I sat in the breakfast corner with my four-year-old son, Matthew, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach. I was still recovering from a surgery. I hoped for strength and happiness. But the future seemed so hopeless.
Matthew jumped up from his spot on the kitchen floor. “Bird!” he shouted, rushing to the sliding door. Sure enough, there was a white dove seated on a rubber tree. It sat there a few moments, and then flew away. I’d never seen one in our neighborhood before.
When I dragged myself to the kitchen the next morning, the dove was back. This time it was with a mate carrying twigs (嫩枝), “Look, Matthew,” I said, pointing to the tree. “They’re going to make a nest.” The doves flew in and out of the courtyard all week, building on the top of the rubber tree. Matthew could hardly contain his excitement. Every morning, he’d run into the kitchen and take his spot by the sliding glass door, talking to the birds while they worked. As much as I was grieving (感到悲伤), I couldn’t help but look forward to the doves’ visits too. We watched their progress as if it were a real-life soap opera unfolding before us. Gradually, my pain disappeared, replaced by joy.
Then it all went wrong. The courtyard was a safe enough spot for a nest, but the rubber tree’s broad, thin leaves were far from stable. One night, a strong wind blew through, throwing the doves’ nest to the ground. I heard the twigs break apart. Nothing good ever lasts. I wouldn’t blame the doves if they never came back. But they returned. And they paid no attention to the pi le of sticks that had once been their nest. They started again from scratch, though the wind destroyed all their hard work. The next day, and the next, they renewed their efforts, as if nothing had happened.
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。
Paragraph 1: I knew I had to do something for the poor creatures.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:“The birds were back!” Matthew announced.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . I was angry with my sixteen-year-old son Anthony, and stormed out of the house. Standing on the front porch (门廊), I
“Anthony again?” Clara asked. “It’s his hair again,” I replied. “Have you seen him? All that mass of messy curls
Clara smiled, “It’s only hair, Liz.” She spoke slowly,
After returning to my house, I baked some cookies, and carried them to Anthony’s room. “Can I come in, honey?” “Not if you’re going to
“It’s only hair,” I said. “It’s your hair. Not mine.” Anthony smiled broadly, saying, “Thanks for
| A．dug | B．drank | C．sighed | D．reflected |
| A．acceptance | B．sympathy | C．company | D．relaxation |
| A．fixing up | B．showing off | C．flying around | D．hanging down |
| A．disapproving | B．puzzled | C．loving | D．hungry |
| A．analyzing | B．recalling | C．emphasizing | D．polishing |
| A．awful | B．serious | C．funny | D．acceptable |
| A．return | B．succeed | C．persist | D．survive |
| A．take | B．make | C．get | D．believe |
| A．power | B．trouble | C．work | D．support |
| A．mess | B．freedom | C．space | D．energy |
| A．complain | B．bring | C．lie | D．joke |
| A．doubt | B．pretend | C．promise | D．protest |
| A．annoyance | B．suspicion | C．competence | D．rebellion |
| A．finally | B．instantly | C．accurately | D．completely |
| A．principles | B．approaches | C．situations | D．regulations |
It was ten years ago. I was at the departure gates of the airport, reading a cartoon book to pass the time while waiting for my parents to check in. A sea of people filled the airport and loud chatter echoed (回响) throughout the vast terminal (航站楼) halls. People were coming in and out of countless doors.
The cartoon shop caught my eye, for it was filled with cartoon figurines (小雕像). I caught sight of a new figurine from my favourite cartoon, “One Piece” it was an action figurine of my favourite character, Luffy! My jaw dropped to the floor and my eyes brightened like diamonds.
Without thinking twice, I ran towards the store. Holding the action figurine carefully in my hands, I imagined the scenes I could come up with using my action figurines at home. Filled with excitement, I hugged the toy and jumped for joy. Unfortunately, I did not have any money on me. Without doubt, I knew I had to share this newfound discovery with my parents!
After returning the action figurine to its shelf, I darted (飞奔) out of the store, retracing my steps back to where I had left my parents. When I reached the location where I had last seen them, I realised that they were nowhere to be found. I tried to look for the terminal departure gate my parents were supposed to be waiting at, but the gates all looked the same. As I stood rooted to the ground, my excitement started to die down. Anxiety enveloped me and my heart started pounding in my chest.
Tears rolled down my hot cheeks like a waterfall as I blamed myself. Why did I have to get distracted and leave my parents without informing them? There were thousands of people at the airport! It would be impossible to find them! Regretting my actions, I blamed myself silently.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Suddenly, my mother’s advice echoed in my mind: “If you are ever lost, don’t panic! Stay calm, and ask for help!”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A few minutes later, my parents, extremely breathless, appeared at the information counter.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . A little stream flowed down from a high mountain far away through many villages and forests, until it reached a desert. The stream then thought, “I’ve been through countless obstacles. I should have no problem crossing this desert!” But soon she found herself gradually disappearing into the mud and sand. After numerous tries, she found it was all in vain and was very upset. “Maybe it’s my destiny! I’m not destined to reach the vast ocean in the legend.”
At this time;a deep voice came, saying, “If a breeze can cross the desert, so can a river.”
It was the voice of the desert. Unconvinced, the little stream replied, “That’s because a breeze can fly, but I cannot.”
“That’s because you stick to what you are If you’re willing to give it up, and let yourself evaporate (蒸发) into the breeze, it can take you across, and you can reach your destination,” said the desert in its deep voice.
The little stream had never heard of such a thing. She could not accept this idea. After all, she had never experienced anything like it before. Wouldn’t it be self-destruction to give up what she was now?
“How do I know if this is true? and will I still be what I am now?” asked the little stream.
“Yes, and no. Whether you’re a river or invisible vapor, your inner nature never changes. You stick to the fact that you’re a river because you don’t know your inner nature,”answered the desert.
Deep down, the stream vaguely remembered that before she became a river, it was perhaps also the breeze that had carried her halfway up a high mountain, where she turned into rain and fell onto the ground and became what she was now. Finally the little stream gathered her courage and rushed into the open arms of the breeze; which carried her to the next stage of her life.
The course of our lives is like the experience of little stream. If you want to surpass the obstacles in your life in order to head for the destination of Truth, Virtue and beauty, you should also have the wisdom and courage to renounce (放弃) your ego (attachment to yourself).
Perhaps you can try asking yourself these questions: What is my inner nature? What is it that I cling to? and, What is it that I really want?
1. What obstacle did the stream come across when starting to cross the desert?| A．Her effortless attempt. | B．Her unrealistic goal. |
| C．Her bowing to fate. | D．All that struggle for nothing. |
| A．Confident — shocked — determined — withdrawn |
| B．Sad — determined — disappointed — shocked |
| C．Disappointed — doubted — confident — surprised |
| D．Hopeful — upset — shocked — determined |
| A．Give up what you are, and you will never owe it again. |
| B．While you change physically, your inner nature will never change. |
| C．Only by sticking to yourself can you realize your dream. |
| D．Changing yourself means losing control of everything. |
| A．When you can’t change the environment, change yourself. |
| B．Stick to your inner nature rather than what you are. |
| C．Once starting the journey, you should stick to your goal. |
| D．Be flexible and adaptable, venturing into the unknown. |
5 . Last year, I started the journey of being a remote product designer. The thought of a flexible (灵活的) schedule, a comfortable home office, and the escape from the
However, the
One day, I tried
This incident (事件) marked the
| A．dramatic | B．severe | C．previous | D．crowded |
| A．appealing | B．annoying | C．challenging | D．confusing |
| A．direction | B．safety | C．freedom | D．responsibility |
| A．duties | B．awards | C．problems | D．expectations |
| A．concerns | B．reliefs | C．updates | D．intentions |
| A．tied | B．inspired | C．guide | D．introduced |
| A．reply | B．relax | C．react | D．read |
| A．adapted | B．limited | C．related | D．addicted |
| A．counted | B．repeated | C．watched | D．followed |
| A．tidying up | B．putting aside | C．fitting into | D．getting back |
| A．lazy | B．tired | C．rude | D．mad |
| A．mix | B．success | C．balance | D．value |
| A．distance | B．memory | C．beginning | D．training |
| A．promise | B．excuse | C．answer | D．change |
| A．maintain | B．ease | C．remove | D．regain |
“Late again, Mavis! How many times have I told you to come back in time to help me cook dinner?” asked Mrs. Muntari.
“But, Mummy, I can’t just walk out in the middle of a game!” protested Mavis, still panting (喘气) after running all the way home.
“You shouldn’t be playing the game in the first place,” Mrs. Muntari stopped cooking and looked at Mavis.
“But, Mum, I want to play football. Why can’t I? You never tell Adibe or Senzo not to play football. I had to leave the game at half time and rush back so you wouldn’t get angry with me, ” said Mavis.
“They are boys and you’re not! It is as simple as that. Boys and girls have different roles to play. I have 11 hungry mouths to feed and I need your help!” Mrs. Muntari tasted the porridge and added some more water. “You’re the oldest girl not working, so it is your job to help me around the home. That is the way of our people. Now go and fry some more chicken. Kulu had to help me since you were not here. She burnt her finger and was still crying. I even had to ask your cousin from next door to come and help me.”
At the dinner table, Adibe and Senzo were excitedly talking about today’s game, while eating the chicken that Mavis had fried. They both agreed that Mavis scored in the first half with a power shot from halfway line. It was a great goal as their team was losing 1-0 at that time.
Dad came home then and told the boys that he saw news in the local paper about football scouts (球探) from England visiting Ghana. These scouts had asked to be allowed to visit various schools to look for players of the future. Adibe and Senzo looked at each other and cheered, ”Wow, I’m going to be like Essien!“ and started arguing which one would make it as a superstar.
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。
Paragraph 1: Mavis’s eyes lit up with excitement.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: Everything seemed to change after her parents witnessed her performance in the field.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7 . Woody Davis had always been generous and kind. He never earned much money, but always waved to everybody and
People in town are
Unfortunately, Woody’s days were
| A．helped | B．defended | C．hugged | D．funded |
| A．eager | B．ready | C．grateful | D．concerned |
| A．mercy | B．goodwill | C．choice | D．reaction |
| A．fixed up | B．turned in | C．took apart | D．pulled over |
| A．made out | B．stood by | C．took in | D．cared about |
| A．repeated | B．impacted | C．rewarded | D．accomplished |
| A．love | B．hope | C．memory | D．expectation |
| A．concluded | B．lengthened | C．treasured | D．numbered |
| A．recognized | B．interviewed | C．consulted | D．comforted |
| A．preparing | B．attempting | C．struggling | D．managing |
| A．unstable | B．unmoved | C．unaffected | D．unearthed |
| A．request | B．accept | C．appreciate | D．believe |
| A．odd | B．powerful | C．simple | D．awkward |
| A．though | B．because | C．once | D．unless |
| A．fortunately | B．absolutely | C．normally | D．actually |
8 . How do you create a restaurant business and become an overnight success at the age of 52?As Ray Kroc said, “I was an overnight success alright, but 30 years is a long, long night.” As the builder of the McDonald’s hamburger empire, he helped change America’s eating habits, as well as its nature of business by standardizing operations in the fiercely competitive fast-food industry.
But not many know how this entrepreneurial (创业的) success story came to be. Kroc was not a chef or a restaurateur. He never even went to college. For over three decades, he held a variety of jobs, from piano player to salesman of paper cups and multiple milkshake machines. “The two most important requirements for major success are, first, being in the right place at the right time and, second, doing something about it.” So said Kroc.
And in 1954, he was in the right place at the right time, and he did something about it. The salesman was surprised by a huge order for eight multi-mixers (多用搅拌机) from a hamburger stand in California. There he found a small but successful restaurant run by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald, and was amazed by the effectiveness of their operation. They produced a limited menu, concentrating on just a few items-burgers, fries and beverages-which allowed them to focus on quality at every step of production.
The brothers were looking for a new franchisee (特许经营者) and Kroc saw an opportunity. He pitched (推销) his vision of creating McDonald’s restaurants all over the US to them. In 1955 he founded the McDonald’s Corporation, and six years later bought the exclusive rights to the McDonald’s name and operating system. By 1958, McDonald’s had sold its 100 millionth hamburger.
Kroc wanted to build a restaurant system that would be famous for providing food of consistently high quality and uniform methods of preparation. He wanted to serve burgers, fries and beverages that tasted just the same in Alaska as they did in Alabama.
To achieve this, Kroc chose a unique path: persuading both franchisees and suppliers to buy into his vision, working not for McDonald’s, but for themselves, together with McDonald’s. He promoted the slogan, “In business for yourself, but not by yourself.” His philosophy was based on the simple principle of a three- legged stool: one leg was McDonald’s franchisees; the second, McDonald’s suppliers; and the third, McDonald’s employees.
Kroc believed in the entrepreneurial spirit, and rewarded his franchisees for their individual creativity. Many of McDonald’s most famous menu items — like the Filet-O-Fish, Big Mac, and Egg McMuffin — were created by franchisees.
1. From the passage we know .| A．Ray Kroc was born with a talent of running businesses |
| B．Ray Kroc borrowed his business idea from others |
| C．McDonald’s Corporation was started by two brothers |
| D．McDonald’s Corporation succeeded for its unique philosophy |
| A．Kroc formed the three legs of McDonald’s |
| B．many suppliers created new ways of making burgers |
| C．franchisees began to stick to a limited menu |
| D．employees would work hard for McDonald’s and for themselves |
| A．Lucky and creative. | B．Devoted but simple-minded. |
| C．Independent and far-sighted | D．Cooperative but strict. |
| A．The cooperation of Kroc and two brothers. |
| B．The contribution of McDonald’s to the US food industry. |
| C．The requirements for a successful fast-food chain. |
| D．The story of an entrepreneurial success. |
9 . I woke up with a painful back this moming.This was not
From the split in one shoe,I knew that it wouldn’t be too long
Later,after walking the dogs,watching the sunrise and eating breakfast,I was feeling a lot
At some point in your life you need to
| A．unusual | B．unknown | C．appealing | D．appropriate |
| A．shoes | B．coat | C．clothes | D．trousers |
| A．symbols | B．signals | C．signs | D．marks |
| A．since | B．until | C．before | D．after |
| A．tense | B．painful | C．better | D．worse |
| A．strange | B．dark | C．moving | D．delightful |
| A．normal | B．useful | C．different | D．great |
| A．in respect of | B．in spite of | C．in addition to | D．in terms of |
| A．if | B．while | C．as | D．because |
| A．soul | B．comforted | C．assigned | D．wish |
| A．describe | B．decide | C．display | D．deny |
| A．seems | B．looks | C．grows | D．keeps |
| A．young | B．mature | C．strong | D．weak |
| A．start | B．step | C．make | D．put |
| A．under | B．from | C．behind | D．without |
10 . Kwane Stewart, a vet at an animal shelter, stepped outside a convenience store and
Stewart, now 50, has his own practice in town,
There’s a desperate need for his help. About 25 percent of the town’s homeless population owns a pet, but there are few healthcare
He knows there are some people who question whether the homeless should even have pets. “I think that
| A．started | B．spotted | C．caught | D．viewed |
| A．seated | B．sat | C．put | D．located |
| A．symbols | B．signals | C．warnings | D．signs |
| A．helped | B．reached | C．approached | D．contracted |
| A．Arriving | B．Revisiting | C．Retuming | D．Leaving |
| A．yet | B．still | C．though | D．while |
| A．decisions | B．options | C．reliefs | D．rights |
| A．complete | B．widen | C．fill | D．narrow |
| A．anywhere | B．somewhere | C．elsewhere | D．nowhere |
| A．operations | B．procedures | C．medicines | D．treatments |
| A．Normally | B．Frequently | C．Occasionally | D．Rarely |
| A．set up | B．put up | C．built up | D．made up |
| A．rather than | B．more than | C．instead of | D．other than |
| A．common | B．usual | C．ordinary | D．average |
| A．host | B．home | C．god | D．master |
