Two of the saddest words in the English language are "if only". I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they convey regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, "Take the extra minute to do it right. " I always try to live by the "extra minute" rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an "if only" moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.
I don't only avoid those "if only "moments when it comes to safety. It's equally important to avoid "if only" in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had lost an opportunity to say "I love you" or "I forgive you". When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be there. But then I thought about the fact that he's 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.
I know there will still be occasions when I have to say "if only "about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality (不测的事) . And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I' m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.
1.Which of the following is an example of the "extra minute" rule?
A.Start the car the moment everyone is seated.
B.Leave the room for a minute with the iron working.
C.Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better.
D.Move an object out of the way before it lets someone fall down.
2.Why did the author decide to go to her office on Good Friday?
A.To keep her appointment with the eye doctor. B.To meet her father who was already an old man.
C.To join in the holiday celebration of the company. D.To finish her work before the deadline.
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A.It is the most important thing to avoid “if only” in our daily life.
B.The author must have a good relationship with her children.
C.We should buy insurance to make our life better.
D.Avoiding “if only” can make the author comfortable.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A.The Emotional Well-being. B.The Two Saddest Words.
C.The Most Useful Rule. D.The Peace of Mind.
In April, 1967 my brother, Harvey Cooley, met a soldier, David Lawson during basic training. In their free time, they hung out together. As the weeks went by, they grew very close, almost like brothers. However, after basic training, soldiers moved on to advanced training. They thought they would never see each other again.
One day in September, 1967, these men were both in California waiting for transport to the front. Harvey and David had an unexpected surprise when they ran into each other. They talked very briefly since they had got to report in five minutes. They agreed to meet after they were discharged(退伍)from the service. Harvey wrote a brief note which he gave to David showing the date and location they were to meet.
Harvey never made it back home. He died while saving two soldiers during enemy fire. David did not learn of Harvey’s death until the mid 1980s. he wrote a letter to Harvey after he returned home and asked if they could postpone their meeting to a later date. His letter was unanswered. David felt then that Harvey must not have made it back. He knew Harvey would surely have answered his letter if he had been able to.
While David was searching the internet for Information about Harvey, he found a poem dedicated(献给) to Harvey by me. He sent me an email and told me about his friendship with Harvey and we swapped phone numbers.
David called me and we talked about his friendship with Harvey. While on the phone with David, I learned about the note Harvey had written for him. David still had the note and sent me a copy of it.
It is amazing, to say the least, that David was able to track(追查到) me down. Even more amazing is the fact that he still had Harvey’s note after all these years. David told me it was a joy to finally hear from Harvey through me after over forty years.
1.What did Harvey and David decide to do after they met unexpectedly?
A.Meet after they returned. B.Leave the army.
C.Write a report. D.Go to advanced training.
2.What did David do when he didn’t hear from Harvey?
A.He decided to meet Harvey at a later time
B.He went to the front to look for Harvey
C.He feared that Harvey had died
D.He asked two soldiers about Harvey
3.The underlined word “postpone” in Paragraph 3 means ______.
A.talk about B.put off
C.attend D.call
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.A Note Kept for Over Forty Years B.Friendship Developed in the War
C.A Letter Never Answered D.Two Brothers Never Separated
FOUR BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ | |
Cruel Beautiful World | At age 16 Lucy is a lonely orphan living with older sister Charlotte and devoted aunt Iris in Waltham, Massachusetts. On the last day of school, she runs away with her 30-year-old teacher, William, and settles in a hillside shack in rural Pennsylvania, near his new teaching job. Though Lucy feels increasingly isolated, William won’t allow her any outlet. Leavitt draws upon a real-life crime that involved a girl she knew in high school. She tells her story from multiple viewpoints, building tension and empathy for Lucy and Charlotte as tragedy swallows them. |
Steven Price By Gaslight | Price, an award-winning Canadian poet, achieves an extraordinary achievement of Dickensian storytelling in his weighty second novel. His hero is William Pinkerton, son of the founder of the legendary detective agency, who finds clues in his late father’s safe to the case of William Shade. This mythic thief had disturbed and upset his father. William tracks a Shade accomplice（共犯）, Charlotte Reckitt, to London, only to find she’s been found dead in the Thames. Also on the scene is Adam Foole, who is obsessed with Charlotte, who he met while stealing De Beers diamonds from a South African mine. Price ably arranges dozens of interlinking plotlines as he spans three continents and several decades, from American Civil War battlefields to Scotland Yard at the end of the 19th Century. |
GeFei The Invisibility Cloak | Beijing-based GeFei (pen name for Liu Yong) won the 2015 Mao Dun Literature Prize for fiction “describing the changing spirit of Chinese society” over the past century. The Invisibility Cloak, his first English publication, revolves around Cui, a divorced man who creates customized hi-fi speakers for Beijing’s newly wealthy and a few intellectuals. Beijing’s rapid expansion has left Cui longing for an invisible life away from the city. His chance comes when he agrees to build a world-class sound system for a gangster（黑社会老大）. GeFei’s nice irony, translated from the Chinese by Canaan Morse, should find many fans. |
Tim Harford Messy | The temptation to be neat and tidy may be powerful, but “we would be better served by embracing a degree of mess,” Harford argues. His defense of the creative potential of the imperfect, crude, random, vague, difficult, diverse and even dirty is refreshing. Reaching into the arts, politics, business, science and technology, Harford makes a compelling case for opening up to disorder and luck.
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1.Which author does NOT tell a story in his / her work listed above?
A.Caroline Leavitt B.Steven Price
C.GeFei D.Tim Harford
2.Jack is an American who would like everything to be neat and tidy. He loves reading novels with ironic humor and detective stories. He is going to work and live in Beijing for the next three years, and he is very curious about the place he is soon heading to. Which book will he most likely choose to read now?
A.Cruel Beautiful World B.By Gaslight
C.The Invisibility Cloak D.Messy
3.This page is intended for people who want to ______.
A.buy newly-published books at a discount
B.recommend books to friends and family
C.know what books are worthwhile to read
D.understand the current trend in literature
请阅读下面有关我国短视频收入的柱状图及相关文字，按照要求写一篇150 词左右的文章。
The short video industry experienced explosive growth in 2018，with its market value reaching 11.8 billion yuan，up 110 percent. It is estimated that the figure will hit 35 billion yuan by 2020.
There are several ways for short video posters to make a profit：from advertisements，virtual gifts sent by fans which can be converted into cash，selling products online or charging viewers for the content.
Some of the main video sharing platforms such as Douyin，also known as TikTok，and Kuaishou have launched campaigns cooperating with local governments to help some rural residents out of poverty. In the past year，over 16 million vloggers gained income on Kuaishou， of which 3.4 million people came from areas in poverty but with rich resources.
（写作内容）
1. 用约 30 个单词概述柱状图信息的主要内容；
2. 短视频流行的原因有哪些，简要谈谈你的看法（原因不少于两点）；
3. 谈谈你对如何规范短视频的建议。
（写作要求）
1. 写作过程中不能直接引用原文语句；
2. 作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称；
3. 不必写标题。
（评分标准）
内容完整，语言规范，语篇连贯，词数适当。
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请阅读下面短文，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：请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。每个空格只填一个单词。
Social anxiety is a type of anxiety problem. People with social anxiety can usually interact easily with family and a few close friends. Instead of enjoying social activities, they might fear them and avoid some of them altogether. Like other anxieties, it is a fear reaction to something that isn’t actually dangerous, although the body and mind react as if the danger is real. Because the physical sensations that go with the response are real and sometimes quite strong the danger seems real. With social anxiety, a person’s fears and concerns are focused on the social performance whether it’s a major class presentation or small talk at the lockers. People tend to feel embarrassed and uncomfortable about being noticed or judged by others.
Social anxiety might prevent someone from chatting with friends in the lunchroom, joining an after-school club, going to a party, or asking someone on a date. It might keep a person from volunteering an answer in class, reading aloud, or giving a presentation. It might prevent someone from acting the school play, being in the talent show, trying out for a team, or joining in a service project. It also prevents them from making the normal, everyday mistakes that help people improve their skills still further.
Social anxiety develops because the genetic features from parents and other relatives can influence how the brain senses and controls anxiety, shyness, nervousness, and stress reactions. Meanwhile, some people are born with a shy character and tend to be cautious and sensitive in new situations and prefer what’s familiar. Naturally a person’s shy character can be influenced by what he or she learns from role models. If parents or others react by overprotecting a child who is shy, the child won’t have a chance to get used to new situations and new people. If people born with a cautious nature have stressful experiences, social anxiety can make them even more cautious and shy. Feeling pressured to interact in ways they don’t feel ready for, being criticized or insulted, or having other fears and worries can make it more likely for a shy or fearful person to develop social anxiety.
Sometimes, but not always, medicines that reduce anxiety are used as part of the treatment. Family or friends are especially important and the right support from a few key people can help those with social anxiety gather the courage to go outside their comfort zone and try something new. Dealing with social anxiety takes patience, courage to face fears and try new things, and the willingness to practice.
Social Anxiety | |
Passage outline | Supporting details |
Some 1. involved with social anxiety | ● Seldom get in touch with 2.. ● Wrongly react to something without danger in fact because of strong physical sensations. ● Pay too much attention to others’ 3., feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable. |
Influences on people | ● To make people feel lonely or disappointed over missed opportunities for 4.and fun. ● To avoid getting the most out of school. ● To miss a chance to share their talents and learn new5.. |
6.of developing social anxiety | ● Have something to do with a person’s biological factors. ● Naturally get influenced by the 7.from role models especially parents. ● Live a life with stressful and worrying 8.or events. |
Ways to overcome social anxiety | ● Go to 9.according to the condition of illness. ● Try to be 10.by family or friends and look for a new life. ● Keep patient, courageous and willing to practice. |
A few weeks ago, a 71-year-old man pulled his car to the roadside in Northwest Portland and stopped. He rolled down the window, turned off the engine and stared at a house.
The place, distinguished by three gables, is partially hidden by hedges and trees. Most people who pass by would never notice it. And if they did give it a glance, they’d probably think it’s a nice house in a nice neighborhood. Nothing more.
The house, in the 2500 block of Northwest Westover Road, is known as the Bessie & Louis Tarpley House. Built in 1907, it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The current owner is Barbee Lyon, 79.
He and his first wife took possession in 1975. When they divorced, he bought out her share.
A retired lawyer, Lyon learned Louis Tarpley, the home’s first owner, had also been a Portland lawyer. Setbacks in Tarpley’s life led to the house auction(拍卖) in the late 1920s.
“I’m only the fifth owner of the home,” Lyon said. A previous owner was Frank Masco.
He and his wife, Esther, and their nine children had lived across town in a tiny house needing constant repairs. In the mid-1950s, the elder Masco wanted to move to a bigger house and one closer to work. A docker ( 码 头 工 人 ), he was on-call 24 hours a day and had to quickly get to the Willamette River docks.
He found a home on Westover Road. At the time, many people wanted to live in new construction in the suburbs. The Westover house was offered at a deep discount.
And later the family moved on several times, finally living in Vancouver.
One Sunday in July 2019, Charley Masco drove to Portland for an appointment at a computer store.
When it ended, he traveled the familiar route to Westover Road, pulled over and looked at that home.
He decided to do something bold. He got out of his car and walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. He waited. No response. Nervous, he thought it was a mistake to do this and considered turning around and walking back to his car.
Barbee Lyon opened the door and saw a stranger.
“I’m not selling anything,” Masco said quickly. “I just want you to know I once lived here.” Lyon opened the door wide.
“Come in.”
And for the first time since 1966, Masco stepped into his childhood home.
Every room looked as Masco had remembered it: The built-in china hutch in the dining room, the hanging lights above the table and, in the kitchen, a massive wood-burning stove where his mother used to cook family meals. It was as if he had walked into his own museum.
Lyon told Masco he’d never done major structural remodeling, which meant Masco knew his way around the home.
It was as if he had never left.
There, on the top floor, was the window he and his siblings quietly opened to sneak out at night and return before their parents knew they were gone. The loft where friends daydreamed about the future. The living room – no TV ever allowed – where the family gathered to share music, play cards or just talk with each other.
Then they all walked to the basement.
In the far corner, Masco saw his father’s old wooden workbench. And above it, baby food jars.
Masco had forgotten about them.
He explained that his father had nailed lids from the jars to a rafter, filling the glass with different size screws, nuts and bolts, and then screwing the jars back into the lids to give him easy access while working.
Masco thought about his father, his mother and three of his siblings who have died. He thought about his father, tinkering in the basement, while his mother was in the kitchen preparing dinner.
He thought about the 71-year-old man he was and the boy he had once been.
Kruse, Lyon’s wife, reached up and unscrewed a jar. She handed it to Masco, believing it belonged to this stranger.
Masco thanked her.
He clutched the small bottle to his chest. “My dad,” he said quietly. “This is my dad.”
1.Why did Charley Masco come to visit the Westover house?
A.He wanted to review his past and hold memories.
B.He attempted to buy back his childhood house.
C.His friend invited him to be a guest at his newly-bought house.
D.He came to the house where his father lived to seek roots.
2.What made Frank Masco decide to buy the house?
A.The house’s owner had been a Portland lawyer.
B.The house was auctioned at a very low price.
C.He desired to improve his family’s living conditions.
D.The house was equipped with a basement.
3.What do we know about Barbee Lyon?
A.He bought the house from Louis Tarpley.
B.He took possession of the house at about 35.
C.He lived in the house with his first wife Kruse.
D.He disliked being disturbed by strangers.
4.Why did Charley Masco feel nervous when he rang the doorbell?
A.He knew the house owner was a bad-tempered man.
B.He thought it was improper to pay an unexpected visit.
C.He might not hold back his feelings when he went in.
D.He feared the house owner would take him for a salesman.
5.After Masco entered the house, he found that _.
A.every room was not as he had remembered it
B.the house had experienced great structural changes
C.the childhood home was where his heart was
D.he couldn’t recall anything about baby food jars
6.What can be a suitable title for the passage?
A.Collision of Two Hearts B.Experiences of Two Families
C.An Unexpected Meeting D.The Harbour of the Heart
