1 . As the saying goes, life is sweet. But while we may wish for consistently sweet moments, life often serves us other _________.

Recently, we celebrated my mom’s birthday. In her nineties now, as she _________ the closing stages of a long and remarkable life, she struggles with dementia (痴呆), leading to her mind and body not _________ the way she would want.

The day before the celebration, we _________ to bake cookies with her great grand kids. Not just any cookies, but 60 _________ sugar cookies cut in different shapes, covered with lots of sprinkles (糖屑). Though the kids worked as carefully as they could, they made the kitchen a total mess, _________almost as many sprinkles on the floor as on the cookies. They went on for hours, rolling dough, baking, cutting shapes, and _________ with four kinds of sprinkles.

The next day, the birthday _________ was a success. We took many pictures, and the beautiful cookies were shared. In an _________ way, those sweet sprinkles have not only stuck in my mind but remained almost everywhere in our home for the past few days. In every __________, I continue to find them, in all the colors of the rainbow, four shapes and sizes, sweet, and after I __________ step on them, not so sweet.

Truly, these are bittersweet moments, filled with __________ emotions. From such moments, we unwillingly learn that much in life is __________ our control: the separations and losses, the __________ of life, the passage of time. Life serves up many flavors. __________, we can choose our attitudes on the journey.

1.

A．memories

B．flavors

C．experiences

D．smells

2.

A．forgets

B．realizes

C．nears

D．questions

3.

A．functioning

B．changing

C．failing

D．growing

4.

A．decided

B．asked

C．managed

D．continued

5.

A．new-born

B．snow-covered

C．hard-won

D．home-made

6.

A．working on

B．preparing for

C．cutting off

D．resulting in

7.

A．checking

B．decorating

C．struggling

D．volunteering

8.

A．cake

B．wish

C．gift

D．party

9.

A．unexpected

B．unknown

C．undoubted

D．unlimited

10.

A．picture

B．cookie

C．room

D．house

11.

A．dangerously

B．successfully

C．emotionally

D．accidentally

12.

A．new

B．strong

C．mixed

D．negative

13.

A．within

B．through

C．beyond

D．toward

14.

A．shortness

B．meaning

C．record

D．style

15.

A．Instead

B．However

C．Meanwhile

D．Therefore

2 . Rejection doesn’t always hurt. Sometimes rejection may _________ a more certain path to our final goals.

This year football fans have been watching to see how Joe would _________ in the playoffs(季后赛) this season. Joe dreamed to play in the National Football League (NFL), but his journey wasn’t a(n) _________ one. He applied to several colleges, but none _________ him. Later, he got into Ohio State, but he sat on the _________ for three years. Ohio State had a great football program and coaches, who didn’t think Joe had _________. But Joe thought differently. He _________ Nebraska and got rejected once again, but he didn’t quit. Then he applied to Louisiana State University, which accepted him. The rest is history.

Joe became the Heisman Trophy _________ during his senior year, then he was admitted to the NFL, and later, his team participated in the World Championship.

Joe’s story reminds us that there are _________ paths to our final goals and that it __________ strong endurance and determination to reach them. No single __________ is going to prevent you from __________ your long-term goals. Be sure to__________ the pain that comes from disappointment and face it bravely. Try to focus on goals rather than the __________ outcome of being rejected and remember that the hurt of rejection comes from how we __________ it.

1.

A．follow

B．lead

C．create

D．clear

2.

A．study

B．perform

C．train

D．join

3.

A．tough

B．fun

C．attractive

D．easy

4.

A．accepted

B．remembered

C．rejected

D．ignored

5.

A．bench

B．stand

C．team

D．stage

6.

A．chance

B．resource

C．potential

D．enthusiasm

7.

A．signed up for

B．applied to

C．attended to

D．searched for

8.

A．fan

B．adviser

C．learner

D．winner

9.

A．similar

B．smooth

C．multiple

D．flat

10.

A．costs

B．takes

C．makes

D．offers

11.

A．theory

B．training

C．rejection

D．excuse

12.

A．achieving

B．planning

C．announcing

D．explaining

13.

A．affect

B．emphasize

C．estimate

D．acknowledge

14.

A．active

B．negative

C．possible

D．predictable

15.

A．interpret

B．imagine

C．explore

D．escape

3 . Last September, when I was searching for a blender to make fruit smooth among a pile of dusty appliances in our cupboard, a sense of emptiness occurred to me. My husband and I were always _______ with our own work and the kids with their studies and friendship. We were constantly rush through life to _______ material possessions, with little time to truly connect with each other. Our home was filled with items we _______ used, and our lives seems to be flooded with unnecessary distractions. _______ , we were desperate for a change.

My family and I decided to embrace _______ living. The process began with keeping only the things that brought us _______ or served a practical purpose.

We _______ family traditions, such as regular family dinners, game nights, and weekend outings to nature parks. These activities brought us closer together and _______ a sense of belonging and unity.

We preferred experiences like hiking, picnicking over material goods, and spending quality time together _______ in luxurious purchases. These not only delighted us in the moment but also ________ lasting memories.

We started growing vegetables, ________ our reliance on store-bought produce. We discovered that we could live comfortably with much ________. This also deepened our connection to nature. As we let go of material possessions, our ________ as a family has strengthened, and we have grown to appreciate the ________ of life itself. True wealth lies not in the things we own, but in the love we share and the ________ we create together.

1.

A．interested

B．delighted

C．busy

D．helpful

2.

A．share

B．determine

C．realize

D．pursue

3.

A．immediately

B．ultimately

C．frequently

D．rarely

4.

A．Besides

B．Therefore

C．However

D．Otherwise

5.

A．strange

B．different

C．simple

D．luxurious

6.

A．entertainment

B．preparation

C．joy

D．fitness

7.

A．recall

B．relieved

C．reacted

D．recovered

8.

A．promoted

B．collected

C．made

D．shaped

9.

A．other than

B．rather than

C．as well as

D．apart from

10.

A．created

B．left

C．extended

D．remembered

11.

A．placing

B．boosting

C．reducing

D．distributing

12.

A．less

B．later

C．worse

D．further

13.

A．ability

B．bond

C．image

D．belief

14.

A．richness

B．fullness

C．kindness

D．goodness

15.

A．benefits

B．memories

C．miracles

D．achievements

4 . 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。

The Great Field Day

The sun was shining brightly on the day of the big school field day. All the kids from different schools gathered for a day of fun games and activities. As I looked around, I noticed Molly, a small girl standing all by herself on the side of the field.

Feeling curious, I walked up to Molly and asked why she wasn’t playing with the other kids. She usually had a big smile, but today she looked a bit sad. After a little pause, she told me she decided not to join in. I wondered why, as she had been excited about this day for a long time.

Feeling a bit worried, I had a chat with the person in charge and found out that Molly was worried about not being as fast or strong as the other kids. The person in charge thought it was best to let Molly choose whether to play or not.

Trying to cheer her up, I told Molly that she had her own-special qualities, and if she wanted to play, what others thought didn’t matter. Molly, still unsure, decided to give it a shot and joined me, looking a bit shy. I whispered, “It’s your choice. Don’t let what others think stop you. Your preparation is what counts the most.” Molly took a deep breath and turned to me with watery eyes.

注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为120左右;
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1

We sat down together, and I reminded Molly that only she could decide what to do.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2

When the activities began, Molly stood with the other kids at the starting line of the race.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . In high school, I got my first job at the local hardware (五金制品) store, all thanks to Mr. Anderson, our neighbor. He offered me a chance to _________ there. My parents gave the thumbs (拇指) up, so I _________ the world of part-time jobs.

My daily tasks weren’t too _________. I tidied up shelves and helped _________ find what they needed. But working in a(n) _________ hardware store during the summer turned out to be more _________ than I thought. I had to manage between helping customers with screws and refilling shelves with goods.

At dinner, I’d _________ tales of my day, admitting that the _________ was proving more difficult than I first thought. My dad, who had his share of hands-on experience fixing cars, would laugh and share _________ from his early mechanic (机械师) days.

He’d say, “Jobs like this teach you more than just about money; they __________ your character.” Back then, I didn’t realize that my summer __________ at the hardware store was turning out to be more than just a way to __________ some extra money.

As the summer went on, I found myself gaining a __________ understanding of responsibility and the essence of hard work. The simple __________ in the store became life lessons, teaching me to appreciate and __________ the people who work hard every day to make everything go smoothly.

1.

A．work

B．study

C．play

D．wait

2.

A．dealt with

B．gave up

C．jumped into

D．took over

3.

A．clear

B．complicated

C．adventurous

D．specific

4.

A．parents

B．neighbors

C．workers

D．customers

5.

A．strange

B．empty

C．comfortable

D．busy

6.

A．challenging

B．disappointing

C．annoying

D．boring

7.

A．read

B．share

C．create

D．hear

8.

A．lesson

B．experiment

C．job

D．life

9.

A．exhibits

B．tools

C．stories

D．books

10.

A．shape

B．show

C．worsen

D．accept

11.

A．training

B．experience

C．arrangement

D．camp

12.

A．waste

B．cost

C．raise

D．earn

13.

A．deeper

B．poorer

C．quicker

D．simpler

14.

A．methods

B．answers

C．ideas

D．tasks

15.

A．help

B．respect

C．meet

D．employ

6 . I was driving when my phone alerted me to a new email. Filled with eager anticipation, I pulled over, turned on my hazard lights, and opened it. My emotions quickly changed as I learned, for the sixth and final time, that I had been denied a promotion to full professor. My institution didn’t seem to value what I brought to the table. But when I told my family that night, my children offered a surprisingly positive response. They were excited to see what I was going to do next, they said. They apparently knew long before I did that losing my bid for a promotion would turn out to be the best thing that could have happened for me.

This had been the final step in a long process spanning 15 months and involving so much effort. I had started by studying successful promotion bids and asking senior scholars for frank discussions about my readiness. I had carefully prepared my application packet, summarizing everything I had achieved in my career. For more than a year, I had spent hours every day trying to prove my worth to my university.

To my surprise, having a final answer brought a welcome sense of closure. As a first step toward healing, I decided to prioritize my own values and follow my own internal compass. I disconnected from people in my life who violated my values, cultivated my relationships with those who share my priorities and bring out the best in me, and spent more time with my family. I founded a nonprofit that helps first-generation and low-income students and young professionals advance in the workforce while serving their community. The initiative had long been a dream of mine, but I never pursued it because typical academic hiring and promotion don’t reward such efforts. Now, such considerations were no longer my North Star.

Five months after that email from top leadership, I found myself in the car again, experiencing another career-defining moment. I may have lost my bid for a big promotion, but in the end, it brought me to the right place.

1. What did the author feel after he read the email?

A．Anxious and annoyed.	B．Embarrassed and ashamed.
C．Relieved and peaceful.	D．Disappointed and sorrowful.

2. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．What contributions the writer had made.	B．What preparations the writer had made.
C．How successful the career had been.	D．How tiring the process had been.

3. Which of the following would the writer probably agree with?

A．Success is more than a title or a rank.

B．One’s internal compass is to be developed.

C．Serving the community may heal a broken heart.

D．One’s real value first lies in his family interaction.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Emails: my North Star

B．Full professor: a double-edged sword

C．A career setback becomes a great opportunity

D．An academic career witnesses a failed promotion

7 . 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。

When Mike was a seven-year-old kid, his parents usually didn’t give him money because he liked to buy junk food. They knew such food would be harmful to kids’ body.

But one day Mike strongly wished to buy such food. He knew he couldn’t persuade his parents to give him money to buy it, so he was upset. At noon that day, his mom was having a nap in the bedroom while his dad was working out of the home. Mike suddenly found his mom’s wallet on the sofa in the living room. Usually, his mom would put the wallet close to her — not this time.

Mike found a good chance to get money. He thought he could secretly take some from his mom’s wallet without letting her discover it. Then, he slowly walked towards the wallet and opened it. There was lots of money. Mike took a few coins and walked out of the house, going directly to a store in his community.

He bought a bag of food that was very peppery and a bottle of iced Coca-cola. Instead of returning home, he hung around outside to enjoy the food and the drink in case his mom discovered it. When he opened the food bag, a strong, hot and sweet smell rushed into his nose. He tasted some: it was delicious. But it was too hot and his mouth seemed to be on fire. However, he didn’t take notice of it. Minutes later, he ate up the bag of junk food and finished the drink. Then he returned home. His mother was still sleeping.

In the afternoon that day, Mike began to feel uncomfortable and wanted to vomit. He felt pain in his stomach. At first, he could stand it. However, finally, he couldn’t bear it anymore and told his mom that he felt sick. But Mike didn’t tell his mom the truth that he had some hot junk food. Not knowing what was wrong with Mike, his mom was worried.

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。

She hurried to drive him to the hospital.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mike realized he should admit what he had done.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . Everyone tries their best in life, and sometimes a few kind words of encouragement can help people realize that their efforts are not in vain (徒劳).Ⅰ remember a time when I was in fifth grade, and I was a very shy girl.

There was a drawing competition at my school that day. As everyone started to use their creative ideas to draw, I was only trying to think of something creative that could express my thoughts and emotions. Lost in my own world, I was brought back to reality when my art teacher called my name from behind. She came to me and encouraged me, saying, “Don’t overthink it, just put whatever comes to your mind on the canvas (画布). Do your best, and you will do well.”

Taking her words of wisdom to heart, I started my painting. Time flew by, and soon the bell rang, signaling the end of the time limit. We all turned in our canvases for inspection (检查). The next day, the winners of the competition were announced in front of the whole school. To my surprise, I heard my name being called second prize. It was a bolt from the blue for me, as I had never dared to dream of winning any prize.

Later on, I expressed my gratitude to my art teacher for her words of encouragement and for believing in me. That day, I became aware of my talent and started painting more whenever I had free time. Sometimes, I think that if it weren’t for her words of encouragement, I may have never discovered the talent I have.

Overall, this experience taught me the importance of encouraging others and how a few kind words can make a significant impact on someone’s life.

1. What was the author doing when called by the art teacher?

A．Organizing a drawing competition.	B．Trying to get some creative ideas.
C．Painting her work on her canvas.	D．Trying to get help from others.

2. What did the author think of the competition?

A．Easy.

B．Interesting.

C．Challenging.

D．Encouraging.

3. What do the underlined words “bolt from the blue” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Addiction.

B．Puzzlement.

C．Disappointment.

D．Surprise.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Power of Encouragement

B．The Importance of Art Competitions

C．Overcoming Shyness Through Painting

D．Discovering Your Great Natural Ability

9 . Bobby had attempted to climb the big snowy mountain. He had tried it at least thirty times but had always_________. He began at a god pace, focusing on the snowy summit, imagining the wonderful _________ there. But as he went on. and his strength dwindled (减少), his gaze would _________and look at his worn out boots. _________ , when the clouds had gathered round him, and he understood that he wouldn’t be able to_________ the view from the summit that day, he would give up and return to the village below.

On one of these _________he went up the mountain accompanied by old Peeper, the town optician (配镜师), who witnessed the_________. Peeper encouraged Bobby to try again, and he_________him with a pair of special sunglasses. “If it starts_________over, or if your feet start hurting, put these glasses on. These are__________glasses; they’ll help you. ”Bobby accepted the gift without giving it much mind, __________when his feet started hurting again, he put on the glasses. Just as nearly always seemed to happen, __________returned in the form of cloud cover. But this time it was so__________that he could still see the summit through the clouds. And so Bobby kept climbing, __________his pain, and finally arrived at the summit. His feeling of__________was incomparable with the mountain below surrounded by a sea of clouds. Bobby didn’t remember the clouds being as thick as that, so he looked more __________at the sunglasses, and understood everything.

Peeper had engraved a light __________on the lenses, in the form of the snow-covered summit. It was made in such a way that you could only see it if you looked__________He thanked Peeper for using that little__________to help him see that his aims were not __________, and that they were still there, where they had always been.

1.

A．stopped

B．failed

C．succeeded

D．lost

2.

A．view

B．rest

C．cheer

D．time

3.

A．shake

B．spread

C．fix

D．lower

4.

A．Finally

B．Suddenly

C．Actually

D．Immediately

5.

A．catch

B．enjoy

C．notice

D．reach

6.

A．experiments

B．lessons

C．occasions

D．courses

7.

A．failure

B．trouble

C．cause

D．sight

8.

A．equipped

B．recommended

C．promoted

D．presented

9.

A．raining

B．clouding

C．coming

D．shining

10.

A．changeable

B．expensive

C．special

D．protective

11.

A．but

B．since

C．as

D．then

12.

A．hopelessness

B．warning

C．accident

D．misfortune

13.

A．beautiful

B．light

C．white

D．high

14.

A．curing

B．reducing

C．forgetting

D．remembering

15.

A．success

B．pain

C．gratitude

D．nervousness

16.

A．strictly

B．distantly

C．closely

D．nearly

17.

A．frame

B．glass

C．part

D．image

18.

A．backwards

B．upwards

C．downwards

D．forwards

19.

A．operation

B．technique

C．secret

D．trick

20.

A．easy

B．realistic

C．impossible

D．responsible

10 . In some ways, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where we ______ our day with a cup of coffee or tea. The kitchen is where we ______ ourselves, body and soul.

Sometimes you need order in the kitchen for things to run ______. Sometimes you need one person to be ______ charge. Imagine you are cooking dinner for your friends. As you are making the soup, your friend Sara ______ it and says, “This needs more salt.” So, she adds more salt.

Then Harlan comes in. He tastes your ______ and says, “You didn’t put enough pepper.” So he grinds (磨碎) some fresh black pepper into the pot.

Cecilia sees him. She tastes the soup and says, “You forgot vinegar. It’s my ______ ingredient.” Then she ______ in some vinegar.

You are happy to spend time with your friends. But, quite ______, all their opinions about your soup are becoming ______. Worst of all, you taste the soup and it’s ______!

And that is where we get the expression “too many cooks ______ the soup.”

This expression describes an age-old ______: If too many people help to complete a task, it may not go very well.

So there should be a cook in the kitchen. He is the ______. Other people can be assistants helping him. And the cook has the final ______.

1.

A．enjoy

B．finish

C．start

D．spend

2.

A．prepare

B．eat

C．cook

D．feed

3.

A．frequently

B．actively

C．smoothly

D．quickly

4.

A．from

B．for

C．with

D．in

5.

A．tastes

B．heats

C．mixes

D．drinks

6.

A．meat

B．soup

C．vegetable

D．food

7.

A．wonderful

B．famous

C．secret

D．delicious

8.

A．pours

B．fills

C．puts

D．blows

9.

A．importantly

B．strangely

C．interestingly

D．frankly

10.

A．charming

B．inviting

C．annoying

D．embarrassing

11.

A．salty

B．awful

C．sour

D．hot

12.

A．spoil

B．share

C．make

D．polish

13.

A．mystery

B．discovery

C．tradition

D．problem

14.

A．leader

B．host

C．assistant

D．manager

15.

A．method

B．direction

C．advice

D．say