1 . An old man lived in a nice house with a large garden. He took care of his ________ all the time, watering and fertilizing them.

One day a young man went by the ________. He looked at the beautiful flowers, imagining how happy he could be if he ________ in such a beautiful place. Then suddenly he found the old gardener was ________. He was very surprised about this and asked, “You can’t ________ these flowers. Why are you busy taking care of them every day?”

The old man smiled and said, “I can tell your four ________. First, I was a gardener when I was young, and I really like this job. Second, although I can’t see these flowers, I can ________ them. ________ I can smell the sweetness of them. As to the last one, that’s you.”

“Me? But you don’t ________ me,” said the young man.

“Yeah, it is ________ that I don’t know you. But I know that flowers are angels that ________ every day. We enjoy the happiness these flowers have brought to us.”

The blind man’s words opened our eyes and ________ our hearts, which also made his life ________. It was just like Beethoven, who became deaf in his later life and wrote many great musical works. Beethoven himself couldn’t ________ his wonderful music, but his music has ________ millions of people to face their difficulties bravely. Isn’t it one kind of happiness?

1.

A．trees

B．flowers

C．vegetables

D．grass

2.

A．balcony

B．kitchen

C．garden

D．study

3.

A．enjoyed

B．dreamed

C．bought

D．lived

4.

A．blind

B．famous

C．smart

D．friendly

5.

A．pick

B．water

C．see

D．plant

6.

A．stories

B．reasons

C．excuses

D．conclusions

7.

A．touch

B．sell

C．cook

D．give

8.

A．First

B．Second

C．Third

D．Fourth

9.

A．teach

B．know

C．like

D．trust

10.

A．true

B．hard

C．cool

D．fair

11.

A．greets

B．doubts

C．meets

D．knows

12.

A．broke

B．hurt

C．pleased

D．treated

13.

A．emptier

B．busier

C．luckier

D．happier

14.

A．write

B．hear

C．play

D．believe

15.

A．changed

B．affected

C．discovered

D．encouraged

2 . There was a man playing the piano in a bar. He was a good piano player and always performed in this bar. People came in just to hear him play. But one night, a customer told him that he didn’t want to hear him just play the piano any more. He wanted him to sing a song.

The man said, “I don’t sing.”

But the customer was persistent. He told the bar manager, “I’m tired of listening to the piano. I want that man to sing!”

The manager shouted across the room, “If you want to get paid, sing a song. Our customers are asking you to sing!”

So he did. He sang a song. A piano player who had never sung in public did so for the first time. And everyone was surprised by his song — Mona Lisa. He got lots of applause (掌声) that night.

He had such a talent for singing, but he just had been sitting on his talent for the past years! If without such a chance, he may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar. However, now he had become one of the best-known singers in America.

You, too, have skills and abilities. Maybe your “talent” is not as great as the singer above, but it may be better than you think! And with effort, most skills can be improved. So, in your life, you should be brave enough to try doing different things and find out what talents you really have!

1. Why did the man start to sing?

A．Because he wanted to make more money.

B．Because the bar manager said he liked his song.

C．Because the manager asked him to sing at the request of a customer.

D．Because he wanted to show that he had a talent for singing.

2. What do you think of the bar manager?

A．Strict.

B．Rude.

C．Patient.

D．Kind.

3. What do the underlined words “he just had been sitting on his talent”probably mean?

A．He hated to sing.	B．He didn’t sing.
C．He had no talent for singing..	D．He didn’t discover his talent.

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Some people really have no skills or abilities.

B．None of us is as great as the singer.

C．No skills can be improved even if you try.

D．Sometimes through effort we can know our talent.

3 . When I came out of my office, it was dark. In order to get home as soon as possible, I hired a taxi. The car was _______ along the road, now well- lit, now sank in darkness. I broke the _______ on purpose, _______ that the driver might be too tired to drive. “When do you go back home in the evening?”

“9 o’clock. I’ll go after this trip.”

“Then when do you come out in the morning?” I _______ another question.

“9 o’clock, too. And I go home for lunch and dinner, just as if I worked at an office.” His easiness surprised me, because every time I ride in a taxi, what I hear from the _______ are only complaints. They complain that they have to work from morning till night, that it is _______ to earn money, that they are bullied (欺侮) by the policeman, or that the corporation leaders are seated _______ and enjoy the _______ of others’ work. It seems that they have a grievance (不满意) against everything. But this driver told me, “I find it tiring to be a section chief as I was before. I don’t like management work. I like driving, just for _______. It’s fortunate that I ________ drive without a passenger. So I can earn two or three thousand yuan a month with ease. Any secret? Yes, I never follow an empty taxi. If it goes ________, I go northward. If it goes along the highway, I turn into a ________ street. In this way I always get customers.

His words showed his satisfaction with his life and the pride he ________ in his job. Such feelings are so ________ among people nowadays as oxygen in high mountains. As an ancient saying ________, “Neither joy in material gains nor grieve over personal setbacks (挫折).” How many people nowadays can show high ideals by simple living and go far with a calm mind? I couldn’t help feeling curious when I found such a state of mind in a stranger on a cold winter night.

1.

A．driving

B．walking

C．flying

D．going

2.

A．calmness

B．quietness

C．stillness

D．silence

3.

A．for fear

B．on condition

C．in order

D．in case

4.

A．gave out

B．threw out

C．let off

D．set off

5.

A．taxi

B．driver

C．passenger

D．radio

6.

A．hard

B．easy

C．possible

D．impossible

7.

A．busy

B．busily

C．lazy

D．lazily

8.

A．results

B．achievements

C．fruits

D．gains

9.

A．pleasure

B．money

C．work

D．interest

10.

A．sometimes

B．usually

C．never

D．seldom

11.

A．southward

B．northward

C．eastward

D．westward

12.

A．wide

B．narrow

C．lonely

D．straight

13.

A．had

B．made

C．kept

D．took

14.

A．common

B．rare

C．much

D．little

15.

A．says

B．suggests

C．goes

D．talks

4 . On January 22, 2022, the British-Belgian 19-year-old, Zara Rutherford, successfully landed her two-seat microlight aircraft back at the Kortrijk-Wevelgem Airport, from where she had departed 155 days ago, fulfilling her dream to be the youngest woman to fly around the world solo.

“I feel excited not only to break the Guinness World Record, but also to diminish the gender gap by 11 years between the current youngest male record holder Travis Ludlow 18 at the time of his record, and the previous female record holder Shaesta Waez, who was 30 when she completed her ‘Dreams Soar’ around-the-world flight.” Rutherford wrote on her blog.

Rutherford’s journey crossing five continents and 52 countries began on August 18, 2021. She encountered numerous unexpected delays along the way. They included an unscheduled stop in Redding, California, due to wildfires and a month-long stop in Nome, Alaska, to renew her Russian visa. She also faced several challenges in the air. When flying from Iceland to Greenland, Rutherford lost radio contact with her ground team for much of the 3-hour flight. The incidents also resulted in her having to cross over Russia in sub-zero temperatures. The hardest part was flying over Siberia — it was extremely cold and if the engine broke down, she’d be hours away from rescue. Despite the severe difficulties, the determined young pilot never gave up on her dream.

Rutherford grew up around airplanes. Her British father flies commercially, while her Belgian mother is a recreational pilot. The young girl began learning how to fly at age 14 and obtained her aviators license in 2020. With her goal of flying around the world accomplished, Rutherford now has her sights set even higher. She wants to become an astronaut and explore space.

She hopes that her journey will encourage more young women to pursue careers in aviation. Currently the number of female pilots is just 5 percent. Rutherford says, “It’s an easy thing to say, but just go for it. If you don’t try and see how high you can fly, then you’ll never know.”

1. What does the underlined word “diminish” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Cause.

B．Divide.

C．Narrow.

D．Expand.

2. Why did Rutherford have to stop in Nome?

A．The wildfires were too fierce.	B．Her Russian visa was due.
C．The weather was too severe.	D．Her engine broke down.

3. What’s the purpose of Paragraph 4?

A．To switch to a new topic.	B．To summarize her achievements.
C．To illustrate her admirable talents.	D．To add some background information.

4. What does the passage try to convey?

A．Life is not all roses.	B．Dream big, aim high.
C．Not to advance is to go back.	D．The greatest talkers, the least doers.

5 . Michael Greenberg is a very popular New Yorker. He is not famous in sports or the arts. But people in the streets   ______ him, especially those who are ______ . For those people, he is “Gloves” Greenberg. How did he get that ______ ? He looks like any other businessman, wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase (公文箱). But he’s ______ His briefcase always has some gloves.

In winter, Mr. Greenberg does not ______ like other New Yorkers, who look at the sidewalk and hurry down the street. He looks around at ______ . He stops when he sees someone with no gloves. He gives them a pair and then he   ______ looking for more people with cold ______

On winter days, Mr. Greenberg ______ gloves. During the rest of the year, he buys gloves. People who have heard about him ______ him gloves, and he has many in his apartment. Mr. Greenberg began doing this 21 years ago. Now, many poor New Yorkers know him and ______ his behavior. But people who don’t know him are sometimes   ______ him. They don’t realize that he just wants to make them ______ .

It runs in the family. Michael’s father always helped the poor as he believed it made everyone happier. Michael Greenberg feels the ______ . A pair of gloves may be a _____ thing, but it can make a big difference in winter.

1.

A．know about

B．learn from

C．cheer for

D．look after

2.

A．old

B．busy

C．kind

D．poor

3.

A．job

B．name

C．chance

D．message

4.

A．calm

B．different

C．crazy

D．curious

5.

A．act

B．sound

C．feel

D．dress

6.

A．cars

B．people

C．street numbers

D．traffic lights

7.

A．holds up

B．hangs out

C．moves on

D．turns around

8.

A．hands

B．ears

C．faces

D．eyes

9.

A．searches for

B．stores up

C．gives away

D．puts on

10.

A．call

B．send

C．lend

D．show

11.

A．understand

B．dislike

C．study

D．excuse

12.

A．sorry for

B．satisfied with

C．proud of

D．surprised by

13.

A．smart

B．rich

C．special

D．happy

14.

A．honor

B．pain

C．same

D．cold

15.

A．small

B．useful

C．delightful

D．comforting

6 . Born in 1983 in Arizona, US, Jessica has learned to live her life with her feet, She was born without arms, and no doctors could figure out why.

There were many questions at the time about whether Jessica would be able to live a “ normal” life. However, Jessica’s father said, “ I have never shed a tear about her birth condition. ” With the support of her parents and family, Jessica became confident in herself as an adult and continued to explore the world with her feet.

As a child, Jessica studied dance in her hometown. When the first performance arrived, she asked to be put in the back row. Her dance teacher told her there was no back row. Nervously, she took the stage with the other students and performed her routine. When she finished, the applause from the audience gave her encouragement and confidence to continue dancing for 14 years.

After graduating from high school, Jessica attended the University of Arizona, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. When talking about her major, she frequently explains that Psychology has a great effect on her life, helping her out of a physical limitation.

During college, Jessica signed up for a club of taekwondo (跆拳道) and learned all of the colour belt materials. The instructors created a course that would be accessible to any future armless students. Jessica became the first, armless person to earn a black belt in the club.

Jessica’s most famous accomplishment was learning how to fly. It took three states, four airplanes, two flight instructors and a discouraging year to find the right aircraft. She earned herself a place in the Guinness World Records for being the first person permitted to fly an airplane with only her feet.

Now Jessica works as a motivational lecturer. She travels around the world sharing her story and encouraging people to be creative with the slogan“ Think outside the shoe”。

1. What encouraged Jessica to keep dancing for so many years?

A．The support of her family.	B．Her dance teacher’s words.
C．The help of the other students.	D．Her success in the first performance.

2. Why did Jessica major in Psychology in university?

A．Psychology is the best subject in her university.

B．Psychology can bring her a good job in tie future.

C．Psychology can help her go beyond her disability.

D．Psychology is fit for an armless student.

3. What’s Jessica’s greatest achievement?

A．Flying an airplane with her feet.	B．Finding the right aircraft.
C．Speaking as a motivational lecturer.	D．Travelling around the world.

4. What’s the best title of the text?

A．A Talented Girl, Jessica	B．A Motivational Speaker
C．Exploring the World with Feet	D．Being Creative as a Student

9 . Stephen Glenn is a famous scientist who has made many important medical breakthroughs. He once was interviewed by a reporter asking him why he was able to be more _______ than average people. What set him apart from others?

He responded that it all came from a(n) _______ with his mother when he was about two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he _______ his control of the slippery bottle and it fell, spilling the _______ all over the kitchen floor, making a sea of milk!

When his mother came into the kitchen, instead of _______ him, she said, “What a huge pool of milk! Well, the _______ has already been done. Would you like to play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up?”

He did. After a few minutes, his mother said, “You know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this, you have to clean it up and _______ everything to its proper order. So, how would you like to do that?” He took a sponge and together they cleaned up the _______ milk.

His mother then said, “Here is a failed experiment in how to _______ carry a big milk bottle with two ________ hands. Let’s go out in the back yard and fill the bottle with water and see if you can discover a successful way to carry it.” The little boy learned that if he ________ the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could carry it without ________ it.

This ________ scientist remarked that it was at that moment that he knew ________ were just opportunities for learning something new, which is, what scientific experiments are all about. ________ the experiment “doesn’t work,” we usually learn something valuable from it.

1.

A．creative

B．popular

C．modest

D．diligent

2.

A．adventure

B．accident

C．experience

D．conflict

3.

A．lost

B．took

C．kept

D．had

4.

A．messes

B．contents

C．bottle

D．waste

5.

A．speaking highly of

B．making fun of

C．staring at

D．shouting at

6.

A．test

B．work

C．damage

D．favour

7.

A．restore

B．recover

C．improve

D．tidy

8.

A．shattered

B．spoiled

C．squeezed

D．spilled

9.

A．bravely

B．cautiously

C．safely

D．technically

10.

A．clean

B．tiny

C．steady

D．strong

11.

A．grasped

B．pulled

C．scratched

D．raised

12.

A．emptying

B．hitting

C．shaking

D．dropping

13.

A．honest

B．hardworking

C．distinguished

D．devoted

14.

A．lessons

B．mistakes

C．experiments

D．studies

15.

A．Unless

B．Once

C．Only if

D．Even if