1 . With the holidays approaching, I sit down at my kitchen table to begin addressing holiday greeting cards.

In front of me are neatly organized piles: red and green cards with shining trees, white envelopes, various colored pens and books of postage stamps. Everything is in place to begin when I’m interrupted by a judgemental “What is that?” from my youngest daughter, Charlotte. Her eyes have just landed on my rather time-worn address book.

My address book is close to 40 years old. Its faded cover was once quite lovely, but now it is crisscrossed with tape (缠满了胶带) , and an elastic band (橡皮筋) just about keeps the bits and pieces of paper together, which are trying their best to escape confinement (束缚) .

“You still use that old thing. You know there are apps for that?”. Charlotte continues.

Written’ on these pages are the names of people who were once important in my life. This includes the names of old friends and contacts for employers and past neighbors. There are people, I came across for a short while and then never saw again, such as a guy who was cycling across Canada to raise. funds for cancer research. And, of course, there are lots and lots of family, contacts.

When I flip through the pages, I wonder what has become of many of the people—I refuse to scratch out any names (even if they have died) . All of these people were once important in. my life, but many of them have been lost to time.

My internal musings finish, I return to the present and respond to my daughter, “Yeah, darling, I know. Why don’t you show me an app to improve this mess sometime?”

“All right, Mom. Maybe next week.”

Just as I thought, she’s already moved on. It’s a good thing I have my contacts down on paper. And no matter what, I will always treasure this old, dog-eared address book as a way to remind me of who I was and the people who shaped who I’ve become.

1. What is the condition of the author’s address book?

A．Old but neat.	B．Colorful but loose.
C．Worn-out and taped together.	D．Messy and disorganized.

2. What is the author’s attitude toward her daughter’s suggestion?

A．She is thankful for it.	B．She is open to it.
C．She is confused about it.	D．She is uninterested in it.

3. How does the author feel about her address book?

A．It might be unreliable.	B．It’s a valuable memory of her past.
C．It’s too old and worthless.	D．It needs to be digitalized.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Daughter’s Gift	B．My Day Online
C．A World of Digital Distraction	D．Faded Outside, Rich Inside

2 . I used to be worried about what I should buy my dad for Father’s Day. I’d _________ countless stores for something that my dad would like. But I never had _________. That was years ago when I was _________ and thought every holiday was about _________.

Those years it was usually months after Father’s Day that my dad _________ a gift because he always told me he never “_________” anything. So I stopped getting him things and, _________, started taking him out to movies, to restaurants or to shows, which brought him much laughter.

We should _________ spending time with our fathers doing something they’ll _________. If he is fond of fishing, go fishing with him. Anything you can do to spend time with your father is better than anything you can __________ in a box and put a bow on, unless of course, you put yourself in a box, pop out and hand him tickets to a show or a game.

If, however, your mind is still set on getting a(n) __________ gift as well, then replace that thing that needs to be __________. That’s probably what I’m going to do next year for my father. Sorry, Dad, but this really will be the last summer your lawn mower can __________. If your dad is anything like mine, he’ll __________ until whatever needs to be replaced is __________ broken. And by that I mean it’s there-is-no-possible-way-it-can-be-fixed broken. So __________ it for him.

Many people may no longer have a(n) __________ with their dad. So for those who are lucky like me, it’s a __________ to take our dads for granted. The times we can laugh sure __________ the times we can’t. Now, do something with your dad to make him happy. __________ the materialistic gifts. Bring on the laughs.

1.

A．search

B．design

C．record

D．restore

2.

A．time

B．luck

C．courage

D．patience

3.

A．poor

B．naughty

C．innocent

D．ambitious

4.

A．gifts

B．chances

C．promises

D．hopes

5.

A．sent

B．offered

C．received

D．shared

6.

A．purchased

B．needed

C．deserved

D．ignored

7.

A．instead

B．therefore

C．however

D．lastly

8.

A．refer to

B．put off

C．give up

D．focus on

9.

A．count

B．love

C．tolerate

D．avoid

10.

A．wrap

B．discover

C．imagine

D．touch

11.

A．strange

B．flexible

C．expensive

D．actual

12.

A．repaired

B．unfolded

C．exchanged

D．updated

13.

A．waste

B．run

C．quit

D．lose

14.

A．hold

B．watch

C．wait

D．worry

15.

A．simply

B．partly

C．gradually

D．completely

16.

A．reward

B．reserve

C．replace

D．save

17.

A．relationship

B．experiment

C．exploration

D．explanation

18.

A．duty

B．right

C．shame

D．challenge

19.

A．pass down

B．make up for

C．catch up with

D．bring back

20.

A．Admire

B．Observe

C．Support

D．Forget

7 . Someone wise once said that there's no wrong time to learn. There's nothing more _________ than seeing someone try to study and learn new things years after they were last at school. A woman is now getting much _________ for graduating from Texas University.

Minnie Payne, a 90-year-old woman,_________ to get her Master's degree 73 years after graduating from high school in 1950._________ that she wasn't ready to give up on her academic career just yet, she went to Texas University. This made her the _________ graduate who completed her _________ and earned a degree at the university at any level.

Payne wasn't born into a family of intellectuals. She _________ quite poor in the South Carolina textile（纺织业）community. Despite her humble _________ , she said, “I've always tried to _________ myself. ”Talking about the importance of __________ and how it helped us, she added, "When you gain an education, you better yourself and those around you. Certainly, you gain __________ as well." She's undoubtedly a devoted student. Her __________ for knowledge coupled with her discipline is quite impressive.

According to Payne, her education wasn't an __________ part of her childhood, considering the __________ she was born into. Since her parents didn't __________ understand the importance of education, there was nobody there to __________ her in that direction. She said, "We were poor, but we __________ to realize we were poor because everybody else was in the same boat."

"Payne was __________ throughout the program to getting the education, knowledge and skills she __________ ," said Billy Roessler, who was Payne's academic adviser. "And her story __________ the fact that it's never too late to learn."

1.

A．frightening

B．contradictory

C．inspiring

D．joyful

2.

A．excitement

B．attention

C．service

D．encouragement

3.

A．agreed

B．happened

C．promised

D．decided

4.

A．Realizing

B．Hoping

C．Revealing

D．Remembering

5.

A．tallest

B．smartest

C．oldest

D．best

6.

A．purposes

B．coursework

C．challenges

D．exploration

7.

A．ended up

B．turned out

C．came out

D．grew up

8.

A．beginnings

B．personalities

C．strengths

D．requirements

9.

A．improve

B．express

C．simplify

D．identify

10.

A．reputation

B．environment

C．education

D．difference

11.

A．sympathy

B．knowledge

C．wealth

D．rescue

12.

A．application

B．demand

C．preparation

D．thirst

13.

A．important

B．extreme

C．obvious

D．especial

14.

A．platform

B．trend

C．poverty

D．direction

15.

A．traditionally

B．exactly

C．particularly

D．roughly

16.

A．believe

B．transport

C．accompany

D．push

17.

A．failed

B．struggled

C．longed

D．declined

18.

A．addicted

B．exposed

C．committed

D．attached

19.

A．lost

B．desired

C．supported

D．acquired

20.

A．monitors

B．replaces

C．changes

D．proves

8 . It was at the midnight. I had just gone to bed, a bit drunk after _________ my birthday with some buddies in my house.

Our town was on the bank of the Ahr River, and it had been raining heavily that week; there were flood warnings for nearby areas, but not where I was. I _________ made some preparations, sandbags outside my garden door, clothing on tables etc. Before my friends left, they _________ me for doing that, but I thought, why _________?

As I drifted off to sleep, I was _________ by the sound of rushing water. When I _________ my legs off the bed, I was shocked to feel cold water already up to my _________. In darkness, I grabbed my phone and turned on its flashlight to _________ into the hall, where I saw water was pouring from the garden door. It must have broken the _________.

Any __________ of the alcohol were gone. With the fierce water, in bare feet, I started to wade to my only __________: the door that leads __________ to the rest of the house. Finally I made it and tried to open the door, but it shut again __________ I opened it a bit. I had to do something. I __________ in the water nearly to my waist, and a sword was touched. I grabbed it and wedged the door open. I managed to make a __________, enough for me to __________ through. Then, I ran up to the third floor to check my family’s __________. At that critical moment, we saw the light flashing outside—the rescue team. __________ we stood on the assault boat, I was still trembling.

The following day, the __________ news came that many houses around us were destroyed. I think the experience made me grateful. __________, “better safe than sorry” is a wise choice.

1.

A．congratulating

B．celebrating

C．broadcasting

D．applauding

2.

A．even

B．already

C．yet

D．still

3.

A．laughed at

B．approved of

C．stared at

D．accused of

4.

A．take a risk

B．make a fortune

C．make a bet

D．take a guess

5.

A．annoyed

B．awakened

C．affected

D．attacked

6.

A．bent

B．sought

C．swung

D．hung

7.

A．feet

B．knees

C．waist

D．chest

8.

A．slid

B．wandered

C．hurried

D．skipped

9.

A．wall

B．fence

C．sandbags

D．barriers

10.

A．excuses

B．causes

C．consequences

D．effects

11.

A．escape

B．direction

C．help

D．passion

12.

A．forwards

B．backwards

C．downstairs

D．upstairs

13.

A．before long

B．every time

C．as soon as

D．any time

14.

A．observed

B．experienced

C．searched

D．examined

15.

A．gap

B．glimpse

C．blank

D．distance

16.

A．jump

B．ride

C．squeeze

D．pull

17.

A．safety

B．health

C．actuality

D．motivation

18.

A．Since

B．If

C．After

D．Before

19.

A．harmful

B．fearful

C．stressful

D．powerful

20.

A．What’s more

B．Worst of all

C．In contrast

D．In any case

10 . In 1959, Handler changed how toy dolls were made when she introduced “Barbie” to the world. With her mature figure, Barbie was one of the first “grown-up” dolls to hit the retail market.

Handler wanted to create a toy that was different from the baby dolls that dominated little girls’ toy boxes. She wanted a doll that girls could project their future dreams upon and allowed for limitless clothing and career choices. Inspired by paper dolls of the time, Handler, to much disagreement, made sure Barbie had the body of a grown woman.

“My own philosophy of Barbie,” Handler wrote in her autobiography, “was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman had choices.”

There’s even a Barbie for cancer patients — Brave Barbie — a partnership between Mattel and CureSearch that sends a bald (光头的) Barbie to families affected by cancer. “Gifting my daughter a Barbie who suffered from cancer was tremendous,” Michelle, a cancer survivor said, “We would play with that Barbie together and I’d heartbreakingly watch her pretend to take the doll to the hospital for chemo (化疗), or place its long wig on top of its head and tell the doll ‘It’s time to be beautiful again.’”

Bald Barbie was super brave and went on awesome adventures after chemo. Sometimes she felt sick and needed to sleep, but would feel much better after a rest. Bald Barbie always beat the cancer and went on to live a long and happy life with her family. That Barbie became so much more than a plastic doll — she was a means of communication and a coping mechanism during an extremely distressing time for little families.

1. Why did Handler create Barbie?

A．To make a hit in the retail market.	B．To appeal to girls with her diverse outfits.
C．To do a project on women’s career choices.	D．To inspire girls to make choices as they wish.

2. How might Michelle feel when watching her daughter with Brave Barbie?

A．Sad yet comforted.	B．Envious yet proud.
C．Overwhelmed and ashamed.	D．Heartbroken and regretful.

3. What does Brave Barbie mean to Michelle’s family?

A．A reliable emotional support.	B．A glue for broken relationships.
C．An effective practical treatment.	D．A secret medium of negotiation.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A medical journal.	B．A charity brochure.
C．A financial report.	D．A story collection.