It’s May, which means that millions of students are getting ready to receive their college diplomas. Grace Bush is one of them. Grace is just 16 years old — at the age when most teenagers have not even completed high school, Grace has graduated from Florida Atlantic University(FAU)with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. What’s even more astonishing is that the brilliant girl received her high school diploma from Florida Atlantic High School a week after she had graduated college!
While pursuing two diplomas would have been enough to keep most kids busy, Grace, who graduated with a 3.86 grade-point average, seemed to even find time to play the flute for two bands.
Though this youngest FAU graduate has attracted national attention with her unique accomplishments, for Grace, this is not deviant. That’s because she comes from a family of overachievers. Her 19-year-old sister Gisla, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree, also graduated at 16, while her 17-year-old sister Gabrielle, is already pursuing her master’s degree and is scheduled to graduate from FAU this summer.
Grace’s education began when she was a toddler(刚学会走路的孩子). She learned to read by snuggling(依偎)close to her two sisters while they were being taught and was proficient by the time she turned two. From then on, her mother decided to include Grace in all the school sessions she had with her two elder sisters. Not surprisingly, by the time she turned 13, the home schooled girl was ready for high school and college.
Grace plans to return to FAU in the fall to pursue a master’s degree. Following that, the young girl wants to obtain a law degree and pursue a career that she hopes will end as a judge on the U. S. Supreme Court.
1. What is Grace Bush interested in besides studying?(no more than 3 words)2. What does the underlined word “deviant” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?(only I word)
3. How did Grace Bush receive education before she was 13 years old?(no more than 5 words)
4. What does Grace Bush hope to be in the future?(no more than 6 words)
5. What do you think of Grace Bush and her two sisters? Please explain.(no more than 25 words)
After being evacuated (疏散) from her Florida home following Hurricane Michael. Amber Gee was attempting to get an idea of the destruction left behind when she discovered a sign of trouble. As reported by ABC News, Gee was using NOAA’s interactive aerial map (交互式航拍地图) to check the damage done to her and her family’s homes when she spotted the word “H-E-L-P” spelled out in the yard.
The NOAA website allows those impacted in the hurricane to get a look at specific streets or homes by zooming in on (用变焦距镜头拉近) aerial imagery of the affected area. According to ABC News, Gee was looking at one of these photos when she noticed a cry for help spelled out in wood in the front yard of her grandmother’s Bay County home.
Though her grandmother had evacuated, several other family members, including Gee’s uncle and his wife, had stayed behind. After spotting the message, Gee alerted (向……报警) Bay County Emergency Services, who went to the house and rescued those who were trapped in the residence.
“Apparently, they had to cut through a lot of downed trees to get there,” Gee told ABC News. Her uncle, Ernest, had reportedly used wood from one of those trees to spell out the message.
After the rescue, Bay County Emergency Services posted the incident on their Facebook page, writing, “This is an incredible story of how people are working together in this situation. Someone from another county was using the mapping app to check property in rural Bay County and noticed the word ‘help’ spelled out in the grass in wood. That person immediately contacted us and sent the picture and we dispatched emergency workers.”
Meanwhile, Gee says she is thankful that she was able to use the mapping tool to get her family to safety. “The hurricane has turned everything upside down everywhere. Some were more fortunate than others. I’m just happy that everybody is safe and sound and, hopefully, soon we will all get through this together and recover from this storm,” she said.
1. What did Gee use the mapping app to do? (no more than 12 words)2. Who can look at the NOAA website’s aerial photos of the affected area? (no more than 5 words)
3. Who spelled out “Help” to cry for help? (no more than 5 words)
4. What does the underlined word “dispatched” in Para. 5 probably mean? (one word)
5. What lesson can you learn from this story? Please explain. (no more than 25 words)
3 . “Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy-they’re given after all. Choice can be hard.”
I got the idea to
I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a
After much
A.start | B.keep | C.fund | D.set |
A.got through | B.set aside | C.came across | D.turned down |
A.online | B.available | C.intelligent | D.expensive |
A.practical | B.exciting | C.flexible | D.productive |
A.take | B.land | C.exchange | D.quit |
A.matter | B.work | C.fail | D.exist |
A.do | B.achieve | C.plan | D.expect |
A.give up | B.set up | C.stick to | D.put off |
A.passion | B.pace | C.hobby | D.example |
A.cruel | B.brilliant | C.greedy | D.modest |
A.shared | B.told | C.reasoned | D.enquired |
A.gradually | B.eventually | C.carefully | D.generously |
A.so | B.and | C.otherwise | D.but |
A.sense | B.difference | C.bet | D.bargain |
A.while | B.before | C.once | D.since |
A.puzzle | B.suggestion | C.choice | D.report |
A.managing | B.requesting | C.changing | D.trying |
A.consideration | B.determination | C.conversation | D.application |
A.stable | B.secure | C.amusing | D.interesting |
A.confident | B.regretful | C.hopeful | D.proud |
4 . What’s the difference between having a dream and making the dream come true? Hard work and perseverance. Wanda Smith always wanted to be a
Smith, a mother of three, had to care for her mom,
Smith’s story came full circle when she was
During the pandemic, as some of her students
It’s no wonder Smith’s kids
A.driver | B.teacher | C.doctor | D.manager |
A.delayed | B.broken | C.awoken | D.activated |
A.denying | B.shouldering | C.claiming | D.avoiding |
A.meaningless | B.hopeless | C.unfair | D.tough |
A.support | B.complaint | C.appreciation | D.permission |
A.occupation | B.hobby | C.schedule | D.exercise |
A.unwillingly | B.successfully | C.unexpectedly | D.secretly |
A.considered | B.treated | C.named | D.hired |
A.Unfortunately | B.Obviously | C.Consequently | D.Luckily |
A.fond | B.kind | C.proud | D.afraid |
A.telling | B.sharing | C.passing | D.living |
A.remembered | B.struggled | C.pretended | D.regretted |
A.checked out | B.handed up | C.carried out | D.given up |
A.moved | B.worried | C.attracted | D.saved |
A.envied | B.admired | C.forgot | D.missed |
A.requests | B.anger | C.orders | D.praise |
A.pursuing | B.donating | C.declaring | D.seeking |
A.inspiration | B.trouble | C.failure | D.luck |
A.kindness | B.imagination | C.effort | D.understanding |
A.helping | B.uniting | C.building | D.leading |
Reading broadens our horizons and gives us wisdom. Reading can also be a bridge bonding family members.
Rose is my daughter. I read stories to her every night when she was a little girl. So I had her captivated by books when she was at an early age. For example, almost every night she would go to bed early, waiting for my reading. When Rose was about eight, we changed our routine. We took turns selecting our books and reading out loud.
There was no regular pattern in the books selected. I remember that we began with Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, enjoying the company of those rough sailors and stumbling (结结巴巴地读) over the eighteenth-century seamen’s dialect. But we loved the book, and learned a lot about pirates daily life, adventures, tricks, greed and so on. We later went through many books, like the chick lit series.
In due course Rose grew up and left for McGill University in Montreal. She was educated in French and was enthusiastic about speaking the language. Her first visit home was at Christmas.
There was a gift from her, an audiobook with six cassettes. It was Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, read by Rose. Her reading was interrupted occasionally by a giggle, and her voice made me remember how happily Rose and I read together in our bedroom every night when she was a kid.
As I write this, Rose is a third-year medical student at Dalhousie University. Now she is interested in medicine while I am interested in history. However, we manage to combine our different personal interests. We recommend selected reading materials to each other. We are currently loving The Crimson Portraitby Jody Shields, a well written novel about the development of plastic surgery during World War I. Our first written collaboration an article on Canadian medical history, will be published this year.
1. What does the underlined word “captivated” in Paragraph 2 probably mean? (Only 1 word)2. What did the author and her daughter learn from Treasure Island? (no more than 10 words)
3. What did Rose’s reading Shopaholic Takes Manhattan make the author remember? (no more than 10 words)
4. How were the author’s interest and Rose’s interest combined? (no more than 10 words)
5. What do you think of the author’s way of bringing up her daughter? (no more than 20 words)
6 . I strongly believe that we can have a great influence on anyone we meet. Some acts that we think
Years ago, that was what happened to me. I was the only
When the other kids laughed at me, I was sure that I was a
Mrs. Jordan, my 5th-grade teacher,
One morning, she asked the
I will never forget what
For the first time in my young life, I was a star. I
From that day forward, my grades and speech
A.hard | B.easy | C.great | D.small |
A.suddenly | B.totally | C.quickly | D.simply |
A.blind | B.lonely | C.deaf | D.short |
A.made fun of | B.talked of | C.looked up to | D.heard of |
A.skill | B.difficulty | C.relation | D.record |
A.clever | B.natural | C.stupid | D.dirty |
A.get along with | B.keep up with | C.put up with | D.come up with |
A.proved | B.realized | C.defeated | D.changed |
A.class | B.staff | C.boys | D.girls |
A.although | B.until | C.because | D.before |
A.calm | B.afraid | C.excited | D.brave |
A.show | B.promise | C.inform | D.warn |
A.Without | B.Besides | C.Despite | D.Except |
A.dive | B.look | C.step | D.breath |
A.happened | B.caused | C.disappeared | D.arrived |
A.book | B.wall | C.desk | D.floor |
A.asked | B.whispered | C.cried | D.answered |
A.stood | B.grew | C.jumped | D.sat |
A.benefited | B.improved | C.missed | D.recovered |
A.express | B.accept | C.solve | D.challenge |
7 . When my dad finally finished the triathlon (铁人三项)in Montauk, the crowd cheered. It showed me how his hard work paid off and it excited my
Training with my clad turned out to be very
When someone fired the gun. I was off,
For me, the real competition began during the run, because now I could see each competitor as a target. No matter my
“Shut up, legs”, one of my favorite sayings, kept me from thinking about the
Looking back, I remember the small boy on that day in Montauk who doubted whether he could
A.pride | B.congratulations | C.concern | D.curiosity |
A.learn | B.deserve | C.achieve | D.organize |
A.saying | B.figuring | C.acting | D.leaving |
A.admired | B.encouraged | C.pushed | D.convinced |
A.unbearable | B.exciting | C.enjoyable | D.challenging |
A.learnt from | B.suffered from | C.signed up for | D.dropped out of |
A.signal | B.announcement | C.result | D.permission |
A.riding | B.walking | C.swimming | D.dashing |
A.bike | B.horse | C.destination | D.coat |
A.take off | B.get on | C.knock out | D.put away |
A.running | B.traveling | C.cycling | D.swimming |
A.kicked off | B.switched to | C.prepared for | D.polished |
A.arms | B.clothes | C.shoes | D.legs |
A.size | B.position | C.age | D.career |
A.or | B.and | C.but | D.so |
A.breathlessness | B.thirst | C.stress | D.pain |
A.winning | B.nervous | C.burning | D.proud |
A.suggestion | B.celebration | C.impression | D.organization |
A.accomplishment | B.guilt | C.sorrow | D.participation |
A.join | B.move | C.prove | D.make |
Many teenagers spend their lives studying, playing video games and hanging out with friends - but not Henry Patterson, a teenage entrepreneur.
The 15-year-old boy from Bedfordshire, a county in the East of England; started his business journey at the age of 9 when he launched his children's brand, Not Before Tea.
The lifestyle brand for young people is based on a storybook called The Adventures of Sherb and Pip, which is about a mouse and an owl who run a sweets shop. Patterson began by selling sweets, but he soon brought all the characters in the book to life—through products such as bags and soft toys. Today, the products are sold internationally, and Patterson has just secured investment to grow the brand further. At 12, his business had earned him 65,000 pounds(566,221 yuan).
In fact, Patterson's early school years were difficult, which he often described as "fire and ice". He didn't conform to (与……一致) what his peers were like because he saw the world differently and was rarely invited to parties or play dates. He also had a stammer (口吃), which made him feel even lonelier.
But these things didn't hold him back. To cheer himself up, Patterson gradually immersed himself in designing different animals and writing interesting stories about them. His characters started to become popular. To battle his slammer, he tried to articulate himself and even developed a love for public speaking, which eventually enabled him to speak on important stages, such as at the National Retail Business Awards for Teenagers.
Storytelling has been a key element in Patterson's online business journey. Now at 15, Patterson wrote a business book called Young and Mighty, which describes his search for success and happiness and also covers some of the big issues that young people face: self-esteem, finding your voice, education and creativity.
He has also set up an online academy with the same name. It is for children aged 10 to 14,who are starting to think about their future and what motivates them. He believes that passion is what drives people to achieve extraordinary things. "If you don't have a passion for what you do or love what you do, then you won't succeed," he said.
1. What is the lifestyle brand for young people based on? (no more than 15 words)2. What happened to Patterson during his early school years? (no more than 10 words)
3. What does the underlined word “articulate" mean in English?(no more than 10 words)
4. How do you understand the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?(no more than 10 words)
5. How do you find Patterson? What inspiration do you get from him? (no more than 25 words)
9 . As she pulled herself over the summit of EI Capitan, Emily Harrington knew she had made history.
It wasn't
"I'd just
"It was incredibly quiet. It was super
Free climbers use just their hands and feet to climb, with a rope to
Harrington had climbed this particular
However an attempt last year ended in
"It was very
"I's definitely a mental struggle, coming over that hurdle, coming back into this year and
A.crazy | B.easy | C.skeptical | D.casual |
A.climb | B.run | C.cycle | D.walk |
A.studied | B.planned | C.scheduled | D.imagined |
A.cheerful | B.exciting | C.dark | D.fearful |
A.improvements | B.achievements | C.surroundings | D.reports |
A.actor | B.organizer | C.official | D.audience |
A.quiet | B.calm | C.silent | D.still |
A.predict | B.discover | C.experience | D.forget |
A.throw | B.fetch | C.catch | D.move |
A.consequently | B.potentially | C.hardly | D.finally |
A.challenge | B.obstacle | C.trouble | D.barrier |
A.route | B.corner | C.rock | D.road |
A.frequently | B.subsequently | C.smoothly | D.rarely |
A.sadness | B.doubt | C.disaster | D.anxiety |
A.obtained | B.acquired | C.affected | D.suffered |
A.scary | B.disappointed | C.active | D.funny |
A.figured out | B.found out | C.turned out | D.brought out |
A.failures | B.wounds | C.damages | D.injuries |
A.defeating | B.trying | C.exploring | D.competing |
A.abandoned | B.missed | C.made | D.controlled |
10 . It was late, about 10:15 p.m. Janice Esposito got off the train at Bellport, New York, went to her car and started driving home. She was so familiar with the route that she almost drove automatically: turned left to the Station Road, then another left onto Montauk Highway, and then — bam! When Esposito’s car had just crossed the railroad tracks, it hit another vehicle and was plashed back onto the tracks. Injured but mostly shocked by the crash and by the airbags that popped up, she was stuck in the vehicle.
As it happened, Pete Dipinto was just about to go to sleep when he heard a sharp noise and saw the accident not far outside his bedroom window. As a volunteer firefighter and retired teacher, Dipinto who was 65, fetched a flashlight and rushed out without hesitation. “Any firefighter would have done what I did. We're always on duty.” he said.
At first, he spoiled the other car in the accident. After making sure that the driver was all right, Dipinto looked around and discovered Esposito’s car straddling (跨立于) the railway tracks. And then he heard die bell ring, which signaled a train’s arrival.
Dipinto rushed to Esposito’s car and broke the window on the driver’s side. Esposito looked up at him, with her eyes glazing over, “I don't know where I am.” she said.
“You’re on the railroad tracks,” Dipinto yelled. “I have to get you off right now!” The train was running toward them at a speed of some 105, kilometers per hour. The driver’s door cannot be opened due to the collision, so Dipinto quickly ran to the other side and managed to open the door. He put the airbags aside, seized her arms, pulled her toward him across the passenger seat until finally got her out and walked her to safety as swiftly as possible. Several seconds later, the train crashed into the vehicle. It was like a Hollywood movie, Dipinto told reporters the next day.
“Last night?” said Gregory Miglino Jr. Chief of the Department in South Country Ambulance, the hero arrived in pajamas (睡衣), not in a fire truck.”
1. What can we know about the accident from Paragraph 1?A.Esposito’s car hit another vehicle. |
B.Esposito drove too fast. |
C.Esposito didn’t know the route well. |
D.A running train crashed into Esposito’s car. |
A.She felt all right. |
B.She was badly hurt. |
C.She got stuck in the car. |
D.She completely lost her consciousness. |
A.Moving object crashes into something. |
B.To be moving slowly in the same direction. |
C.A strong disagreement between two groups. |
D.An idea occurs when two different cultures conflict. |
A.Through the window on the driver’s side. |
B.Through the door on the driver’s side. |
C.Through the window on the passenger’s side. |
D.Through the door on the passenger’s side. |
A.Dipinto was not a professional firefighter. |
B.Dipinto rushed to save life without thinking about himself. |
C.Dipinto was a special firefighter who liked wearing pajamas. |
D.Dipinto was unable to find a fire truck when the accident happened. |