1 . Amazing and perfectly beautiful, The Midnight Library is everything you’d expect from the genius storyteller, Matt Haig. I picked it up from our readers’ recommendations (we asked our readers to send in some of their favorite recent books) and I can see why it won Best Fiction of 2020 in the Good Reads Choice Awards.
The story follows Nora Seed, a woman who is struggling and feels like nothing in her life has gone according to plan. While the initial chapters of the book are quite sad, Nora finds herself given a chance to start over in the Midnight Library, a magical place full of books of all the different paths her life could have taken. Nora is forced to stay in the library and try out different versions of her life until she finds the life she most wants to live.
I loved the idea that no dream or fork in your road is insignificant, and that they all lead us to become different versions of ourselves. In one life, Nora is an Olympic swimmer. In another, she is a glaciologist living on a boat off the coast of Antarctica. The novel reveals in a beautiful way that the potential we all have within us is impossible to measure, and that we have the possibility to be happy in many different versions of life.
It also discusses how dangerous it can be to live your life with regrets. The Midnight Library revealed to Nora that even if you make very different choices, you may uncover a deeper appreciation for your current home and the people in your life. It is your perspective that matters.
I really loved the fantasy and magical realism in this novel, and I would love for this to be turned into a series where we get to explore The Midnight Library of other characters’ lives as well.
1. What can we know about the author of the text?| A．He should be an editor. | B．He is the friend of Matt Haig. |
| C．Magical realism books are his favorite. | D．He shares a similar experience with Nora. |
| A．A magic library. | B．The harm of regret. |
| C．The exploration of life. | D．Ways to make correct choices. |
| A．In a novel. | B．In a magazine. | C．In a history book. | D．In a biography. |
| A．To thank readers who introduced the book. | B．To honour Matt Haig, the author of the book. |
| C．To share the author’s opinions on the book. | D．To publicize the book to people who are struggling. |
2 . Although Cuban built a tech company that would finally make him extremely rich, he never showed off that. “I never, ever thought about
At the beginning, when Cuban sold his first company for 6 million dollars, he never thought he’d have to
Five years later, the stock (股票) he had was highly
I couldn’t agree more with Cuban’s views. A person’s life is short. We should make the best use of time to do meaningful things, so that we won’t
| A．money | B．relief | C．jobs | D．companies |
| A．equally | B．completely | C．purposely | D．naturally |
| A．narrowness | B．dirt | C．time | D．age |
| A．live | B．share | C．travel | D．work |
| A．wise | B．suitable | C．impressive | D．free |
| A．symbols | B．strategies | C．earnings | D．rents |
| A．party | B．spend | C．challenge | D．tour |
| A．valuable | B．formal | C．major | D．obvious |
| A．sold | B．packed | C．held | D．buried |
| A．formed | B．improved | C．broke | D．changed |
| A．personality | B．lesson | C．path | D．solution |
| A．puts away | B．takes down | C．works out | D．gets over |
| A．create | B．donate | C．buy | D．own |
| A．save | B．apply | C．understand | D．limit |
| A．feature | B．regret | C．start | D．deliver |
3 . 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.
This is not to say that you have to choose between success and happiness.
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.
Once work quantity is under control, happiness at work requires a sense of meaning and purpose.
Ultimately, although success and happiness are linked, the magic mostly works one-way — and not in the way that most people think.
| 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 |
4 . Ida Keeling was 67, weak and sick, when her daughter Cheryl suggested a run to her. Cheryl thought that maybe what would pull her mother out from dark cloud was something that would get her
Keeling lived a hard life when young, growing up
Keeling had sunk into a deep
It had been decades since Keeling had done any
She hasn’t stopped running since, and it’s no longer as
When she’s not running, she must be
She’s written a book about her
| A．working | B．starting | C．exercising | D．winning |
| A．poor | B．happy | C．out-going | D．depressed |
| A．met | B．left | C．married | D．lost |
| A．dream | B．depression | C．regret | D．relaxation |
| A．recover | B．slide | C．improve | D．disappear |
| A．believe | B．announce | C．worry | D．realize |
| A．running | B．decision | C．changing | D．preparation |
| A．mistakes | B．memories | C．analyses | D．habits |
| A．difficult | B．cool | C．boring | D．unsafe |
| A．anxiously | B．cheerfully | C．unwillingly | D．secretly |
| A．wandering about | B．doing housework | C．making friends | D．working out |
| A．regular | B．solid | C．daily | D．voluntary |
| A．aid | B．feel | C．slow | D．resist |
| A．achievements | B．puzzles | C．reflections | D．experiences |
| A．prospect | B．philosophy | C．potential | D．prediction |
5 . My son “graduated” from elementary school this week. I put the word in quotations(引语)because as a rising 6th grader, he wasn’t receiving a
At the Moving On Ceremony, each member of the 5th grade class
Growing up is the work of a
We look forward to our son
| A．prize | B．letter | C．degree | D．gift |
| A．normal | B．different | C．traditional | D．popular |
| A．interesting | B．successful | C．creative | D．meaningful |
| A．end | B．goal | C．process | D．task |
| A．translated | B．learned | C．shared | D．completed |
| A．complain | B．miss | C．worry | D．imagine |
| A．teacher’s | B．parent’s | C．cleaner’s | D．student’s |
| A．responsible | B．grateful | C．concerned | D．famous |
| A．struck | B．confused | C．inspired | D．disappointed |
| A．moment | B．month | C．year | D．lifetime |
| A．current | B．previous | C．future | D．upward |
| A．work out | B．calm down | C．think over | D．move forward |
| A．but | B．though | C．and | D．also |
| A．holding | B．preparing | C．discovering | D．experiencing |
| A．kindness | B．gratitude | C．bravery | D．patience |
When I was six years old, I visited my grandfather’s farm in Kansas and he sent me into the woods to gather pecans (胡桃) for us to enjoy later. The pecans were about the size of a man’s thumbnail and just about the tastiest snack I’d ever had.
However, pecan picking was really tiring and my little bucket was only half full after working hard for a long time. I thought I wouldn’t let Grandpa down. Just then something caught my eye. A large brown squirrel was a few feet away. I watched as he picked up a pecan, hurried to a tree, jumped up to the trunk and disappeared in a large hole. A moment later the squirrel popped back out and climbed down to the ground to pick up another nut. Once again, he took the pecan back to his hiding place inside the hollow of the tree.
Not so secret anymore, I thought. I dashed over to the tree and looked into the hole. It was filled with pecans! Golden pecans were right there for taking. This was my chance. Handful by handful, I scooped all of those pecans into my bucket. Now it was almost full! I was so proud of myself that I couldn’t wait to show Grandpa all the pecans.
I ran back and shouted, “Look at all the pecans!” He looked into the bucket and asked, “Well, well, how did you find so many?” I told him how I’d followed the squirrel and taken the pecans from his hiding place.
Grandpa congratulated me on how smart I’d been in observing the squirrel and his habits. Then he did something that surprised me. He handed the bucket back to me and put his arm gently around my shoulders.
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。
Paragraph 1:
“That squirrel worked very hard to gather his winter supply of food,” he said.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
I picked up that little bucket full of pecans and carried it back to the tree.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . I wanted the pleasure of being in Africa again. Feeling that the place was so large that it contained many untold tales and some hope and comedy and sweetness too, I aimed to reinsert myself in the bundy, as we used to call the bush, and to wander around. There I had lived and worked, happily, almost forty years ago, in the heart of the greenest continent.
In those old undramatic days of my school teaching in the bundu, folks lived their lives on bush paths at the end of unpaved roads of red clay, in villages of grass-roofed huts. They had a new national flag, they had just gotten the vote, some had bikes, many talked about buying their first pair of shoes. They were hopeful, and, so was I, a schoolteacher living near a settlement of mud-huts among trees and fields—children shouting at play; and women bent double—most with infants on their backs—hoeing(锄地) the corn beans; and the men sitting in the shade.
The Swahili word safari means “journey”, it has nothing to do with animals, someone “on safari” is just away and unobtainable and out of touch. Out of touch in Africa was where I wanted to be. The wish to disappear sends many travellers away. If you are thoroughly sick of being kept waiting at home or at work, travel is perfect: let other people wait for a change. Travel is a sort of revenge(报复) for having been put on hold, or having to leave messages on answering machines, not knowing your party’s extension, being kept waiting all your working life. But also being kept waiting is the human condition.
Travel in the African bush can also be a sort of revenge on mobile phones and email, on telephones and the daily paper, on the aspects of globalization that allow anyone who chooses to get their hands on you. I desired to be unobtainable. I was going to Africa for the best of reasons—in a spirit of discovery—simply to disappear, to light out, with a suggestion of I dare you to try to find me.
Home had become a routine, and routine made time pass quickly. I was a sitting duck in this predictable routine: people knew when to call me, they knew when I would be at my desk. I was in such regular touch that it was like having a job, a mode of life I hated. I was sick of being called up and asked for favors, hit up for money. You stick around too long and people begin to impose their own deadlines on you.
1. What did the writer expect from his journey?| A．To have a variety of enjoyable experiences. | B．To see how Africa had changed. |
| C．To see impressive scenery. | D．To meet some old friend. |
| A．Little was likely to change. | B．Things were likely to improve. |
| C．Women would do most of the work. | D．People’s expectations were too limited. |
| A．He wanted a change of activity. | B．He wanted people to be unable to contact him. |
| C．His health was suffering from staying at home. | D．He had been waiting to return to Africa for long. |
| A．he was boring | B．he was easy to find |
| C．he is fond of ducks | D．he was always lending money |
8 . I’m in a coffee shop in Manhattan and I’m about to become the most disliked person in the room. First, I’m going to interrupt the man reading quietly near the window and ask for a drink of his latte. Next, I’m going to ask the line of people waiting to pay if I can cut to the front of the queue. This is how I chose to spend my last vacation. Here’s why.
Growing up, all I ever heard about was “EQ.” It was the mid-1990s, and psychologist Daniel Goleman had just popularized the concept of emotional intelligence. Unlike IQ, which tracked conventional measures of intelligence like reasoning and recall, EQ measured the ability to understand other people — to listen, to empathize (共情), and to appreciate.
My mother, an elementary school principal, prized brains and hard work, but she placed a special emphasis on Goleman’s new idea. To her, EQ was the elixir (万能药) that separated the good students from the great after they left school. She was determined to send me into the adult world with as much of this elixir as possible.
But when I finally began my first job, I noticed a second elixir in the pockets of some of my colleagues. It gave their opinions extra weight and their decisions added impact. Strangest of all, it seemed like the anti-EQ: Instead of knowing how to make others feel good, this elixir gave people the courage to do the opposite — to say things others didn’t want to hear.
This was assertiveness (魄力). It boiled down to the command of a single skill: the ability to have uncomfortable conversations. Assertive people — those with high “AQ”— ask for things they want, decline things they don’t, provide constructive feedback, and engage in direct confrontation (对峙) and debate.
A lifetime improving my EQ helped me empathize with others, but it also left me overly sensitive to situations where I had to say or do things that might make others unhappy. While I didn’t avoid conflict, I was always frustrated by my powerlessness when I had to say or do something that could upset someone. This is my problem and I’m working on it.
1. Why did the author act that way in the coffee shop?| A．To improve a skill. | B．To test a concept. |
| C．To advocate a new idea. | D．To have a unique vacation. |
| A．She thought little of IQ. |
| B．She popularized Goleman’s idea. |
| C．She was a strict mother and principal. |
| D．She valued EQ as the key to greatness. |
| A．EQ. | B．AQ. | C．Empathy. | D．Courage. |
| A．successful leaders | B．people pleasers |
| C．terrible complainers | D．pleasure seekers |
9 . What is your calling? What is your purpose in life? What did you come to this world to do? Every day we read about how we should find our purpose and pursue it throughout our lives in order to find meaning and contentment. There are even scientific studies that show people who view their work as a calling rather than just a career or a job have a higher life and work satisfaction. So, what exactly is this calling?
I’ve personally struggled with this concept for many years. I knew that happiness not only came from a present state of joy, but also from the pursuit of an objective that gave me something to pursue. That is, until I found myself feeling empty despite my achievement of those goals.
And as I reflected on these feelings of emptiness and boredom that had arisen despite my successes, I realized something. Meaning and satisfaction come from a personal devotion to what we do and the intrinsic (固有的) fulfillment we get from it. It has nothing to do with financial gain, social advancement or any other type of external reward or motivation. It is about doing something that we love. It is about focusing our efforts and spending our time on passions that light the spark inside of us and allow us to share with the world the unique gifts we possess.
I had never before stopped to think about what I found intrinsically rewarding or fulfilling. Financial gain and external recognition were pretty much the only drivers I knew. More so, I thought this calling meant having one passion we were born with to pursue relentlessly (不懈地).
So, I spent some years trying to find this long-lost purpose of mine. I discovered during that time passions I had no idea I even had. Yet, I wasn’t sure how to make them into my life purpose. I searched for an answer but couldn’t find it. It wasn’t until I came to understand the truths about our purpose in life that I was able to find my place in this world.
Our purpose can consist of various things that make us feel alive. As we grow and evolve throughout the different stages in our lives, we may discover new passions and desires that change our sense of purpose and calling.
We all have a longing for lives that give meaning to our existence. The difference lies in how we go about accomplishing this. We must each find our own “shine” and then shine on.
1. According to the passage, the calling refers to________.| A．one’s view about careers |
| B．a task one has to carry out |
| C．a life-long career one chooses |
| D．a strong desire or sense of duty to do a job |
| A．Financial gain and external recognition. |
| B．Pursuing passions relentlessly. |
| C．Discovering new passions. |
| D．Finding purpose in life. |
| A．Trying to do everything that you can. |
| B．Trying to achieve your ambitious goals. |
| C．Doing meaningful things with your passion. |
| D．Doing something that can be successful easily. |
| A．the author spent some years making changes |
| B．the author used to think he had no passion at all |
| C．the author didn’t know how to search for the life purpose |
| D．the author has known his passions since he started to work |
| A．It’s wise to give up discovering our one true passion. |
| B．It’s useless to pursue financial gain and external recognition. |
| C．It’s necessary to find our own calling and pursue it with vigor. |
| D．It’s important to share our passion with the world without stopping. |
10 . A teacher gave his students a test. Most of the students finished all the questions without much effort
All of the students thought that this question was some kind of
So they all
“
He went on to say, “In your lives and careers, you will
Over the following days each of the students
| A．while | B．until | C．since | D．after |
| A．cleans | B．manages | C．supports | D．guards |
| A．pity | B．risk | C．story | D．joke |
| A．natural | B．clear | C．possible | D．unusual |
| A．address | B．family | C．name | D．age |
| A．left behind | B．lifted up | C．put away | D．handed in |
| A．unanswered | B．open | C．out | D．unprepared |
| A．exercise | B．experiment | C．test | D．match |
| A．Possibly | B．No | C．Sure | D．Never |
| A．love | B．help | C．respect | D．meet |
| A．important | B．unique | C．intelligent | D．honest |
| A．consideration | B．attention | C．discussion | D．protection |
| A．look | B．smile | C．listen | D．play |
| A．remembered | B．proved | C．explained | D．realized |
| A．lesson | B．opinion | C．premise | D．argument |
