1 . Last July, my 12-year-old car died on California’s Santa Ana Freeway. It was an hour before sunset, and I was 25 miles from home. I couldn’t reach anyone to pick me up, so I decided to take a bus. Not knowing the routes, I figured I’d just head east. A bus pulled up, and I asked the driver how far she was going. “Four more lights,” she said. There was another bus I could take from there. This clearly was going to be a long night. She dropped me off at the end of her route and told me which bus to look for.
After waiting 30 minutes, I began to think about a very expensive taxi ride home. Then a bus pulled up. There was no lighted number above its windshield (挡风玻璃). It was out of service. But the door opened, and I was surprised to find that it was the same driver. “ I just can’t leave you here,” she said. “ This isn’t the nicest place. I’ll give you a ride home.” “You’ll drive me in the bus?” I asked, perplexed(困惑的). “No, I’ll take you in my car,” she said. “ It’s a long way,” I protested. “Come on,” she said. “I have nothing else to do.” As we drove from the station in her car, she began telling me a story. A few days earlier, her brother had run out of gas. A good Samaritan picked him up, took him to a service station and then back to his car.
“I’m just passing the favor along,” she said. When I offered her money as a thank-you, she wouldn’t hear of it. “That wouldn’t make it a favor,” she said. “Just do something nice for somebody. Pass it along.”
1. Judging from its context, the place where the writer waited for the second bus was ________.| A．very quiet and peaceful | B．dark without street lights |
| C．neither clean nor beautiful | D．a little unsafe |
| A．No bus would come at the time. |
| B．A taxi ride would be more comfortable. |
| C．He became impatient and a bit worried. |
| D．He knew the driver would never return. |
| A．she happened to go in the same direction |
| B．she wanted to do something good for other people |
| C．her brother told her to do so |
| D．she wanted to earn more money |
| A．would do as she did | B．would keep her in memory |
| C．would give the money to others | D．would do her a favor |
2 . 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. |
3 . The Ghost Bridegroom
At the time of this story, there was a great family gathering at the castle to meet the promised bridegroom of the Baron’s daughter. An arrangement had been made between the Baron and an old nobleman of Bavaria, Berton, for a marriage between their children. It would increase the importance of both families. The initial plans had been made in the usual way: the young people were engaged without having met each other and the date set for the wedding.
The young Count (伯爵) Von Altenburg had been recalled from the army and was on his way to the castle to meet his promised bride. Messages had been received from Wurtzburg where he was accidentally delayed. The messages indicated the day and time when he might be expected to arrive. The castle was in a fever of preparation to provide him with a suitable welcome.
Anne had dressed with particular care. Bertha and Wilda had selected her clothing and quarreled all morning about what she should wear. The young lady had taken advantage of their arguments to wear exactly what she wanted and had chosen very well. She looked as beautiful as any young bridegroom could wish for, and the excitement made her look even lovelier. The two aunts constantly directed her, as single aunts usually take a great interest in the love affairs of others. They were giving her the final instructions on how to behave, what to say, and how to greet her intended husband.
Hour by hour passed. The sun, which had been so warm over the rich forests of the Odenwald, was now setting along the tops of the mountains. The Baron went to the tallest tower in the castle to see if he could see any sign of the Count and his escorts.
Once, he thought he saw them. The sound of horns came floating up from the valley. A party of men was seen far below, riding slowly along the road. It was a false alarm, for when they reached the foot of the mountain, they suddenly rode off in a different direction. The sun, by now, had set, and the bats began to fly about in the evening light. It was getting dark, and the only movement on the road was the occasional worker returning home.
1. Which is the right relationship of the characters in the novel?| A．Von Altenburg was the Baron’s son. |
| B．Anne and Bertha were the Baron’s sister. |
| C．Anne was Berton’s only daughter. |
| D．Von Altenburg was Anne’s intended husband. |
| A．He accepted his intended marriage arranged without his knowledge. |
| B．He was eager to meet his intended wife so he retired from the army. |
| C．He wouldn’t have been welcomed by the bride had he arrived on time. |
| D．He didn’t like the marriage, so he purposely delayed going to the castle. |
| A．The sun was so warm over the rich forests of the Odenwald. |
| B．The Baron went to the tallest tower to see if he could see any sign of the Count. |
| C．The sound of horns came floating up from the valley. |
| D．The sun had set, and the bats began to fly about in the evening light. |
| A．What happened to the bride. | B．What happened to the bridegroom. |
| C．What happened to the Baron. | D．What happened to the aunts. |
4 . A few years ago, my father arranged to send me a mail-order fruitcake at Christmas time. Although I had a good job and apartment in Manhattan, he feared my cupboards might be bare. I had recently moved from California, where my parents still lived in their suburban bungalow (平房) of 50 years, the house I grew up in.
He wanted me to have a particular brand of fruitcake. A fruitcake, in his mind, was a perfect Christmas gift. Made in Texas, it was famous among fruitcake lovers — or at least, among people who gave fruitcake to those who were assumed to love them.
I knew there would be plenty to eat in California. For each Christmas, in addition to my mother’s cookies, fudge (乳脂软糖), and other treats, my father always gave my sister and me each a large bag of assorted foods he called, rather plainly, the “Food Bag”. One year, I secretly listed the contents of my Food Bag in a notebook for the day when I might not get a Food Bag for Christmas. That year, my bag contained a can of mixed nuts, a box of whole-wheat crackers, a Belgian chocolate bar, some English breakfast tea 9and many other items.
I was 44 when my father gave me that Food Bag, and he was 72.
That day before my flight to California, the fruitcake still hadn’t arrived. When my father called to wish me a safe trip and he said “Did you receive it?”
“Not yet,” I said. “Maybe it will be there today.” He regretted deeply about the lost fruitcake.
He remained hopefully the fruitcake would come by New Year’s Eve. But January, February and March came and went with no fruitcake. Though my father continued to ask about it. I never considered lying. Instead, I would say, “That cake is orbiting earth and sooner or later will land.”
As time went by, he would bring up the journey of his fruitcake. “I wonder where it is now.” he’d say.
Early last December, nearly a year after my father died, I got a call from a staffer of my apartment building, “You have a package.”
I went downstairs to pick it up. The brown box had a FedEx label with a return address in Texas.
1. What does the underlined word “bare” probably mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Plain. | B．Short. |
| C．Empty. | D．Abundant. |
| A．Treats from his parents. | B．A big Christmas dinner. |
| C．A food bag from his parents. | D．A Special fruitcake. |
| A．In Texas. | B．At Lost and Found. |
| C．In California. | D．In Manhattan. |
| A．Dad’s Mystery Package | B．Disturbing Delivery Service |
| C．My Favorite Food | D．Memorable Food Bags |
5 . One day, Amanda was diagnosed (诊断) with cancer of an early stage. During this time, she was admitted to a college. She planned to save money to meet the college expense and then seek medical treatment for the cancer.
Her father, Clint and her friends didn’t want her to put off her treatment due to the expense. They took matters into their own hands and started a GoFundMe campaign. A longtime friend of the family was cofounder of a group named Praynksters, known for random acts of kindness. The friend decided to use their own group to help the family. The group came up with the creative idea to spread the word and invite families, friends, and strangers who wanted to help to take part in a donation activity. The event induced the enormous assistance from the local community.
Clint and Amanda were moved as the crowd passed by and the donations poured in. The event brought the family over $13, 000 in donations to go towards her medical treatments. The generous act of kindness gave the family a comforting, and optimistic feeling during a time when all hope seemed lost. Clint said that Amanda struggled with the idea of asking for help. She felt guilty and undeserving compared to others who are also struggling. She is still humbled by it all.
After several months of treatment, life for the family has started getting back to their normal routine. Once Amanda got her strength back, she returned to school and completed her bachelor's degree. The family is now inspired to volunteer in their local neighborhood and contribute to crowdfunding (众筹) efforts. They are grateful for the opportunity to give back and help others as many have helped them.
1. Why did Amanda postpone her treatment of cancer?| A．She didn't care about her disease. |
| B．She had to take care of her family. |
| C．She was in a bad economic situation. |
| D．She couldn’t find an effective treatment. |
| A．Brought about. | B．Made up. |
| C．Gave away. | D．Set about. |
| A．Shameful but caring. |
| B．Kind-hearted and grateful. |
| C．Curious and warm-hearted. |
| D．Hard- working and humorous. |
| A．It's quite easy to cure Amanda’s cancer. |
| B．Praynksters is a nonprofit organization funded by Clint. |
| C．Volunteering is very popular in Amanda's community. |
| D．A GoFundMe campaign is actually a crowdfunding activity. |
6 . A little boy almost thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world because poliomyelitis (小儿麻痹症) made his leg lame and his teeth uneven. He seldom played with his classmates; and when the teacher asked him to answer questions, he always lowered his head without a word.
One spring, the boy’s father asked for some saplings (树苗) from the neighbor. He told his children to plant a sapling each person. The father said, “Whose seedling grows best, I will buy him or her a favorite gift.” The boy also wanted to get his father’s gift. But seeing his brothers and sisters carrying water to water the trees happily, anyhow, he hit upon an idea: he hoped the tree he planted would die soon. So watering it once or twice, he never attended to it.
A few days later, when the little boy went to see his tree again, he was surprised to find it not only didn’t wilt, but also grew some fresh leaves, and compared with the trees of his brother and sister, his appeared greener and more vital. His father kept his promise, bought the little boy his favorite gift and said to him: from the tree he planted, he would become an outstanding botanist when he grew up.
Since then, the little boy slowly became optimistic. One day, the little boy lay on the bed but couldn't sleep. Looking at the bright moonlight outside the window, he suddenly recalled what the biology teacher once said, plants generally grow at night. Why not go to see the tree? When he came to the courtyard on tiptoe, he found his father was splashing something under his tree with a ladle (勺子). He returned to his room, tears running down his face.
Decades passed. The little boy didn’t become a botanist, but he was elected President of the United States. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.
1. Why didn’t the boy answer the teacher’s question?| A．He couldn’t concentrate on the class. |
| B．All the students looked down on him. |
| C．He lacked confidence because of his illness. |
| D．He was an unfortunate boy with learning disability. |
| A．The neighbor required him to do it. |
| B．He expected them to be botanists. |
| C．He wanted to encourage the disabled boy. |
| D．The children asked for their favorite gifts. |
| A．Become weak. | B．Become strong. |
| C．Become beautiful. | D．Become green. |
| A．An Unfortunate Boy |
| B．Nutrition of Growth |
| C．A Loving Father |
| D．The Unselfish Love |
7 . In 2009, Dan Black was hit by a car in his hometown of Chepstow, Wales, as he was biking to his job at a grocery store. The accident left him unable to move from the chest down. During his recovery, he suffered a stroke that made his right arm useless. Once a promising guitarist, Dan, now 25, lives with his parents and requires around-the-clock care that costs nearly $ 300,000 a year. After the accident, a friend of his started the Help Dan Black Fund to cover some of Dan’s medical expenses. Dan learned about an experimental stem cell(干细胞) treatment in China that could enable him to walk again. After four years, donations to help Dan Black totaled nearly $ 30,000.
One day, in 2013, a news story caught the eye of Dan’s mother, Michacla, who then shared the story with her son. The story featured a five-year-old boy named Brecon Vaughan. He had a rare form of disease and never walked by himself. The boy’s family had created a website with which to raise nearly $ 100,000 needed for a trip to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where treatment was offered that could help Brecon walk. Only half the amount had been raised, said the report.
Dan deliberated. Then, after considering that his own dream of walking could be years away, he donated his $30,000 to Brecon’s cause. “I know how it feels to walk. Brecon doesn’t. He needs it much more than I do.” Dan told a newspaper.
Dan’s generosity received a great deal of attention, and contributions started pouring in to the Vaughan website. The family soon exceeded their fund-raising goal. They’ve promised to give the extra funds, about $17,000, to the Tree of Hope charity, which helps sick children in the United Kingdom find specialized medical help. In October, Brecon and his family travelled to St. Louis to begin treatment. “What Dan did is great.” Brecon’s mother said, “It is an extraordinary gift.”
1. What do we know about Dan Black?| A．He promised to be a guitarist. |
| B．He donated his money from his need. |
| C．He created a website to collect money. |
| D．He lost his right arm in an accident. |
| A．Achieved. | B．Brought up. |
| C．Went beyond. | D．Set. |
| A．Dan Black’s example. | B．Brecon’s story |
| C．Michaela’s suggestion. | D．The Vaughans’promise |
| A．Support Dan Black’s treatment. | B．Fund Brecon’s trip to St. Louis. |
| C．Help sick children in the UK. | D．Give away to the Tree of Hope charity. |
