1 . Instead of being a pacing-up time, winter is a locking-down time. Winter frees us in all sorts of ways.

I once had a neighbor named Earl. An old-timer and a self-made man, he _________ told me stories about Maine winters in the past. He suggested he had _________ the ice age. He backed up his old stories with _________ of old black-and-white photographs of heavy snowstorms that piled up to second-floor windows and completely _________ cars.

And I’ll never _________ what he said as an end to one of his stories, “A man couldn’t get much done once the snow came.” So what did he do once the snow came? He spent a great deal of time _________ to home and hearth, where he _________ the wood stove, sat with his wife, made pots of coffee, and read by the fire.

As I write these words I occasionally raise my head to _________ the window at the woodpile stacked (堆), the garden harvested, the apple tree _________, the lawn mowed, and the bicycle shed newly roofed.

As I tended to all those things, when did I have time to __________?

Some years ago a friend sent me a quote by Socrates that I try to be mindful of: Beware the fruitlessness of a __________ life.

The advice __________ me to look forward to the coming of winter, because I’ve finally learned that it is a slowing-down time, a gift of rest, a (n) __________ to acknowledge that most of the outdoor work that could be done has been done.

A friend of mine who lives in the Southeast recently called. In the course of our __________ he celebrated the climate where he lives, which __________ him to work outside year-round. “I’m always on the go.” he told me.

But I think I need a good time of winter.

1.

A．gradually

B．excitedly

C．angrily

D．unwillingly

2.

A．struggled

B．explored

C．survived

D．celebrated

3.

A．laughter

B．evidence

C．expectation

D．patience

4.

A．buried

B．struck

C．destroyed

D．supported

5.

A．realize

B．forget

C．recall

D．learn

6.

A．designing

B．improving

C．fixing

D．tending

7.

A．bought

B．controlled

C．built

D．filled

8.

A．look at

B．watch over

C．glance out

D．glare at

9.

A．picked

B．cut

C．planted

D．fell

10.

A．settle

B．arrange

C．work

D．breathe

11.

A．busy

B．happy

C．creative

D．special

12.

A．demanded

B．taught

C．appointed

D．assisted

13.

A．amazement

B．surroundings

C．opportunity

D．ability

14.

A．convenience

B．appearance

C．contribution

D．conversation

15.

A．employs

B．forces

C．enables

D．saves

2 . My photographs are the items I would definitely take or guard in case of an emergency. But what else? This was the question I asked myself as a ________ came toward us.

Unlike some friends and________, we decided to stay in our home. We didn’t have to choose what we would save by ________ it into the car, but we still had to decide what required protection by storing it in our walk-in closet. Surprisingly, few items made the cut - an obvious ________ that we had surrounded ourselves with beautiful yet unessential items. We needed ________ for the truly important things: ourselves.

Because when you hear the roar of the winds, or when something ________ hard against your windows, you don’t think of photos.You don’t worry about your big screen TV, or those paintings you’ve covered with towels to protect them, or that ________ car that you still haven’t finished paying for.

As ________ goes on outside, this is what you think: My children, are they OK? Are their impact-resistant(耐冲击的) windows working ________? Are their roofs keeping out the damage? My grandchildren, are they crying out in fear? Are they ________ as their own grandparents are? My relatives — yes, even those I try to avoid — have they ________ the worst of it? My friends, will they be forced to move somewhere else permanently? You don’t think about what you own but about what you love; what money can’t buy back.

Months and years after the hurricane, I often told people that there are two parts to ________ this kind of catastrophe: the horror of the hurricane itself and then the rebuilding that follows. The ________ together of a life, however, will take months, perhaps years.

But we will do it, ________ and as a community. Of that I have no doubt. In fact, I’ll make one more prediction. Piece by piece, item by item, we will once again collect the material possessions that decorate a home. I hate to admit this, but lessons learned ________ fear aren’t always long-lasting.

1.

A．flood

B．drought

C．wildfire

D．hurricane

2.

A．hosts

B．partners

C．relatives

D．architects

3.

A．applying

B．packing

C．exchanging

D．delivering

4.

A．sign

B．gap

C．clue

D．summary

5.

A．kit

B．gym

C．space

D．greenhouse

6.

A．rests

B．erupts

C．carves

D．cracks

7.

A．cheap

B．expensive

C．graceful

D．economic

8.

A．destruction

B．appreciation

C．challenge

D．determination

9.

A．as usual

B．as follows

C．as scheduled

D．as promised

10.

A．annoyed

B．amazed

C．confused

D．frightened

11.

A．escaped

B．protested

C．identified

D．processed

12.

A．causing

B．preventing

C．surviving

D．suffering

13.

A．cutting out

B．putting back

C．giving up

D．working out

14.

A．devotedly

B．creatively

C．individually

D．dependently

15.

A．in favor of

B．in times of

C．in need of

D．in search of

3 . I’m a grandma in my 60s. In the spring of 2020, like the rest of the world, I spent a lot of time staring at a screen and that was when I first got into the YouTube world. I discovered that onscreen offerings were truly endless. From one YouTuber I learned how to plant my own vegetable garden. Someone else shared poetry from Robert Frost, wise sayings from Confucius, and a smattering (一知半解) of other philosophical viewpoints, all of which helped me through some dark days. Down the rabbit hole I went, scrolling for hours and hours, watching other people living their lives and giving me advice on how to live mine.

As the months rolled by, YouTube turned my attention away from the hard reality of what was going on in the world. I subscribed to several channels and waited anxiously for new weekly offerings. I watched people reading poetry or painting by streams or looking out windows into snowy landscapes. I found all this calming. Such lovely scenery, such beautiful background music, such pretty clothes they were wearing!

At some point though, I got upset by these artistic and seemingly perfect lives. Who is filming them? I wondered. Do they rehearse or just act on the spot? Isn’t it cold, stepping through snowbanks in dresses? The questions kept bothering me while forcing comparisons to my own somewhat more ordinary existence. I wanted to walk in a flowing dress through hilly green field filled with wildflowers! Instead, I was marching through my neighborhood’s city streets in mom jeans.

In a moment of insight, I realized that I had a full and happy life, which although it wouldn’t win awards for perfection onscreen, suited me perfectly. I put my phone away and started paying attention to my own life instead of watching other people live theirs. I still like checking in once in a while. YouTube can be a rich source of entertainment and inspiration, but I’ve limited my exposure. I am content with the knowledge that my addiction to life onscreen has been replaced by life itself.

1. What can be learned about the author in the spring of 2020?

A．She experienced some hard times.

B．She taught others about gardening.

C．She developed an interest in poetry.

D．She shared her philosophical views online.

2. What effect did YouTube have on the author according to paragraph 2?

A．It made her more anxious.

B．It improved her taste in art.

C．It taught her to accept reality.

D．It brought some comfort to her.

3. How did the artistic lives presented on YouTube make the author feel?

A．Desperate.

B．Connected.

C．Envious.

D．Proud.

4. What has the author decided to do in the end?

A．Seek inspiration from YouTube.

B．Stop using her phone in daily life.

C．Focus on her own life instead of others’.

D．Continue watching other people’s lives.

4 . Just about 50 years ago, needing money to support my family—my novels weren’t bestsellers—I had the idea of taking the longest train trip imaginable and writing a travel book about it. The trip was improvisational (即兴的). I didn’t have a credit card. I had no idea where I’d be staying nor how long this trip would take. And I’d never written a travel book before. I hoped my trip wouldn’t suffer a lot, though it was obviously a leap in the dark.

I set off with one small bag containing clothes, a map of Asia, a travel guidebook and some travelers’ cheques. I was often inconvenienced, sometimes threatened, now and then disturbed for bribes, occasionally laid up with food poisoning—all this vivid detail for my narrative.

What I repeated in the more than four-month trip was the pleasure of the sleeping car. Writing on board the Khyber Mail to Lahore in Pakistan, “The romance associated with the sleeping car comes from the fact that it is extremely private, combining the best features of a cupboard with forward movement. Whatever drama is being shown in this moving bedroom is heightened by the landscape passing the window...” A train is a carrier that allows residence.

I wrote The Great Railway Bazaar on my return in 1974, and it appeared to good reviews and quick sales. That’s the past. Nothing is the same. All travel is time-related. All such trips are singular and unrepeatable. It’s not just that the steam trains of Asia are gone, but much of the peace and order is gone. Who’d risk an Iranian train now or take a bus through Afghanistan?

But I’ve been surprised by some of the more recent developments in travel. I rode on Chinese trains for a year and wrote Riding the Iron Rooster, but now China has much cleaner and swifter trains and modernized destinations. A traveler today could take the same trip I took in 1986—1987 and produce a completely different book.

All travel books are dated. That’s their fault that they’re outdated, and it’s their virtue that they preserve something of the past that would otherwise be lost.

1. What happened at the beginning of the author’s trip to Asia?

A．He made full preparations for the trip.

B．He had expected the journey to be rough.

C．He organized the trip with his family’s support.

D．He started the trip out of his passion for traveling.

2. Why did the author repeatedly recall the sleeping car?

A．For its romantic scenery.	B．For its reassuring privacy.
C．For its full equipment.	D．For its long distance.

3. What did the author try to convey by saying “Nothing is the same”?

A．The landscape in Asia was gone.	B．Train trip was no longer popular.
C．He couldn’t write another bestseller.	D．Transportation and travel had changed a lot.

4. Which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?

A．Practice makes perfect.	B．Sharp tools make good work.
C．Travel, truth is not the arrival card.	D．The journey, not the arrival matters.

5 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

At eleven years old, my main concern was money. On my bedroom floor, I arranged the change from my money box to see what I had. I wished it’d multiply before my eyes, but of course it didn’t. To have more money, I decided to work for my grandmother.

After school, my grandmother drove to pick me up. About an hour later, we arrived at the pick-up kitchen and got dozens of little shiny silver trays (托盘). After our load was arranged in the backseat, my grandmother drove us to our first stop: a small white house. I took a meal and a small box of milk from the back and walked beside my grandmother to the door. She opened it and said, “Mrs. Hershel, we’ve brought you some lunch.” The reply came, “Come on in.”

I nearly jumped when I glanced over to see a tiny old woman in the corner looking at me. She sat in a rocking chair and had many wrinkles. When I approached her, she smiled at me, with no teeth. My grandmother guided me inside to place the lunch on her kitchen table. The house smelled bad.

The next stop was much the same and the next. The houses varied in size and shape, but the same wrinkly people waited for their meals. Each person smiled at me and thanked me as I hurried to get out of there. I was sweaty and tired, and my clothes had captured the bad smell of the food and old houses.

At the end of the day, I guessed it was obvious to my grandmother that I wasn’t very comfortable about the job anymore. “You don’t have to help me,” she said. “I understand if the job isn’t what you want to do.” I swallowed hard, wandering what to say. “For many of the people we deliver lunch to, this is their only meal of the day. Many of them are alone,” my grandmother continued. Seeing my eyes widen, my grandmother smiled, “But a kind word and a smile go a long way.”

注意：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。

When we arrived home, my grandmother handed me the money I’d earned.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning, I saw each person with all their wrinkles and the houses a little differently.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . Once a year, around the time when Christians celebrate Easter, Muslims celebrate Ramadan and Jews celebrate Passover, I often invite my 24-person team to a joyful and special dinner at my place. To _________ the needs of all my team members, I usually _________ different kinds of typical food from different religions.

I think this _________ reflects the wider philosophy(哲学) of my science lab: we aim to be a _________ yet united group of people working in a global scientific network. My lab _________ people with different _________. One of the most obvious _________ is our religions.

Yet when people _________ my lab, they gather together, first through their common _________ for science, and then as they get to know one another and enjoy spare time activities, we become a cohesive(有凝聚力的) team. I am ____________ this cohesion and the new friendships in my lab, and do my best to encourage them.

I’m also really ____________, while looking for new members. I interview many people before I ____________ the right ones for my lab. They must be ____________ capable(有能力的)of course, but it’s just as important that they’re friendly, interesting and interested in others. They should be prepared to ____________ various points of view and cultures.

As the person in charge of the lab, I see preserving a variety of cultural backgrounds as an important part of my job. Such an accessible, varied and supportive ____________ promotes new ideas and scientific breakthroughs.

1.

A．accommodate

B．avoid

C．change

D．control

2.

A．enjoy

B．throw

C．prepare

D．taste

3.

A．dream

B．tradition

C．promise

D．debate

4.

A．strange

B．conservative

C．poor

D．diverse

5.

A．gives up

B．turns down

C．consists of

D．leaves out

6.

A．breakthroughs

B．backgrounds

C．ambitions

D．hobbies

7.

A．differences

B．recipes

C．requirements

D．standards

8.

A．visit

B．praise

C．join

D．aid

9.

A．regret

B．charge

C．sympathy

D．love

10.

A．surprised at

B．proud of

C．interested in

D．worried about

11.

A．curious

B．casual

C．careful

D．relaxed

12.

A．thank

B．defeat

C．compare

D．choose

13.

A．scientifically

B．physically

C．mentally

D．financially

14.

A．respect

B．protect

C．stand

D．doubt

15.

A．chance

B．position

C．lecture

D．environment

7 . There was once a farmer who had a large field of corn. He worked the land with the greatest care, for he wanted to sell the corn and buy good things for his family. But he saw his corn dry up, for no rain fell, and he feared that he was to have no crop. Every morning he went out to the field and looked at the thirsty stalks and wished for the rain to fall.

One day, as he stood looking up at the sky, two little raindrops saw him, and one said to the other: “Look at that farmer. I feel very sorry for him. He took such pains with his field of corn, and now it is drying up. I wish I might help him.”

“Yes,” said the other, “but you are only a little raindrop. What can you do? You can’t wet even one hill.”

“Well,” said the first, “I know, to be sure, I cannot do much; but perhaps I can cheer the farmer a little, and I am going to do my best. I’ll go to the field to show my good will, if I can’t do anything more. Here I go!”

The first raindrop had no sooner started for the field than the second one said: “Well, if you really insist upon going, I think I will go, too. Here I come!” And down went the raindrops. One came — pat —on the farmer’s nose, and one fell on a thirsty stalk of corn.

“Dear me,” said the farmer, “what’s that? A raindrop! Where did it come from? I do believe we shall have a shower.”

By this time a great many raindrops had come together to see what all the commotion was about. When they saw the two kind little drops going down to cheer the farmer, and water his corn, one said:“If you two are going on such a good errand, I’ll go, too!” And down he came. “And I!” said another. “And I!” And so said they all, until a whole shower came and the corn was watered. Then the corn grew and ripened — all because one little raindrop tried to do what it could.

1. Why does the first raindrop feel badly for the farmer?

A．His crops are dying.	B．His family is starving.
C．He is extremely thirsty.	D．He is bad at growing crops.

2. The corn is able to grow because            .

A．the first raindrop offers its support

B．the farmer gives the corn a shower

C．all the raindrops come and make a shower

D．the first two raindrops go on a good errand

3. Which of the following can best describe the first raindrop?

A．Brave and humble.	B．Kind and inspiring.
C．Ambitious and cheerful.	D．Pessimistic and insistent.

4. What’s the moral of this passage?

A．Save it for a rainy day.

B．God helps those who help themselves.

C．It’s better to be a leader than a follower.

D．Doing your best can make a difference.

8 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Merchant Tovel loved attention. Knowing that people would listen if he had news to share, he went around his village making up stories about the local rabbi (犹太教神职人员).

“He mixes dairy and meat!” said Tovel.

The townspeople shook their heads, for they all knew that dairy and meat must not be mixed in the course of any meal.

“And he sneaks (偷拿) food on Yom Kippur,” added Tovel.

“Not Yom Kippur!” cried the townspeople.

For not only is Yom Kippur the most important fasting day of the year, but it is also the holiest Jewish holiday.

Later, alone in his home, the talebearer felt bad about what he had done. His stories about the rabbi had spread quickly. “I will go to the rabbi and beg him for forgiveness,” he decided. Then all would be well again.

The next morning, he went to the temple and knocked on the door. “Rabbi,” he called, “it is merchant Tovel, coming to see you about an important matter.”

“Come in, Tovel,” the rabbi said warmly, opening the door.

In a matter of moments, Tovel told the rabbi all the things he had said. Then he asked, “What can I do to make things right?”

The rabbi thought for a moment, then told him, “You must take a feather pillow (枕头), cut it open, and feed the feathers to the wind.”

Tovel thought that the rabbi’s suggestion was strange, but the task seemed simple enough. And if it would take away the guilt he felt, then why not do it? Tovel thanked the rabbi and quickly left the temple. At home, the talebearer grabbed a feather pillow, waited for the afternoon winds to pick up, then climbed to the top of a hill. There, he cut open the pillow and watched the feathers float far and wide across the land. Satisfied, Tovel returned to tell the rabbi of his deed. “Now go and gather those feathers,” the rabbi commanded.

注意：
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。

“But they are everywhere!” Tovel cried. “How will I get them all?”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Feeling disappointed, Tovel returned to tell the rabbi about the feathers he couldn’t collect.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . Whenever we make a choice, whether it’s as big as getting married or as small as an argument with a friend, we are driven by our values. Values tend to be single-word concepts like freedom, equality, selflessness, honesty.     1     They’re a kind of moral GPS we can use to navigate through life. If you know your values, you have directions that point you toward the people and actions and habits that are best for you.

One way to recognize the values by which you live is look at how you spend your money.     2     Do you really spend your money wisely? we often have a strange perspective on what’s “worth it”, which doesn’t quite make sense if you reflect on it later.

Pay attention to who you talk to, what you watch, and what you do with your time.     3     If you’re just going from one day to the next without questioning your values, you’ll be swayed by what everyone else — from your family to marketing professionals — wants you to think. A thought comes into my mind and I ask myself: Does this fit my chosen values or those that others have selected for me?

    4     If you’re an overworked parent who wants to make your kids your priority, make friends with other parents who hold the same idea, so you can exchange support and advice.

Values make it easier for you to surround yourself with the right people, make tough career choices, use your time more wisely, and focus your attention where it really matters to you.     5    

A．All of these push values and beliefs.

B．Is your precious time wasted or well spent?

C．Your bills actually reflect what matters most to you.

D．That might sound rather abstract, but these values are really practical.

E．Who you surround yourself with helps you stick to your values and achieve your goals.

F．Without them we are swept away by outside voice instead of following our inner voice.

G．When we drive through a new area, we wander aimlessly if we don’t know the directions.

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

I looked around the crowded waiting room at the hospital and sighed. Would the doctor be able to see my eight-year-old son next? I tried steadying the ice pack(冰袋) over his forehead, but it was no use. I couldn’t stop shaking. The wound in his forehead was deep, but at least blood wasn’t pouring from it anymore.

His face was full of tears, he seemed really brave for his age. I handed him the ice pack, and he covered his forehead with it. He was doing a much better job than I had. We were at the hospital because another child had thrown a rock at Luke during class break as he was running around the corner. His teacher called me, and when I arrived, I found him in her lap. His teacher was caring for his wound, trying to keep him calm. She felt terrible about what had happened, but I knew none of it was her fault.

Lulse received four stitches (缝和) and didn’t cry once throughout the whole treatment. For the next two days, his eye was swollen shut and black and blue. I felt like I’d had a mini nervous breakdown. Every time I tried to sleep or tend to housework, horrible thoughts crept into my mind. Fear had taken over, and then the fear turned to anger. I was angry with the child who’d thrown the rock. I just couldn’t shake it. What was she thinking? She should’ve known better.

Luke’s headmaster and teacher called me that evening to see how he was feeling and told me Katie, the girl, felt terrible. I wanted to stand up for my son, do the right thing, protect him.

The next day, Luke’s teacher stopped by to see how he was feeling and dropped off a get-well card that Katie had made. Luke and I read it several times, and I couldn’t help but feel a little choked up. It was a sincere apology.

注意：
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。
I wanted this to be a teachable moment for Luke.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Later, Luke’s teacher told us Katie was relieved after reading our letter.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________