1 . My long-distance cycling career of 13 years and 35,000 kilometres ended as I approached 75 in 2019. The realisation of this dawned on me slowly during my last ride in the US summer of that same year. Although I am now no longer strong enough to endure the long days and big climbs, day in and day out, I have my memories.

Long distance cycling brings pain, anxiety and exhaustion, but these pale into insignificance compared to the joy and satisfaction of climbing huge mountains or seeing spectacular sights for the first time. Real joy would come when I was alone, on my bicycle, in some remote and beautiful place. You could say that these same feelings could have been experienced in a car, but I know this not to be true. I had time to observe nature and life, all of which would have been bypassed in a car.

I enjoyed meeting and beating the daily schedule I had set for myself. I enjoyed the ever-changing vegetation, the people, kind, unkind and indifferent, whom I met along the way. No matter how hard or easy the ride was, I always enjoyed the achievement of arriving, followed by a hot shower and bed, when I could find a motel. On the other nights, I was happy to camp. Meeting a diversity of people with different perspectives on life was easy. The cycling devices allowed me to strike up conversations in pubs and cafes and I got to see and experience the very best in people.

The road ahead always loomed large, as did the mountains, the cold, the mosquitoes and the rain. The road behind is just memories, lack of pain and anxiety, some soon to be forgotten, others to be valued and boosted with the retelling.

Cycling taught me to like who I am. I am finally happy with and accepting of my introverted (内向的) personality. I have more persistence and courage than I ever imagined. These trips all required courage, courage which I never knew I possessed.

1. What made the author end his cycling career?

A．Financial problems.

B．Lack of interest in cycling.

C．Desire to pursue other hobbies.

D．Physical inability to bear long rides.

2. What was the real pleasure for the author?

A．Meeting different people.	B．Beating the daily schedule.
C．Experiencing nature up close.	D．Climbing huge mountains.

3. What special insight did the author gain through cycling?

A．Nature deserves exploring.

B．One could find a real self.

C．Introverted people could be sociable.

D．Communication with strangers helps a lot.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A magazine.

B．A brochure.

C．A novel.

D．A manual.

2 . I had always felt like I didn’t fit in the school. My true friends weren’t in the crowd of _________ kids in school, either.

Parading before me was “the fun group”— the popular kids — always laughing and whispering (窃窃私语). I wanted to be just like them and wished to be _________ .

Later, my dream came true when I joined a cheer leading team. Immediately, I_________ a lot — new hair color, new dressing style and a new group of _________. Everything I had wanted to be, I was. I was _________ one of the popular kids.

However, the more I was included with the “in crowd”, the more confused I became. _________, these people were far from _________ . They talked behind each other’s backs while they _________ to be best friends. They _________ what I was wearing, but they weren’t concerned about what my dreams were. I began to feel a sense of loss and __________.

Worst of all, I __________ that I was becoming just like them. I decided I had to get my life back in __________ . I concentrated on finding out who my real friends were — the ones who really mattered. I stayed with cheer leading, but I __________ playing with only the popular kids. I found out that my real friends had never__________ me. They were simply waiting for me. I finally learned that my __________ friends were all I would ever need.

1.

A．busy

B．clever

C．popular

D．serious

2.

A．accepted

B．praised

C．challenged

D．helped

3.

A．thought

B．learned

C．requested

D．changed

4.

A．teachers

B．classmates

C．neighbors

D．friends

5.

A．finally

B．responsibly

C．strangely

D．privately

6.

A．In shock

B．On hand

C．In fact

D．On earth

7.

A．alone

B．certain

C．perfect

D．unique

8.

A．dreamed

B．pretended

C．demanded

D．chose

9.

A．searched for

B．cared about

C．watched over

D．looked after

10.

A．excitement

B．curiosity

C．peace

D．disappointment

11.

A．begged

B．wondered

C．explained

D．realized

12.

A．order

B．need

C．advance

D．common

13.

A．stopped

B．began

C．continued

D．enjoyed

14.

A．cheated

B．left

C．helped

D．supported

15.

A．lucky

B．popular

C．former

D．confident

3 . If you think that this is about a ten-year-old boy adopting a blind deer, you are wrong. If you think this is about a deer giving her love for her savior then you’re wrong again.     1     He helped this deer find grass to eat every morning.

A ten-year-old boy in Chicago, Illinois spotted a blind deer that had wandered into his neighborhood, and he decided to help it find a safe place and give it some food. He made a regular morning habit of doing this before going to school. The roads are a dangerous place for blind animals.     2    

When the Illinois Department of Natural Resources got to know about this, they immediately adopted the deer. They provided her with a proper, legal shelter.     3     He didn’t try to pet her. Therefore, he felt a sense of relief, knowing that the blind deer was safe.

    4     Usually, when people find things they love, they naturally tend to make them their own and seldom like to share them with others. This example shows that loving something does not mean trying to own it. Caring is not possessing. What we learn from the boy is to live peacefully with our surroundings.

The blind deer and the boy spent very little time as friends. The boy did not let his feelings for her overpower himself.     5     Being humans is not just about loving and hugging those we love; it is also about sharing our world with them.

A．What can we draw from the story?

B．But it doesn’t mean that we cannot see his humanity and love.

C．It was a generous use of his early morning time before school.

D．How would you reward a kid who helped a blind deer in need?

E．That was when people knew that the boy hadn’t named the deer.

F．So he carefully guided the creature across the streets and sidewalks.

G．Rather, this is about a boy who was kind enough to help a blind deer.

4 . If someone asked whether you like the arts, you’d probably say you do—at least in theory. According to a survey, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults say the arts “lift me up beyond everyday experiences.” However, only 30 percent attended a concert of any type in 2017; 23 percent went to an art museum. Fewer than half actively created art of any kind.

The mismatch can boil down to the fact that we are weighed down by our day-to-day responsibilities, leaving our schedule packed. Maybe you like to play a little background music while you work or do the chores, but even before the pandemic, most of us rarely, if ever, saw a live performance, let alone visited a gallery or watched a play.

Too often, we let the dull reality of life get in the way of the arts. But this is a mistake. The arts are the opposite of an escape from reality; they might just be the most realistic glimpse we ever get into the nature and meaning of life. If you make time for consuming and producing art—the same way you make time for work and exercise and family commitments—I assure you that you’ll find your life getting fuller and happier. Think of a time when you heard a piece of music and wanted to cry. Or maybe your dizziness as you emerged from a narrow side street in an unfamiliar city and found yourself in a beautiful town square as if in a fantasy. They probably stimulated a sudden awakening, much like the shock from a lungful of pure oxygen after breathing in smoggy air.

If you are among the people who feel that art is pure pleasure to experience and participate in, you might see it as a luxury item, while a preferable attitude is to treat art less like a distracting pleasure, and more like exercise or sleep, a necessity. Then draw up a schedule of your art exposure journey, and gradually weave art into your everyday life.

1. What prevents people from enjoying the arts?

A．Shortage of time.	B．Avoidance of duty.
C．Lack of interest.	D．Art space inaccessibility.

2. What can we learn about the role of art according to the passage?

A．It explores mysteries of life.	B．It sparks emotional responses.
C．It enhances physical well-being.	D．It offers a getaway from daily life.

3. What will be talked about next in the passage?

A．Ways to integrate art into routine.	B．Barriers to combine art and life.
C．Forms of distracting pleasures.	D．Benefits of engaging with art.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Art Journey: Refreshing Soul

B．Art Pursuit: Transforming Dull into Full

C．Embracing Art: From Luxury to Necessity

D．Connecting with Art: From Reality to Fantasy

5 . One day, my 12-year-old daughter participated in a school poetry reading event. All her classmates were invited to write a “lie poem” about how ________ they were and read them aloud. They were supposed to ________ untruths about themselves that made them sound ________ wonderful. As I listened to the poems, I realized that the children were actually ________ the picture of their future. By “lying” to themselves, they were creating a ________ of who they wanted to be in the future.

I couldn’t help admiring the school for ________ the children to dream big in such a special way, even if it might not be the first intention. In fact, most of us are ________ to see the truth of who we could be. My daughter’s school developed an unintended ________ to that difficulty: If it’s hard for you to imagine the ________ in yourself, then you might want to begin by expressing it as a ________, as did the children who wrote the poems.

Think up some stories about who you would like to be. In due course, this ________ exercise would help you build the necessary blueprint for ________ your achievements. Without a picture of your ________ self, you can’t live into that self. So ________ it till you make it. The lie will become the ________ in the end.

1.

A．rich

B．busy

C．great

D．smart

2.

A．point out

B．make up

C．hold back

D．rely on

3.

A．unbelievably

B．unconsciously

C．unacceptably

D．unreasonably

4.

A．exaggerating

B．restoring

C．admiring

D．clarifying

5.

A．sample

B．vision

C．message

D．principle

6.

A．forcing

B．requesting

C．motivating

D．warning

7.

A．unable

B．anxious

C．nervous

D．unwilling

8.

A．excuse

B．balance

C．solution

D．connection

9.

A．interest

B．courage

C．expectation

D．potential

10.

A．fantasy

B．fortune

C．benefit

D．reference

11.

A．healthy

B．creative

C．gentle

D．formal

12.

A．ensuring

B．informing

C．stretching

D．measuring

13.

A．highest

B．biggest

C．happiest

D．bravest

14.

A．stop

B．forget

C．hide

D．pretend

15.

A．dream

B．reality

C．memory

D．nightmare

6 . 假如你是李华，即将参加校英语角举办的演讲比赛。请你就以下一则寓言写一篇演讲稿。内容包括：
1. 故事的简要介绍；
2. 你的感悟和体会。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

It’s never too late to mend

Once upon a time, there was a man who kept several sheep. One morning, he found one of his sheep was missing. After checking the pen carefully, he discovered a hole in the wall of the pen. It turned out that a wolf had broken into the pen and stolen his sheep.

His neighbor advised, “You should fix the pen and cover the hole right away.” But he rejected, “The sheep has already lost. It’s no use fixing it now.” However, the next morning, he found another sheep missing. The wolf stole the sheep through the hole again!

He regretted not taking the neighbor’s advice and began to cover the hole immediately. From then on, no more sheep was stolen.

Good morning, everyone. I’m Li Hua

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for listening!

7 . Have you noticed that many people can spend a lot of time comparing prices while shopping online, but always make decisions casually in the critical moments of their life?

    1     Many people choose their current major simply because they “liked” it, or because they had heard that it is a promising industry in this era. However, few people consider carefully what they do in college and what they will be doing after graduation.

To explore this issue, we must first understand three concepts: strategy, tactics(技术), and guideline.     2     If you can’t figure out the difference among them, then it’s not surprising that you’ve messed up your life.

Simply put, “strategy” is “what to do”, that is, to choose a direction. The “tactics” have to be lower than strategy, which means that they decide “how to do it” after the strategy has been established.     3     Many people find that they lack the ability to choose. Others tell you how to do it, and you remember it, then you make things happen, nothing more.     4     They are using tactical and guideline diligence to hide their strategic laziness.

Strategy is a ruler’s learning. For each person himself, whether to consider strategic issues determines whether you are the master of your own life. Maybe you can live successfully according to the guide given by others, but is this life really worth it? This is not a life, but a performance, because you actually have no dominance in yourself.     5    

A．We constantly make choices.

B．Take choosing college major for example.

C．These people may be reliable but they can’t create things.

D．Many people seem to focus only on the “guideline” level.

E．The key to strategy is making choices and bearing its consequences.

F．At first glance, they seem to be similar, but in fact they are totally different.

G．“Guideline” is even lower, referring to doing things as others have done them.

8 . A teacher gave his students a test. Most of the students finished all the questions without much effort _______they all read the last one which was “What is the first name of the woman who _______ the school? ”

All of the students thought that this question was some kind of _______. They had all seen the cleaning woman many times during each day at school. It was _______ that she was tall and old, but how would they know her _______?

So they all _______ their test paper, leaving the last question _______. Just before the class ended, one of the students asked if the last question would count toward the results of the _______.

“_______”said the teacher.

He went on to say, “In your lives and careers, you will ________ many people and they are ________individual, so they each are worth your ________ and care, even if all you do is ________and say “Hello”.

Over the following days each of the students ________ the importance of finding out the name of the cleaner and introduced themselves. They all learned that cleaner’s name was Dorothy and they never forgot the ________ that everyone is important.

1.

A．while

B．until

C．since

D．after

2.

A．cleans

B．manages

C．supports

D．guards

3.

A．pity

B．risk

C．story

D．joke

4.

A．natural

B．clear

C．possible

D．unusual

5.

A．address

B．family

C．name

D．age

6.

A．left behind

B．lifted up

C．put away

D．handed in

7.

A．unanswered

B．open

C．out

D．unprepared

8.

A．exercise

B．experiment

C．test

D．match

9.

A．Possibly

B．No

C．Sure

D．Never

10.

A．love

B．help

C．respect

D．meet

11.

A．important

B．unique

C．intelligent

D．honest

12.

A．consideration

B．attention

C．discussion

D．protection

13.

A．look

B．smile

C．listen

D．play

14.

A．remembered

B．proved

C．explained

D．realized

15.

A．lesson

B．opinion

C．premise

D．argument

9 . Simple Tips to Increase Self-Confidence

Having confidence begins with having a mind full of confident thoughts. A mind is controlled by you, therefore believing only the things that will bring you things you desire. Almost anyone in the world can have confidence.     1    . It is a matter of following these easy steps.

Set goals

It’s a great idea to keep a “Goals Book” and every time something enters your mind you’d like to achieve, list it in the book. Soon you’ll see a pattern among all your goals.     2    , you begin to see simple changes in your life. There is no greater joy in life than to realize a goal.

    3    

People usually can’t tell you how you should live your life when it’s just an expression of their own shortcomings. Don’ allow the shortcomings of others to affect your life negatively. No one but you knows your interests and ambitions. Work in the direction of your true loves and ignore everything that enters your mind going against your own desires.

Challenge your beliefs

    4    . If they are not, cross them out. You may find it difficult to get rid of some of the deep-rooted beliefs, but with true desire you can abandon negative beliefs about yourself and you will realize enormous benefit in growing self-confidence and self-esteem.

Get started

Don’t expect changes right away and have patience in knowing that it takes time to be the person you wish to be. The wonderful thing about becoming a more self-confident person is that little benefits start taking shape almost immediately.     5     — as long as you continue to keep a positive outlook and display your confidence.

As you achieve confidence, and find little moments of confidence coming closer and closer, all the things you desire will come to you easier than you ever imagined.

A．Follow your heart

B．They keep coming one after the other

C．Believe in a power greater than yourself

D．When you make conclusions about your goals

E．If you maintain a confident position long enough

F．And, it is entirely easier than you may have once believed

G．Examine all of your beliefs and determine if they are in line with the life you desire

10 . A young man came across his old teacher. “I became a teacher because you inspired me to be like you,” said the young man and told him the following story:

One day, a friend of mine _________ the classroom with a nice new watch. I loved it so much that I _________ it from him. As soon as my friend _________ he had lost his watch, he reported it to our teacher, who was you, _________. You went to the class, “This student’s watch was missing during classes today. Whoever has taken it, please _________ it.” At that time, I was _________ to raise my hand.

Then you shut the door and told us all to get up and began to _________ our pockets one by one. But you _________ us to close our eyes.

You went from pocket to pocket, and when my _________ came, you found the watch and took it. You __________ searching everyone's pockets until you finished, you asked us to open our eyes. It was the most __________ day of my life. But this was also the day my __________ was saved. You never __________ anything about the incident later, nor even gave me a right or wrong lesson, but I received your __________ clearly. I understood what a real educator needs to do.

If an educator must make students lose the __________ of other people, he doesn’t know how to teach.

1.

A．watched

B．cleaned

C．entered

D．designed

2.

A．borrowed

B．stole

C．learned

D．heard

3.

A．imagined

B．feared

C．realized

D．regretted

4.

A．immediately

B．hopefully

C．possibly

D．luckily

5.

A．change

B．share

C．throw

D．return

6.

A．forced

B．glad

C．grateful

D．afraid

7.

A．fill

B．search

C．exchange

D．use

8.

A．encouraged

B．expected

C．allowed

D．required

9.

A．turn

B．choice

C．chance

D．result

10.

A．considered

B．continued

C．started

D．stopped

11.

A．interesting

B．confident

C．shameful

D．dangerous

12.

A．goal

B．fame

C．business

D．dream

13.

A．mentioned

B．described

C．argued

D．complained

14.

A．reason

B．excuse

C．report

D．message

15.

A．admiration

B．help

C．respect

D．support