1 . Frank Herbert’s science fiction Dune was the first coming-of-age story that helped me survive my lonely junior high school. At age 12, my life was the tiny, boring cycle of home, school and my parents’ store. Dune cracked it all open and led me to a universe that made my little world a lot more bearable. Unlike Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye who kept breaking windows, Dune’s main character, Paul Atreides, equipped me with a junior-high survival guide.

Paul is not a classic underdog. He’s the son of a king. He’s been trained since birth in war arts, politics and critical survival skills by a group of smart and experienced men with impossible-to-pronounce names. But when his world is turned upside down-when he leaves his home, loses his father and enters a physically and politically hostile environment-he doesn’t complain and cry. He adapts.

To this day, I still can recite his words against fear: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total destruction. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

The steady diet of literary fiction assigned by my teachers was escapist and the very act of reading (whatever the content) usually took me out of a given moment, but didn’t provide much advice on how to face my daily conflicts and painful insecurity.

Dune was escapist, too. However, it was expansive and literally redefined possibility for me who had been struggling along with eyes on the ground, just trying to make it through another day of boredom and hardship of being a teenage girl. Paul lifted my eyes up so I could see the stars.

1. Which best explains “hostile” underlined in paragraph 2?

A．Safe.

B．Unfriendly.

C．Unbeneficial.

D．Pleasant.

2. What is probably the author’s deepest impression about Paul?

A．His good education.	B．His noble birth.
C．His courage to face fear.	D．His escapist attitude.

3. What does the author say about herself as a teenager?

A．She was an optimistic girl.	B．She was not loved by her parents.
C．She had a carefree childhood.	D．She felt insecure and unconfident.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Catcher in the Rye Should Be Banned

B．Teenagers Should Not Read Literary Fictions

C．Dune Became My Junior-High Survival Guide

D．Science Fiction Is Better Than Literary Fiction

2 . Moving forces us to face the extraneous. File cabinets and drawers stuffed to the brim, boxes piled high in the backs of closets — why keep letters and cards that we never re-read? One card with my grandmother’s handwriting should be enough.

An unnerving yet productive strategy is to envision someone dealing with the piles of papers if you suddenly weren’t here. You instantly realize that most of your accumulation will one day be thrown into a recycling bin. The things you are saving as reminders of your past are useless to others. Sure, you may value what you keep, but worth is essentially all in your head.

In a real sense, to throw things away is to prepare to die. This is not a gloomy declaration but rather an enlivening recognition of the freedom that follows when we take ourselves less seriously. It’s the same as looking at a sky full of stars and feeling the relief of being tiny and unimportant. Awareness of the briefness of our time on earth and the impermanence of both our attachments and our sufferings can become a powerful basis for clearing things and emotions alike.

A few years ago, dear friends were called home from work to a big fire. They watched as their house burned to the ground, despite the efforts of several fire crews. Everything material, cherished things, and accumulations were reduced to ashes —clothes, photo albums, furniture, paintings, books, boxes of old letters, the piano.

By nightfall, what they had left were the clothes they had worn that day and the photos they had kept at their workplaces. At first, they felt completely collapsed, but once they emerged from the initial shock and grief, they were sustained by a lot of love from family and friends. They were alive, and this is what really mattered. It is astonishing to discover how little weight our possessions carry in this calculus of true necessity.

1. What does the underlined word “extraneous” mean in Paragraph 1?

A．Invaluable.

B．Irrelevant.

C．Suitable.

D．Necessary.

2. What may the author agree with about the value of one’s accumulation?

A．It’s useless.

B．It’s essential.

C．It’s personal.

D．It’s recyclable.

3. How can one be prepared “to throw things away” according to Paragraph 3?

A．By recognizing the burden of freedom.	B．By letting oneself fade into insignificance.
C．By being aware of the preciousness of time.	D．By treasuring the attachments and sufferings.

4. Why does the author mention his friends’ story?

A．To demonstrate the cruelty of a fire.	B．To stress the weight our possessions carry.
C．To emphasize the importance of love from friends.	D．To show the insignificance of our possessions.

3 . Powerful Quotes To Help You Find Your Way When You Feel Lost

Everyone has moments in their lives when they feel a little lost, and it is at these times that we begin to question who we are and what the purpose of life is. Many people have struggled with similar emotions before us.     1    

    2     It can happen to anyone at any time. If you are currently going through such a period in your life, powerful quotations will undoubtedly be beneficial. They will always act in your best interests and direct you in the right direction.

Powerful quotations about feeling lost will encourage you to search within and discover how you truly are. With all of life’s ups and downs, it’s simple to feel like your life is meaningless, that there is no hope for the future.     3    

Perhaps you’ve become lost in your work, your relationship, or your parental responsibilities.     4     Powerful quotations will aid in your self-understanding and boost your confidence so that you can design the life you love.

You need to understand that you are not alone if you’re feeling lost.     5     Because things will pass and get better. It Make an effort to show yourself enough love and attention. Enjoy life as it comes to you and take your time.

A．The only life you can actually lead is the one that is immediately in front of you.

B．So follow them, set aside your concerns and allow yourself to see the life that lies ahead.

C．In any event, you shouldn’t let yourself become trapped in this condition of confusion.

D．Your current difficult situations are temporary.

E．Being lost is perfectly normal.

F．Get help from some powerful professional quotes.

G．However, maybe you’re experiencing a difficult time that you weren’t prepared well.

4 . 3 Most Inspirational Stories For The Child In You

Whether you choose to share these tales with your children or enjoy a personal journey through their pages, you’re about to unwrap a fascinating world of inspiration! Now is the time to visit our web and be ready to be inspired!

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!-By Dr. Seuss

In a world full of creatures and strange features living in a colorful town, there is a character who sets out on an amazing journey. This character sailed through many adventures. Facing all the challenges, this character never gave up. Do you know why? Because it is understood that life is just an exciting journey that is full of surprises. And if you are brave enough, you will find lots of opportunities just waiting around the corner.

The Little Engine That Could -By Watty Piper

In a colorful world of engines, there lived a tiny blue engine. It was small but it had big dreams! One day, the engines were entrusted (委派) with the most important task of the year: To deliver toys to children who live on the other side of the towering mountain. “It’s too hard. We can’t do it.” Said all the bigger engines. But the little engine believed in itself and set out on the mountain with effort. The little blue engine completed the task and it was only able to do this because it believed in itself!

The Rainbow Fish-By Marcus Pfister

There was an extraordinarily beautiful fish called the Rainbow Fish that had sparkling scales in the oceans. But it did not want to share its scales with other fish. Despite being so beautiful, it had no friends! One day, a wise octopus (章鱼) told the fish that we truly feel satisfied in life when we share our blessings with the less fortunate. The Rainbow Fish reflected on its own life and started sharing its scale with other fish. The Rainbow Fish made many friends that day. It discovered the joy of a true friendship.

1. If you hope your child has courage to conquer difficulties, which story you probably choose?

A．Oh, the Places You’ll Go!	B．The Little Engine That Could.
C．The Rainbow Fish.	D．All of them.

2. Who makes the Rainbow Fish change its mind?

A．Itself.

B．Other fish.

C．Marcus Pfister.

D．The wise octopus.

3. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A story book.

B．A web page.

C．A newspaper.

D．A textbook.

5 . A little stream flowed down from a high mountain far away through many villages and forests, until it reached a desert. The stream then thought, “I’ve been through countless obstacles. I should have no problem crossing this desert!” But soon she found herself gradually disappearing into the mud and sand. After numerous tries, she found it was all in vain and was very upset. “Maybe it’s my destiny! I’m not destined to reach the vast ocean in the legend.”

At this time;a deep voice came, saying, “If a breeze can cross the desert, so can a river.”

It was the voice of the desert. Unconvinced, the little stream replied, “That’s because a breeze can fly, but I cannot.”

“That’s because you stick to what you are If you’re willing to give it up, and let yourself evaporate (蒸发) into the breeze, it can take you across, and you can reach your destination,” said the desert in its deep voice.

The little stream had never heard of such a thing. She could not accept this idea. After all, she had never experienced anything like it before. Wouldn’t it be self-destruction to give up what she was now?

“How do I know if this is true? and will I still be what I am now?” asked the little stream.

“Yes, and no. Whether you’re a river or invisible vapor, your inner nature never changes. You stick to the fact that you’re a river because you don’t know your inner nature,”answered the desert.

Deep down, the stream vaguely remembered that before she became a river, it was perhaps also the breeze that had carried her halfway up a high mountain, where she turned into rain and fell onto the ground and became what she was now. Finally the little stream gathered her courage and rushed into the open arms of the breeze; which carried her to the next stage of her life.

The course of our lives is like the experience of little stream. If you want to surpass the obstacles in your life in order to head for the destination of Truth, Virtue and beauty, you should also have the wisdom and courage to renounce (放弃) your ego (attachment to yourself).

Perhaps you can try asking yourself these questions: What is my inner nature? What is it that I cling to? and, What is it that I really want?

1. What obstacle did the stream come across when starting to cross the desert?

A．Her effortless attempt.	B．Her unrealistic goal.
C．Her bowing to fate.	D．All that struggle for nothing.

2. Which are the right changes of the stream’s attitudes according to the text?

A．Confident — shocked — determined — withdrawn

B．Sad — determined — disappointed — shocked

C．Disappointed — doubted — confident — surprised

D．Hopeful — upset — shocked — determined

3. What’s your understanding of the underlined phrase “Yes, and no.”?

A．Give up what you are, and you will never owe it again.

B．While you change physically, your inner nature will never change.

C．Only by sticking to yourself can you realize your dream.

D．Changing yourself means losing control of everything.

4. Which of the following is NOT the author’s attitude to life?

A．When you can’t change the environment, change yourself.

B．Stick to your inner nature rather than what you are.

C．Once starting the journey, you should stick to your goal.

D．Be flexible and adaptable, venturing into the unknown.

6 . When trouble hits someone in your community, how can you respond? This year, a wildfire has left many people in my community _________ with damaged homes. The community where I live is coming together to _________. How does each of us show our _________ for those who lost their homes?

Imagine a Circle of Care. _________ a circle and write the name of a person in _________ in the center. Draw _________ rings around the first one and write in the names of the people next closest to the crisis. _________ outwards. Distant friends and family are within _________ circles. The entire _________ itself becomes the outer ring. After the firestorm in Santiam Canyon, people posted __________ signs saying “Canyon Strong!” and sent supplies to resource centers.

When I am in the center of such a circle, I do not want to __________ someone who has not experienced my __________ say, “I know exactly how you feel.” Helping people closer to the center of the circle requires more listening than __________.

When you are in a closer ring and __________ someone in the center of the circle, you may __________ their burden and want to express your own feelings. Do it with those further out in the circle. I find this gives me __________ to continue helping those in rings smaller than my own.

Whenever you are in the circle of care, __________ what you are about to say and do. Sometimes it is possible to give physical aid. Sometimes the damage is __________ . Can you calm by __________ to go for a walk with them?__________ others and hold them dear.

1.

A．agreeing

B．working

C．connecting

D．struggling

2.

A．reappear

B．rebuild

C．repeat

D．recall

3.

A．care

B．strength

C．respect

D．appreciation

4.

A．Find

B．Draw

C．Join

D．Run

5.

A．debt

B．surprise

C．crisis

D．doubt

6.

A．darker

B．larger

C．fewer

D．nicer

7.

A．Face

B．Point

C．Pull

D．Continue

8.

A．cycling

B．certain

C．widening

D．complete

9.

A．team

B．family

C．center

D．community

10.

A．interesting

B．satisfying

C．amusing

D．encouraging

11.

A．hear

B．aid

C．imagine

D．question

12.

A．joy

B．anger

C．pain

D．freedom

13.

A．talking

B．protecting

C．lying

D．waiting

14.

A．praising

B．visiting

C．helping

D．following

15.

A．forget

B．feel

C．miss

D．increase

16.

A．time

B．energy

C．space

D．money

17.

A．give up

B．look for

C．think about

D．deal with

18.

A．emotional

B．lasting

C．unknown

D．visible

19.

A．begging

B．deciding

C．pretending

D．offering

20.

A．Reach out to

B．Have faith in

C．Keep away from

D．Catch sight of

7 . I grew up in a small North Dakota town. Dad was a farmer, so we kids were taught _______ to drive farm vehicles. I started driving the tractor (拖拉机) at age 15 .

One summer day, Dad asked me to back his truck up. _______, I backed it into a tree, damaging the truck. I was _______ because I wasn’t sure how Dad would react. Luckily, Dad wasn’t _______, and moved the truck himself.

As a teenager, I usually worked part-time on Uncle Jim’s farm in my _______ time. One day, I drove the tractor to get gas from the farmyard fuel tank, which was _______ on a big metal shelf 12 feet high. I _______ the shelf, bending one of the vehicle’s wooden bars. I stopped the vehicle anxiously and got off. I _______ Uncle Jim would help me. To my _______, he said, “Get back up on that tractor and you can do it.” And I did! During harvest, Jim had me do farming chores with that tractor, which made my confidence ________ greatly.

The “can do” ________ Uncle Jim had toward me carried me through ________ times in life. Whenever I encountered difficulties, the ________ on the summer day on the farm came flooding back to my mind and my spirit wasn’t ________ ! It just goes to show what a huge impact can be created by small gestures of ________ in a person.

1.

A．early

B．hard

C．recently

D．fast

2.

A．Frankly

B．Skillfully

C．Intentionally

D．Unfortunately

3.

A．curious

B．scared

C．embarrassed

D．hesitant

4.

A．mad

B．pleased

C．worried

D．proud

5.

A．entire

B．quality

C．spare

D．limited

6.

A．emptied

B．operated

C．placed

D．transformed

7.

A．built up

B．ran into

C．tore down

D．passed by

8.

A．claimed

B．doubted

C．worried

D．assumed

9.

A．disappointment

B．surprise

C．fright

D．satisfaction

10.

A．decline

B．suffer

C．grow

D．change

11.

A．admiration

B．judgment

C．affection

D．attitude

12.

A．tough

B．confusing

C．relaxing

D．valuable

13.

A．comment

B．expectation

C．reflection

D．plan

14.

A．broken

B．recognized

C．refreshed

D．raised

15.

A．justice

B．belief

C．interest

D．courage

8 . As a traveler with a disability, I have always avoided cruises. This expedition-style small-ship cruise changed my mind.

When our expedition leader ________ we would make a Zodiac (卓迪船) ________ at Jan Mayen, a tiny island in the Arctic Ocean, I stepped out onto my balcony aboard our ship, ________ to find clear skies and calm seas. ________, I was met with a gust of wet wind and a view of mist-covered mountains in the distance. Jan Mayen wasn’t on our itinerary (行程), and due to its ________ location and often unpredictable weather, very few people ever ________ the island. I knew the ________ weren’t ideal, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me.

In fact, the possibility of ________ adventures was one of the reasons I chose this small-ship cruise. So I ________ joined my shipmates in the mud room, where we put on waterproof clothes and life jackets before hopping in the Zodiacs for a bumpy ________ to a black-sand beach. Even the fierce wind and rain couldn’t ________ our excitement as we ________ our way to the beach and hiked to a viewpoint, pausing to photograph little purple flowers ________ the volcanic rocks.

Our visit there wasn’t about what we could do or see. It was an opportunity to just be—to exist in a brief ________ on a tiny, often inaccessible, volcanic rock in the Arctic. And that’s something I never thought I’d ________ in my lifetime.

1.

A．knew

B．announced

C．remembered

D．replied

2.

A．living

B．return

C．landing

D．mark

3.

A．failing

B．choosing

C．struggling

D．hoping

4.

A．Instead

B．Finally

C．Thus

D．Otherwise

5.

A．strategic

B．remote

C．favorable

D．central

6.

A．set foot on

B．fell victim to

C．kept track of

D．gained control of

7.

A．constructions

B．conditions

C．descriptions

D．distributions

8.

A．unwanted

B．unsecured

C．unplanned

D．unauthorized

9.

A．mistakenly

B．nervously

C．routinely

D．happily

10.

A．walk

B．flight

C．ride

D．path

11.

A．dampen

B．share

C．convey

D．fuel

12.

A．changed

B．lost

C．fought

D．made

13.

A．in response to

B．in view of

C．in contrast to

D．in defense of

14.

A．moment

B．experiment

C．glance

D．ceremony

15.

A．value

B．need

C．miss

D．experience

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。     

The woman speaking to me at the basketball game looked quite familiar. She said, “Joe? Is that you?”

“Marci?”

“It is you!” she said, smiling widely, “It’s good to see you again!”

It was good to see Marci, too. Off and on during the past tens of years, I’d wondered about her. I almost tried to find her a few years ago, after a friend told me that Marci had been going through a hard time. So running into her at the basketball game was, at the very least, unexpected.

We spent a few minutes catching up on the business of our lives: kids, work, houses, education and hobbies, etc. We played a little “Have you seen...?” and “Did you know..?” And we talked about the old days, both good and bad.

Then Marci grew quiet for a while, looking out over the people moving around. “You know, Joe,” she said, “I’ve always wanted to tell you...how...you know...how sorry I am for the way I treated you.”

I felt a little uncomfortable, remembering how Marci had broken up with me without any warning.

“It’s okay,” I said. “No big deal.” At least, I thought to myself, not anymore.

“But I was such a bad person,” she continued, lowering her head.

Yes, you were, I thought, “We were both pretty young,” I said.

“I know,” she said. “But that’s no excuse for ...” She hesitated (迟疑), and then continued: “I’ve always regretted it, remembering how mean I was to you. And I’ve wanted to tell you that I’m sorry and ask for your forgiveness. So ... I’m sorry.”

The smile on her face was warm and sincere. And there was something in her eyes — it looked a lot like relief (解脱) — that washed away my anger and hate that may have built up within me during the years since she had broken my heart.

注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；   2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
“Okay, apology accepted!” I said.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We all bear wounds that others have caused us.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . I was shopping in Whole Foods Market when my cellphone rang. My daughter Julianna told me that she got the job she had applied for. She had just turned 14 and was determined to spend this summer vacation on work. The things she wants are both long-term and immediate. She wants to freely buy things from Forever 21 and save money for the famous college she’s determined to get into.

Several weeks before her birthday, Julianna asked me whether I’d allow her to work. Some of her friends’ parents wouldn’t let their kids work, wanting them to focus on their studies and enjoy the last childhood freedom for as long as possible. I understood those parents. But I wanted her to spend less time on her electronic devices in her room and more time in the outside world.

The day after her birthday, Julianna immediately applied to an amusement park, which hires teens during busy summer months. I’d never seen Julianna so active. The day before the interview, we went over possible questions, including why she wanted to work at the amusement park, its most famous attraction, and what her previous work and volunteering experiences were. She rarely talked about anything else until the interview was over.

I never worked as a young teen. My husband, though, worked as a young teen at an amusement park. He shared some funny stories about his time working there. More importantly, the work contributed to his strong work ethic (道德准则) today. Studies also show that work can contribute to healthy development and that teens who work at times are more likely to attend four-year colleges and get degrees quickly.

Julianna used to be so careful about new experiences, but now she is doing something new. I realize it’s time to put aside my doubts and worries and believe she can learn the skills she needs to take care of herself.

1. What was the author’s expectation of her daughter?

A．She could spend her free time in a relaxing way.

B．She could actively experience the real world.

C．She could pay much attention to her health.

D．She could do better in her studies.

2. What can we infer about Julianna from Paragraph 3?

A．She took the interview very seriously.

B．She wanted to improve the amusement park.

C．She wished to work together with her mom.

D．She had great confidence in getting the job.

3. What does the author stress by referring to her husband’s experience and the studies?

A．The reason for her husband’s success.

B．The joy of working at an amusement park.

C．The relationship between work and education.

D．The positive influence of early work experience.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．How my daughter achieved freedom and independence

B．How I guided my daughter through her life troubles

C．How I embraced my daughter’s journey of growth

D．How my daughter developed a new hobby