1 . When the PISA worldwide educational comparisons came out late in 2023, most countries fell to wondering how to do better. Spain had lost ground since the last time the tests were done in 2018. But students in Catalonia lost even more. Besides, native Spanish-speakers did worse than Catalan-speakers, which soon led to the blame on language policy.

In the 1980s Catalonia began a transition to teaching all subjects in Catalan, except Spanish. Several years ago the region’s top court ruled that at least 25% of classes must be given in Spanish. The regional government, led by separatists, then passed a law allowing individual school heads to raise or lower the level of teaching in Spanish, according to their need.

A new report for the Association for Bilingual Schools in Catalonia (AEB), which campaigns for more Spanish, said that hardly any schools have changed their published policies. And so they requested the European Parliament to investigate whether pupils’ basic rights had been violated. The week before Christmas a delegation made a fact-finding trip. The Catalan education secretary says they came having already made up their minds that the region’s language policy harms pupils’ performance.

In the Escola San Jaume, a primary school in El Prat de Llobregat, a heavily Spanish-speaking town near Barcelona, all signs are in Catalan. Only about 10% of the pupils are native Catalan-speakers, says the director, Arturo Ramírez. Despite the never-ending discussion across Spain, it is one largely achieved in Catalonia, where over 80% of the population speaks and reads Catalan, and everyone, except some immigrants, speaks Spanish too. Watching the happy students on his playground, Mr Ramírez says “There is no problem here. The problem is outside the building.”

1. What caused the blame on language policy?

A．That the native Catalan-speakers did better than Spanish-speakers in PISA.

B．That Spain had lost ground.

C．That most countries was wondering how to do better.

D．That the PISA worldwide educational comparisons came out.

2. Which best describes the transition in the 1980s?

A．At least 25% of classes must be given in Spanish.

B．All subjects were taught in Catalan.

C．Raise or lower the level in teaching according to need.

D．The regional government passed a law.

3. Which might be the percentage of the schools that have changed their published policies?

A．100%.

B．50%.

C．75%.

D．1%.

4. What might be the attitude of Mr Ramírez to their language teaching?

A．Indifferent.

B．Neutral.

C．Confident.

D．Unclear.

2 . Antarctic charity offers the ideal job—if you don’t mind noisy penguins

A heritage charity is advertising vacancies at the bottom of the world. Four candidates will be chosen to fill the five-month role at Port Lockroy-the “Penguin Post Office”. The nearly-80-year-old building is on British-owned Goudier Island, which is about the size of a football field, featured in hundreds of lovely penguins, breathtaking landscapes and the chance to support conservation efforts in one of the most remote corners of the planet.

Jobs contents:

Managing a museum, post office and gift shop as well as counting penguins.

Requirements for applicants:

The successful applicant should be passionate adventurers. He or she would be resilient, physically fit, environmentally aware, and get ready to take on the challenge of spending five months far away from home.

Advantages:

It has the most splendid mountain range and a glacier with icebergs. It is really raw nature and stunningly beautiful.

Cooking is shared, and meals are variable for it has a trained chef.

There are lovely activities such as having a typical movie night, playing board games or giving presentations on subjects as an Antarctic tradition.

Disadvantages:

Applicants have to adapt to near-constant daylight, subzero temperatures and no flushing toilet or running water.

The penguins are experiencing their breeding season, so applicants cannot escape from the noise.

Applications opened yesterday to UK residents, with training beginning from August this year to March 2025. There will be interview s and selection events before then.

1. Who can be the most suitable applicants for the project?

A．A woman who has trouble sleeping well.

B．A woman who becomes homesick every time he leaves home for business.

C．A man who is experienced in management.

D．A man who has great passion for nature.

2. How long will one be trained if he/ she is selected?

A．8 months.

B．6 months.

C．10 months.

D．2 months.

3. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To advertise for four candidates on Goudier Island.	B．To introduce penguins at Port Lockroy.
C．To compare some advantages of a job.	D．To provide some places to travel.

3 . Torsongan Bullik is a 28-year-old cross-country skier. When he was a freshman in junior high school in 2009, he excelled at long-distance running. As an amateur in 2016, he finished third in the Xinjiang Wusu International Marathon. And then a passion for cycling revealed itself as his hometown hosted the Tour of Sayram Lake, a national road race for amateur cyclists.

“The high-spirited cyclists, their flashy costumes and helmets fascinated me,” he recalls. “I felt that cycling was really cool.”

In 2012, Torsongan’s father gave him a mountain bike that cost 5,000 yuan ($695), which was a lot of money for his family. He loved the bicycle so much that he used it at every opportunity. Two years later, he entered his first competition, although there was no fairy-tale ending as he lost his balance on a steep slope. But he was determined and kept testing his limits. This paid off as he has won medals at all levels of the sport in China.

On Oct 18, 2018, Torsongan was the first to cross the finish line during a high-altitude bike race in the Xizang autonomous region. But surprisingly, it was the national cross-country skiing team that he impressed with his endurance (耐力). They were in search of new talented athletes for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Accepting the invitation from the team marked a turning point for Torsongan’s career, but challenges remained. “After training with the team during the day, I had to go to the gym to level up my upper-body strength in the evening,” Torsongan said in an earlier interview.

He didn’t make the final list, but worked as a technician assisting (帮助) in the operations of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Regardless of the outcome of the 14th National Winter Games, Torsongan enjoyed the challenge of competing, and has his eyes set on the next race.

“I will continue with my efforts. As long as I don’t give up, I still have a chance to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics,” he says.

1. What set Torsongan on the cross-country skiing road?

A．He felt that skiing was really cool.

B．He studied on cross-country skiing.

C．A professional team looked for someone with talent.

D．He hoped to fulfill his father’s expectations.

2. Which of the following can best describe Torsongan?

A．Determined and hard-working.	B．Cautious and responsible.
C．Strong and humorous.	D．Talented and productive.

3. Which of the following can we know from the Torsongan?

A．He used to be a professional long-distance runner.

B．His hard work of bike training didn’t paid off.

C．He didn’t accept the invitation from the team.

D．He was a technician in the Beijing Winter Olympics.

4. What is Torsongan’s next plan?

A．Encouraging others to join in his activity.

B．Becoming a technician assistant in his hometown.

C．Continuing his dream at the next Winter Olympics.

D．Becoming a long-distance running player.

4 . Hope is a way of thinking. We know it can be taught; we know it can be nurtured.

Being hopeful doesn’t mean engaging in wishful thinking or blind optimism.     1    . The opposite of hope, therefore, is not pessimism, but indifference, with its loss of motivation. And while wishing is passive, hope is about taking action. Here are some tips that can help cultivate hope-even when it feels unattainable.

Give yourself permission to be hopeful

Remember when you were a kid, and well-intentioned adults cautioned you not to get your hopes up?     2    , at some point we are going to be disappointed. The solution is not never allowing ourselves to feel hopeful or giving up on hope altogether.

Set at least one meaningful goal

In order to be hopeful, people must think in a goal-oriented way. Make it a point to always be working toward at least one goal that’s meaningful. In other words, it shouldn’t be something you have to do, but something you want to do.     3    .

    4    

People who are high in hope, meanwhile, tend to generate lots of pathways-so if one doesn’t work out, they have an alternative at the ready. If you’re struggling to make a plan, or you keep being blocked-by someone else, or an unfair system, or bad luck-sitting down with a pen and paper and giving yourself an hour to brainstorm solutions will be suggested.

Call your support team

    5    . Getting a good night’s rest, following a health y diet, and meditating can all promote agency. Sometimes, however, the strongest source of agency is other people. Make a list of your biggest supporters, so when you’re feeling unmotivated, you know exactly who to call for a boost.

A．Struggle to make a plan.

B．Brainstorm solutions.

C．Goals can be anything that’s important to us.

D．Rather, it’s the belief that we have the ability to go after a better future.

E．People who are hopeful tend to have a lot of “agency”.

F．When you can see yourself in the future, that is the very essence of hope.

G．In fact, whether or not we allow ourselves to hope.

5 . Powerful Quotes To Help You Find Your Way When You Feel Lost

Everyone has moments in their lives when they feel a little lost, and it is at these times that we begin to question who we are and what the purpose of life is. Many people have struggled with similar emotions before us.     1    

    2     It can happen to anyone at any time. If you are currently going through such a period in your life, powerful quotations will undoubtedly be beneficial. They will always act in your best interests and direct you in the right direction.

Powerful quotations about feeling lost will encourage you to search within and discover how you truly are. With all of life’s ups and downs, it’s simple to feel like your life is meaningless, that there is no hope for the future.     3    

Perhaps you’ve become lost in your work, your relationship, or your parental responsibilities.     4     Powerful quotations will aid in your self-understanding and boost your confidence so that you can design the life you love.

You need to understand that you are not alone if you’re feeling lost.     5     Because things will pass and get better. It Make an effort to show yourself enough love and attention. Enjoy life as it comes to you and take your time.

A．The only life you can actually lead is the one that is immediately in front of you.

B．So follow them, set aside your concerns and allow yourself to see the life that lies ahead.

C．In any event, you shouldn’t let yourself become trapped in this condition of confusion.

D．Your current difficult situations are temporary.

E．Being lost is perfectly normal.

F．Get help from some powerful professional quotes.

G．However, maybe you’re experiencing a difficult time that you weren’t prepared well.

6 . 3 Most Inspirational Stories For The Child In You

Whether you choose to share these tales with your children or enjoy a personal journey through their pages, you’re about to unwrap a fascinating world of inspiration! Now is the time to visit our web and be ready to be inspired!

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!-By Dr. Seuss

In a world full of creatures and strange features living in a colorful town, there is a character who sets out on an amazing journey. This character sailed through many adventures. Facing all the challenges, this character never gave up. Do you know why? Because it is understood that life is just an exciting journey that is full of surprises. And if you are brave enough, you will find lots of opportunities just waiting around the corner.

The Little Engine That Could -By Watty Piper

In a colorful world of engines, there lived a tiny blue engine. It was small but it had big dreams! One day, the engines were entrusted (委派) with the most important task of the year: To deliver toys to children who live on the other side of the towering mountain. “It’s too hard. We can’t do it.” Said all the bigger engines. But the little engine believed in itself and set out on the mountain with effort. The little blue engine completed the task and it was only able to do this because it believed in itself!

The Rainbow Fish-By Marcus Pfister

There was an extraordinarily beautiful fish called the Rainbow Fish that had sparkling scales in the oceans. But it did not want to share its scales with other fish. Despite being so beautiful, it had no friends! One day, a wise octopus (章鱼) told the fish that we truly feel satisfied in life when we share our blessings with the less fortunate. The Rainbow Fish reflected on its own life and started sharing its scale with other fish. The Rainbow Fish made many friends that day. It discovered the joy of a true friendship.

1. If you hope your child has courage to conquer difficulties, which story you probably choose?

A．Oh, the Places You’ll Go!	B．The Little Engine That Could.
C．The Rainbow Fish.	D．All of them.

2. Who makes the Rainbow Fish change its mind?

A．Itself.

B．Other fish.

C．Marcus Pfister.

D．The wise octopus.

3. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A story book.

B．A web page.

C．A newspaper.

D．A textbook.

7 . The Canadian town of Churchill is well-known for its arctic (北极的) wilderness. This town of extremes is home to about 900 year-round residents. However, 500, 000 tourists, more or less, flood here throughout the year.

In this setting, there’s a special find in a simple shipping container just outside the town. It’s a new project called Rocket Greens, led by the Churchill Northern Studies Centre(CNSC). Rocket Greens has successfully demonstrated the possibility of planting fresh, leafy produce regardless of seasons or weather conditions.

Erin Greene, a Churchill resident since 2015, became one of the first subscribers to Rocket Greens’s CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. “When I first moved here, it was very hard to get good-quality fruits and vegetables. We would never get fresh herbs and never see things like Swiss chard or kale,” recalls Greene, who says she now maintains a healthier diet and has become more self-sufficient as a result of the program.

In addition to Rocket Greens, CNSC has set up a seeding project for community garden support. This involves planting seedlings during the late fall and early spring that have been distributed to local community members free of charge in summer. Due to the short growing season and the challenging agricultural conditions, this seeding project offers a head start. “Community members can receive plants at no charge. It’s an educational tool to learn how to seed a field properly and how to grow your own food in your own home,” explains Dylan McCart, director of CNSC. This year’s seeding program will include a variety of crops such as peas, corn and peppers to make up for the traditional vegetables that are typically planted during Churchill summers.

“Considering the challenges of operating in a remote location like Churchill, we were one of the first ones to be able to do it, so it’s great that we were able to have that vision at that time. And it’s still successful today,” McCart says.

1. Why are so many people attracted to Churchill?

A．They want to live in the wilds.	B．They like to enjoy the unique scenery.
C．They can taste fresh produce from the locals.	D．They wish to become members of Rocket Greens.

2. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Erin Greene?

A．To advertise the lifestyles of locals.	B．To show the diversity of local food.
C．To prove the difficulty of living there.	D．To illustrate the effects of the program.

3. Which can best describe the seeding project?

A．It adds fuel to the fire.	B．It teaches a man to fish.
C．It pulls a rabbit out of the hat.	D．It kills the goose that lays the golden egg.

4. How does McCart feel about the seeding project?

A．Curious.

B．Relieved.

C．Astonished.

D．Proud.

8 . Save the rice for cooking, says the phone company, which has finally acknowledged the longstanding “trick” could do more damage.

You know the nightmare situation: You dropped your phone in water — be it pool, ocean, or toilet, your worries get the best of you, although iPhone 12’s and onwards are designed to survive 30 minutes of aquatic submersion. In the urgent need of saving your expensive device from potential damage, you remember your friend’s suggestion to throw it in a bag of rice overnight. Supposedly, the grain draws out any remaining water droplets from the smartphone’s tiny crevices, saving its precious circuitry in the process. They swore by it, after all. What is there to lose?

Well, as the phone company spotted earlier today, a recently updated document states that this “trick” could actually cause further issues in your phone. “Don’t put your wet phone in a bag of rice,” the company warns in the revised article on its dreaded Liquid Detection Alert, “For doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your phone,” while the rice starch (淀粉) can block the innards through the device’s small cracks. Besides all that, rice simply isn’t as effective as other materials, such as those silica packets you already should be recycling, anyway.

Among the other rumored solutions to avoid, the company advises phone owners not to use an “external heat source” such as a blow dryer, as well as leave the compressed air can in the utility closet. Similarly, trying to stuff cotton swabs, napkins, paper towels, or any other “foreign object” into charging ports could make things worse.

So, what should you do if your phone takes a plunge? The company advises a gentle approach in such situations, such as simply tapping the device against your hand “with the connector facing down” to dislodge liquid, then leaving it in an open, dry space with decent airflow for at least 30 minutes. From there, try connecting it to a cable charger. Yes. They really did pull out the trusty “Have you tried turning it on and off again?” line for this one.

1. Which is closest in meaning to “get the best of” in paragraph 2?

A．Make full of.

B．Make fun of.

C．Take care of.

D．Take control of.

2. Why is it NOT suggested to put your wet phone in rice?

A．Because the rice will damage the inner parts of the phone.

B．Because the rice is cheaper and more effective than other materials.

C．Because the rice will stick to the phone.

D．Because the rice will be wet.

3. What is the suitable way to dry a wet phone according to the phone company?

A．Stuffing cotton swabs to absorb the water.

B．Leaving it in an open, dry place with constant flowing air.

C．Using a blow dryer to heat up the inside.

D．Using napkins to dry up the surface.

4. Which can be the best title of this passage?

A．Placing wet phone in rice may hurt.	B．Rice is a good choice for drying up wet phone.
C．Phone 12 is designed water-proof.	D．Approaches to dry up your wet phone.

9 . The ocean depths contain the metals needed for the widespread use of battery-dependent technologies like electric vehicles, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Interested parties see this as a solution to our technological demands and the pressing need for a “green transition”. However, it raises a crucial question: should we mine the deepest stretches of the world’s oceans?

Some scientists and activists warn that seabed mining could cause an irreversible (不可逆的) chain reaction, severely harming the ocean and threatening entire ecosystems on the ocean floor. There are also potential risks to our health, including toxic metals entering the human food chain, and affecting climate change. The most significant direct impact of mining in remote ecosystems is the probable loss of habitat and biodiversity.

Dr Chong Chen is a deep sea biologist at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). “There are undoubtedly many undiscovered species with abilities and functions that we cannot even imagine exist,” he says, “and we could lose them without knowing they ever existed.”

The mining process also disturbs seabed sediments (沉积物) and releases them back into the sea, raising additional concerns among scientists. Mining is for metals, whose stability of the construction are unchecked. “Some of those may be broken down and be directly into the water column,” says Jeffrey Drazen, professor of Oceanography with the University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Some of these metals are toxic to life.” says Professor Drazen. At the same time, he acknowledges the core challenge is ensuring whether the benefits of extracting (提取) deep-sea mineral resources outweigh the potential harm to our ecosystem. He notes that it’s a tough choice.

The positive development is that, for the first time, companies, governments, and civil society are actively participating in international discussions to create rules and regulations for the deep-sea mining industry before it begins.

1. What’s the purpose of the last sentence in Paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the topic.	B．To give some evidence.
C．To define the phenomenon.	D．To reveal the conception.

2. What does the underlined word “those” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Sediments.

B．Seabed.

C．Metals.

D．Mineral resources.

3. What can be inferred from the text?

A．The deep-sea mining will not do more harm than good to the people.

B．The deep-sea mining has a big impact on ecosystem and human beings.

C．A regulatory framework for the deep-sea mining industry has been established.

D．Many undiscovered species are bound to extinct according to Dr Chong Chen.

4. What is Professor Drazen’s attitude towards the deep-sea mining?

A．Skeptical.

B．Objective.

C．Indifferent.

D．Positive.

10 . I didn’t quite know what I was looking for when I flew to Mongolia for a term abroad. I just needed something different, far from the late-night libraries of my college town. Most different, I hoped, would be my rural homestay: two weeks in central Mongolia with a family of nomadic(游牧的) herders.

I was studying Mongolian at the time, but still, there was so much I couldn’t say or understand. As we walked in the snow behind the goats, my host mom would ask me if I was cold, then giggle (咯咯地笑) and copy a big shiver to make sure I understood. In the evenings, she showed me how to make dumplings with her fingers. My host siblings would talk with me, speaking too fast for me to understand, as we explored the rocks around our tent; I’d listen and nod.

This verbal(言语的) barrier was strangely freeing. In the crowded dining hall at home, meeting new people made me anxious. I’d stay quiet, measuring out my words, struggling for something to say that wouldn’t expose me as unfunny or boring. In Mongolia, I couldn’t perfect my words. I could only smile, and try out one of the phrases I’d mastered: “May I help?” “Where is the dog?” “Are you tired?” My host family laughed at my pronunciation, at the way I threw up my hands and eyebrows in a frequent gesture of confusion. But in their laughter, I felt safe, unembarrassed.

With my Mongolian family on the grassland, I found a feeling of ease I’d never felt before. We were so different, they and I, and not just in language. Their skin was hardened and darkened by sun; I’d been hidden under hats and sunscreen since birth. My host siblings(兄弟姐妹) grew up drawing water from frozen streams and jogging behind herds of sheep; I spent summers at tennis camp.

For me, these gaps made all the difference. Without shared social measures, I wasted no time wondering how I was measuring up. Only real things—kindness, helpfulness—mattered.

1. Why did the author go to Mongolia for a term abroad?

A．She dreamed of living a nomadic life.	B．She was tired of studying late at night.
C．She had to study Mongolians’ normal life.	D．She was collecting information for libraries.

2. What does the underlined word “shiver” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Hug.

B．Smile.

C．Attack.

D．Shake.

3. How did the author behave at the dining hall in her home country?

A．She felt at ease in the crowd.	B．She usually weighed her words.
C．She asked a lot of funny questions.	D．She often made others laugh with jokes.

4. What did the author learn from her life in Mongolia?

A．You are judged wherever you go.	B．Nature makes humans feel insignificant.
C．Appearance reflects one’s standard of life.	D．Being kind is the common social standard.