In the fall of 1985, I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming for a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench. Twenty-one years later I am still a bright-eyed and one with quite a different story to tell.
My grandma, a(n) woman, graduated from college at the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that . But one year after I entered college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to her. This meant that school and my personal dream would have to .
Then I got married with another dream: building my family from a of adopted and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. A year later came our second adopted boy. , the following year, we adopted son number three. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can how totally occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of eight! Our home was a complete zoo－a joyous zoo. Not surprisingly, I never did it back to college full-time. But I never my dream either. I had only one choice: make it work. That meant taking as as one class each term.
The hardest part was feeling about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to . But I knew I should set a(n) for them to follow for the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years, but I got my college degree!
I am not , just single-minded. It always me that from the , challenges look huge, but when you’re in the midst of them, the same ones seem . Not everything you want arrives in your life in one day. It’s a (n) . Remember: little steps can lead to big dreams.
A．judge B．graduate C．housewife D．dreamer
A．sensitive B．desperate C．amazing D．curious
A．plan B．goal C．decision D．record
A．care for B．turn to C．approve of D．stand by
A．grow B．wait C．expect D．keep
A．connection B．relation C．combination D．comparison
A．Therefore B．Then C．Otherwise D．Finally
A．imagine B．state C．observe D．doubt
A．take B．make C．intend D．get
A．build up B．focus on C．refer to D．gave up
A．few B．little C．much D．many
A．satisfied B．inspired C．confused D．guilty
A．head B．leave C．find D．stay
A．break B．continue C．quit D．relax
A．leader B．time C．example D．challenge
A．proud B．special C．responsible D．usual
A．hurt B．failed C．struck D．troubled
A．end B．bottom C．outside D．inside
A．normal B．funny C．unbearable D．strange
A．experiment B．solution C．performance D．process
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．
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of 1 , teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become．You 2 know who these people maybe （possibly your roommate, neighbor, co-worker, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger）, but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some 3 way．
And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful． and unfair at first, but __4__you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart．
Everything happens for a reason．Nothing happens5 or by means of good luck． Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul．6 these small tests whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere． It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly 7 ．The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become．
Even the 8 experiences can be learned from． In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones．If someone hurts you, 9 you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart． If someone loves you, love them back 10 , not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your 11 and eyes to things．
Make every day count．12 every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again． Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen．Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sightshigh．Hold your head up because you have 13 right to．Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don’t believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you． You can make of your life anything you wish． Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no 14 ．
Most importantly, if you LOVE someone, tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have 15 ． And learn a lesson in life each day that you live．
That’s the story of life．
A．people B．purpose C．intention D．advantage
A．already B．sometimes C．should D．never
A．limited B．strange C．other D．profound
A．in reflection B．in reality C．in addition D．in a way
A．on purpose B．by any chance C．by accident D．on principle
A．Despite B．With C．For all D．Without
A．bored B．pointless C．undeserved D．meaningful
A．good B．different C．bad D．pleasant
A．betrays B．loves C．appreciates D．understands
A．in turn B．moderately C．unconditionally D．in a way
A．mouth B．mind C．heart D．emotion
A．Comprehend B．Appreciate C．Expect D．Evaluate
A．every B．each C．proper D．exact
A．ambition B．hatred C．belief D．regrets
A．in the future B．in stock C．in store D．in pursuit
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，选出一个可以填入空白处的最佳选项）。
Children find meanings in their old family tales．
When Stephen Guyer’s three children were growing up, he told them stories about how his grandfather, a banker,1 all in the 1930s, but did not lose sight of what he valued most. In one of the darkest times 2 his strong-minded grandfather was nearly3 , he loaded his family into the car and 4 them to see family members in Canada with a 5 , “there are more important things in life than money”.
The 6 took on a new meaning recently when Mr. Guyer downsized to7 house from a more expensive and comfortable one. He was 8 that his children, a daughter, 15, and twins, 22, would be upset．To his surprise, they weren’t. 9 , their reaction echoed (共鸣) their great-grandfather’s．What they10 was how warm the people were in the house and how 11 of their heart was accessible.
Many parents are finding that family stories have surprising power to help children
12 hard times. Storytelling experts say the phenomenon reflects a growing 13 in telling tales, evidenced by a rise in storytelling events and festivals.
A university 14 of 65 families with children aged from 14 to 16 found kids’ ability to 15 parents’ stories was linked to a lower rate of anger and anxiety.
The 16 is telling the stories in a way children can17 . We’re not talking here about the kind of story that 18 , “ When I was a kid, I walked to school every day uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow.” Instead, we should choose a story suited to the child’s 19 , and make eye contact (接触) to create “a personal experience”. We don’t have to tell children 20 they should take from the story and what the moral is.
A．missed B．lost C．forgot D．ignored
A．when B．while C．how D．why
A．friendless B．worthless C．penniless D．homeless
A．fetched B．allowed C．expected D．took
A．hope B．promise C．suggestion D．belief
A．tale B．agreement C．arrangement D．report
A．large B．small C．new D．grand
A．surprised B．annoyed C．disappointed D．worried
A．Therefore B．Besides C．Instead D．Otherwise
A．talked about B．cared about C．wrote about D．heard about
A．much B．many C．little D．few
A．beyond B．over C．behind D．through
A．argument B．skill C．interest D．anxiety
A．study B．design C．committee D．staff
A．provide B．retell C．support D．refuse
A．trouble B．gift C．fact D．trick
A．perform B．write C．bear D．question
A．means B．ends C．begins D．proves
A．needs B．activities C．judgments D．habits
A．that B．what C．which D．whom
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从1～20各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C或D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Butterfly’s wings
One day a small opening appeared on a cocoon(茧), a man sat and watched for the butterfly for several hours as it was struggling to 1 its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten 2 it could and it could go no further. So the man decided to 3 the butterfly: he took a pair of scissors and 4 the remaining part of the cocoon. The butterfly then 5 easily.
But it has a swollen(肿胀的) body and 6 wings. The man continued to 7 the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the 8 would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would 9 in time. Neither happened! 10, the butterfly spent the rest of its life 11 around with a swollen body and small, shriveled(褶皱的) wings. It 12 was able to fly. What the man did in his 13 and haste(匆忙)did no good to the butterfly. He didn’t know the 14 cocoon and the struggle 15 for the butterfly to get through the tiny 16 were the natural way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings 17 it would be ready for flight once it achieved its 18 from the cocoon.
Sometimes the 19 is exactly what we need in our life. If we are allowed to go through our life without any 20, it would not be a good thing to us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
A．build B．force C．form D．destroy
A．as far as B．as long as C．as soon as D．as quick as
A．seize B．leave C．bring D．help
A．took off B．made up C．cut off D．picked up
A．spread over B．came out C．stayed in D．flew away
A．hard B．strong C．small D．large
A．watch B．look for C．look after D．follow
A．butterfly B．wings C．cocoon D．scissors
A．disappear B．enlarge C．lose D．contract
A．Luckily B．Probably C．In all D．In fact
A．crawling B．approaching C．running D．wandering
A．ever B．seldom C．always D．never
A．fear B．kindness C．evil D．confidence
A．restricting B．loose C．soft D．little
A．prepared B．wanted C．allowed D．required
A．place B．room C．opening D．space
A．even if B．otherwise C．when D．so that
A．life B．success C．progress D．freedom
A．courage B．struggle C．wisdom D．strength
A．fun B．friends C．obstacles D．achievement
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分, 满分30分）
Have you ever tried to draw a straight line, only to find it turns out all wrong? Or, wanted to show 1 at a party but the song you’d practised so many times suddenly 2 more difficult?
I’ve had both these 3 . As a Senior 3 student, I have to 4 many exams. Each time, I enter one, thinking “I 5 fail this time.”
But don’t be surprised --- it’s not 6 we don’t try, or don’t do enough preparation, 7 don’t take it seriously. On the contrary, it is because we put ourselves under too much 8 . It is thinking: “I must…” that makes us taste the terrible flavor of 9 ．
We often 10 to our friends: “Don’t be too hard 11 yourself!” But when we 12 our own goals, we may not listen to our own advice．
In doing so, we are making our path to success increasingly difficult．
So why not 13 thiscrazypursuit(追求)togetthebest? Just face the problem 14 before you with a calm mind, enjoy the hard work and you will succeed．
In my opinion, 15 a calm state of mind is a skill for life. For people who want to succeed, 16 this is a very important lesson．
So 17 time when you’re trying to draw a straight line or 18 a performance, tell yourself: “If I can just do it better than last time, it’s a 19 ． ”
Keep a calm state of mind, and you will be happy 20 you succeed or fail．
A．up B．off C．out D．in
A．looks B．appears C．listens D．becomes
A．experiences B．chances C．times D．difficulties
A．finish B．win C．take D．join
A．can’t B．may C．shouldn’t D．haven’t
A．why B．since C．when D．because
A．and B．or C．but D．nor
A．care B．power C．pressure D．attention
A．exams B．difficulty C．marks D．failure
A．say B．speak C．tell D．talk
A．off B．on C．to D．for
A．share B．achieve C．build D．set
A．throw away B．get away C．take away D．let away
A．waiting B．sitting C．lying D．laying
A．Becoming B．Making C．Growing D．Keeping
A．trying B．realizing C．using D．training
A．last B．what C．next D．high
A．put on B．play on C．give on D．show on
A．success B．task C．lesson D．hit
A．if B．either C．neither D．whether
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。
On receiving my learner driver license a couple of months ago, I started driving lessons straight away. In New Zealand, the __1__ driving age is 15.
However it wasn’t __2__ two days ago that Dad finally allowed me to drive on the motorway. Our __3__ was Urawa, a seaside town about 60 kilometers away from my home in Auckland. That morning I __4_ sure I had enough to drink and went to the toilet (厕所) about three times __5_ we left. I thought I was totally __6 for the journey, but nothing could have prepared me for my family’s _7__. "Relax! Don’t hold the steering wheel (方向盘) so _8_. The car is going zigzag (弯弯曲曲的), called a nervous voice from the __9__. "Speed up. 70km/h isn’t fast enough. You are holding up the traffic," another voice ordered from the seat next to mine.
How _10__ ! My parents were really starting to get on my nerves. To satisfy them I sped up and within a second, an angry voice began to yell again. "Stop! __11__! Are you crazy? ” Everything did not go fine until I pulled off the motorway and drove into the city, 12__ the speed limit was only 50km/h.
My family seemed relieved (放心的) and __13__ telling me what to do. They all looked out of the windows and enjoyed the scenery. 14__, that silence didn’t last very long. My mum suddenly cried out, "Look at those birds above us. __15 they lovely?"
How did she expect me to look up in the __16__? As the driver I had to _17_ . Who knows what would have happened if I had taken my eyes off the 18__? Four hours later we drove home. This time the journey was much __19__ than before as everyone else __20__ fast asleep. So, I just took my time and enjoyed the drive.
A．oldest B．youngest C．best D．worst
A．until B．unless C．after D．when
A．destination B．home C．city D．aim
A．thought B．decided C．kept D．made
A．when B．since C．before D．as
A．disappointed B．prepared C．excited D．upset
A．praises B．encouragements C．complaints D．cries
A．tightly B．lightly C．loosely D．happily
A．front seat B．back seat C．top seat D．empty seat
A．interesting B．moving C．puzzling D．annoying
A．Get out B．Move on C．Slow down D．Speed up
A．where B．while C．which D．why
A．began B．stopped C．continued D．forgot
A．Can’t B．Don’t C．Aren’t D．Won’t
A．air B．water C．ground D．woods
A．see B．concentrate C．check D．care
A．bird B．dog C．road D．car
A．easier B．flatter C．harder D．lower
A．felt B．began C．fell D．kept