1 . Never Too Late to Be What You Want to Be

The first day of school our professor introduced a little old lady, Rose, to us.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave_________together and talk nonstop. I was always listening to this “time machine" as she_________her wisdom and experience with me.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to make a_________to our football team. I'll never forget what she taught us. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she _________her note card on the floor. A little_________she simply said, “I'm sorry. This whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back_______so let me just tell you what I know." As we laughed she_________her throat and began: “We do not stop playing_________we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying_________, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you____________your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are____________and don't even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing____________. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full____________and don't do one productive thing, you will____________twenty years old. Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but____________for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with____________."

At the year's end Rose____________the college degree. One week after graduation Rose died____________in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral to____________the wonderful woman who taught____________that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

1.

A．work

B．office

C．class

D．home

2.

A．discussed

B．connected

C．communicated

D．shared

3.

A．speech

B．contribution

C．donation

D．difference

4.

A．placed

B．made

C．dropped

D．played

5.

A．surprised

B．interested

C．confused

D．embarrassed

6.

A．in chaos

B．in order

C．in advance

D．in silence

7.

A．cleaned

B．cut

C．cleared

D．forced

8.

A．because

B．when

C．though

D．after

9.

A．healthy

B．handsome

C．enthusiastic

D．young

10.

A．have

B．realize

C．lose

D．dream

11.

A．stupid

B．dead

C．ill

D．wise

12.

A．up

B．apart

C．stronger

D．taller

13.

A．day

B．week

C．month

D．year

14.

A．increase by

B．obtain

C．turn

D．live to

15.

A．rather

B．otherwise

C．fairly

D．also

16.

A．diseases

B．regrets

C．riches

D．disabilities

17.

A．failed

B．delayed

C．finished

D．declined

18.

A．regrettably

B．peacefully

C．excitedly

D．sadly

19.

A．welcome

B．congratulate

C．encourage

D．honor

20.

A．at random

B．at ease

C．by example

D．by chance

2 . I was 17 years old. Along with a dozen other boys I had made a long trip to Iowa in order to see a college that I was thinking of __________. While   the trip had been _________ for   the most part, now that I was there I was feeling depressed, alone, and isolated. I was missing my _____ and I was also missing the Appalachian mountains and the forests of my home. I loved _____ the leaves turned   a thousand   shades of green in the Spring and then _________ a sea of red, gold, and orange in the Fall.

Here in Iowa everything was __________. The grass looked burnt and brown. All that I could _____ was a mixture   of corn, mud, and pigs. I walked outside   the dormitory   of the   college and sat on an old stump. I closed my eyes and ________ being back home again. When I finally opened them,   however, I saw   something   that touched my _________. It was   a   Prairie   Sunset. It seemed to ________   the sky   from   horizon   to   horizon.   Gold,   red,   purple   and   pink   clouds   all ______ together in a picture painted by Heaven’s own hand. It was so huge that it took my breath   away. It made our   mountain   sunsets   seem _________ by comparison.   I realized   that this place too had its own special beauty. This place too was a part of nature’s __________ .

Over the years to come I learned something else. Each of us has a special beauty ______ .

Each of us has our own ________ talents and abilities.

1.

A．assisting

B．attending

C．visiting

D．quitting

2.

A．fun

B．hard

C．novel

D．tiresome

3.

A．chance

B．school

C．family

D．goal

4.

A．when

B．how

C．why

D．whether

5.

A．became

B．flooded

C．drew

D．surrounded

6.

A．easy

B．beautiful

C．flat

D．rough

7.

A．hear

B．touch

C．taste

D．smell

8.

A．cared about

B．prepared for

C．dreamed of

D．thought over

9.

A．body

B．soul

C．face

D．pain

10.

A．fill

B．cover

C．separate

D．block

11.

A．folded

B．sank

C．escaped

D．flowed

12.

A．tiny

B．pale

C．splendid

D．weak

13.

A．change

B．punishment

C．creation

D．reflection

14.

A．as well

B．in addition

C．for sure

D．in between

15.

A．extra

B．unique

C．possible

D．reasonable

3 . I will never forget the story I experienced when I worked as a doctor for some “special patients”.

With mixed emotions I went to the young criminal center to _________ vaccinations(接种疫苗). On one hand, I felt _________ to be able to _________ a service that might have a positive health effect on the prisoners. But, on the other hand, I felt a sense of sadness and _________as I saw the prisoners being _________ by guards to the nursing unit.

My last visit was very _________.For some reason, there was a(an) _________ in the air. And I felt a lightness as I spoke with each prisoner. We _________ stories, smiles and fears. Even the toughest prisoners seemed to be surrounded by light. As a mother, I saw them as not only youth, being _________ for crimes, but also as children with the __________ to change for the better. Obviously, most of them wanted to __________ longer!

There was one more prisoner. He was __________ to a different unit in a lonely cell. Two guards escorted us down and when we entered the cell, instant tears __________in my eyes. The area was sad. Guards there didn't smile. Later, we were done but I didn't want to __________,I gave the 17-year-old a gentle touch and smile as I __________ to him what to do concerning the side effects. At first there was no response, so I just __________ at his bare feet and then to my supplies. I thought that I had better pack up. __________,he looked up at me and smiled before he said “Thanks” and then he gave me a thumbs-up. I smiled back, saying, “You are welcome. Take care of yourself!”

It was wonderful to receive a kind __________ from someone who was in such a __________ place. As we walked back to the main entrance, we didn't speak. Where there can be a smile, there is hope. Sometimes __________ can be very powerful.

1.

A．accept

B．deliver

C．illustrate

D．give

2.

A．thankful

B．satisfied

C．lucky

D．thrilled

3.

A．suggest

B．provide

C．confirm

D．observe

4.

A．disappointment

B．annoyance

C．loneliness

D．doubt

5.

A．escorted

B．accompanied

C．directed

D．thrown

6.

A．valuable

B．enjoyable

C．memorable

D．adaptable

7.

A．expectation

B．lightness

C．attraction

D．complaint

8.

A．expanded

B．told

C．shared

D．presented

9.

A．punished

B．scolded

C．commented

D．criticized

10.

A．reason

B．impression

C．arrangement

D．potential

11.

A．talk

B．stay

C．relax

D．work

12.

A．selected

B．limited

C．reduced

D．appointed

13.

A．turned up

B．messed up

C．welled up

D．took up

14.

A．shout

B．divorce

C．wait

D．leave

15.

A．confirmed

B．submitted

C．recommended

D．explained

16.

A．put down

B．looked down

C．kept down

D．pulled down

17.

A．Strangely

B．Occasionally

C．Suddenly

D．Deliberately

18.

A．response

B．solution

C．belief

D．assessment

19.

A．neat

B．sacred

C．crazy

D．harsh

20.

A．virtues

B．smiles

C．ambitions

D．inspirations

4 . I waited until my Ph. D. committee had left the room to break down. I had just failed my dissertation proposal defense (学位论文答辩)－a poor start to my fourth year of grad school (研究生院). My committee members had told me that my experiments were too small-scale, my ideas not deep enough. I realize now that they were pushing me because they believed in me. But at that moment, all I could hear was the voice in my head telling me that I’d failed.

For the next 4 months, I lacked focus at work. I no longer double-checked my experiments, and I had trouble finding the energy to even think about re-writing my proposal.

Actually, the outcome of my proposal defense wasn’t the only cause of my slump. After some thought, it dawned on me that I had been putting undue pressure on myself throughout grad school. To believe I was making good progress, I needed external validation-an award, positive results, or praise from professors I respected. When I didn’t get those things at every opportunity, I felt I was not on the right track. When I didn’t pass the defense, the failure confirmed my self-doubts. Eventually, as my loss of confidence became a bigger problem, I knew that I had to do something about it.

I decided that I needed to set healthier standards for myself. I did not have control over how much praise I received. The only thing I had control over, I realized, was the effort I put forth.

I went into my second proposal defense with a much more positive mindset (思维模式) along with grander experiments in my proposal and passed. I’m pleased to report that my new approach has helped me regain confidence in myself — and my work — and I’m more productive as a result. I hope that I can help other students realize that external validation is not always guaranteed, and if they are doing their best, that is good enough.

1. What directly leads to the failure of the author’s first defense?

A．Imperfection of his proposal.

B．His negative mindset.

C．The committee’s lack of confidence.

D．The choice of his experiments.

2. What can we learn about the author from paragraph 3?

A．He was under a lot of pressure from his parents.

B．He made progress with the help of his professor.

C．He used to overemphasize the recognition he got.

D．Getting positive results helped him get over shyness.

3. Which word can best describe the author?

A．Adaptable.

B．Ambitious.

C．Generous.

D．Outgoing.

4. What does the text mainly tell us?

A．We should spend more time reflecting.

B．We should be thankful for our failures.

C．We should focus more on our own effort.

D．We should keep calm in the face of failure.

5 . There is beauty in each moment of our lives, but often we're too distracted to notice it. Instead, we spend much of our time worrying about the future or regretting the past, and this habit can have negative consequences for our mental and physical health.

That's why many people today are turning to the practice of mindfulness(正念减压法). Simply put, mindfulness means focusing on the present moment. Let's say you're sitting in traffic after a long day's work. Rather than dwelling on(老是想着)an unpleasant incident that occurred earlier or worrying about your schedule for the next day, you might direct your attention to the sound of the rain drops battering the windshield or to a specific image before you. By directing your attention to the here and now, you automatically shift your focus away from self-image, success, and other stress-inducing concerns.

Such a shift in consciousness helps us form more meaningful connections with others and handle problems with greater ease. It also lets us appreciate life's many little pleasures. So, it's not surprising that mindfulness has been found to help in the treatment of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and even physical problems related to stress, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and upset stomachs.

How do you practice mindfulness? While it's often associated with meditation, you don't actually need to be in a particular place or position to cultivate it. In fact, it can be incorporated(使并入)into almost any daily activity, including eating, walking, showering, or doing the dishes. Let's take this last activity as an illustration:

Begin by bringing your attention to your breath. Inhale(吸入)through your nose allowing the air to expand your belly, and exhale through your mouth. Notice the sensations as each breath goes in and out.

As you engage in the task of washing the dishes, direct your awareness to the scent of the soap, the sound of the running water, and the feel of the suds(肥皂泡沫)between your fingers. Simply be aware of these and any other immediate sensations without forming any judgments about them.

At times, this process may not be relaxing, especially when what you're doing is boring or unpleasant. Nevertheless, by practicing mindfulness, we can learn to accept whatever situations life brings us and, over time develop greater happiness.

1. Why is the example of “sitting in traffic” mentioned in Paragraph 2?

A．To appreciate beauty at the present moment.

B．To explain the meaning of mindfulness.

C．To describe the traffic accident in the street.

D．To attract the reader's attention to the traffic.

2. Which of the following is the benefit of mindfulness?

A．Finding out problems in study more easily.

B．Helping cure diseases like high blood pressure.

C．Allowing us to enjoy small pleasures in life.

D．Making friends with other people in the traffic.

3. From the passage, mindfulness can be practised by_____________.

A．finding a particular place to cultivate it

B．bringing our attention to our breath

C．burying ourselves in washing the dishes

D．putting it to use in our everyday life

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．The reasons why people begin to practise mindfulness.

B．The differences between mindfulness and meditation.

C．The benefits of mindfulness and the way to practice it.

D．The ways we should keep healthy mentally and physically.

6 . Go. Stop. Go. Stop. The travel signals in my head were conflicting. “Are you sure you want to head to Greece this November with Kathleen?” asked my husband. “The weather could be unpleasant.”

“You must go,” said my friend Larry, who talked about having spent Thanksgiving on Santorini. “It’s a wonderland. ”

With his encouraging words, I booked our flights to Athens and included two Greek islands: Santorini and Grete.

A sunny Saturday afternoon welcomed us to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport in Athens. During the next few days Kathleen and I tried a lot of unknown-to-us foods. No annoying lines of tourists either as we saw sights on the Athens “A” list.

And then came Wednesday. The flight to Santorini was yo-yoed by wind gusts of up to 40 miles an hour. Fira, usually a much-photographed tourist destination, was chilly, rainy... empty. With rain beating our faces, Kathleen and I headed for our hotel and checked in for a three-night stay.

“This isn’t how I want to spend my holiday,” said Kathleen. “Maybe Crete isn’t experiencing the same storm. Can we fly out later today? ”

Her question mirrored my own thoughts. But we couldn’t leave. We’d just arrived. Payments for the hotel and rental car would be lost, and costly last-minute plane reservations needed. “Let’s not decide right now,” I suggested.

During the next few days, we drove around despite the showers. At a restaurant named Poseidon, on our third night, we waited and waited for dinner. “Your dinner will be out shortly. The chef was busy studying something beautiful,” our waiter explained.

Seeing our puzzled look, the waiter then said, “He went out for a smoke, saw a beautiful girl and began to chat…”

Suddenly, Kathleen laughed. Instead of complaining, she leaned back and out came a loud, happy sound.

An attitude adjustment into grace, I realized, had been happening since our arrival. “You know, Mum, you can’t live a positive life with a negative mind,” she said.

Grace surrounds us. The challenge is to let go of anxieties and worries, the tendency to complain. A sunny attitude can let grace shine.

1. What did the author’s husband think about her trip to Greece?

A．It was pleasant.	B．It was ill-advised.
C．It would be costly.	D．It would be eye-opening.

2. How were the author’s first few days in Greece?

A．Delightful.	B．Busy.
C．Struggling.	D．Annoying.

3. Why did the author insist on their staying in Santorini?

A．To wait for sunny days.	B．To avoid wasting money.
C．To enjoy the off-season.	D．To deeply explore the place.

4. What does the author want to show by telling her experience?

A．The role of grace.

B．The benefits of travelling.

C．The power of positive thinking.

D．The importance of understanding.

7 . When I was little, I showed great interest in the TV show Bob the Builder. I was _________ by how Bob helped people by designing and constructing everything they needed. It was all I would _________.

However, as I got a little older and understood the show more, I _________ that Bob wasn’t actually that good at fixing things, _________ Wendy, Bob’s co-worker, was always the one to fix his _________. Bob would be nothing without her wisdom and talents. I sensed an _________: Why was Bob getting all the credit? Why didn’t Wendy have her own _________? I really admired Wendy and decided I would _________ anything it took to be like her when I grew up.

Now, I’m a senior in high school taking three science _________, including engineering. Not much has ____________— I still have a strong desire to be like Wendy. The best part of Wendy’s ____________ is that she meets and talks to the people she is working for. She builds ____________ and produces a positive effect on the lives of those she is helping. My interest in ____________ others led to my decision to study engineering, which ____________ my love of math and science with my love of helping and working with others.

Recently, I was talking to my parents about my childhood and they ____________ Bob the Builder. I thought that I should give Bob a ____________ chance to win back my heart, so I watched an episode（集）. I admit Bob might be a little ____________ than I remembered, but I stand by my opinion that Wendy ____________ significantly more credit. I will always think of her as the ____________ of Bob the Builder. She has made me feel more than ____________ to be a female on a construction site of males.

1.

A．amused

B．shocked

C．attracted

D．relaxed

2.

A．watch

B．buy

C．receive

D．read

3.

A．agreed

B．declared

C．suggested

D．realized

4.

A．though

B．while

C．unless

D．once

5.

A．attention

B．mistakes

C．manners

D．fears

6.

A．appeal

B．enquiry

C．injustice

D．excuse

7.

A．show

B．role

C．speech

D．business

8.

A．record

B．attach

C．offer

D．do

9.

A．performances

B．departments

C．sections

D．courses

10.

A．changed

B．improved

C．occurred

D．remained

11.

A．idea

B．aim

C．job

D．game

12.

A．leadership

B．relationships

C．theories

D．strength

13.

A．helping

B．observing

C．teaching

D．saving

14.

A．identifies

B．separates

C．compares

D．combines

15.

A．carried out

B．referred to

C．held on

D．looked up

16.

A．true

B．last

C．second

D．different

17.

A．nicer

B．busier

C．older

D．happier

18.

A．requests

B．deserves

C．obtains

D．prefers

19.

A．character

B．director

C．guide

D．star

20.

A．modest

B．careful

C．ready

D．curious

8 . My three-year-old son, Nathan, was digging the sand to build a castle. Although I warned him it'd be _________, he insisted on building it in the _______ of every single wave that would _______ on the shore.

I sighed, figuring the only way to make him _______ was to do as he liked and let him see what would happen. I only hoped he wouldn't be too _______ when that first wave destroyed his _______ .

But when the water came and washed away his castle, he jumped up and down and clapped his hands. "That's _______! Let's do it again!" I didn't know how he could _______ seeing his fruit of labor ruined.

"Is it really fun when the waves wash away the _______?"

“Yes,” he said.

Looking at him, I thought about my __________ at home. Nothing I did there ever seemed to __________.I prepared dinners, which ten minutes after I placed them on the table were __________ consumed. I mopped floors only to see someone __________ them on their first trip in from the back yard. My life was just one never-ending to-do __________.

Just like the sand castles Nathan built, all my __________ were washed away by a giant wave called Family Life. Nothing I did lasted beyond the moment.

Because of this, I often struggled feeling __________. I wondered if the things I did __________ .And if nothing I did mattered, that meant that I didn't matter.

But as I watched my child __________ in the sand happily, I realized that I'm building something ____________, something that will last forever.

I’m __________ a family.

1.

A．taken apart

B．washed away

C．cleared up

D．dug out

2.

A．front

B．charge

C．form

D．path

3.

A．crash

B．dance

C．float

D．appear

4.

A．understand

B．regret

C．refuse

D．struggle

5.

A．embarrassed

B．frightened

C．guilty

D．upset

6.

A．future

B．creation

C．world

D．souvenir

7.

A．difficult

B．impossible

C．simple

D．great

8.

A．imagine

B．stand

C．avoid

D．risk

9.

A．tools

B．clothes

C．shoes

D．castles

10.

A．pet

B．item

C．life

D．plan

11.

A．last

B．happen

C．help

D．exist

12.

A．completely

B．suddenly

C．finally

D．personally

13.

A．empty

B．dirty

C．narrow

D．dry

14.

A．experiment

B．survey

C．list

D．puzzle

15.

A．tears

B．worries

C．feelings

D．efforts

16.

A．confused

B．fancy

C．competitive

D．unfair

17.

A．counted

B．appeared

C．changed

D．faded

18.

A．lying

B．digging

C．rolling

D．sleeping

19.

A．physical

B．moral

C．important

D．formal

20.

A．protecting

B．designing

C．building

D．adapting

9 . 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。

The wind was blowing hard as two boys were in their way to school. They met an old man, which could hardly walk. Just as they passed her, the strong wind blew the old man's hat off. It was carried quickly up the street, but the old man was not able run after it. "My boys, please picking up my hat," cried the old man. However, the boys burst into laughters and stood still. They thought it was fun to see the hat blowing about. Just then a little girl came. She ran at once but caught the hat. Then she careful wiped the hat clean before handing it to the old man. Seeing that, the boys were stopped laughing.

10 . 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 clay’s work, I happened to _______a bumblebee (大黄蜂) on the skylight (天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought _______ the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had _______was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from _______ into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so _______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 _______ but we seldom think of all the _______ things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as _______ and that is completely normal. It is _______ acceptable to feel challenged — even at a ______________ that you thought was simple — because that is part of life.

If you can ______________ that nothing will ever be easy, then ______________ might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to ______________. In high school, I thought ______________ 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 (and shouldn’t) be ______________, I found myself with a more positive attitude and ______________ results.

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

1.

A．arrest

B．notice

C．fly

D．attract

2.

A．describing

B．exploring

C．removing

D．warning

3.

A．changed

B．failed

C．cleared

D．ended

4.

A．cleaning up

B．turning up

C．looking up

D．making up

5.

A．awful

B．worrying

C．tiny

D．big

6.

A．favor

B．dream

C．trip

D．reason

7.

A．successful

B．helpful

C．positive

D．negative

8.

A．observed

B．promised

C．unexpected

D．planned

9.

A．seriously

B．perfectly

C．obviously

D．partly

10.

A．task

B．result

C．fact

D．belief

11.

A．find

B．know

C．refuse

D．accept

12.

A．story

B．relief

C．life

D．chance

13.

A．take

B．count

C．bring

D．keep

14.

A．course

B．college

C．grade

D．role

15.

A．difficult

B．easy

C．complicated

D．annoying

16.

A．improved

B．fallen

C．recorded

D．organized

17.

A．agreements

B．decisions

C．experiments

D．preparations

18.

A．acknowledge

B．accomplish

C．predict

D．remember

19.

A．age

B．face

C．path

D．view

20.

A．friend

B．helper

C．bird

D．bee