1 . It was one of those moments every new parent dreads (恐惧). My baby son was screaming as if I’d just dipped him in a bucket (桶) of battery acid. It felt as if he’d been screaming like that for years, though he was only two months old. Even worse, this was happening in public— I was sitting with my howling baby in the food court of a Los Angeles mall, despairing (绝望) as other diners silently judged me while watching us over plates of food.

Until, that is, one woman— a complete stranger— did something and taught me a lesson about kindness that lingers to this day. She walked over to me and put her hand on my shoulder. “This won’t last forever,” she said. “I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but things will get better. He’ll stop crying. You’ll get some sleep.”

It was such a small thing, a tiny kindness, really, but it made all the difference. It was 2001 and I was living in a foreign city with a newborn, without friends or family, and I was terribly lonely. This woman had seen me, if only for a moment, and taken the time to make a human connection. It was just a minute out of her day, but it has stayed with me for nearly two decades.

We all want to be better in the world and more giving to others. But we can easily get hung up on the sheer (完全的) importance of that challenge— making time to regularly volunteer or finding money to donate to a cause. Doing good doesn’t have to be an important task, though; it can be incremental (递增的). It can be as quick as a smile, a word, a phone call, an email. It can be the note you send to a friend who is feeling blue or the baby carriage you help carry down the subway stairs for a parent on their own, even though you’re late for work.

I’m reminded of a line from Brian Goldman’s bestseller, The Power of Kindness: “The opposite meaning of empathy is apathy (冷漠).” That is, the opposite of doing good isn’t doing harm; it’s doing nothing. Every tiny act of generosity— every door held open, every coffee bought for a stranger— builds a bridge to another person. It says, “I see you.” Today, when we spend most of our time looking at our phones, and not at people’s faces, that’s invaluable.

So, while I’m not particularly good at regularly volunteering or running marathons to raise money for charity, I’m committed to small gestures. I try to send a note of praise every day to someone whose work I admire. I’ve become phone friends with a lonely 87-year-old woman who contacted me about something I wrote, and who lives in a city far from her own children and grandchildren. On airplanes, I find the new parents with panicked eyes and offer to hold their babies. I remember what it felt like when the screaming baby was mine. I remember when a tiny kindness felt monumental, enough to change the world.

1. Why did the author mention her baby son’s crying in Paragraph 1?

A．To create a disappointing atmosphere.	B．To prove her opinion.
C．To show her helplessness.	D．To introduce the topic.

2. What holds people back from being more giving to others?

A．Always trying to do important deeds.	B．Being short of time.
C．Being lacking in money.	D．Keeping looking at their phones.

3. A line from Brian Goldman’s The Power of Kindness is used in Paragraph 5 to show that ________.

A．doing harm to others is better than doing nothing

B．people are supposed to pay more attention to others’ faces

C．every small gesture counts in connecting people

D．spending most of our time looking at our phones is invaluable

4. What can be the most suitable title for the passage?

A．The Kind Strangers	B．The Small Mercies
C．The Power of Words	D．The Power of Kindness

2 . 假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（⋀），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

Three years ago I failed an important exam in my life and became a student at a ordinary school. Although I felt disappointed at the shabby campus and my poorly-equipped classroom, but I found the teachers impatient and considerate. Beside, I enjoyed the friendly class atmosphere. I decided to make the best it. I worked hard and got along good with my teachers and classmates. Whenever I had difficulties, they are always available. Soon, I became one of the top student in my class, that greatly increased my confidence and got me motivated. My experience tells me that it is not what you are given but how you make use of it that determines who we are.

3 . For years going home for the holidays has been bittersweet. I appreciate the opportunity to spend quality time with my mom but it is painful for me to see her house littered with stuff.Clothes bought but never worn, and new items in their original packaging carelessly purchased and never used. It’s evident that seeing the stuff on a daily basis reminds my mom of a time when shopping was her way of spending money.

I didn’t fully understand the extent to which my mom was suffering until this week, when I saw piles of clothes on her bed. “How do you manage to sleep every night with all that stuff, Mom?” I asked. To my horror, she replied, “I do it because I know I have to get rid of all this stuff eventually; I am punishing myself by sleeping with them until I do that. ”

Shocked and upset, I gently explained to her that punishing herself was only to make things worse,and that everybody deserves a place to sleep in peace, no matter what mistakes they’ve made. I suggested she move all the stuff upstairs, leaving her room comfortable to sleep in.

With patience and her slow but steady guidance, I helped her go through some of the piles and move them upstairs. For the rest of the week I stayed there, she was in a better mood and was excited about going through the rest of the house to finally get rid of her stuff—past mistakes and painful times. The items brought back painful memories as we inspected and moved them, but I kept reminding her that removing them would allow her to move on and heal. We finally sold so many things and took bag after bag to charity.

The stuff is just a sign of the destructive patterns of self-hatred on past mistakes. Only through the act of self-forgiveness can we bring about a chain reaction of reorganizing—both of the house and heart.

1. What made the author feel bitter?

A．She couldn’t understand her mom’s sorrows.

B．Her mom was stuck in the painful memories.

C．Her mom was always left alone at home.

D．Her mom wasted money on useless things.

2. The underlined word “that” in the second paragraph refers to _______.

A．getting rid of the stuff	B．buying the stuff
C．opening the stuff	D．moving the stuff

3. We can infer from the passage that ______.

A．the author never bought her mom anything

B．the author’s mom has no money to purchase now

C．the author’s mom regrets buying so many things

D．the author knows her mom’s suffering only this week

4. What’s the best title of the passage?

A．How to do shopping wisely

B．Clearance helps reorganize the house

C．Keep an eye on the elderly’s behavior

D．Self-forgiveness makes a difference

4 . The American book Who Moved My Cheese (奶酪) has been a bestseller all over the world. It teaches people how to face changes in their lives. Now its author Spence Johnson has written a book just for teens. The book tells us that when facing change in our lives, like a new school or new friends, don’t be afraid. Instead, use this change to make a better life. The book gives an example of a change at school. A school is changing from having two terms to three terms because there are too many students.

Several teens are talking about this. Most of them are unhappy and worried. But Chris is not. He laughs and tells a story about two mice, two “little people” and some cheese.

The four are in a maze looking for the cheese. Here, cheese means something important in life, like moving to a new class or getting into college. But they find the cheese is gone. The mice realize that they can’t change what has happened and have to find more cheese. This means finding different dreams. The little people, however, can’t do this. They are afraid of change so they find no cheese.

After Chris finishes the story, the friends understand one thing: to get more cheese, move in a new direction quickly. His friends understand how this can be used in the changes all teens face, such as doing well at school or having good relationships or just feeling good about yourself.

1. The book Who Moved My Cheese is ________.

A．written all over the world	B．read across the world
C．sold only in America	D．loved only by teens

2. What does the text mainly discuss?

A．Never change in our life	B．Change when you like to do
C．Change with the changes	D．Pay attention to the changes

3. The underlined word “four”（paragraph 3）refers to ________.

A．Mice and little people	B．students
C．Cheese	D．Readers

4. In our lives, we should learn from ________.

A．mice	B．little people
C．Chris	D．Spence Johnson

5. Which of the following statements is true?

A．The author is Britain.

B．There are three terms in every school.

C．Most teens don’t understand Chris’ story.

D．The book tells teens how to face changes in their lives.

5 . I love the feeling of exchanging goods with my parents. When we visit them, we often end up _________ home more things than we brought with us. After packing up at the end of our most recent visit, and after the last _________ and sounding of the car horn(喇叭), I took a quick look at the back _________ of our car. At the top of the pile, folded _________ and smartly, were a 50-year-old baby blanket, several doilies(小型装饰桌巾) _________ from generations of women in my family, and two small quilts.

These creative quilts, looking _________ but quite worn, remind me of my great-grandmothers who were always _________ hard. I think of their _________ hands and the regular sound from their sewing machines. I think of their smiles and the wisdom found in the comers of their eyes.

I wish I could go back in time and watch them _________ these quilts. I cherish the quilts my great-grandmothers ______________. I love knowing that the women who ______________ the way for my own path through life have left behind touchable expressions of themselves. ______________ I touch the worn cloth of each creation, I will always remember the women who brought them into existence. I will be ever ______________ for the strong women in my family who have lived ______________ me and with me, who have left behind unbelievable examples to ______________ and lovely quilts to pass on.

1.

A．leaving

B．buying

C．taking

D．returning

2.

A．hugs

B．handshakes

C．nods

D．greetings

3.

A．door

B．window

C．wheel

D．seat

4.

A．closely

B．neatly

C．loosely

D．quickly

5.

A．taken down

B．given away

C．passed down

D．put away

6.

A．shabby

B．delicate

C．ugly

D．old

7.

A．working

B．learning

C．playing

D．feeling

8.

A．warm

B．wrinkled

C．smooth

D．soft

9.

A．make

B．invent

C．clean

D．check

10.

A．brought

B．sent away

C．delivered

D．left behind

11.

A．pushed

B．felt

C．paved

D．change

12.

A．If

B．When

C．Once

D．Though

13.

A．regretful

B．convinced

C．thankful

D．respected

14.

A．through

B．before

C．by

D．for

15.

A．replace

B．build

C．set

D．follow

6 . 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

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Sam Watts was a 37-year-old fisherman living and working in Canada. One day, Sam planned to head out into the Pacific at 9 am and work straight through until 5 pm the next day. Joining Sam would be his crewman, 24-year-old Tom Buck.

Although Sam had been warned that a storm was coming, there was little that would keep him from going. As he sailed through the waves some 120 kilometers from land, Sam let out his three-kilometer-long fishing line. The storm was gaining strength on land but had yet to reach the men far offshore. That changed around 1 am. Waves rocked the small boat, which began to turn sideways like an amusement park ride. “Get us out of here!” Tom screamed to Sam. “Let’s go back!”

With the winds and waves kicking up, the boat began to fill with water. Sam and Tom tried to pull in the fishing line together, but the high waves filled the boat with water, forcing Sam to make a hard decision. He cut the line, losing thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment and fish in the sea. He then pointed the boat toward a port five hours away. Sam then called his boss, William Fox, to report his position.

With dawn coming, Sam spotted the rise of the mountains on the horizon. He was figuring out a route through the dangerous waters when suddenly the motor stopped. “I couldn’t believe it,” Sam said. “We were 24 kilometers off the coast, and the motor died.” High waves raised and dropped the boat, sending the men crashing into the sides. “William, William!” Sam yelled into the radio. “If you’re coming to get me, come now!”

“We’re coming!” William shouted back.

注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150词左右；
2. 可以使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:

Shortly after, the radio died and the wind continued to blow straight offshore, driving the men farther out to sea.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

The next morning, Sam spotted a fishing boat in the distance.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . Have you seen people who take pictures of food for more than 10 minutes before eating? My friend Stella is such an example. Every time we went to a restaurant she would not take a bite until all the dishes we ________ were on the table. Then she would spend five minutes in ________ the dishes in a seemingly random but in fact ________ order. Then the most important part: taking pictures. After that, she would choose one of the ________ and click in the filter app. The food eventually looked 10 times more delicious than it really was, but we had no ________ to really enjoy it—it all went cold, actually Stella’s real life is much less elegant. For example, she hates to wash the dishes, so she leaves them in the sink for days.

Many people care too much about others’ opinions and try too hard to ________ others. They find it hard to be ________ and to accept themselves, and thus they are afraid to show their ________ life on social media. What they are trying to prove is ________ what they lack in reality. But this will not bring any ________ to reality, as they still ________ the same old pattern of life.

If they really want an elegant life, they should put more ________ into achieving it ________ fabricating it. Being more confident, ________ themselves and trying their best to be better are much more meaningful than ________ their life on social media.

1.

A．ordered

B．served

C．offered

D．prepared

2.

A．cooking

B．washing

C．setting

D．collecting

3.

A．messy

B．arranged

C．casual

D．missed

4.

A．dishes

B．restaurants

C．tables

D．pictures

5.

A．chance

B．choice

C．excuse

D．reason

6.

A．comfort

B．please

C．inspire

D．discourage

7.

A．independent

B．generous

C．responsible

D．confident

8.

A．real

B．secret

C．peaceful

D．healthy

9.

A．rarely

B．hardly

C．exactly

D．nearly

10.

A．difficulty

B．change

C．guidance

D．harm

11.

A．question

B．dislike

C．doubt

D．follow

12.

A．effort

B．ambitions

C．feeling

D．money

13.

A．other than

B．more than

C．rather than

D．less than

14.

A．identifying

B．accepting

C．persuading

D．amusing

15.

A．simplifying

B．ruining

C．beautifying

D．worsening

9 . About a decade ago, my grandpa who was suffering from Alzheimer’s(阿尔茨海默病)got into my car and drove off. Angel and I _________ the police, but before they could find him, two _________ kids pulled into our driveway with my grandpa.

They said they overheard him crying about being _________ at an empty gas station 10 miles away. My grandpa couldn’t remember our address, but gave the kids his first and last name. They looked him up online, found our address, and _________ him home.

I was _________ on that incident today while sitting near the edge of a beautiful ocean-side cliff. I was suddenly   _________ of footsteps behind me. I _________ around to see a young lady who was almost in _________ slowly walking to where I was sitting. I walked up to her and _________ , “What’s wrong?” She told me she was __________ afraid of heights, but was worried about my safety and wanted to get over her fear. Her braveness and kindness truly warmed my heart.

I’ve spent the rest of the day thinking about what an extraordinary person she is, and about those amazing college kids who helped my __________ , and about what it means to be a kind and __________ person. Sometimes you have to go the extra mile, or face your biggest __________ , or stand up against your own negative tendencies to make a(n) __________   difference in someone else’s life. It’s __________ to start doing the hard things-the right things-for others.

1.

A．condemned

B．contacted

C．consulted

D．found

2.

A．college

B．naughty

C．homeless

D．kindergarten

3.

A．careless

B．scared

C．lost

D．forgetful

4.

A．left

B．drove

C．kicked

D．carried

5.

A．depending

B．coming

C．reflecting

D．going

6.

A．afraid

B．skeptical

C．sure

D．aware

7.

A．turned

B．walked

C．got

D．looked

8.

A．sadness

B．surprise

C．feelings

D．tears

9.

A．reacted

B．thought

C．asked

D．replied

10.

A．extremely

B．worriedly

C．anxiously

D．surprisingly

11.

A．father

B．grandma

C．uncle

D．grandpa

12.

A．merciful

B．helpful

C．careful

D．peaceful

13.

A．courage

B．failure

C．fear

D．choice

14.

A．positive

B．little

C．optimistic

D．opposite

15.

A．minute

B．time

C．honor

D．luck

10 . Three years ago, I participated in Model United Nations(MUN) held by the Education Department, which was a mock UN activity. During the two days, students were separated into different groups which ________ different countries to debate and try to solve problems. MUN has ________ awards: best delegate, honorary mentions, and verbal mentions.

Each time I participated in MUN, I made good ________ and undoubtedly got a few awards. But I often felt as if I'd ________ because I had never won the best delegate award. I ________ those who didn't deserve to win the award but won it various times, and I was just filled with ________ at their success. But later I realized that it was also ________ not to get the award because I could actually ________ something，and that I shouldn't ________ the best delegate award until I was the best delegate I could be.

Failures are completely subjective-we can look at a result as a failure or a ________ . Any failure can be regarded as a(n) ________ because you can always learn something from it and do ________ next time. This is supported by John Locke's theory that we are born with blank views: Knowledge and ability are learned from our ________ . That's true. If I make a mistake in the life practice, then I probably won't ________ that next time. I believe this is ________ the best way to become better.

1.

A．strengthened

B．condemned

C．inspired

D．represented

2.

A．identical

B．temporary

C．various

D．false

3.

A．preparations

B．predictions

C．appointments

D．explanations

4.

A．accelerated

B．failed

C．exited

D．succeeded

5.

A．approached

B．trained

C．expected

D．witnessed

6.

A．relief

B．envy

C．satisfaction

D．delight

7.

A．annoyed

B．ashamed

C．good

D．terrible

8.

A．desert

B．learn

C．delete

D．display

9.

A．win

B．miss

C．deliver

D．value

10.

A．bond

B．bet

C．victory

D．loss

11.

A．aim

B．benefit

C．burden

D．limit

12.

A．funnier

B．worse

C．better

D．slower

13.

A．decisions

B．attitudes

C．positions

D．experiences

14.

A．repeat

B．admit

C．accept

D．notice

15.

A．wrongly

B．scarcely

C．truly

D．narrowly