When I was young, I wished for a good car and a big house. That was my idea of success. I took all the advanced classes and tried to do well in the exams with my mind set on going to a key school. I just knew that I would somehow become famous and be able to afford the car and the dream house. All the way through junior years, my mind was planning this beautiful future.
Then in the eleventh grade, many losses changed my mind. First, one of my friends died at 16. Soon after, my great-grandmother passed away, followed by my beloved fourth-grade teacher. These events left me not knowing what to do or where to go . Death had never touched me so closely.
After a long period of emptiness, it finally struck me: Life is not promised and neither is future success. Though I was attempting to achieve material success, I was not enjoying my daily life. I realized that finding inner peace, purpose and happiness will stick with me forever and that is real success.
Enjoying life's precious quirks ( 偶发事件 ) makes an ordinary person more successful than a wealthy person who isn't content and takes everything for granted. The summer before senior years, my attitude changed greatly. Instead of memorizing facts, I began learning skills. Instead of focusing on the future, I focused on today and the many blessings and successes that came with it.
I still get excellent grades, but now I devote weeks to studying instead of struggling for exams, and I think about the future with a deeper sense of meaning. For me, being successful means truly living life each day.
50. The reason why the author changed his idea of success is that ________ . .
A. he can't afford his house
B. his beloved teacher was dead
C. he didn't know what to do or where to go
D. he lost a few beloved persons in a short time
51. According to the author which of the following is the real success for a person?
A. Being famous. B. Truly living life each day.
C. Good car and big house. D. Material achievements.
52. What does the author want to tell the readers?
A. The true meaning of the life. B. The true meaning of studying.
C. How to achieve success. D. His opinion about success.
53. According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A. The writer thinks that success is not promised.
B. His teacher died before the death of his grandpa.
C. The writer didn't do well in all the exams.
D. He didn't want to take all the exams.
第二部分：阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
第一节 （共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
In learning a foreign language, one should first pay attention to speaking. It is the groundwork of reading and writing. You’d better try your best to speak. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. But be careful not to let them keep you from improving the language. While you are doing this, a good exercise is to write – keep a diary, write notes, letters or articles, then if you can, ask someone to go through what you have written and tell you where is wrong . Many mistakes in your speaking will be easily found when you write. Through correcting the mistakes, you can do better in learning a language.
If you are slow in speaking, don’t worry. One of the helpful ways is by reading, either aloud or to yourself. The important thing is to choose something interesting to read. It can’t be too difficult for you. When you are reading in this way, don’t stop to look up the words if you can guess their meanings or if they have nothing important to do with the sentence. You can do that some other time.
46. From the passage we know the groundwork is ___ while you are learning a foreign language.
A. reading B. writing C. speaking D. listening
47. To improve the language, one has to .
A. pay attention to speaking only
B. try not to make mistakes
C. correct mistakes only
D. keep a diary and write notes, letters or articles
48. When you find some new words in reading, you shouldn’t ___
A. guess their meaning B. go on reading
C. stop to look them up in the dictionary D. keep on reading the important sentence
49. The best title of this passage might be .
A. How to Learn a Foreign Language B. How to Improve Reading
C. How to learn Writing D. More reading, .Less speaking
第四节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1．5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出适合填入对应空白处的最佳选项。并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
September 4 was my first day at Phillips Academy, my new school. It was also my 18th birthday.
I received a warm 26 from my host family--- the Steins. Gena was my host mum, and her daughter Lily would also be a new 27 at Phillips. They took me to the school and 28 me around the campus.
On our way to my dorm (学生宿舍), we saw a truck delivering a student’s 29 to her room. Many students at the school were very rich, and they would fill their dorms with decorations（装饰物）. But I was 30 not to because I thought it was a 31 of time and money.
I had a single room, which was about the 32 of a Chinese college dorm --- the ones which usually hold six people. 33 she helped carry my bags, Lily asked me, “What’s your favorite 34 ，Teresa?” I thought for a moment before answering, “Orange.” I didn’t know why she had asked the question.
We 35 an introduction meeting after dinner. 36 of the students were native English speakers, so I felt a little 37 . I returned to my room after the 38 , tired and wanted to go to bed after a (n) 39 day.
When I opened my door, I found a big 40 .The bed was perfectly made with blankets and an orange sunflower pillow. On the 41 was a sunflower-pattern mat（地垫，垫子）while a colorful lamp 42 beside the bed.
I opened my mouth, 43 . How beautiful!
There was also a 44 card. I touched the little pillow on the bed as I read the card. A warm current (暖流) rushed through my 45 .
26. A. heart B. card C. service D. welcome
27. A. student B. teacher C. citizen D. visitor
28. A. walked B. introduced C. showed D. invited
29. A. bag B. newspaper C. letters D. money
30. A. warned B. forced C. determined D. supposed
31. A. matter B. waste C. show D. use
32. A. design B. size C. pattern D. example
33. A. As B. Though C. Because D. While
34. A. fruit B. weather C. food D. color
35. A. organized B. planned C. attended D. opened
36. A. All B. Most C. Some D. Few
37. A. pleased B. nervous C. angry D. afraid
38. A. dinner B. class C. meeting D. party
39. A. exciting B. surprising C. tired D. interested
40. A. secret B. joke C. warmth D. surprise
41. A. wall B. desk C. floor D. ground
42. A. stood B. lay C. appeared D. hanged
43. A. frightened B. moved C. satisfied D. understood
44. A. post B. birthday C. name D. festival
45. A. mind B. head C. face D. body
Julia _____ with a stranger when Jim went to the jacket he _____ in the restaurant．
A．had quarreled; left B．had quarreled; had left
C．was quarreling; has left D．was quarreling; had left
. My sister, as well as her classmates who_____ late for class, _____criticized by Mr. Hunt.
A. were; was B. was; were C. was; was D. were; were
______ in her most beautiful skirt, the girl tried to make herself ______ at the party．
A. Dressed; noticing B. Dressing; noticed
C. Dressed; noticed D. Dressing; being noticing
