1 . The summer after my freshman year college, I had to get my first job. This was probably one of the _________ tasks I have ever had to do. I had never held a job when I was in high school because my parents wanted me to put all my _________ into my studies.

At first, it was very hard. I filled out dozens of _________ but got no calls back in the first two weeks. It made sense because I had _________ no job experience. All I could _________ was that being a high school graduate and a year of college.

However, halfway through the third week, I finally got a call back from one of the places I _________. We had set up a meeting time, and after my _________, I was more than ready to start working the following Monday. I was _________ at the chance of working for my wages.

When I started, it was very clear that I was not _________. I made mistakes with orders and often __________ sales promotions (推销). My parents made a bet I would not __________ the first two weeks, and I would be back looking for more __________. However, I stuck with it.

After working a while, I got better at orders, and always __________ the cheaper options for customers. A couple of weeks later, I had been told by the manager that I had __________ the award of the best employee of the month. It taught me a lot about responsibility and gave me the __________ of working.

1.

A．funniest

B．worst

C．hardest

D．lightest

2.

A．energy

B．motivation

C．wisdom

D．ambition

3.

A．questionnaires

B．surveys

C．certifications

D．applications

4.

A．exactly

B．absolutely

C．partly

D．doubtfully

5.

A．explain

B．claim

C．interpret

D．offer

6.

A．signed up

B．applied to

C．checked in

D．headed for

7.

A．interview

B．graduation

C．arrangement

D．performance

8.

A．surprised

B．disappointed

C．excited

D．worried

9.

A．skilled

B．frightened

C．patient

D．satisfied

10.

A．avoided

B．abandoned

C．postponed

D．forgot

11.

A．spend

B．last

C．continue

D．wait

12.

A．ideas

B．expectations

C．jobs

D．instructions

13.

A．sold

B．produced

C．kept

D．recommended

14.

A．confirmed

B．received

C．guaranteed

D．become

15.

A．confidence

B．importance

C．expectation

D．hope

2 . On March 16th I left the offices of The Economist to head home. That was the last day when all editorial staff assembled in our London office. And, at the time of writing, no date for a return to the office is in _______

It is remarkable how quickly we have adapted. The newspaper has been written, edited and produced from couches and kitchen tables. January and February seem like an ancient era — the BC (before coronavirus) to the new AD (after _______).

The shift may _______ great workplace transformations in the 19th and 20th centuries, and it has been a much more sudden transition than occurred with factories, enabled by advanced economies that revolve around services instead of manufacturing. Back in the 1970s, when Britain adopted a three-day week (to commit a miners strike), there were power cub and TV stations had to close down early. This pandemic has not turned the lights _______

Not only that, it has made remote work seem both normal and acceptable. In the past employees who stayed home had to overcome the _______ that they were bunking off (偷懒). Now those who insist on being at the office sound self-important.

Things are _______, of course. Video calls Jack the spontaneity of a normal meeting; no off-the-cuff (即兴的) remarks to lighten the mood. Distance makes it difficult to generate camaraderie. Creativity is probably harder to foster. Experts say new ideas come from weak links in networks — i.e., people you meet occasionally. Such “ _______ collisions” have become rarer.

Yet _________ offices will not disappear, it is hard to imagine that working life will return to BC ways. For more than a century workers have stuffed themselves onto crowded trains and buses to get into the office. For the past two months they have not had to commute. _______, for their part, have maintained expensive offices in city centers because they needed to gather staff in one place. The rent is only part of the cost; there are the cleaning, lighting, printers, catering and security ________.

Another aspect of the AD era may be the disappearance of the five-day working week. Even before the pandemic many workers became used to taking phone calls or answering emails at the weekend. In the AD era, the ________ between home and working life, a useful way of relieving stress, will be even harder to sustain.

In future employees may work and take breaks when they please, with the company video call the only ________. The downside, however, is that the rhythm of life has been disrupted and new ________ are needed. Looking further out, the AD era may bring other changes. Some may decide to live in small towns where housing costs are lower, since they have no need to commute. Men will have ________ excuses to skip cleaning or child care if they are not disappearing to the office. In a sense, this is a(n) ________ to normal: until the 19th century most people worked at or close to their homes. But social historians may still regard 2020 as the start of a new age.

1.

A．doubt

B．sight

C．mind

D．hope

2.

A．domestication

B．transition

C．isolation

D．pandemic

3.

A．affect

B．shape

C．arouse

D．rival

4.

A．on

B．off

C．over

D．down

5.

A．suspicion

B．difficulty

C．prejudice

D．disadvantage

6.

A．advancing

B．reversing

C．interfering

D．missing

7.

A．remote

B．intense

C．casual

D．novel

8.

A．now that

B．in case

C．even though

D．as long as

9.

A．Commuters

B．Legislators

C．Executives

D．Employers

10.

A．in demand

B．beyond reach

C．at issue

D．on top

11.

A．balance

B．barrier

C．connection

D．conflict

12.

A．fixture

B．engagement

C．priority

D．interaction

13.

A．perspectives

B．routines

C．regulations

D．equivalents

14.

A．better

B．harder

C．more

D．fewer

15.

A．access

B．progress

C．return

D．contrast

3 . Before setting out on her journey, Shirley led an elegant and peaceful life in the quiet countryside. Little did she _________ the adventure that would beat her thoughts and lead her far from the _________ of home.

Regardless of her prior unwillingness, Shirley’s _________ with Sally, who suggested this trip, threw her into a category of adventures she had never imagined. Yet, despite the _________ that arose, from encounters with tigers to struggles with crocodiles (鳄鱼), Shirley remained somewhat _________ in her devotion to the journey.

Her ideal, to prove her _________ and find her place, became a (n) _________ driving force as she faced the challenges of the journey. Along the way, she _________ awesome wonders, from the fascination of the Kenyan safari (游猎) to the thunders of the misty Kilimanjaro. _________ her expectations, Shirley found herself bound to the fate of home, owing much to the friendship she had and the __________ she had discovered within herself. And when faced with the fear of mother nature, it was Shirley’s bravery that __________ her only companion, Sally.

As her journey __________ its end, Shirley realized how much she owed to the journey, not just the material treasures she had got, but the personal growth and self-discovery that came from __________ beyond her comfort zone. And so, with confidence and a heart of __________, Shirley started going back home, forever __________ by this unforgettable adventure.

1.

A．expect

B．imply

C．acknowledge

D．decide

2.

A．security

B．comfort

C．relief

D．fear

3.

A．combination

B．patience

C．association

D．familiarity

4.

A．sufferings

B．protests

C．conflicts

D．dangers

5.

A．determined

B．excited

C．satisfied

D．inspired

6.

A．advantage

B．point

C．cost

D．worth

7.

A．exceptional

B．initial

C．fundamental

D．common

8.

A．brought about

B．came across

C．cut through

D．set off

9.

A．Conquered by

B．Contrary to

C．Content with

D．Concerned about

10.

A．creativity

B．courage

C．curiosity

D．care

11.

A．controlled

B．persuaded

C．astonished

D．disappointed

12.

A．accessed

B．acquired

C．approached

D．achieved

13.

A．leaving

B．digging

C．coming

D．stepping

14.

A．recognition

B．gratitude

C．respect

D．dependence

15.

A．changed

B．excused

C．relaxed

D．freed

4 . Jeremy grew up being active and involved in sports. But he never gave healthy eating too much ________ until he found himself gaining weight. In November 2019, Jeremy ________ a turning point when he found that he was so ________ that he couldn’t play in a company football game. He decided to change his eating habits.

The first step Jeremy took toward healthy eating was to stop going to fast-food restaurants, where he used to eat fast food as ________ as 4 times a week. To his surprise, he found that giving up fast food wasn’t that hard.

Since Jeremy has always enjoyed cooking, he began to experiment with ways to make recipes ________. He used whole wheat flour instead of white flour, and olive oil instead of butter. Cooking allowed him to have more ________ over his food choices. “If you’re going to prepare it yourself, you’re much better off than if you were going to buy it already ________. You know exactly what’s in it.”

He also learned to expect there would be ________ as he changed his eating habits. Accepting that things wouldn’t always go perfectly, he didn’t get ________. “Just be patient with it, and be ________ with your goals.”

Jeremy’s friends and family noticed when he started eating healthier foods. Their support helped ________ him to make a healthy eating habit. And Jeremy felt pretty good when people began to ________ his changes.

For Jeremy, there have been no drawbacks to changing the way he eats. He acknowledges that healthy eating takes planning. But he knows it’s worth the ________. As a result of his changes, he is now back to a healthy weight and has the ________ to do the activities that he wants to do. “It’s just something that’s been really ________ for me.”

1.

A．idea

B．opinion

C．thought

D．concept

2.

A．hit

B．knocked

C．marked

D．proved

3.

A．under pressure

B．on edge

C．out of shape

D．off balance

4.

A．rarely

B．frequently

C．moderately

D．precisely

5.

A．cheaper

B．spicier

C．healthier

D．tastier

6.

A．control

B．power

C．potential

D．courage

7.

A．specialized

B．packaged

C．advertised

D．delivered

8.

A．questions

B．tragedies

C．disasters

D．setbacks

9.

A．relieved

B．discouraged

C．sensitive

D．cheerful

10.

A．realistic

B．content

C．concerned

D．strict

11.

A．force

B．motivate

C．persuade

D．disturb

12.

A．make light of

B．approve of

C．keep track of

D．take advantage of

13.

A．effort

B．money

C．wait

D．risk

14.

A．interest

B．agenda

C．qualification

D．energy

15.

A．dynamic

B．fortunate

C．rewarding

D．challenging

5 . It was 11 p.m. when Alex Conrad saw the woman on the Main Street Bridge, standing by the railing (栏杆) gazing down at the rushing Chippewa River. At her feet was what appeared to be a ________.

“Something might be wrong.” Conrad thought in his car. He pulled a U-turn and parked with his hazard lights (警示灯) ________, blocking one of the four lanes. In case there was trouble, he hoped others would ________ and help.

He stepped out and got a clearer picture of the ________. The woman was in her 20s. What he’d thought was a backpack was in fact rope gathered by her feet. One ________ was tied to a bridge post. The other, around her neck. “Hey, what’s going on?” Conrad called out. She didn’t respond, but he kept inquiring, eventually knowing that she was going through a particularly ________ period. She was jobless, not doing well in school — in short, life wasn’t working out as she’d ________.

“Not everything goes as planned,” agreed Conrad. He started talking about his similar ________ he’d faced in his life. As he talked, he inched closer. Conrad is a quiet guy. ________, for the next hour he found enough topics to keep the woman ________. He gradually got within a few feet of her. Then a switch seemingly appeared. Without warning, she climbed onto the railing. Conrad ________ for her. He threw his arms around her, dragging her down off the railing. ________, bright lights appeared. It was the police. Someone had reported Conrad’s car for being ________ on the bridge. The two officers took hold of the woman and cut the rope.

Sadly, this was not the first time someone tried to end it all on the bridge. What was ________ was what Alex Conrad did. “Usually, at best, we have someone see something odd and call us later,” says police Lt. Brian Micolichek. “It’s rare that someone gets ________ involved.”

1.

A．rope

B．backpack

C．post

D．patch

2.

A．up

B．down

C．on

D．off

3.

A．take notice

B．make progress

C．achieve success

D．lose temper

4.

A．crash

B．scene

C．crowd

D．road

5.

A．end

B．side

C．part

D．edge

6.

A．unique

B．different

C．modest

D．rough

7.

A．complained

B．explained

C．intended

D．attained

8.

A．glories

B．hardships

C．opportunities

D．goals

9.

A．Indeed

B．Otherwise

C．Nevertheless

D．Moreover

10.

A．engaged

B．determined

C．informed

D．discouraged

11.

A．cared

B．stood

C．prayed

D．reached

12.

A．Suddenly

B．Consequently

C．Frequently

D．Strangely

13.

A．struck

B．destroyed

C．parked

D．repaired

14.

A．ideal

B．exceptional

C．unpleasant

D．normal

15.

A．personally

B．constantly

C．secretly

D．cautiously

6 . As my husband and I saw someone publicizing the benefits of spending time outdoors, we were lost in thought. Noticing my daughter had _________ a little homebody, we knew we had to _________ sport into our routine. We were determined to make skiing a family activity. But we needed our daughter’s _________.

When we persuaded my daughter to join us, we _________ two days at an all-inclusive family ski resort aiming to minimize the _________ of skiing with kids and maximize the fun that came on the slopes.

“Well done! You’ve arrived as scheduled,” said our ski instructor as we reached the resort. It was negative nine degrees. It was _________ , but we got ready soon. I could _________ recognize my daughter because her face was wrapped in thick clothes like the others.

The resort took account of almost all the trouble we might have in skiing. Of the fifty-three runs, eight were greens labeled with _________ reading “Route For Beginners”. However, when our instructor _________ us to ski, our hopes of being a __________ skiing family were dashed (使破灭). “Ahh!” escaped our lips. She was __________ and said, “Sorry, I thought you were ready.” Then she went on to lead us down a gentler way. We still __________ many times. Everyone slid down the slope, but not without falls.

While the experience frightened us, it also __________ our dinnertime conversation. My daughter told us, “Although I had a hard time skiing, there is no __________ of happiness.” I responded, “Your father and I enjoyed ourselves, too.” The next day, we __________ there as beginner skiers, but we believed we would be certainly expert skiers.

1.

A．become

B．met

C．criticized

D．blamed

2.

A．persuade

B．introduce

C．divide

D．trick

3.

A．award

B．examination

C．common

D．involvement

4.

A．calculated

B．witnessed

C．booked

D．offered

5.

A．bother

B．moment

C．fine

D．profit

6.

A．overdue

B．aimless

C．freezing

D．mild

7.

A．apparently

B．barely

C．instantly

D．straightly

8.

A．signs

B．trees

C．materials

D．walls

9.

A．convinced

B．warned

C．guided

D．advised

10.

A．permanent

B．legal

C．polite

D．cool

11.

A．modest

B．apologetic

C．motivated

D．depressed

12.

A．fell

B．woke

C．asked

D．admitted

13.

A．delayed

B．discouraged

C．interrupted

D．inspired

14.

A．kind

B．answer

C．shortage

D．check

15.

A．spoke up

B．went back

C．broke down

D．set off

7 . Mike Huddleston had flown from Maryland to San Francisco and needed to get to a rental car agency. But because of a neuromuscular (神经肌肉的) disease that weakens his muscles, he wouldn’t be able to _______ the stairs of the shuttle bus. As he was walking outside to meet his ride, he fell and couldn’t _______.

Due to his _______, Huddleston needed something to push up on, like a bench or a chair. But there was nothing around that fit that _______.

“Out of nowhere, I hear in my left ear, ‘What can I do to help?’” Huddleston _______ his head to see a man in his late thirties standing behind him. Huddleston described what the man could do to help him get off the _______. Once he got him up, the man _______ Huddleston’s baggage, which had rolled a few feet away when he fell.

This encounter _______ Huddleston because of the way the man offered that kindness. He took a(n) _______ to ask Huddleston how he could help. “Different people may need __________ in different ways,” Huddleston __________. “So asking them how you can help them is amazingly __________. It allows the individual who’s in need of assistance to maintain a sense of __________, to maybe feel a little less helpless, and maybe even a little less weak.”

It’s been more than 20 years, but Huddleston __________ to think about it to this day. “His willingness to help me — and the love and sympathy he showed in a very __________ situation — for me is something I will never forget.”

1.

A．climb

B．notice

C．remember

D．blame

2.

A．show off

B．move in

C．get up

D．hold back

3.

A．insight

B．position

C．movement

D．condition

4.

A．description

B．comment

C．instruction

D．adaptation

5.

A．raised

B．turned

C．held

D．bowed

6.

A．bus

B．ride

C．ground

D．track

7.

A．touched

B．fetched

C．delivered

D．gained

8.

A．excited

B．motivated

C．puzzled

D．struck

9.

A．moment

B．chance

C．risk

D．effort

10.

A．guidance

B．comfort

C．protection

D．assistance

11.

A．defended

B．explained

C．replied

D．sighed

12.

A．difficult

B．unusual

C．helpful

D．convincing

13.

A．independence

B．self

C．trust

D．relief

14.

A．fails

B．refuses

C．intends

D．continues

15.

A．disappointing

B．supportive

C．challenging

D．inspiring

8 . Social media has made it very easy to change your appearance using filters (滤镜). They may come in _______ when you desperately need to record a video but not in a good state. But there has been a lot of talk around the _______ of filters and unrealistic expectations _______ on women.

One woman has taken the responsibility to _______ the filters to prove that, while she is beautiful, her face doesn’t _______ look the way it does with the filter on. Katia starts off the 20-second video clip using the infamous Bold Glamour filter. It’s the filter that has people questioning their _______ of their own faces because the contrast is so _______. But Katia doesn’t _______ with one filter. She puts on another and makes sure she emphasizes the use of a ring light. After turning the ring light and the filters off, the woman _______ her makeup, revealing an inflamed and imperfect face.

People flocked to the ________ to thank her for exposing the truth behind filters. “You’re beautiful and this message is so important. Thanks for the ________,” one person wrote. “In real life, we all have ________. As a mature woman, I appreciate your ________.” another said.

Social media can really do harm to people’s self esteem, especially when they’re ________ themselves to something that’s not real. Messages like the one Katia shared can help pull back the ________ on the reality of social media.

1.

A．needy

B．handy

C．fashionable

D．surprising

2.

A．use

B．fix

C．production

D．appearance

3.

A．placed

B．forced

C．showed

D．looked

4.

A．pull off

B．put off

C．peel off

D．come off

5.

A．sharply

B．sincerely

C．eventually

D．actually

6.

A．perception

B．attention

C．recognition

D．attraction

7.

A．unexpected

B．unfamiliar

C．uncertain

D．unreal

8.

A．experiment

B．continue

C．agree

D．stop

9.

A．wears

B．applies

C．removes

D．hates

10.

A．flats

B．comments

C．spots

D．faces

11.

A．article

B．reminder

C．costume

D．poster

12.

A．beauties

B．imperfections

C．questions

D．suggestions

13.

A．effort

B．interest

C．skill

D．honesty

14.

A．comparing

B．addicting

C．putting

D．throwing

15.

A．wall

B．board

C．curtain

D．floor

9 . Isabella Springmuhl Tejada is one of the first professional fashion designers with Down Syndrome (唐氏综合征).

Her path to success wasn’t ________.Although she showed her________.for design in childhood, when she would spend hours designing paper dresses for her dolls, she was________from several fashion schools due to her disease. She had no________but to seek other ways. She________for a sewing course, where she was________to sew clothing for finger-sized traditional Guatemalan (危地马拉的) dolls, which she________happily. Meanwhile, she also made a(n)________in designing dolls, creating some life-sized dolls and dressing them in the colorful traditional embroidered jackets she’s now famous for.

This design experience helped Tejada develop her own design style,________traditional Guatemalan patterns, colors, and materials in her culture. She also created her own brand Down To Xjabelle,________for people with Down Syndrome, knowing how difficult it was for people like her to find________! clothes. The new brand ________right away, making it all the way to London Fashion Week, proving fashion can________all barriers and borders.

And the ________designer talks about her plans for the future as well, “I want to export my brand all over the world and________that people with Down Syndrome can do what they set out to do.”

1.

A．comfortable

B．awful

C．awkward

D．smooth

2.

A．arrangement

B．talent

C．determination

D．responsibility

3.

A．rejected

B．dismissed

C．ignored

D．excused

4.

A．guidance

B．aim

C．option

D．right

5.

A．waited

B．competed

C．prepared

D．registered

6.

A．assigned

B．forced

C．inspired

D．persuaded

7.

A．purchased

B．accepted

C．imagined

D．contacted

8.

A．discovery

B．opportunity

C．innovation

D．schedule

9.

A．indicating

B．abandoning

C．transforming

D．highlighting

10.

A．specially

B．naturally

C．usually

D．obviously

11.

A．pricey

B．suitable

C．fancy

D．famous

12.

A．paid off

B．got across

C．took off

D．caught up

13.

A．combine

B．fuel

C．beautify

D．overcome

14.

A．ambitious

B．enthusiastic

C．humble

D．proud

15.

A．guarantee

B．assess

C．show

D．conclude

10 . My mom enjoyed inviting people for Thanksgiving. After my family moved far away from all our _________, Mom started filling the house with _________ guests—whoever had nowhere else to go for Thanksgiving.

I missed our big family gatherings before moving here, but Mom had a(n) _________ heart. This year, when Mom showed me her guest list, almost half the size of our small town’s _________, I was annoyed.

Our first guests arrived: three foreign exchange students. Mom’s original plan was to _________ one. But she was told those unable to go home sometimes _________ in tears, so here came three. The next guests _________ through the door, a single mom and her six kids. With more guests, the volume and the temperature in the house instantly _________. Luckily, dinner was ready before the house or I _________. However, seeing my name card placed among the six kids, I murmured angrily, “How would I get such an __________ seat?”

After dinner, Mom suggested sharing something we were thankful for—another annual __________ at our house. “I’m so __________ to your family for opening up home to us.” The single mom spoke with watery eyes. Then one student expressed how much it __________ to be with a family on Thanksgiving.

Suddenly something __________ me: the essence of generosity and inclusion. Thanksgiving is about more than family—it’s about a shared __________ full of kindness.

1.

A．colleagues

B．relatives

C．neighbours

D．strangers

2.

A．close

B．random

C．specific

D．favorite

3.

A．generous

B．energetic

C．curious

D．powerful

4.

A．applicants

B．beggars

C．population

D．volunteers

5.

A．shelter

B．award

C．repay

D．host

6.

A．set out

B．took over

C．broke down

D．showed up

7.

A．burst

B．dropped

C．pulled

D．fell

8.

A．recovered

B．declined

C．rose

D．stretched

9.

A．exploded

B．suffered

C．slid

D．withdrew

10.

A．impressive

B．unlucky

C．unusual

D．awesome

11.

A．contest

B．opportunity

C．anticipation

D．tradition

12.

A．grateful

B．sympathetic

C．familiar

D．addicted

13.

A．cost

B．worked

C．remained

D．meant

14.

A．inspired

B．convinced

C．struck

D．drilled

15.

A．welfare

B．community

C．friendship

D．future