Most people think that procrastination (拖延症) is a negative habit. But people like me who routinely put off doing assignments, are likely to defend our “slower” approach to getting tasks done.
I'm the only procrastination in my family. My parents and sister were all born with the “do it right now” gift. They are always in a rush, as if closely rushed by an invisible deadline. Personally, I prefer a more relaxed pace. When my parents voiced their concern about my tendencies, saying “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” “No way!” I responded, confidently presenting my research as a defense. It said people procrastinated when they need to solve a problem or commit to a topic or project. In these cases, delaying a decision can be beneficial. This was because our minds continue to reflect on problems even when we were not actively thinking about them, which could lead to more creative solutions. My findings filled me with satisfaction and pride. My method of getting things done was just as good as my sister’s…or so I thought.
At school we’d been talking about architecture and design. As part of the final assessment my teacher Mr. Smith announced an exciting project that each student would have a month to complete. We were expected to choose our materials, construct a small building and make use of things we had learned in class. Not only would the winners receive extra credit, but the winning constructions would be proudly displayed in the cafeteria. “I have no clue how I could get it done,” my friend Nate sighed in despair. I didn’t say anything. Not because I shared his anxiety-but because I was not nervous at all. I loved hands-on projects! Picturing my brilliant work exhibited in the cafeteria, I was fully convinced that I would definitely produce something that could impress everyone. So relaxed was I that I didn’t give it a second thought for weeks.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Before I knew it, I had only one day left for the project.
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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . I’ve always loved horses, but for years my riding took a back seat to my four kids’ soccer games, dance recitals and so on. As my children became more
I have a work-to-ride rent at a nearby stable (马厩). As soon as I arrive at the stable, I always
One day, as I wiped off my bridle (马笼头), my friend Mary asked with sad eyes, “Did you hear about Heather? She
“No, how awful! Heather’s son is around my age.” I murmured.
“Yes, it’s tragic,” she said. “I
“Yesterday? She was out here?”
“She and her grandsons went for a trail
I nodded
Relief from real life. We all need it, somewhere, somehow, because life is
| A．ambitious | B．enthusiastic | C．independent | D．responsible |
| A．on | B．in | C．off | D．behind |
| A．forget | B．hesitate | C．regret | D．stop |
| A．persuaded | B．joined | C．refused | D．forced |
| A．replacement | B．recovery | C．recharge | D．repair |
| A．lost | B．beat | C．abandoned | D．raised |
| A．wrote | B．talked | C．explained | D．whispered |
| A．adventure | B．walk | C．visit | D．ride |
| A．get through | B．get over | C．get away from | D．get across |
| A．silently | B．hurriedly | C．gratefully | D．eagerly |
| A．spread | B．developed | C．controlled | D．prevented |
| A．result from | B．recover from | C．depart from | D．suffer from |
| A．concern | B．affection | C．escape | D．value |
| A．tough | B．precious | C．simple | D．unclear |
| A．neater | B．smoother | C．softer | D．higher |
In New England, a few years ago, a party of boys decided to start a grand sleigh (雪橇) ride. The sleigh was a large one, pulled by six gray horses.
The next day, as the teacher entered the schoolroom, he found his students in high spirits, chattering excitedly about their journey. One of the boys recounted their trip and its various incidents. As he reached the end of his story, he exclaimed, “Oh sir, there was one thing I had almost forgotten. As we were coming home, we saw a strange sight on the road. It turned out to be a rust y old sleigh attached to a covered wagon (四轮运货车), moving at a very slow pace and taking up the entire road.”
The boys had grown impatient with the slow-moving vehicle ahead of them and decided to take action. They threw snowballs at the wagon and shouted, making the old horse start to run quickly. The old man in the wagon cried out, asking why they were frightening his horse. A boy replied, “Why don’t you turn out, then?” and gave him three more loud cheers. His horse was frightened again and ran into a loaded wagon, almost making the old man fall over.
The teacher listened carefully to the boy’s story before responding, “Take your seats, boys, and I will tell you a story about a sleigh ride, too.”
Yesterday afternoon, a very elderly man was traveling from Boston to Salem to spend the winter at his son’s house. He had brought his wagon for the journey and his sleigh for the winter. His vision and hearing were not what they used to be due to his age. He was traveling slowly, as his horse was old and weak like himself. Suddenly, he was frightened by loud cheers and rapid snowballs hitting his wagon. In his panic, he dropped the reins and his horse ran wildly. Amidst his troubles, a large group of boys in a sleigh pulled by six horses rushed past him, shouting and demanding that he give them the road.
注意：续写词数应为150左右;请按如下格式作答。Paragraph1
The old man begged them not to frighten his horse.
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The boys listened quietly, reflecting on their actions.
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4 . My father, Paul Andrew Figura, was a die-hard fisherman. In my
Whenever we
The greatest life lesson that Dad taught me involved dealing with those times when the fish weren’t
I learned early the importance of
| A．dream | B．career | C．childhood | D．adulthood |
| A．got up | B．reached out | C．stepped back | D．set off |
| A．camps | B．lines | C．tracks | D．cottages |
| A．forgot | B．rejected | C．recalled | D．meant |
| A．make | B．pack | C．heat | D．freeze |
| A．cultural | B．random | C．major | D．external |
| A．cast | B．step | C．strike | D．risk |
| A．swimming | B．dancing | C．gathering | D．biting |
| A．wander | B．play | C．quit | D．sleep |
| A．response | B．intention | C．evaluation | D．situation |
| A．abandon | B．monitor | C．fetch | D．wet |
| A．kindness | B．insistence | C．confidence | D．business |
| A．cooperate | B．progress | C．resist | D．integrate |
| A．In surprise | B．As a result | C．Ahead of time | D．In particular |
| A．intentionally | B．casually | C．hesitantly | D．temporarily |
5 . I found a brown bag outside after our move. “Grass Seed,” it said in big letters. My husband and I
Near our new house sat a charming cottage, which was
While we waited for our grass to grow — or not — we
But after a monsoon (季风) swept through, I woke up to a beautiful morning and looked out the window. There was no grass growing in the sunlight.
| A．sought | B．spread | C．collected | D．removed |
| A．remain | B．last | C．dry | D．root |
| A．need | B．intention | C．decision | D．agreement |
| A．rented | B．given | C．sold | D．introduced |
| A．green | B．advertise | C．fill up | D．look after |
| A．help | B．chance | C．service | D．accommodation |
| A．pretended | B．decided | C．understood | D．prayed |
| A．naturally | B．hardly | C．gradually | D．temporarily |
| A．uncertainty | B．potential | C．danger | D．untidiness |
| A．locals | B．employers | C．regulars | D．gardeners |
| A．proud | B．grateful | C．curious | D．stressed |
| A．house renting | B．yard cleaning | C．keeping house | D．growing grass |
| A．Otherwise | B．Instead | C．Besides | D．Therefore |
| A．imagined | B．designed | C．remembered | D．appreciated |
| A．test | B．memory | C．reminder | D．choice |
6 . My wife and I parked by a rough path the same time as a young man covered in tattoos (纹身). I
Hours later we turned back
He continued, “During much surgery and
My
| A．assumed | B．remembered | C．admitted | D．confirmed |
| A．tell | B．distance | C．save | D．free |
| A．turn away | B．set out | C．catch up | D．settle down |
| A．politely | B．secretly | C．carelessly | D．accidentally |
| A．though | B．unless | C．because | D．before |
| A．impress | B．interrupt | C．persuade | D．engage |
| A．target | B．story | C．plan | D．journey |
| A．confused | B．discouraged | C．ignored | D．injured |
| A．observe | B．judge | C．manage | D．challenge |
| A．silence | B．pain | C．failure | D．guilt |
| A．massive | B．funny | C．random | D．popular |
| A．brilliant | B．gentle | C．weak | D．sensitive |
| A．allowed | B．begged | C．forced | D．expected |
| A．doubt | B．sympathy | C．prejudice | D．resistance |
| A．reputation | B．message | C．appearance | D．insight |
7 . I was interested in volunteering at a hospital because both of my parents work in hospitals. I wanted to see what the
To my greatest joy, I was
My overall experience of volunteering at VA can be
| A．opportunity | B．decision | C．experience | D．adventure |
| A．specific | B．private | C．flexible | D．cautious |
| A．concept | B．mission | C．profession | D．advantage |
| A．contributed | B．generated | C．transformed | D．shared |
| A．accepted into | B．committed to | C．concerned about | D．withdrawn from |
| A．studying | B．volunteering | C．observing | D．exercising |
| A．convinced | B．determined | C．valued | D．amused |
| A．applied | B．refused | C．promised | D．arranged |
| A．classified | B．summarized | C．divided | D．combined |
| A．normal | B．relevant | C．reliable | D．worthy |
| A．attached | B．devoted | C．exposed | D．submitted |
| A．actually | B．totally | C．absolutely | D．appropriately |
| A．respect | B．treasure | C．understand | D．agree |
| A．ability | B．responsibility | C．approach | D．courage |
| A．relaxing | B．challenging | C．fulfilling | D．thrilling |
8 . To build a prosperous (繁荣的) society, a fundamental understanding of the modern economy as a driving force in today’s world is essential.
What kind of prosperity have we achieved so far? The widespread definition of prosperity focuses on economic power and growth as measures of success. Let’s take a look at history. The Second Industrial Revolution enabled mass production and created a sufficient supply of goods. This has greatly increased the importance of money in its role as “a store of value, ” and “a medium of exchange. ”As a result, we have pursued economic power as the only indicator of prosperity, such as GDP. Waves of globalization and technological evolution have promoted overall economic growth, but have allowed the few who are strong to achieve greater power while exploiting the many who are weak. Consequently, inequality has worsened, and disunity has intensified.
The path to a truly prosperous world requires a shift in focus towards the most suitable happiness for all, in addition to economic power. Defining happiness, however, is a complex task. What makes people happy? The degree to which the same thing creates happiness differs from person to person. Happiness is subjective and complicated. This is a world of “multiple values” where each of us determines worth as opposed to “one fixed price” based merely on an economic perspective. Individuals shouldn’t be defined by a single identity or role but by multidimensional nature as well as multiple roles making independent choices and taking actions for their happiness in different aspects.
Businesses must be pioneers in pursuing not only economic growth but also the happiness of all citizens of society. Companies can contribute through the pursuit of social value as well as economic profit. At the heart of this lies “purpose”. A company’s purpose defines the value it brings to society. The true worth of a company should be determined not just by the return s it creates for shareholders but by the value it creates for society as a whole.
1. What is the author’s attitude to the widely accepted standard of prosperity?| A．Indifferent. | B．Critical. | C．Uncertain. | D．Approving. |
| A．The slower economic growth speed. |
| B．The sharp reduction of job opportunities. |
| C．The enlarged gap between the rich and the poor. |
| D．The increasing conflict between different nations. |
| A．Happiness is changeable and beyond control. |
| B．Happiness largely depends on economic power. |
| C．The pursuit of profit determines a company’s true worth. |
| D．A prosperous world should be measured by multiple values. |
| A．Social psychologists. | B．Enterprise administrators. |
| C．School educators. | D．Technological researchers. |
9 . The message is drummed into us from childhood: forgive people who’ve wronged you, because it’s the right thing to do. Forgiveness is a virtue, we’re told—the only way for us to truly move on and heal, freed from the baggage of bearing ill will.
However, I’m not buying it. Forgiving someone can indeed be a beautiful thing, but it’s not always what’s best for us. In fact, if someone has hurt you deeply and the relationship isn’t healthy, trying to “fix” things can do more harm than good.
Most of us would probably agree that forgiving a wrongdoer means letting go of negative feelings—like anger and resentment—towards them, as if nothing happened. Actually this isn’t helpful. It pressures us to minimize our feelings and revise our boundaries—to say “it’s OK” when for us, it isn’t. While it’s not a good idea to focus on negative thoughts, recognizing and processing all of that pain is an important part of the healing journey. And when someone doesn’t make us feel seen or safe, forgiving them can actually reduce our self-esteem.
A 2010 research paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that folks who forgave partners that didn’t make them feel valued had less respect for themselves. Letting minor offences that happen now and again slide can be great for any relationship, but repeatedly forgiving bad behavior can encourage that person to keep hurting you.
At least, that’s what 2011 research by psychology professor James McNulty argues. He found that when a partner was more likely to forgive those acts, the aggressor was more likely to keep committing them. McNulty suggests that this is because facing the consequences of their actions is what motivates people to change their ways, and being offered a clean slate can be a kind of pass to avoid making changes. So forgiving frequent and major offences, like verbal or physical abuse, can do more harm than good.
For me, this speaks to the core tension in the idea. Instead of looking to forgiveness like a magic medicine, we can focus on recognizing what happened and coming to terms with it, however that looks for us and without any sense of obligation towards our offender.
1. What does the author think about the message in paragraph 1?| A．It’s reasonable. | B．It’s debatable. |
| C．It’s convincing. | D．It’s unquestionable. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By giving statistics. |
| C．By quoting researchers’ views. | D．By sharing his own experiences. |
| A．A repeated offence. | B．A magic medicine. |
| C．A terrible consequence. | D．A complete forgiveness. |
| A．Forgiving is always a virtue. | B．Forgiving can change everything. |
| C．Forgiving others sometimes depends. | D．Forgiving others always seems impossible. |
1. 你对此的理解；
2. 结合具体实例；
3. 你的启发与感悟。
注意：
1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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