1 . One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Colorful ________ of various shapes and sizes filled the sky like beautiful birds. As the strong winds blew against the kites, a string kept them ________.

________ blowing away with the wind, the kites arose against it to fly higher. They shook and pulled, but the string ________ them facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, ”Let me go! Let me go! I want to be ________!“They soared beautifully even as they fought the restriction of the string. Finally, one of the kites ________ to break loose. “Free at last,” it seemed to say. “Free to fly with the wind. ”

Yet freedom from being ________ simply put it at the mercy of an unfriendly breeze. It fell ________ to the ground and landed in a mass of weeds.

How much like ________ we sometimes are. The heaven gives us rules to ________. We can grow and gain ________ from them. Some of us go against the rules so ________ that we never succeeded reaching the heights. We keep part of the rules and never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.

Let us each try our best to reach the ________. We should recognize some of the rules that we may be ________ at are actually a steady force. It helps us achieve a higher ________.

1.

A．creations

B．ideas

C．memories

D．discoveries

2.

A．attended

B．cycled

C．contributed

D．controlled

3.

A．Rather than

B．Due to

C．Apart from

D．As for

4.

A．found

B．left

C．stopped

D．interrupted

5.

A．fortunate

B．comfortable

C．independent

D．safe

6.

A．failed

B．managed

C．arranged

D．recorded

7.

A．signed up

B．calmed down

C．turned down

D．tied up

8.

A．helplessly

B．doubtfully

C．tirelessly

D．patiently

9.

A．weeds

B．rules

C．kites

D．wind

10.

A．drive

B．change

C．keep

D．work

11.

A．strength

B．relief

C．pride

D．excitement

12.

A．right

B．straight

C．firmly

D．deep

13.

A．adventure

B．performance

C．conflict

D．destination

14.

A．worried

B．annoyed

C．surprised

D．disappointed

15.

A．duty

B．speed

C．signal

D．goal

2 . I believe I have a personal duty to make a positive impact on society. I’ve tried to _________ this goal by choosing a career in public service. As a physician _________ the challenge of infectious diseases, I consider my job a gift, which allows me to help ease the suffering of humankind. I have three principles to _________ my life, which I always think about.

Firstly, I have a strong thirst for _________. I think I will never know as much as I _________. This is what keeps the _________ of knowledge hot. And it is why I would do my job every day even if I cannot get high income.

Secondly, I believe in fighting for _________. I sweat over all the stuff, without feeling _________ for it. One of the byproducts of being a perfectionist is anxiety. But this anxiety creates a _________ tension that drives me to fulfill my limited potential.

Thirdly, I believe that my goal to be a physician is to __________ humankind. I have spent my __________ on public service. Most of it involved research, the care of __________ and the public health policy on AIDS.

I think, to control this terrible disease __________, I must be guided by these principles: continually thirsting for knowledge, accepting nothing __________ of excellence and knowing that the __________ of society is more important than my gains.

1.

A．find

B．ignore

C．change

D．accomplish

2.

A．combining with

B．comparing with

C．agreeing with

D．dealing with

3.

A．form

B．check

C．guide

D．prove

4.

A．power

B．knowledge

C．adventure

D．evidence

5.

A．want

B．promise

C．admit

D．refuse

6.

A．pursuit

B．excuse

C．recovery

D．necessity

7.

A．agreement

B．balance

C．excellence

D．fairness

8.

A．embarrassed

B．curious

C．amused

D．regretful

9.

A．common

B．healthy

C．serious

D．harmful

10.

A．employ

B．introduce

C．unite

D．serve

11.

A．reputation

B．career

C．doubt

D．luck

12.

A．children

B．elders

C．patients

D．students

13.

A．randomly

B．occasionally

C．successfully

D．immediately

14.

A．full

B．short

C．worthy

D．typical

15.

A．good

B．standard

C．variety

D．arrival

3 . When I was in sixth grade, I joined the band program to learn to play the clarinet (单簧管). The beginning of the year had gone _________. But as most students progressed, I seemed to fall behind. One day, when my teacher told us to play in front of the other students. I was filled with fear. I knew I would _________. When I began to play, my rhythms (节奏) were good, but my tone was another _________. “Did you practice your lesson?” the teacher barked at me. I felt so ashamed and my world came _________ down in an instant.

From then on, I hated playing the clarinet and I kept getting _________. With the day of the new performance approaching, I grew increasingly upset. In a moment of _________, I asked for sick leave. It was so relieving and such a(n) easy way out.

The avoidance of my lessons continued until my mum asked me about it. “I want to quit.” My tears started _________. “If you really want to quit, why are you crying?” asked Mum. She _________ and I realized I wanted to stay in band and, by not facing my fears, I had created a black hole that would be difficult to _________ out of. I made a resolution not to hide from my fears and to stand up to even the worst of them, so a __________ could be achieved.

The next day I met with my band teacher and told her I was having a problem and couldn’t __________ why. She asked me gently to play for her. I tried, but only an unpleasant sound came out. She didn’t shout at me and handed me a new reed (簧片). I put it in place and tried again. To my great __________ I could play well. My problem was solved and my fear was __________ a lot that year.

Looking back, I’m glad that I overcame my fear. Fear can __________ everything in a person’s life. Hiding from those very fears only creates a hole, which makes a person stay __________ inside. After facing up to a fear, one may find life easier and much more enjoyable.

1.

A．badly

B．endlessly

C．randomly

D．smoothly

2.

A．mess up

B．move on

C．set out

D．take off

3.

A．impression

B．essay

C．story

D．factor

4.

A．crashing

B．moving

C．selling

D．bending

5.

A．stricter

B．worse

C．happier

D．smarter

6.

A．joy

B．panic

C．doubt

D．sympathy

7.

A．drying

B．disappearing

C．flowing

D．separating

8.

A．had a point

B．made a change

C．reached a level

D．took a break

9.

A．send

B．bring

C．pick

D．climb

10.

A．balance

B．degree

C．position

D．solution

11.

A．figure out

B．give away

C．think over

D．make up

12.

A．anger

B．sorrow

C．disappointment

D．surprise

13.

A．felt

B．shown

C．removed

D．voiced

14.

A．consume

B．examine

C．reflect

D．rescue

15.

A．unknown

B．unpunished

C．interested

D．trapped

4 . I’m an 18-year-old pre-medical student, tall and good-looking, with two short story books and quite a number of essays to my credit. Why am I singing such praises of myself? Just to explain that the attainment of self-pride comes from a great deal of self-love, and to attain it, one must first learn to accept oneself as one is. That was where my struggle began.

Born and raised in Africa, I had always taken my African origin as burden. My self-dislike was further fueled when my family had to relocate to Norway, where I attended a high school. Compared to all the white girls around me, with their golden hair and delicate lips, I, a black girl, had curly hair and full, red lips. My nose often had a thin sheet of sweat on it, whatever the weather was. I just wanted to bury myself in my shell crying “I’m so different!”

What also contributed to my self-dislike was my occasional stuttering(口吃), which had weakened my self-confidence. It always stood between me and any fine opportunity. I’d taken it as an excuse to avoid any public speaking sessions, and unknowingly let it rule over me.

Fortunately, as I grew older, there came a turning point. One day a white girl caught my eye on the school bus when she suddenly turned back. To my astonishment, she had a thin sheet of sweat on her nose too, and it was in November! “Wow,” I whispered to myself, “this isn’t a genetic(遗传的) disorder after all. It’s perfectly normal.” Days later, my life took another twist(转折). Searching the Internet for stuttering cures, I accidentally learned that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also stuttered. I was greatly relieved and then an idea suddenly hit me—if I’m smart, I shouldn’t allow my stuttering to stand between me and my success.

Another boost to my self-confidence came days later as I was watching the news about Oprah Winfrey, the famous talk show host and writer—she’s black too! Whenever I think of her story and my former dislike of my color, I’m practically filled with shame.

Today, I’ve grown to accept what I am with pride; it simply gives me feeling of uniqueness. The idea of self-love has taken on a whole new meaning for me: there’s always something fantastic about us, and what we need to do is learn to appreciate it.

1. What affected the author’s adjustment to her school life in Norway?

A．Her appearance.	B．Social discrimination.
C．Her changing emotions.	D．The climate in Norway.

2. What did the author’s occasional stuttering bring about according on Paragraph 3?

A．Her lack of self-confidence.

B．Her loss of interest in school.

C．Her unwillingness to greet her classmates.

D．Her desire for chances to improve herself.

3. How did the author feel on noticing the similarity between her and the girl on the bus?

A．Blessed and proud.	B．Confused and afraid.
C．Amazed and relieved.	D．Shocked and ashamed.

4. What can best summarize the message contained in the passage?

A．Pride comes before a fall.

B．Where there is a will, there is a way.

C．Self-acceptance is based on the love for oneself.

D．Self-love is key to the attainment of self-pride.

7 . I _______ to open my eyes in the morning. Why didn’t the alarm on my cellphone go off?

Soon, I realize today is the day for my _______: “A day without technology.”

I didn’t realize what I had gotten myself into until I was driving to school in my car in _______, no radio broadcasting my favorite songs.

As soon as I got to school, I went to print out my English project. “Uh­oh,” I thought, “this isn’t allowed.”

The school day went on and I finally grew _______ the rule. This wasn’t so _______ ! I could do this every day.

I drove home after school, and my _______ eventually went into afterschool mode, _______ on what I would eat for supper. The _______ thing I knew was chatting with my friends on Facebook and checking email, all at the same time!

“What happened to no _______?” my mom asked me. I forced myself to go back to reality. I had ________.

This experiment was actually ________ to me. Even though my attempt at going about my day without technology was a failure, I realized that I would be completely ________ without my addiction to technology.

These devices certainly make my life ________, and I definitely wouldn’t ________ getting rid of them altogether, but I do believe the lives of today’s teenagers would be obviously ________ without our technology dependence.

1.

A．try

B．pretend

C．refuse

D．decide

2.

A．expectation

B．exploration

C．experience

D．experiment

3.

A．doubt

B．silence

C．surprise

D．excitement

4.

A．interested in

B．annoyed with

C．impatient with

D．used to

5.

A．hard

B．easy

C．strange

D．comfortable

6.

A．rule

B．plan

C．mind

D．role

7.

A．agreeing

B．concentrating

C．counting

D．depending

8.

A．one

B．first

C．last

D．next

9.

A．homework

B．control

C．pressure

D．technology

10.

A．improved

B．started

C．failed

D．finished

11.

A．available

B．convenient

C．beneficial

D．avoidable

12.

A．fine

B．terrible

C．creative

D．successful

13.

A．troublesome

B．easier

C．difficult

D．complex

14.

A．suggest

B．mind

C．practice

D．prevent

15.

A．boring

B．complicated

C．difficult

D．different

9 . Letting me move into my university dormitory wasn’t an easy decision for my parents. However, they knew if I wanted a good ________, I’d have to live away from home. I’d always dreamed of living alone: the life of no rules and regulations and being independent. So I was ________ about this new stage in my life.

________, during the first few months of living alone, I’d find myself crying every day. I’d call my mum every day. I ________ to fly back home as soon as I got any time off. That was the only thing I was concerned about. Coming from a big family, I was ________ to noises surrounding me. Therefore, the scary silence at night was the worst. I couldn’t even ________ without keeping the lights on.

As time went by, I started enjoying the ________ that came with living alone. I could do things in my own time: eat whenever I want, wake up whenever I want. The space of loneliness was also then ________ by friends who became like family, so I ________ missing my family less.

When it was time to say goodbye and go back home after my________, I was bittersweet. I’d enjoyed my time alone, learning things which wouldn’t have been ________ if I had never moved away from home. But I’d also missed my family too much.

I’d learned a lot from this ________. Living alone made me value ________ time even more. I realized that every second with them ________ though I might not get the freedom I had while living alone.

I guess it’s ________ for everybody, but for me, there is no warmth in a house unless it’s filled with loving members and people you love.

1.

A．memory

B．occupation

C．opportunity

D．education

2.

A．delighted

B．worried

C．serious

D．cautious

3.

A．Undoubtedly

B．Unwillingly

C．Unconditionally

D．Unexpectedly

4.

A．refused

B．pretended

C．wanted

D．failed

5.

A．deaf

B．cruel

C．accustomed

D．opposed

6.

A．sleep

B．talk

C．move

D．play

7.

A．confidence

B．safety

C．relief

D．freedom

8.

A．set aside

B．taken over

C．filled up

D．thrown away

9.

A．started

B．practised

C．resisted

D．preferred

10.

A．recovery

B．graduation

C．resignation

D．promotion

11.

A．useful

B．possible

C．reliable

D．worthwhile

12.

A．adventure

B．arrangement

C．experience

D．challenge

13.

A．family

B．study

C．work

D．growth

14.

A．flew

B．counted

C．stayed

D．repeated

15.

A．hard

B．common

C．meaningless

D．different

10 . I was cycling and noticed a person, about a quarter of a kilometer in front of me. I could tell he was cycling a little slower than me and ______ to catch up with him. I had about a kilometer to go on the road before turning off.

So I ______ cycling faster and faster and every ______ I was gaining on him just a little bit. After just a few minutes I was only about 100 yards behind him, so I really picked up the pace and ______ myself. You would have thought I was cycling in the last section of London Olympic triathlon.

______ , I caught up with him and passed him by. On the inside I felt so ______ . I beat him, of course, but he didn’t even know we were ______ .

After I passed him, I ______ that I had been so focused on competing against him that I had ______ my turn. I had gone nearly six blocks past it and had to turn around and go all the way back.

Isn’t that what happens in life when we ______ competing with co-workers, neighbors and friends? We spend our time and ______ chasing after them and we miss out on our own ______ to our future.

The ______ of unhealthy competition is that it’s a never-ending ______ , and there will always be somebody ahead of you.

Therefore, just take what life has given you. There’s no ______ in life. Run your own race and wish others well!

1.

A．failed

B．decided

C．agreed

D．forgot

2.

A．stopped

B．enjoyed

C．started

D．regretted

3.

A．way

B．block

C．step

D．time

4.

A．comforted

B．protected

C．pushed

D．supported

5.

A．Obviously

B．Surprisingly

C．Fortunately

D．Finally

6.

A．calm

B．lucky

C．astonished

D．good

7.

A．racing

B．exercising

C．celebrating

D．cycling

8.

A．believed

B．expected

C．realized

D．understood

9.

A．escaped

B．missed

C．made

D．lost

10.

A．worry about

B．care for

C．depend on

D．focus on

11.

A．tears

B．strength

C．energy

D．pain

12.

A．paths

B．entrances

C．plans

D．barriers

13.

A．task

B．difficulty

C．problem

D．goal

14.

A．movement

B．cycle

C．event

D．routine

15.

A．mistake

B．competition

C．pressure

D．challenge