1 . Young boys often dream of superpowers to solve their problems. “If I could just click my fingers, my homework would be done,” many have imagined. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster put their ideas down on paper.
It was 1933, and while the country was in the throes of the Great Depression, Cleveland was thriving. Jerry and Joe, growing up in a middle-class neighborhood, became friends on the high school. They escaped potentially embarrassing encounters by becoming crazy about comics.
Joe was the artist and drew all the time, using bits of any kind of paper he could find. He hung out at newsstands poring over magazines, especially Amazing Stories, and then recreated them at home with a pencil or pen. Jerry was the storyteller and the more ambitious of the two. He describes how the creation of Superman came to him in the middle of a sleepless summer night: I hop out of bed and write this down, and then I go back and think some more for about two hours, then get up again and write that down. The inspiration for Superman’s origin story started taking shape, and the next morning, I ran to Joe’s place and showed it to him, we just sat down, and I worked straight through.
As is often the case, when we experience something traumatic in life, we deal with the feelings through creative expression. Jerry’s father had owned a store and died during a robbery. A young child might process that experience by wishing something could have prevented it. For Jerry, out came the Man of Steel, who had superpowers and bravery to protect innocent people. Creating storylines must have helped Jerry with the grieving process.
The story of Superman has inspired kids for generations. It has calmed their fears and driven their dreams. Most importantly, the Man of Steel has inspired us all to find our superpowers and use them to help others.
1. What happened to Jerry and Joe during the Great Depression?A.They were forced to quit school. | B.They became addicted to comics. |
C.They went broke and lost their jobs. | D.They moved to Cleveland with friends. |
A.Jerry was much more talented. | B.They co-created the Superman. |
C.Joe was better at telling stories. | D.They produced their own magazine. |
A.Painful. | B.Strange. | C.Wonderful. | D.Adventurous. |
A.A Lifelong Friendship | B.The Best Comics Ever |
C.The Birth of Superman | D.A Little Boy’s Last Wish |
By the age of sixteen years old, Ben had always been an outstanding student. He went to great lengths to achieve high grades and managed to keep his parents delighted and proud. Neither of his parents had the opportunity to attend university and it was their biggest ambition that Ben could land a well-paid and decent job as a lawyer. He knew that achieving this goal would make his parents walk on air, but he wasn’t certain whether he would feel the same.
Since he was only a child, Ben had been passionate about computer programming. He taught himself how to use a computer, and by the age of 12, he had been proficient in three difterent programming languages. He did all of this in his spare time. He was quite an introvert (内向的人), so he preferred staying in with his computer, rather than going out socializing with his fellow classmates or playing sports in the brilliant sunshine. It was acceptable with his parents, as long as he continued to focus on his studies.
One day, while reading an article online about a young technology billionaire called Tom, Ben was fascinated by the magical power of technology and the wisdom and imnovation of the young CEO. The inner voice told him that he longed to become a computer programmer. Everything changed for Ben. In the article, the CEO said that his company was trying to create a new and improved way of paying for goods online but that they were struggling with the security system. He said if they could overcome this, they could launch the biggest and best online payment system in the world. It occurred to Ben that he had an innovative idea on how to handle this problem. Thinking that it wouldn’t come to anything, he emailed the CEO, introducing himself and explaining his idea.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150个左右2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
He forgot all about it, but then a month later; the most amazing thing happened.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With all these concerns in mind, Ben determined to communicate with his parents frankly.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3 . Mary Dickins had been a member of the audience at poetry nights before and knew “the poetry clap”. She made a polite tapping of fingers. But when she made her debut (首次演出) as a performer at the age of 62 at the legendary Bang Said the Gun night in south London, she said, “It was so wild — like nothing I had ever seen before.” The audience stamped their feet and shook shakers. “It felt transformative. I thought, ‘I’ve got to have more of this,’ ” Dickins said. Becoming a performance poet has given her a place on a stage of her own making.
All her life she has written, mostly without being seen or heard. Her mother died when she was nine, and, after she went into a care home at 13, Dickins’ writing stayed in notebooks. Really, she says, a lot of her adult life has been about getting over childhood shyness. At university — she studied education — she met her husband of 40 years, but in three years of seminars she did not say a word. Some of this results from her years at the children’s home. She says, “It gave me a sense of what it’s like to be excluded. I never fitted in anywhere.”
After she graduated, she discovered that she loved working with people with learning disabilities. She became an expert in inclusive education. “That was my niche (称心的职业),” she says. She published books and returned to the University of North London as a senior lecturer in early childhood studies.
Dickins now sees that in adulthood she has been giving herself permission to be silly. “The sillier I allow myself to be, the better the writing is,” she says. Her observations are humorous.
“Putting things into words and giving shape to your emotions is an important part of coming to terms with the things that happen in life,” she says.
Does she still feel like an outsider?
“I think I’ve made it into a virtue. I celebrate the fact that I don’t fit into a box. Finally! You have to wait till you’re 62 to feel confident!” she says. “But I have a sense of who I am and I'm proud of it. I wouldn’t be anyone else now — and it took me a long time to say that.”
1. How did Dickins feel about her debut?A.Calm. | B.Awkward. | C.Stressed. | D.Encouraged. |
A.Her immature writing style. | B.Her experience at the care home. |
C.Her struggle with her university studies. | D.Her difficult relationship with her husband. |
A.It makes her land a good job. | B.It sharpens her sense of humor. |
C.It enables her to get on well with her life. | D.It helps her overcome her learning disabilities. |
A.Mary Dickins’ New Start after 60 | B.Mary Dickins’ First Performance |
C.Mary Dickins’ Troubled Writing Career | D.Mary Dickins’ Impact on Performance Poets |
4 . My plan to learn to play the cello (大提琴) was a health y choice. So I took the next innocent step of going to a shop that sells and rents string instruments, especially violins, violas, and cellos. The place was a hole-in-the-wall, up a steep flight of stairs. Instruments left a narrow path to the counter where a woman with grey hair and warm eyes greeted me. Since I couldn’t form a question about what I wanted, I just stood there exploring the scene, which felt immensely pleasurable.
I rented a cello, a bow, and a case to hold them. What attracted me to the cello was its enormous size and its soft, smooth, and memorable sounds. It’s an instrument made of beautifully polished wood that I could wrap my arms around and feel its powerful vibrations when the strings were played. That was a good starting point for me. The only problem was that I didn’t know how to play it.
There’s a popular belief that the cello is a particularly difficult instrument to learn. Another is the admonition, “Don’t bother if you are a beginner over age 10!” Well, I was 70, and what others thought no longer influenced me. And besides, I thought of the words of Dr. Cohen, who suggested that learning causes physical changes in the brain.
So I found a teacher who had respect for older adult beginners and I practiced diligently, daily for years, and sometimes disheartened, but I kept up. I’m happy to report that now, more than a decade later, I can hold my own in a string trio and two quartets (two violins, a viola, and me, the female cello)and even a senior community band. Of course, I’ll never sound like Yo-Yo Ma but you could recognize a Mozart piece if you heard me play it. And, more importantly, I don’t need to please anyone but myself.
Whether it’s a pleasurable pastime or a new career, the starting point is the same: wonder, curiosity, determination, and the desire to keep your brain sharp.
1. How did the writer feel in the shop?A.Amused by the shop assistant. |
B.Anxious for a live performance. |
C.Pleased at the nice music atmosphere. |
D.Curious about where to find a teacher. |
A.Approval. | B.Criticism. |
C.Puzzlement. | D.Warning. |
A.To recommend a reliable doctor. |
B.To provide proof for common belief. |
C.To add another reason for her decision. |
D.To stress the crucial function of the brain. |
A.Art is man’s second nature. |
B.One is never too old to learn. |
C.Education is the key to success. |
D.Happiness is the best form of health. |
5 . Lewis B. Smedes once said,” To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. “For years Tom Anderson’s life was withered (枯萎) by the memory of his
One day he told me what had changed his life,” I used to think nothing could
Forgiveness is truly
A.act | B.part | C.conduct | D.behavior |
A.accounted for | B.figured out | C.participated in | D.applied for |
A.registered | B.separated | C.withdrew | D.integrated |
A.presented | B.promoted | C.earned | D.guaranteed |
A.reveal | B.confirm | C.strengthen | D.undo |
A.drawback | B.survival | C.guilt | D.sympathy |
A.wall | B.reminder | C.reserve | D.comfort |
A.impossible | B.unexpected | C.undoubted | D.unbearable |
A.concept | B.standard | C.principle | D.meaning |
A.deliberately | B.humbly | C.sincerely | D.morally |
A.permission | B.passion | C.ambition | D.attempt |
A.valuable | B.significant | C.worthy | D.innocent |
A.interesting | B.beneficial | C.challenging | D.demanding |
A.denying | B.assuming | C.clarifying | D.opposing |
A.emotionally | B.diligently | C.temporarily | D.realistically |
Tomatoes: The Real Magical Fruit
“Fresh tomato plants! Straight out of the ground! 50 cents each!” I shouted in the school hall. In my hands, I carried a shoebox with little tomato plants. Their homes were plastic bottles, without the top half. Most people ignored my product, but some handed me 50 cents and picked out a 2-week-old baby tomato plant.
About a month before this, I started gardening. I pulled up grass in my little garden for several days in a row. Satisfied with my work, I continued to the second step — begging my dad to take me to the supermarket. He agreed!
When my dad turned off the engine and opened the door, I practically skipped inside the supermarket. We headed straight for the garden center. I picked up planters, seeds and dirt. My dad helped and showed me the best dirt and tomato plant types to get. We got to the register, and my dad, knowing what would happen, helped me pay.
As soon as I got home, I began to plant them in my garden. The following days witnessed my visits to the garden and my parents were amazed by my devotion to my new-found love.
Then was the part where I met my problem — I planted too many tomato seeds. I realized this all too late, about 10 days later when they all started sprouting (发芽) up and I counted 45 tomato plants. A few days went by and then I ended up with 85 tomato plants.
I did what all high schoolers would do when they messed up — I asked people around. I even got a notebook to write down their suggestions. Sadly, I got the same answer from most people, “Just let them die.” WHAT?! Let my beautiful plants die? They had so much potential! They could make 20 — 30 tomatoes per plant! We were talking about the possibility of around 2,550 tomatoes!
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。
So, I decided to solve it in my way.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The result was better than I had thought.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . When I was nine years old, I loved to go fishing with my dad. But the only thing that wasn’t very
As I got a little older I began to understand what my dad really
When I grew up and entered the
A.satisfied | B.fun | C.amused | D.awkward |
A.flexible | B.amazed | C.upset | D.disappointed |
A.acquire | B.strike | C.share | D.think |
A.recognized | B.wondered | C.admitted | D.edited |
A.influence | B.exchange | C.spot | D.mislead |
A.mattered | B.experienced | C.announced | D.meant |
A.schedule | B.attend | C.join | D.exchange |
A.reacts | B.attracts | C.battles | D.gathers |
A.hot | B.cold | C.shallow | D.fresh |
A.activity | B.shelter | C.settlement | D.shade |
A.secure | B.expert | C.professional | D.comfortable |
A.workshop | B.education | C.agriculture | D.business |
A.fathers | B.customers | C.salesmen | D.fishermen |
A.make out | B.make it | C.make sense | D.make up |
A.realize | B.figure | C.copy | D.propose |
8 . Careers in science are generally believed to be too complex for students who aren’t talented or clever enough, but Seott Kelly, commander of the International Space Station, would prove it’s
As a kid, he was abstracted and uninterested in science and all other
That all
After so many years of daydreaming, it wouldn’t be
So we need to stop
A.unusual | B.abnormal | C.wrong | D.illegal |
A.schedules | B.goals | C.subjects | D.students |
A.work on | B.set about | C.think about | D.focus on |
A.reach | B.acknowledge | C.fulfill | D.observe |
A.finished | B.realized | C.happened | D.changed |
A.Inspired | B.Disappointed | C.Satisfied | D.Shocked |
A.gave up | B.made up | C.formed into | D.got into |
A.possible | B.difficult | C.easy | D.wonderful |
A.planned | B.practiced | C.arranged | D.exchanged |
A.Particularly | B.Surprisingly | C.Fortunately | D.Eventually |
A.principle | B.deal | C.competition | D.compromise |
A.real | B.former | C.formal | D.last |
A.commenting | B.breaking | C.furthering | D.making |
A.apply | B.ignore | C.return | D.handle |
A.forced | B.expected | C.equal | D.willing |
9 . 阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。
Catherine was the coolest kid in her class. Whenever she went, she was in the spotlight, with a bunch of kids following her and doing everything she did.
Her deskmate, Landy, however, was not in the cool kids’ group. Being the tallest kid in her class, she was teased by her classmates, who were always chanting “Landy, Landy, long as spaghetti (意大利面 )”. Every time Landy heard those silly chants, she could feel her face burst into flames. God knew how she wished the ground to crack and swallow her!
Catherine didn’t really like it when the kids chanted “Landy, Landy, long as spaghetti”. But she never told them to stop either, and nor did she ever talk to her. She liked being popular.
One weekend, Catherine went over to her grandfather for Thanksgiving. Her grandfather lives on a farm at the opposite end of town, where he keeps chickens. While helping to feed the chickens, Catherine noticed a peculiar one. Curling in the corner, it looked smaller than the others and was almost half-bare!
“What’s the matter with it?” She asked her grandfather, with a puzzled frown on her face. Her grandfather told her how chickens could act. “They have a pecking (啄) order,” he explained, wrinkles of concern spreading around his forehead. “If one chicken is different, the others will push it away and keep pecking it. Sometimes they peck it so much that it dies.”
“Oh, what a poor little thing!” Catherine let out a sigh as she scooped the frightened chicken up in her arms, whose heart was beating fast in the bony little body. Suddenly, she thought of Landy, the girl being “pecked” by her classmates. “I’m going to take it home and take good care of it,” she said with a determined look.
Back in school, Catherine told the cool kids about the chicken. “It’s looking healthy,” she said proudly. “It’s fatter and its feathers are growing. Even the cat likes it. She carries it around the garden, and...” Everyone was entertained by Catherine’s story of her lovely chicken, laughter lingering around the classroom.
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. Then Catherine spotted Landy sitting by herself in a corner.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2. But Catherine walked directly toward Landy, regardless of what they said.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . Millions of young people grow up with a deep love of Disney.
Cori Borgstadt, however, has a slightly different
Borgstadt, now 18, has
She is studying economics and film and media studies at Texas Tech University, and has
The love of Disney has always been in Borgstadt’s
Borgstadt
A.Inspired | B.Selected | C.Financed | D.Transformed |
A.imagination | B.assumption | C.description | D.ambition |
A.turning out | B.growing up | C.setting out | D.giving in |
A.calling | B.attending | C.reporting | D.chairing |
A.created | B.owned | C.loved | D.missed |
A.related to | B.adapted from | C.struck by | D.combined with |
A.studios | B.positions | C.offices | D.shares |
A.asked | B.bothered | C.informed | D.warned |
A.support | B.approach | C.replace | D.attract |
A.dream | B.plan | C.family | D.generation |
A.consequently | B.regularly | C.instantly | D.specifically |
A.accepts | B.recalls | C.proves | D.doubts |
A.character | B.theme | C.membership | D.fairytale |
A.anxious | B.qualified | C.determined | D.content |
A.creation | B.presence | C.honesty | D.appreciation |