1 . I grew up with the same group of kids from age 5 to age 12. We lived in the same community, shared the same schools and experienced all the ups and downs of that period.
Then I hit junior high and a whole new world opened up to me. It seemed everyone was there, friends from football teams and people from the summer workshop. They welcomed me, figuring that I had to be cool to know so many people. I was a different person with each new group of friends and began to distance myself from the “kindergarten group”.
However, it wasn’t long before these so-called new friends left me when they found out I really wasn’t cool enough to be there. This was one of the hardest times in my life. I felt alone and was very disappointed in myself. It was then, when I thought I had nowhere else to go, that I tried to make my way back into the “kindergarten group”. I organized a camp-out and invited them to come. I had thought they were going to be cold and exclude me as I had done to them. But they all turned up and we just picked up right where we left off. There was absolutely no hate, only comfort and an unexpected sense of belonging. They gave me room to grow and learn my own lessons, my own way, in my own time.
From them, I have learned two things: the type of friends I want, and the type of friend I want to be. We will all continue to grow separately together, all the while providing the unconditional love, understanding and support only friends like these are capable of.
1. How did the author feel about her school life according to Paragraph 2?| A．Shocked. | B．Upset. | C．Curious. | D．Happy. |
| A．To make more friends. |
| B．To get close to nature. |
| C．To apologize to her friends. |
| D．To reconnect with her old friends. |
| A．Cheat. | B．Refuse. | C．Warn. | D．Attack. |
| A．A Friend in Need. |
| B．My Kindergarten Group. |
| C．Lessons in Friendship. |
| D．Friends in My New School. |
2 . Where to put your trust “Why did she spill the beans (泄露秘密)?” I thought regretfully. I’ll always remember that day, when I was so surprised by all the strange looks everyone was giving me. Those thoughts will always stay with me. And I couldn’t believe I would lose the friendship of the person I trusted the most.
Five years back, Sally was the new kid in class. I don’t know what it was, but something unique about her drew me to her. She was the friendliest person I knew. We started as classmates, but after a few months, we were like best friends. So, I never expected her to hurt me in such a big way.
I don’t know what made me tell Sally about my personal life. She made the matter bigger than it was, adding her own spin (倾向性描述) on it and telling everyone at school. It was like someone had stabbed (刺) me in the back. After she gave away my secrets, everyone at school started laughing at me, looking at me and giggling (咯咯地笑) whenever I passed by. After this terrible situation, I changed schools. Sally called me many times, but I didn’t answer. My heart was broken.
I tried hard to heal (治愈) from the scars she left on my heart. I started a new life. After five years, my life went back to the way it was, with new friends. But one day, I met Anna at the market. She was my classmate from 3rd grade. She told me that Sally wasn’t the one who brought my secrets to light. Mary was. Mary was our school’s big mouth who always wanted to stick her nose into other people’s business.
I was at a loss. I wished I could have asked Sally about this. I wished I could go back in time and fix my mistakes. From that, I learned a life lesson that we should trust those we love because one little mistake could really damage our lives.
1. 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中,每词限用一次,有两词为多余选项| laugh sad secret break happy heal amuse fix regretful bring unique change | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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3. What did the author do after her secrets were given away?
4. What will the author do after knowing about the truth?
3 . Life is hard－even harder than anyone thought it would be. When you were younger, you dreamed of the world being your playground, and you were told that you could do anything and be anyone you wanted. Somehow, though, things haven’t been the smooth sailing that you wanted them to be. The world seems to go against you, and the last thing you want to hear is “Cheer up!”
Still, there’s a couple of things you might not notice about your situation. Next time you’re down, maybe the following will provide motivation.
Firstly, not everything is bad. It’s a well-accepted fact that bad news makes for sensational (极好的) television ratings. The fact is that something negative catches a lot more attention than something positive, and that’s because it’s easy to see things in a negative light. However, that shouldn’t distract you from the bigger picture.
Resist the tunnel vision that results from constant negativity. Remember that even though there’s lots of really nasty stuff going on, you’re surrounded by some pretty awesome stuff as well.
You should also remember other people aren’t you. No one likes being compared to another person. What makes it even worse, if that’s even possible, is when you do it to yourself.
Stop comparing yourself to another person and you’ll realize that you’re much more awesome than you give yourself credit for.
Lastly, failure isn’t where the game stops. So you tried something new, but you didn’t follow through. Frustrated at yourself, you stop trying. As a result, your quality of life goes down terribly. You’ve given up on it, though, because you don’t see the point (since you failed the first time).
Now, you’re an adult. The things you are trying are much more complicated than five-year-old you. However, your behaviour shouldn’t change in the slightest－when you fail in something, that’s just more information in your data bank. You know that method doesn’t work, so try another one! And another one after that! Do this until you figure it out. Giving up is for losers, and you sure aren’t one of those.
1. The author mentioned bad news in order to show that .| A．bad news makes people see things in a negative light |
| B．bad news is more likely to catch people’s eyes |
| C．bad news attracts people to see positive things |
| D．bad news has a negative effect on television ratings |
| A．Unstable emotions. | B．Important events. |
| C．Amazing incidents . | D．Something unpleasant. |
| A．We will change our behaviour. |
| B．We will keep trying the old method. |
| C．We should learn from failure. |
| D．We should think in a more complicated way. |
| A．It inspires us to learn from negative experiences. |
| B．It compares negative and positive experiences. |
| C．It criticizes those who are affected by bad experiences. |
| D．It discusses how negative experiences affect others. |
4 . Four Top Skills I’ve Learned From My Kids
In my journey as an entrepreneur (企业家), one of the best sources of leadership development is parenthood. There’s one thing that being a parent and being a business leader have in common.
Give up control
As a parent, I’ve learned that there’s only so much control you can really have over your kids. They need to make their own decisions — and mistakes — and learn from them. You can try to control your kids when they are young.
Become more flexible (灵活)
We all make mistakes, and it can be tempting to hide those mistakes, especially from people you want to look up to you. But since we teach our kids to admit when they’ve made a mistake and apologize if they hurt someone, it’s important that we do the same when we make a mistake that hurts them.
Become more understanding and empathetic (共情的)
Emotional intelligence is one of the most important skills for effective leadership. And there’s nothing like being a parent to help you better understand people’s emotions and motivations.
| A．Admit your mistakes |
| B．Kids come with unknown risks |
| C．It’s that there’s a lot to be learned |
| D．As they grow up, you should let go |
| E．You’d better stick to your perfect plan |
| F．That can help you develop your empathy |
| G．Correct the mistakes as soon as possible |
5 . Having faith in something means you trust it completely. People with strong faith are so confident in themselves that they can do anything they set their minds to and get through the toughest times.
Faith improves your daily work. Being faithful in your day-to-day life can help lift your mood.
Faith gives you courage.
Faith helps you in difficult times. Sometimes you may find yourself drowning in despair. Even when you lose your job, suffer the pain of losing a beloved or face any other challenges, remember to have faith.
| A．It helps you do the things that scare you. |
| B．Faith helps overcome anxiety and stress. |
| C．Faith is the key to living a better and fuller life. |
| D．It helps you see the positive aspects of all these things. |
| E．The power of faith can enrich life in the following ways. |
| F．It can help you complete your work with a big smile on your face. |
| G．Having faith in yourself and your abilities helps you be more productive. |
6 . “Why?” It’s a simple question that people ask Angela Madeline frequently. After all, she began a journey that very few people would ever attempt: walk around the world alone.
The thought of Madeline’s journey did not start from a place of loss or personal crisis. She said, “I was searching for a deeper interaction with nature and people.” Walking would minimize her carbon footprint, plus the slow pace meant that she could fully immerse herself in nature, and gain insights into other cultures in a unique way.
She left her hometown of Bend, Oregon, on 2 May 2016 and headed into an adventure. Along the way, Madeline would suffer from heatstroke (中暑)in the Australian desert and hear gunshots while camping in Turkey. “Still,” she said, “I didn’t stop because I was more afraid of not following my heart than I was of losing everything I owned and loved.”
Apart from that, her slow pace allowed her to be drawn deeply into other cultures. She wandered the tiny seaside villages along Italy Tyrrhenian Sea, enjoying the lively atmosphere. In Vietnam, she was invited and offered food by an elderly woman to rest in her wooden shack at the peak for the night. She chose an experience of uncertainty and curiosity, in search of something she could never be certain to find: a sense of fulfillment and a deeper connection.
On 16 December 2022, Madeline’s pilgrimage (朝圣之旅)ended right where it started. For now, she’s working on a book, planning future journeys and creating more effective ways for women to find and express courage in their lives.
Whether a walk leads halfway around the world or just down the road, Madeline has shown the true worth of slowing down and giving more than we receive along the way.
1. Why did Madeline decide to start her journey?| A．To get closer to the world. | B．To reduce carbon footprint. |
| C．To get rid of personal crisis. | D．To slow down the pace of life. |
| A．She was about to give up. |
| B．She was helped by Italian locals. |
| C．She experienced various cultures. |
| D．She enjoyed Australian coastal scenery. |
| A．Cautious and gentle. | B．Tough and adventurous. |
| C．Ambitious and generous. | D．Open-minded and humorous. |
| A．A new way to slow down life. |
| B．A closer connection with the wild. |
| C．An unforgettable memory of a trip. |
| D．A woman walking around the world. |
7 . As a father of four, I’m concerned about how to lead my children to be good young men and women in such an unstable time. I have studied philosophy, mysticism, and religion my entire life. They provide great lessons in responsibility and growth. However, I also recognize that, at least at this point in their lives, my children are not terribly interested in such subjects. While I was reflecting on this, I was reminded of a line in a song I had heard recently. It goes, “f you had only one chance to say something, what would it be?”
That night, I found my two oldest kids lounging on the couch watching a TV show that featured violence, cursing and even some “adult scenes”. I quietly sat on a chair next to them. I saw my boy straighten up, and my girl pretended to ignore me. I didn’t make any usual comments about the pointlessness of such programs. I didn’t even roll my eyes, although this took some effort. I simply asked:
Can you tell me how this will make you a better person?
Without a word, I got up and left the room. About ten minutes later, to my surprise, the children were in their rooms doing their homework and the television was silent. Remarkable.
This philosophy can change the way we live our lives. For example, whenever I feel angry and get the urge to lash out, I ask myself, “How does this acting or feeling the way I do right now make me a better person?“ I began to realize that rarely did my thoughts or actions result in self-improvement. so I made conscious efforts to change my mindset and behavior.
We all want to be better fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. Better workers, better leaders, better lovers... this list goes on. Sometimes succeeding in these roles can be tough. But one question connects us with all those duties we possess to society and ourselves, “Is this making me a better person?”
Whatever I said, it worked. My daughter has begun watching nature programs instead of violent TV shows, and she decided to go to school to become a counselor. My son told me he wants to be a police officer. I've since thrown away all those parenting magazines and books I've collected over the years because I made more progress with a single question than I did with hundreds of pages of "experts" advice.
1. When the writer found his kids watching inappropriate TV programs that night, he appeared ________| A．critical | B．indifferent | C．anxious | D．calm |
| A．By calming ourselves down when we are angry |
| B．By providing us with new mindset and behavior |
| C．By helping us realize our need for self-improvement |
| D．By raising a question about our current action and feling |
| A．Because they didn’t offer him any help. |
| B．Because his kids had grown out of them. |
| C．Because that single question was more useful. |
| D．Because the expert advice was too much to follow. |
| A．introduce a life philosophy by telling a parenting story |
| B．convince teenagers of the downsides to watch TV |
| C．call on other parents to trust themselves instead of experts |
| D．inform the readers of how he helped his kids set good goals |
8 . 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. |
9 . After leaving the publishing industry in my fifties, I chose a university to follow my love for animal biology. I regard the experience as a change for my self-confidence, both inside and outside the classroom.
My background is in the arts, so I wanted to see if I could keep up with a science degree. I was a carer for my parent when I was 18, so I didn’t have the opportunity to go to university then. I was a little nervous, and worried, but I was actually treated the same as all the other students.
I’m definitely a bit of a mum figure to some of my classmates, but that’s fine. Friendship grows in different ways. I’ve done lots of volunteering, so there have been plenty of opportunities to extend my knowledge and experience.
My family have been so supportive. My husband is retired(退休) now and has taken on lots of the housework so that I can study. My daughter has already g other degree and she’s been great helping me get new views. I’ve hunted for a few jobs at the university, and I’m also considering other qualifications. I have learned so much about critical thinking.
I would recommend adult study to anyone, even if it’s just college, so they can feel that connection and support. That’s what I missed-going in regularly and having a group of people to talk to, especially if you have gradually lost your confidence over the years You need the support from people who see you as a person and not just a mum or a wife. It’s really given me the confidence to speak up again, to join in and be part of the society.
1. Why did the author choose a university?| A．To teach arts. | B．To get a degree. |
| C．To follow her passion. | D．To find a better job. |
| A．Keeping a science degree. | B．Taking care of her parents. |
| C．Being nervous about study. | D．Showing no interest in university. |
| A．She got on better with her old friends. |
| B．She learned to be stricter with herself. |
| C．She was more responsible for her housework. |
| D．She became more confident to express herself. |
| A．It Is Never Too Old to Learn. |
| B．Hard Work Is the Key to Success. |
| C．Family Support Is of Great Importance. |
| D．Volunteering Is Helpful in Developing Friendship. |
10 . How adversity(逆境) makes you stronger
When faced with a crisis, we find it difficult to imagine the experience will eventually lead to some type of growth.
They build self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the confidence in your ability to overcome challenges and succeed. I once took part in a program with soldiers, where I should dance in front of hundreds of audience. When I danced, I had a panic attack and had to hang onto my colleague’s arm to make it through. What was odd was my brain’s reaction to the exercise. While it was a truly unpleasant experience, I survived.
They help you treat stress as a challenge.
| A．They help you find the good. |
| B．They can bring growth after sufferings. |
| C．People have a healthier physical response to stress. |
| D．If your world feels out of control right now, just stay relaxed. |
| E．The fact is that we can become stronger after a difficult situation. |
| F．How you think about stress matters extremely in terms of how you process it. |
| G．That made my brain think about what other tough challenges I could conquer. |
