2 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word or a phrase that best fits each blank.

Color my world

Once there was a girl named Rose. Rose always felt blue because she lived in a dull, gray village     1     life was black and white. She longed for adventure,     2     her life was as plain as a brown paper bag.

One day while walking down the street, she saw Eric, a former classmate, in     3     red car, and he caught her eye. He looked very happy. He stopped and said, “Hop in, let’s paint the town red!”

Rose was a little hesitant, but Eric’s infectious (有感染力的) spirit and the sight of the car’s shiny red outer     4     (excite) her. They drove off into the sunset and found     5     in a city that was lively and full of color. The buildings     6     (paint) in all shades of the rainbow. The streets were alive with people     7     (dress) in colorful clothing.

As they drove through the city, Rose saw a rainbow in the sky, and she felt as if she were on cloud nine. Eric took her to a party, and she danced     8     she was red in the face.

When the party was over, Eric drove Rose home. But it wasn’t until she was walking to her door that she came up with a great idea. She realized that she needed to stop     9     (chase) rainbows and add some color to her gray existence. She decided to live her life in full color.

The next day, Rose took a walk in the village. She noticed that the trees were green, and the flowers bloomed in many colors. She realized that her village was not as dull as she had thought. Rose noticed a shop     10     sold paint. She purchased some and painted her house     11     (bright) color she could find. She was very happy     12     the result. Her neighbors were amazed at the transformation and decided to paint their houses bright colors,     13    .

Before long, the whole village was painted in bright colors, and it seemed that a rainbow     14     (fall) upon it. It was a red-letter day for everyone! Rose realized that looking at things in a different light had made all the difference.

3 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Back then, I was a very nervous new father. I didn’t know     1     to feed my son, how hard to pat his back to burp him, or whether it was okay to let him sleep as long as be wants. I bought myself lots of books about parenting, only     2     (find) that there were so many new things to learn that I inevitably begun to feel overwhelmed.

My friend May, a soon-to-be mother herself,     3     (sense) my anxiety and, to calm me down, texted me one night saying, “No book can be a substitute for your own sensitive contemplation and careful observation. Books can be     4     small additional value, but no more. Just listen to your son and he’ll teach you how to be a father.”

That struck me a lot because I grew up in a time when most of the parents, including my own, believed that children     5     be seen and not heard. Naturally, I thought he was nothing and only grownups were worth something. The idea     6     children do not know anything but will do so, and are not capable of doing anything but will learn, made me live in a permanent state of expectation. For the sake of tomorrow, I failed to respect     7     might amuse, sadden, amaze, anger, and interest him today. For the sake of tomorrow, I stole years of his life.

Things changed for me when I got down on my knees, waiting for my son to open up. Once I came down to his level, I found I didn’t even     8     ask questions. I just listened. He granted me permission to gaze into his pockets to see all his cherished collections: bird’s feathers, colored stones and oddly-shaped leaves. He also discussed with me about his grand plan to travel to the South Pole with the girl in his class     9     happened to want to marry him. We both knew our relationship was built on mutual respect and trust.

Now, seven years later after my son’s birth, I still marvel at May’s simple wisdom. Being there listening to my son has not only rescued     10     from “those best parenting books one cannot afford to miss” but also from over-evaluating and over-obsessing about him. Simply put, my son has taught me to be a father. I have affection for what he is today and respect for what he can become in the future. All I need to do is to listen.

4 . Directions:   After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct.   For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Diary

Kyra Peralte thought keeping a diary might help her sort out her troubled feelings. In April 2020, the mother of two in New Jersey, started writing about the challenges of handling work, marriage and motherhood during a global crisis.

Writing released emotions, but Peralte, now 46, wanted to know how other women were doing. So she made an unusual offer. She invited women from near and far to fill the     1     (remain) lined pages of her notebook with their own stories. She named the project The Traveling Diary.

So many wanted to participate     2     Peralte decided to create a website (thetravelingdiarytour.com) for people to add their names to the queue. She came up with a system: each person     3     (get) to keep the diary for three days and fills as many pages as she wishes. Then she is responsible for mailing it to the next person.

So far, more than 2,000 women from 30 countries     4     (participate). Of course, not all those entries could fit in just one journal. More than 50 of these notebooks are currently     5     use. About 20 completed ones are back in Peralte’s possession.

Each participant fills the pages with her own handwriting, narrating her experiences, recounting obstacles she faced, and sharing     6     (learn) lessons.

Kirsty Nicol, 31 from London, received the journal in March 2021. She said reading the entries allowed her to transport her into the lives of     7     and find bits of wisdom they left.

One such pearl came from a woman in Australia. She had written: “Working with the setbacks. Not against them. Patience and gratitude. It’s a dance. Life is moving and we     8     stamp our feet in rejection, or we can gracefully embrace the mess, tidying as we go.”

“It has really evolved into a community,” Peralte says. She sends participants a weekly newsletter and often hosts online meetings so the women get the chance to get to know one another more, share stories and feel     9     (distant). Some of the women, she says, have even become close friends. Her spontaneous idea, she says, has had a profound effect on the women     10     were part of it. “The Traveling Diary is making sisters out of strangers.” She says.

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
                                                                                                           A Good Samaritan (助人为乐者) Saves Bride’s Big Day

In a heartwarming display of kindness and good fortune, a passerby came to the rescue of a bride whose wedding day nearly took an unexpected turn for the worse     1     her car broke down on the way to the church.

Sharon Travers was on her way to the ceremony at Cults Parish Church in Aberdeen, Scotland,     2    (exchange) vows with her future husband, Martin Kelly. However, just when it seemed like the universe was going to be against her, a Good Samaritan emerged to ensure that     3     she expected in her dream wedding kept perfect.

The car Triumph Stag     4    (invent) in the 1870s, in which Sharon was traveling, decided to play     5     own part in the wedding drama when it suddenly came to stop on the road. At that time, Sharon’s driver promptly stopped the first passing car     6     turned out to be driven by Alan Knowles, a name that would soon be remembered in the bride’s memory     7     her rescuer. Without hesitation, Alan agreed to drive the distressed bride-to-be to the church.

Following the successful rescue mission, Sharon     8     hardly restrain her gratitude. She hugged her newfound hero,     9    (thank) him deeply. However, on mood swings at that moment, she forgot to inquire about his name.

Thanks to the power of social media and a community-driven appeal, the anonymous (匿名的) Good Samaritan     10    (identify) successfully.

“I’m glad the bride managed to get to the church on time,” Alan said.

“I just really want to say thank you,” Sharon responded. “I’m now laughing about it, but I certainly wasn’t at the time. I’m so grateful. It was such a fantastic moment.”

6 . Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word. For the other blanks, fill in each blank with one proper word. Make sure that your answers are grammatically correct.

Love from the Apple Tree

Once upon a time, there used to be a tall and big apple tree. A little boy, every day to the tree down, climbed up     1     (pick) apples to eat, and slept in the shade of the tree. He loved the apple tree, and it loved to play with him. The little boy gradually grew up and stopped     2     (come) to play every day. One day he came to the tree, picked all the apples and left happily. Another day, the boy came again, and cut off all the branches, happily away to build a house himself. One summer, the boy came back, cut down her tree trunk, built a boat,     3     (sail) away, and did not come back for a long time. After years, the boy returned at last. He was old and wanted     4     more than a place to rest. “Old root is     5     (suitable) to sit down and rest, come on, sit down and rest with me!” The boy sat down, and the apple tree was so happy that it shed tears.

This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parent.     6     we are young, we love to play with Mom and Dad. Having grown up, we leave them, and only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they     7     to make you happy.

    8     your parents can give you is not necessarily the best in the world, but they will try their best to give you all, and they are afraid that it is not enough; maybe they never said “I love you”, but love you in their own way for a lifetime,     9     is how most parents around the world show their love. For example, a tired father was watching his two daughters eat fried chicken, but he didn’t order anything, telling his daughters that he was not hungry,     10     more money in his pocket. We grow up to know that the world’s most affectionate lie is what the father and mother said: I do not love to cat it and I am not hungry.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Several years ago, a co-worker invited me over for a classic social tradition: a game night. I don’t like board games. When I’m hanging out with others, I much prefer the free flow of conversation     1     the structure of competition.     2     someone starts explaining the game rules, my brain tends to involuntarily tune out, a defense mechanism against unwanted and useless information.

So obviously, eager to make new friends. I told my co-work I was in.

The evening was disappointing. An alarmingly complex game was first explained and then repeated, upon my request. I     3     (assure) that I’d “get it after a couple of rounds,” which never happened. I was so bad that I was ruining everyone eles’s experience with my unpredictable plays and constant need     4     (remind) of what was happening.

    5     these people kindly became my friends anyway, I was never invited back to another game night. “We just know you’re not really a game person, ” one of them later told me, eyes     6     (slide) sideward.

Not being a game person nowadays can make one feel like an exception. Board games, which in 2021 were a $13. 4 billion global market, are surging in popularity. There are people who love socializing through games in every town,     7     makes my resistance to them feel unacceptable. Maybe, I thought, I was missing     8     about the social value of games. Games can reveal people’s core qualities: how they react when they’re stressed, how they cooperate in a team, or how they behave when they win or lose.

However, I still have a general sense     9     they’re a silly way to pass time. When I think about the leisure activities I “indulge” in, such as cycling, they tend to have bonus benefits. Through cycling, my friends and I can share experiences that simulate the variable conditions of life: joy and pain, uncertainty and achievement. We can all reap rewards from bonding through playful activities:     10     we see as play just varies. I get that now. But to be clear, there’s still no need to invite me to your game night.

10 . Direction: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent an grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Couponing for Charity

Feeding 5,000 people every month is a tall order. For Lauren Puryear — single mother, full-time mental health therapist, and founder of the nonprofit For the Love of Others — the secret ingredient is coupons. Lots and lots of coupons(优惠券).

The meals themselves are often quite impressive. 29-year-old Puryear prides     1     on preparing and serving dishes to the poor and homeless. She feeds them several weekends a month, in a number of cities.       

Still, she manages to do it all for nothing,       2     the menu depends entirely on that week’s bargains. “The best way to get     3    (low) cost is to match the coupon when the item is on sale.’’ she explains. Her brilliant talents save between $250 and $1,000 per grocery trip.

Puryear inherited her passion     4     culinary (烹饪的)giving from her grandmother Marison Smith. When Smith saw beggars on the streets of Paterson, New Jersey, she would offer to buy them food instead of giving them money.

Puryear got into the act when she was ten. If there were leftovers from dinner, Smith would put them in a container,     5    (rely) on her granddaughter to give them to the homeless man on the street.

When Puryear founded her nonprofit, she chose the name For the Love of Others to honor her grandmother, who passed away in 2012. “Love was just the central core of her being,’’ Puryear says.

Mrs. Smith would certainly be proud of her granddaughter’s efforts and her impact. At one meal in Baltimore, three boys asked     6    they could take extra sandwiches. ‘‘We’ll eat this today, but we’ll be hungry tomorrow,” one said.   Puryear let them take five each. The boy’s     7    (cry) mother thanked Puiyear, explaining how she uses her entire paycheck for the hotel room     8    they live. They never know what they     9    (eat) day to day.

“Stories like that, that’s why we do what we do,” Puryear says. “Something as simple as couponing,     10    takes a couple of hours out of my day, can help somebody eat for three or four days - that’s amazing to me.”