1 . Andy Kong has worked very hard to get to where he is today. He credits becoming a millionaire by 20 to his strict Asian parents who tutored him at a young age by working for the family.

Kong, of Danville, Virginia, started working when he was only nine. English wasn’t a strong suit for Andy’s parents, and that’s where he was able to assist his family the most. After school and on weekends he would help out at their family-owned restaurant and nail salons. Not only did he do the labor work, but he was also involved in creating online ads. This was his introduction to the world of online business.

Andy started his Amazon business in the eighth grade. When he learned about Amazon Dropshipping (代发货模式) from a kid he saw on Instagram, he got inspired and decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the store eventually got shut down because he was impatient with the growth. Instead of considering it a failure, he viewed this experience as a life lesson and learned from his mistakes. Meanwhile, his parents never stopped trying to talk him into focusing on school and their retail business.

“The biggest challenge when starting a business is getting someone to believe in you,” Andy says. He pushed through and did things for himself even when his loved ones discouraged it.

In 2019, Andy met his now business partners, and together, they created an Amazon management company called Project WiFi. This Project has proven to be extremely successful. They currently help over 55 clients run their online businesses, and plan to help many more in the future.

When asked about the secret to his success, Andy says, “Learning to sacrifice whether that’s family, friends, or soccer game for a single goal is the only way to succeed, rather than attempting multiple things. If it’s worth doing then it’s worth doing well with no shortcuts.”

1. Why did Andy work in his parents’ shops at a young age?

A．Because he could earn some pocket money.

B．Because his parents weren’t fluent in English.

C．Because his parents could help with his study.

D．Because he could get access to the Internet.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．A new online business model.	B．Results of working impatiently.
C．Difficulties in Andy’s career.	D．Andy’s tense family relationship.

3. What does Andy think contributes to his success?

A．His early working experiences.	B．Lessons learned from his failures.
C．Gaining other people’s trust.	D．Focusing on the thing you choose.

4. Which of the following can best describe Andy Kong’s personality?

A．Committed and generous.	B．Open-minded and motivated.
C．Creative and faithful.	D．Hard-working and sociable.

2 . Officials of Detroit, Michigan, have equipped a piece of road with new technology designed to charge electric vehicles (EVs) on the path. The roadway is meant to serve as a demonstration project for the technology, which could be expanded to larger road systems.

The system uses a series of copper wires placed underneath the road. These wires have the ability to send electricity through a magnetic field to charge an EV’s battery. Charging can happen while the car is driving or sitting above the equipment. Electreon says the electric road system is safe for people and animals walking over it and does not harm drivers.

The technology was created by Electreon, a developer of wireless charging solutions for EVs. Stefan Tongur, Electreon’s vice president of business development, told The Associated Press EVs require special equipment to receive the wireless signal. “The technology is smart,” Tongur said, and “knows who you are...”

The electrified road stretches about one half-kilometer. It will be used to test and improve the technology in preparation for wider releases. Tongur said the project aims to “demonstrate how wireless charging unlocks widespread EV adoption, addressing limited range, grid (电网) limitations, and battery size and costs.” He looks forward to a future in which, in his words, “EVs are the norm, not the exception.”

Michigan’s Department of Transportation (DOT) signed a five-year agreement with Electreon to develop the roadway charging system. Officials have said they plan to build another electrified stretch of road in another part of the city. Michigan transportation officials say the wireless-charging roadway project has helped position the state and city of Detroit as national leaders in EV technology. “In Michigan, we want to stay ahead of the curve,” Michigan DOT Director Bradley C.Wieferich told the AP.

1. What is the new technology intended to do?

A．Improve EVs’ batteries.	B．Demonstrate a project.
C．Expand road systems.	D．Supply power to EVs.

2. What do we know about the electric road system?

A．People and animals may get an electric shock near it.

B．EVs are charged through contact with its copper wires.

C．It charges EVs only if they stay still on the equipment.

D．A special device is needed to pick up its wireless signals.

3. Which of the following can best replace the underlined phrase “stay ahead of the curve”?

A．Develop more smoothly.	B．Make progress in the industry.
C．Take the lead in the field.	D．Achieve a goal ahead of time.

4. What is Bradley’s attitude towards the project?

A．Positive.

B．Negative.

C．Objective.

D．Skeptical.

3 . On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that 42% of Americans could be overweight by 2030. Our expanding bodies not only lead to a medical problem, but also endanger personal safety in some situations — in an airplane crash, for example, according to a recent article in The New York Times.

The New York Times’ Christine Negroni reports that engineers and scientists are questioning whether airplane seats are designed to protect overweight travelers. Government standards (标准) for airplane seat strength — first set more than 60 years ago — require that the seats be made for a passenger weighing 170 pounds. Today, the average American man weighs nearly 194 pounds and the average woman 165 pounds.

Negroni reports:

“If a heavier person completely fills a seat, the seat is not likely to behave as designed during a crash,” Robert Salzar, the leading scientist at the Center for Applied Biomechanics at the University of Virginia. “The energy that is built into the aircraft seat is likely to be overpowered and the passengers will not be   protected properly” .

“Nor would the injury be limited to that passenger only,” Dr. Salzar said. “If a seat or a seat belt fails,” he said, “those people who are seated nearby could not be safe from ‘the uncontrolled movements of the passenger’.”

Most complaints about airplane seats focus on their lack of comfort and high ticket price, and whether overweight passengers should be made to buy two seats. But The New York Times’ article brings up another reason to feel anxious about flying. Investigators got in touch with the airplane seat and seat belt makers, but they refused to talk about the problem. Experts agreed that crash testing should be done with over-weighted dummies (人体模型). Both airplane seats and seat belts should be tested, they said.

Fortunately, however, according to Nora Marshall, a senior adviser at the National Transportation Safety Board, the board’s investigators have never seen an accident involving a commercial plane in which the weight of a passenger was a problem.

1. What is the article in The New York Times mainly about?

A．The size of airplane seats and seat belts.

B．Safety of overweight airplane passengers.

C．Airplane crashes.

D．A medical problem caused by being overweight.

2. Robert Salzar would probably agree that ________.

A．overweight passengers should buy two seats

B．the government should help produce safer planes

C．standards for airplane seat strength should be raised

D．passengers should know how to protect themselves

3. We can learn from the text that ________.

A．airplane seat makers have taken action now

B．there are few complaints about airplane seats

C．those seated near the overweight may suffer, too

D．only a small number of airplane accidents result from the overweight

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Why do passengers Feel Anxious about Flying?

B．Will 42% of Americans Be Overweight by 2030?

C．When Will the Overweight Enjoy Their Flight?

D．Are Airplane Seats Safe Enough for the Overweight?

4 . “Everything happens for the best,” my mother said whenever I faced disappointment. “If you can carry on, one day something good will happen. And you’ll realize that it wouldn’t have happened if not for that previous disappointment.”

Mother was right, as I discovered after graduating from college in 1932. I had decided to try for a job in radio, then work my way up to sports announcer. I hitchhiked (搭便车) to Chicago and knocked on the door of every station-and got turned down every time. In one studio, a kind lady told me that in most cases big stations couldn’t risk hiring inexperienced person. “Go out in the remote areas and find a small station that’ll give you a chance,” she said. I went back home to Dixon, Illinois.

While there was no radio-announcing jobs in Dixon, my father said Montgomery Ward had opened a store and wanted a local athlete to manage its sports department. Since Dixon was where I had played high school football, I applied. The job sounded just right for me.

But I wasn’t hired. My disappointment must have shown. “Everything happens for the best,” Mom reminded me. Dad offered me the car to hunt for jobs. I tried WOC Radio in Davenport, Iowa. The program director, a wonderful Scotsman named Peter MacArthur, told me they had already hired an announcer.

As I left his office, my frustration boiled over (沸溢，发怒). I asked aloud, “How can a fellow get to be a sport announcer if he can’t get a job in a radio station?” I was waiting for the elevator when I heard MacArthur calling, “What was that you said about sports? Do you know anything about football?” Then he stood me before a microphone and asked me to broadcast an imaginary game. The preceding autumn, my team had won a game in the last 20 seconds with a 65-yard run. I did a 15-minute boost to that play, and Peter told me I would be broadcasting Saturday’s game!

On my way home, as I have many times since, I thought of my mother’s words: “If you carry on, one day something good will happen. Something wouldn’t have happened if not for that previous disappointment”.

1. What is concluded from the passage is that ______.

A．the frustration of the author prevented him from performing well at WOC Radio

B．both of the author’s parents showed support when he was trying to search for a job

C．Peter MacArthur recognize the author’s talent in broadcasting after reading his resume

D．the author lost all his hope and courage when he was turned down by Montgomery Ward

2. The reason why the author wasn’t hired in Chicago was probably that ______.

A．he showed no confidence at the stations	B．there were no job available at the stations
C．he had no experience in radio broadcasting	D．there were too many people competing with him

3. What does the word “boost” in the last but one paragraph mean?

A．requirement

B．encouragement

C．enjoyment

D．amazement

4. What lesson can you learn from the author’s experience in the passage?

A．No cross, no crown	B．Prevention is better than cure
C．Well begun is half done	D．Rome was not built in a day

5 . Not everyone needs or can afford the latest, most powerful laptop out there. For simple tasks, such as running web-based apps, browsing the Internet, or sending an email, a low-powered, low-priced laptop fits the bill. That’s where budget laptops come in.

You get what you pay for. Budget laptops often come with small drive space, low memory, and slow processors. You won’t be able to use them to run the latest graphics-heavy computer games, but for giving your kids access to the web, sending a teen off to college with a computer for their studies or for you to stay up-to-date with Facebook, a budget laptop could be an ideal purchase. Our top pick is the HP Envy x360 15z (available at HP), a 2-in-1 laptop with high quality and smart performance that can be found for under $700 and competes with laptops that cost twice as much. Many of our picks are even more affordable, so there’s sure to be a laptop for anybody. These are the best budget laptops we tested, ranked in order:

HP Envy x360 15z

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5

HP Stream 14

Acer Chromebook Spin 514

Asus Zenbook 14

Acer Aspire 5

Google Pixelbook Go

HP Chromebook x360

Lenovo Ideapad 3

Lenovo Chromebook Duet

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewer’s editors and you can complete your purchases through our links.

1. In what case couldn’t a budget laptop be a good choice?

A．Browsing the Internet.	B．Sending Emails.
C．Running complicated games.	D．Editing school work.

2. What makes HP Envy x360 15z stand out?

A．High processing performance.	B．High quality with good price.
C．Thinner and smart shape.	D．Competitive price with lower power.

3. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To introduce the functions of laptops.	B．To contrast the prices of some laptops.
C．To rank the best budget laptops.	D．To recommend some budget laptops.

6 . Mary Dickins had been a member of the audience at poetry nights before and knew “the poetry clap”. She made a polite tapping of fingers. But when she made her debut (首次演出) as a performer at the age of 62 at the legendary Bang Said the Gun night in south London, she said, “It was so wild — like nothing I had ever seen before.” The audience stamped their feet and shook shakers. “It felt transformative. I thought, ‘I’ve got to have more of this,’ ” Dickins said. Becoming a performance poet has given her a place on a stage of her own making.

All her life she has written is mostly without being seen or heard. Her mother died when she was nine, and, after she went into a care home at 13, Dickins’ writing stayed in notebooks. Really, she says, a lot of her adult life has been about getting over childhood shyness. At university — she studied education — she met her husband of 40 years, but in three years of seminars she did not say a word. Some of these results from her years at the children’s home. She says, “It gave me a sense of what it’s like to be excluded. I never fitted in anywhere.”

After she graduated, she discovered that she loved working with people with learning disabilities. She became an expert in inclusive education. “That was my niche (称心的职业),” she says. She published books and returned to the University of North London as a senior lecturer in early childhood studies.

Dickins now sees that in adulthood she has been giving herself permission to be silly. “The sillier I allow myself to be, the better the writing is,” she says. Her observations are humorous.

“Putting things into words and giving shape to your emotions is an important part of coming to terms with the things that happen in life,” she says.

Does she still feel like an outsider?

“I think I’ve made it into a virtue. I celebrate the fact that I don’t fit into a box. Finally! You have to wait till you’re 62 to feel confident!” she says. “But I have a sense of who I am and I’m proud of it. I wouldn’t be anyone else now — and it took me a long time to say that.”

1. How did Dickins feel about her debut?

A．Nervous.

B．Anxious.

C．Encouraged.

D．Relieved.

2. Why was Dickins lacking in a sense of belonging?

A．Her early stay at the care home.

B．Her inexperienced writing skills.

C．Her struggle with her university studies.

D．Her poor relationship with her husband.

3. How does writing benefit Dickins?

A．It helps her land a good job.

B．It develops her sense of humor.

C．It makes her overcome her learning disabilities.

D．It enables her to get on well with her life.

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

A．Mary Dickins’ First Performance

B．Mary Dickins’ New Start after 60

C．Mary Dickins’ Troubled Writing Career

D．Mary Dickins’ Influence on Performance Poets

9 . Johannes Fritz, a biologist, needed to come up with a plan, again, if he was going to prevent his rare and beloved birds from going extinct.

To survive the European winter, the northern bald ibis — which had once disappeared entirely from the wild on the continent—needs to migrate (迁徙) south for the winter, over the Alps, before the mountains become impassable. But shifting climate patterns have delayed when the birds begin to migrate, and they are now reaching the mountains too late to make it over the peaks, locking them in an icy death trap. Determined to save them, Mr. Fritz decided he would teach the birds a new, safer migration route by guiding them himself in a tiny aircraft. And he was confident he could succeed in this daring, unconventional plan—because he had done it before.

Mr. Fritz learned to fly, modifying a light aircraft so it would fly at speeds slow enough for his winged students to keep up. In 2004, Mr. Fritz led the first flock from Austria to Italy, and has since led 15 such migrations. Over that time, he has rewilded 277 young ibises, many of which then started to pass the route onto their own young. For now, however, the main worry is getting the birds to follow the aircraft. “While they have a strong bond with their ‘mothers’ and follow them around on the ground, flying is more difficult,” Fritz said.

“Fly Away Home was a huge hit with us biologists,” Mr. Fritz said, recalling the 1996 movie in which characters lead the migration of orphaned Canada geese in a hang glider. When Mr. Fritz declared he’d do the same with the ibises, he was initially laughed at. But through years of trial and error, he succeeded. He even learned to fly like a bird, he said. Mr. Fritz’s two sons, both now teenagers, followed their flying father and the migrating birds on the ground, and his family and colleagues witnessed the risks he was taking. But the inevitable risks are “necessary”, Mr. Fritz said. “It’s not so much a job,” he added, “but my life’s purpose.”

1. Why did Mr. Fritz guide the birds himself in a tiny aircraft?

A．He wanted to learn from them.	B．He showed them a safer flyway.
C．They needed to be fed in the air.	D．They were often lost on the way.

2. How does the author show Fritz is a preserver of the ibises?

A．By listing concrete numbers.	B．By conducting a survey.
C．By performing experiments.	D．By making a comparison.

3. Which of the following can best describe Mr. Fritz?

A．Imaginative and honest.	B．Generous and easy-going.
C．Energetic and open-minded.	D．Strong-willed and brave.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Fritz once starred in a film in 1996.	B．Fritz had no difficulty with his work.
C．Fritz thought what he did was rewarding.	D．Fritz was challenged by those around him.