1 . How to Learn from Your Regrets

Regret’s benefits don’t come to us by chance.     1     . Here are three steps you can take the next time you find yourself thinking carefully about your past missteps.

Kill the ghost (鬼魂).

People often say their regrets keep coming to their mind. This suggests that regret is like a ghost. Bring your ghost out of the shadows by making a list of your regrets. Write down why each one still bothers you and its bad effects.     2    .

Forgive yourself.

    3    , but sometimes you just can’t stop blaming yourself. Perhaps you dropped out of school decades ago and are constantly calculating today how much money you would be making if you had pressed on to graduation. Now is the time to declare: “I will not waste my life reliving a decision that cannot be changed.”

Collect your diploma.

Regret is like a school run by human nature. If you never experienced regret, you would keep repeating the same behaviors that led you to miss opportunities.     4    . Next. list all the ways that you can invest in your own skills and improvement right now — and get started.

Regrets may hurt.     5    , while trying to live without them is a lost opportunity to grow. Life is a journey full of pleasures and pains. To live it well and fully means learning from every bit of it, including the mistakes, and moving forward.

A．After you make a mistake, life moves on

B．Filling your mind with them is destructive

C．The ghost certainly doesn’t rule a person’s life

D．We have to seek them out on purpose to improve ourselves

E．You will find that a list is a lot less frightening than a ghost

F．You choose a life sentence for a poor decision you made in the past

G．If you let regret teach, you can note how you want to change your behavior

2 . Why is being alone essential to personal growth?

For many people, being alone is a negative state of being. It often carries a social stigma (污名) that equals isolation or being an outsider. Of course, spending time with people you love is extremely important to your well-being.     1     Only if you’re connected to yourself can you become stronger.

Aloneness enhances your creativity. When you are alone, you are more likely to stay true to yourself and try new things that you don’t have the courage to do around others.     2     Picasso or Van Gogh wouldn’t have created the masterpieces if they hadn’t taken enough solitary (独自的) time to experiment regardless of others’ thoughts.

Being alone also prevents you from burning out. Sometimes you may wonder why you easily feel tired.     3     Especially for people who go to work every day, it is unavoidable to feel exhausted when you have to deal with work, family, and your own passions at the same time. How about giving yourself a few solitary moments? It doesn’t matter how you choose to spend those moments alone. As long as they relieve your stress, they’re worthwhile.

    4     When you take time to understand yourself, pursue your personal growth, and follow your dreams, you’ll definitely discover the truth about yourself. Regardless of how well you may think you know yourself, learning how to be alone will allow you to deepen your self-awareness.

Being alone makes you a more creative person and helps with personal growth.     5    

A．But it’s necessary to learn how to be alone.

B．Aloneness is often associated with mad artists.

C．It is impossible to be alone with the demands of daily life.

D．Aloneness frees us from the limits of the world’s opinions.

E．Self-exploration is perhaps the biggest benefit of aloneness.

F．One reason could be not giving yourself enough solitary time.

G．So spend some time alone today to become a brighter and better person.

3 . Occasionally, misfortune will happen in our life and no one can avoid it. If you choose only to complain and escape from the misfortune, it will constantly follow you no matter where you go.     1    

A girl, called Selina, lost her arms in a traffic accident that caused her father’s death — who was the main source of support for the whole family.     2     For the sake of caring for her, her elder brother became her shadow , never leaving her alone for years. Except for writing with her toes, she was totally unable to do anything in her life. Then one day, her elder brother wanted to live his own normal life, and they had no choice but to separate. So she was almost desperate and didn’t know what to do next.

    3     When he tried to prepare dinner for his parents, he overturned the kerosene light on the stove, resulting in a fire that took his hands away. Though his younger brother that was studying in another city, showed his willingness to take care of him, he was determined to be totally independent. At school, he always studied hard. Most of what he learned was to be independent. Once he wrote the following in his composition: “I am lucky. Though I lost my arms, I still have legs; I am lucky. Though my wings are broken, my heart can still fly. ”

One day, the girl and the boy were both interviewed on a television program. The girl complained to the TV host about her uncertain future at being left on her own, but the boy was full of enthusiasm for his life.     4     The girl wrote: My elder brother’s arms are my arms. However, the boy wrote: Broken wings, flying heart.

    5     It is true that life is unpredictable. Disasters can strike at any time. How you deal with misfortune when faced with it is the true test of your character. If you choose only to complain and escape from the ordeal, it will always follow you wherever you go. But if you decide to face it bravely, the hardship will turn out to be a fortune on which new hopes will arise.

A．A similar misfortune happened to a boy named Jerry, too.

B．Since then, she had had to depend on her elder brother’s arms.

C．So his father went out looking for his mother, leaving him alone at home.

D．One night her mother, who suffered from chronic mental illness disappeared.

E．They both were invited to write something on a piece of paper with their toes.

F．They had both encountered the same misfortune, but had completely different attitudes towards lives.

G．But if you decide to be will-powered, the sufferings will turn out to be a fortune where new hopes will arise.

4 . Many people associate the English language with literature, whether that is poetry, novels or plays. However, for Nathan, English is ________ those writings. It is a device that can give people ________.

Winner of the 2021 Student of the Year Linguist（English）Award, Nathan was born with a stutter（口吃）. As a child, his speech disorder ________ whenever he had to speak in public. "That was when I would get really ________ and lose confidence in my speech," said the college student.

However, even at a young age, he knew avoiding the problem was not a（n）________. Through speech training and discipline, Nathan was able to ________ this barrier, evident from the many awards he has ________ after taking part in debates at his school. Having gained confidence from public speaking, Nathan began volunteering to teach ________ to primary school students from ________ communities. He believes that having a "wealth gap" between your classmates can make you ________ you're inferior（低级别的）. "They really had to find their confidence," Nathan explained, and English was a ________ for the students to build their self-esteem. Nathan hopes people will understand that "your ________ would really be able to shape your identity and individuality".

As a person who once had trouble ________ his opinions, he knows the value of speaking with ________. That is why the language is crucial to him. However, while some may ________ the winner in a Linguist category would want to pursue a career in language, Nathan wishes to follow a ________ in science. Nevertheless, he believes English can be an essential part of that journey, because scientists need language to ________ their findings with the general public. "Scientists are specialized but to make a massive ________, their message must ________ the general public," he explained. "Language is very important to ________ abstract concepts."

1.

A．other than

B．more than

C．rather than

D．less than

2.

A．motivation

B．interest

C．imagination

D．confidence

3.

A．hid

B．worsened

C．disappeared

D．improved

4.

A．nervous

B．sensible

C．cautious

D．excited

5.

A．possibility

B．purpose

C．option

D．escape

6.

A．ignore

B．remove

C．recognize

D．accept

7.

A．witnessed

B．presented

C．challenged

D．received

8.

A．English

B．literature

C．discipline

D．speech

9.

A．international

B．downtown

C．disadvantaged

D．diverse

10.

A．think

B．expect

C．regret

D．promise

11.

A．goal

B．barrier

C．reason

D．way

12.

A．wealth

B．weakness

C．talent

D．friendliness

13.

A．keeping

B．justifying

C．expressing

D．forming

14.

A．attitude

B．passion

C．efficiency

D．clearness

15.

A．assume

B．persuade

C．decide

D．discover

16.

A．tip

B．rule

C．path

D．routine

17.

A．help

B．combine

C．charge

D．share

18.

A．impact

B．progress

C．devotion

D．success

19.

A．get rid of

B．live up to

C．get across to

D．take charge of

20.

A．confirming

B．simplifying

C．developing

D．obtaining

5 . At the end of the last year, my life changed dramatically when I lost my job working as a radio presenter. I love my show and _________. I love my team and the sense of _________ we got from all working together toward something we believe in. It was hard for me to be _________ from a post I love so much, but soon I _________ that my experience is a very _________ one.

In fact, I meet unemployed people almost every day, in all kinds of jobs. Whoever you are, losing jobs will leave you feeling _________. I didn't sleep much for months and I _________ an addiction to ice cream. But I eventually _______.

I thought I would have more time to do all the things I _________ did when I had a job, like having the ________clean house I have always __________ . However, it's just as __________ as it always was. I also thought I would exercise every day, but it turns out I am just full of __________. It's always too hot, or too cold. __________ my new free time doesn't lead to __________ doing something I thought I wanted to, it does __________ me to discover new things about myself.

On the upside (从好的方面看), now that I make my own hours, life moves at a __________ pace. Now, I can stop to chat to people on the street in my neighborhood. The best part is that I am only doing the projects that excite me and ________ my personal interests：writing, filming and appearing on TV. I do __________ working in radio, and I'll definitely go back to it one day. But doing my own thing has led me to develop a(n) __________ of unimagined fulfillment (满足).

1.

A．classmates

B．students

C．players

D．audience

2.

A．failure

B．identity

C．belonging

D．purpose

3.

A．fired

B．discouraged

C．defended

D．demanded

4.

A．learned

B．expected

C．remembered

D．reminded

5.

A．special

B．common

C．strange

D．unusual

6.

A．dangerous

B．regretful

C．upset

D．terrified

7.

A．overcame

B．developed

C．fought

D．resisted

8.

A．held on

B．set out

C．watched out

D．moved on

9.

A．never

B．just

C．still

D．often

10.

A．partly

B．aimlessly

C．accidentally

D．totally

11.

A．searched

B．reported

C．desired

D．misunderstood

12.

A．messy

B．clean

C．damp

D．old

13.

A．creativity

B．imagination

C．excuses

D．ideas

14.

A．If

B．Although

C．Before

D．Once

15.

A．them

B．her

C．him

D．me

16.

A．force

B．require

C．warn

D．convince

17.

A．busier

B．faster

C．steadier

D．slower

18.

A．put up with

B．give in to

C．match up with

D．run out of

19.

A．miss

B．suggest

C．start

D．mind

20.

A．policy

B．awareness

C．trouble

D．exam

6 . During my quiet moments, I often think back to the days when my children were young. Life was busy and very _________ for me then, because I had a (n) _________ and challenging job. I worked from morning to night.

Then I was ill in hospital. After I _________, I went back to work, only to be told I would be _________. The company was making _________ cuts, and decided to lay off some workers. I was one of them. My boss handed me an envelope. I was _________ when I opened it and saw the check I had received. It was large enough to help us _________ the difficult time. I was _________, though, and left the company.

Every coin has two sides. Then my children and I had the _________ of our lives as a result of my getting laid off. I __________ a great deal of money on childcare, and we discovered how much __________ we could have on a small amount of money. We did all kinds of activities and led a __________ and happy life together.

The week before my unemployment __________ ended, I found a part-time job at a local pharmacy (药店). I worked during the hours my sons were in school. I kept the job for eight years. The __________ I got there enabled me to find a similar job __________ I moved to another town.

When I think back to the days I __________ my job, I realize that as sad as I was then, it was the __________ thing that had ever happened to me. __________ being laid off, I had the __________ to spend quality time with my children, and even to find a more suitable job to __________ my role as mother and employee.

1.

A．wealthy

B．healthy

C．tough

D．lonely

2.

A．low-paid

B．unskilled

C．important

D．part-time

3.

A．arrived

B．succeeded

C．moved

D．recovered

4.

A．punished

B．fired

C．trained

D．helped

5.

A．salary

B．income

C．budget

D．ends

6.

A．surprised

B．angry

C．worried

D．proud

7.

A．come up

B．come over

C．get away

D．get over

8.

A．curious

B．sad

C．shy

D．doubtful

9.

A．time

B．risk

C．pity

D．hope

10.

A．donated

B．raised

C．saved

D．borrowed

11.

A．money

B．care

C．luck

D．fun

12.

A．full

B．quiet

C．hard

D．strange

13.

A．campaign

B．benefits

C．panic

D．adventure

14.

A．confidence

B．courage

C．advice

D．experience

15.

A．though

B．unless

C．after

D．if

16.

A．changed

B．lost

C．kept

D．took

17.

A．greatest

B．truest

C．simplest

D．safest

18.

A．Instead of

B．But for

C．As for

D．Thanks to

19.

A．goal

B．chance

C．right

D．plan

20.

A．escape

B．avoid

C．balance

D．spend

7 . The Malaysian state of Sabah on the island of Borneo is a ________ for tree-climbers. It is home to some of the world’s tallest tropical trees. It has also proved to be the treasure for scientist as they have already ________ lots of towering yellow meranti trees (a kind of tree), finding a tree with a record ________ each year.

Just recently, scientists ________ a golden find-the world’s tallest tropical tree to date. It was found, ________ on the island of Borneo, in a grove of yellow meranti trees. The method that scientists used to ________ this tree to prove its height was surprisingly ________ .

In 2018, scientists used laser imagery from airplane to ________ the cluster of huge trees, by creating 3-D images of the forest canopy and spotting any extremely tall growth. Subsequently, drones (遥控飞机) were flown over the site of the yellow meranti trees to double ________ the presence of the probably tallest tree. However, after finding the tree, they go ________ !

Bringing just a tape measure (卷尺) and climbing equipment, an ________ climber is sent up to the very top of the 100-meter tree to accurately ________ the height of the tree, nicknamed “Menara” which is Malay for “tower” . This Malaysian climber Unding Jami ________ one of the world’s tallest standing trees on January 6, 2019. Slowly, but ________ ,Unding Jami and his fellow climbers ________ the highest point of the tree and assured the tree to be about 100.8 meters!

In an interview, Jami talked about his ________ to the top of the tree. When asked about how he felt at the ________ , Jim replied, “I was scared but honestly the ________ from the top was unbelievable. I don’t know what to say other than it was very, very, very amazing! After we had measured it, I couldn’t ________ for the whole night.” Let’s hope we will continue to preserve the ________ of this world for as long as we can.

1.

A．shelter

B．hell

C．paradise

D．nightmare

2.

A．researched

B．designed

C．planted

D．discovered

3.

A．width

B．height

C．length

D．depth

4.

A．came across

B．led to

C．set aside

D．left out

5.

A．unsurprisingly

B．unhappily

C．unbelievably

D．unfortunately

6.

A．remove

B．transport

C．measure

D．surround

7.

A．modern

B．unusual

C．effective

D．strange

8.

A．clean

B．cut

C．plant

D．spot

9.

A．assess

B．arrange

C．check

D．identity

10.

A．traditional

B．crazy

C．ridiculous

D．awkward

11.

A．educated

B．experienced

C．admired

D．approved

12.

A．draw

B．prevent

C．put

D．prove

13.

A．decorated

B．climbed

C．trimmed

D．protected

14.

A．easily

B．fearfully

C．surely

D．clumsily

15.

A．reached

B．observed

C．calculated

D．judged

16.

A．arrival

B．approach

C．flight

D．journey

17.

A．top

B．distance

C．middle

D．bottom

18.

A．sunshine

B．air

C．wind

D．view

19.

A．work

B．sleep

C．lie

D．eat

20.

A．habitats

B．heritages

C．wonders

D．resources

8 . I was sitting at an airport restaurant when I received the email. It informed me I had failed my qualifying exam on my third attempt, which meant dismissal (解雇) from a science program. I knew things hadn’t gone perfectly. But I was still dumbfounded. How was it possible that one exam could deny all my other successes and define me as unfit to be a scientist?

As an Afro-Latinx first-generation college graduate, I didn’t have family members who could tell me what Ph. D. program was like. But I struggled with my classes, spending countless hours studying in the library. I ended that year with increased confidence. But my confidence disappeared when I made my first attempt at the qualifying exam. Because I had never taken an oral (口头的) exam before, the result was disappointing.

I switched research projects 5 months later because my first teacher left the university. This gave me no confidence in taking the exam again. Not surprisingly, I failed again. That’s when I was told I’d have one more chance.

For the next 2 months, I did everything in my power to prepare. I even stopped doing lab work to focus on my exam preparations. I was all in. But I still failed.

I reflected (反思) on how different my experience going into the exam was from my peers’. This exam does not represent a lot. My teacher believed in me and persuaded the department to allow me to complete the Ph. D. degree. So I carried on with my research. I still have a little voice in the back of my head that I'm not good enough. But I try to quiet it by surrounding myself with teachers who support me and by staying focused on developing into the great scientist I know I can be. In the end, I am much more than that 1-hour exam.

1. What does the underlined word “dumbfounded” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Shocked.

B．Annoyed.

C．Embarrassed.

D．Excited.

2. Why did the author fail the first exam?

A．He did not study very hard.	B．His teacher no longer worked there.
C．He was dismissed from his program.	D．He was not good at oral exams.

3. How many times did the author attend the exam?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

4. What does the author most probably agree with?

A．It is impossible for him to be a scientist.

B．One test cannot determine a person's life.

C．Exams can show a person's ability.

D．Support is more important than hard work.

9 . If you play sports, you may have felt stressed from time to time. Coaches, parents, and even friends can place unrealistic expectations upon you.    1    

Is it a bad thing for others to have high expectations of you? Not necessarily!     2     When expectations are unrealistic, though, they are impossible to meet. They might hurt your self-esteem or make you feel discouraged.

    3     Of course they can! A researcher named Robert Rosenthal first studied it in 1964. He carried out an experiment at a primary school near San Francisco. First, he chose a group of students at random. Then, he told teachers at the school that those students were highly likely to succeed. He said the students’ IQs would rise greatly in the coming years.

Then, Rosenthal followed the children for two years. He found that when teachers expected these kids to do well, that’s exactly what happened.

The next question was obvious: Why? Rosenthal found that higher expectations affected the teachers’ interactions with these students. For example, they gave these kids more time to answer questions. They also gave more support.     4    

The similar result has been repeated in many other places. It’s sometimes called the expectancy elect. So it’s important to hold high but realistic expectations for people. Start by getting to know those around you and understanding their goals and dreams. Then, support them by holding properly high expectations and showing you believe in them.     5     Everyone can benefit from the high expectations of their friends, families, and teachers.

A．And ask them to do the same for you.

B．If not, they can bring about harmful results.

C．This can make it hard for you to do your best.

D．Can playing team sports help you stay healthy?

E．Sometime they’re just showing they believe in you.

F．Can expectations affect you in a positive way, though?

G．The students were also given more chances and more recognition from their teaches.

10 . I was a recent graduate of a leading business school and I was to join a big company in Gomia, Bihar. The company chose only the best, and I was full of it.

The night train from Calcutta would reach Gomia in the morning. I had a letter that said there would be a car to pick me up from the station and take me to the Guest House. However, I found no person in sight to receive me when I got off the train. I felt let down. I carried the luggage on my shoulder and came to the exit. There I saw a nice car. The driver was walking towards the car .Ah, my driver, there he was!

I went up to him and asked him to carry my luggage. He asked me who I was and I introduced myself. The driver opened the back door and had me seated. Along the way, he asked me some questions about me and my family. I was angry with the driver who asked too much and answered him in monosyllables (只言片语). After reaching the Guest House, we said goodbye.

The next day was a big day. I was to meet the boss of the place, Dr. S. K. Kamat, and I was nervous. I knocked on the door and walked into the large office. The big man had his back to me and as he turned, I recognized the man immediately. He was the driver!

He gave me a broad smile and said he was S. K. Kamat. I could have died at that moment. I apologized for my behavior and was at a loss for words. He said that he had come to the station to see off a friend. And he had seen me and wanted to be of assistance. He never referred to the incident almost as if it didn’t happen. When I walked out of the office, I learned a great lesson.

1. What do we know about the author?

A．He was a little cocky at first.

B．He was going to change his job.

C．He took the initiative in talking with the driver.

D．He saw the driver as soon as he got off the train.

2. How did the author feel when he recognized S. K. Kamat in the office?

A．Confused.

B．Warm.

C．Embarrassed.

D．Anxious.

3. Why didn’t S. K. Kamat tell the author that he wasn’t his driver?

A．He thought it was impolite to do that.

B．He didn’t want to make the author sad.

C．He was willing to offer help to the author.

D．He wanted the author to be grateful to him.

4. What message does the story convey?

A．Love brings hope to the needy.	B．Be kind whenever possible.
C．Education is the key to success.	D．Continuous learning is vital.