1 . The Decision That Changed My Life
We make decisions every day. Whether it is a small decision like what to wear that day or a big decision like where to go to college, these decisions have at least some influence on the rest of our lives. I wanted to talk about a decision I made that has changed my life forever.
I gave up soda about a month and a half before my trip to the Bahamas as a healthy step towards “getting in shape” for my trip. At first I thought it was going to be really hard giving it up, but after that first two weeks I wasn’t thinking about soda at all. One tiling led to another and I started eating better, working out more and just generally living a healthier life. I had already seen a difference in my life following this healthier life style.
That was because I wanted to show those who maybe thought I wouldn’t be able to do it that they were wrong. Soon the urge to drink soda somewhat disappeared and I really did not even become tempted by it by the end of the trip. I got home to the States and when I got back home I decided to weigh myself. I had lost 20 pounds on my trip!
I also wanted to give some advice for those who were in the same situation as I was, where you wanted/needed to give up something that you think you can’t live without.
| A．You need a support system. |
| B．I almost gave up a couple of times but stayed strong. |
| C．I felt happier, more energized and just all around better. |
| D．Weeks and weeks went by and I still was not missing drinking soda. |
| E．I hope you are inspired by my story to give up something that is bad for you. |
2 . It all started in 2018. While taking a midnight walk, Mahendra came across a very weak dog on the street, whose bones were visible under its skin. Mahendra decided to feed it and for the next couple of days it became the centre of his life, until the night when he found it dead.
After that, Mahendra started providing treatment for all wounded and sick dogs he came across. Some time later, someone told Mahendra about PFA, India’s largest animal welfare organization, chaired by Mrs Maneka Gandhi. Mahendra contacted her and she was impressed by the work he was doing. Mrs Gandhi asked him to start a PFA shelter in Ahmedbad.
Thus, in 2020, he started the shelter. It took a long time for Mahendra to find the land where the shelter could be set up. Finally, Ramesh Bhai Patel, a native farmer from a village named Jundal, agreed to give his land for nothing. Along with a team of four doctors and many volunteers, the shelter now has 25 dogs that were unable to walk at all when they were brought in. Today, they’re slowly healing. Dogs that have healed with proper treatment are sent back to where they came from if the environment there is safe. However, the shelter will be home to the blind dogs for all their lives, says Mahendra.
The shelter runs on money coming from Mahendra’s own pension of $ 45,000. There have been some financial crunches now and then, but Mahendra is determined that no matter what challenge comes his way, he’ll fight through.
1. What made Mahendra decide to do something for disabled and sick dogs?| A．His contact with PFA. |
| B．The encouragement of Gandhi. |
| C．The death of a homeless sick dog. |
| D．A walk with a sick dog of Gandhi. |
| A．He secured government funds. |
| B．He got a land from a local farmer for free. |
| C．He learned medical knowledge from doctors. |
| D．He met with much difficulty in finding volunteers. |
| A．Services. | B．Advantages. | C．Crisis. | D．Details. |
| A．Kind-hearted. | B．Humorous. | C．Open-minded. | D．Modest. |
3 . Table tennis may not seem a reasonable option for someone with no arms — but Ibrahim Hamadtou doesn't believe in limits. The 48-year-old Egyptian Paralympian breaks the barrier by holding the paddle (球拍) in his mouth and using his right foot to serve the ball.
Hamadtou, who lost his arms in a train accident at the age of ten, was drawn to table tennis after being challenged by a friend. "I was once watching a match between two of my friends," Hamadtou explains. "They disagreed on a point, When I counted the point in favor of one of them, the other player told me, 'Mind your own business as you will never be able to play.' It was that statement that fired me up to decide to play table tennis."
It took Hamadtou three years to master the sport. He says the biggest challenge was figuring out the best way to control his body. "I was trying first to use the bat under the arm, and I also tried using other things, which weren't working so well. Finally, I tried using my mouth. It took me nearly a year of practice to get used to holding the paddle with my mouth and making the serve. With practice and playing regularly, this skill was improved."
The Egyptian's incredible talent came to light in 2014 when he was awarded the best Arab Athlete of the year. He won a silver medal at the 2016 African Championships, qualified for his first Paralympics in 2016 at 43, and then again for the 2020 Tokyo Games at 48.
The inspiring athlete says, "The disability is not in arms or legs but to give up in whatever you would like to do."
1. What made Hamadtou take up table tennis?| A．His passion for table-tennis. | B．His ambition to prove himself. |
| C．His willingness to inspire others. | D．His suffering in a train accident. |
| A．Serving the ball with his mouth. | B．Holding the paddle under his arm. |
| C．Practicing strengthening his muscles. | D．Playing the game with the right body parts. |
| A．He was recognized as a gifted player at 41. |
| B．He was awarded the best athlete in Africa. |
| C．He won a medal in the 2020 Tokyo Games. |
| D．He realized his dream of winning a gold medal. |
| A．Well begun is half done. | B．Love breaks down barriers. |
| C．Success gives people delight. | D．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
4 . One day, Jack’s parents told him that his grandpa would retire(退休) after working for forty years. Jack said in surprise，“I’m only seven, so it means grandpa has been…er... a really long time!”
His parents said，“Yes. That’s why we are going to have a surprise party for him. ”
Jack loved his grandpa and wanted to do something special for him. He remembered the business card his grandpa had given him two years before. He knew that his grandpa would no longer have the position(职位) on that card, so he decided to build a new one for his grandpa.
When the big day came, Jack was ready. But he didn’t want to put his gift together with others’. He carried it around with him the whole evening.
When all the other people left，he took his grandpa’s hand and brought him over to a chair and gave him the gift. His grandpa smiled, “Well，it must be a beautiful gift. May I open it now?” “Sure! ”Jack said excitedly.
As his grandpa opened the gift, tears came into his eyes. Jack gave him the greatest gift he had ever got! They were business cards with his new position FULL-TIME GRANDPA! Jack said, “Now your full-time(全职的) job is my grandpa!”
“Well，how much do I get paid?”his grandpa asked，smiling. “As many hugs(拥抱) as you want!” With these words，Jack gave his grandpa a hug. “Well, I guess that means I’m the richest man in the world! ” said his grandpa.
1. Who was going to retire?| A．Jack’s grandma. | B．Jack’s grandpa. |
| C．Jack’s mother. | D．Jack’s father. |
| A．明信片 | B．纸牌 | C．名片 | D．信用卡 |
| A．To build a new position for him on the card. |
| B．To draw a picture for him. |
| C．To sing a song to him. |
| D．To buy a gift for him. |
| A．Because he would lose his position. |
| B．Because he was not loved. |
| C．Because he was moved by Jack’s gift. |
| D．Because he was unhappy. |
5 . When I was in primary school, I was actually a little shy. One thing that really frightened me was speaking in front of many people, whether strangers or acquaintances (熟人). It was my sixth-grade teacher, Mr. Bamick, who helped me get past that. That year we had to make four oral (口头的) book reports in front of the class. Some of the kids were even glad to do it, but I was scared to death. Mr. Bamick recognized my fear, so be told me to do a report on a book that was about something that really interested me. So I did the first report on baseball.
When it came time for me to present it to the class, Mr. Bamick cut me some slack and let me read the report rather than give it from memory. Some of my classmates laughed at me, but Mr. Bamick defended (为……辩解) me. By the end of the year I had completed all four of the oral book reports. It wasn’t easy or comfortable for me, but I did it.
Years later I realized that Mr. Bamick did me a great favor in sixth grade. One of the chances I got when I won a tennis tournament (锦标赛) was to make comments to the fans who attended the match. Some of those were carried live on television and all of them were before thousands of people. It was still not one of my favorite things to do, but, with Mr. Bamick’s help, I got through it from time to time. Before long, I was asked to bring my favorite childhood teacher to a national event in Dallas. 1 was excited when Mr. Bamick joined me for the event. It meant a lot to me that he was there.
Mr. Bamick believed in me and helped me to believe in myself. It was he who helped me build the person I became.
1. In what aspect (方面) did Mr. Bamick help the writer?| A．Improving her learning skills. |
| B．Encouraging her to read more books. |
| C．Winning her classmates’ recognition. |
| D．Overcoming her fear of public speaking. |
| A．Played a funny joke on the writer. |
| B．Gave the writer a feeling of pride. |
| C．Made the task a little easier for the writer. |
| D．Asked the writer to take part in a competition. |
| A．She was a tennis player. |
| B．She wanted to be a teacher. |
| C．She liked public speaking best. |
| D．She enjoyed commenting on books. |
| A．Strict. | B．Curious. |
| C．Encouraging. | D．Frightening. |
6 . When I turned 10, I made up my mind to take up swimming. There was a pool at the Y.M.C.A. offering exactly the opportunity. Mother continually warned against it and kept fresh in my mind the details of drowning in the river. But the Y.M.C A. pool was safe.
I had a childhood fear of water. This started when I was three years old and father took me to the beach. The huge waves knocked me down and swept over me.
The pool was quiet. I was afraid of going in all alone, so I sat on the side of the pool to wait for others. Then came a big boy. He shouted, “Hi, skinny! How’d you like to be ducked?” With that he picked me up and threw me into the deep end. I landed in a sitting position, and swallowed water. But I was not frightened out of my wits（机智）—when my feet hit the bottom, I would make a big jump, coming out of the surface. It seemed a long way down. I gathered all my strength when I landed and made what I thought was a great spring upwards. Then I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water. I tried to shout but no sound came out. I went down, down, endlessly.
When I came to consciousness（意识）, I found myself lying on the bed in the hospital.
I never went back to the pool. I avoided water whenever I could. This misfortune stayed with me as the years rolled by. It deprived（剥夺）me of the joy of boating and swimming. Finally, I decided to get an instructor. Piece by piece, he built a swimmer. Several months later, the instructor was finished, but I was not. Sometimes the terror（恐惧）would return.
This went on until July. I swam across the Lake Went Worth. Only once did the terror return. When I was in the middle of the lake, I put my face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. I laughed and said, “Well, Mr. Terror, what do you think you can do to me?”
I had defeated my fear of water.
1. What caused the author’s original（最初的）fear of water?| A．His lack of swimming skills. |
| B．His mother’s continual warning of drowning. |
| C．His misfortune to the beach with his father. |
| D．A terrible dream of getting drowned. |
| A．he didn’t finish swimming training |
| B．he was not satisfied with the swimming training |
| C．he was not afraid of drowning any more |
| D．he had not got rid of the fear of water yet |
| A．The author’s father was against taking up swimming. |
| B．The author showed little interest in boating and swimming. |
| C．The author was a man of great courage and determination. |
| D．The author defeated his fear of water before July. |
| A．Hello, Childhood Fear | B．Goodbye, Mr. Terror |
| C．A Swimming Adventure | D．My Passion for Swimming |
7 . When I was 19 years old, I was at a dance club. As we were walking to my car one cold night, a man walked up to us. Behind him was a woman carrying a small child. The child had a jacket on but it wasn’t buttoned up(扣上). The man began to tell us he wanted to borrow some money for the night to get his wife and kid into a hotel. He had a job but no place to live in and was waiting for the first paycheck. He said he could get our mailing address and mail the money back.
The guy I was with reached into his pocket to give this man a $20 bill. As the other man was extending(伸出) his hand out to take the money, I put my hand on my new friends’ hand and said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
I told him that every day people asked my mother for money on her way to work. She said they made more money than she did, simply begging for money. These people were scamming those with soft hearts. And if they were truly worried about their child suffering from the cold, they would have at least buttoned his jacket or covered him with his blanket.
My new friend looked at me with disappointment and said, “Michelle, I know there are people out there that make use of others. I also know there are people out there that are one paycheck away from being homeless. If I give $ 20 to 10 people and only one of them really needs it and uses it for the right thing, it is worth it.”
I am now 37 years old and have never forgotten what he said to me. I don’t even remember his name. But I do remember that that experience changed the way I look at different situations.
1. Where did this story happen?| A．Near a hotel | B．Outside a dance club |
| C．Behind a mailbox | D．In the dance club |
| A．He had been begging for a long time near the dance club. |
| B．He would spend the cold night at an expensive hotel. |
| C．He was careless and didn’t take good care of his child. |
| D．He might be just lying in order to get some money. |
| A．She wanted to tell him to give some more money to the stranger. |
| B．She believed her mother had already given the stranger some money. |
| C．She wanted to warn(提醒，警告) him not to be cheated by the stranger. |
| D．She asked her friend to pay more attention to the baby instead. |
| A．cheating | B．caring |
| C．loving | D．understanding |
8 . A long，long time ago，Nyame the sky god hid all the stories in a box high in the sky. No person or animal had any story to tell，so everyone was very sad.
Then one day，an old spider，Anansi，made a long web all the way to the sky. Anansi climbed the web to the sky and asked Nyame，“Can I have the stories please？I'll do anything if you give us the stories."Nyame thought for a moment.Then he answered，“Fine. First I will give you a task. Bring me three things：a snake，a leopard，and bees.Then I will give you the stories." Nyame laughed so loudly that everyone on Earth could hear him！Anansi climbed slowly back to Earth and told his wife, Aso, what had happened. She listened carefully. Then she said，"I have a plan."
Later that day，Anansi followed Aso's plan. First，he found a long stick. After that，he went near Snake's home and said loudly，“This is very long，very long indeed！"When Shake heard Anansi talking, he said，“What is so long？"Anansi answered，“I'm sorry，Snake.This stick is longer than you are. “Snake answered proudly. “It is not！I'm a very long snake! You will see that I am longer.” He moved next to the stick. Then，Anansi quickly used his web to tie Snake to the stick.
Immediately，Anansi climbed back to the sky and gave the snake to Nyange. Bur Nyame only said，“I told you to bring three things.Where are the other two？"Then Nyame laughed，“Ha ha ha！” Anansi sadly went back to Earth with no stories. He asked his wife，“How will I ever obtain a leopard？"
Again，Aso had a plan，and Anansi followed it. First，he made a hole in the ground and put sticks over it so no one could see the hole.The next day，Anansi went back to the hole and Leopard had fallen inside！Anansi used his web to quickly tie him up. He took Leopard to Nyame. Nyame looked surprised this time. He said，“You still must bring the bees！"Again，Anansi asked Aso for help. Again，he followed her plan.The next day he found a tree with bees in it. He quickly threw water on the tree and on himself. Then he said to the bees，“It is raining！Quick--get inside my gourd（葫芦）. It will keep you dry.”So the bees fell for his trick and all flew into Anansi’s gourd. With a big smile，Anansi used his web to close the gourd, so the bees could not get out.
Finally，Anansi took the bees to Nyame. Nyame was not laughing anymore. Nyame kept his promise and gave Anansi all of the stories. Very carefully，Anansi carried all the stories back down to Earth. And after he told each story，he said，“Stories are for telling，not for keeping in boxes.”
1. It was Snake's ________that led him to being caught by Anansi.| A．being sympathetic | B．being competitive |
| C．being cooperative | D．being helpful |
| A．he found that Anansi was a better story teller than he was |
| B．he felt surprised that Aso helped Anansi in such a way |
| C．he sensed that he would have to keep his promise |
| D．he was disappointed that Anansi was not so eager for stories |
| A．had a good knowledge of the animals |
| B．was more anxious for stories than Anansi |
| C．liked to take challenges |
| D．knew where Nyame hid the stories |
| A．Why stories are for telling not for hiding |
| B．How Anansi gave people stories |
| C．Why Snake，Leopard and Bees were tricked |
| D．How Aso came up with the plans |
9 . John H. Johnson was born in a black family in Arkansas City in 1918. His father died in an accident when John was six. He was reaching high school age, but his hometown offered no high school for blacks.
Luckily, he had a strong-willed, caring mother. John remembers that his mother told him many times, “Son, you can be anything you really want to be if you just believe. She told him not to be dependent on others, including his mother. “You have to earn success,” said she. “All the people who work hard don’t succeed, but the only people who do succeed are those who work hard.”
These words came from a woman less than a third grade education. She also knew that believing and hard work don’t mean everything. So she worked hard as a cook for two years to save enough to take her son, who was then 15, to Chicago.
Chicago in1933 was not the promised land (乐土、希望之地) that black southerners were looking for, John’s mother and stepfather could not find work. But there John could go to school, and there he learned the power of words — as editor of the newspaper and yearbook of Du Stable High School. His wish was to publish a magazine for blacks.
While others discouraged him, John’s mother offered him more words to live by: “Nothing beats a failure but a try.” She also let him pawn (典当) her furniture to get the $500 he needed to start the Negro magazine.
It is natural the difficulties and failures followed John closely until he became very successful. He always keeps his mother’s words in mind. “Son, failure is not in your vocabulary.”
Now John H. Johnson is one of the 400 richest people in America — worth $150 million.
1. Why did John’s mother decide to move to Chicago? Because ________.| A．John’s father died in his hometown when he was very young |
| B．life was too hard for them to stay on in their hometown, while life in Chicago would be better for blacks |
| C．there were no schools for blacks in their hometown |
| D．John needed more education and he could go to school there |
| A．woman with little school education but knew a lot about life |
| B．woman who would not do anything for her son |
| C．strong woman with much knowledge |
| D．woman who didn’t know how to encourage her son |
| A．if you try, you will succeed in the end |
| B．a failure is difficult to beat, even if you try |
| C．a try is always followed by failure |
| D．nothing but a try can help you out of failure |
| A．How John H. Johnson became somebody. |
| B．The mental support John’s mother gave him. |
| C．The importance of a good education. |
| D．The key to success for blacks. |
10 . A Massachusetts man has got his wedding ring back thanks to some hikers who decided to try their luck at finding it.
It all started after Bill Giguere lost his gold wedding ring. Looking for the lost golden wedding ring was like searching for a needle in a haystack (干草堆). He had lost it during a daytime hike on Mount Hancock. Giguere was not sure about the location of the missing ring. He only remembered that he had briefly pulled off his gloves at the top of the mountain. And he guessed that the ring might fall off at that time. By the time he returned to his car after the hike and noticed that his ring was missing, it was completely dark.
He then decided to take his chances by posting information about his missing ring in a Facebook group for hikers. Luckily, the post was seen by Tom Gately. “As I read the post, my heart went out to him because I had lost my wedding ring before and luckily a man picked it up and returned it to me. So I decided to help him and I was going to be on the mountain to look for it,” Gately said.
Gately didn’t believe there was any chance of finding the ring on a snowy 10-mile trail if he only depended on his eyes and hands. So he decided to improve his chances by bringing along his metal detector (探测器). Within minutes of Gately and his friends reaching the top for the ring, his metal detector started ringing. He then brushed away some snow only to find the missing wedding ring. “Everybody just started laughing,” Brendan, Gately’s friend, said, “You couldn’t believe it.”
After Giguere received a Facebook message about how they had found the ring, he drove 60 miles to Gately’s house so he could pick up his wedding ring. And he thanked the hikers for their efforts again and again.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?| A．Giguere accidentally fell during the hike. |
| B．Giguere realized he lost the ring while hiking. |
| C．It seemed impossible to find the lost wedding ring. |
| D．It was difficult for Giguere to finish a long hike alone. |
| A．Gately felt pity for Giguere. |
| B．Gately shared his story with Giguere. |
| C．Gately wished to be friends with Giguere. |
| D．Gately wanted to repay Giguere for his kindness. |
| A．He made use of a tool with friends. |
| B．He got help from an experienced ring finder. |
| C．He searched the snowy trail several times alone. |
| D．He posted information about the missing ring online. |
| A．Brave and lucky. |
| B．Helpful and wise. |
| C．Honest and thoughtful. |
| D．Humorous and positive. |
