1 . Jean was a single mother with a young son. She taught the first grade and worked very hard. She drove a small old car. One August, the teachers returned from a summer break to see Jean drive up to school with three children The two girls were Jean’s former students who had lost their parents. They did not want to enter a foster care center. They turned to Jean—their first grade teacher—for help. Though she and her son lived in a small house, Jean took the girls in.
During lunch, while other teachers shared life stories, Jean never complained about her new responsibilities. She did, however, speak about her car. With three children to transport, the car was too small and slow. It even burned engine oil. Jean needed something new. However, she couldn’t buy one with three children in her home.
As a good friend, I listened to her concerns. At that time, did not have much money. But I wanted to help Jean buy a car. An idea hit me when I watched a TV show.
One day, Jean received an invitation to TV show. She was surprised but decided to attend it. Midway through the show the host called Jean to the stage. He explained he had received a letter, knowing her need for a new car. The audience listened to the details of Jean’s story and were all moved. Then the host said that Jean would receive a new car for her family. Cheers filled the studio and Jean shook with disbelief.
Six hundred miles away, I watched the joy of it all from the television in my living room. Jean’s big heart taught me many lessons that year. I did nothing but share her story.
1. What can we infer about Jean according to the first paragraph?| A．She knew the girls’ parents. |
| B．She was very kind-hearted. |
| C．She wanted to sell her small car. |
| D．She didn’t have summer break as other teachers. |
| A．She couldn’t afford to buy a new car. |
| B．She found it hard to raise three kids alone. |
| C．She couldn’t spare more time for her students. |
| D．She had no time to transport her kids to school. |
| A．The author turned to the show for help. |
| B．The school wanted to make her story known. |
| C．The school rewarded her for her hard work. |
| D．The show picked some single mothers to report randomly. |
| A．A letter from my friend | B．Helping my friend get a car |
| C．Inviting my friend to show | D．A single mother with three kids |
All through school, I had only one close friend. We spent years together, essentially joined at the hip. But then Greg moved away, and it would take more than 50 years to bring us together again.
As children, Greg and I dove into everything with passion. We raced our bikes and illustrated our own comic books. We even became attracted to the same blonde girl from around the corner, a sixth-grader named Joanne who barely knew we existed.
The last time I saw Greg was sometime in 1966. I can’t recall saying goodbye before he moved. But then, a few summers ago, I saw a familiar woman. “Excuse me. Would your name happen to be Joanne?” “Uh, yes...” She didn’t recognize me until I explained who I was. We hadn’t exchanged more than a few dozen words in our entire lifetime. “Have you stayed in touch with Greg?” she asked. I was surprised she even knew of our friendship. “No. I haven’t,” I admitted. “I wish I had.”
Back at the cabin I checked my messages. I glanced at one email, then read it from start to finish. The email was from Greg. Greg had tracked me down through social media. He was now married, had two children and had become a musician and entrepreneur. We exchanged several emails before connecting by phone. A month later, my wife and I drove to meet Greg and his family.
Standing at his front door, I felt unsure of what to say or do. So much time had passed. But after hugs and introductions, the years dissolved as we exchanged stories about our lives. I had brought along the only picture I could find containing the two of us from my sixth birthday. As he gazed at the photo, Greg handed me a small, old card：Greg’s invitation to my sixth birthday party, signed “From Donnie” in faded blue crayon.
There were a few other keepsakes shared that evening, but none as meaningful as the invitation and the snapshot, companion pieces stored apart and saved for the reunion of two old friends.
1. What is the meaning of the underlined part in Paragraph 1?(no more than 5 words)2. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?(no more than 10 words)
3. How did the author get in touch with Greg again? (no more than 10 words)
4. Why did the author consider the invitation and snapshot meaningful?(no more than 15 words)
5. Suppose you have a long-lost friend, how do you plan to get back in touch with him? Please explain.(no more than 20 words)
3 . Amanda Kofoeds had found a strange lump in her arm one day and visited a doctor at a friend's urging. During this time, she was enrolled in school for education and was currently uninsured due to the expense. She planned to save money so she could get on her husband' s insurance and then seek medical treatment for the cancer.
Her friends and family didn't want her to postpone her treatment due to the expense. They took matters into their own hands and started a GoFundMe campaign. The friend came up with the creative idea to spread the word and invite family, friends, and strangers who wanted to help to participate in a donation flash mob (快闪行动).The event started an outpouring of enormous generosity from the local community.
Amanda and her husband Clint teared up as the crowd passed by and the donations poured in. The generous act of kindness gave the family a comforting, and optimistic feeling during a time when all hope seemed lost. Clint said that Amanda struggled with the idea of asking for help. She felt guilty and undeserving compared to others who are also struggling.
In the time since, Amanda has enrolled in an insurance plan and has finished chemotherapy. Life for the family has started getting back to their normal routine.
Once Amanda got her strength back, she returned to school and completed her bachelor's degree in education. She is now a teacher. She said the experience motivated her to instill (灌输) the value of charity in her children. The family is now inspired to volunteer in their local neighborhood and contribute to crowdfunding (众筹) efforts. They are grateful for the opportunity to give back and help others as many have helped them.
The couple said they feel blessed by the strong support. PassItOn wants to celebrate those heroes during the family's darkest time. These individuals perfectly demonstrate the value of community. It is with the help of their generosity that the family is now happy, healthy and whole.
1. Why did Amanda Kofoeds postpone her treatment?| A．She was admitted to a school. |
| B．Her family couldn't afford the medical cost. |
| C．No good doctors could treat her cancer. |
| D．Her friends and family refused to assist her. |
| A．They started a donation flash mob. |
| B．They founded a community school. |
| C．They supported her through local hospitals. |
| D．They fought for assistance from the whole country. |
| A．Guilty. | B．Satisfied. | C．Anxious. | D．Grateful. |
| A．Hard work pays off. |
| B．The value of charity is great. |
| C．Education is the key to success. |
| D．A friend is never known till a man has need. |
4 . Cory, aged 30, was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy （脊髓性肌萎缩症）at a very young age. Because of his condition, he began using a wheelchair at age 4. His mother, Sandy Gilbreath, raised him as a single parent. Although taking care of a child with a disability was challenging, she ensured that Cory didn't miss out on the fun things in life. Sandy took him on road trips during summer breaks throughout his childhood. The exciting experiences of exploring new places inspired him to set a lifelong goal of visiting all seven continents.
Fortunately, Cory was able to do that just before the COVID-19 started. He and his mother traveled to Antarctica in February, just before the borders closed. It was the seventh and final continent off his list. He became the first-ever wheelchair user to visit all the seven continents!
According to Cory, traveling in a wheelchair requires a wide range of planning and research. He starts his research six to twelve months before each trip, making sure that there are accessible transportation options in the location. He would also call up hotels or rental homes to confirm if they are truly as accessible as they claim to be.
When Cory started going on adventures, there weren't many online resources discussing accessible travel. To help other travelers with disabilities explore the world as he does, he decided to share his knowledge in his blog. Aiming to promote representation of the wheelchair-using community, Cory and his mother wrote a children's book, titled Let's Explore with Cor Cor, which is about a boy who travels around the world in his powered wheelchair.
Traveling to all seven continents wasn't something I was sure was going to be possible," he said. "But if you stay determined and keep a positive attitude, the opportunities are limitless."
1. What made Cory Lee decide to visit all seven continents?| A．His mother's expectation. |
| B．His travelling experiences. |
| C．His dream of helping others. |
| D．His objective of making a history. |
| A．Rental fees. |
| B．Local attractions. |
| C．Accommodation. |
| D．Transportation. |
| A．To enrich online resources. |
| B．To record travelling events. |
| C．To help people with special needs. |
| D．To introduce wheelchair adventures. |
| A．Nothing can prevent a determined heart. |
| B．Disability can turn into an opportunity, |
| C．Travelling shapes a positive attitude. |
| D．Mom is the creator of children's dreams. |
5 . “Attention, everyone!” Miss Dalrymple looked at her class of ten-year-olds. “Today we are going to create a special card for Father’s Day, which falls on this weekend.” Then she busied herself handing out the paper and art materials to her noisy pupils.
They were a mixed punch. Some came from the rich side of the town, but the majorities were from parents who struggled to get jobs. So she had not been eager to carry out this activity.
“Think about all the things that your dad does that make him special,” she said loudly as she approached the last table. “You can write a poem or short story thinking of the positive characteristics that make your dad special. The written part of this activity should be completed before you start to decorate your card.”
Andrew looked at the blank page. He had never met, spoken to, or been hugged by his dad, so how could he write about him? Once when he was looking in his grandma’s photo box, he had seen an old black and white photo but it was badly creased(弄皱) and difficult to recognize any clear features. She had quickly taken it from him and buried it deeply among the rest, never to be found again. After thinking for a while, he wrote:
Dear Dad,
You are a person I do not know and would probably not recognize as I only saw an old photo of you a long time ago. I think and wonder about you often, especially when I have no one to talk to about the Saturday fixtures(体育活动). One day when I grow up I will do an Internet search to find you, but I am not sure whether I will be successful as several attempts by the Child Support Agency have not been successful. Happy Father’s Day, Dad.
Love,
Andrew
1. What did Miss Dalrymple ask her students to do?| A．Hand out the paper and art materials. |
| B．Make a special card for their fathers. |
| C．Make a celebration plan for Father’s Day. |
| D．Carry out a school activity on the weekend. |
| A．The students were not willing to finish the task. |
| B．The students were eager to carry out the activity. |
| C．The students didn’t get along well with each other. |
| D．The students’ family conditions were quite different. |
| A．Because he had never seen his father. |
| B．Because his father was not a successful man. |
| C．Because he forgot all the things his father did. |
| D．Because he and his grandma didn’t like his father. |
| A．Andrew’s father has been dead. |
| B．Andrew’s father can’t recognize him. |
| C．Andrew is eager to meet his father. |
| D．Andrew is sure of finding his father. |
When I was growing up, I was embarrassed to be seen with my father. He was severely lame and very short, and when we would walk together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would stare. I would feel ashamed at the unwanted attention. If he ever noticed or was bothered, he never let on, nor did he say anything about it.
It was difficult to coordinate (协调) our steps — his pausing, my impatience — and because of that, we didn’t say much as we went along. But as we started out, he always said, “You set the pace, I will try to adjust to you.”
Our usual walk was to or from the subway, which was how he got to work. He went to work sick, and despite bad weather. He almost never missed a day, and would make it to the office even if others could not. A matter of pride.
When snow or ice was on the ground, it was impossible for him to walk, even with help. At such times my sisters or I would pull him through the streets of Brooklyn, NY, on a child’s sleigh to the subway entrance. Once there, he would grasp the handrail until he reached the lower steps that the warmer tunnel air kept ice-free. In Manhattan the subway station was the basement of his office building, and he would not have to go outside until we met him in Brooklyn on his way home.
When I think of it now, I wondered at how much courage it must have taken for a grown man to subject himself to such indignity and stress. And at how he did it — without bitterness or complaint.
He never talked about himself as an object of pity, nor did he show any envy of the more fortunate or able. What he looked for in others was a “good heart”, and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him.
Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don’t know precisely what a “good heart” is. But I know the times I don’t have one myself.
My father has been gone many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my unwillingness to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I regretted it. I think of him when I complain about incident, when I am envious of another’s good fortune, when I don’t have a “good heart”.
At such times I put my hand on his arm to regain my balance, and say, “You set the pace, I will try to adjust to you.”
1. What wouldn’t the author like others to see?(No more than 10 words)2. What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “let on” in the first paragraph? (No more than 5 words)
3. According to the third paragraph, what conclusion can you get about the father’s attitude toward his work? (No more than 8 words)
4. Find an example in the passage that shows the father was a man with a “good heart”.(No more than10 words)
5. What does the author learn from his father? (No more than 15 words)
