1 . John is a barber, running a very successful business. He has a large group of regulars, some of whom enjoy a daily shave in his shop, while others just come for the occasional haircut. They keep coming because John loves to laugh, and 30 minutes spent in his shop is a medicine that cheers everyone up. His loud, booming laugh is a trademark around his town.

But John wasn’t always a barrel of laughs. In his teens and early adulthood, he suffered from depression. He often had a long face and found it hard to even smile. It was his neighbor, Mrs. Lee, who was a psychologist, that helped him out. She showed him funny videos or read light-hearted books for him, guided him to focus on things he was grateful for, rather than on things that had been bothering him. Following her advice, he forced himself to laugh as wild as possible, even if it felt fake (假的). To his surprise, after a while, he turned his life around, and real laughter came back into his life again.

Researchers say that we’re all born with the ability to laugh and that finding more ways to bring laughter into our lives does not have to be complicated. In fact, the best advice they offer is “Fake it till you make it.” If you focus on finding ways to laugh and enjoy life and try to smile and laugh even when not feeling like it, you can genuinely change your mood and laugh happily.

John also says we shouldn’t hold back our urge to laugh, even at silly things. Next time you see a funny advertisement on television, making you laugh inside, focus on letting out that laughter. Laughter can be contagious, so you may help others around you, too.

1. Why do John’s regular customers keep coming to his shop?

A．Because he is a successful barber.

B．Because they want to buy a medicine.

C．Because his laughing can lift their spirits.

D．Because he can offer them best shave and haircut.

2. Who helped John solve the problem of his teens and early adulthood?

A．Himself.

B．Researchers.

C．His neighbor.

D．His customers.

3. What can be inferred from the researchers in the passage?

A．It is difficult to find ways to laugh.

B．Laughter can be faked and finally become real.

C．The ability to laugh should be developed after birth.

D．We can watch funny videos or read light-hearted books.

4. The underlined word “contagious” in the last paragraph probably means ______.

A．spread

B．heard

C．free

D．available

2 . Humans are emotional beings who experience all kinds of emotions. Living a joyful life doesn’t mean refusing painful emotions. Instead, it means developing a mindset (心态) that prefers a positive view of the world. At the same time, it means developing healthy ways to deal with difficult emotions.     1    

Joy strengthens relationships. When you have a positive attitude, you tend to approach the people in your life from a place of gratitude and love.    2     You also tend to appreciate the strengths in others, rather than focus on what you don’t like in that person.

Joy improves physical health.    3     According to a study in BMC Cancer, researchers found that happiness may protect against breast cancer. The same goes for heart disease, with a study from Psychosomatic Medicine suggesting that depression may be linked to coronary (冠状动脉) disease.

    4     According to Scientific American, happy people are open to all sorts of ideas, and people are more likely to come up with new ideas when they are in a good mood. This is because they tend to see the bigger picture, which, in turn, inspires greater imagination.

Joy creates more joy! When you surround yourself with positive people, you experience more happiness in your own life.    5     People who spend more time with cheerful friends are more likely to have a happier behavior. By spending more time with happy people, you may feel happier, which inspires even more joy in those you meet!

A．Joy promotes creativity.

B．Joy makes you more productive.

C．This helps others feel more valued.

D．In recent years, science continues to prove this.

E．Research shows that happiness spreads in social groups.

F．Here are some reasons why joy is a powerful life choice.

G．When you live joyfully, you may create better results in life.

3 . When you left us, it was the end of a long, painful road. Since then, I was_______my favorite memories of you.

I remember us taking our family dog for walks together on the _______ sand dunes (沙丘). I remember sitting on your knee, watching candlelight _______ inside. Once I bought you a gift — a _______ printed on a glass board, titled “Walking With Grandpa.” _______, you wrote me your own poem, too. I imagine how you must have taken time finding the right words, how you printed it out and cut the paper to _______ before placing it in the frame.

However, Alzheimer began its _______ through your life. In your last few days of life, I was _______ when sitting by your bedside silently, feeling very worried and afraid. I didn’t know what to do or how to _______.

Now, I am an adult, I wish I had been ________ — that I had come close to you and told you how deeply I loved you, how you filled the ________ which was the absence of my father in those 10 years of my life, so that I didn’t realize anything was ________. It’s only now that I am aware that when I ________ a relationship with my father, the reason why he fell short of ________ is that he wasn’t you. I really hope you know how much you ________ to me.

1.

A．reflecting on

B．searching for

C．taking over

D．setting up

2.

A．messy

B．rainy

C．towering

D．burning

3.

A．increase

B．dance

C．foil

D．produce

4.

A．story

B．book

C．picture

D．poem

5.

A．After all

B．In return

C．By accident

D．On earth

6.

A．edge

B．length

C．size

D．side

7.

A．direction

B．harm

C．procedure

D．march

8.

A．frightened

B．humble

C．frozen

D．cautious

9.

A．say

B．act

C．do

D．move

10.

A．brave

B．grateful

C．energetic

D．patient

11.

A．room

B．need

C．life

D．hole

12.

A．puzzling

B．boring

C．missing

D．discouraging

13.

A．had

B．sought

C．enjoyed

D．continued

14.

A．performances

B．targets

C．demands

D．expectations

15.

A．mean

B．treasure

C．count

D．value

4 . Every year on my birthday, a white gardenia (栀子花) was _________to my house. But no card or note came with it. Calls to the flower shop were always _________— it was a cash purchase. After a while I stopped trying to discover the sender’s identity and just _________in the beauty and heady perfume of that one magical, perfect white flower lying in soft pink paper.

But I never stopped _________who the giver might be. My mother _________to these imaginations. She asked me if there was someone for whom I had done a special kindness who might be showing _________. I had more fun imagining that it might be a boy I fell in love with or one who had a _________on me even though I didn’t know him.

One month before my high-school graduation, my father died. My feelings _________from sorrow to fear and anger: my dad was _________some of the most important events in my life. I became completely __________in my coming graduation, the senior-class play and the ball. But my mother would not hear of my losing any of those things. Mother and I had gone shopping and found an impressive dress, but it was the __________size. When my father died, I forgot about the dress.

The day before my ball, I found that dress — in the right size — hanging over the living room sofa. It was __________to me so lovingly. I didn’t __________if I had a new dress or not. But my mother did. She wanted her children to feel __________, filled with a sense that there was a beauty even in the face of __________.

My mother died ten days after I was married. The following year the gardenia stopped coming.

1.

A．given

B．delivered

C．taken

D．brought

2.

A．useful

B．helpful

C．in vain

D．in hope

3.

A．delighted

B．imagined

C．enjoyed

D．satisfied

4.

A．considering

B．remembering

C．imagining

D．recalling

5.

A．referred

B．led

C．preferred

D．contributed

6.

A．appreciation

B．honor

C．kindness

D．respect

7.

A．love

B．hate

C．crush

D．look

8.

A．ranged

B．differed

C．suffered

D．judged

9.

A．ignoring

B．attending

C．abandoning

D．missing

10.

A．unsurprised

B．uninterested

C．exhausted

D．pleased

11.

A．wrong

B．false

C．proper

D．right

12.

A．provided

B．presented

C．introduced

D．awarded

13.

A．doubt

B．wonder

C．desire

D．care

14.

A．loving

B．loved

C．relaxing

D．relaxed

15.

A．trouble

B．confusion

C．boredom

D．sorrow

5 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The telephone rang. Jack answered the call from his mother, “Mr. Richard died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel (新闻影片) as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days. It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son.   

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It’s been so long since I thought of him.” Jack said.

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisced (追忆) about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,” Mom told him.

After Jack’s father died, Mr. Richard stepped in to make sure Jack had a man’s influence in his life and it was Mr. Richard who taught Jack many things. Jack wouldn’t have been in this business if it hadn’t been for Mr. Richard.

Busy as he was, he returned home and attended the funeral, which was small and uneventful. Mr. Richard had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before Jack had to return home, he and his mother stopped by to see the old house next door one more time. Standing in the middle of the room, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong, Jack?” Mom asked.

“Where is the watch, the thing he valued most?” he seemed to ask himself.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。

“It was a gold pocket watch that he used to wear every day,” he told his mom.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

One day Jack received a package on his desk.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . Tips for you to overcome comparison

Identify your triggers (诱因) and avoid them. To stop comparing yourself to others, pay attention to the people or events that cause your behavior. Do you feel discontent with your life after looking at luxury goods?     1     Write down your comparative thoughts as soon as they happen so you can limit your exposure to these situations or avoid them altogether.

    2     When you minimize your abilities, it becomes easier to compare yourself to others. To avoid this negative behavior, make a list of your strengths and talents. By acknowledging your best qualities, you can learn to love yourself.

Keep a gratitude journal. To start journaling, reflect on the little things that bring you joy and write down why you’re grateful for them. Keeping a gratitude journal can increase your chances of overcoming comparison, but you may forget about it if you have a busy schedule.     3    

Work on improving your abilities. Instead of focusing on your “weaknesses”, reflect on the areas you can improve.     4     Besides, don’t be afraid to ask other people for help along the way. By prioritizing yourself, you can boost your self-confidence and find your place and value.

Appreciate others instead of envying them.     5     If you have friends who are highly achieving people, you might consider that their networks are full of people who might be able to help you become more successful in your life. Instead of envying their success, be supportive and use their success to your advantage.

A．Write down your positive qualities.

B．Do you set goals to achieve your dream?

C．Consider the advantage that others can bring you.

D．Recognize everyone’s circumstances are entirely unique.

E．Take classes or workshops to develop your skills and techniques.

F．Is there someone who constantly makes you feel bad about yourself?

G．Set a reminder to write at least once a week so you can actively express appreciation.

7 . Write something about your first day of senior high school. Try to use the words and phrases that you have learnt. (亲爱的同学们，新的学习生活开始了。来到了新的学校、新的班级，认识了新的老师、新的伙伴，你一定有不一样的感受吧。现要求写一篇英语短文，叙述一下开学第一天的感受。)
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.适当增加细节以使行文连贯。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . Being highly critical or talking down to yourself are examples of self-criticism that highlight your own weaknesses. You may feel you don’t meet your own personal standards or expectations. Fortunately, you can improve this pattern of self-criticism by changing your thought patterns and practicing positive affirmations (情感上的支持或鼓励).

●What is self-criticism?

Self-criticism is the act of thinking negatively about yourself. Individuals with self-critical tendencies face self-created problems due to their tough standards and internalized social values for self-evaluation.     1     For some individuals, self-criticism can have a negative effect on day-to-day mood and may be a factor for depression and other forms of mental illness.

● Can self-criticism be good?

    2     If people use personal criticism in a way that’s useful to complete tasks and achieve goals, it can be beneficial. They can use it as a way to examine their decisions and behaviors and evaluate whether they need to make any changes.

●     3    

People with avoidant (回避反应的) attachment styles avoid closeness. This may prevent them from developing relationships for how to show compassion (同情) for themselves and others. Self-criticism is also likely to arise from shame, insecure attachments, and having low self-esteem.

● Examples of self-Criticism

When individuals engage in negative self-assessment, they create an inner dialogue that uses demeaning (贬低的) and demotivating language.     4     They may say, “I am easily disappointed with myself.” “I can’t accept failures and setbacks without feeling inadequate,” and “I stop caring about myself.”

● How can self-criticism be overcome?

To overcome self-criticism, it’s helpful to be honest with yourself about the role you play. You can start to identify how your self-criticism impacts your mood and daily routine.     5    

A．Self-criticism isn’t always bad.

B．Where does self-criticism come from?

C．If so, please step outside your comfort zone.

D．Self-criticism is associated with little progress.

E．It’s also important to seek professional help as needed.

F．Examples of self-criticism include phrases and negative self-talk.

G．As a result, they’re unsure of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

9 . 假设你是李华，你的河北笔友Katrina，因所在地遭受到极端天气，家在暴雨中被淹，损失严重。请给处于极度悲伤的她写一封慰问信，以表关心及鼓励。要点如下：
1.对该同学表示关心;
2.向其提供一些帮助如物资援助等；
3.表达祝愿及鼓励其重建家园的信心。
Dear Katrina,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

10 . How to Live a Fulfilling Life

How awesome would it be to get out of bed each morning feeling purposeful and happy about your day? What about going to sleep each night with a grin(露齿的笑)of satisfaction on your lips?     1    Here are some tips that may help you.

●    2            

To lead a more fulfilling life, you first need to know what part of your current life is troubling or unsatisfactory. Reflect on different aspects of your life to figure out which are upsetting you the most. Try closing your eyes and questioning “What part of my life dissatisfies me the most?” Whatever comes to mind first is probably where you’ll want to start.

● Building good habits.

One of the best ways to build good habits that support a fulfilling life is by doing something each day that challenges you. Identify one thing you can take action on that pushes you beyond your comfort zone and do it. This might be sharing ideas with your boss when you typically stay quiet.    3    For example, if you’ve been trying to lose weight, but you spend too much time on the couch, reduce your time on TV or do an exercise while you watch.

● Having good health and well-being.

    4    You’ll have trouble feeling fulfilled if your energy only goes out. Just as you pour love and support into others, you must return that love and support to yourself. Take time to improve your own self with passions or self-care. Fulfillment also translates to perfect mental and physical health, so make time to exercise regularly. Schedule it into your day.     5    

A．Addressing your dissatisfaction.

B．Learning to avoid dissatisfaction.

C．It’s important to set aside “me” time.

D．End each day by reflecting on your daily challenge.

E．Replacing your bad habits with good ones is also suggested.

F．That way, it will be just like any other task on your to-do list.

G．This may seem difficult, but leading a more fulfilling life is entirely possible.