1 . Both my parents left for work. And what did I do with myself on that glorious _________day, with no adult in charge and no _________ on my activities? Did I get high? Hit the _________for a shoplifting?

Nope. I built a warm fire in the wood stove, prepared a bowl of popcorn, held a blanket, and began to _________. I was thrilled and _________by a book-it was Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises-and I _________needed to be alone with it for a little while. I had accidentally _________the key to perfect happiness: I had become _________absorbed by something I loved.

Please _________that absorption is not the same as distraction or obsession. To be absorbed by something is to become it and when we __________it, we are richer for it. To be distracted by thing is also to disappear, but not in a good way. We become nothing at all. We don't get __________. And to be obsessed by something, __________, is to become absorbed and destroyed by it. __________, the trick to happiness, then, is to find something that absorbs you and become that thing by __________it with devoted attention.

__________it now, I can see that some subtle (微妙的) things were happening to my mind and to my life __________I was in that state of absorption. Hemingway's __________was quietly entering my imagination. I was downloading information about how to create simple and elegant __________, a good and solid plot. __________, I was learning how to write. Without realizing it, I was hot on the trail of my own fate. Writing now __________ me the way reading once did and happiness is their generous side effect.

1.

A．wasted

B．Admitted

C．abandoned

D．stolen

2.

A．limits

B．Instructions

C．expectations

D．ideas

3.

A．road

B．mall

C．stage

D．Target

4.

A．relax

B．write

C．read

D．eat

5.

A．transported

B．confused

C．cheated

D．upset

6.

A．still

B．even

C．yet

D．just

7.

A．come across

B．come up

C．get through

D．look into

8.

A．partly

B．completely

C．almost

D．rarely

9.

A．note

B．see

C．find

D．appreciate

10.

A．catch up with

B．get used to

C．come out of

D．break away from

11.

A．exhausted

B．amazed

C．astonished

D．enriched

12.

A．finally

B．originally

C．previously

D．abruptly

13.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Besides

D．Moreover

14.

A．advocating

B．purchasing

C．pursuing

D．imagining

15.

A．Looking up to

B．Looking back on

C．Keeping up with

D．Keeping away from

16.

A．before

B．after

C．while

D．Since

17.

A．image

B．autobiography

C．attitude

D．language

18.

A．dance

B．music

C．poems

D．sentences

19.

A．As a result

B．In other words

C．After all

D．Above all

20.

A．consumes

B．destroys

C．absorbs

D．disturbs

3 . I learned something really early from my family: Even the biggest challenges are less _________ when you solve them as a community.

My brother, sister and cousins were my first group. _________ we got more and more fights at home, we never _________ that outside our house, if you messed with one of us, you got _________ of us.

From school to sports, I was _________ in a class project, club, team or group. From speech and debate to field hockey, when I was in a community, I felt _________ to try for things that seemed _________ . I grew because others pushed me. _________ didn’t seem so scary because we were taking risks together.

When a drunk driver _________ my father, it was our community that stepped in. It was our family friends, our community theater and our sports teams that __________ us. My father had been a high school history teacher, and his colleagues — now my teachers — began to keep a __________ eye on us because he __________ could.

I don’t __________ a parent’s death as the way to learn about the __________ of small communities, but it did make me __________ that if I looked for bigger challenges with the support of a group, I was going to __________ broader goals and build deeper relationships __________ the journey.

As I sit here tonight with my team of five, I’m __________ of how much I love these moments — building __________we believe in, that we’ll learn from and that we’ll do together. If you are going to do something that terrifies you, first find a(n) __________ .

1.

A．terrifying

B．risky

C．exciting

D．amazing

2.

A．Once

B．When

C．While

D．Since

3.

A．argued

B．considered

C．decided

D．doubted

4.

A．none

B．all

C．nothing

D．anyone

5.

A．sometimes

B．seldom

C．always

D．barely

6.

A．curious

B．discouraged

C．scary

D．safe

7.

A．under control

B．out of my reach

C．out of order

D．within my ability

8.

A．Failures

B．Goals

C．Fights

D．Disasters

9.

A．killed

B．attacked

C．comforted

D．backed

10.

A．looked into

B．belonged to

C．stood by

D．turned away

11.

A．bigger

B．stricter

C．warmer

D．closer

12.

A．no longer

B．never

C．hardly

D．instead of

13.

A．convince

B．recommend

C．adopt

D．announce

14.

A．belief

B．power

C．possibility

D．harmony

15.

A．realize

B．figure

C．consider

D．notice

16.

A．go through

B．get over

C．go for

D．come across

17.

A．for

B．before

C．by

D．throughout

18.

A．informed

B．reminded

C．blamed

D．encouraged

19.

A．anything

B．everything

C．something

D．somebody

20.

A．dream

B．partner

C．organization

D．group

4 . In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbors.

The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbors.

It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.

Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbors. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.

People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Jonses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.

1. Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ______.

A．want to be as rich as their neighbors	B．want others to know or to think that they are rich
C．don’t want others to know they are rich	D．want to be happy

2. It can be inferred from the story that rich people like to ______.

A．live outside New York City	B．live in New York city
C．live in apartments	D．have many neighbors

3. Arthur Momand used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because “Jones” is ______.

A．an important name	B．a popular name in the United States
C．his neighbor’s name	D．not a good name

4. What’s the author’s attitude to keeping up with the Joneses？

A．Negative.	B．Positive.
C．Supportive.	D．Objective.

5 . My boss recently asked me, “Do you know why I ________ you? Because you didn’t sell yourself. Instead, you said, ‘I researched your website and saw how many ________ vets (兽医) you have, and I want to have, and I want to learn from them’, and that’s why I employed you. You showed vulnerability.”

So, what is vulnerability? For me, vulnerability means ________ your fear of embarrassment and allowing personal ________. It has traditionally been viewed as a(n) ________ in the workplace. The very thought of ________ your weaknesses is terrifying. However, we can ________ the views surrounding it. I’m talking about the vulnerability that strengthens courage and ________ more success as a vet.

After graduation, I started working in a ________ where I didn’t have the help I required. Quickly becoming ________, within 18 months, I didn’t want to be a vet anymore. During this period, I realized, without the ________ I wanted, I was potentially making mistakes I wasn't even ________ of. Was I treating pets ________? I wouldn’t know.

I decided to be ________. I accepted that I was living with poor mental health and ________ important knowledge. I wanted to find somewhere I’d be able to continue building my knowledge, not working as a(an) ________ vet, but as an excellent one. After two and a half years working as a vet, I have ________ found a place where I get the support I need. My ________ is: Be vulnerable and have the ________ to accept it. Find somewhere that will support you and push you to do better.

Vulnerability should be viewed as a(an) ________ rather than a liability (不利因素) in the workplace. It is the ability to show people that you are human.

1.

A．hired

B．fired

C．introduced

D．informed

2.

A．amusing

B．alarming

C．astonishing

D．amazing

3.

A．putting aside

B．stepping aside

C．building up

D．picking up

4.

A．crash

B．contact

C．growth

D．protest

5.

A．quality

B．weakness

C．advantage

D．competence

6.

A．exposing

B．sheltering

C．rescuing

D．covering

7.

A．regard

B．ignore

C．reserve

D．change

8.

A．devotes to

B．contributes to

C．donates to

D．adapts to

9.

A．school

B．restaurant

C．hotel

D．clinic

10.

A．inspired

B．appreciated

C．exhausted

D．threatened

11.

A．wonder

B．support

C．time

D．treatment

12.

A．positive

B．aware

C．proud

D．confident

13.

A．traditionally

B．effortlessly

C．positively

D．effectively

14.

A．sad

B．happy

C．vulnerable

D．energetic

15.

A．lacking

B．gaining

C．tracking

D．applying

16.

A．normal

B．average

C．professional

D．reliable

17.

A．hardly

B．finally

C．blindly

D．difficultly

18.

A．intention

B．issue

C．point

D．proposal

19.

A．power

B．sense

C．honor

D．courage

20.

A．talent

B．experience

C．strength

D．lesson

7 . Life is meant to be lived. No excuses. No reservations. No holding back.

An inspiring story about violinist Fritz · Kreisler tells how he once _________ a beautiful violin he wanted to acquire. When he finally _________ the money for the violin, he returned to buy it and learned that it had already been sold to a(n)_________.

He went to the new owner’s home in order to try to _________ him to sell the violin. But the collector said it was one of his _________ possessions and he could not let it go.

Disappointed Kreisler turned to leave, but then _________ a favour. “May I play the instrument once more _________ it is placed to silence？”

_________ was given and the great musician began to play. The violin sang out a piece of quality music, so _________ that the collector himself could only listen in wonderment. “I have no __________ to keep that to myself.” he said after the musician finished. “The violin is yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people __________ it.”

William Arthur Ward said, “If you believe in prayer, pray; if you believe in serving, serve; if you believe in giving, give.” For you and I are fine violin—our music is __________ to be heard.

I want to live my life that way—to take it into the world and live it __________. I’d rather burn out than rust out(锈尽). I’d rather be used up than die not having done __________ I can.

I’m not talking about __________ ourselves out on over-activity. Happiness is __________ found in excessive(过度) busyness. But it is found in __________ our lives in others. Say yes when asked for a hand. Volunteer some time for a worthwhile organization and __________ an hour with a lonely relative.

In the end, I know that my __________ is not only about my ability or my inability. It is about my__________. My life is meant to be lived.

1.

A．came over

B．came across

C．came about

D．came up

2.

A．raised

B．found

C．stored

D．provided

3.

A．relative

B．owner

C．merchant

D．collector

4.

A．encourage

B．command

C．persuade

D．remind

5.

A．valueless

B．precious

C．expensive

D．important

6.

A．showed

B．did

C．won

D．asked

7.

A．before

B．unless

C．since

D．until

8.

A．Assistance

B．Price

C．Permission

D．Invitation

9.

A．interesting

B．classical

C．powerful

D．beautiful

10.

A．idea

B．right

C．room

D．sense

11.

A．hear

B．see

C．feel

D．know

12.

A．supported

B．meant

C．valued

D．convinced

13.

A．properly

B．briefly

C．normally

D．fully

14.

A．whichever

B．whenever

C．whatever

D．whoever

15.

A．helping

B．keeping

C．wearing

D．making

16.

A．always

B．never

C．once

D．already

17.

A．devoting

B．changing

C．investing

D．absorbing

18.

A．spend

B．cost

C．take

D．pay

19.

A．business

B．hardness

C．kindness

D．happiness

20.

A．participation

B．existence

C．responsibility

D．difference

9 . “Have you checked the oil in the car?” my father used to say to me, his version of “Hello, hope you are well.” Sometimes our phone calls would begin with an inquiry about the oil and end with an inquiry about the oil, with not a lot in between.

Fathers have a lot of love to give, but it’s often supplied through the medium of practical advice. The affectionate phrase “You made my life better from the moment you were born” may be rarely heard, but there is the more common “I’ll hold the ladder while you get the leaves off the roof.”

Why can’t we fathers just say “I love you” or “It’s great to see you” ? The point is: That’ s exactly what we are saying. You just have to translate from the language that is Fatherlish. Listen closely enough and the phrase “I love you” can be heard in the lengthier “I could come around Saturday and replace the silicon seal around the base of your toilet because I reckon that thing is getting really smelly.”

When I was 17, I went on my first road trip. My father stood on the corner in the predawn of a cold morning to bid us farewell. “Highways are dangerous,” he said, “so don’t try overtaking anything faster than a horse and buggy. And take a break every two hours. And every time you stop for gas, you really should check the oil.” At the time we thought his speech was funny and would chant “horse-and-buggy” every time I floored the accelerator.

Dad’s long gone now. But after all these years, I realize that had I owned a copy of the Fatherlish-to-English dictionary, I’d have understood that the speech my friend and I so casually mocked was simply Dad’s attempt at affection.

1. According to the passage, how do fathers usually show their affection?

A．By inquiring their kids’ car.	B．By doing rather than saying.
C．By offering helpful advice.	D．By accompanying their kids.

2. Why does the author mention his first road trip?

A．To exemplify the unique parental concern.

B．To provide some background knowledge.

C．To explain the reasons for my mocking.

D．To present my father’s funny speech.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．My father has gone somewhere faraway.

B．I regretted making fun of my father’s speech.

C．I owned a copy of Fatherlish-to-English dictionary.

D．My father’s speech got across to me when I was 17.

4. Which words can best describe the author’s father?

A．Caring and considerate.	B．Devoted and generous.
C．Talkative and humorous.	D．Knowledgeable and diligent.

10 . John graduated from a key university and he was very good at his major. He wished to find a good job. One day, he went to a company to ______for a job. He got the news in a newspaper. He did some research on this-company. When he was ______ everything went well. The manager asked him some questions and he answered them ______. John was very satisfied with his performances and was very ______ that he could get the job. But at that moment, the manager's phone ______. He picked up the phone, listened and nodded. And then he turned around and said to John, Sorry, I want to get some important ______ now. Please give me the book with the red ______on that desk. " John looked around and found 3 books on the desk, so John went to the desk, took one book and handed it to him ______.

Holding the book, the manager ______ the phone and said, “Sorry, we cannot give the job to you.” John was ______ and wondered why. The manager said, “ There are three ______. First, when you came into the office room, I found that the third button on your shirt had been missing. Second, there are three books with red covers on that desk, but you didn't ask me which one I needed and you took one randomly (随机地). Third, I was answering the call. You should ______ to the desk to save time. These ______ showed you are not a careful person.” _______ John didn't get the job.

We can learn a（n） ______ from John's experience. Some people don't ______ the details in our life. But it is the details that ______ Not only should we value what we learn but also we should pay more attention to the details. Sometimes they can even ______ our success or failure. We should form the habit of being careful and learn to keep the ______of quantity and quality. We should keep it in mind that ______ comes first, without which quantity is of no significance.

1.

A．response

B．apply

C．research

D．prepare

2.

A．interviewed

B．contacted

C．questioned

D．appreciated

3.

A．slowly

B．immediately

C．fluently

D．generally

4.

A．thrilled

B．grateful

C．enthusiastic

D．confident

5.

A．called

B．restored

C．answered

D．rang

6.

A．knowledge

B．arrangements

C．contracts

D．information

7.

A．picture

B．cover

C．mark

D．character

8.

A．politely

B．desperately

C．quickly

D．gradually

9.

A．picked up

B．searched for

C．hung up

D．held up

10.

A．helpless

B．astonished

C．anxious

D．embarrassed

11.

A．feedbacks

B．complaints

C．reasons

D．instances

12.

A．run

B．wander

C．advance

D．walk

13.

A．facts

B．parts

C．causes

D．details

14.

A．Seemingly

B．Eventually

C．Unusually

D．Initially

15.

A．idea

B．topic

C．technique

D．lesson

16.

A．involve

B．mind

C．provide

D．ignore

17.

A．count

B．affect

C．impress

D．highlight

18.

A．replace

B．describe

C．determine

D．forecast

19.

A．significance

B．selection

C．competition

D．balance

20.

A．quantity

B．quality

C．promise

D．safety