On keeping a Diary in English
Keeping a diary in English is one of the 1._____ (effect) ways to improve our English writing ability.
2.______ (compare) with other forms of writing, it is shorter and takes 3.______ time. It can help us to develop the habit of thinking in English. 4._____ we persist in this practice, gradually we’ll learn how to express ourselves in English. In keeping a diary in English, we certainly run up against many 5.____. In the first place, 6.______ often happens that we have trouble finding appropriate words and phrases to give expression to our mind. Secondly, there are many idiomatic ways of saying things in Chinese. 7.____ it is extremely hard for us to put them into English properly.
As far as I 8.___ (concern), my suggestion is that we should always have a notebook and a Chinese-English dictionary within easy reach. Whenever something beats us, we can first put it down in our notebook and then consult our dictionary. We can also turn to our English teacher for help, if necessary. In short, I believe that it is 9.______ great use to keep a diary in English for 10.____ development of our writing skills.
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
At the edge of a forest, stood a big tree. Its branches spread out majestically (庄严地) and so did its roots. It people from the sun under its shady leaves, and provided to countless birds and other small creatures in its branches. It was very excited with activity all the time.
At the foot of the tree grew a little plant. The plant was tall, thin, graceful and easily , and tended to fall over at the of the slightest wind.
One day, the two neighbours were having a little chat.
“Well, little one, ” said the tree to the plant, “ Why do you not plant your feet deeply in the ground, and raise your head in the air as I do?”
“I see no need to do so,” the plant with a smile. “ , I think I may be safer this way.”
“Safer!” sneered (讥讽) the tree. “ Are you that you’re safer than I am? Do you know how deep my roots are , how thick and strong my trunk is? two men hold hands they would not be able to surround my trunk. Who could possibly pull me out by the roots or my head to the ground?”
And the tree turned away from the plant in .
But the tree was to its words very soon. One evening a great hurricane in the region. It threw the trees off their roots and almost completely destroyed the forest. It uprooted the tree and it away with great force.
When the storm had passed, the villagers living nearby the damage. Strong trees that had once almost touched the sky, were now reduced to stumps (残根）or . The dead animals were found everywhere in the .
But there was one . The little plant. The plant had been moved from side to side under the hurricane, and bent completely. But when the hurricane ended, it sighed and stood upright again.
No trace remained of its powerful neighbour .
1.A. hide B. protect C. prevent D. defend
2.A. shade B. food C. shelter D. space
3.A. broken B. destroyed C. grown D. planted
4.A. reach B. blow C. touch D. knock
5.A. bravely B. straightly C. gratefully D. delightedly
6.A. Explained B. shouted C. said D. whispered
7.A. Gradually B. Actually C. Generally D. Finally
8.A. concluding B. finding C. guessing D. suggesting
9.A. placed B. hidden C. buried D. planted
10.A. Even if B. As if C. Because D. When
11.A. put B. bow C. lead D. get
12.A. anger B. surprise C. belief D. relief
13.A. keep B. regret C. break D. follow
14.A. blew B. arrived C. arose D. appeared
15.A. turned B. pushed C. threw D. blew
16.A. counted B. saw C. observed D. surveyed
17.A. worse B. more C. less D. better
18.A. tree B. forest C. plant D. plain
19.A. plant B. example C. exception D. tree
20.A. then B. finally C. gradually D. Though
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
This Way to Dreamland
Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what’s happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy. _1.__ They annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.
But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history. __2._ Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?
So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?
First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams. __3._ And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you’re daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.
It’s also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concentrate. “Mindfulness”, being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep. __4.__
Finally, you never know what w onderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away.__ 5._ Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.
A. Having interesting things to think about also helps.
B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves.
C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn’t have relatively, Coke or Post-it notes.
D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.
E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive.
F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand.
G. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you’re in the daydream zone.
Once when I was facing a decision that involved high risk, I went to a friend. He looked at me for a moment, and then wrote a sentence containing the best advice I’ve ever had: Be bold and brave — and mighty (强大的) forces will come to your aid.
Those words made me see clearly that when I had fallen short in the past, it was seldom because I had tried and failed. It was usually because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all. On the other hand, whenever I had plunged into deep water, forced by courage or circumstance, I had always been able to swim until I got my feet on the ground again.
Boldness means a decision to bite off more than you can eat. And there is nothing mysterious about the mighty forces. They are potential powers we possess: energy, skill, sound judgment, creative ideas — even physical strength greater than most of us realize.
Admittedly, those mighty forces are spiritual ones. But they are more important than physical ones. A college classmate of mine, Tim, was an excellent football player, even though he weighed much less than the average player. “In one game I suddenly found myself confronting a huge player, who had nothing but me between him and our goal line,” said Tim. “I was so frightened that I closed my eyes and desperately threw myself at that guy like a bullet（子弹） — and stopped him cold.”
Boldness — a willingness to extend yourself to the extreme—is not one that can be acquired overnight. But it can be taught to children and developed in adults. Confidence builds up. Surely, there will be setbacks (挫折) and disappointments in life; boldness in itself is no guarantee of success. But the person who tries to do something and fails is a lot better off than the person who tries to do nothing and succeeds.
So, always try to live a little bit beyond your abilities—and you’ll find your abilities are greater than you ever dreamed.
1.Why was the author sometimes unable to reach his goal in the past?
A. He faced huge risks.
B. He lacked mighty forces.
C. Fear prevented him from trying.
D. Failure blocked his way to success.
2.What is the implied meaning of the underlined part?
A. Swallow more than you can digest.
B. Act slightly above your abilities.
C. Develop more mysterious powers.
D. Learn to make creative decisions.
3.What was especially important for Tim’s successful defense in the football game?
A. His physical strength.
B. His basic skill.
C. His real fear.
D. His spiritual force.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To encourage people to be courageous.
B. To advise people to build up physical power.
C. To tell people the ways to guarantee success.
D. To recommend people to develop more abilities.
Food serves as a form of communication in two fundamental ways. Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust. Food can also have a specific meaning, and play a significant role in a family or culture's celebrations or traditions. The foods we eat—and when and how we eat them—are often unique to a particular culture or may even differ between rural (农村的) and urban areas within one country.
Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion (时刻) or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness. Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests. Early forms of cake were simply a kind of bread, so this tradition hits its roots in the custom of sharing bread.
Food also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations. In the southern United States, pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity (兴旺) in the New Year. In Greece, people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake, which signifies (预示) success in the New Year for the person who receives it.
Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child, and food can play a significant role. In China, when a baby is one month old, families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving red-colored eggs to guests. In many cultures, round foods such as grapes, bread, and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.
Nutrition is necessary for life, so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world.
1.According to the passage, sharing bread______.
A. indicates a lack of food
B. can help to develop unity
C. is a custom unique to rural areas
D. has its roots in birthday celebrations
2.What does the coin in vasilopita signify for its receiver in the New Year?
A. Trust. B. Success.
C. Health. D. Togetherness.
3.The author explains the role of food in celebrations by______.
A. using examples B. making comparisons
C. analyzing causes D. describing processes
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The custom of sharing food.
B. The specific meaning of food.
C. The role of food in ceremonies.
D. The importance of food in culture.
Dear Santa Claus,
My name is Amy. I am 17 years old. I have a problem at school. Can you help me, Santa? Kids laugh at me because of the way I walk and run and talk. I have cerebral palsy. I just want one day when no one laughs at me or makes fun of me.
Love, Amy
At radio station WJLT in Fort Wayne, Indiana, letters poured in for the Christmas Wish Content. When Amy’s letter arrived at the radio station, Manager Lee Tobin read it carefully. He thought it wound be good for the people in Fort Wayne to hear about this special girl and her unusual wish. Mr. Tobin called up the local newspaper.
The next day, a picture of Amy and her letter to Santa made the front page of the “News Sentinel”. The story spread quickly. All across the country, newspapers and radio and television stations reported the story of the girl in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who asked for such a simple, yet remarkable Christmas gift—just one day without teasing.
Suddenly the postman was a regular at the Hagadorn house. Envelopes of all sizes addressed to Amy arrived daily from children and adults all across the nation. They came filled with holiday greetings and words of encouragement. Some of the writers had disabilities; some had been teased as children. Each writer had a special message for Amy. Through the cards and letters from strangers, Amy saw a world full of people who truly cared about each other.
Many people thanked Amy for being brave enough to speak up. Others encouraged her to ignore teasing and to hold her head high.
Amy did get her wish of a special day without teasing at South Wayne High School. Teachers and students talked together about how bad teasing can make others feel.
That year, the Fort Wayne mayor officially declared December 21st as Amy Jo Hagadorn Day throughout the city. The mayor explained that by daring to make such a simple wish, Amy taught a universal lesson. “Everyone,” he said, “wants to and should be treated with respect, dignity and warmth.”
1.Amy’s letter showed that______.
A. she wanted to win Christmas Wish Contest
B. she is more independent than before
C. she is often ignored in and out of class
D. her schoolmates can’t understand her disability
2.We may infer from Amy’s story that_____.
A. the disabled hate those who laugh at them
B. the news media played a key role in helping Amy
C. Amy will still be made fun of by her classmates
D. there are few disabled people in Amy’s country
3.The mayor officially declared Amy Jo Hagadorn Day _______.
A. to tell how bad teasing can make others feel
B. to encourage people to hold their heads high
C. to explain how brave Amy was by making her wish
D. to call on the public to treat everyone properly
