1 . While the road to success may differ for each individual, there are certain suggestions that can guide you along the way.

    1     The first step towards success is to establish clear and specific goals. Take the time to identify your passions, interests, and long-term aspirations (志向). Set both short-term and long-term goals that are realistic, measurable and achievable. Having a clear sense of direction will keep you focused and positive.

Create a plan. Once you have set your goals, create a well-organized plan. Break down your goals into small, manageable tasks.     2     Put your tasks in order of importance, set deadlines, and regularly review and adjust your plan as needed. Consistency and discipline (自制力) are key to staying on track.

Continuous learning. Never stop learning and improving.     3     Whether it’s through formal education, workshops, or self-study, invest in acquiring new knowledge and skills. Stay updated with industry trends and advancements, and adapt accordingly. A commitment to lifelong learning will enhance your expertise and open doors to new opportunities.

Embrace challenges and take risks. Success often comes with taking calculated risks and stepping out of your comfort zone. Be willing to embrace new challenges, as they provide opportunities for growth and innovation. Overcoming obstacles (阻碍) will develop resilience and build character. Remember, failure is not final.     4    

Build a support network. Surround yourself with a supportive and like minded network of individuals who inspire and motivate you.     5     Their guidance, advice, and experiences can provide valuable insights for you and help you get through challenges.

In conclusion, success is a personal definition that varies for each individual. With some proper strategies, you can improve your potential and achieve success. .

A．Set clear goals.

B．Keep your own character.

C．It’s what you are looking for.

D．It’s a stepping stone towards success.

E．Create a timeline to track your progress.

F．Stay curious and seek opportunities for your growth.

G．Seek teachers who have achieved success in your desired field.

2 . Have you ever had this kind of childhood memory: a family sits together casually, drinking and tasting tea after lunch or dinner?     1    

After being spread to different parts of the world,     2     Now tea has finally received top-level global recognition as a shared cultural treasure of mankind. On Nov. 29, “traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China” was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.

Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China consist of the knowledge, skills and practices concerning the management of tea plantations (茶园) as well as the picking of tea leaves, manual processing, drinking, and sharing of tea, noted UNESCO.

    3    The most commonly used skills ranging from shaqing (杀青) to xunzhi (窨制). Chinese tea is divided into mainly six categories: green, black, yellow, oolong, white and dark. All of them follow their own processes for tea making. Practices of greeting guests with tea are shared among multiple ethnic groups and provide a sense of identity and continuity.    4    It means boiling tea at a stove — a social tea activity popular among young Chinese people.

Weilu zhucha is a replacement in the cold seasons for the camping craze. Sitting around a stove, boiling some tea, people chat, admire the scenery and immerse themselves in traditional Chinese culture by boiling tea together in person. “    5    Whenever we want some snacks, we sit around a stove and boil tea,” an Internet user commented.

A．Take tea making for example.

B．This can be fully shown by weilu zhucha.

C．tea is common in Chinese people’s daily lives.

D．It’s good to feel the warm atmosphere when boiling tea.

E．China now has 43 items on the intangible cultural heritage list.

F．tea has delighted and fascinated the world for a thousand years.

G．This has been a daily activity for Chinese people throughout their history.

3 . I had always dreamed of living and working in New York, which promised endless opportunities. But as soon as I arrived, I realized that my journey was going to be filled with countless setbacks and challenges.

My first major failure came when I landed my dream job at a famous company. However, after just a few months, I was let go due to budget cuts. I was shocked and felt like all of my hard work had been for nothing.

Determined to bounce back, I applied for a new job at another company. This time, things seemed to be going better. I was making progress and gaining valuable experience, but then I was suddenly laid off again due to company restructuring.

Feeling defeated and hopeless, I decided to take a break from the job search and focus on self-improvement. I enrolled in courses and attended workshops to learn new skills and expand my knowledge. But even with all of this effort, I still couldn’t find the right job.

One day, while searching online job listings, I found an opportunity that seemed too good to be true. It was a remote position that offered a competitive salary and flexible hours. Without hesitation, I applied and was thrilled when I received an offer letter.

However, as soon as I started working remotely, I realized that it wasn’t the same as being in an office with colleagues (同事) around me. I struggled to communicate effectively and found it difficult to stay motivated without the support of my team.

Despite these challenges, I refused to give up. I reached out to my colleagues and tried to build relationships with them through virtual meetings and social media. With their help and encouragement, I was able to adapt to the new environment and excel in my role. Looking back on my journey, I realized that success is not about avoiding failure, but rather about learning from it and persevering through the tough times. I encouraged others who may be facing similar challenges in their own careers to never give up on their dreams and to keep pushing forward even when things get tough.

1. How did the author feel about his journey when he arrived?

A．Better.

B．Promising.

C．Tough.

D．Well-paid.

2. What caused him to be laid off by the first company?

A．Company restructuring.

B．Financial problems.

C．Being short of skills.

D．Working attitude.

3. Why did the author keep in touch with his colleagues?

A．He wanted them not to give up.

B．He wanted to get support from them.

C．He wanted to be better than them.

D．He wanted to hold a meeting with them.

4. Which of the following can best describe the author?

A．Perseverant.

B．Modest.

C．Imaginative.

D．Generous.

4 . How to Survive a Lightning Strike?

According to the National Weather Service, almost two-thirds of lightning accidents occur as people enjoy leisure activities outdoors.     1    . Here’s how to stay safe when you’re enjoying summer outdoors.

Keep an eye on the sky

    2    . Thunderstorms usually occur in the afternoon or evening. Start your hike in the morning, and finish up by noon if the forecast indicates bad weather ahead. If the forecast calls for periodic storms throughout the day, make a smart choice and consider giving up the trip.     3    .

Before you head out for hiking, check maps to locate visitor centers, campground buildings, or rest areas along your route. Once you hear thunder, see lightning, or sense that a storm is approaching, don’t hesistate to use your plan. Hikers are strongly advised to watch continually for the nearest shelter.     4     .

Know the storm’s distance

Count the seconds between the flash and the following sound of thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to calculate the number of miles between you and the storm. For example, if the number of seconds is 30, then the distance inbetween equals six miles, and find shelter immediately.     5    , just remember that you can hear thunder at a distance of 10 miles.

A．Make a safety plan

B．Check the weather forecast ahead

C．If this simple math is still confusing

D．If you get indoors as soon as possible

E．People are struck while camping, hiking or boating

F．Staying calm will help you avoid meeting further dangers

G．Car campers can stay in the vehicles when no other shelter is available

5 . Some Ways to Improve Your Study

As a high school student, it is important for you to do well in study. The better ways you have, the better you will learn. But do you know how to improve your study?     1    

●Pay attention in class. First, don’t make any noise in class.     2     Last but not least, get yourself involved in classroom activities.

●    3     If you are not sure how to take notes, start by writing down the important points that your teacher mentions or writes on the blackboard. It’s a good idea to keep your notes in order by subject. It can help you master what you have learnt.

●Go over your lessons.     4     By going over your lessons, you can understand and remember better. So you should review your lessons now and then after class.

●Learn from your classmates. Everyone has his own advantages. You should learn not only from your teachers but also from your classmates. You can learn in pairs or in groups to solve problems.     5    

I’m sure you will improve your study sooner or later if you follow the ways above.

A．Take good notes.

B．Believe in yourself.

C．Here are some ways to help you.

D．It is necessary for you to go over your lessons.

E．You should take part in out-of-school activities.

F．Second, pay attention to what the teacher says.

G．In this way, you can learn from each other and know more.

6 . “I hate school, and I’m not going back!” Have you ever had that thought? Lots of kids have had.Usually this feeling doesn’t last long. But what if you feel this way too much?

A kid who feels stressed about school might have headaches or stomachaches. Having trouble sleeping is also a sign of stress. And if you’re not getting enough sleep, you probably feel tired during the day. Feeling tired can make your school day even worse.

Sometimes it’s a problem with your classes and schoolwork. Maybe the work is too easy and you get bored. Or maybe the work is too hard, or you don’t feel as clever as the other kids. Reading may be difficult for you, but you are asked to do a lot of it. You may be getting farther and farther behind, and it may seem that you will never catch up with others. When you know why you don’t like school, you can start taking steps to make things better.

It’s a good idea to talk to someone about your problems at school. Your mom, dad, friends, teachers, or even classmates will be able to help you.

Another good idea is to write down your feeling about school. For instance, keep a diary or just write in a notebook. It’s a great way to let out emotion that may be stuck inside you. And you don’t have to share what you have written with others.

The next time you find yourself disliking school, this will also help you: Make a list of everything you dislike or enjoy—even there is only one thing. See what you can change on “don’t like” list. Could you find a way to show off your special interests and talents on what you like? Which activities could you try that would help you solve these “don’t like” problems? Focus on what you can change and you might be able to put the good feeling back in school!

1. Paragraph 2 mainly tells us the ________ of school stress.

A．examples

B．signs

C．reasons

D．causes

2. How many pieces of advice are mentioned in the passage?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

3. The sentence “Focus on what you can change” in the reading means ________.

A．wait and see

B．be friendly to others

C．do something to change the condition

D．have a positive attitude towards schoolwork

4. This passage is mainly written for ________.

A．students

B．parents

C．teachers

D．doctors

7 . I was about 13 when an uncle gave me a copy of Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. It was full of ideas that were new to me, so I spent the summer with my head in and out of that book. It spoke to me and brought me into a world of philosophy (哲学).

That love for philosophy lasted until I got to college. Nothing kills the love for philosophy faster than people who think they understand Foucault, Baudrillard, or Confucius better than you — and then try to explain them.

Eric Weiner’s The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers reawakened my love for philosophy. It is not an explanation, but an invitation to think and experience philosophy.

Weiner starts each chapter with a scene on a train ride between cities and then frames each philosopher’s work in the context (背景) of one thing they can help us do better. The end result is a read in which we learn to wonder like Socrates, see like Thoreau, listen like Schopenhauer, and have no regrets like Nietzsche. This, more than a book about understanding philosophy, is a book about learning to use philosophy to improve a life.

He makes philosophical thought an appealing exercise that improves the quality of our experiences, and he does so with plenty of humor. Weiner enters into conversation with some of the most important philosophers in history, and he becomes part of that crowd in the process by decoding (解读) their messages and adding his own interpretation.

The Socrates Express is a fun, sharp book that draws readers in with its apparent simplicity and gradually pulls them in deeper thoughts on desire, loneliness, and aging. The invitation is clear: Weiner wants you to pick up a coffee or tea and sit down with this book. I encourage you to take his offer. It’s worth your time, even if time is something we don’t have a lot of.

1. Who opened the door to philosophy for the author?

A．Foucault.	B．Eric Weiner.
C．Jostein Gaarder.	D．A college teacher.

2. Why does the author list great philosophers in paragraph 4?

A．To compare Weiner with them.

B．To give examples of great works.

C．To praise their writing skills.

D．To help readers understand Weiner’s book.

3. What does the author like about The Socrates Express?

A．Its views on history are well-presented.

B．Its ideas can be applied to daily life.

C．It includes comments from readers.

D．It leaves an open ending.

4. What does the author think of Weiner’s book?

A．Objective and plain.

B．Daring and ambitious.

C．Serious and hard to follow.

D．Humorous and straightforward.

8 . Turning soil, pulling weeds, and harvesting cabbage sound like tough work for middle and high school kids. And at first it is, says Abby Jaramillo, who with another teacher started Urban Sprouts, a school garden program at four low-income schools. The program aims to help students develop science skills, environmental awareness, and healthy lifestyles.

Jaramillo’s students live in neighborhoods where fresh food and green space are not easy to find and fast food restaurants outnumber grocery stores. “The kids literally come to school with bags of snacks and large bottles of soft drinks,” she says. “They come to us thinking vegetables are awful, dirt is awful, insects are awful.” Though some are initially scared of the insects and turned off by the dirt, most are eager to try something new.

Urban Sprouts’ classes, at two middle schools and two high schools, include hands-on experiments such as soil testing, flower-and-seed dissection, tastings of fresh or dried produce, and work in the garden. Several times a year, students cook the vegetables they grow, and they occasionally make salads for their entire schools.

Program evaluations show that kids eat more vegetables as a result of the classes. “We have students who say they went home and talked to their parents and now they’re eating differently,” Jaramillo says.

She adds that the program’s benefits go beyond nutrition. Some students get so interested in gardening that they bring home seeds to start their own vegetable gardens. Besides, working in the garden seems to have a calming effect on Jaramillo’s special education students, many of whom have emotional control issues. “They get outside,” she says, “and they feel successful.”

1. What do we know about Abby Jaramillo?

A．She used to be a health worker.	B．She grew up in a low-income family.
C．She owns a fast food restaurant.	D．She is an initiator of Urban Sprouts.

2. What was a problem facing Jaramillo at the start of the program?

A．The kids’ parents distrusted her.	B．Students had little time for her classes.
C．Some kids disliked garden work.	D．There was no space for school gardens.

3. Which of the following best describes the impact of the program?

A．Far-reaching.	B．Predictable.
C．Short-lived.	D．Unidentifiable.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Rescuing School Gardens	B．Experiencing Country Life
C．Growing Vegetable Lovers	D．Changing Local Landscape

9 . How to Survive in the Woods

Getting lost in the woods can be a scary situation. Whether you’ve got lost on a hike, your car broke down on a wilderness road, or any other reason, surviving in the woods is difficult.     1     Here are some tips on how to get out of the woods.

Don’t panic. Panicking can cause you to make poor decisions and affect your judgment. If you’re going to get out of the woods, you need to have a clear head.     2    

Avoid using too much energy.     3     Try not to sweat or use too much energy by doing things like running around and screaming for help if you’re by yourself. Save as much energy as you can for doing things like building shelter, fire, and searching for water.

    4     If you become lost in the woods for whatever reason, people will look for you at your last known location. Trying to find your way out can make you more lost and make it harder for anybody to find you. Stay in one location for a better chance at being rescued.

Signal your location with smoke signals. Build a fire and add a bunch of green leaves or pine needles to create a lot of smoke. Take a large branch with green leaves on it and cover the fire for 3-4 seconds to stop the smoke from escaping.     5     Repeat the process to form a line of clouds of smoke in the sky.

A．Build a shelter.

B．Stay where you are.

C．However, it can be done.

D．Search for a source of fresh water.

E．Take deep breaths and focus on the tasks at hand.

F．It may be difficult for you to find adequate food and water.

G．Then, remove the branch to allow the smoke cloud to escape.

10 . Two managers in the same organization were coming into conflict when having disagreements in their work. After thinking about a particularly troubling issue throughout the night, the first manager wrote a letter to the other one, outlining his thoughts as reasonably as possible. He gave it to the other person and asked him to read it later and suggested that after working through their anger, they discuss it again.

The following day the first manager stopped by the office of the other and asked how it would go. The second one admitted that he was very upset at first, but after thinking it over he realized that most of their disagreements were for a lack of understanding. He stated that he felt if they could discuss it without losing their tempers, they could work things out. That is exactly what they did later and got the issue settled with flying colors (成功地).

American president Abraham Lincoln was known for writing two letters when he needed to communicate with someone else who had made him angry. He first wrote a letter that severely conveyed just what he thought. Then he tore up that letter and wrote a second one that was appropriate and reasonable, and sent the letter out.

Effective communication is the key to any relationship. When we allow ourselves to become emotional and react immediately to what we feel without thinking, emotions overwhelm (压倒) the situation and prevent true communication. Step back, think evaluate what happened or what was said, and ask to clarify questions if it is needed. Then, you can respond appropriately.

Don’t let overwhelming emotion control your life. Instead, choose to think and process internally whatever comes your way before externally responding. That is when you can communicate with others effectively and you will be able to keep good relationships with them.

1. What did the first manager do in his letter?

A．He expressed his general ideas reasonably.

B．He explained why the issue was troubling.

C．He apologized to the second manager sincerely.

D．He invited the second manager to discuss the issue.

2. What is the story of Lincoln intended to express?

A．Any great man can get angry.

B．Making plan B is necessary in work.

C．Writing letters was very popular in the past.

D．We should deal with matters after calming down.

3. What will reacting immediately without thinking probably lead to?

A．A bad first impression.	B．Ineffective communication.
C．The high chance of failure.	D．The breakdown of a relationship.

4. What should people do for better communication?

A．Learn to answer questions indirectly.	B．Avoid anger to keep good relationships.
C．Never be overwhelmed by your emotions.	D．Think reasonably before making a decision.