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. |
| A．Their clothing. | B．Their language. |
| C．Their children. | D．Their ID documents. |
| 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. |
| 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 . 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. |
| A．Passionate and hardworking. | B．Strong-willed and competent. |
| C．Warm-hearted and easy-going. | D．Selfless and thoughtful. |
| 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. |
| A．No Pain, No Gain | B．East or West, Home Is Best |
| C．Graduates, Welcome Home | D．From the Village, for the Village |
3 . 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
4 . 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
5 . On my son Andrew’s 15th birthday, I took him to a shoe store to get a pair of shoes. We arrived right when the store opened because Andrew is a nonspeaking autistic(自闭) and prefers shopping when it’s not busy. After choosing the desired shoes, we paid and thanked the clerks. “It’s Andrew’s birthday today. Fifteen!” I said. “Happy birthday! they said. ”Have fun!
Instead of having Andrew point to the “thank you” symbol on his picture chart, I hold up his letter board. For 10 years, Andrew has used a picture chart to communicate. The images represent important and common words;people, places, food, greetings and activities. Years ago, we discovered that Andrew could communicate more than just his basic needs via a letter board. He can point to the letters and spell out words, statements, thoughts.
Using the letter board requires significant time and effort for Andrew, but it gives him an opportunity to share far more of who he is than he can convey through pictures and basic words. So instead of dashing out, I hold up the letter board and ask Andrew how he’d like to respond. The store clerks are quiet, watching. Andrew points to each letter, one by one: “Thank you.”I smile and turn to leave.
One of the clerks, a man about my age, speaks up: Um, can I ask you . . what is that? Because I have a brother-in-law ... and he doesn’t talk. “Oh! This is an alphabet board that Andrew uses to communicate,” I reply. “We’ve practiced it for years. It’s quite incredible, as we just didn’t know Andrew was so in there”. We didn’t even know this tool existed-it’s relatively uncommon. It’s changed everything for us, for our family, for Andrew. ”
This is what happens when we invite others into our humanness, and we allow them to share theirs. “Let me give you my contact info, as well as the website of the spelling-to- communicate organization, ” I continue. I ask the clerk about his brother-in-law. He tells us that Jason is 30 and doesn’t prefer to speak, but he can do a lot for himself. Still, no one really knows him. Maybe there’s more, the clerk wonders.
“Amazing!” I say. “We’ve met people-haven’t we, Andrew? -who started using this method when they were 50 or 5 or 15! Andrew, what do you think? ”Andrew starts pointing to letters: “Tell Jason…”
I choke up. Sometimes I forget how powerful the letter board is. How powerful Andrew is. “Tell Jason he will change everyone’s opinion of him in 26 letters. We are all moved, inspired, thrilled. ”Wow, the clerk says.
“Thank you.” Andrew smiles.
1. What is the purpose of the letter board mentioned in the passage?| A．To display birthday messages. |
| B．To communicate using pictures. |
| C．To spell out words and convey thoughts. |
| D．To create an alphabet chart. |
| A．He is curious about the author’s shopping preferences. |
| B．He wants to know if the letter board is for sale. |
| C．He has a relative who doesn’t prefer to speak. |
| D．He is trying to sell a similar communication device. |
| A．Jason should learn to use the letter board. |
| B．Jason has the power to influence people. |
| C．Jason’s opinions about others will change. |
| D．Jason needs to express himself in 26 words. |
| A．The Power of 26 Letters | B．Uncommon Communication Methods |
| C．Communication Tools and Autism | D．The Power of A Birthday Present |
6 . The sun is shinning. I get on No. 151 bus. I’m heading for my office. The sight on the bus is striking: People sit so close together, using those thin sheets of newspapers to keep their distance.
As the bus approaches the National Park, a voice suddenly rings out, “Attention! Attention! This is your driver speaking.”
No one speaks. We look at the back of the driver’s head. His voice carries authority. “Put your papers down. All of you.” The newspapers come down and they are placed on our laps.
“Now, turn and face the person next to you. Go ahead.” Amazingly, we all do it. Still, no one smiles. Just follow the order.
I face an old woman, her head wrapped tightly in a red scarf. I see her nearly everyday. Our eyes meet. We wait for the next order from the driver. We smile to each other. There is a feeling of relief. The barrier (隔阂) has been broken. We cannot help saying, “Good morning, neighbor.”
It is not so hard after all. Some of us repeat it. Others shake hands. Many laugh. The bus driver says nothing more. Slowly, I hear laughter, a warm sound I have never heard before on the bus.
When we reach my stop, I say good-bye to my seatmate, and then jump from the doorstep. As No. 151 bus drives away, I smile as I watch the happy faces of the passengers. This day is starting off better than most.
1. Where does the story take place according to the passage?| A．On a street. | B．On a bus. | C．In a park. | D．In an office. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Unclear. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．To stress the effect of reading on people. | B．To introduce the ways of communicating. |
| C．To ask people to use more public transport. | D．To encourage people to break the barriers. |
7 . Daniel, at age 17, is a student support captain at Armidale High School, a motivational speaker and a published author. He also has autism (自闭症), something he says doesn’t define him but inspires him.
At just six months old Daniel had a stroke (中风) that left him physically impaired (受损的), unable to bear weight in his legs or move the left side of his body. Unable to walk and in a wheelchair until he was six years old, Daniel turned to books and could read fluently at age four.
According to the Autism Association of Western Australia, it is estimated that one in 100 people in Australia have autism. In 2018, there were 205, 200 Australians with autism, a 25. 1 percent increase from 164, 000 in 2015.
The idea of writing a book had been in Daniel’s mind for as long as he could remember. “It’s been one of my long-term goals and I feel very passionate and happy about doing it,” he said. With Mum’s help, Cracked As A Crab was born, the story of Chip, a crab who has autism and uses humour to make friends. “The response to it has been very positive. People are happy and excited for me,” Jacob said.
Now a published author, Daniel has plans to write more books. Not content with sitting idle (无所事事) while most students are studying for their exams, Daniel is busy involving others in his role as student support captain. He saw a gap in student support leaders within his school and wanted students with autism to be included. He is determined to have a long and successful career, and wants to inspire other people living with autism to achieve their dreams.
1. What happened to Daniel when he was 6?| A．He started to read. | B．He was able to walk. |
| C．He suffered a serious stroke. | D．He experienced a sudden weight gain. |
| A．It has won positive recognition. | B．It was finished by Daniel independently. |
| C．It is based on Daniel’s personal experiences. | D．It received financial support from Daniel’s friends. |
| A．Prepare for his exams. | B．Continue writing books. |
| C．Learn from other student support leaders. | D．Provide autistic students with career advice. |
| A．More Autistic Students Serve as Support Leaders |
| B．Mum Turns to Writing to Support Her Autistic Child |
| C．High School Pays More Attention to Autistic Students |
| D．Teenager Author with Autism Inspires Other Autistic Students |
8 . As the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s hit song “Bad Blood” go: “Cause, baby, now we got bad blood. You know it used to be mad love.” It’s a song about falling out of friendship, but to 14-year-old Hallie Barnard, who was born with a rare blood disorder, the song holds a much deeper meaning.
At just 15 months old, Barnard was diagnosed (诊断) with Diamon Blackfin Anemia, or DBA, and she spent most of her life in and out of the hospital. The Swiftie said she relied on the singer to bring her joy.
The only way to survive DBA is with a bone marrow transplant (骨髓移植) and Barnard was desperate for one. But she knew thousands of other patients are, too. So, a few years ago, she decided to do something about it, creating her own foundation: Hallie’s Heroes. “It started selfishly as just trying to save my life, but then we realized there were so many other children out there that needed a bone marrow transplant,” she said. “So, so far we’ve tested 8,000 people and found over 300 matches.”
After a 9-year wait, Barnard got her own match — through her own foundation. But more obstacles stood between her and normal life as a kid. The blood disorder led to a cancer diagnosis: osteosarcoma. She received surgery to cut the cancer out of her leg at MD Anderson in Houston.
The recovery was difficult, but Hallie said she stayed hopeful. “My survival instinct (本能) just kicked in. I was trying to do anything that I could to survive. So, of course, it was scary but in my mind, I was just thinking that I wanted to be at my sister’s future weddings. I wanted to play games and run again,” she said.
Her survival instinct —combined with Taylor Swift―helped her through her operation, where doctors cut her cancer out, and reattached her foot and ankle to her upper leg to work as a knee.
1. Why does the author mention Taylor Swift’s song “Bad Blood”?| A．To stress the power of music. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To show Taylor Swift’s popularity. |
| D．To state Taylor Swift’s song is a hit. |
| A．To raise money for her heroes. |
| B．To treat her rare blood disorder. |
| C．To help other children with DBA. |
| D．To have an operation for her cancer. |
| A．Strong-minded and selfish. | B．Hard-working and patient. |
| C．Kind and optimistic. | D．Outgoing and helpful. |
| A．Bad Blood Inspired a Little Girl |
| B．Hallie’s Heroes: a Useful Foundation |
| C．Taylor Swift: a Popular Singer with Teens |
| D．A Cancer Survivor Helped Others Find Matches |
9 . In casual conversations, there is a seemingly simple question I can never answer without hesitating — “Where are you from?”
I could say I am from Thailand, where I was born. Or I am from Mexico, where I spent the majority of my childhood. Or I am from the US, whose language is rooted into my life. In my mind, none of these answers are satisfying enough. After all, to be from somewhere carries expectations of understanding “your” culture and “your” home.
I feel envious whenever my friends say they’re “going home” for school breaks. As a student who frequently moves, I have never seen my living space as “home”, but “shelter”, another location to stay in before I unavoidably move again.
So, does this mean I do not have, and will never have, a home? I resign myself to living with this sense of sadness, until very recently.
In my dorm, inside my drawer is a specially designed white bath towel that I have not used since I brought it with me from my parents’ house. One day, I took it out, but stopped after smelling the soft, sweet laundry detergent (洗衣粉), the one my parents used back in Thailand. I felt my eyes water as that random smell brought my mixed emotions to the surface: sadness and nostalgia, a strong feeling of missing home. I still avoid using that towel until now because I don’t want to replace the smell of nostalgia with my newly-bought detergent.
Sadly, even with this new discovery, I will still struggle when answering where I am from, and I will always feel a sense of loss in not having a physical home to “go back to”. Yet, in random moments, when a smell catches me off guard (让我猝不及防) with the memories it brings, I like to believe that the things I feel then are things people feel when they are home. And if these moments can make me smile, even with a sense of loss, what better home can I ask for?
1. Why is the author unable to see his living space as “home”?| A．His living places often change. | B．He is unsatisfied with the place. |
| C．His expectations of “home” are high. | D．He can’t understand the culture there. |
| A．It was made in his hometown. | B．It is a present from his parents. |
| C．Its smell awakened his memories. | D．Its design wins his preference. |
| A．He no longer feels a sense of loss. |
| B．He feels a physical home is unnecessary. |
| C．He has got the answer to “Where are you from?” |
| D．He has found a sense of home in some moments. |
| A．A Man’s Home Is His Castle | B．There Is No Place Like Home |
| C．The Smell Brings Me Home | D．The Emotion Connects Me With Home |
10 . Brenda had a car accident that resulted in one of her legs being cut off. Since then she didn’t talk to anyone.
“I wish I could bring her friends to visit her,” Brenda’s mother said to the nurse. “But it’s too long a bus trip.” The nurse smiled, “Don’t worry. We have a plan.”
Later that day, the nurse asked Brenda to move to another room filled with light and music. “Here’s your new roommate, Annie Wiggle-Do,” the nurse said, pointing to a dark-haired teenager on the other bed. Annie smiled. As soon as the nurse left, she hopped (单脚跳) out of her bed and sat on Brenda’s.
“I lost one of my legs from bone cancer,” she said. “What happened to yours?” Brenda was so shocked that she couldn’t form a word. “You’re lucky,” Annie continued. “You’ve still got your knee. They had to take mine.”
Annie hopped back to her bed. “I’d like to have a chat with you, but my friends are coming any time now, so I have to get ready,”Annie said when she took off her “hair”! Her head was completely bald.
“Oh, you know, I lost my hair. But check this sign out!” Annie took out her wigs (假发), brown and yellow, long and short, straight and curly.
“That’s when I thought up ‘Annie Wiggle-Do’”, Annie said. “Get it? Any wig will do? Annie Wiggle-Do?”
When Annie’s friends came, she introduced Brenda to them all. Before long, Brenda started chatting with Annie and her friends happily. After the visitors left, the two girls talked and shared their dreams with each other. When it was time to go to bed, Brenda said, “Night, Annie Wiggle-Do. Can’t wait till morning.”
1. Why didn’t Brenda’s friends come to visit her?| A．She wasn’t allowed any visitors. | B．She didn’t want to see her friends. |
| C．Her friends were far away from her. | D．Her friends didn’t know she had an accident. |
| A．bought her a wig | B．had a party |
| C．let her share the same room with Annie | D．moved her to a room filled with flowers |
| A．discovered that Annie’s head was bald | B．was too surprised to say anything |
| C．thought up “Annie Wiggle-Do” | D．shared her dream with Annie |
| A．Patient. | B．Careful. | C．Strong. | D．Polite. |
