1 . As a child, I was proud of my southern origin. My own voice reflected my family’s past and present-part northern Mississippi, part Tennessee, all southern. There was no sound I loved more than my grandmother’s accent: thick, sweet, warm.

While growing up, I began to realize outside of our region, southerners were often dismissed as uncultured and ignorant. I was ready to leave behind my tiny town in West Tennessee, starting a new life and jumping at big chances in some far-off cities. In that embarrassing space between “teen” and “adult”, my accent was a symbol of everything I thought I hated about my life in the rural South. I feared it would disqualify me from being a noted magazine writer. I would have to talk less “country”. So I killed a piece of myself. I’m ashamed of it, but I’m more ashamed that I tried to kill that part of someone else-change Emily’s accent.

I met Emily in college. She was determined to work for the student newspaper, which was where I spent most of my waking hours, and we became friends. She, unlike me, accepted her roots. Early in our friendship, her mother asked where I was from, assuming it was somewhere up north. Then I felt my efforts paid off and even wanted to ignore the mistake.

Emily is two years younger and she cared about my opinion. I advised her to be more like me and hide her signature Manchester accent. I stressed that throughout our college years, often by making fun of her vowel (元音) sounds. I told myself I was helping her achieve her dream of working as a reporter. Now, I see that it was actually about justifying my hiding part of myself.

Grandma Carolyn used to tell me, “Girl, don’t forget where you come from.” Now I truly understand that. Many things have faded from memory, but this sticks in my mind with uncomfortable clarity. Now that I am grown and have left the South, it’s important to me.

1. What made the author want to leave her hometown?

A．Appeal of convenience in cities.

B．Her dream of becoming a writer.

C．Outside prejudice against southerners.

D．Her desire for the northern accent.

2. How did the author feel about the mistake of Emily’s mother?

A．Upset.

B．Pleased.

C．Ashamed.

D．Surprised.

3. Why on earth did the author try to change Emily’s accent?

A．To prove herself right.	B．To help Emily be a reporter.
C．To make herself influential.	D．To protect Emily’s self-dignity.

4. What message does the text want to convey?

A．Stay true to your roots.	B．Never do things by halves.
C．Hold on to your dreams.	D．Never judge a person by his accent.

2 . Ben was bothered every time he went through the kitchen. It was that little metal contain on the shelf above his wife Martha’s cook stove, which he had been repeatedly _________ never to touch. The reason, she said, was that it contained a “secret _________” from her late mother, and since she had no way of ever _________ the container, she was _________ that if Ben picked it up and looked inside, he might accidentally drop it and spill its _________ contents.

Ben never saw Martha cook a dish without taking the container of the shelf and sprinkling (洒) _________ a little of the contents over the ingredients. Whatever was in that container, it surely _________ Anyone who ever ate at their house felt Martha was the best _________ in the world. Looking into that container became increasingly _________ for Ben, but he never allowed himself to do so.

Then one day Martha became ill and was kept overnight in the hospital. Feeling lonely and bored in the house after returning home, Ben __________ the kitchen, and then the container on the shelf immediately came into view. It __________ his eyes like a magnet, and he quickly looked away, yet his curiosity brought him back again. He carefully took the container off the shelf, and opened it. Ben became __________ when what was inside came to I his sight. The container was empty, except for a little folded slip of paper at the bottom. He carefully picked it up and slowly __________ it under the kitchen light. Ben immediately __________ the handwriting as that of Martha’s mother. Very __________ it said: “Martha to everything you make, add a dash of love.”

1.

A．forbidden

B．told

C．inspired

D．threatened

2.

A．recipe

B．menu

C．herb

D．tobacco

3.

A．refilling

B．restoring

C．emptying

D．decorating

4.

A．pleased

B．concerned

C．puzzled

D．relieved

5.

A．valuable

B．previous

C．tasteless

D．messy

6.

A．yet

B．even

C．still

D．just

7.

A．failed

B．hurt

C．worked

D．changed

8.

A．wife

B．host

C．housekeeper

D．cook

9.

A．delightful

B．comforting

C．annoying

D．irresistible

10.

A．broke into

B．wandered into

C．ran out of

D．went back to

11.

A．opened

B．wetted

C．blinded

D．drew

12.

A．satisfied

B．calm

C．astonished

D．angry

13.

A．wrapped

B．unfolded

C．tore

D．wrinkled

14.

A．recognized

B．mentioned

C．treated

D．received

15.

A．stupidly

B．simply

C．cautiously

D．safely

3 . Many years ago, I was living with my best friend and we had many happy moments together. But there was one night that ________ our lives forever.

On the night of November 25, 2011, I got into a fistfight with my best friend in our kitchen. It all started because I was trying to help him. He was drinking a lot, arguing with everyone and ________ himself from others by keeping silent most of the time. This had been going on for weeks and finally I decided it was time for a(an) ________ I told him that he needed to stop drinking so much and tried to ________ his alcohol and he got angry and started ________ with me. It was scary, but by the end of the night, we were able to calm down and talk to each other.

I thought alcohol ________ was his main problem. But he was just using alcohol to ________ himself through. He was lonely, heartbroken and struggling to connect with people. So during the Christmas season a few weeks later, I gave him a ________ that I didn’t even know I had.

That Christmas my friend didn’t have any place to go, so I invited him home to my parents’ house in Lancaster. They ________ cleaned up our guest room for him and even bought him some Christmas gifts. I’ll never forget the night we arrived at my home. My parents were already ________, but my mom had prepared dinner for us, baked some cookies and left us a note. My parents are known for their ________, so I wasn’t surprised by this warm welcome. But when my friend read my mom’s note and saw all that she had prepared, he broke down and cried. That’s when I ________ how much I took my loving family for granted.

That year my friend and I both received gifts that we would ________ forever. I gave him the gift of a warm, loving, safe place to spend Christmas. And he gave me the gift of a new ________ on life. If I hadn’t shared my home with him, I wouldn’t have understood how ________ I am.

1.

A．defined

B．inspired

C．created

D．changed

2.

A．defending

B．separating

C．protecting

D．locking

3.

A．communication

B．investigation

C．exploration

D．promotion

4.

A．put up

B．take away

C．break out

D．call off

5.

A．talking

B．crying

C．fighting

D．laughing

6.

A．access

B．addition

C．abuse

D．affection

7.

A．look

B．break

C．drive

D．carry

8.

A．time

B．holiday

C．gift

D．family

9.

A．happily

B．generally

C．formally

D．hurriedly

10.

A．awake

B．asleep

C．available

D．absorbed

11.

A．generosity

B．curiosity

C．ability

D．creativity

12.

A．admitted

B．realized

C．recognized

D．accepted

13.

A．exchange

B．present

C．treasure

D．appreciate

14.

A．day

B．test

C．skill

D．eye

15.

A．kind

B．grateful

C．blessed

D．healthy

4 . The train shook back and forth, its wheels making a loud noise on the tracks. Outside the window, the freezing cold of winter ruled. The carriage was filled with passengers, cold and _________ by the journey. Suddenly, a little boy _________ his way through the grown-ups’ legs and sat down by the window. Without being paid any attention to, he looked all alone among the seemingly unfriendly grown-ups. What a _________ child, I thought. His father chose to stay by the door behind us. Then, _________, something very strange happened. The little boy slid down from his seat and leaned his hand on my knee _________, I thought that he wanted to _________ me and return to his father, so I carefully helped him to stand up. But instead, he leaned forward and held his head up towards me. Oh, he wanted to say something to me; I _________ my head to receive his message. Wrong again! What I did receive was such a _________ kiss on the cheek that everyone could hear it. The boy calmly returned to his seat, leaned back and continued looking out of the window. I felt. _________. What had just happened? A child kissed a(n) __________. grown-up on the train! How could anybody want to kiss such a man that had so much beard? But that was not the end of the story. Soon enough, the boy, encouraged by something inside, went around, and all my neighbors were certainly __________. Embarrassed and a little surprised, we smiled at the father. Seeing our questioning __________, he offered an answer as he got ready for his stop. “My boy is so happy to be alive,” the father said. “He has been very sick.” Father and son __________ into the crowd moving toward the exit. The doors closed and the train went on. On my cheek I can still feel the child’s kiss—a kiss that has triggered some soul searching inside me. “How many go around kissing each other for the joy of being alive like the boy? How many even give much thought to the privilege(特权) of __________?” The little kisser taught us a sweet but serious lesson: be careful; don’t let yourself __________ before your heart stops!

1.

A．thrilled

B．exhausted

C．delighted

D．determined

2.

A．led

B．came

C．pushed

D．lost

3.

A．brave

B．generous

C．casual

D．helpful

4.

A．hurriedly

B．anxiously

C．unexpectedly

D．accidentally

5.

A．On some occasion

B．For a moment

C．At no time

D．Once in a while

6.

A．kick

B．strike

C．search

D．pass

7.

A．raised

B．tapped

C．lowered

D．nodded

8.

A．loud

B．long

C．strict

D．strong

9.

A．ashamed

B．astonished

C．satisfied

D．scared

10.

A．well-behaved

B．elderly

C．strange

D．considerate

11.

A．praised

B．kissed

C．scolded

D．touched

12.

A．looks

B．gestures

C．characters

D．images

13.

A．pulled

B．rushed

C．flooded

D．disappeared

14.

A．sharing

B．remaining

C．moving

D．living

15.

A．regret

B．stop

C．die

D．escape

5 . “I can’t connect with your characters.”

I kept hearing the same feedback and was unable to understand why and not sure what to do. I was a character-driven writer. How could I mess up the one thing I was supposed to be good at? I was determined to convince my agent that these characters were real. After all, I knew they were real. My main character Lotus had lived inside me for years. I just needed to clarify her on the page.

I wrote and edited for a year, trying to respond to this agent’s feedback. But Lotus’ personality began to disappear. I tried to have her make “better” decisions, wear smarter fashion, and have more friends, as my agent said she acted “immature” and was “isolated”. And when this agent ultimately parted ways with me, I felt like I had failed. Now with time and distance, I realize I tried to fit Lotus into a neurotypical style to please my agent. And as a result, Lotus lost her Lotus-ness.

When that agent discouraged me from writing Lotus as autistic(自闭的), he said that would make Lotus seem more “vulnerable(脆弱的)” or an “obvious victim”. I didn’t want Lotus to seem vulnerable. Lotus’ autism is what makes her powerful, I tried to explain. But from a neurotypical perspective, Lotus’ autism could only be seen as a weakness.

Unsure of how to convince my agent of the strength and power autistic women hold, I began to write Lotus as “neurotypical”. And I failed miserably. After all, what do I know about being neurotypical? My whole life, autism was my default. Not being diagnosed until 2020, I assumed the way I saw the world was “normal”.

My current agent encourages me to write from my neurodivergent(神经多样性的) experience. With this invitation, I revisited Lotus and saw her the way I first wrote her. And when I did, the characters and the entire narrative began to make more sense.

Identifying my characters as neurodivergent not only gives me joy as a writer, but it has produced my strongest writing. For so long, I’ve combatted the advice to “write what I know”, in part because I didn’t know what I actually knew. I didn’t know I was neurodivergent. But as I mine the specificity of my lived experience, my writing is stronger. There is a power to our lived experience. It’s not a limitation on our craft, but a swinging open of the gates.

1. How did the author feel when receiving the repeated response from the first agent?

A．Confused.

B．Convinced.

C．Determined.

D．Disappointed.

2. Lotus’ personality got lost because ______

A．Lotus no longer lived inside the author	B．the author attempted to please the agent
C．the agent failed to sympathize with Lotus	D．Lotus was considered childish and lonely

3. What do we know about the author?

A．She regretted parting with the agent.

B．She owed her success in life to autism.

C．She was aware of her autism in the early years.

D．She was empowered by her autistic experience.

4. What has the author learned from her own experience?

A．Stick to your dream despite discouragement.

B．Be true to yourself and write from your heart.

C．Giving in to authority is the barrier to success.

D．Everyone is born an original instead of a copy.

6 . I attend an Art School in Southern California for Musical Theatre and have always pursued artistic pursuits throughout my life. I have also had a lot of _________ experiences from working at food banks to _________ money to help patients suffering from blood cancer. All the things I mentioned above are what _________ me to be a more appreciative and better person.

The _________ that has been by far my favorite was the _________ I did last summer. I developed and carried out a Musical Theatre Summer Camp at a local community center that _________ low-income families. This camp allowed children, who _________ wouldn’t have an opportunity, to gain a basic _________ in singing, dancing, and acting while also allowing them to feel as though they were a _________ of something.

This camp completely impacted the way I __________ both the world and the profound impact people can have. The children came from all backgrounds, and we had some homeless children, undocumented children, and many children who had experienced __________ throughout their lives. I cannot fully __________ the happiness it brings me to be able to share a creative outlet (出路) for them. I __________ believe in the importance of art and I feel incredibly grateful to have been able to share that __________ with them.

Volunteering has reminded me how important it is to __________ to others and how lucky I have been to experience everything.

1.

A．reviewing

B．approving

C．volunteering

D．attempting

2.

A．raising

B．distributing

C．chasing

D．counting

3.

A．impressed

B．remembered

C．motivated

D．troubled

4.

A．experience

B．project

C．dream

D．schedule

5.

A．zone

B．work

C．line

D．secret

6.

A．chose

B．received

C．moved

D．served

7.

A．besides

B．otherwise

C．however

D．instead

8.

A．delay

B．comfort

C．joy

D．education

9.

A．part

B．center

C．reminder

D．burden

10.

A．cultivate

B．reason

C．view

D．conquer

11.

A．connection

B．touch

C．violence

D．witness

12.

A．copy

B．express

C．indicate

D．present

13.

A．casually

B．temporarily

C．formerly

D．truly

14.

A．trade

B．trick

C．skill

D．gift

15.

A．give back

B．give in

C．get down

D．get across

7 . Beep! Beep! Beep! I rolled over and turned off my alarm clock. It was still _________ outside so I turned on the light. I got dressed quickly because I knew both of my dogs would be _________ to get outside for their morning walk. I reached over to grab a _________ and stopped. It was technically still fall but the _________ here in the Appalachian mountains of my home didn’t follow the _________. It had been cold and snowy two days ago and chilly and rainy yesterday. I had forgotten to _________ the weather report for today, however, so I wasn’t sure if I _______ my light jacket or my heavy coat.

I _________ my light jacket, pulled it on and leashed up my bigger dog. I opened the door and stepped outside. Instantly I knew I had made the _________ choice. Each breath I exhaled was a frozen mist. The wind chill was bitter cold. The grass was covered in __________ and I tried to keep my __________ while my dog dragged me along behind him.

I shivered (打寒颤) and __________ a bit but finally turned my head up to the heavens. I looked up at the __________sky and saw it was full of twinkling stars. It was so beautiful and so peaceful. __________, I felt a warmth inside of me and __________ shivering. While my dog sniffed the ground, I opened my heart to the __________ of nature’s creation. In all of its sweet seasons it had never __________ to touch my soul. It had heated my heart on the coldest days and     ________ my spirit on the darkest nights.

Our lives here are full of sweet __________ as well. From the innocence and youth of Spring to the wisdom and wrinkles of Winter. __________ all your sweet seasons. Make each day a creation of your love.

1.

A．rainy

B．dark

C．cold

D．snowy

2.

A．curious

B．afraid

C．eager

D．able

3.

A．coat

B．bite

C．leash

D．flashlight

4.

A．temperature

B．condition

C．environment

D．weather

5.

A．method

B．path

C．plan

D．calendar

6.

A．check

B．forecast

C．test

D．provide

7.

A．removed

B．needed

C．packed

D．washed

8.

A．tried on

B．decided on

C．relied on

D．focused on

9.

A．difficult

B．ideal

C．wrong

D．safe

10.

A．water

B．mud

C．dust

D．frost

11.

A．patience

B．balance

C．distance

D．promise

12.

A．complained

B．smiled

C．suffered

D．doubted

13.

A．pre-dusk

B．mid-night

C．pre-dawn

D．post-dawn

14.

A．Actually

B．Suddenly

C．Effortlessly

D．Generally

15.

A．avoided

B．regretted

C．stopped

D．continued

16.

A．wonder

B．reality

C．signal

D．challenge

17.

A．offered

B．refused

C．intended

D．failed

18.

A．found

B．admired

C．reflected

D．lighted

19.

A．discoveries

B．dreams

C．seasons

D．memories

20.

A．Enjoy

B．Examine

C．Admit

D．Remember

8 . When I first met Sarah, all I noticed was her drool (口水) running from the corner of her mouth. As Mrs. Wagner pushed the wheelchair toward me, I felt _________. Why was she seated beside me?

For the entire morning, I was uneasy. _________, I nerved myself to ask Mrs. Wagner, “Mrs. Wagner, can I have my seat _________?”

She patted (拍) my shoulder _________ and said, “Natalie, Sarah needs our care. Try it.”

Why? I didn’t need a deskmate with running drool! I decided to _________ Sarah. At three o’clock, our gym teacher came and said, “Kickball time! Put on your gym shoes. ” As I bent over to tie my shoes, Sarah’s caught my attention and I _________ how it feels to never walk. My _________ felt tight.

Mrs. Wagner asked me, “Natalie, although Sarah cannot kick, she can _________ balls. Would you help her in the gym class?”

I had to _________ and push Sarah to the __________.

Firstly, Matt kicked the ball and it came to me. I __________ it to Sarah and she threw it, which just struck Mike’s heel!

“You got him out!” I __________. Sarah laughed happily. Then I laughed, too. The rest of the game was __________ and we all enjoyed ourselves.

At the end of the day, Sarah read a journal entry to us, “My first day of school went well. I __________ playing kickball. I made a nice new friend, Natalie. ”

Sarah smiled at me. I didn’t __________ her drool. What I saw was a new friend, a friend I had almost missed.

1.

A．upset

B．interested

C．calm

D．ashamed

2.

A．Luckily

B．Finally

C．Obviously

D．Actually

3.

A．taken

B．recovered

C．changed

D．returned

4.

A．anxiously

B．pleasantly

C．eagerly

D．gently

5.

A．contact

B．ignore

C．approach

D．inspire

6.

A．discovered

B．studied

C．wondered

D．recognized

7.

A．hands

B．schedule

C．throat

D．shoes

8.

A．hold

B．throw

C．kick

D．keep

9.

A．perform

B．nod

C．react

D．sigh

10.

A．campus

B．classroom

C．stage

D．playground

11.

A．handed

B．showed

C．hit

D．lifted

12.

A．guessed

B．shouted

C．thought

D．replied

13.

A．meaningful

B．unusual

C．tiring

D．exciting

14.

A．had fun

B．took risks

C．kept on

D．thought about

15.

A．imagine

B．mention

C．notice

D．like

9 . Today, we’re going to discuss a charming children’s classic from 1976: The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein. Silverstein was an American writer, cartoonist and poet _______ for this children’s story, which has been translated into more than 30 languages.

Like many of Silverstein’s works, The Missing Piece is both _______ and rich with meaning. The main _______ of the story is a circular shape that gets around by rolling. It’s not a full circle, _______, as it’s missing a wedge-shaped (楔形的，V形的) piece of itself. It feels _______, and longs to find that missing piece of itself.

The shape goes on a(n) _______ to find that perfect wedge. It sings as it goes, has conversations along the way, and _______ the lovely scenery it passes. It meets a number of _______ wedges, but none of them are quite right. But finally, it _______ the perfect wedge. Now, the shape is a perfect circle. At first, of course, this is a ________ moment. Being totally round, the shape can roll ________ than it’s ever rolled before. Soon, though, the ________ of this becomes apparent. It can no longer sing clearly, it’s too difficult to stop for a nice ________, or it cannot roll slowly enough to take in the scenery. Being complete, it ________, is not such a great thing. The shape decides to place the wedge on the ground, and roll slowly away.

What can we learn from the story? To me, the ________ is that we feel more ________ when we’re incomplete. Everyone wants to find what is missing from themselves, but actually, the journey is more fulfilling than the ________. Rather than attempt to become perfect and whole, we should learn to cherish our ________ selves, with all of our wonderful imperfections. Not only is this a great lesson for children, but for ________ everywhere as well. It’s little wonder that The Missing Piece has remained a ________ for over 40 years.

1.

A．chosen

B．noted

C．packed

D．collected

2.

A．surprising

B．satisfying

C．convincing

D．entertaining

3.

A．character

B．purpose

C．achievement

D．background

4.

A．therefore

B．moreover

C．however

D．additionally

5.

A．awesome

B．incomplete

C．enthusiastic

D．unfortunate

6.

A．journey

B．vacation

C．business

D．interview

7.

A．pictures

B．embraces

C．admires

D．discovers

8.

A．genuine

B．perfect

C．fundamental

D．promising

9.

A．comes across

B．comes after

C．comes about

D．comes out

10.

A．gradual

B．joyful

C．passive

D．romantic

11.

A．farther

B．broader

C．faster

D．longer

12.

A．disadvantage

B．disability

C．distribution

D．disturbance

13.

A．view

B．meal

C．fellow

D．chat

14.

A．gives out

B．turns out

C．makes out

D．works out

15.

A．knowledge

B．courage

C．usage

D．message

16.

A．complete

B．confident

C．successful

D．free

17.

A．exploration

B．attraction

C．destination

D．application

18.

A．usual

B．previous

C．eventual

D．current

19.

A．grownups

B．pupils

C．acquaintances

D．communities

20.

A．power

B．theme

C．classic

D．popularity

10 . Maria stared thoughtfully at the tree fort. It was the first thing her grandpa had built for her. She had been little — it was_________ her younger brothers had been born. Of all her brothers, Maria felt that she was most like her grandpa. Grandpa had been a carpenter. Maria had always loved visiting him in his workshop. Only she had been_________ because she was the oldest. He could do anything with his own two hands, she thought_________.

Recently, Maria had decided that she was going to build a tree swing. Now she was standing_________ the tree, with her rope, seat, and tools, thinking about the best way to_________ the swing. She could throw the ropes_________ the branch. But then how could she tie the knot? She would probably need to_________ a ladder.

“Hey, what’re you doing?” called a voice from a little distance away. Maria_________ and saw her little brother Ricardo ran up to her. “None of your business,” she_________. Then, thinking better of it, she said, “__________ a swing.” “Really? Can I help?” Ricardo asked. Maria thought it over — it would be__________ to have some help. But she was the__________ in the family now, so she would have to solve her own problems.

“No,” Maria said. “I don’t need any help.” Suddenly, her other brother, Emil, came running towards them. “Hey, what’re you guys doing?” “We’re building a swing,” Ricardo said. “No, we’re not,” Maria said. “I am!” “Can I help? “Emil asked. “No!” Maria was turning red. “This is my__________. Not yours. You__________ even knew Grandpa.” She ran into the house, leaving Ricardo, Emil, and her__________ beneath the tree.

“What’s wrong, Maria?” Grandma asked. “Ricardo and Emil are bothering me,” Maria explained the__________. “They’re just trying to help. And how are you going to do it all by yourself?” “Grandpa didn’t need anyone’s help,” Maria said. “Who do you think helped him cut the boards for your tree fort?”

Grandma asked. Maria was__________. “But I don’t remember...” “Maria, Grandpa was a great carpenter, but even great carpenters need help sometimes. __________ he needed a second pair of hands, he’d ask me to help.” Grandma glanced out the window. “And it looked like you need help, too.” Maria hurried outside.

Ricardo and Emil were__________ the ladder in the yard, waving at Maria. Smiling, she began to wonder if she might not be the only one to__________ Grandpa.

1.

A．when

B．until

C．before

D．after

2.

A．forced

B．inspired

C．persuaded

D．allowed

3.

A．slowly

B．proudly

C．clearly

D．anxiously

4.

A．in

B．on

C．around

D．under

5.

A．use

B．hang

C．provide

D．hold

6.

A．over

B．by

C．into

D．down

7.

A．take

B．fetch

C．buy

D．create

8.

A．turned

B．fell

C．nodded

D．waved

9.

A．cheered

B．replied

C．warned

D．complained

10.

A．Repairing

B．Moving

C．Checking

D．Making

11.

A．annoying

B．surprising

C．nice

D．hard

12.

A．explorer

B．supporter

C．owner

D．builder

13.

A．career

B．research

C．project

D．discovery

14.

A．barely

B．surely

C．precisely

D．possibly

15.

A．collections

B．machines

C．experiments

D．materials

16.

A．action

B．procedure

C．situation

D．schedule

17.

A．confused

B．ashamed

C．disappointed

D．nervous

18.

A．Wherever

B．Whenever

C．Unless

D．While

19.

A．carrying

B．catching

C．rolling

D．climbing

20.

A．take on

B．take in

C．take after

D．take to