2 . At 20 years old, I was a confident and handsome student at the University of California at Berkey.

But that year, I ________ a bump (肿块) in my right nostril (鼻孔), and when it didn’t go away, I made an ________ with a doctor. It turned out to be a tumor (肿瘤). Then I underwent surgery. Fortunately, the procedure was ________, and I returned to classes soon.

But six months later, a new bump appeared. Numerous ________ confirmed it had reproduced a horrible, life—threatening tumor. I was advised to have another operation and ________ that I might lose part of my nose. I was too young to think about death then, but the thought of disfigurement (毁容) made me feel ________.

I awoke from the surgery with a scarred, disfigured face. As I re-entered the real world, I noticed adults ________ and children pointing—and sometimes laughing—at me. The occasional and ________ negative reactions from my friends also hurt me. My self-respect sank increasingly lower, and I constantly asked others, “Do my looks ________ you?”

Five years and 20 reconstructive surgeries later, I ________ a man receiving treatment. After hearing my question, he criticized me. My problem, he ________ me, was not my physical appearance, but my emotional insecurity. His ________ helped me realize my mental scars were far more disfiguring than my physical ones.

I began examining myself from the inside out. Later, I volunteered at a cancer support organization to offer inspiration and hope to those ________ cancer

Now, I am ________ for who I am—a much stronger person than before. To you, I offer this message: Avoid making judgements about people at ________.

1.

A．took charge of

B．took care of

C．took control of

D．took notice of

2.

A．appointment

B．arrangement

C．commitment

D．placement

3.

A．severe

B．minor

C．apparent

D．complicated

4.

A．novelists

B．specialists

C．impressionists

D．journalists

5.

A．advocated

B．predicted

C．warned

D．witnessed

6.

A．desperate

B．enthusiastic

C．delicate

D．optimistic

7.

A．smiling

B．glaring

C．glancing

D．staring

8.

A．unusually

B．unintentionally.

C．unconventionally

D．unselfishly

9.

A．bother

B．impress

C．annoy

D．restrict

10.

A．greeted

B．persuaded

C．encountered

D．grasped

11.

A．abused

B．defended

C．informed

D．motivated

12.

A．relief

B．security

C．defence

D．honesty

13.

A．going about

B．relating to

C．wrestling with

D．breaking with

14.

A．greedy

B．grateful

C．suitable

D．tolerant

15.

A．mental vitality

B．physical fitness

C．social acceptance

D．face value

3 . Life is a journey filled with ups and downs. It’s important to understand that failure is simply a part of that _______, and it’s okay to fall along the way. From the _______ days of childhood to the moment we become _______, we will unavoidably encounter barriers and setbacks. But these moments of _______ offer us a valuable opportunity to learn about ourselves, to _______ our true abilities and recognize our limitations.

Let me share a _______ story with you, one that taught me the value of facing _______ head-on. When I was in school, I _______ with certain subjects and often received poor grades. I was so afraid of _______ my parents that I would sometimes falsify my grades, ________ an F to a B simply to avoid their disappointment.

But this dishonesty didn’t bring me any closer to success. In fact, it only made things worse when I was eventually ________. I realized then that the only way to truly succeed was to ________ my failures and learn from them. And something ________ happened: as I began to tackle my struggles and work harder to improve my grades, that F ________ turned into a B, and then an A.

So remember: failure is not a sign of weakness, but an opportunity for ________. Accept it, learn from it, and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.

1.

A．journey

B．lesson

C．process

D．success

2.

A．busiest

B．earliest

C．darkest

D．hottest

3.

A．partners

B．masters

C．adults

D．clerks

4.

A．joy

B．crisis

C．truth

D．difficulty

5.

A．doubt

B．reduce

C．prove

D．discover

6.

A．sad

B．classic

C．personal

D．different

7.

A．death

B．failure

C．trouble

D．competition

8.

A．competed

B．continued

C．struggled

D．dealt

9.

A．convincing

B．cheating

C．disappointing

D．asking

10.

A．adding

B．comparing

C．preferring

D．changing

11.

A．determined

B．convinced

C．hurt

D．caught

12.

A．accept

B．cover

C．share

D．report

13.

A．amazing

B．horrible

C．new

D．special

14.

A．entirely

B．gradually

C．apparently

D．slightly

15.

A．understanding

B．growth

C．dialogue

D．recovery

4 . When I was younger, I faced one obstacle, the divorce (离婚) of my parents. I wanted to know why my mother left and no longer lived in my house, but I was not able to understand exactly what had happened. Puzzles became my escape as I knew that all puzzles have an answer; they had unknowingly become a large part of my childhood as they made sense to me unlike what was going on in my life.

My love for puzzles led me to buying a Rubik’s cube (魔方) after I saw my friend solve his own. In the beginning, I was unable to follow the guide that came with the first Rubik’s cube I bought, but then I searched up a tutorial online and learned by watching. Using my skill of memory, I was able to remember possible patterns that the Rubik’s cube could be after each step.

After I learned how to solve a Rubik’s cube and learned that it could be solved many ways, I never got tired of solving it, because there were so many combinations that every time I mixed it up, there was a different solution.

My outlook of the world changed, as I realized that there is not one concrete solution to everything, but multiple solutions. Being able to see things differently, the ways I solved some problems with multiple solutions were uncommon among my classmates. My 10th grade math teacher had acknowledged this when he wrote a comment on my test, saying he had not thought about solving a problem the way I had solved it. I gained a new perspective in approaching the challenges of life. The obstacles that we encounter throughout our lifetime are preparation in order for us to solve the everlasting mystery of life.

1. What were the puzzles for the author at the beginning?

A．A replacement for friends.	B．A way to understand parents.
C．A solution to the mysteries of life.	D．A distraction from parents’ divorce.

2. Why was the author addicted to solving the Rubik’s cube?

A．For the joy in the process.	B．For the achievements in learning.
C．For the possibility to different solutions.	D．For the praise from teachers and classmates.

3. What did the author learn from solving the Rubik’s cube?

A．Hard work pays off.	B．Rome isn’t built in one day.
C．Failure is the mother of success.	D．There is more than one way to go in life.

4. What does the author think of the obstacles in life?

A．They make life more challenging.	B．They prepare people for life puzzles.
C．They test people’s problem-solving skills.	D．They prevent people from finding solutions.

6 . Even when you have confidence in yourself, your goals will sometimes seem out of reach. When that happens, get hold of the people who _________ you and your goals and don’t let go!

When I was younger, I _________ because life felt so hard. I had _________to become a teacher or a business administrator. I knew I needed a college degree, but I had _________ believing in myself. Then a teacher in my high school _________ me. He told me three things: First, if you don’t believe in yourself, it will be _________ to get anyone else to believe in you. Second, never let other people’s _________ to see your brilliance prevent you from being brilliant. And third, despite life’s _________, stick to creating the future you want.

Early in my _________, I was teaching a workshop when a person in the audience yelled out to me. He told me I had __________ made a job choice and had a bright future. This __________ feedback (反馈)came at just the right time, because while the audience didn’t know it, I was __________ self-doubt.

Even now, I __________ myself that I have a bright future. That’s what I tell myself when I __________ success and failure. You have a bright future ahead. Think about this every single day. Remember your talents, skills, and interests. Explore the jobs that interest you, and have courage—and most __________, believe in yourself.

1.

A．refer to

B．depend on

C．learn from

D．believe in

2.

A．quit

B．struggled

C．regretted

D．argued

3.

A．responsibilities

B．dreams

C．opportunities

D．doubts

4.

A．stopped

B．admitted

C．allowed

D．considered

5.

A．tracked

B．recommended

C．accompanied

D．encouraged

6.

A．serious

B．possible

C．hard

D．necessary

7.

A．request

B．unwillingness

C．inability

D．attempt

8.

A．difficulties

B．options

C．aims

D．standards

9.

A．career

B．experiment

C．business

D．recovery

10.

A．foolishly

B．simply

C．wisely

D．bravely

11.

A．original

B．familiar

C．typical

D．positive

12.

A．looking into

B．taking down

C．dealing with

D．pointing out

13.

A．introduce

B．remind

C．guarantee

D．warn

14.

A．experience

B．describe

C．compare

D．limit

15.

A．probably

B．fortunately

C．obviously

D．importantly

7 . As a teacher for a decade, I find that college kids want to carve their routes and live out their journeys. But so many of them don’t know what they want to do—what major to choose? What career to pursue? What topic to write their papers on? More importantly, they wonder why any of these things really matters.

One of the best books I have read is Dr. Meg Jay’s The Defining Decade. Basically, Dr. Meg Jay explains one’s 20s have an enormous effect across years and even generations to come, in terms of careers, families, friends, and relationships. She states that our brain completes the second and last growth peak in our 20s as it rewires itself for true adulthood.

From the time we are in primary school, people ask us what we want to be when we grow up. I once asked my friend’s eight-year-old the question and she said, “I’m just a kid; I have no way of knowing what I want to be when I’m an adult.” Maybe the questions should be: What means something to you? What makes you happy? What do you care about regardless of any rewards? This train of thought may benefit all.

In a world of easy access, today’s students can find everything they need after a few clicks on the Internet. Sure, that’s great, quick and convenient. But there is something important missed in the hunt persistence(坚持), patience, and concentration. So I’m grateful that when I was in college, I still had to visit the library to find the resources I needed to write a research paper. During this process, I reflected on what truly made me happy and what I genuinely cared about.

My friend Brandon recently told me that he often woke up in the early morning and realized things he cared about were not what he devoted his life to, because he took the way that others considered good when he was in his 20s, instead of the way that was right for him. What you want to be when you grow up is something that may change throughout your life, but it’s likely that your passion and motivation will always come along.

1. What idea does Dr. Meg Jay express in her book?

A．One’s twenties matter a great deal in one’s life.

B．The brain is in its most active stage in our 20s.

C．One’s career choice affects their family members.

D．The old have a long-time influence on the young.

2. Why does the author include a series of questions in Paragraph 3?

A．To help people find out what they truly love.

B．To call on people to make plans for the future.

C．To encourage people to have a positive attitude.

D．To warn people to learn life skills at an early age.

3. What is the author’s attitude towards students’ turning to the Internet?

A．Favorable.

B．Optimistic.

C．Objective.

D．Uncaring.

4. What can we learn from Brandon’s story?

A．Laziness in youth spells regret in old age.

B．Our dreams keep changing throughout life.

C．Our life journey is always full of uncertainties.

D．We should follow our heart and live a full life.

8 . David was the type of guy who always decided everything that he was supposed to do. One day, something ______ happened to David.

After his 30th birthday, David went to see his ______ for a physical check-up.

A few days later, David ______ the phone call from his doctor. The doctor said. “We have found a cancerous tumor (肿瘤) in the back of your ______. Fortunately, it’s not too big, if we get it out as soon as possible, we don’t think there will be any further complications. However, it is a very dangerous procedure.” With ______ and fear in his voice, David says, “What kind of risks?” “Well, the tumor is very close to your brain stem, so if we make a wrong move, you could experience long-term brain ______, which would impair (损害) many different things, like the way you speak, the way you think, your ______. You may even forget the people who you love in your life.” ______ began falling down David’s face. “Do you want me to book it?” the doctor said. “I guess so,” David said.

It was now time for the surgery. David ______ there on the white medical bed in the operating room, waiting to be put to sleep… Fortunately, the surgery was a ______. He is now physically healthy.

This is how most people live their whole lives. They pick a career that they don’t really like. They ______ a partner that their friends or their family will tell them is a good one. They will choose a value ______ that social media or society tells them is a virtuous (道德高尚的) one.

Most people will be infected with the False Self ______ until the day they die. The only cure for this disease is that you have to ______ listening to other people who tell you how you should live your life. And then, once you do that, you have to become self-aware in order to ______ what type of life you want to live.

1.

A．complex

B．ideal

C．pleasant

D．awful

2.

A．doctor

B．nurse

C．teacher

D．professor

3.

A．recalled

B．received

C．exposed

D．expected

4.

A．stomach

B．hand

C．foot

D．brain

5.

A．shock

B．crisis

C．fantasy

D．shortage

6.

A．adaptation

B．motivation

C．consumption

D．damage

7.

A．memory

B．imagination

C．vision

D．reflection

8.

A．Liquid

B．Water

C．Tears

D．Juice

9.

A．went

B．stood

C．returned

D．lay

10.

A．panic

B．success

C．failure

D．congratulation

11.

A．agreed

B．designed

C．choose

D．analyze

12.

A．principle

B．procedure

C．system

D．structure

13.

A．Disease

B．Problem

C．Cure

D．Patience

14.

A．keep

B．enjoy

C．stop

D．consider

15.

A．make inferences

B．figure out

C．insist on

D．bring about

9 . About 30 years ago, an acoustic neuroma (听神经瘤) was found inside my body. The removal of the neuroma caused my temporary balance issues and permanent hearing loss in one ear. Apart from this, I was fine.

Unexpectedly, the neuroma came back years later. It had to be removed again. Otherwise it would threaten the rest of my brain. When I awoke from the second operation, I had stroke-like symptoms. The whole right side of my body almost stopped functioning, and still does.

Overnight my whole identity had changed. I used to effortlessly leap up the stairs two at a time, but now it takes fifteen minutes to struggle. Attempts at the recovery of the old me proved to be fruitless. My family role also shifted from a father to a dependent child, and coupled with my communication problems, this led to increased frustration (沮丧) and anger.

There were concerns too about whether I would ever be accepted again in the wider world. Soon after this I just managed to swim in a pool. A ten-year-old boy I didn’t know came up and asked me if I had been on the water slide yet. As politely as possible, I said no, and we struck up a conversation about it. For the first time a stranger was speaking to me as an equal like before. Though insignificant then, it opened doors to a whole new way of being seen, and seeing myself.

To make sure the neuroma did not reappear, I received radiation treatment for two hours regularly, during which I loved listening to music by Tom Waits, an eccentric (古 怪的) singer most people dislike, but I don’t care. For me, life after brain injury is like Waits’ odd works. Out of failure, ugliness, and horror-the most unpromising raw material-a beautiful diamond can be created that shines out even more brightly because of its dark surroundings.

1. What happened to the author after his single-sided deafness?

A．He lost the ability to keep balance.

B．His acoustic neuroma regrew.

C．He underwent two operations in a row.

D．His vision was accidentally damaged.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The author’s efforts to rebuild his disabled body.

B．The author’s self-reflection on his cultural identity.

C．The different attitudes of the author’s family to him.

D．The considerable impact of the author’s brain injury.

3. How did the author find his talk with the boy?

A．Reasonable.

B．Engaging.

C．Life-changing.

D．In-depth.

4. What lesson did the author learn from Tom Waits’ music?

A．Music is the universal language of mankind.

B．Suffering often leads to new self-discovery.

C．Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear.

D．Live for yourself, not for the approval of others.