1 . This year I spent time at the city’s dances for the mentally disabled to fulfill my service hours. At first I felt troubled with the idea of working with the mentally disabled because I had never been around them before.
Once I was there for a few minutes, I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. I actually became interested to hear what they had to say.
Toward the end of my experience at the city's dances for the disabled, I knew their stories and faces and felt things that I had never experienced. I realized what I had thought about the mentally disabled was wrong.
| A．They are all people just like us. |
| B．I went with a friend and when I got there, I was astonished. |
| C．What I did for the mentally disabled was truly beneficial to them. |
| D．And by the end of the program, they were able to perform so well. |
| E．Working with the mentally disabled can be a rewarding experience. |
| F．This was the first time I found I truly had a place in a stranger's life. |
| G．As the weeks passed, I found myself interested to see how they made progress. |
2 . I tend to go slowly when I drive in the mountains of my home, because the forest scenery is beautiful no matter what the season. This morning I was driving slower than usual because an early March snow had turned the roads slippery. Going up a mountain road, at a sharp, snowy curve, I saw a big buck deer standing in the middle of the road. I came to a full stop and for a few seconds we just stared at each other. His eyes seemed wise and he stood still there. Finally, he nodded his head at me. I nodded in return and motioned with my hand for him to go on. He then jumped across the road, up the hill, and back into the woods. I drove on smiling at the magic of this moment and thanked that I had been going slowly enough not to hit this beautiful creature.
Most of us rush through this life not knowing what we are missing. We rarely get to enjoy what each day brings us. Life is meant to be savored. Days are meant to be lived in love and joy not flown through at a crazy speed.
The next time you find yourself going too fast, slow down. Take the time to watch the sunrise and fill the world with light. Take the time to look your children in their eyes, hug them, and tell them that you love them. Take the time to live your life with love and delight in all the miracles each day brings you. And you might even end up not hitting a deer on your way home.
1. What can we infer about the author from Paragraph1?| A．He lives a busy life. | B．He knows the deer well. |
| C．He’s particular about nature. | D．He’s kind of good at observing. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Proud. | C．Confident. | D．Puzzled. |
| A．Controlled totally. | B．Enjoyed completely. | C．Spent together. | D．Led crazily. |
| A．Give children more love. | B．Pay more attention to the deer. |
| C．Get close to nature and live a happier life. | D．Take things slowly and appreciate life more fully. |
3 . “The movie American Sniper is on. ”I said to my husband.
We decided to watch，thinking it would take our minds off my husband’s situation at work. He had been working with the same organization for about twenty-three years，and the management，he suspected，was preparing to let him go. The signs were pretty clear and I felt his pain.
I wondered if American Sniper was the wrong movie to watch and considered changing the channel. Maybe something lighter was good. A family comedy with laughter would have been more uplifting for my husband.
We turned the volume down as our son James was studying in the next room.
“You know this movie is based on a true story，”I said，half thinking about my husband’s situation and half watching the movie.
“Yes. ”he replied. “It’s based on Chris Kyle’s book. ”
I thought about all the young men who had lost their lives in Iraq. “Some of those boys were only a couple of years older than James，”I said.
As I watched the movie，I began to realize how small our problems really were. “You know，other couples are wondering if their sons are safe on a battlefield，and here we are with our son perfectly safe in the next room. ”
Over the next hour，the mood in our room changed from depression to gratitude. How fortunate we were ! Our son was healthy and safe. We had a roof over our heads and could walk outside without worrying whether there would bebullets(子弹)flying through the air. As for my husband’s job，he could do something else—something that he would love.
Looking at the big picture and moving from“depression to reflection”have made all the difference.
1. What problem did the author’s family face?| A．The house roof was broken. |
| B．The husband would lose his job. |
| C．The son did poorly in his studies. |
| D．The relationship between the couple was bad. |
| A．The movie was very boring. |
| B．She preferred something lighter. |
| C．Her husband liked family comedies. |
| D．She was considerate towards her husband. |
| A．Watching a funny family comedy, |
| B．Thinking of unfortunate families. |
| C．The touching story in the movie. |
| D．Her husband’s words of comfort. |
| A．Be grateful for what we have. |
| B．Get some power from a movie. |
| C．We can always control our life. |
| D．Stay strong in the face of difficulty. |
4 . On a very cold night my new friend and I were in downtown Seattle when a strange man walked up to us. Behind him was a woman pushing a stroller with a child inside. The child had a jacket on but it wasn’t zipped. The man began to tell us that he wanted to borrow some money for the night to get his wife and kid into a hotel. He had a job but no place to live and was waiting for his first paycheck. He said he could get our mailing address and mail the money back to us.
The guy I was with reached into his pocket to give this man a ＄20 bill. As the man was reaching out his hand to take the money, I put my hand on my new friend’s hand and said,“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
I told him about how my mother worked in Seattle and every day people asked her for money on her way to work. She said they made more money than she did, simply begging for money. These people were scamming those people with soft hearts. And if they were truly worried about their child being out of the cold, they would have at least zipped his jacket or covered him with his blanket.
My friend looked at me with disappointment and said, “Michelle, I know there are people who cheat others. I also know there are people who are one paycheck away from being homeless. If I give ＄20 to 10 people and only one of them really needs it and uses it for the right thing, it is worth it.”
I am now 37 years old and have never forgotten what he said to me. I don’t even remember his name. He could have been an angel for all I know. But I do remember that that experience changed the way I looked at different situations.
1. According to the first paragraph, the stranger said that he ____.| A．was a complete beggar | B．didn’t care about his family |
| C．lost his wallet | D．didn’t get his salary then |
| A．respecting | B．helping | C．cheating | D．killing |
| A．Careful. | B．Soft-hearted. | C．Wise. | D．Disappointing. |
| A．he knew the stranger’s true meaning |
| B．he didn’t regret his act of kindness even if cheated |
| C．before helping others, think it over |
| D．he had helped at least 10 people |
5 . The winter had been busy and long. I desperately needed a getaway from work, so I decided to book a trip to the Caribbean with my wife. But just three days before my trip， the human-resources manager of the company called and asked to speak with me in his office. I sensed something wrong. Just months shy of my ten — year anniversary with the company, I was laid off.
I was in complete shock — too shocked to even cry. But I wouldn't cancel my trip, as I needed it now more than ever. The night before my trip, I had a dream that the suitcase I had brought to the hotel was empty. When I woke, I interpreted this dream to mean that I was leaving all of my “baggage” behind — and I did. I enjoyed my vacation more than any others I had taken. And when I was back, I decided to do one thing I loved but never had the spare time to do: writing.
My works had never been published, but I wanted to try. I wrote a few pieces and sent them out to magazines and newspapers. After several non-responses and rejections, the most-read newspaper in Canada agreed to publish one of my travel stories. I shared the thrilling news with my family and friends. People I hadn't talked to in years contacted me to tell me they read my story. How amazing!
I started writing because I liked it. What I didn't realize was that my first published story would open several doors. Being published in a major publication made my resume impressive and led to interviews for writing positions. It also led to more publications noticing the articles I submitted. I am satisfied that now I work full-time as a corporate writer and my works have been published in a number of magazines.
Getting laid off was an experience that could have been fatal （毁灭性的）,But there was something about that dream after it happened. That dream helped me put everything behind me and gave me the confidence to pursue new possibilities.
1. Why did the author decide to go to Caribbean?| A．To go on a business trip. |
| B．To have a break from work. |
| C．To fill a position in the company. |
| D．To celebrate his wedding anniversary. |
| A．He is gifted in writing. |
| B．He is an optimistic person. |
| C．He gave bad job performance. |
| D．He suffered much from losing his job. |
| A．It tightened his family bond. | B．It brought back long-lost friends. |
| C．It earned him a job in a magazine. | D．It enabled him to become a writer. |
| A．A Trip Has Changed My Future | B．Fill Your Life with Surprises |
| C．Leave the Baggage Behind | D．Dare to Dream; Dare to Win |
6 . To tell the truth, no one has the right to judge you. People may have heard your stories, but they can't feel what you are going through; they aren't living YOUR life.
Do what you know is right, for YOU. Don't be afraid to walk alone, and don't be afraid to like it. Don't let anyone's words stop you from being the best you can be.
Follow your own path.
Forgive those who have wronged you.
| A．Take care of yourself. |
| B．So forget what they say about you. |
| C．Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. |
| D．Show everyone your love and kindness. |
| E．Every new day is a chance to change your life. |
| F．Keep doing what you know in your heart is right. |
| G．When you are dealing with failure, don't be ashamed. |
7 . As each semester begins, my colleague greets his students wearing a jacket and tie.
“You make only one first impression, " he says. So, while the rest of the semester he teaches class in his usual, more casual clothes, the first week he presents a different image.
His thought is that students will remember their encounter positively and more readily think highly of him as the semester goes on because that favorable first impression has an influence on them. The big influence of first impressions is related to the halo effect, where the perception of the positive qualities in one thing or part gives rise to the perception of similar qualities in related things or in the whole.
Here is an example: You meet a friendly person at a party and later are asked to collect money for a worthy cause. You call that person because you think she will make a contribution. In reality, there is no connection between being pleasant and being generous. Yet the halo effect leads you to think that the two are related.
The halo effect is powerful, but is it questionable whether it matters much in long-term relationships, such as that between teachers and students? While dressing up may make students think the teacher must know his subject matter because he creates a professional first impression, the effect wears thin if the person turns out to be a poor teacher after all.
First impressions matter but they don't have the final word. Facts speak louder. If you had never seen or heard of Einstein, the first time you saw him your impression would most likely be negative. Now his face is connected with genius, not madness because he is the person who has come to define what genius is.
The problem is that few of us are Einstein and we often don't get the chance to change a negative first impression.
1. In the author's eyes, the halo effect_________.| A．is surprisingly powerful | B．may affect our judgment of others |
| C．matters more in the long run | D．makes some teachers irresponsible |
| A．appearance | B．impressions | C．truth | D．fairness |
| A．to mind their first impressions | B．not to judge a book by its cover |
| C．not to follow others’ judgment | D．to pay no attention to the halo effect |
8 . A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather was explaining his favorite expression, “Nothing is ever easy.” The following day, as I tried to complete my day’s work, I happened to notice a bumble-bee on the skylight (天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought removing the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had changed was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from looking up into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so tiny, but by doing so, I understood what my grandfather meant.
It is not only time that we tend to underestimate we don’t account for unexpected costs. We often imagine what can work in our favor, but we seldom think of all the negative things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as planned, and that is completely normal. It is perfectly acceptable to feel challenged even at a task you thought was simple because that is part of life.
If you can accept that nothing will ever be easy, then 1ife might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to take. In high school, I thought college might be easier because I could have a schedule best suited for myself. Yet each time, I was both wrong and disappointed. After accepting that school wouldn’t be easy, I found myself with a more positive attitude and improved results.
Of course, there should be preparations made to account for expenses or time. Doing so can only help you accomplish your goals in a better way. However, there is no need to beat ourselves up (过分自责)when something stands in our path. Maybe we cannot see a bee coming our way, but we can always give ourselves the extra time to catch it.
1. Why did the author mention his experience of removing a bee?| A．To share something unforgettable with us. |
| B．To lead us to what the author learned from of it. |
| C．To show the unexpected costs it caused. |
| D．To tell us how easy it is to waste our time. |
| A．We often don’t take time seriously. |
| B．We tend not to have enough money. |
| C．Unexpected things can happen. |
| D．It is easy to feel challenged. |
| A．To show how annoying it is. |
| B．To tell us we need to catch it. |
| C．To link back to the beginning. |
| D．To use it as a representative of luck. |
| A．To encourage people to make greater efforts. |
| B．To explain how to make preparations. |
| C．To tell us what to do when something gets in our way. |
| D．To persuade us not to expect things to be easy. |
9 . One day I stopped to think about growing apples. I was eating a delicious, juicy apple and took a big bite. As a result, I got an apple seed into my mouth. I spat it out into my hand, with the intention of throwing it away. But instead I looked at the apple seed. I realized I was holding an apple tree in the palm of my hand. A little seed with the potential to become a beautiful big tree-a tree that could grow thousands of apples in its lifetime. Why then the world wasn't filled with apple trees? It is a rule of nature that only a few of these seeds grow.
And it came to my mind that it's also quite often so with people's dreams. Wonderful ideas come to our minds but they die too soon-we don't tend to the little saplings, we don't protect them as we should. And then one day we wonder what happened to our dreams-why did they never come true?
The seeds of your dreams did not automatically grow, like planting an apple tree. It might take many tries: like a hundred job applications to get that good job. You might send your manuscript out two hundred times before it was accepted.
Some people think their best time in life is when they are young. I refuse to believe that. There are plenty of examples out there that prove you can achieve amazing things even in your mature years. I love the little story of a woman who decided she wanted to go and study when she was in her forties. Her husband asked her.”Do you realize that if you start your studies now, you will be fifty when you graduate?" To which this admirable lady replied:“Darling-l shall be fifty in any case".
So go ahead and follow your dreams. No matter what they are, no matter what your age, and no matter what others think of it. It's your life after all.
1. How does the author introduce the topic of the text?| A．By giving a classic example. |
| B．By telling us a natural phenomenon. |
| C．By asking and answering a question |
| D．By describing a personal experience. |
| A．Wonderful ideas will not die easily. |
| B．The seeds of our dreams grow naturally. |
| C．Our dreams will not come true without tries. |
| D．We never know what will happen to our dreams. |
| A．People will grow old anyway. |
| B．It's never late to achieve things. |
| C．It's better to start doing things early. |
| D．We should not care what others think of us. |
| A．To describe how our dreams are ruined. |
| B．To treat apple seeds like our dreams. |
| C．To encourage us to pursue our dreams. |
| D．To explain the process of growing apple trees. |
10 . Every day around the world, thousands of people with little to no scholarly training in art history walk into museums. They may or may not read notice boards that share relevant information of the artworks or artists. Imagine, before being permitted to direct their eyeballs to the art on the walls, museum visitors were required to read a 15-or 20-page introduction to each piece or each artist. How many people would go to museums if that were the case?
Yet this seems to be the expectation when it comes to reading classic literature. Classic novels typically come with 15-or 20-page introductions, which often include spoilers, assuming that readers do not come to classic books to discover, be absorbed in, and be surprised by the story world. Also, apparently, we mustn't read classics alone, without experts guiding our experiences.
However, classic literature is in a unique position to show us that we' re not alone in our pains and joys. By taking us out of our time, classic books free us to see beyond the set of beliefs we stick to and to connect human experiences that remain alive across time and place. What could be more grounding, more comforting, than seeing ourselves in the battles, longings, and pleasures that have played out across hundreds, thousands of years of human history? Our personal engagement is the first step of a longer journey of discovery that deepens our knowledge and understanding of ourselves and our world. We may for example, feel for Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter though we despair of the world she lived in.
While we're letting go of things, let's stop worrying about understanding everything. We can't. It will be fun if we embrace curiosity, the pleasure of working out a mystery, and our common relationships as humans. We can feel, for example, the power of self-sacrifice in Charles Dickens'A Tale of Two Cities even when we lack full understanding of the cultural references and language.
1. Most museum goers_________.| A．lack professional art knowledge |
| B．understand the artworks well |
| C．enjoy reading notice boards |
| D．share common interest in artworks |
| A．Story writers |
| B．Readers' expectations. |
| C．Plots given away in advance |
| D．Guiding experts |
| A．Showing curiosity about the writers |
| B．Letting go of things. |
| C．Working out mysteries. |
| D．Trying to understanding everything. |
| A．We should find more fun from classics. |
| B．Classic literature benefits readers a great deal |
| C．Experts need to give readers better guidance. |
| D．Reading classics is a personal exploration. |
