1 . One freezing morning last February, I walked through Ontario Place. Trees were frosted sculptures. Large chunks of ice floated in the lake. Then I saw a group of people in bathing suits bouncing up and down in the water. They held hands, shouting and yelling into the sky. They looked and sounded so free.
I’ve always found cold water thrilling. The shock of it is like pressing a switch. It seems to reset my body and soul.
And last winter, I definitely needed a reset. I woke up most mornings with a dull, grey feeling as I forced myself out of bed to start the day. I needed something to cheer myself up, but I didn’t know what, until that day.
The ice warriors (勇士) emerged from the lake, their skin steaming. Trembling, they were yet laughing and hugging each other. I called out: “You guys are awesome!” One woman waved back, “Come and join us! We’ re here every Monday morning.”
The night before my first dip (游泳), I was excited and nervous. Cold water was one thing, but this icy lake was a whole other level. Should I back out? Eventually, I got up in the dark and drove to the meeting spot.
After some wild warm up, I charged into the lake along with others. We yelled into the sky. Teeth chattering heart rates slowing, fingers and toes going numb (麻木), we stayed there for somewhere between two and five minutes. Knowing it was my first time, people cheered me on. It felt amazing. I was stupid with cold, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so happy.
Now I go dipping almost every day, and I’ve come to long for that moment when the cold becomes a second skin and my internal voice goes silent. Apart from the thrill of those first heart-stopping dives, which, ironically, saved me from going under, what has drawn me is this community of generous, open-hearted souls.
We laughed together, often, but from the stories we’ve shared about ourselves, I know I’m not the only one who faces life’s challenges. Holding hands in the freezing lake, we looked out for each other last winter and will do so through this one.
It won’t fix everything in our lives—but for some reason, it helps. At the end of each session I return home feeling stronger, lighter, more able to carry on. As another winter sets in, I’m more than ready to embrace the cold again.
1. When the author saw the people in the lake, her feeling can be best described as __________A.nervous | B.amazed |
C.frightened | D.calm |
A.To expand her social circle. | B.To lift her spirits again. |
C.To adapt to the cold weather. | D.To prepare for a new career |
A.She hesitated a bit before going. |
B.She suffered from a heart problem. |
C.She stayed in cold water too long. |
D.She regretted not doing enough warm up. |
A.She is more intelligent. |
B.She gets more competitive. |
C.She becomes a better storyteller. |
D.She regains her inner peace. |
A.Severe cold builds up character |
B.Group wisdom brightens our life. |
C.Tackling the odds together cures. |
D.Doing sports promotes friendship. |
2 . It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s came to the hospital. I heard him saying to the nurse that he was in a hurry for all appointment(约会)at 9:30. The nurse had him take a
Now I
A.breath | B.test | C.seat | D.break |
A.persuading | B.promising | C.understanding | D.telling |
A.if | B.before | C.since | D.after |
A.taking off | B.fixing | C.looking at | D.winding |
A.very | B.also | C.seldom | D.not |
A.turn up | B.show off | C.come on | D.go away |
A.needed | B.forgot | C.agreed | D.happened |
A.daughter | B.wife | C.mother | D.sister |
A.late | B.well | C.around | D.there |
A.lonely | B.worried | C.doubtful | D.hungry |
A.so far | B.neither | C.no longer | D.already |
A.recognize | B.answer | C.believe | D.expect |
A.moved | B.disappointed | C.surprised | D.satisfied |
A.only | B.then | C.thus | D.still |
A.curiosity | B.tears | C.words | D.judgment |
A.realize | B.suggest | C.hope | D.prove |
A.agreement | B.expression | C.acceptance | D.exhibition |
A.necessarily | B.completely | C.naturally | D.frequently |
A.learn | B.make | C.favor | D.try |
A.Adventure | B.Beauty | C.Trust | D.Life |
3 . Sitting in the garden for my friend’s birthday. I felt a buzz (振动) in my pocket. My heart raced when I saw the email sender’s name. The email started off: “Dear Mr Green, thank you for your interest” and “the review process took longer than expected.” It ended with “We are sorry to inform you…” and my vision blurred (模糊). The position—measuring soil quality in the Sahara Desert as part of an undergraduate research programme — had felt like the answer I had spent years looking for.
I had put so much time and emotional energy into applying, and I thought the rejection meant the end of the road for my science career.
So I was shocked when, not long after the email, Professor Mary Devon, who was running the programme, invited me to observe the work being done in her lab. I jumped at the chance, and a few weeks later I was equally shocked—and overjoyed—when she invited me to talk with her about potential projects I could pursue in her lab. What she proposed didn’t seem as exciting as the original project I had applied to, but I was going to give it my all.
I found myself working with a robotics professor on techniques for collecting data from the desert remotely. That project, which I could complete from my sofa instead of in the burning heat of the desert, not only survived the lockdown but worked where traditional methods didn’t. In the end, I had a new scientific interest to pursue.
When I applied to graduate school, I found three programmes promising to allow me to follow my desired research direction. And I applied with the same anxious excitement as before. When I was rejected from one that had seemed like a perfect fit, it was undoubtedly difficult. But this time I had the perspective (视角) to keep it from sending me into panic. It helped that in the end I was accepted into one of the other programmes I was also excited about.
Rather than setting plans in stone, I’ve learned that sometimes I need to take the opportunities that are offered, even if they don’t sound perfect at the time, and make the most of them.
1. How did the author feel upon seeing the email sender’s name?A.Anxious. | B.Angry. | C.Surprised. | D.Settled. |
A.criticise the review process | B.stay longer in the Sahara Desert |
C.apply to the original project again | D.put his heart and soul into the lab work |
A.demanding | B.inspiring | C.misleading | D.amusing |
A.An invitation is a reputation. | B.An innovation is a resolution. |
C.A rejection can be a redirection. | D.A reflection can be a restriction. |
4 . Many years ago, I bought a house in the Garfagnana, where we still go every summer. The first time we
What we discovered is that it’s
It’s good to eat things at the correct time, when they’re
A.waited | B.met | C.camped | D.stayed |
A.making | B.searching | C.squeezing | D.feeling |
A.customer | B.neighbor | C.relative | D.passenger |
A.lend | B.send | C.bring | D.show |
A.choice | B.comment | C.promise | D.gesture |
A.worried | B.moved | C.thrilled | D.bored |
A.simple | B.real | C.shiny | D.fun |
A.more | B.good | C.new | D.easy |
A.sympathetic to | B.thankful for | C.cautious about | D.interested in |
A.tried | B.sold | C.returned | D.mixed |
A.unnecessary | B.uncertain | C.unwise | D.unusual |
A.appearance | B.quality | C.origin | D.price |
A.size | B.shape | C.color | D.taste |
A.smell | B.look | C.become | D.work |
A.happy | B.vivid | C.short | D.vague |
A.clean | B.check | C.count | D.pack |
A.perfect | B.useful | C.convenient | D.familiar |
A.on view | B.on sale | C.in season | D.in need |
A.finished | B.stored | C.found | D.grown |
A.cooked | B.given | C.bought | D.told |
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2. 只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。
I find it interested that many great or success people come from a poor family. This proves that being poor not always a bad thing. In some way, it may be very precious to you, because of difficult situations will make you a person of strong character, upon what you can depend for success. So don’t feel sorry if you were a student from a poor family. Work hard and they will have a great future although other have rich parents.
In a word, it isn’t matter where you come from if you have a positive attitude to life. So, when life gives you 100 reasons to cry, showing life that you have 1, 000 reasons to smile.
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2.只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。
I was often troubled by lack of confidences. So I applied for a job at an exhibition as an journalist last term. The exhibition was held annually display the latest products in the field of education. At that time, I was responsible for interviewing parents who bought the learning tools. While talking with him, I found it was not so hard as I have thought. One lady even praised me but asked her son to learn from me. I realized the experience was in great value and that nothing was more excited than communicating with people.
From this experience, I am full aware that we should take real action if our personality that needs improving.
7 . Traveling itself is an experience hard to be described in words.
Having grown up and lived all my life in a single place, I had a small set of friends since my school days which continued till my college days.
I totally agree that traveling with family and friends is fun and enjoying. But traveling alone is satisfying too. It’s among those few things that you do for yourself and nobody else.
A.I want to experience more. |
B.But all this changed with my first solo trip. |
C.I never thought I would travel alone in my life. |
D.I was so scared when I went to school first time. |
E.Every journey prepares you for the journey of life. |
F.The farther you travel, the more independent you become. |
G.After all you need to take care of yourself a bit too at times. |
8 . Ralph Emerson once said that the purpose of life is not to be happy, but to be useful, to be loving, to make some difference in he world. While we appreciate such words of wisdom, we rarely try to follow them in our lives.
Most people prefer to live a good life themselves, ignoring their responsibilities for the world. This narrow perception of a good life may provide short-term benefits, but is sure to lead to long-term harm and suffering. A good life based on comfort and luxury may eventually lead to more pain be-cause we spoil our health and even our character, principles, ideals, and relationships.
What then, is the secret of a good life? A good life is a process, not a state of being : a direction, not a destination. We have to earn a good life by first serving others without any expectation in return because their happiness is the very source of our own happiness. More importantly, we must know ourselves inside out. Only when we examine ourselves deeply can we discover our abilities and recognize our limitations, and then work accordingly to create a better world.
The first requirement for a good life is having a loving heart. When we do certain right things merely as a duty, we find our job so tiresome that we’ll soon burn out. However, when we do that same job out of love, we not only enjoy what we do, but also do it with an effortless feeling.
However, love alone is insufficient to lead a good life. Love sometimes blinds us to the reality. Consequently, our good intentions may not lead to good results. To achieve desired outcome, those who want to do good to others also need to equip themselves with accurate world knowledge. False knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance. If love is the engine of a car knowledge is the steering wheel(方向盘). If the engine lacks power, the car can’t move; if the driver loses control of the steering, a road accident probably occurs. Only with love in heart and the right knowledge in mind can we lead a good life.
With love and knowledge, we go all out to create a better world by doing good to others. When we see the impact of our good work on the world we give meaning to our life and earn lasting joy and happiness.
1. What effect does the narrow perception of a good life have on us?A.Making us simple-minded | B.Making us short-sighted. |
C.Leading us onto a busy road. | D.Keeping us from comfort and luxury. |
A.Through maintaining good health. |
B.By going through pain and suffering. |
C.By recognizing one’s abilities and limitations. |
D.Through offering help much needed by others. |
A.less selfish | B.less annoying |
C.more motivated | D.more responsible |
A.When we have wrong knowledge of the world. |
B.When our love for the world is insufficient. |
C.When we are insensitive to dangers in life. |
D.When we stay blind to the reality. |
A.inspired by love and guided by knowledge |
B.directed by love and pushed by knowledge |
C.purified by love and enriched by knowledge |
D.promoted by love and defined by knowledge |
9 . I’m an 18-year-old pre-medical student, tall and good-looking, with two short story books and quite a number of essays to my credit. Why am I singing such praises of myself? Just to explain that the attainment of self-pride comes from a great deal of self-love, and to attain it, one must first learn to accept oneself as one is. That was where my struggle began.
Born and raised in Africa,I had always taken my African origin as burden. My self-dislike was further fueled when my family had to relocate to Norway, where I attended a high school. Compared to all the white girls around me, with their golden hair and delicate lips, I ,a black girl, had curly hair and full, red lips. My nose often had a thin sheet of sweat on it, whatever the weather was. I just wanted to bury myself in my shell crying “I’m so different!”
What also contributed to my self-dislike was my occasional stuttering (口吃), which had weakened my self-confidence. It always stood between me and any fine opportunity. I’d taken it as an excuse to avoid any public speaking sessions, and unknowingly let it rule over me.
Fortunately, as I grew older, there came a turning point. One day a white girl caught my eye on the school bus when she suddenly turned back. To my astonishment, she had a thin sheet of sweat on her nose too, and it was in November! “Wow,” I whispered to myself, “this isn’t a genetic(遗传的) disorder after all. It’s perfectly normal.” Days later, my life took an-other twist(转折). Searching the internet for stuttering cures, I accidentally learned that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also stuttered. I was greatly relieved and then an idea suddenly hit me—if I’m smart, I shouldn’t allow my stuttering to stand between me and my success.
Another boost to my self-confidence came days later as I was watching the news about Oprah Winfrey, the famous talk show host and writer—she’s black too! Whenever I think of her story and my former dislike of my color, I’m practically filled with shame.
Today, I’ve grown to accept what I am with pride; it simply gives me feeling of uniqueness. The idea of self-love has taken on a whole new meaning for me: there’s always something fantastic about us, and what we need to do is learn to appreciate it.
1. What affected the author’s adjustment to her school life in Norway?A.Her appearance |
B.Social discrimination. |
C.Her changing emotions. |
D.The climate in Norway. |
A.Her lack of self-confidence. |
B.Her loss of interest in school. |
C.Her unwillingness to greet her classmates. |
D.Her desire for chances to improve herself. |
A.Blessed and proud. |
B.Confused and afraid. |
C.Amazed and relieved. |
D.Shocked and ashamed. |
A.Great minds speak alike. |
B.Stuttering is no barrier to success. |
C.Wisdom counts more than hard work. |
D.Famous people can’t live with their weaknesses. |
A.Pride comes before a fall. |
B.Where there is a will, there is a way. |
C.Self-acceptance is based on the love for oneself. |
D.Self-love is key to the attainment of self-pride. |
10 . When I was in sixth grade, I joined the band program to learn to play the clarinet (单簧管). The beginning of the year had gone
From then on, I hated playing the clarinet and I kept getting
The avoidance of my lessons continued until my mum asked me about it. “I want to quit.” My tears started
The next day I met with my band teacher and told her I was having a problem and couldn’t
A.badly | B.endlessly | C.randomly | D.smoothly |
A.mess up | B.move on | C.set out | D.take off |
A.impression | B.essay | C.story | D.factor |
A.ashamed | B.starved | C.excited | D.relaxed |
A.crashing | B.moving | C.selling | D.bending |
A.stricter | B.worse | C.happier | D.smarter |
A.joy | B.panic | C.doubt | D.sympathy |
A.funny | B.important | C.easy | D.traditional |
A.drying | B.disappearing | C.flowing | D.separating |
A.had a point | B.made a change | C.reached a level | D.took a break |
A.send | B.bring | C.pick | D.climb |
A.request | B.resolution | C.presentation | D.proposal |
A.balance | B.degree | C.position | D.solution |
A.figure out | B.give away | C.think over | D.make up |
A.aim | B.smile | C.wave | D.shout |
A.anger | B.sorrow | C.disappointment | D.surprise |
A.felt | B.shown | C.removed | D.voiced |
A.Carrying on | B.Looking back | C.Stepping aside | D.Turning around |
A.consume | B.examine | C.reflect | D.rescue |
A.unknown | B.unpunished | C.interested | D.trapped |