1 . Thomas was a well-known wise man. One day, he wandered in a beautiful small town. Because of his fame, people from nearby towns who heard of his arrival all came to visit and seek his advice.

Many who came sought help with difficulties in daily life, and Thomas, unable to bear turning them away, patiently offered suggestions. Word spread quickly, and more and more people came to see Thomas for guidance.

One day, dozens of people crowded outside Thomas’s door, all clamoring (大声地要求) that their problems were the most serious and urgent, each insisting that Thomas address their concerns first, with no one willing to yield (让步).

After a moment of thought, Thomas took out some paper and a pen and said, “I can’t hear clearly with everyone talking at once. How about everyone write down your problem on a piece of paper and place it in this basket beside me?”

Once everyone had placed their notes in the basket, Thomas shook the basket and said, “Please each take a piece of paper from the basket and read what it says.”

As everyone read a note from someone else, they all realized that indeed, each person has their own troubles, and every household has its own challenges. Then Thomas spoke up, “Now, whose problem is the most urgent to solve?” Hearing that question, no one spoke again, because now no one dared to claim that their problem was the most severe.

Often, we are bound by our immediate feelings. When difficulties and problems strike, it feels as though we are caught in a vortex of pain. But if we shift our focus from ourselves and look towards others, we might discover that the problems we face are not so significant. Perhaps others are the ones who need help more urgently, or maybe there is something within our power that we can do for them.

1. Why did people visit Thomas?

A．For advice.	B．For a meeting.
C．For a competition.	D．For introductions.

2. How did Thomas handle the crowd?

A．He ignored them.	B．He listened to each one individually.
C．He prioritized the problems himself.	D．He asked them to write down their problems.

3. What did reading others’ problems show to the people?

A．The complexity of their difficulties.	B．The similarity of their situations.
C．Their need for more advice.	D．Their living conditions.

4. What lesson did Thomas teach?

A．Competition.

B．Sympathy.

C．Prioritization.

D．Self-confidence.

2 . My long-distance cycling career of 13 years and 35,000 kilometres ended as I approached 75 in 2019. The realisation of this dawned on me slowly during my last ride in the US summer of that same year. Although I am now no longer strong enough to endure the long days and big climbs, day in and day out, I have my memories.

Long distance cycling brings pain, anxiety and exhaustion, but these pale into insignificance compared to the joy and satisfaction of climbing huge mountains or seeing spectacular sights for the first time. Real joy would come when I was alone, on my bicycle, in some remote and beautiful place. You could say that these same feelings could have been experienced in a car, but I know this not to be true. I had time to observe nature and life, all of which would have been bypassed in a car.

I enjoyed meeting and beating the daily schedule I had set for myself. I enjoyed the ever-changing vegetation, the people, kind, unkind and indifferent, whom I met along the way. No matter how hard or easy the ride was, I always enjoyed the achievement of arriving, followed by a hot shower and bed, when I could find a motel. On the other nights, I was happy to camp. Meeting a diversity of people with different perspectives on life was easy. The cycling devices allowed me to strike up conversations in pubs and cafes and I got to see and experience the very best in people.

The road ahead always loomed large, as did the mountains, the cold, the mosquitoes and the rain. The road behind is just memories, lack of pain and anxiety, some soon to be forgotten, others to be valued and boosted with the retelling.

Cycling taught me to like who I am. I am finally happy with and accepting of my introverted (内向的) personality. I have more persistence and courage than I ever imagined. These trips all required courage, courage which I never knew I possessed.

1. What made the author end his cycling career?

A．Financial problems.

B．Lack of interest in cycling.

C．Desire to pursue other hobbies.

D．Physical inability to bear long rides.

2. What was the real pleasure for the author?

A．Meeting different people.	B．Beating the daily schedule.
C．Experiencing nature up close.	D．Climbing huge mountains.

3. What special insight did the author gain through cycling?

A．Nature deserves exploring.

B．One could find a real self.

C．Introverted people could be sociable.

D．Communication with strangers helps a lot.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A magazine.

B．A brochure.

C．A novel.

D．A manual.

3 . Looking back, I spent many unhappy days. In middle school I didn’t think I was as smart as everyone else; I didn’t have cool enough clothes. Junior high was the same. I wasn’t as tall and thin as all the other girls; my baby teeth hadn’t fallen out yet. Fast forward to high school. Still everyone was smarter; still everyone dressed better. Eventually, in my first job out of college I wasn’t making as much money as my friends did.

I come from a long line of people who’ve suffered from depression. When I was single, I thought that was just who I was — it was the genes (基因) I was born with. When I was twenty-six, I got married, and three years later I had my first child.

Once we had kids, my excuse of “it’s-in-the-genes” didn’t work so well for me anymore because that meant my kids would be depressed. Although I realized that still might be the case, I began looking at my unhappiness in new ways.

Over the years many things helped me fight depression: healthy eating, exercise, fresh air, friends and medicine. They all helped. But I had a little secret, too. It’s an exercise I did every night before bed. By the side of my bed, I had a small datebook — every day I only had enough space to write one line.

Every night I asked myself: “What made me the happiest today?” Because I didn’t have space to write a lot, it only took me a few seconds. But in those seconds I replayed my day and decided on its happiest moment.

Some days it was “reading before bed with the kids” or “laughing with a friend on the phone”. And other days it was “finally getting to get into bed” or “not having to cook dinner again”. Anyway, I actively sought the positive every day. Today, when I have a difficult day, I look back through the datebook, read and remember those happy moments in the past.

1. What can be inferred from paragraph 1?

A．The author led a poor life.

B．The author got a high-pay job.

C．The author challenged herself bravely.

D．The author usually compared herself with others.

2. What changed the author’s mind?

A．Her first career.	B．Her happy marriage.
C．Her care for her children.	D．Her knowledge of genes.

3. Why did the author keep a datebook every day?

A．To ease her loneliness.	B．To have a sound sleep.
C．To recall happy moments.	D．To serve as bedtime stories.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

B．Mother should set a good example for kids.

C．There could be a solution to any problem.

D．We should appreciate life’s bright aspects.

4 . Not long ago when I had a dinner party, a guest noticed the gravy boat (船形酱汁壶) — a piece of china, “Is it a heirloom (传家宝)?” The boat is very old, matches nothing else, and has a V-shaped cut on it. But it is the one I will keep forever.

Our history together began fifty years ago when I was seven. That December the river started to rise. We worked hard against the disaster and even kept a rowboat downstairs. My mother carefully packed the china in the study upstairs because it’d been her mother’s and was valuable to her. She told me, “You must treasure the things people you love have treasured. It keeps you in touch with them.” But then I didn’t really understand her concern.

The water rose higher. One night, the floor of the study fell through and the china was on the first floor under the rising river. The loss really broke her heart. That night she sat on the top of the stairs and cried.

The next morning I could tell how bad she still felt. Suddenly I saw the rowboat —yes, I could fish for the china. I put a hook (钩) onto a line, let it down until I felt it hit bottom and slowly moved the rowboat back and forth, pulling my line, but time after time I pulled the line up empty.

When we had to leave as the water poured in, I tried for the last time. Suddenly I felt something and raised my catch. The gravy boat! The moment I took it out in front of my mother, she was in tears of joy.

It was just then that I realized how deeply that old gravy boat connected me to the people and places of my past, tying me to my mother as well as her life, her joy and her love.

1. What can we learn about the gravy boat?

A．It is fifty years old.	B．It means much to “my” family.
C．It is old but perfect.	D．It matches the furniture well.

2. What made the author’s mother cry that night?

A．Pain of the injury.	B．Rise of the river.
C．Damage of the study.	D．Loss of the treasure.

3. Which of the following can best describe “I”?

A．Caring.

B．Honest.

C．Confident.

D．Responsible.

4. What does the author want to express in the text?

A．Stay calm in face of a disaster.

B．“Heirlooms” connect generations.

C．Suffering improves the parent-child tie.

D．Mother’s love promotes her child’s growth.

5 . People usually consider voluntary work as a completely selfless act, but voluntary work has its place in everyone’s lives, and my personal experiences have confirmed my belief in this.

    1     I once cleaned up flats where the poor lived in. The space was overcrowded and the items were covered in dust. I couldn’t contain my judgement and was critical about them. However, after talking to the residents and hearing about their misfortunes, I regretted my hasty judgment. This allowed me to know more about the less fortunate who don’t share my lifestyles.     2     Life is more complex than expected and I should sympathize with the disadvantaged.

Volunteer work has reminded me to cherish and appreciate little things in life. When I volunteered to teach life skills to students with cerebral palsy (脑瘫), I found that they were very grateful to the teachers and assistants by saying “thank you” and smiling.     3     Consequently, this has made me more mindful of my priorities in life, and more deliberate in not letting insignificant things bother me. Doing voluntary work has taught me to be happier and more grateful.

Doing voluntary work has given my life more meaning.     4     However, excessively pursuing them can often lead to increased discontent and can’t give meaning to one’s life. After doing voluntary work and learning the stories of others, I have a stronger sense of purpose in my life. Instead of just being absorbed in my own wants and needs, I make up my mind to try my best to help those in need.     5    

A．I felt that they had taught me a lesson on gratitude.

B．It is easy to be obsessed with material wants in society.

C．I am now able to go through life with more love and compassion.

D．Volunteer work has provided me with opportunities to make friends.

E．With the determination, the decisions I make are now more meaningful.

F．Moreover, I realized they are often unreasonably judged by other people.

G．Voluntary work has helped me better understand the lives of the less fortunate.

6 . My plan to learn to play the cello (大提琴) was a health y choice. So I took the next innocent step of going to a shop that sells and rents string instruments, especially violins, violas, and cellos. The place was a hole-in-the-wall, up a steep flight of stairs. Instruments left a narrow path to the counter where a woman with grey hair and warm eyes greeted me. Since I couldn’t form a question about what I wanted, I just stood there exploring the scene, which felt immensely pleasurable.

I rented a cello, a bow, and a case to hold them. What attracted me to the cello was its enormous size and its soft, smooth, and memorable sounds. It’s an instrument made of beautifully polished wood that I could wrap my arms around and feel its powerful vibrations when the strings were played. That was a good starting point for me. The only problem was that I didn’t know how to play it.

There’s a popular belief that the cello is a particularly difficult instrument to learn. Another is the admonition, “Don’t bother if you are a beginner over age 10!” Well, I was 70, and what others thought no longer influenced me. And besides, I thought of the words of Dr. Cohen, who suggested that learning causes physical changes in the brain.

So I found a teacher who had respect for older adult beginners and I practiced diligently, daily for years, and sometimes disheartened, but I kept up. I’m happy to report that now, more than a decade later, I can hold my own in a string trio and two quartets （two violins, a viola, and me, the female cello）and even a senior community band. Of course, I’ll never sound like Yo-Yo Ma but you could recognize a Mozart piece if you heard me play it. And, more importantly, I don’t need to please anyone but myself.

Whether it’s a pleasurable pastime or a new career, the starting point is the same: wonder, curiosity, determination, and the desire to keep your brain sharp.

1. How did the writer feel in the shop?

A．Amused by the shop assistant.

B．Anxious for a live performance.

C．Pleased at the nice music atmosphere.

D．Curious about where to find a teacher.

2. What does the underlined word “admonition” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Approval.	B．Criticism.
C．Puzzlement.	D．Warning.

3. Why does the writer mention Dr. Cohen in paragraph 3?

A．To recommend a reliable doctor.

B．To provide proof for common belief.

C．To add another reason for her decision.

D．To stress the crucial function of the brain.

4. Which of the following can best convey the writer’s idea?

A．Art is man’s second nature.

B．One is never too old to learn.

C．Education is the key to success.

D．Happiness is the best form of health.

7 . Denmark retired after practicing medicine for 73 years and then volunteered her services until she couldn’t anymore. She died at the age of 114.

I met her by phone when the pediatrician (儿科医生) couldn’t figure out what was wrong with my baby. On the phone, she talked with me for more than 30 minutes. I took her advice, and my baby was better about 10 days later. She never charged me.

“You keep on doing what you do best as long as you can,” she was famous for the words. And it turned out her advice about actively helping others was as good as her medical advice.

Obviously, we can’t all live as long as Dr. Denmark. But recent research has shown that volunteering provides a longevity boost similar to the effects of adding multiple servings of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. Specifically, older adults who volunteer are at 24 percent less risk of early death. The positive impact of giving and volunteering on older people goes beyond that. According to the research, adults over 55 who give their time for others have an easier time with everyday tasks. Besides, volunteers experience 250 percent less cognitive decline leading to dementia (痴呆).

According to a new study in the Journal of Happiness Studies, people who volunteer report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. The study took it a second step and followed people who began volunteering—monitoring their responses from the time they started volunteering. The longer they volunteered and the more they volunteered, the greater level of happiness they reported.

You may already be volunteering your time. But if you’re not, consider the charities you support. Think about the skills you might be able to offer them. You are likely to be glad about what you do.

1. What can we infer about Denmark?

A．She retired at the age of 73.	B．She volunteered for 73 years.
C．She was patient and professional.	D．She once forget to charge the author.

2. How many benefits of volunteering are mentioned in paragraph 4?

A．1.

B．2.

C．3.

D．4.

3. What does the author try to do in the last paragraph?

A．Seek support.	B．Advise about sharpening skills.
C．Offer solutions.	D．Encourage people to volunteer.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．The kindness of a doctor.	B．The benefits of volunteering.
C．The process of being a volunteer.	D．The struggle of child-raising.

8 . If you think that this is about a ten-year-old boy adopting a blind deer, you are wrong. If you think this is about a deer giving her love for her savior then you’re wrong again.     1     He helped this deer find grass to eat every morning.

A ten-year-old boy in Chicago, Illinois spotted a blind deer that had wandered into his neighborhood, and he decided to help it find a safe place and give it some food. He made a regular morning habit of doing this before going to school. The roads are a dangerous place for blind animals.     2    

When the Illinois Department of Natural Resources got to know about this, they immediately adopted the deer. They provided her with a proper, legal shelter.     3     He didn’t try to pet her. Therefore, he felt a sense of relief, knowing that the blind deer was safe.

    4     Usually, when people find things they love, they naturally tend to make them their own and seldom like to share them with others. This example shows that loving something does not mean trying to own it. Caring is not possessing. What we learn from the boy is to live peacefully with our surroundings.

The blind deer and the boy spent very little time as friends. The boy did not let his feelings for her overpower himself.     5     Being humans is not just about loving and hugging those we love; it is also about sharing our world with them.

A．What can we draw from the story?

B．But it doesn’t mean that we cannot see his humanity and love.

C．It was a generous use of his early morning time before school.

D．How would you reward a kid who helped a blind deer in need?

E．That was when people knew that the boy hadn’t named the deer.

F．So he carefully guided the creature across the streets and sidewalks.

G．Rather, this is about a boy who was kind enough to help a blind deer.

9 . Jerry was always in a good mood and had something positive to say. If someone was having a bad day, Jerry would tell them how to look on the positive side of the situation.

One day, I asked him, “I don’t get it! How can you be positive all the time?”

Jerry replied, “Each morning, I say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood.” Several years later, I heard that Jerry was shot by three robbers (抢劫者). Luckily, Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the local hospital.

I asked him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. Jerry replied. “Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared?” I asked. “Yes, I got really scared when I saw the expressions on the face of the doctors.” “What did you do?” I asked.

“Well, when a nurse asked if I was allergic (过敏的) to anything, I shouted, bullets! (子弹)”

“Then they laughed, I told them, ‘I am choosing to live. Operate on me if I am alive, not dead’”

Thanks to the skill of his doctors, Jerry was saved, but also because of his amazing attitude. Attitude after all, is everything.

1. Jerry did everything in a ________ attitude.

A．opposite

B．positive

C．bad

D．terrible

2. During the robbery, ________.

A．three robbers shot Jerry	B．Jerry was in the hospital
C．Jerry fought against the robbers	D．Jerry caught the three robbers

3. The expressions on the face of the doctors shows that ________.

A．the doctors were sure to cure Jerry	B．Jerry was not hurt badly
C．the doctors were Jerry’s relatives	D．Jerry was hurt too badly

4. Through the story, we know that the writer ________.

A．was always in a bad mood, too	B．didn’t agree with what Jerry said and did
C．thought Jerry was brave and great	D．thought Jerry was funny, but foolish

5. Jerry’s story tells us that ________.

A．attitude is important for us	B．good mood may be dangerous sometimes
C．the doctor may be important for patient	D．allergic person can’t see bullets

10 . The stands were always filled with family members to support their favorite players. I attended each of my son’s games. His father worked nights for years, and missed out on most of his games. My son Jorden knew if his dad could, he would be there sitting right beside me.

When Jorden was younger, some family members would occasionally come to watch. But gradually they stopped showing up. Never once did Jorden lead me to believe that this bothered him, but apparently it did. It wasn’t until when he was asked to give a speech at his baseball event that he made it very clear not only to me but a room filled with over 150 people just how important it is to have extra fans in the stands.

His speech was anything but like I thought it would be. It wasn’t short and bittersweet. It wasn’t his quick thank you to his coaches and teammates. He poured his heart out, saying he seldom had grandparents, aunts or uncles coming to support him. He was grateful that his teammates’ family members showed up to support not just their own loved ones but the entire team of boys. Clearly Jorden desired more than just me. Never did I ever think my son would be hurting inside as he looked out to the bleachers to see only me at each and every game.

As he struggled to get each word out through tears, I promised I would attend as many events of the children around as I possibly could. There was no way I could allow another child to feel what my son was feeling. This small simple gesture would mean so much to any child. Neither Jorden nor I was upset with those who never attended his games. Jorden just wanted someone else besides me to witness his craft in action. I understand all of our lives become complicated and that everyone is busy with their own children and jobs that may not allow them as much free time as they’d like.

1. What do we know about Jorden’s father?

A．He had long been misunderstood by Jorden.

B．He had few chances to attend Jorden’s games.

C．He managed to be with Jorden in every game.

D．He had made excuses to miss Jorden’s games.

2. What was Jorden’s speech about?

A．His ambition to win the championship.

B．His gratitude to his mother and coaches.

C．His complaint about his family members.

D．His desire for support from more people.

3. What does the author think of Jorden’s speech?

A．Depressing.

B．Complicated.

C．Astonishing.

D．Absurd.

4. How did the author respond to Jorden’s speech?

A．She tried to be actively involved in children’s games.

B．She promised not to miss out on games of every child.

C．She offered to invite many relatives to Jorden’s games.

D．She decided to lead Jorden to trust his family members.