I was the last boy in the Boy Scout (童子军) troop to get his uniform and the last boy to pay his go to the Big Camp Jamboree. When we arrived, we were the only black troop there. One of the first things to do there was the swimming test. The test was to see how long we could tread (踩) water, and it determined whether you could take out a canoe or swim alone.
None of the boys in my troop could swim, so I was the only black kid in the whole camp who took the test. I trod water. And I watched the lifeguard point to different boys and say, “You can get out. You can get out. You can get out.”
I made a move to get out. He said, “No, no, no. You stay.” A fer a long time, he finally said to me, “You can get out.” And I got a swimmer tag for it, which made me excited.
It didn’t quite work out the way I thought, though. Every time I showed up to take out a boat or get in the swimming pool, I got yelled at. “Hey, stop! Let me see your swimmer tag!”
One of the final activities at the camp was the mile swim. I was the only black Boy Scout qualified to try out for it. Each one of us, about ten in a group, had to swim beside a boat. If at any point you needed to give up, you got inside the boat.
We started in. Three laps around this big lake equaled one mile. As soon as we finished the first lap, half the boys had given up and gotten in the boat. On the second lap, the boys who had already given up yelled at me from the boat, “Come on! You don’t need to do this. Give up! Come on, get in the boat!”
注意:
1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置做答。
Paragraph 1:
On the third lap, I started to get dizzy and had so little energy left.
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Paragraph 2:
I was the only black Boy Scout who completed the mile swim at that camp.
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I chewed on my pencil as I walked back and forth across my bedroom. What was I going to do? It was bad enough that I was the new kid. But now I was sure to get laughed right out of fifth grade. How could my first homework be such a disaster?
“My name is Anna, and this summer I——”I stopped. How could I stand in front of my class and say that I’d spent the entire summer handling something that most people don’t even like to talk about? Poop (粪便). I’d spent three months shoveling (铲), collecting, and analyzing co w poop on my grandparents’ farm. I tried to think of a different adventure I could share. Maybe I could say I’d spent the summer on the Weather Control Team preventing floods.
“Time for dinner,” my mom called.
I walked slowly down the stairs and slid into my chair.
“You’ve been in your room since you came home from school,” Mom said. “What are you working on?”
I sighed. “I have to tell the class what I did this summer.”
My younger brother, Seymour, began to laugh uncontrollably. “No one will want to sit next to you after they hear you were covered in cow poop all summer!”
“OK, that’s enough, Seymour,” Dad said.
“Anna,” said Mom, putting green beans in a bowl, “be proud of the work we did this summer. Our planet would be in sad shape without scientists like your grandfather.”
It’s true that my grandfather does important work. He developed an easy way to use poop as a source of fuel. Using the poop is now easy, economical, and environmentally safe.
“I know, Mom,” I said, staring at my meatloaf. “But it’s not exactly something people want to hear about before lunch.”
That night I dreamed about more splendid adventures: cave diving in Mexico; hiking through the Amazon rainforest.
At school the next day, I bent over my desk, listening to each kid speak. My palms were sweaty, and the knot (结) in my stomach grew tighter.
“And that was my journey to Mount Everest,” Ember Adams said, finishing her report. She bowed and took her seat.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为 150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
“It’s your turn, Anna,” Ms. Hammond said.
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The class cheered as I returned to my desk, and some of my classmates approached me with admiration in their eyes.
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3 . Most of us have some sort of bucket list—a checklist of experiences and accomplishments we hope to achieve before our time here on earth is up. When we think of how to improve our lives, our first urge is generally to add things: I’d be happier if my career were going better. Everything would be different if I could find a good relationship. There is only one problem with this approach—science suggests it tends to have the opposite result.
A mountain of researches show that when you reach your goals, they’re likely to only bring you momentary joy. After a brief high, dissatisfaction creeps in and we start to long for the next thing on the list. How do you get off this problem and find lasting peace of mind? Brooks offers a simple, practical suggestion: Swap your traditional bucket list for something he calls a “reverse bucket list.”
“Each year on my birthday, I list my wants and attachments—the stuff that fits under the categories of money, power, pleasure and honor. I try to be completely honest,” he writes. Next, Brooks sits down and lists what his life would be like in five years if he were truly happy and successful—if he were living up to his values and experiencing a sense of psychological peace. The final step is to compare the two lists side by side. Would those things he longs for actually bring him closer to his vision of the good life?
If an item is on your bucket list because it lines up with your deepest desires and values, keep it. If it’s there to impress the neighbors or feed a vague and strong need for “success”, onto the reverse bucket list it goes.
When scientists ask people to solve problems of all kinds, their first urge is to add elements. They think a new feature, additional rule or extra ingredient will improve the final outcome. But recent research shows that subtraction (减法) is often the better one.
1. What is a problem probably caused when you achieve your goals?| A．You will be eaten up with pride. |
| B．Your confidence will be boosted overly. |
| C．You will be unwilling to achieve the next goal. |
| D．Your temporary happiness will give way to discontent. |
| A．Whether the items on the list are listed honestly. |
| B．Whether the items on the list can bring you glory. |
| C．Whether the items on the list can be achieved. |
| D．Whether the items on the list are consistent with your beliefs. |
| A．Buying a more luxurious villa than a friend’s. |
| B．Keeping on working out regularly to keep fit. |
| C．Serving the community to keep mentally peaceful. |
| D．Studying abroad for further education to realize self-value. |
| A．The Barrier of Happiness: A Rule of Subtraction |
| B．The Secret to Happiness: A Reverse Bucket List |
| C．The Block to Happiness: A Traditional Bucket List |
| D．The Truth of Happiness: A Checklist of Achievements |
4 . The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said that you can’t step into the same river twice, for you aren’t the same person at each visit and the water is ever flowing. It is a powerful way to show the reality that everything is always changing. Yet so many people have unpleasant relationships with change. We resist it or attempt to control it, the result of which is almost always some combination of stress, anxiety, and burnout. It doesn’t have to be that way.
No doubt, change can, and often does, hurt; but with the right mindset, it can also be a force for growth. A concept called allostasis can help. Developed in the late 1980s by neuroscientist Peter Sterling and biologist Joseph Eyer, allostasis is based on the idea that rather than being rigid, our healthy baseline is a moving target. Allostasis is defined as “stability through change”—the way to stay stable through the process of change is by changing.
From neuroscience to pain science and psychology, allostasis has become the dominant model for understanding change in the scientific community. The brain is at its best when it is constantly rewiring itself and making new connections. Overcoming pain is not about resistance or trying to get back to where you were but about balancing acceptance with problem-solving and moving forward to normal.
The time to start practicing is now. Over the past few years, the river of change has been flowing, and it shows no signs of letting up. Our ability to work with these changes is directly related to our life satisfaction. Given all this, simply creating a stable expectancy around change goes a long way. So does realizing that the allostasis mindset doesn’t ask us to do nothing. Rather, it asks us to partake in change by focusing on what we can control and trying to let go of what we can’t. When I catch myself resisting change, in my head I say the following: “This is what is happening right now. I’m doing the best that I can. What, if any, skillful actions can I take?” Do this repeatedly and finally you start to get better at it.
To thrive in our lifetime — and not just survive —we need to transform our relationship with change, leaving behind rigidity and resistance. We are always shaping and being shaped by change, often at the very same time.
1. What’s the common practice toward change?| A．To welcome it. | B．To reject it. |
| C．To overlook it. | D．To adapt to it. |
| A．One size fits all. | B．Time works great changes. |
| C．Respond to change by changing. | D．It’s never too late to change. |
| A．Stopping. | B．Dashing down. |
| C．Going up. | D．Widening. |
| A．Repetition makes up for rigidity. | B．It matters to focus on what we can’t. |
| C．Changes promote life satisfaction. | D．It makes sense to embrace changes. |
Miguel looked across the school campus. Why did the English teacher annoy the whole class with such a stupid topic, “The Most Courageous Person I’ve Known”? He groaned (呻吟) at the painful thought of writing two full pages about a person who didn’t exist. He just couldn’t think of anyone.
At twelve, Miguel just wanted to be a boy. He wanted to play, get his homework done as quickly as possible, and eat. He reached his pocket for a candy bar, tore open the wrapper with his teeth and headed home.
Passing an alley (胡同) , he spotted a white chicken poking at a dirty bag that lay on a pile of garbage. Then, like soup, an idea bubbled in his mind. He got the dirty bag, held it open and got close to the chicken slowly. It lifted its head, took a few slow steps and clucked (咯咯叫) . Miguel was quick. He caught it by the neck, pushed it in and tied the bag.
For a moment, he felt like a fox, the trickiest of all animals. Now, it was time to go to Mr. Shafer, who sold chickens. Luckily, Mr. Shafer was in his front yard. Miguel announced that he had a nice chicken for him because his grandma couldn’t eat chicken anymore. Mr. Shafer took the chicken out, examined it carefully and handed him two dollars.
The chicken looked up at him with kind of sad eyes. Miguel’s heart sank. Why could I become so unfeeling? What had I done? Miguel groaned to himself. Money in hand, he turned around quickly and ran toward his home, trying not to think of the defenseless chicken. Yet, those sad eyes of the chicken seemed to be staring at him all the way.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为100左右；
2. 续写部分为一段，请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
“I’ll save you,” he stopped and said to himself.
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6 . Automation (自动化) certainly has its advantages. I am
Thus, I recently decided to spend a day to achieve all of my goals in a (n)
That evening I had dinner with a friend and reported my
| A．eager | B．ready | C．thoughtful | D．thankful |
| A．And | B．But | C．So | D．Or |
| A．advanced | B．non-digital | C．informal | D．self-service |
| A．appreciated | B．impressed | C．remembered | D．attracted |
| A．schedules | B．tips | C．notes | D．news |
| A．excited | B．confused | C．satisfied | D．annoyed |
| A．apartment | B．bank | C．restaurant | D．supermarket |
| A．demanded | B．admitted | C．suggested | D．applied |
| A．extra | B．expensive | C．amazing | D．unusual |
| A．affair | B．progress | C．experiment | D．behavior |
| A．praised | B．commented | C．recommended | D．protested |
| A．more than | B．less than | C．other than | D．rather than |
| A．missed | B．reserved | C．preferred | D．suffered |
| A．talking | B．dealing | C．meeting | D．comparing |
| A．plan | B．identify | C．attend | D．warm |
7 . It was a regular school day, and the air was filled with the usual sounds of chatter and laughter as students prepared for their lessons. Little did I know that this day would soon take a
As the bell rang, signaling the beginning of our English class, we entered the classroom, completely
Panic spread as we understood how
In all the chaos, I noticed my
As we reached the door, it felt hotter, and we knew we had to hurry. With hearts
Outside, we took a moment to catch our breath,
After everything happened, I couldn’t help but reflect on the events of that day.
| A．classic | B．dramatic | C．powerful | D．graceful |
| A．independent | B．tolerant | C．fluent | D．unaware |
| A．into | B．onto | C．behind | D．against |
| A．destroyed | B．interrupted | C．buried | D．sheltered |
| A．formal | B．unique | C．severe | D．awkward |
| A．hurried | B．delivered | C．jogged | D．hesitated |
| A．sister | B．mother | C．classmate | D．teammate |
| A．protested | B．reminded | C．stressed | D．realized |
| A．flight | B．step | C．wave | D．foot |
| A．racing | B．debating | C．suffering | D．begging |
| A．greeted | B．conducted | C．surrounded | D．attracted |
| A．stress | B．sadness | C．confidence | D．relief |
| A．Breaking through | B．Going through | C．Making out | D．Working out |
| A．tough | B．plain | C．various | D．specific |
| A．contribution | B．ambition | C．determination | D．addiction |
8 . At twenty-three, I had no idea that a summer class I feared would change my life and help me achieve dreams.
The class focusing on literature centered on
Recently, I’d had
Even bigger
| A．evil | B．kindness | C．despair | D．death |
| A．instead of | B．due to | C．except for | D．less than |
| A．discouraging | B．amusing | C．inspiring | D．disappointing |
| A．goals | B．sites | C．class | D．adventure |
| A．remembered | B．reviewed | C．recovered | D．reserved |
| A．page | B．edge | C．back | D．cover |
| A．relied on | B．reflected on | C．carried on | D．insisted on |
| A．access | B．limit | C．clue | D．evidence |
| A．ensured | B．attempted | C．confirmed | D．protested |
| A．carefully | B．definitely | C．fully | D．independently |
| A．explored | B．revised | C．preferred | D．chose |
| A．rejected | B．unearthed | C．received | D．accepted |
| A．upsetting | B．unbelievable | C．embarrassing | D．alarming |
| A．dreams | B．legends | C．beliefs | D．memories |
| A．worst | B．least | C．best | D．most |
9 . A confident smile is a happy smile. Have you ever had a stranger smile at you while you were out in public? Maybe you were feeling down, but their genuine and friendly smiles literally made you turn your frown upside down. All thanks to that smiley person, your negative attitude suddenly subsided. It is hard to believe that such a small gesture can impact your mood so sim ply, but I would be lying if I said that I’ve never experienced this feeling. I’m sure you can relate.
With that being said, science can back this up. Where are these happy feelings coming from? Well, when you smile at someone, you may feel like you’re experiencing temporary happiness.That is because endorphins (内啡肽) are released in the brain when you smile. Endorphins can be described as natural painkillers for the body, which also boost your self-esteem (自尊). Smiling is really a simple act of kindness, which can also make you feel better about yourself.
As an illustration, someone going in for a job interview with their heads held high, and smiles on their faces will have a better chance of scoring the job. Employers remark that a person who looks down when they speak to avoid showing their smiles during an interview, most likely won’t be hired, because it looks as though they are hiding something. However, that person with an inviting smile shows confidence. No matter what you look like, a smile is worth a thousand words and people can recognize that.
It gives me such a rewarding feeling helping children, teens, and adults to build their selfesteem through treatment. It’s all worth it seeing that spark of joy in my patient after the job is all said and done. I truly believe that a bright eyed smile has the capacity to allow you to connect with others, without uttering a sound.
1. What does the underlined word “subsided”mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Appeared. | B．Weakened. | C．Increased. | D．Smiled. |
| A．Making people feel happy. |
| B．Making people act kindly. |
| C．Making brains work fast. |
| D．Curing some diseases. |
| A．He holds his head too high. |
| B．He looks down upon others. |
| C．He looks a little dishonest. |
| D．He is too confident. |
| A．A teacher. | B．A volunteer. | C．A scientist. | D．A doctor. |
10 . * Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance(毅力) and above all confidence in ourselves.
﹣Marie Curie
* Sometimes people don’t need advice，they just need someone to listen and care.
﹣Thomas A.Edison
Choose one of the above quotations (引语) .Write a passage (80 words or so) to present your understanding of it，including the following：
①Your own story or a story of the person you admire, which can well interpret (诠释) it.
②Your own understanding of it.
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