1 . For most people, the weekly shopping is just an ordinary task.     1     When I travel abroad, the first thing I do after dropping my bags off is go to the grocery store (杂货店).

The variety of products in different countries fascinates me every time I travel somewhere new.     2     Another surprise in Malta was their selection of ice cream available even in the smallest grocery stores, the best of which was a pack of delicious ice cream sandwiches.

By wandering around a grocery store in another country, I can imagine what the lives of its citizens are like. In Italy, I saw one aisle (过道) filled entirely with different types of pasta. I smiled to myself and thought that Italians really do love their pasta.     3     Because I can see the types of things that Germans might buy on impulse (一时冲动).

    4     But it is important to get involved in the daily lives of a country’s citizens and know more about them through grocery shopping. I can watch kids begging their parents for sweets. Or watch couples pick up snacks and drinks for a party on a Friday night.     5     Indeed, it’s a chance to slow down and imagine what people’s lives are like, and find that they are not so different from our own.

A．In Germany, walking through the middle aisle was a delight.

B．But for me, I find a lot of joy in grocery shopping.

C．Grocery stores are a great place where I can buy all kinds of local food.

D．In Malta, I found the most delicious chocolate-filled bread.

E．Grocery shopping is not just an act of watching people buy food.

F．People might find it a strange habit to go grocery shopping on holiday.

G．People prefer to spend more time on something more fun like visiting museums.

2 . It is William Shakespeare, the great coiner, who is given credit for the word. Coriolanus, one of his characters, compares going into exile (流放) to a “lonely dragon” retiring to his cave. He was talking about a physical state: someone who was lonely was simply alone. Then, thanks to the Romantic poets, the word took on emotional meanings. Loneliness became a condition of the soul. For William Wordsworth, who famously “wandered lonely as a cloud”, the natural world offered an escape from negative feelings of loneliness — a host of flowers could provide “cheerful company”. Today, loneliness is often seen as a serious public-health problem, creating the feeling of disconnection.

In his book Solitude, Netta Weinstein, a psychology professor wonders the rewards of time spent alone. He begins with an account of stories of solitude created by figures such as Michel Montaigne, a writer, and Edward Hopper, a painter. Netta then draw on laboratory work, interviews and surveys to clarify how being alone really affects the human mind.

It is common to treat loneliness and solitude as synonyms (同义词), but they are not. The author suggests that what is negatively described as one state can be positively expressed as the other. Loneliness, often perceived as negative, can potentially be transformed into a positive experience of solitude. To this end he emphasizes how being alone can help restore people and offers practical advice. In a noisy world, he argues, people should make time to be alone, away from attention-grabbing motives.

The book’s interviewees mostly regard a lack of company as a contributor to autonomy. But this depends on whether solitude is desirable or not. Enforced solitude, such as that experienced by prisoners, typically leads to nothing but suffering. Elective solitude, by contrast, affords space for self-reflection. It can open the door to “peak experiences” such as wonder, harmony, and happiness. In a highly-connected digital age, however, many readers do not fancy their chances of ever taking a long enough break to have such experiences.

1. How does paragraph 1 introduce the concept of loneliness?

A．By tracing its development.	B．By analyzing causes.
C．By making a point to be argued.	D．By sharing a romantic story.

2. What does Netta Weinstein’s book Solitude focus on?

A．The various terms of solitude.

B．The societal impact of solitude.

C．The long-standing history of solitude.

D．The psychological benefits of solitude.

3. Netta describes the state of loneliness as __________.

A．stressful

B．essential

C．changeable

D．never beneficial

4. What does Netta most probably agree with according to the last paragraph?

A．Enforced solitude is a matter of choice.

B．Enforced solitude contributes to autonomy.

C．Elective solitude is rare in the digital world.

D．Elective solitude interrupts peak experiences.

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

Brrrring! The bell rang as I tapped out a quick beat on my desk. I’ve figured it out, finally! I couldn’t wait to play it for my neighbor Mia.

Mia and I had been working for weeks on a song for Saturday’s band competition but we had been stuck on the ending.

I waved when I saw a familiar face jogging toward me down the hall.

“Hey, Will!” Liam grinned. “Ready for some training after school? I’ve been working on my jumper.” He turned around and shot an imaginary ball into the air.

Uh-oh. I’d forgotten all about basketball. I didn’t want to fail Liam, but I was dying to try out the new ending. Maybe if I had a reason to skip…

“Hey, Liam. I don’t feel so great.” I gave a small cough for effect. “Another time?”

“Sure, no problem. Feel better soon, OK?” Then Liam left immediately.

Lying was easier than I imagined. I could finish the song and Liam’s feelings weren’t hurt.

After playing the ending, I looked at Mia hopefully, “What do you think?”

“Perfect!” She exclaimed in delight.

”That sounded great, guys.“ Liam stood on my basement steps with his eyebrows raised.

Oh, no. Busted. ”Thanks, “ I said, trying to think quickly. ”It was strange. I came home and suddenly felt fine. I would have met you at the court, but it was too late. And then Mia stopped by, and—“

”But, in fact, you called me,“ Mia said, shaking her head.

”I had intended to call to ask a homework question, and then…” My voice trailed off(逐渐减弱). I coughed, but it sounded fake. “I can’t remember how it went exactly, but I’m feeling better now.”

"Well, that’s good, I guess.” Liam forced a smile.

Before I could think of something to say, Liam tossed(扔)a case of a movie intended to comfort me onto the couch, Captain Crush, Part 2, the sequel to our favorite movie in which an evil villain’s little lie turned into a big mess, and left with eyes filled with disappointment, followed by Mia.

注意:
1. 续写词数应为75左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。(注: 第一段的续写已给出, 请根据第二段首句续写成完整的短文)

Para.1: After Liam and Mia left, I grabbed the movie and popped it in. I needed a distraction from how awful I felt. When watching the movie, I couldn’t help but thinking what if I lost two friends because of my lie. In my mind, two voices battled. The angel urged me to be frank and apologize to him while the devil argued that it was a white lie/a good excuse to spare his feelings. The two voices tortured me so much that I couldn’t bury myself in the movie. What’s worse, the hesitation left me tossing and turning restlessly for a whole night.

Para. 2: The next morning, I met Liam at the bus stop.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . Julia found some of her grandmother Georgie’s old design sketches (草图) from the 1940s. Georgie told her granddaughter she was proud of the sketches and wanted them to be _________ by more people, for _________ was a big part of her life. “Being alone all day was difficult for Grandma. I think doing something would _________ lift her spirits,” Julia said.

Julia took some pictures of those sketches and made a post. It became _________ overnight. A lot of replies under the post _________ Julia to physically make her grandmother’s designs. Though her sewing (缝纫) skills were _________, Julia decided to figure it out. And she learned the basics soon.

With the help of her grandmother, Julia spent countless hours _________ the sketches and turning them into complete designs. Despite the great interest her followers had in_________ her grandma’s designs, the dresses Julia recreated were not for sale. “We have _________ when we do these projects and we don’t like to take this too seriously. Maybe one day that’ll become a career, but right now we’re just focusing on our __________. I’m glad to put on the dresses and __________ them to Grandma. I __________ that I will re-wear the dresses. So I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible,” Julia said.

“You can have your own __________ and it’s never too late to go after it. You can still follow something __________ in your life at any age. Maybe it won’t __________, but it’s worth taking that risk,” Julia said.

1.

A．shown

B．checked

C．discovered

D．appreciated

2.

A．fashion

B．performance

C．travel

D．play

3.

A．slightly

B．greatly

C．poorly

D．hardly

4.

A．popular

B．helpful

C．different

D．convenient

5.

A．taught

B．forced

C．challenged

D．encouraged

6.

A．necessary

B．special

C．limited

D．excellent

7.

A．copying

B．protecting

C．judging

D．improving

8.

A．recording

B．buying

C．changing

D．praising

9.

A．experience

B．freedom

C．pleasure

D．instruction

10.

A．service

B．creation

C．story

D．duty

11.

A．introduce

B．hand

C．connect

D．present

12.

A．promise

B．doubt

C．admit

D．warn

13.

A．education

B．surprise

C．interest

D．memory

14.

A．natural

B．meaningful

C．peaceful

D．practical

15.

A．work out

B．stand out

C．pass down

D．move around

5 . Ahmed was a middle-class businessman and used to go to his office in a car that he had bought seven years ago. Despite being _________ stronger than most of his co-workers, he was _________. Ahmed always wanted more than he had. Whenever he got into his car, he would start finding _________ with it, and drown in self-pity for being so poor.

One weekday, Ahmed left his home to go to his office. It was raining heavily. Ahmed drove _________, for he had to be careful with his _________ car. Then, a man on a motorbike grabbed his _________. The man was _________to keep the bike steady in the thunderstorm. Ahmed was _________ the fact that he was travelling safe and dry in his car. He said to himself, “I’m travelling _________ without getting affected by the rain, while this person is in serious difficulty. I am more __________ than him.”

The day passed quickly. When Ahmed drove back home, the rain had stopped. He saw a homeless man sleeping on the wet sidewalk.

Ahmed remained __________ that night, lost in deep thought. Happiness was around him, yet he always ________ about his life. Neither his car, his house nor status was depressing; what was saddening him was his __________. He knew he had to __________ his thoughts. That day, he __________ an important lesson — happiness comes from optimism!

1.

A．physically

B．spiritually

C．intellectually

D．financially

2.

A．annoyed

B．ashamed

C．dissatisfied

D．discouraged

3.

A．things

B．faults

C．money

D．chance

4.

A．slowly

B．dangerously

C．absent-mindedly

D．self-confidently

5.

A．small

B．old

C．lovely

D．electric

6.

A．balance

B．breath

C．attention

D．imagination

7.

A．longing

B．marching

C．wandering

D．struggling

8.

A．aware of

B．excited about

C．anxious for

D．surprised by

9.

A．freely

B．comfortably

C．quickly

D．frequently

10.

A．hopeful

B．impressive

C．content

D．advanced

11.

A．awake

B．curious

C．disappointed

D．silent

12.

A．cared

B．wondered

C．worried

D．complained

13.

A．attitude

B．intention

C．identity

D．memory

14.

A．share

B．change

C．follow

D．appreciate

15.

A．missed

B．gave

C．learnt

D．observed

6 . 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。

In fifth grade, my family moved across town. I hated being the new kid at school.

I was tall for my age and already wore a size nine shoe—how awkward! My ponytails (马尾辫) and short bangs (刘海) seems quite different from others. I wanted to fit in, but in vain.

Theresa was thin but strong, with blond bangs and tightly pulled-back hair. For a reason unknown to me, she decided that I was worthy of her attention, and every day she walked up to me and kicked me in the back of the legs. Theresa was smart and quick. No teacher ever saw her, and within a week, my legs were bruised (淤青) black and blue.

One day on the playground, as Theresa was about to close in on me again, I escaped away. I glanced over one shoulder and, with relief, didn’t see her and thought she had given up. I stopped abruptly and turned around, unaware that Theresa had been running full-speed toward me. She didn’t expect my sudden stop and crashed into me and fell to the ground. A group of kids standing nearby laughed. Angry, she got up and began to kick me. I couldn’t stand any more. So I made a fist and swung my arm wildly. I caught Theresa in the nose, and she was bleeding. I didn’t know which of us was more surprised. Then we made a big fight. Consequently, we were taken to the principal’s office. He said we should be punished and then filled a form, I stared at his desk and realized that I could read the form upside down. It reads, “Labor punishment for one week.”

Theresa leaned toward me and whispered, “I guess we should get a two-week labor punishment.” I shook my head and said, “No, one week. I can read the form upside down.” Both of us were surprised that we should talk with each other.

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。
We were arranged to take care of the flowers and plants in the school garden together.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I was surprised that Theresa and I have so many things in common.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . One night, our house burned down. As a single mother with four kids, she cried bitterly. We had to move into the Ramada Inn, where my mother worked. This was the room where putting one foot in front of the next felt impossible. After four months of not having any of our own air to breathe, we were on the edge of just giving up.

One day Mother stood up, looking crazy. “Let’s go for a ride,” we looked at one another cautiously, not sure if we had heard right. “Come on,” she urged. “It’ll be fun.” We didn’t have fun in our family. Fun was something we might have known about once, which, however, seemed foreign to us now. Still, we piled into our 1972 blue Ford Torino, a blue so faded as to appear almost white. Mother started the car, saying “I thought we’d go to look at all the houses we’ve lived in.”

Embarking on rides that night was my first. Gradually, going for a ride in my mother’s car became a regular thing. Every night we piled into the car and the world changed. We even sang “You Are My Sunshine” and a million other songs. The hope we seemed to have lost in the rest of our life was real again in the car as we sang. One night as we were singing loudly, “In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines and you shiver when the cold wind blows ...” Mother suddenly stopped the car. “This is it!” she cried.

“This” was a house, and a for-rent sign in the front yard brought me more joy than I could believe. “Really?” I asked in a low voice. My mother was excited and we all went to look. We might have a house again. That night, I realized my mother was like us. The following weekend, we moved in. The nights in the car were over. Better off, we had new jobs and activities now. One summer in the Torino had saved us. We had lost our home, but my mother had found a way to bring us together and keep us that way.

1. What did the author think of the room in the Ramada Inn?

A．It was comfortable.

B．It was tiny.

C．It was fashionable.

D．It was broken.

2. How did the kids feel at first when their mother said “It’ll be fun.”?

A．Excited.

B．Embarrassed.

C．Confused.

D．Bored.

3. What does the underlined phrase “Embarking on” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Starting.

B．Desiring.

C．Designing.

D．Fixing.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Singing in the Rain	B．Taking the Easy Path
C．Ringing to the Rescue	D．Running Through Life

8 . Have you ever felt the need to grab a pen and start writing your thoughts on paper? Words—beautiful and fascinating. But you know what is better than putting your imagination somewhere? In my case, to win the competition for the best novelist.

That was a small tournament organized by my school annually to _______ our creative writing and vivid imagination. Since I had a burning passion for _______, I decided to show my power. I thought no one could _______ me.

I finished a long story and e-mailed it. As I _______ the email every day, my eyes were wandering to _______ the line “Congratulations! It is a great pleasure to inform you that…” _______, no such thing came.

I was not accepted. I _______ my abilities. The next day at school, I tried my best to be _______, avoiding the usual contact. But in the corridor, I _______ Stacy Williams, my school rival. Could she be the ________? I started walking sneakily. In class, I was just looking out of the window at the ________ clouds which were a reflection of my soul.

Thankfully, a film that night—Forrest Gump lifted my ________. I wouldn’t let a stupid competition ________ my future. I could win on the next one or even at a better tournament. The important thing was to ________ my head and face my challenges without losing hope when everything seemed ________.

1.

A．advertise

B．demonstrate

C．defend

D．distinguish

2.

A．speaking

B．acting

C．dancing

D．writing

3.

A．beat

B．touch

C．contradict

D．dominate

4.

A．answered

B．sent

C．checked

D．shared

5.

A．notice

B．smell

C．taste

D．feel

6.

A．Moreover

B．Otherwise

C．However

D．Hence

7.

A．abused

B．overestimated

C．enhanced

D．proved

8.

A．moody

B．normal

C．natural

D．invisible

9.

A．encountered

B．shadowed

C．greeted

D．congratulated

10.

A．sponsor

B．organizer

C．reporter

D．winner

11.

A．clean

B．dark

C．soft

D．light

12.

A．spirits

B．eyes

C．boundary

D．restriction

13.

A．promote

B．decide

C．sustain

D．safeguard

14.

A．lower

B．position

C．straighten

D．shake

15.

A．never-ending

B．abstract

C．contradictory

D．hopeless

9 . We cannot argue with reality. We cannot argue with science. Therefore, we simply cannot argue with the fact that there are no straight lines in the universe.

Let’s start with science. The science of a straight line falls under the subject of physics. It might seem like a complicated topic, but the theory behind it is pretty simple. If you start rowing in a boat from one place and keep sailing, the concept of the curved (弯曲的) Earth will take you in a circle and you will end up where you started. The brain forms the concept of a straight line to simplify what you see in nature. Consider it a tool for the mind to recognize reality.

The concept of straight lines was controversial and heavily influenced the politics and society of Europe from the 15th century to the 17th century. Greek thinkers and scholars like Aristotle in the 5th century already proved that the Earth was a globe, but many Europeans at that time did not believe in this idea! However, some Europeans during the Age of Exploration denied this belief. Just as the famous Italian scientist Galileo Galilei was persecuted (迫害) for advocating a heliocentric (日心的) model of the solar system, many thinkers like Giordano Bruno were shamed for believing that the Earth was round.

Well, my friends, let’s move on to life. The concept of nothing going in a straight line can be associated with life as much as it relates to science and architecture. Whenever you do something, it never turns out to play out exactly as planned. I especially know that as a thirteen-year-old! Life is a rough road—every time you go forward, it is followed by two steps back or to the side. Just like how science explains it, life is a curvy path full of unexpected twists, turns, and adventures that nobody can ever predict.

1. What does paragraph 1 function as?

A．An introduction to the topic.	B．A means to attract readers.
C．An explanation of a common sense.	D．A proof of the author’s opinion.

2. What would happen without the concept of straight line?

A．The mind could not recognize realities.	B．Things in nature might look complicated.
C．What you see in nature could seem simple.	D．People in the 16th century might find the Earth flat.

3. Which can best describe the road of proving the Earth round?

A．Plain and smooth.

B．Easy but fruitless.

C．Long and tough.

D．Bothersome but safe.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．A Straight Line: Everything Simple	B．A Straight Line: People’s Good Wish
C．A Straight Line: Difficult To Prove	D．A Straight Line: Simply Nonexistent

10 . A few days before my high school ended, I was sitting in my English class. My classmates were talking about who would be the first person to shed tears at _________ . Then, everyone looked at me, and I began to ________ right then and there. I am not an emotional person,but the _________ of leaving this place hit me hard. I never knew how much this building and the people in it ________ to me, until my last days.

High school isn’t for everyone, but there is something for everyone in high school. You just have to ______ out what your“thing”is. I ______ found my “thing” in high school and that was Student Government. For once I had a(n) ________ . I served as the representative of my class, and it gave me a ________ to convey not only my own, but my classmates'_______ to teachers and our school.

But there were a lot of times when I felt ______ . I sat in the classroom looking at the clock, ______ for the end of school day. I ______ the days until summer like it was my job. But now I ______ I could take back all of those moments.

My biggest ________ to anyone still in high school is to make your school a place where you want to go. High school goes by very quickly. You only get one chance to be a high schooler, so take ________ of it.

1.

A．school

B．graduation

C．break

D．random

2.

A．cry

B．lie

C．sing

D．sigh

3.

A．proposal

B．option

C．possibility

D．thought

4.

A．meant

B．replied

C．reacted

D．faded

5.

A．bring

B．figure

C．cross

D．carry

6.

A．anxiously

B．bravely

C．luckily

D．initially

7.

A．organization

B．impression

C．voice

D．discovery

8.

A．benefit

B．chance

C．challenge

D．purpose

9.

A．objectives

B．principles

C．concerns

D．updates

10.

A．disturbed

B．sheltered

C．alarmed

D．inspired

11.

A．applauding

B．searching

C．fighting

D．longing

12.

A．counted down

B．went through

C．set aside

D．put off

13.

A．promise

B．assume

C．pray

D．realize

14.

A．support

B．advice

C．rule

D．warning

15.

A．account

B．notice

C．control

D．advantage