1 . Love knows no bounds, especially when it comes to the person you’ve shared your life with. Peter Burkhardt, a 90-year-old man from Netherlands, is the embodiment (体现) of this idea. Every day, he travels 17 kilometers to accompany his wife of 63 years who now lives in a hospice (养老院) in Apeldoorn. While on days when the weather is very bad, he takes a cab or is driven then by his children, most times he gets on his bike and crosses the city on his own. It takes him an hour to get there and an hour to cycle back home.
In the colder months, Burkhardt keeps himself warm with a blue ski suit with a body warmer on top and a white cap to keep his head warm. “I’ve done skiing with pleasure. Cold doesn’t bother me and with rain, you can put on a rain jacket,” he told an interviewer. “So I’ll always get to my wife.” Burkhardt knows the route by heart, as he has been traveling to his wife’s hospice for the past seven years.
Even if he wanted to drive, Burkhardt’s license wasn’t approved and he hasn’t had a car. However, nothing stops this senior in love. “I walk a lot less now, but cycling is still going well.”
Burkhardt says that his wife doesn’t know what it takes him to reach her every day. “It is completely outside her field of experience. But when I’m back, I notice that she gives me a very nice hug every now and then.” His children have encouraged him to keep on visiting their mom every day.
Burkhardt’s devotion has certainly moved others. But above all, he has done everything in his power to spend as much time as possible with the love of his life-no matter what it takes.
1. Why does Peter Burkhardt visit his wife every day?| A．To help her recover. | B．To show off his love. |
| C．To keep her company. | D．To check on her condition. |
| A．By bus. | B．By car. | C．By taxi. | D．By bike. |
| A．Faithful and reliable. | B．Capable and brave. |
| C．Successful and helpful. | D．Adventurous and curious. |
| A．The Power of Ageless Love |
| B．Peter Burkhardt’s Daily Routine |
| C．Peter Burkhardt Doesn’t Give Up on His Wife |
| D．Man Cycles 17 Kilometers to Visit His Wife in Hospice Daily |
2 . When Sourabh Jain first became a father to his daughter, he struggled with bonding with her in the beginning. That’s when he realized that games and books are interactive and provide an opportunity to spend hours with her. Thus he began the hunt for games and toys that not only helped him bond with his daughter but also contributed to her cognitive (认知的) development.
During this search, he realized that not only are these toys and games hard to find, but they can also burn a hole in one’s pocket. Another realization was that there is always some amount of plastic in the toys and it is harmful to the environment and the little ones.
While he expected to give his daughter the world, he also wanted to leave behind a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable world for her. Today, he owns The EleFant—a toy rental company, or in Sourabh’s words, “a labor of love”.
Currently, the company has a customer base of more than 250 subscribers with over 2,000 downloads of the application per day. They also have collaborations with 70 toy companies where they source their toys.
Among these 250 subscribers is Rahul Bhauwala who rents toys for his 6-year-old son. “I am a working professional and I hardly get any time to go out and spend hours looking for and buying toys. I could use that precious time to play with my child instead. This is why I love using The EleFant app. They have a wide range of toys which are categorized by age group. The products are very well-packaged and my son loved opening them as it looked like a present to him,” he says.
As for the future, Sourabh says, “Our intention was not to make it an expensive and exclusive service (专属服务). Instead, we aimed to provide an opportunity for everyone to give their children everything in a sustainable manner. The value is kept in this way, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility for all.”
1. What did Sourabh find when searching for toys for his daughter?| A．Pockets often get damaged by toys. | B．Eco-friendly toys are hard to find. |
| C．Toys could bond him with his daughter. | D．Toys do good to cognitive development. |
| A．Its convenience. | B．Its delivery service. |
| C．Its popularity. | D．Its cheap rental price. |
| A．Producing more toys. | B．Expanding his company. |
| C．Making his service more accessible. | D．Donating toys to poor families. |
| A．Successful and humorous. | B．Generous and modest. |
| C．Talented and creative. | D．Responsible and business-minded. |
3 . To those normal kids, it’s not unusual to hear “Goodnight” when you kiss them, saying “Goodnight” to them. For most parents, it’s just a storm in a teacup. However, for me it’s opposite.
My son James, suffered from the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas James is an exception.
Pre-diagnosis, I’d give James a big kiss and whisper goodnight when putting James to bed. Post-diagnosis, the silence that I received in return was deafening. It had never occurred to me before to be concerned that when I said “Goodnight, James. I love you”, my toddler said nothing in response.
I needed to hear him say something. My husband and I began to promote James to say goodnight back to us. “Say goodnight, Mommy.” For over a year, “Say goodnight, Mommy” was the parting routine of the day. Every night, it made me cry. I never got used to it. But I never gave up hope.
With more efforts, one night, I’d hear something more organic come out of James’s mouth. He dropped the “say”— and his response became “goodnight, Mommy” when James turned four. It was fantastic — but it was still prompted. At six, I got my first unprompted, “Goodnight, Mommy. I love you.” Next to my wedding, and births of my children, this was the most exciting night of my life.
James, now eight, routinely kisses us goodnight and tells us he loves us. The other evening, after giving me a big hug and kiss, James told me, “You’re a great mom! You’re not a mom with feathers, or a mom with colors and markers. I’m glad you’re a... a person!” I don’t know if he had the book Are You My Mother? on his mind, or if this was just one of the many random thoughts that crossed my son’s brain on a daily basis. I do know it was music to my ears.
1. What do most parents think of a kiss goodnight from their normal children?| A．It’s an advanced conversation skill. | B．It’s a precious routine they treasure. |
| C．It’s a privilege they take for granted. | D．It’s a good way to recover from ASD. |
| A．He was too talkative. | B．He couldn’t say anything. |
| C．He daren’t sleep alone. | D．He was lack of security. |
| A．It has evolved over time. | B．It always upsets his parents. |
| C．It benefits face-to-face talk. | D．It helps exercise James’ mind. |
| A．The Cycles of Life | B．A Mom with Feathers |
| C．The Symptoms of ASD | D．Unusual Bedtime-Routines |
4 . My father was the kind of guy who could walk into a room full of strangers and leave with new best friends for life! He was a hard worker and was known as “Mr Fix-It” to everyone. He was also one of the most cheerful, affable (和葛可亲的) and gentle people you would ever meet, which made us, his beloved daughters feel proud.
But when Dad was in his fifties, my family began to notice him struggling. His work and skills began to become worse and worse, and he became depressed and withdrawn. This was not the man I knew. At the age of fifty-eight, Dad was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. As for our family, it was the worst.
Our first step was to attend a meeting hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association to learn more about the disease and programs that might help us. That meeting inspired me to start a Walk to End Alzheimer’s® team. But I still wanted to do more. In 2017, I became a board member of the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter.
The loss from this disease is gradual. My father’s decline continued for several years. Losing my father more and more each day was leaving a big hole in my heart and my life. I decided to fill that hole with action to honor my father.
That’s why I recently decided to leave a gift to the Alzheimer’s Association by naming it as a beneficiary of my retirement plan. My future gift will provide money to support research because I don’t want another person in my family or someone in other families to have to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
I am so proud to be able to honor my father and other family members who lost their fights to Alzheimer’s in this way. My dad was an inspiration to me, and I hope, through my gift, I can inspire others to join in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.
1. What can we infer about the author’s father before having Alzheimer’s?| A．He was an outgoing man. | B．He hiked with strangers. |
| C．He made a living by sales. | D．He was a popular repairer of cars. |
| A．She consulted many experts. | B．She established a research team. |
| C．She gained more relevant information. | D．She funded the Alzheimer’s Association. |
| A．Research funds for the disease. | B．A record of her father’s mental state. |
| C．Her research papers on families like hers. | D．Experts’ suggestions on her father’s disease. |
| A．Her precious gift. | B．Her father’s firm confidence. |
| C．Her future expectation. | D．Her father’s original motivation. |
5 . Sewing is an art. It is one that takes patience, time, and true talent. Julia,a woman from Chicago, is the definition of a talented tailor.
Julia’s inspiration for her designs comes from her grandma’s sketches (草图) from the 1940s. Julia’s grandma went to fashion school in her late teens and dropped out but she kept many of her sketches. Grandma showed Julia the designs she made back in fashion school, and Julia’s mind was blown.
When Grandma expressed her regret for not having the opportunity to see her sketches come to life, Julia decided not to have Grandma wait to witness it.
After sewing her grandma’s designs, Julia has been posting the final products on social media one by one, which has made popular. One of the most excellent designs she made was a beautiful gold cocktail dress, which took Julia about two months to finish.
Julia taught herself how to sew and has no professional training. Every month or so Julia continues to make her grandma’s designs a reality. Julia says,“She was very happy. I think she loves getting to connect with me and have something to do because she’s at a stage in life where, you know, many people don’t have many things to do. I think she is really proud and excited that I have completed it.”
From the social media, Julia has even gotten offers from people willing to buy her dresses, Julia is very pleased, but she claims since she isn’t an expert, she doesn’t feel comfortable selling them. However, seeing Julia teach herself how to sew with social media videos and design these dresses is giving her viewers the confidence to attempt something of their own!
1. How did Julia like Grandma’s sketches?| A．She was excited about them |
| B．She thought they were out of fashion. |
| C．She felt regretful for their poor preservation |
| D．She thought they were inspirational to other designers. |
| A．To prove her talent. |
| B．To test her patience. |
| C．To attract people’s attention. |
| D．To help realize Grandma’s wish. |
| A．She consulted professionals. |
| B．She attended a fashion school. |
| C．She learned from social media videos. |
| D．She followed Grandma’s instructions |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Admiring. | C．Indifferent. | D．Grateful. |
6 . When I was 7 and Stevie was 6, our parents taught us how to play chess and other games. Playing games was our life back then. Stevie and I were very competitive in everything.
We got older and better so our games were more intense, but also more exciting. The strange thing is that I enjoyed the games vastly and was happy for my brother when he won. But afterwards, I felt my well-being threatened, and then my confidence suffered.
When I was 10 years old I wanted to be successful at my talents. One day, a light came on in my head. I had to find something Stevie couldn’t do. It would have to be unique in every way. Before long, I got Jimmy Nelson’s record on “How to Become a Ventriloquist (腹语师)” and I practiced faithfully every day. After summer vacation, I did my first show for my class. The response was favorable. I performed for family get-togethers and did shows on a number of occasions to practice my new skill.
It isn’t easy learning ventriloquism. The difficult part was developing the voice, because at first, it was soft and hard to hear. I memorized the routines and performed more. With time, I got better responses. The loud laughter was nonstop, in addition to the applause.
Four years later, my mother purchased professional ventriloquial figure, which I named Freddie O’Sullivan. He was lifelike, with moving eyes, moving eyebrows, and could stick out his tongue. Treating Freddie like a real person enhanced my performance.
In college, Freddie was well known. He would tell people that he was the only guy that could sleep in the girl’s dormitory. Over the years, I won many talent awards.
One time, an elderly man looked at Freddie attentively and asked him where he got his trousers. The audience nearby had tears in their eyes. I didn’t know what was going on until I was told later the gentleman hadn’t spoken for 20 years.
Thanks to my brother, I created a lifetime with Freddie.
1. How did the author feel at first when Stevie won a game?| A．Delighted. | B．Confused. |
| C．Depressed. | D．Surprised, |
| A．To gain her parents’ favor in family get-togethers. |
| B．To record her intense and competitive childhood. |
| C．To have a special talent better than her brother. |
| D．To bring joyous laughter to people around her. |
| A．Freddie trained the author professionally. |
| B．Freddie inspired an old man to restart to talk. |
| C．Freddie took the place of the author’s brother. |
| D．Freddie disturbed others in the girl’s dormitory. |
| A．Generous and grateful. | B．Modest and responsible. |
| C．Patient and honest. | D．Sensitive and determined. |
7 . My mother used to take me to my grandparents’ in Belgium during the school holidays. While I would play chess with my grandfather, he would tell me stories about growing up, falling in love, and travelling around the world.
I didn’t realize the importance of preserving memories until my grandfather passed away, which ultimately changed my outlook on remembering our loved ones and the stories we share. I thought about solutions to help other people record the precious memories for those they love—before it’s too late. So I began matching ghostwriters (代笔人) to clients to help them write a book as smoothly and beautifully as possible, and Story Terrace was born.
Since then, we have explored the power of stories and their ability to connect us with our past and make sense of the present. It has been documented that increased family connection is significantly linked to less loneliness. Learning more about one’s family history, however, has been linked to boosting emotional health, increasing compassion and providing a deeper sense of cultures and traditions.
What we have found through our own research is that so many of us have missed out on the opportunity to explore our origins. 56 percent of Brits agreed that much of their family history is lost because they are no longer able to speak with the person who knows the most about it. A further 51 percent expressed regret as they wished they could tell their younger self to document their family’s life story, feeling that most of it had been forgotten. But when it comes to telling these stories, many don’t know where to begin.
We have seen numerous times when people come to us with random journal entries and notes from over the years, and these can be developed into a wonderful work of art that can be passed down for generations to come.
Half of the projects we see at StoryTerrace are heritage stories, with family occupying a dominant theme for most stories. Alongside this, common themes we see are of course love, overcoming challenges, settling in new surroundings and so on. However, family is a thread that always ties these together.
1. What does Story Terrace do?| A．It boosts the mood of your family members. |
| B．It gives treatment to people with mental illness. |
| C．It links people from different cultures together. |
| D．It helps turn your beloved one’s stories into a book. |
| A．Why StoryTerrace matters. |
| B．How StoryTerrace functions. |
| C．What StoryTerrace focuses on. |
| D．Where StoryTerrace beings your story. |
| A．It is part of the national heritage. |
| B．Its stories are mostly about family. |
| C．It dominates half of the market. |
| D．Its stories gain much popularity. |
| A．Family Stories Worth Telling |
| B．Create Your Own Story Books |
| C．Documents of Family History |
| D．Preserve Memories with StoryTerrace |
8 . How to Teach Your Child to Be a Good Friend
Your child who struggles with making friends and maintaining friendships may exhibit some behavioral issues. Physical aggression and name-calling often arise. A quiet character and social anxiety can also lead to difficulty making friends
Instill self-esteem(灌输自尊思想). The first step in teaching your child to be a good friend is to teach them to take pride in themselves.
Teach social skills.
Find teachable moments. As a parent, you may run into situations where your child doesn’t act like the best friend they could be. Your child may have moments of conflict, drama and fights with their friends. Try to turn these moments into teachable moments.
| A．Read books about friendship to your child. |
| B．Encourage your child to share their favorite books. |
| C．Fortunately, it’s not difficult for you to be a good friend. |
| D．Appropriate social behavior isn’t what a person is born with. |
| E．Ask them how a good friend would have acted in the situations. |
| F．However,there are many ways to help your child develop friendship skills. |
| G．When a child has a strong sense of self, they won’t join in mean behaviors to fit in. |
9 . Yesterday, after arriving in Madrid, I knocked on a stranger’s door. “I searched on the website. Will you give me lessons?” I asked. This was the reason I’d come to Spain. Because I once believed I was meant to be a female flamenco (弗拉门戈) guitarist.
Forty-five years ago, when I was two, my father also came to Madrid and knocked on strangers’ doors. A well-known classical guitarist, he admired flamenco a lot, and in Spain he learnt from anyone willing to teach him. He approached performers in bars, made friends with street musicians and managed to study with Paco de Lucia, the greatest flamenco guitarist of our time.
I started playing classical guitar when I was five. My father’s hands exploded across the strings like fireworks. I practised while he instructed and criticized. I played till I had sharp pain in my fingertips. By age seven, I was called a child genius.
Then, at 11, I quit. Heartbroken, my father distanced himself. Guiltily, I followed suit. Soon we spoke only when necessary. Our relationship didn’t rebound until, in my early 20s, I found myself pulled back to guitar.
When I was in my early 30s, he got sick. Before he died a few years later, my father told me there were almost no female flamenco guitarists in the world. If I kept practising, I could be one of the first. I promised, and he left me his guitar. But after he died, I couldn’t bear to play it. He’d spent so much time with his arms around that instrument, and it seemed an extension of his own body. Holding it gave my grief an unbearable tangibility (可触知). So for 13 years it sat mostly untouched, coming out only when my son Ellis begged to see it. He was careful with his grandfather’s instrument in a way that made me want to pass it down to him — both the guitar and the music. Problem was, I couldn’t really play anymore.
Now, Antonia is sitting with me in her living room, teaching me patiently. I have been here for only two days, and already my fingers hurt. It’s a sharp pain, like when a fallen-asleep limb (肢体) returns to life. The feeling delights me. It means I’m doing something right.
1. Which can best describe the father when he was learning flamenco?| A．Cautious. | B．Hopeless. | C．Depressed. | D．Devoted. |
| A．Improve. | B．Break. | C．Suffer. | D．Blossom. |
| A．She intended to pass it down to her son. |
| B．It reminded her of her unpleasant past. |
| C．Deep sorrow drowned her at the sight of it. |
| D．Carrying it made her feel a sense of burden. |
| A．Guitar Lessons From Strangers |
| B．Love for Father on the String Again |
| C．Adventures for Music Lovers in Spain |
| D．Journey to Success as a Flamenco Guitarist |
10 . 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? |
