1 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

I can well remember that I was once asked to deliver a speech titled “A Real Test in My Life” before the whole class at the age of 9! You can imagine how     1     (terrible) shy I was with so many eyes       2       (fix) upon me. I had no     3     (choose) but to prepare for it, though. First of all, I was to draft the speech, which was just a piece of cake for me, a good writer. But the hardest part     4     (lie) in my oral presentation from my memory— for to read from the paper was not allowed. The real moment began     5         I stood on the platform with my legs trembling and my mind blank. But my listeners were waiting patiently without any signs of rushing me. Gradually I found myself back,     6     (deliver) my speech with difficulty. After what seemed to be a hundred years, I found my audience applauding— I made     7    ! From then on, my fear of talking before an audience disappeared. Actually with my     8     (confident) building up, I now turn out to be a great speaker. Looking back, I know the greatest difficulty on our way         9     success is our fear. Overcome it     10     we will be able to achieve our goals.

2 . From the window of my room, I could see a tall cotton - rose hibiscus (木棉树). In spring, when green leaves were half _______ by mist, the tree looked very attractive. _______ with red flowers. This inspiring neighbor of mine often _______ my mind working. I regarded it as my best friend _______.

However, when I opened the window one morning, to my amazement, the tree was almost _______ beyond recognition as a a result of the storm _______ the night before. I was seized with a sudden sorrow at the thought “all the flowers are to fall” I could not help _______ with emotion: the course of life never runs _______, for there are so many ups and downs. _______ twists and turns. The process of my life saw my beloved friends parting one after another. Isn’t it ________ to the flowers falling off the tree in the wind?

This event ________ from my memory as time went by. One day after I came home. I found the room hard to breathe in and opened the window ________. Something outside caught my ________ and impress me. It was a plum tree (李树) with flowers ________ beautifully by the sunset. The surprise discovery filled me with pleasure. I wondered ________ I had no idea of some tough life restarting over the fallen petals (花瓣) when I felt sorry for the hibiscus.

When the last petal ________, all the admiration for the hibiscus disappeared as if nothing was left, until the landscape was again decorated with the red plum flowers to ________ people of life’s alternation and continuity. Can’t it be said that life is actually a symphony, a harmonious ________ of loss and gain.

Standing by the window lost in thought for a long time, I realized that no scenery in the world remains ________. As long as you keep your heart bathed in the sun, every dawn will present a fine start for you and the world will always be about ________ hopes.

Tell anyone who has inspired you how they have inspired you.

1.

A．buried

B．hidden

C．placed

D．trapped

2.

A．dotted

B．surrounded

C．covered

D．marked

3.

A．observed

B．prevented

C．set

D．bore

4.

A．regularly

B．generally

C．narrowly

D．gradually

5.

A．bare

B．vacant

C．blank

D．empty

6.

A．effect

B．fault

C．damage

D．feast

7.

A．sighing

B．yelling

C．swearing

D．teasing

8.

A．lucky

B．simple

C．smooth

D．cozy

9.

A．as many as

B．as well as

C．rather than

D．regardless of

10.

A．due

B．contrary

C．familiar

D．similar

11.

A．sank

B．quit

C．matured

D．faded

12.

A．merely

B．actively

C．casually

D．fiercely

13.

A．eye

B．nose

C．soul

D．mind

14.

A．set up

B．set off

C．put up

D．put off

15.

A．why

B．if

C．how

D．when

16.

A．slipped

B．dropped

C．quit

D．broke

17.

A．remind

B．warn

C．convince

D．rid

18.

A．division

B．dilemma

C．composition

D．conflict

19.

A．unlimited

B．unchanged

C．unspoiled

D．unexpected

20.

A．vain

B．practical

C．previous

D．fresh

3 . My father loves his garden. He planted some seeds in it. But at that time, I didn’t understand why working in the dirt excited him so much.

Unfortunately, in early May, my father was seriously injured in an accident. He had to stay in bed for a while. My mother had several business trips, so she couldn’t take care of the garden. I didn’t want my father to worry, so I said that I would take care of his garden until he recovered. I assumed that the little plants would continue to grow as long as they had water, and luckily it rained fairly often, so I didn’t think much about the garden.

One Saturday morning, my father said to me, “Christine, the vegetables should be about ready to be picked. Let’s have a salad today!” I went out to the garden and was upset to see that many of the lettuce leaves and carrots had been half eaten by bugs. There were hundreds of bugs all over them!

I panicked for a moment but then I quietly went to the nearest store to buy some vegetables. When I gave the salad to him, he said, “Oh, Christine, what a beautiful salad! I can’t believe the carrots are this big already. You must be taking very good care of my garden.” I felt a little bit guilty.

Coming home, my mother saw the bag from the supermarket in the kitchen. I was embarrassed, and I admitted Dad wanted a salad but the garden was a disaster. I didn’t want to disappoint him so I went to the store. She laughed but promised to help me in the garden and weeks later I was finally able to pick some vegetables.

I carefully made a salad and took it to my father. He looked at it with a hint of a smile, “Christine, the carrots are smaller in this salad, but they taste better.”

Now, I better understand how putting a lot of effort into caring for something can help you appreciate the results more, however small they may be. Perhaps this was one of the reasons for my father’s love of gardening.

1. Why did Christine originally promise she would do the gardening?

A．She was asked by her father to do it.	B．She was interested in growing vegetables.
C．She knew it was important to her father.	D．She wanted to improve her gardening skills.

2. Which of the following was a problem in the garden?

A．Insects destroyed the lettuce and carrots.	B．Animals often dug holes in the garden.
C．The plants were given too much water.	D．The vegetables were marked incorrectly.

3. Why could Christine secretly use the store-bought vegetables to make the salad?

A．Her mother helped her to buy the vegetables.

B．Her mother regularly helped her to make a salad.

C．Her father couldn’t see the progress of the vegetables in his garden.

D．Her father went on a business trip at that time.

4. What did Christine learn from her experience of gardening?

A．Always get ready for a rainy day.	B．Don’t be disappointed by bugs.
C．Working alone produces results.	D．Hard work can often be rewarding.

5 . I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt’s house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.

I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving and never to come back was hardly in my head then.

The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism(乐观), but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather(继父)and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times.”

My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with immigration officers(移民局官员), took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.

From my experiences I have learned one important rule: Almost all common troubles go away at last! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.

1. How did the author get to know America?

A．From radio programs	B．From books and pictures
C．From her mother	D．From her relatives

2. For the first two years in New York, the author ________.

A．often lost her way	B．did not think about her future
C．studied in three different schools	D．got on well with her stepfather

3. What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?

A．She worked as a translator.	B．She attended a lot of job interviews.
C．She paid telephone bills for her family.	D．She helped her family with her English.

4. The author believes that ________.

A．her future will be free from troubles	B．it is difficult to learn to become patient
C．there are more good things than bad things	D．good things will happen if one keeps trying

6 . Thinking is something you choose to do as a fish chooses to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about thinking is the key to critical thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your thinking processes. Otherwise, you might be controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of education.

The word “critical” here has a special meaning. It does not mean taking one against another view, as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen-beyond the pictures on TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning.

Critical thinking is an attitude as much as an activity. If you are curious about life and desire to dig deeper into it, you are a critical thinker. If you find pleasure in deep thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical thinker.

Activities of the mind and higher-order reasoning are processes of deep and careful consideration. They take time, and do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today’s world: fast foods, instant coffee, and self-developing film. If you are among the people who believe that speed is a measure of intelligence, you may learn something new from a story about Albert Einstein. The first time Banesh Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work with Albert Einstein, Hoffman was too nervous to speak. But Einstein immediately put Hoffman at ease by saying, “Please go slowly. I don’t understand things quickly.”

1. Critical thinking is important to us because if we do not think critically, ________.

A．it will be hard for us to think naturally and fast	B．we might be controlled by other people’s ideas
C．we will follow the ideas of others naturally	D．we might be fooled by other people’s ideas

2. If you are a critical thinker, you will ________.

A．think deeply about different ideas	B．trust the reports in the newspapers
C．take one view against another view	D．criticize other people for their mistakes

3. In the last paragraph, “ something new” suggests that ________.

A．the smarter you are, the faster you do things	B．the faster you do things, the smarter you become
C．speed can improve intelligence	D．intelligence is not decided by speed

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Thinking and Critical Thinking	B．Understanding Critical Thinking
C．Thinking Is Natural and Human	D．Thinking Fast Means Intelligence

7 . Jennifer works for Plato’s Closet, the clothing chain that buys and sells used clothing and accessories. When she performed a routine ______on a coat that was _____ by a man earlier that day, she______$7,000 in $100 bills zipped inside a pocket.

No one was ______; Plato’s Closet employees check clothes all day long. And ______, the man who brought the coat didn’t ______ where he had left the money. Some people would have ______ the “opportunity”. But not Jennifer. She said, “It wasn’t mine, so I didn’t get too______about that thick pile of cash.” ______, she safely stored the money until it could be ______ to its rightful owner.

Sure, Plato’s Closet has _______about sending back personal items found in the clothing, but what Jennifer did ______ her character. It wasn’t the result of outside pressure. “It’s just about integrity, ”She said. “You just have to make sure that you’re ______ and that you do the right thing.”

Reputation is easy; character is hard. Doing the right thing when others are watching is easy.

____ public integrity, resolve or sincerity often results in recognition and praise. Doing the right thing when no one is watching is hard. Your nonpublic integrity gains no ______ or applause. Doing the right thing is also hard ______ it often runs against our best interests. The true test of ______ is what you do when people aren’t watching. Maybe ______ is Jennifer’s main character and maybe it’s not, but that doesn’t ______. The fact that she ______ to do the right thing is more important.

1.

A．service

B．analysis

C．experiment

D．inspection

2.

A．dropped off

B．picked up

C．paid for

D．tried on

3.

A．earned

B．donated

C．discovered

D．spent

4.

A．listening

B．moving

C．speaking

D．watching

5.

A．obviously

B．fortunately

C．hopefully

D．consequently

6.

A．determine

B．remember

C．indicate

D．wonder

7.

A．provided

B．deserved

C．seized

D．confirmed

8.

A．annoyed

B．excited

C．guilty

D．confident

9.

A．Also

B．Otherwise

C．Indeed

D．Instead

10.

A．recommended

B．applied

C．returned

D．linked

11.

A．regulations

B．remarks

C．issues

D．reservations

12.

A．preserved

B．reflected

C．developed

D．affected

13.

A．greedy

B．honest

C．polite

D．curious

14.

A．Covering

B．Measuring

C．Previewing

D．Displaying

15.

A．admiration

B．knowledge

C．apology

D．cooperation

16.

A．if

B．while

C．since

D．unless

17.

A．character

B．motivation

C．education

D．relationship

18.

A．weakness

B．cheerfulness

C．carelessness

D．selflessness

19.

A．occur

B．matter

C．match

D．continue

20.

A．expected

B．promised

C．arranged

D．chose

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

I rolled over and turned off my alarm clock. It was still dark outside, so I felt my way to the wall switch and turned     1    the light. I got     2    (dress) quickly because I knew both of my dogs would be eager    3    (get) outside for their morning walk. I reached over to take a coat. However, I failed to check the weather report for today, so I wasn't sure what kind of coat I should wear.

I pulled on my light jacket, and    4    (lead) my bigger dog, Fluffy, to walk first. I opened the door and stepped outside.    5    (instant) I knew I had made the wrong choice. The grass was covered with frost and I tried to keep     6    (I) balance.

I trembled with cold. Then I looked up at     7    sky and saw it was full of stars. It was so beautiful and     8    (peace). Suddenly, I felt warmth inside and stopped trembling. In all of its sweet seasons it had never failed to touch my soul. It had heated my heart on the     9    (cold) days and lighted my spirit on the darkest nights. I thanked God for the love    10    created the moon, the stars and me.

Our lives here are full of sweet seasons as well. Make each day of them a creation of your love.

9 . Everyone should go to his or her 50th high school reunion. There was a time I thought I’d never go even if the opportunity _______. But now I feel _______for people who don’t go.

I went to the _______of my high school on a Saturday evening, and I am glad I did. It was a   gift to recognize some _______classmates right away — and to be recognized. _______, we had name tags and our _______photos on our clothing to help identify us. I recognized one woman immediately!

The most memorable and moving experience of the night was _______by a schoolmate and neighbor to whom I was once close. Unfortunately, we had a falling out in the high school. I never saw her after _______, but this time, I saw her name on a place setting. At first, I feared that I would _______her. But my better self won over, and I __________ her out. I kept looking until I got a(n) __________on my shoulder. There she was __________. We hugged as if nothing had ever __________and exchanged affectionate words. When the party __________, my old-new friend walked towards me, __________me again and wished me well. I returned her good wishes. All the bad __________melted into thin air.

I am grateful I had this __________to reunite with old classmates. After all, we are almost __________the final lap of our lifelong journeys. Some classmates had already left this __________, and their names were deleted from the list. Sometimes we have to walk back into the past because time does heal old wounds. We’re not the __________people. We are better people.

1.

A．came down

B．came up

C．came through

D．came off

2.

A．sorry

B．happy

C．excited

D．moved

3.

A．competition

B．reunion

C．exhibition

D．concert

4.

A．latter

B．former

C．present

D．future

5.

A．Unluckily

B．Unwillingly

C．Normally

D．Thankfully

6.

A．old

B．recent

C．modern

D．new

7.

A．described

B．provided

C．promised

D．ordered

8.

A．graduation

B．invitation

C．retirement

D．punishment

9.

A．stare at

B．turn to

C．run into

D．rely on

10.

A．let

B．drove

C．sought

D．pushed

11.

A．instruction

B．blow

C．kiss

D．tap

12.

A．reading

B．singing

C．smiling

D．dancing

13.

A．happened

B．changed

C．disappeared

D．mentioned

14.

A．began

B．ended

C．continued

D．lasted

15.

A．encouraged

B．praised

C．hugged

D．judged

16.

A．news

B．scores

C．excuses

D．memories

17.

A．qualification

B．situation

C．talent

D．chance

18.

A．missing

B．destroying

C．nearing

D．wasting

19.

A．world

B．city

C．school

D．class

20.

A．important

B．serious

C．successful

D．same

10 . Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the _______ of never having to say those words. The two words _______ regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and _______. And sometimes the words “if only” go with _______ disasters. Think about how many times you have heard about something awful happening, _______ by "if only he had called her back to make sure she was okay.” or“if only I had _______ that noise...”

My father-in-law is _______ in our family for saying, “_______ an extra minute to do it right. ” He must be doing something _______, since he is 91 years old and still doing things right.

I always ________ to live by the “extra minute” rule. Sometimes it only takes seconds to make sure I write the words down ________, or check some information on the Internet, or move an object ________ before it trips（绊倒） someone.

And of course when my children were young and ________ to cause all kinds of troubles, I lived and stuck to the “extra minute” ________. I always thought about what I could do to ________ an“if only” moment, whether it was something simple 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 ________ corners of a glass table.

I know there will still be ________ when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is surely more peaceful because of my principle of doing everything possible to avoid that ________. 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________ a personal connection, I know that by doing the right thing, I'm buying myself peace of mind and that's the best kind of ________ for my emotional health.

1.

A．result

B．luck

C．goal

D．role

2.

A．convey

B．handle

C．experience

D．raise

3.

A．preparation

B．disappointment

C．adaptation

D．amazement

4.

A．harmful

B．shameful

C．handful

D．terrible

5.

A．followed

B．treated

C．contributed

D．inspired

6.

A．heard

B．ignored

C．examined

D．shut

7.

A．acceptable

B．respectable

C．sensitive

D．negative

8.

A．Require

B．Demand

C．Charge

D．Spend

9.

A．wise

B．familiar

C．rare

D．passive

10.

A．promise

B．attempt

C．afford

D．hesitate

11.

A．frequently

B．normally

C．accurately

D．fluently

12.

A．in a way

B．by the way

C．on the way

D．in the way

13.

A．probable

B．likely

C．average

D．ordinary

14.

A．signal

B．theory

C．notice

D．principle

15.

A．prevent

B．reflect

C．admit

D．regret

16.

A．narrow

B．dusty

C．sharp

D．wide

17.

A．locations

B．conditions

C．occasions

D．events

18.

A．record

B．ending

C．plot

D．memory

19.

A．keep

B．remind

C．transform

D．deliver

20.

A．program

B．bargain

C．purpose

D．insurance