1 . Larry seemed always silent and didn’t have any friends. His teacher Mr. Brown noticed (注意到) this. One day, he asked Larry to meet him after class. Mr. Brown said, “I see that you don’t talk to anyone or show any interest in anything. What’s wrong?” Larry answered, “Sir, I have a very difficult life. I have to face some very sad things and I always keep thinking about them. Because of this, I can’t focus on (集中注意力) anything and even don’t feel like talking to anybody.” Mr. Brown listened carefully, thought for a while and said, “Would you like some lemonade (柠檬汽水)?” Larry felt a little surprised and nervously said, “Yes, thank you!”

While preparing lemonade (柠檬). Mr. Brown added more salt (盐) but less sugar (糖). Larry made a strange face as soon as he drank a sip (一小口) of that lemonade. Seeing this, Mr. Brown asked, “You don’t like it?” “Um… it’s just because there is a bit too much salt in it,” Larry answered.

Mr. Brown stopped him, “Oh, it doesn’t matter. I will throw it away.”As the teacher was lifting the glass to take it away, Larry stopped him and said, “Sir, please don’t throw it away. If we put a little more sugar in the lemonade, it will be fine to drink.”

Hearing this, Mr. Brown said happily, “This is what I want to hear from you. To improve the taste of lemonade, we don’t need to remove (去除) the salt from it. Instead, we can just add some sugar to it. Similarly, we can not remove sad things that have already happened to us, but we can add sweetness of good experiences in our life. If you keep on crying about your past, neither your present will be right nor the future will be bright.”

Larry realized his problem and began to live a happy life.

1. Why doesn’t Larry talk to anyone or show interested in anything?

A．Because he couldn’t find any friends.

B．Because he didn’t like his teachers at school.

C．Because he thought he has a very difficult life.

D．Because he hated to be with people around.

2. What does the underlined word “them” refer to?

A．His friends.

B．His teachers.

C．Interesting things.

D．Sad things.

3. According to the text, what do you think of Mr. Brown?

A．Stupid.

B．Helpful.

C．Brave.

D．Bad.

4. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．Mr. Brown put too much sugar in the lemonade.

B．Larry felt happy after drinking a sip of lemonade.

C．Mr. Brown threw (扔) the lemonade away.

D．Larry decided to focus on the sweetness (愉快的事) in his life after that.

5. What can we learn from the text?

A．The taste of the lemonade is sad.

B．We can live a happier life if we see things from the good side.

C．We should always think about the sad things.

D．We can’t remove the sad things that happened in our life.

2 . Long ago, an old teacher’s last time came near. He called his son and said, “Son, I have spent my whole life educating ______. At the moment I want to tell you something important.”

Listening to this, the son was looking at his father ______. Just then his father said, “But before that, go and bring a piece of coal and a piece of sandalwood (檀香木) to me.” ______ the son found this very strange, he did as his father asked.

He found a big piece of coal and held it in one hand. And then he broke off a piece of sandalwood from the tree with the other hand. After getting both things, he ______ to his father.

His father asked him to drop both things ______ his hands right there. He did as his father asked and then wanted to______ his hands. However, his father stopped him and said, “Wait, son. Show your hands. See, this hand turned______as you held coal in it. Even after you threw it away, soot (煤灰) still remains in your hand. Such is like the company of ______ people. It hurts to be with them and even if they are not there, you still face bad ______.” Then looking at the other hand, the father said,“But being with good people is like holding this sandalwood piece. You get lots of knowledge from them and even _______ they leave, fragrance (芳香) of their good thoughts will always remain with you.”

1.

A．others

B．other

C．the other

D．another

2.

A．clearly

B．secretly

C．seriously

D．simply

3.

A．Since

B．Where

C．When

D．Though

4.

A．gave back

B．went back

C．gave away

D．went away

5.

A．by

B．from

C．on

D．with

6.

A．cover

B．wash

C．brush

D．hide

7.

A．black

B．pink

C．purple

D．yellow

8.

A．bored

B．strict

C．bad

D．worried

9.

A．day

B．health

C．habit

D．fame

10.

A．after

B．as long as

C．before

D．as soon as

3 . There are many birds that visit our leafy garden. But it’s the pair of orange frogmouths (蟆口鸱) that have been returning for years to ________ their young that bring the most excitement. It’s been wonderful to ________ how both parents take on the serious duty of caring for their young.

Last summer the frogmouth family, parents and two babies, was ________ sitting in a tall tree close to our backyard enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. With little ________, a light rain began to fall.

At first the birds seemed to ________ the rain and moved out along the branch, loosing their ________ to take advantage of the wet weather. But within minutes, day turned to night. ________ clouds gathered. Crashing thunder and blinding lightning, wild winds and driving rain ________ the small garden into a(n) ________ place for the little family.

Through the flashes of lightning, we watched in ________ as the parents guided their little ones back along the branch to the tree trunk, both parents ________ their wings over the young to protect them from the powerful rain. When the ________ passed, the family moved back out along the ________, bathed in the sunshine.

When I look up at the pair of yellow frogmouths who continue to visit our ________, I know I’m not just looking at devoted parents, but very ________ ones.

1.

A．raise

B．train

C．adopt

D．entertain

2.

A．evaluate

B．observe

C．predict

D．realize

3.

A．cautiously

B．secretly

C．happily

D．carelessly

4.

A．urgency

B．fortune

C．relief

D．warning

5.

A．take delight in

B．put up with

C．keep away from

D．lose sight of

6.

A．tails

B．feathers

C．heads

D．paws

7.

A．Soft

B．Furry

C．Dark

D．Thin

8.

A．expanded

B．divided

C．extended

D．transformed

9.

A．unsafe

B．cool

C．ideal

D．private

10.

A．silence

B．amazement

C．peace

D．despair

11.

A．folding

B．examining

C．pressing

D．spreading

12.

A．eruption

B．test

C．storm

D．flood

13.

A．branch

B．corridor

C．pipe

D．beach

14.

A．zoo

B．garden

C．school

D．farm

15.

A．honest

B．polite

C．wise

D．generous

4 . I was a mother of four children, always busy with music lessons, sports teams keeping the budget, and so on and on. I felt fenced in and yet bound by love to my family duties. Some days I’d dream of freedom but always return lovingly to my tasks.

A neighbor invited me to tea one afternoon. After listening sympathetically to my sadness, she asked, “Elizabeth, what do you do each week for fun?” I was shocked Fun? “I’m too busy for fun,” I said. “Think of something fun to do every week,” she urged. I didn’t have to think. “I would love to ride horseback,” I said.

I found a riding stable (马厩) about 45 minutes away，where I was introduced to Royal, standing proudly nearby. Riding Royal over jumps was a challenge, but we go along well. It lightened my spirit all week;my tasks seemed easier.

Several months passed, and the trainer began working with me to train Royal. The horse had to learn to jump fences in a controlled manner instead of flying over them as he would in an open field. We started with1 small poles and worked our way up to full jumps I arrived at the stable on a particularly cold day. Royal started running. But to my great surprise, as he neared the fence this time, he effortlessly flew over it, jumped another fence into the next field. jumped a third fence, and disappeared into the woods How was I going to find him? How would I catch him if I did find him? Then, as these terrible helpless thoughts raced through my mind, I saw movement at the edge of the far woods. It was Royal, racing toward me!

Royal had found freedom, as I had. But he’d also found love and satisfaction within fences. For him and for me, I realized, fences and freedom had always been a matter of choice.

1. How did Elizabeth feel about her life according to the first paragraph?

A．Stressed.

B．Confused.

C．Doubtful.

D．Excited.

2. What did Elizabeth and the trainer have to teach Royal?

A．The manners to stand proudly.	B．Flying over fences in an open field.
C．Jumping fences under Elizabeth’s control.	D．How to get along well with Elizabeth.

3. What made Elizabeth surprised on that cold day?

A．Royal’s becoming violent in the wild.	B．Royal’s refusing to run on the freezing day.
C．Royal’s jumping fences for free running.	D．Royal’s attempting to escape being controlled.

4. What did Elizabeth understand at last?

A．It is a relief to remove doubts.	B．Love brings satisfaction to us all.
C．Freedom exists in some situations.	D．We ourselves can choose to be free.

5 .

One day, a baby snail found that he had to carry a big and heavy shell at any time. He didn’t _________   why it was, so he went up to his mother and asked, “Why was I born with a shell that grew so _________ and heavy?” His mother said, “Because we don’t have _________ to hold us up. We can only move slowly, so we need a shell to _________   us.”

The baby snail asked again, “The caterpillar (毛毛虫) has no bones, and she can’t move quickly either. Why can she _________   without a shell?” The mother snail answered, “That’s because a caterpillar will become a butterfly. She can _________ high into the sky. The sky can protect her. ”

The baby snail had one more _________, “But the earthworm moves like us. He has no bones and he won’t turn into a butterfly. Why doesn’t he carry a hard and heavy shell?” His mother said, “He can dig a hole and hide in the _________, and then the earth can protect him.”

The baby snail then cried, “We are so _________   ! We have no protection from the sky or from the ground!” His mother smiled at him. “That’s why we have a shell. My dear, imagine that if we don’t have the shells, what will happen to you? Hot sun will dry out our bodies and we’ll have nowhere to sleep. What’s more, we’ll die in the heavy rain. How __________ it is! We don’t depend on the sky or the ground for protection. We should depend on ourselves.”

1.

A．know

B．expect

C．think

2.

A．tall

B．hard

C．fast

3.

A．feet

B．legs

C．bones

4.

A．protect

B．attract

C．guide

5.

A．grow

B．live

C．breathe

6.

A．fly

B．jump

C．circle

7.

A．answer

B．question

C．requirement

8.

A．sea

B．sky

C．ground

9.

A．sleepy

B．poor

C．confident

10.

A．amazing

B．boring

C．terrible

6 . In casual conversations, there is a seemingly simple question I can never answer without hesitating — “Where are you from?”

I could say I am from Thailand, where I was born. Or I am from Mexico, where I spent the majority of my childhood. Or I am from the US, whose language is rooted into my life. In my mind, none of these answers are satisfying enough. After all, to be from somewhere carries expectations of understanding “your” culture and “your” home.

I feel envious whenever my friends say they’re “going home” for school breaks. As a student who frequently moves, I have never seen my living space as “home”, but “shelter”, another location to stay in before I unavoidably move again.

So, does this mean I do not have, and will never have, a home? I resign myself to living with this sense of sadness, until very recently.

In my dorm, inside my drawer is a specially designed white bath towel that I have not used since I brought it with me from my parents’ house. One day, I took it out, but stopped after smelling the soft, sweet laundry detergent (洗衣粉), the one my parents used back in Thailand. I felt my eyes water as that random smell brought my mixed emotions to the surface: sadness and nostalgia, a strong feeling of missing home. I still avoid using that towel until now because I don’t want to replace the smell of nostalgia with my newly-bought detergent.

Sadly, even with this new discovery, I will still struggle when answering where I am from, and I will always feel a sense of loss in not having a physical home to “go back to”. Yet, in random moments, when a smell catches me off guard (让我猝不及防) with the memories it brings, I like to believe that the things I feel then are things people feel when they are home. And if these moments can make me smile, even with a sense of loss, what better home can I ask for?

1. Why is the author unable to see his living space as “home”?

A．His living places often change.	B．He is unsatisfied with the place.
C．His expectations of “home” are high.	D．He can’t understand the culture there.

2. Why does the author treasure that towel?

A．It was made in his hometown.	B．It is a present from his parents.
C．Its smell awakened his memories.	D．Its design wins his preference.

3. What does the author want to convey in the last paragraph?

A．He no longer feels a sense of loss.

B．He feels a physical home is unnecessary.

C．He has got the answer to “Where are you from?”

D．He has found a sense of home in some moments.

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

A．A Man’s Home Is His Castle	B．There Is No Place Like Home
C．The Smell Brings Me Home	D．The Emotion Connects Me With Home

7 . I’m a mother of three and a psychologist. Recently, I come to understand what makes childhood valuable in its own right.

One day, when I went to get my 7-year-old son from soccer ________, the kid ________ me with a downcast face. The coach had ________ him for not focusing on his soccer drills. He walked out of the school with his head and shoulders ________ down. He seemed wrapped in ________. But just before he reached the car door, he suddenly stopped, crouching (蹲伏) down to ________ something on the sidewalk. His ________ went down lower and lower, and then, with complete joy he called out, “Mum. Come here. This is the ________ bug (虫子) I’ve ever seen. It has, like a million ________. It’s amazing.” He looked up at me, his features overflowing with energy and ________. “Can’t we ________ here for just a minute? I want to find out what he does with all those legs.”

The traditional view of such a moment is that it is ________, or a waste of valuable time. Yet at that moment it suddenly dawned on me that what sets children apart from adults is not their ignorance (无知) but their ________ for joy. Children’s ability to become deeply ________ in something and get great pleasure is what adults spend the rest of their lives ________.

1.

A．appointment

B．display

C．practice

D．experience

2.

A．served

B．greeted

C．witnessed

D．treated

3.

A．envied

B．criticized

C．promoted

D．forgiven

4.

A．hanging

B．settling

C．putting

D．turning

5.

A．shyness

B．weakness

C．loneliness

D．sadness

6.

A．pick up

B．look for

C．stare at

D．bring out

7.

A．ears

B．hands

C．mouth

D．face

8.

A．biggest

B．simplest

C．strangest

D．dullest

9.

A．eyes

B．arms

C．legs

D．feet

10.

A．entertainment

B．delight

C．satisfaction

D．confusion

11.

A．gather

B．play

C．sit

D．stay

12.

A．practical

B．impossible

C．accessible

D．unnecessary

13.

A．capacity

B．respect

C．effort

D．responsibility

14.

A．experienced

B．absorbed

C．rich

D．skillful

15.

A．seeking

B．studying

C．missing

D．denying

8 . My career as a chef started at the age of 25, but my ______ for cooking started at an early age, when I was about 5 years old — by watching my grandmother and my mom in the kitchen ______ daily meals for the family. I was also ______by going with my grandfather to markets to ______ the freshest ingredients. My grandfather taught me the art of picking and recognizing “the ______.”

From my youth, I have had this passion for food. Growing up in Morocco, I witnessed the most amazing hospitality and ______ through my grandparents. They opened their ______ to everybody, and fed and sheltered the poor, travelers, family and friends.

I remember as a young kid coming home from school to the ______ of fragrant (芳香的) fresh bread coming out of the oven. Those smells stimulated (刺激) my senses at a young age. The ______were fresh and seasonal — they were very simple dishes but delightfully ______.

Food is almost as ______ as it is necessary. Food makes people feel things. I really think that food tastes its best when there is a ______ behind it. It shapes cultures, religion, politics and health. Food brings people together, and goes straight to the ______.

In my kitchen, I try to duplicate (复制) smells and flavors that make me think about more than what I’m actually smelling or ______ — it makes me think of life, my family, and my history. I love to cook food that ______ people’s emotions and memories; my philosophy is to “keep food real and simple.”

1.

A．talent

B．passion

C．explanation

D．expectation

2.

A．changing

B．ordering

C．preparing

D．searching

3.

A．inspired

B．bothered

C．honored

D．amused

4.

A．ask about

B．experiment with

C．learn of

D．shop for

5.

A．biggest

B．cleanest

C．best

D．cheapest

6.

A．wisdom

B．honesty

C．success

D．generosity

7.

A．offices

B．houses

C．restaurant

D．hotel

8.

A．art

B．signs

C．creation

D．smells

9.

A．fruits

B．vegetables

C．ingredients

D．goods

10.

A．delicious

B．useful

C．organic

D．convenient

11.

A．nutritious

B．sufficient

C．emotional

D．suitable

12.

A．reason

B．purpose

C．cook

D．story

13.

A．kitchen

B．heart

C．source

D．point

14.

A．tasting

B．chewing

C．touching

D．seeing

15.

A．holds up

B．drives away

C．stirs up

D．depends on

9 . Smith Justice and his son were coming back from the dentist, when they saw a homeless man in the road. Smith _________ to give the man some money, but didn’t have any cash. His son suggested giving the man the 30 cents he had. But Smith was _________. He didn’t want to give this man just 30 cents since the man _________ needed all the help he could get. Moreover, his own pride and thoughts of the homeless man’s unknown _________ to receiving just thirty cents was standing _________.

Smith told his son what people saw as a good thing was not good enough to make a _________ in someone’s life. But his son insisted. Smith _________ the window and said to the man, “I’m sorry, man. I don’t have any _________ on me but my son wants to give you everything he has right now.” The homeless man smiled, “God bless you, little man!” At that moment, the only thing _________ the brightness of the man’s smile was the bigger smile on the little boy’s face.

A chain reaction of kindness __________ behind them that day in Nashville, Tennessee, as other people rolled down their windows to __________, too. Smith suddenly __________ that he was the only problem in this situation. He said, “My little boy __________ me by his actions that it’s always about the heart. It doesn’t __________ how much you have or how little. __________ love and sincerity will often bless others more than we think. ”

1.

A．managed

B．promised

C．intended

D．agreed

2.

A．confused

B．doubtful

C．tense

D．hesitant

3.

A．normally

B．clearly

C．secretly

D．formally

4.

A．reaction

B．devotion

C．objection

D．solution

5.

A．out of sight

B．out of control

C．in the way

D．in the charge

6.

A．fortune

B．difference

C．name

D．commitment

7.

A．rolled down

B．reached for

C．looked through

D．lifted up

8.

A．check

B．card

C．cash

D．food

9.

A．matching

B．replacing

C．reflecting

D．showing

10.

A．changed

B．stopped

C．remained

D．started

11.

A．greet

B．smile

C．chat

D．donate

12.

A．remembered

B．realized

C．accepted

D．regretted

13.

A．reminded

B．comforted

C．praised

D．warned

14.

A．help

B．work

C．mean

D．matter

15.

A．Returning

B．Accepting

C．Spreading

D．Seeking

10 . That morning, I got the train as always. I was a publishing director and was looking forward to embracing a new day of work, as usual. I would always turn to the crossword (纵横填字游戏), but that day it didn’t make sense. I’d been doing it for 30-old years, but trying to read this one was like walking through syrup (糖浆)：________ slow and hard. I thought I must be tired.

I said to my assistant. The ________ colleague contacted my wife, Beth, and she drove me straight to hospital. There, confirmation came that I’d had a stroke in the part of my brain that ________ with communication. I was now in a condition that means it’s difficult or________ to receive and produce language. It was the only time I cried.

I was back at home a week later, and my goal was to get better and return to work in a couple of months. The way to ________ my language ability was rough. I’d look at simple pictures and try to describe them as my mind ________ round and round in the darkness, looking for words.

As the months passed, it became self-evident that I wasn’t going to be able to go back to my old job. For 25 years, I had ________ myself as a publisher. I was used to a busy day of meetings. I didn’t feel ready to say goodbye to my old self. There were times when I felt incredibly ________.

In the darkest months, I devoted myself to________. I couldn’t manage novels or newspapers, ________ I tried reading poetry, and found the shorter lines less overwhelming. My speech came back, and I learned how to read again, though much more slowly. I also learned the ________ to keep up. I allowed myself to slow down, and started to enjoy it.

________, I get rid of my old skin. I grieved the past, its passing and its absence, and started to come to terms ________ it. Now, 10 years later, I look after my grandson a day a week, and my relationship with my family is deeper than ever. If you’d asked me 15 years ago to ________ the importance of the things in my life I might have said work, but now I’m no longer a high-achieving publisher or someone who reads 10 books a week. I’m a ________ man, and if I read 10 books a year, that’s pretty good.

1.

A．temporarily

B．scarcely

C．unbelievably

D．mildly

2.

A．curious

B．reserved

C．casual

D．concerned

3.

A．messes

B．deals

C．identifies

D．cooperates

4.

A．practical

B．absurd

C．impossible

D．innocent

5.

A．gaining

B．rebuilding

C．revealing

D．improving

6.

A．slipped

B．doubted

C．wandered

D．fled

7.

A．informed

B．evaluated

C．reflected

D．defined

8.

A．angry

B．cautious

C．awesome

D．merciless

9.

A．speaking

B．trying

C．writing

D．managing

10.

A．since

B．until

C．so

D．as

11.

A．favor

B．patience

C．sympathy

D．comfort

12.

A．Gradually

B．Hopefully

C．Narrowly

D．Annually

13.

A．above

B．with

C．beyond

D．below

14.

A．arrange

B．compare

C．rank

D．declare

15.

A．genius

B．community

C．dignity

D．family