1 . People in communities have slowly been pushed apart through the years, mostly because people simply aren’t taking the time to say a simple “hello”. After considering this phenomenon, I decided I was going to _______the way I was doing things.

My _______came one morning when I was in the community library. I passed by a girl who_______ her books out of her locker. Thinking like most that someone else would help her pick them up, I continued my way. However, when I had to_______ because I stupidly forgot my book, I noticed she had just finished packing them up by herself and no one had stopped to _______her.

“OK,” I thought to myself, “this is where I should have changed.”

My best opportunity came a few days later when I saw a man _______by himself waiting for the library to open, so I sat down next to him and began a _______. It was difficult to get started, and even harder when I had to say goodbye, almost every _______ from my new friend had a tone (语气) of doubt in it. And who could blame him?

People aren’t used to making an _______chat with a stranger. But a change, no matter how__________ it is needed, doesn’t just happen. It takes people like us to make it possible. I__________ you to take a small step out of your comfort zone and try to make someone’s day a little brighter. Together, we can really make society come __________ as a whole.

1.

A．change

B．explain

C．learn

D．show

2.

A．trouble

B．doubt

C．wish

D．opportunity

3.

A．took

B．dropped

C．got

D．pulled

4.

A．come out

B．stand by

C．go back

D．turn up

5.

A．please

B．greet

C．help

D．praise

6.

A．sitting

B．walking

C．riding

D．running

7.

A．discussion

B．lesson

C．report

D．conversation

8.

A．joke

B．response

C．cry

D．story

9.

A．unchangeable

B．unprepared

C．unforgettable

D．unfinished

10.

A．desperately

B．frequently

C．simply

D．widely

11.

A．allow

B．warn

C．order

D．advise

12.

A．later

B．straighter

C．closer

D．slower

2 . 阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。

A young man, while traveling through a desert, came across a spring of clear water.    1    water was sweet. He filled his leather container so that he could bring some back to an elder     2     had been his teacher .After a four-day journey, the young man    3    (present) the water to the old man. His teacher took a deep drink, smiled    4    (warm), and thanked his student very much for the sweet water. The young man went home    5    a happy heart.

After the student left, the teacher let     6    student taste the water. He spit it out,     7    (say) it was awful. Apparently, it was no longer fresh because of the old leather container. He asked his teacher,” Sir, the water was awful. Why did you pretend to like     8    ?”

The teacher replied,” You tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of kindness and love. Nothing could be     9     (sweet).”

We understand this lesson best     10     we receive gifts of love from children. Whether it is a cheap pipe on a diamond necklace, the proper response is appreciation. We love the idea within the gift rather than the thing.

3 . At a certain time in our lives, we consider every place as the possible sites for a house. I have thus searched the country within a dozen miles of where I live. In imagination I have bought all the farms, one after another, and I knew their prices.

The nearest thing that I came to actual ownership was when I bought the Hollowell place. But before the owner completed the sale with me, his wife changed her mind and wished to keep it, and he offered me additional dollars to return the farm to him. However, I let him keep the additional dollars and sold him the farm for just what I gave for it.

The real attraction of the Hollowell farm to me were its position, being about two miles from the village, half a mile from the nearest neighbor, bounded on one side by the river, and separated from the highway by a wide field. The poor condition of the house and fences showed that it hadn’t been used for some time. I remembered from my earliest trip up the river that the house used to be hidden behind a forest area, and I was in a hurry to buy it before the owner finished getting out some rocks, cutting down the apples trees, and clearing away some young trees which had grown up in the fields. I wanted to buy it before he made any more of his improvements. But it turned out as I have said.

I was not really troubled by the loss. I had always had a garden, but I don’t think I was ready for a large farm. I believe that as long as possible it is better to live free and uncommitted. It makes but little difference whether you own a farm or not.

1. What do we know about the author?

A．He wanted to buy the oldest farm near where he lived.

B．He made a study of many farms before buying.

C．He made money by buying and selling farms.

D．He had the money to buy the best farm in the country.

2. Why did the author decide to buy the Hollowell place?

A．It was of good market value.	B．It was next to the highway.
C．It was in a good position.	D．It was behind a nice garden.

3. Why did the author want to buy the farm in a hurry?

A．He was afraid the owner might change his mind.	B．He hoped to enlarge the forest on the farm.
C．He wanted to keep the farm as it was.	D．He was eager to become a farm owner.

4. The underlined words “the loss” in the last paragraph refer to ___.

A．the money the author lost in buying the farm	B．the sale of the garden in the Hollowell place
C．the removal of the trees around the house	D．the failure to possess the Hollowell place

5. What does the author believe as important in life?

A．To own a farm.	B．To satisfy his needs.
C．To be free from worries.	D．To live in the countryside.

4 . The meaning of the word “volunteer ” may be a little different in different countries, but it usually means “one who offers his or her services.” There are many different ways in which people can volunteer, such as taking care of sick people, working in homes for homeless children, and picking up garbage(垃圾) from beaches and parks. Volunteers may work within their own countries or in other countries. They are often people with a strong wish to help those who are less fortunate than themselves. Volunteers don’t expect any kind of pay.
At the root of volunteering is the idea that one person may have the ability to offer services that can help other people. Tracy, a good friend of mine, however, recently came back from India with a ____ of what being a volunteer means. She worked for two and a half weeks in one of Mother Teresa’s homes in Calcutta. The following is her story.
“I first heard about Mother Teresa in my high school, we watched a video(录像) about her work in India and all over the world. I was so moved by her spirit to help others and her endless love for every human being that after I graduated from high school, I too wanted to try her kind of work. So with two friends I flew to Calcutta for a few weeks.”
“I was asked to work in a home for sick people. I helped wash clothes and sheets, and pass out lunch. I also fed the people who were too weak to feed themselves and tried to cheer the up. I felt it was better to share with them than to think that I have helped them. To be honest, I don’t think I was helping very much. It was then that I realized that I had not really come to help, but to learn about and experience another culture(文化) that helped improve my own understanding of life and the world.”
1. According to the text, a volunteer refers to a person who ______.

A．is willing to help those in need without pay	B．can afford to travel to different places
C．has a strong wish to be successful	D．has made a big fortune in life

2. Tracy started her work as a volunteer _______.

A．after she met Mother Teresa

B．after she finished high school

C．when she was touring Calcutta

D．when she was working in a hospital

3. Why did Tracy choose to be a volunteer?

A．She liked to work with Mother Teresa.

B．She had already had some experience.

C．She was asked by Mother Teresa’s example.

D．She wanted to follow Mother Teresa’s example.

4. What is Tracy’s “new idea” (Paragraph 2) of being a volunteer?

A．Going abroad to help the sick.

B．Working in Mother Teresa’s home.

C．Doing simple things to help the poor.

D．Improving oneself through helping others.

5 . It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of the dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.” Memories fleshed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

“Jack, did you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. it’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said.

“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it,” Mom told him.

“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.

“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence in your life,” she said.

“He’s the one who taught me carpentry. I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important. Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral.” Jack said.

Busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time, which was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture … Jack stopped suddenly.

“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.

“The box is gone,” he said.

“What box?” Mom asked.

“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most’,” Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said sadly.

Returning to his office the next day, he found a package on his desk. The return address caught his attention.

“Mr. Harold Belser” it read.

Jack tore open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside, “Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bernett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes. Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover, he opened it.

Inside he found these words carved: “Jack. Thanks for your time! Harold Belser.”

“Oh. My God! This is the thing he valued most …”

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” his assistant asked.

“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said.

1. Why did Jack think Mr. Belser died years ago?

A．College and career prevented him from remembering Mr. Belser.

B．Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr. Belser.

C．Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr. Belser.

D．His present busy life washed away his children memories.

2. Jack’s mother told him on the phone about Mr. Belser EXCEPT that _________.

A．Mr. Belser often asked how Jack was doing

B．Mr. Belser’s funeral would take place on Wednesday

C．Mr. Belser had asked for Jack’s mailing address

D．Mr. Belser had pleasant memories of their time together

3. Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?

A．Because he was grateful for Jack’s time with him.

B．Because he had no children or relatives.

C．Because he thought he had to keep his word.

D．Because Jack had always wanted it during his childhood.

4. Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?

A．He was very tired of his work and wanted to have a good rest.

B．He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son.

C．He had missed his son and his family for days.

D．He came to realize the importance of the time with his family.

5. Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?

A．The Good Old Times	B．What He Valued Most
C．An Old Gold Watch	D．The Lost Childhood Days

6 . Two things changed my life:   my mother and a white plastic bike basket. I have thought long and hard about it and it’s true. I would be a different person if my mom hadn’t turned a silly bicycle accessory into a life lesson I carry with me today.

My mother and father were united in their way of raising children, but it mostly fell to my mother to actually carry it out. Looking back, I honestly don’t know how she did it. Managing the family budget must have been a very hard task., but she made it look effortless. If we complained about not having what another kid did, we’d hear something like, “I don’t care what so –and –so got for his birthday, you are not getting a TV in your room a car for your birthday a lsvish sweet 16 party.” We had to earn our allowance by doing chores around the house. I can still remember how long it took to polish the legs of our coffee table.My brothers can no doubt remember hours spent cleaning the house .Like the two little girls growing up at the White House,we made our own beds (no one left the house until that was done)and picked up after ourselves.We had to keep track of our belongings ,and if something was lost ,it was not replaced.

It was summer and ,one day ,my mother drove me to the bike shop to get a tire fixed---and there it was in the window, White, shiny, plastic and decorated with flowers ,the basket winked at me and I knew ----I knew---I had to have it.

“It’s beautiful,” my mother said when I pointed it out to her,”What a neat basket.”

I tried to hold off at first ,I played it cool for a short while. But then I guess I couldn’t at and it any longer:“Mom, please can I please ,please get it? I ‘ll do extra chores for as long as you say, I’ll do anything ,but I need that basket,I love that basket.Please ,Mom .Please?”

I was desperate.

“You know,” she said ,gently rubbing my back while we both stared at what I believes was the coolest thing ever,” If you save up you could buy this yourself.”

“By the time I make enough it’ll be gone!”

“Maybe Roger here could hold it for you,” she smiled at Roger ,the bike guy.

“He can’t hold it for that long ,Mom .Someone else will buy it .Please, Mom,Please?”

“There might be another way,” she said.

And so our paying plan unfolded. My mother bought the beautiful basket and put it safely in some hiding place I couldn’t find. Each week I eagerly counted my growing saving increased by extra work here and there (washing the car ,helping my mother make dinner, delivering or collecting things on my bike that already looked naked without the basket in front).And then ,weeks later ,I counted ,re-counted and jumped for joy. Oh ,happy day ! I made it! I finally had the exact amount we’d agreed upon….

Days later the unthinkable happened. A neighborhood girl I’d played with millions of times appeared with the exact same basket fixed to her shiny ,new bike that already had all the bells and whistles. I rode hard and fast home to tell my mother about this disaster. This horrible turn of events.

And then came the lesson . I’ve taken with me through my life:” Honey, Your basket is extra-special,” Mom said, gently wiping away my hot tears.” Your basket is special because you paid for it yourself.”

1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?

A．The children enjoyed doing housework.

B．The author came from s well-off family

C．The mother raised her children in an unusual way

D．The children were fond of the US president’s daughters.

2. When the author saw the basket in the window, she         .

A．fell in love with it	B．stared at her mother
C．recognized it at once	D．went up to the bike guy

3. Why did the author say many “please” to her mother?

A．She longed to do extra work.	B．She was eager to have the basket.
C．She felt tired after standing too long.	D．She wanted to be polite to her mother.

4. By using“naked” (Paragraph 12),the author seems to stress that the basket was

A．something she could afford	B．something important to her
C．something impossible to get	D．something she could do without

5. To the author, it seemed to be a horrible turn of events that

A．something spoiled her paying plan

B．the basket cost more than she had saved

C．a neighborhood girl had bought a new bike

D．someone else had got a basket of the same kind

6. What is the life lesson the author learned from her mother?

A．Save money for a rainy day	B．Good advice is beyond all price.
C．Earn your bread with your sweat	D．God helps those who help themselves

7 . During the war, my husband was stationed at an army camp in a desert in California. I went to live there in order to be _______ him. I hated the place. I had never _______ been so unhappy. My husband was ordered out on a long-term duty, and I was left in a tiny shack(棚屋) alone. The heat was _______ — almost 125°F even in the shade of a cactus(仙人掌). _______ a soul to talk to. The wind blew non-stop, and all the food I ate, and the very air I breathed, were _______ with sand, sand, sand!

I was so sorry for myself that I wrote to my parents. I told them I was _______ and coming back home. I said I couldn’t stand it one minute longer. I _______ be in prison! My father answered my _______ with just two lines — two lines that will always sing in my _______— two lines that completely changed my life:

Two men looked out from prison bars,
One saw the mud, the other saw the stars.

I read those two lines ________. I was ashamed of myself. I made up my mind I would find out what was good in my present ________; I would look for the stars.

I made friends with the natives, and their ________ amazed me. They gave me presents of their favorite artworks which they had ________ to sell to tourists. I studied the delightful forms of the cactus. I watched for the desert sunsets, and ________ for seashells that had been left there millions of years ago when the sands of the desert had been an ocean ________.

What brought about this ________ change in me? The desert hadn’t changed, ________ I had. I had changed my ________. And by doing so, I changed an unhappy experience into the most amazing ________ of my life. I was excited by this new world that I had discovered. I had looked out of my self-created prison and ________ the stars.

1.

A．off

B．behind

C．near

D．beyond

2.

A．before

B．already

C．then

D．still

3.

A．inflexible

B．incomprehensible

C．uncontrollable

D．unbearable

4.

A．Only

B．No

C．Many

D．Such

5.

A．covered

B．filled

C．buried

D．charged

6.

A．catching up

B．keeping up

C．giving up

D．getting up

7.

A．ought to

B．might well

C．would rather

D．had better

8.

A．request

B．call

C．question

D．letter

9.

A．comparison

B．imagination

C．consideration

D．memory

10.

A．over and over

B．by and by

C．up and down

D．now and then

11.

A．company

B．occupation

C．situation

D．relationship

12.

A．movement

B．reaction

C．guidance

D．purpose

13.

A．refused

B．failed

C．managed

D．happened

14.

A．asked

B．hunted

C．waited

D．headed

15.

A．floor

B．surface

C．rock

D．level

16.

A．shocking

B．challenging

C．puzzling

D．astonishing

17.

A．as

B．but

C．for

D．or

18.

A．attitude

B．principle

C．identity

D．standard

19.

A．vacation

B．operation

C．affair

D．adventure

20.

A．sought

B．counted

C．found

D．reached

8 . In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh(法老) treated the poor message runner like a prince when he arrived at the palace, if he brought good news. However, if the exhausted runner had the misfortune to bring the pharaoh unhappy news, his head was cut off.

Shades of that spirit spread over today’s conversations. Once a friend and I packed up some peanut butter and sandwiches for an outing. As we walked light-heartedly out the door, picnic basket in hand, a smiling neighbor looked up at the sky and said, “Oh boy, bad day for a picnic.” The weatherman says “it’s going to rain.” I wanted to strike him on the face with the peanut butter and sandwiches. Not for his stupid weather report, for his smile!

Several months ago I was racing to catch a bus. As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the Greyhound counter, the sales agent said with a broad smile, “Oh that bus left five minutes ago.” Dreams of head-cutting!

It’s not the news that makes someone angry. It’s the unsympathetic attitude with which it’s delivered. Everyone must give bad news from time to time, and winning professionals do it with the proper attitude. A doctor advising a patient that she needs an operation does it in a caring way. A boss informing an employee he didn’t get the job takes on a sympathetic tone. Big winners know, when delivering any bad news, they should share the feeling of the receiver.

Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this. When you’re tired from a long flight, has a hotel clerk cheerfully said that your room isn’t ready yet? When you had your heart set on the toast beef, has your waiter mainly told you that he just served the last piece? It makes you as traveler or diner want to land your fist right on their unsympathetic faces.

Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy, I would have appreciated his warming. Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left, I probably would have said, “Oh, that’s all right. I’ll catch the next one.” Big winners, when they bear bad news, deliver bombs with the emotion the bombarded(被轰炸的)person is sure to have.

1. In Paragraph 1, the writer tells the story of the pharaoh to     .

A．make a comparison	B．introduce a topic
C．describe a scene	D．offer an argument

2. In the writer’s opinion, his neighbor was     .

A．friendly	B．warm-hearted
C．not considerate	D．not helpful

3. From “Dreams of head-cutting!” in Paragraph 3, we learn that the writer     .

A．was mad at the sales agent

B．was reminded of the cruel pharaoh

C．wished that the sales agent would have had dreams

D．dreamed of cutting the sales agent’s head that night

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Delivering bad news properly is important in communication

B．Helping others sincerely is the key to business success

C．Receiving bad news requires great courage

D．Learning ancient traditions can be useful

9 . 短文改错
When I was a child, I hoped to live in the city. I think I would be happy there.
Now I am living in a city, but I miss my home in countryside. There the air is clean or the mountains are green. Unfortunately, on the development of industrialization, the environment has been polluted. Lots of studies have been shown that global warming has already become a very seriously problem. The airs we breathe in is getting dirtier and dirtier. Much rare animals are dying out. We must found ways to protect your environment. If we fail to do so, we’ll live to regret it.

10 . My kids and I were heading into the supermarket over the weekend. On the way, we spotted a man holding a piece of paper that said, “_______ my job. Family to Feed.”

At this store, a _______ like this is not normal. My 10-year-old noticed him and make a _________ on how bad it must be to have to stand _________ in the cold wind.

In the store, I asked each of my kids to _______ something they thought our “friend” there would _________. They got apples, a sandwich and a bottle of juice. Then my 17-year-old suggested giving him a _________. I thought about it. We were _______ on cash ourselves, but… well, sometimes _______ from our need instead of our abundance is ________ what we need to do! All the kids __________ something they could do away with for the week.

When we handed him the bag of ________, he lit up and thanked us with ________ eyes. When I handed him the gift card, saying he could use it for __________ his family might need, he burst into tears.

This has been a wonderful ________ for our family. For days the kids have been looking for others we can ________! Things would have played out so __________ if I had simply said, “No, we really don’t have __________ to give more.” Stepping out not only helped a brother in ________, it also gave my kids the __________ taste of helping others. It’ll go a long way with them.

1.

A．Lost

B．Changed

C．Quit

D．Finished

2.

A．condition

B．place

C．sight

D．show

3.

A．suggestion

B．comment

C．decision

D．call

4.

A．outside

B．proudly

C．by

D．angrily

5.

A．draw

B．say

C．arrange

D．pick

6.

A．order

B．supply

C．appreciate

D．discover

7.

A．dollar

B．job

C．hot meal

D．gift card

8.

A．easy

B．low

C．soft

D．loose

9.

A．giving

B．saving

C．spending

D．begging

10.

A．yet

B．even

C．still

D．just

11.

A．declared

B．shared

C．ignored

D．expected

12.

A．toys

B．medicine

C．food

D．clothes

13.

A．sleepy

B．watery

C．curious

D．sharp

14.

A．whoever

B．whatever

C．whichever

D．whenever

15.

A．experience

B．example

C．message

D．adventure

16.

A．rely on

B．respect

C．learn from

D．help

17.

A．suddenly

B．vividly

C．differently

D．perfectly

18.

A．time

B．power

C．patience

D．money

19.

A．fear

B．love

C．need

D．memory

20.

A．strong

B．sweet

C．strange

D．simple