Over the years I
First, ants never quit. If they’re heading somewhere and you try to stop them, they’ll climb over, they’ll climb under, and they’ll climb around. They never quit
2 . I was then in my early twenties. Even though I was armed with a degree in Education, finding a
This year, when a golden opportunity
One day when the kids were
That experience showed me the
| A．first-rate | B．well-paid | C．labor-saving | D．full-time |
| A．escaped | B．demanded | C．arose | D．arranged |
| A．jumped at | B．thought about | C．waited for | D．dreamt of |
| A．occupied | B．amused | C．concerned | D．contented |
| A．familiar | B．positive | C．strict | D．consistent |
| A．evaluating | B．supporting | C．instructing | D．congratulating |
| A．graded | B．dismissed | C．tested | D．taught |
| A．note | B．gift | C．parcel | D．book |
| A．judged | B．indicated | C．emphasized | D．accompanied |
| A．hardened | B．touched | C．broken | D．gladdened |
| A．simply | B．casually | C．carefully | D．eagerly |
| A．reminder | B．treasure | C．proof | D．secret |
| A．comfort | B．fortune | C．fantasy | D．privilege |
| A．target | B．application | C．power | D．principle |
| A．clarify | B．find | C．feel | D．spread |
3 . Last Christmas, I volunteered for WNWNB, a charity which takes surplus (剩余的) produce from New Covent Garden Market and
The food was already in containers. So we set up the stand and got ready to distribute some Christmas
It was then time to deliver meals to those who weren’t able to come. This is
I had similar responses to my next
As a local politician I knock on doors and talk to people a lot, but there was something deeper about those
| A．distributes | B．introduces | C．sells | D．exhibits |
| A．forgiveness | B．images | C．recipes | D．cheer |
| A．easy | B．nice | C．slow | D．safe |
| A．broke away from | B．put up with | C．cut in on | D．warmed up to |
| A．threaten | B．encourage | C．allow | D．command |
| A．why | B．how | C．where | D．when |
| A．opened | B．repaired | C．cleaned | D．guarded |
| A．costly | B．unfinished | C．deserted | D．ready |
| A．declined | B．reacted | C．argued | D．traded |
| A．purchases | B．interviews | C．deliveries | D．schedules |
| A．meal | B．chat | C．report | D．silence |
| A．proud | B．free | C．lonely | D．content |
| A．connect with | B．look after | C．turn to | D．rely on |
| A．conversations | B．budgets | C．explanations | D．deals |
| A．hesitated | B．started | C．ignored | D．struggled |
4 . 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 |
5 . About a month ago I noticed something really amazing, which I must call a garden miracle(奇迹). It so happened that when I
How was this
I can’t help feeling
For one thing, I am moved by the happenstance(巧合) of the whole thing. If I had
But there’s something else that
When it comes to positivity, a little goes a long way. Just ask my little miracle plant.
1.| A．approached | B．shut | C．opened | D．knocked |
| A．need | B．provide | C．receive | D．keep |
| A．sticks | B．branches | C．roots | D．flowers |
| A．essential | B．possible | C．significant | D．different |
| A．stepped aside | B．stepped away | C．looked down | D．looked around |
| A．request | B．enable | C．instruct | D．intend |
| A．excited | B．puzzled | C．amazed | D．amused |
| A．put | B．found | C．measured | D．missed |
| A．broad | B．soft | C．strong | D．narrow |
| A．pulled out | B．cared for | C．thought about | D．brought in |
| A．requires | B．cheers | C．inspires | D．changes |
| A．attention | B．warmth | C．time | D．effort |
| A．expecting | B．imagining | C．doubting | D．saying |
| A．experience | B．do | C．accept | D．remember |
| A．water | B．encouragement | C．sunshine | D．support |
Often, when he came to visit, my grandfather would bring me a present. These were never the sorts of things that other people brought, such as dolls, books or toys. My dolls and toys have been gone for more than half a century, but many of my grandfather’s gifts are still with me.
Once he brought me a little plastic cup. I looked inside, expecting to see something special. But there was only some loose soil in it, which made me disappointed. He smiled at me affectionately. Turning around, he picked up a little teapot from my dolls’ tea set and took me to the kitchen where he filled the little cup with water. Back in the living room, he put it on the windowsill(窗台) and handed me the teapot. “If you promise to put some water in the cup every day, something may happen.” he told me.
At that time, I was only five years old. This whole thing made no sense to me at all. I looked at him doubtfully and asked, “Do I have to water it every day? What will happen?” He nodded to me with encouragement, “Yes, every day, dear.”
And so I promised. At first, curious to see what would happen, I did not mind doing this. But as the days went by and nothing changed, it got harder and harder to remember to put water in the cup. After a week, I asked my grandfather if it was time to stop yet. Shaking his head no, he said, “Every day.” The second week was even harder, and I became regretful of my promise to put water in the cup. When my grandfather came again, I tried to give it back to him, but he refused to take it, saying simply the same words, “Every day.” By the third week, I began to forget to put water in the cup during the day. Often, I would remember only after I had been put to bed and would have to get out of bed and water it in the dark. But I did not miss a single day.
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。
One morning, something amazing happened.
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This was perhaps my first lesson in the power of perseverance.
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Growing up poor and having parents who didn’t receive a good education, I often struggled at school. What was worse, my parents often moved to different places. They likely did not realize the damaging effects it had on my learning as they moved from apartment to apartment, year after year. I attended seven different schools from kindergarten through the 8th grade. With a fragmented (片段的) education, I entered high school, not doing well in literacy and math. But it was not until I attended a major public state university that I really understood the academic gaps that I had in comparison to my peers. I had to work particularly hard to not only understand the textbooks and lectures, but also catch myself up in basic skills of writing and comprehension. But I wasn’t the one to forgo. No matter how hard it was, I persisted.
Today, I have many degrees, three of them are Master’s Degrees and I am currently in my second year of studying for my doctorate in Educational Leadership.
I share my story for various reasons, but mainly due to the hope that another young child, possibly growing up poor, can realize that an education is the ticket to the quality of life. It can happen for that child. One can be successful! One can overcome all obstacles.
Some days will be extremely tougher than others and someday those accomplishments will glow (发光), but giving up is not a wise choice. It certainly won’t lead to the light at the end of the tunnel. Therefore, we should take advantage of the challenges and difficulties to make us stronger and reflect on how to beat all the differences. We should foster our thinking that current challenges have been designed to build upon our strength, not tear us down. In this way, we can fulfill our long-term goals.
1. What made the author’s study much worse when he was a child? (no more than 5 words)2. What did the author realize after attending a major public state university? (no more than 10 words)
3. How do you understand the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2? (no more than 10 words)
4. Why did the author want to share his story? (no more than 15 words)
5. What do you learn from the author’s story? (no more than 20 words)
8 . Mozart was a genius, but he struggled like an average person during early twenties. He had to work to make ends meet. Underpaid and unsatisfied by his average performances, he felt a burning desire to devote more time and energy to his art. So after a period of doubt and thinking, that’s exactly what he did. He quit his job and began what turned out to be the most creative period of his life.
Even if you never hope to reach Mozart’s level of mastery, you may relate to his need to break free from convention. Maybe you’ve done everything right—stood out at school, and got a high-paying job—but you’re tired of being just like everyone else. Maybe you long to achieve something that is obviously you.
What, then, is holding you back? Rich Karlgaard, the publisher of Forbes magazine and author of Late Bloomers, argues that our culture’s obsession with early achievement discourages us from going after what we love. Instead of having varied interests, studying widely, and taking our time—essentials for self-discovery—we’re encouraged to pass tests, become specialists right away, and pursue safe and secure careers. As a result, most of us end up choosing professional excellence over personal achievement, and often we lose ourselves in the process.
As you move forward, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, it’s never too late to become yourself. Aristotle, for example, didn’t fully devote himself to writing and philosophy until he was nearly 50. There are also benefits to taking a long, winding path to achievement. Remember that age usually brings wisdom, self-knowledge, and creativity. This is one reason the average age of founders of high-growth start-ups is 45.
If you ever get stuck, think of Joanne, a talented and creative woman who bounced from job to job throughout her twenties. She felt like a total failure. But she took that feeling of hopelessness and chose to do what she’d always wanted to do—write fantasy novels for children. As she would later recount, ”I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was.“
You’ve probably heard of her. Her pen name is J. K. Rowling.
Now get to work.
1. What does the author want to show by telling Mozart’s story in Paragraph 1?| A．Suffering makes a man wise. |
| B．Each of us has a special beauty. |
| C．It’s pretty tough for genius to seek a job. |
| D．A man should be brave to pursue his dream. |
| A．Desire for early achievement. |
| B．Too wide a range of interests. |
| C．A waste of time on self-discovery. |
| D．Studying deeply in different fields. |
| A．All the geniuses have been total failures. |
| B．Age is no obstacle to going after dreams. |
| C．Every highly successful person hasn’t been applied to working. |
| D．Hopelessness discouraged people from chasing after their dreams. |
| A．To emphasize the significance of showing talents. |
| B．To analyze the reasons for failure in previous jobs. |
| C．To share success stories of famous people in different fields. |
| D．To encourage people to become themselves whatever the age. |
9 . A few weeks ago, my 3-year-old granddaughter Frances asked, ‘‘Why don’t cardinals (红雀) migrate?” Frances’s question
Preschoolers love thinking about possible
Fortunately, there’s no reason why we can’t all be lifelong learners. I’m 69, but I still experienced the same thrill of
By embracing children’s acts of wondering, you become their
| A．moved | B．confused | C．surprised | D．worried |
| A．chance | B．problem | C．influence | D．answer |
| A．struggled | B．learned | C．managed | D．hesitated |
| A．held back | B．gave in | C．walked away | D．put off |
| A．benefits | B．solutions | C．designs | D．explanations |
| A．nervous | B．disturbed | C．embarrassed | D．free |
| A．relief | B．joy | C．pity | D．blessing |
| A．regret | B．continue | C．stop | D．enjoy |
| A．challenge | B．discovery | C．doubt | D．competition |
| A．collect | B．hide | C．supply | D．write |
| A．until | B．before | C．because | D．though |
| A．busy | B．inspired | C．delighted | D．warm |
| A．compare | B．study | C．share | D．create |
| A．promising | B．encouraging | C．permitting | D．controlling |
| A．partners | B．teachers | C．employees | D．learners |
10 . About 30 years ago, an acoustic neuroma (听神经瘤) was found inside my body. The removal of the neuroma caused my temporary balance issues and permanent hearing loss in one ear. Apart from this, I was fine.
Unexpectedly, the neuroma came back years later. It had to be removed again. Otherwise it would threaten the rest of my brain. When I awoke from the second operation, I had stroke-like symptoms. The whole right side of my body almost stopped functioning, and still does.
Overnight my whole identity had changed. I used to effortlessly leap up the stairs two at a time, but now it takes fifteen minutes to struggle. Attempts at the recovery of the old me proved to be fruitless. My family role also shifted from a father to a dependent child, and coupled with my communication problems, this led to increased frustration (沮丧) and anger.
There were concerns too about whether I would ever be accepted again in the wider world. Soon after this I just managed to swim in a pool. A ten-year-old boy I didn’t know came up and asked me if I had been on the water slide yet. As politely as possible, I said no, and we struck up a conversation about it. For the first time a stranger was speaking to me as an equal like before. Though insignificant then, it opened doors to a whole new way of being seen, and seeing myself.
To make sure the neuroma did not reappear, I received radiation treatment for two hours regularly, during which I loved listening to music by Tom Waits, an eccentric (古 怪的) singer most people dislike, but I don’t care. For me, life after brain injury is like Waits’ odd works. Out of failure, ugliness, and horror-the most unpromising raw material-a beautiful diamond can be created that shines out even more brightly because of its dark surroundings.
1. What happened to the author after his single-sided deafness?| A．He lost the ability to keep balance. |
| B．His acoustic neuroma regrew. |
| C．He underwent two operations in a row. |
| D．His vision was accidentally damaged. |
| A．The author’s efforts to rebuild his disabled body. |
| B．The author’s self-reflection on his cultural identity. |
| C．The different attitudes of the author’s family to him. |
| D．The considerable impact of the author’s brain injury. |
| A．Reasonable. | B．Engaging. | C．Life-changing. | D．In-depth. |
| A．Music is the universal language of mankind. |
| B．Suffering often leads to new self-discovery. |
| C．Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear. |
| D．Live for yourself, not for the approval of others. |
