1 . In the old-fashioned town of Willowbrook, two friends named Emma and Liam shared an intimate bond. They were inseparable and spent every moment together, laughing, exploring, and creating unforgettable memories.
One cold winter morning, as the first snowflakes gently fell from the sky, Emma woke up with a stuffy nose and a sore throat. She tried to brave it and get ready for school, but her body felt weak and achy. Unwillingly, she called Liam to let him know she couldn’t make it to school that day.
Liam was concerned when he heard the tiredness in Emma’s voice. “Don’t worry, Em. I’ll take care of everything at school for you,” he assured her. Feeling grateful for Liam’s understanding, Emma forced a smile and replied, “Thank you, Liam. You’re the best friend anyone could ask for.”
After school, Liam hurried to Emma’s house, carrying a meal he had prepared for her. He knocked on the door, and Emma’s mother welcomed him with a warm smile. “Oh, Liam, you’re such a thoughtful friend,” she said.
“I brought some soup and tea for Emma. I hope it will make her feel better,” Liam replied, some concern in his eyes. Entering Emma’s room, Liam found her curled up under a blanket, looking pale but relieved to see him. “Hey, I brought some comfort food to cheer you up,” he said, setting the food on her bedside table.
Emma’s eyes lit up, and she smiled weakly. “You didn’t have to, but thank you. This means the world to me,” she whispered. Sitting by her side, Liam kept her company, chatting softly and making her laugh despite her illness. The warmth of their friendship enveloped the room, bringing a feeling of comfort to Emma’s tired soul.
As Emma regained her strength, she realized just how lucky she was to have a friend like Liam. His unwavering presence and kindness had made her recovery easier and brighter. Their friendship grew stronger with each passing day, and from that moment on, they knew they would be there for each other through thick and thin.
1. What does the underlined word “intimate” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Satisfactory. | B．Informal. | C．Close. | D．Temporary. |
| A．It was too cold to go outside. | B．Liam failed to pick her up. |
| C．She was in a bad condition. | D．School was closed for the heavy snow. |
| A．Considerate and caring. | B．Brave but lazy. |
| C．Selfless and active. | D．Independent but stubborn. |
| A．Emma’s illness. | B．A precious friendship. |
| C．Liam’s company. | D．How to help a friend. |
2 . “I feel lonely and hopeless, ” said Lisa, a bright teenager from a loving home. “It seems that nobody wants to become my friend. What’s wrong with me?”
Like Lisa, many of us experience loneliness. The truth is that all people, no matter what their age or character-even the most outgoing, wealthy and popular-experience loneliness at least sometimes. It’s healthy and natural to want to be around people who care. After all, we’ve all heard “No man is an island.” That’s true. We all need others in our lives.
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, explains that if we want friends, we must be friendly and reach out to others. But it has risk. Because we are often afraid of rejection, many of us are unwilling to reach out to others. We take a safer way and wait for others to make friends with us. But if we want friends, we’ve got to get beyond this.
If making friends is your goal as well, you need to consider taking some measures.
Be willing to take the initiative (主动). If you see someone whom you would like to know, don’t wait for her to make the first move. Get close to her and begin a conversation. Let her know in a non-aggressive (无攻击性的) way that you are interested in being friends with her.
Reach out to those who are lonely. When you see someone at school sitting alone, go over and talk to her. And don’t let popularity decide whom you reach out to. You’ll often be surprised at the beautiful qualities behind a shy appearance. Ask questions. Start your first conversation by asking this possible friend what she likes to do or asking about her family. Be sure to ask questions that cannot be replied with “yes” or “no”. For example, don’t ask “Do you have a dog?” Instead, say “So, tell me about your pets. ” Avoiding asking “yes” or “no” questions makes your possible friend not end your communication with a one-word answer.
1. Why does the author begin the text with Lisa’s worry?| A．To set a sad tone. |
| B．To share Lisa’s pain. |
| C．To teach readers a lesson. |
| D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．Putting ourselves in danger. |
| B．Being treated in a rude way. |
| C．Being refused by others. |
| D．Losing interest in communicating. |
| A．Popular people are often easy-going. |
| B．Just waiting for chances will help you make friends. |
| C．Shy people are hard to talk to. |
| D．A suitable way is important in making friends. |
| A．It is considered unfriendly. |
| B．It isn’t good for keeping a conversation going. |
| C．It will leave a bad first impression. |
| D．It shows the poor quality of the speaker. |
3 . In the mad rush of day-to-day living, we can often forget to find opportunities for our families to relax and have fun together. But having fun is an essential part of growing up. It’s also critical toward building a strong family.
It builds family bonds. The family that plays together stays together. Family bonds are built when you do something together that is simply fun. These bonds can last a lifetime.
It promotes social skills. The ability to have fun and be fun is an attractive personality trait that children can benefit from in social interactions.
| A．It expands the mind. |
| B．It increases children’s creativity. |
| C．The following are why family bonds are important. |
| D．Fun also helps build important family traditions. |
| E．It helps children build social skills to make friends or deal with new situations. |
| F．Here are some more reasons why having fun together as a family is essential. |
| G．The children will also be able to successfully communicate when they’re ready to move |
4 . Your relationship with your mom is supposed to be one of the most special relationships in your life, which makes it much harder when she says something that hurts your feelings.
Stay calm. Breathe deeply to control your emotions. It’s completely normal to feel your temper rise if she said something really mean. However, don’t immediately react or argue. Take slow, deep breaths to calm yourself.
Tell your mom that she hurt your feelings. Express yourself so your mom knows that you’ re hurt. It can be scary to approach your mom and discuss what she said, but it’s a big step.
Spend time around emotionally-supportive people. Take a break from the stress and anxiety that comes from interacting with your mom.
| A．Develop a positive mindset. |
| B．Take hurtful words to heart. |
| C．Try to use a respectful tone of voice. |
| D．You may not know how to react to her. |
| E．Admit your fault and apologize to your mom. |
| F．It may help to just walk out of the room to get some space. |
| G．Reach out to friends and loved ones who truly care about you. |
5 . There is an old Chinese proverb that states “One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade,” and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and a daughter is sometimes confusing. The relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy (等级) of responsibilities and unconditional love, which preclude mothers and daughters from being best friends.
Marina, 27 years old, said, “I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn’t consider her my best friend. Best friends don’t pay for your wedding. Best friends don’t remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friend: don’t tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you.” This doesn’t mean that the mother and daughter relationship can’t be very close and satisfying.
While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common, which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together.
Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren’t speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother’s emotional well-being. It isn’t that they don’t care deeply about their mothers. It’s just that they shouldn’t be burdened with their mother’s well-being.
The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mothers always “trump (胜过)” friends.
1. What does the underlined word “preclude” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．differ | B．prevent | C．benefit | D．change |
| A．The mother and daughter relationship can be replaced by a best friend. |
| B．A mother’s love brings her and her daughter a close friendship. |
| C．The mother and daughter relationship goes beyond best friends’ friendship. |
| D．Marina has a troubled relationship with her mother. |
| A．By listing data. | B．By giving explanations. |
| C．By quoting sayings. | D．By giving examples. |
| A．How to Be a Good Mother and Daughter? | B．Who Is a Mother’s Best Friend? |
| C．Mothers or Friends? | D．Can a Mother Be a Daughter’s Best Friend? |
6 . James Rilling of Emory University in Atlanta published the study in The Royal Society in November,2021. His team surveyed 50 grandmothers each with one biological grandchild be-tween 3 and 12 years old and one of their own child. They also measured the brain function as the participants viewed pictures of their grandchild and the same-sex parent of the grandchild. Researchers found that grandmothers viewing their grandchild’s pictures activated parts of the brain that involved emotional empathy(共鸣)and movement.
In contrast, the study also found that when grandmothers viewed images of their adult child, they showed stronger activation in an area of the brain associated with cognitive(认知的)empathy. That indicates they may be trying to cognitively understand what their adult child is thinking or feeling and why, but not as much from the emotional side. Compared with results from an earlier study by the Rilling lab of fathers viewing photos of their children, results showed that grandmothers activated more parts of the brain that involved emotional empathy and motivation.
“That suggests that grandmothers tend to feel what their grandchildren are feeling when they interact with them,” Rilling said. “If their grandchild is smiling, they’re feeling the child’s joy. And if their grandchild is crying, they’re feeling the child’s pain and sorrow.” In many societies, grandmothers are important caregivers, and their investment is often associated with improving their grandchildren’s well-being.
It’s part of the reason why the US celebrates Grandparents’ Day each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day in September. The announcement was signed in 1978. “Because grandparents are usually free to love, guide and befriend the young without having to take the daily responsibility for them. They can reach out past pride and fear of failure and close the space between generations,” the announcement read.
1. How many generations were there at least in the participants’ families?| A．2. | B．3. | C．4. | D．5. |
| A．Their cognitive abilities. | B．Their emotional interaction. |
| C．Their respective preferences. | D．Their important characteristics. |
| A．The fear of grandparents. | B．Grandparents’ Day activities. |
| C．Grandparents’ responsibilities. | D．The origin of Grandparents’ Day. |
| A．Grandmothers Are More Likely to Be Emotional |
| B．Grandmothers Empathize with Their Own Children |
| C．Grandmothers Hold Deep Bond with Grandchildren |
| D．Grandmothers Have Generation Gaps with Grandchildren |
7 . The mental health of children is connected to their parents’ mental health. A recent study asked parents to report on their children’s mental and physical (身体的) health as well as their own mental health. One in 14 children aged 0~17 years had a parent who reported poor mental health, and those children were more likely to have poor general health and a mental or developmental disability.
Being mentally healthy during childhood includes reaching developmental milestones, learning healthy social skills and how to solve problems. Mentally healthy children are more likely to have a happy life and are more likely to work well at home, in school, and in their communities.
A child’s healthy development depends on their parents who serve as their first sources(来源) of support in becoming independent and leading healthy and successful lives.
The mental health of parents and children is connected in many ways. Parents who have their own mental health challenges, such as dealing with anxiety (fear or worry), may have more difficulty providing care for their children compared to parents who describe their mental health as good. Caring for children can create challenges for parents, particularly if they lack (缺乏) support, which can have a negative effect on a parent’s mental health. Parents and children may also experience shared risks, such as living in unsafe environments, and the like.
Fathers are important for improving children’s mental health, although they are not as often included in research studies as mothers. The recent study looked at fathers and found similar connections between their mental health and their children’s general and mental health as for mothers. Fathers and mothers need support, which, in turn, can help them support their children’s mental health.
1. What does the study mainly focus on?| A．Some useful social skills. | B．Children’s future life. |
| C．Parent-child mental health. | D．Community’s influence. |
| A．Raising kids without support. | B．Living in a strange place. |
| C．Sharing a common interest. | D．Communicating with each other. |
| A．They are often included in studies. | B．They play a more important part. |
| C．They seldom bear the responsibility. | D．They can influence children’s health. |
| A．In a diary. | B．In a book review. |
| C．In a magazine. | D．In a children’s story. |
8 . When I was nine years old, I never dreamed that the small vending machine (自动售货机) I had owned would turn me into a small business owner. Wanting to inspire his daughter’s business sense, my dad brought home a vending machine he had purchased from a friend. Setting it down in front of me in our living room, he asked in all seriousness, “Do you want to start a business?” I said yes.
I owned 15 vending machines by the time I left high school, with all of the profits going toward my college fund. In addition to being a great bonding experience for my family, I couldn’t tell you how many skills I learned from starting and developing my own business that helped me gain responsibility. I learned that not every experience in life led to the comforting encouragement: Well, you were tried. You should face bravely all kinds of difficulties.
Understanding both personal and professional finances is one of the most important life lessons to learn—the earlier, the better. I had to be fearless and confident—learning these skills at a young age saved me from speaking with difficulty through presentations later in life. Truly understanding what you’re selling displays confidence and reliability, as does truly believing in it. Comprehending the ins and outs of your product and business shines through when speaking with clients though rejection (拒绝) happens all the time.
Throughout the unbelievable experience of running my own business in my childhood, I’ve learned valuable skills that help me in my school, job and personal life. I believe in the value of customer service. I go after clients and chances and understand that sometimes things don’t go my way. With the help of my parents and customers who supported me, I grew up as a young entrepreneur with skills to keep for the rest of my life.
1. Why did the author’s dad give her a vending machine?| A．To earn her college fund. | B．To raise her business awareness. |
| C．To complete her class project. | D．To enrich her after-class life. |
| A．It was tough but worthwhile. | B．It was scary but smooth. |
| C．It distanced her from her family. | D．It taught her how to refuse clients. |
| A．Her attitude towards rejection. |
| B．Her understanding of financial problems. |
| C．Her insight into her business experience. |
| D．Her vision of the future vending machines. |
| A．One can succeed without support. |
| B．One is never too old to run the business. |
| C．Customer needs matters most in business. |
| D．Abilities acquired will pay off in the future. |
9 . A British family was on holiday in a rented motor home in the USA. Traveling through California, they visited the Magic Mountain-Amusement Park. In the mid-afternoon, halfway through what was turning out to be a most enjoyable day at the park, the family came upon a particularly steep ride. In the line, the ride attendants(服务员) strongly warned everyone about the risks of losing hats, glasses, coins and keys, etc., and these warnings were repeated by large signs around the ride. During the ride, their keys’ fate was just as the warnings repeated.
However, the fact was that there were no spare keys. One park attendant drove the family back to the motor home, suggesting the least damaging ways to break into it. Fortunately, a window had been left slightly open, enabling the middle son to be put in and to open the doors from the inside. What was even more fortunate was that the attendant made the engine fire without the key.
The next day the father called a local locksmith(锁匠) to see what could be done. “I might be able to make new keys from the locks if you bring the vehicle to me.” said the locksmith. So the family drove to the locksmith, whose business was in a small shopping centre in the countryside. The locksmith looked at the motor home, and said he would try. In fact, the job took the locksmith most of the day and he put away all his present work. The family hung around the locksmith’s, visited the shops again, and generally spent a day at the little shopping centre.
In the late afternoon the locksmith said that he had nearly done. When the father entered the locksmith’s shop, the locksmith was smiling. He put two new shining keys on the counter. Although the day was not included in their plan, the family really appreciated all the help and kindness they received from the people.
1. What happened to the family in the amusement park?| A．One of the kids fell from the ride. | B．They were hit by a warning sign. |
| C．Their rented vehicle broke down. | D．They encountered the loss of keys. |
| A．He started the vehicle. | B．He found a spare key. |
| C．He opened the car door. | D．He contacted a locksmith. |
| A．It was difficult to make the new keys. | B．The locksmith had a large workplace. |
| C．The family was refused by the locksmith. | D．The family had a happy day in the city. |
| A．Respectful. | B．Humorous. | C．Hard-working. | D．Warm-hearted. |
10 . “Be proud of what you do,” my father always told me, “whether you are a boss or a cleaner. ” When I was 15, I got a summer job in a hospital. I was told that my duties would include sweeping floors. I smiled and remembered Dad's words. Even though my job was the lowest, it made me feel excited. I saw it as a challenge because it was my first job. I learned to be on time and tried to do everything well. In return, I was treated with respect by doctors, nurses and patients. Each morning I imagined that the dirty dishes would make patients more sick if I were not there to wash them clean. After breakfast was done, I started sweeping the floors of all patient rooms and cleaning the toilets. Though I was tired, I wanted the job to be done well. Hearing people say “That young boy really does a good job”, I was filled with pride.
Working in the hospital taught me that being proud of one's job is important. It does not matter whether the job is sweeping floors or managing a large business. Through every job I have ever had, my father's words have always stayed with me. I was a good cleaner, and now I'm a good manager. I think Dad would be proud of me all the time.
1. The writer's first job was a ________.| A．boss | B．cleaner | C．manager | D．doctor |
| A．Washing dishes. | B．Cleaning toilets. |
| C．Looking after patients. | D．Sweeping the floor. |
| A．Angry. | B．Disappointed. | C．Proud. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．the writer's father always stayed with him |
| B．the father didn't like the writer's first job |
| C．the writer wasn't proud of his first job |
| D．the father's words are helpful for his future jobs. |
