1 . Pooja Rai was a young architecture student in 2014 when she went with a friend to give food to a local orphanage. She was surprised at what she saw.

Kids were playing with anything they could get their hands on. One group was rolling around a broken metal pipe. Two boys were trying to play badminton, using old shoes as rackets. “Play shouldn’t just be part of a rich kid’s lifestyle. All kids have a right to enjoy their childhoods.” Rai says.

Over the next few weeks, she talked with friends about collecting money for a playground. And that’s when she thought of old tires. Around 100 million tires are thrown away in India every year. Could they reuse them as playground materials and help the environment, too?

That idea became a reality in 2015, using old tires—all cleaned, carefully looked over to make sure they are safe to use, and painted in bright colors. The following year, she created Anthill Creations, which has built 275 playgrounds across India—celebrating the power of play in public spaces orphanages, and schools.

“Our work always begins with talks with kids about what they want from this space.” says Rai. Sometimes it can take a few hours, or a few visits, until children are ready to open up. She also draws on her experience as an architect. “I found that spaces are powerful in shaping people’s behavior.” she says.

Most of the play spaces Rai designs feature large tire sculptures of cars, buildings, or animals, paired with more classic elements of swings and jungle gyms.

In one girl’s school in Bengaluru, the children wanted their play space to be shaped into a boxing ring, with tires doubling up as punching bags. “Their teacher was unsure about it.” Rai remembers. “But the girls said they didn’t want people to see them as weak. They wanted to practice self-defense and grow stronger.” In December 2019, this playground became a reality.

1. What did Rai find out about the kids in a local orphanage?

A．They behaved badly.	B．They were badly treated.
C．They had nothing to do but play.	D．They were short of play equipment.

2. What did Rai do with the thrown-away tires?

A．She renewed them in a tire shop.

B．She turned them into artistic works.

C．She used them to design play spaces.

D．She sold them to raise money for hungry kids.

3. What did Rai take into consideration when carrying out her work?

A．Children’s needs.	B．Children’s experiences.
C．Her favourite childhood games.	D．An architect friend’s suggestions.

4. What can we learn about the girls from the last paragraph?

A．They needed to build their confidence.

B．They wanted to win their teachers’ trust.

C．They finally had their dream playground.

D．They often helped with collecting old tires.

5. Which of the following can best describe Rai?

A．Talented and hard-working.	B．Creative and kind-hearted.
C．Realistic and lonely.	D．Poor but caring.

2 . In a bustling city in Arizona stood a high school where most of the students live in poverty. Among them were four sons of Mexican immigrants, Juan, Oscar, Luis, and Alfredo. These boys, coming from ________ backgrounds, often found themselves overlooked and underestimated. Bonded by fate and friendship, they shared a common passion for ________. Two science teachers there decided to enter their high school into a complicated ________ robotics competition sponsored by the NASA and the Naval Research. Excited for the news, these four boys signed up for the competition.

With enthusiasm and energy, they started calling mechanical engineers for design help. They were ________ that these kinds of robots require glass syntactic flotation foam, a type of floating material used in various marine applications.________ money, all they could afford was some PVC pipes and duct tape (强力胶布).________, they searched the city for various spare parts, gathering whatever they could to bring their vision to life. With the teachers’ guidance and encouragement, they ________ together a robot with no more than metal and wires.

As they worked on their robot, the boys also faced personal challenges. Juan struggled with the weight of family responsibilities; Oscar ________ a deep-seated fear of failure; Luis’s heart ached from the constant peers’ mockery (嘲笑) for his ________ accent, and Alfredo longed for acceptance and belonging.________ these obstacles, they persevered, leaning on each other for support and inspiration.

After a few test runs of their robot, they piled into a second-hand van to head to the competition. Upon entering the main pool area, they noticed the college teams wearing matching outfits, with robots sponsored by big companies. Feeling a bit nervous, the boys put the robot in the water for a test run.________, the PVC didn’t hold up, causing the robot to leak and sink.

However, instead of letting this ________ ruin their spirits, the boys put their heads together and came up with a brilliant solution. 12 hours later, armed with 8 super-absorbent pads to plug the leak, the robot was ________ into the pool again. This time, their robot performed admirably. Gliding gracefully through the waters, it navigated the course with precision and speed,________ the judges and audience alike. This underwater robot, a symbol of their determination and ________, conquered the waters, defeated engineering powerhouse MIT and ranked first in the country. This was not just a win for those four but a victory for every underdog with a dream.

1.

A．academic

B．relevant

C．humble

D．professional

2.

A．space

B．mechanics

C．research

D．ocean

3.

A．giant

B．industrial

C．underwater

D．local

4.

A．advised

B．forced

C．challenged

D．consulted

5.

A．Reliant on

B．Available to

C．Short of

D．Desperate for

6.

A．Therefore

B．Otherwise

C．Moreover

D．However

7.

A．tied

B．pieced

C．added

D．wrapped

8.

A．conquered

B．created

C．expressed

D．battled

9.

A．perfect

B．strange

C．slight

D．elegant

10.

A．With

B．Given

C．Despite

D．Besides

11.

A．Unfortunately

B．Basically

C．Actually

D．Consequently

12.

A．disagreement

B．failure

C．conflict

D．progress

13.

A．scaled

B．lowered

C．inserted

D．fed

14.

A．boring

B．confusing

C．wowing

D．motivating

15.

A．bravery

B．generosity

C．confidence

D．perseverance

4 . Many of our family traditions centered around food. We’d gather in the kitchen for every birthday and holiday and enjoy delicious food. My grandparents always held Christmas dinner, which included chicken cacciatore, sausage, meatballs and salad. But right before we sat down to eat, my grandmother would pull me aside to show me the dish she made just for me: fresh pasta (意大利面) with tomato sauce.

It was a simple dish, but to me it was warm food that filled me with happiness. But more than that, it made me feel like I belonged. I was a shy kid and, in many situations, I felt ignored. And here was my grandmother, showing me that I mattered.

Years went by; I moved away and got married. I’d visit throughout the years and my grandmother would serve up a plate of pasta.

When my daughter was born in 2020, for the first time in my life I wasn’t about to make the trip back home for Christmas. I cooked my family’s traditional foods and my husband and I had a big meal that included, of course, fresh pasta. I had a video call with my grandmother and showed her the pasta. Shortly after the holidays she passed away unexpectedly.

It seemed so unfair that my grandmother passed away soon after I became a parent. I’d hold my daughter and think about how I could tell her what an amazing great-grandmother she had.

In my sadness I came to an answer: food. Late at night after my daughter had gone to bed, I’d go to the kitchen and learn how to make fresh pasta, cooking my grandmother’s recipes. Before long I started experimenting, making a bit changes to classic recipes. When my daughter got a little older, I began making special dishes for her with my grandmother’s flavors in mind.

I know that no matter how hard I try, my daughter will never have a bowl pasta with sauce exactly like the ones my grandmother would make for me. While that makes me sad, she’ll still get to have my pasta sauce. I know there’re two things she’ll never lack for in this life: pasta and love.

1. What did the author say about her grandmother’s homemade pasta?

A．It was a special birthday gift for her.	B．It brought her a sense of belonging.
C．It was loved by every family member.	D．It took a lot of time and energy to prepare.

2. What made the author’s 2020 Christmas dinner different from previous ones?

A．She didn’t share pasta with her husband.

B．She didn’t give her grandmother a call.

C．She didn’t prepare many traditional family foods.

D．She didn’t have a chance to eat her grandmother’s pasta.

3. Why did the author learn to make fresh pasta late at night?

A．To honour her grandmother.	B．To give her daughter a surprise.
C．To meet her grandmother’s wish.	D．To be a role model for her daughter.

4. What can we learn about the author’s pasta sauce?

A．It isn’t easy to make.	B．It isn’t to her daughter’s liking.
C．It tastes exactly the same as her grandmother’s.	D．It shows her love for her daughter.

5. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Different types of pasta	B．The origin of pasta
C．Love through pasta	D．Pasta for Christmas

5 . A boy in Florida called 911 but didn’t have a real emergency. Instead, he wanted a hug from an officer, and the responding officer understood.

Footage (镜头) from the home’s doorbell camera _______ the officer Scott Pracht responding and talking to the boy’s mom.

“We had a 911 call,” Pract says in the video.

“We can talk to my son.” the mother says.

Her young son _______ the door with his cellphone and when asked if he called the police, he says, “Well, I wanted to give him a hug.” Then the boy runs out to hug Pracht _______, who embraces him back.

After hugging the boy, Pracht _______ that 911 is for those who need help. “You need to be _______ when you call that number.” he tells the boy. “Only when you are _______. And if you’re hurt, or someone is doing something they’re not _______ to do, give us a call, okay?” The boy _______, and Pracht tells him not to worry about it.

Scott Pracht’s office _______ the video on Facebook on Thursday, where it was ________ nearly 10,000 times. In a statement, Hillsborough Sheriff (警官) Chad Chronister said they “deeply appreciate the ________ shown by this young child.”

“Our officers are more than ________ to share a hug and spread love to children in our community. However, it’s ________ for everyone to remember that 911 is a lifeline,“ he said. “We ________ parents and educators to teach children about the ________ use of emergency services.”

1.

A．analyzes

B．guides

C．shows

D．explores

2.

A．breaks

B．fixes

C．approaches

D．locks

3.

A．tightly

B．secretly

C．accidentally

D．awkwardly

4.

A．agreed

B．explained

C．complained

D．realized

5.

A．humble

B．grateful

C．patient

D．careful

6.

A．under protection

B．on vacation

C．in trouble

D．on duty

7.

A．supposed

B．required

C．reminded

D．proposed

8.

A．refuses

B．cheers

C．apologizes

D．suspects

9.

A．selected

B．posted

C．recognized

D．completed

10.

A．exchanged

B．examined

C．collected

D．viewed

11.

A．kindness

B．wisdom

C．independence

D．curiosity

12.

A．active

B．serious

C．generous

D．happy

13.

A．vital

B．difficult

C．possible

D．sufficient

14.

A．allow

B．encourage

C．train

D．warn

15.

A．flexible

B．creative

C．appropriate

D．occasional

6 . Last year, my friend, Kydee Williams, and I started a non-profit project because we wanted to do charity work differently. Thus, The Pop-Up Care Shop was _________.

TPUCS is a traveling shop of _________ donated goods for people in need. During the holidays, we _________ clothing drives and then went to women’s shelters. Our main goal was to help inspire women who were _________ with hope as well as bring a little holiday cheer to our local communities. _________ any project or movement wasn’t easy. Brainstorming and coming up with cool ideas was the _________ part, but actually bringing those ideas to life can seem almost _________ at times. However, there were lessons about _________ that we didn’t fully realize until we started this journey.

From our experience, we learned smaller shelters, especially those in less-commercialized areas were often _________ when it came to getting community support. Actually, they were typically more __________ to new and creative ideas and would greatly welcome __________ who offered help. Under our inspiration, many __________ people devoted themselves to non-profit work. Many shelters are understaffed and the staff overworked. Working directly with them helped us __________ the specific needs of the shelter.

While material things like food, clothes, money, and shelter can help people survive, what __________ helps people live is the intangible (无形) necessities like love, presence, patience. Even though we can’t help every single person in the world, we can __________ a world of difference for at least one person.

1.

A．found

B．donated

C．born

D．purchased

2.

A．cheap

B．free

C．value

D．messy

3.

A．quit

B．chose

C．forbade

D．held

4.

A．homeless

B．fearless

C．guiltless

D．restless

5.

A．Ceasing

B．Highlighting

C．Starting

D．Monitoring

6.

A．hard

B．fun

C．odd

D．core

7.

A．crucial

B．unnecessary

C．impossible

D．logical

8.

A．breaking down

B．giving back

C．keeping up

D．pulling through

9.

A．ignored

B．emphasized

C．mentioned

D．estimated

10.

A．harmful

B．relevant

C．opposed

D．open

11.

A．shoppers

B．pioneers

C．officers

D．volunteers

12.

A．reliable

B．selfless

C．creative

D．courageous

13.

A．understand

B．satisfy

C．anticipate

D．illustrate

14.

A．originally

B．slightly

C．truly

D．barely

15.

A．identify

B．detect

C．reveal

D．make

8 . Pingtan, the biggest island off the coast of Fujian Province, is popular with tourists these days. It has also attracted many ________ seeking a pleasant place to settle down. Among them is Italian fashion ________ Filippo Strada, who has lived on the island for four years.

Born in Milan, Strada has a well-developed ________ of fashion design. It is this love of fine clothing that led him to a career in the industry. Over the past decade, he has ________ his career in China, living in various cities. ________, due to his growing business and ________ travels, Strada spent a lot of time away from home. After his daughter was born, he made up his mind to go back to his wife’s hometown of Pingtan in 2018.

Strada ________ Pingtan with his family, determined to build a happy home on the island. But he also had a dream of building a successful business there, making the most of the local ________ development. Strada had a winning idea. He would ________ his heritage to provide goods and services with an authentic Italian ________. Starting from zero, Strada now ________ a high-end tailor shop, a cafe and an Italian restaurant in Pingtan, ________ exotic (异域风情的) experiences to both locals and tourists.

As for the future, Strada plans to ________ Chinese and English salons (沙龙) in his Italian restaurant to ________ more knowledge of Western culture. “I’m very willing to do my part to make Pingtan a (n) ________ and diverse community that is popular around the world,” he said.

1.

A．foreigners

B．businessmen

C．travelers

D．engineers

2.

A．model

B．stylist

C．critic

D．graduate

3.

A．application

B．system

C．appreciation

D．relationship

4.

A．boosted

B．improved

C．achieved

D．pursued

5.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Otherwise

D．Besides

6.

A．urgent

B．frequent

C．recreational

D．exhausting

7.

A．contributed to

B．adapted to

C．settled in

D．believed in

8.

A．political

B．major

C．potential

D．economic

9.

A．make use of

B．get rid of

C．keep track of

D．take care of

10.

A．environment

B．flavor

C．fashion

D．record

11.

A．reopens

B．monitors

C．possesses

D．decorates

12.

A．awarding

B．announcing

C．offering

D．showing

13.

A．fund

B．evaluate

C．attend

D．organize

14.

A．spread

B．acquire

C．compare

D．discuss

15.

A．virtual

B．dynamic

C．intelligent

D．independent

10 . Two Georgian twins, separated at birth when they were sold to different adoptive families, have been reunited and have TikTok to thank for bringing them back together.

The astonishing story began 10 years ago when one of the twins, Amy Khvitia, sat watching Georgia’s Got Talent in her godmother’s house near the Black Sea. A young girl, who looked exactly like her, climbed up on stage and began to dance in front of the reality show’s judges. Another seven years went by when Ano Sartania, the young girl that had danced on television, was sent a TikTok video of a young woman with blue hair getting her eyebrow pierced. Determined, Ano took to a WhatsApp university group with her plea. asking for help finding the woman with the blue hair. Against all odds, someone in the group knew Amy and the pair was connected through Facebook. Amy and Ano agreed to meet in-person at a local train station.

“It was awkward, it was awesome, it was everything,” Ano told The Sun of that first meeting, adding, “It was weird for me like I was looking in a mirror.” As they grew to know each other more, the two women began to list the similarities they shared and admit to being a bit unsettled by it all. Both were born in the same hospital, but their birth certificates said they were born a couple of weeks apart. Wanting answers, they turned to their families to ask some hard questions and soon had an explanation — both families admitted to adopting the girls as newborns.

It turns out both of their mothers had been unable to have children and were told they could pay to adopt unwanted babies at the hospital. DNA tests ‘eventually confirmed that that Amy and Ano were twins. However, they wanted to know why their biological parents have given them up and if they had been sold for profit. The twins have since been reunited with their birth mother, Aza, who claimed she fell into a coma after delivering her identical daughters and when she woke up hospital staff told her that her babies were dead.

“While Ano and Amy’s story contains a lot of coincidence on their path to reunion, their adoption circumstances aren’t that unique in Georgia — as many as 100,000 Georgian babies have been put up for illegal adoption since the 1950s on the black baby market,” says Georgian journalist Tamuna Museridze, who has been working to reunite families.

1. Which of the following properly describes the twins?

A．Their foster parents paid to adopt them legally.

B．Their first in-person meeting was full of mixed feelings.

C．It took them a smooth decade to get connected with each other.

D．Their biological parents sold them at birth for profit through hospital staff.

2. What does the underlined word “unsettled” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Changed.

B．Shaped.

C．Upset.

D．Unsolved.

3. What is Tamuna Museridze’s attitude to baby adoption?

A．Tolerant.

B．Supportive.

C．Unclear.

D．Disapproving.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Black baby market gains popularity in Georgia

B．Twin sisters, abandoned by birth mother, reunited

C．Twin sisters, sold illegally at birth, reunited thanks to TikTok

D．Lots of coincidence brought adopted twin sisters a family reunion