That Christmas Eve, the streets of Boston were crowded with people dressed in wool and flannel(法蘭絨). “Jingle Bells” was playing in stores. Everyone, it seemed, was _____ by someone else smiling or ____ I was alone.

The eldest of a Puerto Rican family of 11 children growing up in one of New York’s _____ apartment. I’d spent much of my life _____ solitude(獨(dú)處). Now, _____, at 27, was enduring the last break-up of a seven-year relationship. Every part of me wanted to be _____, but not at Christmas.

My family had returned to Puerto Rico, and my _____ were involved in their own lives. Dusk was falling, and the unavoidable return to my ____apartment brought tears to my eyes.

I stopped at the local market, feeling even more______ when I saw all the people there filling their baskets with gifts. I _____ my family, my friends and the noisy parties at home, filled with laughter and dancing. I wanted to cry for having wanted to be alone and for having _____ it.

In front of the church down the street, a manger(馬槽) had been set up, with Mary, Joseph, and the barn animals in ______ the arrival of baby Jesus. As I walked home, I _____ that the story of Joseph and Mary wandering from door to door seeking shelter was much like my own. Leaving Puerto Rico was still a _____in my soul and I was struggling with whom I had become in my 15 years in the United States. I’d mourned my losses, _____for the first time, I recognized what I’d gained. I was _____, and educated and healthy. My life was still before me, full of ______.Sometimes the best ____ is the one you give yourself. That Christmas, I gave myself credit ____ I’d accomplished so far and permission to go ______ unafraid. It was the best gift I’ve ever received, the one that I most treasure.

1.A. chosen B. botheredC. allowedD. accompanied

2.A. working B. laughing C. studying D. thinking

3.A. crowdedB. expensiveC. cheerfulD. large

4.A. looking forB. looking atC. looking throughD. looking over

5.A. finally B. easilyC. quickly D. likely

6.A. patientB. strictC. aloneD. private

7.A. friendsB. dreamsC. guestsD. customers

8.A. beautifulB. interesting C. cleanD. empty

9.A. pleasedB. upsetC. surprisedD. curious

10.A. hatedB. lovedC. missedD. forgot

11.A. achievedB. refusedC. preferredD. offered

12.A. searchB. expectationC. positionD. control

13.A. imaginedB. sighedC. realizedD. expressed

14.A. effort B. beliefC. wound D. wish

15.A. butB. so C. becauseD. though

16.A. excitedB. independentC. ordinary D. worthless

17.A. desiresB. possibilitiesC. idealsD. advantages

18.A. giftB. lessonC. purposeD. memory

19.A. on B. in C. atD. for

20.A. upward B. downC. aroundD. forward

I was diagnosed with cancer in September 2005, after discovering a small lump in my neck. All seemed well after the lump had been removed. However, a follow-up blood test revealed that the cancer had spread. I underwent chemotherapy(化療), and within four months I lost nearly 20kg, all my hair and energy.

I got a tentative all-clear(解除警報(bào))two days after my 28 the birthday. To me, it signaled a new start, and I couldn’t wait to get on with my life. The doctors told me that it would be months before I could get back to my old activity levels, but I just didn’t want to accept this. I wanted to be normal again –now, not in six months.

So I started by simply walking around Edinburgh. Each day I would get home four or five hours later feeling like I had run a marathon. After less than six weeks, I half-ran, half-crawled up Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. I spent the next couple of days in bed recovering, but soon after that I was back in the gym.

My diet had never been great before I fell ill --- I was a real vegetable-phobe(厭惡蔬菜的人)， and to some extent I still am. Nowadays, though, I make myself eat more natural foods. I have discovered that a good blender and a slow-cooker help make foods I don’t like bearable.

When one suffers a physical setback, emotional support from others is important. Still, there are things only you can do for yourself; at the end of the day, you are the one going through it. I went back to work, and now have started a company to take my passion for health and fitness forward. I believe that what holds most people back is a poor mental attitude and lack of determination. You can achieve whatever you want; you just have to work hard at it.

1.What do we learn about the author from the passage?

A. He was diagnosed with cancer after a regular blood test.

B. He got back in the gym two days after his 28th birthday.

C. His doctors asked him not to do any kind of exercise for six months.

D. He wanted to recover from his illness as soon as possible.

2. How did the author change his diet?

A. He started eating more natural foods.

B. He began to like eating vegetables.

C. He learned to cook by himself.

D. He liked eating the foods he hadn’t liked before.

3. Based on the last paragraph, the author thinks that_________.

A. the help and support of others are useless to sick people

B. people can’t be mentally unprepared to decide things

C. people should do everything by themselves

D. hard-working people get what they want

4.The author thinks the main thing in life is _______.

A. optimism B. calmness

C. passion D. honesty

5.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Life Depends on Exercise

B. Perseverance Is the Key to Success

C. How I Bear Cancer

D. How to Overcome Cancer

In California, young sea lions are in danger of starving to death and it is not clear why.

"I'm going on a rescue right now," said Peter Wallerstein talking on his cell phone while in his truck. "'I've already rescued two sea lions."

Wallerstein can barely keep up with the distress calls. His sea mammal rescue operation has already saved 240 California sea lion pups this year.

"Not much energy left in this guy," he said about one particular sea lion. Almost all were dying from starvation.

"We found them seven miles up the flood control channel, found them under a car, and we don't really know why," he said.

On average, about a hundred sea lions are rescued in Southern California during the winter. But 700 have been picked up over the last three months.

"They're very sick," said Keith Matassa, who runs the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach. His team is nursing 115 sea lions back to health.

"A normal sea lion at this age -- 8 to 9 months old -- should be around 60, 70 pounds," said Matassa. "We're seeing them come into our center at 20 to 25 pounds, and really, they look like walking skeletons."

Sea lions depend on herring, sardines and other small fish found close to California's coast.

Sarah Wilkin is a marine biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service. Asked why it has reached this point, she said: "We're looking at whether the prey that these animals should be eating just isn't available to them for some reason, and that could be because there's less of it or because it's moved and it's not accessible."

It can take four months of care before the animals are strong enough to be released back into the Pacific.

"This is the ultimate gift watching an animal come in as a walking skeleton," said Matassa, "and watching it run off the beach...and just head out where it should be."

Scientists worry they'll find even more starving sea lions in the weeks ahead. April and May are usually peak months for sea lion rescues.

1. What does the author try to express in the underlined sentence in the third paragraph?

A. Wallerstein is bored with the calls.

B. The situation is terrible for the sea lions.

C. Wallerstein’s telephone is hard to get through to.

D. The rescue operation is going very well.

2.What might have led to the starvation of the sea lions, according to Sarah Wilkin?

A. The winter coldness. B. A lack of prey.

C. A flood. D. Car accidents.

3. When the sea lions come back to health, they are _______.

A. released back into the Pacific

B. sent to the National Marine Fisheries Service

C. sent to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center

D. released on the Californian coast

4. The underlined sentence “ they look like walking skeletons” means________.

A. they are very firm B. they are very active

C. they are very ugly D. they are very thin

5. What would be the best title for the text?

A. Access to Sea lions’ Prey

B. Sea Lion Rescue Operation

C. Starvation Endangers Sea Lions

D. Protection for Sea Lions Is Pressing

It's difficult not to become involved in gossip at work. After all, people like gossip and interesting bits of information: you only have to look at the number of celebrity-focused publications to realize that we have a huge appetite for discussing other people's lives. At work, however, this type of interaction is harmful and costly. It wastes time, damages reputations, promotes divisiveness(分歧), creates anxiety.

Rumors often grow because people like to be "in the know." Knowledge is power, and that's why the people with the least amount of power in an organization can often be the ones to start and spread rumors. It can make them feel important if they're seen to know things that others don't.

This knowledge is at the center of why and how rumors start and spread. Insufficient（不足） knowledge or incomplete information are often to blame. Consider these examples:

◆People don't know why a colleague was fired, so they make up a reason based on some limited knowledge or insignificant fact. "I saw John override（推翻） the cash register the other day without a supervisor present. Maybe he stole some money and that's why he went."

◆People see a pattern of behavior between two individuals and they add their own explanation. "Joseph and Samantha spend a lot of time together after hours ‘catching up on paperwork.' And just yesterday, they were sitting awfully close to each other in the meeting. I bet paperwork isn't all that's getting done after work!"

These rumors are typical of the things you'll face at work, and they spread because of a lack of accurate information. So, the best way to fight rumors is with good communication. When you communicate well, your team knows what's happening, and they trust that you'll keep them informed. Good communication within your team also means that you will become aware of any rumors that are starting, and you'll be able to address them quickly and effectively.

1.The huge number of celebrity-focused publications reveals that_______.

A. celebrities depend on publications to achieve fame

B. people like discussing other people’s lives

C. the publishing industry is booming

D. celebrities are rather disturbed by rumors.

2.Who is most likely to spread rumors at work?

A. The ones who have a large circle of friends

B. The ones who have quick access to information.

C. The ones who have good knowledge.

D. The ones with the least amount of power.

3.The passage is developed mainly___________.

A. by using time order. B. by making comparisons

C. by giving figures D. by giving examples

4.What is the relationship between Joseph and Samantha in the eyes of the people spreading rumors?

A. They are lovers. B. They are work partners.

C. They are rivals. D. They are old friends.

5. What is mainly discussed in the last paragraph?

A. How to fight rumors.

B. Why rumors start.

C. How to communicate with colleagues.

D. Why knowledge matters.

George Eberhardt turned 107 last month, and scientists would love to know how he and other older folks like him made it that far. So he's going to hand over some of his DNA.

He's one of 100 centenarians(百歲老人) taking part in a project that examines some of the oldest citizens with one of the newest scientific tools: whole-genome sequencing(全基因組測(cè)試), the deciphering of a person's complete collection of DNA.

Scientists think DNA from very old healthy people could offer clues to how they have lived so long. And that could one day lead to medicines to help the rest of us stay disease-free longer.

"It's very hard to get to 105 without some genetic advantages," says Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrics(老年醫(yī)學(xué)) expert at Boston University. Dr.Perls is helping find centenarians for the Archon Genomics X Prize competition. The X Prize Foundation, best known for a spaceflight competition, is offering $10 million in prize money to researchers who decipher the complete DNA code from 100 people older than 100. The contest will be judged on accuracy, completeness and the speed and cost of sequencing.

Mr. Eberhardt played and taught tennis until he was 94and says he's participating in the X Prize project because he's interested in science and technology. It's not clear his genes will reveal much. Nobody else in his extended family reached 100, and he thinks only a couple reached 90, he said in a telephone interview.

So why does he think he lived so long? He attributes it to 70 years of marriage to his wife, Marie. She in turn cites his "intense interest in so many things" over a lifetime, from building radios as a child to pursuing a career in electronics research.

But scientists believe there's more to it, and they want to use genome sequencing to investigate. Dr. Richard Cawthon of the University of Utah, who is seeking longevity genes by other means, says it may turn up genetic features that protect against multiple diseases or that slow the process of aging in general.

1.What does the underlined word “deciphering” in the second paragraph probably mean?

A. Separating. B. Interpreting.

C. Gathering. D. Comparing.

2.________ will not be judged by the Archon Genomics X prize competition.

A. How many genes are studied

B. How precise the sequencing is

C. How fast the research is finished

D. The number of researchers

3.The fourth paragraph is mainly about ________.

A.what the Archon Genomics X prize competition is about

B.the significance of studying the genes that lead to longevity

C.how whole-genome sequencing is applied to the study of genes

D.the genetic advantages the centenarians have

4.Which of the following is TRUE about Mr. Eberhardt?

A.He doesn’t have any genetic advantages.

B.Most of his family have been long-lived.

C.His genes don’t reveal much about why he has lived so long.

D.He enjoyed doing electronics research.

5.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A.Comparing One Hundred Centenarians

B.Who Will Win the Archon Genomics X Prize Competition?

C.A New Technology--- Whole –Genome Sequencing

D.Is the Secret to a Long Life in the DNA of Centenarians?

There is no such thing as a hard rule when it comes to leadership. There are generally accepted principles that, when studied and applied, are believed to be helpful in improving one’s leadership skills.

People become more willing to work if they feel important. Effective leaders help their organization’s members develop their self-esteem. You can do this by paying more attention to them and expressing your interest in their opinions every time you converse. The key here is being sincere and expressing your appreciation through the smallest gestures.

Members of an organization are more able to adapt to changes if there is a specific plan of action laid out. Planning is crucial in effective leadership because it provides the organization with a concrete direction and identifiable (可識(shí)別的) means to achieve its goals. As a leader, you should initiate (開始) planning and make an effort in communicate those plans as clearly as possible to your members. This will strengthen your members’ decision-making skills and allow for effective delegation.

A highly motivating work environment is undoubtedly a productive one. The organization benefits the most when its members are continuously motivated to work for and with it. You can provide deserving members with public recognition even through a simple mention of their names and accomplishments. Offering challenges that allow your members to grow is a brilliant way to motivate them to be more competitive. You can hand out incentives such as bonuses or promotions to high-performing members so that your members will have something to look forward to in exchange for job well done.

These three principles are all important in improving your leadership skills. But they are not enough. The success of your leadership will ultimately depend on the way you recognize your organization’s needs and how you can adapt your leadership style to those needs.

Only you can tell what “good” leadership is for your organization. Likewise, it’s only you who can determine how you can become a “good” leader.

1.What is the main idea of the passage? ( no more than 8 words)

2.According to Paragraph 2, how can leaders develop employee’s self- esteem? ( no more than 13 words)

3.Why is planning so important in leadership? ( no more than 13 words)

4.List three methods to motivate employees as a leader. ( no more than 10 words)

5.What is the key to success in leadership? ( no more than 13 words)

目前，青少年追星成為一個(gè)非常普遍的現(xiàn)象。有些青少年對(duì)偶像崇拜(celebrity worship)近乎癡迷。請(qǐng)你就青少年追星這一話題寫一篇英語(yǔ)短文。要點(diǎn)包括：

1. 你如何看待青少年追星這一現(xiàn)象； 2. 青少年追星對(duì)其自身有何影響。

注意：

1.可適當(dāng)增加細(xì)節(jié)，以使內(nèi)容完整充實(shí)。2. 詞數(shù)： 120 左右。

It is known to all that ________ People’s Republic of China is ________ biggest developing country in the world.

A. the; / B. /; the C. the; the D. /; /

—Did you forget about my birthday?

—________. I should have booked a table at Michel’s restaurant for you.

A. What then? B. How could I?

C. For sure. D. I’m awfully sorry.

Have the villagers already known ________ we’ll do is to rebuild the bridge?

A. this B. that C. what D. which