1 . Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer who helped shape the course of American literature. His life was full of tragedies, but he had the great influence on the 19th-century American literature and continues to influence writers to this day.

The early life of Edgar Allan Poe was quite unhappy. Born in 1809, Poe was not yet three years old when his parents died. Adopted by a wealthy family, he got into trouble at school. He entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, but he dropped out without graduating. His misery (不幸) continued to his adult life. Later, because of a failed marriage, he suffered from mental illness. He was so upset about real life that he turned to writing. Expressing himself in an unreal and imaginary world was his only comfort.

The tragedies in Poe’s life influenced the tone, style and contents of his writing. His stories usually include death, which help build his reputation as a master of “dark” literature. In his The Tell-Tale Heart, the main character goes crazy and kills his roommate while in The Black Cat, the main character kills his cat in a fit of madness.

Poe died at the age of 40 in 1849. His life is short, but his influence is very great. Poe is credited with (被誉为) creating crime fiction, and many say he contributed greatly to the appearance of science fiction. Fascinated (着迷) by the scientific theories and new inventions of his time, he wrote about imaginary societies in the future. Writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of Sherlock Holmes, regarded Poe as the father of detective fiction. Jules Verne, a French writer who helped popularize science fiction, said Poe’s work had a direct influence on the stories he wrote.

1. Poe began to write to _________.

A．earn his living	B．find comfort in writing
C．build a good reputation	D．create a beautiful world

2. It can be learnt that Poe’s works often reflect ________.

A．soldiers’ life	B．his own life stories
C．a sense of peace	D．some political problems

3. Which can best show Poe’s influence on literature according to the last paragraph?

A．His creation of crime fiction.	B．His unique writing experience.
C．His creation of scientific theories.	D．His contribution to new inventions.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．American literature and writers	B．Escape from real life and find comfort
C．Edgar Allan Poe: a misunderstood poet	D．Edgar Allan Poe：a tragic yet talented writer

2 . Devon Gallagher, a college graduate from Philadelphia, wants the world to know where she's been during her great worldwide vacation in a(n) _________ way.

The traveler, who was _________ with a bone disease, had her right leg cut at the age of four. _________ the amputation (截肢) caused hardships for Gallagher early on, she, at the age of 22 now, considers it as an inspiration for making the _________ of her life.

To spread that _________ , Gallagher has turned to social media, where she shares photos of her travels across the world, but instead of _________ using a geotag (地理标签), she draws her location across her artificial leg before taking a picture.

Now she has been taking pictures _________ Europe. “I get a new leg every two years and I can choose the design on it. One day I had a sudden _________ that my new leg could be used as a blackboard,” Gallagher said. “My mum and grandmother weren't too _________ the idea, but my friends thought it was great and told me to go for it, so I did.”

Gallagher said people often stared when she was __________ on her leg, but once she shared the photos, she received only praise and encouragement. “My leg hasn't __________ me from doing anything I've wanted to do,” she said. “I don't know __________ it is my determination to prove to myself that I can do it, but anyhow, I've been able to __________ up with my peers and lead a pretty great life.”

Gallagher shows us that you should never let anything stand in the __________ of your dream. And if you meet with an obstacle, get __________ with it — if life gives you an artificial leg, make art.

1.

A．common

B．old

C．simple

D．special

2.

A．born

B．charged

C．filled

D．linked

3.

A．Unless

B．Although

C．Once

D．Since

4.

A．coolest

B．best

C．worst

D．fullest

5.

A．evidence

B．news

C．message

D．schedule

6.

A．simply

B．officially

C．enthusiastically

D．reasonably

7.

A．across

B．through

C．about

D．for

8.

A．attitude

B．thought

C．belief

D．opinion

9.

A．curious about

B．fond of

C．patient with

D．afraid of

10.

A．walking

B．reporting

C．writing

D．standing

11.

A．protected

B．preserved

C．stopped

D．defended

12.

A．why

B．that

C．if

D．what

13.

A．make

B．come

C．put

D．keep

14.

A．way

B．corner

C．course

D．bottom

15.

A．satisfied

B．creative

C．familiar

D．connected

3 . Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His unique writing style greatly influenced 20th-century fiction, as did his life of adventure and public image. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Many of his works are classics of American literature. He published seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction works during his lifetime; a further three novels, a further three novels, four collections of short stories, and three non-fiction works were published posthumously.

   Hemingway was born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After leaving high school he worked for a few months as a reporter for The Kansas City Star, before leaving for the Italian front to become an ambulance driver during World War I, which became the basis for his novel A farewell to Arms.

In 1922 Hemingway married Hadley Richardson, the first of his four wives, and the couple moved to Paris, where he worked as a foreign correspondent. During his time there he met and was influenced by modernist writers and artists of the 1920s expatriate(侨居海外的) community known as the “Lost Generation”. His first novel, The Sun Also Rises, was published in 1926.

After divorcing Hadley Richardson in 1927 Hemingway married Pauline Pfeiffer: they divorced following Hemingway’s return from covering the Spanish Civil War, after which he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in1940, but he left her for Mary Welsh after World War II.

Shortly after the publication of The Old Man and the Sea in 1952, Hemingway went on safari to Africa, where he was almost killed in a plane crash that left him in pain or ill-health for much of the rest of his life.        

Hemingway had permanent residences in Key West, Florida, and Cuba during the 1930s and 1940s, but in 1959 he moved from Cuba to Ketchum, Idaho, where he committed suicide in the summer of 1961.

1. Hemingway’s unique writing style has the most influence on______.

A．his life of adventure

B．his public image

C．20th-century fiction

D．American lifestyle

2. The underlined word “posthumously” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to_________.

A．during one’s life

B．after one’s death

C．during one’s absence

D．at one’s presence

3. The novel A Farewell to Arms is set in _____________.

A．Oak Park, Illinois

B．his high school

C．The Kansas City Star

D．the Italian front

4. How are Hemingway‘s novels introduced to readers in the text?

A．By popularity.

B．By time.

C．By importance.

D．By subject.

4 . A poor young artist stood at the gate of the subway station, playing his violin. The music was _________, and many people put some money _________his hat.

The next night, the young artist _________a large piece of paper and laid it on the ground. Then he began _________. Some people found the _________on that paper. "Last night, a gentleman put a(n) _________thing into my hat. Please come to get it back. " They felt very curious and began to _________what it could be. After a while, a man _________there in a hurry and said, "It can't be true! You…".

The young violinist asked, "Did you lose something?" "Lottery(彩票). " the man answered _________.

The man was too __________to say a word. . . George Sang __________a lottery ticket a few days ago. The awards opened yesterday and he won $500, 000. So lucky and excited did he feel that he __________50 dollars and put it into the hat when hearing the music. However, the lottery ticket was also thrown into the hat without being noticed. Thinking that the owner would __________to look for it, he came back to where he was given the lottery ticket.

The violinist said, " __________I don't have much money, I live happily. If I lose __________I won't be happy forever. "

1.

A．quiet

B．beautiful

C．familiar

D．exciting

2.

A．into

B．onto

C．beyond

D．within

3.

A．put up

B．dropped down

C．took out

D．got through

4.

A．working

B．waiting

C．singing

D．playing

5.

A．poems

B．articles

C．words

D．texts

6.

A．important

B．fantastic

C．dangerous

D．interesting

7.

A．talk

B．care

C．expect

D．guess

8.

A．came

B．rushed

C．walked

D．left

9.

A．quickly

B．anxiously

C．seriously

D．carefully

10.

A．confused

B．anxious

C．excited

D．surprised

11.

A．bought

B．made

C．found

D．sold

12.

A．handed out

B．took out

C．hunted for

D．picked up

13.

A．forget

B．remember

C．return

D．like

14.

A．If

B．Why

C．Because

D．Although

15.

A．friendship

B．hope

C．love

D．honesty

5 . Seeing a volcano erupt is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the heat by climbing to the summit of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up this highly active volcano from Antigua, giving travellers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful.

Pacaya is an easy drive from Antigua, a beautiful city with many colourful houses along its old streets that are turned into artworks during its Holy Week festival. But climbing Pacaya is no easy job: it is 2,552 metres high and reaching the summit takes two to three hours of seemingly one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the sounds of eruptions high above. Smoke and hot remains of recent eruptions begin to appear on the path as you near the active summit: the McKenney Cone(火山锥). Just as though you are going to walk over to the edge of the cone, the road turns to the left and up to the safety of the old, inactive summit.

Many tours are timed so that you arrive at the cone of the volcano in plenty of time for the sunset and the full scene of the erupting red lava in the darkening sky. On a good day the view from the summit is really exciting. The active mouth boils, sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up to 100 metres into the air. There is a strong bad smell in the air even if you are upwind of the cone. As evening turns deeper into the night, the burning lava quietly falls down the sides of the volcano. For you, too, it is time to get down, but I am sure the powerful forces of nature will attract you and you would like to come to see it again.

1. What does the underlined word "summit" in the first paragraph mean?

A．Remained, cooled rocks along the path.	B．Loud sounds and terrible smell in the air.
C．The most exciting happening in a place.	D．The top point of a mountain or hill.

2. Many tours are timed for people to _________.

A．get down the mountain in time when night falls

B．avoid the smell from the upwind direction of the cone

C．enjoy the fantastic eruption against the darkening sky

D．appreciate the beauty of the 2,552-metre-high mountain

3. What is the main purpose of this passage?

A．To have more tourists come to Pacaya.	B．To describe the beauty of Pacaya.
C．To introduce guided tours to Pacaya.	D．To explain the power of nature at Pacaya.

6 . My day started just like all the other days for the past 15 years, leaving for the station at 7:35 and arriving at work by 8:30 a. m. I always_________ a seat away from the crowd so I can read newspapers in peace. At work I am always being_________ with questions and terrible meetings, so I want some stranger to sit beside me.

The train was unusually_________. Hesitatingly I sat down in the only seat_________ beside a middle-aged man, head_________. I was glad he didn't notice when I sat next to him_________ he just continued to look down.

Soon I found myself_________ what this man was thinking about. What could be so_________ that he didn't even see me sit next to him? I tried to_________ about it. However, for some strange reason this inner voice kept__________ me to talk to this man. I tried to ignore the voice as there was no__________ I was starting a conversation with a complete stranger.

I eventually broke down and came up with a(n) __________ to ask him a question. When he looked up, I could see he__________ have been really upset as he had red eyes and still had some tears __________ down his face. We talked for about 20 minutes and he looked__________. When leaving, he thanked me for being an angel by taking the time to talk.

Weeks had passed when I noticed an envelope on my desk, __________ to nobody and only with the word angel written on it. I read the note inside it, filled with__________. It was from the man I met on the train thanking me "again" for saving his life that day. He explained that in__________ he screamed out in his head, hoping there would be someone to__________ him from taking his life, and I was that "someone".

So the next time you feel urged for no__________ reason to talk to a friend, relative, or even a complete stranger, please remember my story. You just may make a difference in someone's life when you listen to your inner voice.

1.

A．purchase

B．choose

C．place

D．recommend

2.

A．occupied

B．tired

C．filled

D．met

3.

A．tense

B．limited

C．full

D．blank

4.

A．flexible

B．comfortable

C．reasonable

D．available

5.

A．up

B．sideway

C．down

D．forward

6.

A．as

B．when

C．though

D．while

7.

A．guessing

B．imagining

C．assuming

D．wondering

8.

A．possible

B．important

C．necessary

D．primary

9.

A．worry

B．forget

C．care

D．think

10.

A．denying

B．challenging

C．urging

D．desiring

11.

A．wonder

B．doubt

C．problem

D．way

12.

A．opportunity

B．reason

C．excuse

D．explanation

13.

A．must

B．could

C．should

D．would

14.

A．putting

B．reaching

C．moving

D．rolling

15.

A．worse

B．better

C．weaker

D．stronger

16.

A．addressed

B．spoken

C．referred

D．responded

17.

A．emotions

B．motions

C．atmosphere

D．significance

18.

A．consideration

B．embarrassment

C．hesitation

D．desperation

19.

A．preserve

B．permit

C．prevent

D．protect

20.

A．other

B．apparent

C．right

D．proper

7 . Artists always treat businessmen people as money-obsessed bores. Or worse, many business people, for their part, assume that artists are a bunch of pretentious wasters. Bosses may stick a few modernist paintings on their boardroom walls. But they seldom take the arts seriously as a source of inspiration.

The prejudice starts at business school, where “hard” things such as numbers and case studies rule. It is reinforced by everyday experience. Bosses constantly remind their underlings that if you can’t count it, it doesn’t count. Few read deeply about art. Sun Tzu's The Art of War does not count while some tasteless business books are pleasing to them: consider Wess Roberts' Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun.

But lately there are welcome signs of a thaw (缓和) on the business side of the great cultural divide. Business presses are publishing a series of books such as The Fine Art of Success by Jamie Anderson. Business schools such as the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto are trying to learn from the arts.

Mr. Anderson points out that many artists have also been superb entrepreneurs. Damien Hirst was even more enterprising. He upturned the art world by selling his work directly through Sotheby’s, an auction (拍卖) house. Whatever they think of his work, businessmen people cannot help admiring a man who parted art-lovers from £ 75.5 million on the day that Lehman Brothers collapsed.

Studying the arts can help businessmen people communicate more effectively. Most bosses spend a huge amount of time “messaging” and “reaching out”, yet few are much good at it.

Studying the arts can also help companies learn how to manage bright people. Rob Goffee of the London Business School points out that today’s most productive companies are dominated by what they call “clevers”, who are the devil to manage. They hate being told what to do by managers, whom they regard as dullards. They refuse to submit to performance reviews. In short, they are prima donnas. The arts world has centuries of experience in managing such difficult people. Directors persuade actresses to cooperate with actors they hate. Their tips might be worth hearing.

1. What kind of person is Damien Hirst actually?

A．An artist whose works changed the art world.

B．A businessman who just cares about money.

C．An artist who is good at doing business.

D．A businessman who had prejudice toward the arts.

2. The underlined words “prima donnas” probably refer to those who are _______.

A．quite stupid

B．rather proud

C．really bright

D．very efficient

3. What does the author mainly discuss in the text?

A．Good management takes skill and patience.

B．Artists should show respect for businessmen.

C．Painting is a special form of communication.

D．Businessmen have much to learn from artists.

8 . There was a man who was going through hard times. His wife divorced him. He went bankrupt（破产）after only a year in business. Despite all of his hard work, ________ was all that he had seen. Struggling with this, he ________ everything behind and went into the forest. There, he ________ an old man who had lived there for a long time. He ________ his story with the old man. "Can you give me one good reason not to ________?" he asked the old man.

"Look," the old man said, pointing to two plants. "Do you ________ that fern（蕨类植物）and bamboo there?"

"Yes," the man answered.

"When I ________ the fern and bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. Within a short period of time, the fern ________ grew from the earth," the old man went on.

"Although I watered and took care of the bamboo seed for years, it did not sprout（发芽）. There was no sign of ________. But I did not give up on the bamboo seed and ________ looking after it. In the fifth year, a small ________ came out of the earth. And within six months, the tree grew a hundred feet tall.

"The little bamboo tree had been growing underground for the past four years, ________ a root system strong enough for its ground growth in the fifth year and beyond. If it hadn't done this, it would not be as ________ as it is now. So you know, all the time you were ________, you were actually growing strong ________," the old man said.

1.

A．business

B．failure

C．difference

D．progress

2.

A．put

B．picked

C．left

D．gave

3.

A．met

B．called

C．recognized

D．remembered

4.

A．compared

B．provided

C．traded

D．shared

5.

A．give up

B．come out

C．worry about

D．show up

6.

A．want

B．see

C．appreciate

D．like

7.

A．bought

B．kept

C．collected

D．planted

8.

A．normally

B．safely

C．quickly

D．surely

9.

A．growth

B．activity

C．work

D．strength

10.

A．began

B．tried

C．practiced

D．continued

11.

A．part

B．sprout

C．head

D．leaf

12.

A．protecting

B．controlling

C．developing

D．saving

13.

A．wild

B．important

C．active

D．strong

14.

A．struggling

B．thinking

C．planning

D．learning

15.

A．branches

B．roots

C．trees

D．seeds

9 . I was ready to pay for my bananas at the grocery one night, when fear seized me. My wallet was gone. I could only have left it on the G9 bus, which was now speeding in the dark to some _________station.

The _______moment was quickly followed by mental maths. How much time and money would it cost to replace the contents of that little wallet?The credit cards, the driver’s licence,the cash, all lost to the bus.

Two hours later,back at my house, I heard a knock on the door. My husband_________it while I was on the phone in the dining room. “Does Jennifer live here?” I heard a lady say. In my husband’s hand was my wallet, with not a penny _______.She left before I could even make it to the door to offer my thanks.

After sharing the story online, I heard from someone, who_______the lady as Erin Smith. Without_______,1 called to thank her. She said she spotted my wallet on a bus seat. She_______that going to a stranger’s house was a _________move, but she decided to take the chance. “If I were in that _______, I would want someone to try to find me, ”she said.

This one stranger responded beautifully to my small __________, but she actually wasn’t the only one. Right after Erin__________my wallet on the bus, she posted a picture of my driver’s licence to an online forum（论坛），trying to see if anyone knew me. No sooner did she leave my doorstep than I had e-mails from two women whose kids go to my son's nursery and who recognized my face. I’ve never __________words with those mums beyond small talk, but they wanted to help. I read that people are more divided than ever，but that’s not how the people I __________tend to act.

__________, I feel blessed someone had wanted to help a stranger. Erin had gone beyond what almost anyone would have done, finding my house on a bitterly cold night, and for that I was extremely__________

1.

A．accessible

B．hidden

C．unknown

D．convenient

2.

A．face-saving

B．brain-washing

C．eye-catching

D．heart-stopping

3.

A．ignored

B．answered

C．examined

D．interrupted

4.

A．missing

B．returned

C．remaining

D．abandoned

5.

A．selected

B．appointed

C．identified

D．defined

6.

A．delay

B．alarm

C．regret

D．invitation

7.

A．disagreed

B．complained

C．calculated

D．recommended

8.

A．selfless

B．risky

C．slow

D．personal

9.

A．site

B．direction

C．situation

D．atmosphere

10.

A．crisis

B．danger

C．threat

D．failure

11.

A．got rid of

B．made use of

C．had control of

D．took possession of

12.

A．recalled

B．exchanged

C．repeated

D．whispered

13.

A．encounter

B．follow

C．consult

D．accompany

14.

A．Going away

B．Turning around

C．Looking back

D．Coming along

15.

A．longing

B．enthusiastic

C．concerned

D．grateful

10 . I used to hate running.It seemed too hard.My husband Charles had been a serious competitive _________ for many years.After our marriage, he wouldn't stop talking about how much he missed it.So he picked it up again, and after about a year, I started to _________ him at the track.Just a few weeks later, Charles _________ us both up for a five-kilometer race.I _________ about doing it.It was too soon.

But on race day, there I was.The gun _________.Thousands of runners pushed forward.The first kilometer was tough."I don't think I'm gonna make it." I was already breathing _________ and painfully aware of the group of runners pounding past me."No, you're doing great," said Charles.He was trying to encourage me, to get me focused on something else _________ my discomfort.

After another minute I saw the three-kilometer mark.All I could think of was that I was dying.Miserable doesn't even begin to describe how I felt."You'll be fine.You've got less than a kilometer to go", my husband said.I rounded a corner, and saw both sides of the street _________ with people watching the race, all cheering the runners on.I willed my _________ to keep going.Then I looked up and saw the clock.The seconds ticking away gave me __________.I knew that if I __________ finished this race I would achieve something._________,  I straightened up and kicked it.I had my arms held higher when I passed through the finish line.A volunteer __________ a medal around my neck.

"You did great! I'm so proud of you!" Charles was __________ that I'd made it."That was AMAZING! I want to do another race.This running stuff is amazing!" I proudly __________ my medal as we walked to the post-race festivities.My lungs and my comfort zone both expanded.

1.

A．runner

B．policeman

C．doctor

D．lawyer

2.

A．follow

B．attend

C．join

D．urge

3.

A．signed

B．gathered

C．involved

D．registered

4.

A．commented

B．hesitated

C．wondered

D．enquired

5.

A．went off

B．went out

C．broke off

D．broke out

6.

A．smoothly

B．heavily

C．quickly

D．abruptly

7.

A．or rather

B．more than

C．rather than

D．better than

8.

A．rich

B．loose

C．ready

D．thick

9.

A．arms

B．mind

C．heart

D．legs

10.

A．strength

B．patience

C．expectation

D．wisdom

11.

A．formally

B．immediately

C．normally

D．actually

12.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Yet

D．Instead

13.

A．rewarded

B．handed

C．put

D．presented

14.

A．thrilled

B．amused

C．shocked

D．frozen

15.

A．enjoyed

B．hugged

C．kept

D．seized