1 . An apology tells someone that we’re sorry for the hurt we caused — even if we didn’t do it on purpose. It’s a way of saying we’re aware of what we did and we’ll try to do better in future.

    1    . Sometimes we hurt people’s feelings without wanting to. Sometimes, we do it on purpose and feel bad later on. So we apologize.

Apologies are one of the tools that we use to get along better with other people. Saying that you’re sorry is more than just words.     2    . Apologizing shows you can understand the other person’s feelings as if they were your own. What’s more, after apologizing, you might feel a little better. The other person probably will, too.     3    , you can feel good because you are trying to make things right again.

Everyone needs to apologize when they do something wrong. For example, if someone is irritated because of something you did, you need to apologize. If you say something that hurts someone, even if you don’t mean it, then you should apologize.     4    .

When someone apologizes to you, you may welcome it and be ready to forgive.     5    . If a person keeps hurting you and apologizing without making an effort to change, you might not want to hang out with that person anymore. However, it’s always good to accept an apology.

A．When you apologize in a caring way

B．When you accept an apology in a desirable way

C．It’s difficult to mend a relationship if we don’t apologize

D．Or you might not feel like being friendly again right away

E．It isn’t always easy for us to get along well with everyone all the time

F．If you lose or break something belonging to someone else, you should say sorry

G．You’re also saying that you respect and care about the other person’s feelings

2 . Every Thursday afternoon, the food pantry (食品储藏室) at the local high school opens up to provide fresh food bags for families who can hardly make both ends meet to get their meals to last through the weekend. Nearly a hundred families rely on the extra food. Some are between jobs, some got hit hard with medical bills for a few months, and some are new to the neighborhood, placed there by refugee services.

On one breezy afternoon, two young mothers walked in together, each accompanied by a young child. There was nothing different about their dress, but their manner revealed a shyness that they struggled to overcome. When they spoke, it was clear why: Their accents were thick, even though they were trying hard to make their English sound American. They were uncertain of being understood. But the pantry is run by grandmothers who are never pressed for time when it comes to conversations. So they sat for a moment and told their story while the little ones were held in arms so very familiar with children.

The two lived in apartments in the basement of the Methodist Church. They had been in the United States for one month. Their husbands were well-educated but working labor jobs to pay for food and save for more typical apartments.

Both had fled the war in Eastern Europe, one family from Ukraine and one from Russia. They ended up in the same church basement and discovered that they needed each other. They became fast friends. Their children played together. They shared meals and navigated their new world together.

There were no bombs or soldiers or rations in their new neighborhood, only a chance to start over. Friendships are sometimes hard to come by, yet matter so much to each of us. A good friend gives us strength, love, laughter and the courage to keep trying.

These two families — worn down by uncertainty and war, thrown together in a new country, a new community with a new language — found so much in common. And isn’t that what we all need? A friend who faces the same life challenges, even if the forces above them have different political views. We are, after all, just mothers and fathers, friends and neighbors.

1. In the article, who primarily benefits from the services provided by the food pantry?

A．High school students.	B．People with disabilities.
C．Families with tight budgets.	D．Underpaid individuals.

2. What was the most noticeable characteristic of the two young mothers when they entered the food pantry?

A．Their clothing.	B．Their language.
C．Their children.	D．Their ID documents.

3. What is one of the reasons why these two families became friends?

A．They both live in the basement of the same church.

B．They met at the same restaurant.

C．They are from the same country.

D．They both have similar professions.

4. Which title best fits the article?

A．Challenges of Life and New Friendship	B．The Story of the Food Pantry
C．New Life in America	D．From War to Peace

3 . Li Jing, 29, currently serves as the director assistant to the village secretary of Maotianping Village Committee in Cuijiaba, a town in Hubei province. Li is a native of this village and was one of the first from her community to achieve higher education. She studied hotel management and tourism. After graduation, she started a career in the hotel industry in Wuhan. However, she made a decision last year to return to her village. She wants to be an essential part of her hometown’s development, realizing her own personal value.

When Li returned to her hometown, she received unconditional support from her family, despite some villagers’ questioning her decision. She resolved to prove herself through determination and action.

Her job involves extensive communication with the villagers, with over half of her workload about promoting potato production, the main business of the village. Li and the villagers regularly hold meetings in the village square, where they share insights on potato planting techniques, sales channels, market trends, and more. These gatherings provide her with opportunities to equip the villagers with planting tools and offer a window for them to voice their concerns and experiences.

In her spare time, Li remains closely connected with the villagers through regular conversations. She admits that it demands a considerable investment of time and energy, but it’s all worthwhile.

Li has very fond memories of an incident from last year when one villager had a poor potato crop. Although her potatoes were unimpressive in terms of size and quality, she held faith in Li and worked tirelessly and enthusiastically. Li never forgets the smiles on the villagers’ faces at harvest time, which is the ultimate reward for her.

In the near future, Li hopes to continue helping her fellow villagers raise their potato production and increase their income. Her long-term vision is to promote urban-rural integration (整合).

1. Why did Li Jing desire to start a career in her hometown?

A．She received higher education.	B．What she has learned could help her.
C．She intended to live her dream.	D．She failed to start her own business in Wuhan.

2. Which words can best describe Li Jing?

A．Passionate and hardworking.	B．Strong-willed and competent.
C．Warm-hearted and easy-going.	D．Selfless and thoughtful.

3. Why the incident is mentioned in paragraph 5?

A．To show Li Jing’s inability in potato planting.

B．To prove Li Jing’s success in gaining villagers trust.

C．To put emphasis on the hardship of potato planting.

D．To give evidence of Li Jing’s efforts.

4. Which of the following can be the best title?

A．No Pain, No Gain	B．East or West, Home Is Best
C．Graduates, Welcome Home	D．From the Village, for the Village

4 . How to Start Applying for Colleges

Most U. S. universities follow the same standard application process. If possible, begin the following approach several months before the submission deadline.

Get Informed.

Colleges want to know the real you. When applying, don’t try to make yourself look better by listing the accomplishments or writing the essay you think they want to see. Be honest and you’re more likely to end up at a college that’s a good fit for you. Here’s how you can prepare to apply to colleges:

● Understand the common terms you’ll see during the application process. Have a good grasp of such things as frequently used acronyms, supporting documents, and government departments.

● Review the appropriate application timeline you should follow when signing up for college. Every school has its own deadlines, but you may have certain milestones to hit during your senior or even junior year.

● Discover the individual components of a complete application. For example, schools usually ask for supplemental application materials like letters of recommendation, transcripts, and written essays.

Get Organized.

How do you apply for colleges efficiently? If you can keep track of everything you need and get organized, you’ll be ahead of the game. For each college you’re applying to:

● Create a real and a virtual folder for storing documents.

● Print a checklist to track your progress on each part of the application.

● Build a spreadsheet to stay on top of submission deadlines.

Gather the Necessary Documents.

● Your Social Security number.

● Your high school code.

● A copy of your high school transcript.

● Your score report from a college admission test.

Review Your Application Before Hitting the Submit Button.

● Make sure you’ve included all required information and that the information filled out on the forms is accurate and spelled correctly.

● Confirm that any required attachments are the correct files and have been properly uploaded.

● Double-check that you filled out all fields and followed all instructions.

● Take a deep breath. Click submit!

1. How many parts will you generally go through before applying to the college?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

2. Which of the following is helpful for the application?

A．Show a perfect you so that you will get more qualified.

B．Discover the individuals who also apply to the same college.

C．Get fully prepared in the second or third year of school in case of some specific deadlines.

D．Figure out every single technical term to better understand the application process.

3. At the very last minute before submitting the application, you’d better __________.

A．check whether you have filled out all the forms and followed all instructions

B．gather all the necessary documents like your high school transcript

C．create a physical and virtual folder for all the documents

D．confirm the submission deadline

5 . One destination is always on trend: the beach, People ready to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life are looking to discover tranquility (宁静) along a picturesque beach. Check out the list below to discover beaches you like.

Baby Beach in Maui. Hawaii   

It scores the top spot for the calmest beach in the world with its calm waters. “Baby Beach is an ideal beach for families with toddlers,” Betts said. “Since the waters are so calm and shallow, it provides the perfect opportunity for children to splash around in the ocean.”

Browne’s Beach in Bridgetown, Barbados

This famous half-mile expanse of white sand draws crowds with its calm, crystal-clear waters. It is celebrated for its natural beauty and historical significance, boasting landmarks like the Barbados Yacht Club and the Barbados Cruising Club.

Mauna Kea Beach on Hawaii Island, Hawaii

Fronting the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawaii Island, Mauna Kea Beach is ideal for visitors to peacefully enjoy the Pacific Ocean. With its calm and clear conditions, it’s an ideal destination for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing.

Playa La Entrega in Oaxaca, Mexico

Situated along the Oaxacan coastline in a protected bay, Playa La Entrega offers a peaceful mix of natural beauty and adventure. Translating to “the delivery” in English, the beach was once a delivery point for goods during colonial times. It’s a popular place to snorkel along coral reefs filled with marine life. Visitors can rent snorkel gear or buy fresh fruit from local vendors.

1. Which beach best suits families with children?

A．Baby Beach.	B．Browne’s Beach.
C．Mauna Kea Beach,	D．Playa La Entrega.

2. What do these beaches have in common?

A．They all have a long history.	B．They are all famous for their quietness.
C．They are fantastic destinations for surfers.	D．They are used for delivering goods.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A research paper.	B．A travel brochure.
C．A geography textbook.	D．A personal journal.

6 . Several art projects are on show to warn people of the climate change happening around us.

Video on the walls

Photographer Camille Seaman has traveled to both the North Pole and the South Pole, where she has captured the disappearing ice in photographs and video. Camille Seaman made a video with some of her most powerful photos of melting ice for people in four coastal cities to display on their buildings. The video ends with a prediction that sea level will rise by 2050 without relative action.

Mural (壁画)changing color

Temperatures in Austin, Texas, are on the rise, and climate change will put the city at higher risk of extended drought, wildfires, intense rain and flooding. Artist Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz designed a unique mural that changes color as it gets hotter. This art work calls for people to change the world and change climate change, underlining the importance of individual actions to the collective future.

Public billboard   (广告牌)

Artist Christine Sun Kim released a public billboard on the 710 Freeway called The Sound of Temperature Rising. It points to the reality of climate disaster that has become all too clear on the West Coast and the need for significant change now. The illustration features a graph (图表) of music notes that get progressively longer and redder.

Anti-Extinction Library

Globally, species are disappearing at an unheard-of rate. In response, architect Mitchell Joachim created The Anti-Extinction Library in New York. The sculptural piece is not only beautiful but also functional. Their unique egg-shaped library has a special freezer storing test tubes with the frozen cells and DNA of rare animals and plants. It’s important for people to realize we must quickly work to protect the rights of different species in our area.

1. What is the key feature of the mural?

A．It lights up at night.

B．It moves with the wind.

C．It plays music when it rains.

D．It changes color with temperature.

2. Whose work contains frozen cells?

A．Camille Seaman’s.	B．Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz’s.
C．Christine Sun Kim's.	D．Mitchel l Joachim’s.

3. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To praise artists’ participation.

B．To call for people to take action.

C．To show the severe result of climate change.

D．To facilitate the combination of art and climate.

7 . The need for new learning opportunities throughout life is recognized throughout society. An initial period of higher education is not always enough in times of rapid social, economic and technological changes. Oxford University’s Department for Continuing Education is known worldwide as a leading provider of extended learning programs for personal and professional development.

Day and weekend events

More than 150 day and weekend courses are offered each year. These one or two-day classes on a single topic are designed to bring you the most up-to-date thinking on a wide range of subjects. You can discuss them with lecturers and speakers who are noted authorities in their field of research. Day-long events usually take place on a Saturday, between 9:45 am and 5:00 pm. Weekend events usually start on a Friday evening or Saturday and run until Sunday lunchtime.

For more information, visit https://www. ox.ac. uk/weekly-classes.

Online courses

Structured as weekly online meetings, our online courses take place in a virtual learning environment. Class sizes are kept small (usually 32 students, or 20 for creative writing)to maximize interaction between students and the tutor. Courses are normally 5-10 or 20 weeks in duration.

For more information, visit https:// www. ox. ac. uk/online-courses.

Professional development

Working with academic experts across the university, we offer around 200 professionally oriented courses in videos, from archaeology through medicine to zoology. They are popular among professional learners from over 120 countries and regions.

For more information, visit https:// www. ox. ac. uk/professional development.

Summer schools

Accredited and non-accredited summer courses of between one and four weeks’ duration for adult learners are held at Rewley House and at Oxford’s historic colleges. There are over 100 summer courses offered each year.

For more information, visit https:// www. ox. ac. uk/summerschools.
1. What programme offers a chance to have a face-to -face talk with top experts?

A．Online courses.	B．Day and weekend events.
C．Summer schools.	D．Professional development.

2. What is a feature of the department’s online courses?

A．They usually take place on weekends.

B．They aim to improve students’ writing skills.

C．They offer degree certificates to their students.

D．They have a limitation on the number of students.

3. Which website is useful for foreign students majoring in medicine?

A．https://www. ox.ac. uk/weekly-classes.

B．https:// www. ox. ac. uk/online-courses.

C．https:// www. ox. ac. uk/professional development

D．https:// www. ox. ac. uk/summerschools.

8 . Dr. Tatiana Erukhimova is a physics professor at Texas A&M who aims to show her students, especially the young women, that there are no limits.

Only 25% of physics undergraduate students are female. Perhaps it is because boys grow up playing with machines and making drawings of fast cars and rocket explosions. But girls are just as curious about the way the world works — they just haven’t jumped into the culture of chemical reactions, energy and magnetic force with as much enthusiasm. That is, until they see one of Tatiana’s videos showing the science behind real life’s magic. Tatiana is really one of the few living female examples they could follow.

Her videos get millions of views. She is a ball of energy with a short haircut, a Russian accent and a lively personality that makes physics accessible to the younger audience. Young girls are attracted to Tatiana’s attractive demonstrations the way they flock to pop concerts. This is real. This is science they can participate in. This is an open door to endless possibilities.

“These short clips are the spark that inspires,” Tatiana says with so much excitement that it lights up the room. Everything she does involves students. She believes the magic in learning is when your peers are part of the demonstration, when you are part of the teaching process.

“She wants everything to be a celebration of science,” says one of Tatiana’s former students. And indeed, the classroom is in a party atmosphere, with students cheering when amazed by Newton’s law of motion, demonstrated by a spinning bicycle wheel held upright by the professor. It’s hard to tell who is more delighted, Tatiana or her students. She is an attraction for female students who are graduating college and working in the sciences in higher numbers than ever before.

Dr. Tatiana’s story began in Russia and her parents were both physicists. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Tatiana moved to Texas with her husband, also a physicist. They both teach at Texas A&M, and when Tatiana isn’t in the classroom, she is doing outreach with schoolchildren, amazing them with spinning lights that soon form words, liquid oxygen that shrinks objects and chemical reactions that expand matter to 10 times its size. But most importantly, she is expanding the audience of female physicists.

1. According to the passage, why do girls sometimes hesitate to jump into the culture of physics?

A．Lack of interest in chemical reactions.

B．Cultural differences in curiosity.

C．Absence of female role models.

D．Fear of liquid oxygen demonstrations.

2. Which of the following is TRUE about the videos mentioned in the passage?

A．They were made by a female physician.

B．They feature engaging demonstrations.

C．They are meant for Tatiana’s homeland.

D．They have received millions of likes online.

3. What is the primary focus of Dr. Tatiana’s outreach activities with schoolchildren?

A．Appealing to students with fascinating demonstrations.

B．Teaching students some difficult physics concepts.

C．Explaining the history of Newton’s law of motion.

D．Encouraging girls to attend parties and pop concerts.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Female Professor Rejecting Gender Barrier

B．Russian Physicist and Female Scientists

C．Physics Professor Stimulating Girls’ Passion

D．The Significance of Online Short Videos

9 . The more you meditate and achieve mindfulness, the better you’ll feel. There are many free meditation apps that offer guided sessions, calming playlists.

Headspace

This app is simple and approachable for meditation beginners. Most of the free sessions focus on teaching the users how to meditate and easing them into the practice, while also acknowledging that meditation can be difficult. Yet to get into the really good stuff, you need to pay for the full membership.

Insight Timer

The app offers a multitude of meditation bells and calming musical notes during self-guided meditations. Featuring a variety of professional instructors and courses, Insight Timer also offers more contents for free users than other apps. Although the free option is extensive, the premium version (高级版) offers courses, downloadable meditations, night mode, and daily insights.

Meditation Studio

The app groups all its free meditations together, so it’s easy to use it without paying. These meditations run from 5 to 30 minutes and are available for download, a feature that other apps typically reserve for premium members. The number of free contents, however, is limited and included mostly basics. The design of the app is also relatively plain.

Breethe: Meditation & Sleep

A nice feature about Breethe is the calming background music that plays while the app is open, even without opening a meditation or music. Breethe offers a lot of sleep contents, including visualizations and bedtime stories. The app does offer a few 7-day courses for free, but the majority (1,000-plus meditations) is locked behind the paywall.

1. Which app is completely free of charge?

A．Headspace.	B．Insight Timer.
C．Meditation Studio.	D．Breethe: Meditation & Sleep.

2. What is special about Headspace?

A．Courses from professional coaches.

B．Advanced instructions of meditation.

C．Bedtime stories and calming background music.

D．Guidelines on how to get into meditation at the beginning.

3. What do Insight Timer and Breethe: Meditation & Sleep have in common?

A．They have a night mode set.	B．They provide contents on sleep.
C．They have calming background music.	D．They offer free contents of the same period.

10 . Last May, my 15-year-old son Ben, informed his mother and me that he would like to attend an upcoming rap concert of Kendrick Lamar. We told our son that he was too young to go to a concert in Toronto alone. But my son refused to take no for an answer.

A few weeks later I happened to be in Ottawa visiting my mother and her sister, Martha. I complained to them about the absurdity (荒唐) of my situation: a man in his fifties attending a rap concert so that his son could go! Then they told me a story.

In the summer of 1964, my aunt Martha, then an 11-year-old girl begged her father, Cuthbert, who was 61, to attend a concert of the Beatles. Cuthbert had to drive Martha from Ottawa to Montreal to see the Fab Four. Once the band came on the stage, the crowd exploded. Poor old Cuthbert didn’t know what had hit him. But as the band started to sing, Cuthbert found he was getting into it. His foot was tapping (轻拍). By the time McCartney started to sing, Cuthbert appeared to have forgotten that he was a respected lawyer.

If Cuthbert could attend a Beatles concert without embarrassing his daughter, I could do something similar for my son. The first thing to do was to learn something about Mr. Lamar and his music. I downloaded and listened to all his albums. I even had some discussions with Ben about what to wear.

The truth is the concert was great. While Kendrick Lamar may still not be my favourite, I’m glad my son introduced me to him, and I’m glad I went.

Often, we don’t keep an open mind to new things and new experiences. Fortunately, we have children, like Ben and Martha, to help us do that.

1. What did the author complain about to his mother and aunt?

A．He was too old to go to a rap concert.

B．His son argued with him again.

C．His son was so crazy about travel.

D．He had too many questions to answer.

2. What happened to Cuthbert when McCartney started to sing?

A．He got a bad headache.

B．He began to enjoy the concert.

C．He forgot the time for his work.

D．He was knocked off his feet.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．The Beatles concert.

B．The author’s feelings about the concert.

C．The author’s preparation for the concert.

D．Differences between the two concerts.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．New Information About My Family

B．How a Rapper Lifted My Day

C．What My Grandfather Did for His Kid

D．How My Son’s Determination Changed Me