1 . In the dream, I’m trying to catch the falling eggs. Every few seconds, I spot an egg coming down at me fast from above, and I run around trying to catch them all.     1     Some of them—many of them—hit the ground, throwing yellow yolk all over my shoes and medical coat.

Where are the eggs coming from? There must be a guy up there on top of the building, but I can’t see him.     2     And then I wake up, another chance of good sleep ruined.

We forget nearly all our dreams, but two decades later, it invaded my nights many times again when I was in training to become a cancer surgeon. Sometimes, surgery was the last hope of patients.     3    

At that time, I was confident to become a great cancer surgeon. But more and more, I found myself torn. I felt happy every time we finished a successful procedure-we had caught the egg, or so we thought.     4     All these patients would still die within a few years. The egg would unavoidably hit the ground. What were we really accomplishing?

When I finally recognized the fruitlessness of this, I grew so frustrated that I quit medicine. But then some events occurred and ended up totally changing my mind. I made my way back with a fresh approach, and new hope.

    5     It finally struck me that the only way to solve the problem was not to get better at catching the eggs but to try to stop the guy who was throwing them. We had to figure out how to get to the top of the building, find the guy, and take him out.

A．Everyone may have repetitive dreams.

B．But I fail, no matter how hard I try.

C．I’m too busy and helpless to think about him.

D．Medicine is obviously valuable and convenient.

E．Though difficult and dangerous, it did extend patients’ life.

F．However, I was beginning to wonder how “success” was defined.

G．The reason why I go back to my dream is about the falling eggs.

2 . I used to believe that only words could catch the essence of the human soul. The literary works contained such distinct stories that they shaped the way we saw the world. Words were what composed the questions we sought to uncover and the answers to those questions themselves. Words were everything.

That belief changed.

In an ordinary math class, my teacher posed a simple question: What’s 0.99 rounded to the nearest whole number? Easy. When rounded to the nearest whole number, 0.99=1. Somehow, I thought even though 0.99 is only 0.01 away from 1, there’s still a 0.01 difference. That means even if two things are only a little different, they are still different, so doesn’t that make them completely different?

My teacher answered my question by presenting another equation (等式): 1= 0.9, which could also be expressed as 1=0.99999.... repeating itself without ever ending.

There was something mysterious but fascinating about the equation. The left side was unchangeable, objective: it contained a number that ended. On the right was something endless, number repeating itself limitless times. Yet, somehow, these two opposed things were connected by an equal sign.

Lying in bed, I thought about how much the equation paralleled our existence. The left side of the equation represents that sometimes life itself is so unchangeable and so clear. The concrete, whole number of the day when you were born and the day when you would die. But then there is that gap in between life and death. The right side means a time and space full of limitless possibilities, and endless opportunities into the open future.

So that’s what life is. Objective but imaginative. Unchangeable but limitless. Life is an equation with two sides that balances itsef out. Still, we can’t ever truly seem to put the perfect words to it. So possibly numbers can express ideas as eually well as words can. For now, let’s leave it at that: 1= 0.99999... and live a life like it.

1. What does the author emphasize about words in paragraph 1?

A．Their wide variety.	B．Their literary origins.
C．Their distinct sounds.	D．Their expressive power.

2. What made the author find the equation fascinating?

A．The repetition of a number.	B．The way two different numbers are equal.
C．The question the teacher raised.	D．The difference between the two numbers.

3. Which of the fllowing can replace the underlined word “paralleled” in paragraph 6?

A．Measured.

B．Composed.

C．Mirrored.

D．Influenced.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．The Perfect Equation	B．Numbers Build Equations
C．An Attractive Question	D．Words Outperform Numbers

3 . Most of the time, we human beings are so unwilling to change that we completely ignore its beauty. I don’t get it, why?    1    I believe change is the most beautiful thing an individual can seek after.

As people connect changes with something beneficial, we all claim to believe in change being good, yet so many of us aggressively oppose it. And why? Because of familiarity.    2    

Even for those of us who say we love change, it’s hard to accept and adapt. However, sometimes change can be a frightening thing. There’s no denying that life is unpredictable and more often than not, we’re forced to make a change we didn’t really prepare for or expect. We lose jobs, we lose people, we move to another country or we find ourselves in unfavorable circumstances that we weren’t taught how to handle.    3    

Life is full of unavoidable changes. How can you develop personally and expect to stay in the same place?    4    When you start growing, you’ll notice changes in your surroundings. You’ll notice changes in your friends’ group. You’ll notice changes even in your preferences. Nothing stays the same if you want to grow as an individual.

Even though change may be painful and so hard sometimes, it’s still better than the pain of feeling powerless as you watch your dreams pass you by. Don’t be afraid of change. Embrace (拥抱) it with open arms.    5    I genuinely believe that life is too short to stay in the same place or in the same rigid mindset!

A．Not everyone can accompany you.

B．Where there’s growth, there’s change

C．Change can be scary but it can also be beautiful.

D．That’s not the only reasons you embrace changes.

E．Look forward to new experiences and learn from those new stories.

F．These things force you to change what you weren’t ready to change.

G．Sometimes we’re convinced that knowing something well means it’s right.

4 . “Can we look at the school supplies while we’re here?” my daughter, Julia, asked during a trip to the store. My favorite school-supply item is the daily planner because I struggle with organization. I always dream that the perfect planner will somehow cure me of my delay and turn my life into a paradise (乐园) of order and productivity.

The list of habits I wanted to develop was long. Exercising regularly. Drinking more water. Clearing a junk drawer or closet each week. Reading more books and watching less TV. Delaying less on work deadlines. Spending more time with each of my kids and reaching out to family and friends more often. Making special meals, and doing other things to make my loved ones feel loved.

Over the next few days, I was able to check off several items on my habit tracker. I was pleased with the progress, but I hadn’t done much with the habits intended to improve my relationships with others. I tried to put more focus on those habits.

One morning, I opened my planner and realized that it was Julia’s. The first task was “Write in my gratitude journal.” The second one was “Do something nice for someone else.” Julia was a busy college student. How did she find time to keep a journal and do random acts of kindness? When I asked her about it, she said, “Those two habits go together. Writing in my gratitude journal makes me want to do nice things for other people.”

“What a wonderful thing to do!” I said, “I love that your gratitude fuels your acts of kindness.” I took a plain notebook and wrote, “I’m thankful for...” I prepared my husband’s favorite dinner, sent an encouraging text to a friend, and baked another batch of cookies for Julia to share with her friends.

1. Why does the author like the planner most?

A．She often used it while being a teacher.

B．She wants to keep her life organized.

C．She is a person of doing things in order.

D．She tends to focus on working effectively.

2. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?

A．The various arrangements the author had a day.

B．The constant changes the author made in life.

C．The good habits the author wanted to develop.

D．The different things the author delayed doing.

3. What habits did the author want to put more focus on after the progress?

A．Doing more exercise every day.	B．Completing her tasks in time.
C．Keeping a balanced diet for her health.	D．Building more close bonds with others.

4. What did the author learn from Julia?

A．Gratitude can fuel kindness.	B．Love is endless in a family.
C．Blessing comes from nowhere.	D．Generosity is actually a virtue.

5 . I’m a mom of two teenagers, and I often visit Disney theme parks alone to recharge.

These trips give me a break from my daily ______ and some much needed alone time. If you’re ______ what a mom at Disney should do all on her own, here is what I did during a recent stay at the Four Seasons Resort on Disney World.

When I checked in online before my visit, the hotel ______ me to choose the type of bedding I preferred. Since I didn’t have to think about anyone else’s ______ I chose a pillow mattress topper and microfiber pillows, sleeping like a baby, right in the center of the bed, ______ by pillows, for the night. My hotel ______ several works from the Disney fine artist DomCorona, so I spent time walking through it and seeing his art, which normally my kids would have found ______. I waited in line to meet my favorite Disney character and took a moment to ______ for a photo with Donald Duck. However, my children would never want to stand in ______ long lines for this experience. My hotel room had a(n) ______ oversized bathtub, so I was soaked (浸泡) in a bubble bath with a glass of wine. Since no one else was around to control the ______ , I could watch a movie I’d been wanting to see for a long time. Finally, I watched fireworks in my pajamas.

______ began to slip in while lying lazily by the hotel’s pool? The answer is NO! Your kids won’t have such burden either and they may ______ it when you have a break from them. Moms are no ______ to the idea that self care is important. You’re one of your child’s most important models and taking time to ______ yourself and have fun shows your kids that adulthood isn’t all work and no play.

1.

A．challenges

B．anxieties

C．fantasies

D．responsibilities

2.

A．seeking

B．wondering

C．discussing

D．researching

3.

A．allowed

B．commanded

C．encouraged

D．persuaded

4.

A．preferences

B．suggestions

C．requirements

D．attitudes

5.

A．impressed

B．covered

C．surrounded

D．occupied

6.

A．purchased

B．accumulated

C．featured

D．possessed

7.

A．thrilling

B．amazing

C．interesting

D．boring

8.

A．pose

B．ask

C．sign

D．bid

9.

A．always

B．frequently

C．occasionally

D．seldom

10.

A．shocking

B．comforting

C．admiring

D．inviting

11.

A．schedule

B．programme

C．expense

D．remote

12.

A．Doubt

B．Satisfaction

C．Guilt

D．Emptiness

13.

A．hate

B．like

C．feel

D．respect

14.

A．strangers

B．acquaintances

C．participants

D．determiners

15.

A．adapt

B．recharge

C．supply

D．improve

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。

It was the last day of school, and the long year spent in fourth grade had finally come to an end. It had rained heavily all day, and by the afternoon it became chilly. The sun had dipped below the horizon (地平线) as I got home soaked (湿透) and cold. I rushed into my room and slipped into some dry clothes. Once I had changed, I joined my mother in the kitchen. She had already lit the fire to prepare supper.

The wood soon caught fire, and the warmth spread around the room. I tried to get closer to the fire as my body was shivering with the intense cold. My mother gently rubbed my back and said, “I am proud of you, my little hero,” as I told her how my schoolwork had improved. I remember her bright smile and the joy in her eyes.

My mother started humming the lyrics to one of my favorite songs, “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson. I immediately began to sing with my mother. We would always sing songs like this together. My mother knew how much I loved singing. She always felt sorry that she couldn’t afford to pay for music classes for me.

Life was not easy for us during that period. I was living with my mother after she separated from my dad, which happened the year before when I was in third grade. Sometimes the nights were tedious (单调乏味的) and tiresome as we did not have a television and the batteries in our old radio would often run out. However, I enjoyed the 20 songs that my mother and I sang together. As she hummed the tune and I sang along, I dreamed of a world where performing on stage would be the pillar (支柱) of my life. The turning point of my childhood came after the end of fourth grade. Our neighbor moved away and left his old piano to us.

注意：

1. 续写词数应为150个左右;

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

My mother was so happy that she could teach me singing at home with this piano.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next term, I became the lead singer of the school chorus, which was one step closer to my dream of becoming a singer and inspiring people with my voice.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 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。

It was time for the ice cream event that my small youth group had waited for many months. The group consisted of five boys; one of them was Scott.

Scott always had a positive attitude. He looked on the bright side of things and never criticized anyone. But Scott was different from the rest of us because he was disabled, suffering from a disease which caused hands shaking constantly. Therefore, he was unable to participate in activities in most cases. No one ever made fun of him to his face, but at times, people would laugh or stare in his presence. But Scott never worried; he just kept his head up high and ignored them.

Finally, the night of the ice cream event descended. My friends and I rushed to the church basement and waited with scoops (冰淇淋勺) in hand for the guests to arrive. One by one, people filed in, all hoping to get a creamy and tasty scoop of ice cream. But what they ended up getting was a hard and frozen mass. We waited for a while for the ice cream to melt, and eventually it did.

Once the ice cream melted, we had another problem. It had turned into three pools of coconut, chocolate, and strawberry. But we persisted in serving it. We had our chance to serve, except for Scott. So, being as kind as possible, I gave Scott a chance to scoop and serve. As soon as Scott gripped the scoop, our ice cream troubles grew beyond control. Milky ice cream was flung in every direction and made a mess on people, but there was no sign for him to come to a stop on account of his terrible control of trembling hands. At that moment, a stir of unrest and dissatisfaction rippled through the crowd.

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。

Abruptly, a woman stormed forward and grabbed the scoop.   

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tears blurred his eyes as Scott got hold of the scoop again.   

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . We find the owl at the very edge of our woods the morning after the storm. Wings flight-frozen and round eyes glassy. I touch its feathers lightly with my fingertip and I’m surprised because they still feel real even though the owl has slipped away somewhere else and Dad is already digging a hole for it in the rain-soaked earth.

I lift its body and it’s huge in my hands but the hollow bones do most of the work for me and I almost think the owl might shake the stiffness from its feathers and fly away. I really don’t think this one should go into a hole in the ground. I say that to Dad and he says that it’s the circle of life and that now the owl will become part of nature again. Feeding the soil with its flesh and growing the roots of plants from its feathers.

Dad shifts the last of the dirt with his spade and sits down at the base of a tree with a huff of air that smokes around him. I put the bird in the hole and mark it with a smooth pebble so I’ll always know.

After we’ve buried the owl, we walk all around the woods and clear the worst of the damage from the winds and the rain. The damage isn’t as bad as it’s been before and it feels like the storm has cleaned everything back to being new and fresh. I use my hawk eyes and search the ground in flicks and sweeps and I find treasures in the rain-raked earth just like always. Pieces of pottery and something that could be a Roman coin. I slip them into my pocket and they bump against each other to tell their stories to me, but I’ll listen later.

I help Dad load the best of the fallen branches on to the trailer so we can cut them for fire wood or maybe a bonfire, and then we drive over the muddy paths and back to our house.

1. What do we know about the owl when the author finds it?

A．It is already dead.	B．It is hidden in a hole.
C．It is too stiff to fly away.	D．It is trying to flee the woods.

2. Why does the author mark the hole with a pebble?

A．To facilitate future visits.	B．To show sympathy for the owl.
C．To keep the site clear of plants.	D．To draw the attention of passers-by.

3. What message does the author want to convey by mentioning the owl?

A．Storms make trees take deeper roots.	B．In nature’s embrace, time stands still.
C．The darkest hour has only sixty minutes.	D．With every leaf’s fall, a new life emerges.

4. What does “I’ll listen later” in paragraph 4 reveal about the author?

A．Money-driven.

B．Wonder-seeking.

C．Artistically talented.

D．Emotionally mature.

9 . At 20 years old, I was a confident and handsome student at the University of California at Berkey.

But that year, I ________ a bump (肿块) in my right nostril (鼻孔), and when it didn’t go away, I made an ________ with a doctor. It turned out to be a tumor (肿瘤). Then I underwent surgery. Fortunately, the procedure was ________, and I returned to classes soon.

But six months later, a new bump appeared. Numerous ________ confirmed it had reproduced a horrible, life—threatening tumor. I was advised to have another operation and ________ that I might lose part of my nose. I was too young to think about death then, but the thought of disfigurement (毁容) made me feel ________.

I awoke from the surgery with a scarred, disfigured face. As I re-entered the real world, I noticed adults ________ and children pointing—and sometimes laughing—at me. The occasional and ________ negative reactions from my friends also hurt me. My self-respect sank increasingly lower, and I constantly asked others, “Do my looks ________ you?”

Five years and 20 reconstructive surgeries later, I ________ a man receiving treatment. After hearing my question, he criticized me. My problem, he ________ me, was not my physical appearance, but my emotional insecurity. His ________ helped me realize my mental scars were far more disfiguring than my physical ones.

I began examining myself from the inside out. Later, I volunteered at a cancer support organization to offer inspiration and hope to those ________ cancer

Now, I am ________ for who I am—a much stronger person than before. To you, I offer this message: Avoid making judgements about people at ________.

1.

A．took charge of

B．took care of

C．took control of

D．took notice of

2.

A．appointment

B．arrangement

C．commitment

D．placement

3.

A．severe

B．minor

C．apparent

D．complicated

4.

A．novelists

B．specialists

C．impressionists

D．journalists

5.

A．advocated

B．predicted

C．warned

D．witnessed

6.

A．desperate

B．enthusiastic

C．delicate

D．optimistic

7.

A．smiling

B．glaring

C．glancing

D．staring

8.

A．unusually

B．unintentionally.

C．unconventionally

D．unselfishly

9.

A．bother

B．impress

C．annoy

D．restrict

10.

A．greeted

B．persuaded

C．encountered

D．grasped

11.

A．abused

B．defended

C．informed

D．motivated

12.

A．relief

B．security

C．defence

D．honesty

13.

A．going about

B．relating to

C．wrestling with

D．breaking with

14.

A．greedy

B．grateful

C．suitable

D．tolerant

15.

A．mental vitality

B．physical fitness

C．social acceptance

D．face value

10 . Our dog Bree is a Staffy cross. She ________ more like a cat than a dog. Unlike other dogs, she will very happily eat up her dinner ________ what is being offered. She does not hang around us waiting for pieces to fall her way.

That is, of course, unless I am making toast (烤面包) for my breakfast. She always makes her way to the ________ and sits very straight and tall at my feet as though to say “Look at what a good girl I am!” as soon as she catches a ________ of bread toasting. I ________ her, broke off a little bit of crust (面包皮) and fed it to her before ________ some spread to my toast. This became our “thing” — if I was having toast she’d join me for breakfast. She seemed ________ and I didn’t think a little crust would ________ her. Unfortunately, the day came when I fed her a piece of toast with a generous ________ of butter and jam. Clearly, she thought it was ________ as she now turns her ________ up at dry crusts and will only eat toast topped with a tasty spread.

This incident ________ me of a smart Chinese proverb: It is ________ to pass from a poor life to a rich one, but difficult to go back in the other direction. When it comes to ________ children, we should watch out for this. ________, they might be spoiled (宠坏) easily.

1.

A．changes

B．behaves

C．works

D．looks

2.

A．regardless of

B．in case of

C．because of

D．in search of

3.

A．bedroom

B．yard

C．study

D．kitchen

4.

A．sound

B．moment

C．smell

D．word

5.

A．forgave

B．praised

C．ignored

D．trapped

6.

A．applying

B．adapting

C．sticking

D．pressing

7.

A．injured

B．annoyed

C．satisfied

D．confused

8.

A．touch

B．please

C．impress

D．ruin

9.

A．spread

B．offer

C．act

D．meal

10.

A．strong

B．delicious

C．small

D．hot

11.

A．ears

B．eyes

C．nose

D．neck

12.

A．reminds

B．frees

C．clears

D．warns

13.

A．usual

B．possible

C．great

D．easy

14.

A．training

B．raising

C．helping

D．moving

15.

A．Therefore

B．Anyway

C．Otherwise

D．Instead