1 . Life in the summertime is often full of pests. Like most Long Island homeowners, I want to ensure my suburban life with pest-free living. So it was with wide-eyed wonder that I greeted the smiling exterminator who rang my bell.
“We'll be serving your neighbors, Mike and Sarah (I'm not familiar with either one by name).” he waved in the other direction. “Since we'll have a team here tomorrow, we're offering a discount.” He came out with numbers beginning from $299 then in seconds to $89.
“You've probably been seeing the ant hills around.” he moved toward my front walkway and lawn. “And have you seen the bees that dig nests in the ground?” he continued with his head shaking up and down pushing me to do the same.
“What we do is spray three feet out from your foundation and three feet up.” As he was talking and without breaking eye contact, he opened his iPad cover and began operating at the screen to show me frightening images. “It also kills other pests, like spiders. It is the best pesticide,” he said, pausing for effect.
He then went into soft talk to close the deal, correctly foreseeing that I would be concerned about safety and the environmental impact on my vegetable garden, plants and our little patch of planet here on Long Island. “The products are environmentally responsible, safe with children and pets,” he said.
I'm unkind when it comes to unwanted visitors entering on my out-of-doors moments. Any insect found in my house or on my deck is bound to be poisoned or pancaked.
Unfortunately for the exterminator, just as I was considering making an appointment. Billy, my fearless husband, pulled into our driveway, which made me ask for a business card out of politeness instead.
1. How did the author feel at the sight of the exterminator?| A．Frightened. | B．Disappointed. | C．Surprised. | D．Puzzled. |
| A．A free pesticide. | B．A discount. | C．An iPad for free. | D．A group rate. |
| A．It might cause frightening images. | B．It might be too expensive for her to afford. |
| C．It might harm her family and surroundings. | D．It might have no effect on unwanted visitors. |
| A．The author is sure to phone the salesman later. |
| B．Billy made up his mind to purchase the pesticide. |
| C．Billy drove home to prevent the author from being cheated by the exterminator. |
| D．The author had planned to buy the pesticide before Billy appeared. |
2 . I’ve been in an 18-year love-hate relationship with a black walnut tree.
It’s a unique tree. In late September or early October, falling fruits as hard as baseballs threaten the skulls (头骨) of you, your children, your neighbors and those that reside next door to them. Umbrellas in the yard are a must while dining in early August, and as for me, I wear my bike helmet while working in the garden.
The black walnut also releases a chemical substance through its roots as a competitive strategy. It’s poisonous to several common plants. There have been many new plant varieties that I brought home with hopes that maybe the black walnut would accept them, but they failed to flourish.
What does work are native plants that naturally grow in the area. Native plants are important to have around since they provide beneficial pollinators (传粉者) like birds, bees and butterflies with seeds and contribute to a healthy and biodiverse environment. Native plants for this area are generally easy to grow, so they experience less stress.
Have I thought of getting rid of this giant pain in my tiny backyard? Yes, however, getting rid of this tree standing at 50 feet with an 87-inch trunk is next to impossible. It’s also protected under the law. Rightfully so. Trees are important to the urban forest and for all of those that inhabit it.
Sometimes I think about my life without the black walnut. I can’t imagine a spring without the birds who arrive every year and loudly sing their songs before dawn. I’d miss falling asleep on lazy weekend afternoons as I look up into its leaves.
Every spring, I wonder what the season holds: What are the chances of being knocked unconscious while barbecuing? Like any good relationship, I’ll never be pleased. I’m stuck with this tree, so I’ll listen to its needs and give it the space it requires. In return, my walnut offers a habitat for wildlife and a reminder.
1. Why does the author wear a bike helmet while working in the garden?| A．To protect the injured skull. | B．To prevent herself from sunburn. |
| C．To avoid being hit by the nuts. | D．To reduce the chance of getting bitten by bees. |
| A．It attracts beneficial pollinators. |
| B．It lets out poison to drive away pests. |
| C．It produces a chemical fatal to some plants. |
| D．It competes for nutrition with similar species. |
| A．The volume of its fruits may bring inconvenience. |
| B．The tree outcompetes the native plants in the garden. |
| C．The tree is home to numerous birds and other creatures. |
| D．The presence of the tree takes up much space of the garden. |
| A．it’s better to give than to take |
| B．trees and plants have their own ways to flourish |
| C．even a good relationship is not always trouble-free |
| D．acceptance, instead of resistance, is the better way to be |
When school was over, the day was fading and it started to drizzle(毛毛雨). I stood at the school gate, with a loaded backpack on my shoulders. It was Friday again: a weekend of joy with unlimited sleeping hours and dinner courses specially made to my taste, a weekend at home. I waved goodbye to my friends as they jumped into their fathers’ warm and comfortable cars. Curiously, this gave rise to a disturbing feeling in me. It was not exactly what they called jealousy, but something like dismay(沮丧). I knew all I could expect was an old bike Mom would ride along on, with the badly-oiled chain creaking(嘎吱作响) against the wheel to announce her arrival.
Every Friday when Mom came to pick me up for the weekend, it was a moment full of great expectation and great unease. I always felt my face burning as we rode our way in and out of the numerous cars and saw my friends’ faces sticking out of the car windows. It was like stepping into a ballroom with beautifully dressed ladies and finding yourself in a smelly T-shirt.
To tell you the truth, Mom is quite a headache once in a while. She just looks a homely middle-aged housewife. Being a practitioner of DIY, she knits most of my sweaters, chiefly in old styles. Whenever caught by some curious classmates asking what brand my sweaters are, I’d force a smile and reply in a half joking manner: homemade.
I couldn’t remember when I started to find her such an embarrassment. As a little boy, I relied on her so much. She had been working at home, cooking in the kitchen, knitting by the lamp or riding across town to buy me a book I badly needed. It had always been much fun riding with mom. But just now there seemed to be something standing between us, something that made her so strange to me and me to her.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Today she showed up in a raincoat.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mom tried to cover me with the back of the raincoat again as a storm set in.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . The student arrived early, sat front and center, and stood out in my classroom in more ways than one. I’d say that he was about 40 years older than his classmates in my undergraduate communications class. He eagerly jumped into class discussions, with his humor and wisdom of experience. And he was always respectful of the other students’ perspectives, as if each of them were a teacher. Jerry Valencia walked in with a smile—and he left with one too.
“These students gave me the confidence that I didn’t need to feel bad about my age,” Valencia says.
One day, I spotted Valencia on campus. He said he would have to stop taking classes that semester and reapply for next year. By then, he hoped to have earned enough money and have his student-loan papers in order. He asked seriously whether he could still sit in on my communications class.
Sure, I said. But he wouldn’t get any credit.
No problem, he said.
Soon there he was again, back at his old desk, jumping into our discussions on how to find and tell stories in Los Angeles—a 63-year-old man with as much energy and curiosity as any of the youngsters in class.
A lot of Valencia’s classmates apparently knew he couldn’t afford that semester’s tuition but was still doing the homework. “Here he is, willingly taking a class for the delight of it and benefit of learning,”says Jessica Espinosa, a 25-year-old junior. Afterward, I overheard Valencia wanted to stay in school until he earned a master’s degree, but it had taken him 12 years to finish community college, so he had a long way to go.
There is something splendidly unreasonable about Valencia’s determination to get a four-year degree and then a master’s. At his current pace, he’ll be 90 when he finally hangs all that paper on the wall. But that doesn’t seem especially relevant. He’s found all the youthful energy and academic opportunity stimulating. Valencia’s grade in my class this semester will not show up on his transcripts(成绩单). But I’m giving him an A—and in the most important ways, it counts.
1. What made Valencia different from his classmates?| A．He was respectful to the teacher. |
| B．He activated the class atmosphere. |
| C．He was eager to learn despite his age. |
| D．He often put forward different opinions. |
| A．He treasured the chance of learning. |
| B．He wished to show his determination. |
| C．He needed the credits to further his study. |
| D．He desired to have an A on his transcripts. |
| A．Modest and independent. | B．Energetic and generous. |
| C．Enthusiastic and motivated. | D．Considerate and intelligent. |
| A．No pains, no gains. | B．It is never too old to learn. |
| C．Strike the iron while it is hot. | D．Where there is life, there is hope. |
5 . I was the new teacher at school, and Clarissa, a fifth-grader, was messy. Clarissa saw no need for
“Clarissa, get your purse out of the doorway. I’m tired of tripping over it!” they’d say. I
One afternoon when I sat at my desk looking around the room, an idea sprang into my head. Standing near my desk was an old and
I began to work. I moved her desk and all her things near the cabinet. I selected some clean
The next morning she came in the room
“It’s for your things if you feel like you need it,” I said
Clarissa spent the rest of the year keeping her things together in her space.
| A．order | B．discipline | C．cooperation | D．help |
| A．trouble | B．chance | C．response | D．suggestion |
| A．management | B．discussion | C．learning | D．situation |
| A．admitted | B．remembered | C．predicted | D．realized |
| A．reason | B．solution | C．position | D．target |
| A．simple | B．empty | C．clean | D．open |
| A．uniquely | B．naturally | C．randomly | D．possibly |
| A．wood | B．cloth | C．paper | D．glass |
| A．spread | B．hid | C．threw | D．set |
| A．in time | B．as usual | C．at once | D．on purpose |
| A．checked | B．cleared | C．spotted | D．ruined |
| A．casually | B．angrily | C．cautiously | D．secretly |
| A．Silence | B．Peace | C．Freedom | D．Fortune |
| A．choosing | B．following | C．creating | D．showing |
| A．struggling | B．waiting | C．developing | D．coming |
6 . The Homeless Hero
For many, finding an unattended wallet filled with £400 in cash would be a source（来源）of temptation（诱惑）. But the
After spotting a
After hours in the cold and wet, he
He then took the wallet to a nearby police station after
The pair were later able to thank Mr. Smith for his
Mr. Anderson said：＂I couldn’t believe that the guy never took a penny. To think he is sleeping on the streets tonight
Mr. Smith’s act
Now Mr. Anderson has set up an online campaign to
For Mr. Smith, this is a possible life-changing
| A．hope | B．aim | C．urge | D．effort |
| A．still | B．even | C．ever | D．once |
| A．wallet | B．bag | C．box | D．parcel |
| A．partner | B．colleague | C．owner | D．policeman |
| A．turned | B．hid | C．stepped | D．reached |
| A．discover | B．collect | C．check | D．believe |
| A．taking | B．leaving | C．reading | D．writing |
| A．satisfied | B．excited | C．amused | D．shocked |
| A．safe | B．missing | C．found | D．seen |
| A．service | B．support | C．kindness | D．encouragement |
| A．when | B．if | C．where | D．because |
| A．rather | B．yet | C．already | D．just |
| A．too | B．though | C．again | D．instead |
| A．honest | B．polite | C．rich | D．generous |
| A．gave | B．paid | C．cast | D．drew |
| A．learned | B．posted | C．cared | D．heard |
| A．borrow | B．raise | C．save | D．earn |
| A．of | B．at | C．for | D．in |
| A．details | B．changes | C．offers | D．applications |
| A．lesson | B．adventure | C．chance | D．challenge |
7 . When his daughter Morgan was growing up, Gordon Hartman was heartbroken after watching her on the playground. Other children refused to play with her, mostly because her disabilities meant she couldn’t access the places where they were playing. The family tried other places but were never satisfied.
“What we found was there was no place that was an easily-accessible, fully inclusive park,” Gordon said. So he went home and sold his construction business, bought a large piece of land, and went to work building an entire amusement park for disabled children.
All kids need playtime, and Morgan was no different. The park—named Morgan’s Wonderland—finally offered Morgan that opportunity. What the Hartmans discovered is that kids without disabilities enjoy the park just as much, and they interact a lot more with everyone when all are included. In fact, three quarters of the park’s visitors are not disabled. And that makes it all the more fun.
Watching the kids play together without barriers makes you realize that we are all the same, and having fun is for everybody. But it doesn’t end there. One-third of the staff also has special needs. Seeing the way they interact also puts a smile on your face. They take their jobs seriously, and they make sure everybody is having fun.
“It feels fantastic because we get to see people who are not given the opportunity to experience the types of rides we have, get on a carousel, get on a train easily, and go fishing,” says Gordon. The park has been visited by people with special needs from over 67 countries. “When we opened this, we didn’t know if it was going to work,” says Gordon. “All we wanted to do was bring people together and play.”
Just look at the smiles at Morgan’s Wonderland, and you’ll see how much good it does.
1. Why was Gordon extremely sad?| A．His daughter was disabled. | B．He had to sell his business. |
| C．His daughter was never satisfied. | D．No playground was accessible to Morgan. |
| A．Every child comes to play with Morgan. | B．It hires the disabled to attract tourists. |
| C．It allows every child to have fun here. | D．3/4 of its area is for normal children. |
| A．Confident. | B．Uncertain. | C．Ashamed. | D．Optimistic. |
| A．Every Kid Deserves to Have Fun | B．We Should Respect Each Other |
| C．A Playground Is Enough for All | D．A Father Has Saved His Daughter |
8 . A few years ago，I spared a couple of hours from busy academic learning to work in a video store on a daily basis. An elderly woman walked into the store with a younger woman who I
Rather than rushing off to
“Is that your mom?” She rolled her eyes and said, “Yeah.” There was
| A．found | B．recognized | C．guessed | D．predicted |
| A．anxiety | B．confusion | C．eagerness | D．impatience |
| A．look around | B．look through | C．look into | D．look up |
| A．cautious | B．long | C．slight | D．instant |
| A．DVDs | B．movies | C．titles | D．records |
| A．locate | B．confirm | C．check | D．buy |
| A．informed | B．convinced | C．recalled | D．reminded |
| A．suitable | B．eager | C．grateful | D．hopeful |
| A．asked | B．walked | C．invited | D．introduced |
| A．annoyance | B．amazement | C．concern | D．disappointment |
| A．Give | B．Accept | C．Mind | D．Follow |
| A．criticizing | B．kidding | C．disturbing | D．interfering |
| A．curious | B．frightened | C．unbelievable | D．regretful |
| A．expressions | B．moments | C．possessions | D．chances |
| A．immediately | B．constantly | C．unexpectedly | D．apparently |
9 . I’d worked four months at a university when we had a going-away party for Sandy, who was moving to London. When I got to work the next day, I was
I then found out that I have a rare disease face blindness. This
I was
This year, I celebrated my birthday with over 60 friends, many of whom I wasn’t able to
| A．excited | B．surprised | C．frightened | D．pleased |
| A．stared at | B．thought of | C．got away from | D．reached out for |
| A．disaster | B．accident | C．discovery | D．expectation |
| A．However | B．Somehow | C．Anyway | D．Moreover |
| A．illness | B．growth | C．face | D．brain |
| A．promising | B．popular | C．cheap | D．comfortable |
| A．unconcerned | B．impatient | C．desperate | D．annoyed |
| A．tip | B．question | C．explanation | D．warning |
| A．hesitated | B．smiled | C．panicked | D．waited |
| A．students | B．strangers | C．colleagues | D．patients |
| A．invite | B．trust | C．greet | D．recognise |
| A．Eventually | B．Fortunately | C．Actually | D．Hopefully |
| A．remember | B．ignore | C．miss | D．enjoy |
| A．chance | B．thrill | C．shock | D．trouble |
| A．According to | B．Regardless of | C．In fear of | D．Thanks to |
Billy was 15 years old then. He grew up in a very poor neighborhood. No one in his family had gone to college before. Actually, few people around him had received higher education. They all struggled to live a good life. Therefore, Billy knew nothing about colleges or scholarships and he never thought he would go to college one day. Although he was a smart boy, he didn’t study hard at school and often got into trouble with other teenagers in his neighborhood.
One day, while Billy was walking on the playground, a boy of his age started making fun of him. Then that boy pushed him hard and Billy fell onto the ground. Billy became so angry that he stood up and beat that boy. So a fight began.
It happened that Billy’s English teacher Mr. Smith was walking nearby. He immediately ran to the boys to stop the fight. Billy was a bit worried because he knew his teacher was very strict with students. He was afraid his teacher would punish him. However, to his astonishment, his teacher didn’t do that.
“Billy, let’s have a talk,” said his teacher.
Billy, not knowing what his teacher wanted to do, was very worried. But he nodded. So they went to a bench nearby and sat down. After they sat down, Mr. Smith began, “Billy, I know you’re a smart boy, but you’re wasting your life now. Why don’t you study hard to go to college so that you can change your life and have a bright future?”
Hearing that, Billy didn’t know what to say. He had never thought about it. Billy was in silence. Mr. Smith continued, “I know you may have never thought about going to college. But everything is possible. When I was at your age, I was a troublemaker just like you and never thought I’d be able to go to college, either. It was all because of the support and encouragement of Mr. Howard, my math teacher in high school.”
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1:
Then, Mr. Smith began to tell Billy his story.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Billy was greatly touched by Mr. Smith’s story.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
