1 . The world becomes a better place when we not only recognize that everyone has bad days, but when we also care enough to act accordingly. No matter what kind of bad experience we experience, we should treat it actively. Fourth-grade teacher Rachel Harder recognized this, and she found an amazing way to help out both her students and their families.

A few years ago, the Kansas teacher attended a trauma (心理创伤) conference. She learned that some police stations partner with schools so they can let teachers know when one of their students has a police encounter, something that could cause them to need extra care or attention. A year after the conference, Rachel had a student with autism (自闭症) who frequently had tough days. To support the student, Rachel told his mom to simply text her “handle with care” to let her know when it was going to be one of those days.

The simple method was such a success that Rachel decided to send all her students home with a note for their parents. It explained what the “Handle with Care” system was and how they could take advantage of it. In no time, parents began to show their appreciation for Rachel’s incredible act of kindness. But Rachel’s sympathy didn’t end with her class. Word spread of the amazing system, and teachers across the country began giving it a shot in their own classrooms. Printouts can be found on the Smart School House website, and the feedback has been extremely positive!

Even though teachers can sometimes tell when a student is having a tough day just by the way they’re acting, Rachel said these simple texts allow educators to make minor adjustments in advance that, in turn, make the whole day better for everyone. “It’s important for me to give kids a few minutes of extra time or space,” she said, “and it’s easy to give.”

1. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．The tough time in life.	B．The beauty of nature.
C．A positive attitude to hardship.	D．An extreme working style.

2. How did Rachel help the student with autism?

A．By supporting him to do what he wants.	B．By discussing his trauma in a conference.
C．By knowing his state at home from his mother.	D．By getting assistance from some police stations.

3. Why did Rachel send notes to the parents of all her students?

A．To prove the behavior is efficient.	B．To inform the parents of her method.
C．To explain the kindness to the parents.	D．To gain the parents’ sympathy for herself.

4. Which of the following can best describe Rachel?

A．Curious and courageous.	B．Energetic and grateful.
C．Humorous and warm-hearted.	D．Responsible and considerate.

2 . My husband and I made an agreement to help each other stay off social media platforms as much as possible. We left our accounts up instead of deleting them, but consciously stopped using them.     1     Now, I’m glad to report that they have worked.

Tired of being the last to hear of things, we downloaded a few news-specific apps that provide timely information.     2     Instead of relying on articles shared by my friends, I now have access to a steady stream of headlines that span far broader than my pre-specified interests.

Staying updated on our social circle has also been a more conscious effort. Previously I was kept up-to-the-minute on engagements, weddings, new jobs and babies through updates and pictures. Without social media, I now learn of these important events only when actually meeting the people involved.

    3     The effort taken to sit down and write is far challenging, but when I do take the time to keep a journal, my reflections go far deeper.

I still log in occasionally.     4     Based on the screen time tracked by my phone, I used to spend an average of over 24 hours a week on various social media platforms. That is down to just 20 minutes every month now, freeing up a great deal of time for sleep, hobbies and offline interactions.

    5     I might know less about my acquaintances (泛泛之交) now, but have more time to keep directly in touch with my closest friends. Walking home last week, I was greeted by a dramatic purple-pink sunset. I would have immediately reached for my phone a year ago. Now, it was enough to simply watch it darken into the night.

A．I didn’t realize how programmed I had become to constantly use the app.

B．I bought myself a diary again after many years.

C．Overall, I’m glad to have made the change.

D．However, social media now plays a much less important role in my life.

E．This has also widened the range of news I keep up with.

F．We have made a few adjustments in our daily life.

G．I do miss the convenience of using social media to record and reflect.

3 . 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.

2. Why did the author sit and listen to Mrs. Stanley according to Paragraph 3?

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.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “work it out of her system”?

A．recover from her sadness	B．move out of the neighborhood
C．turn to her old friends	D．speak out about her past

4. What does the author think people in a community should do?

A．Open up to others.	B．Depend on each other.
C．Pay for other’s help	D．Care about one another.