1 . Since the first day of preschool, I was always the type to invest more time in my physical war than social activities, the type that _________ the girls who could get up in front of the class and _________ give a presentation. Anything in the area of being vocally confident was never my _________. But now I’m different. Such a change _________ my summer job.

My entire existence has been defined by the summers I’ve spent in Avalon, New Jersey. Then, in my 14th summer, I got a job, which made a _________ to me.

At first it frightened me:The idea of having to _________ my freedom. Not only was the loss of freedom saddening me, but the _________ in me came out to play when I realized that I was going to launch myself into a completely _________ environment.

The place was Brian’s Waffle House. At the beginning I was very nervous, _________ I gradually pushed myself much more and boosted my confidence. I’ve made so many great friends that I’ll __________ contact with even when the Waffle House is long gone. The time in the Brian’s Waffle House is not dull. And every customer is a valuable part of the __________.

My summer job has helped guide me in my own personal growth. Now I __________ to sing in front of a large group of people. And I never miss a __________ to allow my fashionable style to shine. If I hadn’t walked into the shop, I wouldn’t have __________ the social skills I have now. I will be __________ for the lessons and values I have learned forever.

1.

A．ignored

B．convinced

C．envied

D．consulted

2.

A．confidently

B．definitely

C．fortunately

D．secretly

3.

A．expectation

B．strength

C．excuse

D．ambition

4.

A．emerged from

B．departed from

C．suffered from

D．recovered from

5.

A．introduction

B．contribution

C．discovery

D．difference

6.

A．excite

B．possess

C．abandon

D．threaten

7.

A．shyness

B．delight

C．curiosity

D．pressure

8.

A．secure

B．strange

C．formal

D．natural

9.

A．as

B．or

C．but

D．so

10.

A．restore

B．lose

C．establish

D．maintain

11.

A．memory

B．experience

C．incident

D．journey

12.

A．dare

B．fail

C．promise

D．demand

13.

A．goal

B．plan

C．choice

D．chance

14.

A．assessed

B．acquired

C．exercised

D．applied

15.

A．ready

B．eager

C．grateful

D．suitable

2 . I remember the first time I saw a skateboarder roll past me when I was 14 in the early 90s. The skater moved in such a _______ and cool way. He _______ through the crowds in the same way that water finds its natural _______. I can still _______ with complete clarity the sound of the trail of the skateboard snapping against the road as the skateboarder jumped up with the board into the air. It was the _______ thing I’d ever seen. Why walk to school when you could skate? After serious saving and a _______ for early birthday funds, I _______ myself in the skate shop and got my first skateboard!

What I didn’t know then was that this first _______ was the beginning of a voyage that would never _______. Information and experiences were exchanged and ________ with friends. And only through dedication and perseverance did my ability and confidence ________.

And as my skateboarding years rolled by, my friends and I ________further into the unknown architectural skate spots around the globe. ________ with fellow skateboarders get past borders because the sport brings with it a bond of sincerity. You know ________ good times await. You’re a global conqueror aboard four wheels and seven layers of Canadian plywood.

I’m now 36, and, as I continue to age, my adventures as a skateboarder will ________. Skateboarding is an extension of play and fun. I shall never get tired of it.

1.

A．smooth

B．sensitive

C．safe

D．strange

2.

A．inched

B．weaved

C．fled

D．pulled

3.

A．color

B．route

C．procedure

D．origin

4.

A．enjoy

B．analyze

C．recall

D．celebrate

5.

A．cleverest

B．healthiest

C．strongest

D．coolest

6.

A．love

B．goal

C．request

D．concern

7.

A．dressed

B．calmed

C．expressed

D．found

8.

A．competition

B．attempt

C．plan

D．order

9.

A．end

B．pass

C．work

D．fail

10.

A．negotiated

B．declared

C．shared

D．valued

11.

A．focus

B．change

C．start

D．grow

12.

A．journeyed

B．divided

C．fell

D．broke

13.

A．Trades

B．Relations

C．Arguments

D．Problems

14.

A．endless

B．worthless

C．aimless

D．restless

15.

A．fade away

B．come back

C．go on

D．run out

3 . When Eugenie George first heard that her friend passed a financial exam, her heart sank. She’d ______ the same test weeks earlier.

“Envy was eating me up,” recalls George. But anyway she ______ her friend. “And I told her I failed and admitted I was ______,” she says. George knew that being ______ would ease her envy, but she was surprised that it also enabled her to ______ her friend’s happiness and experience her own in turn.

Finding ______ in another person’s good fortune is what social scientists call freudenfreude, the great joy we feel when someone else succeeds, ______ it doesn’t directly involve us. Freudenfreude is like a kind of social______, says Catherine Chambliss, a professor of psychology. It makes relationships “closer and more enjoyable.”

Too often, we think our friends ______ us most during their hard times: a job ______, getting divorced. In fact, how friends ______ our joy is even more important for us than how they respond to our ______. Too often, we think of joy passively. We see it as something that come to us, instead of something we can ______. While it can be difficult in practice, freudenfreude can lift us up and ______ our day. So celebrating our friends’ ______ is a win-win to us all.

1.

A．taken

B．passed

C．failed

D．prepared

2.

A．congratulated

B．forgave

C．blamed

D．ignored

3.

A．badly-behaved

B．over-burdened

C．short-sighted

D．green-eyed

4.

A．tough

B．honest

C．tolerant

D．optimistic

5.

A．imagine

B．understand

C．share

D．increase

6.

A．hope

B．passion

C．confidence

D．pleasure

7.

A．even if

B．as if

C．now that

D．so that

8.

A．platform

B．glue

C．booster

D．routine

9.

A．support

B．annoy

C．upset

D．need

10.

A．loss

B．change

C．interview

D．application

11.

A．look forward to

B．contribute to

C．get used to

D．react to

12.

A．envy

B．complaints

C．suffering

D．mistakes

13.

A．predict

B．produce

C．choose

D．measure

14.

A．fill

B．start

C．brighten

D．balance

15.

A．survival

B．success

C．recovery

D．generosity

4 . During the lockdown, my husband, Bob, and I were offered a pingpong table. I am a non-athlete but Bob does well in pingpong.

“What are we going to do with that pingpong table?” Bob asked me.

“The two of us will _______ ,” I replied. Bob looked doubtful.

I lost every game and I told myself that it didn’t _______ that I always lost. I was playing for _______ and to provide a positive experience in a difficult time. But there were days when I _______ losing. Once I threw my paddle(球拍) across the yard angrily. Then Bob _______ I play with a handicap(让分) of 12 points. That _______ a lot—I sometimes won! I’d never been interested in any kind of sport. But pingpong became the _______ of my day. I began to get better and won more games. My handicap _______ to 8.

My husband and I _______ the worst of the lockdowns through pingpong. It ________ me that even a self-described bookworm can learn a new sport. The ________ was my husband’s suggestion that I play with a handicap so I’d have an equal ________ to win. He doesn’t like to lose either, but it’s more fun for him if I actually want to participate and ________ it. It takes two willing partners to play table tennis, after all, and two people with an equal chance in each other’s ________ to make a marriage. Simply put, when it comes to table tennis—or any other ________ —there is no ping without a pong.

1.

A．sell

B．play

C．share

D．donate

2.

A．happen

B．change

C．remain

D．matter

3.

A．courage

B．honour

C．exercise

D．hobby

4.

A．hated

B．avoided

C．missed

D．imagined

5.

A．suggested

B．demanded

C．required

D．insisted

6.

A．meant

B．helped

C．finished

D．lasted

7.

A．fantasy

B．anxiety

C．memory

D．highlight

8.

A．turned

B．added

C．dropped

D．linked

9.

A．marched into

B．got through

C．passed by

D．came across

10.

A．promised

B．persuaded

C．warned

D．taught

11.

A．reason

B．key

C．goal

D．purpose

12.

A．partnership

B．stage

C．amount

D．chance

13.

A．enjoy

B．regret

C．deserve

D．receive

14.

A．kindness

B．friendliness

C．happiness

D．business

15.

A．experience

B．education

C．relationship

D．schedule

5 . At 28 years old, I lost my job as a full-time magazine editor. I’d always dreamed of becoming a self-employed writer, but I _______ doing it at 35 or even 40 years old, _______   I had a more solid(坚实的) financial footing.

Despite the fear I felt at _______ this dream before I was ready, it was my best, most practical _______ at the time. With my husband’s encouragement, I took a leap of faith, _______ my fear and jumped.

I’ve been working for myself full-time for two years. Not only am I happier thanks to a(n) _______ schedule and the freedom to take on the projects I want, but I’m earning much more than I did as a _______ editor.

When it comes to big dreams, many of us plan out every last detail so that we feel     _______for success. But often, this over-planning prevents us from ever taking action. No matter how much planning we do, we’ll never feel 100% ready.

When Jennifer Qiao got _______ , she struggled to find a modern version of a cheongsam, a traditional Chinese wedding dress, and an idea was________. Neither she nor Vivian Chan, her co-founder, had experience in entrepreneurship(创业). They didn’t even know if there was a ________ for their products in the U.S. But they decided to just start small and test out their idea ________. They never truly felt ready to start a(n) ________ , let alone make custom wedding dresses. However, through hard work, trial and error, they’ve   ________their team to a successful company.

Never let over-planning get in the________ of you taking action.

1.

A．enjoyed

B．imagined

C．started

D．suggested

2.

A．so

B．but

C．once

D．although

3.

A．diving into

B．carrying on

C．breaking up

D．letting out

4.

A．offer

B．option

C．application

D．judgement

5.

A．shared

B．treated

C．understood

D．faced

6.

A．strict

B．tight

C．flexible

D．ambitious

7.

A．chief

B．part-time

C．retired

D．salaried

8.

A．eager

B．grateful

C．prepared

D．regretful

9.

A．fired

B．employed

C．dressed

D．married

10.

A．born

B．forgotten

C．stolen

D．rejected

11.

A．plan

B．charge

C．market

D．deadline

12.

A．widely

B．quickly

C．secretly

D．officially

13.

A．business

B．challenge

C．organization

D．game

14.

A．adjusted

B．referred

C．contributed

D．grown

15.

A．form

B．way

C．beginning

D．middle

6 . I experienced a day when I was extraordinarily _______. I’m never a picture of grace, but on this particular day, I seemed to be _______ everything. It’s an old church, and the floor is _______ in some places, so my fall was the floor’s fault. But when I fell again on my way out to the car, and yet again in my own home, I began to grow _______. Had I let myself get so stressed out that I had _______ become sick?

Having been raised by devoted Christian parents who also worked in the mental-health field, I tended to look for spiritual and emotional reasons before I headed to the local _______. I have the calming practice that _______ a yoga pose with a breath prayer. I went to _______ more comfortable clothes for the exercise, and as I removed my shoes, I was _______!

I wasn’t having a stroke at all. I had completely worn out my favorite pair of sandals. The soles (鞋底) of both shoes were split in two! I had ________ all the possibilities to figure out what was causing my clumsiness. It never occurred to me to check my soles.

So often when we start to feel ________, we look for ways to make things better. But just as it never occurred to me to check the soles of my shoes, our own souls are the very ________ thing we think of to check. Take a moment to remember the last time you sat still, meditating. If you can’t remember when that was, it might be a(n) ________.

The local cobbler (鞋匠) said my soles were irreparable. We had a good ________, but it was time to let them go. Fortunately for us, our souls can be mended and restored — once we realize they are in need of ________.

1.

A．busy

B．clumsy

C．stressed

D．bored

2.

A．going through

B．stepping on

C．falling off

D．tripping over

3.

A．uneven

B．sharp

C．stained

D．shallow

4.

A．inspired

B．grieved

C．concerned

D．interested

5.

A．luckily

B．literally

C．obviously

D．doubtfully

6.

A．doctor

B．coach

C．tailor

D．psychologist

7.

A．exchanges

B．equips

C．associates

D．combines

8.

A．wrap up

B．take off

C．change into

D．look after

9.

A．rescued

B．cured

C．injured

D．slipped

10.

A．exhausted

B．predicted

C．ignored

D．discussed

11.

A．delighted

B．divided

C．overwhelmed

D．thrilled

12.

A．best

B．last

C．easiest

D．hardest

13.

A．mistake

B．solution

C．test

D．clue

14.

A．run

B．exercise

C．yoga

D．gesture

15.

A．repair

B．review

C．response

D．replacement

7 . Amazing and perfectly beautiful, The Midnight Library is everything you’d expect from the genius storyteller, Matt Haig. I picked it up from our readers’ recommendations (we asked our readers to send in some of their favorite recent books) and I can see why it won Best Fiction of 2020 in the Good Reads Choice Awards.

The story follows Nora Seed, a woman who is struggling and feels like nothing in her life has gone according to plan. While the initial chapters of the book are quite sad, Nora finds herself given a chance to start over in the Midnight Library, a magical place full of books of all the different paths her life could have taken. Nora is forced to stay in the library and try out different versions of her life until she finds the life she most wants to live.

I loved the idea that no dream or fork in your road is insignificant, and that they all lead us to become different versions of ourselves. In one life, Nora is an Olympic swimmer. In another, she is a glaciologist living on a boat off the coast of Antarctica. The novel reveals in a beautiful way that the potential we all have within us is impossible to measure, and that we have the possibility to be happy in many different versions of life.

It also discusses how dangerous it can be to live your life with regrets. The Midnight Library revealed to Nora that even if you make very different choices, you may uncover a deeper appreciation for your current home and the people in your life. It is your perspective that matters.

I really loved the fantasy and magical realism in this novel, and I would love for this to be turned into a series where we get to explore The Midnight Library of other characters’ lives as well.

1. What can we know about the author of the text?

A．He should be an editor.	B．He is the friend of Matt Haig.
C．Magical realism books are his favorite.	D．He shares a similar experience with Nora.

2. What does The Midnight Library mainly discuss?

A．A magic library.	B．The harm of regret.
C．The exploration of life.	D．Ways to make correct choices.

3. Where can the text be found?

A．In a novel.

B．In a magazine.

C．In a history book.

D．In a biography.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To thank readers who introduced the book.	B．To honour Matt Haig, the author of the book.
C．To share the author’s opinions on the book.	D．To publicize the book to people who are struggling.

8 . Somebody gave me an award! In my entire life, I have only ever received one award: in 2000, I was named Most Helpful by my university drama society.

This time, however, I won an actual award! Admittedly, there was no big awards ceremony. just an email and a social media post. But, nevertheless, it’s given me a glow of pride. Somebody acknowledged my achievements!

The problem is that society seems to favor youth. There are a million ‘30 under 30’ lists which I was never on, and yet it was only last year that the magazine Forbes launched its ‘50 over 50’ list. But while I don’t want to take those awards away from the kids, 1 know if someone had declared me an ‘up-and-coming’ anything at 30, I’d have been as terrified as I was delighted; so much to live up to. Now, however, I am grabbing that award and shouting: “At last, the recognition I deserve!”, because I know how much work I’ve put in, and I’m not about to let anyone lessen that.

If I was to list the advantages of getting older, then the ability to recognize my accomplishments and to be proud of them would be at the very top. Heard too many times, it’s boring to say that we women put ourselves down, but too often we push away praise, rather than taking it up like the cat who got the cream. For most of us, praise is not a daily gift. So, when it comes, we need to allow ourselves to receive it. And if no one else is giving it to us, we need to give it to ourselves.

It works the other way, too. My new favourite hobby is writing emails to the head offices of restaurants and shops, to tell them how lovely their staff are. It makes me feel good, and I hope it does them, too.

A friend once told me about a self-development course she’d been on where participants had to shout ‘I apprise of my decision!’, and then high-five themselves. I put this ritual into my daily life. Now, I am done. And, then, I’m writing myself an email of praise. Because, like that award, I deserve it.

1. What made the author feel proud of getting the award this time?

A．The big awards ceremony.

B．The social media post.

C．The second award after her graduation.

D．The recognition of her achievements.

2. What does the author want to tell in paragraph 3?

A．Society presents unfairness to youth.

B．Her years-long effort pays off eventually.

C．She is confident enough to be superior to kids.

D．She is too scared to live up to others’ expectations.

3. What does the underlined “ritual” in paragraph 6 probably mean?

A．Practice.

B．Course.

C．Hobby.

D．Need.

4. What advice would the author like to give women?

A．Being content with their own life.

B．Being appreciative of themselves.

C．Being generous to their lovely staff.

D．Being modest about their achievements.

9 . Although Cuban built a tech company that would finally make him extremely rich, he never showed off that. “I never, ever thought about _________,” he said. Instead, Cuban said his drive was something else _________. He said, “I always think about time. That’s always been my driving force. How can I control my own _________?”

At the beginning, when Cuban sold his first company for 6 million dollars, he never thought he’d have to _________ again. It made him so _________. He saved most of his _________ so he could live freely without worrying about future job. When he did _________, he spent on traveling with friends and family.

Five years later, the stock (股票) he had was highly _________ at the time. However, he hadn’t _________ most of his stock just months before the bubble (泡沫) ________________, and then the share (股份) price dropped quickly. “It taught me a ________________: When you just go after money, it never ________________ well,” Cuban said. “However, if you value time, it can work out quite well. The most valuable fortune we can ________________ is our time. The only thing we can do is ________________ time and make full use of it. In that case, we can get amazing results.”

I couldn’t agree more with Cuban’s views. A person’s life is short. We should make the best use of time to do meaningful things, so that we won’t ________________ a thing before death.

1.

A．money

B．relief

C．jobs

D．companies

2.

A．equally

B．completely

C．purposely

D．naturally

3.

A．narrowness

B．dirt

C．time

D．age

4.

A．live

B．share

C．travel

D．work

5.

A．wise

B．suitable

C．impressive

D．free

6.

A．symbols

B．strategies

C．earnings

D．rents

7.

A．party

B．spend

C．challenge

D．tour

8.

A．valuable

B．formal

C．major

D．obvious

9.

A．sold

B．packed

C．held

D．buried

10.

A．formed

B．improved

C．broke

D．changed

11.

A．personality

B．lesson

C．path

D．solution

12.

A．puts away

B．takes down

C．works out

D．gets over

13.

A．create

B．donate

C．buy

D．own

14.

A．save

B．apply

C．understand

D．limit

15.

A．feature

B．regret

C．start

D．deliver

10 . I believe almost everyone would like two things from their jobs and careers: success and happiness. They want to do relatively well financially, receive fair recognition for their accomplishments, enjoy their work as much as one can, and become happier as a person as a result. So many people, especially ambitious, hard-working people, simplify them in a logical way: They first seek success and then assume that success will lead to happiness.     1    . Chasing success has costs that can end up lowering happiness.

This is not to say that you have to choose between success and happiness.     2    . But you have to reverse (颠倒) the order of operations: Instead of trying first to get success and hoping it leads to happiness, start by working on your happiness, which will enhance your success.

Whether you are an employee or employer, it is a better investment to increase happiness at work and in life, rather than simply trying to increase measures of success.

    3    . No matter how much you enjoy your work, overwork will become an obstruction (阻碍) to well-being.

Once work quantity is under control, happiness at work requires a sense of meaning and purpose.     4    . Earned success implies a sense of accomplishment and recognition for a job well done, while service to others requires knowledge of the real people who benefit from your work.

Ultimately, although success and happiness are linked, the magic mostly works one-way — and not in the way that most people think.     5    , and may lead you to unhappiness. But working on your happiness. gives you the best chance at getting both.

A．You can obtain both

B．But this reasoning is faulty

C．It’s fairly reasonable to think this way, though

D．Working on your success to get happier is inefficient at best (充其量)

E．The first thing to remember is that happiness requires balance

F．It’s dangerous to pursue success instead of happiness

G．The two key aspects of meaningful work are earned success and service to others