4 . A lady wanted a birthday gift from her husband. For many months she had liked a beautiful_________, and knowing her husband could _________it, she told him that was all she wanted. On the morning of the_________ , her husband told her how_________he was to have such a good wife, and how much he loved her. He_________her a beautiful gift package(纸盒). She opened it and_________ a Bible. _________, she raised her voice and said to her husband, “With all your money, you give me a Bible?” She was so_________that she left him.

Many years passed and the lady was very_________in business. She owned two large companies. She__________her husband was very old, and thought perhaps she should go to__________ him. But before she could, she__________a letter telling her that he had died, and gave all of his possessions(财产)to her. She needed to come back and__________ things.

When she arrived at his house, sadness__________her heart. She saw the still new__________, just as she had left it years before, With__________, she opened it and began to turn the pages. A ring__________from the Bible to the floor and a __________could be seen. She picked it up and found it was the ring she wanted in those days. And on the card was the date of her birth, and the words “LUV U ALWAYS”.

__________your gift is not packaged the way you want it, it’s because it is better packaged the way it is! Always appreciate little things; they usually lead you to bigger things! The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched for they must be felt with the__________.

1.

A．watch

B．coat

C．ring

D．box

2.

A．like

B．afford

C．design

D．guess

3.

A．holiday

B．performance

C．meeting

D．birthday

4.

A．proud

B．kind

C．sorry

D．brave

5.

A．lent

B．asked

C．gave

D．moved

6.

A．carried

B．found

C．missed

D．held

7.

A．Politely

B．Angrily

C．Patiently

D．Lightly

8.

A．calm

B．careless

C．grateful

D．upset

9.

A．failing

B．lonely

C．successful

D．poor

10.

A．realized

B．hoped

C．wondered

D．explained

11.

A．visit

B．understand

C．catch

D．help

12.

A．passed

B．received

C．sent

D．wrote

13.

A．take care of

B．pay for

C．look for

D．give away

14.

A．covered

B．broke

C．left

D．filled

15.

A．car

B．letter

C．Bible

D．table

16.

A．smiles

B．laughter

C．tears

D．interests

17.

A．dropped

B．hid

C．disappeared

D．made

18.

A．book

B．pen

C．flower

D．card

19.

A．Although

B．But

C．So

D．If

20.

A．hand

B．heart

C．face

D．eye

5 . While I was riding a bike, I noticed a man about half a mile in front of me. He was traveling at a lower speed, so I decided to _________ him. I had about a mile to go on the road before turning off.

I started _________ faster and faster. And every block, I gradually closed the distance. Finally, I _________ him and passed him by. I felt like a _________, while he seemed unaware that we were in a _________.

After I passed him, I realized that I had been so _________ on competing against him that I had _________ my turn, had gone nearly six blocks past it and had to turn around.

Isn’t that what _________ in life? We spend most of our time _________ with neighbors, friends and family, trying to __________ them, or trying to outdo them — while there was never a competition in the first place.

We use most of our time and energy competing with others instead of __________ our destination, and we miss out on our own paths to our destinies __________.

Unhealthy competition is a continuous process and a never-ending cycle. No matter what you do, someone will always be __________ you; someone with a better job, a nice car and more money.

Feel grateful for what life has offered you, stay concentrated on your __________ and live a healthy life. There’s no __________ in destiny. Run your own race of life and wish others well!

1.

A．remind

B．approach

C．pass

D．follow

2.

A．running

B．driving

C．walking

D．cycling

3.

A．caught up with

B．put up with

C．kept up with

D．came up with

4.

A．judge

B．winner

C．partner

D．bystander

5.

A．test

B．project

C．race

D．task

6.

A．focused

B．dependent

C．hard

D．impressed

7.

A．finished

B．missed

C．wasted

D．made

8.

A．remains

B．offers

C．happens

D．works

9.

A．celebrating

B．communicating

C．arguing

D．competing

10.

A．defeat

B．help

C．encourage

D．please

11.

A．choosing

B．exploring

C．reaching

D．understanding

12.

A．by chance

B．on purpose

C．as usual

D．as a result

13.

A．next to

B．ahead of

C．around

D．behind

14.

A．choice

B．path

C．position

D．business

15.

A．competition

B．mistake

C．experiment

D．limit

6 . One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Colorful ________ of various shapes and sizes filled the sky like beautiful birds. As the strong winds blew against the kites, a string kept them ________.

________ blowing away with the wind, the kites arose against it to fly higher. They shook and pulled, but the string ________ them facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, ”Let me go! Let me go! I want to be ________!“They soared beautifully even as they fought the restriction of the string. Finally, one of the kites ________ to break loose. “Free at last,” it seemed to say. “Free to fly with the wind. ”

Yet freedom from being ________ simply put it at the mercy of an unfriendly breeze. It fell ________ to the ground and landed in a mass of weeds.

How much like ________ we sometimes are. The heaven gives us rules to ________. We can grow and gain ________ from them. Some of us go against the rules so ________ that we never succeeded reaching the heights. We keep part of the rules and never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.

Let us each try our best to reach the ________. We should recognize some of the rules that we may be ________ at are actually a steady force. It helps us achieve a higher ________.

1.

A．creations

B．ideas

C．memories

D．discoveries

2.

A．attended

B．cycled

C．contributed

D．controlled

3.

A．Rather than

B．Due to

C．Apart from

D．As for

4.

A．found

B．left

C．stopped

D．interrupted

5.

A．fortunate

B．comfortable

C．independent

D．safe

6.

A．failed

B．managed

C．arranged

D．recorded

7.

A．signed up

B．calmed down

C．turned down

D．tied up

8.

A．helplessly

B．doubtfully

C．tirelessly

D．patiently

9.

A．weeds

B．rules

C．kites

D．wind

10.

A．drive

B．change

C．keep

D．work

11.

A．strength

B．relief

C．pride

D．excitement

12.

A．right

B．straight

C．firmly

D．deep

13.

A．adventure

B．performance

C．conflict

D．destination

14.

A．worried

B．annoyed

C．surprised

D．disappointed

15.

A．duty

B．speed

C．signal

D．goal

7 . In a national spelling contest in America, an 11-year-old girl was asked to spell a certain word. But with her______voice, the judges were not sure whether she spelled the right word. They talked it over and______decided to simply ask her what she had said. By then, the girl knew she had misspelled the word. Instead of lying, she told the truth that she had said the______letter—so she lost the contest.

As the girl walked off the______ ，the entire audience stood, clapping to applaud her honesty. Later, dozens of newspaper reporters wrote about this______, even though it cost the girl the contest. But the fact is that she______the biggest contest that day: the contest of her character.

Probably the biggest test of our character is what we would do if we knew we would never get______This young girl could easily have______and nobody would have known it but herself. But it’s been said, “If you______,you make yourself cheap.” This young girl was______enough to prize her own character more than the prize from a spelling contest. She knew the______she made in that moment will have a long-lasting influence in her future.

Should the wallet, found in the street, be put into a pocket or______to the policeman? Should the______change received at the store be forgotten or______? Nobody will know. But we have to live with ourselves, and it is always better to live with someone we ______.

1.

A．high

B．soft

C．tough

D．sweet

2.

A．finally

B．seriously

C．secretly

D．totally

3.

A．correct

B．wrong

C．accurate

D．same

4.

A．stage

B．studio

C．test

D．classroom

5.

A．lesson

B．story

C．courage

D．accident

6.

A．achieved

B．broke

C．won

D．defeated

7.

A．involved

B．awarded

C．reported

D．caught

8.

A．escaped

B．lied

C．changed

D．answered

9.

A．accept

B．fight

C．cheat

D．insist

10.

A．generous

B．smart

C．energetic

D．interested

11.

A．plan

B．conclusion

C．discovery

D．choice

12.

A．turned over

B．put away

C．set aside

D．took down

13.

A．small

B．some

C．extra

D．necessary

14.

A．ignored

B．paid

C．shared

D．returned

15.

A．protect

B．challenge

C．attack

D．respect

8 . I believe I have a personal duty to make a positive impact on society. I’ve tried to _________ this goal by choosing a career in public service. As a physician _________ the challenge of infectious diseases, I consider my job a gift, which allows me to help ease the suffering of humankind. I have three principles to _________ my life, which I always think about.

Firstly, I have a strong thirst for _________. I think I will never know as much as I _________. This is what keeps the _________ of knowledge hot. And it is why I would do my job every day even if I cannot get high income.

Secondly, I believe in fighting for _________. I sweat over all the stuff, without feeling _________ for it. One of the byproducts of being a perfectionist is anxiety. But this anxiety creates a _________ tension that drives me to fulfill my limited potential.

Thirdly, I believe that my goal to be a physician is to __________ humankind. I have spent my __________ on public service. Most of it involved research, the care of __________ and the public health policy on AIDS.

I think, to control this terrible disease __________, I must be guided by these principles: continually thirsting for knowledge, accepting nothing __________ of excellence and knowing that the __________ of society is more important than my gains.

1.

A．find

B．ignore

C．change

D．accomplish

2.

A．combining with

B．comparing with

C．agreeing with

D．dealing with

3.

A．form

B．check

C．guide

D．prove

4.

A．power

B．knowledge

C．adventure

D．evidence

5.

A．want

B．promise

C．admit

D．refuse

6.

A．pursuit

B．excuse

C．recovery

D．necessity

7.

A．agreement

B．balance

C．excellence

D．fairness

8.

A．embarrassed

B．curious

C．amused

D．regretful

9.

A．common

B．healthy

C．serious

D．harmful

10.

A．employ

B．introduce

C．unite

D．serve

11.

A．reputation

B．career

C．doubt

D．luck

12.

A．children

B．elders

C．patients

D．students

13.

A．randomly

B．occasionally

C．successfully

D．immediately

14.

A．full

B．short

C．worthy

D．typical

15.

A．good

B．standard

C．variety

D．arrival

9 . When I was in sixth grade, I joined the band program to learn to play the clarinet (单簧管). The beginning of the year had gone _________. But as most students progressed, I seemed to fall behind. One day, when my teacher told us to play in front of the other students. I was filled with fear. I knew I would _________. When I began to play, my rhythms (节奏) were good, but my tone was another _________. “Did you practice your lesson?” the teacher barked at me. I felt so ashamed and my world came _________ down in an instant.

From then on, I hated playing the clarinet and I kept getting _________. With the day of the new performance approaching, I grew increasingly upset. In a moment of _________, I asked for sick leave. It was so relieving and such a(n) easy way out.

The avoidance of my lessons continued until my mum asked me about it. “I want to quit.” My tears started _________. “If you really want to quit, why are you crying?” asked Mum. She _________ and I realized I wanted to stay in band and, by not facing my fears, I had created a black hole that would be difficult to _________ out of. I made a resolution not to hide from my fears and to stand up to even the worst of them, so a __________ could be achieved.

The next day I met with my band teacher and told her I was having a problem and couldn’t __________ why. She asked me gently to play for her. I tried, but only an unpleasant sound came out. She didn’t shout at me and handed me a new reed (簧片). I put it in place and tried again. To my great __________ I could play well. My problem was solved and my fear was __________ a lot that year.

Looking back, I’m glad that I overcame my fear. Fear can __________ everything in a person’s life. Hiding from those very fears only creates a hole, which makes a person stay __________ inside. After facing up to a fear, one may find life easier and much more enjoyable.

1.

A．badly

B．endlessly

C．randomly

D．smoothly

2.

A．mess up

B．move on

C．set out

D．take off

3.

A．impression

B．essay

C．story

D．factor

4.

A．crashing

B．moving

C．selling

D．bending

5.

A．stricter

B．worse

C．happier

D．smarter

6.

A．joy

B．panic

C．doubt

D．sympathy

7.

A．drying

B．disappearing

C．flowing

D．separating

8.

A．had a point

B．made a change

C．reached a level

D．took a break

9.

A．send

B．bring

C．pick

D．climb

10.

A．balance

B．degree

C．position

D．solution

11.

A．figure out

B．give away

C．think over

D．make up

12.

A．anger

B．sorrow

C．disappointment

D．surprise

13.

A．felt

B．shown

C．removed

D．voiced

14.

A．consume

B．examine

C．reflect

D．rescue

15.

A．unknown

B．unpunished

C．interested

D．trapped

10 . I’m an 18-year-old pre-medical student, tall and good-looking, with two short story books and quite a number of essays to my credit. Why am I singing such praises of myself? Just to explain that the attainment of self-pride comes from a great deal of self-love, and to attain it, one must first learn to accept oneself as one is. That was where my struggle began.

Born and raised in Africa, I had always taken my African origin as burden. My self-dislike was further fueled when my family had to relocate to Norway, where I attended a high school. Compared to all the white girls around me, with their golden hair and delicate lips, I, a black girl, had curly hair and full, red lips. My nose often had a thin sheet of sweat on it, whatever the weather was. I just wanted to bury myself in my shell crying “I’m so different!”

What also contributed to my self-dislike was my occasional stuttering(口吃), which had weakened my self-confidence. It always stood between me and any fine opportunity. I’d taken it as an excuse to avoid any public speaking sessions, and unknowingly let it rule over me.

Fortunately, as I grew older, there came a turning point. One day a white girl caught my eye on the school bus when she suddenly turned back. To my astonishment, she had a thin sheet of sweat on her nose too, and it was in November! “Wow,” I whispered to myself, “this isn’t a genetic(遗传的) disorder after all. It’s perfectly normal.” Days later, my life took another twist(转折). Searching the Internet for stuttering cures, I accidentally learned that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also stuttered. I was greatly relieved and then an idea suddenly hit me—if I’m smart, I shouldn’t allow my stuttering to stand between me and my success.

Another boost to my self-confidence came days later as I was watching the news about Oprah Winfrey, the famous talk show host and writer—she’s black too! Whenever I think of her story and my former dislike of my color, I’m practically filled with shame.

Today, I’ve grown to accept what I am with pride; it simply gives me feeling of uniqueness. The idea of self-love has taken on a whole new meaning for me: there’s always something fantastic about us, and what we need to do is learn to appreciate it.

1. What affected the author’s adjustment to her school life in Norway?

A．Her appearance.	B．Social discrimination.
C．Her changing emotions.	D．The climate in Norway.

2. What did the author’s occasional stuttering bring about according on Paragraph 3?

A．Her lack of self-confidence.

B．Her loss of interest in school.

C．Her unwillingness to greet her classmates.

D．Her desire for chances to improve herself.

3. How did the author feel on noticing the similarity between her and the girl on the bus?

A．Blessed and proud.	B．Confused and afraid.
C．Amazed and relieved.	D．Shocked and ashamed.

4. What can best summarize the message contained in the passage?

A．Pride comes before a fall.

B．Where there is a will, there is a way.

C．Self-acceptance is based on the love for oneself.

D．Self-love is key to the attainment of self-pride.