1 . A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather was explaining his favorite expression, “Nothing is ever easy.” The following day, as I tried to complete my day’s work, I happened to notice a bumble-bee on the skylight (天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought removing the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had changed was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from looking up into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so tiny, but by doing so, I understood what my grandfather meant.

It is not only time that we tend to underestimate we don’t account for unexpected costs. We often imagine what can work in our favor, but we seldom think of all the negative things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as planned, and that is completely normal. It is perfectly acceptable to feel challenged even at a task you thought was simple because that is part of life.

If you can accept that nothing will ever be easy, then 1ife might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to take. In high school, I thought college might be easier because I could have a schedule best suited for myself. Yet each time, I was both wrong and disappointed. After accepting that school wouldn’t be easy, I found myself with a more positive attitude and improved results.

Of course, there should be preparations made to account for expenses or time. Doing so can only help you accomplish your goals in a better way. However, there is no need to beat ourselves up (过分自责)when something stands in our path. Maybe we cannot see a bee coming our way, but we can always give ourselves the extra time to catch it.

1. Why did the author mention his experience of removing a bee?

A．To share something unforgettable with us.

B．To lead us to what the author learned from of it.

C．To show the unexpected costs it caused.

D．To tell us how easy it is to waste our time.

2. Why do things often turn out to be different from what we expect?

A．We often don’t take time seriously.

B．We tend not to have enough money.

C．Unexpected things can happen.

D．It is easy to feel challenged.

3. Why did the author mention the “bee” again in the end?

A．To show how annoying it is.

B．To tell us we need to catch it.

C．To link back to the beginning.

D．To use it as a representative of luck.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing this article?

A．To encourage people to make greater efforts.

B．To explain how to make preparations.

C．To tell us what to do when something gets in our way.

D．To persuade us not to expect things to be easy.

2 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写词数应为150左右。

“The mall? Really, Mom?” 13-year-old Michelle asks her mother as her sister Nicole, three, looks on. “Absolutely.” Patty smiles. “You girls deserve some fun, and I need to get out of the house.” With dialysis (透析) treatments every five hours, Patty rarely ventures (冒险) from her Raymond, New Hampshire, home. She’s also been waiting four years to receive a call—the call that would call her for the double organ transplant (移植) she so desperately needs to live—the call that could come at any time. “There,” Patty smiles. “Let’s go have an adventure!”

Before leaving, Patty phones her firefighter husband Gary. But there’s no answer. Patty and her children arrive at the mall. “Whoa!” Patty laughs, forgetting in the excitement to call Gary.

At 3:05 Gary returns to the fire house. Just as he’s about to phone home to check on Patty, the phone is ringing! “We’ve got a match!” Patty’s doctor says. “But she’s got to Charlotte, North Carolina, by midnight.” Gary’s heart beats fast as he calls home. “Why doesn’t she answer?” Gary dials again and again.

Gary worries at the fire station. He’s booked four tickets on both of the two flights to North Carolina, a 6 pm from nearby Manchester or a 7:25 pm from Boston. Where are you Patty? With still no answer, Gary hangs up and dials the police department. He and his firefighter colleagues phone local stores and malls.

Now as Patty and her daughters go shopping, the mall loudspeakers are making an announcement. But in the crowded mall, Patty doesn’t hear it.

At 5:45 Gary realizes it’s too late to make the Manchester flight. And if he doesn’t find Patty soon, they won’t make the Boston flight either. Patty still hasn’t returned at 6:40. “Come home, Patty!” he begs, looking at the driveway. 7:00. It’s too late! Gary panics. Suddenly, he hears the sound of a car! “Patty!” he cries. Spotting her car pulling into the driveway, he calls the fire department. “Get that helicopter here!” he shouts. “She’s home!”

Paragraph 1:

Patty spots Gary racing toward her, a nervous look on his face and suitcases in his hands!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

At 7:37 the plane takes off.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . The idea that having narrow local focus leaves little room for anything but a selfish mindset is a misconception, according to a new study that found that concern for local affairs could help with global environmental conservation.

You might have heard of NIMBY which means “not in my back yard” and describes an individual or group opposed to a new addition to the neighborhood, typically a factory, roadway or power station. Nimbyism and parochialism(眼界狭小), which is a focus on a local area,   can go hand in hand, and there are concerns that parochialism paves the way for prejudice, narrowmindedness, and selfishness.

But researchers found the exact opposite to be true in a new study published. The researchers argue that positive parochialism can inspire a larger awareness of global environmental problems and encourage people to action.

“We did not find evidence that parochialism was necessarily negative and inward -looking,” said Patrick, a researcher for the study. “It can be those things, but there's no necessary conflict between feeling connected to your local area and feeling connected to the wider world. ”

For the study, the researchers reviewed documents from the 1987 Parish Maps project. The researchers showed how the Parish Maps project also demonstrated a passion for the environment and conservation. The researchers say that the Parish Maps project is a strong example of “positive parochialism”, and shows that thinking locally can influence a global mindset.

“For a long time,   it has been generally agreed that if we want people to think about global affairs they need an international worldview-but this may not be the case,” said Patrick. “Given where we are now in terms of trying to encourage people to make changes to help the environment, positive parochialism offers something that has been overlooked.”

1. Which behavior can best illustrate NIMBY?

A．Criticizing a friend for his selfish action.

B．Accepting a proposal beneficial to locals.

C．Supporting a neighborhood construction plan.

D．Objecting to building an airport in the neighborhood.

2. Why does the author mention the Parish Maps project?

A．To explain how to protect the environment.

B．To offer an example of positive parochialism.

C．To encourage people to take part in the project.

D．To stress the importance of global mindset.

3. How does Patrick feel about “positive parochialism phenomenon”?

A．Appreciative.

B．Cautious.

C．Negative.

D．Puzzled.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．Parochialism, a better practice?

B．International view, more popular?

C．Thinking locally, acting globally

D．Bigger thinking, better environment

4 . 阅读下面短文,根据所给情节进行续写,使之构成一个完整的故事。

I went up to the roof for a break after studying for an hour and watched the 50 or so people swimming in the natural rock pool below our house. It was a sunny day--a blue, cloudless sky over a calm sea. But then, as I looked in the distance, I discovered three or four big waves heading towards the shore. I'd seen these mini-tsunamis(海啸) many times before. They were heading at speed in the direction of the pool. Most people knew how to look out for them, but from the screams that started coming from the beach, I could tell someone was in trouble.

Without thinking, I ran down into the street, holding my body board(俯伏冲浪板) on the way and shouted at a stranger to go inside my house and call the coastguard. My neighbor Moises had heard the screaming as well and was also outside with his body board, so together we rushed to the steps that led down to the sea.

Once we got closer, we discovered the waves had pulled a boy and a girl from the pool and into the open sea. I knew that the nearest boat would take at least 30 minutes to reach us. Waiting for help wasn't a choice. I wasn't used to this sort of emergency--I’d never been trained as a lifeguard-but I didn't think twice about trying to save them. I supposed in a way I wanted to impress everyone: at 19, a deal like that can seem like a good opportunity to show off.

Moises and I dived into the water and it took us 10 minutes to get to them. When we finally reached them, they were almost lifeless with only their heads coming in and out of the water. We could tell they were still alive from their small breaths but it was clear they wouldn't have been able to stay there much longer. I held the boy and pulled him over my board. Moises moved the girl onto his board. We discussed pushing them back to the shore, but we were too far out.

注意：
1.所续写的短文词数应为150左右；
2.续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语已为你写好；
Paragraph 1:

We had to wait.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

That night, word came from the hospital that the two people were in good condition.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . 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

6 . A decade ago, colored lights danced around the living room on New Year’s Eve and happy music was played. Upstairs, the children were asleep. But I wasn’t feeling happy. In mid-December, my husband and I had been informed that he had cancer and that he was going to die. He had less than a year left, the doctors said.

In the years since that painful season, I have come to look back upon New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve brings a halt to the endless commitments that fill our daily lives and a chance to reflect. New Year’s Eve is full of possibility and anticipation. What will be the surprising experiences and delightful successes in the coming year? But also, what disappointments are waiting for us in the next twelve months?

In many ways, New Year’s Eve and the days that surround it are a line between past and future. That line is made up of a series of moments of transition (过渡) that take us out of the old and into the new. Transition can be challenging for many of us. It’s about letting go of the familiar and diving headlong (迅猛地) into the unfamiliar.

Just as, back then, I had to face letting go of the life I had led with my beloved husband and stepping into a new world as a widowed mom, I find that each year I have to step out of the version of me that suited the year that is ending and ease into the version of me who will rise to the goals I am holding for myself for the year ahead.

Last year at this time, I sat in a chair in southern France and drank in the stillness (沉静) and beauty of the countryside around me. The three children I had brought into this world talked and laughed around the table beside me as we enjoyed a lunch of bread and cheese.

I was filled with a sense of joy and I had a glowing (热情洋溢的) heart that was full of hope. It was another ending and another beginning. May we all transition into the best of what lies ahead. May we all find happiness in this holiday season.

1. What causes author’s unhappiness on New Year’s Eve a decade ago?

A．The pressure she faced in her work.

B．The health problem her husband faced.

C．The information received from her family.

D．The relationship between her and her husband.

2. What does the underlined word “halt” most probably mean?

A．End.

B．Start.

C．Change.

D．Meaning.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards the thing people should do at New Year?

A．Set challenging goals for the next year.

B．Break with daily routines and form a new habit.

C．Spend more time with family members.

D．Think about the past and get ready for the future.

4. What’s the main purpose of writing the passage?

A．To memorialize her husband.

B．To show how she got through a hard time.

C．To share her view of New Year’s Eve.

D．To remind us that uncertainty is part of life.

7 . I love the feeling of exchanging goods with my parents. When we visit them, we often end up___________home more things than we brought with us.

After packing up at the end of our most recent visit, and after the last _________ and sounding of the car horn(喇叭),I took a quick look at the back___________of our car. At the top of the pile, folded ___________ and smartly, were a 50-year-old baby blanket, several doilies(小型装饰桌巾)_______ from generations of women in my family, and two small quilts.

These creative quilts, looking_________but quite lovingly worn, remind me of my great-grandmothers who were always_______hard. I think of their _________hands and the regular sound from their sewing machines. I think of their smiles and the wisdom found in the corners of their eyes.

I wish I could go back in time and watch them _________ these quilts. I cherish the quilts my great-grandmothers____________. I love knowing that the women who ____________the way for my own path through life have left behind touchable expressions of themselves. ____________I touch the worn cloth of each creation, I will always remember the women who brought them into existence. I will be ever __________ for the strong women in my family who have lived __________ me and with me, who have left behind unbelievable examples to ____________ and lovely quilts to pass on.

1.

A．leaving

B．buying

C．taking

D．returning

2.

A．hugs

B．handshakes

C．nods

D．greetings

3.

A．door

B．window

C．wheel

D．seat

4.

A．neatly

B．closely

C．loosely

D．quickly

5.

A．taken down

B．given away

C．passed down

D．put away

6.

A．shabby

B．delicate

C．ugly

D．old

7.

A．learning

B．working

C．playing

D．feeling

8.

A．warm

B．wrinkled

C．smooth

D．soft

9.

A．make

B．invent

C．clean

D．check

10.

A．brought

B．sent away

C．delivered

D．left behind

11.

A．pushed

B．felt

C．paved

D．changed

12.

A．When

B．If

C．Once

D．Though

13.

A．regretful

B．convinced

C．thankful

D．respected

14.

A．through

B．before

C．by

D．for

15.

A．replace

B．build

C．set

D．follow

8 . I’m proud of myself for this kindness I did last night. I did it ________ and did the right thing. However, I was unwilling to _______, because by sharing 1 am also sharing the ________ and more self-centered side of myself.

It was last night and I ________ my shift at work. It was late and I wanted to go straight home. On my way out of the door I ________ a fellow staff member and colleague. She doesn’t have a ________ and usually either catches a taxi home or _______ for an hour waiting for _______ staff member and friend of here to finish work.

In the past I’ve ________ to drive her home as she ________ on my side of town. But last night I really did not want to. I wanted to ________ straight home, alone. And I did not have to make “small talk”.

So I tried to ________ her, walking past her, heading down, and stealing out (偷溜) to the _______ without letting her see me and _______ without offering her a lift.

Yet, something in myself was stopping me. Something in myself made me ________ her and put myself in her shoes. She had young ________ who she wanted to go home to attend to and, she could go home right now _______ I took her, not an hour later when the other staff member and friend of hers who was taking her. So I offered.She_______. And of course, she was extremely ________.

Well, I learned a great ________ last night about not being so self-centered and selfish!

1.

A．nervously

B．proudly

C．exactly

D．carefully

2.

A．share

B．remark

C．do

D．consider

3.

A．pleasure

B．respect

C．honour

D．selfish

4.

A．changed

B．kept

C．finished

D．missed

5.

A．noticed

B．greeted

C．followed

D．helped

6.

A．home

B．choice

C．friend

D．car

7.

A．hangs around

B．hides away

C．watches over

D．calms down

8.

A．each

B．another

C．either

D．that

9.

A．hated

B．happened

C．offered

D．refused

10.

A．works

B．lives

C．plays

D．remains

11.

A．fly

B．ride

C．drive

D．walk

12.

A．remind

B．avoid

C．attract

D．please

13.

A．workroom

B．office

C．playground

D．park

14.

A．therefore

B．even

C．however

D．instead

15.

A．rely on

B．spy on

C．look at

D．point at

16.

A．neighbors

B．pets

C．children

D．friends

17.

A．since

B．although

C．as

D．if

18.

A．accepted

B．hesitated

C．approached

D．urged

19.

A．reliable

B．upset

C．generous

D．grateful

20.

A．gift

B．lesson

C．treasure

D．method

9 . Some years ago when 1 was in my first year in college, I heard Salome Bey sing for the first time. The moment was exciting. Salome's_______filled the room and brought the theater to life. I was so moved that I decided to write an article about her.I_______Salome Bey, telling her I was from Essence magazine, and that I wanted to meet her to talk about her career. She agreed and told me to come to her studio next Tuesday. When I hung up, I was scared out of my mind.I_______I was lying I was not a writer at all and hadn't even written a grocery list.

I interviewed Salome Bey the next Tuesday. I sat there_______taking notes and asking questions that all began with, "Can you tell m...?"I soon realized that_______Salome Bey was one thing, but writing a story for a national magazine was just impossible. The_______was almost unbearable. I struggled for days and finally I put my manuscript into a large envelope and dropped it into a mailbox.

It didn't take long. My manuscript_______.How stupid of me! I thought. How could I compete in a world of professional writers? Knowing I couldn't_______the rejection letter, I threw the unopened envelope into a drawer.Five years later, I was moving to California While_______my apartment I came across the unopened envelope.This time I opened it and read the editor's letter in________:

Dear Ms Profit,

Your story on Salome Bey is fantastic. Yet we need some________materials,. Please add those and return the article immediately. We would like to________your story soon.Shocked, it took me a long time to________.Fear of rejection cost me dearly. I lost at least five hundred dollars and having my article appear in a major magazine. More importantly, I lost years of________writing. Today, I have become a full-time writer.Looking back on this experience, I learned very important lesson: You can't________to doubt yourself.

1.

A．joy

B．voice

C．speech

D．smile.

2.

A．visited

B．emailed

C．phoned

D．interviewed

3.

A．hoped

B．discovered

C．explained

D．knew

4.

A．seriously

B．patiently

C．nervously

D．quietly

5.

A．blaming

B．fooling

C．inviting

D．challenging

6.

A．suffering

B．failure

C．comment

D．pressure

7.

A．disappeared

B．returned

C．spread

D．improved

8.

A．ignore

B．deliver

C．organize

D．face

9.

A．decorating

B．repairing

C．cleaning

D．transporting.

10.

A．disbelief

B．embarrassment

C．delight

D．anger

11.

A．strict

B．extra

C．private

D．sincere

12.

A．broadcast

B．introduce

C．publish

D．announce

13.

A．recover

B．prepare

C．escape

D．survive

14.

A．native

B．endless

C．frequent

D．enjoyable

15.

A．refuse

B．afford

C．fail

D．pretend

10 . My dad passed away yesterday and I am processing everything. It's hard to try and find positivity in my pain, but my Dad taught me so much when he was healthy, and when he wasn't, I wanted to share some of the lessons.

Be on the phone less. This one seems strange but in his final moments I was all in, no checking my phone because it really didn't matter.    1    This was a moment I needed to remember and I would have regretted it if I was distracted in this part of his journey.

    2    Sometimes we need people to lean on My mom and dad needed a lot of help. I needed a lot of help. We were surrounded by people willing to help us and instead of shutting them out like we've done in the past, we let them in and it was exactly what we needed.

Not everyone will understand your experience.    3    Just knowing people are here for us means a lot, but I also know that no one will fully understand my experience and that's okay as we are all different.

Family is not necessarily the people who brought you into this world. I am adopted and I know we chose each other.    4     I also loved my father very much.

There's nothing more important than being with the ones you love. I was able to hold my Dad when he took his last breath. My mom and I made sure that my dad knew he was loved through this journey.    5    Everything else is secondary.

A．All that mattered was him.

B．Love is what truly matters.

C．Surround yourself with a support system.

D．And he loved me more than anyone on this Earth.

E．It's okay not to remember the reason for everything

F．Really, we can handle more than we ever thought possible.

G．This was a long and hard journey for my mom and I and all of those who care about us.