2 . In life, there’re a mass of choices we have to make. What we choose may ________ our destiny (命运). Therefore, it’s ________ to make the right choice at stake. To tell the truth, we should do many things about making a _______ choice, but I believe the two ________ I’ll mention are the most significant.

Firstly, we’d better think about and compare the positive and ________ sides of specific objects and get the one whose ________ are more than that of the other or the one which is more ________ for us. The process is like choosing a person between two ________ for a job. the relevant qualities such as previous work experience, academic record in college will be ________, and then naturally, you’ll ________ the most qualified candidate for the job.

Secondly, we also ________ observe objective both on short terms and on ________ terms. Take hunting for a job as an example, when we think about different kinds of ________, we should not only take the short-term salary or treatment into ________ but also we should see the employee training and promotion so that we can learn a lot and have a ________ development in the future through hard work. There’s also an example. It often takes ________ for a start-up to begin an undertaking (事业) in the beginning. It seems that he doesn’t make a good choice. ________, he may become a successful businessman after ________ for years and solving problems in the way.

All in all, whenever we face ________, it’s wise that we not only select the option with more ________ but also see objects on long terms, and then make a choice finally.

1.

A．cause

B．destroy

C．predict

D．decide

2.

A．comfortable

B．constant

C．believable

D．important

3.

A．stupid

B．clever

C．tough

D．noble

4.

A．factors

B．topics

C．bonuses

D．paragraphs

5.

A．necessary

B．normal

C．negative

D．mistaken

6.

A．disadvantages

B．advantages

C．possibilities

D．interests

7.

A．active

B．suitable

C．optimistic

D．natural

8.

A．candidates

B．athletes

C．choices

D．talents

9.

A．insured

B．charged

C．judged

D．guided

10.

A．reject

B．choose

C．praise

D．appoint

11.

A．had better

B．rather than

C．prefer to

D．tend to

12.

A．long

B．professional

C．secondary

D．remote

13.

A．tasks

B．occasions

C．jobs

D．conditions

14.

A．timetable

B．sheet

C．account

D．chart

15.

A．upset

B．flexible

C．comprehensive

D．promising

16.

A．risks

B．measures

C．spirits

D．wisdoms

17.

A．Anyway

B．Therefore

C．However

D．Afterwards

18.

A．studying

B．persisting

C．hesitating

D．considering

19.

A．challenges

B．persons

C．attitudes

D．options

20.

A．effects

B．incomes

C．desires

D．benefits

3 . Last summer, I was suffering from too much stress, I’d just graduated from a challenging doctoral program and was ________ from the years of research, study and writing. I took a vacation to celebrate, but the academic intensity had become a ________ . Sitting on the beautiful lawn of the hotel on Mackinac Island, I just felt like I should be studying or working as usual.

________ seeing natural beauty would have relaxed me, but I couldn’t ________ . I couldn’t help looking at my cell phone repeatedly in case I missed something important. “ Enough,” I murmured. I needed to ________ , but why couldn’t I?

A dragonfly buzzed around me. With each ________ , this creature’s wings changed color — blue one moment, green the next. Dragonflies usually fascinated me with their quick movements that ________ me of acrobats (杂技演员) in the wind, but I wasn’t in the ________ that day. What I needed then was ________ , not movement. As if on cue, the dragonfly came to rest on a blade of grass in front of me.

I watched that dragonfly carefully for many minutes. So did the dragonfly. “It’s not a matter of relaxing,” it seemed to say. “It’s a matter of ________ the now, the here. Life is so short. Be here in the moment and let the ________ take care of itself.” Suddenly, I ________ this beautiful creature, who only had months to live, was “instructing” me about the ________ of life and felt much relaxed. The dragonfly seemed ________ that its message had been delivered. It sprang from the grass and flew away. I didn’t see it again. But I would never forget what it taught me: Be here and ________ yourself.

1.

A．distracted

B．withdrawn

C．exhausted

D．separated

2.

A．tradition

B．strength

C．burden

D．habit

3.

A．Generally

B．Eventually

C．Particularly

D．Exactly

4.

A．settle down

B．break down

C．slow down

D．get down

5.

A．concentrate

B．unwind

C．continue

D．pause

6.

A．movement

B．change

C．advance

D．performance

7.

A．convinced

B．informed

C．reminded

D．warned

8.

A．way

B．mood

C．state

D．position

9.

A．progress

B．admiration

C．consideration

D．stillness

10.

A．remembering

B．understanding

C．appreciating

D．recognizing

11.

A．life

B．history

C．moment

D．future

12.

A．guessed

B．realized

C．agreed

D．admitted

13.

A．value

B．content

C．reality

D．principle

14.

A．concerned

B．doubtful

C．satisfied

D．regretful

15.

A．enjoy

B．collect

C．suit

D．conduct

4 . The other day, while taking a drop-in art class, I had an experience that I don’t always have when I’m engaged in something creative. I was fully in the zone. My instructor even commented: “You’re on fire today.” Painting after painting was flying out of me. I felt free—a very unfamiliar feeling for me.

Class started off with quick thirty-second figure drawing, then we worked our way up to one-minute, and then finally four-minute sketches (素描). Ever since the instructor told me not to go over the same line twice, I’ve really struggled with finding my freedom in figure drawing. But that day I was completely free, and as a consequence, my line quality was much better. I felt completely unconcerned with what the teacher thought of my work. It was one of the most enjoyable creative experiences I’ve had.

Afterwards, I was reflecting on why this was such a pleasurable experience. This is how I always want to feel while creating.

I think this was so enjoyable because it was a drop-in class. Not a full course. Not to get a master’s degree. Therefore, I felt no responsibility for getting it right. I was able to take it less seriously and just have fun with it. And I wasn’t monitoring myself to make sure that I was improving.

If you practice at your chosen craft, you will improve over time. Worrying about whether you’re getting better doesn’t help you improve. It actually slows down your growth. Your intellect might think it’s helping out, but it’s actually slowing you down and making your creative process less fun. Eventually, there’s truth to the simple saying—practice makes perfect. Since there’s no perfection in the world of creativity, practice makes better.

Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Create even though it won’t be perfect. Create because it won’t be perfect. Create even though it won’t be perfect. Create because it won’t be perfect. Create because your spirit needs to express itself. That is where the freedom is. That is where the joy is.

1. What does the underlined part in the first paragraph mean?

A．The author was very clever.	B．The author got a little bored.
C．The author made a wise choice.	D．The author devoted herself to her work.

2. What do we know about the author in the drop-in art class?

A．She did what she liked.	B．She learnt the basic skills of sketching.
C．She had no inspiration to create works.	D．She couldn’t keep up with other students.

3. What can we learn about the author from the text?

A．She focuses on gaining better drawing skills.

B．She has no sense of responsibility in her daily life.

C．She thinks joy mainly results in a person’s perfection.

D．She has found the reason for the pleasurable experience.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Practice makes perfect

B．Begin enjoying drop-in art classes

C．Try to find the key to successful work

D．Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good

6 . It was June 14 and the last day of middle school arrived. The atmosphere in the halls was ________ as the students ran around the school ________ the final bell so they could celebrate the ________ of summer vacation. As I cleaned out my drawers, I ________ a student’s past homework assignment dating back to 1964, long before I became a teacher. The ________ yellow paper had been wedged (塞入) behind two drawers, yet it was in pretty good ________.

The day before, I held a party for the students. The feelings were ________, as I knew that this would be the last time I would see all of these students together. I thought back to ________ they were all in middle school and would visit me on my birthday. They ________ it an annual tradition. I will treasure these ________ for the rest of my life.

I have been a teacher now for nearly two decades, and one thing I’ve learned is that to ________ with and understand students deeply means taking the time to ________ care. We must communicate ________ messages about our world with opportunity and hope. We must take the time to celebrate each person’s life for what it is. It’s about showing care, compassion, and belief in people on a ________ basis. You can be the change in a student’s life that brings them a sense of ________.

1.

A．tense

B．romantic

C．electric

D．friendly

2.

A．ringing

B．anticipating

C．stopping

D．pretending

3.

A．arrival

B．welcome

C．pause

D．end

4.

A．searched for

B．reached for

C．came across

D．began with

5.

A．coloured

B．recycled

C．torn

D．faded

6.

A．silence

B．contact

C．shape

D．operation

7.

A．bittersweet

B．guilty

C．awkward

D．abstract

8.

A．how

B．when

C．what

D．who

9.

A．considered

B．made

C．called

D．labeled

10.

A．students

B．assignments

C．moments

D．intentions

11.

A．connect

B．correspond

C．compete

D．cooperate

12.

A．truly

B．barely

C．properly

D．concisely

13.

A．subjective

B．respective

C．relevant

D．positive

14.

A．weekly

B．temporary

C．regular

D．voluntary

15.

A．self-worth

B．self-doubt

C．self-criticism

D．self-defense

7 . At 111, Dr Edith Kaufmann was the second oldest person in the UK. I met her when I ________ at a care home for the elderly in London six years ago. I didn’t realize it would be the start of a close ________, where the age gap spanned eight decade.

At first sight, I was ________ by her self-confidence. Her doctorate (博士学位) told me she was intelligent and ________. From the beginning, I never felt as if Edith and I ________ conversation. Edith could have a full conversation with me about anything, and that her memory stretched back so easily, ________ even small things which took place 100 years ago.

She was also ________. She loved dancing as a child and I recall, only a few weeks before her death, ________ she smiled when I played the waltz and we ________ hands and danced along to the music. Although towards her later years she was ________ to a wheelchair, she still participated in the exercise classes.

As I ________ Edith each week, I realized that I was going as much for me as I was for her. I learnt to take the words of ________ when I could get them. When I have ________ over the years, and small decisions have weighed on my mind, I have ________ nothing more than the opportunity to regain my perspective (视角) on life and what actually ________.

1.

A．studied

B．relaxed

C．volunteered

D．lectured

2.

A．cooperation

B．friendship

C．attention

D．encounter

3.

A．upset

B．embarrassed

C．stressed

D．struck

4.

A．helpful

B．kind

C．bossy

D．sharp

5.

A．lacked

B．enjoyed

C．needed

D．started

6.

A．explaining

B．confusing

C．forgetting

D．recalling

7.

A．artistic

B．literary

C．active

D．capable

8.

A．how

B．why

C．what

D．when

9.

A．shook

B．held

C．raised

D．clapped

10.

A．restricted

B．devoted

C．addicted

D．introduced

11.

A．missed

B．visited

C．called

D．pushed

12.

A．praise

B．greeting

C．wisdom

D．thanks

13.

A．succeeded

B．failed

C．dreamed

D．progressed

14.

A．appreciated

B．provided

C．expected

D．created

15.

A．differs

B．matters

C．exists

D．happens

9 . My neighbors across the street take pride in one of the most striking trees in the neighborhood—a towering oak that is over 75 years old. This year, after a wet, warm summer, leaves were a bit different in my Massachusetts town. And through some combination of events, that glorious oak seemed to have dropped all of its uncountable leaves on a single windy day. I arrived at home that afternoon to find our front walkway, driveway and sidewalk completely blanketed.

My son and I had a great time making a leaf pile for jumping and enjoying pillowy fun. The whole time, I was fascinated by the speed of this year’s leaf drop. Even though I was aware that it was an accident of wind patterns that left all the leaves in our yard, I kept looking up and feeling a zing of awe at the suddenly bare branches that watched quietly over our neighborhood, starting its restful season before setting spring leaf buds.

And I felt thankful for those fallen leaves as I was reminded of my favorite quote from the author and naturalist Hal Borland. He wrote it referencing October, but this year’s later drop had me change the month:“November is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hills once more in sight, and the enduring constellations (星座) above them once again.”

When I lay in that pile of dry, crisp leaves and looked up into the oak tree across the street, I felt a clarity and peace that comes along with the inconveniently early sunsets and chilly temperatures of the transition from fall into winter. I could still admire the tree as I had in spring and summer, but I could also see through it, beyond it, to the big sky that blankets us all.

1. What’s unusual this year?

A．Outdoor activities are limited due to heavy winds.

B．A series of special events happened in the neighborhood.

C．The weather is especially cold in winter in Massachusetts.

D．The neighbors’ big tree dropped all its leaves within a day.

2. What kind of feeling does the underlined part “a zing of awe” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Anxiety.

B．Sorrow.

C．Comfort.

D．Amazement.

3. Why is Hal Borland’s lines quoted in Paragrapn 3?

A．To express the author’s admiration for the naturalist.

B．To emphasize the importance of getting close to nature.

C．To express the author’s feelings about the leaf-falling season.

D．To emphasize the beauty of the author’s childhood memories.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Sky Far Beyond.

B．The Fall of Massachusetts.

C．The Beauty of a Newly-bare Tree.

D．The Memories of Peace and Beauty.

10 . I was an avid (热衷的) list maker. I thought the lists would help me finish things more ________ so that I would have my own ________ each day. Instead, I felt tired all the time, and it was hard to fall asleep as I mentally ________ my to-do list for the next day. I was ________ and miserable (悲惨的).

My real ________ came about a few years ago. I was having the inside of our house painted. ________, I had to move all things out of the painters'way. After the painting, I decided to think about what I would put back. I ________ many decorations because they made the rooms small and ________. And the house felt so much more open, peaceful and beautiful. When I started to hang our calendar back up, I noticed how ________ each day was. Every square was filled in. I decided to continue my ________ of the calendar.

It was near the end of July, so I ________ “clearing” August and September. I kept doctors’ appointments and family events. But I ________ extra tasks I had taken on that left me very little time to relax, read or spend time with family. I felt more ________ after that.

I still make ________ to keep myself organized, but I am down to one page. I schedule time for myself each day — to do what I ________. The uncluttered (整洁的) beauty of our home and schedule gives me great peace and joy.

1.

A．naturally

B．secretly

C．effectively

D．creatively

2.

A．duty

B．time

C．method

D．reason

3.

A．left out

B．gave up

C．depended on

D．went over

4.

A．amazed

B．stressed

C．bored

D．selfish

5.

A．awakening

B．ending

C．opportunity

D．arrangement

6.

A．Otherwise

B．However

C．Besides

D．Therefore

7.

A．drew on

B．smiled at

C．got rid of

D．looked forward to

8.

A．dark

B．crowded

C．warm

D．interesting

9.

A．meaningful

B．different

C．full

D．long

10.

A．preparing

B．comparing

C．clearing

D．designing

11.

A．imagined

B．missed

C．avoided

D．started

12.

A．removed

B．challenged

C．counted

D．required

13.

A．sensitive

B．serious

C．relaxed

D．odd

14.

A．comments

B．lists

C．wishes

D．friends

15.

A．want

B．unearth

C．ignore

D．promise