While watching the Olympics the other night, I came across an unbelievable sight. It was not a gold medal, or a world record broken, but a show of courage.
The event was swimming and started with only three men on the blocks. For one reason or another, two of them false started, so they were disqualified. That left only one to complete. It would have been difficult enough, not having anyone to race against, even though the time on the clock is important.
I watched the man dive off the block and knew right away that something was wrong. I’m not an expert swimmer, but I can tell a good dive from a poor one, and this was not exactly medal quality. When he resurfaced, it was evident that the man was not out for gold—his arms were waving in an attempt at freestyle. The crowd started to laugh. Clearly this man was not a medal competitor.
I listened to the crowd begin to laugh at this poor man who was clearly having a hard time. Finally he made his turn to start back. It was pitiful. He made a few desperate strokes and you could tell he was worn out.
But in those few awful strokes, the crowd had changed.
No longer were they laughing, but beginning to cheer. Some even began to stand and shout “Come on, you can do it!” and he did.
A clear minute past the average swimmer, this young man finally finished his race. The crowd went wild. You would have thought that he had won the gold, and should have. Even though he recorded one of the slowest times in Olympic history, this man gave more heart than any of the other competitors.
Just a short year ago, he had never even swum, let alone race. His country had been invited to Sydney.
In a competition where athletes remove their silver medals feeling they have somehow been cheated out of gold, or when they act so proudly in front of their competitors, it is nice to watch an underdog.
1.The crowd changed their attitudes because _______.
A. they felt sorry for the young man
B. they wanted to show their sympathy
C. they were moved by the young man
D. they meant to please the young man
2.From the passage we can learn that the young man _______.
A. made his turn to start back pitifully
B. was skillful in freestyle in the game
C. swam faster than the average swimmer
D. was not capable enough to win the medal
3.According to the passage, “it is nice to watch an underdog” probably means _______.
A. it’s amusing to watch a man with awful swimming skills
B. it’s amazing to watch an ordinary man challenging himself
C. it’s cheerful for athletes to act proudly before their competitors
D. it’s brave enough for some athletes to remove the silver medals
4.What’s the best title for the passage?
A. Go for it! B. Try again！
C. Compete for Gold! D. Break a Record!
书面表达
假如你是李华，Sara是你的英文笔友，她在微博上发帖求助。你就她的帖子中所提出的问题，简要分析其原因，并给出一些建议。
Hi，recently I’ve been bothered a lot for I always fail to carry on the goals I set. Various obstacles (障碍物) are always getting in my way. Could you give me some suggestions on how to start realizing my goals? |
写作要点： 1. 就这个问题告诉Sara你的观点；
2. 简要分析其原因；
3. 给Sara提出解决问题的具体建议。
注意： 1. 信的开头、结尾已为你写好，但不计入总词数；
2. 词数120左右。
Hi, Sara,
As a student of your age, I understand your situation. __________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
短文改错
下文中共有10处语言错误，在错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），在其下面写上该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写上修改后的词。
注意： 1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从11处起）不记分。
On a Friday night, a poor young artist was playing with his violin at a street corner with a large piece of paper on the ground. Before long, he was surrounding with people, who were all attracted by the word on that paper. It said, “Last night, a gentleman put an important thing into my hat with mistake. Please come to claim them soon.” Seeing this, people wondered why it could be. Some time later, a man came and take back his lottery which won a prize of ＄500,000. When asked why he didn’t keep it for himself, artist said, “While I don’t have much money, I live happy. However, if I lose honest, I won’t be happy forever.”
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容 （不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
My wife is addicted to shopping on the Internet. 1. seems that she can’t control herself well, just clicking constantly with the mouse. Let me tell what happened last night.
It was the fourth time she 2. (shop) online for hours. I had already reminded her 3. (think) twice before buying anything, but my wife ignored what I said and replied
confidently, “With the New Year 4. (approach), preparation is necessary. Besides, I haven’t bought things on the Internet for a WHOLE week.” Hearing her words, I was really 5. (speech). In most cases, the things she bought aren’t good value for money. Maybe she just enjoys 6. process of buying online.
Nowadays, 7. the development of technology, online shopping is becoming more and more convenient. Those 8. stay at home can buy whatever they want. In the meanwhile, it causes a series of 9. (problem). One of them is more spending, because people are 10. (easy) attracted by the discount. So how to keep a good state of mind in front of temptation is an important lesson many people need to learn.
完形填空
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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
My father was a self-taught mandolin (曼陀铃) player. He was one of the best string ________ players in our town. He could not ________ music, but if he heard a tune a few times, he could play it.
Dad loved to play the mandolin for his ________ for he knew we enjoyed singing, and hearing him play. He was always there, ________ his time and efforts to making sure that his family had enough in their life. I had grown into a man and had children of my own ________ I realized how much he had sacrificed.
I joined the United States Air________ in January of 1962. Whenever I would come home ________ , I would ask Dad to play the mandolin. He could ________ your soul with the tones that came out of that old mandolin. He seemed to shine when he was playing. You could see his ________ in his ability to play so well for his family.
In 1950, our family moved to Maryland. While working at Todd Steel, he was ________ in an accident. On that particular day, Dad got the third index finger of his left hand ________ by the machine. ________ he didn’t lose enough of the finger where it would stop him picking up anything, it did ________ his ability to play the mandolin. After the accident, every time we asked him to play, he would make ________ for why he couldn’t play. Eventually, we could persuade him and he would say, “Okay. But I can’t hold down on the strings and play as well as before.” For the family it didn’t make any ________ .
In August of 1993, my father was discovered with lung cancer. He chose not to receive treatments so that he could live out the rest of his life ________ dignity. About a week before his death, we asked Dad if he would play the mandolin for us. He made excuses but said “okay”. He knew it would probably be the ________ time he would play for us. He tuned up the old mandolin and played a few ________ . When I looked around, there was not a ________ eye in the family. We saw before us a quiet man with an inner strength. Dad would never play the mandolin for us again. Dad was doing something he had done all his life, ________ . As sick as he was, he was still pleasing others. Dad surely could play that Mandolin!
1.A. equipment B. musical C. instrument D. musician
2.A. copy B. see C. look at D. read
3.A. family B. employer C. friends D. audience
4.A. applying B. paying C. devoting D. attaching
5.A. since B. while C. before D. after
6.A. Force B. Energy C. Power D. Strength
7.A. on duty B.on leave C. on holiday D. on vacation
8.A. touch B. contact C. feel D. keep
9.A. proud B. praise C. please D. pride
10.A. took part B. participated C. joined D. involved
11.A. cut in B. cut off C. cut up D. cut out
12.A. Although B. If C. Whether D. Because
13.A. destroy B. affect C. effect D. injure
14.A. uses B. preparations C. impressions D. excuses
15.A. comment B. sense C. difference D. decision
16.A. at B. on C. with D. off
17.A. first B. latest C. last D. longest
18.A. bills B. notes C. symbols D. signs
19.A. wet B. dry C. cried D. crying
20.A. sponsoring B. giving C. distributing D. taking
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。
Wrong Reasons for Going to College
A college education can be priceless. 1. If any of these following factors had a big influence on your decision, you’re probably right to second-guess yourself.
Because all your friends are going.
In only a few weeks’ time, the whole friend group will be scattered to a half dozen different colleges in a half dozen different places. Not to go will set yourself apart. 2.
Because someone else expects it from you.
Perhaps you come from a family where everyone goes to college, or maybe you’re the kid that everyone is proud to believe will be the first to get there. 3. It’s become so much a part of the air you breathe that you’ve never stopped to consider whether you want to go or whether you’re ready to go.
4.
It’s been tough to find even a summer job. You don’t have an alternative plan. Everyone else is doing it (see above). You think you might as well go to school. That is the lamest（无说服力的）of reasons to spend $ 20,000 or more in the next year.
Because you are afraid you’ll regret it if you don’t go.
Your uncle tells you that he regrets that he didn’t go to college. Others tell you they could have gone so much further in their career if only they had a college education. 5. So this is not a persuasive reason for you to go to college.
A. Because you don’t want to work.
B. Friends will wonder what’s wrong with you.
C. Because you don’t know what else to do.
D. Everyone seems more excited than you are.
E. It seems that for years everyone has just thought that of course you’ll go.
F. Whatever the story is, there are always people who regret decisions they’ve made.
G. But maybe in your heart you know that you are going for the wrong reasons.
