1 . Charlie Jeffers, 17, a senior at Redwood High School in Marin County, Calif., has loved Lego since age 4. His room is full of Lego bricks. Noticing his friends start throwing away their old Lego collections, he hatched a plan. “Legos are pricey,” he noted. “Many can’t afford them.” He started collecting unwanted Lego parts from friends and neighbors, spreading the word through community notices and door-to-door visits.

The response was surprising. Donations of old Lego sets poured in, propelling Jeffers to formalize his efforts under the banner of Pass the Bricks. Together with a dedicated team of volunteers, Jeffers and his teammates carefully clean, sort, and repurpose collected Lego pieces into imaginative sets. These sets, each with roughly 20 to 60 pieces, are carefully made to create scenes such as blind dates or family photoshoots. Since its start in 2020, Pass the Bricks has made a significant success. With over 3,000 sets donated to date, Jeffers and his team are driven by two purposes: to reduce landfill waste and to provide Legos to children who might otherwise go without. Jeffers stresses the educational value of Lego, emphasizing its capacity to inspire creativity and learning.

Pass the Bricks has since expanded its reach nationwide, with volunteers in several states distributing sets to local charities. To ensure each set is presented with care, Jeffers uses donations and personal funds from his job at a gym to purchase affordable cardboard gift boxes online. These sets, accompanied by instructions and a photo of the finished product, are distributed to various organizations and directly to children at local schools.

Despite his approaching to college, Jeffers remains devoted to his commitment to Pass the Bricks. He plans to continue and expand the initiative, driven by a desire to share the joy and educational benefits of Lego with as many children as possible. “We’re grateful to share them with the kids and families we serve,” Jeffers expresses. Reflecting on his own Lego-filled childhood, he acknowledges its profound influence. “I aim to provide others with the same chance,” he emphasizes, echoing his ongoing commitment to sharing the joy of Lego with all.

1. What is the primary purpose of Pass the Bricks?

A．To generate profit from selling Lego sets.

B．To recycle old Lego pieces and reduce waste.

C．To compete with other Lego manufacturers.

D．To promote the use of Legos in professional settings.

2. Which best replaces the word “propelling” in paragraph 2?

A．Forcing.

B．Preventing.

C．Urging.

D．Expecting.

3. How does Jeffers ensure that each set is presented with care?

A．By relying on community contributions.

B．By investing in appropriate packaging materials.

C．By securing financial support through various means.

D．By distributing with charitable organizations nationwide.

4. What does Jeffers hope to achieve by continuing Pass the Bricks?

A．Establishing a sustainable company.

B．Earning recognition for his dedication.

C．Enhancing personal satisfaction and growth.

D．Sharing Lego joy with many children and families.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

An old man called Li Yubao living in a remote rural area asked his grandson on the phone what gifts he wanted for     1     Spring Festival. His grandson said a word. He     2     (hear) the word “Pegga” for the first time, when he talked with his grandson through the cellphone. He didn’t know what Pegga was. So grandpa Li began an interesting journey     3     (discover) what Pegga was.

Grandpa Li asked his neighbors,     4     nobody around knew the answer. Grandpa Li didn’t give up. He continued     5     (ask) more people in the village     6     (patient). He got a brief answer from a local woman,     7     used to work in the city. She explained to him that “Pegga” was a pink pig in the cartoon. With     8     (imagine), he created a pink “Pegga” model made     9     irons and steels. It amazed his grandson. Although the Pegga made by grandpa Li was not the exact one, his family     10     (member) were moved deeply. They all loved the gift “Pegga”.

3 . Born with hearing loss, Emily Jensen faced difficulties while pursuing (追求) a career she truly felt passionate about. As others doubted her abilities, all she hoped for was a chance to unlock her true potential (潜能) and feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. Jensen’s chance finally materialized when Cornell offered her an opportunity she had been seeking for nearly a decade.

Jensen first applied to the university for a job opening as a human resources (HR) assistant at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) . Although she didn’t make it to the final round of interviews, a worker approached Jensen and suggested she connect with Larry, the head for human resources at the ILR School.

“They saw something in me,” Jensen said. “So, I met with Larry and his team. They were looking to develop their department and decided to bring me on board as an HR assistant.”

When Jensen first came on board at ILR, she needed special technology for her computer. Because of her hearing loss, additional equipment, such as a soundbar, is necessary to hear. “My team provided this from day one,” Jensen said. “It feels really good to be able to come into an environment that was already set up for my success from the very beginning.”

For many, disclosing a disability is not an easy thing to do, especially in the workplace. Fortunately, the ILR School and Jensen’s new HR team have created an environment where she not only feels comfortable doing so but is also valued for the role she plays.

“It’s a testament (证明) to my team and Larry, who is my biggest cheerleader,” Jensen said. “It was he who brought me on and saw what I was capable of, which led me to develop so much trust in myself.”

1. What can we know about Jensen?

A．She failed to attend college.	B．She used to study at Cornell.
C．She topped other interviewees.	D．She had trouble finding a job.

2. What impression did the ILR School give Jensen on the first workday?

A．Coldness.

B．Warmth.

C．Loneliness.

D．Humour.

3. What did Jensen want to say in the last paragraph?

A．She is grateful to Larry.	B．She is a good cheerleader.
C．She will build a positive culture.	D．She saw her team make progress.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．The Impressive Achievement	B．The Road to a Successful Life
C．The Chance that Changed It All	D．The Offer that Saved a Professor

4 . I recently retired from twenty-three fulfilling years as a classroom teacher. I always _________ my success in hugs and smiles from my students, not by data and test scores. I always _________ that I would have a positive influence on each of the young lives.

One day, I was standing in the checkout line of a local grocery store when I heard a _________ voice behind me “Excuse me, miss, but I think you were my seventh grade teacher.” I turned and had to _________ the speaker, a young man well over six feet tall.

He told me his name, and I _______ remembered which class he had been in, and even how he had _________ reading. We _________ briefly, and I asked what he was doing these days. “I am going to college,” he answered. “I want to be a _________ teacher.” “Wait a minute,” I said. “The Eddie I remember _________ to read.”

“Yes, ma’am. That was me. Because of how you never gave up on me, I now __________ I can make a difference,” he continued. “If you had not made me realize I had some __________, if you had not believed in me and if you had not __________ me, I would never have gone to college.”

I know how __________ one teacher can impact the life of a person who does not believe in himself. We may never know how much influence we have had on them, but when a __________ student reaches out and says, “Thank you,” I feel a ________ that will accompany me for the rest of my life.

1.

A．celebrated

B．shared

C．measured

D．achieved

2.

A．predicted

B．explained

C．confirmed

D．prayed

3.

A．curious

B．hesitant

C．plain

D．sweet

4.

A．look up at

B．hold on to

C．catch up with

D．get away from

5.

A．instantly

B．temporarily

C．secretly

D．doubtfully

6.

A．anticipated

B．fancied

C．practised

D．hated

7.

A．looked

B．joked

C．chatted

D．debated

8.

A．music

B．reading

C．business

D．sports

9.

A．refused

B．intended

C．preferred

D．promised

10.

A．deny

B．believe

C．complain

D．declare

11.

A．privilege

B．weaknesses

C．potential

D．questions

12.

A．entertained

B．stopped

C．attracted

D．encouraged

13.

A．precisely

B．powerfully

C．thoroughly

D．fearfully

14.

A．former

B．courageous

C．naughty

D．troublesome

15.

A．growth

B．desire

C．warmth

D．signal

5 . One Saturday in December, Annacarin Elf, the head of operations at Gothenburg City Library, just happened to walk by her workplace. Noticing that the door was open, she entered the library, and was astonished to see the heartwarming scene that people were using it like on a regular day.

It was scheduled to be closed for the New Year holiday. The people in the library behaved as usual. Many were sitting reading newspapers, some families were in the children's section and others were searching for books on the computer.

It seemed that Elf's colleagues had simply forgotten to lock the door, and because this popular library is usually open on Saturdays. visitors just assumed they could walk in. Elf called to check with her staff team, before announcing to the people present that the library was about to close. Then she expressed her regret for what had been done wrong and caused them a problem. It later turns out that 446 locals visited the city library borrowing a total of 246 books during the day. What's remarkable is that people checked out their books through the library's electronic self-service system, and that to date, all the books have been retuned!

Many Swedes have reacted positively to this uplifting demonstration of local respect for the library, a center that can be seen as a sign of the community, and what the locals did has strengthened their sense of belonging in their community.

Elf says, “Nothing was destroyed. It's amazing that Gothenburgers entered an empty library and treated and so lovingly.” The city leader has even suggested that this unusual Saturday serve as an accidental experiment to analyse the possibility of operating a totally automated library without staff.

1. Why did Elf feel surprised after entering the library?

A．The library staff were in it.	B．People kept reading on holidays.
C．People came in without permission.	D．It was used though supposed to be closed.

2. What did Elf do that Saturday?

A．She left the library open.	B．She asked the staff back.
C．She apologized to the visitors.	D．She read books in the library.

3. What do many Swedes think of the behavior of Gothenburg locals?

A．It displays community spirit.	B．It gives the library much uplift.
C．It is a positive reaction to society.	D．It strengthens trust between people.

4. What does the author want to convey through the story?

A．People tend to show care for others.	B．Life is always full of the unexpected.
C．Libraries can be automated sometimes.	D．A library can bring out the best in people.

6 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写 一个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Jeremy Hampden prepared the speech carefully and went to the wedding with his daughter, Jenny. He had included a large number of funny stories in the speech and, of course, it was a great success. As soon as he     1    （finish）, Jenny told him she wanted to go home. On the way home, he asked Jenny     2     she had enjoyed the speech. To his surprise, she said she hadn’t because she did not like to see so many people     3    （laugh）at him!

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The art competition at school was always a highly anticipated event. This year was no exception, with students from all grades eager to showcase their creative talents. Among them were two friends, Jane and Sally.

Jane had a deep passion for art, but she often struggled with expressing her ideas on paper. She would spend hours in front of a blank canvas (画布), trying to capture the perfect image in her mind, but her efforts often fell short. Sally, on the other hand, was naturally talented and her artworks were always praised by teachers and classmates.

As the competition drew nearer, Jane worked harder than ever, staying up late into the night to perfect her piece. Sally, however, seemed to take it all in stride (大步走), casually sketching and painting without much effort. She often teased Jane about her lack of talent, making jokes that were meant to be light-hearted but stung Jane deeply.

On the day of the competition, Jane’s heart was filled with both excitement and fear. She had worked so hard on her piece, but she knew that it still paled in comparison to Sally’s effortless creations. As she set up her canvas and began to paint, she could feel Sally’s eyes on her, mocking (嘲笑) her every move.

Halfway through the competition, Jane encountered a difficult obstacle. She couldn’t seem to capture the essence of her subject the way she wanted to, and her frustration mounted. She looked around at the other students, seeing their confident strokes and vibrant colors, and she felt a pang of defeat. She wanted to give up, to throw away her brush and walk away.

But just as she was about to do so, she caught sight of Sally. Sally wasn’t laughing or mocking her now; instead, she looked at Jane with a mixture of surprise and concern. It was as if she realized that her words had hurt Jane more than she had intended. And in that moment, Jane found a new resolve. She wasn’t going to let Sally’s words or her own doubts defeat her. She was going to finish her piece, no matter what.

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。

With renewed determination, Jane returned to her canvas.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She heard her name announced as the winner of a special recognition award for perseverance and dedication.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . Last Monday, when I walked into a supermarket, my daughter, Charlotte, said she would buy me some flowers. I came home with a beautiful bouquet (花束), a(n)_______gift I enjoyed. That reminded me of the old days.

When my kids were younger, sometimes I noticed them_______something on a shop shelf, and I asked what they wanted to take home. Or I saw something while shopping by myself and thought which child would love that. I’d buy it and gave it to the_______child. We may be apprehensive about buying_______for our children. Should we be careful about what we give them because they might_______something every time we go shopping? What if we have several_______? If we buy something for one of them, will we have to buy something for everyone to be_______?

Despite the_______, I still bought gifts just to spread joy. After careful teaching, nothing terrible happened. My kids didn’t_______more when we went shopping. They always appreciated whatever I gave them. The child__________a gift would smile with delight, and the other children were pleased too. They shared the joy__________.

Now they do the same for me__________. Yesterday, I was too unwell to__________my son, James, to the mall. He said he would bring home something nice to cheer me up. He returned with some beautiful sunflowers. Sometimes, I stop my writing and glance up at my flowers, and__________fills my heart.I truly feel __________.

1.

A．special

B．expensive

C．original

D．formal

2.

A．putting up

B．looking at

C．paying for

D．bringing back

3.

A．noisy

B．lonely

C．right

D．intelligent

4.

A．gifts

B．clothes

C．books

D．flowers

5.

A．reveal

B．check

C．expect

D．learn

6.

A．goods

B．children

C．choices

D．memories

7.

A．common

B．practical

C．fair

D．wise

8.

A．fact

B．risk

C．inspection

D．concern

9.

A．investigate

B．request

C．forecast

D．consult

10.

A．creating

B．ignoring

C．receiving

D．donating

11.

A．unwillingly

B．precisely

C．randomly

D．cheerfully

12.

A．in advance

B．in return

C．in place

D．in time

13.

A．move

B．guide

C．track

D．accompany

14.

A．joy

B．worry

C．change

D．curiosity

15.

A．surprised

B．confused

C．cheated

D．loved

9 . 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

10 . About eight years ago, Li Jinglong and Guan Dian visited the Palace Museum in Beijing. The cloisonne (景泰蓝瓷器) objects on display attracted them in particular. They spent hours looking at those beautiful objects. They just couldn’t take their eyes off them.

Born and raised in Beijing, 35-year-old Li is no stranger to cloisonne, since there were a pair of cloisonne vases in his grandparents’ home. His wife, 34-year-old Guan, who learned to paint as a child and later became a designer after graduating from the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, is also familiar with cloisonne, as it appears in her art books. As a result of their visit, the couple made the daring decision to open a workshop.

“We learned cloisonne after seeing the pieces displayed in the Palace Museum. We wanted to turn our hobby into a career, so that people could enjoy and learn to make the craft themselves,” said Li, who worked in a finance company before quitting his job to launch Handcraft Addicted, a DIY workshop where participants can make cloisonne. Since 2018, they have opened three workshops in Beijing. They are happy to give people a glimpse of the traditional techniques of cloisonne as part of a DIY experience.

Instead of focusing on making traditional cloisonne objects , such as plates and vases, the workshop allows participants to create the designs they want on surface of glass, resin (树脂) or wood. Although the process has been simplified, it is still not easy for people trying cloisonne for the first time to succeed. Participants spend months making one piece, which they take home or give friends as presents. It’s a luxury for people to spend time alone and fully focus on one thing nowadays because of the fast pace of life. Participants come to the workshop not only to create art, but also to take a break from their busy lives.

1. What can we learn about the couple?

A．They both grew up in Beijing.	B．They both majored in cloisonne art.
C．They both quit their previous jobs.	D．They are both familiar with cloisonne.

2. What inspired the couple to open Handcraft Addicted?

A．Their grandparents’ cloisonne vases.	B．Their hobby in handcraft techniques.
C．Cloisonne objects in Guan’s art books.	D．Cloisonne on exhibition in the Palace Museum.

3. In Handcraft Addicted, ______.

A．the first attempt is often simple

B．participants relax themselves while creating art

C．the couple make cloisonne objects by themselves

D．it is a luxury to make traditional cloisonne objects

4. Which of the following can best describe the couple?

A．Modest.

B．Generous.

C．Creative.

D．Outgoing.