1 . I was born with a genetic condition, retinitis pigmentosa（色素性视网膜炎）, and, over the years, my eyesight gradually got worse. The best way to describe it is like_________a straw which is coated by cling film（薄膜）over the_________. And a few years later, I   was almost 100% blind. When I was young, I used to get very angry if I_________something I found difficult or couldn't do because of my eyes. But over time I learned that wasn't a helpful_________. There's no point getting_________by the fact I can't see, because it won't_________it.

Of course, my great_________is climbing. People are usually_________when they discover that not only do I climb, but I also lead climbs.

At university I_________the Mountaineering Club and was able to climb much more__________. We had regular trips to indoor walls and weekends away outdoors. I met my__________Molly at a climbing club during freshers' week. We didn't climb together very much__________we were both very experienced and were normally__________up with those who hadn't done as much as we had. We were just friends at first, but eventually romance blossomed. I actually__________to her in 2017 on a climbing trip to Greenland. She said yes.

People often ask me, "Why rock climbing, it doesn't seem like a good activity for a__________person?"

But when I think about the danger,__________the road is far more dangerous, and also it's something where I'm not in control.

Doing that climb was evidence of the__________I've always had—which is that I'm not__________, I'm just blind and able.

It's quite possible that I wouldn't be as good a climber if I weren't blind—if I didn't have these challenges, it wouldn't make me__________. The__________is built through my disability.

1.

A．looking through

B．looking over

C．looking up

D．looking for

2.

A．edge

B．end

C．outside

D．inside

3.

A．avoided

B．abandoned

C．encountered

D．obtained

4.

A．excuse

B．lesson

C．process

D．response

5.

A．wounded

B．bored

C．shocked

D．pleased

6.

A．stimulate

B．change

C．accelerate

D．refuse

7.

A．advantage

B．passion

C．routine

D．target

8.

A．excited

B．demanding

C．caring

D．amazed

9.

A．quitted

B．discovered

C．joined

D．dismissed

10.

A．frequently

B．difficultly

C．comfortably

D．cautiously

11.

A．friend

B．wife

C．husband

D．sister

12.

A．once

B．while

C．so

D．because

13.

A．fed

B．messed

C．partnered

D．lined

14.

A．surrendered

B．proposed

C．attached

D．turned

15.

A．deaf

B．dumb

C．blind

D．lame

16.

A．crossing

B．paving

C．mending

D．cleaning

17.

A．love

B．career

C．misfortune

D．belief

18.

A．disabled

B．healthy

C．wealthy

D．depressed

19.

A．responsible

B．comfortable

C．available

D．focused

20.

A．kindness

B．curiosity

C．determination

D．imagination

2 . On his knees, a cute boy is packing the sand into a bucket at a beautiful beach. 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 （哨兵）with bottle tops and bridges with sticks. And a sandcastle will be built.

In a big city with _______ streets and traffic, a man is working in an office. He packs papers into piles, holds the phone between his _______ and shoulder and _______ the keyboard with his fingers. Contracts gets 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. "It's 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．shock

B．sorrow

C．regret

D．delight

3.

A．lonely

B．busy

C．clean

D．empty

4.

A．hand

B．neck

C．arm

D．ear

5.

A．fixes

B．feels

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．throw

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．bends

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．pessimistic

18.

A．finish

B．protect

C．improve

D．collect

19.

A．glances

B．stares

C．yells

D．points

20.

A．sets

B．shines

C．rises

D．bums

3 . 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1.

A．nervously

B．proudly

C．exactly

D．carefully

2.

A．share

B．remark

C．do

D．consider

3.

A．pleasure

B．respect

C．honour

D．selfish

4.

A．changed

B．kept

C．finished

D．missed

5.

A．noticed

B．greeted

C．followed

D．helped

6.

A．home

B．choice

C．friend

D．car

7.

A．hangs around

B．hides away

C．watches over

D．calms down

8.

A．each

B．another

C．either

D．that

9.

A．hated

B．happened

C．offered

D．refused

10.

A．works

B．lives

C．plays

D．remains

11.

A．fly

B．ride

C．drive

D．walk

12.

A．remind

B．avoid

C．attract

D．please

13.

A．workroom

B．office

C．playground

D．park

14.

A．therefore

B．even

C．however

D．instead

15.

A．rely on

B．spy on

C．look at

D．point at

16.

A．neighbors

B．pets

C．children

D．friends

17.

A．since

B．although

C．as

D．if

18.

A．accepted

B．hesitated

C．approached

D．urged

19.

A．reliable

B．upset

C．generous

D．grateful

20.

A．gift

B．lesson

C．treasure

D．method

5 . Isn’t it amazing how you never have to water your weeds or nurture (培育) them and they still give you an unwanted crop?

I can remember as a young boy my grandfather showed me how to _______ this annoying weed called Bermuda grass. It was _______ work and it would really _______ if you didn’t get it out by the _______. More recently when my wife and I bought our first home about 8 years ago, what I had to deal with was this certain part of weeds _______ to the Bermuda grass, which would also spread wildly.

After getting the inside of our home _______, it was time to work on the outside. On my hands and knees I_______ attacked the weeds with a small hand spade getting each one_______ by the roots. Just this Spring I realized that one particular weed was _______ but another one was in full force. So again, I got ________ on my hands and knees and got to work ________ them from my yard. When I was ________, my yard was better off.

Sometimes our life can be so similar. We all have weeds in our life. These weeds can be challenges, setbacks, or________ beliefs, and the list can be ________.

The ________when dealing with these weeds of ________ is to get to the root of it and remove them one by one out and eventually you will ________ this round. And when another crop of weeds ________, deal with them directly ________ they spread, because now that you know what to do with them by getting to the root of it, it will give you more courage and ________ the next time a problem arises.

1.

A．eat up

B．put up

C．break up

D．dig up

2.

A．powerful

B．poisonous

C．hard

D．sensitive

3.

A．succeed

B．spread

C．withdraw

D．compromise

4.

A．leaves

B．hands

C．spades

D．roots

5.

A．similar

B．attractive

C．fundamental

D．unknown

6.

A．settled

B．mended

C．appreciated

D．counted

7.

A．curiously

B．unsuccessfully

C．energetically

D．thankfully

8.

A．inside

B．off

C．out

D．across

9.

A．useful

B．gone

C．different

D．dynamic

10.

A．down

B．up

C．off

D．in

11.

A．collecting

B．ridding

C．attending

D．distinguishing

12.

A．worn-out

B．finished

C．accustomed

D．introduced

13.

A．familiar

B．religious

C．past

D．negative

14.

A．reasonable

B．normal

C．endless

D．uncertain

15.

A．progress

B．permission

C．disadvantage

D．solution

16.

A．house

B．school

C．life

D．factory

17.

A．conquer

B．memorize

C．interrupt

D．recognize

18.

A．shows up

B．shows off

C．takes up

D．takes off

19.

A．unless

B．even if

C．so that

D．before

20.

A．impression

B．wisdom

C．motivation

D．satisfaction

6 . 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.

7 . I wanted to be a journalist. But my parents _______ that math makes money, so off to engineering school I went. In my post-university young-adult life, I’ve managed to become_______ successful. As a female _______, I worked for a big oil company and owned a home. My life was_______ in front of me, and I didn’t like what I saw.

So, I did what any respectable 24-year-old would do and left my _______ behind. I said goodbye to my job and _______ my suitcase. I _______ myself solo into the world with the grace and beauty of a baby deer taking its first steps with skateboards under its feet.

I _______ my knees mountain biking through the red rocks of Utah. I partied at a spring bath party in Budapest. I spent four days _______ through Yellowstone with 50 pounds on my back. I took a ________along the Danube river with someone from the hostel. They were just small everyday ________ that happened to happen abroad, leading me to realize that the true value of my flight tickets were not the ________ but rather becoming a( n) ________ participant in my own life.

I now spend less time online shopping and more time ________ alone on the floor listening to an album cover - to - cover. I ask my friends how they’re doing; sometimes, I ________ them with flowers to see them smile. I tell everyone to have a good day.

Maybe I’ll continue to be ________ for the next five years and touch down in dozens more countries. Maybe I’ll stay grounded in my home city, but the idea no longer ________ me. ________ with new wisdom earned in a year of travel, I know with complete ________ that there’s adventure hiding in any aspect of my life—as long as I’m ________ enough to look for it.

1.

A．insisted

B．predicted

C．recalled

D．ordered

2.

A．commonly

B．consciously

C．conventionally

D．officially

3.

A．journalist

B．engineer

C．designer

D．manager

4.

A．laid out

B．set down

C．given out

D．put away

5.

A．job

B．dream

C．parents

D．life

6.

A．turned in

B．pulled out

C．took off

D．looked through

7.

A．made

B．moved

C．threw

D．created

8.

A．hugged

B．loosened

C．cured

D．bloodied

9.

A．hiking

B．leaping

C．reading

D．crawling

10.

A．visit

B．walk

C．drink

D．look

11.

A．moments

B．conversations

C．problems

D．routines

12.

A．feelings

B．quarrels

C．landmarks

D．conflicts

13.

A．wise

B．brave

C．active

D．tough

14.

A．lying

B．eating

C．running

D．practicing

15.

A．concern

B．shock

C．treat

D．surprise

16.

A．organized

B．grateful

C．kind

D．selfish

17.

A．cheers

B．bothers

C．attracts

D．hurts

18.

A．Connected

B．Armed

C．Faced

D．Fed

19.

A．respect

B．surprise

C．confidence

D．confusion

20.

A．glad

B．good

C．brilliant

D．awake

8 . Once I had a student called Jamal. He would squirm (扭来扭去)in his chair during independent work, and he would never stay still for more than three or four minutes. Students like Jamal can confuse brand new teachers because they’re not quite sure how to support young people like him. I took a direct approach. I negotiated with Jamal. If he could give me focused work, then he could do it from anywhere in the classroom: from our classroom rug, from behind my desk, or from inside his classroom locker, which turned out to be his favorite place.

Jamal’s least favorite subject was writing, and he never wanted to read what he had written out loud in class, but we were still making progress. One day, I decided to host a mock (模拟的)2008 presidential election in my classroom. My third graders had to research and write a speech for their chosen candidate: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain. The favorite candidates were obvious, but one student chose John McCain. It was Jamal. Jamal finally decided to read something that he had written out loud in class, and sure enough, Jamal stunned all of us with his brilliance. Just like Jamal’s dad, John McCain was a veteran, and just like Jamal’s dad protected him, Jamal believed that John McCain would protect the entire country. He wasn’t my candidate of choice, but it didn’t matter, because the entire class erupted into applause for our brave friend Jamal who finally showed up as his most confident self for the first time that year.

A lack of confidence pulls us down from the bottom and weighs us down from the top, crushing us between a flurry of can’ts and won’ts. Without confidence, we get stuck, and when we get stuck, we can’t even get started. Instead of getting mired in what can get in our way, confidence invites us to perform with certainty.

1. Which of the following best describes Jamal?

A．Naughty and stubborn	B．Determined but shy
C．Smart but unfocused	D．Confident and generous

2. Why did Jamal choose John McCain in the mock 2008 presidential election?

A．Because John was the least popular among the three choices.

B．Because John had written something about him before.

C．Because John shared some similarities with Jamal’s father.

D．Because John was a soldier who could protect the country.

3. What does the underlined word “stun” mean?

A．Amaze.

B．Cheer.

C．Awake.

D．Entertain.

4. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To introduce the change of the authors student.

B．To show how to deal with problem students.

C．To stress the importance of encouragement.

D．To encourage us to be confident.

9 . Happiness, above all else in the world, is what people seek. They want to have happiness, and want to know they have a lot of it. But happiness, like air or water, is a _______ thing to grasp in one’s hand. So how does one know if they have it? Is it just a _______? And if someone does not feel happy, how can they go about _______ that feeling?

Happiness is not _______ by material wealth. A new car or television, a waterskiing boat or a three-level house is not _______ to joyful feelings. They are status symbols, surely, but they don’t _______ a happy life. People who have wealth can be _______, just as the poor can be living joyfully. Possessions can be _______ and lost, and with that comes fear. And fear _______ leads to happiness.

So if it isn’t “stuff” that gains happiness, then what can? Well, ________ can. People need to have a sense of purpose. These people often have a feeling of satisfaction. They sense they were put on this planet for a ________. To each person, this purpose can be ________. Maybe they were meant to teach. Maybe they were meant to learn. And goals can be ________ things, like taking an extra moment each day to breathe. But having ________ in life, a feeling of moving forward, can make people feel happy.

But taking that forward motion too ________ can be a bad thing. Success at the expense of everything else leads to the ________ of happiness. Life requires ________. And people who understand there is a balance between work and ________ are more in tune with the universe and, therefore, better able to achieve happiness. Life with a bit of humor is more ________. So people can be happy if they have something to strive for and something to ________ about.

1.

A．vital

B．hard

C．strange

D．magic

2.

A．feeling

B．sign

C．gift

D．reward

3.

A．ignoring

B．replacing

C．achieving

D．checking

4.

A．measured

B．exchanged

C．bought

D．controlled

5.

A．close

B．similar

C．harmful

D．equal

6.

A．change

B．guarantee

C．start

D．influence

7.

A．proud

B．stressed

C．rude

D．unhappy

8.

A．borrowed

B．robbed

C．gained

D．returned

9.

A．rarely

B．always

C．even

D．still

10.

A．money

B．jobs

C．love

D．goals

11.

A．moment

B．trip

C．reason

D．position

12.

A．rewarding

B．different

C．challenging

D．impractical

13.

A．meaningful

B．small

C．instructive

D．significant

14.

A．creativity

B．power

C．wealth

D．progress

15.

A．far

B．high

C．late

D．slowly

16.

A．result

B．change

C．opposite

D．imagination

17.

A．balance

B．care

C．emotion

D．friendship

18.

A．music

B．play

C．art

D．study

19.

A．different

B．worthwhile

C．beneficial

D．pleasant

20.

A．worry

B．talk

C．laugh

D．think

10 . Perhaps you’re in the middle of a divorce, suffering the loss of a loved one, or facing an illness. Perhaps you have a dream you’ve strived for long, but it still seems out of ______. Maybe you’re ______ a difficult time looking for a job, or you’re working but just getting by, and burdened with ______. Have you ever felt like giving up?

My friend Jorge Perez, a screenwriter in his 30’s, working 12 hours a day, six days a week, has put every extra waking ______ and every penny he ______ into Bodies of Work, an independent TV pilot he wrote, ______, directed and shot. He’s ______ to be a success. When he gets ______, he thinks of the words from Racing in the Rain. “Your car goes where your eyes go. In other words, wherever you focus your attention is where you’re ______, with related consequences. It takes the same energy to focus on positive outcomes as negative ones, with better ______.”

I never knew anyone more realistically optimistic than my own ______ sister, whose dying words were, “I’m not giving up.” Pam ______ Cystic Fibrosis(囊肿性纤维化), lived independently, graduated from college and ran her own daycare before we ______ her to the illness. Pam taught me that even when you are at your most ______ and feeling like you can’t go on, you ______ have the power to choose between ______ or hope, forgiveness or revenge. She supported the words of Viktor Frankl: “When you can’t change your circumstances, you are ______ to change yourself.” 

These people accept their present circumstances and they ______ it. They focus on the best way to move forward and set goals to do so, rather than looking back or blaming others for their current ______. Ultimately, of course, our ______ is a letting go— but until then, don’t give up.

1.

A．sight

B．reach

C．order

D．place

2.

A．keeping up

B．going through

C．trying for

D．seeing through

3.

A．debt

B．responsibility

C．pride

D．guilt

4.

A．work

B．energy

C．rest

D．hour

5.

A．hid

B．collected

C．earned

D．distributed

6.

A．preferred

B．shared

C．cast

D．read

7.

A．excited

B．surprised

C．concerned

D．determined

8.

A．disappointed

B．addicted

C．discouraged

D．bored

9.

A．heading

B．landing

C．fleeing

D．falling

10.

A．measures

B．results

C．purposes

D．grades

11.

A．late

B．bitter

C．desperate

D．keen

12.

A．cured

B．acquired

C．battled

D．dismissed

13.

A．connected

B．reduced

C．applied

D．lost

14.

A．powerless

B．aimless

C．careless

D．merciless

15.

A．almost

B．indeed

C．just

D．still

16.

A．delight

B．despair

C．regret

D．sorrow

17.

A．challenged

B．raised

C．organized

D．offered

18.

A．take charge of

B．make the best of

C．take hold of

D．make a fool of

19.

A．behaviors

B．commitments

C．adventures

D．difficulties

20.

A．experience

B．expectation

C．destination

D．dream