1 . Dr. Smith of New York works at a center for children who can’t learn well. One day a father brought his son to him for________ at his office.

The father told Dr. Smith about his son. “My son has ________ in learning and can’t even play baseball. He isn’t doing well because he doesn’t try. I have done everything for him. I have even shouted at him. But nothing ________. ”

After Dr. Smith tested the boy, he ________ his father. He asked the father to sit in front of a ________ and then gave him a pencil and a piece of paper. There was a ________ on the paper. He asked the father to look only in the mirror and ________ the lines of the star with the pencil. The father made the same ________ anyone makes. Every time he ________ the pencil, it went the wrong way. The father’s face became red.

At this ________ the doctor shouted at him, “Hurry up! Why are you ________ so long? You can’t do such an ________ thing! You don’t know left from right!” These ________ made the father very angry.

“Now you can ________, can’t you?” The doctor said to him. “Your son has felt just like that all the time. You scolded (训斥) him too often, so he didn't try any more. He was afraid of making mistakes. ”

________ the father understood everything. He put his face down. Now he felt so sorry.

1.

A．testing

B．acting

C．teaching

D．playing

2.

A．confidence

B．interest

C．experience

D．difficulty

3.

A．returns

B．helps

C．appears

D．remains

4.

A．waited for

B．searched for

C．believed in

D．called in

5.

A．mirror

B．television

C．painting

D．desk

6.

A．face

B．line

C．number

D．star

7.

A．remove

B．follow

C．cross

D．cut

8.

A．decisions

B．choices

C．mistakes

D．patterns

9.

A．touched

B．dropped

C．moved

D．sharpened

10.

A．speed

B．corner

C．end

D．point

11.

A．staying

B．taking

C．preparing

D．writing

12.

A．easy

B．important

C．obvious

D．exciting

13.

A．ideas

B．words

C．questions

D．instructions

14.

A．relax

B．leave

C．understand

D．promise

15.

A．Interestingly

B．Absolutely

C．Suddenly

D．Unfortunately

2 . As a child, I was proud of my southern origin. My own voice reflected my family’s past and present-part northern Mississippi, part Tennessee, all southern. There was no sound I loved more than my grandmother’s accent: thick, sweet, warm.

While growing up, I began to realize outside of our region, southerners were often dismissed as uncultured and ignorant. I was ready to leave behind my tiny town in West Tennessee, starting a new life and jumping at big chances in some far-off cities. In that embarrassing space between “teen” and “adult”, my accent was a symbol of everything I thought I hated about my life in the rural South. I feared it would disqualify me from being a noted magazine writer. I would have to talk less “country”. So I killed a piece of myself. I’m ashamed of it, but I’m more ashamed that I tried to kill that part of someone else-change Emily’s accent.

I met Emily in college. She was determined to work for the student newspaper, which was where I spent most of my waking hours, and we became friends. She, unlike me, accepted her roots. Early in our friendship, her mother asked where I was from, assuming it was somewhere up north. Then I felt my efforts paid off and even wanted to ignore the mistake.

Emily is two years younger and she cared about my opinion. I advised her to be more like me and hide her signature Manchester accent. I stressed that throughout our college years, often by making fun of her vowel (元音) sounds. I told myself I was helping her achieve her dream of working as a reporter. Now, I see that it was actually about justifying my hiding part of myself.

Grandma Carolyn used to tell me, “Girl, don’t forget where you come from.” Now I truly understand that. Many things have faded from memory, but this sticks in my mind with uncomfortable clarity. Now that I am grown and have left the South, it’s important to me.

1. What made the author want to leave her hometown?

A．Appeal of convenience in cities.

B．Her dream of becoming a writer.

C．Outside prejudice against southerners.

D．Her desire for the northern accent.

2. How did the author feel about the mistake of Emily’s mother?

A．Upset.

B．Pleased.

C．Ashamed.

D．Surprised.

3. Why on earth did the author try to change Emily’s accent?

A．To prove herself right.	B．To help Emily be a reporter.
C．To make herself influential.	D．To protect Emily’s self-dignity.

4. What message does the text want to convey?

A．Stay true to your roots.	B．Never do things by halves.
C．Hold on to your dreams.	D．Never judge a person by his accent.

3 . One Second Every Day

I’ve been in advertising for eight years and used to work a lot of late nights and weekends for numerous projects.     1     One day I watched a talk called “The power of time off”. It’s about how every seven years, the speaker takes a year off from work so he can do his own creative projects.     2     I decided I had to do that. I need to take time to start my own creative ideas.

The first project ends up being something I call “One Second Every Day”. Basically I record one second of every day for the rest of my life, combining these moments into one single continuous video until I can’t record them anymore.     3     There’re many things I have no recollection of unless someone brings them up, and I think, “Oh, that’s something I did.”

    4     On a good day, I’ll have maybe four seconds I want to choose. I’ll just have to narrow them down to one, but even narrow them down to that one allows me to remember the other three anyway.

I don’t use any filters (滤镜), just trying to catch the moment as much as possible as it is. I started a rule of the first person view. Early on, I thought I should have a couple of videos where people would see me, but I realized that wasn’t the way to go.     5    

The project has many possibilities. I encourage you all to record just a small piece of your life every day, so you can never forget that day and treasure every moment.

A．It instantly inspired me.

B．The purpose is to remember what I’ve done.

C．I’m always energetic when doing things I love.

D．People might have different interpretations of it.

E．It’s difficult, sometimes, to pick that one second.

F．But I never had time for one I wanted to work on on my own.

G．The essence of my project should be recording the thing as I actually see it.

4 . Ben was bothered every time he went through the kitchen. It was that little metal contain on the shelf above his wife Martha’s cook stove, which he had been repeatedly _________ never to touch. The reason, she said, was that it contained a “secret _________” from her late mother, and since she had no way of ever _________ the container, she was _________ that if Ben picked it up and looked inside, he might accidentally drop it and spill its _________ contents.

Ben never saw Martha cook a dish without taking the container of the shelf and sprinkling (洒) _________ a little of the contents over the ingredients. Whatever was in that container, it surely _________ Anyone who ever ate at their house felt Martha was the best _________ in the world. Looking into that container became increasingly _________ for Ben, but he never allowed himself to do so.

Then one day Martha became ill and was kept overnight in the hospital. Feeling lonely and bored in the house after returning home, Ben __________ the kitchen, and then the container on the shelf immediately came into view. It __________ his eyes like a magnet, and he quickly looked away, yet his curiosity brought him back again. He carefully took the container off the shelf, and opened it. Ben became __________ when what was inside came to I his sight. The container was empty, except for a little folded slip of paper at the bottom. He carefully picked it up and slowly __________ it under the kitchen light. Ben immediately __________ the handwriting as that of Martha’s mother. Very __________ it said: “Martha to everything you make, add a dash of love.”

1.

A．forbidden

B．told

C．inspired

D．threatened

2.

A．recipe

B．menu

C．herb

D．tobacco

3.

A．refilling

B．restoring

C．emptying

D．decorating

4.

A．pleased

B．concerned

C．puzzled

D．relieved

5.

A．valuable

B．previous

C．tasteless

D．messy

6.

A．yet

B．even

C．still

D．just

7.

A．failed

B．hurt

C．worked

D．changed

8.

A．wife

B．host

C．housekeeper

D．cook

9.

A．delightful

B．comforting

C．annoying

D．irresistible

10.

A．broke into

B．wandered into

C．ran out of

D．went back to

11.

A．opened

B．wetted

C．blinded

D．drew

12.

A．satisfied

B．calm

C．astonished

D．angry

13.

A．wrapped

B．unfolded

C．tore

D．wrinkled

14.

A．recognized

B．mentioned

C．treated

D．received

15.

A．stupidly

B．simply

C．cautiously

D．safely

5 . I’ve had a string of bad luck lately. Last week my washing machine broke. I planned to fix it myself but soon ________ the repairs would cost more than a new one would. Then this week the ________ thing happened to my daughter’s washing machine! This time I ________ called a friend to help. Once again, however, it was broken beyond ________. I ended up having to ________ two. While both the new machines got delivered quickly, I still ________ about what I was going through in my heart.

The moment I did, my ________ traveled back to when I was a child, I saw my grandma ________ an old-fashioned washing machine with my jeans and shirts. It didn’t have a spin dryer (甩干机) inside so she had to put each item through a pair of rollers to _________the water. When the washing was done, she’d often pat the machine ________. She had grown up hand-washing clothes and was ________ for the machine that did so much of the work for her.

Remembering this helped me realize that I was looking at things in the ________ way. I was getting ________ in the inconveniences of modern life instead of being thankful for all I have. The good old days had their share of ________ and joys. And so do the good new days. What ________ is how we live them and what we can learn from them.

1.

A．regretted

B．remembered

C．denied

D．appreciated

2.

A．usual

B．same

C．funny

D．amazing

3.

A．even

B．still

C．ever

D．already

4.

A．recognition

B．control

C．repair

D．compare

5.

A．sell

B．order

C．return

D．fix

6.

A．lied

B．cared

C．complained

D．argued

7.

A．memory

B．dream

C．doubt

D．fear

8.

A．covering

B．decorating

C．loading

D．equipping

9.

A．purify

B．remove

C．hold

D．absorb

10.

A．firmly

B．hurriedly

C．wildly

D．lovingly

11.

A．grateful

B．eager

C．sorry

D．responsible

12.

A．ideal

B．proper

C．wrong

D．traditional

13.

A．carried away

B．caught up

C．turned down

D．taken over

14.

A．purposes

B．duties

C．excuses

D．struggles

15.

A．matters

B．remains

C．works

D．happens

6 . A teacher gave his students a test. Most of the students finished all the questions without much effort _______they all read the last one which was “What is the first name of the woman who _______ the school? ”

All of the students thought that this question was some kind of _______. They had all seen the cleaning woman many times during each day at school. It was _______ that she was tall and old, but how would they know her _______?

So they all _______ their test paper, leaving the last question _______. Just before the class ended, one of the students asked if the last question would count toward the results of the _______.

“_______”said the teacher.

He went on to say, “In your lives and careers, you will ________ many people and they are ________individual, so they each are worth your ________ and care, even if all you do is ________and say “Hello”.

Over the following days each of the students ________ the importance of finding out the name of the cleaner and introduced themselves. They all learned that cleaner’s name was Dorothy and they never forgot the ________ that everyone is important.

1.

A．while

B．until

C．since

D．after

2.

A．cleans

B．manages

C．supports

D．guards

3.

A．pity

B．risk

C．story

D．joke

4.

A．natural

B．clear

C．possible

D．unusual

5.

A．address

B．family

C．name

D．age

6.

A．left behind

B．lifted up

C．put away

D．handed in

7.

A．unanswered

B．open

C．out

D．unprepared

8.

A．exercise

B．experiment

C．test

D．match

9.

A．Possibly

B．No

C．Sure

D．Never

10.

A．love

B．help

C．respect

D．meet

11.

A．important

B．unique

C．intelligent

D．honest

12.

A．consideration

B．attention

C．discussion

D．protection

13.

A．look

B．smile

C．listen

D．play

14.

A．remembered

B．proved

C．explained

D．realized

15.

A．lesson

B．opinion

C．premise

D．argument

7 . I am thinking today about my new favorite thing. It’s an app that my husband told me a few years ago that helps me bypass all the obstacles (障碍) in my way: potholes, heavy traffic, and even speed cameras.

To be honest, when my husband first told me about it, I didn’t pay much attention. I was only going to places I already knew how to get to. Plus, I learned to drive from my father—who never turned to a map. I think I mistakenly absorbed the message that real drivers didn’t need a map; you somehow just magically knew where to go. It was only later that I realized that just getting a driver’s license didn’t mean you knew how to get to places—that was lesson one. Lesson two came when my kids started playing on two different travel teams. The drivers in our household suddenly had the need to head in different directions on the same day.

Suddenly my app became very meaningful to me. How did I ever manage to get to strange playing fields hidden somewhere without it? But the crazy thing I have also noticed is how often I just don’t listen to it. Why might that be? Do I just prefer the old routes, even if they are actually worse? I see an analogy (类比) to the present moment. There is evidence that some old ideas and some long familiar ideas will send us into a boring unchanging lifestyle. But for some reason we like them better than an unfamiliar new route that might take us into areas we’ve never heard of, let alone visited.

It can be hard to admit we don’t know everything. As a person who still drives an 8-year-old stick shift and who has never stood in line for anything new, I certainly understand that. But I also try to remember the times I let go of my ego (自负), or my fear, and learned that life could be better. Not perfect—but better. I am glad I finally listened to my husband about that app. He was right.

1. What did the author think of the app at the very beginning?

A．It was magical.	B．It was practically valueless.
C．It was powerful.	D．It was not as good as a map.

2. What would probably make the author ignore the app’s instructions?

A．Her desire to explore alone.	B．Her doubt about the new device.
C．Her preference for the new routes.	D．Her refusal to experience changes.

3. What can be inferred about the author from the last paragraph?

A．She is willing to challenge herself.	B．She cares little about others’ comments.
C．She recognizes her problems easily.	D．She is too inflexible to make any change.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Real Drivers Know Their Way	B．It Pays to Take a New Route
C．New Apps Make Life Perfect	D．It Matters to Listen to Inner Voice

8 . One day I was approaching several massive creatures when I came to a sudden stop. It was well beyond me that these huge animals should be limited by only some ropes. It was_________that the animals could easily escape from these small ropes tied to their front legs. However,__________, they did not. I spotted a_________ close by and wondered why the elephants just_________where they were and had no intention to break away.

“Well,” he replied, “as they’re very__________we tie them with the same_________ rope and it’s enough to_________them for their age. As they grow up, they’re__________to hold the belief that they can never run away. They think the ropes are bound to__________ hold them, so they do not struggle to break free. ” I was_________. The large animals could easily move away from their__________but they felt they couldn’t, so they were__________right there.

In our life a number of people are__________with the same wrong self-limiting belief—I’m not excellent enough or why try it if I’m not going to _________it. However, we oughtn’t to _________our capability, talent and potential. Instead, we should believe in ourselves. After all, we need to change with the times and think outside the box.

1.

A．important

B．obvious

C．necessary

D．hopeful

2.

A．at that time

B．from then on

C．in that case

D．for some reason

3.

A．trainer

B．teacher

C．doctor

D．businessman

4.

A．slept

B．ate

C．stood

D．relaxed

5.

A．thin

B．young

C．weak

D．ill

6.

A．size

B．color

C．style

D．length

7.

A．attract

B．train

C．cheat

D．hold

8.

A．encouraged

B．conditioned

C．taught

D．forced

9.

A．still

B．even

C．just

D．hardly

10.

A．thrilled

B．interested

C．shocked

D．disappointed

11.

A．owners

B．thoughts

C．habitats

D．bonds

12.

A．stuck

B．killed

C．sold

D．fed

13.

A．laughed at

B．told off

C．brought up

D．relied on

14.

A．mean

B．catch

C．get

D．make

15.

A．control

B．underestimate

C．ignore

D．develop

9 . It was early winter several years ago. I had pulled out my old winter coat for another year’s use. It was still in pretty good shape although it was looking dirty from so many winters’ wear. I didn’t really need a new one but I wanted one and casually mentioned it to my daughter one day. She was such a sweet, loving girl that I should have guessed what would happen next. A few weeks later she gave me a new winter coat as a gift.

I put the old one in my closet and started to wear the new coat every day. Each day, though, when I opened my closet, something troubled me. It seemed a shame that my old but still good coat should just sit there keeping no one warm during the cold winter days. After a few weeks, I took it out and drove to a local charity shop. I knew that there was someone who couldn’t afford a coat but could get my old one.

My new coat is my old coat now. It is getting a little dirty and worn, too. It has black marks on the sleeves. It is in too bad shape to even donate to charity. I wonder if I should buy a new one soon, but I think I will wait for a while. I don’t really need a new one and maybe I can find something else to give to the charity shop instead.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Want is a growing giant whom the coat of Have was never large enough to cover.” Perhaps the best way to deal with our wants then is to give instead. Love, after all, brings us the most joy. And the more of it you give away, the more of it you have.

1. Which word can best describe the author’s daughter?

A．Wealthy.

B．Thoughtful.

C．Easy-going.

D．Humorous.

2. Why was the author in shame when seeing his old coat in the closet?

A．It cost too much.	B．It was looking dirty.
C．There was not enough room for his new coat.	D．It was not sent to someone in need.

3. What is the author’s decision after his second coat becomes old?

A．Telling his daughter.	B．Buying a new one soon.
C．Donating it to charity.	D．Sending something else to charity.

4. What does the author want to show in the last paragraph?

A．Giving fills our wants.	B．Love is the key to joy.
C．The more you give, the more you lose.	D．A coat is large enough to cover our wants.

10 . The walls of our house were supposed to be white. But I never remember them being white. At first, they were grey, then turning black. My father was a coal worker. He made charcoal (木炭) in our house. Have you ever seen charcoal being made? The little bags you buy in the store for barbeque, they come from somewhere, and honestly, it’s a very dirty business.

I remember one day I was bagging up the charcoal with my dad, and it was really cold and raining. All we had was the tiny roof over our heads. After a few hours, I got to go to school, where it was warm. My dad stayed out there working, all day. If he didn’t sell that day, maybe we wouldn’t have enough to eat. I thought to myself: At some point, everything is going to change.

For this, I owe football everything. I started football early. I played so much football that every two months, my boots would break apart. When I was seven, I must have been pretty good, because I scored 64 goals for my neighborhood team. That year, my dad got a call from a coach saying they wanted me to play there. My dad asked, “Oh, it’s too far away. Nine kilometers. How will we get him there?” My mom said, “No, no, no! Don’t worry, I’ ll take him!” And that is when Graciela was born.

Graciela was an old yellow bicycle that my mother would use to drive me to training every day. It had a little basket in the front. Imagine this: A woman biking through town with a little boy on the back and a bag in the basket with his boots. Up hills. Down hills. Through the dangerous neighborhoods. In the rain. In the cold. In the dark. Graciela got us where we needed to go.

Nowadays people look on YouTube, watch the World Cup and see the results, but they don’t know the journey. They don’t know about my living room walls turning from white to black. They don’t know about my father working under a little roof. They don’t know about my mother riding Graciela through the rain and the cold.

1. Why did the walls of the author’s house turn black?

A．His family wanted to change the look of their old house.

B．The color black could cover up his father’s dirty business.

C．The author often made indoor barbeques with the charcoal.

D．There was a lot of coal dust created from his father’s work.

2. What can we learn about Graciela?

A．Graciela was a yellow bicycle with a basket.

B．Graciela was named after the author’s mother.

C．Graciela was born when the author was nine.

D．Graciela got the family wherever they wanted to go.

3. What good quality do the author and his parents have in common?

A．Determined.

B．Confident.

C．Ambitious.

D．Easygoing.

4. What does the author intend to tell us?

A．In time of test, family is best.	B．Happiness is a choice, not a result.
C．One who fears failure limits his activities.	D．Behind every glory there is always a story.