1 . How to Make and Keep a New Year’s Resolution

Are you making a resolution in the New Year? You’ll give yourself your best shot at success if your goals are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound).

•Specific. Your resolution should be absolutely clear. Making a concrete goal is really important rather than just vaguely(含糊地) saying “I want to lose weight.” You want to have a goal: How much weight do you want to lose and at what time interval?     1    

•Measurable. This may seem obvious if your goal is a fitness related one, but it’s also important if you’re trying to cut back on something, too. If, for example, you want to stop biting your nails, take pictures of your nails over time so you can track your progress in how those nails grow back out.     2    

•Achievable. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have big stretch goals.     3     So, for example, deciding to save enough money to retire in five years when you’re 30 years old is probably not realistic, but saving an extra $100 a month may be.

•Relevant.     4     If you do it out of a sense of self-hate or a strong passion in that moment, it doesn’t usually last long. But if you build up a process where you’re thinking harder about what’s good for you, then you have a fighting chance.

•Time-bound. Like “achievable”, the timeline toward reaching your goal should be realistic, too. That means giving yourself enough time to do it with lots of smaller goals set up along the way.     5    

If you’re building a habit, you’re planning for the next decade, not the next couple of months.

A．Five pounds in the next two months—that’s going to be more effective.

B．Is this a goal that really matters to you, and are you making it for the right reasons?

C．Logging progress into a journal or making notes in an app can strengthen the progress.

D．Do you have a realistic plan for achieving your resolution?

E．Focus on these small wins so you can make gradual progress.

F．But trying to take too big a step too fast can leave you disappointed.

G．It’s a resolution based on someone else’s intention.

2 . Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, every trip needs a little planning. Things like flights and hotels have to be booked in advance.     1     As long as you allow yourself plenty of time to look around, compare prices, and make sure you have everything you need before you leave, you can plan a great travel experience.

Start planning 3-6 months in advance.     2     International trips can take months to plan properly. Likewise, trips during high seasons, such as summer or over the holidays, need to be booked further out than trips during low seasons.

    3     Before you do anything, you need to know how much money you will have at your disposal. It’s easy to overspend when you’re traveling if you don’t plan ahead, so start your planning by breaking down how much you want to spend on transportation, food, lodging, sightseeing, nightlife, and any other activities you hope to include in your trip.

Pick a vacation destination that you will enjoy. If you’re traveling for pleasure, look for a destination that will be enjoyable for everyone going. Think about your interests and the interests of the people traveling with you, and consider destinations that work for everyone.     4     If you’re bringing kids, look for a destination that has kid-friendly activities.

Make meal plans before you go. You don’t need a restaurant reservation for every meal when you’re gone, but you should think about meal plans before you go. Think about what meals may be included with your accommodations. Does your hotel offer free breakfast?     5    

A．Set a travel budget.

B．Make an emergency kit.

C．Consider the age groups traveling with you.

D．Travel planning doesn’t have to be stressful, though.

E．If not, you may need to adjust your budget to include breakfast.

F．The further away you want to go, the sooner you should start planning.

G．No matter where you’re going, there are some things that are essential to pack.

3 . High School Summer Scholars Program

This program is ideal for students who want to earn college credit, challenge themselves academically, and explore courses in a specific major or subject. Why not enroll in courses for credit and study alongside undergraduates through our High School Summer Scholars Program?

Dates

The High School Summer Scholars Program is a five-week program from June 9-July 13, 2024.

Qualification

●Be a current junior in high school (graduating in 2025) .

●Have an academic average of B⁺ or better.

●As an international student, have a TOEFL iBT score of at least 90 or an IELTS Academic score of at least 6.5.

Fees and Scholarships

The 2024 program fee for High School Summer Scholars is to be determined. Need-based scholarship assistance is available. Children of Washington University employees and returning students can enjoy a 10% discount.

Grades and Transcripts(成绩单)

Grades earned in High School Summer Scholars Program will be included in a student’s record at Washington University. Official transcripts can be requested from the Office of the University Registrar and sent to any undergraduate admission school. Credit courses use traditional letter grades(A，B，C，D，F).

How to Apply

Students must complete an online application, including short essays, and submit the following additional information：

*$50 nonrefundable application fee

*Transcript

*Teacher recommendation

*International applicants must send an official TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score report.

The deadline to submit an application is April 1, 2024 at 11：59 pm.

Questions about applying? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Applications for the 2024 summer will open on November 1, 2023.

1. Who is the Program intended for?

A．Undergraduates.

B．Current juniors in high school.

C．International high school students.

D．Children of Washington University employees.

2. What are the requirements for the Program?

A．The academic average results must be over B

B．The grades earned in high school must be A.

C．TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score must be full.

D．The application must be submitted on November 1, 2023.

3. Where can applicants consult about their application?

A．Washington University admission office.

B．The Office of the University Registrar.

C．Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

D．Official TOEFI. IBT or lELTS Academic webs.

4 . If you had to choose between spending all your pocket money on games and snacks, or saving some of it for the future, which would you choose?     1     When you have the opportunity to treat yourself to your favourite things, it can be really hard to say no. Before you know it, all your money is gone!

It’s easy to see the fun in buying an ice-cream or going shopping with friends.     2     That’s because saving creates opportunities and opens the door to adventures. Suddenly it doesn’t seem quite so boring when you realise saving money is the key to making your dreams come true.

    3     It’s good to give yourself a mix of short-term and long-term goals, so think of something you’d like to buy that you could save up for in a few weeks. Write down how much it costs, then work out how much you can afford to save each week and how long it will take you to reach your goal. It’s important to be realistic because you’ll soon get bored if you plan to save every single penny.

It helps to keep your savings separate from the rest of your money, so that you don’t accidentally spend it.     4     Most people choose to save their money in a savings account, as this gives them an opportunity to earn interest. Some savings accounts allow you to withdraw money whenever you like, but some will keep your money locked away for several years or until you become an adult.

If you’re new to saving, start off by thinking of some fun goals. Every penny you save takes you one step closer to reaching your goal.     5    

A．What could be more exciting than that?

B．You could use a money box or a savings account.

C．Or, do you prefer to spend it on your favourite novels?

D．The key to successful saving is setting yourself a goal.

E．With a savings account, you can spend your money freely.

F．Think about this as we all have to make such decisions again and again.

G．However, you might be surprised to hear that saving money can be even more exciting.

5 . While it might be OK to go into your weekend without a plan, the same can’t be said for college admissions.     1    , creating a college planning process is essential.

College planning is a process that involves researching potential colleges, creating a list of best-fit schools, and selecting classes that match your academic goals. Before writing down a list of best-fit schools, you should think about what interests you most and where your future career aspirations might lie. Reflect on the classes you enjoyed most during high school, the extracurricular activities you look forward to, and any job or internship (实习) experience that you participated in.     2    .

Since most schools offer a range of different college majors, choosing a course of study can be challenging for many students.     3    , you should keep in mind that you will likely be able to explore careers outside of this subject if you later choose to do so.

Making a college planning checklist is an easy way to stay on top of the admissions process and hold yourself accountable.     4    . Create a handful of items to complete during each year of high school to make the process feel more manageable.

    5    , it’s time to set your sights on preparing for life after college. You should consider whether you’re interested in attending graduate school or jumping straight into the workforce. You’ll also need to think about the types of careers that will suit you best and what you can do to prepare for work in those fields.

A．While selecting a major is an important decision

B．Once you have completed your college planning journey

C．If you’re looking to getting accepted into your first-choice school

D．Detail some of the most important parts of the admissions process

E．Rather than letting friends or family impact which school you choose

F．Thinking about your interests and goals will help inform future decisions

G．While many students begin their college search process by researching schools nearby

6 . China announced a long-awaited plan to integrate(融合) the southern Pearl River Delta Area(PRDA) as an attempt to create a powerhouse to rival(相匹敌) the US Silicon Valley that is home to such well-known companies as Google, Facebook and Apple. The possibilities and challenges of the effort are both equally promising and challenging.

The plan is a natural result of the economic and technological development in the area. China’s opening up to the world more than four decades ago began in the south and PRDA has long been home to many of the country’s leading technological companies. includin, Huawei and Tencent.

“The plan is promising,” said Adam Xu, an analyst at OC & C Strategy Consultants. “If you really look at history in China, a lot of top-down plans always have very strong bottom-up support. And a lot of economic activities have already happened there. Now they have a big plan to officially recognize, promote and further accelerate.”

The key challenge will be execution(执行). The plan has to integrate three different legal systems among Mainland China, Hongkong and Macau. That makes PRDA unique compared to the other two major areas in China—the Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin Area and the Yangtze River Delta Area near Shanghai.

“We don’t know how effectively the top-down plan will guide the many independent growing forces at the local level,” Xu admitted. “This part will be quite an important challenge.”

China has already taken major steps to overcome some of the physical barriers such as linking Hongkong with Guangzhou and Shenzhen by high-speed railways and its recent opening of the 55-kilometer Hongkong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge. But other barriers, such as the flow of people, information and money, may prove to be a bigger challenge.

Xu said, “The biggest challenge and the biggest beauty—if they eventually succeed—will be linking all of these together.”

1. What are paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The favorable conditions in PRDA.

B．The benefits of top-down plans in China.

C．PRDA’s advantages over the Silicon Valley.

D．The flow of people. information and money.

2. Which challenge is unique in the Pearl River Delta Area?

A．The physical barriers.	B．The cultural differences.
C．The government control.	D．The different legal systems.

3. Which of the following cities are connected by the 55-kilometer bridge?

A．Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Macau.	B．Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macau.
C．Zhuhai, Macau, Hongkong.	D．Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hongkong.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Different Legal Systems in Hongkong and Macau

B．The Possibilities and Challenges of Integrating PRDA

C．The Problems Facing China’s Newly Announced Plans

D．The Fast Development in the Pearl River Delta Area

7 . Calendars are for managing your time. They work overtime to keep the messiness of human life confined into neat little grids, squeezing our lives into seconds, minutes and hours. I appreciate a calendar’s determined efforts to manage time.     1     For the past several years, I’ve kept a planner with me at all times. The real magic in planners, to me, comes in the blank space where I reflect on the past and imagine the future. Cracking open a fresh week’s layout on a Monday morning and seeing the empty pages expand like a canvas waiting to be filled, the tone of the week yet to be set, the possibilities endless.

You start by creating a wish list for your ideal life. The idea is to be as specific as possible. You then pick the one goal that would have the biggest positive impact. You break that goal down into smaller tasks, and then prioritize them.     2     This method turns a general idea in your head into something that you can actually accomplish. From there, you can reflect every month on how you spent your time, and whether what you did actually is consistent with the goals you set.

    3     It leaves no digital footprint, but it does leave a paper trail that you can look back on for years to come. It doesn’t buzz impatiently when you don’t look at it, and it will not be exported to Outlook. It requires you to sit in quiet conversation with yourself, reflecting on your past and visualizing your future. It forces me to answer hard truths, like what do I really want out of life and am I spending my days in line with who I want to be.     4    

Planning helps me ensure that I’m not a passenger at the mercy of my calendar, but rather driving toward a destination that I choose.     5     And some really nice pens.

A．Then, add those tasks to the calendar.

B．There’s no pressure to make it perfect.

C．But planners are for dreaming without limits.

D．It’s easy to appreciate calendars for their usefulness.

E．Using a paper planner brings me both joy and a sense of calm.

F．It’s an important ritual (仪式) that deserves weight and ceremony.

G．After all, our lives are the sum of how we spend our time and what we pay attention to.

8 . Every New Year, thousands decide they’re going to change their lives. Fewer than 10 percent actually stick with their plans, and that figure is being generous.     1    .

Not aiming high enough. While it’s easy to think setting easy goals will keep you motivated, it may harm your long-term motivation. If you make goals that are too achievable, you’ll get bored and lose interest.     2    . If you’re used to staying within your comfort zone, you'll be missing out on the satisfaction of achieving a life-changing goal. When you push yourself, you'll be able to build unshakable confidence as you achieve goal after goal.

    3    . This is a fear many of us deal with. Instead of taking action, we start worrying about “ What if?”   “What if it doesn’t work out? What if my dream isn’t truly my dream? What if I don’t succeed?” If you have trouble creating a vision , then you’re at the risk of being aimless through life.     4    . You can start the process of discovering your life purpose by asking yourself, “ What would my ideal life look like?”

Letting fear control your mind and actions. Fear can prevent you from achieving your dreams. You’ll miss out on opportunities in life if you don’t learn how to manage your fears.     5     . One way to manage fear is to look for the root cause of your fear. With deep introspection (反省), you can uncover the exact moment when those fears are holding you back from growing. This will give you a window of opportunity to communicate with your inner being and find release.

A．Lacking self-confidence

B．Being uncertain about the future

C．Fortunately, fear can be overcome

D．Below you’ll find some common reasons why you’re losing motivation

E．Many of us are motivated not by a desire to achieve, but by fear of failure

F．Ideally, you want to strike a balance between pushing yourself and creating realistic goals

G．However, when you find your purpose and passion, you’ll be driven to struggle for excellence

9 . How to prepare yourself for a super successful Monday

Remember: the best Monday morning begins on a Sunday evening. While all you want to do is rest and relax, there’s something to be done about planning ahead for your week.     1     Not only will it help lower stress and anxiety levels, but it’ll also remind you that you can do anything you put your mind to.

It’s Sunday, so what? Love your career and love yourself when you love your job. Sunday is just another chance to achieve your goals. You need to get in the right outlook to kick mess and make your Sunday to-do list.     2    

Identify your most important tasks. Open your planner and start by identifying your most important task.     3     So it’s better to plan out how you’ re going to achieve them and write them in your planner ahead of time. Sunday evening is the perfect time to do that.

Get it out of your head. Take some paper or a notebook and write down absolutely everything you need to do during the week. Dump your brain. We can’t stress this enough. A brain dump is the only way you’ll get ahead, and if you set down all you need to do and arrange them properly, you can have a successful week.     4     You can decide which you need to keep and which you want to get rid of.

    5     There are always annoying little things that take away from time on a Monday. You can check through your emails, quickly create some reports and do the things that usually take away from your busy Monday. Once you’ve created more time in your schedule by taking a few things out of your Monday to-do list, you’ll have more time to stay on top of the week and get everything done.

A．Create more hours in your day.

B．Organize and clean your life.

C．Follow me to make a few little adjustments.

D．Getting everything ready beforehand helps a lot.

E．Make a list of all the people you need to make more time for.

F．The real beauty in this comes from being able to look at your tasks objectively.

G．There must be one or two things that you really need to get ahead of on Monday.