1 . Maybe it’s because it was our first purchase as homeowners. The salesman must have spotted just how green we were, so he began persuading. And soon he led us to a classic leather chair. All these years later, I remember he used words like rich and handsome, the thing every living room needed.
We believed him. So we bought that chair—just less than $100, a great deal in the 1970s for a young couple!
How we loved that chair! It always occupied a place of honor in our various living rooms, moving with us from our first tiny house to our beloved new house.
Somehow, conversations were better on that chair, and life was more fun around it. Three daughters spilled their secrets on it. Old friends seemed to be attracted by it on those wonderful occasions. Crazy as it sounds, that leather chair seemed to have—well, powers. All for good.
At first, we didn’t really care that the leather was showing signs of wear or that it had lost its sheen (光泽) . But in our most recent move, when the chair was moved in our new living room, it suddenly looked terribly lonely sitting close to newly painted walls and a couple of shiny new tables.
My husband and I tried but still we couldn’t ignore the rough spots. Our chair had a skin disease. Even our adult kids raised eyebrows, urging us to at least remove the chair to some dark corner of the room. Neither of us could imagine such a retirement for it. So we had an inspired idea. We’d call in an upholsterer (修理工) to give our old chair a whole new life. Our friend Joe studied the chair and then took out a simple leather conditioner.
He explained that although it wouldn’t work miracles, it would definitely get our weary chair looking younger again. It certainly doesn’t look new, but its seat and back are shining, and some of its deeper wrinkles have lightened.
Best of all, it’s back in the living room, looking like a wise old friend to the furniture around it. And, yes, there it will stay.
Because some things, like some people, just deserve a happy old age.
1. How did the salesman persuade the author into buying the chair?| A．By thinking highly of the author. | B．By describing how great the chair was. |
| C．By saying that the author was green. | D．By comparing the chair with others. |
| A．Sweet memories with the chair. | B．Various functions of the chair. |
| C．People’s comments on the chair. | D．Family activities and parties of friends. |
| A．Because he was persuaded by Joe. | B．Because he didn’t have enough money. |
| C．Because it showed signs of hardness. | D．Because it couldn’t match his new house. |
| A．East or west, home is best. | B．From saving comes having. |
| C．It is never too late to mend. | D．Old friends and wine are best. |
2 . How to Increase Your Levels of Optimism
The way in which you achieve your goals, face challenges, and overcome failures depends largely on your levels of optimism. Not everyone sees life in the same way.
Change your negative thoughts. Your mind takes in negative memories and makes them bigger and more significant than they really are.
Express gratitude. When you face a challenge, it’s advisable to figure out what’s going well. By taking the time to do this, you allow yourself to register the positive aspects that you experience. To help your brain store these positive events, you should take time each week to analyze what you should be grateful for.
Repeat positive affirmations(肯定). One key element for increasing your levels of optimism that you get with previous two steps is positive affirmations. In fact, these messages that you repeat to yourself most regularly are the ones that you believe in and that determine your vision of life.
| A．People tend to hold the same attitude towards life. |
| B．However, you can always train your mind to generate or maintain optimism. |
| C．They must be repeated with strong belief and be a constant in your daily life. |
| D．First you should figure out what matters in your life and focus on positive messages. |
| E．Therefore, every time you have negative thoughts, analyze and view them more objectively. |
| F．The next step is to let your loved ones know that you love them and you’re grateful to them. |
| G．The repetition of phrases similar to these will allow your mind to interpret negative events differently. |
3 . A broken heart. A sad ending to a love affair. That’s something most of us have experienced, or probably will. The experience can be destructive. You might find yourself listening more to sad music, hoping it can resonate with your feelings of disappointment, and you’ll never heal (治愈) from your broken heart.
You might go through a strong feeling of sorrow, as in Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”, or the pain of a lyric from Bob Dylan’s “Love Sick”: “I’m sick of love. I wish. I’d never met you.”
But research shows listening to sad music can help you begin to feel joy and hopefulness about your life again. Sad music can help heal and uplift you from your broken heart. Or, from any negative, disappointing life situation. It can activate empathy (共情) and the desire to reach out for others — both pathways out of the prison of heartache and hopelessness.
A recent study from Germany found the emotional impact of listening to sad music can lift the feelings of empathy, compassion, and a desire for positive connection with others. That, itself, is psychologically healing. It draws you away from anxiety with yourself, and possibly towards helping others in need of comfort.
Another experiment, from the University of Kent, found that when people were experiencing sadness, listening to music that was “beautiful but sad” excited their mood. In fact, it did so when the person first consciously understood the situation causing their sadness before beginning to listen to the sad music. That is, when they intended that the sad music might help, they found that it did. But that wasn’t true if they just listened to sad music without first thinking about the sad situation.
Then, you may be answering the question raised in the old Bee Gees’ song, “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?”
1. What does the underlined word “resonate” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Communicate. | B．Cooperate. | C．Contrast. | D．Correspond. |
| A．To present the sad feelings from their songs. |
| B．To celebrate their achievements in the music field. |
| C．To compare the difference between their music. |
| D．To convince others of the healing effects of music. |
| A．Shared feelings might enable people to help others. |
| B．Sad music can strengthen relationship between people |
| C．Showing empathy does good both mentally and physically |
| D．Sad songs can benefit people with the intention of lifting spirits. |
| A．What does music bring to us? | B．How can sad music heal a broken heart? |
| C．Why is sad music so popular? | D．When can we turn to others for help? |
4 . When it came to moral reasoning, we like to think our views on right and wrong are rational. But ultimately they are grounded in emotion. Philosophers have argued over this claim for a quarter of a millennium without
Harvard psychologist Joshua Greene does brainscans of people as they study the so-called trolley problem. Suppose a trolley is rolling down the track toward five people who will die unless you pull a lever (杠杆) that pushes it onto another track where,
But suppose the only way to save the five people is to push someone else onto the track — a bystander whose body will bring the trolley to a stop before it hits the others. It’s still a one-for-five
Princeton philosopher Peter Singer argues that we should
| A．comprehension | B．hesitation | C．resolution | D．permission |
| A．reliable | B．invisible | C．impressive | D．decisive |
| A．unfortunately | B．obviously | C．surprisingly | D．inevitably |
| A．regretting | B．minimizing | C．justifying | D．estimating |
| A．struggle | B．deal | C．loss | D．mistake |
| A．Likewise | B．However | C．Therefore | D．Moreover |
| A．memory | B．reason | C．emotion | D．sensory |
| A．enduring | B．obvious | C．acceptable | D．intense |
| A．compete for | B．come from | C．take over | D．engage in |
| A．self-reflecting | B．decision-making | C．problem-solving | D．attention-calling |
| A．innocents | B．hostages | C．relatives | D．soldiers |
| A．trust | B．apply | C．examine | D．ignore |
| A．superior | B．stubborn | C．caring | D．selfish |
| A．willingly | B．collectively | C．deliberately | D．cheaply |
| A．master | B．advocate | C．slave | D．protester |
5 . Years ago, I made friends with a couple who had recently fallen in love. It was glorious to be in their orbit, watching as their relationship blossomed into a serious commitment. I recall the night we celebrated their engagement, watching this golden couple swing each other on the dance floor, laughing while emitting a glow that could light a city grid.
As happy as I was for them, in that moment I couldn’t ignore a sudden heaviness of heart. That pang was back, whispering, “Why not me?”
It had been a long time between visits from the pang. In the past, it was a constant companion as I navigated life with naive notions of love, romance and fate. I had grown up believing a relationship should complete me. As a result, I often felt more lost than found as part of a couple.
Then as I matured, I took a closer look at those who I thought had it all, the ones who tick all the boxes, who look and act the romance-novel parts. And when I dared to explore under the shiny surfaces, I saw that no honest couple had what I’d assumed they had: the perfect relationship, the easy love, the lucky life.
No, what I saw was a lot of unhappiness. Yes, while some couples were both blissed and blessed, many admitted that their relationships were hardly the happily-ever-after.
What’s more, I grew to understand I avoided bad relationships and like my life too much to settle. I realized I am the cake and relationships just the icing. The pang only emerges when I make the mistake of comparing myself to others.
The reason why I’m sharing this is because in the past couple of weeks, I have watched that golden couple endure one of the ugliest break-ups. What I saw that night on the dance floor was a romantic illusion. When the bubble burst, the fall back to earth was terrible for them both.
Watching the break-up, I am aware that to protect perfection is to do reality an injustice. I accept the understanding that there is only one relationship that really counts in life and that is the one we have with ourselves. And mine is a healthy one, not golden, but rosy all the same, because as my friends’ split has proven once again, shine and sparkle can blind the rest of us.
1. What can we learn about the author from the first two paragraphs?| A．She was moved to tears by the engagement of her friends. |
| B．She didn’t really feel happy for the engagement of her friends. |
| C．She had mixed feelings while seeing the engagement of her friends. |
| D．She didn’t think her friends would live a happy life after their engagement. |
| A．She was misguided to pursue the perfect love. |
| B．She was too naive to find a perfect partner. |
| C．She was keen on being a good partner. |
| D．She was immature to control her fate. |
| A．pursuing perfection does good to reality |
| B．we should never stop looking for perfection |
| C．what reality is all about is just perfection |
| D．a perfect relationship is hard to find in life |
| A．Accepting whatever you have in life. |
| B．Living in harmony with yourself. |
| C．Leading an admirable and happy life. |
| D．Having a golden relationship. |
Last year, I baked biscuits for complete strangers to say “thank you”. I’d had to call 999 because I found my husband unconscious on the floor. Within minutes, a police car arrived and soon my husband received medical care in hospital.
A week later, when I dropped off still-warm biscuits and presented a thank-you note at the police station, the policemen thanked me for delivering gifts.
I drove away feeling light and happy. Later, I realized that my natural high might have been more than it seemed.Research has shown that sharing gratitude has positive effects on health. People who express gratitude will increase their happiness levels, lower their blood pressure and get better sleep.
What about people who receive gratitude?Research has confirmed that when people receive thanks, they experience positive emotions.“Those are happy surprises,”says Jo-Ann Tsang, a professor of psychology. When someone is thanked,he’s more likely to return the favor or pass kindness on, and his chances of being helpful again doubles, probably because he enjoys feeling socially valued.
The give-and-take of gratitude also deepens relationships. Studies show that when your loved ones regularly express gratitude,making you feel appreciated,you’re more likely to return appreciative feelings, which leads to more satisfactory in your relationships.
Nowadays,however,many people don’t express gratitude. Our modern lifestyle may be to blame. With commercial and social media, everything is speeding the younger generation to feel they’re the center of the world. If it’s all about them, why thank others?
Why not thank others? Just take a look at how many positive effects can saying “thank you”have on personal health—and the well-being of others.
If you aren’t particularly grateful, I strongly suggest you learn to be.People who are instructed to keep gratitude journals,in which they write down positive things that happen to them,cultivate gratitude over time.
1. What health benefits can people gain from expressing gratitude?2. How do people probably respond when they receive gratitude and feel socially valued?
3. Please decide which part of the following statement is false, then underline it and explain why.
▷ Saying “thank-you”improves relationships,but nowadays some young people don’t want to do it because everything is making them feel blamed by the whole society.
4. If possible, who would you like to express gratitude to most? Why? (In about 40 words)
This new little stepsister is getting on my nerves. She won’t stop talking. What was Dad trying to prove with this family vacation? We can’t instantly become the ideal family. I just became a teenager, and Christina is only 8 years old.
Dad and I finished putting up the large tent. Then I walked back to the car for my backpack, only to knock a pink one to the ground. Before I could pick it up, Christina appeared. “Why’d you throw my stuff on the ground?” she roared.
After lunch, Dad suggested I take Christina to see the sequoia pines (红杉松树), circling on the map where giant sequoias were.
I jammed the map into my pocket and then set off. When I glanced back at Christina, all I saw was a pink cap. I shook my head. Dad and my new stepmom were crazy if they thought we’d instantly bond. I was not ready to be a big brother.
As we walked the trail, the forest canopy (树冠) became thicker, blocking out direct sunlight, making the temperature drop slightly.
“You warm enough?” I asked. She nodded but didn’t look at me. I noticed her hands had got completely covered with the sap (汁液) of a plant. I took a hand wipe from my pack and wiped her hands.
Reaching a small hill, we climbed up it. Sunshine filled the meadow (草地) below. I could see the tops of sequoia pines popping out above the forest on the other side. I pointed them out excitedly to Christina and finally saw a smile light her face.
“Come on, Sean!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me down into the meadow. Then I saw it, sitting on a rock in the middle of the field: a brown-colored bear cub (幼熊). Cute as it seemed, I knew it was dangerous.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
I instructed Christina to stay close to me and hold my hand firmly.
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Keeping a tight hold on her hand, we walked on along the trail marked on our map.
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1. What does the speaker’s mother want her to be?
| A．A confident person. | B．A warm-hearted person. | C．A humorous person. |
| A．She often traveled by herself. |
| B．Her family moved frequently. |
| C．Her mother was busy working. |
| A．Importance of home schooling. |
| B．Mother-daughter relationship. |
| C．A role model in her family. |
9 . At one weekend, I went to the local library to borrow books as usual. On my way there I would pass by a nursing home. This time as I walked toward the library, I saw an old woman
The old woman was very
She told me she was
It makes me feel
| A．singing | B．sitting | C．spinning | D．sleeping |
| A．excited | B．absurd | C．exhausted | D．vexed |
| A．victim | B．detective | C．physician | D．announcer |
| A．adventures | B．theaters | C．places | D．tournaments |
| A．different | B．severe | C．difficult | D．amusing |
| A．enjoying | B．describing | C．performing | D．clarifying |
| A．lonely | B．regretful | C．popular | D．harmful |
| A．party | B．discussion | C．appointment | D．conversation |
| A．friend | B．patient | C．job | D．destination |
| A．sad | B．proud | C．unwilling | D．certain |
| A．rank | B．separation | C．pressure | D．discrimination |
| A．view | B．ability | C．future | D．health |
| A．observe | B．understand | C．accompany | D．ignore |
| A．also | B．even | C．ever | D．still |
| A．considerate | B．royal | C．cautious | D．wise |
10 . My mother had a beautiful evening dress. Each time after wearing the dress, she always
The wardrobe where the dress was
Suddenly, I realized that my mother would be home
I stuffed it into the box and pushed it back onto the wardrobe. I
Many years later, my mother grew old and became
Suddenly, I found myself in front of my mother red-faced,
| A．carefully | B．casually | C．proudly | D．firmly |
| A．taken | B．pressed | C．thrown | D．stolen |
| A．recall | B．record | C．ignore | D．imagine |
| A．existed | B．changed | C．happened | D．ended |
| A．designed | B．stored | C．decorated | D．made |
| A．heart | B．responsibility | C．desire | D．right |
| A．soft | B．high | C．huge | D．tiny |
| A．late | B．soon | C．often | D．already |
| A．accidentally | B．deliberately | C．bravely | D．angrily |
| A．annoyed | B．scared | C．disappointed | D．confused |
| A．recovered from | B．escaped from | C．lived with | D．went over |
| A．diseases | B．experiences | C．results | D．memories |
| A．ill | B．famous | C．fat | D．lonely |
| A．arranged | B．tasted | C．missed | D．refused |
| A．debate | B．topic | C．meeting | D．discussion |
| A．pride | B．joy | C．sadness | D．shame |
| A．touched | B．puzzled | C．embarrassed | D．shocked |
| A．news | B．truth | C．story | D．reason |
| A．secret | B．dream | C．attempt | D．decision |
| A．a broken heart | B．motivation for study | C．an open mind | D．peace of mind |
