1 . Phil White has just returned from an 18000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip. White had two reasons for making this epic journey. First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity, which he did. He raised £70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam. White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world. He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not.

White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later. He spent more than 1,300 hours in the saddle (车座) and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains. He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas. Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team. No jeep carrying food, water and medicine. No doctor. Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road.

The journey was lonely and desperate at times. He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains. He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need. There were other dangers along the road. In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had. The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia. For 1,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him. This part of the trip was slow, hard work and depressing, but he made it in the end.

Now Mr. White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures.

1. What does the word “epic” in Paragraph 1 most probably mean?

A．Very lonely and depressing.	B．Very slow but exciting.
C．Very smooth but tiring.	D．Very long and difficult.

2. When Phil White returned from his trip, he _________.

A．broke the world record	B．collected money for Oxfam
C．destroyed several bikes	D．travelled about 1,300 hours

3. During his journey around the world, Phil White _________.

A．fought heroically against robbers in Iran

B．experienced the extremes of heat and cold

C．managed to ride against the wind in Australia

D．had a team of people who travelled with him

4. Which of the following words can best describe Phil White?

A．Determined.

B．Honest.

C．Modest.

D．Imaginative.

2 . The elderly residents in care homes in London are being given hens to look after to stop them feeling lonely.

The project was dreamed up by a local charity to reduce loneliness and improve elderly people's wellbeing. It is also being used to help patients suffering dementia, a serious illness of the mind. Staff in care homes have reported are duction in the use of medicine where hens are in use.

Among those taking part in the project is 80-year-old-Ruth Xavier. She said: "I used to keep hens when I was younger and had to prepare their breakfast each morning before I went to school.

“I like the project a lot. I am down there in my wheelchair in the morning letting the hens out and down there again at night to see they've gone to bed.

“It's good to have a different focus. People have been bringing their children in to se the hens and residents come and sit outside to watch them. I'm enjoying the creative activities, and it feels great to have done something useful.”

There are now 700 elderly people looking after hens in 20 care homes in the North East, and the charity has been given financial support to roll it out countrywide.

Wendy Wilson, extra care manager at 60 Penfold Street, one of the first to embark on the project, said: “Residents really welcome the idea of the project and the creative sessions. We are looking forward to the benefits and fun the project can bring to people here.”

Lynn Lewis, director of Noting Hill Pathways, said: “We are happy to be taking part in the project. It will really help connect our residents through a shared interest and creative activities.”

1. What is the purpose of the project?

A．To ensure harmony in care homes.	B．To raise money for medical research.
C．To provide part-time jobs for the aged.	D．To promote the elderly people's welfare.

2. How has the project affected Ruth Xavier?

A．She has developed a strong personality.	B．She has gained a sense of achievement.
C．She has recovered her memory.	D．She has learned new life skills.

3. Who was one of the first founders of the project?

A．Lynn Lewis.

B．Wendy Wilson.

C．Ruth Xavier.

D．The elder.

4. What can we learn about the project from the last two paragraphs?

A．It is well received.	B．It is highly profitable.
C．It needs to be more creative.	D．It takes ages to see the results.

4 . “If you could have any three things, what would you want?”

Eleven-year-old Ruby Kate Chitsey loves asking that question, but it’s not a game she plays at recess（课间）. She asks it at nursing homes in the Harrison, Arkansas, where she lives. Even more amazing, she then sets out to make the residents’ wishes come true.

Ruby Kate often tags along with her mother, Amanda, who works at nursing home in the summer. “I’ve never found them scary at all, so I’m able to just go up to them and ask if they need anything,” she says.

Last May, Ruby K ate noticed a resident named Pearl staring out a window. She seemed sad. “What are you looking at?” Ruby Kate asked. Pearl said she was watching her dog being led away by his new owner after a visit. Pearl didn’t know when she would see her dog again. Pearl was a medicaid recipient, who got only $40 a month to spend on personal items. Ruby Kate and Amanda asked around and discovered that many residents are unable to afford even the smallest luxuries. So Ruby Kate decided to do something about it.

She started by asking residents what three things they wanted most. “That’s a lot simpler than going, ‘Hey, what do you want?’” she explains. “They can understand you better.” Amanda worried that people would ask for things an 11-year-old wouldn’t be able to provide. Instead, they asked for chocolate bars, McDonald’s fries, and even just a prayer.

“It broke me as a human,” Amanda says. “We left the nursing home that day and went straight to a store and bought as many items as we could.”

Using their own money, the Chitseys granted the wishes of about 100 people in three months. Then they started asking for donations. The good people of Harrison responded enthusiastically, and they raised $20,000 in 24 hours and more than $250,000 in five months.

1. Why does Ruby often ask the same question?

A．She likes hearing everyone’s stories.

B．It makes her famous in the community.

C．She finds it amusing to repeat the question.

D．She wants to help residents in nursing homes.

2. What can be inferred about Pearl in paragraph 4?

A．Pearl was in good health.	B．Pearl couldn’t afford to keep her dog.
C．Pearl was too old to raise a dog.	D．Pearl sold her dog for small luxuries.

3. What moved Amanda most?

A．The residents’ gratitude for Amanda’s assistance.

B．The popularity Ruby achieved for her good deeds.

C．The simplicity and sincerity of the residents’ requests.

D．The residents’ enthusiasm and optimism in difficult times.

4. What message does the author seem to convey in the text?

A．Action speak louder than words.	B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.
C．Kindness is the language of the heart.	D．Nothing is difficult to a willing heart.

5 . Kristin Schell is the founder of The Turquoise Table, a movement of ordinary people who want to create community right in their own front yards. Ten years ago, she and her family moved to a new home in Austin, Texas.

One day, Kristin tried to connect with her new neighbors by hosting a party. She bought a few picnic tables but the delivery driver set one table down in her front yard by mistake. “After the party, I painted the table turquoise—my favorite color—and put it in the front yard, just a few feet from the sidewalk,” she says.

That turquoise table became the place where Kristin and her kids hung out. They played games, did crafts and ate snacks. “We got intentional about where we spent our time,” Kristin says. “We became ‘front yard people’.”

Neighbors began to stop by to introduce themselves and sit down for a chat. Kristin invited people to join her at the table for coffee or iced tea. Then neighbors asked Kristin if their family could put a picnic table in their front yard too. A movement was born. “It was a simple way to slow down and connect with others,” she says. The turquoise table was inviting and had a shared feel.

People often hesitate to invite others into their homes. They think their house is too messy, it’s not big enough or they don’t have enough time. “Our perfectionism can cause us to miss out on the joy of connecting with others,” Kristin says. Her picnic table takes away the excuses—and the pressure.

She likes how it enables her to take a small step toward easing loneliness and building relationships in her community. “People’s greatest need is to know that they are loved and that they belong,” she says.

A decade after their Texas beginnings, thousands of Turquoise Tables exist in all 50 states and in 13 countries around the world. Not all of them are actually turquoise. “No matter what color it is, it’s a friendship table,” Kristin says.

1. Why did Kristin Schell start the movement?

A．To host more parties in her front yard.	B．To entertain her friends and neighbors.
C．To engage with people in the neighbourhood.	D．To create harmonious communities worldwide.

2. Which of the following words best describe Kristin Schell according to the text?

A．Creative and sociable.	B．Friendly and humorous.
C．Generous and ambitious.	D．Cautious and responsible.

3. What can be inferred from the text?

A．People don’t like others to step into their houses.

B．The campaign has a big impact at home and abroad.

C．Kristin Schell bought the turquoise table to host a party.

D．People feel unwilling to join in the front ya rd chat at first.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Love Your Neighbors	B．An Amazing Woman
C．Happy Front Yard Time	D．Tables Where All Are Welcome

6 . It all started with a simple question: “Can I paint your portrait?”

One day in the summer of 2015, Peterson was relaxing in his living room, reading the book Love Does, about the power of love in action, when his quiet was disturbed by a homeless man outside his apartment. Inspired by the book’s compassionate message, Peterson made a decision; He was going to go outside and introduce himself.

In that first conversation, Peterson learned that the man’s name was Matt Faris. He’d moved to Southern California from Kentucky to pursue a career in music, but he soon fell on hard times and ended up living on the street for more than a decade. “I saw beauty on the face of a man who hadn’t shaved in probably a year, because his story, the life inside of him, inspired me,” Peterson recalled. Therefore, Peterson asked if he could paint Faris’s portrait. Faris agreed.

Peterson’s connection with Faris led him to form Faces of Santa Ana, a nonprofit organization focused on befriending and painting portraits of members of the community who are unhoused. Peterson sells the paintings for money, splitting the proceeds and putting half into a “love account” for his model. He then helps people use the money to get back on their feet.

Many of Peterson’s new friends use the donations to secure immediate necessities — medical care, hotel rooms, food. Faris used the funds from his portrait to record an album, fulfilling his musical dreams. Another subject, Kimberly Sondoval, had never been able to financially support her daughter. She asked, “Can I use the money to pay my daughter’s rent?” When the check was delivered, “They both wept in my arms,” Peterson recalls.

Peterson has painted 41 of these portraits himself. But there’s more to the finished products than the money they bring to someone who’s down and out. He’s discovered that the buyers tend to connect to the story of the person in the painting, finding similarities and often friendship with someone they might have otherwise overlooked or stereotyped.

“People often tell me, ‘I was the one that would cross the street, but I see homeless people differently now,’” Peterson says. “I didn’t know that would happen.”

1. What made Peterson start a conversation?

A．The curiosity about strangers.	B．The touching story of Matt Faris.
C．The disturbance by a homeless man.	D．The sympathetic message in Love Does.

2. What do we know about Faces of Santa Ana?

A．It pays the homeless salaries.

B．It is an official nonprofit organization.

C．It tries to restore the lives of Peterson’s models.

D．It spends all the money on helping the unhoused.

3. After buying a portrait, a buyer might view the homeless as ________.

A．lazy and poor	B．odd but inspiring
C．disturbing and untidy	D．pitiful but respectable

4. Which of the following is the best title of this text?

A．Art with Purpose: Love Account Matters

B．Hope in Paintings: Help Knows No Race

C．Faces of Compassion: Painting a New Perspective

D．Encounter with Strangers: Embracing New Friends

7 . Eradajere Oleita thinks she may have a partial solution to two of her country’s problems: garbage and poverty. It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a favor of local snack lovers: Rather than throw your empty chip bags into the trash, donate them so she can turn them into sleeping bags for the homeless.

Chip eaters drop off their empty bags from Doritos, Lays, and other favorites at two locations in Detroit: a print shop and a clothing store, where Oleita and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they clean the chip bags in soapy hot water, they slice them open, lay them flat, and iron them together. They use padding (衬垫) and liners (衬里) from old coats to line the insides.

It takes about four hours to sew a sleeping bag, and each takes around 150 to 300 chip bags, depending on whether they’re single-serve or family size. The result is a sleeping bag that is “waterproof, lightweight, and easy to carry around”, Oleita told the Detroit News.

Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has collected more than 800,000 chip bags and, as of last December, created 110 sleeping bags. Sure, it would be simpler to raise the money to buy new sleeping bags. But that’s only half the goal for Oleita—whose family moved to the United States from Nigeria a decade ago with the hope of attaining a better life —and her fellow volunteers. “We are devoted to making an impact not only socially, but environmentally,” she says.

And, of course, there’s the symbolism of rescuing bags that would otherwise land in the trash and using them to help the homeless. It’s a powerful reminder that environmental problem and poverty often go hand in hand. As Oleita told hourdetroit. com: “I think it’s time to show connections between all of these issues.”

1. What did Oleita ask the snack lovers to do with their empty chip bags?

A．To turn them into sleeping bags.

B．To give them away to her.

C．To donate them to the homeless directly.

D．To throw them into the trash.

2. Which of the following is true about the sleeping bags?

A．They can be different in size.

B．They can be made with ease.

C．They are made by machines in the workshop.

D．They are far from overweight.

3. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?

A．Poverty results from environmental problems.

B．Oleita started the project mainly to raise money.

C．The aim of the project is more than social issues.

D．Oleita’s project made 110 sleeping bags per month.

4. Which words can best describe Oleita?

A．Talented and social.

B．Responsible and creative.

C．Selfless and modest.

D．Hardworking and loyal.

10 . Kids and teenagers who volunteer aren’t just helping their community. They might also be helping themselves. That’s according to a new research published in JAMA Network Open, in May.

Kids who participated in community service were 34% more likely to be in very good physical health than those who didn’t participate, the study found. And those who volunteered were 66% more likely to be considered doing well in general. Kids aged 12 and older who volunteered were 25% less likely to have anxiety than peers who didn’t. The findings come from survey data provided by the parents of some 50,000 kids in the United States aged 6 to 17. About half of those parents reported that their kids did volunteer work.

Studies like this have limitations. Parents answered questions about their kids’ health and community-service activity. But a parent might not know if their child experiences anxiety or considers themselves to be doing well in general. This type of data also can’t prove cause and effect. It can only uncover connections. So it’s not possible to say for sure that volunteering leads to better mental and physical health. It could be that people in good health are more likely to have the energy or desire to volunteer.

But the data comes at an important time for youth mental health. In recent years, rates of depression and anxiety have risen among young people. More than 40% of high school students reported experiencing feelings of sadness or hopelessness. So there’s a clear need for accessible and effective mental health resources. Giving back to the community may be one such resource. And this study isn’t the only one to reach that conclusion. Previous research has also found links between volunteering and well-being among adults. Serving the community seems to help people feel a sense of purpose. And it makes them feel connected to those around them. Generosity has also been shown to boost happiness and improve physical health. It might be a practice worth doing.

1. How many kids in the US who volunteered were less likely to be anxious?

A．12,500.

B．17,000.

C．33,000.

D．50,000.

2. What can we learn from the third paragraph?

A．Healthy people are less likely to volunteer.

B．Volunteering surely leads to better mental and physical health.

C．Parents know their kids’ mental and physical health very well.

D．There is a relationship between health and community-service activity.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．There are various mental health resources.

B．People of all ages will serve the community.

C．Serving the community will benefit mental health.

D．High school students are suffering mental health problems.

4. Which proverb best matches the article?

A．He laughs best who laughs last.

B．The rose is in her hand, the flavor in mine.

C．The longest journey begins with the first step.

D．Treat other people as you hope they will treat you.