湖北省鄂东南省级示范高中教育教学改革联盟校2017-2018学年高二下学期英语期中考试试卷

I received a devastating（毁灭性的）blow to my self-confidence in the first interview of my college years. I1to be a host in our Student Acting Troupe and felt 2 that I would be accepted. But one of the panel members told me, "You seem inadequate and you are a little vertically（垂直地）challenged." My life has never been3 since. I used high heels to make up for my4and psychological strategies and tricks to5 my lack of confidence. But no matter how hard I tried to6 the part, there was still something 7.

    As president of English Club, I organized the rehearsal of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for an English party8 we could not find an actor to be the dwarf. It had to be someone who was humorous9and fluent in English. Suddenly, all eyes turned to me, and I knew I would have to be dwarf. To my surprise and delight, once 10I was totally11 in the performance and my humorous nature was put to full use. As the dwarf, I was a big12.

    Yes, each of us is only one among millions of people, but each of us is an individual and each of us is 13 Cultivating（培养）our individuality will 14 our life, making it a kaleidoscope（万花筒）of new colors and textures.

    A world lacking 15would be a boring place. The real16 is not being short or shy or ugly, but having your17 lost in a world in which everyone is a (n)18 of a model, a cool boy or a flawless charming girl.

    Given a choice, I would rather be19than live in such a world. I'd rather be a genuine dwarf accompanying a Snow White than be a Snow White among nothing but Snow Whites. I would rather be myself. I would20 my individual and unique colors to the more diverse universe. Please, be yourself!

Noticeboard

    We always knew our daughter Kendall was going to be a performer of some sort. She entertained people in our small town by putting on shows on our front porch when she was only three or four. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and beautiful, she sang like a little angel.

    When Kendall was five, we began to notice that she was blinking a lot and clearing her throat frequently. We took her to our local children's hospital where she was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome.

    It was pretty devastating（毁灭性的）because other children constantly made fun of her, and sadly, even a teacher teased her. Through all this, Kendall continued to sing and entertain. Remarkably, her tics disappeared when she sang.

    In 2005 when Kendall was sixteen, we thought she was pretty much out of the woods -- or at least heading in that direction. However, a freak accident happened.

    At a birthday party, Kendall hopped on a friend for a piggyback ride. Kendall flew over his back and landed on the cement floor -- on her neck. An ambulance rushed her to the hospital where she spent the next week, paralyzed from the neck down. Ironically, her biggest concern wasn't whether she would walk again, but whether she would be able to audition（试唱）for American Idol.

    Doctors said Kendall had central cord syndrome. Sometimes the pain was so unbearable that she had to bite down on a toothbrush to take her mind off it. As the days dragged on, we didn't know for sure how much of her movement would ever come back.

    I believe Kendall wanted the American Idol audition so much that she willed herself to move again. One of her friends brought a microphone to the hospital and put it on her bed. Every day, Kendall tried hard to pick it up with her right hand. It was more important for her to pick up that microphone than a spoon or fork.

    Sometimes we all cried because of the pain we witnessed. But on the day Kendall walked into the stadium to audition for American Idol – a mere three months after her accident -- we cried tears of joy. And our tears turned into shouts when she was given a golden ticket to Hollywood.

    Kendall is eighteen now, living every day to its fullest. She's recorded a CD with some of John Mellencamp's band members. I'm absolutely sure she's going to make it big some day. Kendall just puts it all in God's hands.

    When she was a little girl trying hard to be strong, she looked up at me, her big eyes brimming with tears, and asked me why she had to have Tourette's Syndrome. My heart ached to make the word right for my child. But I looked right back at her and told her the truth as I see it.

    “Kendall, God gave you a pure heart, an angelic voice, a strong mind, and a beautiful presence. With all of that, he had to make it fair for everyone else.”

    We've all experienced that feeling that comes when your phone makes a sound to tell you that its battery level is low. It often comes at the worst times – when you're out on a trip and don't have a charger, or when you're expecting an important phone call.

    Indeed, this feeling is so common that South Korean electronics manufacturer LG has given it a name: low battery anxiety.

    According to a survey of 2,000 US adults conducted by the company last year, 90 percent of respondents said that they panic if their battery level reaches 20 percent or lower.

    And last month, UK telecommunications service provider 02 found that around 15.5 million Britons live in “constant fear” of their mobile phones running out of power, according to a survey by the company.

    “The problem is not about being unable to make calls, but is rooted in the fact that smartphones are now where we store digital memories,” noted the Daily Mail.

    However, battery worries don't just affect smartphone lovers. Many owners of electric vehicles also suffer from so-called “range anxiety”. This refers to the concern that the vehicle may not make it to its destination before the power runs out.

    Meanwhile, it isn't just low power that people worry about. A study carried out by South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University and China's City University of Hong Kong found that many of us also worry about not having constant access to our phone.

    This condition is known as nomophobia, short for “no mobile phone phobia（恐惧症）”. Symptoms include feeling uncomfortable when access to one's phone isn't possible, being unable to turn off your phone, and constantly topping up the battery to make sure it never dies.

    So, why do so many people treat their smartphone with such importance? The underlying reason may be that they keep us connected to the people around us, and if we're unable to use our phone, we feel like we're cut off from our social life.

    With products with bigger batteries being released all the time though - such as Xiaomi's Mi Max smartphone range or Tesla's Model S cars – battery anxiety may hopefully soon be a thing of the past.

    The 90-minute documentary, Amazing China, which is co-produced by China Central Television and China Film Corp, opened in theaters nationwide on Friday.

    The film focuses on the major achievements the country has made since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012 under Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era（时代）.

    The documentary focuses on key Chinese infrastructure（基础设施）projects in aerospace, high-speed rail, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the world's largest single-dish telescope FAST.

    The documentary also informs viewers that seven of the world's 10 biggest sea ports are now in China. And that the country now has the longest high-speed rail network in the world.

    Speaking of the significance of the new documentary for the Chinese, La Peikang, the head of China Film Corp, says: “It's not only about showing the achievements, but presenting the status quo of China.

    “The film will help people to know our country better. The moving stories behind the Chinese miracles reflect the people's endeavors and spirit.”

A good documentary is usually a vivid portrayal（描绘）of individual stories rather than slogans, and Amazing China is no exception.

    One of the most touching moments in the film is probably footage from an interview of Nan Rendong, often called the “father of FAST”.

    Amazing China also focuses on common people.

    In the film, you see a young Tibetan woman volunteering in rural areas to help people poverty.

    The movie shows that their work is not easy, but their spirit and unwavering belief make it possible to achieve their targets. And, they are just representative of the many Chinese who work as hard.

    China is the world's second-largest economy. But the country still faces “the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life”, as stated in the CPC's 19th National Congress in November. However, as this cinematic production proves, the documentary is a good way for country to boost self-confidence and to aspire for a brighter future.

    A great life doesn't happen by accident. It is the result of allocating（分配）your time, energy, thoughts, and hard work towards what you want your life to be. Stop setting yourself up for stress and failure, and start setting up your life to support success and ease. It is the result of using what you get in a creative and thoughtful way, instead of just what comes next

    S – Simplify. A great life is the result of simplifying your life. People often misinterpret what simplify meansWhen you focus on simplifying your life, you free up energy and time for the work that you enjoy and the purpose for which you are here. In order to create a great life, you will have to make room for it in yours first.

    E – Effort. A great life is the result of your best effort. Creating it requires that you make some adjustments. It may mean re-evaluating how you spend your time, or choosing to spend your money in a different way. Life will reward your best effort.

    C – Create priorities（首要事情）. A great life is the result of creating priorities. instead of intentionally using the time, energy and money you have in a way that's important to you. Focus on removing the obstacles that get in the way of you making sure you are honoring your priorities.

    R – Reserves. A great life is the result of having reserves—reserves of things, time, space, energy, and money. Reserves are important because they reduce the fear of consequences, and that allows you to make decisions based on what you really want instead of what the fear decides for you.

    E – Eliminate distractions（使人分心的事）. A great life is the result of removing distractions. Find ways to free up your mental energy for things that are more important to you.

    T – Thoughts. A great life is the result of controlling your thoughts so that you accept and allow for the possibility that it actually can happen to you!Motivated people have specific goals and look for ways to achieve them. Believing there is a solution to the same old problems you encounter year after year is vitally important to creating a life that you love.

    S – Start. A great life is the result of starting. Don't wait for a raise, or until the kids get older. Today, right now, is the right day to start to take a step in the direction of your heart's desires. It's what you do TODAY that will make a difference in your life tomorrow.

A. Keeping it simple is a fashionable way of life now

B. Now please use “secrets” to fit your own needs and style, and start creating your own great life today

C. Up to 75% of your mental energy can be tied up in things that that are draining and distracting you

D. Your belief in the outcome will directly determine how successful you are

E. It's not a way to remove work from your life

F. Concentrating on your priorities is the key to success

G. It's easy to spend your days just responding to the next thing that gets your attention

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（Λ），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用（\）划掉。

修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

    Everyone has a dream. We are on the way to achieve it whether the way is smooth or tough. As a Senior 3 student, I have a same dream as my classmates I can be admitted to an ideal university. In the past three years, I had done everything I can to equip myself with what I have learnt from my teachers. Not only have I enjoyed the pleasure of study but also I have got father to my dream. Anxiety and pressure did discourage from me at time. Moreover, with the encouragement of my teachers and classmates, I think they will make it.

    I'm sure that there is still a long way to go to achieve my dream. No matter how challenging it is, I'll make it come true. As a proverb saying, “Where there is a will, there's a way.”

    Today, with most of us(own) a smartphone that lets us post to social media wherever and whenever we want, oversharing has become (hard) to avoid the tricky thing is people usually don't realize they(overshare) when they post information on the Internet. The problem can only(bring) to light by our friends and family.

    A survey showed that every twothree people in the US think their friends share too much on social media.

    Oversharing can have (apparent) negative impacts. For starters, a leak（泄露）of personal information may put your bank account at risk. Plus, It may also jeopardize（危及）your current or future job if you, for example, trash-talk your(employ) on social media or write about how you got  (drink) during office time.

注意：1）词数100左右；

2）文章开头已经给出，不计入总词数。

Dear friends,

    It's my honor to be here to share my opinion on how to help disabled people.