1 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Once a group of 50 people was attending a seminar. Halfway through his talk, the speaker stopped and decided     1     (create)a group activity. He went around the hall and gave each person a balloon. Each one was asked to write his or her name on the balloon     2     (use)a marker pen. Then all the balloons were     3     (collect)and put in another room.

The speaker then led the group to the room full of balloons and asked them to find the balloon     4     had their name written on, within five minutes. Everyone was     5     (hurried)searching for their name, bumping into each other, pushing each other around. It was chaos. At the end of the five minutes no one could find     6     (them)own balloon. Now each person was asked to randomly collect     7     balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within two minutes everyone     8     (have)their own balloon. When everyone quieted down, the speaker began to talk, saying that this is exactly what was happening in our     9     (life). Everyone is hurriedly looking for happiness, and not knowing where it is.

Our happiness sometimes lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness     10     you will get your own happiness.

3 . Some of my earliest memories involve sitting with my dad in his study every night when he came home from the office. I’d watch as he put his personal items away: his watch, wallet, comb and car keys. They would always occupy the same spot on the table every time.

Dad’s comb was jade green. I heard he bought it when he married Mum. Every night, he would smile, hand me the comb and say, “Be a good girl and help Daddy clean it, OK?”

I was more than happy to do it. At age five, this kind of task brought me such joy. I would excitedly turn the tap on, and then brush the comb with a used toothbrush as hard as I could. Satisfied that I’d done a good job, I would proudly return the comb to Dad. He would smile at me, and place the comb on top of his wallet.

About two years later, Dad left his sales job and started his own wholesale business. I started primary school. That was when things started to change. Dad’s business wasn’t doing so well, and our stable life started getting shaky. He didn’t come home as much as he used to. And when he did come home, it was always late and I’d already be in bed. I started to get mad. Why didn’t he listen to Mum and just stick to his old job? Why take the risk and place the whole family in trouble? Over the years, I stopped waiting for him to come home, and stopped going downstairs to check on him.

Now 28, I’ve graduated from college and got a job. Dad’s business has also started to get back on track. Yet the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me went on.

Two days before my birthday last year, Dad came home early. On that evening, I helped him carry his bags into his study as usual. When I turned to leave, he asked me to clean his comb. I looked at him for a while, then took the comb and headed to the sink.

It was a new comb. This one was brown. I hadn’t noticed that he’d changed it. After cleaning it, I passed it back to Dad. He looked at it and smiled. But this time, I noticed something different. My dad had aged. He had wrinkles next to his eyes when he smiled, yet his smile was still as heartwarming as before.

1. From the first three paragraphs, we can learn .

A．the earliest memories with Dad were full of joy

B．the precious green comb of Dad was made of jade

C．the author was unwilling to clean the comb for Dad

D．the author would study together with Dad every evening

2. What probably made Dad decide to resign from his original job to start his own business?

A．That he was eager to get everything on track.	B．That he wanted to keep his family life stable.
C．That he was laid off and had to make a living.	D．That he hoped to earn a better life for the family.

3. What emotional changes did the author experience when staying with Dad these years?

A．cheerful→ mad→ warm.	B．mad → satisfied → warm.
C．satisfied → worried → angry.	D．warm → concerned → uncomfortable.

4. What could be the best title for the text?

A．A Comb of Jade Green	B．Dad’s Wholesale Business
C．Evenings with My Dad	D．My Earliest Memories with Dad

4 . It was the first time I had noticed him properly. Before this, Jack had just been a friendly young man provided by the hotel to accompany me on trips to the wildlife park nearby. But then he caught my attention by asking me to shut up.

“It’s just a garden spider. Don’t cry!” he said, looking at the creature with more love than I could gather for most humans. I had indeed cried-I was in the front seat of a jeep and the spider was on my leg.

“I don’t care what it is. Make it go away!” I said. I wanted him to pick the thing up and throw it out of the jeep right at that moment. He did something quite else.

He pushed his leg towards mine and held out the cloth of his trousers to gently let the spider go onto his own leg. He then drove on, as if nothing had happened. The spider climbed a little bit and then just stopped on his knee. I sat there staring at the spider for any sudden movement.

I was frightened that the man was completely at ease with a spider dangerously quiet on his knee. About 15 minutes later, he pushed his knee forward to the dashboard and the spider immediately climbed off his knee and on to the jeep. “The poor thing had been trying to get off me,” he said. “I only noticed now that it was trying to reach the dashboard, so I helped it along.”

I wondered then about this man, who thought about the spider with such kindness... Where and when did I lose my empathy towards the unfamiliar? Now, when faced with a row of ants on the staircase, my first reaction is no longer to attack them. The ants were already wise, but thanks to Jack, I learnt to live with the not so beautiful bits of nature.

1. We can infer that the writer at first         .

A．invited Jack to go to the wildlife park	B．was excited to keep Jack company
C．fell in love with Jack at the first sight	D．didn’t take seriously of Jack

2. What did Jack ask the writer to do with the spider?

A．To let it alone.	B．To remove it off her leg.
C．To get it off the jeep.	D．To observe it with love.

3. How did Jack help the spider?

A．Put it on his knee for a look.	B．Made it move onto his leg.
C．Threw it out of the jeep.	D．Stared at it in case of a sudden attack.

4. What did the writer learn from Jack?

A．To avoid an attack from a wild creature.	B．To be friendly with people in need.
C．To challenge dangerous creatures bravely.	D．To love those living creatures anywhere.

5 . Last year I went to the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, and it blew my mind. It had been my dream to attend the famous carnival for many years, so I was excited. However ,the moment I arrived, I was a little bit nervous because there were so many people on the streets. They say that five or six million people come to Rio during carnival time and about two million of them are on the streets on any given day. Luckily, I had a local guide, my sister’s friend Ronnie. He said he would take care of me and show me around at the carnival. He did not let me down.

Well, the carnival is all about the samba. It’s a style of music and dance which has its origins in Africa. Lots of Africans were used as slave labor by the Portuguese when Brazil was being conquered, so this mixed culture of African, Latin and European styles is really strong here.   Samba music is usually fast and exciting with a lot of drums and harmonic vocals(和声).It’s the kind of music that you couldn’t help dancing to. And I was learning that as I followed Ronnie through the crowd, I couldn’t help moving my hips and shoulders.

Ronnie had got us tickets for the samba parade inside the Sambadrome where the top samba schools compete for the championship, but we still had a long way to go through the street parties. He said most people enjoy the carnival by making their own parties in the street. About the samba parade, twelve main teams compete for the championship, and if they win, their performance will be talked about for years to come.

So, you must be wondering how it was. Well, I’m afraid I can’t tell you. Ronnie and I never made into the Sambadrome.   We spent the day moving from one street party to another. There were more snacks, more drinks and lots of dancing. Do I regret missing the main parade? Not at all. I experienced the carnival like the locals, and it was truly amazing.

1. How did the author feel once she arrived at the carnival?

A．Disappointed.

B．Anxious.

C．Excited.

D．Annoyed.

2. What can be known about samba in Paragraph 2?

A．It has a strong mixed culture.

B．Its music is always fast but soft.

C．It is not to the taste of the author.

D．It has its origins in South America.

3. Why didn’t the author regret missing the main parade?

A．She met some amazing local people.

B．She gave her own parties in the street.

C．She celebrated the festival in a local way.

D．She didn’t have the tickets for the parade.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To recommend a helpful guide.

B．To encourage people to learn samba.

C．To share an unforgettable experience.

D．To tell a cruel history of Rio de Janeiro.

6 . The first day of school we were challenged to get to know a new classmate.I_______around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.I found a little _______lady with a warm smile.

She said，“Hi! I’m Rose.I’m 87 years old.Can I give you a hug?” I laughed and heartily_______，“Of course!”“Why are you in college at such a young，innocent age?”I asked.She_______replied，“I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, have children，and then travel around.”“No，_______，”I asked.I was curious why she _______this challenge at this age.“I always _______having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me.We became instant friends.

_______，Rose became a campus icon(偶像)and she easily made friends wherever she went.She loved to dress up and she enjoyed the_______from the other students.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet.I’ll never forget what she________us.“We do not stop playing because we are old;we grow old________we stop playing.Here are the secrets to staying ________.You have to laugh and find ________every day.You’ve got to have a dream.When you lose your dreams，you die.________ we have many people like this walking around!”she said.“There is a huge ________ between growing older and growing up.Anybody can grow older.That doesn’t ________ any talent or ability，”she added.“But growing up requires ________ the opportunity in change，having no   ________.The elderly usually don’t regret what they did, but regret things they did not do.”

One week after graduation that year，Rose died peacefully in her sleep.She taught us ________   that it’s never too ________ to be all you can possibly be.

1.

A．stopped

B．showed

C．asked

D．looked

2.

A．old

B．exciting

C．strange

D．nervous

3.

A．added

B．claimed

C．responded

D．offered

4.

A．slowly

B．jokingly

C．quickly

D．simply

5.

A．seriously

B．wisely

C．really

D．secretly

6.

A．took off

B．put up

C．took on

D．put on

7.

A．dreamed to

B．looked back on

C．looked up to

D．dreamed of

8.

A．Over the year

B．At the moment

C．Once again

D．As usual

9.

A．jokes

B．questions

C．attention

D．followers

10.

A．inspired

B．taught

C．requested

D．lectured

11.

A．when

B．because

C．so

D．although

12.

A．young

B．healthy

C．growing

D．developing

13.

A．goals

B．humor

C．person

D．interest

14.

A．Unfortunately

B．Naturally

C．Generally

D．Fairly

15.

A．division

B．change

C．cross

D．difference

16.

A．use

B．take

C．compare

D．prefer

17.

A．winning

B．improving

C．meeting

D．finding

18.

A．doubts

B．fear

C．regrets

D．worry

19.

A．in time

B．by herself

C．by example

D．in practice

20.

A．late

B．old

C．early

D．young

8 . My parents and I never really saw eye to eye on anything. When I was young it was just the ________ stuff — the length of my skirt or the movies I wanted to watch. ________ , as I got older, I found that there was a lot more that we didn’t ________ — my choice of friends or what I wanted to study at university.

I went to university in another city at 17. ________ home has totally broadened my outlook (看法) on the world and has changed my opinions on lots of ________ . I’ve encountered many amazing people with different experiences. My circle of friends includes people with ________ beliefs, values, cultures and different ways of approaching life. But the great thing is that we respect each other’s ________. I’ve learnt to question what I’ve been taught and not always agree just because that is what “everybody else” ________ .

When I went home to visit my parents the first couple of times, I found it really hard to ________ . I found it hard to deal with not being able to ________ my opinions as freely as I did when I was away from home. It was really upsetting. I used to get angry that my parents weren’t in ________ of my opinions. Now, I gradually realize that ________ I want my parents to respect what I say, I have to ________ their views. While it is ________ , once I make an effort to respect their values, it is not a ________ to get along with my parents.

1.

A．major

B．useful

C．simple

D．actual

2.

A．Otherwise

B．However

C．Besides

D．Thus

3.

A．agree on

B．focus on

C．work on

D．rely on

4.

A．Reaching

B．Visiting

C．Missing

D．Leaving

5.

A．decisions

B．issues

C．challenges

D．experiences

6.

A．secondary

B．practical

C．various

D．normal

7.

A．interests

B．feelings

C．attitudes

D．viewpoints

8.

A．argues

B．considers

C．exchanges

D．battles

9.

A．remove

B．confuse

C．handle

D．complain

10.

A．voice

B．control

C．tell

D．review

11.

A．face

B．support

C．need

D．honor

12.

A．unless

B．after

C．if

D．although

13.

A．welcome

B．protect

C．require

D．develop

14.

A．unfortunate

B．alarming

C．frightening

D．tough

15.

A．surprise

B．shock

C．breakdown

D．struggle

10 . It was late on a Thursday evening in Austin, Texas, and I had just finished my shift downtown waiting tables. I hopped into my truck and headed away from the chaos to my own personal oasis, Dan’s Depot. It was on a four-lane road that went straight from the heart of Austin to West Texas. Once, Dan’s Depot had been outside of the city. But with Austin’s population growing and the city’s expansion, it was swallowed up by high-rise buildings and skyscrapers.

I’ve been familiar with Dan’s Depot since I played my first show there. Like most waiters in Austin, I’m actually a musician. The woman who welcomes customers is Dan’s wife Maude.

I slid my truck into the last free spot and headed to the door. “How’s it going, Maude?” I asked. “David, I just don’t know what we’re going to do,” she said. “Our contract with the landlord is up for renewal at the end of the month, and he has doubled the rent. Even if we charged twice as much for the snacks and shows, we could never make ends meet.”

My heart dropped. On some level, I’d been expecting to hear this news for as long as I’d been coming to Dan’s Depot. After all, Dan’s Depot was now sandwiched between a shop selling yoga pants to people who could afford personal trainers and a luxury furniture store where even a simple dining chair cost more than S1, 000. How could this little live music bar survive with those kinds of neighbors?

“What are you going to do with this place? Are you moving?” I asked. She shook her head slowly. “I just don’t know. Dan and I are not as young as we used to be.”

I patted her on the shoulder and made my way to the tables near the stage. Memories sprung up in my mind. Most of my musical ideas came to me while I was watching live shows here at Dan’s Depot. When the song ended, I got up and went back to Maude.

“What if I run the new Dan’s Depot?” I asked her. She stared at me, surprised.

“Hear me out,” I said. “I’ve got enough money to go in with you and Dan as a third partner. I know the Texas music scene in and out, and I can get the best new bands in here every week. We’ll move it way down South Congress Avenue, where it’s still close enough to be accessible from downtown but the rent is more affordable. And most importantly, this place means a lot to me.”

Maude was still staring at me silently. I began to grow uneasy. Had I offended her? I started apologizing. She cut me off with a huge embrace. “Honey, I think that’s a fantastic idea.”

1. The underlined word “oasis” in Paragraph 1 refers to a place where the author ________.

A．parks his truck	B．finds joy and relaxation
C．works full-time	D．grabs a meal at night

2. Why did the author say he had long expected to hear the news Maude told him?

A．He pointed out Dan’s Depot was in poor management

B．He felt the sandwiches in Dan’s Depot were too expensive.

C．He thought Dan’s Depot was out of tune with its surroundings.

D．He suggested Dan and Maude retire early and enjoy their lives.

3. What does the author advise Maude to do?

A．Sell Dan’s Depot to him.	B．Hire him as a lead singer.
C．Find another way to run the business.	D．Advertise for a third partner.

4. Which statement is probably true according to the passage?

A．The author’s words offended Maude.

B．The author gave his advice immediately.

C．The author worked as a waiter in Dan’s Depot.

D．The author drew musical inspiration from Dan’s Depot.