1 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only by used once. Do note that there is one word more than you need.

The world is full of weirdos who pretend to be normal for fear of drawing unnecessary attention to themselves and I am one of them. All my life, I have been trying very hard to avoid developing any permanent     1     with anyone. I manage it by intentionally minimizing my interaction with people around me to the lowest possible extent. I have been a man who slips away, in the way lovers leave chaos, the way thieves leave     2     houses. Some people might call it social phobia（社交恐惧症）and consider it a huge problem that needs to be resolved. But truth he told, I kind of enjoy this sense of rootlessness, knowing there will be less     3     on me.

It seems I am always attached to the good     4     of life but detached from life itself. It’s just like reading one of those well-received travel books. One only gets the chance to read all the fascinating stories accompanied with     5     beautiful sights. Therefore, one’s ideas and expectations of travel have been built up unrealistically. But when one gets his own chance to go travelling, he suddenly finds out it is not like that because travelling can be, and most of the time, will be filled with all those meaningless and disappointing trivia（琐事）. And that’s how after a few     6     attempts one starts to prefer reading travel books to travelling.

It also began to     7     on me that real life is a woman too good-looking for me. It’s a voyage too long, book too lavishly-illustrated, so I don’t have the courage to step into it. But when entering a book of stories, I know I can emerge from it feeling I have been immersed in the lives of others, in plots that     8     in their own unique ways, my body full of sentences and     9     as if awaking from sleep with a heaviness caused by unremembered dreams.

I don’t think I can or need to find a panacea（灵丹妙药）for my “problem” and of course, I don’t expect others to offer help. In most cases, when one takes in another man’s poison,     10     imagining he can cure him by sharing it, one will instead end up storing it within. So as long as I can live in peace and harmony with my weirdness, this very weirdness is something I would like to cherish rather than get rid of.

2 . Chinese culture values family bonds very much. Family members don't just gather during the holidays .In fact they often live under one roof all year round.     1    . Families in the East and West are very different from each other.

In most East Asian cultures, extended families are common.     2     According to the

Atlantic, 90 percent of children in Shanghai and 70 percent of children in Beijing were cared for by their grandparents. Chinese people believe that "a grandparent is a treasure to their family".

In many Western countries, most families are nuclear families （小家庭）. These are solely made up of children and their parents.

Additionally, the duties parents have toward their children can also differ.    3    .

It's normal for parents to pay for their children's college, help them find a job, or buy them an apartment. Chinese adults also follow their parents' opinions when making major life decisions, more often than not.

In most Western countries, however, kids usually move out of the house after they turn 18.

    4    . Also, if they choose to keep living with their parents after becoming an adult, it can be seen by some as a failure on their part.

While the East cares more about close family bonds, the West values privacy and independence.     5    . Families will always be a source of love, warmth, and care for people around the world.

A．These families have three or even four generations living together

B．Nuclear families are the most common type in China.

C．In China, many parents look after their children all the way into adulthood.

D．Different cultures have different family values.

E．But in the end, home is best 一 east or west.

F．Many young people going to college often need to take out loans and work part-time jobs in order to pay for tuition and rent.

G．Both Easterners and Westerners value quality family time.

3 . Manuela got up earlier and bought two bags of cat food. She began going to the__________ barbershop on the corner, making her weekly visit to see Hussein, the old barber. Hussein was both__________ and delighted to see Manuela and the bags of food. The two hurried over to the tiny food dishes lined up in the alley. Several __________ appeared soon.

As the two _________ and made their way back inside the shop, Hussein’s smile __________ and he explained he was about to   _________ the barbershop. He had been told to leave within 7 days. His ___________barbershop simply couldn’t pay enough rent and the landlord had invited another roomer, one who wouldn't be __________ animals outside.

Manuela’s eyes began to___________ as Hussein expressed his___________ about the homeless cats he cared for. But as fate(命运) would have it, there was something better___________ for the barber and his cats. As Manuela’s blog supporters read her___________ about Hussein, they, one after another,__________ donating to him and his cats. Every day for the next week, Manuela went to Hussein with the__________ . And on the fourth day, something unbelievable happened when Hussein was able to____________a storefront in an old building near his shop. No electricity,___________ there was potential. Manuela and other people __________ to help paint and clear rubbish while electricians made all the necessary__________ .

In less than two weeks, the barber was back in___________ again. Through the kindness of strangers, _________ , his and his cats' whole world was brought back.

1.

A．independent

B．familiar

C．expensive

D．ancient

2.

A．grateful

B．patient

C．careful

D．attractive

3.

A．neighbors

B．barbers

C．cats

D．customers

4.

A．spoke out

B．backed off

C．set off

D．finished off

5.

A．faded

B．froze

C．reappeared

D．accumulated

6.

A．rebuild

B．sell

C．lose

D．decorate

7.

A．dull

B．classic

C．remote

D．wide

8.

A．purchasing

B．feeding

C．sheltering

D．collecting

9.

A．glare

B．open

C．shine

D．flood

10.

A．promises

B．adoration

C．anxiety

D．comments

11.

A．in store

B．by chance

C．on purpose

D．at present

12.

A．review

B．letter

C．post

D．invitation

13.

A．suggested

B．remembered

C．reported

D．began

14.

A．congratulations

B．decisions

C．announcements

D．contributions

15.

A．return

B．obtain

C．protect

D．spot

16.

A．when

B．and

C．but

D．so

17.

A．came by

B．cheered up

C．broke away

D．dropped out

18.

A．appointments

B．connections

C．assumptions

D．budgets

19.

A．comparison

B．advance

C．company

D．business

20.

A．normally

B．thankfully

C．naturally

D．directly

4 . Preschool girl lifts old man’s spirits

When Tara Wood brought her daughter to a grocery store to buy the four-year-old some cupcakes, she had no idea that would be a life-changing experience.

As Tara pushed her daughter Norah around the store last month, she passed an old man who was by himself. The old man looked cold, until Norah shouted to him, “Hi! It’s my birthday today!” The man stopped and his demeanor changed from distant and serious to warm and friendly. “How old are you today?” the man asked. After some time talking together, Norah asked her mom to take a picture of her with her new friend “Mr Dan”, Dan Peterson, 82. They hugged and after ten minutes went their separate ways. That could have been the end of the story. But it is actually the beginning of a special relationship.

Tara posted the picture of her daughter and Mr. Dan on Facebook and someone who recognized him reached out to her with his contact information. It turned out that Mr. Dan’s wife died in March and he had been suffering from depression and anxiety ever since. The person on Facebook told Tara that it was the first time they had seen Mr. Dan smile since the death of his wife. Knowing that, Tara contacted Mr. Dan, and ever since Norah and the 82-year-old have developed a friendship unlike any other. “She has shown me a depth of love, a depth that I didn’t know existed,” Mr. Dan told the reporter.

Mr. Dan told Tara that before meeting Norah, he hadn’t had one night of uninterrupted sleep. Anxiety kept him up at all hours and made him restless. After meeting Norah, he said he now sleeps soundly. For Mr. Dan’s 82nd birthday on October 20, the mother and the daughter brought balloons and presents—and, of course, cupcakes. Mr. Dan will also spend a day around Thanksgiving with Norah and her family. “If you don’t take the time to notice people, you will never know how you can positively impact a life,” Tara Wood said.

1. Mr. Dan looked cold because ________.

A．he felt lonely	B．he disliked little kids
C．nobody had hugged him	D．he knew little about Norah

2. The underlined word “demeanor” in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.

A．words	B．body
C．thoughts	D．attitude

3. How did Tara know more about Mr. Dan?

A．From a news reporter.	B．From a stranger.
C．From a shop assistant.	D．From his neighbor.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．Giving makes a real difference.

B．It is important to respect each other.

C．We should not judge a person at first sight.

D．Good things will happen if one keeps trying.

5 . Politeness is the practical application of good manners, the goal of which is to make all of the parties relaxed and comfortable. It's a flexible management of words and actions, by which we make other people have a better opinion of us and themselves. It seeks to build a positive relationship.     1    .

However, in the rush of daily life being polite is social behavior that we find rare nowadays.     2    . They don’t even take the time to look around. This has led to the loss of simple social rules some might take for granted and that are particularly powerful.

    3    , people become less and less attentive to others’ feelings, for human interaction (互动) is almost lost. Take for instance the rudeness we tolerate when a person is looking at his phone when talking to us.

Being polite is not just a simple social elegance.     4    . These days “Please” and “Thank You” are forgotten. And not many people are aware that these two simple words can easily open or close any door to us. Unfortunately, they often forget to say these words.

Hope is not lost. There are many ways we can improve our behavior to achieve skills in politeness. There are simple things we can do to be considered as a polite and well-mannered person.    5    , they will respect you back. Just make a change in our behavior to start. Use simple words like “Excuse me”, “Please”, and “Thank you” every day. Be kind to receive kindness. Care and politeness will get you far in all aspects of life.

A．As technology progresses

B．People have become more self-absorbed

C．As long as you show your politeness for people

D．Since for many people being polite remains a challenge

E．Many languages have specific means to show politeness

F．It aims to respect a person’s need to be liked and understood

G．It’s also about being kind, caring and respectful to another person

6 . Directions: Complete the passage with the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

When we meet someone for the first time, we usually get a vague sense of what kind of person they are by the way they shake hands, talk, or walk. In the age of social networking. however, first impressions are sometimes made even before we     1     meet someone in person--that is, by looking at their profile photo.

According to a recent study, these social images say a lot about our personality. In the study, resented in a paper at the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, a group of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania in the US used software to     2     the profile pictures of 66,000 users of US social platform Twitter and 3,200 of their tweets. At the same time, about 434 participants were asked to complete a survey about their personality type.

The researchers wanted to find out if there was a     3     between personality traits--like openness, extroversion, and neuroticism--and a person’s profile picture. According to the results, open people are more     4     to pose in an unusual way and use objects such as glasses or a guitar in their profile photo because they enjoy new and exciting experiences. Meanwhile, neurotic people often hold back their     5     emotions. They try to avoid showing their face; instead, they use an image of something like a pet, a car or a building. That’s because neurotic people are strongly     6     by the “strong social norm against a very sad or angry appearance in profile pictures,” Daniel Preoiuc-Pietro from the University of Pennsylvania wrote in the research paper.

Apart from the objects in profile pictures, the colors used in them also give us some     7     about the photo’s owner. For example, extraverts were found to have the most colorful profile images, as they want to     8     their personality and show themselves off, the researchers wrote.

Although social media photos “usually represent an extension of one’s self, they also allow a user to shape his or her own personality and     9     view,” according to the researchers.

So, when choosing a profile photo, maybe we should ask ourselves first what kind of image we’d like to convey. After all, first impressions always     10    .

7 . The Governor’s School is described as a unique opportunity for high school students to involve themselves in math, science, and technology. When I signed up for computer programming, I expected to learn about coding (编程). However, what I didn’t expect was that I would also learn how to build strong friendships.

Just before I went there, I didn't know what to expect in the school, feeling quite at a loss. A sense of uncertainty about my future was flooding over me. On the first day, the students awkwardly moved around at the opening ceremonies. Although it is embarrassing to admit, I hadn't been able to succeed in my friendship in the past because I was too focused on myself. This time, I got rid of the desire to share personal stories and instead was eager to ask others about themselves.

After sunset on the second night, I heard three girls trying to recall the schedule for an upcoming museum trip. After effective communication, I knew they were Bree, Megan and Avery. Bree and Avery were in environmental science， and Megan was studying mathematics.

We had a lot in common among us four, such as our love for movies, which strengthened our friendships. Meanwhile, we were able to introduce each other to new activities. Bree introduced us to anime (日本动漫). Enthusiastically, Megan encouraged us to play tennis. Avery and I kept the other two motivated to work out at the gym. The fact that none of us was particularly skilled with equipment resulted in shared laughter almost every day.

After four weeks, I left with the ability to successfully code an educational computer game. More importantly, I also left with knowledge about the code of friendship -- the fact that I could make more friends in a month by showing interest in them than I could in a year by trying to attract others’ interest in me.

1. The author went to the Governor's School to originally learn how to _______.

A．code computer programs

B．make friends with others

C．develop her personal hobby and interest

D．share her personal stories with others

2. The author had failed in her friendship mainly because _________.

A．she was embarrassed to stay with her friends

B．she cared little about others

C．she longed to know about others

D．she focused her attention on her study

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Avery studied mathematics in the school.

B．The four girls had a wonderful time at school.

C．Though the four girls had nothing in common, they became good friends.

D．Before going to the Governor's School, the author had the basic knowledge about computers.

4. According to the author, the success code of friendship is _____.

A．getting others to be interested in her

B．adding more laughter to others’ life

C．keeping others motivated by stories

D．becoming more interested in others

5. What does the author tell us in the passage?

A．Her interest in the Governor’s School.

B．A close relation with three schoolmates.

C．Her experience in the Governor’s School.

D．Big changes in her study.

8 . Are You a Prisoner of Perfection?

Do you struggle for a goal that is beyond your reach?     1     Are you setting yourself up for failure and shame when you can’t achieve the unachievable? Understanding what drives perfectionism is the first step toward releasing this self-created anchor that keeps us stuck.

Shame and fear are often the hidden drivers of perfectionism. We believe that if we can fashion a perfectly polished personality, flash our intelligence, and perfect our humour, then no one can hurt us with criticism and we’ll win respect and approval.

    2     Politicians who display a desperate need to be right and refuse to acknowledge mistakes or uncertainty are often driven by a secret shame. They fear that showing vulnerability(弱点) will expose them to the accusation that they’re weak. They stick to a desire to be right, perfect, and polished, even when it’s obvious that the emperor has no clothes.

Perfectionism keeps us leaning toward the future. We’re constantly evaluating ourselves in order to do better.     3     However, if we can’t relax and enjoy lighter moments, then we become prisoners of our perfectionism. We get painfully self-conscious and take ourselves too seriously. Sadly, we deprive(剥夺) ourselves of the simple pleasure of enjoying the moment and being ourselves.

    4     We realize that failing at any enterprise doesn’t mean that we are a failure. Without failures, we’ll never learn from our mistakes; we’ll never move forward in our lives. Those who succeed have made countless mistakes. The important thing is to learn from our error, forgive ourselves and move on.

Being human, perfection is impossible.     5       Releasing ourselves from the desire to protect our image, we’re freed to sail gracefully through our successes and failures—and enjoy our precious life.

A．Do you hold an idealized vision that is impossible to realize?

B．A cure to perfectionism is to make room for our human shortcomings.

C．Do you fear that others will be horrified by what you judge about yourself?

D．The addiction to staying perfect protects us from any sign of being imperfect.

E．There’s nothing wrong with wanting to do our best and self-correcting along the way.

F．People who are addicted to perfection are often isolated, even if they seem outgoing and popular.

G．By accepting ourselves as we are and doing our best, we begin to rid the shame that drives perfectionism.

9 . I had not yet had the opportunity to do work experience． Therefore， I was _____ to start it． I was a little nervous_____， but everybody was so friendly and welcoming that I felt at ease _____．

My first_____was to help with checking if the website links， telephone numbers and addresses were _____on the website． I also learned how to construct the weekly newsletter that is_____each Friday to all registered members．

During my work _____， the staff were always attentive and ready to   _____， which really made me understand how to work _____at the job I was doing． I also feel that I have become more _____and confident with learning new skills， being punctual and _____according to the dress code （着装标准）．

I would advise anyone_____to do work experience to be on time and   willing to learn new skills needed for an office _____． I can also say that although you will initially feel _____about your first day in work experience，   _____   you have become familiar with your job and the staff， you will soon feel a part of the _____．

I have thoroughly_____my experience and I am very grateful to all the staff for giving me the opportunity to work at their office and for making me feel _____．

In conclusion， I would _____everybody to undertake work experience﹣it is an excellent way to _____     skills and experience of a work environment and will make you feel more confident for future careers．

1.

A．eager

B．confident

C．patient

D．scared

2.

A．after all

B．at first

C．more or less

D．now and then

3.

A．frequently

B．eventually

C．immediately

D．occasionally

4.

A．plan

B．dream

C．task

D．attempt

5.

A．correct

B．elegant

C．smooth

D．steady

6.

A．turned over

B．given away

C．passed on

D．sent out

7.

A．absence

B．interview

C．application

D．experience

8.

A．help

B．cheer

C．accuse

D．scold

9.

A．regularly

B．effectively

C．comfortably

D．quickly

10.

A．satisfied

B．popular

C．familiar

D．reasonable

11.

A．analyzing

B．dressing

C．designing

D．trading

12.

A．affording

B．wishing

C．bothering

D．happening

13.

A．equipment

B．building

C．decoration

D．environment

14.

A．curious

B．concerned

C．nervous

D．crazy

15.

A．once

B．before

C．since

D．as

16.

A．team

B．country

C．job

D．family

17.

A．ignored

B．enjoyed

C．forgotten

D．started

18.

A．awful

B．energetic

C．awkward

D．welcome

19.

A．order

B．force

C．demand

D．recommend

20.

A．learn

B．require

C．acquire

D．master

10 . 请认真阅读下面的短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意:请将答案写在答题卷上相应题号的横线上，每个空格只填一个单词。

Cycling in Asia: Opening new roads to sustainability

Asia’s rising middle class may be driving the increase in car ownership, leading to traffic congestion and air pollution in the region’s cities, but this status symbol may be slowly giving way to an old love—cycling.

More Asians are jumping on a bicycle for fresh air and to lead a more environmentally-friendly and active lifestyle in recent years as staying sedentary inside a car for hours on end could take a toll on one’s health, and be hard on the wallet because of the high cost of fuel and maintenance.

In a new study of vehicle ownership in 44 countries by Pew Research Center, households around the world own bicycles more than motorcycles and cars. Japan and Thailand rank second and third in terms of bike ownership globally, although these two countries also rank high in car ownership, with 81 per cent and 51 per cent of their populations owning at least one vehicle.

China is also leading the world in the number of bike-sharing schemes, with about 170 bike-sharing systems operating in the country.

Singapore, known for its efficient public transport system but has no established culture of cycling as a transport option, is one of the countries now keen to change that. It is spending $43 million on bike lanes and cycling facilities as part of a national cycling plan.

ADB (Asian Development Bank) is looking at including bicycles as part of a public transport network in some cities in Southeast Asia through bike-sharing schemes. Many cities around the world including Amsterdam and Copenhagen have shown the successful integration of bike-sharing programmes in public transport systems.

In another form of bike-sharing, cycling has also become a solution to help poor students in rural communities access bicycles as a form of sustainable transport. Non-profit group Bike for the Philippines are lending bicycles for free to help poor students in the country who still need to walk three kilometres to school because of lack of access to public transport or who have no ability to pay for its high costs.

United Kingdom-based Bamboo Travel says their clients are increasingly interested in cycling tours when they plan their trips to Asia.

“In the last few years we have seen demand for cycling excursions grow quickly. And we find a lot of our clients now request some time cycling in places that before they used to do sightseeing by car. Clients of all ages have become healthier and more environmentally conscious in recent years and cycling has grown as a result,” Ewen Moore, sales director at Bamboo Travel, tells Eco-Business.

“They’re very attractive—a fun and healthy way to do some sightseeing,” said Moore.

Cycling in Asia: Opening new roads to sustainability

Introduction	Cycling as a new     1     of middle class is coming out.
	Cycling is beneficial to one’s     2     and wallet as well as to our environment.
3     of bike ownership or bike-sharing systems	Pew study shows that more bicycles     4     families than automobiles in 44 countries. ●People in Japan and Thailand     5     higher ownerships of cars and bikes. ●The number of bike-sharing schemes in China     6     the world. ●National cycling plan in Singapore is     7     its established culture.
New ways of cycling	Public Transport Network Amsterdam and Copenhagen are leading the world in     8     bike-sharing programmes to public transport systems.
	Helping Poor Students Lending bicycles for free benefits poor students who could not access or     9    the public transport.
	Cycling for Tourisim ●Cycling tours are     10     fast in Asia and are replacing car sightseeing in some places. ●Cycling tours are economic, healthy and environment- friendly.