1 . Alone in my office one afternoon, I unpeeled (打开) the wrapper from a square of chocolate with a deliberate curiosity. The words printed inside the wrapper
I would normally not say yes to
Walking home from work, I
An awkward
“Oh. Ugh,” I was
The answer: a coded linguistic (语言的) invitation.
Up until that candy wrapper advice, I hadn’t
In trying out the supposed right way to accept a compliment, I learned what such a pleasant commentary really signals for people: connection and
| A．read | B．inform | C．perform | D．sign |
| A．invitations | B．presentations | C．predictions | D．suggestions |
| A．afraid | B．alone | C．ready | D．serious |
| A．Fully | B．Partially | C．Shortly | D．Specially |
| A．congratulation | B．acknowledgement | C．instruction | D．judgement |
| A．forget | B．deny | C．try | D．review |
| A．promised | B．challenged | C．imagined | D．encountered |
| A．handle | B．neglect | C．practice | D．share |
| A．gesture | B．silence | C．manner | D．sound |
| A．determined | B．strict | C．worried | D．innocent |
| A．meant | B．intended | C．prepared | D．lost |
| A．applied | B．changed. | C．mentioned | D．missed |
| A．given much thought to | B．put an end to | C．taken a look at | D．made every effort with |
| A．respond | B．object | C．attend | D．answer |
| A．obtain | B．ignore | C．loosen | D．shift |
| A．downgrade | B．highlight | C．update | D．underline |
| A．method | B．request | C．permission | D．discipline |
| A．In other words | B．A’s a result | C．In addition | D．After all |
| A．appreciation | B．conversation | C．expression | D．inspiration |
| A．Besides | B．However | C．Otherwise | D．Therefore |
2 . Twenty years ago, Charlotte attempted to call her sister in Bath, England. She intended to share the challenges and sorrows in her life with her sister. However, when she dialed the area code 01225, she accidentally punched in 01275 instead. This innocent mistake led her to reach Jones in Bristol, England.
Recalling about the fateful phone call, Jones said: “When Charlotte realized her error, she apologized sincerely. She was extremely polite and charming. Besides, Charlotte’s warmth and openness were immediately evident.”
In the following weeks, they called each other several times. Through their conversations, Jones discovered that Charlotte, who lived in Cornwall, England, had been trying to reach her sister.
Charlotte told that during a divorce with her husband, Jones had become a source of comfort for her. She expressed gratitude because Jones’ kindness and encouragement as a stranger had lifted her spirits. Over the next several years, the two forged a strong friendship through their phone conversations, discussing their children — Charlotte, a mother of two, and Jones, a father of three.
On Thanksgiving Day, Jones and his wife and children traveled to Cornwall. Finally meeting face-to-face, Charlotte exclaimed, “Oh, it was an remarkable day. The happiest Thanksgiving of my life, which I will never forget!” The sun shone brightly that day, warm as spring. It was a perfect day.
After their encounter, Jones posted a photo of himself with Charlotte on Facebook, along with a heartfelt message: “The distance between people in this world is just a wrong phone number. It’s truly unbelievable.”
Charlotte’s innocent mistake taught us an important lesson about the unexpected connections that can arise in life. Taking the initiative to reach out can lead to meaningful relationships that enrich our lives in ways we never imagined. We are reminded to cherish the unexpected connections that come into our lives and embrace the beautiful moments that they bring.
1. Why did Charlotte make a mistake when dialing the phone number?| A．She was not familiar with the area codes. | B．She dialed the wrong area code accidentally. |
| C．The phone she used was not working properly. | D．Her sister gave her a wrong number on purpose. |
| A．Kind and open. | B．Calm and helpful. |
| C．Polite and warm. | D．Clever and brave. |
| A．Because he tried to help her to find her sister. | B．Because he comforted her every day by phone. |
| C．Because he helped her with a lot of housework. | D．Because he cheered her up during her hard time. |
| A．Charlotte went to see Jones alone | B．Charlotte called Jones again and again |
| C．it was sunny and warm that day | D．the two families met face to face |
| A．People can form a strong friendship through accidental connections. |
| B．Phone numbers can often lead to misunderstandings and mistakes. |
| C．Distance is a barrier to building friendships and relationships. |
| D．A person’s life can change dramatically because of the awful divorce. |
3 . I was born without arms. My parents bought me a full-length
In Year 2011 I swam in the inter-house carnival and a coach encouraged me to join his squad. It
I’m
| A．armchair | B．mirror | C．wheelchair | D．stick |
| A．responsibility | B．identity | C．similarity | D．disability |
| A．experience | B．experiment | C．treatment | D．movement |
| A．hated | B．refused | C．preferred | D．returned |
| A．adjusted | B．adopted | C．contributed | D．applied |
| A．lower | B．smaller | C．finer | D．dearer |
| A．got mad | B．got along | C．got used | D．got rid |
| A．spared | B．separated | C．compared | D．sparked |
| A．which | B．what | C．where | D．that |
| A．even | B．then | C．still | D．ever |
| A．emotion | B．ambition | C．potential | D．recognition |
| A．continuing | B．competing | C．improving | D．completing |
| A．smooth | B．ambiguous | C．upset | D．tough |
| A．walked | B．patted | C．touched | D．hugged |
| A．shocked | B．cried | C．sighed | D．shouted |
| A．earned | B．donated | C．handled | D．raised |
| A．kids | B．people | C．men | D．women |
| A．waste | B．expensive | C．worthwhile | D．empty |
| A．set about | B．set to | C．set off | D．set down |
| A．define | B．identify | C．direct | D．distract |
I still remember the days when I was a youthful student in an engineering school. I lived a casual life, without caring about the future. I smoked, drank with friends and made girlfriends. Little did I realized that casualness would certainly lead to loss.
Two years had passed and I was staring down a report card that highlighted FAIL in more than half the subjects. I didn’t care, at least not till my dad found out about it. You see, I studied in India and unlike the United States where the students are expected to finance their own education, my dad financed me.
Then came the day when my dad found out my habit of smoking. He lost his temper but he just told me, “son, your allowance is cut in half from this moment on.” It hit me like a roundhouse kick from Bruce Lee. I was jolted (震摇) out of my bones! I couldn’t comprehend how to pay off the debts that I had accumulated in college. I owed everybody money: the grocery store, the bars, the restaurants, and my friends. I was living a life filled with credit.
When I came back to college, I knew if I didn’t change the way I live my life I wouldn’t be able to pay everybody off. So I decided to make some changes, drastic changes. I quitted smoking, cut off from my friends who led me down the wrong road, starting hanging out in libraries and reading my engineering books.
One year later, I went from a miserable failure to a Cum Laude(优等成绩). Life was never the same again. This incident made me know that anything is possible if you take action and do something about it, however small or large. Even today it still motivates me when I feel that I’m about to lose or give up. It reminds me that I can do it!
1. What’s the author’s attitude when he saw his report card? (no more than 10 words)2. At what time did the father cut the author’s allowance in half? (no more than 15 words)
3. Why did the author say he was living a life filled with credit? (no more than 15 words)
4. What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean? (no more than 10 words)
5. What can you learn from the passage? (no more than 15 words)
5 . When Milla Bizzot to finished her first 24-hour obstacle race, she went shoulder to shoulder with experienced competitors, ran 36 miles and completed hundreds of obstacles, all at the age of 9.“There are some double takes on the course, but she has been an inspiration to people who see her out there competing like that,” said Christian Bizzotto, Milla’s father and coach, who was proud of her. Milla is very fit for her age, and she proved it in completing the BattleFrog Xtreme 24-hour race in Miami.
Milla also used the event to inspire other kids to be active, and show how competing in obstacle racing has helped her deal with being bullied at school. “We wanted to make her feel more empowered and make her feel that she wasn’t weak, and that changed her whole mindset,” her father said.
In preparing for the 24-hour race, Milla trained 20 hours a week for 90 days, doing exercise in the gym for 4 hours every day after school.
“The reactions are 90 percent good, but some are totally negative,” Christian said. “I’ve had people message me on Facebook saying I’m a child abuser, and that no 9-year-old should be doing a 24-hour race. But her own doctors were there supporting her and cheering her on. I want her to be a kid, and this is just something she really wants to do.”
CrossFit and obstacle course racing have also helped Christian turn around his life. He got injured in a motorcycle accident. After he was finally able to get around without using a walker, he began his recovery by going for walks on the beach with Milla, and then began running every day.
Next, he joined a CrossFit gym and enjoyed it so much that he opened his own gym to train others for events like CrossFit, BattleFrog and Spartan races. “I just wanted to create a hero that Milla could look up to,” he said.
Next up for Milla is an invitation-only “Athletes Race”. Competitors also have to raise $5,000 for charity.
1. Christian Bizzotto, Milla’s father and coach, ______.| A．was very strict with Milla |
| B．was satisfied with what Milla did |
| C．lost his legs in a motorcycle accident |
| D．threw his walker with the help of CrossFit |
| A．She was always bullied by her schoolmates. |
| B．She began to run because she was physically weak. |
| C．Her father wanted her to get benefit from the obstacle race. |
| D．She became more confident after the 24-hour obstacle race. |
| A．had two days’ rest every week |
| B．was always running with her father |
| C．spent over 4 hours every day of a week |
| D．took a hit because her father was injured |
| A．told us that Milla had a hard childhood |
| B．showed that he was a real abuser |
| C．encouraged Milla to challenge more difficult runs |
| D．were mixed but what Milla did was supported by her doctors |
| A．make money to open a gym |
| B．set a good example to Milla |
| C．make money to raise his family |
| D．get recovered as soon as possible |
When Li Toh first came to China to pursue his flute (长笛) dream, the Malaysian man had never expected that his dream could take root in China.
Toh’s love for the Chinese bamboo flute began in primary school when his elder brother joined the Chinese orchestra in middle school to learn to play the musical instrument. He said the clear sound of the bamboo flute guided him onto the road of flute learning. As he got older, Toh went to Singapore for further study.
According to Toh, there were few professional Chinese bamboo flute teachers in Malaysia, and the learning environment for bamboo flute players was limited. In 2005, Toh made a bold decision. He applied for retention (保留) of his admission qualifications to the university he had already attended, and set off for Beijing. A new chapter of his life thus began.
After getting his bachelor’s degree, Toh started to teach the Chinese bamboo flute in Malaysia and Singapore. His desire to improve his performance skills and his thirst for knowledge drove him back to Beijing to continue his studies.
Toh had planned to return to Malaysia after graduation, but upon graduation, Guangxi Arts University offered him a job. During his stay in China, he has also joined teams and performed in countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia. They tried to combine the Chinese bamboo flute with local musical instruments. Communication and innovation promoted the development of diverse art culture and enriched the cultural layers of art.
In recent years, Toh would return to Malaysia during holidays to promote the art of the Chinese bamboo flute. Having been in China for more than a decade, Toh’s love for the country has long been rooted in his heart, and he is looking forward to the prosperity and development of cultural industries in China.
1. What made Toh start learning the bamboo flute? (no more than 4 words)2. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 3 mean? (1 word)
3. Why did Toh return to Beijing? (no more than 13 words)
4. What did Toh do in China after graduation? (no more than 12 words)
5. What do you think of Toh? Please give your reasons. (no more than 20 words)
7 . The funny thing about basically doing anything is that we typically know what to do. The hard thing is actually doing it, day after day after day. The problem isn’t knowledge. The problem is willpower. Hold that thought.
Last year a friend wanted to get in better shape, so he started the Hard 75 Challenge, which involves following a diet, working out twice a day for 45 minutes each session, drinking a gallon of water, reading 10 pages of a nonfiction personal development book, and taking a picture of yourself. Every day. For 75 straight days.
Fail to complete any of the above on any given day? Start over.
In many ways, Hard 75 is similar to a diet. As anyone who has tried knows, following a specific diet is hard. Temptation. Availability. Consistently making the right choices is hard.
The same is true for exercising outdoors. It’s hard to force yourself to go for a run when your day got away from you and it’s 8 p.m. and raining and 35 degrees. If you can pull off the Hard 75, that’s awesome.
But it’s really hard.
And it was really hard for my friend.
He started, got disappointed, got up the determination to start over, got disappointed, forced himself to start over… while he got in a little better shape, he didn’t make the progress he hoped for.
Then he took a different approach. Instead of following a strict diet, he just created a few simple rules. He wanted to eat healthier, so he cut out all “white” foods (breads, white rice, potatoes, crackers, added sugar). When he went out to eat, he avoided failing to find the “right” food by just choosing the healthiest option available.
And instead of following a specific exercise program, he just decided that he would always work out for at least 20 minutes every day. Most of the time he did longer workouts, but still: The only rule he had for himself was that he would work out for just at least 20 minutes a day. That way he never “failed,” never got disappointed, and never felt like he had to start over. As long as he got his 20, he was good.
The same approach applies to everything. In my case, I decided I needed to drink more water and less soda. So I decided I would always drink water with meals. Within a couple days, that habit became automatic.
Bottom line? Diets are bad. Having to rely on willpower is even worse.
Rules, on the other hand, are easy.
And great, especially when those rules help take you to the place you someday want to be.
1. We can learn about the Hard 75 Challenge that it ____.| A．lasts 75 days straight without any additional efforts |
| B．imposes demanding requirements on the participants |
| C．requires participants to exercise on hot and rainy days |
| D．aims to cultivate people’s ability to appreciate literature |
| A．he was not determined enough | B．he didn’t have enough knowledge |
| C．he made the wrong choices | D．he followed a strict diet |
| A．Picking his own diet and always follow it. | B．Eating the healthiest foods available. |
| C．Sticking to doing intense exercise indoors. | D．Pushing himself to prolong daily workouts. |
| A．in most cases we typically know what to do | B．persisting in doing something daily is hard |
| C．we might well fail with stronger willpower | D．some simple rules are easier to carry out |
| A．help you achieve goals by making the habit stick | B．encourage people to drink enough water |
| C．reverse the effect of relying on willpower | D．prevent you from getting lost in a place |
8 . People say home is where the heart is. However, when the home you’re living in isn’t safe, the heartache can be a real headache. That was the
When Alvero Wiggins was diagnosed with kidney failure, it created a(n)
MacLaren was
“It means a lot to us to have a home,” Wiggins told CBC with
| A．case | B．ambition | C．solution | D．request |
| A．opposite | B．predictable | C．desired | D．lasting |
| A．improvement | B．treatment | C．experiment | D．argument |
| A．taking on | B．returning to | C．searching for | D．knocking off |
| A．encouraged | B．forbidden | C．forced | D．allowed |
| A．unknown | B．stable | C．necessary | D．tough |
| A．Accidentally | B．Gradually | C．Fortunately | D．Hopefully |
| A．After | B．Before | C．Since | D．Despite |
| A．fought | B．sat | C．worked | D．studied |
| A．invested | B．suffered | C．wondered | D．gained |
| A．teaching | B．understanding | C．helping | D．accepting |
| A．pretended | B．deserved | C．managed | D．needed |
| A．important | B．challenging | C．fruitless | D．unpleasant |
| A．in place of | B．in response to | C．in charge of | D．in memory of |
| A．started | B．borrowed | C．exchanged | D．raised |
| A．imagination | B．decision | C．assumption | D．discovery |
| A．efforts | B．words | C．tips | D．dreams |
| A．excitement | B．embarrassment | C．confusion | D．sorrow |
| A．reward | B．thank | C．greet | D．invite |
| A．take place | B．get across | C．catch on | D．turn around |
9 . Back in high school, I loved nothing more than going bowling. From freshman to junior year, starting and leading my school’s bowling club helped me come out of my
Still the bowling memory that really stuck out to me was
Then one evening something remarkable happened. During a game, I
That’s, when I finally went over to say hi to Leroy.
That was the beginning of our friendship. Since that night, playing together and sharing our life stories has become our weekly
| A．way | B．zone | C．shell | D．place |
| A．school | B．town | C．community | D．state |
| A．boosted | B．affected | C．formed | D．enjoyed |
| A．when | B．how | C．that | D．because |
| A．instead | B．though | C．otherwise | D．rather |
| A．hang out | B．turn over | C．show off | D．slip away |
| A．Besides | B．Against | C．Despite | D．Beyond |
| A．prevented | B．witnessed | C．suggested | D．imagined |
| A．determined | B．struggled | C．desired | D．hesitated |
| A．ended up | B．ran away | C．set off | D．turned out |
| A．Disappointed | B．Relieved | C．Excited | D．Surprised |
| A．confusion | B．embarrassment | C．eagerness | D．anger |
| A．deal | B．matter | C．problem | D．mistake |
| A．ease | B．increase | C．defeat | D．break |
| A．held back | B．gave in | C．broke down | D．opened up |
| A．helplessly | B．hopefully | C．desperately | D．thoroughly |
| A．routine | B．meeting | C．experience | D．recreation |
| A．temporary | B．consistent | C．subsequent | D．prosperous |
| A．captured | B．seized | C．earned | D．found |
| A．went along | B．started off | C．gave out | D．carried on |
10 . 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| A．Different types of pasta | B．The origin of pasta |
| C．Love through pasta | D．Pasta for Christmas |
