1 . One day, King Sisyphus of Corinth was trying to solve the city’s fresh water problem. He happened to look up and saw Zeus fly by. The king of gods was carrying a lovely river spirit (小精灵) in his arms.
“That Zeus,” sighed (叹气) King Sisyphus. “What a trouble-maker!”
Soon after, the river god Asopus flew by. “Sisyphus! Have you seen my daughter?” he asked.
“If you give my city a source of fresh water, I will tell you what I saw,” King Sisyphus shouted back. Immediately, a clear stream (水流) of fresh water appeared.
“Zeus took her that way,” the king pointed.
The king knew Zeus would be angry when he found out what he had done. But Corinth badly needed a source of fresh water. And finally, it had one.
Sure enough, Zeus was very angry. He told his brother Hades (the god of the underworld) to take Sisyphus to the underworld immediately!
“When they tell you I am dead, do not put a gold coin under my tongue,” King Sisyphus said quietly to his wife. As a good wife, she did exactly as the king had told her.
Because Sisyphus was an important person, Hades himself met him at the River Styx, the entrance to the underworld. Because no gold coin was placed under his tongue(舌头), the king arrived as a poor beggar.
“Where is your gold coin?” Hades asked. “How can you pay for a trip across the River Styx and arrive in the underworld?”
King Sisyphus hung his head in shame. “I had a terrible wife. She didn’t give me anything after I had died.”
“Go right back there and teach that woman some manners!” Hades raised his voice. He then sent Sisyphus back to Earth. The king became alive again.
Sisyphus and his wife laughed when he told her about the experience. But he never told it to anyone else. You never know when the gods are listening!
1. What was Sisyphus was doing when Zeus flew by with a river spirit?| A．Rebuilding Corinth. | B．Chatting with his wife. |
| C．Asking Asopus for help. | D．Looking for a source of water. |
| A．Zeus decided to destroy Corinth. | B．Zeus decided to end Sisyphus’ life. |
| C．Zeus decided to make Corinth drier. | D．Zeus decided to kill Sisyphus’ wife. |
| A．A good wife. | B．A golden boat. | C．Some money. | D．Some water. |
| A．Sisyphus lived happily with his wife. |
| B．Sisyphus taught his wife some manners. |
| C．Sisyphus was sent to the underworld again. |
| D．Sisyphus had to find a fresh water source again. |
2 . My wife and I moved into our home two years ago. We had a yard with a lot of
Last summer, I found a tiny little plant in the yard that I could not immediately identify. I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise said she didn’t either.
We decided to let it
Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the
That’s when I
We need to believe in ourselves knowing we have the
| A．flower | B．insects | C．vegetables | D．rocks |
| A．water | B．fertilizer | C．color | D．shape |
| A．stop | B．continue | C．improve | D．escape |
| A．weak | B．strange | C．lonely | D．pretty |
| A．collect | B．tend | C．remove | D．watch |
| A．unusual | B．wonderful | C．terrible | D．valuable |
| A．passed | B．started | C．left | D．died |
| A．air | B．top | C．sun | D．house |
| A．hoped | B．realized | C．doubted | D．regretted |
| A．fill in | B．put in | C．worry about | D．believe in |
| A．forget | B．hate | C．aim | D．wait |
| A．wish | B．plan | C．ability | D．idea |
| A．faith | B．energy | C．virtue | D．courage |
| A．aware | B．afraid | C．proud | D．tired |
| A．forgive | B．support | C．upset | D．affect |
3 . Davyon Johnson, from Oklahoma, doesn’t understand why he’s been receiving so much attention. In his words, he just “did the
First off, Davyon was at
Davyon’s amazing actions
| A．honorable | B．memorable | C．hard | D．right |
| A．but | B．except | C．and | D．besides |
| A．fair | B．secret | C．big | D．similar |
| A．camp | B．hospital | C．home | D．school |
| A．replacing | B．choking on | C．breaking | D．throwing away |
| A．heard | B．posted | C．learned | D．mentioned |
| A．battle | B．action | C．existence | D．cooperation |
| A．get | B．hold | C．shake | D．open |
| A．next | B．other | C．last | D．same |
| A．steam | B．light | C．water | D．smoke |
| A．stop | B．go | C．come | D．jump |
| A．car | B．woman | C．house | D．firefighter |
| A．entering | B．leaving | C．moving | D．passing |
| A．excitedly | B．safely | C．conveniently | D．nervously |
| A．back off | B．set out | C．take over | D．cool off |
| A．guaranteed | B．escaped | C．required | D．caught |
| A．message | B．certificate | C．picture | D．list |
| A．family | B．staff | C．neighborhood | D．class |
| A．eager | B．able | C．ready | D．proud |
| A．giving voice to | B．keeping up with | C．making the most of | D．playing the best part in |
4 . It feels like every time my mother and I start to have a conversation, it turns into an argument. We talk about something as simple as dinner plans and suddenly, my mother will push the conversation into World War 3. She’ll talk about my lack of bright future because I don’t plan to be a doctor. And much to her disappointment, I don’t want to do any job related to science, either. In fact, when I was pushed to say that I planned to major (主修) in English and communications, she nearly had a heart attack.
“Why can’t you be like my co-worker’s son?” she bemoans all the time. Her coworker’s son received a four-year scholarship and is now earning 70,000 dollars a year as an engineer. I don’t know what to answer except that I simply can’t be like Mr. Perfect as I’ve called the unnamed co-worker’s son. I can’t be like him. I am the type of the person who loved to help out in the community, write until the sun goes down, and most of all, wants to achieve a career because I love it, not because of a fame or salary.
I understand why my mother is anxious about my future major. I’ve seen my mother struggle to raise me on her small salary and work long hours. She leaves the house around 6:30 am and usually comes home around 5 pm or even 6 pm. However, I want her to know that by becoming a doctor, it doesn’t mean I’ll be successful. I’d rather follow my dreams and create my own future.
1. Which of the following topics do the writer and his mother often talk about?| A．the writer’s future job |
| B．wars around the world |
| C．dinner plans |
| D．the writer’s studies |
| A．doesn’t think the writer should be a doctor |
| B．doesn’t want the writer to major in English |
| C．gets along very well with the writer |
| D．doesn’t think working in the scientific field is a good idea |
| A．disagrees | B．cries |
| C．smiles | D．complains |
| A．He wants to be like his mother’s co-worker’s son. |
| B．He wants to find a job in his community in the future. |
| C．He wants to do something he really likes in the future. |
| D．He doesn’t think his mother’s co-worker’s son is perfect. |
5 . Wang Fang, a Suzhou native, has given her heart and soul to Kunqu Opera. Wang, who has twice won the Plum Performance Award — China’s top award for theater and opera performances-started to learn the traditional art form in 1977.
Born with a melodic voice, Wang loved to sing and dance when she was little. She performed frequently, and was recruited by the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Troupe (剧团) when she was in middle school. However, her parents refused the troupe’s invitation, insisting that she should concentrate on her studies and not drop out of school. After members of the troupe visited the parents repeatedly and showed great sincerity,Wang’s parents finally agreed.
Learning the traditional art form was never easy. She started to learn how to pronounce words, sing them lyrically and make gestures gently. As an actress playing martial artists roles at first, she had to spend extra time practicing kung fu movements. Years later, Wang used the word “unimaginable” to describe how hard the days were when she first learned Kunqu. She was soaked in sweat when practicing movements in summer, while in winter she often had chilblains (冻疮) on her hands when training in shabby classrooms with broken windows. “But I was young and determined at the time. No matter how difficult, I always got up early the next morning to practice,” Wang recalls.
Wang says she did not love Kunqu at first, but in her early 20s,when she watched the show Peony Pavilion performed by Zhang Jiqing, a master of the art form, it clicked. “I was shocked,” Wang says. “Her every movement was full of elegance and delicacy. Each of her lines and songs was perfect. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of Kunqu for the first time in my life, and it has stayed with me since.” Now, Wang has herself become a master of Kunqu. Her performances have impressed generations and helped to promote the art form among young people.
1. Why did Wang’s parents turn down the troupe’s invitation at first?| A．They didn’t think Wang had artistic talent. |
| B．They saw no future in learning Kunqu Opera. |
| C．They didn’t want Wang to ignore her studies. |
| D．They regarded members of the troupe as insincere. |
| A．Wang has made great efforts to learn Kunqu well. |
| B．Artists should be given more attention and care. |
| C．Traditional culture needs to be further promoted. |
| D．Wang has played a key role in the development of Kunqu. |
| A．Winning the Plum Performance Award. |
| B．Joining the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Troupe. |
| C．Watching Zhang’s masterly performance. |
| D．Being greatly admired by the audience. |
| A．It is never too late to learn. | B．Rome was not built in a day. |
| C．Doing is better than saying. | D．Don’t judge a book by its cover. |
6 . Growing up, I knew I was different. My father had left and he never came back. As I later discovered, the abandonment triggered my anxiety attacks. I feared being alone, unwanted, unpopular and unloved.
My first attack came in a ninth-grade class: the teacher asked me to walk in front of the class, but I couldn’t do it-I was soaked in sweat, shaking. My symptoms began every morning from the moment when I stepped inside the school building.
Throughout my childhood, I was no stranger to the doctor’s office. My mother tried everything she could in hope of a breakthrough. There were times when I thought suicide could be the only way to make the pain stop.
By age 16, I had shut down socially. Most of my peers were going to parties, playing sports, and dating. But I was a prisoner in my own home.
Then one Sunday morning, my wake-up call came from a magazine article. Freddie Prince, Jr., was on the cover. The article detailed the pain of losing his father at a young age. I felt as though I were reading my own life story. The only difference? He was now a success.
That article inspired me to explore a new treatment option for myself. I wanted to turn my life around as well. So I hit the library and the Internet,and I began to realize how my negative thoughts controlled my physical well-being.
Immediately, I made a plan to take charge of my life. Shortly after following the items I had listed, I was able to stop seeing a therapist. I never returned to high school, but I did go to college. After graduation, I pursued a career in television news. My relationships have changed for the better, too. I’ve made new friends and reconnected with many from the past.
The anxiety isn’t completely gone, but whenever it returns, I know the feeling will pass, and know I have the power to change my life, only if I give myself a chance.
1. The writer’s anxiety attacks were mainly caused by _________.| A．the high school which he attended | B．the teacher who asked him to walk |
| C．the writer himself who was fearful | D．his father who left in his childhood |
| A．his mother took him to the doctor | B．he read a magazine article |
| C．his pain finally stopped | D．he went to college |
| A．He went to see therapists. | B．He returned to high school. |
| C．He contacted his old friend. | D．He didn’t suffer any attacks. |
| A．anxiety attacks are not lasting if we have proper treatment |
| B．we shouldn’t keep ourselves away from the outside world |
| C．we can change our lives if we give ourselves a chance |
| D．fathers are not supposed to abandon their small kids |
7 . In 2015, Chennai was destroyed by one of the worst floods in over a century, leaving thousands without food, water and supplies. During the flood, many heroes arose, one of whom was Santosh, a young man who owned a take-out restaurant in Chennai.
When the first flood hit in November, he got a call from a company called Naga Rava. The company asked him to prepare 5,000 packets of food and give them to the flood victims. He, with his partners, took the order, cooked for 14 hours and delivered(递送) them. But that night, as they sat together discussing the event of the day, they actually felt ashamed(羞愧). “Here was a man not even from Chennai and he was going out of his way to help the affected people. We, while living here, had not really done anything ourselves for our own people,” said Santosh later.
He then began the groundwork for a collection to help cook more dishes. Little did he know that the November flood was just the beginning, and the real show was about to begin. The December flood affected them all. His own house got flooded and his family was trapped on the second floor. They lost phone connection and electricity. In spite of this, Santosh went back out into the flood, creating a kitchen and preparing food all by himself for the victims.
He did not sleep for four days, taking a one-hour break every day as he kept on cooking. As word got out about this man’s effort, others stepped out to join him. From children to the elderly, strangers came to help him in cooking, packing and transporting food. Up to 300 volunteers worked together to make it all happen. By the time the fourth day finally came to an end, Santosh and his team had prepared 170,000 food boxes and delivered them to people in need.
1. What inspired Santosh to help the affected people?| A．A call for help. | B．His cooking skills. |
| C．An act of kindness of a stranger. | D．The encouragement from his partners. |
| A．The help and support. | B．The severer flood. |
| C．Santosh’s family suffering. | D．Santosh’s cooking more food. |
| A．Energetic and helpful. | B．Determined and clever. |
| C．Selfless and caring. | D．Kind and wise. |
| A．Many Hands Make Light Work |
| B．Kindness Is Its Own Reward |
| C．Major Floods Brought Challenges To People |
| D．A Man Cooked 170,000 Meals For The Affected |
8 . Maggie, my granddaughter, was moving into her first apartment. She had come by to
She unwrapped the package and
“No, honey, it’s mended,” I said .Then I told her the cup’s
The cup was given to me by my dearest friend, Dianne.
Women then went to one another with their
Eventually, Dianne moved away, but I kept my teacup and would
“I’d like you to have it.”
“Thank you, Grandma.”
I knew my special teacup was in good hands--and that it was the
| A．require | B．collect | C．organize | D．replace |
| A．construction | B．design | C．convenience | D．furniture |
| A．confident | B．certain | C．anxious | D．curious |
| A．stared at | B．took apart | C．came across | D．dealt with |
| A．messy | B．attractive | C．shallow | D．broken |
| A．record | B．quality | C．history | D．function |
| A．Remember | B．Doubt | C．Wonder | D．Imagine |
| A．spare | B．afford | C．suggest | D．share |
| A．impressed | B．equipped | C．presented | D．supplied |
| A．stolen | B．heard | C．created | D．hidden |
| A．problems | B．arguments | C．achievements | D．chances |
| A．independence | B．judgment | C．explanation | D．comfort |
| A．ordinary | B．same | C．awkward | D．particular |
| A．call on | B．depend on | C．think of | D．care for |
| A．bargaining | B．packing | C．hesitating | D．decorating |
| A．longer | B．more | C．way | D．doubt |
| A．matter | B．match | C．work | D．conflict |
| A．dreams | B．burdens | C．memories | D．expressions |
| A．familiar | B．standard | C．delicate | D．perfect |
| A．showing off | B．starting out | C．turning around | D．speeding up |
9 . One sunny afternoon, a seven-year-old girl went for a walk. She crossed a large area of grassland into the woods
Sitting on a rock and
The girl’s parents were out and her dog, Laddy, was at home. Laddy
When she opened her eyes and
| A．as | B．while | C．since | D．before |
| A．wondering | B．remembering | C．forgetting | D．regretting |
| A．preferred | B．expected | C．decided | D．failed |
| A．Until | B．When | C．If | D．Because |
| A．carelessly | B．cautiously | C．hopelessly | D．unwillingly |
| A．trees | B．bushes | C．grasses | D．woods |
| A．stream | B．rock | C．tree | D．house |
| A．heard | B．sensed | C．found | D．smelt |
| A．at | B．through | C．in | D．onto |
| A．terrible | B．strange | C．familiar | D．pleasant |
| A．missed | B．discovered | C．followed | D．ignored |
| A．loudly | B．calmly | C．merrily | D．gently |
| A．searched | B．looked | C．wandered | D．travelled |
| A．window | B．girl | C．hero | D．house |
| A．sadness | B．disappointment | C．embarrassment | D．delight |
| A．climbed | B．jumped | C．walked | D．flew |
| A．awake | B．abandoned | C．available | D．asleep |
| A．spotted | B．saw | C．observed | D．watched |
| A．rescued | B．comforted | C．disturbed | D．scared |
| A．pain | B．shock | C．sorrow | D．relief |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（
），并在其下面写出该加的词。删除：把多余的词用斜线（
）划掉。注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多改（从第11处起）不计分。
This morning I happened to meet a foreigner when I was taking walk in the park. It was a good chance for me to practise my spoken English, but I went up to him, introduced himself in English and expressed my wish to have a talk with him. In my surprise, he just stared at me, looking puzzling. I thought I had not made myself understand, so I repeated what I had said it. But he just said anything that I didn’t understand. I suddenly realize he was not an English speaker! Not all foreigner speak English.
