1 . Being cut from a school team can be a difficult experience for a kid. But when 13-year-old Emmie Tallent who has Down syndrome (唐氏综合征) didn’t make her school’s cheer squad (啦啦队), she responded in the most impressive way — she cheered anyway. Emmie Tallent, agirl with firm determination, took to the sidelines while her school’s cheer squad performed. She matched the entire routine, moving for moving, in a black dress and tie-dyed shoes.
Her sister, Sydnee, recorded this moment on video, and it’s now capturing hearts worldwide. The video, with over 3 million views and 87,000 likes, shows Emmie facing the official squad and performing the routine alongside them. Her performance is nothing short of inspiring. “Girl didn’t make the cheer team, but she didn’t care,” Sydnee wrote, admiring Emmie’s confidence.
“Emmie may not be on the cheer team this time, but I’m sure her talent and spirit will shine through somewhere in the future,” Sydnee said with a smile. “Right now, she’s satisfied and happy doing what she loves. Thank you all for supporting her. I want to show the world Emmie’s joy from pursuing what she likes and the beauty of diversity.”
The team did not have a lot of spots and even neurotypical (神经正常的) girls who were much better than Emmie didn’t make it to join it. Emmie’s school was giving Emmie help and kept encouraging her, but there are hard decisions that have to be made sometimes. Though Emmie didn’t make the squad, she wasn’t feeling upset at home, and continued to follow cheer squad’s routines and moves to please herself and spread joy to others, even if from the sidelines.
In the face of rejection, this tough 13-year-old chose to dance rather than sit by and let it define her, inspiring us all to embrace our uniqueness and find joy in every moment.
1. What do we know about Emmie from the first two paragraphs?| A．She refused to give up performing. | B．She used to be looked down upon. |
| C．She showed a special talent for cheerleading. | D．She felt down for not joining the cheer squad. |
| A．To show Emmie’s dancing skills. | B．To inspire others with Emmie’s spirit. |
| C．To help Emmie attract people’s attention. | D．To express her gratitude to the cheer squad. |
| A．They told her to quit. | B．They satisfied her need. |
| C．They made an excuse. | D．They offered her support. |
| A．Believe in ourselves. | B．Keep our dreams alive. |
| C．Prepare for the worst. | D．Youth gives us light. |
2 . When I was a boy, we had several gardens around our old house. The largest one of all was used just for growing potatoes.
I can still remember those potato-planting days. The whole family helped. After my father had tilled (犁地) the soil, my mother, brothers and I went to work. It was my job to drop the little seed potatoes in the rows while my mother dropped handfuls of fertilizer (肥料) beside them. My brothers then covered them with the freshly turned earth.
For months afterward I would glance over the garden while I played outside and wonder what was going on underneath the ground. When the harvest time came, my father pulled them out of the soil. I was amazed at the huge size of the potatoes. Those little seeds had grown into huge delicious potatoes.
They would be turned into all kinds of delicious food: baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes. And my personal favorite: potatoes slow cooked in spaghetti sauce (意大利酱). They would keep the entire family well fed throughout the whole year. It truly was a miracle (奇迹).
Thinking back on those special times makes me wonder how many other seeds I have planted in the hearts and minds of others. Every single day, we plant seeds that can grow into something wonderful. I hope that you plant only goodness, peace and happiness in the lives of everyone you meet. I hope that every day you help miracles to grow.
1. What was the author’s job when they were planting potatoes?| A．Tilling the soil. | B．Watering the seeds. |
| C．Dropping the seeds. | D．Covering the seeds with earth. |
| A．He had never seen so many potatoes. | B．It was very hard to pull them out. |
| C．One potato could be made into a meal. | D．The little seeds had grown into big potatoes. |
| A．The potatoes could turn out to be different kinds of food. |
| B．He had eaten different kinds of food made of potatoes. |
| C．The potatoes could feed their family for the whole year. |
| D．The potatoes in their garden were delicious. |
| A．Memories of Planting Potatoes | B．How to Plant Potatoes |
| C．Make Life a Miracle | D．Plant Good Seeds in Life |
3 . Chris Smith’s early life seemed ordinary, similar to any other boy in his small-town class with a cheerful character, sports involvement, and a charming smile. However, his family encountered big trouble, due to his father's dishonest business practices.
He ended up homeless and it all began when Chris's little brother drowned, leading to his father's imprisonment and his mother's emotional shutdown. Chris found himself homeless when his mother left without notice. At 17, he relied on his newly married sister's hospitality, hoping to graduate high school and make it on his own.
Despite challenges, a pivotal moment came from his history teacher, recognizing Chris’s intelligence and warning him of potential regrets if he didn’t graduate. Guidance extended further with Chris’s wrestling coach, teaching him the value of hard work and teamwork over individual achievement.
For Chris, school became a retreat. He would go to the library and gym, finding inspiration in stories of underdogs overcoming odds. Graduation brought a full college scholarship, but financial struggles led to loss of funding. Determined, Chris secured grants and loans, transferring to a smaller college, and graduating in the top 10 of his class.
Undiscouraged by setbacks, Chris earned acceptance to medical school, got married, and faced a new challenge when he and his wife adopted a child in need. Applying for medical residencies, Chris aimed high, including Johns Hopkins, the No. 1 program in the nation. To his surprise, he received the acceptance letter.
Chris, now a practicing radiologist, emphasizes the importance of hard work to students, echoing the encouragement he received. His journey from homelessness to professional success illustrates the transformative power of flexibility, mentorship, and a determined commitment to one’s dreams.
1. Which of the following didn’t contribute to Chris’s homelessness?| A．His father was behind bars. | B．His mother left him suddenly. |
| C．His brother's death. | D．His father was weak in business. |
| A．In his father’s old truck. | B．In the library and the gym at school. |
| C．In his sister’s hospital. | D．In Johns Hopkins University. |
| A．Ordinary | B．Inspirational. | C．Essential. | D．Emotional. |
| A．Chris Smith’s Ordinary Childhood | B．Overcoming Misfortune: Chris Smith’s Journey |
| C．A Small-Town Star: Chris’s Achievements | D．Financial Struggles and Family Challenges |
4 . Dr. Tatiana Erukhimova is a physics professor at Texas A&M who aims to show her students, especially the young women, that there are no limits.
Only 25% of physics undergraduate students are female. Perhaps it is because boys grow up playing with machines and making drawings of fast cars and rocket explosions. But girls are just as curious about the way the world works — they just haven’t jumped into the culture of chemical reactions, energy and magnetic force with as much enthusiasm. That is, until they see one of Tatiana’s videos showing the science behind real life’s magic. Tatiana is really one of the few living female examples they could follow.
Her videos get millions of views. She is a ball of energy with a short haircut, a Russian accent and a lively personality that makes physics accessible to the younger audience. Young girls are attracted to Tatiana’s attractive demonstrations the way they flock to pop concerts. This is real. This is science they can participate in. This is an open door to endless possibilities.
“These short clips are the spark that inspires,” Tatiana says with so much excitement that it lights up the room. Everything she does involves students. She believes the magic in learning is when your peers are part of the demonstration, when you are part of the teaching process.
“She wants everything to be a celebration of science,” says one of Tatiana’s former students. And indeed, the classroom is in a party atmosphere, with students cheering when amazed by Newton’s law of motion, demonstrated by a spinning bicycle wheel held upright by the professor. It’s hard to tell who is more delighted, Tatiana or her students. She is an attraction for female students who are graduating college and working in the sciences in higher numbers than ever before.
Dr. Tatiana’s story began in Russia and her parents were both physicists. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Tatiana moved to Texas with her husband, also a physicist. They both teach at Texas A&M, and when Tatiana isn’t in the classroom, she is doing outreach with schoolchildren, amazing them with spinning lights that soon form words, liquid oxygen that shrinks objects and chemical reactions that expand matter to 10 times its size. But most importantly, she is expanding the audience of female physicists.
1. According to the passage, why do girls sometimes hesitate to jump into the culture of physics?| A．Lack of interest in chemical reactions. |
| B．Cultural differences in curiosity. |
| C．Absence of female role models. |
| D．Fear of liquid oxygen demonstrations. |
| A．They were made by a female physician. |
| B．They feature engaging demonstrations. |
| C．They are meant for Tatiana’s homeland. |
| D．They have received millions of likes online. |
| A．Appealing to students with fascinating demonstrations. |
| B．Teaching students some difficult physics concepts. |
| C．Explaining the history of Newton’s law of motion. |
| D．Encouraging girls to attend parties and pop concerts. |
| A．Female Professor Rejecting Gender Barrier |
| B．Russian Physicist and Female Scientists |
| C．Physics Professor Stimulating Girls’ Passion |
| D．The Significance of Online Short Videos |
5 . When Chase Bailey was found to have autism (自闭症) at 2, his mother Mary Bailey feared he’d never enjoy a typical life. Indeed, he hasn’t. Occupied with appearances with famous people and hosting his own cooking show, Chase’s life is anything but typical. During the past years, the teenager has cooked noodles with food master Roy Choi and baked cookies for guests at a celebration in Los Angeles.
The days when Chase would eat nothing but pizza, chicken, French fries, and chocolate chip cookies almost seem like a distant memory. For him to go from that to cooking and eating all kinds of different things is pretty astonishing.
After the diagnosis (诊断) of Chase’s disease, friends prepared Mary for the worst: He’d never be able to have a job, never learn to socialize, and never be independent. Like many autistic patients, the sight, smell, feel and taste of almost everything on Chase’s plate tipped him over the edge.
However, when he watched cooking shows with his grandfather, he became addicted to seeing people enjoy what they were eating and started asking to try some of the food on the shows. Two years later, he recorded the first episode (集) of “Chase N Yur Face” with the help of his mother, which they posted on social media. The show quickly caught the attention of autism groups. Chase started reaching out to chefs he admired by email to invite them to tape episodes with him.
In the show which has more than 30 episodes, a confident Chase cooks everything from cupcakes to roasted meats. It has harvested tens of thousands of views. He dreams of one day seeing his show on television and wants to open his own restaurant. He hopes his experience can help others with autism. “Don’t be afraid to be yourself,” he said.
1. How is Chase’s life?| A．It is a typical one. | B．It is full of bitter experiences. |
| C．It is like other autistic kids’. | D．It is beyond his mom’s expectations. |
| A．Food was appealing to Chase. | B．Food on Chase’s plate tasted bad. |
| C．Chase had no appetite for most food. | D．Chase wanted to cook himself. |
| A．From autism groups. | B．From his grandfather. |
| C．From food masters. | D．From cooking programs. |
| A．Food Changed Chase’s Life |
| B．Cooking Is a Treatment for Autism |
| C．A Cooking Show Cures an Autistic Teenager |
| D．Chase Turns Food Fear into Love of Cooking |
6 . On my son Andrew’s 15th birthday, I took him to a shoe store to get a pair of shoes. We arrived right when the store opened because Andrew is a nonspeaking autistic(自闭) and prefers shopping when it’s not busy. After choosing the desired shoes, we paid and thanked the clerks. “It’s Andrew’s birthday today. Fifteen!” I said. “Happy birthday! they said. ”Have fun!
Instead of having Andrew point to the “thank you” symbol on his picture chart, I hold up his letter board. For 10 years, Andrew has used a picture chart to communicate. The images represent important and common words;people, places, food, greetings and activities. Years ago, we discovered that Andrew could communicate more than just his basic needs via a letter board. He can point to the letters and spell out words, statements, thoughts.
Using the letter board requires significant time and effort for Andrew, but it gives him an opportunity to share far more of who he is than he can convey through pictures and basic words. So instead of dashing out, I hold up the letter board and ask Andrew how he’d like to respond. The store clerks are quiet, watching. Andrew points to each letter, one by one: “Thank you.”I smile and turn to leave.
One of the clerks, a man about my age, speaks up: Um, can I ask you . . what is that? Because I have a brother-in-law ... and he doesn’t talk. “Oh! This is an alphabet board that Andrew uses to communicate,” I reply. “We’ve practiced it for years. It’s quite incredible, as we just didn’t know Andrew was so in there”. We didn’t even know this tool existed-it’s relatively uncommon. It’s changed everything for us, for our family, for Andrew. ”
This is what happens when we invite others into our humanness, and we allow them to share theirs. “Let me give you my contact info, as well as the website of the spelling-to- communicate organization, ” I continue. I ask the clerk about his brother-in-law. He tells us that Jason is 30 and doesn’t prefer to speak, but he can do a lot for himself. Still, no one really knows him. Maybe there’s more, the clerk wonders.
“Amazing!” I say. “We’ve met people-haven’t we, Andrew? -who started using this method when they were 50 or 5 or 15! Andrew, what do you think? ”Andrew starts pointing to letters: “Tell Jason…”
I choke up. Sometimes I forget how powerful the letter board is. How powerful Andrew is. “Tell Jason he will change everyone’s opinion of him in 26 letters. We are all moved, inspired, thrilled. ”Wow, the clerk says.
“Thank you.” Andrew smiles.
1. What is the purpose of the letter board mentioned in the passage?| A．To display birthday messages. |
| B．To communicate using pictures. |
| C．To spell out words and convey thoughts. |
| D．To create an alphabet chart. |
| A．He is curious about the author’s shopping preferences. |
| B．He wants to know if the letter board is for sale. |
| C．He has a relative who doesn’t prefer to speak. |
| D．He is trying to sell a similar communication device. |
| A．Jason should learn to use the letter board. |
| B．Jason has the power to influence people. |
| C．Jason’s opinions about others will change. |
| D．Jason needs to express himself in 26 words. |
| A．The Power of 26 Letters | B．Uncommon Communication Methods |
| C．Communication Tools and Autism | D．The Power of A Birthday Present |
7 . Across the world, humans purchase around 1.3 billion single-use plastic water bottles a day. Because only about 9% of plastic is recycled, the vast majority of those bottles wind up in landfills, the ocean, or elsewhere in nature.
When beach-loving Madison noticed those plastic bottles during her family’s trips to California, the 12-year-old “just felt like this needed to change,” she told Smithsonian Magazine.
So as she began thinking about what to do for her school science fair back in 2021, the idea of a project centered on reducing plastic pollution quickly came to her mind: she would design an eatable water bottle called the Eco-Hero.
“One of my biggest ambitions for my project was wanting to help the world,” the confident young inventor said in a video on the website.
To bring her idea to life, Madison built upon the already established method by experimenting with common food materials. She also took inspiration from previous versions of eatable water bottles, though she focused on making hers bigger and more durable. She found that the combination of water, lemon juice, natural gum, and Alginic acid (褐藻酸) resulted in a gel pouch that wouldn’t break, could hold up to 3/4 cup of water, and would last in the fridge for three weeks.
Though she’d like to improve the Eco-Hero by making it able to hold more water, she believes her current version would work well as a replacement for the paper cups used by runners in races. All one needs to do is bite a hole in the water ball, drink the water, and then eat the pouch or throw it away to biodegrade.
Madison hopes the Eco-Hero inspires others to take better care of the planet. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be in a big way,” she told Smithsonian. “People can still make a difference in the world, even if it’s just in a small way.”
1. What inspired Madison’s design of an eatable water bottle?| A．Her school’s task. | B．Her family’s urge. |
| C．Her love for nature. | D．Her trips to the beach. |
| A．It is a copy of the previous versions. |
| B．It is made from unbreakable materials. |
| C．It is an improvement in size and durability. |
| D．It has a hole and should be disposed once used. |
| A．Ambitious and creative. | B．Talented and determined. |
| C．Courageous and confident. | D．Cooperative and committed. |
| A．A good beginning is half done. | B．Small people make big moves. |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way. | D．God helps those who help themselves. |
8 . Recently, as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his high school team, I was starting to feel sorry for myself and for him. His team was facing adversity (逆境) on the court and he was playing in a hostile environment —it was the opponent’s home gym filled with their supporters, and Nathan’s team was trailing (落后) for three quarters of the game. As for me, I had been fired from my job earlier in the day.
During my drive to where the game was held, I kept telling myself “I will find work again in a short time”—I am confident in my experience and abilities. This was the same belief that I tried to instill in my son.
The basketball game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan’s team still trailing. I saw the determination on his, as well as his teammates’ faces as they fought back to not only tie the game, but then go ahead by three points. Then, a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again. With a tie game (平局) and seconds on the clock, Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence, he proceeded to make the basket with a defender hanging all over him. The other player was called for a foul (犯规).
As Nathan stood at the foul line preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points, I saw the focus and determination on his face, there was no room for self-doubt. Nathan was able to tune out all the distractions and nail the free throw with such skill, it was as if he had done it a thousand times.
As I sat there, my heart bursting with pride, it dawned on me that I had taught him perseverance in the face of adversity, and he had just taught me the same lesson. That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court. He will play in the finals, but it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses, at this moment, we both won.
1. Why did I feel sorry when watching my son’s basketball game?| A．I quit my job earlier in the day. |
| B．There were no supporters for my son’s team. |
| C．My son’s team was facing adversity at home court. |
| D．My son’s team was trailing for three quarters of the game. |
| A．Self-doubting and pessimistic. | B．Self-confident and optimistic. |
| C．Hardworking and intelligent. | D．Easy-going and warmhearted. |
| A．My son’s team spared no effort to fight back and finally tied the game. |
| B．A player from my son’s team fouled during the defending process. |
| C．My son successfully scored the free throw and put his team up by three points in the end. |
| D．The opponent team made an unbelievable winning shot in the last seconds of the game. |
| A．Winning Matters at the Moment. |
| B．Life Goes Just Like Playing Basketball |
| C．From Adversity to Victory: A Lesson Learned on the Basketball Court |
| D．From Self-doubt to Confidence: Unforgettable Basketball Moments |
9 . Tonight, our family was going out to play under the full moon.
My husband Todd and I first started going on full moon walks for ourselves, as we needed these little doses of moonlight to stay happy, though sometimes we had to hike through the forest to find a perfect spot. But after we became parents, we did this for our children. We wanted to show Sierra and Bryce that it was not necessary to travel far from home to have an adventure and learn something new, and that there was much magic in the natural world, available to all.
Once we arrived at our location, Sierra and I stood holding hands, waiting to cheer the full moon in its rising—a thin sliver of the appealing moon emerged above the ridge of the mountain afar. Soon, more of the moon came out until it turned into a brilliant orange sphere. Todd explained to Sierra and Bryce that the moon generates no light, but simply acts like a mirror, reflecting the sunlight back to us. “Does the moon’s face change?” Bryce asked. I told him that the moon rotates (旋转) around the earth, but does not spin by itself, so the same side of the moon is always facing the earth. Sierra remarked that the moon looked larger and closer when it was rising. I explained that it is a visual illusion (错觉) because it is so close to the horizon that the moon magically tricks our eyes into comparing it with nearby objects, thus creating the impression of the increased size.
Much of the knowledge that I shared with the kids was learned from my parents. During my childhood, they would take me on educational adventures out in the woods, and as I later found, so did their parents. So every time I go for a full moon walk with my beloved family, I thank those wise educators who came before me.
To educate, sometimes all it takes is going outdoors and gazing up at the heavens.
1. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Going on a hike through the forest. |
| B．Taking a walk under the full moon. |
| C．Watching magic shows every month. |
| D．Traveling far from home for adventure. |
| A．The kids were reluctant to participate. |
| B．Todd mentioned the mirror to explain sunlight. |
| C．The kids exhibited a spirit of exploration about the moon. |
| D．The author used a magic trick to explain the larger moon. |
| A．Creative and faithful. | B．Selfless and brave. |
| C．Inspiring and generous. | D．Insightful and patient. |
| A．Life is what you make it. |
| B．Every cloud has a silver lining. |
| C．Nature is the best teacher. |
| D．God helps those who help themselves. |
10 . “WHAT KIND OF BIRD is this?” the text from my wildlife protector friend had asked. I had to look closely at the photo. It was an owl (猫头鹰), found dragged and dropped on someone’s backyard. I figured that she was about two weeks from being old enough to fly.
Cleaned and warmed, the tiny owl survived. Together we planned a “soft release”. “The idea was that as she gained the ability to fly, we would let the young owl wander off rather naturally, on her own schedule, into the very suitable woodland behind our home.”
Her care came to us for what we thought would be a few weeks at most. We called her Alfie. But the recovery took longer than expected. When she should have been able to fly, Alfie could only walk on the ground. Winter was in the air, making easy food much less available, and she had never learned to hunt. I would not risk letting her loose and having her starve. When summer was again at its fullest, I left the door open. Alfie disappeared one day. A week later, my wife texted me: “Guess who’s back.” After that, Alfie centered her territory around our backyard, and before long, we started seeing another owl.
Alfie became the owl she was born to be when she left our protection for the risks and rewards of free agency. She and her mate raised three baby birds that first year, building new links in the great chain that has gone unbroken — so far — for millions of owl generations.
Alfie lives in relationship, and our surprising capacity to relate to one another expanded my perspective on her life and mine. Birds and humans have not had a common ancestor for more than 300 million years, yet Alfie always enjoyed a little head scratch that we enjoyed giving. Our nervous systems still relate, allowing us to share such pleasures. People for thousands of years lived in relationship with nature and with their communities. If there is one lesson from Alfie, it is that to live in relationship is how we might heal.
1. According to the article, which is TRUE when Alfie the owl was initially found?| A．It was found from a photo in a magazine. | B．It was tiny and in poor condition. |
| C．It was found in the author’s backyard. | D．It was found by the author’s fellow staff. |
| A．They want to release Alfie when she is ready. |
| B．Alfie should be released softly in summer. |
| C．They want to adopt Alfie when she is old enough. |
| D．They want Alfie to wander when food is sufficient. |
| A．Alfie was struggling in winter during the recovery. |
| B．Alfie contributed to the ongoing chain of owl generations. |
| C．Alfie was rewarded by a free agency after it disappeared. |
| D．Alfie went back to establish her territory to thank the author. |
| A．To teach readers how to find and help injured animals. |
| B．To remind readers to protect and value the beauty of nature. |
| C．To encourage readers to strengthen their bond with wildlife. |
| D．To remind readers to rethink our relationship with wildlife and the environment. |
