1 . Usually, someone would come up and ask, “What are you going to be when you grow up?” This kind of question is often raised when we have _________ with families as children.

Well, it started out being a cowboy or super hero. Later it was fireman, policeman, lawyer... As I grew older, my dreams of the future _________. Before I was in college, I was asked, “What will you _________ in?”

By then, I had my heart set on _________ a teacher as my father. So, I studied and prepared for that life. I _________ nearly full time on my career. Although my physical disability after an accident prevented me from working full-time, I still insisted (坚持) on _________. I am content that I could realize my dream and perhaps have a(n) _________ influence on someone’s life. My kids are now on the way to _________ their goals, which makes me delighted.

However, for many, there is a “thief”, which goes around _________ our dreams. Sometimes, the __________ will come as a parent, a relative, a friend or a co-worker, but the greatest thief is, so many times, just __________.

We find ourselves just about reaching our __________, and a “small voice” inside says, “You’ll never make it,” “You can’t __________ do this.” “Very few have ever done this successfully.” And on and on the “small voice” predicts (预测) some kind of __________. Failure, though, is exactly how dreams are realized. It is one of the most important tools we have, because it teaches us __________ lessons. And, when we learn these lessons well, we are ready for success.

1.

A．difficulties

B．challenges

C．memories

D．gatherings

2.

A．changed

B．reduced

C．developed

D．disappeared

3.

A．live

B．major

C．believe

D．bring

4.

A．discovering

B．cheating

C．becoming

D．awarding

5.

A．spent

B．wasted

C．decided

D．took

6.

A．planning

B．teaching

C．planting

D．reading

7.

A．sensitive

B．objective

C．passive

D．positive

8.

A．disappoint

B．reflect

C．perform

D．achieve

9.

A．reaching

B．throwing

C．stealing

D．abandoning

10.

A．thief

B．teacher

C．robber

D．guider

11.

A．parents

B．ourselves

C．relatives

D．themselves

12.

A．homes

B．limit

C．dreams

D．potential

13.

A．possibly

B．quickly

C．frequently

D．gradually

14.

A．outcome

B．failure

C．moment

D．difference

15.

A．precious

B．original

C．faithful

D．ordinary

2 . Do you love fossils and dinosaurs? I’m lucky enough to be a fossil preparator (化石制备师), which means I work with fossils, like removing rocks from fossils and gluing fossils together to make sure they’re not broken. Sometimes, we have dinosaur bones that need to be arranged and put back into place.

I like the job from the bottom of my heart. When we make “jackets” — these are things that store the fossils — we have to accurately and scientifically figure out how to make them for specific bones or fossils, which can be different shapes and artistic expression.

Since I was a kid, it’s been my dream to be a paleontologist (古生物学者). When I was 12, I went to this kind of event at the Houston Museum of Natural Science called Dinosaur Day. I got a chance to meet paleontologists. At the end, I asked, “Hey, can I volunteer?” And somehow, they let me, as long as a parent came with me. At 12 years old, I got to go to a fossil excavation (挖掘), and I got to work with dinosaur bones and fossils in the lab for the first time.

Fossils are very old. We don’t always get all the pieces. We’re working with something that’s incomplete, sometimes. We do our best to fit the pieces we know back together. And as for the pieces we don’t know, we don’t try to make anything up. But sometimes, we have a gap in a specimen (标本) and it needs support. We’ll put some material in there that’s clearly not fossil, so when people go to study it, they know not to study that part.

People would wonder how I find other kids, especially girls, who shared my interests when I was growing up. As a matter of fact, in my friend group, I was the only dinosaur girl. My friends were interested in other things, but they were all super supportive of my love for fossils.

1. Why does the author like her job?

A．It is not a demanding job.	B．It combines both art and science.
C．It is more artistic than scientific.	D．It is about collecting dinosaur bones.

2. Why does the author mention her visit to her local museum?

A．To show her path to follow her dream.	B．To prove her parents supporting her job.
C．To present the barrier of achieving her dream.	D．To tell her easy access to achieving her dream.

3. How does the author deal with the incomplete fossils?

A．By burying them back in the ground.	B．By breaking and reconstructing them.
C．By making them up with similar materials.	D．By filling their gaps with distinct materials.

4. What kind of girl was the author when she was growing up?

A．Cautious.

B．Understanding.

C．Independent.

D．Entertaining.

3 . I grew up both a little frightened and excited by storms and tornadoes. Nearly 9 years ago, when the news reported that there would be _______ coming that night, I was well aware of the _______ of it.

While I was preparing for the storm, I heard the rumble（隆隆声）, saw power flashes and knew it was coming. After _______ the power for safety, I jumped into a bath that was right inside the door and closed the door and laid down and _______ my head and prayed for_______ and for my family.

My _______ was racing with a million thoughts, regrets, prayers, etc, but I still heard the storm_______ my house, then the sheetrock（石膏板）overhead _______ and it sounded like my roof lifted and came back down. I heard the _______ of nails being pulled out of wall, glass breaking, and then the most ________ sound I had ever heard.

I suddenly felt something ________ my head and everything went ________. When I opened my eyes again, I ________ blood on my wet head coming from a small________. I went out to check my car. I got blinded by a light as I exited the carport （车棚）. It was my neighborhood, coming to check on me. I stood there and tears poured down my face. Fortunately, we were________ that day.

1.

A．storms

B．thunder

C．clouds

D．lightning

2.

A．phenomenon

B．benefit

C．effort

D．threat

3.

A．turning up

B．keeping from

C．turning off

D．taking off

4.

A．shook

B．covered

C．raised

D．stretched

5.

A．healing

B．safety

C．happiness

D．forgiveness

6.

A．face

B．body

C．mouth

D．mind

7.

A．constructing

B．entering

C．destroying

D．cleaning

8.

A．fell down

B．broke up

C．put up

D．turned down

9.

A．sound

B．song

C．news

D．alarm

10.

A．harmful

B．passive

C．frightening

D．helpless

11.

A．touched

B．hit

C．affected

D．grabbed

12.

A．peaceful

B．noisy

C．depressing

D．exciting

13.

A．kept

B．felt

C．received

D．collected

14.

A．bar

B．cut

C．room

D．spot

15.

A．satisfied

B．unconcerned

C．blessed

D．unfortunate

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The skies were clear, not a cloud in sight. Although the calmness of the atmosphere should seem to ease my state of mind, my fear of heights overpowered any positive thoughts about the coming dive. Although I was terrified, I grew the courage to take a glance and was shocked by the breathtaking view that my eyes laid upon. The tops of the cloud gave forth a gold lining around them. “Oh, how beautiful!” I said to myself.

It was time to start preparing for my first dive. We rode into town and purchased some equipment such as a vest, a regulator and a tank. Everything seemed to be in good condition to dive with. All of my equipment was ready to see the waters.

We then ventured across the island to the spot where we were to begin our dive. Getting out of the car, I noticed that the air was quiet and misty. The wind was curiously strong and carried a cold chill(寒意)with it. “This is where we will get in,” the diving instructor said.

I was told that, in order to access the water, I had to jump. Now, this was not a simple “jump”. “There is little chance that I can do that. Do you even realize how high up we are?” I said to my mother. “Yes, you can! Just trust yourself. Just think of it as your chance to feel like you are flying,” my mother encouraged me.

My mother just could not seem to understand how fearful I was. My heart was beating violently. I was almost certain that the fish could even hear my heartbeat. Terrified and shaking uncontrollably, I could not make myself jump. The sound of the waves made me terrified. The waves were rhythmically pounding into the side of the bank, so violently that the water reached the same height that I stood.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Although terrified, I gathered courage and told myself that I could do it.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Once in the water, I opened my eyes to a whole new world.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . 阅读下面材料根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

I was making my morning coffee and wondering how I would get through the day, especially with the rain coming down, when I caught sight of Tony’s photo on the wall, which showed Tony posing with a group of hunting dogs. I stared out the window, thinking of Tony. If only he really were still here.

Tony served in the Navy and we moved around a lot, every three years to a new naval base（海军基地）.It didn’t matter where we lived as long as we were together. After Tony retired, we moved into a farmhouse in north Georgia. I imagined a lifetime of sipping sweet tea on the back porch（门廊）, while Tony shared stories about hunting. His dream was to raise a hunting dog. Meanwhile, I had my heart set on getting a sweet Yorkie, a little dog that could fit in my handbag.

We had so many plans, so many dreams. But some months after we’d moved in, I found Tony on the porch, looking unsettled. “Doctor says my liver is failing,” he said. “I’ll need an operation.” In my eyes, he’d always been invincible（不可战胜的）. I didn’t want to believe he could die. I was overcome with grief when Tony died two months after the operation.

Our farmhouse, which had once been so lively and filled with laughter, was terribly quiet. So dark and empty. There was no one to greet me when I came home from work, no one to sit with on the back porch and no one to walk with around our property.

I stared out the window at the rain, which was coming down even heavier now. I was about to head back to the kitchen when I happened to notice movement.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Something small and furry emerged from the woods in the backyard.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I stared at the dog in amazement.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Where did the group plan to camp?

A．On the top of Ben Nevis.

B．Beside the Tower Ridge.

C．In the Corries.

2. How was the weather when the group climbed the mountain?

A．Snowy.

B．Windy.

C．Sunny.

3. What trouble did the speaker have during the climbing?

A．He hurt his legs.

B．He slowed the group down.

C．He was too weak to reach the top.

4. What does the speaker think of the experience of climbing the mountain?

A．Challenging.

B．Disappointing.

C．Enjoyable.

7 . Chris Raven, a former IT professional, found a new career after retirement. As a child, he had a(n) ________ for woodwork and music, but his career took a different ________. After retirement, he ________ his two loves and became a flute (长笛) maker.

Raven ________ this unique journey at the age of 70, after decades in IT. He was ________ in a musical family, with both his parents ________ in music. He played the flute in his teenage years. And his love for the ________ was reawakened in his 40s.

Due to a long lack of practice, his woodworking skills has ________. One day, when Raven found his old school reports ________, which showed his best subjects were music and woodwork. That led him to ________ his passion for the two again.

Around the age of 70, he signed up to an Irish flute making workshop. ________, Raven spends at least four days a week in the workshop, carefully ________ each flute. He has ________ his skills in wood turning, silverwork, leatherwork, and French polishing. He even cleared out his garage to settle a lathe (车床), bandsaws, milling machine and other ________.

Raven loves the feel of the wood and the smell of it when he is working. He feels ________ with his work, stating, “You could call it a job, but I never think of it as that.”

1.

A．excuse

B．fancy

C．rest

D．ear

2.

A．path

B．view

C．tone

D．seat

3.

A．showed

B．developed

C．combined

D．quit

4.

A．continued

B．recognized

C．ended

D．started

5.

A．educated

B．raised

C．settled

D．engaged

6.

A．involved

B．disappointed

C．strict

D．confident

7.

A．product

B．instrument

C．fashion

D．tendency

8.

A．functioned

B．survived

C．sharpened

D．declined

9.

A．with ease

B．on purpose

C．by chance

D．in advance

10.

A．stir up

B．give up

C．figure out

D．hold back

11.

A．Curiously

B．Fortunately

C．Finally

D．Currently

12.

A．observing

B．painting

C．crafting

D．delivering

13.

A．required

B．bettered

C．abandoned

D．forgotten

14.

A．luggage

B．species

C．furniture

D．equipment

15.

A．content

B．bored

C．honest

D．familiar

8 . During my graduate studies, countless workshops taught me one thing: To make it in science, one must design and carry out big projects. As I established my own research lab, a senior colleague encouraged me to try something big. So when I landed an associate professor position, my goal seemed obvious: I should perform big projects. This was the only way to lay a foundation for a successful academic research career. The path, however, would not be as clear as I had pictured.

When I contacted famous researchers to suggest cooperating, as is typically required for high-profile projects, they frequently replied enthusiastically to start, agreeing my project sounded interesting and promising. But when they learned I had just established my lab, they became skeptical and hesitant, ultimately saying no. And when I sought grant funding, my lack of experience and reputation was cited as a reason to deny support for my ambitious proposals.

I spent about two years being stuck in this mindset, excited about my big ideas but making little actual progress, leading to frustration and depression. As I neared my breaking point, I began to ask myself: Were big projects really the only route?

When I shifted to small projects, I became brave enough to step into fields I was not familiar with. By reading papers in new areas, I found creative ideas to pursue. When I discussed these adventurous, low-cost projects with early-career researchers, they were glad to cooperate. We secured funding. When I published papers out of these projects, they were not exciting enough to make headlines— but for me, it was a moment of joy and self-contentment.

It has now been 3 years since I embraced this “small” approach. Sometimes senior colleagues say I’m wasting time with projects that aren’t important enough. But I disagree. When I do these studies, I also find clues for future big projects. Going forward, I will still commit part of my time to exploring small projects, which I think can help pursue more fundamental questions.

1. What is the author trying to do with big projects?

A．Pursue his graduate studies.

B．Seek a route to academic success.

C．Apply for an associate professorship.

D．Establish an academic research center.

2. What prevented the author pursuing his big project?

A．Lack of necessary support.	B．The toughness of work
C．Shortage of academic talents.	D．The opposition from colleagues.

3. How did the author carry out his small project?

A．By publishing influential papers.

B．By getting young colleagues’ funding.

C．By exploring and initiating new ideas.

D．By cooperating with senior colleagues.

4. What does the author learn from his experience?

A．Good jobs require a high degree.

B．Ambition isn’t fit for the young.

C．Success results from preparation.

D．Small doesn’t mean unimportant.

9 . The distinctive smell of wet dogs was a reminder of the Christmas vacation when I was twelve. My cousins from Ohio were _________. We had gotten many gifts and were also blessed with fresh _________. The four of us spent as much time as possible sliding down the short white hill to the shallow _________. Naturally, we tested the ice on it the first day, and we knew we could slide across it and _________ our ride.

On the third day of our festivities, we were so _________ to play that we did not check the ice. A few degrees of _________ added a small layer of water to our slide, increasing our speed and _________. Seconds after, my brother Peter slid into the pond, he was _________ in the icy water. Peter was only eight and not a good swimmer, _________ dressed in a winter coat and boots.

We all __________. I jumped down the slope to reach him, but our __________ was faster to jump into the water, grab Peter by his waving hand, and pull him to shore. We managed to __________ Peter with our coats and get him back to the house in record time. Drinking hot juice by the fire, we patted and hugged the __________ dog. The dog took all day to __________. His wet-dog smell kept longer and returned often, __________ us of his heroics and our own Christmas miracle.

1.

A．working

B．travelling

C．visiting

D．coming

2.

A．air

B．snow

C．water

D．sun

3.

A．pond

B．sea

C．beach

D．well

4.

A．change

B．ruin

C．attempt

D．lengthen

5.

A．gifted

B．nervous

C．frustrated

D．eager

6.

A．warmth

B．freeze

C．temperature

D．freedom

7.

A．excitement

B．fear

C．courage

D．anxiety

8.

A．surfing

B．struggling

C．performing

D．swimming

9.

A．normally

B．actually

C．especially

D．generally

10.

A．laughed

B．screamed

C．watched

D．escaped

11.

A．guard

B．friend

C．dog

D．cousin

12.

A．cover

B．hide

C．bury

D．equip

13.

A．curious

B．clean

C．wet

D．lost

14.

A．break away

B．dry out

C．calm down

D．get up

15.

A．informing

B．warning

C．convincing

D．reminding