Despite their genetic similarities, my twin sisters Lenna and Elsa were quite different. Lenna was a recognized athlete in our community. We all expected her to attain a scholarship on one field or another, but she lacked a certain edge to her reasoning. Elsa got along well with everyone who works in the library, but she had the grace (优雅) of a two-legged table. They had found few occasions to relate with one another and grew distant. Had I not lived with them, I would not have known them to be sisters.
They did, however, share a drive for success that seemed to become more successful around the same time during senior year. After a track and field season, Lenna was offered full scholarship at a reputable state university near our home, so long as she maintained a 3.0 GPA. Elsa had a more important thing to do: she was one perfect report card away from seizing the chance of making a speech at a graduation ceremony from her opponent, Chet Goodweather. At the end of the sixth Wednesday of the fourth marking period, as the sisters unfolded the printed report cards, their smiles turned to tears: Lenna was getting a “D” in science and Elsa was getting a “C” in gym class.
Lenna and Elsa came home at the same time and were surprised to find one another disappointed. As they argued with one another about who had suffered the greater misfortune, they realized that the other’s problem sounded easy to solve. Elsa barked, “Your problem isn’t even a problem. I could pass that test easily and 1 can show you how to as well.”Lenna retorted(反驳), “Well, all you need to do to get an ‘A’ is to shorten your mile time to five or ten minutes. Two weeks of training with me and the coach will try to have you on the track team.” The girls exchanged glances and came to a quick agreement.
注意:
1.续写词数应为150左右:
2.请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
Every morning for the next two weeks, Lenna woke Elsa up at 4:30 to run.
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Final report cards were distributed the Monday before graduation.
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2 . The homelessness epidemic is now going to be solved in a unique way by two Seattle-born non- profit organizations. Through “The BLOCK Project”, tiny
Founder of the BLOCK, Rex Hohlbein joined Facing Homelessness, another non-profit organization to
Seattle has been facing a dual problem of having
The goal of the project is to introduce the globally changing definition of accommodation brought by Airbnb. According to Hohlbein, in his childhood, he thought it
| A．gorgeous | B．special | C．lovely | D．sustainable |
| A．returned | B．delivered | C．moved | D．sold |
| A．take in | B．carry out | C．live on | D．go through |
| A．freedom | B．opportunity | C．duty | D．request |
| A．construct | B．change | C．donate | D．repair |
| A．Instantly | B．Additionally | C．Gradually | D．Eventually |
| A．broke in | B．stepped in | C．calmed down | D．slowed down |
| A．expensive | B．temporary | C．modern | D．extraordinary |
| A．doubted | B．hesitated | C．realized | D．accepted |
| A．regain | B．obtain | C．select | D．provide |
| A．illegal | B．typical | C．normal | D．ridiculous |
| A．monitoring | B．introducing | C．hosting | D．persuading |
| A．time | B．preparation | C．exchange | D．return |
| A．possible | B．accurate | C．clear | D．complicated |
| A．reflect | B．remove | C．recreate | D．recommend |
3 . Compassion has not been a traditional characteristic of sport. With its UK roots in 19th-century British public schools and universities, modern sport developed as way of creating strong military leaders, training them to develop adaptability defined in those times by iron will and biting the bullet. Fear and harsh criticism were crucial to toughening up players and soldiers alike. The “tough guy” narrative was strengthened by 20th-century media stereotypes and Hollywood’s heroes and became rooted into sport and society.
I’ve heard countless stories like the popular culture I found when I joined the Olympic rowing team in the mid-1990s. We were expected to suffer after mistakes or losses to show that we truly cared, and everyone believed coaches needed to be severe and unforgiving to get results. These approaches still exist. But an alternative approach with compassion at its center addresses aims of performance and wellbeing for those with greater ambitions.
This isn’t some soft option which plays down hard work, as supporters of the earlier traditional sporting mindset might criticize. Research across branches of psychology — behavioral, sports, positive — shows how compassion creates the strongest foundation for adaptability and sustained performance under pressure whether in sport, the military, healthcare or business. Rather than activating our threat system which began to help us survive way back, compassion helps us to feel safe and protected, leaving us free to learn, connect with others and start exploring what we’re capable of.
The continuous need to improve performance has led top coaches to appreciate that high performance requires levels of support to match the level of challenge. When you provide that, players start thriving while striving to achieve more. Rooted in compassion, a different coach-athlete relationship thus develops.
The dictionary definition of compassion includes the recognition of another’s suffering and the desire and support to relieve it. Compassion has been shown to decrease fear of failure and increase the likelihood of trying again when failure does happen. But how many talented athletes experience that depth of support in moments of crisis and failure?
1. What does the underlined phrase “biting the bullet” in paragraph one mean?| A．Commitment. | B．Ambition. | C．Suffering. | D．Toughness. |
| A．To arouse people’s interest about rowing. |
| B．To recall a painful training experience. |
| C．To draw a distinction between training approaches. |
| D．To bring out a compassion-centered training approach. |
| A．Criticism about the compassion. | B．Necessity of employing compassion. |
| C．Characteristics about the compassion. | D．Fields that compassion is involved in. |
| A．The media is active in developing tough training style. |
| B．Extraordinary athletes rarely received enough support. |
| C．The compassion-centered training is widely used in sports. |
| D．Compassion means more openness to failure and less training. |
4 . For most people traveling abroad, their first choice is probably to make a beeline for (直奔) tourist sights. For me, I find lots of joy in grocery (食品杂货店) shopping on holiday.
As a vegetarian (素食主义者), finding restaurants that meet my needs is not always easy abroad.
The variety of foods attracts me every time I travel somewhere new. In Malta, I found the most delicious chocolate-filled cakes, a product I would struggle to find even in the UK.
Grocery shopping on holiday sounds unusual. But it means being involved in the day-to-day lives of a country’s citizens. I can pretend I am a local and put myself in their shoes. I can watch kids begging their parents for sweets, an international experience that needs no language, or watch couples pick up snacks and drinks for a party on a Friday night.
| A．I ended up eating these every day for breakfast. |
| B．The challenge of finding food is interesting, too. |
| C．So I always make sure to book a place with a kitchen. |
| D．Grocery shopping was a vital part of the holiday experience. |
| E．It’s an act of understanding people as much as of buying food. |
| F．Corn pancakes always require a trip to the bigger grocery store. |
| G．By wandering around in a new country, I start to see what they value. |
5 . Jack met Hugh and his three young sons while visiting a park. Jack
Jack
The kindness of Jack
Hugh was extremely
| A．demanded | B．guessed | C．observed | D．hoped |
| A．bearable | B．extreme | C．usual | D．warm |
| A．get up | B．set to | C．come out | D．step in |
| A．approached | B．reminded | C．convinced | D．impressed |
| A．careless | B．selfless | C．homeless | D．hopeless |
| A．family | B．money | C．identity | D．education |
| A．hotel | B．hospital | C．cottage | D．school |
| A．changed | B．explored | C．organized | D．revised |
| A．move | B．accuse | C．assist | D．know |
| A．contents | B．debates | C．conditions | D．efforts |
| A．completely | B．temporarily | C．falsely | D．slightly |
| A．decorating | B．finding | C．designing | D．building |
| A．powers | B．applications | C．challenges | D．supplies |
| A．kind | B．unique | C．grateful | D．capable |
| A．kids | B．friends | C．companions | D．fans |
6 . A Danish company named Too Good To Go has been working to combat food waste in the United States and around the world. In the U. S., more than a third of food produced goes uneaten, contributing to environmental issues. Too Good To Go addresses this problem by partnering with restaurants to sell their end-of-day leftovers at discounts, typically ranging from 60% to 80% off.
The app of the same name, which started in Denmark in 2015, has expanded to 17 countries and multiple U. S. cities, including New York, Phoenix, and Seattle, with Los Angeles proving to be one of its most successful markets. The company is now looking to expand its footprint in the southeast.
While the cost savings for customers and businesses are significant, the primary focus of Too Good To Go is reducing food waste, which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The app allows users to track their environmental impact by displaying the electricity and carbon emissions prevented through their purchases. To date, the app claims to have saved over 250 million meals, making a substantial impact.
Food waste contributes to climate change in several ways, including the emission of methane gas from rotting food in landfills, the resources used to grow the food, and the energy expended in food transportation and preparation. Too Good To Go estimates that its efforts are equal to taking about 135, 000 cars off the road for a year, and it plays a crucial role in addressing the approximately 6% of total greenhouse gas emissions caused by food loss and waste in the U. S.
Alexandria Coari, the vice president of food waste nonprofit ReFED, recognizes the potential of apps like Too Good To Go. She believes that they have the capacity to reduce the carbon emissions equal to 870, 000 cars in a year, positioning them as one of the top 10 solutions to combating food waste and climate change.
While the app has been successful in the restaurant industry, its expansion into grocery stores and manufacturing is still a work in progress.
1. What do we know about the app Too Good To Go?| A．It primarily operates in Los Angeles. |
| B．It has saved over 250 million dollars so far. |
| C．It focuses on fighting against food waste. |
| D．It helps sell fresh groceries at full price. |
| A．To show the environmental impact of the app. |
| B．To highlight the cost savings for customers. |
| C．To emphasize the company’s expansion plans. |
| D．To illustrate the app’s success in reducing resources. |
| A．Skeptical | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．Supportive. |
| A．The history of food waste reduction efforts. |
| B．Challenges Too Good To Go’s expansion faces. |
| C．The impact of climate change on the food industry. |
| D．Strategies for reducing food waste in grocery stores. |
Lifestyles differ from person to person. Some people, known as
On September 23, 2023, the highly anticipated 19th Asian Games started in Hangzhou. There were several remarkable moments from the ceremony, which will be remembered for years
The athletes were accompanied by the tune of. “Our Asia”
One of the
The LED ground technology created a fascinating 3D visual effect. Raindrops
Sophie was a poor orphan (孤儿). Nobody knew where she had come from. Yet everyone accepted the little girl, giving her food and clothes. She thanked them by doing part-time jobs for them. Everybody liked her, except Gloria. She didn’t allow Sophie to go into her housed and didn’t permit her to play with her grandson Sam, who was two years old at the time.
Every summer, the local river got flooded. That afternoon, when the water’s level rose, the children had gone to school, the women were busy in the kitchen making dishes for dinner, and the men were in their offices or factories.
Suddenly, news came that the dam across the river had given way and the water had quickly entered the city. Children were then asked to rush home. The areas on the river banks were in danger of being flooded, so people living on the ground floors were shifted to places of safety. Those living in two or three-storied houses climbed to the top. Police cars were trying to help. At first the water was just knee-deep, but it rose fast. There was confusion everywhere.
Gloria’s son had gone to another city on business. Gloria and her son’s wife Ruth were on the first floor of their big house. When water rushed into their house. Gloria and Ruth were in the kitchen. Within seconds the water rose. The police persuaded them to climb to the top floor. In the hurry they forgot Sam was sleeping in his bedroom on the first floor! The stairs were already flooded. It was impossible to get to Sam’s bedroom on the first floor. Though the door to the bedroom was closed, it wasn’t locked. Any moment the water could rush in. Gloria and Ruth were so worried.
At this time, the police discovered one of Sam’s bedroom windows was open, but it was too small for an adult to climb in. Only a child could. But no one was willing to let their children take the risk.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
Out of nowhere, Sophie appeared.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Then, Sophie carefully handed Sam to a policeman, and climbed out of the window.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Paper straws, which are being pushed across the U.S. as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic versions, may contain “forever chemicals” that are harmful to both humans and the environment and were observed more often than in a sample of plastic straws, a new European study has found.
Belgian researchers tested 39 straw brands from restaurants and retailers for synthetic (人工合成的) chemicals known as poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The study found that the majority of straws contained those chemicals, but they were most common in those made from paper and bamboo. The chemicals are referred to as “forever chemicals” as they can remain for thousands of years in the environment. The chemicals have been associated with health issues like liver damage or kidney cancer and can harm the environment as well.
Of the brands tested, 90% of the paper straws contained PFAS, compared to 80% of bamboo straws, 75% of plastic straws and 40% of glass straws. None of the steel straws contained the chemicals. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Food Additives and Contaminants. Researchers stressed that PFAS concentration was low and posed a limited risk to health, given that people use such straws only occasionally. But they can remain in the body for years, and concentrations can build up, they said in a release.
“Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as being more sustainable and eco-friendly than those made from plastic,” researcher Dr. Thimo Groffen, an environmental scientist at the University of Antwerp, said in a statement. “However, the presence of PFAS in these straws means that’s not necessarily true.”
It wasn’t clear whether the chemicals were added by manufacturers or occurred due to contamination (污染) from soil and water during manufacturing. The study did not look into whether the straws could contaminate liquids.
“The presence of PFAS in paper and bamboo straws shows that they are not necessarily biodegradable,” Groffen said. “We did not detect any PFAS in stainless steel straws, so I would advise consumers to use this type of straw — or just avoid using straws at all.”
The study comes as European countries, and some parts of the U.S., have pushed to shift away from plastic straws to alternatives in efforts to be more environmentally friendly. States including California and New York have enforced bans on single-use plastic straws in restaurants.
1. According to the passage, what do we know about PFAS?| A．They are newly found substances in the field of synthetic chemicals. |
| B．Despite low concentration, the accumulation poses potential risks. |
| C．They are added to the straws during the process of manufacturing. |
| D．The effects of them on human bodies can be immediate and severe. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. | C．Uncertain. | D．Tolerant |
| A．Economic reasons. | B．Reducing chemical consumption. |
| C．Environmental concerns. | D．Health issues related to PFA. |
| A．Paper Straws — an Eco-friendly Alterative |
| B．Paper Straws — a Relatively Greater Threat |
| C．Paper Straws — an Association to Health Issues |
| D．Paper Straws — a Shift from Plastics |
