1 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Tomato Changed My Life

Doing things-without being planned was never my strength.

As a 14-year-old, I would refuse to go for walks around the block with my friends if I was the least bit behind in my schoolwork.

Unlike most teenagers, I lived not in my room, but in an unused kitchen upstairs where I spread my books and papers on a large round table. I spent considerable time there, working continuously for hours, and my mother worried. She would try to lure (引诱) me away. “Come and watch the parade!” she would call from downstairs. “All neighbors are out there!” She thought of all kinds of tricks-the swimming pool, ice cream, stray cats and turtles-to remove me from my -studies, but nothing ever worked.

Later, in college, the pattern continued. The library and my college dorm replaced the unused kitchen at home. When spring came along friends would stop by my dorm or peer into my library room to persuade me to play Frisbee on the lawn. “No, I would almost always say.” I have too much to do.

My college study days were gone, but not my need and love for schedules. My friends and sisters tried to keep me away from my plans, but they were hardly ever successful.

This summer, though, while house sitting for my parents, I was persuaded to change my plans in the most unexpected way. The sight of tomatoes growing in my mother’s garden lured me out of my tightly scheduled world. They drew me with the power of a lover’s gaze. Hundreds of them were turning ripe and red by the minute, decorating the garden like decorations on a Christmas tree.

“If I have time, I’ll make tomato sauce (番茄酱).” I told myself. But my long week in the house by myself was already filled with things to do: writing, and finishing a project that I brought home from the office.

Then, watching the fascinating tomatoes continuously falling to the ground in ever-greater numbers, again I mentally argued about all the things I had planned and needed to do.

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。
Finally, I gave in.
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A month later, my parents came back.
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2 . The concept of work varies from person to person, so it can be pretty challenging to understand if our job requires us to live to work, or work to live. However, there is one thing that unites all of us — the value of life.

Simply, the term “work to live” means that you work in order to allow yourself to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, those that don’t involve your career. It means that as soon as you get home, you no longer need to think about work and you have the opportunity to focus on things that matter — like your family, friends, hobbies, and most importantly, yourself.

To “live to work”, means that you must obtain resources that will allow you to become a functional member of society and permit yourself the lifestyle you hope for. It can be understood as a life based around work and nothing else. However, it can also define a person who loves their job so much that there is no fine line between their professional and personal life.

So, is one of the approaches above better than the other? Let’s find it out.

I personally believe that moderation is essential in life. That neither of the phrases you see above is better than the other. Nobody wants to wake up and regret all of the time wasted just on work or on not doing anything at all. In this beautiful thing we call life, balance is everything.

While both “live to work” and “work to live” lifestyles can pose a threat to your overall well-being, the good news is that there is a middle ground, one that is much healthier. Balancing work and life can be the solution you need to get rid of the underlying negative feelings. It’s not going to be easy and may even take your time to get right, but I can assure you that it’s definitely going to be worth it.

Are you ready to find your balance? Let’s go!

1. What can a person living to work be?

A．A couch potato.

B．Workaholic.

C．Childish.

D．A sad person.

2. Which opinion does the author prefer?

A．Work first.

B．Live first.

C．Balance first.

D．Friendship first.

3. What does the underlined phrase “a middle ground” refer to?

A．Moderation.

B．Well-being.

C．Value of life.

D．Threat.

4. What will be discussed in the paragraph that follows?

A．Another kind of lifestyle.	B．Tips to balance life and work.
C．Reasons for living a balanced life.	D．Significance to balance work and life.

3 . When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you focus on something you wish were different, and hear a critical inside voice?     1    . But if you are ready to be kind to yourself and willing to send that negative voice away forever, how do you begin? There are three steps to overcome our “negativity bias” (负面偏见).

1. Start with Mindful Awareness

Being aware of how you are treating yourself is really the first step.     2    . Use your actual name as you describe what you are doing, seeing, and feeling.

Then, instead of criticizing yourself, be curious about what you did and the reasons behind it. Remind yourself that you are doing the best with what you have. And pay your attention to the positive side of the situation.

2.     3    

We all are worthy of love and we need to show loving kindness to ourselves. That might seem awkward at first, but with a little practice, the process will become easier. Soon the positive feeling you receive from self-kindness will provide you with a sense of happiness.

One of the best practices to build up your self-kindness is called “Note to a Dear Friend”. When you are facing a challenge or difficulty, write a note to a friend as if they were facing the same problem.     4    . Then, take the note and change your friend’s name to your own.

3. Recognize That You Aren’t Alone

Not one of us lives a perfect life. Everyone faces challenges and makes mistakes.     5    . First, you get a little bit less lonely. You are not the only person suffering, and knowing that takes a weight off your shoulders. Second, it becomes a little easier to open up to others, and say, “I need help.” We don’t have to pretend that everything is great when it isn’t. It’s OK to take off our masks and let people know exactly how we feel!

A．Practice Kindness

B．Show Others Kindness

C．It is important to face them

D．Simply name your feeling and inside voice

E．Write down what you think would help your friend

F．When we recognize that, valuable things will happen

G．If so, you may have the tendency to criticize yourself

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语段续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数为150左右。

As an independent, self-reliant person who always handled everything by myself, I didn’t expect parenting to be hard. Oh, sure, it’s difficult for other people. I heard parents complaining all the time — kids are challenging; nothing is ever clean; there’s not enough time in the day to do everything. But that was “other people” and I knew I could handle it. How complicated could it be?

I’d always dreamed of adopting a child, and finally my dream came true one summer afternoon. Even though we had requested only one child, the worker asked, “Could you take another baby and his eleven-year-old brother?” Of course, we could. We had room to have all three boys together.

The first week after they moved in, I spent my days rushing from task to task, cleaning and making sure they had all they needed. I constantly organized our living room, which was suddenly full of toys, and picked up the path of destruction left in the boys’ wake. Cooking and cleaning after meals and snacks seemed to take half of my day. I hardly ever sat; something always needed to be done.

“I think we need a break,” my husband told me one evening as I was falling asleep on the couch as usual.

“No,” I refused. The idea of sending them to a stranger sickened me. However, with each passing day, I was growing more and more exhausted. Besides meeting the physical needs of the boys, there were medical and emotional needs. Both the little ones constantly clung (黏住) to me. It was never quiet in our house; I felt overwhelmed.

One night, my husband said firmly that he needed a break. Whether I “needed” one or not, we were going to take one. With tears rolling down my cheeks, I nodded, knowing it was true, although I didn’t want to admit my weakness.

I called my parents.

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Asking for help is something I must keep re-learning as time goes on, but it’s getting easier.

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5 . The law of supply and demand determines that an overabundance of anything will lead to a decrease in price. This rule applies not only to goods and services, but also to lifestyle and fashion trends.

In the 19th century, the primitive paintings of Picasso and Matisse shook up the positive image of the French bourgeoisie (中产阶级). In the 1970s, talented musicians with tailored costumes and egos were overshadowed by a band of punk rockers who sang about the harsh realities of ordinary life in poor urban areas.

I predict that this will also happen with beauty standards. The idealized version of life portrayed in fashion magazines will reach a turning point, as people become tired of unattainable perfection.

During my time in Washington D.C. in the 1990s, I had the opportunity to interact with numerous political celebrities. While chatting with former presidents or bumping into TV pundits (名嘴) in elevators, I also assisted former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, who was my boss’s boss. What struck me was how ordinary these people appeared in real life despite their public characters. Like everyone else, they grappled with insecurities and mood swings, even though they were constantly under the spotlight.

Yes, it was great to drop names on the phone to my friends. My father, of course, couldn’t understand why I would ever want to leave. “Because you’re not me and I’m not impressed,” I told him. We do not need to lead a luxurious life or make groundbreaking achievements to be content. Happiness can be found in living out the ordinary moments of an authentic life.

Most of us end up being ordinary people without doing anything that changes the world, but that does not mean our lives are meaningless. In fact, it is precisely this realization that leads to sustainable happiness because, when all is said and done, no one’s lifestyle is essentially better than any other’s.

1. Which of the following phrase can best replace the underline phrase in paragraph 4?

A．struggled with

B．put up with

C．came up with

D．fought with

2. What’s the author’s father’s attitude towards his decision to leave Washington D.C.?

A．supportive

B． indifferent

C．opposed

D．unimpressed

3. What does the author’s observation about political celebrities suggest?

A．They are just like ordinary people.

B．They lack the ability to lead a normal life.

C．They are not as successful as they claim to be.

D．They are not as intelligent as they appear on TV.

4. What does the author want to imply in the last paragraph?

A．People should strive for a better lifestyle.

B．No one’s lifestyle is inherently superior to others’.

C．People should be content with their own lifestyles.

D．People should critically evaluate other people’s lifestyles.

6 . With new term approaching, as a new teacher, I needed to find a reference book in our school library. Therefore, I went in search of the _______. Before leaving, I struck up a(n) _______ with her and then I was completely _______ by her experience.

During the winter break, she had gone by herself to Death Valley, a rarely visited desert. She just rented a car and packed up some simple equipment. All the way, she _______ saw another human being as she drove or _______. The photos she showed me _______ me from freezing New England to the brilliant sunshine of Death Valley, where she could appreciate the appealing landscape. But what really _______ me was how fearless this woman is. So weak is she that I used to think that she was _______ to step out of the comfort zone.

I asked her if she was _______ of being out in the vast wilderness alone and she said no ________. She even loved being alone surrounded by such incredible ________, seeking the meaning of life. Further talk revealed that her life has been ________. She was a young single mother with 2 kids and worked at odd jobs day and night to ________. To her credit, she obtained her degree in education and found a decent job.

Actually, our brief talk inspired me to lead a more ________ life and she taught me to see a person beyond the ________.

1.

A．tutor

B．clerk

C．assistant

D．librarian

2.

A．conversation

B．discussion

C．complaint

D．activity

3.

A．bothered

B．attracted

C．moved

D．confused

4.

A．voluntarily

B．definitely

C．occasionally

D．barely

5.

A．hiked

B．slept

C．behaved

D．dived

6.

A．banned

B．protected

C．transported

D．dragged

7.

A．scared

B．delighted

C．upset

D．amazed

8.

A．unable

B．unaffordable

C．appointed

D．desperate

9.

A．free

B．frightened

C．incapable

D．typical

10.

A．without excuse

B．without hesitation

C．with doubt

D．with caution

11.

A．books

B．fantasy

C．sands

D．beauty

12.

A．tough

B．smooth

C．unpredictable

D．changeable

13.

A．succeed

B．escape

C．survive

D．suffer

14.

A．colorful

B．meaningful

C．comfortable

D．recreational

15.

A．restriction

B．range

C．surface

D．reach

7 . As a psychologist with more than 15 years of experience, I’ve seen how “hustle (忙碌) culture” can have a harmful effect on people. But a 2,000-year-old Chinese concept, “wu wei”, can help us lead more balanced, fulfilling and successful lives. “Wu wei” emphasizes taking action when necessary, but not pushing yourself with excessive effort and tension. Research has shown that it can help lower stress and anxiety, while increasing satisfaction and overall well-being.     1    .

Accept things as they are

Let’s say you’re throwing a big party. Instead of worrying about every detail, practicing “wu wei” means understanding that things may not go exactly as planned. When you face a challenge, ask yourself whether you have complete control over the outcome.     2    .

    3    

Allow things to unfold in their own natural way, without forcing the outcome. Know that nothing is ever perfect. If you’re learning a new language or playing an instrument for the first time, prepare to make mistakes. You’ll learn from them.

Perform mindfulness

Mindfulness means being aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment.     4    . How does the sun feel on your skin? Listen to the sounds of nature, like the birds and rustling leaves, or observe the shapes and colors of the flowers. “Wu wei” comes much easier when you pay attention to what’s happening in the present moment, in a friendly and curious way.

Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher and the founder of Taoism, once said: “If you are depressed, you are living in the past.     5    . If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”

A．Embrace imperfection

B．Mind those catching your attention

C．Here’s some advice on how to be effortless

D．Take notice of all the little details around you

E．If you don’t, make peace with it and move on

F．If you are anxious, you are living in the future

G．Here’s how to make “wu wei” part of your daily routine

8 . The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said that you can’t step into the same river twice, for you aren’t the same person at each visit and the water is ever flowing. It is a powerful way to show the reality that everything is always changing. Yet so many people have unpleasant relationships with change. We resist it or attempt to control it, the result of which is almost always some combination of stress, anxiety, and burnout. It doesn’t have to be that way.

No doubt, change can, and often does, hurt; but with the right mindset, it can also be a force for growth. A concept called allostasis can help. Developed in the late 1980s by neuroscientist Peter Sterling and biologist Joseph Eyer, allostasis is based on the idea that rather than being rigid, our healthy baseline is a moving target. Allostasis is defined as “stability through change”—the way to stay stable through the process of change is by changing.

From neuroscience to pain science and psychology, allostasis has become the dominant model for understanding change in the scientific community. The brain is at its best when it is constantly rewiring itself and making new connections. Overcoming pain is not about resistance or trying to get back to where you were but about balancing acceptance with problem-solving and moving forward to normal.

The time to start practicing is now. Over the past few years, the river of change has been flowing, and it shows no signs of letting up. Our ability to work with these changes is directly related to our life satisfaction. Given all this, simply creating a stable expectancy around change goes a long way. So does realizing that the allostasis mindset doesn’t ask us to do nothing. Rather, it asks us to partake in change by focusing on what we can control and trying to let go of what we can’t. When I catch myself resisting change, in my head I say the following: “This is what is happening right now. I’m doing the best that I can. What, if any, skillful actions can I take?” Do this repeatedly and finally you start to get better at it.

To thrive in our lifetime — and not just survive —we need to transform our relationship with change, leaving behind rigidity and resistance. We are always shaping and being shaped by change, often at the very same time.

1. What’s the common practice toward change?

A．To welcome it.	B．To reject it.
C．To overlook it.	D．To adapt to it.

2. Which of the following can best interpret “allostasis”?

A．One size fits all.	B．Time works great changes.
C．Respond to change by changing.	D．It’s never too late to change.

3. What does the underlined phrase “letting up” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Stopping.	B．Dashing down.
C．Going up.	D．Widening.

4. What might the author agree with?

A．Repetition makes up for rigidity.	B．It matters to focus on what we can’t.
C．Changes promote life satisfaction.	D．It makes sense to embrace changes.

9 . I wasn’t raised to be a fan of snails (蜗牛). I was always taught that if we see a snail on a plant, we should pick it off and_________on it. This brought us the kind of giggly (咯咯傻笑的) _________that only children experience. We loved it. However, my_________on snails has changed, as I’ve grown older. They bring me a different kind of happiness.

The first time I thought of snails as more than a_________was when I saw something that_________ me in my garden. A small snail, _________a hard shell, moved slowly toward one_________bud and explored it. The exploration lasted for quite a while and, _________enough, the bud turned into a full bloom. Watching the snail carefully touching the flower_________me of the lyric: “Snails see the beauty in every inch.” I realized that the snail is probably a best representation of__________and taking life slowly.

Then, I__________the snail in my palm. It was scared by the sudden move and immediately__________back into its shell. I thought it would__________inside for several minutes, but shortly after gutting used to the takeaway, the snail poked its head out again. It was not just hiding but__________.

Giving ourselves time to nourish (滋养) inside and out, and waiting for the right__________to reenter the exciting life, is extremely restorative and worthwhile.

1.

A．knock

B．stamp

C．lean

D．click

2.

A．relief

B．satisfaction

C．sympathy

D．scare

3.

A．view

B．focus

C．debate

D．article

4.

A．pet

B．toy

C．pest

D．mascot

5.

A．puzzles

B．interests

C．comforts

D．distracts

6.

A．dragging

B．using

C．lifting

D．pushing

7.

A．eye-catching

B．breathtaking

C．familiar-looking

D．half-blooming

8.

A．magically

B．secretly

C．swiftly

D．silently

9.

A．cured

B．reminded

C．warned

D．informed

10.

A．curiosity

B．excitement

C．calmness

D．eagerness

11.

A．placed

B．covered

C．stuck

D．wrapped

12.

A．stepped

B．drew

C．crawled

D．walked

13.

A．wander

B．sleep

C．hide

D．struggle

14.

A．competing

B．resisting

C．exploring

D．adjusting

15.

A．reason

B．position

C．moment

D．choice

10 . We grow up — unavoidably — with a strong attachment to a plan A, that is, an idea of how our lives will go and what we need to do to achieve our particular set of well-defined goals.

But then, for some of us and at one level all of us, life turns out to have made a few other plans. A sudden injury puts a certain career forever out of reach. A small but significant error changes everything about how crucial others view us. And so, promptly, we find we have to give up on plan A altogether, which can feel devastating. We alternately weep and anger at the turn of events. It is for such moments that we should consider one of life’s most vital skills: that of developing a plan B.

The first element involves fully acknowledging that no one gets through life with all their careful plan As. Plan As simply do not work out all the time. Something unexpected, shocking and hateful regularly comes along, not only to us, but to all human beings.

The further point is to realize that we are, despite moments of confusion, absolutely capable of developing very satisfactory plan Bs. Adults are good at keeping needing to refresh in our minds and drawing comfort from in anxious moments. We have enormous capacities to act and to adapt. Perhaps we’ll have to leave town forever, maybe we’ll have to resign an occupation we spent a decade nurturing — until we rediscover our potential plan B muscle. In reality, there would be a possibility to relocate, to start afresh in another field, to turn around the terrible event. There was no one script for us written at our birth, and nor does there need to be only one going forward.

Crucially, we don’t need to know right now what our plan Bs might be or anticipate every frustration that might come our way; we should simply feel confident that, were the universe to command it, we would know how to find a very different path.

1. What’s the function of the opening paragraph?

A．To arouse thinking.	B．To introduce the topic.
C．To define a concept.	D．To set the background.

2. What does the underlined word mean in the second paragraph?

A．Disastrous.

B．Indifferent.

C．Entertaining.

D．Relaxing.

3. Which statement is true according to the passage?

A．We must be blamed for having to make a plan B.

B．There will be only one script for us written in life.

C．Adults are an adaptable species to tackle problems.

D．Plan Bs are actually superior to plan As all the time.

4. The best structure of this passage is       .

A．

B．

C．

D．