Listening to music can help me focus better. Since I discovered it two years ago，I've used music to get through boring work or to focus creatively. I've found that it can make even the dullest jobs enjoyable and help clear mental blocks to creativity.

I first noticed the good effects of music while playing video games. It was a few days before Christmas in 2005 and I was playing online video games. My parents had just given me a new MP3，so I decided to listen to music through the headphones while I played. After a few minutes I noticed a great change in my style of play. I was playing more naturally. The music relaxed me，and，to a certain extent，distracted me from the game，allowing my subconscious(潜意识的)talent to come through. The music also helped me block out the outside world. With those headphones on I was like a machine，moving from one task to the next without unnecessary thoughts or actions.  

Music can also have a great effect on mood. If I'm in a bad mood at work，I'll listen to some of Bob Marley's and get down to business. It always takes my mind off what I'm doing and makes me a happier person. The same is true for classic rock. One summer，I did a boring job collecting bottle openers by hand. Without a radio playing classic rock in the background，I would have hated life.

Listening to music with relaxing rhythms and a positive message helps you forget your work and think happy thoughts. But the results you see will depend heavily on your personal tastes. Experiment with the types of music you listen to during certain tasks. By trial and error you'll finally discover your best choice.

I'm always looking for new concentration aids，so I'd love to know what type of music works best for me.

1.We can infer that the passage was written in ________.

2.The author first discovered the effects of music ________.

3.The author mentions the experience of collecting bottle openers in Paragraph 3 to ________.

I believe that families are not only blood relatives, but sometimes people who show up and love you when no one else will.

In May 1977, I was living in a Howard Johnson’s motel off Interstate 10 in Houston. My dad and I 21 a room with two double beds and a bathroom which was too 22 for a 15-year-old girl and her father. Dad’s second marriage was 　23 and my stepmother had 　24 us both out of the house the previous week. Dad had no　 25_ what to do with me. And that’s when my other family 　26 .

Barbara and Roland Beach took me into their home 　27　 their only daughter, Su, my best friend, asked them to. I 　28 with them for the next seven years.

Barb washed my skirts the same as Su’s. She 　29 I had lunch money, doctors’ appointments, help with homework and nightly hugs. Barbara and Roland attended every football game where Su and I were being cheerleaders. 30 I could tell, for the Beaches there was no 31 between Su and me; I was their daughter, too.

When Su and I 32 college they kept my room the same for the entire four years I attended school. Recently, Barb presented me with an insurance policy they bought when I first moved in with them and had continued to pay on for 23 years.

The Beaches knew 33 about me when they took me in – they had heard the whole story from Su. When I was seven, my mother died and from then on my father relied on other people to _34 his kids. Before I went to live with the Beaches I had believed that life was entirely 　35__ and that love was shaky and untrustworthy. I had believed that the only person who would take care of me was me.

36 the Beaches, I would have become a bitter, cynical (愤世嫉俗的) woman. They gave me a(n) 37 that allowed me to grow and change. They kept me from being paralyzed(使瘫痪 ,使麻痹 ,使无能力)by my _38　 , and they gave me the confidence to open my heart.

I 　39 family. For me, it wasn’t the family that was there on the day I was 　40　 , but the one that was there for me when I was living in a Howard Johnson’s on Interstate 10.

16．A. lived　　 B. shared 　　 C. possessed　　　　 D. bought

17．A. cheap　　 B. noisy　　　 C. small　　　　　　 D. limited

18．A. in trouble B. in sight 　　 C. in place 　 D. in parts

19．A. struck　　　　 B. removed　 C. kicked 　　 D. knocked

20．A. plan　　　　 B. choice 　　　 C. chance 　　 D. idea

21．A. looked after　 B. showed up　　 C. turned over 　　 D. came cross

22．A. so　　　　　 B. because　　　 C. until 　　　　 D. while

23．A. worked　　　 B. traveled　　　 C. lived 　　　　 D. learned

24．A. worked out　　 B. called up　　 C. watched out　　　 D. made sure

25．A. As long as B. As far as　　 C. As soon as 　　　 D. As many as

26．A. change 　　 B. problem 　 C. conflict 　 　　D. difference

27．A. set off　　　　　 B. left for　　　　 C. entered into 　　 　　　 D. admitted into

28．A. all 　　 B. little 　 C. something D. nothing

29．A. supply B. teach C. encourage D. raise

30．A. different 　 B. unfair 　　　 C. easy　　 　　　 D. hopeful

31．A. Thanks to B. In spite of C. Except for 　　　 D. But for

32．A. home 　　　 B. house 　　　 C. ability 　　　 　　D. lesson

33．A. choice 　　 B. failure 　　　 C. past　 　　 　　D. present

34．A. doubt about 　　 B. call on 　　 C. center on　　 D. believe in

35．A. born B. accepted 　 C. educated　　 D. deserted

完形填空 （共15小题； 每小题2分，满分30分）

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从下列各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该题涂黑。

I climbed the stairs slowly，carrying a big suitcase，my father following with two more. By the time I got to the third floor，I was　1　and at the same time feeling lonely. Worse still，Dad　2　a step and fell，sending my new suitcases 　3　down the stairs. “Damn!”he screamed，his face turning red. I knew trouble was ahead. Whenever Dad's face turns red，　4　！

How could I ever　5　him to finish unloading the car without screaming at me and making a scene in front of the other girls，girls I would have to spend the rest of the  6  with？Doors were opening and faces peering out(探出)，as Dad walked with difficulty close behind. I felt it in my bones that my college life was getting off to a(n)　7　start.

“Enter the room quickly，”I thought. “Get him into a chair and calmed down.” But then again，would there be a chair in Room 316？Or would it be a(n)　8　room？

Finally I turned the key in the lock and   9   the door open，with Dad still   10    about a hurting knee or something. I put my head in，　11　the worst. But to my　12　，the room wasn't empty at all！It had furniture，curtains，a TV，and even paintings on the walls.

And there on a well­made bed sat Amy，my new roommate，dressed neatly. Greeting me with a nod，she said in a soft voice，“Hi，you must be Cori.” Then，she　13　the music and looked over at Dad. “And of course，you're Mr.Faber，”she said，　14　.“Would you like a glass of iced tea？”Dad's face turned 15　 less red before he could bring out a “yes.”

I knew then that Amy and I would be friends and my first year of college would be a success.

   A week ago, I had the great pleasure of reading an e-book, When Money Talks, Listen! By Rich Ezzo. It took only about an hour to read.

   When I first received a copy, I thought it was a Get Rich Quick type of publication. Nothing is wrong with Get Rich Quick, but my mind just doesn’t chase after dreams of wealth. I think that if God ever wants me to be rich, he knows where to find my purse.

   When I began reading When Money Talks, Listen!, I was overjoyed to find that Rich Ezzo isn’t money hungry either. He, too, is hungry far more important than money.

Since I love this e-book so much, why wait a week to write the review? Simple. I wanted to see if the effect it had on me was a keeper. After reading the last word of the e-book, I totally agreed with the subtitle which promised to forever change the way we thought about money. I had so many thoughts running around my mind that I had to install(安装) a stoplight to stop some while others made their way into the picture, then I yielded(让路) them as a few ones arrived in town. I had a mental traffic jam, which only goes to show how slow the traffic usually is. 

   It has been a week and the effect is the same. I truly do look at money differently and have even done a few things differently this week. This is an e-book you’ll want to read, I promise. I often recommend books to my daughter, and this is one that I didn’t just “suggest”---I left it open at the bottom of the computer and told each one, “Read it, you’ll love it.”

   I would never point someone in a direction I wouldn’t go myself. I urge you to visit the author’s website, Myster Money, and to download the e-book. You won’t regret it.

The author wrote this passage to _________　

A. strongly recommend an e-book.

　B. show the author's attitude to money.

　C. introduce the general idea of an e-book.

　D. point out Rich Ezzo isn't money hungry.

According to the passage, a Get Rich Quick type of publication ______.

A. is what the author really cares for

B. deals with how to make money

C. is also an e-book written by Rich Ezzo

D. is more popular than e-books

The author didn't write the review as soon as he finished reading the book because________.

　A. he was too excited to write anything

　B. he was not sure whether he did well

　C. he had to wait for Rich Ezzo's permission

　D. he wondered if the book would have long influence on him

By saying the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4, the author probably __________.

　A. shows that the book brought him many new thoughts

　B. shows how bad the traffic is in town

　C. describes the difficulty in understanding the book

　D. explains it's hard to change one's attitude to money

Which of the following is supported by the passage?

  A. The author had known Rich Ezzo before.

　B. The author hasn't dreamed of getting rich immediately.

　C. The author always prefers e-books to paper books.

　D. The author likes Get Rich Quick-type of publications.

完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）
When Wilson got to the airport, 36 flight was already being called 37 the loudspeakers. The day before he had given up his 38 for a morning flight and had booked（预定）an afternoon 39 instead. He had to go to the reservations（预定）desk to collect his 40ticket.
　　He apologized for being 41.The reservations clerk（预订票的职员）smiled and began to look through the reservations in front of her. Then her 42 disappeared and 43 began to look 44 .
　　“Your ticket doesn’t seem to be here, ” she said. “Let me check it with the computer. ”The　45 clicked（滴答声）and whirred（飕飕声）and 46 began to flash 47 , his flight was called a second time. Wilson became very 48 .  49 the girl looked 50 .
　　“There’s been a mistake. Your new ticket was sent to you by post. That’s why it isn’t here”, she said. 51 took her only a 52 time to write 53 a new one. Wilson managed to catch the plane just before it took 54 . “What a way to start a 55 !” he thought.