1 . As a writer, I miss rejection slips. Not that I enjoyed receiving those pre-printed slips of paper, but at least when I got one, I was pretty sure that a flesh-and-blood
Nowadays, rejection slips seem to have disappeared with the use of online submissions. Most editors don’t feel it a must to
For me, there are three
Learning to
A.writer | B.reader | C.mailman | D.editor |
A.demanding | B.indicating | C.suspecting | D.arguing |
A.boring | B.novel | C.lengthy | D.particular |
A.thrilling | B.upsetting | C.embarrassing | D.amusing |
A.buy | B.reject | C.check | D.substitute |
A.prove | B.determine | C.explain | D.acknowledge |
A.proposals | B.drafts | C.contributions | D.instructions |
A.meanings | B.stages | C.wonders | D.rewards |
A.relief | B.frustration | C.anger | D.hesitation |
A.valueless | B.expensive | C.characterless | D.shiny |
A.make up | B.put away | C.turn down | D.insist on |
A.easier | B.better | C.shorter | D.longer |
A.print | B.revise | C.download | D.submit |
A.accept | B.criticize | C.judge | D.evaluate |
A.thinner | B.fatter | C.older | D.newer |
2 . The true test of an effective team is one where the members operate as a self-managing team. The
I followed up with one of our customers to see first-hand what a very successful team looked and felt like. Here is their story on what they do to
This team
The reason why I know this information is that when you have the opportunity to see how a team really works, you want to
As I stayed and communicated with the team members to find out how they worked together, they described to me their requirements for team development.
They said, “Each member has a good time, and we are in tune (协调) with each other, and we have a great
Their hard work and effort paid off as they became known as “the stars” of the company. They were described as “
It is clear that this team developed to compete for the goal instead of against each other. This team has stayed
A.leader | B.learner | C.waiter | D.customer |
A.defend against | B.look into | C.leave out | D.serve as |
A.set out | B.stand out | C.work out | D.run out |
A.accounts for | B.concentrates on | C.consists of | D.cares about |
A.conditions | B.habits | C.states | D.attitudes |
A.bothered | B.reminded | C.trained | D.observed |
A.far from | B.in return for | C.apart from | D.in case of |
A.pay | B.mood | C.diet | D.rent |
A.delivery | B.smell | C.quality | D.shape |
A.compare | B.uncover | C.adjust | D.keep |
A.taste | B.bite | C.review | D.sense |
A.limitation | B.prejudice | C.purpose | D.complaint |
A.special | B.normal | C.hesitant | D.ridiculous |
A.pity | B.security | C.pride | D.tense |
A.self-centered | B.self-employed | C.self-funded | D.self-driven |
3 . The days that make us happy make us wise.
--- John Masefield
When I first read this line by England's Poet Laureate, it
Slowly, I seemed to
Active happiness---not mere satisfaction or
Nor are the
Consequently, the long vision is there for the seeing. The ground at your feet, the world about you---people, thoughts, emotions, pressures---are now
A.terrified | B.satisfied | C.surprised | D.upset |
A.other | B.opposite | C.view | D.contrast |
A.arresting | B.amazing | C.interesting | D.disturbing |
A.handle | B.observe | C.appreciate | D.seize |
A.iced | B.clouded | C.rained | D.snowed |
A.roads | B.paths | C.spots | D.places |
A.fulfillment | B.sorrow | C.disappointment | D.entertainment |
A.embraced | B.interrupted | C.responded | D.accompanied |
A.brightness | B.stupidity | C.shortcomings | D.memories |
A.physical | B.sharp | C.spiritual | D.solid |
A.insights | B.impressions | C.attentions | D.expectations |
A.extended | B.collapsed | C.witnessed | D.withdrew |
A.got out | B.stayed on | C.kept off | D.fitted into |
A.proportion | B.position | C.explanations | D.duty |
A.happiness | B.wisdom | C.ability | D.life |
4 . When I first set foot in Western Australia’s Pilbara, a landscape holding 3.5-billion-year-old clues to the beginning of life, I was very disappointed. The year was 1994. I drove excitedly out of the west coast town of Port Hedland, but all I saw for the first 150 kilometers were a few dead trees and smoky dust across the burnt, flat plain. And the heat!! I’d never experienced anything this terrible before. Or breathed air so thick with biting flies.
But as we continued to head south on the highway to. Marble Bar—the hottest town in Australia—some low, broad hills started to rise from the horizon. As we continued down a dirt track into the hills, the burnt plains gave way to grass-covered hills. This grass is called spinifex, an amazing but cruel creation. It grows as bushes up to one meter in diameter (直径), with round, fine leaves with needle-sharp tips. The tips will go through just about any piece of cloth. My guide wore thick gaiters (护腿) to protect his legs. But he had failed to inform me of the risk. Without any gaiters, my skin was covered with needle tips that remained in my legs for months.
The land, ultimately, proved worth the discomfort. Here I was walking over some of Earth’s oldest, best-preserved rocks that contain evidence of life from almost the very beginnings of time on our planet.
This area had changed much from when it was first formed 3.5 billion years ago. Back then it would have been a black volcanic land, with no color from vegetation. Over the hills I might have seen a green, iron-rich sea under an orange sky heavy with carbon dioxide and without oxygen. Several billion years after that, the world would turn cold and become covered in a global ice sheet, destroying almost every living thing. When it melted away, oxygen levels rose again. Life really got going. Animals slowly occupied the land, so did new types of plants. The greening of our planet began, and a wide variety of organisms (有机体) appeared including. unfortunately for me, spinifex.
1. What was the author’s first reaction to the Pilbara landscape?A.Dissatisfaction. | B.Excitement. | C.Amusement. | D.Confusion. |
A.It was no easy task to set foot on the land. |
B.He had never seen spinifex on any other land. |
C.The trip was valuable despite all the suffering. |
D.The tips remaining in his flesh were not that uncomfortable. |
A.It is where life began. | B.It is still a black volcanic land. |
C.It is home to many unique plants. | D.It contains almost no living things. |
A.How Life Started on Earth | B.Pilbara: Rich in Organisms |
C.An Abandoned but Lively Land | D.Journey to a Land across Time |
5 . In some ways, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where we
Sometimes you need order in the kitchen for things to run
Then Harlan comes in. He tastes your
Cecilia sees him. She tastes the soup and says, “You forgot vinegar. It’s my
You are happy to spend time with your friends. But, quite
And that is where we get the expression “too many cooks
This expression describes an age-old
So there should be a cook in the kitchen. He is the
A.enjoy | B.finish | C.start | D.spend |
A.prepare | B.eat | C.cook | D.feed |
A.frequently | B.actively | C.smoothly | D.quickly |
A.from | B.for | C.with | D.in |
A.tastes | B.heats | C.mixes | D.drinks |
A.meat | B.soup | C.vegetable | D.food |
A.wonderful | B.famous | C.secret | D.delicious |
A.pours | B.fills | C.puts | D.blows |
A.importantly | B.strangely | C.interestingly | D.frankly |
A.charming | B.inviting | C.annoying | D.embarrassing |
A.salty | B.awful | C.sour | D.hot |
A.spoil | B.share | C.make | D.polish |
A.mystery | B.discovery | C.tradition | D.problem |
A.leader | B.host | C.assistant | D.manager |
A.method | B.direction | C.advice | D.say |
6 . When I started my company, a customer service number was put on the company’s website to better the communication with users. Somehow it rarely rang. So we abandoned it.
However, I thought phone support would have made sense. So, last year, I
“Again? We tried this before, but it didn’t work!” they responded, casting
“But companies evolve; circumstances change.” I argued.
Late last year, I convinced my company to give it a shot. So we started a two-week
This experience reminded me of the elephant-and-rope story. Baby elephants were
In business, not to mention life, all sorts of invisible mental ropes may hold us back. It results in missed opportunities and wasted
A.admitted | B.imagined | C.enjoyed | D.proposed |
A.annoyance | B.fear | C.doubt | D.regret |
A.activity | B.trial | C.procedure | D.mission |
A.significant | B.precise | C.perfect | D.common |
A.amused | B.frustrated | C.astonished | D.pleased |
A.partly | B.regularly | C.naturally | D.officially |
A.injured | B.secured | C.moved | D.pulled |
A.small | B.big | C.fat | D.short |
A.held on | B.held back | C.set free | D.set apart |
A.tried | B.reflected | C.persevered | D.failed |
A.flexible | B.complex | C.fixed | D.simple |
A.places | B.conditions | C.standards | D.systems |
A.space | B.strength | C.money | D.potential |
A.belief | B.excuse | C.ambition | D.information |
A.mature | B.eager | C.fresh | D.optimistic |
7 . Anniversary trips were a tradition that was nearly as old as our marriage. Each year, Jim and I took turns planning a secret trip for the other. I finally found a perfect spot: The Shire of Montana. It was a “hobbit house”. And our six-year-old daughter, Aurora, would also love it.
I was about to make a reservation when I saw a note on The Shire’s website: No kids allowed. We couldn’t leave Aurora behind. I asked if an exception might be possible. A reply came. “The rule exists because previous children destroyed large parts of the Elven Village,” wrote Mr. Michaels, the owner. “But if you promise that your daughter is responsible and will not touch anything, she can come.” Aurora was a well-behaved girl. I wrote back and filled in the reservation form.
The day finally arrived. I was excited very much. Still, turning onto Hobbit Lane, I felt anxious. “Children aren’t usually allowed here,” I reminded Aurora. “So you have to be very careful. You can look at everything, but don’t touch it.”
Then we began our journey. Aurora took everything in, keeping her hands pressed to her sides. “Remember, no touching,” I reminded Aurora, feeling like a complainer. Had I made Aurora so scared of touching things that she couldn’t think about anything else? What fun was that?
We spent several days at the Shire. I finally found that Aurora delighted in each discovery but never disturbed a thing. Being aware of boundaries didn’t take away the beauty and wonder; it allowed the Shire to remain beautiful. It was not so different from our family life, I thought. Jim and I moved through life side by side as a couple, but we’d learned to accept each other’s individuality and boundaries as well.
1. What can we know from the second paragraph?A.The visitors to The Shire of Montana all performed properly. |
B.The author was dissatisfied with the reservation rules. |
C.The process of arranging the trip was a bit difficult. |
D.The Shire’s website failed to give useful information. |
A.Her fear of getting lost. | B.Her concern for their safety. |
C.Her worry about her family’s feelings. | D.Her uncertainty about Aurora’s feelings. |
A.It helped Aurora win praise from others. |
B.It kept Aurora away from possible dangers. |
C.It might prevent Aurora from fully enjoying herself. |
D.It could let Aurora realize the value of cultural treasures. |
A.Taking responsibility for our own choices. |
B.Respecting both personal needs and boundaries. |
C.Learning how to find beauty in small things. |
D.Trying to meet every family member’s expectations. |
8 . Now that my children are grown, I have resumed (中断后继续) a habit: solo travel. The seed was planted when I was 17 and went on a class trip to Spain. The experience was similar to reading my first book. I remember when I separated from the group and went through the busy streets of Madrid on my own, looking at the architecture gawkingly, trying unfamiliar foods, and gathering the courage to engage the natives with my high school Spanish. After that adventure I sought every opportunity to explore on my own, because I wanted to move according to my ideas.
I recall, many years ago, before I became a dad, arranging to work for a summer on an Icelandic farm in exchange for room and board. The driver stopped at the appointed place, but no one was there to meet me. And so I put my backpack down and read a book, knowing that when one travels one is never lost.
I tell this story to calm the fears of friends and others who have occasionally raised their hands to their faces upon hearing what I was up to. Some are specialists in outlining for me all the things that can go wrong when one launches oneself into the unknown. But for me, that’s the whole point of travel: to go where I haven’t gone before, to discover friendships waiting to be made, to interface with unfamiliar scents (气味) and tastes, to enter a new and, for me, undiscovered environment where being pleasantly surprised is the reward.
A few years back I went to Greenland. I spent a week hiking its mountains, interacting with the natives, and sailing the bays. It was inspiring. I hopped (登上) my flight back to Iceland feeling well satisfied. But when I got off the plane and saw the line of passengers waiting for their flight to Greenland, all I wanted to do was turn around and join them. Once again it was proved for me that I would never get travel out of my system.
1. How did the class trip to Spain affect the writer?A.He discovered the magic of solo travel. |
B.He realized the pleasure of reading books. |
C.He became interested in learning Spanish. |
D.He formed a habit of collecting plant seeds. |
A.Curiously. | B.Randomly. | C.Casually. | D.Anxiously. |
A.Going wherever you would like to. | B.Going in the unknown environment. |
C.Exploring something new all the way. | D.Getting a reward from challenging fear. |
A.His impatient personality. | B.His crazy desire for travelling. |
C.His quickness to follow others. | D.His tendency to be easily satisfied. |
The Summer I Learned to Really See
It was a muggy(闷热)end-of-summer dog day in Missouri. I was preparing to go after the mail—about a mile's distance, through fields and forests, across a river, from our farmhouse, in which three generations of my family lived.
“Take the bucket with you,” my grandmother said, handing me the very familiar bucket.
“What for?” I asked, petulantly(使小性子). The berries had been picked, and it was too early for wild grapes, too late for roasting ears(穗).
“You'll find something to fill it with,” she said, her blue eyes sparkling with anticipation.
I didn't want to take the bucket. It would be a burden to me. Twice a day I'd carried a bucket for milking. With it I'd carried feed to the chickens, salt to the cows, sugar to the neighbors. I'd had enough with carrying with the bucket!
Nevertheless, I took the bucket. Halfway to the mailbox, I set it down beneath a pokeberry bush(胡桃树). I needn't carry it the whole way, I reasoned. There was no mail. When I got back to the bucket, I saw that a few ripe pokeberries had fallen into it. With childish ill humor, I picked off enough clusters(花串) to fill the bucket, even though I thought they were good for nothing.
“Aren't they just lovely!” Grandma exclaimed admiringly when I set them on the kitchen table. She squeezed out the juice of the berries and we used the lovely red ink to paint rings on our fingers and pen letters to distant cousins.
When I went to mail the letters the next day, Grandma again told me to take the bucket along. This time I carried the bucket a little farther than the previous day before setting it down. There was only a sale catalogue in the mail. When I got back to the bucket, I dropped it in. But I felt vaguely uncomfortable, remembering the pokeberries. I caught sight of a bunch of peppermint(薄荷) growing close to the path. Funny, I had passed it every day and never noticed it before. Peppermint just doesn't spring up overnight. I picked a bucketful, its fragrance seeming to cool the day. Grandma was pleased with the peppermint. She liked to chew it and make tea with it.
注意:
1. 续写词数应为150 左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡上的相应位置作答。
The daily routine to take the bucket along was repeated for weeks, and I began to see more.
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One day when I went home, I didn't have anything in the bucket.
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