1 . Many years ago, I bought a house in the Garfagnana, where we still go every summer. The first time we
What we discovered is that it’s
It’s good to eat things at the correct time, when they’re
A.waited | B.met | C.camped | D.stayed |
A.making | B.searching | C.squeezing | D.feeling |
A.customer | B.neighbor | C.relative | D.passenger |
A.lend | B.send | C.bring | D.show |
A.choice | B.comment | C.promise | D.gesture |
A.worried | B.moved | C.thrilled | D.bored |
A.simple | B.real | C.shiny | D.fun |
A.more | B.good | C.new | D.easy |
A.sympathetic to | B.thankful for | C.cautious about | D.interested in |
A.tried | B.sold | C.returned | D.mixed |
A.unnecessary | B.uncertain | C.unwise | D.unusual |
A.appearance | B.quality | C.origin | D.price |
A.size | B.shape | C.color | D.taste |
A.smell | B.look | C.become | D.work |
A.happy | B.vivid | C.short | D.vague |
A.clean | B.check | C.count | D.pack |
A.perfect | B.useful | C.convenient | D.familiar |
A.on view | B.on sale | C.in season | D.in need |
A.finished | B.stored | C.found | D.grown |
A.cooked | B.given | C.bought | D.told |
2 . Simply saying thank you doesn’t seem enough in certain situations. I was considering this while working as a
My thoughts were soon
She was
And there you have it. To many people,
A.cleaner | B.chemist | C.nurse | D.doctor |
A.grades | B.meanings | C.needs | D.expectations |
A.brushed aside | B.put to the test | C.brought under discussion | D.taken into account |
A.departing | B.escaping | C.retiring | D.recovering |
A.attempting | B.choosing | C.pausing | D.promising |
A.eventually | B.fortunately | C.casually | D.secretly |
A.assessing | B.requiring | C.forming | D.proving |
A.slightly | B.accidentally | C.slowly | D.happily |
A.grateful | B.thoughtful | C.sorrowful | D.fearful |
A.surprise | B.delight | C.curiosity | D.disappointment |
A.operating | B.thinking | C.hesitating | D.leaving |
A.sorry | B.hello | C.goodbye | D.yes |
A.reached | B.consulted | C.introduced | D.persuaded |
A.wished | B.pretended | C.failed | D.refused |
A.enjoying | B.doing | C.securing | D.starting |
A.repeated | B.recited | C.replied | D.reported |
A.courage | B.patience | C.duty | D.care |
A.goal | B.given | C.push | D.greeting |
A.risking | B.changing | C.saving | D.building |
A.honour | B.ability | C.opening | D.extra |
3 . When I was in sixth grade, I joined the band program to learn to play the clarinet (单簧管). The beginning of the year had gone
From then on, I hated playing the clarinet and I kept getting
The avoidance of my lessons continued until my mum asked me about it. “I want to quit.” My tears started
The next day I met with my band teacher and told her I was having a problem and couldn’t
A.badly | B.endlessly | C.randomly | D.smoothly |
A.mess up | B.move on | C.set out | D.take off |
A.impression | B.essay | C.story | D.factor |
A.ashamed | B.starved | C.excited | D.relaxed |
A.crashing | B.moving | C.selling | D.bending |
A.stricter | B.worse | C.happier | D.smarter |
A.joy | B.panic | C.doubt | D.sympathy |
A.funny | B.important | C.easy | D.traditional |
A.drying | B.disappearing | C.flowing | D.separating |
A.had a point | B.made a change | C.reached a level | D.took a break |
A.send | B.bring | C.pick | D.climb |
A.request | B.resolution | C.presentation | D.proposal |
A.balance | B.degree | C.position | D.solution |
A.figure out | B.give away | C.think over | D.make up |
A.aim | B.smile | C.wave | D.shout |
A.anger | B.sorrow | C.disappointment | D.surprise |
A.felt | B.shown | C.removed | D.voiced |
A.Carrying on | B.Looking back | C.Stepping aside | D.Turning around |
A.consume | B.examine | C.reflect | D.rescue |
A.unknown | B.unpunished | C.interested | D.trapped |
4 . I’m an 18-year-old pre-medical student, tall and good-looking, with two short story books and quite a number of essays to my credit. Why am I singing such praises of myself? Just to explain that the attainment of self-pride comes from a great deal of self-love, and to attain it, one must first learn to accept oneself as one is. That was where my struggle began.
Born and raised in Africa,I had always taken my African origin as burden. My self-dislike was further fueled when my family had to relocate to Norway, where I attended a high school. Compared to all the white girls around me, with their golden hair and delicate lips, I ,a black girl, had curly hair and full, red lips. My nose often had a thin sheet of sweat on it, whatever the weather was. I just wanted to bury myself in my shell crying “I’m so different!”
What also contributed to my self-dislike was my occasional stuttering (口吃), which had weakened my self-confidence. It always stood between me and any fine opportunity. I’d taken it as an excuse to avoid any public speaking sessions, and unknowingly let it rule over me.
Fortunately, as I grew older, there came a turning point. One day a white girl caught my eye on the school bus when she suddenly turned back. To my astonishment, she had a thin sheet of sweat on her nose too, and it was in November! “Wow,” I whispered to myself, “this isn’t a genetic(遗传的) disorder after all. It’s perfectly normal.” Days later, my life took an-other twist(转折). Searching the internet for stuttering cures, I accidentally learned that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also stuttered. I was greatly relieved and then an idea suddenly hit me—if I’m smart, I shouldn’t allow my stuttering to stand between me and my success.
Another boost to my self-confidence came days later as I was watching the news about Oprah Winfrey, the famous talk show host and writer—she’s black too! Whenever I think of her story and my former dislike of my color, I’m practically filled with shame.
Today, I’ve grown to accept what I am with pride; it simply gives me feeling of uniqueness. The idea of self-love has taken on a whole new meaning for me: there’s always something fantastic about us, and what we need to do is learn to appreciate it.
1. What affected the author’s adjustment to her school life in Norway?A.Her appearance |
B.Social discrimination. |
C.Her changing emotions. |
D.The climate in Norway. |
A.Her lack of self-confidence. |
B.Her loss of interest in school. |
C.Her unwillingness to greet her classmates. |
D.Her desire for chances to improve herself. |
A.Blessed and proud. |
B.Confused and afraid. |
C.Amazed and relieved. |
D.Shocked and ashamed. |
A.Great minds speak alike. |
B.Stuttering is no barrier to success. |
C.Wisdom counts more than hard work. |
D.Famous people can’t live with their weaknesses. |
A.Pride comes before a fall. |
B.Where there is a will, there is a way. |
C.Self-acceptance is based on the love for oneself. |
D.Self-love is key to the attainment of self-pride. |
5 . Ralph Emerson once said that the purpose of life is not to be happy, but to be useful, to be loving, to make some difference in he world. While we appreciate such words of wisdom, we rarely try to follow them in our lives.
Most people prefer to live a good life themselves, ignoring their responsibilities for the world. This narrow perception of a good life may provide short-term benefits, but is sure to lead to long-term harm and suffering. A good life based on comfort and luxury may eventually lead to more pain be-cause we spoil our health and even our character, principles, ideals, and relationships.
What then, is the secret of a good life? A good life is a process, not a state of being : a direction, not a destination. We have to earn a good life by first serving others without any expectation in return because their happiness is the very source of our own happiness. More importantly, we must know ourselves inside out. Only when we examine ourselves deeply can we discover our abilities and recognize our limitations, and then work accordingly to create a better world.
The first requirement for a good life is having a loving heart. When we do certain right things merely as a duty, we find our job so tiresome that we’ll soon burn out. However, when we do that same job out of love, we not only enjoy what we do, but also do it with an effortless feeling.
However, love alone is insufficient to lead a good life. Love sometimes blinds us to the reality. Consequently, our good intentions may not lead to good results. To achieve desired outcome, those who want to do good to others also need to equip themselves with accurate world knowledge. False knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance. If love is the engine of a car knowledge is the steering wheel(方向盘). If the engine lacks power, the car can’t move; if the driver loses control of the steering, a road accident probably occurs. Only with love in heart and the right knowledge in mind can we lead a good life.
With love and knowledge, we go all out to create a better world by doing good to others. When we see the impact of our good work on the world we give meaning to our life and earn lasting joy and happiness.
1. What effect does the narrow perception of a good life have on us?A.Making us simple-minded | B.Making us short-sighted. |
C.Leading us onto a busy road. | D.Keeping us from comfort and luxury. |
A.Through maintaining good health. |
B.By going through pain and suffering. |
C.By recognizing one’s abilities and limitations. |
D.Through offering help much needed by others. |
A.less selfish | B.less annoying |
C.more motivated | D.more responsible |
A.When we have wrong knowledge of the world. |
B.When our love for the world is insufficient. |
C.When we are insensitive to dangers in life. |
D.When we stay blind to the reality. |
A.inspired by love and guided by knowledge |
B.directed by love and pushed by knowledge |
C.purified by love and enriched by knowledge |
D.promoted by love and defined by knowledge |
6 . Dr. Smith of New York works at a center for children who can’t learn well. One day a father brought his son to him for
The father told Dr. Smith about his son. “My son has
After Dr. Smith tested the boy, he
At this
“Now you can
A.testing | B.acting | C.teaching | D.playing |
A.confidence | B.interest | C.experience | D.difficulty |
A.returns | B.helps | C.appears | D.remains |
A.waited for | B.searched for | C.believed in | D.called in |
A.mirror | B.television | C.painting | D.desk |
A.face | B.line | C.number | D.star |
A.remove | B.follow | C.cross | D.cut |
A.decisions | B.choices | C.mistakes | D.patterns |
A.touched | B.dropped | C.moved | D.sharpened |
A.speed | B.corner | C.end | D.point |
A.staying | B.taking | C.preparing | D.writing |
A.easy | B.important | C.obvious | D.exciting |
A.ideas | B.words | C.questions | D.instructions |
A.relax | B.leave | C.understand | D.promise |
A.Interestingly | B.Absolutely | C.Suddenly | D.Unfortunately |
7 . My brother and I are exactly one year apart. We look like twins, but we are completely
I didn't
At the start of the semester, I practised “Circle of Life" for a musical. This was the first time I
After two days of this, my brother asked me to
A.mature | B.different | C.content | D.normal |
A.disliked | B.preferred | C.replaced | D.abandoned |
A.writer | B.leader | C.painter | D.performer |
A.get along | B.drop by | C.show off | D.check in |
A.try | B.mind | C.enjoy | D.delay |
A.In particular | B.In vain | C.In return | D.In theory |
A.humorous | B.ordinary | C.competitive | D.grateful |
A.above | B.below | C.near | D.without |
A.issue | B.contrast | C.agreement | D.balance |
A.struggled | B.expected | C.promised | D.decided |
A.began | B.allowed | C.stopped | D.continued |
A.hated | B.experienced | C.accepted | D.wanted |
A.help | B.invite | C.join | D.admire |
A.gracefully | B.suddenly | C.fiercely | D.cautiously |
A.limit | B.sentence | C.mistake | D.philosophy |
A.rude | B.angry | C.surprised | D.excited |
A.lose | B.share | C.reduce | D.maintain |
A.wrong | B.right | C.back | D.down |
A.luck | B.absence | C.effort | D.fear |
A.fight | B.noise | C.quiet | D.safety |
8 . Growing up, I was fortunate to have dinner with my family almost every day. Sometimes, the family dinner circle
Apart from suffering from
I am aware that my sons are growing up quickly and will be out of the
A.widened | B.formed | C.lessened | D.closed |
A.missed | B.avoided | C.enjoyed | D.recorded |
A.wasted | B.treasured | C.limited | D.calculated |
A.shows | B.dishes | C.recipes | D.moments |
A.However | B.Otherwise | C.Therefore | D.Besides |
A.sleep | B.dine | C.study | D.play |
A.suitable | B.flexible | C.satisfying | D.demanding |
A.maintains | B.disturbs | C.improves | D.strikes |
A.fear | B.anger | C.guilt | D.hunger |
A.predict | B.create | C.evaluate | D.accept |
A.work out | B.calm down | C.hold on | D.catch up |
A.unwillingly | B.casually | C.consciously | D.carelessly |
A.louder | B.shorter | C.simpler | D.sweeter |
A.assists | B.guides | C.allows | D.orders |
A.office | B.kitchen | C.house | D.park |
9 . 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. |
10 . When I retired, my wife Peg said “Great! You’ll have time to clean the garage!” After 30 years’
I pushed at the garage’s wooden doors, but they were as
I
Six weeks later, I was out in the yard when I
A.dream | B.belief | C.study | D.service |
A.freedom | B.purpose | C.trust | D.security |
A.worn | B.stuck | C.broken | D.lost |
A.delicate | B.special | C.hard | D.sharp |
A.removed | B.washed | C.cleaned | D.fastened |
A.labeled | B.selected | C.yellowed | D.ruined |
A.Curiously | B.Sincerely | C.Skillfully | D.Bravely |
A.collected | B.planted | C.abandoned | D.stored |
A.old | B.wet | C.weak | D.small |
A.anger | B.surprise | C.regret | D.relief |
A.delay | B.reflect | C.hesitate | D.disappoint |
A.upset | B.awake | C.social | D.busy |
A.expected | B.attempted | C.failed | D.happened |
A.showed up | B.fallen off | C.taken off | D.dried up |
A.compete | B.grow | C.survive | D.relax |