In a world where comparisons happen non-stop, it is difficult to look outside yourself and to ever be 21 with who you are. There’s always someone who’s a bit 22 . The only solution is to reach 23 and measure against what Warren Buffett calls your own inner yardstick. There is no more 24 measure for comparison than who your were yesterday, last week or last decade, when you were at your 25 .
Nothing useful ever comes from comparison to others .Either you see yourself as better than someone and you get 26 , or you see someone else as better than you and you feel like all your hard work is for 27 . It is a fool’s game. Not one of us is exactly 28 . The only direct and honest comparison is 29 yourself. Everything else is apples to oranges.
My opinion is that you are only 30 to compare yourself to someone else if their life 31 is the same as your own. Good luck finding that 32 . And one thing is for sure. No matter how hard you work and how dedicated（埋头苦干的）you are, there will always be someone who can run a little faster, jump a little higher, score a little better or look a little nicer in a swimsuit. And if there’s not, you can 33 someone is coming up fast 34 you. So how can you always win in life? Become your best 35 .
Having an image of your most recent past limits is the perfect thing to 36 you to the next level. If you ran 7 flights of stairs yesterday, then do 8 today. Who 37 if the guy next to you did 15? It doesn’t make a bit of 38 . You are a more 39 person today than you were yesterday. Your own 40 is all you need.
A．patient B．strict C．content D．concerned
A．stronger B．better C．lazier D．wiser
A．inside B．out C．for D．up
A．accurate B．useful C．careful D．powerful
A．end B．best C．convenience D．side
A．satisfied B．busy C．inspired D．lazy
A．nothing B．fun C．sure D．success
A．equal B．unique C．alike D．common
A．within B．by C．for D．of
A．instructed B．allowed C．directed D．suggested
A．situation B．position C．occasion D．accommodation
A．game B．match C．friend D．enemy
A．conclude B．bet C．announce D．declare
A．before B．beside C．below D．behind
A．assistant B．competitor C．coach D．teacher
A．contribute B．expose C．push D．devote
A．cares B．says C．wonders D．asks
A．effort B．sense C．difference D．change
A．successful B．happy C．lucky D．fit
A．benefit B．progress C．habit D．result
完形填空（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21-35各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
I was in Tokyo last spring，walking in the street with my friend Kirsten．Right about the time the sun was setting，we heard the 21 of a jazz band coming from an alley．It was a group of four local 22 college students playing their hearts out for anyone who would23．But not everyone was enjoying the music．In the middle of the second song，an old homeless man broke 24 the crowd and started 25 at the band．The musicians did their best to ignore（无视）him 26 obviously the old man would not go away．It seemed he was 27 about the loud noise．There were probably two dozen of us 28 the scene-none of us knowing what we could or should do．I remember feeling very 29，because first，I don’t speak much Japanese，and second，the homeless man was starting to get more and more violent．At one point，he picked up a stick and started beating the drum．This was more than the young drummer could 30 and he finally stopped playing，stood up and pulled the old man to the 31．It was then that a young Japanese man made his way through the crowd very 32．He knelt down next to the old man，took hold of his hand and 33 him if he was all right．I couldn’t 34 what was being said，but I’ll never forget the way this young man helped bring the fallen man to his 35．And I’ll never forget the way he carefully placed his arm around the old man’s shoulders and quietly walked him away．21．A．speech B．crash C．sound D．news22．A．Japanese B．Chinese C．French D．Russian23．A．sing B．listen C．join D．dance24．A．down B．with C．through D．up25．A．shouting B．pointing C．looking D．shooting26．A．and B．so C．but D．or27．A．angry B．sorry C．happy D．excited28．A．breaking B．making C．enjoying D．watching29．A．helpless B．lonely C．nervous D．crazy30．A．think B．stand C．reactD．play31．A．stage B．ground C．crowd D．street32．A．strangely B．proudly C．quietly D．carelessly33．A．greeted B．showed C．told D．asked34．A．understand B．imagine C．realize D．remember35．A．seat B．friend C．feet D．home
Ⅱ. 语言知识及应用（共两节。满分35分）
第一节完形填空（共10小题；每小题2分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21~30各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the film-maker Walter Disney. He had a(n) 21 voice and he wanted to work in Disney’s cartoon film for children. When Walter Disney heard Nash’s voice, he said, “Stop! That’s our 22 .”
Disney declared Nash perfect for the role of a talking duck in their upcoming animated short, The Wise Little Hen. The duck, of course, was Donald Duck, which 23 his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a 24 after an eight-minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema 25 liked him because he was lazy and 26 , and because he 27 his temper very easily. And they loved his voice when he became angry with Mickey’s eight nephews. Soon Donald was more popular than Mickey Mouse himself, 28 because he wasn’t a goody-goody (伪善的人), like Mickey.
Donald Duck went on to become one of the most famous cartoon characters in the world, and a great part of this was due to Nash's distinctive voice. The last film to 29Nash's famous voice was Mickey's Christmas Carol, released in 1983. And then Donald Duck and his voice 30 — there were no more new cartoons.
21. A. sweet B. terrible C. unusual D. familiar
22. A. film-maker B. dresser C. Mickey D. duck
23. A. dressed B. wore C. sold D. took
24. A. star B. journalist C. sailor D. cartoon-maker
25. A. audiences B. performers C. directors D. photographers
26. A. nice B. greedy C. helpful D. sincere
27. A. controlled B. stood C. lost D. mastered
28. A. formally B. merely C. probably D. scarcely
29. A. ignore B. feature C. imitate D. follow
30. A. changed B. formed C. trembled D. Disappeared
Cloze (15分)
Directions: for each blank in the following passages 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.
If you travel around the world, you will be surprised to find just how different the foreign customs can be __50__ your own.
A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there __51__ it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be __52__for washing yourself. Also in India, you might __53__a man obviously shaking his head at another and assume that he is disagreeing. But in many __54__ of India a shake of the head is a gesture that shows agreement or acceptance. Nodding your head when you are offered a __55__ in Bulgaria is likely to leave your thirsty. In that country you shake your head to indicate “yes”—a nod indicates “no”. The Arabs are __56__ for their hospitality (好客). At a meal in the Arabic countries, you will find that drinking vessel (器皿) is filled again __57__again as soon as you drain it. The way to __58__ that you have had enough is to take the cup or glass in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.
In Europe it is quite usual to __59__ your legs when sitting talking to someone, even at an important meeting. Doing this when meeting an important person in Thailand, however, could __60__ him or her unhappy. It is considered too informal an attitude __61__ such an occasion. Also when in Thailand you are __62__ supposed to touch the head of an adult – it’s just not done. In Japan, it is quite usual for __63__ to plan evening entertainment for themselves and leave their wives at home. In Europe such attitudes are disappearing.
Customs vary from country to __64__. Visitors may be at a loss as to what to do in a foreign environment. In such circumstances, the rule is: When in Rome, do as Romans do.
| ( )50. A. from |
B. away |
C. within |
D. in |
| ( )51. A. achieve |
B. consider |
C. test |
D. help |
| ( )52. A. noticed |
B. used |
C. bought |
D. caused |
| ( )53. A. hear |
B. hope |
C. miss |
D. see |
| ( )54. A. countries |
B. people |
C. parts |
D. hills |
| ( )55. A. drink |
B. pen |
C. hat |
D. hand |
| ( )56. A. interested |
B. terrible |
C. careful |
D. famous |
| ( )57. A. and |
B. till |
C. also |
D. still |
| ( )58. A. discuss |
B. turn |
C. indicate |
D. forget |
| ( )59. A. cross |
B. put |
C. take |
D. hurt |
| ( )60. A. pay |
B. stop |
C. make |
D. point |
| ( )61.A. outside |
B. below |
C. along |
D. for |
| ( )62. A. not |
B. nor |
C. none |
D. no |
| ( )63. A. men |
B. women |
C. boys |
D. girls |
| ( )64. A. area |
B. place |
C. country |
D. space |
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（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。
I grew up in a tiny Baltimore row house in a faraway mountain area. My parents 36 the necessities of life 37 they couldn’t give much more. If I asked my father 38 a pair of jeans, he would say, “If you want them, make the money and buy them 39 .” He wasn’t being mean; he just couldn’t 40 them. From age 12 on, I did part-time jobs after school.
When I 41 from high school, I joined the navy. Soon I was in a boot camp(新兵训练营) at Parris Island, S. C., where I learned that life in the navy centered around completing daily 42 . These could be anything from cleaning the camp to conducting mock(模拟的) battles. Completing these tasks successfully 43 discipline, team-work and responsibility. It didn’t 44 whether you were black, white or Asian; everyone worked together for the 45 of the company.
I went 46 to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy and later became an officer in the navy. The part of my job I 47 most was the counseling(咨询) meetings I 48 with the family members of the men and women in my 49 , trying to help them deal with the long periods of 50 . These proved popular and word of them spread. 51 I was being asked to give encouraging 52 to business groups, educators and kids across the country.
But I consider the boot camp my first real 53 , and my life is still guided by the 54 lessons I learned there. It taught me discipline, friendship and the pride related to setting a task every day and working hard to 55 it.
36. A. got B. provided C. made D. bought
37. A. while B. so C. but D. or
38. A. for B. with C. about D. of
39. A. themselves B. ourselves C. myself D. yourself
40. A. afford B. find C. produce D. pay
41. A. came B. returned C. graduated D. escaped
42. A. drills B. tasks C. exercises D. reports
43. A. included B. asked C. met D. required
44. A. matter B. mean C. exist D. work
45. A. boss B. good C. rest D. right
46. A. out B. off C. away D. on
47. A. took B. hated C. enjoyed D. did
48. A. ended B. held C. continued D. began
49. A. charge B. situation C. position D. choice
50. A. lessons B. separation C. training D. meetings
51. A. Before long B. Long before C. As usual D. Once again
52. A. performances B. descriptions C. speeches D. gifts
53. A. vacation B. job C. place D. travel
54. A. important B. bitter C. normal D. difficult
55. A. gain B. show C. achieve D. match
完形填空（共10小题；每小题2分，满分20分）
阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从21-30各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并将答案填涂在答题卡上。
Azure Warrenfeltz, a 4-year-old girl, is fluent in Japanese and Spanish. She also can 21 bits of French, German, Arabic and Italian, and she soon hopes to learn some Mandarin Chinese.
In today's globalized world, Azure is one of many young American children whose parents insist her 22 include foreign languages.
"It's such a 23 environment now, you never know what you might need," says Azure's mother, Julie Warrenfeltz, who started schooling her daughter in foreign languages when she was 6 weeks old. "She couldn't 24 a violin, she couldn't stand upright, but I wanted her to do 25 ."
Not only is learning a foreign language easier for children than it is for 26 , but children who are exposed to other languages also do better in school. They are more 27 to diversity, says François Thibaut, who runs The Language Workshop for Children, which has nine schools around the East Coast.
Language study for children is based on immersion (沉浸), he says. Kids sing songs and play games to help develop language comprehension skills. When children start learning languages at birth, they have the 28 to learn many languages at once without getting 29 — because, as the brain develops, so too does the ability to separate one 30 from another.
21. A. learn B. hearC. understand D. teach
22. A. school B. fieldC. teacher D. education
23. A. global B. bigC. small D. dirty
24. A. play B. holdC. learn D. make
25. A. something B. anything C. everything D. nothing
26. A. parents B. teachers C. adults D. experts
27. A. blind B. openC. deaf D. strange
28. A. capacity B. desire C. possibility D. dream
29. A. bored B. interestedC. involved D. confused
30. A. world B. parent C. language D. sound