1 . I recently attended a wedding in a rural area in north Italy, and guests were provided with a car and driver for the 90-minute journey into the hills. That was exciting: A private car! I could pretend I was rich! Since I’m not, though, I had no idea how much this trip actually cost. As a result, after our driver picked us back up at midnight, I secretly worried all the way home about tipping him.
I fished around nervously in my purse and realized that all I had was a $100 note, which I was keeping for an emergency. I had nothing smaller. And I had nothing else to offer but two chocolates from the wedding. So, I could tip the driver that $100 note or two chocolates. In the end, I chose the money.
The whole matter of tipping has long been a source of awkward interactions — and, for some travellers, mild anxiety — throughout the world. Tipping customs vary wildly from country to country. A friend in Rome tells me that Italians get hurt by big tips. “Leaving a big tip is considered impolite,” she adds, “I’ve had Italian friends make me take money back.”
It reminded me of my 100-dollar tip. What if I had annoyed the driver? So I decided to call the car company and ask them to pass on a message to the driver apologizing for the improper tip and explaining the situation.
To my surprise, the car company responded that the driver had actually called to express his gratitude for the unexpected big tip. He had apparently been having a tough week and the money had come at just the right time.
I was astonished. All my worry had been for nothing. What started out as a source of anxiety ended up being a heartwarming experience. I learned that sometimes it’s better to go with your feelings and be generous, even if it means taking a risk.
1. What did the author realize when she dug around in her purse?| A．She had spent 100 dollars on emergency. |
| B．She had to ask the driver for smaller changes. |
| C．She had nothing but two chocolates to offer the driver. |
| D．She had no smaller notes and might tip too high or too low. |
| A．To compare different tipping customs. |
| B．To share a personal story of her friend. |
| C．To show the possibility of upsetting the driver. |
| D．To demonstrate her rich knowledge on tipping. |
| A．He was annoyed by the large tip. | B．He appreciated the author’s generosity. |
| C．He was grateful and refused the money. | D．He was upset by the awkward interaction. |
| A．Follow your heart and good things are possible. | B．Better think carefully before taking action. |
| C．When in Rome, do as the Romans do. | D．A penny saved is a penny earned. |
2 . People may misunderstand what they used to be familiar with. I remember a
As she
All of us shouted out answers ranging from 8 ounces to a couple of pounds.
She then replied, “From my point if view, the absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter. It all
As the whole class
It’s important to remember to
| A．physics | B．chemistry | C．literature | D．psychology |
| A．decorated | B．connected | C．filled | D．associated |
| A．took | B．raised | C．drank | D．pointed |
| A．interesting | B．meaningful | C．typical | D．personal |
| A．Therefore | B．Besides | C．Then | D．Instead |
| A．heavy | B．thin | C．clean | D．large |
| A．occurs to | B．contributes to | C．agrees on | D．depends on |
| A．ache | B．sour | C．injure | D．bend |
| A．slightly | B．surprisingly | C．completely | D．regularly |
| A．allowing | B．forcing | C．turning | D．joining |
| A．shape | B．appearance | C．weight | D．size |
| A．shook | B．nodded | C．hung | D．lifted |
| A．joys | B．stresses | C．laughs | D．thrills |
| A．everything | B．something | C．anything | D．nothing |
| A．incapable | B．unable | C．ashamed | D．shameful |
| A．since | B．after | C．if | D．until |
| A．let go of | B．bear in mind | C．look back on | D．take part in |
| A．carry | B．forget | C．enjoy | D．avoid |
| A．last year’s | B．today s | C．yesterday’s | D．this year’s |
| A．ability | B．glass | C．duty | D．attempt |
3 . When reading, my mother likes to slice a paragraph or a sentence out and attach it to the wall of her kitchen. She picks boring sentences that puzzle me. But I prefer copying favorite bright lines into a journal in soft, gray No. 2 pencil, word by word.
She doesn’t know any of this. There's nothing shocking: for our chatting. we seldom begin certain conversations though we talk on the phone weekly, sometimes making each other laugh so hard that I choke and she cries. But what we don't say could fill up rooms. Fights with my father. Small failures in school. Anything that really upsets us.
My mother has never told me “I love you, Lisa.”—as if the four-word absence explains who I am—so I carry it with me, like a label on me. The last time she almost spoke the words was two years ago, when she called to tell me a friend had been in hospital. I said, “I love you, Mom.” She stopped for a while and then said, “Thank you.” I haven't said it since, but I've wondered why my mother doesn't until I've found a poem that supplies words for the blank spaces I try to understand in our conversations:
Don’t fill up on bread. I say absent-mindedly. The servings here are huge.
My son, middle-aged, says: Did you really just say that to me?
What he doesn’t know is that when we’re walking together, I desire to reach for his hand.
It's humble, yet heartbreaking. After copying it down in my journal, I emailed it to mom, adding “This poem makes me think of you.” My mother doesn’t read poetry—or at least, she doesn’t tell me, and I felt nervous clicking “Send”.
She never mentioned the poem. But the next time I went home for vacation, I noticed something new in the kitchen fixed to an antique board: the poem. The board hung above the heater, the warmest spot in the kitchen. The poem still hangs there. Neither my mother nor I have ever spoken about it.
1. What's the function of paragraph 1?| A．To stress the theme. | B．To establish the setting. |
| C．To represent the characters. | D．To create the atmosphere. |
| A．Shaky. | B．Distant. | C．Reserved. | D．Intense. |
| A．It reminded her of mom's love. |
| B．She wanted to apologize to mom. |
| C．It suited mom's taste of literature. |
| D．She needed an interpretation from mom. |
| A．A memory of golden days. |
| B．Daughter’s gratefulness to her. |
| C．A decoration in the plain kitchen. |
| D．Daughter's understanding of her. |
4 . Washington is home to lots of trees, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves. But what if you couldn’t chop
The
Single mom Katelyn Ticer and her four-year-old daughter
Not every receiver is as
| A．board | B．trees | C．bushes | D．wood |
| A．Suddenly | B．Fortunately | C．Excitedly | D．Surprisingly |
| A．connection | B．issue | C．idea | D．impression |
| A．loved | B．hated | C．tried | D．minded |
| A．pass along | B．show off | C．start with | D．believe in |
| A．promise | B．reason | C．bonus | D．outcome |
| A．Thoroughly | B．Deliberately | C．Previously | D．Apparently |
| A．saw | B．took | C．posted | D．searched |
| A．advice | B．response | C．arrangement | D．analysis |
| A．failed | B．appealed | C．happened | D．offered |
| A．desperate | B．offended | C．warm | D．satisfied |
| A．Yet | B．Or | C．So | D．And |
| A．gave back | B．took over | C．picked out | D．counted on |
| A．burden | B．chance | C．relief | D．trouble |
| A．off | B．on | C．from | D．across |
| A．helpful | B．enthusiastic | C．hopeful | D．careful |
| A．happy | B．curious | C．mad | D．terrified |
| A．starving | B．freezing | C．wandering | D．begging |
| A．reward | B．success | C．fault | D．dilemma |
| A．ignored | B．needed | C．refused | D．acknowledged |
5 . I was never very neat while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but my always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Overtime, Kate got neater and I got my merriser. She moved to push my dirty clothing over and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
Who broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! why under my bed!” Suddenly I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up. She quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, crying. Obviously. that was something she could not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy (同情) rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bad. Cleaned the suckers and swept the floor even on her side. I got so absorbed into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching. Her tears dried and her expression was such disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me. “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1. What made Kate so angry one evening?| A．She couldn’t find her books. |
| B．She heard the writer shouting loud. |
| C．She got the news that her grandma was ill. |
| D．She saw the writer’s shoes beneath her bed. |
| A．Because she was scared by Kate’s anger. |
| B．Because she hated herself for being so messy. |
| C．Because she wanted to show her care. |
| D．Because she was asked by Kate to do so. |
| A．By analyzing courses. |
| B．By showing differences. |
| C．By describing a process. |
| D．By following time order. |
| A．My Friend Kate. |
| B．Hard Work Pays off. |
| C．How to Be Organized? |
| D．Learning to Be Roommates. |
6 . If someone had told me five years ago that I would be living happily ever after on a small farm in western Oklahoma, I would have immediately denied the possibility. Back then, I was a confirmed city girl. I enjoyed the city life.
Then one day, while we were checking my mother’s farm for her, I looked around, liked what I saw and asked my husband, “Why don’t we build a house here on the farm?”
To my surprise, he said, “Yes!”
And so we began a new and very different chapter in our life story. My husband and I set out to deal with the land. We took down dead trees, knocked down the outbuildings and planted vegetable and flower gardens. We learned new skills as we worked and provided the locals with humorous moments as they answered our questions. We built a home to welcome family and friends, to share the beauty and bounty of the land.
We soon realized the land had played a joke on us: it had changed and transformed us in our efforts to change it. We lost weight and gained muscles.
We’ve learned to recognize and honor nature’s cycles and timing instead of clocks, calendars, schedules and to-do lists. With only two clocks in the house, we enjoy the flow of days into nights. Our timeless life allows us to appreciate sunrises and sunsets — each a unique event that camera and words only partially capture.
Living a simple life in the country has led us back to common sense. We’ve learned to be resourceful in solving problems and can think of many unique ways. I become better at handling a situation with fewer resources and conveniences.
In the quietness of the land, we hear and appreciate nature’s music. We also listen to the silence. Walking through the grasses, gazing at the century-old trees and wondering about all the changes and history they have witnessed are relaxing pastimes. I have to be truthful: caring for the land is a joyful job.
1. How did her husband react to the author’s proposal?| A．Opposed. | B．Approving. | C．Surprised. | D．Concerned. |
| A．She enjoyed better health. | B．She made much money by working. |
| C．She regained the respect from the farmers. | D．She improved her relationship with her family. |
| A．She becomes more creative. | B．She becomes more humorous. |
| C．She becomes more honest with others. | D．She becomes more interested in travelling. |
| A．Simple life is the most important. | B．Country life is better than city life. |
| C．Getting close to nature can be joyful. | D．Living in the country is everyone’s dream. |
7 . From the window of my room, I could see a tall cotton - rose hibiscus (木棉树). In spring, when green leaves were half
However, when I opened the window one morning, to my amazement, the tree was almost
This event
When the last petal
Standing by the window lost in thought for a long time, I realized that no scenery in the world remains
Tell anyone who has inspired you how they have inspired you.
1.| A．buried | B．hidden | C．placed | D．trapped |
| A．dotted | B．surrounded | C．covered | D．marked |
| A．observed | B．prevented | C．set | D．bore |
| A．regularly | B．generally | C．narrowly | D．gradually |
| A．bare | B．vacant | C．blank | D．empty |
| A．effect | B．fault | C．damage | D．feast |
| A．sighing | B．yelling | C．swearing | D．teasing |
| A．lucky | B．simple | C．smooth | D．cozy |
| A．as many as | B．as well as | C．rather than | D．regardless of |
| A．due | B．contrary | C．familiar | D．similar |
| A．sank | B．quit | C．matured | D．faded |
| A．merely | B．actively | C．casually | D．fiercely |
| A．eye | B．nose | C．soul | D．mind |
| A．set up | B．set off | C．put up | D．put off |
| A．why | B．if | C．how | D．when |
| A．slipped | B．dropped | C．quit | D．broke |
| A．remind | B．warn | C．convince | D．rid |
| A．division | B．dilemma | C．composition | D．conflict |
| A．unlimited | B．unchanged | C．unspoiled | D．unexpected |
| A．vain | B．practical | C．previous | D．fresh |
8 . The idea of climbing Everest disgusted me. The mountain came to represent the opposite of everything that I loved and respected about climbing. What had once been the final mountain climbing goal became the focus of a commercial guiding industry. Over the years, the crowds at Base Camp grew, leaving behind tons of trash. Whenever I was asked whether I’d climb Everest, my answer was always the same: not interested.
That’s probably where my personal Everest story would have ended, were it not for an old friend and his obsession (执念) with one of the greatest mysteries. In 1999, Thom Pollard began to explore and found the remains of George Mallory, the celebrated British climber who disappeared while attempting to be the first to climb Everest. But Mallory’s partner, Sandy Irvine, and the camera he had likely carried, were not found. The mountain climbing world has been wondering whether they might have reached the top in 1924.
Pollard’s story moved me. I began to pack for the climb and expected that our advanced equipment would make it manageable, perhaps easy. I was wrong. On the highest point on the planet, I was more tired than I’d ever been in any climbing. Along the way, I continuously tipped my hat, not just to Mallory and Irvine but to anyone who has the drive to push himself or herself up this route. My search was in vain, but I began to reconsider Everest.
I witnessed many climbers, who were much more than just self-centered tourists. We shared route information, weather forecasts, and family photos — all united around common goals.
I went to Everest to seek Irvine. But in the end, I found something more difficult to get: the spirit that Irvine and Mallory shared. It was hiding in plain sight, right where it has always been: inside the brave souls who risk so much to follow in storied adventurers’ footsteps up Everest.
1. What is the main reason why the author hated climbing Everest?| A．He changed his climbing goal. |
| B．Everest was seriously polluted by trash. |
| C．Everest became an industry to make money. |
| D．The mountain was too crowded with climbers. |
| A．Because he desired to challenge himself. |
| B．Because he got motivated by Thom Pollard. |
| C．Because his old friend persuaded him to climb again. |
| D．Because he wanted to follow the footsteps of Mallory and Irvine. |
| A．Expressed my gratitude. | B．Proved my determination. |
| C．Relieved the tiredness. | D．Showed my respect. |
| A．Admiration for the climbers. | B．Concern about the risk. |
| C．Confidence about the journey. | D．Hope for Everest’s future. |
9 . Going to the Olympics wasn’t happening smoothly as I’d expected. I went to Greece as an alternate, but it was a
After I returned, I soon
I
The greatest thing I got from those years is that once I find a(n)
| A．praiseworthy | B．painstaking | C．bittersweet | D．heartbreaking |
| A．work out | B．drop out | C．go out | D．check out |
| A．eventually | B．really | C．occasionally | D．properly |
| A．named | B．abandoned | C．considered | D．observed |
| A．peace | B．change | C．conflict | D．accomplishment |
| A．blamed | B．enjoyed | C．motivated | D．believed |
| A．stayed | B．switched | C．got | D．held |
| A．go on | B．go by | C．go ahead | D．go beyond |
| A．contributed | B．adjusted | C．stuck | D．belonged |
| A．reduced | B．addicted | C．opposed | D．devoted |
| A．put | B．made | C．caught | D．got |
| A．announced | B．instructed | C．interviewed | D．permitted |
| A．sigh | B．hesitation | C．curiosity | D．shout |
| A．woke | B．stood | C．turned | D．looked |
| A．attracted | B．astonished | C．overjoyed | D．moved |
| A．wonders | B．disappointment | C．introduction | D．difficulties |
| A．passion | B．solution | C．comparison | D．instruction |
| A．partial | B．artificial | C．absolute | D．insufficient |
| A．imagination | B．perseverance | C．intelligence | D．expectation |
| A．purchase | B．challenge | C．charge | D．chase |
10 . At 91 years old and with Alzheimer’s disease, Gene McGehee was finding his golden years to be his loneliest. That all
When Gene
Gene’s
Gene’s daughter, Cathy, said he
Gene and the kids enjoy their one-hour “playdate” every afternoon. They
| A．changed | B．happened | C．mattered | D．began |
| A．rushed | B．stayed | C．stepped | D．glared |
| A．view | B．fortune | C．alternative | D．position |
| A．willing | B．curious | C．annoyed | D．afraid |
| A．awarded | B．nicknamed | C．owed | D．handed |
| A．expected | B．faded | C．damaged | D．born |
| A．infectious | B．mild | C．severe | D．rare |
| A．meeting | B．consulting | C．asking | D．accompanying |
| A．last | B．next | C．most | D．first |
| A．leg | B．eye | C．arm | D．brain |
| A．needs | B．remembers | C．ignores | D．discovers |
| A．learned | B．suffered | C．benefited | D．recovered |
| A．ruined | B．promoted | C．brightened | D．explored |
| A．blessing | B．reward | C．problem | D．burden |
| A．eventually | B．cheerfully | C．regularly | D．frequently |
| A．exchange | B．communicate | C．tell | D．play |
| A．breaks in | B．blows up | C．passes down | D．participates in |
| A．rises | B．shines | C．moves | D．sets |
| A．normal | B．necessary | C．special | D．cautious |
| A．screams | B．complaints | C．laughter | D．news |
