1 . My First Marathon（马拉松）

A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.

I remember back to my 7th year in school. In my first P.E. class, the teacher required us to run laps and then hit a softball. I didn’t do either well. He later informed me that I was ＂not athletic＂.

The idea that I was ＂not athletic＂ stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!

The night before my marathon, I dreamt that I couldn’t even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.

Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces(鞋带) became untied. So I stopped to readjust. Not the start I wanted!

At mile 3, I passed a sign: ＂GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!＂

By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt badly. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.

By mile 21, I was starving!

As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.

I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. In fact, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.

Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a ＂marathon winner＂.

1. A month before the marathon, the author ____________.

A．was well trained	B．felt scared
C．made up his mind to run	D．lost hope

2. Why did the author mention the P.E. class in his 7th year?

A．To acknowledge the support of his teacher.

B．To amuse the readers with a funny story.

C．To show he was not talented in sports.

D．To share a precious memory.

3. How was the author’s first marathon?

A．He made it.	B．He quit halfway.
C．He got the first prize.	D．He walked to the end.

4. What does the story mainly tell us?

A．A man owes his success to his family support.

B．A winner is one with a great effort of will.

C．Failure is the mother of success.

D．One is never too old to learn.

2 . We have all heard how time is more valuable than money, but is it ________ to have too much?

I________back in high school I spent most of my day at school since I also ________a team sport. By the time I got home, I only had a few hours to do my homework, and I had to do it __________

When I got into college, things ________ I suddenly found myself out of class before noon time. Because of all this __________ there was no sense of __________ to do my school work immediately. I was performing this action of waiting until it later became ________. Once that happened, I just kept________my studying further and further back in my day. Then I got to the point where I was__________really late at night to get my work alone.

One day I __________a former classmate of mine who was __________ a lot of money running a sideline(副业).Since his regular job was __________, I asked him why he just didn't do his sideline full-time. He said without the job, he would __________ have too much time and would just do what I did back in__________.He said that if he __________the job, he would lose his __________ to work and succeed.

So, try __________ your time with other work. This is why there is a __________ that if you want something done, ask a __________person to do it.

1.

A．true

B．fair

C．strange

D．possible

2.

A．remember

B．admit

C．understand

D．expect

3.

A．watched

B．loved.

C．Coached

D．played

4.

A．at last

B．right away

C．of course

D．mattered

5.

A．happened

B．repeated

C．changed

D．mattered

6.

A．extra

B．difficult.

C．valuable

D．limited

7.

A．duty

B．achievement

C．urgency

D．direction

8.

A．burden

B．relief

C．risk

D．habit

9.

A．pushing

B．taking

C．setting

D．calling

10.

A．hanging out

B．staying up

C．jogging round

D．showing off

11.

A．met

B．helped

C．treated

D．hired

12.

A．raising

B．wasting

C．demanding

D．making

13.

A．safe

B．important

C．boring

D．rewarding

14.

A．luckily

B．hardly

C．hopefully

D．simply

15.

A．childhood

B．college

C．town

D．business

16.

A．quit

B．found

C．accepted

D．kept

17.

A．heart

B．chance

C．drive

D．way

18.

A．saving

B．filling up

C．giving up

D．trading

19.

A．message

B．story

C．saying

D．fact

20.

A．careful

B．busy

C．reliable

D．kind

3 . An unpleasant smell floated into my nose as the bowl of fried stinky tofu（臭豆腐） settled onto my grandmother’s dinner table. I immediately sat back. The smell ruined my appetite, and I pushed the dish away.

“It’s supposed to stink. Just give it a try!” my grandmother said.

Holding my breath, I unwillingly took a bite. To my surprise, the tofu beneath the fried skin was warm, soft, and mouthwatering. Since then, whenever I visited my grandmother’s house, I would rush to the kitchen for the stinky tofu with excitement. Thus, stinky tofu became more than a household tradition. It became my favorite dish.

Along with the stinky tofu, I would meet my Uncle Chan on every visit. As an immature boy, I never understood my uncle’s condition of Down syndrome（唐氏综合征）.

He was an unfriendly and terrible creature in my eyes. He constantly walked around the house, talking to himself. Whenever he was within view, I would run away in fear.

However, one day, my view of my uncle suddenly changed. I was just getting out of my bed when I heard soft steps approaching. It was my uncle. My muscles froze. He slowly sat next to me and touched my face gently, as a mother would stroke （抚摸）a baby.

A wide smile emerged from his blank expression. How beautiful his smile was! I could not help but smile back. My fear disappeared gradually, and my muscles relaxed. For the first time, I could see softness and warmth in his eyes.

My uncle very much resembles stinky tofu. Stinky tofu smells unpleasant on the outside,   yet   feels   warm   and   soft   in   the   inside.   Like   stinky   tofu,   my   uncle’s   Down syndrome made me keep my distance at first. Yet, I learned that deep inside, he is harmless and has a loving nature.

Some people tend to look down upon disabled people and regard them as unfit for a regular life. As I was able to see through the outer surface of the tofu, these people are unable to see through the surface of prejudice（偏见）. As a result, they judge the disabled with one glance.

The outside and inside of the stinky tofu exist as two extremely different worlds. Perhaps that is what makes it such a tasty dish. Not only is it delicious, stinky tofu offers a valuable lesson: never judge people at first glance, for true beauty comes from the inside.

1. Why did stinky tofu become the author’s favorite dish?

A．It was related to family tradition.

B．It turned out to be quite delicious.

C．Grandma encouraged him to try it.

D．His appetite for food had increased.

2. What did the author think of his uncle at first?

A．He was a quiet person.

B．He was an energetic guy.

C．He was an immature man.

D．He was a strange creature.

3. The author’s attitude towards Uncle Chan changed when .

A．Chan’s footsteps woke up the author

B．Chan showed his friendliness to the author

C．Chan displayed his love towards his mother

D．Chan’s blank expression made the author smile

4. The comparison between stinky tofu and the author’s uncle serves to _.

A．highlight the nature of Uncle Chan

B．analyze the family relationship

C．describe a childhood memory

D．introduce a traditional Chinese food

5. What does the author mainly want to tell us in the passage?

A．We shouldn’t judge by appearances.

B．A person’s taste changes over time.

C．Blood is thicker than water.

D．You are what you eat.

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写一段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

A few years ago, the company I worked for sent my wife and me to live in New York for a year. I’ve always loved running, so I was really happy when I found out I lived next to Central Park. This meant that every morning I could go for a run before I went to work.

Because a lot of people had told me to be careful of robbers in the park, so usually I didn’t take anything with me. How could they rob me if I didn’t have anything? But one morning, my wife gave me a S 10 bill and asked me to buy some bread on the way.

It was a beautiful morning and the park was quiet with very few people walking or jogging (慢跑) around. While I was running through the park, another jogger knocked into me. He apologized and continued running. For a while, I didn’t think too much of it. However, when I noticed the wide path where I was running, I thought was kind of strange. The warning of robbers in the park occurred to me. ”It could have been a robber!” I suddenly became alarmed, so I checked my pocket and found that the money was missing. Without thinking twice, I ran after that jogger. I finally caught up and held him by the arm. I shouted, “Give me the $10 bill! Now!” I am not usually a hot-headed (性急的) person, but I got really angry this time. I couldn’t believe the robbery was actually happening to me. Filled with anger, I shook my fist at him. This seemed to frighten him. He quickly put his hand in his pocket and gave me the money. Then he ran away as fast as he could.

I bought the bread and went home. As soon as I got home, I couldn’t wait to tell my wife my story. “You won’t believe what happened to me,” I started with pride. She immediately stopped me, “I know, you left the money for the bread on the kitchen table.”

注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Looking at the money on the table, I stood there, shocked.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . 完形填空
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从1--20各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I often read of incidents of misunderstanding or conflict. I’m left _______. Why do these people create mistrust and problems, especially with those from other _______?
I was growing up in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1960s, _______ children from different races and religions played and studied _______ in harmony. At that time my family lived a stone’s ________from Ismail’s. And no one was bothered that Ismail was a Malay Muslim and I was an Indian Hindu—we just _______ our differences. Perhaps, our elders had not filled our heads with unnecessary advice, well _______ or otherwise.
We were nine when we became friends. During the school holidays, we’d _______ the countryside on our bicycles, hoping to _______ the unexpected. At times Ismail would accompany my family as we made a rare shopping trip to town. We would be glad of his ________.
When I was twelve, my family moved to Johor. Ismail’s family later returned to their village, and I ________ touch with him.
One spring afternoon in 1983, I stopped a taxi in Kuala Lumpur. I ________ my destination. The driver acknowledged my ________ but did not move off. Instead, he looked ________ at me. “Raddar?” he said, using my childhood nickname(绰号). I was astonished at being so _________addressed(称呼). Unexpectedly! It was Ismail! Even after two ________ we still recognized each other. Grasping his shoulder, I felt a true affection, something ________ to describe.
If we can allow our children to be ________ without prejudice, they’ll build friendships with people, regardless of race or religion, who will be ________ their side through thick and thin. On such friendships are societies build and ________ we can truly be, as William Shakespeare once wrote, “we happy few, we band of brothers”.1.

A．interested

B．pleased

C．puzzled

D．excited

2.

A．parties

B．cities

C．villages

D．races

3.

A．why

B．which

C．how

D．when

4.

A．together

B．around

C．alone

D．apart

5.

A．drop

B．throw

C．move

D．roll

6.

A．refused

B．made

C．sought

D．accepted

7.

A．paid

B．meant

C．preserved

D．treated

8.

A．explore

B．search

C．discover

D．desert

9.

A．get through

B．deal with

C．come across

D．take away

10.

A．arrival

B．choice

C．effort

D．company

11.

A．lost

B．gained

C．developed

D．missed

12.

A．stated

B．ordered

C．decided

D．chose

13.

A．attempts

B．instructions

C．opinions

D．arrangements

14.

A．anxiously

B．carelessly

C．disappointedly

D．fixedly

15.

A．familiarly

B．strangely

C．fully

D．coldly

16.

A．departures

B．months

C．years

D．decades

17.

A．possible

B．funny

C．hard

D．clear

18.

A．them

B．themselves

C．us

D．ourselves

19.

A．from

B．by

C．with

D．against

20.

A．still

B．otherwise

C．then

D．instead

6 . When I was 12 years old, I already knew that my teen years were going to be the worst years of my life. I was a total outsider, bullied (欺凌) at school. I felt completely alone in my small town.

But by starting to do volunteer work when I was 14, I turned my problem into a passion for helping others. The opportunity to practice kindness made me feel like my life had a greater purpose. The more positive energy I shared, the more kindness and appreciation I received. I realized that my purpose in life would be to reach out to people, specifically teenagers, and help them feel less alone.

Books were my true friends back then. I was so thankful that the authors wrote those books. The kindness they offered me with their books saved my life. One of my biggest dreams was to become an author so I could write books that would help other teenagers the way those books helped me.

After surviving terrible experiences at school and at home, I made a choice to take the optimistic, positive road in the next steps of my journey. My dream career, one I thought was only possible for the authors I loved, is what I am doing now. I have been a full-time author of teen novels since 2007 and am grateful for this amazing opportunity to reach out to readers every single day.

Kindness saved me when I needed help the most. Even small acts of kindness can change someone’s life. You never know what someone else is going through. But by practicing daily kindness, you become an architect of positive change.

1. What was the author’s life like when he was 12?

A．Boring.

B．Peaceful.

C．Painful.

D．Meaningful.

2. How did the volunteer work benefit the author?

A．It made him popular in his town.	B．It helped him find the meaning of life.
C．It helped him understand others’ lives better.	D．It helped to shape his dream career.

3. Why did the author choose writing as his job?

A．He was inspired by his teacher.	B．He could pass positive energy to readers.
C．He wanted to share his school experiences.	D．He found he had a talent for writing.

4. What does the author suggest readers do in the last paragraph?

A．Say “no” to bullies bravely.	B．Make positive changes in their lives.
C．Treat others with kindness in daily life.	D．Learn to care more about others’ feelings.

7 . Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they convey regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.

My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.

I don’t only avoid those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. It’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say “I love you” or “I forgive you.” When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.

I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality. And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.

1. Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule?

A．Start the car the moment everyone is seated.

B．Leave the room for a minute with the iron working.

C．Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better.

D．Move an object out of the way before it trips someone.

2. The author decided to go to her office on Good Friday to ______.

A．keep her appointment with the eye doctor

B．meet her father who was already an old man

C．join in the holiday celebration of the company

D．finish her work before the deadline approached

3. The underlined word “foregone” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ______.

A．abandoned	B．lacked
C．avoided	D．taken

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．To Keep Emotional Well-being	B．To Prevent “If Only” Moments
C．To Follow the Most Useful Rule	D．To Achieve the Peace of Mind

8 . I walked to Mrs. Windsor’s house and waited outside. She was working with another student, and I was not supposed to bother them by ringing the bell. I stood against the wall and daydreamed what I’d rather be doing. I had been tutored enough to read, understand, and even write some musical compositions, but I just didn’t have a gift for it. Mrs. Windsor had offered to give me the lessons for free, so I felt my duty to try.
The door opened and Wendy Barton came out. I walked in, sat down on the piano bench and began to sort through my sheet music. Today Mrs. Windsor introduced her niece Pasha to teach me. With a smile, Pasha sat beside me on the piano bench, opened my sheet music to the beginning page and asked me to play. I arranged my fingers on the keys. Then I frowned(皱眉) and concentrated to make the notes on the page match the finger movements. I had to admit I was a rather mechanical (呆板的) pianist.
After about a page or two, Pasha gently put her hand on top of mine as if to calm my fingers. There was a long pause. “What are you hearing in the music?” I looked at her rather strangely and admitted I didn’t know what she meant. “Like a story. Here, let me try and you listen,” Pasha advised.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting her fingers dance lightly over the keys. Then, she began to play. “See, it begins here beside some kind of river. Hear the water flowing beside you?”
Her fingers rose and fell gently on the keys. “Now the princess appears and she’s picking flowers from the water’s edge.” A happy piece of music filled the air in time to Pasha’s dancing fingers. “Oh, but she slips!” The music changed. “And our princess is being carried off by the fast-flowing stream. Quickly, the princess’ horse sees her plight (困境) and races to the river’s edge where he swims out to let her catch hold of him. Luckily, they make it to the bank.” Pasha said.
I played many pieces of music that afternoon, finding the stories in the music and learning that sometimes it takes a friend to pull you out of the river onto dry land again.
1. By describing herself as a mechanical pianist, the author meant ________.

A．she could remember the notes in a short time

B．she was playing the piano without emotion

C．her fingers couldn’t move freely

D．it had been a long time since she played last time

2. Which of the following can best describe Pasha?

A．Creative.

B．Honest.

C．Humorous.

D．Brave.

3. Pasha’s magic of playing the piano lies in that she ________.

A．imagined herself as a princess

B．knew its original background story

C．had a strong desire to make a friend

D．combined the music with a story

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

A．A Friend Forever

B．Never Give up

C．A Piano Lesson

D．My Favorite Piece of Music

9 . A lady wanted a birthday gift from her husband. For many months she had liked a   beautiful_______, and knowing her husband could_______it, she told him that was all she wanted. On the morning of the_______husband told her how_______he was to have such a good wife, and how much he loved her. He_______her beautiful gift package(盒). She opened it and_______a Bible._______, she raised her voice and said to her husband. "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" She was so_______that she left him.

Many years passed and the lady was very_______in business. She owned two large companies. She________her husband was very old, and thought perhaps she should go to________him. But before she could, she________a letter telling her that he had died, and gave all of his possessions(财产) to her. She needed to come back ________take care of things.

When she arrived at his house, sadness________her heart. She saw the still new________, just she had left it years before. With________she opened it and began to turn the pages. A ring________from Bible to the floor and a________could be seen. She picked it up and found it was the ring she wanted in those days. And on the card was the date of her birth, and the words "LOVE YOU ALWAYS”.

________your gift is not packaged the way you want it, it's because it is better packaged! Always appreciate little things; they usually lead you to bigger things in the world! The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched for they must be felt with the     ________.

1.

A．watch

B．ring

C．coat

D．box

2.

A．afford

B．like

C．design

D．guess

3.

A．holiday

B．performance

C．meeting

D．birthday

4.

A．kind

B．proud

C．sorry

D．brave

5.

A．lent

B．gave

C．asked

D．moved

6.

A．found

B．carried

C．missed

D．held

7.

A．Politely

B．Lightly

C．Patiently

D．Angrily

8.

A．calm

B．disappointed

C．grateful

D．careless

9.

A．sad

B．lonely

C．successful

D．poor

10.

A．realized

B．wondered

C．hoped

D．explained

11.

A．help

B．visit

C．understand

D．catch

12.

A．received

B．passed

C．wrote

D．sent

13.

A．but

B．and

C．or

D．so

14.

A．covered

B．broke

C．filled

D．left

15.

A．car

B．Bible

C．letter

D．table

16.

A．smiles

B．tears

C．laughter

D．interests

17.

A．hid

B．disappeared

C．made

D．dropped

18.

A．book

B．card

C．pen

D．flower

19.

A．If

B．But

C．And

D．So

20.

A．hand

B．eye

C．heart

D．face

10 . Last fall, I went to New York for sightseeing. I visited many tourist attractions there, and I also saw many unfortunate citizens on the street, like beggars and homeless folks.

Standing outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I heard a voice ask, “Can you do me a favor?” When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended out. Naturally, I reached into my pocket for some change immediately and placed it in her hand without even looking at her. I was really annoyed at being bothered by a beggar. What I only thought at that moment was to send her away.

But the blind woman said with a warm smile on her face, "I don't want your money. I just need you to show me the way to the subway entrance."

In an instant, I realized what I had done just now. Her unexpected words took me by surprise and shame. I had acted with prejudice ——I'd judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be. I felt ashamed of myself and couldn't face the old woman anymore. And I felt small beside her.

The incident reminded me that I believed in being humble, even though I had lost that belief for a moment. The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant. I left Honduras and arrived in the U. S. at the age of 15. Through the years, I have experienced many acts of prejudice. I remember a time at the age of 17 when I was a busboy, I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me. But now, living my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to go. It is the blind woman who cured me of my blindness.

1. What did the author think the blind woman wanted at first sight?

A．To ask for directions.	B．To offer him some help.
C．To demand some donations.	D．To borrow money from him.

2. Why did the author feel ashamed?

A．He had a prejudice on the woman.	B．He couldn't face the woman.
C．He was judged by his appearance.	D．He was an immigrant himself.

3. Why did the author mention his experience as a busboy?

A．To indicate he led a miserable life.	B．To tell he didn't work hard at school.
C．To prove he used to be a humble man.	D．To show he used to be unfairly judged.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Be Considerate - Always Minding Your Words

B．Be Humble - Always Dropping Your Prejudice

C．Be Generous - Always Helping Those in Need

D．Be Aggressive - Always Having a Big Dream