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 . Sitting in the garden for my friend’s birthday. I felt a buzz (振动) in my pocket. My heart raced when I saw the email sender’s name. The email started off: “Dear Mr Green, thank you for your interest” and “the review process took longer than expected.” It ended with “We are sorry to inform you…” and my vision blurred (模糊). The position—measuring soil quality in the Sahara Desert as part of an undergraduate research programme — had felt like the answer I had spent years looking for.
I had put so much time and emotional energy into applying, and I thought the rejection meant the end of the road for my science career.
So I was shocked when, not long after the email, Professor Mary Devon, who was running the programme, invited me to observe the work being done in her lab. I jumped at the chance, and a few weeks later I was equally shocked—and overjoyed—when she invited me to talk with her about potential projects I could pursue in her lab. What she proposed didn’t seem as exciting as the original project I had applied to, but I was going to give it my all.
I found myself working with a robotics professor on techniques for collecting data from the desert remotely. That project, which I could complete from my sofa instead of in the burning heat of the desert, not only survived the lockdown but worked where traditional methods didn’t. In the end, I had a new scientific interest to pursue.
When I applied to graduate school, I found three programmes promising to allow me to follow my desired research direction. And I applied with the same anxious excitement as before. When I was rejected from one that had seemed like a perfect fit, it was undoubtedly difficult. But this time I had the perspective (视角) to keep it from sending me into panic. It helped that in the end I was accepted into one of the other programmes I was also excited about.
Rather than setting plans in stone, I’ve learned that sometimes I need to take the opportunities that are offered, even if they don’t sound perfect at the time, and make the most of them.
1. How did the author feel upon seeing the email sender’s name?A.Anxious. | B.Angry. | C.Surprised. | D.Settled. |
A.criticise the review process | B.stay longer in the Sahara Desert |
C.apply to the original project again | D.put his heart and soul into the lab work |
A.demanding | B.inspiring | C.misleading | D.amusing |
A.An invitation is a reputation. | B.An innovation is a resolution. |
C.A rejection can be a redirection. | D.A reflection can be a restriction. |
7 . 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 |
8 . Small children are easy to throw up in the air and catch-and they
I hope Jacky will always trust me fully, but I know that, as he gets
A.deserve | B.miss | C.love | D.know |
A.as if | B.in case | C.even though | D.so that |
A.fear | B.excitement | C.doubt | D.astonishment |
A.reasonable | B.limited | C.absolute | D.important |
A.relief | B.satisfaction | C.achievement | D.responsibility |
A.older | B.busier | C.quieter | D.healthier |
A.on my behalf | B.on my part | C.in my honor | D.in my name |
A.long-distance | B.high-risk | C.parent-child | D.teacher-student |
A.afford | B.choose | C.wait | D.expect |
A.attach | B.compare | C.adjust | D.introduce |
A.safe | B.happy | C.proud | D.grateful |
A.Above all | B.In addition | C.At first | D.For example |
A.admit | B.believe | C.suggest | D.imagine |
A.However | B.Therefore | C.Similarly | D.Fortunately |
A.affection | B.determination | C.friendship | D.leadership |
A.assess | B.organize | C.develop | D.understand |
A.repeat | B.follow | C.change | D.forget |
A.gesture | B.measure | C.bond | D.lack |
A.telling | B.giving | C.selling | D.sending |
A.management | B.personality | C.communication | D.education |
9 . Philosophers have a bad reputation for expressing themselves in a dry and boring way. The ideals for most philosophical writing are precision, clarity, and the sort of conceptual analysis that leaves no hair un-split.
There is nothing wrong with clarity, precision, and the like — but this isn’t the only way to do philosophy. Outside academic journals, abstract philosophical ideas are often expressed through literature, cinema, and song. There’s nothing that grabs attention like a good story, and there are some great philosophical stories that delight and engage, rather than putting the reader to sleep.
One of the great things about this is that, unlike formal philosophy, which tries to be very clear, stories don’t wear their meanings on their sleeve — they require interpretation, and often express conflicting ideas for the reader to wrestle with.
Consider what philosophers call the metaphysics (形而上学) of race — an area of philosophy that explorers the question of whether or not race is real. There are three main positions that you can take on these questions. You might think that a person’s race is written in their genes (a position known as “biological realism”). Or you might think of race as socially real, like days of the week or currencies (“social constructionism”). Finally, you might think that races are unreal — that they’re more like leprechauns (一种魔法精灵) than they are like Thursdays or dollars (“anti-realism”).
A great example of a story with social constructionist taking on race is George Schuyler’s novel Black No More. In the book, a Black scientist named Crookman invents a procedure that makes Black people visually indistinguishable from Whites. Thousands of African Americans flock to Crookman’s Black No More clinics and pay him their hard-earned cash to undergo the procedure. White racists can no longer distinguish those people who are “really” White from those who merely appear to be White. In a final episode, Crookman discovers that new Whites are actually a whiter shade of pale than those who were born that way, which kicks off a trend of sunbathing to darken one’s skin-darkening it so as to look more While.
Philosophically rich stories like this bring more technical works to life. They are stories to think with.
1. What does the author think of philosophical stories?A.The meaning behind is very obvious. |
B.They am extremely precise and formal. |
C.They often cause conflicts among readers. |
D.They are engaging and inspire critical thinking. |
A.Social constructionism. | B.Anti-realism. |
C.Biological realism. | D.Literary realism. |
A.Racial issues caused by skin colors. |
B.A society view on race and self-image. |
C.Black people accepted by the white society. |
D.The origin of sun bathing among white people. |
A.Stories Made Easy | B.Stories to Think with |
C.Positions in Philosophy | D.Nature of Philosophical Writing |
10 . 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 |