The other day, while taking a drop-in art class, I had an experience that I don’t always have when I’m engaged in something creative. I was fully in the zone. My instructor even commented: “You’re on fire today.” Painting after painting was flying out of me. I felt free—a very unfamiliar feeling for me.
Class started off with quick thirty-second figure drawing, then we worked our way up to one-minute, and then finally four-minute sketches (素描). Ever since the instructor told me not to go over the same line twice, I’ve really struggled with finding my freedom in figure drawing. But that day I was completely free, and as a consequence, my line quality was much better. I felt completely unconcerned with what the teacher thought of my work. It was one of the most enjoyable creative experiences I’ve had.
Afterwards, I was reflecting on why this was such a pleasurable experience. This is how I always want to feel while creating.
I think this was so enjoyable because it was a drop-in class. Not a full course. Not to get a master’s degree. Therefore, I felt no responsibility for getting it right. I was able to take it less seriously and just have fun with it. And I wasn’t monitoring myself to make sure that I was improving.
If you practice at your chosen craft, you will improve over time. Worrying about whether you’re getting better doesn’t help you improve. It actually slows down your growth. Your intellect might think it’s helping out, but it’s actually slowing you down and making your creative process less fun. Eventually, there’s truth to the simple saying—practice makes perfect. Since there’s no perfection in the world of creativity, practice makes better.
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Create even though it won’t be perfect. Create because it won’t be perfect. Create even though it won’t be perfect. Create because it won’t be perfect. Create because your spirit needs to express itself. That is where the freedom is. That is where the joy is.
1. What does the underlined part in the first paragraph mean?| A．The author was very clever. | B．The author got a little bored. |
| C．The author made a wise choice. | D．The author devoted herself to her work. |
| A．She did what she liked. | B．She learnt the basic skills of sketching. |
| C．She had no inspiration to create works. | D．She couldn’t keep up with other students. |
| A．She focuses on gaining better drawing skills. |
| B．She has no sense of responsibility in her daily life. |
| C．She thinks joy mainly results in a person’s perfection. |
| D．She has found the reason for the pleasurable experience. |
| A．Practice makes perfect |
| B．Begin enjoying drop-in art classes |
| C．Try to find the key to successful work |
| D．Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】An eight-year-old girl heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only a very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money.
When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, “Only a miracle can save him now,” the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.
She hurried to a drugstore with the money in her hand.
“And what do you want?” asked the salesman.
“It’s for my little brother,” the girl answered. “He’s really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle.”
“Pardon?” said the salesman.
“My brother Andrew has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?”
“We don’t sell a miracle here, child. I’m sorry,” the salesman said with a smile.
“Listen, if it isn’t enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs.” said the girl.
A well-dressed man heard it and asked, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?”
“I don’t know,” she answered with her eyes full of tears. “He’s really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I have brought all my money.”
“How much do you have?” asked the man.
“$1.11, but I can try and get some more,” she answered.
“Well, what luck,” smiled the man.“$1.11, the price of a miracle for little brother.”[
He took up the girl’s hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”
That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn’t long before Andrew was home again.
How much did the miracle cost?
1. What was the trouble in the little girl’s family?| A．Miracle was hard to get in the drugstore. |
| B．They were poor and no one can lend them money. |
| C．Her brother was badly ill and her family couldn’t afford the operation. |
| D．Nothing could save her brother. |
| A．something interesting | B．some useful medicine |
| C．something beautiful. | D．some good food |
| A．she had still kept some money |
| B．she hoped not to be refused |
| C．There was no need to worry about money |
| D．she thought money was easy to get |
| A．The girl’s love for her brother. | B．The girl’s money. |
| C．The medicine from the drugstore. | D．Nobody can tell. |
| A．The salesman didn’t sell miracle to the girl |
| B．Andrew was in fact not so sick as they had thought |
| C．The little girl is lovely but not so clever |
| D．A miracle is sure to happen if you keep on |
【推荐2】My father died when I was nine, and I remember doing the household chores to help my mother. I hated changing the vacuum cleaner (真空吸尘器) bag and picking up things the machine did not suck up.
Twenty years later, in 1978, I was doing chores at home alongside my wife. One day the vacuum cleaner was screaming away, and I had to empty the bag because I could not find a replacement for it. With this lifelong hatred of the way the machine worked, I decided to make a bagless vacuum cleaner.
Easier said than done, of course. I didn’t realize that I would spend the next five years perfecting my design, a process that resulted in 5,127 different prototypes (设计原型). By the time I made my 15th prototype, my third child was born. By 2,627, my wife and I were really counting our pennies. By 3,727, my wife was giving art lessons for some extra cash, and we were getting further and further into debt. These were tough times, but each failure brought me closer to solving the problem.
I just had a passion for the vacuum cleaner as a product, but I never thought of going into a business with it. In the early 1980s, I started trying to get licensing agreements (许可协议) for my technology. The reality was very different, however. The major vacuum makers had built a business model based on the profits from bags and filters (滤网). No one would license my idea, not because it was a bad one, but because it was bad for business.
That gave me the courage to keep going, but soon after, the companies that I had talked with started making machines like mine. I had to fight legal battles on both sides of the Atlantic to protect the patents on my vacuum cleaner. However, I was still in financial difficulties until 1993, when my bank manager personally persuaded Lloyds Bank to lend me $1 million. Then I was able to go into production. Within two years, the Dyson vacuum cleaner became a best-seller in Britain.
Today, I still embrace risk and the potential for failure as part of the process. Nothing beats the excitement of invention. Go out and brainstorm your ideas. You are not bound to any rules — in fact, the stranger and riskier your idea, the better.
1. According to the article, which of the following statements about James Dyson is NOT true?| A．He lost his father during his childhood and lived with his mother. |
| B．He decided to develop an innovative vacuum cleaner for his wife while in his thirties. |
| C．He built over five thousand prototypes of the vacuum cleaner between 1978 and 1983. |
| D．The vacuum cleaner he reinvented became popular with British customers as soon as it arrived on the market. |
| A．in the carly 1980s |
| B．before he obtained a patent on the product |
| C．after his bank manager agreed to lend him $1 million |
| D．after he managed to get a S1 million loan |
| A．Dyson was a born businessman |
| B．Dyson's invention might have ended up in failure without his wife |
| C．Dyson had no confidence in his vacuum cleaner initially |
| D．Dyson's vacuum cleaner was never recognized by other vacuum makers |
| A．We are all failures — at least the best of us are. |
| B．The foundation stones for a success are honesty, faith, love and loyalty. |
| C．It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves. |
| D．The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. |
【推荐3】When you get stuck in a moment, you should remember that somewhere out there, someone always comes along with a pocket full of hope.
Yesterday I spent all my coins and dollar bills on little deeds. I had skipped breakfast because I got up late. Because of the mad rush, I forgot my lunch. When I was on my way to buy my lunch, a person in need asked me if I could spare him some cash, so I decided to lend him first.
So, then later in the evening, I was heading home anxiously awaiting dinner. However. I got a call from my mum saying that she was stuck working late and wouldn't be able to prepare dinner for me. Even though there was no food in the house, I told my mum not to worry as I could surely find myself something to munch.
While I was still processing this sudden set of changes in my food options for the day, I passed a young man with a broad smile handing out samples of crackers（饼干）at a supermarket. He gave me a packet and said, "How about you taking some more for school tomorrow?" In response to that, I returned a warm smile to him and opened up my bag. He gladly filled it with 20 packets. I was excited.
Whether you call it luck or fate, I just wanted to say that somewhere out there someone came along carrying a pocket of hope in his heart and shared a piece of it with me! Somebody out there will one day do the same for you!
1. The author anxiously went home for dinner because__________.| A．he didn't like the food in restaurants |
| B．he had had neither breakfast nor lunch |
| C．his mother promised to have dinner with him |
| D．his mother promised to prepare dinner for him |
| A．eat | B．buy |
| C．do | D．wear |
a. He lent money to a person in need.
b. He learnt he had to organize dinner by himself.
c. He went home hurriedly for dinner.
d. He got a lot of crackers.
e. He missed the breakfast.
| A．ebdac | B．eacbd |
| C．aedbe | D．edcab |
| A．advise people to help those in need |
| B．show that life is full of unexpected things |
| C．suggest people take three meals every day regularly |
| D．advise people to always be full of hope |
Oh, I had done the normal “motherly” things, like making sure my daughter got to ballet and gym lessons. I went to all of her recitals and school concerts, parent-teacher conferences and open houses alone. We suffered from my husband's rages(暴怒) when something was spilled(溢出) at the dinner table, telling her, “It will be okay, Honey. Daddy's not really mad at you.” I did all I could to protect her from hearing the awful shouting and complaints after he returned from a night of drinking. Finally I did the best thing I could do for my daughter and myself: I removed us from the home that wasn't really a home at all.
That day I became a mom was the day when my daughter and I were sitting in our new home having a calm, quiet dinner just as I had always wanted for her. We were talking about what she had done in school and suddenly her little hand knocked over the full glass of chocolate milk by her plate. As I watched the white tablecloth and freshly painted white wall become dark brown, I looked at her small face. It was filled with fear, knowing what the consequence of the event would have meant only a week before in her father's presence. When I saw that look on her face and looked at the chocolate milk running down the wall, I simply started laughing. I am sure she thought I was crazy, but then she must have realized that I was thinking, “It's a good thing your father isn't here!” She started laughing with me, and we laughed until we cried. They were tears of joy and peace and were the first of many tears that we cried together. That was the day we knew that we were going to be okay.
Whenever either of us spills something, even now, seventeen years later, she says, “Remember the day I spilled the chocolate milk? I knew you had done
1. What does the underlined part “the right thing” in the last paragraph refer to?
| A．Becoming a single mother. |
| B．Divorcing with her abusive husband. |
| C．Doing all the motherly things well and running the family. |
| D．Not blaming on her daughter’s spilling the chocolate milk. |
| A．The author had suffered from an unfortunate marriage for a long time. |
| B．All the things the author did were to protect her daughter |
| C．The author hadn’t been a mother until she removed from her marriage. |
| D．Both the author and her daughter were frightened at the husband and father. |
| A．Because it was a thorough relief after they had suffered too much. |
| B．Because they were actually crazy. |
| C．Because they wouldn’t see the abusive man any more. |
| D．Because spilling the chocolate milk on the wall was really funny. |
| A．How To Be a Better Mon? | B．The Day I Became a Mom |
| C．A Thing Happened 17 Years Ago | D．Survive an Abusive Marriage |
The only advantage of this job was receiving a wage at the end of the week and sometimes getting clothes for free if they were to my taste. I carried on doing this for only a year, as my studies at school were getting more serious and I wanted to study more to get the right grades.
After I had finished college, my first real job was working for a play publisher in central London. I remember writing a letter of application for the post of administration for Samuel French Limited. I had put so much effort into writing it, not realizing that this would be my first step in the process of finding out what I really wanted to do for my future employment. I didn’t think I would get the job, but as it turned out, I got a telephone call quickly and started a week later. I remember being excited that I would be working for a publisher in London. Although I had thought I would prefer to work for a book publisher, a play publisher was just as enjoyable.
Looking back now, not all first jobs turn out to be enjoyable. Some of my friends worked in supermarkets while they were at college just to earn a bit of money. I remember thinking how much happier I felt working in a clothes factory than in a supermarket.
Years later, I can see how good it is to experience work at an early age, as it gives people the opportunity to decide what kind of career will be most suitable for them one day. The boring task of a job will make a person want to pursue an education to get into the right type of employment, which was what I had realized in the end.
1. The author did her first job for only a year because _______.
| A．the clothes made there didn’t suit her taste |
| B．she really didn’t like such a boring job |
| C．she wanted to get the right grades at school |
| D．she didn’t get well paid at the end of the week |
| A．She was confident that she could get the first job. |
| B．She telephoned Samuel French Limited for a post. |
| C．She was aware of the importance of writing the application letter. |
| D．She used to think she would prefer to work for a book publisher. |
| A．took her first job in order to support her poor family |
| B．realized what her first job meant to her future employment |
| C．had a great interest in her first job in a clothes factory |
| D．thought her friends’ job in supermarkets was more interesting |
| A．My Experience in a Clothes Factory |
| B．The Qualities of a Play Publisher |
| C．Importance of Early Work Experience |
| D．The Secrets to Get the Right Grades |
【推荐3】Fifteen years ago, I loved going to the gym, but family life and work commitments meant I was finding it hard to get there. With the help of my dad and uncle, I built my own gym in the garden. It’s basically a beautified room with insulation (隔热层) and electries and a small heater for the winter. We built a corner desk too intending it to be for me to do the paperwork for my small business. However, the desk served its real purpose when I started my writing journey two years ago.
I’ve always had stories going through my mind. I could be out jogging and I’d lose myself playing out thoughts in my head like movie scenes. Once seen, they stay in there. I have trouble keeping other information, but when it comes to story ideas, they lock in. I have many full novel ideas in my head waiting to be written. When I was younger, I wasn’t brave enough to write. I didn’t do well in school and I’ve spent most of my life in physical work, so the idea of becoming a writer felt laughable.
I now know there isn’t a writer type; writers come in all forms. I still use the gym for its real purpose, but some of the equipment has been replaced by books and a small bed for the time when I want to relax and read. I like to have my desk looking colorful-some might say messy. My love for sport is clear to see, with photos around of my favorite boxers and the football team I follow. On the other hand, having my own writing room is important. Without it I wouldn’t be where I am now on my writing journey. It’s far from charming, but it is mine. It’s my happy place.
1. Why did the author build his own gym?| A．Because of his tight schedule. |
| B．Because of his small business. |
| C．Because of his poor financial condition. |
| D．Because of the encouragement of his family. |
| A．He was jogging for more ideas. |
| B．He got on well with his study at school. |
| C．He had the potential to become a writer. |
| D．He was confident about becoming a writer. |
| A．Reading and business. | B．Storing books and typing. |
| C．Relaxing and entertaining. | D．Writing and fitness. |
| A．Health. | B．Life. | C．Education. | D．Opinion. |
【推荐1】Rebecca Munkombwe, an 11-year-old girl from Zimbabwe, is regarded as a hero for saving a 9-year-old friend from the jaws of a crocodile by jumping or、the crocodile and gouging (挖) its eyes out.
According to Zimbabwean media, Rebecca and her friends had just got back from a swim in a stream near their home village when they heard the screams corning from the water. She was shocked to see her 9-year-old friend Latoya Muwani being dragged into the water by a crocodile. While all the other children were running scared, Rebecca ran toward the water, jumped on top of the crocodile and started beating it with her bare fists. However, that didn’t seem to bother the crocodile at all, so she then used her fingers to gouge its eyes out until it loosened its grasp of Latoya. Once she was free, Rebecca swam with her to the bank.
Surprisingly, the 11-year-old heroine managed to save her young friend without suffering any wounds, while Latoya was lucky to escape with just mild wounds that were later treated at a regional hospital. Latoya’s parents praised Rebecca’s courage and thanked her for saving their daughter’s life. “I was at work when I learnt that my daughter had been attacked by a crocodile while swimming. For a moment I thought of the worst before I learnt that she’d survived after being saved by Rebecca,” Latoya’s father, Fortune Muwani, said. “I don’t know how she managed to do that, but I’m grateful to her.”
Local authorities confirmed the crocodile attack, adding that the number of such incidents was increasing. Apparently, the lack of easily accessible water sources (水源) is forcing women and children to use unprotected sources like this crocodile-infested (遍布鳄鱼的) stream.
1. What made Rebecca Munkombwe a hero?| A．Her catching a crocodile hare-handed. |
| B．Her rescuing a drowning friend in time. |
| C．Her helping a friend out of deadly danger. |
| D．Her making friends with a wild crocodile. |
| A．Brave and smart. | B．Calm and careful. |
| C．Honest and considerate. | D．Courageous and patient. |
| A．He knew every detail about the rescuing process. |
| B．Latoya’s conditions were far better than expected. |
| C．Latoya’s being attacked by a crocodile sounded unbelievable. |
| D．He regretted not accompanying Latoya while she was swimming. |
| A．Because people have poor awareness of safety. |
| B．Because people enjoy getting close to animals in the wild. |
| C．Because people have little knowledge of accessible water sources. |
| D．Because people have to share limited water sources with wild animals. |
【推荐2】When the sun comes up over the castle of Rocca Calascio, a small mountain village high up in the Italian Apennines, it’s like a silent, magic wonderland. One such sunrise struck Franco Cagnoli with a spiritual calling that led him to go on a mission that affected both the village and him deeply.
Rocca Calascio has seen no resident since 1957. Depopulation of rural or mountain villages in Italy began with the resettlement of villagers in the early 20th century, accelerating after World War Two when people were attracted to urban jobs.
However, like many places, the area is enjoying a revival(复苏)and now home to some families. “To put it in romantic terms, there is a love story between me and the ancient building,” Cagnoli said as he showed visitors round the castle of Rocca Calascio. The castle, with foundations dating back about 1,000 years, is one of the highest in Europe. It began as a tower in a line of connected structures to control and protect the land that stretched inland from the Adriatic Sea.
Cagnoli, now 39, first saw Rocca Calascio when he was 16. He was on a road trip to find himself. “I arrived here as the morning sun lit up the castle. I was blinded by the light and since that day something inside me has changed,” he said. “I thought it was the most beautiful place. I felt special energies, deciding to help its rebirth.” He’s now the castle’s caretaker and head of a cooperative whose members guide visitors.
“Besides temporary visitors, the complete revival has much to do with permanent residents. People of the previous generation didn’t appreciate the land they lived on,” Valeria Befani, a resident in the village, said. “Today’s teenagers, like my children, are proud of their land and are happy if they can stay here.”
1. What inspired Cagnoli to help revive Rocca Calascio?| A．His trip to find himself. | B．The impressive scene of the village. |
| C．His love for ancient buildings. | D．The historical importance of the castle. |
| A．Its population loss speeded up. | B．It got left behind in economy. |
| C．Its buildings were damaged. | D．It was known by more people. |
| A．To attract people to visit. | B．To reduce attack from waves. |
| C．To strengthen coastal defense. | D．To protect the connected structures. |
| A．Views of different generations vary greatly. |
| B．Reviving Rocca Calascio has a long way to go. |
| C．Teenagers are proud of their hometown. |
| D．The future of Rocca Calascio is full of promise. |
You’ve been around forever. I can remember all the pain you’ve caused for me.
Do you remember the night you almost took my father’s life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He’s addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn't the only one hurt by you that night.
Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were intrigued by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. “I’m so embarrassed,”they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit . “I’m sorry,”they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. “This won’t happen again,”they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped. Two 15- year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you.
Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn't realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it’s all your fault.
I wish you’d walk out of my life forever. I don’t want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you’ve caused. Sure, you’ve made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you’ve caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring (引诱) in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please.
Sincerely, Anonymous
1. What did alcohol do to the author’s father?| A．It took his life away one night. |
| B．It helped to get rid of his problems. |
| C．It pushed him to hurt others when driving. |
| D．It got him seriously injured in a car accident. |
| A．were familiar with | B．were curious about |
| C．were disappointed with | D．were satisfied with |
| A．He drove to pick up his drunken sister. |
| B．His sister was to blame for the car accident. |
| C．He crashed into a car from the other direction. |
| D．His sister was too scared to look at the scene of the accident. |
| A．Critical. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Humorous |
