1 . I still remember my friends giving me the advice: Try something new. I was stressed and, of course, also on my phone too much. I was writing about food for work, so cooking didn’t really count as a hobby anymore, nor did reading, nor socializing, especially since all of my friends worked in my industry. I needed something in my life that existed apart from all that.
“Maybe something you can do with your hands.” The suggestion felt like an escape exit: Maybe a hobby could free me from my work. Cooking had once been the thing I did to relax when I got home from work, the thing I was curious about, and the thing that made my brain away from its standard complaints. The kitchen had once been a release, but now it was part of my professional life. It needed a replacement. A few months later, I dutifully signed up for a ceramics (制陶艺术) class at a studio near my apartment.
At the studio, I started as a lazy learner, but after a few months I became addicted, signing up for more classes when my term ended. I had a place to go in my free time and something to be curious about, and my goals were unrelated to outer forces: a boss, a job, a market, a reader. Unlike with writing, my progress was quantifiable (可量化的): Now I can make a vase this tall. Now I have made a pot. Now my handles are beautiful. Now I have made two things that more or less look like a pair.
Finally finding a hobby that was just for my own enjoyment was a release. I enjoy having something to do that didn’t involve a screen and therefore felt far from the style of work to which I was most accustomed — hands covered in clay cannot swipe (滑屏) very well. Making time for this also means carving out time, for creation and inspiration, and also for the rest that is required for me to reflect on my life. It is something more than a new hobby. This is the peace that everyone needs in our life.
1. What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean?| A．Cooking meant a lot to her. |
| B．Cooking was her cup of tea. |
| C．Cooking wasn’t a hobby that mattered. |
| D．Cooking wasn’t really a hobby for her. |
| A．The author is too lazy to learn ceramics. | B．The author enjoys the hands-on classes. |
| C．The author is tired of ceramics classes. | D．The author spends much time writing. |
| A．Calm. | B．Confident. |
| C．Excited. | D．Energetic. |
| A．To introduce an interesting hobby. | B．To share a story about a new hobby. |
| C．To show the benefits of having a hobby. | D．To help readers choose a new hobby. |
2 . When I was in fourth grade, I worked part-time as a paperboy. Mrs. Stanley was one of my customers. She’d watch me coming down her street, and by the time I’d biked up to her doorstep, there’d be a cold drink waiting. I’d sit and drink while she talked.
Mrs. Stanley talked mostly about her dead husband, “Mr. Stanley and I went shopping this morning.” she’d say. The first time she said that, soda(汽水) went up my nose.
I told my father how Mrs. Stanley talked as if Mr. Stanley were still alive. Dad said she was probably lonely, and that I ought to sit and listen and nod my head and smile, and maybe she’d work it out of her system. So that’s what I did, and it turned out Dad was right. After a while she seemed content to leave her husband over at the cemetery(墓地).
I finally quit delivering newspapers and didn’t see Mrs. Stanley for several years. Then we crossed paths at a church fund-raiser(募捐活动). She was spooning mashed potatoes and looking happy. Four years before, she’d had to offer her paperboy a drink to have someone to talk with. Now she had friends. Her husband was gone, but life went on.
I live in the city now, and my paperboy is a lady named Edna with three kids. She asks me how I’m doing. When I don’t say “fine”, she sticks around to hear my problems. She’s lived in the city most of her life, but she knows about community. Community isn’t so much a place as it is a state of mind. You find it whenever people ask how you’re doing because they care, and not because they’re getting paid to do so. Sometimes it’s good to just smile, nod your head and listen.
1. Why did soda go up the author’s nose one time?| A．He was talking fast. | B．He was shocked. |
| C．He was in a hurry. | D．He was absent-minded. |
| A．He enjoyed the drink. | B．He wanted to be helpful. |
| C．He took the chance to rest. | D．He tried to please his dad. |
| A．recover from her sadness | B．move out of the neighborhood |
| C．turn to her old friends | D．speak out about her past |
| A．Open up to others. | B．Depend on each other. |
| C．Pay for other’s help | D．Care about one another. |
3 . Growing up in an underdeveloped zone of Johannesburg, South Africa, Musa Motha says his surroundings weren’t exactly ideal. Soccer was his favorite sport, and he fondly remembers the times he played for the local youth team. But when he was 10 years old, he injured in his left leg. This changed everything.
A bone marrow biopsy(骨髓活检) revealed Motha had osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in his left leg. While his soccer injury was not the cause, it did draw attention to the already-present cancer. He chose the amputation(截肢) and ever since that day, he decided he was going to approach life differently—more positively, he said.
True to his word, Motha, now 26, can be seen twirling(转动) across stages around the world. He first encountered dance at a neighborhood party, where he asked a friend to teach him some modified moves. “Then I danced the whole night,” he recalled. His talents did not go unnoticed; he began appearing in South African TV ads and shows. He even appeared in Drake’s One Dance music video.
Motha thinks that representation needs to extend beyond the performing arts. “The more we can see the disabled person in multiple aspects of life, such as helicopter pilots, engineers, chefs, choreographers and professors, the greater hope we can hold onto for a society where no one is on the margins,” he said. That’s Motha’s dream as well.
Though he said that dance gave him “a purpose”, he added “I don’t want to see myself as a dancer only.” He wants to create a space for other people with disabilities to go outside their comfort zone—from soccer to singing. He feels that greater representation will create more opportunities and inclusion, paving the way for people with disabilities to shine. “Instead of telling a sob story, I find that the most beautiful stories are after the amputation,” Motha said. He encourages others with disabilities that they, too, can do everything: “There’s a whole lot of things that you can overcome and that actually define how strong you are.”
1. What caused the discovery of Motha’s cancer?| A．The terrible living environment. | B．The routine medical examination. |
| C．The accidental injury in his left leg. | D．The high amputation of his left leg. |
| A．To indicate that dance is no longer his favorite. | B．To inspire the disabled to go beyond themselves. |
| C．To stress he hasn’t gone outside his comfort zone. | D．To show off his talents in more aspects of his life. |
| A．Everyone can make a difference. | B．Most of our dreams have come true. |
| C．Not all disabled people are influential. | D．No disabled people have been prejudiced. |
| A．Brave and humorous. | B．Friendly and sociable. |
| C．Humble and creative. | D．Optimistic and ambitious. |
4 . Michael Yellow-lees set off to complete a 5,000-mile walk across Canada in the spring of 2021, wearing a kilt(短褶裙)and carrying a few items in a handcart, including a guitar. The 32-year-old musician from Dunked, Scotland, walked from the shores of the Pacific Occam to the cast coast of Newfoundland on the edge of the North Atlantic with his pet dog, Luna, an Alaskan husky, by his side.
Speaking about the Scottish Highlands, Mr.Yellow-lees said,“It is a beautiful landscape, but with a strong sense of sadness because of the absence of woodland,wildlife and people. So I decided to walk across the great wildernesses of Canada to raise funds for Trees for Life, a Scottish rewinding charity, and its work to restore(恢复)Scotland’s Caledonian Forest.”
The enthusiastic walker shared some of his experiences, including meeting black bears and hearing wolves cry loudly at night. He also mentioned a moment when he lost Luna after she jumped out of a little boat during a trip in the waterway section of the Trans Canada Trail in Nor-them Ontario.
Yet Mr Yellow-lees was deeply touched by the warmth of the people along the way. In every town and village,people offered him food, shelter and donations. And he was accompanied into towns and cities by marching pipe bands and interviewed by newspapers, the radio and TV.
Steve Mickie wright,chief executive officer of Trees for Life,said, “We followed Michael’s journey across Canada with respect and admiration. Restoring native habitats and wildlife to the Highlands is a big task that no one can do alone. But Michael’s extraordinary journey is proof that an individual can really make a difference.”
Bob Davidson, one of Michael Yellow-lees’ friends, said, “This is not a slow walk in the park, but a long march with heavy equipment on the rough road at an incredible pace. He’s an amazing guy.”
1. What do we know about Scottish Highlands from the passage?| A．It is located in the east coast of Britain. |
| B．It is a beautiful landscape but full of sorrows. |
| C．It may be once the site of extensive forests. |
| D．It is closely related to a charity in Canada |
| A．involved great excitement and fun |
| B．was a challenging experience |
| C．was troubled by his companion Luna |
| D．once made him regret his decision |
| A．Neutral | B．Supportive | C．Doubtful | D．Indifferent |
| A．We need to respect those who protect the environment. |
| B．It is not wise to take a long journey alone in the wild. |
| C．Ordinary people who aim high can work wonders. |
| D．People needs great survival skills in daily life. |
5 . We’ve all had cases where we’ve waited just a bit too long to pay an electric bill or speeding ticket. But one man, from California by reasonable assumption，who goes by “Dave”，recently took procrastination (拖延) one step further, by paying a parking ticket almost a half-century after it was given.
In December 2018, the Minersville Police Department in Pennsylvania received a letter in the mail. Whoever wrote the letter decided it was best to keep his name somewhat unknown，so he put the return address as “Wayward Road，Anytown California” under the name “Feeling guilty”.
When the officers opened the envelope，they found a brief letter, along with a $5 bill, and a parking ticket dating all the way back to 1974. The note read，“Dear PD，I've been carrying this ticket around for 40 plus years always intending to pay. Forgive me if I don't give you my info. With respect，Dave.”
Even though the initial parking ticket was only for $2, “Dave” must have felt awfully guilty because he left 150 percent，or $3, in interest.
Michael Combs, the Police Chief of the Minersville Police Department, stated in an interview that the same ticket would cost about $20 if it were given today. Combs went on to share that the original ticket from 1974 was given to a vehicle that had an Ohio license plate.
Because there was no system for tracking tickets given to out-of-state cars back then，“Dave” could have gotten away with never paying the $2 fine. But apparently，guilt got the best of him，and he decided to finally cough up the money more than 40 years past its due date.
1. How much do we know about “Dave”？| A．He lives in Wayward Road，Anytown California. |
| B．His car probably came from Ohio at that time. |
| C．The police are trying to find out more about him. |
| D．“Dave” is of course the man’s real name indeed. |
| A．He completely forgot about it in the past 44 years. |
| B．He didn’t find it until almost half a century later. |
| C．He didn’t pay for it just because of procrastination. |
| D．He failed to find out who he should pay the money to. |
| A．A strong sense of guilt. |
| B．Fear of being tracked by the police. |
| C．Worry about being fined more. |
| D．Sudden change of his financial situation. |
| A．Police Chief of the Minersville Police Department Shares a Story |
| B．Parking Ticket Carried Around for Almost Half a Century from Ohio |
| C．Unusual Letter Comes from Wayward Road, Anytown California |
| D．Mysterious Procrastinator Finally Pays 44-Year-Old Parking Ticket |
6 . “Your mind is a garden; your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds,” William Wordsworth wrote. In the above quote, William suggests that the process of gardening mirrors human life. Depending on what we “plant” in our lives, we bloom (生长茂盛) or don’t. Before you start to work in your garden, it’s necessary to have a vision for it. Thinking of what you want to grow in your garden and how to lay it out is a good first step in making your vision a fruitful reality. In life, you should consider what you want to create and what you want to achieve, because your mind-garden is like the white paper and the possibilities are endless.
Regardless of what you choose to plant, poor soil isn’t suitable for growth. This is why gardeners take the time and energy to upgrade the soil before planting. So, creating the right soil is important to the realization of your goals and dreams. Fortunately, there are countless ways to make your personal bedrock better. Getting an education is one of the most effective ways, which can help you enrich your life’s soil.
You don’t have to be an enthusiastic gardener to understand the meaning of “You reap(收获) what you sow.” When a gardener wants tomatoes, they just need to plant tomato seeds. It’s a very clear act that produces an expected result. Each of us has the power to decide which “life seeds” to plant. For example, if you plant ill seeds, it's likely that you’ll experience pain in return. Contrarily, if you plant seeds of kindness and understanding, your life will bloom with happiness and love.
A gardener’s truly arduous work begins after the seeds are in the ground because a garden requires a lot of care and attention. Regular watering and weeding are required for a healthy garden. So, to ensure your dreams take root, you should be devoted, aware, and present. After countless hours and energy spent, the crops have grown well and are finally ready to be harvested.
1. What is important before gardeners break ground in their gardens?| A．Receiving some training in planting. |
| B．Drawing up a good plan for their gardens. |
| C．Having the courage to accept the worst outcome. |
| D．Doing research on the common local garden plants. |
| A．Improving the condition of the soil. | B．Growing your most favorable plants. |
| C．Taking care of the plants in your garden. | D．Selecting proper goals in gardening work. |
| A．Your quality of life depends on your positive action. |
| B．Your experience can help you understand plants better. |
| C．Your choice of soil is an important part in your gardening. |
| D．Your knowledge of planting will make you a successful gardener. |
| A．Beneficial | B．Creative | C．Boring. | D．Tough |
7 . A couple had a son eleven years after they married. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eye. When the boy was around four years old, one day the father was very tired after work so he asked his wife to pick up their son. The mother, who was very busy in the kitchen, totally forgot about it.
Later the boy lost his way on the street. When the son was found missing, the mother hurried to look for him, but she didn’t find him. The mother felt very sad and didn’t know how to face her husband.
When the father went to the police station after hearing that the son was missing, he looked at his wife and said just four words. What do you think the four words were? The husband just said "I love you, darling."
The son was missing. If he had picked him up earlier, this would not have happened. There is no point in blaming (责备) anyone. His wife had also lost her only child. What his wife needed at that moment was comfort and understanding from her husband. That is what the husband gave his wife. Several weeks later, with the help of the police, the couple finally found their lost son. The family’s relationship became stronger over that time.
Sometimes we spend lots of time asking who is to blame. We miss many chances to give each other support and let each other feel the warmth of human relationships. Get rid of all your unwillingness to forgive, selfishness, and fears and you will find the world is much more wonderful.
1. The underlined part means a person who __________.| A．always has a sweet smile | B．is as pretty as an apple |
| C．is loved more than anyone else | D．looks like an apple |
| A．was very lazy | B．thought the mother had done that |
| C．forgot to do so | D．was too tired to do so |
| A．Be careful in everything you do. | B．Love is the most important. |
| C．Learn to forgive others | D．Everyone can make mistakes. |
| A．Warm-hearted. | B．Careful. |
| C．Hard-working | D．Broad-minded. |
8 . Being a superhero to others
Ewan Drum has always liked superheroes. He likes how they help people. At age seven, he told his parents, “I want to dress up like a superhero and help the homeless. ”
When someone donated jugs(大罐) of water, Ewan and his family drove their car to get even more. They took the water to Flint, Michigan, a city that had unsafe drinking water. Another time, a businessman donated six turkeys(火鸡) for Thanksgiving.
Ewan has a motto: Everyone can be a superhero to someone. At an event called the Hero Round Table, Ewan told the audience,“It’ s not hard to help people.You can keep some socks and food in your car to help people in need. You can help a neighbor with doing the garden.
It' s been several years since Super Ewan started his task. Every month, he still visits the same park to hand out clothes, food, and supplies to people who are hungry or homeless ---his Super Friends.
“No matter what, ”Ewan says, “I will always keep helping people.”
| A．News spread about Ewan’ s act of kindness. |
| B．This superhero says he’ ll never take off his cape. |
| C．Ewan says he wants more adults to act like superheroes. |
| D．Every little thing helps and can make someone feel happy. |
| E．A few months later, Ewan ’s family planned a day of giving. |
| F．Several days later, his parents drove to Flint and helped him raise a lot of money. |
| G．With his parents’ help, Ewan asked for more turkeys through the Internet, plus side dishes. |
9 . Three boys were enjoying themselves in their hometown of Bovina, Mississippi. However, their lives were turned upside down when they discovered the jawbone of a Mastodon (齿乳象).
Brothers Shawn and Caid Sellers and cousin Michael Mahalitc found the prehistoric bone in a piece of earth that was recently plowed (犁、耕). “I thought it was a log,” Caid said. “I tried to pick it up and it was really heavy and I saw teeth on it.” The bone weighed about 50 pounds. They eventually got the bone to their home and fitted it in their tub (浴盆), but it took their collective strength, might and a golf cart, to carry the large Mastodon bone.
“They didn’t expect to find that,” Michael’s mom said. “Now that they have, I believe that they will be more aware of their surroundings and what they’re digging up when they are digging and playing.”
“We’ve gotten a lot of petrified (石化的) wood and Civil War relics from the area and that’s what I thought it was,” the brothers’ mother said. “This is our first set of teeth we’ve found. So we thought it was their imagination. We were quite surprised to see that it was not their imagination.”
They were exploring near the brothers’ home. Lo and behold (真想不到), they saw what they thought resembled a fossil. It was the curator of paleontology (古生物负责人) of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, George Phillips, who first identified the bone as a “very mature individual.”
The Mastodon was a mammal who lived during the prehistoric times. They had long tusks and trunks, like elephants. They were clearly different from their modern-day counterparts, as well as woolly mammoths (猛犸).
1. How did they find the jawbone of a Mastodon?| A．With great efforts. | B．By chance. |
| C．Instructed by an expert. | D．Through imagination. |
| A．from people who died in the Civil War | B．the bone from a very mature individual |
| C．like a log or something | D．the prehistoric bone |
| A．helps people to know more about the Civil War |
| B．teaches kids to be more aware of their surroundings |
| C．promotes the research on more prehistoric creatures |
| D．attracts the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science |
| A．Prehistoric Bones Recently Found in Mississippi |
| B．Not Petrified Wood Nor Civil War Relics |
| C．First Identifying Bone as a “Very Mature Individual” |
| D．Unexpectedly Discovering Mastodon Jawbone |
10 . As we approach Father’s Day, Let’s be real about it.
Everyone needs a father to be born, but not everyone can have a father while growing up.
Some fathers are too busy; others get divorced, disappear or die.
But almost everyone should have a father image—someone who lives up to what a father should be.
A father image is a role model—someone you want to be like. He fills you with the memories that never leaves you when you grow up.
My father image was Harold, who was in his twenties when I was10 years old. I was a foster child (收养的孩子) and lived in his home with his mother.
He had dark, curly hair and always wore a beautiful suit, a shirt and a tie. What made him my role model was that he knew my darkest secrets—even stuff my real father didn't know—and he told me things no other person would tell a little boy.
Harold dressed the store windows at Gertz Department Store in Jamaiva, N. Y., and every time I went to visit him he gave me a quarter.
I wanted to be exactly like him. I even walked like him. He always called me “Kiddo”, a name I call people I like to this day.
My friends had role models like Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehring, Joe Lewis and other sports figures. I chose Harold, because he was a real person and he chose to be my mentor (指导者).
Harold, as you may have guessed, is now in Heaven ( Where else would he be?), but I think about him a lot. And whenever I have a problem, I ask myself, “What would Harold do?”
That is the reason a father role model is so important to a boy or a girl, It's a learning experience for everyone.
I guess the reason why I am writing all this is that I think there should be a Father's Day when everyone honors the person who has a lifelong impact(影响) on him. I believe every child needs just one to change his life－Happy Father's Day
1. In the author's opinion, what should the image of a father be except______?| A．a father should be patient | B．a father should tell me what is right and what is wrong |
| C．a father should be like sports figures | D．a father should have a lifelong influence on his kid |
| A．his friend’s father | B．a sports star | C．the author’s father | D．a mentor |
| A．He is working in a department store. | B．He is in Heaven now. |
| C．He is dead now. | D．The author doesn't know where is he now. |
| A．Love. | B．Respect. | C．Miss. | D．Hate. |
