1 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

During COVID-19 lockdown, my husband, Peter and I needed something     1     (brighten) up our day. Peter found some flower pots,     2     (hope) flowers would attract some birds.

At a flower shop, I saw lavender flowers (薰衣草花) matched beautifully with some yellow flowers. The saleswoman said,” Hummingbirds (蜂鸟) love those flowers.” I liked the idea of small     3     (visitor) flying around flowers, so we brought both flowers home and put them on     4     balcony.

Every day, we’d look out onto the balcony and enjoy the vivid     5     (arrange). The best part was the hummingbirds’ showing up. They brought joy that we     6     (great) needed. Being apart     7     family, I was concerned about     8     would happen if we were infected with the virus.

One morning, I noticed that a hummingbird’s tiny head     9     (stick) between two boards and another was trying to free it by pulling its tail. I ran to fetch Peter, but when we returned, the birds were     10     (go)! I let out a sigh of relief, recalling the saying “He who endures (忍耐) to the end shall be saved.” Those hummingbirds didn’t give up. Why should I?

2 . There's a great thought experiment by the late philosopher Brian McGee. He said, “Imagine someone who's turning 100 today, and imagine that there was someone else who turned 100 the day that person was born, and so on, back through history.” So, you can imagine all these 100-year lifespans in a chain, end-to-end. When you look at things like that, human civilization has not been around very long at all. And an individual life is extremely tiny.

Many of us go through life struggling about the various decisions we have to make. In fact, on a cosmic (宇宙的) level, the costs aren't that high. If you're scared about launching a creative project, you might as well do it, because it doesn't matter much, even if it goes wrong.

Additionally, another philosopher, Iddo Landau, has pointed out that when we think of ourselves as important in planning things, it leads to problems in creating a meaningful life because we set the goal too high. It's as if you can only count your life as meaningful if you changed the course of world events or became internationally famous.

If we cut everything down to size and drop back into the reality of our situation, you'll see that far more things than you'd thought count as meaningful ways to spend your time on Earth — even ordinary things. Cooking a meal for your family — that's meaningful. Creating things that help even a small number of people is meaningful. Making some tiny contribution to the betterment of your neighborhood — that matters.

All sorts of things you're doing right now might be more meaningful than you realize. So, be happy as you really are using your limited time in a way that matters.

1. What message does Brian McGee's experiment convey?

A．History repeats itself.	B．A light heart lives long.
C．A cat may look at a king.	D．You are not such a big deal.

2. Why does the author mention Iddo Landau in paragraph 3?

A．To make a comparison

B．To present a story.

C．To support the argument.

D．To record the history.

3. What does the author advise common readers to do?

A．Setting high goals in planning things.	B．Doing ordinary but worthy things.
C．Changing the course of world events.	D．Becoming internationally famous.

4. What is the purpose of writing the text?

A．To present an opinion.	B．To report an experiment.
C．To explain a phenomenon.	D．To introduce two philosophers.

3 . After my husband Randy died, deciding what to do with his garden was on the list of necessary tasks. Years before, Randy had _________ dozens of daffodils(水仙)in our yard. For him, they served as signals of hope, showing that light and _________ would soon replace the dark and cold. Looking at them, I thought about how Randy had _________ chosen plants so we’d appreciate them every month. Then I _________ the weeds. I needed to get to work.

The work was quiet and comforting and I became _________ that it helped me feel close to Randy. As spring turned to summer, my list of urgent garden tasks got _________ . It made me feel good, this sense of _________ . Gradually, I felt the seeds of healing(治愈) began to _________ my heart. My thoughts of Randy _________ less on the sadness of my life without him. I noticed I __________ more.

When summer became fall, I turned my __________ to “putting the garden to bed”. While in fall and winter garden seems unproductive, I know it __________ plenty of life. The lush greenness(郁郁葱葱)of spring and summer may be __________ , but deep in the soil and down to the roots of every living thing __________ the seeds of what is ready to __________ again.

1.

A．spotted

B．raised

C．purchased

D．removed

2.

A．warmth

B．beauty

C．happiness

D．energy

3.

A．freely

B．randomly

C．carefully

D．willingly

4.

A．checked

B．pulled

C．remembered

D．noticed

5.

A．determined

B．aware

C．proud

D．satisfied

6.

A．clearer

B．shorter

C．neater

D．fuller

7.

A．purpose

B．responsibility

C．achievement

D．security

8.

A．have control of

B．make room for

C．keep pace with

D．take root in

9.

A．focused

B．counted

C．acted

D．based

10.

A．progressed

B．worked

C．considered

D．laughed

11.

A．interest

B．heart

C．attention

D．back

12.

A．changes

B．presents

C．expects

D．holds

13.

A．obvious

B．gone

C．alive

D．great

14.

A．rest

B．spread

C．stand

D．survive

15.

A．arise

B．exist

C．flower

D．mature

4 . Now that my children are grown, I have resumed (中断后继续) a habit: solo travel. The seed was planted when I was 17 and went on a class trip to Spain. The experience was similar to reading my first book. I remember when I separated from the group and went through the busy streets of Madrid on my own, looking at the architecture gawkingly, trying unfamiliar foods, and gathering the courage to engage the natives with my high school Spanish. After that adventure I sought every opportunity to explore on my own, because I wanted to move according to my ideas.

I recall, many years ago, before I became a dad, arranging to work for a summer on an Icelandic farm in exchange for room and board. The driver stopped at the appointed place, but no one was there to meet me. And so I put my backpack down and read a book, knowing that when one travels one is never lost.

I tell this story to calm the fears of friends and others who have occasionally raised their hands to their faces upon hearing what I was up to. Some are specialists in outlining for me all the things that can go wrong when one launches oneself into the unknown. But for me, that’s the whole point of travel: to go where I haven’t gone before, to discover friendships waiting to be made, to interface with unfamiliar scents (气味) and tastes, to enter a new and, for me, undiscovered environment where being pleasantly surprised is the reward.

A few years back I went to Greenland. I spent a week hiking its mountains, interacting with the natives, and sailing the bays. It was inspiring. I hopped (登上) my flight back to Iceland feeling well satisfied. But when I got off the plane and saw the line of passengers waiting for their flight to Greenland, all I wanted to do was turn around and join them. Once again it was proved for me that I would never get travel out of my system.

1. How did the class trip to Spain affect the writer?

A．He discovered the magic of solo travel.

B．He realized the pleasure of reading books.

C．He became interested in learning Spanish.

D．He formed a habit of collecting plant seeds.

2. What does the underlined word “gawkingly” in the first paragraph most probably mean?

A．Curiously.

B．Randomly.

C．Casually.

D．Anxiously.

3. What does the travelling mean for the writer?

A．Going wherever you would like to.	B．Going in the unknown environment.
C．Exploring something new all the way.	D．Getting a reward from challenging fear.

4. What did the writer’s trip to Greenland reflect?

A．His impatient personality.	B．His crazy desire for travelling.
C．His quickness to follow others.	D．His tendency to be easily satisfied.

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
Living your best life

It was a bright spring morning in a suburban Rochester, New York, neighborhood. Three young men,     1     hearts were full of excitement, were preparing for a road trip across the United States. It would be the adventure of a life time. I was one of those young men. For my friends and     2    , going on a cross-country trip was at the top our bucket lists!

A bucket list simply lists things you want to see, try or accomplish     3     your lifetime. But it’s not something simple like learning to ride a bike or passing a math test. You need to dream big!     4     this may not sound practical, it’s a good mental exercise and a lot of fun. The sky is the limit! Why? Because making a bucket list can push you to do something extraordinary!

Making a bucket list can also help you get in touch with your values. People live busy lives, so it’s easy to get     5     (trap) in life’s daily routines. But taking time to chew over     6     you really want from life can help you get a fresh perspective.

If you’re ready to start making your own bucket list, you first need to decide what to put on it. You could make a list of unusual things you’d like to do, such as doing     7     underwater photo shoot as a mermaid (美人鱼). If you love animals, you could put a trip to Tokyo     8     (visit) a night bird café on your list.

What’s on my list? Well, since I fancy     9     (look) into the night sky, I want to spend a few nights in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. If the skies are clear, I would have a view of the whole Milky Way Galaxy! Now it’s your turn. What strikes your fancy? You     10     (not) discover what you are capable of until you dream BIG.

6 . The two Greek words — “philo”, which means love and “Sophia”, which means wisdom, are the beginnings of the word we use today: Philosophy, the love of wisdom.

Most people have a philosophy on life. Everybody has an idea of what is right and what is wrong, and why things are the way they are, and who they are and who to trust. A lot of people believe somebody else’s philosophy. That person may be a religious or political leader, or anybody you look up to. Some people have their own philosophy on life which might be a mixture of theories. Others are philosophers: people who want to know the truth about life for themselves and spend their time studying, thinking and asking questions.

Today philosophers are still encouraging people to think. Schools in some countries teach philosophy to children. Reading books written by old philosophers can be difficult because the language is from the past. So stories are used to help schoolchildren make their own decisions about what is right and wrong and think about the best way to solve problems.

Why do we need philosophy? There are plenty of people who think that killing animals is cruel, but eating animals is fine. If you are one of these people, you should ask yourself why. Why is killing animals cruel? Why is it okay to eat animals? You might find that the answer to each question is very different and you could have an argument by yourself using your own ideas! Go on and argue — you will understand more about what you believe. You will begin to understand the subject more deeply. And this helps you to feel comfortable with it. And you might change something or you might not. When we ask ourselves questions, we start to understand ourselves and our lives, and it’s up to us to make changes or not. If the ideas in your head agree, this means you have integrity. What you say and what you do are the same. Everyone respects someone who has integrity!

By thinking and questioning, we can understand more and maybe prevent problems caused by misunderstanding. But philosophy can also cause problems and conflict when people don’t agree. When one group of people choose one philosophy to believe and another group of people choose a different philosophy, when they need to think or make a decision together, they start trying to change each other instead of working together on bigger ideas about life.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The main conflicts among philosophers.

B．The application of philosophical beliefs.

C．The definition and function of philosophy.

D．The pros and cons of philosophical discussions.

2. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “integrity” in paragraph 4?

A．Honesty.

B．Connection.

C．Belief.

D．Unity.

3. Why do we need philosophy according to the passage?

A．To prove our own ideas.

B．To bring about disagreements.

C．To reduce cruel deeds in the world.

D．To inspire thinking and seek answers.

4. What can be inferred according to the last paragraph?

A．Misunderstanding helps prevent problems.

B．Different choices make different philosophy.

C．Philosophy can be both positive and negative.

D．Conflicts and disagreement result from philosophy.

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Ritch Addison was ashy kid. In elementary school, he didn’t speak up for himself, and he    1    (worry) a lot. But once he went to high school, he made up his mind    2    (develop) a sense of humor to make more friends. His new approach worked and he started to become known for his jokes—like the time he made fun     3    a classmate’s poor score on a math test.

“It turned out that I had gotten a hundred on the test and he didn’t do so well,” Addison recalled. “And I joked heartlessly about it.”

Then one day, his good friend, Holly, pulled him aside and said, “Ritch, sometimes you really hurt     4    (people) feeling.”

Addison    5    (shock). He had always seen himself as the one who made his friends laugh. He couldn’t imagine that he might be hurting them.

“But I kept thinking about what Holly said. Finally, I realized that she was     6    (absolute) right. I started paying attention to     7    other people was reacting to my humor,” he said.

It couldn’t happen overnight,    8    . “Over the years, I worked on    9    (be) more compassionate(同理心的) toward the people around me since I wanted to have    10    different kind of relationship with them,” he said.

8 . Goals give our lives meaning and help us become better versions of ourselves.     1     Have you started working towards your goal but over time felt that it’s just too high a mountain to climb?

As humans, we are built to naturally see the problems and easily punish ourselves for bad behavior. Our mindset can bring us down when we feel we’ve failed.     2    

So what is the secret to achieving big goals? Many people may put the success of others down to luck or a natural talent.     3     Most of the time it is down to a particular mindset and the way of looking at their goals as a whole.

    4     It took Edison almost 10,000 attempts to create a light bulb — that’s a huge number of “failures”. But in response to his repeated failures, he said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”. It’s quite clear that he had a mindset and a positive perspective that allowed him to celebrate those small steps and see them as achievements.

The key to success is realizing that our big goals aren’t going to happen overnight.     5     It is the combination of those small things over time that leads to the achievement of the big goals.

A．Yes, this can be the case, but not always.

B．We all want to be successful in our goals.

C．Take Thomas Edison, who invented the light bulb for example.

D．This usually results in giving up on dreams and goals.

E．We tend to focus on the end goals rather than the small steps.

F．We must invest in the small things over a long period of time.

G．But have you ever tried to reach a big goal only to eventually give up?

9 . The other day, I was in the local shop with my five-year-old son. He is outgoing and _______ dealing with strangers when he is with a safe adult. That day he greeted a young kid began a _______ . This kid was wearing the uniform (校服) of the school my son will be _______ at next year so I pointed that out to him. When we finished our shopping and were _______, the other kid said, “See you at school next year!”

As I was _______ my car with goods later, the mother drove up behind me and promised to _______ me a bag of uniforms that no longer fit her son. For nothing! I went and _______ the clothes the next afternoon.

This may seem like a small kindness to some people but for me it is _______! I have been worried quite a bit about the _______ of uniforms for school next year. We are planning to start a ________ for a living but we lack money. I also suffer from a few diseases and have had a really bad year this year, ________ in my life.

I cannot even begin to explain how ________ I was for this “small” gesture from a ________. It has taken away a bit of ________ from my shoulders and is very much appreciated. You never know when the small kindnesses, even ________ a smile in the street, can be a great encouragement to others.

1.

A．avoids

B．tries

C．loves

D．suggests

2.

A．story

B．conversation

C．trouble

D．chance

3.

A．studying

B．struggling

C．living

D．serving

4.

A．cheering

B．talking

C．questioning

D．leaving

5.

A．cleaning

B．filling

C．improving

D．exchanging

6.

A．buy

B．show

C．make

D．offer

7.

A．picked up

B．paid for

C．chose from

D．his away

8.

A．normal

B．formal

C．major

D．possible

9.

A．cost

B．style

C．colour

D．design

10.

A．journey

B．business

C．discussion

D．survey

11.

A．luckiest

B．most

C．worst

D．easiest

12.

A．sorry

B．thankful

C．responsible

D．ready

13.

A．pioneer

B．friend

C．passenger

D．stranger

14.

A．work

B．disaster

C．weight

D．difficulty

15.

A．simply

B．usually

C．exactly

D．honestly

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

For many years I always invented excuses for either picking this    1     gathering that on my trips outdoors. My reward(回报)from these adventures goes beyond just harvesting. Each trip adds another level    2     knowledge. And trips to the woods take me back to the pleasure of my youth-enjoying time in nature on family outings.     3     (grow) up on the farm, I would walk into the woods late in the day, at first only     4     (prove) that I could find my way back. I enjoyed the silence, but listening more carefully brought the woodland sounds of squirrels or wood ducks chattering to protest my presence.

The wind blowing through pine needles(松针)made    5    (quiet) and more peaceful sounds than through oak leaves. The woods became alive with sound when I    6     (final) stopped to listen.

Then my eyes began to see more. Wildflowers only hardly    7     (recognize) at first as a mass of color were later admired for their beauty and occasional scent. Animals became visible (看得见的)after my eyes    8    (train) to notice small movements, patterns out of place with leaves, or just    9     slightest sound that did not fit with the forest floor.

Understanding nature has been a lifelong pursuit. Each visit to the woods is a    10     (remind) for me to appreciate life.