1 . The Bridegroom’s Oak, a 500-year-old tree just outside of Eutin, in Germany, has its own postal address and receives around 40 letters every day. They’re sent by love seekers from around the world, in the hope that someone will read them and write back.
With so many dating apps and services available nowadays, sending letters to a tree hardly sounds like the best way to find love. However, there’s something charming about sending a letter and allowing fate (命运) to work its magic, so the Bridegroom’s Oak remains popular even now.
In 1890, a local girl named Minna fell in love with a young chocolate maker named Wilhelm, but her father didn’t allow her to see the boy. Instead of giving up on each other, the two started exchanging love letters secretly, by leaving them in a knothole (节孔) of an oak tree. After about one year, Minna’s father found out about their continued relationship, but instead of punishing them, he gave them permission to marry. The two lovers got married on June 2, 1891, under the oak tree that helped keep their romance (罗曼史) alive.
The couple’s story spread around Eutin, and soon, people unable to find love started writing romantic letters and leaving them in the tree’s knothole. By 1927, it was already known as Bridegroom’s Oak and was so popular that it had its own address and postal code, allowing people from all over Germany and even abroad to send in their letters.
Love seekers visiting the Bridegroom’s Oak need respect only one simple rule. They can check all the letters in its knothole, and take with them the one they wish to reply to, but they have to put the others back for other people to find.
So far the Bridegroom’s Oak has been responsible for at least 100 marriages and many other romantic relationships.
1. What’s the Bridegroom’s Oak well known for?A.Its rare species. | B.Its long history. | C.Its good position. | D.Its special function. |
A.The best way to find love a century ago. | B.What sufferings the two lovers experienced. |
C.The love story behind the Bridegroom’s Oak. | D.How the two lovers kept their romance alive. |
A.Read all the letters in its knothole. | B.Reply to all the letters in its knothole. |
C.Put their name at the top of each letter. | D.Take as many letters away as they like. |
A.Visitors send letters to the Bridegroom’s Oak. | B.Writing to the Bridegroom’s Oak really works. |
C.Germany needs to get dating apps and services. | D.The Germans believe in the power of love much. |
2 . Compassion (同情) is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into
I couldn’t
Just then, another old man, standing behind the first, spoke up: “
What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft and safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not
A.dream | B.action | C.ambition | D.goal |
A.true | B.contradictory | C.ambiguous | D.ideal |
A.poor | B.young | C.elderly | D.homeless |
A.teachers | B.guides | C.assistants | D.customers |
A.presentation | B.career | C.experience | D.lesson |
A.trust | B.card | C.competence | D.cheat |
A.thank | B.repay | C.supply | D.reward |
A.ban | B.help | C.realize | D.feel |
A.house | B.health | C.luck | D.place |
A.happiness | B.shock | C.faith | D.hurt |
A.unkind | B.generous | C.proud | D.warm-hearted |
A.promoted | B.disliked | C.valued | D.sustained |
A.Purchase | B.Pay | C.Show | D.Charge |
A.allowed | B.forbidden | C.admitted | D.recommended |
A.persuaded | B.wrote | C.taught | D.convinced |
3 . Camel Conversation
A mother and a baby camel were lying around under a tree.
Then the baby camel asked, “Mom,
The mother camel considered this and said, “We are desert animals and we have the humps to
The baby camel
The mama
The baby paused, and then asked, “Why are our eyelashes (睫毛)
The mama responded, “Those long thick eyelashes
The baby camel thought and thought. Then he said, “I see. So the hump is to store water when we are in the desert, the legs are for
We were given all
Don’t sit around in a zoo. Use your gifts and talents to help
A.why | B.how | C.whether | D.where |
A.drink | B.flow | C.bring | D.store |
A.few | B.little | C.less | D.much |
A.missed | B.wished | C.asked | D.thought |
A.arms | B.hands | C.feet | D.legs |
A.replied | B.asked | C.wanted | D.yelled |
A.sea | B.desert | C.garden | D.yard |
A.thin | B.weak | C.long | D.short |
A.depend | B.prevent | C.stop | D.protect |
A.when | B.although | C.as | D.because |
A.flying | B.walking | C.covering | D.driving |
A.desert | B.zoo | C.country | D.city |
A.worthy | B.expensive | C.special | D.seasonal |
A.disturb | B.differ | C.disgust | D.desire |
A.others | B.another | C.other | D.else |
4 . An Urban Farmer’s Garden of Eden
Ivy Lawrence-Walls didn’t set out to choose farming. But it chose her. She grew up on a five-acre farm in Houston and credits many
She didn’t know then that many of those childhood lessons would be
The garden grows carrots, cabbage, pumpkin, peppers, and delivers for free to local residents. It also hosts various plant pop-up events at local schools to
“Starting the farm in the early stages of the pandemic was a leap of
Lawrence-Walls said her biggest challenge
A.distinct | B.essential | C.internal | D.enormous |
A.patience | B.obligation | C.devotion | D.passion |
A.committed | B.exposed | C.employed | D.adapted |
A.linked | B.persuaded | C.integrated | D.expanded |
A.engaged in | B.comprised of | C.gifted in | D.combined with |
A.tailor | B.motivate | C.pursue | D.encounter |
A.intention | B.hesitation | C.resistance | D.security |
A.operation | B.routine | C.exercise | D.supply |
A.Therefore | B.Afterwards | C.Nevertheless | D.Otherwise |
A.occupied | B.involved | C.permitted | D.stuck |
A.tackle | B.detect | C.clarify | D.distinguish |
A.ceasing | B.expanding | C.fleeing | D.switching |
A.distracting | B.evaluating | C.breaking | D.citing |
A.assumption | B.conclusion | C.forecast | D.assessment |
A.amusing | B.secure | C.rewarding | D.intense |
5 . Paen Long has had a dream ever since he saw a plane for the first time at the age of six. His dream was to
It took him a year to build his plane, using mostly recycled materials.The plane’s first
Although the first try
His wife, Hing Muoyheng, worries about her husband, especially as they have two young sons. However, she has no
A.repair | B.make | C.draw | D.buy |
A.carefully | B.impatiently | C.secretly | D.suddenly |
A.make use of | B.make fun of | C.get tired of | D.turn to |
A.before | B.until | C.when | D.since |
A.expected | B.saved | C.stolen | D.borrowed |
A.answer | B.learn | C.control | D.guess |
A.design | B.flight | C.interview | D.meeting |
A.Therefore | B.Besides | C.However | D.Otherwise |
A.angry | B.excited | C.proud | D.embarrassed |
A.appeared | B.continued | C.changed | D.failed |
A.determined | B.kind | C.nervous | D.upset |
A.serious | B.sorry | C.hungry | D.grateful |
A.chance | B.aim | C.choice | D.reason |
A.experts | B.classmates | C.volunteers | D.workers |
A.give up | B.give in | C.give away | D.give out |
6 . I was the only kid in college with a reason to go to the mail box, because my mother never believed in email, or cell phones in general. I was literally waiting to get a letter to see how the weekend had gone, which was usually the warmest comfort for me.
So when I moved to New York and got sucker-punched in the face by depression, I did the only thing I could think of — writing letters like my mother for strangers. I blogged about those letters and crazily promised I would write a hand-written letter to whoever asked me to.
Overnight, my inbox became this harbor of heartbreak-a single mother in Sacramento, a girl being bullied (恐吓) in rural Kansas. . , all asking me to write them a letter and give them a reason to wait by the mailbox. And this is how the act The World Needs More Love Letters was born, fueled by those trips to the mailbox. But the thing about these letters is that most of them have been written by people, who have grown up into a paperless world where some best conversations happen swiftly on a screen.
I’ve been carrying this mail crate (大木箱) with me these days, which is a magical icebreaker. So I get to tell total strangers about a woman whose husband was traumatized (受精神创伤) from war in Afghanistan, and how she left love letters throughout the house as a way to say, “Come back to me. ” And the man, who had decided to take his life, tonight slept safely with letters just beneath his pillow, handwritten by strangers who were there for him.
These are the kinds of stories that convince me that letter-writing will always be needed, even in these days, because it is an art now, all of it: the signing, the scripting, and the mailing.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?A.The author didn’t believe in e-mail. |
B.Mom had been cheated by letters from strangers. |
C.Communicating by writing letters was Mom’s favorite. |
D.The author was attached to receiving letters from Mom. |
A.The letters’ comforting effect on people. | B.Her intention of providing professional aid. |
C.The positive influence of modern technology. | D.Her mother’s fear of modern communication. |
A.It melts ice easily on a cold day. | B.It serves as a tool for magic tricks. |
C.It encourages people to recover from traumas. | D.It helps to start a conversation with passers-by. |
A.Passion for Writing. | B.Priceless Family Letters. |
C.Love Letters to Strangers. | D.The Art of Writing Letters. |
7 . By now, most of us have picked up at least one pandemic (疫情期间的) hobby. And there’s a seemingly common pandemic hobby trend: People who haven’t been able to go anywhere are making imaginary travel plans. Maybe you’re among those who have spent hours researching locations―even though you’re not actually planning to travel.
It turns out that you aren’t alone. People who seem to be interested in public safety recommendations are still planning trips they don’t intend to book. And, when I suddenly found myself addicted to an imaginary girls’ trip to Joshua Tree, I wondered whether this was a healthy distraction (注意力分散).
“It’s an escapist imagination,” said Regine Galanti, a psychologist, adding that there’s nothing wrong with escapism during a global pandemic.
On the one hand, distractions are often beneficial right now. We are a full year into living with COVID-19 as a pandemic, and that means you’ve probably had to navigate a range of emotions like discomfort, sadness, or even boredom. So any hobby that doesn’t harm anyone or endanger your well-being is probably a worthy attempt.
Even if vacation planning is your happy place, Dr. Galanti suggests you “actually think about what you’re trying to achieve.” Why? “Maybe what you’re saying is, I need a vacation from work,” Dr. Galanti explains. “Then take three days off even if you are not going anywhere. “When you figure out what you’re looking for, you might be able to find a small socially distanced adventure in your backyard or a quiet place. Vacation planning is a good way to spend some time, but there might be an even better way to get what you’re desiring.
Anyway, when uncertainty is all around us, creating things to look forward to isn’t a terrible idea. And when things are safer, you’ll have all your plans in place.
1. Why do people make imaginary travel plans during the pandemic?A.To develop a new hobby. | B.To stay safe and sound. |
C.To be distracted from reality. | D.To get ready for future travel. |
A.Express. | B.Balance. | C.Adapt to. | D.Deal with. |
A.Objective. | B.Negative. | C.Supportive. | D.Unclear. |
A.Economy. | B.Lifestyle. |
C.Food culture. | D.Science and technology. |
8 . Lobb and Jafri were queuing up for a lunchtime workout on Pier (码头) 15, overlooking the East River, when Lobb froze. What he saw was a person
Approaching the
On the pier, a crowd had gathered. From somewhere, the onlookers
With the two men pushing from below and the crowd pulling from above, the victim was pulled onto the pier. Both men, thoroughly
A.crying | B.swimming | C.floating | D.playing |
A.rail | B.ship | C.gym | D.platform |
A.desperate | B.frightened | C.insensible | D.nervous |
A.life coach | B.rescuer | C.onlooker | D.emergency services |
A.upward | B.off | C.around | D.forward |
A.hand | B.back | C.head | D.stomach |
A.supported | B.raised | C.downgraded | D.located |
A.cells | B.organs | C.tissues | D.muscles |
A.disabled | B.uncooperative | C.immobile | D.misshapen |
A.tore | B.produced | C.imported | D.organized |
A.circled | B.fixed | C.loaded | D.worked |
A.exhausted | B.abstracted | C.depressed | D.satisfied |
A.undoubtedly | B.nearly | C.fortunately | D.obviously |
A.took in | B.turned over | C.pull away | D.set forth |
A.appreciated | B.emphasized | C.recognized | D.learned |
9 . Dr. Tatiana Erukhimova is a physics professor at Texas A&M who aims to show her students, especially the young women, that there are no limits.
Only 25% of physics undergraduate students are female. Perhaps it is because boys grow up playing with machines and making drawings of fast cars and rocket explosions. But girls are just as curious about the way the world works — they just haven’t jumped into the culture of chemical reactions, energy and magnetic force with as much enthusiasm. That is, until they see one of Tatiana’s videos showing the science behind real life’s magic. Tatiana is really one of the few living female examples they could follow.
Her videos get millions of views. She is a ball of energy with a short haircut, a Russian accent and a lively personality that makes physics accessible to the younger audience. Young girls are attracted to Tatiana’s attractive demonstrations the way they flock to pop concerts. This is real. This is science they can participate in. This is an open door to endless possibilities.
“These short clips are the spark that inspires,” Tatiana says with so much excitement that it lights up the room. Everything she does involves students. She believes the magic in learning is when your peers are part of the demonstration, when you are part of the teaching process.
“She wants everything to be a celebration of science,” says one of Tatiana’s former students. And indeed, the classroom is in a party atmosphere, with students cheering when amazed by Newton’s law of motion, demonstrated by a spinning bicycle wheel held upright by the professor. It’s hard to tell who is more delighted, Tatiana or her students. She is an attraction for female students who are graduating college and working in the sciences in higher numbers than ever before.
Dr. Tatiana’s story began in Russia and her parents were both physicists. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Tatiana moved to Texas with her husband, also a physicist. They both teach at Texas A&M, and when Tatiana isn’t in the classroom, she is doing outreach with schoolchildren, amazing them with spinning lights that soon form words, liquid oxygen that shrinks objects and chemical reactions that expand matter to 10 times its size. But most importantly, she is expanding the audience of female physicists.
1. According to the passage, why do girls sometimes hesitate to jump into the culture of physics?A.Lack of interest in chemical reactions. |
B.Cultural differences in curiosity. |
C.Absence of female role models. |
D.Fear of liquid oxygen demonstrations. |
A.They were made by a female physician. |
B.They feature engaging demonstrations. |
C.They are meant for Tatiana’s homeland. |
D.They have received millions of likes online. |
A.Appealing to students with fascinating demonstrations. |
B.Teaching students some difficult physics concepts. |
C.Explaining the history of Newton’s law of motion. |
D.Encouraging girls to attend parties and pop concerts. |
A.Female Professor Rejecting Gender Barrier |
B.Russian Physicist and Female Scientists |
C.Physics Professor Stimulating Girls’ Passion |
D.The Significance of Online Short Videos |
10 . I was the only kid in college with a reason to go to the mail box, because my mother never believed in email, or cell phones in general. I was literally waiting to get a letter to see how the weekend had gone, which was usually the warmest comfort for me.
So when I moved to New York and got sucker-punched in the face by depression, I did the only thing I could think of — writing letters like my mother for strangers. I blogged about those letters and crazily promised I would write you a hand-written letter if asked to.
Overnight, my inbox became this harbor of heartbreak — a single mother in Sacramento, a girl being bullied (恐吓) in rural Kansas…, all asking me to write them a letter and give them a reason to wait by the mailbox. And this is how the act The World Needs More Love Letters was born, fueled by those trips to the mailbox. But the thing about these letters is that most of them have been written by people, who have grown up into a paperless world where some best conversations happen swiftly on a screen.
I’ve been carrying this mail crate (大木箱) with me these days, which is a magical icebreaker. So I get to tell total strangers about a woman whose husband was traumatized (受精神创伤) from war in Afghanistan, and how she left love letters throughout the house as a way to say, “Come back to me.” And the man, who had decided to take his life, tonight slept safely with letters just beneath his pillow, handwritten by strangers who were there for him.
These are the kinds of stories that convince me that letter-writing will always be needed, even in these days, because it is an art now.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?A.The efficiency of write letters. |
B.The author’s care for her family. |
C.The author’s attachment to letters. |
D.The author’s love for the college life. |
A.The letters’ comforting effect on people. |
B.Her intention of providing professional aid. |
C.The positive influence of modern technology. |
D.Her mother’s fear of modern communication. |
A.It is capable of doing magic tricks. |
B.It starts a conversation with passers-by. |
C.It helps people to recover from traumas. |
D.It is hot enough to melt ice on a cold day. |
A.Love for Writing |
B.Priceless Family Letters |
C.Love Letters to Strangers |
D.The Art of Writing Letters |