1 . Questions You Must Answer to Find Your True Path in Life

Walking the path of life is no more different than exploring uncharted territories, many of us stop occasionally and ask ourselves questions such as: “Am I doing this right? How do I know this is what has to be done?     1    ” If you’d like to get to find your true path in life, here are some questions you’ll have to answer.

· Why do you want to find your true path in life?

One thing is clear that you want to bring some changes to your life. Being honest about why you want to achieve that can provide you with a powerful incentive (激励) that will drive you towards your goals. Write down the things that cross your mind when you think of your whys.     2     You are a unique person with unique needs and wishes.

·     3    

Is this your authentic (真正的) need or is it something that is trendy and you want to try it out? Ask yourself this question whenever you catch that “I’m a little bit bored right now” thought. Maybe you don’t need to bring radical changes into your life. Remember that how we approach certain obstacles can define how we feel when trying to overcome them.

·What is important to me?

You can start by writing down what is important to you.     4     Take your time. My advice is to start with simpler things, for instance, working out regularly, spending quality time with friends and family, learn to play an instrument etc. From there you can work on more sophisticated ideas, becoming more tolerant and accepting.

· Am I self-aware?

Do you value constructive criticism? Are you always honest? If your answer to these questions is no, then you need to work on your self-awareness.

    5     Finding your true path in life is a slow process. Finally, let me finish by a quote, “To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.”

A．Is this my choice?

B．What responsibilities should you take?

C．Don’t make your list in just one sitting.

D．Your reasons should be important only for you.

E．If not, is there a guide I can read and memorize?

F．This is because it can apply to every aspect of your life

G．Don’t worry if you are unable to answer these questions right this very moment.

2 . An 80-foot floating library, built in 1963 and called Bokbaten in Norway, visited around 250 small communes along the west coast of Norway twice every year before 2020. Many of the villages along the west coast of Norway are most easily accessible by boat rather than car, so in 1959, a group of librarians got government funding to s art a waterborne library service with special on stress on children’s literature.

Large enough to hold around 6, 000 books, the boat also hosted readings, children’s pays, and other cultural events onboard. It traveled along the coast on 64-day tours during the fall and winter months, welcoming up to 150 children at a time and unloading books for each community to keep until the boat made it swayback the next time around. In summer, the library was repurposed as a tourist boat.

But in 2020, it looked like it might be the end for the library. After nearly 60 years in action, the popular boat had its funding cut by the government, which ended the floating library program. “The book boat is a floating house of culture, which means a lot to thousands of children in the communities that don’t have a good library offering,” Norwegian librarian and author Stig Holmas wrote on Facebook at the time. “It has large numbers of visits,” he went on, adding: “What a shame!”

Luckily, 28 local municipalities (市政当局) banded together in support of the beloved library, helping organize 88 cultural events to make people realize the importance of the boat between August and November 2021. Then, in February 2022, the Fritt Ord Foundation, a private Norwegian nonprofit, provided the library with nearly $300, 000 to keep the program running. Later that year, journalist Maria PileS vas and, whose grandfather built the library, was employed as manager for Bokbaten.

The boat is now a traveling bookstore, and it continues to carry on the tradition of inviting authors, actors and musicians to come aboard and perform live readings for children.

1. What do we know about Bokbaten?

A．It also held a variety of activities.

B．It was not that popular in the summer.

C．It was suggested by the 250 communities.

D．It allowed people to keep the book for 64 days.

2. What is Stig Holmas’ attitude towards the government decision?

A．Relieved.

B．Shocked.

C．Puzzled.

D．Angry.

3. What did local municipalities do for the revival of Bokbaten?

A．They provided enough funds for the library.

B．They helped to promote the value of the library.

C．They invited Maria Pile Svasand to manage Bokbaten.

D．They set up the Fritt Ord Foundation to raise funds for Bokbaten.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Why the floating library in Norway is so popular

B．The establishment of a floating library in Norway

C．How a floating library in Norway was saved

D．The influence of a floating library in Norway

3 . A Book-list by Trusted Critics

I Can Explain
Shinsuke Yoshitake

Has your mom ever caught you picking your nose or biting your nails? In this book, bad habits yield complex explanations that justify their very existence.

And really, how hard is it to believe that nose pickers are actually pushing hidden nose buttons that release “cheerful beams” that make everyone happy?

Where Butterflies Fill the Sky
Zahra Marwan

What happens when you have to leave your home where the desert reaches all the way to the sea and 100 butterflies always fill the sky? This picture book about immigration deals with its serious subject matter while keeping heart, humor and family close at hand.

It tells the true story of how the girl and her family moved from one land to another.

Farmhouse
Sophie Blackall

Our lives are our stories. In this one Sophie Blackall manages to spin a single sentence capturing the imagined lives of a houseful of children on a farm. The images and story were inspired by the detritus (废弃物) she discovered in an old farmhouse.

The resulting images are sure to delight children and adults alike, while the story is a reminder of what we leave behind.

My Brother Is Away
Sara Greenwood

It’s never easy to explain that a family member is imprisoned, and it can be especially hard for children.

This simple picture book draws on the author’s own childhood to tell the story of a young girl whose brother is in prison. A gentle and hopeful story for kids about very adult situations and complex feelings.

1. What is Where Butterflies Fill the Sky about?

A．A story of 100 butterflies always filling the sky.

B．A story of immigration, family, and finding home.

C．A story of serious matters of a girl and her mom.

D．A story about very adult situations and complex feelings.

2. Which book will leave the reader with a heavy heart?

A．Where Butterflies Fill the Sky.	B．I Can Explain.
C．Farmhouse.	D．My Brother Is Away.

3. Who do you think the books are written for?

A．Senior students.

B．Adults.

C．Kids.

D．Foreigners.

4 . When people respect you, they see you in a very positive light. They admire you for your qualities that can be quite inspirational for people. Respectful people are patient and very calm.     1     — they take their time to form opinions and come to a decision that is good for all. Respectful people also have an air of authority and can command a room full of people only with their voice. Here are some of the behaviors of respectful people.

Active listening

Respectful people listen actively to others.    2    . They don’t interrupt the person by asking questions to show that they are focused and interested in what the other person is saying.

Empathy

They are highly empathetic. They put themselves in other people’s shoes. They are considerate of people’s situations. They show kindness and are understanding towards others.    3    .

Reliability

    4    . They are very reliable. They keep their promises and follow through on their commitments. They can be counted on to do what they say they will do. They are ever ready to help people.

    5    

These people communicate in a respectful manner. They are polite even when they disagree with someone. They avoid using critical language and focus on finding common ground with others. They try to find a solution to problems in a very analytical manner.

A．Inner confidence

B．Respectful communication

C．They don’t judge people quickly

D．This alone will not change the views others have of you

E．This is the second feature that makes them well respected among others

F．They are fully present at the moment and give their full attention to the speaker

G．People can depend on these kinds of people without fearing they will leave them

5 . The following are the comments on The Berry Pickers.

Donna David

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2024

I enjoyed the story. The characters were interesting and the story of the people working in the blueberry fields in Maine was of great interest to me. But there’s a problem. In the story, they speak about coming to Maine for 2 months. The blueberry season was and is 3 — 5 weeks. I think the author should have been a little more thoughtful in her research to make it more accurate (精确的).

Mom2AC

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024

This is such a beautiful and heartbreaking story of two families—one filled with love, pain, and loss, the other with secrets. The story was beautifully written and had me in tears at the end. I love books that have me thinking about the characters once the book is finished.

Diana Jaycox

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2023

I read The Berry Pickers as part of a Kindle Reading Challenge. The Berry Pickers was not my normal pick of reading material. That is what I love about the Kindle Reading Challenges; I am forced to try new authors. This is not the kind of novel you can read in one setting. No, The Berry Pickers, requires you to read slowly, enjoying the richness of Amanda Peters’ words, and her great settings.

EH

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2024

As I began reading, I thought I’d mistakenly bought a book for young adults. It’s not badly written, but it is too simple for its subject matter. It’s also overly long, and would have worked better as a novel.

1. What is Donna David’s complaint about The Berry Pickers?

A．It’s very long.	B．It’s inaccurate.
C．It’s too simple.	D．It’s poorly-organized.

2. Who think highly of The Berry Pickers?

A．Donna David and EH.	B．Diana Jayeox and EH.
C．Mom2AC and Diana Jaycox.	D．Donna David and Diana Jaycox.

3. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To share comments on a book.	B．To record personal experiences.
C．To complain about bad service.	D．To introduce a reading activity.

6 . 根据汉语提示完成短文。

    1     (我的头陷入大南瓜里), I     2     (如此震惊以至于) my throat tightened and my knees felt weak, various terrible thoughts     3     (涌入我的心头). I     4     (努力把头从南瓜里拔出来), but in vain.     5     (不顾我正遭受的事情), my brother should tap the huge pumpkin, giggling. Grinning from ear to ear, my father     6     (来帮助我), saying comfortably, “Keep calm！” I was successfully rescued and     7     (一阵感激之情向我袭来), tears rolling down my cheeks, like a broken line of beads.

7 . 使用恰当的过渡衔接词连句成篇
1. 我是李华，谨代表我校写信对你们的努力和帮助表示真诚的感谢。否则我们的城市可能会遭受更大的破坏。
2. 令人震惊的是，重庆受高温和干旱袭击，导致烈火发生。
3. 你们来了，及时提供了援助。
4. 尽管许多志愿者极其疲惫，依然专心于运送物资。
5. 正是你们不懈的努力和决心结束了这次自然灾害。（强调句）
6. 我们被你们深深感动，我们决定竭尽全力使我们的城市更美好。
Dear volunteers,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

8 . 根据提示，运用本单元的词汇、短语及句式或使用词汇的正确形式完成下面的语篇。
Dear Sir/Madam,

    1     (我写信感谢你的及时救援), without which my life couldn’t return to normal.

A few days ago,     2     (一场极其可怕的地震袭击了我的家乡), leaving many houses in ruins.     3     (shock) to find everything buried under the fallen houses, I burst into tears.     4     (世界似乎到了尽头). Thankfully, although you were strangers, you     5     (不遗余力) provide enough food and water for us to survive on. With strong support from the government and your generous aid, a new town was built upon the earthquake     6     (ruin).

I can’t express my gratitude too much.

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

9 . We all have habits we’d like to break, whether it’s biting your fingernails, or eating late at night. But why are these habits so hard to break?

Our brain seeks to minimize effort and space, and this kind of automatic brain behavior is referred to as “chunking”. Chunking aids in creating a new habit pattern in cells of the brain. It’s like a task you do every day that you no longer really have to think about.

This process is a three-step loop. Step 1 is the cue. Step 2 is the routine. And Step 3 is the reward. The cue and reward eventually intertwine (交织), creating anticipation and cravings (渴望), another essential part of habits. Because we go into an automatic mode during routines, our brains stop fully participating in decision-making. Our habits will automatically unfold every time there is a cue.

So, how to break the habits, like biting your nails? Psychologists suggest that first you think about when you bite your nails. Are you nervous or bored? In the case of boredom, nail-biting offers a “physical stimulation”. So next, mark down every time you feel bored and have the compulsion to bite your nails. But then you want to make a “competing response”. Whenever you feel the desire to bite, you immediately put your hands in your pockets. Next, find a substitute (替代品) that provides a quick physical stimulation, like knocking your fingers slightly on the desk. This allows for one habit to be replaced by another with a similar reward but also uses the same cue.

So when you are ready to take on a bad habit, just remember, figure out what your body is actually craving, use the same cue and the reward that serves the correct purpose, and be patient to help build that new habit.

1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Why skills are hard to master.

B．Why habits are difficult to break.

C．How the brain minimizes effort and space.

D．How cells help form chunking in our brain.

2. Why the habit of biting nails is mentioned?

A．To prove it is a bad habit.

B．To show how a habit is formed.

C．To state psychologists’ opinion.

D．To explain how to give up a habit.

3. What does the underlined “compulsion” mean in Paragraph 4?

A．Opportunity.

B．Ambition.

C．Desire.

D．Responsibility.

4. What is the trick of quitting a bad habit?

A．Finding a substitute stimulation.

B．Making full use of the brain.

C．Figuring out the reward.

D．Serving the correct purpose.

10 . Magazines make great reading materials for kids. Libraries often have a large selection of periodicals (期刊) for every age group and reading level, and for many areas of interest. And some magazines may even have issues going back years and even decades! Below is a list of some of them!

Military Kids Life

It is about finding the bright side of life as a military kid! Inside each quarterly issue, your child will encounter inspiring stories, articles, and photographs! (8 to 16 years)

Faces

With articles, folk tales, and hands-on projects, Faces magazine takes young readers around the world for an honest and objective view of how children in other regions live. (9 to 14 years)

Make

Make magazine publishes tested projects, skill-building tutorials, in-depth reviews and inspirational stories, accessible by all ages and skill ranges. (9 to 18 years)

Brio

Brio magazine for teen girls has a fresh new look that includes more pages filled with inspiring profiles, cultural insights, health & beauty tips, faith-filled features and added fun! (13 to 18 years)

Please note: Though all the magazines on this list are written for children, some issues may contain content that you may feel inappropriate for your child. As always, please review all reading materials before giving them to your child to read.

1. Which magazine can help develop kids’ international awareness?

A．Faces.	B．Make.
C．Brio.	D．Military Kids Life.

2. What can be learned from the text?

A．All the magazines are proper for children.

B．Magazines are usually published for children.

C．Some magazines have back issues in libraries.

D．Only magazines for kids are accessible in libraries.

3. What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To argue.	B．To inform.
C．To entertain.	D．To persuade.