【正文】 the World Trade Organization (WTO). On that day in 2020, China formally became a member of the WTO. Now the country has grown into the world’s secondlargest economy and the largest trading country, while millions of Chinese have been lifted out of poverty. And 15 years on, it’s evident that being a WTO member has transformed the nation’s everyday lives for the better. Imports are now a mon sight in Chinese stores and supermarkets, while they were previously rarely seen on shelves. The Chinese now have access to many imports varying from luxury goods like highend cars and famous brand watches, to daily necessities. China’s WTO membership has also made imports less expensive for the Chinese public. For instance, since 2020, no tariffs (關(guān)稅 ) have been imposed (施加 ) on Chinese imports of digital cameras and other devices. Our education industry has also benefited from China’s WTO membership. Many top global universities have joined forces with Chinese ones to establish cooperative education institutions, bringing foreign teaching concepts to Chinese students. For example, New York University Shanghai was jointly founded by New York University and East China Normal University. In addition, an increasing number of Chinese students are furthering their studies abroad, while many foreign students are ing to China to carry our their higher education. According to the Ministry of Education, 523,700 students studied overseas last year, and the number is expected to keep growing this year. China’s WTO entry has brought benefit not only to the country’s people, but also for the rest of the world. 24. One advantage of China’s WTO membership is that ____. A. all the Chinese people are out of poverty. B. no tariffs will be charged for different kinds of imports. C. the Chinese can buy more foreign products at a lower price. D. it only brings benefits to Chinese agriculture and education. 25. New York University Shanghai is an example of_____. A. foreignfunded universities B. educational reform C. stateowned universities D. international cooperation 26. What may be talked about in the following paragraph? A. How China’s entry into the WTO has changed people’s lives. B. What the Chinese have got from being a member of the WTO. C. The efforts the Chinese government has made to fight against poverty. D. The good effects on the other countries after China’s entering the WTO. 27. What is the text mainly about? A. China’s entry into the WTO. B. Benefits of China’s entering the WTO. C. Trade and education in China. D. The development of China’s economy. C My husband Jeff and I moved into our new home in Scottsbluff last year just before Christmas. I did not have the time or energy to carry out my traditional Christmas decorating and baking activities. What was the point, anyway? It was going to be a lonely Christmas after all. However, the neighborly nature of west Nebraska residents started to trickle (陸續(xù)來臨 ) in. There was a knock on the door one evening. It was Jeff’s new colleague, John Smith, and his wife, Phyllis. The Smiths had stopped by to wele us to town with a loaf of homemade bread. They pointed out a package on the porch (門廊 ). Apparently the doorbell wasn’t working in the cold snowy weather and we had missed a visit from the Browns, our acrossthestreet neighbors, who brought us a Christmas card and more Christmas cookies. Then, we received an invitation to share a Christmas Eve meal with our neighbors, Ernie and Nancy Sommer, and their guesta 90yearold lady, who also had no family in the immediate area with whom to spend the holiday. I was so grateful for these gestures of wele, especially during the holidays. This year, we were again unable to be with our families for Christmas. The distance and work schedules just made things too difficult. Knowing that sense of Christmas isolation all too well, we decided to try to round up some other folks who were alone in the holidays. Lonely people are all around us, but most of us seldom notice them. Just take a look around you. Sometimes, the smallest kind gesture can make a world of difference. 28. What can be inferred from paragraph 3? A. The doorbell wouldn’t work in winter. B. The Smiths happened to find the gifts sent by the Browns. C. John Smith, Phyllis and Jeff worked in the same pany. D. The Browns put the gifts on the porch secretly. 29. What does the underlined word “isolation” in the last second paragraph mean? A. Hurt. B. Love. C. Loneliness D. Happiness. 30. Weled by the neighbors, the author realizes_____. A. even a small kind act can make people feel warm. B. lonely people should celebrate Christmas together. C. Christmas should be treated seriously. D. the people around us are all lonely. D The police in Taiwan are unable to judge whether to treat it as an extremely clever act of stealing or an even cleverer cheat. Either way, it could be the perfect crime, because the criminals are birds –homing pigeons! The crime begins with a telephone message to the owner of a stolen car: if you want the car back, pay up. Then, the car owner is directed to a park, told where to find a bird cage and how to attach money to the neck of the pigeon inside. Carrying the money in a tiny bag, the pigeon flies off. There have been at least four such pigeon pickups in Changwa.