1 . The woman bringing Mandarin to Uganda
Wang Lihong Sooma, who moved to East Africa from China more than two decades ago, is determined to teach Ugandans how to speak Mandarin (普通话).
Forty more teachers are now enrolled (入学) and classes start at 8:00 and finish at 22:00 from Monday to Friday.
Wang’s goal is to have 100 teachers trained up and teaching Mandarin in 60 Ugandan schools by 2023. She sees it as a win-win situation, giving the example of how Chinese have benefited from learning English. “
| A．They learn our language. |
| B．I just think in the same way. |
| C．We learnt their language and we understood them. |
| D．When I came here, it changed my fixed ideas about African people. |
| E．It is not just Ugandans who see this course as a life-changing opportunity. |
| F．She and her husband are organising nine-month courses for teachers to learn Mandarin. |
| G．To become fluent and be able to teach a language within nine months is a huge undertaking. |
Among many changes the COVID-19 pandemic has brought
Since more people decided to stay home when the coronavirus outbreak spread, they were spending
Unfortunately, a move to a cashless society could cause problems for some communities. About 8% of Americans don’t have a checking account. About 18% of Americans rely on alternative banking
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4 . In my early teens, I was once given a film camera as a gift . On receiving it, I jumped on my bike, headed to Wimbledon Common and took photos, just for me: photos of trees and wildlife. I was out all day. On my way home I spotted a tree lit up by street lighting and tried to capture its beauty. Rushing home, I put the spent film in a special little envelope and sent it off to a photography store, desperate to see how it would come out. I took many photos then and loved the fact that when you processed your film you got back colour photos which froze the precious moments, gently encouraging the hobby and the payments for processing.
As I grew into adulthood, that simple, deep happiness gradually faded away. One weekend when I was busy answering the work calls, my eyes caught a box in the corner of the room. I suddenly felt a sense of sadness. The stress growing over these years had pushed the camera from beside my pillow to the box in the corner. I thought I needed a change.
I took out the camera and dusted it down. It was a great joy that it still worked. I bought new film and took the camera everywhere I went. Now it is always on hand to accompany me on journeys, to allow me time to myself. Even if the day is full and busy, I can seize some moments for myself to take photos, to observe the world around me.
The wall of my room now holds all my camera equipment on display, along with photos I've taken. To me, the room represents how I’ve found happiness: by reconnecting to the younger part of myself I laid aside, by allowing room in my life for pleasure to exist, and by creating an environment that allows opportunities for delight.
1. What did the author think of taking photos as a young boy?| A．Inspiring and practical. | B．Tiring yet delightful. |
| C．Exciting and worthwhile. | D．Difficult yet engaging. |
| A．He wanted to focus on his work. | B．He was struck by sudden sorrow. |
| C．He attempted to behave like an adult. | D．He was faced with increasing pressure. |
| A．More fun in the daily routine. | B．New journeys in the wild. |
| C．Better skills of observation. | D．Different styles of photography. |
| A．Revisiting Lost Childhood Memories | B．Appreciating Beauty Behind the Lens |
| C．Escaping Teenage Sadness with Camera | D．Regaining Pleasure Through Photography |
5 . Feeling pressure from the Internet is nothing new for Lizzie Velasquez, an anti-bullying (霸凌) advocate, who found that browsing social media had a negative impact on her self-esteem.
In 2006, when she was just 17, a video calling her “The World’s Ugliest Woman” went viral on YouTube. It was a difficult period for her, who had been dealing with a lifetime of bullying due to a rare health condition. “I was diagnosed with neonatal progeroid syndrome (新生儿早衰症), which doesn’t allow me to gain weight and severely affects my eyes, my bones and my heart.”
Growing up, Velasquez says that she lived in two different worlds. At home, her family treated her just like everyone else. Her parents raised her to be optimistic and confident. Yet, things got hard when she started school. “I didn’t become aware of it until I entered this other world where I had to face the reality of, ‘I do not look like everybody else,’” says Velasquez.
As Velasquez transitioned into high school, she gained more understanding about her condition. This new level of self-acceptance inspired Velasquez to make new friends, join the cheerleading squad, and write for the school newspaper. She had started to feel gratitude for what she had accomplished, but then came the YouTube video, which threatened her already-shaky foundation. “To just see a video that says ‘the world’s ugliest woman,’ it felt like, within two seconds, everything that I had worked for up to that point was just sort of knocked over and done.” says Velasquez.
According to DoSomething. org, about 37 percent of teenagers have been bullied online. Among them, only one in 10 teen victims (受害者) will inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse. But Velasquez did speak up. That moment of bullying inspired Velasquez to use her newfound platform for good. In 2013, she gave a TEDxAustin Women talk about her experiences, reaching millions with her uplifting messages about beauty and happiness.
“My mission is just to remind people that no matter how different you are, you are meant to be in this world. Your purpose in life is out there waiting for you,” says the motivational speaker.
1. What can we learn about Lizzie Velasquez?| A．She hasn’t received any support from her families. |
| B．She has been aware of her difference since she was born. |
| C．She has suffered from cyberbullying due to a rare disease. |
| D．She feels horrible every time she browses social media. |
| A．Velasquez’s efforts to establish confidence was destroyed by the video. |
| B．Velasquez’s status at school has been threatened because of the video. |
| C．Velasquez’s health- has been negatively affected after watching the video. |
| D．Velasquez’s achievement in high school became worthless due to the video. |
| A．To share her experience as a victim of online bullying. |
| B．To show people the importance of beauty and happiness. |
| C．To encourage people to enjoy life whatever their differences. |
| D．To gain fame through the newly established online platform. |
| A．The ugliest woman | B．A woman with a rare disease |
| C．The impact of cyberbullying | D．A fighter against cyberbullying |
6 . As a high school student, you’re likely used to learning through reading textbooks.
To practice experiential appreciation, you can start by getting involved in hands-on activities related to your subjects. They will provide a firsthand understanding of the concepts you’re studying, making learning active and meaningful. So, try joining a sports team, picking up a paintbrush, or taking part in a local charity event.
As you dive deeper, immerse (沉浸) yourself fully in the surroundings and activities. When you’re in nature, don’t just look around.
Experiential appreciation transforms learning from a task to be completed into a journey to be treasured.
| A．Now consider expanding your learning from just reading to actively participating. |
| B．It extends learning far beyond textbooks. |
| C．Instead, activate your senses for a stronger tie with it. |
| D．Mind the impact of your actions on the environment. |
| E．Take your experiences further by reflecting on them. |
| F．Textbooks offer a systematic introduction to essential concepts and principles. |
| G．These activities bring learning to life. |
1. resolve—n.
2. forgive—n.
3. declaration—v.
4. accurate—n.
5. injure—n
6. loose—v.
7. relief—v.
8. independent—n.
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9 . The stage lights dimmed, and I took a quick look from behind the heavy black curtains into the
After a decade of learning this art form, I had
The performance was undertaken only by the most
I discovered a lot about myself in those tiring hours. I learnt that I was far too
Fortunately, I made it. What I had done
| A．carpenter | B．audience | C．actress | D．diver |
| A．pulled back | B．set off | C．reached out | D．broke away |
| A．career | B．attempt | C．response | D．performance |
| A．easily | B．eventually | C．occasionally | D．directly |
| A．focused | B．beautiful | C．intelligent | D．considerate |
| A．recording | B．practising | C．discussing | D．designing |
| A．applied | B．addicted | C．treated | D．pushed |
| A．forget | B．design | C．learn | D．research |
| A．brilliant | B．brave | C．stubborn | D．discouraged |
| A．wrong | B．nervous | C．frightened | D．careless |
| A．function | B．action | C．level | D．stress |
| A．budget | B．expectation | C．cost | D．deadline |
| A．limit | B．purpose | C．preparation | D．destination |
| A．increased | B．deserved | C．expanded | D．exposed |
| A．completely | B．chiefly | C．truly | D．originally |
10 . Boosting Your Brainpower
Who hasn’t wished that they were just a little smarter? Maybe you’re in school and just want to get a better grade on a test.
Sleep is one of the easiest things to do，yet one of the ones that most of us don’t do. We live in a busy age and often it seems that we don’t have enough time to get everything done. So many of us sacrifice (牺牲) our hours of sleep to accomplish our daily tasks.
Read a book. Being smarter is not only about thinking but knowledge plays a big part in it, too. Reading helps your brain stay active.
Try turning off that television set and going for a walk. A walk will stimulate your body and relax your mind. Just as watching too much TV can hurt your body, it also causes your brain to slow down as well.
Work on a puzzle. It can be anything from the newspaper crossword to the new sudoku puzzle. Puzzles help you use your brain to figure out the answers.
So go out there and boost your brainpower and your mind will thank you.
| A．Learn something new and then teach someone else how to do it. |
| B．The more you read, the more you know, and the smarter you will be. |
| C．By writing about things you know, it helps you to understand them better. |
| D．Skipping meals can make it harder for you to think and perform at your best. |
| E．Maybe you want to show your boss that you are good enough to get a promotion. |
| F．Crossword puzzles also have the added benefit of increasing your vocabulary and knowledge. |
| G．Giving your body the rest it needs every night can boost your ability to function at your best next day. |
