1 . Way back in 1953, high school mathematics looked like a big problem for me and several of my classmates. When we reached the 9th grade, we got Mr.Iyer, the strict math teacher who was also our class teacher. He always stuck to his discipline. We had to arrive on time, pay attention to his lectures, and never neglect (忽视) any of his homework.

As he was our class teacher, we got to know him better. Noticing some of us were fidgety one day as the midterm exams approached, he stopped solving a mathematical problem to ask us why. “There’s too much to do,” we sighed. “We’re afraid we’ll never manage to finish our review before the exams.”

“Nothing is impossible,” Mr.Iyer told us. “This classroom is on the second floor. Do you have trouble reaching here?”

We reacted with blank (茫然的) eyes.

“No, you don’t!” he said, answering his own question. “You have a staircase to help you climb up to this level. No one expects you to make it in two giant leaps. You simply take one step at a time. Any task can be solved if you focus on the next action to be taken. The rest will take care of itself, if you keep at it. One step at a time. That’s the secret.”

Then he wrote down an old motto on the blackboard: “The longest journey starts with a single step.” Having heard his staircase analogy (比拟), we saw him in a new light.

Most of my classmates scored distinctions (优等评分) in math. And I went on to become an English teacher. To this day, whenever I pass on Mr. Iyer’s invaluable advice to my own students, they brighten up at the sight of a lighter academic burden.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．Math was difficult for most of the author’s classmates.

B．The students thought Mr.Iyer was not a good teacher.

C．Mr.Iyer was serious about his job and strict with the students.

D．Mr.Iyer would punish the students neglecting his discipline.

2. What does the underlined word “fidgety” in Paragraph 2probably mean?

A．Hard-working.

B．Nervous.

C．Excited.

D．Calm.

3. Why did the students react with blank eyes?

A．They thought reaching the second floor had no connection with the worry.

B．They were too tired to understand any words Mr.Iyer said in class.

C．They were surprised that Mr.Iyer would talk about such an unbelievable problem.

D．They had no interest in any subjects that were no good for their exams.

4. The staircase analogy tells us________.

A．one can reach his goals very easily

B．the goals can be reached step by step

C．there is only one step between success and failure

D．tasks can be achieved with the help of the teacher

2 . When Spring cleaning season rived this year I decided that it was time to get rid of more than just a Winter’s worth of dust and dirt. It was the time to get rid of years worth of accumulated (累积的) stuff as well. This stuff was lining my walls, filling my shelves, and crowding my closets. This stuff was filling my home and my mind and not bringing me one bit of happiness. I couldn’t even remember how I got some of it, but I knew I wanted it gone.

It turned out to be an even bigger job than I thought. Twenty-year-old bills and receipts were thrown in the trash. Piles of papers were no longer necessary or needed. Broken bowls, dented pans, and cracked knickknacks were finally thrown away. Unworn clothes were taken out of the closet and packed to be given away to the local charity. Old books were boxed up to be passed on for others to read and enjoy.

It took several days to get it all done, but in the end I was able to walk through a home that seemed a little less messed. My heart was a lot lighter too. It felt so good to be able to get rid of all the junk and to just focus on the essential stuff in life again.

What is the essential stuff? What is the stuff that brings meaning to our days? A loving heart is essential. A joyful spirit is essential. A soul full of goodness and God is essential. And a life full of sharing all of these things is absolutely essential. The essential stuff can’t be bought, sold, or stored. It can only be chosen, created, and given away. The essential stuff is the stuff we all really want. It is the stuff we all really need.

1. Which word can describe the author’s feeling towards accumulated stuff?

A．Satisfied.

B．Curious.

C．Bored.

D．Disappointed.

2. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 imply?

A．It is a pity that 1 should store so much stuff.

B．I really don’t want to throw away such stuff.

C．The essential stuff is actually everywhere.

D．There is more unnecessary stuff than I think.

3. In which section of a magazine can we read this text?

A．Lifestyle.

B．Technology.

C．Health.

D．Education.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．It’s Time To Move On	B．What Matters Most
C．How To Get Rid Of Junk	D．What Is Junk

3 . When I was a young man, I had a big ego (自负) and very little empathy (同理心). I thought I knew everything. I looked forward to fame and success. I can even remember proudly telling one of my friends in college: “If only everyone listened to me, they would all be happy.” I finally left school, ready to take on the world. Little did I know the world was about to take on me.

In the years following college, instead of success, I found struggles. I had trouble finding work. The jobs I did work at were either temporary or back-breaking and none of them paid well. When my wife and I had children, we were shocked to learn that not one but both of our sons had autis (自闭症) and would need to be taken care of for the rest of their lives. I had no idea why this had happened to us and I was very angry with the world.

In time, however, I began to change. My formerly massive ego was shrinking fast and my empathy was beginning to grow. Instead of finding joy in success, I found it in moments of love. Playing and laughing with my sons brought me so much happiness. My boys taught me more about peace, patience, kindness, joy, and unconditional love than I could have ever learned on my own. I began to share the lessons I learned through my writing and my life.

I finally realized that my purpose in this world had nothing to do with fame or success but everything to do with allowing love and light into my life and sharing it with everyone I could.

1. What was the author like when he was young?

A．He was popular.

B．He was a top student.

C．He was overconfident about his abilities.

D．He was warm-hearted to others.

2. After graduating from school, the author ______.

A．found a tiring but well-paid job

B．wanted to live a challenging life

C．didn’t want to have children early

D．suffered many difficulties in life

3. What made the writer change greatly?

A．The time with his family.

B．The books he wrote.

C．The difficulties in his work.

D．The improvement in his life.

4. What does the author intend to tell us with his story?

A．Life can be very hard for some people.

B．Parents need to be patient with their kids.

C．It’s important to learn how to be a father.

D．The purpose of life is to share love.

4 . I remember the day when shyness took over my life. I was 14 and having a French lesson. The teacher told us to record ourselves _____about a film. Perfect! I recorded myself______Then I pressed “play” to listen back. What I heard was a little kid talking. My______reaction was to assume I was listening to someone else’s recording. But that was my______! I realized there was something______about me.

My little voice has made me feel really shy. And my shyness has caused me to _____attending events, not make important______, and keep my ideas to myself. As a shy person, working from home, hiding behind my computer was______, but the more time I spent hidden away, the smaller my comfort zone became. Everyday______, like ordering a coffee, became increasingly awkward and______.

And, then, one day I was at a big conference and it suddenly _____me like lightning. All speakers were confident, comfortable with being______. There were no quieter voices. But the_____is, if the loud voices are the only ones you hear, we quieter people feel even more______. The world needs mixture of personalities. Success is not just about who can shout the _____. The world needs quieter people, too. That day I chose to stop______and hug my shyness. No more feeling like I needed to change who I am in order to______. No more living a small life.

Then I created the Shy and Mighty Society, a space for shy people like me to______, and in the process of helping others, I could also push myself______, bit by bit. Now, I’m happy to tell people I feel shy. I’m not______any more. And I know that I’m not alone.

1.

A．hearing

B．speaking

C．reading

D．writing

2.

A．with ease

B．in peace

C．with confidence

D．in astonishment

3.

A．immediate

B．physical

C．active

D．violent

4.

A．work

B．habit

C．talent

D．voice

5.

A．fantastic

B．interesting

C．strange

D．unique

6.

A．prefer

B．avoid

C．excuse

D．continue

7.

A．connections

B．studies

C．reforms

D．arrangements

8.

A．boring

B．real

C．brilliant

D．awful

9.

A．applications

B．actions

C．expressions

D．interactions

10.

A．uncertain

B．uncomfortable

C．unusual

D．unnecessary

11.

A．affected

B．disturbed

C．hit

D．reminded

12.

A．seen

B．questioned

C．seated

D．served

13.

A．principle

B．trouble

C．advantage

D．lesson

14.

A．isolated

B．close

C．friendly

D．cruel

15.

A．fastest

B．earliest

C．hardest

D．loudest

16.

A．socializing

B．complaining

C．working

D．hiding

17.

A．live

B．develop

C．succeed

D．behave

18.

A．study

B．shine

C．appear

D．discuss

19.

A．out

B．around

C．back

D．forward

20.

A．ashamed

B．disappointed

C．emotional

D．sensitive

5 . I never thought I would be a “runner”. I was the girl who_______slowest in the PE class. A few years ago, I was walking with a group of_______in the Race for the Cure, a 5km race designed to_______money for the fight against breast cancer (癌), _______one lady caught my_______.

She was one of the weakest-looking women I’ve ever seen. She must have been close to seventy years old, _______a T-shirt with the word “Survivor”. She was so small that it seemed as if she could even be_______by a strong wind. But, she was running. And she was_______me and my group of friends. She ran slowly, but _______— as if each step pushed her cancer further into her past. Right at that moment, I__________that in the next Race for the Cure, I'd be running along with her.

A week later, I found myself in the__________, running on the treadmill (跑步机). Three minutes after I started, my face was bright red. I felt like my lungs were going to burst. I__________slow down to a walk. I thought of the__________at the race. I kept it up. I was able to go a little__________each time. Three and a half minutes. Four minutes. Five.

A year later, I was__________at the Race for the Cure, but this time, I__________with the runners. When the race started, the other runners passed me by. I ran forward. I__________if I'd be able to do it. But then, I remembered the__________woman. I ran as fast as I could until I finally crossed that finish line. I had just__________my first race! I looked down at my legs, amazed. They had done something I’d never thought__________. I have never felt stronger than at that moment. And I knew that I wanted to do it again.

1.

A．talked

B．walked

C．ran

D．swam

2.

A．friends

B．teachers

C．students

D．patients

3.

A．save

B．use

C．make

D．raise

4.

A．while

B．when

C．until

D．before

5.

A．breath

B．hand

C．arm

D．eye

6.

A．wearing

B．holding

C．pulling

D．waving

7.

A．turned down

B．turned over

C．taken over

D．taken down

8.

A．passing

B．watching

C．seeing

D．calling

9.

A．strangely

B．determinedly

C．excitedly

D．anxiously

10.

A．agreed

B．learned

C．decided

D．explained

11.

A．shop

B．street

C．park

D．gym

12.

A．had to

B．preferred to

C．got to

D．liked to

13.

A．prize

B．survivor

C．plan

D．woman

14.

A．earlier

B．longer

C．harder

D．farther

15.

A．even

B．again

C．ever

D．still

16.

A．watched

B．traveled

C．stood

D．waited

17.

A．wandered

B．witnessed

C．wished

D．wondered

18.

A．kind

B．brave

C．generous

D．honest

19.

A．finished

B．won

C．entered

D．missed

20.

A．good

B．right

C．possible

D．necessary

6 . There was a gardener who looked after his garden with great care. To water his flowers，he used two buckets(水桶).One was a shiny and new bucket. The other was a very old and dilapidated one，which had seen many years of service，but was now past its best.

Every morning，the gardener would fill up the two buckets. Then he would carry them along the path，one on each side，to the flowerbeds. The new bucket was very proud of itself. It could carry a full bucket of water without a single drop spilled. The old bucket felt very ashamed(惭愧的)because of its holes: before it reached the flowerbeds，much water had leaked(渗漏)along the path.

Sometimes the new bucket would say，"See how capable I am! How good it is that the gardener has me water the flowers every day! I don’t know why he still uses you. What a waste of space you are!"

And all that the old bucket could say was，"I know I am not very useful，but I can only do my best. I am happy that the gardener still finds a little bit of use in me ，at least.’’

One day，the gardener heard that kind of conversation. After watering the flowers as usual，he said，"You both have done your work very well. Now I am going to carry you back，and I want you to look carefully along the path."

Then the two buckets did so. All along the path, they noticed，on the side where the new bucket was carried，there was just bare earth；on the other side where the old bucket was carried，there was a joyous row of wild flowers，leading all the way to the garden.

1. What was the old bucket ashamed of?

A．Its   past.

B．Its aging.

C．Its   manner.

D．Its leaking.

2. What does the underlined word "dilapidated" probably mean?

A．Dirty.

B．Dark.

C．Worn out.

D．Ordinary-looking.

3. The new bucket made conversations with the old one mainly to________.

A．take pity on the old one	B．laugh at the old one
C．show off its good look	D．praise the gardener's kindness

4. Why was the old bucket still kept by the gardener?

A．Because it was used to keep a balance.

B．Because it stayed in its best condition.

C．Because it had its own advantage.

D．Because it was thought of as a treasure.

7 . Beliefs form a big part of our lives. Successful people have always believed that they can be and will be successful in their lives, such as Michael Phelps. Many of us have seen Michael Phelps win 8 gold medals in a single Olympic Games. That has created a history for himself. Many people have admired his success and the first reaction in their mind will be, “Wow, how I wish I could be like him!” Have you ever wondered what brought him success?

In fact, anyone can achieve what they have wanted to achieve. It is about beliefs. Everyone is a born winner. It is this belief that drives an individual to be successful in his or her own field. All successful individuals have strong beliefs and it is one of the bases for their success. If we start to believe in ourselves, the things that we can achieve will definitely give us a pleasant surprise.

Other than having a strong belief, it is the attitude that drives the individual to create their own history. The devotion towards themselves and the drive must also be present. Imagine having a strong belief in oneself and having a poor attitude towards life. Then how would that individual turn out to be? One’s attitude comprises the drive, the devotion and the desire to achieve his goals. If one has strong beliefs about the goals that he can achieve and he displays good attitudes towards them, it would be no surprise to anyone that he will be able to achieve his goals.

Start believing in yourself and you will achieve your goals and with the right positive attitude, you will definitely be able to create the miracle that you have always dreamt of.

1. Which of the following is the best summary of Paragraph 2?

A．Where there is a will, there is a way.	B．Good begun is half done.
C．No pains, no gains.	D．God helps those who help themselves.

2. The underlined word “comprises” in Paragraph 3 most probably means_______?

A．serve as

B．belongs to

C．consists of

D．stands for

3. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A．attitudes can be learned from one’s parents

B．only strong beliefs can’t ensure you a promising future

C．copying other’s behaviors is a good way to succeed

D．attitudes can only be learned through one’s success

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Differences Between Beliefs and Attitudes

B．The Nature of Beliefs and Positive Attitudes

C．Relationship Between Beliefs and Attitudes

D．The Power of Beliefs and Positive Attitudes