1 . Life will be peaceful if you always do kind things. I teach my daughters to develop a habit of
We
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
There are many other ways to
| A．watching | B．helping | C．welcoming | D．teaching |
| A．carefulness | B．peace | C．kindness | D．interest |
| A．great | B．unusual | C．easy | D．sad |
| A．work | B．travel | C．live | D．stay |
| A．dream | B．see | C．need | D．develop |
| A．environment | B．weather | C．stair | D．beauty |
| A．disadvantages | B．favorites | C．wishes | D．answers |
| A．sensitive | B．necessary | C．energetic | D．accurate |
| A．sky | B．village | C．city | D．street |
| A．match | B．chance | C．meeting | D．lesson |
| A．surprised | B．tired | C．excited | D．frightened |
| A．speed | B．start | C．move | D．stop |
| A．Although | B．But | C．And | D．Since |
| A．understand | B．experience | C．forget | D．enjoy |
| A．covered | B．lowered | C．shook | D．raised |
| A．sport | B．idea | C．result | D．question |
| A．describe | B．buy | C．provide | D．make |
| A．puzzled | B．successful | C．healthy | D．lonely |
| A．clean | B．cross | C．repair | D．draw |
| A．suddenly | B．impossibly | C．easily | D．gradually |
2 . What is your calling? What is your purpose in life? What did you come to this world to do? Every day we read about how we should find our purpose and pursue it throughout our lives in order to find meaning and contentment. There are even scientific studies that show people who view their work as a calling rather than just a career or a job have a higher life and work satisfaction. So, what exactly is this calling?
I’ve personally struggled with this concept for many years. I knew that happiness not only came from a present state of joy, but also from the pursuit of an objective that gave me something to pursue. That is, until I found myself feeling empty despite my achievement of those goals.
And as I reflected on these feelings of emptiness and boredom that had arisen despite my successes, I realized something. Meaning and satisfaction come from a personal devotion to what we do and the intrinsic (固有的) fulfillment we get from it. It has nothing to do with financial gain, social advancement or any other type of external reward or motivation. It is about doing something that we love. It is about focusing our efforts and spending our time on passions that light the spark inside of us and allow us to share with the world the unique gifts we possess.
I had never before stopped to think about what I found intrinsically rewarding or fulfilling. Financial gain and external recognition were pretty much the only drivers I knew. More so, I thought this calling meant having one passion we were born with to pursue relentlessly (不懈地).
So, I spent some years trying to find this long-lost purpose of mine. I discovered during that time passions I had no idea I even had. Yet, I wasn’t sure how to make them into my life purpose. I searched for an answer but couldn’t find it. It wasn’t until I came to understand the truths about our purpose in life that I was able to find my place in this world.
Our purpose can consist of various things that make us feel alive. As we grow and evolve throughout the different stages in our lives, we may discover new passions and desires that change our sense of purpose and calling.
We all have a longing for lives that give meaning to our existence. The difference lies in how we go about accomplishing this. We must each find our own “shine” and then shine on.
1. According to the passage, the calling refers to________.| A．one’s view about careers |
| B．a task one has to carry out |
| C．a life-long career one chooses |
| D．a strong desire or sense of duty to do a job |
| A．Financial gain and external recognition. |
| B．Pursuing passions relentlessly. |
| C．Discovering new passions. |
| D．Finding purpose in life. |
| A．Trying to do everything that you can. |
| B．Trying to achieve your ambitious goals. |
| C．Doing meaningful things with your passion. |
| D．Doing something that can be successful easily. |
| A．the author spent some years making changes |
| B．the author used to think he had no passion at all |
| C．the author didn’t know how to search for the life purpose |
| D．the author has known his passions since he started to work |
| A．It’s wise to give up discovering our one true passion. |
| B．It’s useless to pursue financial gain and external recognition. |
| C．It’s necessary to find our own calling and pursue it with vigor. |
| D．It’s important to share our passion with the world without stopping. |
3 . In the UK, the government showed throwaway cups should be forbidden altogether by 2023 if they are not all being recycled. As a result, Starbucks said it would try out a 5p (5 pence) cup charge in 20 to 25 central London shops. “We will begin it next month and at first it will last for three months,” the company said, adding that it continued to offer a 25p (25 pence) discount to customers who brought their own reusable cups.
The government agrees plastic waste is a problem and will consider taxing disposable (一次性的) plastics. The committee’s chair, Mary Creagh, said, “The UK throws away 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups every year. Almost none are recycled. Coffee cup producers and shops haven’t taken action to change this. So we need to kick-start a change in recycling.”
The Liberal Democrats said they had been suggesting a charge on coffee cups since September 2016. The party’s spokesman, Tim Farron, said, “The result is clear that the tax works. The 5p charge on plastic bags has largely cut down the usage and helped protect our environment.”
The 5p tax is being against by the makers of paper cups. Mike Tuner, of the Paper Cup Alliance, said paper cups were the safest solution for drinks. “The paper cups we produce in the UK can be recycled, and are being recycled. We are trying to increase recycling rates. Taxing the morning coffee run won’t solve the problem, but it will hurt consumers,” he said.
Disposable coffee cups are technically recyclable, but most are not because the UK has just three machines that can split the paper and plastic parts for recycling. The committee has called on the government to require coffee cups from cafes without in-store recycling systems to carry “not recycled” marks to remind customers. Cafes with in-store recycling systems should print their cups with “recyclable in store only”.
1. About the throwaway cups, Starbucks will ________.| A．offer a half-price discount to customers with their own cups |
| B．support the idea of forbidding throwaway cups till 2023 |
| C．charge customers 5p per throwaway cup in some shops |
| D．stop to offer throwaway cups in its shops right now |
| A．Coffee cup makers will take action to recycle the water. |
| B．The use of the disposable plastics is a nationwide problem. |
| C．Coffee cup users pay much attention to the plastic problem. |
| D．The UK government will ban all disposable coffee cups by 2023. |
| A．More people will fight against the charge. |
| B．There will be little change in our environment. |
| C．Fewer people will use the disposable coffee cups. |
| D．There will be a competition between coffee shops. |
| A．will be supported by the makers of the paper cups |
| B．will affect the consumers instead of solving the problem |
| C．can give a hand to increasing recycling rates of the makers |
| D．can be the best solution for the government to cut down waste |
| A．There are not enough professionals in this area. |
| B．There is not enough professional equipment. |
| C．Consumers don’t have recycling knowledge. |
| D．Cafes don’t have recycling systems at all. |
4 . My family moved into our home nine years ago. We spent a lot of time and energy in the yard to get it looking like the way it does today. In front of the house, the rocks appear to be just thrown up onto the dirt as if someone were in a hurry to finish. We called this area our “rock garden”. Denise and I would also plant some flowers between the rocks, just to bring some color to the area.
Last summer I found, in the rock garden, a tiny little plant that I could not immediately identify. I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise said she didn’t either. We decided to let it continue growing until we could figure out what it was.
Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the strange plant, it appeared to be a sunflower. It looked thin and tall with only one head on it. I decided to baby it along and weed(除杂草)around it. As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, I noticed something unusual. The sunflower had not started where I saw it begin. It actually had begun under a big rock and grown under and around it to reach the sun.
That’s when I realized that if a tiny little sunflower didn’t allow a big rock to stand in its way of developing, we too have the ability to do the same thing. Once we believe in ourselves like that little sunflower, we can attain the same nourishment(养分)for growth as well.
Stand tall like the sunflower and be proud of who and what we are, then the environment will begin to support us. We will find a way to go under or around any “rocks” in order to achieve our goals.
1. What can we know from the first paragraph?| A．The author finished building his house hurriedly. |
| B．The family has lived in this house for 9 years. |
| C．The author’s house is made of rocks. |
| D．The family don’t like gardening. |
| A．see how long it could live |
| B．see how big it could grow |
| C．find out what it actually was |
| D．know if his wife had planted it |
| A．the strange plant turned out to be the sunflower |
| B．the sunflower grew under and around a big rock |
| C．the sunflower had only one head on it |
| D．the sunflower was very thin and tall |
| A．Confident. | B．Devoted. | C．Delicate. | D．Modest. |
| A．rocks cannot prevent us from success |
| B．the sunflowers are able to grow everywhere |
| C．we should take good care of the rock gardens |
| D．we can get over difficulties if we trust ourselves |
5 . 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| A．The secrets of success． | B．Success is a choice． |
| C．Develop our confidence． | D．How to achieve success． |
6 . Losing an arm means losing the ability to grab, as well as losing the sense of touch. Scientists have been working on mind-controlled prostheses (义肢) and have successfully built a few to help patients regain their ability to grab. But restoring the sense of touch has been quite a challenge – until now.
Seven years ago, a group of Swedish scientists created a new type of prostheses, which has since then been tried out on three patients to see how they perform in people’s daily lives. The study result was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
According to the study, this is the first time that people who have had an arm amputated (截肢) can experience sensations of touch in mind-controlled arm prostheses.
The new product is named “neuromusculoskeletal” prosthesis. As the name indicates, the prosthesis is connected directly to a user’s nerves, muscles and skeleton. The sensation of touch becomes possible by stimulating nerves that used to be connected to the biological hand before the amputation.
When a patient grabs an object, for example, force sensors planted in the prosthetic thumb would measure contact and pressure. The collected information would then be transmitted to the patient’s nerves that lead to the brain. In this way, the patient can “feel” the characteristics of the object being touched and perceive (感知) its pressure against the prosthetic hand, which can be crucial when handling delicate objects – an egg, for example.
“The ability of the patients to discern (觉察) smaller changes in the intensity of sensations has improved,” Max Ortiz Catalan, Associate Professor at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, who is the leader of the study, told Science Daily.
According to Catalan, the new study has demonstrated that their prosthesis is qualified as a “clinically viable replacement for a lost arm”.
“The sensors are not the obstacle for restoring sensation,” Catalan added. “The challenge is creating neural interfaces (接口) that can seamlessly (无缝地) transmit large amounts of artificially collected information to the nervous system, in a way that the user can experience sensations naturally and effortlessly.” And they did it.
With the development of prosthesis technology, people who suffer from limb loss will have a greater chance of getting their normal lives back.
1. Neuromusculoskeletal prosthesis’ unique advantage is helping people with arm amputations to _____ .| A．carry heavy objects again | B．regain the ability to grab objects |
| C．move their prostheses as they wish | D．experience the sense of touch again |
① user’s nerves ② user’s brains ③ user’s muscles ④ user’s skeleton
| A．① ② ③ | B．① ③ ④ | C．② ③ ④ | D．① ② ④ |
| A．They collect information about objects and process it. |
| B．They stimulate the cut nerves to restore the sense of touch. |
| C．They measure the size of objects and send the information. |
| D．They detect the material of objects and send the information. |
| A．The intensity of an object. | B．The structure of an object. |
| C．The pressure from an object. | D．The changes inside an object. |
| A．Measuring the pressure of objects. | B．Connecting the sensors to nerves. |
| C．Creating good neural interfaces. | D．Building responsive sensors. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Neutral. |
| C．Critical. | D．Unconcerned. |
7 . When Benjamin Cherkasky was in eighth grade, he quit the swim team. It wasn’t because he lacked the passion; he just couldn’t accept failures in matches. “I’m not Michael Phelps, why am I even on the team?” he said.
A US therapist (治疗专家) who researches perfectionism at Northwestern University realized years later what had happened. Cherkasky’s perfectionism was creating unrealistic standards. Unable to meet them, he quit.
“My perfectionism prompted (导致) very high expectations, and that caused real suffering,” he said.
Cherkasky is not alone in feeling that perfectionism can breed anxiety. So many millennials (千禧一代) suffer from the ills of perfectionism that psychologists are issuing warnings and schools are emphasizing the need to accept failure.
Northwestern had held several seminars that offered tips on how students could deal with a perfectionism problem.
Jessica Rohlfing Pryor, a psychologist leading the events, said every generation is a sponge for the messages it receives.
“Millennials, more than any other generation in American society, are receiving clear messages around achieving,” she said. “There’s an absence of messaging that trying your hardest is still OK.”
The American Psychological Association also found out that recent generations of college students have reported higher levels of perfectionism than earlier generations.
This “desire to achieve along with being overly critical of oneself and others” affects young people’s mental health, according to its research, which analyzed data from over 40,000 college students.
Researchers noted that social media adds comparative pressure, along with the drive to earn money and achieve career goals. Perfectionists often create even higher goals, which can lead to a higher risk of failure.
In college, Cherkasky found himself surrounded by so many intelligent people that he felt he should have been achieving a higher level than he was. “It makes you feel kind of crazy,” he said.
This type of thinking can lead people to putting in less effort, which, as they fall behind, can create more anxiety. “It makes people feel kind of isolated.” Cherkasky added, “And that can cause students to drift away from their school”. Northwestern is not the only school eager to help students.
Brown University includes perfectionism in its counseling (咨询) services, asking students if they ever feel that what they accomplish isn’t good enough.
1. Why did Cherkasky quit the swim team in eighth grade?| A．He wanted more time to study. | B．He found he had no passion for swimming. |
| C．He couldn’t reach the goal he set for himself. | D．He always did badly in swimming competitions. |
| A．Millennials are unwilling to work hard. |
| B．Young people should accept being imperfect. |
| C．Young people should learn to deal with pressure. |
| D．Perfectionism can benefit individuals and society. |
| A．Social media users were more likely to be perfectionists. |
| B．Perfectionism could have a negative impact on physical health. |
| C．Few universities offered help to students with mental problems. |
| D．College millennial students suffer more perfectionism problems than ever. |
| A．the harm of being a perfectionist | B．the effect of isolation on perfectionists |
| C．the pressure college students experience | D．the challenges underachievers have to overcome |
8 . Icons of the ANIMAL KINGDOM
CHIMU ADVENTURES
SOUTH GEORGIA
Join a Chimu Adventures cruise to South Georgia and experience one of nature’s greatest spectacles. Witness thousands of king penguins up close while making a landing from one of our expedition cruises. Chimu are the UK’s leading operator to South Georgia, the Falklands & Antarctica offering a full range of ships to suit all budgets and requirements. Contact one of our polar experts today for more info and special offers!
www.chimuadventures.com
Tel:02074038265
ON THE GO TOURS
CHINA
The panda is the beloved animal mascot (吉祥物) of China, native to the mountain ranges in the south central region. There are many conservation projects working to increase the panda population and last year they were successfully downgraded from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ on the list of species at risk. Visit and support the Chengdu Panda Research Base with On The Go Tours where you can watch pandas in their natural habitat.
www.onthegotours.com
Tel:02073711113
SEA WOLF ADVENTURES
CANADA
Combine cultural discoveries with world-class whale and wild life viewing on an adventure into the heart of the traditional territory of the indigenous Kwakwaka’wakw: Vancouver Island North. Share our love of the local landscape and learn more about our connection with the wild life that makes these waterways home. Experience a fast-paced tour that offers a personal perspective of our 13, 000+ years old Kwakwaka’wakw culture.
www. seawolfadventures.ca
Tel: (001) 2509029653
PIONEER EXPEDITIONS
MADAGASCAR
Madagascar is the land of the lemurs (狐猴). Over 100 lemur species inhabit this extraordinary island nation, ranging from the pocket-sized ‘pygmy mouse lemur’ to the 4ft tall ‘indri’ (狐猴). With many threatened by extinction, there’s never been a better time to witness these mesmerizing (令人着迷的) primates. We’ll guide you through Madagascar, which is the only country where you can experience unforgettable lemur encounters in the wild.
www.pioneerexpeditions.com
Tel:01202798922
ABORIGINAL JOURNEYS
CANADA
We depart in search of orcas (虎鲸) from Campbell River on Vancouver Island in British, Columbia, Canada. Orcas are an apex predator, making them the kings and queens of the ocean. Orcas have very close-knit families and normally will stay together throughout their lifetime. We have many beautiful waterways in which to explore for these magnificent mammals. Tours are guided by experienced, locally born guides.
www.aboriginaljourneys.com
Tel: (001)2508501101
1. Which route may offer you discount in travelling fee?
| A．CHIMU ADVENTURES | B．PIONEER EXPEDITIONS |
| C．ABORIGINAL JOURNEYS | D．SEA WOLF ADVENTURES |
| A．you can only see pandas in limited areas as they are vulnerable to visitors |
| B．pandas are not endangered any more thanks to the efforts of many conversation |
| C．the panda is still an endangered species though its population has increased a lot |
| D．ON THE GO TOURS can help the Chengdu Panda Research Base save more pandas |
| A．Orcas. | B．Lemurs. |
| C．Pandas. | D．King Penguins. |
| A．They are born guides. | B．They are gentle animals. |
| C．They live alone after growing up. | D．They enjoy a close relationship. |
| A．You can enjoy the Kwakwaka’ wakw culture in ABORIGINAL JOURNEYS. |
| B．Orcas will depart the family once they become mature enough to feed themselves. |
| C．SEA WOLF ADVENTURES will present more than whales and wildlife to visitors. |
| D．Both SEA WOLF ADVENTURES and ABORINAL JOURNEYS set off in British, Colombia. |
| A．To attract readers to start a wildlife trip. |
| B．To introduce different kinds of animals. |
| C．To encourage people to protect animals. |
| D．To tell us that the animals are endangered. |
9 . My 83-year-old mother came to live with me a year ago last November. She was very ill and I had to put my life on hold to care for her.
Each morning, I got her up and dressed her and made her breakfast and sat with her. I rushed for a bowl when she felt sick, and lit fires to keep her warm. I cooked and persuaded her to take a few bites.
It’s a hard job caring for a sick or dying parent, whoever you are. But it was especially hard for me, I feel, because I am a doctor myself. I couldn’t help looking at her in two different ways. The medical professional saw a body and scrutinized it with the coldness that medicine requires. But the daughter saw the woman who had given birth to me, wiped my nose, sent me off to college and had been a constant presence in my life for over half a century.
Also, my mother didn’t appreciate how hard it was for me to care for her. I remember an exchange between her and the nurse who came to see her once a week:
“You could get some more help with care.”
“Oh, I don’t think I need that,” Mom said.
Mom didn’t understand that the help would have taken some of the burden off me. None of the treatments her doctors gave her worked, and finally her life became about comfort. She refused painkillers (止痛药) for a long time, but finally the pain convinced her. And when she accepted the painkillers she accepted the fact that she would die.
Illness and needs took us across personal boundaries I’d never before considered. And yet, while living and being and dying with Mom I witnessed something precious dawning. We became closer. We shared so many stories from our past that it was as if our memories had become one.
In the past our relationship had been difficult. We had often argued. But when the end came, both of us simply accepted that we looked at the world in different ways. We were daughter and mother and we loved each other. That was all that mattered.
1. Why was taking care of her mom especially hard for the author?| A．She was too busy living her own life. |
| B．She and her mom had a difficult relationship. |
| C．She was too old to attend to her mom carefully. |
| D．She viewed her mom both as a patient and a loved one. |
| A．held | B．checked |
| C．ignored | D．left |
| A．Helpful. | B．Thankful. |
| C．Surprised. | D．Depressed. |
| A．Love is more important than differences. |
| B．Being alive was the most important thing. |
| C．We should learn to understand other people. |
| D．It was better for family members to live independently of each other. |
10 . Nimal “Nims” Purja broke the existing world record by climbing 14 Himalayan mountain peaks in 189 days.
Though thousands of
“I am incredibly
The adventurer, who was
Purja, who comes from a small Nepalese village, said his primary
| A．athletes | B．tourists | C．researchers | D．adventurers |
| A．serious | B．isolated | C．famous | D．remote |
| A．still | B．yet | C．only | D．even |
| A．represented | B．accomplished | C．evaluated | D．accelerated |
| A．target | B．dream | C．desire | D．focus |
| A．crazy | B．generous | C．proud | D．nervous |
| A．right | B．future | C．harvest | D．record |
| A．found | B．seen | C．proven | D．imagined |
| A．determination | B．respect | C．delight | D．relief |
| A．taught | B．joined | C．beaten | D．conducted |
| A．awkward | B．anxious | C．exact | D．tense |
| A．separated | B．sent | C．dismissed | D．led |
| A．clothes | B．oxygen | C．tents | D．equipment |
| A．guiding | B．observing | C．saving | D．locating |
| A．unfortunately | B．surprisingly | C．naturally | D．normally |
| A．broke down | B．went by | C．passed away | D．set off |
| A．design | B．purpose | C．concern | D．importance |
| A．challenge | B．order | C．inform | D．show |
| A．attain | B．control | C．apply | D．meet |
| A．bless | B．inspire | C．support | D．admire |
