1 . You’re never too old to achieve your dreams — or even break records. A 104-year-old woman named Dorothy Hoffner is such an example. She has just become the oldest person to skydive (跳伞), and she had the time of her life doing it. After touching ground following her jump with a US instructor, she proudly said, “Age is just a number.”
Hoffner took to the skies of Northern Illinois with the help of Skydive Chicago, making her way to the town of Ottawa for the jump. For all the excitement, this wasn’t her first time jumping out of the plane. Hoffner’s first skydiving took place a few years ago, when she was100. Although back then the instructor helped push them out together, this time she insisted on leading the jump from 13, 500 feet up in the air.
A video shared by Skydive Chicago shows Hoffner determinedly advancing towards the plane on her red walker (助行架) before being helped on board. Sitting among her fellow skydivers, she is all smiles as she waits for her turn. Once the door opens, the woman confidently jumps out of the plane head first.
Before Hoffner’s jump, the record for the oldest person to skydive belonged to 103-year-old Linnea Ingegard Larsson from Sweden, who set it in May 2022. Now, Skydive Chicago is requesting Guinness World Records to certify Hoffner’s jump as the new record.
As for Hoffner, she seems happy with having achieved this, describing the jump as an amazing experience. “It was wonderful up there. The whole thing was wonderful, and couldn’t have been better,” she says. Now that she has completed this achievement, she is now thinking of her next adventure. Since she is turning 105 in December, she is thinking of celebrating by riding a hot air balloon, saying, “I’ve never been in one of those.”
1. What do we know about Hoffner?A.She set a world record in 2022. |
B.She loved to meet new challenges in life. |
C.She took up skydiving from an early age. |
D.She improved her physical fitness through sports. |
A.To show her determination despite physical difficulties. |
B.To encourage people struggling in life to be brave. |
C.To explore the reason why she took to skydiving. |
D.To compare different types of walkers. |
A.Calm. | B.Thoughtful. | C.Responsible. | D.Courageous. |
A.Woman Braves Difficulties to Achieve Success |
B.104-Year-Old Woman Takes the World by Storm |
C.Woman with Disability Stands Out with Hard Work |
D.The Oldest Person Breaks World Record for Skydiving |
2 . Several days ago, I was walking home from school and saw some writing on a fence of a house I was passing by. It said, “Happiness is a direction, not a destination.” I had been having a bad day and just reading this brightened my day a little. I also took out a pen and wrote one of my favorite quotes (格言) down.
When I came back to the fence, I saw another quote under mine in the same handwriting as the first one. I added another, and we kept at this pattern for quite a while. One day, I was writing another quote on the fence and the old man, one of my neighbors, who owned the fence, saw me. He came out and I was afraid he would be mad at me for writing on his fence; he was not known to be very friendly. He gave me a sharp glance and then read the quotes on the fence. Without saying a word, he said something to himself and then went back inside. I was a bit terrified for a while, afraid to go back to the fence, but when I did, I noticed not more quotes but two words in entirely different handwriting had been added, “Thank you.”
Later, I saw the old man in his front yard. He beckoned (招手示意) me over and told me how my quotes had been inspiring him, how he thanked me and how he was glad to see young people still have “values”. We are now good friends and I talk to him a lot. This experience has changed my life. I still don’t know who wrote that very first quote, but if he is out there, I’d like to say “thanks” to that unknown friend.
1. Why did the writer begin to write a quote on the fence?A.He wanted to practice his handwriting. | B.He had gotten some help from the quote. |
C.He thought that doing this was interesting. | D.He wanted to draw his neighbor’s attention. |
A.He had thought that the old man was a mad person. |
B.He had once been told that the old man was unkind. |
C.He thought the old man would scold him for what he had done. |
D.He thought the old man would tell his parents about his action. |
A.was very happy | B.did not mind them | C.was a bit angry | D.was very sad |
A.The old man. | B.Someone else. | C.The writer himself. | D.That unknown friend. |
3 . As a student,I heard the line “graduate school is stressful” so many times that it began to bear no meaning.
Sure,there were campus resources that encouraged healthy behaviors,including deep thought,and the benefits of self-care,but self-care sounded expensive and time-consuming to me;I had work to do.And I was not a fan of deep thought:The thought of sitting still for 30 minutes only caused me greater stress.But one thing I couldn’t stay away from was walking my dog.
Tessa is a six-year-old lovely coonhound that I got as a gift to myself,for completing my undergraduate degree at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston.I first saw Tessa as a thin and little dog in a photo on the Internet.She was found,huddled up with her friends,in a deserted house in Alabama.
Because of Tessa,I took frequent walking breaks while studying for a master’s degree in public health at Yale University in New Haven,Connecticut.I discovered the best corners and crannies on campus,including the sloping grass land behind the school,filled with squirrels and sticks — a safe place for dogs.I found a tree accidentally with a swing,overlooking the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History,which offered the best sunset view in town.On our daily walks,I found calm in the woods and quiet in the early mornings enveloping the city streets.
Now,as I work from home,Tessa continues to help me deal with a lonely existence.Just like in graduate school,she demands that I stop working,however briefly,and accompany her on a walk.These forced breaks throughout the day take me away from my computer and help me to stay active,greet my neighbors and come back to work refreshed.And although I certainly haven’t escaped from stress,and I am still trying to find my footing in research,I will continue to make time for walks every day.I recommend it very much.
1. How did the author feel about deep thought?A.Anxious. | B.Time-consuming. | C.Disordered. | D.Encouraged. |
A.Lovely. | B.Gifted. | C.Poor. | D.Courageous. |
A.Tessa likes walking very much. |
B.The Yale University is very beautiful. |
C.The author likes both the city and the university. |
D.Tessa is helpful for the author to get through graduate school happily. |
A.The author often feels lonely at home. |
B.The author works hard but exercises less. |
C.Both the author and the neighbors like Tessa. |
D.Walking with Tessa benefits the author much. |
4 . Lots of kids like to talk about sports, but Joseph D’Avirro talks about sports like a professional host in a show called Sliders & Curveballs. The 9-year-old from Newington, Connecticut is a natural at sports talk and has been broadcasting the show—which is about baseball, basketball and other sports—with his dad, Mike D’Avirro, since September 2019.
The D’Avirro started the broadcast after two former college roommates of Mike died, which made Mike want to spend more time with his son. Then the idea came to him. So far, they have done about 50 programs. Joseph’s favorite is when the father-and-son team interviewed Jim Calhoun, the coach leading the Connecticut Huskies to three national titles. They have also interviewed important sports authors.
The father and son make about one 30- to 40-minute podcast each month. They prepare for the podcasts by deciding on the questions they want to ask the guest. Joseph asks half of the questions, and Mike handles the other half. Joseph reads his questions again and again to get them in his brain well. It is a lot of work, but Joseph says it is “a lot more fun than homework”. Joseph has also learned to speak up and speak clearly. He has to listen and to go with the flow of the conversation. For example, he said, “If the guest is talking about sports in the 1990s, you have to think about sports in the 1990s.”
When asked how long he and his dad will continue doing the show, he answered, “Until my dad starts growing gray hairs.” Joseph has other ambitions when he grows up—to be a sports player, a sports broadcaster or to own a basketball team. Those are big dreams, but Joseph is already living a dream: talking sports and spending time with his dad.
1. What is Joseph’s show about?A.Some talk shows on sports. |
B.Ways to get along with parents. |
C.Stories about famous sports players. |
D.Sports that his family loves playing. |
A.His son’s talent for sports. |
B.His wish to be a host since college. |
C.The deaths of his college roommates. |
D.The encouragement from his roommates. |
A.It’s as boring as homework. |
B.It’s challenging to his brain. |
C.It takes a lot of time but means a lot. |
D.It’s more interesting than homework. |
A.A rising sports broadcaster |
B.A long road to go to success |
C.The father-and-son team hosts |
D.Joseph D’Avirro’s big dream |
5 . The story of Oprah Winfrey’s life is one of overcoming incredible odds and achieving great success. Born into poverty in Mississippi, Winfrey faced numerous challenges throughout her childhood. She was raised by her grandmother, who installed in her a love of reading and a strong work ethic. However, Winfrey was also the victim of abuse and neglect, both at home and in her community.
Despite these obstacles, Winfrey showed great promise from a young age. At age 19 she became a news anchor(主播) for the local television station, and in 1976 she was made a reporter and co-anchor for the ABC news in Baltimore, Maryland. She found herself limited by the objectivity required of news reporting, and in 1977 she became co-host of the Baltimore morning show People Are Talking.
Winfrey excelled in the casual and personal talk-show format, and in 1984 she moved to Chicago to host the faltering(衰退的) talk show AM Chicago. Winfrey’s honest and engaging personality quickly turned the program into a success, and in 1985 it was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. Winfrey’s warmth, intelligence, and empathy made her a beloved figure to millions of viewers. She used her platform to address important social issues, such as child abuse, domestic violence, and poverty.
Despite her success, Winfrey faced many challenges along the way. She struggled with her weight, and was often criticized for her appearance. She also faced many personal and professional setbacks in her life and work. However, Winfrey refused to give up. She continued to work hard, launching her own production company, Harpo Productions, and starting her own cable network, OWN. She also became a philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to charitable causes.
Today, Winfrey is one of the most successful and influential people in the world. She has won lots of awards for her work. She is also a best-selling author and a respected public speaker. Winfrey’s story provés the power of perseverance, hard work, and faith in oneself.
1. What did Oprah Winfrey start her career as?A.A news anchor. | B.A talk show co-anchor. |
C.A manager of a company. | D.A reporter of a TV station. |
A.It was a TV program meant to help the local citizens. |
B.Oprah Winfrey’s excellent qualities made it successful. |
C.It called on viewers to fight against poverty and crimes. |
D.It was a program designed only for Oprah Winfrey. |
A.Winfrey faced many doubts about her hosting style. |
B.Winfrey set up a company of her own. |
C.Winfrey never gave up in face of difficulties. |
D.Winfrey contributed lots of money to charities. |
A.To tell us that our life has its ups and downs. |
B.To share Winfrey’s life experience with us. |
C.To encourage us to work hard in our careers. |
D.To sing high praise for Winfrey’s success and qualities. |
6 . Miss England, Jessica Gagen, is not your ordinary beauty winner. She just added an impressive title, a rocket scientist, to her career.
The 27-year-old just graduated from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and she has set her sights on becoming an astronaut (宇航员).
But winning her title just a few months before completing her degree was no easy task for the energetic redhead from Kelmersdale. She is the first red-headed woman — and the first rocket scientist — to be crowned (加冕) Miss England.
Gagen was able to manage both her competition and her schoolwork but the stress of doing both left her with chest pains and sleeplessness. However, she didn’t give up, just as she had been treated badly and always been made fun of as a child for having red hair.
“It was a tough five-year journey to get to this point, and I faced challenges before I even began,” Gagen said. “I think it’s important that today’s youth know that sometimes things don’t go entirely to plan, and that’s perfectly okay.”
Before starting at the university, Gagen studied a foundation year in physics while working on weekends because she didn’t have all the courses she needed for the program. She began studying at the university in 2019 and when the pandemic (流行病) hit, all the course work went online. She did this while working full time at night.
During the course of her studies, Gagen saw that there were very few females in STEM and decided to make it her task to promote (提升) careers in STEM for women and girls on her social media.
In the first year, she won Miss Lancashire and placed second in the national contest but she really wanted to win to promote her task. “There’s a lot of work that goes into becoming Miss England, and I really wanted to win because I knew I could use the platform to get more girls into engineering,” she said.
1. What is special about Miss England mentioned in the text?A.She is also a scientist. | B.She was once an astronaut. |
C.She had a happy childhood. | D.She has great pressure at present. |
A.She had trouble with her study. | B.She was in poor health. |
C.The color of her hair was unusual. | D.Her clothes were not beautiful. |
A.Her lifestyle in high school. | B.Some of her college education. |
C.Her attitude to her classmates. | D.The support from her family. |
A.To continue her college education. |
B.To realize her dream since childhood. |
C.To get confidence to deal with difficulties. |
D.To encourage more girls to learn STEM. |
THE MILLION POUND BANK NOTE
ACT 2, SCENE 1
Narrator: Henry is walking along the street holding the bank note in his hand. His coat is worn in several places. He sees a sign for a tailor’s shop.
Henry: (entering the shop) I’d like to have a suit coat.
1st Clerk: (in a rude manner) See him there.(pointing to another clerk)
2nd Clerk: Readymade suits? Downstairs.
Henry: (after going down some stairs) Can you show me a suit, please?
3rd Clerk: Yes, I can, sir. This way, please. Ah, here we are, the very thing you need.
1st Clerk: (pulling the 3rd clerk aside and whispering) Mr Reid says you’d better serve him quick and get him out quick!
3rd Clerk: I know what I’m doing. I’ve got eyes, haven’t I?
Henry: It’s a little too bright, isn’t it?
3rd Clerk: (looking at him with a frown) It’s all we have in your size.
Henry: Well, I suppose it ought to do for now. I’ll take it.
3rd Clerk: Good. Shall I put it in a box?
Henry: No. I’ll wear it. Oh, I’d rather not pay you now. I’d like to pay in a month. You see, I don’t have any small change.
3rd Clerk: (trying not to show he’s angry) I suppose a gentleman like you only carries very large bills.
Henry: Now, you shouldn’t judge people by their clothes. I just don’t want to cause you trouble with a large note.
3rd Clerk: It’s no trouble at all.
Henry: In that case, there’s no problem. (He gives the clerk the bank note. The clerk drops Henry’s coat. Then he folds the bill and slowly unfolds it again, as if looking at something he can’t believe is there.)
Owner: Well, what seems to be the trouble?
Henry: I’m just waiting for my change.
Owner: Give him his change, Todd. Get going...(after getting the bank note from Todd) Would it...could it be the one I saw in the papers last week? I remember thinking that never would I hold such a note as this...(to Henry) Oh, take off this coat, sir.(to Todd) Go get(=Go and get) the others, Todd! (to Henry again) Allow me, sir! This way, sir.
(in another part of the shop, where there is a wide range of options for Henry to choose from)
Henry: This is nice, but I really don’t need it.
Owner: Never mind.(with a broad smile) Oh, it’s perfect! It was made for some king but he’ll just have to wait. You’ll need many suits for many occasions. Yes, indeed you will.
Henry: Wait a minute. I only came here to get a suit coat to wear today. I dare not buy all these things. You would have to wait a long time to get paid.
Owner: A long time, sir? Why, you don’t have to worry about that!
3rd Clerk: Yes, we can wait forever!
Henry: Well, all right. I’ll take the suit coat for now and get the others later.
Owner: Fine, fine. Your address, sir?
Henry: I don’t have one. Er...I’m moving.
Owner: Of course you are! That’s very normal! A busy man, I’m sure.
1. Why do the owner and the clerks serve Henry so rudely?
2. True or False.
①. The 2nd Clerk is ready to show Henry the readymade suits for he thinks Henry can’t afford a better one.
②. Looking at Henry with a frown shows the 3rd Clerk’s impatience.
③. The owner is shocked at the million pound bank note.
④. Henry is meant to get the clerks into trouble.
3. How did the clerks treat Henry at the beginning?
A.They treated Henry as politely as he treated others. |
B.They looked down upon Henry when they noticed his appearance. |
C.They decided to made a suit to his measure. |
D.They wanted to serve Henry to earn a lot of money. |
A.At the beginning of the story. |
B.Before they saw the bank note. |
C.At the end of the story. |
D.After they saw the bank note. |
A.frightened | B.angry |
C.worried | D.shocked |
I remember thinking that never would I hold such a note as this...
8 . Mathea Allansmith isn’t your typical grandmother. She’s the oldest woman in the world to have completed a marathon. She was 92 years 194 days old when she crossed the finish line at the 2022 Honolulu Marathon, setting the record for the oldest female to complete a marathon.
Mathea, now 94, of Koloa, Hawaii, USA, stays in shape all year round by running seven days a week, no matter what the weather is. Come rain or shine, she covers 36 miles every week, even when she’s on holiday. The retired doctor didn’t take up running until she was 46 years old —after a friend suggested running two miles per day.
“The Honolulu Marathon is my favorite marathon mainly because it doesn’t close the gate at a certain time, which allows even the slowest runner to finish the race,” she said. “It’s one of the best races. Fantastic registration (注册), set-up and management make it a joy to run the race.”
Mathea, who doesn’t allow her age to slow her down, thinks she is the happiest person when she’s on the road. She enjoys running for miles and waving and saying hello to the people she passes. To stay in shape, Mathea keeps a steady training routine (惯例) . “I train all year round but increase the mileage 18 weeks before a marathon,” she said.
Mathea said it was her career as a doctor that allowed her to understand how her body and mind respond to diet and exercise. “I see the direct relation between moving and health,” she said. “It is important to reduce stress rather than ignoring it without a plan on how to do so. Of course, exercise of any kind is a natural stress reducer.”
Mathea thought getting through the finish line and winning a Guinness World Record title was the excitement of her life. “My family completely surprised me after the 2022 Honolulu Marathon, in which I achieved the world record, by wearing matching T-shirts stating my achievements,” she said.
1. What do we know about Mathea from the first two paragraphs?A.She used to be in poor health. |
B.She is the oldest to win a marathon. |
C.She runs daily regardless of the weather. |
D.She was encouraged by her patient to run. |
A.It gives winners the best awards. |
B.It provides runners with quality service.. |
C.It has no time limit for runners to finish. |
D.It allows runners to set a world record easily. |
A.Her professional experience. | B.Her training courses. |
C.Her views on stress in life. | D.Her hobby from young. |
A.Practice makes perfect. |
B.Interest is the best teacher. |
C.Age is no barrier to success. |
D.Ups and downs make one strong. |
9 . Working for a big company in London on a salary (薪水)of over £100,000, you might expect Grayden Reece-Smith to have a luxurious (奢侈)lifestyle, going on expensive holidays or driving a sports car around south London, where he lives. In fact, the 28-year-old lives a very different existence from his colleagues. He gives away everything he earns over £42,000–a figure that he thought he could comfortably live on.
Over the past five years, Reece-Smith has handed over more than £250,000 to organizations such as International Care Ministries, which helps poor families in the Philippines, and the Against Malaria Foundation. He is part of a growing number of young professionals described as “effective altruists”. Effective altruists typically donate regularly to a charity which they think will have a great impact (影响). Some change careers to make more money, which can then be given away.
Reece-Smith considered working in the charity sector after graduating from university, but thought that he could make a bigger difference by donating a large part of his salary. He had volunteered as a teacher at a school in Tanzania, but then realized that earning and giving would be more effective. “The cost of my flights there could have paid the salaries of two teachers for an entire year,” he says. Instead, he could “stay at home, living a nice life and still make a huge difference in the world”.
He is not mean with money-last year he went to Cuba on holiday, and spent several thousand pounds on a new sofa. But his lifestyle isn’t as luxurious as some of the people he works with. “I usually don’t buy supermarket-branded food products, but I don’t own a car. Other people on my salary might have a bigger house. Some of my colleagues have four-bedroom houses, but we only bought what we needed-a two-bedroom flat.£42,000 is more than enough to live on and still save,” he says.
1. How much money does Grayden spend on donation every year?A.Less than £42,000. | B.Over £100.000. |
C.£50,000. | D.Any income over £42,000. |
A.Donate to impactful charities. | B.Make more money to enjoy lives. |
C.Create a good public image. | D.Enter a teaching profession. |
A.To access his inner life. | B.To create a stronger effect. |
C.To give away all of his salary. | D.To be a teacher at a school. |
A.He leads an expensive lifestyle. | B.He buys food produced by supermarkets. |
C.He lives in a four-bedroom house. | D.He balances his life and donation. |
10 . The last attempt of Ken Campbell to run could date back to high school. When his wife, Susan, injured her foot, she needed support to rejoin her running group, so Campbell went along to keep her company in the recovery.” We were just walking at the beginning,” he says, “I was heavy, and weighed over 90kg.” But as the weeks and months passed, the weight fell away, Susan recovered and Campbell’s abilities grew. At the age of 63, he ran 50km, and at 70, he completed a 100km ultramarathon.
So how does someone with no experience of running become an ultradistance runner in his 60s and 70s? Susan had run marathons before her injury, but for Campbell, the turning point came when Susan’s Fleet Feet running group started training near their home.
Campbell went out to visit Susan’s group, and “the paths were a terrible mess. It had been raining, and I was slipping, sliding and falling. But I thought, well, I like this a lot.” What he liked above all was the feeling of “being wrapped by the path, being hugged by the closeness of the plants and the nearness of the river”.
Running the 100km ultramarathon took Campbell 16 hours. When Campbell crossed the finish line, Susan handed hima100km sticker to display on the back of his truck. “It is a public statement that you are part of this community,” he says. “Wherever we park, I see a line of vehicles with their various stickers and I feel that we area community.”
Campbell suffered from arthritis before he started running, and was “waiting for knee replacement”, but for now, he no longer needs an operation. It can put an end to the running—but the “sense of wellbeing and achievement will carry me on forever”, he says, “If I can’t run, I will walk.”
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?A.What led to Campbell’s weight loss. |
B.What made Campbell start running. |
C.Why Campbell attempted to run marathon. |
D.What Campbell did for Susan’s recovery. |
A.Susan’s starting training. | B.Falling down when training. |
C.Feeling free in nature. | D.His visit to Susan’s group. |
A.A sense of belonging. | B.Encouragement from his wife. |
C.A sense of achievement. | D.Display of his happiness. |
A.Well begun is half done. | B.It is never too late to begin. |
C.Failure is the mother of success. | D.Actions speak louder than words. |