Almost everyone is afraid of something --- snakes, heights, public speaking and so on.
It is normal and can even be helpful to experience fear sometimes. In dangerous situations, fear can keep our bodies alert (警醒的) so that we can act quickly to protect ourselves.
But for some people, fear develops into a “phobia”, which is a strong and unreasonable fear of something. For example, the majority of us feel a little scared when looking down from a tall building. But people with height phobia may have trouble breathing, feel dizzy or turn down a great job just because the company is on the 20th floor.
Phobias can prevent you from living a normal life. “People with spider phobia would stay out of their home or dormitory room for days if they thought a spider was present,” Katherina Hauner, a researcher at Northwestern University, US, told ABC news. This is why scientists have been trying to find a cure for this disease.
Since fear comes from experience --- from what we are told, what we see others experience and what happens to us --- some scientists think if they can “rewrite” these unpleasant memories, they might be able to help people overcome their phobias.
In a study by Hauner and other scientists, participants with spider phobia were asked to first touch a spider with a paintbrush. Seeing that it was not actually dangerous, they then tried touching it while wearing a glove. Finally, they could hold it with their hands.
Certain medicine has also been found to be helpful. Back in 2010, researchers at the University of Hiroshima, Japan, injected (注射) a special medicine into a fish --- who was afraid of light --- to turn off the fear center in its brain. From then on, the fish no longer feared light.
While the search for solutions to phobias is making great progress, it’s an open question whether getting rid of fear is good. Some people want to use these methods to make soldiers fight harder in wars by taking away their sense of fear. Dave Smithson of the charity Anxiety UK thinks that’s a bad idea. “It’s fear that prevents us from doing crazy things,” he says. “There’s a name for people who don’t have fear of consequences: psychopaths (精神變態(tài)者).
小題1:The main point of the article is to ___________.

A．show us what kind of role fear plays in our lives

B．discuss if it is good to try to get rid of fear

C．inform us of fear and phobia

D．discuss scientific studies related to fear

小題2:How does the writer make the meaning of “phobia” clear?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By giving examples.
C．By giving data in numbers.	D．By giving descriptions.

小題3:Which of the following shows the progress scientists have made in finding solutions to phobia?

A．New medicine can shut off fear centers in animal brains whenever needed.

B．They can use phobias to keep our bodies alert so that we can protect ourselves.

C．They can now reduce the pain which is connected with phobia.

D．They have succeeded in helping some people ignore memories related to phobia.

小題4:Which of the following would Dave Smithson probably agree with?

A．There is nothing to fear except fear itself.

B．We should not let fear affect our decisions.

C．Fear is not a completely bad thing.

D．Without fear, everyone would be brave.

My mother let go of me when I could not let go of her .In one last brave moment she was strong for me ,thus making me strong ,too.
I was in the kitchen when        called and told me to make a quick decision .They could only hold a place for my         until the next morning.
The thought of being        from my Alzheimer’s stricken (早老性癡呆)mother when she needed me most       me .Dad died when I was a teenager ,Mom and I had        many hard times together .Mom taught me to laugh my way through bad experiences and sing through     days .But in recent years , except for extremely        moments of consciousness , she’d become lost in her own private world .I knew that Mom needed       nursing and medical care ,yet the possibility of a complete stranger coming to her at night ,when she would      around like a sleepwalking child ,filled me with a feeling of      .
Two bitter days passed     we left for the nursing home .I hugged and kissed her with       tears ,I’d always planned the best golden years for Mom in her old age ,but now I was saying    .
Suddenly there was something shining in her     , a look of recognition .“Stop crying now”,she said firmly ,“Say goodbye and get going .Don’t     about me .”
I stood with     and stared into her face .“Mom!”I cried and reached out for her .But as quickly as my “real ”Mom had appeared ,she    again into her world of a little child .       ,at that very moment I realized the mother ,that familiar Mom who knew and understood ,who      and sang with me in hard times ,would always be there , giving me       when I needed it most .

小題1:	A．the hospital B．the nursing home C．the kindergarten D．the school

小題2:	A．Dad B．Mom C．brother D．husband

小題3:	A．freed B．protected C．forbidden D．separated

小題4:	A．relaxed B．comforted C．pained D．struck

小題5:	A．braved B．feared C．escaped D．followed

小題6:	A．unforgettable B．comfortable C．smooth D．tough

小題7:	A．regular B．rare C．usual D．common

小題8:	A．casual B．limited C．professional D．general

小題9:	A．wander B．dream C．sleep D．look

小題10:

A．love B．sacrifice C．warmth D．shame

小題11:

A．before B．a(chǎn)fter C．until D．since

小題12:

A．happy B．helpless C．thankful D．salty

小題13:

A．hello B．goodnight C．goodbye D．thanks

小題14:

A．hands B．mind C．voice D．eyes

小題15:

A．worry B．wonder C．puzzle D．hesitate

小題16:

A．satisfaction B．disappointment C．a(chǎn)mazement D．recognition

小題17:

A．disappeared B．broke C．returned D．left

小題18:

A．Meanwhile B．Therefore C．Besides D．However

小題19:

A．laughed B．cried C．talked D．cooked

小題20:

A．confidence B．strength C．safety D．relief

Sometimes a part of us must die before another part can come to life. Even though this is a       and necessary stage of our growth, it is often painful or       if we don’t realize what’s happening. In fact, confusion is often the       that tells us a change is taking place within us. These changes happen throughout the lives of all humans, as we move from babyhood to       to teenage years and beyond. With each change from one       to another, we find ourselves       goodbye to an old friend, the identity (個(gè)性，身份) that we       in order to move through that particular time.
Sometimes we shape these identities in relationships or jobs, and when we change, those areas of our life become      . Usually, if we take the time to look into the changing surface of things, we will find that a change is taking place       us. For example, we may go through one whole part of our lives creating a protective shell around ourselves       we need it in defense of ourselves. One day,      , we may find ourselves feeling limited and bored, wanting to move outside the       we used to need; the new part of ourselves cannot be born within the       of the shell our old self needed.
We may feel a strange       of excitement and sadness as we say goodbye to a part of ourselves that is       and make way for a whole new identity to       in its place. We may find inspiration in working and studying when we think of the image of an animal who sheds (蛻毛；蛻皮) in order to       way for new skin, fur, or feathers to      . For example, keeping a piece of snake skin, or some other symbols of change, can       us that death and rebirth are simply nature’s way of growing. We can give in to this process, letting go of our past self with great love and gratitude, and       the new with an open mind and heart, ready for our next stage of life.

小題1:	A．natural B．dusty C．humorous D．rare

小題2:	A．moving B．confusing C．tiring D．scared

小題3:	A．report B．notice C．sign D．idea

小題4:	A．brotherhood B．neighborhood C．a(chǎn)dulthood D．childhood

小題5:	A．a(chǎn)nimal B．people C．school D．stage

小題6:	A．saying B．speaking C．telling D．reading

小題7:	A．showed B．left C．shaped D．realized

小題8:	A．influenced B．remained C．defended D．directed

小題9:	A．of B．within C．for D．between

小題10:

A．a(chǎn)lthough B．while C．until D．because

小題11:

A．moreover B．therefore C．however D．so

小題12:

A．a(chǎn)rea B．shelter C．room D．space

小題13:

A．limits B．contents C．connection D．requirement

小題14:

A．influence B．mixture C．a(chǎn)ppearance D．relation

小題15:

A．dying B．coming C．escaping D．running

小題16:

A．come back B．come down C．come out D．come across

小題17:

A．become B．reach C．name D．make

小題18:

A．a(chǎn)ppear B．disappear C．go D．exist

小題19:

A．convince B．remind C．warn D．tell

小題20:

A．hoping B．imaging C．welcoming D．supplying

Last Sunday I made a visit to some new neighbors down the block. No specific in mind, just an opportunity to sit at the kitchen table, have some tea and chat. As I did so, it occurred to me how rare the Sunday visit has become.
When I was a kid in New Jersey of the 1960s, Sunday visits were routine. Most stores were closed, almost nobody worked, and the highways, as a result, were not desperate steeplechases(障礙賽跑) they have become today. My family normally traveled eight city blocks to the home of my grandmother, where adults would sit on the front porch and chat while we children played hide-and-seek.
The Sunday visit was something to desire strongly. It was the repetition to church, our reward for an hour of devotion, an opportunity to take advantage of the fact that Dad was not at work, we were not in school, and there was no housework that couldn’t wait until Monday. Sunday was, indeed, different from the other days of the week, because everyone seemed to be on the same schedule, which means that there was one day when everyone seemed to have time for everybody else.
Sunday as a day of rest is, or was, so deeply rooted in the culture that it’s surprising to find that, in a short span of time, it has almost entirely lost this association. In my childhood, it was assumed that everyone would either be home or visiting someone else’s home on Sunday. But now the question is, “What do you plan to DO this Sunday?” The answer can range from going to the mall, to participating in a road race, to Montreal for lunch. If one were to respond, “I’m making a Sunday visit to family,” such an answer would feel strange, which sounds like an echo from another era.
I suppose I should be grateful to live in Maine, a state of small towns, abundant land and tight relationships. Even though folks work as hard here as they do anywhere else, the state’s powerfully rural feature still keeps at least remnants(殘余部分) of the moral of yesterday’s America, where people had to depend on one another in the face of economic vagaries(反復(fù)無常的情況) and a challenging environment.
小題1:The writer’s general impression of the Sunday in the past was a day when＿＿.

A．everyone was paying a visit to some relatives far away

B．everyone seemed to be free for others

C．Dad was not at work while Mom was busy cleaning the house

D．nearly every adult would go to church and children weren’t at school

小題2:In the fourth paragraph, the writer compares the response “I’m making a Sunday visit to family” to an echo from another era because_____.

A．people nowadays prefer staying at home on Sunday

B．such answers are rarely heard in our modern society

C．people in the city dislike being disturbed on Sunday

D．visiting someone on Sunday was routine in the past

小題3:From the last paragraph we may infer that_____.

A．people in Maine suffer more from economic depression and the changed environment

B．people in Maine have abandoned their tradition and lived an absolutely new life

C．land in Maine is short, thus the relationship between people is tense

D．people in Maine tend to help each other out of necessity

小題4:What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Doing many activities on Sunday is beneficial.

B．We should often travel a long distance to visit some friends and relatives.

C．Nowadays, Sunday has almost lost its association as a day of rest.

D．We should abandon some old tradition.

Every athlete，from Tiger Woods(a golf player)to a high school quarterback(橄欖球賽中指揮反攻的四分衛(wèi))，uses a form of self-hypnosis(自我催眠)to move their game to the next level Use the Olympics to 1earn how to use the amazing power of your subconscious(潛在意識(shí))to do the same with your sport.
Here are some examples of how to best use the power of the mind:
During the 2004 Olympics，one of the swimmers told of how she would fall asleep each night with the picture of a clock in her mind. It was the timer’s clock she would see at the end of her Olympic swim and it always had her world-record-breaking time on it.
In his pre-shot routine, Tiger Woods never varies the number of practice swings or intensity of his concentration．The pre-shot routine is always the same so that the stroke will always be the same.
Michael Phelps，American Swimming Gold Medalist, always stretches out his back and arms by swinging both arms three times before his event. Not 2，not 4: always 3. He is anchoring(固定)in his winning state of mind and state of body as well as stretching．
In athletics, an anchor is a gesture or series of gestures that put you into the frame-of mind(and body)you want to be in to win．Repetition is what makes it work .That means practice，practice，practice ---- with your body as well as your mind.
Begin right now creating a ritual(固定程序)before you exercise．Visualize yourself doing whatever you do faster, longer, higher—whatever adverb works best for your particular activity. Then begin to mentally practice it. See or imagine yourself-----with your ideal body ---- doing your activity better, faster, longer, etc. Using both the power of your brain and the activity of your body, soon you will be better and fitter as you use the Olympics to help you create a happier and healthier you.
小題1:From the third paragraph, we know_______.

A．the swimmer has already broken the world record once

B．the swimmer was using her mind power to build up confidence

C．the swimmer was too nervous to go to sleep before the Games

D．the swimmer has a problem in counting

小題2: The example of Tiger Woods shows that             .

A．golf players always do the same pre—shots before events

B．Tiger Woods attaches great importance to mind power

C．Tiger Woods doesn’t want to give away his skills before events

D．golf players never change their habits

小題3:Why does Michael Phelps always take the same warming-up activities before his events?

A．Because back and arms are the most important parts for a swimmer.

B．Because this is the best stretching for any swimmer.

C．Because this is the best way to adjust his state

D．Because he wants to confuse his opponents (對(duì)手).

小題4:From the sixth paragraph，we know that______.

A．a(chǎn)n anchor is the state of mind and body you want to win

B．you can make an anchor work by constant practice

C．the anchor is mainly related to the practice of the body in athletics

D．a(chǎn)n anchor can make sure that you will do well in sports

小題5: What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To introduce some interesting habits of several famous athletes．

B．To remind us to take warming-up activities before taking exercise.

C．To encourage us to learn the warming-up exercise from successful athletes.

D．To advise us to learn to use the power of the mind.

Fat and shy, Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team. “Football, tennis, cricket--- anything with a round ball, I was useless,” he says now with a laugh. But back then he was the one always made fun of in school gym classes in Devonshire, England.
It was a mountain bike he received for his 15^th  birthday that changed him. At first he went biking alone in a nearby forest. Then he began to ride the bike along with a runner friend. Gradually, Saunders set up his mind on building up his body, increasing his speed and strength. At the age of 18, he ran his first marathon.
The following year he met John Ridgway and was hired as an instructor at Ridgway’s school of adventure in Scotland, where he learnt about Ridgway’s cold-water exploits. Greatly interested, Saunders read all he could about North Pole explorers and adventures, then decided that this would be his future.
In 2001, after becoming a skillful skier, Saunders started his first long-distance expedition(探險(xiǎn)) towards the North Pole. It took unbelievable energy. He suffered frostbite（凍瘡）, ran into a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit, pulling his supply-loaded sled（雪橇） up and over rocky ice.
Saunders has since become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole, and he’s skied more of the North Pole by himself than any other British man. His old playmates would not believe the change.
Next October, Saunders, 27, heads south from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back, a 2900-kilometer journey that has never been completed on skis.
小題1:What change happened to Saunders after he was 15 years old?

A．He became good at most sports.	B．He made friends with a runner.
C．He joined a sports team.	D．He began to build up his body.

小題2:The underlined word “exploits” (paragraph 3) is closest in meaning to ______.

A．journeys

B．a(chǎn)dventures

C．researches

D．operations

小題3:Which of the following is the correct order of the events that happened to Saunders?
a. He ran his first marathon.       b. He skied alone in the North Pole.
c. He rode his bike in a forest.      d. He planned an adventure to the South Pole.

A．a(chǎn) c d b

B．c d a b

C．c a b d

D．a(chǎn) c b d

小題4: What does the story mainly tell us abut Saunders?

A．He is a success in sports.	B．He is the best British skier.
C．He is Ridgway’s best student. `	D．He is a good instructor at school.

We live in a fast-paced and anxiety-filled world that oftentimes seems to shift beneath our feet. Thus we are sometimes affected by fears or anxiety impacting our life. For as long as I could remember I had struggled with anxiety. After I left university, I made friends with a Moroccan woman at work. One day she invited me to    her and her family back home. I wanted to, but I would have to travel there     and I knew we would be in a very rural area. How would I cope with my    ?
Then one day it     to me that I had a life to live. I could choose to let anxiety     me or I could go to Morocco and     something different. I was 23 years old and had never been out of the UK alone. The journey to Morocco     something inside me. I managed to cope with my anxiety. The sense of     was overwhelming and still to this day when I get afraid of going somewhere alone, I remember how     it felt when I arrived in Morocco.
Upon arrival I was so     for the generous welcome I received. My friend’s family had arranged a welcome party. The people were so loving toward me. As a moment of     felt in a faraway village, this reminded me that I was “good enough”, which helped to     my anxiety.
Waking up the next day, in the morning light, I saw the area where we were. I was     by how rural it was – and the realization that these people had very few     .
In the days afterwards, I traveled around Morocco. We went to Marrakesh and     the Atlas mountains. We had the most amazing food – lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
At the end of my     something inside me had changed. I realized I had not felt anxious for nearly two weeks.
Experiencing a different culture far away from home helped me to realize what is important in life, what really    , and with that my anxiety    . When I returned home I was much more active in     my anxiety. Working with people, helping them     their anxiety, is how I can share the love I found in Morocco.

小題1:	A．send B．consult C．call D．visit

小題2:	A．a(chǎn)lone B．soon C．free D．safe

小題3:	A．work B．curiosity C．homesickness D．worries

小題4:	A．a(chǎn)ppeared B．hit C．struck D．occurred

小題5:	A．impress B．control C．reach D．persuade

小題6:	A．enjoy B．experience C．take D．experiment

小題7:	A．changed B．moved C．supported D．impressed

小題8:	A．a(chǎn)chievement B．fear C．disappointment D．embarrassment

小題9:	A．good B．a(chǎn)shamed C．a(chǎn)fraid D．proud

小題10:

A．sorry B．confused C．confident D．thankful

小題11:

A．doubt B．luck C．love D．surprise

小題12:

A．improve B．hold C．protect D．reduce

小題13:

A．inspired B．moved C．pleased D．shocked

小題14:

A．lands B．difficulties C．resources D．friends

小題15:

A．discovered B．explored C．examined D．recognized

小題16:

A．opportunity B．rush C．stay D．life

小題17:

A．rules B．exists C．matters D．hurts

小題18:

A．disappeared B．expanded C．remained D．removed

小題19:

A．expressing B．challenging C．forgetting D．remembering

小題20:

A．drop B．notice C．pass D．overcome

A certain good woman one day said something that hurt her best friend of many years. She regretted it immediately and would have done anything to have taken the words back. So she went to an older, wiser woman in the village and       advice.
Listening to her, the older woman       the younger woman’s distress and knew she must help her. She also knew she could       ease her pain, but she could teach.
Then, she said. “There are       things you need to do. The first is extremely difficult. Tonight, take your best       pillows and open a small hole in each one. Then,       the sun rises, you must put a single feather on the doorstep of each house in town. When you are through,      to me. If you’ve done the first thing      , I’ll tell you the second.”
The young woman hurried home to prepare for her chore,       the pillows were very       to her and very expensive.
All night long, she went from doorstep to doorstep. Her fingers were      . The wind was so sharp that it caused her eyes to water, but she ran on through the       streets,       there was something she could do to put things       the way they once were. Finally she placed the last feather on the steps of the last house. Just as the sun rose, she returned to the older woman.
She was exhausted but       , thinking that her efforts would be rewarded.
“Now,” said the wise woman, “Go back and       your pillows. Then everything will be as it was before.”
The young woman was stunned, “You know that’s impossible! The wind       each feather as fast as I placed them on the doorsteps! You didn’t say I had to get them back! If this is the second      , then things will never be the same.” 
“That’s true,” said the older woman. “Never forget. Each of your words is like a feather in the wind. Once       , no amount of effort,       how heartfelt or sincere, can ever return them to your mouth. Choose your words well and guard them most of all in the presence of those you love.”

小題1:	A．a(chǎn)sked about B．a(chǎn)sked for C．a(chǎn)sked to D．a(chǎn)sk around

小題2:	A．witnessed B．touched C．guessed D．sensed

小題3:	A．ever B．a(chǎn)lmost C．never D．seldom

小題4:	A．one B．two C．three D．four

小題5:	A．feather B．leather C．woolen D．cotton

小題6:	A．when B．a(chǎn)fter C．a(chǎn)s D．before

小題7:	A．come back B．go back C．put back D．draw back

小題8:	A．promptly B．a(chǎn)bsolutely C．completely D．unfortunately

小題9:	A．so as to B．even though C．now that D．in spite of

小題10:

A．hard B．rare C．nice D．dear

小題11:

A．freezing B．freezingly C．froze D．frozen

小題12:

A．brightened B．widened C．darkened D．broadened

小題13:

A．a(chǎn)mazing B．lucky C．thankful D．surprising

小題14:

A．on B．up C．off D．back

小題15:

A．tired B．relieved C．grateful D．nervous

小題16:

A．refill B．get C．purchase D．seek

小題17:

A．blew up B．blew on C．blew away D．blew over

小題18:

A．requirement B．situation C．consequence D．circumstance

小題19:

A．speak B．spoken C．speaking D．being spoken

小題20:

A．however B．whatever C．a(chǎn)lthough D．regardless

Many people tend to complain about not having good friends in their lives. Sadly， they seem to think that their own company is not enough to make them happy. Nothing could be further from the truth though. In order to get along with others， the first thing you need to do is learn to get along with yourself. Only in this way will you succeed in developing healthy， solid relationships with others.
Listen to your inner voice. Remember that inner voice that keeps whispering to you what you really want and need as well as what you do not really want and need. It is about time you started listening to it. In order to get to know yourself in depth， it is important to learn and accept what you want and what you do not want.
Learn to enjoy your own company. You will be surprised to find out how many things you can do by yourself and actually have fun in the process. Reading romantic novels， poetry or science fiction is only a few of the things that you can do by yourself， which not only can offer you hours of enjoyment， but also the chance to get to know yourself better.
Satisfy yourself. Pay special attention to your personal hygiene(衛(wèi)生). Do your hair and nails often and experiment with new styles. Follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly to stay in good shape. No matter how busy your daily schedule is， always find at least an hour per day for yourself， when you can either relax doing absolutely nothing， or doing something that you enjoy.
Learn to respect your own boundaries. Find out what your boundaries are and learn to respect them. You are the only one who knows what you can and what you cannot accept；no one else can point that out to you， or force you to compromise(妥協(xié)).
小題1:If you want to have a good relationship with others， you should first 　　　　.

A．get into the habit of living alone

B．make many friends in society

C．a(chǎn)lways tell the truth

D．learn to be your own best friend

小題2:What is the purpose of listening to your inner voice？

A．To keep a good state of mind.

B．To know more about yourself.

C．To enjoy the time by yourself.

D．To form a relationship with others.

小題3:In order to please yourself， the writer gives some suggestions EXCEPT 　　　　.

A．eating healthily

B．exercise regularly

C．experimenting with new hair style

D．keeping on struggling

小題4:The underlined word “boundaries” nearly means “　　　　”.

A．weaknesses

B．a(chǎn)ims

C．a(chǎn)mbitions

D．limits

小題5: What is the structure of the passage？

You and I have principles(原則). And we also have opinions. I have _____ about what I think is right or wrong or good or ______. But they are only opinions---I could be wrong! I _____ try to build my life around my opinions, but I will try to _____ my principles.
A 15-year-old boy learned a(n) ______ lesson about life principles. On his way home he found a woman’s ______ that contained $127 as well as her ID card. _______ hesitation, he hopped(快速跳) onto his bike and went over to her _______---about a mile away. He told her he _____ her wallet and she gave him a big hug and twenty dollars.
That evening the boy told his parents about the event and his father said, “I don’t think you should have ______ $20 for doing what you should have done. A person shouldn’t be ______ for being honest.”
He thought about his father’s _____ and decided he would return the money. He biked to the lady’s home and ______ her back the twenty dollars. She didn’t want to take it, but he told her she _____ to---that his father pointed out ______ to him that he had never ______ before.
When principles ______ our every action and decision, we actually change. These great principles _____ our lives and make us into persons of character. That boy is _____ to be raised by a wise father who had the ______ to say, “Those are my principles.”

小題1:	A．opinions B．wishes C．decisions D．suggestions

小題2:	A．well B．mistaken C．right D．bad

小題3:	A．shan’t B．won’t C．can’t D．don’t

小題4:	A．change B．a(chǎn)dvise C．follow D．make

小題5:	A．valuable B．easy C．difficult D．funny

小題6:	A．bag B．wallet C．suitcase D．box

小題7:	A．About B．For C．Without D．In

小題8:	A．factory B．school C．office D．house

小題9:	A．checked B．searched C．threw D．found

小題10:

A．a(chǎn)ccepted B．supplied C．received D．borrowed

小題11:

A．rewarded B．praised C．forgotten D．blamed

小題12:

A．a(chǎn)ctions B．worries C．words D．excuses

小題13:

A．took B．gave C．put D．set

小題14:

A．a(chǎn)ttempted B．preferred C．planned D．had

小題15:

A．a(chǎn)nything B．everything C．something D．nothing

小題16:

A．guessed B．taught C．met D．realized

小題17:

A．guide B．do C．interrupt D．a(chǎn)llow

小題18:

A．limit B．shape C．prevent D．keep

小題19:

A．unlucky B．careful C．brave D．lucky

小題20:

A．right B．courage C．wisdom D．chance