“Who could ever have imagined someone like me would make it this far?” asked Evan Mercer last week during his high school graduation speech as the best student. Mercer offered to his fellow classmates to never give up---and the words much more to himself. That’s because Mercer is deaf, and he told the story of the serious troubles he to graduate first in his class at Harrison High school in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Mercer didn’t start to until he was 5, according to his mother, Pam Mercer. Although her son was a disadvantage, she was determined not to treat him . “I’ve expected him to do everything every other kid does, and I saw no why he couldn’t,” she told ABC News. “And if he the first time, we just tried again.”
Mercer, 18, worked hard throughout school, no special treatment but sitting at the front of the class and using a special audio system so he could hear the teacher. All his hard work . He received full school fare to Vanderbilt University. “Deafness had taught me a lesson to never ,” he said in the speech. “Not when the experts tell you it cannot be done. Not when you have so far behind that escaping seems the only way . Not when achieving your dreams seems an entire .”
Mercer spoke for about four minutes, after which he received a standing ovation(鼓掌) from the class and messages from family, friends and strangers. “They’ve been sending me messages on Facebook, email, they’ve been talking to me in person telling me how it had a on their lives and how they’re really by it,” Mercer told ABC News. “It feels . Seeing that my words have a power on someone and that they want to work harder my words makes me feel wonderful.”
A．warning B．advice C．message D．information
A．meant B．paid C．recognized D．persuaded
A．faced B．preferred C．needed D．forecast
A．cry B．hear C．smell D．speak
A．at B．for C．under D．by
A．kindly B．differently C．exactly D．similarly
A．harm B．cause C．reason D．trouble
A．organized B．failed C．succeeded D．managed
A．accepting B．achieving C．harvesting D．receiving
A．paid off B．dropped off C．took off D．set off
A．give out B．give in C．give up D．give away
A．fallen B．waited C．walked D．gone
A．in B．out C．off D．up
A．possibility B．success C．victory D．impossibility
A．supportive B．negative C．useless D．selfish
A．reward B．source C．power D．detail
A．disappointed B．educated C．frightened D．puzzled
A．amazing B．frightening C．shocking D．embarrassing
A．actually B．suddenly C．strangely D．extremely
A．except for B．according to C．instead of D．because of
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21—40题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
I was in the ninth year at St Joseph’s High School, when I began to suffer depression. My parents noticed, but felt that since I’d always been a responsible girl and a good student, this was just a temporary 21 .
Unfortunately, that was not to be. I didn’t have many friends. I could never share my 22. A deep insecurity destroyed my self-confidence. Soon I 23 to attend classes for many days. I would shut myself in my room for hours.
The examinations were approaching, 24 I simply didn’t care. My parents and teachers were surprised at my bad performance.
One morning, after a particularly 25 lecture from Dad, I stood depressed, in the school assembly. 26 , as the other students marched to their classroom, our principal 27 me. I made my way to Sister Sylvia’s office.
The next 45 minutes were the most 28 moments of my life. Sister Sylvia said she’d noticed a big 29in me. She wanted to know why I was lagging in studies, so frequently 30 and unhappy. She took my hand in hers and 31 patiently as I spilled out my worries. She then 32 me as I sobbed my pent-up （压抑的）emotions out. Months of frustration and loneliness 33 in her motherly hug.
No one had tried to 34 what the real problem was, but my principal had done it with her simple act of just listening to me with such 35 and caring.
As the examinations approached again, I studied 36 . When the results were 37 , everybody was pleased, but happiest of all was my principal.
I soon made new friends and was happy 38 . But whenever I had a problem, I could always slip into Sister Sylvia’s office for a(n) 39 .
Today I’m a 40 young woman doing my MA and hoping to become a writer. I’ve become an inspiration to several of my friends and cousins, thanks to a kind nun who cared.
A．basis B．stage C．adjustment D．solution
A．viewpoints B．experiences C．problems D．dreams
A．skipped B．refused C．regretted D．forgot
A．otherwise B．though C．but D．or
A．severe B．public C．popular D．formal
A．Also B．Therefore C．Still D．Then
A．attracted B．accompanied C．called D．instructed
A．precious B．curious C．anxious D．serious
A．quality B．change C．mistake D．faith
A．absent B．dishonest C．aggressive D．calm
A．looked B．waited C．listened D．worked
A．hugged B．acknowledge C．observed D．educated
A．passed away B．rode away C．drove away D．melted away
A．reveal B．understand C．realize D．doubt
A．dignity B．courage C．attention D．satisfaction
A．hard B．alone C．closely D．abroad
A．declared B．obtained C．applied D．compared
A．forever B．again C．anyhow D．instead
A．request B．effect C．reason D．chat
A．mature B．quiet C．smart D．happy
There was once a group of young people searching everywhere for happiness but what they got was only annoyance, grief and misery.
So they Socrates for advice on where happiness But giving any answers, Socrates asked them to help with building a first. The group of guys had to the task, laying aside their own business of seeking happiness. It took them a long time to cut down a tall tree, gouging out (挖空) the center. Through painstaking effort, they made a canoe out of the tree. They launched the canoe into a river, and then together in it, singing with .
Socrates asked, “My children, do you have happiness now?” They answered in chorus: “We be happier!” Socrates , “That’s it! you are too busy pursuing something to notice anything bitter, happiness will occur.”
From the story I got to know that happiness hides behind every tiny thing that you are involved in, and that you may only get pleasure through work and creativity.
We may have to pain in our daily life and in the process of happiness. Sometimes we tend to look for happiness in things, like a new car, clothes, etc. True long term happiness, however, comes from within our and spirit. So why not turn suffering into life, and tears into the light in your heart? Only in this way can we make it through and find true happiness.
So my dear friends, just remember happiness is a state of mind and a matter of , and I you all a life of happiness.
A．pointed to B．referred to C．turned to D．kept to
A．lay B．belonged C．stood D．laid
A．apart from B．instead of C．other than D．for fear of
A．house B．boat C．bridge D．school
A．set about B．set down C．set out D．set up
A．sat B．stood C．got D．rowed
A．joy B．sorrow C．curiosity D．hope
A．mustn’t B．shouldn’t C．couldn’t D．needn’t
A．declared B．thought C．added D．assumed
A．Unless B．Whenever C．Until D．However
A．never B．always C．ever D．seldom
A．cautious B．endless C．hard D．effective
A．experience B．avoid C．enjoy D．deny
A．searching B．seeking C．hoping D．improving
A．spiritual B．nice C．new D．material
A．body B．part C．soul D．head
A．blaming B．praising C．ending D．cursing
A．turn B．put C．divide D．draw
A．time B．energy C．fact D．choice
A．wish B．promise C．bring D．Require
Anna lived on the side of a valley. One summer, there was a very big , and a lot of houses down below Anna’s were washed away. Anna’s house was enough to escape the flood, so when the water had and the other houses were there with no roof and no walls and all covered with mud(泥), her house was just all right.
Her house was quite small, her husband was dead, and she had four children, Anna took in one of the families that had lost in the flood and she her home with them until it was for them to rebuild their house.
Anna’s friends were when they saw Anna do this. They could not understand why Anna wanted to give so much more work and trouble when she already had quite a few children to .
“Well,” Anna her friends, “at the end of the First World War, a woman in the town where I then lived found herself very , because her husband had been killed in the and she had a lot of children, I have now. The day before Christmas, this woman said to her children, ‘We won’t be able to have much for Christmas this year, so I’m going to only one present to all of us. Now I’ll go and get it.’ She came back with a who was even poorer than they, and who had no parents. ‘Here’s our ,’ she said to her children.
The children were and happy to get such a present. They the little girl, and she grew up as their sister. And I was that Christmas present.”
A．earthquake B．accident C．flood D．fire
A．below B．high C．big D．small
A．reduced B．come C．appeared D．disappeared
A．rising B．flowing C．falling D．standing
A．so B．but C．for D．since
A．nothing B．everything C．anything D．something
A．gave B．found C．shared D．built
A．possible B．necessary C．important D．obvious
A．worried B．disappointed C．puzzled D．satisfied
A．them B．herself C．him D．us
A．support B．supply C．grow D．educate
A．explained to B．asked for C．talked with D．turned up
A．sad B．poor C．rich D．happy
A．war B．storm C．rain D．flood
A．because B．as C．which D．that
A．get B．send C．buy D．make
A．boy B．girl C．student D．teacher
A．child B．daughter C．sister D．present
A．angry B．excited C．lovely D．sorry
A．disliked B．gained C．welcomed D．led
In your life，nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck．Everything to test the limits of your soul．Without these small tests，life would be like a smoothly paved， ，flat road to nowhere．Safe and comfortable but dull and pointless．
If someone you or breaks your heart，forgive them for they have helped you trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart to．If someone loves you，love them back ，not only because they love you，but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and to things you would have never felt or seen without them．
Make every day count．Appreciate every and take from it everything that you possibly can，for you will never be able to experience it again．
A．takes B．occurs C．shows D．breaks
A．busy B．muddy C．straight D．enjoyable
A．wins B．interests C．influences D．hurts
A．look through B．1earn about C．watch out D．adjust to
A．unconditionally B．desperately C．intentionally D．instantly
A．arms B．mouth C．brain D．eyes
A．success B．failure C．moment D．challenge
A very wealthy man was standing thoughtfully on a bridge．Despite all his riches，he could feel none of happiness but and emptiness in his heart．He to commit suicide by jumping into the fast-flowing water．
When he was about to do it，an old beggar him．“Sir，please give me some money to buy some food．I will pray for your health and long life．”
Hearing this，he his wallet from his pocket and gave all the money inside to the beggar．“Take all of this，”he said．
“All of this?” the beggar ．He could not believe his good luck．
“Yes，take it all．I am going to a place where I won’t need it anymore，’’said the man．He looked back at the river ．
The beggar became suspicious of the man’s ．Looking at the money，and holding it for a while，he returned it and said，“No，thank you．I won’t take it! I may be a beggar but I'm not a coward(懦夫)!Bring that money with you to the river，sir!”
Hearing his response，the man was ．The satisfaction and happiness of him his money to the beggar disappeared immediately．He was not even able to make the beggar receive his sincere soon-to-be-useless money．
At that moment，he suddenly the feeling that he felt just now，that good feeling and satisfaction from giving others happiness，had indeed become his own true happiness．By this he was encouraged，and had found what would make his life worth living．
Happiness is only real when ．
A．eagernes B．poverty C．sorrow D．success
A．struggled B．wondered C．managed D．intended
A．approached B．interrupted C．persuaded D．shouted
A．picked up B．took out C．reached for D．handed in
A．recalled B．refused C．repeated D．retold
A．away B．forward C．aside D．below
A．attitude B．order C．attention D．politeness
A．delightedly B．hurriedly C．hopelessly D．generously
A．shocked B．terrified C．worried D．encouraged
A．sending B．giving C．supplying D．contributing
A．realized B．hated C．enjoyed D．struck
A．by nature B．by design C．in turn D．in circles
A．bought B．appreciated C．sacrificed D．shared