1 . Pets are always part of a family. Pets and kids who grow up together have very close
This year, when Milly’s parents asked her what she wanted for Christmas, she went to her room to prepare her
The Kukuczka family
Milly’s parents were all onboard to help their daughter organize the pet drive. They
Milly is
| A．end | B．observation | C．bonds | D．mood |
| A．came back | B．broke down | C．fled off | D．passed away |
| A．disappointed | B．heartbroken | C．confused | D．beloved |
| A．suburb | B．neighborhood | C．shelter | D．downtown |
| A．list | B．interview | C．attempt | D．course |
| A．in spite of | B．apart from | C．but for | D．instead of |
| A．friends | B．homes | C．peace | D．fund |
| A．lost | B．adopted | C．sold | D．buried |
| A．protector | B．tutor | C．toy | D．baby-sitter |
| A．changeable | B．respectful | C．alive | D．occupied |
| A．reached | B．turned | C．picked | D．made |
| A．applied | B．demanded | C．debated | D．shared |
| A．infectious | B．brief | C．generous | D．natural |
| A．serving as | B．searching for | C．appealing to | D．dreaming of |
| A．goods | B．donations | C．supplies | D．purchases |
2 . I was driving down the highway, enjoying the freedom of the open road when suddenly, I heard a loud noise. My car shook
I carefully
I tried to flag down passing cars, but no one seemed to notice me. They drove past me at high speed, as if I were
As the sun started to set, my
Just when I was about to give up, I heard a car
As expected, the man helped
| A．slightly | B．slowly | C．precisely | D．violently |
| A．set off | B．took up | C．pulled over | D．moved on |
| A．chance | B．spare | C．effort | D．spirit |
| A．delicate | B．invisible | C．flexible | D．energetic |
| A．hopeless | B．peaceful | C．proud | D．secure |
| A．admiration | B．determination | C．frustration | D．occupation |
| A．emotion | B．strength | C．innovation | D．rescue |
| A．happiness | B．enjoyment | C．tears | D．bravery |
| A．disappearing | B．approaching | C．fading | D．floating |
| A．rise | B．beat | C．decrease | D．sink |
| A．anxiety | B．humour | C．relief | D．direction |
| A．obtain | B．change | C．unearth | D．destroy |
| A．drove off | B．set up | C．calmed down | D．figured out |
| A．host | B．creator | C．beggar | D．hero |
| A．kindness | B．coldness | C．genius | D．influence |
3 . Random acts of kindness can affect people’s well-being significantly more than expected, according to an August study co-authored by a University of Texas researcher. Based on experiments ranging from giving someone a cup of hot chocolate to delivering cupcakes in the park, the recently published study found that random acts of kindness affected both the giver and receiver significantly more than anticipated. The researchers conducted a total of eight experiments involving students to assess the effects of the acts.
Amit Kumar, the study’s co-author and an assistant marketing and psychology professor at UT, said that although researchers know kindness significantly improves a person’s well-being, people underestimate the effect it will have on the receiver. “One of the interesting questions becomes why people often don’t act in ways that are likely to make them feel better,” said Kumar. “What we were interested in studying here was this belief that these seemingly small pro-social acts can actually make a significant difference in people’s lives.”
Kumar said because people underestimate the positive effects of these acts, more often than not, people don’t perform them.
One of the experiments included UT students engaging in an exercise in which they performed different acts of kindness for others, such as baking cookies or offering a peer a ride home, and then filled out a questionnaire afterward. At the same time, the recipients were contacted and asked how they felt. The researchers found that in all of the experiments, both the recipients and performers ended up in better moods than normal after the act.
Co-author Nicholas Epley said the research is part of a broader research program of people avoiding human connection and not reaching out to others despite its positive impact.
“People do act in line with their expectations, but those expectations can be off,” Kumar said. “If you’re underestimating the positive impact that you’re having on other people, that can prevent you from being kinder more often in daily life,” Kumar remarked. He hopes this research helps people become more aware of their impact on others and be kind when they have the opportunity.
1. What did the recently published study find about random acts of kindness?| A．They affect the giver more than the receiver. |
| B．They affect the receiver more than the giver. |
| C．They are good for interpersonal relationships. |
| D．They can greatly affect people’s happiness. |
| A．Negative. | B．Kind. | C．Dangerous. | D．Active. |
| A．People escaping human contact. | B．People showing random kindness. |
| C．The positive impact of kindness. | D．The importance of human connection. |
| A．Realizing the power of your kindness. |
| B．Acting in line with expectations. |
| C．Having a good opportunity. |
| D．Reaching out to others. |
Ten miles away stood a house with shiny red walls, a green garden and an apple tree. A young girl’s face would be seen reflecting from one of the large glassy windows. Her name is Maggie. Her eyes were sparkling and on her face there was a smile which could light a million candles. She seemed to be longing for a chance to play like a young child, but she had no strength in her legs because she and her family met with an accident, in which she lost both her legs.
But her spirit was strong. She would be inspired by seeing birds fly. The flying eagle would make her want to fly. She was lonely. She longed for a true friend who would talk to her and teach her to fly or at least tell her stories about soaring into the blue sky.
One evening, Maggie slowly rolled her wheelchair to the giant window and looked out to the many houses that lay across the road. Suddenly she heard someone singing and then could see an old man in a pilot suit singing in glory. The beautiful sound and the melody made the little girl happy. Suddenly he stopped and gazed up toward her. “What are you staring at?” he said angrily. “You think I’m a circus clown? (马戏团小丑)” “No, Sir. I was just listening to you. You sing very well,” she said. “I don’t need your praises. I don’t need anyone!” he shouted. He started to walk to his house and shut the door. Tears rolled down from her apple-red cheeks as the man shouted at her. She was lonely.
Next morning, Maggie pushed her wheelchair across the garden to the stone road as little children played hide-and-seek around her. Suddenly out of nowhere a loading truck came rumbling across toward her. Terrified, she tried to move away from its path but the wheels of her chair were stuck. “Oh my,” she thought as the truck came in her direction fast, with the driver unaware of the obstruction in front of him. She screamed loudly but in a split second she was pulled out of her wheelchair by someone and fell on the ground. She closed her eyes and shivered as the truck passed her whistling. As she opened her eyes, she could see a man standing beside her.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
She gazed up to him and immediately recognized him as the man she saw singing last night.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Maggie got to know his name was Ken and that he was a retired pilot.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . A couple, Jake Williams and Charlotte Sinclair, were absolutely done with the long isolation (隔离), following a few years of COVID-19, and then they decided to launch (发起) a community plan. They started Talk the Walk and managed to make people get together, explore London on foot, and get to know each other.
The number one mission was to have fun — even if only a few people showed up for the free events. That’s what they expected when they started on Meetup.com. Suddenly they were getting hundreds of people responding with excitement.
200-300 people of various ages now regularly attend each event, which opens with the playing of icebreaker games. The couple designed the games to be easy for shy people, too, with “fun questions” breaking the nervousness. They picked interesting places to visit. Attendees were even surprised with an offer of chocolate.
“I’ve done some crazy things in my time working from home to stop loneliness, like dog sitting for people and joining gyms just so I can have more conversations with people,” Jake said.
“I think that it’s hugely impactful for people who have been affected by COVID-19, by being forced to work from home and having that isolation,” he continued.
They’ve seen older people talking with younger people, and people becoming friends — so much so that the strangers are now meeting on their own after becoming familiar.
Talk the Walk organised their last event last year, but said they’ll be back once it starts to warm up again.
Nearly 2,000 members in their Meetup community and followers on their Facebook Page are waiting for that day, but at the same time, this young couple might serve as your very own inspiration to connect people in your own communities.
1. What is the couple’s purpose in starting Talk the Walk?| A．To reduce the effect brought by COVID-19. |
| B．To encourage people to do physical exercise. |
| C．To find interesting activities in and around London. |
| D．To end loneliness and bring communities back together. |
| A．By giving attendees amazing presents. |
| B．By arranging easy games and activities. |
| C．By making the organised events enjoyable. |
| D．By choosing famous destinations to explore. |
| A．Talk the Walk is really needed. |
| B．New events will take place in no time. |
| C．Talk the Walk is popular with young people. |
| D．The couple moved people in the community. |
| A．Be active to get in touch with people |
| B．Take part in events after the long isolation |
| C．Couple answers loneliness with organised walks |
| D．Thousands of people show up for interesting events |
1. Why does the man want to do something for the seniors?
| A．To get volunteer task done. |
| B．To bring more variety to their life. |
| C．To get meaningful ideas for his report. |
| A．To learn new receipt from the seniors. |
| B．To show their skills. |
| C．To connect with each other. |
| A．Because it makes the seniors feel self-achievement. |
| B．Because it helps the community greener. |
| C．Because it shows the seniors’ talent. |
| A．Held once a week. |
| B．For them to make friends. |
| C．Sharing their stories and memories. |
Nancy is used to getting up early every day. She is a young mother. By seven, she has already eaten breakfast, had a cup of coffee, washed the dishes, taken her shower, and put on her make-up. Then, it’s time to do the housework.
One early Saturday morning, when she was washing her son’s vacuum bottle (保温瓶), she felt upset. After having been used for long, the bottle was in poor condition. It was high time that she should buy a new one for her kid Bill, but her budget was limited. She had to decide that she would buy a new one only months later. Complaining wasn’t how she would normally choose to start the day, especially with the sun shining.
To cheer up and continue the day a bit more optimistically, she left the housework for later and set out with her little kid Bill for their morning walk on the beach a little earlier than usual. The local shops hadn’t opened yet. It was quiet outside; there were few people around.
Walking through the down town area, something on the pavement caught her attention. From a distance, it appeared to be a package of some sort. They walked over and Nancy picked it up. Upon examination, it turned out to be a brown paper bag. The downtown had nine blocks with stores. Grocery stores, furniture shops, cake shops, banks, bookstores, home-goods stores, clothing shops, and other businesses lined the street. Looking around, Nancy found none of them had been open for business. It was too early.
Nancy knew all this indicated that the object had most likely been purchased by someone the evening or day before. Since it was near the road, Nancy guessed someone must have dropped it, probably while loading other bags into a car.
Nancy looked inside the bag for more information. After opening it, she found there was a small handbag. In the bag, there were many cards. Among them, there was the owner’s ID card, which showed the owner’s address and name. Besides, there was a box in the brown bag. “What may be in the box?” Nancy thought to herself.
注意：1.续写词数应为150个左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
She checked it, surprised to find there was a new vacuum bottle for kids in it.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Nancy looked at the owner’s address again and made sure where the owner lived.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Harry’s reward
Harry didn’t want to learn to swim. He couldn’t figure out what the use of learning to swim was. But Harry’s parents believed it was a great pity for a healthy boy to be afraid of the wind and the sea.
“Everybody, especially every Englishman and boy, should know how to swim,” Papa had said. “There is never any knowing the use it may be of.”
“Isn’t it very hard to learn?” Harry asked.
“It takes some patience,” his father said. “But in three weeks or so, you should be able to swim fairly well, if you have a lesson every day.”
There was no escaping it, however. Papa, though very kind, was very firm, and once he said a thing, it had to be done. So with a rather white face, poor Harry set off every day for his swimming lesson. He was a quick and clever boy, and a strong boy, and his father knew this. After the initial fear was overcome, it went on better and faster than could have been expected. Two weeks later, Harry had the pleasure of hearing his father say to his mother, “He swims already very nearly as well as I do myself.”
Seacliff, the place at which the family was spending the summer, was not a fashionable watering place but a little village. There were a few gentlemen’s houses in the neighborhood, so that in fine weather merry groups met at the little sheltered bay among the rocks.
One day, Harry, having finished his own morning swim, set off to walk home at his ease. Suddenly a sound disturbed his pleasant thoughts. A carriage was rushing wildly along, coming nearer and nearer. The driver, Ann, stood upright in the carriage (马车), hitting the poor horse as if she were mad, while from time to time she screamed, “Help, help!”
“What is it?” screamed Harry too, as Ann passed. She would not stop, but she threw back some words through the wind. “My sister—Alice—is drowning (淹溺). Go to the village to fetch someone who can swim.”
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Harry ran back to the bathing place at once.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________There were plenty of hands to help carry them to land once they were within a safe distance; however, it was Harry who was the true hero.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________George, owner of a popular restaurant, was known for his excellent food, which was much loved by his customers. Even though he was talented, successful, and wealthy, his employees feared him for his strictness.
Debbie, a new waitress at George’s restaurant, was hardworking, always serving customers with a smile. George was satisfied with her work. After about two months, George asked the night manager about Debbie, and the man had only good things to say about her. “She’s smart, quick, and efficient, and she deals with customers better than anyone! We are searching for an assistant manager, and she seems like a good candidate. She’s got great potential!”
However, one night, George caught Debbie in the act of stealing. Walking into the kitchen, he saw her putting a box carefully into her bag. “Debbie!” he called out. “Come to my office now!” He was seated behind his desk with a serious look as she entered. “Open your bag,” George ordered. Debbie’s face tuned red, and she opened her bag to take out two plastic boxes, shaking as she placed them on the desk. George opened them to find some leftover food and a piece of cake. “You’re fired,” he screamed out in anger. “Right now!”
“Please,” Debbie begged. “Please don’t! The food was just going to be thrown away…”
“It’s against the rules here,” George replied firmly.
“Please,” Debbie continued. “There’s something you don’t know…”
She said softly, “My son has leukemia (白血病) , and the treatments are more than I can afford. I’ve been taking the leftover food home to save money for his care.”
“Your son has leukemia…” George repeated. “Is this true?” Debbie showed him a photo of a young boy in a hospital bed, smiling bravely. George took a deep breath and looked at Debbie, and said more kindly, “The rules say you should be fired. I’ll talk it over with the night manager. Let’s discuss this tomorrow.”
1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式作答。
Debbie was very worried, but she had no choice.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________George said he made a decision after careful consideration.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Tim Gjoraas doesn’t have much time left. However, there’s no
Last year, Tim found out he had cancer. In the following months, his health
After
This wasn’t the first time they had
| A．record | B．evidence | C．shortage | D．indication |
| A．recovered | B．maintained | C．improved | D．worsened |
| A．friends | B．family | C．teachers | D．students |
| A．accepting | B．announcing | C．proving | D．admitting |
| A．caught up with | B．put up with | C．taken care of | D．kept away from |
| A．rebuild | B． repaint | C．repair | D．reuse |
| A．guessed | B．ignored | C．forgot | D．explained |
| A．later | B．better | C．sooner | D．harder |
| A．incredible | B．familiar | C．unavoidable | D．frightening |
| A．got hold of | B．given way to | C．broken up with | D．come through for |
| A．supplies | B．bills | C．facilities | D．problems |
| A．as for | B．but for | C．thanks to | D．regardless of |
| A．permanent | B．visible | C． primitive | D． fresh |
| A．largely | B．simply | C．precisely | D．definitely. |
| A．memory | B．heart | C． power | D． history |
