Some years ago when I was in my first year in college, I heard Salome Bey sing for the first time. The moment was exciting. Salome’s filled the room and brought the theater to life. I was so that I decided to write an article about her.
I Salome Bey, telling her I was from Essence magazine, and that I wanted to meet her to talk about her career. She and told me to come to her studio next Tuesday. When I hung up, I was scared out of my mind. I I was lying. I was not a writer at all and hadn’t even written a grocery list.
I interviewed Salome Bey the next Tuesday. I sat there , taking notes and asking questions that all began with, “Can you tell me…” I soon realized that Salome Bey was one thing, but writing a story for a national magazine was just impossible. The was almost unbearable. I struggled for days draft after draft. Finally I put my manuscript (手稿) into a large envelope and dropped it into a mailbox.
It didn’t take long. My manuscript . How stupid of me! I thought. How could I in a world of professional writers? Knowing I couldn’t the rejection letter, I threw the unopened envelope into a drawer.
Five years later, I was moving to California. While my apartment, I came across the unopened envelope. This time I opened it and read the editor’s letter in :
Ms. Profit,
Your story on Salome Bey is fantastic. Yet we need some more relevant materials. Please those and return the article immediately. We would like to your story soon.
Shocked, it took me a long time to . Fear of rejection cost me dearly. I lost at least five hundred dollars and the chance of having my article appear in a major magazine. More importantly, I lost years of writing. Today, I have become a full-time writer. this experience, I’ve learned a very important lesson: You can’t to doubt yourself.
A．voice B．joy C．smile D．speech
A．proud B．moved C．satisfied D．active
A．visited B．emailed C．interviewed D．phoned
A．refused B．agreed C．hesitated D．paused
A．explained B．discovered C．knew D．replied
A．seriously B．nervously C．patiently D．quietly
A．fooling B．blaming C．inviting D．urging
A．hardship B．failure C．comment D．pressure
A．on B．by C．with D．in
A．disappeared B．improved C．spread D．returned
A．compare B．survive C．compete D．struggle
A．face B．deliver C．ignore D．receive
A．decorating B．repairing C．leaving D．cleaning
A．anxiety B．disbelief C．horror D．trouble
A．increase B．replace C．add D．mix
A．broadcast B．create C．assess D．publish
A．concentrate B．prepare C．escape D．recover
A．energetic B．enjoyable C．typical D．endless
A．Holding on to B．Dating back to C．Looking back on D．Dropping in on
A．afford B．attempt C．expect D．pretend
完形填空:
It was the golden season . I could see the yellow leaves 1 on the cool 2 . In such a season, I liked walking alone in the leaves, listening to the sound of them.
Autumn is a 3 season and life is uninteresting. The free days always get me 4 . But one day, the sound of a violin 5 into my ears like a stream flowing in the mountains. I was so surprised that I jumped to see what it was. A young girl, standing in the wind, was 6in playing her violin.
I had 7 seen her before. The music was so attractive that I listened quietly. Lost in the music, I didn’t realize that I had been 8there for so long but my 9 did not seem to disturb her.
Leaves were still falling. Every day she played the violin in the corner of the building 10 I went downstairs to watch her performance. I was the only audience. The autumn seemed no longer lonely and life became 11. 12 we didn’t know each other, I thought we were already good friends. I believed she also liked me .
Autumn was nearly over. One day, when I was listening devotedly, the sound suddenly stopped. To my 13 ,the girl came over to me.
“You must like violin, ” she said.
“Yes . And you play very well. Why did you stop?” I asked.
Suddenly, a 14 expression appeared on her face and I could feel something unusual.
“I came here to see my grandmother, but now I must leave. I once played very badly. It was your listening every day that 15 me. ” she said.
“In fact, it was your playing 16 gave me a meaningful autumn. ” I answered. “Let us be friends. ”
The girl smiled and I smiled.
I never heard her play again in my life. I no longer went downstairs to listen like before. Only thick leaves were left behind. But I will always remember the fine figure of the girl. She is like a
17 ; so short, so bright, like a shooting star giving off so much light that it makes the autumn beautiful.
There are many kinds of friends. Some are always 18 you, but don’t understand you. Some say only a few words to you, but are close to you. Many people will step in your life, but only 19friends leave footprints.
I shall always recall the autumn and the girl with the 20 . She will always bring back the friendship between us. I know she will always be my best friend.
1. A. shaking B. hanging C. falling D. floating
2. A. wind B. snow C. air D. rain
3. A. lively B. lovely C. harvest D. lonely
4. A. up B. off C. down D. over
5. A. flowed B. grew C. entered D. ran
6. A. lost B. active C. busy D. interested
7. A. ever B. never C. often D. usually
8. A. waiting B. stopping C. standing D. hearing
9. A. existence B. thought C. steps D. breath
10. A. where B. so C. when D. but
11. A. interesting B. moving C. encouraging D. exciting
12. A. But B. However C. Even D. Though
13. A. astonishment B. delight C. pride D. satisfaction
14. A. happy B. sad C. strange D. surprised
15. A. surprised B. excited C. encouraged D. interested
16. A. that B. which C. it D. who
17. A. song B. dream C. fire D. wind
18. A. with B. for C. against D. to
19. A. good B. true C. new D. old
20. A. sound B. song C. play D. violin
SECTION B
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
When I was little, my family used to move frequently. Before I could even get acquainted with my schoolmates, my family was on the move again. I became very 36 because of this.
But a girl with dark skin and long shiny hair changed me. Her best characteristics are her openness and 37 . She is always smiling, like a beautiful sunflower following the sun. Without doubt I enjoyed being with her and soon we became good friends. As time went by, I gradually became a 38 girl. But this joyful period didn’t last long. We were admitted to different colleges. I felt like I had gone back to my always-on-the-move childhood. I felt 39 and helpless and I was afraid that I would 40 her as my best friend. She stayed calm and said to me: “Rain, you can achieve more than I do, so 41 to your dreams and make a big effort! Real friendship doesn’t fade and we will be best friends forever.” Maybe she didn’t realize what a great 42 she was to me at that time.
However, it turned out that my concerns were well-founded(有根据的). I felt that the 43between us was getting bigger and bigger. One day, she sent me a text message happily telling me that she had fallen in love with a handsome boy in her class.
I felt happy for her, but at the same time I was secretly worried about our friendship. I 44 her several times intending to tell her to think carefully about her relationship with the boy, but I got no more messages from her. I felt sad that perhaps our friendship would not 45 . I had almost given up hope until she visited me at my campus a week later. She looked 46 but was wearing the most beautiful smile. She gave me a big hug and said: “I’m sorry. I want to be myself and your friend forever!” We cried together, ignoring the people walking past. She told me her sad story, and we knew we had gone back to how it was before.
Now I firmly believe that distance and time can’t 47 you from a friend. If you care enough about each other, friendship never fades.
36. A. silent B. disappointed C. outspoken D. crazy
37. A. faithfulness B. cheerfulness C. quietness D. kindness
38. A. happy B. lucky C. helpful D. successful
39. A. scared B. strange C. ashamed D. homesick
40. A. leave B. miss C. lose D. desert
41. A. look forward B. hold on C. get down D. go back
42. A. burden B. example C. encouragement D. wonder
43. A. difference B. distance C. misunderstanding D. conflict
44. A. visited B. messaged C. telephoned D. wrote
45. A. turn B. develop C. survive D. advance
46. A. cheerful B. relaxed C. calm D. pale
47. A. protect B. prevent C. free D. separate
Section B
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are 4 words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with a word or phrase that best fits the context.
There was a man who had a little boy that he loved very much. Every day after work the man would come home and 36 with the little boy. He would always spend all of his 37 time playing with the little boy.
One night, while the man was at work, he realized that he had extra work to do for the evening, and that he wouldn't be able to play with his little boy. 38 , he wanted to be able to give the boy something to keep him 39 . So, looking around his 40 , he saw a magazine with a large map of the world on the cover. He got an idea. He removed the map, and then patiently tore it up into small pieces. Then he put all the pieces in his coat pocket.
When he got home, the little boy came 41 to him and was ready to play. The man explained that he had extra work to do and couldn't play just now, but he led the little boy into the dining room, and taking out all the pieces of the map, he 42 them on the table. He 43 that it was a map of the world, and that by the time he could put it back together, his extra work would be finished, and they could 44 play. Surely this would keep the child busy for hours, he thought.
About half an hour later the boy came to the man and said, "Okay, it's finished. Can we play now?"
The man was 45 , saying, "That's impossible. Let's go see." And sure enough, there was the picture of the world; all 46 every piece in its place.
The man said, "That's amazing! 47 did you do that?" The boy said, "It was simple. On the back of the page was a picture of a man. When I put the man together the whole world fell into place."
36. A. stay B. play C. cooperate D. contact
37.A. special B. unusual C. extra D. other
38.A. However B. Therefore C. Otherwise D. Then
39. A. tired B. busy C. hardworking D. important
40. A. store B. house C. home D. office
41. A. runningB. moving C. walking D. jumping
42. A. used B. threw C. spread D. pulled
43. A. shouted B. explained C. murmured D. admitted
44. A. neither B. eitherC. too D. both
45. A. satisfied B. moved C. surprised D. worried
46. A. put together B. sewn together C. dressed up D. torn up
47. A. Where B. When C. How D. Why
SECTION B
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
There are between 3000 and 6000 public languages in the world, and we must add approximately 6 __36___ private languages since each one of us necessarily has one. __37___ these facts, the possibilities for breakdowns in communication seem infinite in number. However, we do __38___ successfully from time to time. And we do learn to speak languages. But learning to speak languages seems to be a very __39___ process. For a long time, people thought that we learned a language only by imitation and association. __40___, a baby touches a hot pot and starts to cry. The mother says, “Hot, hot!” And the baby, when it stops crying, __41___ the mother and says, “Hot, hot!” However, Noam Chomsky, a famous expert in language, __42___ that although children do learn some __43___ by imitation and association, they also combine words to make meaningful sentences in ways that are unique, unlearned and creative.
Because young children can make sentences they have never heard before, Chomsky suggested that human infants are born with the __44___ to learn language. Chomsky meant that underneath all the differences between public and private languages, there is a universal language mechanism that makes it __45___ for us, as infants, to learn any language in the world. This __46___ explains the potential that human infants have for learning language. But it does not really explain how children __47___ use language in particular ways.
36. A. million B. trillion C. thousand D. billion
37. A. Supposing B. Given C. Considering D. Taken
38. A. speak B. tell C. learn D. communicate
39. A. various B. mysterious C. famous D. obvious
40. A. For example B. Such as C. Like this D. That is
41. A. understands B. imitates C. loves D. attaches
42. A. pointed at B. pointed to C. pointed out D. point off
43. A. words B. sentences C. paragraphs D.passages
44. A. right B. ability C. power D. force
45. A. certain B. impossible C. possible D. successful
46. A. imagination B. fiction C. invention D. theory
47. A. come to B. become to C. go to D. used to
Section B
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrases that best fits the context.
I have been told in China, having a pet, particularly a dog, is often considered to be a status symbol because it shows the family can 36 to have an animal. It is different here.
In Canada it is 37 for people to have pets. Many people have dogs. Many others have cats and there are people who keep fish, birds or rabbits. Some keep what we call exotic pets. These might be ferrets, snakes or almost any other animal you can think of, although keeping 38 pets is often difficult and because it can also be hard on the animal. The keeping of some exotic animals is not allowed by law.
Now, my wife and I live in a small town. We no longer have a 39 --- we live in an apartment. We have a cat named Callie and she never goes out 40 onto the balcony so cars are no longer an issue. She’s about sixteen years old and will probably live to be twenty or more. The 41 will come when she dies and we no longer have a pet. We have had a pet for so long it seems like a natural part of our lives and without a cat around the house it will seem somehow 42 . On the other hand, we are getting older and given that a cat can live about twenty years we wonder if we will ever have another after Callie goes. Cats are cutest, of course, when they are small kittens but a kitten is 43 for a longer time than we may have left.
I think having a pet is very good for a number of reasons. It helps to teach children how to look after a 44 creature, makes them realize that animals have feelings just like we do and that, in many ways, we depend on each other. For older people like me an animal is a 45 and a comfort to have around, a pet, properly treated, returns the favor by 46 unconditional love. Wouldn’t this world be a great place if people could learn how to do that.
36. A. buy B. afford C. supply D. provide
37. A. common B. unusual C. particular D. public
38. A. aboard B. domestic C. excitedD. exotic
39. A. dormitory B. home C. family D. house
40. A. except B. besidesC. except for D. beside
41. A. demand B. dilemma C. decision D. matter
42. A. puzzled B. confused C. empty D. alone
43. A. commitment B. committee C. friend D. follower
44. A. lively B. alive C. live D. living
45. A. company B. competitorC. companion D. co-worker
46. A. giving out B. giving in C. giving backD. giving off
47. A. bad B. great C. messy D. poor