1 . In a heartwarming tale from Georgia, a 72-year-old senior recently celebrated his college graduation in cinema studies, an achievement made even more special by the presence of his proud 99-year-old mother.
Sam Kaplan of Lawrenceville decided to start on his educational journey at Georgia Gwinnett College in 2019, half a century after he had firstly chosen not to get higher education following his high school graduation in 1969. The catalyst for his return to academia came when he heard a radio announcement about a degree programme in cinema studies.
Recalling that moment, Kaplan said, “I was driving down the highway when I heard about the degree programme. The next exit led to Collinsville, so I immediately exited, and within five minutes, I was enrolling in classes. I’ve always had a passion for writing and storytelling. I longed to transform my narratives into screenplays, but I realized I needed the basic knowledge to do so,”
Kaplan admitted that the journey was a mix of anxiety and excitement, but it proved to be greatly rewarding. He graduated with a 3.975 grade point average and perfect grade honours, majoring in cinema and media arts, and had desires to continue creating screenplays in the future.
“It was an exciting and nerve-wracking (神经紧张的) challenge. Re-recognizing myself with the art of studying and communicating with fellow students was a lot of fun,” he told FOX5 Atlanta.
The most heartwarming thing of Kaplan’s graduation day was the presence of his mother, 99-year-old Virginia Kaplan, during the ceremony. Virginia expressed her huge pride, saying, “I am so proud of him. He faced numerous challenges but insisted, and I am delighted, pleased, and extremely proud,” the mother also added. “With his new degree, he’s going to stand out in whatever he does. Who knows, I might even make an appearance in the movies.”
1. What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?A.To provide some background. | B.To tell the main idea. |
C.To serve as a comment. | D.To offer an example. |
A.Reason. | B.Vehicle. | C.Task. | D.Fact. |
A.The mother desires to star in a film. |
B.Kaplan takes much pride in himself. |
C.Kaplan is excellent at whatever he does. |
D.The mother offers the unshakeable support. |
A.Failure is the mother of success. |
B.It’s never too late to follow a dream. |
C.The good seaman is known in bad weather. |
D.All things in their being are good for something. |
2 . The members of the group saw each other regularly, because they all had serious health problems. Twelve-year-old Marc was autistic (自闭症). But here, in the group circle, they could talk about what they felt. Here they could listen to the others and provide each other with some of the human attention they often so terribly missed.
But that evening, they didn’t know how to talk about what had just happened: Paul had died. The group would never again enjoy his animated laughter. Everyone stared straight ahead. Only sadness and a sense of impotence rose to the surface. No matter what she tried, Jackie, the nurse facilitating the group, couldn’t get a conversation going.
Then Jackie described how people in some cultures, when they were sad and wanted to share their feelings but could not find the words to express their sorrow, would sit in a circle and make rhythmic music together. Then everyone picked up one of the djembe drums in the room. Jackie began softly beating hers and the others joined in. Boom-boom-ta, boom-boom-ta. Slowly, they let the rhythm carry them away. Marc had trouble keeping time with the others and gave Jackie a frightened look. She smiled her encouragement, and he focused as well as he could. Jackie began to play slowly, and the others followed. At her sign, a few began to drum out of time with the beat.
Suddenly, the rhythm of the music changed. Everyone was playing his or her own melody: no one was leading the park. Everyone was carried by the music. Gradually, the sadness found its way out. Karin, in a wheelchair, was the first to think of how much Paul had enjoyed making music with the rest of the group. Then the others told their own stories. Their faces were wet with tears-as were the instruments-but still the rhythm carried them. They felt as one, with each other and with Paul. These were tears of sorrow and mourning, but also of solidarity and connection.
Henri began to smile, and the rest soon joined him. The rhythm quickened. Their combined music held power and energy. Marc felt relieved. A broad smile lit up his face, and the others were happy to see him this way. Then the situation had changed completely. Sorrow had made way for hope.
People have been making rhythmic music in groups, using drums. It is a tradition, wherein healing takes place through the spirit and the emotions, through contact with the body and its subtle powers of self-healing. In a recent study, physician Barry Bittman showed that making rhythmic music in a group affects our physical condition. Immune cells in particular are stimulated to greater activity.
1. The members of the group meet regularly to ___________________.A.find a solution to their health problems | B.tell interesting stories |
C.share their feelings and emotions | D.play music instruments |
A.Marc couldn’t talk about what he felt. | B.Paul’s death made them feel sorrowful. |
C.Jackie couldn’t facilitate other members. | D.Henri found it hard to express his sadness. |
A.She gave him an encouraging smile. | B.She talked about her own experiences. |
C.She taught him how to play djembe drums. | D.She paused and let the rhythm carry on. |
A.Getting together makes people feel sorrowful. | B.It’s a tradition to make rhythmic music. |
C.Why immune cells are stimulated to greater activity. | D.How music captures the rhythm of the soul. |
3 . Seven-year-old Everett Botwright is a bright, imaginative kid. Like many children on the autism spectrum (自闭症), he also
There was only one
The
Kraft Heinz Canada donated $10,000 to autism charities,
The
A.starts | B.deals | C.struggles | D.agrees |
A.thrilled | B.annoyed | C.satisfied | D.worried |
A.engaged | B.interested | C.disappointed | D.involved |
A.food | B.idea | C.book | D.movie |
A.goal | B.reason | C.solution | D.problem |
A.toys | B.boxes | C.cards | D.packages |
A.still | B.obviously | C.actually | D.probably |
A.denied | B.received | C.answered | D.issued |
A.help | B.treatment | C.advice | D.permission |
A.advertisement | B.photo | C.request | D.video |
A.local | B.traditional | C.social | D.technical |
A.broke in | B.took off | C.came off | D.flooded in |
A.sharing | B.broadcasting | C.composing | D.printing |
A.sold | B.packed | C.collected | D.delivered |
A.next | B.classical | C.regular | D.special |
A.bought | B.designed | C.chose | D.released |
A.heavy | B.other | C.limited | D.beautiful |
A.daily | B.final | C.monthly | D.official |
A.paying | B.translating | C.printing | D.signing |
A.luck | B.Internet | C.good | D.dream |
4 . Those in the food industry understand the difficulty that comes from working with people. No matter how much you try, some customers are never
A customer approached the drive-through window
Bryanna was the
The
When Feroza approached the drive-through window, she
Through this, Feroza and Bryanna have become friends. It’s just
A.confused | B.frightened | C.troubled | D.satisfied |
A.temper | B.passion | C.sight | D.temperature |
A.sadly | B.angrily | C.happily | D.patiently |
A.posted | B.handed | C.returned | D.introduced |
A.convinced | B.embarrassed | C.justified | D.misunderstood |
A.imagined | B.missed | C.brought | D.wanted |
A.interviewer | B.victim | C.looker-on | D.witness |
A.unpleasant | B.reliable | C.responsible | D.unavoidable |
A.figure out | B.set down | C.take over | D.put aside |
A.warning | B.weeping | C.begging | D.checking |
A.journalist | B.manager | C.customer | D.worker |
A.heard of | B.thought of | C.spoke of | D.dreamed of |
A.admit | B.behave | C.follow | D.approve |
A.wonderful | B.funny | C.necessary | D.terrible |
A.paid | B.charged | C.offered | D.afforded |
A.principle | B.program | C.destination | D.idea |
A.assumed | B.realized | C.recognized | D.recalled |
A.left | B.earned | C.donated | D.saved |
A.regret | B.relief | C.reward | D.joy |
A.encouraging | B.demanding | C.amusing | D.puzzling |
5 . The ability to walk is the sort of thing many people take for granted, but for Ella Weiske, it’s a monumental achievement. Ella was born with cerebral palsy (脑瘫) and requires a wheelchair to get around, yet she always dreamed of walking across the stage to collect her high school diploma on her own two feet.
In spring of 2023, Ella finally got that chance! The teenager spent months before her graduation from Ripon High School in Wisconsin building strength and practicing walking on an innovative new device called a Trexo. All of her efforts were worth it when she stepped onto the stage to a standing ovation (起立鼓掌) from teachers and students.
Walking on graduation day was important to Ella so her family raised $45,000 with an online fundraiser to buy the Trexo device, which is a wearable robot designed to help children walk. The device is controlled by a tablet, and it helps Ella gently move her legs. She can adjust how much support is needed, walk angles, and speed.
Ella says just the feeling of her feet hitting the floor makes her happy, but it’s the independence the device offers that gets her really excited. She dreams of hanging around downtown, going to her brother’s baseball games, and opening up her world with help from her robotic legs. But first, graduation!
On the big day, Ella was able to use her Trexo device to walk across the stage with the other members of the class of 2023. The entire school body was on their feet, cheering for her, as she collected her diploma with help from her sister, Liz Weiske. It was an emotional moment for the teachers and students who have rooted for Ella for the past 4 years.
Just graduating is an achievement on its own, but Ella’s life-changing walk meant so much to her, and to everyone who knows and loves her. We’re so proud of Ella for working hard to accomplish her goals.
1. What words can best describe Ella Weiske?A.Caring and responsible. | B.Honest and reliable. |
C.Ambitious and hardworking. | D.Intelligent and creative. |
A.A responsibility to help others. | B.A sense of living independently. |
C.An ability to deliver a public speech. | D.An opportunity for further education. |
A.Embarrassing. | B.Doubtful. | C.Inspiring. | D.Romantic. |
A.Practice makes perfect. | B.Many hands make light work. |
C.Misfortune may be an actual blessing. | D.Everything is possible to a willing mind. |
6 . As a kid growing up in a suburb of London. I loved to go looking for the perfect park bench. Some Sunday mornings, my dad could be persuaded to drive to new parks. We’d have a kick-around with a soccer ball, share a bag of Doritos and check out all the benches in the area, reading the words on them.
The good park bench leaves me in a state, somewhere between nostalgia (怀旧) and eager anticipation. Where once I was excited by the words carved on wood, I now find, as a 10-year-old, that I’m more appreciative of each bench’s quiet stoicism (坦然淡定), the way they are willing to wait out their turn in every weather, remaining available to all-comers. Like a good book or piece of music, a park bench allows for a sense of solitude (独处) and community at the same time, which is crucial to life in a great city.
Part of my obsession with park benches is as spaces where history settles. By planting seeds of curiosity, and making space for reflection, park benches become doors to the past. Maybe that’s the greatest power of the park bench: its capacity encourages the art of observation. A good bench catches us in our quietest, most vulnerable (脆弱的) moments, when we may be open to imagining new narratives and revisiting old ones. Our masks are taken off, hung from the bench’s wrought iron. On other nearby benches, babies are being burped. Glances exchanged. Sandwiches eaten. Newspapers read it .
......
Which aspect of park benches does paragraph 3 focus on?A.Design. | B.History. | C.Location. | D.Power. |
7 . Stuck inside his room at an assisted living center, Bob Coleman knew he could not go out in public with the epidemic (疫). But he was not cut off from outside: he shared his love for country music over the Internet. “Hello, everybody. It’s a bright day in Tennessee,” he said into his microphone. “This is Bob Coleman, coming to you from Room3325…”. Then Coleman began to play the music he loves-hits from country music stars. The 88-year-old carefully chooses each song.
Coleman and several other retirees have turned into DJs (流行音乐播音员), for a new online radio hour known as “Radio Recliner.” A marketing company called Luckie came up with the idea of Radio Recliner. Listeners can send song requests in honor of family or friends. For example, listeners might hear a message like this: “Hey, Granny. This is your favorite granddaughter Amy. We just wanted to call in and say we love you.” The 60-minute show started with retirees in middle Tennessee. It has since expanded, with residents of assisted-living centers in other states taking part in the project. Many jumped at the chance to work as a DJ to ease the loneliness of social distancing rules.
Mitch Bennett serves as Luckie’s chief creative officer. He says the idea was to provide a sense of community to older people. “For this generation, radio was the original social media,” Bennett said, “Dedicating a song to someone you love and having them hear it along with everyone else is a special way of connecting.”
In Georgia, 80-year-old Ed Rosenblatt, who had made full preparations for his show, said an hour he spent playing songs on Radio Recliner resulted in a flood of text messages, emails and calls from family and friends, and many of the messages were from people he had not heard from for years.
What’s the best title for the text?A.Older Adults Need More Care During the Epidemic |
B.Older Adults, Stuck by the Epidemic, Turn Into DJs |
C.Older Adults Were Busy With Music During the Epidemic |
D.Older Adults, Stuck by the Epidemic, Show Music Talents |
8 . My husband and I always wanted to go to the Caribbean but didn’t know much about the islands or how we were going to afford it. By chance, a friend of ours in Australia mentioned “pet sitting” and that it is something you can do all over the world.
We quickly created an account on a pet sitting website and began searching for options. There were only a couple of sits available in that part of the world, but we tried our luck, sent a request, and to our surprise, landed a three-month job in Grenada, so our year was going to be taken up with Caribbean pet sits.
......
Why did the author do pet sitting?A.To cover travel expenses. | B.To raise fund. |
C.To conserve the environment. | D.To shoot beautiful beaches. |
9 . Eighteen-year-old David Aguilar from Andorra was born without a right forearm due to a rare genetic condition but that has never stopped him from doing anything he wanted to do including typing on a computer with his partial arm.
Like most kids, David was a LEGO fan and he loved building cars, boats, planes, and motorbikes. But David also knew that he looked different and wanted to do something about it. “As a child I was very nervous to be in front of other guys, because I was different, but that didn’t stop me believing in my dreams,” David said. “I wanted to... see myself in the mirror like I see other guys, with two hands.”
......
David plans to create affordable prosthetics for people who need them, saying, “I would try to give them a prosthetic, even if it’s for free, to make them feel like a normal person.”
1. How did David feel when standing in front of other kids?A.Anxious. | B.Natural. | C.Confident. | D.Frightened. |
A.To be an expert in building LEGO. | B.To become rich by selling prosthetic arms. |
C.To offer disabled people cheaper prosthetics. | D.To start a company hiring more disabled people. |
10 . We journalists live in a new age of storytelling, with many new multimedia tools. Many young people don’t even realize it’s new. For them, it’s just normal.
This hit home for me as I was sitting with my 2-year-old grandson on a sofa over the Spring Festival holiday. I had brought a children’s book to read. It had simple words and colorful pictures — a perfect match for his age.
Picture this: my grandson sitting on my lap as I hold the book in front so he can see the pictures. As I read, he reaches out and pokes (戳) the page with his finger.
What’s up with that? He just likes the pictures, I thought. Then I turned the page and continued. He poked the page even harder. I nearly dropped the book. I was confused: Is there something wrong with this kid?
Then I realized what was happening. He was actually a stranger to books. His father frequently amused the boy with a tablet computer which was loaded with colorful pictures that come alive when you poke them. He thought my storybook was like that.
Sorry, kid. This book is not part of your high-tech world. It’s an outdated, lifeless thing. An antique, like your grandfather. Well, I may be old, but I’m not hopelessly challenged, digitally speaking. I edit video and produce audio. I use mobile payment. I’ve even built websites.
There’s one notable gap in my new-media experience, however: I’ve spent little time in front of a camera, since I have a face made for radio. But that didn’t stop China Daily from asking me last week to share a personal story for a video project about the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.
Anyway, grandpa is now an internet star — two minutes of fame! I promise not to let it go to my head. But I will make sure my 2-year-old grandson sees it on his tablet.
1. Why did the kid poke the storybook?A.He took it for a tablet computer. | B.He disliked the colorful pictures. |
C.He was angry with his grandpa. | D.He wanted to read it by himself. |
A.Socially ambitious. | B.Physically attractive. |
C.Financially independent. | D.Digitally competent. |
A.He lacks experience in his job. | B.He seldom appears on television. |
C.He manages a video department. | D.He often interviews internet stars. |