Last summer, I helped coach my son’s baseball team and came away with a better understanding of that quality we call “character”. However, when I first watched my team of 11-year-olds play baseball, my first impressions were not positive.
One player regularly left as soon as we started losing. He needed to develop a more optimistic mindset. Another player was overly focused on all our errors during the game. Other boys preferred to dig up the grass when they weren’t involved in the play. A lot of boys threw their baseball bats in frustration when they lost the catch.
While their baseball skills improved over time with more practice, there remained problems with the team members’ all-important character. Our team had a long way to go. For example, some boys were hard on those who made mistakes. Instead of being supportive or encouraging, they criticized or blamed each other.
I started one-on-one talks with each player to discuss things that I had noticed. Some of our conversations focused on technical things like holding the bat up higher or opening their eyes when making a catch. But most conversations were about staying positive and supporting each other. Slowly things began to change. The boys began to take responsibility for their play instead of blaming others for mistakes. They stayed optimistic even when losing. The team culture was improving.
Players began encouraging each other, high-fiving and supporting teammates even if they struck out. I was, however, especially pleased to see some of the boys taking leadership roles and having their own one-on-one talks with their teammates.
I don’t think I made huge progress in teaching the boys how to throw, catch or hit better, but I was pleased that our conversations around character led to something positive. Although we still lost games, our players had stronger characters. As for me, I gained significantly from the experience, too. My character was tested, specifically my patience and ability to remain calm. Next season, our characters will be tested again.
1. What did the author find when he started to coach the team?| A．The team’s atmosphere was bad. |
| B．The players disliked competing. |
| C．The team were totally out of control. |
| D．The players showed little interest in playing. |
| A．He organized a team discussion. |
| B．He appointed some player as the leaders. |
| C．He talked with each player individually. |
| D．He taught the boys key baseball techniques. |
| A．failed | B．improved | C．succeeded | D．upset |
| A．Selfless and devoted. | B．Patient and responsible. |
| C．Confident and ambitious. | D．Humorous and intelligent. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】In times of distress, a friend would always suggest going for a walk. “Are you overwhelmed by your work? Take a talk around the neighborhood.” Comments like this are often said with nothing but the best of intentions, but they used to make me angry as much as being told to drink more water. I did not understand how these things were going to help.
Three years ago, I hit a low point. Once I saw a pair of empty eyes looking at me through the mirror, I knew I was at my breaking point. So, I took the advice I fought so hard to ignore. I went for a walk—with the hope that it would somehow change my life.
I embraced the fresh air everyone seemed to be talking about. But it did nothing. I was just as sad as I was before. I went on a walk every single day for more than a month. Some days I could hardly make it outside, but I managed to push through. I took a picture every time I went. I think I wanted to document (记录) myself trying to make an effort.
One day, the unthinkable happened. I found myself smiling. I realized I had patiently waited all morning to go on this walk. What I once hated had become the best part of my day. I found myself longing to be outside. I never had a destination in mind. I just danced along the trails, stopped to look at the beautiful blue skies and listened to music.
I’m glad I took pictures because there was a noticeable difference in my face. I slowly started to look less tired and defeated. I don’t know why I refused to go on that walk for so long. I guess I didn’t want to believe that something small and seemingly meaningless could actually make an impact on my physical and mental well-being.
If you’re having a bad day, a bad month, a bad year or even a bad life, you should try going for a walk. Sometimes, all we need to do is try.
1. How did the author use to feel when people suggested she go for a walk?| A．Pleased. | B．Annoyed. | C．Interested. | D．Surprised. |
| A．Her friend encouraged her. |
| B．She wanted to challenge herself. |
| C．Her hopelessness drove her to try. |
| D．She was eager to get close to nature. |
| A．She felt cheered up after the first week. |
| B．She always set off with a destination in mind. |
| C．She stopped for a while due to lack of progress. |
| D．She was inspired by the pictures she took of herself. |
| A．Care about our mental well-being. | B．Go for a walk when feeling down. |
| C．Stay positive when bad things happen. | D．Take other people’s suggestions seriously. |
【推荐2】My wife Hannah and I usually don’t keep houseplants. Anything in pots gets either overwatered or underwatered. After my diagnosis (诊断) with a brain cancer, I loved to have something green and alive around us. And then I got a lucky bamboo plant in a pot from my friend Mitch. I told Hannah I wanted to care for the plant myself.
As a physician, I was used to providing care. Since my diagnosis, I had to rely on help from other people, leaving me feeling aimless and upset. Watering the plant taught me I could still be a caregiver.
Over the next few months, I recovered from surgery and completed the first round of treatment. Both the bamboo and I were thriving (繁荣). Then, mysteriously, it began to show signs of stress. No matter what I did, the leaves kept dropping to the floor, making me discouraged and uneasy.
“I can’t even care for simple plant!” I yelled. “I’m failing!”
Hannah reminded me that we’d seen houseplants die before. She asked me why I was getting so worked up about this particular one.
“If my lucky bamboo dies,” I cried out, “I might die too!”
Identifying with the plant had offered me comfort. Now that the plant was struggling, I felt increasingly fearful.
Suddenly, one day, I realized I had wrongly connected my care for the plant—something over which I had at least some control — with my own survival — something over which I had no control. When my cancer returned, it would not be because of any failure on my part — not because I ate sugar occasionally and certainly not because I failed to keep this plant alive.
As my anxiety lessened, I learned from online tips to care for my dying plant. I moved the bamboo to a larger pot, separating its roots to give it room to grow. When it was back in the sunny window, we both began to thrive again.
1. What made the author change his attitude toward keeping houseplants?| A．He recovered from surgery. | B．He got a lucky bamboo plant. |
| C．He was diagnosed with a cancer. | D．He learned how to water a plant. |
| A．His struggle with cancer. |
| B．His decision to care for the plant. |
| C．His inability to look after himself. |
| D．His belief in linking his survival to the plant’s. |
| A．Everything comes to those who wait. |
| B．Positive thinking is a cure of anxiety. |
| C．Trust yourself that you can do it and get it. |
| D．You carry the passport to your own success. |
【推荐3】Ever wonder what happens to spacecraft after they get launched to space? Well, that is where my job as an instrument operation engineer comes in. My job consists of planning, generating, and operating scientific instruments in-flight. I am grateful for having worked on missions at Saturn, the Moon, and our own planet Earth.
When I was a high-schooler, I was unsure of what college I wanted to attend, or what major I wanted to choose. After receiving an email from a college called Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), I decided to apply to a summer program they were offering with the encouragement of my mom. After participating in that program, I knew that MIT was the right university for me. The passionate students and boundless opportunities developed a feeling of belonging in me that led me to apply and eventually get accepted.
The most exciting and fulfilling part of being an engineer is that I am able to work on projects that benefit humanity. When people think of the space industry, they picture the outer reaches of our solar system. What they may not imagine is the great body of work being done to study our own home—Earth. I am thankful to have a career that allows me to commit myself to that responsibility.
The high light of my career has been witnessing the end of the Cassini mission to Saturn. And when the Cassini spacecraft had run out of fuel, I quickly learned that it was not just the end of the mission, but the end of a team. The night we watched with bittersweet longing as its signal faded to nothing is something that I will always keep in my memories. And while Cassini will be remembered for its historic contributions, what I will remember it for is the team it brought together.
My friends often ask why a girl could achieve all these. I always grew up a big fan of fiction. I realized that a common theme of hero stories is that the hero must always make a choice to start their adventure. If you don’t pick up the sword in your own story because you are afraid of what may happen next, you risk not having a story at all.
1. Why did the author apply to MIT?| A．She set this goal as a high-schooler. | B．A summer program made her love MIT. |
| C．The majors in MIT interested her. | D．Her mother urged her to go to MIT. |
| A．She is proud to work for human well-being. | B．It’s hard for a girl to have such a career. |
| C．She is annoyed by being misunderstood. | D．It’s easy to predict what she does. |
| A．Breathtaking images of the planet. | B．The opportunity to operate the cameras. |
| C．Its historic contributions. | D．The team it brought together. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．Well begun is half done. |
| C．No way is impossible to courage. | D．Time lost cannot be won again. |
【推荐1】“When I grow up, I want to be a runner.” These words are spoken by thousands of Kenyan children. 50 percent of the Kenyan top runners are members of Kalenjin, one minority race of the country. They make up less than two percent of Kenya’s population. This fact has puzzled sports scientists. They have spent considerable time and effort trying to answer one question: What enables the Kalenjin people to run so fast?
Although the question seems simple, finding the answer has proven to be difficult and controversial. A team of Danish sports scientists spent 18 months and discovered the Kalenjins had remarkably slow heart rates even when running long distances. The Kalenjins live in high-elevation（高海拔） villages in the Rift Valley in western Kenya. People living at high elevations produce more red blood cells, which aid in the transport of oxygen throughout the body. Because the air is thinner and contains less oxygen at high elevations, the body produces more red blood cells. Scientists believe there is a connection between increased red blood cells and low heart rates and that both may enable high-altitude athletes to outperform those who train at low altitudes. The Danish scientists also studied the bodies of the Kalenjins and compared them to those of the Danes. They found that the Kalenjins have longer “birdlike” legs. The Kalenjins also have lower body mass indexes (a measure of body fat based on weight and height) and shorter bodies than Danish people.
As a result of the Danish study, some scientists made the conclusion that the Kalenjins possess what is called a “speed gene(基因)”. However, Kenyan runners were offended by this conclusion They credited their success to hard work and endless hours of training.
Although the controversy over the “speed gene” remains unsolved, British runner Mo Farah’s experience offers an interesting perspective on the subject. In 2005, he realized he wasn’t meeting his potential as a runner. A group of Kenyan runners were training in England then. After he accidentally observed the Kenyans’ strict training routines and dedication to their sport, Farah said it was like a switch had been turned on in his head. He began eating healthy foods, going to bed early, and training harder than he had ever trained in his life. As a result, Farah’s running career exploded. He has won seven world and Olympic titles in the 5000m and regularly beats Kenya’s top runners!
Farah’s story proves what Kenyans have known all along. Regardless of genetics, their success would not be possible without hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and mental toughness. Their “secret” is simple. Train hard, run fast, and never give up.
1. What interested the sports scientists?| A．Kenyan sports history. |
| B．Kanlenjins’ running ability. |
| C．Kanlenjins’ training methods. |
| D．Kenyans’ enthusiasm for sport. |
| A．Physical condition. | B．Hard training. |
| C．Living style. | D．Strong will. |
| A．Convincing. | B．Astonishing. |
| C．Unacceptable. | D．Important. |
| A．To show running methods count. |
| B．To encourage British athletes. |
| C．To prove effort pays off. |
| D．To support gene theory. |
【推荐2】Though the Tokyo Olympic Games closed on Aug 8, the public is still watching the athletes. The technologies that helped them in the competition have attracted people’s attention.
Su Bingtian is the first Chinese sprinter(短跑运动员) to reach an Olympic 100 final, setting an Asian record of 9. 83 seconds in his semi-final. “It takes Su 47 steps to run 100 meters. Each step is very important,” a member of Su’s training team said. “Randy Huntington, Su’s American coach and a biomechanics(生物力学) expert in track and field, has collected a lot of data on outstanding sprinters and built a database. He put in all of Su’s data and got a best model. When Su is training, the team uses high-speed cameras to record his training and compares it with the model to find out his weaknesses.”
Technology is also useful in table tennis. On July 27, the semifinal match between China’s Sun Yingsha and Japan’s Mima Ito was going on intensely in Tokyo. You wouldn’t have guessed that a power AI platform was monitoring the match. At an average speed of 100 Mbps, the data was sent to technical team of the Zhejiang University Table Tennis Intelligent Big Data Analysis Platform,2,442 kilometers away from Tokyo.
The platform has stored the data of more than 8, 000 matches so far. The research team has been working on match simulation(模拟) since 2018. “Using big data and AI, we can exactly simulate and predict how the winning rate will change when players change certain tactics(策略).” Professor Wu Yingcai said.
The Tokyo Olympic Games have seen not only scientific support in training, but many newly developed and cutting-edge technologies in athletes’ devices. For example, the Kenya women’s volleyball team’s GPS devices collected data on each player’s strength, heart rate and so on to coaches, who used the information to prevent injury and design training plans for each individual.
1. According to Su Bingtian’s training team, what is important for his better achievement?| A．His outstanding talent. | B．His coach’s active encouragement. |
| C．His scientific training. | D．Support from other sprinters. |
| A．Players can know their own disadvantages. |
| B．It helps players improve their winning chance. |
| C．It helps coaches collect lots of data. |
| D．Players can study other players’ skills. |
| A．Advanced. | B．Expensive. | C．International. | D．Necessary. |
| A．The ways athletes prepared for the Tokyo Olympics. |
| B．The excellent athletes winning at the Tokyo Olympics. |
| C．The wonderful moments of the Tokyo Olympics. |
| D．Technologies helping athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. |
●OUR JOURNEYS
●12 April-29 May 2008
Young people explore how they have adapted to life in Oxford.
“When I first came here,” says one young African woman, “I just wanted to cry all the time. And now I have learned to laugh again.” Working with photographer Rory Carnegie and writer Nikki van der Gaag, young men and women explore their journey from the time they first arrived in a strange place to where they find themselves today. Organised by The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival (10－17 April 2008). Supported by the Maggie Black Trust and Oxford City Council.
●ACTIVlTlES FOR CHlLDREN AND FAMILIES
●MODERN ART TROLLEY FREE
Art activities for children every weekend during the exhibition in the Entrance Space from 2 p. m. to 4 p. m. Just drop in. Children must be led by an adult.
●WORKSHOP FOR 8 TO 12 YEAR OLDS
Thursday 7 April, 10：30 a. m. to 1：30 p. m.
Looking at themes from the exhibition and exploring pictures based ideas through group discussion and using digital cameras. Led by Judie Waldmann.
●BOOK LAUNCH FREE
The Drawing Book by Sarah Simblet is a practical approach to drawing the world around you. Sarah Simblet, who teaches at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, University of Oxford, will be present to give a short talk about the development of her book. Special price of￡18 on copies purchased in the evening.
Booking recommended on 01865 813802
●TEACHERS’EVENING FREE
Thursday 21 April, 5 p.m. to 7：30 p. m.
Lecture by Susan Bright, independent writer and lecturer, at 5：30 p. m. followed by an opportunity to view the exhibition. FREE Education Notes will be provided for teachers attending the evening.
●WORKSHOP FOR PRIMARY TEACHERS
Saturday 7 May, 10：30 a. m. to 1：30 p. m.
Workshop for primary teachers who would like to develop their practical art skill as well as gain an understanding of modern art practice. Led by Judie Waldmann, artist and former primary school teacher.
●TALKS AND WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOL GROUPS
Exhibition talks and artist-led workshops to create work in response to the exhibition are available for pre-booked school groups.Suitable for primary and secondary schools, to check availability and discuss details call Sarah Mossop on 1865 813816.
1. If you are a teacher and interested in art, you probably would like to go to ________.
| A．TEACHERS’EVENING |
| B．MODERN ART TROLLEY |
| C．WORKSHOP FOR PRIMARY TEACHERS |
| D．TALKS AND WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOL GROUPS |
| A．Susan Bright will give a short talk at the launch of the Drawing Book. |
| B．Rory Carnegie and Nikki will teach young people how to take photos. |
| C．The workshop led by Judie is intended for the secondary school students. |
| D．The children who go to the Modern Art Trolley must be led by an adult. |
| A．FREE JOURNEYS | B．SPRING EVENTS |
| C．WEEKEND ACTIVITIES | D．ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS |
| A．if you attend “BOOK LAUNCH”, you can get the book at a low price. |
| B．school groups can attend talks and workshops for them at any time. |
| C．almost all the young people have difficulty in adapting to life in Oxford. |
| D．TEACHERS’ EVENING is only accessible to teachers. |
【推荐1】When Milla Bizzot to finished her first 24-hour obstacle race, she went shoulder to shoulder with experienced competitors, ran 36 miles and completed hundreds of obstacles, all at the age of 9.“There are some double takes on the course, but she has been an inspiration to people who see her out there competing like that,” said Christian Bizzotto, Milla’s father and coach, who was proud of her. Milla is very fit for her age, and she proved it in completing the BattleFrog Xtreme 24-hour race in Miami.
Milla also used the event to inspire other kids to be active, and show how competing in obstacle racing has helped her deal with being bullied at school. “We wanted to make her feel more empowered and make her feel that she wasn’t weak, and that changed her whole mindset,” her father said.
In preparing for the 24-hour race, Milla trained 20 hours a week for 90 days, doing exercise in the gym for 4 hours every day after school.
“The reactions are 90 percent good, but some are totally negative,” Christian said. “I’ve had people message me on Facebook saying I’m a child abuser, and that no 9-year-old should be doing a 24-hour race. But her own doctors were there supporting her and cheering her on. I want her to be a kid, and this is just something she really wants to do.”
CrossFit and obstacle course racing have also helped Christian turn around his life. He got injured in a motorcycle accident. After he was finally able to get around without using a walker, he began his recovery by going for walks on the beach with Milla, and then began running every day.
Next, he joined a CrossFit gym and enjoyed it so much that he opened his own gym to train others for events like CrossFit, BattleFrog and Spartan races. “I just wanted to create a hero that Milla could look up to,” he said.
Next up for Milla is an invitation-only “Athletes Race”. Competitors also have to raise $5,000 for charity.
1. Christian Bizzotto, Milla’s father and coach, ______.| A．was very strict with Milla |
| B．was satisfied with what Milla did |
| C．lost his legs in a motorcycle accident |
| D．threw his walker with the help of CrossFit |
| A．She was always bullied by her schoolmates. |
| B．She began to run because she was physically weak. |
| C．Her father wanted her to get benefit from the obstacle race. |
| D．She became more confident after the 24-hour obstacle race. |
| A．had two days’ rest every week |
| B．was always running with her father |
| C．spent over 4 hours every day of a week |
| D．took a hit because her father was injured |
| A．told us that Milla had a hard childhood |
| B．showed that he was a real abuser |
| C．encouraged Milla to challenge more difficult runs |
| D．were mixed but what Milla did was supported by her doctors |
| A．make money to open a gym |
| B．set a good example to Milla |
| C．make money to raise his family |
| D．get recovered as soon as possible |
【推荐2】Erin Brockovich may be best known as the legal assistant responsible for the largest direct-action lawsuit in history, but do you know she is also a dyslexic (阅读困难者).
Growing up in Kansas, Erin struggled in school and felt the great pressure from learning even as early as the second grade. Teachers were generally unfamiliar with dyslexia at the time, and their constant frustration with her left her feeling continually discouraged. She was laughed at by her classmates because of her inability to understand readings and complete classwork. Success seemed unattainable, and she struggled greatly with her self-confidence. But through her trials, she found the will to reach inside herself and discover her inner strength.
Erin credited one teacher in particular, Ms. Borseff, for spurring a major change in her life. This teacher was the first to notice that Erin understood the coursework even though she consistently failed written exams. Trying to strategize creatively, Ms. Borseff presented exam questions to her in spoken words and convinced the other teachers to do the same. Erin passed the tests with flying colors!
Instantly, Erin’s self-value skyrocketed. Ms. Borseff found this minor adjustment to be the crucial first key in helping Erin unlock her potential in learning. Erin knew she was capable of learning, as did Ms. Borseff, so working together toward her goals helped empower her to learn. She decided right then to never let her disability stop her from reaching her goals.
Later in life, she became a legal clerk, and her hard work on the lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric helped bring about the largest settlement in history, totaling $333 million.
Erin’s real-world success was in large part due to her experience overcoming dyslexa. The lessons she learned through those hardships directly prepared her to be strong, hardworking, determined and creative.
1. What was the problem facing Erin in the second grade?| A．She was unfamiliar with her classmates. | B．She had difficulty in finishing classwork. |
| C．She suffered from a severe hearing problem. | D．She felt upset when speaking before the class. |
| A．Bringing about. | B．Predicting. | C．Needing. | D．Going through. |
| A．Temporary. | B．Destructive. | C．Crucial. | D．Unclear. |
| A．To remember a teacher. | B．To explore a kind of illness. |
| C．To recommend a law office. | D．To introduce a determined woman. |
【推荐3】While taking my boat down the inland waterway to Florida a few weeks ago, I decided to tie up at Georgetown, South Carolina, for the night and visit with an old friend. As we approached the Esso dock, I saw him through my binoculars standing there awaiting us. Tall and straight as an arrow he stood, facing a cold, biting wind-truly a picture of a strong man. Yes, the man was our elder statesman, Bernard Baruch.
As he sat us in his famous Hobcaw Barony for dinner, Mr. Baruch, in his eighty-second year, talked not of the past but of present problems and the future with a wonderful sparkle in his eyes-obviously still a dynamic person. I couldn’t help but wonder what was the secret of this great man’s value to the world at 82? The answer is his unsatisfied desire to keep being productive.
Recently I walked into the locker room of a rather well-known golf club. It was in the late afternoon and most of the members had left for their homes, but I saw a half-dozen or so middle-aged men were still seated at tables, talking aimlessly and drinking more than was good for them. Strangely enough, these men were seemingly wealthy, successful in business and respected in the community, yet something very important was missing; otherwise, there would not have been the constant efforts to escape the realities of life through Scotch and soda. They knew, each one of them, that their productivity had ceased. When a fruit tree ceases to bear its fruit, it is dying. And it is even so with man.
What is the answer to a long and happy existence in this world of ours, apart from always being productive? I think I found it long ago in a passage from the Bible. The words were few, but they became memorably impressed on my mind: “In the sweat of the face shall you eat the bread. ”
1. What does the author want to say about Mr. Baruch?| A．He was a senior statesman of Florida. |
| B．He owned a well-known golf club. |
| C．He held a positive attitude towards life. |
| D．He had a secret of ceasing to grow. |
| A．Comparison and comment. | B．Argument and explanation. |
| C．Description and explanation. | D．Assumption and clarification. |
| A．Bread tastes delicious when sweat pours of our face. |
| B．Wealth should be acquired by honest effort. |
| C．Never should we be lost in the significance of life. |
| D．No way can we achieve happiness with sweat on face. |
| A．Life is short and time is swift. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．As life is like a dream, a man a fruit tree. |
| D．If you cease to struggle, you cease to live. |
