1 . I ask every student I interview for admission to my institution, Pitzer College, the same question, “What do you look forward to the most in college?” I was stunned and delighted recently when a student sat across from me and replied, “I look forward to the possibility of failure.” Of course, this is not how most students respond to the question when sitting before the person who can make decisions about their academic futures, but this young man took a risk. “You see, my parents have never let me fail,” he said. “When I want to take a chance at something, they remind me it’s not a safe route to take. Taking a more rigorous course or trying an activity I may not succeed in, they tell me, will ruin my chances at college admission. Even the sacrifice of staying up late to do something unrelated to school, they see it as a risk to my academic work and college success.”

Kids all over the world admit they are under tremendous pressure to be perfect. So students are usually in shock when I chuckle and tell them I never expect perfection. How could a dean of admission at one of America’s most selective institutions not want the best and the brightest? The reality is (that) perfection doesn’t exist.

I’ve spent enough time in high schools to know teenagers will never be perfect. They do silly things, mess up, fall down, and lack confidence. The ability to bounce back is a fundamental life skill students have to learn on their own. The lessons of failure can’t be taught in a classroom; they are experienced and reflected upon. During my weekend of interviews, another student told me, “I’m ashamed to admit I failed precalculus, but I decided to take it again and got a B-plus. I’m now taking calculus, and even though I don’t love it, I’m glad I pushed through!” I asked him what he learned from the experience. “I learned to let go of shame,” he said. “I realized that I can’t let a grade define my success. I also learned that if you want anything bad enough, you can achieve it.”

I smiled as I wrote his words down on the application-review form. This kid will thrive on my campus. Not only will the faculty love him, but he has the coping skills he needs to adjust to the rigors of life in a residential college setting. Failure is about growth, learning, overcoming, and moving on. Let’s allow young people to fail. Not only will they learn something, it might even get them into college.

1. What does the underlined word “rigorous” in the first paragraph mean?

A．fun

B．lively

C．strict

D．special

2. What can we learn from the student mentioned in paragraph 3?

A．Teachers can help students to admit failure.

B．Parents define their children’s success by grades.

C．Teenagers get lessons of failure through experiences.

D．Young people spend enough time letting go of shame.

3. Why did the author smile as he wrote the student’s words down on the application-review form?

A．Because the college teachers would love the student for his perfection.

B．Because he succeeded in persuading the student into the college.

C．Because the student realized his dream of being a perfect person.

D．Because he thought the student would have a promising future.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Learn to Fail	B．Live to Learn
C．Try to Succeed	D．Decide to Experience

2 . We often wonder how we’re doing as parents. Kids don’t come with an instruction guide, so how do we ___________ the job we do raising them? Here’s an interesting thing. A dad attempted an ___________ with his daughter in a video show: “fake job interview”. In this video, the daughter ___________ the father’s “interview” repeatedly, selling out her dad in typical kid fashion.

The video opened, showing a man in a suit and tie. Her daughter’s next to him, looking ___________.From the opening sentence, you are offered the impression that this man is interviewing for a new job. The “___________” had asked him to have his child present for an unknown reason. ___________ sitting with his daughter, Abby, he was ready to make a favorable impression. However, the ___________ didn’t last long.

As the man began his ___________, he offered stories about his lifestyle. Abby ___________ her expression as each “fact” was mentioned. Finally she stood up and shouted “you can’t ____________ to them.” However, the dad continued the fake job interview. She continued to __________ the rest of his lies before walking offscreen.

When raising children, we can never be ____________ we’re doing it right. For this man, he is raising a fine young lady with good ____________.This fake job interview proved her strong beliefs and she isn’t afraid to make noise about it. She doesn’t believe in lying and isn’t afraid to __________ her dad when he does. This dad can be ____________ of the job he is doing!

1.

A．desert

B．judge

C．choose

D．appreciate

2.

A．appointment

B．expectation

C．agreement

D．experiment

3.

A．reminded

B．defeat

C．interrupted

D．inspired

4.

A．delighted

B．annoyed

C．embarrassed

D．frightened

5.

A．reporters

B．advertisers

C．interviewers

D．employers

6.

A．Confidently

B．Apparently

C．Skillfully

D．Remarkably

7.

A．lecture

B．motion

C．humor

D．peace

8.

A．installation

B．institution

C．introduction

D．interaction

9.

A．showed

B．switched

C．shined

D．spotted

10.

A．lie

B．complain

C．appeal

D．explain

11.

A．make up

B．call out

C．put away

D．take in

12.

A．massive

B．curious

C．anxious

D．certain

13.

A．honors

B．qualities

C．talents

D．manners

14.

A．blame

B．punish

C．decline

D．correct

15.

A．capable

B．sure

C．proud

D．cautious

4 . I often read of incidents of misunderstanding or conflict. I’m left _______. Why do these people create mistrust and problems, especially with those from other_______?

I was growing up in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1960s, when children from different races and religions played and studied together _______. At that time my family lived a stone’s _______ from Ismail’s. And no one was bothered that Ismail was a Malay Muslim and I was an Indian Hindu—we just _______ our differences. Perhaps, our elders had not filled our heads with unnecessary advice, well _______ or otherwise. We were nine when we became friends. During the school holidays, we’d explore the countryside on our bicycles, hoping to _______ the unexpected. At times Ismail would accompany my family as we made a rare shopping trip to town. We would be glad of his _______. When I was twelve, my family moved to Johor. Ismail’s family later returned to their village, and I lost touch with him.

One spring afternoon in 1983, I stopped a taxi in Kuala Lumpur. When I _______ my destination, the driver acknowledged my ________ but did not move off. Instead, he looked fixedly at me. “Raddar?” he said, using my childhood nickname. I was astonished at being so ________ addressed. Unexpectedly! It was Ismail! Even after two ________ we still recognized each other. Grasping his shoulder, I felt a true ________, something hard to describe.

If we can allow our children to be themselves without prejudice, they’ll build friendships with people ________ race or religion, who will be ________ their side through thick and thin. On such friendships are societies built and then we can truly be, as William Shakespeare once wrote, “We happy few. We band of brothers”.

1.

A．fascinated

B．curious

C．frustrated

D．puzzled

2.

A．parties

B．nationalities

C．regions

D．races

3.

A．at random

B．in harmony

C．on occasion

D．by turns

4.

A．cast

B．drop

C．flight

D．roll

5.

A．embraced

B．removed

C．sought

D．defended

6.

A．paid

B．preserved

C．meant

D．treated

7.

A．get through

B．come across

C．deal with

D．run into

8.

A．absence

B．choice

C．effort

D．company

9.

A．stated

B．traced

C．decided

D．ordered

10.

A．instructions

B．attempts

C．intentions

D．arrangements

11.

A．similarly

B．strangely

C．familiarly

D．dramatically

12.

A．departures

B．decades

C．years

D．months

13.

A．infection

B．affection

C．motivation

D．homesickness

14.

A．let alone

B．according to

C．rather than

D．regardless of

15.

A．from

B．with

C．by

D．against

5 . In an international spelling contest (竞赛) in America, an 11-year-old girl was asked to spell a certain word. But with her _________ voice the judges were not sure if she spelled the word with the letter A or E. They talked it over and _________ decided to simply ask her what she had said. By now, the girl knew she had _________ the word, but 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 to their feet, clapping (鼓掌) to applaud her _________. Later, dozens of newspaper reporters wrote about this 11-year-old girl’s good quality, even when it _________ her the contest. But the fact is that she _________ the biggest contest that day: the contest of her _________.

Probably the biggest test of our character and honesty is what we should do if we knew we would never get __________. This young girl could easily have __________ and nobody would have known it but herself. But that’s just it: She would know she did wrong. It’s been said, “If you __________, you make yourself cheap.” This young girl was strong and smart enough to __________ her own conscience (良知) and character more than the prize from a spelling __________. Her pride was more important than any __________ others might give her for winning a contest. She knew she would have to __________ herself and the choice she made in that moment will have long-lasting influence.

It’s so true that the choices you make today __________ you what you are tomorrow. Our children will __________ our behavior much more than our advice. So if we want them to __________ to be honest, we must show them the way by being honest ourselves. Remember, our kids are __________ what we do and how we live even when we don’t think they see or know.

1.

A．high

B．sweet

C．tough

D．soft

2.

A．finally

B．kindly

C．secretly

D．totally

3.

A．forgotten

B．mispronounced

C．misspelled

D．lost

4.

A．correct

B．wrong

C．different

D．same

5.

A．stage

B．studio

C．test

D．classroom

6.

A．bravery

B．honesty

C．courage

D．cleverness

7.

A．cancelled

B．cost

C．offered

D．wasted

8.

A．achieve

B．broke

C．won

D．defeated

9.

A．talent

B．knowledge

C．understanding

D．character

10.

A．paid

B．awarded

C．caught

D．reported

11.

A．escaped

B．lied

C．changed

D．answered

12.

A．accept

B．fight

C．cheat

D．insist

13.

A．value

B．touch

C．learn

D．play

14.

A．contest

B．champion

C．judge

D．expert

15.

A．sense

B．money

C．respect

D．benefit

16.

A．come to

B．adapt to

C．discuss with

D．live with

17.

A．make

B．change

C．keep

D．create

18.

A．give

B．take

C．follow

D．set

19.

A．grow up

B．bring up

C．take up

D．come up

20.

A．recording

B．inspecting

C．correcting

D．watching

6 . It was a comfortable sunny Sunday. I was going to meet an old university friend I hadn’t seen for years, and was really excited.

My train was running a little late, but that was no big problem—I could text him to say I would be delayed. He would understand. But … where was my mobile phone? I had that familiar sinking feeling. Yes, I’d left it at home.

No mobile phone. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling anxious, on edge and worried when I don’t have my phone with me. In fact, I know I’m not alone: two－thirds of us experience “nomophobia (无手机恐惧症)”， the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.

That’s according to a study from 2012 which surveyed 1，000 people in the UK about their relationship with mobile phones.

It says we check our mobile phones 34 times a day, and that 18—24－year－olds, especially girls, are the most likely to suffer fear of being without their mobiles: 77% of them say they are unable to be apart from their phones for more than a few minutes.

Do you have nomophobia?

● You never turn your phone off.

● You frequently check for texts, missed calls and emails.

● You always take your phone to the bathroom with you.

● You never let the battery run out.

It’s funny to think that around 20 years ago the only people with mobile phones would be businessmen carrying their large, plastic “bricks”. Of course, these days, mobile phones are everywhere. A UN study from this year said there would be more mobile phones than people across the world by the end of 2020.

And when there are more phones than people in the world, maybe it’s time to ask who really is in charge? Are you in control of your phone, or does your phone control you?

So, what happened with my university friend? When I arrived a few minutes late he just laughed and said: “You haven’t changed at all—still always late!” And we had a great afternoon catching up, full of jokes and stories, with no desire to check my phone.

Not having it with me felt strangely free. Maybe I’ll leave it at home on purpose next time.

1. The underlined phrase “on edge” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”．

A．energetic

B．nervous

C．brilliant

D．amazed

2. What’s the author’s attitude towards using mobiles?

A．Worried.

B．Positive.

C．Neutral (中立的).

D．Negative.

3. According to the passage, who is most likely to be addicted to (对……上瘾) mobiles?

A．A successful manager.	B．A 21－year－old girl.
C．A 21－year－old boy.	D．A lonely middle－aged person.

4. What does the passage talk about?

A．The history of mobile phones.

B．The story of meeting an old university friend.

C．The attraction of playing mobile phone.

D．The terrible feeling of being without their mobiles.

8 . Small children are easy to throw up in the air and catch — and they ________ it. “Again, Daddy, again!” Jacky shouts as I throw him skywards and catch him on the way back down again. He throws his arms and legs out   ________ he were flying, his eyes wide with ________. His trust in me is ________, which is quite a nice feeling, but at the same time gives me a huge sense of ________.

I hope Jacky will always trust me fully, but I know that, as he gets older, it will need more effort and sound judgment ________. Trust is such an important part of a parent-child relationship that it’s something that I can’t ________to lose. Every time I ________ Jacky to something new, he’ll do it only because he trusts me and feels ________ in the knowledge that he won’t get hurt.________，teaching Jacky to swim means he has to believe that, when he’s swimming in the big pool, I’ll come to his rescue if his doggy paddle lets him down.

________, in the workplace, trust is important for strong ________. It is something that every manager should work hard to ________ among their team. If people don’t trust you, they’re unlikely to follow your directions and willingly become a loyal (忠诚) team member. A ________of trust can make people work against you rather than for you. At the very least, it means that people are not going to be giving you their best. Good ________, like good parenting, is a long-term commitment.

1.

A．deserve

B．love

C．miss

D．know

2.

A．in case

B．even though

C．so that

D．as if

3.

A．fear

B．doubt

C．excitement

D．astonishment

4.

A．reasonable

B．absolute

C．limited

D．important

5.

A．responsibility

B．satisfaction

C．achievement

D．relief

6.

A．on my part

B．on my behalf

C．in my honor

D．in my name

7.

A．wait

B．choose

C．expect

D．afford

8.

A．attach

B．compare

C．introduce

D．adjust

9.

A．grateful

B．happy

C．proud

D．safe

10.

A．For instance

B．Above all

C．At first

D．In addition

11.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Similarly

D．Fortunately

12.

A．affection

B．leadership

C．friendship

D．determination

13.

A．assess

B．understand

C．organize

D．develop

14.

A．gesture

B．lack

C．bond

D．measure

15.

A．communication

B．personality

C．management

D．education

9 . It was just a typical morning of an ordinary workday. I was at the _______, on my way to the lab where I was a postdoctoral fellow (博士后研究员). But something began to _______ inside me as I watched the people around me-headphones hanging from their ears, eyes cast down, _______ faces. They looked unhappy. And I realized that I was one of them. Suddenly, I could no longer _______ my work life and booked a one-way ticket to fly home.

Over the years. I had grown more competitive due to the _______ of finishing my Ph.D. Those who could have been partners became competitors I disliked and the effect of this competition was exactly the _______ of what I had hoped for. I began to feel lonely and lost. I became less and less _______ in my scientific work. I hit my _______ point that day at the bus station. I had to end this before it is too late. I emailed my professors, explaining that l had put the _______ first and myself second for too long.

Shortly after I got back home, I started to receive some emails from my workmates — I guessed they expected me to join them again soon. After a few ________ asking how I was, in the emails many expressed their stress of academic life. Vulnerable (脆弱的) researchers were sticking their heads out of their shells (壳), seeking ________. It occurred to me that we all ________ sometimes, and our vulnerability seemed so much alike that I ________ myself from all that had bothered me for days. ________ it can be win-win game, instead of one where one side gains while the other side loses. Working with others and asking for help doesn’t make my contributions ________; it means we can all succeed.

1.

A．store

B．office

C．cafe shop

D．station

2.

A．settle

B．disappear

C．awaken

D．explode

3.

A．uncertain

B．unique

C．unfamiliar

D．unsmiling

4.

A．begin with

B．get rid of

C．proceed with

D．get down to

5.

A．pressure

B．response

C．commitment

D．obligation

6.

A．outcome

B．opposite

C．means

D．alternative

7.

A．responsible

B．anxious

C．tough

D．productive

8.

A．starting

B．breaking

C．ending

D．boiling

9.

A．fame

B．honor

C．partner

D．occupation

10.

A．accounts

B．jokes

C．lines

D．greetings

11.

A．belief

B．assistance

C．hardship

D．answers

12.

A．choked

B．hesitated

C．relaxed

D．suffered

13.

A．protected

B．prevented

C．liberated

D．excused

14.

A．Actually

B．Generally

C．Eventually

D．Fortunately

15.

A．irregular

B．improper

C．illogical

D．insignificant

10 . Standing on the top of Mount Tai, I watched the sun rising through the cloud and taking its place in the sky. I haven’t seen many ______, but I can feel that seeing one from the top of Mount Tai must be one of the best ways to ______ the beauty of nature.

When I left for China, the ______ of climbing Mount Tai had not even ______ me. I was going to China to ______ its language, history and culture and gain a better understanding of international agricultural trade between my country and China.

Now I have stayed in China for a few weeks. In Beijing, my group have, ______ friendship with many Chinese students. Through our broken Chinese and their ______ English, we are still able to teach each other about our cultures. We ______ that we are all just students working towards the same ______ of having careers, families and lives and trying to make the world better. Cultural differences seem ______—even the language almost completely differs from our own. But their daily lives are similar to our own routines (常规). ______, people worry about the same things we do here. They are ______ food safety, pay close attention to the government and feel the effects of the economic markets.

This ______ makes me realize how many cultures my country has in common with other countries around the world. More importantly, it makes me ______ for travel, and I am i looking forward to having more ______ to engage in cross-cultural communication and learning.

1.

A．clouds

B．sunrises

C．mountains

D．tops

2.

A．describe

B．select

C．imagine

D．experience

3.

A．thought

B．aim

C．mission

D．origin

4.

A．belonged to

B．occurred to

C．fallen to

D．turned to

5.

A．discover

B．study

C．spread

D．update

6.

A．developed

B．sought

C．kept

D．showed

7.

A．spoken

B．brief

C．poor

D．unique

8.

A．assume

B．claim

C．realize

D．expect

9.

A．chance

B．reason

C．function

D．goal

10.

A．amazing

B．striking

C．powerful

D．terrible

11.

A．Besides

B．Otherwise

C．However

D．Anyhow

12.

A．addicted to

B．confused about

C．used to

D．concerned about

13.

A．adventure

B．course

C．climbing

D．journey

14.

A．eager

B．energetic

C．amazed

D．tired

15.

A．effect

B．measures

C．opportunities

D．applications