Growing up in the U.S.A., I always wanted to experience another culture. The   1  came when I was 15. After several months of   2 , I was ready to spend the second term of my first year of high school as an exchange student in Australia.
Landing in Perth was one of the most exciting moments of my life. I   3  then that there was no turning back. The family I would live with was waiting for me, and it would be only five days   4  the new school year started.
The Catholic school I   5  was different from my public school back in the States. The uniform code was very strict. We were only   6  to wear one bracelet, which had to be a watch and one necklace, which had to have a Holy Cross. I was quite intimidated(害怕的) at first,   7  never having been to a new school—even in the United States. Everything went   8  , though. The teachers were welcoming and the students were friendly.
The most unforgettable time of my term abroad was with forty-one other international exchange students traveling around Australia during our term break. Our   9  were as extensive as our nationalities: we traveled to Sydney, Canberra, Mildura, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Mount Isa, Airlie Beach, and the Cold Coast.
The few weeks we enjoyed together were crowded with   10  . We took a day-cruise on Darling Harbor and visited the Sydney Opera House. We slept in an “underground town”. We walked around the famous Ayers Rock and went sailing on the Pacific Ocean.
At the end of our   11  in Australia, we had three weeks of traveling time to share our stories and help each other deal with leaving. It was   12  that our last day together was filled with tears. We packed our camp, exchanged e-mail addresses, and gathered together for a final good-bye.

I break off a piece of candy and take pleasure in its sweet outside and the bitter, dark chocolate inside, thinking of my own life. Being raised by a single parent was a bitter-sweet 36 , which gave me motivation and ambition.

There were several years that have left a(n)  37   bitter taste in my mouth —those when my mother married a man and moved my sister, Emily, and me several states away from our hometown. The first few months were  38  : baseball games, family trips to the mall, dinners and movies together. Then things changed. Baseball became too expensive, and trips to the mall were  39  by days Emily and I spent isolated (孤立的) in our rooms under our stepfather’s    40   . Moreover, screaming matches between him and our mother always  41  dinner. We spent five years living in a family that had  42  a war zone. Emily and I almost grew used to this situation . Then one evening, after another argument had erupted , we left home. I was 14, my sister 11, and we were  43  .A friend of my mother let us stay with her.

Instead of focusing on our economic instability, my mother selflessly pushed me to struggle for success. She wanted me to lead a more  44  life than hers. She worked long hours every night to pay her bills.  45   , she would find time to read and play with Emily and me. Mom taught me the  46  of perseverance (堅(jiān)持不懈) and education. We finally settled in Texas. And now, writing this essay with my favorite candy close at hand, I realize my family and I are at the best points of our lives. I haven’t let the trying times stop me from making  47   , both academically and personally. I know that a bitter environment can provide good learning experiences, and that success, even more than candy, is the sweetest treat of all.

1.A. behavior                B. habit                    C. activity                  D. experience

2.A. hardly                        B. extremely      C. potentially           D. Gently

3.A. sweet                    B. bitter                     C. boring                  D. terrible

4.A. concerned           B. associated    C. accompanied       D. replaced

5.A. sympathy              B. reminder    C. orders                  D. requests

6.A. separated             B. interrupted           C. harmed                 D. Adjusted

7.A. turned into           B. turned up     C. turned down        D. turned on

8.A. homeless             B. lucky                      C. educated              D. wealthy

9.A. interesting      B. comfortable    C. simple                  D. typical

10.A. Instead              B. Otherwise      C. Meanwhile          D. Therefore

11.A. value                 B. cost                C. price                               D. theme

12.A. emotions                    B. expectations           C. fortunes                        D. achievements

I break off a piece of candy and take pleasure in its sweet outside and the bitter, dark chocolate inside, thinking of my own life. Being raised by a single parent was a bitter-sweet 36 , which gave me motivation and ambition.

There were several years that have left a(n)  37   bitter taste in my mouth —those when my mother married a man and moved my sister, Emily, and me several states away from our hometown. The first few months were  38  : baseball games, family trips to the mall, dinners and movies together. Then things changed. Baseball became too expensive, and trips to the mall were  39  by days Emily and I spent isolated (孤立的) in our rooms under our stepfather’s    40   . Moreover, screaming matches between him and our mother always  41  dinner. We spent five years living in a family that had  42  a war zone. Emily and I almost grew used to this situation . Then one evening, after another argument had erupted , we left home. I was 14, my sister 11, and we were  43  .A friend of my mother let us stay with her.

Instead of focusing on our economic instability, my mother selflessly pushed me to struggle for success. She wanted me to lead a more  44  life than hers. She worked long hours every night to pay her bills.  45   , she would find time to read and play with Emily and me. Mom taught me the  46  of perseverance (堅(jiān)持不懈) and education. We finally settled in Texas. And now, writing this essay with my favorite candy close at hand, I realize my family and I are at the best points of our lives. I haven’t let the trying times stop me from making  47   , both academically and personally. I know that a bitter environment can provide good learning experiences, and that success, even more than candy, is the sweetest treat of all.

36. A. behavior                 B. habit              C. activity            D. experience

37. A. hardly                B. extremely          C. potentially        D. Gently

38. A. sweet            B. bitter                C. boring             D. terrible

39. A. concerned     B. associated         C. accompanied           D. replaced

40 A. sympathy               B. reminder          C. orders             D. requests

41. A. separated              B. interrupted        C. harmed            D. Adjusted

42. A. turned into     B. turned up          C. turned down     D. turned on

43. A. homeless              B. lucky               C. educated                 D. wealthy

44. A. interesting         B. comfortable       C. simple             D. typical

45. A. Instead                B. Otherwise    C. Meanwhile       D. Therefore

46. A. value            B. cost            C. price                       D. theme

47. A. emotions             B. expectations        C. fortunes                 D. achievements

Growing up in the U.S.A., I always wanted to experience another culture. The1came when I was 15. After several months of2, I was ready to spend the second term of my first year of high school as an exchange student in Australia.
Landing in Perth was one of the most exciting moments of my life. I3then that there was no turning back. The family I would live with was waiting for me, and it would be only five days4the new school year started.
The Catholic school I5was different from my public school back in the States. The uniform code was very strict. We were only6to wear one bracelet, which had to be a watch and one necklace, which had to have a Holy Cross. I was quite intimidated(害怕的) at first,7never having been to a new school—even in the United States. Everything went8, though. The teachers were welcoming and the students were friendly.
The most unforgettable time of my term abroad was with forty-one other international exchange students traveling around Australia during our term break. Our9were as extensive as our nationalities: we traveled to Sydney, Canberra, Mildura, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Mount Isa, Airlie Beach, and the Cold Coast.
The few weeks we enjoyed together were crowded with10. We took a day-cruise on Darling Harbor and visited the Sydney Opera House. We slept in an “underground town”. We walked around the famous Ayers Rock and went sailing on the Pacific Ocean.
At the end of our11in Australia, we had three weeks of traveling time to share our stories and help each other deal with leaving. It was12that our last day together was filled with tears. We packed our camp, exchanged e-mail addresses, and gathered together for a final good-bye.

1. 1.
   1. A.
      dream
   2. B.
      vacation
   3. C.
      privilege
   4. D.
      opportunity
2. 2.
   1. A.
      examining
   2. B.
      preparing
   3. C.
      staying
   4. D.
      resting
3. 3.
   1. A.
      realized
   2. B.
      wondered
   3. C.
      wished
   4. D.
      concluded
4. 4.
   1. A.
      when
   2. B.
      since
   3. C.
      until
   4. D.
      before
5. 5.
   1. A.
      visited
   2. B.
      involved
   3. C.
      attended
   4. D.
      studied
6. 6.
   1. A.
      persuaded
   2. B.
      allowed
   3. C.
      determined
   4. D.
      forced
7. 7.
   1. A.
      always
   2. B.
      intentionally
   3. C.
      specially
   4. D.
      especially
8. 8.
   1. A.
      toughly
   2. B.
      annoyingly
   3. C.
      smoothly
   4. D.
      strangely
9. 9.
   1. A.
      destinations
   2. B.
      worksites
   3. C.
      habitats
   4. D.
      shelters
10. 10.
    1. A.
       challenges
    2. B.
       amusements
    3. C.
       assignments
    4. D.
       activities
11. 11.
    1. A.
       holiday
    2. B.
       stay
    3. C.
       work
    4. D.
       tour
12. 12.
    1. A.
       natural
    2. B.
       essential
    3. C.
       embarrassing
    4. D.
       unexpected