1 . My knees started shaking, yet my body froze. It felt as though my soul left my body and I had no _______ of it. I looked through the list posted on the wall _______. My heart sank as I saw all my friends’ names on that list but was _______ to find mine.

Tears filled my eyes. Just then, a group of students _______ to see the final team list. Every one of them jumped with _______ after seeing that they made the basketball team. Trying to _______ about the situation, I walked home. However, I walked _______ and it felt as if I had a100-pound weight tied to my backpack. My mind was also _______.

Noticing my _______ facial expression, my father asked me what was wrong. “I didn’t make the basketball team,” I replied. “What are you going to do about it? Are you just going to sit there?” he asked.

I just shook my head and ________ myself in my room. Being alone in my room, I thought hard about what my dad said, and it started ________ to me. Nobody was going to give me a(n) ________ on that team. I would have to ________ it. Then I decided to take action. Conveniently, there was a ________ near my school, and I biked there after school every day and trained hard for two hours. I wasn’t sure if I could finally make it, but I ________ it.

After almost a year of ________, I tried out for my seventh-grade team. ________ the result, I knew I’d worked hard and learned about mental ________. The next day, I found out I made the team. As the saying goes, “The greater the ________, the sweeter the reward.” I couldn’t ________ with it more.

1.

A．sight

B．control

C．memory

D．record

2.

A．angrily

B．indifferently

C．aimlessly

D．anxiously

3.

A．unsure

B．unnecessary

C．unable

D．unwilling

4.

A．crowded

B．pretended

C．hesitated

D．announced

5.

A．regrets

B．confusion

C．sadness

D．excitement

6.

A．talk

B．forget

C．worry

D．argue

7.

A．heavily

B．bravely

C．quickly

D．smoothly

8.

A．open

B．wild

C．blank

D．clear

9.

A．irregular

B．unsuitable

C．irresponsible

D．unusual

10.

A．treated

B．locked

C．relaxed

D．comforted

11.

A．making sense

B．showing off

C．coming over

D．turning back

12.

A．excuse

B．account

C．spot

D．comment

13.

A．quit

B．earn

C．hide

D．share

14.

A．museum

B．library

C．supermarket

D．gym

15.

A．stuck to

B．focused on

C．cared about

D．admitted to

16.

A．waiting

B．planning

C．practicing

D．learning

17.

A．Regardless of

B．Thanks to

C．Apart from

D．According to

18.

A．health

B．toughness

C．attitude

D．weakness

19.

A．courage

B．patience

C．effort

D．confidence

20.

A．shake

B．agree

C．fix

D．deal

2 . One freezing morning last February, I walked through Ontario Place. Trees were frosted sculptures. Large chunks of ice floated in the lake. Then I saw a group of people in bathing suits bouncing up and down in the water. They held hands, shouting and yelling into the sky. They looked and sounded so free.

I’ve always found cold water thrilling. The shock of it is like pressing a switch. It seems to reset my body and soul.

And last winter, I definitely needed a reset. I woke up most mornings with a dull, grey feeling as I forced myself out of bed to start the day. I needed something to cheer myself up, but I didn’t know what, until that day.

The ice warriors (勇士) emerged from the lake, their skin steaming. Trembling, they were yet laughing and hugging each other. I called out:   “You guys are awesome!” One woman waved back, “Come and join us! We’ re here every Monday morning.”

The night before my first dip (游泳), I was excited and nervous. Cold water was one thing, but this icy lake was a whole other level. Should I back out? Eventually, I got up in the dark and drove to the meeting spot.

After some wild warm up, I charged into the lake along with others. We yelled into the sky. Teeth chattering heart rates slowing, fingers and toes going numb (麻木), we stayed there for somewhere between two and five minutes. Knowing it was my first time, people cheered me on. It felt amazing. I was stupid with cold, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so happy.

Now I go dipping almost every day, and I’ve come to long for that moment when the cold becomes a second skin and my internal voice goes silent. Apart from the thrill of those first heart-stopping dives, which, ironically, saved me from going under, what has drawn me is this community of generous, open-hearted souls.

We laughed together, often, but from the stories we’ve shared about ourselves, I know I’m not the only one who faces life’s challenges. Holding hands in the freezing lake, we looked out for each other last winter and will do so through this one.

It won’t fix everything in our lives—but for some reason, it helps. At the end of each session I return home feeling stronger, lighter, more able to carry on. As another winter sets in, I’m more than ready to embrace the cold again.

1. When the author saw the people in the lake, her feeling can be best described as __________

A．nervous	B．amazed
C．frightened	D．calm

2. Why did the author think of joining the swimmers?

A．To expand her social circle.	B．To lift her spirits again.
C．To adapt to the cold weather.	D．To prepare for a new career

3. What can be learnt about the author’s first dipping?

A．She hesitated a bit before going.

B．She suffered from a heart problem.

C．She stayed in cold water too long.

D．She regretted not doing enough warm up.

4. What change has cold water swimming brought about in the author?

A．She is more intelligent.

B．She gets more competitive.

C．She becomes a better storyteller.

D．She regains her inner peace.

5. What message does the author most likely want to convey?

A．Severe cold builds up character

B．Group wisdom brightens our life.

C．Tackling the odds together cures.

D．Doing sports promotes friendship.

3 . When I began to study flower arranging, I was slowly developing a deeper understanding of the_________ between all life.

In our first class, my teacher said that flowers can_________ talk and that they each have their own_________ of being beautiful. They have “prana” life force, so you have to pay full attention to them, rather than_________ your own ideas of beauty on them. So I began to ask the flowers how they wanted to be_________ and what positioning would make them _________ most beautiful. I waited and listened.

Even after the flowers had been_________ in the vase, I would discover sometimes that in the morning they had rearranged themselves during the night. Even if they were secured in the_________，they always seemed to be silently straining(尽力)to find their_________ place. At the same time, they were not__________ independent; they needed loving care. They were dependent on me, or whomever their__________ wasfor the day, to water them. Watching other people spraying water on the arrangements sometimes, I would feel so__________ by the scene. Small drops of water on the flowers touched the source of life and nourished the heart of beauty.

This experience made me feel how__________ it could be, if our minds are set in the right way to water not only plants, but__________,to treat all living creatures in a way that__________ them their right to be beautiful, in their own__________ and time.

What we came to notice was that flowers could also__________. Our teacher urged us to always__________ the flowers when we passed how beautiful they were and to thank them for sharing that__________ with us.

When we made our arrangements with this kind of__________,we found that the flowers remained beautiful and fresh for many more days than expected.

1.

A．difference

B．conflict

C．barrier

D．connection

2.

A．actually

B．hardly

C．briefly

D．mildly

3.

A．ways

B．goals

C．levels

D．measures

4.

A．pouring

B．focusing

C．relying

D．forcing

5.

A．covered

B．arranged

C．delivered

D．wrapped

6.

A．prove

B．grow

C．feel

D．smell

7.

A．put

B．cut

C．brought

D．handed

8.

A．garden

B．vase

C．cave

D．wall

9.

A．first

B．right

C．former

D．equal

10.

A．fully

B．apparently

C．mentally

D．firmly

11.

A．performer

B．babysitter

C．neighbor

D．caretaker

12.

A．amazed

B．moved

C．anxious

D．curious

13.

A．simple

B．funny

C．complex

D．foolish

14.

A．flowers

B．animals

C．grasses

D．humans

15.

A．allows

B．conveys

C．promtises

D．passes

16.

A．direction

B．space

C．energy

D．shape

17.

A．shake

B．listen

C．breathe

D．inform

18.

A．prove

B．select

C．imagine

D．rémind

19.

A．beauty

B．secret

C．message

D．treasure

20.

A．talent

B．policy

C．devotion

D．technique

4 . The world would be a better place if we all had children’s eyes. This is not because children’s eyes are too sharp to allow any blot (污点, 瑕疵) to pass without being ______, but because adults have too many conflicting concerns to keep their eyes open to all wrongdoings.

Not long before, an examination, intended to ______ some police officers to higher positions, was held in Gansu province. Someone ______with a good idea that 18 primary pupils could be invited to act as invigilators (监考人). At that age, students would do as they are told and act fearlessly. ______, they caught 25 officers cheating on the spot, which has caused a stir (轰动, 搅动) and ______the question of whether adult invigilators would _______their duties as well.

The implication of this event goes ______its impact on the work style of local police officers and the examinations. Most people said what these children have done points to the sad fact of ______being less trustworthy. If adults acted as invigilators, they would quite ______turn a blind eye to cheating.

We Chinese have been holding the ______that human nature was good at birth: as ______of blot as a sheet of blank paper, which can be ______with content (good or bad) in the process of growing up. Everything should be done on the basis of certain principles (原则). ______, nowadays the repeated reports of cheating in examinations, selling ranks and ______and embezzling (挪用) public funds paint a ______picture of common social morals. Adults have become too concerned with their own personal gains to ______basic sense of principles. When no one ______ any principle and the only concern is personal interest, everyone will ______not only those who first break the rules.

Besides, cheats are unfair to honest examinees, and when the success of cheats _______more people to cheat, the consequences will be disastrous.

In a word, we adults need to have our eyes as ______as children’s on matters of principle.

1.

A．praised

B．dismissed

C．caught

D．thrown

2.

A．develop

B．investigate

C．prevent

D．promote

3.

A．caught up

B．came up

C．kept up

D．put up

4.

A．Surprisingly

B．Usually

C．Safely

D．Slowly

5.

A．hid

B．recommended

C．raised

D．affected

6.

A．accept

B．ignore

C．refuse

D．perform

7.

A．without

B．beyond

C．into

D．for

8.

A．tutors

B．pupils

C．adults

D．teachers

9.

A．probably

B．suddenly

C．luckily

D．gradually

10.

A．opportunity

B．dream

C．belief

D．hope

11.

A．free

B．busy

C．ugly

D．dirty

12.

A．described

B．filled

C．purchased

D．charged

13.

A．Unless

B．Therefore

C．However

D．Thus

14.

A．names

B．titles

C．goods

D．products

15.

A．bright

B．beautiful

C．pleasant

D．sad

16.

A．care about

B．put aside

C．contribute to

D．come across

17.

A．understands

B．observes

C．possesses

D．changes

18.

A．act

B．exist

C．suffer

D．survive

19.

A．advises

B．encourages

C．warns

D．informs

20.

A．beautiful

B．young

C．wide

D．clear

5 . When Bob Cialdini was a senior in high school, he was really good at baseball. Good enough that a scout (球探) ________ at his last game of the year, and offered him a ________ to play in the minor leagues.

The scout then had a  ________with him. “‘So tell me something. Are you any good at school?”’ Cialdini recalled him asking. “I said, ‘Yes, I am.’ He said, ‘Good enough to get into ________?’ ‘Yes, I am.’”

He pushed Cialdini about his interest in college, asking him if he ________ academic work. When Cialdini said he did, the scout put the contract away.

“He said, ‘Go to ________ because most likely, you won’t get to the major leagues (职业体育总会). But what you’ve told me is that you’re ________ at something you really like. That should be where you go.’”

Cialdini ________ the scout’s advice. Instead of pursuing professional baseball, he went to college. It  ________ : he became a well-known psychology researcher on the science of influence.

Decades later, Cialdini is still ________ by the way the scout looked out for his best ________. Cialdini shared the scout’s  ________ with his students, as they make major  ________ about what to do next in life.

“Don’t just go where your ________ is,” he tells them. “Go where you have the ________ to realize the dream.”

1.

A．called up

B．hanged out

C．set up

D．showed up

2.

A．ticket

B．permit

C．contract

D．prize

3.

A．argument

B．conversation

C．experiment

D．holiday

4.

A．work

B．business

C．position

D．college

5.

A．enjoyed

B．completed

C．continued

D．pursued

6.

A．school

B．baseball

C．training

D．work

7.

A．disappointed

B．quick

C．good

D．creative

8.

A．considered

B．followed

C．sought

D．ignored

9.

A．carried on

B．turned up

C．paid off

D．broke down

10.

A．confused

B．struck

C．amazed

D．annoyed

11.

A．qualities

B．efforts

C．intentions

D．interests

12.

A．advice

B．experience

C．choice

D．success

13.

A．changes

B．decisions

C．breakthroughs

D．mistakes

14.

A．belief

B．purpose

C．dream

D．courage

15.

A．potential

B．time

C．support

D．patience

6 . Close to the king’s palace stood a little house. In it lived a ______ gardener who worked at the palace grounds from dawn to dusk. It was hard work. Yet he ______ complained. He always seemed to be at peace with himself.

The king wondered, “I wish I could be as happy as him.”

One evening the king found the gardener packing up his tools after ______ the day’s work. He was covered with dust and mud. But he kept singing to himself. The king ______ him and said, “You are always happy. I wish I could be as happy as you. What is the ______ of your happiness? Won’t you ______ it with me? ”

“Why should I be unhappy when I get two meals a day and have a ______ to sleep in at night? I’m happy that I have the ______ to work from morning till evening to earn my bread. I’m so ______ now that I can enjoy anything, even hard dry bread. And I am tired too. So I can ______ on the hardest floor, and drop off to sleep ______ . When I wake up in the morning, I feel fresh and full of ______ to welcome another day. I take every ______ as it comes. This moment is what ______ to me the most,” the gardener bowed and replied ______ .

“But what if tomorrow you fall sick! Shouldn’t you think of the future too?” the king asked.

“And start ______ ? Then I will lose my appetite. I will not get good sleep. I will fall sick and ______ my job. I will starve and die. I can’t ______ to worry about the future. Only this moment counts. Nothing else,” the gardener explained.

“You said it. Thank you,” the king nodded and ______ to change his attitude and to make the best use of the ______ .

1.

A．silly

B．lazy

C．cheerful

D．rich

2.

A．rarely

B．immediately

C．uncomfortably

D．jokingly

3.

A．starting

B．finishing

C．missing

D．studying

4.

A．shot

B．arrested

C．ignored

D．approached

5.

A．secret

B．use

C．price

D．goal

6.

A．exchange

B．divide

C．appreciate

D．share

7.

A．garden

B．palace

C．bed

D．kitchen

8.

A．money

B．strength

C．time

D．company

9.

A．sad

B．weak

C．tired

D．hungry

10.

A．get up

B．roll over

C．lie down

D．break out

11.

A．carefully

B．instantly

C．occasionally

D．painfully

12.

A．energy

B．hate

C．meaning

D．ambition

13.

A．chance

B．day

C．dream

D．meal

14.

A．sings

B．listens

C．matters

D．prefers

15.

A．respectfully

B．awkwardly

C．shyly

D．humorously

16.

A．celebrating

B．arguing

C．learning

D．worrying

17.

A．love

B．lose

C．change

D．forget

18.

A．afford

B．fail

C．decide

D．plan

19.

A．refused

B．pretended

C．threatened

D．determined

20.

A．power

B．wealth

C．present

D．talent

7 . I come from a long line of farmers. When my parents moved to Wisconsin, farming allowed them to _________ back to Laos, to the culture, and the land. Wisconsin’s cornfields _________ the rice fields of Laos. But for me as a child, farming was just a _________. I would be assigned (分配) a row of green beans. My mom _________ me a big basket and it was my _________ to fill it. That was how I spent my summer vacation _________ my friends were either at camp or doing other fun activities.

I didn’t _________ how farming brought hope to my parents until I was an adult. I am a _________ removed from Laos and I have found that farming allows me to _________ my parents’ story. It allows me to see a little bit into their story. What I’ve __________ from my mom is that you can grow just about anything. My mom wants to start growing __________ like she did back in Laos. With a snowy climate, it is something I never thought __________ here. To me, this shows resilience (适应力). Maybe it __________ and maybe it doesn’t. But there is __________ in that.

As a kid, I hated doing farm work and I never thought that someday I would say that I kind of __________ putting my feet in the mud and weeding (除草) the corn.

1.

A．connect

B．head

C．retire

D．report

2.

A．changed

B．covered

C．replaced

D．affected

3.

A．dream

B．game

C．chore

D．mystery

4.

A．sold

B．gave

C．sent

D．lent

5.

A．intention

B．opportunity

C．choice

D．job

6.

A．while

B．if

C．since

D．until

7.

A．regret

B．monitor

C．appreciate

D．complain

8.

A．generation

B．graduate

C．professional

D．beginner

9.

A．give away

B．make up

C．act out

D．relate to

10.

A．expected

B．learned

C．chosen

D．demanded

11.

A．corn

B．rice

C．beans

D．flowers

12.

A．flexible

B．necessary

C．legal

D．possible

13.

A．improves

B．revives

C．works

D．exists

14.

A．confusion

B．permission

C．balance

D．hope

15.

A．miss

B．risk

C．delay

D．escape

8 . Sinking onto the sofa in my living room on a Friday evening, I was emotionally worn out from a busy workweek and eager to find a temporary _________. Nearby, my 3-year-old son was playing with a toy train, so _________ in the play that he didn’t even notice me.

Then I made a surprising _________. Though exhausted, I was flooded with a sense of deep satisfaction. I felt extremely _________ watching him swing his body to ride the train through imaginary hills and valleys. His loud “choo-choo” sounded like a comforting tune. I dared not make the slightest sound or motion that would _________ this joyful moment.

Upon reflection, I _________ something: No amount of money or success could _________ this experience. Professional milestones such as earning a medical degree paled in comparison to the _________ I was feeling now. It will not contribute to my professional achievements. Nor will it _________ me any praise from colleagues. But it has __________ my life in a significant way. I did not have to work for it. All I had to do was __________ and be present, like my son who was focused on his train game and __________ showing me how to be in the here and now.

Our daily lives are hidden with countless __________ to find satisfaction. It may be the sound of birds on a sunny morning or __________ a few minutes of silence at the end of a busy day. The key is to __________ the moment and take it in.

1.

A．reward

B．duty

C．satisfaction

D．solution

2.

A．talented

B．absorbed

C．restricted

D．stressed

3.

A．announcement

B．victory

C．decision

D．discovery

4.

A．delighted

B．pressed

C．frustrated

D．astonished

5.

A．disturb

B．capture

C．extend

D．avoid

6.

A．remembered

B．realized

C．repeated

D．requested

7.

A．describe

B．enrich

C．equal

D．promote

8.

A．kindness

B．generosity

C．energy

D．joy

9.

A．buy

B．cost

C．earn

D．hand

10.

A．attracted

B．affected

C．risked

D．ruined

11.

A．slow down

B．calm down

C．catch on

D．move on

12.

A．undoubtedly

B．unknowingly

C．unnecessarily

D．unconditionally

13.

A．presents

B．arrangements

C．opportunities

D．instructions

14.

A．filling

B．breaking

C．noticing

D．enjoying

15.

A．seize

B．share

C．define

D．choose

9 . American author Gary Hopkins tells us, “A suitable apology can be a wonderful thing, so long as it is from the heart.” However, an apology is ______ to make.

A few years ago, I was a guest ______ at a conference for professional trainers. I was well ______, knowledgeable about the topic, and I felt confident as I ______ my speech. But afterwards, an experienced female delegate ______ me. We exchanged a few greetings, and then she dropped something unexpected on me. She said, “Do you know how many times you ______, from the moment you ______ to the microphone until the moment you left the stage?” “Sorry, I don’t know,” I replied. “Nine times,” she said. “And all of them were unnecessary.” I was ______. It was the first time someone had ever made me ______ my “sorry habit.” So what was the first word out of my mouth ______? “Sorry!” We both burst out laughing.

Of course, apologies shouldn’t be ______ that way. This incident raised my awareness of how we routinely use apologies. I know ______ to apologize is a big mistake as we’ve made a mistake or wronged someone else. How to do it? First and foremost, we need to understand real apologies or wholeheartedly saying “sorry” is ______. It’s like a big ______ into a relationship account and there’s no alternative for it. Actually, there are ______ apologies, which are tools of dodges (搪塞). They are awful and we should stop them. ______, habitual apologies are an unnecessary automatic response, as I ever made at the conference.

Generally, over apologizing ______ to happen when there’s a lack of ______ in your position, which will make others ______ you or even get unhappy. So we need to use apologies ______ and our attitude must be sincere. Refusing to apologize is a big mistake, and so is over apologizing.

1.

A．essential

B．impossible

C．reasonable

D．difficult

2.

A．editor

B．speaker

C．worker

D．member

3.

A．dressed

B．prepared

C．known

D．equipped

4.

A．formed

B．recalled

C．delivered

D．appreciated

5.

A．blamed

B．praised

C．discovered

D．approached

6.

A．interrupted

B．apologized

C．stopped

D．coughed

7.

A．caught on

B．brought out

C．stepped on

D．broke down

8.

A．speechless

B．hopeless

C．confused

D．frightened

9.

A．ready for

B．nervous about

C．careful about

D．aware of

10.

A．in reply

B．in vain

C．in return

D．in place

11.

A．ignored

B．mentioned

C．used

D．accepted

12.

A．regretting

B．failing

C．pretending

D．promising

13.

A．ridiculous

B．impressive

C．accessible

D．crucial

14.

A．sale

B．income

C．deposit

D．loss

15.

A．private

B．false

C．inadequate

D．illegal

16.

A．Besides

B．Therefore

C．Nevertheless

D．Instead

17.

A．expects

B．continues

C．deserves

D．tends

18.

A．motivation

B．confidence

C．energy

D．experience

19.

A．embarrass

B．challenge

C．misunderstand

D．tolerate

20.

A．suitably

B．normally

C．directly

D．frequently

10 . As a child, I was proud of my southern origin. My own voice reflected my family’s past and present-part northern Mississippi, part Tennessee, all southern. There was no sound I loved more than my grandmother’s accent: thick, sweet, warm.

While growing up, I began to realize outside of our region, southerners were often dismissed as uncultured and ignorant. I was ready to leave behind my tiny town in West Tennessee, starting a new life and jumping at big chances in some far-off cities. In that embarrassing space between “teen” and “adult”, my accent was a symbol of everything I thought I hated about my life in the rural South. I feared it would disqualify me from being a noted magazine writer. I would have to talk less “country”. So I killed a piece of myself. I’m ashamed of it, but I’m more ashamed that I tried to kill that part of someone else-change Emily’s accent.

I met Emily in college. She was determined to work for the student newspaper, which was where I spent most of my waking hours, and we became friends. She, unlike me, accepted her roots. Early in our friendship, her mother asked where I was from, assuming it was somewhere up north. Then I felt my efforts paid off and even wanted to ignore the mistake.

Emily is two years younger and she cared about my opinion. I advised her to be more like me and hide her signature Manchester accent. I stressed that throughout our college years, often by making fun of her vowel (元音) sounds. I told myself I was helping her achieve her dream of working as a reporter. Now, I see that it was actually about justifying my hiding part of myself.

Grandma Carolyn used to tell me, “Girl, don’t forget where you come from.” Now I truly understand that. Many things have faded from memory, but this sticks in my mind with uncomfortable clarity. Now that I am grown and have left the South, it’s important to me.

1. What made the author want to leave her hometown?

A．Appeal of convenience in cities.

B．Her dream of becoming a writer.

C．Outside prejudice against southerners.

D．Her desire for the northern accent.

2. How did the author feel about the mistake of Emily’s mother?

A．Upset.

B．Pleased.

C．Ashamed.

D．Surprised.

3. Why on earth did the author try to change Emily’s accent?

A．To prove herself right.	B．To help Emily be a reporter.
C．To make herself influential.	D．To protect Emily’s self-dignity.

4. What message does the text want to convey?

A．Stay true to your roots.	B．Never do things by halves.
C．Hold on to your dreams.	D．Never judge a person by his accent.