1 . Frank Herbert’s science fiction Dune was the first coming-of-age story that helped me survive my lonely junior high school. At age 12, my life was the tiny, boring cycle of home, school and my parents’ store. Dune cracked it all open and led me to a universe that made my little world a lot more bearable. Unlike Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye who kept breaking windows, Dune’s main character, Paul Atreides, equipped me with a junior-high survival guide.

Paul is not a classic underdog. He’s the son of a king. He’s been trained since birth in war arts, politics and critical survival skills by a group of smart and experienced men with impossible-to-pronounce names. But when his world is turned upside down-when he leaves his home, loses his father and enters a physically and politically hostile environment-he doesn’t complain and cry. He adapts.

To this day, I still can recite his words against fear: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total destruction. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

The steady diet of literary fiction assigned by my teachers was escapist and the very act of reading (whatever the content) usually took me out of a given moment, but didn’t provide much advice on how to face my daily conflicts and painful insecurity.

Dune was escapist, too. However, it was expansive and literally redefined possibility for me who had been struggling along with eyes on the ground, just trying to make it through another day of boredom and hardship of being a teenage girl. Paul lifted my eyes up so I could see the stars.

1. Which best explains “hostile” underlined in paragraph 2?

A．Safe.

B．Unfriendly.

C．Unbeneficial.

D．Pleasant.

2. What is probably the author’s deepest impression about Paul?

A．His good education.	B．His noble birth.
C．His courage to face fear.	D．His escapist attitude.

3. What does the author say about herself as a teenager?

A．She was an optimistic girl.	B．She was not loved by her parents.
C．She had a carefree childhood.	D．She felt insecure and unconfident.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Catcher in the Rye Should Be Banned

B．Teenagers Should Not Read Literary Fictions

C．Dune Became My Junior-High Survival Guide

D．Science Fiction Is Better Than Literary Fiction

2 . With spring approaching, a foot of snow that had fallen rapidly melt. The runoff from the hills had filled the rivers and formed little _________ in the road. Broken tree branches were everywhere. I was _________ home and suddenly saw one of these branches _________ across the road. It was big enough to damage my car if I didn’t _________ in time so I stepped on the brakes and _________ my emergency flashers. _________ there were no other cars there yet. But I knew that it would only be a matter of _________ before one crashed into that branch, causing a(n) _________ and even death.

I _________ my car and tried to pull the branch to the roadside. It was a lot __________ than I thought but I started to __________ it. Inch by inch I pulled it off the road. When it was finally moved to the side I stood up and felt __________. Just as I did, though, a little red car passed by __________, hit a pool of water in the road and splashed my pants. I wasn’t __________ but laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Sometimes we all do good things in this life only to get dirty water. When this happens just remember that the real reason you do good is because of the __________ inside of you.

1.

A．steps

B．sculptures

C．ponds

D．footprints

2.

A．walking

B．driving

C．riding

D．running

3.

A．standing

B．hanging

C．sitting

D．lying

4.

A．emerge

B．skip

C．stop

D．check

5.

A．open

B．break

C．expand

D．examine

6.

A．Thankfully

B．Generally

C．Surprisingly

D．Hopefully

7.

A．position

B．order

C．rank

D．time

8.

A．conflict

B．injury

C．breakthrough

D．emission

9.

A．got out of

B．pulled over

C．slowed down

D．put away

10.

A．shorter

B．happier

C．heavier

D．easier

11.

A．observe

B．leave

C．release

D．move

12.

A．ashamed

B．depressed

C．relieved

D．relaxed

13.

A．politely

B．quickly

C．precisely

D．carefully

14.

A．reliable

B．angry

C．pleasant

D．sensitive

15.

A．kindness

B．curiosity

C．anxiety

D．regret

3 . I was working in my upstairs study when the doorbell rang. I _______ ran downstairs. It must be a(n) _______, I thought. I didn’t even remember ordering anything, but I was still delighted by the possibility. It’s almost more _______ when you don’t remember; it’s like receiving a gift you never _______.

I quickly opened the door, afraid they might leave, only to be _______ by a Jew who came to collect tzedakah (the Jewish tradition of charity). I was _______ not just that the expected material item hadn’t arrived, but at the _______ of the petitioner (请求者). I even thought, if only I hadn’t been in such a _______; if only I hadn’t opened the door.

I made my contribution — politely but with little _______. The recipient, on the other hand, showered me with blessings. I felt ________. Why was he, the one in ________, able to keep such a(n) ________ attitude? And why was I, the more fortunate one, so depressed and bitter? It was time for a little self-examination.

Firstly, I wasn’t even ________ whether I had ordered anything. Secondly, even if I had, did I really think that material item, whatever it might have been, ________ the level of excitement I was feeling? I knew it was just a thing, something that would eventually be ________ or given away, that wouldn’t give me meaning or blessings. Thirdly, if I had so ________ myself from others’ needs that I was unable to understand their pain, that I saw them as disturbing rather than as an opportunity to ________, to uplift others?

Now I know I made a ________. I realize how unfriendly I was. But at least I still have a little ________. And I want to be better. So let the doorbell ring. I’ll ________ a heartfelt smile. I’ll greet all petitioners with love and generosity.

1.

A．carefully

B．slowly

C．eagerly

D．quietly

2.

A．trick

B．package

C．emergency

D．investigation

3.

A．annoying

B．ridiculous

C．pleasant

D．convenient

4.

A．like

B．share

C．return

D．expect

5.

A．greeted

B．thanked

C．caught

D．blamed

6.

A．interested

B．disappointed

C．embarrassed

D．frightened

7.

A．sight

B．thought

C．manner

D．work

8.

A．mess

B．panic

C．conflict

D．rush

9.

A．force

B．enthusiasm

C．consciousness

D．hesitation

10.

A．ashamed

B．bored

C．skeptical

D．helpless

11.

A．need

B．danger

C．power

D．fashion

12.

A．clear

B．ambiguous

C．positive

D．cautious

13.

A．sorry

B．concerned

C．happy

D．sure

14.

A．raised

B．lowered

C．deserved

D．indicated

15.

A．received

B．enjoyed

C．forgotten

D．bought

16.

A．excused

B．protected

C．saved

D．distanced

17.

A．relax

B．give

C．improve

D．learn

18.

A．friend

B．difference

C．promise

D．mistake

19.

A．self-awareness

B．self-confidence

C．self-dependence

D．self-sacrifice

20.

A．rely on

B．pass on

C．make out

D．send up

4 . “I WANT A MOUSE!” said my grandma. She was 80 years old and sounded quite determined. She was a very enthusiastic reader. In her later years, she had to deal with the language of the digital age. I can only imagine her bitterness at constantly meeting the sentence, “Find more information at the click of a mouse.” And so now you understand why my grandma wanted a mouse.

According to the WHO, the number of people over 60 years will nearly double between 2015 and 2050. We live in glorious times of fast-changing technology. It seems as if we have a million passwords to remember, and a lot of settings to navigate. People who lose some memory ability as they grow older may be disadvantaged. Digital citizenship is a real skill. Mobile apps are like an appendage (附属品) to everything we do. Even our basic needs can be met at the click of a button. This is a real struggle for old folks who did not grow up glued to their screens!

I am sure grandma would say, “At the click of a button, I wish to call, read and watch — without having to spend so much time navigating.” Phone manufacturers and mobile app developers, of course, should take note. It will be of great help to the older people if the settings are more self-explanatory, with few fancy technical terms that require a separate dictionary to understand.

My grandma’s trouble might bring back some memories for you. Remember when you had your grandparents take you on a long winding walk, stopping at every flower, butterfly or an ant under a rock, and patiently listening to your countless questions along the way. They gave you the gift of their patience and time in your curious, exploratory childhood. Now it might be time for you to give them the gift of a little time and patience in return as they click and navigate to where they want to go in a digital world. It’s the old folks’ turn to ask the questions.

1. Why does the author’s grandma want a mouse?

A．To confirm information.	B．To reduce her boredom.
C．To follow the fashion.	D．To meet her practical needs.

2. From the underlined sentence, we know that grandma is _________.

A．curious and passionate	B．ashamed and regretful
C．annoyed but eager	D．impatient but satisfied

3. What does the author mean by mentioning childhood experiences?

A．We should not forget our grandma’s upbringing.

B．It’s high time that we should repay our grandma.

C．Our grandma is in desperate need of health care.

D．We had a happy childhood even without a mouse.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A digital return gift of time	B．A great need in digital age
C．My grandma’s embarrassment	D．My digitally diligent grandma

5 . My mom is an immigrant from China. She speaks Mandarin. She is culturally and ethnically Chinese. She cooks Chinese food every night. She even complains when the local restaurants are not authentic — according to her, most of them are awful.

But weirdly enough, she also enjoys American Chinese food. When she wants to meet with her friends, who are also Chinese immigrants, she likes to have lunch with them at P. F. Chang’s. She likes Panda Express, and she is quick to point it out whenever we are at a food court with one.

Why, then, does American Chinese food seem to have a bad reputation among Chinese Americans? I see this kind of sentiment on the Internet: how American Chinese food, like Panda Express, isn’t “real” Chinese food, how it’s so much worse than actual Chinese food, how it’s “fake” and “unauthentic,” or when people joke about how eating it would be a disgrace to their family. While a lot of these things are technically true, they give American Chinese food too much flack.

American Chinese food deserves to be seen as its own legitimate cuisine. It’s important to distinguish American Chinese food from authentic Chinese food. They are not the same cuisine and should not be treated the same.

Like American Chinese food, many foods are borrowed from different cultures. Ramen (拉面) originated from China, but we associate it with Japan because Japanese people made their own version of the dish. Japan also has its own form of curry (咖喱). Should we avoid Japanese ramen and Japanese curry, then? Of course not, and American Chinese cuisine isn’t even the only variation of Chinese cuisine that exists: Indian Chinese cuisine is a popular fusion spin-off, for example.

In fact, American Chinese food is often created by Chinese immigrants themselves adapting their cuisine to cater to the American taste palette. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to have to adapt, as people from different countries will always have differences in taste; that’s just how it is. So there’s nothing wrong with going out to an American Chinese restaurant, because chances are that you’re supporting a “real” Chinese business. In this way, American Chinese food actually is real Chinese food.

1. How does the author’s mother like American Chinese restaurants?

A．She complains but enjoys them.	B．She thinks they are awful enough.
C．She regards them as distinct.	D．She thinks they deserve no consumers.

2. What does the underlined word in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Praise.

B．Evaluation.

C．Criticism.

D．Comments.

3. Why does the author use “ramen” and “curry” as examples?

A．To push us to rethink the origin and history of many foods.

B．To prove that Japanese people are good at making new dishes.

C．To urge that we should avoid eating Japanese ramen and curry.

D．To stress that foods borrowed from other nations are acceptable.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards American Chinese food?

A．Cautious.

B．Sympathetic.

C．Indifferent.

D．Ambiguous.

6 . I came across an image recently of a distance runner with a message that told readers to persevere (坚持) at all costs. It reminded me of a conversation I had. My colleague’s teaching assistant was asking for my advice. He wanted to know when to quit something. He described how he’d been playing an online game with people for some time. It hadn’t been very fun lately, but there was always that small chance of a reward (upgraded equipment, etc).

I inquired further about his relationship with the players and his gains from the game. I then discussed the sunk cost dilemma, a concept I studied in advanced school due to its personal impact. In high school, I applied to five universities, planning to choose the cheapest one. SUU offered the best scholarship, and after paying a $100 commitment fee, I heard back from another school with an even better scholarship. Despite the new offer, I stayed committed to SUU, believing that switching schools, even if it meant acknowledging the “wasted” $ 100, would have been the wiser financial choice.

A rational (理性的) decision maker is not ruled by past investments, but weighs future outcomes. I didn’t focus on future outcomes when weighing colleges. I focused on the money I sunk into SUU. Rather than evaluating future career options, I focused on the fact that I’d already taken elementary education courses.

I’m not the only one that’s fallen prey to this. I wear clothes I dislike simply because I spent money on them (and that money won’t come back). Unhealthy relationships last because of the invested time (leading to more unhappy years). However, time, effort, or money that you’ve invested doesn’t mean you should continue. Society often stresses perseverance — never quit, never give up, don’t waste. However, only you know your right path. Walking away can be the toughest choice. You might realize a path you’re on is no longer the right one or never was.

1. Why does the author introduce a distance runner’s image at first?

A．To make a contrast.	B．To give a definition.
C．To draw a conclusion.	D．To illustrate a theory.

2. What is the common characteristic of a rational decision maker?

A．Following suit as most people.	B．Taking elementary education.
C．Valuing the development in future.	D．Overlooking past investments.

3. What does the underlined idiom “fallen prey to” mean in the last paragraph?

A．Get benefits from.

B．Be harmed by.

C．Be interested in.

D．Get rid of.

4. Which is the best title of the text?

A．Perseverance is a virtue	B．The chosen path is the toughest
C．Cut your losses for your winners	D．Walking away means losing all

7 . Were it not for my mask’s rubber covering over my nose, no doubt his warm, fishy breath would have made the experience complete, as an adult male Atlantic grey seal (海豹) inspected me to the waters that bathe Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This was a close and magical swimming-with-seals encounter filmed for BBC Two’s Springwatch four years ago.

My job is to get people to love and connect with nature, but the experience still left me feeling both excited and conflicted. Is it possible that we get a little too close, and love nature a little too much? Certainly, for anyone working in wildlife media and tourism, the reality is that habitats and many species often can’t handle longtime close contact with humans.

Marine mammals they may be, but seals must regularly return to dry land, hauling (牵引) themselves out of the water to rest, digest, and reproduce. Haul-out sites are typically inaccessible beaches or rocky tiny islands after the tide falls away. These safe places become a terrifying drop when disturbed, particularly by walkers, dogs and boats full of wildlife tourists. When frightened, seals prefer escaping into shallow seas or, worse still, hard rocks, risking broken jaws or bones.

In Scotland in February 2021, a ban came into force that stopped the fisheries industry from shooting seals. Prior to this, seals in Scotland could be shot under licence. Seal groups and charities are revising their policies to no longer encourage people to seek out encounters with seals either in or out of the water, especially during the winter months when the grey seal pupping (产崽) season is in full swing.

No matter how much we love seals, remember they are terrified of us, so we really need to enjoy them from a distance. But that is not to say there can’t be a connection. Joining organised surveys helps monitor seals as well as the health of our waters. The marine mammals have much to deal with, including climate change, and we have a lot to learn from these envoys (使者) from the sea.

1. Why did the author film swimming-with-seals encounter four years ago?

A．To get people close to nature.	B．To inspect an Atlantic grey seal.
C．To challenge himself in the waters.	D．To promote BBC Two’s TV programme.

2. What is the author’s attitude to the swimming-with-seals experience?

A．Contradictory.

B．Tolerant.

C．Uncertain.

D．Supportive.

3. What is the author’s purpose of writing paragraph 3?

A．To define the haul-out sites of seals.	B．To introduce the living habit of seals.
C．To prove humans’ disturbance to seals.	D．To present the safety problem facing seals.

4. What does the author suggest doing?

A．Stopping shooting seals completely.

B．Leaving seals alone especially in winter.

C．Reducing the influence of climate change on seals.

D．Connecting with seals indirectly by protecting them.

8 . Miriam Glassman, a top image consultant, is standing in front of her client, Lucy. ‘Can you give me an idea of what you are looking for?’ she asks. ‘Something cool,’ says nine-year-old Lucy. Glassman gets some jackets and marches off to the changing room with Lucy. This is a growing trend and the _________ for it are obvious: we encourage our youth to be successful and success, as everyone knows, is partly down to having the right _________. But when nine-year-olds hi re image consultants, you have to wonder: could things have gone too far?

Some of those caring most about image are _________. They know that everything — clothes, posture, voice—influences what people think of you and _________ , has to be carefully managed. In the 1960 US presidential debate, those listening on the radio believed that Nixon won, while those watching on TV believed Kennedy was the _________. The difference was that Kennedy was wearing make-up but Nixon wasn’t, and the viewers were _________ by his appearance.

Celebrities seek help from wardrobe, hair stylists, make-up artists and more just to manage their profile, and these professionals don’t come _________. Mari a Moriati, stylist to some of Hollywood’s A-listers, is said to be paid $10,000-20,000 a time to choose the clothes for a celebrity on a press tour. She will pack each outfit including detailed _________(‘roll up the sleeves twice and undo the top button of the shirt’).

It’s not just them that need an image boost. The cities, too, try to give themselves the marketing _________ of a style makeover. They know that most of the tourists don’t have the time to think in detail about where they want to go on holiday and instead __________ a few simple preconceptions of what a place is like. Those preconceptions are easy to __________ on people with an advertising campaign or a catchy slogan.

So, perhaps we should step back from our __________ in image and focus on what is important. Ignore the gossip and the websites telling us to manage our online profile and instead depend on __________ rather than image to reach decisions. All these suggestions sound sensible, but are they __________? How much research will we really do before deciding which celebrity we like or where to go on our next holiday?

And going back to our image consultant, surely Glassman must have reservations about taking on such young clients? Apparently not. ‘I get so many calls from teens,’ she says. ‘School is a(n) __________ place and image is important. Lucy is just taking control of hers.’

1.

A．challenges

B．results

C．advantages

D．reasons

2.

A．consultant

B．goal

C．attitude

D．image

3.

A．stars

B．politicians

C．managers

D．designers

4.

A．therefore

B．otherwise

C．nevertheless

D．besides

5.

A．guide

B．winner

C．lecturer

D．officer

6.

A．left over

B．looked over

C．put off

D．taken on

7.

A．true

B．easy

C．cheap

D．plain

8.

A．instructions

B．budgets

C．comparisons

D．plans

9.

A．business

B．strategy

C．agency

D．equivalent

10.

A．rely on

B．approve of

C．complain of

D．work on

11.

A．blame

B．impose

C．congratulate

D．feed

12.

A．criticism

B．belief

C．suspicion

D．desire

13.

A．opinions

B．facts

C．advertisements

D．policies

14.

A．suitable

B．popular

C．realistic

D．appealing

15.

A．competitive

B．peaceful

C．inspiring

D．delightful

9 . When I was in third grade, my family and I took on an unforgettable trip across the country. It turned out to be more than just a/an _______ journey; it was a journey of discovery into our _______. Every day, Dad _______ us with his trusty road map. Mom, the heart of our family, shared folk tales and painted pictures about the upcoming _______. We went through diverse _______from the thick forests to the vast deserts of the West.

One day, while hiking through the Grand Canyon, I _______   a particularly rough path. Frightened, I _______, not knowing how to proceed. That’s when my parents _______ .

As Dad showed me footholds, Mom coached me with calming _______and reminded me of the breathtaking views that lay ahead. Then, I________the confidence as my feet ________ solid ground again. When I finally overcame my fear, I felt we became ________ as a family.

From then on, every evening, we’d gather around a campfire for what we________called “Family Reflection Time”. During these sessions, we’d share laughs, ________, and insights from the day’s experiences.

The trip taught me that the true meaning of travel isn’t merely about reaching the destination but about the personal growth that happens on the route, and the family bonds formed when facing ________ together.

1.

A．crowded

B．physical

C．creative

D．necessary

2.

A．relationships

B．potentials

C．dreams

D．inspirations

3.

A．guided

B．encouraged

C．comforted

D．attracted

4.

A．events

B．stations

C．locations

D．shows

5.

A．cultures

B．landscapes

C．groups

D．countries

6.

A．imagined

B．constructed

C．smoothed

D．encountered

7.

A．froze

B．flew

C．fell

D．forgot

8.

A．reached down

B．stood aside

C．stepped in

D．turned back

9.

A．words

B．worries

C．noises

D．thoughts

10.

A．lost

B．maintained

C．demonstrate

D．restored

11.

A．left

B．broke

C．found

D．dug

12.

A．nicer

B．tougher

C．braver

D．closer

13.

A．originally

B．affectionately

C．frequently

D．simply

14.

A．sympathy

B．conflict

C．tears

D．profits

15.

A．challenges

B．defeats

C．opposition

D．uncertainty

10 . The art of living is to know when to hold fast and when to let go. Many people _______ it this way, “A man comes to this world with his fist clenched (紧握), but when he dies, his hand is _______.”

Surely we ought to hold fast to life, for it is _______, and full of a beauty that breaks through your own earth. Sometimes we recognize this _______ only in our backward glance when we suddenly realize that it is no more.

We remember a beauty that _______, a love that disappeared. But we remember with far greater pain that we did not see that beauty when it flowered, that we _______ to respond with love when it was tendered.

A recent experience re-taught me this truth. I was _______ following a severe heart attack and had been in intensive care for several days. It was not a pleasant place.

One morning, I had to have some additional tests. The required machines were located in a building at the opposite end of the hospital, so I had to be _______ across the courtyard on a gurney (轮床).

As we _______ from our unit, the sunlight hit me. That’s ________. And yet how beautiful it was — how warming, how sparkling, how brilliant!

I looked to see whether anyone else enjoyed the sun’s golden glow, but everyone was ________ to and fro, most with eyes fixed on the ground. Then I remembered how often we had been ________ to the beauty of each day, too preoccupied with chores. Life’s gifts are ________ — but we always pay no attention to them.

Never too busy for the wonder and the awe of life. Embrace each hour, ________ each golden minute. Hold fast to life… but not so fast that you can’t let go. We must ________ our losses, and learn how to let go.

1.

A．take

B．put

C．make

D．get

2.

A．closed

B．tight

C．open

D．smooth

3.

A．amazing

B．surprising

C．frightening

D．frustrating

4.

A．gossip

B．fact

C．message

D．truth

5.

A．faded

B．ran

C．escaped

D．jumped

6.

A．tackled

B．reflected

C．failed

D．succeeded

7.

A．hospitalized

B．transferred

C．exchanged

D．delivered

8.

A．rolled

B．wheeled

C．pushed

D．pulled

9.

A．jumped

B．turned

C．disappeared

D．emerged

10.

A．horrible

B．terrible

C．awesome

D．shocking

11.

A．smiling

B．hurrying

C．trembling

D．lying

12.

A．indifferent

B．patient

C．innocent

D．excellent

13.

A．useful

B．expensive

C．valueless

D．precious

14.

A．strike

B．hit

C．seize

D．use

15.

A．accept

B．give up

C．stick to

D．cope with