1 . My best friend traveled to stay with our family last weekend. When she arrived, she went straight to the kitchen and, without asking, ate a spoonful of raspberry jam and some dried fruit. She wasn’t being rude. I knew she would do this. We’ve known each other for almost 20 years. She can eat anything she wants from my kitchen. Indeed, I bought her favorite fruits and snacks at the shop that morning.
Our long weekend together was luxuriously simple. I was recovering from surgery and couldn’t go to shopping malls. We passed the time running errands (做杂事), going to the post office and collecting dry cleaning. We drank away too many cappuccinos. But we talked about every little detail of our lives.
There’s never been a quiet moment in our friendship. We’ve lived in different cities for almost a decade. Reunions demand constant conversation. Our personalities are matched, to be sure, and a shared history is indescribably valuable. We were competitors in high school before bonding over a bad experience. Then we discovered the many interests that we had in common. Our friendship strengthened itself quickly. We stayed companions through law school, through our first jobs and our first boyfriends. We supported each other through break-ups and breakthroughs. Ours is a friendship for ages.
There is something special about friends who know everyone and everything about you. They are rare. These are the people you’ve chosen to witness your life. They have seen the bright lights of achievement, the depths of despair and the boring routine of the in-between.
It’s special to unpack feelings and frustrations without wasting time filling in the blanks. As my long weekend shows, with such friends we don’t have to “do”, we simply have to “be”. We drop the act, the performance, the public version of ourselves.
The special friendships are those which never fail to delight, the continuation of which is worth the extra effort, despite distance and difference sneaking (溜进) into your separate lives. I had the very great joy of this reminder last weekend. I’m lucky to have found this friend, to see a future where her companionship remains. Being together is perfection.
1. What happened during her best friend’s visit?| A．They enjoyed an eventful long weekend. |
| B．They talked constantly about their lives. |
| C．They made their favorite snacks and coffee. |
| D．They talked about recent news events. |
| A．they help each other deal with the boredom of life |
| B．they prefer to witness each other’s lives from far away |
| C．they try to show each other their best selves |
| D．they are comfortable just being themselves when together |
| A．Charm comes from difference. | B．Politeness brings best friends closer. |
| C．Good friendships need devotion. | D．Distance can separate good friends. |
| A．describe what her best friend is like | B．share the friendship she treasures |
| C．explore the key aspects of friendship | D．express thanks to her best friend |
| A．Light-hearted. | B．Humorous. | C．Serious. | D．Sentimental. |
2 . It was January, the first day of the year. I decided to get the bank work out of the
Just then I saw his morning tea lying there,
I realized he was also missing the
| A．way | B．corner | C．question | D．reach |
| A．on purpose | B．by accident | C．after all | D．as usual |
| A．service | B．invitation | C．greeting | D．handshake |
| A．hopefully | B．curiously | C．sincerely | D．hesitantly |
| A．going through | B．filling up | C．checking out | D．printing off |
| A．computerized | B．canceled | C．popularized | D．broadened |
| A．symptoms | B．gestures | C．signs | D．marks |
| A．when | B．how | C．why | D．if |
| A．untouched | B．unprepared | C．unfolded | D．undisturbed |
| A．always | B．seldom | C．never | D．still |
| A．reward | B．push | C．pardon | D．scold |
| A．reason | B．need | C．opportunity | D．urge |
| A．looked up at | B．looked down upon | C．looked forward to | D．looked back on |
| A．precious | B．small | C．important | D．essential |
| A．coincidence | B．suggestion | C．affair | D．arrangement |
| A．impressed | B．attached | C．challenged | D．comforted |
| A．hearts | B．minds | C．bodies | D．souls |
| A．release | B．recommend | C．reveal | D．revise |
| A．preferred | B．promised | C．managed | D．expected |
| A．cautious | B．confident | C．optimistic | D．grateful |
3 . On a beautiful Wednesday morning, I awoke in a shared room in the hospital. Long curtains had been pulled around my bed,
On the other side of my bed curtain, I heard a patient cheerfully
That night I wept (哭泣). I thought about how my schoolwork would be
I awoke early the next morning,
The man must have heard my
This stranger became my cheerleader, as if it was his mission to lift me up from my
Days later when the curtain was drawn, I saw this
My discharge papers (出院证明) were finally signed and I waited
I often think of my exceptional roommate and of what a(n)
Thank you for being my ray of sunshine!
1.| A．driving | B．separating | C．taking | D．rescuing |
| A．next | B．back | C．over | D．here |
| A．comforting | B．assisting | C．praising | D．greeting |
| A．sincerely | B．hopefully | C．thankfully | D．confidently |
| A．attitude | B．pain | C．threat | D．effort |
| A．ignored | B．understood | C．recommended | D．affected |
| A．ashamed | B．fond | C．scared | D．proud |
| A．silence | B．agreement | C．connection | D．limit |
| A．nodded | B．directed | C．laughed | D．recorded |
| A．cheer | B．appeal | C．cry | D．comment |
| A．conflict | B．adventure | C．operation | D．conversation |
| A．get through | B．come across | C．care for | D．focus on |
| A．astonishment | B．craziness | C．sadness | D．embarrassment |
| A．promised | B．ordered | C．permitted | D．encouraged |
| A．get away | B．carry on | C．check out | D．make up |
| A．strict | B．ambitious | C．optimistic | D．honest |
| A．Despite | B．Beyond | C．Besides | D．Until |
| A．doubtfully | B．curiously | C．eagerly | D．politely |
| A．opportunity | B．gift | C．dream | D．choice |
| A．differs | B．spreads | C．occurs | D．stays |
“Every life is a boat, the dream is the boat sail.” Every child has a dream of what they want to be. When Renee Butts was little, her dream was to become a volunteer firefighter because her father was one. Sadly, when she was 14, her beloved father died and she was never able to do volunteer work with him. However, Renee’s story didn’t end there. She was determined and never gave up, which makes for a good firefighter.
Now Renee is a member of the Carmel Fire Department, where she is required to be an Emergency Medical Technician. She should also be ready to deal with any emergency, like fighting a fire, dealing with a car accident or helping someone who’s sick. Sometimes she is in the driver’s seat or using the water pump. Renee works nine to eleven days a month on 24-hour shifts. She also has a family to care for, as her husband is also a busy firefighter. Dealing with housework and working so much can show her great determination.
When I asked Renee what the best part of her job was, she replied, “Helping people and saving lives.” I think that shows signs of being a true hero. She’s always willing to do anything for anyone in need. Renee says that her job is frightening at times, but extremely exciting. “The worst part of my job is that I see death. Actually, sometimes people die in the accident, for which I am very sorry.” With 140 people in her station, Renee is one of the only three women, but that doesn’t bother her. She says everyone can get a fair shot and do the same jobs.
I was inspired by this because I knew I would be very scared to do her job and didn’t know if I could handle seeing people die. We would never live without people like her who have the courage to risk their lives. Renee’s determination rubs off on me and makes me believe that I can do anything.
1. What’s Renee’s job in the Carmel Fire Department? (no more than 5 words)2. How does Renee feel about her job? (no more than 5 words)
3. Why does the author think Renee Butts is a true hero? (no more than 15 words)
4. How do you understand the underlined part in Paragraph 3?(no more than 5 words)
5. What do you think of Renee? Please give your reasons. (no more than 25 words)
5 . On my way back home, I waited at the crosswalk for the traffic light to change colours. A man dressed in a UCLA shirt stood next to me. We exchanged friendly smiles. His friend came by and commented that he was excited that it was Friday. The man replied that he had to work on the weekend. He shared, “I have two little kids at home. I am thankful for any work that I can get. ”
I smiled, as the man's words made me happy in a dark week of midterm exams and job interviews. As we made our way across the street, he told me he had been shot and had seven surgeries in the past couple of years. He called getting better a “vacation” because in that kind of situation, that was the only way he could deal with what had happened.
At the end of the crosswalk, before we left each other, he said, “Through life's terrible moments, you find life's greatest gifts.” I took a left. He and his friend took a right to the parking lot. I looked back at him, thankful that our short conversation had made my day. He looked at my way. We exchanged nods and smiles, the same exchange we first made when we stood by the crosswalk moments ago.
Though we never shared names, I will forever remember his story and his inspiring life. When people ask me what I love most about my university, I tell them about the creative professors and excited students. UCLA supports its students to follow their dreams, whatever that path may be. As a college senior, I am incredibly grateful for my college experience.
What I remember most about my university life are memories of smiles and life lessons. There was that night when a group of us watched the waves and waited for the sunrise, the time my professor and I discussed equal rights, the class in which my group members and I danced to our textbook reading. These are life stories that make me smile and teach me lessons.
You never know who may inspire you next. It may be the person standing next to you at the crosswalk or the student sitting next to you in class. Simple life stories and beautiful exchanges come with just a nod, a smile, and a crosswalk. You never know what you can learn from them, from courage to positive attitudes towards life.
1. What can be learned about the author according to the text?| A．The author was troubled by midterm exams and job interviews. |
| B．The author and the man are familiar with each other. |
| C．The author is married and has two children to raise. |
| D．The author was wearing a UCLA shirt and met a friend. |
| A．They exchanged their names and phone numbers. |
| B．They shared opinions about studying and job hunting. |
| C．The man told the author about his past experience. |
| D．The man headed to the parking lot without looking back. |
| A．He really wanted to take a rest at that time. |
| B．He was thankful that he was getting better. |
| C．He could do nothing but await recovery from his injury. |
| D．He enjoyed the time when he didn't need to deal with exams. |
| A．Serious and hardworking. | B．Friendly and optimistic. |
| C．Honest and happy. | D．Talented and confident. |
| A．Every moment of your life counts. | B．Do not ignore the people around you. |
| C．Good manners bring about happiness. | D．Inspiring memories can be made at any time. |
Something happened when I
Even though I didn’t love adding a
On the first day, the teacher began class by
Ten minutes later, she asked us to begin
“Right now, I am happy,” I started to read. “I’m happy to be writing, and
| A．Hearing | B．Giving | C．Choosing | D．Keeping |
| A．saving | B．spending | C．fixing | D．wasting |
| A．enjoyed | B．forgot | C．stopped | D．finished |
| A．left | B．began | C．picked | D．avoided |
| A．reason | B．meaning | C．word | D．letter |
| A．idea | B．plan | C．connection | D．problem |
| A．serve | B．help | C．fit | D．know |
| A．wrong | B．missing | C．nervous | D．crazy |
| A．got up | B．stood up | C．made up | D．signed up |
| A．safety | B．childcare | C．health | D．business |
| A．teaching | B．surprising | C．questioning | D．calling |
| A．task | B．meeting | C．student | D．answer |
| A．proves | B．develops | C．follows | D．joins |
| A．preparing | B．sharing | C．exercising | D．discussing |
| A．especially | B．usually | C．probably | D．generally |
It was a dark and stormy night. The ferocious wind shook the windows wildly, as though someone outside were beating on the glass. It was also New Year’s Eve. We were having our annual party and had a house full of people just starting to celebrate.
Suddenly, we heard loud explosions. Looking outside and up into the hills, we saw sparks(火花) flying from electrical transformers(变压器). One area after another went dark up in those hills. Then there was the loudest explosion of them all and our house went dark too. I tried to find every candle we had and lit them. The candles made everything look lovely. But we had problems. We had fifteen people standing around and we still had to cook dinner. How would we do that without electricity?
The barbecue! Why not cook on the barbecue? We men went outside, some holding flashlights and others cooking. We did a wonderful job. The women stayed inside and got the salads ready. Everything was delicious. There were still a few hours to go before the beginning of the new year, so we all sat around the dining room table and sang up until a few minutes before midnight. We couldn’t watch the ball drop in Times Square on television but that wouldn’t stop us from celebrating. I stood on a chair and, with the help of someone’s watch to tell us the time, we all counted down and I dropped a tennis ball! We all screamed Happy New Year. We didn’t need electricity for that!
Nowadays, we still get together with the same group to celebrate the New Year and we still talk about that special night. I don’t think we have ever laughed so much as we did on that New Year’s Eve.
1. What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph 1? (1 word)2. What made dinner preparation difficult according to Paragraph 2? (no more than 6 words)
3. How did the people celebrate on New Year’s Eve according to the passage? (no more than 10 words)
4. How does the author feel about that particular New Year’s Eve? (no more than 8 words)
5. What do you think is the most necessary quality when dealing with an unexpected difficult situation? Please explain why. (no more than 25words)
8 . Backpacking through Africa, I always carried some food with me
I was
For the next few weeks, when I was feeling the need for a little
One cold and cloudy afternoon, while I was waiting for a local bus, it started to rain. Everybody spread out for
In my hurry to
I was so sad that I almost cried. And then, in the corner of my eye, I noticed an old woman in rags
Still
My bus arrived shortly after and, as we drove off, I wondered if the jam would taste the same to me.
1.| A．unless | B．if | C．just in case | D．in order that |
| A．looking | B．buying | C．getting | D．running |
| A．apple | B．orange | C．peach | D．strawberry |
| A．last | B．best | C．other | D．first |
| A．meal | B．treat | C．rest | D．drink |
| A．remove | B．put | C．take | D．close |
| A．divide | B．eat | C．share | D．separate |
| A．pocket | B．pack | C．corner | D．store |
| A．situations | B．conditions | C．surroundings | D．occasions |
| A．protection | B．space | C．shelter | D．warmth |
| A．beautiful | B．rain | C．warm | D．dry |
| A．avoid | B．experience | C．defeat | D．overcome |
| A．hidden | B．buried | C．covered | D．locked |
| A．expensive | B．useless | C．precious | D．priceless |
| A．going | B．leaving | C．running | D．approaching |
| A．all right | B．bad enough | C．broken | D．damaged |
| A．standing up | B．sitting up | C．bending over | D．watching out |
| A．rest | B．remaining | C．extra | D．spare |
| A．swallowed | B．vomited | C．chewed | D．placed |
| A．until | B．unless | C．after | D．since |
9 . The word “happy” would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by hardship. The circular motion (循环运动) between happiness and
A year ago, I developed troubling symptoms(症状) in my left
Over that long week, I
Finally, I gained a
| A．loneliness | B．tiredness | C．sadness | D．greatness |
| A．eye | B．arm | C．leg | D．ear |
| A．suddenly | B．carelessly | C．secretly | D．immediately |
| A．luck | B．treatment | C．apology | D．discussion |
| A．needed | B．expected | C．managed | D．congratulated |
| A．in relief | B．in anger | C．in peace | D．in panic |
| A．new | B．traditional | C．strong | D．folk |
| A．rarely | B．frequently | C．occasionally | D．mistakenly |
| A．forbade | B．encourages | C．forced | D．permitted |
| A．lay down | B．hold back | C．fall into | D．meet with |
| A．desired | B．promised | C．refused | D．attempted |
| A．gave in | B．cheered up | C．gave up | D．broken down |
| A．terrible | B．sweet | C．spare | D．precious |
| A．election | B．challenge | C．goal | D．choice |
| A．guilt | B．pride | C．hope | D．joy |
| A．stresses | B．analyzed | C．investigated | D．guaranteed |
| A．wrong | B．unique | C．funny | D．valuable |
| A．sunny | B．cloudy | C．rainy | D．snowy |
| A．disturb | B．experience | C．blame | D．assign |
| A．admit to | B．listen to | C．adapt to | D．contribute to |
10 . Author Peggy Payne says, “Helping others creates a ‘helper’s extreme pleasure’. A good feeling can set off a sharp reduction in
I had such an experience. My neighbor Ingrid didn’t
There were
I woke up the next day after she
| A．range | B．award | C．pressure | D．character |
| A．applied | B．explored | C．argued | D．followed |
| A．possess | B．change | C．repair | D．take |
| A．calming | B．improving | C．using | D．focusing |
| A．breathing | B．contacting | C．cleaning | D．polluting |
| A．impressive | B．first | C．curious | D．odd |
| A．hotel | B．airport | C．appointment | D．bank |
| A．treatment | B．test | C．payment | D．respect |
| A．realized | B．ignored | C．aimed | D．contained |
| A．continued | B．reminded | C．happened | D．offered |
| A．always | B．never | C．seldom | D．once |
| A．countless | B．slim | C．boring | D．familiar |
| A．result | B．behavior | C．choice | D．gift |
| A．reflected | B．touched | C．confused | D．impacted |
| A．actually | B．eventually | C．visibly | D．gradually |
| A．feature | B．event | C．fun | D．detail |
| A．aware | B．significant | C．necessary | D．informal |
| A．gave up | B．passed out | C．fell behind | D．passed away |
| A．since | B．but | C．or | D．so |
| A．moments | B．messages | C．thoughts | D．resources |
