1 . It was many years ago. I was a college
When winter arrived, my gloves tore and my fingers split and
It is only now many years later that I have a hint of why I had to go through those tough times. I think that it is the “Why Me?” times of our lives in which we
| A．editor | B．graduate | C．professor | D．reporter |
| A．hopeless | B．satisfied | C．delighted | D．modest |
| A．Honestly | B．Fortunately | C．Sadly | D．Frankly |
| A．busy | B．worried | C．appreciative | D．calm |
| A．paid | B．cost | C．reduced | D．wasted |
| A．stopping | B．jumping | C．bending | D．wandering |
| A．aching | B．trembling | C．cheering | D．choking |
| A．bled | B．broke | C．shook | D．burnt |
| A．low | B．high | C．fixed | D．steady |
| A．push | B．release | C．pull | D．press |
| A．challenging | B．helpful | C．interesting | D．meaningful |
| A．hand | B．voice | C．spirits | D．tunes |
| A．contribute to | B．carry out | C．prepare for | D．go through |
| A．answer | B．aim | C．order | D．opportunity |
| A．complain | B．lose | C．grow | D．expect |
2 . It was Thanksgiving morning and in the crowded kitchen of my small home I was busy preparing the traditional Thanksgiving turkey when the doorbell rang. I opened the front door and saw two small children in rags huddling together.
“Any old papers, lady?” asked one of them.
I was busy. I wanted to say “no” until I looked down at their feet. They were wearing thin little sandals (凉鞋), wet with heavy snow.
“Come in and I’ll make you a cup of hot cocoa.”
They walked over and sat down at the table. Their wet sandals left marks upon the floor. I served them cocoa and bread with jam to fight against the cold outside. Then I went back to the kitchen and started cooking.
The silence in the front room struck me. I looked in. The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked in a flat voice, “Lady, are you rich?”
“Am I rich? Pity, no!” I looked at my shabby slipcovers (沙发套). The girl put her cup back in its saucer carefully and said, “Your cups match your saucers (茶碟).” Her voice was hungry with a need that no amount of food could supply. They left after that, holding their bundles of papers against the wind. They hadn’t said “Thank you.” They didn’t need to. In a special way they had reminded me that I had already had so much for which I should be grateful.
Plain blue china cups and saucers were only worth five pence. But they did match.
I tasted the potatoes and stirred the meat soup. Potatoes and brown meat soup, a roof over our heads, my man with a good steady job—these matched, too.
I moved the chairs back from the fire and cleaned the living room. The muddy prints of small sandals were still wet upon my floor. Let them be for a while, I thought, just in case I should forget how rich I was.
1. The writer invited the children in because___________.| A．she wanted to donate old papers to them | B．she showed great pity and care for them |
| C．she used to have the same experience | D．she wanted to invite them to her Thanksgiving party |
| A．The girl said the writer was rich to make the writer happy. |
| B．The writer thought she wasn’t rich because her supplies were not expensive. |
| C．If cups and saucers match well, they are a best pair even though they are cheap. |
| D．After hearing what they said, the writer seemed to understand what a rich life was. |
| A．prove she was really rich | B．show that she was a kind lady |
| C．tell the readers what being rich is | D．remind herself that she was rich enough |
| A．Lady, are you rich? | B．A tale of Thanksgiving Day |
| C．Don’t forget how rich you are | D．Do cups and saucers match well? |
3 . When I first read the wonderful book The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, I was in Grade 9. I came to know about it from my sister. When I came to Grade 10, I started
Then the day came that my first round to
After six months, the second round was
From my
| A．writing | B．applying | C．comparing | D．limiting |
| A．book | B．family | C．news | D．movie |
| A．worries | B．troubles | C．chances | D．dreams |
| A．accepting | B．recording | C．imagining | D．covering |
| A．school | B．office | C．library | D．team |
| A．try out for | B．stand by | C．catch up with | D．cheer for |
| A．anxiously | B．luckily | C．sadly | D．actively |
| A．solution | B．excuse | C．result | D．difference |
| A．coach | B．winner | C．singer | D．reader |
| A．forgotten | B．designed | C．explored | D．trusted |
| A．humorous | B．strange | C．good | D．dangerous |
| A．advanced | B．announced | C．improved | D．canceled |
| A．achieved | B．kept | C．stopped | D．started |
| A．comment | B．experience | C．strength | D．failure |
| A．difficulty | B．interest | C．confidence | D．success |
4 . According to B. C. Forbes, many widely known winners struggled with difficulties and failures before they achieved success, and the reason why they ultimately achieved is that they never lost their courage when they suffered setbacks.
In ancient times, a king had a big rock placed on a roadway, and he hid himself to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.
Some of the wealthy noblemen and businessmen came by and simply walked around it. Many blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but no one did anything to move the stone out of the way.
Then a farmer came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the rock, he laid down his load and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he succeeded.
After the farmer picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a reward lying on the road where the rock had been. It contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating the gold was for the person who removed the stone from the roadway.
The farmer learned what many of us struggle to understand: Hidden behind every obstacle is an opportunity, yet many are unwilling to explore it.
Obstacles are present in everyday life. It can be a barrier that sets you back or stops your progress. Or you are about to carry out your best plan, but then a block that derails it appears. They are all discouraging and cause a loss of time and resources.
Beyond the frustration, what role do obstacles serve? Keep in mind that within the experience there could be a greater lesson contained. Perhaps you need it to master a skill or gain valuable knowledge before continuing your plans.
But what you can learn from the experience is never about involving in a battle with reality. Facing the challenges helps you move through obstacles rather than allow them to control your life.
1. What can you learn from the first paragraph?| A．Successful people always meet different difficulties. |
| B．People succeed because they aren’t defeated by obstacles. |
| C．Successful people have a better ability to overcome difficulties. |
| D．The more obstacles people meet, the more easily they succeed. |
| A．To criticise the wealthy noblemen and businessmen. |
| B．To highlight that there are many huge obstacles in life. |
| C．To show an example of how kindness brings reward. |
| D．To explain that opportunities often come after obstacles. |
| A．To cause the loss of something. | B．To make changes to something. |
| C．To lead to the formation of something. | D．To stop the continuation of something. |
| A．It causes psychological feelings. |
| B．It gives you the ability to con test reality. |
| C．It offers a lesson that makes you move on better. |
| D．It provides an opportunity to avoid future obstacles. |
My father had been a sales trainer who taught presentation skills. He traveled across the world for work and competed in tennis tournaments on the weekends. “Life is good,” he would always say, with a twinkle in his eyes.
Everything changed during my second year of high school. A sudden stroke (中风) left my dad with severe physical and neurological deficits. He was unable to move the right side of his body. But the most serious problem, amidst so many others, was his loss of speech.
The stroke resulted in a disorder called aphasia, which damages someone’s ability to communicate and understand language. It was like my father was a prisoner in his own body, unable to do and say exactly what he wanted.
The aphasia also caused my dad to say things he did not mean. He would sometimes cry in the middle of a funny movie and laugh when something tragic happened. I found myself going through embarrassment whenever we were in public. My father would wave his cane like a weapon and shout incoherent yet harmless phrases at passersby. It upset me. I hated the stares and hushed comments, even though he did not notice.
One afternoon, I came home to find my dad watching an old video. It was a video of my father and me playing tennis. What used to be such a simple pleasure was now impossible. We watched in silence until I couldn’t hold my grief any longer. I found myself shaking and crying. At any time, he could have another stroke. There was no promise of tomorrow. I felt overcome by fear, both for my family and for my father.
Father’s lips moved while he watched me cry. He clearly wanted to say something, but was powerless. I wondered what he wanted to say to inspire me to face up to the darkness we were going through.
I finally found my answer when one day I took my dad to the park, rowing a boat as we did a few times before. “You …and… me!” he managed to say.
注意：
1．续写词数应为150左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
Shocked, I wanted to hear more.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
“Yes. Life is good.” I whispered back, completing it for him.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6 . After working for nearly a decade at the same dead-end job with no advancement and no pay increases, I was considering leaving the profession for good. One day I was offered the position of Office Manager for a
As our income increased, so did our
Unfortunately, months later my husband and I were
The sudden
It’s been years since we started our new
| A．burning | B．struggling | C．conservative | D．controversial |
| A．resist | B．hesitate | C．accept | D．evaluate |
| A．introduction | B．observation | C．permission | D．consideration |
| A．relief | B．spending | C．pleasure | D．ambition |
| A．impressed | B．transformed | C．surrounded | D．equipped |
| A．appearances | B．measures | C．directions | D．preferences |
| A．kept off | B．turned down | C．figured out | D．sent away |
| A．desire | B．choice | C．appeal | D．interest |
| A．deserted | B．returned | C．stored | D．sold |
| A．trial | B．failure | C．loss | D．dilemma |
| A．blessing | B．warning | C．concern | D．challenge |
| A．remove | B．defend | C．compare | D．analyze |
| A．life | B．experiment | C．recreation | D．adventure |
| A．remain | B．depart | C．change | D．accelerate |
| A．testing | B．enjoying | C．expecting | D．realizing |
7 . I’ve spent my life avoiding uncomfortable situations.
As a work-from-home mother of three, I spent my days driving children to school and then sticking to my daily
One fall morning, I was out on a walk with a close friend. This woman is independent and brave, to whom I often turn for advice. As we talked about our daily life, I
The advice she gave me changed my life. “Starting
I decided to
My wise friend’s advice became my life’s
Fear is a
| A．schedule | B．exercise | C．update | D．report |
| A．chat | B．work | C．shop | D．wait |
| A．continued | B．followed | C．changed | D．applied |
| A．annoyed | B．trapped | C．grateful | D．regretful |
| A．early | B．big | C．late | D．small |
| A．delights | B．frightens | C．confuses | D．attracts |
| A．take | B．share | C．receive | D．seek |
| A．new | B．expensive | C．quick | D．simple |
| A．offer | B．exchange | C．miss | D．explore |
| A．story | B．goal | C．belief | D．style |
| A．completely | B．extremely | C．specifically | D．formally |
| A．anxious | B．brave | C．independent | D．determined |
| A．wonder | B．moment | C．gift | D．matter |
| A．strike | B．contact | C．embarrass | D．surprise |
| A．lectured | B．crowded | C．touched | D．provided |
8 . At this point, a new live stage show, The Music Critic, is touring across the US. In the show, John Malkovich transforms into the sharpest critics of the greatest classical musicians in history and reads their comments aloud as the music critics in his unusual voice.
For example, Frederic Chopin was once criticized by pianist Hyung-ki Joo. “Mr. Chopin has, by some means or the other which we cannot understand, obtained an enormous reputation too often refused to composers who possess several times his genius. Mr. Chopin is by no means a composer of the ordinary. He is worse,” Malkovich comments as the critic.
In the show, even Beethoven got a very bad review from the wonderful composer Tchaikovsky. “He first fills the soul with sweet sadness, and then destroys it by a mass of messy notes,” Malkovich reads.
The Music Critic is part concert, part theater. Malkovich says that the similarities between them are part of the draw for him.
“I always say they are like surfing because we just paddle (划) out on our little boards. We turn our back to the sun and wait for a wave. We’re not the wave, which most of us think we are, but we are really not the wave,” Malkovich emphasizes. “The wave is created by the collision (碰撞) between the material and the audience. We ride the wave or we don’t.”
For sure, it is fun to criticize anyone. However, there’s something more at the heart of The Music Critic—and there’s a lesson for all of us. Everyone will be at the receiving end of bad reviews at some point. As Malkovich points out: If Beethoven and Chopin got dismissed, you will too.
“I think of it as an inspirational piece for people in the creative industry to keep going,” Malkovich says. “You know, face all the criticism, enjoy it, and have fun with it because you’re going to get it. There’s no one who’s going to be spared.”
1. What does the underlined word “their” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．The classical musicians’. | B．Chopin and Beethoven’s. |
| C．The sharpest music critics’. | D．Hyung-ki Joo and Tchaikovsky’s. |
| A．Chopin shouldn’t become so famous. | B．Many composers were treated unfairly. |
| C．He couldn’t understand Chopin’s music. | D．Chopin was one of the greatest composers. |
| A．The beautiful music. | B．The audience’s feeling. |
| C．The dramatic acting. | D．The performers’ passion. |
| A．Every great man shall be criticized. |
| B．Entertainers might get far more criticism. |
| C．The audience should be fair with their criticism. |
| D．We should face criticism and try to have fun with it. |
9 . Defining Success on Your Own Terms
“You go to college right out of high school. That’s the rule, right?” says Nikki Ivey, a sales trainer and consultant outside Jacksonville, Fla, However, it’s not the case for her. Actually, she got her undergraduate degree at 28.
One by one, she missed the milestones she’d envisioned in some imaginary dream life: earning six figures by 30, buying a house by 35. Then she hit one- attaining a high-level executive position in a company. She didn’t love the job. She did love sitting around the dinner table laughing with her kids. “
Danielle Ponder had a career as a lawyer before dedicating herself to singing full time. Working as a public defender in Rochester, NY, Danielle Ponder would frequently Google,“Did anyone make it after the age of 35? At one point, she quit her day job, only to return a year and a half later, due to the pandemic and disappointing bookings. On the last day of 2021, five days before her 40 birthday, she tried again.
It can be hard to make a transition later in life.
| A．Do I even want them? On whose clock? |
| B．Why should you challenge that secret timeline of milestones in your head? |
| C．This time, quitting her job led to her first album, television appearances and sold-out shows. |
| D．Instead of feeling pressure to hit life events on someone else’s timeline, maybe it’s fine to make our own. |
| E．People are felling like they’re falling behind, when in fact they’re probably doing exactly what they should. |
| F．She spent years feeling like an outsider and failure as she watched her peers rise in school and work, figuring she’d never catch up. |
10 . Turkey is not my thing, but one dish I cannot live without on Thanksgiving is my mom’s Snowy Mashed Potatoes. I start
How and why is it that certain foods give us so much
Often, we love food because we have
The smell of food can
These
In addition to past memories, the
| A．cutting down on | B．looking forward to | C．making for | D．putting away |
| A．perspective | B．pleasure | C．space | D．transition |
| A．emotionally | B．financially | C．physically | D．visually |
| A．enjoy | B．memorize | C．order | D．recall |
| A．company | B．menus | C．outlook | D．recipes |
| A．cultural | B．fond | C．photographic | D．shared |
| A．collective | B．creative | C．lost | D．parental |
| A．awake | B．correct | C．preserve | D．record |
| A．bitter-sweet | B．fresh | C．long-lasting | D．selective |
| A．associations | B．experiences | C．foods | D．memories |
| A．alert | B．amazed | C．disappointed | D．sad |
| A．avoid | B．consume | C．store | D．swallow |
| A．area | B．background | C．context | D．emotion |
| A．enhanced | B．offered | C．reflected | D．weakened |
| A．adapted | B．appreciated | C．copied | D．digested |
