1 . When she was just 9 years old, Hilde Lysiak became famous across the United States for reporting on different news stories.
Hilde Lysiak’s father was a reporter for New York Daily News. When she was young, he often took her to work with him, so she developed a strong interest in news reporting.
At age 8, Hilde Lysiak started her own newspaper, called Orange Street News (OSN). Her family lived on Orange Street at the time. Hilde Lysiak wanted to cover stories important to everyone in her town. Following the rules her father had taught her, she researched and reported stories in her monthly newspaper. She also set up her own website and reported on YouTube.
OSN suddenly became famous when a murder happened in town, and 9-year-old Hilde was the first person to report it. Soon, news organizations around the country were writing and reporting stories about Hilde. However, not everyone was happy about Hilde’s efforts. Some people criticized (批评) her parents for allowing her to report on something as unpleasant as a murder. Others criticized Hilde for “pretending to be a reporter”. Hilde was upset about the complaints (埋怨). She responded with a YouTube video, “I never began my newspaper so that people would think I was cute,” she said. “I want to be taken seriously. I am sure other kids do, too.”
That wasn’t the first time Hilde had found it hard for people to take her seriously, which was mainly because of her age. But she never let that stop her. Hilde continued reporting.
In 2019, Hilde wrote a book for young people, called Hilde Cracks the Case, which is based on stories that Hilde wrote. The book was then turned into a TV show called Home Before Dark. For now, Hilde says she has given up reporting. But her efforts have already inspired people around the world.
1. How did Hilde develop her passion for news reporting?| A．By going to work with her father. |
| B．By reading so many news reports herself. |
| C．By watching how other reporters perform their jobs. |
| D．By teaching herself the skills and knowledge about news reporting. |
a. The murder was first reported.
b. The book Hilde Cracks the Case came out.
c. The TV show Home Before Dark was shot.
d. The newspaper Orange Street News was started.
| A．d-a-b-c | B．b-c-a-d | C．d-c-b-a | D．a-d-c-b |
| A．She was too young as a reporter. |
| B．She frequently reported unpleasant news. |
| C．She often made up stories that were unreal. |
| D．She usually made mistakes in reporting news stories. |
| A．She turned to her father for help and comfort. |
| B．She posted a YouTube video to express herself. |
| C．She felt disappointed and gave up reporting immediately. |
| D．She published an article in New York Daily News to defend herself. |
2 . When I was younger, I had been a top student with a strong desire to attend a top university. But things started to go downhill for me in high school after my parents divorced. Torn between wanting to be with my mother, who moved to Canada alone with no support, and with my beloved aging grandfather in Pakistan, I moved back and forth, struggling with my studies. I barely graduated from high school and entered an ordinary college, feeling that I had already failed.
I got discouraged, and began to suffer from severe depression. The death of my grandfather was the final straw. With no real hope for the future, I dropped out and returned to my mother and sisters in Canada.
Then I was riding with a trucking company to help support my mother and sisters. During those long hours on the road, my grandfather’s last words came back to me: “Please accept the challenges of life and work harder. It is now or never. I hope you will never disappoint us.” With his words ringing in my ears, I discovered a newfound resolve. My path suddenly became clear: I had to finish what I had started and go back to school.
To get back on track, I needed to take a full course load while continuing to work enough part-time hours to help pay the bills. After graduating from high school again, I began university engineering cooperation program, in which I worked as a paid intern (实习生) every other term, allowing me to keep my student loans in check. At the same time, I tried my best to focus on my studies. After completing my university, I went on to a master’s and now a PhD, wining several research awards along the way.
My path to this point has made one thing clear: Never fear failure. I hope I have made my grandfather proud.
1. Which of the following can best describe the author’s life in his first high school?| A．Struggling. | B．Ordinary. | C．Fruitful. | D．Boring. |
| A．He had a big family to support. | B．He had to get a well-paid job. |
| C．He felt hopeless about the future. | D．He fought with his classmate. |
| A．He was laughed at by his mother and sisters. | B．He was encouraged to win research awards. |
| C．He was motivated by his grandfather s words. | D．He was forced to acquire more skills at work. |
| A．Business. | B．Science. | C．Health. | D．Life. |
3 . It was Monday. Mrs. Smith’s dog was hungry, but there was not any meat in the house. Considering that there was no better way. Mrs. Smith took a piece of paper, and wrote the following words on it：“Give my dog half a pound of meat.” Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently：“Take this to the butcher(屠夫)and he’s going to give you your lunch today.”
Holding the piece of paper in its mouth, the dog ran to the butcher’s. It gave the paper to the butcher. The butcher read it carefully, recognized that it was really the lady’s handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to. The dog was very happy, and ate the meat up at once.
At noon, the dog came to the shop again. It gave the butcher a piece of paper again. After reading it, he gave it half a pound of meat once more.
The next day, the dog came again exactly at noon. And as usual, it brought a piece of paper in the mouth. This time, the butcher did not take a look at paper, and gave the dog its meat, for he had regarded the dog as one of his customers(顾客).
But, the dog came again at four o’clock. And the same thing happened once again. To the butcher’s more surprise, it came for the third time at six o’clock, and brought with it a third piece of paper. The butcher felt a bit puzzled. He said to himself, “This is a small dog. Why does Mrs. Smith give it so much meat to eat today?”
Looking at the piece of paper, he found that there were not any words on it!
1. Mrs. Smith treated her little dog quite________.| A．cruelly | B．fairly | C．kindly | D．unfriendly |
| A．might do it much harm | B．could do it much good |
| C．would help the butcher | D．was worth many pounds |
| A．until he was paid enough by Mrs. Smith. |
| B．when he found that the words on the paper were not clear |
| C．because he had sold out all the meat in his shop |
| D．before he felt sure that the words were really written by Mrs. Smith |
| A．the dog was clever enough to write on the paper |
| B．the dog dared not go to the butcher’s any more |
| C．the butcher was told not to give any meat to the dog |
| D．the butcher found himself cheated by the clever animal |
4 . When 45-year-old Randy Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic(胰腺) cancer, he chose to focus on living rather than dying. As a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Pausch was asked to deliver a “last lecture”. This well-known campus tradition allowed professors to share worldly wisdom with students as if they were dying and had one last lecture to give.
The only difference in Pausch’s case is that Pausch really was dying, but it only motivated him more. He delivered his last lecture, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” on Sept. 18, 2007.
Pausch began by sharing several of his boyhood dreams, some of which he had achieved and the others he hadn’t. He described the importance of having dreams and how anyone can still learn a lot by reaching for those dreams, even if they don’t always succeed. He shared the values(价值观) learned through experience, which he hoped to pass on to others hard work, laughter and gratitude, honesty, character.
Pausch’s last lecture received a great deal of praise and attention. It became a crazy YouTube hit, and in October 2007, he presented an abridged (删节的) version on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. He turned the lecture into a book by the same name, which quickly became a best-seller. Readers were deeply moved by the book’s representation of Pausch’s lifelong philosophy and the way it revealed the biggest source of his motivation—his three young children.
Pausch passed away on July 25, 2008, but his voice lives on in the recorded lecture and his book. He continues to motivate us all by encouraging us to never give up our childhood dreams—a source of inspiration that can never run dry.
1. Why was Pausch asked to give his “last lecture”?| A．To teach the students. | B．To make him have a better life. |
| C．To cure his cancer. | D．To achieve his dream. |
| A．His private life in boyhood. | B．Having dreams and good values. |
| C．The reason for his success. | D．The experience learned from others. |
| A．His dreams. | B．His children. | C．His work. | D．His students. |
| A．keep on dreaming | B．know the meaning of life |
| C．enjoy life | D．give the last lecture |
5 . In a classroom in rural Kenya’s Rift Valley, a student takes notes alongside her fellow classmates. She wears the same school uniform-a grey skirt and a green sweater. However, she is more than 80 years older than them. Priscilla Sitienei, who turned 99-years-old on February 11, said she went back to class to set a good example for her great-grandchildren and to start a new career. “I’d like to become a doctor because I used to be a midwife (助产士)” she said, adding that her children were supportive-of her decision.
Back in 2003, the government of the East African country began an education campaign to help to pay for the cost of primary schooling, allowing some older members of society who had missed out on education in their younger days to continue their dreams. This has given Sitienei more than an education. She’s also become a film star. She traveled to Paris last year for the first showing of a film about her journey titled “Gogo”, which means “grandmother” in her native Kalenjin language. She’ll also be heading to New York City soon for the launch of the film there.
Sitienei, who is in her sixth year of primary school, said her aims were far more practical than becoming a movie star. She had the idea when her great-granddaughter dropped out of school after getting pregnant, “I jokingly asked her if she had any money remaining on her school fee and she said yes, so I told her that I’d use it to attend school.” She said she had hoped that her great granddaughter would continue with her studies. But when she refused, Sitienei decided to go to school herself.
Sitienci also enjoys other school activities, including physical education classes. “It keeps me fit. I get to jump around, even though not as much as they can do, but I at least move my body. That’s my joy,” she said.
Her teachers use Sitienei’s wide experience to keep the peace during lessons. “I appoint Sitienei to help control the class. And it works. When I go outside, the class remains silent, “said Leonida Talaam, her class teacher.
1. How does Priscilla Sitienei differ from her classmates?| A．The learning approach. | B．The dressing style. |
| C．Study efficiency. | D．Physical age. |
| A．To show the daily routines of a film star. |
| B．To state Sitienei is really fond of traveling. |
| C．To indicate effects of the education campaign on Sitienei. |
| D．To explain the hard work it takes to make dreams come true. |
| A．Active. | B．Passive. | C．Independent. | D．Intelligent. |
| A．She hates noise in class very much. | B．She is a good helper to her class teacher. |
| C．She always enjoys staying in silence alone. | D．She often replaces her teacher to give lessons. |
6 . It’s funny—as a writer, it’s easy to share your knowledge, or your personal stories with an unknown listener of many. You think your friends and family may not read your articles. But as I began to talk more openly about Chinese traditions and food, I learned that they were interested, curious and really hungered for it. Their interest and curiosity grew and the culmination of their interest and curiosity was this past Spring Festival. They would like to spend the Spring Festival with me. It was an inconvenient Monday. I’d never had the Spring Festival when anyone but my father cooked.
I took the day off work in a madness of last-minute preparation. I drove 45 minutes out of town to a Cantonese BBQ shop where I bought a whole roast duck (烤鸭) and watched, fascinated, as it was changed into bite sizes. I shopped at a faraway international market like madwoman, looking for Chinese vegetables and other foods that would be new for my guests I called my dad, asking for six-second pointers on how to make dishes I’d never made. I texted him pictures of the sea fish I picked out, and the red clothing they threw on for luck.
In just a few hours, I cooked a dinner of 15 dishes for six friends who cared enough about me and my culture to come over on a cold winter Monday night to celebrate my tradition with me. We drank, ate and toasted the beautiful night. And that night, I felt what it was to be loved for my culture as well as our food.
1. What does the underlined word “culmination” mean in paragraph 1?| A．Top. | B．Celebration. | C．Tradition. | D．Trouble. |
| A．She ate a whole roast duck. | B．She took a roast duck. |
| C．She asked to cook a duck herself. | D．She took beautiful photos of the duck. |
| A．The shops the author went to. | B．The author’s love of Chinese food. |
| C．The author’s preparation for dinner. | D．The suggestions the author’s father gave. |
| A．She is living with her father. | B．She is a madwoman. |
| C．She is a world famous writer. | D．She is proud of Chinese culture. |
7 . Last summer holiday, Aunt Emily took us to a safari park (野生动物园), not far from Liverpool.
I was very happy to go as I had never been to a safari park before. It’s a very interesting park, full of wild animals running freely.
When we got there, we bought our tickets and drove into the park. We were very excited at the thought of going to see the lions. But to get to the lions’ place we had to go through the monkeys’ land first. And that was an unforgettable experience because they climbed all over the car, ate apples and bananas, and threw all kinds of things at us. They seemed very unfriendly.
Anyway, we went on our way to the lions’ place where we had to lock ourselves in the car as we knew lions could be dangerous. A lion came up very close to us. Then it was on the bonnet (车盖). It looked calm but we felt terrified. Aunt Emily, who isn’t very brave, started to call for help. The kids started crying. Only my brother, George, stayed cool. I sounded the horn (喇叭) but nobody heard us.
In the end a guard arrived in his car, and the lion just got off our car and started smelling the guard’s hand as if nothing was the matter.
1. Which animal did the author want to see the most?| A．The lions. | B．The elephants. | C．The monkeys. | D．All of them. |
| A．Because the monkeys might steal things. | B．Because they were afraid of being robbed. |
| C．Because the lions might be dangerous. | D．Because something was wrong with the car. |
| A．Excited. | B．Bored. | C．Interested | D．Scared |
| A．Aunt Emily. | B．George. | C．The guard. | D．The author. |
8 . I never saw my father back home from work late or ill, nor did I ever see my father take a night out with the boys. He had no hobbies but just took care of his family.
For 22 years, since I left home for college, my father called me every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. He was always interested in my life — how my family was doing. The calls even came when he and my mother were in Australia, England or Florida.
Nine years ago when I bought my first house, my father, 67 years old, spent eight hours a day for three days, painting my house. He would not allow me to pay someone to have it done. All he asked was a glass of iced tea, and that I hold a paintbrush for him and talk to him. But I was too busy, for I had a law practice to run, and I could not take the time to hold the paintbrush, or talk to my father.
Five years ago, my 71-year-old father spent five hours putting together a swing set (秋千) for my daughter. Again, all he asked was that I get him a glass of iced tea, and talk to him. But again, I had the laundry to do, and the house to clean.
The morning on Sunday, January 15, 1995, my father telephoned me as usual, this time he had seemed to have forgotten some things we had discussed the week before. I had to go to church, and I cut the conversation short.
The call came at 4:40 p.m. That day my father was sent to hospital in Florida. I got on a plane immediately, and I vowed (发誓) that when I arrived, I would make up for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him and really get to know him.
I arrived in Florida at 1:00 a.m., but my father had passed away at 9:12 p.m. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me.
In the years since his death I have learnt much about my father, and even more about every single day.
1. We know from the reading that the father ________.| A．liked to paint houses |
| B．had no friends around him |
| C．was not healthy in his youth |
| D．thought of his family as his all |
| A．could only afford a glass of iced tea |
| B．was too busy to talk to her father |
| C．could do nothing but hold a paintbrush |
| D．spent eight hours a day working with her father |
| A．Painting Houses | B．Daughter’s Family |
| C．Father and I | D．Father’s phone calls |
9 . When the pandemic hit last year, substitute teacher Jose Villaruel found himself out of work as lessons went online. The consequences were unbearable for the septuagenarian, who’d been sending his income to his sick wife and children living in Mexico.
In fact, the devoted husband had been living out of his car for the past eight years so he could send his family the money they needed. Now, with no job, Villaruel is living off his Social Security check, most of which he sent to his loved ones.
Thankfully, a former student, Steven Nava, came across his struggling teacher in a parking lot at 5:00 am on the way to work. He approached his old teacher and asked about his circumstances. When Villaruea explained his struggles, the 21-year-old decided to help. “He was so nice around his students. He’d be really, really funny when he took attendance,” Nava said.
Nava gave him the $300 he had on him at the time. The teacher was moved, as his former student shared, “He came over to give me a hug and as he was hugging me, I saw tears running down his face.”
Villaruel’s response only encouraged Nava to help further, as he promised the teacher he’d do whatever it took to get him out of his predicament. “Seeing him living and going through that struggle made me want to do this. He helped us with our futures and helped us become the persons we are today, so I wanted to help him and make sure he’s in a situation where he doesn’t have to worry anymore,” the young man explained.
Later, Nava set up a GoFundMe page and t he donations quickly mounted up to $27,000. So along with other former students, he presented the check to a delighted “Mr. V” on his 77th birthday.
The impressed teacher is now planning to have a little vacation in Mexico to spend time with his family.
1. What can we know about Jose Villaruel during the pandemic?| A．He led a hard life. | B．He lived on driving. |
| C．He lost his family. | D．He was busy teaching. |
| A．He found a job for him. | B．He gave him some cash. |
| C．He helped him park his car. | D．He attended his live lecture. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Work. | C．Dilemma. | D．Loss. |
| A．Brave and adventurous. | B．Hard-working and creative. |
| C．Ambitious and successful. | D．Grateful and warm-hearted. |
10 . It was a carefree summer day when a father, Steven Poust, was out boating on the St. John’s River with his 4-year-old daughter Abigail and 4-year-old son Chase. The children were playfully swimming near their anchored boat while their father was fishing, smiling at his kids. Suddenly, Abigail got caught in the powerful current, forcing her to release the handle on the boat. Chase let go of the boat to take hold of his little sister, but he found himself caught in the current. When Steven jumped into the water to rescue his struggling children, he was also pulled in.
As they all drifted farther from the boat, the desperate father pushed his son to a safer place and tried to stick with his daughter as long as he could. However, he wore himself out later, and she drifted away from him. The father had to follow his daughter. So the responsibility to save the family was now on young Chase’ s shoulders.
Steven instructed his son to swim to the shore and find immediate help. Meanwhile, he would attempt to retrieve his little girl, who was continuously being pulled farther from his reach.
Chase did as he was told. The young boy was swimming against the current, which made it more difficult to swim toward the shore. However, the young boy continued to swim with one thought in mind: to save his family. Chase swam as fast as he could to reach the riverbank. When he grew tired, Chase cleverly floated on his back; at times, he paddled to conserve his energy. Once he reached the shore, he raced to the closest house he could find, knocked on the door and screamed for help. The owners answered and immediately dialed 911.
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded quickly. They located the empty boat. In the water, they found kids’ shoes, a cellphone and fishing poles floating near the boat. After a 90-minute search, the search crew located the father and the daughter in the water, who had been swept a mile and a half from their abandoned boat.
1. What can we know about the father and his kids before the accident?| A．They had nothing to enjoy. | B．They had a very pleasant time. |
| C．They were far from their boat. | D．They were practising swimming. |
| A．His mental strength ran out. | B．His swimming skill was poorer. |
| C．He wanted to get Chase trained, | D．He had to try to save his daughter. |
| A．Get…back. | B．Push... away. | C．Take...in. | D．Give...up. |
| A．Honest and modest. | B．Brave and smart. |
| C．Strict and responsible. | D．Ambitious and generous. |
