1 . I always wanted to be extraordinary at something. Not just as in, “Great job, Jimbo!” No, I wanted to be best-in-class, awe-inspiring, tiptop; a world-famous genius, like Michael Phelps or Mark Zuckerberg.

Unfortunately, my version of reality did not quite line up with thisdelusionalvision. I was a good swimmer, but I peaked at the collegiate State Championships level. My academic record was pretty solid, but I never would have made it into one of those ivy-league schools.

Though I rose to above-average status in a couple of areas, the disappointing truth was that I would never amount to anything more than a mid-sized fish in a small pond. God apparently had other plans.

What drove me crazy, though, was the superstar talent thrown in my face at every turn. Some folks just seemed to get an unfair intensive dose (剂量) of it. Why couldn’t I be like Bernie William, the famed New Yorkees player who also happens to be a world-class jazz guitar virtuoso (艺术大师)?

Some say greatness is simply a function of putting in the practice time. Around ten thousand hours, to be precise, according to author Malcolm Gladwell. I don’t question the theory of devoting extraordinary efforts to developing one’s expertise, but it seems that raw talent is equally important. You either have it or you don’t.

I’ve heard that as people approach middle age, their life satisfaction increases because they begin to accept the gap between the expectations for themselves and the reality. After a few decades of frustration without the desired results, we eventually come to terms with how our lives turned out, even if it falls far short of our idealized youthful expectation.

Hope bends, it seems.

1. What does the word “delusional” in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?

A．Practical.	B．Realistic.
C．Abstract.	D．Imaginary.

2. In the passage, the writer thinks of himself as__________.

A．a world-famous genius	B．a mid-sized fish in a small pond
C．a world-class virtuoso	D．a student in an ivy-league school

3. According to the writer, what make “greatness”?

A．Raw talent.	B．Talent and time.
C．Extraordinary efforts.	D．Ten thousand hours of practice.

4. Which of the following might be the best title?

A．Hope Bends	B．Frustrating Decades
C．Practice Works	D．Youthful Expectation

2 . One day when I was 15 years old, I had some friends over to hang out. While we were making food in the kitchen, my brother came in. He placed his beef next to my thick one and said, “Courtney, your beef is bigger than mine. You don’t need to eat; you’re already fat enough.” Then he walked out… laughing.

Nasty comments on my physical appearance were nothing new. Something inside me gave in to his idea that my legs were unacceptable, and that became the last day that I ever willingly wore shorts until I was 30 years old. For the next 15 years, I spent summer after summer roasting in long pants.

But then I met Ragen Chastain, and she changed everything. I couldn’t believe that this woman who, like myself, weighed almost 300 pounds was so energetic and happy in her own skin. I listened as she shared her own journey to recovery and self-love. She talked about how amazing our bodies are, just by virtue of the things they do every day — like breathing, pumping blood to every cell, blinking and walking.

Walking! I was suddenly aware of how foolish I’d been for so long. There’re people who are born without legs, or who lack properly working legs, or who lose their legs, and I’d been hiding my perfectly strong, healthy, beautiful legs in shame because I had allowed someone to convince me that they weren’t good enough. The next day. I bought three pairs of shorts and a sundress and spent the entire summer letting my legs see the sun and feel the breeze.

The next time anyone comments on your body in a negative way, look them straight in the eye, smile and say, “If what you see bothers you so much, feel free to practice the ancient art of looking somewhere else.” That’s Ragen’s original, but I don’t think she’ll mind if you use it.

1. What does the underlined word “Nasty” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Careless.

B．Unpleasant.

C．Naughty.

D．Impatient.

2. Why did the author wear long pants during summer for that 15 years?

A．To keep herself from the unbearable heat.

B．To make her more attractive.

C．To follow her brother’s advice.

D．To cover her legs.

3. What do we know about Ragen Chastain from Paragraph 3?

A．She has succeeded in losing weight.

B．She likes to make comments on others.

C．She pays no attention to others’ advice.

D．Once she wasn’t content with her body image.

4. What does the author think of Ragen’s original?

A．Funny.

B．Useful.

C．Unreasonable.

D．Conventional.

3 . Football, to me, is more than just a game. I have probably learned more valuable lessons from it than from school.

When I joined the team freshman year, I didn’t realize what I was getting into. Even though I had been playing since fourth grade and knew it was hard work, nothing would prepare me for the effort I would put into football that year. We worked all summer in the weight room and ran on the track to get in physical and mental shape before the season.

See, football is more of a mental sport than anything else, so running on the track wasn’t only about getting in shape. We would push our minds by running as hard as we could even if we were going to pass out. At the beginning, I was immature and only thought of myself, sometimes even gave up when I was tired or hurt. Then after the third game I had a season-ending injury. Imagine working all summer and then only being able to play three games! I needed surgery on my arm and at least five months to recover.

Needless to say, I missed the rest of the season, but this actually helped me realize that since you never know when your last play will be, you should try your hardest in football and life.

After freshman year I decided that I would always give my best effort. Playing varsity football has taught me so much more than just what my assignments are on a particular play or how to block. I have learned to think about others first and realized how important working hard is. Being with all my friends, even sweating and bleeding with them, really made us bond as a group of hard-working young men who I know will succeed in life.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．How the author dislikes the game of football.	B．When the author began to play football.
C．How the writer changed his attitude to football.	D．What sport the author likes best.

2. The author thinks football is_______.

A．just a game	B．of a mental sport
C．hard to be out-of-date	D．not worth his effort

3. In the third paragraph, the phrase “getting in shape” probably means “______”.

A．becoming healthy	B．designing the playground
C．losing weight	D．measuring the track

4. From the text we can infer ______.

A．the author joined the football team with a clear aim

B．football only brought the author certain assignments

C．the author never lost heart when he met with difficulty

D．the author worked all summer to get ready for the season

4 . I remember the day when shyness took over my life. I was 14 and having a French lesson. The teacher told us to record ourselves _____about a film. Perfect! I recorded myself______Then I pressed “play” to listen back. What I heard was a little kid talking. My______reaction was to assume I was listening to someone else’s recording. But that was my______! I realized there was something______about me.

My little voice has made me feel really shy. And my shyness has caused me to _____attending events, not make important______, and keep my ideas to myself. As a shy person, working from home, hiding behind my computer was______, but the more time I spent hidden away, the smaller my comfort zone became. Everyday______, like ordering a coffee, became increasingly awkward and______.

And, then, one day I was at a big conference and it suddenly _____me like lightning. All speakers were confident, comfortable with being______. There were no quieter voices. But the_____is, if the loud voices are the only ones you hear, we quieter people feel even more______. The world needs mixture of personalities. Success is not just about who can shout the _____. The world needs quieter people, too. That day I chose to stop______and hug my shyness. No more feeling like I needed to change who I am in order to______. No more living a small life.

Then I created the Shy and Mighty Society, a space for shy people like me to______, and in the process of helping others, I could also push myself______, bit by bit. Now, I’m happy to tell people I feel shy. I’m not______any more. And I know that I’m not alone.

1.

A．hearing

B．speaking

C．reading

D．writing

2.

A．with ease

B．in peace

C．with confidence

D．in astonishment

3.

A．immediate

B．physical

C．active

D．violent

4.

A．work

B．habit

C．talent

D．voice

5.

A．fantastic

B．interesting

C．strange

D．unique

6.

A．prefer

B．avoid

C．excuse

D．continue

7.

A．connections

B．studies

C．reforms

D．arrangements

8.

A．boring

B．real

C．brilliant

D．awful

9.

A．applications

B．actions

C．expressions

D．interactions

10.

A．uncertain

B．uncomfortable

C．unusual

D．unnecessary

11.

A．affected

B．disturbed

C．hit

D．reminded

12.

A．seen

B．questioned

C．seated

D．served

13.

A．principle

B．trouble

C．advantage

D．lesson

14.

A．isolated

B．close

C．friendly

D．cruel

15.

A．fastest

B．earliest

C．hardest

D．loudest

16.

A．socializing

B．complaining

C．working

D．hiding

17.

A．live

B．develop

C．succeed

D．behave

18.

A．study

B．shine

C．appear

D．discuss

19.

A．out

B．around

C．back

D．forward

20.

A．ashamed

B．disappointed

C．emotional

D．sensitive

5 . Years ago,I had a quarrel with a friend owing to a misunderstanding. It was ._______my fault, but I was afraid to admit that I was wrong, so we didn’t speak for a long time. Several years later we came across each other and decided to meet for lunch. It was so_______that we kept meeting. After two or three meals together,I felt_______to apologize for my behavior years earlier.

My experience is never unique. Many people_______apologizing because the idea of admitting to wrong behavior makes them_______uncomfortable. Apologies force us to admit to ourselves that we don’t always_______our own standards. We might also fear that the victim won’t_ _______our apology. We all like to_______ourselves as good people—as kind, honest and considerate. For these_______ , an apology can be very difficult to give.

Given my________, there is no doubt that an apology is a vital tool for________a relationship to make it functional again. Usually, a(n) ________apology is called for, but if the victim is angry at the wrong behavior, it may be more________to wait, because their________may prevent them from accepting our apologies. Also a delay________an apology’s effectiveness because it conveys that the offender has time to reflect on his/ her________. But a heartfelt apology has more powerful effects, which can improve our mental health and repair our________ personal relationships.________ ,expressing regret and acknowledging responsibility are equally vital. Without ________, it’s a good reason of your actions ; without responsibility, it’s an excuse.

My friend and I had lunch recently, 15 years after my belated apology. Admitting that everything had been my fault helped us heal our relationship. We’re both________to have our friendship today.

1.

A．hardly

B．narrowly

C．completely

D．usually

2.

A．pleasant

B．awkward

C．ridiculous

D．strange .

3.

A．surprised

B．comfortable

C．terrible

D．forced

4.

A．allow

B．avoid

C．appreciate

D．advocate

5.

A．regretfully

B．easily

C．slightly

D．terribly

6.

A．go back to

B．look up to

C．give way to

D．live up to

7.

A．accept

B．analyze

C．exchange

D．check

8.

A．serve

B．view .

C．present

D．treat

9.

A．reasons

B．contents

C．comments

D．examples

10.

A．need

B．sense

C．experience

D．character

11.

A．developing

B．rebuilding

C．announcing

D．practicing

12.

A．frequent

B．permanent

C．immediate

D．formal

13.

A．convenient

B．effective

C．adventurous

D．inspiring

14.

A．anxiety

B．curiosity

C．anger

D．worry

15.

A．discovers

B．records

C．supplies

D．increases

16.

A．misdeeds

B．reputations

C．questions

D．decisions .

17.

A．damaged

B．disturbed

C．required

D．disabled

18.

A．Instead

B．Thus

C．Meanwhile

D．However

19.

A．challenge

B．regret

C．expression

D．influence

20.

A．tolerant

B．cautious

C．enthusiastic .

D．appreciative

6 . When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor, a physician named Doctor Gibbs. He didn't look like any _________ I'd ever known. We often played in his yard. But he never _________ us for making a mess in his yard.

When Doctor Gibbs wasn't _________ lives, he was planting trees in his yard. He had some interesting _______ about planting trees. He _________ the principle "No pains, no gains". He _________ watered his new trees, which flew in the face of conventional（传统的）wisdom. Once I asked why and he told me that _________ plants spoiled（宠坏）them because it made them grow _________. He said he had to make things _________ for the trees so that only the strongest could __________. He talked about how watering trees made them develop shallow __________ and how, if they were not watered, trees would grow deep roots in search of water. So, __________ watering his trees every morning, he'd beat them with a rolled-up newspaper to help the trees build up __________.

After he died, I walked by his __________ and looked at the trees, which were all tall and strong. I planted a couple of trees myself a few years ago. Two years of __________ these trees meant they grew weak. Whenever a cold wind blew, their branches trembled. Hardship seemed to benefit Doctor Gibbs' trees in ways __________ and case never could exist.

Every night, before I go to bed, I check on my two sons. I often pray that their lives will be easy. But __________I've been thinking that it's time to change my __________. I know my children are going to __________ hardship. What I need to do is to pray for deep roots, so when the rain falls and the wind blows, they won't be __________.

1.

A．doctor

B．teacher

C．lawyer

D．farmer

2.

A．liked

B．admired

C．respected

D．blamed

3.

A．saving

B．losing

C．changing

D．shortening

4.

A．stories

B．theories

C．goals

D．projects

5.

A．took apart

B．worried about

C．believed in

D．made up

6.

A．briefly

B．hardly

C．enthusiastically

D．constantly

7.

A．watering

B．caring

C．drying

D．growing

8.

A．stronger

B．bigger

C．weaker

D．healthier

9.

A．easy

B．good

C．interesting

D．tough

10.

A．escape

B．survive

C．sleep

D．recover

11.

A．flowers

B．leaves

C．branches

D．roots

12.

A．because of

B．in addition to

C．instead of

D．thanks to

13.

A．kindness

B．love

C．strength

D．interest

14.

A．yard

B．hospital

C．garden

D．tomb

15.

A．planting

B．attending

C．processing

D．ruining

16.

A．comfort

B．freedom

C．happiness

D．wealth

17.

A．early

B．lately

C．previously

D．originally

18.

A．situation

B．result

C．design

D．prayer

19.

A．leave out

B．care about

C．long for

D．meet with

20.

A．turned down

B．torn apart

C．picked out

D．thought of

7 . When my friend suggested going to the op shop (二手商店)，instantly I thought “I hope no one I know sees me”. It was the same when my cousin commented on my new furniture and Japanese, fine-bone-china bowls and asked where I got them. They were from the local op shop but instead I said “from the antique shop”.

Many people in my Greek-Cypriot community would look down on me if I said I shopped at the op shop. They may pity me, consider me poor, a failure. Immigrants sacrificed their families and homes for a better life. Buying a house and having enough money to live comfortably, to educate your children and see them also live comfortably, are a big part of the immigrant dream, But has this dream made us materialistic at the cost of our own planet?

Our love for purchasing the latest trendy clothes or furniture, then donating them when we are tired of them has become normal. I was once like this. But after watching the documentary The True Cost I learned donated clothes that don’t get sold are sent to developing nations, many of them ending up in landfills (垃圾填埋地). In addition, your new dress requires electricity and materials to make. But if you buy a second-hand dress, that’s one less dress in a landfill and one less new dress to be made.

A friend introduced me to op shopping only a few years ago. My first item was a dress she gifted me. It was lovely and I loved it. Nobody could tell it was second-hand. This opened me up to purchasing more second-hand high quality branded clothes. Once I visited a friend and was impressed by how she decorated her apartment. “It’s all second-hand,” she said. I couldn’t believe it. The truth is a lot of things sold at the op shop are in new or almost new condition. That’s when I made the decision to only buy second-hand things.

Selling second-hand things isn’t anything new but what the planet needs is more buyers. There is so much excess (过量) production in the world. So stop feeling ashamed, and let’s get shopping.

1. What kind of feeling is expressed in Paragraph 1?

A．Pride.

B．Embarrassment.

C．Delight.

D．Sympathy.

2. What are many people in the author’s community like?

A．They are probably materialistic.

B．They care about the environment.

C．They think highly of op shopping.

D．They look down upon immigrants.

3. What was the author encouraged to do after visiting her friend’s apartment?

A．Watch the documentary The True Cost.

B．Donate more to local charities.

C．Avoid shopping too much.

D．Stop buying new things.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To entertain.

B．To advertise.

C．To persuade.

D．To describe.

8 . The 28-year-old girl had spent six years working nights while she gained her university degree during the day. When she finally _________, she had her eye on a teaching _________at a nearby primary school. With the help of her friends, she had_________ with the Head.

“I noticed a(n)_________ hole in one of my stockings earlier,” she recalls. “I thought about _________ them, but I knew I’d be late if I did. And by the time I got to the interview, _______bigger. I walked in_________ for not looking my best.” The would-be teacher didn’t _________ the job. In fact one of her friends told her that the Head’s only comment was: “If someone doesn’t take the time to present her best image at an interview, what kind of_________ is she going to be?”

In job-hunting, personal________ is very important. After all, you’re selling a product —__________to an employer. When going to a job interview, always brush your hair tidily, polish your shoes and above all, __________ yourself properly. It will give you competitive advantages and a positive first__________. The above idea was also suggested in a best-seller for jobseekers named Dress for Success.

First impressions are__________ ones. In other words, if you’re viewed positively within the important first several __________, the person you’ve met will ________ feel everything you do is positive. Leave the interviewer a __________ impression, and often he will guess you have a lot of other unsatisfactory characters.________, he or she may not take the time to give you a second __________. Most employers believe that those who look as if they care about ________will care more about their jobs.

1.

A．chose

B．returned

C．graduated

D．succeeded

2.

A．position

B．competition

C．guide

D．advertisement

3.

A．a word

B．an agreement

C．a discussion

D．an interview

4.

A．deep

B．tiny

C．extra

D．special

5.

A．making

B．throwing

C．changing

D．removing

6.

A．they were

B．she was

C．it was

D．I was

7.

A．hurriedly

B．slowly

C．apologizing

D．answering

8.

A．like

B．get

C．give up

D．take up

9.

A．worker

B．person

C．graduate

D．teacher

10.

A．preparation

B．experience

C．ability

D．appearance

11.

A．yourself

B．knowledge

C．skills

D．advice

12.

A．design

B．show

C．dress

D．introduce

13.

A．chance

B．impression

C．job

D．reply

14.

A．remaining

B．lasting

C．useful

D．serious

15.

A．interviewers

B．jobseekers

C．tests

D．minutes

16.

A．rarely

B．occasionally

C．probably

D．certainly

17.

A．bad

B．clear

C．light

D．painful

18.

A．In a word

B．What’s worse

C．By the way

D．Once again

19.

A．job

B．answer

C．chance

D．question

20.

A．others

B．themselves

C．position

D．salary

9 . Everyone goes through some form of change. Going through change can teach us about our _______. In order to move on in life we must _______ change. We either accept it or _______ it. I have chosen to take it on with a _______.

Before entering junior high school, I thought _______ would be the same as things in my primary school. And then I began to realize that wasn’t _______ not only was there more work but there were _______ friends. That also meant my old group of friends started to separate. As months went by, I realized I should _______ the fact that we were all going through a big change and that it was okay to grow _______.

I have also learned we should never __________ ourselves for someone but rather for ourselves. It is important for me to be happy and I shouldn’t have to change myself only to __________ someone else. Recently, I have been able to realize that not everyone will __________ me or what I do or what I wear, and that's okay.

I believe in change but only if __________ from that person is put into it. If someone doesn’t try to change, then I believe he won't __________ his goal and that he could possibly __________ the person or thing he loves. I noticed this __________ a friend of mine. She __________ saying she was going to change, but she put no effort into it and because of this she lost many close friends.

As we get older, it becomes easier to try new things and meet new people. Our __________ no longer affect just ourselves but our family and friends as well. Life is based on making decisions, some of them __________, and some of them bad. It’s these decisions that make us who we are. Most people are __________ of change, but I choose to accept it gladly.

1.

A．process

B．success

C．school

D．life

2.

A．bring about

B．believe in

C．get used to

D．think up

3.

A．welcome

B．admit

C．make

D．fight

4.

A．smile

B．aim

C．dream

D．question

5.

A．nothing

B．everything

C．someone

D．everyone

6.

A．surprising

B．true

C．perfect

D．important

7.

A．new

B．close

C．real

D．personal

8.

A．examine

B．prove

C．accept

D．explain

9.

A．fast

B．apart

C．well

D．up

10.

A．hurt

B．limit

C．annoy

D．change

11.

A．please

B．serve

C．quit

D．respect

12.

A．remember

B．discuss

C．mind

D．appreciate

13.

A．wealth

B．support

C．effort

D．care

14.

A．achieve

B．share

C．set

D．understand

15.

A．hate

B．forget

C．lose

D．trust

16.

A．began with

B．happened to

C．focused on

D．stayed with

17.

A．avoided

B．disliked

C．considered

D．kept

18.

A．experiences

B．reactions

C．decisions

D．attitudes

19.

A．good

B．clear

C．big

D．firm

20.

A．addicted

B．afraid

C．attracted

D．amazed

10 . It was a beautiful day with the sun shining brightly. _______ to spend some time outdoors, I went up the mountain with Uncle Jimmy. The mountain was not easy to climb and had tough rocks and streams on it. In the end,_______ and hot, I couldn’t go any further._________ , we went back down the mountain in the end. On the way back down, Uncle Jimmy asked me a question, which

_______ me speechless for a second: “What’s your dream, young lady?” I have no idea, I answered after thinking for a while. Then he smiled and told me about his _______. He didn’t _______ well at school when he was a student. Although _______ thought he could succeed, he knew _______ what his dream was to be a _______ “I knew I wasn’t ________ when it came to studying, so I tried to buy snacks from a nearby market and sell them after class,” he told me. After he left school, he started selling different items to ________ which one was most attractive to customers. Of course, he often had no money in his pocket, but however ________ life was, he never gave up.

“There is no doubt that a person who puts in a great deal of ________ to reach his or her goal will have good luck at some point. The meaning of life is to ________ your dream,”   he said in a gentle voice.

That night I could not fall asleep. With my eyes wide open, I lay in bed tossing and turning asking myself, “What’s my motivation?^” I wanted to be a top student, but the hard work________ meant putting everything into following my ________ . If I find myself ________ willpower, what should I do? Leaving home early the next morning, I climbed the mountain again all by myself. It made me think： If we don’t________ the climb, how can we get to enjoy the scenery on the top of the mountain? At last, I reached the top and was________ by the warm breeze and sunshine. Nothing could be more ________ than that.

1.

A．Hesitant

B．Eager

C．Satisfied

D．Unwilling

2.

A．worried

B．anxious

C．scared

D．exhausted

3.

A．Therefore

B．However

C．Meanwhile

D．Furthermore

4.

A．left

B．caused

C．pushed

D．brought

5.

A．career

B．story

C．idea

D．confusion

6.

A．behave

B．respond

C．perform

D．impress

7.

A．somebody

B．everybody

C．nobody

D．anybody

8.

A．clearly

B．directly

C．shortly

D．rapidly

9.

A．chef

B．scholar

C．deliveryman

D．businessman

10.

A．skilled

B．gifted

C．diligent

D．knowledgeable

11.

A．make sure

B．check in

C．figure out

D．count on

12.

A．secure

B．tough

C．reliable

D．boring

13.

A．talent

B．potential

C．effort

D．ambition

14.

A．chase

B．create

C．change

D．promote

15.

A．directed

B．connected

C．pulled

D．involved

16.

A．demand

B．ability

C．strength

D．passion

17.

A．desiring

B．sharing

C．lacking

D．possessing

18.

A．experience

B．achieve

C．grasp

D．recognize

19.

A．shocked

B．amused

C．honored

D．greeted

20.

A．unexpected

B．pleasant

C．relaxing

D．challenging