Taylor opened her sleepy eyes and looked out the window at the foggy field below. “NO!” she cried, now fully awake. Buttermilk, the cow, was in Mama’s daisy(雏菊) field.
I must have forgotten to fasten the gate last night, Taylor thought as she pulled a sweatshirt over her head. Mama was planning to sell daisy bouquets at the fair next week. But Buttermilk was eating the flowers.
Taylor hurried outside and grabbed the lead rope hanging on the porch. “Why can’t you stay in the field?” she shouted at Buttermilk as she headed across the yard to the daisy field.
Buttermilk stood nipping (啃咬) tender flowers off their stems. Taylor leaped to her feet and rushed to the cow. Angry and anxious, she thought to herself: “When I grow up, I’ll be an artist and paint pictures all day. I’ll never own a cow. Too much trouble.”
Just as Taylor was about to snap the lead rope onto Buttermilk’s collar, the family dog, Red, rounded the corner of the house. The cow couldn’t stand Red.
Buttermilk took off, tearing through the daisies and across the yard. She finally ran through the open gate and into the field.
“Thank goodness!” Taylor said as she closed the gate and secured the latch (门栓).
She turned to look at the flower garden. Most of the daisies were either eaten or crushed.
Mama came out of the house. “What’s going on?” she asked. She looked sadly at her garden.
“I forgot to latch the gate,” Taylor said.“ I’m so sorry.”
“I know you are.” Mama sighed and gave Taylor a hug. “You learned an important lesson today.”
Taylor’s heart was heavy as she went back into the house. She had to think of a way to make it up to her mother.
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。
A painting on the wall caught Taylor’s eye. “That’s it,” she whispered.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On the morning of the fair, Taylor said, “Mama, I have a surprise for you upstairs.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2 . My best friend traveled to stay with our family last weekend. When she arrived, she went straight to the kitchen and, without asking, ate a spoonful of raspberry jam and some dried fruit. She wasn’t being rude. I knew she would do this. We’ve known each other for almost 20 years. She can eat anything she wants from my kitchen. Indeed, I bought her favorite fruits and snacks at the shop that morning.
Our long weekend together was luxuriously (惬意地) simple. I was recovering from surgery (手术) and couldn’t go to shopping malls. We passed the time running errands (做杂事), going to the post office and collecting dry cleaning. We drank way too many cappuccinos. But we talked about every little detail of our lives.
There’s never been a quiet moment in our friendship. We’ve lived in different cities for almost a decade. Reunions demand constant conversation. our personalities are matched, to be sure, and a shared history is indescribably valuable. We were competitors in high school before bonding over a bad experience. Then we discovered the many interests that we had in common. Our friendship cemented (巩固) itself quickly. We stayed companions through law school, through our first jobs and our first boyfriends. We supported each other through break-ups and breakthroughs. Ours is a friendship for the ages.
There is something special about friends who know everyone and everything about you. They are rare. These are the people you’ve chosen to witness your life. They have seen the bright lights of achievement, the depths of despair (绝望) and the boring routine (平淡乏味) of the in-between.
It’s special to unpack feelings and frustrations without wasting time filling in the blanks. As my long weekend shows, with such friends we don’t have to “do”, we simply have to “be”. We drop the act, the performance, the public version of ourselves.
The special friendships are those which never fail to delight, the continuation of which is worth the extra effort, despite distance and difference sneaking (溜进) into your separate lives. I had the very great joy of this reminder last weekend. I’m lucky to have found this friend, to see a future where her companionship remains. Being together is perfection.
1. What happened during her best friend’s visit?| A．They enjoyed an eventful long weekend. | B．They bonded by having long conversations. |
| C．They made their favorite snacks and coffee. | D．They talked about recent news events. |
| A．they help each other deal with the boredom of life |
| B．they prefer to witness each other’s lives from far away |
| C．they try to show each other their best selves |
| D．they are comfortable being themselves when together |
| A．Charm comes from differences. | B．Politeness brings best friends closer. |
| C．Good friendships last naturally. | D．Good friendships need devotion. |
| A．describe what her best friend is like | B．tell about the friendship she treasures |
| C．explore the key aspects of friendship | D．express thanks to her best friend |
3 . During the past generation, the American middle-class family that once could count on hard work and fair play to keep itself financially secure had been transformed by economic risk and new realities. Now a pink slip, a bad diagnosis, or a disappearing spouse can reduce a family from solidly middle class to newly poor in a few months.
In just one generation, millions of mothers have gone to work, transforming basic family economics. Scholars, policymakers, and critics of all stripes have debated the social implications of these changes, but few have looked at the side effect: family risk has risen as well. Today’s families have budgeted to the limits of their new two-paycheck status. As a result, they have lost the parachute they once had in times of financial setback – a back-up earner (usually Mom) who could go into the workforce if the primary earner got laid off or fell sick. This “added-worker effect” could support the safety net offered by unemployment insurance or disability insurance to help families weather bad times. But today, a disruption to family fortunes can no longer be made up with extra income from an otherwise-stay-at-home partner.
During the same period, families have been asked to absorb much more risk in their retirement income. Steelworkers, airline employees, and now those in the auto industry are joining millions of families who must worry about interest rates, stock market fluctuation, and the harsh reality that they may outlive their retirement money. For much of the past year, President Bush campaigned to move Social Security to a saving-account model, with retirees trading much or all of their guaranteed payments for payments depending on investment returns. For younger families, the picture is not any better. Both the absolute cost of healthcare and the share of it borne by families have risen – and newly fashionable health-savings plans are spreading from legislative halls to Wal-Mart workers, with much higher deductibles and a large new dose of investment risk for families’ future healthcare. Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent – and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance – have jumped eightfold in just one generation.
From the middle-class family perspective, much of this, understandably, looks far less like an opportunity to exercise more financial responsibility, and a good deal more like a frightening acceleration of the wholesale shift of financial risk onto their already overburdened shoulders. The financial fallout has begun, and the political fallout may not be far behind.
1. Today’s double-income families are at greater financial risk in that ________| A．the safety net they used to enjoy has disappeared. |
| B．their chances of being laid off have greatly increased. |
| C．they are more vulnerable to changes in family economics. |
| D．they are deprived of unemployment or disability insurance. |
| A．a higher sense of security. |
| B．less secured payments. |
| C．less chance to invest. |
| D．a guaranteed future. |
| A．help reduce the cost of healthcare. |
| B．popularize among the middle class. |
| C．compensate for the reduced pensions. |
| D．increase the families’ investment risk. |
| A．financial risks tend to outweigh political risks. |
| B．the middle class may face greater political challenges. |
| C．financial problems may bring about political problems. |
| D．financial responsibility is an indicator of political status. |
"Pick up the pace!" said Amy's husband. "But I can't!" Amy said, her heart beating quickly inside. "I can't go any faster! Her husband encouraged her. "Yes, you can! You're making progress every day.”
To help Amy stay healthy, her husband had been running with her for over two years. Several years ago, Amy could barely walk down the stairs of her apartment building due to fatness caused by eating disorders. She realized the problem after a failed job interview and began walking to improve her ability to move. At first, she could walk for only 15 minutes at a time. But she pushed herself every day, walking 5 minutes longer than she did the day before until she walked for an hour and eventually two. For three years, Amy kept her walking habit, slowly and painstakingly building her body shape. Then she changed her walking shoes to running shoes about two years ago and became an excellent runner.
In March 2001, an advertisement invited people to nominate（提名）an ordinary person who inspired them to bring the Olympic flame to Salt Lake City as torch bearers（火炬手）or support runners.（Support runners serve as “guardians of the flame" and run with torch bearers along the journey.）Amy's experiences touched her husband, so he nominated her to be a torch bearer. The possibility to be selected was low, but Amy wanted to try.
Running taught Amy the importance of training for a race. She pictured herself running a race and crossing the finish line. For months, she ran through her neighborhood carrying a broken-off broom handle, feeling the weight of the torch. She waved at her neighbors, pretending they were cheering crowds. She also printed a picture of a torch bearer wearing the white uniform, replaced the face with a picture of hers, and put it onto her refrigerator door.
Every day, Amy imagined herself as a torch bearer. She was training for a historic running event. On September 26th, while on her daily run through her neighborhood, an express package arrived.
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。
Paragraph 1:
Amy opened it and found a letter and a book on the Olympics.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
"One of today's torch bearers can't run her part, " announced the relay organizer.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5 . We all experience “oh crap” moments. Running into the person you canceled a date with — while you’re on another date. Realizing you hit “reply all”on an e-mail that you’d do anything to have back. Whatever the situation, the first thing you probably do is freak out. Everybody does.
While many of us think that we’re cool in a crisis, science tells us that we seldom are. At the moment we need to be keenly aware of our surroundings, our attention can tunnel in on the scariest thing in the scene, leaving us unaware of the other sights, sounds, and even smells around us. Armed robbers go unidentified because witnesses remember little more than the guns. Our ability to remember the things we do notice also becomes compromised; we can be told something, and two seconds later we’ll forget. And we jump to conclusions. When we’re freaked out, we’re anything but at our best.
These normal human reactions can be reversed. Once you calm down, you’ll face the most routinely ignored challenge of any crisis situation — identifying what the crisis is really about. We tend to misdiagnose problems because we don’t practice for them. Do the thinking ahead of time so you can just find the solution when it’s showtime. This is why flight attendants suggest you find the closest exit before you depart — so you don’t have to go exit shopping after the plane has caught fire or is sinking into a river.
Performing in a crisis is becoming more important for all of us, for two reasons. Back in the good old days, the reliability of most anything we used or did was far less than it is today. Now think about what happens to our preparedness as the possibility of something bad happening shrinks. Unless we practice what hardly ever happens, our ability to respond when it does happen tends to slip away. Reliability can kill you. Also, the systems we use today are more complex. There are seldom moving parts in plain view that allow us to see when things are about to go wrong. When complex systems lack transparency (透明度,显而易见), serious situations can “come out of nowhere.” We should all learn to breathe, recognize the situation, and carry out the plan that we were smart enough to prepare well in advance.
1. What does the underlined phrase “freak out” mean?| A．Be at one’s best. | B．Calm down gradually. |
| C．Run away immediately. | D．Panic or be scared. |
| A．Because the witnesses jump to conclusions. |
| B．Because the witnesses focus on their scariest thing. |
| C．Because the witnesses forget what they have been told. |
| D．Because the witnesses are keenly aware of the surroundings. |
| A．Because of less reliability and less complexity. |
| B．Because of more reliability and more complexity. |
| C．Because of worse transparency and less preparedness. |
| D．Because of better transparency and more preparedness. |
| A．Taking a deep breath and dialing 119. |
| B．Staying cool and ignoring the challenge. |
| C．Calming down and remembering the situation. |
| D．Performing escaping and rescuing beforehand. |
6 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
It was Christmas Day. Pappy was working alone fixing an old lantern in the backroom when he heard the ringing of his bell on the shop door. The bell, which produced a uniquely pleasant sound, had been in Pappy’s family for over a hundred years. He valued it dearly and enjoyed sharing its song with all who came to his shop. Although the bell hung on the inside of the main door, Pappy had tied a wire to the screen door so that it would ring whether the inner door was open or not. Hearing the bell, he left the backroom to greet his customer.
“And how can I help you, little lady?” Pappy’s voice was joyful.
“Hello, sir.” The little girl spoke almost in a whisper. She looked at Pappy with her big brown eyes, and then slowly scanned the room in search of something special. Shyly she told him, “I’d like to buy a present, sir.”
“Well, let’s see,” Pappy said, “who is this present for?”
“My grandpa. It’s for my grandpa. But I don’t know what to get.”
Pappy began to make suggestions. “How about a pocket watch? It’s in good condition.” The little girl didn’t answer. She had walked to the doorway and put her small hand on the door. She shook the door gently to ring the bell. Pappy’s face seemed to glow as he saw her smiling with excitement.
“This is just right,” the little girl said. “Momma says grandpa loves music.”
Just then, Pappy’s expression changed. Fearful of breaking the little girl’s heart, he told her, “I’m sorry, Missy. That’s not for sale. Maybe your grandpa would like this little radio.”
The girl looked at the radio, bowed her head, and sadly sighed, “No, I don’t think so.”
In an effort to help her understand, Pappy told her that the bell had been his only companion, for the rest of his family were all gone now, except for his estranged (疏远的) daughter whom he had not seen for nearly a decade.
注意：
所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
续写部分分为两段，每段开头语已为你写好；
续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
With a giant tear in her eye, the little girl looked up at him.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
Later that evening when Pappy was closing up the shop, he heard a familiar ringing.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7 . Rishi Sharma, a young man, is living his life differently. When he was a kid, Sharma was
One day, Sharma came across the information that Lyle Bouck, a WWII hero, was living quite near his home.
Since graduation from high school, Sharma has made it his
For each veteran
Sharma tried to meet at least one WWII veteran every day until the last of them
| A．adopted | B．selected | C．attracted | D．trained |
| A．looked into | B．ran into | C．commented on | D．fought in |
| A．shoot | B．escape | C．load | D．remove |
| A．aware | B．worried | C．shocked | D．grateful |
| A．consult | B．encourage | C．visit | D．praise |
| A．Eventually | B．Immediately | C．Suddenly | D．Naturally |
| A．number | B．file | C．address | D．schedule |
| A．imagined | B．considered | C．denied | D．began |
| A．lesson | B．duty | C．profession | D．challenge |
| A．argues | B．declares | C．hopes | D．figures |
| A．putting off | B．searching for | C．giving away | D．preparing for |
| A．introduce | B．refer | C．recommend | D．devote |
| A．helped | B．admired | C．interviewed | D．appointed |
| A．intention | B．curiosity | C．refusal | D．anxiety |
| A．However | B．Therefore | C．Otherwise | D．Besides |
| A．satisfied | B．willing | C．afraid | D．confident |
| A．showed up | B．set off | C．got away | D．passed away |
| A．sell | B．design | C．preserve | D．assess |
| A．turned | B．brought | C．broken | D．taken |
| A．video | B．office | C．research | D．computer |
I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn't be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.
We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile—warm and reassuring(安慰的)-and I returned her gift by smiling back.
''Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers," she said.
''Yes, she's special," I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. ''It's only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she's the one'' jokingly, I added, ''The only problem is that I can't figure out why she'd want to date a guy like me. ''
''Well, I think she's very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her," the woman said. ''My husband used to bring me flowers every week-even when times were tough and we didn't have much money. Those were incredible (难以置信的)days； he was very romantic and-of course-I miss him since he's passed away. ''
Para. 1 There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Para. 2 It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9 . The structure in organizations has changed. It has transformed from a boss to a leader being at the top and from method directing to cooperation,
Let's not get personal about any person or connect this to any
A friend of mine, who holds the
While we are
Encourage new talents and
| A．so | B．otherwise | C．yet | D．while |
| A．organization | B．method | C．cooperation | D．transformation |
| A．unusual | B．ordinary | C．common | D．particular |
| A．behavioral | B．online | C．popular | D．personal |
| A．oppose | B．contain | C．promote | D．lack |
| A．leaders | B．writers | C．employers | D．readers |
| A．precisely | B．barely | C．merely | D．thoroughly |
| A．stop | B．hope | C．hesitate | D．regret |
| A．name | B．title | C．faith | D．honor |
| A．for lack of | B．on account of | C．in need of | D．with regard to |
| A．confused | B．astonished | C．dissatisfied | D．annoyed |
| A．team | B．level | C．habit | D．reputation |
| A．superior | B．different | C．average | D．junior |
| A．pressing | B．missing | C．skipping | D．considering |
| A．congratulations | B．suggestions | C．opinions | D．remarks |
| A．changes | B．requires | C．proves | D．means |
| A．intended for | B．replaced by | C．judged by | D．buried in |
| A．even | B．just | C．ever | D．still |
| A．know | B．motivate | C．demand | D．observe |
| A．represent | B．like | C．show | D．notice |
10 . Ecology is a complicated thing. Given the facts that elephant damage often kills trees and bush fires often kill trees, it would be
One common way in which elephants harm trees is by stripping(剥) them of their bark(树皮). Dr Wigley, who did indeed start from the obvious
The researchers also found something else when they were measuring the trees’ wounds: ants. Ten of the 20 trees in the fire-prevention zone developed ant colonies in their wounds. The ants in question were a species that is known to damage trees and is supposed to
| A．difficult | B．reasonable | C．necessary | D．awful |
| A．however | B．therefore | C．furthermore | D．somehow |
| A．uniquely | B．barely | C．actually | D．merely |
| A．phenomenon | B．evidence | C．imagination | D．assumption |
| A．equally | B．regularly | C．severely | D．purposely |
| A．burnt with | B．protected from | C．covered by | D．exposed to |
| A．participants | B．partners | C．victims | D．friends |
| A．mark | B．remove | C．hit | D．measure |
| A．regulated | B．checked | C．healed | D．monitored |
| A．disappointment | B．surprise | C．joy | D．relief |
| A．vitality | B．height | C．bark | D．strength |
| A．controlled | B．prevented | C．started | D．boosted |
| A．disturb | B．promote | C．impact | D．quicken |
| A．therefore | B．nevertheless | C．then | D．otherwise |
| A．beneficial | B．unbelievable | C．effective | D．cruel |
