17．
People Are More Important Than Things
　　When I was ten, my mother worked all day, so I had to take care of my younger brother. At that time, my little brother was about four years old and he missed mum (1)       .
　　One day, after I had given him his dinner, he started (2)       for mum. He was so young and really needed mum. So I dressed him, put on his shoes, carried him on my back and walked out. Soon he fell (3)       . About half an hour later, I found that he had lost a shoe while sleeping. I took him off my back and put him down. I knew we needed to find that shoe, for our mother couldn't afford (负担不起) new shoes. I had to go back to find it, so I told my brother to wait right there. A man heard it and stopped me just (4)       I walked off. He asked me, "You are leaving your brother here to find the shoe? What would you do if he is not here when you return?" I didn't know how to answer that question. He (5)      , "It's OK if you can't find the shoe, but it is not OK to lose your brother." Then he sent us to mum's workplace by taxi.
　　During my whole life I have depended on the kindness of many strangers, I feel sorry that I can't find them and say 'thank you'. I do not even remember what their faces (6)       , but they taught me a lesson — people are more important than things.

31．Choose the best answer. (选出最恰当的答案)
　　Mark Wellman began climbing mountains when he was 17 years old. He loved outdoor activities, and climbed most of mountains. Then in 1982, while going up a difficult mountain in North America, Mark fell 100 feet. He doesn't remember much about the accident, except that it was cold and he couldn't feel his leg.
　　As a result, Mark can no longer walk. To this day, however, he is still a mountain climber. He takes part in all the same activities he did before, and more besides. Nothing could stop him, not even losing his legs. Since the accident, he has climbed more than fifty high mountains around the world.
　　In addition to climbing, Mark has been on the United States disabled ski team. He has taken part in two Paralympics Games (残运会). He has made films about physically challenged (有挑战的) people enjoying outdoor sports, He has also written his own story in a book called Climbing Back. The book has given hope and courage (勇气) to thousands of people who are unable to walk.
　　Nowadays, Mark Wellman lives in California, where he runs a business called No Limits. He often travels around America and gives speeches about his experiences as a physically challenged person. He talks to all kinds of people. Mark tells his listeners that they can overcome any problem to realize their dreams.

32．Choose the words or expressions to complete the passage. (选择最恰当的单词或短语, 完成短文):
　　Have you ever had a day when everything seemed to be wrong, and nothing seemed to be right?Not too long ago I was having one of those days. I was sad and (1)      . My focus was on me. After all, no one else was experiencing the same problems as I was.
　　I expressed my sad state to my mother, hoping for some pity. (2)      , she said, "I heard Jamie was having a difficult day too. Why don't you make her some cookies and take them to her this afternoon?"
　　I didn't really want to, but (3)      that I didn't want to go back to my other problems just yet. I made the cookies and put them on a little plate. Then I made a card with a sunflower on it and wrote a small and sweet note.
　　That afternoon I visited my friend's house. I went to the door and rang the bell. Soon, Jamie came to the door and looked at me (4)       because she didn't expect my visit. Before she could say anything, I rushed, "I heard you were having a hard day and I made a decision to bring you something. I hope your day goes better." I couldn't describe the look that came over Jamie's(5)      properly. It was as if (好像) a dark sky suddenly shone with the golden rays (光线) of the sun;it was as if in that small act, her day became (6)      .
　　I got back into the car and for some amazing reason, I felt a lot better myself. That day I experienced the truth that "those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."

33．Read the passage and fill in the blanks with proper words. (在短文的空格内填入适当的单词, 使其内容通顺, 每空格限填一词, 首字母已给)
　　With so many things going on in your life and the pressure (压力) of work and society, you may start thinking it is not wise at all to start a hobby. But the reason that stops you from getting into a hobby is the s(1)      reason why you should surely take up a hobby.
　　Hobbies can r(2)       pressure. There is nothing wrong with focusing on your job. After all, it is your way of making money. H(3)      , when you focus on work too much, you may forget about other aspects (方面) of your life. That is when things start to go wrong. What you have to think about is this:even the richest people are not p(4)       with money or material things alone. We all need a space where we can become ourselves, without any pressure.
　　Hobbies can help recover (恢复) not only your p(5)       energy but also your emotional (情感的) energy. And that will be shown in all aspects of your life. Although you can relax by sleeping or doing nothing, a hobby has a different relaxing effect. Doing nothing can relax your tired b(6)      , but it is no solution to a tired mind. That is the big difference between the two.
　　A hobby is a great way to spend time on your enjoyment. But if you are thinking that a hobby is all about being quiet, then you are wrong. In fact, hobbies can also be h(7)       to your social skills. Hobbies can even help to expand (拓展) your network, and that can become an advantage to your job.

34．Answer the questions. (根据短文内容, 回答下列问题):
　　The British are known for their sense of humour. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to understand their jokes. The main point to remember is that the British often use understatement.
　　Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone gets very wet in a shower of rain, he might say, "It's a little damp (潮湿的) outside." Or, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, "She isn't exactly friendly." Understatement is often used in unpleasant situation or to make another person look silly. Understatement plays an important part in British humour.
　　Another key to understanding British humour is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others. They often laugh about the silly and unpleasant things that happen to our everyday life when someone accidently falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes about people from different classes of society. They like to make jokes about their accents, the way they dress and the way they behave. What's more, the British love to watch comedies about people who do not know how to behave in society. The comedies series Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humor.
　　Mr. Bean is the character created by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990. Mr. Bean doesn't talk often, and instead he uses his body movement and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world cannot do. Mr. Bean is popular in many countries round the world because you do not have to speak English to understand the humour. Because of this, many people have understood the British sense of humour.

35．Write at least 60 words about the topic "A special gift to . .. ". (以"一份给……的特殊礼物"为题写一篇不少于60个词的短文, 标点符号不占格．必须把题目补充完整．)
(注意:短文中不得出现考生的姓名、校名及其它相关信息, 否则不予评分．)
Use the following points as a reference. (以下问题仅供参考)
• What is your special gift?
• Who will you give it to?
• Why do you want to give him/her the gift?
(注意:短文中不得出现任何人名 、校名及其它相关信息, 否则不予评分．)