2 . “I am so sorry,” I tearfully said to my principal investigator (PI), explaining I would not be able to return to work as originally planned. Before I became a parent, I had assumed a baby would fit right into my academic plans. But now, as the end of my leave approached, I realized I couldn’t simply carry on as I always had. I was worried this decision might signal the end of my academic career — but I felt I had no other choice.

Thankfully, my PI had more foresight. He told me I didn’t need to resign and that he could offer me a contract that would allow me to contribute to our project from afar. It proved to be an absolute career lifeline tailored to me.

Then five years after stepping back from academia, I felt ready to re-enter more fully. Because I had been able to keep my hand in during my time away, the prospect was much less daunting than it would have been otherwise. I ended up landing a lecturer position that allowed me to slowly ease back in, focusing on teaching and scholarship with research taking a back seat. And when, 4 years on, a senior lectureship position came up in the very group I had left a decade earlier, the timing was right. With both of my children in “big school”, I was ready to really put my foot down on the career accelerator. I got the job.

Now, 6 months into my new role, I am happy to be right where it all began, with involvement in so many interesting projects. But what truly made the difference for me was the offer of what I needed during that time away. I hope more institutions and PIs can come up with creative provisions (条款) for those in their workforce who don’t want to give up their careers but want-or-need to take extended periods of leave. And to those who are taking such breaks, or considering it, know that returning is possible. Above all, on both sides: Please do not discount extended leavers. We have a lot to offer — if we are given the chance.

1. What can we learn about the author from the first paragraph?

A．Her path to PI began when she became a parent.

B．She struck a balance between work and family.

C．She had intended to stick to her academic plans.

D．She chose to prioritize her career over her family.

2. Which is closest in meaning to the underlined word “daunting” in paragraph 3?

A．Fearsome.

B．Realistic.

C．Regretful.

D．Promising.

3. What contributed most to her success according to the author?

A．Academic researches.	B．Supportive work environment.
C．Interest in the projects.	D．Involvement in engaging projects.

4. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To analyse.

B．To entertain.

C．To report.

D．To promote.

4 . It was June 15, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.

My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape. As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day, he noticed I wasn’t full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas’ sage, so I asked him, “What was the best time of your life?”

Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, “Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question.”

“When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents, that was the best time of my life.”

“When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life.”

“When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life.”

“When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life.”

“The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life.”

“When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life.”

“When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life.”

“And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life.”

1. Why did the author feel anxious according to the article?

A．He would be 30 in two days.

B．He was worried about getting old.

C．He didn’t go to the gym to exercise.

D．Nicholas asked questions he didn’t want to answer.

2. What do we know about Nicholas’ life experiences?

A．He spent his childhood with his grandparents in Austria.

B．He dropped out of school, found a job and got paid.

C．He took part in the Second World War and met his wife.

D．He started a family and became a young father in Canada.

3. What do you think of Nicholas’s life?

A．Casual.

B．Anxious.

C．Positive.

D．Negative.

4. What can we learn from Nicholas?

A．Live a day at a time.	B．You get what you pay for.
C．Every man has his price.	D．Strike while the iron is hot.

5 . I was about 13 when an uncle gave me a copy of Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. It was full of ideas that were new to me, so I spent the summer with my head in and out of that book. It spoke to me and brought me into a world of philosophy (哲学).

That love for philosophy lasted until I got to college. Nothing kills the love for philosophy faster than people who think they understand Foucault, Baudrillard, or Confucius better than you — and then try to explain them.

Eric Weiner’s The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers reawakened my love for philosophy. It is not an explanation, but an invitation to think and experience philosophy.

Weiner starts each chapter with a scene on a train ride between cities and then frames each philosopher’s work in the context (背景) of one thing they can help us do better. The end result is a read in which we learn to wonder like Socrates, see like Thoreau, listen like Schopenhauer, and have no regrets like Nietzsche. This, more than a book about understanding philosophy, is a book about learning to use philosophy to improve a life.

He makes philosophical thought an appealing exercise that improves the quality of our experiences, and he does so with plenty of humor. Weiner enters into conversation with some of the most important philosophers in history, and he becomes part of that crowd in the process by decoding (解读) their messages and adding his own interpretation.

The Socrates Express is a fun, sharp book that draws readers in with its apparent simplicity and gradually pulls them in deeper thoughts on desire, loneliness, and aging. The invitation is clear: Weiner wants you to pick up a coffee or tea and sit down with this book. I encourage you to take his offer. It’s worth your time, even if time is something we don’t have a lot of.

What does the author think of Weiner’s book?

A．Objective and plain.

B．Daring and ambitious.

C．Serious and hard to follow.

D．Humorous and straightforward.

6 . An old man lives with his little grandson. Every day the old man gets up early to read books.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I want to read books as you do. But I always forget what I read. What are the advantages of reading?”

The grandfather didn’t answer him, but said, “Take this little basket to the river and bring me back a basket of water.” The boy did as his grandpa said, but all the water leaked out before he got back home. The grandfather laughed and said, “You’ll have to walk faster next time.”

The next time the boy ran faster, but the basket was still empty before he returned home. The boy said, “See, Grandpa, it’s no use!”

“Is it no use?” the old man said. “Look at the basket.”

The boy looked at the basket and found that the basket was different. It was cleaner, inside and out.

“That’s what happens when you read books. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read them, you will be changed, inside and out.”

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A．After the grandson reads books, he can’t understand what he reads.

B．After the grandson reads books, he gets up late.

C．After the grandson reads books, he always forgets what he reads.

D．After the grandson reads books, he sleeps late.

2. How many times did the grandson go to the river to get some water?

A．Once.

B．Twice.

C．Three times.

D．Four times.

3. According to the grandpa’s words, what happens when we read books?

A．We won’t have any changes.

B．We can understand everything.

C．We will be changed, inside and out.

D．We can never forget what we read.

7 . The fall leaves are really starting to change now. It looks like the trees and mountains have become a canvas painted by a loving artist. The bright, beautiful reds are_________in the sunlight and the yellows look like gold. Some trees have only a few leaves changed, some are half-way and others have already completely_________. Some of the leaves are falling to the ground to turn it into a colorful_________. I am enjoying this so much because I am completely aware when winter arrives all of the trees will be_________with the leaves down. It is always a little sad to see but I know it is the circle of life. Those dead leaves will become the soil that feeds the trees and_________new life next spring.

Today I noticed a lovely little girl from our community picking up the fallen leaves from the ground. The prettiest reds, yellows, and oranges were picked up and_________in her arms. Soon she had quite a pile and carefully carried them over to her Mom and then with a smile gave them to her as if they were delicate flowers. Her Mom accepted them with a smile and together they put them out on their porch and stared at them like the priceless_________.

I watched this_________from my living room window with a smile on my face as well. The world creates a circle of love as well as a circle of life. And I am positive that the former like the latter will never end. It will_________all through this life and into the next. Take your place in the circle. Give love. Receive love. Live every day of your life to the__________with love. And your soul will shine bright like the most beautiful tree in autumn.

1.

A．shining

B．burning

C．flashing

D．shaking

2.

A．gone

B．reserved

C．fixed

D．transformed

3.

A．pad

B．bed

C．curtain

D．carpet

4.

A．fruitful

B．bare

C．safe

D．natural

5.

A．tears up

B．brings about

C．holds back

D．differs from

6.

A．held

B．received

C．admired

D．searched

7.

A．potentials

B．chances

C．treasures

D．exchanges.

8.

A．scene

B．view

C．story

D．notice

9.

A．return

B．break

C．continue

D．panic

10.

A．fastest

B．easiest

C．coolest

D．fullest

8 . I still remember that busy autumn evening as I hurried with my eldest daughter, Athena, to get to her classroom on time for the parent-teacher night. We walked in and all eyes were on me. A few adults quickly quieted their kids’ whispers. A classmate yelled to my daughter, “What’s wrong with your mom’s face?” Shocked, I started to explain my condition, but my six-year-old daughter looked at him and said, “It’s my mom’s birthmark! Don’t be rude!” I was extremely proud of how she handled that situation.

I was quite young when I realized I looked different because of my large facial birthmark. I always thought I would be alone because of it. Being compared to Batman’s evil Two-Face made me believe I could never find love. But I was lucky enough to meet my husband, who saw me for who I am inside. When I had my first daughter, I was overjoyed, but I began to worry if the world would judge my children. I always worried I might pass my condition onto my children; I didn’t want them to grow up feeling judged. Unfortunately, my facial difference has impacted my children. My daughters get disinvited from birthday parties or sleepovers, or I learn certain kids are no longer friends with mine after their parents saw me at school.

When my kids were young, I explained how my special purple skin was rare and we talked about acceptance and never judging others on how they look. When my girls kiss my purple-skinned cheek, I feel “normal” around them and their unconditional love. With time going by, both my daughters have become my strongest supporters. Thanks to them, I’ve begun to feel more self-confident as I try to be a good role model.

Their worldviews are similar to mine. We see the world a little differently and with a kinder, more accepting heart. As the saying goes, your daughters will grow up to be your best friends. I know that will be the case for me!

1. What happened when the author went to attend the parent-teacher night?

A．Athena was praised by others for her bravery and optimism.

B．Athena defended her mother against her classmate’s rudeness.

C．Some parents criticized their kids because of their misbehaviour.

D．The author felt shocked at her daughter’s response to her classmate.

2. According to paragraph 2, which of the following views might the author agree with?

A．Friendship needs to be watered by love.

B．We should treat our children as best friends.

C．We should accept other people’s differences.

D．Our ability to handle difficulties can be developed.

3. How are the daughters influenced by the author’s birthmark?

A．They have to drop out of school.

B．They have the same physical condition as me.

C．They have difficulty maintaining friendships.

D．They feel worried because they are often judged.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．A birthmark to live with.	B．My strongest supporters.
C．A kind and accepting heart.	D．The confidence to be different.

9 . There are many kinds of friends. Some are always ______ you, but don’t understand you. Some say only a few words to you, but understand you. Many people will step in your life, but only ______ friends leave footprints.

I shall always recall (回忆) the autumn and the girl with the ______. She will always bring back the friendship between us. I know she will always be my best friend.

It was the golden season. I could see the ______ leaves floating (漂浮) with the cool wind. In such a season, I liked walking alone in the leaves, ______ to the sound of them.

Autumn is a harvest season and life is uninteresting. The boring days always get me ______. But one day, the sound of a violin flowed into my ears like a stream (小溪) flowing in the mountains. I was so surprised that I jumped to see what it was. A young girl, standing in the wind, was ______ in playing her violin.

I had ______ seen her before. The music was so nice that I listened quietly. Absorbed in the music, I didn’t know that I had been ______ there for so long but my existence (存在) did not seem to disturb her.

Leaves were still falling. Every day ______ she played the violin in the comer of the building, I went downstairs to watch her performance. I was the only listener. The autumn seemed no longer lonely and life became ______. Though we didn’t know each other, I thought we were already good friends.

Autumn was nearly over. One day, when I was listening carefully, the sound suddenly ______. To my surprise, the girl came over to me.

“You definitely like violin.” she said.

“Yes. And you play very well. Why did you stop?” I asked.

Suddenly, a ______ expression appeared on her face and I could feel something unusual. “I came here to see my grandmother, but now I must leave. I once played very badly. It was your listening every day that encouraged me.” she said.

“______ it was your playing that gave me a meaningful autumn,” I answered, “Let’s be friends.”

The girl smiled, and so did I.

I never heard her play again in my life. Only thick leaves were left behind. But I will always remember the fine ______ of the girl. She is like a dream—so short, so bright, like a shooting star giving off so much light that it makes the autumn beautiful.

1.

A．against

B．for

C．with

D．to

2.

A．true

B．humorous

C．funny

D．old

3.

A．leaves

B．violin

C．play

D．song

4.

A．yellow

B．purple

C．green

D．blue

5.

A．turning

B．referring

C．seeing

D．listening

6.

A．down

B．off

C．up

D．over

7.

A．busy

B．interested

C．lost

D．active

8.

A．often

B．once

C．never

D．usually

9.

A．standing

B．stopping

C．waiting

D．hearing

10.

A．because

B．so

C．but

D．when

11.

A．moving

B．interesting

C．encouraging

D．exciting

12.

A．stopped

B．began

C．rose

D．changed

13.

A．surprised

B．happy

C．strange

D．sad

14.

A．In conclusion

B．In fact

C．In short

D．In total

15.

A．figure

B．symbol

C．expression

D．sun