1 . After the age of sixteen, as has been discovered, the number of our brain cells begins to decrease at a speed of several million a year. They simply die off. In certain types of activity, the human brain is at its highest point in the early twenties, when it has collected enough information to be able to use the vast number of cells freely in the most effective way. Pure mathematics is one of the fields in which this happens, and we know that Albert Einstein made all his world-shaking discoveries between the age of about 20 and 25, and spent the rest of his life tidying them up and arranging them.

But in certain other types of activity (of which being an author is perhaps one), experience is more important than sharpness of brain, and there one usually finds that a person reaches his or her climax much later in life.

Besides sharpness of brain and experience, here is another thing that is very important, and that is wisdom. One can have a very quick, inventive brain and plenty of experience, but if one uses these foolishly, one harms both oneself and others. Wisdom does not always come with age — there are plenty of foolish middle-aged people about — but the average person tends to learn wisdom as he gets older, usually by making painful or embarrassing mistakes. Learning to be wise is basically learning what is not possible and what is possible but so difficult that it is not worth all the trouble one has to go through to get there. Mostly, it is learning about human nature; how real people behave and react, as against how one would like them to behave and react. One can read and hear lot of idealistic stuff about how to make the world a better place, which would be found if it was based on an accurate observation of human nature, but which is basically a waste of time because it is not.

1. According to the writer, the great discoveries made by Albert Einstein were mainly a result in      .

A．sharpness of the brain	B．years of hard work
C．rich experience	D．his deep understanding of nature

2. Some people achieve success much later in life because_____.

A．they have to learn lessons from failures

B．they do not have a chance to show their talents

C．their work often requires much experience

D．they fail to realize earlier the importance of hard work

3. The importance of wisdom lies in the fact that      .

A．it helps to avoid various mistakes

B．it contributes to one’s creativity

C．it provides the right direction of efforts

D．it encourages one to go forward in face of difficulty

4. The writer came to believe that      .

A．it is always a waste of time to make plans about the future

B．one has to use wisdom in deciding what is the best thing to do

C．one should always challenge the impossible to push the society forward

D．it is human nature to make attempts on what looks impossible

2 . My daughter loved dance, until she didn’t. After a(n) ________ first year, I noticed her interest disappearing week by week. Then, one day, she slowly ________ to me before class and asked if she could just drop it.

My first reaction was to ________ her to “finish what you start”. After all, sticking with something difficult can teach determination, discipline and ________. But watching my first-grader drag (勉强) herself into each ballet position, I started to ________ how much that “blanket advice” meant. Is it really in my kid’s best interest, or even practical, to make her stick to every promise through until she reaches a bitter ________? What if there are different but ________ valuable qualities, which can be gained by giving up the things that are not right for her?

With the winter show coming near, I realized she needed to either drop her class or devote herself to it. After a few days’________, she decided dance wasn’t for her — a(n)________ I supported. Quitting is never a black-and-white problem. Sometimes, it means ________ a barrier in your way to love something else. In my daughter’s case, ending dance made space for her new ________, such as horseback riding and Girl Scouts. She’s into them for now, but it is okay if that still changes.

As adults, we are used to ________ the power of saying yes, but what about saying no? The ability to recognize when something isn’t a(n) ________ investment(投资) of our time or energy is also important. As my daughter gets older, I want her to feel confident to ________ something that’s no longer meeting her needs. She shouldn’t be held back by the thought that she must ________ something at any cost simply because she has started.

1.

A．annoying

B．independent

C．enthusiastic

D．confusing

2.

A．ran

B．jumped

C．climbed

D．walked

3.

A．advise

B．invite

C．allow

D．order

4.

A．worry

B．confidence

C．fright

D．kindness

5.

A．answer

B．question

C．agree

D．accept

6.

A．end

B．space

C．side

D．direction

7.

A．partly

B．hardly

C．equally

D．obviously

8.

A．description

B．consideration

C．observation

D．imagination

9.

A．challenge

B．chance

C．choice

D．failure

10.

A．setting

B．forgetting

C．building

D．clearing

11.

A．ideas

B．camps

C．courses

D．hobbies

12.

A．warning

B．doubting

C．stressing

D．ignoring

13.

A．suitable

B．unfair

C．extra

D．informal

14.

A．hold

B．quit

C．value

D．accept

15.

A．spare

B．change

C．admit

D．finish

3 . Looking at a pile of old photos, I couldn’t help feeling rather regretful.

I’ve never got into the habit of sorting out photos. However, it’s almost a habit of mine to have photos taken thoughtlessly. Thus, photos have been piling up in my childhood to womanhood. In spite of that, those black-and-white pictures taken in my early years are rarely kept, except a few survivals regarded as antiques. The bald baby picture of me that I treasured, the only one left, it’s now missing.

Familiar faces flash one by one before my eyes. Though the world is so small and we all live in it, yet we are separated by physical and psychological distances, some smaller, some larger. With the passage of time, one cannot, regretfully relive (重温) it with the same feeling as one had in the picture. What one can get from the old photos is but a bit of the past joy.

One takes pictures with different persons in different time and places. They fill one with nostalgia (怀旧) in various degrees — some more, some less, and others none. That’s why one has conflicting feelings towards the old photos. Still kept with the current ones, they’re even less favored than a daily-used cup, which is always close to the owner.

How these pieces of thought influence me! Photos keep our images rather than our sentiment, which may not remain. The image is always there but not its owner, whom the photo can’t keep, neither can it keep the event.

Of course, there are some of the photos still holding my affection, such as those taken with my family members, with favorite playmates, fellow girl-students and best friends, not only in pictures but also in my life and heart.

Now, since I have learned all this, I will not allow myself to be included casually in a photo taken with others. I’ll make sure that the friendship can last before I take a photo with somebody.

1. Why did the writer have only a few black-and-white pictures?

A．She took fewer of them.	B．She took photos thoughtlessly.
C．She didn’t take good care of them.	D．She only liked the bald baby picture.

2. What can we get from the old photos according to the writer?

A．All the past events.	B．All the past excitement.
C．Some past happiness.	D．The everlasting memory.

3. What does the underlined word “sentiment” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Feeling.

B．Thought.

C．Look.

D．Influence.

4. What is the writer likely to do when asked to take photos with others?

A．To take the photo happily.	B．To refuse the request politely.
C．To ignore the request casually.	D．To think carefully before action.

4 . Last year, I visited Patchings Art Centre to view the winning entries of a competition. After that, I remembered a rather _________ story.

Some years ago I _________ a local art competition, the Stafford Open. As a famous local artist, I was _________ confident of selection, which was a silly assumption, as I soon _________.

My painting, a scene _________ life in the 1950s, was large and only just _________ my car. It took me great efforts to paint and deliver it. I paid the _________ fee and checked it in at reception then, a day or two later, I received a letter informing that my entry hadn’t _________ it through. I collected the painting and brought it home, _________.

I went to view the exhibition when it opened and was __________ with the usual mix of competent __________ largely uninspiring landscapes and still lives, __________ one exhibit, that stood out from the crowd. What was it? __________ an A3 canvas board painted completely black except for a small white spot, just off centre. Needless to say, the local __________ pounced on (争相报道) it but then the ‘artist’ came forward and __________ that it had been entered as a joke, and that he wasn’t an artist. This was much to the __________ of the selection committee, who made a good __________ to justify their choice to the press. But it was too late by then, as all __________ was lost.

However, there was nothing like that here, at Patchings and I was delighted to have won an award for the second year running with the same painting that had been __________. So, here comes to my __________ that don’t worry too much about losing, your time will come if you keep on trying.

1.

A．funny

B．upset

C．strange

D．familiar

2.

A．held

B．judged

C．promoted

D．entered

3.

A．slightly

B．exactly

C．reasonably

D．blindly

4.

A．expected

B．learned

C．suggested

D．concluded

5.

A．improving

B．changing

C．describing

D．experiencing

6.

A．looked into

B．fitted into

C．come into

D．broke into

7.

A．submission

B．invitation

C．packing

D．delivery

8.

A．put

B．taken

C．made

D．pulled

9.

A．stressed

B．frightened

C．disturbed

D．disappointed

10.

A．treated

B．greeted

C．equipped

D．charged

11.

A．and

B．but

C．or

D．so

12.

A．instead of

B．due to

C．apart from

D．along with

13.

A．Guess

B．Imagine

C．Suppose

D．Remember

14.

A．press

B．government

C．gallery

D．school

15.

A．decided

B．argued

C．realized

D．admitted

16.

A．excitement

B．statement

C．amusement

D．embarrassment

17.

A．attempt

B．choice

C．research

D．difference

18.

A．preference

B．evidence

C．credibility

D．responsibility

19.

A．rejected

B．selected

C．bought

D．inspected

20.

A．reason

B．option

C．solution

D．suggestion

5 . I was once in an unusual sociology (社会学) class at Brandeis. Each week we studied the _______ we interacted with one another, and how we _______ to anger, envy, attention. We were human lab rats. More often, someone _______ crying. I referred to it as the “touchy－feely” course. Mr. Brown said I should be more _______.

One day, Mr. Brown said he had an _______ for us to try. We were to stand，facing away from our classmates and _______ backward, relying on another student to _______ us. Most of us were _______ with this, and we couldn’t let go for more than a few inches _______ stopping ourselves. We laughed in ________.

Finally, a thin, quiet girl, whom I noticed almost always wear the same clothes, crossed her arms over her chest, ________ her eyes and leaned back, just like one of those Lipton tea ads ________ the model dived into the pool.

For a moment, I was ________ she was going to fall on the floor. At the ________ moment, her partner held her head and ________ and pulled her up.

“Whoa！” several students yelled. Some ________.

Mr. Brown finally smiled.

“You see，” he said to the girl，“you closed your eyes. That was the ________. Sometimes you cannot believe what you see，you have to believe what you ________. And if you’re ever going to have other people ________ you, you must feel that you can trust them, ________， even where you’re in the dark, even when you’re falling. ”

1.

A．behaviour

B．ways

C．courses

D．relationship

2.

A．responded

B．objected

C．stuck

D．referred

3.

A．went on

B．gave up

C．put off

D．ended up

4.

A．skillful

B．honest

C．open－minded

D．energetic

5.

A．arrangement

B．order

C．introduction

D．exercise

6.

A．jumped

B．moved

C．fell

D．ran

7.

A．catch

B．pull

C．control

D．support

8.

A．dissatisfied

B．uncomfortable

C．pleased

D．familiar

9.

A．before

B．after

C．while

D．until

10.

A．surprise

B．excitement

C．delight

D．embarrassment

11.

A．fixed

B．opened

C．closed

D．touched

12.

A．every time

B．as though

C．when

D．where

13.

A．sorry

B．shocked

C．sure

D．puzzled

14.

A．unusual

B．crazy

C．exciting

D．last

15.

A．shoulders

B．attention

C．legs

D．chance

16.

A．wept

B．clapped

C．laughed

D．sighed

17.

A．success

B．difference

C．result

D．requirement

18.

A．feel

B．notice

C．hold

D．meet

19.

A．stand by

B．rely on

C．believe in

D．call for

20.

A．however

B．too

C．though

D．therefore

6 . When I first came to Rochester from Austin, Texas — a place where fall is practically non-existent — I was excited for a real northern fall. But, I wasn’t _________ it to feel like Christmas in October.

Regardless of this _________, and the adjustment period that I’m not entirely sure I’m _________, I am thankful to be somewhere that has a _________ fall. By “real” I _________ a distinctive season, a(n) _________ in the weather and a visual changing of the world around me. The leaves _________ colors, it rains more often, the air is almost always _________ and dry, and a light breeze _________ me to walk a bit faster to get inside. Yes, it is more difficult to be __________ outside in a Rochester fall — where it isn’t just “less hot” but __________, fairly cold. But, I would argue that time spent outside in this season could be more __________ than in the summer.

Everyone __________ that fall is about change — I won’t argue against that. Things do __________ in the fall — the weather is __________ becoming worse and worse, the dying leaves become warmly colored, and __________ you know it, we’ll be back to having only eight hours of sunlight a day.

This oncoming change is why I think it is so important to __________ fall. Fall is not just about the __________ of change, but also appreciating what will soon be __________. Go __________ this fall. Enjoy the leaves not because they are turning beautiful deep shades of orange and red, but because there will soon be no leaves in those branches at all.

1.

A．interested in

B．exposed to

C．ashamed of

D．prepared for

2.

A．accident

B．possibility

C．shock

D．motivation

3.

A．beyond

B．against

C．for

D．after

4.

A．rare

B．real

C．hard

D．strange

5.

A．take in

B．pick up

C．call back

D．refer to

6.

A．shift

B．conclusion

C．improvement

D．experience

7.

A．spoil

B．keep

C．turn

D．avoid

8.

A．cold

B．warm

C．hot

D．cozy

9.

A．prevents

B．expects

C．urges

D．suspects

10.

A．grateful

B．creative

C．considerate

D．comfortable

11.

A．luckily

B．actually

C．helpfully

D．instantly

12.

A．terrible

B．casual

C．unpleasant

D．valuable

13.

A．questions

B．emphasizes

C．recalls

D．analyzes

14.

A．relax

B．change

C．harvest

D．rest

15.

A．steadily

B．hardly

C．helpfully

D．narrowly

16.

A．if

B．since

C．as

D．before

17.

A．control

B．describe

C．appreciate

D．hide

18.

A．process

B．disadvantages

C．fear

D．result

19.

A．disappointing

B．puzzling

C．gone

D．broken

20.

A．inside

B．forward

C．backward

D．outside

7 . 假如英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，涉及单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号∧，并在此符号下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线＼划掉。
修改：在错词下面划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1、每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2、只允许修改10处，多者从第11处不计分。

The old saying “The early bird catches the worm.” show us the importance of planning, working hard and trying constantly. To achieve outstanding results, the most people must plan ahead and work hard to overcome all kind of difficulties.

That has been my own experience, either. When I first started at high school, I seldom passed my exam, so I never prepared well. Later, my teacher, Mr. Black, advised me plan everything in advance. She asked me to study hard as well. After a year of put his advice into practice, I can now easy pass all my exams.

There are no direct roads to succeed.

8 . Give yourself a test. Which way is the wind blowing? How many kinds of wildflowers can be seen from your front door? If your awareness is as sharp as it could be, you’ll have no trouble answering these questions.

Most of us observed much more as children than we do as adults. A child’s day is filled with fascination, newness and wonder. Curiosity gave us all a natural awareness. But distinctions that were sharp to us as children become unclear; we are numb to new stimulation, new ideas. Relearning the art of seeing the world around us is quite simple, although it takes practice and requires breaking some bad habits.

The first step in awakening senses is to stop predicting what we are going to see and feel before it occurs. This blocks awareness. One chilly night when I was hiking in the Rocky Mountains with some students, I mentioned that we were going to cross a mountain stream. The students began complaining about how cold it would be. We reached the stream, and they unwillingly walked ahead. They were almost knee-deep when they realized it was a hot spring. Later they all admitted they’d felt cold water at first.

Another block to awareness is the obsession (痴迷) many of us have with naming things. I saw bird watchers who spotted a bird, immediately looked it up in field guides, and said, a “ruby-crowned kinglet” and checked it off. They no longer paid attention to the bird and never learned what it was doing.

The pressures of “time” and “destination” are further blocks to awareness. I encountered many hikers who were headed to a distant camp-ground with just enough time to get there before dark. It seldom occurred to them to wander a bit, to take a moment to see what’s around them. I asked them what they’d seen. “Oh, a few birds,” they said. They seemed bent on their destinations.

Nature seems to unfold to people who watch and wait. Next time you take a walk, no matter where it is, take in all the sights, sounds and sensations. Wander in this frame of mind and you will open a new dimension to your life.

1. According to Paragraph 2, compared with adults, children are more ________.

A．anxious to do wonders	B．sensitive to others’ feelings
C．likely to develop unpleasant habits	D．eager to explore the world around them

2. What idea does the author convey in Paragraph 3?

A．To avoid jumping to conclusions.	B．To stop complaining all the time.
C．To follow the teacher’s advice.	D．To admit mistakes honestly.

3. Why do the hikers take no notice of the surroundings during the journey?

A．The natural beauty isn’t attractive to them.

B．They focus on arriving at the camp in time.

C．The forest in the dark is dangerous for them.

D．They are keen to see rare birds at the destination.

4. In the passage, the author intends to tell us we should ________.

A．fill our senses to feel the wonders of the world

B．get rid of some bad habits in our daily life

C．open our mind to new things and ideas

D．try our best to protect nature

9 . 假定英语课上老师要求同学之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，要求你在错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（/\），并在该句下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

I will share one experience with you. With the college Entrance Examination draw near, I was filled with great anxiety. However, I couldn’t be absorbed in study, resulting from my failing in the examination. I got very discouraging. Just then, my teacher, Miss Zhang, approach me and said, “In life we all have moment when we can’t achieve what we want it. It is natural. Don’t allow those moments to weaken you, and turn them into motivation to inspire yourself.” Her words were a reminder that provided me with constant encouragement to smile at life. Consequently, I gained that I deserved.

So it is an optimistic attitude which matters most of all. It gives you the confidence to deal with difficulties and to achieve what you want in your life.

10 . God wants you to be happy. It’s a simple idea, but a complicated reality.

When traveling to Rwanda to find out the_______of a new orphanage(孤儿院), I found children who had been injured physically and_______from their families. But I also found something_______: children who seemed to be truly happy. No they_______had shed(流)many tears, _______most of them were not sad or angry. They played, sang, and_______the company of their fellow orphans.

I also met Fred Nkunda, a Ugandan man who was_______with joy despite his poverty, and long hours of working for a small salary. A few years later, he_______cancer, but while he lived, he wore a big_______as he selflessly gave himself to others. The same was true for a young Canadian couple who________ their lives to the mission work(布道).

When I came home, I noticed a sharp________. Most Americans lacked the________that those Rwandan children and mission workers owned. Despite great wealth, modern conveniences and other endless material blessings, people here were ________to each other, exhibited impatience, and expressed their________. How could this be?

Somewhere along the way, many of us in America have________ something. We have________experience happiness—real happiness that comes from within and flows to others. And it’s not just missing in “the world”. It’s in short________in our homes, businesses, and churches.

________is actually a personal character. We understand the________of love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But happiness? It is________ignored or considered as unachievable in this life.

1.

A．secrets

B．directions

C．situations

D．choices

2.

A．learned

B．separated

C．protected

D．judged

3.

A．unchallenged

B．unconcerned

C．uncivilized

D．unexpected

4.

A．doubt

B．matter

C．wonder

D．way

5.

A．or

B．for

C．but

D．so

6.

A．ignored

B．enjoyed

C．forgot

D．sought

7.

A．impressed

B．concerned

C．blessed

D．filled

8.

A．called for

B．suffered from

C．worried about

D．escaped from

9.

A．smile

B．sign

C．watch

D．ring

10.

A．reduced

B．donated

C．devoted

D．returned

11.

A．difference

B．disagreement

C．similarity

D．agreement

12.

A．fortune

B．talent

C．courage

D．joy

13.

A．honest

B．cold

C．close

D．sincere

14.

A．independence

B．appreciation

C．discontent

D．uncertainty

15.

A．lost

B．created

C．learned

D．achieved

16.

A．managed to

B．struggled to

C．hurried to

D．failed to

17.

A．supply

B．education

C．pride

D．interest

18.

A．Kindness

B．Failure

C．Happiness

D．Regret

19.

A．result

B．necessity

C．existence

D．source

20.

A．hardly

B．purposely

C．partly

D．easily