1 . One day, when 12 - year - old Sean Redden went to a popular chat room on the Internet, he saw the name of someone he'd never seen there before, Susan Hicks. Her message was “Would someone help me? I can't breathe. Help me! I can't feel my left side."
At first, Sean thought it was a bad joke and he told his mother Sharon Redden. But she asked, "It's not just some game, is it?"
The message was not a joke. "Susan Hicks" was actually 20 - year - old Taija Laitinen, a student working late at night at a college library near Helsinki, Finland - almost 7,000miles away from Sean's home in Texas. While searching the Internet, she began to feel terrible pain all through her body. The library was empty and the nearest phone was outside in the hallway. She couldn't move that far because any movement caused the pain to get worse. Then as the pain became worse, she began typing her message for help in the chat room.
"I don't think it's a joke, mom," Sean said. He typed, "Where are you?" The letters appeared," Finland." Sean and Sharon couldn't believe it. Not knowing what else to do, Sharon called the local police and explained the situation to officer Amy Schmidt. Schmidt told Sharon to try to get the sick girl's phone number and address.
Meanwhile, the Texas police called the international telephone operator and asked to be connected to the proper agency (机构)in Finland. The Texas police explained the situation and gave Susan's address to the Finnish operator. When Sean heard that, he typed, "Help is on the way. "In the few minutes, the library door opened. Doctors and three policemen ran in.
1. What's Sean's reaction when he received the message for help?| A．He didn't believe it. | B．He took no notice of it. |
| C．He called the police at once. | D．He had a joke with the person. |
| A．She lost her phone. | B．She couldn't finish her work. |
| C．She was locked in the library. | D．She felt pain and couldn't move. |
| A．Sean had seen Taija Laitinen before. |
| B．Susan Hicks was a friend of Taija Laitinen. |
| C．Sean and his mother offered help in time. |
| D．The policeman Sean's mother called was in Finland. |
2 . A ten-year-old New Yorker who was bullied (欺辱) at school is likely making her bullies jealous these days-because how many of them can say they’ve shown a collection of clothing at New York Fashion Week?
Egypt Ufele, who goes by the name Ify, didn’t let those fifth-grade bullies at her Queens school keep her down, and instead took the very thing they made fun of her for and used it to make a name for herself in the fashion world.
“I turned negative attention into positive attention,” she said, shortly after showing her collection at Fashion Week. Ify said that some of the other kids would give her a hard time for her weight. Instead of changing herself because of, their unkind words, though, she took the word “chubby” back — creating her own plus-size fashion line that she calls ChubiiLine.
“People tell me I’m good at fashion,” Ify said. “Sometimes I give my models ideas, and then we agree on it, and I end up making it.”
Ify’s been doing the work all along and, according to her grandma Nellie Rembert, takes the process very seriously. First, the fifth grader started sewing clothes for her toys by hand. Then, she graduated to grandma’s sewing machine, designing clothes for kids.
“She comes out of school, goes straight into homework, and when other kids are out playing she’s either sewing clothes or she’s creating new ideas,” her mom, Dr. Reba Perry,said.
The results — an African-inspired collection — have earned her attention from anti-bullying groups and fashion lovers. Though other children have shown collections at Fashion Week in the past, Ify is the only one to have dressed plus-size women.
She even helped them get ready backstage, tying them up and making sure they were styled perfectly. “Being a designer and being at fashion shows are really exciting because you get a lot of attention, and a lot of people ask you what inspires you,” she said.
1. What did Ify do when she was bullied?| A．She took comfort from the sewing machine. |
| B．She turned to her mother for help. |
| C．She reported it to her teacher. |
| D．She decided to lose weight. |
| A．They think little of it. |
| B．They are in favor of it. |
| C．They have doubts about it. |
| D．They are unconcerned about it. |
| A．her mother | B．her toys | C．kids | D．adults |
| A．Patient and lovely. |
| B．Brave and talkative. |
| C．Sporty and strong-minded. |
| D．Creative and hardworking. |
3 . For most people, below-freezing temperatures generally put a stop to outdoor exercise, but Siberian native Boris Fyodorov is not most people.
Minutes after the calendar ticked over to this past 2014 New Year’s Eve, Fyodorov set off on a solo, out-and-back marathon run from his home in the Siberian village of Oymyakon, completing the 26.2-mile course — his first marathon — in just over five hours. During the run he experienced temperatures as low as -38℃. And that was just the way he wanted it.
“I heard about other marathons around the globe, naming themselves ‘the coldest’, like the most recent North Pole marathon with runners going at -28℃.” Fyodorov told the Siberian Times. “I thought surely this cannot be right. Our Oymyakon is the coldest inhabited place in northern hemisphere (半球). Why don’t we arrange a marathon here?”
Oymyakon is widely considered to be one of the coldest places on the planet, and its record — low temperature of -68℃, recorded in 1933, is tied for the coldest recorded temperature for any inhabited place on Earth. The average January temperature in the area is -50℃.
Not only did Fyodorov finish the marathon in high spirits, but he also wants it to be colder the next time he tries it. “I really want to organize the next Oymyakon marathon in January when the air goes down to -50℃ or -60℃.” he said.
Fyodorov is not the first person to take on a cold-weather athletic challenge like this. In addition to the North Pole Marathon, taking runners on an out-and-back tour from Russia’s Bellingshausen Station, the Antarctica Marathon is held every year in late February. A second Antarctica event — the Ice Marathon — has been held at -80F degrees south since 2006.
1. What’s the best title of the passage?| A．Sports in cold areas of the world |
| B．Freezing cold is not too cold for an ice runner |
| C．The North Pole Marathon |
| D．The Antarctic Ice Marathon |
| A．It is not cold enough. | B．The distance is a little shorter. |
| C．The runners are too slow. | D．It sets a new world record of marathon. |
| A．Because Fyodorov is more popular in Oymyakon. |
| B．Because Fyodorov loves Oymyakon and plans to live there. |
| C．Because Oymyakon is one of the coldest places in the world. |
| D．Because Oymyakon has the best route for a marathon. |
| A．the North Pole Marathon is held in Russia every year |
| B．the Ice Marathon is the biggest marathon in the world |
| C．Fyodorov is planning an Antarctica Marathon |
| D．similar marathons have taken place in cold parts of the world |
4 . Jeremy Savage, aged 17, and Ian Marshall, aged 16, went to the Rocky Mountains with their parents for the weekend. On Saturday morning, the two boys decided to climb Cathedral Mountain by themselves while their parents relaxed at the campsite. After three hours, they reached the top with no problems.
However, trouble began when they started the climb down the mountain. On one very dangerous part of the path, Ian fell three metres off the side of the path. Jeremy was able to climb down to where Ian was. Ian was badly injured and could not move. Jeremy had to decide what to do. He needed help, but he did not want to leave his friend. He used water from his own bottle to clean the dirt and blood from Ian’s face and hands. He tried to help Ian stand up, but Ian’s right leg was hurting too much. They had to wait and hope that someone would come and help them.
When the boys did not return to the campsite that evening, their parents became very worried. They got in touch with park workers and began searching for the boys. Soon more than 20 people were looking for the boys.
As night fell, the boys were still missing. While they waited for help to arrive, Jeremy gave Ian his food and water and he let Ian lie on his jacket so he would be more comfortable. As the evening grew darker, Ian told Jeremy to leave him and go back to their parents, but he still did not leave. Jeremy thought it was too dangerous for Ian to be alone. The night was cold and windy, and Jeremy used his jacket and an extra shirt to keep Ian warm.
At sunrise, Jeremy decided that the only way to help his friend was to carry him. So, they started the long climb back to their parents. Sometimes Jeremy carried Ian on his hack. Sometimes he carried him in his arms. Finally, after four hours, they arrived at the campsite where their parents were waiting. “I will always remember what Jeremy did for me,” said Ian. “He saved my life. That is the greatest thing that a person can do for his friend.”
1. What happened to Ian on his way down the mountain?| A．Ian fell three miles off the side of the path. |
| B．Ian climbed down to where Jeremy was. |
| C．Ian was badly injured and could not move. |
| D．Ian decided what to do because Jeremy was injured. |
| A．Because they knew the boys got injured. |
| B．Because the boys returned to the campsite with wounds. |
| C．Because they needed water and food. |
| D．Because the boys did not return to the campsite that evening. |
| A．Jeremy gave Ian his food and water. |
| B．Jeremy let Ian lie on his jacket so he would be more comfortable. |
| C．Jeremy left Ian alone to find some help. |
| D．Jeremy used his jacket and an extra shirt to keep Ian warm. |
| A．Four hours. | B．One night. |
| C．Two days. | D．About 24 hours. |
5 . A Portland, Oregon man has become the first person to travel across Antarctica by himself without receiving any assistance.
Colin O’Brady has completed the 1,500-kilometer trip. He crossed the continent in 54 days. Friends, family and other people followed his progress through messages and pictures he left on social media.
O’Brady spoke with his wife Jenna Besaw by telephone soon after he completed the journey. “It was an emotional call,” she said. “He seemed overwhelmed by love and appreciation, and he really wanted to say ‘thank you’ to all of us.”
The 33-year-old O’Brady documented the trip on the social networking services Instagram. He called his journey “The Impossible First”. He wrote that he traveled the last 129 kilometers in one big, final push to the finish line. The distance took over one day to complete. O’Brady wrote, “While the last 32 hours were some of the most challenging hours of my life, they have quite honestly been some of the best moments I have ever experienced.”
The day before, he wrote that he was “in the zone” and thought he could make it to the end without stopping. “I was listening to my body and taking care of the details to keep myself safe,” he wrote. “I called home and talked to my mom, sister and wife. I promised them I would stop when I need to.”
Other people have traveled across Antarctica, but they all had some form of assistance. They either had better, more plentiful supplies or devices that helped move them forward.
In 2016, British explorer Henry Worsley died in his attempt to travel alone across Antarctica unassisted. Worsley’s friend Louis Rudd, also from Britain, is attempting an unaided solo journey in Worsley’s honor. He was competing against O’Brady to be the first to do it. Besaw told the Associated Press that her husband plans to stay in Antarctica until Rudd finishes his trip.
1. What did O’Brady think of his journey in Antarctica?| A．It was pleasant. | B．It was discouraging. |
| C．It was impossible to complete. | D．It was hard to complete. |
| A．Making sure of his safety. | B．Trying to achieve the goal. |
| C．Keeping in touch with them. | D．Stopping the travel halfway. |
| A．To wait for another explorer. | B．To compete with others. |
| C．To help other explorers. | D．To make his victory recognized. |
| A．The Antarctic Continent | B．The Impossible First |
| C．Traveling in Antarctica | D．An Incomplete Journey |
6 . On the first day of school we were challenged to get to know a new classmate. I was looking around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I found a little old lad with a warm smile.
She said, “Hi, handsome! I’m Rose. I’m 87 years old. Can I give you a hug (拥抱)?” I laughed and heartily responded, “Of course!”
“Why are you in college at such a young, innocent (天真的) age?”1 asked.
She jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, have children, and then travel around.”
“No, seriously,” I asked. I was curious why she took on this challenge at this age.
“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me. We became instant friends.
Over the year, Rose became a campus icon (偶像) and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she enjoyed the attention from the other
students. She was living it up. At the end of the term we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us.
“We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. Here are the secrets to staying young. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have many people walking around who are dead, and they don’t even know it!” she said.
“There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability,” she added. “But growing up requires finding the opportunity in change. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what they did, but rather for things they did not do.”
One week after graduation that year, Rose died peacefully in her sleep. She taught us by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.
1. Rose started college at the age of 87 in order to_____.| A．marry a rich man |
| B．travel around the world |
| C．make more friends |
| D．realize her dream |
| A．She was living a long life. |
| B．She was enjoying herself. |
| C．She was spending a lot of money. |
| D．She was killing time. |
| A．there’s no sense in living without your aim |
| B．you can’t sleep well every night |
| C．you are too old and have to stop playing |
| D．something is terribly wrong with your brain |
| A．Meet the Challenge |
| B．Never Waste Time |
| C．Grow Up or Grow Old? |
| D．Have You Got Ready? |
7 . John was waiting for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose. Thirteen months ago, in a Florida library he took a book off the shelf and found himself attracted by the notes in the margin (页边). The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind.
In front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort, he located her address. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. During the next year and one month, the two grew to know each other through the mail. A romance was developing. John requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like. Later they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 p.m. at Grand Central Station in New York.
“You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my coat.” So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for the girl with the red rose.
A young woman in a green suit was coming towards him, her figure long and slim and her eyes were blue as flowers. Almost uncontrollably he made one step closer to her, and just at this moment he saw Hollis Maynell - a woman well past 40. The girl was walking quickly away. He felt as though he was at a loss, so eager was his desire to follow her, and yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly accompanied him and upheld his own.
He did not hesitate. He squared his shoulders and said, “I’m John, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?”
The woman smiled, “I don’t know what this is about, son,” she answered, “but the young lady in the green suit begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you she is waiting for you in the restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”
It’s not difficult to admire wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive.
1. What happened to John thirteen months ago?| A．He was touched by a girl’s notes in a book. |
| B．He was waiting for a girl outside a library. |
| C．He happened to read a thoughtful and insightful book. |
| D．He made acquaintance with Miss Hollis Maynell. |
| A．She was just the lady John was going to meet. |
| B．She was a middle-aged woman who was unattractive. |
| C．She happened to pass by the Grand Central Station. |
| D．She was required to wear a rose on her coat. |
| A．have had the dinner with a beautiful lady instead |
| B．have failed to meet the girl he fell in love with |
| C．have found that he was fooled by Miss Maynell |
| D．have followed the young woman in a green suit |
| A．tell us a romantic story between two young persons |
| B．show one’s spirit matters more than his appearance |
| C．show that one’s response to unattractive shows his heart |
| D．how a thoughtful soul and insightful mind can be reflected |
8 . Some of my earliest memories involve sitting with my dad in his study every night when he came home from the office. I'd watch as he put his personal items away：his watch, wallet, comb and car keys. Every night, he would smile, hand me the comb and say：" Help Daddy clean it, OK?" I'd excitedly turn the tap on, then brush the comb with a used toothbrush as hard as I could. Then I’d proudly return the comb to Dad. He would smile at me, and place it on top of his wallet.
About two years later, Dad left his sales job and started his own business. I started primary school. That was when things started to change. Dad's business wasn't doing so well, and our stable life started getting shaky. He didn't come home as much as he used to. And when he did come home, it was always late and I'd already be in bed. I started to get mad. Why didn't he listen to Mum and just stick to his old job? Over the years, I stopped waiting for him to come home.
Now 28, I've graduated from college and got a job. Dad's business has also started to get back on track. Yet the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me persisted.
Yesterday, Dad came home early. As usual, I helped him carry his bags into his study. When I turned to leave ,he said ：" Hey, would you like to help me clean my comb?" I looked at him a while, then took the comb. After cleaning, I passed it back to Dad. He looked at it and smiled. But this time, I noticed something different. My dad has aged. He has wrinkles next to his eyes, yet his smile is still as heartwarming as before, the smile of a father who just wants a good life for his family. Dad carefully placed his comb on top of his wallet. After so many years,I guess some things never change. And for that, I'm glad.
1. What was the author asked to do by the father when young?| A．Brushing his comb. | B．Cleaning his toothbrush. |
| C．Chatting with him in his study. | D．Greeting him at the door. |
| A．He was laid off by his former company. |
| B．He desired to struggle for a big fortunate. |
| C．He wanted to fulfill a good life for his family. |
| D．He followed his wife's advice and tried new. |
| A．The father's new business wasn't going so smoothly. |
| B．The father came home rarely or very late. |
| C．The tough primary school and little time with the dad. |
| D．The misunderstanding of the author and less communication between them. |
| A．Generous and humorous. | B．Modest and conventional. |
| C．Struggling and devoted. | D．Ambitious and strict. |
9 . Michael McFarlen, one Michigan chef and the Vice President of Food and Beverage at FireKeepers Casino Hotel, couldn't stand throwing away perfectly good food any more since he knew how many people in his community faced food insecurity. So he decided to do something.
At one point, McFarlen decided to get involved with the South Central Food Bank of Michigan Inc. to help give back to those in need. After that, he knew he had to do more to help his community and reduce his food waste.
McFarlen came up with a plan to open a restaurant in the community that would also help support a food pantry （储藏室）.After presenting the idea to FireKeepers leadership, they immediately approved the plan and agreed to help McFarlen realize his dream.
In April of 2016, the owners of the FireKeepers Casino Hotel bought Fire Station No. 4, a historic firehouse near downtown that had been closed for years and was due to be pulled down. The group started transforming the fire station into a restaurant and food pantry to help people struggling for their next meal.
On April 19, 2017, the restaurant opened to the public for the first time. At the same time, the food pantry opened its door in the back of the building.
"It's really unique, Kathy George, an Officer of FireKeepers, told Second Wave Media. "A number of casinos do outreach, but we're not aware of anyone who actually created a restaurant and food pantry directly.”
The first year of operation went beyond their expectations. Not only did the restaurant attract customers, but the food pantry helped more people than they ever imagined.
Apart from providing the typical pantry goods, McFarlen wanted to figure out a way to lower food waste at the Casino Hotel. "We flash-freeze food from the buffet （自助餐）and make family trays out of them. Once packaged, the food is delivered to food pantries in the area.” George explained.
1. Mcfarlen created a restaurant and food pantry.| A．to expand the business of FireKeepers Casino Hotel |
| B．to realize his dream of creating his own restaurant industry |
| C．to assist the country in fighting poverty together with other food pantries |
| D．to help people with food insecurity in his community and cut food waste |
| A．Smart and outgoing. | B．Modest and warm-hearted. |
| C．Caring and thoughtful. | D．Cautious and quick-minded. |
| A．Fire Station No. 4 was pulled down and rebuilt as a restaurant. |
| B．The restaurant and the pantry went more successfully than expected. |
| C．The South Central Food Bank only deals with food left in restaurants. |
| D．Some leaders at FireKeepers Casino Hotel disapproved McFarlen's plan. |
| A．Actions speak louder than words. |
| B．Achieve many things at one stroke. |
| C．Theory should be combined with practice. |
| D．All things are difficult before they are easy. |
10 . Recently I’ve had two good roles on television. But when I was just getting started in theater work 17 years ago, I never thought I’d make it. Back then I was recovering from surgery and had been off work for six months. Even worse, as a single mother with three youngsters, I had no place to live in. I felt hopeless.
One Sunday morning I saw actor Robert Young on the television talking about his faith: Believe yourself! If we confidently take that first step, well take the next, until we reach our goal.
The first step was scary. After I went working part-time, I looked for an apartment. The ones I saw were either too expensive, or I couldn’t raise my children in them. I knew a house, not an apartment, was more suitable for me. However, after seeing several houses, my confidence was shaken. I found two seemed right, but when I was about to make an offer, someone else had ordered.
I remembered a saying, “When one door closes, a better one opens.” I wouldn’t just sit staring at the closed one but got up and struggled on. In a real estate (房地产) agent, I found a small house with proper price. To buy it, I had to borrow $ 3,000 for a down payment and get a mortgage (按揭). Common sense argued that a mortgage for a single mother working part-time was impossible. But I had enough self-confidence without following common sense.
After getting the house, my new self-confidence grew. Later , when I began filling small parts in television productions, that self-confidence showed. I'd always played the role as the director wanted. Now I find myself freer to interpret (演绎) it.
Self-confidence has made it through life. Trouble can be scary at first, but each time I take that step, I believe I will win the next.
1. How did the author feel when entering television industry at first?| A．Hopeful. | B．Embarrassed. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Aggressive. |
| A．To show the value of self-confidence. |
| B．To share her different life experiences. |
| C．To introduce her toughest part of life. |
| D．To tell us her ways to get over difficulty. |
| A．Her sense of confidence. | B．The difficulty in her life. |
| C．The director’s good direction. | D．Her success in her first attempt. |
| A．Appear on the Stage | B．Struggle with Life |
| C．Stick to Your Plan | D．Believe in Yourself |
