1 . When I was leading a therapy group, we once had a very fun evening. Everyone was in high _______and also eager to_______ their jokes. We all laughed out loud, but one little woman who came for the first time sat there_______. When it was her turn, she said, “I don’t think I_______here, because I usually work in a different atmosphere which is too_______.” Anyway, there was a happy ending. She_______felt much better there and_______to come back again. I believed she learned the _______of humor.

As a therapist, I often find lovers are worried about their relationships, and parents about their children. Everything seems _______ in their eyes. Actually, everything is basically fine, with just some normal________to work out. Last night a client called, “My partner’s mad at me and I feel so awful.” After five minutes, he sounded relieved,________his partner’s anger was just________and that while it needed to be________, it wasn’t terrible. His partner just expected to be listened to for a while. And I nodded with________. Yes, he was right. Taking it too seriously had blown it out of proportion(比例), and we may finally be________. Putting it back in perspective helped________clear thinking, and then the problem would be easily solved.

Current research has indicated that humor, especially laughter,________the harm of stress to the body. We were given a sense of humor through natural selection, which helps us learn, grow and survive.

One of my clients who works in a hospital told me he had witnessed the________of humor and laughter. They created warm memories for seriously ill patients. So each of us should never________what is funny in life and remember that “a spoon of sugar helps the medicine to go down”. So try________more.

1.

A．spirits

B．demand

C．positions

D．speed

2.

A．revise

B．publish

C．share

D．classify

3.

A．confidently

B．quietly

C．angrily

D．cheerfully

4.

A．interrupt

B．recall

C．emerge

D．belong

5.

A．pleasant

B．serious

C．inspiring

D．relaxing

6.

A．gradually

B．continually

C．merely

D．occasionally

7.

A．regretted

B．refused

C．decided

D．afforded

8.

A．power

B．logic

C．basis

D．degree

9.

A．harmless

B．hopeless

C．needless

D．worthless

10.

A．experiments

B．decisions

C．surprises

D．difficulties

11.

A．explaining

B．warning

C．doubting

D．wondering

12.

A．familiar

B．temporary

C．apparent

D．specific

13.

A．hidden

B．cherished

C．addressed

D．predicted

14.

A．forgiveness

B．satisfaction

C．disbelief

D．skillfulness

15.

A．defeated

B．honored

C．convinced

D．amused

16.

A．define

B．restrict

C．disturb

D．restore

17.

A．stands for

B．brings about

C．cancels out

D．backs up

18.

A．recognition

B．origin

C．connection

D．importance

19.

A．pass on

B．rely on

C．explore

D．ignore

20.

A．learning

B．reflecting

C．laughing

D．remembering

2 . Someone told me that if I want to learn about humanity, I should watch the television show, Undercover Boss. It’s a reality show where the________ of different businesses go undercover(暗中地)to________ what’s really going on at their company and how their employees really feel.

The other day, the episode(一集)I________to watch did teach me something different and inspiring. The business owner________   to be broke and in desperate search of a new way out of his________ and emotional difficulties. He recited his________ story to one of his   employees and was ________ by her response. She was quite encouraging and optimistic. Not only did she seem to________ him after a brief acquaintance, but she later revealed that she herself, who seemed to be full of sunshine and optimism, was________ homeless! The owner was hugely surprised. How could she maintain such high ________ in the face of such challenges? How could she even try to ________ him in the middle of her own battles? She taught the owner--- and the TV audience --- a ________ about true kindness.

However, that’s not the ________ of the story. What________ me most is that the business owner didn’t plan to just sit and watch. ________, he was inspired to________. At the conclusion of the episode, he promoted this employee to assistant manager, with the accompanying________ in salary. And then the owner gave her a check for $250,000 to help her________ a house. While watching all these, I was in tears. It was a touching story because this employee was kind with absolutely no expectation of________. She was really kind despite her own bad________. Just as the saying goes, one good turn deserves another.

1.

A．employees

B．bosses

C．advertisers

D．customers

2.

A．imagine

B．predict

C．consider

D．discover

3.

A．happened

B．tried

C．wished

D．decided

4.

A．expected

B．failed

C．pretended

D．refused

5.

A．educational

B．practical

C．physical

D．financial

6.

A．interesting

B．false

C．strange

D．famous

7.

A．discouraged

B．defeated

C．moved

D．puzzled

8.

A．teach

B．admire

C．look after

D．believe in

9.

A．partly

B．usually

C．actually

D．nearly

10.

A．positions

B．spirits

C．levels

D．standards

11.

A．encourage

B．love

C．betray

D．lead

12.

A．method

B．chance

C．rule

D．lesson

13.

A．tone

B．truth

C．end

D．development

14.

A．forced

B．pushed

C．impressed

D．bothered

15.

A．Yet

B．Meanwhile

C．Therefore

D．Instead

16.

A．give back

B．get away

C．watch out

D．hold on

17.

A．appearance

B．raise

C．number

D．plan

18.

A．rent

B．repair

C．decorate

D．buy

19.

A．honor

B．promotion

C．reward

D．comfort

20.

A．situation

B．health

C．idea

D．performance

3 . Ralph Emerson once said that the purpose of life is not to be happy, but to be useful, to be loving, to make some difference in he world. While we appreciate such words of wisdom, we rarely try to follow them in our lives.

Most people prefer to live a good life themselves, ignoring their responsibilities for the world. This narrow perception of a good life may provide short-term benefits, but is sure to lead to long-term harm and suffering. A good life based on comfort and luxury may eventually lead to more pain be-cause we spoil our health and even our character, principles, ideals, and relationships.

What then, is the secret of a good life? A good life is a process, not a state of being : a direction, not a destination. We have to earn a good life by first serving others without any expectation in return because their happiness is the very source of our own happiness. More importantly, we must know ourselves inside out. Only when we examine ourselves deeply can we discover our abilities and recognize our limitations, and then work accordingly to create a better world.

The first requirement for a good life is having a loving heart. When we do certain right things merely as a duty, we find our job so tiresome that we’ll soon burn out. However, when we do that same job out of love, we not only enjoy what we do, but also do it with an effortless feeling.

However, love alone is insufficient to lead a good life. Love sometimes blinds us to the reality. Consequently, our good intentions may not lead to good results. To achieve desired outcome, those who want to do good to others also need to equip themselves with accurate world knowledge. False knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance. If love is the engine of a car knowledge is the steering wheel(方向盘). If the engine lacks power, the car can’t move; if the driver loses control of the steering, a road accident probably occurs. Only with love in heart and the right knowledge in mind can we lead a good life.

With love and knowledge, we go all out to create a better world by doing good to others. When we see the impact of our good work on the world we give meaning to our life and earn lasting joy and happiness.

1. What effect does the narrow perception of a good life have on us?

A．Making us simple-minded	B．Making us short-sighted.
C．Leading us onto a busy road.	D．Keeping us from comfort and luxury.

2. According to the author, how can one gain true happiness?

A．Through maintaining good health.

B．By going through pain and suffering.

C．By recognizing one’s abilities and limitations.

D．Through offering help much needed by others.

3. According to Paragraph 4, doing certain right things with a loving heart makes one________.

A．less selfish	B．less annoying
C．more motivated	D．more responsible

4. In what case may good intentions fail to lead to desired results?

A．When we have wrong knowledge of the world.

B．When our love for the world is insufficient.

C．When we are insensitive to dangers in life.

D．When we stay blind to the reality.

5. According to Paragraph 5, life can be made truly good when ________.

A．inspired by love and guided by knowledge

B．directed by love and pushed by knowledge

C．purified by love and enriched by knowledge

D．promoted by love and defined by knowledge

4 . I’m an 18-year-old pre-medical student, tall and good-looking, with two short story books and quite a number of essays to my credit. Why am I singing such praises of myself? Just to explain that the attainment of self-pride comes from a great deal of self-love, and to attain it, one must first learn to accept oneself as one is. That was where my struggle began.

Born and raised in Africa，I had always taken my African origin as burden. My self-dislike was further fueled when my family had to relocate to Norway, where I attended a high school. Compared to all the white girls around me, with their golden hair and delicate lips, I ,a black girl, had curly hair and full, red lips. My nose often had a thin sheet of sweat on it, whatever the weather was. I just wanted to bury myself in my shell crying “I’m so different!”

What also contributed to my self-dislike was my occasional stuttering (口吃), which had weakened my self-confidence. It always stood between me and any fine opportunity. I’d taken it as an excuse to avoid any public speaking sessions, and unknowingly let it rule over me.

Fortunately, as I grew older, there came a turning point. One day a white girl caught my eye on the school bus when she suddenly turned back. To my astonishment, she had a thin sheet of sweat on her nose too, and it was in November! “Wow,” I whispered to myself, “this isn’t a genetic(遗传的) disorder after all. It’s perfectly normal.” Days later, my life took an-other twist(转折). Searching the internet for stuttering cures, I accidentally learned that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also stuttered. I was greatly relieved and then an idea suddenly hit me—if I’m smart, I shouldn’t allow my stuttering to stand between me and my success.

Another boost to my self-confidence came days later as I was watching the news about Oprah Winfrey, the famous talk show host and writer—she’s black too! Whenever I think of her story and my former dislike of my color, I’m practically filled with shame.

Today, I’ve grown to accept what I am with pride; it simply gives me feeling of uniqueness. The idea of self-love has taken on a whole new meaning for me: there’s always something fantastic about us, and what we need to do is learn to appreciate it.

1. What affected the author’s adjustment to her school life in Norway？

A．Her appearance

B．Social discrimination.

C．Her changing emotions.

D．The climate in Norway.

2. What did the author’s occasional stuttering bring about according on Paragraph 3?

A．Her lack of self-confidence.

B．Her loss of interest in school.

C．Her unwillingness to greet her classmates.

D．Her desire for chances to improve herself.

3. How did the author feel on noticing the similarity between her and the girl on the bus?

A．Blessed and proud.

B．Confused and afraid.

C．Amazed and relieved.

D．Shocked and ashamed.

4. What lesson did the author learn from the cases of Newton and Churchill?

A．Great minds speak alike.

B．Stuttering is no barrier to success.

C．Wisdom counts more than hard work.

D．Famous people can’t live with their weaknesses.

5. What can best summarize the message contained in the passage?

A．Pride comes before a fall.

B．Where there is a will, there is a way.

C．Self-acceptance is based on the love for oneself.

D．Self-love is key to the attainment of self-pride.

5 . When I was in sixth grade, I joined the band program to learn to play the clarinet (单簧管). The beginning of the year had gone _________. But as most students progressed, I seemed to fall behind. One day, when my teacher told us to play in front of the other students, I was filled with fear. I knew I would _________. When I began to play, my rhythms (节奏) were good, but my tone was another _________. “Did you practice your lesson?” the teacher barked at me. I felt so _________ and my world came _________ down in an instant.

From then on, I hated playing the clarinet and I kept getting _________. With the day of the new performance approaching, I grew increasingly upset. In a moment of _________, I asked for sick leave. It was so relieving and such a(n) _________ way out.

The avoidance of my lessons continued until my mum asked me about it. “I want to quit.” My tears started _________. “If you really want to quit, why are you crying?” asked mum. She __________ and I realized I wanted to stay in band and, by not facing my fears, I had created a black hole that would be difficult to __________ out of. I made a __________ not to hide from my fears and to stand up to even the worst of them, so a __________ could be achieved.

The next day I met with my band teacher and told her I was having a problem and couldn’t __________ why. She asked me gently to play for her. I tried, but only an unpleasant sound came out. She didn’t __________ at me and handed me a new reed (簧片). I put it in place and tried again. To my great __________ I could play well. My problem was solved and my fear was __________ a lot that year.

__________ I’m glad that I overcame my fear. Fear can __________ everything in a person’s life. Hiding from those very fears only creates a hole, which makes a person stay __________ inside. After facing up to a fear, one may find life easier and much more enjoyable.

1.

A．badly

B．endlessly

C．randomly

D．smoothly

2.

A．mess up

B．move on

C．set out

D．take off

3.

A．impression

B．essay

C．story

D．factor

4.

A．ashamed

B．starved

C．excited

D．relaxed

5.

A．crashing

B．moving

C．selling

D．bending

6.

A．stricter

B．worse

C．happier

D．smarter

7.

A．joy

B．panic

C．doubt

D．sympathy

8.

A．funny

B．important

C．easy

D．traditional

9.

A．drying

B．disappearing

C．flowing

D．separating

10.

A．had a point

B．made a change

C．reached a level

D．took a break

11.

A．send

B．bring

C．pick

D．climb

12.

A．request

B．resolution

C．presentation

D．proposal

13.

A．balance

B．degree

C．position

D．solution

14.

A．figure out

B．give away

C．think over

D．make up

15.

A．aim

B．smile

C．wave

D．shout

16.

A．anger

B．sorrow

C．disappointment

D．surprise

17.

A．felt

B．shown

C．removed

D．voiced

18.

A．Carrying on

B．Looking back

C．Stepping aside

D．Turning around

19.

A．consume

B．examine

C．reflect

D．rescue

20.

A．unknown

B．unpunished

C．interested

D．trapped

6 . As I walked onto the soccer field I had a knot(结) in my stomach. I was too shy to _________ the year before but decided to go for it this year.

When the coaches came, I felt as if I was going to pass out. With no _________ ability I began to wonder why I was _________ here. Everyone immediately took a ball and began to _________. I stood there, not knowing what to do. My friends came over to _________ me a few quick moves and drills. I had fun and _________ enjoyed playing. Every other girl on the team was far more skilled than I. The moment I _________ that to myself, I was fine.

This _________ has stuck with me all through high school. Without _________ it, I learned a valuable lesson about myself. __________ I tried out for the soccer team, I always wanted to be __________ at everything. Previously(以前), I would do anything to achieve the high __________ I set for myself. I was so stressed out over schoolwork that I never had fun. I decided it was time for a (n) __________.

Like most high school students, my __________ with more responsibilities and worries, began to change as I got older. Balancing school and sports has not been easy. But through it all, I have become a __________ person. No longer do I __________ that I have to be perfect. Although my athletic ability doesn’t __________ a ticket to universities, I have other good __________ that make me important. Knowing that I have put 100% __________ into everything I do and am honest with myself, I am completely __________ with the person I am.

1.

A．give up

B．pass by

C．try out

D．walk away

2.

A．logic

B．sports

C．language

D．communication

3.

A．just

B．even

C．never

D．always

4.

A．warm up

B．make up

C．calm down

D．turn around

5.

A．ask

B．pass

C．show

D．throw

6.

A．nearly

B．really

C．hardly

D．partly

7.

A．kept

B．expressed

C．proved

D．admitted

8.

A．match

B．activity

C．experience

D．performance

9.

A．checking

B．realizing

C．practicing

D．considering

10.

A．When

B．After

C．Unless

D．Before

11.

A．quick

B．clever

C．perfect

D．pleased

12.

A．speed

B．record

C．position

D．standard

13.

A．break

B．escape

C．change

D．holiday

14.

A．life

B．team

C．friends

D．coaches

15.

A．better

B．kinder

C．warmer

D．quieter

16.

A．beg

B．feel

C．pretend

D．imagine

17.

A．add

B．buy

C．deserve

D．promise

18.

A．ideas

B．attitudes

C．creations

D．qualities

19.

A．effort

B．money

C．brain

D．trust

20.

A．happy

B．strict

C．careful

D．patient

7 . My mother turned ninety. I knew I needed to find a senior _______ center. Not for her — for me. If I were at her age, I would want to stay in shape to _______ life, getting a lot of pleasure. Yes, walking in local parks was my _______, but I wasn’t so active as before.

I called a nearby center, “Do you have aerobics (有氧运动) classes _______ for seniors?” “Sure. Come and check us out! We start at 10 am,” the receptionist (接待员) replied and _______. The next morning, I went there. One part of me was _______ that the class was too easy, not doing me any good. The other part feared it was too hard for me to _______.

When I came into the room, a woman _______ me, “Oh, you’re new. Welcome.” Then the music started. The hour-long workout woke up the muscles I didn’t often _______ in daily walks, suiting me fine. I became a member there. My classmates ranged in age from fifty to ninety. Most gave the exercises their own ________, doing as much or little as they could. ________ no one kept score. Soon I learned physical well-being wasn’t the only ________ there. During breaks, people chatted happily. Whenever some people were ________ we asked around. Were they busy? Were they in hospital? Moreover, we signed cards for those who were ill.

I ________ to be in good shape now as I’ve hoped. Still, I’m grateful for things more valuable from the class — close friendships and new social ________.

1.

A．leisure

B．fitness

C．community

D．learning

2.

A．change

B．remember

C．wait

D．enjoy

3.

A．routine

B．aim

C．challenge

D．plan

4.

A．attached

B．familiar

C．appropriate

D．vital

5.

A．comforted

B．invited

C．promised

D．welcomed

6.

A．sure

B．disappointed

C．anxious

D．hopeful

7.

A．make up for

B．look down on

C．get down to

D．keep up with

8.

A．greeted

B．recognized

C．helped

D．introduced

9.

A．relax

B．stretch

C．strengthen

D．use

10.

A．improvement

B．agreement

C．interpretation

D．conclusion

11.

A．Fortunately

B．Consequently

C．Naturally

D．Surprisingly

12.

A．problem

B．contribution

C．standard

D．focus

13.

A．lonely

B．absent

C．unhappy

D．tired

14.

A．fail

B．manage

C．attempt

D．continue

15.

A．backgrounds

B．connections

C．skills

D．duties

8 . I was walking down the street in a small town the other day and passed a couple sitting on a bench. “She must be 180 centimeters tall,” I heard the woman say to the man. I turned to look at them straight in the eye at once. I felt angry and awkward that they were talking about me and staring. The woman suddenly said, “Oh, she must understand Chinese.” “Yes, I do,” I replied. Then, they both smiled and laughed, and so did I.

This was yet another time in the town when strangers stared or talked about my appearance. It’s either because of my unusually tall height as a woman or because I am a foreigner. As a shy person, this makes me feel quite uncomfortable. I just want to fit in! I usually just try to ignore such people, but this time, as soon as I talked to the couple, they went from judgmental strangers to people I just shared a warm and funny moment with.

It reminded me how important it is to have the right attitude and to be understanding. There aren’t that many foreigners in the town, so it’s only natural that Chinese people here will feel curious about foreigners and how they look different. Although, when people stare at you it feels a bit hostile, but most people arc simply curious and may even want to chat with you.

In short, I can’t change this situation. The only thing I can change is my attitude toward it. Life is too short to be influenced by the little things. We need to enjoy each moment with a positive and open attitude!

1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?

A．The woman was speaking in Chinese.

B．The woman got angry with the author.

C．The author didn’t actually know Chinese.

D．The author didn’t feel happy in the end.

2. How did the author deal with this kind of situation before?

A．She just laughed back.	B．She talked to the people.
C．She gave no attention.	D．She shared a smile with them.

3. In Paragraph 3, the author ______.

A．expressed her anger again

B．described her life in a foreign town

C．put herself in other people’s shoes

D．explained why she came to the town

4. The underlined word “hostile” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to “______”.

A．considerate

B．unfriendly

C．unimportant

D．curious

5. What has the author learned from her experience?

A．Being a foreigner is not an easy thing.

B．Don’t judge people by their looks.

C．Don’t talk about others’ appearance in public.

D．We should have a positive and open attitude.

9 . A girl is smiling at me from a picture on my desk. She is one of my sponsor (资助) children. I didn’t spend much money helping her. The joy from helping her gives me, however, is over the picture.

I can still remember the first time that I decided to help a child. It was many years ago, I was only a middle school student. I had a little extra (额外的) money each month. I didn’t feel like buying anything, though. A few years ago, we lost everything in a house fire. That fire bought me a lot. I cleared that I didn’t need a lot of things to be happy. From then on I began to care about the suffering of children in poor countries. With my mom’s help, I soon found a few groups and joined them. They were helping others around the world.

It felt so good being able to reach out and help others in need. It felt so good being able to make even one life better. I could feel the love growing in my head and beginning to change me. This feeling makes us into better people with bigger hearts. It helps us to love, to be kind, and to make this world a better place.

1. The writer began to sponsor a child ________.

A．when he studied in the middle school	B．before his house had a fire
C．when he felt like buying something	D．before he had a little extra money

2. What’s the Chinese meaning of the underlined word “suffering”?

A．苦难

B．经验

C．情绪

D．要求

3. What’s the third paragraph mainly about?

A．Why the writer helped poor children.	B．How the writer found a few groups.
C．When the writer began to care about others.	D．How the writer felt after helping others in need.

4. Which of the following is true?

A．The writer needed a lot of money to be happy before.

B．The writer spent much money on his sponsor child.

C．The writer spent lots of money doing shopping every month.

D．After joining the groups, the writer changed a lot in his heart.

5. From the passage, we can learn that the writer is a ________ person.

A．rich

B．lucky

C．kind

D．careless

10 . While Sam Bloom was on a vacation in Thailand, a balcony railing collapsed (倒塌), sending her falling 20 feet to the ground. The _________ left her with numerous injuries, including a broken spine. Her life was _________ changed.

In the many months that followed, she fell into a deep _________. Before her accident, she spent her time _______her family, surfing, exploring the outdoors, and traveling the world. Her _________ sense of self disappeared overnight—as she _________ it in her piece in a Time article, “I was no longer a(n)_________ woman, and I no longer _________ myself as a wife and mother.”

A few months after returning home, her son Noah _________ an injured baby magpie that had fallen from high in a tall pine tree. After no veterinarian (兽医) would rather __________ her in, the family decided to try and __________ her back to health themselves.

Due to its wobbly (摇晃的) walk and black and white __________, Bloom’s three boys decided to __________ the baby bird Penguin. And so, this __________ new creature became a member of the Bloom family. This new addition required constant __________, needing to be fed every two hours and kept warm constantly. This new __________ fell on Sam, and soon, Penguin became a form of __________ in soul to Sam.

“I didn’t feel as __________ anymore;my instincts as a nurse and mother came to life when I was __________ to this tiny, feathered soul. I didn’t __________ it at that time but, in a way, we were keeping each other alive.”

1.

A．fall

B．travel

C．railing

D．country

2.

A．gradually

B．recently

C．completely

D．hardly

3.

A．sleep

B．depression

C．hole

D．passion

4.

A．figuring out

B．talking about

C．calling at

D．caring for

5.

A．former

B．strange

C．weak

D．false

6.

A．made

B．had

C．got

D．put

7.

A．beautiful

B．excellent

C．independent

D．professional

8.

A．watched over

B．thought of

C．gave up

D．turned to

9.

A．discovered

B．hunted

C．dropped

D．trapped

10.

A．hand

B．trick

C．engage

D．take

11.

A．hope

B．nurse

C．send

D．show

12.

A．eyes

B．photos

C．feathers

D．dots

13.

A．keep

B．consider

C．name

D．accept

14.

A．greedy

B．needy

C．proud

D．energetic

15.

A．change

B．motivation

C．practice

D．attention

16.

A．responsibility

B．challenge

C．stress

D．chance

17.

A．escape

B．treatment

C．exercise

D．excuse

18.

A．useless

B．careless

C．quiet

D．lazy

19.

A．objecting

B．adjusting

C．sticking

D．tending

20.

A．answer

B．care

C．realize

D．believe