1 . Two young brothers from Malden. Massachusetts were in the spotlight Thursday after being named “heroes" by a national organization that recognizes young people doing great things. For the Bennett brothers, the goal of their work is nothing less than helping researchers find a cure for cancer. And their inspiration came from a friend.
Thirteen-year-old Hany Bennett and his nine-year-old brother Heath run their business out of their family kitchen. "We're making lip balm （润唇膏），"Harry says. They got the idea two years ago when their friend, Timmy, was diagnosed （诊断）with cancer. brothers wanted to do something. We learned that cancer patients（ lips and skin can get really dry because of chemotherapy （化疗），Hany says.
A light bulb went off in both of their young heads, and " Bennett Brothers Balm was born. "We make lip balm, which is kind of like our main product/ says Heath. They also make and sell different body balms, all natural, all handmade, while the profits benefit cancer research. "We've raised S 15,000/ Heath says.
And with the great optimism of children, they don't just want to help ； they wont to win. We want to find a cure. We want to help doctors find a cure, Harry explains, The brothers are also Gelding a team for the Light the Night Walk, to fight cancer.
"I think it's great to raise money and help people who have cancer," says Heath. Their parents play a big role as well, but it's the boys who provide the most enthusiasm with a message we can all learn from. "If you want to do something... do it," Harry says. "I just feel very glad that we're helping. It feels very good”， adds Heath.
Harn and Heath just received the S 10,000 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. Hwy intend to save some of il for college, invest some of it in their business and give the rest to charity. And their friend Timmy? "He's doing great. He's all better, Harry says.
1. What encouraged the Bennett brothers to make lip balm at first?| A．Helping a friend with cancer. | B．Finding a cure for cancer. |
| C．Raising public awareness of cancer. | D．Collecting money for cancer patients. |
| A．The two brothers finished their first product. |
| B．The two brothers came up with an idea. |
| C．The two brothers struggled for a stress-free life. |
| D．The two brothers found an effective way to study. |
| A．It is quite competitive. | B．It is well worthwhile. |
| C．It fails to satisfy their parents. | D．lt helps them make a big profit. |
| A．Great minds think alike. |
| B．Two heads are better than one. |
| C．Young kids can make a big difference. |
| D．The longest journey begins with the first step. |
2 . Last week, our forum(论坛)asked if you had any funny or strange stories about using English. We didn’t expect to get so many posts! Here are some of our favorites, to remind us that some of the English we learn in the classroom is rather different from the English in the outside world.
| People say that the British always play safe with what they eat. Not true! I went to a summer school in Manchester and my English teacher was called Maggie. One day, a different teacher took our class. He told us that Maggie couldn’t teach that day COZ she had a frog in her throat. Poor Maggie-but why did she try to eat such a big frog?
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| When I first visited New York, I went to a downtown shopping centre to buy some winter boots. At the information desk at the entrance, I asked a lady where the shoe shop was. She said that it was on the first floor. So I went up to the first floor, but I couldn’t find any shoes. I decided to leave. When I was looking for the exit, I saw that shoes were actually sold downstairs on the ground floor, not the first floor. Why did she give me the wrong information?
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| The British must have really high standards. I was part of a student exchange programme between a university in England and my university in China. I spent days preparing and writing my first English paper. I knew I had done a good job and was looking forward to getting a positive comment. When I got the paper back, I found my teacher had written the comment “Not bad!” Not bad? But there weren’t any errors in my paper.
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| A．She didn’t play safe with what she ate. |
| B．She has drawn a picture of frog on her face. |
| C．She ate a big frog and her throat was blocked. |
| D．She couldn’t speak clearly because her throat is dry. |
| A．Both of them have difficulty in learning English. |
| B．They didn’t know the words’ different meanings in other countries. |
| C．The spellings are too complicated for both of them to understand. |
| D．The speakers spoke so fast that Sophie and Zheng Xu couldn’t follow. |
| A．In a novel. | B．In a magazine. | C．On the Internet. | D．In a diary. |
3 . A Hug from a Teenage Boy
Fifteen years spent in the field of education have provided Nancy Marra with many treasured moments. One of the most endearing happened when she was teaching second grade.
That year, she decided to plan something special for the children: a Mother’s Day tea. After all the preparations were made for it, each child took home an invitation. Nancy was surprised and relieved to see that every mother was planning to attend. She even invited her own mother.
Finally, the day arrived. That afternoon, each child lined up at the classroom door expecting the arrival of his or her mom. As it got closer to starting time, Nancy looked around and her eyes quickly found Jimmy. His mother hadn’t shown up and he was looking upset.
Nancy took her mother by the hand and walked over to Jimmy. “Jimmy,” Nancy said, “I have a bit of a problem here and I was wondering if you could help out. Since I’m going to be really busy today, I was wondering if you could keep my mother company.”
Nancy’s mom and Jimmy sat at a table with two other mother-child pairs. Jimmy served Nancy’s mom her treats, presented her with the gift Nancy had made, and pulled out and pushed in her chair, just as they had practiced the day before. Whenever Nancy looked over, her mom and Jimmy were in deep conversation
Ten years later, Nancy was at a high school to take a senior class on a field trip, and there was Jimmy. On the way back, Nancy had the students complete an evaluation form of their trip. She collected and checked the forms one by one.
When she came to Jimmy’s evaluation page, he had written, “Remember our Mother’s Day tea we had in second grade, Mrs. Marra? I do! Thanks for all you did for me, and thank your mother, too.”
As they began unloading at the school, Jimmy made sure he was the last one to go. Nancy told him she really enjoyed what he had written. He looked rather embarrassed, mumbled (咕哝) his own thanks, and then turned to walk away. As the bus driver began pulling the bus away, Jimmy ran back and knocked on the bus door. He jumped back on board and gave Nancy a big hug. “Thanks again, Mrs. Marra. No one even knew my mom didn’t make it that day!”
She ended her workday with a hug from a teenage boy who had probably stopped hugging teachers years ago.
1. Why was Jimmy paired with Nancy’s mother?| A．Nancy was too busy to spend time with her. |
| B．Jimmy’s mother didn’t come to the event. |
| C．Nancy wanted Jimmy to get to know her. |
| D．Jimmy could get along well with her. |
| A．Near Jimmy’s high school. |
| B．At a Mother’s Day tea. |
| C．In Nancy’s classroom. |
| D．On a field trip. |
| A．Upset. | B．Embarrassed. | C．Grateful. | D．Satisfied. |
| A．No act of kindness is ever wasted. |
| B．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| C．A mother’s hug lasts long after she lets go. |
| D．The best teacher must be the best performer. |
4 . Yu Chenrui, 29, is a maker of automata (机关人偶) in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Automata are built to look like humans or animals and give the illusion (错觉) of being able to move on their own, “The art form amazes me, because it combines various skills, from storytelling to mechanics, and the pieces are built with a sense of humor,” Yu says. His creations have caught the attention of well-known artists and his fancy pieces of art have attracted collectors worldwide.
Interested in handcrafts as a boy, Yu first encountered automata designed by Japanese artist Kazuaki at an exhibition in 2015 when he studied at the Communication University of China in Beijing. “It was like meeting a like-minded friend, ” Yu says, recalling the moment. As an art and design major, he began to learn the craft by himself and, with the support of his tutor, he kept studying and examining automata in school.
When he graduated in 2016, Yu landed a job at an advertising agency in Beijing. He stayed on at the company for three years because, at that time, he was not sure that he could make a living out of his hobby. While working as a designer Yu kept exploring and advancing his skills in wood carving and mechanics. Eventually, despite the job’s good salary, it was not enough to make up for not following his true passion. Finally, in 2018, Yu quit his job and returned to Chengdu to open his automata workshop.
To keep himself occupied while running his workshop, he planted blueberries, raspberries and cherries. He watered, weeded and added fertilizer (肥料) every day. “Daily routines helped me calm down and inspire my creativity, which resulted in an automaton called To Observe the Autumn,” Yu says.
Over time, Yu’s reputation grew and his business flourished (兴旺). Many of Yu’s creations are built with a dash of wisdom, a sprinkle of humor and are inspired by observations of real life. Yu knows that there are many more creative ideas waiting to be expressed. “It feels quite good to be fully devoted to automata creation and I am still searching for myself.”
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Yu is equipped with various skills. |
| B．Yu is a person full of sense of humor. |
| C．Yu is now gaining recognition worldwide. |
| D．Yu is following the latest trend in handcraft. |
| A．He couldn't make a living out of it. |
| B．He wanted to pursue his own dream. |
| C．He missed his family in Chengdu. |
| D．He thought he had a lot experience. |
| A．The fruits he grows. | B．Success of his business. |
| C．His devotion to the job. | D．Observation from daily life. |
| A．There is no end to learning. | B．Great hopes make great man. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. | D．Experience is the mother of wisdom. |
5 . I had been living quite busily: studying the organ at the University of Arizona, conducting a speech clinic in town, and teaching a class in musical appreciation at the Desert Willow Ranch, where I was staying. I was going to parties, dances, horseback rides under the stars. One morning I suddenly fell down. My heart! "You will have to lie in bed for a year of complete rest," the doctor said. He didn't encourage me to believe I would ever be strong again.
In bed for a year! To be honest—perhaps to die! I was terror-stricken! Why did all this have to happen to me? What had I done to deserve it? I swept. I was bitter. But I did go to bed as the doctor advised. A neighbor of mine, Mr. Rudolf, an artist, said to me: "You think now that spending a year in bed will be a tragedy. But it won't be. You will have time to think and get acquainted with yourself. You will make more spiritual growth in these next few months than you have made during all your previous life."
I became calmer, and tried to develop a new sense of values. I read books of inspiration. One day I heard a radio commentator say: "You can express only what is in your own consciousness." I had heard the words like these many times before, but now they reached down inside me and took root. I determined to think only the thoughts I wanted to live by: thoughts of joy, happiness, health. I forced myself each morning, as soon as l awoke, to go over all the things I had to be grateful for. No pain. A lovely young daughter. My eyesight. My hearing. Lovely music on the radio. Time to read. Good food. Good friends. I was so cheerful and had so many visitors that the doctor put up a sign saying that only one visitor at a time would be allowed in my cabin—and only at certain hours.
Nine years have passed since then, and 1 now lead a full, active life. I am deeply grateful now for that year I spent in bed. It was the most valuable and the happiest year I spent in Arizona. The habit I formed then of counting my blessings each morning still remains with me. It is one of my most precious possessions.
1. Why did the writer have to lie in bed for a year?| A．Because she was terror-stricken at that time. |
| B．Because she had a serious heart-attack. |
| C．Because she was worn out for her busy life. |
| D．Because the doctor wanted her to do so. |
| A．was very grateful to the doctor |
| B．was shocked at the diagnosis |
| C．turned to a neighbor-Mr. Rudolf for help |
| D．thought of her bitter experiences in the past |
| A．she led a very comfortable life that year |
| B．she became used to lying in bed |
| C．she perfectly recovered from her illness |
| D．she came to know how to lead an active life |
| A．To share her understanding of life from an unforgettable experience. |
| B．To introduce herself to us because she was wise and kind. |
| C．To explain that lying in bed for a long time is not a terrible thing. |
| D．To encourage us to achieve as much as we can. |
6 . Papa's jaw dropped when mama told him that Sister had cheated on her final exams - not to succeed but to fail. “It's unbelievable!” he said. “Sister has always been so proud of her good grades!”
“Yes, she has,” said Mama. “But it's not unbelievable. It just shows how badly she wanted off the swimming team.”
“Wanted off the swimming team?” said Papa. “She never said anything about that to me.”
“Of course she didn't,” said Mama. “She was afraid you'd blow your top. You already had her getting a swimming scholarship to collage and winning gold medals at the Olympics. Can you imagine how much pressure she must have felt? For her, being on the team couldn't have been much fun.”
“Oh, my Gosh!” Papa said, clapping a hand to his forehead. “I've been so stupid! I just thought she'd want to be a champion swimmer because she's so good at it.”
“It's like anything else, dear,” said Mama. “No matter how good at it you are, if it stops being fun, you won't want to do it anymore.”
Papa put his head in his hands.
“She must be rally mad at me,” he mumbled. “Maybe I should say sorry to her.”
Sister's footsteps could be beard on the stairs She came into the kitchen and looked hopefully up at her parents. with a smile, "Your papa and I have decided that there's no reason for you to.
“Honey,” said Mama with a smile, “Your papa and I have decided that there's no reason for you to be on the swimming team if you don't want to.”
Sister's face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Yippee!” she cried.
“And,” added Papa, “there's no need for any more drills. I'm sure you'll bring your grades back up all by yourself.”
Sister ran to Papa and jumped into his arms. She gave him a big hug. “I'm going to go play cards with Lizzy!” she said. “See you later!”
From the kitchen window, Mama and Papa watched their daughter run down the sunny road toward Lizzy's house.
“It's good to see her happy again,” said Mama.
“It sure is,” Papa agreed. “As for the swimming team, there's always next year.”
“If?” Mama prompted him.
“Oh, right,” said Papa. “If she wants to.” Mama smiled. “At least you're learning, dear.” she said. She kissed him.
“Well, you know what they say,” Papa said. “Better late than never.”
1. Why did Sister cheat in her final exams?| A．To show she wanted to leave the swimming team |
| B．To improve her grades in her final exams |
| C．To let others know how badly she did in her study |
| D．To prove she was not as good at swimming as before |
| A．Change your idea | B．Become quite excited |
| C．Get very angry | D．Reach your goal |
| A．He taught her how to win gold medals | B．He offered her a swimming scholarship |
| C．He put much pressure on her to do the best. | D．He brought her much fun with his company |
| A．Sister was going to be punished by her cheating |
| B．Sister was required to take more drills to improve her grades |
| C．Papa was disappointed with his daughter's performance |
| D．Mama successfully persuaded Papa to change his mind |
| A．Better Late Than Never | B．Health Is Better Than Wealth |
| C．Better to Give Than to Receive | D．Something Is Better Than Nothing |
7 . It was the first time I had taught in a special needs classroom. I wasn't sure what to expect at our school sports meeting. All my students had some problems, from slight learning disabilities to physical disabilities.
Mark was one of the latter. He had to get around in a wheelchair. But he was always positive and greeted everyone with a huge smile. His classmates loved him, especially Lucas, the boy who was good at sports. I knew Mark wanted to be like him.
When track and field day came, Lucas did well in every event. Mark sat on the sideline, cheering him on. The final event of the day was the 400-meter race. Everyone was invited to either walk or run. But when Lucas reached the finish line, he stopped and turned to look behind him. At the back of the crowd was Mark. He was alone on the track, trying to catch up with others. Lucas made a decision quickly. He turned back toward his friend. He ran beside Mark, cheering him on as Mark had done for him before.
In the end, the two boys crossed the finish line together to the excited shout of their teachers and classmates. Seeing Mark's face, I came to understand what makes the Special Olympics so special. Everyone deserves their own time to shine.
1. Why was the class"special"?| A．It was taught at special times and in special places. |
| B．The students had some learning and physical problems. |
| C．Everyone could walk or run faster than common people. |
| D．All of the students cheered for each other in every event. |
| A．No students would take part in it. | B．It wouldn't be a challenging one. |
| C．The writer didn't expect too much. | D．Students shouldn't spend time on it. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Serious. |
| C．Noisy. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．He waited for Mark at the finish line. |
| B．He cheered the Mark on the sidelines. |
| C．He went back and ran with Mark together. |
| D．He shouted it and laughed at him excitedly. |
| A．Track and field is a fun event for everyone. |
| B．The Special Olympics are boring to watch. |
| C．Friendship comes from valuable competition. |
| D．Everyone deserves to have a special moment. |
8 . One day a little boy decided to dig a hole behind his house after watching a science program. As he was working, a group of older boys stopped by to watch. "What are you doing?" asked one of the older boys. "I want to dig a deep hole all the way through the earth!" the boy answered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh at him telling him that it was impossible to do it. After a while, they left without saying any more words.
The little boy kept on digging and digging. Suddenly a few small colorful stones caught his eyes. He picked them up and put them into a glass box patiently. Then he went on digging. The box was full soon. Then he talked to himself quietly and proudly, "Maybe I can't finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I have found in the process of digging!"
Not all dreams will come true. Maybe your job will not end up with a success. But maybe you can proudly say, "Yes, but look what I've found along the way! There are so many wonderful things that have come into my life because I tried to do something!" So that's why there is a famous saying that the process is more important than the results.
1. What did the boy do after watching a science program?| A．He bought a glass box. | B．He started to dig a hole. |
| C．He played with some visitors | D．He went on watching the program. |
| A．He was silly. | B．He was strict. |
| C．He was strong-minded. | D．He was energetic. |
| A．Before he met the older boys. |
| B．When he wanted to give up digging. |
| C．After the older boys laughed at him. |
| D．As soon as he began to dig the hole. |
| A．wonderful | B．useless |
| C．cheap | D．awful |
| A．Enjoying the process | B．How to achieve goals |
| C．A journey through the earth | D．Digging a hole |
9 . Jose Hernandez made his dream of becoming an astronaut a reality and he did so despite unbelievable difficulties.
“I was working in a field near Stockton, and I heard on my radio that Franklin Chang-Diaz had been selected for the Astronaut Corps,” said Jose, who was a senior in high school at the time. “I was already interested in science and engineering,” Jose remembered, “but that was the moment I said, ‘I want to fly in space.’”
As one of four children in a migrant (移民) farming family from Mexico, Jose — who didn’t learn English until he was 12 years old — spent much of his childhood traveling with his family from Mexico to southern California each March, then working northward to the Stockton area by November, picking strawberries and cucumbers at farms along the route. They would then return to Mexico for Christmas and start the cycle all over again in the spring. “Some kids might think it would be fun to travel like that,” Jose laughed, “but we had to work”.
After graduating from high school, Jose was admitted into the University of the Pacific. In 1987, he accepted a full-time job with Lawrence National Laboratory. In 2001, Jose joined the Johnson Space Center, where he came face-to-face with Franklin Chang-Diaz.
“We actually had common experiences — a similar upbringing, the same language issues. That built up my confidence. Any barriers that existed, he had already overcome them.” Jose smiled. “Now it’s my turn!”
“NASA rejected me not once, not twice, not three times but 11 times. It wasn’t until the 12th time that I got selected,” he said. Jose was selected as part of the 19th class of astronauts in 2004. He circled the globe 217 times but remains a down to Earth guy.
Jose Hernandez received the 2016 National Hispanic Hero Award and he continues his long history in the field of engineering and space.
1. What made Jose determined to be an astronaut?| A．The influence of Astronaut Corps. | B．His talent for science and engineering. |
| C．The success of Franklin Chang-Diaz. | D．The experience of working in the field. |
| A．He did much farm work. | B．He travelled a lot for fun. |
| C．He hated learning English. | D．He obeyed his family in everything. |
| A．Inspired. | B．Valued. |
| C．Relaxed. | D．Puzzled. |
| A．Love breaks down barriers. | B．Education is the key to success. |
| C．Time is money. | D．Don’t quit. |
10 . The day I heard that the Rainbow Bookstore was closing after 50 years of business, I was heartbroken. The bookstore, which was a famous fixture in the neighborhood, was a place where anyone could visit and connect through their love of books.
When I hurried to the store, I saw that the books were already being packed into boxes. I had a long chat with Casey, the store’s elderly owner. Sighing deeply, he told me how it was becoming difficult to run an independent bookstore. Most young people preferred reading e-books on tablets. More and more customers were being attracted by chain stores and online discounts. I tried to think of some words of sympathy, but I had to admit that the Rainbow Bookstore couldn’t stay in business much longer.
A few months later, I was back in the neighborhood during my spring break vacation and was surprised to see that the Rainbow Bookstore was still there and open for business. Its outside surface hadn’t changed, but inside it was like a different world. In one area, a book reading was being delivered. Nearby customers were gathering around shelves selling books, posters and other best-seller-themed gifts. The large board in the corner had been replaced by a big screen, where customers’ comments on the month’s best-seller were being displayed. Clearly, the Rainbow Bookstore was in good, creative hands.
I was told that the community had decided to work together on a campaign to save the Rainbow Bookstore. The campaign had been led by Jennifer Oakley, a saleswoman who had grown up in the neighborhood and who had now taken over the bookstore from Casey.
Under Jenifer’s leadership, the bookstore was being turned into a place for literature-loving members of the community to get together. It had a cafe selling organic food, and there were now more community events such as book readings, poetry recitals and even jazz concerts and movie nights, where people could gather to share an experience that couldn’t be downloaded.
I’m so pleased to see that creativity has brought the old bookstore into the 21st century!
1. The Rainbow Bookstore was closing mainly because ________.| A．Casey was too old to run it |
| B．people lost interest in reading |
| C．it couldn’t meet the customers’ needs |
| D．Jennifer Oakley opened a new bookstore |
| A．read and buy books |
| B．design posters and gifts |
| C．read book comments on a screen |
| D．take part in community activities |
| A．A New Chapter | B．A Valuable Lesson |
| C．The Latest Best-seller | D．The Warm Community |
