1 . Five Tips to Boost Your Self-Confidence

The following tips might help boost your self-confidence so you can feel more comfortable with whom you are.

    1     Sometimes people’s criticism can be severe, but our criticism of ourselves is likely the hardest. We all know that no one is perfect, yet most people tend to expect more from themselves than is realistic. To stop this habit, it may help to write down all your strengths and remind yourself of them each time you begin to criticize yourself.

Think about what makes you feel attractive. Make a list of things that make you attractive. You might begin with qualities that make you a good friend, parent, or co-worker.     2    

Set goals for yourself.     3     You don’t have to set large goals; you might begin with small goals that you can easily achieve. It may be helpful to keep a list of the accomplishments (成绩，成就) that have made you feel proud. You can use this list as a motivation to get you to achieve your bigger goals.

Be grateful and helpful. Doing good things for others can make us feel good about ourselves. The smallest gestures, like smiling or holding the door for someone, can make a big difference to someone.     4     Being able to make a positive difference for someone may make you feel good and improve your self-image.

Do something brave once a week. It can be frightening to put ourselves out there, but sometimes the risk can be worth the reward.     5     You can simply do something to step out of your comfort zone. Perhaps you might talk to that person you’re interested in.

A．Avoid criticizing others.

B．Focus on strengths, not self-criticism.

C．Take small steps to boost your confidence.

D．You can also consider taking an active role in volunteering.

E．Achieving goals is one way to feel accomplished and confident.

F．Then, you might list some of the physical features that make you unique.

G．Taking risks doesn’t necessarily mean going bungee(蹦极) jumping or mountain climbing.

2 . For over a year, Dianne’s reality has been a daily 5-mile trek (跋涉) to work and back on foot. Her broken-down car was a constant _________ of her financial restrictions. Regardless of the weather, Dianne’s _________ never changed. She didn’t _________ the walk; it was the missed moments with her daughter and grandchildren, the school events she couldn’t attend, that weighed _________ on her heart. Yet, late January presented her with an _________ opportunity.

On a particularly cold day, Dianne paused at a local gas station to _________. That was when she _________ something unusual — a ziplock bag (自封袋) on the ground. Full of _________, she picked it up, immediately realizing it contained _________. The exact amount was unknown to her, but the thought of keeping it never __________ her mind. Dianne approached the gas station cashier, requesting she call the police. When the police __________, they discovered the bag held over $ 14,000, alongside wedding cards — gifts meant for a newly-married couple.

Dianne’s __________ was appreciated, and she thought that was the end of the story. Little did she know, her act was about to be rewarded. __________ by Dianne’s actions, the wife of the officer who responded to the call started a GoFundMe campaign in Dianne’s honor. The fund-raiser collected $ 82,000, a(n) __________ to the power of collective kindness. Thanks to the __________ of strangers, Dianne became the proud owner of a new Jeep Compass. The joy of mobility restored, she eagerly anticipated attending her granddaughter’s gymnastics competition.

1.

A．conflict

B．stream

C．reminder

D．assistance

2.

A．routine

B．ambition

C．temper

D．service

3.

A．resist

B．mind

C．promote

D．start

4.

A．initially

B．casually

C．properly

D．heavily

5.

A．unnecessary

B．unavoidable

C．unexpected

D．uneventful

6.

A．warm up

B．show off

C．sign up

D．cool down

7.

A．arranged

B．completed

C．interrupted

D．spotted

8.

A．curiosity

B．determination

C．pride

D．sympathy

9.

A．information

B．food

C．medicine

D．money

10.

A．crossed

B．slipped

C．cleared

D．freed

11.

A．approached

B．passed

C．arrived

D．bent

12.

A．bravery

B．honesty

C．passion

D．figure

13.

A．Annoyed

B．Surprised

C．Touched

D．Overjoyed

14.

A．proof

B．secret

C．assessment

D．challenge

15.

A．recognition

B．lifestyle

C．target

D．generosity

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Essie’s heart races as she hears Hannah is searching for her after four decades. Hannah’s account on social media reveals her troubled past and the profound impact Essie had    1    her life. Now a trauma therapist, Hannah expresses gratitude for Essie’s love and     2     (guide). Reconnecting over the phone, their conversation is full of nostalgia and     3     (share) memories. Essie’s fostering story, spanning nearly 30 years, continues to inspire. In their reunion, the enduring power of love and compassion     4     (shine), reaffirming the profound impact of human connection across time.

4 . China has long been considered as a revolutionary (改革者) when it comes to wind power. Earlier this year, it was reported that the country had begun construction of a wind farm using what were then regarded as the largest turbines (涡轮) ever seen, each with a capacity of 16 megawatts (兆瓦). Now, a new important stage has been reached with the successful switch-on of a turbine.

China Three Gorges Corporation announced that the MySE 16-260 turbine had been successfully fixed at the company’s offshore wind farm near Fujian Province on July 19. Just one of these turbines should be able to produce enough electricity to power 36,000 families of three people each for one year. They claim that wind-powered domestic electricity could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 54,000 tons compared with using coal-fired power stations.

The Fuijian offshore wind farm sits in the Taiwan Strait. Winds of force 7 are a regular occurrence in these waters, which is obviously perfect for producing wind power. Mingyang Smart Energy, who designed the MySE 16-260, was up to the challenge, stating in a LinkedIn post that it could handle “extreme wind speeds of 79.8 meters per second”. Still, it wasn’t very long at all before these claims were put to the test, following the disastrous typhoon Talim that hit East Asia earlier this month. The typhoon threat is ever-present in this region, and the new giant turbine has stood up to the impact.

Buoyed by the success of this installation (安装), China Three Gorges Corporation is already looking to the future. “In the next step, the 16 megawatt unit will be applied in the second phase of the Zhangpu Liuao Offshore Wind Farm Project constructed by China Three Gorges Corporation,” said Lei Zengjuan.

1. Why are the statistics listed in Paragraph 2?

A．To discuss the possibility of further threat.

B．To emphasize the advantages of the turbines.

C．To present the consequence of producing electricity.

D．To stress the urgency of spreading turbines nationwide.

2. What can we infer from Paragraph 3?

A．The new giant turbines are worth trusting,

B．The new giant turbines are still faced with doubts.

C．Typhoon Talim has damaged the new giant turbines severely.

D．Typhoon Talim has been one of the worst typhoons ever since.

3. What does the underlined word “Buoyed” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Linked.

B．Rewarded.

C．Inquired.

D．Inspired.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．China takes the lead in developing turbines.

B．China values the development of wind turbines.

C．World’s largest wind turbine has been switched on.

D．World’s largest wind turbine makes the media shocked.

5 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

“Look!” I said to my husband, Roger, pointing to the branches. “The doves (鸽子) have built a nest.

On a chilly April day, we watched with horror as a hawk dived down and took one of the doves. By the next morning the other parent was gone too. Roger climbed up a ladder to take a look into the nest. Was it possible the hawk had spared the young? Yes, there sat a newly hatched baby dove! We brought him inside and set up the nesting box with the heat lamps we had used for raising chickens. Then we rushed to the pet shop to buy the formula (配方奶) which needed to look like the mother’s milk. But even with our care and prayers, we knew that the dove’s chances were slim. We were especially worried that our little bird, whom we’d named Hawkeye, hardly cooed (咕咕地叫) at all. That had to be a bad sign.

But to our surprise, Hawkeye not only survived but also thrived. Within a month, he was able to stand on the edge of a bowl and eat out of a baby spoon. And before we knew it, he was eating the seeds we gave him. Having the opportunity to nurture this new life brought me a greater measure of peace with each passing day.

As Hawkeye grew, we noticed that unlike all the other doves in our yard, he had a double breast with a line dividing it. When I did some research on the doves, I found out that females don’t often coo.

“We got it all wrong,” I told Roger. “Hawkeye is a girl!”

We realized that we’d have to teach her to fly. First, we urged her to fly from a finger to the bottom rung (梯子的横档) of a six-foot ladder, and in no time she was moving quickly to the top. She lit out (逃走，溜掉) for the kitchen whenever she heard the click of the spoon on her bowl. By mid-June she’d gained full confidence in her wings.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Paragraph 1: At that time, we knew it was time to set our Hawkeye free.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2: But one May morning, Hawkeye and the other dove landed on the rooftop.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . Australian tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis has celebrated one of his toughest victories, channelling (贯注) all his fighting spirit to claim a second round French Open win over a former champion.

Kokkinakis beat 2015 Roland Garros champion, Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, in a five-set marathon to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-3. Kokkinakis, 27, was left to regret a slow start to the fourth set tie-break (决胜局) as Wawrinka raced to a 5-0 lead to force a deciding set. But Kokkinakis opened the fifth set with a 4-0 run. Wawrinka then saved four match points, but couldn’t stop Aussie, who won in four hours and 38 minutes. It was a huge relief for Kokkinakis to win, having lost previous five sets, second round epic to British champion Andy Murray at the Australian Open in January.

“I think the first set and a half he was playing was the best tennis he can play,” said Kokkinakis. “I was just trying to hang in there. I lost a match in a Grand Slam (大赛) earlier this year against Murray; I didn’t want to do it against another legend. He never went away. It seemed like when he was down, he was playing better tennis, but I just trusted myself and I’m so happy.”

“Back in the third round on clay, who would have thought it for an Australian, but my game suits it here, I love it.2015 was the last time I won a match at Roland Garros and I made the third round...”

Kokkinakis will now face Karen Khachanov, the big hitting Russian who ended Kokkinakis’ childhood friend and doubles partner (双打搭档) Nick Kyrgios’ golden run at the US Open last year.

1. How did Kokkinakis feel after becoming champion?

A．Worried.

B．Relieved.

C．Shocked.

D．Worn.

2. What can be inferred from Kokkinakis’ words in Paragraph 3?

A．He placed a trust in his power.	B．He was content with the first set.
C．He was inspired by opponent’s spirits.	D．He resolved to be a legend in his field.

3. Who was once Kokkinakis’ partner?

A．Stan Wawrinka.	B．Andy Murray.
C．Karen Khachanov.	D．Nick Kyrgios.

4. What is the text?

A．A news report.	B．A short story.
C．A diary,	D．A research article.

7 . Family-Friendly Outdoor Festivals

Here are some of the best outdoor festivals for families.
Strawberry Music Festival: Groveland, CA
When: May and August

Held in Yosemite National Park, the Strawberry Music Festival, held twice a summer, is famous for its programming, swimming, and hiking at Birch Lake, superb arts and crafts, and more. The program offers activities like arts and crafts, nature programs, dance and music workshops, and storytelling. Free for kids aged 6 and under.

Lake Eden Arts Festival: Black Mountain, NC
When: May and October

Just 20 minutes outside of Asheville, LEAF is an arts festival that’s super kid-friendly. Families can camp out, go canoeing (划独木舟) and swimming in Lake Eden, and create crafts, and enjoy music and poetry performed on seven stages. Free for kids aged 9and under.

Joshua Tree Music Festival: Joshua Tree, CA
When: May and October

Twice a year, this kid-friendly global music festival draws thousands of families to the Mojave Desert at the gateway to Joshua Tree National Park. There are performances from dozens of musical artists from around the world, while Kidsville is filled with arts and crafts, yoga, dance parties, music workshops, and circus shows. Free for kids aged 10 and under.

Bumbershoot: Seattle: WA
When: September

Since 1971, Bumbershoot has been one of Seattle’s premier culture and arts festivals, drawing families from all over the Pacific Northwest. The program shows the best of comedy, dance, film, literary arts, performing arts, and theater, but it’s the strong music al program of top act s that makes this festival a must. Free for kids aged 7 and under.

1. When can visitors admire Strawberry Music Festival?

A．In April.

B．In May.

C．In September.

D．In October.

2. Which of the following may suit a camping lover?

A．Bumbershoot.	B．Strawberry Music Festival.
C．Lake Eden Arts Festival.	D．Joshua Tree Music Festival.

3. What can people do in Bumbershoot?

A．See a movie.	B．Create crafts.
C．Go swimming.	D．Perform comedy themselves.

8 . I once worked on a farm. One day, a powerful wind slammed (猛推) me against a post. My left arm got totally _________, and it was later cut off.

Back home after an operation, I found everything a(n) _________. My husband tried to help me, but I wanted to be _________. I called my left arm “Stumpy” and tried to _________. I learned to squeeze toothpaste; I developed a technique for pulling the toilet paper.

“Mom can do anything,” my daughter said _________. The one thing I really wanted to do, though, was get back into _________. First, I tried to swim. When I swam with Stumpy, there was no forward motion. _________, I kept going and finished the lane at last. Then I tried the triathlon (铁人三项). I _________ how to balance the bike with one arm and start running. Within a year, I became an _________ athlete, winning a silver medal at the Paratriathlon World Cup.

In 2020, I decided to do New Zealand’s __________ event. Competitors have to run for 36 km, cycle for 140 km, and kayak (皮划艇) for 70 km. I __________ hard over the next six months. Then the big day came. After kayaking for a long time, my legs felt like jelly. “Don’t __________,” I told myself. In the last few kilometers, I heard loud __________. Many people came to support me.

Life in __________ for me, but I choose to change it. “Just because you’ve got only half a wing doesn’t mean you can’t __________ to achieve your dreams,” I said to myself.

1.

A．stuck

B．burned

C．crushed

D．bent

2.

A．duty

B．occasion

C．adventure

D．challenge

3.

A．independent

B．restless

C．tireless

D．different

4.

A．escape

B．adapt

C．recover

D．accept

5.

A．cutely

B．suddenly

C．proudly

D．honestly

6.

A．sport

B．farm

C．art

D．business

7.

A．Meanwhile

B．Therefore

C．Besides

D．However

8.

A．described

B．wondered

C．explored

D．evaluated

9.

A．outstanding

B．amateur

C．active

D．intelligent

10.

A．biggest

B．hardest

C．longest

D．scariest

11.

A．studied

B．thought

C．pushed

D．trained

12.

A．give up

B．give in

C．turn off

D．turn down

13.

A．laughter

B．cheering

C．crying

D．noise

14.

A．unfair

B．serious

C．difficult

D．uncertain

15.

A．stop

B．afford

C．get

D．fly

9 . Behavioral scientists have found that good listening is one of the most important things we can do to improve our relationships.     1     At its core, listening in a one-on-one conversation is about taking an interest in another person and making him/her feel understood.    2     But some recurring (重复出现) features include attentiveness, conveying understanding, and showing a positive intention towards the speaker.

In addition to actively attending to a speaker’s words, good listeners also use questions and body language that indicate their understanding and their desire to understand. This might feel awkward at first, and what’s most effective might depend on your relationship with the speaker.    3     Another great way to show your understanding is by summarizing what you just heard and asking if you have missed anything. Summaries like this show the speaker that you’re truly trying to understand him/her rather than just waiting for your turn to talk. But while a good conversation requires back and forth, planning out your response while the speaker is talking is a common way to miss what’s being said.    4     This might feel embarrassing, but asking for clarification actually shows that you’re committed to understanding.

    5     It’s okay to ask for a moment to formulate your response and taking a beat to think can help speakers reflect on their speech as well.

These might seem like small changes, but together they make a big difference. And when people feel heard, they report more satisfaction, trust, and connection in their relationships.

A．Finally, don’t be afraid of silence.

B．So, what can we do to become better listeners?

C．It’s possible to know what truly excellent listening looks like.

D．But with time and practice, you can internalize these basic behaviors

E．There’s no universally agreed-upon definition of high-quality listening.

F．Researchers have found that smiling and nodding at set intervals doesn’t quite work.

G．So try to stay present and if you lose focus, don’t be shy about asking the speaker to repeat what you missed.

10 . In a crowded migrant (移民) camp in Tijuana, Mexico, a three-year-old girl wandered ________ toward the exit. She was steps from a busy road. Estefanía Rebellón was the only person who ________ her. The writer had just driven from Los Angeles with a group of friends to drop off food and clothing to a(n) ________ organization.

It was December 2018, a time when the US-Mexico border was seeing migrants from Central America ________ violence and poverty. Rebellón rushed over to the child and took her ________. “Where are your parents?” she asked anxiously. Eventually, she and her friends found the girl’s ________ father, who had stepped away to ________ for food.

Back at home, Rebellón gathered a group of volunteer ________ via social media, and using a thousand dollars from her ________, set up a school at the Tijuana border. In five years, the pilot program has grown into the non-profit Yes We Can World Foundation, which has ________ three school buses into classrooms and established two schools.

________ by donations, the foundation’s teachers have provided a bilingual education to more than 3,000 kids. The schools ________ an official curriculum (课程) from Mexico’s education ministry. They also offer ________ courses, which help kids understand more about migration.

Rebellón has received numerous ________ for her work, including Outstanding American by Choice. As more than 6.6 million people still live in refugee camps around the world, she says she’d like to ________ the foundation’s influence and support migrant children globally.

1.

A．leisurely

B．alone

C．freely

D．abroad

2.

A．tended

B．recognized

C．invited

D．noticed

3.

A．relief

B．health

C．business

D．education

4.

A．fighting

B．preventing

C．escaping

D．worsening

5.

A．side

B．place

C．hand

D．heart

6.

A．determined

B．annoyed

C．disappointed

D．panicked

7.

A．line up

B．make up

C．stand up

D．look up

8.

A．soldiers

B．doctors

C．writers

D．teachers

9.

A．expenses

B．savings

C．bills

D．charges

10.

A．integrated

B．forced

C．transformed

D．translated

11.

A．Limited

B．Funded

C．Motivated

D．Influenced

12.

A．create

B．adjust

C．reject

D．follow

13.

A．special

B．strange

C．common

D．major

14.

A．opportunities

B．honours

C．blessings

D．messages

15.

A．display

B．possess

C．maintain

D．expand