1 . When I made the decision to quit my full-time employment, I never thought that I could get involved in an increasing global trend. I had to leave my relatively high-profile position for an unexpected move that hurt my pride and prevented me from getting promoted. Yet, I excused my departure by saying “I wanted to spend more time with my family”.

Curiously, after around two and a half years, my experience in what Americans refer to as “downshifting” has turned my excuse into an absolute reality. I have been transformed from a passionate advocate of Linda Kelsey’s “have it all” concept, which she has been promoting for the past seven years in the pages of She magazine, into a woman who is content to accept a little bit of everything.

I have discovered that abandoning the idea of “juggling your life” and adopting the alternative strategy of “downshifting” has benefits that go far beyond financial success and social status. Nothing could convince me to go back to the lifestyle Kelsey used to promote and which I had previously enjoyed: 12-hour workdays, tight deadlines, the terrifying pressure of office politics, and the demand of being a parent on “quality time”.

After the widespread layoffs (裁员) brought on by cost-cutting in the late 1980s, America started to move toward a simpler, less materialistic way of life as a response to the economic downturn. In America, simplifying one’s life is frequently done for financial reasons, but in Britain, at least among the middle class I know, we have different motivations for doing so. For the women of my generation who were encouraged to keep juggling, downshifting is not so much a search for a mythical (虚无的) good life—growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one—as a personal recognition of your limitations.

1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?

A．The writer didn’t take pride in her original job.

B．Full-time employment is a new international trend.

C．The writer was eager to spend more time with her family.

D．The writer was forced to resign due to an external factor.

2. What do we know about downshifting according to the text?

A．The writer abandoned her high social status for downshifting.

B．Downshifting allowed the writer to make her dream come true.

C．The writer changed her way of thinking through downshifting.

D．The writer accepted the concept of She magazine because of downshifting.

3. What does the underlined phrase “juggling your life” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Settling for a bit of everything.

B．Choosing to live a simple life.

C．Adopting a busy and stressful lifestyle.

D．Staying away from a materialistic way of life.

4. What does the writer intend to tell us?

A．It is never too late to pursue your dream.

B．Downshifting results in a more satisfactory and simpler life.

C．There is a difference between the American and British cultures.

D．People should adopt downshifting to search for mythical experiences.

2 . You might say I found marathoning, step by step. Or perhaps it found me. I was _____________ an athlete growing up. In fact, I have a hard time _____________ that term to myself even today.

It started when I joined a group of women in my neighborhood for a daily three-mile walk. At first it was _____________. But soon, my body adjusted and I wanted _____________. Before long, I was running 5 miles. Then I set a goal to run a half marathon. And I did complete the Covered Bridges Half Marathon. I thought, “Now what?” I started to _____________ a marathon.

It so happened that I _____________ a meeting one night and listened to the speaker and coach, Rick Muhr, and was so _____________ by his words. I told him that I had signed up for the Ocean State Marathon, just a week away, and that I really didn’t believe I could _____________. Rick locked eyes with me and said, “Trish, you’ve done enough training. You’ll finish!”

I never had someone _____________ me like that, let alone a real, live coach. He gave me the ________________ I needed. I set out to run my ________________ marathon and completed it in 4:25:00. Little did I know that this would be the beginning of nearly a decade of marathon and distance running.

Running a marathon isn’t for everybody. But it is for anybody, anybody who wants to ________________ the unreachable and to take that ________________ into the rest of their life. When you cross the finish line you may never have a ________________ picture of what you are made of and capable of accomplishing. Your ________________ of the world and, more importantly, of yourself will forever be changed!

1.

A．always

B．rarely

C．never

D．nearly

2.

A．pointing

B．applying

C．turning

D．spreading

3.

A．hard

B．relaxing

C．unfamiliar

D．exciting

4.

A．some

B．both

C．more

D．none

5.

A．report

B．record

C．recall

D．consider

6.

A．held

B．missed

C．attended

D．mentioned

7.

A．inspired

B．disturbed

C．embarrassed

D．amused

8.

A．participate

B．finish

C．win

D．run

9.

A．agree with

B．rely on

C．care for

D．believe in

10.

A．confidence

B．pleasure

C．satisfaction

D．motivation

11.

A．last

B．first

C．only

D．second

12.

A．test

B．identify

C．imagine

D．reach

13.

A．knowledge

B．request

C．principle

D．experience

14.

A．bigger

B．brighter

C．clearer

D．nicer

15.

A．view

B．love

C．description

D．memory

3 . Although most flyers (传单) have gone the way of tape recordings, there’s still the _________ one that shows up at our door. _________, they go straight to the recycling bin — unless there are small children and a page with toys catches their eyes.

They are _________ by it. They tend to feel forced to read it over and over again. But that’s not _________. Now there’s a whole list of toys they can’t live without. Before they saw this page, they were _________. There was nothing they needed. They had _________ puzzles, books, and games to keep them satisfied for hours. Not to mention the outdoor _________. Now, they need this toy. They’ll be miserable _________ they have it. After calming down the kids and giving some firm nos, it’s time to _________ the experience.

Aren’t we all like those children? We’re mostly fine until we run into a situation where our desires are __________. This could be a trip to the mall or a view of someone’s vacation pictures on WeChat. There are new things or experiences we __________! We’ll be so miserable without them.

We are all __________ affected. And that’s thought-provoking.

Recognizing our weakness and the source of the temptation (诱惑) is a big first step towards __________ it. We can begin by steeling ourselves against the sources — __________ social media, avoiding the mall… And even under those circumstances that can’t be avoided, we can repeat to ourselves the wisdom, “Who is the rich person? The one who is __________ with his life. ”

1.

A．original

B．occasional

C．important

D．inspiring

2.

A．In order

B．In general

C．Now and then

D．More or less

3.

A．ignored

B．puzzled

C．prohibited

D．attracted

4.

A．within its reach

B．a piece of cake

C．the worst of it

D．as plain as day

5.

A．content

B．curious

C．innocent

D．unsettled

6.

A．all

B．limited

C．enough

D．extra

7.

A．options

B．agency

C．education

D．areas

8.

A．if

B．because

C．until

D．though

9.

A．meet with

B．bring up

C．work out

D．reflect on

10.

A．excited

B．admitted

C．controlled

D．expressed

11.

A．need

B．obtain

C．possess

D．share

12.

A．secretly

B．directly

C．barely

D．easily

13.

A．understanding

B．conquering

C．investigating

D．building

14.

A．making time for

B．looking forward to

C．staying away from

D．taking advantage of

15.

A．familiar

B．satisfied

C．busy

D．concerned

4 . I am a professor of clinical psychology. Some time ago, I got halfway through a day of teaching before a co-worker pointed out to me I was quite carelessly wearing a pair of different shoes, one red and one black. I felt so embarrassed and upset but I would have to go teach my course like this. When I noticed how much I wanted to disappear and avoid this situation, I was determined to face it instead. I walked into class and announced to the students that I was wearing two shoes from different pairs, and directed their attention to my feet. Everyone laughed and we went on with class. Years later, a student in that class told me that this was the moment she first thought that maybe, just maybe, she could be a professor, too.

I shared my mistake because I realized that trying hide it was interfering with my ability to concentrate my mind on my teaching — but I had no idea that it would also help shorten the psychological distance between my students and myself.

Many contexts may punish or shame people for making mistakes. Our efforts to avoid them result from our desires for success, and how others will respond to our mistakes. We might feel self-criticism and shame if we do make some.

However, mistake making is part of learning new things, and it can draw us closer to others. It opens up the possibility of accepting mistakes gladly, letting us be more open and engaged in what we are doing.

We can say words of kindness and self-compassion to ourselves: Mistakes are natural and human; we can be kind to ourselves for this error and still try to do better next time; noticing our own imperfections can help us to be kind to others when we notice they are imperfect, too. When we practice our mistakes in this way, they can become opportunities to open up to others, learn about ourselves, and connect even more with what matters to us.

1. How does the author develop paragraph 1?

A．By giving some examples.	B．By following time order.
C．By doing scientific experiments.	D．By sharing personal experience.

2. What was the result of the author sharing his mistake?

A．Shameful.

B．Unexpected.

C．Punishable.

D．Unaccepted.

3. What does paragraph 3 mainly tell us?

A．Intentions to avoid mistakes.	B．Advantages of making mistakes.
C．Possibilities of making mistakes.	D．Efforts to avoid making mistakes.

4. What can we know about mistakes from the last paragraph?

A．They interfere with what we are doing.

B．They draw too much attention from us.

C．They are big opportunities to get us improved.

D．They make us feel irresponsible and defeated.

5 . I tried to keep my car in control. I pulled by the nearby _________ and parked on a slope (斜坡). I opened the _________ and took out the jack (千斤顶), _________ for centuries, dust-covered piece of metal. I thought, “I can _________ it.” I loosened the nuts and placed the jack down. Half an hour later, I _________ the tyre. The only thing supporting front was the rusty jack. Back in the trunk, I pulled out the spare tyre, _________ the entire car. I saw the car going downhill. Bang! The jack collapsed and the car collapsed.

An inner voice said, “You’re stupid!” Then another voice, “_________!”

The people at the distant bus stop opposite the gas station were looking at me curiously. I was _________.

In the gas station, behind the counter _________ a big man with a smile. The name tag said, “Jay C”. He said, “My friend, was your car doing push-ups?” I told him I did something __________ and I asked him for __________. We got out. Jay C looked at the car and said, “You were right; that’s stupid. Let me __________ you.” You never know who you’re going to find when you reach out. I found a (n) __________ jack master!

Jay C helped me lift the car up skillfully. That night, I stopped to change a tyre, __________, the tyre changed me! I used to believe to reach out was a __________. I discovered my weakness was refusing to reach out. When you reach out, you attract ideas that lift you up.

1.

A．bus stop

B．repair shop

C．gas station

D．emergency center

2.

A．trunk

B．door

C．box

D．window

3.

A．unanswered

B．unclaimed

C．unbroken

D．unused

4.

A．handle

B．see

C．identify

D．know

5.

A．borrowed

B．removed

C．made

D．fixed

6.

A．shaking.

B．destroying

C．frightening

D．starting

7.

A．Leave alone

B．Draw back

C．Run away

D．Reach out

8.

A．embarrassed

B．confused

C．panicked

D．disappointed

9.

A．lay

B．stood

C．walked

D．hid

10.

A．special

B．stupid

C．strange

D．important

11.

A．information

B．instruction

C．explanation

D．help

12.

A．recall

B．miss

C．try

D．show

13.

A．disciplined

B．energetic

C．distinguished

D．delighted

14.

A．otherwise

B．instead

C．besides

D．therefore

15.

A．misfortune

B．failure

C．weakness

D．plus

6 . As far as I could tell, there was only one problem with this year’s Super Bowl. The Green Bay Packers weren't green. They were blue. And even though I had never before seen a professional football game live and in living color, I had read enough from my subscription to Sports Illustrated to know that the dark jerseys (运动衫) worn by the Green Bay Packers were green, not blue.

“Maybe it's something special they're doing for the Super Bowl,” my dad suggested.

“The colors aren't right, Dad,” I said. “I’m sure of it.”

Eventually Dad agreed. “I'll get a repairman tomorrow,” he said. It was a minor annoyance, but it somehow cast a pall over our enjoyment of the pre-game festivities. This was highly anticipated Super Bowl, and we were watching it on our super new color TV. It was supposed to be super.

Just a few minutes before kickoff, my big brother Bud arrived with Craig, a college friend. Craig looked at the TV for a moment. “I think your tint (色调) is off a little,” he said. He reached behind the set and began feeling around for buttons. Suddenly our color TV was black and white. He reached behind the TV again. He must have found the right button, because a moment later color was restored — and perfected. The Green Bay Packers were in their traditional green and gold uniforms. The field was green, the sky was blue and it was a Super Sunday, indeed.

It amazed me then — and often has since — what a major difference a minor adjustment can make. A well-placed nail or a tweak (拧) of a button from someone who knows what they’re doing can change everything. The same principle holds true in interpersonal matters. While there are some hurts that cannot be easily repaired, it's amazing how often a simple smile, a kind word, or a gentle touch can change our way of thinking, improve our mood, and make everything seem, you know, super.

1. About what did the author disagree with his dad?

A．Which channel to watch.

B．Which sports team would win.

C．Whether the colors on the screen were wrong.

D．Whether the players' uniforms were fit for the event.

2. What does the underlined phrase “cast a pall over” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Replaced.

B．Witnessed.

C．Ensured.

D．Damaged.

3. What does the author think of Craig's behavior?

A．It took too long.	B．It saved much money.
C．It made matters even worse.	D．It breathed new life into the show.

4. What does the author intend to tell us?

A．Always put yourself in others' shoes.	B．It is important to learn basic life skills.
C．A small act can make a big difference.	D．Learn to smile through life's imperfections.

7 . One day, my 12-year-old daughter participated in a school poetry reading event. All her classmates were invited to write a “lie poem” about how ________ they were and read them aloud. They were supposed to ________ untruths about themselves that made them sound ________ wonderful. As I listened to the poems, I realized that the children were actually ________ the picture of their future. By “lying” to themselves, they were creating a ________ of who they wanted to be in the future.

I couldn’t help admiring the school for ________ the children to dream big in such a special way, even if it might not be the first intention. In fact, most of us are ________ to see the truth of who we could be. My daughter’s school developed an unintended ________ to that difficulty: If it’s hard for you to imagine the ________ in yourself, then you might want to begin by expressing it as a ________, as did the children who wrote the poems.

Think up some stories about who you would like to be. In due course, this ________ exercise would help you build the necessary blueprint for ________ your achievements. Without a picture of your ________ self, you can’t live into that self. So ________ it till you make it. The lie will become the ________ in the end.

1.

A．rich

B．busy

C．great

D．smart

2.

A．point out

B．make up

C．hold back

D．rely on

3.

A．unbelievably

B．unconsciously

C．unacceptably

D．unreasonably

4.

A．exaggerating

B．restoring

C．admiring

D．clarifying

5.

A．sample

B．vision

C．message

D．principle

6.

A．forcing

B．requesting

C．motivating

D．warning

7.

A．unable

B．anxious

C．nervous

D．unwilling

8.

A．excuse

B．balance

C．solution

D．connection

9.

A．interest

B．courage

C．expectation

D．potential

10.

A．fantasy

B．fortune

C．benefit

D．reference

11.

A．healthy

B．creative

C．gentle

D．formal

12.

A．ensuring

B．informing

C．stretching

D．measuring

13.

A．highest

B．biggest

C．happiest

D．bravest

14.

A．stop

B．forget

C．hide

D．pretend

15.

A．dream

B．reality

C．memory

D．nightmare

8 . Eugenie George was a financial writer and educator from Philadelphia. When she first heard that her friend Jean passed a financial counseling exam, her heart ________. She’d failed the same test weeks earlier, and she ________the certificate to advance her career.

But then, instead of being ________, she called Jean. “I told her I failed and ________I was envious,” she said. George knew that being honest would reduce her ________and she was surprised that when she shifted her ________, she could share her friend’s happiness and experience her own, in turn. “I congratulated her and told her she________ me,” she said. Jean was impressed by George’s honesty and ________that she would share her joy. Jean expressed her gratitude and shared with George her ________in preparing for the exam and offered some practical methods. “You can ________me whenever in need. And I am ________sure that you can do it next time,” Jean told George. Although the two were in different states talking on the phone, they felt they had never been so________

Finding pleasure in another person’s good ________ will make the relationship more close and enjoyable.________ in someone else’s joy can also develop resilience（适应力）, improve life ________and help people cooperate during a conflict.

1.

A．grew

B．rose

C．swam

D．sank

2.

A．bought

B．needed

C．tore

D．divided

3.

A．upset

B．anxious

C．cruel

D．scared

4.

A．committed

B．admitted

C．permitted

D．submitted

5.

A．energy

B．expectation

C．envy

D．effort

6.

A．direction

B．aim

C．fantasy

D．attitude

7.

A．hurt

B．handled

C．inspired

D．persuaded

8.

A．appreciated

B．advised

C．warned

D．doubted

9.

A．fear

B．experience

C．journey

D．concern

10.

A．respond to

B．agree with

C．compete with

D．turn to

11.

A．definitely

B．eventually

C．merely

D．hardly

12.

A．kind

B．gentle

C．close

D．secure

13.

A．purpose

B．fortune

C．impression

D．income

14.

A．Participating

B．Dealing

C．Sharing

D．Taking

15.

A．application

B．tradition

C．profession

D．satisfaction

9 . 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。

Thirty Cents Worth

Whispering voices and laughter filled the hallways of my school as I walked with my friend toward our next class. I resisted the impulse (冲动) to become yet another person using these few moments to judge others in order to make myself feel better. I repeated to myself, “Thirty cents”, as I continued to walk in silence, something I rarely did. My friend dug her elbow into my side and complained, “That’s just annoying. Why would anyone want blue hair? It’s unbearable!” I thought before my tongue sprang into action. Ordinarily, I would just give the expected giggle and nod-but for some reason, I hesitated this time.

My thoughts turned back to the previous Sunday afternoon. After flying through the house grabbing and tossing things into my soccer bag, I discovered that I was out of Blister—Block Band-Aids (防起泡创可贴),an essential for the next day’s game. My mom dropped me off and promised me she’d be right back. I rushed inside and grabbed the goods.

There was a line at the register, as usual, and I waited my turn. I slowed down for a minute and examined the man in front of me. I was shocked. He was old and had a smell of gasoline and cigarettes. His hair was messy and reached below his shoulders. He wore a red vest covered with dust and jeans faded beyond recognition. His blue eyes were glassy and tired, and his dark red face was deeply wrinkled by hard times.

He reached the counter and greeted the saleswoman with a nod. She turned away her eyes as he pointed to the cigarettes behind the counter. She grabbed the carton (香烟纸盒) he was pointing to and quickly rang him up (用收银机收下了钱). He grabbed the plastic bag and slowly walked away.

Hardly had he left the counter when I gave her four one-dollar bills and the Band-Aids as she nodded in agreement with my disgust.

“Sorry,” she said. “You’re thirty cents short.”

“Oh, no. I don’t have thirty cents! My mom isn’t here. She’ll be right back. Can I run out to the car real quick?” As I was trying to explain my case, the cashier was visibly annoyed by the delay I was causing.

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 could feel the blood rush to my face as the people behind me in line started complaining.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“That’s okay. It’s only thirty cents,“ the man said with a warm smile and a wink.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . I am a university professor. Last year, I took a(n) _________ step: I decided to sign up for an online course to learn Arabic, a very difficult language.

My teacher was a patient and _________ man from Cairo, who had been teaching here for years. He could _________ my awkwardness in class and would find ways to help me feel more comfortable. “You are intelligent today,” my teacher would often say when I _________ well in class. When I heard these words for the first time, I was filled with _________. A few words from an authority _________ had made my day. His praise truly _________ my confidence and I became more positive about my Arabic learning.

That was when I _________ how little I had praised my own students. Too much praise, I had thought, made students too _________, and even lazy. Now, as a student, I saw things __________. I had a change of heart. If I — a university professor with a PhD — felt __________ with a few words of encouragement, imagine what __________ my words could have on my students, sensitive young people who were looking to carve out a career in a __________ environment?

So now I praise as often and as sincerely as I can, knowing that even __________ words can mean a lot. They can save someone from a bad day, as my teacher’s __________ have done for me.

1.

A．embarrassing

B．brave

C．confusing

D．unique

2.

A．understanding

B．modest

C．humorous

D．honest

3.

A．notice

B．remember

C．explain

D．deny

4.

A．carved

B．pretended

C．performed

D．taught

5.

A．fear

B．pain

C．joy

D．wisdom

6.

A．text

B．figure

C．saying

D．organization

7.

A．checked

B．boosted

C．weakened

D．shook

8.

A．wondered

B．forgot

C．realized

D．ignored

9.

A．nervous

B．proud

C．heavy

D．creative

10.

A．normally

B．deliberately

C．anxiously

D．differently

11.

A．inspired

B．amused

C．astonished

D．puzzled

12.

A．reflection

B．pressure

C．dependence

D．impact

13.

A．peaceful

B．comfortable

C．traditional

D．stressful

14.

A．simple

B．accurate

C．fancy

D．familiar

15.

A．decisions

B．promises

C．words

D．orders