1 . Back in 1958, I was crazy about the Norfolk and Western 746. The smooth bullet-nose engine with its orange and yellow lines and shiny streamlined black tender (车厢) seemed to have cast a spell on me.

Together the engine and tender measured a little shy of 2 feet—enormous by the toy train standards of the day. Even better, the 746 had a working headlight and smoker, and its tender sang high.

Unfortunately, the amazing 746 also had an amazing price—$50, equal to about $450 today. That was far more than my grandfather could afford. Instead, I had to be content with his little Lionel plastic, which was SIX INCHES shorter than the 746 and had no headlight, no smoker or no sound! But that was the best that my grandfather could give me at that time.

Years passed, and I was in my 30s. Complicated sound systems and computer controls dominated toy trains. I never gave a look. My interest in toy trains, I firmly believed, had faded, nor did my admiration for the 746, since my grandfather was not with me. The 746 was never called to mind. On an ordinary day, however, I happened to see the 746 outside the window of a train show. Just one look, I could not look away. Childhood memories that I tried to hide in the depths of my heart raced through my mind, happy or sad.

That day I took the 746 home and placed it in the centre of the room, and let my childhood dream sing its way around me. Smoke rose out from the engine and the soft song sounded from its tender. It seemed as if I could see the soft light in grandfather’s eyes and hear his cheerful laughter.

1. Which best describes the 746 in the author’s eyes?

A．It was taller than the author.	B．Its price rose from $50 to $450.
C．It was the largest train in 1958.	D．Its beauty was beyond compare.

2. How did the author feel when receiving his little Lionel plastic?

A．Visibly relieved.	B．Really excited.
C．Terribly shameful.	D．Slightly unsatisfied.

3. What happened to the author in his 30s?

A．He left his grandfather alone.	B．He didn’t favor the 746 at all.
C．He attempted not to recall the past.	D．He admired advanced toy trains.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Toy Trains: Childhood in History	B．The 746: Childhood Memories of Love
C．Toy Trains: Memories of A Generation	D．The 746: A Perfect Gift from My Grandfather

2 . I wrestled her to the ground for the keys, literally. Indeed, when she opened the door to leave the house at 11 pm for the movies despite my words, I actually wrestled my 16-year-old daughter to the ground.

I did not know how to deal with a rebellious (叛逆的) teenager. We are a family of strong wills, from the top down. All my kids had pushed and argued. Everyone “kind of” followed the rules. As they got older, especially when they hit high school, I saw the power shifting, but it hadn’t been so obvious. I had not seen much in-your-face rebellion.

Until this happened.

I called Amy Speidel, a wise and practical parenting expert. She stayed on the phone with me and listened to my wild complaint about my disrespectful kid. She listened for almost two hours and then gave me some suggestions.

Amy told me that my daughter’s behavior was “developmentally appropriate”-she was supposed to test the boundaries. Amy also said that it was great that my daughter would be able to stand up for herself in a relationship that wasn’t working.

Those comments really made me feel awful. I hadn’t considered anything positive about her behavior — but outside of our mother-daughter relationship, I would never want to devalue my daughter’s strong will.

After talking with Amy, I realized that I was the one who needed help understanding discipline vs control. Honestly, I did hate that the responsibility was on me. I wanted permission to scream and punish. But I listened to Amy and here’s what I learned.

1. My daughter’s behavior was normal. That eased my fears that I had raised a terrible human and failed as a mother.

2. My daughter’s strong personality was a strength. That revelation was a huge gift. I value her qualities but don’t want them used against me. I will soften my response and listen to her.

3. I went crazy. In fact, I crossed a line. And that happens. But I learned to apologize and reset so that we could move forward.

My job, therefore, is to learn new responses that offer my daughter options and realistic consequences, not empty threats. And hopefully, this will change my relationship with my daughter.

1. What is the actual reason the author had a fight with her daughter?

A．The daughter wouldn’t give her the keys.

B．The daughter didn’t come back until 11 pm.

C．The daughter insisted on going out late at night.

D．The daughter wanted to go to the movies with friends.

2. The comments made the author feel “awful” because_______.

A．she had helped her daughter to test boundaries

B．she didn’t treasure the mother-daughter relationship

C．she thought Amy was criticizing her daughter’s upbringing

D．she hadn’t noticed the desirable aspects of her daughter’s behavior

3. After the phone call, the author learned that ______.

A．her daughter’s strong character should be softened

B．she should constructively deal with conflict

C．her daughter should control her behavior

D．she should admit her failure as a mother

4. According to Amy, what should the author say if the same situation happens again?

A．“Do you really think you can just walk out the door like that?”

B．“It’s not safe to be out so late. What about tomorrow afternoon?”

C．“It doesn’t matter whether you go out or not. I will support you.”

D．“You have been disrespectful and can’t go out tonight. Is that clear?”

4 . As ninety approached, many things had changed for Mom except one: She wanted a big birthday party. But because of a fractured (断裂的) hip just 3 weeks before, we could only arrange a small one at the rehab (康复中心) instead of giving her a big celebration in a restaurant.

Mom’s husband, Fred, was also in the facility, admitted to the dementia (痴呆) unit prior to her admission. Mom visited him a few times each week, but these visits distressed her because he was usually asleep and did not respond to her. She often left in tears and was sad for days.

On the day of the party, we decorated the dining room with balloons, and a sheet cake was decorated in her favorite colour. Surrounded by her loved ones, Mom was overwhelmed with happiness. Only one other person could have made this day happier: Fred, her husband of thirty years. Because the party was held in the nursing facility, we had taken him to the party, too. When an attendant brought him into the room, Mom shouted with joy. We positioned them side by-side in their wheelchairs. He sat there with his eyes closed, unresponsive, and the party went on.

A short time later, there was a buzz in the room: “Fred’s awake!” And he was! Mom spoke to him, and he responded. He said, “I love you.” He ate the birthday cake and ice cream. He stayed for the rest of the party. After I sent him back to his nursing unit, the remaining guests were still talking about Fred and his miraculous awakening, just in time to share his wife’s ninetieth birthday. Mom was very happy, crying that his presence was the best gift of all.

God works in strange ways. We were able to give Mom a lovely celebration after all, and with her husband at her side, a happy birthday indeed.

1. Why couldn’t Mom enjoy a big birthday party?

A．Because her husband got sick.

B．Because she herself got injured.

C．Because she preferred to celebrate it with her husband.

D．Because we didn’t want to arrange one for her.

2. What can be inferred about Fred?

A．He was admitted to the rehab after Mom.

B．Mom felt disappointed with him.

C．He was unconscious most of the time at the rehab.

D．He had been married to Mom for nearly twenty years.

3. Why did the attendant bring Fred to the dining room during the party?

A．To inspire him to get better.	B．To help us get close to him.
C．To celebrate his birthday.	D．To make him keep his wife company.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Mom’s Unexpected Birthday Gift	B．Fred’s Amazing Recovery
C．Mom’s Miraculous Party	D．Mom’s Strange Birthday

6 . Every music therapist has a wealth of stories about that beautiful musical moment when art and science come together to create an awareness. an accomplishment, a breakthrough. I want to share highlights of music therapy, which helped my family find outlets and insights through our “extremely painful journey”.

My father, Joe Altman lived his life with strength and determination. As complications associated with diabetes diminished his physical capabilities, his unbeatable will to fight the disease completely hammered away. A WW II Navy Seal, Joe Altman lived by a simple rule: when you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot (结) and hang on.

When dementia struck hard and violently broke through Dad’s spirit, music therapist Alessandro Ricciarelli entered his life. Armed with six strings attached to a wooden guitar,   Alessandro surpassed (超过) the capabilities of the most advanced medical technology.

Each time Alessandro walked through the door, an invisible wall formed around them, creating a comfortable space in which a trusting bond of friendship would quickly form. Alessandro brought with him happiness, encouragement, added a sense of meaning and purpose to Dad’s life, and, in doing so revived (使复原) his spirit. In a most gentle way, Alessandro treated Joe with the greatest dignity and respect.

Alessandro’s action was not limited to actual hospital visits; he took personal time to learn songs that were relevant to Dad and made recordings of their sessions together to be enjoyed at any given time. Alessandro appreciated the power of positive thoughts, and with his kind words, a smile, compassion (同情), and a true desire to make Dad happy, he encouraged Dad’s participation, leaving us with cherished memories of my father having one last chance to express himself through music, smiling and enjoying life.

In a very real sense, Alessandro was that knot at the end of the rope on to which Dad grabbed. I am forever grateful to the Music Therapy Programme at NYU Medical Centre, more specifically, to Mr. Alessandro Ricciarelli.

1. What does the underlined word “diminished” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Improved.

B．Replaced.

C．Weakened.

D．Developed.

2. What can be known about the author’s father?

A．He used to serve in the army.	B．He lived a very easy life.
C．He was a superman in physical strength.	D．He was good at music when young.

3. What kind of person does the author consider Alessandro to be?

A．Courageous.

B．Strong-willed.

C．Open-minded.

D．Devoted.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To express gratitude to a music therapist.	B．To call on people to treat patients kindly.
C．To discuss ways of improving musical skills.	D．To warn readers against developing illness.

7 . 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.

2. Why did Julia do sewing?

A．To prove her talent.

B．To test her patience.

C．To attract people’s attention.

D．To help realize Grandma’s wish.

3. How did Julia learn sewing?

A．She consulted professionals.

B．She attended a fashion school.

C．She learned from social media videos.

D．She followed Grandma’s instructions

4. What is the viewers’ attitude towards Julia’s posts on social media?

A．Doubtful.

B．Admiring.

C．Indifferent.

D．Grateful.

9 . A number of recent studies of families in several Asian countries help to shed light on how grandparents are involved in coparenting, which researchers define as the sharing of childcare and upbringing responsibility among two or more adults. These studies suggest that children benefit when parents have strong relationships with coparenting grandparents.

Researcher Xiaowei Li and her coworkers recently explored parent-grandparent coparenting in China, where it is very common. In their 2019 study, nearly 180 mothers of preschoolers completed questionnaires (问卷调查) about their coparenting. The majority of families lived in three-generational households, and 80% of families had only one child.

The questionnaire asked about positive aspects of the parent-grandparent coparenting relationship, like how much they agreed and felt close as well as challenging aspects like how much they had conflict in front of the child. The researchers also measured how competent mothers felt in using parenting strategies and teaching their children age-appropriate skills.

The findings? Mothers who had strong coparenting relationships with grandparents tended to feel more effective in their role as a parent, and, in turn, their children tended to be more socially competent. That’s because grandparents, with their rich experience, can provide support, role modeling, and encouragement when they raise children, which could influence how competent mothers feel in their parenting role. And when mothers are feeling more confident, they can approach parenting with more positivity, which can boost their children’s social development.

Parent-grandparent coparenting also seems to influence other aspects of children’s development, such as preschoolers’ effortful control—their ability to regulate how they respond to a situation and notice novelty or mistakes. For preschoolers, it might come into play when they get a gift they don’t like, or have to figure out how to share toys.

This research on grandparents highlights that handling the coparenting relationship is not without its challenges. But grandparents’ involvement in children’s upbringing can bring great benefits for families and grandparents themselves.

1. What might be included in the questionnaire?

A．Grandparents’ age gap.	B．The support grandparents give.
C．The income the family have.	D．Grandparents’ attitude to education.

2. What is the conclusion of the study?

A．Parents and grandparents can get along well.

B．Mothers’ ability has an effect on their children.

C．Good coparenting relationships benefit children.

D．Parent-grandparent coparenting is becoming popular.

3. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 5 probably refer to?

A．Effortful control.	B．The response.
C．The development.	D．The mistake.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The Trend of Coparenting is Catching on in Asia.

B．How Young Parents Think of Grandparents’ Help

C．Coparenting Relationships Are Becoming Comfortable.

D．What Happens When Grandparents Help Raise Children.

10 . Even before she lost her teeth, I thought my mother, Clara, was funny looking. Mother had a long nose. My nose was also too long. At 16, I announced that I wanted to have it “done”. For many years I was delighted with my new look.

While in her 40s, Mother lost most of her teeth to an ongoing infection. Over time, her jaw shrank and her face collapsed around it, When she heard one of her co-workers whisper that she “looked about 95 year old” she shrugged it off. I was determined that no co-worker, or anybody else, was ever going to say such things to me.

Twenty-five years ago, I had a facelift. Better yet, modern dentistry allowed me to keep most of my teeth. But my hands became Mother’s hands. My tightened face bore the hint of an all-too-familiar network of fine wrinkles. Considering the advances in skin care, I could have had my problems filled. But year after year I hesitated. Mother had grown weak, then ill and then died in 1986.

It wasn’t until recently, years after the long loneliness that follows the loss of any parent that I realized why I’d left my aging face alone. In the mirror, an 80-year-old woman stared back at me with her skin, far more lined than that of my friends. Despite years of anxiety and plastic surgery, I looked a lot like the woman who once told me that life is about inner strengths, not appearances, and who turned out to be right.

I wonder now why I ever wanted to eradicate (根除) Mother from my reflection. Who would have imagined how comforted I’d feel these days, knowing I have only to look into the mirror to call up that much-loved woman?

1. Why did the author have her nose changed?

A．To become funny.	B．To comfort her mother.
C．To look like her mother.	D．To be more beautiful.

2. What was the final result of the ongoing infection?

A．Mother became weaker.	B．Mother looked ranch older.
C．Mother looked shorter.	D．Mother became seriously ill.

3. Which of the following led to the author’s hesitation in skin care?

A．Lack of money.	B．Loss of her parents.
C．Her look similar to her mother’s.	D．Her mother’s objection.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The author misses her mother so much.

B．The author admires her friends very much.

C．The author is anxious about her aging face.

D．The author doubts the function of plastic surgery.