山东省菏泽市2017-2018学年高二下学期英语（A版）期中考试试

    Albert Einstein said, "In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. Once1 such opportunities are like 2diamonds hidden in the sand.

    Several years ago I spoke at church about how we are surrounded by "3" if we could only4them. A man stopped by to5me. I remembered him6somebody who had7through a painful divorce and was examining his life's priorities (优先). He put out his hand which8a small, plastic gem stone.

    "I stepped on this gem stone9I was leaving church last Sunday," he explained.

"It became 10 in the sole(底) of my shoe. You had spoken about recognizing11—- diamonds.I put the plastic stone in my pocket to12me to look for those diamonds that I need."

"I have been trying to13my business," he continued. "On Monday morning, a man stopped by14seemed interested in15some of my goods in stock. I thought, here's my diamond —- don't let it16! I sold the entire stock to him by noon."

    "Now," he said through a17smile, "my next diamond is to find a new18!"

Not long afterward, he did find a new —- and better —- job. He decided to19his gem stone with him from then on as a reminder to look for diamonds as he digs through the20of life.

    North America tours

    Tour North America and discover how the New World became the culturally diverse civilization it is today: the world's greatest melting pot is in your own backyard.

Boston: Colonial History

    Days: 4

    Get your walking shoes ready to follow the footsteps of the American Founding Fathers in Boston. Journey through the landmarks of the American Revolution in this historical city by walking down the Freedom Trail with a Colonial tour guide. Get out of the city with detours to Salem. Lexington, Concord and Plymouth, where you will see where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired.

Civil Rights in the South

    Days: 5

    Journey back to a time of revolution and brotherhood in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. Follow the path of the marches through Atlanta, Montgomery and Birmingham, as well as the town of Selma, where a peace l protest erupted into what is now called" Bloody Sunday. "Pay respect to the key contributors to civil rights by visiting the Rosa Parks Museum and the home and church of the most famous civil rights activist of them all. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

    IL MUNC in Philadelphia

    Days: 4

    The Ivy League Model UN Conference (ILMUNC) is known as a unique educational experience for its focus on international affairs and networking. Students from across the continent will come together to debate and discuss pressing global issues as UN delegates. You can also explore some of downtown Philadelphia's finest attractions including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Liberty Bell. Independence Hall before or after the conference.

    Quebec City &Montreal Four Day Spring Tour

    Days: 4

    Montreal and Quebec City are two of the most diverse, beautiful and exciting travel destinations in Canada. Your tour through Quebec's Upper Town includes the beautifully lit National Assembly, Dufferin Terrace, and Chateau Frontenac. Walk along the 17^th-century cobblestone streets of Lower Town, then continue on to Montreal for a visit to Mont Royal, which boasts breathtaking views from the highest point in the cit.

    It had coaster brakes and only one gear (齿轮). My two older brothers used it before me. The twenty-inch, black frame showed its age. It was scratched and nicked from years of use, but I didn't care. It was mine now.

My tricycle stood by the front steps of our house—-forgotten. In the front yard. I held the handlebars, swung my right leg over and settled myself onto the seat. My legs weren't long enough for both to touch the ground at the same time. I leaned to one side one foot supported me, I looked around, made sure no one was watching and kicked off My feet reached for the pedals and began to pump.

    After a few wobbly (不稳定的))yards, I fell off, and landed on my shoulder in the grass. I jumped up, brushed myself off, got back on and fell again.

    A week later, I rode in circles around the yard. Always to the left, I didn't wobble or fall. I was steady as I followed the beaten trail ['d created in the grass. I was free and I was flying.

    “Michael!” Mum called. ‘Supper is read!'

     I turned toward the front steps, wobbled and fell to the ground. I didn't know how to go straight or to the right. I'd learned to travel in circles to the left.

A year later, I was bicycling all around the neighbourhood. At twenty years old, I left home and cried. It was a lonely time in my life. Mum wasn't there It was time to learn how to turn again. I married and became a Dad —- I stumbled（跌跌撞撞）. There was someone else to think about new turns to stumble through.

    Each time I fell. I got up, brushed myself off and turned around the obstacle (障碍). Each time I think I'm on a straight road, life throws a turn in front of me. I may fall, but I always climb back on my seat.

    More and more people in America are celebrating the Indian holiday Diwali. Diwali is Hindi for “row of lights.” It is the most important holiday in India.

    Many people around the world are beginning to celebrate it as well. The United States is one of the places where the festival is becoming more common. Diwali celebrations can now be found at American landmarks like Disney land in California and New York City's Times Square. They are also held in many parks and museums.

    Neeta Bhasin created the Times Square event. She said Indian immigrants (移民) have found great success in America. But, she said, many Americans still do not know much about India. So, she decided to act. "I felt it's about time that we should take India to mainstream America and show India's rich culture, heritage, arts and variety to the world, "she said, "And I couldn't find a better place than the center of the universe: Times Square."

    Bhasin came to the United States from India 40 years ago. She is president of ASB Communications, the marketing firm behind Diwali at Times Square. Tens of thousands of people attend the event, now in its fourth year.

    In India, Diwali is a five-day harvest festival held just before the Hindu New Year. The exact dates change from year to year but Diwali is always in the fall. Celebrations include lighting oil lamps or candles called diyas. The lights represent "a victory of knowledge over ignorance, light over darkness, good over evil."

    A Diwali celebration will light up Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim this year. Visitors can watch performances of traditional Indian dances and take part in a Bollywood dance party. The event is part of a Festival of Holidays program at the theme park to show cultural traditions from around the world.

                                                Inventor Creates Wheels That Let Cars Roll in Any Direction

    Omnidirectional wheels have been around for a while, but they are mostly used on utility(实用的) vehicles like forklifts. London-based inventor William Liddiard has created a special set of all-around wheels that can be bolted on to any car, allowing it to move in any direction, spin 360 degrees and slide into a parallel park with ease.

    "Unlike other all-around capable wheels, my wheels do not require the vehicle to be built around them. This is a world first bolt-on application for anything with wheels." Liddiard wrote in the description of a You Tube video he uploaded to show how his invention works on an old Toyota Echo. "They are stronger, faster, and more accurately controlled than previous technology. They can take a beating. The tires can have the same build characteristics (siping, grooves, rubber compounds etc.) as regular tires. Now you can drive in all directions, and tum on the spot, when needed."

    While the "Liddiard Wheels" shown in the video are just proof of concept prototypes(原型机), they seem to work as described by the inventor. His car can be seen spinning in place and sliding from one side to the other as the tires move under the power of 24,000 pounds of torque (扭矩) applied directly to them.

    William is now hoping that the power of social media will help him get his invention out there and eventually team up with a company willing to help him improve the wheels and eventually bring them to the market.

    "Will a set of wheels make sideward parking an easy thing? Yeah, I'm pretty sure these things will be in high demand if they ever end up on the market." the inventor said confidently.

    Our character, basically, is made up of our habits. "Sow a habit, reap (收获) a character: sow a character reap a destiny (命运)," as the saying goes.

    Because they are often unconscious patterns, they constantly daily affect our character and produce our effectiveness or ineffectiveness.

    As Horace Mann, the great educator, once said, "Hahits are like a cable. We weave a rope of it every day and soon it cannot be broken. "Habits can be learned. But we know it isn't a quick fix.

    Many of us have watched the lunar voyage of Apollo 11.But to get there, those astronauts had to break out of the tremendous gravity pull of the earth. More energy was spent in the first few minutes of lift-off, than was used over the next several days to travel half million miles.

    Getting rid of bad habits really requires great willpower and some changes in our lives. Lift-off takes tremendous effort, but once we break out of the pull of gravity, we can enjoy great freedom.

    Like any natural force, gravity pull can work with us or against us. The gravity pull of some of our habits may currently be keeping us from going where we want to go. But it is also gravity pull that keeps our world together and keeps the planets in their orbits.We can use the gravity pull of habit to create the order necessary to establish effectiveness in our lives.

A. It involves a process and a great effort.

B. Habits are powerful factors in our lives.

C. Habits, too, have tremendous gravity pull.

D. It is a powerful force if we use it effectively.

E. We should try our best to get rid of our bad habits.

F. To break out of the pull of gravity needs great efforts.

G. We were surprised to see the first men walk on the moon.

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，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。

    My mother has always been a follower of traditional method when it comes to anything. She cooks traditionally food and likes the traditional way of shop. Therefore, now she always gets tiring when she goes out in the market. So one day I decide to introduce a new shop. I am talking about online gift stores. She has basic knowledge of computers. At the beginning, she was doubtful about shopping from these online gift shops.

    One day I taught him to buy some branded things so that she could build trust in these shops. I had ordered a Sisley handbag for her. Until then she has been shopping online.

    The nursing home invited me to play my violin for three (love) listeners I stopped in the room of the quiet and gentle woman, for whom I had played for two (time)before. She was sleeping but I set up anyway as I know she loves the violin. Her roommate was also with the health center forI volunteer and I asked if she wouldn't mind and maybe she would like it as well. She told me yes, please play but she was going to (weigh)soon. The weighing (take) about three minutes. My (sleep) beauty slept as I played and my other listener told me (repeated) how much she loved it and that I was just wonderful.

    It happened that another woman in the next door was sleeping lightly in front of her TV. She told me, " Why, sure, I would like music! Come on in!" Her TV and her room mate's TV (be) on (the room mate wasn't there). I played through it for one piece and asked if I could turn them offher. Oh please, she said. Whatdifference today!

1)建议礼物:旗袍和中国结;

2)说明选择礼物的原因;

3)表达祝福。

参考词汇: 1)旗袍: cheongsam  2)中国结: Chinese knot

要求：1)词数：100左右；

2)可合理增加细节，以使行文连贯。