1 . I believe that life’s toughest lessons are best learned through personal experience. Throughout my childhood, my grandmother ______ me with unconditional love but always stressed, “You’re not ______ than anyone else, but you’re just as good as anyone. Treat others with ______ , and you would earn respect ______.

However, I never really ______ it until I was seventeen and got a summer job as a janitor. As I ______ floors and toilets, I watched people walk right by me and ignore my ______. This made me feel angry and wonder why they treated me so poorly.

When I ______ to my grandmother, she offered me some words of ______ and reminded me never to forget the feeling of being “______” and to do the best job, because it was still my work, ______ which I should take pride. She added that it would make me a better man someday.

Make me a better man someday? She must be ______, I thought to myself. But I needed the job to ______ college and there were few other jobs available, ______ I bit my tongue and kept on working as best as I could for the ______ of the summer.

Today, when asked what job helped prepare me to gain the ______ of a key university, I tell people it was my summer job cleaning restrooms that ______ me as a man and, down the road, as an educator.

As you can see, ______ can only be understood by walking in a lot of different shoes. So I suggest students ______ of their comfort zones and get deeply involved in different work and community experience. It's essential for people to find ______ in every person, no matter who they are or what they do for a living.

1.

A．afforded

B．offered

C．gave

D．provided

2.

A．better

B．more

C．higher

D．lower

3.

A．care

B．anger

C．dignity

D．age

4.

A．in order

B．in need

C．in advance

D．in return

5.

A．worried

B．understood

C．admitted

D．appreciated

6.

A．cleaned

B．repaired

C．swept

D．mopped

7.

A．glance

B．presence

C．instruction

D．commitment

8.

A．attended

B．suggested

C．explained

D．complained

9.

A．belief

B．surprise

C．comfort

D．excitement

10.

A．horrible

B．invisible

C．angry

D．poor

11.

A．in

B．for

C．on

D．to

12.

A．promising

B．joking

C．misleading

D．outstanding

13.

A．pay for

B．go for

C．look for

D．send for

14.

A．or

B．however

C．but

D．so

15.

A．heat

B．time

C．rest

D．hope

16.

A．friendship

B．relationship

C．leadership

D．hardship

17.

A．served

B．shaped

C．viewed

D．treated

18.

A．facts

B．method

C．lessons

D．theories

19.

A．get out

B．drop out

C．give out

D．run out

20.

A．secret

B．fault

C．way

D．value

2 . Around four years ago, I received a call from the principal of our school as to the “Parents View” talk the next morning. He asked me to speak to the group. After the call, my whole body became feverish and panicky. The time from his call to the next morning seemed like years. The whole night, I could not sleep with many ominous apprehensions in mind. One of them was to call the principal with regret and tell him that I could not come. Finally, I gathered some courage. I thought, “If I miss this opportunity, surely the school will never invite me again to any of their programs.”

I reached the school in time. Before my turn came, my whole body was trembling. When my turn came and I started speaking, my heartbeat increased and my mouth went dry. I wasn’t even able to read the written speech properly. I was not aware of where I was standing and what I was reading. That was the day when I realized my biggest weakness, Public Speaking.

After my speech, I met with the principal and explained what happened to me. He told me that this happens to everyone. Even great speakers faced the same things when they started. He suggested that I come again next time.

Around one month later, I was invited to refer to a topic on Motivation. This time I was feeling comfortable. My speech was not only appreciated by the principal as well as the teachers, because I was able to get my idea across to them. They encouraged and praised my efforts.

After delivering successfully, I became more confident. I said to myself, “If I can speak in front of such a learned audience, like the principal who educates others, I can now speak in front of others too.”

I started delivering lectures in my plan, on various topics like Self Motivation, Personality Development, Personal Excellence, Spoken English and Presentation Skills. This has become a passion for me. I learned that everything is possible if we have the courage to take the first step.

1. Why did the author have bad feelings before the speech?

A．he feared he couldn't perform it properly.

B．he had got a high fever before that.

C．he regretted accepting the invitation.

D．he disliked the idea of giving a lecture.

2. What does the underlined part “ominous apprehensions” in the first paragraph mean?

A．Unlucky opportunities.	B．Curious views.
C．Negative ideas.	D．Happy comments.

3. What can we conclude from the passage?

A．Necessity is the mother of invention.

B．Nothing is to be got without pains but poverty.

C．Knowledge makes humble, ignorance makes proud.

D．A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Public Speaking Makes a Man Embarrassed.

B．Principal Provides the Best Chances.

C．Practice Makes a Man a Better Speechmaker.

D．Spoken English Develops in Speeches.

3 . In kindergarten, I met my first love – dancing. For the last eleven years, I have spent many hours at the dance studio. The ______ I began as a little girl has shaped my personality, forming __________ that I will have for the rest of my life.

Once while our dance team ______ for the state competition, six senior members quit without notice, leaving our team without a ______. My team’s enthusiasm for the season was cut in half. ______, I was determined to become the new captain and lead my team past this obstacle.

During the first practice after the seniors quit, my team’s emotion was ______. As a leader, I tried to motivate my team through ______. I started to do ______ work outside practice to improve my kicking technique. My team respected me as a coach because I showed ______. On weekends, I spent hours trying to make up a creative competition routine. I wanted my team members to ______ the dance and perform well.

Before the state meet, I drilled the ______ into the girls’ heads and constantly encouraged them to work harder. I would shout out names of people who were ______ well during the dance, and the girls would ______ with even more energy. Through my dance experience, I also found I got better by ______ myself. I mixed new skills into the routine for the state competition to ______ my team’s technique. We wanted to prove to ourselves and our school that we could still be a(n) ______ dance team without the girls who ______.

On the stage, I felt my team’s ______. I was proud that we were able to rebuild our confidence and go beyond our expectations at the state competition. We were ______ for all our hard work by placing in the top five. This experience taught me a lesson: with a passion for something, I could ______ any obstacle with creativity and determination.

1.

A．education

B．activity

C．travel

D．research

2.

A．qualities

B．competitions

C．connections

D．opinions

3.

A．looked

B．left

C．practiced

D．hoped

4.

A．target

B．captain

C．project

D．guide

5.

A．Otherwise

B．Besides

C．Instead

D．However

6.

A．growing

B．normal

C．low

D．appealing

7.

A．example

B．award

C．promise

D．experience

8.

A．new

B．extra

C．little

D．personal

9.

A．production

B．expectation

C．promotion

D．devotion

10.

A．love

B．check

C．believe

D．ignore

11.

A．result

B．failure

C．routine

D．function

12.

A．planning

B．judging

C．predicting

D．performing

13.

A．deal

B．respond

C．defend

D．compare

14.

A．reminding

B．teaching

C．protecting

D．challenging

15.

A．admire

B．share

C．improve

D．prove

16.

A．familiar

B．similar

C．ordinary

D．brilliant

17.

A．quit

B．joined

C．appreciated

D．approached

18.

A．patience

B．kindness

C．energy

D．pride

19.

A．rewarded

B．thanked

C．prepared

D．moved

20.

A．think of

B．get over

C．care about

D．keep off

4 . “Oh, no! You’re moving?” Such was my neighbor’s ______ when she saw household items appearing on my lawn and ______ my driveway.

“Nope. Just cleaning house!” I called back, smiling.

This yard sale had been the result of six months of ______. I had searched every ______ and overflowing closet and cupboard—crazy about my seeking to find items to ______.

I met loads of ______ and friendly people. The Mirror Lady was ______ to buy the antique mirror from my first apartment for her daughter’s first apartment; and the Futon Girl, a college sophomore, said my futon (沙发床) and frame were ______ for her dorm room.

And how can I ______ the Camera Man? Bending absorbedly over the “technology” table, he spotted my husband’s faded ______ bag from the early 80s. Zippered compartments (隔包) ______ a broken camera and a few old lenses. “Wow!” he said, as he picked it up and made me a(n) ______. I asked what he was going to do with it. “It’s just cool—I have a shelf at home for cool ______ technology.” So apparently he ______ it just so he could look at it. As he walked down the driveway with the dusty bag ______ over his shoulder, for a second I ______ my journalist husband doing the same, heading out to ______ a story. That made me feel ______.

All yard sales lasted two days. As hard as it can be to let things ______, the true value of those things is to ______ you of a place you lived in, a special time in your life, or a loved one in your heart.

1.

A．acquisition

B．concern

C．explanation

D．meaning

2.

A．picking up

B．getting over

C．putting up

D．taking over

3.

A．adaptation

B．protection

C．preparation

D．production

4.

A．messy

B．bare

C．elegant

D．tidy

5.

A．measure

B．present

C．serve

D．sell

6.

A．generous

B．conservative

C．interesting

D．cautious

7.

A．thrilled

B．tired

C．confused

D．embarrassed

8.

A．famous

B．perfect

C．vital

D．cheap

9.

A．blame

B．trouble

C．worry

D．forget

10.

A．camera

B．hand

C．plastic

D．tool

11.

A．allocate

B．approached

C．exposed

D．withdraw

12.

A．appointment

B．appeal

C．excuse

D．offer

13.

A．fashionable

B．old

C．advanced

D．portable

14.

A．bought

B．improved

C．donated

D．twisted

15.

A．disappearing

B．hanging

C．printing

D．winding

16.

A．pictured

B．appreciated

C．stopped

D．forgave

17.

A．review

B．report

C．rhyme

D．repeat

18.

A．lonely

B．silly

C．good

D．hopeful

19.

A．gather

B．survive

C．control

D．go

20.

A．cheat

B．inform

C．remind

D．warn

5 . At a beautiful beach a little boy on his knees packs the sand into a bucket He turns the bucket upside down and______it. To the______of the little architect, a castle tower is created. He works all afternoon packing the walls building sentries( 5E)with bottle tops and bridges with sticks. And a sandcastle will be built.

In a big city with _____streets and traffic, a man works in an office. He packs papers into piles, holds the phone between his______and shoulder and______the keyboard with his fingers. Contracts get signed and to the joy of the man, a _____is made. His pension will be sentries and capital gains will be______. An empire will be built.

The two builders of the two castles have very much ____ . They both______smallness into greatness. They both make something beautiful out of______ .And for both. the tide will rise and the _____will come. Yet that is where the _____stop. The little boy sees the end of his castle while the man______it. As the dusk approaches and waves near, the child _____to his feet and begins to clap as the waves wash away his _____ . There is no sorrow. no______and no regret. He smiles and goes home.

The man in his office is not very______like the child. As his empire is fading, he is terrified, trying to _____it. "Its my castle! he_____ at the incoming tide.

Go ahead and build your dreams, but with a child’s heart. When the sun______and the tides take, just applaud. Salute the process of life and go home with a smile.

1.

A．kicks

B．lifts

C．breaks

D．covers

2.

A．surprise

B．relief

C．amusement

D．delight

3.

A．lonely

B．busy

C．clean

D．empty

4.

A．hand

B．neck

C．arm

D．ear

5.

A．fixes

B．touches

C．hits

D．checks

6.

A．profit

B．point

C．record

D．wish

7.

A．bridges

B．tool

C．buckets

D．beaches

8.

A．in hand

B．in common

C．in need

D．in total

9.

A．increase

B．cut

C．shape

D．put

10.

A．something

B．anything

C．everything

D．nothing

11.

A．award

B．victor

C．future

D．end

12.

A．similarities

B．competitions

C．differences

D．changes

13.

A．follows

B．accepts

C．ignores

D．enjoys

14.

A．jumps

B．struggles

C．sticks

D．bend

15.

A．dream

B．gift

C．masterpiece

D．memory

16.

A．excitement

B．hesitation

C．fear

D．desire

17.

A．wise

B．naughty

C．curious

D．active

18.

A．finish

B．protect

C．improve

D．collect

19.

A．glances

B．stares

C．yells

D．points

20.

A．set

B．shines

C．rises

D．burns

6 . People often ask successful men and women questions about they how they succeeded. What schools did they _____? What did they study? Why did they choose a particular career (职业)？The answers are ______. But business writer Tom Corley has _____ one thing in his study that most of them have in common: they______every day.

Corley's______ shows that 85 percent of successful people read at least two books a month. That comes to reading twenty four books a ______. They have discovered the importance of continuing to learn_______things.

Some______ business leaders with reading habits include Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Elon Musk. They art ______ about what they read, though. They read for ______rather than fun. They also read to _____ themselves.

What types of ______do they choose? They read life stories of other ______ people.

They ______ read science, history and health books. Business management, leadership, career
advice and current events are other favorite answers.

Let’s learn from those who have ______success, and open a good book today.

1.

A．leave

B．attend

C．build

D．visit

2.

A．different

B．correct

C．confusing

D．similar

3.

A．understood

B．thought

C．discovered

D．finished

4.

A．write

B．exercise

C．meet

D．read

5.

A．rule

B．plan

C．study

D．advice

6.

A．week

B．day

C．month

D．year

7.

A．simple

B．new

C．difficult

D．possible

8.

A．crazy

B．handsome

C．international

D．ordinary

9.

A．selective

B．worried

C．mad

D．careless

10.

A．truth

B．knowledge

C．belief

D．honor

11.

A．improve

B．value

C．control

D．protect

12.

A．career

B．answers

C．people

D．books

13.

A．honest

B．successful

C．kind

D．happy

14.

A．never

B．seldom

C．almost

D．also

15.

A．created

B．discussed

C．achieved

D．explained

7 . In most people’s eyes, I was a golden girl when I was eighteen years old： I was president of the college drama society, a member of the student senate and so on. I was the_______of all my friends and I was in a state of _______ .

The old Greek tragedies___________us that when pride rises, punishment falls. My universe_______ with great suddenness when the scenery(舞台布景道具）fell on my head and I was left almost_______for the next four months.

My memory was in a mess and within a few months all my _______ were taken away. I was even told that I would have to leave the college at the end of the spring term_______clearly, I couldn’t do academic work.”

Sad，I took one last _________by Dr. Jacob Taubes. He was the most brilliant teacher I had ever _______and in his class, I began to raise a tentative ____________ and ask an occasional question. He would answer with great intensity, and soon I found myself asking ____________ I questions constantly.

One day I was walking to the bus when I heard Dr. Taubes____________me,”Miss Houston,let me walk with you. You know, you have a most ____________mind.”

“Me? 1 have a mind?”

“Yes, of course.” Then he asked my understanding of some problems discussed in the classes. From that day on, Dr. Taubes continued to ____________ me to the bus, always____________ me with intellectually vigorous questions. Within several weeks my eyesight came back and my spirit ____________ .

Though what I acquired from the accident was a       ____________ sense of life, I remain deeply ____________ for the attention Dr. Taubes had shown. He ____________ me when I most       needed it. I swore then that I would try to ____________ and acknowledge the unlucky person as I had been acknowledged.

1.

A．envy

B．fan

C．helper

D．hero

2.

A．danger

B．mess

C．pride

D．panic

3.

A．inform

B．warn

C．guarantee

D．explain

4.

A．cut off

B．turned down

C．got through

D．broke down

5.

A．blind

B．deaf

C．dumb

D．hurt

6.

A．memories

B．positions

C．senses

D．emotions

7.

A．until

B．after

C．when

D．since

8.

A．exam

B．chance

C．course

D．lecture

9.

A．attached

B．contributed

C．longed

D．experienced

10.

A．head

B．hand

C．arm

D．voice

11.

A．little

B．fewer

C．more

D．much

12.

A．addressing

B．reminding

C．asking

D．shouting

13.

A．complex

B．considerate

C．interesting

D．disappointed

14.

A．walk

B．follow

C．lead

D．invite

15.

A．treating

B．challenging

C．entertaining

D．accompanying

16.

A．sank

B．developed

C．inspired

D．bloomed

17.

A．tragic

B．comic

C．opposite

D．magic

18.

A．encourage

B．grateful

C．satisfied

D．guilty

19.

A．promises

B．permits

C．respects

D．acknowledges

20.

A．send

B．reserve

C．reach

D．sacrifice

8 . When I was 5 years old, I started losing weight. My parents noticed I was pale and always thirsty. They had me tested to see if my blood sugar was high because they thought that might be causing my symptoms.

My blood sugar was five times higher than normal. That can be deadly. My parents rushed me   to the hospital. That's when my whole life changed.

The doctors said I had Type 1 Diabetes (糖尿病).That means my body can't make insulin (胰岛素).There's no cure.

My parents had to give me insulin shots every day and I had to get over my fear of needles quickly. Sometimes I had 10 band-aids on my fingers at once.

Now that I'm older, I check my own blood sugar and give myself shots. About four years ago, my mom started traveling to rural Guatemala. She goes twice a year to help people in need.

I have been a Girl Scout since kindergarten. For a Girl Scout project, I put together a team to go to Guatemala to test people there for diabetes. We went for four days last July. We tested 378 children and 100 adults. We found three adults with a different kind of diabetes, called type 2. We also found one little girl with dangerously low blood sugar. She cried when we told her. She had been feeling dizzy and didn't know why. It was like replaying what happened to me when I was little. I talked through a translator, but everyone understood hugs. I gave more hugs than I've ever given.

Having type 1 diabetes is hard. But I have accepted it readily. It has helped me meet amazing   people. It has made me responsible and independent. It has also shown me the power of taking action. I'm going back to Guatemala this summer to test more kids. I want to help as many kids as I can. But my greatest wish is for a cure. Type 1 diabetes changes your life. If no other child ever has to have it, that would be amazing.

1. Why did the author's parents have her blood sugar tested?

A．They found that she was pale.

B．They noticed that she was thirsty.

C．They doubted if she was ill.

D．They wondered if she was tired.

2. What do we know about the author?

A．Her Type I Diabetes was cured.

B．She lost heart after the examination

C．She suffered a lot from the disease.

D．She refused insulin shots for fear of pain

3. Why did the author go to Guatemala?

A．Her mother requested her to.

B．She hoped to help people there.

C．Her Girl Scout leader made a medical team.

D．She wanted to start her round-the-world trip.

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．She lives with Type I Diabetes.

B．She has wonderfiil experiences in Guatemala.

C．Unexpected trip makes her more confident.

D．She lives amazingly despite the diabetes.

9 . What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt? Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming. and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that shaped my childhood. I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.
Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he unwrapped those swirling black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.
1. The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was______.

A．doing shopping	B．having a debate
C．reading a message	D．leaving for Wyoming

2. The author's inspiration for the gift came from_____.

A．a photo of a flower	B．a story about a kid
C．a call from the mother	D．a text about Christmas

3. The underlined word "it" in Paragraph 3 refers to a poem by_____.

A．the father	B．the author
C．William Blake	D．Edgar Allan Poe

4. The author made the gift by_____.

A．searching for the poems online

B．drawing the background by hand

C．painting the letters in three colors

D．matching the words with pictures

5. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To show how to design images for gifts.

B．To suggest making gifts from one's heart.

C．To explain how computers help create gifts.

D．To describe the gifts the author has received

10 . A Writing Fool

In the seventh grade I realized I was dyslexic, which made it difficult for me to read and spell. I did really badly in my history course, so my mother said to me, “I’ll work with you for a full week. I’m going to show you what you can do if you put in the right amount of effort.” So we did. We worked on history for a full week, an extra hour every day. Then I went to school and failed the test, as always. It was really upsetting.

By the time I got to college I came to know that I couldn’t spell no matter how hard I tried. So I would sign up for extra courses. I’d be in registration lines all day. Then I would go around the first day of class and ask each professor: “What’s your policy on misspelling?” If he said, “Three misspellings is a fail,” I’d drop it.

Although I was an academic failure, I had a great time. I had many friends and I was always popular. I was a good football player, which was important in those years because I could read my name in the newspaper. I never had a day when I would think, “People don’t like me.”

In spite of my obvious weaknesses, I became successful in my career, so much so that people say to me, “So you’ve overcome dyslexia.” No. I don’t overcome it. I just learn to compensate for it. Some easy things are hard for me. Most people read 500 words a minute. I only read 200. I try not to dial a phone because I sometimes have to dial three times to get the number right. I owe my successful career to my writing instructor, Ralph Salisbury. He looked past my misspellings and gave   me   encouragement.   So   I   always   feel   confident.   When   I   write   my   books, I’m   seeing everything in my imagination. I write quickly and go like the wind.

The real fear that I have for dyslexic people is not that they have to struggle with their reading skills or that they can’t spell correctly, but that they will quit on themselves before they get out of school.

1. When the author did badly in the course, his mother thought that    .

A．he needed a better teacher

B．he did not work hard enough

C．he was probably too ill to study

D．he was not as smart as other children

2. In college, the author was in registration lines all day to    .

A．choose most interesting courses

B．become friends with new classmates

C．stay distance from language teachers

D．avoid courses that require correct spelling

3. Which of the following best describes the author in college?

A．Happy and active.

B．Shy and unhappy.

C．Successful and funny.

D．Quiet and unsuccessful.

4. According to the author, it is important for dyslexic people    .

A．not to get out of school

B．not to give up so easily

C．to learn to spell correctly

D．to develop reading skills