1 . As the saying goes, life is sweet. But while we may wish for consistently sweet moments, life often serves us other _________.

Recently, we celebrated my mom’s birthday. In her nineties now, as she _________ the closing stages of a long and remarkable life, she struggles with dementia (痴呆), leading to her mind and body not _________ the way she would want.

The day before the celebration, we _________ to bake cookies with her great grand kids. Not just any cookies, but 60 _________ sugar cookies cut in different shapes, covered with lots of sprinkles (糖屑). Though the kids worked as carefully as they could, they made the kitchen a total mess, _________almost as many sprinkles on the floor as on the cookies. They went on for hours, rolling dough, baking, cutting shapes, and _________ with four kinds of sprinkles.

The next day, the birthday _________ was a success. We took many pictures, and the beautiful cookies were shared. In an _________ way, those sweet sprinkles have not only stuck in my mind but remained almost everywhere in our home for the past few days. In every __________, I continue to find them, in all the colors of the rainbow, four shapes and sizes, sweet, and after I __________ step on them, not so sweet.

Truly, these are bittersweet moments, filled with __________ emotions. From such moments, we unwillingly learn that much in life is __________ our control: the separations and losses, the __________ of life, the passage of time. Life serves up many flavors. __________, we can choose our attitudes on the journey.

1.

A．memories

B．flavors

C．experiences

D．smells

2.

A．forgets

B．realizes

C．nears

D．questions

3.

A．functioning

B．changing

C．failing

D．growing

4.

A．decided

B．asked

C．managed

D．continued

5.

A．new-born

B．snow-covered

C．hard-won

D．home-made

6.

A．working on

B．preparing for

C．cutting off

D．resulting in

7.

A．checking

B．decorating

C．struggling

D．volunteering

8.

A．cake

B．wish

C．gift

D．party

9.

A．unexpected

B．unknown

C．undoubted

D．unlimited

10.

A．picture

B．cookie

C．room

D．house

11.

A．dangerously

B．successfully

C．emotionally

D．accidentally

12.

A．new

B．strong

C．mixed

D．negative

13.

A．within

B．through

C．beyond

D．toward

14.

A．shortness

B．meaning

C．record

D．style

15.

A．Instead

B．However

C．Meanwhile

D．Therefore

2 . Rejection doesn’t always hurt. Sometimes rejection may _________ a more certain path to our final goals.

This year football fans have been watching to see how Joe would _________ in the playoffs(季后赛) this season. Joe dreamed to play in the National Football League (NFL), but his journey wasn’t a(n) _________ one. He applied to several colleges, but none _________ him. Later, he got into Ohio State, but he sat on the _________ for three years. Ohio State had a great football program and coaches, who didn’t think Joe had _________. But Joe thought differently. He _________ Nebraska and got rejected once again, but he didn’t quit. Then he applied to Louisiana State University, which accepted him. The rest is history.

Joe became the Heisman Trophy _________ during his senior year, then he was admitted to the NFL, and later, his team participated in the World Championship.

Joe’s story reminds us that there are _________ paths to our final goals and that it __________ strong endurance and determination to reach them. No single __________ is going to prevent you from __________ your long-term goals. Be sure to__________ the pain that comes from disappointment and face it bravely. Try to focus on goals rather than the __________ outcome of being rejected and remember that the hurt of rejection comes from how we __________ it.

1.

A．follow

B．lead

C．create

D．clear

2.

A．study

B．perform

C．train

D．join

3.

A．tough

B．fun

C．attractive

D．easy

4.

A．accepted

B．remembered

C．rejected

D．ignored

5.

A．bench

B．stand

C．team

D．stage

6.

A．chance

B．resource

C．potential

D．enthusiasm

7.

A．signed up for

B．applied to

C．attended to

D．searched for

8.

A．fan

B．adviser

C．learner

D．winner

9.

A．similar

B．smooth

C．multiple

D．flat

10.

A．costs

B．takes

C．makes

D．offers

11.

A．theory

B．training

C．rejection

D．excuse

12.

A．achieving

B．planning

C．announcing

D．explaining

13.

A．affect

B．emphasize

C．estimate

D．acknowledge

14.

A．active

B．negative

C．possible

D．predictable

15.

A．interpret

B．imagine

C．explore

D．escape

3 . In high school, I got my first job at the local hardware (五金制品) store, all thanks to Mr. Anderson, our neighbor. He offered me a chance to _________ there. My parents gave the thumbs (拇指) up, so I _________ the world of part-time jobs.

My daily tasks weren’t too _________. I tidied up shelves and helped _________ find what they needed. But working in a(n) _________ hardware store during the summer turned out to be more _________ than I thought. I had to manage between helping customers with screws and refilling shelves with goods.

At dinner, I’d _________ tales of my day, admitting that the _________ was proving more difficult than I first thought. My dad, who had his share of hands-on experience fixing cars, would laugh and share _________ from his early mechanic (机械师) days.

He’d say, “Jobs like this teach you more than just about money; they __________ your character.” Back then, I didn’t realize that my summer __________ at the hardware store was turning out to be more than just a way to __________ some extra money.

As the summer went on, I found myself gaining a __________ understanding of responsibility and the essence of hard work. The simple __________ in the store became life lessons, teaching me to appreciate and __________ the people who work hard every day to make everything go smoothly.

1.

A．work

B．study

C．play

D．wait

2.

A．dealt with

B．gave up

C．jumped into

D．took over

3.

A．clear

B．complicated

C．adventurous

D．specific

4.

A．parents

B．neighbors

C．workers

D．customers

5.

A．strange

B．empty

C．comfortable

D．busy

6.

A．challenging

B．disappointing

C．annoying

D．boring

7.

A．read

B．share

C．create

D．hear

8.

A．lesson

B．experiment

C．job

D．life

9.

A．exhibits

B．tools

C．stories

D．books

10.

A．shape

B．show

C．worsen

D．accept

11.

A．training

B．experience

C．arrangement

D．camp

12.

A．waste

B．cost

C．raise

D．earn

13.

A．deeper

B．poorer

C．quicker

D．simpler

14.

A．methods

B．answers

C．ideas

D．tasks

15.

A．help

B．respect

C．meet

D．employ

4 . Life is hard－even harder than anyone thought it would be. When you were younger, you dreamed of the world being your playground, and you were told that you could do anything and be anyone you wanted. Somehow, though, things haven’t been the smooth sailing that   you wanted them to be. The world seems to go against you, and the last thing you want to hear is “Cheer up!”

Still, there’s a couple of things you might not notice about your situation. Next time you’re down, maybe the following will provide motivation.

Firstly, not everything is bad. It’s a well-accepted fact that bad news makes for sensational (极好的) television ratings. The fact is that something negative catches a lot more attention than something positive, and that’s because it’s easy to see things in a negative light. However, that shouldn’t distract you from the bigger picture.

Resist the tunnel vision that results from constant negativity. Remember that even though there’s lots of really nasty stuff going on, you’re surrounded by some pretty awesome stuff as well.

You should also remember other people aren’t you. No one likes being compared to another person. What makes it even worse, if that’s even possible, is when you do it to yourself.

Stop comparing yourself to another person and you’ll realize that you’re much more awesome than you give yourself credit for.

Lastly, failure isn’t where the game stops. So you tried something new, but you didn’t follow through. Frustrated at yourself, you stop trying. As a result, your quality of life goes down terribly. You’ve given up on it, though, because you don’t see the point (since you failed the first time).

Now, you’re an adult. The things you are trying are much more complicated than five-year-old you. However, your behaviour shouldn’t change in the slightest－when you fail in something, that’s just more information in your data bank. You know that method doesn’t work, so try another one! And another one after that! Do this until you figure it out. Giving up is for losers, and you sure aren’t one of those.

1. The author mentioned bad news in order to show that .

A．bad news makes people see things in a negative light

B．bad news is more likely to catch people’s eyes

C．bad news attracts people to see positive things

D．bad news has a negative effect on television ratings

2. What does the underlined part “nasty stuff” in Para. 4 probably mean?

A．Unstable emotions.	B．Important events.
C．Amazing incidents .	D．Something unpleasant.

3. How should we view failure according to the passage?

A．We will change our behaviour.

B．We will keep trying the old method.

C．We should learn from failure.

D．We should think in a more complicated way.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．It inspires us to learn from negative experiences.

B．It compares negative and positive experiences.

C．It criticizes those who are affected by bad experiences.

D．It discusses how negative experiences affect others.

5 . Four Top Skills I’ve Learned From My Kids

In my journey as an entrepreneur (企业家), one of the best sources of leadership development is parenthood. There’s one thing that being a parent and being a business leader have in common.     1    . So what are some of the lessons that parenthood can teach us about business leadership?

Give up control

As a parent, I’ve learned that there’s only so much control you can really have over your kids. They need to make their own decisions — and mistakes — and learn from them. You can try to control your kids when they are young.     2     .

Become more flexible (灵活)

    3     . You never know when someone might get hurt or sick and make troubles in your plans. Parenthood is a non-stop exercise in flexibility and adjusting to difficulties. The business world can be much the same way.

    4    

We all make mistakes, and it can be tempting to hide those mistakes, especially from people you want to look up to you. But since we teach our kids to admit when they’ve made a mistake and apologize if they hurt someone, it’s important that we do the same when we make a mistake that hurts them.

Become more understanding and empathetic (共情的)

Emotional intelligence is one of the most important skills for effective leadership. And there’s nothing like being a parent to help you better understand people’s emotions and motivations.     5     . The empathy is a valuable skill for a business leader.

A．Admit your mistakes

B．Kids come with unknown risks

C．It’s that there’s a lot to be learned

D．As they grow up, you should let go

E．You’d better stick to your perfect plan

F．That can help you develop your empathy

G．Correct the mistakes as soon as possible

6 . Two friends and I moved into a house off campus when I was a junior at Iowa State University. We were all a bit afraid of our landlord, a _________ middle-aged man. He gave us a lecture about paying the rent on time and _________ the house and appliance(家用电器).

But during the fall semester, my housemates and I _________ a party in our house. We drew a large crowd and had a great time. The last _________ left in the morning. _________, we decided to sleep in and clean the house and yard the next morning.

We were _________ at about 7:00 a.m. by our landlord, who was _________ on the door. We let him in and _________ to arouse his anger. _________, he picked up a party invitation that had been laying on the sidewalk and asked, “Why didn’t you girls invite me?” He __________ the house and spent a few minutes helping us pick up __________ from the yard. We were __________ that our landlord had been so understanding.

A few months later, I made a mathematical error while balancing my check book and my bank soon __________ me that I had my rent check returned. I was anxious when I knew that. I __________ the courage to call him and __________ what had happened. He said, “I have a daughter about your age, and the __________ thing happened to her once. Would you like to wait __________ next month and send a __________ payment then?” I’ve never forgotten our landlord’s kindness and __________ .

He taught me an important lesson about not judging a book by its __________. I’m proud to say that I have not bounced a check since then.

1.

A．poor

B．strict

C．wealthy

D．considerate

2.

A．getting

B．selling

C．repairing

D．maintaining

3.

A．held

B．found

C．donated

D．assisted

4.

A．guests

B．families

C．customers

D．passengers

5.

A．Amazed

B．Pleased

C．Exhausted

D．Surprised

6.

A．abandoned

B．Accused

C．arrested

D．awakened

7.

A．working

B．focusing

C．knocking

D．insisting

8.

A．forced

B．expected

C．regretted

D．continued

9.

A．Instead

B．Besides

C．Therefore

D．Meanwhile

10.

A．ran into

B．came into

C．broke into

D．looked into

11.

A．trash

B．paper

C．letters

D．invitations

12.

A．funny

B．thrilled

C．unfortunate

D．dangerous

13.

A．fired

B．doubted

C．informed

D．interviewed

14.

A．lost

B．showed

C．waited

D．gathered

15.

A．introduced

B．considered

C．explained

D．remembered

16.

A．same

B．normal

C．boring

D．personal

17.

A．after

B．before

C．during

D．until

18.

A．bearable

B．common

C．double

D．regular

19.

A．courage

B．honesty

C．optimism

D．understanding

20.

A．name

B．cover

C．words

D．pictures

7 . Having faith in something means you trust it completely. People with strong faith are so confident in themselves that they can do anything they set their minds to and get through the toughest times.     1    

Faith improves your daily work. Being faithful in your day-to-day life can help lift your mood.     2     Even something as simple as wearing an inspirational T-shirt that reminds you to have faith can lift your spirits enough to deal with the day.

Faith gives you courage.     3     It motivates you to act on something despite the risks or dangers involved. For instance, you gather the courage to go for a job interview. You think you won’t get the job, but there is always a chance you will.

    4     It is easy to become a victim of anxiety and stress while dealing with so many tasks in this fast-paced world. These worries lead to extreme mental stress and physical problems. However, faith helps you keep stress away. Just keep faith that things will get better. Then you will see anxiety and stress decrease if you have faith in yourself.

Faith helps you in difficult times. Sometimes you may find yourself drowning in despair. Even when you lose your job, suffer the pain of losing a beloved or face any other challenges, remember to have faith.     5     Because of faith, you will be more joyful, hopeful, motivated and even ready to take on challenges and welcome new paths in your life.

A．It helps you do the things that scare you.

B．Faith helps overcome anxiety and stress.

C．Faith is the key to living a better and fuller life.

D．It helps you see the positive aspects of all these things.

E．The power of faith can enrich life in the following ways.

F．It can help you complete your work with a big smile on your face.

G．Having faith in yourself and your abilities helps you be more productive.

8 . “Why?” It’s a simple question that people ask Angela Madeline frequently. After all, she began a journey that very few people would ever attempt: walk around the world alone.

The thought of Madeline’s journey did not start from a place of loss or personal crisis. She said, “I was searching for a deeper interaction with nature and people.” Walking would minimize her carbon footprint, plus the slow pace meant that she could fully immerse herself in nature, and gain insights into other cultures in a unique way.

She left her hometown of Bend, Oregon, on 2 May 2016 and headed into an adventure. Along the way, Madeline would suffer from heatstroke (中暑)in the Australian desert and hear gunshots while camping in Turkey. “Still,” she said, “I didn’t stop because I was more afraid of not following my heart than I was of losing everything I owned and loved.”

Apart from that, her slow pace allowed her to be drawn deeply into other cultures. She wandered the tiny seaside villages along Italy Tyrrhenian Sea, enjoying the lively atmosphere. In Vietnam, she was invited and offered food by an elderly woman to rest in her wooden shack at the peak for the night. She chose an experience of uncertainty and curiosity, in search of something she could never be certain to find: a sense of fulfillment and a deeper connection.

On 16 December 2022, Madeline’s pilgrimage (朝圣之旅)ended right where it started. For now, she’s working on a book, planning future journeys and creating more effective ways for women to find and express courage in their lives.

Whether a walk leads halfway around the world or just down the road, Madeline has shown the true worth of slowing down and giving more than we receive along the way.

1. Why did Madeline decide to start her journey?

A．To get closer to the world.	B．To reduce carbon footprint.
C．To get rid of personal crisis.	D．To slow down the pace of life.

2. What can we know about Madeline during the journey?

A．She was about to give up.

B．She was helped by Italian locals.

C．She experienced various cultures.

D．She enjoyed Australian coastal scenery.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Madeline?

A．Cautious and gentle.	B．Tough and adventurous.
C．Ambitious and generous.	D．Open-minded and humorous.

4. What’s this text mainly about?

A．A new way to slow down life.

B．A closer connection with the wild.

C．An unforgettable memory of a trip.

D．A woman walking around the world.

9 . Cope With Loneliness or Depression

My grandmother, Margaret lived to be 104, spending the last 16 years of her life in a nursing home. Although ______ kept in a wheelchair from severe arthritis(关节炎), she was mentally sharp until her ______. In fact, she was one of the very few residents there who could still think clearly. ______ the passing years, friends and family members died. Yet, when I had the ______ to visit her, she never seemed to be despondent or ______ of being lonely. After my visits, I ______ left thinking “If I lived that long, would I have the same ______? Was there something special or different in the way she thought that prevented her from becoming ______ ?”

By our very nature, human beings are relational. As social beings, we need some sense of ______ to the world around us, whether it’s through people or the ______ world. In what appeared to be the very ______world of my grandmother, she had ______ close relationships with the nurses on her floor. I’ve ______ a lot on the example my grandmother provided during her ______ years. I’ve asked myself many questions about aging and how to ______ a sense of well-being as our world ______ to narrow from the death of family and friends or major health issues. Perhaps what I’ve ______ will help you, too.

Being alone. What does that ______ bring into your mind? The way we feel about being alone has something to do with the way we frame it. For example, you ______ be in a large group of people and still feel very lonely. Yet, some people seem to recharge and actually energize by taking the time to be alone. Once your thoughts and feelings change, it will be ______ for your behavior to change as well.

1.

A．mentally

B．sadly

C．happily

D．physically

2.

A．recovery

B．death

C．victory

D．failure

3.

A．While

B．As

C．Until

D．With

4.

A．chance

B．honor

C．right

D．choice

5.

A．complained

B．reminded

C．informed

D．thought

6.

A．never

B．sometimes

C．always

D．seldom

7.

A．ability

B．luck

C．attitude

D．age

8.

A．depressed

B．disappointed

C．annoyed

D．excited

9.

A．achievement

B．direction

C．connection

D．humor

10.

A．amusing

B．amazing

C．different

D．natural

11.

A．small

B．huge

C．difficult

D．broad

12.

A．developed

B．invented

C．held

D．found

13.

A．regained

B．realized

C．reflected

D．recognized

14.

A．long

B．lonely

C．early

D．last

15.

A．organize

B．maintain

C．spread

D．broadcast

16.

A．promises

B．prepares

C．seems

D．starts

17.

A．calculated

B．collected

C．discovered

D．described

18.

A．phrase

B．word

C．sentence

D．passage

19.

A．would

B．can

C．must

D．should

20.

A．better

B．happier

C．harder

D．easier

10 . Last year, preparing to move to Italy, I sorted through everything in our New York apartment. Clothes, shoes, toys, china, handbags — you name it. I had to_______what to give away, what to throw out, and what to_______and ship overseas.

It forced me to review, remember, and relive my _______. Some surprises awaited me. Dealing with all the material goods_______over a lifetime, I rediscovered just how much I value_______. I found the letter President Ronald Reagan_______to my father, congratulating him for his_______to the deaf   community; _______for 1960s Broadway hits my grandma had taken me to see. I had rejection_______from magazine editors, and a typed letter from my lawyer uncle advising me to_______fooling around and get a real job. I_______Father’s Day cards and a poem to my wife on our 40th anniversary.

It proved to me that paper _______serves a purpose, even with life going _______ and all but paperless. Reviewing _______ that you can feel on your fingertips is a powerful trigger ( 触 发 ) for_______.

Going through these documents was an _______to better know myself, to recognize who I was and how I’d changed.

My love of paper gave me_______proof of a life: a marriage navigated, children raised, and struggles won or lost. It’s a life _______to the fullest.

I did it mostly for me. But someday my children may _______to find these “keepsakes” (传家宝). Perhaps they’ ll be drawn to_______the history only our family can claim.

1.

A．discover

B．imagine

C．hesitate

D．determine

2.

A．pack

B．sell

C．show

D．hide

3.

A．family

B．past

C．duty

D．friend

4.

A．avoided

B．wasted

C．gathered

D．carried

5.

A．paper

B．money

C．knowledge

D．friendship

6.

A．handed

B．lent

C．sent

D．passed

7.

A．quality

B．service

C．choice

D．chance

8.

A．stories

B．posters

C．suggestions

D．characters

9.

A．notes

B．pictures

C．bills

D．lessons

10.

A．start

B．enjoy

C．quit

D．miss

11.

A．removed

B．connected

C．ignored

D．kept

12.

A．never

B．again

C．still

D．just

13.

A．digital

B．loose

C．wild

D．wrong

14.

A．secrets

B．processes

C．shows

D．records

15.

A．dreams

B．ideas

C．attitudes

D．memories

16.

A．identity

B．ability

C．honour

D．opportunity

17.

A．concrete

B．equal

C．professional

D．awful

18.

A．brought

B．risked

C．lived

D．spent

19.

A．manage

B．happen

C．pretend

D．seem

20.

A．record

B．explore

C．write

D．teach