American English | CEFR B1+ | Approximately 350 Words
Contents 目录
Reading 阅读
Questions 题目
Vocabulary 词汇
Useful Structures 常用结构
Comprehension Questions 阅读理解问题
Reading 阅读
The Stranger at the Bus Stop
Seventeen-year-old Sophie had never missed the last bus home until one rainy Friday evening. She had stayed late at school to finish a group project, and by the time she reached the bus stop, the final bus had already left. With heavy rain falling and her phone battery nearly dead, she began to panic.
As Sophie searched for a taxi number, a middle-aged woman standing nearby noticed her worried expression. The woman introduced herself as Mrs. Parker and asked whether she needed help. Although Sophie appreciated the offer, she hesitated. Her parents had always warned her to be careful when dealing with strangers.
Mrs. Parker suggested calling Sophie’s parents or helping her find a safe place to wait. Sophie explained that her mother was working a night shift and her father was out of town. Rather than offering her a ride, Mrs. Parker pointed toward a convenience store across the street, where Sophie could charge her phone and contact someone she trusted.
Inside the store, the cashier allowed Sophie to use a charging cable. Mrs. Parker remained nearby but respected Sophie’s decision to handle the situation herself. After several attempts, Sophie managed to contact her older brother, who agreed to pick her up.
While they waited, Sophie and Mrs. Parker talked about school and everyday life. Sophie discovered that the woman was a retired teacher who had spent years helping teenagers overcome difficulties. Their conversation gradually became more relaxed, and Sophie’s initial nervousness began to disappear.
Twenty minutes later, Sophie’s brother arrived. Before leaving, Sophie thanked Mrs. Parker for her kindness. The woman smiled and explained that helping someone did not necessarily mean taking control of their situation. Sometimes, offering practical advice was enough.
On the journey home, Sophie reflected on what had happened. She realized that being cautious around strangers was important, but it did not require rejecting every offer of assistance. Mrs. Parker had helped without pressuring her or expecting anything in return.
The experience taught Sophie a valuable lesson about trust. Kindness could come from unexpected people, but making sensible decisions and maintaining personal boundaries were equally important. She had learned to appreciate help while remaining responsible for her own safety.
Questions 题目
Part 1: True / False / Not Given
Questions 1–5
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
Write TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN.
1. Sophie missed the final bus because she had stayed at school to complete a group project.
Answer
TRUE
2. Sophie’s parents had encouraged her to accept help from strangers without hesitation.
Answer
FALSE
3. Mrs. Parker offered to drive Sophie directly to her home.
Answer
FALSE
4. Mrs. Parker had previously worked as a teacher.
Answer
TRUE
5. Sophie’s older brother lived less than five miles from the bus stop.
Answer
NOT GIVEN
Part 2: Multiple Choice
Questions 6–10
Choose the correct answer, A, B, C, or D.
6. Why did Sophie become anxious at the bus stop?
A. She had lost her wallet and could not afford a ticket.
B. She had missed the last bus, and her phone was running out of battery.
C. She had forgotten the address of her family’s home.
D. She had received an unexpected message from her parents.
Answer
B
7. Why did Sophie initially hesitate to accept Mrs. Parker’s help?
A. She believed Mrs. Parker was asking for money.
B. She preferred waiting outside despite the heavy rain.
C. She remembered her parents’ warnings about dealing with strangers.
D. She was embarrassed about missing the bus.
Answer
C
8. What did Mrs. Parker suggest Sophie do?
A. Find a safe location where she could charge her phone and contact someone she trusted.
B. Wait alone at the bus stop until public transportation resumed.
C. Ask another stranger to drive her home.
D. Walk to the nearest police station without contacting her family.
Answer
A
9. What does Mrs. Parker’s behavior suggest about her attitude toward helping others?
A. She believes people should accept assistance whenever it is offered.
B. She prefers solving other people’s problems without consulting them.
C. She thinks young people should avoid making decisions independently.
D. She believes effective assistance should respect another person’s independence.
Answer
D
10. What is the central message of the passage?
A. Strangers should never be trusted, regardless of their intentions.
B. Young people should always solve difficult situations without assistance.
C. It is possible to appreciate kindness while maintaining personal safety and boundaries.
D. Unexpected situations can only be handled successfully with help from family members.
Answer
C
Part 3: Sentence Completion
Questions 11–15
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD from the passage for each answer.
11. Sophie began to panic because she had missed the final bus and her phone battery was __________.
Answer
nearly dead
12. Mrs. Parker suggested waiting inside a __________ where Sophie could charge her phone.
Answer
convenience store
13. Sophie eventually contacted her __________, who agreed to collect her.
Answer
older brother
14. Mrs. Parker explained that helping someone did not necessarily involve taking __________ of their situation.
Answer
control
15. Sophie learned that accepting kindness should not mean giving up her __________.
Answer
personal boundaries
Vocabulary 词汇
| panic | /ˈpænɪk/ | 惊慌；恐慌 |
| expression | /ɪkˈsprɛʃn/ | 表情；神情 |
| hesitate | /ˈhɛzɪteɪt/ | 犹豫；迟疑 |
| stranger | /ˈstreɪndʒər/ | 陌生人 |
| shift | /ʃɪft/ | 轮班；轮班工作时段 |
| convenience | /kənˈvinyəns/ | 便利；方便 |
| cashier | /kæˈʃɪr/ | 收银员 |
| retired | /rɪˈtaɪərd/ | 退休的 |
| overcome | /ˌoʊvərˈkʌm/ | 克服；战胜 |
| assistance | /əˈsɪstəns/ | 帮助；援助 |
| cautious | /ˈkɔʃəs/ | 谨慎的；小心的 |
| boundary | /ˈbaʊndəri/ | 界限；边界 |
Useful Structures 常用结构
by the time something happens 到某事发生时；等到……的时候
By the time Sophie reached the bus stop, the final bus had already left.
等到索菲到达公交车站时，末班车已经开走了。
hesitate to do something 犹豫是否做某事
Sophie hesitated to accept help from a stranger.
索菲犹豫着是否要接受陌生人的帮助。
warn someone to do something 提醒或警告某人做某事
Her parents had always warned her to be careful when dealing with strangers.
她的父母一直提醒她与陌生人打交道时要小心。
manage to do something 设法成功做某事
Sophie managed to contact her older brother.
索菲设法联系上了她的哥哥。
agree to do something 同意做某事
Her older brother agreed to pick her up.
她的哥哥同意来接她。
help someone do something 帮助某人做某事
Mrs. Parker helped Sophie find a safe place to wait.
帕克夫人帮助索菲找到了一个安全的地方等候。
expect something in return 期待得到某种回报
Mrs. Parker helped Sophie without expecting anything in return.
帕克夫人帮助了索菲，却没有期待任何回报。
be responsible for something 对某事负责
Sophie learned to be responsible for her own safety.
索菲学会了对自己的安全负责。