1 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Tomato Changed My Life

Doing things-without being planned was never my strength.

As a 14-year-old, I would refuse to go for walks around the block with my friends if I was the least bit behind in my schoolwork.

Unlike most teenagers, I lived not in my room, but in an unused kitchen upstairs where I spread my books and papers on a large round table. I spent considerable time there, working continuously for hours, and my mother worried. She would try to lure (引诱) me away. “Come and watch the parade!” she would call from downstairs. “All neighbors are out there!” She thought of all kinds of tricks-the swimming pool, ice cream, stray cats and turtles-to remove me from my -studies, but nothing ever worked.

Later, in college, the pattern continued. The library and my college dorm replaced the unused kitchen at home. When spring came along friends would stop by my dorm or peer into my library room to persuade me to play Frisbee on the lawn. “No, I would almost always say.” I have too much to do.

My college study days were gone, but not my need and love for schedules. My friends and sisters tried to keep me away from my plans, but they were hardly ever successful.

This summer, though, while house sitting for my parents, I was persuaded to change my plans in the most unexpected way. The sight of tomatoes growing in my mother’s garden lured me out of my tightly scheduled world. They drew me with the power of a lover’s gaze. Hundreds of them were turning ripe and red by the minute, decorating the garden like decorations on a Christmas tree.

“If I have time, I’ll make tomato sauce (番茄酱).” I told myself. But my long week in the house by myself was already filled with things to do: writing, and finishing a project that I brought home from the office.

Then, watching the fascinating tomatoes continuously falling to the ground in ever-greater numbers, again I mentally argued about all the things I had planned and needed to do.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Finally, I gave in.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A month later, my parents came back.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 . Making a difference in someone’s life is a rewarding experience. During my time in college, I landed my first real _________ at a cafe. Out of all the _________ I served, an elderly gentleman named Jeff left a lasting impression on me. Every Saturday afternoon, he would drop in and _________ a medium coffee. Whenever I had a moment, I would _________ a conversation with him and over time, we got to know each other well.

After a year of working every weekend, I decided to leave and _________ my two-week notice. The most _________ part of quitting was not informing my boss, but _________ the news to Jeff. I felt quite _________, as if I was abandoning him. When I finally brought it up, he replied in a _________ voice, “Oh, that’s too bad. I’m sure that the staff will miss you.” I began to think that our visits held no real __________ to him, and that he would be just as content enjoying his food alone. __________, on my last day, Jeff came in with a card that simply read, “Your __________ during our time together is heartwarming. Few things have brought me more __________ than our weekly visits. Thank you.”

The sincere __________ I received for my small gestures was truly astonishing. Giving up my weekends for a year was a small price to __________ the remarkable impact of kindness.

1.

A．job

B．dream

C．goal

D．chance

2.

A．managers

B．employees

C．passengers

D．customers

3.

A．judged

B．ordered

C．admired

D．promoted

4.

A．end up

B．strike up

C．turn up

D．make up

5.

A．presented

B．rejected

C．received

D．ignored

6.

A．satisfying

B．surprising

C．challenging

D．encouraging

7.

A．hiding

B．making

C．breaking

D．accepting

8.

A．amused

B．shocked

C．disappointed

D．guilty

9.

A．delighted

B．bitter

C．calm

D．sad

10.

A．importance

B．hope

C．future

D．mistake

11.

A．Meanwhile

B．However

C．Moreover

D．Therefore

12.

A．talent

B．kindness

C．courage

D．creativity

13.

A．confusion

B．trouble

C．pleasure

D．fortune

14.

A．appreciation

B．devotion

C．education

D．inspiration

15.

A．admit

B．bear

C．expect

D．witness

3 . One day, a girl came upon a cocoon, and she could tell that a butterfly was trying to _________. She waited and watched the butterfly struggle for hours to _________ itself from the tiny hole._________, the butterfly stopped moving, it seemed to be _______ . The girl then decided to help get the butterfly out and with a pair of scissors cut open the cocoon. The butterfly was then _______able to escape. However, its body was swollen (肿胀的) and its wings were _________ .

The girl still thought she had done the butterfly a favor as she sat there waiting for its wings to grow in order to _________its body. That wasn’t happening. The butterfly was unable to fly, and for the rest of its life, it could only move by crawling around with little wings and a_______ body. Despite the girl’s good intentions, she didn’t understand that the _______ of the butterfly’s cocoon and the struggle the butterfly had to __________ in order to escape served an important purpose. As butterflies __________ from tight cocoons and stretch wings out, it forces liquid from their body into their wings to prepare them to be able to fly.

The__________ that we face in life help us grow and get stronger. There is often a reason behind the requirement of being ________ and persistent. When bearing difficult times, we will develop the necessary __________ that we’ll need in the future. Without having any struggles, we won’t grow, which means it’s very important to __________ personal challenges ourselves rather than relying on other people to always help us.

1.

A．hatch

B．hang

C．swing

D．nest

2.

A．trap

B．release

C．wrap

D．throw

3.

A．Even so

B．Sooner or later

C．All of a sudden

D．As usual

4.

A．scared

B．sought

C．kicked

D．stuck

5.

A．easily

B．hardly

C．merely

D．slightly

6.

A．overestimated

B．underdeveloped

C．overgrown

D．underfed

7.

A．protect

B．shade

C．support

D．survive

8.

A．tiny

B．skinny

C．strong

D．large

9.

A．conservation

B．restriction

C．tension

D．variation

10.

A．come out

B．pull up

C．go through

D．leave off

11.

A．run

B．recover

C．generate

D．emerge

12.

A．struggles

B．adventures

C．details

D．guidelines

13.

A．industrious

B．tolerant

C．superior

D．straightforward

14.

A．carefulness

B．strength

C．optimism

D．patience

15.

A．hold onto

B．turn down

C．take on

D．bring up

4 . While enjoying my fresh lunch in a restaurant in Amsterdam, I noticed something odd. Customers coming in for something to eat ignored the person standing behind the counter (柜台), preferring to________through a smart phone.

What was the crazy thing about this? They were just several________apart! In fact, they were so close that the staff member took a quick________at his screen to get a head start on picking the right vegetables—all without any words________. Now, I get it: Modern technology allows us to be more________, but I might be witnessing something deeper: we prefer not to talk to each other anymore.

Think about it for a moment. When was the last time you naturally ______ a conversation with somebody you didn’t know? The chances are that you don’t even________! Likely either you or the other person was “busy” with other things like________with a smartphone. Now, with the________of digital technologies, one can’t help but pay the________for modern efficiency: our ability to talk to strangers.

We shop,________a hotel, or order a taxi, all via an app.________with random strangers is becoming rarer and rarer. Yet there are surprising________of having even a short and simple conversation with strangers. You might learn something________, and beyond doubt, it has the power to enrich your understanding of others and________a special bond in our modern world.

1.

A．talk

B．call

C．order

D．deliver

2.

A．meters

B．millimeters

C．kilometers

D．centimeters

3.

A．chance

B．turn

C．look

D．test

4.

A．spoken

B．written

C．typed

D．mentioned

5.

A．efficient

B．enthusiastic

C．effective

D．energetic

6.

A．ended up

B．engaged in

C．made up

D．went on

7.

A．hear

B．believe

C．remember

D．understand

8.

A．recording

B．studying

C．playing

D．calculating

9.

A．idea

B．aim

C．problem

D．rise

10.

A．cash

B．price

C．debt

D．tax

11.

A．decorate

B．book

C．build

D．repair

12.

A．Contact

B．Work

C．Quarrel

D．Reunion

13.

A．interests

B．benefits

C．disadvantages

D．influences

14.

A．unrealistic

B．unsuitable

C．unreasonable

D．unexpected

15.

A．serves as

B．refers to

C．accounts for

D．consists of

5 . Why Hard Work Is the Key to Success

Hard work and success go hand in hand.     1     However, you have to spend a lot of time working hard for success to build up over time gradually. So you’ll have to decide if you want to endure the pain of hard work, or look back and regret never having tried? That said, here are some points to consider before you make your choice.

Everything Comes at a Price

Success, for the vast majority of people, does not come without hard work.     2     You have to push past the obstacles and hold the goal in your mind, realizing that each step forward is one closer to achieving it.

Hard Work Helps You Make Your Luck

If you are an average Joe and simply idle your way through life, you are likely just a spectator (观察者) waiting for something to happen or fall into your lap. The truth of the matter is that the odds of this happening are improbable. Success will not happen suddenly, but with the right amount of strong determination and hard work, your luck tends to get better.     3    

Hard Work Promotes Discipline

It is not always going to be easy, and even the most determined people may give up and admit that they are defeated and stop trying.     4     Discipline ensures that you still get up and you are determined to see the result confidently.

You Harvest What You Sow

    5     The same goes for hard work. As you make a big effort each day and focus on your goals, you are consistently approaching your future success. As you begin to see the progress you have made, you will begin to feel a sense of achievement and pride in your work.

A．Life is certainly full of challenges.

B．That is where discipline comes into play.

C．Obtaining success without hard work is impossible.

D．When opportunities come your way, do not let them pass you by.

E．If you invest money over time wisely, you will make a good profit eventually.

F．You have to wake up early and head to work even when you do not feel like it.

G．When you hit a failure, the first thing coming to mind is whether you worked hard.

6 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

Garden of Discovery

I was kneeling outside in my garden, pulling weeds in the bright sun, when a voice suddenly said, “What are you doing?”

I looked up. Looking over the fence was the boy who had just moved with his family into the house behind ours. “Don’t you hate getting dirty?” he said.

I laughed. “No, I don’t mind.” I stood up. “Hi, I’m Jeanie.”

“Mike,” he replied.

I saw him looking at my garden. “I’m getting ready to plant tomatoes, potatoes,” I said. “Also beans and...”

Mike interrupted. “Why go to all this trouble when you can buy vegetables at the store?”

“It’s fun,” I replied. “I bet you’d enjoy gardening if you tried it. All boys like gardening.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear,” he said.

I smiled. “Work with me for a week. If you still don’t like it by then, I’ll never talk about it.

To my surprise he nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

Before I knew it, the week was up. I was sure that Mike had changed his mind about gardening. He no longer complained about getting dirty! Each time he planted a seed, he would say, “I hope you grow big and make Jeanie and me proud of you.”

On the last day, Mike and I worked until the sun had set.

“That’s it,” I said, standing up. “Everything’s planted.”

Silently Mike rose, too. “The week’s up,” I said. I smiled at Mike, confident that he was going to tell me that gardening wasn’t so bad after all.

For a moment he didn’t say anything. Suddenly he said, “I’m glad that’s over. Don’t forget our deal—no more garden talk. See you.” Then he ran into his own yard. I stared after him in disbelief.

I went to bed. Around midnight a crash of thunder woke me up. Outside there was a terrible storm. I worried about my plants until the rain finally ended, and I fell back asleep.

The next morning I jumped out of bed, eager to see my garden. I pictured in my mind broken plants and flooded rows of seeds.

注意：1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

“It’s about time for you to get here,” said a voice as I pushed open the back door.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“I can’t believe what you’re doing after what you said last night,” I said.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . I acquired a lot by watching animals. They have tales to tell and lessons to teach for any who have the openness to watch, ________and learn.

We have three roosters (公鸡), each with a different personality and a different voice.

Stew is ________the leading rooster. He has the “perfect” voice and star looks, suitable for________in a movie. Typical of his kind, he is well aware of his talent and appearance. Stew often sings at 4:00 AM to________the dawn before this part of the globe has even thought of circling to it. He looks after the hens, knowing that he has important work to do. Another of our roosters is Smoker. He may not have “the sound” or “the look”, but he takes his place in the order of things without giving evidence of ________or ingratitude. He is the one who________looks for danger and makes a(n) unpleasant sound like coughing when he thinks there’s a(n)________nearby. The third rooster is Rocky. One morning I heard a sound that made me________out of the house. I thought one of the birds was in horrible pain. Fortunately, there were no________ . I realized that Rocky was learning to sing. Rocky didn’t seem ________ that his call was not perfect. None of the other chickens or roosters ________ him or told him to be quiet. None of them said, “Stew sounds so much better than you do.”

Even if Smoker forever sounds like he has problems with his lung and Rocky always sounds like he is in screaming agony (痛苦), it just wouldn’t be________without the calls of all three of the roosters. I enjoy hearing them all, even if Stew often wakes me up and the other two sound ill.

Perhaps no human choir would accept a member with such a voice as Smoker or Rocky, but everyone has ________gifts, and nobody is better than anybody else because of our talents. Some people have beautiful bodies. Some people have the talent to sing songs or ________ stories or create magnificent artwork. Some have the talent to help others feel secure. Others are just finding out what talents they have to offer.

So, we can ________a lot from nature if we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and brains enough to pay attention.

1.

A．spot

B．find

C．recognize

D．listen

2.

A．originally

B．generally

C．definitely

D．occasionally

3.

A．featuring

B．showing

C．playing

D．shooting

4.

A．predict

B．tell

C．forecast

D．anticipate

5.

A．envy

B．respect

C．trust

D．doubt

6.

A．obviously

B．typically

C．regularly

D．absolutely

7.

A．enemy

B．partner

C．companion

D．follower

8.

A．walked

B．stormed

C．crawled

D．rushed

9.

A．quarrels

B．debates

C．injuries

D．accidents

10.

A．proud

B．considerate

C．upset

D．content

11.

A．cared for

B．laughed at

C．focused on

D．looked down

12.

A．dusk

B．evening

C．midnight

D．morning

13.

A．unique

B．awesome

C．similar

D．specific

14.

A．take up

B．make up

C．draw up

D．put up

15.

A．receive

B．expect

C．take

D．learn

8 . When my wife and I didn’t work long, our budget was tight. We tried to save as much money as possible so we could afford overspend occasionally. At the same time, we benefited a lot from the kindness of local store owners.

When my wife was expecting our child, she developed a craving for a local Chinese restaurant’s version of tai dop voy, a mixture of meat, shrimp and vegetables. Even though they rarely saw us, the owners remembered us. One evening, I ordered tai dop voy. They enthusiastically treated me and said, “There is some fried rice for your wife. Have a healthy baby.” The bag was obviously heavier than normal. When I got home, there was not only fried rice but also two orders of tai dop voy.

That was many years ago. But those small kindnesses from locals made a difference. Customers were seen as more than a source of profit. We were members of the community that local businesses served.

The generosity I experienced years ago hasn’t disappeared. I witnessed it recently at my local farmers’ market. A family was debating whether to add another vegetable to the order. The farmer served them and said, “Sorry, I forgot. I have so many vegetables this year. Buy two, and you’ll get another for free. Pick out any one you like.” I thought the farmer was being morally flexible: no prices on the produce, but everything is fairly priced. Fairness is in the sense that care and kindness are parts of the merchant-client relationship.

The kindness of merchants is a sign of something deeper: We are all making our shared way together. For my part, I will continue to support farmers’ markets and family-run restaurants. I am happy to make a fair offer.

1. What does the underlined word “craving” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Desire.

B．Habit.

C．Proposal.

D．Technique.

2. Why does the author mention the experience of buying tai dop voy?

A．To praise Chinese meals.	B．To prove love for his wife.
C．To show human goodness.	D．To express his thanks to the owners.

3. What is the author’s attitude to the farmer in paragraph 4?

A．Appreciative.

B．Ambiguous.

C．Critical.

D．Cautious.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Tight budget, happy life	B．Low prices, fair business
C．Tasty tai dop voy, deep love	D．Small businesses, big kindnesses

9 . As my kids and I walked around a community garden the other week, I asked them what veggies they could identify. We were in Alberta, where many plants were still in their early stages of growth — I wasn’t optimistic about what the kids would be able to name by leaves alone. However, they called out, “Tomatoes! Potatoes! Carrots!” Their answers made me even prouder than if they’d just explained some knowledge of physics. All the time we’ve spent in our home garden is actually sinking in.

Although I’ve been gardening for years, this year feels different. Spending time in the garden has helped me with my own well-being at a trying time, and it has given me a new way to connect with my kids when I’m running out of steam.

My garden is wild, full of life, and a bit messy. Honestly, the same goes for my kids — and I don’t expect perfection from them either. Unless you’re relying on your yield for money or food, it’s a good idea to have your expectations for gardening as low as possible. My kids say they “love the garden” but “don’t like gardening” — I think they mean they don’t like the chores. If I have some weeding or potting to do, I’ll also have some entertainment for them, which can be as simple as “find these 10 rocks” or “wet this plot with your water gun”.

Involving the kids in every stage of the process can be powerful and fun, even if what you have are just a few containers on a balcony. “Gardening allows us to spend free, unscheduled outdoor time with our kids,” writes journalist and author Shannon Brescher Shea in her book Growing Sustainable Together. “Let your kids lead the way. Invite them to participate in every step, from planting to harvesting, but don’t force it.”

One of the best things about gardens is the food, but frankly, my kids are not going to be pushing greens into their mouths any time soon. Finding uses for garden goods that go beyond food production can spark interest and supply you with some unexpectedly good results.

1. What can the author infer from her kids’ answers?

A．It’s worthwhile to spend time in her garden.

B．It’s great to witness her kids’ academic progress.

C．It’s necessary for kids to know common sense.

D．It’s difficult for kids to learn plants in early stages.

2. What do we know about the author’s garden?

A．It is in a complete mess.	B．It has a rise in output.
C．It has been abandoned for long.	D．It goes as nature takes its course.

3. How does the author attract the kids’ interest in gardening?

A．By giving rewards afterwards.	B．By giving more encouragement.
C．By adding recreational activities.	D．By asking them to have short breaks.

4. What is Shannon’s suggestion on parents’ involving kids in gardening?

A．Teaching kids the power and fun of harvesting.

B．Encouraging kids’ active participation.

C．Allowing kids to observe every step carefully.

D．Setting an example for kids in doing gardening.

10 . At this point, a new live stage show, The Music Critic, is touring across the US. In the show, John Malkovich transforms into the sharpest critics of the greatest classical musicians in history and reads their comments aloud as the music critics in his unusual voice.

For example, Frederic Chopin was once criticized by pianist Hyung-ki Joo. “Mr. Chopin has, by some means or the other which we cannot understand, obtained an enormous reputation too often refused to composers who possess several times his genius. Mr. Chopin is by no means a composer of the ordinary. He is worse,” Malkovich comments as the critic.

In the show, even Beethoven got a very bad review from the wonderful composer Tchaikovsky. “He first fills the soul with sweet sadness, and then destroys it by a mass of messy notes,” Malkovich reads.

The Music Critic is part concert, part theater. Malkovich says that the similarities between them are part of the draw for him.

“I always say they are like surfing because we just paddle (划) out on our little boards. We turn our back to the sun and wait for a wave. We’re not the wave, which most of us think we are, but we are really not the wave,” Malkovich emphasizes. “The wave is created by the collision (碰撞) between the material and the audience. We ride the wave or we don’t.”

For sure, it is fun to criticize anyone. However, there’s something more at the heart of The Music Critic—and there’s a lesson for all of us. Everyone will be at the receiving end of bad reviews at some point. As Malkovich points out: If Beethoven and Chopin got dismissed, you will too.

“I think of it as an inspirational piece for people in the creative industry to keep going,” Malkovich says. “You know, face all the criticism, enjoy it, and have fun with it because you’re going to get it. There’s no one who’s going to be spared.”

1. What does the underlined word “their” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．The classical musicians’.	B．Chopin and Beethoven’s.
C．The sharpest music critics’.	D．Hyung-ki Joo and Tchaikovsky’s.

2. What did Hyung-ki Joo mean?

A．Chopin shouldn’t become so famous.	B．Many composers were treated unfairly.
C．He couldn’t understand Chopin’s music.	D．Chopin was one of the greatest composers.

3. What is the wave mentioned in paragraph 5?

A．The beautiful music.	B．The audience’s feeling.
C．The dramatic acting.	D．The performers’ passion.

4. What message does the author seem to convey in the text?

A．Every great man shall be criticized.

B．Entertainers might get far more criticism.

C．The audience should be fair with their criticism.

D．We should face criticism and try to have fun with it.