1 . That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was, walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theater. With opening night only a week away, I was still learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too much for me.

As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers. Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets.

About a block from my apartment, I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.

Suddenly I wasn’t cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I’d heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.

Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck pulled up to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice called from the inside, “Alisa Camacho?” I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? The door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eyes: “Is this what you’re looking for?” he asked, holding up a small square shape.

It was nearly 3 a.m. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn’t get much sleep that night, but I had gotten my wallet back. I also had gotten back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn’t be a bad place as long as people were willing to help each other.

1. How did the author feel when she was walking home after work?

A．Cold and sick.	B．Fortunate and hopeful.
C．Satisfied and cheerful.	D．Disappointed and helpless.

2. What is the author’s problem in Paragraph 1?

A．She didn’t know how to learn acting in an evening school.

B．She failed to balance her part-time job and acting.

C．She had to take part in various city activities.

D．She gave up both acting and San Francisco.

3. On her way home the author ______.

A．lost her wallet unknowingly	B．was stopped by a garbage truck driver
C．was robbed of her wallet by an armed man	D．found some homeless people following her

4. In the fifth paragraph, why did the author say she was dreaming?

A．Her wallet was found in a garbage truck.	B．Someone offered to take her back home.
C．She heard someone call her name.	D．A red-haired man came to see her.

5. From the passage, we can infer that the author ______.

A．would stop working at night	B．would stay on in San Francisco
C．would make friends with cleaners	D．would give up her job at the bank

2 . At age 22, Hikari Oberman has already been a lifeguard for four years. Last week, Oberman talked to The Garden Island about how he helped save lives during a recent rescue.

On Dec. 30, Oberman and his coworker Cope were parked in their truck at Anini Beach when two workers ran up to them and said, “I think someone’s getting stuck in the channel!”

“I grabbed our equipment. We started rolling out down there,” Oberman said. When he got out there, Oberman found a standup paddler, a man in his late 30s, struggling against the current, with an elderly man holding tightly to the back of the paddleboard (冲浪板).

He said, “My coworker grabbed the standup guy. Meanwhile, I’m stuck with the older man.”

Normally, Oberman said he would pull the paddler up, lay him on the surfboard, climb up behind and paddle from there. He tried that technique at first and quickly realized it was not a practicable option. They are not going anywhere.

Waves hit against the extremely sharp reef very hard about 30 yards behind them, and the current was pulling them into it.

“It’s right behind us. If I stop paddling, we’re definitely going to be in that zone.” He said.

They started making progress toward the reef, where they might safely be able to climb out. Oberman just focused on forward movement.

After about five minutes-“even though it felt longer” -Oberman said his partner had gotten the paddleboarder safely to shore and started coming back out to help.

“I look back, and I see our Jet Ski. He’s finally coming in the channel. We’re not going to have to worry about that now. ”

It was a good rescue.

When asked what it feels like to save someone’s life, Oberman responded, “I love it! That’s why we do it!” But as exciting as it might be to perform a big rescue, he explained that the most important part of his job is to keep people from getting into trouble in the first place.

1. How did Hikari Oberman and his coworker react to the two workers’ cry for help?

A．They dragged the two workers to their truck.

B．They rolled the equipment to the channel.

C．They called for help immediately.

D．They made their way to the channel without delay.

2. What does the underlined part “They are not going anywhere.” in Paragraph 6 probably mean?

A．They are unwilling to go anywhere.

B．They are waiting others for help.

C．They are being pulled by the current.

D．They are going to give up.

3. What did the author want to show by mentioning the waves?

A．It was the perfect time to surf.

B．The reefs were so hard to damage.

C．The situation was extremely serious.

D．The paddlers were pushed forward.

4. Which of the following things contributed more to the rescue?

A．The Jet Ski.

B．The current.

C．The paddleboard.

D．The truck.

5. What is the author’s attitude towards his job?

A．Skeptical.

B．Tolerate.

C．Approving.

D．Frightened.

3 . At a large forest park in eastern Beijing, 11 birds on the state-level protection list were recently released.

These birds had recovered after the Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center rescued and took care of them. “We will speed up our efforts to push the establishment of district-level wildlife rescue centers to jointly guard the health of wildlife,” said Du Lianhai, director of the center.

The center was set up in 2001 and built a wildlife rescue base in the capital’s Shunyi District in 2005. Staff at the base have rescued and rehabilitated over 30,000 wild animals in total.

Wildlife protection has been strengthened in Beijing in recent years. On June 1, the city’s newly adopted regulation on wildlife protection took effect, introducing stricter and more concrete measures to protect the environment and wildlife.

For example, the regulation states clearly that Beijing bans hunting throughout the year, compared with the previous regulation which bans hunting during the periods of March to May and September to November each year. The new regulation also gives severer punishment for poachers.

After years of monitoring, data with the Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau recently showed ecological reconstruction progress. The species and quantity of wild animals in Beijing are continuously increasing, with the number of terrestrial spinal wild animals (陆地脊椎野生动物) growing from 461 species in 1994 to more than 500. The habitat of the endangered bird has expanded from Fangshan District to the whole city, according to the bureau.

“The enforcement of the new regulation marked a new phase in Beijing’s wildlife protection work,” said Dai Mingchao, deputy director of the Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau.

“We will step up the publicity of the regulation and raise citizens’ awareness of wildlife protection,” Dai said. “In our integrated protection of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands, we take into full consideration the requirements of food-chain construction, ecological corridor construction, and wildlife and their habitat protection.”

1. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ________.

A．introduce the topic.

B．present an argument.

C．reach a conclusion.

D．describe a place.

2. What have staff at the wildlife rescue base done?

A．They have sped up their efforts to recover the birds.

B．They have guarded people’s health against danger.

C．They have saved wild animals from a dangerous situation.

D．They have pushed the establishment of district-level wildlife rescue centers.

3. What does the underlined word “concrete” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Practical.

B．Temporary.

C．Effective.

D．Specific.

4. What do we know about the new regulation?

A．It is mainly targeted at poachers.

B．It is the first such regulation in Beijing.

C．It takes many years to come into being.

D．It prohibits people from hunting in Beijing all the year.

5. What can we learn from Paragraphs 7 and 8?

A．Beijing citizens are still not familiar with the new regulation.

B．After taking the new regulation, Beijing will enter a new phase.

C．They rarely give full consideration to the requirements of food-chain construction.

D．The protection of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands are not in the new regulation yet.

6. What could be the best title for the passage?

A．How to protect wild animals in Beijing.

B．Beijing steps up wildlife protection with new regulation.

C．More district-level wildlife rescue centers established in Beijing.

D．Wildlife protection has been strengthened in Beijing.

4 . All students are expected to read and learn the School Rules. These rules aim to make each student aware of the value of self-control, orderliness and the need to develop a sense of responsibility for their own behavior and for the larger community of which they are a part.

Dress Regulations

The School expects its students to wear their full school uniform correctly and with pride. It is our expectation that uniform and shoes will be clean and in good repair. Boys’ hair should be combed and of an acceptable length (not over the collar, ears or eyes), with no artificial coloring. Girls’ hair should be of a natural color. Shoulder-length hair must be tied back.

Absence, Illness and Punctuality

All students must be at school on time. If late, the student must sign in the late book in the General Office. Parents are asked to inform the school if their child is absent by 8:30 am on the day of absence. A written note from a parent explaining the absence MUST be provided to the General Office the day after return.

Should a student be ill during school hours he is to go straight to the School Medical Center. The sister will then take appropriate action.

Safety

◆ Proper behavior is expected within and around buildings and on the sporting field at all times.

◆ Students are not to enter laboratories, language rooms, the Technics and music rooms until invited to do so by teachers.

◆ The riding of bicycles or skateboards is prohibited along the front drive. Students riding bicycles must wear an approved bicycle helmet.

◆ No knives, explosives or dangerous materials may be brought into the school or boarding houses.

◆ Students are forbidden to interfere with fire safety equipment. An automatic fine will be imposed if this occurs.

1. The following requirements are listed except ________.

A．how to wear school uniform in the right way.

B．the length of girls’ hair.

C．being on time.

D．the safety at school.

2. What shall a student do if he is late?

A．He shall ask his parent to inform the school.

B．He shall provide his parent’s written note for the General Office.

C．He shall go straight to the sister.

D．He shall leave his name in the General Office.

3. In which case does a student have to pay money as a punishment, according to the School Rules?

A．When he plays with the fire safety equipment.

B．When he brings a knife to a boarding house.

C．When he rides a bicycle without a bicycle helmet.

D．When he goes into a language room without permission.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To point out the importance of the School Rules.

B．To introduce the details of the School Rules.

C．To tell students the results of breaking the School Rules.

D．To make each student aware of the value of self-control, orderliness and so on.

5 . Homemade Soup May Fight Malaria

A new study suggests that some homemade soups — made of chicken, beef or vegetables — might help fight malaria.

Jake Baum of the Imperial College London led the research. He asked children at a London school to bring in homemade clear soups that their families would make to treat a fever. The children were from many different cultural backgrounds.

The soups were then exposed to the parasite (寄生虫) that creates 99.7 percent of malaria cases in Africa, the World Health Organization, WHO, explained.

Of the 56 soups tested, five were more than 50 percent effective in containing the growth of the parasite. Two were as effective as one drug now used to treat malaria. And four soups were more than 50 percent effective at preventing parasites from aging to the point that they could infect mosquitoes that spread the disease. Baum also noted that it was unclear which foods made the soups effective against malaria.

The soups came from families from different ethnic histories, including Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. They had several main ingredients, including chicken, beef and green vegetables. Baum said the vegetarian soups showed similar results to the soups with meat.

Baum said his aim was in part to show children that scientific research can turn a herbal cure into a man-made medicine. He noted the research of Dr. Tu Youyou of China. In the 1970s, she found that the herb quinhao was an effective antimalarial treatment. The herb has been used in Eastern medicine for two thousand years. Tu’s research led to the man-made drug artemisinin (青蒿素), a drug now widely used to treat malaria. She won the Nobel Prize in 2015.

More and more people are becoming resistant to the drugs that treat the disease, which kills about 400,000 people a year. That means scientists will have to “look beyond chemistry” and find new drugs, Baum adds.

1. What do we know about the research led by Jake Baum?

A．50% of the soups tested proved to be effective in killing the parasite.

B．Half of the soups tested show oppositive effect in stopping mosquitoes from spreading the disease.

C．A few of the soups tested can be seen as effective against malaria, yet what in soup that works is not known.

D．The vegetarian soups and the soups with meat work similarly but in different aspects.

2. The soups came from the following ethnic histories EXCEPT ________.

A．East Asia.	B．the Middle East.
C．North Africa.	D．Europe.

3. Why does Baum take Dr. Tu Youyou as an example?

A．To show her great achievement in treating malaria through hard work.

B．To note artemisinin she found in the herb quinhao, an herb used in Chinese medicine for 2000 years.

C．To show kids science research can develop an herbal cure into a man-made medicine.

D．To stress the .most important use of quinhao in treating malaria in Eastern medicine.

4. How serious is malaria in the world?

A．It is out of control in Africa.

B．It kill less than half a million people every year.

C．It is becoming resistant to most of the drugs used now.

D．It caused 99.7% the deaths in the whole world.

5. What is scientists’ task next?

A．To collect more soups to get the most effective ones.

B．To research into the ingredients of the soups gathered.

C．To find out the most effective elements in the soups.

D．To expand their studies and get new antimalarial medicines.

6 . Some houses are designed to be smart. Others have smart designs. An example of the second type of house won an Award of Excellence from the American Institute of Architects.

Located on the shore of Sullivan’s Island off the coast of South Carolina, the award-winning cube shaped beach house was built to replace one smashed to pieces by Hurricane Hugo 10 years ago. In September 1989, Hugo struck South Carolina, killing 18 people and damaging or destroying 36,000 homes in the state.

Before Hugo, many new houses built along South Carolina’s shoreline were poorly constructed, and enforcement of building codes wasn’t strict, according to architect Ray Huff, who created the cleverly-designed beach house. In Hugo’s wake, all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced code. The new beach house on Sullivan’s Island should be able to withstand a Categ hurricane with peak winds of 179 to 209 kilometers per hour.

At first sight, the house on Sullivan’s Island looks anything but hurricane-proof. Its redwood shell makes it resemble “a large party lantern” at night, according to one observer. But looks can be deceiving. The house’s wooden frame is reinforced with long steel rods to give it extra strength.

To further protect the house from hurricane damage, Huff raised it 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings—long, slender columns of wood anchored deep in the sand. Pilings might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the house. They also elevate the house above storm surges. The pilings allow the surges to run under the house instead of running into it. “These swells of water come ashore at tremendous speeds’ and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings,” said Huff.

Huff designed the timber pilings to be partially concealed by the house’s ground-to-roof shell. “The shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn’t look like it’s standing with its pant legs pulled up,” said Huff. In the event of a storm surge, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house, the architect explained.

1. After the tragedy caused by Hurricane Hugo, new houses built along South Carolina’s shore line are required ________.

A．to be designed in the shape of cubes.	B．to meet stricter building standards.
C．to look smarter in design.	D．to be easily reinforced.

2. The award-winning beach house is quite strong because ________.

A．it is made of redwood.	B．it is in the shape of a shell.
C．it is strengthened by steel rods.	D．it is built with timber and concrete.

3. Huff raised the house 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings in order to ________.

A．prevent water from rushing into the house.

B．withstand peak winds of about 200 km/hr.

C．anchor stronger pilings deep in the sand.

D．break huge sea waves into smaller ones.

4. The main function of the shell is ________.

A．to strengthen the pilings of the house.

B．to give the house a better appearance.

C．to protect the wooden frame of the house.

D．to slow down the speed of the swelling water.

5. It can be inferred from the passage that the shell should be ________.

A．easily breakable.	B．fancy-looking.
C．extremely strong.	D．waterproof.

7 . Great Barrier Reef Choking on Pollutants

Attempts to protect the Great Barrier Reef are failing. A report released Monday by the government in Australia says water quality in the Great Barrier Reef is far below what it should be. It showed that pollution have decreased, but not enough to reach environmental targets.

Sediment (沉淀物) and chemicals can weaken coral, hurting its ability to feed and grow. Coral are live animals that take root in the ocean floor, but they are not plants. Reefs are the hard skeletons (骨架) left at the bottom of the sea by small marine creatures called polyps (珊瑚虫). The polyps then form the larger structure of a reef. Corals also are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the entire planet. They can make a home for invertebrates, crustaceans, fish, and sea snakes.

Steve Miles is Queensland’s environment minister. He says the research shows the Reef needs more protection. “Over that five-year period, we did see some progress towards our targets. Sediment is down 12 percent and pesticides (杀虫剂) loads are down 30 percent. But what is most disturbing is that these results are far from our targets. Progress towards these targets flat-lined in the period 2013-2014. If one of my kids came home with a report card like this, I would be a bit disappointed. There is more bad news here than good news. ” said Steve Miles.

The report also found that fewer than one-third of Queensland’s sugar plantations used techniques to reduce the use of pesticides. Only 28 percent of land managers managed their land properly. They had reduced harmful water run off to protect the health of the Reef. The official target is a 90 percent reduction in pesticide use within three years.

Scientists at the University of Queensland and the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences published their findings Wednesday, July 18 in the journal Science Advances. It found between 1992 and 2010, the recovery rate dropped by an average of 84 percent. But there is hope. The study also found some corals can recover quickly if “acute and chronic stressors” are lessened.

Meanwhile, the Australian government released its updated reef protection plan Friday. It clearly states global temperatures must be stopped from rising in order to save the world’s largest living structure.

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

A．Diverse ecosystems.	B．Sediment and chemicals.
C．Reefs and corals.	D．Small sea creatures.

2. What can be learned from what Steve Miles said?

A．He is satisfied with the protection of the Reef.

B．He thinks that the Reef needs more protection.

C．He feels angry with what his children did.

D．He is very happy about the Reef progress protection.

3. What does the underlined word “flat-lined” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Not increase significantly.	B．Disappear.
C．Speed up.	D．Miss the chance.

4. The report found the majority of land managers in Queensland   ________.

A．were tough to deal with	B．failed to manage their land properly
C．reduced the amount of harmful water	D．were eager to quit pesticide soon

5. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A science fiction.
C．A book review.	D．A guide book.

8 . Renewable energy projects, including onshore and offshore wind and solar farms, have so far been subsidized (资助) by government support schemes. This has led to some to complain that clean energy is pushing up bills.

However, the most recently approved offshore wind projects will most likely operate with ‘negative subsidies’ -- paying money back to the government. The money will go towards reducing household energy bills as the offshore wind farms start producing power in the mid-2020s.

This is the conclusion of an analysis by an international team led by Imperial College London researchers published today in Nature Energy.

Lead researcher Dr Malte Jansen, from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial, said: “Offshore wind power will soon be so cheap to produce that it will undercut   fossil-fueled power stations and may be the cheapest form of energy for the UK. Energy subsidies used to push up energy bills, but within a few years cheap renewable energy will   see them brought down for the first time. This is an astonishing development.”

The analysis for five countries in Europe, including the UK, focused on a series of government auctions (拍卖) for offshore wind farms between February 2015 and September 2019. Companies that want to build wind farms bid in the auctions by stating the price at which they will sell the energy they produce to the government.

These are known as ‘contracts for difference’ or CfDs. If a company’s bid is higher than the wholesale electricity price on the UK market once the wind farm is up and running, then the company will receive a subsidy from the government to top up the price.

However, if the stated price (规定价格) is less than the wholesale price, then the company will pay the government back the difference. This payback is then passed through to consumer’s energy bills, reducing the amount that homes and businesses will pay for electricity.

The winning companies said they could build new offshore wind farms for around £40 per megawatt hour (MWh) of power. This was a new record set by these wind farms with bids 30 percent lower than just two years earlier.

1. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Offshore wind farms to be built in the UK could reduce household energy bills by producing electricity very cheaply.

B．Offshore wind farms will not be subsidized by government in the near future.

C．The importance of CfDs.

D．The operation of negative subsidies.

2. According to Paragraph 2, offshore wind farms .

A．will stop producing power in the mid-2020s

B．are paying money back to the government

C．will help reduce household energy bills

D．will all operate with ‘negative subsidies’

3. The underlined words “top up” in Paragraph 6 probably mean .

A．make up

B．take up

C．cover

D．fill up

4. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．The renewable energy projects will lead to some to complain that clean energy is pushing up bills.

B．The company whose bid is less than the wholesale electricity price will receive a subsidy.

C．The stated electricity price is now higher than the wholesale electricity price.

D．Fossil-fueled power will be soon produced cheaply.

5. What is the author’s attitude towards the offshore wind farms?

A．Curious.

B．Pessimistic.

C．Indifferent.

D．Optimistic.

6. Where does this text probably come from?

A．A science fiction.

B．A financial magazine.

C．An advertisement.

D．A science report.

9 . Sports fandom is about more than just entertainment. It can boost your self-esteem (自尊) and make you happier — and you don’t have to root for the winning team to gain the benefits.     

Being a sports fan is a “very psychologically healthy activity,” says Daniel Wann, professor at Murray State University whose research program centers on the psychology of sport fandom. Fandom connects us to other like-minded people, which satisfies our human need for belonging, he says.

These relationships are significant: People who identify as sports fans have higher levels of self-esteem, lower levels of loneliness and tend to be more satisfied with their lives compared to those who aren’t interested in sports, Wann says. Fans tend to have more access to social support, help and resources as well. Research suggests that when people have support from their communities, they have better health.

Beyond bonding, fans get to enjoy the psychological benefits of winning, even if they have nothing to do with the players or games, says Stephen Reysen, associate professor at Texas A&M University-Commerce who studies identity and fandom.

“Individuals feel that the fan interest (in this case a sport team) is a part of them,”   Reysen says. “So when the team is winning, you feel like you are winning even though you are not a player.”

Of course, teams sometimes lose.

So, why do people continue to put their faith behind teams that tend to lose? People who feel a strong psychological connection to a team are more likely to root for a team when they’re having a losing season, Reysen says.

“Sports fandom has nothing to do with the outcome of a game,” Wann says. For example, if a pizza restaurant continually got your order wrong, you’d likely switch to a more reliable one. But because being a fan is so central to people’s identities, people are willing to accept defeat and continue to be loyal to a team.

Being part of a fan community can also help people cope with losses. A 2019 study found that watching a football game with other fans helps to ease the negative psychological effects of losing.

“For fans of the losing team, sharing the pain may have protected them from losing self-esteem,” Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, co-author of the study and professor of communication at The Ohio State University said in a release.

1. According to the passage, why do sports fans feel happier?

A．Because they could gain the benefits from the winning team.

B．Because they can share pains and happiness with people who have the common interests.

C．Because they could have a low level of self-esteem.

D．Because most of them are optimistic.

2. What is the significance of the relationships between sports fans?

A．Sports fans have support from their favorite teams.

B．Sports fans have higher levels of loneliness.

C．Sports fans are likely more content with their lives.

D．Sports fans tend to compare themselves to those who aren’t interested in sports.

3. According to the passage, if the team has a losing season, the sports fans may .

A．display their identities

B．have a boost of self-esteem

C．not support the team any more

D．have a negative psychology period

4. According to the passage, what can help sports fans deal with losses of their team?

A．Being part of the team.

B．Ordering a pizza in a different restaurant.

C．Sharing the pain with family members.

D．The loyalty to the team.

5. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Sports fans have a closer relationship with other like-mined people.

B．Sports fans have higher self-esteem and are more satisfied with their lives.

C．Sports fans always put their faith behind their favorite teams.

D．Sports fandom has nothing to do with the outcome of a game.

10 . It is often said that a person’s high school years are some of the most important they will experience, and are often seen as a critical and life-shaping time. During this period in their life people often begin to discover what is meaningful to them and how they plan to continue living their life. My volunteer experience at St. Clare’s Hospital has helped me form this positive experience during my high school years; through valuable lessons I have learned life skills and have begun to shape my values and mind-set. In the course of my volunteering at the hospital I have discovered how to interact with others, learned to respect diversity, realized the importance of service, and gained perspective. When I first began volunteering, I was very nervous about meeting new people and being pushed outside of my comfort zone. I am learning to introduce myself to new volunteers, go out of my way to make patients feel welcome, and overall how to extend a hand of friendship to others. Not only does this skill apply to my personal life, but will also be extremely helpful in my academic life and the “real world.”

I think one of the most significant values I have gained through my experience at St. Clare’s Hospital is the importance of service. Service, involves making a difference in the lives of others and contributing to the community. Each time I end my volunteer shift, I feel better and as if I have done something worthwhile. This feeling has fueled me to continue volunteering, and has now become something I see as irreplaceable. In the past I have been frustrated by my situation, and was discouraged because I felt I might not make a significant difference due to my young age. However, I am relieved of this because I feel that through the hospital volunteer program I can try to do my part and help others.

I genuinely think that without my volunteer experience at St. Clare’s Hospital, I may have been a different person, lacking these skills and ideals. I have matured and gained valuable skills, as well as learned important lessons about life. Many people my age do not have an experience similar to this, where they are in an environment based only upon healing and helping others, and I think they have truly missed out. I will continue on this path of service throughout my life, and I know that because of my volunteer experience I have benefited, and that these benefits will carry on as I develop and become an adult.

1. According to the passage, why is a person’s high school years important?

A．Because people do volunteer work during this time.

B．Because it is a time to interact with others.

C．Because during this period, people begin to shape their lives.

D．Because it is a time to discover the meaning of volunteering.

2. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．I realized the importance of service.

B．Each time I end my volunteer job, I feel better.

C．Service is something irreplaceable.

D．I am relieved of frustration.

3. According to the passage, which of the following statement is true?

A．During the author’s high school years he formed the positive experience.

B．When the author first began volunteering, he was excited to meet new people.

C．The author became lacking skills and ideals after volunteering at St. Clare’s Hospital.

D．Many high school students are in an environment based only upon healing and helping others.

4. What sort of person was the author before he began volunteering?

A．Hesitating.

B．Lonely.

C．Generous.

D．Unconfident.

5. What does the author mainly want to tell us in the passage?

A．High school years are the most important period.

B．He missed the experience during his high school years.

C．He has benefited from his volunteer experience at St. Clare’s Hospital.

D．He was pushed outside of his comfort zone when working at St. Clare’s Hospital.