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 . 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.

3 . 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

4 . It was a dark night. Thick, dark, gray clouds had made sure that there was no starlight or moonlight to _______ me as I walked out on my porch. Still, I kept the porch light off because I didn’t want to be _______ by bugs and moths on this _______ summer evening. I stood there for a while letting my eyes adjust to the lack of _______.

It was then, though, that I saw them. First one blink of light at the far end of the meadow followed by another and then another. I _______. I recognized them at once as my firefly(萤火虫) _______, my lightning bug buddies who always _______ this time of the year.

When I was little I used to sit in the grass and watch them _______ fly around blinking on and off. I never _______ and put one in a jar as some kids did because I never wanted to hurt these messengers of light. Their time on this earth was so ________ as it was. I tried to enjoy them each night they were here. It always ________ me when they disappeared in the fall and it always made my heart ________ when they reappeared the next summer.

We are like them in a lot of ways. Our ________ here on earth is brief. Often our light and love are more like on and off blinks rather than a ________ shine. Still, we do our best to share it and take ________ in knowing that others will be shining their light long after we are gone.

1.

A．shine

B．greet

C．please

D．guide

2.

A．frightened

B．accompanied

C．surrounded

D．troubled

3.

A．sticky

B．dusk

C．dark

D．warm

4.

A．heat

B．water

C．light

D．air

5.

A．frowned

B．cried

C．smiled

D．sighed

6.

A．lovers

B．friends

C．partners

D．mates

7.

A．went out

B．gave out

C．settled down

D．showed up

8.

A．fearfully

B．cautiously

C．nervously

D．slowly

9.

A．saw

B．hit

C．caught

D．got

10.

A．hard

B．terrible

C．useful

D．brief

11.

A．depressed

B．surprised

C．confused

D．excited

12.

A．beat

B．sing

C．move

D．tremble

13.

A．hope

B．memory

C．mind

D．life

14.

A．beautiful

B．steady

C．bright

D．clear

15.

A．pride

B．comfort

C．action

D．interest

5 . 假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
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。
Yesterday was Monday. My friend Li Hua went to school without his homework finishing. He played online games all over the weekend. It was too late when he founded he had homework to do. To avoid punished, he told his teacher that a dog eats his homework. Obviously, it was just an excuse he made to cover the fact which he hadn’t done his homework. The teacher certainly knew about that and made them stay after school. Sometimes we think we can avoid trouble by making excuse when we do something wrongly. However, we are really making problems worse instead of.

6 . When he looked at me, it was clear my father wasn’t sure who I was. And as I looked back at him, I wasn’t sure who he was, either.

My father had just gone through two heart surgeries and 6 days in intensive care. He’d returned to the hospital where he’d worked for 40 years. It was the hospital where all his children had been born. The doctors said that he may have a long period of confusion after the surgeries. And because he’s eighty-six, it may be many months before he returns to normal. It’s also possible he may never be “normal” again.

I sat there in this hospital room, spoon-feeding the man I’ve seen as powerful and capable all my life. It felt like the full circle of life had come around us. It felt good to support him, yet part of me wanted to tell him to “be normal” again. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to accept the full meaning of it: that my father may never be that powerful and capable person again.

Pain and suffering have visited my family, as it will visit all families. And while we hesitate to face pain and suffering, it has great lessons to teach us. Pain and suffering are well outside of the boundaries of our everyday life. When it comes, it breaks these boundaries and turns our world upside down. We become a family with all of the others who have known pain and suffering. And we have another chance to consider what’s truly important in our lives. This crisis will pass, and we’ll all be changed by it. The healing hands of time will do their work. I’m thankful that I’ve told my father everything I’ve wanted to say to him. And I’m thankful to have my family to lean on during this difficult time. We’ll all be challenged by this to show more support, care, and Jove.

This is as it should be. Sometimes, it takes a crisis to remind us of why we’re all here.

1. What do we know about the writer’s father from the passage?

A．He will recover from his illness soon.

B．He has been lying in bed for 40 years.

C．He used to be a powerful and capable man.

D．He didn’t know the author after 2 head surgeries.

2. How did the author feel when thinking of the pain and suffering his family had?

A．Grateful.	B．Inspired
C．Exhausted.	D．Sorrowful.

3. What does the author probably agree with?

A．Life is fragile than expected.

B．Something nice weighs light.

C．Pain and suffering often go hand in hand.

D．We should treat the old in an abnormal way.

4. What does the author aim to express in this passage?

A．Pain and suffering are bound to pass.

B．Pain and suffering bring us beneficial experiences.

C．We cannot always avoid facing pain and suffering.

D．We will not eventually be defeated by pain and suffering.

7 . My husband and I were cleaning windows together yesterday. We have the double-hung(双吊钩)__________that you can pull forward and flip (翻转)， allowing us to clean the inside and the outside surfaces.

My husband was washing one window---and it popped out(跳出) of its frame! Well, our house is for sale and the last thing we needed was for something to ________.

He was so worried and tried with all his strength to get it ________ together, using a few less than pleasant words(I am sorry to say). After twenty minutes he still could not get it ________. that’s when my 23-year-old son told his dad to ________ for a minute and he would try to fix with me.

It’s amazing how you can see things more clearly and do things more ________ when you are _______. He and I fixed the window in three minutes! I called my husband in to see! He couldn’t _______ it!

I know this isn’t really a gift _________, in a way, it was. My son _______ my husband to leave, to cool down, and ________ him from   the worry for a moment. And my son fixing it with me was a ________ to me, because I saw him as a man instead of the kid he always seems to be in my _________.

Calm is good. Breathe through __________ times and maybe even take a break from stressful times. Return with a clear mind and things will usually _______ much better!

1.

A．doors

B．chairs

C．tables

D．windows

2.

A．break

B．dirty

C．lose

D．fly

3.

A．up

B．away

C．out

D．back

4.

A．separated

B．delivered

C．fixed

D．added

5.

A．put away

B．walk away

C．give away

D．take away

6.

A．fortunately

B．difficulty

C．slowly

D．easily

7.

A．calm

B．equal

C．nervous

D．frightened

8.

A．hate

B．doubt

C．believe

D．satisfy

9.

A．or

B．so

C．and

D．but

10.

A．asked

B．forced

C．ordered

D．promised

11.

A．kept

B．freed

C．saved

D．protected

12.

A．surprise

B．wonder

C．gift

D．hurt

13.

A．power

B．hand

C．turn

D．eyes

14.

A．easy

B．happy

C．exciting

D．difficult

15.

A．break out

B．turn out

C．pull out

D．make out

8 . Do not merely think that you are going to become great; think that you are great now. Do not think that you will begin to act in a great way at some future time; begin now. Do not think that you will act in a great way when you reach a different environment; act in a great way where you are now. Do not think that you will begin to act in a great way when you begin to deal with great things; begin to deal in a great way with small things.

Do not think that you will begin to be great when you get among more intelligent people, or among people who understand you better; begin now to deal in a great way with the people around you.

If you are not in an environment where there is opportunity for your best powers and talents you can move in due time; but meanwhile you can be great where you are. Many great people were as great when they were common as when they became great; as common people they did common things in a great way, and that made them great.

You are not made great by the location in which you happen to be nor by the things with which you may surround yourself. You are not made great by what you receive from others, and you can never show greatness so long as you depend on others. You will show greatness only when you begin to stand alone. Dismiss all thought of reliance on externals ternals, whether things, books, or people. As someone said, “Shakespeare will never be made the study of Shakespeare. Shakespeare will be made by the thinking of Shakespearean thoughts.”

Never mind how the people around you, including those of your own household may treat you. That has nothing at all to do with your being great; that is, it cannot get in your way of being great. People may look down on you and be unthankful and unkind in their attitude toward you; does that prevent you from being great in your manner and attitude toward them？

1. What does the author give readers in the first two paragraphs？

A．Advance warning.	B．Professional advice.
C．Practical suggestions.	D．Official recommendations.

2. What did great people have in common？

A．They acted quickly in small things.	B．There were opportunists.
C．They had good relationship with others.	D．They were always great.

3. Which of the following plays a key role to seek greatness？

A．Location.

B．Reliance.

C．Thoughts.

D．Donations.

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

A．How greatness comes into being.	B．Act differently, think differently.
C．Come down on earth to be great.	D．What should be done to be great.

9 . 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.

Li Hua found himself full of regrets for the first one and a half    1    (month)of his college life. He was majoring in civil engineering in    2    he had no interest at all.

He regretted that he had taken civil engineering as a major. He did extremely well in the English part of his college entrance exams, especially in listening and    3    (fill)in the blanks. He was    4    (confidence) that he could do well if he were an English major.

But, it wasn't so easy    5     he thought. The university wanted 40,000 Yuan to make the change. That was a lot for a family like    6    (he). He told the head of the foreign languages department how miserable and worried he was as a civil engineering major and how    7    he wanted to be an English major and asked    8     an informal oral test. His efforts    9    (pay)off. In the end, he changed his major without paying anything

It's been a year since then, but he still remembers that day clearly. He has this to say, “Life is too short to feel sorry. You've got to do something    10    (change) your disadvantage.”

10 . Secrets of People Who Stay Happy in Setbacks (挫折)

Bad things happen both personally and professionally. In the face of these setbacks, some people seem to fall apart, while others find ways to move forward and continue to get things done. Are there things you can do to be resilient (有适应力的)?     1    

Understand what you can control and what you can’t. The first is to be clear about what factors are under your control.     2     As you are occupied in those actions, you will find that you feel better about your work and will also be more productive.

Surround yourself with people even if you don’t feel like it. Next, engage with other people. When you are sad or stressed, you often don’t want to be around others.     3     When you talk about what is making you sad or anxious, you often find that other people have had similar experiences that they can share. In addition, social connection is motivating and can help you to focus on tasks that need to be done.

    4     Finally, go out of your way to give a positive interpretation (理解) of the actions of others. Your negative thoughts will influence the interpretation you give to their actions that can cause you to interact with their anger or mistrust. They will notice your attitude and treat you accordingly. Similarly, when you interpret the actions of other people positively, you are more likely to create good interactions with others.

    5     They will also help you feel better, because each success you have will boost your attitude toward the future.

A．Look for an easy win.

B．Give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

C．The answer to this question is yes-to a point.

D．But there are several advantages to social engagement.

E．Focus on actions you can take that will make your situation better.

F．These strategies will help you to minimize the influence of bad events on your life.

G．Instead, find something in your work life that you can complete quickly and successfully.