5 . As Christmas Eve approached, I found myself in New York City, far from my family and friends in Taiwan. I was feeling homesick and lonely, but my Jewish friend, Rachel, who, like me, doesn’t get connected with Christmas due to any religious things, invited me to join her for a dinner in a Chinese restaurant. She explained that it was a tradition for many Jewish people to celebrate this holiday by eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

We went to Jing Fong, a fancy restaurant in Chinatown. The place was packed with people, and the atmosphere was lively and festive. We ordered a variety of dishes. Everything was delicious, and I felt grateful to be sharing this experience with Rachel. As we ate, we talked about our families and our cultures. We laughed and joked, and for a moment, I forgot about my homesickness.

A moment later, a group of carolers (唱圣诞歌的人) came into the restaurant, singing Christmas songs. At first, I was puzzled. Why were they singing in a Chinese restaurant? But then I realized that this was part of the magic of New York City. People from all different cultures and backgrounds could come together and celebrate the holidays in their own way. Rachel and I joined in the singing, and soon the whole restaurant was filled with music. It was a beautiful moment, and I felt blessed to be part of it.

What a night! I learned that even when you’re far from home, you can still find joy and connection with others. Rachel and I may come from different cultures, but we shared amazing food, joyful music, and most importantly heartfelt company. And that’s exactly what all the holidays are all about.

1. Why did Rachel invite the author to join her for dinner?

A．To show respect to God

B．To celebrate Christmas in the Jewish way

C．To share stories about their families

D．To forget about their homesickness

2. What was the author’s initial reaction to the carolers?

A．Fearful	B．Joyful
C．Disappointed	D．Confused

3. How did the author want people to approach Christmas?

A．By focusing on religious traditions

B．By celebrating with family and friends

C．By enjoying a variety of festive dishes

D．By embracing diverse ways of celebration

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A personal blog	B．A commercial promotion brochure
C．A travel guide of New York	D．An academic article

6 . Innovative Ideas by Students

Oxygen / carbon dioxide level indicator

S R-Valava, Aftab English Higher Secondary School

The system can detect levels of oxygen / carbon dioxide in the closed car and open windows when the oxygen level drops or carbon dioxide level rises, thereby preventing accidental deaths of children or pets locked inside the car.

New serving tray (托盘)

Alok Singh, Shah Faiz Public School

This serving tray has a release mechanism that can put cups / glasses on the table along with a coaster (玻璃杯垫) without touching it. Once while serving tea to a guest, Alok spilled (洒出) hot tea over him resulting in some burns to his hands. After this incident he came up with this idea to make serving easy and “stylish”.

Posture (姿势) correcting chair

Kulsoom Rizavi, La Martiniere Girls’ College

With sensors at appropriate places, the chair alarms the user when their sitting posture is wrong. Kulsoom dreamed up this idea after being regularly criticized by her mother for her bad posture. She thought that while it may not be possible to be reminded again and again by someone for sitting wrongly, this task can be done by the chair itself.

Sudden fall detector

Soumya Ranjan Behera, BTTS Upper Primary School.

The wearable device alarms others when the user falls suddenly. It is useful for old people and those suffering from fits, epilepsy (癫痫), etc. It will help keep an electronic eye on one’s loved ones. The idea struck Soumya Ranjan when his grandma suffered an epileptic attack and fell down. He wondered, what if she wasn't around?

1. Where does the student designing the system available for cars come from?

A．Shah Faiz Public School.	B．La Martiniere Girls College.
C．BTTS Upper Primary School.	D．Aftab English Higher Secondary School.

2. What can Kulsoom’s innovation do?

A．Warn users against sitting improperly.	B．Correct users’ poor standing posture.
C．Make users sit still more comfortably.	D．Alarm users about falling off a chair.

3. Which of the following is targeted specifically at the aged?

A．New serving tray.	B．Sudden fall detector.
C．Posture correcting chair.	D．Oxygen / carbon dioxide level indicator.

7 .    Lots of kids like to talk about sports, but Joseph D’Avirro talks about sports like a professional host in a show called Sliders & Curveballs. The 9-year-old from Newington, Connecticut is a natural at sports talk and has been broadcasting the show—which is about baseball, basketball and other sports—with his dad, Mike D’Avirro, since September 2019.

   The D’Avirro started the broadcast after two former college roommates of Mike died, which made Mike want to spend more time with his son. Then the idea came to him. So far, they have done about 50 programs. Joseph’s favorite is when the father-and-son team interviewed Jim Calhoun, the coach leading the Connecticut Huskies to three national titles. They have also interviewed important sports authors.

   The father and son make about one 30- to 40-minute podcast each month. They prepare for the podcasts by deciding on the questions they want to ask the guest. Joseph asks half of the questions, and Mike handles the other half. Joseph reads his questions again and again to get them in his brain well. It is a lot of work, but Joseph says it is “a lot more fun than homework”. Joseph has also learned to speak up and speak clearly. He has to listen and to go with the flow of the conversation. For example, he said, “If the guest is talking about sports in the 1990s, you have to think about sports in the 1990s.”

When asked how long he and his dad will continue doing the show, he answered, “Until my dad starts growing gray hairs.” Joseph has other ambitions when he grows up—to be a sports player, a sports broadcaster or to own a basketball team. Those are big dreams, but Joseph is already living a dream: talking sports and spending time with his dad.

1. What is Joseph’s show about?

A．Some talk shows on sports.

B．Ways to get along with parents.

C．Stories about famous sports players.

D．Sports that his family loves playing.

2. What inspired Mike to start the show with his son?

A．His son’s talent for sports.

B．His wish to be a host since college.

C．The deaths of his college roommates.

D．The encouragement from his roommates.

3. What does Joseph think of memorizing his questions?

A．It’s as boring as homework.

B．It’s challenging to his brain.

C．It takes a lot of time but means a lot.

D．It’s more interesting than homework.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A rising sports broadcaster

B．A long road to go to success

C．The father-and-son team hosts

D．Joseph D’Avirro’s big dream

8 . America is one of the best travelling options for everyone. Here the Good Hotel Guide shares some of the top American hotels for travelers to choose from.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort

If you want a quiet, stress-free getaway, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort might be just the place. Sitting right on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, this hotel is a destination unto itself. Meanwhile, staff goes out of their way to attend to their guests’ needs. However, if you are hoping to explore urban areas, be warned this hotel is located approximately 25 miles south of the city.

The Peninsula Chicago

Travelers describe the guest rooms as comfortable thanks to their modern techie touches, like a bedside remote command station that controls the lights, television and room temperatures. During your stay, guests recommend making time for the tasty Cantonese dishes served in the Shanghai Terrace restaurant. However, for many travelers, it was The Peninsula Chicago’s friendly service staff that convinced them to stay here again.

Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX

Located just 1,312 feet from Los Angeles International Airport, this hotel offers free 24-hour airport shuttles, easy access to the city center. With nearby motorways, Hollywood is just 12 miles away from Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX. Couples in particular like the location — they rated it 8.5 for a two-person trip because of its convenience and the welcoming staff.

Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel

This modern hotel provides free 24-hour dedicated shuttle service to Los Angeles International Airport, just 3 minutes’ drive away. Guests can relax in the outdoor heated pool. Recent guests give the courteous and professional staff high praise. Couples like the location best — they rated it 8.7 for a two-person trip.

1. If you want to relieve your tension, which hotel would you like to choose?

A．Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX.

B．The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

C．The Peninsula Chicago.

D．Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel.

2. Which hotel is the most favorable to couples?

A．The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

B．The Peninsula Chicago.

C．Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX.

D．Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel.

3. What do the four hotels have in common?

A．They offer convenient access to the downtown area.

B．They have quality customer service.

C．They are popular among couples.

D．They are located near the airport.

9 . Hotels Where Wild Animals Wander Free

Check in to one of these hotels where wild animals wander free, and you could be sharing your breakfast table with giraffes, relaxing poolside with elephants, or viewing out from your hotel room window penguins.

Makanyane Safari Lodge
Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa

Located within the Madikwe Game Reserve, the Makanyane Safari Lodge offers guests up close views of the surrounding bush and the wildlife that resides within it. The suites have floor- to-ceiling glass windows perfect for watching passing elephants, and the main lodge is conveniently located next to a water hole visited by a variety of wildlife.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort
Orlando, Florida

A stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort in Orlando will feel more like a visit to Africa than Florida. Take a walk around the grounds, and you’re likely to spot more than 30 species of African wildlife. The lodge is home to 200 resident animals and birds, including gazelles, flamingos, zebras, and giraffes.

Giraffe Manor
Nairobi, Kenya

This hotel outside of Nairobi lets you get up close and personal with Rothschild giraffes. The original place was built in 1932 and has served as a giraffe shelter since the 1970s. Today, Giraffe Manor has six bedrooms and offers guests the chance to share their breakfast table with the eight resident giraffes. All of the hotel’s profits go to support the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife.

Sea Lion Lodge
Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands

Despite the name, it isn’t sea lions you should look out for here: A group of Gentoo penguins has been known to set up camp next to Sea Lion Lodge, a comfortable 3-star hotel in the Falkland Islands. Aside from penguin spotting, the lodge offers expansive views of the South Atlantic Ocean where nothing but water separates you from Antarctica.

1. In which hotel can you view elephants through the windows?

A．Makanyane Safari Lodge.	B．Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort.
C．Giraffe Manor.	D．Sea Lion Lodge.

2. What is special about Giraffe Manor?

A．It offers guests free breakfasts.	B．It is home to varieties of wildlife.
C．It has been doing charity for wildlife.	D．It provides a stay like a visit to Africa.

3. What can people see in Sea Lion Lodge?

A．Giraffes.

B．Penguins.

C．Sea lions.

D．Elephants.

10 . Thousands of books are published daily, and book advertisements play a crucial role in increasing awareness about those books. But it’s too easy to be tricked into bad “advertising opportunities” and make the wrong decisions. Here are several forms of digital advertising proven to work well.

Facebook advertising: Facebook provides the perfect advertising platform for authors because it allows targeting very specific categories of people. The other advantage is that it’s easy to test. You can start with a budget as low as $5 and gradually increase your monetary (货币的) commitment if your return on investment is positive.

Amazon advertising: Amazon allows you to show ads about your book directly on other book pages and search result pages. Since their main US rollout in 2017, they’ve become the most effective advertising place for authors.

Bookbub advertising: Bookbub rolled out a self-serve ad platform in 2016, which they’ve greatly improved since. It’s a less competitive playing field than Facebook or Amazon, but it does have its features.

Discount/promotion advertising: If you’re running a discount or free promotion on one of your books, you can apply to have it advertised in the newsletters of platforms such as Freebooksy, Bargainbooksy, etc.

Other types of advertising include search advertising, Goodreads advertising, banner ads on websites, etc. These haven’t produced the same effective results for most authors yet, but they could be just as effective (or more) if you write in a certain field.

1. What is special about the Facebook advertising?

A．It is easy for authors to access.

B．It aims at saving money for readers.

C．It allows adjusting investment by profit.

D．It includes different categories of information.

2. Which is suitable to promote your book with a discount?

A．Facebook.

B．Amazon.

C．Bookbub.

D．Freebooksy.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To get readers to buy more books.

B．To raise people’s reading awareness.

C．To offer authors advertising platforms.

D．To help publishers communicate with readers.