1 . When Yang Fan was taking a walk around the Yuliang Island, she saw a black swan (天鹅) in the grass. Yang Fan knew that swans could be fierce (凶猛的). But as she got close to this one, it didn’t move.
She was sure that the swan needed help. So Yang covered the bird’s head with her jacket to keep its cool, picked it up carefully, and held it in her arms. She decided to send it to the Animal Care Center, but the center was across the Han River, far from the park. She didn’t know how to carry the swan there. Luckily, some strangers driving by gave her and the swan a lift to a nearby bus stop.
On the bus, no one seemed surprised by “the unusual passenger”. Instead they were worried. Someone helped Yang Fan call the center on the way. And Li Tao, an animal-care manager, picked her up at the bus stop and drove them to the center. There, the animal doctors found that the swan was poisoned, caused by eating something used to kill mice. The swan was well looked after at the center. She even made a friend—a little dog. Thanks to people’s love and care, luckily, she was cured (治愈) two months later.
“It’s a moving story. Yang Fan travelled about two hours and it was really a long way.” Says Li Tao. “And all the strangers wanted to give her and the swan a hand.” He adds, “I am happy to see that more and more people have realized the importance of protecting the wild life since Xiangyang began to build the civilized (文明) city.”
1. Which is the correct order of the things that happened to the swan?①She was found by Yang Fan.
②She ate something wrong.
③She was cured.
④She made friends with a dog.
⑤She was sent to the Animal Care Center.
| A．①②⑤③④ | B．①⑤②④③ |
| C．②①⑤④③ | D．⑤②①③④ |
| A．困住 | B．中毒 | C．射伤 | D．掉队 |
| A．Yang Fan didn’t try her best to save the swan. |
| B．The swan could be helped in a much better way. |
| C．Li Tao cared more about the swan than Yang Fan. |
| D．People went out of their way to protect the wild life. |
| A．Ways to Protect the Animals |
| B．More Animal Care Centers Are Needed |
| C．A Swan Meets a City Full of Love |
| D．Efforts the Animal Doctors Have Made |
2 . The Best Books of This Month
Our Class by Chris Hedges
Chris Hedges, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, volunteered to teach a college -level literature class at the East Jersey State Prison. His book covers a variety of styles: personal narratives, plays, songs, poems and history. There are terrible tales of inhumanity, but there is hope in the transformative power of human relationships.
Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
In this novel, a college student at Oxford in the 1950s befriends C. S. Lewis to find out for her younger brother where Narnia comes from. Her brother, who is housebound (出不了门的) from an illness, has become fascinated with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The story of a loving family journeying toward the light of hope is deeply pleasing.
Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit
Challenging preconceptions (成见) about the author of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, Rebecca Solnit offers an unexpected view of British writer George Orwell. Examining his life and work through the lens (镜头) of Orwell’s passion for and appreciation of nature, Solnit presents a well-researched elegantly written book that deepens our understanding of the literature.
Silverview by John le Carré
In Silverview, John le Carré turns his focus to the world that has occupied his writing for the past sixty years—the secret world itself. Julian Lawndsley has given up his high-flying job in the city for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town.
1. What do we know about Chris Hedges?| A．He won prizes for his poems. | B．He once worked as a teacher. |
| C．His book focuses on interpersonal relationships. | D．His work is mainly about music. |
| A．Happy. | B．Worried. | C．Sad. | D．Confused. |
| A．Our Class. | B．Once Upon a Wardrobe. | C．Orwell’s Roses. | D．Silverview. |
3 . My Favorite Sweater
By Bonnie Highsmith Taylor
My favorite sweater grew too small.
I love that sweater best of all.
My grandma made it when I was three.
She made that sweater just for me.
I picked the yarn (纱线), a special blue.
The color of bluebells (风铃草), wet with dew (露珠).
When I was three I was very small.
But now I’m five and much too tall.
I have a new jacket now that’s green.
So I gave my sweater to our cat Queen.
Queen just gave birth to kittens in the shed (小屋).
My favorite sweater is now their bed.
1. Who is the writer of the poem?| A．The grandma. | B．Miss Taylor. | C．A kitten. | D．Queen. |
| A．3. | B．4. | C．5. | D．6. |
| A．5. | B．3. | C．4. | D．6. |
| A．a kind of food | B．baby cats |
| C．a kind of drink | D．a bed for a baby |
4 . English is English, right? Not exactly. Although Americans share the same language as those in Great Britain, words that commonly mean one thing in America can mean something completely different in Britain. Here are some examples.
In the United States a bird is, well, an animal with feathers. In England, however, a bird is often used to describe a young female, similar to the way young women are referred to “chicks” in America. But be careful when you are calling your boss’ daughter a bird, because some Britons consider the word a negative expression.
Saying you need a new trainer in America means something quite different from it does in England. In the US, trainers are healthy and strong experts who can help you work out. However, in England, trainers are just another name for tennis shoes.
In America, the word “jumper” usually means a call to 911, as it can refer to a person who’s trying to jump from a bridge or building. The meaning couldn’t be more different in Great Britain, where “jumper” is the name given to a knit top, or, as it’s called in America：a sweater.
Telling a Londoner that you like to sleep with your comforter every night may cause some strange looks, unless you’re a baby. In the US, a comforter is a cover for bed that is filled with a soft material, but in England, a comforter is a word used to describe a baby’s pacifier (橡皮奶嘴).
In America, a casket, also called a coffin (棺材), clearly has a sad meaning. In Great Britain, on the other hand, a casket has a completely different meaning：it refers to a small box used to store jewelry or other valuable objects.
If a Londoner tells an American he locked something in his boot, the American may look at him strangely. In America, a boot is a type of footwear, while in England the word is used to refer to a trunk (后备箱) of a car.
1. If you call a young English female a bird, she would most probably ________.| A．feel unhappy about it |
| B．find it very interesting |
| C．consider you are strange |
| D．think you come from the US |
| A．chick | B．trainer |
| C．jumper | D．comforter |
| A．has locked his car by accident |
| B．needs to return to his car for something |
| C．has dropped something into his footwear |
| D．needs to open his casket to get some jewelry |
| A．English is widely spoken in the world. |
| B．British English has experienced many changes. |
| C．American English is easier than British English. |
| D．British English and American English have some differences. |
Name | Personal Information |
Fei Junlong | Born in 1965 in Jiangsu, China An astronaut (宇航员) Traveled in Shenzhou VI in outer space with Nie Haisheng from October 12th to October 17th, 2005. |
Jay Chou | Born in 1979 in Taiwan, China A popular singer Favorite music: Hip-Hop |
Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) | Born in Sweden A scientist Known for the Nobel Prizes |
Helen Keller (1880-1968) | Not able to see or hear Worked hard and became one of the famous writers in America Wrote a lot, such as The Story of My Life |
| A．two | B．six | C．seven | D．nine |
| A．writer | B．singer | C．astronaut | D．scientist |
| A．sport | B．song | C．prize | D．book |
6 . Public transportation is beneficial for many reasons: it helps reduce traffic and air pollution, and supports more efficient land use means. Moreover, public transportation is cheaper than driving: It’s reported that a household can save around $9,823 a year by taking public transportation and living with one less car.
If you need another reason to consider using public transportation more often, consider this: taking public transit instead of driving your own vehicle reduces your chance of being in a traffic accident by more than 90%. According to the National Safety Council, there were 40,327 motor vehicle deaths in 2016. The majority of these deaths (23,714) were occupants in cars and light trucks. Only 249 passenger deaths in 2016 were the result of train accidents, and there were only 40 deaths of bus occupants in 2016.
Unfortunately, ridership on public transit is declining across the United States. One possibility may be the popularity of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft, although studies on that differ: some say ridesharing services increase public transit usage, while others say they reduce it.
Even as ridership in the rest of the country decreases, the Orange County Transportation Authority’s OC Bus 360° system has seen a 19.6% increase since September 2017. They achieved this by adding services to the northern part of the county, where ridership was higher, and cutting some lesserused routes in other parts. In those areas, they are instead trying OC Flex, an ondemand shuttle service offering unlimited rides for a few dollars per day.
To encourage people to take public transportation, the government has its part to do. Meanwhile, you can also take part. Try using public transportation to get to work or school once a week. Take some time to learn more about the bus routes and other public transportation choices in your area, and find ways to use it. You’ll be doing your part to reduce pollution, and decreasing your risk of being injured in an accident.
1. What do the numbers in Paragraph 2 show?| A．Taking buses is safer than taking trains. |
| B．People can save money by using public transit. |
| C．Motor vehicle deaths have been on the rise in recent years. |
| D．Taking public transit is safer than driving one’s own vehicle. |
| A．Changing. | B．Growing. | C．Dropping. | D．Disappearing. |
| A．Public transit services are being provided for free. |
| B．People are increasingly choosing to take public transit. |
| C．The government is adding bus routes across the county. |
| D．The government is putting more money into public transit services. |
| A．To encourage people to use public transit. |
| B．To introduce a new public transit |
| C．To give suggestions on how to travel safely on the road. |
| D．To call for the government to improve public transit services. |
7 . San Francisco’s public garbage cans have long outlived their lifespan (寿命) and need to be replaced. However, the current design is not enough for the city’s large population and the increasing number of tourists. The garbage cans also get messed up by the homeless. To address the issues, in 2018, San Francisco Public Works officials set out in search of a perfect garbage can. This proved harder than they had thought.
The officials had a few criteria in mind. The ideal garbage can had to be durable (耐用的) and easy to empty. It would also have a built-in sensor (传感器) to send warnings when full, cost between $2,000 to $3,000 a piece, and, most importantly, look good! After an extensive search failed to find a suitable off-the-shelf replacement, the committee asked local firms to design customized garbage cans.
The four-year exploration ended on July 18, 2022, with three selections. They include the “Slim Silhouette” “Salt & Pepper” and “Soft Square”. Since none of them meet all the required criteria, the officials have turned to the city’s residents for help.
The customized cans and three new off-the-shelf options have been placed across San Francisco for a 60-day trial. Residents can scan the QR codes on the cans and provide opinions on their use experience. A location map of each option is included at the end of the survey. The most popular garbage can will be publicized after the trial ends in mid-September.
The time spent on the project and the cost of the three customized garbage cans — which ranged between $11,000 to $20,900 a piece — have drawn criticism from the city’s retired official Matt Haney.
“The idea that San Francisco is so unique that we need a separate garbage can from any one used in any city around the world is laughable,” Haney said. “It’s something that reflects a broader and deeper brokenness of city government and the services it provides.”
However, Beth Rubenstein, director of policy and communications at San Francisco Public Works, believes their research will benefit cities across the US.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．The local tourism industry. | B．The origin of garbage cans. |
| C．The problems faced by the city. | D．The city’s poor environment. |
| A．The function. | B．The appearance. | C．The material. | D．The cost. |
| A．Take good care of the new garbage cans. | B．Make improvements to the new garbage cans. |
| C．Check new criteria for the new garbage cans. | D．Give their opinions on the new garbage cans. |
| A．Rewarding. | B．Meaningless. | C．Misleading.. | D．Efficient. |
8 . A couple, Libby Green and Marcel Gnauk, like travelling and sharing their travel experiences online has become part of their routine.
Libby is skilled at using a camera. But they struggled to find a focus. Then, in Cambodia, Libby filmed some birds taking flight that she wanted to use in a film. But she couldn’t capture (捕获) the sound of their wing beats.
They looked on the Internet, searching sound libraries, but couldn’t find anything appropriate. So, Marcel took a $100 audio recorder, and went searching for the missing sound to record. He didn’t find any birds, but he did manage to change their future with it.
Marcel turned the recorder on in a small construction zone, listening through a cheap set of headphones. He was awed not just by the sounds of construction, but a man’s singing, and motorcycles passing by.
“It was just like the sound was falling into my head from all sides,” says Marcel. “Everything became alive, and from that day until now I have never stopped recording.”
In the six years since that first recording, the couple have captured sounds in more than 25 countries.
Libby shoots and edits their YouTube videos, and manages their website. Marcel does most of the sound recording and editing, as well as the social media postings. Through their website, they offer 500 free sound libraries. Of these, 145 are free to download.
Libby had added a donation button to their website, and a Hollywood post-production creative had donated a few dollars. It was then that Marcel realized others shared a passion for sound, and were willing to pay for it.
“We wanted to be a source that’s affordable for all types of people to download the sounds and we’re still excited to travel to new places and record new sounds,” says Libby.
1. What changed the couple’s life direction?| A．A camera. | B．A film. | C．A library. | D．A recorder. |
| A．attracted | B．cheated | C．confused | D．awoken |
| A．They are providing some free resources online. | B．They are studying the change of bird sounds. |
| C．They are building free libraries in poor areas. | D．They are advocating donations for Cambodians. |
| A．Sharing Love | B．A Caring Couple |
| C．A Passion for Sounds | D．Recording Good Life |
9 . Blue Grotto, Italy
Despite its name, it is actually not a grotto(洞穴)but a sea cave, about 60m long. What makes it one of the most beautiful caves in the world is the blue color, as its name suggests. When you enter inside, you can see it is filled with weird blue light. This color is formed by the unique combination of the rocks, the entrance, the clear water and the whole shape. In fact, you can’t identify where the source of the blue light is.
Son Doong Cave, Vietnam
This is known as the largest cave in the world, not because of its length—in fact, it is just about 5km long. But its size comes from its enormous passages and caves, reaching 200m in height. In addition, there is an underground river, making the cave even more impressive.
Marble Caves, Chile
Located far from any road, the caves are accessible only by boat. This is the most beautiful cave structure in the world, in which crystal clear water is literally lightened by dazzling(使目眩)blue ice walls. A magical, fabulous, unreal and almost unearthly sight! The caves are best seen from September to February and earlier in the morning when the sunlight streams inside.
Reed Flute Cave, China
Its name comes from the reeds beside its entrance that have been used for making flutes(长笛). It is not too long and not too deep-only about 500m in length. What makes this cave more special is the history. It has been known since ancient times. And when you enter inside, you can see a lot of inscriptions(碑文)dating back to medieval times, starting from the times of the Tang Dynasty (around 792 AD).
1. What is Blue Grotto most famous for?| A．Its long history. | B．Its strange shape. | C．Its clear water. | D．Its amazing color. |
| A．At noon in March. | B．At night in October. |
| C．At sunrise in December. | D．In the morning in August. |
| A．The Blue Grotto. | B．Son Doong Cave. |
| C．Marble Caves. | D．Reed Flute Cave. |
10 . How to Help Your Child Overcome Their Fear of Water
Your kids love bath time and seem excited about your family’s upcoming trip to the beach. But when you get to the beach, they scream, and won’t even dip their toes into the water.
Talk It Out
It can be helpful to understand the reason behind your child’s fear. Some kids may be affected by a scary movie where they saw a monster living in the bottom of a lake or a pool.
Fun Equipment
Some kids will feel more comfortable when going in with some equipment. For example, colorful goggles (护目镜), water wings with their favorite cartoon images on them, a life-jacket.
However, parents should never allow floating aids devices to give your children a false sense of security or use them as substitutes for hands-on supervision (监督).
One-On-One Swim Lessons
Get in With Them
Some kids are only comfortable if you get in the water with them. You can either carry them or hold their hands, and then gently ease yourself away. But even when you back away, never go too far.
| A．If you know what they fear |
| B．If these sorts of scenes sound familiar to you |
| C．Meeting with a child psychologist can work wonders |
| D．These items can make them feel safer and more secure |
| E．Letting your child get used to the water gradually can be really helpful |
| F．You should stay within arm’s length of your inexperienced kids all the time |
| G．Some children will be more likely to listen to an adult other than their parents |
