1 . When attending holiday parties, we are eager to help our hosts in the kitchen, with food and drink service, and with post-party cleanup, which sometimes causes more trouble and stress for a host.     1     Here’s what professional event planners recommend.

Be sure to respond in a timely manner.     2     If the invitation asks you to respond, do so well before the host has to reach out to confirm your attendance. Hosts who don’t want their guests to help out during the party can hint that all has been taken care of right on the invitation.

    3     Asking a host if you can assist on the event date can be overwhelming, but extending that offer while the host is still planning the party and putting the details together may prove more useful. If you are someone who loves to help, contact the host in advance and offer your assistance.     4    

Don’t show up early. Respect the event’s start time and arrive on time or 5 minutes later than the time on the invitation. If the invitation says 7:15 pm, guests should arrive between 7:15 and 7:20.

When the party is over, don’t stay. At the end of the evening, you can make one last offer to help the host tidy up the space. But if they refuse, don’t insist.     5     So it’s the guest’s responsibility to leave at an appropriate hour.

A．Consider offering help to the host ahead of time.

B．So what can you do to really help holiday hosts?

C．Contact the host to know the details about the party.

D．Many hosts are too polite to tell people it’s time to go.

E．Being a good guest begins long before the party begins.

F．This way, the host can know an extra pair of hands is available as needed.

G．The invitation phase serves as a prime opportunity to clarify the event’s tone.

2 . The Powerful Guide to Finding Your Passion

Following your passion can be a tough thing. But figuring out what that passion is can be even more difficult. Here are some tips to find your passion.

    1     Unless you’re just starting out in life, you have some skills or talent, showing some kind of aptitude. Give this some thought. Think back, as far as you can, to jobs, projects or hobbies. This could be your passion. Or you may have several things. Start a list of potential candidates.

    2     It may be something at work-a little part of your job that gets you excited. It could be something you do outside of work-a hobby, a side job, something you do as a volunteer or a parent or a spouse or a friend. It could be something you haven’t done in a while. Add any answers to your list.

Think about what you have secretly dreamed of.     3     But some fear, some self-doubt, has held you back, has led you to dismiss this idea. Maybe there are several. Add them to the list — no matter how unrealistic.

Learn, ask, take notes. OK, you have a list.     4     This is your first candidate. Now read up on it, talk to people who’ve been successful in the field. Make a list of notes of things you need to learn, need to improve on, skills you want to master and people to talk to.

Experiment and try. Here’s where the learning really takes place. If you haven’t been already, start to do the thing you’ve chosen. Pay attention to how you feel doing it-is it something you look forward to, that gets you excited, that you love to share?     5    

A．Find what excites you.

B．Confirm what you are good at.

C．Predict what’s the worst that can happen.

D．Pick one thing from the list that excites you most.

E．If all the answers are “yes”, you’ve found where your passion is.

F．You need to do something, get good at it, be passionate about it.

G．You might have some ridiculous dream job you’ve always wanted to do.

3 . Is life a story or a game? Answers may vary from one to another. Over the course of life, we find things to love and commit to — a job, a partner or a community. At times, we struggle to learn from our misfortunes to grow in wisdom, kindness and grace.

Will Storr, a writer whose work I admire, says this story version of life is a misunderstanding. In his book The Status Game, he argues that human beings are deeply driven by status. Rather than about being liked or accepted, he writes, it’s about being better than others. “When people are obedient to us, offer respect, admiration or praise, that’s status. It feels good.”

Life is a series of games, he adds. There’s the high school game of competing to be the popular kid. The lawyer game to make partner. The finance game to make the most money. The academic game for fame. The sports game to show that our team is the best. Even when we are trying to do good, Storr claims, we’re playing the “virtue game” to show we are morally superior to others.

I think Storr is in danger of becoming one of those guys who ignore the noble desires of the human heart and the caring element in every friendship and family. The status-mad world that Storr describes is so loveless. In fact, gaming as a way of life is immature. Maturity means rising above the shallow desire — for status — that doesn’t really nourish us. It’s about cultivating the higher desires: the love of truth and learning; the inner pleasure the craftsman gets in his work, which is not about popularity, and the desire for a good and meaningful life that inspires people to practise daily acts of generosity.

How do people gradually learn to cultivate these higher motivations? To answer that, I’d have to tell you a story.

1. What lies in the core of Will Storr’s opinion about life?

A．The pride in one’s virtue.	B．The pursuit of superiority.
C．The desire for acceptance.	D．The motivation by wealth.

2. What can be viewed as higher motivations in the text?

A．Love and inspiration.	B．Maturity and desire.
C．Commitment and kindness.	D．Friendship and popularity.

3. What’s the main purpose of the passage?

A．To correct an attitude.	B．To compare two values.
C．To explain two arguments.	D．To criticize a viewpoint.

4. What story do you think the author will tell next?

A．A king’s-comeback story.	B．A rags-to-riches story.
C．A Yuan Longping-style story.	D．An overnight-success story.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the man’s problem?

A．He forgot his password.

B．He can’t use the system.

C．He can’t find his computer.

2. Where is the computer services office?

A．Beside the stairs.

B．At the back of the lift.

C．Next to the reception desk.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. When might Susan leave the library?

A．At 9:00 p.m.

B．At 8:00 a.m

C．At 7:00 p.m.

2. Why did Susan stay in the library the whole day?

A．To study for the coming exam.

B．To finish her graduation paper.

C．To prepare for the presentation.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What can Leo play?

A．The piano.

B．The guitar.

C．The violin.

2. What is the purpose of the music group?

A．To help students relax.

B．To celebrate National Day.

C．To prepare for a competition.

3. Why does Leo hesitate to join the music group at first?

A．He is too busy with his study.

B．He is afraid of meeting new people.

C．He doesn’t think he is good enough.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。1.

A．They didn’t open their wings.

B．They didn’t stop moving around.

C．They didn’t come down from the tree.

2.

A．Talk about them at her school.

B．Send them to the local paper.

C．Enter them in a competition.

8 . We all do procrastination (拖延). No matter how well-organized you are, chances are that you have found yourself wasting hours on small pursuits when you should have been spending that time on school-related projects.     1     However, do they really work?

Knee-jerk reaction and recommendations to procrastination can focus on making lists, downloading apps, setting timers, etc. If simply making a list could solve the problem of procrastination, then there wouldn’t be so many articles on it or conversations about it with doctors.     2    

When we look at a task, such as doing homework or preparing a presentation, we do an internal assessment.     3     If not, our brain center responds by telling our body to avoid the situation causing us anxiety. In this way, procrastination will provide us with a circle-stressful task, perceived threat, but once the task is finished, you will feel better. This is a short-term solution in fact. Then, ultimately we want to finish a work and feel good, what can we do?

    4     That’s because we live in a busy world where tasks will roll your way. Be aware that you are procrastinating and don’t pile up the act of procrastination with the act of self-deception (欺骗). Know yourself and your moods. Scheduling tasks during times of high energy will help us be most productive and lessen the opportunity for procrastination.     5     If you are motivated by funny stickers on your papers, then you should pair the rewarding activity with the task you have been procrastinating.

A．Learn from negative thoughts.

B．What’s more, reward yourself after the task.

C．It means a mismanagement of your emotions.

D．Procrastination frequently happens in daily life.

E．Therefore, we need to figure out its internal roots.

F．If the task is easy to handle, we can do it as soon as possible.

G．Fortunately, you will find many ways to deal with procrastination online.

9 . 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。

Nanjing, situated in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, was the capital of China for six Dynasties. An Australian Nanjinger Townley loves the rivers in the city. He     1     (ride) a bike along the bank of a river to the Nanjing Fishmouth Wetland Park in Jianye District every Saturday and Sunday mornings, about a 15-km round trip.     2     (walk) around the city or visiting museums is also an enjoyable part of his life.

According to Townley, Nanjing is in an ideal     3     (locate) in one corner of the Yangtze River Delta region, close to Shanghai.

Now, Townley works with and     4     (support) by the Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute. He serves     5     a visiting professor at the School of Environmental Science and Engineering at Nanjing Tech University. After being a consultant and in the industry for     6     (year), he loves being connected to a university again     7     (share) his knowledge and experience with younger people and to initiate research based on the problems he has encountered in the real world so far. “I know my education and life are different from the     8     (type) Chinese students. Despite the differences,     9     I want to do with my Chinese students is encourage them to think, to be curious     10     to always search for new things.”

10 . Do you ever find yourself saving the good things in life for some distant moment in the future? Maybe you have a collection of fancy plates that only see the light of day on special occasions, or perhaps you’re waiting for the perfect time to wear that beautiful dress put away in your closet.     1    

In a recent conversation with leading psychologist Dr. Alison McClymont, we explored the idea of giving ourselves permission to enjoy the good things now, rather than waiting for an uncertain future.     2     So saving pleasure for the future may be pointless.

But why do we feel the need to save things for best?     3     It’s typically British to save our crockery or clothes for “special” occasions. This mindset may have originated from times when resources were not enough and has been passed down through generations. However, when we feel abundant, we are more willing to use and appreciate our favorite things regularly.

Welcoming the joy of everyday life can be seen as an act of self-love. We are supposed to surround ourselves with things that bring us happiness, even in ordinary moments.     4     It’s also about finding ways to renew our worth, fighting the negative thoughts that we don’t deserve to enjoy the good things in life.

    5     Take out those fancy plates for a simple weeknight dinner. Wear that beautiful dress to run errands or pick up your kids from school. Celebrate the small moments and make them extraordinary. Because in the end, life is too short to deny ourselves joy. Let’s break free from the mindset of waiting for the perfect moment. Embrace the joy of everyday life and make every day a celebration.

A．So, why not start now?

B．Well, it’s time to reconsider.

C．By doing so, we can boost our overall well-being.

D．After all, there will be more happiness in store for us.

E．Actually, cultural and generational factors play a crucial role.

F．The reason may be that our well-being is closely related to abundance.

G．If we deny ourselves small moments of joy, we may never get them again.