1 . Being a Good Holiday Party Guest
When attending holiday parties hosted by friends and loved ones, many of people really want to be “good” guests. But sometimes well-meaning “helpers” can sometimes cause more trouble and stress for a host.
Reply the invitation quickly.
Respect the event’s start time and arrive within 10-15 minutes of the time on the invite. If the invitation says 7:15 p.m., guests should arrive between 7:25 and 7:30. If you turn up early, the hosts may not yet be dressed or be trying to take a 10-minute break after last-minute preparations.
Offer help respectfully.
It’s fine to offer help during the event, but don’t insist.
Don’t stay for long.
At the end of the evening, you can make one last offer to help the host tidy up the space. But if they refuse, don’t stay. Many hosts are too polite to tell people it’s time to go. Watch out for clues that the hosts wish to end the evening’s enjoyment, like yawning, turning off the music, turning up the lights.
| A．Don’t turn up early. |
| B．Create a positive schedule. |
| C．Respect the host’s wishes if they refuse your help. |
| D．Being a good guest begins long before the party begins. |
| E．Here are some tips to ensure you leave a good impression. |
| F．They can suggest that the happy gathering is coming to an end. |
| G．By following these guidelines, they can spare some time helping the host to stay lively and fun. |
2 . Katalin Karikó, a Nobel Prize Winner of this year, has had an unlikely journey. The daughter of a butcher in postwar communist Hungary, Karikó grew up in a home that lacked running water, and her family grew their own vegetables. She saw the wonders of nature all around her and was determined to become a scientist. That determination eventually brought her to the United States, where she arrived as a postdoctoral follow in 1985 with $1,200 sewn into her toddler’s teddy bear and a dream to remake medicine.
Karikó battled cockroaches (蟑螂) in a windowless lab, and faced being laughed at open and direct from her bosses and colleagues. She hesitated as prestigious research institutions increasingly combined science and money together. Despite setbacks, she never doubted her belief that an underappreciated molecule (分子) called messenger RNA could change the world. She sacrificed nearly everything for this dream, and the obstacles she faced only motivated her, so eventually she succeeded.
Karikó’s three-decade-long investigation into mRNA would lead to a surprising achievement: vaccines that protected millions of people from the most serious consequences of COVID-19. These vaccines are just the beginning of mRNA’s potential. Today, the medical community eagerly awaits more mRNA vaccines — for the flu, HIV, and other emerging infectious diseases.
Breaking Through isn’t just the story of an extraordinary woman. It’s a charge of closed-minded thinking and a demonstration to one woman’s commitment to laboring intensely in obscurity — knowing she might never be recognized in a culture that is driven by prestige, power, and privilege — because she believed her work would save lives.
1. What do we know about Katalin Karikó?| A．She disliked her journey to the US. |
| B．She grew up in a go-green family. |
| C．She tried to get a doctor’s degree. |
| D．She chased her dream with $1,200. |
| A．She had to do experiments on cockroaches. |
| B．She was not well received in the lab. |
| C．She couldn’t get along well with others. |
| D．She had to quit for lack of money. |
| A．Unknown to public. | B．Second to none. | C．In an emergency. | D．At a loss. |
| A．A speech at Nobel awards ceremony. |
| B．A scientist’s autobiography. |
| C．An essay on mRNA vaccines. |
| D．An introduction to a book. |
3 . A Florida pet owner threw her cat to the Humane Society of Broward County late last month because the cat, known as Jerry, was too affectionate and noisy, according to reports.
The society posted a video of Jerry on TikTok that started with a letter titled, “TOO AFFECTIONATE!”in all caps and in blue.
“Yup that’s the reason why my owner put me here,” the letter read.“She said that I annoyed her and how sweet, loving and affectionate I was. But it was too much for her. She said I waited at the door for her and talked too much. I loved her, but she didn’t love me back.”
“I’m hoping somebody will love me for who I am,”the letter ended and was signed, “Jerry.”
At the bottom of the letter, there was a P.S. that read, “I’ve been waiting a long time for a home,” with an unhappy face emoji.
The video was viewed 9.1 million times, as of Sunday evening, was liked 1.6 million times and had nearly 30,000 comments.
The TikTok video was put to the organization’s page on Jan. 26, and the next day there were four families waiting at the shelter in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ready to meet the 4-year-old black and white domestic short haired cat.
“His new mom saw his video on our social media pages and was here first thing when we opened the next day,” an official from the society said on Sunday.
By 2:45 p.m, the society updated everyone who reached out from across the country, saying Jerry was adopted.
“Sweet and loving Jerry has found a sweet and loving forever home where he can be as affectionate as he wants,” the Humane Society said in a new post.“Thanks to all of the shares on social media, Jerry’s video was seen by just the right person, and she ran to the shelter first thing this morning to adopt him. We couldn’t have done this without you all.”
1. What do we know about Jerry from the passage?| A．He annoyed his owner by waiting for a home. |
| B．He was a four-year-old cat with short black hair. |
| C．He was disliked by his old owner for his character. |
| D．He received little attention by writing a letter on line. |
| A．The wide concern on the video. | B．The great challenges that Jerry met. |
| C．The anxiety of the Humane Society. | D．The appreciation that the TikTok expressed. |
| A．Through posters from the Humane Society. |
| B．By seeing Jerry’s video on social media. |
| C．By seeing Jerry’s picture in a newspaper. |
| D．Through Jerry’s former owner’s introduction. |
| A．Social media’s support had no effect on Jerry’s adoption. |
| B．Jerry was adopted, but there’s no mention of social media’s role. |
| C．The Humane Society expresses anger towards Jerry’s previous owner. |
| D．Jerry found a new home, and appreciation is expressed for social media support. |
The idea of teaching Chinese abroad really
Constantly for three days since the start of 2024, Johnny Keep Walking!, a comedy,
Dong reveals that he thought up the script around five years ago and conducted extensive research on some Internet companies,
With the story resonating with many young professionals due to its themes addressing
8 . I am neither Jewish nor Palestinian, and none of my six regular jobs have anything to do with foreign policy, but the other day I opened Twitter (now called X) after some time offline, only to find people I don’t know demanding that I make a public statement about what’s happening in the Middle East. It seemed that most of the people on social media had made a statement, including various well-known brands, celebrities and lifestyle influencers.
I saw lots of random citizens being told that if they didn’t speak out, they, too, would have blood on their hands. Taking a stand on social media instantly will win wild applause but reduces complex issues to a simple yes or no.
Those social media posts without serious thinking are not what bother me most, though. Instead, it’s the idea that not posting is wrong — that everyone needs to speak, all the time. It discourages shutting up and listening and letting the voices that matter the most be heard over the noise. It implies it’s not OK to have any uncertainty about what’s going on. It does not leave time or space for people to process disturbing events in their own minds or to gather more information before pronouncing a judgment. It pressures people who don’t have an opinion yet or are working out what they think to produce one opinion immediately and present it to an audience of total strangers on the Internet who will quickly judge whether it’s appropriate or not.
“Nothing pays off like self-control of tongue and pen,” writes A.A.’s co-founder Bill Wilson. “We must avoid quick-tempered criticism and extreme anger,” which he calls “emotional idiot got trapped by pride and revenge.” While I’ve regretted posting half-formed thoughts too quickly, I’ve never regretted waiting until I was less angry or not posting at all.
1. Why does the author mention his/her race and jobs in the first paragraph?| A．To reflect the author’s professional research background. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the widespread use of social media. |
| C．To discuss the impact of social media violating personal privacy. |
| D．To express dissatisfaction with commenting on something without personal ties. |
| A．Pressure to take a stand. |
| B．Shutting up and listening. |
| C．Lack of diversity in opinions. |
| D．Complex issues reduced to yes or no. |
| A．Avoiding creating argument is a virtue. |
| B．Quick-tempered criticism is rewarding. |
| C．Producing immediate opinion is an ability. |
| D．Control of what you say and write is beneficial. |
| A．“Speak Out for the Disadvantages in a Social Media Age” |
| B．“I Don’t Have To Post About My Anger, Neither Do You” |
| C．“Silence Is Golden: A Guide to Ignoring World Issues Like a Pro” |
| D．“Keep Angry, Keep Reasonable: Avoiding the Mess on Social Media” |
