3 . The curb cut (下斜路缘) is a convenience that most of us rarely, if ever, notice. Yet, without it, daily life might be a lot harder — in more ways than one. Pushing a baby stroller (婴儿推车) onto the curb, skateboarding onto a sidewalk or taking a full grocery cart from the sidewalk to your car — all these tasks are easier because of the curb cut.

But it was created with a different purpose in mind.

It’s hard to imagine today, but back in the 1970s, most sidewalks in the United States ended with a sharp drop-off. That was a big deal for people in wheelchairs because there were no ramps (斜坡) to help them move along city blocks without assistance. According to one disability rights leader, a six-inch curb “might as well have been Mount Everest”. So, activists from Berkeley, California, who also needed wheelchairs, organized a campaign to create tiny ramps to help people dependent on wheels move up and down curbs independently.

I think about the “curb cut effect” a lot when working on issues around health equity (公平). The first time I even heard about the curb cut was in a 2017 Stanford Social Innovation Review piece by PolicyLink CEO Angela Blackwell. Blackwell rightly noted that many people see equity “as a zero-sum game.” Basically, there is “a prejudice that intentionally supporting one group hurts another.” What the curb cut effect shows, Blackwell said, is that “when society creates the circumstances that allow those who have been left behind to participate and contribute fully, everyone wins.”

There are multiple examples of this principle at work. For example, investing in policies that create more living-wage jobs or increase the availability of affordable housing certainly benefits people in communities that have limited options. But the action also provides those people with opportunities for better health and the moans to become contributing members of society — and those benefits everyone. Even the football huddle (围成一团以秘密商讨) was initially created to help deaf football players at Gallaudet College keep their game plans secret from opponents who could have read their sign language. Today, it’s used by every team to prevent the opponent from learning about game-winning strategies.

So, next time you cross the street, or roll your suitcase through a crosswalk or ride your bike directly onto a sidewalk, think about how much the curb cut, the design that benefits one group of people at a disadvantage, has helped not just that group, but all of us.

1. By “might as well have been Mount Everest” (paragraph 3), the disability rights leader implies that a six-inch curb may become ______.

A．as famous as the world’s highest mountain	B．an almost impassable barrier
C．a connection between people	D．a most unforgettable matter

2. According to Angela Blackwell, many people believe that ______.

A．it’s fair to give the disadvantaged more help than others

B．it’s impossible to have everyone be treated equally

C．it’s necessary to go all out to help the disabled

D．it’s not worthwhile to promote health equity

3. Which of the following examples best illustrates the “curb cut effect” principle?

A．Reading machines for blind people helped build the navigation system in the car.

B．The four great inventions of ancient China spread to the west.

C．Your reaching out to the disadvantaged contributes to more people doing it.

D．A butterfly flapping its wings in one country leads to a Tornado in another country.

4. What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?

A．Everyday items are originally invented for people with disabilities.

B．Everyone in a society should pursue what is in his or her interest.

C．A disability rights leader changed the life of his fellow men.

D．Caring for disadvantaged groups may finally benefit all.

4 . 假定你是李华，你校英文报为促进大家对中国传统艺术的了解，特开设了“Art of the Week”专栏。请你写一篇文章去投稿，介绍一种你喜爱的艺术形式，内容包括：
1. 艺术形式简介；
2. 推荐理由；
3. 给出建议：如何对这项艺术加深了解。
注意：
1. 词数80左右；
2. 请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . Regardless of the weather or the distance, Paul Wilson will make sure low-income students in his neighbourhood arrive at their college classes on time.

A retired engineer, 76-year-old Wilson has been offering free rides to college students for the past eight years. Since he first started _________ his car to the young people, Wilson has _________ an astonishing 64,000 miles, and has had countless pleasant and often humorous _________ with the students he transports to and from school. The students who he’s _________ have gone on to become physicians, teachers and engineers, but what they’ve also got out of their time in school is finding a role model and a friend in Wilson. Some students _________ call him “Grandpa”.

Tina Stern received rides from Wilson for all her four years in college, and the trips meant much more to her than just free _________. “It’s not just a ride; you not just sitting there in _______   silence or with your headphones on.” Stern said. “He asks you questions and actually remember the answers, so the next time you ride with him, he’ll _________ those things.”

Wilson first worked as a driver through a student-support programme of the non-profit organization On Point for College. Although the _________ asks the members only to drive students to and from their classes, Wilson often goes __________ to ensure the welfare and safety of the students. If they have problems with registration, Wilson is there to __________ them. If they run out of certain daily necessities, Wilson will drive to the nearest store and purchase what’s needed. If a student gets hungry on the long drives to and from school, Wilson never __________ to buy them a meal.

For many students, Wilson’s help is not only appreciated, it’s also entirely__________ for them to be able to complete their college education. Some students don’t have a reliable car, while others have to share vehicles with parents who work six days a week. For them, riding with Wilson has allowed them to complete their education-but according to Wilson, he benefits just as much from the __________. “I just love driving and I love these kids,” Wilson said. “It’s such a(n)__________ to be a part these kids’ lives, even just for a few hours, getting to know them and hearing their stories.”

1.

A．donating

B．lending

C．delivering

D．volunteering

2.

A．paved

B．covered

C．measured

D．wandered

3.

A．arguments

B．interviews

C．negotiations

D．conversations

4.

A．met

B．driven

C．addressed

D．wandered

5.

A．even

B．ever

C．once

D．already

6.

A．transportation

B．style

C．time

D．communication

7.

A．forced

B．awkward

C．ridiculous

D．suspicious

8.

A．act on

B．settle on

C．check on

D．agree on

9.

A．club

B．league

C．college

D．programme

10.

A．far

B．around

C．beyond

D．forwards

11.

A．assist

B．watch

C．urge

D．warm

12.

A．expects

B．attempts

C．manages

D．hesitates

13.

A．extra

B．unusual

C．necessary

D．adequate

14.

A．experience

B．arrangement

C．appreciation

D．employment

15.

A．effort

B．ambition

C．privilege

D．convenience

6 . Each year, the world loses about 10 million hectares of forest—at area about the size of Iceland — because of cutting down trees. At that rate, some scientists predict the world’s forests could disappear in 100 to 200 years. To handle it, now researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have pioneered a technique to generate wood-like plant materials sin a lab. This makes it possible to “grow” a wooden product without cutting down trees.

In the lab, the researchers first take cells from the leaves of a young plant. These cells are cultured in liquid medium for two days, then moved to another medium which contains nutrients and two different hormones (激素). By adjusting the bormone levels, the researchers can tune the physical and mechanical qualities of the cells: New the researchers use a 3D printer to shape the cell-based material, and let the shaped material grow in the dark for three months. Finally, the researchers dehydrate (使脱水) the material, and then evaluate its qualities.

They found that lower bormone levels lead to plant materials with more rounded, open cells of lower density (密度), while higher hormone levels contribute to the growth of plant materials with smaller but denser cell structures. Lower or higher density of cell structures makes the plant materials softer or more rigid, helping the materials grow with different wood-like characteristics. What’s more, it’s to be noted that the research process is about 100 times faster than the time it takes for a tree to grow to maturity!

Research of this kind is ground-breaking. “This work demonstrates the great power of a technology,” says lead researcher, Jeffrey Berenstab. “The real opportunity here is to be at its best with what you use and how you use it. This technology can be tuned to meet the requirements you give about shapes, sizes, rigidity, and forms. It enables us to grow’ any wooden product in a way that traditional agricultural methods can’t achieve.”

1. Why do researchers at MIT perform the research?

A．To grow more trees.	B．To reduce tree losses.
C．To protect plant diversity.	D．To predict forest disappearance.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about the lab research?

A．Its scientific origins.	B．Its theoretical basis
C．Its usual difficulties.	D．Its main processes

3. What does the finding suggest about the plant materials?

A．They are better than naturally grown plants.

B．Their growth speed determines their characteristics.

C．The hormone levels affect their rigidity.

D．Their cells’ shapes mainly rely on their density.

4. Why is the research path-breaking according to Berenstain?

A．It uses new biological materials in lab experiments.

B．It has a significant impact on worldwide plant growth.

C．It revolutionizes the way to make wooden products.

D．It challenges traditional scientific theories in forestry.

7 . On the day he almost died, Kimbal Musk had food on the brain. The Internet startup talent and restaurateur had just arrived in Jackson Hole from a conference where chef Jamie Oliver had spoken about the benefits of healthy eating. This was something Musk thought about a lot-how he might make a difference to the food industry-but beyond expanding his farm-to-table movement along with his restaurant, Musk hadn’t yet broken the code. Then he went sailing down a snowy slope (坡) and fell over, breaking his neck. The left side of his body was paralyzed.

Musk eventually made a full recovery, but it involved spending two months on his back, which gave him plenty of time to come up with a plan. Since then, he has launched an initiative to put “learning gardens” in public schools across America; attracted Generation Z to the farming profession by changing shipping containers into high-tech, data-driven, year-round farms; and this year, is kicking off a new campaign to create one million at-home gardens.

Aimed at reaching low-income families, the Million Gardens Movement was inspired by the pandemic, as both a desire to feel more connected to nature and food insecurity have been at the forefront of so many people’s lives. “We were getting a lot of inquiries about gardening from people that had never gardened before, “ says Musk. “People were looking to garden for a bunch of reasons: to supplement their budget, to improve the nutritional quality of their diets, or just to cure the boredom that came with the lockdown.”

The program offers free garden kits that can be grown indoors or outdoors, and will be distributed through schools that Musk’s non-profit, Big Green, has already partnered with. It also offers free courses on how to get the garden growing and fresh seeds and materials for the changing growing seasons. “I grew up in the projects when I was young, in what we now call food deserts, “ says EVE, one of the many celebrities who have teamed up with the organization to encourage people to pick up a free garden. “What I love about this is that it’s not difficult. We are all able to grow something.”

1. What does the underlined expression “broken the code” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．broken the rule	B．found a way out
C．spared no effort	D．made up his mind

2. What can we learn about the Million Gardens Movement?

A．It has just accomplished its target.

B．It has mainly attracted young generations.

C．It increases economic burdens for the poor.

D．It may be stimulated by a lack of food security.

3. Which of the following best describes Musk?

A．Serious.	B．Flexible.
C．Charitable.	D．Straightforward.

4. Why is EVE taken as an example?

A．To share his experience in a food desert.

B．To motivate people to start a free garden.

C．To clarify the reason why he loves a garden.

D．To demonstrate the program to be non-profit.

8 . My son turned 14 and didn’t have a smartphone. He was the only kid in his class without one. When he asked for a phone, I _________.

“You can choose to do things _________ when you’re a parent.” I replied. But sometimes, I wondered if I was being too stubborn (固执的) or unfair.

The more I research, the more confident I feel in my _________. Many studies _________ the current mental health crisis among teenagers to changes in how they socialize, namely, the change from in-person to online _________.

But other parents _________ my view, saying “He must feel so left out!” Then there are the parents who tell me with sadness that they regretted not delaying their teenager’s phone _________ longer than they did. They _________ me to hold out.

If teenagers are truly spending about 5 hours on average per day on their devices, as a recent research states, then what are they not doing? Kids _________ in their devices are missing out on real life, which strikes me a lot.

I want my son to have a __________ childhood, one full of adventures, imaginative play and physical challenges. The simplest way to achieve these ________ is to delay giving him a smartphone.

Some think my son is missing out or falling behind, but he is not. He does well in school, __________ with friends, and moves independently around our town. He claimed he would give his own 14-year-old boy a phone someday, and I told him that’s __________. But recently, he admitted he __________ the beautiful scenery on a drive to a mountain because he had been so absorbed in his iPad.

If that is his ________ of admitting I’m right, I’ll take it.

1.

A．agreed

B．protested

C．refused

D．apologized

2.

A．gently

B．differently

C．desperately

D．slightly

3.

A．decision

B．conversation

C．preference

D．memory

4.

A．prove

B．link

C．limit

D．solve

5.

A．interaction

B．payment

C．business

D．guidance

6.

A．present

B．change

C．favor

D．challenge

7.

A．addiction

B．membership

C．ownership

D．preference

8.

A．require

B．forbid

C．refuse

D．support

9.

A．skilled

B．absorbed

C．hidden

D．specialized

10.

A．causal

B．stable

C．dramatic

D．memorable

11.

A．breakthroughs

B．balances

C．goals

D．awards

12.

A．hangs out

B．catches up

C．shows off

D．settles down

13.

A．silly

B．fine

C．incredible

D．meaningful

14.

A．missed

B．appreciated

C．imagined

D．polluted

15.

A．target

B．aim

C．version

D．promise

10 . Earlier this year Rodney Smith Jr. made headlines (头条) when he drove eight hours from his home in Huntsville, Alabama, to cut the lawn for an elderly soldier in North Carolina who couldn’t find anyone to help him with his yard work.

That wasn’t the first time the twenty-nine-year-old Bermuda native had gained such attention. To do his good deeds (好事), Rodney often finds leads for those in need through social media.

Back to one August afternoon in 2015, Rodney Smith Jr. was driving home. That’s when Rodney saw an elderly man struggling to mow (修剪) his lawn (草坪). He would take a couple of shaky steps, using the handle to secure himself, stop, then slowly push the mower (割草机)again. Rodney decided to help. Mr. Brown thanked him greatly, and Rodney went home feeling satisfied.

Sitting at his computer to do his homework, Rodney couldn’t get Mr. Brown out of his mind. There must be many Mr. Browns out there. He went online and posted that he would mow lawns for free for senior citizens. Messages flooded in.

One day a cancer-battling woman said she wasn’t having a good day. Rodney decided to do more than mowing lawns. After he finished mowing, he knocked on her door. “You’re going to win this fight, Madam”, he said. Then he asked folks to pray for her on social media.

Word of Rodney’s mission spread. A grandmother in Ohio said he’d encouraged her 12-year-old grandson to mow lawns. He got a letter from a seven-year-old boy in Kansas. “Mr. Rodney, I would like to be a part of your program, and I’ll make you proud,” he wrote.

That gave Rodney an idea. In 2017, he decided to establish a programme Raising Men Lawn Care Service to make a national movement for young people. The kids learn the joy of giving back.

Yard work seems like a small, simple thing, but taking care of the lawn means a lot to the people they do it for. “When we mow their yards for free, they can use the money for healthcare and food etc. It means more than you would think,” Rodney said.

1. Rodney drew attention for his ______.

A．mowing skills

B．dream

C．driving distance

D．generosity

2. Why did Rodney knock on a lady’s door?

A．To comfort her.	B．To pray for her.
C．To share gardening tips.	D．To ask about her health.

3. Where do Rodney’s decisions of mowing lawns for free come from?

A．Social media.	B．Personal success.
C．Daily inspiration.	D．People’s courage.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Giving Free, Gaining Fortune

B．Mowing a Lawn, Making a Life

C．Serving the Senior, Satisfying the Self

D．Changing a little, Challenging the Limits