Sometimes just when we need the power of miracles to change our beliefs， they materialize in the places we’d least expect. They can come to us as a drastic alteration in our physical reality or as a simple synchronicity in our lives. Sometimes they’re big and can’t be missed Other times they’re so subtle that if we aren’t aware， we may miss them altogether. They can come from the lips of a stranger we suddenly and mysteriously encounter at just the right instant. If we listen carefully, we’ll always hear the right words，at the right time， to dazzle us into a realization of something that we may have failed to notice only moments before.
On a cold January afternoon in 1989，I was hiking up the trail that leads to the top of Egypt’s Mt. Horeb. I’d spent the day at St. Catherine’s Monastery and wanted to get to the peak by sunset to see the valley below. As I was winding up the narrow path，I’d occasionally see other hikers who were coming down from a day on the mountain. While they would generally pass with simply a nod or a greeting in another language，there was one man that day who did neither.
I saw him coming from the last switchback on the trail that led to the backside of the mountain. As he got closer，I could see that he was dressed differently from the other hikers I’d seen. Rather than the high-tech fabrics and styles that had been the norm，this man was wearing traditional Egyptian clothing. He wore a tattered， rust-colored galabia and obviously old and thick-soled sandals that were covered in dust. What made his appearance so odd，though，was that the man didn’t even appear to be Egyptian！ He was a small-framed Asian man, had very little hair，and was wearing round，wire-rimmed glasses.
As we neared one another，I was the first to speak.“Hello，”I said，stopping on the trail for a moment to catch my breath. Not a sound came from the man as he walked closer. I thought that maybe he hadn’t heard me or the wind had carried my voice away from him in another direction. Suddenly he stopped directly in front of me on the high side of the trail， looked up from the ground， and spoke a single sentence to me in English，“Sometimes you don’t know what you have lost until you’ve lost it.”As I took in what I had just heard，he simply stepped around me and continued his descent down the trail.
That moment in my life was a small miracle. The reason is less about what the man said and more about the timing and the context. The year was 1989，and the Cold War was drawing to a close. What the man on the trail couldn’t have known is that it was during my Egyptian pilgrimage， and specifically during my hike to the top of Moses’s mountain，that I’d set the time aside to make decisions that would affect my career in the defense industry，my friends，my family，and，ultimately，my life.
I had to ask myself what the chances were of an Asian man dressed in an Egyptian galabia coming down from the top of this historic mountain just when I was walking up，stopping before me，and offering his wisdom，seemingly from out of nowhere. My answer to my own question was easy： the odds were slim to none！ In an encounter that lasted less than two minutes on a mountain halfway around the world from my home， a total stranger had brought clarity， and the hint of a warning， regarding the huge changes that I would make within a matter of days. In my way of thinking，that’s a miracle.
I suspect that we all experience small miracles in our lives every day. Sometimes we have the wisdom and the courage to recognize them for what they are. In the moments when we don’t，that’s okay as well. It seems that our miracles have a way of coming back to us again and again. And each time they do，they become a little less subtle，until we can’t possibly miss the message that they bring to our lives！
The key is that they’re everywhere and occur every day for different reasons， in response to the different needs that we may have in the moment. Our job may be less about questioning the extraordinary things that happen in our daily lives and more about accepting the gifts they bring.Why did the author make a pilgrimage to Mt. Horeb in Egypt?
| A．He was in search of a miracle in his life. |
| B．It was a holy place for a religious person to head for. |
| C．He intended to make arrangements for his life in the future. |
| D．He waited patiently in expectation of meeting a wise person. |
What does the underlined part “my own question” refer to in Paragraph 6?
| A．For what reason did the man stop before me? |
| B．Why did the Asian man go to the mountain? |
| C．What change would I make within a matter of days? |
| D．What was the probability that others told us the right words? |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “subtle” in Paragraph 7?
| A．Apparent. | B．Delicate. |
| C．Precise. | D．Sufficient. |
The author viewed the encounter with the Asian man as a miracle in his life in that .
| A．the Asian man’s appearance had a deciding effect on his future life |
| B．his words were in perfect response to the need he had at that moment |
| C．what the Asian man said was abundant in the philosophy of life |
| D．the Asian man impressed on him the worth of what he had possessed |
What might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Can you recognize a miracle? |
| B．Is a miracle significant to us? |
| C．When might a miracle occur? |
| D．Why do we need a miracle? |
C
| Honey Sweet Cake (Prep. Time: 12 mins.) Ingredients Strawberries in syrup(糖浆), 1 package (unfrozen) Heavy cream, 1 cup Corn flour, 2 tablespoons Process Mix the strawberries, cream and corn flour in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, while constantly mixing until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and refrigerate for two hours, Fill the frozen mixture in a cake, and serve. |
| Rosy Cake (Prep. Time: 10 mins. ) Ingredients Sugar, 3/4 cup Water, 1 cup Corn flour, 3 tablespoons Strawberries , 2  ——3 cupsProcess Take a large saucepan and mix all the ingredients. Cook until the mixture thickens over medium heat. Let it cool naturally and completely. Fill up your cake with the mixture, and serve. |
| Triangle Sweet (Prep. Time: 15 mins. ) Ingredients Sugar, cupWhipping cream, cupUnflavored gelatin(明胶) , 1 tablespoon Cold water, 2 tablespoons Boiled water, 3 tablespoons Strawberries, crushed, 2 cups Process Add sugar to the crushed strawberries and set them aside. In cold water, soften the gelatin, and once it is softened, add boiling water. Stir until the gelatin dissolves. Add the dissolved gelatin mixture to the strawberries and let it cool. Now whip(搅打) the cream till it becomes stiff. When the strawberry mixture is of syrup thickness, add the whipped cream to it. Refrigerate until it sets. Fill it into your cake, and serve. |
| Flaming Maple (Prep. Time: 10 mins. ) Ingredients Fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoonsHoney, 2 tablespoons Maple syrup, 2 tablespoons Strawberries, ripe, 2 pints Process Make a fruit butter of half of the strawberries. Add honey, lemon juice, and maple syrup until it forms a smooth sauce. Add the remaining strawberries. Fill the mixture in the cake, and serve. |
Which of the following ingredients are used in all the recipes?
| A．heavy cream | B．sugar syrup | C．corn flour | D．strawberries |
Chefs needn't freeze the ingredients when preparing ___________
① Honey Sweet Cake ②Rosy Cake ③Triangle Sweet④ Flaming Maple
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．①④ | D．②④ |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Triangle Sweet takes the longest time to prepare. |
| B．Strawberries used in the recipes aren't all fresh. |
| C．Most strawberries are used when making a Rosy Cake. |
| D．Honey Sweet Cake is the best choice for busy mothers. |
In how many recipes should chefs thicken the mixture by heating?
| A．Only one | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
It’s really true what people say about English politeness: it’s everywhere. When squeezing past someone in a narrow passage, people say “sorry”. When getting off a bus, English passengers say “thank you” rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things. After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable, and the bus driver is only doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles, and here are some more polite ways of interacting with people in UK.
People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customer and shop assistant in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one thank you in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposite to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough.
Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers emphasized several times but none of their explanations were intended as criticism. It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This also is showed in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to a meal than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter are a bit tightfisted.What is the author’s attitude towards English politeness?
| A．He thinks it is unnecessary. | B．He thinks little of it. |
| C．He appreciates it very much. | D．He thinks it goes too far. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．German men never treat a woman to dinner. |
| B．The author think it’s unnecessary to say “thank you” to the bus driver. |
| C．In Germany, employers often say “thank you” to employees for their job. |
| D．Germans think it is unnecessary to thank workers because payment is enough. |
We can learn from the last paragraph that Scottish men ______.
| A．like to fight with each other |
| B．treat women in a polite way |
| C．are as generous as English men |
| D．are unwilling to spend money for women |
The author develops the text through the method of ______.
| A．making comparisons | B．telling stories | C．giving reasons | D．giving examples |
For the last couple of weeks, I had been stuck in front of my computer working on a project that was very important to me. My every waking hour was consumed by the project and although I imagined that I would feel happy after completing parts of the project, I was confused to find that instead, I was feeling rather depressed. I tried a range of methods to help cheer myself up. I had a relaxing bath, cooked a delicious meal to enjoy with my family and even watched a lighthearted movie, but to no avail. It was only when I turned to meditation for a solution that the answer came to me: turn to nature!
The very next day, I grabbed my camera and a bottle of water and set off to spend a few hours walking in a nature reserve, even though it was pouring with rain. Within a couple of minutes I felt alive again. To be honest, I felt like a young school girl again and had to stop myself from hopping along the path singing, "I'm singing in the rain", a song I used to sing when I was a child. I think as adults we often try too hard to control our inner children and as a result we restrain our own spirits, which only leads to depression and stress.
Interestingly, it has been shown that people who spend 40 minutes walking in a nature reserve have a drop in their blood pressure levels, but this does not happen when they spend a similar amount of time walking in a busy city centre.
If you feel a little low in spirit and know that you have spent too much time indoors, relax completely, remove your shoes and let your inner child come out and play.The author walked in a nature reserve in the rain in order to__________.
| A．take photos | B．find a solution to the project |
| C．hop along the path | D．cheer herself up |
The underlined part "to no avail" in Paragraph 1 probably means " __________.".
| A．unsuccessful | B．unrelated | C．uninteresting | D．unexpected |
In the author's opinion, __________.
| A．a bath can make people relaxed |
| B．depression is usually caused by hard work |
| C．walking in a busy city centre harms people's health |
| D．adults should express their inner feelings freely |
The last paragraph mainly serves as a(n) __________.
| A．explanation | B．suggestion | C．introduction | D．reminder |
Many years ago，when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver，I was driving to my parents’ home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station(加油站)about 50 miles from Oklahoma City，where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register(收款台)，I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
I took off，but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend’s. We chatted on the way into the city，and when I got out of the car，the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank you note for helping me. Soon afterward，I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.
Years later，I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I’d left the lights on all day，and the battery(电池) was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership—a shop selling cars —was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
“Just how friendly is Friendly Ford？”I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment，so when I got home，I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you，and it meant a lot，he said.
“Thank you”－two powerful words. They’re easy to say and mean so much.The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City ________.
| A．to visit a friend | B．to see his parents |
| C．to pay at the cash register | D．to have more gas for his car |
The underlined words “took off” underlined in Paragraph 2 mean “________”．
| A．turned off | B．moved off | C．put up | D．set up |
The battery of the author’s car was dead because ________.
| A．something went wrong with the lights |
| B．the meeting lasted a whole day |
| C．he forgot to turn off the lights |
| D．he drove too long a distance |
By telling his own experiences，the author tries to show ________.
| A．how to write a thank you letter |
| B．how to deal with car problems |
| C．the kind heartedness of older people |
| D．the importance of expressing thanks |
What is a lifestyle and how is that different from a life? A lifestyle is about brand names and buying identity or fame. Lifestyle gives a false sense of peace and acceptability that comes from others recognizing what you’ve bought into (as well as bought). If your car, clothes, and home are expensive, you’re sophisticated(世故的) and stylish. If you have the right kind of job or go to the right social gatherings, then you receive the insincere approval of others. This means that your self-esteem(自尊) is always at the mercy of others, with no appreciation of you as an individual.
A life, on the other hand, is very different. A life is what you lead when you know what matters most to you. It is very simple and comes from being connected to what you know is important and being willing to put that first, no matter what others may think. When you create a life vs. a lifestyle, your self-esteem comes from what’s inside you, not what others think about you.
Lifestyle is expensive financially and personally, because it costs a great deal to keep up appearances and do what you think is socially acceptable. A life is not expensive. Rather than using personal or financial resources, a life generates energy and staying power. It’s about liberating yourself from the mindless consumption that society expects. It is about making the choices that are in line with your values, instead of using up your bank account or energy for no heart-driven reason.
How can you make the change? Understand the difference between a life and a lifestyle. Analyze your current lifestyle to see what is costing you in money, time, stress, and energy to maintain it. Let go and make room for what is really important to you, what supports you and brings you joy. Remember who you are from within, not what you own!Which of the following examples best explains “what is life about”?
| A．We work long hours in a job that we do not enjoy. |
| B．We focus on what we wear, or what kind of car we drive. |
| C．We find out what our true beliefs and values are and choose to live by these. |
| D．We think that how others see us is more important than what we think of ourselves. |
What method does the author use to explain his opinion in the third paragraph?
| A．Making comparison. | B．Giving an example. |
| C．Giving a definition. | D．Giving a reason. |
To make the change, we need to______________________.
| A．be directed from within | B．be directed from outside |
| C．be driven by social values | D．be driven by others’ opinions |
What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
| A．To describe what life is. |
| B．To introduce what lifestyle is. |
| C．To promote life instead of lifestyle. |
| D．To tell the differences between life and lifestyle. |