1 . I’ve been paralyzed (瘫痪的) since childhood and I started using a wheelchair in first grade. So I’ve had 30 years to learn just how
As a culture, Americans are
Well, here’s the
“So how am I supposed to be helpful?” you might be asking. You have to
Like anyone else, disabled people are both capable and in need of some help. If you want to be genuinely, actively “
A.capable | B.desperate | C.friendly | D.responsible |
A.promised | B.convinced | C.trusted | D.questioned |
A.brave | B.honest | C.helpful | D.grateful |
A.test | B.change | C.reason | D.problem |
A.forget | B.refuse | C.continue | D.pretend |
A.still | B.also | C.even | D.already |
A.believe in | B.catch up with | C.smile at | D.pay attention to |
A.tell | B.answer | C.lie | D.focus |
A.kind | B.useful | C.faithful | D.polite |
A.guidance | B.profession | C.performance | D.inclusion |
2 . Chasing Dreams
When I was a little girl, I had always dreamt of becoming a famous pianist. The melodies that flowed
But passion, as they say, finds its way. One day, while passing by a charity shop, I found an old keyboard on sale. It was nowhere close to a real piano, but it was a
Every day after school, I would practice for hours, trying to perfect each note and each melody. My fingers would often
As years passed, I started participating in local competitions. Not all were victories, but each one was a learning
One day, a letter arrived. It was an invitation to an interview for the National Symphony Orchestra (国家交响乐团), a chance to
The day of the audition finally came. As I walked onto the stage, the weight of my journey
A week later, I received the news: I was selected. My dream, once distant and unreachable, had
Now, as I play on grand stages, I often look back. Not in regret, but in gratitude. Gratitude for every challenge, every setback, for they shaped my
A.between | B.over | C.through | D.beneath |
A.sounded | B.seemed | C.felt | D.echoed |
A.mistake | B.start | C.fake | D.end |
A.hurt | B.break | C.dance | D.shake |
A.on | B.in | C.during | D.under |
A.opportunity | B.misery | C.story | D.experience |
A.compete | B.argue | C.discuss | D.socialize |
A.danced | B.swayed | C.rested | D.disappeared |
A.born | B.become | C.given | D.lost |
A.fears | B.successes | C.path | D.mistakes |
3 . It was hard not to notice an 8-year-old kid storming in and out of his own house. “He doesn’t have a father,” said his neighbor, William Dunn. “I can probably do something for him.”
That something was fishing, a
Just as important as the fishing are the
Dunn’s father passed away this year, so fishing has
A.case | B.passion | C.duty | D.goal |
A.difficult | B.dramatic | C.adventurous | D.boring |
A.remembered | B.regretted | C.recorded | D.appreciated |
A.Entertained | B.Shocked | C.Inspired | D.Confused |
A.nearby | B.around | C.ahead | D.throughout |
A.identities | B.agreements | C.relationships | D.opinions |
A.toughness | B.dependence | C.sharpness | D.defense |
A.require | B.deserve | C.lead | D.secure |
A.left behind | B.turned into | C.carried out | D.taken on |
A.curious | B.nervous | C.lucky | D.hesitant |
4 . During the first weeks of his retirement from the fire service, Max had felt lost. And that’s when Polly, a library manager, helped him sign up as a
Max hadn’t volunteered before and he didn’t know anything about
Glancing around the library at the many parents and carers accompanying the robot builders, Max knew he had to face this
“Okay, team,” he started
The children nodded, their hands busy with screws and plastic limbs. Max wandered from table to table,
An hour passed, and the room was filled with the sound of chatter and clinking parts. As the final minutes of Robot Club ticked away, Max stood back and
As they began to leave, many children stopped to thank Max. Each “thank you” and “see you next week” chipped away at the sense of
A.volunteer | B.writer | C.builder | D.fireman |
A.books | B.programs | C.children | D.robots |
A.searching | B.waiting | C.reading | D.arguing |
A.competition | B.consequence | C.challenge | D.conflict |
A.calmly | B.coldly | C.casually | D.weakly |
A.processing | B.offering | C.exchanging | D.understanding |
A.surveyed | B.cleaned | C.decorated | D.left |
A.bringing up | B.calling on | C.showing off | D.giving away |
A.freedom | B.relief | C.loss | D.guilt |
A.version | B.belief | C.approach | D.purpose |
5 . It was 4:30 pm. As I was packing up, I noticed my colleague had left his laptop bag in the office. So I decided to bring it to him. It took me about 15 minutes to get to his house, where I
Suddenly a snowstorm came and within minutes I was in a whiteout. I stopped because I was afraid of driving into a farmer’s field, or worse. I kept the car
Those seconds after the call were
I texted my colleague, joking about my good deed ending in
Waiting in the car, I doubted whether
At 8 pm, I saw a tall figure in a yellow raincoat striding toward me in the dark, carrying a flashlight. I’d never been more
He turned around and started to trudge through the snow, sure of the direction. I drove behind him, feeling my heart begin to beat more
The experience has been a game changer for me. I now
A.dropped off | B.filled up | C.set aside | D.put away |
A.locked | B.parked | C.signaling | D.running |
A.painful | B.critical | C.disappointing | D.impressive |
A.failure | B.smoke | C.disaster | D.mystery |
A.route | B.location | C.direction | D.destination |
A.news | B.help | C.hope | D.faith |
A.satisfied | B.surprised | C.relieved | D.worried |
A.slowly | B.excitedly | C.nervously | D.strongly |
A.recognition | B.admiration | C.satisfaction | D.appreciation |
A.identify | B.present | C.approach | D.anticipate |
6 . The Happy Hitchhiker (徒步者)
Several years ago, I decided to visit my best friend, who lived in Napier.
As I walked along a tree-lined country road, I
He laughed and asked if I
Opotiki was a further 25 km away, so I
After dinner we all
The next morning I woke to a cup of tea and a nice hot breakfast. I thanked them for their care, when the lady handed me a sandwich saying that it should
A.Whether | B.Once | C.Because | D.Although |
A.brave | B.funny | C.lucky | D.clever |
A.supposed | B.explained | C.discovered | D.wondered |
A.blocked | B.headed | C.pointed | D.expected |
A.named | B.left | C.meant | D.passed |
A.road | B.weather | C.town | D.night |
A.followed | B.directed | C.invited | D.promised |
A.looked | B.chatted | C.waited | D.guessed |
A.keep | B.join | C.mind | D.stop |
A.intelligence | B.eagerness | C.honesty | D.kindness |
7 . As an ordinary senior school student, I’ve discovered a wonderful way to
When I get on my bike and ride around familiar streets, it feels like I’m on a small quest. It’s not just about reaching a(n)
Another thing that cycling has taught me is to be ready for surprises. The road isn’t always
The most important part, though, is how cycling makes me feel happy and
In the end, my daily bike rides have become more than just a way to get around. They’ve become a(n)
A.estimate | B.approach | C.guarantee | D.challenge |
A.phenomenon | B.coincidence | C.adventure | D.entertainment |
A.flexible | B.unique | C.traditional | D.responsible |
A.cooperation | B.dilemma | C.crisis | D.destination |
A.discovery | B.value | C.comment | D.growth |
A.top | B.coast | C.stage | D.platform |
A.describe | B.detect | C.remove | D.overcome |
A.delicate | B.fragile | C.smooth | D.tough |
A.volunteer | B.insist | C.pray | D.panic |
A.original | B.unexpected | C.crucial | D.natural |
A.useful | B.efficient | C.carefree | D.curious |
A.apply | B.recharge | C.develop | D.recognize |
A.alarmed | B.embarrassed | C.fresh | D.emotional |
A.audience | B.passenger | C.victim | D.guide |
A.determination | B.attempt | C.comfort | D.calmness |
8 . I hadn’t seen Anne in nearly 20 years since college, yet we could still party like old times. It was great to have her here,
She was looking at the few blooms (花) left in my yard. I hadn’t planted much after losing my job. It had been a
“One of my hobbies is taking photos of
Suddenly a hot song rang from her cell phone. “I set it to remind me to take my medicine,” she said calmly.
“An
“For my brain,” she smiled. “I have been diagnosed with a rare cancer, a small tumor (肿块) no bigger than your fingernail,” she laughed softly. That was Anne — ever
So
Later next day, an e-mail filled with the flower photos popped up from Anne — clear and beautiful. She had gotten past the anger, the pity and unfairness, taking one moment at a time and polishing it until it
I shifted my eye to outside, and I had her flowers in full bloom. Actually, I always had them, but it was Anne who got me to really
A.saving | B.watching | C.sharing | D.controlling |
A.normal | B.new | C.satisfying | D.difficult |
A.last | B.same | C.only | D.right |
A.yards | B.flowers | C.parties | D.people |
A.bother | B.avoid | C.miss | D.stop |
A.award | B.order | C.alarm | D.idea |
A.optimistic | B.attractive | C.hard-working | D.confident |
A.nervous | B.shocked | C.relaxed | D.lucky |
A.ended | B.failed | C.shined | D.fruited |
A.arrange | B.trust | C.colour | D.appreciate |
9 . In 2019, Thierry Henry, a bus driver, found there was a rise in bike thefts in his city, Reykjavik. Rather than
The 44-year-old has helped return hundreds of stolen bikes in the past 4 years. His social media account has over 14, 500 members and helps people track down more than just lost bikes. His page
From this moment onward, he reached out to the thieves, offering help and guidance. After the change in his
“It’s like a
Thanks to Henry, everyone’s looking out.
1.A.claim | B.expect | C.accept | D.realize |
A.new | B.honest | C.careless | D.rightful |
A.belongs | B.extends | C.returns | D.refers |
A.owners | B.makers | C.thieves | D.sellers |
A.Initially | B.Unknowingly | C.Incredibly | D.Unwillingly |
A.regretfully | B.negatively | C.guiltily | D.helplessly |
A.level with | B.reply to | C.side with | D.apologize to |
A.plan | B.occupation | C.habit | D.approach |
A.assist | B.trust | C.engage | D.drag |
A.dream | B.snowball | C.rainbow | D.balloon |
10 . When Susan was a high school senior, her English teacher Mr. DiMeo gave the class a challenging task: Recite a poem in front of the whole class.
“I had a mild stutter (结巴). I’d be
Susan went home and
When the day of the recitation came, Susan recited the poem one-on-one to Mr. DiMeo.
Susan went on to graduate from high school and go to college. She never got to properly thank Mr. DiMeo. But sometime after college, she
“I stand up in front of people and speak, and I do it all the time. If I do stutter once in a while, no big deal,” she said. Susan recently found a way to
In her mind, Mr. DiMeo is an unsung hero, because he’s a big reason why she has a successful career and life. “I don’t know where I would’ve gone if I felt like I had to keep my voice
A.continuing | B.struggling | C.pretending | D.hoping |
A.share | B.express | C.find | D.bear |
A.taught | B.proved | C.revealed | D.promised |
A.excused | B.prohibited | C.corrected | D.discouraged |
A.While | B.Although | C.Unless | D.Once |
A.jealousy | B.worry | C.boredom | D.loneliness |
A.wanted | B.offered | C.landed | D.created |
A.impact | B.idea | C.choice | D.stress |
A.judge | B.contact | C.study | D.interview |
A.sweet | B.loud | C.quiet | D.deep |