1 . One Mother to Another

On Wednesday evening, our daughter, who was at a boarding school over 200 kilometers away, told us that she had lost her phone when she took part in an activity off campus. We realized that we had little chance of finding it.

The next morning, my phone beeped (哔哔响) loudly. A kind voice announced that she had something that belonged to my daughter. I _______ that I lived a three-hour drive away, and told her I would ask a friend to fetch the phone. My daughter had written my number on the inside of her phone’s case — good thinking!

After contacting the people I know who lived near the school, I was out of _______ — no one could go and _______ the phone, not surprisingly as it was the working day and everyone was busy. I decided to ask the lady to post the phone to my daughter. But when I sent her a text to ask if this would be OK, she replied, “We will _______ it and we’re going to drive down to the boarding school tonight.” To my _______, this wonderful couple, who had already spent a busy day at work, was making a round trip on the night, _______ for returning a phone to a complete stranger. How touching it was!

I gave them directions and they _______ the phone into the hands of my daughter at her boarding house. The only word of an explanation was, “I’ve got children of my own, and I know how a mother _______.”

We had thought that the chance of getting back the phone was _______, but we got it back in such a short time. It was a wonderful reminder of the good in the world and how the actions of one person can __________ the world to another.

1.

A．suggested

B．reported

C．explained

D．argued

2.

A．date

B．luck

C．work

D．control

3.

A．pick up

B．carry out

C．hand in

D．give away

4.

A．find

B．show

C．miss

D．take

5.

A．regret

B．surprise

C．amusement

D．disappointment

6.

A．especially

B．certainly

C．definitely

D．probably

7.

A．conducted

B．arranged

C．delivered

D．identified

8.

A．doubts

B．interests

C．predicts

D．worries

9.

A．free

B．slim

C．hard

D．fair

10.

A．tell

B．face

C．mean

D．join

2 . “Just sign here, sir,” the deliveryman said as he handed Oscar Reyna a package.

The package consisted of a long, narrow box carefully wrapped in brown paper._______the box, Oscar saw an umbrella inside — a very old one with a beautifully carved wooden handle. Although he had not seen it in more than 20 years, he recognized it_______.

Oscar was 16 when he first saw the unusual umbrella. He had gone to a concert with his grandparents. As they were leaving, he noticed an umbrella on an empty seat, impressed by its_______, Oscar felt a strong desire to find its owner.

Oscar_______the manager to look in the record of advance ticket sales. Just as he thought, a name___________ the seat where Oscar had found the umbrella. The name was Mrs. Katie O’Brien.

Oscar talked his grandparents into going by Mrs. O’Brien’s_______on their way home. He rang the bell, the door opened, and an elderly woman appeared. “May I help you?” she asked.

“I’d like to return it if it’s yours,” Oscar said, holding out the umbrella as if presenting a_______that had long been wished for.

“Why, yes! It’s mine,” replied Mrs. O’Brien with a wide smile and shining eyes. “It was given to me by my father years ago. Thank you so much for returning it. May I offer you a reward for your_______?”

“No, ma’am,” he said, “My grandmother says that a good deed is its own reward.”

“Well, that’s_______what my father used to say. What is your name, young man?”

Years later Oscar was staring at the finely carved handle of the umbrella as he remembered Mrs. O’Brien. It was in perfect condition, considering how old it was. Why had it arrived here today?

As if in answer, a note fell from the paper. It reads: Mrs. O’Brien wanted to__________this umbrella as a present for a kind, unselfish gesture long ago.

1.

A．Opening

B．Closing

C．Touching

D．Searching

2.

A．clearly

B．fully

C．immediately

D．suddenly

3.

A．history

B．shape

C．length

D．beauty

4.

A．encouraged

B．convinced

C．forced

D．advised

5.

A．called

B．matched

C．written

D．taken

6.

A．family

B．theater

C．house

D．neighborhood

7.

A．chance

B．fact

C．result

D．gift

8.

A．kindness

B．patience

C．courage

D．determination

9.

A．obviously

B．naturally

C．exactly

D．probably

10.

A．possess

B．accept

C．refuse

D．value

3 . 阅读下列材料，在空白出填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的适当形式。

While it’s     1     (absolute) natural and normal for humans to want routine, there’s much to be discovered out of our comfort zones. When we begin to see things differently around us, we can open     2     (us) up to new     3     (possible) and new opportunities and clear out fear. It’s usually, the fear, or the energy of the fear, that is greater than     4     we actually have to do and change.

It’s never too late to change your life. It is especially true to Scott Sharon,     5     54-year-old man like Saint Charles. Saint Charles, who     6     (weigh) 360 pounds in his forties, lost more than 180 pounds after struggling with obesity for several years. Scott didn’t want to spend his whole life being sad, depressed and obese. He couldn’t stand it anymore and he knew     7     he didn’t change, he was going to die. He wanted to be happy, healthy and full of love and life. From that aspect, he started on his journey to change how his mind thought and worked. He walked away from his real estate career to commit his life to     8     (help) others change their lives and overcome their challenges. He became a public speaker. That was 15 years ago and he is now     9     the best physical, mental and     10     (spirit) condition. He weighs 175 pounds and his life and career is helping people create and live out their dreams.

4 . A group of highly established alumni(校友) got together to visit their old university professor.The conversation among them soon turned into ___________ about their stressful work and life.

The professor went to his kitchen and ____________ with a large pot of coffee and a collection of different __________, including porcelain(瓷), plastic, glass and crystal.Some cups are plain-looking, ___________ some are expensive and extremely beautiful.The professor told them to help __________ to the coffee.

After all the students had a cup of coffee in their hands, the professor said, “Did you __________ all the nice-looking cups are taken and only the plain and inexpensive ones are ____________.It is ___________ for everyone to want the best for themselves, but that is the __________ of problems and stress in your life.“The cup itself ____________ no quality to the coffee.In most of the ___________, it’s just more expensive and even hides what we drink.” the professor continued.

“___________ all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but all of you ___________ went for good-looking and expensive cups and then you began __________ each other’s cups.

“Let’s consider that life is the coffee and the jobs, houses, cars, money and position in ___________ are the cups.The type of cup we have does not define or ____________ the quality of our lives.”

Sometimes we ___________ to enjoy the coffee by concentrating only on the cup we have.Being happy doesn’t mean everything around you is ___________.It means you’ve decided to see __________ the imperfection and find peace.And the peace __________ within you, not in your career or the houses you have.

1.

A．plans

B．complaints

C．troubles

D．cares

2.

A．cooked

B．supplied

C．returned

D．passed

3.

A．cups

B．plates

C．bowls

D．tables

4.

A．thus

B．while

C．or

D．so

5.

A．myself

B．yourself

C．himself

D．themselves

6.

A．found

B．fear

C．notice

D．suggest

7.

A．picked up

B．got away

C．left behind

D．taken away

8.

A．normal

B．clear

C．simple

D．essential

9.

A．mystery

B．key

C．effect

D．source

10.

A．donates

B．offers

C．provides

D．adds

11.

A．times

B．careers

C．houses

D．cases

12.

A．When

B．That

C．Which

D．What

13.

A．consciously

B．rarely

C．passively

D．surprisingly

14.

A．staring

B．measuring

C．eyeing

D．changing

15.

A．school

B．dream

C．thought

D．society

16.

A．correct

B．bring

C．change

D．record

17.

A．accept

B．fail

C．try

D．promise

18.

A．perfect

B．natural

C．real

D．important

19.

A．across

B．through

C．beyond

D．by

20.

A．stays

B．puts

C．gets

D．lies

5 . American track and field athlete Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee once said,“Age is no barrier. It's a limitation you put on your mind.” And 50-year-old Indian Lakyntiew Syiemlieh stands an evidence for this saying. She recently cleared her Class 12 board exams. Lakyntiew,who has four children and two grandchildren, decided to go after her higher secondary education over three decades after dropping out of school. Earlier this year, she was one of the 24,267 students who appeared for the state board's Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate(HSSLC) exam. Lakyntiew took part in the exams for the arts stream and had chosen subjects like Khasi,English, Political Science, Economics, and Education as her areas of specialization.

On July 13,2020,when the results were announced, she was excited. “Though I only got the third division(分段)，my children were still so excited that they started shouting, hugging, and kissing me when the results were declared,"said Lakyntiew.

In fact,the grandmother of two has expressed her interest in pursuing(追求) higher studies in the field of local language. Lakyntiew took up a distance education course offered by a university in 2015. She stopped going to school because mathematics was too difficult for her to understand. She was offered a job to teach in a preschool in 2008, and that was the beginning of her love for re-learning.

Being the oldest student in the class, most of Lakyntiew's classmates called her as "Mei”, which means “mother” in the local language. Besides concentrating on academics,she also participated in after-class activities like field trips, dance competitions, and singing challenges, among others.

Age is not a problem when one is in search of education. Lakyntiew Syiemlieh is an example for everybody,and especially for those who give up studies midway.

1. When did Lakyntiew probably drop out of school?

A．In 2008.

B．In 1998.

C．In 1988.

D．In 1968.

2. Which of the following caused Lakyntiew to stop going to school?

A．Her family was too poor to afford her education.

B．She had too much difficulty in learning one subject.

C．She was offered so good a job that she couldn't refuse.

D．She had many children to raise and had no time to study.

3. Which can best describe Lakyntiew's performance at school?

A．Independent.

B．Reasonable.

C．Outstanding.

D．Active.

4. What can we learn from Lakyntiew's story?

A．Live and learn.	B．Hard work pays off.
C．Many hands make light work.	D．Education is the key to success.

6 . My daughter loved dance, until she didn’t. After a(n) ________ first year, I noticed her interest disappearing week by week. Then, one day, she slowly ________ to me before class and asked if she could just drop it.

My first reaction was to ________ her to “finish what you start”. After all, sticking with something difficult can teach determination, discipline and ________. But watching my first-grader drag (勉强) herself into each ballet position, I started to ________ how much that “blanket advice” meant. Is it really in my kid’s best interest, or even practical, to make her stick to every promise through until she reaches a bitter ________? What if there are different but ________ valuable qualities, which can be gained by giving up the things that are not right for her?

With the winter show coming near, I realized she needed to either drop her class or devote herself to it. After a few days’________, she decided dance wasn’t for her — a(n)________ I supported. Quitting is never a black-and-white problem. Sometimes, it means ________ a barrier in your way to love something else. In my daughter’s case, ending dance made space for her new ________, such as horseback riding and Girl Scouts. She’s into them for now, but it is okay if that still changes.

As adults, we are used to ________ the power of saying yes, but what about saying no? The ability to recognize when something isn’t a(n) ________ investment(投资) of our time or energy is also important. As my daughter gets older, I want her to feel confident to ________ something that’s no longer meeting her needs. She shouldn’t be held back by the thought that she must ________ something at any cost simply because she has started.

1.

A．annoying

B．independent

C．enthusiastic

D．confusing

2.

A．ran

B．jumped

C．climbed

D．walked

3.

A．advise

B．invite

C．allow

D．order

4.

A．worry

B．confidence

C．fright

D．kindness

5.

A．answer

B．question

C．agree

D．accept

6.

A．end

B．space

C．side

D．direction

7.

A．partly

B．hardly

C．equally

D．obviously

8.

A．description

B．consideration

C．observation

D．imagination

9.

A．challenge

B．chance

C．choice

D．failure

10.

A．setting

B．forgetting

C．building

D．clearing

11.

A．ideas

B．camps

C．courses

D．hobbies

12.

A．warning

B．doubting

C．stressing

D．ignoring

13.

A．suitable

B．unfair

C．extra

D．informal

14.

A．hold

B．quit

C．value

D．accept

15.

A．spare

B．change

C．admit

D．finish

7 . On his knees, a cute boy is packing the sand into a bucket at a beautiful beach. He turns the bucket upside down and _______ it. To the _______ of the little architect, a castle tower is created. He works all afternoon packing the walls, building sentries （哨兵）with bottle tops and bridges with sticks. And a sandcastle will be built.

In a big city with _______ streets and traffic, a man is working in an office. He packs papers into piles, holds the phone between his _______ and shoulder and _______ the keyboard with his fingers. Contracts gets signed and to the joy of the man, a _______ is made. His pension will be sentries and capital gains will be _______ . An empire will be built.

The two builders of the two castles have very much _______. They both _______smallness into greatness. They both make something beautiful out of __________ . And for both, the tide will rise and the __________ will come. Yet that is where the __________ stop. The little boy sees the end of his castle while the man __________ it. As the dusk approaches and waves near, the child __________ to his feet and begins to clap as the waves wash away his __________ . There is no sorrow, no __________ and no regret. He smiles and goes home.

The man in his office is not very __________ like the child. As his empire is fading, he is terrified, trying to __________ it. "It's my castle!” He __________     at the incoming tide.

Go ahead and build your dreams, but with a child's heart. When the sun __________ and the tides take, just applaud. Salute the process of life and go home with a smile.

1.

A．kicks

B．lifts

C．breaks

D．covers

2.

A．shock

B．sorrow

C．regret

D．delight

3.

A．lonely

B．busy

C．clean

D．empty

4.

A．hand

B．neck

C．arm

D．ear

5.

A．fixes

B．feels

C．hits

D．checks

6.

A．profit

B．point

C．record

D．wish

7.

A．bridges

B．tool

C．buckets

D．beaches

8.

A．in hand

B．in common

C．in need

D．in total

9.

A．increase

B．cut

C．shape

D．throw

10.

A．something

B．anything

C．everything

D．nothing

11.

A．award

B．victor

C．future

D．end

12.

A．similarities

B．competitions

C．differences

D．changes

13.

A．follows

B．accepts

C．ignores

D．enjoys

14.

A．jumps

B．struggles

C．sticks

D．bends

15.

A．dream

B．gift

C．masterpiece

D．memory

16.

A．excitement

B．hesitation

C．fear

D．desire

17.

A．wise

B．naughty

C．curious

D．pessimistic

18.

A．finish

B．protect

C．improve

D．collect

19.

A．glances

B．stares

C．yells

D．points

20.

A．sets

B．shines

C．rises

D．bums

8 . Last year, I visited Patchings Art Centre to view the winning entries of a competition. After that, I remembered a rather _________ story.

Some years ago I _________ a local art competition, the Stafford Open. As a famous local artist, I was _________ confident of selection, which was a silly assumption, as I soon _________.

My painting, a scene _________ life in the 1950s, was large and only just _________ my car. It took me great efforts to paint and deliver it. I paid the _________ fee and checked it in at reception then, a day or two later, I received a letter informing that my entry hadn’t _________ it through. I collected the painting and brought it home, _________.

I went to view the exhibition when it opened and was __________ with the usual mix of competent __________ largely uninspiring landscapes and still lives, __________ one exhibit, that stood out from the crowd. What was it? __________ an A3 canvas board painted completely black except for a small white spot, just off centre. Needless to say, the local __________ pounced on (争相报道) it but then the ‘artist’ came forward and __________ that it had been entered as a joke, and that he wasn’t an artist. This was much to the __________ of the selection committee, who made a good __________ to justify their choice to the press. But it was too late by then, as all __________ was lost.

However, there was nothing like that here, at Patchings and I was delighted to have won an award for the second year running with the same painting that had been __________. So, here comes to my __________ that don’t worry too much about losing, your time will come if you keep on trying.

1.

A．funny

B．upset

C．strange

D．familiar

2.

A．held

B．judged

C．promoted

D．entered

3.

A．slightly

B．exactly

C．reasonably

D．blindly

4.

A．expected

B．learned

C．suggested

D．concluded

5.

A．improving

B．changing

C．describing

D．experiencing

6.

A．looked into

B．fitted into

C．come into

D．broke into

7.

A．submission

B．invitation

C．packing

D．delivery

8.

A．put

B．taken

C．made

D．pulled

9.

A．stressed

B．frightened

C．disturbed

D．disappointed

10.

A．treated

B．greeted

C．equipped

D．charged

11.

A．and

B．but

C．or

D．so

12.

A．instead of

B．due to

C．apart from

D．along with

13.

A．Guess

B．Imagine

C．Suppose

D．Remember

14.

A．press

B．government

C．gallery

D．school

15.

A．decided

B．argued

C．realized

D．admitted

16.

A．excitement

B．statement

C．amusement

D．embarrassment

17.

A．attempt

B．choice

C．research

D．difference

18.

A．preference

B．evidence

C．credibility

D．responsibility

19.

A．rejected

B．selected

C．bought

D．inspected

20.

A．reason

B．option

C．solution

D．suggestion

9 . When I first came to Rochester from Austin, Texas — a place where fall is practically non-existent — I was excited for a real northern fall. But, I wasn’t _________ it to feel like Christmas in October.

Regardless of this _________, and the adjustment period that I’m not entirely sure I’m _________, I am thankful to be somewhere that has a _________ fall. By “real” I _________ a distinctive season, a(n) _________ in the weather and a visual changing of the world around me. The leaves _________ colors, it rains more often, the air is almost always _________ and dry, and a light breeze _________ me to walk a bit faster to get inside. Yes, it is more difficult to be __________ outside in a Rochester fall — where it isn’t just “less hot” but __________, fairly cold. But, I would argue that time spent outside in this season could be more __________ than in the summer.

Everyone __________ that fall is about change — I won’t argue against that. Things do __________ in the fall — the weather is __________ becoming worse and worse, the dying leaves become warmly colored, and __________ you know it, we’ll be back to having only eight hours of sunlight a day.

This oncoming change is why I think it is so important to __________ fall. Fall is not just about the __________ of change, but also appreciating what will soon be __________. Go __________ this fall. Enjoy the leaves not because they are turning beautiful deep shades of orange and red, but because there will soon be no leaves in those branches at all.

1.

A．interested in

B．exposed to

C．ashamed of

D．prepared for

2.

A．accident

B．possibility

C．shock

D．motivation

3.

A．beyond

B．against

C．for

D．after

4.

A．rare

B．real

C．hard

D．strange

5.

A．take in

B．pick up

C．call back

D．refer to

6.

A．shift

B．conclusion

C．improvement

D．experience

7.

A．spoil

B．keep

C．turn

D．avoid

8.

A．cold

B．warm

C．hot

D．cozy

9.

A．prevents

B．expects

C．urges

D．suspects

10.

A．grateful

B．creative

C．considerate

D．comfortable

11.

A．luckily

B．actually

C．helpfully

D．instantly

12.

A．terrible

B．casual

C．unpleasant

D．valuable

13.

A．questions

B．emphasizes

C．recalls

D．analyzes

14.

A．relax

B．change

C．harvest

D．rest

15.

A．steadily

B．hardly

C．helpfully

D．narrowly

16.

A．if

B．since

C．as

D．before

17.

A．control

B．describe

C．appreciate

D．hide

18.

A．process

B．disadvantages

C．fear

D．result

19.

A．disappointing

B．puzzling

C．gone

D．broken

20.

A．inside

B．forward

C．backward

D．outside

10 . 假如英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，涉及单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号∧，并在此符号下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线＼划掉。
修改：在错词下面划一横线，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处不计分。

The old saying “The early bird catches the worm.” show us the importance of planning, working hard and trying constantly. To achieve outstanding results, the most people must plan ahead and work hard to overcome all kind of difficulties.

That has been my own experience, either. When I first started at high school, I seldom passed my exam, so I never prepared well. Later, my teacher, Mr. Black, advised me plan everything in advance. She asked me to study hard as well. After a year of put his advice into practice, I can now easy pass all my exams.

There are no direct roads to succeed.