阅读理解。

阅读下列四篇短文,从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。

People think being an artist must be a wonderful way to earn one’s living. And of course, there are lots of great things about working for oneself, at home alone, even in a cold studio like mine. What I really like is that nobody tells me what time to start in the morning. I like to paint as soon as I wake up, which is always early, but isn’t the same time every day. And nobody tells me what to wear or whether I can take the afternoon off and go to a football match.

But then, I have no one to chat with when I’m bored, no one to discuss last night’s match with during the office lunch hour. Sure, I can spend the afternoon doing something I enjoy like cycling or gardening if I choose. But the work will still be there when I do finally get back home.

Unfortunately, working at home means that people can always find me, whether I’m bored or not, and once I’ve answered the doorbell, it’s too late — my thoughts have been interrupted. No one would dream of calling in if I worked in an office, but I find myself listening to friends’ troubles. As they talk, my ideas disappear and I feel increasingly stressed thinking of my work waiting to be done.

However, when I hear the traffic news on the radio, and imagine my friends sitting miserably in their cars in a jam, feeling bored, or waiting unhappily for an overcrowded train in the rain, I realize that I really haven’t got much to complain about. I find a CD which will start me thinking, turn it up really loudly and begin another picture.

1. In the passage the writer is trying to ________.

A. encourage readers to work at home

B. explain why he decides to be an artist

C. describe his working life

D. show how he begins a picture

2.What does the writer like about his working life?

A. He has plenty of opportunities for sport.

B. He can do things without being told by others.

C. He needn’t work in the morning.

D. He has a comfortable place to work in.

3.The writer plays loud music because ________.

A. the traffic outside is noisy

B. it helps him to have ideas

C. it prevents him from feeling bored

D. he doesn’t want to hear the doorbell

4.Which of these notices would be the most useful for the writer to put on his door?

A. I’m working — please don’t disturb.

B. Please knock before entering.

C. I’m listening to music — join me.

D. Come in and have a chat.

Deserts are found where there is little rainfall or where rain for a whole year falls in only a few weeks' time. Ten inches of rain may be enough for many plants to survive (存活)if the rain is spread throughout the year, If it falls within one or two months and the rest of the year is dry, those plants may die and a desert may form.

Sand begins as tiny pieces of rock that get smaller and smaller as wind and weather wear them down. Sand dunes (沙丘) are formed as winds move the sand across the desert. Bit by bit, the dunes grow over the years, always moving with the winds and changing the shape. Most of them are only a few feet tall, but they can grow to be several hundred feet high.

There is, however, much more to a desert than sand. In the deserts of the southwestern United States, cliffs (悬崖) and deep valleys were formed from thick mud that once lay beneath a sea more than millions of years ago. Over the centuries, the water dried up. Wind, sand, rain, heat and cold all wore away at the remaining rocks. The faces of the desert mountains are always changing –-very, very slowly ---as these forces of nature continue to work on the rock.

Most deserts have a surprising variety of life. There are plants, animals and insects that have adapted to life in the desert. During the heat of the day a visitor may see very few signs of living things, but as the air begins to cool in the evening, the desert comes to life. As the sun begins to rise again in the sky, the desert once again becomes quiet and lonely.

1.Many plants may survive in deserts when__________________.

A. it is dry all the year round

B. the rain falls only in a few weeks

C. there is little rain in a year

D. the rain is spread out in a year

2.Sand dunes are formed when___________________.

A. sand piles up gradually

B. there is plenty of rain in a year

C. the sea has dried up over the years

D. pieces of rock get smaller

3.The underlined sentence in the third paragraph probably means that in a desert there is____________.

A. too much sand

B. more sand than before

C. nothing except sand

D. something else besides sand

4.It can be learned from the text that in a desert____________.

A. there is no rainfall throughout the year

B. life exists in rough conditions

C. all sand dunes are a few feet high

D. rocks are worn away only by wind and heat

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a quality that is difficult to possess. When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your hate. However, forgiveness is possible, and it can be surprisingly beneficial to your physical and mental health. People who forgive show less sadness, anger and stress and more hopefulness, according to a recent research.

1. Try the following steps:

Calm yourself. 2. You can take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, or someone you love.

Don’t wait for an apology. Many times the person who hurt you does not intend to apologize. They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same way.

3. Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean becoming friends again with the person who upset you.

Take the control away from your offender(冒犯者). Rethinking about your hurt gives power to the person who caused you pain. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you.

4. If you understand your offender, you may realize that he or she was acting out of unawareness, fear, and even love. You may want to write a letter to yourself from your offender’s point of view.

Don’t forget to forgive yourself. 5. But it can rob you of your self-­confidence if you don’t do it.

A. How should you start to forgive?

B. Why should you forgive?

C. Try to see things from your offender’s angle.

D. Recognize the benefits of forgiveness.

E. For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge.

F. If you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting an awfully long time.

G. To make your anger die away, try a simple stress­management technique.

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