1 . Elsa Desmond knows she is not going to win a medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics, but she is ________ as the first women’s luge(无舵雪橇)Olympian from Ireland. She was the 26th to ________ the line in the first run of the women’s race on Monday night, ________ than none of the other athletes. However, that did not ________ to her and she celebrated with a large smile on her face.

Although she will not win in Beijing, she has already won some ________ . She had been given many reasons why she could not compete: she is too short, she did not start ________ at a young age, and she could not balance a(n) ________ job with competing in a sport. The biggest ________ simply might have been that Ireland did not have a luge organization. So, she ________ one herself; she had to self-fund.

Now, ________ , she is a luge Olympian. “I’m a doctor in general surgery, I have all these really ________ challenges, but I think everyone has worked as hard as they can to be here. ”She is expected to return to work on this Friday because she was given some time ________ to compete in the Olympics, and now she has ________ parts of her job.

Desmond has to balance these two ________ jobs—sliding a few months out of the year and living a life in medicine. There was a(n) ________ last season when she had to take important medical examinations in hotels in Germany where other sliders from different countries were staying. “I had to stick signs on my door saying ‘Do not disturb, exam in ________ , in about six different ________ .”

Desmond got the honor of ________ her country in Beijing, and being one of two people ________ Ireland’s flag during the opening ceremony on Friday. “I don’t think I can ________ words how excited I was to lead out the team. I really hope that I make my country proud.”

1.

A．visiting

B．studying

C．leading

D．competing

2.

A．break

B．cross

C．follow

D．draw

3.

A．slower

B．lower

C．faster

D．higher

4.

A．upset

B．respond

C．happen

D．matter

5.

A．potentials

B．challenges

C．operations

D．alternatives

6.

A．swimming

B．sliding

C．sailing

D．running

7.

A．financial

B．athletic

C．medical

D．educational

8.

A．expectation

B．achievement

C．difficulty

D．pleasure

9.

A．started

B．stopped

C．continued

D．joined

10.

A．privately

B．traditionally

C．similarly

D．officially

11.

A．visible

B．imaginary

C．absurd

D．dangerous

12.

A．off

B．up

C．out

D．away

13.

A．ruined

B．exceeded

C．covered

D．delayed

14.

A．frustrating

B．rewarding

C．demanding

D．embarrassing

15.

A．interview

B．time

C．vacation

D．chance

16.

A．peace

B．need

C．progress

D．public

17.

A．characters

B．approaches

C．styles

D．languages

18.

A．investigating

B．preserving

C．strengthening

D．representing

19.

A．holding

B．raising

C．preparing

D．storing

20.

A．set down

B．put into

C．pick up

D．get through

2 . I tend to go slowly when I drive in the mountains of my home, because the forest scenery is beautiful no matter what the season. This morning I was driving slower than usual because an early March snow had turned the roads slippery. Going up a mountain road, I had to slow down as I rounded a sharp, snowy curve (弯道). That was when I saw a majestic buck deer (公鹿) standing in the middle of the road. I came to a full stop and for a few seconds we just stared at each other. His eyes seemed wise and his composure (镇静) refined. Finally, he nodded his head at me. I nodded in return and motioned with my hand for him to go on. He then leapt across the road, up the hill, and back into the woods. I drove on smiling at the magic of this moment and thanked that I had been going slowly enough not to hit this beautiful creature.

Most of us rush through this life not knowing what we are missing. We rarely get to enjoy what each day brings us. Wouldn’t it be better to go slowly through our days here? Life is meant to be savored. Moments are meant to be cherished. Days are meant to be lived in love and joy not flown through at a frantic (疯狂的) speed.

The next time you find yourself going too fast, slow down. Take the time to watch the sun rise over the horizon and fill the world with light. Take the time to look your children in their eyes, hug them, and tell them that you love them. Take the time to smile, laugh, and sing. Take the time to read, lounge (闲逛), and relax. Take the time to live your life with love and delight in all the miracles each day brings you. If you do, your life will be so much better and more beautiful. And you might even end up not hitting a deer on your way home.

1. How did the author feel after his interaction with the deer?

A．Disappointed.

B．Optimistic.

C．Grateful.

D．Funny.

2. The purpose of the first paragraph is to ______.

A．show us what we might miss if we go too fast

B．give an example of a narrow escape

C．tell how much the author loves nature

D．describe a wise and calm buck

3. The word “savored” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “______”.

A．endured all the time	B．enjoyed to the fullest
C．discovered step by step	D．challenged in every way

4. Why did the author drive slowly on that morning?

A．Because he wanted to enjoy the forest scenery.

B．Because he saw a majestic buck deer

C．Because snow made the road difficult for cars to drive on.

D．Because he took the time to watch the sunrise over the horizon

5. What does the author want to tell us with this article?

A．The most important thing in life is to be happy.

B．Living in harmony with nature is a must.

C．Modern life is not as good as life in earlier times.

D．Life is supposed to be appreciated.

3 . Having worked at a 7-Eleven store for two years, I thought I had become successful at what our manager calls “customer relations”. I firmly believed that a friendly smile and an automatic “sir”, “ma’am”, and “thank you” would see me through any situation that might arise, from comforting impatient or unpleasant people to apologizing for giving out the wrong change. But the other night an old woman shattered (粉碎)my belief that a simple and plain response could smooth over the rough spots of dealing with all kinds of customers.

The moment she entered, the woman presented a sharp contrast to our shiny store with its bright lighting and neatly arranged shelves. Walking as if each step were painful, she slowly pushed open the glass door and hobbled(蹒跚) down the nearest aisle. She coughed dryly, wheezing(气喘吁吁)with each breath. On a forty-degree night, she was wearing only a faded dress, a thin sweater too small to button, and black slippers with the backs cut out to expose calloused(满是老茧的)heels. There were no stockings or socks on her blue-veined legs.

After wandering around the store for several minutes, the old woman stopped in front of the rows of canned vegetables. She picked up a can of corn and stared with a strange intensity at the label. At that point, I decided to be a good, polite employee and asked her if she needed help. As I stood close to her, my smile became harder to maintain; her red-rimmed(边缘红的)eyes were partially closed by yellowish crusts(痂);her hands were covered with layer upon layer of dirt, and the stale (陈腐的)smell of sweat rose from clothes.

“I need some food,” she muttered(喃喃低语)in reply to my bright “Can I help you? ”

“Are you looking for corn, ma’am?”

“I need some food,” she repeated, “Any kind.”

“Well, the corn is ninety-five cents,” I said in my most helpful voice.

“I can’t pay,” she said.

For a second, I was tempted to say, “Take the corn.” But the employee rules flooded into my mind: Remain polite, but do not let customers get the best of you. Let them know that you are in control. For a moment, I even entertained the idea that this was some sort of test, and that this woman was someone from the head office, testing my loyalty. I responded dutifully, “I’m sorry, but I can’t give away anything for free.”

The old woman’s face collapsed a bit more, and her hands trembled as she put the can back on the shelf. She shuffled(拖着脚走)past me toward the door, her torn and dirty clothing barely covering her bent back.

Moments after she left, I rushed out of the door with the can of corn, but she was nowhere in sight. For the rest of my shift, the image of the woman haunted (萦绕)me. I had been young, healthy and proud. She had been old, sick and desperate. Wishing with all my heart that I had acted like a human being rather than a robot, I was saddened to realize how weak a hold we have on our better instincts.

1. How did the writer feel about his job at 7-Eleven before the old woman came?

A．He was quite satisfied with the way he served customers.

B．He found room for improvement in developing customer relations.

C．He was patient enough to deal with different situations.

D．He considered himself successful in dealing with all interpersonal relations.

2. The detailed account of the old woman is intended to show ________.

A．she presented a sharp contrast to the other customers

B．the writer felt sorry to deal with a customer like her

C．the writer didn’t expect to see such an unusual person.

D．she lived a miserable life and truly deserved help

3. Why didn’t the author manage to help the old woman at last? Because ________.

A．the old woman lacked appropriate manners

B．the stale smell of sweat really annoyed the author

C．the author stood firm with the employee regulations

D．the old woman was testing his loyalty to his company

4. What does the phrase “get the best of” mean according to the passage?

A．To feel sympathy for.	B．To keep company with.
C．To bring out the best of.	D．To win an advantage over. . .

5. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．What For

B．If Only

C．How Come

D．Never Ever

5 . It was the first night of a tiring seven-day 250km race across the Gobi Desert a year ago. Mr. Leonard _______ a little dog going around his camp trying to _______ herself.

“Cute, but I’m not giving you any,” Leonard thought. Like all_______, he had packed just enough for the whole _______. He’d been running competitively for three years, and he had a_______ to win.

The next day, at the starting line, the dog_________ him again. He waved her away, _______ she might be stepped on by the runners. _________, the dog followed him all the way until the day’s race _________. That night the dog snuggled (偎依) up to Leonard and even __________ to get a little food from him. By then, he was determined to________ her Gobi.

The pair went on to finish the seven-day race, with Gobi __________ a distance of 125km on her own, and winning Leonard over, enough for him to make a ________ — he would take her home to Edinburgh. “Seeing Gobi on the race__________ my attitude to things. It made me think more about stopping and helping her, __________ just focusing on winning,” said Leonard, who finished second. “It also made my running more________, giving me a lot of pleasure.”

As Leonard was preparing to get Gobi home, she was ________. With a group of 20 local volunteers coming to his ________, he finally found her. After that, Leonard never let Gobi out of his ________. Now Gobi’s favorite activity is still running, and she __________ does at least 8km a day with Leonard up the hills.

1.

A．recognized

B．adopted

C．spotted

D．treated

2.

A．accommodate

B．feed

C．water

D．entertain

3.

A．competitors

B．climbers

C．explorers

D．hikers

4.

A．plan

B．camp

C．day

D．course

5.

A．chance

B．desire

C．right

D．tendency

6.

A．bothered

B．stopped

C．welcomed

D．approached

7.

A．confused

B．worried

C．ashamed

D．astonished

8.

A．Therefore

B．Meanwhile

C．However

D．Otherwise

9.

A．wound up

B．got down

C．kicked off

D．came along

10.

A．expected

B．afforded

C．managed

D．begged

11.

A．give

B．name

C．award

D．show

12.

A．covering

B．setting

C．keeping

D．extending

13.

A．difference

B．choice

C．comment

D．decision

14.

A．advocated

B．changed

C．challenged

D．acknowledged

15.

A．rather than

B．but for

C．regardless of

D．ahead of

16.

A．impressive

B．meaningful

C．enjoyable

D．extraordinary

17.

A．dead

B．sick

C．injured

D．missing

18.

A．rescue

B．assistance

C．mind

D．defense

19.

A．sight

B．way

C．hand

D．reach

20.

A．gradually

B．eventually

C．routinely

D．occasionally

6 . When Deirdre Taylor was preparing to leave her Virginia home to fight Covid-19 in New York, she made sure to _________ a possession that she kept for over thirty _________ : a front-page newspaper article.

This article _________ Taylor’s rescue from a burning New York City apartment by a _________ in 1983. She was only four then. The picture on the front-page article shows a young Taylor with the man who _________ her, Eugene Pugliese.

“I always knew I came _________ to losing my life that day,” Taylor told CNN. “I could have a second chance at life _________ him.”

Today, Taylor, 41, is an emergency room _________ with a happy family. Ever since the incident, she wondered what _________ the firefighter who saved her, coming up empty when she __________ him online. __________ to spend two months helping in the __________ against Covid-19 at NYU Langone Hospital, Taylor saw this as an __________ to finally find him.

During one of her shifts (轮班), Taylor gave an __________ of her experience to a firefighter. He called the current captain of FDNY in Manhattan, who __________ knew whom Taylor was looking for.

Taylor gave Pugliese a(an) __________ right after her shift and was very happy to hear his voice on the other end. “I wondered about him on 9/11 and hoped I would get the chance to thank him, and I finally __________ .” said Taylor.

Now 76 years old, Pugliese was __________ when he got the call from Taylor on Friday. “We just sat there crying on the __________ .” Pugliese told CNN, __________ that he’s had the same article framed on his wall for 25 years now.

1.

A．choose

B．send

C．pack

D．mail

2.

A．days

B．weeks

C．months

D．years

3.

A．described

B．reminded

C．reported

D．discovered

4.

A．doctor

B．pedestrian

C．firefighter

D．relative

5.

A．saw

B．saved

C．treated

D．fed

6.

A．true

B．alone

C．close

D．alive

7.

A．as to

B．next to

C．according to

D．thanks to

8.

A．patient

B．cleaner

C．volunteer

D．nurse

9.

A．came to

B．happened to

C．related to

D．belonged to

10.

A．take for

B．break down

C．search for

D．look up

11.

A．Loyal

B．Afraid

C．Frightful

D．Ready

12.

A．play

B．competition

C．fight

D．argument

13.

A．ambition

B．opportunity

C．challenge

D．welfare

14.

A．lesson

B．duty

C．view

D．account

15.

A．never

B．exactly

C．hardly

D．gradually

16.

A．call

B．message

C．address

D．letter

17.

A．failed

B．did

C．escaped

D．hesitated

18.

A．scared

B．thrilled

C．depressed

D．relaxed

19.

A．ground

B．Internet

C．TV

D．phone

20.

A．realizing

B．explaining

C．recalling

D．adding

7 . What’s the difference between having a dream and making the dream come true? Hard work and perseverance. Wanda Smith always wanted to be a _________, but sometimes meeting life’s demanding realities can mean a dream _________.

Smith, a mother of three, had to care for her mom, _________ her family responsibilities, she took jobs as a bus monitor and gatekeeper for Brenham Independent School District in Texas. The time was _________ for her. But rather than let her dream die, at the age of 37, with the _________ of her husband, she added night classes to her _________. Nine years on, she _________ graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University.

Smith’s story came full circle when she was _________ as a first-grade teacher back at Brenham Elementary School. _________, her mom and beloved sisters didn’t live to see her accomplishment, but she knows they would have been __________ of her. “When I stand in the front of my classroom, I know I am __________ my dream finally,” Smith said during a show celebrating Teachers’ Day.

During the pandemic, as some of her students __________ to take up distance learning, Smith stepped up to help them. She risked her life to deliver schoolwork to students to ensure that the learning could be __________ as smoothly as possible, which really __________ her students and their parents.

It’s no wonder Smith’s kids __________ her. In a special surprise ceremony, they shouted their __________ and held up big colorful signs __________ their love. Smith’s life is an example as well as a(n) __________ for us. With great determination and __________, she graduated from cleaning classrooms to __________ classrooms.

1.

A．driver

B．teacher

C．doctor

D．manager

2.

A．delayed

B．broken

C．awoken

D．activated

3.

A．denying

B．shouldering

C．claiming

D．avoiding

4.

A．meaningless

B．hopeless

C．unfair

D．tough

5.

A．support

B．complaint

C．appreciation

D．permission

6.

A．occupation

B．hobby

C．schedule

D．exercise

7.

A．unwillingly

B．successfully

C．unexpectedly

D．secretly

8.

A．considered

B．treated

C．named

D．hired

9.

A．Unfortunately

B．Obviously

C．Consequently

D．Luckily

10.

A．fond

B．kind

C．proud

D．afraid

11.

A．telling

B．sharing

C．passing

D．living

12.

A．remembered

B．struggled

C．pretended

D．regretted

13.

A．checked out

B．handed up

C．carried out

D．given up

14.

A．moved

B．worried

C．attracted

D．saved

15.

A．envied

B．admired

C．forgot

D．missed

16.

A．requests

B．anger

C．orders

D．praise

17.

A．pursuing

B．donating

C．declaring

D．seeking

18.

A．inspiration

B．trouble

C．failure

D．luck

19.

A．kindness

B．imagination

C．effort

D．understanding

20.

A．helping

B．uniting

C．building

D．leading

8 . When you are living a fully-scheduled life, every minute counts. No matter how many ways you divide your ________, there’s never enough time in a day to catch up.

Six years ago, I was ________ with a care-free, stop-and-smell-the-roses type of ________. When I needed to rush out, she was taking her sweet ________ picking out a purse and a shining crown. When I needed to have a ________ lunch, she’d stop to speak to the elderly woman who looked like her grandma. Whenever my child caused me to deviate (偏离) from my main ________, I thought to myself, we don’t have time for this. ________, the two words I most commonly spoke to my little lover of life were: “________!”

Then one day, things ________. We’d just picked up my older daughter from kindergarten and were getting out of the car. Seeing her little sister not going fast enough for her liking, my older daughter said, “You are so slow.” When the older one crossed her own arms, it dawned on me that her annoyed look ________ that of mine. I saw the ________ my hurried existence was doing to both of my children.

Though my ________ to slow down was made almost three years ago, living at a slower pace still ________ great effort. My younger daughter is my living ________ of why I must keep trying. In fact, she reminded me once again the other day. When I thought my little child was going to eat the last ________ of an ice cream, she held out a spoonful of it. “I saved the last for you,” she said. At that moment, I ________I’d just got the deal of a lifetime. I gave my child a little time, and unexpectedly, ________, she reminded me that things taste ________ and love comes easier when you stop ________ through life.

Pausing to delight in the simple joys of daily life is the only way to truly live. Trust me, I learned from the world’s born ________ in joyful living.

1.

A．memory

B．attention

C．love

D．experience

2.

A．bored

B．blessed

C．content

D．patient

3.

A．sister

B．grandma

C．daughter

D．son

4.

A．time

B．ice cream

C．step

D．lunch

5.

A．big

B．quick

C．nutritious

D．joyful

6.

A．hobby

B．responsibility

C．interest

D．schedule

7.

A．Frankly

B．Consequently

C．Surprisingly

D．Unusually

8.

A．Cheer up

B．Pull up

C．Shut up

D．Hurry up

9.

A．improved

B．changed

C．appeared

D．worsened

10.

A．silenced

B．mirrored

C．linked

D．encouraged

11.

A．favor

B．honor

C．damage

D．good

12.

A．demand

B．joke

C．promise

D．mistake

13.

A．takes

B．gives

C．makes

D．puts

14.

A．reminder

B．memory

C．image

D．example

15.

A．half

B．bite

C．cup

D．piece

16.

A．wondered

B．realized

C．recognized

D．valued

17.

A．in conclusion

B．in short

C．in return

D．in fact

18.

A．sweeter

B．softer

C．sourer

D．hotter

19.

A．going

B．rushing

C．getting

D．enjoying

20.

A．artist

B．magician

C．designer

D．expert

9 . 阅读下面短文，并根据短文内容完成下列各题。

Aesha Ash spent most of her life ballet (芭蕾舞) dancing and even turned it into a career as a member of the New York City Ballet. As much as she loved to dance, she found the weight of her responsibility heavy because she was often the only African American ballerina (芭蕾舞女演员) in her classes and company.

After retiring (退休) from ballet in 2007, Aesha enjoyed the quiet life for more than ten years before she decided to come back to ballet, but in a completely new way. She started The Swan Dreams Project that helps kids in poor areas get into the world of ballet.

Aesha set up a one-week camp that invited kids to not only learn the basics of ballet, but also get an introduction to French (since she says it is “the language of ballet”).

Her first camp was in 2018 in a poor neighborhood in New York. When she arrived she was greeted by dozens of students, most of whom were African Americans. She wanted to help kids who otherwise might not have ever had the chance to live in the world of ballet.

On the final day of camp, after a week of learning, the students put on a final performance for their family and friends. Before the performance, Aesha said she was nervous that it would be less of a performance and more of a mess, since the campers were all between 8 and 11 years old. Much to her surprise, it turned out to be perfect. She said, “When we went out to our first circle and the kids began counting in French and performing the steps they had just learned, my heart melted.”

Aesha continues to do whatever she can to help kids learn ballet. She found a way to turn that seemingly unbearable weight she once carried around into something good for kids, as well as for the world of ballet.

1. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 1 probably mean? (1 word)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. When did Aesha decide to start The Swan Dreams Project? (no more than 10 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Where was Aesha’s one-week camp first held? (no more than 10 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why was Aesha surprised on the final day of her first camp? (no more than 10 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What kind of person is Aesha? Please explain or give an example. (no more than 20 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . I learned how to accept life as it is from my father. ________, he didn’t teach me acceptance when he was strong and healthy, but rather when he was ________ and ill.

My father was ________ a strong man who loved being active, but a terrible illness________ all that away. Now he can no longer walk, and he must sit quietly in a chair all day. Even talking is ________. One night, I went to visit him with my sisters. We started ________ about life, and I told them about one of my ________. I said that we must very often give things up ________ we grow — our health, our beauty, our friends — but it always ________ that after we give something up, we gain something new in its place. Then suddenly my father ________ up. He said, “But, Peter, I gave up ________! What did I gain?” I thought and thought, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. ________, he answered his own question, “I________ the love of my family.” I looked at my sisters and saw tears in their eyes, along with hope and thankfulness.

I was also________ by his words. After that, when I began to feel angry at someone, I ________ remember his words and become ________. If he could replace his great pain with a feeling of love for others, then I should be ________ to give up my small anger. In this ________, I learned the power of acceptance from my father.

Sometimes I ________ what other things I could have learned from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy. For now, though, I am grateful for this________.

1.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Afterwards

D．Meanwhile

2.

A．tired

B．slow

C．poor

D．weak

3.

A．already

B．once

C．only

D．still

4.

A．sent

B．threw

C．took

D．put

5.

A．impossible

B．hopeless

C．stressful

D．difficult

6.

A．worrying

B．caring

C．talking

D．asking

7.

A．decisions

B．beliefs

C．strengths

D．imaginations

8.

A．before

B．since

C．as

D．till

9.

A．suggests

B．seems

C．promises

D．requires

10.

A．opened

B．turned

C．broken

D．spoke

11.

A．something

B．anything

C．everything

D．nothing

12.

A．Naturally

B．Surprisingly

C．Truly

D．Certainly

13.

A．had

B．accepted

C．enjoyed

D．gained

14.

A．defended

B．astonished

C．touched

D．warned

15.

A．would

B．could

C．should

D．might

16.

A．quiet

B．relaxed

C．calm

D．happy

17.

A．able

B．likely

C．free

D．ready

18.

A．case

B．way

C．method

D．form

19.

A．doubt

B．guess

C．know

D．wonder

20.

A．award

B．theme

C．gift

D．word