1 . Every Thursday afternoon, the food pantry (食品储藏室) at the local high school opens up to provide fresh food bags for families who can hardly make both ends meet to get their meals to last through the weekend. Nearly a hundred families rely on the extra food. Some are between jobs, some got hit hard with medical bills for a few months, and some are new to the neighborhood, placed there by refugee services.

On one breezy afternoon, two young mothers walked in together, each accompanied by a young child. There was nothing different about their dress, but their manner revealed a shyness that they struggled to overcome. When they spoke, it was clear why: Their accents were thick, even though they were trying hard to make their English sound American. They were uncertain of being understood. But the pantry is run by grandmothers who are never pressed for time when it comes to conversations. So they sat for a moment and told their story while the little ones were held in arms so very familiar with children.

The two lived in apartments in the basement of the Methodist Church. They had been in the United States for one month. Their husbands were well-educated but working labor jobs to pay for food and save for more typical apartments.

Both had fled the war in Eastern Europe, one family from Ukraine and one from Russia. They ended up in the same church basement and discovered that they needed each other. They became fast friends. Their children played together. They shared meals and navigated their new world together.

There were no bombs or soldiers or rations in their new neighborhood, only a chance to start over. Friendships are sometimes hard to come by, yet matter so much to each of us. A good friend gives us strength, love, laughter and the courage to keep trying.

These two families — worn down by uncertainty and war, thrown together in a new country, a new community with a new language — found so much in common. And isn’t that what we all need? A friend who faces the same life challenges, even if the forces above them have different political views. We are, after all, just mothers and fathers, friends and neighbors.

1. In the article, who primarily benefits from the services provided by the food pantry?

A．High school students.	B．People with disabilities.
C．Families with tight budgets.	D．Underpaid individuals.

2. What was the most noticeable characteristic of the two young mothers when they entered the food pantry?

A．Their clothing.	B．Their language.
C．Their children.	D．Their ID documents.

3. What is one of the reasons why these two families became friends?

A．They both live in the basement of the same church.

B．They met at the same restaurant.

C．They are from the same country.

D．They both have similar professions.

4. Which title best fits the article?

A．Challenges of Life and New Friendship	B．The Story of the Food Pantry
C．New Life in America	D．From War to Peace

2 . On the morning of Jan. 21st, 2023, I was taking the subway to work as usual. A quiet subway ride felt like a mini ________ from my busy life. Yet I found myself spending that ________ time browsing my endless messages on the phone.

One day, I put down my phone and started writing ________ notes to people who had contributed to a donation activity I had ________. When I got off the train, I was in a noticeably ________ mood. Then an idea struck me that I could write one for every day of that year. As an organizer and consultant, I had no ________ of people I could write to, so I picked out a different ________ for each month to keep on task. January was “charity”, February was …, and I thought of ________ names right away.

In July, my “________” month, I had become good at getting my memories back and ________ people to send my notes to. On the top of the list was Jenny, a(n) ________ chef. She had cooked at my favorite restaurant (It is now closed down). I thanked her and specially mentioned her biscuits ________ into the Roman number Ⅵ for our sixth wedding anniversary.

________, I received a note back from her, ________ “I have never received such a touching letter before. It was ________ expectation and unbelievably thoughtful. And so needed at a time when I’m ________ professionally. Your letter was a fantastic reminder that ________ back is a good motivation for moving forward.”

Part of the ________ of what I did was ________ with people like Jenny — people, who weren’t ________visitors in my life but made a lasting impact. And I wouldn’t have known if I had not reached out.

1.

A．activity

B．carriage

C．adventure

D．vacation

2.

A．nervous

B．temporary

C．precious

D．unforgettable

3.

A．apology

B．invitation

C．cheer-up

D．thank-you

4.

A．hosted

B．witnessed

C．attended

D．missed

5.

A．better

B．calmer

C．funnier

D．heavier

6.

A．resource

B．shortage

C．idea

D．awareness

7.

A．person

B．colour

C．theme

D．letter

8.

A．seven

B．twelve

C．thirty

D．thirty-one

9.

A．neighbour

B．family

C．trip

D．food

10.

A．requiring

B．identifying

C．encouraging

D．contacting

11.

A．gentle

B．responsible

C．considerate

D．honest

12.

A．shaped

B．filled

C．drawn

D．developed

13.

A．Luckily

B．Surprisingly

C．Finally

D．Hopefully

14.

A．writing

B．addressing

C．printing

D．reading

15.

A．out of

B．owing to

C．free from

D．up to

16.

A．struggling

B．thinking

C．hesitating

D．progressing

17.

A．moving

B．calling

C．stepping

D．looking

18.

A．task

B．magic

C．concept

D．praise

19.

A．reuniting

B．fighting

C．reconnecting

D．exchanging

20.

A．useful

B．important

C．frequent

D．necessary

3 . Li Jing, 29, currently serves as the director assistant to the village secretary of Maotianping Village Committee in Cuijiaba, a town in Hubei province. Li is a native of this village and was one of the first from her community to achieve higher education. She studied hotel management and tourism. After graduation, she started a career in the hotel industry in Wuhan. However, she made a decision last year to return to her village. She wants to be an essential part of her hometown’s development, realizing her own personal value.

When Li returned to her hometown, she received unconditional support from her family, despite some villagers’ questioning her decision. She resolved to prove herself through determination and action.

Her job involves extensive communication with the villagers, with over half of her workload about promoting potato production, the main business of the village. Li and the villagers regularly hold meetings in the village square, where they share insights on potato planting techniques, sales channels, market trends, and more. These gatherings provide her with opportunities to equip the villagers with planting tools and offer a window for them to voice their concerns and experiences.

In her spare time, Li remains closely connected with the villagers through regular conversations. She admits that it demands a considerable investment of time and energy, but it’s all worthwhile.

Li has very fond memories of an incident from last year when one villager had a poor potato crop. Although her potatoes were unimpressive in terms of size and quality, she held faith in Li and worked tirelessly and enthusiastically. Li never forgets the smiles on the villagers’ faces at harvest time, which is the ultimate reward for her.

In the near future, Li hopes to continue helping her fellow villagers raise their potato production and increase their income. Her long-term vision is to promote urban-rural integration (整合).

1. Why did Li Jing desire to start a career in her hometown?

A．She received higher education.	B．What she has learned could help her.
C．She intended to live her dream.	D．She failed to start her own business in Wuhan.

2. Which words can best describe Li Jing?

A．Passionate and hardworking.	B．Strong-willed and competent.
C．Warm-hearted and easy-going.	D．Selfless and thoughtful.

3. Why the incident is mentioned in paragraph 5?

A．To show Li Jing’s inability in potato planting.

B．To prove Li Jing’s success in gaining villagers trust.

C．To put emphasis on the hardship of potato planting.

D．To give evidence of Li Jing’s efforts.

4. Which of the following can be the best title?

A．No Pain, No Gain	B．East or West, Home Is Best
C．Graduates, Welcome Home	D．From the Village, for the Village

4 . There’s nothing more frightening than feeling adrift (漂浮着) and out of control — now imagine if you were a six-year-old girl in the ocean!

When a little girl recently was swept out to sea on a raft (橡皮艇), her father frantically ( 拼命地) called for a(n) _________ — but there was none to be found. _________ , the four Butler brothers took action, running to the ocean and _________ toward the little girl as fast as they could. The _________ rescue, which took an hour, inspired everyone around them. “I knew the water was getting deep, but I didn’t _________ ,” Declan Butler, who, at age 18, is the youngest brother along with his twin Eoghan, told The Washington Post. “I just didn’t want to _________ her.”

At one point, the little girl appeared to _________ the raft, and the brothers were _________, but then they saw her rise above the water again. From that point, the brothers _________ to swim for another half-hour before getting close enough to call out to the girl to keep her __________.

“It was emotional,” Alex Thomson, brother-in-law to the Butlers, said. “If anything, it was extremely rewarding __________ we got to her.”

In the time it took them to __________ her, the young girl’s father was __________ to carry on swimming and was also in __________ of rescuing. Once the little girl was __________ on the beach, twins Declan and Eoghan swam out to __________ her father too.

“Seeing her jump around and kiss her mom was really __________,” Declan said. Two days after they saved the six-year-old, the brothers were reflecting on the strange __________ of it all. Their grandfather __________ on that same day, decades before their rescue. By saving a young girl, they felt they had __________ their grandfather.

1.

A．shelter

B．lifeguard

C．organizer

D．instructor

2.

A．Still

B．Otherwise

C．Moreover

D．Instead

3.

A．boating

B．surfing

C．swimming

D．walking

4.

A．unpleasant

B．unfortunate

C．successful

D．medical

5.

A．notice

B．care

C．refuse

D．insist

6.

A．give up on

B．break away from

C．get along with

D．stand up for

7.

A．put off

B．switch off

C．show off

D．fall off

8.

A．excited

B．disappointed

C．terrified

D．embarrassed

9.

A．waited

B．continued

C．pretended

D．happened

10.

A．healthy

B．silent

C．modest

D．calm

11.

A．once

B．until

C．because

D．though

12.

A．call

B．reach

C．remind

D．stop

13.

A．hesitating

B．expecting

C．struggling

D．intending

14.

A．celebration

B．search

C．need

D．memory

15.

A．ready

B．found

C．trapped

D．safe

16.

A．recognize

B．assist

C．join

D．welcome

17.

A．shocking

B．confusing

C．amazing

D．challenging

18.

A．symbolism

B．wisdom

C．intention

D．outcome

19.

A．survived

B．drowned

C．volunteered

D．appeared

20.

A．inspired

B．forgiven

C．repaid

D．honored

5 . In the late 19th century, there was a poor farmer in Scotland named Fleming. He was ________ and always ready to help others. One day when he was ________ in the field, he suddenly heard a cry for help in the wetland nearby. It ________ that a boy was trapped in the wetland. Seeing the mud up to his ________, Fleming immediately jumped into the wetland and ________ to save the boy. The next day, a brand-new ________ from a distant place stopped at the farmer’s door. An elegant gentleman got off the carriage and ________himself as the boy’s father. The gentleman brought the farmer many precious gifts ________saving his son, but the farmer refused. He ________ that saving others was what he should do. It ________ that the gentleman saw the farmer’s son playing in a dirty suit. He thought about it and said to the ________, “In this case, I have a ________. You saved my son’s life and I want him to ________ the best education in Britain.”The farmer agreed ________. Later, the farmer’s son graduated from St. Mary’s Medical School in England and became the ________ Sir Fleming Alexander. He is the inventor of penicillin (青霉素), which has saved ________ lives. Years later, the gentleman’s son caught pneumonia. What saved his life? Penicillin. Who was the gentleman’s son? Churchill, the prime minister of Britain during World War II.

This story tells us that the simple and kind Scottish farmer’s ________ in saving others without ________ any return, brought his own child a good opportunity. And because of his child’s achievement, he ________ the gentleman’s child, who became British prime minister of World War II. The kindness of an ordinary farmer ________ changed the whole world.

1.

A．determined

B．kind

C．anxious

D．disappointed

2.

A．working

B．drinking

C．regretting

D．weeping

3.

A．figured out

B．pointed out

C．worked out

D．turned out

4.

A．leg

B．ankle

C．chest

D．foot

5.

A．managed

B．tried

C．decided

D．hoped

6.

A．bicycle

B．car

C．carriage

D．truck

7.

A．recommended

B．introduced

C．treated

D．served

8.

A．in honor of

B．in favor of

C．in exchange for

D．in return for

9.

A．felt

B．announced

C．declared

D．sworn

10.

A．happened

B．seemed

C．followed

D．appeared

11.

A．son

B．farmer

C．parent

D．witness

12.

A．demand

B．suggestion

C．decision

D．plan

13.

A．spread

B．promote

C．obtain

D．continue

14.

A．clearly

B．eventually

C．interestingly

D．unexpectedly

15.

A．world-famous

B．good-looking

C．easy-going

D．hard-working

16.

A．energetic

B．extraordinary

C．countless

D．unbelievable

17.

A．approach

B．behavior

C．anecdote

D．manner

18.

A．receiving

B．sending

C．reporting

D．seeking

19.

A．defeated

B．recognized

C．cured

D．adopted

20.

A．commonly

B．necessarily

C．especially

D．actually

6 . It’s a rare thing, in this day and age, to move into a new neighborhood and find yourself warmly welcomed by the local inhabitants (居民).

Glenda and Raphael Savitz_________in 2011 and moved to Boston. Glenda was with child before the move and within three months, they gave_________ to Samantha. Unfortunately, something was wrong. A week or so of _________ showed that little Samantha had been born completely deaf. The Savitzs were completely _________.

Jill and the other _________wanted to do something to make things easier for the family. What they decided was that they were going to_________sign language as a group to help Samantha to communicate as she grew. As remarkable and _________ an undertaking (任务) as this sounds, the neighborhood_________to take on the burden of learning an entirely second language all for the_________of their youngest member. People were working hard and hoped to__________with the little girl, which was an inspirational thing for them to do.

Finally, the time had come to__________Raphael, Glenda, and Samantha what they had accomplished. As soon as the__________arrived, they found themselves touched by the welcoming signs of their friends and neighbors. Glenda recalled it as one of the most __________experiences she’d ever felt. A present for Samantha would have made her __________, but this means so much more. “People are putting in so much time and energy to learn a language for my little girl. I don’t have__________for that.” Glenda explained.

1.

A．married

B．returned

C．graduated

D．retired

2.

A．voice

B．advice

C．birth

D．information

3.

A．experiments

B．operations

C．surveys

D．tests

4.

A．cheated

B．shocked

C．mistaken

D．frightened

5.

A．neighbors

B．volunteers

C．colleagues

D．doctors

6.

A．interpret

B．learn

C．design

D．instruct

7.

A．challenging

B．boring

C．unexpected

D．unnecessary

8.

A．waited

B．stopped

C．agreed

D．continued

9.

A．decision

B．recovery

C．health

D．benefit

10.

A．communicate

B．argue

C．compete

D．compare

11.

A．ask

B．show

C．remind

D．promise

12.

A．performers

B．guests

C．family

D．organizer

13.

A．formal

B．emotional

C．satisfying

D．relaxing

14.

A．confused

B．shameful

C．curious

D．grateful

15.

A．problems

B．methods

C．words

D．advantages

7 . Khanna, a chef and humanitarian (慈善家), but most popularly known as the judge of MasterChef India, has a huge fanbase.

Eleven years back in 2013, Khanna was on a flight to New York. On the _________, an air hostess came up _________ him to meet a woman for a few minutes, who was _________ to speak to him.

Khanna _________ agreed, and a woman in her 60s came to see him. He respectfully _________ and said, “pairi painna,” a practice to touch the feet of your _________ as a sign of respect.

The woman said she saw him _________ the plane and so wanted to see him. Khanna asked her where she came from, and she replied that he might not have _________ the place as it’s a tiny village in Kolhapur. But Khanna’s instant _________ was, “It’s one of my __________ cities.”

She smiled and asked him to __________, too, just like a mother making her child greet. Khanna smiled, and she looked at him with __________ eyes and then thanked him.

The woman then prepared to leave and told him that she __________ every episode of MasterChef India only to see him smile because it __________ her of her late son, and it feels like his smile brings her son to __________ again.

She gave him good wishes and then left. Khanna then __________ on social media that whenever he feels __________ or under pressure, he thinks of the woman’s words and smiles and feels better.

This is what __________ is all about. You don’t realize the __________ of doing something good for someone, but it __________ affects you too!

1.

A．express

B．cab

C．coach

D．aircraft

2.

A．requesting

B．arguing

C．forcing

D．teaching

3.

A．nervous

B．confident

C．eager

D．shy

4.

A．bravely

B．instantly

C．proudly

D．finally

5.

A．slipped away

B．bowed down

C．broke in

D．set off

6.

A．elders

B．daughters

C．classmates

D．relatives

7.

A．repairing

B．landing

C．observing

D．boarding

8.

A．stared at

B．heard of

C．looked for

D．escaped from

9.

A．apology

B．suggestion

C．reaction

D．approval

10.

A．favorite

B．unfamiliar

C．uncomfortable

D．strange

11.

A．calm

B．listen

C．laugh

D．succeed

12.

A．watery

B．dark

C．sharp

D．sleepy

13.

A．produces

B．directs

C．avoids

D．watches

14.

A．warns

B．convinces

C．accuses

D．reminds

15.

A．relief

B．life

C．attention

D．dream

16.

A．shared

B．advocated

C．imagined

D．promised

17.

A．ashamed

B．proud

C．low

D．astonished

18.

A．custom

B．operation

C．adventure

D．kindness

19.

A．excuse

B．knowledge

C．importance

D．tension

20.

A．controversially

B．positively

C．randomly

D．temporarily

8 . A car store in my hometown sold six to eight new cars a day. And 72 percent of this store’s first-time visitors returned for a second ________ . I was curious about how it ________.

On one particular June morning, my wife Jane said to me, “Today’s my fifth anniversary of being ________.” She suffered from it five years ago and had undergone surgery. I was ________ because I had forgotten it. To mark this special occasion, I did the most impetuous thing in my life: I ________ a new car in the car store I mentioned. I didn’t pick the ________ or the model, but I paid cash and told the staff I’d bring Jane to make those two ________. I also told them that it was my ________and hoped they didn’t reveal anything to her. Then one morning, it occurred to me that Jane always wanted a white car. So I called our sales consultant and asked him if he had anything ________ in the store. He said he had one ________ but he couldn’t promise it’d still be ________because they were selling so fast.

After I told Jane the biggest ________ to get her out of the house, we finally made our way to the car store. Jane quickly ________ the little white car. But I told her we could buy the car after our son graduated from college. Hearing what I said, she ________ walked to the front of the car. Then she ________a scream. There was a large sign, which said, “Congratulations, Jane. This car is yours. Five years cancer-free. Let’s treasure life!” I looked around and ________that there was no one in the store. Customers that came to the store were not ________ to enter; instead, the staff took them aside and ________ what was happening. Actually, our sales consultant had arranged it; ________, we could share the special moment alone.

Over the years, I’ve told this story as an example of the legendary ________.

1.

A．visit

B．try

C．chance

D．date

2.

A．arrived

B．ranked

C．happened

D．developed

3.

A．smoke-free

B．rent-free

C．tax-free

D．cancer-free

4.

A．confused

B．embarrassed

C．frightened

D．relieved

5.

A．bought

B．painted

C．borrowed

D．hired

6.

A．brand

B．color

C．number

D．type

7.

A．requests

B．decisions

C．donations

D．promises

8.

A．pleasure

B．opinion

C．secret

D．problem

9.

A．cheap

B．small

C．new

D．white

10.

A．left

B．sold

C．made

D．found

11.

A．available

B．possible

C．popular

D．convenient

12.

A．risk

B．concern

C．mistake

D．lie

13.

A．returned

B．forgot

C．noticed

D．recognized

14.

A．disappointedly

B．hurriedly

C．regularly

D．confidently

15.

A．ended in

B．held back

C．changed to

D．let out

16.

A．believed

B．discovered

C．expected

D．accepted

17.

A．reminded

B．prepared

C．forced

D．allowed

18.

A．guessed

B．presented

C．explained

D．ignored

19.

A．besides

B．otherwise

C．therefore

D．however

20.

A．symbol

B．service

C．design

D．character

9 . Dr. Tatiana Erukhimova is a physics professor at Texas A&M who aims to show her students, especially the young women, that there are no limits.

Only 25% of physics undergraduate students are female. Perhaps it is because boys grow up playing with machines and making drawings of fast cars and rocket explosions. But girls are just as curious about the way the world works — they just haven’t jumped into the culture of chemical reactions, energy and magnetic force with as much enthusiasm. That is, until they see one of Tatiana’s videos showing the science behind real life’s magic. Tatiana is really one of the few living female examples they could follow.

Her videos get millions of views. She is a ball of energy with a short haircut, a Russian accent and a lively personality that makes physics accessible to the younger audience. Young girls are attracted to Tatiana’s attractive demonstrations the way they flock to pop concerts. This is real. This is science they can participate in. This is an open door to endless possibilities.

“These short clips are the spark that inspires,” Tatiana says with so much excitement that it lights up the room. Everything she does involves students. She believes the magic in learning is when your peers are part of the demonstration, when you are part of the teaching process.

“She wants everything to be a celebration of science,” says one of Tatiana’s former students. And indeed, the classroom is in a party atmosphere, with students cheering when amazed by Newton’s law of motion, demonstrated by a spinning bicycle wheel held upright by the professor. It’s hard to tell who is more delighted, Tatiana or her students. She is an attraction for female students who are graduating college and working in the sciences in higher numbers than ever before.

Dr. Tatiana’s story began in Russia and her parents were both physicists. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Tatiana moved to Texas with her husband, also a physicist. They both teach at Texas A&M, and when Tatiana isn’t in the classroom, she is doing outreach with schoolchildren, amazing them with spinning lights that soon form words, liquid oxygen that shrinks objects and chemical reactions that expand matter to 10 times its size. But most importantly, she is expanding the audience of female physicists.

1. According to the passage, why do girls sometimes hesitate to jump into the culture of physics?

A．Lack of interest in chemical reactions.

B．Cultural differences in curiosity.

C．Absence of female role models.

D．Fear of liquid oxygen demonstrations.

2. Which of the following is TRUE about the videos mentioned in the passage?

A．They were made by a female physician.

B．They feature engaging demonstrations.

C．They are meant for Tatiana’s homeland.

D．They have received millions of likes online.

3. What is the primary focus of Dr. Tatiana’s outreach activities with schoolchildren?

A．Appealing to students with fascinating demonstrations.

B．Teaching students some difficult physics concepts.

C．Explaining the history of Newton’s law of motion.

D．Encouraging girls to attend parties and pop concerts.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Female Professor Rejecting Gender Barrier

B．Russian Physicist and Female Scientists

C．Physics Professor Stimulating Girls’ Passion

D．The Significance of Online Short Videos

10 . Last May, my 15-year-old son Ben, informed his mother and me that he would like to attend an upcoming rap concert of Kendrick Lamar. We told our son that he was too young to go to a concert in Toronto alone. But my son refused to take no for an answer.

A few weeks later I happened to be in Ottawa visiting my mother and her sister, Martha. I complained to them about the absurdity (荒唐) of my situation: a man in his fifties attending a rap concert so that his son could go! Then they told me a story.

In the summer of 1964, my aunt Martha, then an 11-year-old girl begged her father, Cuthbert, who was 61, to attend a concert of the Beatles. Cuthbert had to drive Martha from Ottawa to Montreal to see the Fab Four. Once the band came on the stage, the crowd exploded. Poor old Cuthbert didn’t know what had hit him. But as the band started to sing, Cuthbert found he was getting into it. His foot was tapping (轻拍). By the time McCartney started to sing, Cuthbert appeared to have forgotten that he was a respected lawyer.

If Cuthbert could attend a Beatles concert without embarrassing his daughter, I could do something similar for my son. The first thing to do was to learn something about Mr. Lamar and his music. I downloaded and listened to all his albums. I even had some discussions with Ben about what to wear.

The truth is the concert was great. While Kendrick Lamar may still not be my favourite, I’m glad my son introduced me to him, and I’m glad I went.

Often, we don’t keep an open mind to new things and new experiences. Fortunately, we have children, like Ben and Martha, to help us do that.

1. What did the author complain about to his mother and aunt?

A．He was too old to go to a rap concert.

B．His son argued with him again.

C．His son was so crazy about travel.

D．He had too many questions to answer.

2. What happened to Cuthbert when McCartney started to sing?

A．He got a bad headache.

B．He began to enjoy the concert.

C．He forgot the time for his work.

D．He was knocked off his feet.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．The Beatles concert.

B．The author’s feelings about the concert.

C．The author’s preparation for the concert.

D．Differences between the two concerts.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．New Information About My Family

B．How a Rapper Lifted My Day

C．What My Grandfather Did for His Kid

D．How My Son’s Determination Changed Me