Last week I did something that scared me. I stood in front of nearly 200 financial planners and I talked to them about why financial blogs are a good thing.

I’m a confident writer. I’ve been doing this long enough that I know my strength and my limitations. I’m less confident as a speaker. I don’t have time to pause to collect my thoughts. I’m not able to edit. I’m afraid of being trapped in a corner without being able to talk my way out. Basically, I’m scared to speak.

It would be easy to simply refuse the chances that come my way. When somebody asks me to speak in front of a group, I could say “no”. When radio and television stations call for an interview, I could say “no”. But for the past two years, I’ve been following my own policy to say “yes” to new chances.

To say “yes” is to live in fear. My goal is to continually improve myself to become better than I am today. One way to do that is to do the things that scare me, to take them on as challenges, and to learn from them ― even if I fail.

In mid-November, a local station asked me to appear on live television. “I realize it’s short notice,” the producer wrote, “but we’d love to have you on the show if you’re available tonight.” I was frightened. I thought about recent taped television interviews that I had hated. I was afraid of what might happen.

But I also thought about the things that had gone right. I thought of how my speaking skills had improved over the past year. And then I thought of the book I was reading, a book that I had bought for $1.29 at the local store. The Magic of Thinking Big was a huge bestseller during the 1960s. Written by Dr. David Schwartz, a professor at Georgia State University, the book contains dozens of practical tips on how to take risks to achieve big goals. Schwartz argues that nobody will believe in you until you believe in yourself.

So when the television producer asked if I wanted to appear on his show, I thought big. “Sure,” I said. “I’ll do it.” I acted confidently, but on the inside I was frightened. What I needed was techniques to build up my confidence and to overcome my fear.

1.Why is the author afraid of speaking in public?

A. He is aware of his potential.

B. He has few chances to talk.

C. He is not able to edit what he says.

D. He likes writing better.

2.The underlined words “my own policy” in Paragraph 3 probably mean ________.

A. self-improving through challenges

B. hesitating before chances

C. turning down the invitations

D. saying yes to fear

3.The author mentioned the book The Magic of Thinking Big mainly because ______.

A. it was inspiring

B. it was a bestseller

C. its author was famous

D. its price was attractive

4.What is the author’s purpose to write the passage?

A. To analyze his strength and weaknesses.

B. To give practical tips on speaking in public.

C. To persuade people to follow his example.

D. To share his experiences of overcoming fear.

To Friend or Not to Friend

We all love our parents and turn to them when we’re in need, but would you like them to hear the conversations you have with your friends on the school playground or lunch queue? Social networking sites have become extensions of the school hallways, so would you add your parents as “friends” and allow them to view your online activities and conversations with friends?

In the past the generation gap included a technology gap, where children were up to date with latest technology and parents were left behind, content to continue their day to day lives as they always had because they had no need to know more about technology. However, more and more parents are beginning to realize just how important social networks are in their lives. This realization has given many parents the motivation to educate themselves about social networking sites.

These days many people are attracted to social networking sites because they can choose who they have around them; there’s also a certain amount of control over privacy that we don’t get in real life. Sometimes we feel that privacy is violated when we must accept a “friend” request from a parent or family member.

It’s a difficult choice whether or not to allow a parent to become a part of our online lives. On the one hand we don’t want to “reject” their request because that might hurt their feelings or make them feel you have something to hide. On the other hand if you do accept, then you could have a sense of being watched and no longer feel free to comment or communicate the way you did before.

A recent survey suggested that parents shouldn’t take it personally if their child ignores their request: “When a teen ignores a parent’s friend request, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are hiding something, but it could mean that this is one part of their life where they want to be independent.”

Perhaps talking with parents and giving explanations would help soften the blow if you do choose not to add them to your friends list.

1.From Paragraph 2, we learn that ________.

A. parents feel secure about their privacy online

B. social networks successfully fill the generation gap

C. parents have realized the importance of social networks

D. social networks offer a platform for parents to communicate

2.Teenagers may refuse a parent’s friend request because ________.

A. they hide something from their parents

B. they are unwilling to be watched by parents

C. their parents tend to fall behind in technology

D. their parents make negative comments on them

3.The passage is mainly about ________.

A. privacy online

B. social networks

C. the generation gap

D. parents’ friend requests

4.The passage is written mainly for ________.

A. parents B. teenagers

C. teachers D. researchers

My grandmother Adele loved culture and was generous with its gifts. When I was a child, she took me to museums, restaurants, dances. She showered me with gifts from her travels around the world. But I can only remember her giving me one book ― a book that, to this day, I have not read. She presented me with her own favorite childhood book: Hans Brinker. My grandmother was happy to share this book with me. She even decorated the title page with her proud writing.

I tried to read it. I adored reading, and would dive into a new pile of books from the library all at once. But something about Hans Brinker just wouldn’t let me in. The story was set in Holland, a long time ago. It felt dull and unfamiliar ― even though I was a fan of classics of other times and places. I simply read the first pages over and over. I could not progress.

Standing on a bookshelf in our living room, the book was like something I avoided. It scolded me for not being interested, for not trying hard enough, for disappointing my grandmother.

The book started to fit in, almost forgotten, until Adele asked. Had I read it? Did I like it? Always determined, she wanted to know the answer. I would make some kind of excuse, feel bad, and open it again, hoping for a new reaction. The book weighed on me.

Years passed and finally Adele and I both accepted that I would never read Hans Brinker. Eventually I cleared the book from the shelf. The Hans Brinker experience led me to set a rule that I’ve lived by ever since: Do not ask about a book given as a gift. Don’t ask, despite your desire to discuss it to grow closer. The desire for such connection is what gives book-giving with special meaning ― and increases the owner’s possibility to be a letdown.

Guilt is basically the same as for all gifts, though. If the giver doesn’t have the pleasure of seeing or hearing about the gift being enjoyed, and asks whether it is, then the owner ― unless she can truthfully say “yes” ― either has to admit to not liking the present, or else lie on the spot. Neither is pleasant. So, don’t ask.

1.When the author was a kid, his grandmother ________.

A. took him to travel around the world a lot

B. loved to take him to museums and stores

C. shared her childhood stories with him

D. gave him many gifts

2.What does the author think about the book his grandmother gave him?

A. Boring. B. Interesting.

C. Puzzling. D. Disappointing.

3.The underlined sentence “The book weighed on me” in Paragraph 4 probably means

________.

A. the book is too heavy for the author to carry

B. the author feels stressful facing the book

C. the book is full of powerful viewpoints

D. the author keeps reading the book

4.The author learns from the Hans Brinker’s experience that never ________.

A. give others books as gifts

B. lie to people who give you gifts

C. get close to others through gifts

D. talk about the books given as gifts

根據(jù)短文內容，從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項。

Are you truly happy? Do you ever know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness?__ 1.___. The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

※ Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Your moods will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.

※Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. ___2.___.

※When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution instead of being absorbed in self pity. Truly happy people don’t allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favor.

※__3._. These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continuous happiness.

※ 4. . Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously (下意識地) putting yourself in a better mood.

※Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. Find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you happy.

※Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness. 5. .

A．What makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy.

B．On the contrary, if you are around people who are happy, their emotional state will be infectious.

C．Being overweight or not eating nutritious foods can have a negative effect on your mood．

D．These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves.

E．Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy.

F．There are some tips in life that lead to happiness.

G．It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself.

My 4-year-old son now enjoys posting letters. He has formed the of drawing pictures, writing his name on them, and then the artwork in an envelope. He then insists on his handwork to the neighbors, and a mail box he belongs to the elderly couple who live next door. To be , I didn’t think much of it, but I had to warn my neighbors of the drawings appearing in their letterboxes—I just didn’t have the to do so, because I was a little busy recently.

On Tuesday of last week, I was walking down to school to collect my son when I Mary, my elderly neighbor, at her mail box. She said, “Jodie, is it your little son that has been posting items in my letterbox to me?” I was at once , “Oh yes, Mary, it is. I’m sorry. I meant to tell you…” She cut me off, “Jodie, I just love his mail. I’ve 37 every item he has sent. You don’t know how much the letters has made my day. I just love them.” While I was walking down to school after our , many thoughts came to me. Mary doesn’t have a lot to fill her days, she was a mother to a number of children herself who receives fairly regular visitors. The small of getting some mail—pictures drawn by the hand of a young child—has brought to her days, just as my visit to my grandparents does.

I have decided that my son should this practice. He should also start sending some items to his grandparents in Perth as well. It will most make their day.

It’s doing the little, simple things that can often make a big in someone’s life.

1.A. habit B. attitude C. style D. form

2.A. hiding B. writing C. drawing D. putting

3.A. handing B. holding C. posting D. writing

4.A. opened B. set C. chose D. saw

5.A. kind B. surprised C. careful D. honest

6.A. meant B. asked C. hated D. refused

7.A. actually B. suddenly C. hardly D. partly

8.A. intelligence B. strength C. money D. time

9.A. met B. visited C. dated D. called

10.A. crying B. lying C. laughing D. standing

11.A. humorous B. embarrassed C. confused D. amused

12.A. copied B. bought C. kept D. examined

13.A. receiving B. writing C. painting D. exchanging

14.A. report B. expression C. talk D. discussion

15.A. unless B. but C. so D. although

16.A. charge B. offer C. act D. help

17.A. worth B. happiness C. value D. future

18.A. add B. stop C. continue D. judge

19.A. certainly B. unfortunately C. accidentally D. confidently

20.A. point B. difference C. sense D. living

There was a little boy his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot（彈弓）to play with, out in the woods. He in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little ,he headed back to dinner. Then, he saw Grandma’s pet duck, so he let fly, hit the duck square in the head, and it. He was shocked and upset. In , he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, _ she said nothing.

lunch that day grandma said,“Sally, let’s wash the dishes.”

But Sally said,“Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to in the kitchen today, didn’t you Johnny?”And then she to him,“Remember, the duck?”So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said,“I’m sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.”

But Sally and said,“Well, that’s because Johnny told me he wanted to help.” the duck, Johnny had to stay and Sally went fishing.

After several days of Johnny doing both his and Sally’s, he finally couldn’t it any longer. He came to Grandma and told her that he killed the duck. She down, gave him a hug（擁抱）,and said,“Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I the whole thing. But because I love you, I you. But I was just how long would you let Sally make a slave of you.”

1.A.helping B.visiting C. tending D.seeking

2.A.practised B.played C.worked D.hunted

3.A.anxious B.tired C.pleased D.discouraged

4.A.caught B.injured C.killed D.seized

5.A.surprise B.disappointment C.anger D.horror

6.A.only B.so as C.in order D.expecting

7.A.so B.and C.instead D.but

8.A.At B.After C.Before D.When

9.A.work B.stay C.help D.get

10.A.called B.whispered C.nodded D.signed

11.A.the children B.Sally C.Johnny D.Grandma

12.A.sighed B.agreed C.objected D.smiled

13.A.easy B.all right C.fine D.impossible

14.A.Searching B.Hiding C.Remembering D.Regretting

15.A.homework B.housework C.farm work D.cooking

16.A.stand B.change C.like D.cover

17.A.sat B.went C.lay D.knelt

18.A.know B.heard C.saw D.understand

19.A.missed B.forgave C.congratulated D.punished

20.A.wondering B.saying C.imaging D.considering

語法填空（共10小題，每小題1分，滿分10分）

閱讀下面材料，在空白處填入適合語境的內容或所給提示單詞的適當形式（每空不多于3個詞）

Nowadays many singers and bands have little to do with good music. They know little about 1. good music means. What is the cause?

So far most of these singers 2. (see) music as a “job” because it is a good source of making money. And if you have a good appearance and expensive clothes to show off at your concerts then your voice is not 3. important as it should be. The public will prefer to admire more the most interesting parts of your body and even forget that you are there 4. (show) your music skills, not your dancing, which is important too, but not at such 5. high level.

Therefore, many young girls on TV choose to wear the most provocative (挑逗性的) clothes to catch attention, 6. when it comes to singing, they are in a complete mess and one doesn’t need to have an ear for music to notice their lack 7. talent.

However, the young generation should understand talent and a good voice matter more in their musical career. All the performances 8. have little to do with good music fail to be welcomed on stage. If a young man has a great voice and wants to become a 9. (success) singer, he should take some special 10. (course) in this area because they will help him improve singing abilities.

短文改錯（共10小題；每小題1分，滿分10分）

假定英語課上老師要求同桌之間交換修改作文，請你修改你同學寫的作文。文中共有10處語言錯誤，每句中最多有兩處。錯誤涉及一個單詞的增加、刪除或修改。

增加：在缺詞處加一個漏字符號（^）,并在其下面寫出該加的詞。

刪除：把多余的詞用斜線（\）劃掉。

修改：在錯的詞下劃一橫線，并在該詞下面寫出修改后的詞。

注意：1.每處錯誤及其修改均僅限一詞；

2.只允許修改10處，多者（從第11處起）不計分。

Attention, please, everyone. I have anything to tell you. We will pay a visit to the History Museum this Sunday. Both of us should arrive in the school gate before 8:00. We will set off at 8:10 by the bus together. At about 8:40 we’ll visit the museum followed a guide. At about 11:00 the visit will be over, but we plan to return at about 11:10. The total cost was 20 yuan; everyone should hand in the money to me before Friday. Don’t forget wear your school uniforms on Sunday. And everyone need to write a composition after the visit. Hope you have a better time.

That’s all. Thank you.

All the people present fixed their eyes on me, _____ me feel very embarrassed.

A. to make B. having made

C. made D. making