1 . As to psychological well-being, the comfort zone is frequently perceived as a haven, a familiar location where individuals feel calm and peaceful. Pushing beyond this psychological state might have benefits.
The comfort zone can be understood as a behavioral metaphor. Within a comfort zone, an individual takes on a state of minimal anxiety without a perception of risk, responding predictably to deliver a consistent level of performance. These include behaviors that people do commonly, find relaxing, or that take them away from high-stress situations. Engaging in the same manner over time leads to a predictable and familiar zone of comfort. As creatures of habit, we become dependent on these routines that we know we can complete well to feel secure. However, by stepping outside of our comfort zone, we learn about our ability to handle new situations and control risks, leading to greater self-confidence, and lower levels of anxiety.
One study found that individuals who are more secure in stepping out of their comfort zone are more likely to be excited by and look forward to new experiences, feeling greater confidence in their ability to take them on.
One behavior that demonstrates the benefits of stepping out of a comfort zone is learning to play a musical instrument. When we consider actions outside of our comfort zone, we must assess our desire to engage in that activity. By weighing the pros and cons, we evaluate how uncomfortable a situation may seem, and whether the danger of entering such an unknown situation will be worth the risk.
Music offers a safe way to step out of your initial comfort zone because you can begin by practicing in an isolated setting, which offers a casual, safe way to build a new skill set. By picking up and practicing a new instrument, you have proven to yourself that you are capable of meeting an unfamiliar objective, thus decreasing anxiety.
1. What does the underlined word “haven” in Paragraph 1 most probably mean?| A．Habitat. | B．Shelter. | C．Community. | D．Destination. |
| A．We recall the old experience. |
| B．We think whether it is worth the risk. |
| C．We evaluate our thirsty for the activity. |
| D．We weigh the strengths and weaknesses. |
| A．The definition of the comfort zone. |
| B．The importance of psychological well-being. |
| C．The process of learning a new musical instrument. |
| D．The benefits of stepping out of one’s comfort zone. |
| A．How to Identify Comfort Zone |
| B．Staying Inside Comfort Zone is Important |
| C．Stepping Outside Comfort Zone Promotes Learning |
| D．How to Take Yourself Away from High-stress Situations |
2 . Shortly before he turned 60, Mark Fuhrmann realized what he wanted. He, now, at 65, has just returned from a second voyage. His 6,835 mile-round trip from Nova Scotia took in the great lakes of the US, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic.
Fuhrmann started these journeys “to kickstart retirement” from the maritime PR business he ran in Oslo for the past 30 years. Before he set off, in June last year, he swapped (交换) his house for a flat, and greatly reduced his possessions. “It was good to get rid of all of those things and say: ‘This isn’t a phase; this is a new season,’” he says.
Amazingly, he didn’t plan his trip, beyond committing to fundraise for Medecins Sans Frontières. “I thought: ‘I’ll try to do 40km each day.’ But I never knew where I was going to lay down my head.”
The challenges were psychological, physical, and sometimes life-threatening. In Florida, he was chased by an alligator (短吻鳄), but narrowly escaped from it. In the Boston area, he saw “a black fin moving towards me like a snake”. He lay his oar (划桨) across his lap and waited. “If a great white shark can swim leisurely, that’s exactly what it did. It just passed me,” he says. Ten minutes later, Fuhrmann pulled his kayak (小艇) into a cove, where he ran into a man who invited him into his home for coffee and apple pie. His whole trip was filled with these switchbacks and moments of connection with strangers, which Fuhrmann experienced as “a call to authenticity”.
What does he mean? “Nature is born within us. If you avoid that, you avoid experiencing something that is vital to who you are as a person. I want real things — life isn’t about having more. I think we need to accept where we are at this stage of life, at 60 or 65.”
“I look at retirement as a season,” he says. He started his latest voyage because “I wanted to have a better understanding of who I was. I wanted to have time for my thoughts to wander, to restart, to discover the value and power within myself.”
1. Why did Fuhrmann get rid of most of his possessions?| A．To make donations to charity. | B．To start a new life in retirement. |
| C．To make up for his business loss. | D．To collect money for the journey. |
| A．Blessings. | B．Ambitions. | C．Defeats. | D．Challenges. |
| A．The meaning of life is achieving more. |
| B．Old people should take things as they are. |
| C．It is good to have nature-based experience. |
| D．It is advisable for aging people to play safe. |
| A．To reflect on his past. | B．To discover his true self. |
| C．To relax his mind and body. | D．To be free from the noisy world. |
3 . The most affectionate memory of my childhood is about a round table. When I was still little, my entire family would
The round table is a
The food on the table may
In less than two months before the Spring Festival, a(n)
| A．imagine | B．reunite | C．repeat | D．flee |
| A．strangers | B．teachers | C．adults | D．teenagers |
| A．symbol | B．schedule | C．decoration | D．ceremony |
| A．argument | B．occupation | C．operation | D．attachment |
| A．round | B．new | C．long | D．square |
| A．dreams | B．negotiations | C．secrets | D．experiments |
| A．Obviously | B．Moreover | C．Consequently | D．Instead |
| A．explore | B．expand | C．clarify | D．unfold |
| A．keep | B．change | C．sell | D．display |
| A．various | B．public | C．typical | D．temporary |
| A．switch | B．predict | C．forbid | D．accept |
| A．annual | B．innovative | C．unnecessary | D．modern |
| A．forces | B．assists | C．reminds | D．drives |
| A．caring about | B．looking for | C．figuring out | D．making up |
| A．adapt | B．apply | C．belong | D．turn |
4 . Once there was a little girl who had many misfortunes in life and was struggling with problems. One day she felt so upset that she couldn’t help
Sensing her
About twenty minutes later, he turned off the
Seeing the little girl was still confused, he then
| A．explaining | B．complaining | C．requesting | D．obtaining |
| A．fortunate | B．permanent | C．memorial | D．miserable |
| A．depression | B．desire | C．enthusiasm | D．curiosity |
| A．study | B．kitchen | C．bedroom | D．cupboard |
| A．absorb | B．listen | C．observe | D．seize |
| A．cool | B．freeze | C．melt | D．boil |
| A．cruel | B．silent | C．noble | D．modest |
| A．lights | B．microwaves | C．burners | D．taps |
| A．rough | B．plain | C．precious | D．fragile |
| A．Therefore | B．Moreover | C．However | D．Otherwise |
| A．exposed to | B．connected with | C．committed to | D．motivated by |
| A．revolved | B．proceeded | C．teased | D．responded |
| A．emergency | B．dilemma | C．choice | D．adversity |
| A．sufficiently | B．generously | C．differently | D．primitively |
| A．coffee beans | B．potato | C．egg | D．chef |
5 . Once a year, around the time when Christians celebrate Easter, Muslims celebrate Ramadan and Jews celebrate Passover, I often invite my 24-person team to a joyful and special dinner at my place. To
I think this
Yet when people
I’m also really
As the person in charge of the lab, I see preserving a variety of cultural backgrounds as an important part of my job. Such an accessible, varied and supportive
| A．accommodate | B．avoid | C．change | D．control |
| A．enjoy | B．throw | C．prepare | D．taste |
| A．dream | B．tradition | C．promise | D．debate |
| A．strange | B．conservative | C．poor | D．diverse |
| A．gives up | B．turns down | C．consists of | D．leaves out |
| A．breakthroughs | B．backgrounds | C．ambitions | D．hobbies |
| A．differences | B．recipes | C．requirements | D．standards |
| A．visit | B．praise | C．join | D．aid |
| A．regret | B．charge | C．sympathy | D．love |
| A．surprised at | B．proud of | C．interested in | D．worried about |
| A．curious | B．casual | C．careful | D．relaxed |
| A．thank | B．defeat | C．compare | D．choose |
| A．scientifically | B．physically | C．mentally | D．financially |
| A．respect | B．protect | C．stand | D．doubt |
| A．chance | B．position | C．lecture | D．environment |
6 . All of us ought to be able to brace ourselves for the predictable challenges and setbacks that crop up every day. If we expect that life won’t be perfect,
Whether it’s a financial loss, the loss of respect of your peers or loved ones, or some other traumatic event in your life,
Adversity happens to all of us, and it happens all the time.
There are endless examples.
| A．What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. |
| B．we’ll be able to avoid that impulse to quit. |
| C．these major setbacks leave you doubting yourself. |
| D．Some are either there or in wait just around the corner. |
| E．we’ll learn to accept imperfection and compromise with reality. |
| F．But history is made by people facing hurdles but achieving greatness. |
| G．People faced adversity bravely, learned valuable lessons and moved ahead. |
Sara, my neighbor, and I were sitting in our yard, chatting, and frowning at the wooden house across the street.
Nobody in the neighborhood had met these two young men there yet. The two men had long hair and beards and dressed strangely. They kept to themselves. When they came outside, they never made eye contact with anyone. “They sure don’t fit into the neighborhood,” Sara said, the corners of her mouth turning down as she stared at that house.
Sara said, “What about our street parties? We’ve always included everyone. Should we invite them?” I sighed, “Try being nice, Sara.” Suddenly, Sara sat up straight and her eyes grew wide with curiosity when a government car pulled up before Mrs Swain’s house next door. We hurried over. Mrs Swain was recovering from cancer and lived alone. Sara and I tried to keep an eye on her.
The man from the car put a piece of paper on Mrs Swain’s door and hurriedly left. Mrs Swain looked old, thin, and very tired when she opened the door. We three looked at the paper. It read: “Someone complained your grass’ length is against city rules. Please cut it in five days, or you’ll be fined.”
It was a shame that nobody had cut her grass for her. However, Sara and I lived alone, and we were both pregnant. What was worse, we were on a tight budget, and the other families here were on vacation.
Sara and I comforted Mrs Swain, telling her we’d figure out a way. Mrs Swain blinked in confusion, “Who would complain? Everyone knows that my old lawn mower is broken. And I’ve been sick too.” “It may be those two guys across the street,” Sara whispered, angrily staring at that wooden house.
Just then, a voice that seemed too gentle to be coming from the strange young man behind me said, “What is going on? Is she alright?” He nodded toward Mrs Swain. Sara looked at him coldly and said, “Some guys reported her because her grass is too high.” Her eyes ran over him disapprovingly, but he didn’t seem to notice.
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。
The young man and his friend quickly made eye contact and nodded seriously.
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After they finished the work, Sara and I walked in shame to apologize for judging them.
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8 . Think about that. If you are anything like me, you struggle to ask for help when you need it. It’s something a lot of humans battle with. You don’t want to be a burden on others. You are afraid to speak up, or want to prove that you can do it yourself.
You don’t ask for help when you don’t know how to do something or can’t manage it on your own, because you might be afraid of looking stupid or incompetent. You might pretend like you know what you’re doing when you’re really drowning. Perhaps you think asking for help is a sign of weakness; that if you ask for help you’re admitting you’re inadequate in some way; that you lack knowledge, skill or experience to do something yourself. You don’t want anyone to see that you’re struggling and you want people to think that you’re in control and can handle things.
There are tons of reason you won’t ask for help, but not to do so can be a mistake. You get in your own way if you make asking for help mean something negative about you when it doesn’t. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re stupid or inadequate. It simply means you need help with something specific for a time.
Confident people often ask others for help. They do so not only because they’re secure enough to let it be known they need help, but they know that trying to do everything themselves is not always the best use of their time, skills or energy. They recognize it can leave them feeling overwhelmed and stressed and then they can’t do things properly. Confident people find someone who’s good at what they need to learn or get done and then ask for their help and guidance. They know that asking, “Can you help me?” shows respect for the other person’s knowledge and abilities. Otherwise, they wouldn’t ask.
1. What is the author’s personality like?| A．He shows great love to others. | B．He hesitates to ask others for help. |
| C．He looks down upon other people. | D．He dislikes those who pretend to know. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Unqualified. | C．Determined. | D．Devoted. |
| A．offer help to other people | B．respect others’ abilities |
| C．promote their abilities | D．turn to others for help |
| A．advise us to learn more knowledge | B．encourage us to bravely ask for help |
| C．show our respect to the people around us | D．encourage us to be more confident in our life |
9 . As a child, I was proud of my southern origin. My own voice reflected my family’s past and present-part northern Mississippi, part Tennessee, all southern. There was no sound I loved more than my grandmother’s accent: thick, sweet, warm.
While growing up, I began to realize outside of our region, southerners were often dismissed as uncultured and ignorant. I was ready to leave behind my tiny town in West Tennessee, starting a new life and jumping at big chances in some far-off cities. In that embarrassing space between “teen” and “adult”, my accent was a symbol of everything I thought I hated about my life in the rural South. I feared it would disqualify me from being a noted magazine writer. I would have to talk less “country”. So I killed a piece of myself. I’m ashamed of it, but I’m more ashamed that I tried to kill that part of someone else-change Emily’s accent.
I met Emily in college. She was determined to work for the student newspaper, which was where I spent most of my waking hours, and we became friends. She, unlike me, accepted her roots. Early in our friendship, her mother asked where I was from, assuming it was somewhere up north. Then I felt my efforts paid off and even wanted to ignore the mistake.
Emily is two years younger and she cared about my opinion. I advised her to be more like me and hide her signature Manchester accent. I stressed that throughout our college years, often by making fun of her vowel (元音) sounds. I told myself I was helping her achieve her dream of working as a reporter. Now, I see that it was actually about justifying my hiding part of myself.
Grandma Carolyn used to tell me, “Girl, don’t forget where you come from.” Now I truly understand that. Many things have faded from memory, but this sticks in my mind with uncomfortable clarity. Now that I am grown and have left the South, it’s important to me.
1. What made the author want to leave her hometown?| A．Appeal of convenience in cities. |
| B．Her dream of becoming a writer. |
| C．Outside prejudice against southerners. |
| D．Her desire for the northern accent. |
| A．Upset. | B．Pleased. | C．Ashamed. | D．Surprised. |
| A．To prove herself right. | B．To help Emily be a reporter. |
| C．To make herself influential. | D．To protect Emily’s self-dignity. |
| A．Stay true to your roots. | B．Never do things by halves. |
| C．Hold on to your dreams. | D．Never judge a person by his accent. |
10 . Winter goes and summer comes. The tides
And how will I master these emotions so that each day will be
With this new knowledge I will make
| A．advance | B．disappear | C．exist | D．fall |
| A．native | B．colleague | C．supporter | D．part |
| A．jokes | B．secrets | C．experiences | D．awards |
| A．break in | B．wake up | C．take off | D．give out |
| A．constantly | B．temporarily | C．casually | D．elegantly |
| A．appear | B．blow | C．fade | D．spread |
| A．anxious | B．natural | C．additional | D．productive |
| A．sow | B．grow | C．separate | D．shelter |
| A．fold | B．follow | C．carry | D．load |
| A．react | B．review | C．recite | D．repeat |
| A．obtains | B．regards | C．allows | D．observes |
| A．chosen | B．seized | C．received | D．witnessed |
| A．self-awareness | B．self-control | C．self-esteem | D．self-pity |
| A．behind the scene | B．on the bottom line | C．at the end of the rope | D．out of sight |
| A．insignificant | B．improper | C．impolite | D．unconscious |
| A．concrete | B．inadequate | C．abstract | D．unmatched |
| A．use | B．fun | C．sure | D．sense |
| A．view | B．meeting | C．experiment | D．idiom |
| A．limited | B．reserved | C．prepared | D．afraid |
| A．salesman | B．player | C．architect | D．designer |
