2 . A group of graduates, successful in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaining about stress in work and life.

Before offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and a variety of _________ — porcelain (陶瓷), plastic, glass, crystal (水晶), some plain-looking and _________, some delicate (精致的) and expensive — telling them to _________ themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you _________, all the nice-looking and expensive cups were _________, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is _________for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the _________ of your problems and stress. It is definite that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. _______ all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you all went for the _________ cups. And then you began __________ each other’s cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and __________ in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and __________ life, and the type of cup we have does not change the __________ of life we live. Sometimes, by __________ only on the cup, we fail to __________ the coffee.

1.

A．tools

B．materials

C．cups

D．gifts

2.

A．cheap

B．wonderful

C．beautiful

D．valuable

3.

A．invite

B．allow

C．help

D．adapt

4.

A．noticed

B．admitted

C．accepted

D．relaxed

5.

A．sold out

B．taken up

C．broken

D．abandoned

6.

A．normal

B．unfair

C．selfish

D．painful

7.

A．way

B．value

C．judgement

D．source

8.

A．Why

B．Although

C．Unless

D．What

9.

A．ordinary

B．best

C．special

D．strange

10.

A．using

B．washing

C．eyeing

D．introducing

11.

A．position

B．kindness

C．character

D．temper

12.

A．disturb

B．contain

C．mix

D．limit

13.

A．way

B．pace

C．direction

D．quality

14.

A．concentrating

B．relying

C．keeping

D．holding

15.

A．drink

B．enjoy

C．share

D．boil

3 . A boy walked into a candy store with his father and since he was just 6 years old, he was surprised by so many candies on offer. “It’s amazing. What should I ________?” he asked himself.

“Come on, son, we don’t have much ________. I have to attend an important meeting,” his dad said.

“These are all my ________ and I don’t know what to choose.” He picked up some bags and then put them back . He couldn’t make up his mind. “ Hurry up, son, we have no time. I’m very ________,” his dad said. So the boy ran around the store _______ again. His eyes moved from one bag to another, ________   all of the sweets looked so good and he couldn’t make up his mind. ________, the dad had enough. He caught his son by the hand and they walked out the store empty-handed (两手空空). The boy_________. He wanted them all, but ended up with __________ because he couldn’t choose just one.

Some of us are that boy. The __________ is that candy store. We have a great number of choices available to us, but if we don’t make a(n) _________ about our jobs, education, relationships, marriage or other __________ things, we will end up empty-handed. Sometimes we worry about making the __________choice. What if we _________ the direction that we take and it’s too late to go back? We don’t have to worry about this. How do we know whether it is good or not if we don’t make a choice? The bigger __________ is that we make no decision at all and end up going nowhere and doing nothing.

1.

A．think

B．choose

C．say

D．make

2.

A．time

B．money

C．interest

D．power

3.

A．secrets

B．ideas

C．favorites

D．away

4.

A．busy

B．tired

C．fair

D．patient

5.

A．carefully

B．quickly

C．quietly

D．nervously

6.

A．and

B．or

C．though

D．but

7.

A．Luckily

B．Finally

C．Certainly

D．Hopefully

8.

A．returned

B．waited

C．cried

D．understood

9.

A．nothing

B．fear

C．peace

D．fun

10.

A．sky

B．school

C．world

D．company

11.

A．decision

B．plan

C．guess

D．ending

12.

A．simple

B．important

C．common

D．good

13.

A．right

B．great

C．wrong

D．difficult

14.

A．regret

B．change

C．accept

D．face

15.

A．difference

B．game

C．danger

D．fact

4 . Most of us need to heal (痊愈) once in a while. For some of us, the _________ part of healing is simply to believe that it’s possible.

Years ago, I was watching my son _________ free throws. He made a dozen _________ through the net without a miss. “How do you do that?” I said. “Before I _________ the ball,” he said, “I see it in my mind to make it happen.”

I loved these words. It struck me that they might also _________ healing. We need to believe healing can happen and _________ it in our minds to see it in reality. _________ doesn’t assure us of the outcome we hope for. But it sets us in motion to move toward desired _________.

Last year I had surgery for a broken _________ and spent eight weeks in a wheelchair. I had __________ to be able to start walking again after the __________ days. However, that didn’t happen. I then started physical therapy which I believed could help. I __________ it day after day, seeing in my mind that I was walking quickly as before, which is __________ I do today.

When hope grows dim (暗淡的), belief __________ the way and makes all things possible. We need to believe __________ is possible. If we can see it in our minds, we can let go of the past, accept the present and move toward a better future.

1.

A．simple

B．emotional

C．hardest

D．reasonable

2.

A．practice

B．display

C．hold

D．score

3.

A．attempts

B．shots

C．choices

D．adjustments

4.

A．spot

B．beat

C．catch

D．release

5.

A．rely on

B．apply to

C．arise from

D．respond to

6.

A．picture

B．remember

C．wake

D．operate

7.

A．Imagination

B．Desire

C．Belief

D．Dream

8.

A．result

B．prize

C．career

D．option

9.

A．hand

B．ankle

C．wrist

D．arm

10.

A．promised

B．required

C．refused

D．expected

11.

A．exciting

B．confusing

C．appealing

D．struggling

12.

A．turned to

B．took in

C．kept at

D．commented on

13.

A．exactly

B．absolutely

C．generally

D．naturally

14.

A．feels

B．lights

C．forces

D．clears

15.

A．happiness

B．fortunate

C．healing

D．shooting

5 . How I Failed My Oxford Interview

As soon as the words left my mouth I knew I’d ________ “You think Jane Austen is soft?” The man opposite me asked in disbelief. Then, he and his colleague took turns to ________ my claim, finishing each other’s sentences as they stressed Austen’s novels were, in fact, fierce.

“I just mean…” I said in a(n) ________ voice, trying to keep the tone light, “that she’s not as fierce as Virginia Woolf.”

The two professors patted this idea around, too, like a couple of cats toying with a frightened bird — giving_______ examples of how Austen’s work was, on the contrary, more fierce than Woolf’s. With no more defensive action to take, I ________ smiled and said, “Let’s just agree to disagree, shall we?” And all that moment, my dreams of going to Oxford university ________ in a puff of smoke.

Part of my problem, in hindsight was a lack of confidence. ________ I was a straight A student and had prepared for the interview to the best of my ability, I wasn’t a skilled debater. When faced with two experts who told me that I was wrong, instead of defending myself, I rolled over and accepted ________.

To pass the interview, you need confidence, of course. You also need a ________ passion for your subject, not just a keen interest. In other words, don’t put comments on your personal statement that you don’t have ________ for your in-person backup.

So, months later, I already knew the contents of my thin envelope when it appeared on my doormat. ________, I felt a pan g of disappointment. I had wanted to go to Oxford since I was 13. I used to look up images of my favorite college with the same ________ of a bride-to-be browsing wedding dresses.

Ultimately, I didn’t have what it took — but, looking back, that was ________ a bad thing. Instead of going to Oxford, I found a university that was a better fit for my interests. I loved my eclectic course, where I could write an essay comparing Jane Eyre to 50 Shades of Grey.

Failing my Oxford interview also provided a valuable life lesson. I’m now more confident in my opinions, more passionate when it comes to debate, and I try to back up my points with ________ evidence. What’s more, I had never since ended a discussion by giving a ________ laugh and saying, “let’s just agree to disagree, shall we?”

1.

A．made a joke

B．made a mistake

C．caused sympathy

D．caused confusion

2.

A．repeat

B．praise

C．ignore

D．challenge

3.

A．coarse

B．bright

C．subtle

D．serious

4.

A．specific

B．brief

C．ambiguous

D．abstract

5.

A．simply

B．hardly

C．precisely

D．rudely

6.

A．faded away

B．came true

C．came alive

D．put away

7.

A．As long as

B．Even though

C．In spite of

D．In case

8.

A．intervention

B．endeavor

C．defeat

D．embarrassment

9.

A．burning

B．dying

C．weak

D．mild

10.

A．substitute

B．readiness

C．optimism

D．prejudice

11.

A．Previously

B．Practically

C．Naturally

D．Fortunately

12.

A．bitterness

B．resistance

C．duration

D．keenness

13.

A．not necessarily

B．after all

C．not least

D．at length

14.

A．concise

B．hard

C．stubborn

D．generous

15.

A．striking

B．winning

C．hearty

D．silly

6 . Why are younger age group so much more willing to post an offensive message on social media? Why aren’t we changing the ___________ in the actual cyberbully (网络欺凌)? That’s when I had a idea What if I gave them a chance to ___________ what they were doing? If an adolescent ___________ to post an offensive message on social media, and if I went, “Whoa! Hold on. You’re about to shoot an offensive message to someone. That can really ___________ them. Are you sure you want to post this message?”, would they still be ___________to do it?

So early this year, using my science and technology skills, I ___________ a software system. And basically, they were able to compare whether a caution which caused adolescents to consider what they were doing actually reduce their _____________ to post offensive messages.

In the end, I was able to get 1,500 _____________ trials of data. 93% of the time when adolescents _____________ a caution that says, “Whoa! You’re about to post an offensive message”, they finally ____________ their mind. I was able to ______________ the willingness to post offensive messages from 71.4% to 4.6%.

Now, the app Rethink has become widely popular. I also currently hold a patent for this ______________ idea. According to the data, Rethink has ______________ that, in those seconds, when you decide whether or not you’re going to hit “post”, the ______________ of the seconds means so much in the future. So, I encourage all of you: rethink before the damage is done. We need to slow down,______________, and consider what we’re doing.

1.

A．value

B．attention

C．behavior

D．interest

2.

A．complain about

B．think about

C．focus on

D．comment on

3.

A．arranged

B．refused

C．managed

D．attempted

4.

A．sacrifice

B．motivate

C．hurt

D．confuse

5.

A．stubborn

B．willing

C．ashamed

D．warm-hearted

6.

A．acquired

B．invested

C．approved

D．created

7.

A．intention

B．strength

C．desire

D．courage

8.

A．unique

B．academic

C．complicated

D．effective

9.

A．ignore

B．send

C．receive

D．post

10.

A．lost

B．changed

C．kept

D．set

11.

A．challenge

B．adjust

C．betray

D．decrease

12.

A．ridiculous

B．shallow

C．fantastic

D．conflicting

13.

A．proven

B．guaranteed

C．assumed

D．known

14.

A．imagination

B．flash

C．inspiration

D．stimulation

15.

A．struggle

B．hesitate

C．pause

D．decline

7 . I got on an overnight, bus journey from Kolhapur to Aurangabad in India. The bus — an ordinary, air-conditioning-free one — was more than ______. All 55 seats were taken and there were some 20 people ______ in the aisle (过道). The hot day ______ the discomfort of the 10-hour journey. Because I was travelling on a student bus pass I had no choice but to-stand.

After approximately two extended hours, I was wet with _______ in the noise of the bus. I suddenly ______ a hand tapping my hand, asking for ______. Turning around, I found a middle-aged man with a smile looking up at me. He stood up and said I could take his ______ for a little while. I was pleasantly ______ and immediately accepted his offer, my entire body feeling a sense of relief. And the man just stood next to me, looking around. After about 20 minutes, I signaled him to ______ his space. Another man, who was sitting by the window on the other side of the bus, had observed our’ ______.

Just then, something ______ happened. Our observer stood up and offered his seat to another standing man. Unexpectedly, we had caused a chain reaction: almost all the standees got a(n) ______ to be seated. More surprisingly, people-even started chatting with each other while exchanging their positions, and soon began sharing jokes. Needless to say, the rest of the journey was quite ______.

The bus reached its destination the next morning. I stood in the early morning light, waving goodbye to the groups, who-went-their separate routines. But this extraordinary experience has stayed with me after all the years. I am always ______ of an important life lesson — that we can all ______ what we have, including our burdens, and help our co-passengers in the journey of life.

1.

A．narrowed

B．crowded

C．advanced

D．delayed

2.

A．standing

B．sitting

C．lying

D．moving

3.

A．sharpened

B．brightened

C．worsened

D．shortened

4.

A．rain

B．water

C．tears

D．sweat

5.

A．touched

B．held

C．raised

D．sensed

6.

A．company

B．help

C．seat

D．attention

7.

A．advice

B．space

C．hand

D．instruction

8.

A．frightened

B．shocked

C．awkward

D．satisfied

9.

A．take back

B．set up

C．cut in

D．give out

10.

A．adventure

B．conversation

C．deal

D．exchange

11.

A．confusing

B．powerful

C．magical

D．positive

12.

A．appointment

B．goal

C．arrangement

D．chance

13.

A．enjoyable

B．glorious

C．shocking

D．admirable

14.

A．warned

B．reminded

C．freed

D．affected

15.

A．receive

B．deliver

C．share

D．track

8 . I recently attended a wedding in Canada, in the countryside. When the taxi driver sent me back at midnight, I was _________ worried all the way home about tipping him since I was not rich. I searched nervously in my purse and _________ that all I had was a $100 note, which I was keeping for a(n) _________, and two chocolates from the wedding. But I had to tip him, so I was _________ between a rock and a hard place. I handed in the note at last, controlling the urge to ask for _________.

Tipping has long been a source of _________ interactions throughout the world. Tipping customs _________ wildly from country to country, which generates no small amount of _________. Norwegians, who come from a culture where salaries are high and tips are low, could _________ people in Las Vegas with their tiny offerings. __________, high-tipping Americans might anger people in Tokyo because good service in Japan is a __________ of honour.

Such an embarrassing mess often occurs __________ there’s no standard to any of this. None! A 2016 study from Cornell University __________ that people are twice as likely to tip a supermarket delivery person than a supermarket store worker. Why is that? Nobody can work out the reasons for this __________.

Perhaps, tipping one and not the other only __________ in terms of what has become customary.

1.

A．superbly

B．secretly

C．curiously

D．primitively

2.

A．selected

B．blessed

C．realized

D．suspected

3.

A．tip

B．pursuit

C．award

D．emergency

4.

A．stuck

B．submitted

C．buried

D．banned

5.

A．charge

B．permission

C．change

D．privilege

6.

A．common

B．enjoyable

C．civil

D．embarrassing

7.

A．vary

B．spread

C．work

D．grow

8.

A．panic

B．confusion

C．bond

D．mercy

9.

A．ignore

B．embrace

C．rejoice

D．annoy

10.

A．Therefore

B．Furthermore

C．Likewise

D．Otherwise

11.

A．bonus

B．choice

C．matter

D．trick

12.

A．even if

B．unless

C．so that

D．because

13.

A．quoted

B．resigned

C．suggested

D．forecast

14.

A．assumption

B．difference

C．principle

D．guidance

15.

A．makes sense

B．takes shape

C．weighs on

D．pays off

9 . The new radio programme from Self-help expert Glennon Doyle unexpectedly disturbed me. In a session of We Can Do Hard Things, she focuses on boundaries and their importance to our mental happiness. I heartily agree with her, because saying a polite but firm “no” is one of the basics for a happy life. I was, however, particularly interested when she raised the idea that perhaps, as well as learning when to confirm our boundaries, we also need to stretch them. When does a boundary become a cage that locks us away?

Isn’t it always the case that just as you think you’ve got an area of life nailed, somebody comes along to show you that that’s not the case? As I listened, I started to see boundaries that might cause more problems than they were solving.

There was the work boundary saying that unless a project fell exactly into my topics, I wouldn’t take it — which meant I turned down work that was otherwise interesting and rewarding.

There was the boundary saying that I wasn’t to buy anything until I’d reached my savings goal — which resulted in me having to restart my laptop 20 times a day.

And then there was a boundary around relationships setting out exactly how I should be treated and what I wanted in others. Helpful to some extent, it blocked me from allowing someone to express their love for me, even if it wasn’t quite what I had predicted.

Had I been doing boundaries wrong all the time? Did I need to figure them all out again? I’ve spent the past few weeks looking at the boundaries I’ve secretly put in place, and I’ve let myself lower some that have been my protection over the years. Then I’ve come to the conclusion that, when it comes to boundaries, I’m a beginner again, and that’s fine. In fact, being back at the beginning is a blessing because it means there are still lessons to be learned and adventures to be taken and that is something for which I can only be grateful.

1. What has really interested the author in Glennon Doyle’s programme?

A．The importance of boundaries to our life.

B．The benefits of boundaries to our happiness.

C．The urgency of confirming our boundaries.

D．The necessity of expanding our boundaries.

2. Which statement on boundaries will the author agree with?

A．We should favor savings goals over boundaries.

B．Boundaries tend to keep us from potential friends.

C．Boundaries are very likely to relieve boredom at work.

D．We should stick to boundaries whatever the case.

3. How did the author feel after drawing the conclusion about boundaries?

A．Relaxed and thankful.	B．Astonished and regretful.
C．Pressured and anxious.	D．Amused and delighted.

4. What is probably the best title for the text?

A．Boundaries: New Way Out

B．Boundaries: Mental Happiness

C．Boundaries: Cage Allowing No Escape

D．Boundaries: Limit We Should Break

10 . My interest in body language began with a professor of mine at university. He mentioned “Pinocchio” to me one cold morning after saying that I always rubbed my nose when giving excuses for being late to his courses. Actually, when someone tells a lie, the person’s blood rushes to the nose and the extra blood makes it itchy (发痒的). This little example of non-verbal communication inspired me to become a body language expert. Now, I earn my living by training people in non-verbal communication. Knowing when someone is lying and knowing how to persuade people are two of the most important skills you’ll ever learn.

I have spent a lot of time studying the ways the human body gives and they provide more reliable information than the words we speak. The words say one thing but the body may say something completely different. We know that crossed arms can be seen as either defensive or aggressive (攻击性的), but what about facial expressions, postures and gestures? All of these say a lot and can only be understood if you know how to make sense of the signs.

Business companies always need my services and I try to improve their confidence by teaching them about body language. I give advice about handshakes, which should always be firm and steady, and I teach the importance of personal space. They may seem like small matters, but these codes of behaviour can be the key to making or breaking a business deal.

My working life gives me a great deal of satisfaction. I feel that I’m providing a public service, but it is a service that has had its downside. Whenever I meet someone new and I tell them what I do for a living, they immediately put their guard up and they’re no longer relaxed. They quite literally freeze in the attempt to hide all the signals that they think I’m reading. It makes life difficult at times, but I consider it a small price to pay for a job I enjoy so much.

1. What is the author’s purpose of mentioning his professor?

A．To describe his professor’s success.

B．To explain why he chose his career.

C．To show his professor’s study of the “Pinocchio” effect.

D．To introduce what impressed him most during his career.

2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．The body language can tell you the real story behind words.

B．It takes a plenty of time to study the body language.

C．Crossed arms can be regarded as an impolite way.

D．Facial expressions play an important part in the body language.

3. Why do people react in an unnatural way when knowing the author’s profession?

A．They dislike his services.

B．They think he is too proud.

C．They consider him unreliable.

D．They believe he is studying them.

4. What can we learn about the author from the text?

A．He thinks little of minor gestures.

B．He travels the world giving advice.

C．He is happy with his work.

D．He is good at pretending.