1 . We should never give up when we’ve challenged. The following three actresses have set a good example to us.

Sarah Jessica Parker

When Parker was little, she had to take up singing and dancing to help feed her big family.

Despite hard times, Parker’s mom encouraged her children’s interest in the arts. When Parker was 11 years old, the family took a trip to New York City, so Parker could audition (试演) for a Broadway play. The trip was a success—she and her brother were both cast, and then the family moved to New York. Parker continued to work hard and land roles, eventually becoming the title character of a famous TV show.

Emily Blunt

Before Blunt was nominated (提名) for Golden Globes and landing leading roles on the stage and big screen, she could hardly hold a conversation with her classmates: Between ages 7 and 14, Emily had a major stutter (口吃). But that all changed when one of her junior high teachers encouraged her to try out for the school play, which she thought was a totally unappealing (无吸引力的) thing at first due to the fact that she had such a hard time communicating. The teacher suggested she try accents and character voices to help get the words out and it worked. By the end of her teens, Blunt had overcome her stutter and went on to achieve the successful career she has now.

Shania Twain

Twain’s career actually began more out of necessity than raw ambition. Her mom and stepfather often couldn’t make enough to get by, so Twain started singing in bars to make extra money when she was just eight years old. She recalls her mother waking her up at all hours to get up and perform. Sadly, when she was 21, her mother and stepfather were killed in a car accident on the highway.

Twain put her career on hold to step in and take care of her younger brothers. Only when her youngest brother graduated from high school did she feel it was OK to head down to Nashville to pursue her career.

1. Why did Parker’s family go to New York City when she was 11?

A．Because a TV show was waiting for Parker.

B．Because Parker planned to learn the arts there.

C．Because Parker’s family wanted to travel there.

D．Because Parker could try out for a play there.

2. What was her first reaction when Blunt was advised to try out for the school play?

A．Excited.

B．Uninterested.

C．Angry.

D．Touched.

3. What did Parker and Twain have in common when they were young?

A．They helped support their family.	B．They had uncaring parents.
C．They wanted to become famous.	D．They had an unhappy childhood.

2 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Last week, our school     1     (hold) a basketball match against another school. Near the end of the match, they only had an advantage over us. When our captain got the ball, one of them pretended     2     (knock) down by him. Upon seeing that, our captain tried to help him up, but the match was over and they won. We lost the game.     3     , we were all satisfied with the result because we went all out.

From this match, I learn that being     4     winner may refer to gaining a lot while a loser doesn’t mean     5       (lose) everything. What really counts     6     (be) the spirit, not the result. As long as we try our best, there is no sense in regretting. In     7     (real), a true loser is even more precious than a false winner. Without that match, I couldn’t have learnt the     8     (important) of spirit.

To sum up, a true winner is to a match what water is to a fish. It is not the result but the process     9     matters. Life without spirit is like sailing without a compass, so be a true winner and you will find     10     (it) significance.

3 . The little boy with big brown eyes was waiting for us on the other side of the world. Ever since our adoption agency (收养机构) had _______ us, I’d been hurriedly competing all the necessary paperwork. I made it a personal goal to never delay the process. On one late afternoon in June, I rushed toward the closest FedEx office. I had some _______ to send overnight, and I wanted them to go out that day.

I thought I knew where the FedEx office was. I drove there as the minutes slipped away, only to find that the office was no longer _______ where I remembered it. Tears came to my eyes. This was _______ we all had a smart phone in our pockets. I had no way of _______ the correct location. _______, I started driving toward home. I felt like a failure, as though I’d just _______ my new son to more days in an orphanage (孤儿院) waiting for us.

Suddenly, I was _______ at a stoplight by an oversized box truck. My anger turned to _______ when I saw the sign. It was a FedEx truck I ________ closely behind the truck. What were the ________ the truck would lead me straight to the FedEx office I was looking for?

It broke out the chances were good. Less than five minutes later, I saw a FedEx sign, and the truck made a turn into the parking lot. I had ________ in my eyes again.

Our documents went out that night. The truck driver ________ knew he was an angel for me that day. Three months later, we flew halfway around the world to ________ our son for the first time. We have been with him every day since.

Miracles are always around us ________ we are open to them. Sometimes, it’s a smile at the right time or a kind word. And every now and then, it’s even a big truck that cuts us off in traffic.

1.

A．ruined

B．challenged

C．matched

D．reserved

2.

A．gifts

B．letters

C．documents

D．postcards

3.

A．locked

B．located

C．hosted

D．repaired

4.

A．before

B．after

C．since

D．when

5.

A．finding

B．choosing

C．describing

D．showing

6.

A．Bored

B．Delighted

C．Disappointed

D．Relaxed

7.

A．inspired

B．sentenced

C．appointed

D．dominated

8.

A．kept up

B．put down

C．taken in

D．cut off

9.

A．excitement

B．shame

C．surprise

D．obsession

10.

A．ran

B．skipped

C．walked

D．followed

11.

A．chances

B．wonders

C．doubts

D．promises

12.

A．dust

B．dirt

C．tears

D．sands

13.

A．just

B．never

C．exactly

D．immediately

14.

A．free

B．meet

C．beat

D．accept

15.

A．if

B．although

C．unless

D．until

5 . The North Pole Adventure is a one-of-a-kind interactive Christmas attraction for the entire family. Unlike other Christmas attractions, it is open from November 25 until Christmas Eve. It is not a guided tour. While elves (小精灵) are throughout the adventure to interact with your children, your kids can spend as much time in each area as they wish. The adventure features a replica of the North Pole including everything you imagine at Santa’s North Pole.

Santa’s House

Kids will experience what it’s like at the North Pole and see first-hand what it takes for Santa and his elves to get ready for Christmas each year. The memories your children will take away from Santa’s House will be ones they will remember for a life time.

Post Office

All kids will be assisted by Santa’s elves in writing a letter to Santa and then depositing it in Santa’s magical mailbox. A few days before Christmas, they will receive letters at their own homes from Santa.

EIf University

EIf University is the place where elves go to school. It’s also the place where kids enjoy making Christmas presents, coloring Christmas pictures, and even filling out applications to become elves one day.

Admission

Buy your tickets online to avoid waiting in line. If the tickets sell out when you buy them online, there will still be tickets available at the ticket office.

1. Which of the following statement is NOT true about the North Pole Adventure?

A．It provides visitors with tour guide service.	B．It arranges elves to interact with the kids in each area.
C．It isn’t modeled on other Christmas attractions.	D．People can go there on December 10.

2. What can’t the children do at EIf University?

A．Make the Christmas gifts.	B．Deposit a letter in Santa’s magical mailbox.
C．Fill out applications.	D．Color the Christmas paintings.

3. Where can people buy the tickets if they want to go to the North Pole Adventure?

A．Only online.	B．Only at the ticket office.
C．At the post office.	D．Both online and at the ticket office.

4. Where can you probably see the text?

A．A report.

B．A science fiction.

C．A tourist booklet.

D．A story book.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

In 1991, Beijing musician Wang Wei went on a tour, when he become fascinated by the shakuhachi, a kind of Japanese bamboo flute (笛子).     1     (late), he found out that the shakuhachi     2     was called chi ba in Chinese, was introduced to Japan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

    3     (astonish) and ashamed of how he was ignorant of the country’s rich musical tradition     4     a professional musician, Wang started learning and researching on Chinese musical instruments made of bamboo. He has found that among the 90 wind instruments identified by the Chinese Music Dictionary, 47 are made of bamboo.

During the past three     5     (decade), the talented musician traveled around the country to find     6     finest materials for making bamboo instruments. The small balcony in Beijing has become his studio for instrument making.

He also gathered a group of musicians to form the country’s     7     (one) bamboo orchestra. While realizing his     8     (expect), Wang is also proud that the orchestra’s birth and development are also an effort of     9     (protect) the environment Bamboo is among the fastest growing plants on earth, gaining 1.2 meters every day under appropriate conditions. Since 2002, the State Forestry Administration     10     (try) to replace the use of wood with bamboo to protect the environment.

7 . Last month, Anna took her five-year-old daughter to a supermarket to buy some cupcakes. She didn’t know that it would be a life-changing experience.

As Anna pushed her daughter Daisy around the supermarket, she passed an old man who was by himself. The old man looked cold, until Daisy shouted to him, “Hi! It’s my birthday today!” The man stopped and his demeanor changed from distant and serious to warm and friendly. “How old are you today?” the man asked. After some time talking together, Daisy asked her mom to take a picture of her with her new friend “Mr. Bruce”, Bruce Peterson, 82. They hugged and after ten minutes went their separate ways. That could have been the end of the story. But it is actually the beginning of a special relationship.

Anna posted the picture of her daughter and Mr. Bruce on Facebook and someone who recognized him reached out to her with his contact information. It turned out that Mr. Bruce’s wife died in March and he had been suffering from depression and anxiety ever since. The person on Facebook told Anna that it was the first time they had seen Mr. Bruce smile since the death of his wife. Knowing that, Anna contacted Mr. Bruce, and ever since Daisy and the 82-year-old have developed a friendship unlike any other. “She has shown me a depth of love, a depth that I didn’t know existed,” Mr. Bruce told the reporter.

Mr. Bruce told Anna that before meeting Daisy, he hadn’t had one night of uninterrupted sleep. Anxiety kept him up at all hours and made him restless. After meeting Daisy, he said he could finally get a good sleep. For Mr. Bruce’s 82^nd birthday on October 20, the mother and the daughter brought balloons and presents—and of course cupcakes. Mr. Bruce will also spend a day around Thanksgiving with Daisy and her family. “If you don’t take the time to notice people, you will never know how you can positively impact a life,” Anna said.

1. Why did Mr. Bruce look cold?

A．He caught a cold.	B．He disliked little kids.
C．He felt lonely.	D．He knew little about Daisy.

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

A．Words

B．Body

C．Thoughts

D．Attitude

3. How did Anna know more about Mr. Bruce?

A．From a news reporter.	B．From a stranger.
C．From a shop assistant.	D．From his neighbor.

4. When could Mr. Bruce sleep well after his wife died?

A．On his 82nd birthday.	B．On Thanksgiving Day.
C．Before meeting Daisy.	D．After meeting Daisy.

5. What can we learn from the story?

A．Giving makes a real difference.	B．It’s important to respect each other.
C．We should not judge a person at first sight.	D．Good things will happen if one keeps trying.

8 . We’ve all heard the stories of an actor’s struggles before a career breakthrough: living a hard life, working part-time, being a couch potato before getting that major role. Shelby, the star of “A Dog’s Way Home”, has an unfortunate tale that could top them all. Before her big break, she was living in a landfill, rooting through garbage for her next meal.

Shelby’s big break came in April 2017, when animal-control officer Megan Buhler was driving in Cheatham County, Tennessee. Out on an unrelated call, Buhler spotted and approached what she recalled was a noticeably scared puppy emerging from the dump. “I knelt down and just said, ‘Oh, come here, baby,’” said Buhler. “She was so scared, but she came right up to me, and I was able to put her in my truck.” They headed to the county animal shelter, where the staff began calling the new resident Baby Girl.

Buhler and others didn’t know that 3,200 kilometers away, Hollywood was looking for a dog to play Bella in a film written by Cathryn Michon. The find-a-Bella job went to freelance trainer Teresa Ann Miller. Her mission was to search shelters nationwide for a dog that could play Bella. One day, Miller spotted Baby Girl’s adoption photo. “Honestly, it was a really good picture, and she was flat-out smiling,” Miller said. Then she met Baby Girl, and assessed her on personality and the ability to respond to simple commands. After assessment, she adopted Baby Girl from the shelter, renamed her Shelby and took her to California for training. Miller and Shelby had trained for just over three months before filming began. Then they were together each day on the set.

Most of the film’s reviews have praised Shelby’s performance. Variety made the comments “an amazing dog, perfect performance!”

Shelby has come a long way from the garbage dump. But Buhler said when she saw Shelby recently she just needed only a second to compare the movie star with the dog she found from piles of trash. “She’s exactly the same,” Buhler said.

1. Why does the author mention an actor’s struggles before a career breakthrough at the very beginning?

A．To clearly point out the main idea of the passage.

B．To attract reader’s attention by giving dramatic examples.

C．To introduce a dog’s similar but even more striking experiences.

D．To make a sharp contrast between an actor’s struggle and a dog’s struggle.

2. What finally helped Baby Girl get the big role in the film?

A．Her adoption picture.	B．Her personality and ability.
C．Her flat-out smiling.	D．Her miserable experiences.

3. By saying “She is exactly the same” in the last paragraph, what does Buhler probably mean?

A．The dog looked sad as before.

B．The dog was really excited to live such a happy life.

C．The dog returned to the piles of trash where she found it.

D．The dramatic change of the dog’s life hasn’t changed her inner quality.

4. What do you think may serve as the best title of the passage?

A．The Trainer and Her Star Dog.	B．Shelby’s Unfortunate Story.
C．From a Landfill Puppy to a Movie Star.	D．The Success of “A Dog’s Way Home”.

9 . 语法填空

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at Stanford Hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liza who was suffering     1     a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion (传输) from her five-year-old brother,     2     had amazingly survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies (抗体) needed to beat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked     3     boy if he would be willing     4    (give) his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before making a     5    (decide) and saying, “Yes, please do it if it will save Liza.”

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled,     6    (see) the color returning to her     7    (cheek). Then his smile faded and his face     8    (grow) pale. He looked up at the doctor and asked in a frightened voice, “Will I start to die right away?” Being young, the boy didn’t understand the doctor     9    (correct), he thought he was going to have to give     10    (she) all his blood.

10 . This first day of school can be stressful for both parents and children. But for Connor Crites, an eight-year-old Kansas boy living with autism(自闭症), it was _________ terrible until another child _________ in. Connor Crites was beginning his second grade at Minneha Elementary School in Wichita, Kansas. But instead of mixing with other children and exploring the playground, Connor _________ himself from others and stood in the corner _________.

Now, unfamiliar social _________ can be challenging for autistic children to _________. But luckily for Connor, the eight-year-old Bob, who was also starting second grade, noticed him _________ and weeping by himself. Without _________, Bob walked over to Connor and took his hand. Still _________ upset, Connor held onto Bob’s hands as they walked together into a school.

Bob’s mother, Courtney Moore, witnessed the __________ and took a quick photo of the boys. She said, “He grabs his hand and walks him to the front door. We waited until the bell rang, and he walked him inside of the school. The past is history. They have a firm bond.” Moore __________ the photo on Facebook and wrote: “This lesson is a beautiful example of how friendship can come at most __________ moments.” When Connor’s mother Crites saw the photo, she was __________ to tears.

“__________ saved my son．It doesn’t matter the disability, and it doesn’t matter anything, just be kind, and open your heart．It’s what we need in this cold world, which __________ us,” Crites said.

1.

A．also

B．even

C．hardly

D．yet

2.

A．stepped

B．called

C．cut

D．gave

3.

A．divided

B．prevented

C．separated

D．learned

4.

A．howling

B．sighing

C．sobbing

D．considering

5.

A．chances

B．adventures

C．prejudices

D．situations

6.

A．obtain

B．handle

C．adopt

D．confirm

7.

A．wandering

B．complaining

C．reflecting

D．struggling

8.

A．principle

B．guidance

C．hesitation

D．method

9.

A．obviously

B．surprisingly

C．regularly

D．deliberately

10.

A．emotion

B．scene

C．aspect

D．atmosphere

11.

A．owned

B．checked

C．took

D．posted

12.

A．unexpected

B．unforgettable

C．unnecessary

D．unacceptable

13.

A．terrified

B．moved

C．frustrated

D．embarrassed

14.

A．Luck

B．Faith

C．Companionship

D．Courage

15.

A．inspires

B．challenges

C．enhances

D．warms