1 . Our family enjoyed a beautiful house plant for over thirty years. It had stayed with us through _________ years and good times, pain and joy. I had never thought of _________ it.

However, two weeks ago, we _________ some changes in its leaves, which began to lose color. We watered and looked after it _________, but it just showed no sign of _________. We finally picked a few almost dead leaves and _________ replanting them in another small pot.

What _________ us was that these leaves planted in the new pot grew strong. In order to know the reason why the house plant died, we dug the dead plant out of the pot. Then, it became _________ to us—its roots（根）were in disorder, completely tangling up. Our once-beautiful plant died because it grew out of its environment—it became root-bound（根满盆的）.

People can become root-bound, too. Those who _________ personal growth or development often want to make __________ that can lead to greater achievements or much more happiness. However, they more often find they outgrow their environment and want to __________. Their view becomes larger and they need __________ environment to live in. They need people who will make __________ for their growth. If they cannot be __________, some problems are sure to appear.

So if your new-found growth causes you to abandon the old ways, you may need to __________ you are bigger now.

1.

A．peaceful

B．pleasant

C．hard

D．busy

2.

A．controlling

B．losing

C．buying

D．selling

3.

A．made

B．recorded

C．collected

D．discovered

4.

A．disappointedly

B．quickly

C．carefully

D．happily

5.

A．recovery

B．strength

C．trouble

D．growth

6.

A．avoided

B．practiced

C．tried

D．enjoyed

7.

A．amazed

B．disappointed

C．embarrassed

D．bored

8.

A．happy

B．useful

C．energetic

D．clear

9.

A．depend on

B．look for

C．wait for

D．turn down

10.

A．suggestions

B．studies

C．explanations

D．changes

11.

A．take off

B．fall down

C．calm down

D．set up

12.

A．warmer

B．safer

C．larger

D．taller

13.

A．chances

B．promises

C．time

D．room

14.

A．satisfied

B．accepted

C．mentioned

D．protected

15.

A．refuse

B．realize

C．order

D．prove

2 . Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people.

My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life. We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, “Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it.”

At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day, my mother spoke to me in her gentle, loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I could walk again if I wanted to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her. A year later, I returned to school — walking on my own!

When the Great Depression (大萧条)hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again.

Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel (汽车旅馆) for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time.

Not surprisingly, mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business, we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother’s words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed. Fifteen years later, we had the largest hotel system in the world — Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1,759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1 billion a year.

You may not have started out life in the best situations. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you.

1. What Kemmons’ mom often told him during his childhood was ______.

A．caring

B．encouraging

C．moving

D．interesting

2. According to the author, who played the most important role in making him walk back to school again?

A．Doctors.

B．Nurses.

C．Friends.

D．Mom.

3. What caused Kemmons to start a motel by himself?

A．His terrible experience in the hotel.

B．His previous business success of various levels.

C．His mom’s support.

D．His wife’s suggestion.

4. Which of the following led to Kemmons’ success according to the passage?

A．Self-confidence, hard work, higher education and a poor family.

B．Mom’s encouragement, clear goals, self-confidence and hard work.

C．Clear goals, mom’s encouragement, a poor family and higher education.

D．Mom’s encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities.

3 . I made my way into the small restaurant in our Winnipeg hotel for breakfast. Only two other tables were occupied, one by a family with a little boy, and the boy was so _________ because sitting at the table directly behind us was a face he _________. “Mom, Mom, look! It’s Wayne Gretzky! My favourite ice hockey player!”

The other table was Wayne Gretzky, discussing important business with some gentlemen. They were speaking quietly. The little boy was eager to _________ Wayne Gretzky and get an autograph (亲笔签名). After all, this might be his only _________! But his mother just kept _________, “Honey, this is not the _________.” The poor little boy was almost _________. He kept looking at his _________—right in the same room!

Well, it was _________ not to notice what was going on. Wayne excused himself from his breakfast and went over to the little boy. He knelt down, __________ his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Wayne Gretzky. What’s your name?”

The little boy’s face totally lit up! He just couldn’t __________ what was happening. The whole __________ was thrilled. It was __________ to watch as Wayne shook hands with the little boy and then __________ his autograph on a piece of paper for the boy.

I was so __________. It made me realize that he sincerely meant all the things he has said about encouraging youngsters—and that Wayne Gretzky was as much a hero off the ice as he was on.

1.

A．puzzled

B．nervous

C．excited

D．interested

2.

A．recognized

B．designed

C．recommended

D．forgot

3.

A．compare to

B．talk to

C．compete with

D．debate with

4.

A．hobby

B．glory

C．level

D．chance

5.

A．singing

B．whispering

C．shouting

D．arguing

6.

A．schedule

B．task

C．time

D．solution

7.

A．in trouble

B．in tears

C．in shock

D．in danger

8.

A．hero

B．coach

C．mother

D．friend

9.

A．easy

B．peaceful

C．amazing

D．hard

10.

A．gave up

B．set up

C．put out

D．worked out

11.

A．suppose

B．believe

C．find

D．remind

12.

A．team

B．class

C．group

D．family

13.

A．wonderful

B．formal

C．grateful

D．fortunate

14.

A．drew

B．copied

C．signed

D．imagined

15.

A．determined

B．astonished

C．annoyed

D．impressed

4 . When 45-year-old Randy Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic(胰腺) cancer, he chose to focus on living rather than dying. As a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Pausch was asked to deliver a “last lecture”. This well-known campus tradition allowed professors to share worldly wisdom with students as if they were dying and had one last lecture to give.

The only difference in Pausch’s case is that Pausch really was dying, but it only motivated him more. He delivered his last lecture, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” on Sept. 18, 2007.

Pausch began by sharing several of his boyhood dreams, some of which he had achieved and the others he hadn’t. He described the importance of having dreams and how anyone can still learn a lot by reaching for those dreams, even if they don’t always succeed. He shared the values(价值观) learned through experience, which he hoped to pass on to others hard work, laughter and gratitude, honesty, character.

Pausch’s last lecture received a great deal of praise and attention. It became a crazy YouTube hit, and in October 2007, he presented an abridged (删节的) version on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. He turned the lecture into a book by the same name, which quickly became a best-seller. Readers were deeply moved by the book’s representation of Pausch’s lifelong philosophy and the way it revealed the biggest source of his motivation—his three young children.

Pausch passed away on July 25, 2008, but his voice lives on in the recorded lecture and his book. He continues to motivate us all by encouraging us to never give up our childhood dreams—a source of inspiration that can never run dry.

1. Why was Pausch asked to give his “last lecture”?

A．To teach the students.	B．To make him have a better life.
C．To cure his cancer.	D．To achieve his dream.

2. What was Pausch’s lecture mainly about?

A．His private life in boyhood.	B．Having dreams and good values.
C．The reason for his success.	D．The experience learned from others.

3. Which of the following motivated Pausch most?

A．His dreams.

B．His children.

C．His work.

D．His students.

4. The purpose of the passage is to inspire people to ________.

A．keep on dreaming	B．know the meaning of life
C．enjoy life	D．give the last lecture

5 . Zulema and Jose ran a small grocery store outside of Buenos Aires, Argentina. When they discovered that Zulema was pregnant (怀孕), they immediately started _______ money for their baby. Little did they know that their baby would have a birth _______ that would throw them into uncertain waters for _______ .

Miguel was born with a cleft (唇裂), a condition neither of his parents had ever _______ of before his birth. Zulema cried for days and refused to _______ visitors. “My relatives would ask for _______ of my baby and I refused to send any,” she explained. “I was really _______ because I had never seen anything like this before.” The staff at the hospital where Miguel was born _______ them that his cleft was not only common, but very _______ . They soon left the hospital to see a(n) ________ . The doctor wasn’t as ________ as they’d hoped, so they got a new appointment — but it was ________ for months in the future. One day, a customer told the ________ about Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, ________ that Smile Train partners with local hospitals worldwide, including in Buenos Aires.

Zulema and Jose ________ made an appointment at the nearby Asociación PIELs. When Miguel was 4 months old, he had his first ________ , and Zulema learned how to bottle-feed him and give him post-surgical ________ . Miguel needed one more surgery in a year to fully ________ his upper lip. He can now eat, speak, and most importantly, smile, with no ________ When they first saw their son after his cleft was healed, they ________ in tears of pure joy and relief. Thanks to generous donations from strangers, Miguel’s treatment was completely free of charge!

1.

A．raising

B．spending

C．saving

D．earning

2.

A．difference

B．weight

C．place

D．control

3.

A．days

B．months

C．years

D．decades

4.

A．complained

B．dreamed

C．approved

D．heard

5.

A．frighten

B．trouble

C．receive

D．disappoint

6.

A．addresses

B．pictures

C．presents

D．interests

7.

A．puzzled

B．ashamed

C．careful

D．upset

8.

A．permitted

B．promised

C．convinced

D．threatened

9.

A．treatable

B．serious

C．typical

D．normal

10.

A．agent

B．specialist

C．designer

D．customer

11.

A．practical

B．popular

C．enjoyable

D．helpful

12.

A．scheduled

B．cancelled

C．changed

D．kept

13.

A．relative

B．staff

C．couple

D．baby

14.

A．admitting

B．explaining

C．proving

D．suspecting

15.

A．randomly

B．suddenly

C．hesitantly

D．immediately

16.

A．practice

B．recovery

C．surgery

D．training

17.

A．care

B．option

C．reply

D．check

18.

A．own

B．heal

C．hide

D．cover

19.

A．possibilities

B．directions

C．drawbacks

D．limitations

20.

A．turned round

B．gave up

C．broke down

D．took off

6 . When I was 17, I read a magazine article about a museum called the McNay, once the home of a watercolorist named Marian McNay. She had requested the community to turn it into a museum upon her death. On a sunny Saturday, Sally and I drove over to the museum. She asked, “Do you have the address?” “No, but I’ll recognize it, there was a picture in the magazine.”

“Oh, stop. There it is!”

The museum was free. We entered, excited. A group of people sitting in the hall stopped talking and stared at us.

“May I help you?” a man asked. “No,” I said. “We’re fine.” Tour guides got on my nerves. What if they talked a long time about a painting you weren’t that interested in? Sally had gone upstairs. The people in the hall seemed very nosy (爱窥探的), keeping their eyes on me with curiosity. What was their problem? I saw some nice sculptures (雕刻) in one room. Suddenly I sensed a man standing behind me. “Where do you think you are?” he asked. I turned sharply. “The McNay Art Museum!” He smiled, shaking his head. “Sorry, the McNay is on New Braunfels Street.” “What’s this place?” I asked, still confused. “Well, it’s our home.” My heart jolted (震颤). I raced to the staircase and called out, “Sally! Come down immediately!”

“There’s some really good stuff (艺术作品) up there.” She stepped down, looking confused. I pushed her toward the front door, waving at the family, saying, “Sorry, please forgive us, you have a really nice place.” Outside, when I told Sally what happened, she covered her mouth, laughing. She couldn’t believe how long they let us look around without saying anything.

The real McNay was splendid, but we felt nervous the whole time we were there. Van Gogh, Picasso. This time, we stayed together, in case anything else unusual happened.

Thirty years later, a woman approached me in a public place. “Excuse me, did you ever enter a residence (住宅), long ago, thinking it was the McNay Museum?”

“Yes. But how do you know? We never told anyone.”

“That was my home. I was a teenager sitting in the hall. Before you came over, I never realized what a beautiful place I lived in. I never felt lucky before. You thought it was a museum. My feelings about mv home changed after that. I’ve always wanted to thank you.”

1. What do we know about Marian McNay?

A．She was a journalist.	B．She was a painter.
C．She was a museum director.	D．She was a community leader.

2. Why did the author refuse the help from the man in the house?

A．She disliked people who were nosy.

B．She felt nervous when talking to strangers.

C．She thought of him as a tour guide

D．She knew more about art than the man.

3. How did the author feel about being stared at by the people in the hall?

A．Puzzled.

B．Concerned.

C．Frightened.

D．Delighted.

4. What could we learn from the last paragraph?

A．People should have good taste to enjoy life.

B．People should spend more time with their family.

C．People tend to be blind to the beauty around them.

D．People tend to educate teenagers at a museum.

7 . David Rees runs a very distinctive business. He charges customers $15 to sharpen their pencils to perfection, using a variety of tools.

I know what you’re thinking—is this a joke? The 39-year-old gets asked that question a lot. To clarify everything, he even created a special section on his website telling everyone he’s actually providing a real service.

You can supply your own pencil or you can have Rees sharpen one of his own favorite 2B pencils. After that, he mails it to you in a display tube with the shavings in a separate bag, and an authentic certificate which just happens to mention the pencil is so sharp as to be a dangerous object.

To achieve the desired result, the master sharpener uses all kinds of tools, including general sandpaper, pocket knives and even a special $ 450 sharpening machine. “It depends on what the customer wants to use his/her pencil for,” he says. That determines the most appropriate pencil-sharpening technique. Some customers buy pencils as inspirational symbols while others buy them because of their special memories of classic 2B pencils.

$15 to have a pencil sharpened is a bit expensive though, right? You’re not the only one who feels that way, and David’s unique business has really angered lots of people, who talk of inequality in America, saying it is so insane for the wealthy to pay $15 to sharpen a pencil. But others will say, “This is just our urge to put an end to the welfare state because new ideas arise along with the business.”

David admits his trade is sort of unusual. But there are those who actually value his service, as is proven by the over 500 orders he has gotten.

1. How could David make money by sharpening pencils?

A．He invented new tools for the job.

B．He provided quality service for his customers.

C．He promoted his skill on his website.

D．He saved lots of time for other people.

2. What can we infer from the words of David Rees in paragraph 4?

A．He provides personalized services.

B．He knows all kinds of pencil users.

C．He values ideas behind the pencils.

D．He always writes in pencil.

3. What does the underlined word “insane” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Deliberate.

B．Rewarding.

C．Unreasonable.

D．Irresponsible.

4. What seems to be the author’s attitude to David Rees’ trade?

A．It’s a waste of time and money.	B．It needs further improvement.
C．It’s awfully expensive.	D．It’s a fancy service.

8 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语段续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数为150左右。

I think about him every time I pass by a pink magnolia (木兰) tree in bloom (开花). My Irish Grandpa, tall and thin, bursting with energy and laughter, held a special place in my heart. He taught me that some challenges were worthwhile to take.

He lived across the street with Grandma, and their home was open to us whenever we ran over to visit. In their garden, flowers, vegetables—whatever he planted grew well. From early spring through late autumn, the backyard exploded with colors. On the side of the yard grew a high magnolia tree. Besides being beautiful, it was perfect for climbing, but I didn’t dare to!

I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get back down, or that I would get stuck high up in the tree. So I never tried. But I wanted to climb up the tree, especially when watching my friends climb it up and overlook the neighborhood. I wanted to conquer the tree and sit on top of the world too. And Grandpa knew it. He tried convincing me and even offered to climb up the tree with me—which always made me laugh! How could my Grandpa with gray hair know how to climb?

One early spring morning, Grandpa was standing in the doorway waiting for me when Grandma and Mom were busy in the kitchen. “Come over here”, he said excitedly, “The tree is blooming lollipops (棒棒糖) instead of flowers! ”

“What?” I exclaimed and ran across to the backyard to see the amazing sight. “No pink magnolia flowers this year,” he said sadly as he shook his head. “But this is the first year ever for our tree to bloom lollipops!” He glanced at me. “Do you think you could climb up the tree—just to the lowest branch—and gather one or two? Then throw them down to me. I would love a lollipop!”

Paragraph 1:

I was staring in amazement.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

I climbed down and burst into the kitchen, hands tightly holding my treasures.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . I became a magician by accident. When I was nine years old, I learned how to make a coin disappear. I’d read The Lord of the Rings and gone into the adult section of the library to be buried in fantasy literature but young enough to still hold out hope that you might find a book of real, actual magic in the library. The book I found taught basic techniques, and I tried to practice.

At first the magic wasn’t any good. It was just a trick — a bad trick. I spent hours each day running through the secret moves in front of the mirror. I dropped the coin over and over, a thousand times in a day, and after two weeks my mom got a carpet and placed it under the mirror to muffle (消音) the sound of the coin falling again and again.

One day I made the coin disappear on the playground. We had been playing football and were standing in the field behind the school. A dozen people were watching. I showed the coin to everyone. Then it disappeared. The kids screamed.

A few years later, I staged an underwater escape in the river that flowed through the middle of the campus of the University of Iowa, where I went to school. I stood on a boat in the middle of the river wearing nothing but hiking shorts. The sky was dead and gray, and the water was cold at the surface, and colder in the depths below.

Technically, I succeeded. I jumped into the water, sank to the bottom, and escaped from the locks and chains before swimming to the surface. But it didn’t feel like a success.

1. Why did the author’s mother bring a carpet home?

A．To encourage him to clean the house.

B．To make the sounds less noisy than before.

C．To have guests clean their shoes on entering the house.

D．To decrease the number of cleaning the house.

2. How did the author make the kids scream?

A．By playing football with them.	B．By making the showed coin disappear.
C．By praictising his techniques more frequently.	D．By providing hands-on practice.

3. What can be a suitble title for the text?

A．The Magic Trick that Changed My Life.	B．A Nineteen-year-old Magician
C．What Can Give You a Magic Life.	D．A Brief Introduction to a Magician’s Life