“Every cloud has a silver lining.” It drives me crazy when Mom says nonsense (废话) like that.
I’d barely had time to arrange myself in the passenger seat, my foot already blown up like a balloon when she came out with it, exactly like I knew she would. First, she patted my leg. Then she just couldn’t help herself, “Every cloud has a silver lining, you know, sweetheart.” “Mom, I appreciate the thought, but I’m not ready to look on the bright side of this.” We hadn’t even left the school parking lot yet.
On the farthest side of the field, I could see my teammates doing sprint training, Coach Zito striding back toward them. He’d mercifully helped me to the car in silence. Unlike Mom, he knew when it was best to say nothing.
As Mom started the engine, I imagined my teammates cooling down without me while they listened to Coach Zito’s pep talk. And next Thursday, they would go to practice without me, and the Thursday after that. When I had fallen and twisted my ankle, I’d cried from the pain, but I was crying out of self-pity in the car. Hours and hours of training， and then this. I told myself there was a glimmer (微光) of hope that everything would turn out okay, and that I’d make it to the track meet next month, but I knew it was just that: a glimmer. The tears fell hot and fast. Mom gave me a weak smile. “It’ll be okay, Casey.“ I suspected this was another version of the silver lining thing, but I felt so miserable that I let it pass.
We finally arrived at the hospital. Doctor Van gently moved my ankle around a bit before carefully lowering it. I nervously asked how long it would be before I could run. “Four weeks maybe, possibly five, “he replied. “And even then, you’ll need to take it easy for a while. Is that possible?” he asked with a smile.
I couldn’t answer.
One month later, I made my appearance on the field.
| A．Five weeks meant little chance for me to the track meet. Looking down at my swollen foot, I wept bitter tears, knowing my last glimmer of hope was fading. As usual, Mom patted me on the shoulder and said with a smile, “sweetheart, every cloud...”“No...”I interrupted her impatiently. Life seemed dull and meaningless, but touched by Mom’s great help, I regained my confidence and was back on my feet. Amazingly, I began to practice running soon. |
| B．I was lying calmly on the bed. Seeing my mother come into the ward (病房)，I greeted her with a smile. When she asked what happened, I told her I was not going to play sports anymore. After hearing my words about the accident, she was quite surprised how I could still remain so optimistic. I patted my mom on the shoulder and comfort her. In my view, it is a great opportunity to have a good rest and rethink about my future life. |
| C．I saw my doctor carrying the medical bag and waiting for me. He explained, “I came here to see my patient. “The delighted man warmly welcomed me, asking me whether I conducted a thorough examination and suggested appropriate following-up care. I thanked him with gratitude. Before he left, my mother came, asking,” How did you know to come to see my son? I didn’t call!” |
| D．All my teammates were absolutely astonished at my quick recovery, not believing their eyes. “OH, boy! What a miracle!” My coach Zito looked at me in disbelief. To tell them everything was okay, I kicked, jumped and ran in front of them. Seeing this, they all burst out laughing. Later, I went to practice with them and participated in the track meet. From then on, whenever I encountered difficulties, Mom’s encouraging words “Every cloud has a silver lining” always rang in my ears. |
A. But according to a new poll, Americans took more trips to the library than to the other leisure activities.
B. On the contrary, libraries are free, as are many of their available services like Wi-Fi, in addition to the endless supply of books.
C. Although it’s not the only reason, cost appears to play a part. Activities at the bottom of the list such as visiting theme parks and zoos are typically expensive.
D. Nowadays, we are given a wide range of available entertainment options. As a result, visits to the library may seem like an old-fashioned activity.
E. The poll surveyed 1,025 adults throughout the United States who were asked how many times they participated in nine different leisure activities, including visiting a library or attending a sporting event. Library visits came out on top as the favorite.
3 . Free solo climbing is a risky form of rock climbing where the climber makes the climb alone without ropes or any other protective things. In June 2017, Alex Honnold completed an ultimate free solo climb up El Capitan, a 3,000-foot wall in Yosemite National Park.
On a freezing November morning in 2016, Alex determined to take up a challenge-a free solo climb of the world’s most famous vertical（垂直的）cliff. Every step, he had to be extra careful to keep the balance. All the time he had to shine his headlamp on the cold, smooth part of stones to decide where he could next place his foot. Unlike parts of the climb higher up that Alex could climb with his strong fingers, this lower part he must manage with a perfect balance of fine skills and confidence.
Every move tied people’s hearts. The cameraman said. “Every time I got no response, I thought Alex was bailing. But it turned out that I was wrong-He was still moving on.”
More physically challenging parts wait for him to climb up with his feel and hands pressing the rock. The Free blast is the most frightening part. In 2016, after several failures, Alex knew he would try again. His foot tap-tap-tapped against the wall as if he was feeling his way into the huge rock, but he wouldn’t turn back this time. And then, he stood on the top and he made it!
People view free soloing differently. Critics regard it as risky, considering the long list of those who’ve died attempting it. Others, myself included, recognize it as the sport's truest expression. Such was the attitude of Austrian climber Paul Preuss, the father of free soloing. He believed that the spirit of mountain-climbing was to master a mountain with wonderful physical and mental skill.
1. Why is the headlamp mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To prove how dark the environment is. |
| B．To indicate how risky the free soloing is. |
| C．To share the great pleasure of a solo climber. |
| D．To introduce the location of the mountain climber. |
| A．Alex was climbing. |
| B．Alex was giving up. |
| C．Alex was struggling. |
| D．Alex was being saved |
| A．A great dream is limitless. |
| B．Wisdom is better than force. |
| C．Gains can't make up for losses. |
| D．Strong will leads to a smooth path. |
5. What did Alex need to climb the lower part?
6. What does "turn back" mean in paragraph 4?
7. How does Paul Preuss feel about free soloing?
4 . A MOTHER'S DAY SURPRISE
The twins were filled with excitement as they thought of the surprise they were planning for Mother's Day. How pleased and proud Mother would be when they brought her breakfast in bed. They planned to make French toast and chicken porridge. They had watched their mother in the kitchen. There was nothing to it. Jenna and Jeff knew exactly what to do.
The big day came at last. The alarm rang at 6 a. m. The pair went down the stairs quietly to the kitchen. They decided to boil the porridge first. They put some rice into a pot of water and left it to boil while they made the French toast. Jeff broke two eggs into a plate and added in some milk. Jenna found the bread and put two slices into the egg mixture. Next, Jeff turned on the second stove burner to heat up the frying pan. Everything was going smoothly until Jeff started frying the bread. The pan was too hot and the bread turned black within seconds. Jenna threw the burnt piece into the sink and put in the other slice of bread. This time, she turned down the fire so it cooked nicely.
Then Jeff noticed steam shooting out of the pot and the lid starting to shake. The next minute, the porridge boiled over and put out the fire. Jenna panicked. Thankfully, Jeff stayed calm and turned off the gas quickly. But the stove was a mess now. Jenna told Jeff to clean it up so they could continue to cook the rest of the porridge. But Jeff's hand touched the hot burner and he gave a cry of pain. Jenna made him put his hand in cold water. Then she caught the smell of burning. Oh dear! The piece of bread in the pan had turned black as well.
As the twins looked around them in disappointment, their father appeared.
1. 阅读上文，根据文本内容从以下方框中选择恰当的词，并用其正确形式填入文本梳理的表格框架中，每词限用一次，有两词为多余选项
2. What main problem did the twins face as Father appeared and what did Father do to help them?
3. What did the twins and Father continue to do together to solve the problems?
4. What did they do for their mother and how did Mother react to their deeds?
The next day saw a magnificent show of dragon boat racing. The beautifully coloured dragon boats sat alongside each other on the still water with team members ready, oars in hand.
1. Pet-keeping is a time-honored tradition. One of the reasons for people to raise dogs or cows was usefulness. While people in the past hunted animals and kept them in their backyards, the civilised man today is less cruel towards them and is less exploitative(利用的).
2. We keep animals as pets because they are attractive. We all have the urge to possess something that has aesthetic（审美的）value, and this is why we treasure paintings or fine furniture. Keeping pets is one form of this urge. A Siamese cat in the house can be a decorative object. Pets are playful animals and they amuse us. A little rabbit amuses us by its playful and lively runs.
3. Many parents find it helpful to have pets in the house for their children. Having pets is an excellent way of developing in children the love of animals and responsibility. Children get the opportunity to take on full responsibility for another creature’s life. It will be an educational experience for a child to watch the natural life cycle of an animal. There are psychological benefits for children. Pets are welcome friends for children who are lonely. Pets are excellent companions. Keeping pets means giving love and being loved. We find comfort in giving care and receiving care in return. We get pleasure from their appearance and their behavior.
4. As more people move into apartments, there are limitations on keeping of animals like dogs and monkeys. Therefore, caged animals have increased in popularity. Birds fall into this group. We keep them for their beautiful songs and feathers. Fish-keeping is a widespread hobby and the keeper can observe their behavior in the glass tank and study its entire life cycle. The cat is a fine house pet and it fits neatly into human habitation(居住地) without requiring its own cage. They are wonderful hunters, if there are rats around.
5. Pets satisfy man’s desire to care for a bit of nature. The pet owner has the responsibility for supplying those needs that nature provides. Pets are amusing and entertaining, but we are in a way doing animals harm by making them live in a human environment. Are we not enslaving(奴役)them?
| A．Adults keep pets with their children. |
| B．Pet-keeping has a very long history. |
| C．Pet-keeping may do harm to animals. |
| D．People keeps pets for their aesthetic need. |
| E．Caged pets become increasingly popular. |
| F．Pet-keeping is helpful for children’s growth. |
A. Why do many adaptations and indeed remakes fail with cinema audiences like me?
B. Another problem area is the cast. Finding actors acceptable to film audiences can mean the difference between success and failure.
C. Reading a book and watching a film are two very different experiences, but it’s normal to have high expectations when a film of a favourite book is made. There are many times I have been pessimistic or even disappointed by a film of a book I love.
D. Readers of the book use their imaginations to visualise characters and have very definite ideas about how characters should look and sound. This is where I think many film adaptations fall down.
E. A key question is obviously how close to the original the film is. Sometimes there may be changes to the plot, additions, and even different endings, which often leaves the audience with the feeling of “the film is not like the book”.
8 . Blue Sheep, native to the Himalayas, lends its name to a small handicraft(手工艺品)store in downtown Chengdu. Rachael Pinniger, a 75-year-old woman from the UK, opened the store offering a wide range of handmade items. All of them are made by people with disabilities or serious diseases in remote areas of China. They are too poor to have their illnesses treated. While many of them are skilled in making traditional crafts, they have no market for their handmade products.
The most important thing is to help these people to be accepted into society. That’s not necessarily something the government can do. Rachael thought, “It’s up to all of us to give them a sense of confidence and self-respect.”
That inspired Rachael to open a store to help these disadvantaged people bring their crafts to the market so that they could make money and receive effective treatment. She spent nearly all of her life savings collecting products from them. Now, belts, wallets, and scarves...various beautifully designed and produced handicrafts can be found at Blue Sheep. More than 700 people have benefited from Rachael’s shop, although she has had to struggle for years to make ends meet in this very limited market. Despite financial pressure, she has continued to extend her market by encouraging her overseas friends to buy the products as home decorations or gifts. She collects feedback(反馈)from customers and gives the craftsmen suggestions on how to improve their products.
As a world traveler, Rachael has no plans for her next destination. At the moment, she will continue to try her best to keep the shop going so that she can help more people get through their hard times. Mother Teresa’s words “I can’t change the world, but I can change the world of one person,” have always been her motto(座右铭). “Anytime we can help one person; it makes life worthwhile, even if it’s not the world.” said Rachael.
（以下是A种题型）
1. What is Rachael’s purpose of opening the store?
| A．To preserve Chinese traditional handicrafts. |
| B．To give customers craft-making experiences. |
| C．To provide help for disadvantaged craftsmen. |
| D．To inspire the people who lack confidence. |
| A．By raising money from volunteers. |
| B．By increasing the price of products. |
| C．By turning to the government for help. |
| D．By seeking help from her overseas friends. |
| A．Proud and delicate. |
| B．Caring and determined. |
| C．Cooperative and humorous. |
| D．Ambitious and professional. |
| A．To bring Mother Teresa into public focus. |
| B．To praise the great minds of Mother Teresa. |
| C．To prove the importance of Rachael’s ability. |
| D．To stress the influence of great people on Rachael. |
（以下是B种题型）
5. What is the name of Rachael’s store?
6. What kind of people did Rachael help?
7. What does the underlined “That” in paragraph 3 refer to?
8. Will Rachael travel to her next destination soon? What’s her current plan?
9 . Jack caught the basketball and threw it at once. The ball flew into the net. “Jack, you never miss !” Tom said excitedly. “You're a great shooter!”
“But I always fail to do it in a real game,” Jack felt upset. “I'm just not comfortable playing with strangers around me.”
Tom knew that Jack was right. Jack performed much better when he was having fun with Tom in the school yard than he did when he was playing for the school team in front of a large crowd. But Tom soon had an idea.
The next day Tom and Jack met in the school yard again to practice for the coming game. After a few minutes, Tom excused himself. “I'll be back in a minute.”
Tom hurried through the school building to search for some people.
“Hey, Jack!” Tom called out finally. Jack turned. A look of surprise came over his face. “I just wanted to show you that you could play well with people watching you,” Tom said. “Now you'll have nothing to worry about for the next game!”
| A．As Tom had hoped, Jack was still practicing basketball there. |
| B．Everyone was happy to help after Tom explained why he needed them. |
| C．Finally he found four students, a math teacher, two secretaries, and a cleaner. |
| D．He made five shoots in a row without noticing the people standing silently behind him. |
| E．Having listened to Tom’s explanations, they still felt confused about what they need to do. |
| F．Tom reminded the group to stay quiet as they all went toward the school's basketball court. |
A. It is called rucking, a term from ruck marching, which is a skill that militaries around the world have long used for training.
B. Rucking involves walking with a weighted backpack. It’s an easy way to strengthen your heart and muscles without hurting the joints (关节).
C. Anyone who walked to school with a backpack full of books has already tried an exercise routine that is getting popular in the fitness world.
D. Even people eager for more exercise should progress slowly. Shoes that fit well can help you avoid additional foot pressure and safely walk on an uneven land.
E. As with any new physical activity, newcomers should start rucking with slow and stable steps. If you don’t have basic conditioning, try walking the expected distance with a very light pack first. Then slowly add more weight.
