1 . Directions: After reading the sentences below, fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. emerge   B. enthusiastic     C. manual   D. options   E. polish F. rate     G. remote       H. serve     I. signal     J. subject   K. workout

1. His experience in the field will ________ as a valuable advantage to the company’s new project.
2. Her ________ control allowed her to access various functions from a distance, making her life more convenient.
3. She felt energetic after her morning ________, ready to tackle the day ahead.
4. The technician handed me the ________ so I could understand how to operate the new machinery.
5. We were presented with several ________ for the dinner menu, ranging from vegetarian to sugar-free dishes.
6. She took a moment to ________ her speech, ensuring that it was clear and engaging for the audience.
7. Employees should be aware that they will be ________ to periodic performance reviews.
8. How would you ________ the quality of service at the new restaurant?
9. After months of hiding, the artist decided to ________ from his studio and unveil his latest masterpiece.
10. He raised his hand to ________ that he had a question during the meeting.

2 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. mix       B. specialty          C. extraordinary            D. distinguish        E. private F. contribute       G. expose        H. shifted     I. challenges     J. respective     K. favored

Many of us grow up dreaming of becoming an astronaut. Ever wonder what it takes to be one?

Take NASA for example.

In order to catch NASA's eye, would-be astronauts must not only stand out in required skills and pass physical and psychological exams, but also find unique ways to    1     themselves from the harsh competition.

NASA's requirements for becoming an astronaut have changed over the years. Originally, it     2     candidates with a military flight background, with at least 1,000 hours spent in command of a jet aircraft. In 1978, however, NASA    3     its focus to a more varied group of astronauts:scientists and engineers with at least three years of experience in their     4     fields.

During the years of shuttle missions, everyone had a    5     : some would focus on robotics,others on spacewalks or maintenance. To work on the space station, astronauts must be able to perform all tasks, which encourage applicants to acquire different experiences. Jeanette Epps, an astronaut, studied aerospace engineering, worked at Ford Motor Company and took a job with the CIA before joining NASA. She says astronauts’ varied backgrounds     6     to their ability to adapt and learn anything quickly.

After ensuring that candidates are U. S. citizens and that they satisfy basic education and experience requirements, the selection committee enters a gray area.“We’re not really looking for one thing, just a good     7     of things,”said Duane Ross, the manager for astronaut candidate selection and training.

To the committee, candidates who take on    8     outside of the workplace demonstrate curiosity and energy. Many astronauts who don't have a military background do hold a(n)    9    piloting license. Some are enthusiastic mountain climbers, scuba divers or skiers. Others are musicians, dancers, or play competitive sports. Choosing to    10     themselves to different, extreme environments counts as another way to stand out from the crowd.

3 . Directions: choose the right phrases in the box to fiul in the blanks. Chenge the form if necessary.

run into        tend to       dawn on        pass down        persist in live through        thanks to

1. ______mobile libraries, these homeless people can borrow books more easily.
2. It gradually_______ him that nothing is difficult to the man who will try.
3. Success only belongs to those who______   their dreams.
4. Humans_____ their skills and knowledge to the next generations through education.
5. Most people in this kind of job_______ work long hours.
6. He______ Kris in the corridor a few minutes ago.

5 . Directions: Complete the following paragraphs by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. peaked          B. faintest          C. factor          D. accumulating        E. masked F. expands          G. lighten          H. tricky          I. phenomena            J. unimaginable K. emitted

Astronomers measure total starlight

All the light from all the stars that have ever existed. It is a quantity of     1     magnitude (数值), but now astronomers have put a number on it.

From the earliest,     2     stars, to the largest galaxies, an international team has managed to measure the total amount of starlight     3     over the entire 13.7bn-year history of the universe.

The astronomers based their calculation on measurements of the extragalactic background light (EBL), a cosmic fog of radiation that has been     4     since stars first illuminated (照亮) the dark, vast expanse of space. More than 90% of starlight ends up surviving in this dim backdrop of radiation. Since it was     5     by the light from nearby stars, though, the EBL has proved     6     to investigate.

The latest observations, collected over nine years by Nasa’s Fermi space telescope, use the light from blazars—super—massive black holes that emit powerful jets of gamma rays—as beacons (信号灯) to     7     the cosmic fog. They are so bright they can shine across almost the whole observable universe.

One added complication was that, while starlight is accumulating over time, the cosmic fog is simultaneously being diluted as the universe     8     and space itself is stretched out. Overall, the fog is still getting denser. This, and other complex     9     were factored in using a computer model.

The measurements suggest that star formation     10     about 11bn years ago and has been on the decline ever since. About seven new stars are created in our Milky Way galaxy every year.

8 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. figured       B. novelty       C. practical       D. exhausting       E. regret       F. fortune G. hopefully       H. collected       I. perspective       J. conflicts       K. basically

My First Job

Jocelyn, Scotland

I grew up in a rural community where it was common for kids to help out on the nearby farms. When I was about fifteen or sixteen, I started working Saturdays picking potatoes. We’d be     1     at seven in the morning and driven out to the fields, where we’d walk behind these huge machines and bag all the potatoes they’d dig up. It was     2    , but I enjoyed being outside and we all had a laugh together. Of course, as a teenager, I provided cheap labour, but that didn’t bother me. The £30 I earned every week — cash-in-hand, of course — felt like a(n)     3     back then.

ELA, Poland

I did politics at university and I really wanted to go and see more of Europe, so I       4     I needed a part-time job. A friend of mine did market research for this local company and she put in a good word for me. I mostly worked weekends, but once in a while they’d asked me to do the odd evening as well. I    5     went door to door asking specific questions what people drank, who they were planning to vote for, all sorts. It was fun to begin with, meeting so many new people, and the money was quite good too, but the     6     soon wore off. It soon got very repetitive. I don’t       7     it, though. I learned that a smile goes a long way — and as I know that some people were lazy and made up their data, I’ve learned not to take statistics for granted too!

Carla, Chile

I joined the army after leaving school because I was a restless person and didn’t like ‘academic’ things. Funnily enough, I’ve actually spent quite a lot of time in a classroom since I joined, as we get training for things like logistics. It’s OK, though — you see the     8     benefits more than at school, so I don’t regret joining at all. And if I wasn’t in the army, I would never have gone somewhere like Haiti. I went there as part of a UN humanitarian mission. For sure, people associate the army with war, but nowadays it’s more about peacekeeping and helping people involved in       9    . My area — logistics — is really about solving problems and communication. I’m certainly staying in the army and     10     I’ll achieve a high rank.

10 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. estimates       B. lack       C. potential       D. crucial       E. transforms       F. rejected                   G. anxiety          H. unemployed        I. routine        J. impact        K. affects

Joblessness is far more than an economic misfortune. It can be psychological disaster for the     1     and their families. It can cause illness, divide families and create a downward spiral (螺旋式下降) of feelings of worthlessness and     2     of self-esteem. According to research done by M. Harvery Brenner, associate professor of health at Johns Hopkins University, every 1% increase in the unemployment rate     3     37,000 deaths over the next 6 years, including over 20,000 deaths from heart attacks, 900 suicides and nearly 500 deaths from cirrhosis of the liver (肝硬化). In addition, Brenner     4     that 7,500 unemployed or their families will be admitted to prison after committing a crime or to a mental hospital. “The     5     goes well beyond the individual who loses a job,” said Brenner. “Stress caused by economic factors     6     our national life at every level.” Men who have been socialized as the family breadwinner are especially hard hit by unemployment. They suffer greater depression and     7     and have a higher possibility of psychotic behavior than men who are employed. “Nine month on this seems to be a     8     point when hope and patience give out,” said a leading psychologist. “After that illness, suicide, alcoholism, divorce, and even crime grow at an epidemic (流行的) rate.” Left without a job, many workers feel they have nothing to look forward to. They miss their co-workers and the     9     of going to work. For many, the sense of hopelessness grows worse every time they are     10     for a new job. When this happens often enough, the rejection unemployed workers feel may be exacerbated (恶化) if some friends and neighbors avoid them as if they had a contagious disease (传染病).