1 . At the age of 13, I began volunteering at the New England Science Center. For the first year, the idea of working in a museum was __________ kept me excited about putting in hours every week.

However, during my second summer, I discovered what had captured my heart. It was not the polar bears in the outdoor wildlife center,  __________ the train rides around the grounds. It was the people. The staff of the museum, the other volunteers __________ whom I worked, and the people who would be visiting the museum were so unique.

As I became a more __________ and trusted volunteer, I gained __________ responsibilities. I helped in a number of areas, and finally concluded that my favorite __________ was at the visitor information desk. Here I would __________ everyone warmly who came to the museum, whether a visitor or an employee. I would talk to visitors, some of whom were members of the museum, __________ who were vacationing in the area. I would give __________ to the camp groups on the proper museum conduct. I saw __________ shinning children who were begging to ride the train, or who were excited about seeing the exhibits. Their smiles __________ themselves on my memory.

The people there were all very special, and, since most were older,  __________ time with them taught me a lot. Since I __________ experience, the people at the museum gave me __________ guidance. I was so lucky to make friends with them whom I would love and __________ forever.

Today, five years __________, I still treasure my years of volunteering at the museum. Many of these people have moved on to different jobs. __________, I can still walk into the center and know that I am surrounded by people who __________ me.By volunteering at the New England Science Center, not only have I __________ a number of new friends, I have also learned that helping others and gaining people's respect is of great __________ to be successful.

1.

A．that

B．what

C．which

D．who

2.

A．or

B．but

C．and

D．so

3.

A．to

B．with

C．for

D．on

4.

A．satisfied

B．impressed

C．gifted

D．respected

5.

A．much

B．most

C．more

D．many

6.

A．situation

B．position

C．condition

D．conclusion

7.

A．greet

B．help

C．care

D．meet

8.

A．those

B．some

C．ones

D．others

9.

A．instructions

B．considerations

C．commands

D．introductions

10.

A．helpless

B．endless

C．countless

D．useless

11.

A．took

B．insisted

C．impressed

D．held

12.

A．costing

B．spending

C．having

D．sharing

13.

A．had

B．lacked

C．needed

D．increased

14.

A．a variety of

B．a great many

C．a great deal of

D．a number of

15.

A．think

B．welcome

C．recognize

D．treasure

16.

A．before

B．later

C．after

D．ago

17.

A．Finally

B．Therefore

C．However

D．Meanwhile

18.

A．cared about

B．looked after

C．came across

D．brought up

19.

A．reached

B．achieved

C．gained

D．earned

20.

A．importance

B．hope

C．necessity

D．meaning

2 . 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

Caitlyn stepped into the warm, wet sand and wiggled her toes. The white, foamy waves raced over her feet and up her legs and then pulled back again. Caitlyn loved playing in the ocean water.

“Ouch!” said the girl, as her foot stepped on something hard. She looked down. At the bottom of the ocean was a large shell. Caitlyn bent down to pick it up. It was a pretty pink conch shell with points and curves and an opening that looked like a horn. She held it up to her ear, hoping to hear the whooshing sound for which they were known. Instead, she heard something quite different.

“Hey kid! How are you doing? Want to hear a joke?”

Caitlyn nearly dropped the shell. Holding it back up to her head, she tried again.

“What’s the most musical part of a fish?” the shell asked.

“I – I don’t know,” Caitlyn whispered.

“Their scales! Ha, ha!” laughed the shell. Caitlyn looked around to see if anyone was looking at her. They weren’t.

“I’m just getting warmed up, kid! Why don’t fish play basketball?” It seemed to be waiting for a reply.

“Uh, I’m not sure?” Caitlyn said. Was she dreaming?

The shell answered its own joke. “Because they are afraid of the net! Ha, ha!”     Caitlyn had to laugh. Okay, that was sort of funny.

The girl giggled. On and on the conch shell talked with her. For the rest of the week, Caitlyn would walk into the shallow water and sit with the shell held against her ear.She smiled and chuckled as it whispered corny jokes.

On the last day of her vacation, Caitlyn decided she couldn’t leave the shell behind. “You’re coming home with me,” she said to the pretty shell. She thought it would be happy. It wasn’t. “My home is in the ocean,” it replied, without any laughter in its voice.

注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 至少使用5个短文中标有 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。

But Caitlyn couldn’t bear to go home without it.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gently, she lowered it back under the water.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . Life from birth to death is an unbroken chain of ever-increasing, unavoidable struggles. Struggles are a kind of _______ with which Nature forces humanity to develop, expand and progress. The education we _______ from the struggles we face is gradually increasing. We get it a little at a time from every _______ we encounter.

Face struggles and master them. _______ you will have the strength and wisdom for all your needs.

The strongest trees in the forest aren't those most _______. They are those that must struggle against the _______ conditions and other trees and overcome them to survive.

My grandfather was a wagon （四轮马车）maker. In _______ his land for crops, he always left a few oak trees standing in the open fields where they were _______ to the full force of the sun and strong winds. The trees that struggled against Nature were far stronger and _______ than the protected ones deep in the forest. It was timber （木材）from the trees which had struggled ________ he used for the wagon wheels, ________ fear that they would break, because they had struggled and grown strong enough to ________ the heaviest loads.

Struggles force us to move when we would otherwise stand ________. And they lead us eventually to the full realization that ________ comes only through struggles. ________ worthwhile in life is ever achieved without a struggle.

Once we understand the broad purpose of life, we are ________ to accept the circumstances that force us to struggle. ________, we accept struggles for what they are - ________, and it's so rewarding when you get inspirations from struggles to live your life to the ________ and a chance to enjoy the life which you are making so many ________ to get.

1.

A．rule

B．tool

C．barrier

D．behavior

2.

A．offer

B．update

C．receive

D．discover

3.

A．inconvenience

B．experience

C．question

D．examination

4.

A．Then

B．Still

C．Yet

D．Even

5.

A．prevented

B．endangered

C．affected

D．protected

6.

A．unreasonable

B．unfavorable

C．unfamiliar

D．beneficial

7.

A．planting

B．turning

C．ruining

D．clearing

8.

A．exposed

B．connected

C．accustomed

D．addicted

9.

A．tougher

B．weaker

C．drier

D．prettier

10.

A．which

B．what

C．that

D．when

11.

A．for

B．despite

C．without

D．through

12.

A．bear

B．increase

C．remove

D．lessen

13.

A．outside

B．straight

C．apart

D．still

14.

A．reputation

B．success

C．courage

D．independence

15.

A．Anything

B．Everything

C．Something

D．Nothing

16.

A．willing

B．afraid

C．ashamed

D．surprised

17.

A．On the contrary

B．For instance

C．As a result

D．In particular

18.

A．discouragement

B．ambition

C．opportunities

D．drawbacks

19.

A．richest

B．fairest

C．easiest

D．fullest

20.

A．mistakes

B．sacrifices

C．decisions

D．arrangements

4 . 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

5 . It is impossible to perform consistently in a manner inconsistent with the way we see ourselves. In other words, we usually act in direct ___________ to our self-image. Nothing is more difficult to ___________ than changing outward actions without changing inward feelings.

One of the best ways to ___________ those inward feelings is to have some “success” under your belt (在以往的经历中). My daughter Elizabeth has a ___________ to be shy and wants to hold back on new experiences. But once she has ___________ to a situation, it’s “full steam ahead”. When she was in first grade, her school had a candy bar ___________. Each child was given thirty candy bars and was ___________ to sell every one of them. ___________ I picked up Elizabeth from school she was holding her “challenge” and needed some ___________ encouragement. It was time for a sales meeting with my new salesgirl.

All the way home I taught her how to sell candy bars. I ____________ each teaching point with half a dozen “You can do it—your smile will ____________ them over—I believe in you” phrases. By the end of our fifteen-minute ____________, the young lady sitting beside me had become a ____________ saleslady.

At the end of the day, all thirty bars had been sold. She excitedly ____________ as I tucked her into bed that night: “Oh God, thanks for the candy sale at school. It’s great.”

Elizabeth’s prayer reflects the heart’s ____________ of every person. We all want to be winners. The next day Elizabeth came home ____________ another box of candy bars. She’d exhausted the ____________ of friendly neighbors, and she was thrown into the cruel world of the unknown buyer. ____________ I offered encouragement and a few more selling tips. And she did it. The experience ____________ two days of selling, two sold-out performances, two happy people, and one boosted (提高的)____________. How we see ourselves reflects how others see us.

1.

A．opposition

B．response

C．preference

D．contrast

2.

A．accomplish

B．acknowledge

C．appreciate

D．allocate

3.

A．follow

B．control

C．injure

D．improve

4.

A．chance

B．tendency

C．need

D．competence

5.

A．turned

B．complained

C．warmed

D．submitted

6.

A．sale

B．delivery

C．present

D．bargain

7.

A．forced

B．ordered

C．challenged

D．warned

8.

A．When

B．While

C．If

D．Because

9.

A．negative

B．further

C．rough

D．positive

10.

A．decorated

B．surrounded

C．rewarded

D．classified

11.

A．get

B．take

C．win

D．look

12.

A．complaint

B．quarrel

C．amusement

D．drive

13.

A．committed

B．nervous

C．frightened

D．pretty

14.

A．wrote

B．prayed

C．recalled

D．recommended

15.

A．humor

B．impression

C．desire

D．justice

16.

A．toward

B．without

C．for

D．with

17.

A．wealth

B．emotion

C．supply

D．dignity

18.

A．Again

B．Deliberately

C．Instead

D．Eventually

19.

A．added to

B．amounted to

C．came to

D．catered for

20.

A．self-help

B．self-study

C．self-respect

D．self-image

6 . One spring, two friends and I sought permission to plant a garden. Our school was located in the downtown area of a large city. There wasn’t ____of a backyard. Actually, it was a stone-covered dirt parking lot with no extra space. However, we carefully _____ , taking into account the area that received the best sunshine.

The three of us ______ the headmaster with our plan for a small area to plant some squash, tomatoes and cucumbers. The only real ______ involved was to rent a rake(耙), a pickax(丁字镐), and a hoe(锄头). However, getting the headmaster’s permission would still be difficult. We will never forget his _____ to our request. With a slightly bored tilting(偏斜) of his head, he ____ replied, “ You are wasting your time. Nothing will ever grow there! But go ahead if you still want to.”

We had received permission _____ ! So what if it wasn’t enthusiastic? We rented tools, raked four inches of stones into neat walls ______ the garden, raised the pickax and _____what must have been a former waste area. A gardener dream — dark, rich soil just sitting there waiting to be discovered. We looked at each other, repeating together: “Ah, nothing will grow there.” As you might have guessed by now, things did grow there in our garden.

Have you ever ____ that way about your life — Nothing will grow there… Have you felt ____ about your life’s progress? Worried about crop failure? Disappointed that nothing good ever seems to ____? Don’t believe that “Nothing will grow there”. It is never too ______ to be who you might have been. You may not always see the _____ for growth, but it is there. All the rich soil you need may be left just _____ the surface, but can only be discovered after you begin digging.

1.

A．more

B．little

C．much

D．less

2.

A．carried out

B．laid out

C．gave out

D．made out

3.

A．greeted

B．ignored

C．approached

D．lectured

4.

A．cost

B．reward

C．bargain

D．bonus

5.

A．promise

B．tease

C．response

D．result

6.

A．warmly

B．coldly

C．readily

D．hesitantly

7.

A．at most

B．at least

C．at first

D．at last

8.

A．separating

B．setting

C．establishing

D．outlining

9.

A．carved

B．landed

C．struck

D．smoothed

10.

A．lost

B．made

C．followed

D．felt

11.

A．discouraged

B．excited

C．puzzled

D．awkward

12.

A．go up

B．bring up

C．come up

D．pile up

13.

A．hard

B．easy

C．early

D．late

14.

A．potential

B．foundation

C．vision

D．strategy

15.

A．beyond

B．beneath

C．above

D．off

7 . A few weeks ago, I found myself taken aback by the strange and rough behavior of a medical practitioner(行医者). For the first time that I could remember, I had missed an appointment, and she called to berate me. Yes, it was my fault, but I think I subconsciously avoided the appointment due to the aggressive communication we had had thus far.

I had a sense of what I was getting into when I chose to go with her — I was warned about her bedside manner — but she came, highly recommended by multiple people, and I did not have the energy to keep looking for other options. So I went with her and made myself ready for the journey.

But I was not prepared. She screamed at me for minutes on end, as I sat there, unable to get a word in, feeling terribly guilty and ashamed of the missed appointment and having wasted her time. There was no calm talk about paying for the missed appointment.

After the phone call, I felt terrible. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and that everyone we meet comes into our lives for a reason.

A week or so later, after telling a friend about the event, I was blessed with this insight: This woman’s attacking voice was familiar, and it was personified and strengthened by my harsh(刺耳的), critical inner voice. My friend helped me see what a blessing this encounter was. If I could see my inner critic as this woman with her associated foolish behaviour, I would not allow myself to buy into it.

I remember I once read an article which says that when we look at the behavior of others, we are looking at a mirror. According to the “Mirror Theory”, when we observe character defects(缺点) in other people, we are really seeing the undeveloped and unresolved parts of our personality. With this in mind, not only do I need to examine how I view and treat myself, but also other people. So eventually, my encounter with this practitioner was for the best.

1. What does the underlined word “berate” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Scold

B．Comfort

C．Question

D．Contact

2. Why did the author miss the appointment?

A．She lacked communication with the practitioner.

B．She spent much time preparing for the journey.

C．She was afraid to face the rude practitioner.

D．She wanted to find a better practitioner.

3. What do we know about the author’s encounter with the practitioner?

A．It helped her realize her own mistakes.

B．It helped her see her own critic inner voice.

C．It gave her a chance to listen to her own heart.

D．It gave her experience in dealing with rough people.

4. What has the author learnt from the “Mirror Theory”?

A．Treat herself better in the future.

B．Treat other people with more tolerance.

C．Overlook the character defects in other people.

D．See her character defects while observing others.

8 . When I ( Country singer Clint Black ) was 14, I was hired for an after-school job selling subscriptions to my hometown paper, the Houston Post. I was sent to some of the city's worst neighborhoods to ask door-to-door. Even though I was often struggling around after dark in bad areas searching for some place for the night, I was thankful for the work.

It was a hard job because people didn't like a stranger knocking on their door, especially a boy trying to get them to buy something. One time, a man shut his door heavily in my face and shouted, "I don't want any paper." I forced myself to knock again and was able to tell him how great the paper was. I ended up selling him a subscription. I was soon among the top sellers and, like other successful salesmen, was asked to train newcomers.

Around this time I started playing some musical instruments. Before long I was playing in a band at some and other events. When I turned 18, I fixed my attention on becoming a professional musician. I never give up this dream. I'm sure my perseverance came from what I learned knocking on strangers' doors.

That experience helped me in many ways. Early in my music job I was locked in a lawful quarrel with a former manager. He forced me to give in, but I refused.

Having all those doors closed in my face as a boy gave me the strength to stand up to this frightening person. Except this time there was one difference: I was the one saying no. And I won.

1. Which of the following statements is untrue according to paragraph 1 ?

A．He sold subscriptions in his spare time.

B．The places he went to was not good.

C．He found it hard to look for a place for the night.

D．He was not satisfied with the work.

2. He was asked to train newcomers because            .

A．he began to do the job much earlier than newcomers.

B．he had been asking door to door.

C．he was refused many times.

D．he was one of the best sellers.

3. The author wanted to                 .

A．devote his life to music.

B．knock on strangers’ doors.

C．play some musical instruments very well.

D．be the head of a famous band.

4. Why was he not afraid of the manager?

A．Because he thought he was stronger than the manager.

B．Because he used to knock strangers’ doors.

C．Because he became brave while working.

D．Because the manager was much older than he.

9 . It’s getting hot, so it’s time to put on _________ clothes and open the windows.

Yesterday morning I was our for a brief time. When coming back home, I found that two _________ visitors came into the _________. The two daring sparrows came to __________ the freshness of some bread pieces on the counter.

When you ________ such sudden callers before, you were likely to consider them as an intrusion(入侵) into your comfort zone, or you might _________ them as a nice wink(闪烁) of life. I chose the latter, with no __________. After all, I’d never stopped feeling the ________ to develop a relationship with creatures of the natural world.

I couldn’t stop observing and ________ their dance through the kitchen window. I not only left the leftovers(剩饭) to them, but also ________ them every kind of bases and stands of our house.

______, they felt at ease in the kitchen. And that had led them to pick up _____     and fly into my house again. Perhaps they had the feeling that I considered them friendly neighbors ________ impolite intruders. Actually, the ________ of the two lovely sparrows drew me out of the dull life and showed me the unseen ________. I really jumped at their sudden visit.

In life, we all have met ________ sparrows--- of various shapes and colors. And they’re everywhere. I can tell you for sure! Perhaps all of them are willing to surprise us, and they’re ready to catch our ________. They just want us not to be        _____ of them or to be bored with them. Then when they come to our house again, they will ________ to fly into it. Thus, they will also add some ________ to our life.

1.

A．lighter

B．darker

C．thicker

D．dearer

2.

A．regular

B．unwelcome

C．occasional

D．unexpected

3.

A．bedroom

B．kitchen

C．roof

D．yard

4.

A．keep

B．protect

C．enjoy

D．share

5.

A．called on

B．rang round

C．listened to

D．came across

6.

A．accept

B．research

C．understand

D．ignore

7.

A．exception

B．hesitation

C．prejudice

D．success

8.

A．urge

B．worry

C．freedom

D．failure

9.

A．copying

B．learning

C．admiring

D．judging

10.

A．showed

B．lent

C．threw

D．offered

11.

A．Undoubtedly

B．Normally

C．Suddenly

D．Thankfully

12.

A．orders

B．courage

C．signals

D．speed

13.

A．apart from

B．regardless of

C．instead of

D．except for

14.

A．memory

B．symbol

C．problem

D．presence

15.

A．beauty

B．secret

C．truth

D．rules

16.

A．dangerous

B．special

C．different

D．precious

17.

A．meaning

B．breath

C．name

D．attention

18.

A．proud

B．afraid

C．ashamed

D．careful

19.

A．refuse

B．forget

C．dare

D．pretend

20.

A．noise

B．fun

C．desire

D．warning

10 . When she was 41 years old, Deanna Mulligan stepped back from the top of her career. Now CEO of Guardian Life Insurance, Ms. Mulligan reflects on that move：

I was 41 then, when it is ________to be the peak of one's career. At the time, taking a ________was considered a really strange thing. People said to me, “You can^’t take time off. You'll never_________on a career path.”

Then I had a relative who________ . It was clear at her funeral that she had made a big ________on lots of people as a preschool teacher. I thought about my________ at the time： Could I be a person like her? I was a senior insurance manager. ________, I didn't gain such career meaning. So for me it was time to break, and I________ that job.

I took two years off. The first year I spent much time with my family. And, I have to say, time with_________. Time to really be alone and think about what I had_________ and what that meant for my future. It was a big reset.

The second year, I was able to________ on what I might like to do next. After many trials, I decided finally my____career in insurance was my real love. I find it to be very ________-it does help people's lives, especially when they are at their_________moments.

So I went to work for Guardian Life Insurance, from an employee in 2008 to CEO in 2011. I didn't________CEO. I just wanted to lead with________. Now I find purpose and meaning in my job every day. Once you find it, you don^’t really________it. So it is OK to take time to ________, as long as you're discovering what's________to your life. Life is not a straight line. And you'll get to the right place _________.

1.

A．guaranteed

B．supposed

C．set

D．reported

2.

A．prize

B．breath

C．trip

D．break

3.

A．get back

B．fall down

C．hold on

D．grow up

4.

A．gave up

B．quitted office

C．passed away

D．lived alone

5.

A．advance

B．improvement

C．living

D．influence

6.

A．life

B．achievements

C．change

D．mood

7.

A．Besides

B．Still

C．Instead

D．Therefore

8.

A．offered

B．accepted

C．lost

D．quitted

9.

A．others

B．colleagues

C．myself

D．friends

10.

A．learned

B．found

C．tested

D．admitted

11.

A．focus

B．take

C．insist

D．feed

12.

A．favorite

B．original

C．future

D．permanent

13.

A．delightful

B．stressful

C．meaningful

D．graceful

14.

A．last

B．best

C．worst

D．most

15.

A．sign up

B．look down upon

C．think about

D．aim at

16.

A．successes

B．values

C．power

D．interests

17.

A．forget

B．lose

C．recognize

D．replace

18.

A．protest

B．entertain

C．perform

D．explore

19.

A．romantic

B．wrong

C．important

D．scaring

20.

A．eventually

B．dramatically

C．rapidly

D．fortunately