1 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.   

Bob’s problems began during his formative years. His parents got divorced when he was young, and neither of his parents wanted to raise him or his brother and sister, so he     1     (bring) up by a foster family chosen by a social worker in the community.

Unfortunately, his foster father was a strict authoritarian and often beat him. Bob rebelled against this strict upbringing, and by the time he was eight years old, he     2     (run) wild, stealing from shops and playing truant. When he reached adolescence, sometime around his thirteenth birthday, he had already appeared in court several times, charged     3     juvenile crimes. The judge blamed his foster parents,     4     (explain) that children needed responsible parents and guardians who would look after them properly. The foster father didn’t agree with the judge and objected to this, pointing out that Bob’s two brothers and sister were well-adjusted children who behaved at home and worked well at school.

This has raised some interesting questions about the modern family system.     5     it is true that parents should not be too lenient with children by letting them do     6     they want,     7     too over-protective by sheltering them from the realities of life, it is also true that they should not be too strict. It has also highlighted the disadvantages of the modern nuclear family     8     the child has only its mother and father to rely on or the single-parent family, in which the mother or father has to struggle particularly hard     9     (support) their dependents.     

In fact, many people believe that we     10     return to traditional family values and the extended family: extensive research has shown that children from these families are generally better behaved and have a better chance of success in later life.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

I didn’t know how powerful a tool humor could be till the day I     1     (accidental) discovered it I remember I was 16 years old or so, and like most     2     (teenager), I too was a difficult kid. My careless attitude would get on my mom’s nerves, leading to huge fights. For me, it felt like she hated me and picked on every move     3     I made.

It was on a regular day, in the middle of the day’s fight, when my mom shouted at the top of her voice as I had again forgotten to wipe the floor after my shower. And not     4     my surprise, she had slipped on it again. As she came to me     5     (scream), I remember holding her face in my hands all of     6     sudden and expressing as I teased her, “Oh, did you fall again? Sorry!” to which she shouted, “Of course I did!” Looking at each other for a second we began laughing and that was the first time that our fight     7     (end) on a good note. It was on that day that I realized how my harsh (尖刻的) words were only adding fuel to the fire when all it needed was a little humor.

Conflicts cannot be avoided     8     talking about a relationship. Although it does spice up relation, just like too much of anything is bad, too many conflicts do a lot of harm to a relationship. This is the time when humor can act as its role     9     (ease) the situation and help share some lighter moments of fun. So     10     (laugh) or humor is the best medicine.

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入括号内单词的正确形式。

I still remember last winter, when I     1     (wake) up in the morning, it     2     (stop) snowing. Looking outside of the window, the shiny white snow on our lawn     3     (clean) by my father. I closed the book that I     4     (borrow) from our local library and went downstairs for breakfast. Then my little brother came to tell me that he     5     (finish) all his homework and he     6     (have) a very nice dream the night before. During the breakfast, one of my best friends came to visit my family. She     7     (go) to Australia last year. Before that she     8     (prepare) for the examination of University of Sydney for half a year. During her study, she     9     (learn) the culture and     10     (profession) knowledge in her field.

4 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

You know what they say, marriage is like a box of chocolates and you never know what you are gonna get. My wife and I had a “ferocious” argument the other night     1     we were watching one episode of the latest season of a reality show called See You Again. Basically, the show was about three couples     2     (embark) on an 18-day vacation to try to work out their marital issues in the hope of saving their marriages. For them, it was really a make-it-or-break-it vacation.

    3     we both agreed on most men’s incompetence in expressing their true feelings in any intimate relationship, my still beloved wife and I failed miserably to see eye to eye on reasons for that. She blamed it on men’s upbringing while I thought it had more to do with the influence of outdated social norms and stereotypes on men.

Our society     4     (discourage) emotional expression in men for ages, telling them they can’t shed a tear or show any vulnerability. These outdated ideas about what it means to be a man have messed them up big time. To me, it is no wonder that in the marriage market, the most common type available       5     women is the silent but dominant type of men with the whole breadwinner and homemaker roles still       6     (stick) in their heads. So when things don’t go that way, of course, they will feel lost.

“Intimidated” by my rigorous logic, my wife purposefully shifted the focus of her argument to     7     we two should raise our son and what I could have done better if I had taken her advice seriously.

However, things started to get much     8     (personal) when both of us seemed to run out of witty arguments. Realizing this disagreement would lead us nowhere, I wasted no time apologizing to her for my ill-considered words with dignity and offered to clean the plates piling up in the sink     9     I cooked dinner that night! Faced with an offer she couldn’t refuse, my wife kindly reminded me     10     (not forget) to dry the towel when I was done. Apology accepted, hence case closed.

At the end of the day, I exhibited my vulnerability as requested and she showed her mercy as expected. We just agreed to disagree and lived happily ever after.

5 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写 1 个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Recently, in some big cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, balcony gardening     1     (be) popular with residents, most of       2     are in their 20s and 30s. According to the report made by Tmall, balcony gardening is now worth tens of billions of yuan and extends from seeds and soil to automated growing machines. Even a novice (新手) can become an urban farmer just     3     pushing buttons. Experts think     4     (grow) vegetables in balcony gardens is more than just an achievement. It is becoming a fashionable lifestyle and requires suitable equipment that is easy to use.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Family meals are important in living with a family. A recent survey    1    (show) that most children and their family share a meal at least four times a week.    2    my point of view, this is a positive sign, because dining together is able to benefit family members.

Firstly,     3    (have) a meal together can help a family stick together, which helps strengthen each family member’s sense of belonging and reduce family    4    (tension). Family members can relax together during this time, and enjoy each other’s company. Routine communication also helps family members show each other’s appreciation which can not only    5    (stress) on Thanksgiving Day.

Secondly, family meals also play     6    important part in a child’s growth. For example, parents are able to observe their children’s psychology (心理)    7    (base) on their deeds and expressions. And studies show that children eating with their families are more likely     8    (get) high grades in the end than those who do not eat family meals. And such kids are    9     (definite) to be more social and make more friends. Finally, Through family meals, parents can also ensure that their children are eating different foods to have strong bodies. It’s because children    10     eat together with their families can be taught to be not particular about meals.

7 . 阅读下列短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

It is just past five o’clock on the Chinese New Year’s Eve, and the dinner table     1     (cover) with white china plates and bowls, full of all sorts of dishes: chicken, duck, pork, fish and vegetables. Luo Yan, 29, lifts the cover of a large bowl     2     (breathe) in the rich smell of the soup his wife and mother have prepared. Luo Yan’s son, Bofeng,     3    (happy) takes a bite of the chicken his grandfather has selected for him.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Have you ever forgotten     1    (lock) the door of your house? Or, have you ever forgotten to switch off the TV     2    computer? These kinds of things happen       3     us all the time, waste resources, and can sometimes lead to       4     (problem). However,   in the not-too-distant future, we     5    (live) in smart homes     6     will lock the door for us when we       7     away and remember to switch off the TV when we forget. These smart homes will keep us     8     (security), save us energy, and provide     9     more comfortable environment     10     (live) in.

9 . 阅读下面短文，根据上下文在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Over 37, 000 children     1     (age)11 to 13 were reported to be more positive about their future when     2     (ask) about their family relationships during a survey between 2016 and 2019.

These children,     3     family relationships are healthy, are more likely to flourish because they have an internal sense of safety. This sense of safety is     4     allows children to understand and accept who they are. Not having to worry about home life also means     5     (child)devoting more mental energy to learning and     6     (social).

Child psychologist Whitaker says the     7     (good)thing parents and other caregivers can do is get involved in some simple activities such as doing chores together. You don’t     8     (necessity)need to fill those moments with chatter. Silence is also     9     powerful form of communication. Being present, open, interested and     10       (attention) at these times is the foundation of family connections.

10 . 语法填空

Since Tom went to high school,     1    (watch) TV has become a routine for him. His mother always said, “It's a waste of time     2    (spend) hours in front of the TV.” However, Tom always answered, “I can keep a balance between studying and watching TV.”As you know, talking     3    (be) easier than doing. Later, Tom didn't do well in the final exam and he was very sad. His mother knew there was no point     4    (scold) him. She told him, “It's no use     5    (cry) over spilt milk and what you can do now is just try your best to study for the next exam.”