1 . My husband kissed me goodbye, stroke (轻抚) the baby’s cheek and then rushed out of the door, into his busy day. With the cold of the morning fading, I fed my baby and it fell fast asleep. Usually I would place it in bed and quickly have the house somewhat in _______.

However, this morning, I stayed seated, just _______, with the baby in my arms. The thoughts ran into _______of the mornings with my husband, a father rushing out of the door to meet the obligations of life. It was only a small jump to thoughts of my own _______.

My mother passed away when I was ten, and as I looked _______, I could see how much of a family man my dad was. He went to work every morning and _______ to his family every evening. He _______ food, clothing, warmth, and protection. He was a faithful father.

Setting the baby down, I dialed the _______ number. I had just realized the _______ of the ordinary － the daily life going on around us that we often took for granted, and that it needed to be ________.

“Hi, Dad.” I said, ________ back tears.

“Hey, Bud. How are you?” ________ was in his voice.

“Fine, I’m just calling to say…thank you.” I got it out before my throat ________ too much for me to speak.

“What for?”

“For getting up and going to work every morning of my life. Now that I have my own ________ and I see my husband doing the same, I just wanted to thank you for being ________.”

There was ________ for a moment as my dad composed himself, and with a small ________ in his voice he said, “You’re welcome, Bud.”

I don’t remember much of the rest of the call, ________ that moment of revelation (显露) about my father, I will never forget. There are those who are known for their heroic ________, and also those who are known for their fortunes and fame, but it is the ________ everyday fathers who are the true heroes. I’m thankful that my father was one of them.

1.

A．use

B．line

C．order

D．fashion

2.

A．thinking

B．dreaming

C．imagining

D．praying

3.

A．conversations

B．struggles

C．incidents

D．memories

4.

A．baby

B．husband

C．mother

D．father

5.

A．out

B．away

C．back

D．around

6.

A．moved

B．returned

C．escaped

D．walked

7.

A．provided

B．collected

C．sought

D．bought

8.

A．popular

B．relative

C．regular

D．familiar

9.

A．difference

B．significance

C．balance

D．absence

10.

A．recognized

B．arranged

C．reduced

D．achieved

11.

A．sending

B．pushing

C．holding

D．putting

12.

A．Sympathy

B．Stress

C．Doubt

D．Concern

13.

A．cleared

B．hurt

C．ached

D．tightened

14.

A．child

B．duty

C．life

D．career

15.

A．inspiring

B．faithful

C．considerate

D．admirable

16.

A．peace

B．calm

C．silence

D．rest

17.

A．tremble

B．hesitation

C．passion

D．sigh

18.

A．and

B．but

C．or

D．nor

19.

A．ideas

B．deeds

C．remarks

D．words

20.

A．outstanding

B．patient

C．ordinary

D．honest

2 . Why are so many people afraid of failure? Quite simply because no one tells us how to fail so that failure becomes an experience that will lead to growth.     1    

Most parents work hard at either preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards. A mother describes her child's hastily made table as "Perfect!" in spite of its uneven legs. Another way is to pin the blame on someone else. If John fails science, his teacher is unfair or stupid.

The trouble with failure-prevention ways is that they leave a child unequipped for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time—and that it's possible to enjoy a game even when you don't win. A child who is not invited to a birthday party, who does not make the honor roll on the baseball team, feels terrible, of course.     2     The young should be allowed to experience disappointment, and be helped to master it.

Failure is never pleasurable. It hurts adults and children alike.     3     Step one is to ask "Why did I fail?" Resist the natural impulse (冲动) to blame someone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong and how you can improve. If someone else can help, don't be shy about inquiring.

Success, which encourages repetition of old behavior, is not nearly as good a teacher as failure. You can learn from a disastrous party how to give a good one, from an ill-chosen first house what to look for in a second.     4     After 12 years of studying ballet a friend of mine went to an interview for a professional company. She was turned down. "Would further training help?" she asked. The ballet master shook his head. "You will never be a dancer. You haven't the body for it."

In such cases, the way to use failure is to take stock (清点存货，清理) bravely asking "What have I left? What else can I do?" My friend put away her toe shoes and moved into dance therapy, a field where she's both competent and useful.     5     Often there is a resurgence (复活) of energy--an awareness of new possibilities.

A．Even a failure that seems definite can promote fresh thinking, a change of direction.

B．However, it can make a positive contribution to your life once you learn to use it.

C．You can also learn that failure is the mother of success.

D．And we forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail.

E．Failure frees one to take risks because there's little to lose.

F．So be strong and never lose heart in the face of failure.

G．But parents should not offer a quick comfort, prize or say, "It doesn't matter" because it does.

3 . I still remember an old lady, a customer on the paper route in my hometown when I was 12 years old. She taught me a lesson in ________that I shall never forget.

On a(n)   ________ afternoon, a friend and I were throwing stones onto the ________ of the old lady’s house. The stone that I found was too smooth,   ________ it slipped from my hand as I let it go and ________straight not for the covering on top of the house but for a small window on the house’s back porch. At the sound of broken glass, we knew we were_________We turned and_________

I was too ________ about getting caught that first night to be concerned about the old lady with the broken window in the freezing weather. However, a few days later, when I was sure that I hadn’t been________,I started to feel guilty about her________ . She still greeted me with a smile each day ________ I gave her the paper , but I was no longer able to act comfortably in her _________

I ________my mind that I would save my paper delivering money , and in three weeks I had the seven dollars that I calculated would pay for her window . I put the money in an envelope with a note ________ that I was sorry for breaking her window and ________that the seven dollars would cover the cost of repairing it.

I waited until it was dark , moved ________ to the old lady ' s house and put the letter I didn ' t sign through the letter slot in her door . I felt ________ and could have the freedom of , once again , looking straight into the old lady ' s kind eyes .

The next day , I handed the old lady her paper and was able to ________the warm smile that I was receiving from her. She thanked me for the paper and gave me a bag of cookies she had made herself . I thanked her and proceeded(开始) to eat the cookies as I continued my ________.

After several cookies . I felt an envelope and pulled it out of the bag. When I opened the envelope , I was ________. Inside were the seven dollars and a short note that said , " I ' m proud of you.”

1.

A．forgiveness

B．trust

C．bravery

D．selflessness

2.

A．autumn

B．summer

C．spring

D．winter

3.

A．window

B．roof

C．door

D．chimney

4.

A．but

B．for

C．so

D．or

5.

A．headed

B．left

C．stood

D．landed

6.

A．in need

B．in danger

C．in charge

D．in trouble

7.

A．got around

B．held off

C．ran away

D．hung out

8.

A．embarrassed

B．scared

C．disappointed

D．ashamed

9.

A．scolded

B．punished

C．discovered

D．involved

10.

A．misfortune

B．misunderstanding

C．misbehavior

D．mistake

11.

A．until

B．unless

C．since

D．when

12.

A．encouragement

B．presence

C．company

D．comfort

13.

A．took

B．put up

C．made up

D．picked up

14.

A．proving

B．explaining

C．showing

D．convincing

15.

A．hoped

B．predicted

C．stated

D．thought

16.

A．hurriedly

B．patiently

C．quietly

D．firmly

17.

A．relieved

B．confused

C．concerned

D．frustrated

18.

A．gain

B．understand

C．respect

D．return

19.

A．effort

B．route

C．study

D．journey

20.

A．satisfied

B．annoyed

C．amused

D．shocked

4 . My mother only had one eye. And because of this, I never wished her to show up in my school, being afraid that my classmates would ______I had an ugly mother.

One day during primary school, I was _______ill. My mother came.

“Your mom only has one eye?!” asked some of my classmates. I was so _____.

I wished my mother would just _______ from this world. “If you make me teased(嘲笑), why don’t you just die?” I shouted at her, taking no notice of the sad look on her face. My mother just handed me some______and left without saying _______.

At that time, I felt ______ to say what I always wanted to say, and I didn’t think I had hurt her______very much. That night I saw my mom ______ in her room, so quietly, as if she was afraid that she might______me. Even so, I hated her tears from one eye. I made a ______ : I must study hard and leave my mother.

Years later my dream came ______. I was quite successful and lived _______. I never thought of going back to see my “ugly” mother _______ one day I got a letter, which said, “My son… I’m sorry I only have one eye. When you were little, you got into a(n ) _____and lost your eye. As a mom, I couldn’t ________watching you live with only one eye. ______I gave you mine. I was never_______ with you and I never regretted（后悔）what I did because I_____ you…”

I cried out aloud. Only then did I_______how beautiful my mother was!

1.

A．run out

B．put out

C．come out

D．find out

2.

A．bad

B．terribly

C．much

D．quietly

3.

A．happy

B．embarrassed

C．cool

D．pleased

4.

A．disappear

B．change

C．come

D．go

5.

A．books

B．food

C．medicine

D．money

6.

A．everything

B．something

C．anything

D．nothing

7.

A．worried

B．good

C．bad

D．annoyed

8.

A．feelings

B．legs

C．eye

D．face

9.

A．cooking

B．working

C．reading

D．crying

10.

A．break

B．wake

C．lose

D．see

11.

A．decision

B．difference

C．suggestion

D．mistake

12.

A．out

B．back

C．true

D．up

13.

A．luckily

B．healthily

C．busily

D．happily

14.

A．if

B．unless

C．until

D．though

15.

A．accident

B．appointment

C．university

D．habit

16.

A．enjoy

B．stand

C．help

D．stop

17.

A．So

B．Become

C．Or

D．But

18.

A．excited

B．surprised

C．angry

D．proud

19.

A．dislike

B．love

C．hate

D．miss

20.

A．see

B．know

C．realize

D．watch

5 . Trying new things is the only way we can discover hidden talents. I __________ my career as an editor for a magazine. I didn’t really mind the work, but I wanted something more __________. Then I was offered a management __________ of a digital reading company. The job was a seemingly _________ mix of my skills and interests, so I jumped at it.

_______, soon after I joined the company, its model changed to focus on K-12 education, and everything about my position changed. I was asked to take on the __________ different roles of selling content to teachers and training people. I felt more than a little __________ my comfort zone.

I knew I wanted to grow as a(an) __________ and make a serious effect on the company. I told myself that everything feels __________ at first and I should at least try. __________, I felt like I didn’t have a(an) __________. I knew jumping out of the __________ was the right thing for me, even though it felt pretty awful.

I was fortunate to be __________ by very helpful people, both at work and at home. They kept __________ me. I spent hours researching my company’s _________. I asked lots of questions and spoke to many people in need. I looked for opportunities to put in extra _________. The more I did, the better I felt.

Over time, I discovered that the job was _________ I could do and liked doing. It was an amazing __________ to see the company grow and know that my efforts contributed to __________ success and that it’s important to take risks and accept new __________. Actually, there’s nothing worse than failing because you refuse to even try.

1.

A．started out

B．moved up

C．developed

D．spent

2.

A．steady

B．comfortable

C．paying

D．challenging

3.

A．guidance

B．suggestion

C．position

D．course

4.

A．loose

B．perfect

C．mild

D．complex

5.

A．However

B．Instead

C．Additionally

D．Thus

6.

A．slightly

B．completely

C．relatively

D．strangely

7.

A．inside

B．around

C．within

D．outside

8.

A．individual

B．consumer

C．leader

D．adult

9.

A．silly

B．tough

C．fresh

D．easy

10.

A．On the contrary

B．In brief

C．In a way

D．On one hand

11.

A．choice

B．idea

C．dream

D．reason

12.

A．control

B．touch

C．nest

D．company

13.

A．informed

B．surrounded

C．followed

D．impressed

14.

A．convincing

B．reminding

C．accessing

D．encouraging

15.

A．staff

B．income

C．products

D．conditions

16.

A．effort

B．money

C．offer

D．care

17.

A．anything

B．everything

C．something

D．nothing

18.

A．profit

B．reward

C．platform

D．behavior

19.

A．my

B．their

C．your

D．its

20.

A．opportunities

B．requests

C．cultures

D．services

6 . I went through a training program and became a literacy volunteer(扫盲志愿者)last summer. The training I received, though excellent, did not tell me how it was to work with a real student. When I began to discover what other people’s lives were like because they could not read, I realized the true importance of reading.

My first student Marie was a 44-year-old single mother of three. In the first lesson, I found out she walked two miles to the nearest supermarket twice a week because she didn't know which bus to take. When I told her I would get her a bus schedule, she told me it would not help because she could not read it. She said she also had difficulty once she got to the supermarket because she couldn't always remember what she needed. Since she did not know words, she could not write out a shopping list. Also, she could only recognize items by sight, so if the product had a different label(标识), she would not recognize it as the product she wanted.

As we worked together, learning how to read built Marie's self-confidence, which encouraged her to continue her studies. She began to make rapid progress and was even able to take the bus to the supermarket. After this successful trip, she reported how self-confident she felt. At the end of the program, she began helping her youngest son, Tony, a shy first grader, with his reading. As she described this experience, I was proud of myself as well. I found that helping Marie to build herself-confidence was more rewarding than anything I had ever done before.

As a literacy volunteer, I learned a great deal about teaching and helping others. In fact, I may have learned more from the experience than Marie did.

1. According to the text, Marie is a woman who ___________.

A．has three sons

B．has good memory

C．has difficulty in writing

D．has difficulty in walking around

2. After getting help from the author, Marie felt ____________.

A．shy

B．proud

C．confident

D．peaceful

3. What did the author get through the program?

A．Some beautiful presents.

B．A sense of achievement.

C．More confidence and knowledge.

D．More ways to help others.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．A Woman Who Lacked Self-confidence

B．The Literacy Volunteer Changed Our Lives

C．A Challenge during My Volunteering Work

D．The Volunteering Work Benefited Both of Us

7 . To a large degree，the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment. In spite of what happened yesterday or last year, and what may or may not happen tomorrow, the present moment is where you

are—always!

Without question, many of us have mastered the neurotic (神经兮兮的）art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things—all at once. We allow past problems and future concerns to dominate our present moments, so much that we end up anxious, frustrated, depressed, and hopeless. On the other hand, we also delay our happiness, often convincing ourselves that "someday" will be much better than today. Unfortunately, the same mental dynamics that tell us to look foward to the future will only repeat themselves so that "someday" never actually arrives. John Lennon once said，"Life is what is happening while we are busy making other plans. " When we are busy making " other plans" ，our children are busy growing up，the people we love are moving away and dying, our bodies are getting out of shape, and our dreams are slipping away. In short, we miss out on life.

Many people live as if life were dress rehearsal for some late date. It isn't. In fact, no one has a guarantee that he or she will be here tomorrow. Now is the only time we have，and the only time that we have any control over. When our attention is in the present moment, we push fear from our minds. Fear is the concern over events that might happen in the future—we won’t have enough money，our children will get into trouble, we will get old and die, whatever.

To combat fear，the best strategy is to learn to bring your attention back to the present. Mark Twain said, “I have been through some terrible things in my life，some of which actually happened.” I don't think I can say it any better. Practice keeping your attention on here and now. Your efforts will pay off.

1. In the first paragraph, the author tells us to focus on_________.

A．the past	B．the future
C．every day	D．the present

2. Why do we often have some negative feelings?

A．Because we often forget what happened in the past.

B．Because we are often disturbed by what happened in the past and what will happen in the future.

C．Because we often pay attention to what is happening at present.

D．Because we often ignore what will happen in the future and what happened in the past.

3. The underlined word in the last paragraph means ________

A．depend	B．deserve
C．determine	D．defeat

4. The best title of this passage is___

A．Always live in the present moment

B．Never forget the past

C．Never complain about life

D．Always get prepared for the future

8 . Do What You Enjoy

Sometimes you may find that you are not happy in your life，although everything is going well．Most of the time you have to _______this kind of unhappy life，since it is really hard to make changes and move on to a new business，which often involves taking _______

My father，however，was a quite different example．When I was about 9 or 10，he told me that I should
be whatever I wanted when I grew up，so long as I _______it．He said that if I were not feeling _______ ， I should try to change my life to make it more delightful，and I would find real_______as a result．From him   I learned a great lesson on the_______of doing one's favorite．

My father got into the insurance industry when he was very young，and he was very_______．He became one of the company's top salesmen，even though he was only 25 years old．Soon he became one of the first independent insurance salesmen in our state． _______，he decided to leave his successful _______and move   on to other fields．You might _______why he did so．The answer was simple：he liked to do something challenging，something that _______.his strength and ability，especially in a way that is interesting．My father just wanted to have a try，and so he did．After leaving the insurance company，he worked in social media and then in digital technology，which really _______him．Of course he wasn't successful in everything he   tried，but he told me for     _______that he did something he liked，and that he had the _______   of doing what he enjoyed． _______ one's comfortable life is not easy．I've learned this from my father，and I can say no matter _______   is good or bad，it is   _______ doing one's favorite．When we do something we love，it whether the gives us extra _______ to meet our goals，which are associated with psychological well-being and health．As long as we have no _______ and give it a try，we are forced to push against ourselves．After all we all want to be where we are _______ ourselves．

1.

A．lose

B．stop

C．share

D．continue

2.

A．risks

B．turns

C．steps

D．suggestions

3.

A．promised

B．enjoyed

C．admitted

D．adjusted

4.

A．lucky

B．safe

C．comfortable

D．special

5.

A．concern

B．pleasure

C．strength

D．talent

6.

A．value

B．honor

C．control

D．relief

7.

A．sensitive

B．cautious

C．optimistic

D．successful

8.

A．Besides

B．Therefor

C．However

D．Meanwhile

9.

A．schedule

B．career

C．reform

D．competition

10.

A．wonder

B．explain

C．blame

D．conclude

11.

A．limited

B．predicted

C．tested

D．affected

12.

A．confused

B．shocke

C．discouraged

D．attracted

13.

A．free

B．certain

C．good

D．real

14.

A．satisfaction

B．sympathy

C．responsibility

D．security

15.

A．Protecting

B．Selecting

C．Leaving

D．Arranging

16.

A．function

B．result

C．signal

D．attitude

17.

A．simple

B．normal

C．popular

D．worth

18.

A．motivation

B．consideration

C．occupation

D．qualification

19.

A．rights

B．faults

C．regrets

D．excuses

20.

A．convincing

B．evaluating

C．representing

D．challenging

9 . Looking good, feeling good
Born to a model mom and a suit maker dad, fashion was actually in my blood. I always had a strong desire to dress in a certain way and to stand out from the crowd.
I made my own toys when I was a young child and sewed my first skirt at just 10 years old. A friend’s mother took one look at my skirt and told me that I should be a patternmaker. In high school I started making my own clothes, mostly changing other things because I never liked anything how it was when I bought it. During the last two years of school, I worked part-time for a small business that made hand-painted silk clothing and bags. The owner became the teacher who got me into design in the first place. Another useful bit of work experience then came when I worked at a showroom during fashion week and found it very exciting. From there I worked at a top clothing store while I got my business started.
For my business I started out with the idea that everything I did would be hand-made and one-of-a-kind, specially made for one individual who hopefully had the same tastes as me. Every morning I jumped out of bed, went to my studio and worked on my projects. This just showed how enthusiastic I felt about my work. And at night I even dreamed of new designs!
Fashion design is functional art. What I mean is that it’s something close to you and something you can touch and feel, and actually interact with. My advice to any young person who wants to be a fashion designer is to get the basic skills early on, such as sewing and pattern-making. Even if you end up specializing, it’s really important to understand all aspects of design in order to make high-quality clothes.
Also, if you dream of having your own clothing line, the best thing to do is start wearing your clothes. You have to try and do this because that’s the way you’re going to develop something that’s all yours and unlike anyone else’s. I passionately believe that the right clothing can make people feel better and give them more confidence.
1. When the author was in high school, she ______.

A．wore the latest fashions

B．was fond of hand-painted clothing

C．began to make clothes on her own

D．dressed in the same way as her classmates

2. What does the underlined word “functional” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Practical.

B．Standard.

C．Decorative.

D．Complex.

3. What advice does the author give to those who want to be fashion designers?

A．Creating basic designs in high school.

B．Wearing high-quality clothes all the time.

C．Looking at what their friends are wearing.

D．Deciding what is unique about their clothes.

4. According to the author, well-designed clothes _______.

A．cost people a lot of money

B．bring people great success

C．provide people with popular taste

D．help people feel sure of themselves

10 . College students constantly hear the praises of education. We have all become used to believing that a college education is always a guarantee of an easier life. I was nine years old when my fourth-grade teacher presented me with a task, to write down all of the things I wanted in my life. I filled my paper with things like: own a big house and have servants; be rich and have a good job. The next day my teacher handed back my paper and in red ink she wrote: “GO TO COLLEGE.” For a long time, I was convinced that once I obtained an education, BAM! Life would be easier.

However, education cannot promise all wishes, dreams, and desires. Society must reject the foolish idea that a college education’s main purpose is to satisfy our desires and secure success. Like most challenging things, education is a gamble (赌博) in which results depend entirely on people’s ability to look past their wants to see the realism and reason behind their wants.

For instance, my first year of college, I took a sociology class. In class, we were taught that Third World countries were poor. We learned that our quality of life would be almost impossible for an average person in those countries. I began to examine my own desire to be rich. To always go after money felt selfish when knowing others had none at all. Learning about other society’s financial situations forced me to look beyond what I wanted.

Through the process of education, everything once desired is tested. Wanting something no longer is enough; it’s more important to examine why we want it and whether we really want it. When my desire for money changed, everything changed. I stopped longing for money-driven careers and stopped valuing the people who had them. I began to examine the things I purchased and my reason for wanting them.

Education is a tool to be used to develop and advance our desires, so we can discover the things that are truly significant in life. Education is a source to expand our society to see beyond the superficial (表面的) appeals and the “quick fixes”, leaving the belief of an effortless life behind in order to desire a meaningful one.

1. The author’s fourth-grade teacher probably agreed that ______.

A．the author was an ambitious student

B．the author should set more realistic goals

C．a college student would lead an easier life

D．a college degree was the key to the author’s dreams

2. Why does the author mention her sociology class?

A．To share her learning experiences with readers.

B．To support her new understanding about education.

C．To express her sympathy for people in Third World.

D．To stress the importance of taking a sociology course.

3. With a college education, the author ______.

A．envied rich people

B．lost interest in career

C．desired more material things

D．stopped always seeking more wealth

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．College education promises an effortless life.

B．College education tests and guides our life desires.

C．College education offers solutions to social problems.

D．College education turns young people into gamblers.