1 . Despite his complex mind, Einstein was known to be a lot of fun. You must have seen his iconic (标志性的) photo, but you might not know the backstory. The photo was taken by Arthur Sasse, on March 14, 1951, Einstein’s seventy-second birthday. In the photo, we can see Einstein sitting in a car, between his wife, Elsa, and Dr. Frank Aydelotte, the head of the Institute for Advanced Study.
The story goes that as they were leaving his birthday celebration for their home in Princeton, New Jersey, Einstein was repeatedly asked to smile at the camera. But when Snsse asked for one last photo he made a funny face. Einstein liked the resulting image so much, that he immediately ordered multiple copies so he could sign and send them to friends as a joke. Later on, he used this photo to make greeting cards.
Einstein rarely let others get in the way of his fun. He was quick to joke. He rarely wore socks thinking that the shoes should do the job. He let his mustache and hair grow and gave interviews on his porch (门廊) in pink slippers. His commitment to fun ran deep — and yet when Sasse sent his photo to editors for publication, they debated whether it was even appropriate to make it public, given Einstein’s eminence. It only saw the light of day because Sasse related how much the great scientist himself loved the image.
According to Walter Isaacson’s biography, Einstein: His Life and Universe, the personalities that contributed most to Einstein’s greatness were curiosity and non-conformism (不墨守成规). Scientific Lo studies suggest that humor and intelligence are associated. People who show a gift for lun also seem have superior cognitive abilities. Fun has so many levels. The best part is that no matter what fun means to you, it can lead you to stand out from the ordinary.
1. What was Einstein doing when the iconic photo was taken?| A．He was joking about Sasse. | B．He was making a funny face. |
| C．He was celebrating his birthday. | D．He was smiling at the camera. |
| A．Being loving and caring. | B．Being humorous and funny. |
| C．Being famous and respected. | D．Being sharp-minded and considerate. |
| A．It was taken to record his life. | B．It was not published until years later. |
| C．It shows Einstein being interviewed on the porch. | D．It was taken to celebrate an instance birthday. |
| A．Best humor means high-level fun. | B．Curiosity leads to non-conformism. |
| C．Humorous people tend to be intelligent. | D．Greatness should be defined by scientific standards. |
2 . Fu Lei’s Family Letters is a book of letters written by Chinese translator and writer Fu Lei to his elder son Fu Cong, who is a famous pianist. Between 1954 and 1966, Fu Cong spent a lot of time away from home training as a piano player. As a result, writing letters became Fu Lei’s usual way of communicating with his elder son. Fu Min, Fu Lei’s younger son edited the letters and the book came out in 1981.
The book shows Fu Lei’s family tradition and value. To Fu Lei, the purpose of education of a person, is to make that person useful to the society. Fu Lei praised his son Fu Cong after winning a piano competition. Fu Lei wrote, “We are happy because you make your country proud. I am so excited when I think about your future. You will make great progress and serve more people, encourage them and heal them.”
In the family letters, Fu Cong was also advised to read famous Chinese texts. When reading these books, Fu Cong was told to connect ideas and feelings together, for that would help him become a better person. To Fu Lei, learning to be a good person comes before any academic training.
Fu Lei’s Family Letters has a great impact on people in China because it helps many young students understand how they should live their lives.
1. Who edited Fu Lei’s family letters?| A．Fu Lei. | B．Fu Cong. | C．Fu Min. | D．A translator. |
| A．Fu Lei’s family tradition and value are shown in the book. |
| B．People in the 1950s communicated with each other by books. |
| C．It’s difficult for parents to make their children well educated. |
| D．Praising children after taking part in a competition is important. |
| A．It would be uncertain. |
| B．It would be hopeful. |
| C．It would be difficult. |
| D．It would be interesting. |
| A．To be a richer man. |
| B．To do more academic training. |
| C．To help more people. |
| D．To become a better person. |
3 . No matter how successful—or lately, unsuccessful—Manchester United has been on the court, which has always prided itself on an incredible ability to generate the game’s brightest young stars. The latest breakthrough talent, it seems, is 18-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
The teenager’s emergence from the youth academy (学院) has been one of the few satisfying points in an otherwise difficult season for the team, and the highlight of his fledgling (刚刚起步的) career came during United’s 4—3 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday.
After the host had seemingly got a draw in the 95th minute of the match, Mainoo showed his considerable potential by scoring a winner in the dying moment. The English youngster received the ball under pressure outside of the opposition’s box before rushing his way towards the goal, hitting against a Wolves defender on the way. Then, when other players might have panicked, Mainoo was composed and guided a perfect shot into the far corner of the net.
While his teammates celebrated wildly, Mainoo knelt down and slid towards the crowd after scoring his first Premier League goal. It was a sensational moment and a goal which might change the teenager’s life forever.
“I’ve still not come down from it. I still feel like I’m dreaming, to be honest,” Mainoo told TNT Sports after the match. “To start playing in the Premier League for my boyhood club has been amazing. Now I am just trying to play more games and win more games.”
There have been moments this season, though, where his inexperience has shown, but the future looks bright for the young midfielder who seems to have his feet firmly on the ground. “He is making incredible progress. He has great abilities as a modern midfield player,” Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag told reporters after the game. “He can defend and attack but also he has the physicality to do both ways.”
Manchester United is currently ranked seventh in the Premier League and they are working hard to secure the top four, which will ensure qualification for next season’s Champions League.
1. What does paragraph 3 mainly tell us about Kobbie Mainoo?| A．His goals. | B．His education. |
| C．His teammates. | D．His performance. |
| A．Boring. | B．Dramatic. | C．Suitable. | D．Possible. |
| A．Ambitious. | B．Humorous. | C．Experienced. | D．Shy. |
| A．To bring out more young stars. |
| B．To qualify for the next Premier League. |
| C．To play in the Champions League next season. |
| D．To finish in the top seven of the Premier League. |
4 . Making it to 100 years old is a big achievement on its own, but being active at that age is absolutely worthy of praise and admiration. Jayne Burns, who just turned 101 years old, still has a part-time job at a craft store in Ohio, drives herself to work, and simply doesn’t see herself retiring anytime soon. Not only does she seem to love keeping busy, but she credits it as one of her secrets to living a long life.
Burns first caught the internet’s attention on TikTok. There, her coworker Maggie HusVar told her followers about her then 98-year-old friend. Maggie then asked Burns to share a piece of advice with her new fans, to whom Burns said, “Keep moving.”
The senior woman recently celebrated her 101st birthday, and she certainly hasn’t changed her mind about slowing down. Burns took the job in 1997 after her husband died, and has expressed that she enjoys what she does, so she wants to keep doing it. “I’ll work for as long as I can or as long as they’ll have me,” she said.
In celebration of her milestone birthday, Burns recently shared some more tips for a long life. “I was always active all my life doing things. So I think that has helped more than anything.” As a cancer survivor, she said she used to watch her sugar intake, but she doesn’t anymore, as she loves sweets. Despite her age, she still follows a beauty routine. “I use a moisturizer(保湿霜) and makeup. I figured I did it all my life, so I’m ‘not’ going to stop now,” she says.
Overall, her top secret for a long life is to make friends and find happiness in the company of others. “It’s important to find people who are friendly and kind.” she says. “I enjoy talking to everybody I work with, and meeting the customers who are very nice, even if some of them are surprised to see me at the cutting table.”
1. Why does Jayne Bums still work part-time?| A．To keep herself busy. | B．To make more money. |
| C．To meet more people. | D．To win praise and admiration. |
| A．She goes to work by bus. | B．She puts on makeup daily. |
| C．She likes nothing but sweets. | D．She gets along well with her boss. |
| A．Eating what you love. | B．Doing exercise regularly. |
| C．Having a part-time job. | D．Making friends and being happy. |
| A．Living a Busy Life | B．A Successful Woman |
| C．Keeping Active Forever | D．Secrets to a Woman’s Long Life |
5 . Exhausted, Jia Ling ate five packs of chocolate cookies alone at night by her bed after wrapping up filming for her new film YOLO that day. “Recalling that moment, I felt so great, like a tired soldier claiming the spoils of war,” she said.
By then, she had lost an incredible 50 kilograms, and her entire image had changed. The chubby (胖乎乎的), round and cute comedian Jia Ling was gone, replaced by a cool, muscular warrior.
Audiences were shocked by her appearance on Chinese New Year’s Day, Feb.10, when the film was first released. Jia had kept everything so secretive, avoiding public appearances for a year, that her new look was only revealed when she appeared on the big screen. Conversations about her high-intensity weight loss training, along with her courage and determination, have become trending topics across China, propelling the film’s box office earnings.
YOLO, which stands for “you only live once,” is the theme Jia aims to tell in her new film. The story follows an overweight, depressed woman who becomes isolated from society. However, after meeting a boxing coach and taking up the sport, she begins to regain her passion and finds her way in life. The filming was divided into five stages. Jia had to gain 20 kilograms at first for the role, moving on to the final stage when she lost a significant amount of weight and became muscular. This method mirrors what some Hollywood stars, such as Christian Bale, have done, but Jia’s effort is jaw-dropping and takes it to an even more extreme level.
Yet, the film’s core goes beyond physical transformation. “This film is not about weight loss, nor is it much about boxing. It’s a film that tells the story of how a kind person finds her true self and learns to love herself,” Jia said.
1. What does the underlined word “propelling” in Paragraph 3 mean?| A．Disturbing. | B．Restoring. | C．Driving. | D．Slowing. |
| A．Generous and funny. | B．Determined and courageous. |
| C．Creative and sensitive. | D．Ambitious and enthusiastic. |
| A．A woman’s pursuit of boxing glory. |
| B．A woman’s journey through weight loss. |
| C．A woman’s struggle with social pressure. |
| D．A woman’s discovery of self-love and acceptance. |
| A．The early bird catches the worm. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．It’s never too late to change. | D．Don’t cry over spilled milk. |
1. In how many days has Erchana run 150 marathons?
| A．150. | B．160. | C．320. |
| A．To increase awareness of the risk of extinction. |
| B．To raise money for homeless animals. |
| C．To win a gold medal for her country. |
| A．She is honest. | B．She is modest. | C．She is determined. |
Xu Xiake was born in 1587.
China has more famous explorers. There was: Zhang Qian, who traveled into Central Asia during the second century BC, opening a trade road that became
“On the surface, Xu’s travels can neither be classified as great affairs of state
Scholar Julian Ward agrees, describing the lonely Chinese wanderer like the Middle Kingdom’s version of John Muir: “Deep in love with nature and eager to find freedom
“The few coins
Rong Hong, also
In 1854, Rong graduated from Yale University,
Upon returning to China, Rong worked to bridge the cultural and educational gap between China and the West. His most
Rong believed that introducing Western science and technology would help China modernize and strengthen. While his ideas
Rong Hong was a pioneer for Chinese education and international exchange. His vision for a modernized China and his efforts
9 . Famous People Who Begin With Difficulties
Oprah Winfrey
Probably having one of the most famous success stories, Oprah was born into a poor family in Mississippi, raised by a single mother living on welfare. She was physically, and mentally abused during her childhood. Despite her initial struggles as a young girl, she turned herself into one of the most successful talk show hosts of our time.
Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey has been the star of some of the most successful movies of all time. But Carrey grew up extremely poor in Canada. When he was a teenager, his family took security jobs in a factory to help pay the bills. And during his first stand-up comedy performance, he was booed off （喝倒彩） the stage. Not shortly after, he made it big on In Living Color and then went on to star in Dumb & Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura in the same year!
James Dyson
If you thought Thomas Edison’s failures were bad, let me introduce you to James Dyson, the famous inventor of the Dyson vacuums （真空吸尘器） you see all over the television. Dyson developed over 5,000 failed prototypes （原型） before finding the bagless vacuum brand. Not only that, he put his entire savings account into his prototypes over fifteen years! Luckily, the bagless vacuum worked.
Stephen King
Before Stephen King became known as a great living writer—having written over 60 novels, many of which have been adapted for film and television—King was rejected over and over again. In his memoir, On Writing, King describes how he used to post his rejection letters on the wall for inspiration. His first novel, Carrie, was rejected 30 times.
1. What do Oprah and Jim have in common?| A．They were abused by parents. | B．They grew up in poor families. |
| C．They were hired as comedians. | D．They found jobs in a factory. |
| A．He repaired the failed prototypes. | B．He developed over 5,000 brands. |
| C．He put all efforts into marketing. | D．He invented the bagless vacuum. |
| A．Oprah Winfrey. | B．Stephen King. | C．James Dyson. | D．Jim Carrey. |
10 . There’s no end to the work to do with improving diversity in children’s media, especially for storybooks. Children need to be able to see themselves in the characters of the stories they hear and read, at a stage where they’re building their understanding of the world around them.
Shachi Kaushik’s new book, Diwali in My New Home, brings the festival of lights to life for an immigrant community.
This picture book is for children aged 5 to 8. It speaks to Indian children’s experiences living abroad when they’ve experienced life in India. The story is about a girl, Priya, who loves being with family and friends to celebrate Diwali. But Priya and her parents began living in the United States this year, and no one seems to know about the holiday. Priya misses the traditions in India. As she joins the lights together and creates rangoli art(地画艺术), Priya introduces the festival of lights to her neighbors. And even though the celebration is different this year, it’s still Diwali.
Kaushik was a lawyer before she discovered the joy of telling stories to young children. Storytelling began when she volunteered in Texas, where she hosted a monthly storytime for children. Seeing the joy on the children’s faces inspired her to write children’s books.
When asked “What’s the secret to making children pay attention to stories?”, she said, “I would say the secret is to be present and not to be shy from acting, singing or dancing. Be a performer. While reading, use facial expressions and voice to add excitement to the story. Also try asking questions like ‘What do you think will happen?’. Let the little ones’ imagination flow. Lastly, try adding a finger play song and some dance moves to get those little ones into the mood.”
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To give explanation of diversity. | B．To explain the aim of the storybooks. |
| C．To show the importance of children’s media. | D．To lead in the introduction of Shachi Kaushik’s book. |
| A．A festival. | B．A country. | C．A community. | D．A character. |
| A．The joy from children listening to stories. | B．The job as a lawyer. |
| C．The experience of selling storybooks. | D．The money earned by hosting storytime. |
| A．To test if they are shy. | B．To attract their attention. |
| C．To encourage them to use facial expressions. | D．To teach them to be a performer. |
