1 . For most people, life has become a burden on their shoulders, and its weight is growing heavier and heavier, until one day they can’t carry it anymore. So how can we design a life that is less complex and more meaningful? With minimalism (极简主义).     1     The following ways will assist you in your journey to living a simper yet fuller life.

    2     Most people’s living space is filled with things that are never used and don’t contribute to their well-being. Separate the ones you do need from the ones you don’t, and throw the latter right into the dustin — or better, give them away to people who might actually benefit from them.

Appreciate all the amazing things you already have. We constantly compare ourselves to others who seem happier, more beautiful and more important than us. We try our best to imitate those we envy.     3     We need to stop comparing and accept ourselves for who we are, with all our imperfections. Take a moment to appreciate what you have.

Do one thing at a time. Minimalist living actually means making the most out of each and every moment. We’re usually carrying out different tasks at the same time. So whatever we are doing, our mind is partly wondering somewhere else.     4    

Develop mindfulness.     5     Thus you need to develop mindfulness. Mindfulness means fully attending to what’s happening in the present. There are many ways one can do so. Perhaps the most common way is to sit for about 30 minutes somewhere comfortably with your upper back straight and pay full attention to your breath as it’s coming in and out through your nose. In this way, you won’t be distracted by your thoughts.

A．It is about enjoying life more with less.

B．Stop consuming products you don’t need.

C．Yet no matter how much we try, we always fail.

D．Get rid of things that don’t serve your happiness.

E．minimalist living requires a calm and undisturbed mind.

F．Stop multitasking and concentrate on a single thing at a time.

G．Unfortunately, our minds are filled with worries in our busy lives.

2 . During school, college and service I never participated in any group discussion or stage program. Therefore, I didn’t know what the stage______was.

Our school has a weekly “Parents View”______in the assembly. (全校师生的晨会) Around four years ago,______I received a call from the Principal of our school telling me to come to the “Parent View”, which was out of my expectation. He asked me to______to the group.

After the call my whole body became feverish and I felt really______. The whole night, I could not sleep. Many______thoughts were coming. One of them was to call the Principal, with______, and tell him that I could not go. I gathered some______. I thought, if I missed this opportunity, surely, the school would never invite me again to any of their programs.     _____I decided to go.

When my turn came and I started speaking, my legs started shaking and my heartbeat increased. After the speech, I met with the Principal and______what had happened to me. He told me that this happened to everyone. These symptoms were very   ____. Even great speakers faced the same things when they______.

Later on with the help of the Principal I ______a topic of talk for the next occasion. I practiced my presentation throughout the week. I was somewhat_______but not confident. Afterwards, I_______the Principal again and told him about the________I felt I had made. He was kind enough to______me again, but this time to give a presentation for the teachers.

For around one month, I prepared and practiced for my presentation on Motivation. This time I felt easy. I gave the presentation and it was________by the Principal as well as the teachers________they knew where I started from. They encouraged me and praised my efforts.

I learn that everything is________if we have the courage to take the first step. The saying goes: A journey of one thousand miles begins with the first step.

1.

A．fear

B．performance

C．style

D．art

2.

A．talk

B．magazine

C．program

D．lesson

3.

A．fortunately

B．surprisingly

C．secretly

D．unluckily

4.

A．listen

B．move

C．write

D．speak

5.

A．nervous

B．joyful

C．satisfied

D．disappointed

6.

A．foolish

B．useful

C．clever

D．negative

7.

A．anger

B．regret

C．thanks

D．hope

8.

A．courage

B．information

C．proof

D．advice

9.

A．And

B．But

C．So

D．Or

10.

A．explained

B．forgot

C．imagined

D．controlled

11.

A．serious

B．special

C．strange

D．common

12.

A．failed

B．started

C．mastered

D．finished

13.

A．exhibited

B．refused

C．prepared

D．understood

14.

A．worried

B．sad

C．curious

D．comfortable

15.

A．met with

B．turned down

C．looked after

D．learnt from

16.

A．trouble

B．mistake

C．fun

D．improvement

17.

A．remind

B．invite

C．phone

D．reach

18.

A．descried

B．studied

C．joked

D．appreciated

19.

A．because

B．although

C．if

D．therefore

20.

A．interesting

B．obvious

C．possible

D．right

3 . Feel Like You’re Falling Behind Your Peers?

It’s never pleasant to lag behind others that we consider similar to ourselves. The conventional wisdom says to “stop competing with others and only compete with yourself”. But that’s easier said than done. With the rise of social media, it’s hard to avoid _______ of your colleagues’ accomplishments if you want to stay connected. But in fact that knowledge can have benefits. A recent study shows that it can become a source of _______ in both one’s work and life.

So how can you take advantage of the positive benefits of competition without suffering from the insecurity it may _______?

Track your triggers.

The stress of feeling behind your peers can emerge in many _______ throughout the day. It might be hearing your boss compliment another colleague, or watching your colleagues leave their 9-5 job to build businesses of their own.

It’s vital to pay attention to the things that tend to cause you to compare yourself with others, because if you are _______ that these are triggers, you can transform them into opportunities for a more productive response.

Shift to purposeful re-framing.

Once you _______ the situations that provoke these negative feelings in you, you may decide to quit any action that could cause you to feel insecure. But that’s rarely a(n) _______ or practical solution.

For instance, you probably can’t avoid hearing what your boss says about you or your colleagues. A better approach is to _______ engage those feelings to your benefit. Instead of saying to yourself, “I wish I did that,” ask yourself, “Why can’t I do that?” Then take some time to listen to what ideas emerge in your mind.

_______ a personal strength to regain validation (认可).

During the period of insecurity, you may start to consider how you can ________ others. Double down on your strengths and express them to the world.

An executive coaching client of mine was heartbroken that his planned promotion this year was postponed due to the pandemic. He worried that his future ________ for promotion to this position would slowly disappear.

To get out of his negative state, he decided to harness (利用) his writing talent. He ________ a thoughtful article for the company blog on how to effectively and positively lead others ________ the current crisis. Countless junior and senior colleagues expressed their gratitude for his honest and optimistic guidance. This feedback, ________, made him confident about his value.

Any efforts in your career and life will ________ bring self-comparison and insecurity. But whenever you feel like you are falling behind others, you can use these strategies to regain your confidence and perform well in the competitions that genuinely matter to you.

1.

A．evidence

B．hints

C．exchanges

D．criticism

2.

A．entertainment

B．pride

C．inspiration

D．identity

3.

A．suffer

B．ensure

C．breed

D．seize

4.

A．accents

B．forms

C．sizes

D．cultures

5.

A．aware

B．glad

C．relieved

D．surprised

6.

A．ignore

B．seek

C．report

D．track

7.

A．adaptive

B．reasonable

C．innovative

D．diplomatic

8.

A．deliberately

B．extremely

C．reluctantly

D．effortlessly

9.

A．Detect

B．Reserve

C．Qualify

D．Exhibit

10.

A．make use of

B．catch up with

C．give in to

D．put up with

11.

A．proposals

B．prospects

C．perspectives

D．programs

12.

A．copied

B．reviewed

C．composed

D．quoted

13.

A．to

B．with

C．through

D．across

14.

A．however

B．besides

C．for example

D．in turn

15.

A．inevitably

B．sensitively

C．unfortunately

D．visibly

4 . Five Things You Should Always Do on a Monday

From scheduling a surgery to buying a house, there’s something to be said for the first day of the week.

Schedule a surgery

Researchers already know that the morning is the safest time of day to go under the knife. It’s when hospital staffs are most alert and least likely to make a mistake.     1    .The risk of death after undergoing a non-emergency surgery is lowest on Monday.

Fill up your gas tank

If you drove a lot over the weekend and need to fill your tank, wait until Monday morning to hit the gas station.    2    . And never fill up on a Tursday — that's when prices are highest. You’re much better off filling up at the beginning of the week.

Gossip with your coworkers

The Monday blues are real, and scientists guess that one reason we get them might date back to our caveman day.     3    . Without gossiping with your co-workers you might feel uncomfortable.

Head to the gym

    4    . One report found Monday is the most popular day of the week for gym-goers. And while that might mean you have to wait in line for the best machines, it also means you'll start your week on a healthy footing. We can’t argue with that.

    5    

A resarch suggests that we may be more likely to follow through with our professional goals if we start on a Monday rather than a Thursday. The personal goal for the week, such as trying a new exercise, reading a book, or learning a new song on the guitar can provide you motivation during your busy week.

Now that you know what to do on a Monday, you'll be successful.

A．Start a diet

B．Make a priority to-do list

C．If you do, you’ll almost definitely get better deal

D．It’s the perfect opportunity to hit your goals at the gym

E．But don’t worry if your surgeon only has spots on Thursday

F．That same earlier-is-better approach applies to days of the week as well

G．Humans are social animals,and we need feel comfortable in our place in a “tribe”

5 . Keeping your life Busy and exciting

Shake up your routine. It doesn’t matter if other people think you are interesting, it only matters if you think you are interesting.     1    . Whether it is taking a different route home, or calling up a friend you haven’t spoken to in years, give it a try. It’s about surprising yourself, not other people.

Find local events such as markets, festivals, and music events to attend. Pick out things in your area which you think might be interesting and give them a visit.     2    , especially in summer, which don’t involve spending much or any money. By doing these things which aren’t part of your routine, you will keep yourself surprised and energized.

Explore your hometown. When you go on holiday anywhere, the place you are visiting always seems so much more interesting than where you live.     3    . You just haven’t bothered to look properly since it’s been there all along. Open your eyes. What have you been missing?

Accept all invitations. Even if you’re not that keen on the people going, try giving them a chance and go and hang out with them anyway.     4     --just once in a while.

Plan a trip. Instead of spending your weekend at home, plan a trip for a 2-day getaway. You don’t have to take time off work and it doesn’t have to be expensive. It can even be half an hour away, and you spend the entire weekend in a hotel basking in the room service.     5    .

A．Just go out and have fun

B．It doesn’t have to be all the time.

C．So you might as well stay for a few days

D．It’s a chance to relax and learn something special.

E．There are often many local events going on

F．Try to think of one thing each day you can do differently

G．But in reality, there is probably much to do around where you live.

6 . I was driving into my little town in Newlands when I blew a tyre. Fortunately almost outside our local garage, unfortunately after 5pm it was _______.

There was a young couple sitting in the open door of their _______ in the garage’s car park, with the hood (折叠式车篷) up, looking a bit _______. I knew I had a spare tyre in the _______ of my car but no tools, and I’m pretty unconfident with the old tyre _______ anyway. So I was sort of _______ wondering what to do next when the guy _______ next to me and asked if I _______ a hand with the tyre.

I was so grateful, and he _______ out some basic tools quickly and got things started. It turned out that they were on a tour around the country and their truck had just ________ from something expensive and slow to fix. Thus, they were forced to ________ in the car park of the garage that night.

Well, he fixed my wheel up lovely and I took them both home to my cottage, to a homemade ________ and apple cakes and a cosy little spare room, and ________ them back into town the next day.

What was a pain in the trouble for all of us ________ into a fun night of laughter and good food and nice company because they generously offered a ________ hand to a lady meeting with difficulties.

1.

A．declined

B．fined

C．closed

D．cancelled

2.

A．car

B．truck

C．home

D．room

3.

A．disappointed

B．confident

C．considerate

D．guilty

4.

A．center

B．foot

C．back

D．side

5.

A．record

B．change

C．choice

D．use

6.

A．excitedly

B．enthusiastically

C．sensitively

D．awkwardly

7.

A．popped up

B．backed off

C．opened up

D．took off

8.

A．raised

B．needed

C．put

D．had

9.

A．looked

B．let

C．figured

D．took

10.

A．fled

B．come

C．died

D．made

11.

A．sleep

B．skip

C．eat

D．respond

12.

A．party

B．vase

C．pond

D．meal

13.

A．dropped

B．led

C．invited

D．seized

14.

A．broke

B．crashed

C．turned

D．ran

15.

A．shaking

B．waving

C．striking

D．helping

7 . 人人都在追求幸福生活，不同的人追求幸福生活的方式不同，你是怎样追求幸福生活的？请以My happy life 为题，写一篇英语作文，介绍一下你的幸福生活。
作文必须包括以下要点：
1. 在家经常帮助父母和其他家庭成员，他们也很爱你。
2. 在学校认真学习，尊敬老师，与同学相处友好。
3. 平时注意爱护环境，遵守交通规则，宽容待人。
4. 有许多好朋友，生活得很开心很自信，始终带着笑容面对一切。
要求：1. 词数不少于80；
2. 内容要点可用不同方式表达；
3. 鼓励作紧扣主题的适当发挥；
4. 所给的开头不计入总词数。

My happy life

Everyone wants to have a happy life.Different people have different ways to get it.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 选用适当的单词或短语补全短文。

rather than       count        necessity            set a goal                 according to

Joe is a digital native. He does a wide range of things online. For example. He prefers to chat with friends online    1    meet friends in person. But     2    his parents, there is a danger that he may not be able to tell whether the friends online an real friends. Joe also thinks it is convenient to buy various     3    from different online shops. Li Ying is a hardworking girl who always     4    at the beginning of each term. She tries to use any possible time to revise the things she has learnt because she knows that every minute     5    .

9 . How to get ready for school quickly

Waking up early every day for school is hard. If you can’t get up early, you may find yourself having to rush to make it to class.     1     In fact, you can get ready quickly and arrive at school in time. Here are some ideas that can help.

Prepare the night before. When you finish your homework, put everything back in your bag so it’s ready for the next day. Make sure you put anything else you’ll need, like special projects, pens and pencils, into the bag.     2     In this way, you can catch it as you walk out.

Create a bedtime routine(惯例).       3     Your body likes routines, and the quality of your sleep will also be better. What’s more, try putting your alarm on the other side of the room. That way, you have to get up and walk across the room every time it goes off.

    4     In other words, brush your teeth, wash your face and use the toilet in the same order every day—— the more you practice, the easier and faster it’ll go. Form the habit of getting dressed as soon as possible. Never forget breakfast even when you’re running late.     5     If everything is in it, head to school!

A．Take full advantage of waiting time.

B．Go through your morning routine.

C．Don’t put your phone near your bed.

D．Go to bed at the same time every day and stick to it.

E．Then put it by the door before you go to sleep.

F．As a result, you might leave books behind and end up looking like you just got up!

G．Last, give your bag a quick final check right before you leave.

10 . What is the change to the house?

A．The guest room is bigger.

B．There’s more space in the living room.

C．The wall in the bathroom was knocked down.