1 . For my 8^th birthday my ________ was a shiny blue bike. My older sisters decided to teach me to ride. We lived on Edgewood Avenue at the top of a steep hill. My ________, Agnes and Christina, put me on my bike and ________ me hard, yelling instructions, “Peddle! Steer! Use the brakes!” Needless to say, I was rushing down the street ________ trying to hold on.

I bumped into the curb (路缘), ________ over the handlebars onto the sidewalk, skinning my knees, hurting my hands and crying loudly. Instead of offering ________, my sisters yelled at me ________ I hadn’t listened to their instructions. Weeks ________ before I tried again. This time I walked my bike to the ________ parking lot behind the schoolyard. I kept repeating the instructions to myself and after a few awkward ________ and even more painful spills I learned to ride a bike.

Learning life lesson is ________ like learning to ride a bike. Some life lessons are ________ to learn. We don’t always get to choose where we learn them; we don’t always have good teachers and we are not always ________. Sometimes we find ourselves madly trying to hold on.

But things are different now.

My husband, Rich, ________ my sons to ride a bike. First he raised their training wheels a little and they rode around the block getting used to the unstable ________. After he removed the training wheels he would run along the side of the bike holding on to the seat to ________ them. Up and down our street they would go with Rich calling out, “You ________ have it! You’re doing great!” until my son would call out “Let go”. Rich would let go but still run along, just ________. It was a happy day in the neighborhood.

When the life lessons come along in this New Year you may ________ them from a patient and kind teacher; you may have them surrounded by ________ and encouragement. And you may have someone stay by your side until you have found victory.

1.

A．dream

B．reward

C．gift

D．aim

2.

A．brothers

B．sisters

C．friends

D．classmates

3.

A．stuck

B．turned

C．knocked

D．pushed

4.

A．wildly

B．carefully

C．slowly

D．instantly

5.

A．jumping

B．flying

C．moving

D．leaving

6.

A．sadness

B．happiness

C．excitement

D．sympathy

7.

A．although

B．until

C．because

D．while

8.

A．passed

B．remained

C．happened

D．changed

9.

A．crowded

B．busy

C．covered

D．empty

10.

A．experiments

B．attempts

C．fights

D．conflicts

11.

A．though

B．even

C．much

D．still

12.

A．wonderful

B．comfortable

C．dangerous

D．painful

13.

A．ready

B．perfect

C．wrong

D．strong

14.

A．forced

B．taught

C．allowed

D．ordered

15.

A．practice

B．habit

C．development

D．feeling

16.

A．repair

B．fix

C．steady

D．move

17.

A．almost

B．usually

C．always

D．seldom

18.

A．in time

B．in relief

C．in turn

D．in case

19.

A．accept

B．learn

C．refuse

D．avoid

20.

A．blame

B．complaint

C．support

D．criticism

2 . I am graduating from high school, excited to enter a college to study history further. I have been ________ enough in my life to have made several ________ trips. Three trips in particular ________ as my knowledge grows. When I was ten years old, I ________ from Alabama to Washington learning about the western expansion. When I was thirteen, my family and I spent several weeks in Mexico. Finally, at age sixteen, my family visited England to ________ my parents' family backgrounds. My love of ________ will be an important part of my life what-ever career I may choose.

My grandfather was very excited about the chance to ________ me to love the west as he 48 walking the Little did. From St. Louis, Missouri, we followed the Oregon Trail. I ________ walking the Little Big Horn battle field, and climbing Independence Rock. These are only a few of the many memories when I ________ any of the History of the West.

My vacation in Mexico was ________ shock. At that time, I knew Mexico was not a very wealthy nation and its history was ________ by the Mexican War. However, the widespread ________ was almost unimaginable. The ________ of education and modern facilities were obvious. I felt pleased with my country when getting home. I was ________ in learning more about their history, trying to understand why our two cultures were so ________.

All I need to say about England is the British Museum. We spent four hours there. My parents say they saw everything. ________, I expect to return there this summer, with the ________ of spending at least an entire day there. We did visit the industrial area of England where my mother's ________ originated.

These are only three ________ of all of the history I have learned by traveling. However, I will happily ________ from those who have studied more than I.

1.

A．strong

B．lucky

C．relieved

D．accurate

2.

A．cheap

B．tiring

C．short

D．attractive

3.

A．go on

B．break off

C．stand out

D．start off

4.

A．travelled

B．graduated

C．escaped

D．raced

5.

A．reveal

B．track

C．imagine

D．appreciate

6.

A．history

B．resource

C．literature

D．nature

7.

A．force

B．warn

C．invite

D．teach

8.

A．avoid

B．admit

C．remember

D．suggest

9.

A．ignore

B．read

C．publish

D．imitate

10.

A．cold

B．heat

C．electric

D．culture

11.

A．broadcast

B．researched

C．encouraged

D．impacted

12.

A．information

B．virus

C．poverty

D．secret

13.

A．lack

B．usage

C．popularity

D．importance

14.

A．strict

B．interested

C．weak

D．experienced

15.

A．strange

B．amazing

C．different

D．boring

16.

A．Fortunately

B．Gradually

C．However

D．Thus

17.

A．hope

B．meaning

C．honor

D．reward

18.

A．colleagues

B．relationships

C．creations

D．ancestors

19.

A．examples

B．periods

C．answers

D．regulations

20.

A．hide

B．learn

C．judge

D．escape

3 . “Sometimes I’m so envious of my friends, I hate them,” says Kimberly. “I was at dinner a month ago, celebrating a friend’s engagement. Suddenly I remarked that 50% of marriages end in divorce. I was upset about not having a serious relationship myself. My envy took over, and I became a different person.”

Envy is the desire for what someone else has and resentment（愤恨）of that person for having it. Kimberley was envious, but that doesn’t mean she is a bad person. “Everyone experiences envy,” explains psychologist Karen Peterson.

Envy doesn’t have to make us feel powerless and sorry for ourselves. Instead, it can motivate us to try to achieve what we want. There are effective ways for dealing with envy and turning it into something useful.

Kimberly’s envy caused her to make the unkind remark about divorce. If you have a similar desire to express your envy in a negative way, stop yourself. Instead, think about what it is that you are envious of. Kimberly admitted that when her friend announced her engagement, “it made me feel lonely and insecure.” Once you figure out why you are envious, it’s much easier to eventually grow from the experience. “Envy can be an excellent teacher,” states Peterson, “as long as you are open to learning its lessons.”

Lucy and her friend were both trying to get a better job at their company. Lucy thought that she would get the promotion, but things didn’t work out that way. Instead, her friend got the job, and Lucy became upset and jealous. Full of envy, she started saying hurtful things about her friend. “That wasn’t like me, but I couldn’t think straight,” she explains. Lucy said unkind things because not getting the job made her feel bad about herself, explains Peterson. Her reaction didn’t make her feel better, though. It just strengthened her negative feelings. If something similar happens to you, Peterson says that you should try to understand why your friend got the promotion. That way you can learn from the experience instead of reacting in a negative way.

1. Karen Peterson thinks envy ______.

A．turns one into a different person	B．can make one feel powerless
C．is connected with hatred	D．is normal in humans

2. The author suggests that when you feel envious, you should first ______.

A．consult a teacher for help.	B．state your negative thoughts.
C．find out what makes you envious	D．figure out what lesson you should learn

3. What could be the best title for the text?

A．What Envy Means to Friends?	B．Is Envy Hurting or Helping you?
C．Why Do People Make Unkind Remarks?	D．How Can You Get Along with Friends?

4 . Once upon a time, my job was in a mess. I was always inviting family and friends to listen to my_________. You can imagine how popular I was.

About that time, something I considered _________ happened. I _________ a program to the local club in Spanish. My minister was in the audience that night. _________ the program, he came up to me and said, “Linda, I didn’t know you could speak _________. You know our church sends a medical and construction team to Bolivia every _________.We’ve never had anyone who could _________ even a few sentences of Spanish. I’d like you to think about going with us this year.” I knew the trip was _________. But, to be polite, I told him I’d think about it.

At 8:15 the next morning, my minister was sitting in my office. He told me the plans and said: “We will float on a river on a boat, walk _________ the job sites and sleep on straw mats (草席). It will be ______________, and I know you’ll enjoy it!”

The idea my minister had ______________ began to grow. I thought, “I’ll go on this ______________ so I can put some time and distance between me and my job. Maybe it will help me decide what to do.”

I did make it. I surprised myself and ______________ my family. I loved the experience!

On the trip, we ______________ all the adventures my ______________ had promised and more. I worked with people who were ______________ poor. Their happiness puzzled and ______________ me. I asked myself, “what’s wrong with you?” The truth was ugly. I was all about status, money and show. My priorities (优先秩序) were ______________.

After returning from Bolivia, I didn’t have ______________ full-time job for two years. I realized that ______________ is only a thing. People — family, friends and relationships — are more important than things. I learned that for me, a simple life is best.

1.

A．pleasure

B．complaints

C．words

D．stories

2.

A．important

B．happy

C．unimportant

D．interesting

3.

A．sang

B．sent

C．presented

D．practiced

4.

A．After

B．Before

C．Since

D．During

5.

A．Spain

B．English

C．Chinese

D．Spanish

6.

A．year

B．month

C．week

D．quarter

7.

A．tell

B．speak

C．talk

D．say

8.

A．unpleasant

B．wonderful

C．smooth

D．rough

9.

A．to and from

B．on

C．through

D．across

10.

A．boring

B．exciting

C．dangerous

D．satisfied

11.

A．opposed

B．offered

C．planted

D．designed

12.

A．program

B．plot

C．flight

D．trip

13.

A．amazed

B．shocked

C．enjoyed

D．frightened

14.

A．forgot

B．experienced

C．remembered

D．cherished

15.

A．minister

B．family

C．friend

D．teacher

16.

A．unfriendly

B．probably

C．lightly

D．extremely

17.

A．understood

B．confused

C．awakened

D．inspired

18.

A．side by side

B．inside out

C．upside down

D．hand by hand

19.

A．others

B．other

C．another

D．one

20.

A．knowledge

B．friendship

C．job

D．money