1 . I entered a cabinetmaking(家具制造)program. I didn’t think I would be good at making furniture. I’m not handy. Nobody in my family is.

I had great teachers, but making furniture is hard. There are so many steps and something can go wrong at each one. I couldn’t even get organized. My toolbox always looked as if a hurricane had gone through it.

I didn’t fully know what I was committed to in the beginning, but I kept attending class. I tried to be wrapped up in math. The projects forced me to solve new kinds of problems. My brain started to build new connections. Working in this new physical manner and giving it 100 percent of my effort had huge benefits for my mental health. I got over my fear of embarrassment and asked for help at every opportunity.

I spent that year truly learning. True learning is the most challenging experience, especially for those of us who are learning a new set of skills. I could understand exactly what was wrong with the furniture I made, but I couldn’t fix those problems. And yet, I kept trying. I failed again and again, until I learned to fail better.

In the end, I finished the program—with honors, no less! My grades were helped by my good written work. I also learned how to use tools. Having to constantly push myself to step outside my comfort zone has made me a more well-rounded person.

Maybe most importantly, the school gave me a more realistic idea of my strengths and limitations. I’m stronger than I thought!

1. What can we know about the author from the first two paragraphs?

A．She had a gift for making furniture.	B．She lacked practical skills.
C．She disliked making everything in a mess.	D．She went to the program to surprise her family.

2. What was the biggest challenge the author encountered?

A．Physical condition.	B．Psychological preparation.
C．To know how to correct mistakes.	D．Not being good at math.

3. What do you think of the author?

A．Hard-working and determined.	B．Confident and efficient.
C．Cooperative and creative.	D．Modest and talented.

4. What did the author benefit most from the project?

A．She won an award for good writing.	B．She became stronger both mentally and physically.
C．She became skillful at making furniture.	D．She had a better understanding of herself.

2 . It had long been troubling a little boy that his desk mate could rank 1st in the class every time while he failed to: he only ranked 21st.

At home, he asked his Mom, “Mom, am I more stupid than others? I feel I am as hardworking as him, but how come I always fall behind?”     1    

In another test, the son ranked 15th, and his desk mate remained 1st. Back home, he raised the same question.     2     However, was this answer in her son’s best interest? Thank goodness she did not open her mouth.

There were times she wanted to tell him, “Your father and I used to be outstanding. Why aren’t you just as clever?” But she stopped because she felt it was cruel to blame him and that she needed a better answer.

    3     To reduce the burden on her son who was suffering from the pains of unsatisfied grades and rankings, Mom decided to take him to the sea. During the trip, she managed to give out an answer.

Now, the son no longer worries about his rankings, because, with the 1st ranking, he is admitted to a top university.     4     In the lecture, he mentioned a valuable experience, “…When my mother and I was lying on the beach, she pointed to the front and said, ‘Do you see the seabirds over there? When the waves come near, little birds can rise quickly while it would take longer for clumsy sea-gulls to complete the process. However, have you noticed birds that finally fly across the endless ocean are none other than clumsy sea-gulls?’     5    ” The moving speech affected many mothers present into tears, including his mother.

A．Feeling sad for her son’s failure, mom scolded him.

B．Mom really wanted to tell her son that intelligence differs.

C．Hearing the words, she went wordless, not knowing how to explain.

D．You might be a bit slower, but you will be the one who will make it!

E．Mom was so proud of her son’s success as to often share her experience.

F．Back to his high school, he was invited to give a speech to the students and parents.

G．Time flying swiftly, despite great efforts, he was still unable to keep up with his desk mate.

3 . Years ago, my grandmother was in a nursing home. She was a retired university professor, which brought her an ocean of _______ she had taught before.

In sharp _______ with my grandmother, almost no one came to see the old man next door. He was _______ most of the time.

Once I_______ him, “How are you doing recently?” He gave me a look, saying nothing. Thinking he was _______ of hearing, I raised my voice and asked again. He just shook his head slightly. After a long while, finding I was _______ there, he just said, “Fine.” Then he looked away. I had to shut up, feeling rather _______.

Later, I learned that the old man had got quite a few companies from his family. Since he was not a good _______, he annoyed many people and even made his family and friends _______. And ________, his companies all failed.

So what is the most important ________ a person can have? Perhaps you think making money is the answer. No! But the ability to ________ your thoughts is. It’s extremely important for a person to learn to put what he thinks into ________. It makes a relationship ________ and a career flourish (繁荣). I’m afraid this is something many of us ________. Just think: How many of us have ever hurt those who love us just because we are not good at speaking? So, more often than not, it is not what we think but how we speak that determines how far we can go in life.

1.

A．neighbors

B．friends

C．relatives

D．visitors

2.

A．agreement

B．contrast

C．conflict

D．company

3.

A．alone

B．calm

C．high-spirited

D．impatient

4.

A．questioned

B．greeted

C．encountered

D．encouraged

5.

A．tired

B．ashamed

C．hard

D．short

6.

A．always

B．already

C．also

D．still

7.

A．uncomfortable

B．concerned

C．helpless

D．innocent

8.

A．expert

B．competitor

C．speaker

D．partner

9.

A．break down

B．pull away

C．fall behind

D．drop out

10.

A．typically

B．obviously

C．unexpectedly

D．consequently

11.

A．skill

B．challenge

C．principle

D．qualification

12.

A．update

B．develop

C．express

D．dominate

13.

A．action

B．words

C．plans

D．consideration

14.

A．appear

B．worsen

C．collapse

D．last

15.

A．lack

B．possess

C．oppose

D．defense

4 . Wheeling her red chair and scissors around the city, Katie gives out-of-luck strangers the _____of visibility.

Last summer, Katie saw a man sitting with a _____asking for help. She asked, “Hey! I’m driving around giving _____haircuts. If I go and grab my chair, do you want one?”

The man was in his 60s. “______,” he said, “I have a funeral to go. I was really _____to get a haircut.”

She came back with her _____red chair loaded into her car. The man, named Edward, _____a seat. After Katie was done, Edward looked in a mirror. “I look _____!”

“It’s more than a haircut. I want it to _____value and respect.” Katie knows that a haircut can _____a life. As a teen, she _____a disease that was so severe that her hair thinned seriously. Seeing this, her mother _____for Katie’s first haircut. “To sit down and have somebody look at me and talk to me like a person and not just an _____helped me feel cared about and less _____.” she says.

Katie wanted to help people _____the same way. In 2009, she began her Red Chair Project, _____to people on the streets. Katie listens to people’s stories of loss, addiction, and _____to get back on their feet. The attention _____works.

It all began with a belief in simple acts of _____, such as a free haircut. “The way you show up in the world _____,” says Katie. “You have no idea what people will do with the kindness that you give them.”

1.

A．tool

B．gift

C．course

D．challenge

2.

A．mask

B．chair

C．sign

D．mirror

3.

A．perfect

B．regular

C．special

D．free

4.

A．Naturally

B．Luckily

C．Actually

D．Eventually

5.

A．exploring

B．hoping

C．begging

D．moving

6.

A．usual

B．formal

C．smooth

D．loose

7.

A．demanded

B．kept

C．reserved

D．took

8.

A．good

B．brave

C．healthy

D．satisfied

9.

A．prove

B．show

C．appreciate

D．combine

10.

A．establish

B．complete

C．change

D．reflect

11.

A．suffered from

B．got through

C．put up with

D．adapted to

12.

A．charged

B．applied

C．sought

D．arranged

13.

A．experiment

B．illness

C．operation

D．emotion

14.

A．worthwhile

B．serious

C．alone

D．innocent

15.

A．feel

B．follow

C．accomplish

D．select

16.

A．coming over

B．turning around

C．reaching out

D．looking up

17.

A．struggle

B．escape

C．relief

D．performance

18.

A．extremely

B．apparently

C．merely

D．hardly

19.

A．joy

B．honesty

C．pride

D．kindness

20.

A．occurs

B．continues

C．remains

D．matters

5 . Growing up, I thought math class was something to be endured, not enjoyed. I disliked memorizing formulas(公式) and taking tests, all for the dull goal of getting a good grade. One of my teachers told my mother that I was “slow”. But my problem wasn't with math itself. In fact, when a topic seemed particularly interesting, I would go to the library and read more about it.

By high school, no one told me that I could become a professional mathematician. What I wanted to do then was to play college football. My ambition was to get an athletic scholarship to attend a Big Ten school.

The chances of that happening were very low. But that didn’t stop my coaches from encouraging me to believe I could reach my goal, and preparing and pushing me to work for it. They made video tapes of my performances and sent them to college coaches around the country. In the end, a Big Ten school, Penn State, did offer me a scholarship.

I wish math teachers were more like football coaches. Students are affected by more than just the quality of a lesson plan. They also respond to the passion of their teachers and the engagement of their peers, and they seek a sense of purpose. They benefit from specific instructions and constant feedback(反馈).

Until I got to college, I didn't really know what mathematics was. I still thought of it as laborious(耗时费力的) calculations. Then my professor handed me a book and suggested that I think about a particular problem. It wasn't easy, but it was fascinating. My professor kept giving me problems, and I kept pursuing them, even though I couldn’t always solve them immediately. The mathematical research I was doing had little in common with what I did in my high school classrooms. Instead, it was closer to the math and logic puzzles I did on my own as a boy. It gave me that same sense of wonder and curiosity, and it rewarded creativity. I am now a Ph. D candidate in mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

1. Why did the writer think math class in school was “something to be endured” before entering college?

A．Because he wasn’t interested in math.

B．Because his math teachers didn't care to push him.

C．Because he was too smart and talented for math class.

D．Because he was training hard for an athletic scholarship.

2. According to the writer, students are affected by the following things from teachers or coaches EXCEPT ________.

A．a sense of purpose	B．constant feedback
C．passion	D．specific instructions

3. We can conclude that after entering college, the writer ________.

A．was busy looking for math problems to solve

B．studied on his own just as he was in high school

C．met with laborious calculations in his studies

D．began to realize what mathematics really is

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Interest is the best teacher

B．Be the best—you can make it

C．Math, taught like football

D．Once your teacher, always your teacher

6 . It was New Year's Night. An ____ man was standing at a window. He raised his ____ eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were ____ like water lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake. Then he ____ them on the earth, where a few more ____ people than himself now moved towards their certain goal---the ____.He had already passed sixty of the stages   leading to it, and he had brought from his Journey ____ but errors and regrets. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant and his heart ____.

The days of his ____ appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the ____ of the two roads--one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, the other leading to a deep, ____ cave. He looked towards the sky and cried ____, "Oh youth, return! Oh my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I will choose the ____ way! " But both his father and the days of his youth had ____.

The clock in the church tower ____ and the sound made him remember his parents’ early ____ for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his and prayed to God for his ____.

But he chose the ____ way. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing ____, he burst out a cry, “Come back, my early days!”

And his youth did ____, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year’s Night.

1.

A．admirable

B．honest

C．inspiring

D．aged

2.

A．mournful

B．shining

C．charming

D．sharp

3.

A．swimming

B．floating

C．sleeping

D．lying

4.

A．threw

B．cast

C．put

D．caught

5.

A．jobless

B．homeless

C．hopeless

D．fearless

6.

A．tomb

B．company

C．lounge

D．office

7.

A．everything.

B．nothing

C．anything

D．something

8.

A．joyful

B．thoughtful

C．sorrowful

D．thankful

9.

A．death

B．birth

C．growth

D．youth

10.

A．entrance

B．middle

C．end

D．exit

11.

A．big

B．dark

C．open

D．bright

12.

A．manly

B．painfully

C．sympathetically

D．peacefully

13.

A．shorter

B．worse

C．better

D．harder

14.

A．passed away

B．passed by

C．passed down

D．passed out

15.

A．struck

B．rang

C．beat

D．knocked

16.

A．support

B．guidance

C．instruction

D．love

17.

A．guilt

B．health

C．good

D．wealth

18.

A．right

B．difficult

C．easy

D．wrong

19.

A．effect

B．force

C．effort

D．power

20.

A．fade

B．leave

C．disappear

D．return

7 . On October 28, 2006, my day started out like most Saturdays. It had been amazing, but I didn’t quite _______ it to Rogner’s.

As I attempted to open my _______, the light was blinding. I didn't recognize my _______ Was I dreaming? I tried to focus... “she’s _______.” I heard someone say. Where was I?

“You’ve been in a terrible _______ and you’re going to be _______.” I heard someone say. The _______ was familiar. I realized it was my sister, but what was she doing here and where was I?

Over the next few days, I learned I had been _______ by a car while going to Rogner’s house. I had _______life-threatening injuries and had not been expected to __________.

During the next few months I __________ various painful rehabilitation (复原) processes. During this time, I had to depend on others for most of my basic __________— showering, dressing and eating. I also found it __________ to recall things and usually, what I wanted to say, was not what came out of my mouth.

As weeks turned to months and months turned to years, the __________ at the loss of my pre-accident self was hard to forget. __________ it seemed even more painful than the __________ pain I dealt with every day.

To this day I still miss my old __________ terribly, but I started to realize that to move forward I must find the strength to __________ the chapter of my pre-accident life and hug the process of creating a new life.

By __________ my story, I hope to inspire anyone who is going through a life-changing experience to keep going. __________ after a disaster, you can still create a new life.

1.

A．make

B．get

C．help

D．pass

2.

A．mouth

B．arms

C．eyes

D．book

3.

A．sister

B．surroundings

C．words

D．identity

4.

A．thinking

B．sad

C．tearful

D．awake

5.

A．fire

B．explosion

C．accident

D．mess

6.

A．OK

B．right

C．lucky

D．conscious

7.

A．voice

B．face

C．procedure

D．scene

8.

A．attacked

B．taken

C．driven

D．struck

9.

A．caused

B．suffered

C．treated

D．added

10.

A．run over

B．operate

C．survive

D．hide away

11.

A．prepared for

B．got over

C．gave up

D．went through

12.

A．knowledge

B．needs

C．senses

D．communication

13.

A．guilty

B．necessary

C．difficult

D．useful

14.

A．pain

B．thought

C．sight

D．prediction

15.

A．In turn

B．Above all

C．After all

D．At times

16.

A．spiritual

B．physical

C．visual

D．hidden

17.

A．self

B．friend

C．hospital

D．photo

18.

A．begin

B．close

C．describe

D．analyze

19.

A．listening to

B．advocating

C．sharing

D．acting out

20.

A．Only

B．Thus

C．Therefore

D．Even

8 . I am a putterer—a person spending a lot of time doing things people usually consider unimportant in a relaxed way. However, I don’t think puttering is wasting my time. It is a satisfying way of dealing with one’s domestic environment in a way one cannot do with the world at large.

As a father, I’ve had a difficult time communicating this to my college-age son. Tom recently bought a used car. I was proud of him for negotiating a good deal. When I looked it over, I noticed a tiny spot of rust (锈). Like a superhero out to save the day, I rushed toward the imperfection with a piece of sandpaper and a small bottle of clear nail polish from my puttering resources. Tom watched as I sanded the spot and then coated it with the nail polish. He rolled his eyes. ''You'll understand someday,” I told him.

As a rule, I do not usually conduct such public performances. Puttering is, in brief, a solitary(独自进行的) act, and putterers are modest people. They observe small things that most folks simply tolerate ---- a picture hung not in a straight position, a door not shutting well, a shaky table leg ... It doesn't take much effort or time to right such deficiencies. But once again, there is something in the sensibility of the putterer that makes correcting them deeply rewarding.

All of this risks giving an impression of endless, and perhaps mindless activity. But nothing could be further from the truth. The beauty of puttering is that it is a symbol of having control over one’s time, responding to the needs of one’s home as one sees fit: If I don’t fix the shaky kitchen table today, I can do it tomorrow, or the next day, or not at all. Puttering, you might say, has set me free.

1. Which of the following best describes Tom’s attitude toward his father’s puttering?

A．Disapproval.	B．Admiration.
C．Gratitude.	D．Embarrassment.

2. What do we know about the author?

A．He is extremely strict with his son.	B．He shows interest in collecting old things.
C．He has an observing eye for small things.	D．He often overlooks others’ imperfections.

3. Which of the following word is closest in meaning to the underlined word “deficiencies” in paragraph 3?

A．Consequences.	B．Obstacles.
C．Inconveniences.	D．Drawbacks.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Benefits of Puttering	B．My Enjoyment of Puttering
C．Puttering，Wasting Time	D．Puttering, My Daily Life

9 . Having a positive attitude can mean the difference between living a life full of joy and happiness and living a life full of depression and misery. Your_______ determines what you will experience in life_______ what the actual circumstances are.

Reality can be a difficult concept to _______ . How is it that two people can have the _______ experience yet one person comes out of it loving life while the other comes out of it_______ life? There was a story of two brothers who were_______ in a home with a father who_______ all the time. It would be no _______ if both of the boys grew up to be alcoholics themselves with a hatred for life. One of the two brothers did just that. He_______ his father’s footsteps. However, the other brother grew up ________ the opposite. Having experienced that ________ , he made up his mind to be a________ and loving father because he didn’t want his kids to go through what he was forced to go through.

So what made the difference in the ________ of these two men’s lives? You see, it’s not what happens to you that ________ how your life will turn out; it’s what you do about it that counts much. The ________   for having a good attitude is that your decisions and actions will be different. On the contrary, if you had a________ attitude, you will probably experience a different outcome as a result of those________ .

It’s true that you can’t control outside circumstances and events, ________ don’t feel discouraged, for you have total control over what you decide to do with those circumstances. By________ feeding your mind with positive material, you will be more likely to________ the decision that will eventually bring you closer to your goals.

1.

A．habit

B．education

C．success

D．attitude

2.

A．apart from

B．regardless of

C．in terms of

D．as to

3.

A．believe

B．grasp

C．depend

D．admit

4.

A．general

B．direct

C．same

D．extreme

5.

A．sharing

B．rewarding

C．killing

D．hating

6.

A．brought up

B．called up

C．taken up

D．built up

7.

A．smoked

B．drank

C．cooked

D．slept

8.

A．doubt

B．chance

C．surprise

D．way

9.

A．forgot

B．followed

C．remembered

D．climbed

10.

A．completely

B．specially

C．gradually

D．generally

11.

A．relationship

B．childhood

C．silence

D．impression

12.

A．disgusting

B．careless

C．caring

D．stubborn

13.

A．influence

B．arrangement

C．growth

D．outcome

14.

A．announces

B．predicts

C．shapes

D．witnesses

15.

A．reason

B．art

C．symbol

D．response

16.

A．proud

B．negative

C．positive

D．general

17.

A．challenges

B．methods

C．journeys

D．decisions

18.

A．so

B．and

C．but

D．or

19.

A．formally

B．constantly

C．immediately

D．slightly

20.

A．make

B．change

C．create

D．delay

10 . Last February I turned 51. And to be honest, it didn’t make me jump with_______.

Of course, I still_______the face in the mirror. But it certainly didn’t_______my inner me anymore. There are many_______about age-enthusiasts who_______a whole new job? accomplished extraordinary achievements or trained to run a marathon._______they didn’t quite inspire me. It only_______me even more.

Until, three weeks ago, I came across Face App. The app has_______my husband to an 88-year-old man, wow! My husband took my picture and put it into the app. It caught my_______and showed an 88-year-old version of me with deeper________. My teeth were shorter. My neck was seriously sagging (松弛). I________the picture with such a sharp eye that it ________ burnt a hole through the screen. But then I zoomed out and looked at the ________picture. I saw softness on the cheeks; the comfort of a warm smile; a look with a lifetime of extremely rich________. That night I shared both my present and ________me on Facebook. My friends seemed to________the old me. “I think you look pretty cool,” one commented.

Again I studied the older face carefully. Suddenly I felt I________back at that older lady who might be me. I haven’t run a marathon or started a new cool job. My jump forwards is a purely emotional________.I've opened a door within myself and behind it________appreciation and love for myself, regardless of my________. Now, when I see myself in the mirror, I’m sincerely pleased.

1.

A．wonder

B．caution

C．joy

D．regret

2.

A．remembered

B．recognized

C．missed

D．preferred

3.

A．reflect

B．hide

C．remind

D．cover

4.

A．comments

B．advertisements

C．secrets

D．stories

5.

A．started

B．praised

C．ruined

D．risked

6.

A．And

B．But

C．Because

D．So

7.

A．angered

B．frightened

C．surprised

D．discouraged

8.

A．connected

B．introduced

C．changed

D．recommended

9.

A．face

B．eye

C．breath

D．name

10.

A．scars

B．thought

C．wrinkles

D．anxiety

11.

A．tore

B．took

C．examined

D．enjoyed

12.

A．nearly

B．immediately

C．easily

D．completely

13.

A．incomplete

B．unfamiliar

C．beautiful

D．whole

14.

A．experiences

B．collections

C．reward

D．imagination

15.

A．former

B．old

C．young

D．authentic

16.

A．support

B．trust

C．know

D．like

17.

A．smiled

B．stared

C．pointed

D．glanced

18.

A．reaction

B．bond

C．expression

D．victory

19.

A．discovered

B．showed

C．earned

D．received

20.

A．achievement

B．identity

C．age

D．job