1 . On 20 December, in Newdale, a series of huge waves caused by an undersea earthquake raced across the ocean near Goldshore. Worse still, it
The day began like any other on Goldshore Beach. People were walking, running or simply sitting on the sandy beach,
Sabrina was
| A．left | B．brought | C．affected | D．led |
| A．recognize | B．survive | C．challenge | D．quit |
| A．stress | B．reality | C．danger | D．failure |
| A．making up | B．taking in | C．focusing on | D．checking out |
| A．wave | B．sunshine | C．whistle | D．wind |
| A．unique | B．powerful | C．strange | D．attractive |
| A．narrow | B．adventurous | C．distant | D．calm |
| A．signs | B．damages | C．effects | D．results |
| A．embarrassed | B．confused | C．annoyed | D．frightened |
| A．warned | B．cheated | C．helped | D．debated |
| A．disease | B．disaster | C．accident | D．drought |
| A．officer | B．designer | C．partner | D．inventor |
| A．actually | B．anxiously | C．immediately | D．curiously |
| A．informed | B．robbed | C．reminded | D．cleared |
| A．slid | B．crashed | C．divided | D．tapped |
2 . Working on your adventure list? These national park treasures which turn favorites during the harvest time should be on it.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
33, 000 acres of forests wait between Cleveland and Akron, all along the snaking Cuyahoga River. The park will delight you with plenty of outdoor activities suiting every interest, but do not climb over the fenced areas, rocks, or Brandywine Falls. Now the red maple trees will be visually on fire, which you can enjoy from the comfort of the tourist railway—Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Extending some 160 miles along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, this series of parks includes a historic building, untouched barrier islands, and sugar-white beaches. Don’t miss the Fort Pickens area, which is a perfect spot to observe wild animals living in the scenic natural environment. With an average high of 79°F and a low of 60°F, the fall weather here is exceptional.
Voyageurs National Park
Yellow and red leaves in fall will catch your eyes, contrasting with this parks’ glassy waters. In the Land of 10, 000 Lakes, there are no roads in the park, so visitors use boats to cross this remote 218, 000-acre park. Some 100+ bird species, even the rare ones, pass through the park, so keep an eye out for them.
1. What can visitors do in Cuyahoga Valley National park?| A．Enjoy the red maple trees. | B．Enjoy the fireworks. |
| C．Climb the rocks. | D．Sunbathe on the beach. |
| A．Voyageurs National Park. | B．Gateway Arch National Park. |
| C．Cuyahoga Valley National Park. | D．Gulf Islands National Seashore. |
| A．Spring. | B．Summer. | C．Autumn. | D．Winter. |
3 . A study by University of Michigan researchers found that about mine out of ten people in New York City were exposed to noises that were high enough to harm their hearing. Some of the risk comes from traffic and other environmental sounds, but we suffer a lot of punishment on our ears by simply attending sports events and concerts. Listening to music through earphones and turning up the volume also do damage.
Hearing aids may have seemed not comfortable to wear for some people. But today, you might not even realize that the person next to you is wearing a pair of earphones so small and thin that they’re mostly hidden inside the ears. You might be even more surprised to discover that the person can adjust those hearing aids on a phone app — to make it easier to hear what you’re saying in a crowded, noisy environment.
“There’s a cool factor for hearing aids,” explains Dr. Hope Lanter. “They’re significantly (显著地) better and smaller.” Lanter is the lead audiologist (听力学家) for hear. com, an online source for hearing aids from various producers, which also offers access to a nationwide network of audiologists who can provide in-person testing and help.
Hear. com has started its own product, which is named the Horizon, together with engineers from hearing aid maker Signia, according to a news report. In addition to producing clear speech, the Horizon is also designed to interact with phones and other tools, make phone calls, stream podcasts, read e-books and so on.
Throughout the United States, the number of hearing aids and earphones is on the rapid increase. Though they have brought much benefit for those who have difficulty in hearing, they really do great harm to people with normal hearing when they listen to music or talk with others.
1. Why did the author mention the study in paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the topic of the text. | B．To show the number of deaf people. |
| C．To explain the importance of protecting hearing. | D．To tell us the wide use of earphones. |
| A．Many people feel it awkward to wear hearing aids. |
| B．More and more people are wearing hearing aids now. |
| C．Hearing aids are getting more and more advanced. |
| D．It’s easier to stay away from loud noises with hearing aids. |
| A．Unfavorable. | B．Supportive. | C．Confident. | D．Not mentioned. |
| A．Loud noises in the United States. | B．Different earphones producers. |
| C．The advantages of hearing aids. | D．The wide use of hearing aids and earphones. |
4 . Math had never been something I was good at since middle school. Classes became harder in high school, and I was even further from a math teacher’s dream student. So at the start of my freshman year, I had an aversion to math. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do well, but simply, that I didn’t think I was able to do well. “I can’t ”became my state of mind in all things related to math.
However, I was soon to learn that “I can’t” was not a choice in Mr. Green’s class.
Mr. Green always greeted us with open arms as he said, “Welcome! Smile! It’s a great day to be alive!” It was clear that Mr. Green had a true passion (热情) not only for math but for teaching. If Mr. Green ever experienced bad days in life, he never showed it. Mr. Green greeted us with that same smile every day. He encouraged each student, from the top achiever to the “I can’t” student.
I found myself looking forward to math class, although I still hated the subject itself. Being in Mr. Green’s presence made me feel good, as if I had the chance to succeed. As the year progressed, I spent increasingly more time on my homework, and I met with Mr. Green weekly. My classmates began to do the same, and it became “cool” to have lunch and talk with Mr. Green. We didn’t know it at that time, but he was changing our attitudes.
Though my story is not one of overnight success and I didn’t become a straight-A math student, my hard work did begin to pay off and my grades slowly. began to climb. There were hard times, of course. Difficult math questions sometimes succeeded in bringing me down, but Mr. Green kept reminding (提醒) me, “Kate, smile! It’s a great day to be alive!”
1. What does the underlined word “aversion” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Dream. | B．Dislike. | C．Duty. | D．Passion. |
| A．Her friends’ encouragement. | B．Her interest in math. |
| C．Mr. Green’s attitude. | D．The top achievers in her class. |
| A．She made slow progress. | B．She fell in love with math. |
| C．She became a straight-A math student. | D．She became comfortable with hard math. |
| A．Honest and humorous. | B．Strong and friendly. |
| C．Strict and responsible. | D．Passionate and active. |
5 . Pamela Malhotra has always attached great importance to education. However, life always seemed to “get in the way” every time she tried to finish her bachelor’s degree. The single mom was so devoted to working to support her two children that she repeatedly put her own education goals on hold, giving up her college program on two separate occasions over the years.
When he was just five years old, her son Bonifacio Malhotra noticed her struggling to get her degree, and he made a promise to help her. “I remember I just told my mom… one day, it’s gonna be you and me,” Bonifacio said. “We’re going to gain our degrees at the same time.” Those words proved to be predictable for the mom-and-son duo, who currently walked across the stage at the university to collect their bachelor’s degrees together!
“That promise, he never allowed it to die,” said Pamela. “He continuously confirmed that we’re gonna do this.” Their path to graduation wasn’t easy, but Bonifacio stayed true to his promise and helped his mother along the way. The two hold two associate’s degrees each, so in the fall of 2021 they registered together in bachelor-level online courses. They both found the classes challenging, but Bonifacio stepped up as the cheerleader his mother needed. “Mom, you’ve got to keep it going. I know you want to stop. We must keep going,” Bonifacio recalled. “The main thing was just trying to get everything lined up and stay on top of all the work.”
It took the Malhotras two years to finish their bachelor’s degrees, hers in humanities and Bonifacio’s in public safety administration. Pamela plans to stay at her job as a coordinator, and Bonifacio has accepted a job at university to help other students succeed in college, too.
Pamela said she was incredibly proud of her son’s achievement, and she personally couldn’t have reached her lifelong goal without the support of her family, especially him. “Between my son and my daughter, they were my greatest supporter,” Pamela proudly said.
1. Why Pamela Malhotra couldn’t finish her bachelor’s degree?| A．Because she didn’t work hard enough. |
| B．Because she was devoted to working to support her two children. |
| C．Because her husband did not allowed her to further study. |
| D．Because she couldn’t find a proper major. |
| A．They took online courses at the same time. |
| B．Pamela thought the courses were more challenging. |
| C．Bonifacio majored in humanities at university. |
| D．Pamela now works as a university teacher. |
| A．He’s the good man of the house. | B．He’s a man of all work. |
| C．He’s a man among men. | D．He’s a man of his word. |
| A．We Value the Time Being with Families | B．Families Help Each Other |
| C．The Home Is Our Heaven | D．Each Family Has Its Own Problems |
6 . With a fragrance (芳香) through the bedrooms of older adults for two hours every night for six months, memories skyrocketed. Participants in this study by University of California, Irvine (UCI)neuroscientists gained a 226% increase in cognitive capacity compared to the control group. The researchers say the finding transforms the long-known tie between smell and memory into an easy, non-invasive technique for strengthening memory and potentially preventing dementia (痴呆).
The project was conducted through the UCI Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory. It involved men and women aged 60 to 85 without memory impairment. All were given seven small containers, each containing a single and different natural oil. People in the enriched group received full-strength oils. Control group participants were given the oils in tiny amounts. Participants put a different container into their room each evening prior to going to bed, and it activated for two hours as they slept.
People in the enriched group showed a 226% increase in cognitive performance compared to the control group, as measured by a word list test commonly used to evaluate memory. Participants also reported sleeping more soundly. The researchers say the results from their study bear out what scientists learned about the connection between smell and memory.
Scientists have long known that the loss of ability to smell, can predict development of nearly 70 neurological and psychiatric diseases. These include Alzheimer’s and other dementias, Parkinson’s and alcoholism. Researchers have previously found that exposing people with moderate dementia to up to 40 different smells twice a day over a period of time improved their memories and language skills, eased depression and improved their sense of smell.
The team would next like to study the technique’s impact on people with diagnosed cognitive loss. A product based on their study and designed for people to use at home is expected to come onto the market this fall.
1. What field may the findings be applied to?| A．Controlling sleep. | B．Exploring smells. |
| C．Developing skills. | D．Promoting memory. |
| A．Research results. | B．Research process. |
| C．Research methods. | D．Research purpose. |
| A．By giving the participants a test. |
| B．By scanning the participants’ brain. |
| C．By observing the participants’ actions. |
| D．By asking about the participants’ feeling. |
| A．Developing a smell product. |
| B．The impact of cognitive loss. |
| C．Application of research results. |
| D．Doing market research for their product. |
7 . Hotels Where Wild Animals Wander Free
Check in to one of these hotels where wild animals wander free, and you could be sharing your breakfast table with giraffes, relaxing poolside with elephants, or viewing out from your hotel room window penguins.
Makanyane Safari Lodge
Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa
Located within the Madikwe Game Reserve, the Makanyane Safari Lodge offers guests up close views of the surrounding bush and the wildlife that resides within it. The suites have floor- to-ceiling glass windows perfect for watching passing elephants, and the main lodge is conveniently located next to a water hole visited by a variety of wildlife.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort
Orlando, Florida
A stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort in Orlando will feel more like a visit to Africa than Florida. Take a walk around the grounds, and you’re likely to spot more than 30 species of African wildlife. The lodge is home to 200 resident animals and birds, including gazelles, flamingos, zebras, and giraffes.
Giraffe Manor
Nairobi, Kenya
This hotel outside of Nairobi lets you get up close and personal with Rothschild giraffes. The original place was built in 1932 and has served as a giraffe shelter since the 1970s. Today, Giraffe Manor has six bedrooms and offers guests the chance to share their breakfast table with the eight resident giraffes. All of the hotel’s profits go to support the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife.
Sea Lion Lodge
Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands
Despite the name, it isn’t sea lions you should look out for here: A group of Gentoo penguins has been known to set up camp next to Sea Lion Lodge, a comfortable 3-star hotel in the Falkland Islands. Aside from penguin spotting, the lodge offers expansive views of the South Atlantic Ocean where nothing but water separates you from Antarctica.
1. In which hotel can you view elephants through the windows?| A．Makanyane Safari Lodge. | B．Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort. |
| C．Giraffe Manor. | D．Sea Lion Lodge. |
| A．It offers guests free breakfasts. | B．It is home to varieties of wildlife. |
| C．It has been doing charity for wildlife. | D．It provides a stay like a visit to Africa. |
| A．Giraffes. | B．Penguins. | C．Sea lions. | D．Elephants. |
8 . Since 2009, a small army of
I visited the Palace Museum in the summer of 2023 to
In the third week,
I
For those cat
| A．dogs | B．researchers | C．cats | D．volunteers |
| A．allowed | B．changed | C．moved | D．hidden |
| A．personal | B．comfortable | C．specific | D．priceless |
| A．revive | B．research | C．organize | D．symbolize |
| A．museum | B．temple | C．capital | D．republic |
| A．looking forward | B．getting back | C．setting out | D．giving up |
| A．frightened | B．disappointed | C．determined | D．shocked |
| A．though | B．since | C．unless | D．as |
| A．greeted | B．begged | C．supplied | D．contacted |
| A．applying | B．preferring | C．requesting | D．pretending |
| A．rescued | B．protected | C．buried | D．spotted |
| A．finally | B．basically | C．equally | D．seriously |
| A．in | B．down | C．out | D．up |
| A．anxious | B．confident | C．embarrassed | D．content |
| A．controllers | B．lovers | C．owners | D．experts |
9 . I still remember that busy autumn evening as I hurried with my eldest daughter, Athena, to get to her classroom on time for the parent-teacher night. We walked in and all eyes were on me. A few adults quickly quieted their kids’ whispers. A classmate yelled to my daughter, “What’s wrong with your mom’s face?” Shocked, I started to explain my condition, but my six-year-old daughter looked at him and said, “It’s my mom’s birthmark! Don’t be rude!” I was extremely proud of how she handled that situation.
I was quite young when I realized I looked different because of my large facial birthmark. I always thought I would be alone because of it. Being compared to Batman’s evil Two-Face made me believe I could never find love. But I was lucky enough to meet my husband, who saw me for who I am inside. When I had my first daughter, I was overjoyed, but I began to worry if the world would judge my children. I always worried I might pass my condition onto my children; I didn’t want them to grow up feeling judged. Unfortunately, my facial difference has influenced my children. My daughters get disinvited from birthday parties or sleepovers, or I learn certain kids are no longer friends with mine after their parents saw me at school.
When my kids were young, I explained how my special purple skin was rare and we talked about acceptance and never judging others on how they look. When my girls kiss my purple-skinned cheek, I feel “normal” around them and their unconditional love. With time going by, both my daughters have become my strongest supporters. Thanks to them, I’ve begun to feel more self-confident as I try to be a good role model.
Their worldviews are similar to mine. We see the world a little differently and with a kinder, more accepting heart. As the saying goes, your daughters will grow up to be your best friends. I know that will be the case for me!
1. What happened when the author went to attend the parent-teacher night?| A．Athena defended her mother against her classmate’s rudeness. |
| B．Athena was praised by others for her bravery and optimism. |
| C．Some parents criticized their kids because of their misbehaviour. |
| D．The author felt shocked at her daughter’s response to her classmate. |
| A．Friendship needs to be watered by love. |
| B．We should accept other people’s differences. |
| C．We should treat our children as best friends. |
| D．Our ability to handle difficulties can be developed. |
| A．They have to drop out of school. |
| B．They have difficulty keeping friendships. |
| C．They have the same physical condition as me. |
| D．They feel worried because they are often judged. |
| A．A Birthmark to Live with |
| B．A Kind and Accepting Heart |
| C．My Strongest Supporters |
| D．The Importance of not Judging |
10 . A year after he died at 17, a young man’s love of helping others lives on through a foundation. The Benjamin Canlas Courage to be Kind Foundation gives away bikes to Filipinos who are struggling to hold on to jobs in a country undergoing difficult times.
Benjamin Canlas was always warm-hearted. One time, he saw a food seller riding an old bicycle. Its pedals were missing. To help, Benjamin let the man ride his bike and used his own savings to send the seller’s bike to a bicycle shop for restoration.
After Benjamin’s death, his parents George and Glennda Canlas created the foundation in memory of the young man and his kindness, seeing it as a way to connect donors with those in need. In the Philippines, many jobs have been lost this year. This has left thousands of Filipinos taking odd jobs. With restricted public transportation, many people have to walk for hours to do these jobs.
The Canlases had the idea to give away bikes to individuals nominated (提名) by their peers or loved ones. When the giveaway contest was announced on social media, they did not know how much interest there would be and planned to give away seven bicycles at first. But they received over 50 nominations. “We didn’t expect that, uncertain whether what we do is of any practical value,” said Glennda. “But now we’re determined.” One bike owner is Camilla, a mother of a 2-year-old. When her husband’s work was put on hold, she started selling and delivering food. Camilla said the bike was a big help and she was “so happy” that she didn’t have to walk so far anymore.
Even as the contest ended, nominations continued to pour in. The foundation said there are people still in need. Now it is working on launching more sustainable projects that will help more while also inspiring others to pay it forward. “We live in a world where it takes courage to be kind,” said Glennda. “Our goal would be from ‘courage to be kind’, and create a world where kindness does not require courage—it is simply the thing we all do.”
1. What did Benjamin do after seeing the seller riding an old bike?| A．He sent money to the seller. | B．He had the old bike repaired. |
| C．He gave his own bike to the seller. | D．He bought a new bike to the seller. |
| A．continue their son’s wishes | B．memorize Benjamin Canlas |
| C．connect donors with the poor | D．help the unemployed get jobs |
| A．To show impacts of the country’s tough situation. | B．To appeal for attention to the people in need. |
| C．To illustrate being kind does require courage. | D．To state the difference made by the good deed. |
| A．Providing more bikes to the people in need. | B．Encouraging everyone to be courageous. |
| C．Initiating other sustainable organizations. | D．Turning kindness into a usual thing. |
