1 . To learn to think is to learn to question. Those who don't question never truly think for themselves. These are simple rules that have governed the advancement of science and human thought since the beginning of time. Advancements are made when thinkers question theories and introduce new ones. Unfortunately, it is often the great and respected thinkers who end up slowing the progress of human thought. Aristotle was a brilliant philosopher whose theories explained much of the natural world, often incorrectly. He was so esteemed by the scientific community that even 1，200 years after his death, scientists were still trying to build upon his mistakes rather than correct them!

Brilliant minds can intimidate up­and­coming thinkers who are not confident of their abilities. They often believe they are inferior to the minds of giants such as Aristotle, leading many to accept current paradigms instead of questioning them.

I, like many thinkers of the past, once believed in my mental inferiority. I was certain that my parents, my teachers-adults in general-were always right. They were like a textbook to me; I didn't question what was written on those pages. I respected them, and accepted whatever they told me. But that attitude soon changed. My mind's independence was first stimulated in the classroom.

A stern, 65­year­old elementary­school science teacher once told me that light is a type of wave. I confidently went through years of school believing that light is a wave. One day，however I heard the German exchange student mention that light could be made up of particles. As the others laughed at his statement, I started to question my beliefs.

Maybe the teachers and textbooks hadn't given me the whole story. I went to the library, did some research and learned of the light­as­a­wave versus light­as­a­particle debate. I read about Einstein's discovery of the dual nature of light and learned the facts of a paradox(悖论) that puzzles the world's greatest thinkers to this day. Light behaves as both a particle and a wave, it is both at once. I realized I had gone through life accepting only half of the story as the whole truth.

Each new year brought more new facts, and I formulated even more questions. I found myself in the library after school, trying to find my own answers to gain a more complete understanding of what I thought I already knew. I discovered that my parents and teachers are incredible tools in my quest for knowledge, but they are never the final word. Even textbooks can be challenged. I learned to question my sources, I learned to be a thinker. I once believed that everything I learned at home and at school was certain, but I have now discovered to re­examine when necessary.

Questions are said to be the path to knowledge and truth, and I plan to continue questioning. How many things do we know for sure today that we will question in the future? At this moment, I know that our sun will burn for another five billion years, and I know nothing can escape the gravity of a black hole. This knowledge, however, may change in the next 20 years-maybe even in the next two. The one thing we can control now is our openness to discovery. Questions are the tools of open minds, and open minds are the key to intellectual advancement.

1. In the first paragraph, Aristotle is taken as an example to show that ______.

A．he is the greatest and respected philosopher of all time

B．huge influence of great thinkers may block human thought

C．advancements are made when thinkers question theories

D．great thinkers often make mistakes and then correct them

2. What does the underlined word “intimidate” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Frighten.

B．Encourage.

C．Strength.

D．Persuade.

3. The author began to question his previous beliefs because ______.

A．what he learned from textbooks before turned out to be wrong

B．he was inspired by the different ideas from an exchange student

C．he was laughed at by other students for his unacceptable statement

D．he was not satisfied with his life and desperate to achieve success

4. According to the passage, the author ______.

A．looks down upon great thinkers all the time

B．never doubts what he has learned in the textbook

C．always throws himself into the laboratory

D．determines to be a thinker and questioner

5. We can conclude from the last paragraph that ______.

A．the author is not quite sure about his future

B．we human beings don't dare to predict future

C．theory of black holes will change in two years

D．questioning is necessary to promote advancement

6. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Following rules.	B．Challenging yourself.
C．Questioning giants.	D．Predicting future.

2 . I once had an experience which helped me learn the real meaning of “put yourself in others’ shoes”. One day, while I was waiting in line at a coffee shop earlier, a woman _________ alongside the queue in a mobility scooter (电动代步车). There was only a _________ space between the line of people and the table, which she attempted to drive along. She drove over my foot but didn’t look back to say anything.

I got _________ and expected she would have apologized, but then I just decided to _________ it and got down to selecting which pastry (点心) to go with my coffee. The lady and I _________ sitting at adjacent (邻近的) tables. She was on the end of a row so that she could _________ her scooter. After about half an hour, when she had _________ her coffee, she got up and back onto her scooter. It wouldn’t start. She tried to turn the key several times _________ she telephoned the place she purchased it from. Sweat was _________ on her forehead, caused in part by anxiety, but __________ from embarrassment.

The place must have been local. An __________ turned up within 5 minutes. I couldn’t help overhearing their conversation, and it turned out she had only just __________ the scooter that morning. She’d come to the coffee shop for a stress-rest, which was her very first __________ in it. I heard that she felt really __________ about driving it. She certainly wasn’t used to its speed, nor its __________, and this combination made it quite __________ to drive it through narrow gaps.

__________, I felt sympathy for the lady. It really didn’t __________ me at all that she’d driven over my foot. __________, I had made an assumption that a person doing that should apologize.

Next time you’re about to __________ someone, pause for a second and remind yourself that people have made a judgment about you without knowing what was going on in your mind or your life.

1.

A．paced

B．struggled

C．marched

D．walked

2.

A．wide

B．narrow

C．public

D．private

3.

A．annoyed

B．amused

C．worried

D．amazed

4.

A．discussed

B．made

C．deserve

D．dismissed

5.

A．followed up

B．took up

C．ended up

D．picked up

6.

A．drive

B．take

C．park

D．hold

7.

A．made

B．finished

C．ordered

D．poured

8.

A．after

B．until

C．unless

D．before

9.

A．covering

B．forming

C．moving

D．disappearing

10.

A．mostly

B．nearly

C．fairly

D．rarely

11.

A．waiter

B．policeman

C．engineer

D．customer

12.

A．collected

B．stolen

C．fixed

D．abandoned

13.

A．voyage

B．tour

C．exploration

D．outing

14.

A．concerned

B．excited

C．confident

D．nervous

15.

A．width

B．length

C．weight

D．height

16.

A．cool

B．convenient

C．stressful

D．strange

17.

A．Suddenly

B．Obviously

C．Hopefully

D．Previously

18.

A．strike

B．bother

C．satisfy

D．confuse

19.

A．Otherwise

B．Therefore

C．Still

D．Besides

20.

A．challenge

B．hug

C．persuade

D．judge

3 . When Emanuel received an email from Professor Richard English. Queen’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the School of History, Anthropology,Philosophy and Politics, encouraging him to apply for a PhD in Politics in Belfast, it was a pinch-me moment Emanual never thought would be possible. After all, just a few short years ago, he was living on the streets couch-surfing at friends’ houses and weeding gardens to make ends meet. Now, one of the world’s leading political academics was preparing to welcome him to Queen’s University over 4,000 miles away.

Emanuel never knew who his father was and his mom was mentally ill when she gave birth to him, so the hospital took him off her and he was unofficially adopted for the first few years of his life. What followed was a childhood with uncertainty as Emanuel was passed between the adoption system and family members.

Through his high school and community college years, he moved from house to house, living with friends at times and living on the streets at others.

Determined to change all that despite his rocky start in life, Emanuel involved himself in school-doing everything he could to earn extra tuition (学费) money in his spare time. But getting accepted into university was scarcely possible because a person like him couldn’t get a regular student loan.

Fortunately, the government backed him, having created a policy allowing disadvantaged persons to access funding for higher education. He graduated from the University of the West Indies with a 1st Class Honors degree and went on to do his Masters.

Emanuel knows that his story could have been very different.

“I discovered Professor Richard English online and sent him an email honestly, not thinking he would reply and to my surprise, he did. I applied for the highly competitive Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme in order to fund my research at Queen’s. When I was told I was successful, my whole world changed.”

1. What does the underlined word “pinch-me” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Expected.

B．Unbelievable.

C．Awkward.

D．Anxious.

2. What happened to Emanuel in his childhood?

A．His father was mentally ill.

B．He was abandoned by his mother.

C．He was once adopted by his relatives.

D．He lived with his friends now and then.

3. How did Emanuel afford his university education?

A．By receiving a regular student loan.

B．By earning the tuition all by himself.

C．By borrowing the money from friends.

D．By getting support from the government.

4. What can we learn from Emanuel’s story?

A．Well begun is half done.

B．It’s never too old to learn.

C．You are the master of your life.

D．Lost time is never found again.

4 . On a trip to California, my family stopped for lunch. As we walked toward the entrance to the restaurant, a man, with a _____________beard and dirty hair, jumped up from a bench outside the restaurant and opened the door for us．Regardless of his_____________ , he greeted us in a friendly way．

Once inside, my daughters whispered, "Mom, he____________." After we ordered our lunch, I explained, telling the kids to look_____________the dirt．We then watched other customers approach the restaurant but many_____________him. Seeing this rudeness truly upset me. The day I became a mother, I had determined to set a good_____________to my children. Yet sometimes when things didnˈt go right, being a good example was_____________. When our meal arrived, I realized I had left the car-sick pills in the truck. With the windiest trip ahead, the kids needed them, so I _____________ myself from the meal and went to get them．

Just then, the "doorman" was opening the door for a couple. They rushed past him without even acknowledging his_____________.   Letting them in first, I said aloud "thank you" to him as I   _____________．

When I returned, we talked a bit．He said he was not allowed inside_____________he purchased food．I went back and told my family his_____________.Then I asked our waitress to add one soup and sandwich．

The kids looked_____________as we had already eaten, but when I said the order was for the "doorman", they smiled．When it was time to _____________our trip, I found the "doorman" enjoying his meal. Upon seeing me, he stood up and thanked me heartily. He then_____________out his hand for a handshake and I gratefully accepted. I suddenly noticed the tears in his eyes—tears of   _____________.What happened next drew great astonishment: I gave the " doorman" a______________. He ran away, with tears_____________down his face．

Back in truck, I fell into deep thought. While we canˈt choose many things in life, we can choose when to show gratitude. I said thanks to a man who had_____________opened a door for me, and also said thanks for that _____________ to teach my children by example．

1.

A．clean

B．messy

C．pretty

D．bright

2.

A．service

B．state

C．appearance

D．attitude

3.

A．smells

B．smokes

C．signs

D．smiles

4.

A．around

B．into

C．over

D．beyond

5.

A．refused

B．ignored

C．missed

D．hated

6.

A．example

B．target

C．record

D．rule

7.

A．accessible

B．awkward

C．tough

D．stressful

8.

A．prevented

B．refreshed

C．helped

D．excused

9.

A．company

B．challenge

C．presence

D．attack

10.

A．exited

B．approached

C．marched

D．quitted

11.

A．before

B．unless

C．though

D．since

12.

A．desire

B．deed

C．story

D．demand

13.

A．puzzled

B．excited

C．concerned

D．bored

14.

A．make

B．start

C．take

D．continue

15.

A．washed

B．reached

C．raised

D．waved

16.

A．approval

B．sympathy

C．gratitude

D．affection

17.

A．clap

B．nod

C．lift

D．hug

18.

A．streaming

B．rushing

C．slipping

D．breaking

19.

A．firmly

B．simply

C．constantly

D．rudely

20.

A．journey

B．opportunity

C．wisdom

D．community

5 . Images of her childhood flashed past her eyes. There she was, aged three, building a sandcastle on the______. Time flew by as those small little______changed into stronger ones which were trying to______a castle out of Lego blocks. Moving on, those hands were______covered with sweat, as she______a pen tightly, while taking her first major exam. Later on, they were slightly relaxed, as the pen was changed into a steering wheel,______along with family and friends.

How fast time______, she thought. We all come into this world with a set of______, hopes and aspiration. We are______to grow up to achieve these dreams and______the world. But maybe sometimes in this process, we forget to______the journey. Yes, it is______to pursue your dreams and work hard to achieve them. But at the same time, it is also important to______time out for your loved ones, enjoy and cherish every______spent with them. As it is these moments that______some of the most beautiful______to be cherished for a lifetime!

Every day isn't the same. The best thing in life is to take each day at a time, to cherish every moment and do what you love. Perhaps______is one of the best examples that show us the______meaning of doing what we love and doing what makes us smile.

Looking at the shining face of her______(laughter, she realized that, perhaps she's got a second chance…chance to______her childhood once again!

1.

A．roof

B．beach

C．street

D．train

2.

A．hands

B．eyes

C．legs

D．feet

3.

A．turn

B．kick

C．make

D．work

4.

A．suddenly

B．rapidly

C．strangely

D．generally

5.

A．threw

B．bit

C．caught

D．held

6.

A．skating

B．playing

C．jogging

D．driving

7.

A．comes on

B．goes by

C．runs away

D．carries on

8.

A．conditions

B．glories

C．dreams

D．rules

9.

A．eager

B．cautious

C．curious

D．nervous

10.

A．give up

B．take over

C．break into

D．turn down

11.

A．enjoy

B．record

C．share

D．predict

12.

A．difficult

B．ridiculous

C．important

D．impossible

13.

A．put

B．watch

C．reach

D．take

14.

A．coin

B．moment

C．effort

D．treasure

15.

A．gain

B．cover

C．form

D．forget

16.

A．minds

B．memories

C．desires

D．interests

17.

A．childhood

B．friendship

C．livelihood

D．hardship

18.

A．correct

B．useful

C．effective

D．true

19.

A．eldest

B．elderly

C．newborn

D．teenaged

20.

A．retell

B．rewrite

C．remark

D．relive

6 . I just had a snowstorm that piled up eight inches of snow. It truly was a winter wonderland, and there was white beauty everywhere. Since I didn't have anything to do that day, I really enjoyed it.

But then the second snowstorm arrived that night, piling additional inches of snow on top of the snow banks that were already there. And then on the evening news, the weather cast gave us a notice that still another snowstorm was headed our way. Then I felt despondent. I had things to do and places to go. After days of being snowbound, I felt like I was under house arrest. I was stuck.

A place stuck isn't a fun place to be, whether it's from a snowstorm or from life circumstances such as a bad relationship, bills that seem to tower over our heads, or situations where we see no way out. All of us will feel stuck at one time or another, but it's how we respond that makes the difference.

I had a friend named Hannah. She was stuck in the heartbreaking world of infertility (不孕). She longed for a child more than anything. Instead of accepting defeat, she acted sincerely. Think about Nelson Mandela in a dark prison. It was a seemingly hopeless place, but instead of becoming depressed or bitter, he kept fighting for freedom. Yes, he kept fighting to get the success.

Circumstances cannot define us, but our reactions do. Each of those men and women learned important lessons in their "stuck" situations, and we can as well.

1. What does the underlined word" despondent" in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Unhappy.

B．Unusual.

C．Ambitious.

D．Energetic.

2. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 3?

A．Summarize the previous paragraphs.

B．Provide some advice for the readers.

C．Introduce some background information.

D．Form a connecting link of the context.

3. Why does the author mention Hannah and Nelson Mandela?

A．To introduce two great celebrities.

B．To introduce the way to be famous.

C．To show their different circumstances.

D．To show how to respond to difficult situations.

4. What's the best title for the text?

A．Don't be defeated by failure

B．Don't be trapped by snow

C．Enjoy the white beauty

D．Keep calm in the winter

7 . The other day a big,ugly,black bat found its way to the bathroom of my house and hung, upside down, over the toilet bowl. As "the man of the house", I was asked to rid the house of the awful creature. I grabbed a pillow and held the broom.I quickly opened the bathroom door and threw the pillow at the bat. It didn't move. Then that old feeling started to come over me. It was the same feeling I experienced when I was sent down the stairs in the middle of the night to see what made a noise.The feeling can be summed up in one word-trapped.

All men, I think, sometimes have had that feeling of being trapped in some male role. It may be something as simple as having to carve the chicken before it is served,or having to pretend that you know something about car engines when the car won't start.However,women nowadays seem to have the freedom to be themselves.They can repair cars or be fire fighters.Yet men appear to be more afraid to do something different. It's as if being a man is not what you are,but what you do and the way you do it.

As I came towards the fierce and frightening bat, I wondered what would happen if I had simply told my wife that I won't do it-that she could get it out, or else call someone in the morning. But I couldn't do that! I am the man! I slowly opened the window and closed the toilet bowl cover. I then, carefully, lifted the broom over my head and swept the bat out the window. Just like that, it was gone.

My wife was so pleased and in the morning,my son thought I was a hero. They asked me how I had got rid of the bat. I started to tell them-but then stopped.A man doesn't talk of such things.

1. Why does the author mention the old feeling in Paragraph 1?

A．To recall the old days.	B．To show his fear of darkness.
C．To predict his fight with the bat.	D．To highlight the situation of being trapped.

2. What does the author mean by mentioning women 's freedom in Paragraph 2?

A．Men are forced to bear household burdens.	B．Men have to live up to social expectations.
C．Women are free to choose their jobs.	D．Women are equal to men in workplaces.

3. The last sentence of the passage implies that the author           

A．believes silence is gold	B．feels proud of himself
C．will do what he has to do	D．will be what he wants to be

4. How does the author sound in the passage?

A．Angry.

B．Humorous.

C．Desperate.

D．Serious.

8 . Several years ago,our family rented a house that had a basement apartment under ours.The young couple who lived below us were quiet and modest.Their dog,however,was not.

Cody was an outgoing black dog with a big tail.He loved to greet us by planting his huge paws on our chest.Our dog Tasha has a similar characteristic.Because she shared the yard with Cody,they soon became good friends.

We often saw a ball of black and white fur as they raced neck and neck toward some unlucky bird that had just landed in the yard.The only time I saw any conflict between the two dogs was when we fed Tasha Cody would jump up.expecting to share Tasha's food.However,Tasha would bark fiercely.Cody would change his strategy,dropping to his belly and moving slowly toward Tasha's dish.But this friendly behavior did not impress Tasha . The closer Cody got,the louder Tasha shouted.Finally.Cody would slip away with his tail between his legs-until next mealtime. Then Cody,ever the optimist,would replay the scene.with the same disappointing conclusion

One day my husband Jeff came home quite upset .He had just found Cody lying by the side of the road.killed by a speeding truck.Tasha cleaned Cody' s smooth black fur with her nose and mouth and whined(R).Over the next few weeks.Tasha was in low spirits with her tail between her legs.She obviously missed her old friend.

At the same time,Tasha's dish disappeared.We replaced it with another,only to have that one disappear as well.There followed a steady succession(连续）of bowls,plates,even an old coffee can.They all disappeared Finally,the mystery was solved when our neighbor knocked on our door,her arms loaded with the missing dishes,some still half-full of dog food.

＂Are these yours?"she asked.When Jeff and I nodded,she explained,"l saw Tasha headed   toward the road,so I followed her.Then I noticed all these dishes in a pile."

Puzzled,I asked,"Where were they?"

“Well,you know,"she answered thoughtfully,Fit was right by the place where Cody died. Isn't that strange?Surely Tasha couldn't..."Her voice turned down in confusion.

Jeff and I exchanged glances.Has Tasha been begging her old friend back by offering him the one thing she refused to give him when he was alive?Even today,retelling the story makes me feel sad.It raises questions about animal’s intelligence and emotions.It also reminds me that I need to share whatever blessings I've received with others---before it's too late.

1. We can learn from the passage that Tasha

A．was an outgoing white dog

B．lived in a basement apartment

C．was pot friendly to the young couple

D．was the enemy of Cody due to the yard

2. A dog often feels disappointed or sad when

A．dropping to the belly

B．barking fiercely

C．putting the tail between legs

D．cleaning fur with its mouth

3. In the author's opinion,why did Tasha move its food away?

A．Because it wanted to hide it for herself.

B．Because it wanted to hide it for Cody.

C．Because it wanted to show Cody what it had.

D．Because it wanted Cody to come back to life.

9 . One of my main concerns when I am helping people achieve their life goals is how they measure success. I see individuals getting frustrated as they ____ hard for success.

One of the main ____ that cause this frustration is that people allow their ____ of success to be determined by someone or something else. Another is that they become frustrated at their own ____ lack of success when comparing themselves with other people.

We are all individuals with individual wants, skills and experiences. We should look at our own skills to ___ what is successful to us. We should look ____ to determine what it would mean for us to be successful in our own mind rather than someone else's.

Evaluating successful people ____ looking at their own pathway to success, their ___ and their determination, and ____ those into their own experience to see how they can ____ themselves.

You must ____ your own course of action, and stay on your course. You alone must determine what success means to you and achieve your own goals not ___ else's. Do what you do to the best of your ____ and the rest will take care of itself. For example, I believe that I am ____ but I am not a millionaire! Others may not see me as a success in their eyes but that does not ___； it is how I see myself that is important to me and my life.

Here is the ____. Being a success is doing your best, not being the best. Success is not something you become-it is something you ____ being. When you get to that ____， you will experience a lot more joy and a lot less ____. And that sounds good! Remember the great quote from Napoleon Hill, "If you cannot do great things, do small things in a ___ way."

1.

A．play

B．think

C．train

D．struggle

2.

A．concerns

B．reasons

C．enquiries

D．barriers

3.

A．guarantee

B．exploration

C．definition

D．celebration

4.

A．apparent

B．adequate

C．appropriate

D．abundant

5.

A．determine

B．identify

C．qualify

D．confirm

6.

A．outward

B．inward

C．forward

D．backward

7.

A．indicates

B．deserves

C．suggests

D．involves

8.

A．action

B．authority

C．coincidence

D．cooperation

9.

A．mixing

B．classifying

C．translating

D．dividing

10.

A．support

B．recover

C．improve

D．adapt

11.

A．take

B．set

C．adjust

D．rebuild

12.

A．no one

B．everyone

C．anyone

D．someone

13.

A．discipline

B．principle

C．responsibility

D．ability

14.

A．successful

B．confident

C．optimistic

D．experienced

15.

A．succeed

B．occur

C．matter

D．work

16.

A．case

B．virtue

C．goal

D．truth

17.

A．avoid

B．continue

C．mind

D．admit

18.

A．occasion

B．point

C．direction

D．place

19.

A．sensitiveness

B．excitement

C．frustration

D．rudeness

20.

A．great

B．positive

C．cosy

D．typical

10 . When I came to the farm as a bride, the rock was there, just around the corner of the house. ''Can't we dig it out? ''I asked after I hit it at full_______with the lawn mower, _______the blade. ''No, it's always been there. '' my husband said, and his father_______. ''It goes down pretty deep, I figure. '' My father-in-law added, ''My wife's family has lived here since the Civil War. No one ever got it out. '' So it_______.

My children were born,_______and went away. My father-in-law died. Some time later, my husband died. After the _______,there was the coping, with a sharpened awareness of my_______.The spot at the southwest corner of the house was_______going to look nice. I was going to_______the rock. I assumed it would take a long day. __________, it only took me five minutes to get it out. It had been about a foot deep, and maybe six inches wider than it looked from the top.

I was__________.That rock had remained there__________living memory. Each family had a__________that the previous generation had tried to remove it but__________. Because the rock had appeared to be large and deep, it was treated as__________and strong.

I__________the rock over to the shed, still within__________of the house. It rests there, with flowers growing around it. I still see the rock every day but now as something__________in my little landscape. It's a(an)__________that each generation ought to__________things for itself.

1.

A．speed

B．height

C．length

D．width

2.

A．rubbing

B．breaking

C．circling

D．injuring

3.

A．looked

B．answered

C．heard

D．said

4.

A．changed

B．exposed

C．stayed

D．finished

5.

A．grew up

B．showed up

C．messed up

D．caught up

6.

A．regretting

B．crying

C．mourning

D．hurting

7.

A．family

B．relationship

C．future

D．surroundings

8.

A．seldom

B．always

C．never

D．often

9.

A．dig out

B．lay out

C．leave out

D．make out

10.

A．Besides

B．However

C．And

D．So

11.

A．bothered

B．shocked

C．silent

D．curious

12.

A．beyond

B．throughout

C．with

D．for

13.

A．rule

B．custom

C．faith

D．habit

14.

A．in delay

B．In vain

C．In doubt

D．In turn

15.

A．inaccessible

B．incredible

C．unavailable

D．immovable

16.

A．left

B．drew

C．knocked

D．wheeled

17.

A．reach

B．sight

C．limit

D．area

18.

A．shallow

B．extra

C．small

D．good

19.

A．assistant

B．mirror

C．reminder

D．obstacle

20.

A．discover

B．rid

C．remove

D．achieve