4 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. addicted        B. pleasing        C. limited     D. baggage     E. conscious     F. quotation G. operating   H. imposed     I. strings     J. informative     K. sinking

Who’s in control of your life? Who is pulling your     1    ? For the majority of us, it’s other people—society, colleagues, friends, family or our religious community. We learned this way of     2     when we were very young, of course. We were brainwashed. We discovered that feeling important and feeling accepted was a nice experience and so we learned to do everything we could to make other people like us. As Oscar Wilde puts it. “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a(n)    3    .”

So when people tell us how wonderful we are, it makes us feel good. We long for this good feeling like a drug—we are     4     to it and seek it out wherever we can. Therefore, we are so eager for the approval of others that we live unhappy and     5     lives, failing to do the things we really want to do. Just as drug addicts and alcoholics live worsened lives to keep getting their fix, we worsen our own existence to get our own constant fix of approval.

But just as with any drug there is a price to pay. The price of the approval drug is freedom—the freedom to be ourselves. The truth is that we cannot control what other people think. People have their own agenda, and they come with their own     6     and, in the end, they’re more interested in themselves than in you. Furthermore, if we try to live by the opinions of others, we will be building our life on     7     sand. Everyone has a different way of thinking, and people change their opinions all the time. The person who tries to please everyone will only end up getting exhausted and probably     8     no one in the process.

So how can we take back control? I think there’s only one way—make a(n)    9     decision to stop caring what other people think. We should guide ourselves by means of a set of values—not values     10     from the outside by others, but innate values which come from within. If we are driven by these values and not by the changing opinions and value systems of others, we will live a more authentic, effective, purposeful and happy life.

5 . Directions: Complete the article with the words or phrases in the box. Each word or phrase can only be used once. There is one extra that you do not need.

There was a time when British Olympic medal winners became household names because there were so few of them. But the 67 medals at this year's Games in Rio and 147 at the Paralympics meant that the GB medalists’ reception at Buckingham Palace was a crowded and happy event.

Many of this year's winners spoke of being inspired by athletes of previous generations. Inspiration fed their aspiration; and having discovered abilities they scarcely knew they had, these athletes are now inspiring others.

A few months ago, I saw inspiration of a different kind when I opened the new Cambridge base of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, where Prince William works as a helicopter pilot. It was not hard to be moved by the     1     of the highly skilled doctors, paramedics and crew, who are called out on average five times a day.

But to be inspirational you don't have to save lives or win medals. I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, careers, community organizers and good neighbors; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special.

They are an inspiration to those who know them, and their lives frequently embody a truth expressed by Mother Teresa, from this year Saint Teresa of Calcutta. She once said: 'Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love'.

This has been the experience of two     2     organizations, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and The Prince's Trust, which are 60 and 40 years old this year. These started as small     3    , but have grown beyond any expectations, and continue to transform young people's lives.

To mark my 90th birthday, volunteers and supporters of the six hundred charities of which I have been patron came to a lunch in The Mall. Many of these organizations are     4     in size but inspire me with the work they do. From giving friendship and support to our veterans, the elderly or the bereaved; to championing music and dance; providing animal welfare; or protecting our fields and forests, their selfless devotion and generosity of spirit is an example to us all.

When people face a challenge they sometimes talk about taking a deep breath to find courage or strength. In fact, the word 'inspire' literally means 'to breathe in'. But even with the inspiration of others, it's     5     that we sometimes think the world's problems are so big that we can do little to help. On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out    6     , but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine.

At Christmas, our attention is drawn to the birth of a baby some two thousand years ago. It was the humblest of beginnings, and his parents, Joseph and Mary, did not think they were important.

Jesus Christ lived obscurely for most of his life, and never travelled far. He was maligned and     7     by many, though he had done no wrong. And yet, billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ's example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe.

The message of Christmas reminds us that inspiration is a gift to be given as well as received, and that love begins small but always grows.

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

6 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. defense     B. avoid       C. believing     D. mistake     E. required       F. critical G. cheating     H. ashamed     I. identify       J. confirm       K. similar

We are each responsible for our own decisions, even if the decision-making process has been cut down by stress or peer pressure. The real test of character is whether we can learn from our     1    , by understanding why we acted as we did, and then exploring ways to avoid     2     problems in the future.

Making ethical (伦理的)decisions is a(n)     3     part of avoiding future problems. We must learn to recognize risks, because if we can’t see the risks we’re taking, we can’t make responsible choices. To     4     risks, we need to know the rules and be aware of the facts. For example, one who doesn’t know the rules about plagiarism (剽窃) may accidentally use words or ideas without giving proper credit or one who fails to keep careful research notes may unintentionally fail to quote and cite sources as     5    . But the fact that such a violation is “unintentional” does not excuse the misconduct. Ignorance is not a     6    .

Most people who get in trouble do know the rules and facts, but manage to fool themselves about the risks they’re taking by using excuses: “Everyone else does it,” “I’m not hurting anyone,” or “I really need this grade.” Excuses can get very complex: “I know I’m looking at another’s exam, even though I’m supposed to keep my eyes on my own paper, but that’s not     7     because I’m just checking my answers, not copying.” We must be honest about our actions, and     8     excuses. If we fool ourselves into     9     we’re not doing anything wrong, we can’t see the real choice we’re making--and that leads to bad decisions.

To avoid fooling yourself, watch out for excuses and try this test: Ask how you would feel if your actions were public, and anyone could be watching over your shoulder. Would you feel proud or     10     of your actions? If you’d rather hide your actions, that’s a good indication that you’re taking a risk and rationalizing it to yourself.