1 . “Meet me in the conference room with the contracts and a cup of coffee,” my boss barked at me. “Ten minutes. ”
I didn’t respond. I stood still as if my shoes had been glued to the floor. I had no intention of taking a cup of anything to anyone, supervisor or not.
I had seen with my own eyes what such behavior did to a woman. It happened to Mrs. Wilson next door. Old Mr. Wilson couldn’t put in his own false teeth without his wife’s assistance, let alone make himself lunch. It was a miserable union. I vowed by age eight that I would never live like her. I adopted the motto: Don’t help those who won’t help themselves.
I rushed to the file room and pulled my phone. I explained to my father what had happened and asked his advice on what to do, only to be asked back. He must have forgotten the unwritten rule between us about not answering a question with a question. Fortunately, I came up with an idea that would have the best of both worlds.
I took up the files and headed for the coffee pot. I took two cups and made two cups of coffee. Then I walked into the boss’ office with a cup of coffee in each hand. I handed my boss a cup of coffee and drank at the same time as him.
“Let’s take a break,” partway through the meeting, my boss stood, saying. “I need more coffee.” I picked up my empty cup. “I do, too,” I said, and handed it to him across the table. “Thanks,” I added, looking at him expectantly. The boss was staggered for a moment, and then took the cup from me.
When I finally left my boss’ office, I hid in the bathroom and called my dad. My father’s laughter on the phone made me feel even prouder.
1. Why does the author mention the Wilsons?| A．To show how the couple grew old together. |
| B．To picture what she will be like when she ages. |
| C．To stress her opposition to inequality in society. |
| D．To explain her unwillingness to serve the coffee. |
| A．She meant to share instead of serving. |
| B．She planned to have the boss serve her later. |
| C．She intended to play a trick on her mean boss. |
| D．She wanted to save the trouble of doing it again. |
| A．Annoyed. | B．Shocked. | C．Confused. | D．Excited. |
| A．She figured out how to show respect for her superior. |
| B．She found it practical to seek solutions from her father. |
| C．She took a sensible approach to standing up for herself. |
| D．She considered it significant to fight against men bravely. |
2 . A star athlete at the college where I work recently stopped by my office. After committing a few unforced errors during a weekend match, she was tom apart by self-criticism. “I can’t stop beating myself up,” she told me. “I’m at peak fitness, and I practice hard. How is this happening?”
Many students I teach, like this athlete, believe that all-nighters in the library and hours on the field should get them exactly where they need to go. When they fall short of what they imagine they should accomplish, they are crushed by self-blame.
We talk often about young adults struggling with failure because their parents have protected them from discomfort. But there is something else at play among the most privileged in particular: a false promise that they can achieve anything if they are willing to work for it.
Psychologists have sourced this phenomenon to a misapplication of “mind set” research, which has found that praising children for effort will increase academic performance. But a recent analysis found that while praising effort over ability may benefit high-risk or economically disadvantaged students, it does not necessarily help everyone.
The cruel, messy reality is that you can do everything in your power and still fail. Instead of allowing our kids to beat themselves up when things don’t go their way, we should all question a culture that has taught them that feeling anything less than overwhelmed means they’re lazy, and that where they go to college matters more than the kind of person they are. It’s suggested that parents and teachers spend time helping students find purpose, or goals they genuinely love to pursue and that make an impact on the world, which may help them gain greater life satisfaction and become more psychologically mature.
The point is not to give our kids a pass on working hard. But we would be wise to remind our kids that life has a way of sucker-punching us when we least expect it. It’s often the people who learn to say “stuff happens” who get up the fastest.
1. Which sort of students does the star athlete belong to?| A．Those lacking courage to make self-criticism. |
| B．Those tired of working all night in the library. |
| C．Those believing hard work surely pay off. |
| D．Those overprotected by their parents in life. |
| A．Praising effort over ability will surely be beneficial to all kids. |
| B．The result of the “mindset” research doesn’t apply to all cases. |
| C．Parents should lay more emphasis on their kids’ academic performance. |
| D．Whether praising kids’ effort over ability does good to kids depends. |
| A．By choosing where to go to college for them. |
| B．By pushing them to fight against the cruel reality. |
| C．By discouraging them from making efforts to study hard. |
| D．By encouraging them to stick to a worthy cause they truly love. |
| A．Students should not expect too much from their study. |
| B．Students with positive attitudes can move on more easily. |
| C．Students should bear all the failures on their own. |
| D．Students are sure to succeed if they try their best. |
3 . In 2019, the world generated 54.6 million tons of e-waste. However, just 17.4 percent of it was formally collected and recycled. Since 2014, the amount of e-waste recycled has grown by 1.8 million tons—a relatively small amount, considering that the amount of e-waste generated increased by 9.2 million tons in the same period.
Global reserves of some elements, such as platinum, are supposed to be fully used up within 15 years if the proportion of recycled stocks entering production doesn’t increase. E-waste and EV batteries are currently recycled through processes called pyrometallurgy (火法冶金术) and hydrometallurgy (湿法冶金术). However, they involve burning temperatures with a high energy demand and deep carbon footprint, and poisonous chemicals which are harmful to the environment. Alternatives are therefore being sought.
A team of scientists from the University of Coventry are extending one such alternative. They have been using non-poisonous bacteria to oxidize and recover the precious metals—a process known as “bioleaching”. They have shown that copper is widely recoverable from e-waste, and that all metals present in EV batteries can be recovered by using microbes (微生物). If extended, bioleaching facilities would mean that manufacturers of EV batteries and other electronic goods would be able to recover metals locally, relying less on costly exports to recycling centers abroad.
“At present, a key limitation for e-waste recycling is the lack of certification detailing the types and amounts of metals contained in electronic goods. But with an efficient recycling process appearing, manufacturers have the motivation to use more recycled material in their products, which will change the very design of electronics goods. It’s about closing the loop of a product’s life cycle,” said the leader of the Bioleaching Research Group, Sebastien Farnaud.
Ultimately, bioleaching technology is born out of the idea of creating a truly circular process for the things that we consume. We need to shift from a mindset and economy where we see waste as an end product, to one where there isn’t even a start or an end at all.
1. What do the statistics in Paragraph 1 indicate？| A．People pay no attention to e-waste recycling. |
| B．The recycling rate of e-waste is comparatively low. |
| C．E-waste has caused serious environmental problems. |
| D．The amount of e-waste is sharply increasing every year. |
| A．They are not environmentally friendly. |
| B．They only apply to certain e-waste. |
| C．They generate metals with a complex process. |
| D．They cause a sharp rise in local temperatures. |
| A．It has been applied abroad. | B．It releases no poisonous gas. |
| C．It recovers metals by microbes. | D．It promotes the local export trade. |
| A．a travel guide | B．a fiction novel |
| C．a health magazine | D．a scientific journal |
4 . My name is Sara. When I was little, I played the drums. I also had a guitar. In fourth grade, I started playing the trombone (长号). I practiced about four hours a week. All of this might not seem like a big deal for a lot of kids, but there’s something about me that makes me a bit different from others. I was born without hands. Since I was about one year old, I’ve worn prosthetics (假手).
This year, I got an invitation to join the high school marching band (行进管乐队). I told my mom I wanted to do it. But I had an instructor who thought I would not be able to march in the band—not because it was a high school band and I’m only in seventh grade, but probably because my body is different. All I wanted was to show that I could do it, so I joined the band. And it paid off!
Music gives me energy. That happens sometimes. One time I was so down, I didn’t even want to get out of bed. Then I hit my mp3 player by accident. A song came on, and I got up and started dancing. It helped me say to myself, “OK, I can get through today.”
Around my musician friends, we all share the same problems, like working out how many beats there are to a measure. I have a hard time counting the beats, but so do a lot of the other kids. It’s a normal problem that we musicians share. When I’m with the band, I don’t feel as different as I do in other situations. It’s just another way that music makes me want to go on, and not to just sit down by myself and not care about life.
1. In what way is Sara different from other kids?| A．There’s something wrong with her body. |
| B．She knows how to play many instruments. |
| C．She learned to play the drums at a very early age. |
| D．She kept playing the trombone for the longest hours. |
| A．said no at first | B．had no idea what to do |
| C．followed the instructor’s advice | D．believed that she would make it |
| A．Bored. | B．Relaxed. | C．Successful. | D．Afraid. |
| A．A high school band | B．A young drummer |
| C．The music of me | D．My magic hands |
5 . On April 6, 1909, six men claimed their place as the first explorers to reach the North Pole. Their leader was Navy commander Robert E. Peary. He photographed the other men as they held up flags. One of them was Matthew Henson, the only African American explorer of the Arctic at that time. The other four were Inuit hunters.
Many explorers had tried to reach the pole but Peary surpassed (超越) them through clever planning. He had made four expeditions (远征) into the Arctic. Each time, he learned how to plan better for the next trip. He also gave credit to Henson, who had joined him on three other Arctic expeditions. The team needed the skills and knowledge of the Inuit, and Henson was fluent in their language. Also, “He is probably a better dog-driver than any other man except the best Inuit hunters,” Peary said.
The travel was hard. Biting winds blew, and temperatures dropped to minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit. “Freezing of the whole front part of the face is an ordinary occurrence,” Henson said, “The skin keeps peeling off and freezing until the face is like raw beef.” They could lose fingers or toes. In fact, Peary walked with a “slide-like stride” because he had lost nine toes on an earlier trip.
They had only 50 to 55 days to complete the last leg of the journey before spring would melt the ice. On April 2, the team dashed for the North Pole, driving 18 to 20 hours a day. “Forced marches all the time,” Henson recalled, “But it was the only way to make it.” Exhausted, Peary rode a sledge instead of driving one. Henson set such a fast pace that Peary warned him not to work the men and dogs to death. “I know, Commander,” Henson replied. “But we got to make it.”
They did make it. They reached safety in 16 days and secured their place in history.
1. What’s the passage mainly about?| A．An ambitious commander. | B．A successful expedition. |
| C．A challenging plan. | D．A painful experience. |
| A．He had confidence in taking expeditions. |
| B．He had similar experience when in the Navy. |
| C．He had well-arranged plans and skillful teammates. |
| D．He had good luck to go through the extreme weather. |
| A．Everything comes with a price. |
| B．He who laughs last laughs best. |
| C．It’s rewarding to take adventures. |
| D．Where there is a will there is a way. |
6 . Sometimes shipwrecks（沉船）contain sunken treasure, loads of gold or jewelry. Other shipwrecks are themselves the treasure—the stories of their ill-fated voyages creating a legend that makes them sparkle far more than any gold or precious stones.
The wreck of HMS Endurance, which has finally been located deep beneath the icy seas of Antarctica after being lost 107 years ago, was arguably the most valuable shipwreck ever sought. That’s because its discovery adds another thrilling new chapter to an already fascinating tale of perseverance and survival that has echoed down the decades and still inspires today.
Incredibly well preserved at a depth of almost two miles, the ship is little changed from the day in November 1914 when it finally sank beneath the ice. Endurance became embedded in ice while crossing Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. The video shot by underwater search vehicles shows painted timbers, an undamaged guardrail（护栏）and the name “Endurance” written above the five-pointed symbol of a polar star.
“I tell you, you would have to be made of stone not to feel a bit soft at the sight of that star and the name above,” Mensun Bound, the mission’s marine archaeologist, told the BBC. “You can see a porthole（舷窗）that is in Shackleton’s cabin. At that moment, you really do feel the breath of the great man upon the back of your neck.” Shackleton’s leadership was crucial to getting his men out alive. The reason why Shackleton is still applauded as a great man becomes obvious when you consider what he achieved in the face of disasters and hardships during his 1914-16 expedition. The practicality and humanity he showed in the face of severe situations was arguably praised.
1. What makes Endurance the most valuable shipwreck?| A．The treasure aboard. | B．Its inspiring stories. |
| C．Its undamaged guardrail. | D．The symbol of a polar star. |
| A．The floating ice is as hard as stones. |
| B．The well-preserved shipwreck is amazing. |
| C．The heroic deeds of Shackleton are touching. |
| D．The discovery of Endurance is challenging. |
| A．A book review. | B．A news report. |
| C．A biography. | D．A travel journal. |
7 . A choir teacher is a music teacher who specializes in helping students learn to use their voices in an ensemble (合奏) setting.
Like other teachers, choir teachers in public schools are required to be certified by the state in which they teach. Choir teachers frequently have other music skills.
In some schools, all students attend a choir class, while in others, choir is an elective (选修课). In the first case, many of the students most likely have no special training.
Within choir class, the choir teacher helps students warm up their voices, learn singing techniques, and learn specific songs that he or she has chosen as appropriate for the specific voices.
| A．Students learn to listen to each other as they sing. |
| B．They may have no special interest in the class at all. |
| C．There may be many ways to become a choir teacher. |
| D．The backgrounds of these choir teachers are varied too. |
| E．This involves learning information about music and reading music. |
| F．A full-time choir teacher may not be limited to working in a single school. |
| G．For example, they might be singers themselves or be good at playing an instrument. |
8 . If a good friend is keeping their distance and you want to reach out to them, the best approach is openness, honesty, and a willingness to understand your friend’s feelings.
There is most likely a specific reason for the gap of your friendship. Consider the situation as objectively as you can. Even if you feel wronged by your friend, consider the possibility that somewhere along the line you have also hurt them in ways that you weren’t aware of.
Be aware of other reasons.
If there seems to be no clear reason for your friend’s distance, don’t jump to conclusions. It may have nothing to do with you.
Think about what you want to say in advance.
If you feel you need to apologize, be specific about what you’re apologizing for. Make sure it’s sincere: what are you really sorry about? For example, if you’ve been ignoring your friend because you’re spending all your time with a new friend, it isn’t appropriate to apologize for spending time with this other person.
Call your friend or ask to meet.
| A．Reflect on what happened. |
| B．Talk about things that you’d like to change. |
| C．It’s probably best to have a face-to-face talk if you can. |
| D．Your friend might have something else troubling them. |
| E．Instead, say sorry that you haven’t been making time for your friend. |
| F．Both of you might need time to process what the other has said. |
| G．Take your time, be thoughtful, and hopefully you can repair the damage. |
9 . An Indiana school system is testing a new program that turns food that would normally go to waste into meals for children who need them.
As part of a pilot program, 20 students at Woodland Elementary School (小学) in Elkhart went home on Friday with an insulated (隔热的) backpack filled with eight frozen meals to help them get through the weekend. The program is just getting started, but it seems to be going well. Cafeteria staff stood up and clapped when the plan was announced. “It’s heartbreaking, you know, seeing our kids hungry and not being able to do anything about it,” said Bickel, the director of student services for Elkhart Community School.
The school partnered with Cultivate, a “food rescue” group in nearby South Bend, to prepare the meals, which include a protein (蛋白质) and a vegetable. The group comes to five Elkhart school production kitchens on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to collect food that was prepared but not served. That food had been going into the garbage. Cultivate gets food from local restaurants, hospitals and other businesses as well. The University of Notre Dame athletic department and the South Bend Cubs league baseball team also donate unused food.
Cultivate is also running pilot programs with two South Bend schools. “It’s been a long-term mission for myself,” Cultivate co-founder Randy Z said. “I was the kid who went home with no food and didn’t eat on the weekends when I was younger.”
Randy Z is getting calls from area schools and restaurants that want to get involved and from people in other parts of the United States who want to start their own programs. “Children come back to school energized and ready to go and it improves them all across the board. It’s just a great thing,” he said.
1. What is cafeteria staff’s attitude towards the pilot program?| A．Disapproving. | B．Favorable. | C．Uncaring. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．The partners of the school. | B．The causes of wasted food. |
| C．The source of the food rescued. | D．The content of the frozen meals. |
| A．He values education. | B．He wants to save food. |
| C．He founded the group. | D．He once suffered from hunger. |
| A．It makes much money. | B．It donates food to schools. |
| C．It will benefit more kids. | D．It will start its own kitchen. |
10 . Scrolling through Instagram can quickly convince you that everyone’s life is more interesting than yours. During a particularly adventurous week on Instagram Stories recently, I saw water skiing in Maui, hiking in Yosemite and swimming with wild pigs in Bermuda. I started Googling flights to new places. Then I ordered pho, Vietnam’s national dish, from the same Vietnamese place I eat at every week and returned to the same old routine and…felt bad about not trying somewhere new.
Evolutionarily, human brains tend to find newfangled experiences more exciting and attention-grabbing than repeat experiences. They can’t process all the stimuli(刺激) around us, so we evolved to pay attention to new, flashy and potentially dangerous things more intently than familiar things, which we’ve seen enough to know they’re not dangerous. What’s more, words like ‘repetition’ and ‘repetitiveness’ tend to be associated with more negative emotions.
However, recent research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests we ought to reconsider how we digest those feelings of monotony(单调). Some previous research has painted a negative picture of repeat experiences, saying that doing the same thing twice can feel less valuable. But Ed O’Brien, a professor of behavioral science, wondered whether people actually underestimate how positively they react to repeat experiences.
To test this theory, Mr.O’Brien and his team exposed all participants to the same stimulus once in full(various stimuli were tested, including museum visits, movies and video games). Next, after dividing them into two groups, the first group of participants were asked to imagine repeating the experience, while the second actually did repeat the experience. Counter to previous research, Mr.O’Brien found that across the board, repeat experiences were far more enjoyable than participants predicted. In other words: You’re far more likely to enjoy something the second time around than you think.
“Brand-new experiences are definitely great for enjoyment,” said Mr.O’Brien. “And our studies don’t go against this idea. In many cases, the brand-new option is better. But, what our studies emphasize is that repeat options also might have high hedonic(快乐的) value and might also come with lower costs to acquire than a purely new option.”
1. What did the author think of her own life?| A．It included many exciting things. | B．It depended heavily on social media. |
| C．It was highly adventurous. | D．It was boringly repetitive. |
| A．They may pay little attention to them. | B．They may process them first. |
| C．They may feel uncertain of them. | D．They may consider them as positive things. |
| A．fictional | B．fascinating. | C．novel. | D．significant. |
| A．They experienced the same stimuli twice. |
| B．They imagined their old experiences twice. |
| C．They repeated similar activities many times. |
| D．They predicted the first group’s experiences. |
