1 . Four Wonderful Books
Worried Whippet: A Book of Bravery
by Jess Bolton
This beautifully illustrated story is about an anxious dog who navigates (驾驭) moments of bravery and acts of courage as she goes about her everyday life.
Written for adults and children who are struggling with anxiety, Jess’s hope is that the book can encourage you to take small steps of bravery as well, just as the worried Whippet does.
All Through the Night
by Dani Robertson
Author and dark sky officer Dani Roberston is on a mission to protect the world from the effects of light pollution. In doing so, she helps us to understand why the dark nights are so important for ourselves, animals, and plants, and turns the switch on why it’s something that should be embraced (欣然接受).
The Book of Nordic Self-Care
by Elisabeth Carlsson
If your typical self-care routine isn’t cutting it, now is the time to embrace self-care the Nordic way. From wellness practices to Nordic foods, nutritionist and lifestyle coach Elisabeth Carlsson reveals the secrets from the world’s happiest countries that will help you bring peace and balance to your life.
The Britannias : An Island Quest
by Alice Albinia
Put on your walking boots and head off on this tour through the history of Britain’s islands.
In tracing the nation’s geographical periphery (周边), author and journalist Alice Albinia also, fittingly, sets out to recentre the narrative on stories sometimes pushed to the edges: those of women, for instance, or of people regarded with suspicion. Part history, part travelogue (游记), this is an interesting exploration of how a land shapes its people.
1. What is the book Worried Whippet: A Book of Bravery about?| A．The story of an anxious but brave dog. |
| B．The effects of light pollution. |
| C．The history of Britain’s islands. |
| D．Nordic self-care practices. |
| A．Jess Bolton. | B．Dani Robertson. |
| C．Elisabeth Carlsson. | D．Alice Albinia. |
| A．Worried Whippet: A Book of Bravery. |
| B．All Through the Night. |
| C．The Book of Nordic Self-Care. |
| D．The Britannias: An Island Quest. |
2 . Given the chance, 15-year-old Lenny King likes nothing more than to climb over seven foot-high garden fences and run across the busy road to the Co-op, which he associates with free biscuits. His sister Daisy, 17, frequently falls over, and she was told she’d never walk.
The eldest, 19-year-old Rosie, might launch into an outburst of swearing (咒骂) at any moment. The King family are special in a number of ways. Not only are all three children on the autism (自闭症) spectrum, but their parents — rather than see their situation as at best unlucky and at worst a curse (诅咒) — regard it as a blessing. “In some ways my children are forever young, so while in most families the children grow up and pull away from their parents, mine continue to be a source of childlike surprises,” says Mum Sharon, 47.
Sharon and Richard King met in a Wakefield nightclub. Sharon had a normal pregnancy (怀孕) and gave birth to Rosie, who was a highly developed youngster. While her parents thought her “a bit different”, they saw no reason to be concerned about having a second child. Two years later Daisy was born and, within 12 months, she was diagnosed (诊断) with the rare genetic condition Kabuki Syndrome which is a rare, multi-system disorder characterized by abnormalities including distinctive facial features, growth delays, varying degrees of intellectual disability.
The Kings were told that Daisy may never walk or talk, though she proved the doctors wrong in the first instance by getting to her feet, aged five. Sharon and Richard, a 52-year-old civil engineer, were also advised to think carefully about having any more children. At that point Sharon was already six months pregnant with Lenny. When their son was 18 months old, the Kings noticed that he wasn’t meeting his developmental milestones and doctors raised the possibility that he might be autistic. Lenny was finally diagnosed with classic autism before his third birthday, which then raised questions about nine-year-old Rosie. Tests revealed she had high functioning Asperger’s (阿斯伯格综合征).
Now Lenny and Daisy are collected by an autism resource centre at 8 a. m. each day and returned at 4 p. m. People who are not defeated by suffering are brave warriors in life, and they definitely will have a bright future.
1. Which can best describe Sharon?| A．Optimistic. | B．Pitiful. | C．Inspiring. | D．Grateful. |
| A．They were healthy. | B．They prefer a large family. |
| C．Rosie seemed almost normal. | D．There was no history of the illness in them. |
| A．She was infected by Lenny. | B．She also carried some disease. |
| C．She was ignored by her parents. | D．She was diagnosed with autism at birth. |
| A．To explain the unfairness of life. | B．To encourage readers to offer help. |
| C．To persuade people to focus on autism. | D．To tell people to be positive about misfortune. |
3 . As soon as we get past the age of 25, many of us immediately feel the urge to stop the signs of ageing — especially the visible ones. Men and women are now using topical “anti- ageing” creams, spa treatments and medical procedures to counter many of them. But while these methods can somewhat affect the way you look, ageing is an internal process. A group of scientists based out of the Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered that instead of being a smooth, continuous process, ageing surges (猛增) forward at three distinct stages of life: first, at the age of 34, then at age 60, and finally at 78.
The study, published in Nature Medicine, reveals that scientists can not only predict your age by studying the proteome (protein levels in the blood) but also determine which organs are ageing faster than the others, and which age-related diseases your body is more susceptible to. The study measured plasma proteins (血浆蛋白) collected from 4, 263 adults between the ages of 18 — 95 years and studied the changes in the proteome that occurred with age.
Their ultimate goal was to understand how to identify the changes associated with cardiovascular (心血管的) issues and age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s so that therapeutic treatments can be thought up to counter their onset while there’s still time.
Wyss-Coray and his workmates did not study protein samples from individuals but instead divided the participants into age groups. This helped them identify that ageing underwent sudden surges during three stages of life: young adulthood, late middle age and old age. The scientists were also able to isolate people who did not age according to their actual age. What’s more, the study also confirmed that men and women, who were equally represented in the study, age differently.
While these are still early discoveries and actual clinical applications, the scientists revealed, are at least 5 to 10 years away, the results seem to have a lot of potential. There could one day be a simple blood test that could study the protein levels and determine whether you are ageing appropriately or not.
Does this also mean that there could, one day, be a way of actually stopping the process of ageing altogether? You never know.
1. What did the scientists find?| A．Ageing can’t be avoided. | B．Preventing ageing can cure illnesses. |
| C．Ageing process quickens at three phases. | D．Humans can use some methods to look younger. |
| A．Mature. | B．Defenseless. | C．Responsive. | D．Addictive. |
| A．To pursue a forever young life. |
| B．To know more about life and death. |
| C．To offer possible treatments for age-related diseases. |
| D．To identify the differences between men and women. |
| A．Favourable. | B．Critical. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Doubtful. |
4 . Hummingbirds are natural acrobats (杂技演员), twisting their wings in ways that let them fly backward and upside down, unlike any other bird. Now, high-speed video shows how the birds can slip through gaps narrower than their wingspan (翼宽).
Hummingbirds fly sideways to make it through holes too small for their stiff (僵硬), outstretched wings, scientists report November 9 in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The birds move their wings at a part of the full range of motion, keeping them from hitting the hole’s sides while preserving the backward flying ability. After navigating (穿行) the barriers a few times, hummingbirds flatten their wings against the body and travel through the holes.
“This is a new insight into the amazing capacity of hummingbirds,” says Bret Tobalske, a biomechanist at the University of Montana in Missoula who was not involved in the study. Most birds just pull their wings close to the body to fly through thick vegetation. Sideways flight highlights how unique these hummingbirds are, Tobalske says.
Biologist Marc Badger and colleagues trained four wild Anna’s hummingbirds to fly between two feeders, then introduced barriers monitored by high-speed cameras. Each barrier had holes ranging from 6 to 12 centimetres across, which are equal to about half or a full hummingbird wingspan.
The sideways flight astonished study coauthor Robert Dudley, a physiologist at the University of California, Berkeley. “To slow it up and then go sideways and not drop in altitude was a novel behaviour.”
Perhaps hummingbirds fly sideways to navigate barriers that might hide enemies, says Badger, who did the work while at UC Berkeley. Once the birds know it’s safe, they use the technique to avoid breaking feathers, he suggests.
1. What makes it difficult for hummingbirds to fly through tiny gaps?| A．They have poor vision. |
| B．Their wings don’t easily bend. |
| C．They are unable to fly backward. |
| D．Their enemies often hide in narrow gaps. |
| A．He didn’t engage in the study. |
| B．He works at the University of California. |
| C．He thinks little of hummingbirds’ flying ability. |
| D．He trained four hummingbirds to fly between two feeders. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Upset. | C．Concerned. | D．Amazed. |
| A．Hummingbirds Are Natural Performers |
| B．Hummingbirds Have High Survival Abilities |
| C．Hummingbirds Show off Their Sideways Flight |
| D．Hummingbirds Are Recorded by High-Speed Cameras |
5 . Making employees feel happy and healthy at work is good for many businesses. But it isn’t always an easy thing. A research suggests that just 33% of the U. S. employees consider themselves fully engaged (投身于) at work, while 16% are actively disengaged, and 51% are just showing up.
But there is an exception. When it comes to employee engagement, it seems that employees in small companies are doing better. According to the same research, the largest U. S. companies have the lowest levels of engagement, while companies with fewer than 25 employees have the highest. And in one recent report, 75 percent of small business workers surveyed said they were “very” or “extremely” satisfied with their role as a small company employee.
Unlike big companies, small companies are often short of resources but the employees can get more surprises there. Small companies offer excellent career opportunities to their employees. The bosses often know their staff very well and understand their personal needs. Employees of small companies are more likely to receive free meals, paid leave, and they can even bring their pets to work.
But of course, there’re many other draws in small businesses. One of the top draws is flexible scheduling (弹性工时). Another is being able to really see the fruits of one’s labor. Besides, noncash award is also a big draw. This could be something small that reflects employees’ interests and lifestyles.
While a parental leave might lead to some financial problems, small companies may do something to improve it. “It may be impossible for a five person team to be reduced to four for six months,” writes Camilla Velasquez, head of HR management platform Just works. “But it could be possible to allow new parents to take on reduced hours in a work from home environment.” This kind of method has been realized in some small companies.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2? ______| A．Employees can develop better in small companies. |
| B．Employees can earn more money in small companies. |
| C．Employees in big companies are hard to be satisfied. |
| D．Employees in small companies are more engaged at work. |
| A．The benefits of working for small companies. |
| B．The differences between small and big companies. |
| C．What challenges staff in small companies may face. |
| D．Why small companies are short of resources. |
| A．Choices. | B．Attractions. | C．Difficulties. | D．Competitions. |
| A．Small companies may have more employees with much happiness. |
| B．Big companies should learn from some small companies. |
| C．Employees should have their own hobbies and lifestyles. |
| D．Employers should pay more attention to the staff’s needs. |
6 . Of all the Christmas traditions in my family, the most firmly defended is what’s known as the healthy walk: a non-negotiable walk that takes place in the thin sliver of daylight separating the end of a massive breakfast and the beginning of an even bigger Christmas dinner.
I think the origins of the name lie with my late grandmother (who was also fond of healthy 5 a. m. swims in the English Channel well into her 70s), but it was my parents’ generation who first embraced it at Christmas, working out that a walk was essential. Now, as my parents themselves approach their 70s, my brothers and I have taken up the baton (接力棒) enthusiastically.
But hiking in the depths of winter isn’t without its risks. There are times when the healthy walk has felt almost a little too healthy — there’s a fine line between the kind of weather my grandmother would have described as pleasant and that which will lead to full-blown hypothermia(体温过低). Getting soaked, suffering frozen fingers and slithering (滑) down a muddy bank on your backside are all risks at Christmas in my family. So far, no-one has ever seriously injured themselves, but whatever Michael Bublé might say, the reality of festive-season walking in the UK is always more “sodden (湿透的) mud patch” than “winter wonderland”.
Of course, the risk of being caught out by the elements increases further on longer hikes at this time of year. I’m always amazed that more people don’t do themselves serious damage during ultra-distance winter events. I’m in a we of those (including my sister) who’ve managed to complete things such as the two-day Original Mountain Marathon which takes place in October. In the end, however, the same principle applies to these big events as to our more gentle Christmas Day walk: if you get the right gear (装备), you can handle pretty much anything.
1. What’s the most strictly guarded Christmas custom in the author’s family?| A．A great breakfast. | B．The healthy walk. |
| C．A big Christmas dinner. | D．5 a. m. swims in the English Channel. |
| A．Kind and caring. | B．Successful and rich. |
| C．Determined and energetic. | D．Ambitious and generous. |
| A．They should wear proper gear to deal with many things. |
| B．They can handle everything independently. |
| C．They should focus on more gentle activities. |
| D．They are risking their lives unnecessarily. |
| A．Sports. | B．Education. | C．Entertainment. | D．Science. |
7 . Each year, I write a Christmas list for my family. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the
My mum makes a stocking for me every year. There are
These oversized socks packed with small gifts might not be
Buying a woman a beautiful piece of jewellery that absolutely meets her taste isn’t easy, but finding ten small items that will
| A．reputation | B．news | C．surprise | D．entertainment |
| A．ask for | B．set aside | C．know about | D．sell out |
| A．preference | B．message | C．answer | D．idea |
| A．list | B．plan | C．habit | D．principle |
| A．secretly | B．willingly | C．suddenly | D．deeply |
| A．traditions | B．approaches | C．solutions | D．attitudes |
| A．keep | B．contain | C．collect | D．accept |
| A．changes | B．greetings | C．decorations | D．flowers |
| A．constant | B．sufficient | C．limited | D．daily |
| A．enjoy | B．refresh | C．save | D．restore |
| A．hold on to | B．put up with | C．make do with | D．look forward to |
| A．trapped | B．wrapped | C．painted | D．covered |
| A．shock | B．fear | C．relief | D．joy |
| A．recognize | B．admit | C．agree | D．show |
| A．enhance | B．rebuild | C．stimulate | D．ruin |
Once upon a time, there was a naughty (淘气的) and curious little boy named Jack. Growing up in the city, he had always been fascinated by the countryside and all its wonders. So when his mother decided to take him to visit his grandmother in the village during one summer, Jack was overjoyed.
As soon as they arrived, Jack’s eyes widened with excitement at the sight of the old-fashioned spinning (纺纱) wheel and waterwheel in the yard. But it was the large geese (鹅) in the fenced enclosure that truly seized his attention. Their white feathers, long necks, and distinctive cackles (嘎嘎叫) were unlike anything he had ever seen before.
Eager to explore, Jack approached the fence and reached out to gently tap one of the geese on its head. He laughed at his own playfulness, but little did he know that his actions would have unintended consequences.
The goose, feeling threatened and annoyed, let out a loud squawk and charged towards Jack. Frightened and shocked, Jack moved backwards, tripping over his own feet and falling onto the ground. The goose continued to pursue him, its sharp beak (嘴) coming dangerously close to his face.
Just as the situation seemed terrible, Jack’s grandmother rushed to his rescue. She quickly grabbed a broom and managed to scare the angry goose away, saving Jack from potential harm. Breathless and shaken, Jack sat on the ground, realizing the gravity of his action.
His grandmother sat down beside him and gently explained that animals, even seemingly harmless ones like geese, could attack if they felt threatened. She reminded Jack that it was important to treat all creatures with kindness and respect, regardless of their size or appearance.
Feeling ashamed and regretful, Jack apologized to the goose for his thoughtless behaviour. From that day on, he made a conscious effort to be more mindful of how his action could affect others, both human and animal alike. He learned that true bravery wasn’t about being fearless, but about facing your fears and making amends (补偿) when you were wrong.
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。
As the summer days passed, Jack helped his grandmother tend to the garden and care for the animals.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Years later, as an animal rights activist, Jack often reflected on that decisive summer in the village.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1．感谢他精彩的发言和真诚的建议;
2．希望有机会再次来节目做客。
注意：
1．写作词数应为80左右;
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Mr. Smith,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
The Tigris River and the Euphrates River are two of the most significant rivers in the Middle East
The Tigris River originates in the Taurus Mountains of eastern Turkey and flows southeast through Iraq before joining the Euphrates River
In ancient times, the Tigris River served as
Both rivers
