1 .

I grew up hearing that it is better to give than to receive, and the older I get, the more I aim to take this message to heart. Nevertheless, here I am, in the midst of the holiday season stressed out about gifts I have not yet purchased.

How did gift buying become an emotionally fraught chore (苦差事)? For a moment, it’s easy to question if it’s worth it. But science tells me that giving makes us feel good.

“The act of giving actually does improve your happiness,” says Michael Norton, a psychologist at Harvard Business School. He has published several studies on the effects of giving.

In one experiment that included about 700 people, the researchers randomly assigned participants to make either a purchase for themselves, or for a stranger. Afterwards, the participants reported how happy they felt. Turns out, giving to others led to a significant happiness boost, whereas spending on oneself didn’t move the needle.

“If you take $5 out of your pocket today, the science really does show that spending $5 on yourself doesn’t do much for you,” Norton says. “But spending that $5 on somebody else is more likely to increase your happiness.”

Take a scarf. If you buy one for yourself, it’s just another thing you don’t necessarily need. But if you buy a scarf for someone else, “you’ve shown them that they’re important to you,” Norton says. Either way, it’s just a scarf. “But it can either be a throwaway object or something that enhances a relationship between two people,” he says.

So, there’s evidence that generosity promotes happiness, but the process of shopping, wrapping and schlepping (搬) gifts can be tiresome — or even extremely annoying considering all of our day-­to­-day demands and other holiday stressors.

Studies also show when people are given something they are more likely to give back. Reciprocity (互惠) is a foundation of good relationships and when we surround ourselves with generous people, we tend to feel the same. Feeling that spirit of giving and the connection it can bring is what the holidays are all about.

1. Why does the author mention his own experience in paragraph 1?

A．To make a prediction.	B．To introduce the topic.
C．To present a reason.	D．To clarify a concept.

2. How does Norton illustrate his opinion in paragraphs 5 and 6?

A．By listing data.	B．By giving examples.
C．By making comments.	D．By telling personal experiences.

3. Why is preparing a gift sometimes an emotionally fraught chore?

A．It’s difficult and expensive.	B．It happens frequently.
C．It’s not valued by others.	D．It requires much effort.

4. What can we learn about giving gifts from the text?

A．It is not worth the effort.

B．It is a must to enhance a relationship.

C．It brings about emotional benefits.

D．It gains popularity during holidays.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why did the brothers grow apart?

A．They had different hobbies.

B．They stopped living in the same house.

C．They no longer spent much time together.

2. How does the man feel now?

A．Regretful.

B．Hurt.

C．Angry.

3. What does the woman suggest the man do about the problem?

A．Leave his brother alone.

B．Try talking to his brother.

C．Invite his brother to hang out.

3 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

One of my favorite possessions is a little red can. It sits among my collections, looking somewhat old and out of place. But this can is special. It has a history. It was dear to me when I was younger, but mean even more to me now.

I’ve always loved to visit my grandparents in Cleburne, Texas, and as anyone in the family can tell you, there is always a gathering around the dining room table for meals and conversations so that we can keep in touch closely. It is important to keep in touch with the family members since we are busy with our own business, so my family members keep the tradition to have the gathering every month. We enjoy the moment when all of us meet in a place and communication helps us to solve the problem of isolation. As the first grandbaby, though, I was at a slight disadvantage. When I sat in the dining chair, only my nose could reach the table. Cleburne is a small town with a small population, and the phone book could only lift me an inch. So, Grandma and Grandpa came up with the idea of the little red can.

It was about ten inches high, made of tin, and painted a glorious shiny red. It worked perfectly, enabling me to bang away on the table with my little spoon and cup as I tried to keep up with the joyful talks around the table. After I finished a meal, I was placed on the floor, and the can was opened, and all sorts of surprises kept me busy while the adults visited. The can was full of lovely dolls which attracted little girls like me greatly. Besides, there were fresh and novel items that were mysterious to me and left me to explore.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Pretty soon, other grandbabies started to arrive, and each of them had their own turn on the little red can. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Decades later, Grandma proudly pulled out the little red can again when I traveled to Cleburne with my daughter. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4 . The Power of Insensitivity

Highly sensitive(敏感的)person, or HSP, is a term invented by psychologist Elaine Aron. HSPs can come with many challenges. They may find it hard to adapt to new surroundings, and easily become uncomfortable in response to certain feelings or others’ opinions.     1    

The power of insensitivity can be explained as “slow power”. Usually, people connect “insensitivity” with something bad, but indeed, it stresses the ability to keep doing something difficult without complaining.     2     It is not a weakness but an approach to winning a better life.

    3     Knowing yourself is difficult, and knowing yourself correctly is undoubtedly an excellent ability. The successful people clearly know where their strengths are, what they can do and what direction to go.

There are some ways to practice “insensitivity”: Don’t pay too much attention to the ups and downs of life at the moment.     4     Don’t get involved in other people’s lives and don’t let others affect yours. Regarding relationships, learn to view problems as two parts: One part is what you need to face and solve. The other part is the responsibility of others, which is not your business.

Everyone can gain the ability to be insensitive.     5     And the world will also be a better one if we focus on major goals and stay insensitive to something else.

A．Insensitivity plays a significant role.

B．Rather, you should be looking forward.

C．That’s where the need to be insensitive comes from.

D．Once you slow down the pace, you will feel more comfortable.

E．Those not easily affected are the people who care less about others.

F．That is, calmly facing the downtime in life and moving towards one’s own direction.

G．One reason why insensitivity allows people to better survive is the strong self-awareness.

5 . 假设你是市长秘书，你即将去抗疫前线慰问抗击在第一线的志愿者，请以市长名义写一封感谢信，感谢志愿者们的辛勤付出，并表达对他们诚挚的慰问和抗议胜利的信心。
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.可适当增加细节，使行文连贯。
Dear volunteers and community workers,
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Thank you!

6 . How to Practice Gratitude (感激) in Your Daily Life

Gratitude is a positive emotion. Learning how to practice it is an effort to remind yourself of the good in life and to show an internal appreciation for yourself and others.     1    . Whichever exercise you do, it’s vital to remember the elements of gratitude: the awareness of the good things, expressing gratitude to yourself and giving thanks to people you’re grateful for.

Create a gratitude list. The intense stress of life can get you so caught up that we may fail to recognize the positive events or interactions we encounter on a daily basis.     2    . It can also help you picture the biggest and smallest moments that make your day.

    3    . Expressing your gratitude to those you’re grateful for strengthens your relationship with them. Plus, bonding with family and friends is a simple act that can help you feel gratitude for these relationships. Sharing kindness will make you feel happier and healthier. In turn, those benefits get passed along to those you most care about.

Make a gratitude jar (罐). Make the jar fun and personable by decorating it and placing it where you can always see it. Every day, write down what you’re grateful for on a slip of paper and put it in the jar.     4    . Whenever there’s a moment of doubt or sadness, return to the jar and read a few notes to remind yourself of who and what is good in your life.

In conclusion, engaging in daily gratitude exercises can make a great difference. Showing gratitude helps you connect with positive emotions, focus on acknowledging the good, and shift your focus to positive aspects of life.     5    .

A．Share your gratitude with others

B．Seek out opportunities to help others

C．There are several gratitude activities and exercises

D．As you fill it, it serves as a good reminder of good times

E．It is better to keep track of whatever happens in your life

F．You’ll also harvest the greatest rewards when it becomes a habit

G．Writing down the positive moments helps put life into a better perspective

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据文后各题目的具体要求完成阅读后的表达任务。

Silent friends in a life storm

Dear Annalisa,

My dad died unexpectedly a few months ago and I feel angry with some of my oldest friends, who have hardly contacted me since it happened.

Three months on, I’ve finally heard from some of them through text about other matters. I didn’t mention my sad stories, and they didn’t ask.

I understand that death is a frightening subject and that people might worry about saying the wrong thing. Yet I still feel a bit hurt by their lack of contact after my dad’s funeral (葬礼).

Now I don’t want to face them because I don’t want to make them feel guilty (内疚的). Normally they are extremely good friends who I love very much. I have other friends, so I can manage this without their support. I just want to let go of the anger so I can get through this sadness. Hope to receive your advice.

Yours,

Amy

Dear Amy,

I’m so sorry to hear about your dad’s death.

Your anger may come from being unable to ask for the help you need. You also seem worried about troubling your friends too much.

It is likely that your friends are very concerned about you. Perhaps their own fear of the subject is too big to comfort you and, just as you say, they are frightened of saying the wrong thing. Also, people often want to “fix” things, but no one can fix death, so they may feel powerless to help you. In these situations, you have to be brave to break the ice and tell them not only what you need, but also how to offer help.

If you really can’t ask your “silent” friends for help, maybe you could count more on those other friends. You might find some psychological (心理的) treatment useful as well. Talking to someone with professional knowledge who understands your situation can help you carry the burden of sadness.

Yours,

Annalisa

1. 根据文章内容，使用文章中的原词完成下列表格，每空一词。

Amy’s problem	Some of her oldest friends have seldom contacted her since her dad’s death, making her feel angry and ______.
Annalisa’s analysis (分析)	● Amy’s anger comes from the fact that she is ______ to ask for help. ● The subject of death is so frightening that her friends are at a loss what to say to ____     her. ● Her friends may feel powerless to help her solve the problem so they choose to keep     ____.
Annalisa’s ______	● Be brave to start a conversation with her friends. ● ______ more on those other friends. ● Seek ______ support.

2. 假如你是 Amy，请给Annalisa回一封信，表示感谢并告诉她你打算怎么做。写作词数应为40左右。
Dear Annalisa,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Amy

3. 假定你是Amy的朋友，得知她的困扰，你将如何提供帮助？请用英语写出你可以做的三件事。
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 每年的 12 月 5日是国际志愿者日(International Volunteer Day)。作为校志愿者协会(School Volunteer Association)主席，请你用英语在志愿者日发表国旗下讲话，内容包括：

1. 向校志愿者表示感谢；

2. 志愿服务的好处；

3. 发出呼吁。

注意: 1. 词数 80 左右；

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear teachers and schoolmates,

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . Having an actual phobia (恐惧症) is anything but enjoyable.     1     . For children, it leads to heightened anxiety and may lead up to school avoidance. If you or your child experiences a phobia, you may wish to try the following to reduce the distress surrounding it.

1. Name the fear.

    2     . Dr. Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA, summarizes this experience as “name it to tame it.” Pixar’s movie Monsters, Inc. illustrates this nicely as the monster in the closet becomes less scary when Boo names it Kitty.

2. Talk about and analyze the fear.

Ask yourself whether the fear is sensible.     3     . It is important to note that while the percentage of many feared items happening is extremely remote, they are not necessarily 0 percent. Therefore, this step is often paired with finding a way to make peace with the feared stimulus (刺激物) still existing in the world.

3. Safely face the fear.

This is demonstrated to be the most enduring way to put fears behind us. Any unhelpful coping mechanisms, especially avoidance, must be removed.     4     . For instance, if someone is afraid of snakes, picturing a snake in one’s mind comes first, then looking at a picture of the sidewinder (响尾蛇), and finally going to the zoo. These steps can be paired with relaxation strategies to limit the physiological fear response. Not facing, or worse, avoiding, fear tends to give it more power and make the phobia stronger over time.

    5     . However, when that fear becomes excessive or fixed, it can prevent us from enjoying the joys or necessities of life. If a phobia persists, it is always an option to seek the help of a mental health professional. Whatever you do, it is important not to let the fear consume you or your child’s life.

A．Labeling the fear tends to reduce the power of the feared item.

B．For adults, the phobia can seriously limit a person’s functioning.

C．In summary, it is perfectly natural and human to experience fears.

D．Phobias all have interesting names, some as scary sounding as the feared item itself.

E．Generally speaking, the more a person seeks treatment for the phobia, the better the outcome.

F．Since many fears are groundless in nature, this step helps to reduce “worst-case scenario” thinking.

G．It’s crucial to set the stage for success by safely and gradually facing the feared stimulus, step by step.

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

“Daddy, I have something to tell you. I wanted to ask your permission to go to America.” I didn’t finish my speech as he shouted, “No!” “But why? What…”, I replied. “If this all is about money, then you may not worry, I got a scholarship …”

I didn’t know what to do. I felt a warm tear running down my cheek. I thought there would be no problem because he always knew how much I dreamt about studying abroad. I was so angry and said: “But why do I have to ask your permission? I am already 18 and I’m not a kid anymore. You can’t tell me what is right and what is wrong.”

I shut the door so hard that it staggered. I was so disappointed that all these years he couldn’t see what I was doing. The tears were flowing on their own. I realized how much my love for dad was, however, I just could not stay at my hometown anymore.

I left home and my eyes were full of anger and tears. I didn’t know what to do and what to expect, but I decided to go far away from home and start creating my dream life. I took a bus and went to the airport.

I closed my eyes and felt that something was wrong. Everything was so silent when suddenly I heard my phone ringing. It was a nurse from the local hospital:

“Hello! Are you the daughter of Kuat?”, she asked. “Your dad has had a heart attack and he’s in a coma now. The situation’s serious. We want you …”

I wasn’t listening to her anymore. Tears were flowing and I started to choke when all of a sudden I heard a man’s voice and opened my eyes. I realized that it was a nightmare.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

I started searching for my phone and wanted to hear my dad’s voice.

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“Here you are, my sweetie. I’m not letting you leave because I don’t want you to forget me.

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