1 . It’s a Saturday night, the kids are asleep and we have no plans. Before we fall into our routine and watch a movie, I try to talk my husband into playing a card game. Unconvinced, he continues tapping away on his phone. But just before disappearing into the social media rabbit hole, he has an idea. He looks over me and suggests, “Why don’t we try calling one of our friends?”
I look at him with raised brows, as if his suggestion is somewhat ridiculous and perhaps even socially unacceptable. You can’t just call someone out of the blue now…right? But then I realize in the not so distant past, this was the norm. My early teenage years saw me connecting with friends through a phone. We could chat for hours about the latest gossip and news, sometimes hiding under my blanket in order to avoid the chances of being caught by my parents. I could even memorize the phone numbers of loved ones then. I guess these days, they would be on my “Favorites” list in my smartphone.
Today, many of my “favorite” people are followed from a distance through social media, and even they very rarely—if ever—would get an actual call from me. The birth announcement by my oldest friend is received through scrolling the past pictures. The news of a divorce from a couple arrives after a photo of a woman led me on a search for more gossip. Bits of such information, may have been a part of my digital feed for years. The idea of actually picking up the phone to reconnect with a long-lost friend is a frightening one—even seeing the name of an old friend pop up in an incoming call can feel a little afraid.
I ask my husband, “Who would we call?” After tossing around a few names, we agree on some potential candidates—people whose lives have taken them in different directions, but with whom we still share deep friendships.
1. How does the author feel about her husband’s suggestion at first?| A．Excited. | B．Motivated. |
| C．Nervous. | D．Surprised. |
| A．difficult but interesting | B．peaceful and meaningful |
| C．pleasant and unforgettable | D．inconvenient but enjoyable |
| A．share more of their private information with others |
| B．contact more long-lost friends through social media |
| C．have more personal communications with their friends |
| D．add more friends’ names to the contact lists in their phones |
| A．To argue for the need of the contact of long-lost old friends. |
| B．To tell us about one of his unforgettable experiences. |
| C．To remind us to turn to phones to keep in touch with friends. |
| D．To persuade us to follow our friends through the social media. |
2 . In life, we will succeed and fail often for reasons that are entirely out of our control. For instance, we can be
The bottom line is that life is not
That is a bitter pill to
For example, my first marriage
What I’ve learned over the years is that we can do all the things that deserve a good result, but get bad things in return
| A．firmly | B．extremely | C．nearly | D．physically |
| A．hardly | B．back | C．enough | D．well |
| A．delicious | B．clean | C．fresh | D．healthy |
| A．ideal | B．smooth | C．fair | D．fortunate |
| A．ruin | B．grasp | C．access | D．swallow |
| A．expect | B．promote | C．wish | D．concern |
| A．defeat | B．win | C．damage | D．confuse |
| A．led to | B．ended in | C．consisted of | D．started with |
| A．injured | B．discouraged | C．hurt | D．forbidden |
| A．reached out | B．calmed down | C．shut up | D．given up |
| A．But | B．So | C．However | D．And |
| A．otherwise | B．therefore | C．instead | D．rather |
| A．ahead of | B．according to | C．instead of | D．due to |
| A．watch out for | B．take control of | C．take advantage of | D．let go of |
| A．If | B．Whether | C．While | D．As |
3 . Bloggers (写博客的人) are sometimes accused of being egomaniacs (after all, what could make one more proud than to assume that the whole world is interested in your thoughts?) and some are the source of ridicule. With more than half of all blogs on the Internet written by under-19s, parents are increasingly worried that their youngsters are putting their personal safety at risk.
Perhaps parents should focus on the positive. For a lucky few, blogging has led to fame and fortune on a scale that most people can only dream of. One of the best-known of these is Maisie Lim, whose fashion blog Style Cookie is read by such famous people as Miuccia Prada, Anna Wintour and Lady Gaga. Maisie is regularly invited to top fashion shows around the world and has thousands of fans.
Due to the fact that Maisie is only 15 years old, her parents have received a lot of criticism for letting her achieve so much at such a young age. Some people think it is inappropriate for a teen to become so heavily involved in the “adult” world. Maisie, though, is just one example of a growing phenomenon: the teen blogger businessperson.
“I was shopping at discount shops, taking photos of my clothes and writing down my thoughts. Starting a style blog seemed like the next logical step because it was a way to share things that inspired me jellyfish with a global audience. I started when I was 11, which was before blogs became big. I never dreamed it would take off.” says Maisie.
Besides updating her blog, Maisie spends time running a web magazine for teenage girls and employs four editors as well as numerous writers, illustrators and photographers.
For more inspiration, look at Suke Smith’s lifestyle blog Pay it Forward. Due to the success followers on Twitter. At 16, Suke is considered experienced on the blogging scene.
Despite the success of the teenage bloggers like Maisie and Suke, it can be tough for teens to be taken seriously because of their age. “But if you’re offering something a bit different, and you’re passionate about what you do, people will notice you,” explains Maisie.
1. The word “egomaniacs” (paragraph 1) most probably refers to bloggers who ________.| A．like to | B．worry about their parents |
| C．spend too much time online | D．have too much self-importance |
| A．concerned | B．surprised | C．uncomfortable | D．grateful |
| A．she employs a team of helpers |
| B．she is often invited to top fashion shows |
| C．she takes a tough attitude toward criticism |
| D．she shares things with great enthusiasm |
| A．Inspirational Teen Blogging | B．An Issue of Parental Concern |
| C．Different Views on Teenagers | D．Professional Fashion Bloggers |
4 . It was a cold winter day. A woman drove up to the Rainbow Bridge tollbooth（收费站）. “I'm paying for myself, and for the six cars behind me,” she said with a smile, handing over seven tickets. One after another, the next six drivers arriving at the tollbooth were informed, “Some lady up ahead already paid your fare.”
It turned out that the woman, Natalie Smith, had read something on a friend's refrigerator: “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” The phrase impressed her so much that she copied it down.
Judy Foreman spotted the same phrase on a warehouse wall far away from home. When it stayed on her mind for days, she gave up and drove all the way back to copy it down. “I thought it was beautiful,” she said, explaining why she'd taken to writing it at the bottom of all her letters, “like a message from above.” Her husband, Frank, liked the phrase so much that he put it up on the classroom wall for his students, one of whom was the daughter of Alice Johnson, a local news reporter. Alice put it in the newspaper, admitting that though she liked it, she didn't know where it came from or what it really meant.
Two days later, Alice got a call from Anne Herbert, a woman living in Marin. It was in a restaurant that Anne wrote the phrase down on a piece of paper, after turning it around in her mind for days.
"Here's the idea," Anne says. "Anything you think there should be more of, do it randomly." Her fantasies include painting the classrooms of shabby schools, leaving hot meals on kitchen tables in the poor part of town, and giving money secretly to a proud old lady. Anne says, "Kindness can build on itself as much as violence can."
The acts of random kindness spread. If you were one of those drivers who found your fare paid, who knows what you might have been inspired to do for someone else later. Like all great events, kindness begins slowly, with every single act. Let it be yours!
1. Why did Natalie Smith pay for the six cars behind her?| A．She knew the car drivers well. |
| B．She wanted to show kindness. |
| C．She hoped to please others. |
| D．She had seven tickets. |
| A．thought it was beautifully written |
| B．wanted to know what it really meant |
| C．decided to write it on a warehouse wall |
| D．wanted her husband to put it up in the classroom |
| A．Judy Foreman. | B．Natalie Smith. |
| C．Alice Johnson. | D．Anne Herbert. |
| A．People should practice random kindness to those in need. |
| B．People who receive kindness are likely to offer it to others. |
| C．People should practice random kindness to strangers they meet. |
| D．People who receive kindness are likely to pay it back to the giver. |
5 . A group of graduates, successful in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complain 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
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you
Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and
| A．tools | B．materials | C．cups | D．gifts |
| A．cheap | B．simple | C．beautiful | D．valuable |
| A．invite | B．allow | C．help | D．adapt |
| A．noticed | B．admitted | C．accepted | D．relaxed |
| A．sold out | B．taken up | C．broken | D．abandoned |
| A．normal | B．unfair | C．selfish | D．painful |
| A．way | B．value | C．judgement | D．source |
| A．Why | B．Although | C．Unless | D．What |
| A．ordinary | B．best | C．special | D．strange |
| A．using | B．washing | C．eyeing | D．introducing |
| A．position | B．kindness | C．character | D．temper |
| A．improve | B．contain | C．mix | D．limit |
| A．way | B．pace | C．direction | D．quality |
| A．concentrating | B．relying | C．keeping | D．holding |
| A．drink | B．enjoy | C．share | D．boil |
6 . When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming many things. Sometimes, I wished I was an astronaut going up into space, finding new planets and jumping around in a cool space suit. Other times, I imagined being a cowboy in the Wild West, wearing stylish cowboy boots. On other occasions, I pretended to be a famous footballer, using my skills to score lots of goals for my team.
Looking back, I realize that imagination is a wonderful thing. I was able to create entire environments and scenarios in my head, using nothing more than my brain, and to be able to adapt things in my everyday surroundings to fit the specific story of the day. Growing up with siblings (兄弟姐妹) also helped, as it meant that even bigger stories could be created, combining our ideas and putting our thoughts into action. It also allowed for more varieties in the stories, as sometimes I could be the hero while on other occasions, I would be the bad guy.
One of my all-time favorite memories as a kid was playing in my back garden. I played the role of Indiana Jones, which cleaned up at the cinema at that time, with my younger sister as my assistant and my brother as a bad person. We used everything in our garden, from the path to the fence, as part of the storyline to create obstacles that needed to be overcome, and we would keep the story going for hours!
My personal favorite game was Indiana Jones and the Stolen Easter Eggs, where my brother hid small chocolate eggs around the garden and my sister and I had to find them by answering questions or solving a puzzle. It was difficult, but eventually we found all the eggs and shared them together.
Since then, I have seen many great things and met many amazing people. The elements of fun and varieties of my creative imaginations are what I try to bring into every part of my positive life. So I can enjoy sharing with and hearing about other people’s stories, too.
1. What do we know about the author from his childhood?| A．He enjoyed living a life full of freedom. |
| B．He was longing to experience adventurous things. |
| C．He was always imagining a bright life for his future. |
| D．He had a clear picture of what he would do after growing up. |
| A．experiences | B．situations |
| C．positions | D．excuses |
| A．an astronaut | B．a famous footballer |
| C．a hot film | D．a very popular book |
| A．My Creative Imagination. | B．My Childhood. |
| C．My Positive Life Today. | D．My Pride in Myself. |
7 . Sometimes life can seem challenging (挑战的) and we usually get the feeling of “the grass on the other side is always greener”! We usually feel upset with the troubles that life throws at us.
The best thing to do at that point of time is to close our eyes and start counting of all the blessings in life that God has given us.
If we think deeply, our life is full of blessings that we hardly recognize. Listening to the singing of birds early in the morning, we realize that there are many people who spend their life in a world that is silent while many others spend their lives in a world that is dark and may have never seen a rainbow or the setting sun.
When you go out for a drive, pull down the window and look at the poor beggar standing under the hot sun, begging for filling his hungry stomach. We get three meals a day without realizing its importance. Isn’t that a blessing?
Whenever you are sad, look at the eyes of your parents and family filled with love and concern for you. There are many people who have never experienced the love of a family. Isn’t that a blessing?
As Mother Teresa once said, “We don’t need to do great things. We need to do small things with great love”.
The key to a happy life is when we consider others problems to be our own and try to help them. When we love people without any expectations and help them, our heart is filled with a sense of happiness and peace seeing the smile on their face.
So the next time whenever life knocks you down, close your eyes and…start counting!
1. What does the author intend to tell us?| A．True happiness lies in achieving wealth. |
| B．Blessings should be treasured in our life. |
| C．The singing of birds can make us happy. |
| D．Love from our family gives us courage to face life. |
| A．however happy we are, we never seem to be satisfied |
| B．though we are rich, we are poor in mind |
| C．we can have a better life if we work harder |
| D．there exists a greener grass on the other side |
| A．We have already known that life is filled with blessings. |
| B．It is a blessing to have three meals a day. |
| C．It’s natural to see a rainbow or the setting sun in life. |
| D．Mother Teresa calls on us to do great things in life. |
| A．Troubles in Life | B．Secrets of Life |
| C．A Sense of Happiness | D．Count Your Blessings |
8 . Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they convey regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.
I don’t only avoid those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. It’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say “I love you” or “I forgive you.” When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.
I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality. And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.
1. Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule?| A．Start the car the moment everyone is seated. |
| B．Leave the room for a minute with the iron working. |
| C．Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better. |
| D．Move an object out of the way before it trips someone. |
| A．keep her appointment with the eye doctor |
| B．meet her father who was already an old man |
| C．join in the holiday celebration of the company |
| D．finish her work before the deadline approached |
| A．abandoned | B．lacked |
| C．avoided | D．taken |
| A．To Keep Emotional Well-being | B．To Prevent “If Only” Moments |
| C．To Follow the Most Useful Rule | D．To Achieve the Peace of Mind |
9 . My 1l-year-old daughter has been awarded an academic scholarship to a private school. It’s only a small discount, but the scholarship means she’ll skip the waiting list—provided my husband and I can cover $20,000 a year. Should we pay the private school fees,or choose free education instead?
I always assumed my children would go to a private school, like I did. Not because my family is wealthy, but because I believe that the best education is private. It took years for me to make peace with the fact that my two children attended our local public primary school. They’ll go to a private high school, I told myself. Yet here we are. My eldest is now in her last year of primary school,and my husband and I will struggle to afford private school. If so, I could increase my work hours. My law degree was supposed to be my ticket to a good job and a secure income, but that’s not quite how it turned out.
During many sleepless nights, I felt troubled by the decision. Although I want the best for my daughter, I have my own dreams too. I can’t sacrifice(牺牲) everything for my precious girl. I explain that I want to be a positive role model for my daughter, and an unhappy parent is a terrible strain on a family. I point out that not even the privilege(特殊待遇) of private school will protect my children from disappointment or struggle. And finally, it’s decided. My daughter is going to the public school behind our home. She couldn’t be more pleased.
It’s taken me a little longer, but now I’m satisfied. More than my fancy private school education, it’s my family that shaped me. With high school now 25 years in the past, I can no longer remember the mathematical problems and Shakespearean quotes I once knew so perfectly. The lessons from my childhood home, however, have proved impossible to forget.
1. From the passage we know that ________.| A．the scholarship her daughter won could cover most of her school fees |
| B．her two children attended their local private primary school |
| C．the writer had a good job and a secure income |
| D．it took a long time for her to make the final decision |
| A．Because her daughter earned an academic scholarship. |
| B．Because she wanted her daughter to receive the best education. |
| C．Because she wanted her daughter to skip the waiting list. |
| D．Because her daughter’s potential was wasted at the public primary school. |
| A．anger | B．comfort |
| C．burden | D．relief |
| A．Parents should make every sacrifice for their children. |
| B．Finance should be taken into account when it comes to education. |
| C．Private school education is not as good as public school education. |
| D．Rather than school education, family influences a person most. |
10 . Moving to a foreign country is an amazing, life-changing experience. It’s a chance to meet new people, put yourself in a different culture and possibly learn another language. However, before such an adventure, there are some practical decisions that need to be made. One such decision is choosing where to live.
Will you stay in your own apartment where you can have your own space and privacy? Will you share a flat with other young foreigners who are in a similar position to you? Or will you choose to live with a host family? For me, choosing to live with a French family was the best choice I made, and here is why.
Firstly, a family can show you around the city or town and help you settle in, stopping you from feeling lonely. When you’re in a new environment with people that you don’t know and who are speaking a language you’re still not fluent in, you might feel lost, tired and homesick—I know I did. However, my host family were wonderful and welcoming; they showed me which buses to take to get to work, cooked dinner for me, and took me with them on trips to the beach, the theatre and even a bullfight（斗牛表演）. These were great chances to experience French culture and build relationships.
Above all, living with French people has helped me improve my language skills. Being constantly exposed to French conversations has allowed me to learn new phrases, widen my vocabulary and even improve my accent. My host family are happy to answer my questions and correct me when I say things wrong.
Finally, the experience of living abroad is one that you will remember forever, and perhaps the friendships—like the memories—will also last. I hope to remain in contact with my host family long after I leave France because when I was away from my friends and loved ones, they welcomed me and made me part of their family.
1. What is the purpose of the author in writing the passage?| A．To share his life experience with the readers |
| B．To suggest the foreign life is quite attractive. |
| C．To tell how to choose a living place in a foreign country |
| D．To introduce his host family to the readers. |
| A．Because he was afraid of living in a new environment. |
| B．Because the family provided him with free meals every day. |
| C．Because he could get a lot of help from the family. |
| D．Because the family can help him get rid of his illness. |
| A．The host family being wonderful and welcoming |
| B．The host family helping improve his language skills. |
| C．The host family being glad to make rich dinners for him. |
| D．The host family showing different cultures to him. |
| A．By giving some examples. |
| B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By showing different attitudes. |
| D．By following time order. |
