1 . We moved there on my third birthday. My first ________ is our neighbor Arlene handing me strawberries from her garden through a hole in the chain-link fence. She and her husband, Bill, lived next door.

One day, my parents asked Bill and Arlene whether they’d watch me ________ they were out on a date. This ________ well for everyone, so it became a somewhat monthly occurrence. Arlene and Bill didn’t have kids. They had a ________ room in their house, which became “my” room. I had a cabinet and boxes of toys and books in that room, Arlene and I would do crafts together. Bill taught me how to ________ the lawn tractor and eventually a car (stick and automatic).

When I was about five, I had an idea. My parents were watching TV when I spit it out: “What if I adopt Bill and Arlene as my ________?” My parents said I could go over and ask them. I ________ on Bill and Arlene’s door, sat down in their living room, and said, “Will you guys be my grandparents?” They started crying and ________ accepted. Soon after, they printed out an adoption ________, and it hung on their living room wall from then on.

I remember being surprised that they took my ________ so seriously —not because I wasn’t serious but because I was just a kid. They could have ________ it off. Thinking of that moment still brings tears to my eyes. There is something truly magnificent about a child offering up her love and ________ being so excited to accept it. Every child in this world ________ enthusiastically responded love.

Arlene passed away in 2013, two days before our adoption anniversary. Bill gave her eulogy (悼词). At the end, he said, “Arlene ________ her husband, Bill. And the greatest joy of her life, her granddaughter, Katie.”

After the funeral, Bill gave me the ring he’d gifted to Arlene on their 25th wedding anniversary. It’s a simple gold band that I wear on my ring finger as a ________ of the kind of love I wish to put into this world.

1.

A．thought

B．impression

C．memory

D．communication

2.

A．while

B．though

C．unless

D．because

3.

A．improved

B．worked

C．performed

D．operated

4.

A．private

B．spare

C．public

D．smooth

5.

A．drive

B．build

C．store

D．selected

6.

A．relations

B．friends

C．children

D．grandparents

7.

A．observed

B．called

C．knocked

D．stroke

8.

A．enthusiastically

B．reluctantly

C．voluntarily

D．unwillingly

9.

A．innovation

B．equation

C．certificate

D．manuscript

10.

A．charge

B．offer

C．sentence

D．favor

11.

A．kicked

B．laughed

C．kept

D．wiped

12.

A．people

B．parents

C．adults

D．friends

13.

A．refuses

B．hopes

C．receives

D．deserves

14.

A．leaves behind

B．counts on

C．gives away

D．tells off

15.

A．reminder

B．suggestion

C．proof

D．present

2 . Jimmy is an automotive mechanic, but he lost his job a few months ago. He has good _________, but always feared applying for a new job.

One day, he gathered up all his _________ and decided to attend a job interview. His _________ was at 10 am and it was already 8:30. While waiting for a bus to the office where he was supposed to be interviewed, he saw an _________ man wildly kicking the tire of his car. _________ there was something wrong with the car. Jimmy immediately went up to lend him a hand. When Jimmy finished _________ the car, the old man asked him how much he should pay for the _________. Jimmy said there was no need to pay him; he just helped someone _________, and he had to _________ for an interview. Then the old man said, “Well, I could take you to the office for your interview. It’s the __________ I could do. Please. I insist.” Jimmy __________.

Upon arrival, Jimmy found a long line of __________ waiting to be interviewed. Jimmy still had some grease (油垢) on him after the car __________, but he did not have much time to wash it off or have a change of shirt. One by one, the applicants left the interviewer’s office with __________ look on their faces. Finally, his name was called. The interviewer was sitting on a large chair facing the office window. __________ the chair back and forth, he asked, “Do you really need to be interviewed?” Jimmy’s heart __________. “With the way I look now, how could I __________ pass this interview?” he thought to himself.

Then the interviewer __________ the chair and to Jimmy’s surprise, it was the old man he helped earlier in the morning. It turned out he was the General Manager of the company.

“Sorry I had to keep you waiting, but I was pretty sure I made the right decision to have you as part of our workforce __________ you even stepped into the office. I just know you’d be a trustworthy worker. __________!” Jimmy sat down and they shared a cup of well-deserved coffee as he landed himself a new job.

1.

A．task

B．body

C．mind

D．heart

2.

A．money

B．time

C．strength

D．information

3.

A．appointment

B．plan

C．presence

D．job

4.

A．elderly

B．impolite

C．foolish

D．violent

5.

A．actually

B．surprisingly

C．obviously

D．strangely

6.

A．looking at

B．checking out

C．driving away

D．working on

7.

A．action

B．service

C．performance

D．behaviour

8.

A．for fun

B．for reward

C．in anger

D．in need

9.

A．rush

B．apply

C．prepare

D．pay

10.

A．best

B．last

C．least

D．most

11.

A．hesitated

B．agreed

C．refused

D．smiled

12.

A．applicants

B．interviewers

C．customers

D．engineers

13.

A．wash

B．examination

C．crash

D．repair

14.

A．confused

B．confident

C．disappointed

D．satisfied

15.

A．Taking

B．Rocking

C．Holding

D．Trembling

16.

A．broke

B．stopped

C．beat

D．sank

17.

A．likely

B．possibly

C．happily

D．merely

18.

A．turned

B．removed

C．showed

D．removed

19.

A．after

B．when

C．before

D．once

20.

A．Cheers

B．Congratulations

C．My pleasure

D．Lucky you

4 . There once was a king in a faraway country. One day, he decided to ____ a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of____ . So many artists _____. At last, the king looked at all the pictures. ____there were only two he really liked, and he had to ____between them.

One picture was of a ____ lake. The lake was a perfect mirror with peaceful huge mountains all around it. Above was a ____ sky with light white clouds. All who ____ this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had ____ , too. But these were not peaceful at all. Above was an ____sky. Rain fell heavily and lightning played ____. Down the side of the mountain was a waterfall with loud sound. This did not look ____ at all.   But when the king looked ____, he saw a tiny tree ____ in the rock behind the waterfall. In the tree a mother bird had ____ her nest. There, with the current of angry water, the mother bird was ____ her hungry children in the nest, taking no attention to its ____ surroundings --in perfect peace.

Which picture do you think ____ the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

“Because,” said the king. “Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no ____, trouble or hard work. Peace means although you are surrounded by noisy things you ____keep calm in the heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”1.

A．take

B．send

C．offer

D．leave

2.

A．honesty

B．silence

C．beauty

D．peace

3.

A．tried

B．managed

C．succeeded

D．went

4.

A．And

B．Or

C．But

D．Yet

5.

A．choose

B．like

C．give

D．need

6.

A．beautiful

B．noisy

C．calm

D．dirty

7.

A．black

B．gray

C．blue

D．dark

8.

A．liked

B．saw

C．painted

D．had

9.

A．mirror

B．peace

C．mountains

D．clouds

10.

A．gentle

B．sunny

C．calm

D．angry

11.

A．slowly

B．gently

C．wildly

D．happily

12.

A．noisy

B．peaceful

C．happy

D．beautiful

13.

A．seriously

B．strictly

C．quickly

D．closely

14.

A．planting

B．rising

C．growing

D．coming

15.

A．built

B．created

C．left

D．lain

16.

A．beating

B．touching

C．speaking

D．feeding

17.

A．silent

B．noisy

C．beautiful

D．faraway

18.

A．want

B．lost

C．received

D．won

19.

A．noise

B．silence

C．shock

D．joy

20.

A．just

B．again

C．even

D．still

5 . It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s came to the hospital. I heard him saying to the nurse that he was in a hurry for all appointment(约会)at 9:30. The nurse had him take a _______ in the waiting area,_______ him it would be at least 40 minutes_________someone would be able to see him. I saw him_______his watch and decided, since I was_______busy—my patient didn’t_______ at the appointed hour, I would examine his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment. The gentleman said no and told me that he_______to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his_________. He told me that she had been_________for a while and that she had a special disease. I asked if she would be____________if he was a bit late. He replied that she __________ knew who he was, that she had not been able to __________ him for five years now. I was____________, and asked him, “And you__________go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?” He smiled and said. “She doesn’t know me but I know who she is”. I had to hold back __________ as he left.            

Now I __________ that in marriages, true love is____________of all that is. The happiest people don’t__________have the best of everything, they just__________the best of everything they have. ____________isn’t about how to live through the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

1.

A．breath

B．test

C．seat

D．break

2.

A．persuading

B．promising

C．understanding

D．telling

3.

A．if

B．before

C．since

D．after

4.

A．taking off

B．fixing

C．looking at

D．winding

5.

A．very

B．also

C．seldom

D．not

6.

A．turn up

B．show off

C．come on

D．go away

7.

A．needed

B．forgot

C．agreed

D．happened

8.

A．daughter

B．wife

C．mother

D．sister

9.

A．late

B．well

C．around

D．there

10.

A．lonely

B．worried

C．doubtful

D．hungry

11.

A．so far

B．neither

C．no longer

D．already

12.

A．recognize

B．answer

C．believe

D．expect

13.

A．moved

B．disappointed

C．surprised

D．satisfied

14.

A．only

B．then

C．thus

D．still

15.

A．curiosity

B．tears

C．words

D．judgment

16.

A．realize

B．suggest

C．hope

D．prove

17.

A．agreement

B．expression

C．acceptance

D．exhibition

18.

A．necessarily

B．completely

C．naturally

D．frequently

19.

A．learn

B．make

C．favor

D．try

20.

A．Adventure

B．Beauty

C．Trust

D．Life

6 . The expression, “Everybody’s doing it,” is very much at the center of the concept of peer pressure. It is a social influence applied on an individual in order to get that person to act or believe in a(n) ______ way as a larger group. This influence can be negative or positive, and can exist in both large and small groups.

People are social creatures by nature, and so it is hardly ______ that some part of their self-respect comes from the approval of others. This instinct explains why the approval of peers, and the fear of ______, is such a powerful force in many people’s lives. This instinct drives people to dress one way at home and another way at work, or to answer a simple “fine” when a stranger asks “How are you?” even if it is not necessarily true. There is a(n) ______ aspect to this: It helps society to function efficiently, and encourages a general level of self-discipline that ______ day-to-day interaction between people.

For certain individuals, seeking social acceptance is so important that it becomes a(n) ______: in order to satisfy the desire, they may go so far as to ______ their sense of right and wrong. Teens and young adults may feel forced to use drugs, or join gangs that _______criminal behavior. Mature adults may sometimes feel ______ to cover up illegal activity at the company where they work, or end up in debt because they are unable to hold back the desire to buy a house or car that they can’t afford in an effort to ______ the peers.

However, peer pressure is not always negative. A student whose friends are good at contests may be ________ to work harder and get good grades. Players on a sports team may feel driven to play harder in order to help the team win. This type of ______ can also get a friend off drugs, or to help an adult take up a good habit or drop a bad one.

Although peer pressure is sometimes quite obvious, it can also be so ______ that a person may not even notice that it is affecting his or her behavior. For this reason, when making important decisions, simply going with a(n) ______ is risky. Instead, people should seriously consider why they feel drawn to taking a particular action, and whether the real ______ is simply that everyone else is doing the same thing.

1.

A．traditional

B．similar

C．peculiar

D．opposite

2.

A．understandable

B．believable

C．acceptable

D．surprising

3.

A．disapproval

B．failure

C．absence

D．independence

4.

A．uncertain

B．practical

C．impossible

D．vague

5.

A．promotes

B．prevents

C．simplifies

D．increases

6.

A．challenge

B．inspiration

C．promise

D．addiction

7.

A．recognize

B．abandon

C．decrease

D．define

8.

A．avoid

B．encourage

C．decline

D．punish

9.

A．pressured

B．respected

C．delighted

D．regretted

10.

A．catch sight of

B．stay away from

C．make fun of

D．keep up with

11.

A．taught

B．argued

C．urged

D．adapted

12.

A．knowledge

B．interest

C．assistance

D．influence

13.

A．specific

B．ridiculous

C．subtle

D．reasonable

14.

A．consciousness

B．motivation

C．instinct

D．encouragement

15.

A．motivation

B．danger

C．support

D．achievement

7 . Steve was a seventh grader, a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a 12-year-old. Yet, he went unnoticed — he had been________ every examination since first grade — until Miss Wilma.

In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was________ for basic skills.

“You all did pretty well,” Miss Wilma told the class after going over the________ except for one boy. And it________ my heart to tell you this, but…” she________ , “the smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class.” Steve________ his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.

After that, Steve still wouldn’t do his homework. Even if Miss Wilma________ punished him, he remained________ .     

“Steve, please! I care about you!”________ , Steve got it! “Someone CARES ABOUT ME?!”

One Monday a couple of weeks later, Miss Wilma gave a________ on the weekend homework. Steve________ through the test and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of________ , Miss Wilma took his paper and began to look it over.

Miss Wilma’s face was in________ shock! She glanced up at Steve, then________ , then up. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!

From that moment, nothing was the same for Steve. He discovered that not only could he remember and understand________ , but he could translate what he learned into his life. He became________ . After high school, Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a(n)________military career. During his naval years, he inspired many young people who might not have________ themselves without him. A________ took place within the heart of a boy all because of one teacher, who________ .

1.

A．missing

B．failing

C．passing

D．skipping

2.

A．tested

B．classified

C．separated

D．dismissed

3.

A．questions

B．effects

C．lessons

D．results

4.

A．fills

B．presses

C．breaks

D．destroys

5.

A．shouted

B．hesitated

C．interrupted

D．laughed

6.

A．dropped

B．raised

C．covered

D．closed

7.

A．strangely

B．steadily

C．severely

D．secretly

8.

A．helpless

B．stubborn

C．flexible

D．crazy

9.

A．Commonly

B．Unwillingly

C．Particularly

D．Suddenly

10.

A．quiz

B．chance

C．speech

D．presentation

11.

A．slept

B．looked

C．lived

D．hurried

12.

A．disappointment

B．surprise

C．satisfaction

D．inspiration

13.

A．better

B．total

C．precious

D．ridiculous

14.

A．down

B．away

C．out

D．back

15.

A．homework

B．grades

C．knowledge

D．subjects

16.

A．outstanding

B．lazy

C．rough

D．troublesome

17.

A．tiring

B．ordinary

C．hardworking

D．successful

18.

A．relied on

B．looked after

C．believed in

D．turned to

19.

A．competition

B．choice

C．change

D．campaign

20.

A．waited

B．listened

C．wished

D．cared

8 . I was said to be the worst student in my class and my family thought I was hopeless. I had to _______ sixth grade. At that time a new teacher, Miss Sadia, came to our school.

One day after class, she _______ that I was staying alone during the lunch break. She came to me and began to talk to me. It was just a _______ conversation. After that day, she gave me particular _______ and it made me feel special. I started to work hard because she gave me the feeling that _______ believed me. So my _______ started to improve in her subject.

Months later, she moved into a house near my _______. We would walk home together after school. Her constant support helped me, _______ in my studies. I knew she would _______ my grades both in her subject and the other subjects. So I tried my best and finally ________ second in my class.

Then, after sixth grade, she started to drift apart(逐渐疏远) ________ still kept a constant check on me. By the time I was in seventh grade, we ________ spoke. But by then I had become the ________ in my class. When I left school, I lost ________ with her. As she never answered the ________ when I called her.

Then I graduated and went to a good university. One fine day, our paths ________ again. I met her at a wedding. I could not ________ asking her, “Why did you stop talking to me?”

“Yon are a clever boy. I wanted you to be a tree ________ on your own roots, not depending on others. Now here you are and I feel ________ of you. You are your inspiration and do not need to ________ a shoulder,” she said. I could not say anything, but I smiled. I’ll always thank her.

1.

A．jump

B．attend

C．copy

D．repeat

2.

A．heard

B．noticed

C．agreed

D．disliked

3.

A．stupid

B．useless

C．normal

D．secret

4.

A．attention

B．invitation

C．explanation

D．examination

5.

A．everyone

B．someone

C．anyone

D．nobody

6.

A．words

B．things

C．classes

D．grades

7.

A．home

B．school

C．hotel

D．company

8.

A．generally

B．actually

C．especially

D．usually

9.

A．change

B．look

C．improve

D．check

10.

A．received

B．came

C．caught

D．held

11.

A．but

B．as

C．or

D．so

12.

A．ever

B．often

C．once

D．hardly

13.

A．oldest

B．strongest

C．best

D．cleverest

14.

A．touch

B．heart

C．face

D．weight

15.

A．letter

B．e-mail

C．phone

D．machine

16.

A．missed

B．stopped

C．added

D．crossed

17.

A．finish

B．help

C．prevent

D．keep

18.

A．standing

B．flying

C．growing

D．sitting

19.

A．sad

B．proud

C．good

D．ashamed

20.

A．set down

B．go through

C．look for

D．give in

9 . Every time I passed boys who were playing basketball, I stopped to silently watch them. I really envied them. But as a girl, I once thought that I could _______ play basketball.

I like playing basketball though I’m not good at it. I’ve had a basketball _______ I was a child. At first, I could play freely because no one _______ when I was just a kid. But as I grew up it seemed harder for me to enjoy basketball. At school, boys always played basketball during PE classes. The girls were _______ allowed to play volleyball or badminton. My parents did not _______ me play basketball at home.

“Basketball is not fit for girls,” they said. _______ I went to play basketball with my friends, boys _______ at me on the court as if I were an alien. I was feeling _______ and had lost hope of playing basketball. _______, something changed the first day of high school. I made some friends who also enjoyed playing basketball. They ________ me to get back on the court.

One of them told me with a smile, “Go your own ________, let others talk.” This girl would always play basketball with me. Even the boy who sat next to me in class talked about ________ with me almost every day.

I was inspired by them. Confidence and passion ________ to my heart. I will play as well as I can, ________ for me, even the sky is boundless (无限的).

Basketball has become an important part of my ________. I am interested in it. I watch matches and enjoy playing almost every day. Through basketball, I not only feel happy and confident, but also ________ a lot.

I’ve heard the NBA star Tracy McGrady say, “Nothing is impossible.” I have ________ to realize that life is just like playing basketball. You should have an ________. After that, just be confident and ________ going. Never give up and you’ll make it sooner or later.

I love the motto of the NBA. It can ________ my strong feelings for basketball, “I love this game!”

1.

A．ever

B．often

C．never

D．always

2.

A．until

B．before

C．after

D．since

3.

A．tried

B．cared

C．enjoyed

D．joined

4.

A．only

B．almost

C．hardly

D．not

5.

A．refuse

B．dislike

C．let

D．invite

6.

A．Still

B．Yet

C．Just

D．Even

7.

A．looked

B．heard

C．settled

D．stared

8.

A．happy

B．down

C．excited

D．satisfied

9.

A．Unluckily

B．Naturally

C．Unexpectedly

D．Clearly

10.

A．encouraged

B．suffered

C．devoted

D．requested

11.

A．vote

B．way

C．business

D．reward

12.

A．basketball

B．homework

C．interests

D．dreams

13.

A．stuck

B．referred

C．turned

D．returned

14.

A．but

B．though

C．and

D．however

15.

A．wish

B．life

C．work

D．study

16.

A．bring

B．borrow

C．learn

D．play

17.

A．come

B．turned

C．refused

D．happened

18.

A．idea

B．aim

C．opinion

D．effort

19.

A．want

B．stop

C．keep

D．make

20.

A．inform

B．connect

C．ignore

D．express

10 . Lily was a French Canadian girl who grew up in the farming community. When she was sixteen, her father_________her to drop out of school to contribute to the family income. With English as her second language and_________education, the_________didn’t look bright for Lily.

Lily’s father was a stubborn man who_________took “no” for an answer. He_________Lily to find a job. With small hope of gaining_________,each day she would just ride to the city, walk_________around and return home at dusk. On one of her_________,Lily saw a sign at a big company._________she knocked on the very first door. In her__________English, Lily told the office manager she was interested in this position. The manager____________to give the girl a chance. He directed her to type a letter, and then____________. Lily looked at the clock and saw it was 11:40 am. She thought everyone would be leaving for____________at noon, when she could____________away in the crowd. But she knew she should____________the letter.

On her first try, Lily____________one line of five words and made four mistakes. When she attempted the letter on her second try, she completed a full paragraph, but still made many mistakes. She looked at the clock:11:55—five minutes to____________. Just then, the manager walked in. He came directly to Lily, read the letter and said, “Lily you’re doing____________work!”

With those simple words of encouragement, her desire to escape disappeared and her____________began to grow.

Lily thought, “Well, if he thinks it’s good, then it must be good. I think I’ll stay!” Lily did stay—all because someone had given the____________and uncertain girl the gift of self-confidence when she knocked on the door.

1.

A．forced

B．let

C．encouraged

D．helped

2.

A．poor

B．formal

C．good

D．modern

3.

A．advice

B．promise

C．future

D．change

4.

A．always

B．usually

C．sometimes

D．rarely

5.

A．invited

B．told

C．allowed

D．begged

6.

A．one

B．it

C．that

D．the one

7.

A．carefully

B．happily

C．aimlessly

D．rapidly

8.

A．steps

B．trips

C．purposes

D．choices

9.

A．Slowly

B．Proudly

C．Calmly

D．Cautiously

10.

A．broken

B．perfect

C．written

D．fluent

11.

A．refused

B．decided

C．pretended

D．failed

12.

A．stopped

B．continued

C．left

D．sighed

13.

A．lunch

B．life

C．fun

D．luck

14.

A．break

B．run

C．pass

D．drive

15.

A．read

B．write

C．attempt

D．deliver

16.

A．looked through

B．picked up

C．gave away

D．got through

17.

A．success

B．freedom

C．discussion

D．reward

18.

A．terrible

B．excellent

C．honest

D．easy

19.

A．belief

B．patience

C．confidence

D．strength

20.

A．shy

B．generous

C．selfless

D．warm-hearted