1 . Most college students think that there are only two choices after graduation—finding a job or entering graduate school. An opportunity that is often missed is volunteering with an organized volunteer program.
Volunteering provides a year of intention (计划) in a community where recent graduates can learn about the world they are entering, about themselves as individuals (个体) and about their role in this world. It provides intentional time to understand the purpose that drives one as an individual in life. Taking a year off after graduation to volunteer allows students to slow down and really understand where they want their future to lie. Not only this, but students will also be helping others, getting work experience, living in a community and giving back to society.
Volunteering often leads to a job opportunity. A volunteer might stay and work with the organization, shifting from a volunteer position to a paid position. For example, an individual doing volunteer teaching with an organization might be offered a teaching position at their school. Even if the volunteer position does not lead to a paid position, the volunteer should keep in touch with their organization. One reason is that the organization can write letters of recommendation (推荐) for the volunteer’s job applications. What’s more, volunteer experience on a resume could catch the attention of schoolmates from the organization or program who work at a place of employment (雇用). A shared volunteer experience with the manager might help one find a job!
Volunteers have fun together and like helping others a lot. They share a common mission and vision (使命和愿景), continue personal and professional development, and get new ideas about the world around them. They get to know the community, practice their social responsibility, and build their skill set and network with others. Even if volunteers are not paid, they receive these and many other benefits through their service.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Why students should volunteer during college. |
| B．What the value of volunteering after graduation is. |
| C．Whether recent graduates should have a yearly plan. |
| D．How to find a volunteer program that works for you. |
| A．To receive a job offer. | B．To find old schoolmates. |
| C．To apply for a new program. | D．To get support when seeking jobs. |
| A．Sharing your future plans. |
| B．Showing your social responsibility. |
| C．Letting others know more about you. |
| D．Catching the attention of your schoolmates. |
| A．To explain what volunteering is. |
| B．To offer new volunteer opportunities. |
| C．To encourage recent graduates to volunteer. |
| D．To discuss whether to volunteer without pay. |
2 . Thein Shwe is sitting with one of his students, 14-year-old Nur Hakim, outside a small classroom built of wood. Thein Shwe has been working at this non-formal primary education centre since it was first set up five years ago. He says, “I love teaching. I was a personal tutor (家庭教师) before. When I learnt that this centre was looking for teachers, I applied.
Thein Shwe is very popular among his students. Even Nur Hakim, who at first was very shy, becomes more confident as his teacher smiles, nodding to encourage him. “I come from a poor family,” says Nur Hakim. “My father died when I was a baby.”
Nur Hakim’s father, who was a factory worker, was the main provider. Since his father’s death, his mother has had to support the family of six by herself. Nur Hakim was not attending school until the age of 12, when he got the chance to attend this non-formal primary education centre. “I love English and I love my teacher because he is always on time and teaches us well,” says the boy.
Nur Hakim says he hopes to join Grade 5 students next year in a nearby government school. Nur Hakim holds on to his dreams. “I want to be a doctor,” he says. “In my village, I see a lot of illnesses.”
Thein Shwe admits (承认) he finds it difficult to support his family working as a volunteer. But Thein Shwe talks more about the successes and difficulties he has faced keeping his students in class. He says over the four years, about 80%of the students continue on to the government school or vocational (职业的) training.
When Thein Shwe is asked about his main success as a teacher, he needs no time to think. “It’s being able to keep the poorest children in school,” he says.
1. What can we learn about Thein Shwe?| A．He started teaching when he was 14. |
| B．He used to work in a government school. |
| C．He has worked as a volunteer teacher for five years. |
| D．He helped set up the non-formal primary education centre. |
| A．He has begun to have a dream. |
| B．He has fallen in love with English. |
| C．He has come to understand his parents. |
| D．He has had a growing belief in himself. |
| A．Be a worker like his father | B．Work in the field of medicine. |
| C．Teach in a government school. | D．Be a volunteer teacher like Thein Shwe. |
| A．Teaching kids useful life skills. |
| B．Providing chances of education for poor kids. |
| C．Changing children’s ideas on education. |
| D．Sending his students to schools of higher education levels. |
3 . You Life is What You Make It
Zhang Tian graduated from university and got a teacher’s certificate last year. His parents wanted him to get a good job in Shanghai. But he was inspired by the idea of living independently away from home. So he applied for and became a volunteer teacher in a village school. Bringing with him lots of books, clothes, and two pairs of trainers, Zhang Tian travelled to the village with an eager heart. He imagined all sorts of exciting things about living and teaching in a village.
However, not everything lived up to Zhang Tian’s hopes. The school was much smaller than he expected, with only three classrooms. In front of the classrooms, there was a playground which got dusty on windy days and muddy on rainy days. Living In the village was also more challenging than he had thought. The power and water supplies were unstable, so he could only shower every three or four days, and he had to learn how to cook. The thought of leaving once flashed through his mind, but he quickly gave up the idea and found ways to deal with the challenges.
The school had just three teachers and Zhang Tian was the only English teacher. The other two local teachers were responsible for maths and Chinese. To make school life healthier and livelier for his students, Zhang Tian introduced more subjects to the school — music, art and PE. It is not surprising that PE is the kids’ favourite subject! Their school lives are now more attractive and interesting, and they enjoy playing football in the playground, as well as singing songs they’ve learnt. The school is now full of laughter and music. Zhang Tian is planning to organise the first ever school concert! Everyone is very excited.
1. Why did Zhang Tian choose to be a volunteer teacher?| A．He wanted to live independently. |
| B．His parents wanted him to be a teacher. |
| C．He wanted a new lifestyle and was inspired by teachers he met. |
| D．He needed the experience to get a teacher’s certificate. |
| A．PE was the kid’s favourite subject. |
| B．Students were short of books and desks. |
| C．The school even didn’t have a playground. |
| D．Living conditions were worse than he had expected. |
| A．Tough but meaningful. | B．Dull but interesting. |
| C．Easy and comfortable. | D．Lonely and hopeless. |
Communicating with the old can be challenging, especially when considering the fact
First of all, you are supposed to respect the old’s thoughts, backgrounds and life experience. Do not correct their opinions even when you can’t reach any
When you’re together with them, try to know if they would like
As communication with old people can be difficult, it is
5 . San Francisco Fire Engine Tours
San Francisco Winery TourRunning: February 1st through April 30th
This delicious tour goes through the city on its way to Treasure Island where we will stop at the famous Winery SF. Here you can enjoy 4 pours of some of the best wine San Francisco has to offer.(Included in tickets price)
Departing from the Cannery: Tour times upon request.Duration(时长): 2 hours
Price: $90
Back to the Fifties Tour
Running: August 16th through August 31st
This tour transports you back in time to one of San Francisco’s most fantastic periods, the 1950s! Enjoy fun history as we take you through San Francisco for a free taste of ice cream.
Departing from the Cannery: 5:00 pm and 7:30 pmDuration: 2 hours
Price: $90
Spooky Halloween Tour
Running: October 10th through October 31st
Join us for a ride through the historical Presidio district. Authentic fire gear(服装) is provided for your warmth as our entertainers take you to some of the most thrilling parts of San Francisco.
Departing from the Cannery: 6:30 pm and 8:30 pmDuration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Price: Available upon request
Holiday Lights Tour
Running: December 6th through December 23rd
This attractive tour takes you to some of San Francisco’s most cheerful holiday scenes. Authentic fire gear is provided for your warmth as you get into the holiday spirit.
Departing from the Cannery: 7:00 pm and 9:00 pmDuration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Advance reservations required.
1. Which of the tours is available in March?
| A．San Francisco Winery Tour. | B．Back to the Fifties Tour. |
| C．Spooky Hallowen Tour. | D．Holiday Lights Tour. |
| A．Go to Treasure Island. | B．Enjoy the holiday scenes. |
| C．Have free ice cream. | D．Visit the Presidio district. |
| A．Take some drinks. | B．Set off early in the morning. |
| C．Wear warm clothes. | D．Make reservations in advance. |
6 . The trend towards larger cars is obvious in recent years. Electric SUVs (越野车) have also been growing in popularity, representing roughly 35 percent of electric car sales in 2022, according to the latest figures released by the International Energy Agency. But although electrification of the global vehicle brings climate benefits, there is also cause for concern.
Electric SUVs are still greener than the petrol (汽油) ones, but their size and weight removes some of the climate gains. Their larger batteries require more raw minerals (矿物), like cobalt and lithium, putting extra pressure on global supplies. “New policies to encourage people to choose smaller electric vehicles (EV) may be needed, such as increasing taxes for Electric SUVs. We could reduce hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) overtime.” says Christian Brand at the University of Oxford.
Air pollution is another worry. In poorer countries like India, electric vehicles will lead to significant improvements in urban air quality. But in richer countries, where petrol cars tend to be cleaner, the situation isn’t so clear. “The benefit of moving to an electric vehicle, from a certain point of view, is actually pretty small,” says Frank Kelly at Imperial College London. And since electric vehicles still produce pollution from their tires, brakes and road wear, air pollution won’t fully go away. “We’re still going to have a pretty big problem in our cities,” says Kelly.
As such, governments must do more to reduce car dependency, particularly in urban areas. Clean public transport is the solution to our air pollution problem in urban areas. We should be reducing the number of all private vehicles as much as possible, not celebrating the increased figures.
1. What can we learn about the Electric SUVs?| A．They greatly improve air quality. |
| B．They are not as green as expected. |
| C．They will not become globally popular. |
| D．They sold better than petrol ones in 2022. |
| A．The trend towards EVs is not clear. |
| B．Petrol cars produce less air pollution. |
| C．EVs may not have the desired effects. |
| D．Petrol cars are cheaper in rich countries. |
| A．Start an argument and call on action. |
| B．Express concerns and suggest solutions. |
| C．Introduce products and attract attention. |
| D．Compare products and offer suggestions. |
Why is Amsterdam a good city for cycling?
The idea of “white bikes”
In the 1960s, a group of cycling fans came up with an idea
Nowadays, the idea of “white bikes” has pedalled
8 . A back injury drove Briton Rose Oliver to tai chi, which led her to her husband and then took both of them to China. Twenty years ago, Oliver’s back injury
In 2000, the couple moved to Shanghai. They taught
With the
Because of her
| A．realized | B．destroyed | C．promoted | D．decreased |
| A．limit | B．cheat | C．lead | D．devote |
| A．figure | B．appetite | C．appearance | D．health |
| A．instructor | B．colleague | C．director | D．classmate |
| A．sports | B．language | C．music | D．art |
| A．backaches | B．headaches | C．toothaches | D．stomachaches |
| A．strengthened | B．faded | C．came | D．worsened |
| A．previous | B．separate | C．shared | D．present |
| A．holding on | B．standing up | C．turning away | D．giving up |
| A．influence | B．support | C．education | D．agreement |
| A．collecting | B．attending | C．analyzing | D．covering |
| A．exchange | B．experience | C．support | D．observe |
| A．inspiration | B．suggestion | C．adaptation | D．contribution |
| A．natural | B．professional | C．significant | D．hopeful |
| A．required | B．celebrated | C．respected | D．announced |
9 . Painting
The art of creating pictures using colors, shapes and lines is called painting. Museums and galleries show the paintings of professional artists. But painting is also a popular form of entertainment and creative expression.
Painters can use their art to express devotion to a religion, to tell a story, to express feelings and ideas, or simply to present a pleasing picture. Religious paintings often show a god or a scene from a sacred text. Other common subjects have been famous legends and events in history, as well as scenes from daily life. Artists also paint portraits (肖像), or pictures of people.
Some kinds of paintings do not focus on people. In landscape (风景) paintings, the focus is on scenes from nature. Artists also paint still objects such as fruit and vegetables.
| A．These works are called still lives. |
| B．These works can communicate a special feeling. |
| C．Humans have been making paintings for thousands of years. |
| D．People of all ages create pictures using a variety of materials. |
| E．Cave paintings generally show animals that early humans hunted. |
| F．The design of a painting is the plan of its lines, shapes and colors. |
| G．Sometimes artists make portraits of themselves, which are called self-portraits. |
10 . Derek Paravicini is lucky to be alive. Born three and a half months early, he weighed only 0.6 kilograms and almost
Yet Derek is a
Derek was two years old before his family discovered his
By the age of nine, Derek had
| A．smiled | B．cried | C．died | D．survived |
| A．Strangely | B．Quickly | C．Secretly | D．Unluckily |
| A．almost | B．hardly | C．still | D．even |
| A．math | B．future | C．musical | D．natural |
| A．words | B．numbers | C．mistakes | D．sounds |
| A．read | B．improve | C．create | D．hear |
| A．head | B．hands | C．eyes | D．mouth |
| A．bank | B．hospital | C．community | D．computer |
| A．count | B．send | C．recognize | D．leave |
| A．voice | B．talent | C．book | D．illness |
| A．moved | B．confused | C．shocked | D．annoyed |
| A．blind | B．poor | C．needy | D．sick |
| A．discover | B．turn | C．end | D．develop |
| A．hosted | B．lectured | C．served | D．performed |
| A．recording | B．giving | C．improving | D．supplying |
