1 . My obsession with literature exploded in my early teens. Back then, my reading consisted mostly of whatever classics I could find, novels by Jules Verne, poetry by Mario Benedetti, and a lot of horror novels by Stephen King, Richard Laymon, and Bentley Little — all of which I was too young to read. When I heard John O’Connor’s The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster was coming, I knew I had to read it.

Fascinated by Bigfoot, he spent a year tracking Bigfoot in the untamed region of the Pacific Northwest. The Secret History of Bigfoot is a wonderfully immersive journey not only into the history of Bigfoot in North America and the culture around but also a deep look at the people who obsess about it. The result is one of the most attractive nonfiction books you’ll read this year.

There are two elements that make this is fantastic read. The first is O’Connor’s voice. Knowledgeable and funny, O’Connor quickly turns into the perfect narrator for this adventure. His pursuit for understanding is powerful, and he presents every person in this book with the same gravitas (庄严).

The second element is the scope of this book. This is about Bigfoot, about its history and the people trying to find him, but O’Connor somehow manages to take the discussion into unexpected places but still leave the creature at the core of the narrative. You’ll learn things reading this book, but you’ll never feel like he’s trying to teach you something or preaching about his own beliefs.

The Secret History of Bigfoot is a wonderful book about one of the most ubiquitous myths in the U.S. and around the world: a wild man, a hair y beast stalking the woods, a magic al creature that remains untouched by the mess we’ve made. It fully embraces the fact that we sometimes need to believe in something bigger and freer than us. Bigfoot is all of that and more. Bigfoot might be out there, but its presence is all over this book. I assure you it’s an amazing adventure you can start without leaving your house.

1. Why does the author mention the names of some writers in the first paragraph?

A．To show his passion for literature.	B．To introduce the main topic: Bigfoot.
C．To encourage readers to read more books.	D．To introduce some famous writers he knows.

2. Why is O’Connor’s “Bigfoot” worth reading?

A．He presents the core of the narrative in a funny voice.

B．O’Connor’s book is in fact a wonderfully immersive journey.

C．He describes every person in the book with the same gravitas.

D．You can find out he tries to teach you something about his own beliefs.

3. What does the underlined word “ubiquitous” mean in Paragraph 5?

A．Ambiguous.

B．Indifferent.

C．Universal.

D．Impressive.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Bigfoot just exists in writer O’Connor’s books.

B．The habitat of Bigfoot is influenced by humans.

C．Believing in something stronger is sometimes essential.

D．We all should have an adventure to seek the Bigfoot.

2 . Seeing happiness differently

Since its official beginning in 2013, the International Day of Happiness has been observed for 11 years. It falls on March 20 every year.     1    But what exactly is happiness, and how can one achieve it?

Experts in various fields hold different views on what happiness means and the factors that influence it.

Sonja Lyubomirsky is a researcher in the field of positive psychology.     2    According to her, happiness can be described as “the experience of joy, content (满足) or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful and worthwhile.”

People’s levels of subjective happiness are influenced by both internal factors, such as personality and outlook, and external factors, such as the environment in which they live, according to the author of the book Culture and Psychology.     3    These include their natural personality traits (特性), the quality of their relationships with others, the society they are a part of, and their ability to meet their basic needs.

More than that, experts in medical fields found that genes might influence happiness. In an article published in Iran J Public Health, three researchers show how twin studies have suggested that genetic factors count for35~50 percent of happiness. The study also mentioned two genes that may have an effect on happiness, which may help clarify the genetic base of happiness in the future.

From the aspect of economics, Tejvan Pettinger, an independent economics researcher, said that the factors affecting happiness can include income, quality of work, quality of consumption, leisure, the welfare of family members and the environment.     4    He believes that at low levels of income, increasing income is generally considered to increase happiness as it allows a person to buy essential goods and services such as food, shelter, health care and education. However, after certain income levels, rising income contributes little to overall happiness.

    5    So people define it differently and pursue it in a variety of ways. It’s a life lesson worth our whole lifetime to explore.

A．This special day serves to remind people of the significance of happiness.

B．She provides a clear description of happiness.

C．Among them, income is a crucial factor.

D．Several important factors contribute to a person’s happiness.

E．What is their main source of income?

F．Career success may not be a guarantee of happiness.

G．The truth is that happiness itself is different for everyone.

3 . Ever since I was a child, I’ve been frightened by the idea of disappointing people.     1     From preschool through my master degree years I was always the first in my class. But obviously, I’m not a genius. Sometimes, I brought home a nine out of ten grade and my parents would ask me where the other point had gone.

Of course, the explanation was simple: I’d made a mistake. But for a perfectionist, that’s a very dangerous thought, which can cause a chain of abusive self-talks. After all, that mistake was so stupid.     2    

What hides behind my perfectionism is the illusion (幻觉) of control, the idea that if I work hard and do my best, I’ll be perfect and protected,     3     Everyone is allowed to make mistakes, except me; everything is a competition, and anything I can’t win is a dead loss.

    4     It can even make you physically sick with headaches, stomachaches, muscle cramps and so. on. In some cases, it leads to self-harming behavior, such as eating disorders and addiction. The other dark side of perfectionism is that you become unable to truly appreciate your success — you only focus on what you could’ve done better.

Despite the problems, perfectionism has allowed me to complete a lot and become who I am today. “To see perfectionism as a uniquely negative thing is actually to deny a part of yourself,” said the perfectionism coach Yasmina Hajoui.     5     But that desire needs to be balanced and come from a healthy place.

A．Perfectionism is a survival mechanism.

B．There’s nothing wrong with wanting to do things well.

C．The problem is that perfectionism brings more than stress.

D．I should have studied more, worked harder and focused better.

E．In perfectionism, we tend to believe that only our achievements define us.

F．And if something isn’t perfect, that means it’s my fault and that I’m awful.

G．My solution to that anxiety was to achieve perfectionism-and mostly, it worked.

4 . I often felt there was a lack of ceremony in my life. The ceremony of passage to mark transitions was ________. Therefore, I was especially ________ when a friend invited me to go with him for a hike that would mark his ________ entry into elderhood. We would be ________ by three other companions. One of them was a wise and gentle elder who would serve as our ________. But whether it involved a ________ or not, an opportunity to walk in the backcountry with people who knew where they were going sounded ________ to me, and yes was what I said.

It was a long drive and we started out early,________ along mountain roads to a campground at the edge of a ________ area where we met our guide. We then walked along a gently rising trail. Along the way there was green grass and bursts of colorful ________, and we soon got down into a sandy creek bed, which we followed for some time. The wonders of the wilderness ________ before us, and every now and then our guide stopped to call our ________ to the shift of the environment, instructing us to ________ the spirit of attentiveness and gratitude.

________, he paused to adjust the leg brace（支架） he was wearing to support his knee, but these too were ________ moments. "Getting ________ slows us down," he said, "but when we slow down, we become aware of things. That's one of the ________ of being an elder. We are allowed to slow down and ________. Life may not have so many ceremonies, so we need to ________ changes. We should move forward with the right ________: being humble, appreciative and positive."

1.

A．happening

B．recovering

C．developing

D．missing

2.

A．curious

B．confident

C．excited

D．puzzled

3.

A．sympathetic

B．symbolic

C．severe

D．sufficient

4.

A．visited

B．accompanied

C．persuaded

D．accomplished

5.

A．guide

B．friend

C．teacher

D．partner

6.

A．lesson

B．greeting

C．ceremony

D．problem

7.

A．wonderful

B．ordinary

C．unimportant

D．unsuitable

8.

A．walking

B．climbing

C．jumping

D．winding

9.

A．fashion

B．wilderness

C．travelling

D．business

10.

A．wildflowers

B．cultures

C．clothes

D．houses

11.

A．hid

B．unfolded

C．disappeared

D．stopped

12.

A．attraction

B．attention

C．association

D．accommodation

13.

A．forget

B．break

C．keep

D．change

14.

A．Fortunately

B．Strangely

C．Occasionally

D．Interestingly

15.

A．sad

B．awkward

C．historic

D．teachable

16.

A．lighter

B．clever

C．healthier

D．older

17.

A．gifts

B．plans

C．purposes

D．disadvantages

18.

A．escape

B．rest

C．notice

D．laugh

19.

A．adapt to

B．pay for

C．wait for

D．object to

20.

A．attempt

B．influence

C．function

D．attitude

5 . I live in California, about four miles from the beach. Every few years, the humpback whales (座头鲸) come into the bay for a few days while they’re migrating. Each one is immense, about 15 meters long, and sometimes they turn their side fins, making it look like they are waving at us.

One day, my friend, Liz and I took out our yellow double kayak (皮艇) to watch the wildlife. After a half-hour, we spotted two pairs of whales swimming toward us. We were in awe: it’s an amazing feeling to be so close to a creature that size.

Believing if we paddled toward that spot, we'd be safe from the whales, since they’d just left, we followed them at what I believed was a safe distance. Suddenly, the kayak lifted out of the water and then tipped back into the ocean. My initial fear was that the whale intended to drag us down. In a heart-stopping moment, I realized that Liz and I weren’t just lifted by the whale — we were inside its mouth. My entire body was enveloped except for my right arm and paddle. Liz, meanwhile, was staring up into the whale’s jaw. Fearing to be swallowed, I kept thinking: I’ve got to get up; I’ve got to fight this; I’ve got to breathe.

Whales have enormous mouths but tiny throats. They spit out anything they can’t swallow. We were wearing life jackets, which likely helped us quickly reappear out of the water. The entire course lasted only ten seconds.

A few nearby people paddled over, including a retired firefighter who asked us if we were OK. “You were in the whale’s mouth!” he told us. “We thought you were dead.” I came so close to being injured or killed. I am much more appreciative of life now.

1. Why did the author and her friend go kayaking?

A．To go fishing.	B．To watch humpback whales.
C．To race other kayakers.	D．To swim with humpback whales.

2. What happened to the author and her friend while they were kayaking?

A．They dropped into the sea.	B．They were attacked by a shark.
C．The kayak broke down suddenly.	D．Their lives were in great danger.

3. How did the author and Liz get out of their situation?

A．They took off their life jackets.

B．They were spit out by the whale.

C．They fought back against the attacker.

D．They paddled towards a nearby firefighter.

4. What lesson did the author learn from her experience?

A．Life is precious.	B．We should protect wildlife.
C．Kayaking is a risky activity.	D．Whales are dangerous animals.

6 . 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。

Most people think that procrastination (拖延症) is a negative habit. But people like me who routinely put off doing assignments, are likely to defend our “slower” approach to getting tasks done.

I'm the only procrastination in my family. My parents and sister were all born with the “do it right now” gift. They are always in a rush, as if closely rushed by an invisible deadline. Personally, I prefer a more relaxed pace. When my parents voiced their concern about my tendencies, saying “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” “No way!” I responded, confidently presenting my research as a defense. It said people procrastinated when they need to solve a problem or commit to a topic or project. In these cases, delaying a decision can be beneficial. This was because our minds continue to reflect on problems even when we were not actively thinking about them, which could lead to more creative solutions. My findings filled me with satisfaction and pride. My method of getting things done was just as good as my sister’s…or so I thought.

At school we’d been talking about architecture and design. As part of the final assessment my teacher Mr. Smith announced an exciting project that each student would have a month to complete. We were expected to choose our materials, construct a small building and make use of things we had learned in class. Not only would the winners receive extra credit, but the winning constructions would be proudly displayed in the cafeteria. “I have no clue how I could get it done,” my friend Nate sighed in despair. I didn’t say anything. Not because I shared his anxiety-but because I was not nervous at all. I loved hands-on projects! Picturing my brilliant work exhibited in the cafeteria, I was fully convinced that I would definitely produce something that could impress everyone. So relaxed was I that I didn’t give it a second thought for weeks.

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。

Before I knew it, I had only one day left for the project.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That taught me a great lesson.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 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。

Having been down on myself and unhappy in my marriage I spent the week not being very nice to anyone in my family. I felt myself distancing myself from those people that were not the root of my anger. Those little people with sweet innocent eyes were wondering why there was no love in her actions. I pushed my daughter away as she tried to hug me. Though I saw the pain in her eyes, I didn’t know how to change what I was feeling. I saw more pain in their little eyes when I served them dinner and turned and walked out of the room and didn’t join them for their last meal of the day.

For years I had made such a big deal out of having dinner as a family but during this time of heartache that I was experiencing I just couldn’t bring myself to be with them. I began to feel angry with them. It would be so easy to change my life without having them to think about. And how many times had I heard that I needed to do what was best for the kids? Did nobody care what was best for me?

Then I watched a show on TV that made me realize what I was doing to these poor kids. During this time of self pity, I was leaving them a memory, a bad memory that they could look back on. I didn’t want that to happen. I needed to pull myself up by the bootstrings and get out of the pity pot. I needed to take control of my own life. Not only for my own sake but for my kids too.

That night I went to sleep with calm thoughts in my head. The issues in my marriage had not been resolved but the issues I had with myself had. I knew what I had to do to better my life and my children’s too.

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 next morning I prepared and ate breakfast with my three wonderful kids.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My story told me a lot.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . Novels. Why do I read them? I was most ____ to read when I was a kid. I suspect this was because my only purpose was ____ and escapism. From all 21 Famous Five stories — in order, naturally — to Anna Karenina, ____ into a basket on a cycling holiday, I was ____ to another world. Then, for A-levels and a degree, I read to pass ____. Slowly, tellingly, the joy ____. And I was no good at the exams either. When those last exams were done, more than 30 years ago, I was done with novels. I had ____ love.

Gradually, it has come back, but it’s all ____ now. I find I’m reading whole novels mainly to ____ intelligence to help understand what I’ve been feeling; feelings that I’ve been ____ to express myself. For some reason I ____ The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. The _____soon starts to fade, and all you are left with is how it made you feel. This is nice, but what makes it all worthwhile is those specific ____ that I make sure to harvest and go back to. ____, Helen says of her new life in the big city: “At first, I was ____ with the novelty and excitement of our London life, but soon I began to be tired of its ____.”

A few months later, I ____ Anne Bronte’s resting place in Scarborough. Standing there, I____ this little passage and appreciated anew how ____ it resonated (产生共鸣) with my own feelings about London. And there the poor young woman lay, gone 173 years and still making ____ friends. That’s quite something.

1.

A．surprised

B．eager

C．qualified

D．welcome

2.

A．education

B．judgment

C．enjoyment

D．family

3.

A．divided

B．turned

C．rolled

D．stuffed

4.

A．transported

B．limited

C．admitted

D．followed

5.

A．inspection

B．exams

C．messages

D．time

6.

A．declined

B．arose

C．remained

D．gathered

7.

A．sought for

B．suffered from

C．fallen out of

D．broken away from

8.

A．different

B．wrong

C．difficult

D．normal

9.

A．prove

B．unearth

C．explain

D．untie

10.

A．unwilling

B．unhappy

C．unprepared

D．unable

11.

A．identified

B．selected

C．wrote down

D．took back

12.

A．plot

B．memory

C．reputation

D．vision

13.

A．fruits

B．happenings

C．insights

D．characters

14.

A．In addition

B．In short

C．At random

D．For instance

15.

A．content

B．familiar

C．bored

D．occupied

16.

A．misfortune

B．beauty

C．authority

D．unrest

17.

A．lost sight of

B．sorted out

C．chanced upon

D．kept track of

18.

A．let out

B．made up

C．edited out

D．looked up

19.

A．intensely

B．simply

C．possibly

D．gradually

20.

A．lifelong

B．personal

C．new

D．local

9 . Learning to forgive those who have “wronged us” may not always be easy, but it’s definitely worth it. Here’s why.

First, forgiveness has absolutely nothing to do with the other person at all. Forgiveness is about one thing and one thing only: it’s about how you feel. This is why it doesn’t matter if the offense was large or small. When you hold on to the anger, when you get stuck in blaming the other person and refuse to move on, you are hurting no one but yourself.

You may have been taught to “turn the other cheek”, which can be interpreted as letting those who have harmed you in some way walk all over you. Don’t fight back, and just let it happen. But is that really what we’re supposed to do? No. Forgiving is neither about playing the martyr (自我牺牲的人) or victim, nor about being a doormat (忍气吞声的人). You can forgive what others have done to you, but you should not sacrifice your own interests.

For example, should you let your colleague get away with taking credit for your work, while you sit in silence? No. First, you can choose to forgive his action so that you can calm down. Then you can calmly explain to your boss who actually did the work on that project, without seeming overly emotional or like you have any kind of agenda other than to set the record straight.

Of course, if it’s something trivial, you can just choose to forgive and let it go.

It’s important to note that this also (and especially) applies when it comes to forgiving yourself. Since thoughts of self-blame or self-hatred are the worst thoughts we can have, staying stuck in that vibration will cause more harm than any other emotion. Move into anger, stabilize there, and then move up the emotional scale until you gradually but consistently feel better. You owe it to yourself.

1. What is forgiveness mainly about according to the author?

A．Controlling our own feelings.	B．Making ourselves feel better.
C．Lessening the harm of an offence.	D．Repairing relationships with others.

2. How should we react if we’re harmed by others?

A．Turn the other cheek.	B．Calm down and let it go.
C．Ask for help from others.	D．Fight back in a proper way.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “trivial” in paragraph 5?

A．unimportant

B．unique

C．unusual

D．uninteresting

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．The way to get along well with others.

B．The importance of learning to forgive.

C．The reason to forgive ourselves.

D．The way to fight back against dishonest colleagues.

10 . Independent will is what really makes effective self-management possible. It is the ability to make decisions and choices and to act in accordance with them. It is the ability to act rather than to be acted upon.

The human will is an amazing thing. Time after time, it has won against unbelievable difficulties. The Helen Kellers of this world give dramatic evidence to the value, the power of the independent will. But as we examine it in the context of effective self-management, we realize it’s usually not the dramatic, the visible, the once-in-a-lifetime effort that brings enduring success. Empowerment comes from learning how to use independent will in the decisions we make every day.

The degree to which we have developed our independent will in our everyday lives is measured by our personal integrity. Integrity is, fundamentally, the value we place on ourselves. It’s our ability to make and keep commitments to ourselves—to “walk our talk.” It’s honor with self, a fundamental part of the character ethic, the essence of active growth.

Effective management is putting first things first. While leadership decides what “first things” are, it is management that puts them first, day-by-day, moment-by-moment. Management is discipline, carrying it out.

Discipline stems from disciple (追随者) —disciple to a philosophy, disciple to a set of principles, disciple to a set of values, and disciple to an ultimate. purpose. In other words, if you are an effective manager of your self, your discipline comes from within; it is a function of your independent will. You are a disciple, a follower, of your own deep values and their source. And you have the will, the integrity, to place your feelings, your urges, your moods after those values.

That placement requires a purpose, a mission. It also requires independent will, the power to do something when you don’t want to do it, to be a function of your values rather than a function of the urge or desire of any given moment. It’s the power to act with integrity to your first creation.

1. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning “the Helen Kellers” in paragraph 2?

A．To explain a reason.	B．To highlight a point.
C．To make a prediction.	D．To give a definition.

2. What do the underlined words “walk our talk” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Put words into deeds.	B．Display confidence.
C．Stop talking big.	D．Strike a balance.

3. To achieve effective self-management, what will the author probably recommend?

A．Seeking external support.	B．Undertaking more missions.
C．Sticking to one’s own values.	D．Following one’s desires.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．The Secret Behind Self-discipline	B．The Magic of Personal Integrity
C．The Power of Independent Will	D．The Road to Effective Management