1 . Gail Rodgers, a grandma of three, has become a lifeguard at her local pool. Seeing her local pool couldn’t ________ due to a lifeguard shortage, the 66 year old woman decided that her ________ wouldn’t get in the way while helping her community. “I did this lifeguard thing back in the late ‘60s’.________ , I thought I can do this again,’’ she said.

Rodgers, ________ in the late 1960s, said she had to learn new skills. Jeff Blume, president of Cincinnati Pool Management and Rodgers’ boss, also admitted that the physical examination is ________. “Lifeguard candidates have to swim a 300 yard length, and then submerge (潜入水中) and grab a 10-pound brick off the bottom of the pool,” Blume explained.

Through great ________, Rodgers became a part time lifeguard.   “It’s been fun ________ people enjoying the nice weather in the pool. It’s been more ________ than I expected to be,” Rodgers said. Her boss said it has also been a joy to have her on their team.

Blume noted that fear can ________ a lot of people and he’s glad that Rodgers is such a(n) ________ for being courageous. “I think there’s a ________ of ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘That’s not for me. That’s for the young’ or something like that. So, there’s a lot to ________, but if people want to do it, we could help them with the skills and give them a little bit more of a________ before they actually take the class. If people ________ that is an option, I think they might not look at the skills test as a tall mountain to get over.”   They hope more people are inspired to ________ life-guarding as the country continues to face lifeguard shortages.

1.

A．spread

B．decrease

C．operate

D．change

2.

A．gender

B．age

C．behaviour

D．character

3.

A．However

B．Besides

C．Otherwise

D．Therefore

4.

A．trained

B．employed

C．identified

D．replaced

5.

A．fair

B．severe

C．brief

D．practical

6.

A．opportunities

B．achievements

C．efforts

D．choices

7.

A．keeping

B．catching

C．imagining

D．watching

8.

A．pleasant

B．convenient

C．effective

D．significant

9.

A．strike

B．control

C．threaten

D．restrict

10.

A．creation

B．inspiration

C．attraction

D．motivation

11.

A．horror

B．loss

C．relief

D．guilt

12.

A．doubt

B．deny

C．overcome

D．ignore

13.

A．reward

B．boost

C．try

D．taste

14.

A．complain

B．ensure

C．predict

D．recognize

15.

A．take up

B．make up

C．end up

D．pull up

3 . I was busy and often dealt with customer emails at lunch. Even fifteen minutes in the employee lunchroom seemed a _________. My company, like many companies, cut costs by not _________ people as they left. The survivors had to take up more _________.

For me, this _________ no lunch hour, plus taking work home. I wanted to _________, but I couldn’t until I had another job in hand. _________ in theory, but given how annoyed the extra hours made me feel, it was difficult to convince _________ employers to hire me. I felt trapped. Then a chance _________ with a little girl changed my perspective. The girl was _________ happy, standing in line with her mom at the grocery.

“Good day at school?” I asked.

A nod.

“What’s your favorite subject?”

I smiled at the answer. I __________ when that had been my answer. At that time, no teachers told you what to do at lunch. We just played happily.

That brief __________ left me wondering: What had happened to lunch?

I knew that by law I was __________ to a lunch break. So I decided to start __________ it. I began to had a walk during the lunch break, which made me refreshed.

Now I’m still __________ a new position but with less stressed-out urgency than before. You can’t always change your __________, but you can always change your perspective.

1.

A．luxury

B．solution

C．concern

D．procedure

2.

A．protecting

B．reminding

C．supporting

D．replacing

3.

A．guidance

B．work

C．time

D．reference

4.

A．represented

B．proved

C．meant

D．designed

5.

A．accept

B．exchange

C．quit

D．agree

6.

A．Independent

B．Legal

C．Creative

D．Nice

7.

A．potential

B．previous

C．optimistic

D．influential

8.

A．travel

B．discovery

C．cooperation

D．conversation

9.

A．equally

B．merely

C．extremely

D．usually

10.

A．shared

B．remembered

C．recorded

D．checked

11.

A．encounter

B．trip

C．stop

D．summary

12.

A．entitled

B．exposed

C．related

D．suggested

13.

A．evaluating

B．extending

C．taking

D．escaping

14.

A．adapting to

B．looking for

C．taking over

D．adding to

15.

A．circles

B．identity

C．appearance

D．circumstances

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where does the woman work?

A．In Italy.

B．In Britain.

C．In Lithuania.

2. How does the woman improve her English after work?

A．She goes to classes.

B．She learns from a friend.

C．She watches English TV.

3. What is Jeff?

A．A cook.

B．A waiter.

C．A student.

4. What will the woman do next month?

A．Change her job.

B．Get married.

C．Find a flat.

7 . I live in New York, and watched the twin towers fall. It was then that I started to think about ________ . I realized people needed to laugh, to ________ themselves again, and thought that with a little ________ I could do it. I took a few classes and ________ picked up the courage to get up on stage.

In New York, comedians are typically young men. It’s hard enough to ________ as a woman. As I stepped on stage that first time, I introduced myself, ________ my age and tried my first joke. There was ________ . But by the time I got to the third line, people were ________ . I was hooked.

After the show, people young and old come up to me, saying what a(n) ________ I am. They say they want to be as ________ as me when they reach my age. I’m pleased I can ________ that as an older person you don’t need to take a back seat in life.

My friends think I’m ________ . They don’t understand why I wouldn’t choose to take it easy. But I like ________ the world and you’ve got to be in touch to be funny.

As an older person in comedy, I do feel as if I’ve got more to ________ . I have to convince people I’m worthy of being on that stage. I’ve no intention of ________ comedy. I hope to still be performing when I’m 100.

1.

A．drawing

B．comedy

C．literature

D．singing

2.

A．enjoy

B．protect

C．abandon

D．withdraw

3.

A．patience

B．searching

C．training

D．memory

4.

A．certainly

B．hopefully

C．naturally

D．finally

5.

A．give up

B．break through

C．calm down

D．hang out

6.

A．hid

B．skipped

C．stated

D．lowered

7.

A．freedom

B．pride

C．interest

D．silence

8.

A．laughing

B．leaving

C．complaining

D．sleeping

9.

A．independent

B．disappointment

C．inspiration

D．failure

10.

A．thoughtful

B．active

C．generous

D．strict

11.

A．warn

B．learn

C．imagine

D．show

12.

A．rich

B．mad

C．gifted

D．wise

13.

A．engaging with

B．escaping from

C．shutting out

D．taking on

14.

A．share

B．pray

C．prove

D．sacrifice

15.

A．changing

B．stopping

C．promoting

D．understanding

8 . Benedict Morelli, one of New York’s top-rated lawyers, owns Morelli Law Firm, which has offices, lawyers, cases and experts all over the country. Benedict Morelli and his team of experienced lawyers are expert at handling a wide variety of cases, from auto and truck accidents, to construction injuries, to complex employment discrimination.

One critical reason for their success is that unlike many firms, Morelli Law has the experience, patience, and resources to pursue all difficult cases. Since founding the firm, Mr. Morelli and his team have successfully dealt with an impressive list of outstanding cases in the industry. In fact, they have delivered more than a billion dollars on behalf of their clients. Impressive firm results include a $95 million settlement in a sexual discrimination case involving Aaron’s Inc., as well as a $62 million settlement for Mark Perez, a construction worker who fell from a roof and suffered a brain injury.

When asked whether they would feel afraid when facing difficult opponents in court, “At my core, I’m a trial lawyer,” said Benedict Morelli. “Because of our experience and accomplishments in the courtroom, our opponents know that we’re prepared to pursue the best result possible. Going to trial does not intimidate us.”

The firm is devoted to realizing its clients’ goals both inside and outside of the courtroom. For example, in a drunk driving case, the firm worked with the client to strengthen New York laws that punish drunk drivers. This effort has made it easier for lawyers in New York to charge drunk drivers. Moreover, Mr. Moreli and his team are also committed to helping those who have been wronged achieve the justice they deserve, no matter the difficulty of the circumstances.

Corporations are powerful actors in society and Mr. Morelli and his team feel fortunate to be in a position to provide the highest level of service to their clients.

1. What contributes to Morelli Law Firm’s success?

A．Talents, Strategies and funds.

B．Attitude, passion and resolution.

C．Experience, patience and resources.

D．Management, devotion and knowledge.

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

A．Scare.

B．Threaten.

C．Benefit.

D．Excite.

3. What can we learn about the company Morelli Law Firm?

A．It has made more than a billion dollars from their clients.

B．It focuses mainly on bringing justice to the wrongful cases.

C．It aims to help clients obtain good outcomes in and out of court.

D．It works with New York to pass laws on banning drinking alcohol.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Morelli Law Firm	B．A top-rated lawyer
C．Morelli and his cases	D．Corporations in society

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Greg Samson do?

A．A host.

B．A singer.

C．A dancer.

2. What made Katy shocked about Greg Samson?

A．His new songs.

B．His excellent dancing skills.

C．His show with new elements.

3. Why does Greg Samson run for five miles before a performance?

A．To keep fit.

B．To lose weight.

C．To explore a new place.

4. What will Greg Samson do in the City Stadium tomorrow?

A．Throw a party.

B．Have a performance.

C．Hold a press conference.