1 . At the age of 12, I withdrew into my bedroom with my guitar. I had neither musical talent — many_______music lessons had proved that — nor musical training. My fingers ached as I tried to press down on the strings without making them buzz (发出嗡嗡声). _______, I worked my way through 2-, 3- and even 5-chord (和旋) songs and discovered the _______ thrills of these musical notes. No one _______ me to do this. I did this myself and of my own free will for a week, and the sense of happiness－ true happiness _______ in absorption in something － has _______ me. Fifty years later, that week’s self-directed practice became a model and _______ for almost every meaningful thing I have done since. It makes me understand the _______ between achievement and accomplishment.

The world favors achievement while _______ accomplishment. The former is the completion of the task imposed (强加) from the outside — the ________ being a path to the next task. The latter is the end point of an activity we have chosen, whose bonus is the sudden ________ of happiness.

The seeking of accomplishment always ________ people. I learned so long ago in that ________ week that simply lifting one finger from the guitar’s C chord, you should get the most moving ________ in tune. I didn’t know then it was a major 7th chord, a favorite of some masters’. I just ________ accomplishment. That’s real human “achievement”.

1.

A．added

B．tailored

C．expected

D．failed

2.

A．Besides

B．Instead

C．Therefore

D．However

3.

A．fruitless

B．matchless

C．effortless

D．senseless

4.

A．wished

B．allowed

C．required

D．invited

5.

A．masked

B．rooted

C．set

D．stuck

6.

A．waited for

B．passed by

C．departed from

D．stayed with

7.

A．exchange

B．reason

C．foundation

D．priority

8.

A．relationship

B．difference

C．balance

D．similarity

9.

A．ignoring

B．avoiding

C．assessing

D．defending

10.

A．origin

B．process

C．decision

D．reward

11.

A．lack

B．need

C．rush

D．dream

12.

A．amazes

B．concerns

C．frightens

D．discourages

13.

A．adventurous

B．dangerous

C．memorable

D．horrible

14.

A．impression

B．performance

C．scene

D．harmony

15.

A．pursued

B．accepted

C．interpreted

D．analysed

2 . Life is hard－even harder than anyone thought it would be. When you were younger, you dreamed of the world being your playground, and you were told that you could do anything and be anyone you wanted. Somehow, though, things haven’t been the smooth sailing that   you wanted them to be. The world seems to go against you, and the last thing you want to hear is “Cheer up!”

Still, there’s a couple of things you might not notice about your situation. Next time you’re down, maybe the following will provide motivation.

Firstly, not everything is bad. It’s a well-accepted fact that bad news makes for sensational (极好的) television ratings. The fact is that something negative catches a lot more attention than something positive, and that’s because it’s easy to see things in a negative light. However, that shouldn’t distract you from the bigger picture.

Resist the tunnel vision that results from constant negativity. Remember that even though there’s lots of really nasty stuff going on, you’re surrounded by some pretty awesome stuff as well.

You should also remember other people aren’t you. No one likes being compared to another person. What makes it even worse, if that’s even possible, is when you do it to yourself.

Stop comparing yourself to another person and you’ll realize that you’re much more awesome than you give yourself credit for.

Lastly, failure isn’t where the game stops. So you tried something new, but you didn’t follow through. Frustrated at yourself, you stop trying. As a result, your quality of life goes down terribly. You’ve given up on it, though, because you don’t see the point (since you failed the first time).

Now, you’re an adult. The things you are trying are much more complicated than five-year-old you. However, your behaviour shouldn’t change in the slightest－when you fail in something, that’s just more information in your data bank. You know that method doesn’t work, so try another one! And another one after that! Do this until you figure it out. Giving up is for losers, and you sure aren’t one of those.

1. The author mentioned bad news in order to show that .

A．bad news makes people see things in a negative light

B．bad news is more likely to catch people’s eyes

C．bad news attracts people to see positive things

D．bad news has a negative effect on television ratings

2. What does the underlined part “nasty stuff” in Para. 4 probably mean?

A．Unstable emotions.	B．Important events.
C．Amazing incidents .	D．Something unpleasant.

3. How should we view failure according to the passage?

A．We will change our behaviour.

B．We will keep trying the old method.

C．We should learn from failure.

D．We should think in a more complicated way.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．It inspires us to learn from negative experiences.

B．It compares negative and positive experiences.

C．It criticizes those who are affected by bad experiences.

D．It discusses how negative experiences affect others.

3 . Do you enjoy the Olympics? I certainly do. Every four years we get to see the best of the best competing for the _______. But sometimes the best inspiration _______ those who don’t win.

In 1988, Eddie Edwards became the first athlete since 1928 to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping. He had no money, no equipment, no _______ — and some called him the great British loser.

“When you _______, it’s probably about 500 or 600 feet high. So you do have to be not a little _______ to go down, but probably a lot.” Eddie recalled, “I got out and the crowd started _______ ‘Eddie! Eddie!’. It’s the most _______ feeling in the world.”

How did Eddie do? Eddie’s British record of 71 meters _______ him in 58th place — 19 meters behind the competitor who placed 57th. But it didn’t _______. His fans loved him for other reasons. If you ask anyone in Britain, “Who won the Olympic ski jump in 1988?” Almost no one could tell you. ________, if you ask, “Who is Eddie Edwards?” They’ll tell you all about the crazy ski jump guy who they still remember and ________ to this day. The British people were proud of him for just trying, thus ________ didn’t matter a bit. He will be forever and ________ memorized by his country for doing what no one else had done in 60 years.

So what ________ thing are you afraid to do? Take Eddie’s example and just go for it. You might just become a ________.

1.

A．bonus

B．praise

C．medals

D．profits

2.

A．makes up

B．calls for

C．tracks down

D．comes from

3.

A．fans

B．coaches

C．friends

D．competitors

4.

A．look down

B．walk around

C．climb up

D．step forward

5.

A．stupid

B．expert

C．crazy

D．curious

6.

A．whispering

B．shouting

C．singing

D．laughing

7.

A．exciting

B．relaxing

C．frightening

D．annoying

8.

A．followed

B．impressed

C．titled

D．landed

9.

A．work

B．change

C．matter

D．remain

10.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Besides

D．Moreover

11.

A．blame

B．recognize

C．contact

D．admire

12.

A．sweating

B．losing

C．training

D．falling

13.

A．fondly

B．hardly

C．equally

D．simply

14.

A．suitable

B．positive

C．competitive

D．adventurous

15.

A．joke

B．legend

C．loser

D．winner

4 . Many years ago, I was on an early morning flight to Ecuador. ______, during such long journeys, I would put my headphones and go to sleep. ______, on this particular day, I decided to take a little risk.

I ______ the silence and started a conversation with the man sitting next to me. I learned that this companion was a ______ and we had a fascinating conversation.

Mid-flight, I gathered the courage to take another ______, sharing with him a book proposal I put together for something I was doing in my class. He read it, but politely declined it. That risk didn’t ______. Upon landing, we exchanged contact information.

Months later, I ______ him, inviting him to my class to discuss a project on redesigning the book. I shared my students’ project videos. One particular project caught Mark’s   ______.

He expressed a desire to meet these students. I admitted I was a little bit ______ for he seemed more interested in working with my students than with me.

After meeting the students, I, together with him and his colleagues, had a dinner together where life once again showed a(an) ______ turn. During this dinner, one of his editors asked me if I’d ever considered writing a book. I shared the ______ proposal that I had showed his boss a year earlier. Within a fortnight, we had a contract, and within two years, over a million books had been ______ around the world.

This journey may seem lucky, but it ______ a series of small risks, beginning with a ______ “hello.” Anyone can follow this path by ______ these small risks and finally increase your chances of being lucky.

1.

A．Fortunately

B．Typically

C．Curiously

D．Thankfully

2.

A．Besides

B．Therefore

C．Otherwise

D．However

3.

A．broke

B．maintained

C．enjoyed

D．observed

4.

A．writer

B．teacher

C．publisher

D．photographer

5.

A．risk

B．choice

C．lesson

D．joke

6.

A．stand out

B．run out

C．work out

D．show off

7.

A．made friends with

B．reached out to

C．lost contact with

D．argued with

8.

A．breath

B．meaning

C．imagination

D．interest

9.

A．amazed

B．stressed

C．scared

D．hurt

10.

A．unexpected

B．disappointing

C．wrong

D．intentional

11.

A．new

B．same

C．different

D．updated

12.

A．donated

B．copied

C．sold

D．printed

13.

A．reduced

B．created

C．resulted from

D．led to

14.

A．surprising

B．simple

C．quick

D．formal

15.

A．hugging

B．cutting

C．estimating

D．avoiding

5 . In some ways, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where we ______ our day with a cup of coffee or tea. The kitchen is where we ______ ourselves, body and soul.

Sometimes you need order in the kitchen for things to run ______. Sometimes you need one person to be ______ charge. Imagine you are cooking dinner for your friends. As you are making the soup, your friend Sara ______ it and says, “This needs more salt.” So, she adds more salt.

Then Harlan comes in. He tastes your ______ and says, “You didn’t put enough pepper.” So he grinds (磨碎) some fresh black pepper into the pot.

Cecilia sees him. She tastes the soup and says, “You forgot vinegar. It’s my ______ ingredient.” Then she ______ in some vinegar.

You are happy to spend time with your friends. But, quite ______, all their opinions about your soup are becoming ______. Worst of all, you taste the soup and it’s ______!

And that is where we get the expression “too many cooks ______ the soup.”

This expression describes an age-old ______: If too many people help to complete a task, it may not go very well.

So there should be a cook in the kitchen. He is the ______. Other people can be assistants helping him. And the cook has the final ______.

1.

A．enjoy

B．finish

C．start

D．spend

2.

A．prepare

B．eat

C．cook

D．feed

3.

A．frequently

B．actively

C．smoothly

D．quickly

4.

A．from

B．for

C．with

D．in

5.

A．tastes

B．heats

C．mixes

D．drinks

6.

A．meat

B．soup

C．vegetable

D．food

7.

A．wonderful

B．famous

C．secret

D．delicious

8.

A．pours

B．fills

C．puts

D．blows

9.

A．importantly

B．strangely

C．interestingly

D．frankly

10.

A．charming

B．inviting

C．annoying

D．embarrassing

11.

A．salty

B．awful

C．sour

D．hot

12.

A．spoil

B．share

C．make

D．polish

13.

A．mystery

B．discovery

C．tradition

D．problem

14.

A．leader

B．host

C．assistant

D．manager

15.

A．method

B．direction

C．advice

D．say

6 . 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。

With new faces everywhere, the time in Grade 1 was really tough for me. Since I was an Indian girl, nobody wanted to talk to me. Every spare minute was spent alone, and no classmates would group with me for projects.

Feeling lonely and sad, I was in desperate need of close friends, with whom I hoped to share my happiness and sorrow. A girl named Fatin, who was cute, clever and talented, appealed to me deeply. However, she seemed to be avoiding me as well. Being only six years old, I didn’tunderstand why people treated me like that, I opened up to my mother about all this, almost crying my eyes out.

Mom smiled, patting me on the shoulder and comforting me until I calmed down. She looked into my eyes and encouraged me, “Honey, don’t worry. They’re just not familiar with you. Try to bring out the best in you. They’ll befriend you as long as they see your excellence.” At that time, I didn’t believe her, but Mom was right.

One day, my teacher, Miss Bibiena, announced that there was to be a speech competition. My heart pounded wildly. I really enjoyed participating in speech competitions. Actually, I was quite good at them. The only problem was that the whole school would be watching me and I knew none of my audience.

However, I was determined to do it. I gathered all my courage, marched up to the teacher and said, “Miss Bibiena, I want to join in the speech competition.” She stared at me for such a long time that I started to feel uncomfortable, but then I saw a gentle smile spreading over her face. She handed me an application form.

The next day, I arrived at school early to submit my form to the teacher. Taking the form, Miss Bibiena said encouragingly to me, “For a new student, you have lots of courage. Do your best, Sneha!” Rarely did Miss Bibiena praise anyone. On my way to class, I smiled at her remark, which lifted up my spirits that day.

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。
Until the competition day, I practised my speech whenever possible.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As I went off the stage, I heard someone call my name.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . I recently spent a week on the Greek island of Ikaria with my partner, exploring the secrets of the locals’ healthy and happy lifestyle. It was a (n) ________ break from the fast-paced world, and we learned a lot about the ________ of slowing down and enjoying life.

One of the first things we ________ was how relaxed life was on Ikaria. Unlike the ________ rush of modern society, the locals took things ________, enjoying long meals with friends and family, taking a ________ in the afternoon, and spending lots of time outdoors. While they worked hard when they ________ to, they also knew how to take breaks and ________ the simple pleasures of life.

Food played a big role in their healthy lifestyle, too. The island’s Mediterranean diet ________ fresh vegetables, fruits, and seafood instead of red meat and carbohydrate (碳水化合物), and we enjoyed delicious meals at local restaurants. The amount was small, but the flavors were ________, and we noticed that the locals ________ to snack on healthy options like nuts and seeds.

Exercise was also a big part of life for the native people on Ikaria. The hilly landscape provided plenty of opportunities for ________, and we even joined a group of locals for a morning yoga session on the beach.

________, our time on Ikaria taught us the importance of prioritizing (优先) self-care and taking things at a lower ________. While we may not be able to ________ the exact lifestyle of the locals back home, we can certainly include some of their habits into our own lives.

1.

A．embarrassing

B．refreshing

C．surprising

D．creative

2.

A．disadvantages

B．philosophies

C．functions

D．intentions

3.

A．noticed

B．confirmed

C．recorded

D．assumed

4.

A．ordinary

B．sudden

C．constant

D．illegal

5.

A．seriously

B．slowly

C．quickly

D．personally

6.

A．rest

B．lesson

C．ride

D．leave

7.

A．expected

B．refused

C．managed

D．needed

8.

A．appreciate

B．accept

C．provide

D．promote

9.

A．makes out

B．stirs up

C．focuses on

D．adapts to

10.

A．light

B．rich

C．hot

D．salty

11.

A．tended

B．used

C．promised

D．decided

12.

A．boating

B．skating

C．hiking

D．driving

13.

A．Besides

B．Therefore

C．However

D．Overall

14.

A．process

B．conduct

C．amount

D．pace

15.

A．admire

B．copy

C．balance

D．measure

8 . When I started my company, a customer service number was put on the company’s website to better the communication with users. Somehow it rarely rang. So we abandoned it.

However, I thought phone support would have made sense. So, last year, I ________ putting another service number on our homepage.   

“Again? We tried this before, but it didn’t work!” they responded, casting ________ on me.

“But companies evolve; circumstances change.” I argued.

Late last year, I convinced my company to give it a shot. So we started a two-week ________. During the first few days, the volume of calls, around 20 per day, was not much but ________. Then, over the following days, the volume increased dramatically, which ________ them all. So successful was it that we finally decided to adopt the service phone number ________.

This experience reminded me of the elephant-and-rope story. Baby elephants were ________ with a small rope. Because they’re too ________ to break free from the rope, they grow up being conditioned that the rope is stronger than they are. So, as adults, they think they can still be ________ by the rope. In my company, those who thought we couldn’t because we once ________ were like a baby elephant who was living with a ________ mindset. They drew a conclusion based on specific ________, but they forgot to revise it when things changed.

In business, not to mention life, all sorts of invisible mental ropes may hold us back. It results in missed opportunities and wasted ________. So don’t hold onto the ________ that you can’t grow or learn from past failures. All it takes is ________ eyes to reexamine the situation.

1.

A．admitted

B．imagined

C．enjoyed

D．proposed

2.

A．annoyance

B．fear

C．doubt

D．regret

3.

A．activity

B．trial

C．procedure

D．mission

4.

A．significant

B．precise

C．perfect

D．common

5.

A．amused

B．frustrated

C．astonished

D．pleased

6.

A．partly

B．regularly

C．naturally

D．officially

7.

A．injured

B．secured

C．moved

D．pulled

8.

A．small

B．big

C．fat

D．short

9.

A．held on

B．held back

C．set free

D．set apart

10.

A．tried

B．reflected

C．persevered

D．failed

11.

A．flexible

B．complex

C．fixed

D．simple

12.

A．places

B．conditions

C．standards

D．systems

13.

A．space

B．strength

C．money

D．potential

14.

A．belief

B．excuse

C．ambition

D．information

15.

A．mature

B．eager

C．fresh

D．optimistic

9 . Joe Horan, a physical education teacher, has started the program Building Men to create a positive vision of manhood not just for himself, but also for the boys he teaches. Looking back, Mr. Horan says his program developed from a low point in his life. In 2004 as he went through a hard time, he felt society’s definition of manhood was leading him down the wrong path. His life, he says, lacked substance and depth. “A desire became planted in my heart, that is, to find healing from the unhealthy messages I believed about manhood,” he says. Then, his sister recommended a book, Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx, which digs into the discovery of what being a man is all about. Joe took all the clues and started to put life lessons into his class.

Despite limited resources and funding, Building Men began at one middle school in the district in 2006. It grew on a shoestring budget, expanding school by school, year by year. Today, 33 teachers, like Mr. Colabufo, work across 18 schools. Mr Colabufo has known Mr. Horan for several years, noting many people are aware of the program’s success. “Joe’s a legend in this district,’’ Mr Colabufo says.

The program appeals to boys at first because of a basketball component, but its secret is how it dives into off-the-court issues through discussions on character. Building Men helps participants gain insight, work to restore self-worth, and learn to calm emotions. SIR is a central component of lessons, standing for significance, integrity, and relationships.

At a recent breakfast fundraiser, Shateek Nelson, a senior at Nottingham High School, shared his experience, having participated in Building Men since middle school. He said he learned to see the bigger picture, rather than living in the moment. He also came to realize his actions affect others, and now he factors that into his decisions.

1. What motivated Joe Horan to start the program Building Men?

A．An instructional book.	B．His personal experience.
C．His sister’s suggestion.	D．The society’s expectation.

2. What does the underlined word “shoestring” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Flexible.

B．Proper.

C．Tight.

D．Balanced.

3. What did Shateek Nelson learn from participating in BuildingMen?

A．One should dream big and then start small.

B．One should live each day as if it were the last day.

C．It is good to gain real-life experience at middle school.

D．It is essential to think more of others in decision-making.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．SIR: Core Component of Physical Education

B．Healthy Life: Involving Substance and Depth

C．Building Men: Teaching Boys About Manhood

D．Manhood: Teenagers’ Power of Handling Issues

10 . Kala has deep ties to her Hawaiian roots. Her ancestors navigated (航行) the oceans for centuries using their knowledge of the stars, the sun, the currents and the wind. It’s not that she does it in a canoe without technology, but rather uses the natural technology around her. It’s called Way finding, and was taught to her by her father.

“My father was my foundation, my rock.” she says of her first voyage with him from Oahu to Lahaina in a traditional canoe. He taught her how to read the stars, the ocean swells and how to use them to hold the course. “Over 200 stars have specific names and purposes when you are Way finding. You have to look at each and determine if they are rising or setting. You know this star and the direction it represents. If you can do that, you can use it as a tool to orient (确定方向).” Kala added.

Kala Tanaka sailed the canoe in the ocean for up to three weeks. During the day, Kala used the sun until it hit a certain height. When she got closer to land, she looked for certain species of land birds and clouds that indicated there was land below. When Kala sailed she felt “I feel very connected to the crew and the canoe. We’re a family.” The longer voyage required Kala to spend hours studying the day and the night skies. It was demanding physical work. But it also had its moments of awe. For Kala, the beauty was in tying together the past and the present to enjoy the moment. So when she was not sailing, she was teaching Way finding skills to school-aged children in hopes of preserving the skills her ancestors relied on.

It’s easy to be lost in the immediacy of the technology of our day, to be consumed by screens and miss the nature that unfolds around us. But if we will take the time to look up, to see the stars and the sun, the way the clouds move, the miracle of life beneath and above us, we will discover something deep inside us, something that will always lead to happiness.

1. How does Kala navigate the ocean in a canoe?

A．By observing the natural elements around.

B．By following the course of ocean currents.

C．By using hi-technology navigation devices.

D．By recalling the first voyage with her father.

2. What did Kala think of the three-week canoe voyage?

A．It was a heroic adventure.	B．It brought great joy to her life.
C．It was school children’s favorite.	D．It represented a kind of innovation.

3. What does the author suggest we do?

A．Enjoy the screens.	B．Explore the universe.
C．Get close to nature.	D．Keep the earth clean.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Finding Our Way	B．Navigating the Ocean
C．The Wisdom from Ancestors	D．An Unforgettable Journey