1 . A wildlife photographer was waiting, hoping to get a shot of a relatively rare bird, a particular kind of heron(鹭). He’d waited several frustrating hours in the woods, but with no luck at all. Suddenly, to the photographer’s delight, a heron settled on a branch right in front of him. The photographer raised his camera and took the shot. Feeling particularly pleased, the photographer looked at the image. To his astonishment, he saw that behind the heron, his photograph had also captured a very, very rare woodpecker flying past. He hadn’t seen it, but without even trying, he’d photographed an even rarer bird than the one he was aiming for. This is an example of serendipity.

Cases of serendipity can be found in numerous fields, such as science. Back in the 1800s, a man called Wellswas at a demonstration (演示) of laughing gas. After being given the gas, the patient started laughing, as expected. But then he suddenly fell over and cut his le g rather badly. To everyone’s surprise, the man reported that he couldn’t feel any pain. Wells hadn’t been looking for it, but he’d made a medical discovery — certain gases reduce and can even almost eradicate pain. Had Wells not been there that night, anesthesia (麻醉) might have taken longer to be discovered.

Most of us can probably think of at least one example of serendipity in our own lives. Jane, a friend of mine,was trying to come up with an idea for an article but got completely stuck. Frustrated, she decided to go out to a local café. As she was sipping her coffee, she heard two people talking behind her. A man was telling a story that sounded so unbelievable that she knew it had to be true. She asked the people if she could interview them for the article. They agreed and her article turned out to be one of the top trending articles of the week.

1. The word “serendipity” in paragraph 1 means the fact of __________.

A．observing rare birds in person	B．achieving important aims in time
C．finding valuable things by chance	D．taking interesting photos by mistake

2. What surprised Wells at the demonstration?

A．The gas’s hidden damage.	B．The gas’s pain-killing effect.
C．The patient’s scientific discovery.	D．The patient’s balance-losing moment.

3. Why did Jane go to the café?

A．To take a break.	B．To meet a friend.
C．To write an article.	D．To do an interview.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To explain a concept.	B．To promote a culture.
C．To introduce a person.	D．To recommend a method.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where did the speakers agree to meet?

A．At the corner by the post office.

B．By the cash machine in the shop.

C．By the statue in the shopping center.

2. How long did the woman wait for the man?

A．20 minutes.

B．30 minutes.

C．60 minutes.

3. Why did the woman fail to get the man’s message?

A．Her phone was off.

B．She lost her phone.

C．The place was too noisy.

3 .

A．Dr. Johnson may not be a good choice.

B．Dr. Johnson’s waiting room is not tidy.

C．Dr. Johnson enjoys reading magazines.

D．Dr. Johnson is really a good dentist.

4 .

A．They will raise the issue in their presentation.

B．They will find more relevant information for their work.

C．They will make use of whatever information is available.

D．They will put more efforts into preparing for the presentation.

5 .

A．Lucy is not happy with the ban on pet animals.

B．Lucy might as well send her dog to her relative.

C．Lucy won’t be able to keep a dog in the building.

D．Lucy should get rid of her pet as soon as possible.

6 . One day I was driving a group of friends to a family seminar (研讨会) in Holmes County, Ohio. The village of Berlin was about an hour from our home. The seminar is usually half a day except on Saturday. In my hurry, I left the house without cash and without food. I comforted myself with the thought that I could go without them and it would allow me to concentrate more on the rich teaching that I would receive. It was a beautiful day and the drive was pleasant through countryside. I enjoyed conversation with my friends about the things of the Lord as we drove.

When we arrived I found my place and settled in to enjoy the seminar. The morning passed swiftly and I noticed no hunger. When the noon hour came I went to the van (面包车) to spend some time alone with the Lord. On the church grounds and in the shade of the tree people began to open large picnic baskets. I knew it would be impossible to think about this feast going on in front of me.

I started the van and drove into the village of Berlin. I found the Christian bookstore and spent some time browsing among the books. One of my favorite places on earth is a good bookstore. Standing there I sensed someone behind me. I turned and was shocked to see Lois standing there. She smiled “I couldn’t stand the thought of you going hungry so I brought you some money.” My heart welled up with love for her in that moment. We ate lunch and kissed goodbye. I went back to the seminar and she made the hour-long trip back home.

The two things stand out in my mind. First, Lois would know that I was hungry so I would not have to go without food. Second, when she went to the church and saw I was gone she knew exactly where she would find me.

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

A．Known And Loved	B．A Family Seminar
C．A Good Lunch	D．Surprised And Interested

2. When did the author go for a family seminar?

A．One day.	B．On Friday.
C．On Saturday.	D．On Sunday.

3. Why did the author spend some time in a bookstore?

A．To read some books about the Lord.

B．To meet his good friend — Lois.

C．To buy some books for his friends.

D．To kill the lunchtime in the bookstore.

4. What can we learn according to Lois’ reaction?

A．The author could go well without one or two meals.

B．The author would share everything with his friends.

C．The author might stay in the church for the noon.

D．The author would spend his free time on books.

7 . How to Get More Time in a Day

Do you feel like there are never enough hours in a day? Are you always behind on your tasks? If so, here are some tips to help you take control of your time.

    1     Writing down the things you need to get done removes the stress of trying to keep track of them mentally. What’s more, it will be easier to make a plan to address your tasks.

When making your to-do list, be aware of unrealistic expectations. If your list is too long, you’ll feel discouraged when you can’t get through it.     2     Decide what absolutely needs to be done that day and what can be put off to the next. Chances are that putting some duties off to the near future won’t bring any serious consequences.

Once you have your list, attack it one item at a time. Many people believe that performing multiple tasks simultaneously (同时地) saves time, but in truth multitasking takes 30 percent longer than doing things one by one.    3    

The next step is to find ways to use time more wisely. Plenty of time each day is spent texting or emailing, so imagine how much time we’d save if we just called people instead.    4         It’s faster than typing, and it’s often easier to grasp someone’s meaning when we can hear their voice.

At the end of the day, it’s important to give your mind and body a chance to rest. Take breaks to stop, breathe, and clear your thoughts, and don’t let mounting duties prevent you from getting enough sleep.    5    

A．You can begin by making a to-do list.

B．The solution is to prioritize (优先处理).

C．Speaking over the phone is more efficient.

D．Only when you remove such activities can you feel refreshed.

E．Now go forth and treat your time like the valuable product it is!

F．Besides, people tend to make more mistakes when they multitask.

G．Though they may feel enjoyable, they have few long-term benefits.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the conversation mainly about?

A．The decision to go on a diet.

B．The way to change eating habits.

C．The plan to celebrate the New Year.

2. What does the woman think of the man?

A．He is a man of his word.

B．He always breaks his word.

C．He needn’t change anything.

3. What may happen to the man at last?

A．He’ll lose weight.

B．He’ll stick to his plan.

C．He’ll fail to go on a diet.

9 . Directions: For each blank in the following passage, there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

The word "adolescence" literally means "growing up" （from the Latin adolescere）. _________, it describes a distinct stage between childhood and adulthood, but in practice often simply defines the "teenage" years. In most Western societies, the idea of adolescence was not _________ until the 20 th century; childhood ended and adulthood began at a certain age – typically at 18.

G. Stanley Hall, a psychologist and educator, in his 1904 book Adolescence, was the first to explore the _________. Hall was influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution, perceiving that all childhoods, especially with regard to behavior and early physical development, reflect the course of _________ change, and that we each develop in accordance with our "ancestral record".

One key influence on Hall was the 18^th -century "Sturm and Drang" （Storm and Stress） movement of German writers and musicians, which promoted total freedom of expression. Hall _________ adolescence as "Sturm and Drang"; he considered it a stage of emotional disturbance and rebellion, with behavior ranging from quiet moodiness to wild _________. He stated that adolescents "are eager for strong feelings and new sensations, while routine and detail are _________". Awareness of self and the environment greatly increases; everything is more _________ felt, and sensation is pursued for its own sake.

Many of Hall's findings are _________ in research today. Hall believed that adolescents are highly affected by depression and described a "curve of despondency（消沉）" that starts at the age of 11, _________ at 15, then falls steadily until the age of 23. Modern research acknowledges a similar pattern. The causes of depression that Hall _________ are surprisingly familiar: suspicion of being disliked and having seemingly insuperable character faults, and "the _________ of hopeless love". He believed the self-consciousness of adolescence leads to criticizing self and others. This view mirrors later studies, which argue that teenagers' advanced _________ skills allow them to "read between the lines", while also intensifying their sensitivity to situations. Even Hall's claim that criminal activity is more common in the teenage years, reaching the top around 18, still _________.

However, Hall was not totally negative about adolescence. "Adolescence is a new _________," as he wrote in Youth: Its Education, Regiment, and Hygiene, "for the higher and more completely human qualities are how born."

1.

A．In theory

B．In essence

C．In contrast

D．In general

2.

A．exchanged

B．recognized

C．imposed

D．transformed

3.

A．difference

B．world

C．possibility

D．subject

4.

A．evolutionary

B．consequential

C．minimal

D．structural

5.

A．employed

B．interpreted

C．treated

D．classified

6.

A．decision-making

B．problem-solving

C．risk-taking

D．example-following

7.

A．inexhaustible

B．intolerable

C．inadequate

D．instinctive

8.

A．keenly

B．hesitantly

C．slightly

D．oddly

9.

A．published

B．revised

C．summarized

D．echoed

10.

A．bounces

B．jumps

C．swings

D．peaks

11.

A．promoted

B．eliminated

C．identified

D．determined

12.

A．lack

B．fancy

C．claim

D．power

13.

A．reasoning

B．coping

C．social

D．verbal

14.

A．sounds one-sided

B．holds true

C．remains unknowns

D．stands out

15.

A．trend

B．outlet

C．birth

D．model

10 . Sasha saves the day

Though I can’t recall who the gift was from, what I do remember about the gift is my initial reaction to it. When our toddler (学步的小孩) opened the box and pulled out the soft toy, my mind immediately went to the existing mountain of stuffed animals in our house. I knew that this orange knit cat, named Sasha, according to the box, was straight into that pile.

We had no idea what we were up against. When the gift box containing Sasha arrived two years into our time as parents, most surfaces in our house were covered in kid stuff. We had discovered that we could live with pretty much anything if it kept the peace and kept our kid safe.

As I expected, Sasha went into the mountain of stuffed animals. Less predictably, however, the knit cat didn’t stay in the pile. I’m not sure why. Sasha is sweet but looks unremarkable. Picture a medium-sized knit orange cat with an angled smile and a purple sweater.

No doubt part of Sasha’s appeal came from its involvement in mealtimes. We were desperate for distractions, particularly when our son was in the highchair. Without entertainment, our toddler would fight the injustice of being required to stay seated while eating. My husband started to use Sasha in the distraction games with success. We knew we were onto something when our son started asking to go into his highchair to play the “Sasha game”.

In time, Sasha’s powers grew beyond distraction. If we were having a hard time talking our son into doing something, sometimes the knit cat could bring him around.

This comfort was particularly critical when it was bedtime. Sleep was challenging for our son for a long time and, as a result, for us. We discovered that our child liked to cuddle (依偎) the knit cat at night and was able to settle down more easily if Sasha was there. This made the knit cat priceless in our household.

Remarkably, our son is now a teenager and, if all goes as planned, he will leave home to attend university later this year. Sasha no longer has a prominent role in our day-to-day lives, but I know that I will never throw Sasha out. We all love that knit cat.

Come fall, when I am an empty nester, I might just pull Sasha out again to provide comfort to me.

1. When the author first saw the gift, she thought that ______.

A．it would add happy hours to the family	B．it would not be appreciated
C．it was unique among other toys	D．her kid would find it fascinating

2. What do we know about the author’s kid?

A．He was restless when eating.	B．He preferred to be left alone.
C．He liked to collect knit toys.	D．He talked a lot with the toy.

3. The sentence “the knit cat could bring him around” probably means that ______.

A．the knit cat sometimes drove away the kid’s attention

B．the knit cat was always playing around the boy

C．the knit cat could persuade the boy to do something

D．the knit cat had hard time talking with the kid

4. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．At first sight, the knit cat was appealing to the family.

B．The knit cat helped the kid to behave better when eating.

C．The boy was able to sleep well with the knit cat around him.

D．The author also enjoys the company of the knit cate.