1 . As a child, I was proud of my southern origin. My own voice reflected my family’s past and present-part northern Mississippi, part Tennessee, all southern. There was no sound I loved more than my grandmother’s accent: thick, sweet, warm.

While growing up, I began to realize outside of our region, southerners were often dismissed as uncultured and ignorant. I was ready to leave behind my tiny town in West Tennessee, starting a new life and jumping at big chances in some far-off cities. In that embarrassing space between “teen” and “adult”, my accent was a symbol of everything I thought I hated about my life in the rural South. I feared it would disqualify me from being a noted magazine writer. I would have to talk less “country”. So I killed a piece of myself. I’m ashamed of it, but I’m more ashamed that I tried to kill that part of someone else-change Emily’s accent.

I met Emily in college. She was determined to work for the student newspaper, which was where I spent most of my waking hours, and we became friends. She, unlike me, accepted her roots. Early in our friendship, her mother asked where I was from, assuming it was somewhere up north. Then I felt my efforts paid off and even wanted to ignore the mistake.

Emily is two years younger and she cared about my opinion. I advised her to be more like me and hide her signature Manchester accent. I stressed that throughout our college years, often by making fun of her vowel (元音) sounds. I told myself I was helping her achieve her dream of working as a reporter. Now, I see that it was actually about justifying my hiding part of myself.

Grandma Carolyn used to tell me, “Girl, don’t forget where you come from.” Now I truly understand that. Many things have faded from memory, but this sticks in my mind with uncomfortable clarity. Now that I am grown and have left the South, it’s important to me.

1. What made the author want to leave her hometown?

A．Appeal of convenience in cities.

B．Her dream of becoming a writer.

C．Outside prejudice against southerners.

D．Her desire for the northern accent.

2. How did the author feel about the mistake of Emily’s mother?

A．Upset.

B．Pleased.

C．Ashamed.

D．Surprised.

3. Why on earth did the author try to change Emily’s accent?

A．To prove herself right.	B．To help Emily be a reporter.
C．To make herself influential.	D．To protect Emily’s self-dignity.

4. What message does the text want to convey?

A．Stay true to your roots.	B．Never do things by halves.
C．Hold on to your dreams.	D．Never judge a person by his accent.

2 . I stopped at the top of the hill, my right foot pressed back against the coaster brake (脚刹) on my bicycle. All I needed to do was to_______ my foot, and I would be swept down the hill. But I _______ . To my 12-year-old eyes, the hill was a mountain and the slope was _______ steep, which prevented me taking up the challenge.

When I returned to my hometown more than three decades later with my friends Dave and Scott, we _______ to the base of the hill and walked our bikes _______ . We stood once more at the top of that hill, looking down from the edge, but this time with a _______ set of eyes. To our surprise, now the _______ seemed more obvious, even larger than we’d imagined as kids. We knew that once we started down, there was no stopping or _______ . And right at the bottom of the hill, we would have to turn left to _______ dumping into the stream.

Dave went first. Then I was next. My heart was pounding. I ________ on the bike for a moment. Then I released the brake and yielded myself to ________ . I skidded to a stop next to Dave. Scott followed. The three of us spent several minutes laughing, draining off the adrenaline (肾上腺素) . We had ________ the childhood challenge of riding our bikes down the steep hill.

We didn’t know it then, but we’d face many similar ________ over the years — leaving home, getting married, moving to a different town, starting a new job, and many others — that would cause us to pause at the ________ and collect our courage ________ we launched ourselves down the trails of our lives.

1.

A．stamp

B．break

C．lift

D．keep

2.

A．paused

B．started

C．charged

D．fell

3.

A．unnecessarily

B．incredibly

C．occasionally

D．hardly

4.

A．ran

B．rode

C．climbed

D．wandered

5.

A．out

B．off

C．away

D．up

6.

A．similar

B．whole

C．different

D．smart

7.

A．risk

B．stream

C．slope

D．assumption

8.

A．turning back

B．looking down

C．giving in

D．breaking out

9.

A．get

B．avoid

C．make

D．search

10.

A．called

B．improved

C．smiled

D．balanced

11.

A．pressure

B．fate

C．gravity

D．difficulty

12.

A．recalled

B．completed

C．forgotten

D．received

13.

A．activities

B．troubles

C．lessons

D．periods

14.

A．corner

B．route

C．edge

D．line

15.

A．when

B．because

C．after

D．before

3 . “Keep staring! I might do a _______!” That’s the message on a T shirt of mine.

People stare at me all the time so I thought this shirt would be funny. See, I’m a dwarf(侏儒). Most of the time people aren’t trying to be _______ they just haven’t seen many dwarfs like me before. I can_______ that,but I also want to let them know that I see them staring.   

I was born with achondroplasia(软骨发育不全症), the most _______form of dwarfism. Right now, I am almost four feet tall and that’s _______ as tall as I’m going to get.

I’m not going to pretend my height isn’t a _______. It is light switches and _______ are usually too high for me. It takes me almost three steps to _______ one step of an average size adult and my mom has to shorten almost all of my _______ .

But everyone faces challenges. You have to face them with a good attitude. So, I have a long barbecue fork to ________ things from shelves and drive a car with the help of pedal ________. If all else fails, I ask for things. The way I see it, I can do just about ________that an average size person can do. I’ll never play professional sports, but I have no problem ________ my limits. It may take me longer and it may be harder, but I can still do it.

My shirt shows people the ________ me a kid with a sense of humor. And maybe that’s the trick showing others that I’m just like them. I’m just shorter, but I’m ________ of who I am.

1.

A．favor

B．magic

C．trick

D．survey

2.

A．rude

B．nice

C．indifferent

D．hospitable

3.

A．avoid

B．evaluate

C．appreciate

D．object

4.

A．common

B．special

C．scary

D．outstanding

5.

A．hardly

B．particularly

C．awfully

D．practically

6.

A．challenge

B．symbol

C．milestone

D．barrier

7.

A．stars

B．ceiling

C．counters

D．ladders

8.

A．break away from

B．keep up with

C．draw back

D．bring along

9.

A．legs

B．steps

C．pants

D．distance

10.

A．pull down

B．pick up

C．drag along

D．stab into

11.

A．brakes

B．extensions

C．devices

D．stands

12.

A．something

B．little

C．anything

D．enough

13.

A．adjusting

B．changing

C．perfecting

D．testing

14.

A．tall

B．different

C．strong

D．real

15.

A．ashamed

B．aware

C．capable

D．proud

4 . I experienced a day when I was extraordinarily _______. I’m never a picture of grace, but on this particular day, I seemed to be _______ everything. It’s an old church, and the floor is _______ in some places, so my fall was the floor’s fault. But when I fell again on my way out to the car, and yet again in my own home, I began to grow _______. Had I let myself get so stressed out that I had _______ become sick?

Having been raised by devoted Christian parents who also worked in the mental-health field, I tended to look for spiritual and emotional reasons before I headed to the local _______. I have the calming practice that _______ a yoga pose with a breath prayer. I went to _______ more comfortable clothes for the exercise, and as I removed my shoes, I was _______!

I wasn’t having a stroke at all. I had completely worn out my favorite pair of sandals. The soles (鞋底) of both shoes were split in two! I had ________ all the possibilities to figure out what was causing my clumsiness. It never occurred to me to check my soles.

So often when we start to feel ________, we look for ways to make things better. But just as it never occurred to me to check the soles of my shoes, our own souls are the very ________ thing we think of to check. Take a moment to remember the last time you sat still, meditating. If you can’t remember when that was, it might be a(n) ________.

The local cobbler (鞋匠) said my soles were irreparable. We had a good ________, but it was time to let them go. Fortunately for us, our souls can be mended and restored — once we realize they are in need of ________.

1.

A．busy

B．clumsy

C．stressed

D．bored

2.

A．going through

B．stepping on

C．falling off

D．tripping over

3.

A．uneven

B．sharp

C．stained

D．shallow

4.

A．inspired

B．grieved

C．concerned

D．interested

5.

A．luckily

B．literally

C．obviously

D．doubtfully

6.

A．doctor

B．coach

C．tailor

D．psychologist

7.

A．exchanges

B．equips

C．associates

D．combines

8.

A．wrap up

B．take off

C．change into

D．look after

9.

A．rescued

B．cured

C．injured

D．slipped

10.

A．exhausted

B．predicted

C．ignored

D．discussed

11.

A．delighted

B．divided

C．overwhelmed

D．thrilled

12.

A．best

B．last

C．easiest

D．hardest

13.

A．mistake

B．solution

C．test

D．clue

14.

A．run

B．exercise

C．yoga

D．gesture

15.

A．repair

B．review

C．response

D．replacement

5 . I believe almost everyone would like two things from their jobs and careers: success and happiness. They want to do relatively well financially, receive fair recognition for their accomplishments, enjoy their work as much as one can, and become happier as a person as a result. So many people, especially ambitious, hard-working people, simplify them in a logical way: They first seek success and then assume that success will lead to happiness.     1    . Chasing success has costs that can end up lowering happiness.

This is not to say that you have to choose between success and happiness.     2    . But you have to reverse (颠倒) the order of operations: Instead of trying first to get success and hoping it leads to happiness, start by working on your happiness, which will enhance your success.

Whether you are an employee or employer, it is a better investment to increase happiness at work and in life, rather than simply trying to increase measures of success.

    3    . No matter how much you enjoy your work, overwork will become an obstruction (阻碍) to well-being.

Once work quantity is under control, happiness at work requires a sense of meaning and purpose.     4    . Earned success implies a sense of accomplishment and recognition for a job well done, while service to others requires knowledge of the real people who benefit from your work.

Ultimately, although success and happiness are linked, the magic mostly works one-way — and not in the way that most people think.     5    , and may lead you to unhappiness. But working on your happiness. gives you the best chance at getting both.

A．You can obtain both

B．But this reasoning is faulty

C．It’s fairly reasonable to think this way, though

D．Working on your success to get happier is inefficient at best (充其量)

E．The first thing to remember is that happiness requires balance

F．It’s dangerous to pursue success instead of happiness

G．The two key aspects of meaningful work are earned success and service to others

6 . When I was a young girl in 8th grade, my classmates told me how they met new friends and even chatted with celebrities on the Internet. I was intrigued and wanted to experience these exciting things. I opened an online account; this was the beginning of my journey through the virtual world. As time went by, I became accustomed to checking social media more frequently. I buried myself in social media, chatting with friends and sharing my life with them. Social media was a source of happiness and more so, it brought a sense of satisfaction, pain, and frustration.

My newfound interest started interfering (干扰) with my schoolwork. Instead of checking my school notes in time as usual, I checked social media more often to see what was happening with my friends’ lives. But I later discovered that by becoming more aware of other people’s lives, I became less in tune with myself. I was more focused on the illusions social media presented than the realities of my life. Thus, I started to sense depression, jealousy and hatred as a result of comparing my life with others. And I became much like what the people in the virtual world expected of me.

Luckily, my phone went missing and my mother refused to get me a new one. I felt sad and lonely. However, her refusal led to something more meaningful to my life. Within a month, I became less concerned about other people’s lives and more concerned about my courses. And I had more time to study and sleep.

Lack of social media also made me realize that social media had been interfering with my study habits and my private life. For example, I had no privacy. Anyone who had access to my social media profiles could easily find out where I lived. Moreover, I sometimes spent 15 hours browsing through social media without doing anything productive.

After examining my use of social media, I decided not to entirely quit social media, but to change the way I use them. I unfollowed sites that didn’t contribute to positive or educative aspects of my life. I only use social media to spread positive messages and connect with others. Social media is not inherently bad, but it becomes terrible when we are addicted to it.

1. After creating an online account, the author       .

A．became less in harmony with herself

B．showed no concern for her school work

C．lived a more exciting and satisfying life

D．cared more about others and felt happier

2. Lack of social media made the author       .

A．develop new hobbies

B．focus more on her studies

C．forget how to access her account

D．unfollow sites connected with her life

3. The author might agree that social media       .

A．ruins people’s life and should be quit

B．broadens people’s views of the world

C．challenges people’s self-control ability

D．plays a primary role in people’s life

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A struggle in the days without phones.

B．Ways to get rid of social media addiction.

C．A personal experience with the virtual world.

D．Drawbacks of social media outweigh benefits.

7 . Last year in early summer, I was walking to my house when I saw two large birds standing in my yard. They didn’t seem to _______ me until I was right in front of them and then they _______ disappeared into the nearby bushes. I was quite excited by the _______ of two special birds making a nest (巢) in my yard．

A few weeks later, the birds _______. I found them crouching (蹲伏) beside a tree. As I approached them, they _______ their heads and made a croaking (嘶哑地叫) sound. I didn’t know why they were croaking at me until a short time later I made an amazing _______: there were two small birds _______ around happily.

As I inched towards the birds, _______ not to make sudden movements, they started their croaking again, putting their necks forward so they seemed _______ and more threatening.

The mother put the baby birds under her wings and carefully crouched down over them so her babies were well ________.

I was watching them with respect when I suddenly ________ and fell to the ground. The mother took this as a/an ________ and the father raced towards me, ________ his wings to protect the mother and the baby birds.

I felt sorry to have disturbed them and left quickly. I am amazed by their ________ actions. Their parental love made them so courageous. It is hard not to show ________ for nature.

1.

A．remind

B．confirm

C．notice

D．protest

2.

A．immediately

B．familiarly

C．creatively

D．slowly

3.

A．feeling

B．sense

C．opinion

D．idea

4.

A．investigated

B．removed

C．gathered

D．reappeared

5.

A．stuck out

B．put down

C．hang out

D．turned around

6.

A．collection

B．discovery

C．conclusion

D．mission

7.

A．jumping

B．fighting

C．seeking

D．marching

8.

A．curious

B．patient

C．worried

D．careful

9.

A．neater

B．simpler

C．longer

D．stronger

10.

A．fed

B．hidden

C．raised

D．identified

11.

A．tripped

B．moved

C．alarmed

D．responded

12.

A．target

B．defence

C．threat

D．escape.

13.

A．shooting

B．spilling

C．folding

D．spreading

14.

A．military

B．individual

C．brave

D．average

15.

A．gratitude

B．respect

C．emotion

D．pleasure

8 . Long ago, in a village lived a wise old man. All the villagers were unhappy because they thought their neighbours had better lives, so day and night the _________ townsfolk would burst into the old man’s house for endless _________ about their fortune.

Early one brisk autumn morning, the old man posted a huge sign in the village square that _________: ALL CITIZENS WILL GATHER HERE AT NOON. BRING A BIG GREEN PICKLE (泡菜).

At twelve sharp all the villagers gathered in the square with a big, green pickle. The old man said, “I want you all to put your pickle down by your feet!” The crowd became _________. After considerable _________ and complaining, the villagers did as the old man said.

Then the old man spoke once again, “Imagine that everything you are — your wisdom and your _________, your blessings and your misfortune, your _________ and your weaknesses — is in your pickle. If you don’t like your pickle, no big deal. _________ someone else’s. Go ahead and choose.”

With that _________, all the villagers now had the overwhelming __________ of deciding whose pickle they wanted. The baker’s eye __________ fell on the schoolteacher’s pickle. The schoolteacher’s eye __________ over to the tailor’s. Every eye __________ every pickle in town. However, when it was over, the townspeople — every single one of them — had __________ their very own pickles.

Since that day, whenever a villager approached the old man to complain, he would simply say, “It’s your __________; you picked it.”

1.

A．boring

B．noisy

C．nervous

D．envious

2.

A．complaints

B．quarrels

C．discussions

D．suggestions

3.

A．wrote

B．read

C．noted

D．displayed

4.

A．excited

B．awkward

C．silent

D．restless

5.

A．approving

B．attempting

C．doubting

D．reviewing

6.

A．foolishness

B．intelligence

C．courage

D．inspiration

7.

A．shortcomings

B．talents

C．confidence

D．wealth

8.

A．Pick

B．Admire

C．Post

D．Value

9.

A．assistance

B．command

C．announcement

D．promise

10.

A．profit

B．task

C．method

D．fear

11.

A．gradually

B．constantly

C．immediately

D．casually

12.

A．circled

B．passed

C．pulled

D．shot

13.

A．examined

B．marked

C．competed

D．labeled

14.

A．put away

B．taken back

C．missed out

D．set aside

15.

A．fortune

B．choice

C．pickle

D．lesson

9 . One day, I experienced something that caused me to lose my temper, to the point that I was in tears. So frustrated was I that I reached out to a dear and ____ friend to ask for advice on how to let go of ___. And then, I went for a long walk.

As I walked, I ____ my anger and what may have caused it. I heard my friend’s voice saying “drop into the heart space”, a space that love booms and if we allow it, it will   ____ our hurts. It is my ____ that hate cannot grow where love ____. I allowed my mind to follow that love and to review what the ____ of my anger was. I realized my anger is the result of many emotions that are normal.

There is a ____ of being overwhelmed, frustrated, tired and there is sorrow ____ as well. And perhaps the sorrow is the biggest one. For example, it is not easy to ___ a parent’s falling weak even when I recognize that it is part of the cycle of life. I had not acknowledged my sorrow until a friend ____ that it was part of my anger, and she was correct. I am grateful for having friends I can reach out   for ____ and comfort.

I am now able to ____ my anger, to drop into the heart space, to send out love and light, and to let go of any frustration rather than to ____ my anger. I know it will get easier if I am ____ with myself and allow the healing that is needed to happen.

1.

A．respectable

B．honest

C．famous

D．trusted

2.

A．tiredness

B．regret

C．anger

D．blame

3.

A．looked into

B．reflected on

C．thought of

D．picked up

4.

A．accept

B．provide

C．heal

D．affect

5.

A．belief

B．excuse

C．dream

D．proposal

6.

A．calls

B．shines

C．joins

D．approaches

7.

A．point

B．result

C．root

D．influence

8.

A．mixture

B．link

C．combination

D．chance

9.

A．offered

B．shared

C．connected

D．involved

10.

A．watch

B．follow

C．push

D．prevent

11.

A．joked

B．suggested

C．implied

D．proved

12.

A．contribution

B．praise

C．devotion

D．support

13.

A．envision

B．understand

C．admit

D．value

14.

A．fuel

B．stop

C．gather

D．inspire

15.

A．bored

B．active

C．gentle

D．honest

10 . Father’s Day to me is just as special as Mother’s Day. Each parent has something to ____ and sometimes one parent ends up playing both ____ and I happen to be one of those parents.

I completely ____ my son by myself，though I wanted him to have a ____ figure in his life.I can remember how ____ it was to answer some of the questions of a man,which I wished his dad could have ____.Last year I had to have an operation.I have always been ____,so it hurt my pride that I had to rely on others for help.I can remember my son saying,“Mom,you took care of me for 21 years,now it’s my ____ to look after you.” It ____ me to hear him say that;he had ____ everything I had done for him.

Children don’t forget things when they are growing up,____ those who have raised them.My father played an important role in my life and when I look back on my ____,he was my total inspiration (灵感),He taught me a lot about life and helped me keep a(n) positive attitude even when I got into difficulties.He ____ me to never give up on my dreams ____ they could be my own reality one day. He has taught me that laughter,kindness and love are more valuable than gold.

Happy Father’s Day to those who are there to support and love their children.Happy Father’s Day to all the mothers out there who have to play a father’s role and to all the fathers who have to play a(n)mother’s role.Raising children has never been ____ but it takes a special parent to make a difference in a child’s life.

1.

A．beg

B．borrow

C．give

D．gain

2.

A．purposes

B．promises

C．roles

D．tasks

3.

A．raised

B．encouraged

C．helped

D．loved

4.

A．teacher

B．father

C．mother

D．teenager

5.

A．foolish

B．interesting

C．excellent

D．difficult

6.

A．asked

B．forgot

C．explained

D．understood

7.

A．independent

B．confident

C．grateful

D．reliable

8.

A．opinion

B．turn

C．duty

D．honor

9.

A．bothered

B．touched

C．affected

D．confused

10.

A．ignored

B．doubted

C．disliked

D．appreciated

11.

A．especially

B．regularly

C．equally

D．generally

12.

A．history

B．youth

C．childhood

D．suffering

13.

A．forced

B．believed

C．reminded

D．ordered

14.

A．because

B．though

C．after

D．until

15.

A．easy

B．boring

C．happy

D．tiring