3 . For many of us, being alone is a negative state of being, implying isolation, being on the outside. Even further, it may imply that there is something actually wrong with a person who remains alone.     1     However, once mastered, it serves as the cornerstone for your development and growth as a human being.

Aloneness enhances your creativity.     2     When you are alone, you are more likely to stay true to yourself and try new things that you don't have the courage to do around others. Picasso or Van Gogh wouldn't have created the masterpieces if they hadn't taken enough solitary（独处的)time to experiment regardless of others' thoughts.

Being alone also prevents you from burning out. Sometimes you may wonder why you easily feel tired. One reason could be not giving yourself enough solitary time. Especially for people who go to work every day, it is unavoidable to feel exhausted when you have to deal with work, family, and your own passions at the same time.     3     It doesn't matter how you choose to spend those moments alone. As long as they relieve your stress, they're worthwhile.

    4     When you take time to understand yourself, pursue your personal growth, and follow your dreams, you'll definitely discover the truth about yourself. Regardless of how well you may think you know yourself, learning how to be alone will allow you to deepen your self-awareness.

Being alone makes you a more creative person and helps with personal growth.     5    

A．But it's necessary to learn how to be alone.

B．Learning to be alone therefore sounds scary.

C．Aloneness is often associated with mad artists.

D．How about giving yourself a few solitary moments?

E．It frees us from the limits of the world's opinions.

F．Self-exploration is perhaps the biggest benefit of aloneness.

G．So spend some time alone today to become a brighter and better person.

5 . The Summer Food Service Program(SFSP)provides children in low-income areas with healthy meals and snacks for free.By this means children can get the nutrition necessary for learning, playing, and growing when they are out of school for summer vacation.

Sponsors

SFSP is run by local approved sponsors such as school districts, local government agencies, camps, or private non-profit organizations.These sponsors receive payments from the United States Department of Agriculture(USDA)through local agencies for the meals they serve and their documented operating costs.

Feeding locations

There are three kinds of feeding locations in New Jersey-open sites, enrolled sites, and camps.Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least 50% of the children come from families with incomes equal or less than 185% of the federal poverty level, which means they are qualified for free and reduced price meals.Meals are served free to any child at the open sites.

At most sites, children get either one or two reimbursable(可补偿的)meals per day.For locations primarily aiming to serve migrant children, they may be permitted to serve as many as three meals a day to each child.

Eligibility(资格)

Children aged 18 and under can receive free meals and snacks through SFSP.For those over 18, they are also eligible if they are disabled and participate in special school programs for people with mental or physical disabilities.

Enrolled sites provide meals to children participating in an activity program at the sites where at least half of them qualify for free and reduced price meals.Camps are also welcomed to join SFSP.They receive payments only for the meals served to children who are eligible for free and reduced price meals.

1. Which of the following will pay for the free meals?

A．SFSP	B．USDA.
C．Local government agencies.	D．Private non-profit organizations.

2. What can we infer from the text?

A．Only those who are aged 18 and under have across to the free meals.

B．No more than two meals a day are served to each child at all the sites.

C．SFSP offers children in low-income areas free food only on summer vacation.

D．Children with family incomes above the federal poverty level are unqualified.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To persuade children to get help.

B．To introduce a charity campaign.

C．To appeal to the public for donation.

D．To publicize the government's achievements.

6 . Plenty of children ask their parents for a pet. And now it might be harder for parents to refuse their requests, as a new study shows that young adults who care for an animal have stronger social relationships. American scientists also found that looking after a pet might also help teenagers develop better social skills.

Animals can have positive effects on children, but little is known about the benefits that caring for animals every day can bring to young people. “The young teenagers in the study who cared for pets felt more connected to other people,” said Dr. Megan Mueller, a professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Massachusetts.

Dr. Mueller surveyed more than 500 young people aged between 18 and 26 about their attitudes towards animals. Their responses were used to measure their positive youth development characteristics such as caring, confidence and connection, as well as feelings of depression. The study found that young adults who cared for animals helped their friends or family more and showed stronger leadership qualities than those who did not look after a pet. The more actively they took part in the pet’s care, the higher they scored on their sociable deeds.

“We can’t draw causal links with this study, but it is a good starting point to better understand the role of animals in our lives, especially when we are young,” said Dr. Mueller. To further develop the research, scientists need to look at how specific features of human experiences are connected with animal experiences, as well as how these relationships develop over time, and look at a larger number of people.

1. If teenagers look after pets, they will probably _____.

A．Score highly at school.	B．Develop better social skills.
C．Become leaders in the future.	D．Have only positive characteristics.

2. What does Dr. Mueller mean in Paragraph 2?

A．Children should love pets.

B．Little is known about pets.

C．Children’s growth is connected with pets.

D．Pets can benefit children.

3. What will scientists probably do to further the study?

A．To study more people.	B．To communicate with animals.
C．To care for more animals.	D．To measure youth development characteristics.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A scientific journal.	B．A health magazine.
C．A storybook.	D．An education program.

7 . You may not pay much attention to your daily elevator ride. Many of us use a lift several times during a day without really thinking about it. But Lee Gray, PhD, of the University of North Carolina, US, has made it his business to examine this overlooked form of public transport. He is known as the “Elevator Guy”.

“The lift becomes an interesting social space where etiquette (礼仪) is sort of strange,” Gray told the BBC. “They are socially very interesting but often very awkward places.”

We walk in and usually turn around to face the door. If someone else comes in, we may have to move. And here, according to Gray, lift-users unthinkingly go through a set pattern of movements. He told the BBC what he had observed.

He explained that when you are the only one inside a lift, you can do whatever you want — it’s your own little box. If there are two of you, you go into different corners, standing diagonally (对角线地) across from each other to create distance.

Newcomers to the lift will need to size up the situation when the doors slide open and then act quickly. Once in, for most people the rule is simple — look down, or look at your phone.

Why are we so awkward in lifts? “You don’t have enough space,” Professor Babette Renneberg, a clinical psychologist at the Free University of Berlin, told the BBC. “Usually when we meet other people, we have about an arm’s length of distance between us. And that’s not possible in most elevators.”

In such a small, enclosed space it becomes very important to act in a way that cannot be considered to be threatening or strange, “The easiest way do this is avoid eye contact,” she said.

1. What is people’s response to the lift etiquette according to Gray?

A．Thinking much of it.	B．Avoiding it on purpose.
C．Researching it continuously.	D．Ignoring it unconsciously.

2. What does Gray think of riding a lift?

A．It’s funny and quick.	B．It’s strange and dangerous.
C．It’s interesting but awkward.	D．It’s convenient but boring.

3. What may most people do if they stay in the lift?

A．Talk loudly to each other.	B．Keep still and silence.
C．Use mobile phones.	D．Keep a close distance.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To show how to ride each elevators.

B．To introduce some rules of elevator etiquette.

C．To show how to break awkwardness of riding lifts，

D．To analyze the reasons for keeping elevator etiquette.

8 . How to Help Others in Your Community (社区)

Helping others in your community is a great way to spread joy to others and get the most out of life.     1    

You can choose to become a volunteer. Volunteering is great way to help others out in your community. Look around for a homeless shelter or soup kitchen and spend some time there doing whatever needs to be done.     2     For example, try tutoring homeless kids at the local shelter so that they can stay in school and not fall behind, and also you get a sense of achievement.

    3     You can give away money to some organizations that help others. If you don’t have money to spare, look through your unused items (物品) and see what you can part with that is in good condition. They are needed by a local food bank or shelter.

You can choose to redirect gifts.     4     You can invite them to do voluntary work to celebrate your birthday. You can also suggest they donate the money they intend to use to buy gifts for you.

You can stop to help. There are many cases where you can stop to give a helping hand. If you see people on the street struggling to carry all their groceries, stop to help     5     However, keep in mind that they may not always need help. But never feel discouraged when your kindness is turned down.

A．Usually they are grateful to accept your help.

B．You can choose to donate to important causes.

C．There are a number of chances you can take advantage of.

D．You can help your neighbors without spending much money.

E．Donate the gifts you receive to poor children in your community.

F．Not only will this help others, but also you will gain certain benefit.

G．Instead of getting new gifts every birthday, have your friends and family help others.