1 . When we think about what makes humans different from other animals, the word “conscience” often appears. Conscience is the feeling you get when you assess (评估) if you’ve done something “correct” or “wrong”. It is with the help of our conscience that we understand the moral principles we hold. This motivates us to act on them and therefore helps us assess our character and behavior. Eventually, it helps us judge ourselves against those principles, in terms of how well we follow them. Accordingly, you avoid certain desires (i. e., eating in class) and follow the behavior that is considered correct or “right” (paying attention to what the teacher is teaching) .
Consciousness, on the other hand, reflects how aware you are of your surroundings. A good way to understand this is to think of the human mind as an iceberg, as proposed by Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. The part of the iceberg on the surface represents your conscious awareness. It refers to all the things you are aware of and can easily describe. For instance, right now, while reading this article, your conscious mind is helping you make connections. The deeper level of the iceberg is your unconscious mind. It refers to aspects that you are unaware of, including your fears, violent motives, and strong desires that are hard to describe.
Many researchers, like Freud, propose that morality or conscience develops when a child internalizes (内在化) the rules that their, parents set when the child was growing up. However, some psychologists, like Paul Bloom, argue that morality is something we are all born with. Bloom argues that all babies are born with a sense of fairness. The claim came from studies of adopted children with genes, who were twins and separated at birth. If they possessed the “gene” to be kind, they would continue to be kind, despite being brought up in different family environments.
So, which opinion is true? We truly don’t know. While there is more evidence in the studies claiming that conscience is developed through learning and socialization, the newer ideas of it being genetically acquired from birth look promising as well!
1. What is a function of conscience?| A．It motivates us to act quickly. |
| B．It keeps record of our behavior. |
| C．It assesses our moral principles. |
| D．It helps us tell right from wrong. |
| A．You apply what you learn to practice. |
| B．You appreciate the beauty of poetry. |
| C．You have a fear of public speaking. |
| D．You describe violent scenes in a book. |
| A．Genes affect kids’ consciousness. |
| B．Kids acquire conscience with age. |
| C．Genetic studies promote his theory. |
| D．Parents should set strict rules for kids. |
| A．New theory uncovers the secret of our mind |
| B．What helps tell human being from animals? |
| C．Is conscience gained at birth or with age? |
| D．Consciousness improves our moral level |
It was right after Thanksgiving that registered nurse Jennifer Smith got an early morning phone call from John Burley, one of her favorite patients. He was extremely worried about his beloved dog.
Smith came to work early the Monday after Thanksgiving. Burley, who struggles a bit with speech, was calling from his hospital room, “Boomer is in the pound (流浪狗收容所)! Boomer is in the pound! Boomer is my world.”
Smith, who has been a nurse for 12 years, has a 13-year-old dog herself she has had since a puppy, so she fully understood the panic. She told Burley that she could tell he was concerned and also scared about what would happen to Boomer.
Burley took a breath and asked Smith, “Will you take care of Boomer?” “Of course, John, I will find Boomer and take care of him for you,” Jennifer Smith became a nurse to help people: any way that she can help somebody.
Smith had met Burley at the Grand Rehabilitation (康复) and Nursing Center in Rome, New York, through its adult day health care program, which is for patients requiring supervision (监护), and which allows them to socialize with others while receiving medical care.
60-year-old Burley still had his own apartment where he lived alone with his dog Boomer. Burley had adopted the 12-year-old dog in Arkansas when he was a puppy and later moved to New York. Most of his family still lives in Arkansas, so when he was hospitalized for pneumonia (肺炎) and lung problems, he had no one to take care of Boomer. No one—except Smith.
Smith formed a friendship with Burley in the adult daycare program and he would often talk about Boomer, showing off pictures of his furry companion. “I couldn’t separate the two of them. I just couldn’t. It made my heart sad for him and Boomer,” thought Smith.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；2.请按如下格式作答。
Burley didn’t know which shelter Boomer was in.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With the permission (允许) of the nursing center, Smith was able to bring Boomer to work with her.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Every time I sat down with my family and looked through our photos — holidays, trips, or vacations, there was always something missing. It was me. It was not just because I was the one behind the camera, but because I avoided being photographed. I always felt I looked awful in photos.
There were a few photos of me on my birthday that always made me feel bad. Generally speaking, I didn’t hate my appearance; I just wasn’t very photogenic (上相的). Therefore, when it came to family photos, I was missing. Gradually, I didn’t feel and look confident, and seldom smiled.
Then I met Mary. I was attending a writers’ meeting in North Carolina and she was a photographer who was good at photo shooting for writers. As a new writer, I needed a good personal photo for business cards and social media. I decided to give Mary a try.
The day of my appointment (约定) arrived. I picked out clothes that were most suitable for me. I checked myself in the mirror and felt I looked okay, but I was not sure whether the photos would reflect that. By the time Mary was to take photos of me, it began to have a light rain. My hair had started out nicely, but I knew the rain would destroy it.
I unwillingly walked into the room. Mary greeted me with a sunny smile. I felt relaxed. I was sure that she could sense I was not confident about my appearance because she immediately began to comfort me. She promised my photos would be wonderful. And she said how sad it made her that so many women thought so little of their appearance and how much this would hurt their self-respect.
The light rain stopped. Mary led me outside onto the grass-covered grounds of the meeting center. With the bright new green of spring and flowers seen everywhere, it was the perfect place for photos, even on a cloudy day.
注意：1, 续写词数应为100个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Mary first let me stand by a beautiful flower.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The next day, I sat by Mary’s computer and looked through the photos.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The day Dana and Jeff’s daughter Melody was born was nothing like they expected. The words the doctor said to them completely shook them, “Your daughter was born with a cleft lip (唇裂).” It was impossible for the couple to hide their sadness. They couldn’t believe it was true until they saw their daughter in person. Seeing her cleft made Dana and Jeff heartbroken more than anything. It broke their heart to imagine the kind of life Melody would lead in the future.
When the doctor told Dana and Jeff that their daughter’s condition was treatable with a cleft lip surgery (外科手术), the couple saw a ray of hope. Rather than feeling stressful like the first few days, they promised themselves they never wanted their daughter to suffer from that. They would support Melody as best they could.
Dana and Jeff were ready to do anything for Melody. After bringing Melody home, they immediately began looking for cleft surgery options. However, no matter where they turned, getting Melody the surgery she needed was expensive, and the various treatments and medications she needed in the following would also be much more costly than the young family could afford.
One day, however, things took a turn for the better. While browsing through a medical forum one evening, Jeff stumbled upon (意外发现) a post about a nonprofit organization that specialized in cleft lip surgeries for children. The organization, named Smileatfuture, is dedicated to providing free surgeries to families who could not afford the procedure. The couple had seen a lot of photos and read a lot of stories about children who had cleft surgeries sponsored by Smileatfuture, and the results were unbelievable. The idea that Melody could grow up with hardly a scar (伤疤) where her cleft was lit a fire under the couple. Without any hesitation, Dana and her husband reached out to Smileatfuture and handed in an application for medical aid.
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。
Everything went more smoothly than Dana and Jeff had expected.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The big day for Melody’s surgery finally came.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On a clear autumn morning, as the leaves painted the ground with colors of gold and deep red, twelve-year-old Lily came across an old violin hidden away in the attic (阁楼). The sunlight streamed through the dusty windows, throwing a warm glow on the forgotten instrument. Interested, she carefully brought the violin downstairs to show her family.
As Lily gently pulled on the strings (琴弦), a pleasant sound filled the room with an unforgettable beauty. The music seemed to transport her to another world, planting a deep love for the violin and the attractive melodies (旋律) it could create. From that moment on, Lily’s heart was taken by the world of music and the power of artistic expression.
She spent hours practicing in her room, her fingers dancing across the strings as she attempted to recreate the beautiful melodies she had heard. At first, the notes were shaky, but Lily’s determination and love for music kept her going. She poured her heart and soul into each practice, bearing a desire to master the violin and share her music with the world.
Despite her early struggles, Lily found pleasure in the music she created. The violin became her voice, allowing her to express emotions and stories that words could not. She would play for her family, friends, and anyone who would listen, eager to share the beauty and joy that music brought into her life. Sometimes, her mother was amazed at Lily’s musical talent.
As Lily grew older, she started to compare her skills to those of famous musicians, leading her to doubt her own talent and lose confidence. Gradually, she avoided playing in front of the audience.
Noticing Lily’s change, her mother decided to step in. One evening, after school, she sat beside Lily and gently asked about her concerns. At first, Lily was unwilling to open up, but her mother’s words of encouragement helped her find the courage to speak. “Take it easy, my dear. I’m always here to support you,” her mother comforted her.
注意：1.续写词数应该为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Soon, her mother helped Lily make practical plans.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Regaining confidence, Lily signed up for a music competition.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On Christmas Eve, my mom excitedly called to tell me she sold all her handmade towels for $200 at the craft fair, enabling her to buy gifts for her neighbors. After that she happily went shopping for food.
At 9:30 that night, I received a second call from her. She cried, “I lost my wallet and all $200 I had earned. My Christmas is ruined. I searched my car and home. Then, I drove back to the store to see if I left it there. But it wasn’t there either. Then, I walked through the parking lot, looking for it, but it wasn’t anywhere.”
It took me several hours to drive to Mom’s house the following morning. But before I got there, she had already gone back to the store again. With tears in eyes, she shared her story about the money she had earned with the store manager and asked if he could check any other places for her wallet, hoping someone might have found it and turned it in.
The manager felt great pity for my mom. And he secretly thought if the wallet couldn’t be found, he’d give some of his own money to my mom.
With that thought, the manager began searching for my mom’s wallet. He searched for a longtime but couldn’t find it. Wiping tears from her face, Mom thanked him for trying to help. When she left, the manager took $200 from his wallet and handed it to Mom, saying, “My gift. Merry Christmas.” Surprised, Mom said, “No…I can’t.” But the manager insisted. Mom left the store in tears and I met her back at her apartment. We called the police station to see if the wallet had been turned in, but no luck.
注意： 1. 续写词数不少于75词；2. 请按照如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Unexpectedly, the police called us back the next day.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . Coming from Villa Tesei, one of the neighborhoods in the greater urban region of Buenos Aires, Argentina, muralist (壁画家) Fio Slva adds fantastic effects of brilliant color and movement to the walls that she touches—much of it inspired by
As Silva explains, “I think the idea that
Silva says that she
Silva is particularly careful with the
Beautiful art that enlivens cities should be a public good, and it’s
| A．nature | B．life | C．science | D．fashion |
| A．bothers | B．amuses | C．motivates | D．worries |
| A．switch | B．attempt | C．continue | D．need |
| A．attention | B．wealth | C．respect | D．talent |
| A．sold | B．found | C．evaluated | D．read |
| A．gave up | B．talked about | C．came across | D．reflected on |
| A．took up | B．took off | C．took away | D．took down |
| A．depression | B．necessity. | C．fulfillment | D．curiosity |
| A．reluctantly | B．enthusiastically | C．superficially | D．officially |
| A．digital | B．decent | C．rural | D．public |
| A．lines | B．colors | C．plants | D．animals |
| A．weaken | B．forecast | C．decide | D．clarify |
| A．prevent | B．hold | C．transport | D．convert |
| A．attained | B．exhibited | C．visited | D．remembered |
| A．frightening | B．surprising | C．disappointing | D．inspiring |
Short-form videos, which gained popularity on the Chinese platform Douyin, have given rise to a new trend in entertainment: ultra-short (超短) dramas.
Despite the initial success of ultra-short dramas, Chinese authorities
What’s equally concerning is
It’s natural for us to seek entertainment. But it’s also worth pausing to consider the consequences
1. Why do some American churches cancel (取消) Christmas Day services?
| A．To buy gifts and go to parties. |
| B．To celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. |
| C．To let people gather with their families. |
| A．The name of an old man. |
| B．The name of traditional music. |
| C．The name of Christmas Day service. |
| A．All Americans. | B．Non-Christians. | C．Christians. |
| A．On Christmas Eve. | B．On Christmas noon. | C．On Christmas Day. |
