1 . My first year living in Los Angeles, I was a birthday-party clown. I struggled a lot with my identity because, though I viewed myself as a filmmaker, everyone in my life viewed me as this ridiculous day job.
Once I was told, “Tomorrow you’re going to be Batman.” Now, keep in mind that at the time I had a giant mustache. I know a clown with a mustache is a huge red flag for parents. But I hadn’t wanted to alter my physical appearance for that job, because that would have been me subconsciously admitting I was more of a clown than an artist.
The next day, I went to the party in a huge public park, and I left my car parked far enough away so that the kids couldn’t see Batman pulling up in a PT Cruiser. Walking to the party, I started to regret my choice not to shave. “Gosh, this party is not going to go well.” Sure enough, once I got close enough for them to actually start making out the features of my face, the entire party broke out in laughter. I was so embarrassed that I wanted to turn around and run back to my Batmobile. But then the laughter kind of changed into cheering and applause. Feeling kind of warm and fuzzy inside, I wondered, “Is this what encouragement and support feel like? It’s so new.”
Then I decided to make an entrance for these kids. I was still about 20 yards away from the party when I started running. My cape was billowing in the wind, and mustache or not, in that moment, I was Batman. I ran into the party, and the kids were all high-fiving me. The dad was saying, “I told you, son. I told you Batman has a mustache.” Then he took me over to this huge birthday cake with a frosting Batman drawn on it, and the Batman has a mustache. I just stared at it in disbelief and learnt that instead of just admitting that the cake was messed up, the parents said, “Batman has a mustache. He just shaves it for his movies.”
That year, I struggled a lot with my identity; was I a filmmaker, or was I a clown? But that day, at least, there was no doubt in my mind what I was. I may not have been the hero that they ordered, and I certainly was not the hero they expected. But that day, I was the hero that they needed.
1. Why did “I” keep my mustache?| A．I struggled a lot for being a filmmaker. |
| B．I wanted to be a Batman in a birthday party. |
| C．I knew that a clown should wear a mustache. |
| D．I hadn’t wanted to change my appearance for the job. |
| A．I ran fast. | B．I high-fived. |
| C．I drove the car. | D．I walked slowly. |
| A．Satisfied. | B．Astonished. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Ashamed. |
2 . A couple were shocked after a thief who stole their wedding rings 15 years ago returned them, long with an apology litter. The four gold rings disappeared from the Riphagen family's home when their 16-year-old daughter, Margot, threw a house party in 1998. But they have now been reunited with the belongings after the kid stole them.
The mystery thief tracked down the couple through their daughter, who lives in Portland; Oregon, and posted the rings back with the touching letter. A hand-written note made its way to Mr and Mrs Riphagen. “I am writing you to apologize for being in possession of something I am sure you truly value and miss,” the person wrote before explaining that he or she took the rings from the family's home many years ago. “I recently found these rings while cleaning and I wanted to make sure to return then as Tm sure they were missed dearly,” the thief went on. “I hope you are the right Riphagen family.”
The rings that were stolen included the mother's wedding ting and a ring Mr. Ripbagen gave his wife when their first child was born. The thief also made off with one set of grandparents' wedding bands that had been intended for the children. The person went on the letter. “Again, I am truly sorry for any pain; heartache that my actions may have caused your family. I hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me.”
The family was thrilled to have the rings back, even after such a long time. They don't really care who sent it, certainly don't want to seek out who did it, and are just grateful to have these things back. Margot Riphagen told the Huf fington Post she was shocked when the treasured possessions turned up.
1. How old was Margot when the things were returned?| A．15 years old. | B．16 years old. |
| C．31 years old. | D．36 years old. |
| A．By reading Riphagen's letter. | B．From Margot. |
| C．By visiting Oregon. | D．From the Huf fington Post. |
| A．felt very sorry for what he had done |
| B．doubted whether he would be punished |
| C．was painful because of his heartache |
| D．knew the couple's address for sure |
| A．They had already known the name of the thief. |
| B．They were satisfied with what the thief had done. |
| C．They never treasured the rings lost so long ago. |
| D．They had made enough money to buy the rings. |
| A．Surprised. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Embarrassed. | D．Confused. |
3 . Michael Evans was standing in line at the Wayne County Treasurer's Office in Detroit last August, waiting to pay his taxes when he heard a disturbing sound ahead of him. The elderly woman at the window was crying and so was the cashier helping her. Then Evans learned why: He heard the cashier inform the woman that her house was headed for auction(拍卖). He also heard the woman tell the cashier that her daughter had recently died.
Evans, a businessman who had just buried his father, couldn't stomach the idea of this woman losing her home right after losing her child. He approached the window. "I don't mean to cut in," he said to the cashier, "but if you can get her house back, I'll pay for her taxes." The amount due: $ 5, 000.
The two women were shocked. Their despair turned to disbelief. The cashier left for a moment to confirm the amount and that it was all right for Evans to pay it. Evans went straight to the bank and came right back with the money. But when he returned to the treasurer's office, he asked someone else waiting in line to hand the $ 5, 000 check to the cashier. Evans was trying to slip away quietly. "I didn't want this attention." he explains.
He is the boss of M2E Investments. The firm owns a variety of businesses, from restaurants to a portable restroom company. His Premium Driving School gives driving lessons to teenagers, often for free. In 2015, when he saw a story on the news about a local boy with an incurable bone disease, Evans held a fund-raiser at his Detroit Shrimp & Fish restaurant to help pay for the boy's wheelchair and van. He also donated much money to the boy's family.
1. Why did the elderly woman cry?| A．Her daughter sold her house. | B．The cashier treated her rudely. |
| C．Her father passed away recently. | D．She was going to lose her house. |
| A．Remember. | B．Forget. |
| C．Tolerate. | D．Ignore. |
| A．To free himself of standing in line. |
| B．To avoid being paid attention to. |
| C．To spare time for his own business. |
| D．To give others a chance to be praised. |
| A．Rich and generous. | B．Determined and creative. |
| C．Considerate and brave. | D．Kind and confident. |
4 . Michelle Swan, a 33-year-old mother, says she was ordered off a bus into the cold and rain by the driver because one of her twin toddlers(学步的小孩) was crying.
Michelle Swan says the driver stopped the bus angrily, walked up to her and shouted at her to shut up her son and get off the bus. Afterwards, she had a 30-minute walk into a nearby town Tonbridge in the cold and rain.
Ms. Swan said: “I was shaking and fighting back tears. I just froze. I felt awful. I’d been to hospital with one of the boys because he can’t walk properly. I had been to a hospital appointment. About every two weeks he goes to see the doctor. We go about three or four times a month. I had tried everything to stop Rocco crying, but it was useless,”
After she was forced to get off the bus, she had to walk in to Tonbridge town centre to get her prescription(处方) when it was so cold in the rain and then on home.
She telephoned the company and said she wanted an apology from the driver.
The manager from the company spoke to Miss Swan for around 15 minutes on the phone and listened carefully to everything she had to say. Then he apologised several times to her. Meanwhile, he took down the code(密码) on her bus ticket to find out who the driver was. As a result, the driver was spoken to and left work for one day.
1. Why was Michelle Swan ordered to get off the bus?| A．Because it was raining and very cold. |
| B．Because her twin babies were crying. |
| C．Because the driver couldn’t stand the crying baby. |
| D．Because the driver stopped the bus angrily. |
| A．The driver of the bus. | B．A son of Michelle Swan. |
| C．The manager of the company. | D．A doctor in the hospital |
| A．She wanted an apology from the driver. | B．She wanted some money. |
| C．She wanted to work as a driver. | D．She wanted to go home. |
| A．Careful and curious. | B．Cold and angry. |
| C．Sad and rude. | D．Patient and caring. |
5 . A few years ago, I moved to Aurora, Ont. with my boyfriend and I longed to make friends in my new neighborhood.
Where we lived the houses were jammed together so tightly. But the irony (讽刺) of living so close was that no one actually talked to each other; as in an open-concept office, they pretend they can’t hear or see each other to maintain at least an illusion of privacy.
It was not so easy to make friends as an adult. I was about to give up when I caught sight of a beautiful, tall blonde taking out her recycling. She walked with confidence—even her ponytail bounced. I gasped, “I recycle too! We have so much in common!”
The question was, how would we meet? What would I say? So I thought, “What if I just happened to be jogging by?” I put on my running shoes, but after a few times around the block, dripping sweat, I didn’t see her. I decided to seize on the one thing I already knew about her— she takes out her blue bin.
The following day, I woke up a little earlier than usual. A little after 8 a.m., the garage truck appeared and the blonde emerged. I grabbed a bin and made my way to the end of my driveway. “Just act naturally, Megan,” I told myself. “Good morning. How are you?” I said, cool as a cucumber. “Good. And you?” she replied. “Doing well…I am a new comer, just a DJ. I talk for a living. Clearly!” “Interesting,” she said.
As we both walked away, I turned and called out, “Oh, and by the way, I’m Megan.” “Michelle,” she replied. I walked back inside, wearing a giant grin.
Our “coincidental” recycling meet-ups continued for a few weeks until I finally gathered my courage to ask her to watch The Bachelor with me and she said yes.
That night, after we got everything ready, we settled on the couch and proceeded to drink wine, binge from our buffet, dissect doomed television relationships, tell stories about our own and laugh our faces off. We “found what we’d been looking for”: a new friend to fall platonically in love with.
1. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?| A．The author lived in a small house. |
| B．The neighbors actually didn’t have privacy. |
| C．The author lived in a very crowded neighborhood. |
| D．The neighbors did not communicate with each other. |
| A．The tall blonde pretended to be very cool. |
| B．The tall blonde wore a big smile when talking. |
| C．The author was quite satisfied with their first talk. |
| D．The two friends met accidentally when the truck came. |
| A．Timid but kind-hearted. | B．Shy but persistent. |
| C．Hospitable and generous. | D．Caring and modest. |
| A．A DJ talking for a living began to recycle. |
| B．A blonde watched The Bachelor with a DJ. |
| C．A new comer finally made friends with a blonde. |
| D．Two women recycled together in the neighborhood. |
6 . I had very good parents. My mother came to America from Scotland by herself when she was 11, and she didn’t have much education. My dad was kind of a street kid, and he eventually went into the insurance business, selling nickel policies door to door. One day, my dad asked his boss, “What's the toughest market to sell?” and the insurance guy replied “Well, black people. They don’t buy insurance.” My dad thought, but they have kids; they have families. Why wouldn’t they buy insurance? So he said, “Give me Harlem.”
When my dad died in 1994, I talked about him on The Tonight Show. I told the story of how he worked in Harlem and how he always taught us to be open-minded and not to say or think things of racism (种族主义). Then one day, I got a letter from a woman who was about 75 years old.
She wrote that when she was a little girl, a man used to come to her house to collect policies. She said this man was the only white person who had ever come to dinner at their house. The man was very kind to her, she said, and his name was Angelo—was this my father?
The letter made me cry. I called her up and said yes, that was in fact my dad, and she told me how kind he had been to her family. Her whole attitude toward white people was based on that one nice man she met in her childhood, who always treated her with kindness and respect and always gave her a piece of candy. From this experience, I learned a valuable life lesson: never judge people and be open-minded and kind to others.
1. What did my father do after knowing what was the toughest market to sell?| A．He asked his boss to give him some insurance. |
| B．He went to Scotland to improve his education. |
| C．He specially went to white families with kids. |
| D．He chose Harlem to face the toughest challenge. |
| A．It was rare that a businessman had dinner in his customer's house. |
| B．Angelo was the only white person to sell insurance in Harlem. |
| C．The little girl admired Angelo very much. |
| D．Racism was a serious problem in America at that time. |
| A．Stubborn and generous. | B．Patient and intelligent. |
| C．Determined and open-minded. | D．Confident and romantic. |
| A．Memories from a TV Show. | B．A Letter from an Old Lady. |
| C．Life Lessons from My Father. | D．My Father's Experience in Harlem. |
7 . 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. |
8 . 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. |
9 . 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. |
10 . 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. |
