1 . “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When I was a kid, I was afraid of the question. I never had a good answer. Grown-ups always seemed terribly disappointed that I wasn’t dreaming of becoming something great, like a film-maker or a spaceman.
In college, I finally realized that I didn’t want to be one thing. I wanted to do many things. So I became an organizational psychologist. My job is to fix other people’s jobs. And I think that asking kids what they want to be does harm to them.
First, the question forces kids to define (界定) themselves in terms of work. When you’re asked what you want to be when you grow up, it’s not socially acceptable to say a “father”, or, a “mother”. This might be one of the reasons that while many parents say that what they value most is to care about others, their kids believe that success is more important. When we define ourselves by our jobs, our worth depends on what we achieve.
The second problem is that it tells kids there is one calling out there for everyone. Although having a calling can bring people joy, research shows that searching for one leaves students feeling lost. After the actor Chris Rock heard a teacher tell high schoolers, they could be anything they want to be, he asked, “Lady, why are you lying to these children?” Maybe four of them could be anything they want to be, but the other 2,000 had better learn how to weld (焊接). He added, “Tell the kids the truth. You can be anything you’re good at.”
I’m all for encouraging kids to dream big. But it is no good asking kids what they want to be. Instead, invite them to think about what kind of person they want to be -- and about all the different things they might want to do.
1. How did the author feel when he was asked the question?| A．Angry. | B．Stupid. |
| C．Uneasy. | D．Disappointed |
| A．Kids may put success first. |
| B．Kids may stop dreaming big. |
| C．It makes kids refuse to grow up. |
| D．It makes kids depend more on others. |
| A．Nobody is perfect. |
| B．Not everyone has a calling. |
| C．Nothing is impossible. |
| D．Nobody can succeed without working hard. |
| A．Teach kids some useful skills. |
| B．Let kids know more about society. |
| C．Encourage kids to try to achieve a lot. |
| D．Ask kids to consider different possibilities. |
2 . The Fisherman's Fantasy was a club which attracted lots of people claiming that fishing was their favorite hobby. There were streams and lakes filled with hungry fish in the neighborhood. The club members met regularly to discuss the excitement of catching fish. They seemed to get crazy about fishing!
The group carefully defined fishing, the purpose of fishing and so on when somebody thought that they needed philosophies of fishing. They not only outlined fishing strategies and skills, but also thought about different questions. Do fish view the world as we humans do? What do fishermen look like to the fish? What do fish feed on? With so many questions to answer, they started their serious research and attended various discussions on fishing. Some even traveled faraway to study different kinds of fish, with different habits. What's more, some made effort to gain a PhD in biology with the objective of further exploring fish. But surprisingly, no one had yet gone fishing even once!
Because there were too many fishing places for fishermen to choose from, they even set up a special committee to make choices before a list of selected fishing places was posted on walls. Nevertheless, believe it or not, still, no one was fishing!
Finally the club carried out a survey and found out that some were attracted to study fish, some to clean fishing equipment, and several to go around encouraging others to go fishing. They were so occupied that they just simply didn't have time to fish themselves.
Now, Fred, a new member to the fishing club, instantly went fishing after the first meeting. He tried some skills discussed in the meeting, got the hang of them, and caught a fish. At the next meeting, he told his story, and was honored for his catch, and then scheduled to tell others how he did it. Nowadays, Fred no longer had time to go fishing due to all the speaking invitations and his election to the board of directors of the Fisherman' Fantasy. Before long, he began to feel bored, restless and empty. He desired to feel the fish bite on the line once again. So he refused those restless and empty. He desired to feel the fish bite on the line once again. So he refused those speaking invitations and retired from the board.He said to a friend, “Let's go fishing,”. They did, just the two of them, and they caught fish.
The members of the Fisherman's Fantasy were many, the fish were plentiful, but the real fishers were few.
1. What did the Fishman's Fantasy regularly meet to do?| A．Set up clubs on fishing. | B．Search for streams and lakes. |
| C．Study features of hungry fish. | D．Discuss about catching fish. |
| A．particular | B．curious | C．worried | D．angry |
| A．were busy | B．were bored | C．lacked skills | D．lacked equipment |
| A．Guidance from the committee. | B．Combination of theory and practice. |
| C．Inspiration from the fishing club. | D．His being elected to the board. |
| A．Actions speak louder than words. | B．God helps those who help themselves. |
| C．Great minds think alike. | D．Well begun is half done. |
3 . 20 years ago, a dog near our apartment area hunted down a sparrow (麻雀) and was about to eat it. My friends and I
My parents always told me to treat people and animals with
One day when I was in high school, I
I admired my mother’s
| A．turned down | B．broke with | C．drove away | D．left out |
| A．slightly | B．badly | C．hardly | D．equally |
| A．learning | B．refusing | C．pretending | D．struggling |
| A．talent | B．kindness | C．patience | D．weakness |
| A．special | B．lonely | C．comfortable | D．disappointed |
| A．rest | B．support | C．appearance | D．recovery |
| A．heard | B．asked | C．lectured | D．explained |
| A．Although | B．If | C．Because | D．Until |
| A．worried | B．afraid | C．pleased | D．curious |
| A．noticed | B．forgot | C．regretted | D．recalled |
| A．changed | B．ended | C．developed | D．existed |
| A．got used | B．gave in | C．settled down | D．showed off |
| A．naturally | B．hopefully | C．secretly | D．anxiously |
| A．excited | B．angry | C．touched | D．grateful |
| A．safe | B．strange | C．pleasant | D．simple |
| A．pain | B．expectation | C．desire | D．respect |
| A．leave | B．remember | C．forgive | D．understand |
| A．cured | B．obtained | C．recognized | D．abandoned |
| A．excuse | B．honesty | C．wisdom | D．mistake |
| A．pride | B．luck | C．hesitation | D．relief |
4 . Several weeks ago, I pulled an old road map out of the glove box and passed it to my children. They had never seen the province of Ontario laid out like that before. They stared at the map, asking about all the towns, parks, and other landmarks we'd visited, and I pointed them out on the map.
Google Maps and GPS are modern wonders that have gotten me out of many confusing places, but paper maps still have a role to play in our lives. Most of us adults learned to read them out of necessity, but it's up to us to pass on that skill to children whose need may not be so obvious, but who still stand to benefit from it.
As Trevor Muir wrote in an article on this topic, "When kids learn how to create and use paper maps, they are doing more than just learning how to get around. They are actually developing fundamental skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. Map skills still belong in today's classroom. "
As a child I had National Geographic maps taped to my bedroom walls. This aroused my curiosity and imagination about those places and thus made me eager to remember my geography and history lessons because they were tied to places I'd "seen". Even now as a mother of four, I've also spared time to travel to many of the countries whose maps I studied as a child.
Additionally, in this fast-changing world, unexpected events can rapidly influence one's usual way of life. When GPS satellites or Internet connections are affected, this old-fashioned skill can get you out of a mess without requiring a smartphone. Last but not least, paper maps arouse "big picture" thinking, showing kids that there's a much bigger world out there and helping to direct them within it.
So, now is a good time to pull out those dusty old maps and lay them on the kitchen table.
1. How did the children react when they were given the paper map?| A．They showed great curiosity. |
| B．They seemed totally confused. |
| C．They considered it old-fashioned. |
| D．They found it less convenient than GPS. |
| A．The teaching focus in today's classroom. |
| B．The situations where paper maps are used. |
| C．The necessity of digital maps in the modem world. |
| D．The benefit of developing paper map skills for kids. |
| A．Internet connections are very reliable today. |
| B．GPS will sooner or later replace paper maps. |
| C．Paper maps provide kids with a grand vision. |
| D．Paper maps make people connected with each other. |
| A．Time to Teach Kids to Read Paper Maps. |
| B．How to Teach Kids about Different Kinds of Maps. |
| C．Time to Encourage Kids to Step into a Bigger World. |
| D．How to Teach Kids Fundamental Skills with Paper Maps. |
5 . Fatima grew up in rural Gohr Province, where there was no schooling available to girls. But she insisted on listening to BBC radio, which she could
“My sisters were forced to get married. I decided that I would not continue in their
She joined Facebook groups for history fans.
Of course, being a
| A．take up | B．pick up | C．turn up | D．build up |
| A．life | B．choice | C．tradition | D．business |
| A．work | B．live | C．study | D．travel |
| A．Afraid | B．Convinced | C．Certain | D．Tired |
| A．posts | B．letters | C．novels | D．speeches |
| A．responses | B．donation | C．lessons | D．guidance |
| A．teaching | B．settling | C．travelling | D．serving |
| A．similarly | B．obviously | C．hopefully | D．eventually |
| A．promoted | B．instructed | C．hired | D．trained |
| A．intelligent | B．devoted | C．efficient | D．professional |
| A．researcher | B．pioneer | C．specialist | D．celebrity |
| A．playing | B．interacting | C．exploring | D．cooperating |
| A．support | B．patience | C．protection | D．contribution |
| A．refreshed | B．recognized | C．informed | D．motivated |
| A．relax | B．skip | C．quit | D．insist |
One evening a middle-aged lady was walking down the street when she noticed an old beggar sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven, and ragged. As he sat there, pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks. They clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was - a dirty, homeless man. But when she saw him, the woman was moved to sympathy.
It was very cold that day and the man had his torn coat - more like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat - wrapped around him. She stopped and looked down. “Sir?” she asked. “Are you all right?”
The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. “Leave me alone,” he shouted.
To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling - her even white teeth displayed in extremely bright rows. “Are you hungry?” she asked.
“No,” he answered ironically. “I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away.”
The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. “What are you doing, lady?” the man asked angrily. “I said to leave me alone.”
Just then a policeman came up. “Is there any problem, ma'am?” he asked.
“No problem here, officer,” the woman answered. “I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?”
The officer scratched his head. “That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?”
“See that cafeteria over there?”she asked. “I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for a while.”
1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
“Are you crazy, lady?” the homeless man resisted.
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She stared at him carefully. “Jack, do you remember me?”
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7 . When I was a kid, I would ask my mom why she and my father had to work. She would always tell me that they had to, so we could
My parents taught me that one has to work in order to live a good life. They
There's nothing wrong with
| A．desire | B．offer | C．promise | D．afford |
| A．cautious | B．busy | C．tense | D．comfortable |
| A．changed | B．spared | C．killed | D．increased |
| A．permit | B．remind | C．warn | D．pressure |
| A．cause | B．trick | C．way | D．habit |
| A．understood | B．ignored | C．stressed | D．recalled |
| A．dream | B．tolerate | C．play | D．live |
| A．occupy | B．threaten | C．confirm | D．prove |
| A．quality | B．philosophy | C．ability | D．psychology |
| A．related | B．introduced | C．compared | D．applied |
| A．heavier | B．higher | C．sadder | D．less |
| A．joking | B．wandering | C．struggling | D．arguing |
| A．loss | B．strength | C．priority | D．wisdom |
| A．deserves | B．seems | C．fails | D．pretends |
| A．doubt | B．regret | C．mistake | D．hesitation |
8 . I can remember when my daughter Maggie, who is now six, used to crawl into my lap and say, “Daddy, read me a story.” Last year she announced, “Daddy, I’m going to read you a story.”
Maggie was a television child. When she first became conscious of anything beyond eating and sleeping, the TV set was right there, and it soon commanded her attention.
A few years ago, we were worried not only that we’d never get the children away from the set long enough to learn to read, but that we’d forget how to read ourselves. But in 1955 there was not only more reading than before TV, but more reading than ever before in history.
Clearly, reading has survived television as it has survived a lot of other things. When I was six, a wail went up about menaces (威胁) to reading at home: motor cars and cinema. When Maggie came along, there was television. The motorcar, the radio, the cinema and television do take up a lot of time.
Well, we’ve got more time. When my mother was a girl, people worked about 60 hours a week. Now it’s 44. When Maggie grows up, it’ll be 30. And there’ll be numerous gadgets to do her housework. She’ll have to read. You can’t watch TV all day.
At present Maggie is reading about Johnny Woodchuck. Ahead of her — and I’m a little envious — are her first brush with Black Beauty, Alice stepping through the looking glass, Huck and Jim drifting down the Mississippi, the emotional storms of Shakespeare, the spiritual agonies of Tolstoy. For reading isn’t all joy. Like life itself, it’s mixed with many moods, from ecstasy (狂喜) to despair. Maggie will learn to take the rough with the smooth, gathering from the ancient wisdom of long-dead genius a little fire to enrich her spirit.
And some day, if she’s lucky, she’ll get the biggest thrill of all, when a little girl climbs into her lap and announces, “Mummy, I’m going to read you a story.”
1. Why do the young generation like Maggie have more access to reading?| A．They face less working pressure. |
| B．There is more time available for reading. |
| C．Their parents encourage them more often. |
| D．They have a stronger desire for knowledge. |
| A．Her exposure to classic reading. | B．Her productive works in writing. |
| C．Her wild imagination in daily life. | D．Her spiritual reflection on the books. |
| A．Maggie has rich experiences. |
| B．Maggie has a good plan for reading. |
| C．Maggie will benefit a lot from reading. |
| D．Maggie is on the road to becoming a genius. |
| A．Reading makes Maggie a fortunate girl. |
| B．More girls like Maggie enjoy telling stories. |
| C．Maggie’s daughter brings her the biggest thrill. |
| D．It is a blessing that reading can be passed down. |
9 . Emerson, my 11-year-old daughter, is constantly contacting with the United States Postal Service (USPS)and our mail carrier, Doug. She las a serious letter-writing habit and maintains correspondence with her favorite people. If you've been the receiver of her hand-decorated letters and envelopes, then I know they really make your day.
A letter from Emerson is likely to include some art, a joke and enough questions to guarantee a response. But when she wrote a letter to Doug, she put something new in it: "You may know me as the person living here that writes lots of letters...You're very important to me, helping me stay in touch with friends. I cheer people up with my letters, but you do too!"
The next day, a package arrived with two letters. One was from Doug and the other from his superior, Sara, saying she had shared Emerson's note in the internal newsletter of the USPS and believed many postal folks wanted to thank Emerson. Emerson was so pleased with the letter that it upset me much, for the possible result of no reply would come as a blow to her.
Surprisingly, today, we saw Doug come with two boxes of letters from around the country. These letters were so human, filled with family, pets and a sense of kindness. But there was something more in them. People felt seen—some for the first time in a long time. "I work alone in a small rural post office..." "Not many people think about how hard we work…" Emerson wrote back seriously.
I'm sharing this not because I'm a proud dad, but because it's relatively easy, if we take the time, to give others links they need to be well. We all want to be seen, known and loved. Send a letter. Give a call. Take a step of bravery, like Emerson.
1. What do we know about Emerson's letters?| A．They make receivers joyful. |
| B．They are all about family and pets. |
| C．They contain many practical jokes. |
| D．They are written to postal folks. |
| A．Emerson was too delighted with the package. |
| B．there might be no answer to Emerson's note. |
| C．postal folks would like to express their gratitude. |
| D．Sara had shared Emerson's note without permission. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Serious. | C．Ambitious. | D．Caring. |
| A．Courage lightens the blow. |
| B．Brief is life but love is long. |
| C．Connection makes a difference. |
| D．Life without a friend is death. |
10 . When I was young, I had a wrong understanding of being great. I believed I was special and different and should be rich and famous because of my talent. I was going to live my dream rather than being a “normal” person. But as time passed, reality set in and my perspective changed.
I am a teacher, married to a salesman with a baby and a mortgage（按揭贷款）. Could my life be more normal? Yet, I am okay with this.
Were I to have a conversation with my twenty-year-old self, she wouldn't understand why I'm not going to NYC to get an audition （试演）. In four years my coworkers have never heard me sing. If I'd bought a house, it should have been in an interesting neighborhood with coffee houses at every corner. She would laugh at the corner house in the neighborhood I now call home.
But I know things she didn't know. Life is so much more complicated, wonderful and terrible. I know what it means to work for love, not just sitting back and letting it happen the way it can when you're young. I know about bringing life into the world, and the complexity of emotions.
My life is simple. It is small, and may seem interchangeable with so many other lives there. I may never make an impact outside my house. But I've learned it is important to be relative. To my little girl, I am irreplaceable. When she cries, she calls for “Mama”. When she reaches out, it's for me alone. So, is it a small life? It's perfectly fine to me. In fact, I think it's what I've wanted all along.
1. What was the author like when she was young?| A．She was honest. | B．She was brave. |
| C．She was proud. | D．She was cautious. |
| A．To show she has become mature. | B．To prove her dream has come true. |
| C．To reveal the key to her success. | D．To introduce her present unhappiness. |
| A．Learning the complexity of emotions. | B．Opening her heart to the world. |
| C．Living with her daughter specially. | D．Caring for her family. |
| A．We can achieve our dreams if we work hard. |
| B．We will come back to a normal life some day. |
| C．We should keep in contact with our families. |
| D．We can be the one we feel satisfied with. |
