1 . In 2001, I participated in an expedition to explore the Titanic. Our team used two small deep-sea robots, one blue and one green. My _______ was to ensure the robots’ batteries worked well.

Unfortunately, the green robot _______ a problem on the third day of this ambitious adventure. It got _______ inside the Titanic. Even worse, one of its batteries was damaged. That was _______, as the battery could explode. It could harm the robot and the ship. We had to find a way to get it out.

In the middle of the vast ocean, though, there are no stores to buy _______ . So, we had an idea. We took a coat hanger and put it inside the blue robot. The _______ was to use the hanger’s hook to pull out the green robot.

Accompanied by two fellow crew members, I prepared to go down in a three-man submarine (潜水艇). A machine lifted us and placed us in the _______. Then we started to _______ — 12,500 feet to the ocean floor.

At about 9,000 feet, a crewmate _______ touched some wires. Suddenly, all the submarine’s lights went out. We were in complete ________. It was terrifying, but the skilled pilot swiftly fixed it , and we ________ our journey.

Finally, upon reaching the site, we were ________ by a solemn (庄严的) scene where we started to see suitcases and shoes, serving as ________ reminders of the tragic events. For approximately 12 hours, we managed to ________ the trapped robot with the coat hanger. There was no way we were going to leave it behind — that little robot was part of our ________.

1.

A．interest

B．job

C．attitude

D．achievement

2.

A．understood

B．avoided

C．encountered

D．addressed

3.

A．misled

B．upgraded

C．lost

D．stuck

4.

A．dangerous

B．confusing

C．embarrassing

D．unreliable

5.

A．instructions

B．phones

C．weapons

D．supplies

6.

A．plan

B．question

C．message

D．note

7.

A．ship

B．robot

C．air

D．water

8.

A．swim

B．work

C．sink

D．float

9.

A．intentionally

B．accidentally

C．carefully

D．frequently

10.

A．loneliness

B．tiredness

C．darkness

D．annoyance

11.

A．gave up

B．carried on

C．paid for

D．put off

12.

A．challenged

B．beaten

C．greeted

D．motivated

13.

A．silent

B．temporary

C．friendly

D．comforting

14.

A．destroy

B．free

C．observe

D．repair

15.

A．journey

B．life

C．career

D．team

2 . Even to this day, I still remember the very moment when I waved my ping-pong paddle for the first time. With all the excitement and happiness, I actually felt slightly _________ because I should have fallen in love with it much earlier!

My interest in ping-pong began at the end of _________ school. At that time, I originally intended to _________ this sport to kill time during my boring summer holiday. Never could I imagine that it would end up as a _________ in my life. It captured my heart. With practice, my ping-pong _________ improved, but I soon found that no one wanted to play with me any more.

I turned to my coach who _________ me to a sports center for the elderly organized by a university. It's pretty odd being the _________ boy playing with a crowd of old people. But the gap in age _________ as soon as we lifted our paddles and put our focus on the tiny ball.

The _________ made me realize that what I had learned so far was like a drop in the ocean.__________, this made me enthusiastic to learn more. I firmly believe I was lucky enough to have supportive parents and a __________ coach. At that time, I was fully occupied by endless homework and exams in order to get __________ to a senior high that I desired. It was ping-pong that __________ me out of the hustle and bustle（忙忙碌碌） of life, and it was my coach who __________ me to taste the simple pleasure hiding under all the annoyance. I have to admit the tiny ping pong ball changed my life. I am convinced that my __________ will continue to drive me in future!

1.

A．embarrassed

B．surprised

C．grateful

D．regretful

2.

A．senior

B．junior

C．primary

D．evening

3.

A．take up

B．take down

C．take off

D．take in

4.

A．nuisance

B．priority

C．nightmare

D．major

5.

A．scores

B．skills

C．courses

D．paddles

6.

A．introduced

B．forbade

C．begged

D．forced

7.

A．oldest

B．youngest

C．bravest

D．tallest

8.

A．appeared

B．emerged

C．faded

D．enlarged

9.

A．organization

B．competition

C．experience

D．existence

10.

A．Additionally

B．Occasionally

C．Furthermore

D．Nevertheless

11.

A．generous

B．mean

C．demanding

D．stubborn

12.

A．admitted

B．recommended

C．promoted

D．invited

13.

A．protected

B．prevented

C．dragged

D．controlled

14.

A．charged

B．ordered

C．cheated

D．encouraged

15.

A．depression

B．passion

C．exhaustion

D．expectation

3 . Nick was troubled and aimless. Then one night, everything changed.

At first, it was just faint light as Nick drove past a two-story house. Then he realized the house was on fire. He immediately pulled up to investigate. _________ was climbing up the front porch. Hurrying out of the _________, he yelled, “Help, fire!” A car drove past and Nick tried to _________ it to stop, but in vain.

He ran to the back door, sure it would be _________. To his amazement, it swung open. Without _________, Nick ran inside, peering into rooms to see if anyone was home. He had just started climbing when he _________ and saw four faces emerge at the top of the stairs. After Nick’s warning, they came pouring down and rushed out.

“Anybody else in there?” Nick asked. When told a 6-year-old was still in, he ran back. By now, thewhole house was in flames. The smell was _________. The smoke was thick. He lifted his T-shirt to cover his mouth and nose. As he hesitated, he heard the kid crying _________. Nick stumbled into the blackness, _________ on smoke. His __________ stayed alert as he moved toward the sound. Then suddenly the kid was in front of him and Nick quickly grabbed her into his arms. The flames were __________ even closer. Nick took a few steps __________ and threw himself out of the window. Outside, the firefighters had arrived. He handed over the girl — crying, but miraculously uninjured __________ a cut on her arm — before collapsing on the sidewalk.

Nick’s burns have mostly healed, but other changes have been far greater. As news about his __________ spread, a GoFundMe account for his hospital bills exploded, reaching $600, 000. “It somehow feels like both a near-death experience and a __________.” Nick said.

1.

A．Air

B．Water

C．Mist

D．Smoke

2.

A．vehicle

B．house

C．bay

D．fire

3.

A．signal

B．put

C．break

D．take

4.

A．frozen

B．locked

C．wrapped

D．melted

5.

A．delay

B．interruption

C．motion

D．sympathy

6.

A．looked up

B．got up

C．looked down

D．got down

7.

A．dizzy

B．pleasant

C．intense

D．bitter

8.

A．desperately

B．patiently

C．tightly

D．precisely

9.

A．hesitating

B．spraining

C．collapsing

D．choking

10.

A．ankles

B．throats

C．ears

D．fists

11.

A．inching

B．skipping

C．sinking

D．fading

12.

A．forward

B．downward

C．upward

D．backward

13.

A．due to

B．instead of

C．as for

D．apart from

14.

A．realism

B．heroism

C．criticism

D．pessimism

15.

A．recovery

B．reputation

C．rebirth

D．reform

4 . Running marathons is quite a challenge. Yet for Simon Wheatcroft, who ______ his sight at 18, there’s an extra difficulty. However, Simon, now 29, has not only been ______ in marathons for the past two years with the help of ______ runners but has also learned to run alone outdoors.

Simon’s unique ______ involved slowly memorizing a five-kilometre route by repeatedly walking it alone. He used a smartphone app that ______ audio feedback on his pace and distance. It helped him build a mental map of the route and its ______. “I did make a few ______ early on — like running into posts. But I’m going to ______ where that is next time,” he laughs.

At first running was a challenge that required great ______ for Simon. However, it has now become more natural for him. Compared with most runners, he ______ his running style to be more cautious, using shorter and more careful steps to sense the surroundings.

Despite risks of ______ obstacles, Simon values the freedom and ______ running gives him. He believes what he gets from running alone far outweigh any dangers, which has ______ his confidence and provided inspiration to others.

But for Simon the real motivation for his training come from simply ______ competition, giving him an ______ to run with everyone. “I can’t hide the fact I’m blind,” he says, “but meanwhile I would rather compete with everybody else and not be put into a special group.”

1.

A．caught

B．kept

C．set

D．lost

2.

A．competing

B．learning

C．running

D．working

3.

A．volunteer

B．guide

C．competitor

D．top

4.

A．difficulty

B．advantage

C．approach

D．concern

5.

A．provided

B．recorded

C．analyzed

D．received

6.

A．features

B．highlights

C．obstacles

D．landmarks

7.

A．adventures

B．mistakes

C．trips

D．points

8.

A．come across

B．figure out

C．walk into

D．map out

9.

A．concentration

B．ability

C．memory

D．determination

10.

A．recognized

B．adapted

C．described

D．developed

11.

A．dangerous

B．physical

C．unexpected

D．mental

12.

A．independence

B．motivation

C．happiness

D．strength

13.

A．shown

B．developed

C．won

D．shaken

14.

A．fierce

B．friendly

C．casual

D．equal

15.

A．advantage

B．inspiration

C．opportunity

D．objective

5 . One day a small gap appeared in the cocoon (茧), through which the butterfly would come out. A boy, who _______ passed by, stopped and watched how the butterfly was trying to _________ of the cocoon. It _________ several hours. The butterfly was trying very hard, but the _________ was as little as before. It seemed that the power would _______ the butterfly soon.

The boy decided to _________ the butterfly. He took a penknife and cut the cocoon. The butterfly immediately came out, but it was very small and _________, and the wings were _________ moving.

The boy continued to _________ the butterfly, thinking that now its wings would __________ and it would fly. ________, that did not happen.

The rest of its life the butterfly had to drag its weak body and wings that wouldn’t unfold. It was unable to fly because the boy did not realize that a(an) __________ to force itself through the narrow gap of the cocoon was __________ for the butterfly, so that the life-giving fluid would move from the body to the butterfly’s wings and that the butterfly could fly. Life forced the butterfly to leave its shell so hard that it would gain the ________ to grow and develop.

Just like the butterfly, if we were allowed to live without meeting difficulties, we would not survive. Life gives us __________ to make us braver and stronger.

1.

A．independently

B．joyfully

C．accidentally

D．absolutely

2.

A．give out

B．get out

C．work out

D．take out

3.

A．saved

B．wasted

C．lost

D．took

4.

A．entry

B．escape

C．gap

D．vigour

5.

A．leave

B．trip

C．leap

D．settle

6.

A．check

B．help

C．move

D．cure

7.

A．neat

B．scared

C．soft

D．weak

8.

A．barely

B．slowly

C．suddenly

D．sharply

9.

A．tend

B．restore

C．defend

D．observe

10.

A．divide

B．perform

C．spread

D．gather

11.

A．Thus

B．Instead

C．However

D．Meanwhile

12.

A．talent

B．effort

C．motivation

D．approach

13.

A．essential

B．rewarding

C．flexible

D．cruel

14.

A．fortune

B．assistance

C．guidance

D．power

15.

A．challenges

B．accidents

C．chaos

D．restrictions

6 . Methane (甲烷) is a greenhouse gas. Over 20 years it has over 80 times the planet-cooking power of carbon dioxide, and is _________ for nearly 45%of warming today. Because methane is the main _________ of natural gas, much of man-made emissions comes from the energy industry. Yet because it is short-lived, controlling methane offers the world its best possible chance for _________ progress against climate change.

As COP28, the UN’s climate summit, gets _________ in Dubai, it is greatly encouraging, therefore, that the chances of such a deal on methane are good. Negotiators must _________ at a rare opportunity to strike one.

The reason a deal looks possible is that the politics are promising in all the biggest markets. China has recently announced that it will start including methane in its national climate plans. America will soon finalize regulations to _________ methane emissions from its huge oil and gas sector, including measures that cover leaky pipelines and storage. And the European Union has also agreed on tough methane standards, covering both domestic sources and _________ fossil fuels.

_________ are helping, too. A range of new technologies for monitoring methane will help _________ large sources of emissions from the energy industry. Because oil and gas firms can often sell methane (rather than wastefully burning or releasing it), many investment s to avoid __________ will pay for themselves. Most firms do not invest because of the trouble, higher returns on other projects, or wells’ distance from consumers. Whatever the reason, they suffer no __________ for adding needlessly to global warming.

Since green-washing, the process of conveying a false impression about how some products or measures are environmentally sound, is quite common, if a global methane deal is to be more than that, __________, it will need rigour (缜密). Methane-control seemed to __________ at the UN climate summit in Glasgow two years ago, when negotiators __________ came up with a proposal to cut emissions by 30% by 2030．Yet the deal was voluntary, and had no enforcement mechanisms (机制); emissions have since __________. An agreement this time round must link promises to national climate plans and, crucially, to domestic enforcement mechanisms.

1.

A．powerful

B．noticeable

C．responsible

D．possible

2.

A．cause

B．ingredient

C．agent

D．consequence

3.

A．quick

B．economic

C．original

D．national

4.

A．under way

B．in the making

C．on board

D．to the point

5.

A．stare

B．point

C．come

D．leap

6.

A．increase

B．stabilize

C．reduce

D．balance

7.

A．imported

B．localized

C．exported

D．globalized

8.

A．Revolutions

B．Evolutions

C．Resolutions

D．Innovations

9.

A．create

B．activate

C．decrease

D．spot

10.

A．disasters

B．delays

C．emissions

D．examinations

11.

A．loss

B．punishment

C．abuse

D．defeat

12.

A．however

B．therefore

C．further

D．once

13.

A．pay off

B．make out

C．run out

D．take off

14.

A．noisily

B．admittedly

C．reluctantly

D．accidentally

15.

A．declined

B．disappeared

C．swung

D．risen

7 . My writing career began at the age of ten. That year, my mother gave me my first journal to help me deal with the ______ of my grandmother's death. In many ways, my grandmother was the ______ behind my own writing career.

When she was alive, my grandmother had ______ much emotional pain, but she also knew that writing was her key to ______ . While growing up in Galicia, Poland, during World War I, she ______ both her parents, and then had to care for herself and her eight-year-old sister. She found solace (慰藉) in journal writing.

Many years after her death, I ______ her journal and read every word. The void (空虚感) she had left in my life became stronger as the years progressed and I had my own health issues to ______ , such as being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 47. My ______ caused me to write down my grandmother's life story, based

on the ______ of her journal. Although at times the writing was ______ , it did bring me close to her once again and help me more ______ understand her many hardships.

Keeping journals has helped me ______ emotionally. Whether you're ______ by change, loss or pain, finding the time to write is ______ to the healing process. So why not ______ your pen and write down whatever comes to your mind?

1.

A．secret

B．reason

C．suffering

D．place

2.

A．idea

B．inspiration

C．tip

D．instruction

3.

A．described

B．studied

C．forgotten

D．experienced

4.

A．existence

B．education

C．survival

D．dream

5.

A．lost

B．missed

C．left

D．loved

6.

A．picked up

B．came across

C．took away

D．gave back

7.

A．display

B．make

C．explain

D．handle

8.

A．job

B．failure

C．illness

D．confusion

9.

A．contents

B．suggestions

C．demands

D．pages

10.

A．scary

B．painful

C．vital

D．great

11.

A．happily

B．nearly

C．exactly

D．clearly

12.

A．respond

B．succeed

C．struggle

D．recover

13.

A．tracked

B．affected

C．injured

D．punished

14.

A．important

B．close

C．equal

D．related

15.

A．borrow

B．purchase

C．grab

D．throw

8 . I grew up in Kazakhstan. Before I moved to America, I never expected that I would experience a culture shock.

The first thing that ________ me was how Americans tend to be very ________. They will start a ________ with passengers on the bus and say hello to strangers on the street. Americans become friends first and build up ________ later. However, for Kazakhs, they have to ________ that someone is good and honest before having a harmonious ________. That’s why at first we may appear ________ because we have to know someone in order to ________ them, but once we do, we are very warm people.

Another aspect of American culture that I found different from my culture was a sense of ________ and personal space. Americans feel ________ when others stand too close. In America when friends greet, they shake hands or give a short hug and immediately step aside to have some ________ for conversation. Also, Americans do not ________ to be asked their age, weight, or personal matters. In Kazakhstan we greet each other with a hug and a kiss and personal space is not a ________. Kazakhs would rather speak sitting or walking quite close to each other. Moreover, it is ________ to ask about someone’s age or weight.

Part of the excitement of living in a new culture is knowing how it differs from your own culture. By learning to ________ the culture of another country, we become more open-minded.

1.

A．encouraged

B．confused

C．annoyed

D．inspired

2.

A．curious

B．honest

C．friendly

D．careful

3.

A．speech

B．fight

C．business

D．chat

4.

A．trust

B．confidence

C．support

D．strength

5.

A．announce

B．promise

C．believe

D．explain

6.

A．environment

B．balance

C．match

D．relationship

7.

A．cold

B．surprised

C．irresponsible

D．emotional

8.

A．catch up with

B．open up to

C．take notice of

D．look up to

9.

A．adventure

B．authority

C．privacy

D．belonging

10.

A．sorry

B．worthless

C．shocked

D．uncomfortable

11.

A．preparation

B．distance

C．chance

D．advice

12.

A．like

B．care

C．wait

D．need

13.

A．cause

B．test

C．lesson

D．choice

14.

A．normal

B．necessary

C．difficult

D．possible

15.

A．change

B．understand

C．describe

D．celebrate

9 . Praying for Bea

I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night with Bea on my mind. I could not seem to _________ her name or her face from my thoughts so I decided to pray for her. I had no idea why but I knew that I should pray.

Bea had been my son’s _________ writing teacher three years earlier. We were just acquaintances (相识). I didn’t understand why I had such a strong _________ to pray for her.

The next morning, I had my usual Bible study group to _________. It was at the church where my son had attended kindergarten.

When I arrived early and entered the meeting room, a friend called out to me to see this woman who had to decide whether or not to _________ a heart transplant. She needed it badly, but her husband had just _________ and she worried about who would raise her four young boys if she didn’t _________ it through the transplant.

The woman was Bea. In shock, I told my friend, “I have been _________ for her all night.”

I had no idea that Bea had been on the waiting list for a heart transplant at UCLA, looking out a window at Bea sitting in her car making that _________.

I have often wondered since that night how many other people might also have had the same wake-up call to pray for Bea.

Bea decided to get the __________. She told me later that she had asked God if He could please make that transplant last for ten years so that she could raise the boys before it __________

God answered her prayers and the new transplanted heart __________ eleven years. This brought the ages of her sons to eighteen through twenty-eight years of age. They were well past the age of needing to be __________.

Bea received yet a second heart transplant and is __________ doing very well, enjoying her family and her grandkids. And the __________ is that we ended up becoming good friends!

1.

A．shake

B．have

C．get

D．bring

2.

A．high school

B．primary school

C．college

D．kindergarten

3.

A．envy

B．sympathy

C．urge

D．belief

4.

A．go

B．attend

C．prepare

D．skip

5.

A．undergo

B．relieve

C．cease

D．examine

6.

A．stopped

B．retired

C．injured

D．died

7.

A．sustain

B．restore

C．make

D．refresh

8.

A．praying

B．criticizing

C．thinking

D．starving

9.

A．policy

B．guarantee

C．decision

D．plan

10.

A．favour

B．examination

C．transplant

D．guidance

11.

A．turned down

B．wore out

C．stressed out

D．gave off

12.

A．refreshed

B．submitted

C．invested

D．lasted

13.

A．arisen

B．raised

C．risen

D．cared

14.

A．currently.

B．frequently

C．repeatedly

D．tightly

15.

A．motive

B．bonus

C．comfort

D．expectation

10 . Nguyen Thi Thu is one of the few remaining artists practicing and constantly enhancing the traditional Vietnamese art of sculpting realistic-looking flowers out of papaya (番木瓜树) fruits.

Thu became ________ in carving various flowers from papaya fruits at the age of 15, when she ________ a class on the art of sculpting fruit. She was fascinated by the ________ art form, but then she had to ________ to Russia and stayed there for 15 years. Thu couldn’t ________ her favorite art form because she was too busy working and had no ________ to green papayas. She ________ it with all sorts of other fruits and vegetables, but nothing was quite like the papaya she ________. When she returned to Hanoi in 2009, she ________ got back into papaya sculpting, and she has been practicing the art ever since.

Over the years, Thu has ________ herself to carve various types of flowers, but her favourite by far is also one of the most ________, the chrysanthemum (菊花). Creating a single flower takes between 45 minutes and over an hour,________ the complexity of the design. “I often fall asleep thinking of how to ________ a certain flower, and then I get out of bed to practice,” Thu said.

Apart from ________ her art form during various public events and creating delicate papaya flowers, Thu also holds classes in Hanoi, as a way of ________ the traditional art form.

1.

A．confident

B．interested

C．expert

D．talented

2.

A．missed

B．held

C．quit

D．took

3.

A．traditional

B．modern

C．fashionable

D．contemporary

4.

A．return

B．turn

C．move

D．adjust

5.

A．appreciate

B．practice

C．change

D．adopt

6.

A．access

B．reaction

C．solution

D．resistance

7.

A．described

B．imagined

C．painted

D．tried

8.

A．grew

B．offered

C．knew

D．bought

9.

A．occasionally

B．immediately

C．randomly

D．definitely

10.

A．expected

B．reminded

C．forced

D．taught

11.

A．abstract

B．expensive

C．complicated

D．fundamental

12.

A．depending on

B．accounting for

C．focusing on

D．calling for

13.

A．plant

B．sculpt

C．feed

D．invent

14.

A．exhibiting

B．judging

C．updating

D．transforming

15.

A．replacing

B．celebrating

C．recovering

D．preserving