1 . I was then in my early twenties. Even though I was armed with a degree in Education, finding a
This year, when a golden opportunity
One day when the kids were
That experience showed me the
| A．first-rate | B．well-paid | C．labor-saving | D．full-time |
| A．escaped | B．demanded | C．arose | D．arranged |
| A．jumped at | B．thought about | C．waited for | D．dreamt of |
| A．occupied | B．amused | C．concerned | D．contented |
| A．familiar | B．positive | C．strict | D．consistent |
| A．evaluating | B．supporting | C．instructing | D．congratulating |
| A．graded | B．dismissed | C．tested | D．taught |
| A．note | B．gift | C．parcel | D．book |
| A．judged | B．indicated | C．emphasized | D．accompanied |
| A．hardened | B．touched | C．broken | D．gladdened |
| A．simply | B．casually | C．carefully | D．eagerly |
| A．reminder | B．treasure | C．proof | D．secret |
| A．comfort | B．fortune | C．fantasy | D．privilege |
| A．target | B．application | C．power | D．principle |
| A．clarify | B．find | C．feel | D．spread |
2 . In 2016, when I was on the graduate scheme (计划) at Deutsche Bank, Marie Inafidon, chief executive of Stemettes, who encourages girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), was also working there. I didn’t meet her at the time, but I did read an article about her and her career.
Learning at 21 years old about the career of a young black woman’s succeeding in a traditionally white male-dominated industry was one of the most influential things that ever happened to me. It gave me confidence that it was possible to do well in the office and work on personal external project at the same time.
Role models can play a central role in shaping a young professional’s career. They are especially important if you belong to an under-represented group for whom a lack of representation in the workplace can lead to feeling isolated and lacking in confidence. They can help those just starting out, whether or not they are a graduate as I was, to believe in their own abilities.
There’s a growing need to have accessible role models. Given the tendency to exaggerate (夸大) success stories, hearing from women who talk honestly about the challenges they have faced, either when starting a business or forming a new career path, is much more effective. A study revealed that 70 per cent of girls say they think differently about their futures after hearing from women role models.
I’m frequently asked about what businesses could be doing to increase racial diversity in the workplace. A good starting point is to actively promote and support the voices of the people in the organisation that are leading positive change and inspiring others. This makes a real difference. Unlike the tokenism (装样子) I still come across, which results in individuals being made the lone representative for a group without real support from the organisation.
Things came full circle for me when I interviewed Ms. Inafidon for my book in 2019. I was able to tell her of the incredible impact her passion and confidence had had on me as a graduate trainee and how grateful I would always be for that.
1. What do we learn about Marie Inafidon？| A．She became successful at 21. |
| B．She was a trainee at Deutsche Bank. |
| C．She encouraged girls to take up STEM-related work. |
| D．She helped the author with her external project personally. |
| A．Experienced professionals. | B．A graduate eager to succeed. |
| C．People without special abilities. | D．The young from an under-represented group. |
| A．Taking on challenging projects. |
| B．Reading more made-up success stories. |
| C．Starting their own business as early as possible. |
| D．Listening to women role models share their experiences. |
| A．Encourage positive opinions. |
| B．Make more colored people authorities. |
| C．Include more people of different races. |
| D．Understand the true meaning of tokenism. |
3 . “Can we look at the school supplies while we’re here?” my daughter, Julia, asked during a trip to the store. My favorite school-supply item is the daily planner because I struggle with organization. I always dream that the perfect planner will somehow cure me of my delay and turn my life into a paradise (乐园) of order and productivity.
The list of habits I wanted to develop was long. Exercising regularly. Drinking more water. Clearing a junk drawer or closet each week. Reading more books and watching less TV. Delaying less on work deadlines. Spending more time with each of my kids and reaching out to family and friends more often. Making special meals, and doing other things to make my loved ones feel loved.
Over the next few days, I was able to check off several items on my habit tracker. I was pleased with the progress, but I hadn’t done much with the habits intended to improve my relationships with others. I tried to put more focus on those habits.
One morning, I opened my planner and realized that it was Julia’s. The first task was “Write in my gratitude journal.” The second one was “Do something nice for someone else.” Julia was a busy college student. How did she find time to keep a journal and do random acts of kindness? When I asked her about it, she said, “Those two habits go together. Writing in my gratitude journal makes me want to do nice things for other people.”
“What a wonderful thing to do!” I said, “I love that your gratitude fuels your acts of kindness.” I took a plain notebook and wrote, “I’m thankful for...” I prepared my husband’s favorite dinner, sent an encouraging text to a friend, and baked another batch of cookies for Julia to share with her friends.
1. Why does the author like the planner most?| A．She often used it while being a teacher. |
| B．She wants to keep her life organized. |
| C．She is a person of doing things in order. |
| D．She tends to focus on working effectively. |
| A．The various arrangements the author had a day. |
| B．The constant changes the author made in life. |
| C．The good habits the author wanted to develop. |
| D．The different things the author delayed doing. |
| A．Doing more exercise every day. | B．Completing her tasks in time. |
| C．Keeping a balanced diet for her health. | D．Building more close bonds with others. |
| A．Gratitude can fuel kindness. | B．Love is endless in a family. |
| C．Blessing comes from nowhere. | D．Generosity is actually a virtue. |
4 . Even now, I have vivid memories of my last day of high school. In my mind’s eye, I’m cleaning out my locker, and then staring at the emptiness for a few extra beats before slamming it shut for the last time. I’m roaming the halls with my best friend, blissfully ignoring the bells going off every 50 minutes on schedule because, just today, we’re allowed to break the rules. I’m sitting on my desk, swinging my feet, and shooting the breeze (闲聊) with my English teacher, Mr. Carr, in a way that makes me feel almost grown up.
It was maybe my favorite day of the whole year. Like the final layer of watercolor, the freedom and lightness I feel seeps (渗透) into the rest of my memories of that day and turns them just a shade rosier.
If the school year hasn’t yet ended for you, consider what you can do to make the finale count. Why? Because when it comes to human memory, not all moments are created equal. Instead, our remembered experiences are disproportionately (不成比例地) influenced by peaks(the best moments as well as the worst)and endings (the last moments). Nobel Prize winner Danny Kahneman, who discovered this phenomenon, called this the peak-end rule. It suggests that our judgment of a past experience is largely based on its most extreme point and its endpoint.
I took advantage of the peak-end rule years ago, when my girls were young enough to want a bedtime story each night. I remember thinking that whatever strife (冲突) and stress had occurred that day, I could make the last moments count. I could end on a note of calm and act like the patient mom I hadn’t quite managed to be just hours before.
Don’t mistake all moments as equal in significance. There’s a reason why yoga classes end with savasana (挺卧式). There’s a reason we eat dessert last. Do orchestrate (精心安排) endings. As Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll might say: Finish strong. Last impressions are especially lasting.
1. What does the underlined word in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Calmly. | B．Surprisingly. |
| C．Happily. | D．Curiously. |
| A．Peaks in life can be remembered better than endings. |
| B．The last moments matter the most in our memories. |
| C．Our judgment of the past is determined by first impressions. |
| D．The peaks and ends of experiences are easier to remember. |
| A．How the author applied the rule to daily life. |
| B．How the author treated her daughters. |
| C．What struggles the author had in life. |
| D．Why the author read stories to her kids. |
| A．To prove the peak-end rule can be used in sports. |
| B．To encourage readers to value the last moments of an experience. |
| C．To explain why last impressions are lasting. |
| D．To show the importance of doing sports. |
5 . I started a “question of the day” section in a family text group. We’d talk about everything from movies to politics. But despite several warnings from loved ones that some of my responses were judgmental and that I was too quick to attack an opinion, I all but killed that group text. It had a good 12 people in it. We’d shared laughs, encouragement, and funny memes (表情包). It took only one conversation — which I was in the middle of — to end it.
I realized that I had a problem. The medium for my problem is the smartphone. Before smartphones enabled instant communication, people talked on the telephone. In person, you could cut in a “What do you mean by that?” to correct a misunderstanding before it got out of hand. Don’t get me wrong: I love a good group text. It makes me feel connected to people in a way that I just can’t seem to anymore, now that I have a wife and kids.
I’m learning, but I had a relapse (复发) recently. I joined a new text group. I introduced my “question of the day” feature. I fooled myself into thinking that I was encouraging a healthy debate on current events. No. Others in the group saw it as me trying to prove that my way was the right way. Then I made the mistake of sharing some personal information that one friend had told me during a phone conversation. I thought everyone knew. Then this friend started referring to me as a snitch — not terms of kind word. So I asked him about it — in person. That’s when he told me I’d shared sensitive information he hadn’t told anyone else. I apologized plentifully and came away from the conversation more determined to slow down my texts.
My new resolve seems to be working. You should be pleased to know that I have avoided making a few points that I was tempted (鼓动) to make in individual and group texts. In some cases, I didn’t even respond. I haven’t lost any more connections by doing this.
1. How does the author introduce the topic?| A．By making judgments on politics. | B．By responding to some text messages. |
| C．By presenting a personal experience. | D．By starting a funny conversation. |
| A．Ignoring the need to listen to others. | B．Making quick and sharp responses. |
| C．Failing to express himself timely. | D．Focusing on the issues of his own. |
| A．He gave away the privacy of his friend. |
| B．He always made mistakes on current events. |
| C．He made a fool of himself in chatting. |
| D．He liked enquiring personal information. |
| A．Hurry makes waste. | B．Understanding each other is vital. |
| C．Sometimes fast is just too fast. | D．Trust is the bridge of communication. |
When we were finally dismissed from the last class of the day, the students streamed out of the classrooms. It was another boring day after school. I dragged my feet home as I sighed. Yet another uneventful day, I thought. Little did I know that the day would take a turn for the worse.
The lift lobby (电梯间) of my flat was old and dirty. The walls, which were painted white, had been dirtied over many years. I reached my flat’s lobby, and pressed the lift button and went in. Just then, Mrs Lim, my elderly neighbour, hobbled (蹒跚) in. She looked ancient with tissue paper white hair, wearing a faded old-fashioned dress. I held the lift door open, flashing a friendly smile, and politely greeted her. I asked her how she felt that day and pressed the buttons. She thanked me for being so polite, then we were silent for the rest of the ride.
The lift fell down increasingly fast. There were loud clanking sounds here and there while the lift grew slower and slower. My heart beat hard and fast as my hands turned cold and wet with sweat. Unfortunately, the lift came to an abrupt stop at the fifth floor. I pressed the buttons hard several times, but it was of no help. The lights on the buttons had gone out. It soon dawned on me that we were trapped. An icy fear crept up my spine. Mrs Lim was hysterical (歇斯底里).
“We will never get out!” she cried with her face pale. It had become a colourless mask. I had no time to lose. I pressed the bell in the lift immediately. The sound was surely deafening, but what other choice did I have? Mrs Lim burst into tears. I tried my very best to comfort her, telling her that everything would be all right and that we needed to find out how to get out safely. Mrs Lim began having trouble breathing, and I immediately helped her sit down and loosened her collar.
Paragraph 1: Several minutes passed, but no help came.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: Bang! My hopes were lifted when I heard the firefighters on the other side of the lift door.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . In 1967, my husband and I graduated from college with financial challenges. We struggled to make both
Later we got involved socially with a community of couples. They
One summer, the group
Decades have passed. Now, as my husband and I approach retirement with our grown son, that picnic remains
That day, the feast symbolized a(n)
| A．terms | B．routes | C．ends | D．sides |
| A．allowed for | B．sorted out | C．resulted in | D．added to |
| A．challenged | B．shared | C．reflected | D．acknowledged |
| A．hopefully | B．originally | C．consistently | D．occasionally |
| A．encouraged | B．restricted | C．refused | D．facilitated |
| A．advertised | B．funded | C．delivered | D．organized |
| A．relieved | B．satisfied | C．astonished | D．convinced |
| A．Instead | B．Therefore | C．Moreover | D．However |
| A．Depressed | B．Disappointed | C．Embarrassed | D．Worried |
| A．return | B．fortune | C．difference | D．reform |
| A．available | B．fresh | C．distant | D．untouched |
| A．evaluated | B．calculated | C．influenced | D．defined |
| A．innovation | B．cooperation | C．royalty | D．generosity |
| A．debt | B．favor | C．advance | D．investment |
| A．chance | B．motive | C．reminder | D．turn |
8 . As a boy, I knew little about baseball. Yet I later became the father of two boys, Will and Tim, who were both interested in baseball. On Saturday mornings, I’d take Will out to the playground and play catch with him. Because of my weak arm, the ball often dropped before he could catch it. After many misses, he said one day, “How am I ever going to make the major leagues (联盟)?” “You have the wrong dad, kid,” I thought. Baseball isn’t my thing.
Still, I wanted to give my kids confidence on the field. There was an official Little League in our area, but it was super-competitive and only catered to older boys. I really hoped we had something less competitive, something that welcomed younger boys and girls.
I shared the idea with some neighbors. “That would be great!” they said. Now who could organize such a thing? Not me. I tried to put the idea aside, but it wouldn’t leave me. I finally decided that I must do something about it. So I called the city government, explaining that some families wanted to start a baseball league in our neighborhood. Were there any fields for that? When I had to speak to the official in charge, I got butterflies in my stomach. What if he said no? “Yes, we have two fields for four hours every Sunday morning,” the man said hearing my request. Our league was founded. What a joy it was to sit on the benches, watching Will and Tim playing baseball! And I became the most unlikely baseball commissioner (专员) ever.
Many years have passed. Now Will and Tim are new dads, and I can’t want to see what they’ll have to do. I know better than anyone: Parenthood calls you to do the most unlikely things.
1. Why did the author think his son Will had the wrong father?| A．He had poor baseball skills. | B．He had no confidence in his son. |
| C．He wouldn’t play catch with his son. | D．He didn’t know what his son’s dream was. |
| A．Won the respect of. | B．Ensured the safety of. |
| C．Served the purpose of. | D．Saved the trouble of. |
| A．Confident. | B．Peaceful. | C．Nervous. | D．Proud. |
| A．The need to challenge oneself. | B．The greatness of parental love. |
| C．The role of sports in kids’ growth. | D．The relationship between parents and kids. |
9 . The doorbell rang one mid-December evening. I frequently had unexpected visitors in those early days after my husband’s
Sam had died that fall,
The next night, the doorbell rang again. Another
For the next couple of nights, my boys waited near the front door to see who was leaving the gifts, but the bearer would always choose the moment they left to
I didn’t know who the secret Santa was. But there was one thing I did know. In those dark days of
After 11 days of offerings, we weren’t sure what to
| A．promotion | B．death | C．retirement | D．operation |
| A．Otherwise | B．Besides | C．Instead | D．Therefore |
| A．rope | B．paper | C．flower | D．ribbon |
| A．leaving | B．finding | C．naming | D．considering |
| A．agreed | B．planned | C．managed | D．promised |
| A．arrived | B．returned | C．ended | D．escaped |
| A．book | B．toy | C．box | D．pet |
| A．designing | B．including | C．showing | D．making |
| A．get through | B．set off | C．move on | D．turn up |
| A．regret | B．sadness | C．anger | D．disappointment |
| A．annoying | B．funny | C．urgent | D．powerful |
| A．dream | B．light | C．future | D．home |
| A．difference | B．effort | C．comparison | D．contribution |
| A．support | B．offer | C．expect | D．appreciate |
| A．something | B．nothing | C．anything | D．everything |
10 . By the time he was 24 years old, Imran Nuri quit his job in a bold move, and emptied his savings account to carry out an ambitious
He
In Colorado Springs, Colorado, a man in his 50s who had stage 4 terminal cancer told Nuri, “Life is about the human
In Tillamook, Oregon, a waitress-a college student told him, “whether it’s changing your major or changing your whole life path, you don’t have to
Nuri found beauty in every place as well as
| A．plan | B．policy | C．initiative | D．trick |
| A．acquaintances | B．residents | C．strangers | D．peers |
| A．embraced | B．inquired | C．misunderstood | D．known |
| A．picture | B．navigate | C．enrich | D．interpret |
| A．cracked up | B．backed away | C．set out | D．knocked off |
| A．generous | B．wrong | C．pleasant | D．selfish |
| A．dismiss | B．accompany | C．consult | D．beat |
| A．courageous | B．stupid | C．unforgettable | D．glorious |
| A．sailing | B．hiking | C．driving | D．wandering |
| A．occasionally | B．permanently | C．later | D．earlier |
| A．finally | B．excitedly | C．instantly | D．hesitantly |
| A．potential | B．nature | C．connection | D．competition |
| A．admire | B．reward | C．forgive | D．fault |
| A．wisdom | B．fortune | C．confidence | D．perseverance |
| A．objectively | B．differently | C．selectively | D．randomly |
