1 . At 20 years old, I was a confident and handsome student at the University of California at Berkey.
But that year, I
But six months later, a new bump appeared. Numerous
I awoke from the surgery with a scarred, disfigured face. As I re-entered the real world, I noticed adults
Five years and 20 reconstructive surgeries later, I
I began examining myself from the inside out. Later, I volunteered at a cancer support organization to offer inspiration and hope to those
Now, I am
| A．took charge of | B．took care of | C．took control of | D．took notice of |
| A．appointment | B．arrangement | C．commitment | D．placement |
| A．severe | B．minor | C．apparent | D．complicated |
| A．novelists | B．specialists | C．impressionists | D．journalists |
| A．advocated | B．predicted | C．warned | D．witnessed |
| A．desperate | B．enthusiastic | C．delicate | D．optimistic |
| A．smiling | B．glaring | C．glancing | D．staring |
| A．unusually | B．unintentionally. | C．unconventionally | D．unselfishly |
| A．bother | B．impress | C．annoy | D．restrict |
| A．greeted | B．persuaded | C．encountered | D．grasped |
| A．abused | B．defended | C．informed | D．motivated |
| A．relief | B．security | C．defence | D．honesty |
| A．going about | B．relating to | C．wrestling with | D．breaking with |
| A．greedy | B．grateful | C．suitable | D．tolerant |
| A．mental vitality | B．physical fitness | C．social acceptance | D．face value |
Though I cat an apple almost every day, one month ago my doctor came to my house standing in front of me, not being kept away, due to my sudden illness.
“Well Jian, I think I need to have a strong talk with you. You are overweight. Have you ever heard about Body Mass Index (指数), BMI? Well, I’ve weighed you and measured your height and you have a BMI of 28. That is obese (肥胖的),” said the doctor.
I knew I was a little bit overweight but I didn’t think it was that bad. He added that my name means healthy in Chinese and he thought it is time that I should become healthy. There is a direct link between my health and sport. So he asked me, “How much sport do you do every week?”
I told him that I go for a walk every weekend. Then he replied, “Hmm, that’s not a lot. Sport and health go together. They affect your mental, physical and emotional health. For example, sport can improve your mental health, allowing your brain to think better and focus. It will help you to learn more easily. Is that clear, Jian?”
“I think so. I know it would be good to be able to concentrate better at school.” I said.
The doctor explained to me that from a physical point of view, sport makes us tired so helps us to sleep better. At the same time, sport bums off the calories that we have consumed. It builds muscle and improves our circulation. Sport helps to control our cholesterol count (胆固醇指标) and this is important to stop us having a heart attack. Additionally, it also keeps our blood pressure normal and strengthens our bones.
Para 1: The doctor’s words left me lost in thought.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Para 2: “Exercising alone is hard. Why not: try some team sports?” the doctor suggested.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3 . “When I was a child, I enjoyed watching Chinese dramas such as Princess Pearl and Journey to the West. Fascinated by the Chinese language and culture, I finally pursued it as my major for both my undergraduate and master’s degrees,” said Dinh Thi Thu Ha, a 32-year-old Vietnamese woman working at the waste burning power factory of China First Metallurgical(冶金)Group.
When she first applied for the job in 2019, she aimed for the translator position because the company was preparing for a Vietnam project, its first overseas waste-to-energy factory, in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and it was in great need of translators. “At first, I wasn’t sure how long I could do the job since the working environment was harsh. We were surrounded by garbage, the smell was terrible and dark-colored water would flow everywhere after the rain,” Dinh recalled. But the demanding environment was not her only difficulty as Dinh soon found out that being bilingual (双语的) wasn’t enough for her to be a qualified translator. She had to be an expert in the field of garbage disposal (垃圾处理) too.
“The biggest challenge I faced was the translation of technical terms, many of which I couldn’t understand at the time,” Dinh said. “Whenever I ran into words or expressions that I wasn’t familiar with and couldn’t look up myself, I would ask my Chinese colleagues to explain them to me. They were always eager and happy to help.” In the company’s Vietnam branch, the number of Chinese staff slightly goes beyond that of Vietnamese, but Dinh said she never felt any cultural differences. “We’re not divided by our nationalities, and we’re members of the same family — China First Metallurgical Group.”
Dinh now works as a junior manager, and her job description includes translation, foreign affairs contactor, and marketing. As a local resident of Hanoi, Dinh is very proud to have contributed to this project. “I hope to improve my information research and negotiation skills in the future and to further explore and develop the Vietnamese market with my colleagues.”
1. What can be learned about Dinh from the first paragraph?| A．She enjoys writing dramas. |
| B．She has a talent for language. |
| C．She is fond of Chinese culture. |
| D．She looks forward to working in China. |
| A．Harmonious. | B．Attractive. | C．Frightening. | D．Tough. |
| A．Dealing with garbage. |
| B．Translating technical terms. |
| C．Understanding cultural differences. |
| D．Adapting to the demanding environment. |
| A．Skill is no burden. | B．Still waters run deep. |
| C．Well begun is half done. | D．Rome was not built in a day. |
4 . One day in my class, Maria shared her feelings about money, “Money worries me. I think I want to live without money because I hate it. I HATE MONEY.”We were all touched by Maria’s words as they reminded us of the spiritual burdens that money managing could bring to us. After class I offered to help Maria deal with her financial problems. She hesitated to accept my offer, and I could see from the expression on her face that she was afraid of what it might involve. I quickly promised her that I wouldn’t make her do more than she was able to. I told her frankly that I didn’t enjoy managing my money any more than she did hers and wouldn’t burden her with guilt, judgments, or impossible tasks. All I would ask her to do was let me help her look at her fears and try to make some sense of them.
Maria still resisted my offer, and I can remember the excuses she gave me as they were the repeated complaints I had heard from so many people. “I’ll never understand money,” she said. “My facts are meaningless.” “I don’t deserve to have money.” “I never have enough.” “I have too little to manage.” “My financial position isn’t worth looking at.” And the most devastating one of all, “I just can’t do it.”
Going home that day, I couldn’t get Maria out of my mind：her attitude conveyed the same negativity and fear that I believed annoyed many people. I was sure it was this attitude that prevented people from managing their money effectively. My counseling(咨询) has taught me that these anxieties are inseparably connected to our self-doubts and fear for survival. Many of us are terrified of handling our money because we don’t believe we can do it well, and to do it wrong would put our very existence at risk.
On a deeper level we know that money is not the source of life, but a sense of worth that drives us to act as if it were. It locks us up in self-doubt and prevents us from tapping into the true source of our management power, our spirit.
1. Why would Maria not take the author’s offer of help?| A．For fear of being forced to share her money with others. |
| B．For fear of having to do something beyond her reach. |
| C．For fear of being found guilty of making impossible errors. |
| D．For fear of showing her judgment about money. |
| A．Convincing. | B．Interesting. | C．Shocking. | D．Valuable. |
| A．They were in the same financial trouble. | B．They were in the same financial condition. |
| C．They were of the same family background. | D．They were of the same feeling over the issue. |
| A．How to overcome her fears. | B．How to make wise decisions. |
| C．How to avoid making mistakes. | D．How to learn the necessary skills. |
On October 1st, I came to Sydney, Australia to visit my friend there. As I majored in social studies, what I was interested in was meeting the people there and experiencing their culture, food, and way of life.
My friend
On the third day, my friend and I went to Katherine,
Several days passed and it was time for me
Experience the iconic features of Australia
25 Sep
Next week I’m travelling to Australia to visit a friend there over the school holidays. I plan to keep this blog to record my experiences and what I learn. I have already done some research on the country. Located to the south of the equator, below many other countries on the globe, it’s often informally referred to as “down under”.
I have also read about some iconic sites, such as the Sydney Opera House and the Great Ocean Road, and animals like the cute koalas and kangaroos. I can’t wait to see all of them! However, as I major insocial studies, I’m more interested in meeting people in Australia and experiencing their culture, food, and way of life.
1 Oct
I’m here in Sydney! Since I arrived, my friend has brought me to my first openair barbecue and has also shared many different but yummy meals with me, so my first impressions of Australia have been all about food! A lot of typical Australian food, such as the Sunday roast, is originally British. Bakeries, fastfood joints, butcher shops, cafes, and restaurants everywhere provide some of the premier food experiences in the world. The influence of Asian cultures, on the other hand, led to the introduction of bean curd and Asian herbs, along with Australian versions of foods like the Chineseinspired dim sim.
3 Oct
My friend and I have arrived in Katherine, a town in Australia’s Northern Territory. We’re here to learn about the life and customs of the Aborigines，who are native to Australia. The Aboriginal population might be small, but its influence is still visible. For example, “Bondi” in “Bondi Beach” is an Aboriginal word meaning “water breaking over rocks”.
To survive in this vast land on the ocean, the Aborigines had to be in close contact with nature. This shows in their music, too, which celebrates the natural world and the spiritual world around them. Most of their musical instruments are really just sticks found on the ground, among which there is an amazing instrument called the didgeridoo.
The didgeridoo is made from a tree branch which is hollow. To play the didgeridoo, you put your mouth on one end and blow while vibrating your lips. Unlike a horn, there are no finger holes. The didgeridoo player has to change the shape of his mouth in order to change pitch. A skilled player can play for a long time without stopping to breathe. He does this by continually breathing in through his nose while breathing out through his mouth and into the didgeridoo. I tried to learn how to play it, but after trying for hours, I was convinced that I could never make a musical sound with this instrument!
6 Oct
It’s almost time for me to say goodbye to Australia. I’ve enjoyed my time here very much. After being here for a while, my biggest impression is the complicated mix of peoples and cultures that make up the nation. Although the main cultural influence since 1788 has been Western culture, minority cultures have also played a part in shaping the unique Australian culture, with many of the new cultural influences contributed by immigrants. It is said that now nearly half of all Australian citizens were either born overseas or have parents who were born overseas.
Personally speaking, what I like most about Australia is the people themselves. They have a straightforward and freeandeasy attitude towards life, and their friendliness and warmth made me feel at home wherever I went.
After experiencing Australia, I have to say that I agree with the tourism slogan: “There’s nothing like Australia.”
1. What’s the main idea of the text?| A．The author’s impression of the food and music of Australia. |
| B．The author’s experiences in Australia. |
| C．The author’s impression of the people and culture of Australia. |
| D．The author’s impression of the attractions of Australia. |
| A．First impressions on Australia. B．Preparations before going to Australia. C．Reflections on multiculturalism. D．The culture of Aborigines. |
Blog entry 3
3. What does the phrase “down under” mean?
| A．Australia is surrounded by oceans. |
| B．Australia lies to the south of the equator. |
| C．Australia will be swallowed by rising sea water. |
| D．Australia has a lower ground level than other countries. |
| A．Love. | B．Nature. |
| C．History. | D．Food. |
| A．By changing his mouth shapes. |
| B．By breathing in more air. |
| C．By pressing the finger holes. |
| D．By closing his mouth tightly. |
| A．To show his disappointment at travelling. |
| B．To praise the effect of the advertising. |
| C．To remind visitors not to go to Australia. |
| D．To stress the beauty of Australia. |
Located to the south of the equator, below many other countries on the globe, Australia is often
A lot of typical Australian food originally comes from the UK. The influence of Asian cultures, on the other hand, resulted in the
The Aborigines are native to Australia. Their population might be small,
What impresses me most is the complicated mix of peoples and cultures. While the main cultural influence since
（1）Located to the south of the equator, below many other countries on the globe，it's often informally referred to as “down under”.
（2）To survive in this vast land on the ocean, the Aborigines bad to be in close contact with nature.
（3）Most of their musical instruments are really just sticks found on the ground, among which there is an amazing instrument called the didgeridoo.
VOLUNTEERING IN THE BUSH
I got a parcel from home,
My secondary school is a bush school. The classrooms are made
There’s no electricity or running water and not even textbooks，not to mention modern devices! I’m still trying to adapt
Last weekend I made my first visit with another teacher to Tombe’s village. It took us two
We left the village the next morning after many goodbyes and firm handshakes. Though I
VOLUNTEERING IN THE BUSH
8 March
I just got a parcel from home! It took about two weeks to arrive, and it was a bit damaged, but it was so nice to get some sweets and jam from home; I’ve been dying to have some of my favourite sweets, and it’s always nice to get mail!
So I’ve been here in the jungle for about a month now. My secondary school is a bush school. The classrooms are made of bamboo, with clay floors and roofs of grass. It takes me only a few minutes to walk to school down a dusty track covered in weeds. When I reach the school grounds, I’m greeted by a chorus of “good morning” from the boys. Unlike students in our country, these boys do not wear cotton uniforms, and many of them also have to walk a long way, sometimes for up to two hours, just to get to school.
There’s no electricity, running water or even textbooks, not to mention laptops, tablets, or other modern devices! All the students have are pencils, rubbers, and paper. I’m still trying to adapt to these conditions. I’ve had to become much more imaginative in my teaching. Science is my most challenging subject as my students have no concept of doing experiments. There is no equipment, and since there isn’t even a washroom, if I need water I have to carry it from my house in a basin! It’s important not to be too rigid about rules here, too. The other day I was showing the boys a chemistry experiment when, before I knew it, the mixture was bubbling out of the test tube spilling everywhere! The class became a circus as the boys, who had never come across anything like this before, started jumping out of the windows. Sometimes I wonder how relevant
chemistry is to these students — few will ever become chemists — and most will be going back to their villages after Year 8 anyway. To be honest, I doubt whether I’m making any difference to these boys’ lives at all.
17 April
Last weekend I made my first visit to a remote village, home to one of our students, Tombe. Another teacher and I walked for two and a half hours to get there — first, up a mountain from where we had fantastic views, and then down a shaded path to the valley below. When we arrived at the village, Tombe’s mother, Kiak, saw us coming and started crying “ieee ieee”. We shook hands with all the villagers. Everyone seemed to be related to Tombe.
Tombe’s father, Mukap, a man with a strong jaw and a wrinkled forehead, led us to his house, a low, round bamboo hut with no windows, with a door just big enough to get through, and with grass sticking out of the roof — this shows it is a man’s house. Such housing is dark inside so it took time for our eyes to adjust. Fresh grass had been laid on the floor and there was a platform for Jenny and me to sleep on. There was a fireplace in the centre of the hut. The only possessions I could see were one broom, a few saucers, a kettle, cups, pans, and a couple of jars.
Mukap built a fire outside and laid stones on it to heat. He then placed the hot stones in an empty oil drum with kau kau (sweet potato), ripe corn, and greens. He then covered the vegetables with banana leaves and left them to steam. It smelled delicious. We ate inside the hut sitting round the fire. I loved listening to the family talking softly to each other in their language, even though I could not participate much in the conversation. Luckily, Tombe interpreted for us.
Later, I noticed a can standing upside down on the grill over the fire. After a while, Tombe threw it out of the doorway. Tombe told me that the can was heated to dry out the leftover food. His family believes that leftovers attract bad spirits in the night, so any leftover food is dried up in a can and the can is then thrown out of the hut.
We left the village the next morning after many goodbyes and firm handshakes. My muscles were aching and my knees shaking as we dragged ourselves down the mountain towards home. That evening I fell happily into bed. It was such a privilege to have spent a day with Tombe’s family.
1. What’s the main idea of the text?| A．Jo went to a bush school to visit friends. |
| B．Jo’s experience as a volunteer in the bush. |
| C．Introduction of a bush school. |
| D．Introduction of Tombe’s home in the village. |
| A．Jo and another teacher visited Tombe’s home in the village. B．Getting mail from home made Jo feel nice. C．The school where Jo worked and Jo’s work at school. |
Part 2(Paras.2－3)
Part 3(Paras.4－8)
3. What’s the purpose of the author in writing the blog?
| A．To tell us her teaching life in the bush school as a volunteer. |
| B．To tell us her learning life in the bush school as a volunteer. |
| C．To tell us that she couldn’t get any money by teaching the poor students. |
| D．To tell us how happy she was in the small village. |
| A．Because they were frightened by the bubbling mixture. |
| B．Because they couldn’t stand the terrible smell of the mixture. |
| C．Because they didn’t like doing chemistry experiments. |
| D．Because they knew chemistry was not relevant to them. |
| A．Because this was Jo’s first visit to a remote village. |
| B．Because she was expressing her friendliness and warmth. |
| C．Because Jo walked for two and a half hours to get there. |
| D．Because she was afraid of strangers. |
| A．Happy. | B．Sad. |
| C．Worried. | D．Upset. |
Jo worked at a bush school whose classrooms
(1) There is no equipment, and since there isn’t even a washroom, if I need water I have to carry it from my house in a basin!
(2) The class became a circus as the boys, who had never come across anything like this before, started jumping out of the windows.
(3) His family believes that leftovers attract bad spirits in the night, so any leftover food is dried up in a can and the can is then thrown out of the hut.
During my school days, I was one of those shy kids who were
Once, a spider took around
A SUCCESSFUL FAILURE
Perce Blackborow joined an expedition with Sir Ernest Shackleton to Antarctica on the ship Endurance in 1914.Shackleton was one of the most famous explorers of his day and it was considered a great honour to be part of his expeditions. Below are some of Blackborow’s diary entries.
31 Oct 1914
...Well, it so happened that one morning I bought a newspaper and read the advertisement about the Antarctic expedition.
An expedition to the South Pole with the great Sir Ernest Shackleton — this is the adventure that I have been dreaming of. And I was ready for it. At the age of 19, I am fit and full of vigour. However, when I applied to join the expedition, Shackleton turned me down because he thought I was too young and wasn’t qualified. But I was so enthusiastic about the idea of going along with them that I secretly went aboard his ship, the Endurance, and hid in a small cupboar. Unfortunately, three days after we set off I was discovered. Shackleton did not want to turn back so he offered me a job, but only after he promised me, “If anyone has to be eaten, then you will be the first!” He assigned me to be a steward, and I now serve meals for twentyeight men, three times a day.
How everyone will envy me when I come back and tell them about the amazing places I have been to!
21 Nov, 1915
The journey has not been easy. Endurance became stuck in the ice as we approached Antarctica. The ice froze around us and we were well and truly stuck! We saw the ship get crushed by the ice. And when the ship sank, our hearts sank with it.
Before we abandoned the ship, Shackleton calmly called us together and told us to rescue our most essential supplies — the small boats, our food, the cook stove, candles, clothes, and blankets.This was no time to panic. We were not allowed to take most of our personal belongings, and Shackleton himself threw away all his gold. But to our surprise, he allowed Hussey to keep his banjo. Hussey often plays it to keep our spirits up.
We are now camped on the ice and we have been managing to survive, but spring is coming, and the ice will soon begin to melt.
20 May 1916
We have been struggling for days, but things on Elephant Island are going from bad to worse. We are now crowded together under one of our boats on the rocky shore of this miserable place. Soon after we arrived, Shackleton left us to find help on South Georgia Island, 1,320 kilometres away — the voyage was too dangerous and difficult for all of us to make it in our small boats. If Shackleton fails, will we have any hope of rescue? No. No navy in the world ever stops at Elephant Island, and no one else knows that we are here.
I feel low. It’s cold and windy. The island has no plants. Sometimes we are able to catch a seal or a penguin to eat. Otherwise, there is no food. I try to think of happier things: decent food, warm and dry clothes, a cosy bedroom, sunny days, and my mother’s face ...However, these happy memories are soon interrupted by a sudden cold rush of air.
I shouted, “Shut the door!”
“Hold on now, Perce. Don’t you go turning into another Tom,” came the reply. “We’ve caught another penguin, so it’s penguin soup tonight!”
Bless Frank Wild, the kindest man there is after our leader, Ernest Shackleton. How could I become as selfish and badtempered as Thomas OrdeLees!
Without Frank and Ernest, we’d all be dead by now. Their genuine concern for others, their perseverance, and their resolve fill me with hope.
Perhaps there is a chance we will return home, after all.
1. What’s the main idea of the text?| A．Perce Blackborow admired Shackleton very much. |
| B．Shackleton took Perce Blackborow to the ship. |
| C．Perce Blackborow’s diary entries about the great expedition. |
| D．Perce Blackborow missed his mother very much. |
| A．How Shackleton and his crew members abandoned the ship Endurance. B．The crew members’ life on Elephant Island. C．How the author joined the Endurance expedition. |
②Diary 2
③Diary 3
3. Why did Shackleton turn me down?
| A．Because he thought I was too young and wasn’t well. |
| B．Because he thought I was too weak and wasn’t qualified. |
| C．Because he thought I was too young and wasn’t qualified. |
| D．Because he thought I was healthy enough but wasn’t qualified. |
| A．It was blown down by wind. |
| B．It was stuck in the ice. |
| C．It was knocked over by huge waves. |
| D．It hit the huge mountain of ice. |
| A．The courage and bravery of his own. |
| B．His being young and fit. |
| C．Ernest Shackleton’s experience of sailing. |
| D．Resolve of Frank Wild and Ernest Shackleton. |
| A．Because it was very valuable. |
| B．Because it took little space. |
| C．Because it would never sink. |
| D．Because it could cheer them up. |
| A．Selfish and badtempered. |
| B．Caring and strongwilled. |
| C．Creative and responsible. |
| D．Adventurous and adaptable. |
| A SUCCESSFUL FAILURE | Diary 1:The dream of going to Antarctica came true. | I happen to see an Though turned down, I Discovering I |
| Diary 2: The ship became stuck in the ice | The ship got crushed by the ice and began to After rescuing necessary supplies, we Shackleton allowed Hussey to keep his banjo he played to keep our | |
| Diary 2: Struggle for survival | Things on Elephant Island were going from bad to Shackleton Frank and Ernest’s |
9. Analyse and translate the sentences.
(1)Shackleton was one of the most famous explorers of his day and it was considered a great honour to be part of his expeditions.
(2)However，when I applied to join the expedition，Shackleton turned me down because he thought I was too young and wasn’t qualified.
(3)How everyone will envy me when I come back and tell them about the amazing places I have been to!
(4)Soon after we arrived，Shackleton left us to find help on South Georgia Island，1，320 kilometres away—the voyage was too dangerous and difficult for all of us to make it in our small boats.
