1 . Several years ago,our family rented a house that had a basement apartment under ours.The young couple who lived below us were quiet and modest.Their dog,however,was not.

Cody was an outgoing black dog with a big tail.He loved to greet us by planting his huge paws on our chest.Our dog Tasha has a similar characteristic.Because she shared the yard with Cody,they soon became good friends.

We often saw a ball of black and white fur as they raced neck and neck toward some unlucky bird that had just landed in the yard.The only time I saw any conflict between the two dogs was when we fed Tasha Cody would jump up.expecting to share Tasha's food.However,Tasha would bark fiercely.Cody would change his strategy,dropping to his belly and moving slowly toward Tasha's dish.But this friendly behavior did not impress Tasha . The closer Cody got,the louder Tasha shouted.Finally.Cody would slip away with his tail between his legs-until next mealtime. Then Cody,ever the optimist,would replay the scene.with the same disappointing conclusion

One day my husband Jeff came home quite upset .He had just found Cody lying by the side of the road.killed by a speeding truck.Tasha cleaned Cody' s smooth black fur with her nose and mouth and whined(R).Over the next few weeks.Tasha was in low spirits with her tail between her legs.She obviously missed her old friend.

At the same time,Tasha's dish disappeared.We replaced it with another,only to have that one disappear as well.There followed a steady succession(连续）of bowls,plates,even an old coffee can.They all disappeared Finally,the mystery was solved when our neighbor knocked on our door,her arms loaded with the missing dishes,some still half-full of dog food.

＂Are these yours?"she asked.When Jeff and I nodded,she explained,"l saw Tasha headed   toward the road,so I followed her.Then I noticed all these dishes in a pile."

Puzzled,I asked,"Where were they?"

“Well,you know,"she answered thoughtfully,Fit was right by the place where Cody died. Isn't that strange?Surely Tasha couldn't..."Her voice turned down in confusion.

Jeff and I exchanged glances.Has Tasha been begging her old friend back by offering him the one thing she refused to give him when he was alive?Even today,retelling the story makes me feel sad.It raises questions about animal’s intelligence and emotions.It also reminds me that I need to share whatever blessings I've received with others---before it's too late.

1. We can learn from the passage that Tasha

A．was an outgoing white dog

B．lived in a basement apartment

C．was pot friendly to the young couple

D．was the enemy of Cody due to the yard

2. A dog often feels disappointed or sad when

A．dropping to the belly

B．barking fiercely

C．putting the tail between legs

D．cleaning fur with its mouth

3. In the author's opinion,why did Tasha move its food away?

A．Because it wanted to hide it for herself.

B．Because it wanted to hide it for Cody.

C．Because it wanted to show Cody what it had.

D．Because it wanted Cody to come back to life.

2 . I live in a small studio.I sleep in a bed that folds down from the wall.I have six dress shirts.I have 10 shallow bowls that I use for salads and main dishes.When people come over for dinner.I pull out my extendable dining room table.I don't have a single CD or DVD and I have 10 percent of the books I once did.

I have come a long way from the life I had in the late’90s,when,having made a fortune from an Internet start-up sale,I had a giant house full of stuff(物品)-electronics and cars and appliances and furniture.

Somehow this stuff ended up running my life,or a lot of it;the things I consumed ended up consuming me.My life became unnecessarily complicated.There were lawns(草坪)to mow,floors to mop,a car to insure,wash,refuel,repair and register and tech to set up and keep working.Who had I become?My house and my things were my new employers for a job I had never applied for.I started to wonder why my theoretically upgraded life didn't feel any better and why I felt more anxious than before.

For me,it took 15 years to get rid of the things I had collected and live a bigger,better,richer life with less.

I like material things as much as anyone.I studied product design in school.But my experiences show that after a certain point,material objects have a tendency to crowd out the emotional needs they are meant to support.I know the best stuff in life isn't stuff at all,and that relationships,experiences and meaningful work are the main parts of a happy life.

My latest project is to design thoughtfully constructed small homes that support our lives,not the other way around.The house 1 design contains less stuff and makes it easier for owners to live within their means and to limit their environmental footprint.My space is well-built,affordable and as functional as living spaces twice the size.I frequently have dinner parties for 12.I sleep better knowing I'm not using more resources than I need.I have less-and enjoy more.

My space is small.My life is big.

1. Why does the author use a bed that folds down from the wall?

A．To save time.

B．To save space.

C．To make the room neat.

D．To sleep comfortably.

2. How did the author feel about his things in the late'90s?

A．They were complicated.

B．They were expensive to run.

C．They were a great burden.

D．They couldn't meet the daily needs.

3. What do we know about the house the author designs?

A．It is used for dinner parties.

B．There is no stuff in the house.

C．It is larger than his studio.

D．The space is actually larger than it is.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Living Better with Less

B．Consuming Less to Save Money

C．Longing for the Good Old Days

D．Building a Comfortable Living Space

3 . One of my main concerns when I am helping people achieve their life goals is how they measure success. I see individuals getting frustrated as they ____ hard for success.

One of the main ____ that cause this frustration is that people allow their ____ of success to be determined by someone or something else. Another is that they become frustrated at their own ____ lack of success when comparing themselves with other people.

We are all individuals with individual wants, skills and experiences. We should look at our own skills to ___ what is successful to us. We should look ____ to determine what it would mean for us to be successful in our own mind rather than someone else's.

Evaluating successful people ____ looking at their own pathway to success, their ___ and their determination, and ____ those into their own experience to see how they can ____ themselves.

You must ____ your own course of action, and stay on your course. You alone must determine what success means to you and achieve your own goals not ___ else's. Do what you do to the best of your ____ and the rest will take care of itself. For example, I believe that I am ____ but I am not a millionaire! Others may not see me as a success in their eyes but that does not ___； it is how I see myself that is important to me and my life.

Here is the ____. Being a success is doing your best, not being the best. Success is not something you become-it is something you ____ being. When you get to that ____， you will experience a lot more joy and a lot less ____. And that sounds good! Remember the great quote from Napoleon Hill, "If you cannot do great things, do small things in a ___ way."

1.

A．play

B．think

C．train

D．struggle

2.

A．concerns

B．reasons

C．enquiries

D．barriers

3.

A．guarantee

B．exploration

C．definition

D．celebration

4.

A．apparent

B．adequate

C．appropriate

D．abundant

5.

A．determine

B．identify

C．qualify

D．confirm

6.

A．outward

B．inward

C．forward

D．backward

7.

A．indicates

B．deserves

C．suggests

D．involves

8.

A．action

B．authority

C．coincidence

D．cooperation

9.

A．mixing

B．classifying

C．translating

D．dividing

10.

A．support

B．recover

C．improve

D．adapt

11.

A．take

B．set

C．adjust

D．rebuild

12.

A．no one

B．everyone

C．anyone

D．someone

13.

A．discipline

B．principle

C．responsibility

D．ability

14.

A．successful

B．confident

C．optimistic

D．experienced

15.

A．succeed

B．occur

C．matter

D．work

16.

A．case

B．virtue

C．goal

D．truth

17.

A．avoid

B．continue

C．mind

D．admit

18.

A．occasion

B．point

C．direction

D．place

19.

A．sensitiveness

B．excitement

C．frustration

D．rudeness

20.

A．great

B．positive

C．cosy

D．typical

4 . When I came to the farm as a bride, the rock was there, just around the corner of the house. ''Can't we dig it out? ''I asked after I hit it at full_______with the lawn mower, _______the blade. ''No, it's always been there. '' my husband said, and his father_______. ''It goes down pretty deep, I figure. '' My father-in-law added, ''My wife's family has lived here since the Civil War. No one ever got it out. '' So it_______.

My children were born,_______and went away. My father-in-law died. Some time later, my husband died. After the _______,there was the coping, with a sharpened awareness of my_______.The spot at the southwest corner of the house was_______going to look nice. I was going to_______the rock. I assumed it would take a long day. __________, it only took me five minutes to get it out. It had been about a foot deep, and maybe six inches wider than it looked from the top.

I was__________.That rock had remained there__________living memory. Each family had a__________that the previous generation had tried to remove it but__________. Because the rock had appeared to be large and deep, it was treated as__________and strong.

I__________the rock over to the shed, still within__________of the house. It rests there, with flowers growing around it. I still see the rock every day but now as something__________in my little landscape. It's a(an)__________that each generation ought to__________things for itself.

1.

A．speed

B．height

C．length

D．width

2.

A．rubbing

B．breaking

C．circling

D．injuring

3.

A．looked

B．answered

C．heard

D．said

4.

A．changed

B．exposed

C．stayed

D．finished

5.

A．grew up

B．showed up

C．messed up

D．caught up

6.

A．regretting

B．crying

C．mourning

D．hurting

7.

A．family

B．relationship

C．future

D．surroundings

8.

A．seldom

B．always

C．never

D．often

9.

A．dig out

B．lay out

C．leave out

D．make out

10.

A．Besides

B．However

C．And

D．So

11.

A．bothered

B．shocked

C．silent

D．curious

12.

A．beyond

B．throughout

C．with

D．for

13.

A．rule

B．custom

C．faith

D．habit

14.

A．in delay

B．In vain

C．In doubt

D．In turn

15.

A．inaccessible

B．incredible

C．unavailable

D．immovable

16.

A．left

B．drew

C．knocked

D．wheeled

17.

A．reach

B．sight

C．limit

D．area

18.

A．shallow

B．extra

C．small

D．good

19.

A．assistant

B．mirror

C．reminder

D．obstacle

20.

A．discover

B．rid

C．remove

D．achieve

5 . God's Coffee

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, decided to visit their old university professor. They_______ to walk to the house and on getting into the door, they began chatting with their former professor. _______, conversation soon turned into_______about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and_______ with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups-porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some _______ looking, some expensive, some exquisite-telling them to help themselves to the _______.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, ''If you _______ ， all the nice looking expensive cups were _______, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the _______of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no________ to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and, in some cases, even ________what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you________went for the best cups…And then you began________ each other's cups. ''

Now take this into________: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not________, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by________only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us. '' So, it is vital for us to learn the importance of ''coffee'' ________ the wonderful ''cups'', as it may disturb our________.

God brews the coffee, not the cups. Enjoy your coffee! ''The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. '' Live simply. Love generously. Care________. Speaking kindly. With all of these things in your mind, you can just leave the________ to God.

1.

A．got through

B．got together

C．got up

D．got around

2.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Then

D．But

3.

A．complaints

B．apologies

C．discussions

D．views

4.

A．brought

B．carried

C．returned

D．came

5.

A．artificial

B．simple

C．affordable

D．plain

6.

A．coffee

B．tea

C．juice

D．food

7.

A．got

B．knew

C．noticed

D．found

8.

A．pulled up

B．picked up

C．taken up

D．put up

9.

A．content

B．resource

C．source

D．supply

10.

A．dimension

B．equipment

C．pleasure

D．quality

11.

A．fades

B．hides

C．misses

D．abandons

12.

A．consciously

B．confidentially

C．immediately

D．preferably

13.

A．glaring

B．eyeing

C．glancing

D．regretting

14.

A．thought

B．considering

C．mind

D．account

15.

A．define

B．ruin

C．anticipate

D．deduce

16.

A．looking

B．concentrating

C．going

D．basing

17.

A．in reference to

B．instead of

C．regardless of

D．in spite of

18.

A．version

B．eyesight

C．vision

D．insight

19.

A．timely

B．broadly

C．wonderfully

D．deeply

20.

A．coffee

B．cup

C．fantasy

D．rest

6 . 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。

Returning to a book you’ve read many times can feel like drinks with an old friend. But books don’t change, people do. And that’s     1     makes the act of rereading so rich and transformative. The     2     (beautiful) of rereading lies in the idea that our bond with the work is based on our present mental register. It’s about the now and what     3     (contribute) to the now, because reading is a give and take between author and reader. There are three books I reread     4     (annual). The first, which I take to reading every spring is Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast.     5     (Publish) in 1964, it’s his classic memoir of 1920s Paris. The language is almost intoxicating (令人陶醉的), an aging writer looking back on     6     ambitious yet simpler time. Another is Annie Dillard’s Holy the Firm. The     7    (three) book is Julio Cortazar’s Save Twilight.   While I tend to buy a lot of books, these three were given to me as gifts,     8     might add to the meaning I attach to them. But I imagine that rereading an author’s work is the highest currency a reader can pay them. The best books are the ones that open    9    (far) as time passes. But remember, it’s you that has     10    (grow) and read and reread in order to better understand your friends.

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。

While happiness is defined by the individual, I’ve always felt     1     (it) foolish to declare that nothing can be learned from     2     (observe) the happiness of others. There are many studies that aim at finding the right behavior leading to a happier life.

Having a few close relationships keeps people happier, and also     3     (help) us live longer with a higher quality of life. National     4     (survey) find that 60% of people who claim to have 5 or more friends with     5     they can discuss important problems are more likely     6     (say) that they are very happy.

A variety of research suggests that self-esteem attached     7     external success can be quite changeable. Trying your happiness to external events can also lead to behavior which avoids failure as a     8     (defend) measure.

Body image improves when you exercise. It also helps our body release endorphins (内啡肽), which can make us feel happy. Also, the release of endorphins has an addictive effect, and more exercise     9     (need) to achieve the same level of joy over time.

    10     (true) happy people are very mindful of spending money on physical items. They instead choose to spend much of their money on experiences. In fact, a variety of research shows that most are far happier when buying experiences than buying material goods.

If you want to be a happier person, follow the tips given above. It’s very likely that you’ll become much happier.

8 . 阅读下列材料，在空白处填人1个适当的单词或用括号内单词的正确形式。

I was excited to take my rescue Beagle（比格犬）to the river the other day, as it's within walking distance of our new home.     1    (spend)her first three years in a cage, Georgie had never seen a body of water, and I wanted to get there before sunset to watch her experience it.

I was growing     2    (increasing)impatient about all the stops her little Beagle nose required. She inspected the grass, dirt, and trees, and licked whatever    3    (stick)to the road. These were all new    4    (discover) for her, and she took her time studying them.

When I accepted that it was fruitless to hurry her along, I whipped out my cell phone and began texting. I thought that I needed something to do while Georgie was slowing us down. Then,     5    some reason, I heard the cicadas （蝉），and I remembered that the sound of cicadas is my favorite sound in the world. That awakened something    6    (bury)within me that longed for the simple pleasures    7    had been replaced by technology.

I made a    8    (consciousness)decision to be present, and to enjoy the journey to the river Just like Georgie. Now, I admired the flowers and the winding ivy（常青藤）on our path. I smelled the grass and the flowers, and the dirt and the air. I treasured each one equally, as if discovering them for the first time.

As we neared our destination, 1 realized something even    9    （much）important: It didn’t matter if we even reached the river, Why must there always be a destination? Georgie had no idea that we had a destination. She was present for the journey, and she completely enjoyed every bit of that sweet experience. There was no race    10     no finish line.

Now I’m not sure who rescued whom.

9 . When I was seven years old, one morning, my elder brother told me , “You’re not____ , so you have to try harder. OK?”Then he told me to wear my schoolbag on my right shoulder ____ both ones and said, “That looks better.”

I stayed smiling because even at a young age, I understood the importance of pretending not to have _____But what he said really made me ____.Soon thereafter, I started focusing on the signs people receive when they aren’t ____This was made harder ____I had a lot of friend and people who liked me. I was good at ___ and I had won many medals in sports meetings. I had various musical talents. I was also a fighter so people didn’t dare to make fun of me ____.

Mostly, I paid for not being attractive by being ____ or not included in “moments”--- the many moments attractive people ____. Many times, I walked into a room with all of my friends and witnessed them receiving compliments-everyone except me.

But my ____ hasn’t stopped me from living the other side’s life. Most people facing the same problem never figure out how to ____ this world we live in. I will just tell you I _____ the rules of the beautiful, and learned how to make them work for me.

I decided I would _____my social circle. I made friends and dated people I shouldn’t be allowed to date. I surrounded myself with individuals who are more educated, prettier or smarter than me. I may not technically be the smartest or most beautiful person, but I run with those who are. Live the life you want to live----- even if you don’t have the genetic ____.

1.

A．humorous

B．honest

C．friendly

D．pretty

2.

A．except for

B．apart from

C．instead of

D．along with

3.

A．knowledge

B．emotions

C．skills

D．patience

4.

A．disappointed

B．shocked

C．worried

D．nervous

5.

A．positive

B．energetic

C．attractive

D．confident

6.

A．though

B．because

C．if

D．unless

7.

A．sports

B．singing

C．dancing

D．painting

8.

A．regularly

B．frequently

C．openly

D．secretly

9.

A．cheated

B．praised

C．refused

D．ignored

10.

A．experience

B．create

C．understand

D．need

11.

A．disability

B．appearance

C．illness

D．shortcoming

12.

A．operate

B．rule

C．manage

D．leave

13.

A．maintained

B．discovered

C．broke

D．built

14.

A．expand

B．keep

C．fix

D．improve

15.

A．talents

B．chances

C．goals

D．advantages

10 . When I was in elementary school, I entered an Easter card design contest. The_______ was supposed to get 200 dollars as a reward and his or her design would be made into an actual Easter_______. I was so _______ that I didn't even realize I never got the dollars _______to me by the game organizer or _______ my card in stores. It was _______ but I was just happy to have won such a contest, my first one in effect. _______, I really enjoyed making the card, so_______ weren't that important. I realize that playing to win will always leave me feeling empty. Life is a lot more_______ if we play games for fun rather than victory.

Later on, I entered another contest. All I had to do was color a picture. This was what I loved to do: display my __________ in something others could enjoy. Luck __________ me, and I managed to win once more. When I saw the prize, a pair of paper glasses, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. __________, if I were to find those same glasses now, I would think they counted for nothing.

Then, I started to enter contests with no prize, such as the lottery. I no longer minded__________ because the event itself was meaningful. The key to happiness is to put less thought into the__________ but more focus on making the journey unforgettable.

       In most of my experiences, the results didn't__________ my expectations because I idealized them. I just need to remember what my earliest contests have__________ me. Now my goal is to enter college, but I am not striving for good grades so that I can gain __________. Education is about learning, not just a necessary __________ to the next stage in my life. I'm studying hard __________ I' m eager to learn, and the__________ follow. I'll do my best to make college worth the struggle it requires.

1.

A．supporter

B．participant

C．winner

D．sponsor

2.

A．image

B．setting

C．place

D．card

3.

A．grace

B．excited

C．cautious

D．exhausted

4.

A．promised

B．returned

C．appointed

D．allocated

5.

A．introduced

B．modified

C．anticipated

D．saw

6.

A．disappointing

B．interesting

C．demanding

D．surprising

7.

A．In contrast

B．In addition

C．In short

D．In theory

8.

A．achievements

B．failures

C．attitudes

D．prizes

9.

A．enjoyable

B．serious

C．consistent

D．flexible

10.

A．appearance

B．emotion

C．information

D．creativity

11.

A．smiled on

B．sent for

C．towered over

D．toyed with

12.

A．Otherwise

B．Therefore

C．However

D．Besides

13.

A．interfering

B．losing

C．adjusting

D．wearing

14.

A．entertainment

B．appreciation

C．participation

D．destination

15.

A．make up for

B．live up to

C．catch up on

D．fall short of

16.

A．failed

B．interrupted

C．taught

D．persuaded

17.

A．expectation

B．convenience

C．admission

D．conscience

18.

A．alternative

B．barrier

C．threat

D．means

19.

A．unless

B．because

C．though

D．once

20.

A．grades

B．awards

C．ranks

D．scholarships