________ the financial support her job provided, until she asked her boss for _________ one day. The reason? Without electricity at home.

Even more shocking, while Loggins was at summer school, she __________ calling home, only to find out the phones had been __________ and her parents had moved away-without her. And she became __________ . When the school realized the extent of the neglect Loggins had been living with, they surrounded her with __________ . The community took her in, providing her with housing and food and clothing and helping her to apply for college.

And the efforts __________ : Loggins was accepted into Harvard University. Today she works as a motivational speaker, speaking to __________ that include education, homelessness, and women and youth empowerment.

1.

A．gift

B．shift

C．practice

D．study

2.

A．forced into

B．fit into

C．fell into

D．rolled into

3.

A．wiping

B．falling

C．dropping

D．welling

4.

A．equip

B．occupy

C．make

D．bother

5.

A．come

B．lead

C．head

D．leave

6.

A．Therefore

B．Instead

C．However

D．Besides

7.

A．happens

B．encourages

C．appoints

D．troubles

8.

A．used

B．spent

C．cost

D．needed

9.

A．candles

B．toys

C．lights

D．sweets

10.

A．finished

B．delayed

C．considered

D．tried

11.

A．disconnected

B．stolen

C．spoiled

D．misguided

12.

A．sick

B．blind

C．lonely

D．homeless

13.

A．hope

B．advice

C．support

D．courage

14.

A．came true

B．counted on

C．paid off

D．let out

15.

A．matters

B．issues

C．challenges

D．problems

8 . In our family, the presents we gave one another were almost always homemade. I thought that was the definition of a gift: something you made for someone else. We made all our Christmas gifts: piggy banks from old bottles, and puppets from retired socks. It didn’t seem like a hardship to me; it was something special.

My father loves wild strawberries, so for Father’s Day my mother would almost always make him strawberry cakes. While we kids were responsible for the berries, we each got an old jar and spent the Saturday before the celebration in the fields, filling it as more ended up in our mouths. Finally, we returned home and poured them out on the kitchen table to sort out the bugs. I’m sure we missed some, but Dad never mentioned the extra protein.

In fact, he thought that was the best possible present, or so he had us convinced. It was a gift that could never be bought. As children raised by strawberries, we were probably unaware that the gift of berries was from the fields themselves, not from us. Our gift was time, attention, care and “red” fingers.

Gifts from the earth or from each other establish a particular relationship, a duty of sorts to give, to receive, and to exchange. The field gave to us, we gave to my dad, and we tried to give back to the strawberries. When the berry season was done, the plants would send out its red runners to make new plants. So I would weed out little fields of ground where the runners touched down. Sure enough, tiny little roots would emerge from the runner and by the end of the season there were even more plants, ready to bloom under the next strawberry season. No person taught us this — the strawberries showed us. Because they had given us a gift, an ongoing relationship opened between us.

1. What is the author’s belief about a gift?

A．It should be practical and valuable.	B．It should be luxurious and special.
C．It should be purchased from a store.	D．It should be made with personal effort.

2. What did the children do for Father’s Day?

A．Making strawberry cakes.	B．Finding the sweetest strawberries.
C．Going strawberry picking.	D．Baking strawberry cookies.

3. What would the author do to give back to the strawberries?

A．Making homemade gifts for her father.

B．Devoting time and attention to the plant.

C．Waiting for the strawberries to get ripe again.

D．Searching for fields for the plants to take roots.

4. What did the strawberries teach the family?

A．How to cook with strawberries.

B．The importance of giving and receiving.

C．How to cherish homemade gifts.

D．The procedure of growing strawberries.

9 . Obese people experience discrimination (歧视) in many parts of their lives, and the workplace is no exception. Studies have long shown that obese workers, defined as those with a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, earn significantly less than their slimmer co-workers.

Yet the costs of weight discrimination may be even greater than previously thought. “The overwhelming evidence,” wrote the Institute for employment Studies, “is that it is only women living with obesity who experience the obesity wage penalty (薪资损失).” They were expressing a view that is widely aired in academic papers. To test it, The Economist has analyzed data concerning 23,000 workers from the American Time Use Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Our number-processing suggests that, in fact, being obese hurts the earnings of both women and men.

The data we analyzed cover men and women aged between 25 and 54 and in full-time employment. At a general level, it is true that men’s BMIs are unrelated to their wages. But that changes for men with university degrees. For them, obesity is associated with a wage penalty of nearly 8%, even after accounting for the separate effects of age, race, graduate education and marital status.

The conclusion — that well-educated workers in particular are penalized for their weight — holds for both sexes. Moreover, the higher your level of education, the greater the penalty. We found that obese men with a Bachelor’s degree (学士学位) earn 5% less than their thinner colleagues, while those with a Master’s degree earn 14% less. Obese women, it is true, still have it worse: for them, the equivalent figures are 12% and 19%, respectively (分别地).

Your line of work makes a difference, too. When we dealt with the numbers for individual occupations and industries, we found the greatest differences in high-skilled jobs. Obese workers in health care, for example, make 11% less than their slimmer colleagues; those in management roles make roughly 9% less, on average. In sectors such as construction and agriculture, meanwhile, obesity is actually associated with higher wages.

These results suggest that the total costs of wage discrimination borne by overweight workers in America are greater than expected. Now, it’s time for our governments to take it seriously.

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

A．Obese men earn less salary.

B．Only obese women earn less salary.

C．Both obese men and women earn less salary.

D．Weight discrimination may be greater than previously thought.

2. Who may experience more discrimination compared to their colleagues according to the data?

A．A fat woman office director.

B．An obese construction worker.

C．An obese man with a bachelor’s degree.

D．A heavier female doctor with a Doctor’s degree.

3. What is the writer’s attitude of overweight discrimination?

A．Supportive

B．Objective

C．Subjective

D．indifferent

4. What might the author continue talking about?

A．Overweight discrimination in other countries.

B．The reason of discriminating obese people in their lives.

C．American people’s attitude towards overweight discrimination.

D．Actions taken against overweight discrimination in workplaces.

10 . For high schoolers, a career goal can help them choose a major and college. They may find a career that fits for the first try. Therefore, do encourage the career exploration below. It describes a few new ones that will be available when your teen reaches adulthood.

Next-generation psychological help

Unfortunately, psychological health issues are unlikely to decrease soon. The existing research is far from a cure-all. Psychological help will likely be an ever more interesting and in-demand profession.

Intermediate health care provider

The U. S. is facing an overburdened health care system. So, an ever-higher percentage of health care will be provided by intermediate-care providers such as physician assistant, dental assistant, etc. The good news for career-seekers is that the training is much shorter.

Software developers and engineers

Experts in database architecture, artificial intelligence, and machine learning will stay in demand. New applications may include AI-assisted diagnosis (诊断) and treatment recommendations, individualized education, and advanced embryo (胚胎) selection to ensure absence of genetically influenced diseases and so on.

Precision medicine

In your teen’s lifetime, major diseases will likely be prevented and/or treated with molecules custom-matched (定制) to the very specific disease. Your math-centric teen who can picture getting a PhD could help make that happen.

Tips

It’s great when teens are able to explore careers on their own. You might want to sit alongside, but let your teen sit in the driver’s seat. Only help as much as needed.

1. Which career focuses on mental issues?

A．Next-generation psychological help.	B．Software developers and engineers.
C．Intermediate health care provider.	D．Precision medicine.

2. Which of the following relates to all the careers?

A．Database architecture.	B．Medical health.
C．Math knowledge.	D．AI education.

3. Who is the text intended for?

A．Teens.

B．Employers.

C．Teachers.

D．Parents.