1 . When I was young I wanted to be a model, so when a national contest was staged, I convinced my parents to take me for an audition (试演). I was selected and told I had potential. They said that for only $900 I could attend a weekend event which dozens of the most prestigious (有声望的) modeling agencies from around the world would attend. At 13, my hopes of fame and fortune clouded all judgment and I begged my parents to let me go. We have never been rich, but they saw my enthusiasm and agreed.
I imagined being signed by some famous model companies. For months, any boredom or disappointment was pushed aside because I knew I would soon have the chance to be a real model. I thought I would grace the covers of famous magazines!
Of course, I wasn’t signed, but what hurt me most was being told that if I grew to 5’9” (about 1.75 metres) I could be a success. I prayed for a growth spurt (冲刺) because I could not imagine giving up my dream. I made an appointment with a local modeling agency and the agent demanded $ 500 for classes, $500 for a photo shoot, and $ 300 for other expenses. My parents only agreed after hours and hours of me begging.
The agency sent me out on a few auditions, but with every day I didn’t receive a call I grew more depressed. The final straw came in July after I had decided to focus on commercial (广告) modeling. There was an open call in New York City. We spent hours driving and another few hours waiting, only to be told that I was too short I was devastated (感到难以承受的).
Years later Ire zed that the trip to New York was good as it made me notice I didn’t actually love modeling, just the idea of it. I wanted to be special and I was innocently determined to reach an impossible goal. The experience has made me stronger and that will help me in the future.
1. What’s the main reason why the author wanted to be a model?| A．She won a national contest. |
| B．She wanted to get reputation and wealth. |
| C．She was urged by some modeling agencies. |
| D．She had full potential to be a successful model. |
| A．Encouraging. | B．Critical. | C．Doubtful. | D．Enthusiastic. |
| A．Her parents were strongly against it. |
| B．She realized that it was impossible for her. |
| C．Even a local modeling agency turned her down. |
| D．She realized that she didn’t actually love the idea of modeling. |
| A．the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset angry, etc |
| B．the final result that she was admitted by the model company |
| C．the final audition given by the agency |
| D．the decision that she made at last not to be a model anymore |
| A．Where there’s a will there’s away. |
| B．Being a model is not that easy. |
| C．We should have our own judgment and should not just follow others. |
| D．We might set unpractical goals but the experiences can help us grow. |
2 . The most important skill I picked up at school was keeping a routine.
Routines allow us to develop a rhythm to our lives, but they also have their downsides.
It can be easy to get so accustomed to your routine that you don’t realize you’re no longer conscious of your time. This can stop progress, which means you start living your life on autopilot. It’s important that you include time in your routine for self-reflection.
Doing the same thing week after week can be dull. If you make time to try new things and explore new interests, you can adjust your routine to better fit your lifestyle as things change.
When I first came to college, I was told countless times that it’s important you develop a routine so you can focus on things important to you. But it’s easy to forget the bigger picture. I got so used to the same old things that I would often forget about all of the other fun and exciting opportunities college had to offer.
It wasn’t until my junior year that I really started setting time aside to explore things that were interesting to me. This was partly because COVID-19 and lockdown made my college life a lot more boring. It was this experience that made me realize I was stuck in a rut, a feeling I’m sure many came to terms with.
I decided I was going to make a change. I needed to find a balance between keeping a structured schedule and finding time to be creative and try new things.
I started writing and doing research to apply the things I learned in class. I started learning new instruments, visiting new places around town and exploring new ways to get involved in the local community. All of these different experiences allowed me to look at the things I was doing from a new perspective. It made me reassess what I’m doing with my life and pursue new goals, which have added huge value to my life.
Routines are important, yes, but don’t forget: it’s not the routine that determines your life. So don’t forget to throw something new in there from time to time. Above all else, don’t live your life on autopilot.
1. What can happen if we “live our lives on autopilot” according to the author?| A．We make rapid progress. |
| B．We get bored by our dull lives. |
| C．We forget to practice self-reflection. |
| D．We become more sensitive to changes. |
| A．He developed and stuck to some routines. |
| B．He always tried to break routines. |
| C．He forgot how to draw the picture. |
| D．He couldn’t adapt to college life. |
| A．It was vital to develop a routine. |
| B．A structured schedule helped beat boredom. |
| C．He should focus on important things. |
| D．He should lead a more balance d life. |
| A．He changed his career path. |
| B．He changed his major in college. |
| C．He paid more attention to his looks. |
| D．He enriched his social life. |
| A．We should balance our school work and interests. |
| B．It’s important to explore possibilities outside our routines. |
| C．Our routines define our goals and who we are. |
| D．Colleges offer us numerous opportunities to try new things. |
3 . Last night I was driving from Harrisburg to Lewisburg, a
At one point along an open highway, I
I started
Much later that night, after I
It’s amazing that we ever
I was so
| A．flight | B．distance | C．road | D．length |
| A．thinking | B．driving | C．complaining | D．running |
| A．stopped | B．changed | C．stuck | D．lost |
| A．horror | B．strength | C．understanding | D．impatience |
| A．ran off | B．came to | C．passed by | D．left behind |
| A．passed | B．watched | C．approached | D．found |
| A．stop | B．change | C．turn | D．die |
| A．way | B．side | C．city | D．direction |
| A．wondering | B．suspecting | C．struggling | D．regretting |
| A．abused | B．fined | C．injured | D．killed |
| A．danger | B．sign | C．time | D．record |
| A．met with | B．got over | C．got rid of | D．called back |
| A．turned out to | B．came back to | C．referred to | D．occurred to |
| A．virtue | B．suggestion | C．law | D．order |
| A．honor | B．solve | C．break | D．judge |
| A．stopped | B．protected | C．rejected | D．frightened |
| A．speaks of | B．stands by | C．takes in | D．disapproves of |
| A．suspect | B．trust | C．teach | D．care |
| A．only | B．first | C．lucky | D．living |
| A．sorry | B．doubtful | C．sure | D．proud |
4 . I have one of those names that are hard to pronounce, so I never liked the first day of school. When teachers read through the attendance, I always knew when they came to my name: There would be hesitation, then a slow syllabic (音节的) pronunciation of my name. Before they would even finish, I would put up my hand and say, “That’s me. Just call me Sanj.”
Sanj is short for Sanjukta. It’s an Indian name derived from Sanskrit and it means “united”. Words are powerful and so are names. I like my name. It means more than diversity; it means connection.
When strangers see my name, I can tell that they are trying to figure out where I am from. Some ask me what type of name it is and I know that what they really want to ask is “Where are you from?”
Growing up, I answered that I am Canadian. I didn’t want to stand out as the Indian kid. I used to think it was impolite to ask someone where they are from — it may make someone feel like an outsider. But over time, I understand most people are just curious and want to make a connection. Now when someone asks me where I am from, I also ask them where they are from. The conversation gets interesting when this happens.
Recently, I was at a dinner where most of the guests had never met each other. At first, people asked about where others worked and lived. Then people asked about kids and dogs. People started feeling a lot more comfortable with each other, so I asked everyone where they are from. This is when the conversation really got lively. People started guessing each other’s nationalities like the ultimate party game. A woman from Jamaica told us she was going back for a wedding soon and was having trouble finding a green dress. A couple of Indian women at the table convinced her to check out an Indian clothing store and showed her a traditional Indian outfit that would look great on her. All of a sudden, all the talk about where we came from united us.
United. That is what my name means. When I introduce myself to people, I say, “My name is Sanj. It’s short for Sanjukta.” Then I tell them that is Indian and what it means. And just like that, the meaning of my name makes people united.
1. Why would the author say her name first before teachers did?| A．They were not able to say her name correctly. |
| B．There are many ways to pronounce her name. |
| C．Her name was beyond their comprehension. |
| D．It would make her feel like greatly honored. |
| A．It’s much too complicated to explain. |
| B．It brings her connection with people. |
| C．It is likely to make her feel embarrassed. |
| D．It represents her nationality and personality. |
| A．She starts to share. | B．She feels offended. |
| C．She refuses to answer it. | D．She regards it as politeness. |
| A．There are strategies to reach out to strangers. |
| B．We should accept ourselves for who we are. |
| C．Differences can help us bond with others. |
| D．We should appreciate cultural differences. |
| A．Promoting our relationship. | B．Embracing your origins. |
| C．Identifying backgrounds. | D．Discovering connections. |
5 . Every year, thousands of teenagers participate in programs at their local art museums. But do any of them remember their time at museum events later in life? A new report suggests that the answer is yes — and finds that arts-based museum programs are credited with changing the course of alumni’s (毕业生的) lives, even years after the fact.
The Whitney Museum of American Art, the Walker Art Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles recently asked researchers to conduct a study to find out how effective their long-standing teen art programs really are. They involved over 300 former participants of four programs for teens that have been in existence since the 1990s. Alumni, whose current ages range from 18 to 36, were invited to find out how they viewed their participation years after the fact.
Among the alumni surveyed, 75 percent of them thought the teen art program experience had the most favorable impact on their own lives, beating the family, school and their neighborhoods. Nearly 55 percent thought that it was one of the most important experiences they had ever had, regardless of age. And two-thirds said that they were often in situations where their experience in museums affected their actions or thoughts.
It turns out that participating in art programs also helps keep teens keen about culture even after they reach adulthood: Ninety-six percent of participants had visited an art museum within the last two years, and 68 percent had visited an art museum five or more times within the last two years. Thirty-two percent of alumni work in the arts as adults.
Though the study is the first of its kind to explore the impact of teen-specific art programs in museums, it reflects other research on the important benefits of engaging with the arts. A decade of surveys by the National Endowment for the Arts found that the childhood experience with the arts is significantly associated with people’s income and educational achievements as adults. Other studies have linked arts education to everything from lower dropout rates to improvement in critical thinking skills.
1. What is the main function of paragraph 1?| A．To make a comparison. | B．To propose a definition. |
| C．To provide the background. | D．To present the subject. |
| A．To change the course of alumni’s lives. |
| B．To introduce the art museums. |
| C．To explore the impact of teen art programs. |
| D．To invite people to participate in the art programs. |
| A．Students are more influenced by the family and school. |
| B．Teen art programs in museums are highly beneficial. |
| C．Many teens fail to realize the great value of art programs. |
| D．Most experiences in museums are boring for today’s teens. |
| A．They are intended to attract more adults. |
| B．They are designed to support art museums. |
| C．They create adults who are culturally aware. |
| D．They provide many job opportunities for adults. |
| A．All prove the good effects of art education. |
| B．All suggest the need to improve museum programs. |
| C．All show the growing popularity of art programs. |
| D．All focus on the link between art and education. |
6 . Even if you are naturally shy, these three tricks will help you to quickly build a new social circle in any new city.
1. Take pictures
One of the great things about taking pictures at an event or party is that it gives you an excuse to get in touch with the person later. Everybody loves seeing pictures of themselves, and it’s very easy after taking a picture to say “if you’d like I can email it to you”. This can be the seed that leads to new connections. The next time you hear about a fun event email your new contacts to let them know about it.
2. Eat alone in public
You might feel self-conscious eating by yourself but it has an important benefit: you are much easier to approach when you are alone. People may be afraid of interrupting you or being rude if you are in a conversation with someone else. Bring a book or newspaper to read (this will make you feel less self-conscious). Plus, having an interesting book with you will give others an excuse to start a conversation if they’ve read it.
3. Join a class, sports team, or club
Yoga, salsa dancing, volleyball, Toastmasters (a public speaking club), a class for work, etc. Take up a new hobby or continue an old one!
These are all great places to meet new people, primarily because you will be forced to see the same people over and over again in the class. You will automatically make friends with them if you have a common interest and are forced to see each other again.
Tips:
*In the beginning, never turn down an invitation from someone, even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally do.
*Email your new friends with fun things to do instead of always asking what their plans are. If they have a better plan you can drop yours and join them. This will help establish you as someone who is contributing value instead of just taking it (people want this in a friend).
*Don’t let little things in life upset you or be a negative person. People don’t want to be around someone like that!
1. _______ can give you an excuse to get in touch with the person later.| A．Taking pictures of others |
| B．Eating by yourself in public |
| C．Reading interesting books |
| D．Joining group activities |
| A．approach others to show conscious friendliness |
| B．start a conversation with those who have friends aside |
| C．invite others to your apartment to eat together |
| D．sit on your own in public places |
| A．It helps you find out people who share a common interest with you. |
| B．It helps you find out your interest and take up a new hobby. |
| C．It offers an opportunity to meet the same people repeatedly. |
| D．It is a good way to meet new people and make friends in a new city. |
| A．Try to be outgoing and talkative instead of being shy. |
| B．Never turn down an invitation from your friends. |
| C．Offer suggestions on how to spend time together. |
| D．Always give a positive response to any request. |
| A．why you should change when you move to a new city |
| B．how you can make new friends in a new city |
| C．why you should make new friends in a new city |
| D．how you can keep in touch with strangers |
7 . Perhaps the most quarrelsome issue between fathers and sons is the question of work and how to be successful in the real world. Right from the beginning, I thought I should start at the top. I was a talented young man and I thought everyone around me should realize this. With growing pride, I did not believe that I should have to pay my dues like other people. As a result, I constantly tried to find a short cut to the big time.
My father is a good example of the American dream coming to life, a self-made man who achieved success through hard work. Focusing on the promise of college, Dad won a scholarship to Brown University. Digging into his studies while forming a group of close friends, he achieved a lot at Brown. As the years passed and children were born, Dad worked with an unchanging dream, becoming a respected partner of the firm and the head of the sales team. He worked hard, but was also creative, and eventually became a famous expert in raising capital when others failed.
In contrast to my father’s hard-earned success, I grew up as a privileged Upper East Side New Yorker who expected everything to be handed to him. I went to Brown where I majored in literary theory, and partied until the morning. After college, I headed out to Los Angeles where I fed into the dream of selling a big screenplay (剧本). Although my partying became habitual and out of control, I always thought the next big script sale would change everything.
Seeing my attitude, my father told me that there were no short cuts. I never listened. Eventually, I lost my house and my marriage. Never listening to the sound advice of my father and insisting on following my own path toward self-destruction, I ended up in a terrible place.
My father, however, never gave up on me and has been remarkably supportive to me. With the faith of my family and the support of my father, I have been able to pay my dues and launch my career as a technical writer. Like my father tried to teach me, there are no short cuts.
No matter how talented or fortunate you may be, success is the product of sweat in the form of hard work—showing up each day and doing your job to the best of your abilities.
1. At first, the author and his father disagreed about ________.| A．the appreciation for being helped | B．the approach to success |
| C．the spirit of game winning | D．the quality of being an expert |
| A．He studied hard but had few friends at college. | B．He achieved success with the help of his parents. |
| C．He was a top student when he was at college. | D．He went to America as a foreigner and realized his dream. |
| A．kind-hearted | B．considerate | C．imaginative | D．determined |
| A．He bought a new house with the help of his father. |
| B．He became a renowned expert in his field. |
| C．He put his heart into his work after losing everything. |
| D．He learned a lot from his father but still disagreed with him. |
| A．You harvest what you sow. | B．All roads lead to Rome. |
| C．He who has health has hope. | D．Two heads are better than one. |
8 . There’s a song by the great Jamaican singer Bob Marley called So Much Trouble In The World. Marley understood that part of the reason why there are so many problems in the world is the lack of tolerance between people. The UN understands this too that’s why it made Nov 16 “International Day for Tolerance”.
But first of all, what is tolerance? French philosopher Voltaire (1694 — 1778) can give us some help. According to him, tolerance “is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty (脆弱) and error; let us pardon each other’s folly — that is the first law of nature.”
Nobody’s perfect. When we’re tempted to criticize another person, we should perhaps remember our own imperfections first.
Very often, people don’t realize that they’re intolerant. This is because intolerance has a lot to do with ignorance. For example, the UN’s campaign is in part about the treatment of females by males. But often, the behavior of men toward women is intolerant because men don’t put themselves in the shoes of women.
It’s worth thinking a little about the words “tolerance” and “intolerance”. Are they the best words to describe the evils of which we’re speaking here? To agree to be “tolerant” of someone isn’t necessarily a very respectful thing. When someone is tolerated, it implies that there’s something wrong with them.
But it seems wrong that people should agree to “tolerate” people with black skin, for example. And should women think they have received the respect they are due when men agree to “tolerate” them?
Still, what Voltaire said stands: We humans are not perfect and this weakness is something that we all share. That’s the reason we should be tolerant.
It’s a little like generosity. We can give things to another person, and we can also give our forgiveness. Bob Marley understood this. In the song mentioned above, he advised: “Write your love on a rock so it stays for eternity (永恒); write your hate in the sand so the waves will wash it away.”
1. What’s the purpose of the UN “International Day For Tolerance”?| A．To arouse peoples awareness of tolerance among people. |
| B．To celebrate the founding of the UN. |
| C．To solve the problem of global community. |
| D．To change people’s opinions towards globalization. |
| A．being willing to express your love to others |
| B．trying to overcome your imperfections |
| C．giving a hand to vulnerable groups (弱势群体) |
| D．accepting each other’s weaknesses |
| A．They are used to finding faults. |
| B．They consider tolerance a kind of frailty. |
| C．They don’t see things from the angle of others. |
| D．They are intolerant of themselves too. |
| A．Humans are advised to treat others better. | B．Humans learned to find faults in others. |
| C．Humans need to give something to others. | D．Humans will change their attitudes to others. |
| A．The origin of the International Day of Tolerance. |
| B．The meaning and importance of tolerance. |
| C．The philosophy behind Bob Marley’s song. |
| D．Effective ways to show tolerance. |
9 . Returning to your home town to work could give you some
The 28-year-old Jiang said that, “Eventually, it’s your own hard work that
She returned to Suzhou after getting a master’s degree at a university in Macao. She
“I’m more realistic and want to be close to my parents and friends. And I want to enjoy a slower pace of life.”
She was also able to see the amazing economic growth potential in her home town,
At the same time, she found that her network of people and her knowledge of her home town didn’t mean much at work. “Every day, I get to meet business people from all over the world, and be in touch with the
And now, her hard work has paid off. Many of the projects her team negotiated for are in the construction process or are actually up and running. She felt proud of this “Honestly, in my opinion, sometimes it’s more crucial to
She may not be in a major city, but she never felt that her personal ability would be
Jiang is quite satisfied with the
“Life in a
| A．presents | B．advantages | C．talents | D．promises |
| A．celebrate | B．repeat | C．measure | D．guarantee |
| A．counts | B．fails | C．succeeds | D．cheats |
| A．professional | B．abundant | C．new | D．broad |
| A．searching for | B．thinking of | C．reaching out | D．relying on |
| A．ran out | B．took out | C．stood out | D．gave out |
| A．job | B．scholarship | C．permit | D．license |
| A．eventually | B．especially | C．extremely | D．fortunately |
| A．revolution | B．era | C．park | D．time |
| A．clearest | B．best | C．latest | D．fastest |
| A．debate | B．start | C．examine | D．discuss |
| A．create | B．recommend | C．quit | D．take |
| A．country | B．province | C．region | D．city |
| A．recognized | B．limited | C．improved | D．ensured |
| A．chances | B．ways | C．ambitions | D．promotions |
| A．experience | B．extend | C．change | D．challenge |
| A．education | B．customs | C．life | D．people |
| A．care | B．worry | C．bring | D．complain |
| A．smaller | B．better | C．larger | D．richer |
| A．work | B．earn | C．contribute | D．devote |
10 . In the doorway of my home, I looked closely at my 23-year-oldson, Daniel. In a few hours he would be flying to France to
When Daniel was five, I took him to the bus stop on his first day of kindergarten. He asked, “What is it going to be like, Dad? Can I do it?” Then he walked
Now, as I stood before him, I thought of those
What does it matter in the course of a lifetime if a father never tells a son what he really thinks of him?
My mouth turned dry, and I knew I would be able to get out only a few words clearly. “Daniel,” I said, “if I could have picked, I would have picked you.” That’s all I could say. He hugged me. For a moment, the world
| A．experience | B．spend | C．enjoy | D．shape |
| A．show | B．give | C．make | D．instruct |
| A．last | B．first | C．very | D．next |
| A．off | B．into | C．down | D．up |
| A．sign | B．sight | C．scenery | D．scene |
| A．interest | B．instruction | C．courage | D．direction |
| A．failed | B．discouraged | C．struck | D．troubled |
| A．future | B．embarrassing | C．obvious | D．lost |
| A．last | B．pass | C．fly | D．remain |
| A．counted | B．meant | C．valued | D．cared |
| A．think | B．want | C．expect | D．wish |
| A．But | B．And | C．Instead | D．So |
| A．wondered | B．regretted | C．minded | D．tried |
| A．views | B．actions | C．feelings | D．attitudes |
| A．important | B．essential | C．hard | D．complex |
| A．disappeared | B．changed | C．progressed | D．advanced |
| A．sensitive | B．convinced | C．aware | D．tired |
| A．by | B．against | C．on | D．with |
| A．clumsy | B．gentle | C．absurd | D．moving |
| A．none | B．all | C．anything | D．everything |
