1 . A man took a little too long to complete his PhD. While a majority of PhD programmes are _________ to be finished in five or six years, a 76-year-old student who studied for a PhD in 1970 completed it after 50 years.

Dr. Nick Axten received a scholarship for a PhD in mathematical sociology in 1970 at the University of Pittsburgh. _________, he returned to the UK after 5 years with an unfinished PhD.

Dr. Axten _________ his studies again in 2016 when he was aged 69, studying an MA in Philosophy at the University of Bristol. He then studied for a PhD in Philosophy at the same university and _________ in 2022, aged 75. This year, he _________ his doctorate in front of his wife and 11-year-old granddaughter.

“What I was trying to do in the early 70s was extremely _________,” said Dr. Axten. “Some problems are so _________ that it takes the best part of a lifetime to get your head around them. This one has taken me 50 years, which is simply _________.”

Dr. Axten’s research is a new theory for understanding human _________ based on the values each person holds. Dr. Axten says it can __________ our view of behavioural psychology.

“I have loved being a __________ again at the University of Bristol. All of the other philosophy graduate students were around 23 but they __________ me as one of their own,” said Dr. Axten. The 76-year-old considered his classmates as __________ and expressed that he loved spending time talking to them.

“Nick was a(n) __________ energetic and hardworking student,” said his professor. “It’s great to see him graduate half a __________ after he started his original PhD.”

1.

A．applied

B．designed

C．hosted

D．created

2.

A．Otherwise

B．Therefore

C．Besides

D．However

3.

A．took up

B．made up

C．put up

D．broke up

4.

A．returned

B．dropped

C．finished

D．died

5.

A．wanted

B．mentioned

C．discovered

D．obtained

6.

A．wrong

B．tough

C．funny

D．strange

7.

A．great

B．minor

C．clear

D．urgent

8.

A．available

B．satisfactory

C．unimaginable

D．embarrassing

9.

A．mind

B．personality

C．speech

D．behaviour

10.

A．change

B．appreciate

C．control

D．follow

11.

A．teacher

B．student

C．doctor

D．leader

12.

A．held

B．pushed

C．chose

D．accepted

13.

A．small

B．foolish

C．clever

D．rude

14.

A．incredibly

B．traditionally

C．hardly

D．gradually

15.

A．fortnight

B．century

C．billion

D．decade

2 . Driving lessons are quite normal for teenagers across the country. But for Jessica Parks, a young woman from North Branch, Mich, they mean another great ______ she's eager to overcome.

Jessica was born without arms, but was not ______ wearing prosthetics (假肢). So she has learned to do ______ things with her feet—from eating noodles to putting in contact lenses (隐形眼镜). She is no stranger to difficulties but the ______ remained: How well would she drive?

After ______ her seatbelt across her with her foot and buckling in, she ______ the directions of instructor Larry Klug and makes all of her last-minute adjustments with her ______ , as they prepare to leave the parking lot. Klug talks her through a pre-drive checklist, “Put your blinker (转向灯) on; check your centre mirror; ______ your left mirror.”

Jessica is driving a mid-size car that wasn't modified (改装) at all for her purposes. After seeing her ability to drive Klug decided that she didn't need any ______ devices. It should come as no ______ to anyone that after spending hours driving with Jessica, Klug ______ her a natural, saying she's going to be a great driver.

One of Jessica's main ______   now is to get her driver's license. Jessica says she thinks about the ______ challenges she's faced and overcome, and about why she's here. She said, “I guess I was put here as a(n) ______ to others—just to show people that whatever they set their mind to, they can get it done, and it doesn't ______ what other people say or think. If you want to do something, you can do it.”

1.

A．breakthrough

B．challenge

C．achievement

D．desire

2.

A．natural

B．excited

C．comfortable

D．brave

3.

A．personal

B．practical

C．proper

D．amazing

4.

A．question

B．method

C．hope

D．stress

5.

A．throwing

B．forcing

C．pressing

D．pulling

6.

A．follows

B．changes

C．describes

D．selects

7.

A．arms

B．hands

C．legs

D．feet

8.

A．open

B．check

C．develop

D．face

9.

A．helpless

B．expensive

C．adaptive

D．impressive

10.

A．plan

B．reason

C．word

D．surprise

11.

A．pronounces

B．points

C．serves

D．reminds

12.

A．concerns

B．projects

C．attempts

D．goals

13.

A．unbelievable

B．relaxing

C．familiar

D．accessible

14.

A．experience

B．test

C．inspiration

D．effect

15.

A．work

B．decide

C．matter

D．sense

3 . About 15 years ago, I packed my suitcase and traveled to a town a few hours away. I would have an important ______ the next day, so I arrived ______. When I woke up the next morning in the hotel and started to get ______, something came to my notice — I had ______ to pack a white shirt.

This discovery made me get into ______. There was only about an hour left. Without thinking, I ______ went down to the lobby (大厅) immediately and flew to the attendant at the front desk. I explained my ______ situation and asked if he could suggest a nearby store where I could get a new shirt. I received a response before I finished speaking. “Sir, I have got a ______,” The attendant replied. How excited I was when I heard that! But rather than ______ me to a nearby shop, the man did something ______. Without saying a word, he ______ his own white shirt and handed it to me.

I finally arrived on time. Things ______ in the end — I got my dream job. I expressed my ______ when giving back the shirt.

That nice ______ has stuck with me over the years and that man’s behavior has ______ me ever since. And so now, when I see someone who needs anything, I’m willing to share.

1.

A．speech

B．lecture

C．interview

D．conference

2.

A．as usual

B．on schedule

C．under pressure

D．in advance

3.

A．dressed

B．washed

C．shaved

D．occupied

4.

A．applied

B．learnt

C．forgotten

D．attempted

5.

A．panic

B．bitterness

C．disbelief

D．disappointment

6.

A．firmly

B．hurriedly

C．effortlessly

D．hopelessly

7.

A．sensitive

B．awkward

C．dangerous

D．financial

8.

A．secret

B．question

C．solution

D．discovery

9.

A．driving

B．directing

C．introducing

D．sending

10.

A．cheerful

B．unmatched

C．confusing

D．surprising

11.

A．removed

B．obtained

C．recommended

D．decorated

12.

A．got across

B．turned around

C．worked out

D．stood up

13.

A．support

B．interest

C．curiosity

D．gratitude

14.

A．bond

B．gesture

C．comfort

D．personality

15.

A．revised

B．challenged

C．assisted

D．impressed

4 . “Wanted: Violin. Can’t pay much. Call me at...”

Why did I notice that? I wondered, since I seldom look at such ads. I put the newspaper on my lap and closed my eyes, _______ what had happened many years before, when my family _______ to make a living on our farm. I, too, had wanted a violin, but we didn’t have the money.

When my arms grew long enough, how I wanted one! But I knew it was impossible. It was not a good year. At harvest the crops did not bring as much as we had hoped. Yet _______ times were hard, I couldn’t wait any longer to ask, “Daddy, may I have a violin of my own?”

Daddy looked _______ . That night, I heard him pray, “…Mary wants her own violin.” One evening we all sat around the table. Daddy wrote a letter to his friend, Mr Finkle, a violinist. When Daddy received a letter from Columbus several weeks later, he announced, “We’ll be driving to Columbus.”

The day finally _______ . After we got there, Mr Finkle, a tall man, opened the door. “Come in!” he and Daddy heartily shook hands at once.

He _______ a case, opened it and lifted out a violin. He said, “Carl, I found it in a shop for _______ dollars. It’s a good violin.” Then he handed the violin to me. I noticed the _______ in Daddy’s eyes. It was mine! I stroked (抚摸) the violin gently. The wood was a golden brown that seemed to warm in the light. “It’s beautiful.” I said, barely breathing.

The day I carried my violin to school for my first lesson no one could imagine the bursting feeling in my heart. Over the months I _______ every day. When I was ready to join the school orchestra (管弦乐队), I shook with ________ . I sat in the third row of violins and wore my white jacket. My heart beat ________ at my first public performance. I felt sure everyone in the audience was watching me. Daddy and Mother smiled ________ at their little girl.

I thought of Daddy, who did all he could to ________ my needs when I was a little girl. I wonder if I had ever thanked him.

At last I walked to the ________ and dialed the number. Later in the day, a man in his 30s knocked on the door. “My daughter wants a violin so badly,” he said. “ ________ are you asking?” Any music store, I knew, would offer me a nice sum. But now I heard my voice answer, “Seven dollars.”

1.

A．updating

B．remembering

C．defining

D．reflecting

2.

A．struggled

B．intended

C．planned

D．agreed

3.

A．now that

B．in case

C．as though

D．even though

4.

A．sad

B．joyful

C．pleased

D．satisfied

5.

A．gathered

B．went

C．stuck

D．arrived

6.

A．made up

B．brought up

C．picked up

D．cleaned up

7.

A．three

B．five

C．seven

D．nine

8.

A．riddles

B．tears

C．pressure

D．energy

9.

A．functioned

B．aimed

C．practised

D．adapted

10.

A．excitement

B．sadness

C．fear

D．confusion

11.

A．eagerly

B．wildly

C．seriously

D．suddenly

12.

A．generously

B．frankly

C．falsely

D．proudly

13.

A．decorate

B．confirm

C．meet

D．learn

14.

A．target

B．snack

C．costume

D．phone

15.

A．How soon

B．How much

C．How often

D．How long

5 . Beach cleanup efforts around the world are common and well worth praising. However, we ______ get to see what actually happens to the trash that’s been ______. It’s even rarer for the gathered waste to be turned into ______. One company called Ocean Sole hosts cleanups to pick up ______ on the beaches and waterways of Kenya (肯尼亚) every year. They then give these abandoned objects a second ______ with the help of the artists from local ______, turning them into colorful sculptures of all sizes.

The story of Ocean Sole ______ when Julie Church, founder of the social enterprise, noticed children creating toys out of abandoned flip-flops (人字拖). ______ the versatility (多用途) of the material, she then ______ the children’s mothers to collect, wash, and cut the flip-flops, which they then could ______ new products that could be ______ at local markets as a(n) ______ source of income.

“Ocean Sole was founded with the aim of cleaning our oceans and waterways while ______ artists from high impact communities in Kenya,” Joe Mwakiremba, head of sales said. Today, the company ______ over 1,000 Kenyans through the collection of flip-flops and direct employment. This includes providing steady income to nearly 100 ______ Kenyans. According to Mwakiremba, one of their collectors has been ______ to put one of his kids through college; others even have been able to ______ land.

The ______ effects can also be seen in the ______. “We aim to recycle a million flip-flops per year, recycle over one tonne of plastic a month, and save over five hundred trees a year,” the company states on its website. “We ______ over 10-15% of our profit to beach cleanup and spend another 10% on other public welfare and charity, like educational programs and conservation efforts.”

1.

A．never

B．rarely

C．often

D．sometimes

2.

A．deserted

B．buried

C．bought

D．collected

3.

A．tools

B．toys

C．art

D．energy

4.

A．trash

B．fish

C．sand

D．plastic

5.

A．explanation

B．try

C．test

D．life

6.

A．communities

B．schools

C．banks

D．hospitals

7.

A．began

B．spread

C．continued

D．changed

8.

A．Wondering

B．Ignoring

C．Imagining

D．Realizing

9.

A．required

B．encouraged

C．begged

D．allowed

10.

A．add to

B．mix with

C．turn into

D．exchange for

11.

A．exhibited

B．donated

C．rented

D．sold

12.

A．geographic

B．additional

C．original

D．official

13.

A．admiring

B．investigating

C．employing

D．introducing

14.

A．benefits

B．educates

C．hires

D．awards

15.

A．free

B．wise

C．greedy

D．poor

16.

A．willing

B．able

C．dreaming

D．hesitant

17.

A．occupy

B．purchase

C．clear

D．distribute

18.

A．decisive

B．modest

C．positive

D．temporary

19.

A．environment

B．industry

C．fashion

D．technology

20.

A．gain

B．owe

C．contribute

D．lend

6 . In 2022, a father and his son set out to begin the first of three legs of the Ironman (铁人三项) competition. Jeff, 59, and son, Johnny, 28, weren’t the typical ________. Johnny is disabled and Jeff would ________ his arms and legs. To ________ the competition, athletes must complete a(n) ________ 140 miles of swimming, bicycling and running within 17 hours.

“I wanted to ________ his dreams,” Jeff said. “I started doing things I never would have dreamt possible.” Finishing the Ironman competition would be another dream come true.

The race began with a 2.4-mile swim in the Choptank River. The ________ completed the swim in 90 minutes, and completed the difficult bike part in eight hours, then set their sights on the ________ leg of the race — a 26.2-mile marathon with Jeff ________ Johnny in the racing chair. They’d been competing for 5 hours, leaving another 3 hours to make their time. But at mile 19, Jeff began to panic, convinced they were going too slow. Somehow he ________ the energy to pick up the pace.

With 15 minutes left and 200 feet to the finish line, Jeff stopped to help Johnny out of his racing chair. In the first decade of his life, Johnny could only walk 23 steps. ________, after years of painstaking work, he ________ his step number and was determined to finish his races on his own. Johnny saw the clock ticking down and ________ they wouldn’t complete it. “Not because I wouldn’t get my moment,” he says, “but because Dad had worked so hard.”

After 16 hours, 55 minutes and 35 seconds — with just four minutes and 25 seconds to ________— father and son crossed the finish line together.

As the crowd cheered on an excited Johnny, a(n) ________ Jeff kept a low profile (保持低调).

“He didn’t want his finish line moment,” says Johnny. “He wanted it to be ________.”

1.

A．competitors

B．coaches

C．leaders

D．experts

2.

A．make up

B．act as

C．work out

D．watch over

3.

A．regard

B．demand

C．start

D．finish

4.

A．familiar

B．easy

C．challenging

D．ordinary

5.

A．ruin

B．achieve

C．dream

D．abandon

6.

A．twins

B．pair

C．team

D．group

7.

A．first

B．final

C．second

D．middle

8.

A．lifting

B．pushing

C．beating

D．kicking

9.

A．sweated

B．carved

C．showed

D．gathered

10.

A．However

B．Instead

C．Therefore

D．Otherwise

11.

A．decreased

B．counted

C．increased

D．changed

12.

A．disappointed

B．delighted

C．worried

D．excited

13.

A．spare

B．save

C．spend

D．scream

14.

A．healthy

B．strong

C．energetic

D．tired

15.

A．his

B．theirs

C．mine

D．yours

7 . My grandparents’ tiny farm is surrounded with rolling hills in Brazil. That’s where they work and _________ coffee fruit. At my grandparents’ home, coffee is usually served sickly sweet and never _________ even in the middle of summer. And we drink the coffee out of little glass cups _________ by the wood stove(炉子).

Although I have _________ the coffee fruit on the trees and watched firsthand as my grandparents spread the fruit onto big, wavy multicolored sheets under the sun to _________, there isn’t a coffee culture there.

I first heard the _________ when I started to work at a cafe that served the tourists, students and professors in Harvard Square, in New York City. I was told that my grandparents’ process for _________ coffee is just one of the many ways to do it. For example, the fruit can be dried in the sun or in a big machine, or washed first. All these _________ can change the way the coffee tastes. I also learned that the fruit from different _________ have different tastes. Mexican coffee tends to be lighter while Vietnamese coffee is __________.

Since then, when I __________ and make my first cup of coffee in the morning, I do it like __________ a sacred ceremony. I know that the fruit has traveled far, and been __________. Someone has probably lost sleep over them when bad __________ was in the forecast(预报). It only feels right for me to make sure to let my brain go blank(空白)and see where it takes me, when I __________ it.

1.

A．buy

B．grow

C．eat

D．hide

2.

A．cooked

B．tasted

C．liked

D．iced

3.

A．unceremoniously

B．anxiously

C．gracefully

D．creatively

4.

A．put

B．tied

C．seen

D．stolen

5.

A．dry

B．cool

C．test

D．weigh

6.

A．speech

B．term

C．song

D．story

7.

A．selling

B．storing

C．preparing

D．saving

8.

A．proposals

B．qualities

C．chemicals

D．methods

9.

A．trees

B．regions

C．homes

D．farmers

10.

A．heavier

B．sweeter

C．saltier

D．hotter

11.

A．lie down

B．set off

C．get up

D．run out

12.

A．witnessing

B．imagining

C．avoiding

D．performing

13.

A．cared for

B．thrown away

C．brought about

D．folded up

14.

A．access

B．impression

C．weather

D．recommendation

15.

A．recognize

B．drink

C．pack

D．transport

8 . Ghanim Al-Muftah was born on 5th May 2002 in Qatar. Due to a rare disease, he was born without legs. He has to go through many operations every year.

At a young age, the boy became a(n) ________ for not just kids but even for adults. In medical cases as serious as his, there are few chances of ________. He showed extraordinary strength and willpower, which not only helped him live a ________ life but helped him go beyond majority of the children of his age.

He is not just a boy who survived a terrible physical disability, but he ________ difficulties and behaved excellently in his life. Ghanim ________ millions of people through his Twitter and Instagram. According to him, social media is a very ________ platform. Social media is what helps him spread his message and ________ the world that disability is simply an excuse for not performing to the full potential.

He is an example for the world and especially for those ________ with physical disabilities. Ghanim did not make his disability an excuse to ________. Rather, he used his weakness to develop a strong ________. A surprising fact about Ghanim is that he is fond of sports and actively ________ in swimming, skateboarding, and ice hockey.

The world can learn a great deal from the young boy. At his young age, he was able to ________

what physically fit individuals fail to achieve in their ________ lives. He is an epitome (典范) of strength and ________ who teaches the world that nothing is big enough to ________ someone from living the life of their dreams.1.

A．defence

B．trick

C．inspiration

D．riddle

2.

A．death

B．survival

C．growth

D．injury

3.

A．busy

B．tough

C．painful

D．normal

4.

A．took out

B．built up

C．got over

D．broke down

5.

A．influences

B．defeats

C．confuses

D．hurts

6.

A．traditional

B．remote

C．important

D．boring

7.

A．shows

B．cheats

C．awakens

D．promotes

8.

A．working

B．struggling

C．cooperating

D．communicating

9.

A．pull up

B．hold on

C．give up

D．move on

10.

A．feeling

B．desire

C．feature

D．personality

11.

A．takes

B．breaks

C．participates

D．throws

12.

A．achieve

B．understand

C．doubt

D．enjoy

13.

A．previous

B．future

C．particular

D．entire

14.

A．health

B．courage

C．strategy

D．image

15.

A．prevent

B．save

C．protect

D．tell

9 . Tobias, a 35-year-old Belgian musician, has become popular on social media for his excellent grasp of the Shanghai dialect. He has been sharing his everyday experiences, which he _______ in Shanghai dialect, on video-sharing and lifestyle _______ Douyin and Xiaohongshu, winning thousands of followers and millions of _______

In the videos, he speaks_______ Shanghai dialect, which many non-locals believe is as difficult to learn and _______ as a foreign language. He talks about walking on the city’s streets, enjoying the food and music, and _______ his daily life in the city. Tobias started shooting and _______ these short videos for his own practice purposes. He didn’t expect so many people would be watching them, following him and sending him _______ and encouragement.

Tobias did not bury his nose in textbooks or _______ intensive study to learn Shanghainese. He said his learning __________ involved getting immersed (沉浸) in a language environment, having a positive attitude, and speaking __________ “without being afraid to make mistakes” . He was not thinking too much when he started learning the Shanghai dialect — it was just for __________.

Tobias said he did not expect he would __________ the promotion of the Shanghai dialect, but it would be an __________ and pleasure if his posts encouraged his followers to learn and pass on the dialect. “I believe a dialect is the heart of a local __________” said the musician.

1.

A．acts

B．delivers

C．competes

D．votes

2.

A．approaches

B．habits

C．platforms

D．communities

3.

A．likes

B．dollars

C．medals

D．chances

4.

A．ancient

B．sweet

C．modern

D．fluent

5.

A．understand

B．write

C．create

D．practise

6.

A．advancing

B．searching

C．recording

D．observing

7.

A．testing

B．reviewing

C．selling

D．posting

8.

A．notes

B．comments

C．reports

D．replies

9.

A．interrupt

B．assess

C．conduct

D．appreciate

10.

A．materials

B．methods

C．objectives

D．resources

11.

A．secretly

B．slowly

C．happily

D．bravely

12.

A．fun

B．work

C．fame

D．show

13.

A．stick to

B．contribute to

C．focus on

D．rely on

14.

A．advantage

B．opportunity

C．honor

D．option

15.

A．authority

B．history

C．custom

D．culture

10 . On a Friday evening in December, I lost my job. That was _________. I was excited about the weekend, when my daughter Kristil and I _________ to get our Christmas tree. Then I listened to my voicemail: “We are sorry, but we decided to _________ you.” I was a single mother and my income was survival. The next day, I struggled to be _________ as I eyed the Christmas tree prices.

Over the next week, I applied for _________ like crazy as my bank account grew smaller. On a weekend afternoon, I dropped Kristil in a _________ community for a birthday party surrounded by all the nice things that we couldn’t _________. I drove home feeling sad.

Back at home, I looked out the window at the heavy snow and _________ a woman opening her car door against the strong wind. As she _________, I realized it was my old teacher, Sister Esther. I rushed out and asked, “What are you doing out in this ____________?” She said, “I looked for you at your ____________ and it was said that you had left, so I thought I would ____________.” I made her tea and we talked. Before leaving, she handed me a Christmas card.

Later on when I opened her card, I was ____________. There was a lot of money inside. Tears of gratitude filled my eyes as I ____________. Sister Esther had given me $1,000. In 2020, at age of 91, Sister Esther died, but the ____________ she gave during her life lives on in my heart.

1.

A．unexpected

B．unfair

C．unavoidable

D．unnecessary

2.

A．forgot

B．refused

C．managed

D．planned

3.

A．judge

B．monitor

C．fire

D．charge

4.

A．encouraged

B．thoughtful

C．surprised

D．cheerful

5.

A．puddings

B．posts

C．shares

D．places

6.

A．small

B．safe

C．wealthy

D．unique

7.

A．remember

B．afford

C．find

D．appreciate

8.

A．spotted

B．felt

C．imagined

D．recognized

9.

A．came in

B．walked away

C．settled down

D．got out

10.

A．business

B．weather

C．room

D．situation

11.

A．company

B．school

C．hotel

D．house

12.

A．call

B．drive

C．visit

D．pay

13.

A．shocked

B．satisfied

C．confused

D．inspired

14.

A．searched

B．counted

C．packed

D．celebrated

15.

A．guidance

B．joy

C．care

D．advice