1 . Something strange has been happening to me lately: Women in the street have been telling me I’m brave. My act of courage isn’t much —    1    

I had brown hair that started going gray when I was 30. So, like a lot of women, I started dyeing it.     2     And my hair grew fast, so I needed to go back to the hair salon every five weeks. Many people seem to enjoy holding on to their youth for as long as possible. But our hair starts to turn gray and we start spending $500 or more a year to cover something our male colleagues don’t need to cover.

    3     — my mother is 91 and still has “blond” hair, and why not? I just wish more of us would feel that it was OK to be ourselves because going gray has done more for me than saving me time and money.     4     I like how it has gotten curly and full again. It is recovering after years of being damaged by chemicals. I also like that it has given me some needed perspective in a society that makes youth seem so important, while being against maturity.

When I see my hair in the mirror, it’s a reminder that my time is not infinite, and I should spend it doing what matters.     5     I see my gray hair as a little act of rebellion against the idea that people lose value as they age, instead of gaining it.

A．Enjoy whatever life gives me.

B．Dyeing made me look younger.

C．I just stopped coloring my hair.

D．I like my natural hair, just as it is.

E．It was expensive and time-consuming.

F．Of course, people should do what they want with their own body.

G．And pretending it’s not happening is a way of giving up our power.

2 . A decade ago, colored lights danced around the living room on New Year’s Eve and happy music was played. Upstairs, the children were asleep. But I wasn’t feeling happy. In mid-December, my husband and I had been informed that he had cancer and that he was going to die. He had less than a year left, the doctors said.

In the years since that painful season, I have come to look back upon New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve brings a halt to the endless commitments that fill our daily lives and a chance to reflect. New Year’s Eve is full of possibility and anticipation. What will be the surprising experiences and delightful successes in the coming year? But also, what disappointments are waiting for us in the next twelve months?

In many ways, New Year’s Eve and the days that surround it are a line between past and future. That line is made up of a series of moments of transition (过渡) that take us out of the old and into the new. Transition can be challenging for many of us. It’s about letting go of the familiar and diving headlong (迅猛地) into the unfamiliar.

Just as, back then, I had to face letting go of the life I had led with my beloved husband and stepping into a new world as a widowed mom, I find that each year I have to step out of the version of me that suited the year that is ending and ease into the version of me who will rise to the goals I am holding for myself for the year ahead.

Last year at this time, I sat in a chair in southern France and drank in the stillness (沉静) and beauty of the countryside around me. The three children I had brought into this world talked and laughed around the table beside me as we enjoyed a lunch of bread and cheese.

I was filled with a sense of joy and I had a glowing (热情洋溢的) heart that was full of hope. It was another ending and another beginning. May we all transition into the best of what lies ahead. May we all find happiness in this holiday season.

1. What causes author’s unhappiness on New Year’s Eve a decade ago?

A．The pressure she faced in her work.

B．The health problem her husband faced.

C．The information received from her family.

D．The relationship between her and her husband.

2. What does the underlined word “halt” most probably mean?

A．End.

B．Start.

C．Change.

D．Meaning.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards the thing people should do at New Year?

A．Set challenging goals for the next year.

B．Break with daily routines and form a new habit.

C．Spend more time with family members.

D．Think about the past and get ready for the future.

4. What’s the main purpose of writing the passage?

A．To memorialize her husband.

B．To show how she got through a hard time.

C．To share her view of New Year’s Eve.

D．To remind us that uncertainty is part of life.

4 . Over the last summer I volunteered at a summer camp for children ages 5 through 12. Every day for six weeks I ____ pedal power to conquer the hill known only as Depot. ____ I arrived at Abbot School at 7:30, I began my seven-hour day of cleaning, entertaining and others. By helping these kids and working with other counselors, I was able to develop a better ____ of responsibility not just myself, but for ____ around me.

In the beginning I helped with a ____ of twelve-year-olds. I had a lot of fun because they were the most mature ____, and I could relate to them. They didn't need as ____ help as the younger kids so the director of the camp switched me down to six-year-olds.

For the ____ few years I had gone to an adventure camp in the woods of Maine. There I participated in rafting, rock-climbing, and sea-kayaking. But nothing could have ____ me for working non-stop with 15 six-year-olds. From fights over batting order ____ who got to sip from the water fountain ____, we were in a constant ____of noise. I could now understand why parents always seemed to ____ a sigh of relief as they dropped off their little bundles of energy every morning.

For the first summer I was doing something that ____ someone else, and I found more ____ in that than any wasted breezy day of summers past.

During this unique opportunity of giving a ____ part of my summer, I was able to get back so much more. I learned how much my time is really ____ and how to take responsibility for myself and ____ others. I learned how different each individual is and how needs ____. I gained more confidence when I realized I could   ___ in the real world.

1.

A．used

B．produced

C．wasted

D．accumulated

2.

A．Though

B．Because

C．Once

D．If

3.

A．knowledge

B．sense

C．duty

D．sight

4.

A．any

B．ones

C．these

D．those

5.

A．grade

B．group

C．class

D．pack

6.

A．campers

B．volunteers

C．teachers

D．guides

7.

A．many

B．some

C．much

D．other

8.

A．next

B．old

C．previous

D．future

9.

A．prevented

B．restricted

C．advised

D．prepared

10.

A．to

B．in

C．for

D．of

11.

A．directly

B．first

C．politely

D．slow

12.

A．spirit

B．view

C．state

D．shape

13.

A．bring about

B．result from

C．find out

D．let out

14.

A．defeated

B．benefited

C．regretted

D．interested

15.

A．opportunity

B．relationship

C．difference

D．satisfaction

16.

A．small

B．valuable

C．boring

D．major

17.

A．short

B．worth

C．necessary

D．unique

18.

A．particularly

B．merely

C．especially

D．thoroughly

19.

A．vary

B．improve

C．increase

D．develop

20.

A．create

B．struggle

C．appear

D．survive

5 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

It was 1st January, the first day of the year and a holiday for me. What luck! I decided to withdraw some money from the bank, The bank person, an elderly gentleman with a white beard, replied indifferently as usual to my polite “Happy New Year.” He nodded and I sat in front of him.

Minutes passed but he didn’t raise his head.

Then very hesitantly I put my form and booklet in front of him. He was busy filling up entries in his register. After a few minutes he took my form and from his cabinet he took out a very thick file, from which he started filling in my details, I sat there wondering why we had computerized banking if we were still filling in forms and register.

After waiting for a few more minutes, in which I showed all signs of being impatient, I asked him if my work was done. The moment I said the words, I felt as if a bomb had fallen on him. He shouted, “Nothing is done, it will take time!”

Just then I saw his morning cup of tea which had been lying there for the last ten minutes, untouched. The tea had tuned almost cold while he was doing his work. Suddenly I felt what this man, who had been working at this counter for the last God-knows-how-many years, must be feeling when customers like me come who are always in a hurry to get their work done. We do not even feel the need to thank them for being there, He must be feeling so anxious that “here comes another person who will push me for doing his work first.”

注意：

1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；

2. 至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；

3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；

4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。

Paragraph 1:

Thinking of this, I told him, “Sir, you please hare your tea, I am not in a hurry.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

What he said really touched my heart.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . Next week，strangers with a truck will take away everything we own，except the clothes on our backs，the car we will drive，and as much stuff as we can pack into it．

It’s called _______ ．Some people do it often．For others，like me，it’g a _______experience．In all my adult years，I’ve moved only three times．

My first _______ and I moved into our first house with a bed，our clothes and a few gifts．That was many years ago．Over the years，I _______ that house with three children，a few dogs and enough stuff to _______ the ceiling．

Then the kids grew up，I lost my husband to cancer，and I began to learn about _______ ．

First，I let go of the _______ of being in contro1．Life isn’t about being in charge of what   _______ ；it’s about being in charge of what we do with it．

Next，I let go of   _______ the things I care most about，like keeping in touch with the people that ________ the most to me．

I let go of the people whose ________ are about anger or hatred，and tried instead to ________ myself with those who shine with ________ ．

Finally，I let go of being alone—I remarried．I ________ moved to a new city with my new husband，and after that move，I   ________   I’d stop collecting meaningless things．But 12 years later，here I am，still learning about letting go．

We’11 all move someday from this ________ to the next，but we won’t need a truck to do it．We’ll take ________ with us and leave behind a(n) ________ of the life we lived，the mistakes we   ________   ，and all the love and kindness we tried to show．

That memory might not be a treasure，but if we’re   ________ ，someone will keep it and hold it close and never let it go．

1.

A．moving

B．changing

C．losing

D．missing

2.

A．similar

B．familiar

C．rare

D．valuable

3.

A．son

B．daughter

C．husband

D．wife

4.

A．equipped

B．filled

C．involved

D．provided

5.

A．paint

B．repair

C．build

D．reach

6.

A．holding on

B．1etting go

C．giving back

D．turning down

7.

A．plan

B．idea

C．concept

D．decision

8.

A．devotes

B．matters

C．happens

D．arrives

9.

A．putting off

B．coming across

C．making out

D．taking over

10.

A．offer

B．appear

C．indicate

D．mean

11.

A．issues

B．subjects

C．1ives

D．beliefs

12.

A．present

B．attract

C．support

D．surround

13.

A．kindness

B．patience

C．fortune

D．humour

14.

A．naturally

B．eventually

C．formally

D．regularly

15.

A．suggested

B．informed

C．insisted

D．promised

16.

A．city

B．town

C．world

D．country

17.

A．something

B．anything

C．everything

D．nothing

18.

A．memory

B．experience

C．record

D．history

19.

A．completed

B．made

C．conducted

D．forgot

20.

A．optimistic

B．generous

C．determined

D．fortunate

8 . 假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Laughing is one of life’s most simple pleasure.It is free.You can do it anywhere.Like the flu，laughter can spread easy among people.Often when we hear someone laughing in crowded room or a packed train ，we start laughing too—even if we have no idea how.
In fact，mental health can affect on physical health.Therefore，“Laughter is the best medicine”does not mean that I should not take medicine when you’re sick.It simply means that have a positive outlook might help ease your troubles but make you cheerful.Besides，making others laugh with you is also an act what is joyful and kind.

9 . A little girl lived in a simple and poor house on a hill. Usually she _______ play in the small garden. She could see over the garden fence and across the valley a wonderful house with shining golden windows high on another hill._______ she loved her parents and her family, she desired to live in such a house and _______all day about how wonderful and exciting   _______must feel to live there.

At the age when she gained some _______ skill and sensibility (识别力), she _______ her mother for a bike ride _______ the garden. Her mother finally allowed her to go，_______ her keeping close to the house and not   _______ too far. The day was beautiful. The little girl knew________ where she was heading! ________ the hill and across the valley, she rode to the ________ of the golden house.

________ she got off her bike and put it against the gate post, she focused on the path________to the house and then on the house itself. She was very disappointed when she ________ that all the windows were ________ and rather dirty.

So ________and heart­broken, she didn't go any further. She ________， and all of a sudden she saw an amazing ________. There on the other side of the valley was a little house and its windows were golden. Looking at her little home, she________ that she had been living in her golden house filled with love and care. Everything she dreamed was right there in front of her house.

1.

A．might

B．should

C．would

D．must

2.

A．Unless

B．Although

C．Since

D．But

3.

A．dreamed

B．worried

C．asked

D．shouted

4.

A．this

B．that

C．it

D．which

5.

A．different

B．scientific

C．musical

D．basic

6.

A．begged

B．blamed

C．invited

D．paid

7.

A．inside

B．outside

C．through

D．along

8.

A．insisting on

B．relying on

C．arguing about

D．wondering about

9.

A．traveling

B．running

C．riding

D．walking

10.

A．madly

B．rapidly

C．exactly

D．possibly

11.

A．Over

B．Down

C．Around

D．Beside

12.

A．windows

B．steps

C．center

D．gate

13.

A．Until

B．As

C．While

D．Because

14.

A．getting

B．introducing

C．leading

D．moving

15.

A．felt

B．learned

C．concluded

D．found

16.

A．transparent

B．bright

C．plain

D．wide

17.

A．anxious

B．angry

C．serious

D．sad

18.

A．turned around

B．cheered up

C．settled down

D．dropped in

19.

A．hill

B．valley

C．background

D．sight

20.

A．imagined

B．decided

C．realized

D．guessed

10 . Being a teenager can be tough. “Troubled” and “rebellious(叛逆的)” are often labels that people give kids in their teens. There are even scientific theories explaining that the likelihood of teenagers taking is due to the fact that their brains aren’t fully developed yet.     1    

But a new study by researches at the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University may have finally cleared up this misunderstanding.     2    They simply are easily attracted by new things and are eager to explore the world.

The adolescents(青少年) lack experience.     3    This personality trait(特征)is called “sensation seeking”, which is shared by a lot of people and usually peaks during adolescence.

Instead of being something to worry about, sensation seeking is actually necessary, since the process of learning usually goes hand in hand with taking risks. "Teenagers need to build experience so that they can do a better job in making the difficult and risky decisions in later life. ‘Should I take this job? or ‘     4    ’ ”said Valerie Reyna, co–author of the study.

“    5    If they don't make a mistake in their teenage years, they will have no life experience when they turn 18 and step out of their parents' protection and into a world that 's unknown to them. Kids need the freedom to test out boundaries while still in a safe environment,” wrote Ann Robinson, editor of The Guardian.

A．Should I marry this person?

B．It turns out that teenagers are fine.

C．Adolescents should do as follows.

D．What can parents do to help the kids?

E．There's something scarier than taking a risk.

F．In other words, they just can t help it.

G．Therefore, they keep trying things out for the first time in their life.