1 . My plan to learn to play the cello (大提琴) was a health y choice. So I took the next innocent step of going to a shop that sells and rents string instruments, especially violins, violas, and cellos. The place was a hole-in-the-wall, up a steep flight of stairs. Instruments left a narrow path to the counter where a woman with grey hair and warm eyes greeted me. Since I couldn’t form a question about what I wanted, I just stood there exploring the scene, which felt immensely pleasurable.

I rented a cello, a bow, and a case to hold them. What attracted me to the cello was its enormous size and its soft, smooth, and memorable sounds. It’s an instrument made of beautifully polished wood that I could wrap my arms around and feel its powerful vibrations when the strings were played. That was a good starting point for me. The only problem was that I didn’t know how to play it.

There’s a popular belief that the cello is a particularly difficult instrument to learn. Another is the admonition, “Don’t bother if you are a beginner over age 10!” Well, I was 70, and what others thought no longer influenced me. And besides, I thought of the words of Dr. Cohen, who suggested that learning causes physical changes in the brain.

So I found a teacher who had respect for older adult beginners and I practiced diligently, daily for years, and sometimes disheartened, but I kept up. I’m happy to report that now, more than a decade later, I can hold my own in a string trio and two quartets （two violins, a viola, and me, the female cello）and even a senior community band. Of course, I’ll never sound like Yo-Yo Ma but you could recognize a Mozart piece if you heard me play it. And, more importantly, I don’t need to please anyone but myself.

Whether it’s a pleasurable pastime or a new career, the starting point is the same: wonder, curiosity, determination, and the desire to keep your brain sharp.

1. How did the writer feel in the shop?

A．Amused by the shop assistant.

B．Anxious for a live performance.

C．Pleased at the nice music atmosphere.

D．Curious about where to find a teacher.

2. What does the underlined word “admonition” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Approval.	B．Criticism.
C．Puzzlement.	D．Warning.

3. Why does the writer mention Dr. Cohen in paragraph 3?

A．To recommend a reliable doctor.

B．To provide proof for common belief.

C．To add another reason for her decision.

D．To stress the crucial function of the brain.

4. Which of the following can best convey the writer’s idea?

A．Art is man’s second nature.

B．One is never too old to learn.

C．Education is the key to success.

D．Happiness is the best form of health.

2 . I’m 52, and as surprising as it may seem. I’m a gymnast. In a sport for young girls, I have found an unlikely path to joy. When I enter the gym, no matter how much stress I might be feeling, my mind clears and I forget my life. I think of nothing but what I am doing.

When I was 9, I went every Saturday to a gymnastic academy. The coach had gray hair and wore ballet shoes and had boundless enthusiasm. He would say, “You are going to be a gymnast.” And I believed him. I vividly remember the first time I did a roundoff back handspring by myself, the weightlessness of it. I lived for Saturday mornings. I only ever did gymnastics recreationally—I didn’t even know real gyms existed—but I always loved it.

That long dormant (蛰伏的) love came roaring back in my forties. It happened in an instant, at parents’ day for my daughter’s beginning gymnastics class. The bars were just sitting there, and I had this overwhelming urge to grab hold and swing. But I couldn’t make it through the warmup (热身运动) at the first adult class I went. I felt bad during conditioning. I was the oldest person there. But that spark of memory glowed with possibility. I went back to class again, and again. It was hard and it was humbling. But soon I was doing back handsprings like I used to.

There is nothing like the thrill of getting a new skill, that combination of speed, mechanics, timing, muscles, guts. There is an ineffable (不可言喻的) element, too, something like faith. By the time we reach middle age, most of us have had to deal with our fair share of unwelcome surprises, like illness, family crisis or the death of a beloved parent. But gymnastics has brought the most delightful surprises-I keep getting better, surpassing what I thought were limits, amazing myself by what I can do. At a time in life when many things feel like they are sliding down the slope towards old, gymnastics is a gift of fluency and competence in motion. I’m in the best shape of my life. I’m a better gymnast now than I was at 16.

1. What inspired the author to love gymnastics when she was young?

A．Her Saturday routine.	B．The coach’s enthusiasm.
C．Her wish to be a gymnast.	D．Pleasure from gymnastics.

2. What made the author go back to gymnastic classes in her forties?

A．Her duty as a responsible parent.

B．The desire to fit in with her daughter.

C．The strong urge to play with the bars.

D．Her sweet memory of doing gymnastics.

3. Which of the following can describe the author’s personality?

A．Faithful and easygoing.	B．Humble and competent.
C．Passionate and persistent.	D．Ambitious and considerate.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．The dream of a fitness woman	B．A middle-aged person’s pursuit.
C．The story of a successful gymnast.	D．A sport-lover’s unusual experience.

3 . 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.

2. How did the author feel about the mistake of Emily’s mother?

A．Upset.

B．Pleased.

C．Ashamed.

D．Surprised.

3. Why on earth did the author try to change Emily’s accent?

A．To prove herself right.	B．To help Emily be a reporter.
C．To make herself influential.	D．To protect Emily’s self-dignity.

4. What message does the text want to convey?

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.

4 . Make friends with your inner voice

Most people have an inner voice.     1     What you say to yourself, and how you say it, makes a difference to how you think, feel and behave, so it’s worth paying attention to it.

What is your inner voice?

Your inner voice is always with you, giving a commentary inside your head. You might notice it when you make a mistake, when you try something new, or when you solve a problem.     2    Sometimes it sounds kind but at other times it can sound mean or scared. Young people’s coach Maria Evans says it should be treated with kindness. “It gets scared when you think about doing something that feels stretchy.     3     ” Often all it needs is to be listened to and spoken to with love.

How does your inner voice affect you?

Your inner voice, also known as your self-talk, has an impact on you because you already pay attention to it.     4     If you keep telling yourself you can’t do maths or you’re no good at making friends or you’re not creative, over time you’ll believe what your inner voice is saying. When you talk to yourself using a phrase like “I’ve got to tidy my room,” it makes the task feel harder. If instead you say, “I choose to tidy my room, and then I’ll be able to find the things I want easily”, it’s more positive.

Befriend your inner voice.

    5     For example, when you do something you felt nervous about, congratulate yourself for being brave and having a go. If you’re not sure what to say, imagine you’re talking to your best friend and trying to support and help them inside your head.

A．Your inner voice has different tones.

B．It’s the internal chatter that goes on inside your head.

C．So what you say to yourself, and what you hear, sinks in.

D．You’re telling yourself how you’ll benefit from tidying your room.

E．It can be helpful to talk to that voice with kindness and understanding.

F．When you make a mistake, tell yourself it’s OK and you’ll learn for next time.

G．Noticing your inner voice and talking encouragingly to yourself make you more confident.

5 . The incident took place, believe it or not, on the playground. I was something of a football player, but I had never been a good player, far less a great one. I played for the mere physical joy that I got out of the game, but I played with a will, and put my whole heart into the game. The result was that, though I had plenty of energy and enthusiasm, I was never picked for my college team.

Let me confess frankly that this was only because there was another player in the same position who happened to be much better than me. I considered myself the better sportsman, but he was certainly the greater player. So I never grumbled or complained. I was content to wait and bide my time.

And at last my patience was rewarded. It was for me a very special day. Our team had shot up into the final and was meeting its rival(竞争对手). Our star­player sent word at the last moment that he was ill and he could not take the field. Imagine the astonishment in the college camp! The thought was that the game was as good as lost, and so also, I confess, did I for this player was our trump card(王牌): That is what everybody always said. However, something had to be done, and that something had to be myself! The captain called me up almost apologetically for having failed to recognize my greatness before, and—there I was, on the playground, greeted by the cheers of my friends, and a few jeers from those who had little faith in my prowess.

I can tell you that I played like a demon(魔鬼). I was here, there and everywhere—now leading the attack, now falling back to help the defense. It was indeed a thrilling moment in my life. For a time, I was the center of all attention, the object of universal applause, and “the observed of all observers”. And, believe it or not, it was I who put in the winning goal. It marked the top of a glorious day. Even now I look back on the episode with unmixed pleasure and satisfaction.

1. What can you learn about the author from the first two paragraphs?

A．He was chosen into the college team.

B．He intended to be a professional player.

C．He performed better than any other player.

D．He showed great interest in playing football.

2. How was the author’s patience rewarded?

A．He received the captain’s sincere apology.

B．He helped his school team to enter the final.

C．He was finally considered as the trump card.

D．He became a replacement for the sick player.

3. Why did the author say it was a thrilling moment in his life?

A．He showed off his patience to the fullest.

B．The audience applauded his performance.

C．The audience observed players attacking.

D．He played attentively in the final match.

4. What can we learn from the author’s experience?

A．Patience is the best treatment.	B．Care and diligence bring luck.
C．Great hopes make a great man.	D．Opportunity is for the prepared.

6 . I’ve always enjoyed the idea of travelling and volunteering for a few months in southern Europe and living close to the sea, surrounded by nature, staying with the locals and exploring their culture. So when I had a chance to make this daydream a reality, I decided to apply for my first experience on a farm in Portugal.

The farm is located a few kilometers away from Lagos, in a remote location in the hills. It was designed around the idea of connecting nature and technology in a green way and with a self-sustainable approach. My host, Lucio, is really passionate about the do-it-yourself initiative or maker culture. He built and decorated his house using natural materials. He changed the shipping container into an electronic lab.

When my host learned that I majored in electronics at college, he was very trusting and encouraged me to work on one of the most important issues on the farm — the water well’s pump operation. Since the well was the only water source for the entire farm, it turned out to be a tough task for me. I wasn’t even sure if I could do it in the beginning, but with my host’s encouragement, I gradually made progress and was able to build a working prototype (原型).

Lucio was very excited when we connected the DIY prototype I built to the pump control panel successfully. I still remember the moment when Lucio shook my hand with a big smile and thanked me for solving one of the farm’s most difficult problems. With his trust, I got to work on more complex projects afterwards too!

Before this volunteer experience, I never thought my help would be so appreciated. I realized that I could make a very positive impact on people’s lives by sharing knowledge to build something useful.

1. What is the highlight of the farm?

A．It is high-tech.	B．It is man-made.
C．It is environment-friendly.	D．It covers the largest area.

2. Why was the author asked to work on the water well’s pump operation?

A．He was enthusiastic about it.	B．He had a wealth of experience.
C．He had the ability to finish the work.	D．He acquired relevant academic knowledge.

3. What did the author think of his volunteer work？

A．Boring.

B．Necessary.

C．Meaningful.

D．Demanding.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To share an interesting experience.	B．To call on more people to volunteer.
C．To recommend a travel destination.	D．To remember an impressive friend.

7 . I am going to discuss some of the choices available to you and which jobs are best suited to you: popular jobs, more unusual jobs or everyday jobs.

    1     Some jobs may seem dull but are important to society, while others can appear exciting but are actually difficult and boring. One example is the so-called “cool job” of being a model or an actor. These people seem to be living a better life than others. Actually, they have to make far greater efforts than ordinary people and only a few of them are successful. Meanwhile, those who are successful and famous have to deal with constant media attention.    2    

Other popular professions include careers in law or business. Many people have ambitions to become successful as a lawyer or business person.     3     These can be well-paid and interesting jobs, but you also have to work long hours.

On the other hand, some people find more unusual jobs suited to their talents and interests. Once I met a young man whose job was to check noise pollution in a park zone. He loved camping, and his job was like a holiday for him.     4     There are many other people doing unusual jobs, and they love their jobs, which might not be popular, but are interesting.

Likewise, many ordinary jobs, such as shopkeepers, drivers and barbers, may look plain, but they are necessary to society. Without them, we would not go about our daily lives.

When you think about your future career, remember some cool jobs can be rather difficult and that some ordinary jobs can be quite important.     5    

A．It does not seem that cool now, does it?

B．It was easy to see that he enjoyed doing his job.

C．All of them together, though, help society function.

D．He’s bored as his only neighbors were the birds in the nearby trees.

E．When choosing a career, you should consider all the aspects of a job.

F．They wear diamonds, go to parties and relax on cushions in private jets.

G．However, they may ignore the stress and pressure that come with these jobs.

8 . The other day, while taking a drop-in art class, I had an experience that I don’t always have when I’m engaged in something creative. I was fully in the zone. My instructor even commented: “You’re on fire today.” Painting after painting was flying out of me. I felt free—a very unfamiliar feeling for me.

Class started off with quick thirty-second figure drawing, then we worked our way up to one-minute, and then finally four-minute sketches (素描). Ever since the instructor told me not to go over the same line twice, I’ve really struggled with finding my freedom in figure drawing. But that day I was completely free, and as a consequence, my line quality was much better. I felt completely unconcerned with what the teacher thought of my work. It was one of the most enjoyable creative experiences I’ve had.

Afterwards, I was reflecting on why this was such a pleasurable experience. This is how I always want to feel while creating.

I think this was so enjoyable because it was a drop-in class. Not a full course. Not to get a master’s degree. Therefore, I felt no responsibility for getting it right. I was able to take it less seriously and just have fun with it. And I wasn’t monitoring myself to make sure that I was improving.

If you practice at your chosen craft, you will improve over time. Worrying about whether you’re getting better doesn’t help you improve. It actually slows down your growth. Your intellect might think it’s helping out, but it’s actually slowing you down and making your creative process less fun. Eventually, there’s truth to the simple saying—practice makes perfect. Since there’s no perfection in the world of creativity, practice makes better.

Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Create even though it won’t be perfect. Create because it won’t be perfect. Create even though it won’t be perfect. Create because it won’t be perfect. Create because your spirit needs to express itself. That is where the freedom is. That is where the joy is.

1. What does the underlined part in the first paragraph mean?

A．The author was very clever.	B．The author got a little bored.
C．The author made a wise choice.	D．The author devoted herself to her work.

2. What do we know about the author in the drop-in art class?

A．She did what she liked.	B．She learnt the basic skills of sketching.
C．She had no inspiration to create works.	D．She couldn’t keep up with other students.

3. What can we learn about the author from the text?

A．She focuses on gaining better drawing skills.

B．She has no sense of responsibility in her daily life.

C．She thinks joy mainly results in a person’s perfection.

D．She has found the reason for the pleasurable experience.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Practice makes perfect

B．Begin enjoying drop-in art classes

C．Try to find the key to successful work

D．Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good

9 . Helping others is not only good for them but a good thing to do. It also makes us happier and healthier too. Giving also connects us to others, creating stronger communities and helping to build a happier society for everyone. So if you want to feel good, do good!

Doing things for others-whether small, unplanned acts or regular volunteering—is a powerful way to increase our own happiness as well of those around us. The people we help may be strangers, family, friends, colleagues or neighbors. They can be old or young, nearby or far away.

Giving isn’t just about money, so you don’t need to be rich. Giving to others can be as simple as a single kind word, smile or a thoughtful gesture. It can include giving time, energy, care, skills, thought or attention. Sometimes these mean as much, if not more, than financial gifts.

Scientific studies show that helping others boosts happiness. It increases life satisfaction, provides a sense of meaning, increases feelings of ability, improves our mood and reduces stress. It can help to take our minds off our own troubles too.

Kindness towards others is the glue which connects individual happiness with wider community and social wellbeing. Giving to others helps us connect with people and meets one of our basic human needs-relatedness.

Kindness seems to be contagious (传染性的). When we see someone do something kind or thoughtful, or we are on the receiving end of kindness, it inspires us to be kinder ourselves. In this way, kindness spreads from one person to the next, influencing the behavior of people who never saw the original act. Kindness really is the key to creating a happier, more trusting local community.

1. Why can giving help to build a happier society?

A．It can bring confidence.	B．It can connect us to others.
C．It can make us healthy.	D．It can make us rich.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 4?

A．Helping others makes our trouble disappear forever.

B．We feel more content with life by helping others.

C．Helping others removes a sense of meaning.

D．We feel no stress by helping others.

3. What is more important to build a better local community?

A．Kindness.

B．Health.

C．Happiness.

D．Wealth.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Helping others is good for ourselves.	B．We should learn to give.
C．Helping others matters.	D．Kindness is a good virtue.

10 . I was reading a book while my son watched an old comedy show on TV. Suddenly, I heard someone yell: “Go to your happy place!” These words made me put my book down and ponder all the happy places I have had over the years.

When I was a little boy, my happy place was my mom’s lap while we shared a freshly made bowl of popcorn. When I was in primary school, my happy place was a tree in the woods where I could sit and watch the leaves turn golden and red in the fall. When I was a teenager, my happy place was my bedroom where I could lie on my bed and listen for hours to my favorite songs on the radio. As a young man, my happy place was an old rocking chair where I could hold my 18 newborn babies in my arms and gently rock them to sleep.

As I got older, though, I realized that the very best happy place of all was deep down within my own soul. It was there that I realized just how much I was loved. It was there that I saw I could love too. It was there that I learned my happiness was in my own hands and that I could create it, one loving choice at a time.

When you have your own soul as your happy place, then your happy place is wherever you decide to go. When your happy place lives in your heart, then you get to give it to everyone you meet. When your happy place is a very life you live, then you make the world around you a happier place as well. Create your own happy place then. Fill your heart with love. Fill your soul with kindness. Fill your days with joy. Take this glorious gift of life you have been given and live it, one loving choice at a time.

1. What does the underlined word “ponder” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Call at.

B．Leave for.

C．Think about.

D．Search for.

2. Which of the following is NOT true about the author’s happy place?

A．It differed as he grew.

B．It was in his own hands.

C．It lay in the depth of his soul.

D．It was shaped by his surroundings.

3. According to the author, what influences one’s happy place most?

A．Attitude.

B．Creativity.

C．Kindness.

D．Environment.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To suggest ways to find happy places.

B．To share his own growing experience.

C．To stress the importance of happy places.

D．To illustrate his understanding of happy places.