1 . My mother left the field of education formally after I was born. However, she did not leave it _________. She made learning a _________ part of my life. I never watched television, not because I was not _________ to, but because it was more fun writing stories with my mom.

On my first day of kindergarten, I was excited, but _________. During snack time that day, I sat quietly and opened my _________. Inside, I found a note from my mother written on a napkin(餐巾纸). The note said that she _________ me, that she was proud of me and that I was the best kindergartener in the world! Because of that napkin note I _________ my first day of kindergarten successfully and many more school days to follow.

There have been many napkin notes since the _________ one. There were even napkin notes _________ to me in college, far away from my home. __________ I changed majors, changed the way I looked at the world, there was one thing that never __________ — my mother’s encouragement, support and __________ in napkin notes.

This year, my mother __________ to go back to school to earn her degree in teaching. Although I was in __________ of my mother for following her dreams, I wanted her to __________ that she didn’t need a(n) __________ to make her an excellent teacher.

So I gave her a __________ for school: a lunch bag filled with her favorite foods. She laughed as she __________ the lunch bag. Then she pulled out a napkin with __________ on it.

As she opened up her “You can do it!” napkin note from me, tears began to run down her face. When her eyes met mine, I saw she __________ my unspoken message: My mother is, and always has been, a teacher.

1.

A．finally

B．completely

C．clearly

D．naturally

2.

A．lucky

B．crazy

C．helpful

D．fun

3.

A．admitted

B．allowed

C．advised

D．invited

4.

A．tired

B．shocked

C．nervous

D．bored

5.

A．lunch box

B．school bag

C．pencil box

D．toy bag

6.

A．thanked

B．loved

C．missed

D．accepted

7.

A．spent

B．began

C．ended

D．won

8.

A．same

B．recent

C．best

D．first

9.

A．read

B．returned

C．sent

D．introduced

10.

A．Because

B．Although

C．If

D．Unless

11.

A．continued

B．escaped

C．changed

D．reduced

12.

A．teachings

B．warnings

C．choices

D．dreams

13.

A．suggest

B．offered

C．promised

D．decided

14.

A．charge

B．memory

C．favor

D．control

15.

A．show

B．know

C．imagine

D．hope

16.

A．book

B．degree

C．award

D．answer

17.

A．gift

B．chance

C．guide

D．speech

18.

A．washed

B．filled

C．packed

D．opened

19.

A．pictures

B．replies

C．suggestion

D．writing

20.

A．remembered

B．trusted

C．understood

D．believed

2 . For some people,music is no fun at all. About four percent of the population is what scientists call “amusic.” People who are amusic are born without the ability to recognize or reproduce musical notes(音调). Amusic people often cannot tell the difference between two songs. Amusics can only hear the difference between two notes if they are very far apart on the musical scale.

As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amusics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. Their inability to enjoy music sets them apart from others. It can be difficult for other people to identify with their condition. In fact, most people cannot begin to grasp what it feels like to be amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping mall can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics intentionally stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in withdrawal and social isolation. “I used to hate parties,” says Margaret,a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify this unusual condition.

Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different from the brains of people who can appreciate music. The difference is complex, and it doesn't involve defective hearing. Amusics can understand other nonmusical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding ordinary speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can't see. certain colors.

Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed(诊断). For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem with music. Now she knows that she is not alone. There is a name for her condition. That makes it easier for her to explain. “When people invite me to a concert, I just say,” No thanks, I'm amusic,'“says Margaret. “I just wish I had learned to say that when I was seventeen and not seventy.”

1. Which of the following is true of amusic?

A．Listening to music is far from enjoyable for them.

B．They love places where they are likely to hear music.

C．They can easily tell two different songs apart.

D．Their situation is well understood by musicians.

2. According to Paragraph 3, a person with “defective hearing” is probably one who ___________.

A．dislikes listening to speeches

B．can hear anything nonmusical

C．has a hearing problem

D．lacks a complex hearing system

3. In the last paragraph, Margaret expressed her wish that __________.

A．her problem with music had been diagnosed earlier

B．she were seventeen years old rather than seventy

C．her problem could be easily explained

D．she were able to meet other amusics

4. What is the passage mainly concerned with?

A．Amusics' strange behaviours.

B．Some people's inability to enjoy music.

C．Musical talent and brain structure.

D．Identification and treatment of amusics.

3 . From now on, never spend your precious time thinking of reasons for your failures and shortcomings. Instead, realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only you have the power to make those seeds grow.

The seeds, and the power to grow them, are contained in the most awesome machine ever created：the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. You were born a winner. You were born rich. You can be a success if only you make the right choice.

You cannot be successful without first developing your self-esteem. Your level of self-esteem is always based on the degree of control that you are able to exercise over yourself, and thus over your life. People with low self-esteem are people who do not believe that they have any power, or responsibility for their lives. They are the perennial（长期的）victims and martyrs. They are leaves tossed（摇摆）by the winds of chance blown about with any sudden change in the weather.

You can exercise control over your life only to the degree that you believe that you are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they are responsible.

Everything happens as a result of something. If we can identify the cause, we can control the effect. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. Our success is dependent upon our level of confidence.

If you associate with positive-thinking people, you are definitely going to achieve success. On the contrary, the opposite happens. We are responsible for finding, planting, and nurturing the seeds that contain future victory, born from setbacks.

In short, in all areas of your life, whether they be financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual, you are responsible. Once you recognize this, accept it, and firmly believe it, you are on the road to success.

1. People with low self-esteem are compared to leaves because they ______.

A．are ready to change their minds	B．are easily affected by windy weather
C．don't have the power to face their fate	D．can't exercise control over themselves

2. Losers would think that ______.

A．success is the result of hard work	B．working hard will lead to success
C．their failure is only because of bad luck	D．they don't make efforts to succeed

3. It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that ______.

A．whether we will succeed depends on our attitudes

B．one’s expectation is the key to future success

C．thoughts and beliefs are the result of creative mind

D．setting our expectations is essential before taking action

4. The last paragraph serves as ______.

A．the proof of the author's points	B．the conclusion of the argument
C．an introduction to another topic	D．a comparison between two views

5. Which is the best title for the text?

A．The secrets of success．	B．Success is a choice．
C．Develop our confidence．	D．How to achieve success．

5 . What’s On?

Electric Underground

7.30pm－1.00am   Free at the Cyclops Theatre

Do you know who’s playing in your area? We’re bringing you an evening of live rock and pop music from the best local bands. Are you interested in becoming a musician and getting a recording contract? If so, come early to the talk at 7.30 pm by Jules Skye, a successful record producer. He’s going to talk about how you can find the right person to produce your music.

Gee Whizz

8.30pm-10.30pm   Comedy (喜剧)at Kaleidoscope

Come and see Gee Whizz perform. He’s the funniest stand-up comedian on the comedy scene. This joyful show will please everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. Gee Whizz really knows how to make you laugh! Our bar is open from 7.00pm for drinks and snacks(快餐).

Simon’s Workshop

5.00pm-7.30pm   Wednesdays at Victoria Stage

This is a good chance for anyone who wants to learn how to do comedy. The workshop looks at every kind of comedy, and practices many different ways of making people laugh. Simon is a comedian and actor who has 10 years’ experience of teaching comedy. His workshops are exciting and fun. An evening with Simon will give you the confidence to be funny.

Charlotte Stone

8.00pm-11.00pm     Pizza World

Fine food with beautiful jazz music; this is a great evening out. Charlotte Stone will perform songs from her new best-selling CD, with James Pickering on the piano. The menu is Italian, with excellent meat and fresh fish, pizzas and pasta(面食). Book early to get a table. Our bar is open all day, and serves cocktails, coffee, beer, and white wine.

1. Who can help you if you want to have your music produced?

A．Jules Skye.

B．Gee Whizz.

C．Charlotte Stone.

D．James Pickering.

2. At which place can people of different ages enjoy a good laugh?

A．The Cyclops Theatre

B．Kaleidoscope

C．Victoria Stage

D．Pizza World

3. What do we know about Simon’s Workshop?

A．It requires membership card.	B．It lasts three hours each time.
C．It is run by a comedy club.	D．It is held every Wednesday.

4. When will Charlotte Stone perform her songs?

A．5.00pm-7.30pm.

B．7.30pm－1.00am.

C．8.00pm-11.00pm.

D．8.30pm-10.30pm.

6 . Life will be peaceful if you always do kind things. I teach my daughters to develop a habit of ______ others. The little acts of ______ give you chances to provide service for others. They can make you feel how ______ it is to be kind and helpful.

We ______ in a rural (乡村的) area. Most of what we ______ is beautiful nature. One of the exceptions to the ______ is the rubbish that some people throw out of their car windows as they drive along the rural roads. One of the few ______ of living here is short of ______ public services, such as rubbish collection, which is common in the ______.

A helping behavior that I practice regularly with my daughters is driving around to pick up rubbish in our neighborhood. My daughters often have a ______ to see who can collect the most rubbish. They will often say to me in a(n) ______ voice, “There’s some rubbish, Daddy－ ______ the car!” And if we have time, we will often get out of our car and pick it up. ______ it may seem strange, we do it. In fact, we ______ it. We pick up rubbish in parks, on sidewalks, almost anywhere. One day, seeing a stranger picking up rubbish or the road, I stopped. He ______ his head and smiled, “I saw you doing this with your family. It’s a good ______ to protect our environment.”

There are many other ways to ______ kindness for others. You may share a dinner with a beggar, visit ______ old people in the nursing home, or help the blind ______ the street. You can think of something that can be finished ______ but helpful. It is fun, self-satisfying, and what’s more, it can set a good example. Helping others is helping yourself.

1.

A．watching

B．helping

C．welcoming

D．teaching

2.

A．carefulness

B．peace

C．kindness

D．interest

3.

A．great

B．unusual

C．easy

D．sad

4.

A．work

B．travel

C．live

D．stay

5.

A．dream

B．see

C．need

D．develop

6.

A．environment

B．weather

C．stair

D．beauty

7.

A．disadvantages

B．favorites

C．wishes

D．answers

8.

A．sensitive

B．necessary

C．energetic

D．accurate

9.

A．sky

B．village

C．city

D．street

10.

A．match

B．chance

C．meeting

D．lesson

11.

A．surprised

B．tired

C．excited

D．frightened

12.

A．speed

B．start

C．move

D．stop

13.

A．Although

B．But

C．And

D．Since

14.

A．understand

B．experience

C．forget

D．enjoy

15.

A．covered

B．lowered

C．shook

D．raised

16.

A．sport

B．idea

C．result

D．question

17.

A．describe

B．buy

C．provide

D．make

18.

A．puzzled

B．successful

C．healthy

D．lonely

19.

A．clean

B．cross

C．repair

D．draw

20.

A．suddenly

B．impossibly

C．easily

D．gradually

7 . ＂Did you hear what happened to Adam last Friday?＂ Lindsey whispers to Tori.

With her eyes shining, Tori brags, ＂You bet I did. Sean told me two days ago.＂

Who are Lindsey and Tori talking about? It just happens to be yours truly, Adam Freedman. I can tell you that what they are saying is (a) not nice and (b) not even true. Still, Lindsey and Tori aren’t very different from most students here at Linton High School, including me. Many of our conversations are gossip(闲话). I have noticed three effects of gossip: it can hurt people, it can give gossipers a strange kind of satisfaction, and it can cause social pressures in a group.

An important negative effect of gossip is that it can hurt the person being talked about. Usually, gossip spreads information about a topic — breakups, trouble at home, even dropping out — that a person would rather keep secret. The more embarrassing or shameful the secret is, the juicier the gossip it makes. Probably the worst type of gossip is the absolute lie. People often think of gossipers as harmless, but cruel lies can cause pain.

If we know that gossip can be harmful, then why do so many of us do it? The answer lies in another effect of gossip: the satisfaction it gives us. Sharing the latest rumor(传言) can make a person feel important because he or she knows something that others don’t. Similarly, hearing the latest rumor can make a person feel like part of the ＂in group.＂ In other words, gossip is satisfying because it gives people a sense of belonging or even superiority(优越感).

Gossip also can have a third effect: it strengthens unwritten, unspoken rules about how people should act. Professor David Wilson explains that gossip is important in policing behaviors in a group. Translated into high school terms, this means that if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said, then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention. The do’s and don’ts conveyed through gossip will never show up in any student handbook.

The effects of gossip vary depending on the situation. The next time you feel the urge to spread the latest news, think about why you want to gossip and what effects your ＂juicy story＂ might have.

1. The author uses a conversation at the beginning of the passage to __________.

A．introduce a topic	B．present an argument
C．describe the characters	D．clarify his writing purpose

2. An important negative effect of gossip is that it _________.

A．breaks up relationships	B．embarrasses the listener
C．spreads information around	D．causes unpleasant experiences

3. In the author’s opinion, many people like to gossip because it __________.

A．gives them a feeling of pleasure

B．helps them to make more friends

C．makes them better at telling stories

D．enables them to meet important people

4. Professor David Wilson thinks that gossip can ________.

A．provide students with written rules

B．help people watch their own behaviors

C．force schools to improve student handbooks

D．attract the police’s attention to group behaviors

5. What advice does the author give in the passage?

A．Never become a gossiper.	B．Stay away from gossipers.
C．Don’t let gossip turn into lies.	D．Think twice before you gossip.

8 . As the international demand for narrative(叙事的) film/TV content continues to increase with popular streaming services like Netflix and others the two questions then come: will the coming generations receive most of their entertainment through visual means rather than through the written word and will such an increase of narrative film/ TV reduce the importance of reading?

Growing examples of this trend include the diminishment(减少) of fiction in the common core (核心的)curriculum, the ever－rising culture of computer games, the wave of streaming services of wide international reach, and movies filled with special effects made for children and teenagers. Nor must we ignore the economic dangers that lie ahead for the written word. The narrative film industry is a moneymaker that dwarfs(使相形见绌) the publishing industry.

The other underlying question, of course, is “does it really matter if the written word bows to the world of film/TV?” From my point of view, any diminishment of fiction delivered by words is a loss for mankind.

There is no greater human feature than the imagination. It lies at the very soul of the human species. It is the brain’s most powerful engine. It is the essential muscle of life and like all muscles it must be exercised and strengthened.

Writing and reading are the principal tools that inspire, create and empower our imagination. Anything that diminishes that power is the enemy of mankind.

It should be known that I am not opposed to new media and technological advances. Instead, I have always felt it necessary to adapt to advancing technology. In fact, a number of my novels are in various stages of development for film, TV, and live stage productions. My hope is that the written word will only stand to be complemented(补充)by its visual counterparts(对应物), not pushed to the edge of extinction.

Of course, there are those who will present arguments for the superiority of the moving image over the written word. Each has its place. My argument is for finding the right balance between it and the moving image.

1. In what way does narrative film/TV embarrass the written word?

A．Economic benefits	B．International reach
C．Cultural influence	D．Educational importance

2. Why does the author value the role of the written word?

A．It strengthens our muscles.	B．It helps sharpen imagination.
C．It distinguishes man from each other.	D．It paves the way for narrative film/TV.

3. What is the author’s attitude towards technology?

A．Cautious	B．Skeptical
C．Positive	D．Critical

4. What’s the author concerned about?

A．The fate of reading.	B．The extinction of fiction.
C．The impact of the written word.	D．The future of the moving image.