1 . To American ears, hearing the words “Black Grace” used together makes them feel a kind of quiet strength in times of hardship or perhaps a positive cultural stereotype (刻板印象). To choreographer Neil Ieremia, the words represent the joining of two ideas born from personal and cultural conflict.

In New Zealand, where Ieremia grew up in what he describes as “a fairly tough town” northeast of Wellington, black was used to describe brave, daring behavior. In Ieremia’s youth, brave people were called “black”, linking them to the neighborhood’ s heroes, New Zealand’ s great All Blacks, the national rugby (橄榄球) team.

Ieremia was born in New Zealand to Samoan immigrants who arrived in the country during the 1960s. Illnesses kept him from actively participating in the country’s widespread sports culture. This was difficult for a Pacific Island boy living in a neighborhood where boys were expected to be sporty and tough. In this world, he developed a passion for music.

At the age of 19, Ieremia decided to attend dance school. At his first ballet class, the instructor told him he lacked grace. Ieremia wasn’t discouraged. When he started his own dance company in 1995, he looked to his own experiences for a name that would also reflect his ambitions for dance grace and storytelling. Thus Black Grace was born. Since then, he has changed the face of modern dance in New Zealand and turned Black Grace into one of the most recognizable and successful cultural brands.

In the early years of Black Grace, Ieremia struggled with the conflict between Samoan and New Zealand cultures. Questions of how and where one belongs were at the forefront of his work. Ieremia draws inspiration from his Samoan and New Zealand roots to create innovative dance works that reach across social, cultural and generational barriers. The work itself is highly physical, rich in the storytelling traditions of the South Pacific, and expressed with unique beauty and power.

1. What is Neil Ieremia’s occupation?

A．a sports figure

B．a dancer

C．a psychologist

D．a great writer

2. What does “Black Grace” mean to Neil Ieremia?

A．Stay calm and positive when facing difficulties

B．The quality of being courageous and elegant

C．A kind of stereotype from cultural conflict

D．The expectation of being sporty and tough

3. According to the passage, what can we learn about Ieremia?

A．Ieremia immigrated from New Zealand to Samoan.

B．Ieremia played a key role in mainstream sports culture.

C．Ieremia had a talent for dance at an early age.

D．Ieremia made Black Grace become a successful cultural brand.

4. The best title for the message might be________.

A．Bridging cultures through dance	B．A conflict between two cultures
C．Breaking cultural stereotype	D．Neil Iremia—a successful choreographer

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Traveling by train in China is a cost-effective, comfortable, and safe mode of transportation. The train cabins are well-maintained and    1    (equip) with comfortable seating arrangements, allowing passengers to relax during their journey. With its increasing    2    (popular), understanding the basics of train travel in China will help ensure a smooth and     3    (enjoy) journey.

Trains leave and arrive on schedule, and there are seldom any delays,    4     (especial) for D-trains and G-trains.    5    is very convenient for passengers to switch to other means of transport at railway stations in the major cities, including metro lines, buses, taxis, and coaches. It offers passengers    6     unique way to explore China when they can appreciate the fine views along their journey through the train windows,    7    is very different from traveling by air. The train offers    8    (much) legroom and you can walk around     9    (stretch) your leg on the train.

Chinese train is not only a convenient transportation when    10    (travel) in China, but also a unique experience. You will get a basic idea on how to arrange your train travel in China by reading the related articles.

3 . You have a story to tell and pass on — Start today! Your memories and legacy will inspire and enrich others. LifeStories.com guides you in writing your life story. Our goal is to help you build a bridge from you to future generations and transform the lives at both ends. This easy, creative, comprehensive and a fun website allows you to:

Compose

Capture your memories and write your life story using questions. We provide over 1,000 questions to help you! These questions help stimulate your memory and cover your different life stages. You can answer all of them or just a partial list.

Collaborate (合作)

Invite others to read your story AND they can add content to your story. It’s easy and fun to do. After all life is about those experiences and events with others. So invite them to enrich your story.

Contribute

Your journey is something beautiful to share with your family and friends. Really… is there anything more important to pass on to generations that follow? Your Life and Your Story will be honored and treasured for generations to come.

Tell Others!

Nothing is more important then the legacy of your spiritual life story. Spread the good news to your friends and family and help them get started telling their story. Click here to get started.

Don’t Have An Account?

Creating an account is easy. Start writing your story today by signing up for an account here.

Register now, it’s FREE!

This registration is free and you will see your life story book in your library, the chapters of your book, and over 1,000 questions. If you wish to answer these questions, and share your answer with family and friends, you will need to pay a small annual fee of $100.00. So, check it out! We hope you join our ever-expanding list of satisfied customers who are writing their stories and sharing it with those they love.

1. What is the advertisement for?

A．Teaching learners to build websites.

B．Selling the famous writers’ story books.

C．Assisting readers to write life stories.

D．Providing students with reading materials.

2. How many methods are mentioned to better life stories in the text?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Seven.

3. Which of the following can be enjoyed by payment?

A．Registering to become learners.

B．Going over the guiding questions.

C．Seeing the chapters of your book.

D．Sharing your answers with others.

4 . Guilin City Daily Bus Tour

Departure Date: Daily Tour Time: Around 8:00 a.m.—Around 5:30 p.m. Pick-up & Drop-off Service: Your hotel in the downtown Vehicle Model: Air-conditioned tour coach Tour Guide Service: English-speaking tour guide Type of Tour: Bus Day Tours Tour Highlights: Reed Flute Cave, The Elephant Trunk Hill, The Fubo Hill, The Seven Star Park Tour Code: TBGTS－GLBT02
Itinerary (路线): 1. Pick up service by your tour guide and driver in the morning. 2. Visit Reed Flute Cave. Reed Flute Cave is the largest and the most spectacular of the karst caverns in Guilin. Its name derives from the reed that grows near the entrance of the cave and makes excellent flutes. 3. Visit the Elephant Trunk Hill. Elephant Trunk Peak, also known as Elephant Hill, a huge rock formation of an elephant by the confluence of the Yang and Li rivers, looks as if its trunk is dipping into the water. 4. Visit the Fubo Hill. Fubo Hill towers solitarily in the northeast of the city, with half of it in the Li River. 5. Visit the Seven Star Park. Located on the east bank of the Li River, the Seven-Star Park is about 1.5 kilometers away from the city proper. 6. There are two typical featured shopping stores included during today’s tour. 7. Drop-off service at your hotel at around 9:30PM.	Quotation (价格) Adult: USD66/pp (RMB400/pp) Child(Age:4-12):USD33/PP (RMB200/pp) Infant (Age:0-3): Free Cost Includes: 1. Service for Picking up and dropping off at the hotel. 2. Air-conditioned tour coach. 3. Professional English-speaking tour guide service. 4. Cost of main entrance tickets of mentioned attractions in the itinerary listed above. 5. Typical Chinese lunch. Cost Excludes: 1. All additional fees not listed as include in tour price will be the responsibility of the guest. 2. Tips to the guide and driver as your wish. (Based on the well-done job of the guide and driver).
How to book the tour: 1. Please use our online booking or book the tour by email to info@tour-china-guide.com. 2. Our real trip advisors will have your booking confirmed within one working day. We even take last minute booking if time is pressing. When your booking is confirmed, you will get a confirmation email from us, which includes the confirmed detailed itinerary with prices. 3. In your reply, please inform us of your hotel in Xi’an and date for the tour. Usually our tour guide will call you in the evening to confirm the departure time from your hotel.	Payment: 1. You don’t need to pay any deposit to book this tour. 2. Our tour guide will collect the money on the spot when you board the coach. 3. Both RMB and US Dollar are acceptable. Travel with Tour-china-guide Travel Service. Enjoy your pleasant and unforgettable trip in China. You just can’t afford to miss it!

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Payment should be made in advance.

B．English-speaking tour guide service is offered.

C．Shopping stores are not included in the tour.

D．Tips to the guide and driver are included in the quotation.

2. As for booking the tour, ______.

A．online booking is available	B．emailing is not recommended
C．it can be made by telephone	D．confirmation is made one working day later

3. This passage is most likely to be ______.

A．a report

B．a journal

C．an advertisement

D．an introduction

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式

Many years ago, I went sightseeing in London. While there, I visited the Underground. Like most tourists, I was very interested in it as it is the     1     (old) system in the world. It is also very complex. I was told that the first part of the underground system opened in 1863, and     2     took people from the boundary of London to the city center. The underground passages were very narrow     3     (compare) to the last line that was constructed in 1977. When     4     (carriage) first ran in these passages, there was lots     5     smoke and noise. I think it must have been horrible and damp down there! Another problem was that there were a dozen different lines,     6     were not linked. This     7     (make) the system not user-friendly, but now the different lines have been joined. The union of the different lines makes traveling on the London Underground much more     8     (convenience). I bought a ticket at a discount and rode the underground three times. It was good for me     9     (have) the experience. Another interesting thing was that the passages were used for all sorts of things during war such as bomb shelters, and an anti-aircraft center. It’s     10     (true) amazing.

6 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

10-year-old Buddy was just an ordinary boy but with an extraordinary heart. He had a lot of friends but never really had a “best friend” until he met Simon — a new boy in class who used a wheelchair.

Nobody showed any interest in making friends with Simon except for Buddy. He quickly bonded with Simon because he believed true friends come in different sizes and shapes...

Buddy lived with his grandma, Doris, in their small home in the suburbs. He had lost his parents five years ago in a car crash. Doris raised him, and she was all he had. Buddy promised himself that he would do anything to make his grandma proud and happy, and his prayers (祈祷) were soon answered, but in a way he never imagined.

Buddy had always wanted to help Doris with her rent, so during his free time, he cut grass for neighbors, walked dogs, and even helped older people carry their groceries home in exchange for $1. So far, he had saved $70, but that wasn’t enough to meet their expenses. Not one to be discouraged, Buddy kept going and the only other person who comforted him was Simon.

The two boys often ventured (冒险) into the woods near their school to watch birds during their spare time. It was their favorite hobby. One afternoon before the summer vacation, they went to their favorite spot in the woods. Buddy pushed Simon’s wheelchair, discussing how exciting their adventure would be. They laughed their way into the dense forest, knowing little about what was coming.

Moments later, the boys had a problem moving forward. One of the wheels sank into a branch beneath the mud. The wheelchair broke down, making it difficult to move ahead. Worse still, it seemed the rain was around the corner. The boys could hear rolling thunder across the mountains, which scared them. They wanted to run but could not leave one another. “Wait! I’ve got a plan,” shouted Buddy, trying to lean (倾斜) over and lift his friend up from the wheelchair. His attempt failed because Simon was too heavy for him.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: But he wouldn’t give up just yet.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: A few days later, Doris got surprising news from their landlord (房东).
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Hanfu was the standard dress code for people during the Han Dynasty and was worn by both men and women. The clothing is characterized by its long robes, wide sleeves, and     1     (flow) skirts and the designs are often inspired by nature, with flower patterns and images of birds and animals.

Nowadays, Chinese Hanfu is making     2     comeback in modern China. The revival of this ancient fashion can be put down to several factors,     3     include its promotion through social media     4     (platform) and its appeal among younger generations as a form of cultural identity.     5     (additional), the historical significance and pride     6     (associate) with Hanfu has led to increased interest and demand for authentic clothing pieces. Furthermore, modern adaptations and variations of Hanfu have made     7     more accessible and appealing to a wider audience. In recent years, events such as Hanfu festivals and competitions     8     (push) the trend further. Hanfu is no longer seen as outdated or old-fashioned     9     rather as a stylish and unique option for those seeking to express their individuality.

Overall, Chinese Hanfu continues to gain popularity as a symbol of cultural heritage and national pride, with many embracing it as a way     10     (celebrate) and preserve traditional Chinese culture.

8 . Getting a story or a book published is difficult for most ambitious authors. But in Malaysia, a unique program for ______ people offers a helping hand. The Junior Writers Programme (JWP) provides essential writing skills and a chance to be ______.

“The JWP is not just a writing program,” said Brigitte Rozario, who ______ the program. “It’s an opportunity to help young writers chase their dreams and ______ the effort required for publishing a book.”

The program focuses on writing, revising, and editing, with publication the reward. Only the most dedicated writers are ______. Those who want to be considered for the program must ______ a strict application process. Some ______ the first time and reapply.

Rozario founded the program in 2018. “A couple I knew said that their daughter was very interested in writing,” she explained, “but they didn’t know how to ______ her talent.” Rozario was ______ to help. After several months of planning, the JWP was born.

Each year, about 20 students get the chance to improve their ______. They are given a ______ to explore in the anthology (选集) of stories they create for publication. In 2022, the fifth year of the program, the topic was “Secrets and Lies.” ______ in the anthology cover everything from friendships and families to staying true to oneself. ______ from the book go to local charitable organizations. When you ______ an anthology, you know that you are supporting a ______ cause.

The JWP proves the fact that a teacher, friend, or instructor can make your talents shine. That is who Rozario is and what she believes.

1.

A．poor

B．active

C．young

D．creative

2.

A．sold

B．written

C．published

D．translated

3.

A．publicized

B．founded

C．joined

D．supported

4.

A．joint

B．describe

C．double

D．understand

5.

A．listed

B．attracted

C．noticed

D．accepted

6.

A．pass

B．record

C．design

D．study

7.

A．fail

B．hesitate

C．leave

D．miss

8.

A．measure

B．introduce

C．nurture

D．recognize

9.

A．forced

B．inspired

C．allowed

D．reminded

10.

A．habits

B．grades

C．skills

D．memories

11.

A．question

B．book

C．secret

D．theme

12.

A．Stories

B．Topics

C．Lessons

D．Pictures

13.

A．Notes

B．Profits

C．Awards

D．Examples

14.

A．buy

B．collect

C．read

D．recommend

15.

A．common

B．worthy

C．global

D．successful

9 . Actions speak louder than words — unless, of course, your partner’s love language is “words of affirmation (肯定).”     1    .

Words of affirmation are words that communicate your love, appreciation, and respect for another person.     2     What’s more, these words of encouragement don’t have to be said directly to the person. A simple hand-written note is appreciated just as much as a personal phone call.

People who give and receive love through words of affirmation tend to be the people who notice and care about the details of other people’s lives.     3     They also remember to ask the neighbor how their sick dog is doing. They may even remember to ask the cashier at the local supermarket if they are feeling any better.

    4     For a person who tends to place a great deal of importance on what their partner says, hearing words of affirmation can help them to feel valued, satisfied, and happier in a relationship. By using words of affirmation in your relationship, you are strengthening communication between you and your partner.     5     When your partner feels appreciated, they are likely to experience a deeper satisfaction with themselves and with the relationship. Offering your partner an encouraging word can have a positive impact on you, too. Studies link giving compliments (赞美) with a greater sense of well-being.

Then why not make words of affirmation a habit?

A．In this case, words are everything.

B．How do words of affirmation make a difference?

C．What are the tips for using words of affirmation?

D．They’re positive words and phrases used to uplift someone.

E．You are showing your partner that you notice and appreciate them.

F．They will likely feel a boost in spirit and appreciate you for noticing.

G．For instance, they may be the first to notice their partner’s new haircut.

10 . For the Birds! (FTB!) is a place-based city conservation education program serving 2,000+ New York City youth and community members with a focus on schools and communities across all five boroughs (行政区) that are underserved by environmental education. The mission of FTB! is to get youth excited about helping birds and the places they need to survive. FTB! not only provides knowledge of local species and habitats but also encourages a sense of ecological place in one’s own community and empowers youth to take an active interest in protecting their local environment for birds and people.

For the Birds! Program Options

In-person Programs: During a 4, 8, or 12 session program, program participants learn about birds and local habitats in their neighborhood through both in-class and outdoor lessons. The curriculum is adaptable for grades 6-12. Each program ends with a field trip to a local park and/or a habitat project designed to attract birds and other wildlife to their community. Click here for our full course catalog.

Contact FTB!

To get started, learn more, or for questions about New York City FTB! programs, please contact our New York City team member.

Located outside of New York City? Audubon New York centers also offer FTB! program and volunteer opportunities. Reach out to a center near you to learn more.

New York City Lianne D’Arcy, Senior Coordinator, Education & Volunteer Outreach lianne.darcy@audubon.org	Finger Lakes Region Montezuma Audubon Center 2295 State Route 89, Savannah, NY 13146 montezuma@audubon.org
Hudson Valley Region Rebecca Schultz, Education Manager Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary 127 Warren Landing Road, Garrison, NY 10524 rschultz@audubon.org	Long Island Julie Nelsen, Education Manager Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center 134 Cove Road, Oyster Bay, NY 10524 jnelsen@audubon.org

1. What is the goal of FTB!?

A．To build up community connections.	B．To get youth involved in bird protection.
C．To raise money for bird-saving programs.	D．To inform youth of endangered bird species.

2. Which can best describe FTB! programs?

A．They feature online lessons.	B．They involve hands-on activities.
C．They focus on global environment.	D．They offer 6 options for program duration.

3. Which website can help the youth in Long Island learn more about FTB!?

A．lianne.darcy@audubon.org	B．rschultz@audubon.org
C．montezuma@audubon.org	D．jnelsen@audubon.org