Spreading Joy
This past Christmas season began for me as usual on the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday. My mom, sister, and I had gotten up early to go shopping. As we were driving out of a store parking lot, we caught sight of a dreadfully thin woman sitting on a walker. She was clearly homeless, with bird feathers stuck into her gray hair, and a dirty yellow raincoat.
That homeless woman got us thinking about what Christmas would be like for some one who has no place to call home. With no family to turn to and certainly no presents to open on Christmas morning, these people have nothing to look forward to but the cold and lonely place where they choose to camp. Even though we live in sunny California, the temperature can still fall below freezing on winter nights. Where would this woman sleep when the sun went down?
Sadly, homeless people are a common sight in our town. On our way home, we passed countless people pushing shopping carts overflowing with their belongings and people standing in the center dividers of roads holding cardboard signs with “Just Hungry” written on them.
The next day, my mom had a great idea. While we were out Christmas shopping, we purchased some blue tins (罐) of sugar cookies and a few boxes of candy canes. When we got home, I helped my mom carefully ti e each tin with a red ribbon and tape a candy cane on top. Next, we wrote “Call 211 for Help” on notes and taped them to the bottoms of the tins. “Not only will we be spreading Christmas cheer, but now the homeless people will have a number to call and get the help they need,” my mom explained as we worked.
We put all the tins in the car and, whenever we went for a drive, we searched the streets for individuals down on their luck. Usually, the streets are crowded with people carrying sleeping bags, but somehow when you are looking for something, it always seems to disappear.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Eventually, we found a young man sleeping in the Lowe’s parking lot.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The day before Christmas, we drove around the streets again with our final tin.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . I’ve gotten deep into rhythm games that I simply don’t typically have access to from the US. And a playlist of songs can only take you so far. When Arcaea released on the Nintendo Switch I though, “Eventually, my time is here.” Originally released for mobile phones in 2017, Arcaea is an incredibly full rhythm game from lowiro. The Switch version alone comes with over 150 songs, multiple game modes and two distinct ways to play.
Song choice is the most important part of any rhythm game in my opinion. That, and variety, which Arcaea has plenty of. The game has the usual modes. World Mode, Music Play and Story are all available. It’s all par for the course and not really worth explaining.
Going back to the Story mode though, I know unlocking and reading little tidbits (花絮) about the characters in rhythm games is a big deal for a lot of people. The story is incredibly basic and the characters don’t really differ that much in my opinion. It’s frankly dismissible. I never found myself eager to spend currency and unlock new information regarding people or even the world.
The only aspect of the game that Arcaea excels in is its song choice. Like I said earlier, it has over 150 songs, with a few new original ones added. There’s an amazing mix of genre and sound. Arcaea doesn’t give players five versions of the same song with different vocalists or only include songs with different, but still connected, genres. In the grand scheme of things, 150 tracks may not seem like a large number to boast. Still, I genuinely felt as though the Switch versions song library was just as good as any mobile rhythm games’. Especially since all are included with your base purchase.
One of the only questions I really wanted answered when I first opened up Arcaea was, “How does this play with Nintendo Switch controls?” The game is especially keen to let players know it has two vastly different game options. Naturally, my expectations were high. I’ve had bad luck with rhythm games on the Switch. Unfortunately, Arcaea falls into the same issue I’ve found with similar games.
……
Overall, I think Arcaea is a good game, but the problem with the Nintendo Switch port is that a lot of its benefits are found in the mobile version. I didn’t really enjoy playing this on my Switch. It wasn’t fun on the hands or wrists. If your phone can’t handle more games space-wise or isn’t built for rhythm games, I would say get this. Playing with the touch screen requires a little maneuvering, but eventually works. Plus, the music is just amazing.
1. Why does the author say the game is “all par for the course and not really worth explaining”?| A．It is boring so it’s no value explaining. | B．It has a very large number of varieties. |
| C．It contains uncommon modes as well. | D．It does not go beyond our imagination. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Favourable. | C．Doubtful. | D．Ambiguous. |
| A．The problems he found when playing Arcaea on his switch. |
| B．The drawbacks about playing rhythm games on a switch. |
| C．His positive comments about the rhythm game from lowiro. |
| D．His brilliant experience when playing Arcaea on his switch. |
| A．An online forum. | B．A daily newspaper. |
| C．An investigation report. | D．An autobiography. |
My husband had taken the car to see about a job and I stayed at the rest area with our six children. I kept them busy playing games and reading books. I prayed as hard as I could that my husband would get the job and this madness would all come to an end. When he came back and hard closed the car door, I knew the news was not good.
That night, one of the churches in Portland had a free dinner, so we hurried and had the children wash up in the bathrooms. We all loaded up in our run-down car. No one would get thrilled about a hot meal, but being homeless, we all knew what a treat this would be.
In the morning, we were all just as tired as when we went to bed. It’s not easy at all to sleep eight people in one car. It’s hard to stay warm with only the few blankets we had to share among us. We got in the car and left to make a garbage dump run.
As my husband looked for work every day, my children and I would walk around the city picking up cans and bottles to return for the deposit (押金). When nothing else worked, my husband and I would stand with a sign that read, “will work for food.” It was an embarrassment and we felt so ashamed. I never looked up at anyone, pretending that I was elsewhere and this was not happening. But we had to survive, and for the sake of our kids we would do whatever it took to get them food to eat.
Thanksgiving Day was drawing near and it was turning colder and colder. My husband had not found work and we were at a loss as how to gather up enough money for a house rent. It looked so hopeless.
On the evening before Thanksgiving, we went to the only church having Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless. Unluckily, our car broke down. My husband worked on it, but in vain.
注意：1. 续写词数为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
A truck driver just came over to help.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________People stopped by with food and blankets as well as some clothes.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . I was taught at a young age to be afraid rather than to experience life. Don’t ride a bike because you might get hit by a car. Don’t swim because you might drown. That’s why I was initially afraid to approach others. They might say no—how could I live with that rejection?
A book changed me. Near the end of the book, the writer suggested trying out what I had just read but to pretend it was like the training game in a sport—when the games didn’t count. When my teams would lose formal games, I couldn’t bear to watch. But when they lost in the training game, I didn’t care.
I don’t know why the suggestion to pretend my attempts didn’t count could resonate with me. But I knew this new way of thinking worked for me. It gave me power to know the results didn’t matter because this was the exhibition game when I was practicing what I had learned before the real games started.
I discovered there were other ways to use this new tool. It allowed me to have a successful sales career, even though I heard the word “no” hundreds of times. It was part of the business, but I didn’t let it get me down. I turned a negative into a positive by reasoning that every time I heard the word “no”, it meant I was one step closer to “yes”. It’s amazing how powerful you feel when you remove the fear that stops you from going after what you want in life.
I still work my sales job, and we have a lot of high-school and college students working at the company. I will pass on the advice that I learned many years ago and encourage them to use that idea for whatever they want to achieve.
1. Which word can describe the author when he was young?| A．Stubborn. | B．Out-going. | C．Confident. | D．Dissociable. |
| A．The training games are also important. | B．Whatever the game is, it doesn’t count. |
| C．Just have a try and downplay the results. | D．Don’t worry about life’s gains and losses. |
| A．Cope. | B．Deal. | C．Fight. | D．Agree. |
| A．Positive results. | B．Steps to success. |
| C．Excuses to escape. | D．Unbeatable strikes. |
The Asian Para Games is the largest multi-sport event for the disabled in Asia. Up to now, the organizers
The launch ceremony kicked off
Athlete Tan Yujiao,
As 188 torchbearers were representatives with a disability, intelligent bionic (仿生学的) hands and legs as well as intelligent guide dogs
“We wish to convey the idea that technology can be much
6 . Floods can cause major damage to city infrastructure and even deaths.
Get informed, stay informed
One of the best ways to prepare yourself and your loved ones for a flood is to be aware of weather conditions.
Update your emergency kits
Be sure your emergency kit s are all up-to-date. Ensure they have the proper supplies needed to protect multiple family members. In your prepared bags, you should have 72 hours-worth of food and water along with other essential supplies.
Secure your home
Making sure loose items are secure can help to prevent both property damage to your home and bodily injury. Furniture items aren’t the only things that should be secured. Also, take the time to se cure electrical items to prevent them from falling into water.
Practice your emergency plan
Make sure your family has an emergency action plan ready to implement (实施) at any moment. Then, practice your emergency action plan with your entire family. This will help each member to directly understand their roles in the plan and give an opportunity to answer any questions that may arise.
Of course, natural disasters occur in an instant. Therefore, keep your entire family and all pet family members close and within sight at all times during an emergency situation.
| A．Pay close attention to the development of current storms |
| B．Floods are too powerful to be stopped |
| C．Keep all family members (pets too!) in sight |
| D．Invest in sandbags and keep them inside your home |
| E．Though floods are among the most dangerous of natural disasters |
| F．Never leave your family or pets behind when floods are coming |
| G．In particular, include life vests along with other waterproof survival items |
7 . As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states, if we are to avoid a world that is too hot to live in, we need to do everything we possibly can, right now, to cut greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. The fashion industry (时装行业) contributes up to 10% of global emissions — more than international aviation (航空) and shipping combined. It also contributes to biodiversity loss, pollution, landfill issues unsafe work practices and more.
It’s not the first time that people have adapted their clothing in response to the demands of a crisis. During the second world war, clothing styles changed in the United Kingdom and Australia. To protect precious resources, shorter skirts, minimal detailing and a focus on practicability became the norm.
In our current context, the most helpful thing we can do is to buy fewer new clothes, wear them for longer and restrain our desire.
Australians buy a lot of clothes, about 56 items per year on average. That makes Australians the second highest textiles consumers in the world after the USA. The price of clothes has dropped significantly over the past couple of decades, and the number of clothes people have in their closets has grown.
The Berlin-based Hot or Cool Institute suggests a wardrobe (衣柜) of 74 garments ( including shoes but excluding undergarments) is typically sufficient for people who live in a two-season climate (in the tropics) and 85 pieces for those who live in a four-season climate, as most Australians do. If we buy 10 to 12 new items a year, we can replace our entire wardrobe in about seven years.
If we do care about sustainable (可持续的) development, that means changing those choices that are no longer suited to the climate crisis. Clothes need to reflect a person’s situation as well as their identity to “work” well. This may mean that what we wear changes as we make different buying decisions, just as people did in the second world war. We may start to look different, but that change means our values in action.
1. What does the author stress in the first paragraph?| A．The consequences of greenhouse effect. |
| B．The importance of reducing carbon footprint. |
| C．The problems caused by the fashion industry. |
| D．The necessity of developing the fashion industry. |
| A．Satisfy. | B．Express. | C．Control. | D．Abandon. |
| A．Limiting the number of our clothes. | B．Reducing the production of clothes. |
| C．Increasing the number of our clothes. | D．Replacing our wardrobe when necessary. |
| A．Shop Sensibly and Dress Properly |
| B．Wear Wisely and Live Sustainably |
| C．How Many Clothes Should We Buy Every Year |
| D．What Should We Wear to Cut Greenhouse Gases |
1. Why does the man make the call?
| A．To ask for help. | B．To discuss a plan. | C．To offer an invitation. |
| A．At home. | B．At a restaurant. | C．In a hotel room. |
| A．The woman’s customer. | B．The woman’s workmate. | C．The woman’s husband. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Proud. | C．Satisfied. |
The Internet is good for many millions of things. In today’s
Along with the good comes the bad, though. If you’ve never thought of the Internet as a possibly-dangerous place, you need to be aware that, just like in the real world, there are some people who intend
First, you should never give out the following types of information online: your full name, your address, your phone number, your birth date or your password. Of course, you will have to provide these things when you order things online, but be sure you’re dealing
Second, choose email addresses, screen names, and passwords
Third, if you feel like you’re being cyberbullied (网络欺凌), whether via email, a social media website, or in a chat room online, be sure to report
Finally, remember that the Internet is a large place, but it has a way of
1. What will the woman do tomorrow?
| A．Repair her laptop. | B．Prepare a report. | C．Have an interview. |
| A．A development plan. | B．A technology research. | C．A researching subject. |
| A．Her laptop might not work. |
| B．She might feel too nervous. |
| C．She isn't sure of what to say. |
