1 . My parents went shopping at the supermarket and a complete stranger came up and did something that really touched them. He
You can
This excellent gesture has
It’s a beautiful reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a
So, let’s take a moment to
| A．paid for | B．watched over | C．focused on | D．referred to |
| A．mention | B．guess | C．measure | D．honor |
| A．activity | B．section | C．standard | D．moment |
| A．severely | B．really | C．sincerely | D．frequently |
| A．encouraged | B．persuaded | C．forced | D．warned |
| A．make | B．enlarge | C．spread | D．pack |
| A．reliable | B．cheap | C．wonderful | D．random |
| A．giving | B．remembering | C．receiving | D．shining |
| A．small | B．silent | C．deep | D．slow |
| A．dream | B．world | C．chance | D．situation |
| A．realize | B．remind | C．admit | D．praise |
| A．root | B．power | C．reward | D．anxiety |
| A．right | B．timely | C．needy | D．bright |
| A．success | B．wisdom | C．kindness | D．bravery |
| A．better | B．riper | C．bigger | D．cleaner |
2 . The Importance of Failure
When the world-famous author J.K. Rowling gave a speech at a Harvard University graduation ceremony, some may have a little surprised by the topic she chose: “The Benefits of Failure”.
Rowling’s first novel was rejected by 12 publishers before it was finally published, yet paradoxically, it was this experience that helped her to succeed: “
The late Apple CEO Steve Jobs experienced failure early in his career, when he was fired form the company he had co-founded.
Even Bill Gates has experienced failure. His first company was called Traf-O-Data, but unfortunately, its product didn’t work. It was a total disaster. But what Gates learnt from this experience helped lay the groundwork for the global success that is now Microsoft. He didn’t make the same mistake twice.
Talented fashion designer Vera Wang has built a global fashion empire, yet life wasn’t always so straightforward. A dedicated ice skater as a young woman, Wang was bitterly disappointed when she did not make the 1968 US Olympic team.
All these individuals share something in common: At tough moments in their lives, they showed grit. But what is “grit” exactly? Put simply, it’s a passion for something and the determination to work hard and to stick with it.
So. how can we become “grittier”? This is where the importance of failure comes in” If we can learn how to manage failure, we’ll learn how to succeed. By working through a series of failures, we’re better prepared for the bigger challenges we’ll face int the adult world: We’ll have the resilience we need to keep going. We’ll have true grit.
| A．He felt despair and rejection. |
| B．He learnt that success isn’t a one-way street. |
| C．Reaching success, he worked hard and pushed himself. |
| D．She gave up sport and joined Vogue as an assistant editor, but was crushed. |
| E．Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learnt no other way. |
| F．It’s very easy to give up when we hit setbacks, but people who have grit keep going. |
| G．Ang Lee, a worldwide-famous director, wasn’t successful either as a student or as an actor. |
3 . Getting to the Top
Why do Olympic athletes push themselves to the limits? As one of the Olympic athletes, I miss birthday parties, ruin family holidays and skip nights out, but there is a very good reason for giving up so much. “We’re worried about you,” said my friend from across the table. He was worried that I had no longer become fun to train with and that I was in danger of being left with only a world championship medal and no one to share it with.
I could have become angry or defensive. Don’t they know how hard it is to be at the top in sport? Don’t they know what it takes to get there? However, deep down I knew elements of what he was saying were right. I was always tired and every workout had a mental intensity that seemed too much for most to handle. I was pushing the limits and extremes beyond what most thought were healthy.
These are the fears I face as a professional athlete on a day-to-day basis. Who am I doing this for? How much is too much? Why am I doing this? How can I be so selfish? What are the sacrifices for?
I think of countless birthday parties and nights out I have missed, ruining a family holiday in France because of the endless search for a swimming pool to train in, almost missing my brother’s wedding because I was too busy hiring a car in downtown Johannesburg and driving through the “no-go” areas in order to do a group ride with the local triathletes. The list is endless.
It boils down to this: I was born with an enormous amount of drive and determination. From a small girl, I would stay in at lunch time just to get ahead on class work rather than go out and play; I would get the bus on my own at ten years old and go to swim 100 lengths of the pool while other kids played pool games; I was the only girl in a rugby club of 250 boys. I have always lived my life to extremes. Call it unhealthy if you want, but that is the way I roll, no matter what it is I’m applying myself to.
Being a professional athlete is no different. If you want to be an Olympic champion, it’s all about that little extra thing you have done in your preparation that will set you apart from your competitors.
Can this be overdone? Absolutely. But if your dream is to be the best and reach the winner’s platform, you had better be totally committed to your sport. In the words of the British triathlete Alistair Brownlee, even if it means getting injured, “I’d prefer to have three or four outstanding years of winning stuff than having ten years of being average.”
Doing what we do as athletes sets us apart because we are willing to do that extra little bit that might take us to the top. It is certainly not a balanced way to live and it is certainly not normal but those words are generally not used for anyone who is striving for greatness.
1. What was the writer’s friend worried about?2. Please paraphrase the underlined sentence. (两句备选)
3. According to the passage, please decide which part of the following statement is false, then underline it and explain why.(两句备选)
(1)The writer missed many birthday parties, ruined family holidays and skipped nights out, because she had too many competitions to take part in.
(2)What makes an Olympic champion stand out from other competitors is the special talent she or he has.
4. (3题备选)
(1)Which athlete do you admire most? Why?
(2)What is your opinion about the writer’s attitude and commitment to the profession she has chosen?
(3)Choose one most important thing you need to get to the top. Give reasons for your choices
| intelligence determination patience mental toughness concentration self-discipline |
4 . A confident smile is a happy smile. Have you ever had a stranger smile at you while you were out in public? Maybe you were feeling down, but their genuine and friendly smiles literally made you turn your frown upside down. All thanks to that smiley person, your negative attitude suddenly subsided. It is hard to believe that such a small gesture can impact your mood so sim ply, but I would be lying if I said that I’ve never experienced this feeling. I’m sure you can relate.
With that being said, science can back this up. Where are these happy feelings coming from? Well, when you smile at someone, you may feel like you’re experiencing temporary happiness.That is because endorphins (内啡肽) are released in the brain when you smile. Endorphins can be described as natural painkillers for the body, which also boost your self-esteem (自尊). Smiling is really a simple act of kindness, which can also make you feel better about yourself.
As an illustration, someone going in for a job interview with their heads held high, and smiles on their faces will have a better chance of scoring the job. Employers remark that a person who looks down when they speak to avoid showing their smiles during an interview, most likely won’t be hired, because it looks as though they are hiding something. However, that person with an inviting smile shows confidence. No matter what you look like, a smile is worth a thousand words and people can recognize that.
It gives me such a rewarding feeling helping children, teens, and adults to build their selfesteem through treatment. It’s all worth it seeing that spark of joy in my patient after the job is all said and done. I truly believe that a bright eyed smile has the capacity to allow you to connect with others, without uttering a sound.
1. What does the underlined word “subsided”mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Appeared. | B．Weakened. | C．Increased. | D．Smiled. |
| A．Making people feel happy. |
| B．Making people act kindly. |
| C．Making brains work fast. |
| D．Curing some diseases. |
| A．He holds his head too high. |
| B．He looks down upon others. |
| C．He looks a little dishonest. |
| D．He is too confident. |
| A．A teacher. | B．A volunteer. | C．A scientist. | D．A doctor. |
5 . Where to put your trust “Why did she spill the beans (泄露秘密)?” I thought regretfully. I’ll always remember that day, when I was so surprised by all the strange looks everyone was giving me. Those thoughts will always stay with me. And I couldn’t believe I would lose the friendship of the person I trusted the most.
Five years back, Sally was the new kid in class. I don’t know what it was, but something unique about her drew me to her. She was the friendliest person I knew. We started as classmates, but after a few months, we were like best friends. So, I never expected her to hurt me in such a big way.
I don’t know what made me tell Sally about my personal life. She made the matter bigger than it was, adding her own spin (倾向性描述) on it and telling everyone at school. It was like someone had stabbed (刺) me in the back. After she gave away my secrets, everyone at school started laughing at me, looking at me and giggling (咯咯地笑) whenever I passed by. After this terrible situation, I changed schools. Sally called me many times, but I didn’t answer. My heart was broken.
I tried hard to heal (治愈) from the scars she left on my heart. I started a new life. After five years, my life went back to the way it was, with new friends. But one day, I met Anna at the market. She was my classmate from 3rd grade. She told me that Sally wasn’t the one who brought my secrets to light. Mary was. Mary was our school’s big mouth who always wanted to stick her nose into other people’s business.
I was at a loss. I wished I could have asked Sally about this. I wished I could go back in time and fix my mistakes. From that, I learned a life lesson that we should trust those we love because one little mistake could really damage our lives.
1. 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中,每词限用一次,有两词为多余选项| laugh sad secret break happy heal amuse fix regretful bring unique change | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3. What did the author do after her secrets were given away?
4. What will the author do after knowing about the truth?
Three Things to Do Before You Are 18
Are you bored with your daily life? Here are some things you should try before you are 18,
Learn to swim
Seriously, this is so important
Try at least one kind of team sports
Being a good team player is
Collect something
One of the best
7 . One Saturday morning, an old man went into the market to buy something. He was dressed
“I wish to get a
Just then a young gentleman
“Carry it myself! Who do you think I am?” said the young gentleman.
Hearing all that was said, the old man said, “Well, that is lucky. I
“Oh, it’s nothing, sir,” replied the old man. “It was no
“Who is that
In fact, Mr Marshall taught us a lesson that no man should feel himself too fine to carry his own goods.
1.| A．simply | B．warmly | C．casually | D．formally |
| A．cage | B．bag | C．basket | D．box |
| A．chicken | B．duck | C．fish | D．turkey |
| A．only | B．just | C．always | D．also |
| A．satisfied | B．familiar | C．busy | D．bored |
| A．walked around | B．searched for | C．passed by | D．stepped into |
| A．office | B．farm | C．house | D．hospital |
| A．agreed | B．refused | C．hesitated | D．continued |
| A．Besides | B．However | C．Therefore | D．Instead |
| A．right | B．intention | C．rule | D．custom |
| A．important | B．dirty | C．heavy | D．expensive |
| A．sorry | B．angry | C．hungry | D．depressed |
| A．happen | B．hope | C．regret | D．choose |
| A．help | B．employ | C．pay | D．allow |
| A．Until | B．Unless | C．When | D．Before |
| A．praised | B．thanked | C．stopped | D．invited |
| A．trouble | B．expectation | C．surprise | D．doubt |
| A．smiled | B．imagined | C．waited | D．wondered |
| A．brave | B．strange | C．kind | D．ordinary |
| A．peaceful | B．shamed | C．sad | D．disappointed |
8 . Have you ever faced a time when things looked dark and you had no hope at all?Yes, I have. But the
Two years ago, I was told I had a serious
Music gave me happiness. When I listened to music, it made my spirits fly like a kite in the wind. Music gave me strength and
I hope
| A．friend | B．song | C．music | D．doctor |
| A．accident | B．disease | C．cold | D．trouble |
| A．longer | B．more | C．better | D．worse |
| A．angry | B．alone | C．lonely | D．bored |
| A．and | B．but | C．so | D．or |
| A．songs | B．doctors | C．books | D．friends |
| A．many | B．a little | C．much | D．a few |
| A．refused | B．began | C．expected | D．hoped |
| A．medicine | B．knowledge | C．inspiration | D．idea |
| A．took | B．caught | C．showed | D．brought |
| A．brave | B．happy | C．strong | D．hard |
| A．However | B．Besides | C．Luckily | D．Actually |
| A．no one | B．none | C．some | D．most |
| A．go along | B．go through | C．take in | D．come over |
| A．us | B．him | C．her | D．you |
9 . * Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance(毅力) and above all confidence in ourselves.
﹣Marie Curie
* Sometimes people don’t need advice，they just need someone to listen and care.
﹣Thomas A.Edison
Choose one of the above quotations (引语) .Write a passage (80 words or so) to present your understanding of it，including the following：
①Your own story or a story of the person you admire, which can well interpret (诠释) it.
②Your own understanding of it.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . It was early winter several years ago. I had pulled out my old winter coat for another year’s use. It was still in pretty good shape although it was looking dirty from so many winters’ wear. I didn’t really need a new one but I wanted one and casually mentioned it to my daughter one day. She was such a sweet, loving girl that I should have guessed what would happen next. A few weeks later she gave me a new winter coat as a gift.
I put the old one in my closet and started to wear the new coat every day. Each day, though, when I opened my closet, something troubled me. It seemed a shame that my old but still good coat should just sit there keeping no one warm during the cold winter days. After a few weeks, I took it out and drove to a local charity shop. I knew that there was someone who couldn’t afford a coat but could get my old one.
My new coat is my old coat now. It is getting a little dirty and worn, too. It has black marks on the sleeves. It is in too bad shape to even donate to charity. I wonder if I should buy a new one soon, but I think I will wait for a while. I don’t really need a new one and maybe I can find something else to give to the charity shop instead.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Want is a growing giant whom the coat of Have was never large enough to cover,” Perhaps the best way to deal with our wants then is to give instead. Love, after all, brings us the most joy. And the more of it you give away, the more of it you have.
1. Which word can best describe the author’s daughter?| A．Thoughtful. | B．Wealthy. | C．Easy-going. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．It cost too much. |
| B．It was looking dirty. |
| C．It was not sent to someone in need. |
| D．There was not enough room for his new coat. |
| A．Telling his daughter. | B．Buying a new one soon. |
| C．Sending something else to charity. | D．Donating it to charity. |
| A．Love is the key to joy. |
| B．Giving fills our wants. |
| C．The more you give, the more you lose. |
| D．A coat is large enough to cover our wants |
