1 . Two weeks ago, a 5-year-old girl named Sunshine Oelfke emptied out her piggy bank (存钱罐) onto the living room floor and immediately started counting. Her grandmother, Jackie Oelfke, thought she was playing as she carefully lined up the coins, but then she saw the girl put the coins into a plastic bag and place it in her backpack.
“What are you doing with that money?” Jackie asked her granddaughter.
“I’m taking it to school,” Sunshine replied. “I’m going to take it for milk money. My friend Layla doesn’t get milk— her mom doesn’t have milk money and I do.”
Jackie’s heart melted at Sunshine’s words. Choked with strong feelings, Jackie held her sweet granddaughter tightly in her arms.
Last week, Jackie and Sunshine met with her teacher, Rita Hausher, and handed her the $30 the kindergartner had saved. There are 20 kids in Sunshine’s class and about half don’t get milk. It costs $ 0.45 a carton (纸盒). The total adds up to about $180 a month for every child in the class to have milk every day.
After dropping Sunshine off at school, Jackie posted a tearful video on Facebook to explain her granddaughter’s plan. To her surprise, many people offered to donate toward the cause. Within a week, Jackie raised more than $1,000. Now every student in Sunshine’s class can get free milk for the rest of the year.
Jackie said Sunshine doesn’t see her kind act as a big deal. She was just trying to look out for her friends. “She doesn’t understand the effect she’s brought about,” Jackie said. “But now she knows she can do whatever she puts her mind to.”
1. Why did Sunshine empty her piggy bank?| A．She hoped to show off her savings in class. | B．She needed to train her counting skills. |
| C．She wanted to play with the coins. | D．She intended to pay for her friend’s milk. |
| A．Relieved. | B．Touched. | C．Curious. | D．Proud. |
| A．Two heads are better than one. | B．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. | D．There’s no such thing as a free lunch. |
| A．Small Coins, Big Changes. | B．Jackie’s Piggy Bank. |
| C．Piggy Bank and Carton Milk. | D．A Moved Grandmother. |
2 . It was mid-afternoon. I looked outside my dorm window, and saw the lifeless gray sky, the snow and the trackless sidewalks. There was no one in the snow but a squirrel. The brown-gray North American squirrel,a look of terror in his shining eyes, braved the cold to throw himself over snow. In his mouth was a large acorn(橡实)—I was surprised it fit in his mouth.
I moved closer to my window, outside of which is a medium-sized tree, lacking its warm-weather leaves. The squirrel ran up rapidly, higher and higher in the tree, and his small body held onto his dear acorn.
Up he went, to the tip of one of the highest branches. I held my breath—I wondered if that slender branch could support him. I wondered if his winter food store was in this tree—squirrels are known to hide their nuts, mushrooms, and vegetation high up in trees. Outside, the squirrel firmly grasped that branch, jaw clamping(夹紧)on his acorn.
Then came the wind blowing violently, shaking the tree, the branch and the squirrel. He hung on for dear life, and both arms wrapped around the branch in the wind. I held my breath: If he fell from a height like this, then.... Seeing this little squirrel, I had my heart in my mouth. As the wind became stronger, the squirrel’s precious acorn fell to the ground. The squirrel followed its downward progress only by sight—if he let go the branch, he would fall downwards as well. I was so nervous that I didn’t take my gaze off the squirrel for one minute. Surprisingly, he then climbed down the tree and was now half-buried in the snow, searching desperately for his acorn. Finally, he made it.
The brave animal is able to survive in nature all because of its desperate efforts.The same goes for us humans. We all work hard to survive, and this is the law of nature. So effort is not something special, but a matter for all living things to do to survive.
1. What did the author discover outside the window?| A．A squirrel was freezing nearly to death. |
| B．A squirrel was choked by a large acorn. |
| C．A squirrel was picking acorns from a tree. |
| D．A squirrel was climbing to the top of a tree. |
| A．Dead. | B．Straight. | C．Slim. | D．Thick. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Unfriendly. | C．Uncaring. | D．Curious. |
| A．Stop struggling, life is stopped. |
| B．Facts speak louder than words. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. |
| D．Teaching others teaches yourself. |
3 . My name is Destiny, working at a Psychological Counselling Center. In my teens, there was nothing special about me. My older sister, Antia, is beautiful. My younger brother, Tye, is a talent at the age 13. He completely skipped the sixth grade. How do I compete with that?
My mom and I were home alone one day. I went into the room where she was watching television and I blurted out (脱口而出), “Mom, is there anything special about me?”
She thought about it for a moment and then turned down TV. She took a deep breath, took my hand and exhaled (呼气).
“You have the ability to say just the right thing at just the right time.”
“Really? Is that it, words?” I tried to keep my voice steady (稳定的) but I could hear the anger even as I fought to control it.
“It’s more than words, Destiny,” my mom said. I know my mother meant well but I felt worse than ever. I burst into tears.
The next day is when my whole life changed. I went to school earlier than before and noticed Darwin sitting across the room which was strange because no one ever noticed Darwin. Suddenly, Darwin stood up and threw away all his books, shouting loudly. I could hear screaming and crying but the sounds seemed distant as I focused my full attention on Darwin six feet in front of me. I felt the words swell up in me. “Darwin,” I heard myself say with a calm, steady voice. “I have family and friends with so much talent and potential and I have none. There is nothing special about me.” From the corner of my eye, I could see others staring at me in silence. I continued talking. “You are so smart. You can answer questions that the teacher hasn’t even asked yet. Do you know that everyone in this class is envious (嫉妒的) of you?” Hearing my words, he calmed down and gave me a big hug.
Then the teacher came. Learning about what happened, the teacher smiled, “That was a great job you did, young lady. Superman could not have done a better job than you did here today.” I couldn’t believe that she compared me to Super man. I work at Psychological Counselling Center now. There is a cork board over my desk filed with thank-you cards and letters from people who say they owe their lives, careers, or their families to my words. But tome, they are more than words. They are my super power!
1. Why does the author mention her sister and brother?| A．She is envious of them. | B．She feels really proud of them. |
| C．She wants to show family love. | D．She considers competing with them. |
| A．She said more words to her mother. |
| B．She could hardly believe her mother. |
| C．She understood her mother’s white lie. |
| D．She had doubt about her mother’s love. |
| A．He quarreled with his classmates. | B．He lacked great talent and potential. |
| C．He failed again in the examination. | D．He suddenly lost control for some reason. |
| A．A Brave Superman | B．The Power of Words |
| C．A Strange Classmate | D．The Future of a Career |
4 . When asking for money, teens usually spend money in eating and having fun. But Garland Benson, a 14-year-old boy in Austin, Texas, asks for money to help his sister, Christiane.
Garland is trying to raise ＄l million to help cover the cost of starting a clinical trial (临床试验) to develop a treatment for Batten disease that can cause blindness. Christiane was found having Batten disease at age 5,and she was 15 in 2018.
“It’s $1 million that I’m going to raise by myself,” Garland told KXAN. “My first goal was to get 100,000 people to give $10 each, and I can do that by spreading it on social media, getting people to donate (捐赠) ＄10 until 10 people and then keep going like that and finally I’ll get there．”
Garland’s $1 million plan, called “Be a Hero!”, started in February, 2017. He has nearly reached his goal and he has raised $869,525. He has used school projects and even at school-based group of brothers called “Brothers for Batten“ who do things like garage sales to raise the money.
Christiane hasn’t allowed Batten disease to keep her from experiencing life. She still goes skiing with her family, rides horses and is a part of her school’s cheerleading squad (啦啦队).
Garland and Christiane’s parents, Charlotte and Craig, started the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation in 2008 in the hope of funding a clinical trial for treatments that may slow the progress of Batten disease. Mom Charlotte is proud of both her kids for doing what they can to help each other and others with Batten disease.
1. Why does Garland Benson want to raise $1 million?| A．To pay for his sister’s schooling. |
| B．To help fight his sister’s disease. |
| C．To collect money for his daily fun. |
| D．To do a research on a deadly disease. |
| A．It has nearly succeeded. |
| B．It is a school-based group of brothers. |
| C．It helps slow the progress of Batten disease. |
| D．It is a website designed for people with Batten disease. |
| A．Cheerful and brave. |
| B．Clever but depressed |
| C．Unfortunate but positive. |
| D．Active and hard-working. |
| A．She takes pride in her children. |
| B．Her efforts to fund a clinical trial failed. |
| C．She is proud of her children’s achievement in study. |
| D．She once turned to the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation. |
| A．A Little Girl Fights Against Disease. |
| B．A Great Project Treats Volunteers. |
| C．Batten Disease Can Cause Blindness. |
| D．A Boy Raises Money To Help His Sister. |
5 . Ed Jackson’s team were trying to climb to the top of a Himalayan Mountain. However, weeks after they set off, they were stranded (滞留) there overnight without water, food or tents at a temperature of about -30℃. They took turns to keep each other awake in case they fell asleep and did not wake up again.
Actually, that night on the mountain top was not the first time that Jackson had been close to death. Five years ago, while still a professional rugby player, Jackson broke his neck in a challenge, which nearly killed him. Jackson was told by doctors that he was likely to face life in a wheelchair. He was forced to retire from playing rugby.
Luckily, Jackson managed to discard his wheelchair six months after the accident. To mark the first anniversary of his accident, Jackson set himself the goal of climbing Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, even though he was still using two crutches (拐杖) then. He tried to climb many higher mountains after that. Four years later, he found himself in the Himalayas.
The challenges that Jackson faced in the mountains have had a great impact on his recovery both physically and mentally. Jackson realized that others might benefit, too. So he started the charity Millimeters to Mountains (M2M) with his wife Lois and his friend Oily Barkley. It takes beneficiaries (受益人) who have suffered physical or psychological injuries in challenges around the world, allowing them to access the healing power of nature.
Jackson says, “I once lost hope in life because of my bad condition, thinking there was nothing I could do. But hopefully what I’m doing, what we’re doing with the charity and what our beneficiaries are proving can give anyone the hope that they can turn their life around, no matter how discouraging it might seem at that moment.”
1. What do the first two paragraphs mainly talk about?| A．Jackson was tired of ball games. |
| B．Jackson was no stranger to suffering in life. |
| C．Jackson was well respected for his survival skills. |
| D．Jackson was advised to do exercise by his doctors. |
| A．Give up. | B．Rely on. | C．Tear apart. | D．Carry through. |
| A．To educate sports lovers. | B．To raise money for the disabled. |
| C．To encourage safe mountain climbing. | D．To help people with similar experiences. |
| A．Enthusiastic and independent. | B．Creative and aggressive. |
| C．Adventurous and inspiring. | D．Responsible and humorous. |
6 . Tourists to the North Antrim Coast come for its breathtaking beauty On this stretch of coast, myth and history live side by side, and running out of things to do is near impossible. Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede, the Iron Isles’ filming locations ...
However, when I make my way to the north of the-country in October, none of them are on my mind. What brings me to the coastal town of Portrush are the waves.
Located, on a peninsula, Portrush is home to three brilliant beaches and all the usual points of interest of a coastal town. But what makes the North Antrim Coast so special is the promise of the consistent waves hitting its shores. Although still relatively unknown, it’s a surfer’s dream destination. This is the home of six-time Irish national surfing champion, Andrew Hill, after all.
I meet Andrew at his surf shop, the most popular in Portrush. After hiring a surf board and jumping in the water at West Strand, I quickly realise that my trusted wetsuit is not enough. Within just 30 minutes, I’ve lost all feeling in my feet and hands, and my ears are burning. I retreat to a nearby café and gulp down steaming tea before popping by Andrew’s shop again. Surf boots are what I need, we decide. I leave with a new determination to master the icy Atlantic waves. I’m invited to surf a different spot with Andrew and his friend that afternoon. but I decline his generous offer. My head is set on one thing only: taking revenge on the same waves that almost turned me into an ice block that very morning.
Even with boots, surfing the cold waters of Portrush leaves my feet purple. I become covered in bruises that don’t register until I thaw out each night, and it takes a couple of days to fully regain feeling in my hands. But it’s worth it, and I would gladly do it all over again.
1. What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．The popular attractions. | B．Coastal towns. |
| C．The filming locations. | D．Passionate tourists. |
| A．It has internationally famous beaches. |
| B．It’s home to the usual seaside interests. |
| C．It produces excellent waves for surfing. |
| D．It’s the hometown of a surfing champion. |
| A．better equip himself for the challenge |
| B．consult with some experienced surfers |
| C．accompany the owner on a later surf trip |
| D．quickly warm himself up with some hot tea |
| A．Narrative and serious. | B．Persuasive and critical. |
| C．Descriptive and positive. | D．Informative and objective. |
7 . For me, nothing is more satisfying than discovering hidden precious stones in secondhand shops. After all, one person’s garbage may be another person’s treasure. I can spend hours sorting through boxes of old photography.
Two years ago, I came across a collection of loose, dusty photos. I looked to see if there were any names on the backs. I thought that if these were mine or my family’s, I’d want someone to return them to me. So I made it my goal to do so for others.
Since then, I’ve visited secondhand shops weekly, and have collected more than 50,000 of these items. I organize them in big boxes all over my house in New York.
I’ve also set up a social media account to help reunite items with their owners or other family members. The first item I posted was a video tape of a family holiday and I digitized (数字化) it. It was a video of two parents and a son of university age on a trip in the 1990s — the son was wearing a T-shirt with the words “Wesleyan swimming” on it.
My fans on social media contacted the sports departments in universities across the US and asked swimming coaches from the 1990s if they recognized the student. At last, the family was found. They couldn’t believe it and was overjoyed to be reunited with the tape. Then, the family revisited some of the memories together.
People are often quite affecting when seeing the items again — most of these items are lost after a house move or a family death, because they thought they would never see these items again. I have some rules, including not sharing sensitive photographs and removing posts if the family does not want their memories online. I want to encourage people to protect their own family history so that they don’t get lost.
1. Why did the author return old photos two years ago?| A．To do what he thought was worth doing. |
| B．To exchange them for more valuable items. |
| C．To discover more stories behind them. |
| D．To avoid more rubbish around in community. |
| A．By recalling the past. |
| B．By seeing the digitized tape on a poster. |
| C．With the help of the author and his fans. |
| D．Through a T-shirt with the family names. |
| A．They feel at a loss. | B．They’re filled with strong emotions. |
| C．They tend to remove them. | D．They clean them again. |
| A．Throwing the items into the rubbish. |
| B．Giving up social media as much as possible. |
| C．Returning lost items to social organizations. |
| D．Deleting the online posts if not permitted. |
8 . Growing up in Saudi Arabia, 44-year-old photographer Jody MacDonald has always had a strong interest in the desert. “I have always wanted to spend some time in the Sahara, ” MacDonald said. “There are still so many unexplored areas in the Sahara Desert. These relatively unexplored places are so rare these days and hold the very fundamentals of exploration, which attract me. So finally I made the journey. “MacDonald started her journey in Mauritania’s capital city Nouakchott, and headed inland where she and her team jumped on the world’s longest cargo train (货运列车) for a 435-mile journey on the Mauritania Railway. ”The train was dirty and uncomfortable but it was such an interesting and unique way to travel through the vast desert by train, ”said MacDonald.
MacDonald and her group had to face many challenges on their journey. Except for the dirt and discomfort, the travellers also had to deal with the intense heat, violent winds and even dangerous sandstorms. “I was out taking photographs and within minutes, the wind increased to more than 100 miles an hour, ”MacDonald said. “I thought my skin was going to be torn off because of the rain and blowing sand. It felt like sandpaper on my skin. I have never experienced winds that strong before. There was once a time when I wanted to give up. ”
She dealt with the harsh (恶劣的) conditions by trying not to travel in the middle of the day and wore headscarves to protect herself from the sun and blowing sand. “The weather definitely dictates when and where you travel, “said MacDonald. Even with all the challenges, the photographer managed to record amazing images of the beautiful but harsh landscapes of Mauritania, and its fascinating cultures and communities.
1. Why did MacDonald tour the Sahara Desert?| A．She grew up in Saudi Arabia. |
| B．She intended to be a famous woman. |
| C．She had a strong interest in travelling alone. |
| D．She was attracted by the unexplored places in it. |
| A．Unclean and painful. | B．Unique and relaxed. |
| C．Comfortable and interested. | D．Excited and unforgettable. |
| A．The sandpaper on her skin. | B．The difficult weather conditions. |
| C．The dangerous animals. | D．The harsh criticism. |
| A．Determines. | B．Allows. | C．Multiplies. | D．Postpones. |
9 . Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people.
My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life. We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, “Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it.”
At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day, my mother spoke to me in her gentle, loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I could walk again if I wanted to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her. A year later, I returned to school — walking on my own!
When the Great Depression (大萧条)hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again.
Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel (汽车旅馆) for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time.
Not surprisingly, mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business, we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother’s words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed. Fifteen years later, we had the largest hotel system in the world — Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1,759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1 billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situations. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you.
1. What Kemmons’ mom often told him during his childhood was ______.| A．caring | B．encouraging | C．moving | D．interesting |
| A．Doctors. | B．Nurses. | C．Friends. | D．Mom. |
| A．His terrible experience in the hotel. |
| B．His previous business success of various levels. |
| C．His mom’s support. |
| D．His wife’s suggestion. |
| A．Self-confidence, hard work, higher education and a poor family. |
| B．Mom’s encouragement, clear goals, self-confidence and hard work. |
| C．Clear goals, mom’s encouragement, a poor family and higher education. |
| D．Mom’s encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities. |
10 . Sarah was not an early riser. But what made the annoying early morning hours bearable was the comforting smell of fresh coffee floating in the air. Her favorite coffee shop was just a few minutes away from her apartment.
One sunny morning, Sarah rushed to get dressed. Having a job interview, she felt anxious, afraid to be late. She grabbed her car key, dashed out of the door and made her way to her familiar coffee shop as usual. As she joined the line of cars at the drive-through, the smell of roasted coffee beans and the thought of the first taste of coffee were her little daily luxury. The line inched forward, and soon, Sarah found herself at the drive-through window. She reached for her purse to pay, but before she could hand over her credit card, the coffee shop assistant smiled and said, “Your coffee has been covered by the car ahead of you.” Sarah was taken aback. “Really?” she asked, feeling astonished and grateful. The assistant nodded. The unexpected act of kindness put a smile on her face, making her upcoming interview feel a little relaxing.
As she exited the drive-through, Sarah glanced in her rear view mirror (后视镜) at the next car approaching the coffee shop window. An idea began to come into her mind. Maybe she could do the same and brighten someone else’s morning. She decided to return to the coffee shop. Inside, she approached the cashier and said, “I’d like to pay for the coffee of the person in the car behind me.” The assistant smiled and nodded again.
As Sarah eventually left the coffee shop, Sarah couldn’t help but wonder how the next driver would react. A wave of satisfaction washed over Sarah as she witnessed the continuation of the coffee chain. She knew she had just initiated a chain of generosity and kindness.
1. What can we learn about Sarah from the first two paragraphs?| A．She led a life of luxury. | B．She used to get up early. |
| C．She was nervous about the interview. | D．She was new to the coffee shop. |
| A．To find out who paid for her coffee. | B．To order herself another cup of coffee. |
| C．To see what was exactly happening there. | D．To buy coffee for the driver behind her. |
| A．Ambitious. | B．Content. | C．Awkward. | D．Suspicious. |
| A．A chain of coffee shops. | B．An unforgettable interview. |
| C．The kindness from an assistant. | D．The power of paying it forward. |
