1 . The summer after my freshman year college, I had to get my first job. This was probably one of the _________ tasks I have ever had to do. I had never held a job when I was in high school because my parents wanted me to put all my _________ into my studies.

At first, it was very hard. I filled out dozens of _________ but got no calls back in the first two weeks. It made sense because I had _________ no job experience. All I could _________ was that being a high school graduate and a year of college.

However, halfway through the third week, I finally got a call back from one of the places I _________. We had set up a meeting time, and after my _________, I was more than ready to start working the following Monday. I was _________ at the chance of working for my wages.

When I started, it was very clear that I was not _________. I made mistakes with orders and often __________ sales promotions (推销). My parents made a bet I would not __________ the first two weeks, and I would be back looking for more __________. However, I stuck with it.

After working a while, I got better at orders, and always __________ the cheaper options for customers. A couple of weeks later, I had been told by the manager that I had __________ the award of the best employee of the month. It taught me a lot about responsibility and gave me the __________ of working.

1.

A．funniest

B．worst

C．hardest

D．lightest

2.

A．energy

B．motivation

C．wisdom

D．ambition

3.

A．questionnaires

B．surveys

C．certifications

D．applications

4.

A．exactly

B．absolutely

C．partly

D．doubtfully

5.

A．explain

B．claim

C．interpret

D．offer

6.

A．signed up

B．applied to

C．checked in

D．headed for

7.

A．interview

B．graduation

C．arrangement

D．performance

8.

A．surprised

B．disappointed

C．excited

D．worried

9.

A．skilled

B．frightened

C．patient

D．satisfied

10.

A．avoided

B．abandoned

C．postponed

D．forgot

11.

A．spend

B．last

C．continue

D．wait

12.

A．ideas

B．expectations

C．jobs

D．instructions

13.

A．sold

B．produced

C．kept

D．recommended

14.

A．confirmed

B．received

C．guaranteed

D．become

15.

A．confidence

B．importance

C．expectation

D．hope

2 . Most Popular UK Destinations for a Staycation

Looking for a cheap stay cation to brighten up your winter? Here are the most popular destinations in the UK.

Blackpool

Whether you’re seeking the thrills of Blackpool Pleasure Beach or are keen to catch a glimpse of Blackpool Tower, the city’s most appealing attraction, the seaside town offers various amazing views. It’s no wonder the town has gained 980.8 million views on TikTok. With accommodation price £75 for a night, you’ll have a golden opportunity to enjoy Blackpool's Illuminations (彩灯) display and the Seaside Trail.

Searborough

North Yorkshire’s Scarborough sees 49,500 monthly searches and 686.4 million views on TikTok. One of the local highlights is the annual St Nicholas Fair. While a one-night stay in Scarborough costs £85, the town offers holiday-makers opportunities to experience ancient British culture at the 12th-century castle ruins.

Swansea

The Welsh town sees 27,100 monthly searches and has 622.4 million views on TikTok. Swansea’s Waterfront Wonderland brings with it the Alpine Village and various amusement attractions. Spending a night here costs just 10 pounds more than in Scarborough. But if you book a week earlier, you can get a 5 percent discount in total. With Cardiff only being an hour’s drive from Swansea, you have the perfect opportunity to catch a game of ice hockey.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth isn’t called Sunny Bournemouth for nothing, as holiday-makers can enjoy breathtaking views along the Jurassic Coast. With a World Heritage Site within its borders, it’s no surprise to see this town with the high number of views on TikTok (868.3 million). A one-night stay will cost you £105, giving you the perfect opportunity to get relaxed.

1. What is the most attractive in Blackpool?

A．Blackpool Pleasure Beach.	B．Blackpool Tower.
C．The Illuminations display.	D．The Seaside Trail.

2. How much will a tourist at least pay for a night in Swansea?

A．£ 70.

B．£ 85.

C．£ 85.75.

D．£ 90.25.

3. Which of the following has the second-highest number of views on TikTok?

A．Blackpool.

B．Swansea.

C．Scarborough.

D．Boumemouth.

3 . Two young Tasmanians have taken out a top national science award for their hi-tech invention, designed to keep the inventors’ great-grandmother safe.

The 18-year-old cousins, Isaac Brain and Mitchell Torok, have won equal first place in the engineering section of the BHP science and engineering awards. The pair, who finished Year 12 last year, created a smartwatch-style device that can detect whether an elderly person has fallen and cause an alarm.

The device will now be showcased on the world stage at a science and engineering fair in Arizona, US, which brings together students from around the world who are first-place science winners.

Mitchell, who went to Rosny College, Hobart, said he dreamt up the idea because he was worried about his 89-year-old great-grandmother Gwen Brook, who lives in an independent apartment next to an aged-care facility in Hobart. “If she falls over and hurts herself, there’s a chance that no one would be able to find her quickly,” Mitchell said. “So we decided to build a cheap and easy device that aged-care residents could wear.”

Called “aWear”, the device can be worn as a watch. It links to a database that can send a real-time text message to nurses. As well as an alert button, the device also features an “accelerometer” that measures the speed of a wearer’s movement to detect a fall.

Isaac, who went to Launceston College, Launceston, developed the software and web development for the device. “The accelerometer measures movement — so when an increase in movement is detected it records that data and it is then analysed to determine whether a fall has occurred,” Isaac said. Isaac will study computer science at Melbourne University this year. He said a key feature of the device was that it caused an alert to staff even if the wearer did not press the alert button.

Mitchell will study mechatronics engineering at the University of NSW. He designed the watch and spent a lot of time testing it. “We have done a lot of test falls — with Mitchell falling onto pillows,” Isaac said.

1. What device did the two young cousins develop?

A．A database system to monitor people’s movements.

B．A wearable calculator to measure the speed movements.

C．A real-time text messaging system for aged-care facilities.

D．A smartwatch-style device to detect falls and alert caregivers.

2. What was the primary motivation behind the cousins’ invention?

A．To win a national science competition.

B．To create a product that could be commercialized.

C．To develop a solution to assist their great-grandmother.

D．To show their engineering and software development skills.

3. Which of the following words can describe the device?

A．Ground-breaking and complicated.	B．Economical and convenient.
C．Transformative and clumsy.	D．Costly and profitable.

4. What can we conclude from the cousins’ success?

A．Hard work pays off.	B．It’s never too late to learn.
C．The simplest way is the best way.	D．Ups and downs make one strong.

4 . Some mothers and daughters like to go shopping or walking together or picnicking as part of their bonding experience. Others become firefighters together. That’s the route that Montgomery County mother Betsy Gekonge took with her 17-year-old daughter Mokeira. The pair recently graduated from the Montgomery County Fire Academy together and received their Firefighter certificate.

The rising high school senior says she thought she’d be going to the fire academy alone. She never expected to have company. “This is quite out of my expectation because I never expected her to do it with me,” said Mokeira.

“Taking classes with my mom was fun because we could study together but also joke around. We share a lot of funny stories at family events,” Mokeira told the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association. “Montgomery County is a great place for new volunteers because you learn a lot from knowledgeable, professional firefighters in a positive environment. It teaches you a lot.”

Mokeira is one of the first individuals to gain her Firefighter certificate at age 17 since Pennsylvania’s law changed, making 17 —the youngest legal age to become certified instead of 18.

The pair will work as volunteer firefighters for Barren Hill Fire Company in Lafayette Hill. According to the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute, there were 300,000 volunteer firefighters across the state in the 1970s. That number dwindled (减少) to 38,000 in 2018.

“It’s really fulfilling to volunteer and learn about fire safety that helps us and others in our daily life,” Betsy added. “I’ve built a lot of relationships in our community through volunteering.” “Our decision was primarily motivated by this, and now I have gained great satisfaction from it. It gives me a sense of purpose and I’m helping to contribute to the solution,” said Mokiera.

1. What did Betsy and Mokeira decide to do bond with each other?

A．Go shopping.	B．Take a walk.
C．Become firefighters.	D．Have a picnic.

2. How does Mokeira feel about her mother’s choice?

A．Surprised.

B．Annoyed.

C．Confused.

D．Worried.

3. Why did Betsy and Mokeira volunteer to work for their community?

A．To learn fire safety skills.	B．To work as career firefighters.
C．To address the shortage of employees.	D．To strengthen ties with their community.

4. What does the author intend to highlight about the story?

A．The importance of fire safety education.

B．A serious challenge faced by firefighters.

C．An inspiring example of mother-daughter job relation.

D．The potential for family members to volunteer together.

5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Tianshui,     1     ancient Silk Road city in Gansu Province, became the latest place with a nationwide craze thanks to its iconic dish malatang, a local street dish     2    (feature)a mix of fresh vegetables and meat boiled in a hot, spicy soup. One restaurant owner in Tianshui noted that he has been serving at least 400 customers a day, some of     3     drive here from other provinces to experience this inviting dish firsthand. Based on data from Ctrip, a major Chinese online travel service platform, in the past month, there     4    (be)a significant increase in tourism in Tianshui. The overall number of travel orders has increased by over 20% compared to the same period last year,     5     hotel orders increasing by over 40%.

Local-produced ingredients such as Gangu chili, Qin’an peppercorns, and Dingxi potatoes are the secrets to the unique flavor and attractive appearance of Tianshui malatang. Gangu chili has a bright red color and a spicy fragrance with lingering sweetness. Potatoes     6    (grow)in Dingxi have a high starch content(淀粉含量), making hand-pulled noodles have a chewy texture. It is these authentic ingredients     7     lay the foundation for Tianshui malatang to stand out.

With the drive of the “malatang economy”, the export orders of Gansu local agriculture     8    (product)are also increasing. It seems that food has     9     (apparent)become a new hot spot for small Chinese cities to catch the spotlight on social media platforms. The Tianshui government is also seizing every opportunity     10    (promote)Tianshui development with a small bowl of malatang.

6 . English Summer Camp for Teens

Located on the campus of Columbia University in Manhattan, New York, our camp offers English learners between 14 and 17 years old from all over the world the chance to improve their English language skills. The camp also offers students many exciting activities and excursions（短途旅行）in New York. We have residential and day camp programs.

Dates and Prices
Dates: June 17-August 1
All arrivals and departures are on Sundays.
Minimum duration: 2 weeks
Application fee: $100
Package price (per week)	Residential camp: $2,080
	Day camp: $1,460

The program fee includes:
*20 lessons per week in the mornings;
*Residential accommodation in single rooms;
*All meals（Day camp prices include lunch only）;
*1 full-day excursion per week;
*3 half-day excursions per week;
*Afternoon and evening activity programs;
*Travel and medical insurance;
*Leaving certificate.
Full-board residential accommodation:

All students are accommodated in single rooms in the university residence that features wireless Internet, a fitness center, student’s laundry facilities and outdoor seating areas. Bathrooms are shared. We offer health y food choices, with plenty of varieties and special diet options.

The camp capacity is only 200 students and we get application s from over 40 different countries, thus the number of students coming from one country is limited.

We don’t have application deadlines. However, all enrollments are subject to space availability. We recommend that you reserve your place as far in advance as possible. Many parents and students are “early birds” and make their decision 6 to 8 months in advance.

1. What do we know about the students who take part in the camp?

A．They will take at least 60 lessons.

B．They will visit several cities in the USA.

C．They will be admitted to Columbia University.

D．They can make friends with peers from other countries.

2. How much will you pay in all if you choose Day. camp for 3 weeks?

A．$ 4, 380.

B．$ 4, 480.

C．$ 6, 240.

D．$ 6,340.

3. Why is the number of students coming from one country limited?

A．To keep a good international mixture.

B．To promote the camp among different countries.

C．To make sure every student gets the best service.

D．To open a door to students from developing countries.

7 . Is going alone in an unknown area the right way to go, or do you want a tour guide to show you the highlights? I think that you can combine the two ways in one trip and have the best of both worlds.     1     The best purchase we made was for a bus tour that would take us around the capital and point out all the main sites. That allowed us the next day to travel on foot to the ones we especially wanted to see.

Let’s look at the San Francisco Bay Area which is another one of my favorite vacation spots. Some areas are so familiar to tourists that it’s possible to view the attractions on your own.     2     Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 are good examples. Just by walking a few blocks, you can tour Aquarium of the Bay and the Riptide Arcade on Pier 39.

    3     If you go to Alcatraz Island, you have a choice of going alone, having a live tour guide or being guided by earphones. I would recommend the live tour guides. I went all three ways, and I received more enjoyment by someone telling me items interest I know I had missed on previous tours.     4     It gives you a behind-the-scenes look of colorful Chinatown. The tour covers history, traditions of the local people and culture that you probably wouldn’t know or see by travelling alone.

You can go alone to attractions or take a guided tour. It’s your choice and you can choose whichever would give you the most memorable experience.     5    

A．I recommend both.

B．It’s possible to drive to the area and go alone.

C．One trip we recently took was to Washington DC.

D．Some attractions are worth having a tour guide for.

E．Chinatown Walking Tours are a tour-guided must-see.

F．That allows you to take your time and go at your own pace.

G．The tour guides know what we have never found out on our own.

8 . The Science of Comfort Food

Certain foods always give us much pleasure.     1     However, much of the happiness we get from our favorite foods comes from the memories they bring to us and the people we’re with while we enjoy them.

    2     That’s why our brains reward us for eating anything at all by releasing a chemical that enhances mood. But as anyone who’s ever eaten apple pie knows, sweets can make us feel especially nice. One study found that people who are especially sensitive to sweetness have stronger brain-reward responses to sugary foods than less sweet-sensitive people do.

Some foods are especially emotionally satisfying for reasons that have little to do with their taste or nutritional content, though.     3     And many favorite American comfort foods—chili, say—are not particularly sweet or high in carbohydrates (碳水化合物). Often we love food because we have fond memories associated with it. One dish I cannot live without at a New Year party is my mom’s Snowy Mashed Potatoes, which remind me of holiday joy and past reunions with extended family.

    4     Sometimes you might feel sad when you eat foods that remind you of loved ones you miss. We may also avoid foods that we associate with bad experiences. I haven’t eaten cottage cheese since I was 8 years old, because it was the last thing I ate before rolling off the bed with a terrible stomachache.

In addition to past memories, the context in which we eat foods matters, too.     5     And our gustatory (味觉的) experiences can be heightened by “a sense of community, a sense of warmth and enjoying it together”. I appreciate my mum’s potatoes even more today when I eat them with my husband and two children.

A．Food is essential for our survival.

B．These associations can go the other way, too.

C．We desire comfort foods when we feel lonely.

D．It shapes how much we enjoy them in the moment.

E．Their taste and nutritional content affect how we feel.

F．Our memory for smell can be long-lasting and precise.

G．After all, different cultures have different comfort foods.

9 . What kind of music do you like? How do you feel when you listen to your favorite music? Do you think music can make people feel better or help them to learn?

Jen Morgan is a music therapist (治疗师).     1     Jen uses music to help her patients learn new skills. She can also help patients with their speaking and their memory.

Jen uses different activities with her patients. She gets them to listen to music and sing or play along.     2     Jen might get them to clap, jump or dance. Jen also asks her patients to try to remember songs they like.

Jen writes songs and uses them in her therapy work. She says, “    3     I write songs about everything: about getting dressed, about flowers, about my favorite food — you name it! Sometimes my patients help me write songs.”

Jen loves her job as a music therapist. She says, “    4     It’s wonderful to see how music therapy can help children with disabilities. Often children are shy when I first meet them.     5     Music makes people feel good!”

A．I’m very lucky to have this job.

B．She works with children with disabilities.

C．Jen plays with children to sing and dance.

D．I’ve probably written more than 200 songs.

E．Her patients also enjoy moving to the music.

F．But they soon start having fun and enjoying the music.

G．Music makes me very powerful.

10 . In America, if you see a group of students wearing crazy hats or summer T-shirts in the middle of winter, don’t be surprised. They may be celebrating their School Spirit Week (校园精神周).

The School Spirit Week is a time for students to show their pride in their school. This is not a break, but the festival. It can be held during any week of the year. The celebration works with students of all ages, from elementary to high School, as long as you keep the themes (主题) simple for the younger kids.

Spirit weeks often have a central theme that is followed throughout the week. During the week, students wear school colors and decorate the classrooms. Every day, there is a different theme. This is also students’ favorite part. They take part in different competitions and have fun together.

Spirit weeks often encourage students to wear fun and fashion clothes, with different outfits for each day of the week. Monday might be funny hat day, followed by Tuesday’s Hawaiian shirt day and Wednesday’s silly T-shirt day. Thursday could be pajama (睡衣) day, followed by Friday’s school color day.

There are also lots of other activities which the students can take part in on School Spirit Weeks. Do you like to have School Spirit Weeks?

1. Students ______ in their school by holding the School Spirit Week.

A．show their pride	B．hang out with parents
C．study hard	D．clean up the classrooms

2. The School Spirit Week is held ______.

A．in any week in winter	B．in any day in winter
C．in any week of the year	D．in any day of the year

3. Spirit weeks often have a central theme that is followed ______.

A．throughout the week	B．before the week
C．after the week	D．on the weekend

4. The underlined word “outfits” in paragraph 4 may mean ______.

A．parties

B．clothes

C．foods

D．glasses

5. Which is NOT true about the School Spirit Week in the passage?

A．There are different competitions for students.

B．There are lots of activities for students.

C．Students can wear crazy clothes.

D．Students can rest at home for a week.