1 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Big Sister’s Wedding

Three days before the wedding, Grand Aunt personally entrusted a special small package for Aunt Baba to hand to Big Sister. On     1     (open) the elegant leather case in Aunt Baba’s room, Big Sister found a lovely pendant (吊坠) made of ancient green jade hanging on a heavy gold chain. She immediately put it on and breathed with pleasure while she admired     2     in the mirror. Then she begged Aunt Baba and me not to mention Grand Aunt’s gift to a soul, obviously intending to keep the pendant     3     telling Niang.

The wedding was a formal and brilliant affair with a ceremonial dinner party for five hundred in the grand ballroom on the ninth floor of the Cathay Hotel,     4     (situate) at the border of the Bund and fashionable Nanjing Road and overlooking the Huangpu River. The room     5     (fill) with masses of fresh flowers, and the Chinese character for double happiness was outlined in red blooms against the wall. Big Sister was elegantly dressed in a beautiful pink Qipao and silver shoes     6     Samuel wore a tuxedo (燕尾服). Two professional radio comedians acted as masters of ceremonies.

I had nothing to wear but an old pink Qipao     7     had been handed down by Big Sister when she grew out of it.     8     I didn’t look particularly nice, at least I didn’t stand out and no one noticed me. My three older brothers, however, were having a horrible time. For this special occasion, Father ordered them     9     (have) fresh hair-cuts. My brothers’ heads were shaved cleanly, so not a trace of hair     10     (remain). They were wearing dark-blue, traditional, long Chinese clothes with high collars and cloth buttons. I thought the brothers would make a lot of unexpected things on the Big Sister’s wedding.

2 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Switzerland, 15 September 2022

To my tennis family and beyond,

Of all the gifts that tennis has given me over the years, the greatest, without a doubt, has been the people I’ve met along the way: my friends, my competitors, and most of all the fans who give the sport its life. Today, I want to share some news with all of you.

As many of you know, the past three years     1     (present) me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body’s capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear. I am 41 years old. Tennis has treated me     2     (generously) than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.

I would like to especially thank my amazing wife Mirka, who has lived through every minute with me. She warmed me up before finals,     3     (watch) countless matches even while over months pregnant, and endured my goofy side on the road with my team for over 20 years. I also want to thank my four wonderful children for supporting me, always eager to explore new places and creating wonderful memories along the way.     4     (see) my family cheering me on from the stands is a feeling I will cherish forever.

I would also like to thank and recognize my loving parents and my dear sister,     5     nothing would be possible. I really want to thank and acknowledge my amazing team, Ivan, Dani, Roland, and particularly Seve and Pierre, who have given me the best advice and have always been there for me. Also Tony, for creatively managing my business for over 17 years. You are all incredible and I have loved every minute with you. I want to thank my loyal sponsors, who are really     6     partners to me; and the hard-working teams and tournaments on the ATP Tour, who consistently welcomed all of us with kindness and hospitality. I would also like to thank my competitors on the court. We battled fairly, with passion and intensity, and I always tried my best to respect the history of the game. We pushed each other, and together we took tennis to new levels.

Above all I     7     offer a special thank you to my unbelievable fans. You will never know     8     strength and belief you have given me. The inspiring feeling of walking into full stadiums and arenas has been one of the huge thrills in my life.

    9     my love of tennis started, I was a ball kid in my hometown of Basel. I used to watch the players with a sense of wonder. They were like giants to me and I began to dream. My dreams led me to work harder and I started to believe in myself. Some success brought me confidence and I was on my way to the most amazing journey that has led to this day.

So, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, to everyone around the world who has helped make the dreams of a young Swiss ball kid     10     (come) true.

Finally, to the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave you.

3 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

The first time I invited a good friend not just over to but into my house, post-vaccination, without masks, I couldn’t even wait until she walked up to my door —I ran outside to greet her, and we hugged each other in the driveway. We both held on tight, as we took turns exclaiming how good it was to see each other. We     1    (not hang) out in person since January 2020, and of course I was looking forward to talking, sharing a meal, catching up on all her news—but somehow I felt that     2     any of that happened, I would also get to hug her. It was my first hug from a friend in more than a year, and a reminder of just how     3     (comfort) a good hug can be.

I’ve been a huger since middle school, when my friends and I     4     embrace between classes in the hall as though we hadn’t just seen one another the day before. In high school, I volunteered at a Girl Scouts camp every summer, and at the end of each session, many of our campers would seek us out     5     (say) goodbye. My fellow counselors and I would typically offer     6     a choice: Hug, handshake or high five? Most of the kids would choose a hug. But there were always at least a few     7     would opt for a handshake, at times delivered so solemnly that I felt like we were going into business together, or a high five, some slapping so hard that my hand     8     (hurt). I always appreciated this ritual, especially the individual ask, for the simple reason     9     it allowed me to think about and honor each camper’s wishes. As I venture out from my pandemic bubble, I hope to bring the same kind of intentionality to every much     10     (anticipate) reunion.

4 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Family history

During the late 19^th century, in what is now Slovakia, a newspaper editor and novelist named Anton Bielek worked to preserve the Slovak language and culture at a time     1     Hungary was in power and trying to impose its language on the region. His marriage to Agnes, a Hungarian noble woman, was thus highly debatable. When Bielek was eventually imprisoned for his work, Agnes’ family took her in, and she gave birth to their daughter Anna. Anna grew up, moved to America, and became my great-grandmother.

I know the story above because my uncle spent a significant amount of time     2     (investigate) our family history. Studying one’s family history helps us connect the big historical events with the actual people behind them. It can also give us a deeper sense of who we are and where we came from.

If you want to investigate your family history, it’s easiest to start with     3     you know. Try making a family tree that lists your parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. If you don’t know the names of certain people, you     4     be able to ask older relatives, thereby involving them in your research.

After you’ve gone back as far as your living relatives can remember, tracing your family history gets     5     (hard). Depending on where you come from, there may or may not be documents with     6     (record) names, birth dates, ect. In some places, however, records     7     these might be available online.

One challenge my uncle faced when studying our family history was identifying one ancestor who had changed his name after moving to the United States. My uncle was required     8     (make) several inferences in order to figure out his original name. He also needed to know that the first name Chaim frequently     9     (translate) into English as Harry.

Difficult     10     researching your family history may be, it is worthwhile pursuit if you want a better understanding of where you come from. You may even find some exciting stories about things your ancestors were involved with and experienced.

6 . Directions: Fill in the blanks with the proper form of the given verbs.

An Excerpt from Mo Yan’s Nobel Speech

Distinguished members of the Swedish Academy, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Through the mediums of television and the Internet, I imagine that everyone here has at least a    1    （nod）acquaintance with far-off Northeast Gaomi Township. You    2     have seen my ninety-year-old father, as well as my brothers, my sister, my wife and my daughter, even my granddaughter, now a year and four months old. But the person who is most on my mind at this moment, my mother, is someone you will never see. Many people have shared in the honor of winning this prize, everyone    3     her.

My mother was born in 1922 and died in 1994. We buried her in a peach orchard east of the village. Last year we were forced to move her grave    4    （far）away from the village in order to make room for a    5    （propose）rail line. When we dug up the grave, we saw that the coffin had rotted away and that her body had merged with the damp earth around it. So we dug up some of that soil, a symbolic act, and took it to the new gravesite. That was when I grasped the knowledge that my mother had become part of the earth, and    6     when I spoke to mother earth, I was really speaking to my mother.

I was my mother’s youngest child.

…

My most remorseful memory involves helping Mother sell cabbages at market, and me    7    （overcharge）an old villager one jiao-intentionally or not, I can’t recall-before heading off to school. When I came home that afternoon, I saw that Mother was crying,     8     that she rarely did. Instead of scolding me, she merely said softly, “Son, you embarrassed your mother today.”

I was born ugly. Villagers often laughed in my face, and school bullies sometimes beat me up because of it. I’d run home crying,     9     my mother would say, “You’re not ugly, son. You’ve got a nose and two eyes, and there’s nothing wrong with your arms and legs, so how could you be ugly? If you have a good heart and always do the right thing,     10     is considered ugly becomes beautiful.” Later on, when I moved to the city, there were educated people who laughed at me behind my back, some even to my face; but when I recalled what Mother had said, I just calmly offered my apologies.

8 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Margaret Thatcher and her father

Margaret Thatcher was born in 1925. To know Margaret you have to know his father. The main influence on her has been, and remains, that of her father. And for him she was not only a daughter, but pupil, the offspring who could and would achieve the greater, wider life    1     circumstances and the accident of birth had denied him.

Alfred Roberts was born in Ring-stead Northampton-shire, one of the seven children of a shoemaker. He left school at the age of twelve and, because his eyesight was poor,     2    （not follow）his father’s trade, but was apprenticed to a grocer. In his late teens, he moved to Grantham to become manager of a small store. In the local church he met Beatrices Stephenson, a seamstress and daughter of a railway official. They married and bought a small grocery shop with a sub-post office attached on the outskirts of the town    3    （gather）their savings. They lived above the shop    4     both Margaret and her sister Muriel were born later. There was no bathroom or indoor lavatory, and when they wanted hot water they heated it    5    .

Alfred Roberts was an impressive man, six feet three inches with curly blond hair which had turned white when he was still young. His bright blue eyes looked out    6    thick-lensed spectacles which heightened the effect of a piercing gaze. Uneducated but extremely well self-taught--every weekend Margaret went to the public library    7    （bring）histories and biographies back for him--he talked fluently and informedly about the past and present of public affairs. He and his wife had    8    （share）Victorian values and virtues, in Margaret Thatcher’s words, “neat, tidy, always as well dressed as they could afford, the kind of people who    9     they had only one shirt or blouse would get up a few minutes earlier in the morning to put an iron over it.”

Asked by the reported what first came into her mind when she looked back on her father she answered, “his simple belief is    10     somethings are right, and some are wrong. You must work hard to earn money, but hard work was even more important in the formation of character. You must learn to stand on your own feet.”

10 . 语法填空。

Parents are often upset when their children praise the homes of their friends and regard it as a slur (诋毁) on their own cooking, or cleaning, or furniture, and often are foolish enough to let the teenagers see that they     1     (annoy). They may even accuse them of disloyalty, or make some unpleasant remark about the friends’ parents. Such a loss of dignity and attack on childish behavior on the part of the adults deeply shocks the teenagers, and makes them decide that in future they will not talk to their parents about the places or people they visit. Before very long the parents will be complaining that the child is so secretive and never tells them anything, but they seldom realize that they     2     (bring) this on themselves.

Disillusionment (醒悟) with the parents, however good and adequate they may be both as parents and as individuals, is to some degree inevitable.

Most children have such a high ideal of their parents,     3     the parents themselves have been unsatisfactory, that it can hardly hope to stand up to a realistic evaluation. Parents would be greatly surprised and deeply touched if they realized how much belief their children usually have in their character and correctness, and how much this faith means to a child. If parents     4     (prepare) for this teen-aged reaction, and realized that it was a sign that the child     5     (grow) up and developing valuable powers of observation and independent judgment, they would not be so hurt, and therefore would not drive the child into opposition by offending and resisting it. The teenager, with his passion for sincerity, always respects a parent who admits that he is wrong, or ignorant, or even that has been unfair or unjust. What the child can’t forgive is the parents’ refusal     6     (admit) these charges if the child knows them to be true.

Victorian parents believed that they kept their dignity by retreating (伪装) behind an unreasoning authoritarian attitude; In fact they did nothing of the kind, but children were then too frightened to let them know how they really     7     (feel). Today we tend to go to the other extreme, but on the whole this is a healthier attitude both for the child and the parent. It is always wiser and safer to face up to reality, however painful it may be at the moment.