1 . I was born in a poor community on the north side of Boston, US, raised by a single mother who didn’t finish 3rd grade, lived each day on food stamps and attended what the media called “the most dysfunctional (功能失调的) public school district”. Not many people expected much of me, so I had to expect.
On my 13th birthday, I bought a poster of Harvard to hang in my room. Being at Harvard became what I dreamt about. Even if my electricity was cut off, I still woke up at 5:30, because I knew that my poster of Harvard was still hanging only two feet away from me.
Reminding myself of my goal each day made it easy to say no to the same choices I saw my peers making, because those paths wouldn’t have had me closer to my goal. Being poor could not take away my power to decide what I choose to do with my day. The poster gave me the courage to send emails to about 50 Harvard students to ask for feedback on my application essays; it gave me the energy to study just one more hour on my SATs when my friends were asleep; and it gave me the determination to submit just one more scholarship application when 180 others had already turned me down.
Every day, I could feel myself getting closer and closer to my goal as my writing got better, my SAT score increased, and my scholarship checks started coming in. Finally, an email arrived from Harvard. The first word was “Congratulations!” A month later, Harvard flew me up to visit the campus where for the first time I stepped onto my dreaming land.
Who you are today is the result of the decisions you made yesterday, and who you will be tomorrow will be the result of the choices you make today. Who do you want to be tomorrow?
1. What can we learn about the author from the first two paragraphs?| A．All people expected too much of him. |
| B．He grew up in a happy family. |
| C．He accepted the greatest education. |
| D．He had high expectation of himself. |
| A．He spent more time preparing for the exams. |
| B．He learnt from his peers from time to time. |
| C．He often wrote feedbacks on others’ essays. |
| D．He turned to his teacher when facing problems. |
| A．Intelligent and humorous. | B．Generous and selfless. |
| C．Determined and hardworking. | D．Courageous and friendly. |
| A．Failure is the mother of success. |
| B．Perseverance can help realize your dream. |
| C．Easier said than done. |
| D．It’s never too late to study. |
2 . Cody McCasland is a double above-knee amputee(被截肢者) .He was born with a rare birth weakness that caused his legs to form both missing tibiae(胫骨) and knees. He has been receiving care at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC) since he was just two months old. After discussions, doctors decided that it was in Cody’s best interests to amputate(截肢) his legs to give him a chance to walk freely using artificial limbs. This surgery was completed when Cody was just 15 months old, and he received his first set of artificial limbs when he was 17 months old.
Over the past few years Cody has continued to challenge himself physically. Cody has competed in many athletic competitions, winning gold medals in running and swimming. He once ran the last part of the Team Cody Relay at, the Dallas White Rock Marathon. He competes as a double amputee on a normal competitive USA swimming team. He also enjoys horse riding, playing baseball and many other sports.
Team Cody was formed in 2014.Through the years, Team Cody has raised nearly $92, 000 for TSRHC, and in 2018, it also raised over $3, 500 for Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). In 2019, Cody was asked to be a spokesperson for CAF. Cody attends events to help further the mission of CAF by supporting physically challenged persons to reach their athletic goals. Cody also serves as a teacher for new challenged athletes.
Cody has been enable to train, travel, compete in various athletic events and act as an inspiration for others. He has taken opportunities to meet some disabled people, spend time with them and-encourage them.
1. How can we describe Cody according to the text?| A．Funny and gentle. | B．Friendly and strong-willed. |
| C．Honest but shy. | D．Awkward but sympathetic. |
| A．He is quite good at swimming and running. |
| B．He joined a normal USA swimming team in 2014. |
| C．He managed towing old medals in world-class competitions. |
| D．He has been supported by CAF to compete for so many times. |
| A．He gives CAF chances to hold competitions. |
| B．He can train the disabled people to win races. |
| C．His experiences encourage others, especially those who are disabled. |
| D．He offers money to those who are poor or disabled through Team Cody. |
| A．The surgery for his legs was completed when he was just 15 months old. |
| B．He once ran a full Dallas White Rock Marathon by himself. |
| C．He has been disabled since he was a young teenager. |
| D．He became a spokesman for CAF in 2018. |
3 . It was a cold winter. The wind blew all night and the snow was blinding. When morning came, my three children and I got up and made our way to the windows. As we looked out the window, we saw that the henhouse was gone. Our three hens had been blown away.
I looked at the emptiness outside. Then I saw all three chickens sat around the edge of a white bucket. How was this violent wind not blowing them into the field beyond? I quickly pulled on long snow pants and heavy winter coat, wrapped a scarf and stuck my feet into very large boots.
I shouted at the wind as it blew. I was alone, struggling in the snow. They stared out the window into the vast white sea of snow, their eyes peeled for any sign of movement. Outside I heard the sound of my boots as I braved the elements.
The snow circling around me, I steadily made my way to the soft cluck-cluck-cluck sound my hens always made. When I reached them, I saw that their little feet were holding on to the edge of the bucket, heads bent forward and away from the wind. I gently lifted each hen and put it carefully into the warm inside. Then I began the freezing walk back to the small shed directly behind our house. One by one I laid my chickens on the cold floor, and they began to cluck softly.
As I shut the shed doors, my eyes went directly to the window where my children were watching. They jumped up and down cheering, and so did I! I wasn’t some dragon slayer (屠龙者) from a fairy tale. I was simply a mom, but the look on my children’s faces told me that they thought I was a hero mom.
1. What was the author’s feeling when seeing all three chickens sitting around the bucket?| A．unbelievable. | B．frightened. | C．ashamed. | D．confident. |
| A．By shouting at the henhouse. | B．By wearing protective clothes. |
| C．By searching for the white bucket. | D．By following the sound of the hens. |
| A．The author struggled to be a hero. |
| B．The author enjoyed herself in the snow. |
| C．The author’s children liked dragon slayers. |
| D．The children watched their mother all the way. |
| A．Hero in the snow. | B．Hens in trouble. |
| C．Weather in extreme. | D．Kindness in need. |
4 . Cyndi Decker, a schoolteacher in Florida, had recently taken an art class and made a painting of a huge white bird called an egret (白鹭). Her proud son posted a photograph of Decker on Reddit, shyly holding her painting. Below it he wrote, “My mom painted this and said no one would like it.“
Then Kristoffer Zetterstrand, an artist in Sweden, saw the photo, deciding to pay respect to the teacher by painting Decker holding her painting. He even captured the shy look on her face. Zetterstrand photographed himself holding his painting of Decker holding her painting. He posted the image on Reddit. The caption for his photograph is “I painted somebody’s mom.” Two days later, Amer, a student in Canada, painted a picture of Zetterstrand holding his painting of Decker holding her painting. Her caption read, “I painted the guy who painted the other guy’s mom.” The artist Vince Law was the next to join in. The caption for his photo of his painting is “I painted the girl who painted the guy who painted the other guy’s mom who painted an egret.” Artist Travis Simpson continued the fun.
And it happened again and again and again!
By this time, more than one million people had seen the paintings and pictures of paintings on a number of social media websites. Many artists around the world jumped into the process, many at the same time.
“I was in fear I was going to read a lot of hateful comments. You all have proven me so wrong. I’m assuming most of you could be my kids, and you all get an unjust accusation in this world. You all are caring and a ton of fun! Thanks for uplifting me! You all have inspired me instead,” she wrote on Reddit.
1. How did people join in the painting?| A．By painting the same bird. |
| B．By means of sharing painting process. |
| C．By organizing voluntary painters on the Internet. |
| D．By painting the photo posted by the previous painter. |
| A．Considerate and entertaining. | B．Ambitious and patient. |
| C．Demanding and stubborn. | D．Caring and funny. |
| A．She was afraid of her painting skill. |
| B．Most of kids like non-photorealistic art form. |
| C．There exists language violence on the Internet. |
| D．She was instructed by the professionals. |
| A．The Social Media Changed a Woman Art-lover. |
| B．One Painting Started a Worldwide Painting Party. |
| C．How the Painters Reacted to a Kid’s Hope. |
| D．How a Woman Won the Respect of People. |
5 . Being blind is hard. But things were even harder for those disabled kids who were born in a small village in India, where most people thought that kids with disabilities were useless. Srikanth Bolla was one of them. Luckily, Srikanth’s parents loved their son and refused to give in to social pressure. They encouraged the blind boy to reach for the stars.
Srikanth didn’t disappoint his parents. The 24-year-old young man is the founder and CEO of Bollant Industries, a successful company that makes environmentally friendly packaging.
Of course, getting here wasn’t easy. As a young boy, Srikanth went to a regular school. But the students and teachers there didn’t accept his disability. As a result, the young boy often was largely ignored.
Worried about Srikanth’s study, his parents finally sent him to a special needs school. The young boy soon rose to the top of his class, but he was not allowed to study sciences, because it was believed too dangerous for a blind student. This was a big setback since it meant that he couldn’t take the entrance exams for any of India’s top engineering colleges to realize his dream.
Not one to give up, Srikanth managed to study in the University of Cambridge in the UK. After graduating with a degree in computer science and business management, Srikanth decided to return to India and devoted himself to helping the country’s disabled people.
In 2012, he built Bollant Industries. In just four years, Bollant Industries has become a success with over 450 workers, 70% of whom are physically disabled.
Srikanth owes his success to his parents. Though being poor and uneducated, they encouraged Srikanth to realize his dreams and taught him that true happiness comes from helping others.
1. Why do the disabled kids in the small village lead a difficult life?| A．They are often looked down upon. |
| B．They can do nothing for society. |
| C．Their parents are too poor to support them. |
| D．They have no chance to realize their dreams. |
| A．He was the top of his class. |
| B．He made no friends and felt lonely. |
| C．He wasn’t allowed to learn science. |
| D．He was encouraged to start his own business. |
| A．Support. | B．Difficulty. |
| C．Fault. | D．Chance. |
| A．He builds schools for them. |
| B．He supports them to study aboard. |
| C．He lets them manage his company. |
| D．He provides job opportunities for them. |
6 . When Amanda Lemay heard the story about a baker and his wife who were traveling around the United States in a van, learning from expert bakers, she wanted to do something similar. So she got rid of most of her possessions and made an old ambulance with her dad into a lovely home on wheels.
Lemay’s ambulance is actually a former emergency response vehicle for the US Navy, built on a 2006 Ford E350 Cutaway. Renovations were done by her and her dad. Now the dark blue vehicle has a lot of built-in cabinets on all sides, offering a lot of storage space, while the rooftop has 400-watts of solar power panels and a small roof deck where Lemay practices yoga. The inside is tastefully done to suit Lemay’s work and hobbies.
As Lemay mentions, not only did her father help, but so did the rest of her family. Lemay’s mother helped sew the decorations on the removable cushions, and her sister crafted the leather pulls. It was truly a family affair.
Her current nomadic lifestyle fits well with her work doing audiobooks, voiceovers, and publishing work. In the end, this unexpected path has Lemay rethinking what it means to be truly sustainable, now that van life has gotten her to become minutely aware of the water, electricity, and other daily resources that she uses. But all these day-to-day concerns are balanced with a greater sense of freedom.
“It’s almost mind-blowing, it feels like a completely different life because I’m doing the work online, and I can do things on my own schedule. Pretty much most of my days are mine — so by living in the van, I can be where I want to be, and do the things I want to do, and spend time outside.”
1. Why is the story of a baker and his wife mentioned in paragraph 1?| A．It shows a creative way of learning. | B．It was spoken highly by expert bakers. |
| C．It’s an example of strong determination. | D．It’s where Amanda Lemay got her inspiration. |
| A．All family members contributed to it. | B．Its cost was shared by family members. |
| C．It was made to suit the life of the family. | D．The whole family gathered to celebrate it. |
| A．To value every minute of her life. | B．To make the best of what she has. |
| C．To keep a balance between work and life. | D．To be aware of the real meaning of family. |
| A．Reflecting on life. | B．Forgetting all about work. |
| C．Working on her own schedule. | D．Being free from day-to-day concerns. |
7 . Lauren Elizabeth Pirie Bath, until a few years ago, she was a chef, and a happy one at that time, but she wanted more out of life. She wanted to TRAVEL. At that time, Lauren discovered blogging and found that she took pretty good pictures. So she decided to post pictures on her blog. In less than 18 moths, there were over 200,000 people reading her blog! At first, Lauren only regarded it as a hobby, but companies started paying her to take photos and publish them. In 2013, she was determined to make her dream come true: to become Australia’s first professional photo blogger. It was a challenging job, but she did it. Now Lauren spends three weeks out of every month travelling and has over 464,000 fans following her online.
First visiting Western Australia for work in 2013, Lauren fell in love with northern WA and has been back six times. She has made over 140 work trips, but the best work trip ever was to Broome in the Kimberley region.
“It is extremely beautiful and I can experience the indigenous Australia there more than anywhere else. The Kimberley region, in particular, is unique and untouched.” She told the interviewer, and as a photographer, Lauren loves the bright light and amazing colours: red rocks, green plants, blue-green waters and blue skies.
To work full time in travel, she has to love nature and tries to take every opportunity to get outside and admire the natural world. She loves to photograph the rising sun, as well as enjoys photo graphing animals such as dolphins and kangaroos.
Lauren uses the photography to make an impact on people, especially when it comes to environmental issues. Today she has been photographing a crocodile swimming close to the boat the Kimberley Quest all day. When she posts the picture online, she will make a comment about how bad it is to feed wild crocodiles. This crocodile is used to passengers throwing food from boats and now she is becoming familiar with humans. Over time, this could make her a danger to people living to the area. If everyone can do something to make others aware of the problem, then that’s part of the solution.
1. What made Lauren decide to change her job?| A．She wanted to travel. |
| B．Companies paid her to take photos. |
| C．Many people read her blog in a short time. |
| D．She wanted more out of life. |
| A．Because its distinct and not damaged. |
| B．Because she loves the bright light and amazing colours. |
| C．Because it’s beautiful than anywhere else. |
| D．Because it makes Lauren Bath world-famous. |
| A．Lovely. | B．Native. | C．Fascinating. | D．Familiar. |
| A．To show her wonderful photographing skill. |
| B．To tell people the crocodile is in danger. |
| C．To call for more people’s love for animals. |
| D．To make people aware of the importance of environment protection. |
8 . It was May 17, 2015, and Brian Koonoon, then 36, had been out of contact since the 13th. He had gone missing in the Arctic.
Brian climbed the hill next to his camp and checked his radio, hoping to catch a signal. He looked back to see that the snow had already covered his tracks. Any search planes would have a hard time finding him — a tiny bit of color in a sea of white snow.
For the first time since losing contact, Brian felt a sense of despair. He thought about his family — his wife and five daughters. Then he made his decision: if he wanted to see his family again, he would just have to start walking.
He was still 40 miles away from Repulse Bay, the closest village. It would be a tough walk, but by this point he had no other choice.
He gathered his stove and tent into his bag, but soon realized that dragging it would be impossible. He made the decision to fill his bag with necessities: his remaining bread, candles, a knife, his radio and GPS. Then he started walking.
Brian made his way about 15 miles until he couldn’t walk anymore. He found a snowdrift against a rock. With his knife, he built a snow cave. He cut enough room for his body. He crawled in, ate and fell asleep. When he woke up a few hours later, Brian felt energetic and ready to walk.
Brian arrived in Repulse Bay at 5:30 am on May 20. He met a woman on the street and explained what he had been through. The woman stared at him. “You’re the guy we were looking for,” she said. Her husband had been part of the rescue operation.
Today, safe at home. Brian still misses the welcome he received. “Everyone was very happy everywhere I went,” he says. He recalls the way the village’s elders came to meet him — the man who had survived in the wild, and the man who had refused to give up.
1. Why did Brian Koonoon climb a hill?| A．To search for a way to the nearest village. |
| B．To find his tracks in the snow. |
| C．To let the airplane see him. |
| D．To receive a radio signal. |
| A．It was the closest way home. |
| B．There was a rescue team there. |
| C．He could turn to others for help there. |
| D．He could keep in contact with his family there. |
| A．A rescue team found him in the end. |
| B．It took him about four days to arrive at Repulse Bay. |
| C．He dragged the bag with the stove and a tent to head for the village. |
| D．He only had 15 miles left to reach the village after a good sleep. |
| A．Brian’s not giving up was respected by the villagers. |
| B．Brian was proud of his courage to survive. |
| C．Brian considered his experience a horrible one. |
| D．Brian was unwilling to take an adventure again. |
9 . It was several years ago when my wife asked me to meet her at the local department store on Black Friday morning. They had advertised a child’s bike that she wanted to purchase for our son. We stood with a very large crowd, waiting for the manager to blow the whistle. After a while the whistle blew. It was like throwing a basket of chum into a tank of sharks. I told my wife that if we obtained a bike, fine, but if we did not, I was OK with that too.
As the boxes of bikes began to gradually decrease, I saw my opportunity to wrap my hands around the corner of one of them, I lifted it off and suddenly felt some mild resistance(抵抗). I looked up to see one of the largest men I had ever seen in my life. Frightening was not enough to describe his presence. He was decorated with numerous leather belts with metal buttons around both arms and even his neck.
I started to loosen the box but he gently pushed it back in my direction and back into my hands. He then directed it into my shopping cart. He looked at me, smiled, and said, “Merry Christmas.”
My wife and I went to the checkout, paid for the bike and went home. All the way home I was thinking that this moment was by far the best Christmas gift I had ever received. The kindness of a human heart in a simple act of a stranger broke all preconceived notions(先入为主的观念) I may have had. I will never forget it.
1. What does the underlined word“chum”mean in paragraph 1?| A．Gifts. | B．Souvenirs. | C．Goods | D．Food. |
| A．The author was frightened by the man. | B．The man needed it more. |
| C．The author didn’t want to buy it. | D．The man got the box first. |
| A．A Shopping Experience | B．The Best Christmas Gift |
| C．An Unforgettable Bike | D．The Largest Man I Have Ever See |
| A．Industry is the parent of success. | B．No rose without a thorn.(刺) |
| C．No way is impossible to courage. | D．Don’t judge a book by its cover. |
10 . When Joy Warren’s husband passed away at the age of 50, her confidence took a knock. Meeting new people and joining in again socially was a fearful task. Fortunately, just doors away were friendly neighbors Janet and Michael Porter who knocked on her door and invited her to join them at a local friendship group event organization.
And it all started from there, explained Joy, “I’ve never been the type to sit still, so despite the fact I was still in deep sorrow for Graham, I knew I had to get out and socialize again, but it was difficult to know where to start. That knock on the door was the encouragement I needed.”
From that first neighborly nudge, Janet and Michael have been there for Joy, inviting her along to take part in regular social events in the organization . She continued: “They made sure I was never alone for too long, and if I really needed them, a gentle reminder would be given that they were always there. I joined them at all sorts of group meetings and events. Eventually, I signed up to the organization as a result of the wonderful new friends.”
Michael, who is also the secretary for the local branch, said, “We understood that Joy needed some time and space after losing Graham, but we made sure we were always there for her when she felt ready to join in. The time it takes to feel ready to step out and meet people again is a very personal thing. It can be a matter of weeks for some, or possibly years for others.
From coffee mornings and afternoon teas, to lunch clubs and guest talks, the local branches hold regular events and activities throughout the year. Joy can find out what events are running near to her by using the Event Finder, and enjoyed herself with the new friends.
1. What happened to Joy when her husband died?| A．Her neighbors knocked her down. |
| B．She lost confidence in social activities. |
| C．She recovered with the help of her old friends . |
| D．She joined a local friendship group event soon. |
| A．By persuading them to join it. |
| B．By signing up to it personally. |
| C．By finding out what events are running near. |
| D．By reminding them of the help around gently. |
| A．Hold events annually. | B．Have guest talks. |
| C．Use Event Finder. | D．Have tea in the mornings. |
| A．No man is an island. | B．Still water runs deep. |
| C．Patience is the best treatment . | D．Honesty is the best policy. |
