1 . 31 years ago, Allen Johnson was a passenger in a van when a truck hit it. Johnson survived, but his left arm was crushed beyond repair, and he lost his memory for two years.

His pilot license was removed and he could no longer follow his passion for diving. But he had been sailing since he was 16. So, in 2004, he decided to buy a boat, fitting it out so he could sail it single-handedly. “I didn’t know then if I could sail with one hand.“ he says. ”But I had always thought I could do anything if I put my mind to it.”

Within a year, Johnson had taken on the challenge of being the first one-armed sailor to tour around the British Isles. Then he crossed the Atlantic alone in 2008. Last year he became the first sailor with a disability to tour around the globe.

Sailing single-handed for weeks requires mental, as well as physical, strength, especially when you are alone. So how does he do it? It’s a question that makes the yachtsman (帆船运动员) laugh. “When you have seven children it’s lovely to have a little time on your own! It’s awesome,” he jokes.” I do a log every hour, and my diary, and I read a few books. I have very little sleep.” “I’m a sociable person: I do like lots of people around. Answering emails and chatting over Facebook can help stop any loneliness,” he adds.

When Johnson made his first Atlantic crossing, he was disappointed to have his peace and quiet life broken by his arrival on land. But, he says, he threw himself into meeting new people. In between adventures, he likes sailing with people who haven’t tried it before or get involved in yacht races with friends. Perhaps the main reason for his success in adjusting to life after a big adventure, he says, is that he always has an idea for a new one in his back pocket. “It keeps me ticking over—there’s always something new to do. I just like challenges and one leads to another.”

1. Why couldn’t Allen Johnson continue his passion for diving?

A．He lost his left arm.	B．His license was due.
C．He had a new hobby.	D．His memory was poor.

2. How did Johnson spend his time at sea?

A．By staying awake.	B．By visiting old friends.
C．By attending to his children.	D．By keeping himself busy.

3. What mainly leads to Johnson’s successful adjustment to life after a big adventure?

A．Socializing with new people.	B．Scheduling new adventures.
C．Coaching new yachtsmen	D．Organizing yacht races.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Sailing around the world for fun.	B．Adapting to life in face of challenges.
C．A childhood dream coming true.	D．A terrible accident causing misadventure.

2 . Niu Yu looked remarkable on the catwalk at the concluded Shanghai Fashion Week. This was not just because of her beauty or the clothes she was wearing. She also seemed to show a(n)______strength. She did it with her artificial ______ in full view, and in that single action she ______ beauty with courage.

Thirteen years ago, in the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that ______ Wenchuan then teenaged Niu______ her right leg as well as her young brother and nine close friends. It was a big _____ to her. However, Niu feels that she is ______. “At least, I ______ and I am surrounded by people who love me,” she says, smiling with tears ______ up in her eyes.

“Losing a leg doesn’t mean losing my ______ for life,” she says.

In 2018, at the 10^th ______ of the earthquake, she registered and finished the 21-kilometre marathon in 3 hours and 53 minutes, ______ almost walking.

She even went to remote Tibet Autonomous Region for a volunteer ______ program. Her students surrounded her, looking at her “iron leg”______. She knew it was her ______ to help others and pass on the love and confidence.

Now she works as a photographer in Chengdu. After her one-minute catwalk went ______ on the Internet, some social media users nicknamed her as “Iron Man’s sister”.

Her leg doesn’t discourage her.______, it serves as a reminder that it is not what she is missing that ______ her, but what she has got. She says, “When you accept your flaws, you become free and______.

Everyone has flaws that we want to hide away, whether they are visible or invisible. And we should learn to______our “imperfection” and embrace life with passion and confidence.

1.

A．physical

B．outer

C．inner

D．central

2.

A．leg

B．arm

C．head

D．hand

3.

A．compared

B．combined

C．assisted

D．shared

4.

A．seized

B．knocked

C．beat

D．struck

5.

A．lost

B．threw

C．hid

D．damaged

6.

A．option

B．conflict

C．anxiety

D．blow

7.

A．miserable

B．unique

C．fortunate

D．lonely

8.

A．suffered

B．survived

C．woke

D．returned

9.

A．welling

B．trembling

C．rolling

D．rushing

10.

A．struggle

B．pace

C．safety

D．love

11.

A．chapter

B．season

C．anniversary

D．section

12.

A．at present

B．for once

C．in time

D．at times

13.

A．nurse

B．teacher

C．photographer

D．athlete

14.

A．curiously

B．cautiously

C．regretfully

D．eagerly

15.

A．ambition

B．guidance

C．turn

D．permission

16.

A．short

B．blank

C．viral

D．pale

17.

A．Instead

B．Otherwise

C．Therefore

D．Meanwhile

18.

A．limits

B．defines

C．rewards

D．awards

19.

A．weak

B．strong

C．wild

D．reliable

20.

A．achieve

B．observe

C．evaluate

D．appreciate

3 . As you probably know by now, I have been in Boston helping my wife Kimberly through some difficult medical procedures. ________ my wife’s first 3 days after her delicate 6 hours surgery, in so much discomfort, pain and suffering, woke up my empathy beyond words to the point that I ________ wanted to be able to share some of that ________ if I couldn’t take it all myself.

Then after the first 3 days knowing that Kimberly’s ________ didn’t allow her to eat single morsel (少量) of food, it really ________ me just how long we can go without food and not damage our ________. I decided to give Kimberly some ________ support by not eating for 3 days. Not that she said one word of ________ in that time but I knew it would ________ her — and me—to be in this together. To be honest, I did ________ one small salad each of the 3 days. I did this because I had to ________ myself to some extent to continue to have ________ to be there for her.

The thing is, we’re here and ________ what we really can do for each other. The ________ we can take on for others has got me to ________ about how much we could take on for ourselves. We ________ to avoid pain, discomfort and difficult situations even when we know it would be ________ for us to go through the hard times to get to better place in our lives. So it got me thinking... if we will go through so much because of our love for another ________, couldn’t we do this for the ________ of ourselves?

It’s something to think about the next time you ________ to take on a difficult challenge. Do you love yourself enough to do this to make your life better?

1.

A．Observing

B．Talking

C．Leaving

D．Debating

2.

A．eventually

B．temporarily

C．desperately

D．thankfully

3.

A．happiness

B．pain

C．caution

D．urgency

4.

A．problem

B．discomfort

C．fitness

D．condition

5.

A．threw

B．put

C．hit

D．disturbed

6.

A．disease

B．health

C．life

D．fortune

7.

A．ordinary

B．great

C．spiritual

D．devoted

8.

A．complaint

B．trouble

C．understanding

D．meaning

9.

A．help

B．separate

C．move

D．break

10.

A．get

B．abandon

C．own

D．have

11.

A．make up for

B．take care of

C．get rid of

D．be in line with

12.

A．strength

B．advantage

C．force

D．light

13.

A．admit

B．imagine

C．realize

D．estimate

14.

A．difficulty

B．event

C．load

D．suffering

15.

A．talk

B．think

C．look

D．go

16.

A．plan

B．disagree

C．tend

D．like

17.

A．better

B．easier

C．tougher

D．friendlier

18.

A．stranger

B．friend

C．teacher

D．person

19.

A．love

B．reward

C．rule

D．courage

20.

A．want

B．hesitate

C．prefer

D．request

6 . Grace was a single mother with a young son. She taught the first grade and worked very hard. She drove a small old car. One August, the teachers returned from a summer break to see Grace drive up to school with three children. The two girls were Grace’s former students who had lost their parents. They did not want to enter a foster care centre. They turned to Grace—their first grade teacher—for help. Though she and her son lived in a small house, Grace took the girls in.

During lunch, while other teachers shared life stories, Grace never complained about her new responsibilities. She did, however, speak about her car. With three children to transport, the car was too small and slow. It even burned engine oil. Grace needed something new. However, she couldn’t buy one with three children in her home.

As a good friend, I listened to her concerns. At that time,I did not have much money. But I wanted to help Grace buy a car. An idea hit me when I watched a TV show.

One day, Grace received an invitation to a TV show. She was surprised but decided to attend it. Midway through the show the host called Grace to the stage. He explained he had received a letter, knowing her need for a new car. The audience listened to the details of Grace’s story and were all moved. Then the host said that Grace would receive a new car for her family. Cheers filled the studio and Grace shook with disbelief.

Six hundred miles away, I watched the joy of it all from the television in my living room.   Grace’s big heart taught me many lessons that year. I did nothing but share her story.

1. What can we infer about Grace according to the first paragraph?

A．She knew the girls’ parents.

B．She was very kind-hearted.

C．She wanted to sell her small car.

D．She didn’t have a summer break as other teachers.

2. What troubled Grace?

A．She couldn’t afford to buy a new car.

B．She found it hard to raise three kids alone.

C．She couldn’t spare more time for her students.

D．She had no time to transport her kids to school.

3. Why did Grace receive an invitation to the show?

A．The author turned to the show for help.

B．The school wanted to make her story known.

C．The school rewarded her for her hard work.

D．The show picked some single mothers to report randomly.

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

A．A Letter From My Friend	B．Helping My Friend Get a Car
C．Inviting My Friend to A Show	D．A Single Mother with Three Kids

7 . For years going home for the holidays has been bittersweet. I appreciate the opportunity to spend quality time with my mom but it is painful for me to see her house littered with stuff.Clothes bought but never worn, and new items in their original packaging carelessly purchased and never used. It’s evident that seeing the stuff on a daily basis reminds my mom of a time when shopping was her way of spending money.

I didn’t fully understand the extent to which my mom was suffering until this week, when I saw piles of clothes on her bed. “How do you manage to sleep every night with all that stuff, Mom?” I asked. To my horror, she replied, “I do it because I know I have to get rid of all this stuff eventually; I am punishing myself by sleeping with them until I do that. ”

Shocked and upset, I gently explained to her that punishing herself was only to make things worse,and that everybody deserves a place to sleep in peace, no matter what mistakes they’ve made. I suggested she move all the stuff upstairs, leaving her room comfortable to sleep in.

With patience and her slow but steady guidance, I helped her go through some of the piles and move them upstairs. For the rest of the week I stayed there, she was in a better mood and was excited about going through the rest of the house to finally get rid of her stuff—past mistakes and painful times. The items brought back painful memories as we inspected and moved them, but I kept reminding her that removing them would allow her to move on and heal. We finally sold so many things and took bag after bag to charity.

The stuff is just a sign of the destructive patterns of self-hatred on past mistakes. Only through the act of self-forgiveness can we bring about a chain reaction of reorganizing—both of the house and heart.

1. What made the author feel bitter?

A．She couldn’t understand her mom’s sorrows.

B．Her mom was stuck in the painful memories.

C．Her mom was always left alone at home.

D．Her mom wasted money on useless things.

2. The underlined word “that” in the second paragraph refers to _______.

A．getting rid of the stuff	B．buying the stuff
C．opening the stuff	D．moving the stuff

3. We can infer from the passage that ______.

A．the author never bought her mom anything

B．the author’s mom has no money to purchase now

C．the author’s mom regrets buying so many things

D．the author knows her mom’s suffering only this week

4. What’s the best title of the passage?

A．How to do shopping wisely

B．Clearance helps reorganize the house

C．Keep an eye on the elderly’s behavior

D．Self-forgiveness makes a difference

8 . After a serious earthquake happened, a father left his wife safely at home and rushed to his sons school, only to find that the building where his son studied had collapsed and looked like a pancake.

He was shocked. He didn’t know what he should do for a while, then he remembered the words he had said to his son, “No matter what happens, I’ll always be there for you!” And tears began to fill his eyes. He started digging through the ruins.

As he was digging, other helpless parents and the firemen arrived and tried to pull him off the ruins, saying, “It’s too late! They’re all dead! There’s nothing you can do!” To them he replied with one line, “Are you going to help me now?” And then he kept on digging.

No one helped, however. He went on alone because he needed to know for himself, “Is my boy alive or is he dead?” He dug for eight hours…12 hours.….24 hours.….36 hours.. then in the 39th hour, he pulled back a rock and heard his son’s words. He shouted his son’s name, “ARMAND!” He heard back, “Dad!?! It’s me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you’d save me and when you saved me, they’d be saved. You promised, ‘No matter what happens, I’ll always be there for you!’ You did it Dad!”

“What’s going on there? How is it?” the father asked.

“There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. We’re frightened, hungry, thirsty and thankful you’re here. When the building fell down, it made a triangle, and it saved us.”

“Come out, boy!”

“No, Dad! Let the other kids out first, because I know you’ll get me! No matter what happens, I know you’ll always be there for me!”

1. The underlined word “collapsed” probably means_________

A．fallen down

B．shaken violently

C．stood by

D．gone off

2. Other parents and the firemen wanted to pull him off the ruins because they thought ____________

A．he was mad	B．all the children had died in the earthquake
C．he was too dangerous to others	D．it was not his job to dig

3. How many students were still alive when the father found them in the ruins?

A．Fourteen.

B．Thirty three

C．Forty seven

D．Nineteen.

4. We can learn from the passage that_________

A．it took the father one day to find his son and other students

B．his wife died in the earthquake

C．his son was the last one to come out of the ruins

D．the son didn’t believe his father would come to save him

10 . Gabriela worked for a multinational company as a successful project manager in Brazil. Later she was transferred to manage a team in Sweden. She was excited about her new role but soon realized that managing her new team would be a challenge.

Despite their friendliness, Gabriela didn’t feel respected as a leader. Her new staff would question her proposals openly in meetings. When she gave them instructions on how to carry out task, they would often go about it in their own way without checking with her. When she announced her decisions on the project, they would continue giving their opinions as if it were still up for discussion.

What Gabriela was experiencing was a cultural shock in expectations. Dutch psychologist Geert Hofstede uses the concept of “power distance” to describe how power is distributed in different cultures. In her previous work environment, Gabriela was used to a high power distance culture where power is respected. In such a culture, leaders make the big decisions and are not often challenged. Her Swedish team, however, were used to working in a low power distance culture where employees often work together with their bosses to find solutions and make decisions. Here, leaders act as coaches who encourage independent thought and expect to be challenged.

When Gabriela became aware of the cultural differences between her and her team, she took the initiative(主动权)to have an open conversation with them about their feelings about her leadership.

Pleased to be asked for their thoughts, Gabriela’s team openly expressed that they were not used to being told what to do. They enjoyed having more room for initiative and creative freedom. When she told her team exactly what she needed them to do, they felt that she didn’t trust them to do their job well.

With a better understanding of the reasons behind each other’s behaviour, Gabriela was able to make adjustments to her management style. Finally she effectively motivated her team to achieve their goals.

1. What problem did Gabriela face with her Swedish team at the beginning?

A．Her Swedish staff didn’t understand her instructions.

B．Her authority was challenged by her Swedish staff.

C．They were always refusing to follow her directions.

D．They looked down upon her because she was a female.

2. What is encouraged in the working culture in Sweden?

A．Professional spirit and risk-taking behaviour.

B．Independent thinking and friendly atmosphere.

C．Active participation and creative thinking.

D．Competitive spirit and mild character.

3. Which of the following can best describe Gabriela?

A．Kind but changeable.	B．Strict but trustworthy.
C．Flexible and communicative.	D．Stubborn and forceful.

4. What a lesson can we learn from Gabriela’s story?

A．Birds of a feather flock together.	B．Don’t judge a book by its cover.
C．Two heads are better than one.	D．When in Rome, do as Romans do.