“Why did Dad’s job make us move to South America anyway?” I asked Mom. “The TV shows are in Spanish and I miss going to school. The worst part is that I don’t have any friends here. All of the kids speak Spanish.”
“I know it’s hard, sweetheart. I’m lonely here too,” Mom said. “It’s hard to make friends when I can’t talk to anybody.”
Mom hugged (拥抱) me. “We’ll only be living here for eight more months.”
At that moment, eight months sounded like forever. A few days later, Dad said that a man at his work had a daughter my age. “Would you like to invite her over to play?”
“Does she speak English?”
“No,” Dad said, “but I can teach you a few Spanish words so the two of you can talk a little bit.” I shrugged ( 耸 肩 ). “It’s hard to be friends with someone when you can’t really talk to them.” Dad nodded. “I understand, but you wished for a friend.”
“I mean a friend who speaks English.”
“I know, but this might be fun anyway. I’m going to ask her dad to bring her over to our house.”
The following afternoon, Maria and her dad came over. I felt funny because I didn’t know how we’d play together without being able to talk to one another.
“Hola,” I said quietly, which means “hi” in Spanish.
Maria smiled and said something I didn’t understand. I looked at Dad and whispered (低声说), “This isn’t going to work.”
“Give it a chance,” he said.
Then Maria showed me a cardboard box. She’d brought a game called Connect Four. Dad smiled. “You don’t need to speak the same language to play that game.”
Maria and I went to my bedroom and set up the game. We took turns putting the colored disks (圆片) into the board, trying to get four in a row. Suddenly Maria smiled and pointed at the four red pieces in a row.
I smiled and said, “You won. Good game.”
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。
Although I’m sure Maria didn’t understand my words, I could tell she understood my smile.
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As we were both laughing, I realized that although we spoke different languages, I’d actually made a friend.
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2 . Movies and TV shows see dolphins as helpful, playful creatures. “The world loves a good dolphin story,” Blake Morton, a scientist who studies animal behavior, told TIME. “And I think one reason for that is we see a lot of ourselves reflected in their behavior.”
Morton used scientific methods to test this. The result of this work is a new report showing that humans and dolphins share certain personality traits (个性特点).
The study included 134 bottlenose dolphins in eight countries. Each dolphin was observed and rated by several people, using a “dolphin personality questionnaire (调查表).” The questionnaire had more than 40 items. It included adjectives such as “playful” and “intelligent”. Scientists gave every dolphin a score from 1 to 5 for each item, based on how well it described the animal’s behavior.
From these ratings, Morton and his team were able to find personality traits that are common in dolphins. The results show that dolphins and humans have some similar personality traits. Most obviously, the two species (物种) share traits related to curiosity and sociability.
Morton’s dolphin study and others like it help us learn about other species. But they also help us learn about ourselves. “My kind of work comes from the spirit of trying to understand what made humans the way we are,” Morton says. “One way we can do that is to compare our behavior to other species.”
Scientists around the world are researching different animal species. Their research raises important questions that future scientists will work to answer. “It’s all a big puzzle (迷宫),” Morton says. “It takes thousands of careful papers being printed before you start to see the puzzle coming together.” He compares scientific research to pointillism. That’s a painting style in which an artist makes a picture using lots of tiny dots (点). “If you take a step back and look at all those little single points of work,” Morton says, “you’ll see a big picture come into view.”
1. What did Morton’s dolphin study find?| A．Dolphins are more popular in TV shows than other animals. |
| B．Dolphins have personality traits very similar to humans. |
| C．Dolphins are helpful and playful creatures. |
| D．Dolphins are more curious than humans. |
| A．The importance of studying dolphin behavior. |
| B．Why Morton’s team created the questionnaire. |
| C．How Morton’s team carried out the study. |
| D．The methods of observing dolphins. |
| A．Finding the similarities between dolphins and humans. |
| B．Having a deeper understanding of humans. |
| C．Protecting dolphins more scientifically. |
| D．Learning about other animals. |
| A．Progress in science is made little by little. |
| B．Scientific research should be taken seriously. |
| C．Art plays an important role in scientific research. |
| D．Scientists around the world should work together. |
3 . In her new book, Kate Leaver explores modern friendship. If the Internet is the cause of loneliness, she writes, it’s also the cure (解决方法).
Scientists have done studies that suggest a connection between social media and loneliness. But even they have to admit (承认) we do not know what came first: loneliness or social media. Does Twitter make us lonelier, or do we pick up our phones when we’re already lonely, looking for some kind of connection?
I’ve spoken to many people, both my own friends and strangers from the Internet, who would simply not have the same social life without social media. I know a woman who met all three of her bridesmaids ( 伴 娘 ) on Twitter. She says she feels her most real self when she’s online and the friends she’s made there are her closest friends. I met the woman on Twitter, did this interview online and now we’re also friends.
This is perhaps exactly the point: we can no longer quite so easily tell our online selves from what we’d call our in-real-life selves. We are becoming confident enough to put our online and offline selves together as we realise that using social media is an important way to develop friendships.
My best friends in the world live in Melbourne, New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans. I am, at any time, at least 5, 000 km away from them. Catch-ups (谈论近况) over dinner are not possible for us. And so, we spend most of our friendship exchanging stories and emojis on WhatsApp and Facebook.
Our group has become home to career advice and moral support (精神支持). I am saddened by anyone who would suggest our largely online friendship is in any way less important than people who have the chance to sit in the same room. We live in a world where technology is everywhere. So embrace it and you’ll get more than you expect.
1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To explore the reasons for loneliness. |
| B．To introduce Kate Leaver’s new book. |
| C．To bring up the topic of modern friendship. |
| D．To discuss the negative influence of the Internet. |
| A．She helps her online friends find their true selves. |
| B．She considers her social life very different. |
| C．She has lots of short-term online friends. |
| D．She speaks highly of online friendship. |
| A．She tries hard to have face-to-face catch-ups. |
| B．She pays more attention to her online friends. |
| C．She uses the Internet to maintain friendships. |
| D．She writes stories to stay in touch with her friends. |
| A．Stop. | B．Accept. |
| C．Change. | D．Discover. |
1. What has made working at home possible?
| A．Different job opportunities. | B．Living far from workplaces. | C．Communication industry. |
| A．Saving a lot of time. |
| B．Improving family members’ relationship. |
| C．Offering an environment for free movement. |
| A．A company no longer needs workers. |
| B．All workers will be foreigners in a company. |
| C．People can work at home for a foreign company. |
5 . Ritz has been teaching for nearly 10 years in a high school where the early graduation rate of the students was just 17%. He discovered a way to connect and intrigue these students, especially the ones who seemed the hardest to reach.
Once, he received a package of flower bulbs (球茎) which he mistakenly thought were onions. He was afraid that they might become weapons (武器) in a classroom fight, so he hid them behind a radiator (暖气片) and forgot about them.
Six weeks later, an angry girl ran after a boy who always made troubles. As usual, Ritz rushed towards them to break up what he thought was about to become a disaster. He saw the boy reach towards the radiator and thought he might have hidden a weapon there. To his surprise, the boy suddenly pulled out a bunch of yellow flowers and gave them to the girl as a peace offering. The girl decided to take the flowers home to her mother and peace came back.
The forgotten bulbs were actually daffodils (黄水仙). The steam from the radiator had forced them into flowers. From such an experience, Ritz realized that if there was power in plants to stop a classroom fight, there must be power in plants to change students’ lives. He turned the moment of growing plants into a green course, a movement that would change his life and the lives of his students. He designed vegetable gardens into part of the school ground and on top of a building.
Ritz’s students now have near-perfect attendance and graduation rates. His efforts have led him to be a great teacher who uses the power of a plant to give a voice to children.
1. What does the underlined word “intrigue” mean in paragraph 1?| A．Interest. | B．Protect. | C．Punish. | D．Challenge. |
| A．The radiator. | B．A tasty dish. |
| C．Some yellow flowers. | D．The teacher’s words. |
| A．They have low attendance. | B．They become the hardest to reach. |
| C．They know how to make weapons. | D．They fall in love with learning. |
| A．What a Classroom Needs for a Fight |
| B．Why a Plant Has an Effect on Students |
| C．How a Teacher Changes His Students |
| D．How a Teacher Becomes Popular |
6 . Antarctica (南极洲) is a great, icy land, surrounded by the huge Southern Ocean. The ice in Antarctica doesn’t just cover the land. There’s also a large area of sea ice, which floats (漂浮) on the ocean’s surface.
Scientists have been measuring the area of the sea ice in Antarctica since 1979. For most of this time, Antarctica has seemed to be almost not influenced by the changing weather conditions experienced in other parts of the planet. In fact, until recent years, Antartica’s sea ice area mainly set records for growing.
That began to change around 2016. Now, for several years, the area of Antartica’s sea ice has been getting smaller. This year, the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) reported that Antartica’s sea ice reached its maximum on September 10 — almost two weeks earlier than normal. And the sea ice was at a new record low — not just by a little bit, but by a lot.
The last time Antartica’s low sea ice set a record at the end of winter was in 1986. And this year, there’s about 1.03 million square kilometers less sea ice than in 1986. It’s hard to picture such a large area, but it’s around 1.6 times the size of France.
Scientists are still trying to understand what is driving the change in Antarctica. Ted Scambos, a research scientist at the University of Colorado, says, “Antarctica’s ice levels have always changed some, but the situation this year is pointing towards warmer ocean conditions around the area.”
The new low record has scientists worried. The sea ice is important, because it helps cool the planet. When it’s frozen, sea ice reflects sunlight back out into space. But when the sea ice melts (融化), the water left behind is darker, and takes in and keeps more heat.
1. What did NSIDC find about the sea ice in Antarctica this year?| A．It protected the wildlife in the ocean. | B．It grew and covered a wider area. |
| C．It turned out to be difficult to observe. | D．It reached a new record low level. |
| A．To present the total area of the country. |
| B．To introduce a new topic for discussion. |
| C．To show the sharp loss of Antarctica’s sea ice. |
| D．To explain the position of the wonderful land. |
| A．Low rainfall. | B．Rising temperatures. |
| C．Cold weather. | D．Short summer months. |
| A．It’s key to the earth’s cooling system. | B．It’s just a short-term problem. |
| C．It reminds us to find water resources. | D．It offers humans a bright future. |
7 . As children returned to school in Sweden last month, many of their teachers were putting a new importance on some traditional skills. These included reading printed books, quiet reading time and handwriting practice. Teachers were spending less time on digital products, online research and typing skills.
The return to traditional ways of learning might be the answer to questions raised by experts. They have questioned the country’s dependence on electronic technology in education. For example, schools in Sweden have introduced tablets (平板电脑) in preschools.
Lotta Edholm, Swedish Minister for Schools, was one of the biggest critics (反对者) of the level of technology in schools. “Sweden’s students need more textbooks,” Edholm said. “Physical books are important for student learning.” Edholm said last month that the government wants to reverse the decision made by the National Agency for Education to make digital products required in preschools. The ministry plans to stop digital learning for children under the age of six.
Sweden’s students score above the European average (平均分) for reading ability. But an international test of fourth grade reading levels showed Sweden’s children had lost ground between 2016 and 2021. “An overuse of electronic products during school lessons may cause kids to fall behind,” education experts said.
Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, a medical school centered on research, said in a statement last month, “It has been proved that digital tools harm rather than benefit student learning.” It added that schools should instead center on teaching using printed textbooks.
Not all experts think Sweden’s move away from digital technology is only about what is best for students. “It ignores the fact that technology improves learning,” said Neil Selwyn, a professor of education.
1. How does digital technology influence schools in Sweden?| A．They act as a role model. | B．They tend to depend on it. |
| C．They center on written tests. | D．They value students’ talents. |
| A．Acquire. | B．Change. | C．Recover. | D．Follow. |
| A．It is an ill-considered step. | B．It achieves great results. |
| C．It is easy to be carried out. | D．It opens children’s mind. |
| A．The Advantage of Traditional Skills |
| B．Recent Advances in Electronic Technology |
| C．Sweden Starts to Control Digital Products in Schools |
| D．Students in Europe Gave an Impressive Performance |
8 . At 104 years old, Dorothy Hoffner fell. Then she kept falling, and falling. When the lifelong Chicagoan finally touched the ground last Sunday, she landed in the history books and became the oldest person to ever sky-dive (跳伞).
As Hoffner prepared to board, she pushed her red walker out and walked slowly to the plane, where two expert instructors helped her up the steps into the hold. “Let’s go!” she said, finally seated. The plane quickly rose, Hoffner looking calm and confident all the while.
When the aft (机尾) door opened to show the crop fields far below, she and the instructor were ready to stand up. When Hoffner first sky-dived at 100 years old, she was pushed out, she said. This time, she wanted to lead the jump.
Seven minutes after her jump, she moved slowly in the air for her historic landing. The wind pushed back her white hair. A look of excitement and wonder spread across her face. She picked up her legs as the ground approached. And finally, she managed to land on the ground.
The crowd gathered along the landing area. Friends rushed to share the moment. Someone brought over Hoffner’s red walker. She rose fast, and a reporter asked how it felt to be back on the ground. “The whole thing was wonderful, and couldn’t have been better,” she said.
The Guinness World Record for oldest skydiver was set in May 2022 by 103-year-oldLinnéa Ingegard Larsson from Sweden. When asked how it felt like to break the record, Hoffner replied quickly, “Like I’m old.” But the record didn’t seem to interest Hoffner before the jump. Instead, she focused on the peaceful falling through the sky. Hoffner strongly encouraged others to sky-dive like her. “It’s surprisingly affordable and so amazing,” she said.
1. What did Hoffner do last Sunday?| A．She reported a sports event. | B．She managed to sky-dive. |
| C．She celebrated her birthday. | D．She wrote a history book. |
| A．Surprised. | B．Anxious. | C．Excited. | D．Hopeless. |
| A．The falling in the air. | B．Her family’s help. |
| C．The low cost of the jump. | D．Her friends’ support. |
| A．To see is to believe. | B．Time tells everything. |
| C．Hard work pays off. | D．Age is just a number. |
9 . I grew up around books. I remember opening my parents’
In the past, I had hundreds of books in the house. They
Though many books I
| A．half-opened | B．dust-covered | C．children-centered | D．picture-filled |
| A．book | B．door | C．window | D．bag |
| A．choose | B．revise | C．improve | D．design |
| A．safety | B．direction | C．magic | D．humor |
| A．protected | B．broke | C．shook | D．lined |
| A．waited | B．jumped | C．stood | D．sat |
| A．kept on | B．cleaned up | C．took up | D．focused on |
| A．addicted | B．supposed | C．attracted | D．locked |
| A．agreement | B．ideas | C．bookcases | D．money |
| A．excuses | B．promises | C．rules | D．answers |
| A．anger | B．pleasure | C．luck | D．patience |
| A．sold | B．advised | C．borrowed | D．collected |
| A．Actually | B．Quietly | C．Quickly | D．Hardly |
| A．in time | B．by chance | C．on purpose | D．at first |
| A．unsuccessful | B．sorry | C．good | D．difficult |
10 . What is standard English? Does it really matter? With the rise of Internet technologies, does anyone actually speak a pure form of their own English anymore? Many English speakers have found Americanisms slowly influencing their language. English may be the international language of communication — but which kind?
As a teacher, a favorite question continually asked by my students is “Which is better, American or British English?” My answer is always the same, “It depends!” These days, we can also add the Australian variety, as learners in Asia where I live are more exposed to Australian English and are more likely to study in Australia than in the United States or the UK, although the difference between Australian and British English is very small and mainly vocabulary-based.
So what can influence whether foreign learners are better off learning a particular standard of English? Put simply, it depends on what is more suitable. Learners need to think over their academic, work or social needs. If someone is working for a US-owned company then the company will probably require American English in its written communication. Similarly if you are studying to be a tour guide in an area that has many British tourists, it makes sense to pay more attention to that standard. If a learner is going to study in Australia then studying Australian English will help him in the long run.
When I have managed language schools, there was often healthy competition between teachers of different nationalities for the importance of their particular standard of English. Language schools abroad may prefer one particular standard of English, and therefore sometimes, understandably, give preference to that particular nationality of teacher.
Personally though, I like to keep an open mind, as there can also be advantages for both students and teachers. Students get to be exposed to more varieties of English, providing them with a more well-rounded education. So teachers should pay attention to the differences in varieties, increasing their own knowledge base.
1. What is the author’s purpose in writing paragraph 1?| A．To introduce some general information on English. |
| B．To bring up the topic of standard English. |
| C．To discuss the importance of English. |
| D．To explain what standard English is. |
| A．It has been influenced by Asian languages. |
| B．It is most popular with international students. |
| C．It is the author’s preferred variety of English. |
| D．It differs from British English mostly in vocabulary. |
| A．His educational level. | B．His personal needs. |
| C．His own interest. | D．His nationality. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Surprised. | D．Uncaring. |
