1 . I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (给贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. So we both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened,I saw my shoes flying at me.I jumped to my feet and started yelling (叫喊). She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬行) under her covers (被子), sobbing (哭啼). Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart. Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression was such disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the meaning of living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1. What made Kate so angry one evening?| A．She couldn’t find her books. |
| B．She heard the author shouting loud. |
| C．She got the news that her grandma was ill |
| D．She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed. |
| A．she was scared by Kate’s anger | B．she hated herself for being so messy |
| C．she was asked by Kate to do so | D．she wanted to show her care |
| A．By showing differences. | B．By analyzing causes. |
| C．By describing a process. | D．By following time order. |
| A．My Friend Kate | B．Hard Work Pays Off |
| C．Learning to be Roommates | D．How to be Organized |
2 . Four years ago, Rome Leykin was on his way to work when he accidentally fell onto the tracks of Brooklyn's train as a subway was approaching. The incident resulted in the loss of both of his legs.
But surprisingly, with the loss of his legs, Leykin gained a new passion for racing. Before his accident, he wasn't really that athletic. He would just occasionally play basketball. But that all changed after he was introduced to hand cycling. “When I saw it, I was like, ‘Oh, this is great. You don't even need legs to use it. This is perfect.’” he said. “So, I got on it, I rode and fell in love with it right away.”
Within a few months, he completed the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, a 40-mile ride through New York City. After that, he did his first marathon in 2021. He fished that race in 2 hours and 11 minutes, placing 12th out of 38.
“I'm going to attend this year's marathon and take on challenges. My hands are on the wheel, my eyes are focused, and I think my time is going to speak for itself.” he said. He's made a significant commitment to training. He hand cycles at least 13.1 miles a couple times a week and spends a lot of time in the gym.
And he plans to keep pursuing his athlete goals. He wants to complete the Abbott Six-the world's six largest marathons. One day, he said, he'll maybe even make the Paralympics.
For those who might be following his journey, he hopes they will take some lessons from his story. “There will be ups and downs but the trend is what's important. Focus on the good,” he said. “And also, take your big problems and split them into small solutions. And then all of a sudden, your big problems turn into many small wins.”
1. What can we learn about Rome Leykin from paragraph 2?| A．He once was an excellent basketball player. |
| B．He considered hand cycling difficult in the beginning. |
| C．He made hand cycling more popular among the disabled. |
| D．He showed an interest in hand cycling the moment he saw it. |
| A．Worried. | B．Curious. | C．Confident. | D．Nervous. |
| A．Easy-going and reliable. | B．Kind-hearted and helpful. |
| C．Open-minded and creative. | D．Strong-willed and ambitious. |
| A．Stick to your dreams. | B．Break down your goals. |
| C．Focus on your strengths. | D．Achieve success at all costs. |
3 . Sara Hinesley, who is 10, doesn’t understand why it is so remarkable that she won a national handwriting competition.
Sara, a third-grade student at St. John Regional Catholie School in Frederick, Maryland, won the 2019 Nicholas Maxim award for her cursive (草书的) handwriting.
She paints and draws, and sculpts clay. She can write in English and some Chinese. When she learnt to write in cursive this year, Sara said, she thought it was “kind of easy”. This is all despite the fact that Sara was born without hands.
To write, Sara holds her pencil between her arms and then focuses on the shapes of letters, each point and curve. “Writing in cursive feels like creating art work,” Sara said. “I like the way the letters are formed. It’s kind of art.”
Sara has never worn a prosthesis (artificial arms), and when she is offered help or a tool that might ease some tasks — such as cutting paper with scissors — she rejects it, said her mother, Cathryn Hinesley She has this independent trend where she just knows that she can do it and she'll figure out her own way. She is beautiful and strong and mighty just the way she is, and she just lives that way. She really does. She moves through life in this way that you never really see her as having a disability because she has a “can do, I-can-solve-anything attitude”
“Sara is an evidence of strong will and the human spirit,” Cathryn said. “Every day I am amazed at the things she is capable to do and that she chooses to do. She doesn't attempt to find her way to avoid s difficulty. She finds a way to finish the task.”
Sara received her national award — a medal — at an award ceremony on June 13, where she was also given a $500 prize. She is the first student from St. John’s to ever receive the Nicholas Maxim award.
1. We can infer from the first sentence that .| A．Sara makes every effort to win the award |
| B．Sara considers it easy to win the award |
| C．Sara doesn’t take the award seriously |
| D．Sara is excited at winning the award |
| A．Brave. | B．Intelligent. | C．Generous. | D．Strong-minded. |
| A．She expects Sara to be independent. | B．She is greatly proud of Sara. |
| C．She doesn’t think Sara has a disability. | D．She is concerned about Sara's future. |
| A．Health. | B．Education. | C．Science. | D．Entertainment. |
4 . It was Christmas Eve when my elder sister and I decided to open our presents before our mom got home from work. She usually came home about an hour after we got home from school, which we thought was plenty of time to sneak a look (偷看) at the gifts under the tree.
My elder sister opened present after present while I was ordered to stand guard at the big window in our front room. Finally, when my sister’s curiosity was satisfied, we changed places.
After opening a few presents, I found it faster to open one end of a present and look inside. “Cool! Mom and Dad got me headphones!” I pulled the headphones out of the box and was about to put them on when my sister shouted, “Quick! Wrap (包裹) it back up! Mom’s coming!”
I put the headphones back in the box but my hands were shaking. My heart beat faster as I tried to get the tape to stick. I had just finished burying the package with my headphones in it when my mother came into the front room. I jumped up and said, “Hi, Mom!” She smiled at me and said “Hi” back, but didn’t appear to suspect (怀疑) anything. My heart began to slow as I took a deep breath.
On Christmas morning, my sister and I smiled, and gave award-winning performances when we opened our presents—again. “Headphones!” I shouted. “Thanks, it’s just what I wanted.” After everything had been opened, my sister and I looked at each other, and our eyes met. Our secret was safe, but somehow Christmas morning didn’t feel the same.
My sister and I never opened our Christmas presents early again. I don’t know if it was that opening our gifts for the second time just wasn’t as much fun as the first time, or if we came too close to getting caught and didn’t want to think about what our mother would have done to us.
1. What did the author and his sister do before their mother came back?| A．They bought some Christmas presents. |
| B．They hid Christmas presents under the tree. |
| C．They opened Christmas presents in advance. |
| D．They wrapped the headphones for their mother. |
| A．Grateful and moved. | B．Happy and excited. |
| C．Curious and surprised. | D．Nervous and frightened. |
| A．His secret was found out. | B．His curiosity wasn’t satisfied. |
| C．A pleasant surprise was lost. | D．A festival atmosphere was lost. |
| A．He didn’t like the headphones. | B．He regretted what he had done. |
| C．He wasn’t satisfied with his mother. | D．He couldn’t find his Christmas present. |
5 . Paris is the city of dreams. If you plan to head for Paris for a study period, perhaps a little reality check is in order. But my experience was a romantic one.
I paved my path to Paris through an exchange program. On arrival in Paris, I was constantly reminded of the official processes I had to complete—forms to fill in, meetings to attend—the list seemed endless.
Then the real work began. Once classes were underway, I found myself volunteering to do oral presentations and assignments first rather than last. This method proved to be very helpful.
Once I had finished classes for the week, I had an everincreasing list of museums to visit, neighborhoods to explore, and cafes to sit in. Maybe you can read books about Paris and talk to locals and other foreigners living there. But the one thing that reading a book or talking to someone cannot do is provide you with the experience of wandering Paris on foot. The people watching, the sounds of the city, and the colors as the seasons change, they all add to the ecstasy that I experienced in Paris as an exchange student.
After spending five months wandering through the charming neighborhoods, I fell in love with the atmosphere that came out from every open door and every spoken word. There is something comforting about walking to the market each Sunday to enjoy the beautiful display of fruits, vegetables and dairy products. There is warmth in saying Bonjour to the passersby.
On my last day in Paris, I confidently said “Bonjour Monsieur” as I passed the little store down the street. I guess the best part about going on exchange in Paris is falling in love with the city in your own way. And I know mine is unique and special to me—my own little pieces of Paris.
1. What does the underlined word “ecstasy” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?| A．Courage. | B．Imagination. | C．Happiness. | D．Depression. |
| A．The friendly people he met in Paris. |
| B．The special culture he experienced in the city. |
| C．The academic achievement he made in his study. |
| D．The presentations and assignments he did in class. |
| A．Because of the romantic locals. | B．Because of the pleasant weather. |
| C．Because of the fresh vegetables. | D．Because of the warm atmosphere. |
| A．An exchange student’s life. | B．Charming neighborhoods. |
| C．An exchange program. | D．A traveling experience. |
6 . Why are certain people so memorable, while some fade from our memories in time?
Several examples come to mind with my youngest son, Ken. He was always more comfortable around his dad’s friends than his own. He loved to spend time with them, fish with them, listen to their stories and just be with them.
He has experienced the loss of several really meaningful friendships over the past few years, and it has been very painful for him. One, Dr. George, was a neighbour and fishing buddy who would call to see if Ken could go fishing with him. Dr. George always said Ken was the son he never had and that it meant everything to him. He died very suddenly while fishing with all of his best buddies a few years ago. The huge hole that left in so many lives simply cannot be filled—for Ken it was immensely painful.
There was another fishing buddy of his dad’s, Frank, who was always fun to be around. Ken was very young then, but really enjoyed getting along with “the guys” when they were fishing. Frank and his family went to the Kens in the same week we did one year and the memory remains to this day. Cheerful and happy, he was able to laugh at himself and accept everyone’s abilities or lack of them, all qualities that impressed Ken so much.
When he became deadly ill, Ken drove from his home in North Carolina to Florida for an overnight visit with him. He died a short time later. The day after his funeral (葬礼), Frank came to Ken in a dream and asked if he would take care of his wife, Carol. To Ken this was very meaningful, and today they share a special bond that Frank somehow knew would be important for them both.
When you are raising children, you realise that some people become very important to them, draw them in, accept and respect them. It changes them.
1. According to the author, some people are unforgettable to us because of .| A．their great achievements |
| B．their consideration and kindness |
| C．good relationships between them |
| D．successful cooperation between them |
| A．adoptive son |
| B．biological son |
| C．best friend |
| D．hateful enemy |
| A．spent a joyful week with Frank one year |
| B．felt the greatest pain to George’s death |
| C．seemed to get along better with adults |
| D．was glad to get tolerated by Frank |
| A．Frank wanted her to marry Ken |
| B．Ken met Frank in a dream |
| C．Frank regarded Ken as his son |
| D．Ken was a cultured gentleman |
7 . As the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s hit song “Bad Blood” go: “Cause, baby, now we got bad blood. You know it used to be mad love.” It’s a song about falling out of friendship, but to 14-year-old Hallie Barnard, who was born with a rare blood disorder, the song holds a much deeper meaning.
At just 15 months old, Barnard was diagnosed (诊断) with Diamon Blackfin Anemia, or DBA, and she spent most of her life in and out of the hospital. The Swiftie said she relied on the singer to bring her joy.
The only way to survive DBA is with a bone marrow transplant (骨髓移植) and Barnard was desperate for one. But she knew thousands of other patients are, too. So, a few years ago, she decided to do something about it, creating her own foundation: Hallie’s Heroes. “It started selfishly as just trying to save my life, but then we realized there were so many other children out there that needed a bone marrow transplant,” she said. “So, so far we’ve tested 8,000 people and found over 300 matches.”
After a 9-year wait, Barnard got her own match — through her own foundation. But more obstacles stood between her and normal life as a kid. The blood disorder led to a cancer diagnosis: osteosarcoma. She received surgery to cut the cancer out of her leg at MD Anderson in Houston.
The recovery was difficult, but Hallie said she stayed hopeful. “My survival instinct (本能) just kicked in. I was trying to do anything that I could to survive. So, of course, it was scary but in my mind, I was just thinking that I wanted to be at my sister’s future weddings. I wanted to play games and run again,” she said.
Her survival instinct —combined with Taylor Swift―helped her through her operation, where doctors cut her cancer out, and reattached her foot and ankle to her upper leg to work as a knee.
1. Why does the author mention Taylor Swift’s song “Bad Blood”?| A．To stress the power of music. |
| B．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| C．To show Taylor Swift’s popularity. |
| D．To state Taylor Swift’s song is a hit. |
| A．To raise money for her heroes. |
| B．To treat her rare blood disorder. |
| C．To help other children with DBA. |
| D．To have an operation for her cancer. |
| A．Strong-minded and selfish. | B．Hard-working and patient. |
| C．Kind and optimistic. | D．Outgoing and helpful. |
| A．Bad Blood Inspired a Little Girl |
| B．Hallie’s Heroes: a Useful Foundation |
| C．Taylor Swift: a Popular Singer with Teens |
| D．A Cancer Survivor Helped Others Find Matches |
8 . Derek and Shirley walked out of the airport building and into the bright sunshine. Looking up at the brilliant blue sky and then at the faraway mountains rising above the swaying palm trees, they couldn’t wait to start their holiday.
A taxi pulled up swiftly and silently. Derek dropped their suitcases into the boot and joined Shirley in the back seat. “Palm Trees Hotel, please,” Derek said excitedly. “Certainly, sir,” replied the driver, as he turned around with a flashing white smile. Derek and Shirley gave each other a puzzled look as the taxi eased smoothly into the traffic. “Excuse me, er, your face seems very familiar—in fact, you remind us of that famous film star, Rocky Overton... but of course, you can’t be.”
Derek and Shirley sat in silent disbelief as the driver explained that he was not a real person, but a robot made to look like a famous actor. “Rocky” explained that the taxi company had purchased the latest model of robot drivers since they were programmed to be safer and more reliable than human drivers. “So, here I am,” “Rocky” continued, “your first robot taxi driver!”
Derek and Shirley held each other’s hands more lightly. “Relax,” “Rocky” reassured them, “there is nothing for you to worry about. I can assure you that my driving skills are excellent. I’m equipped with perfect vision and superior reactions, and I know every street in the city. I am instantly updated with the latest traffic information so that I can avoid traffic jams and get you to your destination in the quickest and least stressful manner. Please sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.”
Derek and Shirley, feeling a little better, leaned back in their seats and closed their eyes. “And another thing,” “Rocky” added, “my line of robots represents the ultimate (最高典范) in computer technology. I am beautifully designed, made from only the best materials and subject to the strictest quality checks. Therefore, you are entirely safe with me. Nothing could possibly go wrong... could possibly go wrong, wrong… go wrong…”
1. Why did Derek and Shirley feel puzzled when they got into the taxi?| A．Because the driver was a robot. |
| B．Because the driver was Rocky Overton. |
| C．Because the driver gave them a big smile. |
| D．Because the driver looked like a famous actor. |
| A．It has the perfect vision and superior reactions. |
| B．It is the first robot taxi driver in the world. |
| C．It is instantly updated with the latest news. |
| D．It has never get stuck in traffic jams. |
| A．Threatened. | B．Persuaded. | C．Surprised. | D．Comforted. |
| A．Robot drivers are perfectly designed. |
| B．Robot drivers are able to repeat the words. |
| C．Robot drivers are not so reliable as expected. |
| D．Robot drivers are not safer than human drivers. |
9 . Recently, my college degree has just been completed. The last project was called “Smile”. The class was asked to go out to smile at three people and write down their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake.
My husband, the youngest son and I went out to McDonald’s. We were standing in line when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away. As I turned around, an unpleasant body smell came to my nose and two poor homeless men stood just behind me. As I looked at the short blue-eyed gentleman closest to me, he was “smiling”. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend.
The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, “Coffee is all, Miss,” because that was all they could afford.
Then I really felt it—I embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked two more breakfast meals and gave them to the men.
The blue-eyed gentleman looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Thank you.”
I turned in my project. My teacher asked, “Can I share this?” I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings share this need to make people happy and to be made happy.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald’s and every soul that heard the story in the classroom. But, I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn.
1. The underlined part “a piece of cake” in Paragraph 1 means “_________”.| A．easy | B．embarrassing | C．moving | D．comfortable |
| A．Because they were very polite to the two men. | B．Because they were moved by the two men. |
| C．Because the two men smelt terrible. | D．Because the two men seemed unfriendly. |
| A．Because they didn’t have enough money. | B．Because they didn’t feel hungry. |
| C．Because they knew others would help them. | D．Because they were looked down upon. |
| A．Hard to believe. | B．Interesting to read. | C．Very puzzling. | D．Very satisfying. |
10 . My teacher held up a piece of broken glass and asked, “Who broke this window?”
Thirty boys tried to think about not only what they had done, but also what the teacher might have found out. She seldom became angry, but she was this time.
“Oh,” I thought. I was the one who broke the window. It was caused by a naughty throw of a baseball. If I admitted guilt, I would be in a lot of trouble. How would I be able to pay for a big window like that? I didn’t even get an allowance. “My father is going to have a fit as a result of it,” I thought. I didn’t want to raise my hand, but some force much stronger than I was pulled it skyward (朝向天空). I told the truth, “I did it.” It was hard enough to say what I had done.
My teacher took down a book from one of our library shelves and I had never known my teacher to strike a student, but I feared she was going to start with me.
“I know how much you like birds,” she said as she stood looking down at my guilt-ridden face. “Here is the field guide about birds that you are constantly checking out. It is yours now. It’s time we got a new one for the school anyway. You will not be punished, but remember that I am not rewarding you for your misdeed (恶行), but I am rewarding you for your truthfulness.”
I couldn’t believe it! I wasn’t being punished and I was getting my own bird field guide — the very one that I had been saving up money to buy.
The lesson my teacher taught me stays with me every day, and it will echo forever.
1. From the story, we can learn that the boy .| A．didn’t break the window on purpose |
| B．lacked the courage to admit his guilt |
| C．tried to think about what he had done |
| D．didn’t know what the teacher had found out |
| A．be punished by the teacher |
| B．make his father angry |
| C．pay for the broken window |
| D．get a bird field guide |
| A．Afraid—Surprised—Thankful. |
| B．Frightened—Amazed—Proud. |
| C．Regretful—Guilty—Excited. |
| D．Nervous—Afraid—Satisfied. |
| A．Every coin has two sides. |
| B．Honesty is always valued. |
| C．Bad luck never comes alone. |
| D．You can’t be too careful. |
