1 . 语法填空。

Living in a foreign country is fun but it isn’t always easy. There are many differences between cultures although some of these differences are unimportant. Some can     1     a lot of embarrassment. In     2     to the obvious language problems of living in a     3    country, I certainly experienced culture shock when I was living in Paris. I know I’m not the     4     one, so I spoke to a few foreign friends about how they experienced culture shock in China.

Aubin arrived two months ago from Europe to take part in a     5     programme in Shanghai. Before he left, he was actually     6     the differences between European and Chinese cultures,     7    everything from table manners to classroom behaviour. However, some things have still taken him by       8    . For example, he couldn’t understand why waiters did not want to accept the     9    he gave them after meals in restaurants.

    10    friend, Julia, came to Guangzhou from London to teach at a language school. After a month, she told me that she was really let down by her     11    . I asked her why and she told me that they were so     12     , that she was the only person talking in class and it felt like the children were     13     her by making her talk to the walls!

And it is not only the West and the East that have cultural differences. Even Korea and China two countries that are very     14     to each other have differences too. “I thought Chinese and Korean people were the same,” said my friend Ji-Hyun in perfect     15    , “but I was wrong. In ancient times the Chinese     16     to take their shoes off. They don’t do that anymore, but Korean people still do!”

Luckily,     17     we take our shoes off or not, or leave unnecessary tips, the world still runs perfectly. In my opinion, cultural differences should simply be seen     18     a way of making life interesting. Imagine how boring it would be if we all did everything exactly the     19     way! Learning to understand and respect differences is, after all,     20     life is all about.

2 . 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 eleven years old standing outside in just my underwear while I watched the house that I grew up in rapidly burn to the ground. A few minutes earlier I had been sound asleep in my nice,   warm bed when a scream woke me up.

My grandmother’s bedroom was just next to mine and my brother’s,   A fire had broken out there and awakened her. Hearing her my older brother had sprung into action. While I stumbled around in the smoke and darkness he ran from room to room quickly waking everyone in the house. The house,   however,   was over 50 years old and made of wood. Before we could do anything the fire consumed it. We all barely made it outside before the flames engulfed every room. I stood there shivering while the fire destroyed my books,   clothes,   and toys. I watched helplessly while my Mom cried and my Dad swore. I wondered what was going to happen to us now that we had lost all of our things. As I looked around,   though,   I realized something for the first time: The things that matter,   aren’t things.

I saw my older brother running across the swinging bridge by our house to get help. I saw my oldest brother who was on crutches from an earlier accident standing unsteadily on one leg. I saw my grandmother and Dad huddled together and my Mom holding our little dog in her arms.

I realized at that moment that we were all alive.

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I still think of that fire in the night that helped me to become who I am today.

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10 . Vijay Gupta is known to classical music lovers across the United States. He serves as the first violinist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In that job, he often plays to large crowds, including many very rich people. When he is not performing, he organizes concerts for homeless people. “They have reminded me why I became a musician.” He said.

Last week, Gupta was recognized for being a founder and the artistic director of Street Symphony. The group has performed at homeless shelters, jails and halfway houses for about eight years. Gupta is among the 25 winners of the 2018 MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as the “Genius Grant”. Each winner will receive $ 625,000 over five years to use as they wish. The money is coming from a private group, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. It awards grants (补助金) to people whose work it considers exceptional and whose work “inspires hope in us all”. Gupta said he got the idea for Street Symphony while teaching Nathaniel Ayers, a trained musician whose mental illness led to his homelessness.

The 31-year-old winner said he did not know yet how he would spend the money. He has been a performer since the age of seven and the award will give him “space to breathe, plan and look ahead”.

Another winner is Rebecca Sandefur, an associate professor (副教授) of sociology and law in the University of Illinois. The Associated Press says her research actively supports new ways to involve poor communities in the U. S. justice system.

47-year-old Sandefur created the first national mapping of civil legal aid providers. It shows which states have the financial(金融的)resources to provide such aid and which don’t. She also found that the cost of legal services was only one of the things preventing poor people from getting lawyers. Among the others were fears of unfairness(不公平)in the legal system. Sandefur noted that a lot of attention had been paid to problems with the criminal justice system, but more attention must be paid to the civil side of the law, which also affected millions of people.

1. Why does Gupta win the award?

A．For his achievements in classical music.

B．For performing for large crowds.

C．For organizing a group playing for the homeless.

D．For the companionship with Nathaniel Ayers.

2. What do we know about MacArthur Fellowship?

A．It is founded by the government.

B．It offers $ 625,000 to 25 winners in 2018.

C．It allows the winners to use the money freely.

D．It awards people who make great contributions to society.

3. What was the extraordinary thing that Sandefur did?

A．She made it easier to get legal help for the poor.

B．She made the legal system fairer.

C．She paid more attention to the criminal justice system.

D．She offered legal aid to the poor freely.

4. Which can be the best title for the passage?

A．Grants winners, inspiring the poor

B．The city homeless, in need of help

C．Vijay Gupta, an extraordinary violinist

D．MacArthur Foundation, awarding exceptional work