1 . My earliest reading memory takes me back to being five years old, sitting in my grandfather’s cozy study. He would read to me from his French-translated copy of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. I was so familiar with the stories that I could correct him word-for-word if he tried to change something.

Growing up, my favorite book was Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes. It was a treasure for an imaginative and lonely child like me. The book was filled with magical elements: a magical carousel, monsters, and the charming scent of autumn leaves lying in the sun. The language was as crisp and sweet as an October apple, awakening in me a deep passion for words and the magic they could bring out. I’ve reread it regularly and it never fails to satisfy me.

In my adult years, I revisited Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. When I first read it at 16, I perceived it as a love story. However, rereading it as an adult, I was struck by how different it seemed to me, and how much of the humour I’d missed. Now I love its poetry. And the love story not only exists between the characters but between Brontë and the North York Moors.

James Joyce’s Ulysses was a book I came back to after 40 years. Initially, at 15, I found it ugly, depressing, and dull, and I hated it. It took me four decades to return to it, and this time, I found myself understanding and beginning to appreciate it. I could see the details, the mythic parallels, the references to different writing styles, and the groundbreaking technique.

Though some exceptional books can develop and grow alongside us, others fall by the wayside. I’ve revisited so many childhood favourites only to find the magic gone, but I’m usually happy to leave the book behind. I’ve taken from it what I need.

1. What was the author’s earliest reading memory?

A．Copying the stories of Rudyard Kipling.

B．Reading Something Wicked This Way Comes.

C．Studying Ulysses for writing styles.

D．Listening to The Jungle Book in French.

2. Which part of Wuthering Heights gave the author a different feeling as an adult?

A．The complex plot.	B．The characters.
C．The humour and poetry.	D．The love story.

3. What do the underlined words “fall by the wayside” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Remain unchanged over years.	B．Lose their original attraction.
C．Gain widespread popularity.	D．Are left by the side of the road.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．The Changing Power of Reading

B．The Development of Reading Taste

C．The Lifelong Journey of Rereading Classics

D．The Childhood Memories in Reading Habits

2 . Adam Wolfers believes that his son’s autism (自闭症) has a positive impact on his hobby of photography. 10-­year­-old Morgan has always possessed a _________ eye for capturing the world around him through his camera. Diagnosed (被诊断) with autism at the age of 3, Morgan has had a hard time _________ with others.

_________ these difficulties, he has shown an exceptional talent for noticing details that _________ others. Morgan has found clarity and focus in nature, particularly in the vivid colors and shapes of plants, leading him to _________ the art of nature photography.

Not _________ with merely capturing pictures, Morgan has even established his own photography business, becoming one of the top sellers in a local shop. _________, he donates ten percent of his _________ to support autistic artists through the Blue Ribbon Arts Initiative.

However, his motivation for photography _________ financial gain, as he simply wants to share the beauty he __________ with others. His work has gained __________, with one of his photos picked by National Geographic for __________ in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

His parents teared up as they told what his photography means. Morgan’s photography has become his saving grace (体面) because it gets people to look __________ his issues. “He’s going to make his __________,” his mother said.

Morgan advises all of us to try new things and explore our __________ and what we want to do. In other words, don’t be afraid to see things differently.

1.

A．strange

B．typical

C．unique

D．normal

2.

A．fighting

B．interacting

C．agreeing

D．competing

3.

A．Without

B．For

C．From

D．Despite

4.

A．escape

B．hit

C．touch

D．please

5.

A．admire

B．explore

C．change

D．promote

6.

A．amused

B．familiar

C．content

D．bored

7.

A．Remarkably

B．Undoubtedly

C．Accidentally

D．Fortunately

8.

A．salaries

B．profits

C．budgets

D．expenses

9.

A．results in

B．arises from

C．goes beyond

D．consists of

10.

A．recalls

B．imagines

C．expects

D．encounters

11.

A．recognition

B．advantage

C．strength

D．power

12.

A．examination

B．display

C．investigation

D．trade

13.

A．for

B．up

C．into

D．past

14.

A．decision

B．living

C．way

D．fortune

15.

A．principle

B．intelligence

C．emotions

D．limits

3 . At my first lesson in Chinese calligraphy, my teacher told me plainly: “Now I will teach you how to write your name. And to make it beautiful.” I felt my breath catch. I was curious.

Growing up in Singapore, I had an unusual relationship with my Chinese name. My parents are ethnically Chinese, so they asked fortune tellers to decide my name, aiming for maximum luck. As a result, I ended up with a nonsense and embarrassing name: Chen Yiwen, meaning, roughly, “old”, “barley (薏米)” and “warm”.

When I arrived in America for college at 18, I put on an American accent and abandoned my Chinese name. When I moved to Hong Kong in 2021, after 14 years in the States, I decided to learn calligraphy. Why not get back in touch with my heritage? I thought.

In calligraphy, the idea is to copy the old masters’ techniques, thereby refining your own. Every week, though, my teacher would give uncomfortably on-the-nose assessments of my person. “You need to be braver,” he once observed. “Have confidence. Try to produce a bold stroke(笔画).” For years, I had prided myself on presenting an image of confidence, but my writing betrayed me.

I was trying to make sense of this practice. You must visualize the word as it is to be written and leave a trace of yourself in it. As a bodily practice, calligraphy could go beyond its own cultural restrictions. Could it help me go beyond mine? My teacher once said to me, “When you look at the word, you see the body. Though a word on the page is two-dimensional, it contains multitudes, conveying the force you’ve applied, the energy of your grip, the arch of your spine.” I had been learning calligraphy to get in touch with my cultural roots, but what I was really seeking was a return to myself. Now I have sensed that the pleasure out of calligraphy allows me to know myself more fully.

During a recent lesson, my teacher pointed at the word I had just finished, telling me: “This word is much better. I can see the choices you made, your calculations, your flow. Trust yourself. This word is yours.” He might as well have said, “This word is you.”

1. What did the author initially think of her name “Chen Yiwen”?

A．It was lucky so she gladly accepted it.	B．She felt proud of its symbolic meaning.
C．She understood the intention but still disliked it.	D．Its strange pronunciation made her embarrassed.

2. The author decided to learn calligraphy to ______.

A．pick up a new hobby	B．reconnect with her origin
C．gain insights into a new culture	D．fit in with local community

3. From the teacher’s words, the author learns that calligraphy ______.

A．reflects the creator’s spirits	B．comes from creative energy
C．highlights the design of strokes	D．depends on continuous practice

4. What does the author intend to tell us?

A．Appreciate what our culture offers.	B．Find beauty from your inner self.
C．A great teacher leads you to truth.	D．We are the sum of what we create.

4 . It was 4:30 pm. As I was packing up, I noticed my colleague had left his laptop bag in the office. So I decided to bring it to him. It took me about 15 minutes to get to his house, where I _____ the bag and got right back on the road.

Suddenly a snowstorm came and within minutes I was in a whiteout. I stopped because I was afraid of driving into a farmer’s field, or worse. I kept the car _____ to stay warm and called 911.They told me to sit tight and wait things out for the night.

Those seconds after the call were _____. Breathe, I told myself. Panicking won’t help.

I texted my colleague, joking about my good deed ending in _____. He suggested I share a satellite view of my _____ on my social media. And I did so, praying that anyone who knew the residents of the nearby farms could get me rescued.

Waiting in the car, I doubted whether _____ would be able to come. Soon enough, though, I got a message from someone who was going to put me in touch with them.

At 8 pm, I saw a tall figure in a yellow raincoat striding toward me in the dark, carrying a flashlight. I’d never been more _____ to see someone in my life. It was André Bouvier, who’d walked about 550 yards to come get me, fighting the wind and snow each step of the way.

He turned around and started to trudge through the snow, sure of the direction. I drove behind him, feeling my heart begin to beat more _____. When we reached his house, I burst into tears, all my fears turning into relief and _____.

The experience has been a game changer for me. I now ______ challenges with a sense of calm I’d not known before. But best of all, it brought André into my life.

1.

A．dropped off

B．filled up

C．set aside

D．put away

2.

A．locked

B．parked

C．signaling

D．running

3.

A．painful

B．critical

C．disappointing

D．impressive

4.

A．failure

B．smoke

C．disaster

D．mystery

5.

A．route

B．location

C．direction

D．destination

6.

A．news

B．help

C．hope

D．faith

7.

A．satisfied

B．surprised

C．relieved

D．worried

8.

A．slowly

B．excitedly

C．nervously

D．strongly

9.

A．recognition

B．admiration

C．satisfaction

D．appreciation

10.

A．identify

B．present

C．approach

D．anticipate

5 . Quite often my mother would _________ me to set the family table with the “good china.” Because this _________ with such frequency, I never _________ these occasions. I assumed it was just my mother’s desire.

One evening as I was setting the table, Marge, a neighbor woman, _________ unexpectedly. She _________ on the door, and mother, busy at the stove, invited her to come in. Marge entered the kitchen and, _________ at the beautifully set table, remarked, “Oh, I see you’re expecting _________. I’ll come back another time.”

“No, it’s all right,” replied my mother. “We’re not expecting company.”

“Well then,” said Marge with a(n) _________ look on her face, “why would you have the good china out?”

“Because,” my mom answered, “I’ve prepared my family’s favorite meal. If you _________ your best table for special guests when you prepare a meal, why not for your own __________?”

“Well yes, but your beautiful china will get chips,” responded Marge.

“Oh well,” said Mom __________, “a few chips in the china is a small __________ to pay for the way we always feel as we gather as a family at the dinner table. Besides, all these chips have a story to tell, now don’t they?”

Mom walked to the cupboard and __________ a plate. Holding it up she said, “See this chip? This plate was broken the day we brought our newborn son home. Trying to be __________, my six-year-old daughter dropped that plate as she carried it to the sink. I’ll never forget that day.”

We all laughed. At that moment, I knew for sure that the china held for mother a number of love __________ about our family.

1.

A．beg

B．request

C．push

D．stop

2.

A．occurred

B．started

C．covered

D．exchanged

3.

A．remembered

B．admitted

C．questioned

D．observed

4.

A．settled down

B．came across

C．dropped by

D．passed on

5.

A．knocked

B．beat

C．lay

D．hit

6.

A．aiming

B．laughing

C．glaring

D．glancing

7.

A．company

B．delivery

C．cooks

D．strangers

8.

A．annoyed

B．puzzled

C．exhausted

D．depressed

9.

A．buy

B．set

C．polish

D．repair

10.

A．guest

B．neighbor

C．family

D．boss

11.

A．coolly

B．calmly

C．cautiously

D．casually

12.

A．mistake

B．trouble

C．debt

D．price

13.

A．turned in

B．tidied up

C．took down

D．threw away

14.

A．helpful

B．harmful

C．grateful

D．graceful

15.

A．accidents

B．stories

C．explanations

D．dishes

6 . A self-taught painter in Chongqing, who spent four years creating 100 illustrations of 100 cities in China, has attracted a lot of attention online.

Pu Zhen, who was born in Chongqing in 1993, ________ in animation design at college. He started teaching himself painting nine years ago. “The most difficult part is to ________ my own painting style through ________ practice,” he said.

In 2018, ________ by an old notebook he had filled with the names of Chinese cities, he ________ the idea of doing a unique illustration for each. “I just ________ my inspiration in creating the city series. Each illustration ________ a city’s typical features,” he said.

The creative ________ of the main elements of each city are ________. Some are mountains, rivers, and iconic (标志性的) buildings, and some are cultural legends. However, they all have the moon as a common image.

“The biggest ________ is myself,” said Pu, adding that during the time-consuming ________, he had to overcome loneliness and inner conflicts. “But I do feel ________ that my works are acknowledged by many fans online. Traditional Chinese city ________ are always worth passing on.”

Not only are Pu’s paintings well ________ online, but the netizens are eager to appreciate more. ________, everyone wants to see their hometowns painted by Pu Zhen. In the future, Pu plans to travel around the country and create illustrations for more cities.

1.

A．applied

B．majored

C．worked

D．researched

2.

A．figure out

B．go over

C．make up

D．turn down

3.

A．casual

B．constant

C．formal

D．random

4.

A．moved

B．encouraged

C．taught

D．inspired

5.

A．put up with

B．came up with

C．took care of

D．made use of

6.

A．invented

B．followed

C．imagined

D．discovered

7.

A．determines

B．suggests

C．reflects

D．impresses

8.

A．sources

B．stories

C．messages

D．materials

9.

A．stable

B．similar

C．obvious

D．different

10.

A．challenge

B．honor

C．improvement

D．victory

11.

A．course

B．process

C．moment

D．stage

12.

A．surprised

B．confused

C．delighted

D．touched

13.

A．cultures

B．policies

C．systems

D．values

14.

A．judged

B．studied

C．attended

D．received

15.

A．Undoubtedly

B．Eventually

C．Hopefully

D．Generally

7 . For nearly two decades, a thin, sun-burnt postal worker could frequently be seen carrying packages along a dangerous mountain trail in the Taihang Mountains.

The 10-kilometer-long route, which is between 20 centimeters and 1 meter wide, is known as the “cat road” by locals, meaning that it is so dangerous that only cats could walk on it. Whereas, Zhao Yuefang, a postal worker in Ewu township in Huguan county, Shanxi province, had to walk the route every day to deliver mail.

Every day at the crack of dawn, he would start his journey along the “cat road”. From picking up the day’s post to delivering it to villagers and returning along the same route, it took Zhao four days. During rainy and snowy seasons, the mountain road, part of which hugs the cliffs, would become slippery and dangerous. One day in the winter of 2003, the “cat road” was covered in thick snow and he slipped off the trail. Fortunately, he was able to stop his sharp descent by grabbing a tree branch and slowly managed to climb to safety.

By 2012, Zhao had walked more than 300,000 km and delivered over 800,000 pieces of mail. Born and raised in the deep mountains, Zhao truly understands the significance of mail deliveries to villagers. “They depend on the mail to keep in touch with the outside world,” he said. “Their sheer joy written on their face while receiving any post struck me,” he added.

In 2012, a 67-km-long tourist highway was built and gone were those days when Zhao risked his life to walk on the “cat road”. But Zhao was even busier than before. “The number of packages I handle daily now exceeds the number I used to deal with in the past,” said Zhao, adding that villagers are turning to online shopping and ordering more and more goods by post.

1. Why is the mountain trail referred to as “cat road”?

A．It’s shaped like a cat.	B．It’s intended for cats.
C．It is too narrow and risky.	D．It rains cats and dogs there.

2. What does the word “descent” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Fall.	B．Pain.
C．Turn.	D．Landing.

3. According to the passage, which words can best describe Zhao?

A．Persistent and dedicated.	B．Diligent and ambitious.
C．Considerate and confident.	D．Courageous and generous.

4. What has always motivated Zhao’s enthusiasm for his job?

A．The villagers’ respect for him.

B．His being born and raised there.

C．Today’s huge number of the packages.

D．The value of the deliveries to the locals.

8 . Asli Samanci, a food scientist, was driven by her childhood dream of becoming a scientist, leading her to pursue a career in food science. “It ______ everything: biology, microbiology and chemistry all together,” Samancil said.

With this passion, she established a company that ______ health products made from propolis (蜂胶), a natural substance produced by bees. Samanci’s dedication to ______ is evident in every step. of her product development process. “All products are ______ by science,” Samanci said.

The ______ behind Samanci’s venture also lies in her son, who experienced frequent health issues during his early years. Upon a doctor’s recommendation, she ______ propolis as a means to help strengthen her son’s immune system. However, not ______ with the products on the market, Samanci worked ______ with a beekeeper to craft the ideal solution for her son’s needs. Gradually, Samanci has made her specialized products ______ to a broader range of consumers.

Meanwhile, Samanci and her beekeeping partners have witnessed a significant ______ in the bee population, Recognizing that 80% of all plants rely on bees for pollination (授粉), this development has proved to contribute to ______ nature. Samanci firmly believes in the concept of a win-win business model, where ______ can make a positive impact on the environment. And she urges all entrepreneurs and scientists to find that ______ . Samanci says, “To get something from nature in a(n) ______ way, we urge more food scientists and agricultural scientists to join us. ______ , nature will not give us anymore.”

1.

A．accomplishes

B．combines

C．processes

D．maintains

2.

A．took up

B．brought about

C．held back

D．put off

3.

A．purchase

B．delivery

C．quality

D．service

4.

A．limited

B．denied

C．revealed

D．backed

5.

A．regulation

B．inspiration

C．sample

D．mystery

6.

A．explored

B．exported

C．refused

D．permitted

7.

A．patient

B．consistent

C．cautious

D．content

8.

A．equally

B．violently

C．directly

D．temporarily

9.

A．accessible

B．similar

C．responsible

D．essential

10.

A．damage

B．rise

C．change

D．loss

11.

A．conquering

B．discovering

C．impressing

D．preserving

12.

A．scientists

B．beekeepers

C．entrepreneurs

D．consumers

13.

A．balance

B．opportunity

C．fault

D．reason

14.

A．extraordinary

B．sustainable

C．lively

D．decent

15.

A．Altogether

B．Anyhow

C．Moreover

D．Otherwise

9 . Alia found herself disappointed in the drawing studio after missing out on picking her classes due to illness. She had hoped for Biology, but it was ___________ by the time she got to choose. She loved everything about science, from the way it used facts to how it revealed the basic nature of things. But ___________ was so... un-scientific.

The first class project was self-portraits (肖像). Some students were drawing self-portraits using___________. Others were working from photographs. Alia___________the incomplete outlines, feeling like a cat in a dog show.

The teacher ___________ her. “Every portrait begins with a circle,” he said. “Then you create a series of lines.” To ___________, he drew a group of small, quick portraits. He began each one with a ___________ , some straight lines, and a triangle (三角形) to determine ___________ the eyes, nose, and chin (下巴) should go.

___________, Alia began her own self-portrait. She ____________ the basic form of a head, the way she had been shown. From there, she used lines to plot the ____________ of her face. The process took patience and ____________ . She had to take note of each detail. One wrong measurement could throw off the whole ____________.

Alia was surprised by the structure and discipline involved in drawing a portrait. Measuring, studying details and ____________ the basic nature of something ______________ her of what she loved about science.

1.

A．full

B．changeable

C．busy

D．tough

2.

A．biology

B．art

C．physics

D．medicine

3.

A．artbooks

B．glass

C．brushes

D．mirrors

4.

A．cared for

B．searched for

C．glanced at

D．get rid of

5.

A．punished

B．approached

C．blamed

D．requested

6.

A．introduce

B．demonstrate

C．complete

D．promote

7.

A．letter

B．square

C．circle

D．dot

8.

A．why

B．when

C．how

D．where

9.

A．Surprisingly

B．Excitedly

C．Hesitantly

D．Disappointedly

10.

A．drew

B．wrote

C．printed

D．typed

11.

A．features

B．sizes

C．colors

D．lengths

12.

A．accuracy

B．love

C．courage

D．humor

13.

A．design

B．paper

C．portrait

D．book

14.

A．changing

B．revealing

C．distinguishing

D．understanding

15.

A．warned

B．informed

C．suspect

D．reminded

10 . Greenstein Prescott was a high school senior. Her English teacher, Fred DiMeo, gave her an assignment: _________ a poem in front of the whole class.

Greenstein had a mild stutter(口吃). The _________ of getting up in front of her classmates and stuttering through the poem was too much to _________. Greenstein went home and _________ how scared she was. Her mom agreed to write a note asking for her to be _________ from doing the assignment.

When the day finally came, Greenstein recited the poem one-on-one to DiMeo. Once she was _________, DiMeo said something Greenstein’d never heard before: He liked listening to her _________. For the first time, Greenstein considered the possibility that public speaking didn’t have to be a _________ of fear. “I think it was so _________ in his mind and I should have nothing to be __________ of,” Greenstein said.

Greenstein went on to graduate from high school and go to college. She never got to __________ thank DiMeo. But after college, she landed a job as a corporate trainer. The new __________ made her realize how big an impact DiMeo had had on her __________.

“He truly is an unsung __________ because he played a big role in my successful career. I don’t know where I would have been if I was fearful of __________ myself. I’d like to give him my thanks for that kindness,” Greenstein said.

1.

A．Create

B．Recite

C．Assess

D．Repeat

2.

A．chance

B．memory

C．trouble

D．thought

3.

A．bear

B．control

C．forget

D．ignore

4.

A．confirmed

B．imagined

C．revealed

D．recorded

5.

A．prohibited

B．questioned

C．excused

D．discouraged

6.

A．tired

B．done

C．stressed

D．hesitant

7.

A．story

B．voice

C．opinion

D．explanation

8.

A．feature

B．source

C．treatment

D．signal

9.

A．minor

B．funny

C．flexible

D．necessary

10.

A．guilty

B．proud

C．mindful

D．afraid

11.

A．generously

B．secretly

C．properly

D．regularly

12.

A．position

B．challenge

C．connection

D．opportunity

13.

A．family

B．reputation

C．confidence

D．patience

14.

A．hero

B．citizen

C．fighter

D．volunteer

15.

A．forgiving

B．punishing

C．limiting

D．embarrassing