1 . Andrea Lankford quit her job after spending 12 years as a National Park Service forester specializing in search and rescue missions in scenic and remote American landscapes. However, decades later, three young hikers went missing on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). She found herself unable to turn away from the three separate cases despite challenges in the inquiry into them.
Trail of the Lost was her answer.
It’s an absorbing nonfiction narrative (叙事) about the three hikers, including their lives and those of the people looking for them. It also explores the history of the PCT and the rich subculture, practices and even literature that surround it and those who undertake the 2,650-mile journey.
The book is a rich multilayered narrative that works on three different levels. The first is the story of each of the three hikers. Lankford offers a biography (传记) of each of the missing men and shows them through the eyes of those who knew them well and those who joined the search.
Right underneath the narratives about the three hikers are the stories of everyone looking for them. Lankford played a role in each search but she allowed friends, family and even strangers to occupy center stage throughout most of the narrative. The story looks at the role of missing person Facebook groups in the searches and how crucial word of mouth can be. Many warm-hearted individuals came forth and became instrumental in the searches or provided valuable information. But Lankford also writes of the many who lied for no apparent reason and confused the investigations.
The narrative also shines a light on diverse aspects of the PCT. Lankford, who has hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and was the first person to mountain bike the 800-mile Arizona Trail, knows just how the PCT is physically and mentally demanding. Besides, the book explores threats from mountain lions to people with bad intentions who don’t observe the PCT’s unspoken moral rules, serving as a revelation of the well-known, hidden or ignored dangers of the PCT.
Written with a clear, fast-paced, straightforward style, Trail of the Lost is as full of hope and humanity as it is packed with pain, sorrow, danger and tension. Read it and you’ll find more than you seek.
1. What led Lankford to write Trail of the Lost?| A．Her love for her prior career. |
| B．Her strong attachment to the PCT. |
| C．The stress from the missing families. |
| D．Her investigation into hikers’ disappearance. |
| A．Efforts by different people in searches. |
| B．A string of wilderness survival tips. |
| C．Approaches to information classification. |
| D．Respective stories of the three hikers. |
| A．To promote her book. |
| B．To make her a celebrity. |
| C．To motivate hikers to challenge themselves. |
| D．To stress the difficulty of hiking the PCT. |
| A．It targets single youth. |
| B．It’s a romantic novel. |
| C．It’s based on actual events. |
| D．It’s a detailed account of a journey. |
The Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee
The technology refers to a reconfigurable (可重新配置的) intelligent surface,
“We have done tests in several sporting
“It was
3 . Food forests, also known as forest gardens or edible forests, are appearing in urban settings across the US as a unique way to help food-insecure communities. They imitate the structure and functioning of natural forest ecosystems that produce various edible plants for the community, which reduces reliance on external food sources and promotes food self-sufficiency.
Food forests can maximize food production in a given area. In a regular garden, you’re probably only planting vegetables along the ground. While this can provide a great harvest, it leaves a lot of space unused. Now imagine you are planting a fruit tree. On the shady side, you add some shade-tolerant berries, and on the sunny side you add some sun-loving berries. At the base of the sun-loving berries, you plant some annual vegetables and herbs. This food forest would result in a truly splendid harvest that would dwarf what a regular garden the same size could provide.
The genius of a food forest lies in its designed cultivation of beneficial interactions between different plant species. For instance, some plants might enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, a natural fertilizer for neighboring vegetation, while others naturally attract beneficial insects, providing a built-in pest control mechanism. These strategic connections lead to reduced dependency on labor inputs and create an environment that is hardy and sustainable.
Food forests require ongoing care and maintenance, which often involves the participation of community members. This cooperative effort develops a sense of shared responsibility and brings people together to work towards a common goal. Community members can come together to learn about planting techniques, sustainable gardening practices, and the benefits of native plants. This shared learning experience creates a platform for exchanging ideas and skills, promoting a sense of self-reliance within the community.
1. What are food forests intended for?| A．Improving food quality in America. |
| B．Protecting natural forest ecosystems. |
| C．Beautifying the urban living environment. |
| D．Providing food sources for the community. |
| A．Strengthen. | B．Overshadow. | C．Widen. | D．Enlarge. |
| A．Food forests can help increase the diversity of species. |
| B．Food forests require considerable labor inputs to maintain. |
| C．Plants in food forests can benefit one another in some ways. |
| D．The pest control mechanism in food forests is favorable to soil. |
| A．Planting techniques determine the yield of food forests. |
| B．The maintenance of food forests is costly and complicated. |
| C．Food forests serve as a bond to bring community members closer. |
| D．Food forests have become a popular gathering spot in the communities. |
4 . Last year, as my then-9-year-old son, Leopold, and I were on a series of adventurous trips, I came up with a rule: We would say yes to everything as much as feasibly possible. Leopold is a picky kid — he feeds only on chicken nuggets and yogurt — and can be reluctant to try new things. According to him, it’s because he has numerous fears, including heights, spiders and the dark. But honestly, I suspect he just has normal kid-sized nerves.
My original goal was simple. I was hoping to find a way to encourage him without resorting to worn-out words like “if you don’t try it, you’ll never know if you like it.” So, I borrowed the idea of a “yes day”. Leopold and I agreed we would say yes to everything — including food and experiences, especially new ones.
In St. Augustine, Florida, we collectively said yes to a moonlit ghost tour of the city’s famous haunted sites, where while others got claustrophobic (幽闭恐惧的) and left during the telling of ghost stories, Leopold and I stayed until the bitter end and didn’t even scream when one of the actors attempted to frighten us with a jump scare. On that same trip, Leopold tried his first spicy tuna roll and then experimented with blackened grouper (石斑鱼). In Long Sands, Maine, I challenged myself to jump into the freezing ocean, getting cold and wet, but happy to be foolish enough to jump into the chilly waters. On the last night of our trip at a rodeo where cowboys showed their skills at handling bulls in Cody, Wyoming, my son did not hesitate but went onto the field to take part in this traditional event. Though coming back without the prized bandanna, he was laughing loudly, sweaty and excited. I knew it was an experience we would never forget.
And therein lies the beauty of saying yes on vacation. It pushes you to be open to new opportunities and step out of your comfort zone. Though it’s not always possible to say yes to everything back home, where work, school and other obligations get in the way, we’ve begun trying to say it more. Cultivating a sense of curiosity and adventure helps all of us live life to the fullest with zero regrets — even if you do sometimes wind up cold and wet, sweaty and tired.
1. What can we learn about Leopold from the first paragraph?| A．He avoided new attempts. | B．He longed for adventures. |
| C．He was fond of travelling. | D．He enjoyed varieties of food. |
| A．They tried freediving. | B．They kept their promise. |
| C．They enjoyed ghost stories. | D．They won a prize in a local festival. |
| A．Enjoying the comfort zone. | B．Strengthening cooperation skills. |
| C．Developing an adventurous spirit. | D．Cultivating a sense of responsibility. |
| A．To tell a story of an adventurous trip. |
| B．To present problems of living a full life. |
| C．To show challenges of parenting a picky kid. |
| D．To share a method of trying new experiences. |
Ten-year-old Riley Christensen and her mother, Lynn, were sitting in front of the family computer, checking out models and prices of bikes. “Let’s pick one out for your birthday,” Lynn suggested to her daughter. The air in the room was filled with excitement as they scrolled through various options, envisioning the joy when Riley cycled around the neighborhood. They laughed together, exploring the features of each bike, and discussing colors.
As Riley scrolled down the home page of the Bike Rack, a shop in their town of St. Charles, Illinois, a video link for Project Mobility caught her eye. She clicked on it out of curiosity, unaware that this simple click would unfold a profound story of compassion and sympathy. The video clip began to narrate the inspiring journey of Bike Rack co-owner Hal Honeyman. Through it, Lynn and Riley were transported into the world of Project Mobility, witnessing how Hal Honeyman had transformed a passion for biking into an organization dedicated to providing specially engineered bicycles for those facing physical challenges. The video footage (镜头) painted a vivid picture of the positive impact these adapted bikes had on individuals — accident victims, injured veterans, and children with disabilities, including Hal’s own son, who had been born with cerebral palsy (脑瘫).
“I don’t want a bike for myself. I’m going to buy a bike for one of those kids,” Riley told her mother. Two days later, she showed Lynn a letter she had written asking for donations. “I think it’s amazing for a guy to make bikes for kids who can’t walk,” the letter said. “I saw how happy a boy was when he got one... I’m writing to ask for your help.”
Lynn was blown away by her daughter’s effort, but doubts quickly emerged. The cost of just one of those special bikes could be as high as $4,000. Riley could never raise the money.
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。
Nonetheless, her letter went out to 75 relatives and friends.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On her birthday, Riley delivered the bicycles to three lucky kids.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . 假定你是李华，你的美国好友Susan下周要参加国际中华思想文化演讲比赛（International Speech Contest on Chinese Thought and Culture），给你发来邮件表示焦虑、紧张。请你就此给她回封邮件，内容包括：
1.表示宽慰；
2.提出建议；
3.给予鼓励。
注意：
1.词数80左右；
2.格式已为你写好。
Dear Susan,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes,
Li Hua
7 . A year ago, Hialeah Gardens High School student Wendy Chai met Snowball, the American Eskimo dog. Chai, who is 16 years old, was
The program, S. A. F. E. (Support Animals for Everyone), was
S.A.F.E President Naomi Gallardo, 17, explained that
For many, talking about mental health is
By providing students with various support animals and
| A．diagnosed | B．annoyed | C．walked | D．helped |
| A．experiment | B．opportunity | C．initiative | D．experience |
| A．go across | B．pass by | C．get along | D．get through |
| A．informed | B．launched | C．discovered | D．transformed |
| A．forbids | B．allows | C．facilitates | D．discourages |
| A．available | B．convenient | C．reliable | D．responsible |
| A．limitation | B．opposition | C．exposure | D．similarity |
| A．facts | B．items | C．conditions | D．preferences |
| A．stared | B．glared | C．aimed | D．arrived |
| A．simple | B．tough | C．rough | D．delicate |
| A．pride | B．patience | C．generosity | D．prejudice |
| A．seldom | B．usually | C．regularly | D．rarely |
| A．barrier | B．access | C．connection | D．bridge |
| A．recording | B．interesting | C．encouraging | D．controlling |
| A．supportive | B．critical | C．cooperative | D．independent |
8 . Your Path to Emotional Maturity
Emotions play a critical part in our lives and are contagious unless you know how to actually control them. In order to grow and thrive, you must learn to be emotionally intelligent.
Focus Your Efforts On Self-evolution
Just like you, it is completely normal for everyone else to have their own beliefs and opinions. Keeping that in mind, it’s better to understand that you cannot change others, no matter how hard you try. Even if you try changing others, you could be hurting yourself in the process.
Try Using “I” Statements
People sometimes interact with us as if we are mind readers, especially in relationships. Your partner may expect you to understand their desires, which can be challenging. Just as you aren’t a mind reader, others aren’t either. You need to communicate your needs to other people, and they need to do the same with you. Share your needs with your loved ones and observe the positive changes.
Avoid Negative People
You are known by the company you keep, and this is always true.
| A．Communicate Your Needs |
| B．Always Prioritize Self-care |
| C．If surrounded by happy and motivated people, you will always be happy |
| D．When upset, express your feelings openly but in a non-aggressive manner |
| E．The strategy in this stressful situation is to focus on others instead of yours |
| F．Taking full responsibility for your actions is how you become emotionally mature |
| G．To enhance emotional maturity and happiness, self-change is the best course of action |
The fourth graders’ school day was coming to an end. Wilson was filling his backpack when a voice came out of the loudspeaker. “Good afternoon, students. This is a reminder that the All-City Math Contest will be in two weeks. The contest is open to fifth and sixth graders, and the top prize is fifty dollars. Please speak to your teacher if you’d like to participate.
“I am confident that I could excel in that contest,” Wilson thought to himself. Determined to participate in the competition, he rushed to his teacher’s desk and told her that he wanted to enter that math contest.
Ms. Jones looked up from her papers and said, “That’s wonderful, Wilson, but I’m afraid that this contest is for fifth and sixth graders only. Besides, our class has not yet covered some of the topics that will be tested.”
Wilson was not ready to give up. He knew he had a natural talent for math. “But you know that I’m good at math!” Wilson protested. “I do math problems with my brother all the time - and he’s in sixth grade! I think I could do really well!”
“You are a very good math student, Wilson, but rules are rules. I’m sure that you can enter next year.”
Wilson came home frustrated and disappointed, stormed upstairs without saying a word to his mother, and slammed the door to his room shut. His mother quickly appeared at his door, knocked, and came in. “Dear, did something happen today?” She was concerned.
Wilson was quiet for a minute, then it all came out. In a burst of emotion, he told his mom about the contest, how excited he was to enter, and how angry he felt when his teacher told him that he wouldn’t be allowed to do so this year. “It’s just not fair, Mom,” he complained. “I know I could really do well on it. Why won’t they let me?”
Wilson’s mother put her hand on his shoulder. “Sometimes, son,” she said softly, “people follow rules even when they don’t make sense. Perhaps you can persuade your teacher to make an exception for you.”
Wilson perked up: he had an idea.
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。
The next day, Wilson went straight to Ms. Jones’ office.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Forty minutes later, he finished Ms. Jones’ test and handed it to her.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Dogs may have earned the title of our best friends through their interactions with humans, but now researchers say these social skills could, be present shortly after birth rather than being learned.
To better understand the role of biology in dogs’ abilities to communicate with humans, the researchers studied 375 eight-week-old service dogs. They looked at how these dogs performed in a series of tasks designed to measure their communication skills. The puppies were still living with their littermates (同窝出生者) and had not been sent to live with a volunteer puppy raiser, making it unlikely that they had learned about his or her behavior.
In the first task, a person hid a treat beneath one of two overturned cups and pointed to it to see if the puppy could follow the gesture. Since dogs are good at using noses to find things a treat was also taped to the insides of, both cups. In the second task, puppies watched as the researchers placed a yellow, block next to the correct cup, instead of pointing to indicate where the puppy should look for the food.
The third task was designed to observe puppies’ tendency to look at human faces. The researchers spoke to the puppy in a voice people sometimes use when talking to a baby. They then measured how long the puppy fixed a stare on the human.
In the last task, researchers sealed a treat inside a closed container and presented it to the puppy. They then measured how often the puppy looked to the human for help in opening the container.
The study found that while many of the puppies were responsive to humans’ physical and verbal cues, very few looked to humans for help with the unsolvable task. Researchers said, “This suggests that while puppies may be born knowing how to respond to human-initiated communication, the ability to initiate communication on their own may come later.” The next step will be to see if specific genes that may contribute to dogs’ abilities to communicate with humans can be identified.
1. Why were eight-week-old service dogs chosen for the study?| A．They were the best age to learn. |
| B．They were cute and safe to deal with. |
| C．They were unlikely influenced by their mates. |
| D．They had had little contact with humans before. |
| A．To provide clues for the puppies’ final decisions. |
| B．To make comparisons between different conditions. |
| C．To prevent the puppies from making use of their smell. |
| D．To check the puppies’ preference for a particular color. |
| A．Puppies can understand our body language. |
| B．Puppies are good at asking humans for help. |
| C．Puppies are born to arouse communication with humans. |
| D．Puppies need specific genes to communicate with humans. |
| A．Dogs—talented performers | B．Dogs—humans’ best friends |
| C．Dogs—born to be able to learn | D．Dogs—born to understand humans |
