1 . Mason Branstator is on a journey to find the meaning in life every day. With a positive social media
When Mason was in high school, he loved skiing. A(n)
He just thought it was a(n)
“It all started with me just wanting to find more people like me that I could
| A．presence | B．intervention | C．popularity | D．giant |
| A．busy | B．exciting | C．sunny | D．typical |
| A．painful | B．broken | C．rigid | D．stressful |
| A．enhanced | B．affected | C．restored | D．preserved |
| A．walk | B．travel | C．sit | D．stand |
| A．chance | B．adventure | C．dream | D．choice |
| A．exercise | B．operation | C．reaction | D．recovery |
| A．temporarily | B．eventually | C．initially | D．consequently |
| A．confirm | B．realize | C．remember | D．admit |
| A．story | B．concept | C．part | D．detail |
| A．documented | B．changed | C．advertised | D．created |
| A．conflict | B．lesson | C．mission | D．challenge |
| A．compete | B．consult | C．connect | D．deal |
| A．grew | B．faded | C．melted | D．got |
| A．assume | B．anticipate | C．appreciate | D．witness |
2 . David Cote, then CEO of Honeywell, shared the pros and cons of hiring a CEO with experience in the role. Experience can make directors feel more
Are inexperienced CEOs more likely to have hunger than others? If they have no real reputation, they’ll be more likely to be driven to
Does the finding that previous CEO experience can hurt a person’s performance
Rather than a fundamentally necessary factor for a CEO,
| A．annoyed | B．generous | C．concerned | D．relieved |
| A．knowledge | B．desire | C．doubt | D．opinion |
| A．overrated | B．offered | C．broadened | D．ignored |
| A．succeed | B．adapt | C．quit | D．resist |
| A．taken in | B．looked into | C．given up | D．turned around |
| A．settler | B．talent | C．reporter | D．maintainer |
| A．balanced | B．controlled | C．increased | D．spoiled |
| A．shame | B．shape | C．serve | D．shock |
| A．expert | B．disappointed | C．honest | D．engaged |
| A．accustom | B．blind | C．expose | D．attach |
| A．effectively | B．unwillingly | C．unconsciously | D．cautiously |
| A．disadvantage | B．reminder | C．alternative | D．privilege |
| A．openness | B．honesty | C．experience | D．leadership |
| A．limits | B．outweighs | C．follows | D．defines |
| A．bring about | B．turn to | C．make up | D．figure out |
3 . I have been told many times that we should cherish what we have. But I never truly
When I graduated from junior high school, I was
Once more I passed the willow tree (柳树) under which we exercised, played together, and even exchanged
Now, however, they seemed to
I had indeed lived those
| A．changed | B．understood | C．deserved | D．regretted |
| A．sorrowful | B．relieved | C．curious | D．fascinated |
| A．regularly | B．leisurely | C．unwillingly | D．cautiously |
| A．wishes | B．problems | C．pressures | D．difficulties |
| A．reasons | B．ambitions | C．explanations | D．requirements |
| A．find | B．prove | C．stop | D．remember |
| A．playing | B．lecturing | C．starting | D．looking |
| A．leaves | B．teachers | C．snowball | D．classmates |
| A．hesitate | B．recover | C．pretend | D．depart |
| A．pictured | B．resembled | C．accompanied | D．embraced |
| A．checked in | B．turned up | C．showed off | D．grown up |
| A．blank | B．special | C．previous | D．domestic |
| A．joyful | B．lonely | C．painful | D．fearless |
| A．feast | B．journey | C．work | D．research |
| A．packed | B．gained | C．missed | D．explored |
4 . “Sating from now on, to be healthy, I will NOT eat any snacks besides granola bars (燕麦棒),” is what I told myself yesterday, and yet here I am today chewing a Chocopie. I’m aware that I’m breaking my own promise to myself. Instead of eating this, I should be working out or something. But the thing is, chocolate is too good at this moment for me to refuse it!
As I type this, I’m experiencing what’s called instant gratification — the desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delaying it for a future benefit. Essentially, when you want it, you get it.
Instant gratification is also the exact opposite of what we’re taught to do-delayed gratification: deciding to put off satisfying our current want to gain something better in the future. We’ve all encountered instant gratification before. Should I sleep in or wake up early to work out? When I get home, should I rest and watch TV first or get started on my homework?
All humans have the tendency to seek pleasure and avoid pain, which is a basic but fundamental concept known as the pleasure principle. Originally coined by Sigmund Freud, it clearly states that all humans are driven, to some extent, by pleasure.
Constantly seeking quick pleasure may bring subsequent troubles. However pleasant not doing your homework may seem pleasant right now, it only results in pleasure plagued by guilt and last-minute panicking late at night. An inability to resist instant gratification may result in underachieving in the long term and failure to meet certain goals.
Instant gratification, however, is not necessarily a bad thing. You don’t always have to say no to things you want at that moment, and it’s good to treat yourself when you need it. In other words, times where you “treat yourself” are only valuable in combination with delayed gratification. While my Chocopie may taste good now, it’ll taste even better if I only eat it after I’ve worked out or done something healthy.
1. How does the author introduce the topic?| A．By making a contrast. | B．By giving a definition. |
| C．By citing a personal case. | D．By listing detailed problems. |
| A．Purchasing items regardless of budgets. | B．Exercising regularly for long-term health. |
| C．Limiting time on social media platforms. | D．Finishing homework before watching TV. |
| A．Reminded. | B．Highlighted. | C．Introduced. | D．Bothered. |
| A．Delayed gratification is pointless. |
| B．Instant gratification should be prioritized. |
| C．Enjoying the moment brings in endless pleasure. |
| D．Instant treats paired with delayed gratification are sweeter. |
5 . Bill Gates isn’t doing much light reading this summer. For his annual list of reading recommendations for the season, he’s picked four books that you can really sink into on vacation.
Upheaval, Jared Diamond
Diamond examines how people react to the different crises in their lives. Specifically, he looks at how six countries responded to big challenges, and learned how to adapt in the face of adversity. Gates writes. “I finished the book even more optimistic about our ability to solve problems than I started.”
Nine Pints, Rose George
Gates glowingly recommends this deep dive into what you ever wanted to know about the stuff in your veins (静脉). He thinks everyone should know more about this topic. “There is nothing that more people have in common than blood,” he writes.
A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles
It’s 1922 and Alexander Rostov has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life under house arrest in a Moscow hotel. Even though this book is sure to please anyone who is interested in learning more about Russia, Towles goes beyond just politics in his best-seller. “The book is technically fiction,” Gates writes.
Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss
Beschloss studies how presidents dealt with nine different US conflicts from the War of 1812 to the Vietnam War, and makes critical connections about their decisions and power as leaders. “It is hard to read about today’s conflicts without thinking about how they might connect to the past,” Gates writes.
1. Which book would most appeal to those interested in serious politics?| A．Upheaval. | B．Nine Pints. |
| C．Presidents of War. | D．A Gentleman in Moscow. |
| A．Tricks of diving. | B．Illustrations of blood cells. |
| C．A thorough study of blood. | D．A glimpse of blood function. |
| A．It’s impossible to solve all the problems. | B．It’s critical to make far-sighted decisions. |
| C．It’s difficult to understand today’s conflicts. | D．It’s necessary to connect the present to the past. |
6 . Learning to forgive those who have “wronged us” may not always be easy, but it’s definitely worth it. Here’s why.
First, forgiveness has absolutely nothing to do with the other person at all. Forgiveness is about one thing and one thing only: it’s about how you feel. This is why it doesn’t matter if the offense was large or small. When you hold on to the anger, when you get stuck in blaming the other person and refuse to move on, you are hurting no one but yourself.
You may have been taught to “turn the other cheek”, which can be interpreted as letting those who have harmed you in some way walk all over you. Don’t fight back, and just let it happen. But is that really what we’re supposed to do? No. Forgiving is neither about playing the martyr (自我牺牲的人) or victim, nor about being a doormat (忍气吞声的人). You can forgive what others have done to you, but you should not sacrifice your own interests.
For example, should you let your colleague get away with taking credit for your work, while you sit in silence? No. First, you can choose to forgive his action so that you can calm down. Then you can calmly explain to your boss who actually did the work on that project, without seeming overly emotional or like you have any kind of agenda other than to set the record straight.
Of course, if it’s something trivial, you can just choose to forgive and let it go.
It’s important to note that this also (and especially) applies when it comes to forgiving yourself. Since thoughts of self-blame or self-hatred are the worst thoughts we can have, staying stuck in that vibration will cause more harm than any other emotion. Move into anger, stabilize there, and then move up the emotional scale until you gradually but consistently feel better. You owe it to yourself.
1. What is forgiveness mainly about according to the author?| A．Controlling our own feelings. | B．Making ourselves feel better. |
| C．Lessening the harm of an offence. | D．Repairing relationships with others. |
| A．Turn the other cheek. | B．Calm down and let it go. |
| C．Ask for help from others. | D．Fight back in a proper way. |
| A．unimportant | B．unique | C．unusual | D．uninteresting |
| A．The way to get along well with others. |
| B．The importance of learning to forgive. |
| C．The reason to forgive ourselves. |
| D．The way to fight back against dishonest colleagues. |
I stared at myself in the mirror: blue tights, yellow vest, a fish tail trailing behind me, and large eyes sitting at op my head. I raised my eyebrows and sighed.
“Mom, I don’t think this costume is right,” I said. “Maybe the makeup will add something,” Mom replied hopefully.
Somehow Mom had convinced me to play the Fish Footman in Alice in Wonderland. I can’t say it’s been the time of my life.
“What if I forget my lines?” I hesitated.
“Oh Riley, is that what you’re afraid of? I know you’ve been rehearsing for two months, you were the first off-book in your scene, and I couldn’t be prouder of you.” Mom said, kneeling down and hugging me.
The next day we pulled into the parking lot, and I stepped out of the car, wearing the questionable costume. I shrank inside myself, but Mom pulled me toward the makeup room. When the makeup was done, I looked at myself in the mirror. My jaw dropped.
“Mom! I can’t go onstage like this!” I cried.
“Why not?”
“I’d be a laughing stock (笑柄)! ”
“Riley, look around you! You’re not the only one in an odd costume.”
“What if we just sneak out? No one will miss me.” I whispered.
Mom’s lips disappeared into a thin line, and I knew I had gone too far. “Riley, I’m going to watch you go out on that stage tonight. And that’s the end of it.” Then mom disappeared into the audience. I sat there, alone and bored, as the play began and the curtain rose on.
The two boys dressed as Two of Clubs (梅花2) near me chatted casually about this and that. Suddenly, they asked, “You’re awfully quiet. Is this your first show?” I tried to respond, but my voice caught in my throat and refused to escape. I coughed and nearly yelled, “YES!”
The Ace of Diamonds (方块A) sitting nearby laughed. “The audience will certainly hear you if you talk that loud. But you might have to clear your throat first, she chuckled. I gave them a weak smile.
“Don’t worry about us,” the Ace said. “We’re only teasing.”
“Yeah,” the Two said. “When you’ve done as many shows as we have, projecting will be second nature to you.”
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。Paragraph 1:
When my name was called, I stepped onto the stage uneasily.
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Suddenly I was determined to make a lasting impression.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The newfound team, now officially known as the Wildcats, started their basketball journey with a mix of eagerness and anxiety. The community center’s basketball court became their arena (竞技场), a place where failures were just stepping stones to success, and every dribble (运球), pass, and shot was a lesson in disguise.
Under Mr. Jordan’s guidance, practices became more than just learning how to play basketball; they were about discovering the strengths within and the power of unity. He had an approach to seeing the potential in every player.
One afternoon, as the team gathered around Mr. Jordan, he introduced a new drill that focused on passing and communication. “Basketball is a language,” he explained. “If you can’t communicate, you can’t win. This drill will help you understand each other without words. ”
The drill was a disaster at first. Passes went wrong, and frustration mounted. Jasmine’s quick passes were too swift for Mia, and Lucas’s attempts at humor during the drill only led to more confusion. Eli, ever the observer, noticed the tension and suggested a simple system of hand signals they had discussed in a previous practice. Gradually, the team began to find their rhythm, learning to anticipate each other’s moves and communicate more effectively.
It wasn’t just basketball skills that the Wildcats were developing; it was a sense of belonging and trust in one another. Each practice ended with a team gathering, where Mr. Jordan shared stories from his coaching days, emphasizing the lessons learned from losses more than wins.
注意：(1)续写词数应为150左右；(2)开头已给出。Paragraph 1: Soon came their first real game against a more experienced team.
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Paragraph 2: The second half saw a different Wildcats team.
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9 . I live in California, about four miles from the beach. Every few years, the humpback whales (座头鲸) come into the bay for a few days while they’re migrating. Each one is immense, about 15 meters long, and sometimes they turn their side fins, making it look like they are waving at us.
One day, my friend, Liz and I took out our yellow double kayak (皮艇) to watch the wildlife. After a half-hour, we spotted two pairs of whales swimming toward us. We were in awe: it’s an amazing feeling to be so close to a creature that size.
Believing if we paddled toward that spot, we'd be safe from the whales, since they’d just left, we followed them at what I believed was a safe distance. Suddenly, the kayak lifted out of the water and then tipped back into the ocean. My initial fear was that the whale intended to drag us down. In a heart-stopping moment, I realized that Liz and I weren’t just lifted by the whale — we were inside its mouth. My entire body was enveloped except for my right arm and paddle. Liz, meanwhile, was staring up into the whale’s jaw. Fearing to be swallowed, I kept thinking: I’ve got to get up; I’ve got to fight this; I’ve got to breathe.
Whales have enormous mouths but tiny throats. They spit out anything they can’t swallow. We were wearing life jackets, which likely helped us quickly reappear out of the water. The entire course lasted only ten seconds.
A few nearby people paddled over, including a retired firefighter who asked us if we were OK. “You were in the whale’s mouth!” he told us. “We thought you were dead.” I came so close to being injured or killed. I am much more appreciative of life now.
1. Why did the author and her friend go kayaking?| A．To go fishing. | B．To watch humpback whales. |
| C．To race other kayakers. | D．To swim with humpback whales. |
| A．They dropped into the sea. | B．They were attacked by a shark. |
| C．The kayak broke down suddenly. | D．Their lives were in great danger. |
| A．They took off their life jackets. |
| B．They were spit out by the whale. |
| C．They fought back against the attacker. |
| D．They paddled towards a nearby firefighter. |
| A．Life is precious. | B．We should protect wildlife. |
| C．Kayaking is a risky activity. | D．Whales are dangerous animals. |
I was lying in bed in the dark ready for sleep I got the heart-broken news that my parents lost their lives in the flight accident. I couldn’t accept the news for a long time, since nobody would stay with me in the empty house. In the weeks that followed, with depression and grief, I decided to continue seeing the counselor on my own. One day, he gave me a homework assignment: I was to write down a list of one hundred life goals in my rest of my life.
It took me two weeks to complete the task. When I finally handed over the list, I was instructed me to pick one goal and take two small steps toward it before the following week. Looking over my list of one hundred goals, I chose. “Fly an airplane.” I bought a flying magazine. That was one step. Then I went to a local airport and arranged with a flight instructor to take a low-cost “Discovery Flight.”
And so began my journey to become a pilot, starting from scratch. No knowledge. No experience. When I bought $300 worth of textbooks, I began to question what I’d gotten myself into. Then came the fear that accompanies every new challenge thrown at one while flying.
That’s when I realized I needed to adjust my mental attitude. Somewhere along the way, I had read that people should tell themselves they were the best at whatever they were attempting to do. I took this to heart. With that well-hidden confidence. I sought the help of flight instructors and ground instructors. The instructors encouraged me to believe that I was born to be a super pilot and just to recover all this “lost” ability. No way would I ever miss a flying training class.
Eventually, the time came for my first flight check with the chief instructor, an airline pilot with 11,000 hours. As if I wasn’t nervous enough already, one of my classmates told me that he’d recently been through the same routine. Not only did he fail but he actually cried. But passing the test is a must to get the pilot certification.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式作答。
The chief informed me that it’s my turn to accept the order and the check.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Several years later, a terrible earthquake happened in my hometown. And I was invited to help teenagers regain confidence after the disaster.
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