My faith in human nature has never been so great as it was last weekend after our family get-together in the town of Vail.
On Saturday, we all went to the market right in the middle of the town. Near the end, we all 11 at the fountain near the bridge, and the kids waded（蹚水）around in the fountain until we 12 . This is one of the busiest walking streets.
After we returned to the hotel late in the afternoon, my 7-year-old son Ponder 13 that nowhere could he find his backpack, which 14 his Gameboy and his watch. After a thorough 15 we determined that he must have left it at the fountain.
Ponder has never 16 anything. So we just take for granted that he needs no supervision（指导）for managing his 17 .
He was upset, not about the Gameboy, but about the watch. "But Dad," he said, through massive 18 , "they don't make that kind of watch anymore." We were all very 19 .
Our dinner reservation was at a restaurant just on the other side of the bridge, so I 20 him that we would not only search the area around the fountain when we went back for dinner, but we would also find the police and ask them if the backpack had been 21 .
As we exited from the parking garage, we could see the fountain as we walked down the long staircase. I saw something black 22 there, but it was right next to a woman standing by the fountain, so I could not 23 what it was or if it was hers.
"See it, Dad?" Ponder shouted. "Don't get too 24 because that may not be it," I said. But that was it. It had been five or six hours since we left the fountain, and it was 25 there. There was no ID in it, and it looked like someone had looked through it and then set it right out where all could 26 it.
I literally 27 when we reached it and it was his！Everyone in our party was blown away by this "miracle（奇迹）". In my wildest 28 , I would never have imagined that this could happen nowadays.
What a charmed life, eh? I believe this was a perfect 29 for a child in losing something important…to lose it and feel the full 30 of that loss, and then to miraculously get it back.
11．A．drove B．hiked C．met D．united
12．A．landed B．left C．settled D．slept
13．A．responded B．recognized C．realised D．recalled
14．A．contained B．combined C．comprised D．covered
15．A．preparation B．checkup C．revision D．search
16．A．wasted B．lost C．sough D．deserted
17．A．emotion B．time C．money D．stuff
18．A．tears B．fists C．reliefs D．outbreaks
19．A．hesitant B．curious C．sad D．eager
20．A．promised B．informed C．warned D．taught
21．A．worn out B．caught up C．put away D．turned in
22．A．hiding B．sitting C．swinging D．flowing
23．A．assess B．declare C．tell D．predict
24．A．excited B．puzzled C．relaxed D．amused
25．A．already B．even C．almost D．still
26．A．take B．see C．touch D．protect
27．A．panicked B．exploded C．collapsed D．cried
28．A．dreams B．claims C．efforts D．passions
29．A．mode B．lesson C．option D．plot
30．A．range B．pressure C．weight D．harvest
11．C
12．B
13．C
14．A
15．D
16．B
17．D
18．A
19．C
20．A
21．D
22．B
23．C
24．A
25．D
26．B
27．D
28．A
29．B
30．C
【分析】
这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了作者儿子丢失背包，五六个小时过后，背包在丢失的地方被找到了，这让作者真正意识到了人性信仰的伟大。
11．考查动词词义辨析。句意：快结束时，我们都在桥边的喷泉边集合，孩子们在喷泉里涉水，直到我们离开。A. drove开车；B. hiked徒步旅行；C. met遇见、集合；D. united团结。由上文的we all went to the market right in the middle of the town可知，作者一家去了市中心的集市，集市会很拥挤繁忙，作者一家人容易走散，所以约定好在桥边的喷泉边集合。故选C项。
12．考查动词词义辨析。句意：快结束时，我们都在桥边的喷泉边集合，孩子们在喷泉里涉水，直到我们离开。A. landed着陆；B. left离开；C. settled定居；D. slept睡觉。由上文的Near the end可知，作者一家要结束今天行程了，此处指孩子在喷泉里涉水，直到他们离开。故选B项。
13．考查动词词义辨析。句意：下午晚些时候我们回到酒店后，我7岁的儿子庞德意识到，他找不到他的背包，里面包含（装）着他的游戏机和手表。A. responded回答；B. recognized认出；C. realised意识到；D. recalled回忆。由下文的nowhere could he find his backpack和下文到处找背包可知，庞德意识到他找不到他的背包了。故选C项。
14．考查动词词义辨析。句意：下午晚些时候我们回到酒店后，我7岁的儿子庞德意识到，他找不到他的背包，里面包含（装）着他的游戏机和手表。A. contained包含；B. combined结合；C. comprised包括；D. covered覆盖。contain 指所涉及的物体常常是其组成部分或内容，强调包容关系，既可指具体有形的东西，也可指抽象无形的东西；comprise暗指一个整体包括不同部分所组成，强调“由许多部分构成一个整体”。由本处语境可知，庞德找不到他的背包，背包里包含他的游戏机和手表，背包和游戏机及手表不是一个整体，是包容关系，应用contain。故选A项。
15．考查名词词义辨析。句意：经过彻底搜查，我们断定他一定是把它落在喷泉边了。A. preparation准备；B. checkup检查；C. revision修订；D. search搜寻。由下文的we determined that he must have left it at the fountain可知，作者他们断定庞德一定是把它落在喷泉边了，说明他们肯定经过了彻底搜查。故选D项。
16．考查动词词义辨析。句意：庞德从未丢失过任何东西。A. wasted浪费；B. lost丢失；C. sough作沙沙声；D. deserted抛弃。由下文语境可知，作者他们认为庞德不需要人来监督管理自己的东西，是因为庞德从未丢失过任何东西，他们相信庞德，才不监督管理庞德的东西，前后句是因果关系。故选B项。
17．考查名词词义辨析。句意：所以我们就想当然地认为他不需要人来监督管理他的东西。A. emotion情绪；B. time时间；C. money金钱；D. stuff东西。由上文语境可知，庞德从未丢失过任何东西，作者他们相信庞德，所以他们才不监督管理庞德的东西。故选D项。
18．考查名词词义辨析。句意：“但是爸爸，”他流眼泪说，他们不再做那种手表了。A. tears眼泪；B. fists拳头；C. reliefs放松；D. outbreaks暴发。由上文的He was upset和下文的they don't make that kind of watch anymore可知，庞德很难过，因为这种手表不再生产，他难过的流眼泪了。故选A项。
19．考查形容词词义辨析。句意：我们都很伤心。A. hesitant犹豫的；B. curious好奇的；C. sad悲伤的；D. eager渴望的。由上文语境可知，庞德难过的流眼泪了，作为父母的作者，肯定也感到伤心。故选C项。
20．考查动词词义辨析。句意：我们预订的晚餐就在桥对面的一家餐馆，所以我承诺他，我们回去吃晚饭时，不仅要搜查喷泉周围的区域，而且还要找到警察，问他们背包有没有上交。A. promised承诺；B. informed通知；C. warned警告；D. taught教。由下文的we would not only search the area around the fountain when we went back for dinner, but we would also find the police and ask them if the backpack had been____11__可知，作者承诺了庞德他们会尽力寻找背包，不仅要搜查喷泉周围的区域，而且还要找到警察。故选A项。
21．考查动词短语辨析。句意：我们预订的晚餐就在桥对面的一家餐馆，所以我承诺他，我们回去吃晚饭时，不仅要搜查喷泉周围的区域，而且还要找到警察，问他们背包有没有上交。A. worn out磨损；B. caught up赶上；C. put away收起；D. turned in上交。由上文的but we would also find the police可知，作者找警察是想问有没有人把背包上交到警察局。故选D项。
22．考查动词词义辨析。句意：我看见一个黑色的东西被放在那里，但它就在一个站在喷泉旁边的女人旁边，所以我不知道那是什么东西，也不能分辨是不是她的。A. hiding躲藏；B. sitting被放在；C. swinging摇摆；D. flowing流动。由下文的it was right next to a woman standing by the fountain可知，黑色的东西在站在喷泉旁边的女人旁边，此处指一个黑色的东西被放在喷泉那儿。故选B项。
23．考查动词词义辨析。句意：我看见一个黑色的东西被放在那里，但它就在一个站在喷泉旁边的女人旁边，所以我不知道那是什么东西，也不能分辨是不是她的。A. assess评价；B. declare宣布；C. tell分辨；D. predict预料。由上文的it was right next to a woman standing by the fountain可知，被放在喷泉那儿的黑色的东西就在站在喷泉旁边的女人旁边，作者无法分辨黑色的东西是不是女人的。故选C项。
24．考查形容词词义辨析。句意：不要太激动，因为可能不是你的背包。A. excited兴奋的；B. puzzled困惑的；C. relaxed放松的；D. amused好笑的。由上文的"See it, Dad?" Ponder shouted可知，庞德看到一个黑色的东西被放在喷泉那儿，大叫起来，说明他很兴奋。故选A项。
25．考查副词词义辨析。句意：我们离开喷泉已经有五六个小时了，背包还在那儿。A. already已经；B. even甚至；C. almost几乎；D. still仍然、还。由下文的when we reached it and it was his可知，作者他们找到了背包，说明五六个小时过后，背包还在喷泉那儿。故选D项。
26．考查动词词义辨析。句意：里面没有身份证，看上去好像有人看过，然后把它放在所有人都能看到的地方。A. take拿；B. see看；C. touch摸；D. protect保护。由上文的There was no ID in it和then set it right out可知，包里没有身份证，有人把身份证放在外面，是为了让人看到，辨认身份。故选B项。
27．考查动词词义辨析。句意：我真的哭了，当我们到达它那里，黑色的东西是他的！A. panicked恐慌；B. exploded爆炸；C. collapsed坍塌；D. cried哭。由上文语境可知，作者从未相信人性信仰的伟大，发现五六个小时过后，背包还在喷泉那儿，没人拿走，这简直是个奇迹，作者感动得哭了。故选D项。
28．考查名词词义辨析。句意：在我最疯狂的梦里，我从来没有想到现在会发生这种事。A. dreams梦想；B. claims声明；C. efforts努力；D. passions热情。由上文语境和下文的I would never have imagined that this could happen nowadays可知，五六个小时过后，背包还在喷泉那儿，没人拿走，这简直是个奇迹，作者做梦都未想到这种事会发生。故选A项。
29．考查名词词义辨析。句意：我相信这是一个完美的教训，让孩子失去重要的东西……失去它，感受失去的全部重量，然后奇迹般地找回它。A. mode模式；B. lesson教训；C. option选择；D. plot情节。由下文语境可知，让孩子失去重要的东西，感受失去的全部重量，然后奇迹般地找回它，这可以给孩子一个教训（让孩子珍视自己拥有的东西）。故选B项。
30．考查名词词义辨析。句意：我相信这是一个完美的教训，让孩子失去重要的东西……失去它，感受失去的全部重量，然后奇迹般地找回它。A. range范围；B. pressure压力；C. weight重量；D. harvest收获。由上文语境可知，庞德丢失背包后，难过得哭了，说明这种失去的“重量”让他无法承受，所以他伤心。故选C项。
请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填1个单词。
Feeling extreme loneliness can increase an older person’s risk of premature (过早的)death by 14 percent, according to research by John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.
Cacioppo and his colleagues’ work shows that the impact of loneliness on premature death is nearly as strong as the impact of disadvantaged socioeconomic status, which they found increases the chances of dying early by 19 percent. A 2010 meta﹣analysis showed that loneliness has twice as much impact on early death as obesity does, he said.
The researchers looked at dramatic differences in the rate of decline in physical and mental health as people aged. Cacioppo and his colleagues have examined the role of satisfying relationships on older people to develop their resilience ([rɪˈzɪliəns] 快速恢复的能力；适应力), the ability to feel better quickly after something unpleasant, and grow from stresses in life.
The consequences for health are dramatic, as feeling isolated or separated from others can disturb sleep, elevate blood pressure, increase morning rises in the stress hormone cortisol ([‘kɔ:tɪsɒl] 皮质醇), change the gene expression in immune cells, increase depression and lower overall subjective well﹣being, Cacioppo pointed out in a talk, “ Rewarding Social Connections Promote Successful Aging.”
Cacioppo, one of the nation’s leading experts on loneliness, said older people can avoid the consequences of loneliness by staying in touch with former co﹣workers, taking part in family traditions, and sharing good times with family and friends ﹣ all of which give older adults a chance to connect with others about whom they care and who care about them.
”Retiring to Florida to live in a warmer climate among strangers isn’t necessarily a good idea if it means you are disconnected from the people who mean much to you,” said Cacioppo. Population changes make understanding the role of loneliness and health all the more important,he explained. “People have to think about how to protect themselves from depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death. “
Although some people are happy to be alone, most people develop from social situations in which they provide mutual support and establish a strong bond. Evolution encourages people to work together to survive and accordingly most people enjoy companionship compared to be alone.
It is not solitude (独处)or physical isolation itself, but rather the subjective sense of isolation that Cacioppo’s work shows to be so destructive. Older people living alone are not necessarily lonely if they remain actively engaged in social life and enjoy the company of those around them. Some aspects of aging, such as blindness and loss of hearing, however, place people at special risk of becoming isolated and lonely, he said.
| Passage outline | Supporting details |
| The main idea | Chances are that older people will die early if they feel extremely 51．. |
| 52． with loneliness | • Like disadvantaged socioeconomic status and obesity, loneliness can 53． old men’s premature death. • When 54． from others, one will find physical health impacted and tend to feel depressive and unhappy. |
| Suggestions | • Keep in touch with others and take part in 55． activities. • Choosing to live in a pleasant climate don’t necessarily make sense if the elder are disconnected from people who are 56． to them. • Think about how to57． depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death. • Work together with others to 58．, to gain mutual support and establish a strong bond. |
| Conclusions | • The sense of isolation, rather than solitude or physical isolation itself, isn’t 59．to elders. • Living alone doesn’t mean loneliness if older people live an 60． social life. |