A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather explained his favorite expression, “Nothing is ever easy.” Then the following day, as I tried to complete my day’s work, I happened to notice a bumblebee(大黄蜂) on the skylight(天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought removing the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had changed was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from looking up into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so tiny, but by doing so, I understood what my grandfather meant.
It is not only time that we tend to underestimate — we don’t account for unexpected costs. We often imagine what can work in our favor, but we seldom think of all the negative things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as planned, and that is completely normal. It is perfectly acceptable to feel challenged — even at a task you thought was simple — because that is part of life.
If you can accept that nothing will ever be easy, then life might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to take. In high school, I thought college might be easier because I could have a schedule best suited for myself. Yet each time, I was both wrong and disappointed. After accepting that school wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) be easy, I found myself with a more positive attitude and improved results.
Of course, there should be preparations made to account for expenses or time. Doing so can only help you accomplish your goals in a better way. However, there is no need to beat ourselves up(过分自责) when something stands in our path. Maybe we cannot see a bee coming our way, but we can always give ourselves the extra time to catch it.
1. What was out of the author’s expectation when he removed the bumblebee on the skylight?(no more than 15 words)2. What does the underlined phrase “account for” in Paragraph 2 mean? (no more than 3 words)
3. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us? (no more than 15 words)
4. According to the passage, how will you deal with what stands on your path? (no more than 15 words)
5. What do you understand the sentence—“Nothing is ever easy.”? (no more than 25 words)
2 . Everything changed on June 23, 2012 when Kirstie Ennis was in a helicopter crash that finally led to an above-the-knee leg amputation(截肢). Recovering from the crash nearly destroyed her, but she refused to let her injuries hold her back.
To prove to herself just how unlimited her possibilities are, Ennis set a goal: become the first veteran(老兵) amputee to complete the Seven Summit — the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.
But Ennis’ climbing journey isn’t just about the mountains. On each climb, she raises money in support of a different nonprofit.
"I realized that it was a pretty unique platform…whether it’s the younger generation, men, women or wounded veterans, they can look to me in a different way,” Ennis told Connecting Vets. “It’s just the highlight of everything I always wanted to do.”
Ennis has climbed up five of the seven mountains. She’s been on Everest for more than a month, adapting to the altitude and planning routes, and her team plans to summit(登顶) on May 15, 2019. It’s a climb she has been preparing for three years, including a trip in 2017.
"Everest is the most important part of everything I have trained for," Ennis told Pensacola News Journal. "Every mountain teaches me something different. Now I have to use all of those skill sets to be able to deal with Everest. Should I summit, history will be made as the first woman above knee amputee to do so. Each individual, especially those with disabilities, should be able to determine what they’re able to do.”
Ennis shares detailed updates on her blog, and will post again after the summit attempt.
1. Why did Ennis decide to conquer the Seven Summits?| A．To inspire others. | B．To challenge herself. |
| C．To show her strong will. | D．To make her life colorful. |
| A．She promotes environmental protection. |
| B．She collects money for a nonprofit. |
| C．She recovers from her injury. |
| D．She communicates with fellows. |
| A．In 2016. | B．In 2017. | C．In 2018. | D．In 2019. |
| A．Ennis values the experience on every mountain. |
| B．Ennis is confident that she will summit Everest. |
| C．Ennis has been well trained due to some experts. |
| D．Ennis is proud of her upcoming achievement. |
| A．Excellent teachers. | B．Distinguished scientist. |
| C．Outstanding artists. | D．Those physically challenged. |
3 . One of the most stressful days of Susan McFrederick’s life was watching her son get wheeled away for surgery hours after he was born in 2011.
But after the operation, Susan burst into tears for a different reason: across the cut on their newborn sons back was a sweet winter scene, hand-drawn on his bandages（绷带）.
“There were rolling hills of snow, a pine tree and a snowman with a hat and broom, she recalled. It was extremely touching and comforting to know that somebody had taken the time to do that for my family. It was a moment I'll never forget.”
Susan soon learned the artist was her sons surgeon, Robert Parry, who discovered another way to use his hands in the mid-1980 s during his internship（实习期）at children's medical center. where he saw one of his colleagues cut out heart and shark shapes to decorate children’s bandages.
“My first reaction was, 'What is he doing? Hey, that’s kind of neat,’ ” Parry recalled. “I especially liked the reactions of the parents and the patients when they saw his artwork. The smiles took everyone's attention from the surgery. Then I decided to follow suit.”
Parry quickly graduated from his early hearts and sharks, and started to surprise families with drawings that captured young patients' personalities. From Snoopy to Spider-Man and bears to butterflies, there isn’t much he hasn’t drawn. Most kids want superheroes sports team logos or princesses, while babies often receive scenes with flowers trees and sea creatures During the last 30 years, Parry estimates he has left examples of his handiwork over the stitches（伤口缝线） of more than 10, 000 children.
“During a time of stress for families, it's nice to be able to help them smile and laugh," Parry said. This is something positive that I can do for them, which is what I like most about it.”
For Parry, the reward is knowing he hopefully made a difference in a child’s life, and except for his drawings on bandages, they can go on and live their lives and never know I was in it.” he said.
He's not ready to retire, but he's found a new hobby to keep his hands skillful in the years to come.
“I've taken up knitting（编织）,” Parry said. “Hats, sweaters, gloves---I enjoy it all. But mostly, I enjoy giving everything away.”
1. Susan burst into tears after her baby's operation because she was__________.| A．moved | B．amused |
| C．stressed | D．heartbroken |
| A．He was motivated by his patients. |
| B．He was inspired by his colleague. |
| C．He was required to learn the skill during his internship. |
| D．He was encouraged by Susan to show his genius for art. |
| A．devoted himself more to art than to medicine. |
| B．knew more about his patients than their parents. |
| C．took into consideration the tastes of individual patients. |
| D．created a large number of works beyond his expectations. |
| A．To get a reward from the artistic circle. |
| B．To win the admiration of his colleagues. |
| C．To make a difference in his dull medical career. |
| D．To lift the spirits of his patients and their parents. |
| A．He is eager to show others his new skills. |
| B．He enjoys trying new ways to help others. |
| C．He is looking forward to life after retirement. |
| D．He is more interested in knitting than drawing. |
4 . I hear some actors keep a sad thought or memory tucked away to help them with scenes where they might need to cry. I think we should each try to find the opposite; a happy memory, something to lift us up on those inevitable down days. I’m saying this because I think I just found mine!
I had some work in Glasgow today. I was on a really tight schedule, which meant I would have no time for myself (or my own work) all day. I was having one of those days, the train was completely packed out and the conversation going on around me seemed to be particularly inane. On top of all that, I had a bit of a headache.
Walking briskly across the concourse, I fished some change from my pocket. There was usually someone at the exit selling The Big Issue (a magazine that helps homeless folk earn a living).
As the crowd parted ways at the bottom of the concourse, I saw someone selling the Big Issue. You had to be homeless to sell the Big Issue. She really looked like she’d been sleeping rough. Her clothes were ragged and she obviously hadn’t had a scrub up for quite a while.
As I approached the exit, I saw that she was also rocking from side to side. At first I thought maybe she was trying to keep warm against the biting wind. But she wasn’t, she was moving in time to a tune. I couldn’t hear her, but I could see her lips moving.
As I got closer, I saw a white cane hanging from her elbow and noticed that she had sunken eyes. She was blind, dirty and living on the streets. I came closer and through the noise of the traffic and the commuters I heard her sing the immortal line, “… and I think to myself, what a wonderful world!”
I bought her last magazine for twice what I’d originally intended. She thanked me, then she picked up her stuff and went tapping off along the pavement - still singing!
So, I have my happy memory for the day. And I think it will stay with me a long, long time. Feel free to borrow it if you like.
1. Why do some actors keep a sad thought or memory according to the passage?| A．Because some of them always feel unhappy | B．because they are scolded by the director |
| C．Because it helps meet the needs of their roles | D．Because they can’t find a happy memory |
| A．Made | B．exchanged | C．pull into | D．took out |
| A．Only those homeless people can sell the magazine |
| B．The author heard her singing as he came close to the exit |
| C．The girl selling the magazines was blind, dirty and homeless |
| D．The author never heard what the girl was singing |
| A．the author had a headache because of his busy work |
| B．the author bought more magazines than planned to |
| C．the girl went away as soon as she sold out magazines |
| D．the author felt unhappy because he missed his train |
| A．A happy Memory to Lift You Up |
| B．An Unforgettable Day I Experienced |
| C．The Roses in Her Hand: the Flavor in Mine |
| D．A Bird in the Hand is Worth than Two in the Bush. |
5 . A job is more than just a job, especially to the older generation. “It’s not the money that matters, but the sense of self-worth,” 56-year-old Cheng Wonlan said. So, every day Ms. Cheng carries a bag of parcels, letters and documents of all shapes and sizes and does her rounds in North Point. She’s a courier (快递人员).
Five years ago, Ms. Cheng was a nurse at a private clinic. She had worked there for almost 30 years but was made jobless when the doctor migrated ( 移 居 ). It was extremely difficult for her to find another job as a nurse. “People do not trust my ability when they learn how old I am,” she said. After two years of searching, the mother of two eventually found another nursing job. But then after two years, she quit. Why?
“My colleagues were young and they didn’t understand me because of my age. They often asked me, ‘You are so old, what are you working for?’ I was very unhappy.” She said. So while the rest of her family left for work, she was left to lonely boredom at home. Then, one of Ms. Cheng’s neighbours told her about Employee’s Retraining Board (ERB) offering retraining courses for older people on specific occupations, such as convenience store assistants, junior clerks and so on.
“I was interested in courier work. I didn’t think my age was a barrier because I was fit and healthy,” she said. Upon graduation from the ERB, Ms. Cheng was offered a job by the Speeding Shuttle Courier Service Company Limited. But then Ms. Cheng was caught between honour and employment. It took Ms. Cheng 24 hours to make up her mind and eventually she took heart and went off to work as a courier.
Ms. Cheng’s employer is delighted with her. “Ms. Cheng has been working with us for two months and has shown a good responsible attitude to work.” Anthony Chong, who runs the company, said. Mr. Chong said he hired older people because they were able and reliable. “Age is not an important factor but attitude is. Many old people are more capable than youngsters. They will not run from difficulties but young ones will,” he said. “It is not easy to recruit (招募) young people since they shy away from hardship and challenges.”
1. Why was it difficult for Ms. Cheng to find another nursing job?| A．Nursing clinics were hard to find. |
| B．She found it difficult to trust others. |
| C．People thought she was too old to work. |
| D．People didn’t think she had enough work experience. |
| A．it was too difficult |
| B．she was too old to do the job |
| C．she was bored with changeless jobs |
| D．the other staff made her feel uncomfortable |
| A．finding jobs for older people |
| B．teaching new skills to older people |
| C．training older people to be healthier |
| D．providing older people with chances to earn money |
| A．are able and reliable |
| B．are less experienced than the older ones |
| C．are fitter and stronger than the older ones |
| D．are more likely to give up than the older ones |
| A．determined and responsible |
| B．intelligent and confident |
| C．capable but stubborn |
| D．purposeful but lazy |
6 . All through the long summer vacations, I sat on the edge of the street and watched enviously the other boys on the block play baseball. I was never asked to take part even when one team had a member missing — not out of special cruelty, but because they took it for granted I would be no good at it.
I would never forget the wonderful evening when something changed. The baseball ended about eight or eight thirty when it grew dark. Then it was the custom of the boys to sit at a little stoop (门廊), mostly talking about the games played during the day and of the game to be played tomorrow. Then long silences would fall and the boys would wander off one by one. It was just after one of those long silences that my life as an outsider changed. I can no longer remember which boy it was that summer evening who broke the silence with a question; but whoever he was, I nod to him gratefully now. “What’s in those books you’re always reading?” he asked casually. “Stories,” I answered “What kind?” asked somebody else without much interest.
Nor do I know what drove me to behave as I did, for usually I just sat there in silence, glad enough to be allowed to remain among them; but instead of answering his question, I told them for two hours the story I was reading at the moment. The book was Sister Carrie. They listened bug-eyed and breathless. I must have told it well, but I think there was another and deeper reason that made them so keen an audience. Listening to a tale being told in the dark is one of the most ancient of man’s entertainments, but I was offering them as well, without being aware of doing it, a new and exciting experience.
The next night and many night thereafter, a kind of unspoken ritual (仪式) took place. As it grew dark, I would take my place in the center of the stoop and begin the evening’s tale. Some nights, in order to taste my victory more completely, I cheated. I would stop at the most exciting part of a story by Jack London or Bret Harte, and without warning tell them that that was as far as I had gone in the book and it would have to be continued the following evening. It was not true, of course; but I had to make certain of my new-found power and position. I enjoyed the long summer evenings until school began in the fall.Other words of mine have been listened to by larger and more fashionable audiences, but for that tough and athletic one that sat close on the stoop outside the candy store, I have an unreasoning love that will last forever.
1. Watching the boys playing baseball, the writer must have felt _____.| A．special and different |
| B．bitter and lonely |
| C．pleased and excited |
| D．disturbed and annoyed |
| A．broke the long silence of that summer evening |
| B．liked the book that he was reading |
| C．invited him to join in their game |
| D．offered him an opportunity that changed his life |
| A．the story was from a children’s book |
| B．the boys had few entertainments after dark |
| C．listening to tales was an age-old practice |
| D．the boys didn’t read books by themselves |
| A．experience more joy of achievement |
| B．play a mean trick on the boys |
| C．add his own imagination to the story |
| D．help the boys understand the story better |
| A．Reading is more important than playing games. |
| B．Friendship is built upon respect for each other. |
| C．One can find his position in life in his own way. |
| D．Adult habits are developed from childhood. |
When a special occasion arrives, a colorful gift bag or a box often finds its way to a doorstep, an office desk or a mailbox. But once in a while, a present arrives at an unexpected moment to remind us that someone is thinking about us.
Wanda Anderson of Richland, US, remembers such a gift.
The rosebushes were finally in full bloom on that day in spring.
Seeing roses always brings to mind Wanda’s childhood memories. To this young girl, those flowers were extra special. “We never had money to buy extra things, so even a tired rose was something to cherish,” Wanda said.
Nowadays, to have a garden filled with many different roses is pure enjoyment. Wanda especially loves the very first blooms.
Her husband, Dale, devotedly takes care of the roses and knows this little fact about his wife. So, on this special morning, he picked the very first flowers of spring, fresh from the garden. But as Dale came back into the house, he was met by a neighbor who had stopped in for a quick visit. As the woman turned to go, Dale handed the roses to her. And even though their visitor insisted she didn’t want to take them, she was repeatedly told that the flowers were hers to keep.
“I told her I was happy for her to have the roses, but I really wasn’t,” Wanda said, remembering the emotions she was feeling right then.
Seeing her very precious first blooms go out the door filled her with regret, and a bit of selfishness.
Throughout the rest of the morning, Wanda argued with herself, knowing it was “better to give than to receive.” Nevertheless, she wished she could have kept the roses for herself.
Later that day, the couple headed to the post office, where Wanda waited outside in the car. Then, without warning, an older woman suddenly appeared at the car’s open window, with a bunch of roses in her arms.
“These are for you,” she said, giving the flowers to Wanda. “They’re my first blooms this spring.”
Totally surprised, Wanda thanked the woman and took a moment to smell the roses’ rich fragrance. When she looked up, the mysterious visitor was gone.
To this day, that “special delivery” changed Wanda. Now, her very first blooms always go to someone else, as a reminder that someone is thinking of them.
1. Why does Wanda love roses so much? (no more than 15 words)2. What does the underlined word “devotedly” mean in Paragraph 6? (no more than 5 words)
3. How did Wanda feel after the neighbor left? (no more than 10 words)
4. What changed Wanda’s opinion of giving gifts? (no more than 10 words)
5. What’s your opinion about the saying “It was better to give than to receive”? Please explain. (no more than 25 words)
8 . When Lina was awoken by the sound of thunder, she was alone on the island. The air was cool and bullfrogs croaked. It was that brief moment when the summer sun had set but the stars hadn't yet appeared. Lina rubbed her eyes and looked around. "Hello?" she called. "Celia? Marie?" There was no response.
The moon was rising now, shedding light on the island. They had always called it "Forgotten Island" because no one but they seemed to remember its existence. It wasn't on any of the maps they could find, and even the forest rangers didn't know about it. Lina loved that the island, hidden in a heavily-wooded side stream of the l river, was a secret between the three friends—her, Celia, and Marie. But now Lina was here alone, and it was night. Worse still, it was her own fault.
"Come on, Lina, let Marie row the born." Celia had said. Marie was two years older than Lina, but she was a hopeless rower. That's why Linn refused and rowed the boat to the island.
The argument that followed the refusal took the usual form. Celia took Marie's side, as she always did. Lina exploded and yelled at them to just leave. So they got back in the boat and left.
A bolt of lightning crossed the darkened sky, accompanied by a deafening thunder clap. The storm was here. As the first cold raindrop slid down her neck, Lina's mind returned to her current problem. She was stuck here by herself. She just hoped she didn't become as forgotten as the island. The thought of it sent a chill down her back.
Suddenly, Lina spotted something in the water. It was a boat, and inside it were Marie, Celia, and Marie's dad, who was steering through the fast flowing waters. As the boat approached, they saw Lina waving and the worried expressions on their faces turned to relief
In her excitement Lina jumped into the river. Only once she was in the icy water did she remember how fast the water was moving. Luckily a strong arm reached into the water and pulled her out. She smiled weakly at Marie's dad and, without a word, hugged Celia and Marie. They didn't seem to mind becoming wet.
1. What do we know about the island?| A．It is very near the ocean. |
| B．It is a popular place for boating. |
| C．It is surrounded by thick forest. |
| D．It has never been reached by others. |
| A．Lina was left alone on the island. |
| B．Marie would not help row the boat. |
| C．Marie didn't know how to row the boat. |
| D．Celia supported Marie in the disagreement. |
| A．Her shame about the unnecessary argument, |
| B．The first raindrop of the approaching storm. |
| C．The idea that no one would come to save her. |
| D．The drop in temperature as the sun went down. |
| A．Lina didn't want to forget the island. |
| B．When Lina saw the boat, she fell relieved. |
| C．Marie rescued Lina when she fell into the water. |
| D．Marie was poor in rowing. |
| A．All of them could swim well. |
| B．They had an adventurous spirit. |
| C．They lived far away from the island. |
| D．They quarreled with one another badly. |
Hunter Shamatt lost his wallet while he was on a Frontier Airlines flight from Omaha. Upon realizing that his wallet was lost, he contacted the airline to see if anyone had turned it in, but to no avail. Since the wallet contained his ID, a signed paycheck, his debit card, and $60 in cash, he “feared the worst”.
Shortly after the flight, however, Hunter was surprised to receive a package in the mail from an anonymous(匿名的) sender. Inside was his wallet— along with an additional $40 in cash. “I rounded your cash up to an even $100 so you could celebrate getting your wallet back. Have fun!!!”, read a letter that was enclosed with the package.
Hunter’s mother, Jeannie, posted a photo of the letter to social media in hopes that they would be able to track down the sender and thank him for his kindness. All they could know was that the sender’s initials were signed: “T.B”.
The good sender was later identified as Todd Brown, a father-of-five who was delighted at the chance to “have a little fun” with helping out a hard-working stranger.
“I saw he was just a kid, 20 years old, he had a paycheck in there, so I figured, ‘Well, he’s doing his best to make ends meet.’” Brown told Yahoo Lifestyle.
“Hunter was very thankful. He told me he has some student loans and a car payment that he needed to make so the timing was right,” Brown added. “They assumed it was gone forever. So when he opened it, he just started screaming, ‘No way! No way!’”
Brown says that he often tries to do good deeds without any recognition and that’s why he neglected to sign his full name on the letter, but Jeannie later insisted on praising the sender on social media.
“This story is more about restoring faith in people than anything. I personally want to thank Todd Brown for restoring faith that there are amazing people out there and that the world is not as cruel as it’s being made out to be.” she wrote on Facebook.
1. Where did Hunter lose his wallet?（no more than 10 words）2. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 probably mean?（no more than 5 words）
3. What did Todd Brown do after finding the wallet?（no more than 15 words）
4. Why didn’t Todd Brown sign his full name when returning the wallet?（no more than 15 words）
5. How do you understand “faith” among people? Please explain.（no more than 20 words）
I returned to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, after college graduation. I had been there before my mother became a minister.
Two weeks later, I told my mother I was bored. She said, “Here’re the car keys. Go and buy some fruit.” Delighted, I jumped into the car and speeded off.
Seeing me or rather my car, a boy quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bananas and nuts. “Banana 300 naira. Nuts 200 naira!” I bargained him down to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira note. He didn’t have change, so I told him not to worry. He said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth.
When, two weeks later, I ran into this same boy, I was more aware of my position in Nigerian society where it wasn’t that uncommon to see a little boy who should have been in school selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us.
“What’s up?”I asked him. “I…I don’t have money to buy books.” I took out two 500 naira notes. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira means a lot to a family that makes only 50,000 each year.
The next morning, an officer told me, “In this place, when you give a little, people think you’re a fountain of chance.” Possibly it’s right, but this happens everywhere in the world. I wondered if my little friend had actually used the money for books.
After six months’ work in northern Nigeria, I returned and saw him again standing on the road.
“Are you in school now?” I asked.
He nodded.
A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. I held out a 500 naira note. “Take this.” He shook his head fiercely and stepped back as if hurt. “What’s wrong? I asked. “It’s a gift.”
Shaking his head again, he handed me a basket of bananas and nuts before he said, “I’ve been waiting to give these to you.”
1. What happened when the author met the boy for the first time? (No more than 15 words)2. What do the underlined words “ran into” in Paragraph 4 mean? (No more than 5 words)
3. What was the author’s impression of Nigerian society? (No more than 20 words)
4. Why did the author give two 500 naira notes to the boy? (No more than 10 words)
5. What do you learn from the boy? (No more than 15 words)
