At 15, I excelled academically yet felt overshadowed and unnoticed. The ____1____ to stand out consumed me, pushing me towards a regrettable decision. One day, during a class in the IT lab with my classmates, our teacher mentioned missing computer parts. ____2____ looks exchanged, everyone wondered how it could happen in a(n) ____3____ lab. “It’s possible to open that lock with another key,” I said. Instantly, eyes turned to me with newfound interest and curiosity. It was a rush I had never experienced before. Enjoying all the eyes on me, I ____4____ how to open the lock. Little did I realize that single moment would ruin everything. The following day, called to the headmaster’s office, I found myself accused of stealing the missing parts. “I didn’t do it, sir,” I argued, but suspicion ____5____ his eyes. His repeated ____6____ intensified, pushing me to the edge of fear and tears. In a desperate attempt to escape the mounting pressure, I ____7____ confessed (承认). The headmaster asked my father to come to school, whose shaky faith in me brought a mix of relief and ____8____. My father gently asked me if I understood the gravity of my actions. ____9____, I confessed my misguided longing for recognition. In the headmaster’s office, my father listened attentively, and then spoke with quiet authority: “I trust my son. He is not a thief.” With my father’s support, I learned a valuable lesson: ____10____ cannot be forced; true recognition comes from honourable acts.
In the programme, students will _______.
To complete the programme, stt1dents are required to ________.
What do students need to do during the registration?
How did th e author feel about the result of the art exam?
In her 30s, the author _______.
Which word would best describe the author's dream?
What can we learn from this passage?
How did the author feel about his daughter’s argument?
What does the word “nuances” underlined in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?
Which would be the best title for the passage?
What can be inferred about personal stories?
What does the author mainly do in this passage?
What is the passage mainly about?
A Most days after school, I love walking in the forest with my dog Nick. It’s ____11____ (peace), especially around sunset. Nick has a fun time smelling the leaves and running after rabbits. When Nick runs ahead, I hear him barking excitedly. I sometimes call him back, worried that he might have someone ____12____ (scare). The truth, though, is ____13____ could be guessed — there’s never anyone else here. Just me, Nick, and the quiet forest. B When was the last time you took on a tough choice? Maybe this morning you debated whether to get up or stay in bed slightly ____14____ (long). Making choices is part of life. By the time you brushed your teeth, you ____15____ (make) several decisions even without noticing. Some choices are quick, while others take more thought. Usually, better outcomes ____16____ (achieve) through a thorough understanding of strategies like risk tolerance. C When ____17____ (travel), we engage with cultures and experiences. However, according to a report by the World Wildlife Fund, tourists ____18____ (leave) over 1.3 billion tons of food waste last year, ____19____ accounted for about 8% of the total global gas release in 2024. To reduce our impact, we can take simple steps: empty the fridge before heading out, and choose sustainable dining options. These efforts help us travel more responsibly. After all, exploring the world shouldn’t come ____20____ the planet’s expense.
A The Language E-xchan ge Programme allows students in pairs to communicate in two different languages they wish to share and learn each week. Students record short entries after each partner meeting noting the language skills practised and the topics discussed. Each pair of students meets three times throughout the term with a teacher who decides if the exchange is effective. Students who successfully complete the programme will receive one credit each. Requirements for completion: •One welcoming session on the second Friday of the term •18 weekly one-hour pair meetings •Weekly progress reports for all pair meetings •At least three pair-teacher meetings •One five-minute final video Sign up! The sign-up and registration process is as follows: •Students sign up and indicate the languages they can share and languages they are in terested in learning. •Based on the information entered by each student, potential pairs are identified. •Proficiency（熟练） levels are confirmed through coursework or placement tests. • Once a pair has been determined to be suitable, the s tudents will be contacted individually with a special permission number to register for the programme, Reminders: Signing up for the programme does not automatically mean that you will be able to register and participate. Pairs are matched by languages of interest and proficiency levels. Since there are many factors involved in the pairing process, not all students who sign up will be m atched with a partner and be able to register for the programme.
When I was a little girl, I liked drawing, freely and joyously making marks on the walls at home. In primary school, I learned to write using chalks. Writin g seemed to be another fonn of drawing. I shaped individual letters into repeating lines, which were abstract fonns, delightful but meaningless patterns. In secondary school, a1t was my favourite subject. Since. I loved it so much l thought I was good at it. For the art 0-level exam I bad to p resent an oil pain ting. 1 found it difficult, but still hoped to pass. I failed, with a low grade. I'd been over-confident. Now I'd been declared talentless. But other chanaels of creativity stayed open: I went on writing poems and stories. Still, I went to exhtions often. I continued my habitual drawing, which I now characterised as childish doodling（乱画）. In my30s, I made painter friends and learned new ways of looking at art. However, I couldn't let myself have a go at actually do ing it. Though these new friends were abstract painters usin g oil paints, or were printmakers or sculptors, I took oil painting as the taboo（禁忌） high form I wasn't allowed to practise. One night, in my early 40s, l dreamed that a big woman in red approached me, handed me a bag of paints, and told me to start painting. The dream felt so authoritative that it shook me. It was a fom1 of energy, giving me back something I'd lost. Accordingly, I started by experimen ting with water colours. Finally, I bought some oil paints Although I have enjoyed breaking my decades-lon g taboo about work ing with oil paints, I have discovered I now prefer chalks and ink. I let my line drawings tum into cartoons I send to fri ends. It all feels free and easy. Un-anxious. This time around, I can accept my limitations but keep going. Becoming a successful painter calls for being resolute. I realised I was always afraid of wanting too much. That dream reminded me that those fears and desires could encourage me to take risks and make experiments.
Not too long ago, on a cold winter night, there was a teenager who wanted more screen time and a parent who said no. The teenager was advocating for her right to scroll (翻屏) for an extra 30 minutes. The parent argued that none of her friends’ parents let them have screens after 9 o’clock. “I thought, in this family, we don’t compare ourselves with other people, Dad?” the teenager replied. The parent — who was me, by the way — just got served. Since they were young, I have told my kids not to compare themselves with other people. I have argued countless times that comparisons are the “thief of joy”. Although my daughter didn’t win, she did help expose one of the worst pieces of advice I have ever given. In my defence, I did what we’ve all done before, which is repeat received wisdom without exploring the nuances. But now is the time to set the record straight, which starts with questioning the idea that all social comparison is unhealthy. Social comparisons do, of course, often get us into emotional trouble. But they can be harnessed (利用) for our betterment if we understand how they work. The social comparisons we make — ones that lead us to feel good or bad about ourselves — are vital to our ability to thrive (成长). Science provides a guide we can use to harness the way we perform these comparisons to reduce their negative emotional impacts. Comparing yourself with someone who is outperforming you could result in feelings of envy if you focus on the things they have and you don’t, or it can be energizing and inspiring if you use these comparisons as a source of motivation, for example, “If they can achieve that, so can I.” Comparing yourself with someone who is doing worse than you could result in fear and worry if you think about how you could fall into similar circumstances, or it can draw out feelings of gratitude and appreciation if you use that comparison to broaden your views — for example, “Wow, things could be much worse; I’m doing great.” What I wish I taught my daughter earlier are these nuances. How we feel about ourselves rests not just on whom we compare ourselves with but also on how we think about that comparison. That’s something we all have control over.
The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better. For many years, psychologists saw identity as a combination of someone’s values, beliefs, goals and social roles. Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives. Our life story is something that starts coming together in our teenage years, when we begin to organise our lives into chapters around key events or life changes, and begin to see ourselves as both the central character and, to a varying extent, the story’s author. People with more consistent stories tend to have a stronger sense of identity, and they feel their life has more meaning, direction and sense of purpose. Such people show greater overall life satisfaction, too. Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. He discovered that whether someone describes having had some control over events in their past is an important predictor of a person’s mental health. Another key theme involves finding some kind of positive meaning after stressful events. “People could talk about gaining knowledge or personal growth,” says Johnson. His research shows that this is often missing for people with mental health conditions. The good news is that there is evidence we can learn to change our own story. Lisa Green, another researcher, sounds a few notes of caution (谨慎). For instance, hearing about the power of redemptive (拯救性的) stories, many people may feel forced to find a positive angle on horrible events. She says that Western culture already pushes people to look for the silver lining behind every cloud. If you want to turn over a new leaf, though, one top tip is that it helps to choose a significant date that signals the start of a new “chapter”. Contrary to popular doubt, resolutions made on I January are more effective for this reason. So, whether your goal is saving money or getting fit, there is no better time to become the author of our own destiny (命运).
What is adulthood? Societies all over the world view the concept of an adult as self-supporting and selfdirected, because it identifies a point in the life cycle. As Alice Black points out, today’s parents’ fear of letting kids do more housework has added to their inability to feel competent and, thus, confident in themselves. Psychologist Robert Turner wrote about this in his book, The Life Cycle, mentioning a stage when kids learn self-direction and mastery. ____35____ But Turner’s other cycles are just as important. ____36____ If these life cycles are delayed, interrupted, or denied, you feel incapable of accessing your states of self, controlling unpleasant feelings, and manipulating (操控) the energy that puts together the fabric of your inner world. Turner wisely said that “doing well” psychologically is being able to roll with the flow of emotions, manage them, communicate clearly and well with others, and master various skills. This requires an internal locus (核心) of control, which implies self-control of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. ____37____ You’re self-directed and not reliant on the world to tell you who you are. And you know who you are within all this. So, being an adult isn’t just holding a job. Being an adult is about having a rooted sense of self while being capable of identifying and managing your emotions and actions. ____38____ We are a social species, so this is important. While raising an adult is a parent’s job, it’s also our responsibility as a society to ensure that we support schools that nurture (培养) emotional and identity development. ____39____
时间验证的教学模式，学习英语的可信选择 对标国际语言等级，轻松应对考试